《Reincarnated as a Duck: A beast progression litrpg isekai》


 INDEX 1 / RULEBOOK 1

    Greetings to a Rulebook/Index, where information about this one of the novels of all times resides. This is not a proper first chapter. Thanks for understanding and feel free to read through anything in this large composition.


    Check the Table of Content to see what you desire.


    This Rulebook''s purpose is to get some sense of the things I''ve written so far. It has some concepts, ideas, and collections in one single form, acting as a small wiki. It is there to establish rules in a neater format than for them to remain somewhere else. My head, for example. Or nowhere for the other eyes to see. Many things in this rulebook are world-building materials that don''t always concern the novel''s MC. Some do. Some don''t.


    It goes pretty deep into the power systems, as I never went too deep into them in a novel like this because some of them are complicated to put into chapters like this. Most of what you will see will, at some point, be mentioned in the chapters, but in bits and pieces across thousands of pages. Not wholly like this.


    It will contain spoilers, some of which might diminish some wonders or the reading experience. If you haven''t read a single chapter, this may serve as an overview of what you will read about but be warned that it contains materials for many books and that it is quite long. It will be going over the power systems, rules, phrases, magic systems, and overall picture of a singular world in a large universe.


    If you want to seek some further information about some obscure or less detailed information as you read, comment and I will add it. Some topics will have a lot of explanations due to their complexity, others not so much because of their obscurity.


    Thank you. For now, I am winging it and questioning myself if it is formatted badly or enough.


    Some sections will be gradually upgraded and increased due to published books.


    NOTE: A lot of content of this rulebook is hidden under the spoilers. Uncover them for yourself.


    Table of Content


    Notes


    World-Building


    Phrases


    History and world


    world-building materials contain smaller unpacked stuff, to some medium detailed expansions, or explanationsPower Systems


    Path


    Evolution


    Leveling


    Magic


    Power Systems are big. They are by far the most wordy and convoluted, and this note table is far too small to contain some notes.


    Characters


    Murai


    Lisa


    Razmund


    Those are important characters on a large scale of importance. Under them is their history and many remarks, including their Status Board and abilities. Murai is by far the most detailed.


    Phrases


    This section notes word-building phrases and briefly explains them. There are various points, validity, and chaos. They are smaller in exposition.


    Battleworld: It is the name of the planet this novel takes place in. It is a large world with massive continents and seas larger than the land. [More onto this in World-Building]


    Old World: It is a phase describing the former Battleworld before the current godly pantheons came to this planet, establishing it into a new age.


    New Beginning: It is a phrase that suggests reincarnation or a new life in general depending on context.


    End: It is a word that means the death of someone or anything. It is often described as a means to kill someone, so he will meet his End.


    Will of the Battleworld: It effectively acts as a ruling system in this world, giving living beings a near certain chance of getting stronger. It is a voice that can speak to the soul, or whispers, or act in other ways. Cases of how it acts are subjective to each continent in the Battleworld, as there are many forms of its manifestation.


    Blessed: It is a term for beings that are reincarnated into the Battleworld under convoluted and complex manners and facts. They describe someone worthy from the Greater Skies, forcing them into the Battleworld with special status and privileges. Those include intact memories of their past life, which may be the highest advantage one could get in this world. How someone becomes Blessed is a tough secret that very few beings in the Battleworld even understand. They have a much wilder and more powerful reputation with Will of the Battleworld and their stakes are much higher too. They also get various perks that many seek out like gold.


    Gifted: This sort of person can be Blessed too, but this term is more in line with the Gods and their meaningful power. They describe someone endowed by a God. That they are worthy of their interest and benefits. Anyone can be touched by their interest and granted various bonuses, blessings, and powers, becoming as forceful as Blessed.


    Boost: This is an important phrase that depicts Will of the Battleworld''s readings and achievements. Finishing some missions, killing, living through tough battles, or growing in any kind attracts this authorization and reading, granting powerful blessings from the world itself. Boosts can be granted to anyone or anything. It is one of the primary ways to increase attributes, abilities, and growth without being Blessed or Gifted. Boost could be power or extremely mild, almost devoid of blessings in any capacity. In such cases, its worth would be in notes alone or simple knowledge that one expands in some way.


    One can also refuse Boosts, growing all alone by one''s choice, causing growth to be natural and self-found. Why that is, is questionable and up to the individuals to decide, but when a Boost happens, it can''t be taken back, making it cheap, yet powerful.


    Blessing: It is a gift and something that one shouldn''t take for granted. It has various objectifications, values, and uses. They range from Grade F to Grade SSS and could be pretty overpowered and often insanely useful. They are most often obtained from the Dungeons, special battles, missions, or Offerings straight from Gods. They are one of the rarest things one could find or get, as they describe the power of Gods.


    Offering: It is a term conjunct to the Gods. They can''t reach out to the mortal realms unless some unique chances are happening. Hence, to further their powers, they can take on any offer from the mortal world, providing opportunities, furthering their reputation, and gifting mortals or their subjects the means necessary for their lives. It is an exchange.


    Dungeons: They depict ruins of the Old World in most cases. Most are underground, looking ancient, filled with old danger, and massive scales. Their vision and origin are shrouded in mysteries and unfathomable power that stems from the entire planet and acts with the Will of the Battleworld, or the whims of some Gods. There are various depictions of them throughout the history of this world. They are also Graded and have various sub-dungeons and other categories:


    The main ones are Origin Dungeons. Those are continental and hegemonic dungeons that have various sub-dungeons. Each Origing Dungeon had its main paths, acting as the main dungeon. Their names can vary depending on the culture and the continents, but their name remains the same according to the continents such as Somalis Origin Dungeon.


    Dungeons have various concepts and are often met with challenges, curses, various issues, and setbacks. It is also a place that is full of opportunities, Boosts, and when one could grow the most. Blessed figures come to such places to fight for their futures, hopes, and power. Anyone can do that, as long as their power and fate allow it. They are critically known as dangerous places, with Ends around every corner. They also form some achievements under the Will of the Battleworld, and various Dungeons are locked behind rare and special circumstances.


    Beings fully focused on exploring these places are called Dungeon Delvers.


    A lot of dungeons are lairs of monsters, ruins of old kingdoms or locations, lost treasures, or places lost in time. Gods view them with a certain interest and allow the Will of the Battleworld to view them as chances for mortals.


    Gods: They are the rulers over the mortals and worlds, and hold powers that mortals could only dream about. They have many names, often given nicknames, though there are many of them under many Pantheons. In the Battleworld, there are many of them. Some planets have none, others few. The Sky Gods are living above the Battleworld. Then, there are Hell Gods, living under the surface in various places.


    Gods are strong individuals with powers that form a rare presence over the Battleworld. One of them is a Ruler of this entire world, acting as one above all. Most Gods reside in their respective Divine Kingdoms, living off of their lives and subjects. Gods depict the closing end of one''s Path and individuals seeking Greater Skies and the next, often impossibly far steps.


    Gods have their differences and powers in unique visions. For them, there are 4 Ranks in unique progression. Rank 3 is the beginning of godhood when one masters the first sights of their Path and what it means, with Rank 0 describing a stage known in many worlds and cultures as Creators. Creators are beings above Gods, describing Entities with codenames and Pathway Authority. Known Entities: Afterlife


    Divides: Order and Chaos divide the universe in balance and reason.


    Pathway: a subject that holds authority, describing sections in Divides that are their visions and rules.


    Paths: They are a section of some Pathway, giving a person a way to live and a way to handle the portion of its power and authority over the Divides. It is a way to handle power in a finite and clear way. It describes a specific power and rules to an individual, describing techniques, ways of progressions, or classes and what they achieved, can do, or will do. [Further into it goes individual Power System.]


    River of Manaflow: It is an unfathomably large river of mana that spans through the universe for unknown amounts of years and distances. It is the core influence that allows certain worlds to become rich in life and full of splendid Paths.


    Sky:A term used when speaking about what is beyond the ground. In most cases, they depict the Divine Kingdoms, the residencies of many gods above the Battlewolrd, or something far. In terms of Skies, the implications carry multiple worlds and something very far or wide.


    Depths: A term that depicts the underground in many forms. Those include Dungeons, Hells, and even deep seas and oceans.


    Surface: A term describing the grounds, continents, and what is visible to the naked eye.


    Greater Skies: A lofty term that speaks of what lies beyond a planet. It describes the general universe on a greater scale, unspecified in scope, and with countless planets.


    Endless Skies: A specific phrase that is rare in this novel. It is a boundary of something in the universe that is too big, filled with mysteries and power.


    Life Companion: It is an attendant, aide, and friend in their finest prose, but one that is glued to someone else. Pledge, oath, or various connections parts could make honorable and important decisions. In usual terms, a Life Companion is deemed anyone willing to spend the rest of their life with someone. It could be forceful, or voluntary. Good, or bad.


    In unique cases such as Blessed, they have a different vision of the Battleworld and are considered as their teaching familiars. A Blessed always has a Life Companion of a former Blessed to understand Battleworld better. They depict Blessed who met their End once again. They seek yet another life for a third time. They can have various visions, ranging from soul forms, tools, or beasts.


    Blessed Companion: Those are special cases of companions of Blessed beings. They are of different breeds from Life Companions, or some friend or tool alike. They effectively put forth a connection and shackle themselves to the Blessed in hopes of helping and getting various benefits. Because of that, Blessed can get a fine tool, slaves, or helpers for dirt cheap, since the worth of being a Blessed Companion is quite large, albeit dangerous.


    Powers: Those depict nations, kingdoms, empires, tribes, or similar things. They follow Tiers, ranging from F to S, and their importance plays a large topic in the lands of the Battleworld, Gods, and many other interests. The tier of power describes their military strength, achievements, and power in itself. Not necessarily Gods or something that could be granted cheaply.


    Wars: They have various visions and premises.


    Mortal War is about two powers acting against one another, hoping to crash or weaken the other side. Be it invasion, defense, or a war for resources or land.


    Holy War is the following point where Gods are becoming interested in their stakes and religions over a Mortal Far. Before a Holy War happens, their Churches could send certain interest into the Mortal War, and effectively end it, so it would reach a much higher status. How and why? It depends on the Gods in question, how Will of the Battleworld affects it, or how politics goes. But one God is usually not enough to start a Holy War. It often affects large pieces of land and multiple powers.


    Divine War is a very rare occurrence where many Gods would literary descent from their lofty place, and act with their real bodies in the mortal lands. It is a time when Ends go left and right, and it isn''t a pretty or nice time. Many powers could be destroyed, and even Tier A powers would crumble apart.


    Breach: A forceful snatch or cause of something away from the rules. It is a term used in many situations, including something that shouldn''t happen easily, or it is forced to happen against the norm. It contains ideas and causes that better not happen.


    Taboo: A situation that should never happen, for the love of what is good and bad.


    History and World


    There is a lot of lore. This section will be upgraded gradually as the novel advances.


    Battleworld resides on the edge of the Common Skies, in an unusually barren Sector¡ªareas in space consisting of planets, some importance, and spaces¡ªthat still has proud and well-established waves of River of Manaflow, giving it a significant source of energy for lives to flourish and Gods to find their footing.


    The history of the Battleworld dates countless Chaos Cycles back, which is a known time frame that signifies the flow of mana from the origin to the edge of everything. It is said to be tens of thousands of normal planet-years long, though time is a power that is ever-constant and choking. Some consider cycles to be important due to their importance, self-interest, or power. Tens of thousands of years is basically nothing in the grand scheme of things, nor is it something important for a mortal who lives for less than a century. For some worlds or people, it is what sets many things apart.


    The start of the Battleworld dates to the time when Gods from outer space came to this then-barren world, carrying over people and knowledge. The world back then was barren, with beasts running rampant, continents being less than coherent, storms storming across the seas and lands, demons being more powerful than everyone else, and some remaining races barely surviving.


    No God was present back then, and the mana was fatigued, affecting the power of living beings that wanted some safety or authority to go against the Divides. Thus, new Gods went to work and one of them, Lordis, became a major figure of that time by fixing and changing this world. There have been many setbacks since then, but the world thrived ever since.


    Old World¡ªor what is considered named by the current era¡ªis considered to be a time before the current narrative, going back even further into deep and unknown times. Many sights from that period are considered lost and barely tangible under the current timeline. Most Dungeons contain wonders and beings from that time, as they are places left from that history yet still living. That history, added to the various races and beings that lived since the start of the Battleworld, makes the current history fascinating for many scholars.


    But cultures speak thousands of words, and many continents take that differently.


    Many scholars consider the Old World very interesting, though old and dangerous, so many rather act with the established interest around current age, or Gods. Still, even in the current age, the Old World has many researchers and curious eyes. Nobody stops anyone from looking at that history as it no longer matters, but it hides many wonderful sights as history often repeats itself.


    It is often said that Dungeons are leftovers of lost civilizations, various spaces, or treasured dens. Most Depths are bits of that time as well, with cities and a worthwhile world being under every corner of this planet. Most are in a very different vision from the current Surface of the Battleworld.


    Old World had no Boosts to carry it to new heights, nor did Will of the Battleworld establish a powerful flow of information and power around the globe. It was considered more rural, brutal, and much less forgiving.


    Geology is everything


    Current Battleworld is made of five large continents between even bigger water landmasses of insanity and chaos. There are five continents predominantly under many watchful Gods. Those, by names alone, are: Somalis, Radagan, Noah, Zeanor, and Blitalia. Many things about them will be known throughout the novel and placed into the Rulebook/codex when they all become important. For now, this section will go through one of them.


    Around these continents, politics matters like geological limits. Many seas act as lines, walls, and boundaries between the continents, making connections and travel close to being impossible. Massive storms and currents are everywhere, with deep seas full of dangerous and vast creatures, separating the continents, and giving them ancient times and specified cultures. If it wouldn''t be for very well-established routes and Extremes, it would be impossible to connect or do some business between some continents.


    Thus, the Depths of these seas are considered off the charts for most people, making trading fit for those who could afford such travels, or take these dangerous zones for challenge itself.


    Surface consists of these continents.


    Depths consist of numerous underground places, with Hells being a dominant faction under every continent, or anything under, including the seas.


    Sky consists of the Divine Kingdoms of Sky Gods,


    Somalis Continent


    It is a place where our protagonist takes his first steps, so it is first to be known in greater detail. There are about a dozen large-scale powers in this continent and many smaller ones. Most are primarily dominated by the human population and its cultures. There isn''t a large diversity on its Surface, as predominant cultures of the medieval time go well with magic. The area of the Somalis continent is large enough to house a normal world, thus distances are important, and so are the traveling routes, some cities, or places.


    Around many places, Will of the Battleworld sets rather normal examples of power, giving people and nations traditional rules about Boosts. Those consist of voices most of the time, or badges known to many associations. Those are for Adventure Guild, Magic Association, and many Mercenary Groups to work with, providing an artificial sense of security that mortals bargain with.


    Adventure, Magic, and Mercenary associations are under every continent, with rankings for their members consisting of Bronze, Copper, Silver, Gold, Amethyst, and Diamond Ranks. There is one above the Diamond Rank, which consists of the top dogs of these associations. They are essentially run by people of the Surface, with less godly influences, so such associations are neutral in a way.


    Any race and even beast could become their member, as long as they are adequate and without issues, as there are some rules for joining. Not being a troublemaker helps a lot, and good evaluation and reputation is a key to advancements.


    Boosts and various advantages are under these associations, making things easier for those seeking power.


    Note: these associations are extremely common and hold massive advancements for trading resources and information, and give people a sense of unity and connections.


    In the Somalis continent, there is only one nation worthy of a Tier S, the Somalis Empire, which is a de-facto protector of these lands as its oldest power. It has many Extremes and Sages, and many Gods show it favorable expressions or direct touches.


    Then, there is the Centralis Kingdom, which is one of the main driving factors in this novel, though it doesn''t seem like it. This kingdom has a long-lasting dynasty of Blessed kings and queens, who established their power to be quite influential and unique on the Surface. They seek expansion, making many moves and wars possible. It is a Tier A power, with many Extremes and fewer Sages. It is also a prominent believer of Blessed superiority, with thousands of them in their ranks. It is solely a human kingdom. It has a brutal racial view, with power being the most important. Its central city is the City of Chaos.


    Somalis Hell is set underneath its Surface, acting as a separate realm and Dungeons, with one of the entries being the Levandis Temple, which will turn extremely important by the end of Book 2. This Hell is owned by Levandis, an important God. Her temple resides in the Seventh Death Forest¡ªin the middle portion of the continent¡ª where a Death Valley hides her Hell and hopes.


    Note: More nations and kingdoms will be revealed as the story progresses.


    Overall, Somalis is a continent filled with many conflicts, and many powers fight over its land and resources, making it chaotic and always moving.


    Notable landmarks: Red Glory Forest, Tabula Lake, Towering Morghalis in Morga Region, Yuzna Mountains, Endless Plains in the north, City of Cinnar, Seventh Death Forest, Death Valley, Levandis Temple, Endless Tower in the City of Chaos.


    Known Dungeons: Somalis Origin Dungeon ~ Sub-Dungeons: Acaman Tower


    Important-or less important-dates


    Date when Murai arrived in this world: 34,408


    Current age: 34,409


    Roughly 50 years since Lisa departed this world and came back.


    Pillage Emperor''s prime time: 14, 240 years ago


    Thousands of years since the period of Rudolf the Great.


    34,409 years since some Gods came to this planet and established their new age. Even longer than that since the collapse of the Old World.


    Will of the Battleworld, aka The Voice.


    It is described as endless in opportunities, with its Boosts and potential to cause powers to grow and rules to guide others. This thing is directly grasped by the Divine Kingdoms and Gods, with Battleworld doing the most of the lifting in a limited albeit important capacity.


    It is a forceful guiding tool that meddles with all sorts of reason. It speaks and guides locations or people, or changes many conflicts to a good or terrible Fate.


    How well it ends is disregarded by people or mortals, for they love the Boosts that follow Will of the Battleworld.


    For some, it is seen as unsightly, and numerous mortals are against this system. But Gods are behind it, so it is hard to shame it too much, especially when the lives of mortals can no longer live without it.


    Some of the Boosts of this voice are seen as self-found, acting as one''s powerful accomplishment that would happen regardless. [Such as many magic-related increases.] Natural growth, teaching, and self-training give this self-found power great merits.


    Then, some Boosts do nothing but grant things, directly increasing one''s strength. These are Boost Blessings and consist of anything. Examples: evolution system, equipment, some attributes, evolved abilities or spells, and many others.


    Levandis Temple [End of Book 2, 3, 4, and 5]


    A big mysterious place in the Somalis continent. That is this temple that adheres to Lady Levandis, Rank 1 God, Lady of Thousand Graves.


    This temple is one of the gateways to her Hell, consisting of 10 Gates of various flexible difficulties that could go as low as Level 10, while the upper limit is unknown. It is her backyard, formed by the former Divine Kingdom of the Sun God of the Old World, and observed by Mindarch, the spirit of this temple.


    Throughout this temple, mana is insane and savage thanks to the unknown treasures in its depths. Denizens and most beings of this temple grow a Mana Essence upon their death and a certain authorization made from a Guide or a special token. Lady Levandis is the one behind this artificial essence-gathering construction, which uses living and undead as furnaces for essences.


    Many Gates have many depths, people, demons, denizens, lairs, and so on.


    Entry: For outsiders of this temple, there is a 3-year limitation entry. One goes inside by going into Death Valley and setting up a Welcoming Party, which is an assessment if one is worthy. Depending on the time of successful entries, difficulties vary under every try. Attempting the Welcoming Party doesn''t count as a successful entry, so one might clash and try them for as long as they can. It is an Undead Army under Extreme called Thar, Undead King, with many Undead as enemies. There are waves of duels or a duel with Thar himself.


    Rules: great improvements and getting stronger are attainable when undergoing this temple, which is almost like a made-up dungeon, that is hiding in the earth and deep underground.


    Mindarch is the rule-maker, while the 3-year period for outsiders is about the harshest rule there is. There are essentially no limitations when one enters.


    Each one of the 10 Gate is unique.


    Each Challenger gets a Guide, a being from Hell to guide them in their attempt.


    Hell Points is a reward system for Vaults at each Gate, giving Challengers a buying power for loot. Hell Points are granted and calculated by Mindarch. They depict how one fought or accomplished their successful Gates.


    What is killed is Challenger''s, including loot and essence, or the bodies.


    When Challenger dies, that''s it. Now, they are the property of the temple.


    Some Gates might have unusual rules because of individuals who produce unique events, or their existence is akin to a Breach or Taboo itself. The count of entry is the most liable chance, however. Such a thing could be like a curse or a blessing. Example: Razmund''s no-killing rule at Gate 2, or Archtouched and its mana-based increases.


    Gate 1: Gate of Suffering. It is a place made of the former Sun God temple. It is a labyrinth made of many long stretching corridors that split. There is a constant Fog of Dread in the surroundings, affecting the mind, and eyes, and hindering the soul itself. Waves of enemies are teleported into the corridors.


    Numbers or their levels depend on the Challenger''s Level and how many times they entered it in their lifetime. It is possible to skip formalities. In the end, one visits a vast building akin to a museum and prison and finds a Guardian, the last boss of this Gate. Guardians vary in vision or power. They might be the stone statues in the museum, or sent from bellows.


    The Vault consists of two buildings with various rewards. Most of them are seen as starting incentives and they aren''t extensive.


    Gate 2: This is not a singular Gate but numerous ones. At the end of the Gate 1, one enters a portal. Which Gate 2 they follow is up to luck or their forceful touch. It is unknown how many of them are made of the former Sun God temple, or how many of them are Levandis'' doing.


    Known Gate 2s: Hellwar Zone, Trail of Lottery, Islands of Greatness, and a few others.


    Due to the book''s nature, only Islands of Greatness have been explored so far


    Islands of Greatness: A huge dug-out cave filled with water and pillars and Islands on top of them. Accomplishing 100 Islands is the goal of this Gate. One starts in a single location that will branch out until the Ending Isles at the end.


    Each island has a Chaos Cage, causing the arena to be close to outside influence. Upon success, bridges to other islands are revealed and one has to choose which one to follow.


    With luck, there is a chance to encounter a shop where one could spend already accomplished Hell Points.


    By luck, there is a possibility to meet a foe with a Key. Keys is a system designed as a gift from the temple or Levandis herself. They are this temple''s important property for denizens and Challengers. Key depicts a chance to get a Relic, Law, or Divine Artifact from special Vaults. One gains a Key only by killing the wielder of such Keys.


    Murai has a unique stake in his attempt at this Gate. That is an Influence Item if he bests this Gate.


    The Vault is part of the tunnel to Gate 3. There are Bronze, Silver, or Golden Rooms that depict safes of the Gate 3. There is an incredible amount of treasures there, and one would never get enough Hell Points to purchase it al. Bronze and Silver Room are regular Vaults, with Golden Room being crazy good because of the discount bonus.


    Entering one of these Vaults depends on accomplishments. Golden Room is considered sacred.


    Gate 3: Hellscape.


    Details: big cave realm dug out by Levandis.


    [Ongoing]


    [Omitted]


    Power Systems


    There are various ways the universe battles with power and how individuals handle it. In this novel, power has numerous faces, seeking, gathering, and establishing under one''s memories, worlds, magic, or opportunities between them. Will of the Battleworld influences most of it in this novel''s single world. It tries to influence, give reasons, and empower living beings like a guiding hand, but one could refuse it, opting for sole and steady visions or trials that one handles without it.


    There are many ways to look at power in the Battleworld, and many beings follow what they prefer, like, or what is best for them.


    Races, talents, souls, and truly anything can become some sort of power, thus a lot of things could be connected.


    There are Path, Evolution, Leveling, and Magic power systems, with Leveling being the guiding tool in the Battleworld that could involve everything. The rest is broader, with Paths being vast, Evolutions are body, racial, and fleshly involving powers, and magic is closely related to Paths, with Leveling being like a system to accommodate everything.


    Throughout the novel, all power systems go under the Will of the Battleworld''s rules. It connects--or empowers--all power systems to act according to readable, or coherent rules, with, or within boundaries of what it could handle, or not. To a certain extent, it is a mingling cause that adheres to many principles that follow the broader universe, which then turns Battleworld into something unique, forced, or artificial.


    First, let''s go over the basis of power in the universe, starting with Paths which describes broadness and limitless potential.


    Path System


    There is a pair of main driving factors of power on a large universal scale. They depict something that follows the cosmos, so it isn''t solely based on one world.


    Divide Ways of Chaos and Order are the rules. Think of it as good and evil with a different representation, but it is hardly that simple in this novel.


    Each of these Divides has various Pathways within them, which may or may not be angled to one of the Divides or both. They may even act to one alone, be neutral, or handle it both. Paths are under them.


    Examples of Pathways are: Pathway of Magic,Pathway of Sword, or Pathway of Beast. There may be very extreme, weird, or unique Pathways with various results and weird Paths. They can vary from world to world, by species or race, or by Sectors and Skies.


    Under the Pathways are individual Paths, which are something that anyone with a shred of power wants to walk in. It is the most universally accepted form of a power system and the most widely spread. Anyone could decide to walk on some since it defines the road and possibilities that they can take. They are easy to comprehend at the start, but hard to master. Their prose depends on their quality, the individual taking them, or limits established by setting, talent, or resources.


    To walk through a Path means to go against the Divide Ways of Chaos and Order.


    Paths are often described as infinitely varied, yet systematic in their prose. They have stages, similar to cultivation, or how numbers follow their principles with dominant logic. Well, as long as no letters come into play.


    In the Battleworld, the Path System is very popular and handled by one''s choice. It is followed up by Will of the Battleworld''s readings of said Path, or their history. One could follow it with free will and get as far as possible by their prospects. It is widely acknowledged that the better one is, the higher their Grade is, and the greater the possibilities and heights go.


    Paths have predetermined Grade from the get-go, describing theirquality, power, and difficulty at the same time.There are Classes underneath them that follow each Path, with each being better than the last. The exact number of how many Classes a Path has is largely known if the Path is comprehended, or unknown, if the Path is new, ancient, or not well established. Some are known to the bone and every little trick.


    Example of the Battleworld-involved Path: Path of Mage Knight is a Grade C Path. It is under the Pathway of Magic, and Divide Way of Order. It has 4 Classes that follow the general vision of levels in the Battleworld, and a general sense of progression outside of it. The Grade of the Path generally depicts its might and potential power. Those range from Grades F to SSS, and the same follows the Classes.


    Levels 1 to 30 is a starting process. First Class is Apprentice Knight. It is Class F and considered a beginning. One has to follow the Path, get stronger, and be better to reach the next Class. Magic is yet to weigh on one shoulder, and if a person has a talent for it, they will go to the next stage. If not, that is the end. Sword is a priority at this stage, rather than magic.


    Levels 30 to 50 depict the Second Class known as Battlemage at Class E. A more potent spell caster, enchanter, and magic will become more important. It has a certain duality that makes it suitable for armies.


    Levels 50 to 70 depict the Third Class: Mage Knight, Class D. It is what describes this path, and one is a true mage and also a knight. It is a Class with a very good mixture of magic and swordsmanship.


    Levels 70 to 90 mean the limits of this Path, describing a Mage King at Class C. To get this far represents a very rare and potent individual who reaches his limit.


    It is almost impossible to reach level 90 and above with such a Path, and one has to either change it, reach other means of power, or completely overhaul it and turn it into something that doesn''t adhere to the rules of its Pathway. That is often impossible, or dangerous, requiring luck and help. One could also create a new Path, get a potent Blessing, or simply give up and be happy with what one has. Still, being close to an Extreme in power is very impressive.


    Thus, a Path can be a very limiting factor to almost all individuals, and getting further into the leveling processes could be a massive hurdle. Stronger abilities or a change of attributes couldn''t necessarily help with everything, even though they would certainly give someone an edge.


    There are rules, limits, and options to almost everything. Some Paths are strictly confidential to certain races, or even Blessings, or souls. It isn''t uncommon for Paths to be incredibly harsh to reach some Classes, and the highest conditions are at high-grade Paths. In such cases, the number of Classes may even differ, giving Grades much more importance. Some could skip the grading scheme and become Class D after being Class F in its first stage. In such cases, the power of such a Path is very powerful, but also more difficult.


    Note: Not everyone is prone to this Class system since Paths can be very complex. Some Pathways aren''t following common sense either, no matter if Battleworld has a Will of the Battlworld to effectively help with all of them.


    Will of the Battleworld helps with Paths like a device, handling them as one of the core features.


    It is possible, but not easy, to handle two Paths at the same time, though they must correspond to some requirements, and not bother one another. The most prominent ones are some suitable dualities in magic or martial arts. Then, there are two drastically different visions like a Soul Pathway which delves into the souls, and--for example--Sword Pathway which delves into a sword. Each has its unique stake that can''t collide as souls are unique. Souls are in everyone, yet everyone takes some approach to this differently. Some souls could be very powerful and handle the burden of taking some Soul


    Pathway Path and handle some Magic Path aside without a single hitch, making a potent duality.


    Evolution System


    They are unique and weird concepts for beasts, various demonic, beast, and inhuman races. In many cases, evolution could act like a Path, as there are stages within the evolution, but it isn''t exactly that either. {One could handle Evolutions and Paths at the same time, becoming powerful on different sides}.  For it to happen, one has to know what one does and both of these things should be very compatible if one wants to reach some depth in both of them. If it isn''t good, well, it better be good.


    Outside of those factors, evolutions are a major and important piece of power for instinctual type beings. Animals could evolve, and become something stronger and better without relying on anything complex. They work extensively well because of the Will of the Battleworld that handles all cases. Race is by no means a limiting factor, as even humans can get an evolution as long as they want to depend on it, want to change, or handle different types of power systems. But it depends on their physique, luck, or how their bodies can endure such things.


    Evolution is physical change; it could contain, or gift magic as well.


    In most cases, evolution depicts a simple premise: race and certain beings have limited ways to follow some Paths with Classes because of lacking Will and soul, For evolution, there is a Race or a Species that matters, similar to Classes. A species is a "pathway" followed by a subspecies that is like a "Path or Class". A similar thing could be said about races and subraces, which are dominant for many humanoid races.


    Evolution means power over one''s flesh, body, and Bloodline. Bloodline is an endearing information. It means history within the race, family, or species, followed by progression, possibilities, and very powerful roots. It is what describes shifts in species or races. There are often many directions one''s species or race can evolve into, and it has progression, similar to Paths.


    Example of Battleworld-involved Evolution: When a beast is born, they are Level 0 in a stage known as Seedling.


    One has to grow for one to reach the first evolution at Level 1. It requires time and eating.


    The Seedling stage has 3 phases. Weak, Full, and Fed Up.


    After the body is ready for a Level Up for the first time, evolutions are available. There are 3 choices for a beast to make, stemming from choices that Will of the Battleworld reads out of their potential Bloodline, but it is not always the rule. They can differ, because some species may have too many choices, while others wouldn''t. Those choices often describe the limits of their Bloodlines.


    Further evolution after Level 1 has drastic change. They no longer happen automatically, but eventually. A beast gets them by unlocking, accomplishing, or getting their choices through their acts and powers. To start it, one has to unlock 3 specific evolutions, with only one that could be chosen. Most beasts could have less than half a dozen evolutions in total, depending on their powers. Like Paths, the further one goes with them, the harder they get.


    Will of the Battleworld grants the evolution of significant powers in the Battleworld. It grants choices if requirements for them are met, found, or granted. Those may be attributes, some magic, unique bloodlines perks, and powers that have been unlocked via various means. They are similar to the Classes in Paths. Class F sub-species are weak, and E and forward are stronger.


    Beast evolution forms Sub-Species progression. There may be only a few evolutions or many depending on the species, their bloodline limits, and talents. It is usually a very powerful way to get stronger for them, as many beasts can''t rely on Paths because they are dumb and lack instincts. Sub-species have various differences depending on the core of the species and could change the overall look, workings of the species, and power. Overall, it is a hard progression that has incredibly powerful weight.


    After the Seedling stage, there is the Child stage. One gets it through the first evolution or simpler growth. It is often described as a juvenile stage depending on the culture of certain species. It has Risen, Clutching, and Darring phases.


    After that is Adolescence, and to get there, one has to do the second evolution or grow old enough within the Child stage and first evolution. After that is an Adult and Elder. Those all act according to the age of the unique aspects of the species and could have various depictions depending on the species. Some can get pretty damn old and even high enough in power, that they can shatter Extremes and be quite powerful within this world.


    Beasts are often described as unholy beings who aren''t worthy of any blessings, and they have various limits since most can''t get any godly status. They are different kinds of beings in the universe, with humans and "proper" races being much more blessed.


    Influence Items


    Influence Items are an interesting concept of power that changes many principles in evolution. It is first mentioned in Book 4. They depict elixirs, bones, bloodline elements, or carefully created treasures. They could be used as a choice and forceful tool for a figure to turn into something better. They work with Bloodlines specifically, allowing one to evolve in different ways.


    There are rules about them, and one could think of an Influence Item as a full choice in 3 evolution sub-species as well. One could also influence already established evolution, or influence future evolution.


    Influence Items are extremely historical and weird concepts because they could range in quality, purity, and grace. Depending on what an Influence Item is made from, it could be more precious than any Artifact. Taking one in is irreversible like Evolutions, and any beasts or races or species has to think twice before taking them in.


    Thus, this is a cause for many mutations and ridiculous changes in Bloodlines and many species.


    One can use them in large quantity, minor, or medium ways, with part of the influence being a choice between big or small differences. How well it goes is a gamble, and one has to consider how well one is compatible with such choices. If compatibility is great, the harshness and difficulty of an influence could help Evolution''s succession, and give it immense value and strength.


    Overall: Evolutions are great tools for people, but it is mostly fit for beasts and demons. They could correlate to their fleshly path, or they might be a very potent way to give some official Path a greater meaning. Beasts and demons in this case could have multiple ways to increase their power. The less stable ones rather move onward with evolutions alone. Instincts and intelligence could push it even further, giving Evolution and Path a great connection.


    Divine Beast: As a term, these beasts have prosperous Bloodlines and a certain ideology closing on godhood. It is different than divinity, as beasts are about beasts, while their paths and magical potential are inferior to most other races. That has been set up by Divides themselves, acting as a limitation due to the vaster history or the current Epoch.


    By connection or growing through time, some beasts evolved and changed according to the gods themselves, gaining richer Bloodlines. In the Battleworld, Divine Beasts are considered beasts with divine predecessors. Those are beasts that followed gods as companions, for example. As diluted as this Bloodline goes, some Divine Beast Bloodlines exist as an important factor to talent.


    Some examples are Dragons, Raging Bulls, and who knows what else.


    Leveling System


    It is the heart of the Battleworld, driven solely by the Gods and Will of the Battleworld. It acts with intricate points of interest, thanks to various readings that can follow a person like an achievement, giving someone weight, reasons, and judgment, followed by rewards in the name of Boosts.


    Leveling works well for Paths, magic, or evolutions, making them connected with diverse sets of personal styles, possibilities, acts, and achievements. It gives more face value, though one could also disregard it by focusing on what one has while refusing this advantage.


    Taking this Leveling for a simple note is regarded as a lofty and arrogant idea, but not a wrong one. Planets without this system act without it, so they have either Paths or Magic alone, or some body-related system close to evolution.


    One could also focus on Leveling very extensively, and take its choices and focus on its voice. One can influence it by trying really hard to seek advantage of this system, as it is the world itself that blesses people with it, giving them power for their efforts, achievements, and trials. Those who don''t take these Boosts have a tougher time, as they are essentially a blessing in numerous capacities, to near-endless positions.


    One of its central points is clarity. Everyone is prone to some level of interest within this system, giving rise to numbers and coherent stages across other power systems with various effects. It could be expressed by voice, message, physical manifestation, or via some device.


    Will of the Battleworld reads being and souls, grading an individual status, which then ends up in Boosts. Some of them could be powerful blessings, or simple aftermath of learning, comprehension, change in body or power, and magic.


    Some could be simple notes because some powers might be well beyond the means of blessed Boosts due to the unique circumstances or powers of an individual. In that case, one can only progress on them at their own pace, even when one follows them. Such things are some attributes, unique abilities, or some parts of the magic system.


    Also, reading individuals grants new information and possibilities, and often gifts various choices to a person when one approaches some limits or progression. This might be a double-edged sword, as it could mean that a person might be forced to make a choice, which might not happen at all if one disregards this system altogether. Ease-vs-complexity is a subjective form of this system. It might be powerful and limiting at the same time.


    The Boosts can change almost anything, give mild changes, or just notes that one might regard as a disgrace, or like air.


    It is a widely flexible system that is dependent on one''s willingness to follow it or not. It contains evolution, and both Path and Magic System, acting as an overall scheme of this world that follows almost all individuals


    If someone is a talentless freak, Boosts might not do much. It is as flexible as they can get, with power and those seeking them having benefits where they could be.


    [Name] is describing an individual. One could even get nicknames due to some titles, people, or gods.


    [Titles] are additions and achievements that follow one''s name via unique circumstances, or various accomplishments. They may or may not have some powerful effects. A Title often describes reputations that follow some Dungeons or circumstances of Paths.


    [Age] is describing someone in terms of days, or years. Simple.


    [Species or Race] describes the fundamental state of the body, appearances, or their aspects or perks. Species are for beasts, while races may be for devils, demons, humans, and many others.


    [Sub-species or sub-race] is set for the evolution system, and its choices, changes, or growth.


    [Physicality and Physique] These describe physical prowess or specific powers and benefits that one''s body contains. They describe the current stage and potential of species or one''s race in a physical manner. It doesn''t include other things, such as magic, abilities, or so on, but they could benefit from it.


    Physique is a powerful method and power that differs from physicality, as it is an actually powerful way of progression, describing techniques that benefit the body primarily. Many Martial Arts have their unique physiques, with Paths focusing on some way to get the body stronger through some strengthening or unusual techniques.


    [Attributes]  are a major hurdle and limiting factor of growth in the Battleworld. They stem from the Will of the Battleworld and its Boosts, describing numbers that act as readings of one''s potential that follows body, soul, or magic.


    There are 3 main attributes.


    Strength: gives power over physicality and physique, allowing one to grow in strength. It is a rough and brutal sense of improvement as its name suggests. It increases one''s powers in many ways, including muscles, the density of the body, and what the body can force or endure.


    Dexterity: is a vaguer phrase,giving privileges over stability, speed, and reflexes. It contributes heavily to rightful body movement, ease of movement, and control between strength and vitality.


    Vitality: is the flesh and body of everything alive. It improves age, physicality, or physique, and greatly increases the terms of living being. It is one of the most important aspects of one''s power as it has the most noticeable benefit of strengthening one''s very life. Low Vitality means small recovery and stamina, giving one easier time to meet their End. Getting this attribute high enough gives powerful healing factors, a stronger body depending on the race or species, and the strength necessary to handle other attributes. The main benefits of Vitality are regeneration, stamina, and lack of fatigue. One also grows in many ways upon increasing this attribute, growing physically and well.


    Those main attributes depict Body Attributes. One could get attributes at a minus stage, meaning that one is even weaker than Will of the Battleworld could handle. Usually, 0 is a start, with 1000s being at the upper portions in progression.


    Besides Body Attributes, there are various attributes one could be granted depending on what one''s species, Path, or options allow. They could be hidden under special requirements, achievements, or comprehension. There can be Walls describing attribute limitations and points in numbers that halt a person or a beast until this Wall is obliterated. If one doesn''t follow this Leveling System, Walls act as a natural depiction of talents that would happen regardless of willingness, giving a truth that Boosts and Will of the Battleworld can''t create miracles.


    The most common attributes besides the Body Attributes are various Magic Attributes, which contain knowledge that Boosts could send to a person via mind and memory fragments, rather than influence the body itself. These improve the usage of spells or magic, usually acting without many notable differences in powers in terms of Boosts. These attributes are more vague, giving a person understanding rather than power.


    Thus, if one is within, or outside of this power system, it often doesn''t matter, since mana and magic aren''t unique to this world.


    Wisdom: effectively upgrades and boosts one''s mind, allowing comprehension of magic and quicker wits. It also has various benefits over the thought process and intellect, making a drastic difference in Body Attributes because the body can always move better with a clear mind. It is one of the key features in understanding mana and performing magic.


    There are some variants of this attribute.


    Then, there are Soul Attributes, which are significant and mysterious powers of all souls. One unlocks them through willpower, soul, or talent, rather than brute force them. They are true achievements and determine talents and souls.


    Will: is the most notable influence over the soul, as it depicts its strength and clarity. It describes stubbornness, endurance of pressure, and potent souls. Under this attribute are various other beneficial attributes such as Soul Power and Soul Force, with all sorts of abilities that would be affected by those attributes and nothing else. A higher number means higher possibilities of getting unique and powerful abilities and having much more power over the soul. This represents the might and strength of soul-based attacks, races, or abilities.


    This attribute''s Boosts are harder to get and increase, similar to Soul Power or Soul Force. Those who don''t take such Boosts could only offer their stubbornness to themselves and have an unwavering will.


    Number one way to increase the attributes: For one to gain them, one has to fight, eat, or simply live or undergo training or massive undertakings. Dungeons and battles grant attributes the most, while Boosts are a sure way to get them going as well. Growing up can increase the attributes by itself, while Will of the Battleworld decides on the amount before the Boost gives the number a noticeable light and blessing. One doesn''t upgrade them willingly, though one could find ways to farm and focus on them through some tactics, special training methods, or because their Path requires it.


    One takes them without question and stops.


    For those willing, Attributes are half dependent on one''s training and talents. Another half describes Boosts that gifts Attributes and strengthens them.


    Thus, it could be seen as artificial and forced.


    When one disregards this System completely, one could still be prone to some regular reading, such as notes of numbers. But in such cases, one can''t have a Boost to get a blessing of this world. One could only rely on one''s time, resources, and training. Progress naturally occurs like in worlds without this system.


    [Level] is the fundamental value of someone''s growth and power in the Battleworld. They depict 100 Levels, ranging from Level 0 to 100, and is the numerical value depicted by the Will of the Battleworld no matter if one is against this system or not. Attributes, abilities, and overall strength contribute to the Level, so when one doesn''t follow it, one might be weaker than one is, or much stronger due to lacking information.


    Levels have many regulations and are one of the core influences that follow all Paths, granting many things, higher rewards, and great possibilities. A higher level often means loftier potential and what one might get in terms of attribute or ability Boosts, while numerous ways of equipment are unlocked as well.


    There are a couple of stages in the Leveling processes, that may or may not be easy to manage, depending on race, species, or talent and age. One could grow old, and no longer be able to reach any further. One''s talent could also reach a wall that is unable to be breached.


    Beasts are born at level 0 and gain specific progression in evolutions that could be very drastic and weird, giving sudden and big increases in levels. One could gain a dozen levels in this way in a single moment, signifying a powerful change. It is a unique aspect of Beast that moves Levels to another level, but they still manage Leveling the same way as everyone else. Humans are often the same, but their aging affects the leveling process differently, while shifts in Paths could be the same and change Leveling quite drastically.


    Age is restricting the Levels. A baby can''t have a higher level. A human teenager is often described as a latent talent if he is over Level 30. Beasts have it differently, as some species could be more powerful from the get-go, but their slower leveling offsets it or their Bloodline does.


    Levels have a couple of stages.


    1 to 30 depicts newcomers to this world and a considerable number of regular mortals are in this stage. It is a stage where one decides on their Path, or where some species decide in what direction they should pursue their evolutions or body.For human races, it is often a talent that is a limit, making Levels important in reputation and possibilities one gains through Will of the Battleworld. Thus, going strong and well over this stage describes those strong enough to pursue the weight of power.


    Then, there are powerful and talented individuals, and more often than not, Blessed that crash the balance apart. In Blessed cases, limits are almost meaningless, as their talent and souls could grow faster and their comprehension speed could be ridiculous.


    30 to 50 depicts someone who should be getting steadier in their Path, evolutions, or overall life. If not, this stage is often their wall and end. A lack of talent pushes many behind more talented individuals.


    50 to 70 is a stage where someone gains a major footing in this world. Those around this Level are individuals with good enough powers to delve into most Dungeons, accomplishing some success for their name, giving their Path, bodies, or species heavyweight.


    Within this Stage, there is a major wall at the end, describing the threshold of Laws. Finding one, knowing one, and overcoming it is hard and very important. Success means a very powerful threshold in most Paths that pushes someone to be truly influential, depending on where one lives and what one does. In this stage, powerful individuals around Level 60 are taking Laws for their priorities, as seeking them is important.


    70 to 90 is an aftermath of understanding at least one Law, but even then, there are some differences in consequences and what one could handle. There is afine line between being very powerful and extremely powerful at this stage. One gains further powers over their respective Laws of their understanding or their Path. Steady progress and training under them give powerful properties.


    At this stage, there is a big expansion of powerful equipment, giving them the potential to contend with the Extremes of the next stage. Such individuals at this stage are powerful enough to stand on their own, crash many Dungeons, and seek the next stage through trials and many battles.


    90 is what describes an Extreme. An individual who is a prominent figure in this world and influences many Powers. Anyone at this stage is someone who is old and has lofty talent, Path, and attributes. They desire Level 100, which is a dream akin to mastering their potential and becoming a true God.


    This stage officially starts at level 89, though it might not be the case as this stage depends on what one has in terms of Laws and enough weight over their life. Extreme Gates describes unique progression in this stage, giving them 10 opportunities, chances, and trials in total. Each is harder than the last. Anyone who will overcome the first Gate is then known as an Extreme and any additional Gate afterward grands major changes and reputation, major Boosts, stakes in this world, or even more powerful equipment.


    Stages within these Extreme Gates are a typical hurdle that can stop someone for many years, if not to the very End. Under this stage, major Extremes can gain a special title to their power, giving them the privilege to be called Sage around the Surface, or Overlord under Hells.


    Reaching Level 100 and crashing every Gate can have drastic changes in power, Path, and so on. At this stage, anything above Grade S+ becomes one''s main priority, and many powerful abilities, equipment, and stakes in the world grow to one''s interest. At this stage, age becomes less of an issue, and individuals can live for many centuries or a few millennia depending on their race or species.


    Level up: This is a major stake in Leveling progression. Will of the Battleworld provides various benefits upon this chance, giving Boosts, and depending on race, talent, and species, various things could be unlocked by leveling up. Notable things are Boosts and attribute strengthening in this process. Those are %-based efficiency boosts that strengthen numerical attributes with a much stronger efficiency. {Note: This becomes more apparent further into the novel. I plan to explain this here down the road}


    There are also various notions of granted limits, and level is important to get better abilities, or get further into the Path.


    To gain a Level Up, there are prerequisites. Most are hidden behind the Will of the Battleworld. They are often unique to individuals since everyone has their stakes and benefits. The most notable ways to get a Level Up are big attributes, following the Path high enough, having stronger abilities, and simply growing to the best ability.


    In essence, it is the weight of a person and their potential.


    Level Up will automatically follow when Will of the Battleworld reads someone, giving one strength to keep going further. Its note is often what drives people crazy, but it is no chain. The mere point of some limiting and locked things is simple knowledge and notable ideas. Its importance over the attributes is quite strong, as Boosts of attributes could give someone strength.


    It is decided by Will of the Battleworld when one gains a Level up. No one can decide it, or stop it from happening unless one''s Limiter, sub-species, or Walls are in the way.


    [Abilities] are the most prominent source of power management within the Leveling System, creating massive power for those who follow the rules of this system. Those who don''t miss out on a lot of things. Abilities depend on Paths, magic, race, species, or even equipment, Titles, or Blessings. Attributes also play a major stake in all abilities, as they empower them. Even physique does so for some, while magic often dominates only certain abilities in terms of spells.


    Abilities have their transfixed stakes, growth, and progression, and their own Level is limited to their worth, grades, and evolvement. Their levels range from level 1 to 100, with various chances to evolve them. Though, the process of Levels is not extremely important. Grade and their evolutions are.


    Grade F is the worst of the bunch. Most abilities at this stage are good enough for beings below Level 20.


    Grade E is next after the worst, so it is not that good either. They are for those around Level 20.


    Grade D is acknowledged as a passable ability that could grow well and establish some power. They are generally good and expected under Level 40


    Grade C is decent, giving an edge in many ways. Beings below Level 50 have them as their priorities.


    Grade B is a nice powerful tool. It is usual for Level 50+ to have at least one or two abilities at this Grade.


    Grade A is strong, asserting dominance and powerful forms that border on crashing powers. Individuals at Level 70 should have many of them.


    Grade S is insanely strong and irregular, taking forms and even odd gatherings or unlocks. Levels could range from the bottom to the upper-most number, giving this Grade various touches. Some could be questionable in prose and uses, but they are often powerful enough to significate core workings of many technique names and Paths.


    Grades after S are unusual, and often strange in their prose. Grade SS or SSS are rarities beyond common means, with requirements that are often extremely harsh, unique, or rare, bordering on godly powers.


    Note: There are Unique Grade abilities as well, which are some very specific powers that don''t require levels, typical requirements, or unlocks. They are considered outside of the system and outside of anything normal. In terms of power, they could be above Grade S or quite lower. The evolutionary system of abilities is what sets things apart, and Unique-grade abilities don''t change at all.


    Grades, choices, and change give power and control.


    Those lacking this Power System don''t have access to the guidance of WIll of the Battleworld, but it doesn''t mean that everything is lost. A teacher or a good guiding book is usually enough for someone to disregard information and follow abilities steadily with an open mind. Even ability evolution is possible, but it is harder because one has to make one''s choice or use everything without any chains.


    Generally, within or outside of this system, evolutions of abilities and abilities themselves follow the natural selection of power, flesh, and magic. They are truths akin to Laws, so one can''t simply change or shift them. Will of the Battleworld forces some truths forward, giving an advantage that is hard to forget.


    Deciding on the evolved ability will force one onto the further steps while disregarding previous ability, whereas someone without this system could use almost anything if one is capable. Control and growth for such people are usually steadier or slower, with some advantages or some disadvantages. Neither side is wrong, since it is all power at the end of the day.


    Ability Example: A mage with a Fire Shot with Level 1 has it at Grade F. Getting to know such spells usually depends on the magic, Flame Affinity, and mana, which will be explained later. Leveling up Fire Shot will grant the benefit of its evolution at every 20th level all the way to its level 80, with the last being until one hits Extreme Gates. Afterward, Abilities take a less steady approach, thanks to Extreme Gates which are different from the normal leveling processes.


    Fire Shot will change at its level 20 into various possibilities according to one''s magical Path, usable spells, or what one could hold or decide. Those depend on the mage''s needs, or Will of the Battleworld could grant options to choose from. Choices could include Scorching Shot of Grade E, Fire Surge of Grade E, Fire Beam, Fire Barrage, and so on. Some of those choices could skip a Grade, becoming something greater but more difficult to level up and manage.


    However, what if someone unlocks a Grade C ability at Level 1? That is entirely possible thanks to the ways Paths works and how some abilities are better than others straight from discovering them. The sauce might be their masterful creator or potent Affinity. That''s where Ability Talents come into play, as some abilities could only grow so much, and their leveling could become bothersome.


    Level 1 Grade F ability can achieve limited possibilities even with its evolutions. Example: 20th level can become Grade E ability in most cases. 40th would reach Grade D. 60th would get to Grade C, 80th Grade B, and 90th Grade A. The Possibility of skipping a Grade could change this concept, but it is more rarer than usual.


    So, what of an ability that starts at a higher grade? It would have a vastly different power dynamic and possibilities and also significant meanings. Thus, any Level 1 ability beyond Grade D is great, since their worth is much higher and they could grow to something much better.


    It is subjective if one''s growth changes this in some way, or if under the surface, one already skipped something. Many abilities have their evolving trees, so if one gains a Level 1 Grade A ability, there must be some ability under such Grade, yet one has it at Level 1. That is a limiting pursuit and blessing in disguise of this system.


    Abilities have a hidden Class that depicts their potential and worth at Level 1.


    Grade F: Common Class.


    Grade E: Decent Class.


    Grade D: Rising Class.


    Grade C: Rare Class.


    Grade B: Epic Class.


    Grade A: Superior Class.


    Grade S+: Abnormal, or Unique Class.


    LEVEL 1LEVEL 20LEVEL 40LEVEL 60LEVEL 80LEVEL 90LEVEL 90+FEDCBA?EDCBAS?DCBASSS?CBASSSSSS?BASSSSSS? ASSSSSS? SSSSSS? SSSSS? SSS?


    Note 1: Grade S? Abilities and their importance due to the table above will be revealed eventually. For now, believe that the Grade is very important.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Note 2: Levels of abilities don''t usually correspond to the one''s overall Level.


    Note 3: One could get an evolved ability from the get-go if one is at a higher Level. Comprehension, training, or talent being off the chart also improves or complicates things, either limiting certain aspects or making the leveling easier or harder because of it. These abilities are hard and rare from the acquisition to the leveling process, making them harder to get. The usual process is better when one acquires the starting states of these abilities or skills, and slowly or quickly makes them stronger.


    There are styles and effects to many abilities, and how one handles or masters them sets masters from fools. Some, instead of evolving, stay with the same name but change in different capacities and much higher base power. That could mean a higher input of power or mana, or a thing called Layering.


    Layering: it is a power of numbers, with many same abilities stacked on one another increasing strength. Example: Wind Slash: At Grade F, it is a simple swing of a sword that collides with the wind forward. In an evolved state, it stays the same in name, but it can be layered to increase its strength, exponentially increasing its power. The Layering adds stress, more expenditure, and power. Options to layer such abilities are up to their handlers, following the principles of numbers. One could stack them dozens if not hundreds of times. Leveling such abilities grands higher layers, easier control, higher efficiency or channeling, depending on the Grade of this Ability.


    Folding: It is where multiple abilities are compatible with one another, making each stronger when added together, or charging a person with more strength. Those are buff-type abilities, unusual moves, and even some blessings or equipment effects, followed by powerful attacks to cause more harm.


    Secret Bidding: It is a powerful and gamble-like system of handling Paths and Leveling System together by Will of the Battleworld. They work only when one accepts some Path. Through some achievements or unlocks, one gains a chance to get power from a completely different or close Path. That ability or skill would then change and evolve via Boost and become one with a new Path, or become some supporting power.


    Secret Biddings are as versatile as they could be, and reshape some Paths through gabling. One might not be sure what one got, so one might as well ignore them, level them up until they mattered, or love them. This fact makes them various, and there could be some certain knock that could make them overpowered. This style of power is completely attached to WIll of the Battleowlrd, so if one doesn''t follow it, one won''t even get a chance to have it.


    Leveling Abilities: Generally, they act in the same principles as normal Leveling. Training in abilities improves them, which then corresponds to Boosts in Will of the Battleworld''s readings, or if one is out of this system, numbers barely matter to them. There are considerable standards for elevating rarer kinds of abilities. Upgrading Grade A ability from Level 1 is much tougher to do than Grade F''s Level 1 ability which became Grade A at Level 60.


    Grade A ability at level 1 becomes Grade S at level 20, and then Grade SS at level 40. Was the end at Grade SSS at level 60? That isn''t exactly as easy as it sounds, however. It is almost impossible to level up Grade S abilities very high before hitting massive walls and limits. Only at the heights of some Extremes, it may be possible. But even then, it is a taxing arduous journey that could take a long time and effort.


    Strictly speaking, leveling abilities isn''t easy. It requires efficiency, and there is a balance in all of this because talent and knowing how to handle them are often more important than their Grade or number. Efficiency and usage are vital.


    Some abilities can even achieve certain symbiosis, and fuse together to form a new ability. Those occasions are rare, and often under special circumstances. Will of the Battleworld knows where these evolution, fusions, and leveling abilities happen, as it is a gifter of such occasions, similar to the traditional evolution of species and some races.


    To have Grade S ability at level 60 means 3 finished evolutions that started at Grade C. That isn''t that terrible but it can take a long time and effort. One would usually reach level 80 in their own level before it happens, or even more, if possible.


    Still, the power of a rare class ability is potent. Grade S Ability at Level 60 is similar in power to the Grade S Ability at Level 1. Getting them is another thing altogether. At Level 70+, this is where Grade S Abilities become one of the key points to one''s strategies and priorities. To have at least one or two of them is considered a success. For someone below that level to have Grade S abilities, it is considered a great power and talent.


    In Extremes,Grade S abilities appear left and right, but below 70 or lower, not so much. The leveling process for Rare Class Abilities should involve very rare and powerful Paths or species. It means more power, but harder difficulty.


    Overall, Evolving abilities are one of the main growth factors, and it is one of the key points to steady one''s Path or life in the Battleworld.


    There are also many kinds of powers, ranging from Paths to Paths, to offensive, defensive, or utility powers. Some of them aren''t even prone to regular Grades, Classes, or something specific.


    Those are many Martial Arts, ranging from fighting techniques and swordsmanship to many unique powers. Martial Arts have unique stakes in progression and are often very simple, yet powerful to train and improve. Those powerful are known as Dances or simple Moves. They depict certain Paths with established and old rules. Those are often researched through ages, giving people different time and effort from magic.


    In such cases, equipment, and the use of weapons are much more apparent than caring about some letters or numbers. This concept goes across the board of numerous Paths, abilities, and sources of power that can be very different in many races, or individuals. Their leveling process may also vary, similar to their evolutions, displaying manuals, specific training methods, attacks, and Layering.


    Most Martial Arts stems from simple numbers of manuals. Then, these manuals consist of powers, abilities, dances, techniques, and moves. The First Dance is less powerful and complex than the Second and so on, though their improvements and aspects could change when one grows and improves in them, making them less dependent on anything else. The more Dances or Moves such manuals have, the better.[Status] are unique aspects of an individual that is neither an ability nor a Blessing. They often have some tricks, offsetting shortcomings, or nothing good, or bad. They depict insensible topics or powers outside of one''s influence and don''t level up or upgrade in any way. They could evolve via fusion under some very specific circumstances.


    Example: The Eater: Allows one to eat things with greater efficiency. There is a chance to understand what one eats, where it came from, or what it is. There is a certainty to improve Body Attributes while consuming things. It fuels hunger.


    Explorer of Dungeon: Allows discovery of close Dungeons. How or where it doesn''t say.


    [Blessings] are splendid gifts from Gods. They could be quite important as long as one could get them and they are good. They depict an unholy amount of luck since getting them is never easy, no matter their Grade. Gods who grant them aren''t giving them willy-nilly, as it is their power that is granted. Not some cheap little thing. Someone who isn''t Blessed or Gifted usually won''t have any chance to get them since they require luck and enough worth to pique godly attention.


    Even for many Blessed, Blessings are a rare affair, with stakes outweighing something normal. For Blessed to get some Blessing isn''t unusual but it sure can be hard to get some rare ones, or the one that could truly meddle well within one''s Path or needs. Their use, worth, and what they do are often up to the whim of Gods, and their acquisition is often behind their trial, high-class stakes, achievements, or luck that isn''t any different from stumbling upon ancient treasure.


    They range in levelless powers, with some high upside and low downside. Their Grades depict a degree of worth and potential of some God.


    Smaller ones are often part of clearer missions, tasks, or involvements with Wars where Gods showed some attention. Great merits would grand some Blessings, giving mortals a gift for their services, or accomplishments. They range in many effects, grading abilities, equipment, artifacts, powers, techniques, or various other items.


    [Equipment] depicts a coherent way of crafting, alchemy, and blacksmithing, describing many tools, useful items, consumables, and great treasures. It is one of few relatively open ideas in the Battleworld that has fewer handicaps or limitations. High-level stuff has its limits for good reasons, depicting ancient tools of destruction, and various crafts that are potent and fitted under the right circumstances, or special unlocking mechanisms, or tasks.


    Equipment ranges in Levels alone. It has no Grade. Level describes their usefulness and overall recommendations, but even a Level 40 sword could be used by a lower-level person. How fine it is is another thing. It sure would give such a newbie a better chance at living or attracting thieves.


    Good equipment could even have various effects that could stimulate one''s abilities, attributes, mana, Laws, or anything. A good tool is a good tool.


    A simple example: Greatsword of a Lost Idol. Level 73 Weapon. Improves Strength by 20%, affects slashing abilities and Layering in the Flame of a Lost Idol, and effectively increases Mana Flow by 30%. Conjuring is doubled, affecting the Shapers and Mana Cores in connection to this weapon, and giving higher efficiency to every outer mana technique involving this weapon. Grands a Flame Rush Ability, guiding the weapon''s Flame over it and unleashing a killing move.


    Such a weapon is always fit for a powerful swordsman, or someone involved in flame-based Paths around Level 70. Since it is above Level 70, it already handles some Laws.


    Overall, the Equipment has various notions and includes pretty much anything from the outside perspective. Clothes, armor, weapons, talismans, or any magical equipment, ranging from various potions, tools, and treasures.


    Ways to own equipment and get it operating: There are no limits to how to see such tools, but in the Battleworld, it operates via Will of the Battleworld, which always sets things straight. The moment a person gets new equipment, via a shop, dungeon, or some thievery, a person could get its benefits with a connection towards it, which is acknowledged of ownership. Then, one could use its benefits, abilities, and strengths without any limitations. If one doesn''t get them, it limits the use of such tools, since Will of the Battleworld controls them.


    Such acknowledgment is a requirement when it comes to some equipment. Not everything is needed to be heard, or acknowledged. For example: simple tools with physical manners, such as common swords could work well even without any authorization, while a simple potion does its job by itself. Armor is the same. Without authorization, one could only use their concept. With it, various benefits could turn weapons and armor into something even better.


    Types of Equipment


    Utility: Spatial Rings, Pouches, or Gems for internal storage, unique types of clothes or tools, ranging from goggles, cloaks, glasses, or various constructs.


    Defense: armor, clothes, and tools with defensive proportions like barriers and so on, or effects neglecting elemental damage or physical harm.


    Offense: Weapons ranging from shortwords, greatswords, claymores, rapiers, daggers, spears, and so on.


    Mana and magical properties could be part of all of them, affecting attributes, certain abilities, or nothing at all.


    Alchemy: unlike the rest of the equipment, items under Alchemy have Grades for potency or various other visions. Some might have Levels or not at all. Their clarity is often better for monetization and use.


    Grading: Low-grade, Middle-grade, High-grade, Law-grade, Divine-grade.


    Under Alchemy are various other professions, ranging from pill conducting, to farming, herbalism, and others.


    Types of items under Alchemy: potions, pills, bandages, injections, and many others.


    Example of Potions: Mana Potion lets quick replenishment of mana, Rejuvenation Potion replenishes Vitality, Strenght Potion increases Strenght Attribute by a set of % demanding on its Grade,


    The Grade increases their potency, with Alchemists requiring more resources or luck in creation.


    Artifacts: are powerful, often ancient, compelling tools. They range in utility, offense, and defense, and are essentially more powerful equipment pieces with unique benefits and great usages. There are three kinds of Artifacts: Relic Artifacts with Levels below 70, Law Artifacts that are below Extremes and handle many Laws in various visions, and Divine Artifacts that have completely detached power systems with Ranks from 0 to 9 [Those are seen as outlandish tools in this world even in the eyes of Extremes, Tier S powers, or even Divine Kingdoms. Many Gods use them, handle them, or collect them. Rank 0 is the strongest, with 9 being used even under some Extremes, though it is conditional and rare.]


    Crafted items have a Level required to be accepted to a connection upon their creation. The same goes for Grades in Alchemy. If a creator doesn''t accept the authorization, the item is considered dependent on its design, or limited in use or quality. Authorization is essentially a blessing of those items. Those could still be sold and worth it, as they have materials within them that are useful and good.


    But Will of the Battleworld would give it more weight. How well it goes is set by the Will of the Battleworld, which makes many craftsmen depend on it since authorization is very powerful. It is worth crafting special items by using great materials that add more potent possibilities, though it is often close to luck.


    Their Level contains the quality, how well they are crafted, what they are made of, what their effects are, and how well their quality affects the overall vision. The recommended level is often flexible because of it, often depending on every authorization. One usually goes upon their creation, informing what and how well one crafted things, while the others are for their proper users.


    Using improper tools would only hinder the user, and the value of the equipment would be wasted. This idea is a bit questionable in many ways, creating greed and unbalanced situations. For example, defensive items aren''t some sort of ridiculous power device, but something that could save someone regardless of anything. Thus, many healing items and defensive items are seen as key important items, regardless of some authorization, whereas offensive tools could be seen as bothersome things that aren''t ideal to have if someone isn''t properly using them.


    Thus, there are many important and flexible points around equipment''s clarity, usefulness, and limitations. It is up to the individuals to seek and accept how to work with everything, or how to own, use, or sell them.


    [Power Level] is easy to understand, as it is a reading of one''s prowess. It isn''t one''s level, but what one could safely force out of oneself.


    Power Level gives overall readings of one''s might and how much power one can wield when everything sticks together. It is often wrong since many variables can make the Power Level lower, or higher, depending on many things. Those could be strategies, secret items, using one''s brain, or all kinds of powers at the same time. Magic is also highly sophisticated and unpredictable, similar to the ways of souls, further making Power Level less coherent.


    Many figures don''t care for the Power Level and rather use Level, or general attributes as ways to see someone''s worth. Grades of abilities are another excellent idea to read someone, albeit the equipment, blessings, and statuses can be often overlooked.


    [Tasks] are a major interest that Will of the Battleworld grants to many figures. They depict a mission system and something that many view as key ways to handle one''s growth and actions. It makes them essential, giving purposes and goals to many clueless, or blessed individuals.


    There are many kinds of them, ranging from killing things, specific groups, enemies, or even some helping items, or many other complex things. Many of them involved some specific tasks set by Gods, making them meaningful like nothing else. There are many difficulties around them, full of stakes that could involve nations and kingdoms, groups, adventures, or mercenaries. They could be individual or set to multiple people.


    There are many rewards within them, set by Boosts upon completion, or they could have various sub-tasks, making them even more complicated.


    There are 3 categories of Tasks. Anyone at any Level could get them.


    Normal Tasks depict relatively regular stakes in their prose. Those could be missions with straightforward goals that one has to accomplish if one wants some better growth. Depending on their grade and danger, they could take a while or not that long. Will of the Battleworld handles it like many things, giving them voice, reason, time, or worth. Attributes are most likely rewards. These Tasks move within many expected Paths or evolutions, fueling them. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Significant Tasks are something that thrives in largely unique settings, purposes, rarities, and unusual acts. Their stakes vary with more risks and rewards than Normal Tasks. These sorts of tasks could be created by a person with enough authority, such as Kings, powerful Extremes, or companies such as some associations or guilds with certain stakes in Will of the Battleworld.


    Major Tasks is the peak of prose, describing immense worth, and godly touches. They drive the force of this world and could change history and many people. It is where trouble brews. They hide and depict acts and stakes that influence important ideas, often influencing and creating many previous Tasks. Dangers are very apparent in them, and one doesn''t get this very often. Rewards for this sort of Task are often crazy enough to force nations into despair or greed.


    Tasks have certain prose and rules. Doing them might be optinable, or mandatory, often with some setbacks upon failure. How one handles them could be a problem as well, as one acts could be flexible, while some Tasks might not be. Hence, there are Punishment Acts, God''s Trials, and God''s Wraths, which act as dominant justice over some of them.


    Punishment Act: It is one of the common and mildest causes of failure in many Tasks, or various issues. It gives Punishment for the lack of acts, which may range from not finishing some Tasks, to going against the Battleworld or Gods.


    God''s Trial: This is one of the crazier versions of punishments. It is a specific godly appeal, and one of the harsher realities where some God is fed up with the mortal, and decides to punish them with a Trial. This can have various practices, stakes, and no rewards whatsoever. God''s Trials are often in a time-gated, and level-gated manner. Such as in a hundred days, you will meet Level 60 God''s Trial. It doesn''t describe what and how it will go. Just days to prepare for something one can''t be sure about. This isn''t all that much different from God''s Wrath, but it lacks the sheer weight and symbolism of a God.


    God Wrath: Don''t piss off Gods. Simple. It is a rare cause of punishment where a God could punish someone without any repercussions. It could describe some politics within the Patheons and put fear amongst the mortals. It could involve the destruction of places, individuals, and beings involved in any Task. How and when it is fitting is subjective to confirming votes amongst the Divine Kingdoms.


    Encounter: It is a special unique Task. It is no punishment, but something that often follows up some Major Tasks or when some Gods or unique occurrence transpires.It is one of the most intricate prospects Battleworld has to offer in terms of godly interest. It describes the influence of running this world in a certain or uncertain direction, fueled by mortals. Gods are the ones creating them alone, so they are often filled with their visions, grudges, ideas, or something that would fit their narrative.


    There are Sides to the Encounters, with Origin and Reason. Something or someone starts it, be it action, clash, or a sudden shift in some politics that would elevate or impact its creation. The Reason then allows its continuation, changing the course of its Parts in acts and politics with intentions, or without much of a choice.


    Encounters have huge value for many, giving chances to not only Blessed. Anyone could view Encounters with keen eyes of interest. More often than not, anyone could get involved, as long as they are brave enough, though it is a bit more sensitive. It isn''t always a good idea to force some narrative, since Gods are watching.


    Encounter has changing rules for each run. This could be a complicated premise depending on the politics of Gods since mortals and Sides could change things on a whim or intentionally if they are brave or powerful enough.


    Start for Encounters puts those Sides against one another. Gods or themselves put them through a range of motions that might go alongside it, so they could be very difficult, and extremely flexible at the same time since the narrative could change and be forced. Mortals do it. They have to. Gods usually don''t intervene with punishments around the Sides, but if someone unkept goes against them, they might punish those affecting their narrative. Usually, they let it play for as long as it is up to their benefit. That often might not happen.


    Because of this, Encounter is prone to many waves of mortal interests, since the rewards and opportunities that can come out of it often outweigh the costs or dangers. It is often a chance for anyone to reach a better reputation and strength, even if someone isn''t part of the Encounter. It is about reputation and getting recognition or a name for oneself, but one always has to mind politics and not do something foolish.


    It is something that many nations in the Battleworld have to look at, acting accordingly to the Encounter, or against some Side if it is to their benefit.


    Parts of the Encounter represent distinct visions and narratives to each Encounter, often set under some time constraints or particular steps. Each Side has one thing to do at once. If unsuccessful, it isn''t the end of the world, as another Parth is next, changed, or continuing. The next Part will become harsher in that case, while success is met with invaluable rewards.


    Throughout the Parts, each Side has Helpers to take under their wing, making potential Parts and the whole Encounter shift considerably. Each Side decides on them, as these Helpers are factors that could influence the Encounter''s narrative, shift difficulty, or cause balancing issues, forcing themselves to one Side. They would get their respective stake, task, and something to do for their Pledged Side.


    Their involvement is the dangers that Encounters usually pertain to. A Helper sets a Pledge to Origin or Reason, putting their allegiance to one of them. Anyone can become a Helper and get various benefits from it, as it describes an invaluable asset and a very potent shift in strategies and politics. When one Side picks powerful Helpers, they might or might not be picked if it is too much of a hassle, or it is not balanced right. There is a fine line in there, somewhere, where picking Helpers shatters resemblances to order. Thus, the number of Helpers is often a limiting and important factor. One might be there alone, or two or three.


    Encounter is often described as a literal flow of godly will, and it is one of the most irregular motions one could meet. It is flexible enough to grow considerably, similar to how Dungeons acts. They could also have unique circumstances, and shackle the Sides under some strict rules. An example is the lack of Boosts within each Part and harsh time constraints, while the sensitivity over this Encounter gives birth to many other unwilling problems.


    Magic System


    Magic is a vast system around the universe, displaying the composition of many rules, living and non-living things, and rules of Divides. It is one of the core fundamentals in the Battleworld, thanks to the rich flow that the River of Manaflow provides, allowing many planets to reach higher life forms. The River of Manaflow is the source of it, pouring out many strands of energy from where it passes, blessing many worlds with concentrated energy. The further it goes from its Origin, the less potent it is.


    Because of the mass of this river, magic was born a long time ago. Mana is the name for its energy, though many cultures and planets make it diverse. In this story, it is called mana. Its power has a large scope, giving this planet, people, and Paths immense influence. In a sense, mana is a fuel that empowers this world, people, and options, and could do many wonderous things as far as it, people, and Laws are concerned.


    Mana is above this world, and the world and its Gods want to handle it, giving rise to Boosts and its readings while trying to influence the people with the Leveling System and various missions and benefits. It is essentially mana that allows its workings, though without Gods to handle it, it wouldn''t work well, if not at all.


    Leveling and Boosts connect some magical aspects, easing the comprehension process and allowing numerous benefits for individuals in the Battleworld. But mana and magic are very independent, so as long as one sees it that way, one could take Leveling and Boosts for simple notes.


    The flow of mana and magic comes from many inner sources, comprehensions, and how one could handle it. Will of the Battleworld cannot stop its flow, but it tries. Throughout history, Will of the Battleworld has made many things possible and eased the course of magic in numerous ways.


    The best way to improve magic isn''t closely related to Boosts but from its core potential. One could grow magic without any Boosts, through training, teachers, and feelings. In such cases, some notes from Boots would give it some clarity and numbers, or if it is fitting, a Boost could empower it. How well and how depends on species and races, or how readings from Will of the Battleworld do its bidding.


    When one is mastering it by himself, at least 80% of magic goes to one''s endeavors, efforts, and flow of mana, while the rest is like a helping pat on the back. Those are various substances of Boosts, its Wisdom Attribute, various spells, magical abilities, and many other things that help correlate this power to the rightful route of this world. In a sense, it is kind of artificially raised to a new height, making the magic of this world very lofty if one looks at it right.


    Evolutions act within it in numerous capabilities; the world long ago adapted to handling magic and made many blissful changes to its flow. Gods did it, frankly, making magic a resource one could learn and buy, or they could gift it in some way, change it, or handle it via Boosts.


    A sense of magic grows coherently in one''s mind, learning, and trials. Dependence on Boosts gives it a smaller force, making magic different from many other styles for power. How one handles it could cause many magic-related Paths to be more difficult to follow, in correlation to those that don''t require mana. This could give many martial artists, beasts, and mana-unrelated Paths, a great advantage.


    Magic and mana depend on the talent of each individual, so If one doesn''t have what it takes, very few things could change it.


    Notes: being a mage is rarer than being a soldier, or other similar or other numerous martial art-based prospects. Magic is seen as mystical, mixed with history and universe mysteries that have made many magical treasures, materials, and powers imaginable and growing on this planet. Those empower the mages in their paths, giving them resources and an easier time.


    First comes the Shapers


    Shapers are mages born with great power that stems from their family lines, talent, and Bloodline. It is possible to become a Shaper via other rare means, even if one is an absolute bottom in terms of talents. Shapers empower and employ a source of magic in their flesh and bodies, operating as their little source of mana flow. Those are Mana Cores.


    [Mana Core]


    It is a swirling cocoon of power that one could be born with. Someone could also awaken it under special circumstances, ranging from rare items or evolutions. Those include some Pills, Potions, or special techniques that are rare beyond common means, or Bloodlines in evolutions. Mana Core creates mana space, which is where the core resides and where mana is and empowers the mage. It is usually in the heart or chest area, though some might have it in different places like the stomach or head.


    Mana Core is essentially a Mana Source of one''s magic, permitting the user to perform magic on a whim. There are internal limitations to it, though if one knows what one does and knows it well, it could become an extremely powerful weapon. It is often described as the best way to handle magic since it could be developed easier.


    Stagesin Mana Core


    They are under qualitative look, calculations, and knowledge.


    [Initialization Core] is the first stage, where the user takes their first steps in this power, letting it grow by absorbing the mana around the world, or through external items and treasures.


    Initialization Core often limits the success of various magical Pathways, breaking them and causing mages to be unable to progress. Even if one has been born with it, it could have its shortcomings, ranging from the low quantity of mana, or flow would be slow, making magic inefficient, spells weak, and magical abilities lacking.


    That is where Will of the Battleworld often helps, as it handles mana in its readings. The Initialization Core goes up to people under Level 50. Under these stages are Successes. These are: Small Success, Middle Success, and Peak Success, with each being stronger than the last, handling more mana, more strength, flow, and density, and...other things. Each Success in this stage corresponds as if a person leveled numerous times.


    [Revolving Core] is next in line, which is a much stronger version of the Initialization Core with the same Small, Middle, and Peak Success. It usually goes for those above Level 50. They are powerful in flow and could empower mana abilities and spells to a whole new level. One could also get very nice magic-related equipment and increase their power and efficiency by a large margin, as long as they were made with Shapers in mind.


    [Path/Law Core] is a very important and heavy stake for all talented and powerful Shapers. In a sense, it is a manifestation of a person and part of magic and mana, turning the core into something more sophisticated, something that speaks of the Laws of mana or a Path. That makes this stage very weird indeed, as it has to follow some principles and ideas before Revolving Core changes into this. A Path is required for a Path Core. Law Core is for those who follow none, though the Laws could follow them, giving rise to their own Law Core.


    It starts at level 70 and getting it, or rising it is one of the largest hurdles for a Shaper. This stage has very important issues in magic and ways to handle it. Anyone with this core is a powerful mage, person, beast, demon, or anything, really.


    Path/Law Core follows a person all the way to the Extreme.


    Note: There are more stages behind the Path/Law Core, but I will not speak of them as of now.


    Upgrading and improving Mana Core


    It involves a lot of time, comprehension, and flow. Breathing Mantras, Cycling Techniques, Manifestation Techniques, and others help the core absorb more mana. Finding and getting the best mana the River of Manaflow offers for each stage is important.


    But it has its merits and weight. Too much quality and flow could end up destabilizing mana space, so one has to know what one does. It always upgrades slowly, so external tools have been created. These include rune formations that would assess and charge the worldly mana, allowing quicker absorption, or crafting increases. Treasures such as pills, potions, or all kinds of rich mana materials such as Mana Essences do their work.


    Mana Essences: are manifested density of mana itself, describing regular materials that changed into something else thanks to River of Manaflow. They range in vision, looking like round balls, shards, and ores, but glowing in mana and quality.


    These treasures are very pivotal in this novel, starting to appear in Book 3.


    Stages in Mana Essences are treasured opportunities originating from mining, farming, killing, and other things. They are important, as they could be fused via special tools and formation, giving their Grades much more importance, and their numbers more weight.


    Grading scheme: ranges from Low, Middle, and High-Grade Mana Essence. Then, the number between 9 and 0 describes their rank, sort of monetization, and worth, with Low-Grade 9 Mana Essence being the poorest.


    Fusing of Mana Essences: There is an efficiency issue in this act. In the best-case scenario, Low-Grade 9 needs 3 essences to turn into a single Middle-Grade 9. Middle-Grade 9 needs between 3 and 10 to make a single High-Grade 9 essence. To make a run for Grade 8 Mana Essence, it requires more essences. 10 or more of Middle-Grade 9 essences are adequate for a single Low-Grade 8 essence.


    This idea follows through the starting Grades of Mana Essences until quality changes the rules around Grade 5, where things get difficult in numbers and quality, and fusing is difficult. Nobody wants failure, thus, a number of essences required goes from dozens to hundreds, making Mana Esences one of the most prominent treasures that everyone desires.


    There are many types of Mana Essences, with elements, forces, and Laws within them, making them even more precious and good. Acquisition of essences goes from unusual farming methods with mana, to regular mining in specific locations rich in mana.


    Types of Mana Cores


    Mana Cores have various descriptions depending on many talents because mana finds its way in and makes plenty of things possible. Be it with various Bloodlines, mysteries of Laws, bodies, or elements. Mana Cores could have their perks, unique stakes, or individuality because of the bodies which it is born into, their possessions, or natural patterns.


    Mana Core is defining a core with base purity of mana, looking like an azure storm. Humanoid races have them. They are easier to maintain and improve and could be milder in power, but easier to control.


    Beasts with Mana Cores have theirs described as Beast Cores. Such cores are more crude, often wilder, and harder to tame, improve, and quench, and nastier in handling. Depending on how Beasts handle such prospects, this could be troublesome, or powerful, making beasts depend on instinctual ways of mana since many of them are no mages, but simply powerful animals.


    These points make beasts diverse, often seeking brutality of their natural potential and instincts which could become their main pursuit. Some beasts under this category could grow to such height, that they could become dangerous if their instincts and intellect are great at the same time.


    Demons have Demon Core, with more untamed potential because demons are very weird, ancient, and old creatures with various Bloodlines, physical looks, and unhinged potential. Demon Cores are described as limitless in their looks. Some could be insane, full of life or dread, or full of Chaos.


    Mana Core Affinity


    It is an important set and piece of magic that often sets Shapers like a rule. They are closely related to how the core is born into someone, or how one affects it.


    Fundamentally, Affinities are closely related to Laws, Paths, and the general sense of mana, giving Mana Core a sense, flavor, vision, and scent.


    There are many elemental properties, ranging from naturally occurring Element Affinities to Force Affinities which are weird concepts. Shapers have them like a hue to their mana, a glimpse, or a note that follows their magic. It is like a color and direction for magic.


    Affinities are something that every Shaper has the moment one is born with it.


    In more typical fashion, a Shaper doesn''t have anything great, so they have to get by with absorbing treasures and following techniques to awaken one with outer style. One could also follow certain clues or ways that Will of the Battlewold could provide and reach some sort of achievement via talent or take Boosts for what it could be. Core Affinities are insane treasures that need talent to gain in such cases. Usually, some Boosts don''t grand them for nothing. It has to have its validation.


    Examples: From the start, Shapers have their Purity. A mana without anything abnormal, looking like azure-colored mana surrounding the mana space and storming in the core. Note: Or it could be different in coloration but not purity, as aforementioned demons and beasts. Theirs could be wilder and pure in their madness or Chaos.


    Following Purity could be a singular element, representing talent in a Shaper, and altering the Purity. Those are lucky ones, or one could learn or gain some element later on in life. It is rare to have more than 2 Affinities, yet at least one in ten Shapers reach such a step. Improper ones hinder magic, so compatibility matters. Most Shapers have Purity Affinity regardless, making magic simpler. Others have multiple of them, mixing them up, and using Elemental or Force Affinities when they want.


    Elemental Affinityranges from Flames, Water, Earth, Light, Brightness, and many others, changing the coloration of mana, its quality, and empowering magic related to said affinity. Such affinity rests in the Mana Core, allowing the Shaper to use it anytime.


    Among them, some are not equal to the rest, while some could mix, and change mages, cores, and magic in many ways. Because of some Elemental Affinity, Shapers often have to pursue some Path within their Element. It is about compatibility, talent, and luck.


    Force Affinities are weird prospects that range from natural aspects to weird concepts. Some could be almost artificial, looking weird, and hard to use in correlation to how mana has its natural rules and ways.


    Sharpness is one of them, looking like whitish light that turns mana sharper and makes magic different, fundamentally changing the ways to handle mana and the course of magic for Shapers. Most Force Affinities are learned through trials and learning, with few of them being born in mages via birth, which makes them valuable assets that range from poor to god-like prose.


    Other examples of these affinities are often hidden behind some Laws, having mild results, and could even surround the effects of Elemental Affinities.


    Most Force Affinities have an incoherent approach, usually affecting mana, rather than changing it.


    Using them well could change mana to a different level.


    Note: Affinities under this category are usually learned, comprehended, and then applied to the Mana Core. Or they could be straight-up gifted by Will of the Battleworld and its Boosts, even if it is rare to meet such demand.


    Examples: Chaos Affinity changes the perception of what is right and wrong. It goes against the norm and changes everything into inconceivable visions. Body, mind, soul, mana, and magic, will turn into something weird or into pieces. Less powerful examples are Speed Affinity, Brittle Affinity, Expanding Affinity, and others.


    There is a term in the novel called Awakened Mana, which essentially means an Affinity that went beyond the limits and established itself as a much stronger force under the mages. Shapers or Handlers can Awaken the same, and such occurrence could pivot many choices, or limit them in many ways. Thus, handling Affinities is important, while Awakened Mana is something that occurs when one is close to Laws.


    What Awakened Mana does is change mana space in Shapers and mana roots in Handlers. Depending on the Affinity, it could be intense, mild, moving established technique, or influence everything.


    Example: Razmund has Awakened Sharpness, making it much stronger and pivotal under his Sword Sage Path. This makes pretty much everything else obsolete, so he is left with less flexibility which might be his strength or weakness.


    Magic has many varieties, so let''s talk about the fundamental rules of how to become a mage without any Path.


    Without question, what influences magic for Shapers the most are these Affinities that rest in their cores. They add many layers to their arsenal, making many things matter and grow in importance.


    Growing Affinity goes through the progression of Mana Core, or the use of magic alongside these affinities. That means using outer methods of progressions needs these affinities for optimal growth, such as flame-infused Mana Essence. That would improve not only the core by itself but also its flame affinity if a Shaper has it.


    Note: Everything is connected. Everything matters. Training, talent, or this world, it is what it can be.


    The Grade of Mana Core Affinities ranges from F to SSS, and it is similarly important as fuel to abilities since it is like an element of their mana. Any improvement generally empowers the said affinity in the core, leaving them stronger, their effects bigger, and letter changing.


    Usually, these things aren''t granted by Boosts but they grow gradually within a person. When it is time for an upgrade, or the threshold goes over the line, Will of the Battleworld would inform the Shaper, but wouldn''t change it like a granted wish or power.


    The only change is when one is granted the affinity itself due to some starting learning. Example: Murai with his experimental spark flames unlocked it thanks to his Universal Affinity and skill in handling his natural mana. Boost then granted him the base Flame Affinity without him undergoing a process of leaking these Flames into his core. Without this process, one could just send some bits of this outer mana and slowly build up the said affinity until it would fully grow and establish itself. That is considered self-found affinity.


    Murai is somewhere in between these lines, half reliant on Boost and half reliant on his own skills. Sharpness is the same. Water is different due to the end of Book 1.


    It is said that Affinity and Mana Cores are infinitely interconnected and necessary to pursue, followed by Laws that make up many magical properties, fueling the Divides and mana.


    Note: Mana Core becomes part of one''s Path at Level 70, with Law/Path Core being the basic name. It is often changed into a unique name that corresponds to their Path. Example: Sharpness Core, Blood Core, Flame Core. Whatever Law or affinity turns out to be important, its name suggests a preference, strong Path, great affinity, and Awakened Mana.


    Second comes the Handlers.


    Handlers are individuals unable to work with Mana Cores, or unable to have or awake it. They are by no means sorry figures, as mana is fair and magic plentiful. Handlers by choice are individuals pursuing mana like energy and choice. They are unwilling to be weak, so many ways and ages went into creating ways to handle it. So they work more than Shapers, unwilling to be weak. Due to the heavens and work, there is a power system, techniques, and talent that allows one to use magic externally.


    [Handler]: It is an individual who still has a high talent to feel and shape the mana around the world, taking a pick of mana from the broader universe. They can''t handle and pivot their choice as well as Shapers. Due to that, there is a much lower ceiling of power, small entry issues, but much harder management of their powers.


    But even then, there are many similarities to Shapers. They handle magic and they could handle some Affinities as well.


    They have what many describe as Mana Roots, which are part of the bloodstream, body, muscles, and nerves, and what slowly change due to the effects of being a Handler and using one''s body as a conductor for such power. It slowly changes, becoming sturdier, affecting the body, mind, and everything related to it. It is essentially a way to transform the body into a tool for mana, but mana allows and changes it by itself.


    They are directly shaping the mana of the world with their hands, fuel, use, feel, and improve mana with their entire bodies. It effectively acts as how Shapers do their magic but to a lesser degree. It is often limited, and one will have a much harder time with magic than one with a core. It is much harder to upgrade this like Mana Core, but they certainly can achieve promising Shaping if they train and handle their learning, bodies, and mana in the right way.


    Their mana is often limiting, and when they aren''t using it, their bodies aren''t much different from regular people, unless their Mana Roots are of high quality.


    Ways to handle magic


    Now, let''s get over the stakes and individual parts of what magic holds, which involves elements of Shapers and Handlers. Some of their aspects are the same. Others are different, or impossible because of their differences and issues.


    There are magic categories, techniques, and management to seek magic. What is often described in the novel?


    The fundamentals.


    Mana Shaping: is one of the fundamental ways to control mana in any capacity. One learns it via mindful touch, physical hands, or unique tools. Learning mana and how it acts is a start for magic. Shaping is an activity to learn how everything with mana can work, which then turns into spells, abilities, and techniques. Affinities could change it for Shapers from their cores. Handlers have to handle it with their bodies and find a neat tricky line between pain and proper flow.


    Shaping well means speed, efficiency, power, and how spells could work with it defines masters from students. Its understanding is how the magic happens, which was born in Shapers a very long time ago.


    When one is Shaping right behind Conjuring, the regeneration of mana is halted. When Shaping is finished and one handles some spells, the regeneration is back.


    Conjuring: is a term used when the mana starts to flow under one''s control before the Shaping. For a Handler, it acts when a Handler absorbs the mana to their bodies, and then outwards before Shaping it under their ideas. For Shapers, it means letting their mana out of their core, flooding it out, and then Shape it up.


    This by itself does nothing much, as this sort of mana is oftentimes without any rules. Shaping the Conjured mana is what sets things apart, creating spells of all kinds. Without a surprise, the way how a mage confronts this is important. Efficiency and delays have to be quick and deadly. Mastering it is tricky if affinities, bodies, cores, or roots and outer stations come into play. Stress could make it harder, as magic is very mindful and physical as well.


    Mana Pool: is a term utilized with Shapers the most, as it describes the amount of mana under their possibilities. The amount of mana Handlers can manage goes through their Mana Roots, making some number and quantity important, but often limiting. Their care is not so different, but their approach is.


    Shaping any spell costs some of the Conjured mana, and the amount of mana pool determines how long one can fight or train. Mana Replenishment, Regeneration, and similar abilities would often come under Shapers or Handlers to help them with the costs, though Handlers always have to rely well on what their minds and bodies have to endure, while Shapers rely on their cores.


    Supporting techniques help regenerate lost mana, while external sources such as Mana Potions work well as well.


    Mana Replenishment or similar techniques: is a natural way for Shapers to recover mana, and let flow and cycling of many between the world and mana space. It works solely for Shapers, as Handlers are unable to handle such a burden under their bodies and Shaping.


    How do magic and fighting work together?


    First, let''s talk about the Shapers. They would Conjure mana out of their cores first, then Shape it to form specific spells before attacking. Mana abilities could form some control, be it some defense or utility. Spells are more straightforward. There are usually some delay and efficiency issues, making the misuse of mana and timing fatal. Weak or slow, it could affect the outcomes and pace.


    Thus, a lot of care should be put into Conjuring and Shaping no matter what, as it defines a great mage from a mediocre one, while the gap between the masters and the rest is even wider. There are also a lot of channeling kinds of spells and some could act fast or slow depending on their power, making abilities and spells important in mastering it all.


    Note: everything is connected.


    For Handlers, they would have to charge their bodies with worldly mana. Then, they use said mana to form spells or abilities or long-range Shaping powers under their control. In their case, a lot of care is put into the Catalyst, which is an empowering tool for mages to increase their powers, shaping, and various spells. It could be a wand, staff, or any kind of equipment as long as part of it is under the authorization of equipment. Materials with rich mana properties ensure it, with Mana Essences being a great way to empower it, as it is a mana source. In that sense, they are like outside Mana Core and help Handlers fight much better.


    Magic abilities, spells, and phrases with Battleworld''s rules in mindMagic abilities are pieces of magic that need no Shaping. Instead, they have minor activations, continuous use, and don''t require Conjuring, which is their main advantage. They aren''t always offensive, but helpful in many ways. Magic abilities are extremely common in Shapers. Handlers have their shortcomings because of their bodies and lack constant mana.


    Examples of magic abilities


    Mana Shaping: As described, it is the fundamentals of magic, thus it is within the readings that Will of the Battleworld provides and acts as one of the primary ways to see control. Its Level validates one''s proficiency in Shaping and its grasp. It works great with Leveling, giving a mage a note of their efficiency. It could be evolved, though rarely under many Shaping-related techniques.


    Mana Replenishment: It is a self-explanatory ability that describes the continuous flow of mana to the core, causing regeneration, cycling, and small-time-related improvements. Its Level is harder to tame, as it is time-based like mana. This ability can evolve significantly, turning into a technique that could help mages immensely. Though it is a passive ability most of the time, its flow could stop when one is Shaping and Conjuring, or if one is under stress.


    Mana Detection: This is a pretty useful ability, as it describes a feeling of mana and the surroundings. The use of this ability puts a changed expression under one''s eyes and mind, letting one feel and notice many magical aspects.


    Night Vision: It is more body-related than magic, but this ability allows one to see better. It is close to Bloodlines and affects the eyes, making it a passive ability.


    Magic spells require Shaping and Conjuring, assembling diverse powers that are reliant on Affinities, many external factors, and imaginations, or talents. Shapers and Handlers all use many spells.


    Examples of spells


    Mana Blade: It is a perfect example of a spell. The Conjuring of mana is the start, following the Shaping of it to a proper form, Sharpness affinity, and edge. It has its leveling evolutions under various visions and styles, making glowing swords and blades with many shapes and sizes that all follow the Shaping of a mage. Sharpness isn''t a requirement for its creation, but it helps giving it a much more powerful appearance and quality.


    Flame Shot: It is yet another good example that has been described in Path System.After getting the flaming affinity to a core, or being born with it, a Shaper can create this spell with great proficiency and power. Handlers would make them worse, but as long as their Catalyst is fine, or their Mana Roots handles Flame well, they could be as strong. On its own, it is a basic fire spell that costs little mana, but when mastered, it could give rise to many strategies and eventually powerful spell evolutions that Battleworld supplies in numerous capacities.


    Magic phrases


    Core: is a magical property. It is full of marvelous powers that follow magic.


    Mana Pool: is an overall quantity of mana in mana space and core added together.The Battleworld has numerical points of what a mage can endure before imploding, depleting, and over-drafting. The number is often important, depending on expenditure, regeneration, or efficiency of Shaping, Conjuring, and so on. 1000 is a considerable number. It can be easily expanded by use of Shaping, Replenishment, improvements of Cores, and seizing many mana-related treasures.


    Mana Flow: depicts the quality of mana within Shapers or Handlers. It is an ability that doesn''t level up, as it is seen more as an overall Grade of the mana. It flows from Grade F to SSS, with each being stronger, more quantified, and better than the last. This often follows upgrades in the Mana Cores or Roots or simple efficiency of handling mana. It is possible to have high-grade Mana Flow with Initialization Mana Core.


    Spells: are magic-shaped abilities, depicting specific ways of magic. They are offensive and defensive, or supportive, depicting Shaping activities, teachings, and training. Spells can be learned much easier, while Mana Abilities are often tied to different things, such as the basics of magic, Bloodlines, or simple talents.


    Note: Spells are basically the same thing as abilities under the Leveling System. They have their evolutions, Levels, and Grades in the Battleworld. One doesn''t come up with spells on a whim, but they can get them by external means. Those are Mana Tomes, Blessing, or having teachers to learn from.


    Mana Abilities: depict general ways of mana and often take substantial account of numerous magical pathways. They are depicted as cores of what makes magic special.


    Grades and qualities of Mana Abilities are often tied to the species, races, magical talents, and experience. Skill with them is very important, rather than their Grade or Leveling.


    Mana Overdraft: It is a limit that any Handler or Shaper has to understand. In case of going way past the limits of what Shaping or their Pool can do, the core or the body could even crumble apart, lose its Shaping or Conjuring for a long time, and cause massive damage. Having a destabilized source of mana inside one''s body isn''t good, and it is often deadly when one overdrafts mana numerous times.


    Mana Tomes: Those are external forms of magic, whose attitude and worth go towards mages. They aren''t considered equipment and have to be learned. They depict the accumulated history of spells, techniques, or whole Paths, so one could see them as essential if their Grade is worth it. They are learning materials that one could buy, drop from dungeons, or steal, which makes them like notes from the past, former mages, or some specific powers.


    Due to these Tomes, anyone could upgrade themselves and look for something specific. Will of the Battleworld helped with this process, similar to equipment in the Leveling System but much better.


    Examples: They could help with acquiring some Affinities,[if they are stored in tomes or hinted in some ways]. Most of their splendor goes to magic abilities and spells, while they often disregard some races or species. A mage could be anything as long as mana is present, so one can learn many things upon their acquisition.


    Unlike Will of the Battleworld doesn''t hinder Mana Tomes thanks to their vision and ideals. Getting them is, however, not easy. Many mages think of them as their lives, while getting some great Tomes is hard and full of trials, worth, or connections, almost as close to Blessings.


    They are worth a lot.


    Talismans: They are considered equipment, but not a Catalyst. They store spells. By letting mana into the talisman, a spell will activate without direct Shaping. It is part of the crafting processes, making Talismans more like consumable items. Depending on the talisman, their use time and uses could be considerable.


    They can look like paper, a piece of wood, or metal. A Handler will effectively use magic in this manner, and even a Shaper does not need to care about Shaping when using them, thus their popularity and creations are quite widespread. They are very handy and could be very strong and effective if a mage handles them well.


    Spatial Equipment: Space-type treasure. They have various visions: pouches, rings, belts, and bracelets, to some bags. They need a proper space mage to create a good enough dimension space, which needs unique space-type materials, Space Affinity, or Space Law. It is part of the crafting, and no mere blacksmith could create one. They are portrayed in cubic meters and are worth a lot.


    Rune Magic: This is, for now, a sidelined system of magic that is not very popular or widespread, as it is ancient beyond belief. It isn''t even something that Murai is using all that much, but he has shown he could use it, as Runes are a vision of mana itself, closing on affinities, or Laws.


    Runes represent a natural selection of Divide Laws that make mana what it is, but in truth, they are mana''s manifestation in a vision of symbols and language. Those have magical properties and traits that many worlds and mages performed a long time ago.


    In broader terms, they put magic to the test and form runic symbols. Following certain rules and depending on spells, how mana flows and acts, or stores its mass, they could be powerful tools and weapons of destruction. When Laws are involved alongside them, they could be even more crazy.


    Runes act as a separate type of magic. It has little to do with Shapers or Handlers because either side could use Rune Magic the same way. Well, the source is still good, so the Shapers have their advantage.


    Rune Magic forms many magic-related professions and ideas. Those are constructing things from runes, such as many formations and buff-type equipment, or powerful weapons. Runes aren''t easy to manage, but they store mana and can act on their own, as long as their sequence is well-done.


    Magic constructs such as golems are a great example of how runes could empower a tool.


    Laws: Well, this is a very ancient term and something close to the truth and vision of Divides. It has been mentioned numerous times in the Rulebook. Laws are like Dao. They are an undeniable truth that follows through people, worlds, and the River of Manaflow, and empowers the entire universe.


    Laws are anything. Everywhere. They don''t follow magic by itself, but earth, soil, blood, flesh, and all wonders known to men.


    Lesser variants of Laws are Affinities and Intent, which cause Laws to be a necessary component to reach a higher level of power and flesh or overall picture of a being.


    There is a limited amount of Laws, even if the universe is vast, therefore many take it as an invaluable resource that could appear suddenly, or never.


    What does magic mean to the Will of the Battleworld?


    Will of the Battleworld plays along with broader terms of power. Be it paths, magic, runes, or evolution, it forms great strides of interest in everything and gives it back to the world. Not one thing stands among the rest, as rules and balance are nifty.


    Mana is complex enough, thus a lot of things move along the leveling and grading system like the rest. Will of the Battleworld will Boost one''s magic via readings, upgrades on Paths or Classes, give Mana Abilities, or knowledge of Spells. However, it has much higher difficulty in entry and mastery than the rest of the power systems, even if they could be connected.


    Characters [novel-scale]


    Murai Hisagi


    Murai is our protagonist. He is a Cursed One. Old One. He is the one forced to live through balance, time, and death. Why and how, it is what strifes him and forces him into an unknown future. For the End to come, he still lives and matures, lives from life to life and world to world. He endures a lot because of it, making his soul full, and purposes strange, and his time in Battleworld won''t be the same.


    He doesn''t think it through. The Battleworld isn''t welcoming to his kin.


    Murai knows innumerable secrets and powers, including Paths, countless magics, and things a regular person would never get. But he ends up as a duck, so a massive amount of knowledge becomes almost burdensome, and the world around him is different. Will of the Battleworld spooks him and even if it gives him many treasures and Boosts, he is apprehensive.


    He still takes its cheap advances, deciding to take the burden of one who will rely on something else than himself. But in a way, Boosts might be his doing anyway, while nothing cheap is ever great.


    His Curse is a piercing, painful, and poisoned sword. It could return him to something else; to a new direction that those who cursed him want, or towards the same Fate he died at. His Cursed rules are unfilial like his living. Dying is not good. It is far too strange to call it meaningless. Living is gruesome and tiresome while dying doesn''t stop because of his death. The lives are the same.


    So when could it all stop? Through even more deaths?


    He keeps going, thinking of a way out or some backstage, or any life that would grant him that miracle. That has been an ongoing process for more than 150 lives through unknown periods of Chaos Cycles and planets.


    Through history and knowing his memories, knowing or forgetting some parts or liked places is like a dream. He often takes the best memories closer, before tossing rest to his soul of unknown depths.


    His reality in the Battleworld starts on a weird note. He ends up as an Anatidea¡ªa species of beasts in the appearance of ducks. Feet or wings or feathers and beak, you name it. He has them and they won''t disappear even with evolution, Boosts, blessings of this world, or Influence Items. He doesn''t like madness and mutations. He won''t fare well when he is nothing.


    Through steps and gruesome interest, he finds footing in a world of magic as a duck, while the world doesn''t like it back.


    Or the Gods do?


    [After-thought note: I am kind of worried about what to include under Muria''s little corner. I could just hope it will eventually be better the further this novel goes, or you will discover it in the novel and not here.]


    Character Sheet up to the end of Book 4


    [NAME: Murai Hisagi / Old One, Blessed]


    [Titles]


    Temporary Title: Archtouched: Grade S: Mark of Mindarch''s intent in Levandis Temple. [Book 2] It grants a connection to the rules and sets up with the outer world. It is essentially an authorizing mark that allows Mindarch to influence Murai by marking him against the will of the outside world. Godmark is a similar story, even if it is a Unique Grade Status. What they affect is largely unknown, as it is Mindarch''s work, rather than something that gives Murai immediate or passive benefits.


    Granted Titles [Chapter 169]:Utter Monster: Body Attributes are effectively boosted by 10%. Body Abilities will be strengthened for eternity due to your beastly Bloodline and this Title grants powerful notice to the mind. Will +10. All Attributes besides Wisdom have been increased in efficiency, including the bigger threshold to Vitality that affects the Bloodline of your Species the most]


    [Cause for the Title: battling, reading of your Bloodline and history, taking damage, fighting for the damned feathered life of yours, and countless tactics and shed of blood]


    The One Who Knows: Wisdow''s destruction grands a new attribute: Knowledge.


    [Knowledge: +1, current Knowledge: 1]


    [+98 Knowledge]


    [A Wall has been met and due to the significance of knowledge, it has been halted]


    [Effects of The One Who Knows and its reason: Due to the intellect and depth, it is the knowledge that describes wisdom. A change has been issued]


    Nothing else is known. Its Grade is unknown.


    [AGE: around 290 days / no time-variants, yet oldness detected]


    [SPECIES: Anatidae [former ones: human, elf, demons, devil, god, leaf, stone...] Species properties are immense and vast for their size, making Anatidaes crazier than Divine Beasts. Evolutions are highly possible in this species, filled with the magic of mana and incredible vastness. Variants UNKNOWN.


    [SUB-SPECIES Anatidae Panacea / Class D / Properties: Universal Affinity, body both strong and optimal for magic, but less for strength than other sub-species. Further improvements depend on the leveling and growing process, including Influence Items, accomplished, locked or unlocked evolutions, or Walls]


    [Potencial Second Evolutions as of Book 4: Anatidae Aquantis, use of Influence Item: Dragon Parrot, and two others that were locked out in Chapter 169. Further intel is omitted]


    [PHYSICALITY] A duck with strong wings and neck, a shiny and sharp beak, and feathers of brighter coloration. Murai is mostly gleaming blond, and brown, and a bit dirty colors are in fewer portions, including tail, or the simple way how feathers are layered. He is a strong specimen of the Anatidae Panacea with stronger physicality than base Anatidae. Change in physicality from evolutions caused a stronger inner structure of mana and gave him a terrific start.


    He is currently at Child Stage: Risen [1st], and is closing on its grown limitations, or is already past that point, but something is blocking it.


    [ATTRIBUTES]


    Strength: 77


    Dexterity: 71


    Vitality: 82


    Knowledge: 99


    Will: 57


    Soul Power: 45


    Soul Force: 130


    [Attribute Efficiency: unknown]


    [ABILITIES]


    Soul


    Robust Spirit: Fusion Soul Ability adhering to the Soul Pathway. Level 8. Grade SS Unique Ability with unknown requirements and growth periods.


    Soul Force: 130, Regeneration: 12 a day.Unique Skills: Robust Defense [1-30s - 2 SF per second], Robust Aura [Cost 28 SF] Indomitable Strike [Cost: 45 SF]


    Soul Essence and Soul Body fused with the power of Will and Murai''s soul took it for a breeze. The Will of the Battleworld created an inanity. create Murai too it like nothing. Soul Essence and Soul Body were forfeited in place of the Robust Spirit.


    Robust spirit has been used most often. It is a protection barrier.


    Robust Will a few times agasint Ceila and Thar. A Will manifestation that makes his soul invulnerable.


    Indomitable Strike is big unkown teriotory. Murai never used it from the sound alone. A godly strike that would weaken him and unleash devastation.


    Soul Read:Grade S, Level 6. It is a passive ability that allows Murai to feel the souls, read them, and get them. It is a little perplexing and confusing when he is with many people. For now, he reads emotions and general feelings, but who knows what else it can do? He felt like a sponge with it and didn''t want to experiment with it


    Strike of the Will: Grade S, Level 1. Unleashing of his Will would shake many people. Murai barely used it because it was inadequate, or he was. Boost at Chapter 169 voiced it as incalculable


    Hidden Soul Abilities due to circumstances, requirements, or locks: Soul Lock [A complete lock of the soul. It is like a bunker and similar to Robust Will.], Soul Manifestation [A rare occurrence where his Robust Spirit leaks out, manifesting outside as an insane ghostly duck-king. It is unknown what this soul manifestation could do, as it hasn''t shown itself since the fight with Rain in Book 1]


    Body


    Beak''s Blitz: Grade B, Level 23. Created in Boost in Chapter 116: Anatidae Bloodline and Boost shifted Beak''s Fury, skipping levels and turning it into Beak''s Blitz.


    A highly versatile ability of the Anatidae species. It is an integral and powerful ability over the use of mana and the beak. It can be used through Shaping, Conjuring, and Affinities to further its improvements, benefits, and powers. It has minor Shaping and channeling possibilities. Its use can be constant or gradually savage when taking or hitting the foes. Training is recommended since its benefits are body and magic in one package, similar to the Peak


    Boost chapter 169: A unique power move was found after Murai''s numerous battles in Islands of Greatness, Book 4. It was Fatality, and it was read and explained in this Boost, while he self-found it himself.


    Beak''s Blitz Fatality


    10 hits [deflects or attacks] = Weak Fatality


    30 hits = Strong Fatality


    60 hits = limitations of the fatality, flesh, and body.


    The effectiveness of Fatality adheres to Blitz''s leveling, so it can increase and get better.


    Peak Layering: Grade B, Level 21. Evolved Beak''s Peak at Chapter 169. It is a popular method of numbers. By layering the Peaks, power is guaranteed. Low Output: channeling 0.5s - 2s


    Medium Output: channeling 2s - 4s


    High Output: channeling 5s+


    Limits of Layering= 10


    Increases in leveling and efficiency, be it via boosts or by self-found training, will improve outputs and layering.


    Night Vision: Grade D, Level 15. A passive ability that allows him to see in the darkness, but it isn''t that encompassing.


    Diving Sphere: Grade A, Level 11. A technique born out of change and opportunity before entering Acaman Tower. It envelops Murai when he dives into the water, giving him breathing and diving potential better than his body. It takes fluffiness and air of his feathers. It is considered as mana and body ability since it requires both.


    Water Breathing: Grade C, Level 5. A broken ability that invalidates the Diving Sphere. Lungs turn into sponges, giving oxygen through water and allowing one to breathe. It has been granted to him in the well at the end of Book 1. It can last for a long time, but it doesn''t do much besides giving him a perception that he became a useless snake or fish without any fins or bones.


    Bloodrush: Grade S, Level 1. It has a similar story to Water Breathing, but this one is actually broken. By sacrificing some Vitality, one gains Bloodrush. It turns users into frenzied, hot-blooded, and vigorous rage. It almost saved Murai out of his predicament, while the loss of Vitality is worse. Murai never used it again.


    Mana


    Beast Core: Stage: Initialization - Small Success


    Mana Pool: 1650


    Heavenly Shaping: Grade Unique, Level 21, It has various useful styles and techniques that Murai will slowly discover because it crashes his Mana Shaping, thus he is essentially restarted


    Mana Flow: Grade E. Quality of Murai''s mana flowing through his mana space and Beast Core.


    Mana Replenishment: unkown by the end of Book 4. It has a clashing interest with Levandis Temple''s various mana enchantments and flows. It is essentially ruthless how it feels, and it shouldn''t be far from giving him infinite mana as long as he fights well. It could also cripple someone if one isn''t easy. Without anything in sight, it should be a few dozen points a minute at Grade F and Level around 10.


    Mana Sonar: Grade B, Level 23. An evolved variant of Mana Detection in Chapter 116. It flashes mana forward, giving a mage quick scope of mana around them. The range is bigger and clearer than Detection, while one could be blind since it is mainly mana that moves


    Sharpblade: Grade C, level 21. Evolved Proper Mana Blade in chapter 169. It is a stronger, sharper, and greater variant of mana blade.


    Mana Arrow: Grade F, Level 16


    Mana Spear: Grade E, Level 15


    Mana Dagger: Grade F, Level 8


    Flame Shot: Grade F, level 14


    Affinities:


    Flame: Grade E


    Water: Grade F


    Sharpness: Grade C


    Universal Affinity: Unique power of his Bloodline and species, which enables him to reach elemental manifestations and learnings of many other Affinities. It gives him endless potential as long as all affinities don''t interfere with each other, so one might also call it a huge curse. Murai learned his 3 Affinties because of this, which would make learning elemental magic trivial if it weren''t for his issue with his most common mana that was influenced by his body regardless. Some Wilderness was there, making his mana more unkempt.


    [STATUS: The Eater[when Murai eats, he has a chance to understand a little of what he ate. There is a slim chance to gain various bonuses], Explorer of Dungeon [a Status that reveals sub-dungeons in closer proximity. How much is unknown.]


    [BLESSINGS]


    Gifted: None


    Temporal Blessings: Minor Celestial Blessing [Grade D]: temporal one gifted by Mindarch in Levandis Temple. [Increases mana recovery by 200%, Mana Flow by 50%, and there is a high possibility of losing control and overdrafts have increased effects.], Fear of Missing Out: Grade unknown. It is a Minor Blessing that could go up to 500% with increased mana recovery depending on the depth. Gate 1= 30%, Gate 2=unkown, Gate 3=unkown.


    [EQUIPMENT: Key of Remembrance, [A key to some dungeon], Amelius Hoodie [A gift from Amelius that is hardly acceptable in Battleworld''s eyes. It wasn''t hindered too much though, and it is inactive at Book 4],numerous spatial pouches, and many other things in his pouches that he doesn''t care about. Pachi''s Gift [lost],


    [LEVEL: 23]


    [POWER LEVEL: below level 50]


    [Tasks: Major Task: Get back Pachi''s Gift [Optionable: overrule the Centralis Kingdom], Normal Task: Figth 10 Demonic opponents in Demonic Lands, God''s Trial: Time left 86 days [At the time of Book 4''s ending]]


    Lisa


    Lisa is Murai''s Life Companion who emerged when he underwent his first evolution. A lot of things are unknown about her due to her missing voice, arrogance, and lofty mind. But she often knows a lot more, as she is a crafty former succubus. What to do, tell, and where to lead him leaves Murai in many heights and lows. She guides Murai regardless, as she depends on him with questionable ideas.


    She appears like a ghost due to her race. Sona makes her body, which is a mixture of soul and mana. Her life and soul are etched into Murai''s soul, while she has her own stakes and options, she is no Blessed, and her race has its limitations.


    History: She is a former Blessed. She used to be a few centuries-old Morgoth Succubus, with a Level below 90. Her former life is an unsurprising mystery, including the one before that, because she doesn''t like to talk about it and rather focuses on her reality.


    That is still wrong. She doesn''t like to talk much about herself and what she could do with her race isn''t revealed for a long time.


    She died twice and wants some remedy with Murai. Thus, she relies on him while their teamwork lacks cooperation because of him and herself. The culprit is on both sides since Murai never really liked her at the beginning or portions of Books 2 and 3. Their ties are slowly entangling and assembling, and eventually, they will accept many things between them.


    They are a team, albeit one is not as it seems, while the other is so much worse.


    Status Board as of Book 4


    [NAME: Lisa]


    [AGE: 60+ days]


    [Race: unknown]


    [Sub-Race: Soul Render, Class: D. Properties: ghostly body, Sona, Shapable body]


    [PHYSICALITY: Resembling a Fairy, ghost, succubus, and pretty woman. Her physicality is hard to tame and manage, as she can shift her body and size. She can fly, adjust her height, and become very physical if she wants to. Her evolutions should cause wonderous changes in her structure along with unknown variables that are yet to be revealed.


    [ATTRIBUTES: unknown and limited due to her body. Will, Soul Power, or Soul Force is most likely under her grasp]


    [ABILITIES: Memory Extract, Shaping capable of molding her sona, and some soul-based attacking capabilities akin to Banshee]


    [STATUS: unknown]


    [BLESSINGS: unknown]


    [EQUIPMENT: a spatial ring gifted by Manager Kil by the end of Book 4]


    [LEVEL: unknown]


    [POWER LEVEL: unknown]


    Razmund


    An antagonist. He drives some of the plot because he encounters Murai at the end of Book 1. He is a Falconer, a part of the knight division of Centralis Kingdom. He is a Blessed that already endured one life. It is unknown what he was like before coming to the Battleworld.


    Razmund is an important person to some people in his kingdom, and he grew up most of his life there. His master is the King''s brother.


    He is notable Delver, a powerful swordman, and a star of his generation. He has unknown motives apart from getting stronger and stronger as far as his Path could allow. He has some mental issues, closing on heart demons, a powerful heart, and creeping ideas bound to fewer things than his mind.


    He destroyed Murai to a near End by twisting his legs and wings when they met in Book 1, before tossing him to the water well. He saw Murai''s soul space and it shocked him like nothing before.


    After dealing with Book 1''s ending sequences, he stepped back due to a poison caused by Velga and wouldn''t appear until Book 3.


    In Book 3, his position is revealed as Origin of an Encounter and he starts to Hunt Murai down personally. He enters Levandis Temple with his Helpers acting as backstabbing Hell Party. Razmund goes alone to the Gates, where he pursues Murai down while holding a Divine Artifact called Destiny Dice. He was hoping to quench something else than his needs while hoping to clash against Murai for good.


    Status Board as of Book 4.


    [NAME: Razmund Dietrich]


    [AGE: 26 years]


    [Race: Human]


    [PHYSICALITY: human-sized]


    [Physique: name unknown, effects: incredible regeneration, endurance, and strength that accommodates his Path]


    [ATTRIBUTES: unknown as of Book 4]


    [Path: Sword Sage]


    [ABILITIES: Appraisal, unknown eye technique, Flying Steps


    Secret Bidding: Raging Bull


    Sword Sage Swordsmanship: One Sword: A technique where his physique and sword become close to one. Dances: First [Cleaving the Earth into Two], Second [Bolt of Sharpness], Third [Crouching Tiger that Cleaved the Heaven] Rest unknown. Moves are unknown. The grades of his powers are largely unknown, but his Paths and overall swordsmanship are incredibly strong.


    [MAGIC: Mana Core: Revolving Core: unknown Success, Awakened Mana: Sharpness, Mana Pool: unknown, Mana Shaping: unknown Grade, Mana Flow: Unknown Grade. Mana Devourer: Grade B mana cycling technique.


    Affinities: incredible Sharpness. Grade unknown. Rest is unknown, but he has something else than Sharpness due to the coloration of his Awekaned Mana.


    Intent: Sword Intent as of Book 4


    [STATUS: unknown]


    [BLESSINGS: unknown]


    [EQUIPMENT: numerous spatial pouches, Essence Gem, Divine Artifact: Destiny Dice, claymore, many pieces of equipment with various usages]


    [LEVEL: 65]


    [POWER LEVEL: capable to remain alive against those at level 80+]


    [Encounter: Catch or Kill Murai. Rewards: unknown]

 INDEX 2 / RULEBOOK 2 [Book 1-4 summaries, roadmap...]

    Content


    Notes


    About the novel and books / side-characters / author''s motives


    Novel


    Roadmap


    Book 1


    Book 2


    Book 3


    Book 4


    Novel and roadmap state my ideas about writing and experience, or how I do or plan things long-term


    Books contain summaries. There are also side-characters and their stakes in said Book


    About the novel, books, and characters


    First, let''s preface it by saying that I appreciate everyone reading this novel. It can be rough around the edges, or inside. Under this section will be my thoughts about this novel and books. I will be writing it as a writer, giving my experience, what I do and did, how and why, while revealing my plans. No promises are there, I hope. Just facts.


    Novel


    Origin: I wanted to write a story about an inhuman protagonist for some time, with my first two stories being quite human. My initial idea was a wolf MC. Not dragon, as that one seemed more brazen. No one would thought of a duck, right, or...well, there were a lot of weird isekai novels in RR when I started thinking about that idea.


    There was a Roomba isekai, many normal people isekai-ed with some twists, and numerous beast-related ones, including demons, slimes, spiders, snakes, some birds, owls, and horses. GOAT?! The one that probably caused the most thoughts was Thera, a story written by MelasDelta. A story about a turtle?! That was unique, I think, but it wasn''t what forced this novel into creation.


    The one who did it was Buller, an author and unhinged master of duck pictures known to go through forums and spreading evil. He described some ideas in a coincidental forum post I''ve read. Something about an isekai novel of a former assassin turned into a duck. Anyway, I started blasting and writing from there.... and got to somewhere, I hope? There was a RR Writeathon soon ahead of that time and I finished it with flying colors. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What a background, uh? It spiraled into something big. Bigger than a duck!


    First Draft Chapters: When I started writing, I didn''t care much about the drafts. What was written was quickly spell-checked and released. That lasted for the duration of the writeathon. After that time, things changed.


    The First Drafts are initial results that I wrote some time after that writeathon ended. I write in bulks, meaning not a chapter at a time but stripes of things I want. It is faster to write that way, but it might not be great linear work, I suppose. These First Drafts are old, as I have been writing them quite far for more than a year while publishing chapters at a slower pace than writing those bulks. In like 14 months I wrote all the way to Book 9. Those contained some roughness, however, with character choices and fewer sequences than I desired. But, it had a story that I liked and elements that I wanted.


    I wrote them with goals in mind, with locations and clashes and stories surrounding the sole MC. I needed characters around where they needed to be for the future to matter. I also wanted to write Books, rather than the continuous push of chapters like a web novel. Thus, It seemed like a good idea to think of some starts and ends, and do persisting story-lines and connections.


    That was a much harder thing than it sounds for such a novice like me. How well these Books flow depends on the Second Drafts, and how I do them changes and improves continuously. It will take years to learn how well writing goes, let alone master it, or so I''ve heard.


    In the first sections of this novel, the story goes from the Dungeon that creates many notes, to the journey in Levandis Temple, where struggle and power clashes between Razmund and Murai. Throughout these lines, there are many things and pieces of importance that are pivotal. This section contains 6 Books in total, but much of what occurred there goes even further.


    After Book 6, there is a rush of new things and a new pace, where power progression expands and characters grow, and many of my favorite characters appear or change.


    I consider the first 6 books as a starting realm. A lot of greatness follows next, but more of that is in the future, or a Roadmap.


    Overall, I say that the First Draft is hard to talk about, and I am still unsure how good it is to write in this manner.


    Second Drafts: This is where I go over the bulk of what I''ve written and write through it again after all those months. I add many scenes and shift tension and ideas. Most of the System choices and fights were significantly changed from the First Draft. For example, Murai had fewer abilities and a much slower rate of growth. I ended up giving him plenty of things by the end of Book 4, while strategies and many dialogues were added. I think Lisa and Murai''s relationship ended up better also.


    Another example is Mindarch in Levandis Temple, who was nonexistent in the First Draft. Chapters with Levandis in Books 4 and 5 weren''t that great either, and some plot changes as well. Most fighting sequences are unrecognizable because I like to rewrite them the most. A lot of the first draft ended up smaller in comparison because of everything. You might as well say that Second Draft is like a mountain before a duck.


    Publishing on RoyalRoad: This right here is the toughest thing to do for many writers. What is good or bad? Where to end or start? What curses await?


    Anyway, this point is the spellchecking and publishing.


    I started on a much smaller scale when I started this novel. I did daily releases in smaller chapters. That went on until I hit a goal of 55555 words because of writeathon, which wasn''t even Book 1. Then I began publishing twice a week with larger chapters each. That went on for many many months, all the way to Book 4. 12 or so months later.


    There were mistakes in my publishing. Numerous ones! Quality is probably the most notable... or the overall writing is not that great while publishing is just pushing a button, eh? I mean, a novel about a duck, what is that? Who wants to read it?!


    Anyho, some months after the Writathon ended, I ended up overhauling and rewriting everything due to dissatisfaction and changes I made during Book 2. I''d written and switched the chapter''s content, rather than re-launching it completely. That was a mistake, I think. That was Book 1. From then on, fewer great changes occurred, and growth stagnated. 2 chapters a week are very little even if they are bulky. Daily power is notable in publishing on RR, and feedback might be better than once a month. if even that.


    Overall: I do not regret a thing. Learning writing is fun. Publishing is hard. Stories happen or stop for many reasons, and I don''t want to stop.


    Roadmap


    It is a set of expectations of what is planned in the future years and what is done or pending.


    First, let''s start with the background of what is expected and known under my plans. The novel has 4 prepared Parts in total, going by the number of Parts that Murai follows during the Encounter, as it is a major plot device that drives him and many characters, including Gods.


    There are still some unknown variables in terms of Books after Part 2 is done and Part 3 is halfway finished.


    Last Part 4 exists in my plans alone, with nothing written yet.


    In Part 2 there are some characters that I ended up liking far too much, and I am almost sure and hyped to make at least 2 books about them between Part 3 and 4. Murai isn''t even my favorite that far, so... yeah.


    Part 3 is under construction, or so I tell myself before sleeping, but the truth is a bit worse. I don''t plan to continue writing Part 3 until Part 2 is done in the Second Draft, which might take a long time.


    After some thinking, this table is the result of the roadmap


    PARTSNOTESPart 1 [Hunt] Book 1 [Dungeon]First, second draft [completed], PublishedBook 2 [Encounter]First, second draft [completed], PublishedBook 3 [Gate of Suffering]First, second draft [completed], PublishedBook 4 [Islands of Greatness]First, second draft [completed], PublishedBook 5 [Hellscape]First, second draft [completed], Ongoing in publishingBook 6 [Paradise]First draft [completed], second draft [ongoing]Part 2 [Heist]This portion of the novel is still pending some decisions and changes in the second draft. There is a possibility that one of the books will be too big in scope, thus cut in half like Books 3+4 and 5+6 in Part 1Book 7 [Hands of Fate]First draft [completed] [highly likely to be too long in the second draft]Book 8 [Heist]First draft [completed]Book 9 [Endless Tower]First draft [completed]Part 3 [name pending]The number of books is unknown. Information? [In hell I am gonna talk about what entails this part! Have fun waiting some years when this novel arrives this far]Book 10 [pending]First draft [completed]Book 11First draft [ongoing/halted]


    Note: The number of books is subjective, but Parts aren''t due to the story. Part 2 is most likely 4 Books long, while Part 3 is unknown. 4 Books is my initial idea, with Part 4 being an epic ending to these whole sagas with an unknown amount of books.


    Overall: The scope is big. Perhaps too big for a novice. The story is expanding like the characters. The total number of books planned is around 20, which is probably what I want from this novel. 5,000,000 words is my dream goal! I hope it''s going to be possible since it is a scope of many years, but plans are where they should be and writing is fun.


    Disclaimer for Book summaries and side-character sections under each book:


    Summaries could''ve been written longer, but wouldn''t that be wrong? I think they are far too long already, while all Books 1,2,3, and 4 summaries are completed below. They are detailed how I thought they could be, I think.


    Thus, in the summaries, I''ve taken some an approach of mentioning the core story and what is important. What does that mean? I doubt it is enough, or they might be far too big. I don''t know, as I lack knowledge of them. Thus, I would appreciate some feedback, if you read them. Thanks.


    In the summaries, I didn''t include all powers or levels, or too much attention to them. Because of that, I think those summaries are still somewhat lacking, as they are the first summaries I''ve ever written for my writing. It is harder than I thought. 1000 or 2000 words might not be enough with my kind of head, or they are way too long.


    Anyway, be aware that summaries aren''t complete depictions of the story and they don''t mention everything, or every act, reward, boost, battle, or comment.


    Side Characters are similar to summaries of some characters that fulfilled some purpose. Some of their details give more look than the summary, where some characters might be included in a lesser capacity. Under each book, I''ve chosen some characters and their stakes in those books.


    Book 1 Summary


    Murai woke up in the Battleworld, filled with new life and an unfamiliar flow of power. At first, he was locked in his egg and escaped after eating bits of it. That granted him the strength of Vitality. Eventually, he saw a great new world and took his first steps. Afterward, due to the noteworthy voice of WIll of the Battleworld, he realized many rules and how this world seemed like one large forceful power mess.


    Going back to the egg, he woke up just to be kidnapped by a Devil Fox. In its den deep underground, in a cave filled with hot mist, he grew in his Seedling Stage thanks to the many bones it stored there. Over many days, he ate and developed his flesh and body. Eventually, he decided to kill his kidnapper and fought with Devil Fox. It was a simple battle between an ambusher and an attacker.


    Murai killed it successfully and considered this cave his home. Unfortunately, the food was limited, so he had to go out, which was an arduous journey due to his lack of body and height.


    Back on the Surface, he met Rain due to a Punishment Act caused by his following passivity. He fought him in a difficult mental battle and won while realizing many things about himself and some weird new powers. Soul Manifestation showed at that time and no matter how, Rain couldn''t cope with it. He lost to Murai and decided to teach and talk to him about this world, which led to a large feather in the ground and their departure.


    Afterward, Murai reached the peak of the Seedling Stage and had access to his first evolution. After securing some bone in the cave, he started it under his choice. It was Anatidae Panacea. A magical beastly duck. With a great change, a mana core in his flesh, and a more powerful body, Murai became something familiar and happy. He liked his evolution and the new Child Stage began.


    Magic was great, so he started to think of his memories and many exercises and magical techniques. At that time, Lisa, his Life Companion set by the rules of his Blessed status, made her appearance. They connected via souls and she became his life companion, and she began to haunt him.


    Afterward, Murai decided to see the secrets of the cave, which was naturally hot and great at cooking bones. The road to its secrets ended up in a Celestial Pool, a precious water filled with treasures. Murai traversed it thanks to uncovering one ability of his species called Divine Sphere, which allowed him to dive freely for many minutes at a time.


    At the bottom of the Celestial Pool, he discovered a Dungeon! Acaman Tower. It was a secret and water-filled tower, where he fought 5 waves of enemies until escaping to the upper portion of the Tower where there was no water. His struggle paid off and he required great merits and upgrades in his fight to the top. Flame Affinity spread and his mana became greater.


    At the top of the water, he had a Trial ahead. 3 doors. 1 Choice. He chose one he considered as Combat Gate and entered it. There, he met an arena with an Acaman Golem. A powerful enemy that he fought for dozens of minutes. Calling it a struggle was rough, but he found a way to win via Rune Magic and cutting into Golem''s glaring weakness that adhered to the knowledge of golems, mana, and their structure.


    He destroyed it from within.


    With the victory, he reached his rewards and gained great riches, levels, and improvements to his magic and abilities alike. He was crushed by a Pakutan''s Will, a God that owned this Dungeon. A Blessing was supposed to be a reward for Murai''s success, but he refused them and outright angered the rules. Thus, Lordis, God of Battle and Ruler of this Battleworld, sent him a notice of a God''s Trial, giving him 99 days to prepare for his lofty head and that Pakutan forgot the rules. Thus, Murai should be punished.


    After Pakutan and Lordis were done, Murai got an unexpected gift in a vision of a backpack, which was a piece of high-class spatial equipment. His rewards from the Combat Gate included a choice of a Mana Tome, while points of his success pointed into a throve of treasures in the room, where he got many items.


    Mana Tome was of Grade S and implied a person called Rudolf the Great, who was unexpectedly someone Murai knew from one of his first lives that had magic. He ended up reincarnated in this world at some point in the past, so Murai was excited to discover him. He cherished this tome and decided on a journey back to the surface.


    Underground caves were complicated, but due to water and his Diving Sphere, he successfully got out of the caves. There, in a supposed river or lake, he met a flock of Ragators that attacked him and wounded him deeply. He found escape in a water wall and swam up until he fell to the ground, where he met the first human settlements. A village that didn''t appreciate him.


    People didn''t like him. They imprisoned him and even Lisa couldn''t stop what was about to happen. She went back to sleep into his soul due to her ghostly form of a succubus that might have cracked the situation even further.


    Still, Knight''s Order was called because of the demonic aura and mana. Murai couldn''t move as he was injured and bleeding. Coincidently, there was a person called Velga waiting for him, who tried to bough him out. Villagers stopped her and imprisoned Murai in the village until Falconers arrived. Razmund, a Blessed and Captain of Falconers, came and dealt Murai a heavy blow. At that time, Velga backstabbed Razmund and his two companions and they fought until her death.


    Razmund used Appraisal on her Soul and discovered some shocking notes of Fate. Velga waited years for Murai''s appearance, which pointed to some meddling mess of Fate of some very nasty places. Dark Mages, or something of that kind were the main culprits, or so Razmund thought.


    Razmund forced her End anyway and even sustained heavy damage caused by her dagger''s poison. On the brink of losing his steps, he used the last shred of interest to Appraise Murai who was beaten up by him and still bleeding. Razmund forced his bag from his body by twisting his wings and both legs, breaking them all but not the neck. What he had seen in his Appraisal shocked him to the core. He yelped and tossed Murai to his End, finishing him at the bottom of a water well, which was his hope a while ago.


    There, Murai was still alive... and alive. He lived. His death. His breath. He wasn''t willing. And the world whispered many things back, giving him hope but also some very nasty information. Clash of Blessed, Major Task, and his Backpack being stolen were such things.


    He couldn''t bother with them. He didn''t want to hear them.


    Yet he was at the bottom of the well, and he couldn''t move. He wanted to live. Somewhat. He wanted to crash those who gave him this pain.


    So he tried and began to rise due to gaining abilities called Water-breathing, which allowed his lungs to contain his breath via water, so he didn''t die. Then, Bloodrush was his subsequent hope in his attempt to climb the sides of the well gave him a new-found goal. That went on until he reached the top, where he used Bloodrush, and failed. He fell back into the water due to an unstable edge. He ended up even more injured due to Bloodrush''s effects, and reluctant yet accepting his End.


    All for a bucket to pick him up, saving his life.


    Side-characters


    Rain: He is an eagle species. Pouncing Devil is his sub-species and his first or second evolution. He is at a Level well above 50 and fought Murai in a mental battle due to the activated Punishment Act, which he accepted as a self-contained judge over a Blessed who sinned. He lost even after unleashing a variety of mental-based attacks. He isn''t someone petty or brutal. Frankly, he enjoyed the battle and didn''t mind his loss. He tried to befriend Murai afterward and somewhat succeeded. Their trade of information and character gave numerous ideas and worth to both of them.


    Rain discovered that a new Anatidae is born, and it is a Blessed of all things. That shocked him to his core, which helped him uncover the situations that weren''t simple. In fact, Murai is a Level 0 at that time and still a Seedling. Yet he defeated him in a mental clash, giving Rain''s pride a large hit.


    Rain is a member of some demonic power in the Somalis Continent, and part of some Hell''s army.


    He left a feather in the ground for Murai to contact him later if the Fate wills it.


    Pakutan: He is a God of Pain. Rank 2 God under the Somalis Hell. He is the current owner of the Acaman Tower Sub-Dungeon and one who pushed his Will when Murai finished his dungeon. His Divine Will descended to Murai and his gifts of his Blessings of 3 choices ended up disappointing Murai. Their discussions were brief and Murai scolded this God because his Blessings were terrible. It ended well when Pakutan accepted his idea by changing his Blessings, so he departed to change them, which left Murai facing the wrath of Lordis, and the start of something that would crash this world to pieces.


    Razmund: A Blessed like Murai. He is relatively young with intense eyes and powerful ideas and acts. He is above Level 60, which is impressive for his age that is below 30. He arrived at the village due to a disturbance over some demonic aura. He dealt Murai a heavy blow and solved the issue because of his interest, pride, and power as a Blessed Captain of Falconers.


    Even if he almost died in return.


    Velga: a shrewd person filled with mystery. She is a mage, or she might be a dark mage instead or someone completely else. Razmund wasn''t sure about her either. Very little is known of her, but she waited for Murai long before he even reincarnated. This meant Fate was involved, and her timing and waiting made her part of some group seeking something through reads of Fate.


    Patient she might be, she died because she wasn''t strong enough, so her fate just made her dead.


    Book 2 Summary


    Murai was picked up in a bucket by Timmy, a 7-year-old boy related to a man who imprisoned Murai in the village. He wasn''t afraid of Murai, who looked like a duck anyway and was shocked at how injured Murai was. But he was still breathing, so he decided to take him to his sister Iris. Both of them lived with a man who imprisoned Murai before, so it was an awkward situation, but they didn''t meet him.


    Iris was a priestess in training, and quite versed in Alchemy, so Timmy gave her Murai, while well knowing this was against the rules. No matter what, the Centralis Kingdom and Falconers hated everything demon-or-beast related. If a person was found helping them, troubles might follow. But that idea was against Iris, who was part of Vermillion Church which was a great religion that helped those in need. She decided to heal Murai over the night by using an item bestowed by her Lady. That ended up in a fateful encounter and small remedy which started something these kids didn''t know yet.


    Murai ended up externally healed because of healing related to Iris and Vermillion''s treasure, but broken bones and many injuries remained. Murai couldn''t move. Thus, the next day, Iris took Murai to the City of Cinnar, where the main church of her Lady stood. There, she showed him to her master, a 2nd Sun of Vermillion Church, Ceila. She was a great priestess of significant age, yet looked strong and young for her age, like her height.


    This meeting started with Ceila establishing a connection to her Lady, or her Lady forced it anyway. Vermillion invaded Murai''s soul through Ceila and talked soul to soul with him. Murai couldn''t communicate all that well otherwise, and Vermillion was utterly convinced to do some business with him, as she knew what and who he was. Murai didn''t like her straight away and refused her ideas or advances, like help and overall tone. She mentioned the Creators, and their talks ended up long and inside their heads. Murai didn''t like how it sounded and grew regretful he went with Iris''s suggestion.


    After this godly deal, Murai awoke his Will. Ceila was intrigued by helping Murai, whom she recognized as Anatidae in need. Those injuries were nasty, thus a healing mission was set in motion under some business Murai didn''t want. It started anyway, and with Iris''s help, Ceila started a creation process for a great pill called Wave of Life. Murai refused it because Ceila said in exchange for it, she wanted something back exactly like Vermillion wanted, but Ceila wasn''t her, so Murai didn''t like how it sounded.


    Murai refused her anyway and Iris was forced to do a normal healing process, which Murai didn''t want, but still endured. His stubbornness gave him a lot of pain and in a week-long healing process that was painful and physical, rather than immediate and great with a Wave of Life, he began to walk again. After that week, Ceila came to Iris with a battalion and took Murai away against his wishes. Iris and Timmy were included, and they departed to an unknown destination.


    It was Vermillion''s Mansion, a place of major importance to a Vermillion Church. Murai grew his magic and level in that week but was still incredibly weak against a church. Ceila led him herself into the mansion while leaving her battalion and kids before it. There, inside the mansion, a meeting was in place. There were Suns--important pillars of the church. Ceila tossed Murai to a large table at that meeting and declared that something interesting was about to happen. Something major that their Lady deemed as critical. Murai was included,d albeit silent, and watched by 5 ladies.


    It was the Encounter that some Suns didn''t like. Among them, Lia, 5th Sun, was eager to hear more and started playing with Murai. Over some discussion, and some change that occurred outside, something began. Ceila, Lia, and Murai moved away due to a disturbance and discovered an obliterated battalion and Iris and Timmy got kidnapped.


    At that moment, Murai heard a nasty voice of Will of the Battleworld and Encounter''s declaration, which notified him of problems that some God created for him due to his doings. Murai hated it, as it sounded forceful and demanding. Encounter voiced a beginning Part, which was to defeat a bunch of Messiahs who fought against this battalion. They were way too powerful, and Murai found no reason in such a loose and terrible situation, so he was forced to rely on others.


    Lia took care of it as a forceful Helper and killed them all while transforming to a Dragonic Brawled, a human fused and evolved with dragon''s blood and Influence Items. She was over Level 70.


    But one of the surviving Messiahs managed to teleport Murai away due to a secret item when Ceila moved close, causing her to curse herself and everything that happened afterward.


    Murai woke up in a Seventh Death Forest, where Part 1 of the Encounter started. He was to escape it in 10 days. A large forest filled with dangers above his Level and might. Still, with a healed body and no Suns to bother him, he was happy. At that time, Lisa declared that she was awake for some time and didn''t want to mention it due to those Suns, noting some history or some worry that Murai didn''t find honest or important.


    Lisa ended up helping Murai in his escape path by guiding him and talking to him much more than usual. She found this whole Encounter insensible and far too weird because of Murai''s level, age, and growth, which Murai agreed with. It was ruthless.


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    In the Seventh Death Forest, Murai began his survival hunt and fought many enemies of this place. He also quickly figured he was hunted by the Centralis Kingdom, which owned this large forest the size of a nation. He fought some Messihas more than twice his Level and killed them all. Then, he was hunted by some beasts and their Beast Master, meeting a cursed Alpha Coyote with some strange soul. It almost ended up terribly for Murai, but he shredded that curse for a fart, which was close to a forceful soul bond, and gave that Coyote freedom.


    That ended up helping Murai since that beast ended up being quite intelligent, even through some soul constraints. Named Alp, he helped them in speed, leaving Beast Master in dust, but not in a good way either.


    Lisa figured they were on a dead end of their run and forced the situation towards a different danger altogether. Death Valley. It was in the middle of the Seventh Death Forest. They departed with Alp before this valley, as he was free and unable to come with them due to the large and deadly cliff. Murai ended up flying down rather forcefully, ending in a Death Valley where Levandis Temple stood in its secrets.


    Lisa forced their direction towards it, granting Murai great hope and ability to escape his pursuers by going into a much more dangerous place, unknowingly escaping a clutch that was supposed to be imminent, for some God deemed it needed.


    Murai didn''t mind her idea and collided with a Welcoming Party of that temple, consisting of a couple of duels with undead, overseen by an Extreme called Thar, who seemed to know who Lisa was. After dealing with this Party, Murai entered Levandis Temple, where his pursuers couldn''t just enter with their own free will, for it was part of Somalis Hell and deep Depths---a realm of Levandis, Rank 1 God and owner of her own Hell.


    Side-characters


    Iris: She is a young priestess in training. She helped her brother Timmy heal Murai and was with him for a week. They communicated through written forms that Murai beginingly accepted, while he didn''t mind this young priest either. Still, she is part of the Vermillion Church and someone gifted by Vermillion herself, so things end up complicated. Her master is Ceila. She showed no powerful forces and even her healing wasn''t perfect. She was kidnapped alongside her brother by an unknown force at the end of this book.


    Timmy: A young boy who appeared at the end of Book 1 and saved Murai''s life in the last scene. His innocence and goodwill were apparent, and he begged his sister to heal Murai at all costs due to their last day''s meeting. He found Murai pitiful without knowing much about him. He lived with Iris and another older sister, taking a refugee under their uncle, who wasn''t entirely a good person. In book 2, his departure with Iris moved through the knight''s training that Vermillion gifted him. He was kidnapped soon afterward, following an unknown fate like his sister.


    Ceila: She is a powerful priest, and a 2nd Sun of Vermillion church, depicting 5 suns and positions in the church that has some political and personal powers. She showed a great deal of interest in Murai upon their meeting and decided to help him out. That turned out to be because Vermillion herself wanted it more. Due to her, Ceila showed no small tries to help Murai and get something in return. Murai refused, but she persisted, believing that Murai had no choice.


    He did.


    In a week when Murai regenerated due to Iris''s help, she arrived at their home, took Iris, Timmy, and Murai away, and moved to Vermillion''s Mansion further away. There, Murai was forced to see a meeting between all Suns, since something special came up with Murai. Ceila acted very strongly throughout these scenes, taking Murai by his body like a toy.


    Soon, the Encounter started and Ceila decided to be forceful and take it as a chance for herself. Vermillion''s intentions were unknown by this point, while Ceila''s acts disregarded Murai''s willingness.


    She lost Murai, who disappeared into Seventh Death Forest due to her mistake, and after a powerful force came against their mansion. She also realized that Iris and Timmy were kidnapped and the most likely cause was the Centralis Kingdom.


    Her Path is unknown. Her level is closing, if not above the Laws. She showed great proficiency in alchemy and pill conduction, creating a Wave of Life that is a great gift.


    She pursued Murai into Seventh Death Forest by the end of the book, hoping it was within her rights, or hopes, but the Encounter was looming in its acts because she lost a chance to Pledge.


    Lia: She is the 5th Sun who appeared in Vermillion Mansion. She is a powerful draconian warrior but looks like a ferocious human lad with the ability to transform. She has a carefree personality like her powerful Path. Out of all Suns, she is the most brutal and likes to take care of all interesting things openly. I


    She accepted Ceila''s proposal and decided to work with her, unlike all the other Suns. She was the one who dealt with the welcoming part of the Encounter and killed all Messiahs, including their master. Afterward, her stakes stopped and she had to refrain from further acts due to the rules of the Encounter.


    Vermillion: A 3rd revealed God after Pakutan and Lordis. Her Path and Rank are unknown. Her church is neutral and popular among the people.


    She felt and discovered Murai''s existence through Iris. She met with Murai in his Soul Space through Ceila''s connection later, where she offered some sort of deal and immense help if he would help her out. Murai refused immediately, which she didn''t mind.


    It was revealed that she watched him for a long time as a God of many worlds. She saw his lives and stakes, and that this one was more savage. She got involved with him and met for the first time here, setting an action and plot that would move through many upcoming months.


    She wasn''t upset by his refusal and believed there was the right time for compromises because this world was not simple, and Murai''s circumstances were much worse.


    She uses Ceila in most of her acts and guides her for an unknown purpose.


    Alp: He is a rather strange Alpha Coyote with a soul and huffed intellect that hunted Murai in Seventh Death Forest. A Beast Master owned him, but upon crashing against Murai, this ownage got crashed and moved to Murai, who banished it with little issues and let Alp free. He helped Murai afterward and left before entering Death Valley, but thinly, he promised to return this favor in the future.


    Thar: An Extreme located in Death Valley and Levandis Temple. He is like a guarding dog before it. He is an undead of quite some size and power, riding a large horse. His features are thick bones and darkness, and he is the first revealed Extreme that Murai has seen and met. He guarded the temple with the Welcoming Party consisting of one large undead army.


    He supervised Murai''s duels and allowed him to enter Levandis Temple.


    He noticed Lisa as well, showing some interest in her that Murai found strange.


    Book 3 Summary


    Murai entered the Levenadis Temple and successfully broke Encounter''s rules that halted his Boosts and options because of the ongoing hunt. By taking this forceful entry that clashed Encoutner with the temple''s rules, he found some peace.


    This temple was set up for Hell, owned by Lady Levandis, and it created a challenging factor that basically doubled the difficulty and interest of all factors, and increased dangers and complexity. It was also possible that it would change the Encounter as a whole, but time-based Part 1 was imminent, and Lisa found it stayed the same. Murai was still meant to leave Seventh Death Forest if he wanted to have any lasting peace, while they went into a place that was essentially a large underground dungeon that they couldn''t leave just because they could.


    This could mean the Encounter would come at him, while he had to go through the Gates and defeat foes and unknown dangers, all the while the hunt might bite him back.


    There was no choice. It was either capture or endlessly running or going through a place that also squeezed his opponents. Murai was a first-timer, and his level was low, unlike his overall skill and soul, so his advantage was apparent, while Lisa had some reliance and confidence in this old fool.


    She was right. Murai liked how dungeons worked since they spoke of some balance and clarity, followed by reward and learning. His time should be much better than Razmund, who made his appearance in Death Valley, accompanied by a whole party of Pledged Helpers. He fought with the Welcoming Party first.


    As a third-timer, he fought with Thar and wanted his approval. Through bitterness and unleashing most of his claymore''s might, Razmund gained Thar''s permission, albeit it meant the Encounter would truly come and give the temple some concerns. Thar didn''t like it, but rules were rules and Levandis wasn''t present.


    Mindarch was and he didn''t mind such an interesting concept, clashing eyes, dreams, Gods, and rules.


    Murai wasn''t minding this change of pace as well. He appreciated Lisa and her ideas for entering the temple smoothly. With 10 Gates in total, Murai entered the darkness and met Lorry, his Guide sent from Hell. Lorry was a laughable skull Guide who explained the rules of this place and led Murai forward.


    In Gate 1, named Gate of Suffering, Murai entered a huge maze with a perpetual sense of dread and fog. Foes came at him out of nowhere, depicting undead like in the Welcoming Party.


    He went straight at them and fights ensued in the unknown fog.


    After his successful fight, which he took by his beak or magic, he uncovered one massive treasure opportunity that Lisa had yet to reveal.


    Mana Essences.


    They dropped from foes he killed through Lorry''s eye beams, depicting a complicated artificial method of gathering mana with living or undead beings of this temple. With this reveal, Murai began his expert treasure hinting and killing, desiring these essences because they were rare to come by in this form.


    He used them gradually into a technique called the Core Defying Fusion Technique, creating an Artificial Core in his mana space and dividing his attention to keep it and Beast Core going. Fusing them will give him eventual power boosts out of this world, so he absorbed what he could into his Artificial Core that needed high-quality mana. Essences were perfect, as they were less diluted by the world, even if they were artificially created.


    After a few waves of enemies, Murai succeeded in piquing Mindarch''s interest. He was a soul construct that oversaw all of this temple. Murai accumulated a Boost thanks to his interventions and progress, which gave Mindarch immense satisfaction that he had such a fun Challenger going through his home. He helped Murai a lot by clashing with Will of the Battleworld and Encounter since he was the reason it was all possible.


    Back in the Surface and Death Valley, Razmund''s helpers fought and gained access to Hell Party, a powerful challenging difficulty which they fixed onto Gate 4. They left, leaving Razmund alone in Gate 1, who was clutching a Destiny Dice that would show him the way forward. Some maze, dread. or fog won''t stop him.


    Murai left him in the dust, encountered a chance, and entered a vast museum where he met his first Guardian. It was a Crowhell Bat. An invisible little shit that caused him no small amount of trouble.


    He still killed it eventually and gained yet another increase in powers, a few abilities even evolved, and access to the next Gate was hiding behind the Vault and Hell Points.


    Murai was excited to grow more powerful, while his essences were coming to him in steady challenge and enemies. He was killing many flies with many stones and grew by leaps and bounds. Well, he still stored Crowhell Bat in his spatial storage that Lisa--who was passive and didn''t help with anything like Lorry in terms of the fight--took care of. He could''ve gained Grade 7 essence if he was lucky. Shame.


    With Boost behind, he gained options to the Vault, where Lisa suggested an interesting dogshit mana tome that she was familiar with.


    Although ancient, it was from the time of a beast emperor called Pillage, who created one-of-a-kind Shaping styles for beasts of this world.


    Called Heavenly Shaping, Murai gained yet another treasure, all the while Lisa cheered inside, Lorry couldn''t stop it, while Mindarch allowed it all.


    That either meant Levandis did as well, as that tome was her keepsake.


    After getting the rest of his rewards in many kinds of valuables, including the essences, Murai had a choice before entering Gate 2. It was supposed to be random, but he was able to pick a direction in a chaotic portal. He decided on the most fun one that would give him fights and essence, and where he would test his new abilities and increased strength.


    He grew confident, which was incomparable to the last week.


    Islands of Greatness were before him, bearing fangs of 100 foes in 100 Islands.


    The ending of the book revealed Ceila''s comeback into Death Valley, which was barren apart from a man standing guard there if Murai came back. He was from the Centralis Kingdom and guarded the entrance like a dog, even if there was Thar.


    Ceila was angry when she discovered him, as he was a Helper who caused godly interventions and a clash of rules right before the temple.


    It was like a slap.


    A Judge''s descent pushed her way back, so she could no longer help Murai or herself.


    But she had her Lady and not all plans were ruined.


    Side-characters


    Lorry: He is a Levandis Temple''s Guide in the appearance of a talking skeleton of some demon. He has nothing but his head and voice, while a pair of swirling eyes depict his Soul Flames. He is basically a soul forced to live through some construct, which is a work of some necromancy or a God.


    Lorry guides Murai in his journey and knows Lisa as well. They had many discussions as they were left alone when Murai fought for his essence.


    Lint: He is Razmund''s Guide, depicting a half skeleton capable of flight, similar to Lorry. His base is an undead demon of some sort, with half a body, no legs, and one arm. He is cheerful in a different way and takes Razmund as a troublemaker, but also his little hope, since all Guides were connected to their Challenger. What they do and what they do well can mean rewards for them out of Levandis''s or Mindarch''s pockets.


    Mindarch: A soul construct left from the Old World by the Sun God, who owned the former temple. Levandis clutched it in a new age, thus Mindarch naturally followed her. Mindarch is a powerful aid that can influence many rules, including Will of the Battleworld, as he is a little bit like that, but can''t grant Boost. He can access it by forcing them through his influence and Will of the Battleworld.


    He is essentially a very lucrative tool since he is different yet similar to what drives this whole world crazy.


    Levandis: Rank 1 God. Lady of Thousand Graves. She owns her Hell and temple, and her interest is barely brief in this book.


    Manager Kil: He is an enigmatic worker and follower of Levandis. He briefly appeared at the end of the book where he discovered Murai''s fight via Mindarch''s influence. He was intrigued and hoped and feared that Levandis would soon awake.


    Mindarch wasn''t.


    Trouble arrived, yet she wasn''t even awake.


    Book 4 Summary


    The book starts with Razmund dealing with his third-timed Gate 1 with ease. He obliterated the battalion''s worth of undead and revealed a treasure called Destiny Dice that read Fate of the wielder thanks to deep prices. Every toss of the dice showed him Murai''s choices and turns, which made this labyrinth trivial and his hunt easier. Soon, he approached his Guardian.


    Zao. Goldsteel Titan. It was a test of a lifetime because he was a gigantic opponent at Level 70.


    A monumental fight ensured where blood and technique flew, and where Razmund demonstrated his powerful Path of a Sword Sage. He unleashed his Dances, treasures, and health. Zao blew him in dust and powerful clashes, as Goldsteel Titans were no simple giants. Their Bloodline had shreds of Origin Titans.


    Razmund almost died right there, shedding blood and sweat, while Zao fought for his Pride.


    Eventually, the battle of endurance skills and power ended up in Razmund''s victory, but it would have been very close if it hadn''t been for a couple of Razmund''s important factors. His endurance was much better than Zao''s, while his sharpness and Path were all better. Zao was relentless in his pursuit, while his powerful heart and physique allowed I''m to fight for a long time.


    Ultimately, one had to fall.


    Down, Murai entered Islands of Greatness, which was a Gate entered via a portal. It was a huge cave filled with water and massive towers and pillars going from there, with Islands being on them. They were flat, irregular, dark, or dome-like places or buildings. Each was private, built well like domes. There were hundreds of them, with an ending and a start, system, sizes, and bridges between them.,


    Murai entered them from the beginning and encountered Wild Tusk Monkey. He obliterated it in a few minutes thanks to his improvements and vigor to learn, while the difficulty from the start wasn''t that big. His Boosts gifted him a lot, while his evolved abilities needed some touch and learning.


    This began his long-awaited pursuit of magic and trial training.


    He had new things to consider, including unlocking the Heavenly Shaping Manual, figuring out his Mana Sonar, Beak''s Blitz, and general body necessities.


    If he took the last Gate for a small opportunity, this one was a trial that was perfect for this, albeit these Islands could take him a few days to beat.


    The way out of here was yet to be clear.


    Lisa was pondering their escape plan while Murai increased his strength.


    Thankfully, this choice of the Gate was utterly perfect against Razmund''s arrival, since he couldn''t walk to Murai''s Islands and catch him, let alone kill him. He had to follow Murai''s journey with his Destiny Dice, which was giving him the right direction.


    In a while, Murai slowly or quickly followed with his relatively lower difficulty, but great learning options. He went from Island 1 to Island 68 relatively fast, and had great discussions with Lisa and Lorry alike, before entering 68th Island, where he met his first human opponent in this Gate.


    It was a man of this temple named Long Zi, who was a Handler of lighting properties and fought with Murai for a while, before surrendering to the strength of his species, magic, and beak.


    Long Zi''s defeat revealed the Key system, where one could gain a unique key to special options at Vaults after Gate 2, followed by Question Mark. Keys gave rise to Artifacts, which Murai didn''t find wrong. They were boring. He didn''t like it because a duck barely had an option to wear or use any kind of tool.


    Not only was most of his loot and equipment useless, but these Keys were also terrible.


    Ignoring them and taking the Mana Essences of butchered monsters, beasts, demons, or undead, for himself, Murai soon encountered Ending Isles.


    Those were the last sets of Islands that one would always meet if they went towards the end of the cave. There were bridges between the islands, so under his potential, of course, he entered them.


    Difficulty spiked substantially, so he was no longer that confident, even after so many fights.


    It was worse. He met yet another key-situation and met a unique island with a mission. It was to protect a slave elven boy who was already half-dead and given up in his eyes.


    Murai hated it, helped him, and squeezed his time through bothersome waves of enemies that wanted his neck, or the boy''s. Murai went all-in on this Island and suffered setbacks against dozens of enemies because of time constraints, stamina, magic, and dealing with the boy as well. His final opponent was an Undead Captain above Level 40 wearing way too big and precious armor than his Level or bones allowed.


    Captain was slow but sturdier than anything Murai had met so far.


    Murai couldn''t beat it at all, so he devised a plan that involved crashing his Will to the half-dead boy. He lived even with his Will speaking to him, and Murai ordered him to crawl or die.


    He crawled.


    Murai began his wild dance with the Uncead Captain and eventually set him on fire after connecting his prospects and strategy.


    Set ablaze, the death of the Undead Captain was a cherry on top, second to the General Armor that was now his.


    Mindarch might cry however he wanted, but it was lost when the whole island was filled with corpses.


    Murai was much happier to get their essences than that useless armor fit above Level 70. He ate the charred Captain and felt satisfied.


    The last boss would only go as far as Challengers were able to, or when the protecting fool died, so killing it was impossible, or problematic.


    After his win, Murai had a deep discussion about freedom and slavery with the half-dead elven youth. That boy understood Murai and decided to not be a loose foolish death weight and utter piece of garbage. Murai got him a farewell gift before leaving.


    By this time, Razmund just entered Island 68, where he faced yet another nasty challenge. It was Low Marshal, an important position in Levandis'' Armies.


    It was much worse. Unlike Murai, Razmund had a unique rule to his time in this Gate. Although he had his direction set by Destiny Dice, Mindarch gave him a no-killing rule. If he killed, he would slowly go over a certain edge and something nasty would happen.


    What? There was no reveal for that, but Razmudn found some clarity and insanity in that. It proved to be a bother and a helping tool at the same time. He should either crash the opponent or blow at them until they were defeated. That meant he amassed more experience by using less strength than normal, while way too problematic foes were killed because he couldn''t hold back. In that sense, he started to view this Gate similar to Murai, and his strength increased little by little, even if he was Level 65.


    So what about Low Marshal? He was a human like him and quite famous for strength and power. He also wielded some Law, so it was a disadvantageous duel since his opponents were free to kill him.


    Razmund hated this rule and hated this hypocrisy.


    Yet surprisingly, Razmund found this fight much better than the one with Zao.


    He even found his muse in his suffering and creeping lack of success. As he was on the losing thread because of his constant battling against way-too-tough foes--that he could or might not be able to kill--he unleashed Sword Intent for the first time, cutting into Low Marshal and securing his win.


    It wasn''t an easy win.


    Rewarsd were immense. Sword Intent was closing on Laws of Sword. Just this thing was more than he asked for, and even if it was for a moment, his Sword Intent came, so it might return.


    For the duration of his pace, he learned about it and what it required.


    As he did so, Murai entered a place right before the Last Island.


    It was also a resting time, as he was fed up and tired through fights that he barely won. So he decided, like many times when he rested, to make his attempt on his Heavenly Shaping Manual.


    He always failed to unlock it, since the tome''s structure was odd and complicated. Locks were everchanging, but when he heard some voice, meaning to flood it with mana, Murai found his muse as well.


    He unlocked it and entered a mysterious space with his Will alone, right after all his mana was sucked into the manual.


    There, he met Pillage Emperor, or as he saw him, a puppy. Pillage taught him aspects and the beginning of the Heavenly Shaping Manual. Pillage was alive as a partial soul, which was almost inconceivable since he cheated on End and Afterlife. It was impressive. He lived through the End even after many years, if not cycles away from the normal world. This technique was his blood and tears, so when he saw and felt Murai''s Anatidae status, he was doubtful yet excited.


    Then, he was shocked because Murai was much more than that.


    His technique was perfect for Murai, whose magic and control and skill in spells or mana were all incredible even at his pathetic stage. With still low Initialization Core, it was a shame but inevitable due to increasing gaps and walls of the Core Defying Fusion Technique.


    Murai discovered his mana space was massive and requirements were steep. If he wanted to go far, his Artificial Core needed much more essences than he anticipated.


    With Pillage''s legacy, Murai acquired a great way to handle an interesting style of magic, which tampered with his memories and species quite a lot. It was also the problem that pestered him ever since he became Anatidae Panacea. His mana felt different from his usual lives.


    He never had a life like this, so this mana and magic were new to him. But he did see many instances and similarities in Heavenly Shaping to other techniques, so he began his pursuit of learning this technique, changing some things, or learning it first before doubting it later.


    After leaving the manual''s space, Murai greeted Lisa, who was curious about what he gained.


    There''s not much yet. He entered the Last Island after some rest, where he met big Islands and dozens of foes.


    Only a few of them were his, as there were upcoming duels back-to-back, rather than a simple single duel.


    Well, not like the Protection Island had a small amount of essences. Murai didn''t mind it, but the quality of the foes of this Island was substantial.


    The first foe was Goliath Golem, whom he defeated swiftly thanks to his experience against big and stupid soulless fools.


    Second was a succubus, which was a laughable attempt sent by Mindarch. She was lofty, four-armed, and ready to kill him. She was difficult but not more than most of the Ending Islands.


    The issue here was the stamina and mana.


    Murai had to be careful, while she was quick and her four hands were tricky and powerful.


    Murai fought with her with all of his arsenal, including magic that shook succubus to her core.


    She struggled and used powerful techniques, so Murai used his Robust Defense. She lost her edge completely and nearly broke as she slammed at him with her twisting heart fists. Then, she unleashed her innate qualities and Lust.


    It had no effect. Murai swiped his beak and slit her throat.


    The last opponent was the biggest hurdle. It was Anatidae Golem.


    Mindarch didn''t even mention it was the last foe.


    Murai felt challenged like never before. His foe was stronger and sturdier, yet the same size as him. That was the first.


    It was a ridiculous fight that hurt his pride.


    So out of spite for his legs and wings, he fought it as if it was his last fight. He continued relentlessly, cracking its armor, first layer, and then cracks revealed a massive secret thanks to his Mana Sonar.


    There was an Everflower inside this little golem. And he was fighting it.


    There was no winning here.


    But he didn''t give up and caused Anatidae Golem to malfunction after he went beyond all of his Peak capabilities, mana, body, and everything. Anatidae Golem had its limits due to its squeezed state.


    Obviously. Everflower-empowered Golem could wipe the cities from the map, if not worse, so if it was here and he was alive, it was weak.


    The fight stopped when Manager Kil entered the Island with all of his 20 centimeters of height. He bribed Murai to remain silent about the Everflower while giving him gifts--a spatial ring and a pouch that unwillingly got lost from his belt.


    Weirdly, Manager Kil understood Murai''s every quack, indicating a thing about the Anatidae Tongue. Murai had a deep discussion with him, followed by Lisa''s and Lorry''s shock that the end was there, and Manager Kil, an Overlord and manager of this entire temple, was right there.


    Murai left, half broken and tired after securing his breath, leaving with Lisa and Lorry to the reward island.


    Throughout his journey, he accumulated two Keys, massive experience and achievements, and gained access to Question Mark, which was a powerful information-gathering tool set up by Mindarch.


    It was meant to gain any kind of knowledge via Mindarch''s vast Codex. Murai planned to use it well for himself.


    When Murai disappeared, Manager Kil left with the secured Anatidae Golem and met with Levandis in her dining room, where they discussed many things.


    He had his doubts, but he served her with all of his pinch-sized heart.


    Levands revealed her interest in the Old One, which was Murai''s nickname that followed most of his Cursed Living. She was also interested in Anatidaes, and as a Rank 1 God with near endless interest, her words were mighty and curious like herself.


    Murai used a portal in the Last Island to enter a new cave. This was where he used his Question Mark and asked many questions about Anatidaes, their weaknesses, powers, potential, and what he could gain from them himself.


    Mindarch was brief or good at it depending on the Question, or Answer, while Murai gained a lot out of it.


    In the end, Murai found that continuing with what he was doing was perfect, while Mindarchs Codex left him with some joy that there was a lot to these Anatidae monstrosities.


    Afterward, Murai walked to the island in the middle of a small lake, where was a small hut. It was where he was meant to go, as it was this Gate''s unique Key Vault, while Lisa and Lorry waited behind, discussing things like they mostly did at this Gate. Murai always fought in the Islands alone, shrouded by veils that they couldn''t see through.


    Next, the whole situation changed and the hut and Mindarch did as well. Mindarch panicked and something, or someone shifted it all.


    Mindarch was reluctant to clarify it, but he did let Murai enter the modified hut anyway.


    Inside, the space was twisted and strange, until it went back to normal.


    It was Vault. There were rewards he wanted and deserved, as well as his Influence Item that was rewarded for this Gate''s clearance.


    There was an old man waiting for him. He was no old friend, but a third, or fourth party to this whole situation. He didn''t even name himself when he started speaking and understanding Murai like Manager Kil.


    Murai was shocked as he found him good and crazy. They talked, while the old man crafted something on the table, which later displayed a hoodie that he forced on Murai as his personal reward. It wasn''t because of this temple, or Encounter, or anything.


    It was because he, Amelius, gave it to him.


    Amelius was an old fella wearing a strange necklace that piqued Murai''s interest. Amelius wanted and helped Murai broaden some ideas, and also tell him more about Anatidaes. It was suspicious. Thinly, Mindarch was also present but pretended he wasn''t.


    Amelius knew.


    As a price for the hoodie, he took one of Murai''s bigger feathers.


    Murai let it go and was enthralled by Ameliues, who revealed he was Rudolf''s descendant. It was a few millennia since Rudolf lived, and Amelius revealed that he died because of his son who became a God under the Sky Pantheon.


    Murai wasn''t bothered by this reveal, or surprised by its content. Some people or things made sense, and it was no wonder he liked Amelius. He reminded him of Rudolf, whose book existed in Acaman Tower, a destroyed ruin from long ago. Murai lost it because of Razmund.


    After a heartfelt discussion and accepting the hoodie that Murai found surprisingly comforting and neat, Murai took care of his Influence Item next. It was a unique reward of this Gate that influenced or worked with the future or its specific evolution.


    He chose a Marrow Extract from Higland River''s Dragon Parrots and left, leaving Amelius alone and satisfied that all went well.


    As Murai left, full of wonders and even clothed, Amelius sniffed the feather and realized he made an incredible error, or something foolish.


    Mindarch would agee and didn''t like this fool that Levandis shouldn''t have let in.


    Amelius laughed as he cried.


    Murai was teleported away and sent into the previous cave where he met with anxious Lisa and doubtful Lorry. Both of them were shocked to see Murai wearing an Anatidae Uniform of an unknown origin, but incredible quality.


    Lisa was worked up about it and was curious about what he endured. They entered the Vault next, where Murai endured yet another forceful invasion of Villan and Battlewill, effectively revealing that he was being watched and read when granted a Boost in this temple. Murai got an invitation from Villan to join their Hell, but he refused.


    Battlewill was generous, talking as if it was a person, and giving Murai a good lesson.


    After this little invasive discussion, Murai got his one-of-a-kind Boost. It was a true blessing this time, giving him Titles, newly evolved abilities, and mainly a change in Heavenly Shaping. Gate 3 will be full of new learnings, but he didn''t know what awaited. His Hell Points were still sporadic like his needs, so he got some passable treasures but numerous Grade 6 Mana Essences worth of mana in his pockets weren''t enough for core fusion.


    He left for Gate 3 soon afterward, outgrowing the previous hindrances of the Encounter in the process by carrying some barebone ability to fight. It was still below a fodder level, but it might change soon enough.


    At the book''s end, Ceila returned to the Death Valley with a party of 3 paladins. They obliterated the Undead Arm and Thar, crashed Uzbek, the man guarding the entrance for Razmund, his student, and through some of Vermillion''s plot, they blackmailed Levandis to get into the temple, even if they were of divine standing which Hells prohibited. They won''t be Challengers but Invaders.


    They were coming inside, whether it was to get what they wanted, crash Razmund''s Side, Hell Party, or reach Murai out of curiosity or hidden desires.


    Side-characters


    Lorry: He took more of a background and hadn''t done much besides giving Murai what he deserved by unleashing his Guide''s power and obliterating fallen foes to Mana Essences. He spent most of the time with Lisa, who wasn''t active that much either.


    Lint: Razmund''s Guide, he was responsible for numerous inconveniences and Razmund disliked his kind. Due to the nature of Razmund''s rules, his essences were bound to limits, while his killing happened anyway, slowly creeping to the unknown.


    But Lint knew it was just an excuse. Mindarch was a playful fella and Lint knew that Razmund''s growth was almost impossible to stop.


    Mindarch: He revealed his clumsy, yet powerful authority as an engraved being into Levandis Temple. He knew this place, albeit it changed from his former home. His interest in Murai deepened, while Levandis herself revealed herself. He was his current owner, yet it didn''t seem like much. He didn''t overestimate anything and gave Murai attention and his curiosity was kind of forceful but needed.


    He IS the main reason that Murai got this far.


    Levandis: A God awakened. She summoned her interest by giving Murai a challenge on her own merits. She sent him her toy. It was Anatidae Golem, which was an experiment of many years, her effort, and others. She had full-on teams working on numerous golems and their technicalities. She learned a lot from this experience and figured that the little creatures like them were kind of big for this sort of golem. Still, Manager Kil did his duty well, and nothing would go wrong in her Hell, let alone this temple that he managed.


    Levandis showed no small amount of care when Ceila''s group arrived at her temple''s entrance. And when she heard Vermillion''s message from Ceila''s mouth, she shook and let many things proceed. It went against the Encounter and her temple, while Uzbek couldn''t change anything either. It was a wonderous situation that Vermillion doubted as well, but she wasn''t always sure what was happening in the Sky.


    Manager Kil: His impression is a handful. He is Tontati, a member of a sacred tribe of little people who live somewhere in the Battleworld. He is the protector of his people, thanks to Levandis and the undisputed power he got because of her. He is an Extreme well over Level 90. Titled as an Overlord, he is one of the many hidden masters of Somalis'' Hell.


    His interest peaked when he solved Murai''s mess and his Lady''s ideas. He interviewed in Murai''s Last Island and stopped Anatidae Golem''s malfunction. He then proceeded to thoroughly check Murai as a whole in person and his Presence, which he then expressed to Levandis upon his summoning. He talked to her about it and knew that what she wanted was close to his heart. He shall do his best.


    Battlewill: a small knock of the greater schemes. Battlewill is the Will of the Battleworld, but more positive and neater, willing to talk, answer questions, and deal with due diligence and reading of those seeing complicated Boosts. What was the reason for its appearance? Temple as a whole clashed against the Encounter, Murai himself, and Mindarch.


    Villan: An important member of Lurrs, the main branch of Levandis'' Bloodline. She is an Extreme Overlord as well and messed up with Murai when Levandis was asleep. She proceeded to read him twice in Gates 1 and 2 and revealed herself as a lofty demonic lady at the end of the book, where she eyed the situation with Ceila, Thar, Undead Army, Lint, Uzbek, and Levandis''s voice that spread from Mindarch''s overreaching presence.


    She had no idea what a blunder she made.

 Chapter 1: I am a WHAT?

    The world of commoners was never a delightful place. Instead, it was always a place filled with ego, power, and a past preceding the word weak. Gods and those above them were at the center of the beginnings, yet who was kind and who was a slave to their power? It was an old belief, filled with history so ancient, yet untold by many and remembered by few.


    Now, many mighty beings found ways to fulfill their wishes and desires. In many manners, they succeeded, but at what cost, or what for? Chaos and Order always reigned over the mortals without concern, poising as an immortal rule that followed every Sky.


    It was all connected. But so infinitely far away from the low plains and many realms, that only a few could handle that. And someone was there¡ªsomewhere¡ªbearing witness to the Truth. A God she used to be, an utmost beauty to behold was taking a stroll down the river made of countless strands of little dots. Those were the souls that saw their End, making the river the End itself.


    Overseen by her alone, it was her place even if it was older than the universe. She wore only a thin layer of silk robe over her bare body; it was far too loose and long, but it wasn''t a hindrance. Not for her flesh, wrapped with silk flowing like smoke. It wasn''t quite enough to conceal her confidence and maturity.


    Nothing was living here, so walking without shame made sense.


    The souls were honest, moving at a steady pace onward before disappearing to the unknowns of the Afterlife. From where? Where did they go? She knew it, of course, but she didn''t need to feel that way since she was Afterlife¡ªa figure who held authority over the souls on a path beyond common sense. She had the power that fundamentally made the universe what it was, is, and will be, albeit in a limited way than one would guess.


    Any souls that came her way through the way of reincarnation were her finest and most precious subjects. It worked without her knowledge, and some questioning was inappropriate. Those moving souls akin to a storming, yet calm river were making their way toward their New Beginnings, right after their End. That was all Afterlife needed. Two factors. A pair of truths. No lies.


    Through insane distances and times, be it unknown planets, or plains even weirder than a globe, they all came here as witnesses of a greater rule. It was the simplest answer to the fact that the universe was still working, showing how some things should never change. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This river of souls stretched far too long, that even she couldn''t see the end of it. There was nothing but her body that was walking through this river. Her face and body language looked relaxed; her eyes serious and almost frowning when she was taking this stroll. The souls moved out of her way, leaving her journey mostly uninterrupted, but her mind was elsewhere.


    After many cycles in this environment, one could become indifferent to both new and old views.


    Afterlife seemed to look for something, notable by her moving eyes and¡ªif one paid close enough attention¡ªitching brows. These little facts made her piercing gaze quite a menace for some souls. Some quivered, dancing around the river, and hoping to escape further into the river.


    Her eyes were of deep colorful spirals, filled with stars of azure color and mysteries that none would question. She possessed Everlasting Eyes, allowing her to see past, present, and future. She gazed upon the countless souls comprising the river, hoping to spot the one she was meant to take care of.


    Why, again? Was it even fine?


    That question didn''t appear in her mind. She had to do so since that time arrived again. Finding that ridiculous soul that met its End was never an easy affair. She hoped it wouldn''t create another problem for anyone, including herself.


    To her well-founded worry, finding it seemed to be a pain. So after a long stretch of time that she couldn''t perceive anyway, she found her desirable soul after a lot of looking and more sensing. Her palm shoved downward, going deep into the river that appeared to be quite deep. Her slender and pale hand retracted only after her focused gaze and work bore their results. Only a single soul between her two fingers emerged.


    ¡°Still got it, you hiding little weasel! Now, are you upset like the last time? No wonder...¡± She said softly, sounding like the voice of rules that shivered the existence of souls all around her. However, the soul between her fingers didn''t care.


    She looked at it with her mesmerizing eyes and a smirk of success appeared on her face. She flicked her long strands of azure hair out of her face, positioned them behind her ear, and gazed at this soul closer. The soul seemed to wince, trying to escape her gaze even though it had only the basics of its instincts left.


    The soul itself was unlike the rest that flowed through the river. It had a black border and a white center. A fog of cursed energy and Chaos surrounded it, making it seem strange, yet more alive and powerful. Its center was definitely something one wasn''t seeing every day.


    It failed in its attempt to do the impossible. In Afterlife''s hands, no souls shall escape. She walked out of this long river, making her way towards the starry sky that was all over the horizons. Like a cocoon, this wasn''t a place, after all, but a place nonetheless. It may be strange to call it something since no mortals knew of this, while even Gods could never walk here. It was her office, detached from reality, though still part of everything.


    Walking out of the river, Afterlife wasn''t walking on any ground, nor did her bare feet touch anything substantial. She simply walked on nothing. It was also stranger than floating in the airless space, as it seemed she was walking on something. Her physical body was solid, in contrast to the ghostly, translucent souls that comprised their core existence.


    Around the surrounding river, for no eyes apart from Afterlife''s, countless stars and galaxies were everywhere. They were as clear as a sight of a swirling river from the top of the mountain, or seeing the sun in the cloudless morning. Densely packed, the bright and colorful stars created a nice aura to everything.


    But something was more absurd than her stride in Nowhere. Down, up, or left and right, there was no ceiling or a wall. It was an insane abyss, constantly shifting as if one wasn''t aware of where one was going. A chasm that had the river of no beginning or the end.


    Apart from the river itself, it was a mesmerizing sight that had no admirers¡ªAfterlife didn''t even glance at this sight. She saw it far too much.


    Not far from her was the only section of a proper land, flowing in no place in particular, and acting like a fortress. Flat and round, sturdy rocky formations acted as shelter and her home. There were even some trees with some dirt that seemed strange and mysterious¡ªconsidering the lack of water, or oxygen in this space¡ªhousing a few small and shiny fruits.


    There was also a house right past them, with a single floor and an open terrace at the front, and the only living soul in her sight. A dog wagged its tail at the open entrance, eagerly awaiting Afterlife like a good boy.


    As Afterlife went to the entrance, the dog welcomed her, jumping at her dress, and barking at the soul in her arm. For the life of her, she couldn''t recall the dog''s name. Snapping the soul in her grasp away, she held her purpose dearer to her heart. Patting the dog with a smile on her face, she saw the tail wiggle in delight, and the dog''s jaw twitched in a smile.


    ¡°Good boy,¡± she said, walking past the dog towards the detached backyard way back behind the house. There was a backyard filled with trees, flowers, and bushes, acting as an opposite world from the outside. The stars and galaxies were still visible if one looked upwards. The dog followed her steps happily, as that was the nature of these joyful creatures.


    The backyard¡ªsurrounded by foliage and basking in the warmth of the galaxies from above¡ªwas her favorite spot for special activities. There was a comfortable chair in the middle of her office. Around the chair were hundreds of empty vases; each at least half a meter tall and all and looking the same. They brought a certain problem to this spacious location, which ended up crowned because of them.


    For Afterlife and her endeavors, this was her place.


    Sitting down, she gazed deeply at the soul within her grasp, while the dog kept its watchful eyes on it from the side.


    ¡°What a peculiar one this is,¡± Afterlife mumbled, playing with the soul within her grasp that seemed to want to escape ever since she got it. She even wondered what it would do if it would escape. Would it dissipate? No. She knew it wouldn''t, which was a strange idea when one saw the depth of this place. This soul would have to float aimlessly through the Nowhere, Void, or however called it was. With no guarantee of finding anything, it was a choice of suffering.


    So yes. Perhaps she should let go of it.


    She stopped her hands from releasing it immediately, knowing that they wouldn''t allow it.


    The soul resembled an underwater jellyfish without the long strands of tendrils and vivid colors. It was dark, yet bright white in its center, making it unique.


    ¡°It is so sinful, with no grief, a speck of shame, or feelings of nervousness... Is this the reincarnation of that person? I suppose it is, considering what I can see within it. Oh... It''s shameful. Even when things went that way?¡± She wondered out loud, looking towards no empty vase in particular.


    This soul was not destined for an ordinary route, as its revival or End was not her decision. But the road ahead was. The matter of its reincarnation was old; older than her presence here. What to do with the purpose of this soul was something even her predecessor didn''t know. Perhaps they decided to forget it to make things simple and unbiased. It was the usual process with this kind of thing.


    Afterlife didn''t know the details and wouldn''t care for them even if she knew. She had work to do. A regular route wasn''t for the sinners. Was this.... a sinner? She paused as the soul struggled to no avail, knowing that she wasn''t an Underworld boss who never even existed.


    What was in her hand wasn''t simply bad or good. It wasn''t a sinner¡ªjust an unfortunate tool of a bunch of fools.


    She wondered if she was a soul like this one in her hand, or different, or weaker. A mysterious essence made an individual whole, and it even followed them to their End. If so, her End must have happened a long time ago. Now, it was more like a dream or a distant memory that flowed through her mind once in a millennium.


    Afterlife pondered about a road she should give this soul this time around. Should it be a meaningful one? Where to start? Which Sector or the Sky? One that can cherish its premise, or do something about its... problems? What problem? A road that can lead to salvation on a fundamental level sounded like a pain. Should it be calmness? Balance of some sort? She heard that word a lot of times for some reason.


    Chance? Should I even give it? Why? What for? Afterlife thought It could be something big or small, yet the results might be the opposite.


    Salvation. That word also appeared in her mind. How often had she thought about that? It was the same with her predecessor, but regardless of anything, she couldn''t keep this in her hand forever. It made her uncomfortable.


    ¡°Where? For how long... What to take it for?¡± She leaned on her chair, picked up a strand of a random flower from the ground, and asked three questions. She took a deep breath, cherishing its lovely smell. The scent was so enticing that it vitalized even the most astute mind, provided a sense of peace, and increased the efficiency of thoughts.


    The pollen from it entered her nose and made her nose rather itchy. A loud sneeze echoed in the silent space, surprising her. Afterward, there was no longer a soul in her hand. It fell to some open vase; she couldn''t tell which. One would even wonder, why they weren''t closed. That would make sense, lest there would be a mistake like sending a soul to somewhere where it didn''t belong.


    ¡°Oh shit!¡± Afterlife slapped her forehead, clutching her cheeks and her hair fluttered around her head. She forgot she was allergic to that flower in particular. It caused a huge mistake she couldn''t foresee. Her Everlasting Eyes didn''t look inward, so she didn''t see herself at all.


    Clutching her hands, she shattered the flower into tiny particles, forcing them to flow to Nowhere. It wasn''t enough to ease her spirit, so she glared at others of its kind, eyeing their existence and why they were here. She wasn''t happy. They were pretty to the eyes, but touching, or smelling them closely always ended up in disaster.


    Alas, a blunder already happened. What could she do about it? There was no way she could touch or overrule the Reincarnation Vases that led to the many sections of the Skies. Variety was the key, thus most were known by the name of Godly Domains. Lower plains, or higher, the vases held unique internals, opposite to their appearances.


    Changing her mind was inappropriate, given her role as the Afterlife.


    Even if she could touch them and speak of her blunder, she would omit her mistake. It would be too silly to excuse herself because of some flowers and a sneeze. Right, this wasn''t some random chance. It was her choice. She will act as if it was her intention from the beginning, which should not raise any suspicion.


    Hopefully.


    Maybe someone will ask her about it soon. A couple of times in the past, they did ask about the Cursed One.


    Biting her nails, she mumbled. ¡°Yes. Yes... That''s the case. No worries. I don''t need to worry about that one. That''s what I am supposed to do anyway. Send it toward something new, but this time... I had no choice in deciding the details, nor did I get any specific requests. It seems like the decision will be based solely on where it ends up. I will watch it and see what it will do over there. Perhaps it will work in the hands of this random chance? Well... for the start, I need to see where it ended up... How annoying.¡± She sighed and lied to herself.


    She sat up, no longer clutching her face. Fixing her hair in a couple of motions, she glanced with her sight around. She found her target immediately. Tears A couple of small tears rolled from her eyes and her back crouched, as she fell to the ground. She didn''t cry. She wasn''t sure what she was doing.


    Before she knew it, a dog''s head poked her bare legs. When mistakes befall the people and Gods alike, a friend of this fluffy caliber helped even Afterlife in need. Patting the dog, she calmed down instantly.


    ¡°I think... I made a terrible mistake of picking that flower,¡± she mumbled.


    The dog woofed to her face, licked her tears, and snuggled closer. Afterlife lay there on the ground, speechless and accepting her Fate.


    The journey of the cursed and unlucky soul was a bit strange this time around. A simple sneeze almost shook its essence, yet it changed its Fate for sure. In the End, all souls were numb to everything, moving towards the next New Beginning.


    Alas, as always for this one, its purpose, feelings, instincts, and origin weren''t wiped out like for most souls. Not at all. Everything about its source of life and identity was intact, ready to awake for the sake of Reincarnation Vases of hundreds of Goddly Domains.


    It died in its past life, and now, a new life was anchoring to it once again. Memories will be intact, but a new place, body, or experience shall change. Perhaps for the better, but Afterlife didn''t know the hearts that well, let alone what Gods of the various Skies would do.


    Soul''s destination was the issue. Sometimes, living was gradual and firm; almost equal to the Curse it had to deal with.


    It won''t be an expected journey, as the source of it was nothing but a sneeze and random chance¡ªif it was even right to call it like that.


    Falling towards the darkness, the Cursed One slipped through space and time itself, yet it didn''t go straight to a New Beginning.


    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Its journey began with many shimmering voices and countless striking noises in the middle of Nowhere. It was like scrapping leaves, shards of glass exploding, and a clutter of whispers pouring onto senseless ideas. The space was filled with chaotic sounds, but it was unclear where they were coming from, and what was causing them. The Cursed One wasn''t finding it fine, yet it was there, sounding, or hitting its soul.


    [Report has not been found.] the noise said, forcing a bunch of unnerving force onto the little soul. [Weird. Beginning reconsiderations, finding news. A change of pace of Cu... Cursed One? Wait!]


    [Starting the recognition process...for now. Reincarnation Vase of the Sector Belittle located. Peculiar one, I see. That time came? Variant 24: Case 173. I see, and not. I can''t but I shall] A voice that spoke thousands of voices and noises spoke, but the awareness of the Cursed One was dull and stale.


    It was not paying attention as it had not yet left the layered dimensional space where many decisions followed. Was it closing, or had it closed before the New Beginning a long time ago? Something strange was happening. Did it hear this every time? The Cursed One realized that a decision was there, even though it was unaware of repercussions.


    [Culculating the possible reasons...] The noises spoke again, pondering.


    [Oh... God!]


    [That sounds and looks awful. Oh well, what is there then?]


    [Sector is...Questionable and impossible. Now, what to think? The timing is... too soon and far too detached. But... It can come.]


    [Following the calculation of reincarnations... Variable causes are wild and complex. Almost inevitable. Weird.] The noise paused for an unknown amount of time, before restarting. [New Beginning is required. Restart is implausible, nor the Rules were... overruled? The Breach has been issued and resolved.]


    [A New Beginning is a mandatory prelude to solving the foremost problems. Possible subjects of interest in the Sector are...12. That... is a million times less than average. How peculiar and improper for this sort of Domain. As expected of Cursed One.]


    [Now, rolling the dice!]


    [Out of 12, which it will be?] The noise talked to itself, shimmering noises ached as if something happened.


    [3] A number rang in the middle of nothing.


    .


    .


    .


    [3??! That is... R-rerolls?! Re... I can''t... Hey!]


    [Damned Craven...] The noise cursed and continued [Itterations none. Curses? Some... Possibilities? Endl... Some. Variant 24: Choice 3. Case? Cursed One. Domain: Battleworld. Sector: Belittle. A problematic planet, but it is what it is. We are curious but welcoming the change...and challenge!] the noise forcefully said.


    [Inilitalizating rebirth.]


    [Finding the passable body.]


    [Locked on.]


    [Starting... Oh, don''t fight back! It will only hurt you.]


    [Get going, you cursed thing! We¡ªor those above¡ªwon''t lose against you.]


    Then, the noise stopped and speed, time, whispers, and all annoyances ceased to exist. The Cursed One was left alone, drifting into the sudden light.


    Unknown time later


    What was that noise? It spoke and shouted again like a chirping monkey. A laughably weak, dull, yet steady voice spoke in the darkness. Wait... Monkeys don''t chirp. What was that for again? Have I become schizophrenic after all these times? How annoying. It''s dark... Where Am I? It feels.... like I slept for a long time. Is it another messy start? That is strange no matter how many times I feel it. What am I this time? Who, even?


    The soul''s awareness was awake, but there was nothing around. Souls couldn''t just open their eyes. There was confusion and darkness that was fundamentally just feeling alone. It wasn''t physical, unless... this was a guess. Cursed One could be something else than its essence. After becoming aware of another life, finding clarity about what was going on was the first step.


    It should all click together, yet it felt like something was wrong for some reason. It had been a while since it felt any sense. How long? It couldn''t tell. It struggled to differentiate poor ideas from normal thoughts.


    The previous noises hadn''t helped with that. The confusion seemed to be the norm anyway. Cursed One could be reborn in many ways, bodies, or choices. Rarely did such a level of dullness occur. And if it did, it was often the worst possible outcome.


    Sousl held memories, thus, it made sense to feel confused after enduring memories of 174 lives. It was no wonder. The New Beginning was not meant to be filled with memories from past lives, let alone those of others. However, Cursed One was forced onto this path. It couldn''t decided.


    Anyhow, is there a new body for me, or is it just my soul? What is there? Where am I!? I mean... It is good that my awareness is shining, but where is the rest? It should be there; outside of my senses for now. What do I have? Memories... They are there, in my mind. Good. My awareness is intact and so are my memory fragments. Untouched. Right. My name is Murai Hisagi. A world-class assassin in my previous life, bearer of speed and daggers of justice. Well, the last part is a joke. What a run! I was a damn powerful figure in other lives too! What a life that was before. I have no regrets about ending it on a high note. Murai thought, laughing in his mind for a long, long time.


    Alas, his laughter came to a stop, as there was a limit to his past perspectives. Unlike most of his past reincarnations, this one was a bit messed up from the start. It was dull, void of anything physical, and felt like nothing. That was a drastic change from the past where the lives jolted his memories, or memories jolted the lives, allowing him to live like a great person of many races.


    But then, he also remembered a few weird cases, which were quite terrible and similar to this one: dull, weird, and suspicious.


    This life might have awakened his awareness earlier because of some problems like that noise from before. For some reason, Murai couldn''t recall those noises. He swore he heard messages and some conversation. Pretty important ones too.


    Well, he wasn''t sure. Being a baby wasn''t very often under his memories. It was hardly something he liked anyway, nor it was important in the previous cases of his humanoid lives. Were there any rules, or was it made so he wouldn''t have to be a baby? How generous, was what Murai should think?


    No! He would disagree with all of his possible remarks and the power of his voice.


    What is wrong with this? Is this... a new kind of place, or body? I feel something is wrong. I can''t move at all. Am I confined since birth, or do I have a certain deficit such as blindness or... No... Don''t tell me it''s like that time! No! Please! I am not ready to have another dull life! It wouldn''t be the first time to be like this, so I don''t give a crap about this. I need some sense first... Silence...Change. I need some sense of my situation. He decided to not fall into a depression, but couldn''t help but be bothered about this situation.


    He could only muster thoughts and his memories, forcing his awareness to gradually awaken. Like waking up after a deep sleep, many thoughts and memories were coming to his mind, fueling his already impressive soul. It took a long time because he held so much within himself that wanted to get out.


    The following time felt like days passing, or perhaps even weeks. Murai preferred to spend time with a series of naps, recollections, and awakenings that he thought would one day change, but they didn''t. It was always the same sense in the darkness, where he couldn''t give anything a physicality. It was like dreaming and being aware of everything, yet the dream was only an eternal abyss.


    He couldn''t figure out what he was, or what to do. It was a dull and empty living, so he hoped it would one day change. It was a questionable naivety. Apart from his soul awareness, he had no connection to anything. No body was under his control. Was this a mistake, or did a complete disaster befall him?


    More time akin to weeks passed. Then¡ªas suddenly as thunder basking the empty sky¡ªthis emptiness and boring existence exploded. A streak of voice and noise jolted his sleeping mind, awakening him with pain and confusion that was like a stabbing motion of a knife.


    A soul strike? What in the world is happening!? Does someone want to seek my soul? Fuck OFF! Murai cried in his mind, aware that something entered his soul. There was something in there called Soul Space from his memory. It was supposed to be a fairly important piece of something he had awakened not that man lives ago. It was supposed to be a massive help, or so someone said. Who? Murai didn''t have time to hinder his ideas.


    And this thing that stung him¡ªwhatever it was¡ªfelt like a worm. But instead of like a worm, it felt like an encompassing anaconda. He couldn''t do anything about it but try to seek it out with his awareness, though it was like trying to stop a bullet with a pillow.


    He felt weak after waking up to nothing spectacular. Whatever was here, it touched his most important possession and core as a whole. His soul. It made him angry, yet that was about all he could muster. He couldn''t protect himself or strike back.


    He found his tries to force his barely incompetent soul to be utterly useless. Any of his previous powers were gone, like usual, yet at least some forms of Soul Space still existed under his brief knocks. Weakness and poor power. That was a restart from his previous life, a time when he tried to reach the top of the world.


    That idea put his mind at ease. Remembering being on the top... yet knowing it could end. Indeed. It felt comforting to him, even if the current reality wasn''t that.


    Thinking of that in a second, he forgot it when he felt a stinging pain crashing against his mind next. He felt as though something foreign was penetrating his soul, putting him in danger or establishing a connection into something massive.


    Then the pain changed, and a mechanical genderless voice spoke in his mind after an hour of pain.


    [Greetings Murai Hisagi. Battleworld greets our new addition. It is a surprising change of pace, but a welcomed one regardless of circumstances and uniqueness]


    [We hope you will have a safe journey and the yearning to travel the world to the best of your abilities. Live the life that was brought to you like a gift from the Gods. A true Blessing! Find the life you never had, as a former someone with a name and memories to take. A new chance in life is a chance like winning a lottery. Congratulations!]


    Murai wished to grunt, but couldn''t force it out of his soul.


    [Following your new life, a series of adjustments are here for your life]


    [For the start, you are in a Low Sector Domain¡ªthe name isn''t needed¡ªand on the planet called Battleworld. Your starts will act according to the Will of the Battleworld, which will improve and inform you of your progress and possibilities]


    [Battleworld is a vicious place filled with danger]


    [Law of the jungle and power rules this world. Thus, Will of the Battleworld will speak when it needs to, giving you hints and a great time ahead. More on that later]


    [Soon enough, the soul of the World shall accompany you as well, giving you the addition of a Life Companionship that will give you the privilege to live as a Blessed, dear Citizen]


    [Blessed are neat beings, so think of it as a worthy Title for your soul, Old One]


    [In the meantime, adjust yourself to your life and start learning about it in your own way. The adjustments will be done shortly, allowing your footsteps to be ready in a harsh and unsteady Battleworld. We wish you the best of luck]


    The explanation was clear, but the delivery was unsettling. Murai wanted to retort, but a series of information jolted his mind like a wet cloth over one''s head. It wasn''t only there. Like the speaking voice, it also entered his soul, shaking it in the process.


    It was a series of information put into chaotic order, yet under some vision, it made some sense.


    [NAME: Murai Hisagi / no nicknames, no Titles detected]


    [AGE: 20 days / no time-variants, yet oldness detected]


    [SPECIES: Anatidae [former ones: human, elf, demons, devil, god, leaf, stone...] / Species properties or specialties yet to be detected. Evolutions are highly possible in this demonic beast species] Variants UNKNOWN.


    [SUBSPECIES: None / Class E duckling, Seedling Stage contained, Grade, or hidden properties UNKNOWN]


    [PHYSICALITY: Duck/duckling of the Anatidae species with no change in physicality from evolutions or growth.Almost like a chick]


    [ATTRIBUTES]


    [Strenght: -10]


    [Dexterity: -10]


    [Vitality: 0]


    [Wisdom: 100]


    [ABILITIES: NONE]


    [BLESSINGS: NONE]


    [EQUIPMENT: NONE]


    [LEVEL: 0]


    [POWER LEVEL: Less than a pebble on the road, but a pebble nonetheless]


    [TASK: Get out of the eggshell / REWARD: Accomplished freedom! Additional status rundown and elevated attributes]


    Murai''s mind calmed down after a long stretch of figuring out the words in his head. It wasn''t a lot, but his mind was more shocked by this content than he was willing to admit. It wasn''t about the Battleworld, where he did end up, or even the reasoning behind this soul invasion. He found out what he was.


    This... This is a motherfucking DUCK! He freaked out. I got a flying, running, diving, swimming, and quacking duck this time?! How? Why? What in the actual fuckery is this, you lunatics?! Is it some joke that you came up with as your last resort to shackle my heart?! You damn wished! A stone a few dozen or so times ago, and now this? Forget a leaf of an immortal tree, I don''t want to be a duck. Why not a wolf... or something cooler?


    Murai could scowl in his mind however he wanted, but it wasn''t as if he could stop it. He knew the truth of his living. He couldn''t change what was already given.


    He knew it. This was his new life since he couldn''t defy the rules of reincarnation or his curse.


    He wished he could.

 Chapter 2: Getting out of the egg

    His Cursed Living had its rules, and there was no point in complaining any further. Murai knew that even suicide in the hope of a better next life wouldn''t be any help. It would be worse... so much worse. He tried it a few times in some of his... more messed up lives. The reincarnations that he had to go through would just return him to his place, a different time, or it would continue the cycle with no change or any easy way out.


    Though, if he will be patient, he can willingly die later down the line, but that was the question of years. Well, it could change. There were some limitations to the living things and his soul, but his Curse was probably the main problem, or the universe itself was playing with his soul. It was hard to tell what was more probable since he didn''t know the reasons for his Cursed Living.


    Either way, he was hopeless in this case.


    For now, he ended not even as a duck, and not even as a duckling according to the Will of the Battleworld. He was still in his egg, somewhere in the wilderness, not ready to hatch. As for the name of this world, Battleworld didn''t reach any memories. So as far as he knew, this was his first time in this world. It was no surprise. He hardly got some duplicate lives for his stakes.


    C-calm down first. Murai thought to himself, You got through much worse situations. This is just another one of them! He reassured himself, trying to calm his erratic mind that he adjusted many times in the past days.


    Reincarnated as a duck. What a fucking joke... And what is even that Will of the Battleworld? Attributes? Blessings... reeks of Gods. Should I take it as a toolkit to be used? I had something like this in rare lives, so I wonder if this is going to be flawed like those too.


    Murai reconsidered his choices and had a hunch of what to do next.


    The Will of the Battleworld gave him some help. By following it, Murai got to know a little about his current situation and predicaments. He will call it his status since everything was well organized when he figured out what mattered. Which wasn''t much, if he was honest. There was a mission first.


    After thinking for a long time, his soul was steadily approaching the point of stability, modifying its flow and becoming calmer. It was at that point¡ªwhere his senses felt sharp and deep¡ªthat he got a feeling of a new calling. Will of the Battleworld soon speared his soul.


    [New abilities have been unlocked]


    [Caused: your unshaken soul of many lives and countless comprehensions discrediting the rules]


    [Soul-Essence is opened. A type of unique soul-based power unlike many others]


    [Soul-Essence: A unique effect outside of the body. It is part of the Soul Pathway. It can help ready one''s soul against enemies and unkept situations, while its possibilities are various, or near celestial]


    [It grants a high probability of understanding the structure of the Will and soul aspects of the universe. Certain limitations are detected, yet unknown. Level-ups, fusions, or general recollection or comprehensions are required to unlock more hidden strengths of this unique essence]


    [Level none: Unique type of power]


    [Grade S]


    [Growth could be massive]


    [Next, Soul-Read is unlocked]


    [Cause: essence, soul... potential]


    [Soul-Read: A passive ability to perceive the souls and Will of others. An encompassing passive ability that uses your soul perception and power of Soul-Essence]


    [Its uses are various. Training and using is recommended]


    [Level 1]


    [Grade S]


    Oh? This is rather interesting. I am getting abilities out of my soul. Isn''t it quite broken since my soul went through so much? Murai thought, and couldn''t help but assume he was correct. He never counted how many times he lived, but he held many lives up to his mind. Some of them more than once or twice, and some were intense or worse.


    As a human, his experiences were numerous in that vision. His soul was highly adept at them since the beginning, he figured. But the further he went, the progressively worse his life went. For the most part, other humanoid creatures made up interesting times. Orcs, elves, and others, he saw many worlds and Skies.


    Those, however, were far from a freaking duck.


    Murai discovered a high probability that was only possible after his soul completely calmed down through this reincarnation. This species of duck may as well be abnormal. How else he would end as one? The phrase of a duck still bothered his mind.


    Monster with a Class E? What Am I supposed to take that letter for? Alphabet? Well, the tongue of this world seemed to be the overall norm. What was this Sector again? Uh, never mind. What is even that Life Companion and the soul of the World? Grades... Levels? Seems like a systematic approach to numbers and power. Fine. I can live with that. Give me more numbers. Or... not? What is here for me? What choice?


    Murai had a lot of questions, though no answers were coming. He felt that everything was kind of lacking; be it his soul, living itself, or the weird welcome that went to his soul instead. For now, he decided to endure his time and wait for his hatching. That might happen soon, or much later.


    20 days had already passed since his reincarnation, so there was some delay. His perception of time could also be warped or was it all caused by his soul and unfamiliar new species? That shouldn''t happen. Waking up early wasn''t a normal thing. This was incredibly early.


    Murai had never been such a little monster before, and it was reasonable to assume why. His soul should be quite unfamiliar and unadjustable to that sort of thing, yet he woke like one, so... what was that other than pain? What about being an orc? That was a fine time, full of the powerful flesh of a humanoid race, and differences from regular humans. Orcs were a burly race, acting with more instinct and brutality, but it was still familiar to his soul.


    As for the non-living objects... Murail long thought of them as a punishment. By whom? Universe sounded like menacing answers to his mind, or some individuals that better not be spoken? That was just a guess; he didn''t know if his Cursed Living had its end or some Bliss.


    Perhaps it went on because he was sinful or evil. His hunch worked, though nothing else was sensible. He never had many answers for himself apart from vague shimmers of truths from many distant Skies with various names, depictions, and stakes.


    When I think about it, Murai thought, the demonic life was kind of monstrous, but that might''ve been because of the Bloodlines involved at that time. The world was also Alysum, or... Alysium? How was it called again... Anyway, that must have been it, and this time may be different. For example, the numerical value of Strength is at minus 10, which is... How freaking weak, am I? Does this mean if I will punc... Murai momentarily hesitated about how the duck attacked their prey.


    That was a weird idea. Ducks weren''t hunters, weren''t they?


    B-beak! If I attack with the beak, will I get injured instead? He continued his wandering. There were a lot of mentions of the greater things from that wild message. When he focused, he could hear it echoing in his soul. There were a couple of interesting words: Evolution, Task, Blessing, and Equipment.


    He had time to waste, so he thought about everything as much as his time allowed. Which meant endless and like an idiot, because his guesses weren''t that fine.


    He couldn''t change the passage of time, yet it felt like the days passed by quickly, the more of his soul familiarity returned. It made his soul and ideas more vivid and his time much greater. His soul was able to feel the flow of the information with a flick of his mind, meaning there was always a connection with the Battleworld. Whatever that meant.


    60 days later, the incubating period was yet to come to an end. Murai ended up irritated and impatient.


    Goal... The goal of the Task? He wondered and went over that information for the millionth time. Getting out of the eggshell... He recalled.


    That was the last message. That was it. In these 60 days, he gained nothing, so he thought about his past. That devolved into thinking about his pair of soul abilities. There was nothing much he could do about them. With mind alone, his soul endured time and nothing else.


    However, Soul Read was intricately voiced, sounding like something straight-up impossible to have. Reading a sou sounded nice indeed, yet he still felt like a soul, while his body wasn''t ready to read some papers, let alone some souls. But its letter was S, or was it finer to call it Grade S? Whatever that meant, he was learning.


    His physicality didn''t change much; he slowly monitored his growing body thanks to his improved awareness. It was forming.


    None of his mental feelings were yet to connect to the main body. Maybe his soul was too large for this sort of body, thus it all waited instead? Was this... prison sentence?


    Murai was shocked. He hadn''t done the worst things in the past life to endure some prison sentence again. That was far too awful and dull.


    Another awful possibility was simpler: his body couldn''t take his soul at all. He considered it a failure. And a piece of good news. He was already in the body. The body just didn''t grow yet. Some doubtful ideas were brewing, but was he to blame? He spent 80 days in the perpetual darkness without a speck of chance.


    However, he could tell his soul wasn''t some soul form, weird soul-based lifeform, or something intangible. He was far too stable and endless for that. The connection wasn''t all that great. That was all. More waiting than.


    The Will of the Battleworld talked as if getting out of the egg was a mission I had to do. Isn''t going out of the eggshell a rather easy thing to do for all sorts of birds or... other animals? The species that hatch from eggs goes out when the time and their body are ready to face the world. Am I not ready? My soul is... but my body isn''t. How am I supposed to do anything when my body isn''t ready? Murai acknowledged these facts, contemplating that this was something even a kid would tell.


    Ducks''s eggshells are like chicken''s. Hatchlings figured their way to the world by their instinct, breaking their eggs with their bodies to get out. Yet, this duckling in reality may not be a normality.


    Murai was somewhere, yet he couldn''t see a light at the end of this darkness.


    90 days of this incubating period became 150 without a blink. Murai slept and pondered over his soul and memories. Then, it was 200 days.


    200 days of incubation period was a long time of boredom. Murai couldn''t tell if something was wrong with it or not. He was a monstrous kind of duck, so maybe there might be some differences in hatching.


    Don''t tell me it will go like this for years. He scowled inside, thinking it wouldn''t be the worst thing he endured, but he wasn''t sure if he wanted to think about it.


    Because of his anxiety, the following days were quite different from the past where he did whatever. Now, something was changing, turning for the better. His soul was going over the tough wall called... living conditions, and fusion. Well, the former was kind of lacking. He was in his body. But not as a master, and more like a caged fool.


    It was hard to tell how much of it was because of him, or how much was its natural formation coming from his body. That wasn''t his, per se. His soul was always his. All the time, he felt as if he was an invader to a foreign flesh. Yet, weren''t both natural? Him or the body accepting it, there wasn''t anything artificial about it.


    The process began with beats crescending to low hums. His new heart seemed weak and slow tides of pained or strained nerves created an emotion called pain. It was more like ants crawling in his mind, but millions of tiny little creatures akin to a mist. The last notable thing was the flow of his blood in his veins, the movement of lungs, and muscles and flesh that acted like half-death fish.


    Then, it all connected like many lines of cobwebs that made the perfect center. It happened like a jolt of lighting, adjusting like a fine machine. The body was finally catching up with his soul, and 220 days into this life, Murai got the full feelings of his body.


    It was clumsy, small, soft, and feeble. But it was his body. And it was far from hatching. There was a surprisingly long beak in perspective to the rest, but figuring it was troublesome. Murai just felt the beak existing, similar to everything else.


    What it could do was hard for his head, as feelings were just what he had. Moving it was impossible, yet it was best. A sturdy beak should be an excellent tool. His eyes were yet to adapt, or the inside of his egg was way too dark.


    Murai figured the physicality of his body shouldn''t be the norm for regular ducks, so this may be a stranger species of some duck variant. it said it. An Anatidae? What was that word? It reeked of some old languages. A small number of feathers poised as a growing duckling, a pair of small wings on his back were like featherless sticks, and his legs were kind of weak, feeling worse than sticks. He moved then a little, thus he slowly got to know it by sensing everything he could.


    Is the time right to get out of this prison of an egg? I still have a rather weak disposition to move, while the sense of growth goes from this egg. Not me, or...well, I get that body and soul are connected. The body has a long way to go, huh? How strange... I haven''t felt a thing at all until now, so I need more development. It helps a lot...yet it isn''t in my hands.


    Murai figured that waiting hadn''t changed. So he went over what he had by starting experimenting, or flexing his beak, and neck, followed by wings and legs. It was small training to get weakness and numbness out of the way.


    A couple of days later, at the mark of the 224th day, he used his flexible neck to perform a strike with his beak, aiming it toward the shell that was above his head. It was the perfect target, albeit the results weren''t as he expected. He didn''t have a lot of places to move his beak, even though the space inside this egg wasn''t that tight yet.


    His beak, which was longer than usual, moved awkwardly inside the egg. Was this how all ducks and chickens feel when hatching? Soft at first glance, yet they could still rip through the shell. Something Murai hadn''t thought yet was what kind of duck he was, what this egg depicted¡ªas in what duck gave birth on it¡ªand what time was holding for him.


    Either way, his probing strike caused a small crack. He heard something too, which meant his ears were also there; somewhere around the temples of this duck species. However, the attack indeed caused some self-inflicted damage, which he felt through the neck the most. Nerves got damaged, and even the soft muscle tissues tore.


    Bloody great... Great... How Am I supposed to do this? What''s the point of having such a weak body as a hatchling? I thought this was supposed to be a demonic beast species like that weak void said. Murai complained, but this little episode wasn''t something that would stop him from trying to get his freedom.


    With the first crack already forming, he went with a strike every day for 10 days straight, and after some time, self-indulged healing¡ªthat went through natural recovery¡ªthe beak went through, revealing a speck of light. For the first time in his life, he felt delight with his eyes.


    He had his eyes opened for quite some time, but it was so dark, he only noticed it after the first crack. Throughout these strikes and 10 days, his injuries healed through his sleep. It was about the only decent benefit of this confined space.


    The one crack he created wasn''t a big one, but it was enough for a good start. It was a simple chip, less than a centimeter wide. Mural used his furthered familiarity with his body to clutch the edges with his beak, trying to eat the surrounding hole around this crack and increase its girth.


    By now, Murai was slowly feeling he was running out of Vitality. He should eat, right? How was he even growing? Was it this egg that did it? Had it some nutrition? He knew he wasn''t eating a thing, yet his sleep always stimulated his body. Many birth species that hatched from eggs ate theirs, so why should he not do the same?


    Murai felt the lack of energy and even his sleeping wasn''t an encompassing like a blessing. One had to grow stronger in other ways. The best was eating in his opinion.


    His usual day consisted of half activity and half slumbering, and letting his soul rest. This decision caused him not to get bored too much, or lose his mind. Rightfully so.


    Now, he had other things to consider. He ate the eggshell pieces that he chipped away after many tries, revealing a 3-layered shell of a surprisingly tough egg. His beak was only good at it so much as his strength, so he gulped those chips as a whole or chewed them with some small teeth he figured he already had. It worked and he felt the blessing of a meal for the first time.


    The taste of the eggshell wasn''t that great, nor terrible. It tasted like some crackers, but they were hard to swallow. Chipping it into smaller parts was all he could do, or use his beak or teeth to slowly make them smaller enough to eat. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    By a couple of hundred chips, he uncovered the reality of this eggshell. It was rather thick and layered, making it quite hard to chip away or create a bigger hole. It took a lot of effort to make the smallest hole wider.


    But with some food coming into his system, a couple of days later, another call from the Will of the Battleworld extended to his soul.


    [Vitality is increased by consuming the Eggshell of the Xxxxxxxx xxxxx]


    [A good choice.]


    [+ 5 Vitality]


    [Current Vitality: 5]


    [Effect of the growth and Vitality is thus, commencing...]


    The voice omitted the information about the eggshell, speaking muffed as if it was a crime to utter some words.


    Upon this massage, Murai felt a coat of heat and energy come up to his core, heating him in comfort. He figured it was probably the heart since this comfort followed up a stronger flow of blood, which then burst everything to a new light.


    Like a domino effect, it was mild at first, until it was a river of bliss. Strength was coming to his weak body, but it wasn''t coming from him. It was an outside influence that he had yet to see or comprehend.


    Regardless of knowing it, Murai was no longer hesitant. The call voiced the matter of his egg in a strange way, making the origin of this egg hidden with a Chaos of words and noises. He put it behind him after feeling that surge of Vitality. It boosted his body and terminated all of his losses, hunger, or even minor injuries.


    Hence, reckless attacks against the eggshell shall continue. He struck it to pieces and ate so he could achieve his goal of getting out.


    It took some time, but he felt relieved to see the hole turning wider, giving birth to more light and...sun. Sun? There was no sun yet, but bright it was. The world was ahead, so Murai poked his beak into the hole barely fit for it.


    After days of eating and hitting, it was earned, though troubled thanks to bad adjusting to this light. He cheered regardless of what was waiting for him in reality.


    A couple of moments later, the view of the surroundings was in his eyes. It was a gargantuan forest of quite a large scale for his current perception and blurry vision. Greenery filled the corners of the ground, indicating he was in some bush. Further away were some rocks and gravel, and the wide edge of some cliff.


    He wasn''t able to see the full extension of the forest, but he understood it was massive. Trees were as large as buildings and leaves were as big as people. That might be fake because of his lack of perspective since he was a tiny little duckling. It made sense. The soil was a mixture of grass, bushes, crunchy leaves, or mud, but the part of the cliff before him was rocky and unsteady.


    And beyond the cliff¡ªafter his vision adjusted even more¡ªthe sight changed. Down the cliff and towards the horizon, there was a sea as far as he could see. That amounted to nothing much; his vision wasn''t what he wished for.


    Adjusting his head away from the brightness; there was not a single sun but 5 round objects radiating the light in the sky. There were 5 suns in his squinted vision, and 2 were brighter and appeared larger.

 Chapter 3: First steps

    The scenery of the world was nothing strange; Murai saw enough worlds from his memory to know the worse or better. He could easily get familiar with any foreign land, as long as the world wasn''t...something insane. He had done so in every life to the best of his ability. He held his memories in the biggest regard, but what about the first few of them? Those felt less than a dream, or a distant memory¡ªif even that.


    Looking around, there was no one and nothing around him that endangered his life. He felt nothing, but his feeling might be lacking. The world was huge. And even his new home, so his outlook changed in a heartbeat. My first impression was substantial. Behind the egg, he saw the bushes, trees, and overall forest that sidelined the view of the water or the cliff.


    Not in a nest, huh? Murai thought, Are there some predators? What about the duck that laid this egg?


    With these 3 questions in mind, Murai was yet to emerge from the egg. Instead, he turned his head around, since his neck had quite a bit of flexibility, and the opening he created was large enough for it.


    This feels strange and...well, better than being a rock.I wish I was kidding, but... Nah. He thought to himself, noticing claw marks all around the outermost layer of the egg. It was dirty, laying in a bush for an unknown amount of time, but otherwise intact of any cracks. Something had poked it though, having some fun with this egg in an unknown past. Whatever it was, that created these claw markings, was no longer present.


    It seems this egg was snatched by some predator from the nest. Murai smirked. Not like I complain about being out of the way of the nest. Having freedom and no mother around is indeed better. The family is... negligent. What I would do if it wasn''t though? What... ducks family are like? Wait... No!


    Murai suddenly recalled all the truths of how duckling followed their mothers like magnets. They were familial creatures since birth.


    And he wasn''t, or to be price, he didn''t want to do anything with it.  I can''t imagine following the natural way of nature. It can disappear, again. Thank... nobody. No Gods, pricks.


    Other than his eyes upon his egg, he looked more carefully around himself. Bushes surrounded most of the vision behind his egg, and it seemed there was nothing much else than some trees, wet soil, and crunchy leaves, yet noises of the forest were also coming to his ears.


    Still no message? Should I break out of this egg as a whole or what? Murai assumed the Will of the Battleworld would give him the call of success. There was also that reward or something that piqued his curiosity all those days ago.


    With thoughts put behind the potential rewards, Murai forced his whole duckling body out of this tight hole. It wasn''t enough, yet he wriggled to success regardless of the hole that had been his work for many days.


    His feathers slid through the entrance, yet his legs stopped by the hole, causing his beak and face to fall to the ground.


    So clumsy... This will take some time. He complained in his head, but to his surprise, he couldn''t get up. Wriggling his body, he fell down completely, bearing the weight and feel of the ground.


    ¡°Shit... CRAP! How do these things do this shit? W-walking... I mean. Am I a tortoise that can''t flip itself when¡ª Wait? What?!¡± He screamed on instinct.


    To his shock, he opened his beak while he panicked and noticed he was speaking out loud. High-pitched quacks went from his beak instead of words of his mind.


    ¡°Ah... And I can''t even speak like a man who I used to be. Quacking like a duck. Great... That''s great. Quack this.¡± He cried for real and tried his best to get up, figuring that his mind was speaking sense, but his body couldn''t. Those two didn''t follow proper reasons; his soul was the reason why.


    With his body on the ground, flipping there like a fish out of the water, he never felt more awkward.


    There was some sense of instability between his legs and the rest of his body, causing this whole situation to annoy him to no end. The front of his head with a long beak added unnatural weight, his tail and wings around the side of his body acted like weight distributors, and his legs... were far too tiny. He couldn''t even force a thing.


    What was he supposed to do with such a foreign body that was far away from his norm? Well... that rocky life was as unsteady, if not more, frankly.


    The first time out of the egg should be miserable for almost any animal in nature. That was one of the most perilous times for a new lifeform.


    Before Murai knew it, the suns disappeared behind the horizon one by one. He struggled in the ground for a couple of hours, and soon, two moons were instead of the suns in the starry sky.


    He was grounded, unable to move, but he was doing his best to move.


    Murai looked helplessly ahead, taking the tall cliff for a potential goal, End, or... No. He didn''t want to die like that. He might not even die, as there was water underneath the cliff. Thinking this was one of the prettiest skies he had seen in a long time, he altered his mind.


    ¡°NO! Fuck this! I don''t care about this for god''s sake... Screw all Gods, even. I can''t get flustered by this. What if they are watching and laughing their ass out of my misery? I won''t live this down... No way.¡± Murai cried out, and only quacking echoed into this starry sky.


    He was over his misery. With the best and strongest aspect of his body¡ªthe support of his beak¡ªhe forced his upper body upward, while his weak legs were there for some minor support. His wings were looking dull, with soft feathers hanging around them. Stubbornly pressing his beak on the ground, he strained his flesh to stand up. Not only did his body remain standing, but he even forced some steps by power over his stubbornness.


    Then, these steps caused the next course of action. A Will of the Battleworld made another call to his soul, indicating a successful mission, or how to even call it.


    [Congratulation!] the mechanical voice cheered, sounding forced and dull. [You took the first step in this world. It is a clumsy one, but a step nonetheless]


    [Getting out of the eggshell: Successful!]


    [Rewards: Strength, Dexterity, and Vitality +10. A further section of the information about attributes will be stabilized in your soul in a bit of time]


    [The next Major Step shall be achieved next]


    [Goal: Reach the first evolution]


    [Rewards: Increased attributes. Improved Species aspects and your first sub-species properties will strengthen your life. Added species abilities and further hope of bettering your life will give you a nice edge]


    Murai heard the words and sensed it all with his being and soul. This sort of massage arose within his soul, coming from somewhere as if it were forced upon him. Yet, it still made him somewhat happy to see this small progress, and¡ªunnoticed by his senses¡ªa rush of outside force entered his body, nurturing his attributes.


    Feeling how his attributes went out of the minus zone was great! He finally felt like a proper duckling; completely and utterly useless without any knowledge of what to do next. At least proper attributes acted as a good start.


    The shift of his attributes changed his body in the following moments. Most notable things came from the Vitality, though it wasn''t in minus before. He got 5 Vitality from eating his egg, yet none afterward. That was kind of strange, Murai figured, but didn''t mumble about it later.


    His goal was to get out of the egg, which he accomplished. 15 Vitality in total modified him with life, while the change of everything came up from below, comprising intangible waves that came from the earth itself. It developed his body and gave him a nice Boost.


    Next was the Strength. The shift creaked his bones and muscles, forcing his neck to tense, and enabling him to stand better. Add to that the Dexterity¡ªwhich he wasn''t finding obvious¡ª and he felt much better taking at least a few dozen steps.


    Oh, those numbers feel great, even at zero. Rewards... This seems like some sort of game. What does evolution suppose to be in that word or context? He thought, figuring it was the end of the message. There was no indication of what to do next. The goal was just to reach something he had no idea of bearing.


    With no choice, how was he supposed to achieve evolution, or what he needed for it?


    He didn''t know, but he wasn''t upset by the lack of explanation, since the road of his living was one big adventure. Perhaps something more, but for him, there was nearly nothing worth shocking his mind. Well, hearing his quacking was weird for sure.


    And a new life he never had before was before his eyes; he was a duck, and that was it. He might as well enjoy it somewhat, figure out more about this Battleworld he had never heard about, and see the value of this chance. It might not be as familiar a time as usual, yet the world might be similar to many of his past lives, albeit without the duck part.


    The words that the Will of the Battleworld expressed echoed in his mind. The part about evolution was the trickiest, yet it was the most intricate word. A monster that could evolve wasn''t strange by any means. In his head, change was evolution, and many of his lives were in places that took change for growth and stability. It was what strived the universe, so to speak. Evolution could be comparable to the Bloodlines that he had as a demon, or Pranja, a power that he had as a person in the Sky full of blissful heights.


    Evolution could be that, or not.


    There was surely some meaning to being in a world that held some system towards power. Levels and attributes were one of them. Duck might not. Reaching further heights of those numbers seemed to have very potent physical implications, the feeling of having the attributes felt great, and the growth of life seemed to be included in this too.


    He wondered if higher attributes would change and evolve his body to incredible heights. If so... Wait a second. I think I get it. Numbers. Levels. These. Evolutions seem to be involved in that.


    He looked at it from realism. Standing still, he glanced at his body for the first time. Hi feet, feathers, and flesh, it seemed to be a ducking in every point. 15 points in Vitality made his feathers somewhat healthier and full, but perhaps he was too mindless to even consider his feathers as a source of improvement. His body was steadier at least, and he felt healthier. That was a point he needed.


    Still, he had no clue what kind of duck he was. Murai was so busy contemplating it that he forgot what should matter. The key to improving oneself was understanding what one knew about oneself, or what one had no idea about. He had the big advantage of having one of the most sturdy souls and memories. Then, there were even a pair of abilities about it: Soul-Essence and Soul Read.


    As for his body ¡ªand the duckling demonic beast he was supposed to be¡ªthere was nothing special about it. So far.


    Murai stood with his beak facing the cliff after going over his body. The sight was good, but out of his touch. And behind him, he noted a rather big egg that was twice bigger than his height. It was thick, grey, and faulty in color. It looked old, yet he grew up in that thing.


    Behind it, he observed the forest. One of the big sides was the perspective. He saw his height and mass as less than a squirrel, which was very little. It was indeed the case of a regular-looking duckling after he walked to dried leaves on the ground, but he lacked a more substantial look. What if this world were bigger than normal? He shouldn''t be a gigantic duckling, however. That, he was sure of.


    Two dozen centimeters of height was his guess. Still, something about him was odd. The appearance of colors around his feathers and his beak were also unlike what most ducks from his memory had. Well, he was never one to research them, but he had common sense. Colorfulness might be an aspect of his duck species and his beak might be important. It looked and felt heavy, more sturdy than rock, yet smaller and bigger for a duckling than it should be.


    He could even see its tip with his eyes, which was a strange perspective to see, considering humans didn''t have it this way. His beak was long like his whole head; its girth was wider at the start, with gradual thinner towards the tip.


    He couldn''t gather how duck''s beaks were important in nature, but he figured out its uses for himself. It had a sharp tip and edges around the tip. Its use was apparent, as it was this beak that got him out of his egg.


    Standing steadily, Murai did his best to move, and considering the sudden improvement of his Dexterity and Strength, he was able to do so better. Stepping and turning quicker was now possible, but his center of gravity was still rather lackluster, so he stumbled from time to time, hitting his head on the ground. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Murai decided to get moving and gain further familiarity so he wouldn''t feel miserable. In the time that felt like a couple dozen minutes, he moved back to his egg, since his main goal was done. Crawling into the hole that was his egg home for more than 200 days, he had no willingness to sleep wide in the open.


    It took well over 230 days for him to hatch, which was a long time, but he was only conscious for half of that time. That wasn''t that bad, in his honest opinion. After all, how many years did he live throughout his Cursed Living? Thousands? Tens of thousands?


    Those numbers were like a joke and reminder. It was more about cycles. Chaos ones. A literal flow of the universe that stretched to distant times and distances. Considering living as a god, demon, devil, or many weird ones, time was always hectic and weird when power flowed through them. Though, all of them had lovely Ends and New Beginnings.


    Murai forgot about the past and wanted to get back to his egg. That proved to be difficult. With great effort, he reached the insides with his head first, but the lower body was stuck, so he jumped and wriggled himself inside after a dozen minutes of struggle. Resting his neck and eyesight out of the egg, Murai looked at his surroundings with tired, and expectant eyes.


    The sight of the sea was great, so he tried to fall asleep since he felt the stamina of his body wasn''t great. His Vitality was, but the Strength and Dexterity was at 0, so he wasn''t all that strong, was he? As with all animals, careful rest was important in their earlier lives. It was as natural as it could be.


    His body fell asleep, and almost the same thing happened to his soul as well. His awareness wasn''t lacking like his body, but it seemed that both could act outside of the other, which was odd. Usually, sleeping was fundamental rest that connected everything like a rule and chains. But not here. Murai''s soul seemed to have differences from the usual.


    He realized that, knowing that it wasn''t great or bad to be so clear-headed in the soul. At least his flesh was getting rest, but how about mental fatigue? With a mind on its own, it was like being stuck as an unmovable pebble. Who would want that?


    However, there was some limit to his body and soul being active at the same time. When the body fell asleep, his soul could follow, but he could stop it and be active in his awareness, which he correlated to his overall soul space. It was kind of ridiculous, but consciousness and souls were full of mysteries. It was about a spirit, Murai figured. The kind that was even more complicated than anything in the universe.


    Living, yet not breathing.


    Existing, yet not ceasing to exist.


    Enduring, yet yearning to exist.


    That was the soul. It worked for others besides him. They would just lose themselves before reaching New Beginning.


    Within his mental landscape, Murai was free to constrain his ideas however he could; curious about some experiments and further knowledge of the Will of the Battleworld. The successful Task was completed, and be it a coincidence or a rule, in the aftermath of going back to the eggshell, a series of information entered his soul. It acted as Will of the Battleworld said before. Those were outlooks of his attributes and their rules.


    Strength was the first, poising as a generic attribute one would expect from its name. It was indicative of the physical strength of the body. That included muscles for the most part, some addition to the physical-based abilities, and strength that flowed through bones, blood, and muscles. In general, it seemed to influence and work head-to-head with Vitality and Dexterity.


    There were also some other things and knowledge, but Murai was either unable to get them, or the timing wasn''t right. At least Will of the Battleworld affirmed the way of Strenght. One either increased it by training or using strength-related guidelines. It didn''t mention anything specific.


    Next came Vitality, which was the most important factor in this whole message. It had many characteristics that fundamentally changed the living things in the Battleworld. Will of the Battleworld spoke of it with fervent ideologies as if it were priceless currency. It led to bettering one''s life''s expectancy, improving aspects of Dexterity and Strength like fuel, and according to his careful consideration¡ªand Will of the Battleworld''s explanations¡ªit was one of the key attributes to follow up with any evolution.


    That was the only helpful hint for something called Major Goal, which was beast-related according to some snark comments he heard in this passing comment.


    Overall, Vitality suggested a stronger life and quality that could influence Bloodlines and various powers one could unlock or get out of them. That was an interesting implication that Murai recorded with high interest.


    15 points to Vitality already changed him, growing him up from inside or outside, and getting him a better grasp.


    Dexterity might be a speed in its sense of purpose, but its effectivity was in the flexibility of muscles and reflexes. If Vitality fueled the flesh, Strength increased the density and mass, then Dexterity provided the signal between them. Thus, balance was important.


    Murai knew how important one''s speed could be in combat. The broad routes of the movement were wide and various, and Dexterity was exactly that: very universal like the rest. It should allow him to improve his stability and overall living steps.


    It seemed that all of them surrounded his body functions, so all of them were important.


    Maybe down the line, there was something about Dexterity and the flight, since the ducks have wings. Will of the Battleworld hadn''t mentioned anything about it though. Murai considered it was too soon to consider any flying since he was still a duckling. They weren''t flying anyway; he might not even like it.


    Considering he was completely helpless when he was immobile a while ago, the ability to move quickly¡ªlet alone it in itself¡ªfelt great.


    Murai also understood the aforementioned attributes indicated the overview of the Body Attributes. There may be more things like these. He just didn''t discovered them yet, as some unlocking and systematic approaches implied possibilities, training, and acts.


    So far, he wasn''t sure how to approach them, yet hadn''t he unlocked a pair of something soul-related? How? He didn''t know, nor Will of the Battlewrold talk about them.


    Unlike Body Attributes, Wisdom wasn''t part of it, yet it was at least included in this overview as something... bizarre. The things that Wisdom involved stunned his soul, surprising even his vast experiences. The fact was, he was already at 100 points, so what to make of it? That was a lot then nothing, or 15.


    According to the Will of the Battleworld, the importance of Wisdom was something out of the physical function, implying something about souls and other things that it couldn''t¡ªor shouldn''t¡ªmention. It drove clearer thoughts for unkept minds, the ability to perceive the world to greater effects, and even outside and inner influences. Whatever that meant was a bit vague since the messages weren''t too specific or mentioned greater details about it.


    Still, this call was more than enough for him. Body Attributes were a great way to perceive himself, and there was sure to be something other than this group. For example, the Soul? He was sure it would be a great way to be powerful since his soul was one of a kind and pretty damn powerful. Will of the Battleworld thought so too by giving him a pair of gifts.


    I do have the numeral value of by Wisdom at 100. Is that great? Stupid? Masterful!? What''s up with the attributes and their number if their improvements are so significant? I already woke up with that number, so I bet it''s already affected by my soul, so there is there something else about them than this voice told me? Murai wondered.


    After doing so for a while, he couldn''t come to any conclusion, so he shut his senses completely.


    Even his soul was due to some sleep. There were no dreams within his mind tonight.


    After an unknown time, he woke up to some thuds and movements outside of his egg.


    ¡°Huh? A danger!?¡± He exclaimed, looking out of the hole in the egg. Above him... No. Not above. Everywhere. In front of the egg and above was quite a big monstrous fox, salivating over the egg and trying to bite through it with its fangs. It clawed around with its feet too, growling and moving the heavy egg.


    It didn''t notice the small duckling inside of it, or it did, but did it want to eat Murai alongside the egg? It was hard to tell since the fox had some wounds around its body, and its red eyes lacked calmness and reason. It looked like a devilish creature with spiked red fur, a tight frame, yet wild movement and mouth gave it a very quick and powerful feeling.


    And it wanted Murai dead.


    Huh? What does this cat think it does? I will butcher you like no duck ever could! Don''t touch my damned home. Murai thought, panicking inside his egg.

 Chapter 4: Treasure of meaty substance

    The invading fox was different from the normal fox; its fur was spiked and filled with dangerous colors of black and red, and most of all, its eyes were demonic, radiating killing intent and weird miasma. Its mouth was wider than normal, almost resembling the mouth of some kind of demon. Sharp fangs looked not that tall, but they were sharp.


    This struggle¡ªwhere the fox was trying to bite through the egg¡ªwent on and on without any success. It struggled, growling and upset by its failure. It tried to claw its way into it, but it was futile. Its fangs were much tougher and sharper than its claws.


    ¡°Serves you! Forget this egg, you damn animal!¡± Murai shouted in his mind, but quacks echoed into reality. His quacking wasn''t that loud, or this demonic fox didn''t hear him amidst its problems.


    Murai wasn''t fearful, but glad he remained inside his egg. He knew how powerful this eggshell was, so there was no point in being afraid.


    However, what he didn''t expect was something completely different. Fox could grab this egg above the ground and travel with it. Sure enough, that was what this demonic fox did, and Murai soon discovered the receding water and cliff from his line of vision, disappearing into the lush forest.


    Well... This was bound to happen one way or another. It was either me leaving, or this, so why should I be upset or afraid? Murai wondered as he snuggled in his egg, watching the world move from the small hole.


    Soon, he noticed a lack of light when his kidnapper entered an unfamiliar cave. The fox was quite a fast traveler, traversing the lush forest for half an hour until it was deep in this forest. This cave was its home, or something else.


    Upon entering the cave, Murai tried to glance from the egg, but it was rather dark for him to see something. He could tell this was the fox''s home since they preferred caves, or they would dig a hole, or find some empty dens.


    Well... Into the maw of the monster, I suppose. How deep is this cave? The last moment of the sun was a minute or so before. That''s bad... I doubt I will be able to travel out of the cave system with the body of a duckling. For now, let''s focus on the survival aspect since I am in a den of a monster. Murai decided, and a good thing he did, since the demonic fox went as deep as it could get, before tossing the egg to a bunch of bones, rattling them.


    The fox did consider this egg to be food, but what kind? Maybe this place was its secret stash; away from the potential foes or other enemies in that forest. But bones weren''t the source of food that foxes liked. It was a strange thing, considering the hole in the egg that the fox must have noticed, or perhaps it was stupid and didn''t think whatever was inside was dead or alive.


    Heh. This stupid cat doesn''t know what it is dealing with. I will eat my fill in your pantry and cherish my first kill in this Battleworld by beating you when I can. Take no offense. I will shamelessly do it in a heartbeat. Thank you for the meal you stupid animal. Murai thought in a good mood, and couldn''t help but notice the vast amount of food in this place. Beside bones¡ªwith some leftover meat on them¡ªwere even chunks of bigger best corpses. Mostly already eaten, yet nothing was rotting.


    What kind of thing were bones and eggshells? They should be similar to each other and filled with nutrients. Everything here was fine for him to eat for sure.


    Soon upon his toss, the fox grabbed some old-looking bones that were almost breaking apart in juices, and traveled back to the surface, or some other part of the cave. Either way, it was soon gone, but Murai remained in a hiding position regardless of the fox''s disappearance. It went well since the fox lost interest in his egg, the moment it let go of it.


    Murai kept hiding for at least an hour before going out of it. Noticing his surroundings through his senses and general pokes of his beak, he was in the graveyard of bones and meat. He had trouble moving around; the deep cave had no light source.


    The pokes of his beak and feet were enough to gain some footing after he got used to small steps and movement. There were some other things besides the bones, but they weren''t that interesting. Chests, coins, and weapons of all sorts were beside the bones on the ground. There were also some tattered clothes, indicating the fox ate people.


    This didn''t surprise Murai, as his eyes adjusted to the lack of light in some weird manner. He didn''t know how it happened, considering there was no source of light. Perhaps it had something to do with the Wisdom, or Vitality which were his highest attributes? He wasn''t sure, nor would he dare to give his mind his guesses.


    The fact was, that he was looking at this cave with surprisingly good eyesight, enabling him to see the most important things. The food!


    Eat... Right? What is the world of monsters and animals? A place where the strong eat the weak. This should be a world of that caliber. I like this.


    Murai thought, seeing the world in a muffed vision that went for a couple of his steps. It was better than nothing.


    Looking and walking around, he considered his ideas and came to a simple decision. First, confirmed his size with the hilt of a sword. His height¡ªif he didn''t stretch his beak too much upwards¡ªamounted to around 17 centimeters, which is at least twice the height of regular ducklings.


    This sword is about right though. I am indeed bigger than fresh ducklings that just emerged from their eggs. That, or I am some freak of their species? Class E beast, huh? What A joke of a monster. Murai sighed and clumsily walked from one thing to another.


    There was nothing much in this cave, but his exploration caused some hunger, so he suppressed it by munching the eggshell around the hole like before. While he was at it, he also tried some bones and residual meat that was around it. It was kind of old, not spoiled, and some were weirdly fresh, soft, and juicy. Some meat around the bones resembled cured meat more than anything.


    Murai did what he could and noticed that the humidity in this place was very high. His smell provided nothing terrible, while his taste buds were alright. Bones were mostly tasteless, but the food was food, and the meat was tender, yet bland in taste unless some fat and texture wiped the taste.


    Eating his fill, Murai was satisfied, and even his beak chirped in pleasure when he gnawed at some long and older bones with leftover fat and meat. ¡°What is this? Why is the taste so elevated? I did taste the raw meat before but it was never like this!¡± He cried out, munching the bone alongside the meat.


    He found this abnormally satisfying, and it was a simple bone that came from the leg of some beast. It was too thick and irregular to be from humans and if there was something Murai knew, then that was how the skeleton of the human body looked like.


    With a filled stomach and a nice hunt behind, he went back to his egg through the hole, which wasn''t much bigger even though he ate the part around it. The eggshell itself tasted alright, but considering the meat, it was way like eating paper.


    Then, there was the surprise. Those were some bones, which had juicy and tasty bone marrow coming out of them. It was like meat, but elevated to another level, making Murai almost dance and scream in delight. He also discovered some bones were softer than others, but he didn''t know why. Some also had tastier marrow than others.


    But it was all food¡ªa thing that living beings always had to consume.


    Disregarding his worries, Murai went to sleep, and upon waking up, he went back to eat some more, repeating this cycle that wasn''t half bad from true Bliss.


    He did this simple cycle a dozen times in the upcoming days, and no fox came back to check this cave. It appeared this wasn''t its primary home, or it could be its treasury. Murai thought it was likely, but what kind of animal would even consider this sort of thing a treasury? Were foxes keen on herding their food like beavers or squirrels?


    An intelligent demonic beast could make such choices? I met them countless times in my lives. If this world is how I think it is, it shouldn''t be any different. Hell... I am even a beast clever beast myself. Why can''t there be others? He explained his logic, resting surrounded by bones he so loved. Anyhow, what''s the problem with seeing other intelligent monsters?¡± He contemplated, munching a piece of bone as if it was a candy.


    Right as he was almost done with this one, a sudden sound of dragging and steps echoed in this quiet cave.


    Something was entering this part of the cave, and it wasn''t that fast. It was slow, allowing Murai to hide back into his egg, even though his hunger was yet to be satisfied.


    These days, he noticed a few things about the bigger picture, and something else... His body as a duckling was getting bigger, but it was still fit enough to get into his egg. And after some more chipping of those layers, he had no problems whatsoever.


    How long can it last? Maybe another 10 days was most he guessed, but only if he wouldn''t eat that much. Another possibility was much simpler. It was natural for a fresh newborn of any animal to grow up fast. Murai wasn''t familiar with the growth of the ducks. It would be strange if he would know too much about it.


    Screw this... Dogs can eat like a freak and grow up even faster, making a few weeks seem like years. That was quite a well-thought-out excuse for his growth.


    Another thing that he discovered was that the meat around the bones was indeed going bad over time, yet it wasn''t rotting. It was more like... cooking.


    Those bones that were fresh upon his arrival turned softer, that even his beak was able to work with them. If they were fresh, he had some troubles with them.


    Unsurprisingly¡ªand after working around the hole¡ªMurai was wide open in his egg if someone would glance at it. Half of his body was visible. It was his fault; he had problems withholding his urges, so the forfeiting of his egg was bound to happen sooner rather than later. What than? Leaving this egg was undeniable.


    Thankfully, in the past few days, his body got stronger. It could be because of some additional attributes that emerged every other day through his rest and eating. He got quite a few points for his Body Attributes, reaching 10 points in Strength and Dexterity, and under considerable gluttony and eating. That was a substantial help.


    He assumed the numbers didn''t go up that fast, but days ago, the voice mentioned they were important enough to let them grow in many ways. How, or when, it didn''t say. It just mentioned that they could reach thousands, though there were details omitted. They shouldn''t grow very quickly when young, or far too quickly, but he ate like a maniac and his body took it well enough.


    Will of the Battleworld did the same thing, giving him due attributes with waves of force that came from the ground. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the past, when he hatched, it was simple to assume attributes as negligible because he was far too weak. Back then, without any body function, he couldn''t be considered as any threat or even worthy to have many Body Attributes.


    It was another story right now. His prevalent bodily functions improved, and even his familiarity with movement was greater than ever. Now, he looked at the upcoming visitor from the perspective of a hunter, but a cautious one. Unwilling to hunt yet. He was an intruder too, yet why would he care about it? He was hungry, and if he could, he might as well deal with this Fox who wanted his egg.


    Hmph! I will make you wish that you would have never taken this egg at all! He thought to himself. The sounds revealed the same demonic fox that didn''t change at all, apart from some additional wounds on its sides. There were claw marks and bite marks. This fox went through rough times of hunting to get new bones that it carried in its mouth.


    They cluttered down and behind it, looking like a bunch of bloody bones belonging to some sort of boar beast. There were a lot of long ribcage bones and other thick bones with some meat hanging from them. Murai noticed there were no organs. It should become well preserved here, in this cave that had an unnatural moist atmosphere that he considered as preservation and the reason why nothing was rotting.


    There were no intestines that could go bad much sooner, or they wouldn''t get bad even here? It was curious. Perhaps they would turn tastier, but the fox ate them before storing them here. Most of the meat around these new bones was long gone, suggesting the fox had its fill.


    It was a nice storage for bones. Murai had yet to think about it too much, but he tasted the results of his time and research. Spending those days eating here did enough.


    This cave as a whole was filled with nice air and humidity, yet it wasn''t a problem for him. He wasn''t sure about the temperature at all. He wasn''t feeling much about it. It could be very hot, and some condensation on the walls gave him some explanations. Water vapor, moistness... or the ground was the cause?


    Such an environment shouldn''t be great for meat preservation at all, but that was incorrect. Why, Murai thought. Nothing important. For bones, it was near perfect. Crisp and firm bones turned softer in a couple of days, becoming easier to digest, and bone marrow from the insides was an utter delicacy.


    The fox brought these bones here for that reason, as it discovered this cave first, and left some residual meat simply because it was a pain to remove it.


    To his luck, the demonic fox didn''t notice the portion of the bones missing, so it dropped the new ones beside the old ones. Then it took a few old bones to eat out of the cave. It left this cave again without any trouble.


    Leaving Murai alone, which was great, but not the best thing for him. The best news was the notion of new food, which was a bigger pile than many that had already gone through some cooking. All he had to do was wait for them to get softer, causing the marrow to become softer, moist, and leaking.


    According to his few experiments with new bones and old bones, it didn''t take long until they got softer. When he smashed them apart with his beak, he could lower that time by a day or two.


    ¡°What a great day this is! No danger, and plenty of food with very little effort. This is a paradise!¡± Murai cheerfully quacked, going back to munching some bones that were much bigger than him, so it would take a long time for him to eat everything.


    Though the time limit was his biggest enemy and¡ªconsidering his size¡ªit was becoming apparent that he was getting too comfortable with how much he ate.


    I am not getting fatter. Digesting... It''s a problem. Or not. Yeah. It''s not one at all. He reckoned as he chewed, breaking a rib. Right. I have a fast, monstrous metabolism. He thought, flopping aside, lying and laying on his back as if he ate too much.


    Bones made quite a good chair, and he was right. He ate a lot of stuff in the past days, and he could tell it was a lot more than this body could take.


    His attributes were the following: Strength at 10, Dexterity at 10, and Vitality at 18. Wisdom remained the same, but Murai didn''t care for it. Vitality improved by 3 points alone, leaving him kind of bummed after he ate for so many days. At least the rest of the Body Attributes moved closer toward it, creating a tighter balance.


    Yeah.  He closed his eyes. I am indeed good at wasting time, am I not? He thought, opening his eyes and a certain decision was on his face. It''s time to change this!


    Murai reignited his confidence for a couple of reasons.


    The starting principle was simple. How easily he ate the bones gave his body considerable growth, and his beak and teeth became quite sharper in a short amount of time.


    Another was his comfort. Living like this was too good for him and his standards. It was true he liked it in some ways, but this life wasn''t the kind he wished to take in this direction. The world seemed interesting for some exploration. That was enough for him to disregard his discomfort over being a duck.


    The last reason was important and included one of the few rules about his Cursed Living. He had yet to uncover anything about this world or move somewhere with his power besides some simplicity. Laziness was fine in pieces. And more importantly, his Living went against the Laws. Thus, it was better to change his outlook by thinking further about evolution, while his overall hopes were separate like his soul, memories, or what he was.


    This life was similar. Some things didn''t matter.


    He needed information.


    Remembering the voice, it was about 250 days since his New Beginning. It could be more, but he didn''t care for days of his sleeping, or eating. Nothing much changed in his act since he arrived in this cave. His movement in the dark improved as he ate the bones, moved, or trained on the ground.


    At least he had various targets for his experiments. His beak attacks grew steadily like his teeth, feathers, and bones. The natural order of his physical growth did the rest. It seemed to be quick enough to call it some progression, or maybe he was too lazy. He could be so much more, or were there some limits? At least he was no longer so small, and his neck and flexibility increased


    Was eating too much a bad choice? If so, what was he supposed to be doing in this life of bizarre monstrosity? There was supposed to be help from some form of life companionship, or so he heard when Will of the Battleworld gave him its welcoming words. There was also some World Soul or something like that. What was that about, Murai wondered. It was nowhere like his evolution, so it must be unique to this world.


    Sighting on top of the bones, he figured his time wasn''t closing on anything, yet his body was what it was.


    In the upcoming days, Murai was beginning his plan to get deadly. His training against the stones and bones with his beak was a great way to form some attacks, but what it could do against that large fox? Murai''s beak wasn''t as big as its head, but it should manage to reach deep enough to cause some wounds. Considering strategies for using it as a weapon felt right, as it felt like a small sword or a dagger that was part of his body. It was also close to his eyesight, so his accuracy might be perfect.


    But his overall flesh or neck might be a problem.


    An ambush should work the best in his opinion.


    Later, the moment he feared came sooner. His upper body could no longer get into his egg, even though his head could. It was a funny sight since the egg wasn''t meant to be some form of bunker for protecting Anatidaes. It was meant for their birth and to give them food, yet he hadn''t eaten it all because he had so much better choices.


    He got what he deserved. Murai didn''t care. A quick and rather laughable idea to make armor out of it came to his mind. He figured it would be rather clumsy, considering the lack of crafting methods with his body and nonexistent hands, so he forgot about it soon afterward.


    Maybe he will consider it later since he let go of his urge to eat it. He rather ate the bones, leaving half of this egg for another time. For now, he had a greater task, and it wasn''t like it did any harm.


    It was quite the opposite. He found his body more energetic, and he no longer needed to sleep too long.

 Chapter 5: Ambush agasint the Devil Fox

    Nice. This is nice. Murai cheered without stopping. This is what I am talking about when I say a nice life!Rare one, but one that starts. He continued being satisfied and ate regardless if he felt full or not.


    2 days later, he was yet to touch the addition of the new bones that the fox stored here. Murai was still eating the old batch and noticed a slow, yet significant approaching change in his life as a duck.


    He was growing up faster than he anticipated. Perhaps it was normal, but when he considered his hatching and amount of days he spent here...well, he wasn''t sure how long it had been. His concept of time was kind of wrong because he slept and ate. That was it. This cave almost felt like a prison, though he looked for a way out some days ago; it was a wide and upward-going path to the surface.


    Becoming stronger and bigger wasn''t caused by the attributes, he figured. It was because he was eating and training, so what were those attributes then? They felt like...some reward and valuable good. And he grew out of them too, somewhat. How? He was yet to be sure. He decided he would research it further under every voice he would hear.


    His beak was his primary tool, with small, yet hard and sharp teeth around the inner edge of each piece of his beak. Or was it like some beaky jaw? Spear?


    Murai wasn''t questioning the physical differences, nor he was curious about them. In the simplest terms, he grew teeth, which was enough for him. They were sharp and hard enough to crunch the smaller parts of the bones into smaller pieces that he could then swallow.


    Initially, Murai thought the teeth would be kind of useless, since why would a duck need sharp teeth? Still, what was true or not didn''t matter, and the fact was that his teeth were dense, sharp, and probably meant for the consumption of tougher substances. What sort? Bones? Murai figured bones were fine as a meal for now, but he couldn''t eat it forever.


    His stomach took it all anyway, while his beak or his teeth seemed to work against all sorts of things. He tested it; there weren''t just bones in this cave.


    He didn''t know what kind of food regular ducks consumed or if his Anatiade species was completely different from the norm. In truth, he should no longer care about considering the life of a normal duck. He wasn''t that.


    ¡°Right? I am not a normal soul, let alone a body, or nobody. God figures! You assholes.¡± Murai laughed, munching the bones all the same.


    Growing a few centimeters over the last few days put him in a good mood. The consumption of the food was the cause, so he was about 20 centimeters tall. It was his rough idea, that went according to the swords lying around. It wasn''t much, but a small change nonetheless.


    His beak was the strangest out of his body, and he experimented with it a lot. It wasn''t enough to destroy the swords, but some chips and rolling were enough when he swung his neck and beak at a right angle and speed.


    The tip was sharp like a tough sword, with curved sides to add some sharp swiping motions that could cause some damage. It looked somewhat like a flat sword, with sections that were sharp at the tip, and smooth and a bit thick at the start of Murai''s head. And since the beak was his mouth, he could open it and make the edges apparent.


    He figured the closed beak was an ideal weapon, while an open one might be worth something too. Some lines got sharper. Or were his teeth worth something too? Gnawing at something with his teeth was a possibility. Could he kill that fox by munching it? Hardly.


    For eating, his teeth worked the best. Destroying things was up to his closed beak.


    His attacks were able to crush these bones with a couple of hits, even if some were fresh. However, he still struggled against the egg, which caused some surprises and questions about how the empty half of his egg was so tough. He long discovered that the insides weren''t that tough, since he came from there, but the outside?


    The egg was solid like metal, yet he made holes in it from the insides. Murai was able to chip away some layer from outside with big efforts, but it was so little, he almost laughed instead. The outer layer of this egg was more than 100 times sturdier than the bones, and even then, the effectiveness of his strikes wasn''t perfect. Bones shattered with a few strikes, revealing the bone marrow within for him to eat or slurp.


    Apart from the beak, Murai learned one significant improvement. That was movement and greater precision, and not being upset by the strange movements of ducks. They had small legs, with flat feet made for swimming. Each foot had 3 fingers with tiny little talons at the end, or what Murai assumed to be that.


    His wings weren''t meant to fly so far, but he figured out how to spread them. That was about it. It was a useless skill that he could only use to stabilize himself when walking. Other than the wings, there was his tail¡ªappearing like protruding tougher feathers at the end of his back¡ªwhich was a good stabilization point to walk more steadily. Overall, he grew more familiar with his body, but this led to other questions.


    What about the evolution? It''s been days upon days and there is still nothing. Am I meant to do things differently? Is eating wrong in the form of nature, or does the Battleworld make the selection of the progression different from normal and common sense? Can''t I do it all, or are my actions enough to form those.. numbers, or the voice is the reason for everything? Is it the Law? How does it work?


    Questions and worries arose in Murai''s mind, making things difficult to focus on. Nevertheless, he ate and continued planning how to deal with that fox.


    The only thing he never considered was his appearance as a duck; he didn''t really think of things that weren''t practical for the time being.


    His feathers weren''t usual, yet Murai thought little of them. They already grew dense across his whole body, with distinct darker colors of red and brown, with many softer colorful feathers at his belly. Each feather was nearly unique, as they changed as he grew. He was rather muddy looking, but the feathers were an excellent protection against many elements, the heat and humidity of this cave included.


    Because of his fluffy¡ªyet resilient feathers in nature¡ªno filth, blood, or dust remained on his body in all these days of eating. It was a good and rather spectacular appearance for a fresh duckling, but Murai did not appreciate it. His mind was full of other things, or may it be connected to his stomach? That might be the case since he forgot himself in the food, planning out an assassination plan, and figuring his time.


    Sooner or later, the last bone of the old batch was gone, and Murai soon entered the frenzy for the newest batch of bones. Just like that, Murai spent his time with an unbothered expression and a satisfying meal.


    There was not even a speck of fear in this life. Even if there was, what could he even do? Be afraid of the End, or the fangs of that fox? Hell, he didn''t even fear the End all that much, considering he experienced it many times already.


    It was true that some Ends were pleasant, yet some others weren''t. Murai still remembered the times when he died by natural causes, but more often than not, he died by outer influence, or his stupidity of living his lives to the fullest. This time might be no different, but upon eating his fill for so long, he no longer thought of dying or thinking about it.


    He was curious about the possibilities of what kind of species he was, and what evolution could do. It sounded like a significant thing; regardless of the ducks. He was still upset by that fact, regardless of the hundreds of days that passed since his soul awakened.


    In the motion of his Cursed Living and many lives, he wasn''t the least bit satisfied with the way duck felt. Walking was clumsy, his head was kind of heavy with that beak, and even though his neck got stronger through his "training", he felt weak and small. His weight was laughable, his speed lower than a squirrel, and who knew what else.


    Considering how small he was against that fox, he figured he needed more time to consider how to kill it.


    In a couple more days of his relaxed time, the fox returned. This time, Murai was waiting for it, figuring out his plans, and hoping to achieve victory and kill his first enemy.


    Once again, this demonic fox was dragging some fresh bones into the cave, but they appeared different. They were smaller. Still, something didn''t change; its body had wounds and many scars, indicating the fight for these bones was a neverending struggle.


    Alas, it was no longer oblivious to this cave. The demonic fox finally noticed many bones were missing. The older batch of the bones was nowhere to be sniffed, and it couldn''t help but growl in anger, dropping the bones to the ground. Sniffing the air, there was indeed a smell of an intruder and something else.


    It was an intriguing question why it didn''t smell Murai before.


    The reason was rather simple, actually. In the past, he was hiding in his egg, which made things harder for this fox to notice anything. The egg was in the middle of the bones, and his smell wasn''t anything that this fox noticed.


    This time was different; Murai was hiding around the stalagmites, hoping to find the right opportunity. The fox kept growling, turning its snout left and right. Its eyes glowed in anger, covering the round in red light. It hoped to uncover what was going on in its treasured place. A few moments into this, the fox stepped forward and then leaped in the direction of Murai''s hiding spot.


    It charged, sniffing and growling. It turned to the left corner, and as unfortunate as it was, it was the wrong side, or perhaps not so much? What was behind the stalagmites of this corner wasn''t Murai, but some bloodied cloth emitting the smell the fox piqued, and some feathers. Sniffing it closer, the fox hesitated about what it was, but it was too late.


    Murai charged from behind the other stalagmites, pouncing towards its side, piercing the fox''s neck with his clutched beak, and painting the ground with the flow of its blood. He penetrated it! He hadn''t expected that a day before.


    Upon initiating this strike with a desire to kill, Murai''s soul was rejuvenated with another Will of the Battleworld. A call for a battle was due.


    [A Battle ensues, dear Citizen of the Battleworld. The Battle against the Devil Fox to the death shall be the first one to your glory!]


    [Bonus reward of the first time battle: Additional Body Attributes. A brand new ability according to the Will of the Battleworld!]


    ¡°What a fucking annoyance!¡± Murai tried to shut this voice, feeling it was leading him through the pain and hesitation. It was distracting. His beak was still within Devil Fox''s neck, so he twisted it inside to hope to reach further. Leave my mind some peace, you bloody Battlevoice! He complained in his head, but he could only watch his beak drenched in blood in the fox''s neck. It flowed to his head and eyes.


    He was doing his very best to finish this in one swoop. From the start, it was a successful ambush, caused by his careful plan and ability to strike according to his plan.


    The Devil Fox struggled on its four legs, visibly shocked by a sudden attack it couldn''t sense. Growling weakened, but then it shifted its steps, pushing its sides and shoving Murai away. That caused the beak to go out of its neck, leaving blood dripping and patches of blood forming.


    Still, the beak went rather deep into its flesh, and the bloody hole let out a lot of blood.


    Murai landed without grace, tumbling for a few moments before catching his momentum. His foe stabilizing as well, though bleeding and visibly shuddering. The Devil Fox stood still; a deadly stare within its eyes was not one bit weaker. Murai felt the gaze to be somewhat strange, as its glow of redness held some aura and death.


    Then, a surge of redness and piercing light came out of those eyes. A piercing pain entered his mind, eyes, and body. It shut his awareness for a single moment before an ability of his own defeated the sudden force.


    [An aspect of Death and Oppression attacked your mind. The effects of the Soul-Essence can obliterate the will of others]


    [The foe''s penetrative Will can''t stand a chance against you! It has been challenged, but in return for the impudent attack, your soul goes through the initial strength and change]


    [A new attribute is unlocked]


    [Will - An intimidated shall fear, yet the Will is an aspect of souls and those who shall put fear against the odds! It is a power of persistence, soul, and perception. To be unshaken, the Will is like a Law]


    [The heart is strong, Will is stronger, and so is the mind. They are close to being one of the same, yet it makes sense that each has its uses. The Will shall not be shaken, making room for a Will to go against the heavens]


    [Initializing...]


    Buzzing echoed, creating endless discomfort for Murai''s soul. It felt disheartening as if something was irritating him like many flies. He wasn''t sure what it was. Then, the noises turned even more mechanical and seemed chaotic without purpose. A couple of words echoed at the end.


    [Will +2]


    [Current Will: 2]


    Murai heard the Will of the Battleworld with appraising bother. Within his soul, he figured the Will was familiar. He tried his hardest to take it without any change in reality, but his body still shook. It took him 2 seconds to calm down. 2 seconds that should have been fatal, but his foe hadn''t made its move. He didn''t have much time, but because the Devil Fox''s Intimidation failed, he lived.


    And it didn''t take it that well, since the fox knew its powers well. It was bleeding; the damage to its neck was far too much to disregard it. The glow in its red eyes didn''t lower. It didn''t hesitate to seek a possible survival.


    It wasn''t the first time this Devil Fox was fighting a battle in the Battleworld. Attacked with more vigor than one would guess from the wounded foe, it charged.


    Leaping at the small duckling, fangs and both claws scrapped aside Murai''s attempt to dodge aside. He shuddered as the fox''s left paw hit the side of his body, causing him to stagger against the distant wall.


    This attack almost felt like he was hit by a boulder, and a powerful push went against his feeble duckling body. Feeling breathless for a moment, Murai got on his feet and saw the approaching foe once more. It was relentless, bloody, and savage. This was a beast that was hungry for survival. Like a Law of a Jungle, this was a natural response.


    It growled, pouncing once again, and this time, the fangs were to take Murai''s neck. Possibly his life. Murai would digress. Will was firm, and even with the 2 additions to none, there was something within his mind that was way beyond some little attributes. The power of his soul was far higher than some numbers could bear, and he was unwavering in his Living. It was something strange, yet familiar.


    Well, this is unexpected. A Soul-Essence, is it additive to the Will, or is my emotions or battle what gives this warmth and intensity? Not bad. Murai thought, figuring that he wasn''t afraid against a much stronger foe. With firm eyes, he readied his beak. Shutting it down, it was like a spear ready to pierce the opponent. While doing so, he lowered his posture, making his back and neck as tensed and coordinated with the rest of his body as possible.


    He knew his biggest flaw was his legs, but there was nothing he could do about them.


    With the jaw closing, the fox thought little of such a little duckling, but it sure held some hidden fear caused by that bloody ambush. It almost died right and there. Nevertheless, the Devil Fox wasn''t known to be too stupid, or too clever. It was one of the clever monsters in this forest. That meant it wasn''t overly aggressive, since preserving life and approaching its foes as a hunter was more appropriate than being an utter monstrosity.


    And something... felt wrong. A depth of its instincts shook. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It feared this duckling. This small thing the weight of its skull.


    This single pounce was the result of fear and hope of killing its little foe as fast as possible. There was no time for regrets in the vision of Battles to the death. And it sure wasn''t a time for that, even though the fox wished for something else.


    It gnawed at the beak, hoping to push beyond and squeeze the duck''s head. Its attack hit the beak first, yet it felt like it clutched a pillar of metal. Murai remained in place, his beak firm like a spear, penetrating the jaw that wanted his life. Thanks to Fox''s momentum, his beak stayed in place, gliding with ease aside its jaw, making a gushing wound around its jaw, mouth, skin, and teeth. The beak glid further to the neck and left part of the head, creating a gnarly wound that was far from the brain.


    But it sure looked deadly.


    Momentum did the rest, even when the Fox kept going onward with blood and half-formed attack.


    At last, Fox came with its jaw at its target, bloody and deformed, yet it failed to penetrate the feathers, let alone the neck.

 Chapter 6: Spoils of the Battle and journey out of the cave

    A bloody sight followed the momentum, spreading the blood all over the ground and bones. Droplets lightly echoed, stopping the growls or stomps to be the sole sounds in this cave. A sharp beak slid through the fox''s flesh. The Battle was yet to be over.


    The choice of an all-out attack that Devil Fox unleashed still hit its target, who was determined and hopeful his body would take this hit without breaking. Looking as if he met his End, Murai was smiling upon this force of redness and glowing eyes. Devil Fox hit him regardless of the bloody wound, slamming him with a force that squeezed his guts.


    There was nothing to it than sheer physical mass and weight, which Murai felt more than its jaw or teeth.


    Even though its claw slid off the shiny feathers right afterward, his protection was enough of a shield. Momentum wasn''t. He still felt penetrative force akin to bricks slamming into his bones and flesh, hurting him. Regardless of his ignorant and nonexistent guard¡ªas he hadn''t thought of any defenses when he made this ambush in the first place¡ªthis momentum flung his body far away, ending him in the wall, close to the bones he so adored.


    It was his failure, yet filled with gratifying blood of success too. He didn''t predict that this fox would turn even more insane with that wound, charging at him with half-paw in the End.


    Damnation, he coughed close to the wall, this went better than I thought, yet harder than some would wish. Great... Blood and gore. This is what the living Chaos and demons are all about. Am I still that? Could be... wrong assumption. I am still myself though. Murai considered his feelings of pain and wet blood tasted weird in his beak and eyes. Some wasn''t his, he knew.


    What made him the happiest was a simple thing; he was at the winning edge through this exchange, which he wasn''t sure he could''ve won because of his body. He lacked the context of where his strength was, or how well it worked. The biggest flaw of his strategy was a lack of knowledge; he didn''t know the fox''s strengths or weaknesses.


    It turned out to be a good idea, yet still useless in some regards. The most prominent factor was much simpler. He won. Blood churned from the wounds that the fox could no longer take for something nice. Its life was ending. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The fox''s eyes beamed still, unwavering as it stood half-hunched and far from Murai. It couldn''t charge ahead. And it was unwilling to meet its End. The last attempt to move stumbled its steps. Falling to the ground, blood gushed from its mouth, and splattered. Bloodless couldn''t live in the flesh like this. Its life ended in a puddle of blood.


    Murai risked his hope, hoping his beak was better than the Devil Fox''s fangs and clawed little was. It sure was risky, much to his thoughtful ambush. He knew the significant factor wasn''t him, but the sheer weight and momentum of his foe. It ended up colliding with him instead, while his clutched flesh and readier beak was like a spear the fox pounced at.


    It went for the kill without hesitation. A failure and poor judgment indeed, but who could blame that fox for charging at a duckling?


    Laying there among the bones, Murai won this battle fair and square. Soon enough, Will of the Battleworld gave this Battle its prize.


    [Congratulation!] the mechanical voice said, [You have indeed won your battle fair and square, much to our disappointment]


    [Devil Fox: Level 7, Canindeamon of Class E of the demonic beast has been vanquished. Additional attributes are added to your status. +3 to all Body Attributes]


    [Current Body Attributes: Strenght 18, Dexterity 18, Vitality 21]


    [Will added to your status]


    [New ability has been unraveled and recalculated under your Anatidae species, forming a distinct line into the way of Seedlings]


    [Beak''s Fury is unlocked. An offensive and beginner ability of your species]


    [Beak''s Fury: An attack shall be the source of the Ends of enemies and foes. Strength stands side by side with Beak''s Fury, adding damage on top of its level, or yours]


    [Level 1]


    [Grade E]


    [Power Level: Approximation of 5 to 10]


    Murai''s soul understood it all, and he was almost overjoyed! More points into his Vitality would make his life easier and solve the issue of his dizziness and pain from being flung who-knew-how-many-meters. It was great news, knowing that he must have some internal wounds or broken bones. The surge of Vitality made it more manageable.


    However, the motion of this Boost was yet to arrive.


    The message wasn''t over.


    [Lastly, a new source under special circumstances had been sought out. Additional power is earned by the outside influence]


    [The Eater Status is opened]


    [Status: Those are influential sources of accomplishments of various degrees, with regular, or irregular patterns of unlocking, abilities, or effects. They have various visions and requirements to get them, filling the individuals with enigmatic options outside of their species, within them, or close or far from their Paths]


    [The Eater: You have been keen on the path of eating, which is strange, but the Will of the Battleworld doesn''t question that. Any source of food will be better processed, yielding a better affinity for the Vitality. A certain chance is given to understand the properties of what you eat, its rarity, effects, or history]


    [Using this Status with the intent of understanding is not possible. It is a Status that has a chance to work, the more you eat. As eating is a regular thing, it might not be that bad. This isn''t a regular Status. It has various efficiency methods, and worth that are outside of Citizen''s influence]


    Then, the Will of the Battleworld ended its speech, leading to quiet and great results that Murai didn''t mind. Boost was a rigorous endeavor, mending his flesh, easing his mind, and giving his life a new meaning. Then, he had a pair of new powers once again.


    He even hoped to cheer himself up some more, but he couldn''t force himself.


    For now, he gulped some blood down his beak, hoping to uncover what The Eather was about. Through his dangerous attack, some of the blood was involuntarily gulped down his throat anyway. Once when he tried to move his beak inside the fox, the gushing wound let blood rush down his throat.


    The Eater wasn''t that impressive in his opinion. It just told him some redundant facts about this Devil Fox that he found lacking. A Class E demonic beast was within the same Class E as himself. That was probably the weirdest thing, considering he was a duckling. The Eather worked with weak little whispers that echoed in his head. It wasn''t like the Will of the Battleworld, but it was distinct to call it a voice.


    Devil Fox was of demonic origin, stemming from the Bloodline of Uazagis. Murai wasn''t sure what that was about. It sounded like a demonic monster species. Its level was obvious, but the power level was not, nor its attributes or anything else. It was a brief rundown of this fox at best.


    Huh... I am no vampire duck. I am stone certain of it, yet call me old or older, but this doesn''t taste as bad as it feels. I guess thirst wasn''t something I thought of before. It was just meat, marrow, and bones so far. The bone marrow was juicy and moist, though.


    Murai judged nothing and chose to forget it for the time being. He drifted to the land of slumber, sleeping off the rest of the wounds away. With the main issue gone, the fox remained where it was: dead.


    Some rest was due for his body and soul, and with a cave for his taking, he was happy. Though, he was yet to realize the repercussions of his actions. His successful Battle gave him at least some rest with utter freedom.


    After sleeping for almost 2 days, he woke up with unlike vigor and energy, feeling better than ever. There was no time to waste, so he moved out of his position against the bones and the wall.


    There was still some lingering pain around the left side of his neck, but his head was alright. The feathers made some form of defense against the fox''s claw and pounce that pushed him away. Murai hadn''t noticed it that much, opting to focus on offense the most.


    His beak didn''t disappoint him. He decided to call it his best weapon for the time being.


    Clumsily standing and walking, he wanted to check on the fox first.


    Damned fox, he slapped the corpse with his beak, feeling not one bit shameless that he had just killed his source of food. Perhaps he was yet to realize it himself. Death would be fine to seek, but here you go, catching my egg in hopes of eating, and causing such unpleasant troubles when I found the first pleasure of this life. What a waste of reason to die for! We could... share this cave, you see.


    Murai hesitated, figuring out how much this fox helped him grow. It gave him a sliver of shame. He felt it was right, but he dismissed it, knowing that if it hadn''t been for the egg, he would''ve ended up in its stomach. This was a world where the weak ate the strong. He appreciated the fox and this cave, and regardless of his thievery or shamelessness, he kept them in his head.


    Observing this beast so closely, it was much bigger than himself. So much so, that its head surprised him. It was large, its skin littered with scales-looking fur, and its jaw might be cut, but it sure could fit at least two ducks.


    How have I done it so easily? I killed it with my current power. This looks so much stronger than a tiny vermin like a duckling. BAH! Murai sneered. Who am I kidding? Any regular duckling would be dead regardless of anything, but this duckling is the great me! A person of power far above this cat, or canine, or whatever foxes even are.Canindeamon? Uh... Never mind.


    Murai went along his self-centered view, nodding to himself so much so, that his wound came into effect once more.


    With the Battle being over, there wasn''t any change in the following days. Murai either munched the bones or drank the blood of this fox to pass his time. The freshness of the blood soon turned bad, so he had no choice but to ignore it, similar to its fur or flesh.


    Murai hoped to explore the rest of the cave and reach the outside after a long time in the vague darkness. There was no point in not doing so, and with the wounds healed, he wasn''t afraid of anything. He was yet to understand his power, or how many chances he even had against that fox if it wouldn''t be for his planning and formidable beak.


    However, with the past gone, Murai no longer thought much of it. For now, his mind was in the present, slightly leaning toward the curious future. The journey toward the outside world was more of a challenge than a fight with the fox. He had trouble traversing the obstacles that made up these corridors.


    It wasn''t a smooth road upward. There were quite a lot of stair-like stone features and many passages were tall, which he had to somewhat overcome, ignore, or begrudgingly ascend. It was an arduous journey up, yet in a couple of hours, he was able to see a lush world of trees and suns beyond the trees.


    He cheered in happiness, spreading his wings, and fell to his back.


    He glanced into the forest, noticing he was in a deeper section and far from the previous cliff. Light came here through the lush crowns of the trees, reaching the ground in huffed brightness. Still, the ambiance was clear for his eyes.


    Looking around, he saw nothing impressive. Grass wasn''t that tall, as there were a lot of stones around the cave''s entrance. It was a relatively small hole in a rocky hill the size of a mountain. It wasn''t anything noticeable, with enough dimensions for a fox to fit into it at best.


    Murai got to his feet, figuring it wasn''t time to be lazy, andthe world wouldn''t explore itself. He still had some leftover food in the cave, but not enough to last many days.


    Murai turned right from the cave''s entrance. Turning his beak upwards, he saw the mountain in better light. There weren''t many trees surrounding it, yet it was so tall, that light still shrouded the ground. He was unable to see the top of it, even if he was trying to bend his neck as much as possible. He was a tiny duckling, so it was no surprise his perspective was giving him a headache.


    Slowly, he turned away from the mountain and went to the edge of the forest. Traveling for a couple of dozen minutes proved to him nothing about the world or his curiosity. But he saw the world and nature of this region for the first time. Those were some of the important points of every life he had.


    Exploration, information gathering, and knowledge were all important. Power was the first, usually, but it wasn''t the rule.


    There were a lot of animal sounds, but most of them seemed foreign and wild. There were a lot of growling noises, chirps of birds, as well as noises of battles. It was like a jungle of primal times, yet wider, bigger, and following deep into the forest.


    Most animals were of the beast types, with many irregularities and fierce characteristics. Fur, colors, scales, or sizes carried. Wolves were bigger, or smaller. Deers had impressive antlers with spikes and curves. Boars were monsters filled with mass like kings of the jungle. Murai even saw a squirrel with 2 sharp fangs, pouncing at another one, chewing the head of its opponent. Those were the tiniest ones, and even smaller than himself.


    Yet, he felt smaller.


    Murai observed the world with more care, discovering this region was one giant Law of the Jungle: Not one bit calm. Chaos shined through this place, making the Devil Fox unordinary. There were strong beasts under many corners, trees, or in the heights of the trees. Bizarre and burly monkeys laughed from a safe distance away, before some large birds snatched them, or gnawed their heads off.


    Murai didn''t hate this sight in fear or hatred. It wasn''t unfamiliar.


    Something was giving him an edge in this walk, and it wasn''t everything. Soul Read showed its color for the first time, putting weird notions in his mind and soul. It was very mindful, feeling as if the notion of existence played with his ears and head. He noticed the presence of hidden beasts in some canopies, bushes, or trees, and even those out open.


    It wasn''t far from watching, yet when he closed his eyes, he knew they were there. He also felt their instincts like whispers that broke his immersion.


    Normalcy is questionable, He thought, when beasts and suspense go away. This is a world of monsters where the strong survive. A place where the weak are left to rot away. How amusing. In that regard, it seems similar to the Alfenhaim, or the 3rd layer of Abrailmist. Hell... most of the planets were close to Chaos itself. Power take it. Souls live because of them. That was always the case. Some things don''t change. Won''t.


    Murai thought about the past and noted many things about his current options.


    From the start, he wasn''t good at hiding, yet nothing paid him much attention. He thought some beasts would, similar to the Devil Fox. Many animals, that looked like prime predators minded their business and did not interact with a tiny duckling. Perhaps that didn''t want to eat him for a snack, or was there something deeper?


    His journey included no troubles, and some beasts even ran the moment they saw or sensed him. Murai was still afraid to meet some aggressive beast that would do so, so he chose to retreat to the cave. There were a lot of dangers lurking in the forest. His hunch was reliable, while his Soul Read gave him some weird validation as well. Murai figured he should pay his Soul Read more attention and think about what it was.


    Until he was sure to defend himself, he had to steady his growth. No amount of doubt would say otherwise. He wasn''t ready to try his sole offensive ability called Beak''s Fury, which sounded a bit dumb, but he didn''t question it.


    He thought this journey was well worth the dangers. He uncovered bits of the world that were forced upon him. Finding the same cave, he ate the same bones in the presence of his past foe.


    A week into this routine, Murai was out of tasty food. There was nothing here that piqued his interest or caused his life to be better. During that time, he reached a height above 20 centimeters, so he appeared almost at the height of a standard duck. However, he long figured he wasn''t a regular one.


    What kind of duck would be able to pierce Level 7 Devil Fox with its beak? Some... could. Murai was unaware of this world. It should change, but how? He should be the one to do it, or others could? He would wish to ask someone. Who?


    He even attempted to quack out loud, wishing to speak to the mechanical voice. Nothing answered back.


    Since something laid an egg for this species, there were sure to be some surprises in this world. It wouldn''t be called a Battleworld if there weren''t some struggles and surprises.


    So far, the following status of his little New Beginning was simple.


    [NAME: Murai Hisagi / no nicknames no titles detected]


    [AGE: 268 days / no time-variants, yet oldness detected]


    [SPECIES: Anatidae [former ones- human, elf, demons, devil, god, leaf, stone...] / Species properties or specialties yet to be detected. Evolutions are highly possible and compatible in this species] Variants UNKNOWN.


    [SUB-SPECIES: None / Class E, grade, or hidden properties UNKNOWN]


    [PHYSICALITY: Duck / Slightly stronger duckling of the Anatidae species with no change in physicality from evolutions]


    [ATTRIBUTES]


    [Strengt: 18]


    [Dexterity: 18]


    [Vitality: 21]


    [Wisdom: 100]


    [WILL: 2]


    [ABILITIES: Beak''s Fury, Soul Read, Soul-Essence / Hidden ones are detected yet are hidden under the prerequisites and circumstances]


    [STATUS: The Eater]


    [BLESSINGS: NONE]


    [EQUIPMENT: NONE]


    [LEVEL: 0]


    [POWER: Less than 10]


    [TASK: Reach the first evolution / REWARD: Increased Attributes, species and sub-species specialties, new species-related abilities, and further hope of bettering your life]


    It went according to the Will of the Battleworld first rundown.


    What should I do? Attributes aren''t much better than before. Time is also an issue in this cave. How many days passed as I ate and slept? How is the Law of Time on this planet? With 5 suns in total, who knows... Murai figured his time was approaching some limit.


    Eating the same things has its problems, but they are noticeably powerful whether I improve through battles. I can tell the usefulness of them and the Eater Status was yet to give Vitality some edge. That irks me. The Eater is rather disappointing, or am I? Murai believed that eating no longer increased his attributes, yet he still physically grew up.


    But The Eather showed me the status of some bone in this cave. Its sources too, but that was it. It should give some attributes, or was it a chance? How effective it can be when it is unreliable? Murai considered his time already outside of the cave, glancing behind his back.


    The only thing that remained in the cave was his remaining egg and the decaying corpse of that fox. For some reason, it did rot after many days passed. Bones didn''t, so Murai figured it must be because bones were more sterile, while the fox had its organs and blood, and who knew how clean it was?


    He hid his egg in some corner where no one would find it. He couldn''t eat his past home. It wasn''t in his conscience. Especially when it tasted like dull crackers. It would pose no issue for him to eat it, but he felt a little bit attached to it.


    As a duck, he couldn''t do many physical things. They had no hands, and even their legs were so clumsy, while their wings were... there. For what? Flight? Had he ever seen a duck flying like some bird? It shouldn''t be that good though.


    Murai didn''t like how his body felt. It was always the most limiting factor of any life he had. It might feel uncomfortable, yet he had no plans to stop.


    Turning his head, Murai walked past the entrance into the bigger world. His current goal was simple. It was not his hopeful evolution, unfortunately. Nothing changed about it throughout his Battle or time. Now, he wanted to secure a new source of food.


    There must be something nice in this forest. He had to look for it. Food was a fitting concern. Tiny and all, his stomach didn''t feel like it.


    ¡°I won''t find bones like that fox gave me. And I am sure I can''t rip someone apart either. It had some bear, deer, and boar bones though. Maybe I can find them somewhere.¡± Murai muttered and looked around his surroundings.


    He was unsure how many things a duck could eat, but considering his expectant tongue and stomach, he didn''t want anything filthy. Things such as grass, fish, and insects came to his mind, but that was disgusting. Only something interesting and tasty-looking was fit for him.


    For now, Murai went back to exploring, carefully mapping the path from his cave in his head. He planned to go back for sure. That cave was far too serious, so he decided to call it his temporary shelter. The enormous mountain helped him a lot with not getting lost. No matter how he walked, he always saw the rocky walls hiding behind the tree''s crowns.


    He could always return, but to where? There was nothing there.


    So he went on, using bushes and tall grass to hide from the predators. Walking and traversal gave him more familiarity with his body. He liked being stealthy and considering all kinds of animals and beasts he had seen, he should be an easy target. Once more, sounds and his Soul Read seemed to work against his surroundings.


    Growling, fighting, and forming Battles happened everywhere. It was natural in its primal form. Some species fought each other, while others lived their lives by eating grass, or others. It was a sight that didn''t change just because he traveled through another End from who knew where.


    An hour later, he explored the forest until he found the edge of the world, or at least it seemed that way.


    It was an identical cliff from his memory, and like before, there was a sea beyond. It wasn''t a sea at all. It wasn''t his mistake either to assume it as such. He was looking at the world with different views right now. His eyesight was much better than when he got from his egg.


    This was a lake. A massive lake that had land all around its edges. In the distance, there were even islands and massive landscapes beyond the water. It looked like some kind of sea, thanks to the elevation of this cliff. Murai could tell the water was a long way from his position, indicating this cliff was hundreds of meters tall from the section of the water; if not taller.


    Well, call me small, but this is huge. He thought, not aware there was a figure eyeing him from a nearby tree. Many eyes glowed there, watching Murai''s every step.


    Something moved.


    Something shocked Murai in his reverie, and his ears and Soul Read piqued a dangerous movement in the trees. Then, in the air. Like a phantom, his eyes couldn''t follow it.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Murai made a high-pitched quack, jumping and tumbling aside, and dodging a deadly attack that soon crashed his position. Something almost creased his neck in half. It failed, or was it just a probing strike? That was unlikely, thanks to the attack that cracked rocky ground. Whatever it was, it would smash Murai to bits.

 Chapter 7: Pouncing Devil

    A massive eagle-looking monstrosity went for the kill, scrapping the rocky surface with its talons, right after Murai dodged it.


    Murai tumbled successfully aside, laying low on the ground, and looking for the movement of his attacker. He couldn''t follow it. For my sake! He thought onthe ground, I was cautious and stupid at the same time. Such cliffs are fitting homes for these kinds of predators. They would snatch such easy prey as ducks as snacks. No wonder, but... I am finally meeting yet another beast that wants my problems. None ever wanted it.


    Murai watched the shadowy figure glide around the air, before landing on a nearby tree. It was an eagle, obvious by its curved beak, sharp-looking feathers, straight posture, and incredibly keen eyes. It observed him with multiple eyes that were in a weirdly unnatural head. It was far too big for an eagle, or it wasn''t an eagle at all.


    Murai wasn''t too keen on observing it, as Will of the Battleworld started chirping something to his head. He had trouble hearing its voice after knowing that he almost died.


    The presence of this monstrosity quenched all his thoughts to consider the motion of a fight. It was something far from Devil Fox for sure. Its aura and feelings were immense, as if a mountain pressed down, standing still and glaring to his soul. Soul-Essence guarded him against some mental danger, but Soul Read was helping much more. It gave him the mental capacity to sense it.


    This thing was like a tall mountain before a little duck, and it flapped its wide wings again, landing right before him in a surge of wind and debris.


    Named a Pouncing Devil according to the Will of the Battleworld, Murai was speechless in his senses and his mind. It was an eagle, but not one as well. It had a body of one, but bigger and colorful in red darkness. It had sharp, yet tiny legs that need up with talons, and its wings were unfolded as it landed, reaching far in their glind. They almost looked like countless blades added together.


    What was different was its head, notable by 3 pairs of menacing eyes at each half of its face and above its beak. A wide sharp beak curved downwards and thinned sharply for better aerodynamics. Deep and shiny red feathers throughout its front added contrast to the rest, but its wings were most impressive.


    It was at least twice bigger than the Devil Fox, which was strange since foxes and birds were quite distinct in nature and mass. It unfolded its wings in a second. And even then, it was massive and overwhelmed Murai by its mere presence.


    Considering Murai''s current height of around 25 centimeters, Pouncing Devil was at least 6 times taller. Looking at the prey with its 6 crimson eyes, it opened its beak and shrieked so loudly, that Murai''s soul and mind shrank from shock.


    [The Will is indomitable! The consequences of the Shrieking Scream are futile attempts to shake your soul] The Will of the Battleworld whispered, causing Murai to calm down, and overcome this Shrieking Scream. He chose the first option he thought of when met with an inevitable demise. That was to flee without a speck of desire or shame to fight.


    This wasn''t a good position to think of some pride, and considering the sheer aura of this Pouncing Devil, it was almost clever. Hell, even a fight against a weaker-looking bird sounded like a bad idea, considering his lack of comforting strength, body, and skill.


    At the beginning of a new life, there were many chances for mistakes, but none for regrets. Murai was about a dozen meters away from the forest, yet he still fled with his tail above his ass. Pouncing Devil noticed him, but let him go.


    Murai was getting closer to the security of the trees; they should help provide shelter against an airborne enemy and potentially help him flee.


    Alas, before he reached it, the Pouncing Devil swiped the earth with its wings, appearing before Murai like a ghost. He couldn''t process its movements with his eyes, stumbling as he slammed against the residual wind, and long knowing this was an enemy he couldn''t touch. There was no point in fighting since its speed was many times better than his. There was also its aura that seemed like a being that went through a lot of hells.


    ¡°A chirping fledgling?¡± A voice suddenly spoke. It sounded weirdly inhuman and powerful. Murai heard it within his soul and ears alike. Nervousness enveloped him from the depths of his soul. He looked at the obvious source of this voice. This Pouncing Devil really "spoke" to him.


    ¡°It can''t speak yet? I figured.¡± the Pouncing Devil said, speaking in a muscular and male voice again without moving a muscle or beak. It stood before Murai, who trembled on his legs, not knowing if he should continue fleeing.


    It spoke from something unfamiliar, as it resounded in reality and soul, indicating some sort of telepathic power. Murai shook his beak left and right, stepping back in a try to view his unwelcome visitor as a whole. His Soul Read told him that this Pouncing Devil was much... much stronger than him, and if this monstrosity wanted it, he should''ve been dead.


    ¡°Strange and fascinating, isn''t it? An Anatidae duckling is that. What is something like this doing in this sort of forest, I wonder. No... How are you even here to begin with? Sounds... lucky? Weirder? I never heard of a new...¡± the Pouncing Devil spoke what it wanted, shaking the little fledgling that was still Murai''s form.


    The utter presence that it undulated from his whole being was something Murai''s body couldn''t understand, but his soul could. This pressure went against Murai''s Will, so it had a marginal effect on his soul, but its powerful effects on his weak flesh of Level 0 duckling were terrible.


    Murai was hopeless because of the decreasing feelings in his body, which ended up shivering his spine and feathers. The body moved head to toe with the soul behind. Like a machine, everything was connected. This weakness didn''t mean Murai couldn''t do anything about it. Under this pressure that he felt with his soul, he stepped and readied his mind.


    Only then, did Will of the Battleworld give him his chance, as well as some surprising gifts.


    [Soul-Essence''s hidden power jolted the rules. A Breach is uncovered, and formed, yet not overlooked. It is seen... sought. The power of the souls....]


    [The Soul Lock is triggered]


    [Soul Lock: A defensive ability that shields and causes the soul to be strengthened against mental harm]


    [Grade S]


    [Unique Hidden Ability]


    [Special leveling process is indicative towards the Soul-Essence, but the HIDDEN POWER is not]


    [The powerful Pouncing Devil of Class C is before you, Citizen. A member of the Demonic Armies seeks a chance or remedy. Its species is detected. It is a presence countless times stronger than yours, yet the Clash isn''t suitable]


    [Its presence shakes your soul, yet the soul is unfazed. The Will Attribute shall be elevated: +5]


    [Current Will: 7]


    [Strike of the Will was developed throughout the Soul-Essence]


    [Cause: the presence of the Pouncing Devil, its powers, and desires]


    [Strike of the Will: An offensive force of the Soul Pathway. Powerful mind waves can shake the foe or obliterate the fighting Will of others. The effectiveness is largely dependent on the Will of others and yours. Power level is hard to guess or tame or calculate]


    [Grade B]


    [Level 1]


    [Power level is recalculated...]


    [Developing the means...]


    [Rough Power Level: Able to strike the foe lower than level 10, shake 15 and below, and partially shake level 20 and below]


    [Note: Attacks depend on the Will of others, as a Will can have various defenses and powers, thanks to the perception and Will of your enemies]


    [The prowess of this ability depends on many further factors. Thus, further experimenting and usage are recommended. Until then, the Will of the Battlewold states the present notions. Improve and find what you do with these gifts, and it shall be updated]


    The Will of the Battleworld gifted Murai a chance, yet was it a change, or a curse? It was giving him a chance to fight, wasn''t it?


    Murai didn''t like how it sounded, but when the surge of power creased his whole soul and body, something changed.


    It seemed it just gave him something so he could struggle against an inevitable End. The reason wasn''t good or great. The pressure of this Pouncing Devil didn''t lessen at all on the physical level; he could tell the effectiveness of his Will was struggling under this pressure successfully. Then, the Soul Lock activated, forming a help that came out of his soul alone, protecting his mentality but not the body.


    It felt like a blanket, frankly. A warm feeling spread, basting his soul in something he couldn''t recall. It felt like a small shield that couldn''t spread around his large soul.


    The Pouncing Devil didn''t attack on a physical level; it kept standing still, a wingful distance away from Murai. Feeling that something was happening to its prey, it chose to push against Murai, walking forward with its slim, yet wide talonned feet, hunching with its eagle-like face down, and glaring at him with its 3 pairs of eyes.


    Murai was forced to take some stance regardless of his will to fight or not. So he used his confidence in his soul. He pushed his mental state, touching on the stubbornness of his soul, and unwilling to take this bird for his End.


    It was a simple process when told, but not when one tried it.


    All he needed to push himself a bit over the edge, regardless of his physicality being less than little. At that moment, the warmth and some unwavering power of his Soul Lock and Soul-Essence turned some tides, feeling as if his head was bigger than a mountain. It was just a feeling, yet it helped reignite his mind.


    He went against the power that this Pouncing Devil emitted, causing it to pause and consider something. A soul that was shaking against the Shrieking Scream of this Pouncing Devil wasn''t a normal one.


    And it knew. ¡°Hm? Does this one already have the mental capacity to fight against my Will? What is this case?¡± The Pouncing Devil sent the words to Murai''s mind, stopping his advancing steps, still creeping its head down so it could see closely. ¡°Let me guess, little fledgling of a powerful soul. Have you heard and noted the Will of the Battleworld just now? Is it that change I am feeling?¡±


    Murai barely kept his body hunched, half certain he was close to dropping to his belly. He didn''t know what to reply with, but this beast sure asked him many questions.


    ¡°Our Battle has started, yet you hesitate to flee for real. So it is the second choice then? Call me surprised. I can''t fight you head-on in terms of normal battle, and the Will of the Battleworld is sometimes too kind to someone and harsher to others. I wonder which one of these will be your Fate.¡± the Pouncing Devil spoke, and this message caused Murai to go over some details he couldn''t comprehend in time.


    He hesitated, feeling this presence like a moon over his head. And since it was so overwhelming, he hadn''t noticed everything.


    Hidden Ability like a Soul Lock was intriguing. Will was clearly indicative of some form of mentality and soul-related attribute. So... shouldn''t it be bigger? Mere 7 points sounded like a joke when he thought of his soul.


    Murai knew this battle was an excuse for him anyway. A futile attempt. If he couldn''t fight it, why should he consider the Will of the Battleworld at all? What was going on with the Pouncing Devil''s choice of words? Had he some choices?


    Murai soon realized the surprising fact that he should''ve considered much sooner. It was almost like a game that went through the Battleworld and its dull messengers. Battles and considerable images around this forest indicated large-scale places akin to warzones.


    He wasn''t that familiar with this world, hoverwer. The only Battle he held was against the Devil, which was over in a few moves. It was a fight between low-level beasts, so it went without surprises.


    Via some choice, circumstances, or a challenge, the Will of the Battleworld led a Level 54 Pouncing Devil against Level 0. That was inconceivable, yet it happened for real.


    In a remote location, nobody cared about it. Hearing what he shouldn''t have, these facts angered Murai and swirled his soul. He was a step away from cursing this Battleworld into oblivion, but he discovered some sense of fairness was there too.


    The content of the battle was the following:


    [Will of the Battleworld is the utmost ruler and maker of many flexible, or forceful situations. A Will of the Gods shall not be defined, as they are the rulers of these lands. Due interests shall poise as reminders or marks. You have been slacking in terms of the Battles for the majority of your life, thus a special solution has been specially dedicated to you by a certain someone]


    [The Battleworld doesn''t like slackers, nor should you like to be that, nor be in such a situation. It is an undeniable blunder of a New Beginning]


    [The Punishment Act of Grade C has been issued under Code 10]


    [Cause: Slacking]


    [Punisher: another Blessed called Rain]


    [Pouncing Devil of level 54]


    [Class C, Veridian]


    [Path: prohibited from sharing]


    [What is there for you?]


    [Possible ways of accomplishment are few, or numerous]


    [First Choice: Flee from the Pouncing Devil in 5 minutes. Minimum length of escaped distance: 100 meters or more]


    [Second Choice: Endure its gaze, pressure, and pursue a Mental Battle for half an hour]


    [The inability of either depends on your Will and not your flesh or physicality. Death is the worst outcome of either, while the Pouching Devil has his mind, unique cause and vision, and much willingness to take the act of a Punisher. The solution for completion is up to you or the participating Punisher]


    [Winner shall walk with straight back]


    [You chose your Fate; Battleworld has issued its own!]


    [Fight and take this Punishment for what it could or shouldn''t be]


    [Reward in success: attributes, a Soul Pathway Ability has already been added, so additional effects shall come next]


    [Reward in failure: Nothing, you silly goose duck. Think of this as a case of bettering life and experience. Don''t slack the next time, or get good. Though, in such situations, it is effective to achieve new comprehension, abilities, and improvements. They are possible. Not guaranteed]


    Flee or fight a Mental Battle? Murai thought, Is the Battleworld so dumb to think I am some clueless brat? Why not talk about it in more sense then? I would fight instead of taking my time and doing some stupid mental gymnastics with punishment. So silly. Murai complained and chose the obvious choice.


    He would fight regardless of the consequences. It was a good choice. Fleeting was out of the question, and Murai was well aware of how stupid that would be to try. To flee was the mindset of a loser and someone who could afford it. Murai was neither.


    Feeling the closure and change in Murai''s attitude, the Pouncing Devil called Rain smirked, indicating that he either heard his own voice or knew what Murai felt. Their fight for real shall start next, and one way or another, he wasn''t one to go easy on the Mental Battles.


    Rain already pushed some part of soul-related, or Will-related powers out. Shrieking Scream was a voiceless power closing on the Strike of the Will. He was the one to start this Battle. Not Murai, who would rather explore this world without looking for a fight.


    But what if someone sought out a Battle? Well, the cause was the problem. Will of the Battleworld said that he was slacking. He was meant to fight sooner and on his choice, wasn''t he?


    The Mental battle had long begun under Rain''s mind, but Murai wasn''t ready or taking it as some official business.


    Now, he did.


    To no one''s surprise, Rain knew that the Anatidae before him weren''t a common enemy, but this wasn''t about a battle of species nor common sense. This was a struggle against a pair of souls. Against a pair of special beings that came upon this world under unique circumstances. A pair of souls that held the pretext of the Battleworld for a new life. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And when Blessed encountered one another, it was always a special occasion or a cursed time.


    As a Blessed beast of quite some years, Rain understood that this wasn''t a normal Punishment. His enemy was a little duckling, yet it was official business. Not some Breach that was frightening, and often extremely improper to manage. Before, the threatening ambush was nothing but an examination if Murai was seriously who he thought he was.


    With no fear in Murai''s eyes, Rain hesitated because he didn''t know the hidden context of this mission. Now, he was slightly lying. He was a tool of the Battleworld, after all. He accepted that.


    A powerful soul in the context of the Anatidae species? A new Citizen or a Guest from the higher plane of existence became a new Blessed? Rain thought on his own, before voicing his wonder directly to Murai''s head.


    ¡°You are a Seedling. A beast that hadn''t uncovered its starting evolutions yet. But an Anatidae is that. So, are you even able to issue a challenge against me? What sort of play do the Gods have in hand?!¡± Rain sounded much more confident, and menacing, and shouted the last words in muscular tones, almost pouncing at the little duckling but was able to stop his urge.


    This time, he talked in half lies and truths, trying to see what this Anatidae would do. The challenge wasn''t decided by Battleworld but by either side of this Punishment Act.


    A smirk and the utmost ferocious aura came forth from Rain next, affecting Murai''s line of vision as some visible aura surged behind those long feathers. It was a thick substance akin to smoke and clouds, obscuring Murai''s vision and senses, and feeling very heavy on his mind. It seemed familiar to something he knew, but Murai''s body was far from being sensitive right now.


    Holy bird! Murai exclaimed in his mind. This is a bit stronger mental ability than before. And... So useless! This chick thinks it is turning these tides seriously. If so, I shall too.


    Experience in specific circumstances mattered quite a lot, while skill and knowledge were worth a lot more when power was wide or close. Rain had an advantage in numbers, but not in terms of lives. He might know this world much better than Murai, so he wanted to suppress or use his wide arsenal of abilities as a standard advantage.


    Rain didn''t regard himself as an overseer of this forest, let alone something close to the lands of Gods. Yet, he was still a Pouncing Devil at Level 54 that went against a tiny little duckling that was Murai''s current condition.


    That was abnormality! Not a Breach, but something... worse? He could tell that by feeling Murai''s soul straight away. It was sturdy like a star. A simple glimpse caused some hesitation. It was a lot stronger than his soul by a significant amount, or the quality was different altogether? He couldn''t guess the details in the middle of a Battle, but a question entered his mind. An unlikely one, but one nonetheless.


    Is this a Punishment Act for me or is it a fight for this duckling''s improvements, or a play in the careful plot of the Battleworld? What is Sky thinking?


    A pair of unequal figures, yet filled with powerful Will, stood against one another. Rain began to use his repertoire of soul abilities that were useful even outside of Mental Battles. It included the usage of Enfllare, Mind Paralysis, Gaze of the Devil, and others. His barrage left Murai pale and shaking, yet Rain could tell that his soul wasn''t budging in the slightest. The body was.


    The minutes went on like hours. Rain was helpless in his inability to pierce the target''s soul or move the offensive deeper. All he needed was a small crack, and then Murai would crumble apart. But then, what it could do if it didn''t work? Shouldn''t the soul of such caliber be much more robust in terms of Mental Battles? What was wrong with thinking about souls? He didn''t understand them. He didn''t know what or who was before him.


    Souls were one of the most complex powers in the universe and Rain was doubtful why Murai wasn''t doing anything better with his soul. He should''ve known. It was an easy guess. Murai hadn''t grown enough. It was neither a right nor wrong approach to this Battle. There shouldn''t be any doubts when one fought.


    Murai was yet to become mindful of his soul and relation to the way this world touched all sorts of powers. To fight with his Will or Soul wasn''t what he used for many lives, but he sure felt those soul-related tools. Soul-Essence, Soul Read, Soul Lock, and Strike of the Will. These were all nice and all, but he wasn''t using anything consciously. It all happened on its own.


    Well, Strike of the Will wasn''t a passive ability like Soul Read. He could attack with his Will, while Soul Lock seemed to be a Hidden Ability with unique usage. It was a barrier that hadn''t cracked in the slightest. So for now, he was doing the simple thing: Enduring this battle, using this as an opportunity to see more of his soul, and see what this Pouncing Devil was about.


    As a bonus, he observed his mental state and anything to do with incoming strikes against him. It was a good way to learn, since he wasn''t under life-threatening dangers.


    He discarded his declining physical body for an unnecessary bother and put his whole mindful confidence into his soul. This act stumbled his physical body to the tough and cold rock. It wasn''t important. He might''ve never heard of such a game before, but it sure sounded like a cup of his tea.


    Enduring, being stubborn like a fool, and not knowing where to stop were his forte. That was at least how he viewed the term: Mental Battle. An enduring clash with time limitation.


    And according to the Punishment Act, he didn''t need to do anything but sit down and endure it for 30 minutes. That was so little time, that he didn''t hesitate much to try his chances.

 Chapter 8: Mental Battle: Murai VS Pouncing Devil

    Murai felt a rising power within himself, raging and empowering his spirit like wood tossed into a wildfire. His soul was trying in fighting spirit; it was either because of his Will to keep fighting, or the already ongoing battle filled with enduring variety of soul-cracking spells coming at him.


    More minutes passed.


    His opinion changed drastically since Rain made its first appearance, and even though this Battle wasn''t something Murai wanted, he could adjust it to his standards. There was a source for Bliss under any mortal''s hands, as long as one was curious, hurtful, or looking enough. Murai knew it. He found his spark in what the Battleworld gave him already.


    Those were unfamiliar tools, hiding behind something called learning and training. Or a skill that he had yet to get to his head.


    His soul spoke of true elder, ancient, and old memorial qualities that could shatter this Mental Battle to pieces. It sounded like a good test too. And since the battle went on without a care for physicality, he might as well figure out his options and soul.


    In the following minutes, Murai kept his soul firm and enduring. He couldn''t be shaken by any normal attempts that Rain had. From time to time, the Will of the Battleworld also followed along, notifying him of the increased Will by a few points as his soul endured dozens of powers a minute. It reached the 11th point, yet it felt like... nothing.


    When he felt Vitality rising, it was wonderful. Will felt like tossing a pebble to Void. Its increases gave him nothing notable, or was it so dull because of this intense Battle? His senses no longer moved within his flesh, but felt more... broad? He had a hard time describing and figuring out what was going on, feeling as if the world was turning still, red because of Rain''s attack, and mildly disorienting because of something unfamiliar.


    The Will of the Battleworld was of no help. It occasionally described the spells Rain was using, but that was useless when he had no way of defending than bracing against them.


    He hoped for some deeper message, though it seemed unlikely to hear or sense them. A significantly important Will of the Battleworld had to wait after this Battle.


    Those calls were quite an annoyance in the middle of the battle. It was like hearing a sibling whispering or shouting around the corner where one needed to concentrate. They caused his mental capacity to shudder from time to time, cluttering his mind over some not chances, so it didn''t bother him too much.


    In his case, he hated it from that principle alone.


    Gods... I heard that mentioned numerous times already. Which freaks are in this world, watching, or influencing shit they shouldn''t? Are they here... too? No. Gods are behind this damned system. I am stone certain this won''t work against my will! Devil of the bitch, you think too highly to go toe to toe against this little me! Murai thought too highly of himself, unaware that his ego was growing as he endured what no Level 0 beast ever endured.


    Something was turning up a notch, surprising Rain and some other figures.


    A powerful wave of the Will of the Battleworld made another crack in his head, hurting him as another ability went ahead. That happened in the 17th minute of this Mental Battle. 13 more to go...


    [New Breach has been detected, clustered along the Soul Lock, brought out by Soul Essences and Taboo]


    [Lines has been... conspired....]


    [Requirements for Hidden Abilities are usually unlocked after a minor revision]


    [Soul-Manifestation is unleashed!] The voice spoke with a significant change in attitude, almost shouting in vivid excitement and sudden change of rules.


    [It is a Hidden Ability, meant to go under the cover of unique requirements for functioning. It is individually based on what it could do and acts not by the Will, or not even the Intent. It is a mixture of it all. A true manifestation of one primeval and mysterious essence. The SOUL!]


    [There are prerequisites for it to be unleashed. For now, the unlocking sequences are adjusting, thanks to the first unlock itself. You''ve accomplished those special requirements that are unique to circumstances and individuals]


    [Main cause: your damnable soul]


    [Aspects of the Manifestation infuse the Law of Souls into reality, mending the inconceivable with conceivable. Souls are immovable, yet yours moved to the physical realms. That is what a Soul-Manifestation is. A Hidden Ability of utmost quality and special properties of the Soul]


    [Soul-Manifestation: A power of the soul makes due changes. Your soul can turn towards the higher realms with this ability]


    [Hidden Grade S]


    [It has a unique approach to power]


    [Leveless, but particularly affected by Will and soul-based powers]


    [Power Level: inconceivable, unstable, and impossible]


    A sudden clarity flushed over Murai''s mind right after the voice stopped speaking without stuttering. A sudden standstill made him feel like an explosion that moved his very own soul in a different direction. In a blink, the Soul Manifestation did its course without his choice. It was almost involuntary how it happened, but he wasn''t stopping what sounded like insanity.


    Cause? His soul? That was much to his liking, regardless of Breached which depicted things that better shouldn''t happen.


    A wave of external force entered his body from the ground, mending or changing his ways. It also turned the tides of this Battle to a new direction, pushing him, and enveloping him from the ground again, forcing him to take what Battleworld endowed. It all disappeared within him as if a black hole was the little duckling.


    It was wonder if Rain saw or felt it too. He was standing a couple of meters aside, unleashing his attacks while standing still and watching how Murai changed without a choice. He guessed well that he was new. And almost all Blessed newcomers were prone to wild changes that were often crucial. Especially this one that ended up as an Anatidae.


    Slowly, a strange vision appeared above the collapsed Murai, who long ago stumbled to the ground. Something inconceivable turned to the vivid realm. Waves of the soul flew from Murai''s body, flowing like upside-down water droplets, then steams of water, before turning to softly shaped wind. It was mostly white, but many portions were in the shape of bright fog that was colorless.


    It was large, appearing larger than Rain himself. Due to the lack of Murai''s Will, or by no choice at all, the appearance of his soul flickered in its turns, shaping up into a lofty-looking ghostly duck. It was his manifestation, staring down this Poouncing Devil with arrogance, impunity, and a mighty attitude fit for a king.


    Straightening his posture and turning his head upwards, Rain watched the sight before his 3 pairs of glowing eyes. The duckling was like an ant before him, yet the gaze of the glowing duck above was stronger than some fools from his memory. It was much stronger than it gave it any credit.


    This was no longer a duckling, but a full-blown powerful Anatidae of an unknown Class, properties, or Stage. Was it an Adolescent, Adult, Elder, or... something else that he heard from Radagan? It was a terrible assumption that stopped before turning to depression.


    That was at least what it thought, and for the better, it didn''t cause any panic or loss of control. Rain changed his posture and acted in a more reserved manner as if he decided to go all out.


    He struck his gaze against Murai''s Soul Manifestation, meeting a pair of white globes of light that swirled in endless Intent, unknown power, and immense glory of something that was out of this world. It was chaotic, yet from the outside perspective, a strange staring contest ensued next.


    Nobody moved.


    But the dust and clutter of stones formed many whirlwinds around them, as the mental battle turned quite physical. Each stared, and Murai was no longer in his body at all. His awareness was turning, swirling in the torment of something unfamiliar, yet deeply scrutinizing as if he didn''t want any of this.


    Tables turned. Now, Rain was against a much bigger foe, though Murai was still on the ground, motionless, but alive. His consciousness was much higher up, glancing at the foe below its eyes.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Rain said, ¡°What is this thing? You tiny... little thing. You are new in this world, so I won''t be too harsh, but this is a Battle of my pride. So... don''t take it as an offense. The rules of this Battle are in my favor. It is your problem you''ve gotta deal with me. Now....¡± Rain paused, dropped lower with his head, and closed his eyes, before opening them in a deep redness that did not glow. It was almost black. ¡°Creeping Pressure of 10th Lord! I will show you the might of the Demonic Army!!¡±


    Rain unleashed his best ability.


    All over him changed, turned to a black veil that sucked the air, and ceased the light. The following pressure, aura, and powerful shockwave destabilized everything as 6 waves spread like a shockwave, turning small rocks on the ground to mush, shuddering Murai''s body, and crashing some distant trees to pieces.


    Murai''s Will was unchanging, but thinly, one could notice his Soul Manifestation flinching.


    Before shuddering as if met with an army of thousands of demons.


    [Warning!] Will of the Battleworld shouted, appearing sorry, afraid, or confused. [Creeping Pressure of the 10th entered your soul and destabilized your Soul-Manifestation]


    [Beginning the repairs and fusion of the Soul-Essence! Apologizes... Repairs will take time. Meanwhile, be patient. Not dead] It spoke as if in a hurry, causing Murai to scowl regardless.


    Nothing about it hurt. The Creeping Pressure of the 10th Lord felt like many pokes sticking into the sea. Yet, Soul Manifestation dropped and shuddered, turning to a mist that hovered above the collapsed duckling. It looked lifeless on the ground, but Murai wasn''t worried. He was still attacked to it with his Living. It wouldn''t... Well, he hoped it would be otherwise, but his Curse wouldn''t leave him just because of this.


    This power that Rain used was the strongest attack he had in terms of Mental Battles. It could shatter many Wills since it was a gift from one of the powerful Lords under the Hells of this world.


    It had some nasty effects, ranging from decaying bodies to shutting physical senses, but its main forte was the ability to push the souls with utmost pressure within each wink.


    It should''ve elevated this battle in its stakes or ended it completely. Rain hoped for that, yet what he expected didn''t occur. There was a large disparity in their abilities, but not their souls. Murai''s Will was starting to take a proper shape, fusing, or mending to his body or this world, returning to its splendor in moments.


    It was no longer up to the Soul Manifestation to take him on. He waited for repair as this muddled smoke, feeling numb, thin, and like something out of some stories said to children.


    Murai''s awareness was hit by a large force, which destroyed his newly made Soul Manifestation. It was kind of dull and unfamiliar, and it couldn''t take this attack at full. Murai handled it like a stone anyway, deducing that enduring was key. Attacking wasn''t even on his mind, which might be a mistake that he overlooked.


    His experience in Mental Battles was tiny in comparison to his foe, but when it came to being stubborn, Murai was confident to find no equal. It was too bad that the Battleworld wasn''t such a nice place for his start, since he was never a fast worker, but a fast learner he might be.


    Murai learned being like this the hard way, which amounted to many lives when he took things more than slowly. He was yet to understand or come to a conclusion about what sort of life this could be, or how this world operated.


    Against the pressure, that had a speck of power of some godly power, it seemed like a mountain went against another mountain, destabilizing, but not vanishing. Rain was even hit with some backlash, wincing in his steps, unfamiliar with what he was seeing in that smoke.


    Murai''s ability wasn''t enough to defend against it, but it was enough for survival. The Battle hadn''t ended yet.


    Since the Will alone wasn''t enough, or his use of it was too poor, Murai was at least glad that his foe didn''t have something even stronger. If he did, then being one-shotted because of his unfamiliarity sounded like a laughable End.


    It resulted in some automatic restoration. Murai wasn''t sure how it acted without him doing a thing. Did something touch his soul? How he Manifested out of his body was also a worrisome topic.


    He doubted it all, knowing that nothing broke in his soul. His sense of self was the same, memories intact, and Will clear. It felt... detached, like being aware of the broader Sky while being a smokeless stretch of a river going through the ocean of Void. That was all.


    Regardless of this lesson, this battle was yet to become hopeless. This might not be a battle to the death, so Murai wasn''t inclined to act recklessly.


    All he had to do was endure this battle and the Pouncing Devil would let him go, right? He thought so, knowing Will of the Battleworld''s bent like Laws to certain rules. They should be trustworthy. Hopefully. Should he trust it? He felt there wasn''t really a choice. It was waiting in irritation, or waiting in acceptance.


    Time ticked by, and a minute after this clash, Rain resumed his attacks against the formless Soul-Manifestation. So much stress and continuous pressure were taking a toll on his mentality, yet he kept attacking, afraid of the smokes because he had never seen something like that.


    Rain was vigilant against the little duckling too, fearing that it would step up suddenly and gnaw at his feet or neck. It was a futile idea. It was Level 0. It had no power to even stand, yet its mentality was right there, living through a hit that could shatter the Wills beyond his Level. Sending mental spells against the smoke, he accepted Murai was the soul of something more powerful than his former self.


    That tremendous display of Soul Manifestation was the source of fear. Rain realized it amid this Battle. It was no time to regret. He probably made a huge mistake by accepting this non-mandatory mission. It sounded enticing, though regretful.


    A being that was yet to undergo evolution and can withstand a mental strain to this extent? Creeping Pressure was only partially effective against that mass, of... what exactly? Ghostly, yet firm and physical. What is a soul? Rain wondered, Maybe a Pact wouldn''t hurt to consider after all, but it may be too soon, or too late for that.


    He kept sending the power that was no longer restricted by the backlash. Using all of its Will, and all of its mental power, he wanted to stress the already stressed soul above the helpless duckling. It was just too bad, or too late. His attacks couldn''t do much against the sturdiness of Murai''s soul, or they couldn''t do much because most of the attack felt weak, muddled, or weakened against the formless smoke that swirled in repairs.


    On the other hand, Murai was enduring it in his cocoon, feeling how the barrages clicked against his senses, trying to crack him apart. It never went too deep to hurt him, so he awaited the source of his hopeful change.


    It happened in the 22nd minute.


    [A repair of Soul Manifestation is over. By extension, new readings, and gathered knowledge, the merge of the soul powers Breached some limits and requirements]


    [A Soul-Essence has methodologies and legacy as a leading method of Soul Pathways. It has been reshaped, added as a changed ability, ceasing the Soul- Essence away]


    [A new Attribute was added thanks to your unyielding soul and Hidden Ability that is inconceivably rare]


    [Soul Power is assembled]


    [Soul Power: A soul to quench the mind. A power to question the Origin itself. The Heavens are watching, yet souls are observing back in fear or reverence. You have a powerful one, and so it shall be mighty. Further powers and abilities are added thanks to the creation of the Soul Power]


    [Soul Power gives birth to the Soul-Body, turning the tides of your soul and a qualitative leap of your Soul Space. The Soul-Essence and Soul Power are a part of it]


    [Soul-Essence is removed and fused to the Soul-body, giving rise to a fusion of abilities within the same Origin]


    [In a true sense, it is a source of power that drives your soul, thus strengthening it along with defense and mentality]


    [Further improvements in Soul Power can unlock new properties, thus creating a new future]


    [Soul-Body: A portion of Will and soul makes its validity, hence creating and raising the strength of the soul and slightly strengthening the body. It is caused by a portion of the Soul Manifestation, along with your incredible display of undeniable powers and Will]


    [Grade C]


    [Level 1]


    [+15 to Soul Power]


    [Current Soul Power: 15]


    [Strike of the Will is strengthened to an unknown degree]


    [Body Attributes are unable to be calculated]


    Murai was aghast, muddled by the voice all over his soul. Then, something changed in clarity, moved the confusion, and his Soul Space shuddered in a display of senseless light and clarity. He felt something weird. A comfort with his soul.


    It was unfamiliar; he wasn''t used to feeling this... content. A power rushed in, and it wasn''t some attack caused by Rain, but weird strands of power that washed his senses, smoke, and soul in a wild cocoon. His vision blinked, and a power returned to his Soul Manifestation and turned the formless smoke into a swirling madness. It began deflecting some of Rain''s spells.


    Whatever was happening, Murai wasn''t in any control. Within his Soul Space, something moved, reshaping the quivering round soul into a Soul Body, slightly resembling a tiny duckling that snuggled into a ball.


    Murai wasn''t able to follow it. The message sounded interesting. Like a tiny dot in the middle of nowhere, he sensed the switch, then turned from the formless smoke to the Soul Body that remained in his body. He wasn''t keen on making a difference. What was that smoke? What was this Soul Space? Was it related to his soul? It should be. That was what he grew up knowing.


    He switched into his Soul Body right away, sensing how he entered a state that was more alive and vivid. It almost felt as if he was a ghost, or a formless Avatar, or similar to various other mythologies, legends, or techniques that worked with souls across many Skies. In this case, something changed his soul in itself, creating Soul-Body. It seemed to resemble his physicality, so it was perhaps making it sturdier.


    The soul became what


    under his watch? A stronger version of itself? How was it possible to change his soul of all things? Murai never heard of such an external thing handling his soul like that. Perhaps it was... No fucking way. Murai refused that idea in a heartbeat. He didn''t believe in anything without any claim or his idea first.


    But he really did feel a bit sturdier from his previous state. He figured there was some way to strengthen his soul in this life, it seemed.


    An uproar of pricing pressure swept his awareness next. Everything clicked together, stabilizing, and connecting. It was as if a powerful current of energy explosion raised his awareness outwards, uncovering his Soul Space that felt like a dull Void at first, but now, it felt like an immense Sky. He even sensed some light somewhere. Anywhere, or nowhere? What was it, he didn''t know.


    He didn''t know how to feel it either, but it felt like a bomb exploded in the middle of his head.


    Outside, Rain knew what was happening. He watched how Murai''s body was nurtured by streaks of formless light, traveling into him from the ground and shuddering the hopeless duckling that he couldn''t touch. Above it, the Soul Manifestation swirled, with notable strands connected to the body underneath.


    Everything was connected.


    So, he takes the blessings of Boosts that well, huh? In the middle of this Battle of all things? Luck is an inconceivable thing like Fate. This is neither, I suppose. Or a monster. It is an utter monster. Rain reckoned as he stopped all spells. He felt betrayed by his expectation, yet if he lost, there were no worries either.


    Being a Punisher was kind of a Bliss. There were hardly any losses for them, as many thought of this position as a bullying opportunity against those who committed Breaches or some crimes.


    Murai didn''t feel that different from before after everything calmed down in what felt like a minute, or an hour. He lost track of time.


    Then, a click sound echoed, and a voice whispered.


    [A portion of the Will was added to the Body Attributes according to the Soul-Body connection]


    [+2 to Body Attributes]


    [Current Strength 20, Dexterity 20, Vitality 23]


    [Soul-Essence did reach a new height, becoming a greater thing on its own. It did serve a purpose. The power of the Will was tidied according to the Soul-Body]


    [Congratulation! You have reached the threshold of Level 1]


    [First Evolution is behind the corner, acting as the mandatory Step and necessary choice]


    [Cause: reached 20 Vitality, the threshold of a higher power according to confidential criteria, limits for first Anatidae evolution are reached]


    [All is done, and the body and soul are ready. Anatidae can reach much higher and new heights with various effective evolutions stemming from their complicated Bloodline. Possibilities within your species are endless, though subject to the requirements, your findings, or your willingness to follow your choice]


    [Unlike with abilities, evolutions act with choices in mind. It is up to you to handle it, as Battleworld created them to pivot the balancing scales of this world''s beasts]


    [Your beginner ones are following the most likely variables, readings of your Bloodlines, and possibilities under the Master Evolutionary]


    [Anatidae Panacea: A powerful sub-species of the Anatidae species. It can use soul powers, and magic and has well-rounded possibilities of survival and body-based abilities]


    [Overall: It is a mighty evolution that takes no unprecedented difficulties to follow thanks to magic and tough physicality]


    [Class D]


    [Anatidae of the Death: A Soul Servant of the Depths. A Pact with the God of Death allowed the descendant of the Death to follow the Path of Necromancy and some mutations surrounding ancient times. Soul magic is a powerful tool of this sub-species, allowing a vast variable of powers to occur. This sub-species was significantly improved by the order of one particular Anatidae which is under the influence of the God of Death and... surprisingly, it is in your Bloodline, acting as your direct ancestor and not outer influence]


    [Your Bloodline has a part of that choice, thus influencing this choice to be made, when it would, otherwise, be unattainable]


    [Overall: A special evolution with remarkable abilities with unknown might depending on background, Bloodline, and talent of the individual]


    [It is impossible to calculate the potency of a Child of this sub-species]


    [Class C]


    [Anatidae Peniscula: A fighter like any other demonic beast of powerful Bloodline and history. The body is a temple. Flesh is the fuel. Blood is the epitome of Bliss. Everything can''t be important. Magic is diminished in this sub-species but its power lies in other heights. It has a higher aptitude over flesh and physicality, changing this sub-species in many forms.


    [It has a significantly higher ceiling of physicality than other choices. Special powerful body abilities are thus a main power of this sub-species]


    [Overall: A majestic species of Anatidae species and their might can rule over others in a way that is clear to the eyes and bodies]


    [Class D]


    A triplet of choices was available in his soul, but Murai couldn''t choose any right now. Even if he could, he would think twice about such a significant thing.


    His opponent''s pressure resumed in reality, turning Murai''s mind and attention back. Even against his stranded soul, Murai had to be aware of his reality. He stepped up his game right there and then. He hadn''t forgotten Rain pushed him over an edge that he didn''t want to feel. It was a threat. This Pouncing Devil wanted his life.


    Something in his mind changed again, closely similar to the time when Murai decided to kill that helpful Devil Fox. Perhaps Rain''s soul was quite special as well, but Murai doubted that. He was against something that was Level 54! If it didn''t reek of imbalance, then what?


    The course of time and awareness returned to normal. Murai realized that barely 10 seconds passed. The shaking throughout his soul stopped until it became like mindful melancholic steam akin to the sea before a storm. Boost stopped, and Murai''s soul became a bit stronger throughout Rain''s endless pursuit.


    Perhaps it wasn''t any pursuit. Perhaps it was a gift.


    It was not long after Murai calmed, that his switch and Soul Manifestation returned to its glory, blinking back to a lofty duck-looking king of ghosts. Then, the battle changed its tide. Rain underestimated this far too much, knowing it was a long time since he took this sort of optionable mission seriously. But he used the Creeping Pressure! It didn''t grant him a victory either. Someone will be nasty about it for sure.


    I can''t affect this soul any longer? Don''t tell me this was the chance for this Anatiade to grow instead. Was the Punishment Act a farce? Just? Rain thought further into the reality of this situation, furrowing his weakening eyes. He was almost correct.


    Though, this was supposed to be a kill before a storm.


    In the remaining time, Murai felt the world and this Battle within his Soul Manifestation, cracking its familiarity under his senses and limits. He endured this fight to the bitter end. A much notable dunk glared at the Pouncing Devil from above with impunity of any harm or arrogance. It was confidence.


    The rest of the time went by without a challenge, allowing Murai to win without lifting a wing. He could''ve fought back. Rain knew it, but doubted it to the very end. Perhaps his foe was stupid? How was that possible with such an enormous soul?


    Then, the mechanical voice echoed to both of them, giving them different voices each.


    [Congratulation! You have successfully vanquished the 30 minutes of Mental Battle. Punishment Act has been complicated. Crime has been omitted as a mistake]


    ¡°Mistake?!¡± Murai shouted within his mind; his Soul Manifestation grimaced in annoyance, flinching Rain in his steps. He felt... fear in the unknown. How? He battled in this world for years. Decades! He was member of a Hell for Hell''s sake! He met Gods within his eyes. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [+2 to your Will]


    [Body Attributes +2]


    [Current Strength 22, Dexterity 22, Vitality 25]


    [Level Up is available: Evolution is mandatory]


    [Additional rewards will be unraveled by choice of your evolution]


    [It would be stupid to not do so otherwise, so the timer to do so is 1 day]


    Murai heard the Will of the Battlewrold with indifference, even though he was waiting for this endurance fight to be over. Rain''s pressure disappeared right at the end of the 29th minute.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Finding his connection back to his physical body was easy enough, and Murai forcefully opened his weak eyes after some time. He wasn''t even sure how or when his Soul Manifestation ended, but it disappeared back to the physical body at some point during his switch or the end of this Battle.


    Rain was still before him when he woke up, still collapsed on the ground and feeling tiny like a piece of shit. It felt completely different from being that impassive ghostly duck king. And that damned Pouncing Devil seemed to be waiting for him like a puppy before its master: hesitantly, with some hidden fears, yet some bits of reverence.


    ¡°Are you awake?¡± Rain asked, forcing his Will onto Murai''s. It wasn''t discomforting, but it sure was odd hearing a voice echo out of nowhere.


    ¡°Tsh... I am.¡± Murai emitted some noise through his Will, figuring that the methodology of commencing some conversation was possible if the other was accomplishing it. This was the only way; Murai doubted Rain would understand his quacks anyway, yet he asked many questions as if he did.


    Sending a voice out was rather easy when he thought about it. It was like finding an anchor to a soul, which Soul Read helped with surprisingly well. It went with the Will also, channeling the inner thoughts to follow the Will to others. It was a matter of experience and a bit of practice, so Murai found a neat balance after a couple of tries, surprising Rain once more.


    If one succeeded once in forming this connection, it became much easier afterward.


    ¡°You? Your Soul... What are you? Who were you, exactly?¡± Rain asked frantically, appearing like a rather startled chicken. He appeared not that frightening anyone, as if he understood what was before it, or who, to be exact.


    ¡°An old soul, I suppose. I appreciate this battle, dear Devil. Wait... You aren''t a Devil, right? It is just a neat tricky name to sound impressive, right?¡± Murai sent back.


    ¡°You jest...¡± Rain sighed and visibly calmed and ceased his awkward manners away.


    ¡°Anyhow, you helped me understand the status of my soul and even the first evolution before my eyes. This was a very plentiful and first major battle for the start of this life.¡± Murai spoke without any speck of anger aimed at Rain. But, he would lie if he hadn''t felt some discomfort when looking at this tall and impressive-looking beast.


    Both must be glad for this to be over.


    ¡°F-first? You never even figured the first one out?¡± Rain asked and shock entered his eyes and voice again


    ¡°Eh? Does little Level 7 Devil Fox count? Never mind, is it that surprising? Isn''t a Mental Battle unrelated to the levels or fundamental differences of our species? It reminds me of the soul battles, which aren''t that crazy when I think about it. They just form tremendous things on everything apart from the body. However, it did something unpleasant to my body. I can''t even get up since the difference in our physicality is too large. Thanks for that... asshole.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that? I... It is.. surprising, but it is also a course of the soul and one powerful Will. You already reached the threshold of the first Will, didn''t you?¡±


    ¡°If you meant the threshold of some numbers, then I have no idea what you mean. I have yet to understand a lot about this world. I have been awake for very little, and this species is... questionably weak with growing up. Took me ages to get over my first steps.¡± Murai exaggerated his time without any shame. He tended to be like that with others unrelated to him.


    Rain fell silent for a while, observing the helpless duckling before his triplet pairs of eyes, pondering over something. What did he want?


    Murai was rather speechless by the aftermath of this battle. He won, yet he felt like a loser instead. His soul felt exhilarated, but his body was the exact opposite. It took immense effort to move his body afterward alone, and even then, he doubted he could step without stumbling. It wasn''t because of wounds, but he felt as if he weighed a mountain and a half, while some unfamiliarity returned.


    As that ghostly duck, he felt no problems. It almost felt divine!


    Part of this problem was still on Rain. His range of attacks did influence the flesh as well. Many ended up influencing Murais'' body to the smallest extent possible. Nothing ended up broken, though his feathers were disheveled and his muscles strained.


    It was a wonder what would a more potent Blessed with higher mental strength do. What if a level 80, or 90 came to this battle instead? Murai was sure he would''ve died.


    A soul was a powerful commodity. It could become physical in some mysterious ways, turned frantic, and nothing short of a miracle. Like magic, souls were complicated. That was the truth.


    If Murai''s soul had failed more, or if those readings and voices hadn''t given him a thing, perhaps he would''ve struggled more. Win or not, he doubted the End would come. Which was a shame, or not? Nah, that would perhaps be a Blessings instead, or straight-up impossibility thanks to his Cursed Living.


    A few minor exchanges between him and Pouncing Devil later, Murai got to his feet, struggling to move in nauseous dizziness. He guessed it was the effect of his returned Will to his physical body. The world that was before him was stranger and less vivid than before. Something changed once more, but he didn''t know what.


    ¡°Can I have a rather bold question?¡± Rain asked after seeing Murai move better than he thought he would.


    Murai stretched his strained body and looked at his past foe carefully, sizing him down and up. When he spoke so politely, one wouldn''t think he was a powerful being close to some impressive figures.


    ¡°You can. Why hesitate, or do you have something special in mind? The Battle is over, so I would rather rest and go over my first evolution. It sounds interesting.¡± Murai told.


    ¡°I see... that. The thing is... I am a native of this world. This Battleworld may be a new thing for your soul, so let me be frank. That is my guess. One thing that piqued my attention is your lack of Life Companion. How long it has been since you came here?¡±


    ¡°Why are you curious?¡±


    ¡°Because I am interested in forming a Pact with you,¡± Rain said politely, flinching his neck down to make a slight bow, explaining his acts while sounding like a haggler.

 Chapter 9: Trade of Knowledge

    ¡°Pact? In what context should I view that word?¡± Murai asked, curious about what he meant. ¡°Just so you know, you are the first intelligent being I am even meeting, let alone speak to. I don''t know a lot about what I am even speaking about. When it comes to the methods that should be common in this world, I am not sorry if I can''t respond to your liking.¡± He added in an honest and calm voice.


    ¡°T-that is fine... Fine. Newcomers in the Battleworld aren''t anything uncommon, but this situation is still strange to me regardless of knowing your... case. So, I apologize for being so intrusive.¡± Rain spoke hesitantly and returned from his bow. ¡°Let me introduce myself first. I am also Blessed like you, and am of native standing, meaning that I haven''t seen the different Sky, but worked throughout this world all my lives. Some call me Rain; others Pouncer, or... bird. A Level 54 Pouncing Devil. Am a member of Demonic Armies too. In the broader terms of the world, we are more known as Demon Legions but that isn''t important.¡± Rain proudly enunciated his statement by folding one of his huge wings to his chest, bowing like a gentleman.


    ¡°54... I heard that before, so what in the actual sense of balance?! How the hell I was allowed to fight you? What sort of crap is that?¡± Murai shouted, appearing so flustered that only quacks made it out. He knew Rain''s level since the start, so shouting his agitation over this large disparity was long in his mind. It was insane. This whole Punishment Act was.


    The complaints that Rain heard were enough validation, though those quacks seemed to put Rain in a difficult position. Making him frown and sigh at the same time, he couldn''t help but agree about the strangeness of this situation. But he chose to accept his time on his behalf and benefit, acting like many would. After all, if he hadn''t reached out to Murai first, someone else would.


    This unbalanced level difference was not his idea, but a mission set by Will of the Battleworld. Rain''s general view on it was significantly different from Murai''s, implying that choices mattered when one could take them, solve them, or move with care around them. It ended up punishing Murai''s inactive life of a Blessed, yet no one told him about inactivity being a crime.


    Rain knew how this world acted, even though he was 34 years old as this demonic eagle species. Considering his past life as a native, he was much older. A Pouncing Devil was the name of the sub-species of his choice. It might be his first, or second one. It was hard to tell, but it was also part of the Path he followed himself. And because he liked it, he named himself closer to that choice, forming a deep connection to a Path of Endless Rain.


    ¡°C-calm down for a minute,¡± Rain insisted. ¡°This was a mental battle and souls can fight regardless of the huge disparity. It was fair, or not at all if I see it from my perspective. You went against me like a devil. You defeated me in this battle as easily as lifting that head of yours. Your soul, or something... is more than shameless and strange. I was surprised at first to see a Punishing Act against such a weak opponent. Call me impressed, but you went through this without problems. Trust me.¡±


    ¡°Impressed about what? My mighty self? Tiny legs?¡± Murai told, chuckling at his own words, and glancing at his body. He calmed down as if he joked, but he wasn''t. He was frustrated, yet like clouds or many hearts, his mind changed in a flash.


    ¡°It''s your soul. It''s menacing. Made me think of some Generals of the Demonic Legions and also some Angels. Those monsters are far out of my standing... yet you remind me of them!? Call me! I dare you.¡±


    Murai scoffed at him, unwilling to make any comment on this topic.


    ¡°Who were you before coming here? Please, tell me!¡± Rain pled, ¡°I can sense your unfamiliarity. You said it before. Young and without a soul to follow your acts. You aren''t familiar with the Battleworld.¡±


    It was no speculation. Rain held many experiences that had many ties with numerous beings of this world. Be it from life or death, or battles and friendships, this world was far from being wastelands.


    Knowledge was power. Without power, one couldn''t lift one''s knowledge, and bear the weight of it all.


    ¡°I already told you... An old soul, I guess.¡± Murai uttered, not willing to talk much about himself. ¡°Anyway, what is a Pact? Is it some form of companionship?¡±


    Rain folded his wing back, straightened his head, thinking of something else, and willing to explain himself and this world for Murai''s lack of knowledge. It had nothing disguised. Rain through he might as set this new Blessed with some prize for this upsetting Battle.


    ¡°Pact is a form of companionship. Yes. Not heavy on Oaths though. In its most basic form, it is like a small pact of friendship, or it can become like a brotherhood, forming a bond where you can experience some effects throughout one''s life, power, or various benefits. It is similar to what companions do. Only the Blessed can bear very potent Pacts, let me tell you that. We can be quite...popular. Sometimes far too much.¡±


    ¡°Why should I care about that? Or is it... Do you think of a different kind of Pact? There must be other ways to make one follow some fools and unlike some form of brotherhood.¡± Murai uttered with a questionable glance at Rain, thinking of slaving seals, various mixtures of chains, or spiritual control spells.


    ¡°It... That isn''t right. Well, think of it as a small token before thinking of something wild. It may come in handy one day, and I have some power in this Redglory Forest. The reason I was even allowed to move was that I am not someone shady.¡±


    ¡°Says someone who nearly wiped the floor with me...¡± Murai wasn''t kidding. That was what he felt.


    Rain would digress. ¡°Says someone who took it all in without little trouble. You grew as we fought. You are welcome.¡±


    ¡°Eh, so you are saying you are familiar with this place?¡± Murai''s interest was certainly piqued. This kind of help wasn''t worth refusing.


    ¡°Yes. I traveled a rather decent part of the Battleworld in my years of living as a flying beast. Wasting time on the ground isn''t my work. Who else can say that they traveled even across the continents without the power of an Extreme? Hm? Isn''t it impressive?¡± Rain said, proudly shoving his beak upwards, then to the lake. ¡°Not even this Redglory Forest is much when one regards the world. It is much vaster than one could imagine. The only reason I have for being here is my secondary nest and because of the lake down below.¡± S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I see. In that case,¡± Murai glanced at Rain with a smirk that seemed strange on this duck''s face, ¡°What about some trade of information instead? I don''t care about some useless Pact or whatever you are trying to tell. You have something I need. Information.¡±


    Against that idea and unwillingness to form a Pact, Rain found it reasonable and not surprising. Refusing was a good idea, perhaps. He wasn''t sure what he had expected from a fresh soul that hadn''t seen much of this world, so Rain went ahead with what he knew. Pact was a very fair system, using the bond of souls and words of both sides, depicting connection and team. Rain tried it out of nothing but a choice. Small one. Far from being a certain for a plan.


    But one that would remain at zero if he wouldn''t ask. He asked, and for a moment, Murai might''ve considered, but he changed it in a heartbeat.


    Rain expected that one day, the need for help would come. It was inevitable in this hungry world. Murai was powerful enough as a duckling and well outside of his standards, so who knew what he would be like in the far future? Rain tried to play a long-term game and failed.


    Rain would be the one to gain a lot from this Pact, but he didn''t even know the full measurement of it. What was a native, Blessed, or a bird flying across the sky? Murai saw worlds burning, cracking apart under his eyes, and feeling the depths of so much Dread and people dying. So often. Menacing. Deadly. It felt burning when he dreamt of the End.


    A Pact with an Anatidae would be questionable in all senses of purpose, but it was far from being stupid when Rain knew the rules. What was before him was an insane abnormality. An Anatidea was half of the picture. A simple member from this powerful family of demonic ducks should be at least this powerful, yet it was bigger than that idea.


    Rain understood it right away. Growth was one of the things. He felt how Murai changed and turned the tide. Although Anatidaes weren''t normal and were hard to find, they had all sorts of variables, history, places, and rumors about them. Some were up to Rain''s knowledge, but few personal experiences.


    Despite that... he saw some of them before. And if left Dread in his mind, far detached from this one. If it wasn''t for his position in some Legion, he wouldn''t know what to think. One thing stood among the others. That was their oddity, detachment from the world, and rarity of their members. No Hell ever tamed them, which was surprising, considering Hells were powers equal to the opposite spectrum of Divides.


    Next came their power, or was it the most prominent thing? Rain wasn''t certain.


    Hatched Anatidae was a rarity that hadn''t happened in many years. Every new one was a public matter amongst those who researched their numbers or species. The Will of the Battleworld cared about them as well, so that might be why. Due to some issues, or information, every newly hatched member ended up known. That was common knowledge to those who could afford this knowledge, yet Rain never heard of Murai.


    He could tell from his appearance that he lived for enough time. His mere point about the starting evolution proved that fact. Here in the Redglory Forest, he grew for at least a month or two.


    Battleworld was a tough place to live from time to time, or continent to continent. Poor, clumsy, and weak little ducklings all alone posed no issue for it to die. But when one grew up properly, it was a disaster that brewed for centuries.


    ¡°Alright. I agree with the trade.¡± Rain nodded with his beak, sitting down to form better eye contact with Murai. He was still quite tall; he couldn''t help it. ¡°Let me start first by answering your questions. What are you curious about? Some words of wisdom about the Will of the Battleworld or something about the Battlewold itself? Politics? Hells? Gods?¡±


    ¡°The Will of this Shittyworld can go screw itself if I am being honest. Talk about it first. It was more of an annoyance when we fought.¡± Murai scowled, shunning the honesty that seemed to come out of him on its own. ¡°Still, I am aware of how this interesting and intriguing new world might act. It seems interesting enough to make me serious, so give me a small overview of this world, Gods, factions, or regions. That shouldn''t be that bad for the start, won''t it?¡± Murai specifically omitted the part about his past or knowledge of many words. Talking about that was never a good thing.


    Rain paused, surprised by his demands and change of pace.


    ¡°Talk about Gods isn''t something that can be uttered so casually, so I won''t talk about them far too much. They are watchful folks, like you, or many others.¡± Rain politely refused, but before he gave Murai a choice to voice some sentences, he continued. ¡°As for this world, it is in the form of a large planet. It forms many islands filled with detachment from others, filling them with all kinds of beings. Continents form a planet known as a Battleworld.¡±


    ¡°No shit,¡± Murai added, ¡°this isn''t some flat land or some ring planet.¡±


    ¡°Ring planet?¡± Rain''s feathers winced on their own, forming a shudder or an involuntary pull akin to a brow raising. Murai hadn''t added anything new, so he continued. ¡°Known as the God of Battle''s Domain, this planet houses many Gods who are in regular activities connected with their Kingdoms, or various Hells. It still acts as a world like any other, but Gods are more active here Not sure how it is far in the Skies though. Here, they solve or pay some grudges to each other in many ways. That makes this world rather chaotic.¡±


    ¡°Oh? That sounds like Gods indeed. World, too.¡± Murai commented.


    ¡°As for the factions, this is a rather troublesome topic. There are simply far too many of them, so let''s talk about the bigger fish in the pond. There are angels, demons, devils, humans, elves, and all kinds of beasts, monstrous races, fools with Ancient blood that don''t want to leave the past behind, and folk with even harder awareness of all kinds of humanoids. Humans are masterminds of the Surface. That is what you see all around the planet. Though, if I have one thing to tell you about humans, then it is their variety, growth, and potential. Then, we have the rest that is easily this,¡± Rain widely stretched his wings. ¡°tall and complicated.


    ¡°Rest in a sense of variety or numbers?¡± Murai asked.


    ¡°Both. There is a tremendous variety of species because the Will of the Battleworld constructs this world in a manner that is simple to change, or follow in new or various ways. Some called it chaotic evil, or necessary chaos. You probably already know why, don''t you?¡±


    Murai nodded with his beak. ¡° Evolution is an answer, followed by the voice and unknown rules too oblivious to me yet. Countless choices add complexity. Your words are indeed satisfactory. What are you interested in this duckling me? I may answer as best as I can, but can''t offer much if I am honest.¡±


    ¡°That isn''t a big deal. A beginner''s life is tough. I get that. Trust me. The small and smart start is fitting, so how long have you been here in this world?¡± Rain asked.


    ¡°270 or something days since my birth is what I think is right to tell.¡±


    ¡°That little? Anatidae has a long stretch of hatchling time, so you must have been out of your egg for less than a month. Is that right?¡± Rain guessed as he wondered where this one went. But Murai wasn''t that keen on time or his days.


    ¡°Ask something else then. You did tell me more before, and my casual answer is less than important.¡±


    A fair one, huh? Rain thought and asked something else.


    He was curious about his version of powers and his overall status, though Murai was rather brief with his words because he didn''t like being too detailed about things he wasn''t that sure about. Since he didn''t know much, he had little to offer. Rain knew it, so he wasn''t complaining. And since he was just before the starting evolution, there were bound to be many changes.


    Rain said all of them were critical points in life, and hardly conceivable to think of them as treasures. They were a rarity, major steps for many beasts, as well as choice.


    While they were at this talk, Rain explained the broader version of the abilities and attributes, as well as the evolution itself. As Rain understood this personally, the first step in this world was reaching Level 1, thus creating a sub-species category of one''s species that would become like a first step on a ladder. Afterward, one would gain evolutions regarding this sub-species in particular, which might be fixed with lesser differences or broadened into something else.


    He said it worked with some unlocking agencies that were hard to specify, and that he wasn''t sure what Murai could be like because he had no idea about Anatidae evolutions.


    Thus, he explained it simply as if speaking to a child.


    Apart from some speculations, general prowess, and their rarity, he had little to offer. Hence, Rain spoke about things that he could without being too deflated about his lack of knowledge. It wasn''t surprising; Anatidae knowledge wasn''t that easy to get. It wasn''t his first time seeing it. That was true. But it was definitely the first Anatidae that was a Blessed That was a terrific prospect that shook his mind, but not his voice.


    Evolution, in the direct sense of the word, was a transformation of the body that followed certain criteria and Bloodlines. Those were the choices that Will of the Battleworld determined, though the final deciding factor was still the person seeing these choices. Murai was a beast prone to them. Not some human who had fewer evolution choices and these prospects.


    They weren''t a rarity. All beasts and monsters had a choice to evolve at least once. What happened in success or failure was something Rain omitted. He said that everything had some special connection to the Will of the Battleworld; be it Paths and various ways of powers. Evolutions were one of those, depicting a fundamental structure and system that was nurturing all sorts of beasts and demons in their desired progression. That might be part of a Path too, or strictly an evolution alone.


    Murai appreciated this talk.


    It gave him some answers, but also wonders. For example, the Blessed part was wonderful and intriguing. He and Rain were people with memories of the past life intact, which meant that the Afterlife hadn''t taken them, while this world took that for... something? Murai wasn''t sure what implications it had for him, though it sure sounded fun when he heard Rain talk about reputation and the world.


    It was sad for those who hadn''t gotten this Blessed chance. Having life''s worth of memories from the start was a huge disparity. It was rare for such cases to reach further into this world, yet the number of non-blessed beings was much larger than the number of Blessed. How much? Rain didn''t know the right answer.


    This discussion went on for an hour until Murai stopped it, feeling that the always-talking Rain turned out to be quite a pain in the ass. He was still trying to talk about all sorts of stuff about him. Pact, knowledge of the soul or his past, and so on. It was getting on his nerves, so Murai stopped this trade for good.


    Answering his bothering last questions about his origin was easy. Murai put it as bluntly as possible.


    ¡°I used to be quite powerful before, so what does it matter? Don''t tell me you, as a Level 54, are like a kid, interested in such meaningless exchanges about some distant past? Reality is often what is important. Past, not so much.¡± Murai compelled his Will, sending a serious message to Rain.


    ¡°I AM!¡± Rain answered resolutely. ¡°What''s wrong with being curious? That''s how a person can grow and put things into many perspectives. I found you interesting, so that was the reason for our conversation to begin with. I could''ve flown away and never seen you again. Why, though? No need to take it seriously if you aren''t willing. A term of saving face, as you proclaimed half an hour ago, isn''t something this world has. Benefits, usability, and ploys are there, but morale, fighting spirit, and personal power are the apex that makes the true difference. Do you get it? I bet so.¡±


    He answered the best he could, clutching his talons onto the cliff, and making long screeching sounds and stretches of cracks. Rain was agitated by this, but he also saw that Murai was having none of that.


    Seeing and hearing him, Murai turned around, walking towards the forest.


    He watched his small body struggle against rocks on the way, and an irritating mood was within him.


    ¡°Last question! Really,¡± Rain insisted for the last moment. ¡°Are you interested in the Road of Power?¡±


    ¡°Power? It is always like that. Everyone wants that. Everything follows that. Who doesn''t, know nothing. Those are the lucky ones.¡± Murai sent him without turning back.


    Rain paused. He liked how it sounded. ¡°Well, we of this world call it many names. Power is a greater truth, and the higher it goes, the tougher it gets. Power. You were powerful in the past, so maybe this has something do to with your current life. Do you even know that in the progression of higher beings... there is already a point of coming close to Gods? This world takes that to a new different dimension. Many Gods made up their Spark here! Legendary stuff, really.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? You already told me that before. Twice, even, apart from that God part. I know of them. More than I am willing to admit,¡± Murai didn''t turn, giving him a stoic answer with his back. ¡°I can''t be bothered with hearing any more of this. Gods aren''t almighty, you see. That is common sense that I understood by understanding what it means to go against one and.... never mind.¡± He sighed at the end.


    Turning his face towards the cliff, he watched the brightness of many colors. It was a vast sight of an enormous cliff for his little perspective. It was as if he watched the world from a lofty position, although the enormous lake took most of it.


    Murai''s last words surprised Rain, giving him a much firmer idea.


    ¡°But yes... I am indeed a taker of Power if you put it like that,¡± Murai nodded. ¡°It has always been the case and I plan to walk a Path if I want to. This Anatidae stuff is new to me. I may not understand it now, but I will. One day.¡±


    Revealing the portion of his motion and hope, Rain didn''t find it that strange to hear that. It also confirmed something else.


    He hoped to hear something different, however. Something more exotic like Murai''s whole perception and soul, but this would do for now. How many things could make sense and possibilities on how a soul could become so strong? By living, more living, and getting powerful. How else than that?


    However, the question of many was ridiculous. Rain would never consider Murai to be something insane like a person living hundreds of lives. He held his memories tight. He could recognize the others like him, but Murai was an enigma. Rain''s perspective on this was poor, but it didn''t mean a bad thing. It just meant a secret and mystery that Rain took for granted, or the exact opposite of that.


    Rain understood how Murai''s melancholy remembered the past.


    Past...


    Rain wondered how he reached that chance.


    What did it even mean for one to remember their past life? Did it mean that a soul itself went against the will of the universe? Its Laws that predate the lives?


    Rain couldn''t force his mind to consider such a lofty mindset that could act against the universe itself. That, or perhaps it was more complicated than that, or much simpler? It could be possible. Simple as that. Either way, he couldn''t get clean answers from Murai. He could be forceful, but that would be impolite, and he already got plenty from him.


    ¡°If that''s so,¡± Rain said, grabbing a piece of a long feather from his wing by his beak. Flinching, he let it loose, flicking it to the ground like a dart. The sharp end of the feather pierced the rocky cliff, shaking it as if it were hit with a powerful strike.


    Murai shuddered on the spot, feeling the powerful tremors run to his tiny legs, shaking them.


    This...guy. This is what he is capable of? He could wipe me with a pinch of his beak. No joke. Murai grimaced, stabilizing himself while flapping his wings.


    ¡°This feather will stay here for a long time,¡± Rain proclaimed, glancing at Murai and the feather that remained between them. ¡°If you want to know more about this world, or are interested in the acts of the Demonic Legions, or battle of Godly powers, feel free to reach out to this feather. It may contact me if I am close or far away. Even with the failure of the Pact, I don''t mind being a helper or part of some transaction again. Consider it a courtesy of a well-adjusted veteran on this Battleworld, little friend. ¡±


    Rain said his last wish, folding his wings far and wide, and flicking them down, creating a powerful gust of wind that propelled him into the air.


    And causing dust and mess around the cliff to flare up. Murai watched that feather, knowing that this was fair. It was only a statement without hidden meanings or a price.


    ¡°Last question!¡± This time, Murai called.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Rain stopped midair, gazing down below, flapping his wings.


    ¡°Why did you not kill me?¡± His question encompassed all kinds of explanations and intent. Rain said this world was ruthless. The possibility of killing someone in a confrontation was endless. Murai learned that Rain was experienced in the physical battles much better than some mental gymnastics, but that didn''t mean he couldn''t force the situation to perform some nasty surprises.


    One possibility, in particular, was clear to him. Rain''s power was far from being depleted, and he was as calm as an unmoving lake according to his Soul Read. The calmness was vast, and even through some fearful undulations, Rain remained rather calm. It was probably because his Path didn''t involve the soul powers at all. It was just a little bit of his secondary mastery.


    Murai was sure he would''ve ended his life with another use of that pressuring ability of the 10th Lord, or some derivate technique.


    That was at least his hunch. If he felt that, it wasn''t wrong in many cases.


    ¡°Why, indeed?¡± Rain pondered. ¡°It is simple. Killing those underneath me is not fitting. It is a violation of the Battleworld when nothing is nigh. I lost. I shouldn''t be something petty. I don''t want to break the rules. You are small, tiny, and nothing worth slaying for some troubles. Even though it would be possible. Oh, I forgot you don''t know what I mean... Sorry.¡± Rain awkwardly brushed his head with his talons.


    ¡°There is a punishment for killing low-level players or citizens under such events. It is a rule regardless of this Punishment Act that was forced upon you. No one wants to go against rules set up by the God of Battle. Well, it is possible, if one is brave enough to piss off this world and Gods. It is here for understandable reasons, but I won''t tell it. Figure it out yourself, since it is part of our living and now, yours.¡± Rain explained and left, leaving Murai behind on the cliff.


    He was standing alone, glancing at the lake. The gust of wind from before pushed his feeble body quite some distance away, not far from the forest.


    Well, that was a much nicer conversation than I expected from someone who wanted to kill me. Rain is indeed a careful fella. He didn''t reveal too much or too little. A clever one who gets the world and schemes. He wanted me, though. Why? For what? I kind of like him, so I may consider what to make of him later. He thought as he observed a taller feather than himself.


    It was shining in the sunlight, glistering like some kind of sword. Rain pierced it to the rocky surface, and Murai couldn''t even move it with his pinching beak, or kicks of his legs.


    Can I eat this feather? A question appeared in his mind, but he didn''t dare to try it.


    He won this Punishment Act fair and square, grew, and got some interesting things out of it. That was the most important thing. Alas, he still appreciated more things from this trade than that battle.


    He had a new goal. A small step towards his endless road of many lives was intense and filled with dreadful consequences. Information. They were important. Knowledge about this world too. If many Gods were lurking around this planet, then maybe it could be time for him to get his revenge. Not against them, but against the whole universe.


    ¡°So this world has its rules that Gods made because of some politics and their hopes? It seems this planet is under the jurisdiction of the God of Battle. Sounds different if he is regarded as a sole Ruler. There must be a lot of disputes because of Gods, thus even mortals can take a glimpse at them and fight for their sake. If I can get involved in that, grow, and live, perhaps there is a chance to turn the tides in my favor. Count me in!¡± Murai decided on a long-term goal, quacking joyfully, jumping up and down, and looking towards the sky.


    ¡°Watch a fucking duckling shake the heavens, you old farts!¡± He quacked forth, wishing he would do it with his middle finger instead.


    Walking out of this section of the forest, he had a thing to do.


    Evolution wouldn''t happen on its own.

 Chapter 10: Problem of evolutions

    A couple of hours later, the addition of Rain''s explanations led to a less stressed journey.


    Murai learned why most of the monsters didn''t cause trouble for him. It wasn''t because he was hiding that well, or was a threat. It was simply because they didn''t view him as a target of interest. He was too weak and too young. The rules of the jungle seemed to be different.


    Murai underestimated the worth of rules. This world was far from the norm.


    Being a Blessed gave him various advantages, but Rain briefly discussed that topic. It was mostly about the souls, which might be another possibility as to why some of the surrounding beasts ran away from him. Instincts and a keen sense of danger were mandatory for survival.


    As for the rules, the reason for some battles or balancing issues was clever to downright weird. It was turning the world into a battle-stricken madness where desirable living and power moved against the norm. It was almost against the natural laws. Especially to those of some lower status.


    Blessed were crazy beings that ended up reborn for the giggles of Gods. That was the plain remark Rain said. Murai hadn''t gotten a clue why this sort of thing existed. But it reminded him of his Cursed Living that had no stops. Memories and souls, Blessed were like him but with only a single life behind them. How did it work?


    What if it had some correlation to him? After so many years and lives, he finally found something.


    Blessed could be anything. Human races, species of beasts and demons, to weird creatures stemming from different worlds. None knew how Blessed came to be, however. They could become anything and turn the tides of the world in a new light, or shadows.


    The Level that Murai gathered was portraying a certain power, analysis, and quality. Rain said it was the worth of an individual, ranging from danger, power, degree of amassing life, and attributes. That was a simple idea that Murai accepted. As a Level 0, he was somewhat omitted to take part in the dangers of this world.


    Rain talked about the world most of the time; his words confirmed issues and answered many questions.


    Unfortunately, Murai was still unaware of his near future, and what he should be doing. Living was an easy answer. But living wasn''t what he was seeking like a gem and blessing. He wanted something more than that.


    This world had its messed up reasons, often indulging in Chaos and wild courses of power. One could still expect an Order from this place, but Rain pressed that many locations and people take this world for something else than others. He almost pressed that his words lacked a beat, arguing that Murai would understood it sooner on his own.


    The best advice was to do the evolution and grow as an Anatidae. That was the beginning of everything.


    As for the factions, regions, and world itself, it seemed like an enormous place with billions of lives. He said something about continents, and how the world had layers of intensity that went deep, flat, or up. Murai wanted to like that, but what about his body? Liking it seemed like a joke.


    For a soul that went through many Skies, he had no issue with getting used to a new one, even if Rain''s brief words about godly interests in the Blessed sounded like a warning. Rain made it seem like a scrutinized topic, and objectively speaking, he didn''t take Gods to his Will or beak. Probably for good reasons, so Murai accepted it and moved on.


    Evolution required a couple of things: Food, so he wouldn''t starve before, or afterward, and a place to evolve.


    From what Rain said, evolution could take a while, and Vitality was essential. It was what fueled the evolution, and if it was too low, one could meet the End because of it.


    It is the future. Manifest the Bloodline powers. Turn into a monster. I did too. Feels great. Rain''s voice repeated in his head.


    It wasn''t necessary without problems, so Murai took preparation seriously.


    Murai had to figure out how to push forward with his attributes. Vitality was easy. With food, he could grow it up, but it wasn''t very efficient. The crucial factor of Vitality was the empowerment of what made the body. In Murai''s head, those were the lifelines, life force, and roots. Muscles, blood vessels, bones, and other things were also there, of course. The body was a temple. It should be cared for.


    Perhaps this world did work with what his memories held, which should move according to the voices he was hearing, and abilities he was feeling. Murai didn''t feel any sort of magic. He felt his flesh and blood. That was it for now.


    Foundation to build upon was important, which made Body Attributes his main motivation.


    Vitality was like a battery of the body. When charging or using it, it could go out of business, causing issues in finishing up the evolution. That was the basic principle Murai comprehended from Rain.


    The biggest issue was something else. A warning, that Rain had to tell. Evolution caused involuntary troubles in the flow of power and change of body. The choice was up to mortals, but it was Will of the Battleworld that granted everything.


    In a sense, it was like a borrowed power, though it was still one''s body and choice.


    Murai wasn''t sure how to feel about it, but when Rain insisted he needn''t have to worry about it, he didn''t. The best prevention was simple: get more attributes than the prerequisite amount, or some treasures ranging from fruits or potions. Murai had none, of course, but food was also an option.


    Many species had numerous variables, mutations, and changes. There could be a failure in evolution if one''s Will was low, or the body was too weak and not ready. Low Vitality was the most common reason for failure, followed by predators that would hunt weakened prey.


    Another issue followed the balance and rules Rain said at the last moment. The courses of battles weren''t always happening according to the Will of the Battleworld, but Levels were still important. Therefore, if the Level between the opponents was slim¡ªor balanced in some other capacity¡ªslaughtering anyone was fine.


    It was a natural way of Order and Chaos, so where strength mattered, morality swayed.


    This world has always been chaotic. It has a rich history. Rules are meant to be often breakable, so threat your steps lighting and you won''t get burned. But if you won''t get it, burning the world and shredding common sense is fine too. Going against everything is that. Hells follow that principle. I do, too. That was Rain''s reference, which he ended up in a term called Breach.


    The worst outcome was the End. The lesser would be a weakened status, and inability to fight back. It would be the End.


    Like the case with the Devil Fox, one could start their own fights, or the fight would find them instead. That was one thing that Murai understood with ease. He also realized the cause of his punishment, which was as unreasonable as he thought.


    Will of the Battleworld was upset about his lack of battles, which led to Rain''s involvement and the start of the Punishment Act.


    In truth, Murai was almost too furious after he comprehended what it meant. He even berated Rain for no reason because the Pouncing Devil was just playing by the rules.


    This issue was even worse, however. This approach wasn''t universal across the world. It was a strict countermeasure against Blessed, so they wouldn''t be too absent from the way of the Battleworld. It was their little shortcoming that stemmed from their existence, origin, or the way this world took them for something special.


    Going against this approach was possible, though punishments and rough times would be ahead. Angering the rules and God of Battle was a warning that Rain repeated.


    As for why Rain even talked about it after his loss, Murai assumed he was a special case of an interested party that wanted something from him. After all, Rain did ask him about being part of some Demonic Legion and personal Pact. Rain could also be a weirdo who was prone to talking, so he talked like a welcoming veteran to a newcomer.


    However, there must be things Rain hadn''t let out, but Murai was unable to guess them. It was perhaps something deeper, rooting some rules or some secrets that Rain was prohibited from sharing. It could be about his species or time. The first words he sent him were about Anatidaes, followed by confusion, wild emotions, and bits of fearful apprehensions, filling Rain with doubts. Murai felt it. Soul Read worked wonders.


    Then, he trusted his hunches and doubts of others. Rain spoke about Anatidae in small manners, though intrigued and hesitant for some reasons. As if he was afraid of them, yet he respected them in power or some reputation.


    That was it. Rain said it. Now is my reality, Murai thought, walking through the forest in no direction. I need to focus on his hints. Evolutions. They should be truthful since he didn''t seem like he needed to lie about that. He wanted to give me some leeway and price for the stress he caused me. What a weirdo.


    Murai sighed, glancing and traversing through the Redglory Forest which was quite a big place from his low perspective.


    Food. The bones would work the best if he took them back to his cave. Meat or something nutritious could work wonders as well, but if he had a lot of bones with marrow, their amount could overcome the quality of the meat.


    Murai was hasty with eating all the bones. He didn''t need to do that at all; he didn''t even know how valuable they would''ve become. He didn''t eat because of hunger. He ate to get more powerful and cherish this life.


    The cave is my dwelling. If it''s empty and no other fox or other monsters will be there, it seems like a perfect place to get my evolution done in silence.


    With this decision, Murai went back to his cave according to his memory, or the outlook of a huge mountain on the horizon. On the way there, he looked for some food.


    Walking through some bushes, many kinds of smaller insects and animals were always around him. His eyes worked in physical realms, whereas his Soul Read acted like echoing meaningful shimmer, noting to him they were there; that they existed in reality. The more he felt and sought it, the more notable it felt.


    He even noticed things he had previously overlooked. Soul Read was a passive ability that he couldn''t stop. Sensing too many living beings in his surroundings felt like a good advantage; so did their emotional senses of their intelligence. Like that, he could notice irregular beasts from animals with limited instincts.


    Rain was the best he had seen and spoken with. He was clever and vivid in his soul, feeling wild and with many feelings around him.


    Soul Reading less complicated being seemed to be useless and dull. There wasn''t much to Read. Reading complex souls was more draining but worthy.


    Around him, there were presences, feelings, and rough primal emotions coming from the world and nature. It seemed to overlap and overwhelm him when he was too focused.


    Little rats were feeble. The stronger the beast got, the more apparent they became in their instincts. Murai was kind of disappointed about Soul Read since that name implied something stronger. Reading a soul sounded like a cheat, but having the ability to sense others and their presence wasn''t that bad either. It was excellent for surveillance in a 10-meter radius.


    Abilities could level up and become more potent. That was at least according to Rain, so Murai figured his soul could have an interesting future.


    He discovered squirrels, worms, and all kinds of insects with very little presence under the ground, or hiding in the trees. They were weak, and not even connected to the Will of the Battleworld like Blessed would be. And all of them were nasty. He would never eat them. Food was worth it in the eyes first, so he was up to no good start.


    Murai was stronger and more confident in this adventure. Fighting against Level 54 was an interesting experience, and his species didn''t seem that weak. At least from what Rain mentioned and didn''t say. Their exchange made its worth. Anatidaes were variable demonic beasts of unique Bloodline and rarity. Since his doubts were that obvious, he should be stronger than he thought.


    So he moved quickly and began to train in movement and traversal. Unlike a normal duckling would ever do, he found some tricks and discoveries. With some practice, he ran quite fast, as long as his tail and wings counterbalanced his steps. Thanks to that, he was no longer so awkward and slow.


    But there was still something bad. The little legs with those awkward little flat feet were his biggest obstacle, followed by his weight and height. No matter what, he couldn''t get used to them.


    On the way to the cave, he wasn''t lucky in any finds, so he figured he might give some battle a try to catch his own food. He wasn''t able to discern the Levels of the opponents, but since he was Level 0 with a rough ability to Level 10, his Beak''s Fury should provide its worth. Finding some low-level beast would do him good.


    Initiating a battle for food was expected in this world. Rain agreed with that logic as well, stating that nature itself was still extremely intoxicating and rough. Murai went in another direction from the cave, going to the other section of the mountain that he had yet to visit.


    An hour later, it was getting foggy and darker. Murai''s vision from his low position was so much worse. He ended up relying on his Soul Read to feel the surrounding foes. It had some rough capacity that he understood after seeing and feeling numerous beasts. Souls had feelings for them, followed by Will and instincts. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Murai started to experiment and poke some beasts, but most ran away from him or showed endless disinterest. Against a little duckling, Murai felt his choices vanishing.


    Walking ahead, he remembered Rain''s words. A lot of things may be met with the voice of Will of the Battleworld. Lots of fools are interpreting that voice in many forms. Everyone takes that for a voice of Gods. But not everything is subjected to every intricate detail and worth. Tread your steps lightly.


    Murai might not be the finest learner in his flesh, since he lacked the context and time, but a soul was a soul.


    It was further into the forest, in plains surrounded by trees and bushes, that he discovered a rather surprising sight. It was an open battlefield filled with the old or new carcasses of many beasts, corpses, and residues of battles. Some soil was even scratched or marked with many battles. Most living things were long turned to bones, signifying the presence of some predators like ravens, and wolves, or beasts that would eat anything for survival.


    However, the bones were still there, attached to the skeletons. Murai reached further into this plain after not detecting any hiding fools; he figured that Soul Read was excellent against those who were hiding. Nothing would hide from him. Not even ghosts and cursed souls that were unable to go towards Afterlife.


    Murai gathered that sensing a dead soul was unlikely for his current power. Perhaps they were here, hunting those who wanted to touch their corpses.


    The carcass that was closest to him was of some boar-looking monstrosity that had massive weight. Husk and horns around the thick skull were bigger than his whole body by many times. It must have been quite a savage beast when alive.


    ¡°Well... Excuse me, little pig,¡± Murai said, picking this target as his prey. ¡°I will still eat your remains, even though the others already got most of it. Think of it like some sort of higher worth for your deceased sake. Even the tiniest little bit of your life shall be given to others. That is the way of life. A way of nature.¡± He spoke and quacked out loud, not even knowing why he was doing that.


    Was it some sort of sentiment for this boar? Murai didn''t think so and didn''t eat it either.


    Instead, he used his Beak''s Fury to strike the sections of the ribs. He bounced off of them, stumbling. It was very heavy and dense. Murai finally met some challenges in the name of bones. He unleashed his Fury next, and after dozens of strikes, cracks resounded. Then, things got easier and the first rib was broken apart. He followed it with others, fuming, breathing haphazardly, but not stopping.


    He was making them smaller so he could take and store them in his cave, where they would get softer.


    He couldn''t grab this half-a-ton carcass away. He was a tiny duckling in comparison to it. It was rather boring, lengthy work. Especially the part where he had to force the bones with his beak toward the cave, and then come back and repeat it over and over again.


    But there was something good in this act, other than getting this food.


    It was his first time using his Beak''s Fury. It was a strike of his beak, but it felt different than his previous smacks. This thing felt... smoother. Was it his intent? How did it work when he smacked those bones with his beak with or without Fury?


    Rain didn''t mention how abilities worked all that much. With this Beak''s Fury, his whole body was surprisingly efficient when he manipulated his body, charging it with Fury in mind. It was almost happening on its own, making his smacks surprisingly powerful. It was at least half a dozen times more effective than his regular attacks.


    Murai found some satisfaction in smacking bones to bits.


    This ability should allow him to strike a more powerful foe. Devil Fox died under his beak with nothing but his body. No ability played an important role in that fight. Well, apart from his plotting. Strategies were a major part of any fight. Murai knew it from his many lives. With Fury, he felt he could''ve slaughtered it cleanly.


    Murai discovered the most efficient part of how to do this whole ordeal. First, he obliterated a big chunk of this boar carcass. Then, he made his way with these bones to the entrance to the cave until all of them were there. Forcing the bones downwards to the lowest section of the cave was probably the easiest thing.


    But it was efficient, even though it took him almost a whole night and a chunk of the day.


    Back in the cave, he observed his loot. Many bones were around, leaking some blood, but most of the marrow was dense and firm, not yet soft.


    After his work away from the cave, he realized how the temperature and this cave felt. It was even moister and hot, acting like a hot spring. There was also something else that his head took for a surprise. He was seeing things much brighter in the darkness as if his eyes were no longer hazy.


    Right as he wanted to ignore his findings, Will of the Battleworld announced a new call. Whether it was intentional or not, his worry and sudden surprise revealed the cause.


    According to Rain, Blessed were massive takers of Will of the Battleworld, and each held its indicator within their souls, observing and reading them, so the benefits and rules would make sense. Because of that, Will of the Battleworld saw their actions and acted after coming to certain conclusions, reasons, and decisions under some complicated terms that the God of Battle created.


    [A dim atmosphere is not good. One shall have good eyes to seek what lies beyond] a dull voice said.


    [Anatidae species have good eyesight and even better night vision, thanks to their vast ancestry in terms of variable sub-species and Bloodlines]


    [New Ability is unlocked after endings of attributes, living in the dark, and accomplished familiarity]


    [Night Vision: A simple passive ability without offense or defense. It is simple and cool. a simple benefit of seeing clearly at night can lead to further benefits according to the situation and the settings]


    [Grade E]


    [Level 1]


    Oh, that explains some things. I was growing up, and the effects of this ability went through my Bloodline before taking full effects as an ability. Rain said something about it. Bits, though. Should I take the locked and unlocked things for that? I suppose I should start thinking of the bigger picture.


    Murai wondered how Will of the Battleworld sent the rules and this world affected his prowess. In the sight of a new ability and overturning vision, he had yet to notice how intangible waves poured out of the earth, traveling towards him, disappearing into him, and changing his eyes.


    He even shuddered, taking a new ability for something nice.


    A strange new light emerged in his eyes, making them thinly glow in white light. Afterward, he saw the cave in light. To his surprise, it was much bigger than he assumed. The ceiling was tall enough to fit a tree, and the walls were further from each other, looking rocky and dark in color. There were also some holes around the walls; they were small, not for a fox to crawl into.


    Maybe a small kind of fox could crawl into it, or a duckling? Murai thought so, but other things piqued his attention. Above the sea of bits of bones, piles of clothes, crates of old age, and weapons, hazy steam was flowing like wind and fog, causing this strange moisture and heat.


    ¡°I knew it! Can''t smell many things, but I can see an adventure when I see a reason!¡± Murai exclaimed, and let the bones be the bones. Leaving them here should make them soft enough until the evolution.


    Running past the corpse of the Devil Fox¡ªwhich seemed to decompose at a rapid pace¡ªhe reached the section of the wall where the steam was coming from. It was around a 7-meter tall wall, with sections of stones and stalagmites where he could jump at and get to the top. There was some opening to another cave system where the steam was coming from.


    Murai tried to quench his undeniable curiosity and a sense of adventure took over him. Thanks to the stalagmites and stones around the wall, he jumped and began his ascend. He fell from time to time because of his clumsiness, but it wasn''t that bad. For some reason, even a fall from 2 meters didn''t hurt him at all.


    He wasn''t that heavy and his feathers were fluffy and resilient at the same time, allowing him to take hits much better. The color, number, and density of his feathers were much higher and better since Devil Fox kidnapped him. Murai still didn''t pay his appearance much attention.


    With jumps and care, he reached the end of the wall after a good workout. He got more used to this body, but it wasn''t as if he could gain some attribute out of this simple task.


    What was before his Night Vision wasn''t anything surprising. Murai couldn''t see shit! The mist and the hazy steam were making this place completely shrouded and hot. Catching where the steam was coming from was easy. There was more heat and a slight breeze. It was hot water moisture, with no poisonous gas or anything dangerous.


    After some steps, he noticed the sound of splashing water, but still couldn''t see anything. It was dull sounds, so he moved slowly by using his beak as a walking stick. It was unironically useful, but strange-looking.


    There were reclining stones on the opposite side, depicting a hole beyond that looked like a cliff. Those were irregular, looking like a step to the Void or Abyss. He didn''t know where it led; it sounded like water was below, dozens of meters away. He didn''t want to get stuck down there, since his evolution was more important.


    There was some time limiter, so Murai had to act on its merits.


    He still had some time left. Murai wasn''t in a hurry, but it was better to be safe than sorry. He forgot about this place for now.


    He had a choice to make. A triplet of sub-subspecies with their respective height and further futures weren''t simple.


    Rain said that the starting evolution mattered the most. It was akin to a root, which would branch out to others.

 Chapter 11: Single choice

    Evolutions held options for the close and far future. They branched out from this start to the height of his species. It could be irregular or close. It was up to the unlocked prerequisites and Bloodlines. Rain said nothing else.


    Murai had no options. One was required; the other would be tossed to the Void. He liked the scent of adventure, so whatever was below that mist was interesting. It wasn''t the heat, nor the steam alone. Some seismic activity should have caused this place to exist, or something very different and special.


    The cave went deep like a crevice. Is this mountain an actual volcano? That would explain this heat and steam coming from some natural springs coming from below. Is there a river? Another thing could be that lake I''ve seen, but I am unsure how deep I am, or how far I am from that lake. But my ears are working. There is a splashing of water and it is hot. Steaming hotness or other elements could cause this.


    It was no longer about guessing; Murai was stone certain about it.


    It was somewhat refreshing standing so close to the source of heat and this moistness, but that was about it. He couldn''t stay here forever, so with these thoughts, he did what he had to.


    The bones he had prepared should be enough for his decision should improve and transform his flesh, giving him powers, and opportunity. He could imagine a lofty duck with immense power, striking the foes and Gods alike, smacking them aside with wings and a mighty beak.


    It was a laughable idea, but for once, he was fooling himself because he had time to waste. He remembered more ridiculous lives than this one. It was about power but also lives. Bodies were half of that. Part was the setting. Rest was about his soul and how he lived.


    Perhaps not touching the Gods or those above sounded like a good idea, but Murai had his principles.


    Perhaps his mind was weak since he spent many days in dull silence and blissful eating. His vision and perception of a lot of things turned numb. it was about to change, he hoped.


    Stepping down from this platform was easy. Experience with falling provided him good, so Murai jumped with no care for his life. From stone to stone, and without a thud, he fell to the ground after bouncing around like a fluffy ball.


    ¡°Well,¡± he looked at the misty ceiling, his back facing the ground. ¡°That worked somehow. I suppose it''s time.¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Murai got to his feet, unhurt. He held his determination to do his evolution, so he moved toward the bones.


    Sitting before the big pile of them, he waited and waited. He couldn''t reach evolution on his own, since the time limiter wasn''t the case of how much time he had for choosing the path. It was a timer until the start of evolution, so he waited until the Will of the Battleworld descended upon his soul.


    As he expected, it was much stronger intent, voice, and power that pushed to his soul. Feeling the distinct pressuring power enveloping his mind, he endured it without problems.


    [Major Step is underway!]a crisp mechanic voice shouted, sounding powerful and menacing. It almost sounded muscular.


    [It is an evolution that shall be forthcoming!]


    [Dear Citizen, you have endured the reading, so you must be ready. The first step towards the sub-species is an opportunity of your Bloodline choice. Your beginning towards your body is before you]


    [You have reached the successful threshold with your challenging attitude and¡ªthanks to the Bloodline of the Anatidae behind you¡ªyou have special choices to decide]


    [Anatidae Panacea: A powerful member of the Anatidae sub-species. It can use soul-power and magic and has well-rounded possibilities of survival and offensive Abilities]


    [Overall: It is a mighty evolution that takes no unprecedented difficulties to follow]


    [Class D]


    [Then, we have something very special indeed]


    [Anatidae of the Death: A Soul Servant of the Depths. A Pact with the God of Death allowed the descendant of the Death to follow the path of Necromancy and some mutations surrounding ancient times. Soul magic is a powerful tool of this species, allowing a vast variable of powers to occur. This sub-species was significantly improved by the order of one particular Anatidae which is under the influence of the God of Death and... surprisingly, it is in your Bloodline. An ancestor]


    [Overall: A special evolution with special abilities with unknown might depending on background, Bloodline, and talent of the individual]


    [Class C]


    [Lastly, we have the king of the body!]


    [Anatidae Peniscula: A fighter like any other demonic beast. The body is very important, and so is the soul. Magic is diminished in this sub-species but its power lies in other heights. It has a higher aptitude for Body Statuses and the body itself has a significantly higher ceiling of power. Special powerful body abilities are thus a main power of this sub-species]


    [Overall: A majestic species of Anatidae species and their might can rule over others'' demons]


    [Class D]


    A single choice. No refusal. Murai got that idea, so he pondered over them. Considering all the facts and knowledge he knew about power and himself, he had a hunch of his choice.


    Panacea sounded well-rounded and much to his liking. Having some form of magic seemed like an interesting idea, but he didn''t know what magic it mentioned. He didn''t know what kind of magic this world had, so it made him hesitant.


    The other choices sounded intriguing as well. Especially the Anatidae of the Death had an interesting name, albeit with a questionable premise.


    ¡°Having a pact with the God of Death seems like a hilarious way to act as a duck. Maybe that would be interesting... or a hilarious concept, ¡± Murai laughed but it didn''t last for long. ¡°Though, what about physicality? The body of a flesh is a temple, or so something along those lines. Evolution sounds like fleshly change, but that isn''t right. Powerful Bloodlines follow it all. Evolution is far too close to the Paths. What has this world created? Could this duck have a main source of power in its body?¡± He asked himself out loud.


    It was an unwilling effect that he had no control over. And much to his surprise, something answered back, whispering to his ears in an unlikely manner.


    [An Anatidae Panacea has a major magical power thanks to the deep roots of magical demonic beasts. Its roots are tens of thousands of years old and many kinds of evolutions are available for the start or subsequent locked subjects. Yours is just the beginning. A time, choice, and chance when your fledgling self is yet to undertake a lot of what the Battleworld has to offer]


    ¡°Huh?¡± Murai quacked in confusion.


    [An Anatidae Peniscula is a follower of the body, a variable that stems from the powerful physicality, strength, and Bloodline of its predecessor that shred the sense of ducks and beasts alike. The body is the life essence of a being, and unlike the soul, it''s one thing that can be changed according to the effects of various evolutions]


    [The body of your species has major effects and unique characteristics that stem from hundreds of Anatidae evolutions. Thus, the Anatidae Penniscula can have most physical changes out of various types of evolutions and their branches. The physical realms are the primary source of power to this sub-species]


    [Like with the rest of the starting choices, each has its uniqueness]


    A rather deep and old-sounding voice echoed in Murai''s soul. It answered Murai''s questions, leading to his confusion since it didn''t seem like a Will of the Battleworld, but also something that felt not much different.


    ¡°Who the fuck are you? Some residual Will of something? Why are... Where are you?¡± Murai shot his Will to his soul space, looking around with his Soul Body for the source of this voice. It spoke from within him, like an annoying voice.


    Soul Body was a soul. An entity that was eternal unless destroyed. It was a round object, resembling a duck that looked around like a ghost.


    [Not quite that, dear Citizen. I am a part of the World''s Will. acting as an overseer of the evolutions for the sake of the God of Battle and Will of this World]


    ¡°So a part of the world and the rules? Is it true you are a part of my being like Rain said?¡± Murai asked doubtfully.


    [Precisely]


    ¡°Why do you speak right now?¡±


    [For the sake of evolution and choices. As with all evolutions, they have to come naturally, and the World shall be the witness to that choice, giving you a blessing. It is natural for the Blessed to take this case dutifully and at a higher capacity. Hence, it goes outside of the Will of the Battleworld]


    Murai fell silent, speechless by the willingness of this "thing". It didn''t feel like a soul, but it sure did come from deep within him, unlike the Will of the Battleworld that traveled from everywhere and hit him like a hammer to his soul. This one was gentle. Nowhere to be seen.


    Murai didn''t feel a thing around him, making him unhappy that something was there, yet he didn''t know where.


    As if understanding his worries, this voice explained it further. [There is no need for worries, dear Citizen. The fact of my presence is the fact that you are part of this world. The Will of the Battleworld shall also be a major witness to your cause, giving you its interpretation of the evolution and its things]


    [Its massive machinations are subject to a round of power. Like a blessing, it shall give you what you deserve in this life and this planet]


    ¡°So, being a part is only a part, so can I leave this world?¡±


    [Indeed. Would you be able to achieve what many did in a myriad of millennia?]  the voice told/ [It is a rhetorical question, dear Citizen. It depends on your path and future. Not everyone can bear the sight and weight of power. Can you achieve it? Bend it to your Will?]


    ¡°That''s... perfect,¡± Murai swore to figure out more, but he gave up, gathering that this voice was just voice. ¡°Since you are here, what are you here for? This evolution alone? To talk? Explain stuff that I can''t perceive, or is it to seek my chance and move some things behind the scenes? Towards this God of Battle, perhaps?¡± Murai asked a good question.


    [Clever words, dear Citizen. I am here to provide knowledge that may be needed in some limited or much-needed capacity. I am just a small helper and not a Life Companion that the World will give you soon enough. My experience lay solely for the sake of evolution, and following explanations that the Citizens need to know. A high stake and an important decision like evolution sometimes lack meaning and knowledge. Some sub-species may be ancient and unique. Hard to conceive in words and history alone. They needed due explanations, and where would it be¡ªor from who¡ªbesides the ones that grant them?]


    ¡°You think this is a game?¡± Murai demanded a question.


    [Certanly so. It is fun. Some beings may be even mutants, fusions of a couple of Bloodlines to dozens, or have some dualities and weird aspects and characteristics that make them unique. There are too many variables at hand, created by the power of the evolutions that this world created. Reasonings and explanations are expected, Citizen]


    ¡°So nothing much is there for me or you,¡± Murai said in disappointment. ¡°Noted. Alright. So, the "little helper" that you are, what is with the evolution that you can help me with? Talk.¡±


    [Information is all I can provide for your liking, and that is for the start, that is. In the matter of truth and hope, your choice is yours and no one will force it on you]the voice said, not talking more than it should.


    Freaking Gods. What have they created? Is this real? This situation already forced me with this 1-day limiter and now this? So much for this world''s shame, Murai complained inside, pointing his inner fury at figures that were behind this world. This voice might be too what struck him right after he regained his consciousness in this world. That worm in his soul. That annoyance went against his principles.


    It sounded like it could speak a lot, but unless it waned, it didn''t talk all that much for some reason. And it was inside of him for a long time, observing him without his awareness. Murai knew this sort of soul manipulation must be ridiculous, or the origin of this voice was beyond his soul.


    Far above, there were confusing and incredible things out there beyond the Sky. He had seen them before.


    Was it here for the sake of evolution alone? That sounded like an easy excuse.


    Gods or... others. I knew it wouldn''t be so far to meet your little problems and lofty chins. I swear I will smack some of them in this life too. I swear to myself and no Gods! Murai thought to himself and decided on a couple of things.


    For now, he didn''t care for this world, nor should he. It wouldn''t give him something earthshaking; his choice was more or less finite.


    Apart from the blessings from Will of the Battleworld, Murai didn''t trust the rest of it. This voice? It was here for some nefarious plot. It awakened as soon as the timer ended, so Murai doubted it was that simple.


    What was the difference between this old voice and Will of the Battleworld?


    What was the Will and soul?


    One was the origin of a person; the other was a substantial substance that made it up. Souls held their differences in their fundamental forms, thus one might be stronger than the other. Will was the presence of oneself. An authority, or Intent, in some sense of historical records.


    What were those voices? Had God of Battle more helpers, or did this planet in itself have the Will, meaning its soul would be all-encompassing?


    Those were big, rough ideas Murai had, so they were nothing good for him to consider.


    Having something foreign in his soul was enough of a pain and fury. He couldn''t be calm about it. It was part of his self-inflicted rules, stemming from the course of his cursed lives.


    He wanted freedom at least in some capacity, away from the concept of a higher power and never be restrained by others. Any kind of individual or organization to do so should fuck off and leave his soul alone.


    It was a basic rule of mental freedom, but he made it quite difficult. For the most part, he hated the fact that his soul was invaded at the start of this life without him bearing any defenses.


    That was many days ago.


    Remembering that feeling¡ªor the cause of that invasive power¡ªMurai needed to ask more about his choices, hoping to get at least something in return from this foreign voice. Clarity was one of the few things this voice was willing to talk about. Or it was made this way, acting within its rules. Could it be a construct? A thing that someone crafted out of some soul-based power?


    Murai was inclined this was an old fool who knew only a few special brackets of information without revealing too much.


    Knowledge was important. A while into this conversation, he was already determined.


    Murai wasn''t afraid of either choice, but it did change when this voice informed him of the strengths and weaknesses of each evolution.


    I am glad I didn''t choose Death without thinking. A bond directly related by a God!? Overseen by one, fiddled with touch and connection? Screw that. I am not afraid of the Death Pathway, but everything has some limits. I won''t take that one, Murai decided.


    As for the rest, they are all powerful on their own accord, but it does seem that one of them is truly man-made for me. What a rollercoaster. And here I thought this was complicated.


    Everything was subject to end one way or another.


    At the end of his research and thinking over the answers the voice told him, Murai voiced his choice.


    ¡°Anatidae Panacea,¡± He told, and the voice confirmed his decision with a strong force of the Will of the Battleworld.


    Both of these forces worked in tandem, shaking Murai''s soul for a couple of moments. All kinds of information arose in his mind until WIll of the Battleworld spoke with its mechanical voice once again.


    [Major Step has been chosen, dear Citizen. We are glad]


    [You''ve been a piece of work according to the choice, brackets, and Bloodlines of Anatidaes. A new dawn of Panacea shall come to their roster]


    [Evolution will start shortly, while the additional information shall come after the full initiation, changes, and physical transformation of the inner parts of Panacea. It will follow a special Boost and Bloodline Blessing from the World]


    [Requirements are there for this reason. If you are a failure of the body and soul, your choice won''t stabilize and your life will end]


    [Too bad if you aren''t thinking you are ready]


    [Starting...]


    [Now!]


    The voice grew weaker, the pressure of the noise inside Murai''s head increased, and the world turned to a standstill. He sat on the ground before the bones, uncertain how evolution started.


    To his utter shock, he felt something deep within... move. A primal power and visible wave descended upon him from the ground, shrouding him like a cocoon. It wasn''t natural, or was it? The source of this incoming pressure was more than physical and mental. It felt as if he was grasped yet gently squeezed from inside out and outwards.


    It was an encompassing pressure that he couldn''t perceive, but he began to feel something familiar. It was far from being torture.


    Back in reality, Murai found a hint of a bright motion. A wave. Energy. The pressure he felt around him changed his body perception until something clicked and exploded.


    ¡°Mana? This world is under the primal River of Manaflow!? How come I hadn''t noticed it before?¡± Murai cried out after the tension of this significant discovery crashed his soul and feelings.


    Evolution was starting, but he discovered something immense.


    Something worth more than the evolution or a duck.


    Something that he knew far too well. He couldn''t wait.


    The pressure rose and overturned his mind.

 Chapter 12: Evolution

    Murai felt it through his body. Change. Magic. It was flowing like an eternally flowing river across the universe. A gushing flow of mana was coming from the ground, traveling through his feathers, flowing in mysteries to his whole being, and taking roots in his flesh and core. Did he feel that very clearly, or more... vividly? It was a strange feeling that he should''ve felt before numerous times, as the magic was coming at him like a Blessing sent from the Sky.


    It felt different from the mana of human races and its creation was weird.


    Mana had the appearance of hazy azure light, with much more vividness when denser. Many strands of glowing matter gushed out of the ground, appearing like waves, strands, lines, and glittering light. It was a blissful feeling as if bathed by the power itself.


    Was it coming out of nowhere? Murai doubted that. Everything had its source and rules. Mana had its source, but what about the evolution? What was Panacea?


    Someone at the tip of this world was using the River of Manaflow for the sake of turning this planet to their WIll. Mortals took that for blessings; now, Murai was involved in this mess himself. It was realistic to be cautious because of it, as it was strange.


    Mana seeped out, creating a cocoon around his body and overworking his senses, soul, and body. Strange sensations followed almost all evolutions, and one might even lose consciousness during this long process that could last for days or even weeks.


    Murai almost felt as if his own Will evaporated in this process, feeling as if everything was happening outside of his body. Evolutions were served to him on a golden plate, operating and transforming on its own. The only thing that one could do was clutch one''s hopes, and prey the body wouldn''t break in this process.


    It was as Rain said.


    Murai soon realized his mistake of overthinking it. He had this bad habit for a long time.


    Feeling the magic of the mana seep into his inside felt like warmth overwhelming his senses that were all over the place. Then, in what felt like dozens of minutes, there was a sudden outburst of agonizing pain. And everything exploded. Waves. His senses.


    That went on until a Mana Core formed like a star, forming like waves in the middle of his chest, feeling like a flame and frenzy eye of a storm. Murai felt this condition many times. Mana Cores were essences of magic that one could get going, forming in their bodies so they could be put to use.


    But this one felt different, yet also familiar in its general appearance. It was a source, right there within his core that formed mana space. That was what hurt the most. His insides turned and changed, and the rushing power of the mana started to live within him.


    Mana penetrated every cell in his body, and like a domino effect, everything followed afterward. Bones, blood, muscles, and even feathers and nerves. Everything was so intense. Then, the following evolution went on, as it wasn''t only a core that birthed this evolution.


    The world itself viewed the evolution on its page, while those creating and figuring them were Gods themselves, even if it involved mortals under them.


    Murai had trouble witnessing everything; his body and feelings felt dull as if he was unable to perceive his life. Normally, one would be long unconscious, but he wasn''t.


    Mana was just a guiding tool. A certain something that this world carried like a treasure, while evolution wasn''t happening because of this mysterious energy. That wouldn''t make sense, as the evolution didn''t happen because of mana. They were complex branches of bodies, physiques, and Bloodlines of old and new, depicting countless possibilities.


    Murai grasped onto his consciousness, unwilling to draw the last line. Someone... works like an asshole God, or is it them? Creator!? Someone beyond? What is this planet? Who created this mess?  Murai though, shrouded in the darkness where his vision couldn''t see a thing.


    what kind of sick fuck could manipulate mana and the world to create this flow of power and data? Evolution? Bloodlines. It is a transformation, but it comes out of the world as we are painting what others paint. Weird. It acts with clarity of a gift that touches the prospect of bodies and lives. Are there some reasons it does it so effectively? Feels like an experiment gone wrong, or perhaps too well? I should''ve asked Rain more about this.


    Overthinking was futile. Murai wasn''t sensible enough to think of evolution or this world as something terrible. He just woke up a while ago. He should discover and reach his conclusions at a later date. Like usual. Like an adventure and curse of his lives.


    For now, he took this mana for a treasure and his body took it like a hungry beast.


    A new source of power was created according to Will of the Battleworld.


    [Anatidae Panacea]


    [Class D sub-species of the Anatidae species]


    [It isn''t new, as Panacae is one of the key forms in a lineage of Anatidaes. As a Citizen''s choice, it forms a branch that might give you a future of magic and endless potential]


    [A change to attributes is due]


    [Strength +10]


    [Its affinity towards the body functions is increased by 15%]


    [Dexterity + 5]


    [A change in the body defines the higher affinity and growth. Further increases in Dexterity should prove to be useful for movement, flexibility, speed, and touches between everything]


    [Vitality +10]


    [A new source of life is an evolution. Panacea is stronger, bigger, faster, and able to use a new source of power]


    [Will +5]


    [Soul Power needs more initialization processed and time to grow to something bigger. It is too low]


    [Soul Power +5]


    [A new source of power has been detected]


    [Mana]


    [A source of magic]


    [Mana Pool is created, determined, and ranked at 1000]


    [Possible replenishment of Mana Pool: use of rich mana resources, breathing styles, mantras, or training, or replenish it naturally]


    [The quality of the Anatidae Panacea grants you the following mana abilities]


    [Mana Flow is at the center, depicting the touch of the River of Manaflow. is a flow of undeniable magic and a power that grants nothing but miracles]


    [Mana Flow: You can feel the tension of the mana within your body. It is a powerful and magical fue that effectively turns your Mana Core and mana space in a certain flow. It is versatile for the user, body, flesh, or magic, as well as a source of potential trouble]


    [It is outside of Battleworld''s influence, as it is a power that rages within you. Equipment and many variables might work alongside this. Experimenting with Shaping and Conjuring are required if one wishes to make use of a proper power of Mana Flow]


    [Grade: F]


    [Leveless ability]


    [Increase in Grade increases the Mana Flow, its density, flow, power, and various other aspects. It is advised to think of this as your connection to the broader River]


    [It powers mana space and your core. Time and required use of mana will deliver and touch your Mana Core to a Small Success. Waiting, training, Conjuring, and Shaping are instructed to follow]


    [Mana Detection has been created]


    [Waves of the River of Manaflow are endless and rich, giving clarity to the eyes, senses, and souls]


    [Mana Detection: Your soul is highly capable of viewing mana particles, treasures, waves, and their qualities in a limited capacity. Leveling is recommended. Depending on your Will and uses, it can view the world and beings who can also use mana]


    [Level 1]


    [Grade C]


    [Mana Replenishment has been uncovered by the degree of Anatidae, Mana Flow, and your upcoming core and mana space. It is an ordinary ability granted by the touch of mana and your body. It has no redeeming qualities besides being passive]


    [Mana Replenishment: A passive ability that replenishes the mana through time, acting like a natural recovery. It has restricted potential in empowering your Mana Core and strengthening your body]


    [Level 1: 10 points towards Mana Pool per minute]


    [Grade F: Increases in Grades improve its efficiency]


    [Mana is energy. It is no longer a condition fit for an animal. You are far from that, Citizen. You are a magical beast, yet a creature of the demonic lineage from an old time. Depending on your Path and your future evolutions, your Fate might change. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Evolution dug deep into the Anatidae possibilities. The Will of the Battleworld gave him much-needed perspective and messages. Thanks to that, it made this whole ordeal forceful, yet much clearer for Murai to focus on staying afloat.


    Time moved slowly when evolving. Minutes felt like hours; hours felt like days. As he feared, his body long collapsed to the ground, yet the whole cocoon of power was still shifting around him. And his Will alone was still alive, discerning the dullness like a dot in a black painting. His body didn''t endure. It couldn''t possibly do it right.


    Normally, evolutions go through a creature''s awareness, and sleeping it off worked wonders. Waking up weakened might be possible if Vitality and flesh survived the transformation, or if the soul took it well. In rarer cases, one woke up so invigorated, that one could storm the Sky and call himself a king.


    Outside of his view, his duckling body was changing from within and outwards. Mana Flow founded its Mana Core and stabilized the creation of mana space. Core looked like a bland revolving cocoon, hovering in his mana space, which was in his heart. It was weak, yet to grow or accustom the flow of the world.


    But it could empower him to another level. Murai knew it far too well, which was why his soul was so static, he forgot any issues he had. Massive things always started small. His duck might be that as well, but Murai wasn''t taking it for something ridiculous.


    Since he wasn''t born with the core¡ªas it seemed it was granted to him on a golden plate¡ªhe took it for proof that this world was much higher than he assumed.


    Magic needed time, effort, and training to elevate it to a new level. It was the usual stuff of magic, yet in numbers and Grades that seemed to be integral. Murai wasn''t familiar with this concept, but the way magic worked should be the same as everywhere else. This world just took it for something else, yet the source was the same.


    The process of acquiring power, magic, and core seemed to be highly dependent on acts, battles, and accomplishments. Fighting gave blessings, readings, and boosts from the Will of the Battleworld. And one''s Bloodlines and body seemed to rely on it, yet still grow on its own. There was no doubt that countless beings in this world followed this interest. Be it Blessed, Gifted, or normal inhabitants of many powers, even a nameless dog might evolve, albeit those would depend on their accomplishments, talent, or luck.


    Mana itself was the fuel; Will of the Battleworld was an authority that connected the rest.


    It was clear from Rain''s words that the world was vast. Murai''s species had various opportunities. Almost all of them were outside of his clues, which was why he hoped to change it.


    Everyone in this world could take an evolution for something new, similar to following a Path. There might be minor shifts, as they could be a simple stage in one''s racial age. A child always grows up, becoming an adolescent, and then an adult. Be it the humans, orcs, elves, and countless species of beasts and demons, this was a world full of power and people.


    Murai felt it within his soul. He was excited and glad that he had this sort of sensation. This wouldn''t have happened if he had endured the life of a human child. Growing as a human was extremely slow. More so than this duck. Less than 300 days was better than a decade or longer.


    Although he had yet to leave the Redglory Forest¡ªwhich wasn''t anything impressive for a forest¡ªhe felt good and not stressed. This forest was a relatively low-level zone on the outskirts of Tabula Lake, surrounded by multiple kingdoms and nations.


    Time flew by in a matter of long hours. Soon, Murai felt a tingling sensation that formed with his Will. The Vitality of his body was destabilizing for a long time already, making him fearful and hesitant. As he expected, the issue of Vitality was to fuel this process. One would''ve crumbled if one wasn''t ready.


    How important was it to keep one''s shit together? Small. One should trust the process, as this starting one wasn''t in one''s hands. The possibility of a mana explosion in his case was high, and having organs scattered from the body didn''t seem nice either. It was a brutal reality and a possible way of how high-stakes evolutions worked. His species wasn''t a normal one, after all. Murai was yet to be convinced by that.


    Starting evolution was special and had the least amount of failure across the board. But the following one? Those were a different story. Unless one had an absolute chance of succeeding in their endurance and Bloodline, it was a gamble.


    For him, this starting choice was mandatory to reach Level 1. Many beast species had it like that, as long as their Bloodline was special. Some ordinary animals might not get this at all, as high power and potential were a privilege set by time and past.


    As for the following evolutions, they weren''t mandatory. Murai could remain in the form of a Panacea for a long time, slowly uncovering the requirement and unlocking branches of his sub-species. That could take years or even decades for some species or races.


    It wasn''t that terrible. Evolutions were like Paths of the Divides, depicting a progression set in stone and people. Murai was convinced it was basically a copy of Paths from the vaster Skies, though he wasn''t complaining.


    The progression of abilities was plentiful, and one''s Level could take a long to go up. Then, learning magic and figuring out new abilities made evolution less worrisome, as there was always something to do. Because of that, it wasn''t wrong to reject evolution in many cases. It was individualistic, and more often than not, most preferred the benefits and how easy evolutions felt¡ªif one forgot the potential dangers.


    Getting stronger was lucrative and often addictive. It was an act. A being was the taker of this gift, yet these gifts were tools of those above. It was a weird power dynamic that Murai saw at some points in his living, but this planet overturned it to another level.


    Evolution created many meaningful upgrades thanks to its transformative nature. Refusing it sounded like stupidity in his book.


    As for the evolutions of later brackets, they were harder to accomplish and requirements were often obscene if one''s Bloodline was very potent, or race or species very powerful. Unlocking them was no longer cast within any time limits, but one was constituted to a triplet of unlocked choices before the Will of the Battleworld accepted one''s choice.


    In that sense, evolutions had a multitude of limitations that Murai found fair. After all, it seemed fairly obvious that someone constructed this system for beasts and people to grow.


    The biggest factors of these changes were attributes, unique aspects of specific or unique evolution, or even magic. However, the last one depended on some very important aspects, as mana was stingy and often limited in talents. To get it going, it was up to those called mages. And mainly, not everyone could awaken, grow, handle, or have a core since birth.


    There were layers to grow. Almost like everything on living planets in the universe. Great results in some talent, comprehension, fights, or accomplishments in dungeons worked to one''s advantage. A gift, action, or Blessing from a God could also imply a change.


    There were countless ways and methods to grow and become powerful in this world. Evolution was just one of them, though its terms sought countless desires of powerful beings.


    This was a Battleworld. A planet of an old age where battles and grudges between Gods were present, raging in many ways. Be it outside, within, or on the planet itself.


    As for the reason why that was the case, or what was the cause for it, not many dared to question it. Especially the mortals.


    Murai waited, cringing at the declining Vitality of his body. It was close... too close to his liking, but maybe that''s how this was supposed to be like? Murai took pain for a joke; he thought it would be a simple issue. Even Rain said it like that. An easy thing, he said.


    ¡°It''s just a start. It''s not even a big deal!¡± Murai shouted in his soul space, unwavering as his Will couldn''t come back to the real body. At least his soul was unshakable at its core.


    In stubbornness and awareness, he reached the limit in 40 hours.


    Evolution was completing its last processes, causing Murai''s soul to shake when upon a connection to his Will. To his surprise, the Soul Body shook in its core. Then, he felt his physical body inside the bright cocoon. It was alluring, following the official level up from 0 to Level 1. This was the biggest leap a true beginner of this world could ask for.


    Much to his surprise, Murai also noticed rather surprising accomplishments after listening to the incoming message.


    Levels wasn''t a new term for him, but it sure was strange to think of it as a source of his power. It was a number, so what to think of a number in the grand scheme of power? It seemed to lack a certain punch.


    It will have to do for now.


    [Anatidae Panacae is reached]


    [Level thresholds are obliterated through the connection, readings, and following the Bloodline of your past. Your own Will and Soul also play a partial role in this process]


    [Level Up +6]


    [Your current Level: 5]


    [According to the readings of the Will of the Battleworld, we have witnessed it. By our call, the core of your overall abilities and the power of your species are prepared to step into the true Battleworld. You will no longer be protected as a Seedling. Welcome to a Child Stage of your species]


    [Attributes have been strengthened, and their power to your body improved, giving them a slight edge. The effects of evolution are long-lasting. Eating is required. Vitality needs its fuel]


    [Most of your abilities weren''t used to a mandatory extent, or not at all. How disappointing... ALAS! The Anatidae Panacea has powerful lineage abilities, and the further you walk, the more noticeable they are. They might cause you to regret your choice, but it matters little, if any]


    [So much for your quick determination and choices, but it is too late to change your bracket. Welcome to a world of magical ducks, Citizen]


    [Gain a full awareness of your new body and soul and uncover the abilities of the Anatidae Panacea. Follow the paths of the Anatidae species and uncover many other powers and abilities. When you do, we call and gift the voice and reason]


    [Your choice has been made. May the power be with your new life in the following hours when the power will get stabilized]


    [Then, the world shall witness a new Anatidae, and Redglory Forest better survives or hides away]


    With the end of the long stretch of wordy efforts, Murai reached out to his body.


    Soul Body made it rather easy, thanks to his sturdy Will that never lost its edge. Those were taxing 40 hours. It sounded strange, but it seemed his Soul Body grew stronger in this process. It had some correlation to his physical body, so that might be why. Murai forced his consciousness to move and act call. Right. Calling it new wasn''t a redundancy. It felt like a new body. Bigger. Stronger. Shiny and new!


    The cocoon scattered, revealing Murai''s body lying on the ground, shaking and collapsed, but otherwise fine.


    Trying to feel his body, trembling stopped and sensation over his flesh and limbs returned.


    Hoh? It''s surprisingly indistinguishable from before, though a tad bigger and rather... same? I am still a freaking duck. What have I expected again? A dragon? They have wings too, snouts and feet, and long arms... Yea. Forget dragons. Murai thought and tried to move his body with difficulties.


    The easiest was opening his eyes. His body felt heavy, which might be caused by a lack of Vitality and general tiredness. He wasn''t lively like some evolutions could feel like. He was also numb in feeling his physical changes, yet something felt right. An unnatural amount of power was in his core, waiting.


    He might have gotten some attributes, but they felt like droplets falling into a sea. In minutes, sensations started to return. The first thing he felt was hunger. Immense hunger grew in his stomach with loud noises. He couldn''t stop.


    Where are those bones? Murai asked himself, not seeing them as he couldn''t move an inch. His legs didn''t work and his neck and wings were all limp. What felt different right from the start was his beak.


    It was longer, shaped nicely in a more smoothened and sharp form. Unlike the smaller shape from before, it looked like the thick beak of a bird, but it still resembled the beak of a duck. It was flat at the point of his head, before thinning into a sharp point. The side curve and edge remained, looking like a double edge broadsword, but thicker. It also became proportionate to the rest of his body, and no longer seemed too big.


    And it felt heavy. Murai couldn''t move his head, so he dismissed his transformation for the time, as he had a task before anything else.


    To eat.


    ¡°Bones should be close, yet I can''t tell shit from the star! I will eat them all! I need to eat.¡± He quacked in his struggle, and his eyes adjusted to the surroundings. It seemed the eyesight wasn''t all that different from before. His inability to move frustrated him, which was then increased by his lack of food.


    His higher attributes didn''t change his struggles. Expended Vitality meant trouble. The body needed fuel to power itself up first before it would show its merits. The change was obscure. It was like gaining a better engine, yet having no fuel. It was similar to that.


    Murai felt his body in the following tries to turn. He fell to the ground, opposite to the bones, so he hadn''t seen them.


    He recovered the feelings of his legs, wings, and the rest of his body in the following minutes. He crawled by using his beak and neck alone. Slowly, his legs even with their little fingers hardly helped. Murai managed to reach the bones at last. His neck seemed more flexible and thicker, but without standing, he wasn''t able to see his body. He didn''t care about it. Those bones needed some care first.


    ¡°Fuck! FUCK! I didn''t think I would be unable to move!¡± He shouted, uttering sharper-sounding quacking into the cave. Murai didn''t care one bit about his voice that didn''t change, since his eyesight was glued to the bones. He crawled at them like ancient demons before children, hoping to devour them.


    The bones remained as big as before, but perhaps a little smaller because of the cooking of this cave. It was also hard to tell if Murai grew or not, which might suggest the height of this duck species wasn''t very high.


    He should be above 25-centimeter tall and his overall visage was stronger and fuller than ever. He grew in more ways than his height. The harsh-looking eyes were hungry for food, and his vivid colors of red, brown, and bright brown feathers around his whole body popped off. The feathers were fuller and softer, shining around his head and neck, before becoming darker towards his belly and tail.


    This was no duckling. He looked like a proper duck.


    He had yet to fully process the following Will of the Battleworld that was coming his way. He had no mind for that.


    Eat.


    Food.


    Bones.


    Those words lived in his mind for free and some outside problems didn''t matter. The bone proved to be a problem. Murai was unable to crack them like a chi when he drove his beak forward. He failed miserably and growled like a wounded beast. By doing so, he pushed them away instead.


    Then, he stopped complaining after a surprising sight. These bones were much thicker than what Devil Fox stored here. And they were oozing bone marrow from their chopped-up parts, dripping down at the right angle.


    Murai grabbed the bone with his beak, turning the bone down his throat, and slurping the marrow like a delicacy. He was ecstatic to get some food down his throat. Following this process with dozens of others, the further he slurped and drank or ate, the stronger he felt. His lost vigor returned.


    Within a dozen minutes of this feast, he felt brand new.


    Stepping up, Murai used his beak as support because his legs were still dull. Glancing down, there was a familiar laughable pair of thin legs. Those hardly changed. Flipping his wings at least felt better; they were wider, fuller, and carried lengthy feathers.


    He sighed, realizing his body was up to his work once again. Back to his suffering. Perhaps it was a good time for a victorious cry, yet he felt awkward.


    ¡°Feeling alive, am I not? I must thank you, Boar King.¡° Murai said, giving a praiseworthy bow to the remaining bones.

 Chapter 13: Magic

    With a full stomach, Murai got exactly what he deserved. He was way too happy with how these bones ended up relieving his mind. Then, munching through many bones¡ªthat were no longer without their marrow¡ªtriggered a workout that knocked his muscles, neck, and beak into a proper control


    With a newly empowered beak, a stronger body that didn''t grow much, and hunger that had no bounds, Murai felt the itching sensation that spoke of a hidden potential of the Anatidae Panacea. There was a particular power flowing within him too, surging like waves of warmth. Mana felt so enticing as if he had a furnace of power within him, and it happened on its own, away from his tries.


    He realized it at last. This world gifted it to him, or it might have been inside of him all along. It just got unlocked.


    Nah. That wouldn''t make sense, Murai thought. This species was described as magical. They could be prone to cores forming, though unlocking it might be hard. This one worked with evolution in mind.


    Calming his breath, he felt this flow going, itching him to move and act like a beast. Something about it felt strange, tough. Rough like a shipping river that couldn''t stop or remain calm. For now, Murai focused on what was necessary.


    Destruction of the bones was easier than ever before after his body adjusted. His teeth were sharper, cutting deep, and crunching the bones into paste. The taste and texture were a bit weird and on the softer side.


    His teeth were a weapon and tools he thought he could start eating some meat if he was brave enough.


    However, he found none so far. And it should be up to some standards. The basic start was uncooked meat. He never liked their taste.


    An hour later, Murai was over this fun and bones. He had more fun destroying the bones than eating them, but it was a rather close call since he was hungry.


    ¡°Mana is encompassing. A storm of rules and Laws that works like the energy of flesh and space. The universe thrives before space. Space crawls before mana. Mana flows in strands like veins through the bodies of celestial properties. The physical realms connect it, dancing on the palm or deep in the core.¡± Murai recited some memorials.


    Who am I kidding? I am not even that Anatidae Peniscula, yet am strong, right? That''s great, I guess. Still a duck though.¡± Murai uttered and after a long time of eating, he turned his attention to the Will of the Battleworld and its messages that he overlooked.


    It seemed that if he paid it no attention, none of their effects were accepted. He ignored them, thus their effects were delayed. They needed a special acknowledgment, yet something that was storming this precise situation above his head was approaching.


    [Dear Citizen, you have reached special circumstances regarding the readings of your Will and soul. Thus, certain effects and world thresholds are questioned within the rules, or strictly adhered to Breaches]


    [The Soul Body fused with your advancement. Anatidae Panacea is magical, though its body and soul of your caliber met some issues. Addition modifications of your Will are counted in troubles. Your Will is strong. Too strong. No amount of change and strangeness will make it fitting]


    [Body status of Strength, Dexterity, and Vitality are strengthened according to the species'' specialty, and strengthened Soul Body met certain conditions]


    [Your Will is tremendous! It is SHAKING!]


    [Your tiny legs are a far cry from your soul]


    [Command. Power. A great calamity of importance is advancing through your Will, reaching desires known by few]


    [Hence, against the odds of living and souls, Robust Spirit is Breached]


    [Cause: Will and power of your Soul Body works conjunction but in no fusion with the Will]


    [Soul Body carried Soul Essence. It went hand in hand, growing in no higher grade, yet something did meet its mark, assembling a way toward the Robust Spirit. It is created after the criteria of the unknown. Requirements have complex clauses]


    [Reasons denied]


    [Causes not found]


    [Soul Essence has turned into the Soul Body a long time ago, so the Soul Body has been altered. Robust Spirit cheers on, flickering in an unhinged mockery, and forcing the Soul Body to become its food]


    [Robust Spirit is...] the voice hesitated, as if fearful, doubtful, or not knowing what it could be. [A power over the soul and Will, yes. That is the Robust Spirit. Its power is absolute. Stronger than the rest]


    [Robust Spirit overlapped and ate it¡ªthe reasons¡ªturning to the purpose of nobody but itself. It is you, Citizen. Robust Spirit is the soul]


    [Robust Spirit: A physical and mental manifestation of your Will and soul. It''s based on the ability of the old spirit, portraying a historical characterization of the Old World. An endured Old Soul, or so it suggested]


    [Robust Spirit: For now, it has a UNTOLD threshold of potential or familiarity. Readings are denied, unallocated, and out of the rules. Further intent and abilities will depend on your future Will, followed by the specific and unique circumstances alongside your soul. Thus, it has no redeeming quality for the time being, apart from forming and strengthening who you are inside, or far deeper]


    ¡°That doesn''t sound that bad.¡± Murai pondered out loud, mumbling incoherent noises. ¡°What is an Old World anyway? My soul? It does seem that this world takes those readings seriously, so I might be a problem.¡±


    There was nothing much else to it other than the rest of the messages.


    [Acting like an Unyielding Will, Unshakable, Sturdy Soul, or other variously mental-type of powers, Robust Spirit acts unlike them. It has its passivity, protecting, enduring, and taking Soul Body''s place]


    [Everything will become related. Be warned, or expectant]


    [Level 2: Fusion ability of Divine Beast Bloodlines]


    [Grade SS: Unique Power of Soul Pathway]


    [Alongside the Robust Spirit, Anatidae Panacea has its Mana Core. It has been recalculated under the new potential of your body, how well it took, and how mana space is stable enough. The first step of the initiation is important]


    [Mana Flow has successfully made all roots and truths, creating the Mana Core]


    [Current Stage: Initialization]


    [Success: Small]


    [Curent Mana pool:1000]


    [Mana Replenishment has initiated its passivity and rules, becoming an established source and course for your mana. 10 a minute is the current reality, though the points and expenditure are rather physical, obvious by your core or mana flowing in your mana space]


    [Replenishment can become stronger, more efficient, and quicker depending on the level, or various buffs. Setting, surrounding mana, structures, runes, and many other things could influence this Grade F mana ability]


    ¡°So it''s pretty much a passive earthly refueling?¡± Murai asked out loud, figuring that this sounded normal. Almost everyone with Mana Core was subject to stealing the worldly mana.


    [With that successful, what about the magic?] the voice asked curiously. [Panacea is equivalent to a Magus of some unspecified races, but amongst the beasts, this one is special]


    [Initialization Core gives rise to other things, thanks to your specials that have long-lasting effects and readings at this stage. Those are battle freaks, magic mules, and battle ducks in many depictions]


    [Their biggest advantage lies in Universal Affinity. No matter the element, most could excel in numerous things at once. Their Elements or Force could be extraordinary. It goes deep, along with a powerful history and Bloodlines. Most of it is caused by endurance and their Origin]


    [The presence of mana itself can give rise to new understanding]


    [You are certainly a Blessed, so don''t waste this!]


    [Universal Affinity is perfect for performing all kinds of magic. The kind depends on the user, as it is a tool that comes under your command, or our readings. Be wary. Our studies show certain merits to Anatidae magics. It has a certain... fondness for the flow and insanity]


    ¡°Feels like it,¡± Murai added, figuring this voice wasn''t that obnoxious when it was useful.


    [Mana Shaping is created]


    [Mana Shaping: One of the few magic fundamentals. Mana shall be under your Will. There are two kinds of styles upon this flow: Conjuring and Shaping. There is a certain cost to the extent of your power, control, amount of Conjuring, and easiness. Training is recommended]


    [Further familiarity and use of the Shaping can lead to improvements. Like the growth of flesh, mana roars like abilities do. Levels and Grades are that, though evolutions are subject to many things. Discovering, training, or forcing some spells under your tries might give you an edge over our readings, thus, gifting you things in return. Spells and magic abilities are pivotal]


    [Current progress or aptitude in Shaping? None. You better get moving, or you will be left behind or die!]


    [Grade C: Panacea''s specialty - Grade of Shaping is strengthened by choice of the sub-species over the regular Mana Wielding, though part is under your flow and soul]


    [Level 1]


    ¡°Interesting joke,¡± Murai uttered; he did listen to most descriptions at least once. But some of them moved away from his important memories. He knew magic. He knew what to do, so what about his arrogance that was far from his species? This magic might be different. Worlds had many unique depictions of magic when mana flowed eternally. And in this world that had some sort of view under these Levels or Grades, he thought of it as interesting.


    There was a lot in those messages, not worth complaining or ignoring. These ideas depicted this life. Read it. Described it like a book. Going over the basics was excessive, yet something weird was still there, depicting the Path and power he hadn''t heard about.


    The Robust Spirit seemed... weird. It was his soul, so to speak, depicting a Soul Pathway that went against his choice, or perhaps he had nothing yet? Paths usually depicted choices, while Soul Pathway was just a generalized term for describing soul-related powers. Individual Paths were under the Pathways, giving one a steady future.


    It even had a Grade at SS, so what he should take it for?


    Magic moved through a lot of his lives. All lives and planets throughout the River of Manaflow were irregular. It was perhaps what gave them blessings to remain going in some ways, but Murai always found them groggy. Unlucky over his many cursed lives. Cursed by the mere point of his arrival. When there was the live, there were complications. He was the implication.


    When the planet was within that river, it meant a higher tier of lifeforms. More suitable planets for lives across the far Skies. And the higher lifeforms got, the more intensely it flowed.


    Mana would always be a universal subject of importance and power that many coveted, but not fully understood. A source of life. A blessing that many world of many living beings took for granted.


    Battleworld was the same, as it was getting mana from the same source. The eternal, flowing like a celestial worldly river. That was the River of Manaflow. From a vast distance, one could view and describe it as a crackled glass, which then formed galactic river strands in all directions. It had its pivotal beginning like everything, yet what was it wasn''t in many eyes or minds. It was too big, frankly.


    Gods were far from that picture. They could never create such things. They were barely eligible to think of planets around these strands as something they desired. So for as long as time allowed life, It was a mystery whether the River of Manaflow had some Order or flowed like Chaos until the strands would turn to Void.


    The river contained countless magnitudes of energy, but it was usually mild to its surroundings or intense like a storm against a house made of cards.


    Murai knew of it from a long time ago. Perhaps from times he couldn''t even remember, but he trusted his memories. For what they were worth it, it was what made him up. It shouldn''t be wrong.


    He didn''t know what kind of strands was going through this world. It was hard to tell such a thing when one''s power was so low, though magic should bring some memories and clarity to his head, signifying some fun for this life as well.


    River of Manaflow should make many changes in the rules and running of this world. Depending on them, individuals, settings, or the world itself would change. It was a matter of compatibility, which, in this case, should be quite high. Battleworld already proved to be quite high in the brackets of the Skies. Pretty much anything could enjoy mana. It was basic knowledge, despite talents and things one could do with it were limiting factors.


    Murai had lifetimes worth of memories, yet not as a duck, so he figured it should be the main troublesome part. Magic primarily worked with a strong mentality, though physically, it always flowed and empowered the flesh. It had a certain duality for people who went through trials and errors before establishing powers and countless Paths.


    Becoming a high-class mage as a duck sounded much better than when he thought about it. An unfamiliar body wouldn''t be a problem. He worked with worse, unfortunately. Well, he certainly wasn''t having any high expectations. Having the body of a magical beast, he studied some before, so that might give his perspective a new face.


    He was always a person surrounded by others, or him, forcing others onto himself.


    Past keeps history. Lives go and Ends come. What is before everyone is just a glimpse of the Fate. Murai understood his choices were nonexistent. He disliked his living, so what could change it?


    Gods? Some sort of ability this world gifted for cheap? Evolutions sounded enthralling. That could work, or so he thought, yet he didn''t know what to look for, or how.


    What was even a Blessed? A person with the End etched into their souls? That was kind of against the norm. At least according to the things he understood about Afterlife.


    The shape of the Will of the Battleworld and its voice added clarity, giving rise in progression before Boosts would turn a person anew. It went out of his battles and some effort, though it still felt like a borrowed power that wasn''t his own.


    It shouldn''t be that bad seeing it, getting familiar with an unfamiliar body and abilities that shined under his grasp. Like his beak, it could be workable. Making things more enjoyable. Probably...well, he had his lovely magic, so his mood improved. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Murai hadn''t felt any differences between Soul Body and Soul Essence before. Even when it all turned Robust Spirit, he felt the same. He lost nothing important from the looks of it. Yet it touched his spirit, and having his own soul molded with some higher power wasn''t that great under his look.


    Rain would find it shocking, seeing that Murai had a Grade SS ability already at this stage of a Child. Murai gave it no regard because Rain hadn''t given him much regard for abilities, grades, or level. He spoke more about things that mattered.


    The whispers of this Will of the Battleworld ended, and the latest push of the Boost happened in a flash, touching his soul and soul alone.


    From the simple Soul Essence to a Soul Body to a Robust Spirit, Murai never had a chance to experiment with them.


    Looking around, the changes around his soul space weren''t painful, upsetting, or weird. His Will took it well. Too well, perhaps. And he was currently too preoccupied with his real body to care about his soul.


    Something interesting was due, so when it all stopped in a couple of minutes, Murai went ahead to experiment with his magic. Work around the Mana Flow was significantly more interesting than some beak, or soul abilities that he couldn''t understand. Murai felt his core that was somewhere in his body, created by evolution. It didn''t seem to be different from his previous lives, but the voice said it had some unique features. He knew of Universal Affinity. It should give rise to Elemental or Force Magic much quicker.


    For now, his core was nothing but a shining ball of azure energy.


    It depicted his mana pool, quality over the mana space, and his potential. Mana Pool of a 1000 value was one thing Murai found weirder. It was just a number to see the value of how much mana he had, yet he could feel how much mana he had even without it. Perhaps it was to help initiate some rules or wisdom, give a damage a better time? Murai didn''t appreciate unnecessary things. This world must have its depictions of magical talents.


    Mana Pool might be one way to view his core''s improvements. Or were the Grades much more important than some numbers? Well, he saw it from the high perspective of someone who wielded all kinds of powers. Every ability had some value, starting with Grades and Levels. That wasn''t talent, or it might be something. He didn''t like the fact that he felt he must be wrong about it. It should be something fully integrated into this world.


    And so far, he met Rain alone.


    Perhaps he should visit that shape and tall feather again.


    No. No, Murai quickly refused this idea Mana Pool is different from the norm. It displays a talent for how much mana could be around and within me. It is more complicated than that, but this simple guess proves nothing but more questions. For the start, is 1000 a lot? No clue...


    There was also his aptitude. Mana Flow was Grade F, which was the lowest point possible. That one didn''t speak of his immediate talent, as it was at its most notable roots. He couldn''t ask for more, frankly. The Grade of the Mana Flow would get better as he progresses with mana. It might later become something like a talent, he figured. Or a chain that would stop his growth.


    The feeling of mana was¡ªas far as he could feel it¡ªat beginner level that this body took.


    Mana Shaping was the most essential ability, followed by Conjuring.


    Conjuring meant to open the floodgates, letting the mana out. This point worked primarily under the Mana Flow as well, as it signified quality and stability. No one wanted to destabilize the core by Conjuring like a wild animal. It should be distinct and gentle, or wild if one was familiar and wild enough.


    Shaping was changing the Conjured mana according to one''s will, or a physical touch.


    In Murai''s case, it was a simple matter of exercises and mental fortitude. Each of these fundamental exercises followed many techniques, ranging from those improving the quantity or quality of the cores, or those that would eventually turn into proper outer or inner techniques, or spells.


    Murai knew that Shaping was the most important since the Conjurnig was much simpler, or so he thought.


    Letting mana out and Conjuring from his core outward ended up as a big challenge. Anatidae Panacea wasn''t listening to his mana as he remembered, making it harder and rougher to wield. His mana was also strange, unyielding, and tough to feel. It was like pulling two ends of a thread at the same time.


    His experience should''ve made it easier. Mana should be piece of a cake. But his body refused it, making mana unstable like his nerves. Murai struggled for an hour until he was able to Conjure enough mana and touch it with his Shaping, turning it into a small shining blade.


    Shaping it before his face, he glared at it as if it were his worst enemy. It was flickering and almost dissipating, but it was taller than his body and thick like his beak. It had rough curvature and its sharpness was nonexistent. It was an utter failure.


    I have no hands, nor many practical ways to fight apart from my beak, so how to go about Shaping them with my head? Murai thought and tried to follow his hunch. My mind will have to do. Alright. That decides the fundamentals of what I will be doing. Mental Shaping. Not Touch Shaping or Folding elements. Those needs proper...well, body and the rest. Do I have the rest?


    Mental Shaping was one of the basic styles of Shaping. It was a simple, intended form for mana itself. It was all about feeling mana, Shaping it without being physical. Just a mind was enough and letting it change its course. It was a telepathic technique compelling great precision, skill, and indirect touch. Moving something with intent and feelings alone was harder than with a hand, so it had some specialties, limitations, and triggers between flesh, mana, and core.


    What were the mages again? Not normal people for sure.


    Through Shaping, mana became many things. There was a shortage of things a mage could Conjure; Shaping was the exact opposite. Countless. Incalculable. Limitless. It all came down to the experience, mana pool, and overall feeling and talent of a mage. Imagination also came to a certain effect, as Shaping could be anything one could hold from dissipating.


    ¡°This is still hilarious to me,¡± Murai chuckled. ¡°I lack the context over my body, and I know how core and magic feels. I KNOW IT! Why does this feel so wrong?¡± Murai threw a fit, stomping the ground and raging. ¡°I feel my mana pool is like three times larger than the mana pool when I was an elf teen. I shouldn''t be wrong about it. I trust my feelings if it is about quantity alone. But it isn''t all about it. Mine is savage. Hard to tame.¡±


    Murai calmed down and took a seat to the ground.


    ¡°I was a Grand Magus, which grants another topic. I thought elves were gifted in mana, but I am mistaken. This duck is insane. Elves could be either bad, average, or something else, so who am I kidding here? What? I am a duck with a mana pool larger than what some Intermediate mages would have in Alfhenhaim.¡± He paused as he quacked.


    Wait, he thought. Mana in the Alfhenhaim was kind of lackluster, but it shouldn''t be far off. It should be close. And the mana pool was also present in that world because of its Gods and history. It had no numerical advantage, though it did give rise to negligence, pointing fingers at those with small pools, and so on. Here, it is the same, yet I say not. It is a numerical point. Like some sort of system. One can always rely on feeling one''s mana. Handlers could be worse though, but that isn''t my case. In percentages, mostly. Or roughly by hand, feet, or head. Shapers have it easy. Now, what to do when it feels this hard to feel and Shape?


    What to make of it? I never figured out the highest power in Alfhenhaim, but I see it similar here. It might be ten times more complicated in terms of context and my body, but there isn''t only mana under my wings. As a demonic magical beast, I am kind of different from anything I''ve experienced in terms of mana. This adds a lot of variables to my head.


    Murai thought deeply into this matter, and he was right. Major changes were coming to this life, giving him what would follow him for the rest of his journey in this world.


    Lastly, an hour into his contemplations, there was still one important topic left.


    The Task! Goal? Many missions under the Will of the Battleworld stressed Blessed to no end. Evolution was done, so it was time for something new.


    [Goal! No! A Task] the mechanical voice cheered.


    [Your source of the beginning was an interesting one]


    [A first evolution is successful, which is even greater]


    [You are also alive, which is grander than greater]


    [For now, you reached the threshold of Level 5 thanks to your hard... Bloodline, and not the least bit thanks to your hard work. How utterly strange, pointless, and lackluster]


    [Hence, there is a need for a goal or a Task? Something to make you work for your intent as a Blessed is fitting. Battleworld loves its Blessed. It is such a wonderful place after all. To take a cheer of a second life]


    [The current Task is the following: Experience the world of Demonic Lands. Follow the course of 10 battles against their opponents within your level or above it]


    [There are no time limits. No rewards. Just plain ol'' brawling and adventure, which may benefit the Blessed in many courses and give you a journey ahead. It is as intended to make small changes, even though Boosts and your path itself may be your reward as you fight and take this Task for a job]


    [Try harder to not disappoint us!]


    ¡°Was the Battleworld mocking my life''s choices?¡± Murai laughed upon realizing it was probably the case. He couldn''t care less about some absolute rules; he wasn''t one to follow them all the time.


    From the start, he knew his goals were a broader term, and he wasn''t limited to hastening his progress either. There wasn''t any timer or anything that should prevent him from taking things slowly. Well, apart from the Punishing Act, which he had no intention to repeat in this life. He had no intentions of doing something stupid, so he had to learn more about this world.


    It is mocking me, but what are the Demonic Lands? Is the Rain''s feather coming into effect so soon? I bet it should be something along with that. Murai assumed.


    During this time, Murai had yet to notice a dim light gliding around the air, observing him since it formed in this cave right around the end of his evolution. Murai didn''t notice it.


    Standing and doing his magic experimentation, Murai was long lost in thoughts about many things. He tested magic for a long time, asked himself a lot of questions, and even those he couldn''t answer. Calculating curious topics about his sub-species and the power of his evolution, Murai obtained his main goal.


    Grow.


    Magic was secondary, thanks to the failures that proved no success after hours of learning. It didn''t make him all that happy.


    Anatidae Panacea had a few discerning factors and strengths. It was one of the core sub-species of his Anatidae species, so he deduced that his species might be much vaster and crazier than that. That Death choice was one thing. Peniscula with its flesh the other.


    But the magic of a Panacea was endless!


    Unlike the others, well, Murai wasn''t sure what Anatidae of the Death would be able to do. For all that he didn''t know, it could''ve been an utter monstrosity, unlike any duck in the universe.


    Panacae was well-rounded in many aspects; it was one of the reasons he had chosen it.


    Magic had its roots, and like many regrets, they might as well disappear without any problems after he mastered it. Having a bond with the God of Death wasn''t something he was willing to take on. Maybe if the world had given him some slack or opportunity, he might''ve done something with it.


    Those were issues of the past. He didn''t need them anymore.


    Murai was satisfied as he played with his Shaping and unraveled his biggest issue. Earlier, he felt wrong about the Conjuring itself, yet Shaping was no better. When he pulled mana out of his core with tremendous effort, Shaping it was like touching and grasping rocky clay. He used at least two dozen times more effort to make it workable, unlike his formal human and elven experiences.


    He made a mana sword after many trials and errors, but it lacked edge and fullness. It wasn''t enough to cut down anything. It was swaying in its shape and barely looked like a sword.


    He was able to move the Shaped sword thanks to his control, but his aptitude was either weak or he was weak. Either was possible, but one was more likely.


    I knew it. I am indeed lacking in terms of compressions of this species''s mana. I am no devil, and a demonic beast isn''t like a demon itself. This body of mine and the flow of mana feel different from the normal. I should improve and increase my familiarity with it in future training. It is new. Not old and set by my memory. Thus, this needs new ideas and approaches. Then, it should be more comfortable, right? Being a magical duck sounds enticing enough so I shall give it a try.


    Murai decided to observe all the effects of his mana in correlation to his body as a whole. His decreasing mana pool was obvious around this time, though thanks to his slow Conjuring and Shaping, he wasn''t losing it too quickly.


    It went from being full to three-quarters in a couple of dozen Shaping exercises and many glittering blades cracking. That amount wasn''t worth considering. 10 points of mana would return to his pool per minute at their convenience and on their own.


    He held no information about the losses of his mana when he Conjured or used his Shaping. Just the overall feel of his Mana Pool lessened. No numerical values were attached to his spending, which he appreciated because he didn''t want to think of those numbers so much. Feelings were enough.


    Flapping his wings, and stomping the ground with his feet, Murai felt he was sturdier and much more stable on his feet. And as before, to be considered a demonic beast, he laughed in confusion. Why were Anatidaes considered demonic? Maybe their beak was part of it, or they could grow to be demonic? Evolution could be part of the answer. His beak looked like a duck''s beak, but the edge was sharp and the tip glinted at a point.


    Perhaps he shouldn''t trust his confusion. His memories of how regular ducks looked like were lacking anyway.


    His beak sliced through Devil Fox quite nicely even before the evolution. Those bones weren''t soft either. Throughout this changed shape of his beak, it appeared rather unassuming to be a strong weapon from the rest of his appearance. His feathers and teeth were dense at least, giving him a nice look.


    While it was still his guess, this demonic beast species wasn''t something innocent, righteous, or ordinary. According to his guess, it was adept at being carnivorous and could be quite a fighter with a ferocious temper. Mana itself was probably the biggest factor that he found impressive. Will of the Battleworld and even Rain mentioned some interesting points as well.


    Observing himself, Murai thought his neck got somewhat longer and thicker, and the curve around his spine was noticeably different. It still didn''t cause him to grow up, so he thought he was more hunched over at his base, but he could stretch taller and move his neck and head better.


    With the wonders in his head and mana temporarily aside, he began to walk, run, and jump around like a madman, getting more familiar because he could. He also went to the stones around the edges, jumping up the slope where steam was coming up to perform the rudimentary contrasts before and after the evolution.


    Looking for his physical improvements was one way to find out about it. Evolution should be an improvement, right? Not a hideous change that wouldn''t improve a thing? That was correct. Experimenting and discovering his limit and changes was better than doing nothing, but would the floating light get it as well?


    The stability of his feet was much better, and the jumping speed and vertical jump improved. He even managed to skip some stones to get back to that wet wall, but he was yet to be interested in jumping to the other side.


    For the time being, he went up and down the wall, figuring his body out, and looking as if he was insane.


    His current outlook was the following:


    [NAME: Murai Hisagi / no nicknames no titles detected]


    [AGE: 269 days / no time-variants, yet oldness detected]


    [SPECIES: Anatidae [former ones- human, elf, demons, devil, god, leaf, stone...] / Species properties or specialties are: Magic. Further ones are undetected or unworthy to mention. Evolutions are highly possible in this species.] Variants UNKNOWN


    [SUB-SPECIES: Anatiade Panacea / Class D / High Mana Aptidue, stronger body, further improvements depend on the leveling, and strengthening process]


    [PHYSICALITY: Duck / A proper Child specimen of the Anatidae species // Panacea sub-species with strengthened physicality]


    [ATTRIBUTES]


    [Strenght: 38]


    [Dexterity: 29]


    [Vitality: 38]


    [Wisdom: 100]


    [Soul Power: 20]


    [WILL: 18]


    [MANA: Mana Pool: 1000, Mana Core: Initialization of Small Success]


    [MANA ABILITIES: Mana Detection, Mana Replenishment, Mana Flow, Mana Shaping]


    [ABILITIES: Beak''s Fury, Soul Read, Robust Spirit, Night Vision, Strike of the Will / Hidden ones are detected yet are hidden under the prerequisites and circumstances]


    [STATUS: The Eater]


    [BLESSINGS: NONE]


    [EQUIPMENT: NONE]


    [LEVEL: 5]


    [POWER LEVEL: Less than 20]


    [TASK: Battle through Demonic Lands. Kill 10 foes / REWARD: none]


    After a couple of hours into his maddening training, he went to refill his stomach with remaining bones.


    ¡°What were you so running, jumping, and eating about? Are you a weirdo?¡± A high-pitched voice talked to his ear, appearing like a shimmering light of mana itself, or... something that looked to be one.

 Chapter 14: Life Companion

    Murai jumped in fright, quacking in response to this strange light. ¡°Who the fuck is... Eh!¡± And then stopped, glaring onwards and slightly up.


    What was there was a rather surprising sight, as well as something strange. Calling it a being or even a person was questionable. Made of mana and seen-through particles, a female figure floated in front of him. She was tiny, looking like the spiritual races of Elden Worlds, and other places that he had seen in the far Skies.


    She had human features, yet she was far from a human in every way. Ghostly wings and long indistinct hair floated from her back, swirling and bathing the space like ripples of water. Ghost. Yes. She looked like a ghost that was hard to discern.


    There was a flickering all over her, indicating her lifeform and her life itself. Mana alone made her Physicality, or it could be some form of soul in some capacity. For him, it was a dull figure even under his Soul Read, though mesmerizing because she looked pretty. She was hazy like a ghost and even her lower body was missing, making clothes useless. She could be corporeal, noticeable, or sensible to the naked eye, so perhaps she wasn''t a ghost?


    Who was she? What was she? Murai did forget about something for a long time. Battleworld noted him of the upcoming Life Companion. A helper for the sake of his Blessed status that was engraved to him like the worldly blessings.


    ¡°What are you looking for and quacking all so strange about?¡± she said, pointing with her flickering hand forward. ¡°You are a strange duck and soul, so let me be straight at my purpose. Lisa is my name. A Life Companion provided by the Will of the Battleworld to you, so let''s live nice and long, shall we?¡±


    A fucking what? This? This is what I got? What a waste, Murai thought.


    ¡°Nice to meet you too, little wast...duck. Right? A duck?¡± Lisa shook her head in disappointment. ¡°A speaking one, thinking one, and crazed one. How peculiar of a lifetime this is,¡± she spoke as if she stepped on shit, floating around his head like a butterfly looking for a landing. She wasn''t that big, but she spoke as if she was bigger than a mountain.


    Murai swung his head, shooing her away.


    ¡°Not shy, are you?¡± Lisa chuckled. ¡°Anyway, for my introduction, I used to be a demonic Blessed in the past, and now I am a helper for another, Isn''t it great?¡±


    In the finest terms possible, Lisa resembled a Fairy, but her shape wasn''t exactly as rightful or strange. Her wings had sharp angles to them, yet they were hazy as her body was hardly dense. She was even smaller than Murai himself, curved in upper body, sharp head, and her body was bare, looking naked. Skin wasn''t really anywhere, so she looked like a hazy picture of a young woman.


    Upon looking at her more, Murai realized some of her features. Her eyes were more brazen and arrogant, and her wings had some demonic features to them, looking sharp. In some capacity, they made her look like a succubus instead.


    It was hard to tell what made her mesmerizing or pretty more: Her magical body, or the way she looked.


    ¡°What are you staring at me for? Do I look that strange in this flash? Is new, you see,¡± Lisa said, watching Murai''s speechless face. ¡°I think I look pretty if I say so myself!¡± She said again, proudly puffing her chest even though she wasn''t enjoying this body as much as she smiled.


    I... I regard and see the Life Companions differently, Murai thought, remembering some past lives that involved some bonding and forceful helpers.


    ¡°Well, sorry for not being a female Anatidae!¡± Lisa argued, chuckling with an unbothered expression.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Murai barked at her, quacking along with his annoyance and obvious feelings that she could hear his thoughts.


    ¡°Yes. Yes. I am shutting... You shouldn''t be such an open bother,¡± she uttered and put her hands before her chest. ¡°All in all, it is nice to meet you, Murai Hisagi.¡±


    She made a small gestured bow in a try to make a different kind of impression. It worked better for what she could make.


    ¡°So, you are a soul of the Battleworld?¡± Murai asked her with a doubtful look.


    ¡°Soul of the... Nah. Just the soul of a former Blessed. Life Companionship to a Blessed work that way. That is me. What do you think a Battleworld is? I formed a while ago, so I don''t know much about your time here, while my soul went ahead from another End, so... It is annoying. I have trouble adjusting to this Chaos. You appear and think like this, so from what I could gather, you succeeded in your first evolution and don''t know much about this world. Also, I have yet to be familiar with you as a life companion should be, so no apologies. I will change it in a breath if you work with me.¡±


    ¡°Am I too clueless? I am a freaking duck! A duck!¡± Murai once again raised his quacks. ¡°And how am I even communicating with you?! You hear my soul, or what? Or do you understand my quacks?¡±


    Frustration on this duck''s face was kind of a strange thing to see in Lisa''s opinion. The beak opened, noises spread, and flapping wings gave him a strong impression.


    ¡°Well, I can hear you just fine for what you are. Nothing else matters as I can work with it. Thank you for telling me the obvious thing. I can notice that you are a duck,¡± Lisa said, mocking his words.


    Murai looked at her, clearly annoyed.


    ¡°As for what am I¡ªyou probably wonder¡ªI used to be a demonic existence in this Battleworld, and upon my... demise, I got a chance for another try at living. The prerequisite is If I serve the Battleworld well enough, so that is something to take into consideration. Isn''t it quite a simple chance? Die, try again, die, and hope for yet another try? Is my third time. If it goes well, that means fourth!¡± Lisa cheered, reminiscent of what hopes were.


    ¡°Looking for a life? Lives? Is this about the Afterlife?¡± Murai asked, looking as if frowning.


    ¡°Whatever it could be. Whoever. I will do so by becoming a Life Companion to some Blessed, and experiencing yet another life without any loss of memories sounds like a charm. That is a key part. I can help you with threading this world lightly, or like no duck ever did. Well, that might be a lie.¡± For a dead spirit, she spoke cheerfully as if she hadn''t died two times.


    The strangest thing was how she was looking at Murai. It was a submissive, rather delightful expression she was making, but arrogance and curiosity seeped out from her eyes and words. Murai could feel some lingering emotions from her, but Soul Read wasn''t doing what he thought it would.


    Lisa seemed happy with this situation, but it was a one-way thing. Murai couldn''t help but curse at this little spirit since she sounded like a bother. He thought he would''ve some voice or choice in this matter, or he would''ve gotten something... else than this. Once more, he understimated his Cursed Living.


    Looking at her with the same speechless expression, Murai had various emotions in his head. ¡°So a dead spirit of a demon becomes a Fairy to help a Blessed and ends up as... what? Life Companion? What a strange turn of events. It reminds me of someone... close.¡± Murai was implying his life as a duck more than anything else.


    Nothing else made sense in it either.


    ¡°Don''t be too sad, Hisagi Murai! You are an Anatidae!¡± Lisa argued, pointing her finger at him again. ¡°That isn''t bad, considering their lack of breeding and rarity in pretty much any continent. You should be very happy about it. Never heard of a Blessed Anatidae. Living as this demonic beast should be filled with impressive moments and life can become quite a blessing. Of course, that depends on your views, decisions, and what you want to do in the Battleworld itself.¡± Lisa explained sounding a bit similar to the Rain, but her words seemed cheerful and hiding more context.


    ¡°Or in what this world gives me?¡± he asked.


    ¡°That too... is important. True.¡± Lisa nodded thoughtfully.


    Murai looked at her, hardly believing that his species was impressive. Rain told him some comments but nothing much; he was only curious about their trade of information, while Murai got what he wanted out of him. It was an equal exchange. Murai wasn''t able to provide him with enough information, so Rain didn''t tell him a whole lot either.


    Looking at Lisa, she appeared like a stable soul, innocent in appearance, yet hideous inside. Though, her honest-looking smile might be a farce.


    Her soul was steady. An intact residual force that was transformed at the End of her previous iteration, or variant. She was still the same but born anew. Without any physical body for now, of course. Life Companions for Blessed were always peculiar in shape.


    Battleworld was probably the reason why it all happened, or so Murai thought. Her past was hers, so he couldn''t guess it, but a demon was a demon. He was also one in the past, and they were quite savage beings of various forms. They were beyond the beasts and monsters of many worlds.


    ¡°So a demon? Can you tell me about them?¡± Murai tried to change the topic and get to know her a little better.


    ¡°Demon is a demon, but if what you are asking about is me, then I was a Level 85 Morghoth Succubus. Class S, Path of Wrath. A rather casual one, but I got pretty high up in terms of power! I even battled some churches and killed dozens of famous adventures and... a lot of other things.¡± Lisa announced in a proud, yet almost nostalgic tone.


    ¡°Is that supposed to be great?¡± Murai asked, disappointed.


    ¡°Not at all!¡± She shouted in defense. ¡°I am just remembering a lot and going through a lot. Imagine dying and having your soul seized and then put into... this.¡± She pointed to herself, sounding sad that no tears would come out of her eyes.


    ¡°Don''t care. Continue,¡± Murai quacked, thinking that he was no better than her. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You... Fine. There were even all kinds of Tier A kingdoms or other powers that wanted me dead. Something about killing the princes or whatnot. What a bummer.¡±


    Oh, so she was that kind of demon? Unhinged and idiotic. No wonder she died. Interesting, but useless in this helpful companionship, Murai thought, but his inner voice was sensed by her.


    ¡°HEY! I may have died, but I have still some feelings!¡± She slapped Murai''s beak, but it did nothing but satisfy her a little when her little arm puffed to smoke. ¡°Just so you know, I want to know how long has passed since my death. Maybe my usefulness can be much better in that regard, but even without it, I can give you more than you deserve. Where you''ve ended up? What continent?¡±


    ¡°No clue.¡±


    ¡°Then I have no idea either,¡± she shrugged her arms that regrew. ¡°Life Companions work as helpers in this world. Get used to it. I need information and see the situation in the Battleworld. Whatever changed since I''ve died sounds like a good step, got it?¡± She sounded demanding as if she was looking for favors instead.


    ¡°Yea. Yea. You are very important. Figures... How annoying,¡± Murai declared in a mocking tone. ¡°Anyway, before you get angry or more annoying, do you know about the Battleworld and things that I need or should know? Are you familiar with Blessed? They seem... special.¡±


    ¡°You are asking the right person. Are you a Citizen?¡± Lisa nodded, floating as if she was a feather.


    ¡°Anatidae too. I know. Shocking.¡±


    ¡°So you are a Citizen?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That''s what the Battleworld is calling me from time to time. Is that something wrong?¡± Murai wondered.


    ¡°No. Not really,¡± she said, lost in thoughts for a moment. ¡°There are some unusual cases, but status such as Citizen means a certain... encouragement. Voicing it like that by Battleworld is strange at this point in life. For example, there are Locals, Guests, Players, Heroes, Wicked, and other kinds of names, nicknames, or titles one could get. For you to be a Citizen is a rather honorary thing in itself. It''s not that common, but hearing it so early makes it strange. Who are you even, or were?¡±


    ¡°Titles and names sound interesting. What about their differences? Shouldn''t it be simpler to have it simple?¡± Murai asked, ignoring talking about his past, which ended up making her annoyed.


    ¡°Simplicity is for worlds who have it thought. This is the Battleworld. Will of the Battleworld is responsible for a whole lot of details. Called The Great System in some parts, or what some call it. Some also call it a Voice, or God''s Messages, or whatnot. How stupid, is what I call them back, but all of them are rather important. You must''ve realized it yourself.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Murai nodded. ¡°Got called names and some jokes. Got bunch of those... readings too.¡±


    ¡°Expected. It calls and handles all souls and beings, but some are deemed worthy of it much more. Those are Blessed. Titles or names go along with them. Citizen is like... upper tier of them? Does it have some benefits you know about?¡± She asked, but Murai shook his head in denial. He heard no titles for sure, and nothing about Citizen was there either, but it sure speaks to him like that. Perhaps it was just a nickname.


    ¡°No? Well, it can wait. Not everything in the Battleworld has the concept or means to work with it. It would be so chaotic if every living being was a Blessed. The Will of the Battleworld would be crazy to do it, but all beings of this world have some notion of its flow. It adds progression possibilities, evolutions, and those shimmering voices, whispers, and whatnot. But that works only because of the world itself, just so you know. I would even guess the world would''ve long cracked to pieces if everyone was crazy as yourself, or my former self.¡± Lisa explained.


    ¡°That makes sense. Too much power is never great. You have no idea how right that is,¡± Murai nodded. ¡°What about the other things like Anatidaes? What are they? You sounded as if you know about them.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Lisa pointed at him and giggled afterward. It seemed Murai was unlucky and got quite the mischievous spirit, but she at least talked some sense beforehand. Maybe her presence was a prank of this world.


    ¡°Thanks for pointing that out. I would slap you if I could but...¡± Murai spread his wings. ¡°I have no freaking hand! What a messed up life this is?¡±


    ¡°And once again, you quack into oblivion. It''s your life, so why be upset about it so badly? Being a Citizen of the Battlewrold isn''t good enough for you? If so, then being an Anatidae should. It''s an honor made by the Gods! You should feel good about it.¡± Lisa tried to cheer him up, suppressing her mocking laughter.


    He was more or less aware of what kind of person was before him. The fact that she was his life companion didn''t make it better. Only worse.


    Sighting, he said. ¡°Anyway, what sort of life companion are you? Is this world strange about them like everything else? Considering you know about my name, do you know about me or what am I? What I was?¡±


    ¡°Oh?! I don''t know the past that well. Just before the flashes and rebirth, I got some additional flashes. You are an Old Soul. The kind meant to... go through things.¡±


    ¡°Oh, things? Great. How savage.¡± Murai sighted, curious how she knew about him.


    ¡°A lot of worthy beings end up in this Battlewolrd, becoming Blessed or Wicked, so don''t fret! It''s great!¡± Lisa said, enunciating her words to higher heights than they were. ¡°As for us, Blessed Life Companion is rather peculiar in the Battleworld. I have no clue what was your life before this one, so let me explain it in the lightest form,¡± she flew closer to Murai''s face and smiled at him brightly. ¡°I am L-i-f-e Companion. Simple as...¡±


    ¡°Say it in some better words, idiot,¡± Murai shut her words down.


    ¡°Hmph! No fun,¡± Lisa crossed her hands around her chest unhappily. ¡°Alright, I will explain it better. Blessed Life Companionship is about the soul connection and boundless support. Only one is there. None else. They connect through the Battleworld, giving experiences and flow. They can provide many kinds of information that Will of the Battleworld can''t bother explaining. Mainly, it''s about the world, factions, people, and countless other things. Unlike those lofty Wills, I am with you at all times, meaning I will be a good guiding tool for you as a Blessed, since I''ve been in this world already, and you weren''t. Got it? Easy and simple.¡±


    ¡°Got it, but do you feel good to be a tool?¡± Murai asked, not knowing if he would ever want to be something like that.


    ¡°Sure. It''s better than feeling the End forever,¡± Lisa nonchalantly said. ¡°I am also very familiar with this world, you know. That''s pretty damn important if you are clueless and have no idea what you are doing.¡±


    Murai was listening to her, but that didn''t mean he was willing to take her words for Laws. Lisa was like an annoying person he would always dislike in any kind of life, but many variables depended on many things. He could swallow annoyance, pride, and pain if it meant some use. Once more, he was almost close to doubting a person''s stupidity. That also counted as his.


    What if her use outweighed the annoyance? Wouldn''t that be a fantastic possibility? Almost... sensible? Since she was relying on him to live, acting like a ghost hunting his head, this seemed peculiar.


    Murai sighed to himself, accepted his Fate, and moved on. ¡°What can you do for me that should be said, but you don''t say it?¡± He asked a good question.


    ¡°Should be said? There is nothing apart from becoming connected first before going deeper. My body is partly a Soul Form, so I will reside inside of your soul space. I see that you shouldn''t have a problem with that, do you?¡±


    ¡°No. I am just questioning my life choices,¡± Murai mumbled in sadness.


    ¡°Hey! Don''t say it like that. You have it good, albeit for now... Anyway!¡± Lisa stopped an inch from his face as she floated closer. ¡°I will commence the Soul Bond! Do you agree? Not like you have a choice though.¡±


    Her words left almost no reasonable reply in Murai''s mind, so he nodded to get this over with.


    The Soul Bond that she meant was unlike the Pact that worked with some blood-related words alone. It was almost like a promise set up by the rules of both parties.


    Soul Bond was more powerful and undeniable. It would never go away. Upon commencing this act, they would act like one, but there were some specific things that Lisa had yet to include.


    She needed this bound.


    Soul Bond worked with Will of the Battleworld, connecting her to Murai with a firm contract. Similar to the Pact, the Soul Bond could turn to shreds if one of the parties died. And within the soul space itself, Lisa was a special case of a Blessed Life Companion that would hardly move away from him. As a Soul Form, she rested in his soul space for a couple of reasons. Untold reasons that Murai didn''t know, or knew but found boring or unnecessary to remember.


    Murai wasn''t soul-based Life Companions. Other Blessed wouldn''t necessarily get this one as their mandatory choice. Some could have a former Blessed as a pet with a forced soul put into it, or a golem, tool, and so on. Wandering souls like Lisa were possible, albeit rare.


    It was yet another collapse of his own soul rule. Very little could be kept from her in this way, and by his rule, she would invade his very being. That wasn''t ideal, so he thought of a good idea. Protecting his secrets from this naked annoyance sounded easy.


    Lisa should be unable to do anything within his soul space if he was clever about it. For the most part, he wasn''t sure what her abilities were and what her life form assembled. She wasn''t a ghost or a wandering soul. She was pretty much alive in some form of soul race. The kind that looked like a ghost could be counted in... his two feet? Perhaps three.


    She was in her starting form with very little personal power akin to a Seedling. Murai guessed that from her transparency, weak physicality, and power. As a soul in charge of his soul space, he had no worries. Apart from her personality and the things that went along with her, she wasn''t a disaster. Well, if she would begin chirping inside his head endlessly, he might regret it very quickly.


    Lisa pressed her arm on Murai''s beak. She did not need to recite anything. The World was the witness. The Will of the Battleworld was the spark. Murai could refuse it, but would he?


    I swear this set of mandatory rules is already getting on my nerves. How is this world even spinning with this much shit? He complained freely since Lisa couldn''t hear him. She was focused on the task at hand.


    He heard an upcoming bond forming, followed by a descent of the Will of the Battleworld.


    [Soul Bond is initiated]


    [A soul by soul, the Bond is witnessed by the Will of the World within yourself and us. Dear citizen of the Battleworld, your Life Companion is commencing the Soul Bond with you]


    [You have an incredible Soul, and hers is not as insane]


    [But don''t fret, the course of the Soul Bond is life-lasting, so regrets are too bad to have]


    [Life Companion witnessed the world and died accordingly thanks to her failure. Her view will go side by side with yours, and she will help with what the world or we can''t. So learn the sources of what you desire, but don''t get influenced, as she is just a soul, a companion, and a helper. You are Blessed. A Citizen. Your standing is beyond hers, while your future is in your wings. Bear that in mind]


    [Life Companions are a simple point of knowledge, transferring the unfamiliar concepts and notions to the new Blessed]


    [You aren''t a normal one, so think about the future and the consequences of your actions]


    [Lisa is reaching your soul space. Accept her as it is her new home]


    [A Life Companion is added to your life]


    The Will of the Battleworld spoke with its mechanical voice. After it ended, Murai felt an unfamiliar gust of power coming into his soul space. From his outside view, he noticed how her body flickered, turning even more transparent, and like a fog or mist, she disappeared into his soul space like water flowing into a pool.


    In that mysterious, yet personal space, her body reformed. Murai put forth his focus on it, focusing on pulling his Will to see it himself. It was like falling asleep, and his vision blinked into his Robust Spirit for the first time. Far away, he saw Lisa stabilizing, becoming stronger and connected to him in many threads and waves, looking like cracks in space and mist flowing in the sky.


    ¡°Oh! OH!¡± Lisa cried out after she gained awareness, surprised by the sight of a savage soul that was before hers. It was Murai''s very own core. It had no hideous definition, as it was one of a kind soul in the universe.


    What shocked her was the size and aura.


    His Soul-Body was like a knock to his soul. It was weak. Now, his soul had the shape of Robust Spirit, appearing stronger, more mysterious, and crisp like a glowing goblet of essences and the finest of currencies. Murai forgot to think about his soul when he heard of his Robust Spirit.


    It made some guiding factors to his spirituality and mentality, which charmed his soul to much higher heights than ever before. He was yet to notice it, unfortunately.


    Not only did he keep the shape of a duck and Anatidae with his soul, but it was much older, richer, and fancier in appearance. Before Lisa, there was a planet-sized duck, glowing menacingly, eyeing her with glowing eyes, overflowing with feathers of colorful sheens, and looking like a king. No. Perhaps it was something else.


    It was his soul.


    And it shocked her, wrecking her body and flow.

 Chapter 15: Secrets of the mist

    Eternity. That was what was growling like a thunderous storm above. Lisa watched that from the small perspective of a glowing figure, knowing that she was no feeble soul.


    Murai looked at her, seeing she was small like an ant, hovering there in nowhere. It was a matter of perspective that mattered, changing them both.


    Seeing someone''s soul was a source of wondrous context and confusion. In a way, he knew his soul was powerful and large, or Lisa''s might be too small. Which was it? He couldn''t tell what felt right.


    Considering Rain, I should be strong because of this Cursed myself, Murai thought. I battled with him in the spirit alone at Level 0. It seemed the Soul Body was the source of these differences, so what does Robust Spirit do? Does it turn my soul and approach to this world to another level? That or the previous life strengthened my soul that much? That is unlikely, as I haven''t done something extraordinary. Some others did, or the whole picture is more important? I didn''t even kill any God, but humiliated a few while focusing on becoming the best assassin there is. It didn''t go well since I am here, being a duck!


    Murai was thinking of the past, unaware that Lisa also heard him when their connections stabilized. The Soul Bond was over.


    It was a very mental bond, that would make it very hard to keep his thoughts away from her. It was a very peculiar issue to reality, where she was hearing him, but he didn''t. Lisa could hear his thoughts now with an open mind, while Murai couldn''t hear hers if Lisa didn''t put her Will to it. She could think freely, while he couldn''t. Murai didn''t like being like an open book.


    However, there were a few advantages to this bonding procedure. Private space to speak¡ªwhere no one could bother them¡ªwas a great way to think. They could speak however they liked without fearing outside influence unless a divine sense or someone powerful enough was close, or invasive to the souls.


    ¡°You... Your soul is so large and menacing,¡± Lisa said in a surprise, unable to stop shivering deep within her soul. ¡°What are you? Have you swallowed up Gods? Why are you like this? What sort of power you had?¡±


    She looked like a ghostly succubus once again, with flowy waves and glowing eyes.


    ¡°I won''t respond to either of those questions,¡± Murai answered, speaking as his voice carried his Will. He didn''t have to quack, which was another advantage of this mysterious space. ¡°Privacy will be an issue between us from this moment forth. It would be a good idea if we reached some boundaries. I''ve underestimated it, yet what is there for regrets? There is definitely something you can do to change my view. You don''t want to be annoying to me. Trust me. But you know how it goes, don''t you?¡°


    It was as if Lisa didn''t hear him; she was still under his influential soul, shocked, mana quickening as the voice and soul before her eyed her whole being.


    This isn''t my first time looking at the souls from such a perspective, but this is much higher than that, she thought to herself.  My soul isn''t that fragile or empty. I was long past the high stage of this world, so I shouldn''t feel like this. I battled Extremes for my sake, though the past was different. It should be about half right and half wrong to take this step, but that''s not important! Lisa! You... This? Serving this person? You can do that so you can return once again to the land of the living and seek the answers!


    Her feelings did not reach Murai, or they did, but so little he didn''t care about them to say a word. He had his thoughts and irritations, so he moved closer to glance at her soul like an absolute hegemonic mountain.


    ¡°Do I have to repeat my words?¡± he declared in utter indifference, appearing as majestic as chaotic. His voice went far for that purpose, shaking this space that was his backyard. One could become anything here, but not him. Murai''s soul was locked to this appearance since his Robust Spirit came to be.


    Lisa was spooked out of her wondering moments and fluttered her hands ahead. ¡°I didn''t mean to be that. Sorry. Sorry. I will get better if this Bond deserves it,¡± She said in a hurry.


    ¡°If it didn''t deserve it, what would that mean?¡±


    ¡°Eventually so, something or nothing. We can grow. Everyone can. Your soul, experience, and lives are yours. I get it, so let''s hear your issues first so I can help you. Have some understanding about me too. I just got here!¡± Lisa said dismissively, going over her shock as if it didn''t matter.


    ¡°I have barely some dozens of days of lives here. That is like a droplet to an ocean that is my soul.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Then, it shouldn''t be that bad. This world should be for your liking. It is under my expertise so I will help you to understand it better. If you have nothing better to say, can I begin the stuff I am supposed to do?¡± She changed her tone to a serious tone and went closer to Murai''s soul.


    ¡°You are a real piece of work. For a companion in my soul, I think I''ve underestimated you,¡± Murai continued.


    ¡°I swear I will make it worth it for you!¡± she insisted, pushing her hand to her chest in affection. ¡°I can do a lot. I depend on you too, so don''t forget it. Anything you need is good for me, but I have things to do first.¡±


    ¡°So persistent,¡± he complained. ¡°I know what you want. Don''t worry. I fear my memories and lives may be too chaotic for you, but since you are already in my soul, I guess you can slowly adjust yourself. I will make good use of you, whether you like it...¡± Murai''s soul turned hostile, trembling in its feathers and glow. ¡°Or not.¡± S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was pushing against her soul like an ocean against a cliff. A gaze of a power that she regarded so highly in the past. It was before her in a different kind of perspective, yet similar to what she knew. She was far from being unwilling to help him, though she was still herself in her pair of lives behind her.


    She had some rules about the way of living, but this being before her? He was significantly more impressive than any normal Blessed.


    Murai pulled small waves of soul fragments from his soul forward, looking like spinning rocks that looked like glowing and radiant flat sheets. They included specific things that Lisa wanted. His memories. She needed them to work better for his cause. Knowing who to serve was quite an important aspect for any Life Companion like her.


    Lisa floated to them, her body and hands touching the first fragments. They exploded immediately, looking like glowing little waves that pushed her away. Lisa wasn''t afraid. She swam to them, witnessing them from within and absorbing them into her spirit. Comprehension will take time. There were a lot of memories she wanted. Those including Will of the Battleworld and everything he got in this life were here priority.


    Murai said what he wanted, but it still put a bitter taste into his mouth how Lisa was so eager and unlike outside. Lisa was no longer paying him much attention, focusing on his memories.


    Pulling his focus back to the real world, Murai gazed at the same old cave. Lisa was no longer around, but not like she could go out of his soul space whenever she wanted.


    She rested in his spirit. It could be her prison if she pissed him off. There was a limitation. If Lisa wanted to go back to reality, Murai had to put forth the intent for her to do so, otherwise, she had to remain in his soul space. The same wouldn''t work if she wanted to go back into him, however.


    The world should be unwelcoming to such a weird spirit, but Murai doubted she was simple. Those who died for yet another time. Those were Blessed, who felt this world as one. Becoming a Blessed Life Companion was a privilege to gain a third life, or potentially the fourth.


    That sounded ways outside of the norm. Was Afterlife involved in this world? How was it possible? Murai couldn''t guess the truth.


    Most of the beings couldn''t comprehend the motion of the spirits, let alone something like the Afterlife and its intricacies that moved against the logic of the world.


    Soul Forms with a plethora of mana could exist like living things. If they didn''t, no one would see them. However, they were special and rare beyond common means, depicting races and species that compelled certain Laws of existence as seekers of Chaos and Order. Their bodies required a good setting, soul-based treasures, or powerful mana or Will beyond anything else.


    I swear. This situation is more than I ever wanted from a new life. Duck is whatever. I can get used to it. Not End it like a fool for nothing. Every change counts for answers. Lisa and this talkingworld is making my nerves ache,  Murai complained, but that was all he could do. He began to consider his next choices of action.


    He needed a better supply of food, as beasts like him needed it. It wouldn''t be like a human world where one could buy whatever one wanted, eat, and repeat it like a loop. He was a damned beast with the same loop but without the easy part. This was a harsh world with issues and challenges that he found troubling, but not unfamiliar or unfair. Lives were fair at the end of the cycle of life, Chaos, or Order.


    Many of his lives were unkept and chaotic, creating troublesome settings, or bodies. This one was the same, arranging problems to resolve, so he wasn''t in a hurry.


    Another choice wasn''t something he wanted, but it was still a choice. That was to travel somewhere else, leaving this Redglory Forest, or cave for good. Going outside and seeing the world was unavoidable. He was no rat.


    Unless he wished to try his luck with Punishment Acts again, he should keep going. Murai didn''t want to taste the Wrath of Gods so early in this life. Being hesitant and passive wasn''t a good idea.


    Lisa would know more about this, so Murai decided to wait before going outside. Looking around the cave, it was a perfect opportunity for another choice. That was to see what was up with this cave and the mysteries behind its cooking steam.


    Looking up at the wall and mist above, Murai ascended to the top in less than half a minute. On top of the wall, he wasn''t seeing shit once again. Mist and steam rising from below were way too thick, and moisture was dense like the heat.


    The only source of direction was the noise of splashing water and ground below his feet that he felt with his feet or beak. Water indicated flowing water at the far bottom, echoing like a stream of a small pond.


    Murai felt it to his bones. ¡°This is naturally interesting. I like this!¡± he uttered, leaping from the top of this wall into the fog, unaware of the consequences of this single act that would change this live forever.


    He flew way longer than he anticipated, flapping his wings in an attempt to fly. It did absolutely nothing, much to his disappointment and inability to fly.


    ¡°Damnit! Wings should work like this! I would be a chicken otherwise. How does this work?!¡± Quacking as he could, he didn''t have enough time to screw the Battleworld to hell. Before doing so, he fell into the water. Scorching water.


    Panicking right away by a sudden impact he felt with his face, belly, and wings, he started splashing the water with everything under his control. At first, he was shocked by the temperature of this almost boiling water, but it was more the case of a surprised landing.


    He jumped toward the sound of water, expecting some landing or a cave. He was wrong...well, he wasn''t completely wrong. There was no land anywhere at the bottom of this cave full of water. The walls were steep, with no place to even stand. Let alone a human, no beast should be able to get anywhere, thanks to the height of the ceiling.


    Like a chicken in the water, Murai was the embodiment of chaos and panic.


    A few moments into this awkward situation, where he¡ªas a duck¡ªwas panicking on top of the water, Murai realized something stupid. Stopping his crazy movement, he didn''t move a muscle or a single feather on his body. To no one''s surprise, he floated on the surface thanks to his fluffy feathers and who knew what else. Even the hotness wasn''t as painful as he initially thought. It was only a momentary feeling, that soon passed away.


    Ducks should be excellent swimmers. Murai was completely taken aback by his inability to realize it. Of course, he should swim without any issues and it wasn''t even part of some magic or abilities that Battleworld offered. It was a basic common sense. Instinct of animals was much simpler than some complicated system of extraordinary abilities, achievements, unlocks, and other things.


    For the lack of common instincts, this duck had no Will of one. Murai didn''t think like a duck. It was no wonder. Even a duckling would know how to swim since the instincts of nature were strong, let alone an Anatiade which was that, but ancient beyond belief.


    I am sometimes, he thought, floating on the back of his body while his neck and head rested above the water, seriously lacking any kind of common sense. I swear it is because of Lisa! This wouldn''t have happened otherwise.


    Murai swore to himself, excusing and trying to cheer himself up when Lisa was out of the picture. Some sweet little lies wouldn''t hurt anyone. What caused him to float wasn''t all that important to him either, nor was his panic or the motion of the hot water. Everything calmed as if was in a hot tub instead.


    To his surprise, Will of the Battleworld descended to his soul soon after he landed.


    [You are a quick learner, but the case of learning how to swim as a duck is utterly useless to consider. It''s the same thing as birds flying and dogs barking, so think about it]


    [Use your head]


    [For better or worse, you have discovered a Celestial Pool of unknown purpose, care, or origin]


    [Celestial Pool: It''s well developed naturally made hot spring beneath and inside the volcano named Towering Morghalis]


    [Grade of the Celestial Pool: A]


    [It is part of the Natural Treasures. Effects of the mana minerals and materials changed the water, while the hotness of the volcano created the best environment for Celestial Pool. With that addition, this is one of a kind place under the Towering Morghalis]


    [The surrounding Morga Region doesn''t come very often with such fine places. What a good luck]


    [Mana Replenishment is tripled while submerged in this Celestial Pool! That''s a lot]


    [It has no caretaker or owner unless it''s obvious. Anyone can use their benefits, but finding it is harder than being a duck]


    [Certain bonus effects are discovered]


    [There are additional considerations to body functions, making certain strengthening possible under the pretext of the Celestial Pool and your Bloodline]


    [Vitality, Strength, Dexterity, as well as a sliver of the Will will improve and strengthen when you stay in the Celestial Pool]


    [But be aware! There is a limiting factor to the body, and the Celestial Pool could even do some harm. Though, uncover them yourself...]


    The Will of the Battleworld declared its findings, leaving Murai floating in a pondering manner. He was calmly driving on the water, with fog and mist coming from it toward the ceiling. He didn''t feel uncomfortable even when he couldn''t see a thing, but this message gave him something new.


    This water was an enthralling treasure. It was looking normal. Few would think of this water as some kind of magical treasure if the eyes would be the sole justification.


    The shiny mist arose from the water, changing that cave above into a natural oven. Murai glanced back and forth amidst this strange and unclear environment, gathering out the obvious thing.


    When I think about it, it''s not hot that much. I was just surprised by the water. That''s all. He excused himself, and for the first time in his life, he tried to act like a duck.


    For the start, he swam like one by squeezing his body, flapping his wings to turn 180 degrees to his left, so his belly was touching the water, and his tiny legs would be the paddles.


    He succeeded on the first try, crying and nodding to himself. ¡°I swear. I feel like I am good at this. What a terrible thing to even think or consider. What would the past me think? Oreon from the Misty Lands, Rocky from the Seven Ring Sect, or Zick from the Underclad Tribe? Well, it is what it is. None would complain. I know myself,¡± Murai cheered and got comfortable with this movement in a matter of a few minutes.


    It was surprisingly easy to get used to swimming, and quite frankly, there was nothing he was doing apart from moving his small legs. His body floated on its own and even the change of direction was easy. He could use his legs to turn left and right, making it efficient and easy.


    ¡°Well then. What sort of Celestial Pool is this place? If I consider that name, I never heard about it, but it seems like a mana-infused place similar to...well SHIT!¡± Murai cursed. ¡°It''s the same shit but with a different name. These sorts of things exist in the majority of the world with mana. A form of condensed mana from some materials or treasure. If that''s so, the use of this Celestial Pool is rather questionable, but I can''t judge it. My own body is not up to this task. I can''t feel the mana much, and my core is in its starting stage. Got it literary hours ago.¡±


    ¡°That is understandable, or this Pool was made in some other way that I am missing something,¡± Murai considered his memories and knowledge and began to swim around this cave.


    He did pay attention to the Battleworld''s message, so he knew about its benefits. It was common sense to improvise from mana-infused materials. This was no different from a medicine bath he used in the past.


    As for this pool in itself, he was skeptical if it was even something useful for his body, but he did have mana, so it might give him some benefits. As for its secrets, something below the waver should be interesting. An old treasure? Volcanoes alone wouldn''t create this sort of thing unless the volcano had some strange origin or unique features.


    Mana was enough of an explanation. This Celestial Pool was a part of the bigger cave system that went deep down, yet the access to this pool was nonexistent, barely fit for him to jump down. It shouldn''t be possible for the majority of beasts to come here. Perhaps a child would''ve succeeded. That, or destroying the cave walls would''ve solved it all.


    However, it was clear that no one knew about its existence. If they did, someone would protect it from unkept visitors like Murai. That was at least what he assumed in his reasonable ideas.


    In a matter of a couple of minutes, he uncovered the whole cave. It was around twice as big as the part of the cave from before.


    As for the splashing water, it streamed from a crevice in one wall, but it was quite far for Murai to see. It was probably from an underground river, filling this Celestial Pool with a gradual flow of water.

 Chapter 16: Diving

    So, the running water is the sound coming from the crevice? Murai wondered, floating on the spot and letting the water hit his face. It was filling the pool all so slowly, like a pour of a house over to a wide chasm. One would wonder how long it took to fill this up. The water that bathed him was normal apart from the heat it carried. Then, it turned into a mana-infused Celestial Pool in the end.


    How it went was a secret hiding below. Murai was preparing for the subsequent problem that came with it. He didn''t know how to leave this place, so his head was buzzing with blunders of his choice to plunge down like an idiot. He didn''t regret it. If he did...well, he didn''t know what else to do. He acted without thinking.


    The walls were straight like a tower, and he couldn''t even see the ceiling that was at least a few dozen meters tall.


    Now what? I suppose this is my failure, yet if there is a source of something, there must be a way out too, he thought as he got back to his research. It wouldn''t be prettyif I had come here in the past, but, I may be screwed now anyway. There is no way out of this unless one would have some damned wings... Wings?


    Murai stopped himself from even stating what he wanted to think next. However, the matter of tell and show was a different thing. Murai flapped his wings in an attempt to do something with them, but they didn''t do shit apart from splashing some water around him. As he fell from before, his wings weren''t listening or acting as they should. He was at fault. He never had wings to care for.


    Yeah. This is to be expected. The inefficiency of this "duck" stuff is apparent, he sighed in disappointment after his bath. Maybe more practice could be sufficient to get more experience with wings. What kind of... Nah. I know ducks can be good at flying but how in the world do they do this thing? You swing it, put the weight down, or...what again?


    Murai observed his wings, looking at how wide and long they were thanks to his flexible neck. Fog obscured him, but not enough to see his own body.


    What about gliding? Are ducks good at this? I have no idea if that''s true or not. Hell, how would they even become one with demonic beasts or whatnot? That''s what I call horror! Demons in the shape of a duck?! I like it. So what would a demonic beast be described as a duck? Will I grow to gargantuan properties like my Soul Manifestation or my Robust Spirit? Doubtful. Thinking of making a duck into a monster is utterly ridiculous, but here I am.


    Murai kept practicing his swimming, forgetting the issue of how to get out at all. After a couple of hours into his long stretch of figuring out the surroundings, he didn''t find anything that could help him. The walls were smooth, making them unreachable for him. The only open place was the one he used to get here or the crevice that was way above, and full of flowing water so he wouldn''t do much with it anyway.


    A few more hours into this swimming madness, and additional training of his Shaping and Conjuring, the Will of the Battleworld once again spoke to his soul.


    [Soul Bond is completed, dear Citizen]


    [Lisa is now the only person who can be called your Life Companion under the notion of the Battleworld. She will be the key person in your life as a Blessed, providing you with knowledge, and various benefits as Life Companion]


    [There are many other ways of getting some help. Companions are popular, as Blessed have their worth in many layers. Some of them work with the premise of the Soul Oath, others at simple words, or brotherhood, or other things]


    [You are free to make any companions, familiars, slaves, and so on according to your wishes, luck, and options]


    [We don''t care how, but one''s willingness to follow you is mandatory to have. No amount of declining should make you force the target to submission. One''s will has to be theirs]


    [Oath makes this deal completed]


    [Additionally, Celestial Pool has done its initial course.]


    [Your legs have been quite something, but they are still too small nor powerful enough to change their status, or your swimming]


    [It isn''t refined, frankly, so try harder]


    [Dexterity + 3, Strength +2, and Vitality +1 through the Celestial Pool]


    [Mana Replenishment is passively increased in Celestial Pool by double the amount: 20 points a minute]


    [Mana Replenishment: Level up!]


    [Current Level: 2]


    [Mana Pool Replenishment: 24 a minute, true replenishment: 12]


    The Will of the Battleworld ended its massage, and Murai felt a thin sublime wave approaching, shaking the fog and water all around him. Just a couple of attributes hadn''t felt that great, but the Replenishment did make a difference. He felt the increased flow to his core straight away.


    Oh? 20% increase is a single Level? It''s been only a few hours. Attributes felt like nothing. What a bummer, or I don''t feel it because of the pool? Seems good enough, Murai thought. This reminds me of treasures that could empower the person and even their surroundings. Let''s try to feel the Mana Flow of this Celestial Pool and maybe I will get some better results.


    Murai went to the very middle of this cave; he wasn''t sure where was the middle part, thanks to the fog. Mana Detection was also quite limited thanks to the endless and dense flow of mana in this place.


    For now, he focused his mind, trying to conceive his connection to the core of his mana in its beginner stage. Unlike those numbers or abilities provided by some questionable voice, mana itself was something that no one should conquer like a tool. However, it was something that the Will of the Battleworld granted him in his evolution, as mana was a tool capable of empowering others. When it came to learning, he was on his own.


    Working with mana was up to the individual benefits, though Will of the Battleworld did put its voice and abilities for everyone''s benefit. At least for those deserving them, anyway.


    Mana wasn''t only in this world. It was an encompassing matter that went beyond common sense, fueling a lot of worlds, galaxies, and clusters of stars.


    Upgrading was an impending accomplishment that depended on his efforts, and his experiences should give him at least some advantages. Battleworld shouldn''t be giving him any limiting factors in that idea, as the biggest hurdle was one''s head or body. Not some voice that accompanied his soul.


    Using mana much more effectively was nothing but his problem in Shaping, though the Mana Shaping ability did have its leveling process and Grade. So far, it remained unchanging, even when he felt like he was improving.


    Murai correlated this idea with basic learning, and these waves of powers wouldn''t come at him on their own. They carried his accomplishments and training, or they had something to do with battles. Thinking of them as rewards or just numbers to go with his training didn''t seem far off from the truth either.


    Of course, the actual hurdle was the different body and drastic changes in efficiency. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Murai knew that if he was born a human, he would''ve gotten the hang of this mana without a single issue. Following this systematic Grade and Levels to higher stages just in a couple of weeks wouldn''t be a dream. But he was no man, and his mana itself was unlike them as well. Calling his core a Beast Core would be almost poetically sensible


    Where to start with Panacea magic? It was confusing to his memories and physical senses, feeling as if his reasons were overloaded when he tried to handle his magic. Mana should be familiar to him! An art that he mastered to a high degree.


    It wasn''t all terrible and clouded. At least he had his Universal Affinity, which seemed like something that didn''t excel at anything, yet it acted with everything. He could change it by focusing on some affinity of his choice. Apart from that, his hefty amount of mana was huge even at the dawn of his core, allowing him to train longer if necessary.


    Being a beginner mage after so long put a lot of memories in his head. This one had a different issue altogether, but the mindset remained the same. It wasn''t as if he couldn''t manage some Conjuration and Shaping simultaneously in his mind. Unfortunately, it went poorly, making mana and his body grow muddled in unfamiliarity.


    Making it sustainable or better was a matter of practice. His lives always went that way as long as he would be persistent enough. It was still quicker than any beginner mage managed. Having already experienced some lives, this was exactly the reason why Blessed were this powerful.


    Normal people would take much longer, although it depended on their talent, control, or a potential teacher. No matter the issues, Murai was still satisfied, regardless of his Beast Core playing a villain. It was trying him, he swore a couple of times, so he overwhelmed it with his pressure. Managing to hit some sort of sweet spot of his Conjuring and Shaping worked as long as he was squeezing it like a neck.


    Mana was an encompassing form of energy that lived in almost everything within the River of Manaflow. It seeped into the world in huge waves, empowering stones, water, and living beings. Acquiring Mana Core wasn''t something limitless. It required talent and considerable luck to maintain it without issues, and this world turned it to another side. Bloodline might be another variable, as all sorts of things fused under these powers.


    When one got familiar with it enough, it was much better than using the mana of the world like any other element. The source within oneself acted like a huge Catalyst, giving a person an advantage that was hard to restrict. With a small, infinitely tiny River of Manaflow in the body, power flowed under one''s grasp.


    That was how Mana Cores were known to him in his previous lives. The principles were hardly unchanging, though cultures and settings did leave their marks in the history of power. The Success of the Mana Core was the largest benefit, strengthening the efficiency and power of one''s spells and mana itself.


    It could also strengthen the mana pool that was within the Mana Core itself, as Success was like a Level. It carried growth within that would increase exponentially toward the peak, changing from Small Success to Medium, before reaching the Peak. Then, it would turn to a new tier of a Core in itself, replaying the cycle of improvements with higher ceilings, wilder flow, and endless training.


    Murai had no doubt this world carried this idea in their modified principles, yet how much could it change from the norm? He doubted it would go too far. And if it would, why would he need to take this world for its rules? He could go against it! It wouldn''t be the first time he would go against the norm. His entire living was one big torturous course to go against everything.


    But there was no denying this world had its culture. He was getting numerical values, Grades, and other benefits. Murai had yet to discover the true value of his Beast Core, which wasn''t like the Mana Core known to men. Was working with it the same as with the Mana Core? Time, materials, usage of the mana itself, and continued progression with Shaping and Conjuring did the basics. Mastering it, however, wasn''t as easy as handling some treasure and hoping to become a king.


    With enough time, it should be possible to crack any wrongdoings. His core should be a pretty high priority if he was seeking the highest amount of power quickly. Crashing it to Revolving Core would grant him a higher aptitude for Shaping, and Conjuring, and the might of his spell would increase exponentially.


    Was Murai seeking power?


    He always did.


    Will of the Battleworld at least left him with a clearer picture of what he could work with. His basic Grade of mana was F which meant the lowest point of this world. That meant he was an utter garbage, wasn''t he? He couldn''t deny what he was feeling himself with his body.


    He did not need some validation like an excuse for accomplishment. It sounded cheap. He always did his best, and when the best wasn''t enough, reaching a higher ceiling that was previously unobtainable was his goal. This was a fundamental rule of his Cursed Living. A choice that caused many of his lives to be unlike the previous ones since the best was always changing.


    That should be the same case this time, but he was skeptical about his ways and choice. The issue had a single core problem. He was a duck, albeit an unordinary one.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Murai''s quack echoed in the cave. ¡°This whole Celestial pool is seeping of the fire element, mixed with water element? There must be a source of fire magic beneath this pond and it shouldn''t be ordinary. A treasure? What sort of treasure is this and how are they ranked?!¡± Murai asked himself, wriggling his tail in excitement without even knowing about it.


    This called for an adventure.


    During his rambling points, ideologies stemming from different Skies, and his Mana Detection that worked like an open-minded eye to mana, Lisa woke up in his Soul Space. She was exhausted from viewing his memory fragments, which she found to be a massive mistake beyond her means. She couldn''t even continue trying for more than a couple of hours, fearing that her soul would crumble apart if she tried it for longer.


    ¡°You!¡± she shouted in his soul space. ¡°Where do you think you are, Murai Hisagi?¡± Lisa shouted again with the full use of his name. She long discovered the strangeness of reality through her bond when she was inside of him. She comprehended what was happening in the outside world without being there at all. She was like a parasite sensing his soul, and allowing her to sense the outside world.


    ¡°You woke up at perfect timing, hah! Go back to sleep.¡± Murai barked at her with his Will, which amounted to thinking to himself. That was enough for Lisa to hear it. ¡°Those few hours weren''t enough. Go sleep some more. I bet my memory fragments made you more than exhausted. Considering you didn''t dissipate, you are at least clever enough to view what you could take.¡±


    He spoke with a dismissive attitude, but that didn''t make her angry. She heard it differently. One could even say that she was hearing things that she wanted to hear while ignoring the rest. That was what made Lisa a self-centered person, but it wasn''t wrong by any means. Murai was no better. Both of them had some similarities in their personalities, but both had different experiences and expectations of the past or the future.


    ¡°Screw your fragments, you lunatic!¡± she cursed him, unhappily floating in his soul space and looking at the glowing Robust Spirit that was curled up like a giant sleeping chicken. ¡° Anyway, I don''t care about your fragments. I will view them one day. You bet on that. Right now, you are in a Celestial Pool. How? Where in the hell have you found it? Do you know what it even does for such a Child as yourself?¡± She said with a change of attitude, quickly correcting what she wanted to do. ¡°Wait. Wait. I don''t care about that! Let me out so I can see things myself. How about it?¡±


    ¡°You are a bother,¡± Murai argued, but one way or another, she might be more useful outside than barking in his head. It seemed she was quite surprised by his soul and memories, which made their power dynamic different than before.


    He was the boss here, so he gave her his permission to get out of his Soul Space. Lisa materialized into reality in a similar motion as she fused with him. Azure flaming waves spread from him, and a couple of seconds later, the same glistering wings, long hair, and glowing body emerged.


    Without caring about his words, she began to fly around, feeling the world around her as his official Life Companion. Murai watched her, feeling that she seemed a bit different than before. She disappeared to fog, though she was more vivid, clear, and firm. She also grew a little.


    As a former Blessed and soul form of unknown origin, rank, value, or rarity, she had some abilities that Murai was unaware of. One day, he would understand how this encounter messed up the rules, as well as how Battleworld was undeniably messy.


    The Soul Bond with a dead spirit¡ªor with soul form in general¡ªwas an insane idea, similar to the Blessed concepts and what their Life Companions depicted. There was a catch in nearly everything Murai came to know, which all stemmed from this world. Was it too high? Important? Could he solve the highest hurdle of his Cursed Living and actually find a sense of peace in this endless loop?


    Lisa wasn''t some ordinary soul, but one that was plenty powerful long before she became... this. Whatever it was that did this work was the utmost monster with godly comprehension of the souls. Perhaps Afterlife was involved with this too.


    Her past was weird, but her soul became one with mana in her re-creation, sending her to her new purpose. It was nothing normal. Even amongst the Gods, few would dare to call themselves all-knowing about the souls. This was definitely suspicious.


    ¡°Hisagi Murai, what in the world do you think this is?¡± she asked again, obvious to the lack of care Murai gave to her.


    He long paid attention to other things, leaving her floating alone and lost in the fog.


    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯ ignore me! This is a good treasure place you found!¡± Lisa said, gliding right to his face outside of the fog. She found him thanks to their irreplaceable bond, which made Murai a bit annoyed.


    Ignoring her was the least he could do since discovering flowing currents in this place was more intriguing. He also considered whether diving into the water was a good idea or not. From his common sense, ducks seemed like possible divers.


    ¡°Shut up. I am trying to look at what I can do,¡± he quacked at her.


    ¡°Why do you need to leave?¡± she smacked his beak, catching it between her palms. ¡°You should use this Celestial Pool of Grade A as much as you can to grow. It could be unstable, but you can do this. Your species, I mean. This sort of thing isn''t created so easily and one doesn''t come that often upon them. This is a huge one, with some elemental affinity¡ª¡± Lisa explained, nodding to her valuable words before Murai quaked at her, freeing his beak by smearing her palms to mist.


    ¡°I said it before. I''ve seen this enough times. I don''t care either way about some meaningless companion who knows no boundaries. I said it too. Set something up. We don''t want to be annoying to one another. We definitely don''t want to be enemies, right?¡±


    ¡°I suppose,¡± Lisa waved her reforming head as if she felt no pain.


    ¡°Figuring out stuff by myself was always the best thing I was good at. You might help me against some odds of this world and setting, so I will let you slide. Hearing your chirping and naggin is unnecessary, however.¡± He declared, leaving Lisa stunned by such straightforwardness. It wasn''t terrible. She expected something worse coming from him.


    ¡°Alright. That is my bad of thinking of this as equal, but it isn''t equal. Life Companions could be various. Some could be like teachers, and some Blessed could be the souls of children or even animals who''ve reached some sort of enlightenment. Then, some Blessed think of them as slaves, pets, and... what do you think of this anyway? I haven''t asked.¡±


    ¡°That I can grow to hate it or love it. Nothing in between, but you are the one responsible for my opinion. Don''t jinx it, but don''t destroy it if you want to,¡± he replied calmly. ¡°I meant it as a warning. Nothing else.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Apologies then,¡± she said in a sorry manner, remembering little of the chaotic memory fragments she was able to see and feel. ¡°I am sorry. I am, but I don''t mean it in any bad way. Celestial Pools are a precious treasure that does come naturally, but never on their own. There should be a source somewhere underwater. Do you know that?¡± Lisa said, pleading with fake teary eyes to make up for her annoyance.


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Murai glanced away. Lisa figured this might work. ¡°I am well aware of how mana-infused dwellings work. This isn''t some normal place.¡±


    ¡°Dwelling?¡± Lisa folded her arms, observing the water closely.


    ¡°Yeah, if you doubt that, follow me. I am exploring, so don''t waste too much time with unnecessary talk,¡± Murai said his rules and to his surprise, Lise followed behind in silence, interested in what he would do.


    Murai swam around many times and noticed a few noticeable currents. They were small, hiding, and weak, but they were there, creating a possibility there was an opening down below. He didn''t know how deep this cave was, how further the Celestial Pool was reaching its effect, or what it was hiding. It had its source, however, and he wanted to see it.


    It was time for diving.


    How to go about this? I learned how to swim, so is diving different? It is swimming underwater basically. How many seconds can I keep my breath for? Are the temperatures below dangerous? Murai thought to himself.


    Lisa heard his worries. ¡°You don''t have to worry about half of those issues, Hisagi Murai. Anatidaes have high heat resistance thanks to their tough and silk-like feather,¡± she added a surprising fact that even Murai found worth a small praise. Unfortunately, the praise was gone the moment he looked at her smiling face. Her whole body was glowing and looking pretty in its magical curves and flowing patterns.


    ¡°Wait a damned second. I think I am forgetting something important. You did mention something about Anatidaes before,¡± Murai suddenly remembered, turning his beak to her face.


    ¡°Yeah? I guess I didn''t talk much about it. I wonder why?¡± she innocently rolled her eyes. ¡°I wasn''t able to do so since you think too little of me! Serves you right.. Hmph!¡± She flickered her wavy hair away in an upset manner.


    ¡°That''s fair enough because you are exactly that,¡± Murai added, and before even hearing her words, he dived right into the water, leaving her pouting alone.


    ¡°I was trying my best for that idiot,¡± she cursed at the ceiling before looking down.


    Murai used his beak, neck, and as much body strength as he could muster to move underwater. His tiny legs were surprising main elements that helped him go further, and so did his wings. Flapping them forced him down, but there was a surprising amount of resistance.


    He was far from being perfectly capable above, let alone underwater. Frankly, he wasn''t good at anything.


    Half a meter under the surface, Murai was in a different world. His eyes didn''t even need adjusting. There was probably some membrane on his eyes, but not like Murai cared about it. What he did care about was the view, glowing glittering crystals in the walls, and an immense amount of heat and resistance.


    His Mana Detection felt overwhelmed under the water, so he decided to stop it before he would go blind, or his mind would collapse. There were many interesting things deep at the bottom of this Celestial Pool.


    As for how deep this was, Murai found it much... much deeper than he thought from his eyes alone.


    The bottom of this cave was at least a few dozen meters deep, surrounded by many crevices and caves. It used to be a normal cave system that must have gotten flooded from the crevice above through many years of continuous water flow. That was kind of strange since the water flowed very little, and for it to submerge this so much, it must have taken a long time.


    Alright, Murai thought. I can see great. It seems the eyesight of this species is great from the get-go, and my eyes feel as good as my Mana Detection, but only in physical realms. Well, Mana Detection has its merits in other capacities. For now, it isn''t worth much.


    Soon enough, he was out of breath. His body winced and panicked, so he flipped his body up as fast as he could back to the surface.


    Paddling and shoving his little legs in a quick motion, Murai swam upwards as if he never wanted to live so much. There, he began his chaotic attempt to breathe. ¡°Holy! Carp! This breath was way too short for my liking!¡± he grimaced and noticed a giggling Lisa not far from him. She remained on the surface, enjoying the scenery and his diving attempt.


    ¡°You don''t know anything better, Murai Hisagi. You are still Level 5. Not that many high-level abilities are within your body, or something usable. Well, apart from this soul of yours,¡± she said, pointing her finger at him. ¡°No wonder you are struggling in your flesh. You aren''t even trying enough with your mana or using your abilities to strengthen yourself. And don''t even let me start on your attributes. They are strong, yet you aren''t using your body enough. You are like a fish out of water. Do I have to tell you more before you will listen to me?¡± Lisa stated, puffing her chest in importance.


    Murai paused with whatever issue he had, observing Lisa''s obvious, yet serious face with an annoying glare.


    He never wanted to slap someone in this life so much. Could his beak touch her? Could his feet stomp her? Could his wings slap her like a fan squashing a mosquito?


    Finding answers to these questions never felt simpler.

 Chapter 17: Mana Crystal

    Murai heard her right and couldn''t help but ask. ¡°What do you mean by that? Do you think us is us? If it weren''t for some outside factor far above our heads, you would remain dead like you should be, right?¡±


    ¡°Nothing worse, to be honest,¡± Lisa said. ¡°You don''t have to hear what I have to say, but you certainly should take my opinion. It is a good start.¡± Lisa observed him closely; her words inclined Murai to think of something else A deep-rooted problem that was upsetting and unkempt.


    ¡°Tell me what you want to say. At this point¡ªif you remain silent¡ªwhat is your purpose? I bet none, so what was even your life before this? So meaningless, like your body.¡±


    He spoke to her with utter indifference, and before Lisa even had a chance to respond, he continued.


    ¡°I simply had no opportunity to work around what I wanted. What''s your excuse? You speak and act as if you are so high and mighty, while you aren''t even that important. I am not used to this life, so deal with it as I do, stop pretending to be something that you aren''t, or wish to be, but never will.¡± Murai excused himself, more than anything else.


    Lisa squeezed her energy flesh, appearing frustrated lime her clutched fists. The glow of her body increased, and her size became more... sublime. ¡°What did you say? What was my life like in the past!? What about yours?!¡± she shouted straight to his face, creating arguments that didn''t seem to make sense.


    ¡°Yea? Pasts go; new pasts appear. Right, you are. My life was in the past; so was yours. Forget it. Move on and take a breath, or you in the future will regret it. I am telling you that for my sake.¡±


    Lisa furrowed her nonexistent brows, demoralized by his words more than his personality. But... he was right in some sense. What could she do? She sulked for the dozenth time, and without a choice, decided to ignore her pride. It might be useless in this situation, but giving him the sweet agreement was unlikely. She would never acknowledge it, so she followed what she thought was fitting.


    ¡°I know for a fact that magic is within your heart. It is yet to reach much success with your... Beast Core, right? It is wild. I suppose that is right to assume it is not very high as well, yes.¡± She said, observing him closely while knowing the basic pictures of his progression.


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°You have enough magic in your body to be very high, yet you are trying too large things with too expansive a head. No wonder you are feeling troubled. You don''t play by the rules of the game. Simple as that. Magic should be gradual,¡± she said without a speck of politeness and forgot she couldn''t magic, nor give him any examples. Words should suffice. ¡°You should do appropriate training and not some meaningless Shaping that revolves around advanced Mana Blades. No matter what is in your head, beginner mages are beginners. Blessed are the same even with their heads. Especially yours, as I see your struggles.¡± Lisa spoke the truth that she knew was correct.


    His memories included not-so-distant memories, giving her everything Murai had done so far in the Battleworld, including the majority of the messages of the Will of the Battleworld, his tactics, improvements, abilities, and so on. It was precisely what she needed as the Life Companion set up by this world, while the rest of his depth was far above her head.


    Life companions held these connecting and steady reasons, acting with two minds. Blessed were a bit different. Some companions were like lifelong friends, others were closer to a significant other, lover, or a vigorous helpful pet or mount. Lisa was neither. She didn''t want to be anything for him but someone. Anything would do. Just not...regular Life Companion.


    She watched his possibilities after viewing his barebone memory fragments. Watching more was dangerous since they involved a longer history than one simple life, which shook her spirit in many ways. There was undeniable power and vastness in him, and it wasn''t hiding. Murai intentionally showed her his weight.


    His current life as a duck didn''t do much but raised her brows, causing her awareness to understand one simple reason. She already guessed it, but getting an overall picture of Anatidae Panacea was enough for her to change. These were crazy demonic beasts with magical properties under Anatidaes. Their reputations stagger the normalcy, creating something other than Divine Beasts. They were close to Dragons in some cases, though it was often said to be an exaggeration.


    Lisa didn''t believe in that. She knew there were some specks of truth in everything.


    A species of this kind wasn''t normal in this world. She was in the same boat, so she wondered what to do


    First, she started by visualizing and remembering Murai''s Shaping, which seemed to be more experienced than possible. That resolved around different lives that almost shattered her sense of reason.


    Anatidae Panacea was the source of his troubles, and even her frustration revolved around it, which she was showing without hesitation. Although she wasn''t a demonic beast herself, Lisa knew what true demonic beasts were, be it of magical aptitude or demonic origin. They had different feelings about magic. Different starts and characters. She should look for that difference and help him out, yet... something in her was stopping it.


    Anatidae bodies were bloodline-filled vessels of many ancient and demonic powers, filled with many variables that she couldn''t perceive yet. With Murai in this... beginning stage, she was rather clueless


    Their cores had a different flow, and so did their blood vessels and body in general. Magical beasts were imbued with mana itself, growing into Beast Core aspects of their Bloodline that slowly rose like their mana. It was etched into them. Almost like Laws.


    Under such a reputation, besides unusual uneasiness, misgivings, and trouble in control, it was similar to Mana Cores. It could eat up mana materials wildly, bewitchingly feeling like an endless gluttony.


    Accumulation of power over time was the definition of the cores. One needed to absorb the mana of the world or take the materials in many forms, pushing it into the core. Owning it, in a sense.


    That was the first step for any mage, who depicted the Shapers. It usually started with a simple gathering of worldly mana and the surroundings, guiding it into the core and making it stronger. Murai understood this step was within the perception of Mana Replenishment, giving his core supply of worldly mana.


    He wasn''t usually comfortable with beginner-level learning. He skipped it way too many times already, but now? He held a different beginning. A change like never before.


    Without waiting for his suspended words, Lisa continued. ¡°I can see you have a few beginning abilities, so the primary reason I am even talking is simple. I want to teach you the basics that any being in the Battleworld has to know, ignoring the factors of the mighty Blessed or other things that are different,¡± she argued an inch from his face, pointing her finger towards his eyes.


    Murai silently observed her, hearing her out just because he could before his next dive.


    ¡°Good that you are listening. The Battleworld and its mysteries are linking mana and magic to be quite generous. Many high-class mages could grow out of nowhere, yet never reach the peak. Why? Some things are not meant to be. On the other hand, Blessed are wielders of the World''s Will, but it is more of a question of whose Blessed are you. Some Gods take their privilege from above, thinking of them as their players with benefits, rules, truces, or painful consequences. The Ruler of it all is Lordis, God of Battle.¡±


    ¡°Lordis?¡± Murai wondered.


    ¡°Blessed are people, pets, beasts, demons, or simple beings that have the Will of the Battleworld''s direct Blessing. It makes us more potent in these links and readings. But for some, this blessing may be a disaster instead. Your case is like that since it makes you very awkward because of this... life. Anatidaes are savage. Too savage in their Bloodline. So, with that being said, I think you should train in your abilities and not waste time on something you shouldn''t train with. It''s a waste to go far. Basics are better.¡±


    She ended her long talk, crossing her hands around her chest in a self-assured manner.


    ¡°Here I thought you would tell me something valuable. I am disappointed,¡± Murai sighed, ¡°you are opposing yourself a bit too much in some senses. How are Blessed weak? How am I weak? With memories intact, why care about some troubles? Squeeze it tight and move it up until it would work. That''s what I''ve done even as a pebble or a leaf?!¡±


    ¡°Leaf?¡± Lisa frowned. ¡°I hope that was a figure of speech.¡±


    He ignored her. ¡°Memories are helpful, so when the world acts along with it, Blessed growls like monsters. I don''t need to see reasons. They have their memories in the highest order. For me, Shaping is my specialty. Feeling mana isn''t something hard when you know about it, though forcing it into this body is a matter of practice or squeezes. It will take just a bit longer. Thats it. For the last thing, how long do you think I live as a mana-wielding duck, hm?¡± Murai quacked at her. Lisa could answer but remained silent as she was thinking.


    ¡°Less than a day, you piece of work,¡± Murai answered for her. ¡°Have you ever heard of a beginner mage making mana blades like I do? It is like a flex, shake it all up, and get the hang of it quicker and by force. It doesn''t bite back for now, but it if does, I will bite back more.¡±


    Lisa opened her mouth, but Murai snapped her beak at her.


    ¡°I doubt you get it, so don''t make things difficult for the sake of your common sense. I have mine. I know magic very well, so be quiet, and if you can, follow me toward the bottom of this Celestial Pool and stop spouting nonsense. Rules of this world? Fine. Tell them. I spoke of the boundaries before, so let''s get them when we can.¡± Murai explained his logic, and whether Lisa took it to heart was secondary.


    He wasn''t one to not listen, but the teller had to make sense first. He wasn''t willing, nor did he need to change his view for someone else. Her problems might be hers, however, depicting her experience and her ideas.


    But Murai had done this living numerous times, regardless of difficult decisions, settings, and voices that caused it all. It could be worse. Always


    . Getting used to it and moving on was one of his starting ideals.


    Lisa frowned after hearing his will and quacks the same. She understood him in every way, knowing that he was honest, but she was too. Her knowledge of this world came from a former Level 85 Morgoth Succubus, but it''s not like she knew everything or was almighty in her previous life. It was the second time on her road to power, and the one that almost cultivated her desires.


    But she failed. Do it again, and nothing should be left.


    Lisa knew that magic was a rather complicated topic across the Skies, so she wasn''t nagging him about his experience or views. She hoped he would at least get her ideas, but no. He was a stubborn old fool, which did catch some of her respect. His right was his privilege. It was also true that he had been with mana for less than a day, and Shaping the Mana Blades under his circumstances wasn''t a common thing even amongst Blessed.


    As she was thinking of this topic or his meaningful words that countered hers, Murai dived back into the water.


    Flapping his little legs, he went deeper this time, but couldn''t manage more than thirty seconds. Seven meters deep, he felt the suffocating pressure of this pool as well as deep warmth. He didn''t even reach the first Mana Crystal that was closing on his reach, glistering under his sight.


    How bad was his breath? Was half a minute good for a Child? It amounted to only fifteen seconds of descending before ascending. That was very little time to discover anything. He reached the surface, and his breath was gone. Going down or up had its ups and downs. Ascending was faster thanks to his feathers. Going down harder. At least, he figured that diving was possible in this body...well, whether or not that made him happy wasn''t important.


    Lisa didn''t take part in his diving sessions. She was still looking and thinking about his previous words, looking and the Celestial Pool like a researcher, or painter at a complex painting. She saw his attempts to reach the glowing crystals more than well, albeit most of them were only that. Attempts.


    They weren''t the source of Murai''s curiosity, but his desire. They were rather deep for him to catch, so he used them as a simple goal in his training to get better. He was failing, thought that didn''t mean he was upset by his lack of ability. He was enjoying himself to some extent.


    In a couple dozen more attempts, Murai finally reached the closest crystal that was a dozen meters away from the surface. That happened just for a moment.


    He scanned a handful-sized mineral of azure color, emitting a fluctuation of mana, and colorful glint. Unlike the surface, his vision of the water was clear. The Mana Crystal under his eyes was a crystallization of mana. He was familiar with such ideas, but it was looking rather average. He will have to ask Lisa how the grading and values of these things went in this world. He couldn''t point to his past as a reference for prices or worth.


    Pictures were in his head, but names and prices for these kinds of things could vary from world to world. New terminology and new ideas were inevitable to come. Murai didn''t find it as bad as dealing with the rest.


    I was right, it is...a Mana Crystal. Not good; not terrible. This should mean there will be more interesting things since this much wouldn''t make a Celestial Pool. Could there be Mana Essences? If there is this... What about other treasures? Murai thought in excitement, looking around a dozen crystals of various sizes, but same glint.


    What now, when he reached the first? He couldn''t do much with it, since his breath was too short. He did this for the sake of a proper look and curiosity. Nothing more.


    Mana Detection inside the Celestial Pool worked the same as outside. It hardly made sense to him to sense anything when rich mana was in every droplet of water. He couldn''t feel the quality of the mana. Everything overwhelmed him the same.


    Swimming back to the surface, he watched Lisa floating in the air, bored. ¡°Have you seen something new this time?¡± She asked, unbothered by his splashing swings as he gasped for breath.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± he quacked in annoyance. ¡°These are wondrous effects of the adventure. Also, some Mana Crystals are down.¡±


    ¡°No shit, Hisagi Murai. This is a Celestial Pool. If nothing would be below, I would question it more.¡± She dismissed his words and mood.


    ¡°Yeah? Some are almost half as big as my body, filled with mana ambiance and denser flow. Why not get it? Maybe I could eat it?¡± Murai wondered, and before giving any attention to Lisa''s stupefied expression, he dived back under the water.


    In the past dives, he was getting better at using his body. There were steady improvements in his breath, which reached about thirty-four seconds long. Considering he started it about an hour ago, this improvement wasn''t bad when one considered his increased descent and ascending.


    Flapping his legs and wings, Murai reached the glowing crystal once again. He didn''t stop. With the speed behind his swings, he hit it with his beak in an attempt to break it from the stone.


    Beak''s Fury you mothercrystal! he shouted in his mind, shattering less than a speck of the glowing crystal with this hit. Hoh! It''s tougher than I thought. That, or my attacks are very weak under the water. Ducks shouldn''t have such an advantage, since they are not fish. Right, let''s not forget the logic. It isn''t as if I have magic, eat like a dragon, and... who knows what else.


    Murai picked up the small shard of the crystal with his beak before going back to the surface. Lisa looked at the surface with much more vigor, since eating the things growing in these pools weren''t made for eating. Well, some would do it, but wouldn''t it be a shame? She also had her doubts about going deep into this Celestial Pool, but who was she to tell him that?


    Well, he has that Eater Status so maybe he will eat it? He is an Anatidae too. I have no idea what they eat. A lot of things, from what I''ve heard before. Well, let''s hope he won''t crack his head over this problem. They are still valuable materials. Whatever that even means, he shouldn''t think of eating it, She thought, floating towards the approaching Murai. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Splashing water revealed a wet, soft, and light brown duck with most of its feathers. A lowing shard in its beak looked like a piece of art.


    ¡°You managed to get some of that?¡± Lisa said, shocked and getting closer.


    ¡°Sure I did, but such a tiny piece is barely something good like a chip,¡± Murai uttered, and before paying it more attention, gnawed on the crystal with his teeth. It was so hard that he couldn''t crush it at all, leaving only small marks on it with his teeth, which was already impressive.


    ¡°Don''t eat it, you lunatic!¡± Lisa smacked his beak once again, dissipating her left hand alone. The other swayed in small cracks before becoming glowing smoke. She barely cared about it.


    ¡°I was curious if I could eat it. That''s all. Ideas come from tries. Failure comes from knowing when one stops. Victories come from ideas between losses and those who give up. Come on, catch it and store it somewhere. Anywhere,¡± Murai flung the shard to Lisa, who caught it with panic. She was a damned soul form, so who did he think he was tossing it at?


    Lisa''s body glowed, turning serene and denser around her both palms. She caught this thing shard the size of her palm, albeit with some difficulty when she scarcely used her physicality. It could destabilize her body, face, and her whole appearance. This shard wasn''t big, but for her, everything was Mana inside this piece was small.


    Called Mana Shard, it should be either at Grade E or F of palm''s width. If Murai chopped a bigger piece, it could be palm-sized in height, increasing the quantity and quality of mana. Many things about these sort of mana materials worked with Grades and sizes. Mana Shards weren''t anything special, but if one saw a very peculiar Mana Crystal, mining it for Shards would be extravagant.


    There were those at thumb size, finger size, palm width or height, or whole fists, palms, or arms. It went exponentially, giving Shards a very neat collection, as mining these Crystals could be very hard sometimes.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Lisa shouted before he went back into the water, holding the Shard as if it were a baby. ¡°What are you planning with this?¡±


    Are you curious? Murai thought for her sake, giving her a simple look with half of his face under the water.


    ¡°Yes, I am. Don''t be a fool. Why are you doing this? These things can be used for a lot of things, and it''s worth some money, but how much is it worth for you? Are you some crafter? Seller? Do you have some connection to put this to good use? Let me tell you, using this for internal breathing is the only thing I can tell you. Nothing else.¡±


    ¡°Is it? You don''t say. If it is worth that much, I will seek them out much more. Thanks,¡± Murai replied, not giving her anything better. He dived into the water, cleaving it and smacking the crystal once again with Beak''s Fury.


    The crystal didn''t shake, but that didn''t stop him from forcing another Fury before the third. His combo of attacks caused a couple of cracks to spread, and a few more Shards formed. Murai picked them with his beak before swimming back to the surface.


    Like this, Lisa began storing the incoming Shards height above, in the only flat land there was. Much to her unwillingness, it was on the wall that Murai used to jump into this cave. Though she didn''t hate the prospect of having these Mana Shards, she hated the aspect of forced working.


    These treasures could be used for a lot of things. Mainly, they were a good treasure and tool because mages could absorb the mana within them to improve themselves. Some nations, races, or civilizations even used them as core currency. After all, Shards were a natural occurrence, unlike the Will of the Battleworld.


    Such materials could go for various prices, but it depended on the sellers and buyers, or mining itself. Mana Crystals were known as part of Magic Ores. There were many of them with various elements and styles. These held very pure mana thanks to the Celestial Pool. Perhaps if this pool would be ice cold, they would turn to a different kind of Crystal.


    Human kingdoms would buy these Shards with gold. Elves would buy it with other mana-infused materials or any kind of treasure, or gold, too, if possible. Dwarfs would haggle with some materials, tools, or services. Overall, mana was important for any kind of power, so any treasure was worth some haggle.


    In enough quantity or quality, they could change the status of mages, youths, or even established armies. Improvements in any way were good news. Thus, any kind of rich mana materials were highly sought out.


    Mana Crystals in the Celestial pool weren''t bad, but very thought indeed. If one mined this thing without chopping its pieces off, it would be much more valuable. Murai knew it, but he was satisfied with Shards alone. He was putting a lot into this mining that he called training.


    Such materials grew with enough time and special circumstances. Morghalis Volcano should be the one responsible, or the origin of this Pool was that?


    Shards were part of the Crystals, but there were many other depictions of mana-infused things. Essences were the most dominant, as it was one of the truths of mana that made them special.


    These in Lisa''s hands were small chips of a much larger piece. Most often, these Crystals were found in veins, looking like dirty gems the size of a person, or bits or large waves. Caves were ideal for their growth, as they were accumulation and then crystallization of mana in various visions. Those could be droplets, vapor, elements, or simple density or feeling of mana. Even without this Celestial Pool, it was possible to find them anywhere.


    They would just grow longer, taking years or more in caves. As large ores underground, that was something different. It would take generations, years, or longer to let them grow in their effects.


    As for the demonic races interested in these things, they wouldn''t bother too much about buying. It was a useless concept. Fighting over such treasures, or chances was much better. Dying or gaining rewards from the killed foes was the epitome of many powerful fools. Some buying reeked of Order, giving clarity to something unnatural for others.


    Such was the life in the Battleworld, which wasn''t far from knowing Chaos itself.


    Also, it wasn''t as if the River of Manaflow could ever disappear. It would always flow like it ever did. Struggles for resources or mining were just a byproduct of what mana created and what man invented. A mage understood and worked with the rest of this byproduct, or aftermath, or they might be directly responsible for that.


    A few more hours of diving later, and retrieving many more Mana Shards, Murai hadn''t rested for more than a few minutes at a time. He had already chopped half of the crystal off, and he couldn''t help but curse how tough it was. Much to his disappointment, he regained his lost vigor with a new message, thinking that his work was worth it.


    The Will of the Battleworld descended to his soul, notifying him of his hard-earned rewards.


    [You are quite something, dear Citizen. Mining underneath a Celestial Pool at Level 5. What an interesting waste of time, or turn of Order]


    [Alas! What is worth it is worth it. Your Beak''s Fury grew in power, and thanks to the underwater tactics, it increased in power]


    [HENCE! Beak''s Fury: Level Up]


    [The body of the Anatidae Panacea went through rigorous diving into the Celestial Pool, which isn''t safe for the majority of the beasts for a long amount of hours. Be glad you are a little Anatidae, Citizen]


    [Because of that, a Bloodline Power has awakened!]


    [It is a special case of characteristic ability regarding your sub-species and species itself. In this case, it is species one, depicting something that Anatidaes invented. You''ve unlocked the base visions to its variants]


    [Called Diving Sphere, ducks aren''t exceptional divers. That''s just common sense. They are no fish either. The ancestors of the Anatidae species experienced a lot of trials, hunts, and errors, battling Gods to become free, gathering magic, friends, and family, and fighting bloody battles in the Surface or the Depths. The oceans, which we often call part of the Depths, are deep and boundless. Some Anatidaes live in some capacity under these lands of water, hiding like fish. At least some of them do, right after coming up with easier underwater movement]


    [Diving Sphere]


    [It is a method of traversing and making mana envelop Anatidae body. It''s an ability that was solely researched and created by this species. None had it like that, albeit some species or mages came up with respective copies. So much for being original]


    [On their own, they can''t do many things underwater, but with this, some Anatidaes created their underwater ecosystems. Be it in the ocean, lakes, or rivers of the Battleworld, this ability allows them to swim and live under the water at great capacity]


    [Species Ability: Grade C]


    [Level 1]


    [Thanks to the effective work of your mana that empowers Beak''s Fury and the environment that went against your sense, the following abilities are strengthened]


    [Mana Detection: Level up]


    [Mana Shaping: Level up]


    [Attribute: Will +1]


    Murai heard it all, and couldn''t help but nod in silence, noticing the change in the flow. From the wall and water, an intangible push of force enveloped his body, giving him a push, blessings, and Boosts that straightened his abilities or granted him something new.


    ¡°Worth it,¡± he quacked, feeling that this power coming from this world was a peculiar one. He slowly began to comprehend and notice it more and more. There was no way to stop it, so he was taking it like a snack.


    He realized this had been happening ever since he got his first attributes. These waves were his little blessings. Blessings after hard work and accomplishment. This didn''t come for free. Nothing ever came free.

 Chapter 18: Diving Sphere

    Murai was happy about his new ability and level-ups. It happened on a good point, in a good manner, and typical fashion. Accomplishments or learning followed these voices and bursts of Boosts. Murai was still getting used to them, but he wasn''t minding them when they were showing some nice premises.


    Noticing his happy expression, Lisa stored the Shards away before returning closer than ever to his face. She had noticed these messages at an even better capacity than Murai. It was also her first time hearing it within their bond, so she took it seriously.


    She knew everything necessary about his abilities, powers, key points, and whatever they could mean later. Those were Boost''s weight, possible fusions within some areas, what it meant to his evolution, and the battles he was part of. Including things about Devil Fox and Rain, she knew them because of the memory fragments that he shared with her. It didn''t have everything meaningful, but it was enough for her.


    ¡°See that?¡± Murai uttered just as Lisa wanted to say something.


    ¡°Hmph,¡± she flickered her fluttering wavy hair, gazing away from him. ¡°So what? You dived into the Celestial Pool of unknown dangers and got something out of it. So nice of you to feel proud over something stupid. What are you so surprised about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Just proud that growth follows some actions.¡±


    ¡°I can tell you more about it, though these mana-imbued places aren''t simple. Maybe you should be careful, take Battleworld''s words about the Celestial Pools as a warning. Being too long in this place could harm you later, even if it gives you something in return.¡±


    Seeing her serious and uncomfortable face, Murai had a strange warmth in his stomach. He felt satisfied and he wasn''t sure when it exceeded his expectations.


    With his new improvements behind him, Murai tested it with the simple Conjuring of a couple of strands of mana. It swirled above him, glowing all so slightly, and assembling rough shapes close to a blade. Some of their aspects looked passable and easier than before. It was still far from being good, yet he looked at it from the previous assembling in mind.


    A single Level of his Shaping seemed to correlate to his own learning, but the official Level up did leave its mark. It made it more flowy, so one way or another, this world was able to give magic an advantage. This simple level and action gave him many answers and also a lot of questions.


    He remembered Novihaim right away, recalling his high aptitude in magic, many mages, techniques, and how it affected the world or the culture. A single swipe of his Aurch Blade swept the enemies and solved many problems. It was a simpler time for sure. Until he made his move against the Gods of that world, which was stupid, but something he liked and had to do no matter what.


    Swimming to the wall, Murai slashed at the rock, controlling a single Mana Blade with his mind. It took a couple of slashes until it dissipated to specks of mana, becoming no longer usable. That was enough to see small slashes on the wall, looking dull and thin as if made of a spoon.


    It was still not up to his standards, so he moved to something else. Using his Beak''s Fury, he began to smash the wall until beak-sized holes cracked it in many parts. This felt significantly better! Almost like a charm and without a proper ground below his feet.


    Strong! This got stronger! he cheered, swimming in circles as if he accomplished something extraordinary. Stopping after a while, he looked at the wall in accomplishment. This physical-based ability is stronger than my magic. What to think of it? Does the world gift things in different properties and weights? Is my body of a beast better than my magic? That isn''t a question. I know the answers. It is correct.


    He smashed the wall some more to see the possible ways of using his Fury. There were fewer points in doing this like mad-duck. Being on the water was at least half as effective.


    Wait! Rocks... Wall? Can I smash the wall that makes this place a prison? Murai suddenly thought, causing Lisa to chuckle and almost laugh.


    ¡°How thick is this wall?¡± he asked her, turning on the spot to see her floating above him. ¡°You can fly so explain this to me if it''s even possible.¡±


    Lisa heard him, but she was observing the cracks and strikes on the wall with some hidden surprises. There was a meter-long slash around this wall that provided some interesting context. They were brutish in style and weak, but they had some power behind it. A day-old mage should''ve never managed this.


    ¡°Well,¡± she jerked from her reverie. ¡°I can try and see.¡± Lisa flew upwards to the only place that led to the surface. There was no point in seeking something, however. The thickness of the wall was the mountain or earth itself, as most caves were just part of the earth.


    The only possibility was flying up, making steep stairs or ladders in the wall, so his sudden idea came to a complete stop.


    Another possibility was a tunnel, but that would take a tremendous amount of time and effort, and who knew where would he end up? It was out of the question.


    He had no food here, and he was feeling his stomach and stamina running low after these hours of diving and being in this Pool. Could he seize some stamina out of these Mana Shards? He wasn''t really looking at them as points of remedy. They were only good for cycling his core, so he tried it, letting Lisa carry one ahead.


    Finger-sized Shard of Grade D was a worthy resource for a beginner mage. It had a good quantity and quality of mana within it. The more was usually better, so Murai looked at it from a good old perspective. Halting all movement, he focused when Lisa handled the Shard before his face, curious and expecting to learn something new about him.


    He took a breath, yet unexpectedly, his Replenishment was nigh like a swift gluttonous beast, or something inside of him moved first, taking this for a snack? In any way, the Shard dimmed in less than ten seconds onto his breathing, causing the thin layered fog to travel to Murai''s nostrils on top of his beak.


    Then, Mana Shard cracked and fell from Lisa''s hands, becoming dust.


    ¡°So, that''s it,¡± Lisa said, shrugging her arms. ¡°What are you even planning with those Shards next? Stashing it away like a squirrel seems to be a waste.¡±


    Hmmm... I was trying something but forgot this body is not my temple. Shards are Shards. Nothing much but an experiment gone well and good, Murai flapped his beak around in annoyance. ¡°Whatever. I need to get out, or I will starve to the End. It doesn''t feel good, so what are my chances?¡±


    ¡°Maybe I can fetch you some food, but this body of mine is weak,¡± Lisa said, understanding that the current circumstances were dire. ¡°I can''t lift anything heavy as well. Also, Anatiades are known as gluttons. You aren''t too different, I presume?¡± She was irritated at something. Murai could see that on her face, though not in his Soul Read. She was still an enigma in that vision, probably because of her soul form or something else.


    She realized the problem in this cave. It was Murai''s fault. His blunder. She couldn''t change what had happened, and if he had waited for her, this entire situation would have been different. She could''ve explored this place without a single issue, giving him a simple answer not to go here, even though it was a Celestial Pool.


    ¡°Yeah. Food is food. I am myself, regardless of primordial desires like wishing for food, a good companion to a soul, and seeking purpose over the living. But, you forgot something. There is an option that is fine to consider.¡± Murai said, angling his head up and confidently nodding.


    ¡°Which? There is nothing to eat. No fish would run rampant in such a pond. You will starve in a couple of days. Watching it won''t be nice. Anatidaes are¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡ªI know. I know. Demonic duck,¡± Murai said, splashing water as he swam away. Lisa followed him from behind. ¡°I get implications to this body, so how about something simple, for once?¡± Murai looked down at the Celestial Pool. ¡°I will reach the bottom of this cave and reach the end of it. There is a current that makes this place not entirely flooded, that''s the best plan.¡±


    Lisa thought carefully of his choices, believing that diving into this thing should be dangerous, let alone some long-term explorations. He was a Child, after all. How long would he last?


    However, she couldn''t disagree with him. That was the best act he could take at the moment. Without wasting time, Murai dived into the water with the intent to use his new ability. A couple of seconds into the dive, Murai used it by a simple command of his heart.


    He figured it relatively easily how to take these gifts for something practical. Mana Detection worked the same. It wasn''t a passive ability, but one that needed an activation. It had some mana costs, as well as mental pressure that allowed his eyes and mind to perceive the motion of mana as if he had special goggles on his head.


    Now, he was curious about his newest tool.


    ¡°Diving Sphere!¡±


    A thud-like sound came from his heart, followed by a glow that spread from his feathers, and bubbles. He guessed this glow went from his Beast Core that was doing something, but he didn''t feel anything magical or foreboding. Perhaps he was dull, numb to his core, or this Divine Sphere was special. But he did feel something move. Something that was not human. A glowing barrier connected the bubbles, forcing and pushing the water away all around him.


    ¡°A sphere? Fitting name and straight to the point,¡± He commented and began to observe this whole process. It took some time, yet everything about it was pretty much automatic. He put his intent toward the Divine Sphere creation, and it moved.


    He used his Mana Detection next, observing himself as these bubbles and glow created a much bigger sphere. It went from within him, coming from something else. Was it his Bloodline, that was following the creation of this sphere along the air trapped in his feathers? It enveloped him completely, enabling him to breathe once again.


    All it took was four seconds, and after it was done, a new message emerged, giving him the answers he needed.


    [First-time use of Diving Sphere: A special case of a rare and precious ability of Anatidae species. It dates tens of thousands of years and follows a couple of large tribes in the Depths, but pretty much any Anatidae, as long as it''s crucial in unlocking, has it] Will of the Battleworld said.


    [Rundown and explanations over Diving Sphere are granted]


    [Answer: Simple. Your feathers are fluffy, your tiny legs are useless, and so are your lungs, which are less than good for holding your breath for a long time. Anatidaes are absolutely horrific in this regard, more so than many other beasts. It isn''t their curse, however. Just a physical incapability that they can''t get rid of unless some things... make it passable. Considering your good luck, it might... change] It sounded worrisome for some reason, speaking voices in its passage with bits of hesitation.


    [Anatidae species made due decisions and came up with a perfect technique to solve these problems, whether a diving or water problem arises, challenges or battles happen, or other issues come their way]


    [A Diving Sphere creates up to a meter-wide sphere around your body, allowing you to breathe for four to seven minutes. The real value depends on the harshest of your breathing and environmental risks]


    [Mana Shaping and familiarity with the Mana Flow are required to move and create this thing, but that is no issue for your Shaping and experience, or after this ability goes over its initial release. It is a Class C ability for a reason, even when you are a Child and got it early]


    [Alas, there is a due limitation. Your swimming in the Diving Sphere is reduced to 40% of your normal swimming speed. Note: this value will get higher the more your level of this ability gets. Or it might get lower because of environmental risks, your fatigue, or Improper use of Shaping] S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [The breaths can increase as well, so train and get better]


    [Simple as that]


    An interesting rundown, Murai thought. It should talk like this every time about new, or old abilities. What is Beak''s Fury anyway? Mana, Bloodline, and my muscles put in use?


    He glanced at the seen-through barrier around him; his body rested at the bottom of this sphere because of gravity and air. He was floating in the water as if he was a bubble in the air.


    Why doesn''t this rundown voice happen whenever I use a new ability? I would love some explanations. Soul Manifestation, Soul Lock, Mana Detection, and others are all here. Strike of the Will too. Like... what do my Will and soul even have in all of it?! Regardless of that, I''ve discovered quite a few topics. It seems Anatidae are highly intelligent and capable little beasts. Regardless of non-Bblessed species as well, since there has never been a Blessed in their members. That is interesting on its own. I wonder If I will meet one in the future.


    Standing within the Diving Sphere was harder than it seemed, so he just lay there for now. It forced oxygen from his body and feathers to form this sphere, giving him a tool perfect for his escape plan.


    ¡°This is a great ability, considering your lacking manners and inability to do anything better with swimming or diving,¡± Lisa''s voice spoke right around his head, jerking Murai''s beak aside.


    ¡°What? You are finally leaned to go exploring after floating around and being lazy?¡± Murai turned his head to face Lisa, who appeared inside his sphere at some point. He didn''t know when; she never went down in all of their attempts.


    ¡°Yes. I don''t think Celestial Pools are good to me as a soul form. I don''t want to go swimming in this water. That''s all.¡± She made an excuse, floated in her smaller body than usual, and sat on Murai''s back. He didn''t like it, but not like they had a lot of space in this sphere.


    ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡± he glared at her menacingly.


    ¡°I will ride you to the bottom of this place,¡± she nonchalantly said, pointing down as if she were the captain of her own ship.


    Get off, or I will make you learn to swim, you lazy ass. Murai didn''t speak. He glared at her, hoping his sight would work better than his words, but he still had his thoughts that Lisa heard.


    ¡°I CAN swim!¡± she shouted in unwillingness, clearly flustered, obvious that she couldn''t. ¡°It isn''t anything harder for my body made of mana at all.¡±


    Well, it wasn''t clear to Murai what or who she was. Wanting from a soul form to dive into Celestial Pool was obviously farfetched.


    Floating in the air like the wind was her forte, so what about this mana-infused water? Celestial Pool was full of mana, making it rather difficult for her to move and live in peace. Her choice was not to try her chances, even though it was not very clever. After all, getting familiar with her body was a marathon that she had to figure out in the same principles as Murai. She had her growth and abilities to consider, though she had yet to tell him about it. Getting better in this pool was possible, if not guaranteed.


    Fine. Stay there, but in return, you won''t be complaining about this journey at all, nor talk shit. Do we understand? Murai asked in his mind, giving her no choice but to nod in agreement.


    With this behind, Murai used his Shaping to move this Sphere like mana that came out of his core. It was similar to moving Mana Blades, but this thing was much more feasible for some reason. Moving at 40% of his swimming speed wasn''t slow. It added more comfort to seeing things below. The temperature wasn''t hot either, yet breathing was hard to point out. Murai counted seconds at the back of his mind just in case.


    Murai began his descent to the glowing paradise that Lisa saw for the first time in this manner.


    ¡°What is this?! Why are there so many of the Mana Crystals here?¡± she said, looking at the surroundings from Murai''s back. ¡°You haven''t mentioned these.¡±


    ¡°You didn''t ask, but this much shocks you? Are Celestial Pools something crazy in this world or what?¡± Murai quacked out loud this time, figuring that having a conversation with his mind and her speaking out loud was awkward. So was his quacking, so he decided on lesser evil.


    ¡°They are... rare,¡± Lisa replied. ¡°This one seems very remote to grow like this. This section of the cave must be old, secluded from men for ages. More is hiding down. Perhaps it could change to a better Celestial Pool.¡±


    ¡°You said there would be some more things, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You didn''t even tell me there are so many of them!¡± She flew to the edge of the Sphere, pointing her finger to some Mana Crystal the size of a person. ¡°That Grade is... B. Medium Size. That one is more of an A grade if I consider the size and its internal glow. There is even a deeper section down below.¡± She spoke on her own, her face glued in wonders and ideas.


    Murai didn''t even bother responding to her. He passed these Crystals and went deeper. Murai wasn''t interested in mining or trying his luck. He wasn''t willing to waste his breath, so he pointed his sphere like a large glob of mana into a new cave below. He couldn''t see what was inside, and he was curious to find out.


    A new corner of the cave came to their view soon enough, revealing a wider opening, dimmer walls, and fever-growing material around. There were some, but condensed into smaller Crystals. Due to pressure or this cave in particular, they no longer looked like crystalized glass, salt, or ores, but like smooth thinner spikes.


    ¡°High-Grade Mana Spikes?!¡± Lisa shouted, her fingers pointing downwards, almost penetrating the sphere.


    ¡°Mana Spikes? Never heard of them,¡± Murai commended, turning his face to hers.


    ¡°You haven''t yet. Or you did but never in this name. These are better than Mana Crystals in their usage and quality. They are also rarer because they grow in Celestial Pools alone. Its quality and age also matter. They are on par with Mana Essences, or glasses of dense Mana Tonic. These Spikes have liquid within them after all, poising as something different than mana itself. They are like grass before some Shards.¡± Lisa quickly explained, counting at least a few dozen Spikes at the entrance alone.


    Should I fetch some? Murai thought, glancing at them without any greed. Without much thought, he deduced they looked like water-based Gemrals from Novihaim. It was probably a decent treasure, as they were decent in that world as well. The longer such treasures formed, the more precious and useful they generally were. Circumstances to create some of them could be tricky or very unique. Crystals could be anywhere with mana. Perhaps they were ores of this cave before it got flooded and changed into Celestial Pool.


    ¡°Leave them be!¡± Lisa pointed at Murai, hearing his thought process in a split second. ¡°They are fragile. You can easily destroy them in such conditions underwater, let alone with your not-so-good manners and beak.¡±


    Uh. Whatever. I wouldn''t bother with them anyway. Sized like children, they must weigh dozens of ducks, if not hundreds. Not like I have no use for them, so... Never mind, Murai thought and minded his dive further.


    There were more Spikes and even some nicer-looking Crystals. Some had different colors than azure-looking ore, and the surrounding temperature became different. Morgalis Volcano might be why these Crystals and some Spikes were no longer pure, but chained with flaming elements inside of them, or could they be straight-up Laws?


    Murai was far from sensing these sorts of things, and he wouldn''t trust his eyes for something like this. Not here. Right now.


    ¡°What are those?¡± Murai asked Lisa, hoping to hear whenever she would give him sufficient feedback when he didn''t trust himself. These Crystals were half a meter long, similar to Spikes which had smooth flaming sides, sharp tips, and flowing energy inside of them.


    ¡°I think this Celestial Pool is changing the Crystal to Spikes. Probably. Is this how it''s done in nature? I''ve never seen it personally, but something like this makes sense,¡± she guessed. ¡°If we are guessing, of course. I am no expert in Laws in this appearance, but some of them must contain Flame Laws for sure. The heat coming from them is also peculiar.¡± Lisa poked her arm from the sphere.


    Murai panicked, fearing it would pop, but it didn''t even flinch. Lisa had no physicality in her hand, yet when she let it out, her hand slowly sizzled away. She didn''t grimace in pain or even blink.


    ¡°Eh, it makes sense,¡± Murai said. ¡°The richness of the mana is also getting stronger and pressure is rising along the temperatures. I feel it with my Spehre. It moves slower too. I suppose it''s the volcano''s fault. Can you feel it?¡±


    ¡°A little bit, but not so much. You have much better Detection than me or even physical senses. I am nothing much but weak soul form.¡± She excuses herself, overlooking the fact he heard him mention a volcano that wasn''t overly common in this world. There were hundreds of them, sure, but a mere mention of some details like that lake would give her some idea.


    Unfortunately, Murai didn''t think of it as important.


    Detection? I can''t feel a dozen meters around me, Murai hesitated. Detection grows too, I suppose.


    ¡°Well, sorry for not being familiar with my abilities and feelings about this body,¡± Lisa argued.


    ¡°The same could be said about me. See? Let''s forget these arguments for now. We are going downhill in different ways than physically,¡± Murai quacked and shook his head in disappointment.


    Lisa heard him right and suddenly understood how harsh she was to him in terms of confidence and expectations. This realization didn''t change anything in her mind, or heart. She had no plans for any apologies.


    Instead, she viewed the content of the cave as Murai, if not more curious. In her previous life, she hadn''t made many pokes into underwater ponds, seas, or oceans. Those places were much different than this parade inside a magical paradise, though she knew many other places much better than this on top of her head.


    Speaking of them would get the nowhere, so she kept her mouth shut.

 Chapter 19: Entering the Dungeon

    Spikes of different elements, value, but quite intriguing effects, littered the walls along with a couple of Mana Crystals that were yet to become evolved. It seemed little at first, but the further down they went, the more light diminished, and more mana materials lightened the submerged caves.


    Everything was glowing with light at their proximity, while the undulation of mana wasn''t necessarily stronger in this space, but rich it was. Murai felt it quite passively, but the quality of the Celestial Pool was much better than on the surface, but that made sense. After all, the surface had fresh water that was yet becoming something else, and whatever it was, that turned this water into this, it was close to the bottom of these caves.


    Other than them, there didn''t seem to be anything else. Murai saw no treasures other than the mana materials. He hoped for something better. Something intriguing. This was still interesting, but a far cry from something that could make this Celestial Pool of this level. Those Spikes weren''t enough, or perhaps the water and the volcano were why it was like this?


    Flowing down, everything was kind of dull in feelings. His Mana Detection was harder to use with mana which was becoming thicker in the surrounding water. Could someone work with this Celestial Pool for their benefit? Murai wished he could since he thought of many ways this Celestial Pool could be used to his advantage, but for that, one thing was necessary. He shouldn''t be a bloody clumsy duck, and not one at the beginning level, at least.


    Considering the circumstances, Murai continued downwards, ignoring these things since he couldn''t do anything with them. Feeling the mana around this cave system, a couple of dozen seconds in this environment can lead to mana poisoning or other nasty stuff. Was he worried? Not much, since he had the Diving Sphere which was protecting him quite well from the effects of this Celestial Pool. Even though the Wil of the Battelworld didn''t state it had some defensive properties, it did create a barrier from water.


    By this point, around 50 seconds passed, and the end of this cave came into view. It was around the corner of this long, stretchy, and curved cave.


    ¡°There is another one coming?!¡± Lisa said, expecting something good and interesting from the next one. Another sight around the corner may reveal the true treasures or other things.


    Unfortunately, such a sight never came. The next cave was utterly black and dark the moment they disappeared into a 4-meter-wide hole at the bottom. There was no redeeming quality of the treasures inside, nor any mana materials, or light. It had some dim mana undulation in the water, but that was about it. It was pitch black and wide cave, making it clear that the mana wasn''t that rich in this space, and even Murai''s Night Vision wasn''t working.


    The only light was coming from the previous section of the cave, but that amounted to very little since the room ended up dozens of meters wide and deep. They couldn''t even see the sides of the wall, so perhaps it was larger.


    ¡°What do we have here, or to be precise, what is not here?¡± Murai asked, looking left and right while descending. While he was at it, he Conjured strands of mana out of the Diving Sphere, Shaping a Mana Blade to glide through this space. It glowed a little thanks to the mana itself. The water was unnaturally dark and densely filthy. There was no clear water like before.


    His mana of passable degree was not that bright. Forming it as a light source was more than enough though. The cave wall looked as normal as it could get, but soon enough there were also some wooden parts and bricks, making Lisa and Murai doubt themselves. They were a different kind of material from the rock, making this section of a cave to be a former building and not a natural cave.


    As they descended, Murai reached the bottom of this cave. From his calculation, it should be around 20 meters wide and tall, and quite long and stretchy in one direction. It was not thin like the previous ones, stretching to the distance like some kind of hall with straight walls, albeit with quite a destruction around. The wooden pillars or old bricks were visible, which was enough to think of this as some ruins.


    This made Lisa a bit nervous, and silently doubtful under Murai''s Soul Read. For once, Murai didn''t go down but moved forward, hoping to reach the exit from this hall since the currents moved slowly in this direction.


    ¡°Do you know some better light spell? I can''t see anything with this clumsy blade.¡± Lisa complained, yet Murai rather ignored her. ¡°This place seems strange. A building that ended up below the Morghalis? I wonder what this is.¡± Lisa said behind his head, accepting his silence with her style of talking.


    ¡°Shut up and no,¡± Muria quacked, turning his neck behind. ¡°I tried some things before, but it is futile to do something better, so deal with my limited mana. Getting any kind of spark is a hard thing to do, and brightness or whatnot is nothing I can currently possess. I would need some practice or some sort of comprehension aid.¡± Murai explained himself for the lack of his own success.


    He knew the limits and rules of mana more than anyone he had met in a long time. Any kind of mage, nor himself, could do everything from the start. Like wielding the Laws themselves, everything came with harsh requirements and steep talent. It was the same with his current body and the limited controllability of his own mana.


    The fundamental way of the magic had some forever unchanging rules, forming around the fundamental of what the mana was, is, and always will be.


    Mana in itself was a state of a higher stage of energy, yet wasn''t. It was a complicated thing, with mysteries hiding behind the veils of where it even came from. It was different from states of elements such as cold, heat, and even electricity or nuclear power. Its source was following the path of extraterrestrial moves, involving things bigger than planets, or even planetary systems. It shouldn''t come as a surprise to see some mysteries or whatnot within this sort of power that can change the matter and physical limits of many things.


    Maybe some form of celestial energy or something deep within the universe can come close to that, but those were just speculations of many, including Murai himself.


    When one''s body was starting to absorb the mana, the biggest changes happened in days, while getting familiar with it wasn''t something that could happen overnight, unless one''s talent or knowledge of mana itself was in high compatibility with body and mind. In normal circumstances, the Mana Flow had to be done in a very fresh and clear way, making some breathing exercises, meditation, and stabilizing the mind along with the body that would be fusing with mana.


    There should be no disturbance in anything since the user has yet to do any harm to it or use it in any way. That beginning was a peculiar thing, and it was known as the Initialization Stage in the Mana Core structure of Shapers. Murai was in a state of the beginning where the mana was yet to become something bigger, stronger, sturdier, and better according to his Will.


    There was a change within the Mana Core when one followed the Innitializaing to the next step, improving the fundamental way the mana can form from, and be used according to one''s Will. Mages in that way gained different kinds of powers by many possibilities of acquiring and changing the mana. Elemental affinity, Conjuration styles, and many others would become useful. But that is a norm in the minds of people since Spells were what made magic useful, everchanging, and complicated.


    Murai found different ways to think about it. Using the Initialization itself, he can already form things out of his ridiculous Mana Pool, so he was outside of this rule, even though so little passed since he got the Beast Core itself. His Shaping was great since he had the mind and experience to handle many complications.


    Outside of the knowledge, there was one particular thing that humans and even many intelligent humanoid species came with. It was the method and creation of Mana Tomes. They were techniques to make the mana within oneself into a better form with easier knowledge transfer. When Murai mentioned the hope of aid, it was those Tome, that may include many elemental insights, Shaping, or Conjuring styles, and even spells. It can be anything, really.


    Usually, in the forms of books or scrolls, they were created from materials that were rich in mana, and written by mages. That was one thing, but making the intent, and the magical technique transferable wasn''t as easy as one would think. The work of creating a tome involved many variables. From making sure one''s technique would remain not lost in time, or a simple case of providing it to someone else in exchange for money. That was the normal pretext of any Tome.


    The Mana Tomes created the base for treasures that any mage loved to discover in old ruins. It was making Mana Tomes with rare, or useful techniques into a special form of valuable currency, and any mage with talent and abilities could use them if they had an aptitude for it. No one can learn everything, of course. It''s similar to how every affinity, or technique can''t be used by a single person. Talent, variables, and body made the Tomes special and unique.


    The mages could learn the techniques by channeling their mana into these Tomes, figuring and comprehending the technique in the simplest form without spending too much time comprehending the techniques themselves. It was the main advantage of Mana Tomes. No need for a long stretch of time-consuming training, experimenting, or research was required. But talent, among other things? That was more than needed to reach higher levels and prowess as a mage.


    Murai was aware of the way of such rules and topics. Wielding the normal kind of mana was something he was master of and what being a mage meant was something he found sturdy as the ground below his feet. However, right now, he was neither. He was no master of his own Beast Core, nor was he in the stage of getting familiar with mana itself since it was unlike his usual experience.


    Any kind of element comprehension shouldn''t be that easy or fast for his current self, which made him a bit irritated.


    Lisa heard his unwilling words, feeling that he was right but rather easy to give up. ¡°Well... then use your mana Shaping to do something better than the blades. Mana in itself is glowing matter and your blade is so weak. You should manage something better than that.¡± Lisa argued, thinking she knew better than the former high-class Magus.


    ¡°I know what you mean, but leave that be. There is nothing notable here, so forget this hall and move on.¡± Murai said, turning his head back to the direction of the currents. It is still weird to him. This whole situation. Why there was such a dark atmosphere in this cave while the other ones were so special?


    It was making him uncomfortable, since he didn''t see those walls, nor he was sure how far they were. This lack of mana and light wasn''t great.


    Looking around, there was indeed nothing to determine about the Celestial Pool. It was as if the quality of the water disappeared, but the quality still somewhat remained. It was strange from the start, so Murai continued forward.


    Looking down below, the floor of this hall was starting to change. To his surprise, there wasn''t any kind of rough stone surface of a cave but a floor of some marbled rocks. Lisa noticed it right away, getting a sudden feeling of dread and surprise.


    Alas, it was too late, and the Will of the Battleworld descended to inform Murai of a new message and undeniable entrance to a dangerous place that was hiding past this Celestial Pool.


    [Somalis Dungeon''s sub-dungeons have been entered]


    [It is your first time entering one, so let a small overview be all to it. Dungeons are places of interest, challenge, and option to follow the Battleworld benefits, and future]


    [That''s it]


    [Somalis Dungeon]


    [Version: Acaman Tower: Towering Morghalis was once home to a powerful family of mages. They were kind, and powerful, making a name for themselves in the Battleworld for centuries]


    [Alas, time is an asshole, and so is human life. Time wasn''t something they could escape nor was something one could stop]


    [When meeting their demise at the hands of war, and lack of time, their lineage along with their castle was destroyed, and so were their past and future. The perimeter of the castle around the Towering Morhaglis succumbed to the depths of the ground following the dreadful Divine War]


    [What is before you is a Dungeon created and viewed by the Will of the Battleworld]


    [Potent difficulty: Level 99 - adjustment will be applied to your current rough power level]


    [A level of difficulty of less than 25 will be your case]


    [Accomplish the following: There are two Trials of 2 particular paths, each with opportunities to seek and guardians to fight. Go to the end and the Battleworld will reward you for your efforts]


    A dungeon? What is it? Some torture place? Murai heard it, following it with a glance at Lisa who was a bit flabbergasted.


    ¡°M-urai Hisagi...¡± Lisa grabbed the feathers on his back in agitation. ¡°You just got yourself into another trouble! What sort of luck do you have? TELL me! Have you eaten some lucky fruit of God''s or what?!¡± She shouted to his head without any speck of politeness.


    ¡°Heh. You wish. That was a good one!¡± Murai sneered, unbothered to answer that. Isn''t this kind of strange thought? Level 99 with lowered difficulty? I battled Pouncing Devil around half of that level, so this reminds me of how playful this Battleworld is. How peculiar, and messed up thing to tell this to level 5. How does it make sense? Murai wondered, making Lisa drop her grip on his feathers.


    ¡°Are you dumb?¡± She asked, sure she was right. ¡°It got balanced to your level, so quit your unreasonable words. You have your Evolution behind you, so your strength is better than that. Those were different circumstances and now are different. As for Somalis Dungeon...you know about it?¡± She asked, not trying to remember what she knew, but seeking what Murai would guess. ¡°I know this kind of dungeon, but I never thought you would ever enter such a place so soon. How long do you have? Your breath won''t last in this bubble until the end of this dungeon, so think about what you have. It can be dangerous.¡±


    Lisa showered him with cold words, causing Murai to frown.


    That is right. Dungeons are whatever. Never heard of them, nor care about them. I have a couple of minutes left, but I am moving all the same. Getting back isn''t an option, but going forward isn''t a fortune either. Considering the circumstances, it could be good if I am careful enough or if I will find some air. He said with his mind and turned his face back, glancing at Lisa. ¡±Lisa, are there some things I have to worry about in this Dungeon thing? You seem to know about these things while I don''t. Tell me.¡±


    ¡°Obviously!¡± She shouted.


    ¡°Great. Will you tell me them and STOP wasting our time?!¡± Murai barked at her, jolting her from his back with his firm gaze returned. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Hey... Don''t be so mean! I will tell it.¡± Lisa succumbed to his powerful gaze, floating back to his back. ¡°These dungeons are sort of games or trials of rewards set up by the Battleworld. They are in some strange places most of the time, in places of interest, or in places that used to be meaningful. I bet this castle or whatnot was once a good place, but here we are, being players for the sake of the Battleworld, or your LUCK! I swear...¡± she sighed.


    ¡°Seems it''s nothing surprising. What about the rewards, treasures, or whatnot? Am I supposed to defeat the guardians? Is the Celestial Pool not part of this?¡±


    ¡°How am I supposed to know that? Reach the end and see what the Battleworld has to offer or tell. It is what it said. I can''t see the rewards, nor can I guess it since I never heard of this place before. Acaman Tower of Somalis Dungeon? Such a part... even at the ending reach of the 99th level is beyond common sense. It is a sort of trial for max-level beings of this world. Ridiculous! You just stepped into this place, so we don''t know what is there. There may be other things that Battleworld may send later. Variables, or additional rules. It''s common to happen. For the start, the dungeons are one of the rare types of occurrences, so I am surprised this is here with the Celestial Pool as well. I have no idea what this is about, but you should move on. Probably... faster, rather than slower.¡± Lisa explained, but it wasn''t much because she was nervous.


    Murai continued forward, so he adjusted his Shaping and went forward into this hall cave that used to be a hall in the formal castle.


    Gliding in his Diving Sphere, he moved without being able to observe the surroundings after he retrieved the blade back to the mana.


    There, in the shrouds of the darkness, many eyes were already looking at the intruders from the moment they came to this dark place. They were watching, awaiting whatever it was that came to this place.


    Floating away, Murai reached the end of this hallway while nothing in particular was wrong or right. It was a silent space, with water being everything in this place. His watchful eyes were enough to see a couple of meters around him thanks to his glowing Diving Sphere and the use of his Nigh Vision, but it wasn''t great. Neither of them amounted to much.


    Well... Lisa. Is this trial or whatnot starting? Should I move forward faster or wait for something?


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked, watching the surroundings as well.


    ¡°There is something around us. Souls. Powerful and weak ones. Some are intelligent, but I have trouble discerning them. Does that mean the enemies are here?¡± Murai said, turning to the darkness above that was enveloping him all the same. No indication of anything spoke of some foe, nor he was able to see the eyes around him. Though, he saw the emotions and flickering notions of many souls. It was wild, like hearing music out of nowhere.


    ¡°Is it? I don''t know.¡± Lis shrugged her shoulders, unwilling to admit she couldn''t see much or feel things in reality.


    I swear... Let''s see what''s the deal with this dungeon then.


    Murai returned his glance forward, choosing to get into the next room. A couple of seconds later, the light from the Diving Sphere dimly lit a tighter space. It was some form of the gate, but it had no longer a ceiling above it. It was 2 meters wide, so Murai could see what was before him better.


    To Murai''s surprise, he moved through this door into a small stretch of the hallway that ended up in bright light. Following it, he entered a massive space of large proportions.


    Vast brightness and light were coming from more than hundreds of Crystals and Spikes around the walls of a large tower. The mana here was also much more abundant here than at the Celestial Pool itself, which was strange, considering the Grading system made the previous Pool already great. Now, it was probably worth calling it Grade S Celestial Pool, which was something Lisa had seen only a couple of times.


    This Acaman Tower was so much bigger, that it made the Celestial Pool tiny in comparison.


    [You have entered the 1st Floor of the Somalis Dungeon - Version: Acaman Tower]


    [The difficulty is set to around level 20 for this time, but the place isn''t meant to be that low]


    [Your luck was stupid, but it''s part of fate]


    [The following path of yours is to end or finish this dungeon''s trial according to the maker of this place. There are a couple of things, rules, and considerations for the challenge]


    [That is a limitation of time]


    [The first stage is simple. You have 60 minutes to escape, swim, or simply get to the end of this tower]


    [Right. It is above. Deal with it]


    [Good luck]


    The voice of the Battleworld told, making it seem they''d already started whatever trial it had to offer. Murai frowned as quickly as the message ended. A roar as well as a push of power appeared right afterward, coming from the dark hall behind him.


    ¡°Crap!¡± Murai moved his Diving Sphere above, escaping the jaw of some monster in a second.


    What cleaved the waters wasn''t any kind of monster, but a fish. Although it wasn''t an ordinary one, it had all the resemblances of a fish. It had scales of glossy green color, dull yet ferocious eyes, but a rather massive jaw that was nothing that a fish could have.


    [1st Wave of the 1st Trial started!]


    [Guardian: Magic Carp of level 9: dump fish, but with magical aptitude thanks for falling to the Celestial Pool a couple of years ago]


    [Class F]


    [Notable Abilities]


    [Whirlwind Breath: Attack with water, wind, and death element. It''s quite strong in its area of effects, but not so much to tear anything apart]


    [Grade D]


    [Level 5]


    [Defensive Scales: Scales of the Magic Carp are strengthened by mana]


    [Grade D]


    [Level 6]


    [Specie''s powers and specialties]


    [Quick movement underwater thanks for their strengthened dexterity. Their jaw is like any other with sharp teeth that can tear many things apart. Especially the ducks]


    A magic carp? What sort of a dumb name that is? Murai noted, seeing the fish before his eyes. It''s at least thrice as big as himself, with well over a meter and a half in length. When he came to observe it, it indeed had some resemblances to the carp, but it all ended when he viewed the mouth that was like a lion''s.


    ¡°Calm down!¡± Lisa smacked his head, floating above him to see it for herself. ¡°This is a simpler enemy, because of your lower level. Thank the Gods... I thought you would meet a bigger disaster.¡± she sighed in relief.


    ¡°Am I supposed to kill it? This magic carp or whatnot?¡± Murai asked, excited about the incoming trial that he thought would be quite an entertaining and exciting source of this adventure.


    ¡°Don''t... Your task is to get to the end of the tower in an hour. The Battleworld didn''t tell you....¡±


    [... adjustments had to be made. Task overlooked the basics of the trials]


    [The new current task: Underway the 1st Trial while 60 minutes are ticking by to get to the top]


    [Just so you won''t get bored, kill 5 waves of enemies along the way]


    Will of the Battleworld sent it right when Lisa wanted to speak some sense. It shut her up.


    Now we are talking, you Shittyworld!


    Murai grinned, preparing himself to get rid of the Magic Carp that was eyeing him with killing intent. Though Murai had no small amount of such intent himself.


    The battle of deadly stares started.

 Chapter 20: 1st Trial - Battles vs fish?

    The Magic Carp looked at Murai in anger, its eyes glowed in distinct glossy and azure light. Then it opened its mouth, revealing a swirling motion of water and wind. A true vortex.


    ¡°Dodge!¡± Lisa shouted, but it was too late.


    A whirling tornado tore the water many meters forward, making sections of ripples and bubbles like a swirling tornado. It pushed against Murai wide and quickly so he wasn''t able to dodge anywhere. He saw there was a mixture of pressured water, wind, and some little stones in this attack, making it very quick and sharp. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unexpectedly, this wasn''t a part of this Whirwind Breath. Magic Carp ate some rocks to strengthen this attack, making it sharper than it was.


    The Whirlwind Breath tore the water, striking Murai who was in his Diving Sphere, which wasn''t meant to protect him from such attacks, yet it wasn''t an ordinary ability. It was under Anatidaes, so it was strong.


    The Diving Sphere backed to the tower''s wall, still intact. Thanks to its roundness, it moved along the ripples, moving a few meters around the perimeter upwards. Small cracks spread from a couple of ripples around the Diving Sphere, but Murai quickly stabilized his control over it with more mana. Noticing a stop of the attack, he moved half a meter to the left in a single moment, before a smacking motion of dust and bubbles revealed the Magic Carp that attacked with its jaw. It missed.


    ¡°What a deadly combo... Does it think it''s powerful? What a joke!¡± Murai mockingly said, feeling that the Mana Detection worked a bit better here than before. He didn''t know why, but he didn''t question it, since he was thinking of one issue.


    How was he supposed to attack under these circumstances?


    His Diving Sphere had a glaring issue. His physical body was within it, making it a good shield against the water but that was it. He can''t put his beak from it, otherwise, it would destabilize for a moment, or straight up end its effective protection.


    Is my Mana Shaping enough to form a good attack? My Beak''s Fury would be much more effective, but this isn''t a place for this. Unless... What is the best course of action? Murai thought, observing the Magic Carp that turned its head towards the uninjured foe. It was angry. Very much so.


    Murai could see and feel its unhinged emotions.


    ¡°You should figure something out with the mana since that''s the only long-range ability you have.¡± Lisa helped him after silently hugging his neck in this sharp turn of events. ¡°That or you can use your surroundings to your advantage. Impale this fish to the Mana Spike if you can, or use something else, but first, you have to move to the end of this tower. The limit of 60 minutes is long, but going up seems like an important task. It''s the first step while dealing with the Guardians is secondary.¡±


    Lisa spoke some sense to his years, and this time, Murai had to agree with half of her words.


    ¡°Time limit isn''t an issue, Lisa. I am too. Couple minutes. Remember.¡± He argued, making Lisa remember that their time limit was unlike what Battleworld gave them. Breath. Murai can remain like this for only a couple more minutes.


    Nevermind. I am inclined to work with what this dungeon has to offer, but not in this way. Screw this fish, and screw this dungeon. That''s it. I want to escape this and not do some stupid trials. Let''s get the fuck out!


    Floating up, Murai began his ascent while ignoring the glaring Magic Carp. He wasn''t really fast or good at this. With 40% of his swimming speed, he was far slower than the Magic Carp. He wouldn''t be able to dodge the incoming fish that was much more agile in this environment. Yet, he realized it soon enough, noticing a simple motion of the quick-moving Magic Carp towards him.


    So, Murai decided to flush any kind of restraints away and deal with them. Cursing this fish with hundreds of words that even Lisa couldn''t understand, he forgot about the ascent and made a quick, important change.


    First, he used his Mana Flow to repair and strengthen the Diving Sphere as much as his senses allowed him. The residual force from the quick repair was put into 2 Mana Blades of similar height as himself. They floated outside of the sphere, facing the Magic Carp to strike it down. Each blade was like a knife or short sword, but their appearance wasn''t as clear, and they had some rough sharpness to them.


    Glaring at the carp, which had nothing but chaos and killing in its eyes, Murai viewed it more like prey than anything else. He thought little of it, as if it wasn''t even a challenge, since it was a bother, albeit it may turn into something that will put his mind toward the excitement.


    Magic Carp watched the foe, seemingly understanding the form of mana and what Murai was doing. It ceased its ferocious charge, beginning to follow the same attacking pattern with the use of Whirlwind Breath. This time, Murai knew what to expect, since it would be stupid to get hit with this attack twice. He dodged it by moving toward the bottom of the tower, while the Mana Blades remained in front of him.


    Amidst the chaotic Whirlwind Breath that traveled for about a dozen meters, the attack completely failed. The view of the charging, and upset Magic Carp left no speck of emotion in Murai''s mind who knew perfectly where it was. This was a much weaker opponent than the Devil Fox, even though the level was different.


    No. That was wrong. Murai got stronger. Significantly stronger.


    Like an overlord, he gazed at the approaching enemy with utter confidence. It was hiding in the gust of dust and bubbles, but that did nothing. Murai Shaped his blades to stand side by side, making them tougher by connecting them together with his Shaping.


    The incoming Magic Carp went for the kill because the Whirlwind Breath failed. Its jaw scrapped the blades off, but it was enough of a distraction and power to lower its charge.


    Murai glared forward and pushed his Diving Sphere right toward its face. In an unyielding tone of power, he jumped forward with his beak, making two quick jabs at the opponent.


    ¡°Beak''s Fury!¡±


    In this way, Murai pierced his Diving Sphere, but it took a second before he repaired it after his quick retrieval, letting only some water leak inside.


    These sorts of quick strikes were enough to see gushing holes of blood and gore around Magic Carp''s neck and head. Murai perfectly executed his plan, which left silent Lisa on his back surprised. It took him just a second to recognize Magic Carp''s attacking pattern and see the possibilities to end this fight in the smoothest way possible. In fact, he didn''t even waste that much time.


    This was an excellent start, and without waiting for more, or glaring at the corpse of this fish, Murai began his ascent with confidence.


    ¡°Wait... Why don''t you eat that carp? Isn''t fish good?¡± Lisa suddenly remembered his eating issue, forgetting there was another one with a time limit and an issue with Diving Sphere''s physicality.


    That thing? Raw fish is disgusting, and not worth the time at the moment. Murai spits some blood from his bloody beak, thinking what he meant with utter disgust.


    1st Wave was done, but another 4 would come, so Murai watched and motioned his Diving Sphere to move up as fast as he could. While doing so, something strange was happening.


    Glaring upwards, Murai viewed this tower for the first time with little more attention.


    It was a wide circular corridor with a couple dozen meters in width. Around the wall, there were residual stone or wooden walls, providing some places to hide. But the middle was empty of these walls, enabling him to see the end of the tower that ended up with quite some brightness. It was at least 100, or more meters away, making this tower quite tall.


    What was strange, was a sudden pushing power that was acting against his diving Sphere. It was getting heavier and heavier to move upwards, almost like a tougher and more potent gravity spell.


    Huh? I move 50% as fast as swimming. He thought.


    ¡°Murai Hisagi, I knew it... Nothing is simple in the dungeons.¡± Lisa smacked her head. ¡°This is another thing of these places. Sometimes, dungeons can have traps and magical effects outside of the Will of the Battleworld''s interferences. Sometimes, the reason is provided, but not now. This is some pressuring power of some sort. Maybe gravity spell, water, or some pressure that is beyond the surface, or it is part of this tower. There could be also some traps around the wall, or those rooms that used to make this tower, so be careful.¡± She said, pointing to the right and left around the wall.


    This tower in itself had still some remaining walls, indicating the former rooms that used to be there. As for now, the tower was looking more like a big tunnel, with residual floors and rocky, or wooden walls that made this place a bit varied. Murai looked high above. Moving his neck, he saw the end of the tower from the near bottom. It was far, but he will get there soon enough.


    [1st Wave was defeated]


    [2nd one is coming forth]


    [2 Magic Carps are better than 1. That is simple math and common sense, so get moving]


    ¡°Fucking goddammit! Stupid Battleworld.¡± Murai cursed upon seeing the two magic carps of similar weight and mass appear from above.


    They came from some of the walls outside of his line of vision, so who knew if some other monsters were hiding there too?


    And here you said it''s simple or whatnot. Now what? Murai looked at Lisa, who was for once, quiet.


    ¡°I... I...¡± She mumbled, unable to help him much.


    I don''t think I will have enough time to get to the surface in this manner. I have like a minute or two of breath left. Murai complained and Conjured another wave of mana, Shaping it into short blades. The last ones were unfortunately met with the Carp''s jaw, disintegrating back to the mana so he killed it with his beak.


    Unfortunately, the Magic Carps worked in tandem, unleashing their Whirlwind Breaths at the same time.


    The walls shook, and so was Murai, who looked at the upcoming sight that he wasn''t willing to meet head-on. So, he moved his Diving Sphere down 5 meters, figuring that the pressuring gravity made his descent faster than his regular swimming. He hid around some wall, dodging the raging Whirlind Breaths that struck quite a large area. Part of the wall was destroyed in the process, while the Carps charged forward without seeing what their opponent was doing.


    After all, the moment they attacked, their eyes almost popped from their sockets, and they couldn''t see or move as long as they were using the Whirwind Breath.


    Outside of their vision, Murai knew more than them, since his Mana Detection perceived the foes without the need for physicality. Adding the effects of the Soul Read, he knew what to expect with his eyes closed.


    Stupid fish... They don''t know shit, but I can''t work properly... Fine... Eat this fishfuckers! Murai changed the shape of the Mana Blades by letting floods of mana from his body flow into them.


    100. 120. 150? it was hard to tell how much he spent from his Mana Pool, but not like he cared about numerical messes. Murai can''t feel his Initialization stage Beast Core all that well. A good chunk of mana disappeared from his reserves, causing the blades to turn wider and thicker like a spike at one end.


    Mana Javelin should do with this Shaping for now. It is burly and weak at the other end, but the spike is at least sharp. Oh, it''s manageable with the Shaping, but it''s hard to let it remain firm. This will kill one enough, but not the other. Fuck... Murai thought and felt the following restrain within his mind. It was a special dreadful feeling when mana was getting out of control, but this time, it wasn''t that bad for some reason. With such an amount of it gone, he thought he would cough blood, or destabilize his Diving Sphere, but here he was, fine apart from some headache.


    The use of his sudden Conjuring was fast and Shaping it afterward was another thing altogether. But neither was it good or bad since Murai was always comfortable wielding things he wasn''t meant to wield or were a bit too difficult to get used to. Somewhat, it worked, but he felt it would be quite a fatal issue against stronger or clever opponents. He needed to think of that.


    The javelin was outside of his body influence, but he still Shaped it forward, piercing the body of one of the Carps who charged around the corner. It could not dodge since it had no powerful abilities like Murai. The other Magic Carp came afterward, noticing the blood, and dodging the javelin''s rough tip that obliterated the first carp into many parts. With a look of fury, the other Magic Carp was furious. Swirling left and right, it charged at Murai since his weapon was away, meaning a chance had come.


    Gazing at the imminent enemy, Murai wasn''t one bit nervous, but his bloodshot eyes were more than agitated. Mana. Return!


    A speck of point appeared before the Diving Sphere until it grew into a rough javelin from before. The bloody one in the water vaporized, turning to mana particles that traveled back to Murai. With too much momentum going, the Magic Carp pierced the tip of a rough javelin with its jaw, ending its life while traveling deep into it.


    ¡°Hmph! Stupid fish. I swear I would eat you If I could.¡± Murai spitted those words out but tried his hardest to force this mana to turn back to his body.


    It was little, as the mana return was even harder than the issues with his Shaping. This try amounted to no small amount of residual mana to seep into the world, but he was comfortable with diminishing returns. About half of the mana still returned to his body which was something he could work with.


    ¡°What? What did you just do?¡± Lisa asked in curiosity, glancing behind his neck at the dead carp.


    ¡°Used mana to my advantage, as you said,¡± he answered. ¡°It was a gamble, but I succeeded. Recalling the mana when it was Shaped a few seconds ago is a possible thing to do but it was a bit difficult to manage. Doing so in a straight line and a few meters in this environment worked to my advantage. I am glad it worked with my lacking mana and control in this body.¡±


    ¡°Wait! What? I never heard of this. How did you return it?¡± Lisa shouted an inch from his face, irritating Murai in return.


    Get off me... We had a deal, didn''t we? Murai pushed his beak to her, yet it struck nothing. Don''t talk shit. That''s the deal.


    Furrowing her brows, Lisa was indeed unwilling to let go of this topic, but he gave her no choice. Floating back to his journey up, Murai was much grim-looking than ever before. He was floating slower and slower, but at least no traps were around the middle of this tower. The pressure was rising, dropping his speed below 40% of his swimming speed.


    That was until the 3rd wave came with a single enemy this time. A snake-like monster appeared around the corner of the wall above, glaring and floating in the water like some kind of eel.


    [Horn Snake emerged]


    [A unicorn of fishes, but a fish nonetheless. So much for their name, but what a name it is]


    [Level: 12]


    [Class F]


    [Notable ability of the species]


    [Horn Spike: It has powerful, slippery power. Its horn on top of its head is sharp like a fine spar, with very easy-to-use stabbing motions. Powerful forward heavy barrage can lead to a lot of damage, so be careful if you don''t want to end up as a strainer]


    [Grade D]


    [Level 10]


    [It is a monster of caution and predatory behavior. You are not quite ready to go toe to toe with it, so be aware of the level differences and solve it as is]


    [Notable things to consider is its high dexterity in the water or the surface, so be careful. It is a challenge and trial without a chance to back off, so too bad]


    [Get good, or die]


    Veins popped into Murai''s eyes as he heard it. Although they weren''t that noticeable, he was really pissed off right now, which he showed in the easiest way possible.


    Shaping 3 mana blades around him, he cursed the snake to oblivion. The following case with this foe was quite different from the two chaotic Magic Carps. The Horn Snake didn''t attack immediately. Instead, it was taking its time, observing the enemy like a predator from a distance.


    Unlike the Magic Carp, this one had no magical abilities that were told by Will of the Battleworld, but that didn''t mean it had none. After all, the notable did mean some and not everything. It at least seemed that way, but Murai knew it was much more powerful than some measly little Carps. Thanks to his dozen-meter-long flexible body and species ability, Murai was afraid this foe wouldn''t be easy this time around.


    Horn Snake floated high above him. Its body was at least 10 meters long, and 40 to 50 centimeters thick at some points. Its head was normal looking for a snake, but it had a spike like a unicorn around the top of its head. It wasn''t curved or anything. It was a straight-up horn with a straight-spiraling spike that went directly to its advantages.


    That was, to stab the foe to death, with S-like shaping of its body. It was still a snake, after all.

 Chapter 21: Murai vs Horn Snake

    ¡°Come one... stupid snake! Attack or I will kick your ass with my tiny legs!¡± Murai quacked, trying to force this Horn Snake to do something but it didn''t do a thing. It seemed the snake didn''t hear him, and rather ignored him, or didn''t understand him at all.


    Once again, the intelligence of the species in front of him was low, and it wasn''t surprising. Murai wasn''t able to communicate with any of his enemies, apart from the strange instance of Rain. He was the only one he was able to speak with, but that was possible thanks to his high level and Will, which led to the possible communication.


    As for this talk of what Murai was doing, it amounted to nothing but some duck''s quacking. It was his usual talking, since every time he spoke out loud, only quack followed from his beak. It was a strange situation, that made sense in his mind, yet those words didn''t travel out of his mouth. Of course, apart from that, the curses in his mind acted as a form of stress relief.


    Lisa didn''t understand those quacks either, but she didn''t need to. She had a perfect understanding of his soul, and Will, so hearing his intent with some understanding was easy enough. However, she already had enough of his curses.


    Horn Snake didn''t attack and simply swirled in the water right above the path that led towards the end of the tower. It almost appeared he was a dog that watched the backyard of its owner, defending it to the bitter end.


    Murai was getting irritated since he was the one who had to do something. His time was limited, so he had no choice but to go for the kill since wasting it was more than unnecessary. His cup of patience was overflowing for the past minutes, and unfortunately, the Horn Snake discovered his impatience with its dark black eyes.


    Right, he was. Murai could tell he didn''t have a lot of breathing time left, so he started to panic a little. With the three mana blades around the Diving Sphere, Murai moved upwards at 40% speed of his swimming speed, which was enough for some strategy. The further he went to the tower, the more was it apparent that this was highly disadvantageous for him.


    He kept muttering the words "come one" In his mind until he was 2 meters away from the Horn Snake. There, a change happened in an instant. Murai felt the precise moment where the intent of the foe changed, and the swirling motion of its body went from calmness to a fierce whip-like thrust that pushed its head forward like a stab of a rapier.


    Anticipating the attack, Mura didn''t dodge it but began a quick descent that was much faster than ever before, following the stabbing horn about 30 meters before the Diving Sphere. His eyes and mind were strained by the pressuring attack that would be his demise, but he did his best to work with his plan in mind.


    First, Murai expected this sort of attack, since the message of the Will of the Battlworld talked about it in this manner. It wasn''t wrong, fortunately.


    His descent almost matched the speed of the opponent, and in this way, the use of Mana Blades easily interrupted the speed of this stab. Though, the term interrupted wasn''t correct, since the blades barely scratched its head with a couple of quick slashes.


    Horn Snake stopped with this attack, motioning its head to halt, and watched the foe again. It was hiding anger according to his Soul Read. Murai saw it within its eyes, so he smirked in return, descending another 4 meters just to be safe.


    Alas, the smirk was hiding his grim reality. His lack of mana with the offensive properties was clear to him but attacking with his beak wasn''t a good choice either. He would get stabbed in return, while there was a big possibility of other attacks this Horn Snake could do. So, more mana was up to this task, or a change in strategy.


    Murai had to figure out the method to work with otherwise, he won''t be able to do much. Fortunately, he already had some experience in Conjuring and Shaping the mana in this enriched environment, which made things a bit easier than they should be. The previous wave confirmed this idea, making him change the strategy accordingly. Before, Mana Return was his first experiment working with a weird principle of Shapers, and it wasn''t an easy thing to do.


    It required many kinds of things to do at the same time. Shaping, Conjuring, and using the connection to his core, and rules of magic. First, mana itself had to be dispersed and then recalled right afterward so Murai could connect with it again. Shaping and Conjuring it quickly back to its former appearance was another rule since mana can briefly recall it from "memory", which ended up drilling into the last Magic Carp.


    At this time, Lisa hadn''t uttered a single complaint or a word of her "wisdom". She let Murai do his things, which were rather surprising and effective in her expertise as a former high-level succubus.


    Unfortunately, Murai ended up bladeless again. Each of the 3 Mana Blades dissipated against the tough scales of the Horn Snake. They lacked a certain sharpness to them, and Murai knew about it all too well. His control over the blades was efficient, but what he lacked was proper Shaping not in terms of swings, but the direct Shape of the mana itself.


    Shaping had two, or more important ways and methods.


    1st: It can change the shape of the conjured mana, making it whatever a mage desires.


    2nd: It can change the properties of the conjured mana, and already shaped objects to make them more robust - sharp - bigger - longer, and so on.


    Could he change and work around those two most important aspects of Shaping? Sure, but his mana control over his core wasn''t something that could become easy all of a sudden. One had to be comfortable with the flow of the inner mana as well as feeling the Mana Core. Both should feel good and not hinder one another.


    Either of these wasn''t something Murai perfected, nor was he good at according to his standards. Killing Magic Carps? Easy enough. They were dumb enemies, but with proper magic, he could''ve killed them in a blink.


    What Murai lacked the most was the core idea of figuring out his magic, and no amount of past lives would change that. Something bothered him for a long time. Something that has to do with the mana itself, this place, and his body.


    It wasn''t about the quality or quantity. It was as if something was intentionally done to the mana to act in different attitudes, ways, control, or rules. The last thing was definitely suspicious. That, or everything was wrong and strange because of his own body. He couldn''t guess it, but he could think and come to certain conclusions himself.


    His ideas weren''t right or wrong. He simply wasn''t used to his Beast Core, so whether it was the work of the gods or his body, it didn''t matter. It wouldn''t be the first time a god manipulated the mana to their benefit, but would it be possible in large-scale effects? That left much displeasure in Murai''s life. After all, this could be a much stronger effect of the manipulation, since even he, found it rather difficult to imagine.


    Oh, wait... I think I know how to get out of this situation. Murai thought, beginning his ascend once again. Alright... You tough snake. I will make you regret your life''s choices. Coming toe to toe with me is barely a good idea, and you don''t even have one. How funny.  He laughed, forgetting his tiny legs that had 3 fingers between some kind of membrane and small fangs at the end.


    Lisa cringed at his weak joke that the Horn Snake couldn''t even hear. In fact, who was Murai kidding? He had a toe, but a strange one.


    With that said, Murai willed his Mana Shaping forward and didn''t form a blade, or anything similar. It was a simple Conjuration of mana with a hefty amount of it. Pulling this dense mana into a ball, the shape of a glowing sphere became brighter and brighter, becoming like a small radiating sun.


    The intensity of the bright and light mana particles was his goal until it resembled a tiny little sun that was much brighter than the surrounding mana crystals or spikes. Horn Snake looked down with cautious eyes, which was a stupid idea since it was brighter and brighter until it couldn''t see a thing.


    It panicked since it thought the enemy wanted to use this change to end its life, so it attacked. Charging toward the sun was the easiest and only thing it could do since the foe was right below it.


    Wrong.


    Murai moved away the moment Horn Snake charged. The huge amount of mana that he used to create this much brightness was his plan, while the following one was a huge gamble. It took at least twice as much mana than previous attacks combined together, but Murai could feel the replenishment fueling his core at all times. His own mana in his core was yet to become painfully empty and destabilized, which was a good thing. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But, was it worth it? After all, the little sun was charged with way too much Shaping and it stressed his mind less than he feared. It will be hard to point out or return it, meaning a lot of mana will become wasted in this manner, but he didn''t have a choice. He needed to solve this enemy in one move. A quick kill of this snake should benefit him more than coming up with some other ways to kill it.


    Changing the shape of this much mana shouldn''t be impossible. That much Murai knew, so had to go very close to his limits, and surprisingly, his mind was up to this task. Would body and mana do the same? He wasn''t sure, but he planned to force it to happen anyway, Shaping his path ahead.


    That''s why he came up with the simplest form of Shaping and not something that had anything to do with too-complex Shaping. He just turned his mana denser, making it heavy and bright.


    Easy... That''s right. I will just smack this snake well, so he will have no time to regret his life''s choices. Murai thought with little or no issue, deciding to act on the simplest solution.


    Right as the Horn Snake - with its eyes closed - charged past the bright sphere, it did miss it. The glowing sphere changed into a wide pillar, resembling nothing but a wild and chaotic shape that had no proper form. It only generated a lot of loss, and Murai felt how his mind shook under this sudden Shaping of this amount of mana.


    The pillar smacked the snake to its horn and head, pushing it towards the section of the wall with a dozen or so crystals and spikes around it. This one was a flat wall, perfect for a kill.


    Some of them penetrated its body, but some cracked into bigger parts because of the momentum or toughness of Horn Snake''s body. Their content seeped out, while the Mana Spike let glowing liquid dissipate to the water, dissolving in a couple of seconds.


    Still, with at least 5 spikes successfully penetrating it, the Horn Snake shrieked in pain, wriggling its body in pain as blood colored the water.


    Alas, this sort of attack didn''t end its life, much to Murai''s pleasure.


    With such damage, Horn Snake couldn''t move, defend, or do much about the incoming Beak''s Fury to its neck that ended up decapitating it with a dozen or so strikes.


    Murai was furious, and he made quite a bit of a mess. Blood flowed around, coloring the water crimson for dozens of meters.


    At this point, Murai''s control over the Diving Sphere was gone, and the seriousness of Beak''s Fury attacks ended up destabilizing it, at last. Protection and breathing altogether were over, leaving Murai and Lisa stranded in this tower.


    Though, Murai planned for this to happen since it was a time to gamble. He had to get rid of this snake first for the sake of his next move and even though he felt the pressure of this place rising, he didn''t care. Effects of the Celestial Pool of S Grade were penetrating his body, so he needed to be quick. He picked the longer part of the snake''s body with his beak, swimming upwards with his limited breath which was around 34 seconds long.


    At this time, he noticed a panicking Lisa, who was flipping her hands and wings, shouting some inaudible curses with her voice, and not her Will. Murai wasn''t one to make fun of her at the moment, so he grabbed her under his wing, before forcing his way to the section of the wall where the Horn Snake emerged from. He thought it was his key to a clear victory.


    After all, this snake wasn''t a fish, unlike what Will of the Battleworld proclaimed. It was both land and water animal. Its life in the water was only possible thanks to how long it can breathe. It can remain under the water for longer than Murai would ever wish for, but it meant one thing. There was a breathable surface in this tower. Somewhere.


    So, following this gamble and thoughts, Murai ended up swimming to a door-like hole in the wall, indicating his hunch to be plausible.


    Panicking, and struggling with his breath and weight in his beak, he pushed himself forward into the depth and darkness of the dark room. This one was wide enough for Horn Snake to move through, while according to his Mana Detection, this should be the one it came up from.


    To his lack of surprise, what was right around the corner were stairs. They weren''t submerged in water, allowing the Horn Snake to hide there and breathe.


    Seeing it, Murai left the snake''s body be, hurrying to breathe the fresh air he wished for.


    ¡°Haaa...¡± Murai took a deep breath, tossing Lisa to the stairs, along with his own body. They both appeared like fish who got out of the water. Both appeared dead and unmoving, apart from the duck gasping for breath.


    ¡°Murai Hisagi... You lunatic and piece of shit... Why did you not tell me that beforehand... I almost died in shock.¡± Lisa struggled, smacking Murai''s beak in frustration since she changed her physicality to a more physical form.


    Is that to your liking? He sent her without even bothering to move his beak.


    ¡°What?¡±


    My beak.


    ¡°No way.¡± she smacked it again. ¡°You duck. Hmph!¡±


    It''s what saved us though. Well, Murai got to his feet after a couple of dozen breaths. This worked better than I thought. Breathing is good, so how is the situation looking? He thought and observed his mana and whether it would be enough for the upcoming last 2 waves.


    Through his feelings, he could tell he had less than half left, which wasn''t a lot. Thankfully, the Replenishment was boosted from this environment, and he could tell his body absorbing the mana in steady form. It was automatic, much to his pleasure, and it didn''t require his intent like it did as he was in Novihaim or other places.


    His lack of proper mana management was apparent, but thankfully so, the base Mana Pool of the Anatidae Panacea was huge. The thing Murai had done in the past waves wasted a lot of mana in a short amount of time. It at least gave him no mana shock, which was good. Any kind of mage would''ve long shown symptoms of losing control, getting nauseous, or dying straight up from unkept mana flow.


    This wasn''t the case for Murai, whose body was unlike human or humanoid mages.


    22 mana a minute amounts to something since I have 1 hour to get up. A better source of mana than this would help, however. Lisa, any ideas that I shouldn''t know? He turned to her pouting self.


    ¡°I have no idea what you know or don''t since your soul made me upset. Figure it out yourself, since your fragments didn''t help at all.¡± She barked at him, frustrated.


    So much help... I swear. Murai sighed, stretching his head and body. He was feeling good, albeit a bit fatigued inside. Either of these things was a piece of good news since there was still one thing he lacked. His stomach was growling in horror and anguish, wanting some nutrients fast.


    So, Murai dived back into the water, retrieving the snake''s long body which should be plenty for his current needs. In a bit, Lisa watched how Murai got it out to the stairs, which didn''t even fit there without succumbing back to the water.


    Still, Murai was satisfied with pulling at least a meter of this snake above the water. He will try to come up with some method to eat it, which shouldn''t be that easy, nor good.


    There was no way he wanted to eat it raw, so it was time to figure out one method he was familiar with. Among the rules following the magic and mana, there was only one thing that could heat his heart up.


    Flame.

 Chapter 22: Flame

    Murai had no plans to eat uncooked meat or anything seeping with blood. The Horn Snake''s meat was raw, and blood was flowing from the one part where he hit with Beak''s Fury attacks, making it unfit for his tastes.


    So, he had to figure out how to cook it, or at least get something out of it since he needed a shot of some Vitality and much-needed nourishment.


    Gazing at the open wound where the head used to be, Murai Shaped a quick Mana Blade to see how much meat he would retrieve from it. Horn Snake was lean but quite larger than him, so he should get enough food out of it. While he was Shaping, Murai decided to use his control and make the blade smaller and thinner, which amounted to better slicing power, but much lower power. It was a kind of tough idea, with harsh interpretation to his control, but he managed to do so after a dozen or so tries.


    A 1-centimeter-thin and meter-long blade had passable physicality to work as a cutter. With its tip, he managed to penetrate the snake''s scales, which were still tough. It was impossible to do so with the edge of the blade, so he used the point of the tip to manage it, which just spoke of the overall power of his Shaping. It wasn''t great at some things, but passable at others. Chopping circular steaks out of its body, Murai did his best even though he was rough.


    By this point, Lisa turned her attention to him after calming down. ¡°What are you doing? Are you gonna eat it raw? What if it''s poisonous? Majority of the water snakes are.¡± She reasoned.


    Not this one. I think... Murai thought, making his intentions heard by Lisa. And no, I won''t eat it raw since it''s time to figure out the method of elemental flow. Mana in this world is plentiful, while my Shaping will do the bare minimum to curve around the rules. It shouldn''t be more... complex even if this world seems strange. If it''s even the right term for that.


    ¡°Element? Like fire? Isn''t it fairly hard to conjure a flame without proper affinity or technique?¡± Lisa asked. ¡°It''s part of the magic after all, and it has all kinds of properties that are hidden in its essence. Mages need their affinity to wield it and form basic instincts over the mana and following spells. It even acts outside of Will of Battleworld''s rules, you see? One needs to be born with it, and find or earn enough gifts to learn it.¡± Lisa looked at him in surprise, curious about what his curve around the rules meant.


    ¡°Curiosity killed the cat... Well, that may be true, but the common trends and knowledge don''t work for me. Few are passable and usable for me. So let''s see.¡± Murai quacked, motioning the blade to chop another 20 or so steaks, before stopping and pointing the blade toward his head.


    The Mana Blade dissipated into tiny particles that resembled tiny little stars and glowing fog. He forced the Mana Blade to its most rudimentary form and let it remain without proper shape. It was the core energy of the mana that he used to Shape up the Mana Blade. The fog didn''t fly anywhere. It just floated close to his beak, where Murai watched it with focus and utter intentions as if he were facing his worst enemy.


    He was trying to feel the right way to make this chaotic energy of his, work. Changing and bending the rules around the mana should give him a good advantage, as well as a change, and answers to follow with more experiments. Pretty much anything was possible next if he succeeded.


    Mana acted according to his Will, or in undefined ways by its core rules that stated simple things. Become one with the world, as there was no need for this power to flow endlessly around the empty air. It had some purpose. A goal or desire, but Murai never figured out which kind.


    It was one of the undeniable beliefs that he discovered and believed in.


    Mana had a certain identity.


    Mana also assembled any kind of mage''s identity, but Murai lacked proper feelings for this cause. In his case, mana itself wasn''t meant to be that easy for him to wield according to some unkept truth. His hunch told him that Anatidae wasn''t "loved" by mana, which would explain a lot of things. That, or he was simply bad at feeling and handling the mana in this body, while any regular Anatidae with instincts and will of one wouldn''t. It was a possible answer.


    So be it. I don''t have to ask for permission for anything, and experiments are fine attempts at seeing my memories touch the present.  He figured. Flame... Let''s start with bending that kind of rule first. A simple exercise. Flame is an encompassing entity. It is a star. Sun. It all begins where? Friction? Spark, in broader terms, outside of microscopic matters of the Beginning? That''s it. That will do, as it''s basic enough. The rules of mana aren''t something crazy different in this world from others. Whether the Gods changed the mana, the rules, stability, and realms outside of this planet still remain. That would make no sense if it were different unless the Gods would change the mana as a whole to something completely new. Sometimes they do, but this world remains in a proper form. For now...


    Realizing this, and thinking of his purpose, the glowing fog began to flicker under his intent, shaking in friction, or so it appeared. It didn''t seem like much at first. A shaking, trembling, and glistening jolt around the foggy mana was something Lisa noticed.


    Murai wasn''t stopping, and in fact, went faster and faster until a spark ignited through the friction, causing a blazing fireball to turn from mana into a purposeful source of a specific element.


    ¡°Good. I succeeded with a rather clumsy method of controlling it. It was difficult but better than using the mana of the world in a flaming structure, or Tome. I swear having a universal affinity isn''t bad, but having one with the flaming elements would''ve been much better than doing so with nothing.¡± Murai guessed, but couldn''t help but cheer himself up, unnoticing a flabbergasted Lisa beside him, who viewed this unfamiliar concept of highly advanced magic.


    It seemed simple to shake the mana particles to form friction, but such knowledge wasn''t known in the Battleworld, and she was a former succubus with a Mana Core, so she viewed it with some doubts.


    Without giving her a choice of being annoying, Murai began feeling the flame and whether it was passable to control it, even though it was made with his mana. Unfortunately, even these methods needed a time of training, and any discovered element needed proper care.


    Scorching the steaks dry was easy, however, and cooking them was simple enough. All he needed was to control the volume and heat of this mana and move the shape of the ball to the meat. The meat will taste dull, and bloody, but since he didn''t have any seasoning, Murai had no choice. At least it won''t be raw. He had simple needs at the moment, so he was satisfied with what he would get.


    It wasn''t that long after his start of grilling that the Will of the Battleworld informed him of a new message.


    [Congratulations you piece of an animal! You have discovered the fire! Unlike the caveman, this isn''t as bad as it should be. It is clever, albeit... ruleless, which made it seem cheap and a bit cheaty]


    [Mana Flow grade improved from F to E, enabling your mana to have better quality, which means going from quite bad, to bad, so deal with it as you wish]


    [Your following Mana Abilities improved]


    [Mana Detection: Level up]


    [Mana Shaping: Level up, Level up! That''s two levels! Impressive enough]


    [Alas, the flame is short-lived and one couldn''t survive without the Mana]


    [As the rules and stakes of the Battleworld give Order to the Chaos, the case of the Mana Core is established in your heart, with the name of... BEAST CORE! Sounds exciting, doesn''t it?]


    [It is a fundamental core of the demonic beasts of the Battleworld with special, and unique talents, bloodline, and purpose. It is different from humans since monsters are no humans, but humans can be monsters. Get it? Nevermind...]


    [The slip of the flame began to flow to your Beast Core. A basic understanding of the Mana Flame''s element is taking its roots towards your Beast Core]


    [Flame reached the threshold of forming a basic affinity. It will be under your constant use of mana, but dependant on your Shaping, Conjuring, and care of intentions]


    [Flame: It is a primordial core of the universe, that is long older than any being can imagine. The universe is full of it but in different magnitudes of strengths and forms. There is heat, radiation, light and brightness, a scorching flame of high velocity and even a partial way to this is lighting, but you don''t have to worry about it]


    [no level]


    [Grade F]


    [Your achievements are impressive, considering your passing ages days, but the power of the early Anatidae is powerful]


    [Beak''s Fury: Level up]


    [YOU! - Level up, Level up]


    [Attribute''s strength Improved]


    [Yey! you are level 7 now so try to get powerful for the sake of the Battleworld, and don''t be clumsy and afraid of battles. Soon enough, the concept of your beginning will cease to exist, enabling others to fight you for real]


    That was the end of the message and Murai felt the distinct gust of power from the ground and walls of this old place. It was similar to evolution but it was less powerful. A Blessing from this system and world floated to him, giving his Beast Core and his body a Boost in terms of power and numbers.


    The reason and the cause?


    Mana of the Battleworld made it so, or it was something else. Murai glared around, feeling the tension in the air that was no mana. Strange... It always feels forced. He thought, noticing how it all charged from the earth, enveloping him for a couple of dozen seconds, before halting as fast as it appeared. Afterward, he felt more powerful, and new things appeared in his body.


    Hearing nothing else, Murai watched the surroundings with clear suspicion. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nice.. this pretty much confirms that this place has some other... greater power controlled, or grasped for the sake of this Battleworld. Though, why are there those who can control it without being Blessed? What makes it different from the regular one, or how it works? Murai wondered, grilling the meat while thinking of his new achievements.


    By the end of his wondering questions that weren''t privately done, Lisa appeared around his face, observing the flame and meat that sizzled on the filthy stairs. She, for once, didn''t make many comments about the message, since she expected it to some extent - albeit begrudgingly.


    ¡°This looks awful,¡± She commented.


    ¡°Smells good, though. It''s sizzling in fat, which will add excellent texture but limited flavor. Hopefully... Blood is also diminished in this way, so that is great. My flame is quite hot, but lack of seasoning makes it lacking.¡± Murai quacked in a good mood and continued with his grilling for more minutes.


    ¡°Where did you learn this stuff?¡± Lisa asked at last. ¡°Making a sparkling flame by controlling the basic structure of the mana seems like a very high-level knowledge, and making it into a real thing is even harder. How have you done that?¡± she asked, not caring about the steak or the smell since she couldn''t care less about them. She can''t eat, nor smell it because of her lacking physicality as a Soul Form.


    ¡°Why ask? You answered it yourself. It''s a basic control and bending of the structure of the mana. Controlling the premise of the friction can achieve the spark, giving rise to flames. Also, as you heard, this isn''t something I need to worry about in the future, since the Flame is already within my Beast Core. I can feel that rising heat within me, somewhere... I can Conjure or Shape any kind of flame from my mana at the moment. As long as it is.... fine, or up to my Shaping, which is another issue. It is still convenient because I have no need to cater to anything else. Flame is already there.¡± Murai nodded from his own explanation, feeling good, even though it was fundamentally caused by the Battleworld and sparked by his experiment and action.


    After all, forming a first threshold of resting a Flame in a Mana Core was something harder than this. A mage had to spend days cycling the flame to their core until it formed a swirling flame around the Core, making it usable and stable. That was at least what all sorts of beings had to do, but this world was different. Murai got it handled to him for cheap, and Flame went to his Core and swirled there around it.


    ¡°I know... I heard that through our connection. You speak a lot to yourself.¡± Lisa said, not knowing whether it was as easy as he said. She had some doubts about it since the structural cause of magic and mana was a rather complicated thing, but she didn''t know things that he did. Hence, it made her upset.


    Soon enough, the first steaks were done. A brown colorful crust and quite a fatty-looking meat rested on the messy stairs. Murai grabbed one piece without any regard, munching it with his beak and teeth.


    Eyes sparkling, he hummed the song of a happy duck, and even his tail wriggled, albeit unnoticed to his knowledge. ¡°Oh, my bloody meat! This is so good! Fuck the bones!¡± He squeaked after eating it all in less than a couple of minutes. ¡°Apart from the marrow, that is. Hell, this snake doesn''t have sturdy bones, and I even ate the scales away thanks to my tough teeth. How convenient for me.¡± Murai cheered himself, having a proper meal for the first time in his life.


    Like this, Lisa looked at Murai who ate one steak after the other, and less than 20 minutes later, the Horn Snake was half gone. She looked at him with a bored expression and was somewhat surprised by how much he stuffed himself up with this meat.


    ¡°You sure you can move like this?¡± Lisa asked in worry, floating to Murai who was lying on his back, legs facing the ceiling.


    ¡°Give me half an hour and I am all good and done.¡± he moaned in pleasure, causing Lisa to sight what kind of freak of nature this duck was. Well, it went with the expectations of knowing Anatidae species and their legends and rarity. They were the rarest species of ducks, with roots of the demons, and many other things that were a bit too lofty, so that went without saying. The other part was... Murai himself, which made her question more things, rather than the premise of a freaking Anatidae.


    Alas, the time limitation was a thing that came at the best or worst time. Although, it shouldn''t be the case for either since this was the Will of the Battleworld.


    It formed another message.


    [15 minutes remain in your task. Get moving or your failure will be imminent]


    [Failure: no rewards, nor the ability to reach any kind of compensation for your efforts. 2 waves remaining so move on, you lazy duck]


    This caused Murai to open his eyes as if he had seen a ghost! ¡°CRAP! I forgot about the time limitation!¡± he quacked, getting back to his feet, even though he was quite a thicker duck at the moment.


    ¡°It''s your own doing, Hisagi Murai. Staffing your belly so much. Your mana will be in chaos.¡± Lisa commented behind his head, already taking a seat on his back.


    ¡°Why haven''t you said something!? I was satisfied that much, thanks for your kind words, Lisa.¡± Murai said, dismissing this issue that wasn''t really an issue. ¡°Now, let''s get out of the water! I can''t wait to be done with this trial! No! Let''s hunt some fish again. Sounds great.¡±


    With that said, Murai jumped into the water where he used the Diving Sphere to move quickly to the main tower.


    This time, it had some flaming luster to it, but Murai went with more rich and affectless mana without any kind of flames. A flame wasn''t known for good defenses. In fact, the flames were kind of soft when it came to the masses or physical realms. However, their strength was in different things, such as the temperature and high offensive powers.


    The flame was one of the fiercest and deadliest elemental affinities one could ask for, but what if a lot of beasts and mages had it? What then? The balance would''ve long turned to shambles, so purposeful truths, purposes, and rules followed mana.


    Murai flew from the hole, and while he was at it, he appreciated the rest of the body of this Horn Snake that he wouldn''t be able to eat.


    His Eater status long told him most one would know about this sort of being, and Murai was quite happy with knowing this information. The Eater Status informed him of a few more things for the first time, but he was too busy with the meal, so he listened to it once.


    The message of the Eater was the following.


    [The Eater Status uncovered the information about Level 12 Horn Snake]


    [They live and breathe in the majority of the nations with no distinct qualities of living. Jungles, cities, and even long and barren plains are for their taking. They are good swimmers, so living near the oceans or rivers is also possible]


    [Case of the Eater Status! Special information gathered! This specimen of this Horn Snake lived in the Celestial Pool since birth, so its Attributes weren''t small, and his body was full of mana. Thanks to the growth in this environment, the case of any negative elements was negated, making its meat incredibly good]


    [Thanks to the richness of the mana within its body, the following Attributes are strengthened, and so are some, parts of the mana as a whole]


    [Vitality + 2]


    [Dexterity +1]


    [Strength +1]


    [The Mana pool improved by 30 points]


    Murai felt a tinge of power emerge after he finished eating and listening to this. It seemed every upgrade he made followed this Boosting structure.

 Chapter 23: 5th Wave and incoming troubles

    Murai still felt great about himself, even though the cause for his improvement was a simple meal of a single kill. He found it satisfactory, but that was about it. Gazing away from the tail of the Horn Snake, he forgot the meal, reaching the glowing space of the tower once more.


    Only a brief satisfaction was on his face since he had a tower to breach, and fish to kill.


    There, he heard another message of the Will of the Battleworld descending to his soul, indicating the start of another Wave.


    [4th Wave starting! How about 2 Horn Snakes? Nah. It''s simple to go with duels since you think you are so mighty and strong - for a duck]


    [Incoming opponent!]


    [Berserk Octopshark: A monster of quite a disgust, and even more questionable appearance. Its tentacles have many suckers in the shape of a shark''s mouth, filled with ferocious teeth and terrifying biting power. Careful of its main mouth, though, which can shred any kind of meat to nothingness. Your biteful would barely satisfy it]


    [A ferocious name for this species leads to quite offensive and aggressive behavior. Their diet is mainly other fish and meat. It cares little about any manners]


    [Level 14]


    [Class D]


    [Notable abilities]


    [Tentacle Whip: Berserk Octopshark can use its extensive reach of dozens of tentacles to use them with great speed and precision]


    [Level 6]


    [Grade D]


    [Berserk Aura: an ability to turn anger and the power of emotional frustration into power. It is an ability that increases Dexterity and Strength, allowing this species to be quite dangerous in cost of Vitality.]


    [Level 10]


    [Grade D]


    [Core abilities: Berserk Octopshark is a more physically based monster. It doesn''t have mana, but a strong body with the utmost offensive powers. Careful about its tentacles, and more about its suckers]


    Hearing it, Murai watched how tentacles emerged from above, appearing so disgusting as the mechanical voice told. Every one of them was quite big and long. Two of them almost added to a single Horn Snake, and this Octopshark had dozens of such tentacles and they were quite larger than Murai''s height.


    A massive beast ended up obscuring his way to the tower above. Swirling tentacles stirred the water, and in the middle of everything was a pair of two crimson eyes along with a round mouth. A roar spread from these chaotic movements, shocking the waters so even Murai felt it in his Diving Sphere. Octorpshark''s eyes were even more deadly with distinct redness in them. The whole appearance of this monster was that of red crimson.


    Each tentacle ended up in the sharp point like a shark''s fin, swiping the water while a few even destroyed some old walls made of rocks. Adding to that the suckers, each tentacle were extremely dangerous with the ability to tear many humans apart.


    In this way, it was kind of funny to view the scale of both foes. One was a tiny little duck, 30 centimeters tall, at best. The other was a dozen-meter large Octopshark that fit into this tower much better.


    However, the majority of its mass made the tentacles, which swirled like eels out of the water.


    ¡°Are you kidding me? This thing can barely fit into this tower. It will make things so difficult. How am I supposed to do anything about this?¡± Murai asked, upset about this monster''s size in consideration of his own mass. But this choice of an enemy wasn''t up to him. It was rather an indecent foe but welcomed one since he felt he could defeat it with relative ease.


    After all, another addition to the consumption of the Horn Snake was mana itself. He gouged his Mana Pool to become almost full. Perhaps it was because of the effects of these waters, meals, and time that he spent waiting. It gave him decent coverage for his mana spending and he should be able to go all out. Overall, it was equivalent to 3 Grade D Mana Replenishment Potions.


    Lisa found it surprising, as the course of returning the mana to the body was quite impressive in his core. She wished she would have such effects herself, but not like it mattered in her current form and evolution.


    ¡°I want to see how you will deal with this, Murai Hisagi,¡± Lisa said behind his head, enjoying the ride on his back.


    Simply. I will kill it.


    ¡°Is that so? How?¡±


    ¡°Have you ever heard of grilled octopu.. shark? What a weird name.¡± Murai was hesitant to even remember its name.


    ¡°You think you can use your Flames under the water? It would have diminished powers, and add to that pressure, and the Celestial Pool which seems to be of higher quality in this tower, it would become weaker. It obscures such fierce affinity.¡± Lisa said, not believing his words that seemed illogical, but what should make sense, let alone appear logical? She was alive for the third time, talking and helping a quacking duck which she understood by simple notion of his Will. As ridiculous as it was, she accepted it.


    I know that, but even a flame can be dangerous under the water. After all, the deep temperate of the waters makes any kind of creature quite weak to fire or high temperatures. This fish is cold-blooded and hates any kind of warmth. Murai deducted, and without many choices or arguing with Lisa, he Conjured a hefty amount of Mana above him. Now, that he was back at his peak, he had all intentions to kill and not be afraid of his Core.


    Breath was easy, and mana issues weren''t an issue, apart from his deeply rooted issues with the Beast Core.


    More than a 1/5th should be sufficient.


    A sun emerged into the shape of a globe like before. It was glowing with light, but this time, it had some added heat, coming from his newly acquired Flame Affinity, turning the water into bubbles, and the tower to prismatic light. It made the water boil in its surroundings, but not enough for it to be effective all around him.


    Using the power of this heat wasn''t something Murai had to worry about since his Mana Pool was large, and pushing more Flame into it made Lisa''s truthful worry less than important. And even his Core took it surprisingly well right now, perhaps because of the Flame that went into it by his own accomplishments.


    Glaring above, Murai was confident since such a big opponent shouldn''t be able to dodge or change the income of this fight at all. Murai was right, and Octopshark felt the high temperature with disgust. Flipping its tentacles in anger, its eyes glowed in a powerful wave of Berserk Aura.


    Its strength quadrupled, and tentacles swelled in power. It hated the glow too, but it wasn''t as bright as the fundamental mana ball when Murai fought against Horn Snake.


    In this way, the cup of rage of this Octopshar spilled above its normal capacity, making any kind of intelligence lacking. The Octopshark raged forward, moving its tentacles first since it could lose a few. They can regrow since it was a basic fighting tactic it usually did since its Vitality wasn''t bad as well.


    Hm? Did it attack? No boiling octopus then. Murai figured and decided to change his tactic in a moment of change. I like them chopped to many pieces and served charred and soft to the touch of a tongue. He thought, turning his mind up a notch, Shaping to form something new out of this raging flaring sphere.


    The globe of mana changed, making strides of flaming pillars in the appearance of 5 rough spears. He didn''t have to be too precise with such things, nor too accurate. At least not for their purpose and his learning Shaping. The spears were indistinct to be called one since Murai was doing his best to Shape all 5 of them at the same time, which was a big task to his stressed mind and Core combined. It was his best try, so it was passable, and it didn''t need to be perfect.


    Perhaps his Core wouldn''t even allow him to create them better, so he moved them first.


    It was hard, but this amount of mana wasn''t something he couldn''t wield as single or two Mana Blades, but Shape them into a simple motion and sent them forward? That was a concept of Outward Shaping, which fundamentally worked in different principles from the blades. Like arrows, this mana will be lost but shot out of his care, so he had no continuous stress to maintain them under his Shaping.


    It was a different degree of hardness to work with it, than a simple Mana Blade. To kill it, he should hit every vital area this huge Octopshark had and 5 spears were the minimum requirement to do so. He surely didn''t want to give it any chance of a second wind, so as usual, Murai did his best so there would be no regrets.


    That was his motto in his past life as an assassin, and it made some sense. After all, with many living experiences, Murai always kept some teachings or something along the lines of learning for the next ones. In this way, he was never bored or turned stupid. Remembering the important stuff and not the useless stuff was a key to learning from life to life.


    It was a part of his Cursed Living, and that was something he decided to keep up since it made him remember his purpose and history.


    All of the time too, his New Beginnings and even all of his Ends too.


    Octopshark''s tentacles were quickly approaching, and their speed wasn''t small at all because of the higher gravitational pull from above.


    Alas, it was too late for the tentacles to reach Murai. He was ready with his Shaping since figuring out the rough shape was easier than making proper spears, with handles, and curves. In a sense, they were like spikes, with only a rudimentary sharp point that acted for its primary purpose. A flame within them also turned dimmer, making a place for denser mana under Murai''s command.


    In a moment, Murai flashed the 5 rough spears above, small pillars of flames shot from their bottom, propelling them above at high speed. It was so damn fast that the water ripped apart, causing the pillars to change appearance to small points like needles, ripping the water apart.


    This caused the Diving Sphere to travel a dozen or so meters down because the pressure of this attack was high. It wasn''t that bad to make it destabilized, but Murai was still kind of nervous.


    ¡°Holy shit... This was dangerous. I never thought such a huge monster would be so fast.¡± Murai said, feeling that his fast and quick decision was quite resourceful, but needed. The tentacles almost reached him, and if he was late by a second, it would''ve been a disaster.


    ¡°It''s because of that pressuring gravity or whatnot,¡± Lisa explained with her arms around his neck, a finger pointing beyond the pieces of flesh, bloodied water, and tentacles that began floating around the tower. ¡°It comes from the top of the tower where is the end. The tentacles were faster because of that.¡±


    Unsurprisingly. Murai wasn''t impressed.¡°Right... Good that I wasn''t hesitant. Good handling of power and control was passable, but...¡± He paused, stabilizing his Diving Sphere. ¡°What sort of trial is this? This sort of place is disadvantageous for me more than normal but also not much to make me suffer. If the careful strategy is up in use, I can fight it. A challenge, huh? Who would make a trial in this sort of place, or.... like this at all?¡±


    ¡°It doesn''t matter, Murai Hisagi. This pressure did not restrict your mana all that much. Have you noticed that?¡± Lisa said, feeling that she shouldn''t mention it but felt like talking, for once.


    ¡°Did it? I thought I was so powerful it didn''t even matter. Hehehehe.¡± Murai argued, raising his beak high above in a lofty manner, laughing and observing the destruction above.


    And as right as his laughter was, the Berserk Octopshark was cut to many pieces. Spears pierced its flesh, ripping it apart. This was only possible through Murai''s improved control and recovered mana and his Shaping. He made the quickest attacks he could come up with, along with most mass of mana.


    In fact, calling them Mana Arrows wouldn''t be that far-fetched. Adding to it the quantity of mana he could use, it was about the best choice he had available. A lot of mana was gone in a moment from his mana pool. An ordinary mage would''ve been unable to do this at all, even if their level were 20 or 30.


    However, there was a sense in all of this.


    The Octopshark was weak against such attacks since its flesh had no defensive scales. Its body was quite soft. Adding to that this tower and space, Octopshark was like a living target. Its flesh wasn''t simply too weak, the defense wasn''t its forte. Murai used it to his advantage, focusing on his well-defined knowledge and experience to deal with the foe in an easy and effective manner.


    Whatever, I feel good. My Beast Core is in check. Damend beast... It won''t crack inside of me, or take the mana out of my hand. What about the 5th Wave? Murai dismissed Lisa''s comment, deciding to focus on things that mattered.


    ¡°It is coming. 10 minutes are remaining, so I hope it''s not something ridiculous. For now, move up with your Diving Sphere.


    Murai didn''t have to hear her twice. He traveled up, but it was getting slower and slower.


    2 minutes later, and about 10 meters until the end, the last Wave of this tower was announced.


    [Last dub to the world! Your power is... good? Enough? Impressive? IMBALANCED? It doesn''t matter... as we make things balanced enough]


    [The height of your experiences speaks volumes of your challenge]


    [The last foe before you is one of the top monsters of this Dungeon according to the rulesets, set behind by its maker]


    [Speedo Shark: A prime predator of the sea, and eater of many species. Its blood wasn''t one to be colored by the water, but the blood of its enemies is]


    [It is one of the highest dexterity-based fish species below level 30. That is the Speedo Shark with high powers and special species'' abilities]


    [Level 18]


    [Class D]


    [Unique passive ability: Encompassing Dexterity: dexterity at its base is increased by 50% without any negative impacts. Further bonus added by being under the water]


    [Notable Abilities]


    [Diving Dash: Speedo Shark can quickly charge and change direction mid-attack, or not. It''s a very flexible ability that makes the most deadly weapon]


    [Grade B]


    [Level 14]


    [Fine Scales: It caused a lowered defense, but a high aptitude for friction and movement, allowing for higher speed with very few passing obscurities to make the Speedo Shark slow down]


    [Grade D]


    [Level 13]


    [Jaw Bite: The powerful teeth of the Speedo Shark aren''t big or overpowering, but sharp they are. It has a powerful bite and teeth that are sharp at its core, and adding speed, they can shred things apart. A duck... for example]


    [Grade D]


    [Level 13]


    Murai heard it all and watched the enemy emerge beside some wall. It was more of a shadow, and it only appeared for a single moment. It was like dust or bubbles. The Speedo Shark used its Diving Dash immediately, and adding the effects of gravity since it appeared above, it was like a blink.


    Bubbles spread, and a line in the water appeared in his line of vision.


    The Diving Sphere was penetrated so fast that no water even seeped before Murai repaired them with a flick of his mind.


    He didn''t feel injured, but an incredible blow was forced to his shoulder, stumbling him along the Diving Sphere. His body seemed fine, and feathers took it the best for some reason. No blood was there, but Murai wasn''t sure what the shark even attacked him with.


    Looking down below, he noticed a rather small-looking fish that could resemble a shark to some extent. It had a small head, with everything indicating its purpose of utmost speed. It was sleek, with narrow and small fins around its body and on top.


    What a freaking speed. This sort of bastard will mean trouble. Murai thought and checked his shoulder just to be sure. He wasn''t indeed injured, which was a surprise to him since he was sure he was attacked right now with that Jaw Bite. It definitely felt like a jaw was around his neck, but here he was, safe.


    Speedo Shark turned up, eyeing its foe with killing intent seeping out of its eyes. It had ferocious teeth that were small, but deadly. As it looked, this species of shark was quite small. It wasn''t more than a meter long and was even smaller than Murai in height.


    Diving Dash.. huh? It was that, or it was a simple use of gravity? I can do something like this too, but why should I bother? Mana will be plenty for you, small fish.


    Murai sneered and prepared his following battle tactic that amounted to nothing but another experiment. He had no special clue how to deal with such a fast opponent, so first, he needed to see what kind of speed he was dealing with. That was a rather bold idea, to begin with, but it was a common tactic that Murai was familiar with.


    The first hit? It was a moment of surprise and unpreparedness. He knew it could have been a moment of his death too, but what if that or this... He didn''t care about things that didn''t happen.


    There was no time for carelessness any longer, and Murai knew it.


    This time, he made no flames, since his vision had to be perfect. Flames could add bubbles and steam and make an easier target out of his slow-moving body in the Diving Sphere.


    Right.


    He was like a target, and Speedo Shark was a gun, ready to shoot up and deal a deadly blow - if accurate enough. Just now, it perhaps missed, or it glided through the Murai''s feathers instead? Neither of that mattered since the last Wave started, and time ticked by. This time, it will be much tougher foe than the previous ones. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 24: The end of the Tower

    Noticing the still-living enemy, the Speedo Shark felt disgusted and kind of surprised. It hoped to shed blood with its Jaw Bite, but it slid off of its target as if the failure was the most disgusting thing it ever tasted. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, it began to swim up at high speed upwards, flipping its strong, flexible body in a manner that no duck could ever replicate. However, that was of no concern to Murai, who wasn''t an idiot to be angry at every small thing. Only sometimes, that was.


    Feeling his changes against this opponent, he figured he should go all out indeed. Conjuring and Shaping 3 Mana Blades around him, he made them hover 1 meter around him like a shield in the direction of the approaching foe. They appeared like a defense, surrounding the Diving Sphere. They should work for their purpose but against this sort of speed?


    Murai had some doubts, but no time for regrets.


    There was little chance for these rough blades to be of any effect against such a fast gliding force, but Murai wasn''t questioning his choices, but his strategy. It was the key to a win, and power was a simple tool to achieve it. He knew he wouldn''t hit it with his blades, but this was the least harmful thing he could think of. Another was fleeting down and seeking a better place to get this over with, but it was too late for that.


    He had limited oxygen, so the only place to go through would be the stair room where he ate the Horn Snake, or he should reach the surface above. Surface? He hoped the tower wasn''t submerged beyond the end. If it was, that would be hilarious.


    Such an enclosed place as this tower should be sufficient as a strategy, or a simple place to go back down to. Time was ticking, making his strategy improper as he wasted time. Regrets? Perhaps he had a few, but it wasn''t a time to panic. Traveling back down was almost a recipe to make him an easier target, making his descent a perfect chance to be killed by a 3-way combo of Speedo Shark''s abilities.


    Here in the wide and open tower, Murai was at a clear disadvantage against this sort of foe. He was close to the end, but now, where he was close, the place was more open, and wider. A simple wide open space made him an even easier target, and this Speedo Shark was the exact opposite of the Octopshark. It wasn''t stupid either, and it used its speed as a prime predator would.


    This time, the foe was free to move as it wished, while Murai wasn''t, and won''t be able to do so in the Diving Sphere.


    ¡°What will you do now?¡± Lisa asked, without addressing him in her weird manner of his full name.


    ¡°I fear it''s playing for time, but I don''t think this monster has a high intelligence at the level of Blessed, but better be careful than comfortable. I guessed at least this much, but what to do? Such a situation...¡± Murai muttered, thinking of hundreds of things at the moment.


    ¡°If you know if it''s coming, why not strike before or during its disappearance? Since our flexibility is so limited, this should be the best solution, wouldn''t it? That, or you should address the elephant in the room. Your Soul Read and Mana Detection.¡± Lisa gave him her piece of advice, which Murai nodded off.


    ¡°Let''s kill it, somehow.¡± was his simplest form of decision, which amounted to nothing, really.


    Speedo Shark moved up quite a long distance as if the gravity and the pressure of this tower weren''t issues to it. Swirling and wringing its tail tightly, it spread its swimming patterns around the perimeters of this part of the tower. It was a wild and chaotic swimming pattern meant to confuse the enemy before reaching the prey and killing it.


    Within this wild series of dozen or so seconds, it suddenly disappeared and reappeared right around the corner of the wall, 3 meters away from the Diving Sphere, before it continued.


    Murai stared at every little detail of its movement, and the secrets of its Diving Dash, but he still missed it. It was way too close to the teleportation within this place, or his eyes were playing with him. From the previous location where it disappeared, he noticed just a flare of bubbles and the flowing of the water currents and Mana. As for his Soul Read, the situation and speed made things confusing and it wasn''t as useful.


    Right... Water is a purpose and a source of this fish. Of course, it''s like that. This is a Trial put forth by a Gods, but it matters not. Now we are talking, you freaks. Lisa, if you will end up being eaten, or out of the Sphere, I am not sorry. Figure it out by yourself.


    he told her with brand-new confidence in his eyes.


    ¡°You don''t say. I don''t think you were ever sorry towards me when you shoved me out of the sphere before.¡± Lisa shrugged it off but paid more attention to this battle than all of the others combined. This was a clear battle where she didn''t know if Murai would win, but he always found a way do to so, so the question was, how he would win?


    His ploy may be what will decide this in a split second.


    However, something strange happened. Speedo Shark didn''t attack right from the 3-meter distance. Instead, using Diving Dive after the other, Speedo Shark went left and right, flickering out of Murai''s view - or at least tried to do so.


    It is showing off, or it is looking for a better angle? No... It can be afraid of my counterattack! Murai deducted since the lack of defense can mean a lot of trouble for any kind of harsh attacker. He was speaking from his own experience and a simple case of weakness can become an issue.


    He felt no despair in his mind, so Murai did something stupid, for once, or twice?


    He moved his Diving Sphere down toward the bottom of the tower, creating a perfect chance for the Speedo Shark to dive right to his back. And right he was. The bubbles and disappearance of the Speedo Shark were noticeable in his Mana Detection, but the reappearance wasn''t.


    ¡°Of course, you would come!¡± Murai sneered, changing his direction to the left, barely dodging the motion of the jaw above his head.


    Though, what he didn''t expect was the thud that followed after his dodge. Speedo Shark smacked at the wall with quite a velocity, cracking the surface of the wall a little, and struggled for 2 seconds before calming down.


    Heh! Good... Such a forward heavy force is clearly a disadvantage. Knowing where it attacks is also possible, but this time, it wasn''t a straight line, but curved. Good. I can use this against this fish.


    Murai observed but was yet to attack. This caused Lisa to frown, but she was listening and observed his actions without being annoying. She was looking at Murai, who was struggling for the first time, but he didn''t show it. Maybe this fight will let her know more about his habits and uncover more information about him and his powerful soul.


    Two quick attacks passed, yet any wound or blood was yet to be drawn. Speedo Shark disliked such a failure, so it changed its strategy from a calmer observer to a more straightforward offense. It knew the foe was doing the same, observing its actions to make a quick and decisive counter - which never came, yet.


    So, with such a simple reason in its eyes, the Speedo Shark used its advantage of high-speed Dexterity, and gravity, charging so fast at Murai that only a blur and bubbles traveled around the tower.


    This was the advantage of the Diving Dash, as it was straight force or a curved power dash if its fin and tail folded well enough.


    With many issues in its way - mainly Murai''s dodges - it pushed Diving Sphere into the wall, hitting it straight on. To its dismay and surprise, it didn''t travel right through it, but it obliterated every Mana Blade in its way, and cracks spread around the Diving Sphere as a change occurred.


    Even with the help of the upper ground and gravity going to the bottom of this tower, the Speedo Shark didn''t strike or kill its foe.


    What stopped its jaw from going further, was a beak, shoved right across its teeth. Murai glared at this monster, shoving his beak upwards, while still being in the Diving Sphere with his lower body, letting his beak be the only thing that could stop this attack. He had a hunch it would since his beak never failed him before.


    But the attack was neglectful, with no changes. Neither foe did any damage to the other. Sharp jaw didn''t do any damage to the beak, while the beak didn''t crack or do anything to the jaw. Each attacking force was the toughest part of their bodies, and it seemed both of them were evenly matched.


    Even? Well, so much for the level difference, I guess. Maybe some form of soul attack wouldn''t hurt, but that wasn''t something I tried before without the pressure on the soul... Strike of the Will? Nah. Let''s keep it simple. It''s not like I am familiar with the soul power anyway. My Beak''s Fury and Mana are much more to my liking, so it''s to time solve it within the next few moves. Murai decided to jolt his neck away, shoving Speedo Shark down.


    Repairing the cracks of his Diving Sphere was still possible, even though he momentarily left it with quite a huge move. He can maintain it for some moments with intentional straining Shaping while he was away, but it wasn''t far from destabilizing. A lot of oxygen was lost in this exchange.


    Speedo Shark backed away, readying for its next attack that came in a split second.


    Unlike Murai, it held much more pride in its body and its strongest traits were more important than anything else. To lose in a direct confrontation was a humiliation stemming from its lineage and pride of being a ferocious species. It hated the defeat, and this even attack even more. With passion and fury that was visible in its eyes, it ceased the remaining restraints away, using its full power next.


    Alas, Murai dodged again, noticing the sudden change of bubbles that indicated the use of the Diving Dash, and even following charges. Without even seeing the change of direction from the Diving Dash, followed by a quick charge, he felt everything with his mind. His Mana Detection was working the best, and for many reasons, Murai viewed the situation from the foe''s perspective. He imagined how he would deal with himself, and acted accordingly to the potential attacks.


    He dodges to the right, letting the Shark bump into the wall since they haven''t left the corner of the tower.


    However, this time, Murai didn''t hesitate to attack as he noticed persisting anger and fury in its soul. He made another quick Mana Blade, slashing at the Speedo Shark as fast as he could, but it left a negligible small wound at its side.


    Still tougher than I would like. What offense? Its defense is still good, or my Blade is too poor? Both make sense, I suppose. Fine. It''s a good start to know my limits. Let''s try the last idea since the time is getting so damn tight. Murai thought, and let the Mana completely dissipate, leaving only his Shaping of his Diving Sphere around him.


    In this way, he was nothing but a target, causing the Speedo Shark to notice the change. Swimming out of the corner of the wall, it left Murai''s position against the wall.


    Cornered prey was the best prey, and the Speedo Shark thought it so, but that was quite wrong.


    Who was exactly cornered?


    Time ticked by, and only one of them had any form of a time limit, but the Speedo Shark wanted to end this humiliation as fast as possible.


    The upcoming attack was the kind that Murai expected. Throughout the number of the Speedo Shark''s attacks, it indeed formed some tangible changes in terms of tactics and learning. It wasn''t stupid to make the same mistakes too many times, even though its speed would make such an issue undesirable.


    The one attack that it had chosen was one of the 3 choices the Speedo Shark had, making large possibilities that Murai had to worry about, smaller. A counter. Line and bubbles spread above, not far but they could be from the left or right, center or from another upper angle since the power of this gravitational pull was too hard to guess.


    A direct attack from above, hand to hand against the wall, happened.


    Murai noticed it, looking and feeling his surroundings as best as he could. In a moment of hesitation and decision, he dissipated the Diving Sphere as quickly as he could, making use of the sudden pressure difference to sidestep aside, dodging a line and the swirling body of a Speedo shark.


    Water pushed against his motion of wings but his tiny legs worked the hardest. It wasn''t fast by any means. It was enough for him to use his legs to jump from the wall as a platform, shoving his Beak''s Fury to Speedo Shark''s sides in a split second it moved through his previous location.


    I will make sushi out of you! Fish! Murai thought and went through the Shark''s weak body with the tip of his beak. It passed through easily this time around, barely missing panicking Lisa, who didn''t have enough time to scowl, before hovering in the water like a fish out of it.


    The quick momentum of the Speedo Shark continued down, forcing Murai to travel a dozen meters down along with it. Lisa panicked once again, cursing Murai to oblivion, but she somewhat expected it this time. She cursed herself too since she could have watched it all the same from the safety of the soul space, but here she was, being stupid and wanting to see the Battleworld and Murai''s Will.


    A couple of seconds later, Murai was far from her panicking body and finally stopped the momentum. He hit a spine, along with a gushing wound around its head. Speedo Shark died almost immediately, so he achieved the last victory.


    With it, at the end of his beak, he felt like a true winner with a trophy. After all, this wasn''t an easy victory, even though he suffered no injuries apart from mentally storming for the win.


    Easy work. Let''s get Lisa and get the fuck out. But for that, you will come with me, little fish. Murai decided as fast as he could, reaching Lisa in 10 seconds before he tried his best to move up without performing the Diving Sphere. It was impossible to create it again since the oxygen on his body and in his feathers was lacking.


    It was a decision he forced, so it was no time to waste. Murai watched as Lisa grabbed his neck before he swam up as fast as he could. 16 meters from the end and a few minutes were remaining.


    Though, the timer mattered very little since oxygen in his lungs was limited and pressure and this water was making his body ache.


    He struggled, but with some force and focus, he managed to reach 5 meters from the glowing surface in a matter of 15 seconds. There were no messages or pranks by Battleworld, yet, so he continued for the sake of fresh breath, and that was it.


    By this point, the pressure of gravity was enough for Murai to squeeze his inside, but not to stop his ascend. A goal was close, so he did his beast, and at last, stabbing the surface of the water, he reached the fresh air that was above. Jumping and flying with his flapping wings and tiny legs above the surface, he gasped for breath. While doing so he motioned the Speedo Shark to get off his beak, smacking it to the ground that he noticed was around this water''s surface.


    Struggling Lisa around his neck clutched his feathers with a deadly expression on her face, but she held no intention of commenting on anything, yet.


    With the rush of oxygen into his lungs and the tower being over, Murai collapsed to the water, enjoying the time to be over. ¡°That was... Crazy... Gravity... Is gone. See?¡± he forced his quacks aloud, resting with his back against the water while Lisa floated above his belly.


    ¡°Shut up...¡± she mumbled.


    Murai chuckled, curiously looking above the water and around this new room.


    Here, above the tower, was an even larger open space. It was in better condition - probably because of lack of water - than the tower he had seen below. It was a massive room and larger than dozens of meters wide water tower. 3 sharp and triangular corners spread around this wide open space. Magnificent mana was dancing around the air, magnifying everything with illustrious light that anyone could see, or feel.


    One corner was much denser in this lighting mysteriousness, which was something Murai noticed right away.


    There was something magnificent there. A gushing vortex from his blurry vision, which seeped of incredible Mana, along with many other strong fluctuations that were flooding this room with quantifying feelings.


    For once, the first thing he noticed was that, but the second was nothing less. A blurry image of a statue held a clear divine feeling of Divinity.


    Some God''s statue was in one corner, eyeing this place with loftiness and its faceless head.

 Chapter 25: Rewards and the 2nd Trial

    Murai found himself comfortably floating on top of the water, watching and feeling the surroundings. Floating mana was quite comforting to his senses, while the pressure itself seemed to be gone too. He didn''t know where it was coming from, but not as it mattered.


    ¡°Well, this has been quite something,¡± he said, flinching his body upwards to swim like a proper duck. As he did so, Lisa floated up, where she winced her body and became floating in her form. Beside this pond of water, the floor of this cave¡ªwhere the water ended in a circular pond in the middle of this room¡ªseemed made of colorful square marbles. It appeared that the previous tower was once a simple way to get up here, or it had also some other purposes.


    Murai noticed some old appearances of stairs and walls indicated many rooms on the way up, but that was about it. It was already in the past, destroyed, and useless in the present. Such things weren''t something Murai wanted to even think about, so he dismissed it and cared little about the tower below him.


    In his opinion, the whole trial of this tower was kind of lackluster, since it was limiting any sense of freedom. This sort of place under the water was no trial, but a straining mess, that seemed more like a prison. The water was dangerous and any living would find it unreasonable to travel upwards. This room, on the other hand, was much more interesting.


    Lisa got to her floating, glaring around, and feeling mesmerized at the same time when Murai got out of the water. Walking around this vast room, he seemed interested. She glared at him unwillingly, hoping to tell something, but she couldn''t find the power within herself to make some things obvious.


    After all, he did make it through, so what''s the point of her nagging?


    ¡°That is ridiculous... Where have we ended up? A scent of Divinity!¡± she shouted, following her senses of mana and the divine feeling that came from one particular corner. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the corner, Murai was already standing before a tall structure of a man shrouded in a carved marbled robe and without a visible face. It had a well-carved muscular body in the section that the robe didn''t obscure, with a clear six-pack and a nice definition of anatomy. It held at least 4 meters in height and appeared like some Greek god, but Murai knew that wasn''t the case nor it was safe to assume it was a God, per se.


    In fact, it looked so generic he was inclined to try his beak on this statue, but that would be stupid. The Divinity was at least real: glowing in viscous light and undulating power like no mana ever did all over this statue. So he stopped himself from thinking of doing something that he would''ve regretted. The wrath of a god wasn''t something he wanted to experience for the time being, nor any talk, in fact.


    Also, this was clearly the domain of some god, so he had no choice but to act restrained.


    Feeling nothing but various thoughts about this unspecified god, Murai awaited the message of the Will of the Battleworld without care for this statue.


    While he did so, Lisa arrived at this corner, observing the statue, more so than the godly aura surrounding it. It was like a gust of bright mana that surrounded its proximity, giving it a distinct light that wasn''t mana, but a divine feeling that was hard to describe. It was something that pushed a human mind to limits, forcing one to kneel in reverence before it.


    Though Murai would never do so, and Lisa¡ªfor some reason¡ªhadn''t done so either.


    ¡°This is a Blessed Dungeon? How come?¡± Lisa wondered, recognizing what this was about almost immediately. ¡°Gods don''t do this sort of thing under many normal circumstances. Somalis Dungeon has these rarities, but... considering level 99 potency, I suppose this is an extra special? What was this place before it got destroyed? Land of some God''s Domain is a doubtful idea... Not at this place for sure, unless it is many millennia old.¡± she asked out loud, causing even Murai to frown.


    ¡°This is just some residual force of some mark left by god. Nothing too fancy, nor something you should get excited about. Gods won''t care either way nor should they. Got it?¡± Murai quacked with a dismissive attitude.


    ¡°What do you know? Gods are very powerful in this world, and their standing is known to almost all powerful Blessed! I was a part of the Pantheon of one and was even their knight, so I know all about it!¡± Lisa shouted, floating right above his face.


    ¡°Pantheon? You were part of their mortal armies? I thought you were a succubus. Those aren''t the kinds that are usually working with the gods...¡±


    ¡°I don''t mean the obvious side of them... Not like this one, you see?¡± Lisa pointed to the statue. ¡°I was a demonic being. The kind that such Orderly gods cared less about. Demons have their own sections of the Pantheons with their respective demonic gods. They also form factions in the Order or Chaos of good and evil. Battleworld and religions around the gods have always been like this. In this world, it forms a strong power dynamic, so I suppose it''s something unique to this world and unlike what you should know. It forms a well-balanced¡ªalbeit chaotic¡ª power dynamic where the gods do their business while we, the mortals, are doing things according to their desires.¡±


    Sounds like complete bullshit to me, but whatever. Murai though. ¡°Gods or not, Order and Chaos doesn''t care for either. I find it not that surprising to see this mark though, so I will listen to your little stories at some time in the future. Not now. For the time being, how about seeing what sort of place is before us? We have the last trial before us, but this.... is not it. I spell treasures!¡± Murai said, wriggling his tail without even knowing about it.


    ¡°Ugh... Fine... Gods and such a vast topic that it is fine to think about it later.¡± Lisa said, accepting that Murai''s view on this was not like hers. ¡°This looks like the end of the Dungeon, so I suppose a last round will happen here?¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the great piece of wisdom, Lisa. That''s really a great thing to know.¡± Murai uttered, mocking her obvious words more than anything else. He left the statue alone since it was a waste of time to see it further, so he went to other corners.


    In fact, what wasn''t a waste of time?


    Murai was yet to know what kind of rewards this dungeon could even offer, nor what he was supposed to do to get them. After all, the beginning of this journey wasn''t to reach any kind of reward or finish a dungeon. He wanted to save his life and get the fuck out of these caves that led to more caves. That was a simple rundown, which changed, leading him to the current state of problems that led to this dungeon.


    So, Murai observed other corners, indicating this place was a triangular formation of some kind filled with magic and runes throughout the ground and walls. It had a massive ceiling of almost 20 meters, filled with residual and crumbled pillars while the ceiling was littered with intricate details and archaic mosaic pictures. As for their details, most were old, and unnoticeable behind cracks filled with growing vines, moss, or nature that penetrated these walls.


    Figuring out the whole structure and the case of this tower was simple. Murai saw no other place that led above, making this the end of this simple building. A huge tower from before had this on top of it.


    In the middle of this triangular formation was a wide area of water, which was the submerged part of the tower. Around it were 3 sections of corners with one dedicated to the god''s statue, while others were nothing short of impressive.


    Murai walked to the dedicated corner with the most powerful Mana fluctuations that were strong and unlike the pressure from the god''s statue.


    All kinds of mana materials came from the ground, making it quite a sight for any being that was sensitive to mana. There were flowers, small trees, and crystals like any other. There were hundreds of them in a dozen meters wide and tall section of a specifically made room.


    Dozens of precious materials surrounded one mesmerizing flower that immediately shook Murai''s core. It was a bright handful of flowers with a mesmerizing color scheme and such powerful mana that one wouldn''t see it even on more extraordinary planets. Its might was small, yet it felt as if it was overshadowing every other treasure in this room. Its top was two swirling colorful vortexes, while its leaves left one perplexed if they were tangible or not.


    In fact, the encompassing feeling of the mana around this room was coming off of this flower, and not the rest¡ªwhich weren''t ordinary either.


    Those materials... are fine! So fine! Precious and well outside of this damned world, but is this flower what I think it is? Murai wondered and came closer to this snug corner that was surrounded by thick walls. As he tried to reach the flower, he bumped into something invisible, which led to his stop and inability to continue forward.


    ¡°Shit... A barrier? Give me a freaking break... I just wanted to take a look... at... this... flower.¡± Murai mumbled in displeasure, picking a fight with this barrier with his beak. It was too tough, but it at least served as a punching bag for his mood, which he needed to calm down.


    After a while, Lisa had enough of observing the god''s statue, which wasn''t something she found all that appealing. She didn''t recognize this statue, nor the Pressence of his domain. She rather moved to other sections as Murai did, arriving closer to the corner he was at.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked Murai, who cursed the barrier with all kinds of languages that even she didn''t understand.


    ¡°Licking my ass, Lisa. What do you think I am doing?!¡± he quacked at her, pissed off and angry.


    Without much change of expression, Lisa turned her attention to the collection of glowing materials hidden by a clear barrier. The utter undulation of the mana itself was seeping even with the barrier between them, making the mana in this place extremely dense. It was fitting and made her soul form flicker in delight. It was too powerful, but it was also making her uncomfortable, which was strange. Seeing it from the distance was enough, even though it was kind of strange, and the barrier seemed to be part of it too. It may be a


    ¡°This! A Celestial Artifact?!¡± Lisa exclaimed, looking at the flower with a swirling vortex of mesmerizing and colorful energy. She looked in desire and with a gleam in her eyes. So much so that she stumbled to the barrier too, but unlike Murai, she wasn''t all that upset about it.


    What was the Celestial Artifact she mentioned? A treasure made by gods with powers that no mortals could think of.


    Aside from the flower, many other things were kind of interesting too but this flower overshadowed them all. All kinds of gems, ores, and materials with unnatural richness were there, aside from the flowers and trees. All of them were high in value, possibly because of their close proximity to this flower, or so she thought and guessed.


    ¡°This throve... Is this what I think this is?¡± Lisa asked herself as well, and upon doing so, looked at Murai, who kept cursing the barrier to oblivion.


    ¡°Stop that... It''s no use, Murai Hisagi. This isn''t a reward meant for us, but a farming spot by gods, probably... It seems like it.¡± she said, floating closer to his side and stopping before his face, which stopped his beak.


    Seeing her stubborn face of reason, Murai glanced at her, still angry. ¡°Bah! Gods can get screwed up. I just want a few of those gems and crystals and I would be satisfied. That''s all that I am asking for, but... this.. thing... Screw... this.¡± Murai told in an irritated tone, eying the flower more than anything else.


    He knew what that was, and it wasn''t some Celestial Artifact. It was something much more than that, but he never saw this one in such a position. He wasn''t sure why it was in this dungeon, on this planet, or what reason it even had to be here. As for it, being called a Celestial Artifact? That was a nice joke on Lisa''s part since it wasn''t an artifact that the gods could ever make.


    It was a form of Mana Essences and it came from the far and encompassing universe and River of Manaflow. Endless Skies, or so it was called in the part of the universe.


    Murai heard and watched legends about these sorts of essences, but watching and feeling this one with his own eyes was something special. It had the power to affect the surrounding mana, improving the living, or non-living things with unnatural richness filled with Laws or some specific Paths.


    Murai immediately understood that the Celestial Pool existed because of it, and not because of those crystals. In fact, this Celestial Pool was far away from it, affecting the water with barebone effects. Opposite to this flower, mana spikes, or crystals were just ordinary rocks. An aftereffect of this World Essence, known as Everflower, is capable of blooming even the most deadliest and null rocks.


    ¡°Yeah? You wish you wanted them, but you won''t get anything from this place, so forget it.¡± Lisa slapped his beak, feeling and seeing a growing desire in Murai''s eyes. ¡°Let''s wait for the next Trial since we are at the end of this Dungeon, shall we?¡± she insisted, unbothered by his lack of interest in her own words. In fact, she forgot to mention that Will of the Battleworld did mention the possibility of some rewards, and all Dungeons had rewards room and loot to get. Did it include this room? She doubted it since this seemed to be way too valuable for a Dungeon that wasn''t part of the Origin.


    Murai didn''t want to listen to her, but it soon changed for the better, because the Will of the Battleworld descended upon him. This time, it was with a much stronger power than before.


    It penetrated and shook Murai''s Will, but he got hold of himself in a single moment, hearing the message with composure fitting to his soul.


    [Congratulations Citizen, you''ve Breached the first gate of the Somalis Dungeon - Version: Acaman Tower of the southeast of the Palia Kingdom]


    [You have done so with 184 seconds to spare, with a fantastic value of your accomplishments according to your level and power. Enemies weren''t weak but were dumber than a plot of land. It''s fitting]


    [The following rewards for the 1st Trial according to the Dungeons are following]


    [10 pouches of the Crystal Shard''s dust - Grade D]


    [10 Mana Spikes Vials - Grade C]


    [10 Medium Mana potion of Grade C]


    [You will get them once the 2nd Trial is over]


    [As for your powerful accomplishment. Your main rewards for your accomplishments are brief until the 2nd Trial ends. It will be the main course, adding stronger difficulty and reasonable rewards]


    [Body Attributes +2]


    [Mana Pool improved by 50 points]


    [The next stage of the Trial shall start with a different kind of Trial]


    [It shall be your choice]


    [The following course of action is following the trial of the Somali Dungeon - Version: Acaman Tower and its core]


    [You have 3 corners in this room, with 3 Gates. You chose the Gate, you chose your fate]


    [Gate 1 is Trial of the Combat]


    [Gate 2 is Trial of the Wisdom]


    [Gate 3 is Trial of the Talent]


    [Which you chose is dependent on your fate and it won''t come again, nor it should]


    [For better or worse of your trial, the special reward for finishing any of the 3 Gates is a Blessing as well as 2 choices from the Throve of the World Essence and the following reward from one of your choices of the 3 Gates. Another thing is timed rewards, but that will be explained in due time]


    [Use your chance well]


    [It won''t come again in your life]


    Then the message ended, leaving frowning Murai alone with unknown thoughts. It soon ended when rumbling sounds appeared from the walls, with dust and stone falling off of the old walls. 3 gates appeared in the wall in the 3 corners of this massive room.


    ¡°Lisa... Is this normal for a dungeon? Tell me, or I will be called a duck for the rest of my life!¡± Murai asked with a stupefied expression, for a duck.

 Chapter 26: 3 Gates

    Lisa looked at Murai, frowning and surprised by his question.¡°I... I think it''s right to assume this sort of reward, only when considering Origin Dungeons like Somalis, that is. I know at least this much, so I can tell you this is rather... strange. This room is, but the Trial has been passable, but the rewards that depict this room are crazy. For example, this God''s Shrine and everything about this statue or this Mana treasures are ridiculous. It is all so strange to see this sort of thing in the old, and rundown dungeon with no visitors or challengers.¡°


    So it makes sense... Murai thought. That it doesn''t make sense, that is.


    ¡°Depends. I bet some guilds and religions would pay a fortune to get access to this dungeon since these sorts of trials aren''t something accessible to anyone. Whoever will come here will get access to this room if they can do so, but I doubt anyone was here for a long, long time.¡±


    The knowledge of Dungeon Diving was always an open topic around the Battleworld since dungeons were huge plots of land and interest. The Blessed and Gods were all subjects that Lisa more than knew from her previous life, although she was closer to the Blessed part, rather than Gods.


    Hmmm... I guess this just means this place is special, but what is this Somalis Dungeon''s purpose? I don''t see the appeal of this place at all. You and the Battleworld speak of it as if it''s somewhat of a big deal to meet it, beat it, or die in it. What is up with that? Murai wondered. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°It is a huge deal, Murai Hisagi, and I am doubting your luck since you met this sort of place so early. It is of high importance in the grand scheme of things, as it is a big part of the Battleworld. This world and how it is portrayed is full of a powerful source of greater powers and histories. Dungeons are a place for the Blessed and Challengers¡ªwho are fortunate enough to find them¡ªto get more powerful. Like with this trial of yours, the Somalis Dungeon rewards the winners and forgets about the rest.¡±


    ¡°It''s trial... Obviously, it''s like that.¡± Murai commented. ¡°Are there others like this place?¡±


    ¡°Of course. This seems like an old, special kind of dungeon that was intentionally hidden. But Somalis Dungeon as a whole is a rather big structure under the supervision of the Battleworld and entity continent. It is a place where the Blessed are following their Path, getting stronger, and the Will of the Battleworld is a huge part of this. This whole Somalis Dungeon is made into many sub dungeons with this one being the example, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Why make it like that? Shouldn''t it be better to have one big place to make it seem responsible?¡± Murai asked.


    ¡°Don''t ask me that. I don''t question how this works. I just told you the basic and unimportant stuff that any adventure should know, let alone a Blessed.¡± Lisa said and continued. ¡°The main parts of the Somalis Dungeon are under the flag of the Centralis Kingdom from my memory. It is an important source of power to any kingdom. Centralis is a country full of Blessed humans and their take on the Battleworld is rather harsh. At least from my memory, you know... It''s my guess at the moment, and I doubt many things changed, whether I died a long time ago or not.¡±


    Oh, that answers some things. So a playground of the gods... it is. I see. I see. Even humans get to form some ploys and do the usual stuff they do. Nothing weird and strange in that sense. Murai nodded repeatedly and began walking away from this trove.


    He figured he could get some choices out of it upon the success of the next Trial and even get some other goodies. His interest was surging with power and his greed and desires flooded his heart. He was quite intrigued by this. A good reward and treasures were well to his liking, and it also seemed the mana material would be already processed, which was great.


    ¡°So, with that being said, what are you going to do?¡± Lisa asked, noticing that Murai calmed down from his previous emotional turmoil that she couldn''t stop. ¡°Isn''t it a good idea to deal with this dungeon now that you saw the rewards and how good they seem?¡±


    Lisa was worried that he had another weird or harsh idea hidden behind his calmness. She was here this time, so she definitely didn''t want him to make any kind of mistake.


    Lisa realized the cause of this whole situation. It was because of his mistake that he ended up jumping from that wall, so who was she kidding? If she made him not go beyond that wall in that cave, they would''ve never been in this dungeon. Murai would go to the surface and not discover this thing and could follow his path there, and not here. It was fortune disguised in misfortune, but it could all be a huge disaster in another bliss. The only reasons it ended up great were Murai''s ability to overcome his problems and the Will of the Battleworld messages and help.


    ¡°Sure. I will follow this, but I will also get a meal first... This dungeon will be a piece of cake so I won''t have any regrets. Mainly for the stuff in that corner! Heheheheh.¡± Murai laughed behind his back, feeling the rich mana coming off of the treasures that became like that because of Everflower''s effects. Murai acknowledged that someone was using this place as a garden, cultivating the stuff of important legends.


    ¡°Not like you have some choices here, Hisagi Murai. I will follow you on this one, so let''s hope it''s nothing harsh, and these Gates are nothing crazy.¡±


    Murai agreed with her and went back to the middle of the tower where the corpse of Speedo Shark was lying on the floor. He ignored the last of the corners for now.


    Alright, little fish. I will eat you whole, and maybe get something else in return. Murai thought and made a thin and long blade again.


    Slicing the Speedo Shark into long and thin stripes, Murai also removed the guts to use everything that was best and discarded the rest. What he was left with were 8 strips of meat and a dozen or so smaller sections that came from the end of the tail. Murai nodded to himself, glad and satisfied with how his control over the blade felt.


    He figured out a special way to move his mana, which had to be incredibly gentle and not as forceful as he was used to. It shouldn''t be anything brute, and it needed care of his Shaping to connect and move the Mana Blade a millimeter at a time. With a few weeks of more practice, Murai was sure he would get the hang of Shaping his mana and move to the better Conjuration methods from his knowledge. His Beast Core''s problems were also smaller thanks to this gentle approach, but the output of mana was much lower.


    This could be a huge advantage for his past experience and possibilities. Easier understanding meant better magic. Although adding the unfamiliarity with the Beast Core he had at the moment, it wasn''t as effective as he would have liked.


    However, unlike before, he already held the flame in his Beast Core, and he didn''t struggle with the process of forcing the affinity to the Core. It was easy, and incredible since the Battleworld gifted him with that instead, letting the Flame into his Core, and stabilizing it there. Such a gift had hard-reaching possibilities and saved a lot of time. If he got more of these gifts, he was sure he could follow through with some better methods of magic and not do the basics.


    All it required was time and more training.


    The question was, when he would be able to move on, or if he should be patient, or do it in the faster form. There was some way to get things done quickly, and they should be no different in this world. Those were the Magic Tomes that he noticed in the last corner of this room. He glimpsed at that corner only a couple of times.


    A small library, as well as storage of weapons and additional materials, were there. Lisa explained it in the basic forms and that this was a traditional way the dungeons were formed, but Murai found it totally impractical. An incentive of rewards was sensible, and they should provide great value for efforts. He got nothing out of the 1st Trial, but he will have a choice after the next.


    His blood surged much faster through his veins, making this place praised and desired by the Blessed, or any mage or adventurer. It came in danger, of course, but what didn''t?


    There was a catch. What use did these rewards and treasures have, if no one will challenge this place, let alone use them? This dungeon didn''t have any visitors for a long time, so what of them then? Such a clumpy method of making a dungeon of this caliber was the worst concept Murai had ever seen.


    However, Lisa also mentioned a few surprising pieces of information that he found rather interesting. The fact was, that there were many more dungeons and not only a Somalis one. In fact, there were hundreds of larger or smaller versions, while some could be small and others enveloped whole cities. The concept of the dungeons as a whole was much larger, however. They involved whole countries like Somalis Dungeon and had many sections, and versions, with depths and rewards that could put any singular nation to shame.


    They could have all kinds of gimmicks to them, and it all revolved around the base idea of the Battleworld and its mysteries. Though, Lisa didn''t reveal too much information for now. Just the bare minimum so Murai would get a better understanding of what he was doing.


    Lisa found it more than normal to view dungeons as a basic form of progression of the Battleworld. But Murai wasn''t familiar with them, and he didn''t find their principle appealing. What he found the issue with, was somewhat of his problem. It all stemmed from the idea of the god''s playground, so it was no surprise a lot of things weren''t met with his approval.


    And Gods were involved with pretty much all dungeons. That was at least what Lisa argued with.


    He viewed the library with interest since he figured there were Tomes and even some weapons for the taking. Some of them should be rather important for his current needs since his future Path may be like the many previous ones. He thought of his previous reincarnations, so he viewed the treasure corner and these Tomes in a good view that could fasten some of his tough-to-seek progression.


    The core idea was, what to choose or what the 3 Gates meant.


    Alas, Murai had other thoughts in mind. He began grilling the shark to have filling meat before deciding on a choice. He guessed the main event of this dungeon was this last Gate, while anything that happened so far was nothing but an appetizer.


    Murai gambled with his life quite a lot against the Speedo Shark. Getting out of his Diving Sphere twice was also another issue. He didn''t like to endanger himself for the sake of anything unworthy, yet he did so twice. This was what an adventure was, and Murai found his mind and core satisfied. Overcoming difficulties always lifted his spirit and loosened the thorns in his heart.


    Using some barely clean stone as a base, Murai used his flame to cook the meat. Eating the first batch in a couple of minutes, he was looking forward to the Gates.


    Hmmm! Soft. That is surprising. It''s also somewhat fishy, but nothing that a bit of salt can''t fix. Shame I don''t have any seasonings. Hell... Do ducks even have such a tasteful pallet? I feel like a monster! Murai scowled inside but continued to eat even though he noticed Lisa''s questionable gaze, who was once again, unable to do anything but watch him eat.


    Speedo Shark was a rather small fish and much less of a hurdle to eat than the Horn Snake. Murai was done with it in less than 5 minutes. That included him, not hurrying and enjoying the taste of the surprisingly good meat. After this, he was viewing the content of the Eater Status, which amounted to nothing surprising apart from a few attributes to his Vitality and gust of that mysterious power that boosted his body.


    It was a similar message to the Horn Dragon, but it had some differences in explanation. Speedo Sharks were a rather rare species of shark, much to Murai''s surprise.


    Heh... Did I kill an endangered animal? What is it... Heh. I should be also endangered as far as I am concerned, so what if he killed me too? This is funny and ironic at the same time.


    He chuckled and fell on his back to relax. It didn''t take long before Lisa appeared around his line of vision and his beak.


    ¡°So? Watched and ate enough? How about getting out? These wild and powerful waves of mana are getting on my nerves.¡± Lisa said, pointing at the glowing pond of water, as well as the Everflow at one corner.


    ¡°Nah. Let me enjoy this life. I am in no hurry.¡± Murai quacked.


    ¡°MEN! Satisfied and stuffed men are indeed a bother...¡± she complained in silence, floating towards the corners to seek the Gates in silence.


    She wanted to research them to make some discoveries that she could tell Murai in return. After all, if he succeeds in the next Trial, he will get to choose some stuff from these Gates.


    Stopping suddenly before the Everflower, she got a sudden idea that was present in the recent message.


    C-can he choose this thing from Endless Skies??? No way! No way the Battleworld would let him choose that. She made a quick excuse, before believing such a possibility. So, she moved along the corners in her own research. There were a lot of things that piqued her interest, but she didn''t know what Murai needed or wanted.


    Still, she continued with her time until Murai got back to his tiny legs. Stretching his head and munching the bones as a snack, he looked at the distant Lisa with smirking intentions of unknown thoughts.


    ¡°Ahh...¡± he moaned and pulled his Will in a tremendous voice to her soul. ¡°That was good. Hey! Lisa! Let''s get this over with!¡±


    Lisa shivered from the sudden shout in her soul and almost stumbled to the ground. ¡°Hey... What was that? Don''t suddenly shout to my soul... I know your connection to the Soul Space is far more powerful than mine, but I almost lost my physicality!¡±


    Yeah. Right. It worked. Murai thought, successfully forcing his Will on Lisa. ¡°Do you want to get rid of this worry and get back to my Soul Space? Wouldn''t that be perfect to not worry about this or anything else? 2nd Trial may not be that easy, and worry about you isn''t my issue.¡± Murai tried to offer her peace of mind. It was for her sake, but more so for himself, so she would be gone for the following troubles.


    There were troubles coming, and worrying about her wasn''t what he wanted, so he planned to try his hardest and focus solely on the sake of this upcoming trial. He found something more interesting than eating, so it was no wonder. An adventure and flow of power that seemed versatile, albeit a little cheap.


    That would be his first time having a direct path in this life, and it all revolved around those rewards and nothing else. In fact, he dismissed the idea of getting out of the caves anytime soon. That''s how serious and quick he was about changing his mind to pursue the power and the rewards.


    Lisa shook her head, not wanting to leave the land of living at all. It was her choice in the end, and Murai couldn''t force her to his soul space. He also didn''t have the mood to blackmail her, or do anything, so she left her be and looked at the Gates instead.


    Each was on the wall in each corner. One was beyond God''s statue, the second was around the library of Tomes, and the third one was beside the World Essence Trove.


    However, there was something Murai didn''t know, and he soon realized it. Which Trial was for which gate? They had no numbers around them, nor anything indicating what was Trial for Combat, Wisdom, and Talent. Even Lisa didn''t know that, so what was he supposed to do?


    Murai wasn''t sure, but some hints could indicate which was which, wouldn''t it? The Gate of Combat should be the one with weapons and tomes, while the one with the Wisdom and Talent can either be the statue or the trove. Which was which was questionable.


    Wait, what am I supposed to get from the god''s statue If I will choose that? There is nothing but some ornaments around... Wait... The probability of some divinity or something of that kind seems like a possibility. I don''t care about either of them though so it''s treasures or the tomes that I want.


    Murai eyed the two corners.


    One of them will be his choice.

 Chapter 27: What in the flying duck are wings for?

    Lisa looked left, right, and straight toward the Gates that Murai regarded with questionable intentions.


    ¡°Alright. Hisagi Murai, Let''s get this straight, or you won''t move from this spot. See!¡± She pointed to the pile of gore and small bones left from the Speedo Shark that Murai wasn''t willing to care for. ¡°You won''t have any food left, so it''s time to decide what you have to do. Speak to me, and I may give you some ideas. Isn''t that how a Life Companion should act?¡±


    What a hilarious reason that you found yourself important all of a sudden, but whatever. Murai thought and turned his attention to her. ¡°You said it, so I won''t deny your worlds. I want access to these rich mana materials, but I doubt Trial of Talent or Wisdom is something interesting. Either sounds like a bother, and I want the Gate of Combat since it is more than fitting for me.¡± Murai said, thanks to the gained confidence in his battle tactics after the 1st Trial.


    ¡°Then why not go along the one gate that is reasonable enough to assume? That one is Gate of Combat for sure!¡± Lisa pointed to the weapons and tomes at the corner.


    I... can see a reason for that, but...


    ¡°... no buts. You can still get something out of that flowery corner since the Will of the Battleworld stated it this way. In return for your choice, you can get something specific from the Tomes which should be something to your liking. Shouldn''t you be pretty excited about it, or you haven''t glanced at them a single time? There are magic helping tomes, and you need them like a fool. Spells and techniques within them should pique even your interest. Probably...¡± Lisa spoke the facts, which Murai found accurate.


    It was true that he viewed those Mana Tomes in some regards, but the core sight of the Everflower was more enticing. He didn''t want to lose a single chance at those materials embodied with World Essense. Yet it was true that he could choose from that corner regardless of his choice of the Gate so it made his choice smoother.


    2 choices from that trove.


    1 additional choice was coming from the Gate.


    With that said, Murai smacked the floor with his forehead, crackling the stone floor meters around.


    ¡°W-what was that for?¡± Lisa looked at the Murai, whose forehead was on the floor.


    I had to calm down. It seemed the old me got a hold of myself for a second. I forgot my current circumstances and life. Greed is no good Lisa... It''s not great.


    Murai forced his head up and felt much better. Without another glimpse at the Everflower, he moved towards the Gate of Combat. Lisa was right, and the Will of the Battleworld descended to appease Murai''s choice after he took a step inside.


    [Gate of the Combat has been chosen]


    [Somalis Dungeon, southeast of the Palia Kingdom: version of the Guardian under the jurisdictions of the former Acaman Family]


    [Version: Acaman Tower]


    [2nd Trial: Gate of Combat: Acaman Grounds]


    [Level of difficulty: up to 99]


    [Your current battle prowess is around level 20, so the level is there for sure]


    [Goal: Defeat the Guardian in its Arena of Combat]


    [Time limit: 20 minutes]


    [Your foe: Acaman Golem: Elemental magical tool of the former Acaman Family. It is a golem that served for millennia until it met its demise in the destruction of its creators. Although it''s a fraction of its former self, it is enough for little duck to be its opponent]


    [Affinity: Earth, Undeniable]


    [Forceful Level squish to level 23]


    [Former Class SS Magic Construct Golem]


    [Notable Abilities]


    [Earth Defense: Acaman Golem has a high variety of defensive techniques. Ranging from stone, wood, and metallic structures that can make its body very tough against long-range opponents and steady blows of any weapon]


    [Grade S]


    [Level squished to level 20] Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Elemental Focus: Acaman Golem can absorb the earth''s elements. Shooting out stones, using its hand as huge logs, or weapons with the incredible power of strength]


    [Grade S]


    [Level 20]


    [Overall: you better not die, scrub]


    [Acaman Golem has high strength and low dexterity, making it quite hard to overrun within the small level differences. It used to be a guardian for the Acaman Family throughout its time, where it endured uncountable fights]


    [Alas, it is a golem without a soul. It acts solely through its artificial instinct and inserted will by the decision of the Battleworld]


    [The current goal of the Acaman Golem is to trample the ground with the little cheeky Anatidae Panacea and mop the floor with its innards]


    [Good luck]


    Oh... I...


    ¡°Don''t comment on it, Hisagi Murai... I can''t bear to hear it all the time.¡± Lisa shut his attempts at a joke or curses, floating alongside him to view the arena that should appear soon.


    The Gate that they entered was a long dark tunnel, ending in light in about 100 meters. That was a long, but understandable stretch of walking. After all, Murai had tiny legs, giving him less time to move far distances or move efficiently to his liking.


    A few minutes later, Murai walked past the light curtain that revealed the vast cave system like any other.


    It was as if a new world was before him, with many kinds of differences from the previous room. There was a large cave system similar to a canyon, at least 50 meters in height and hundreds of meters wide. There was running water around some sections of the walls, making some ponds but none were crazy in mana like Celestial Pool.


    In fact, the effects of the Everflower didn''t reach this place at all, but some mana materials still littered many walls, making this place not that dark. Trees, and bushes, were rare additions around the ground. The light that came from a few shining crystals was at the ceiling and rocky hills.


    It was still deep underground, and the running water made Murai kind of happy. That meant there was a place to get out, but first things came first. He the end of the tunnel that ended at the high-raised hill that overlooked the whole arena. It was directly under a wide stretch of paths, further platforms, and flat stone surfaces that indicated the arena. There were a lot of places to hide and battle.


    Murai also noticed the opponent standing on a wide and tall platform. Acaman Golem was there without malice, yet appearing majestic and strong, even with time that left it in a sorry state.


    It had well over 3 meters in height, 2 legs, and 2 thick arms. It had a small flat head considering its height, but it was just a boulder with nothing special. As for its limbs, they were thick and strong. Its height and power must be incredibly powerful in terms of raw and brutal strength.


    Humanoid Golem? Well, that is up to the standards of many mage families, so that isn''t that surprising.


    Murai wondered how to defeat this thing that was big and a lot tougher than he liked. He could already imagine this sort of enemy wouldn''t be like the Octopshark with low flesh defenses which he pierced with ease. Alas, such wondering thoughts were useless, since Murai had no choice but to start this Trial if he wanted the rewards.


    It was at the moment of his clarity that the Will of the Battleworld descended again, causing his mind to skip a beat. It kept sending him one message after the other, it was becoming annoying.


    [You''ve reached the arena]


    [Acaman Golem detected your presence and begins the cycle of mana within its Artificial Core]


    [Kill, destroy, or subdue the Golem in 20 minutes, or it''s considered a partial failure]


    [Surive without doing so and the amount of damage it will have will give you a part of some rewards]


    [Utmost failure: Any possible rewards will be invalid, but any rewards gained so far or experienced aren''t. Though, it depends on the fact if you will be alive at the end of the 2nd Trial, so fight with your best attitude, so you won''t have any regrets]


    [Now, move and fight]


    [Time limit: 20 minutes]


    ¡°Shit!¡± Murai cursed, realizing that the Golem gained an aura of surging mana. There was a deep-rooted Artificial Core in its chest. It acted as a core and followed the base principle of mana as fuel. It was something he found familiar, and it was no surprise this world within the River of Manaflow had this kind of thing.


    The Golem was at its core, a machine made by the mages filled with countless variables runes, and methods to make them work. Mana was the core of their beings, and the mages could control, make, and strengthen them with the mana as well.


    As for this Acaman Golem, it was trembling and shaking while activating its Core. Floods of mana''s undulation came off of its core and fuelled its body, making it move. No... that wasn''t right. It straight up jumped into the air upon the surge of power through its limbs, leaping 2 dozen meters toward the platform where Murai was standing. It was a quick, wild, and brutal attack.


    ¡°Weak dexterity my ass! You fucking prick!¡± Murai quacked, flipping its wings, and moving his tiny legs the moment he had seen the golem jump.


    The golem was closing much faster than he thought, but Murai successfully dodged the area of effects of the huge smash that cracked the earth and made many boulders fall from the wall and ceiling. It used both hands as smash hammers, cracking the surface of the platform, but it didn''t turn it to mush, or too many pieces.


    The rock was sturdy, and it seemed level 23 wasn''t enough to make the golem overpowered to destroy such enormous pieces of land.


    Lisa floated away as easily as she could, even though she had no need for that. Appearing right above panicking Murai, she assumed him to be fine. ¡°You better be careful. Level 23 isn''t small, but not big either. I bet you can finish this thing in time. This Golem may have quite some strengths, but also some weaknesses. Maybe you should work around them.¡± she said without even stating such weaknesses.


    It was that kind of help that Murai found lacking. So much so that Murai flared up, and looked at her with killing intent.


    ¡°Shut UP!¡± Murai barked at her while doing his best to flee from this hill. He had no choice but to ignore her since the Acaman Golem was right behind his back.


    This hill had no stairs or anything to get away from, so it was quite a dangerous situation he was in. ¡°You floating piece of lazy bitch. How am I... Wh. I.. Fuck....¡± Murai mumbled inaudible curses at Lisa, who was floating peacefully in mid-air. That, in itself, made Murai more furious since her smile never disappeared from her face.


    ¡°Use your own wings if you are so helpless, idiot. Get out of this small platform. You have a lot of places to fight, hide, or consider some strategies from. Getting down to a wide platform is a good idea, or you can try figuring it out here. You chose.¡± Lisa smirked, finding much enjoyment in his current distress. It was a perfect choice to give him a tough lesson.


    ¡°Fuck you!¡± Murai quacked those words out and had no choice but to do one thing as a duck that he had never experienced. Noticing the golem mana''s undulations forming waves and trembling through the ground, Murai felt he had not much time left until the golem found his body.


    He had no choice but to be brutal to himself by jumping from the end of the platform that was about 15 or so meters tall. While he did so, he also folded his wings open and pinned his neck with his head forward. He also stretched his legs behind his tail.


    He was like a plane, which was ready to take off, but...


    The moment that he expected to come, never happened. He began to fall straight to the bottom, his beak pointing straight to the ground as if it were a magnet to the rocky floor.


    ¡°WHAT THE FUCK!¡± Murai shouted with his soul, and Lisa quickly came to his rescue.


    Flying faster than he ever could, she whispered to his ears. ¡°Use your goddamned muscles in your wings. You don''t magically fly because you have them, you know? Use the base of your back and the feelings around them. You better fold them, rather than swing them. Using them as some form of offsetting method against the wind is best. You don''t just put them in the air in the hope of flying. It''s like this.¡± Lisa did the same as she explained and turned her 2 demonic wings into 2 parachute-like wings that would go against the air, and not into the air. Murai''s fault was cutting into the air, and the wings did nothing but that. They were like wooden boards. Useless.


    Murai looked at her midair, still halfway through his fall. Why did you not tell me that earlier and how do you even know it?!


    ¡°Succubus knows how to fly, you see? It takes wings to know how to use them,¡± she smirked, enjoying her once-in-a-lifetime chance to be better at something than this duck in front of her.


    Murai wasn''t in a mood, nor did he want to curse at her. Instead, he used her advice and moved his wings that he had some familiarity with, but doing so against the wind and in the heat of the moment wasn''t that easy.


    Motioning them to form a small hug, they indeed acted as an offsetting method against the air, which made him stop falling and instead glide forward. He still almost smashed into the rocky wall, but the quick fold of wings paused his fast fall, which was a welcomed change.


    ¡°Good! You know you can do it if you can. Now, use your wings as a guiding tool to work them harder. Spread them, and use their adjustment capabilities to change the direction of your flying. Put one down to adjust the direction. It''s like horse riding, but not really. Left is left, right is right. Use the air dynamics of your body and move according to the feeling of the wings with the wind,¡± Lisa said, floating close to Murai throughout this time.


    In fact, she wasn''t using her wings, since her soul form had the base ability to float and fly on a whim.


    Murai did what she said, but he was so clumsy at it, that he wasn''t in any mood to try his hardest. He moved as best as his current agitation allowed him to. Little by little he adjusted himself better.


    However, while he was figuring this out, and Lisa was helping him, there was no time for such things in the middle of the Trial. Both of them forgot this in the heat of the moment.


    High above gliding Murai, the Acaman Golem was eyeing him with its senses and jumped from the platform. Its aim? The slow-gliding duck was a perfect and easy target according to its purposeful runes.


    Lisa, nor Murai noticed its presence. Murai was bothered with trying to fly like a duck, forgetting his situation, and Lisa was too busy feeling good about herself. In a few seconds, a smacking force of the golem''s fist forced Murai to fly much faster, but it also forced his posture to end and blood filled his nostrils and mouth. A powerful punch that he didn''t expect, brutally assaulted him and pushed him to the ground.

 Chapter 28: Murai VS Acaman Golem - Part 1

    In a flash, Murai faced the cold stone with his face. It didn''t feel great, and as he gasped for breath, he truly felt like a helpless duck.  Fuck... me. I forgot about that golem. He complained and tried to feel where he was, or what even happened.


    It didn''t take long to figure that out, as the surroundings became clearer in a mere moment. Murai did take some damage, yet his mind flickered and his vision blurred to stability. He heard a loud thud not so far from him, coming from a golem that stood like a massive mountain before him, eying and topping over him, and it wasn''t stopping from its purpose.


    The point of wanting to mop the floor with Murai''s innards wasn''t a joke, but a serious attempt at mocking this small enemy.


    Clumsy... Right. It is like a mountain before me. Does this make sense? 3 meters versus 30 centimeters tall myself. Fine... I''ve seen worse things and felt them too. Murai thought.


    ¡°This fucking thing wants to mop the floor with me? You damn wished for such a thing, you large shit! And you, you stupid machine with no feelings.¡± Murai quacked loudly. ¡°I will destroy you so damn hard your past owners will cry in their tombs or Afterlife. Well, screw the latter, tombs are enough.¡± Murai joked for his sake and got to his feet while ignoring whatever injuries he suffered from this heavy blow.


    This battle was disadvantageous for him before it even started.


    What a terrible time indeed.  He realized it too late and the first couple of moments turned out to be quite terrible. He didn''t even know how to properly work around such a vast land and enemy with such a small body.


    But he had no choice. The whole level difference was quite big, compared to his level 7, which provided him with some Attributes and boosts in them, but it wasn''t a lot. Though, he had some other ways to work around the status quo of this mess. Murai already proved that point since he moped the floor and crushed his foes in the 1st Trial without suffering any injuries.


    Now, it was a bit different, as his body suffered a reality check.


    Lisa was far away in the air, watching the situation, and cursing herself a little. She screwed this up since she was supposed to give him some help. She realized that, but she was also glad that Murai was safe, and didn''t suffer much as she saw it. Well, he is an Anatidae, so I shouldn''t worry too much, but he is a small step in that vast Path of the divine beast. It''s fine... I hope, even without a proper Path. She thought to herself.


    The golem down below gave itself a casual spank with its fists. It stomped the ground as it closed to Murai''s body, which should be good at taking such blows thanks to his fluffy feathers, but that didn''t mean the force didn''t penetrate his body. Only so little can change the limitation of the physicality, and differences in levels. Murai felt this difference a lot right now, and no amount of feathers would help him. His insides moved, bones creaked and who knew what happened to his organs, Core, and blood.


    He felt like throwing up.


    W-what now... I thought he would take the blow a bit better but he didn''t. Lisa made another small excuse in her mind, and she noticed Murai glaring at her from below. He may not have heard her right now, though, she did imagine he could.


    The golem stomped towards him and brandished its fist for an upcoming attack. Dozens of possible ways to attack and defenses went within Murai''s mind in a singular moment, but almost all of them were crossed by simple logic.


    The golem was too strong and straightforward to make anything work. Changing the course of the battle was due, and it needed a good strategy.


    How am I supposed to destroy this thing? My magic isn''t enough. No. Maybe it is. That may... No! I need to figure out a method to work around my current circumstances, and not make stupid mistakes or do further experiments. Like the past life, Murai... doing things slowly by making the change. Ambushing will work too. That has been my Path in the past life as the greatest assassin for my sake! He thought as he forced himself to his feet.


    Murai felt the previous direct force hit his core, destabilizing his bones and body. Nothing broke, but he felt as if something did. It was either his comfort, ego, or something small inside of him.


    ¡°Murai Hisagi!¡± Lisa sent him the message through her soul. ¡°20 minutes. Remember that and I am sorry. This isn''t an easy trial since the time limit is essential and I bothered you. I think it''s one of the harder ones in the notions of this weird Tower, while anything before was just a path to get here. Because the trials of the Will of the Battleworld are like this, you shouldn''t waste time. You need to come up with some method of weakening its movements, making it immobile, or something. This is an endurance fight, unlike the Trial from before. Got it?!¡±


    Her message was rather clever, jolting and calming Murai which wasn''t something he expected to occur. Her reasoning was clever. Maybe too clever for the lack of his care for her.


    Endurance fight? My patience is endurance, you prick. This fight... goddamnit! Murai scowled, thinking this was his mistake more than anything else. Fucking gods... It''s all their fault. I always hated these kinds of fights when it''s so unkept like Chaos. There is no Order or care put to this.. and... Murai began to complain, and mumble in his mind.


    I was always the kind of guy to forget the bothersome aspects of fighting until I was strong enough to get it done easily. Be it with technique, or brute strength. This, on the other hand, is a different story. The World itself is forcing this upon me, but I am also deciding to act according to it, so who am I kidding? I chose to do this... I came here! No need to feel upset.


    Murai calmed his mind along with his pain. It happened as fast as the disappearance of his shocked head and vision.


    The enemy is a tough nut to crack, and I fear I am too weak to meet its attack head-on or force its defenses away. Wait... Why should I meet the attacks of this golem, or destroy its defenses? It''s so large while I am too small for it and the solution for the accomplishments had 3 possibilities to finish this Golem. Right. It should be more than easy to outmaneuver it with my lighter and smaller body and come up with a way to get this golem out of the picture. Murai thought and decided to act according to his Will.


    He couldn''t flee from the golem at all because his legs were too small, and it was massive, even though it was subjectively slow in normal circumstances. The reason? Murai wasn''t the usual enemy it met, and his work on his feet was way out of normal proportions. Any adventure or Blessed human would be fine to dodge these sorts of attacks, but destroying it was another thing. It was hard, since this Golem was somewhat of a treasure, albeit forgotten and past its prime.


    Regardless of its low dexterity, the basic principle of its mass made the difference against Murai alone. The golem will act faster and reach him quicker because of its reach, and physical size.


    Murai hated it, so he had to figure out how not to be hit and go head-to-toe with this golem. Both figurative, and literary speaking, which sounded crazy in his mind, but that was what he decided on.


    After all, he was tiny like a part of its massive legs. His beak was barely above its feet which was one massive boulder. He was a small target, which was both, an advantage and a disadvantage.


    So, Murai watched the golem''s attack come and used one ability that made him focus on his surroundings as well as on the golem itself.


    That was the Mana Detection which was perfect to use in the current circumstances. His core shook, but mana was fine to use when one''s mind was clear. The previous aftereffects of the heavy blow were long gone. Thanks to the surge of adrenaline, or the calmness that Murai felt, he was getting back to his regular fighting form. That, or the blood of Anatidae was the cause of everything, or his Robust Spirit?


    Mana Detection was effective against the golem''s movements and sought out a greater move of mana around it. Murai also detected the flowing mana that made many cycles inside its body. There were veins of mana as well as a deep flow of bright light. It was an artificial way to make the body of a golem move, and using the Artificial Core in this manner was natural, and only possible because of certain rules. That was: using the mana to fuel a complicated system of runes, making the golem fight and move according to them.


    Although the mana was encompassing energy, the use of the rune''s complex mechanisms and materials with rich mana properties achieved some harmony.


    In fact, it was a bit more complicated than that, but the golem''s power spoke for itself, even though it was squished to level 23. The source of everything that made this Golem move was these purposeful runes, but the Artificial Core was still the main thing that made it work and move.


    Golem swung its arm upon noticing the standing enemy. Like a mountain, the massive fist with the appearance of a boulder enveloped Murai''s vision, but he was able to jump aside, dodging it unscathed. This swipe right here was nothing special and he could''ve sensed it from a mile away. It was slow to his senses, but for his body to move was another thing. He had to think twice to move, and great foresight was important. Mana Detection detected accumulating mana around its shoulder when it made that swing, helping with strategy and doing.


    It swung with a simple physical-based strength attack, and he sensed it before it started. There was not much mana involved in this fist, since the power of this golem wasn''t something magical per se. The base strength and earth element with the focus on brute strength were all to it. The only notable thing was its core, which was quite rich. Murai had to come to terms with these facts and use them to his advantage.


    It was the kind of situation he met a few times, which invoked old memories. He was familiar with unfavorable battles, but his past lives made sure he started to dislike them. The problem was, that the present life was a different story, filling him with different kinds of visions and attitudes. As for power and opportunities, it was about the average one, while his body wasn''t even worse than he had ever felt.


    Murai should use his profound knowledge of his many lives to his advantage, but how to go against reality?


    Easy anwer. He had to overcome it.


    With the successful dodge, Murai used this opportunity to use his Beak''s Fury thrice in succession against the pushing boulder. Striking one join of the golem''s arm¡ªwhich had the mana veins underneath the tough stone¡ªwas a great target for his attack. However, the 1st attack felt like he struck the iron anvil. Then it was like a tough rock in the 2nd hit, but the 3rd attack cracked it a little.


    Unfortunately, even though he struck the usual place for weakness, this was a golem, and no human opponent.


    The stone wasn''t as tough as he feared if he cracked it a little after the 3rd successive Beak''s Fury. There was a catch. Murai felt it after he retreated further back, fearing another arm coming. He left no damage apart from those cracks, but they healed in a few moments, leaving some pebbles crumbling down from its body, but that was it.


    The small cracks soon changed back to a normal outer appearance, as if they were never there, to begin with.


    It was about a 4-second swipe and a 3-second healing time. That''s... Not a lot. Workable. Earth affinity has a tough regeneration effect. It is something I can work with. Alright. I think I have a plan to aim for at the moment, but it''s a rather crazy one... Am I crazy?


    Murai jumped away from his attempt to see how much damage he could deal.


    Of course, I fucking am! Heheheh. He answered to himself, grinning in unhinged mockery. Turning his beak to a strange smile of resolution and confidence, he felt he was back in the past.


    All the residual doubts, pain, or confusion caused by some stupid balance or the system of this world disappeared in his mind. Right now, Murai was himself. The same as usual, but the duck nonetheless. This enemy was already dead in his eyes. It was the same as usual, or so he thought and hoped.


    If someone or something pissed him off, it made him mad!


    It was a simple emotion that fueled his soul.


    A strange thing occurred, unlike the usual. Golem seemed to be more clumsy than before and took its time to adjust its attacking patterns after another swing that Murai dodged.


    It was a perfect time for Murai to begin circling the golem in hopes of seeing some solutions and possibilities. He figured one surprising effect of his small size. The golem wasn''t fast enough to react or do fast enough movements to catch him or figure out his location. The reasons should be his sensors or complex runes that were making each attack follow his own.


    Golem couldn''t attack properly, since the core vision of the golem of such size and style was something akin to the Mana Detection.


    However, it was more complicated than what a living and thinking being could do since it acted by Rune Formation, and many rules within it. For this Acaman Golem, it was a series of sensors, and many calculations depended on hundreds of runes and diagrams. The makers of this golem used all of them in complex manners of controllability and complexity, ensuring the golem sensed the enemy in all sorts of manners. It sensed the surroundings and made serious adjustments in real-time.


    Pointing a precise attack against such a small enemy wasn''t the easier, since it wasn''t something this golem wasn''t meant to do. A duck wasn''t meant to be its opponent. However, when it would hit, it would be a devastating blow.


    Murai realized all of this, but when it came to the knowledge of the golems, he wasn''t the brightest but not stupid about them. Although he didn''t need to be the master, he recognized some things, the moment he started his encirclement.


    Right... This is really funny but understandable. It is old... Clumsy too. I feel you, the makers of this golem. None would consider a duck as an opponent. This golem is like a toy for me now, but... Isn''t it more of a huge castle? I can''t damage it properly, but if it can hit me, I am in trouble. If it had a brain, I would''ve been dead for sure, but lucky me! It''s so dumb in its runes. Murai thought to himself, running as fast as he could around it, while the golem barely reacted by placing its feet further around the left side.


    The question is, how to actually destroy this golem without injuring myself? Figuring out how to destroy it seems plausible if my previous thoughts were right. It will be tough with my current mana flow alone but... fire? Flame? Earth against fire? Well... I can give it a try since it''s the most powerful form of my mana for the time being and my Beak''s Fury is limited but usable to a small extent.


    With these thoughts and decisions, Murai circled the golem for a whole 2 minutes. At this time, he noticed it was increasing its movements, and through his Mana Detection, the golem''s Artificial Core began to flare up. The further it did so, the faster it moved and the more responsive its turns were.


    Murai began to panic a little. The movements of the golem''s inner structure had more mana within them, causing this strange change, which was harder to predict.


    Is it starting a Frenzy? Is this the basic panic skill when the Golem is restrained? It seems the makers weren''t that stupid and made this golem better than I thought, but... Why in the seven hells I didn''t hear it has this ability! Fuck you, Shittyworld!


    Murai complained again, and no wonder he did. Will of the Battleworld didn''t tell low-level abilities and the kind that didn''t matter or didn''t choose to tell under unique circumstances. It did include some hidden stuff beyond specific circumstances, however.


    He was right. This was a Frenzy. An ability that Golem had at a level 10 which only flared up if certain conditions were met within its runes and calculations. It was a very low-level Ability considering the other abilities, so its effectiveness and power were kind of low. In fact, it was the poorest of its abilities, albeit the effects Frenzy had were quite large. It allowed the mana to seep quicker from the core, turning the golem into a killer machine, but it was taking some time and some toll on its internal structure.


    This will become a bother the more I will waste my time. This is bad. I will gamble on this chance I have then.


    Murai stopped circling the golem. Instead, he fled around the wall, which was the tall platform. Using the terrain as an advantage was one thing he could use, so he didn''t hesitate to do so.


    Alas, due to his lack of care to watch the golem behind his back, Murai didn''t notice the golem, who was still turning around in circles, as if possessed.


    ¡°Murai Hisagi!¡± Lisa shouted to his soul. ¡°The GOLEM! Its sensors are in shambles because of the Frenzy!¡± she explained since she was watching everything from far away, allowing her to see everything. It was a nice help indeed, and Murai noticed it right away.


    It does what? It can''t sense the opponents properly because of mana overflowing its sensors. It''s faulty golem then... Or it was too focused? Neither of that matters with my plan, but it makes it much more plausible.


    Murai stopped running and looked back. Lisa was right and so was he.


    The golem had problems undergoing the Frenzy since it was old and hadn''t activated in a long time. Mana that came from its core wasn''t anything artificial after all. It was the mana of this world, which in turn, can cause any machine to turn bad over time. It was a manmade object after all, while mana wasn''t meant to be wielded by non-living objects of this complexity.


    Mana had some restraining rules, and its power could be within the palm of one''s hand, but to what extent can it be outside of that realm?


    The golem was a machine. It was no human with proper control, care, or body. Its runes and diagrams can turn bad over time, making the proper sensors malfunction, which happened from time to time.


    It took around 7 seconds until the golem stopped turning. After regaining some sense of its sensors, it charged at Murai''s location right away. That was quite a long delay in complicated attacking patterns, so Murai watched it in silence but didn''t attack or use this chance for his plan. The golem had no intelligence, so he could recreate this process again to his advantage.


    For now, he put forth his full attention to the complex insides of this golem with his Mana Detection. Mana diagrams filled with glowing runes around its core were within his vision, which was something he needed to see for his plan along with the rest of the veins and mana flow.


    The structure of this golem was a complicated thing, and it wasn''t easy to explain or figure it out right away. Each golem could also be special in its own right, since making one could require years of research, countless materials, and the efforts of mages.


    Murai saw the upcoming charge, so he Conjured his mana forward, Shaping it into a meter-long Mana Javelin. It wasn''t that firm or strong enough against the golem, but Murai wondered about its effectiveness.


    So, he waited until the golem arrived, smashing its fist toward him. Murai countered with the Javelin to its limb''s joint. The force was quite large, but force pushed him further away, but did not damage him. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As expected, the Mana Javelin that he loved according to his memories, scratched the surfaces less than his own beak. It even crumbled back to mana, making it no longer stable according to his Shaping.


    I see. Alright. Not bad. So Beak''s Fury it is. This leaves this plan better, but more dangerous, which doesn''t make me any bit happy, but I am not choosing this any longer. Let''s hope to have enough time to do this... It can take some time to strike it enough times while any attack can force my body beyond the limits.


    Murai unhappily started his plan and once again circled the enemy around its legs.


    Sometimes he hit the golem, other times he had to dodge a swiping hand since the Frenzy was becoming quite harder to predict. It was like a dance. A mad dance of a massive golem that couldn''t catch a fly that was bothering it.


    Murai used his Beak''s Fury dozens of times in the following minutes. This already started to take a toll on his battle fatigue, but his Will was firm, and so were all of his choices. This will be his longest physical battle, and he was surprised by how low his stamina was.


    Still, he was doing his best, but half of the time was soon gone.


    Lisa was unable to give him any advice any longer. She observed the battle a couple of meters above with a frowning and nervous expression.


    I knew it.. this Battleworld made it too tough for such beginner-level Anatidae since they are... this or it is Murai who they fear? Why? I know how strange and powerful they can be, but Murai is a Citizen! Not a native, nor a proper family member of his species. I never heard of a Blessed Anatidae, but I didn''t know enough when I was alive about their tribes. What about.... his Mother?


    The world is a big place, and almost all basic Anatidae I heard were the native souls, and each was unique to their ecosystem and power. Murai''s familiarity or fundamental instincts are all weaker compared to the normal ones, but his soul... It is making a true difference, but major disadvantages as well.


    He lacks the instincts, I fear. His strange aptitude for the mana is another issue. It is bigger than what a normal Anatidae can have. Including the Evolution of Panacea or others... Well... I didn''t know the Evolutions of such rare species all that much so my knowledge is rather limited. Lisa thought and watched the minutes ticking by in her own nervousness.


    Murai was breathing heavier and heavier, and the golem''s body was like a furnace. It was long seeping with powerful mana. So much so, that the Frenzy couldn''t be any higher. Murai reached the maximum threshold of what this golem was capable of using, but in turn, the options to counter were less than 1 in 10 chances.


    Its attack and use of mana were large, but it had enough fueling mana for the whole 20 minutes even in the midst of the Frenzy. Unless, of course, some more instabilities will occur. From the start, Murai''s beginning idea of tiring it out was out of the question, but he never intended to do this fight like that. It was too unfit and questionable to succeed. He wasn''t sure about it until now, but it didn''t change anything.


    He didn''t have to kill it, but he was no coward before a challenge!


    He will destroy this freaking toy.


    After all, Murai didn''t give up even though his continuous failures to find the correct timing were becoming harder. He continued attacking the vital areas with his Beak''s Fury, and a few Mana Blades from time to time.

 Chapter 29: Murai VS Acaman Golem - Part 2

    The Golem''s delay for its attacks was becoming smaller because of the Frenzy. It kept a fast pace that was causing Murai to lose a lot of time, but he was still able to attack every so often. That was enough, in his stressed-up opinion, since his plan was already happening for the last 5 minutes.


    Frenzy played one rather surprising and important factor. It enabled him to think and consider his moves more since he didn''t have a lot of time for attacking. Dodging and intercepting the incoming swings of arms, or legs took almost all of his efforts and body. The use of his Mana Detection and common sense also played an important factor. His eyes and Mana Detection viewed the golem like a machine and a doll. It wasn''t a living thing but it was a breathing construct, which was why it was possible to disrupt it from inside out.


    The frenzy-charged Golem was like a killing machine that was moving according to a specific, yet chaotic pattern.


    As for Murai''s plan? That was the basis of magic rules itself and the use of Flame that he had for less than a few hours.


    That wasn''t a lot, but he had no choice but to pull this off.


    For the last minutes, many cracks caused little stones to crumble from the golem''s arms, legs, and shoulders. They were the easiest targets for his little height, but they weren''t the most important and he knew it. In fact, the cracks always returned to the previous appearance in a matter of seconds, and not a lot of mana was lost. Golem had plenty of it even in this frenzied state, and that pissed Murai quite a lot.


    The ability of such regeneration was a basic of the Earth Affinity. It may be at a common level, but it had an incredible advantage for non-living things such as golems. No living person could regenerate a lost limb at this level.


    Acaman Golem with Earth Affinity could do so, since its Artificial Core was powerful enough, fueling it with a significant amount of mana without runes becoming unstable. The rest was because the core structure of the golem was stable enough and was built with high-quality materials. Those, Murai couldn''t figure out, as they made the golem''s whole inner body, and his Mana Detection only noticed the most obvious things. It was yet to become a thing that can view too complex and intricate details so it viewed the basic flow of mana and not the whole picture.


    Using his plan against this regeneration and defenses was simple. His Beak''s Fury wasn''t that strong to penetrate deep into these massive stones and damage the mana veins under the influence of the Artificial Core, but that didn''t mean he couldn''t go deep enough for something else. He was unable to get close to the chest, which was his target for the last couple of minutes. He wouldn''t be able to return in time, so Murai calculated the possibilities many times to make it happen.


    Forgetting the main body, the limbs were impossible to damage all that much, even under Golem''s normal circumstances. Yet, it didn''t mean Murai couldn''t do something to affect the flow of mana or the functionality of this golem. There was his plan, involving the golem''s internal structure that would be useful for the victory, but he needed time, as well as some bravery.


    I swear... I will run out of mana if it goes like this. I am wasting blade after blade. I would love some goddamned Mana Potion but I don''t have one yet. Murai scowled, unable to do much but continue.


    He was still a couple of minutes off from his main goal, but those minutes didn''t mean his timer, but the limit of this madness. That included and required hitting the golem''s upper sector, which was kind of hard since he would be wide open when hitting there with his beak.


    It was also quite far from him to jump into since he was usually dodging aside, and a little bit upwards from the ground to dodge most effects of these brute swiping attacks. Murai had very few choices in his tactics, so he gambled instead for the only choice he had. Trying to solve this once and for all required a bit of tough love, and hopefully, he won''t be punished for such a method too much.


    Golem kept turning around, swinging the hand beside its side and cleaving the ground with many cracks. It was scrapping the stone to dust, but Murai always jumped away, and not even the visual problems mattered to him. His Mana Detection was his eyes at the moment, but adding both together was much better.


    Amid this swipe, and no punch, Murai knew that the golem would soon stop this motion, so he used this opportunity instead. Murai jumped up, ending up on its hand, which was still turning wildly. He used the pressuring momentum to start crawling on its arm towards its head, where he leaped to the shoulders.


    Golem wasn''t that quick to follow it thanks to Murai''s decision to attack the shoulder, and not the arm or the head. His Beak''s Fury hit the part around the left section of the shoulder, right above the core of the chest that was flaring up with mana.


    Murai followed his intent and did the second attack in succession before the golem''s left hand appeared behind his back. It wanted to smash Murai to its body, but Murai knew this would happen. Before leaping behind its back, dodging the fist, he Shaped a small tingle of flashing Flame into the small crack which followed a swirl of mana along with a Flaming symbol. Everything was aflame, flaring up, and appeared surreal. It almost seemed incorporeal, and ready to crumble apart, yet the flame and that symbol flew to the crack, where they disappeared in a moment before the golem''s body regenerated.


    Another success! Great.  Murai smirked, flipped his wings, and turned his body behind the golem''s back. He used the back of the shoulder¡ªwhich the golem hit with its left hand as a platform¡ªjumping away from the other hand that wanted to grab him. The Frenzy made certain movements of this Golem slower, but they were too specific. Mainly, the more intricate the move, the harder was to finish the moveset. The simplest attacks were the quickest¡ªswings of its arms, smashing the ground with a fist, or crashing down with all its might.


    The core of Frenzy was more based on the functionality of the Acaman Golem as a whole, and not much for anything else. There was Strength that increased, and Dexterity moved up a notch. Murai knew the Frenzy added clear disadvantages to its runic formation, but it made the Frenzy added more dangers to him than that.


    The golem already swayed in many such motions, whether it was too focused on one motion or if too many motions were happening too fast after one another. It made it hard to seek a chance to attack because chaos was hard to predict.


    It was the delay, as well as the flaring mana that needed to be temporarily adjusted according to the runes inside of it. Core was the cause as well as the complicated process of its inner structure. The attack missed him by 1 second away from smacking him to its shoulder, but Murai managed to escape the danger while also successfully doing his attack.


    That''s the first shoulder, but I need to do the second. I don''t know if it''s enough because of the flaring core, and this unfamiliar structure that is sometimes flaring, and other times not so much. Freaking low-level Mana Detection... I can''t sense enough in this dazzling manner.


    Complaining didn''t help him with anything. Acaman Golem didn''t care for the wounds it suffered, nor it was agitated as living beings would be.


    This was a rather boring battle from this standpoint, but it wasn''t easy by any means. Lisa understood it and didn''t even cheer him up. There was no point in that since she would make him angry instead. She already discovered that Murai was up to something a long time ago but she didn''t know what it was. Even when she was feeling the mana herself, the speed and what Murai worked around the frenzied golem was complicated.


    In the following minute, Murai tried to attack the golem''s other shoulder but didn''t find the right opportunity.


    So, he used his own choice and created his own opening, which was rather stupid but needed. He fled to the nearest wall, where he jumped as high as he could. It was about 2 meters up, and he used his tiny fingers on his feet as claws to not fall down. He barely managed this, since there weren''t any right-sized platforms or boulders for his small build.


    Murai Shaped a pair of javelins, in the hopes of finishing the last choice that was up to him. Golem once again saw the fleeing enemy, which meant the obvious pattern. That was a basic leap forward with its right hand to form a punch. It was the pattern that Murai figured this golem did whether he fled and jumped around the length of its waist or higher. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If it failed or missed, the golem would swing with the other one, which was what Murai aimed for. This moment was the last shred of hope, so he used his body as a target to make it right.


    With the front facing the wall, Murai was an easy target, and the golem acted according to his position. Punch was coming forward, and half a meter before the wall, Murai pushed forward his Javelins before jumping out of the attack. He had to do it with utmost precision not only once, but twice in such a position. Once to the right, and another up.


    Golem''s left hand missed right away since Murai flung his body by striking his own body. Punch penetrated the wall to dust and cracks spread through the wall, but its right hand was also coming next. Murai watched it coming, but the shockwave from the destroyed wall made him react slower. What didn''t help was the Frenzy, which made this right uppercut too fast.


    Hard times led to bitter solutions. Murai Shaped his two javelins to form a single, bigger one, which should be enough to ease some pressure between him and the golem''s hand.


    First, the javelin cracked apart upon the impact with the hand, but it was enough for Murai to use this change to use the left hand as a platform to leap towards the last shoulder above the Artificial Core.


    Beak''s Fury cracked the shoulder about 5 centimeters deep, while the attacks were yet to come, so he hit it again, and again. Small rocks fell off the shoulder, revealing further cracks. With this chance, Murai finished the basics he considered to be enough. He Shaped another flickering Flame along with a Rune. Murai pulled his shit together and had just enough Will in himself to let them disappear into the cracks before they closed.


    Alas, he wasn''t over. Leaping not out, but downward, towards the Mana Core, the flaring mana made his senses tingle nervousness, but he only needed a simple Shape to let this golem become scraps. Murai Conjured a simple speck of Flaming mana of no particular shape to the tip of his beak.


    The golem got wind of something wrong, and it noticed Murai changing moves. It detected him after 3 seconds of delay, and both hands tried to catch him.


    Murai felt it, so he pushed himself down to the Mana Core, ignoring the hands altogether. He was about to be enveloped by two massive hands. One on the left, and one on the right.


    ¡°Detonate you piece of an ancient relic,¡± Murai uttered, unbothered by the attack that would smash him to a pulp. He used his connection to strands of his mana within the golem''s body: a few around the legs and arms, and one on each shoulder. The catalyst was the forced push of his beak to its core, acting as the key to the puzzle of his plan.


    It took less than a moment, yet the hands were close.


    Maybe too close to Murai''s liking when his beak penetrated the core, letting the Flame in.


    Like a chain reaction, the golem''s mana flickered, and disruptions spread from the core to the limbs, stopping its movements as countless cracks and unnatural waves of crumbling veins spread. It was already hard to contain the mana with the constant state of Frenzy, so this little chain reaction within its body was more than enough to crack the runes inside.


    Murai saw how the cracks appeared in many joints, and it all started in the shoulders where it put most mana. The hands were the most dangerous, so of course he knew what to destabilize first. He made the right call. Mana was no longer stable and stopped the hands 10 centimeters before Murai''s falling self. They crumbled down the shoulders, falling down, and leaving him safe, according to his hopeful prediction.


    Soon, even the Artificial Core destabilized, and the golem was starting to fall apart from the inside out.


    It was no longer able to use its regeneration, or hands to attack. Its legs were the least effective, and last to crumble. Golem''s torso fell to the ground, where it stood in silence inability to do anything but crumble to further pieces.


    Inside its core were many pieces of high-quality material and some were even immune to the flames and the destruction. The good news was that the mana in this core had been in a destabilized state thanks to the Frenzy, so it made things easier, and destabilization happened instantly, rather than gradually which Murai feared.


    Fortunate outcome went out of his plan and he succeeded. Landing with some difficulty below the crumbling golem, Murai felt glad even amidst his overdrawn mana. Still, he managed to stand and move towards the golem''s core which was a piece of scrap at the moment.


    ¡°Well, the two were overkill I suppose. I think If I had overdrawn the hands much earlier, than the legs, or even the core itself from the start, I could...? Nah.. that wouldn''t work without Frenzy that was used for so long. I played it safe, albeit in an overkill. I should''ve started small. Crumbling the legs to let its mobility down. Then, it would be... questionable because of the Frenzy and its long arms. That''s all. I did good,¡± Murai nodded to himself, quacking in an affirmative manner.


    What was before him was a treasure of mages, but it was in the past tense. The artificial Core inside of it was full of materials, with many alloys, crystals, and many kinds of diagrams and runes alike. This thing in itself was a treasure in any kind of sense, but when destroyed, it had no value. Even the precious materials weren''t the kind that could be reused. It will never work again until someone skilled enough repairs it.


    Murai wasn''t such a person, and he didn''t even care too much about this old relic, even though it was looking great in both, complexity and internal capacity. He wondered what this damned Golem used to be like in its prime. After all, the basic level of this golem should''ve been well over level 70. Forceful level squish to make this challenge possible for him consisted of weakened runes, and drastically lowered mana output. It was heavy, and many times more difficult than some Speedo Shark.


    Not so far away from him, there was only Lisa, attending to watch this successful end of the battle. She watched everything with passion and seriousness, and Murai indeed succeeded in a strange turn of events. Floating from the air towards the crumbled core, she was fine to talk about this successful win. It was still in flames, but they were stopping, no longer having any fuel or something to burn with.


    What do you think, Lisa? Interesting battle?


    Murai turned his head towards Lisa, feeling somewhat smug about his clever tactics.


    ¡°You... Did you use the premise of destabilizing the Mana Core of an unknown level of craft to destroy this golem from within? Well, the unknown is questionable. It should be over level 70 in its structure, but the dungeon made it lower, so it is your luck, I suppose. It was still a huge gamble not only from its principle but from a practical point of view.¡± Lisa argued, telling nothing but the honest truth.


    ¡°That is true and correct. I wouldn''t do such a strange method in any normal fight, but the golem was under the strain of Frenzy, which you surely couldn''t understand from such a distance. I had some trouble with getting this work myself, so your little mana as a Soul Form should be lacking to tell it. From the start, this golem was old, no longer what it used to be, so I felt confident. Will of the Battleworld told it too, so I gambled on that information and hoped it was not a joke on Battleworld''s part. That was it...¡± Murai smacked the core with his beak, which wasn''t in any flames any longer. ¡°...and this is the result. Simple as that.¡±


    Lisa speechlessly looked at the core, not having any argument that could make it any worse or better. Murai was once again making something hard to do into reality, which she wasn''t that comfortable with. She was always a person of logic, while the Chaos only happened in... certain... heated situations.


    But that was long in the past, and this life of hers was under the Murai''s influence, and not her Will alone.


    The next thing that came was obvious.


    Will of the Battleworld descended, informing Murai of the surprising victory.


    [Congratulation! What a turn of events in the last 2 minutes]


    [Acaman Golem - Forced to Level 23 - destroyed completely from within in a fantastic manner. Excelent]


    [Time Limit: 1 minute 20 seconds left]


    [Rewards of both Trials of the Somalis Dungeon ~ Acaman Grounds, Acamaman Tower, are accomplished. Your rewards will come later when you return to the Tower]


    [The state of the rewards will follow the state of the accomplishments of the gift, rewards, and time, as well as the improved threshold of rewards from the successful kill of a high-level opponent, albeit forcefully underleveled]


    [1 minute and 20 seconds are overdue, so these seconds are going towards the selection of the rewards from the World Essence Trove]


    [Trial of the Combat accomplished. You can choose any of the rewards from the Gate of Combat selection]


    [2nd Trial can allow you to take 2 things from the World Essence Trove with the addition of purchasing power of 80 seconds. 1 second is 10 points. That is 800 points of purchasing power]


    [God''s Blessing is due but proceeds back to the Tower to accomplish the former rewards before moving to the rest]


    Murai listened to the Will of the Battleworld and had no problems with whatever it told.


    That in itself was surprising, but a welcoming change.

 Chapter 30: Descent of the Gods Will - Part 1

    Looking left, right, and up, Murai was thinking of a way to go back to the tower rather than waste time. However, he didn''t have to worry about it as he was far from everything in this barren and flat arena. It was his place of battle for the last 20 or so minutes, and now it was over.


    There was terrible access to all the other platforms, and it didn''t seem well designed with a duck in mind. Some stairs would be good, but there were none. Maybe it was nature that made this strange cave, but Murai didn''t think that. It looked more artificial than anything else. Manmade, even.


    At least, for a duck, this place was too large. Unfit.


    Well, I am getting hungry¡ªwas his thought when he wavered on the spot, tired. His fight against the Acaman Golem was well-planned on his part, but he used everything he had. Such as the vast space of this arena, which was perfect for this fight. His mana was spent, and his mind tired. Adding to that many rising platforms and pillars, it was the perfect choice to get all kinds of tactics going and hide behind a few pillars in bad situations.


    However, it was a deep pit with many platforms like small hills or pillars, making the motion to get out of there out of the question.


    Noticing the section that was destroyed at some portions, Murai recognized the entrance which wasn''t that far away. It was around an 18-meter-high cliff and it had no access to get to it from his current position. While he was looking at it, he got an idea of how to get up, and it wasn''t something bad. It was that kind of idea that he did recognize, but never cared to think about before.


    ¡°Lisa... I got a hunch of something. A terrible idea. I think I am an idiot, but a fortunate one.¡± he said, eyeing Lisa with somewhat of a sorry tone.


    She nervously winced her body, backing away from this sudden topic. She hoped to not listen, but not like it would change the outcome.


    ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± she said nervously.


    ¡°It''s clear that if you can take some shards with your feeble body, you should have a small possibility of moving me upwards a little, don''t you? I am not as heavy, I reckon. Your physicality may be limited, but I fear you aren''t making yourself clear to me about it. Push me ahead, while I use my beak and legs as support. That seems like a good idea to get up. Let''s climb up.¡± Murai said, smirking as if his idea was greater than it sounded.


    ¡°I... What... N-no... No way. My Soul Form is really weak. I swear I am...¡±


    .


    .


    .


    5 minutes later, Lisa was clutching Murai''s neck, wings, and feathers, cursing this freaking Anatidae to oblivion. With her limited strength and physicality as a Soul Form, she was pulling him up the wall as much as she could, turning her hands into physical realms and stressing her soul.


    She was stabilizing him as well while he was doing his best to climb the tall cliff with his use of a beak and crawling upwards thanks to his clawed fingers on his tiny legs. The wall had some flatter, uneven stones at some parts, helping him with some troubles of his climb.


    Grunting in displeasure, Lisa cursed Murai in many languages in her mind, but Murai wouldn''t care, nor complain about it. Not as if he heard her inner complaints.


    Soon enough, they reached the top of the cliff, and the tunnel back to the tower was unnotched by the golem''s first attack.


    ¡°That wasn''t that hard, see? I did at least half of the work.¡± Murai said, huffing for breath since he did pretty much most of the climbing. Lise helped offset the possible fall by pushing him to the cliff so he wouldn''t slip.


    ¡°S-shut up... I feel used and terrible, but I don''t want to leave until I see the full reward of this mess that you accomplish. Everything when it comes to that room, I want to see that with my own eyes.¡± she insisted, not backing down in the slightest.


    Murai understood her desire since he wanted to see the rewards as well. They piqued his interest and the path towards then was basically over. Whatever it was, he already reached success, so that put his mind at ease.


    Although, he was damn hopeful that the possible reward would be something great, and he couldn''t wait to choose his reward. The precious stuff from that World Essence Trove was now gliding around his memories. A form of possibility to leave this dungeon and get back to the surface was also there, but it wasn''t as important in his head.


    Murai had been on this cave adventure for quite some time, and running out of patience and mana, caused his fatigue to become noticeable. He needed some food and a steady form of that. There''s nothing that he could do about it in such caves.


    The dungeon can''t be a source of food. Living beings and how to hunt them in this place was impossible. The only reason he was full before was this Tower, but he can''t just dive into that water and start hunting, right? What if the dungeon punished him with an opponent that would kill him? He would do so if someone played a joke in his own backyard, so that idea quickly escaped his mind.


    Food or not, he still felt fatigued, even though his Will was tremendous. This wasn''t the case in his soul, which felt fine. It was a common sense of body that he understood. Part of losing a lot of mana and continuous physical actions were the cause. He used too much Shaping which stressed his body in incredible proportions, while his Beast Core was another issue altogether.


    Murai was, quite frankly, exhausted in more ways than he was willing to admit.


    The 100-meter journey toward the Tower took a while. Back at the glowing room of radiating mana that both of them expected with excitement, Murai hoped to seek his choices.


    As he did so, a steady and powerful descent of the Will of the Battleworld came forth, encompassing the whole room and flickering even the mana itself. It wasn''t pleasant. Maybe it wasn''t even that. It was different, or crazed with its purpose?


    Murai frowned while feeling something within it. It was the intent of a higher being, which wasn''t a good thing to feel right now. It shook his mind, accompanied by some intense pressure for a purpose that was different than usual. It wasn''t the usual Will of the Battleworld. It was a feeling that Murai felt many times before. A Descent of God''s Will and the pressure of being watched that was well over the limitation of a common Path.


    Though, this time, he felt utter despair, since his basic power was like an ant being in front of a human. That''s how far apart he felt his current self and this figure. Even Lisa nervously backed down, shuddering with some form of the message only she could hear. It was wild, lofty, and powerful until she was kneeling on the ground in helplessness. She wanted to apologize for her mistake, pleading for something, but she couldn''t even do that, lest Murai got a hunch of it.


    It was right, or perhaps purposefully done since Murai didn''t care about Lisa nor he sensed anything about her. The thunderous voice and intent penetrated his Will and shuddered his soul.


    He barely kept his face and feet straight, feeling the words while his Robust Spirit underwent mysterious changes that dispersed the effects of this Will away.


    ¡°I heard that the strangest thing can happen when one least expects them.¡± A God spoke, talking like thunders hitting one another. ¡°Here I am, watching the plays of the land of the living and a freaking duck is playing in a part of Somalis Dungeon that I purchased centuries ago? The Somalis part, even? Acaman Tower too. A Blessed Player? No... Citizen. What in the bloody world is Lordis thinking? Am I seeing things? It also accomplished and succeeded my Dungeon with its ridiculous demands that none should''ve taken. Ridiculous.¡±


    A deep masculine, yet somewhat cheerful voice said. It was strong and full of the intent that was seeing power over something... Chaotic. Shimmering whispers of Chaos definitely accompanied this voice, and Murai felt it like a hammer hitting his head.


    Murai knew it wasn''t coming from the statue, nor it was related to the God of Battle but there were more Gods of this Battleworld. The way he viewed the God of Battle, the power of this voice indicated another problem. According to his hunch, this God was most likely in shackles with him.


    He should be taking part in some form of entertainment or grudges against others like him. It shouldn''t be that surprising, but making it happen in the land of the mortals was somewhat strange to Murai. This God was questionable if he wanted to have anything to do with that, but it seemed he had no choice but to take this God''s Will against his own.


    He wished to ignore it, but such a figure could force himself on him as easily as lifting a finger. That was what happened, and Murai didn''t question it that much, since the Gods were less than normal in his opinion. Be it in the power or in personality.


    ¡°Not talking nor commenting on this? Hmmm... a proper Citizen is there, in the mess that others gifted me... I can see problems in that straight away. It is strange too, but not really up for me. Well... you are weak. Young too. Let''s see... Huh?¡± He paused for a few moments, thinking or viewing Murai in a much better light.


    ¡°Less than a year in the Battleworld and you already finished the second-rate Somalis Dungeon of 23-level difficulty? Unexpected, but... your soul... You are that one? I heard a few mentions... Rumors too. An Old One? Strange rumors, but.. oh well. It''s not like I remember hearing the details or the past. Forget it for the time being.¡± The voice laughed as if unafraid of the consequences that Murai inevitably forced.


    ¡°Let''s play a game where I will be talking and you won''t do a whisper because you can''t because of my power! Hah! Good. I never thought someone would clear this thing that I made up on a whim. I created this thing with so many worries in mind, while the Acaman Family was just an excuse and fools of the past.¡± The voice said and sighted at the end.


    ¡°Anyway, the talking part is normally how gods do stuff, but you know it already. This is Batttleworld, so it''s the case of rules that I had to take part in since this is what Lordis forced on all of the Origin Dungeons and their subversion, and so on. There are rules I had to act with. If not, I will get punished by the Divine Pact. I have no choice, but you do, but it still makes me hesitant, since it is my Dungeon... which... I didn''t plan to put it to use.¡± He voiced as if he was deeply sorry and disappointed that someone found this dungeon.


    ¡°Yeah. Rules are there too. Blessing is due according to my Authority. This dungeon is... mine to say the least, so I should do what I have. I know. You are the first to do this one, which is surprising, considering you also cleared the part that is underwater which was something that was supposed to prevent any challengers from accessing the real part. Dozen died there many centuries ago, but you didn''t. That isn''t that bad. It is terrible for both of us, maybe?¡±


    Murai kept himself shut, but he listened attentively to what this damned God had to tell. He seemed overly chatty and spoke without much thinking, which was either: part of his Godly status, his personality, or he had nothing to hide. All of those were weird choices and things that Murai wasn''t taking for granted. All Gods had some form of issues, and their personality was often shit.


    ¡°I hope you won''t take the rewards I put into this place into too far heights. It is a place. A secure trove, which I doubt... Yeah. I can feel it. You wanted to take that. Of course, you would want that. It''s no wonder, but you won''t take that, unfortunately. Too bad.¡± The God said as if he understood all of Murai''s intentions, emotions, and worries.


    In fact, he did feel it all, since his Divine Sense washed over Murai''s mind, seeing the Chaos within that was part of this exchange. The accompaniment of this Will somewhat pushed Laws in place, so this God realized the barebone surface of Murai''s thoughts. It wasn''t everything, but it was enough to seek emotions and surface-level intentions.


    ¡°As for the Blessing that I am meant to give you, that is the reason I have descended with my Will. I have 3 choices to give, which is a number that Lordis likes a lot. That''s how many wives he has, funny, isn''t it?¡± voice joked, and kept talking, pestering himself more than Murai. Although he was watching over the information, provided by the Will of the Battleworld, he feared what this God had to offer or tell.


    ¡°The following Blessing are choices of my specialties as a God under what Somalis can endure. It''s nothing fancy since I am a Rank 2 God.¡±


    ¡°1st is Blessing of Anguish. It''s making use of the pain in the statistical approach to improvements that Battleworld has. It can increase the Body Attributes a lot, along with the Will. It has quite a significant power boost depending on how one uses its properties or endures its... effects.¡±


    ¡°2nd is Blessing of Rage. It''s a passive ability that can cause you to remain clearheaded within the blood-related abilities, strengthening, or agitation. It also adds a certain benefit in mana overdrawn state, or so I heard. It also provides some pretty effects on the Attributes and gives possibilities for some fusion, growth, and Boosts. Basily how any Blessings works. When it comes to enduring the battles and affecting the actions, this Blessing of Rage shines in battle..¡±


    ¡°As for the 3rd one, it is my favorite and more intricate one. A Blessing of Ferocity. It''s rather well suited for the Demonic Beasts, rather than humans, which you aren''t... that. I can''t help but give you this sort of choice. It''s not like I have more Blessings, but I don''t see a lot of humans, you know? That''s quite said since its effects are good! Anyway, I am getting ahead of myself with this, and you are clearly having none of this as I see your painfully angry soul. How funny. Heheheh.¡± Laughter echoed into the Murai, but he had enough Will to scowl inside and curse this god to eat grass.


    Though this God didn''t seem bothered.


    He continued with what he should do.


    ¡°Its effects will add a tinge of my Divinity, with not a single redeeming quality or intent. It''s like a small piece of a great treasure, which I can''t change, or control, so don''t worry about some hidden property. It''s part of the Law I have, so it''s nothing to be concerned about. Upon fusion with it, thanks to the helpful addition of Lordis''s system, It can lead to a series of changes to the species and evolutions. I don''t think humans like that, so what about beasts? Though, it''s your choice... Not like I can influence you in any way. Is it the 3rd choice? You chose it, right?¡± He talked as if the only entertainer in its life was himself, and no one else.


    This God insisted on the 3rd choice for whatever reason. That was suspicious. Though, Murai knew this God was taking a deep pondering look over the choices of his words, and also at his soul. That was... something he hated. To be seen. To be watched. It made him recall many unpleasant memories.


    This voice... maybe Murai heard it before too, but he wasn''t sure if he did or not. Maybe it was too long ago? It could be the case since the Rank 2 Gods shouldn''t be more than a few thousand years old to tens of thousands of years old. He could have met this person when he wasn''t the god yet, but Murai had a hunch. A hunch that could be possible since he believed in his senses.


    After hearing those choices, Murai figured he was supposed to answer, but did he want to do that? Voicing and talking to God was pretty damn bothersome at the moment of his short New Beginning.


    Still standing, Murai was under the watchful gaze and pressure of this Chaos, and this Will. So, he put forth his own, which spoke much more clearly than he thought. ¡°What benefits does the 3rd choice entail, and what part of Divinity does this Law of yours have? Is that what you are Blessing me with, or is it some rundown Law that you found later? So far what you''ve told me, the choices aren''t enough to decide or give enough incentive to care about them.¡±


    ¡°NOW we are talking! Finally putting some use of this soul of yours. Good, but... Wait... of course, you didn''t refuse straight away. EXCELLENT!¡± the voice cheered, as the flickering whispers became that much crazier.


    ¡°I haven''t introduced myself yet, as it isn''t a procedure to tell, but I find it fitting because of this chance. Pakutan is my name. A Rank 2 God with a Law of Pain, with its Divinity too. I am under the influence of Chaos, but I was temporarily under the help of Lordis, who has some beef with his friends and enemies alike. It''s complicated. Anyway, I am boring you, and you are running out of your languages. I can tell that already, so let''s get back to the business I am here for.¡± Pakutan turned much more serious, glad that Murai was finally speaking out loud to him.


    ¡°You did ask a good question. Blessing of Ferocity can provide someone with a chaotic Chimera Bloodline that I had when I was coming to terms with Godhood in the part of certain... unquestionable Universe. It has some tingle of deep madness, but nothing too crazy. It should be something that your Species hasn''t met, so something crazy could happen. Lordis should rejoice in this, so I hope you will decide on that. It is a good choice since your species should manage it and your Will would endure it.¡±


    ¡°Does it have any problems that you are leaving out of your... Will?¡± Murai spoke simple words. Pakutan hesitated a little since he wanted to do this right and force this choice upon him. It was more for himself and his experiments, but it may not be as simple with Murai and his skepticism. This sort of madness with Anatidae in question was... fitting. Something that Pakutan was aware of and he wanted to see what would''ve happened if he took this choice.


    ¡°Well, it''s right to assume that. There are also some... variables, which stem from the complicated parts of Evolution pathways that Lordis put a high incentive in the Battleworld. I am unsure what it can cause in the pretext of this Law for your Anatidae bloodline. It should be a Blessing though, and they are good things. Any kind of Blessing is beneficial. It can add change and changes can lead to many benefits, and mine is no different. So you chose the 3rd. Right? Right!¡± Pakutan haggled his way out of the trouble, talking better and making it seem like a good deal.


    ¡°Yeah... right? God of Pain... Law of Pain? A fancy way to put Madness hidden in the Dark or Chaos. What a pain in the ass... I never heard of such a madman who would ignite a Diving Spark of that kind. You must''ve been quite desperate or a complete idiot.¡± Murai said without a speck of politeness.


    ¡°Oh! You don''t take any regard to your words right now. I like that, but you... You are completely right, which... makes me angry...¡± Pakutan said, sounding depressed but not really. His voice turned weaker, but the pressure didn''t weaken at all.


    Murai continued upon hearing his hesitation. ¡°Chimera is a source of Madness in almost every shape or form. Chaos cherishes it, thus many whispers and problems can create more trouble. Such bloodline is subsidiary to the demons, and devils, and should be crazed in the sense of Chaos. Why should I make that choice? It doesn''t seem beneficial to me at all.¡± He tried to bargain and see what else this God had to offer.


    He didn''t have much issue with taking something from him if it benefitted him, but too much involvement in such Blessings may end up in trouble. They could hide something, and he never liked Gods and their gifts.


    ¡°It''s under my Godhood, so I can''t change it much, but I can make some specific adjustments to the Blessing themselves. It would require time and effort, but I have already done so in the past. I began to experiment a lot with many variables but making the Ferocity something special was hard. For the beast, it seems like... another mess altogether, but not in a bad way. But, this is different from the past. A Citizen such as yourself is a different thing altogether so the World finally gave me a better chance! I had just 4 others who took the bait, but all of them are dead. So...¡±


    ¡°Yeah? They died in Madness, I presume?¡± Murai asked.


    ¡°Maybe... Not like it mattered. They drowned in it instead. Bunch of weaklings.¡±


    ¡°Thought so. God of Pain, it seems your usage of the Divinity isn''t that great. They died because the level of Madness was weak. Control over your Law, or Divinity when you create such things should take priority. Descending with such a Blessing is like offering a Punishment instead. No one clever would take this bait. Having no redeeming quality could also be a problem, or your words and explanations do.¡±


    ¡°Hm? What do you mean by that? Are you questioning God''s Blessings? My power!?¡± Pakutan uttered, raising his voice along with the pressure of his Will.


    S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 31: Descent of the Gods Will - Part 2

    Murai still held his own core at bay, and his mind remained calm. Feeling how the Robust Spirit absorbed the majority of this pressure, he got a hunch how this little gift he got from the Will of the Battleworld seemed to work in tandem with his own soul, and was not some kind of borrowed power. It was his¡ªalbeit it was a gift¡ªand it worked for him and hisside alone.


    In fact, it was working wonders, as if it was something he was born with long ago since it involved his Will and soul.


    ¡°I meant what I said. Pain.¡± Murai spoke with his Will aiming at this Divine being that was nowhere to be seen, but Divine Sense was the epitome of God''s Will. It was a face of Divinity and worthy to be feared. A mere clutch of it can kill any lowly Path.


    ¡°And that is?¡± Pakutan said with a distinct amount of pity and sneer.


    ¡°You present this as no Law. Divinity is part of Godhood and for the Blessing to have any kind of effect, it''s better done carefully, or they will end up being useless because of weakly-minded mortals. Of course, it can be changed depending on the Law and made into different, or smaller Blessings. If you are forceful or poor in their approach, it can lead to many disasters, such as your past guinea pigs. Considering the Madness, and as you said, the part of the Chimera Bloodline, it''s no wonder they ended up drowning in it. They were poor bastards that had chosen heavens without seeking the moon.¡±


    ¡°Hmp! Heheh.¡± Pakutan chuckled, finding those words fitting but what would solve an issue of this caliber?


    ¡°I bet you ended up working unkindly around this Law of yours and made it like an addition to the Battleworld and its Evolutions, which is a bad choice. You should do something with it for yourself and not act with other intentions in mind. That''s not what God''s Blessings should be like. It''s limiting YOUR factors. A Blessing should be a manifestation and fit for the God.¡±


    ¡°You speak as if you know all about it!¡± Pakutan complained. ¡°For a duck... I don''t like to be questioned.¡±


    ¡°Then think of it as if I am speaking for myself. If I followed the normal sense, I would change the part of the Blessing that involves too much Madness and focus on what benefits it can offer outside of some Bloodline or evolution. Creating tangible benefits with defined or no disadvantages is better than fearing Chaos itself.¡± Murai offered his opinion while thinking of more reasons that made sense. Although he wasn''t sure what it would do for this God, or if his words may piss him off more.


    ¡°You... Your words may sound reasonable for someone... like you, but... I am improper. My Laws aren''t something to be specific and custom-made. Playing with the Bloodlines requires many experiments and part of my Divinity. It''s something that Battleworld requires while creating something outside of it works too, but... It''s hard to create things. Blessings require rules. Power too.¡± Pakutan said, not as angry as before.


    ¡°Of course they do. If we are talking about the Bloodlines, your choice of the chimera isn''t a bad one.¡± Murai figured it was fine to continue. ¡°Even though it''s full of chaotic behavior with many kinds of benefits, it holds also fatal disadvantages.¡±


    ¡°You don''t have to lecture me... duck!¡±


    ¡°In that way, why not make it something specific that may provide more benefits?¡±


    ¡°As if it is that easy!¡±


    ¡°It doesn''t matter if it''s hard, or time-consuming if the blessing ends up being good enough for God''s cause. They are there for something great. To move the mortals and signify God''s position. Shouldn''t be that better? Chimeras have many mutated Paths, I bet. Some specific ones even. You can consume, inject, or create a specific kind of effect to your liking, which may reduce the disadvantage of your Law.


    ¡°Again...¡± Pakutan wanted to argue again, but Murai spoke as if this didn''t matter to him at all.


    ¡°The way to create something that wouldn''t hurt the user. That is how equipment often is, and how abilities and Blessings are deemed from a mortal perspective. No one wants a created issue, but a certain skill of the Blessings can help and kill a person. It won''t drown someone. That is the first act. The Demonic Pathway of Chimeras has many choices to seek answers. Chaos is countless times more complicated, so making special Abilities may also work instead of mashing your way into the road of Bloodlines or literal Chaos.¡±


    ¡°You....¡± Pakutan''s grunting voice passed and shuttered throughout the whole room, shaking Murai quite a bit.


    ¡°What? Is it wrong? No. Don''t think so. Something too disadvantageous is simply too unfit for a Blessing. There is no bless part at all, so none will take it. It should be fitting for your divinity and cause the Blessings to be more reasonable.¡±


    Pakutan paused for a minute, listening to Murai''s extensive overview with defined logic and things he feared and had known for centuries. His overall pressure was still encompassing the whole room but something within his Will changed.


    Murai''s little legs were beginning to tremble amidst the pressure but he was yet to succumb to it. He clutched his beak while speaking with this God as if he was close to him in power.


    No. That was wrong.


    In fact, he was doing his best to move past such pretext of going against such a Will. Appearing as if this talking didn''t bother him at all was a simple way of the placebo effect to make himself more powerful. It was working, but only for himself, since the next things Pakutan said were less than pleasant.


    ¡°You... You speak about this as if it''s the easiest thing in the world! Working with Divinity isn''t... like that. Your whole perception is wrong! It''s the mortals who can''t keep up with the Blessings of a God! Madness? The Blessing of the Ferocity creates more good than bad, providing changes for those humans and an orc. They became stronger from the physical standpoint, and their abilities all strengthened by leaps and bounds, but they couldn''t keep up mentally. They died in agony of the Madness because they were weak-minded fools.¡± Pakutan spoke firmly by his own comprehension, but it mattered little to Murai.


    ¡°Weakness or your perception within your Blessing is the cause. I am just stating the obvious issue I found with it. It isn''t fine, so why not recreate it for something that would benefit your position more? It... no. You are insensible towards it. Whether it is easy or not is secondary. If it''s a possibility, and what I speak about is right, then your divine standing in the godhood shall become stronger along with your Law perception. Gaining more devotees because of proper blessings may be another advantage. Blessings are the reasons the mortals would care for you after all.¡± Murai told, but couldn''t help but sneer inside. For a God of Pain, that is. Hehehe.


    Such a God shouldn''t be anything that people needed, nor should worship, but some would be there. After all, such a Chaotic God should have plenty of devotees on the chaotic side, while the humans shouldn''t be for him to take, but who was sure of that? The world was wide, and many people were one with Chaos as well. It all seemed that Murai was mocking Pakutan''s choices or words of his Blessing, but that wasn''t the case.


    Murai was pretty much comfortable taking his Blessing since it wasn''t anything that he couldn''t take on. Some Madness? He already worked with it and experienced many things in the past and frankly speaking, his mind was full of it anyway, but it was so mild it didn''t affect him at all. The kind that this God offered wasn''t responsible for the deepness of the word chaos, as he guessed because of his Rank.


    ¡°You... Your idea has some validity but it is implausible. Changing my Blessing of Ferocity to something more special isn''t something that can come easily. It requires a lot of research and my own divinity to see what to do with it. Do you have any idea how long it took me to come with 3 Blessings?¡±


    ¡°3 days? 5 if I include the last one?¡± Murai replied.


    ¡°This... Huh?¡± Pakutan sighed. ¡°You are right... It is true, but what could the Blessings do when it comes to my Divinity? The first 2 are fine as it is, but I thought the Ferocity would be leaps and bounds better than anything that any Rank 2 could offer. Putting a subjective Law without my divinity involved should be already plenty enough. It''s a tremendous gift! That''s the reason I put any restraints away, and that''s why it''s good but dangerous. Making it dangerous for the big benefits was the idea behind it.¡±


    ¡°I can tell. How about this, dear God of Pain,¡± Murai spoke with unnatural politeness to appease this god''s hesitant anger. ¡°What you offered isn''t a bad thing, since it requires no forceful quality of your Divinity¡ªwhich is good¡ªeven when the Law of it is offered. That''s like giving a cake to a kid, but it doesn''t include any sugar.¡±


    Pakutan snickered like a man who heard a beggar beg for money. He certainly didn''t like this aspect of talk, but he wanted to know what this damned duck had in mind.


    ¡°It''s a tiny idea, like a speck of it, but it can be changed to anything one wishes. Laws can be a lot of things, and not even one''s core beliefs may be there within them. That''s why you are Rank 2. Your limited comprehension adds huge disadvantages but they could be more desirable. Work within a premise. Being a God of Pain, you should think about what it means. Overcoming the hurdle of a higher rank of godhood is hard as is, so how about hearing my proposition towards the betterment of your Blessing?¡±


    ¡°Hmph¡± Pakutan sneered for real. ¡±You already told me to fuck off, but what do you want to tell more? Mock me? Laugh at me? Are you taking advantage of the reason that I can''t do anything to you? Hm... I get it.¡±


    ¡°I could. Sure.¡± Murai acknowledged. ¡°But that is unnecessary. This is business after all.¡±


    ¡°Weak.... Those excuses. Do you think I haven''t thought of anything when I decided on my Blessings? That I haven''t taken eyes to others? I watched and sought countless ideas, and came up with something unique, albeit dangerous. Working around, or against the Battleworld in mind can piss off certain things. Though, Lordis should be fine if it''s up to his tastes. If you think about the Evolution or something around the Battleworld, I am willing to listen to your ideas, duck.¡± Pakutan said, appearing and sounding intrigued enough, even though Murai pretty much told him he was too weak and bad at being a God.


    None like him should be happy to hear that.


    Duck? Murai twitched his brows, unhappily gulping his harsh words down his throat. ¡°It is simple... I suppose these Blessings aren''t something that happens every so often, do they?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. It''s a part of many trials, as every Blessing is a special way to reward a remarkable soul to receive the Blessings. It shouldn''t be anything easy. That''s the basis of the Blessing, duck.¡± S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Then why not make them more specific since they are rare, to begin with? I gave you good examples before. For the sake of the Battleworld and your words, I think the best way to do anything with the Blessing of the Ferocity is to get it an outside Flavor. A simple slip of something from your wisdom, without doing any harm to your core Divinity. Abilities behind the Blessing are fitting, making it more powerful, or adding a Spell to it? Magic, or mana? That, or something outside of the core of your being, or something like that. A small tinge of a specific quality of Chimera would work too, but it shouldn''t be overbearing. A spell, body power, or ability should work best.¡±


    ¡°Again. Those aren''t simple ideas.¡±


    ¡°It doesn''t have to be involved with the Madness, or Chimera. Pathways are vast, and Divinity works with far too many things. Additional Fusions or making Abilities outside of the Evolutions work in tandem with rules. We are living in the flow of the River of Manaflow, so including something about mana should be more than welcomed with many Blessings. Blood and Chimera''s Chaos may work for some, but possibilities are endless in the shape of mana. Blessings are similarly endless.¡± Murai talked some sense, and Pakutan listened with some calm interest.


    ¡°Mana? River? MANA! Why have I not thought about it earlier?! I could do something with the Blessings! Right I can.¡° He said in a good mood and almost cheered the heavens. ¡°It''s all about incorporating small portions of ideas and power to the Blessings, Chimera Bloodline... is Chaos, which is making the mana unsteady, since the pigs had a core. I can force something else, because of my lack of proper godhood, I am lacking comprehension.¡±


    ¡°Rightful head too...¡± Murai added, but Pakutan didn''t catch it or took it to his head.


    ¡°What they can offer to begin with depends on my Will and ideas. Imagination too. It could be physical or mental or take a unique approach since a Law is unique enough.¡±


    Murai continuously nodded, as if agreeing with anything, but didn''t. There were way too many answers and possibilities out in the endless skies of Pathways.


    ¡°Treasure, Spell, or Ability, to touch on a Law can work. But I''ve heard that already and it makes my mind boil. Madness isn''t a part of it, but it''s the core of my godhood because of my involuntary influence that can''t get away from my core. Weakening it enough by making it pure and workable with certain abilities should be worth more. It''s like the sides of coins. 3rd one won''t come, nor the sides can change places. That''s what the Ferocity should be, unlike the others.¡±


    Pakutan made his own guesses while talking to himself and coming up with the reasons on the spot.


    ¡°Sounds like a good start,¡± Murai added. ¡°Think of this better, and you should manage to strengthen your godhood too. The same could be done with anything, and even Presence or your Samsara Rings could come your way. But this is business about Blessings. Not the Godhood. The Ferocity is certainly a maddening idea already.¡±


    ¡°NO! Blessing of the Ferocity is a core of something better! MY idea is to give a Blessing so large, none shall question my PATH! Including the mana, that should be it! Give me a few days to a week and I will figure something out! This is of utmost importance. Blessings shouldn''t be forceful and make living more chaotic... Dividing it for something better is much better. Yes. Yes. Chaos. Mana. Chimera and others. Countless. Right, that too.¡± Pakutan said in agitation, thinking with his words as his Will shook and wavered.


    Without a change of his mind, he retrieved his Divine Sense out of the land of the mortals, leaving Murai alone without giving him anything in return. The pressure disappeared, and even Lisa became free from the pressure that was putting her soul on the floor. Even Murai almost collapsed but remained on his feet to the bitter end. This discussion was quite straining on his mind. So much so, that something was happening to his body and he couldn''t even notice it. He grew a pair for sure.


    ¡°M-Murai Hisagi...¡± Lisa struggled to put her head upwards and forced herself to kneel.


    ¡°What? Never heard of the Descent of God''s Will before? This was a fine business talk for a Blessing for sure, wasn''t it? I thought you were part of the Pantheon, and this Pakutan should be part of your Demonic faction if I am not mistaken.¡± Murai asked, turning his face towards Lisa behind him.


    ¡°Yeah... I guess. The thing is, your legs are shaking.¡± she said weakly, paying attention to his trembling legs. Murai was more than pissed off afterward, and even somewhat embarrassed.


    After a while, both of them calmed down, minding their own mistakes, and thinking about what had just happened. The counterarguments that Murai said, made sense. Since the pressure was gone, he was somewhat satisfied, but this wasn''t the kind of attention he wanted to give to a God.


    Pakutan straight up left, leaving him to wait for behind nothing.


    ¡°I am seriously underestimating the length of your experience and power, Murai Hisagi,¡± Lisa said, frowning as she floated calmly before him. ¡°For you to haggle with the Rank 2 God seems to be less problematic than a fight against a golem. I never heard anyone below an Extreme talk like that to a God, since they can cause disaster to any kind of mortals if they get pissed off enough.¡±


    ¡°Hmph... Who do you take me for, Lisa? They are still living beings and could be even stranger than some of us. But you are forgetting an important factor of this descent. Do you think this case was normal? This case of the Blessing? Is this how it''s done in this world?¡± Murai asked, indicating something meaningful.


    ¡°Well, this was the Divine Sense with encompassing Divinity so the Blessing should be the reason since the Will of the Battleworld said so about this Dungeon. It should be the systematic cause, since this is a Somalis Dungeon we are talking about. That God said it was under his supervision for many years, and secretive. This is probably some stash... for that flower aside.¡± Lisa assumed.


    ¡°I thought so too, but he left. I hope this didn''t cause some sort of problem with this messed up system that this Lordis guy created, and hopefully, the Battleworld will still give me my rewards.¡±


    Speaking of wolf and wolf around the corner, the Will of the Battleworld descended to the cave next. It was a different kind of feeling from God''s Will.


    Encompassing it was much weaker intent, but there was also something different about it. No Divine Sense of any god was present this time around, but it seemed harsh and sharper.


    [Somalis Dungeon: Acaman Tower ~ Acaman Grounds vanquished, and your presence at the end of the Tower is for your taking]


    [All time limitations were within the rights and will be rightfully claimed]


    [Following all of the rewards that you have accomplished within your path, including the case of your own comprehension and rewards, are there as well]


    [YOU! - Level Up]


    [Current Level 8]


    [Atributes are streghtned]


    [Beak''s Fury gained a fundamental strength because of your careful use and management of your efforts along with the kill of an Acaman Golem that wasn''t supposed to be destroyed, but oh well...]


    [Beak''s Fury - Level up, Level up, Level up]


    [Your time in the drenched state, including the use of Diving Sphere or not, allowed your mana to shape up a little better, gaining you a better understanding]


    [Mana Shaping has been improved by 3 Level ups]


    [Mana Pool has been improved by 50 points]


    [As for the additional rewards of your effort and fight against the Acaman Golem, the following rewards are.....]


    [Brand new Ability and Affinity reached]


    [Mana Sharpness: Your humble tries with the Mana Blade and Javelin allowed you to get familiar with the state of the Sharpness. Your mana, including the Flame in itself, has reached the state of elemental affinity and better Shaping.]


    [Each can be used separately, or in conjunction with the other, but be careful, the world of mages is a tough place. Experimenting within, or around them, the way of Mana Affinities can lead to many disasters and problems for one''s Mana Core. Take too much, and you will suffer. Take too little, and it will be poor]


    [Mana Sharpness: Affinity with the influence over the Shaping of mana.]


    [Your Shaping within the spectrum of Sharpness will be greatly strengthened, flowing more naturally, and gaining special potency in sharpening]


    [Grade D: Your familiarity with it is already better than usual. Not bad]


    [Your Beak''s Fury is great, but the vast variety of Abilities within the repertoire of Anatidae are much stronger than their Fury. For the time being, Beak''s Fury is in its core state, but the future may be different]


    [Get familiar with it some more and evolve the abilities to brand new heights. For the time being, a new species ability has been created]


    [Beak''s Peak]


    [Beak''s Peak: Physical and mana-based ability of the Anatidae species. It''s nothing fancy, but the Anatidae are fancy, to begin with, negating the fanciness altogether]


    [Beak''s Peak is a part of the Peak! This ability allows you to strengthen the power of your physicality, core, and beak to greater heights, allowing you to push and strike the foe with much more significant damage than ever before]


    [But be aware that channeling is a sworn enemy of many mages, and this ability holds some advantages and disadvantages. It isn''t any different for you as well. The speed of the channeling of Beak''s Peak can take a few seconds, depending on your control of the mana and this ability]


    [Furthermore, tries and experiments with it may include and perform additional effects and get your Beak''s Peak additional flavors. Further strength and experiments around the channeling that works in tandem with your Beast Core which means Shaping and Conjuring along with Mana Affinities, are also included. Beak''s Peak is part of magic after all]


    [Basic premise of its power: unknown, depending on the amount of Mana used it is roughly at 20 to 25]


    [Grade C]


    [Level 1]


    [Your soul, core, and whole being have undergone the battle to close dying. Your Will is firmer than should be]


    [Will +4]


    [Your Soul was calm, yet the mind is too]


    [Soul Power +3]


    [The underwater state within the Somalis Dungeon made your Beast Core drenched in the richness of the Mana and usage]


    [Mana Replenishment has gained 2 Level ups]


    [Mana Detection has gained 2 Level ups]


    [As for the Dungeon rewards, you are allowed to take two things within the jurisdictions of Somalis Dungeon that work and consist of the World Essence Trove. According to the tokens of the Gate of Wisdom, you can take 2 things from there, excluding the World Essence, that is. Too bad]


    [Purchases of the additional rewards will come forth through the lists with prices later]


    ¡°FUCK YOU!¡± Murai quacked loudly at this message. These single two quacks echoed within this cave for a couple of seconds, leaving Lisa surprised.

 Chapter 32: Gates of the Rewards

    Alas, the Will of the Battleworld didn''t respond to Murai''s words, since it wasn''t one to do that, yet. It continued with what it had to say regardless of Murai''s anger.


    [With the addition of the 800 points of your time and your efforts, you are free to take what you see fit]


    [Availability of your choice out of the surrounding around the World Essence are slim]


    [enchanted Mana Flower Acacia - Grade A - 1 leaf for 100 points]


    [enchanted Pouch of Mana Dust - Mana Crystals of Grade B - 200 points per pouch]


    [enchanted Crystalis Alamander - Grade A - a handful gem for 200 points]


    .


    .


    .


    .


    [And at last, World Essence known as Everflower - Grade? No need for that. Price? 10 000 points]


    The list was surprisingly simple, and even Murai was getting tired of listening to each and every one of them. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, what he learned was something that he expected, albeit the last listing angered him greatly.


    Everflower for a freaking 10,000 points?! They don''t really want to give it away, yet made it into the points regardless of that? What a bunch of fuckers. What is wrong with them? How could someone defeat th... Nevermind. I think too much of it. It is just an excuse for this treasure. This dogshit Trial is also out of its mind. Murai complained, and even Lisa, who sighed and shook her head, felt someone disappointed in hearing Murai''s thought.


    After all, what did this imply? A lot, frankly speaking. The core of what 10 000 points meant was a rule and Murai was yet to recognize it. In a most truthful manner, it was a rule stated by this system, making the Everflower purchasable from this part of the Somalis Dungeon. As for how? That was the problem of the balancing, but it was a possibility, which was frankly speaking... a ridiculous challenge that would cause God''s Descent for sure. Lisa recognized it for sure.


    Who would manage that since the degree of needed points was absolutely terrifying?


    Lisa understood it, as well how important this sort of treasure seemed, albeit she never heard of World Essences before, let alone a specified Everflower. She didn''t understand the agitation that Murai went through, but it was not like she could offer him any encouragement.


    After all, he didn''t need them. The rewards that were available for his 800 points were worth the effort, and Murai got many of them. They weren''t any godly materials, but they should be useful in any regard. He can even choose them, which was much more precious than one would guess.


    It''s not like the rewards were up to the Battleworld''s decision, as usual, so that was at least good in her opinion. Freedom of choice was always good to have.


    Murai forced his anger away, feeling that the rewards of this grade were great, but not something that would blow his life away. At least his own power improved in the following gust of powerful boost from the World. He got whole 3 levels towards his Beak''s Fury, and many improvements in abilities spoke for themselves.


    Lisa, I didn''t get any Attributes... yet this gust of power jolted my body as if it did.


    ¡°But strengthened they become, Murai Hisagi,¡± Lisa said. ¡°They aren''t always given, and you have got some, so whatever. Sometimes, Level gives effects of Strengthened Attributes from this boost. It strengthens your core of them, and their number becomes more important. Got it?¡±


    Murai nodded, feeling it seemed to make sense. Then he complained for a long time about the gates even though his energy was limited.


    He got his boost, but the Will of the Battleworld was yet to finish its message.


    [For the sake of the Somalis Dungeon and the Battleworld, you have cleared the one-life event. You will never be able to come back to this place, so choose the things that you can take away according to your desires]


    [Your following of the Gate of Combat leads you to the Throve of the Acaman Family. Any kind of tome, weapon, and scroll from their storage is up for your choice and your future fate]


    [As for the sake of Somalis Dungeon, your privileged attempt led to satisfying results]


    [You have been gifted with the Key of Remembrance according to the following desires of the Somalis]


    [New Equipment gained]


    [Key of Remembrance - it is a mental mark of the Somalis Dungeon, allowing you to reach, and get to the higher stage of Somalis Dungeon depending on your fate, or direct confrontation. It is a key as well as an optional entrance required to unspecific dungeons. It will be able to discover a random location of one kind of Somalis Dungeon like this one, but only if you are close enough]


    [You have a new Status]


    [Explorer of Dungeon - It is a small passive ability that acts within the range of your Anatidae lineage and its past. It''s in shambles with the Beast Core, and Wisdom, furthering the ability of the Mana Detection to new lengths]


    [Mana Detection is improved by 5 levels by the definition of your Wisdom, your Soul, and Shaping]


    [Soul Read - additional 3 Level up by your familiarity with the detection]


    [Mana Detection is bigger than your own level! What a stroke of luck!]


    [With the end of the Dungeon, you have reached the end of this path. You may leave the dungeon after getting your rewards]


    [Good work, citizen, and may the Battleworld give you plenty of other challenges]


    At last, Will of the Battleworld reached the end of its messages, leaving Lisa glad, and Murai somewhat restrained in his anger. By this point, he stopped complaining and rather walked towards the Gate of Combat in order to think of something else.


    First, he should check the Gate of Wisdom, but he wasn''t willing to do so after hearing he couldn''t get the Everflower at all. That was a small disappointment, but a rather unreasonable desire. He could live with that. It wasn''t as if he could steal it. That would be a death wish since this place was under the protection of Pakutan, or perhaps someone else, since God''s Statue had no Chaos within it, unlike Pakutan.


    Murai wasn''t sure what to think of this Eveflower but knew why it was here. This sort of thing should be sought out by the Gods like a precious treasure so why was it here? He couldn''t guess that. Maybe for it to act as a farm? A small way to improve and fuel up the surrounding materials or the Dungeon as a whole?


    He could be thinking all he wanted, but that was the end of it.


    Going with the second thing that interested him, he reached the library beside the Gate of Combat.


    Viewing the many kinds of books, scrolls, and weapons around, he wasn''t sure what to think of his choices. There wasn''t anything strange to this corner, unlike the Everflower. Everything seemed fine, as if no time passed in this place, even though centuries passed since the destruction of the Acaman family.


    Murai noticed that this corner was under time regulating kind of spell, making the books nor weapons form no deterioration. It was a kind of tough spell to do, let alone fuel for a long time. Only an extremely powerful mage should do this sort of spell to last this long. That, or this was the work of time manipulating God? Pakutan have some hands in this, or did someone else? Murai guessed this may have something interesting.


    Looking around in the most redundant and passive manner, Murai flipped some books and scrolls on the lower shelves, and on the tables. Sneering, he wasn''t satisfied.


    Basic... Meh. This? That? What is this? Dog''s shit. Is this really a trove of the Acaman family? They seemed plenty good if God would find them interesting. What a waste of time and effort.


    ¡°What do you mean!?¡± Lisa said, floating above him and viewing the content as well. ¡°Those are great, as far as I can see. Many are good, and usable for your level, but maybe not for your... high control, or whatnot. Is this why you are complaining? That it isn''t good enough?¡±


    ¡°Damn straight. All of them are intermediate, but even a beginner with high aptitude can learn advanced stuff. I don''t want to waste too much time, you know?¡± He said, kicking a bunch of tomes lying on the ground.


    ¡°If that is so, then pick a fighting technique, or a weapon, and not something that you consider "simple" from these tomes. Your experiences may be good for your Shaping and everything. I also noticed some of your familiarity with runes that you used against the golem, so that also put a lot of other things forward. Mana Runes, Mana Roots, and others should be to your liking in these tomes, or a simple specific spell tome should be sufficient?¡±


    ¡°Give me a break with those hints. I know what I can do, thanks for asking. hm!¡± Murai unhappily quacked, ignoring Lisa, yet she kept talking.


    ¡°You shouldn''t feel bad about any choice. Taking something unique may end up being much better than something normal. The tomes are one resource that one can buy in any kind of city. You should pick something that is well outside of the normal kind. Most Delvers do this sort of thing with the rewards from accomplished Dungeon, you know? It''s one of the best ways to get your hands on ancient magic.¡± Lisa explained, looking through a bunch of Tomes and scrolls at the high-raised bookshelves that Murai had no access to.


    ¡°Yea? For once, I agree.¡± Muruai unwillingly replied. ¡°I don''t want something simple, but not something I had to worry about either. Look at the shelves above and tell me the name of the tomes. I can''t be bothered to check everything, and I can''t even reach that far.¡± he ordered and Lisa couldn''t help but agree.


    ¡°Fine. I can do at least that much.¡±


    ¡°Wait. Wait a second.¡± Murai stopped himself, looking at Lisa as if he noticed something.¡° Did you just say that the tomes can be bought? How expensive those can be? I have no idea about the monetary value of this world, and I bet the mana and stuff surrounding the magic are nothing but expensive. Do you know the worth and valuables of this world?¡± Murai asked, knowing that this sort of topic should be quite important, but he forgot to mention it.


    ¡°Oh? That? Worth, and value. They all depend on the context. Mages usually rely on the mana materials with grades, and their rarity and needs. Something can be cheap or expensive depending on the seller and the market. Mostly, it depends on the grade of things. Everything resolves about it. In a Tome, its value, history, and how the quality of its internal structure is looking like, all play an important part in values.


    ¡°Stop spouting common sense, and tell something specific.¡± Murai barked at her.


    ¡°What specific? I am still explaining things as I want. I get that you know the basics of the tomes, so let''s leave it there. Just so you know, there are a lot of mages in this world thanks to the Battleworld and its system. Humans base their value on any kind of monetary value they have. Gold, or haggle with other mana materials. For example, the shards, potions, dust, and so on. Depending on their Grade, of course. Something can be cheap for others. Its basic economics of interest and demand.¡±


    As a former mage and current magical beast, Murai was intrigued by the prospect of the magic material. Of course, Murai wanted to pick a road of greatness, and not some basics. They weren''t up to the task to his standards, as he wasn''t used to regular roads in the past. Using this opinion would lead to a faster rise to power and that was something he desired in recent lives.


    He liked to do things by force, trying to overcome the hurdles of the many lives with knowledge, power, and wisdom. Especially right now, he wanted to continue doing that since he had so much on his mind, and his possibilities were endless.


    Murai heard her words and considered it as nothing surprising. Within his heart, he was kind of impressed by the Battleworld and the possibility of strengthening oneself from this sort of system. It had a rather interesting and unique power dynamic that the worlds before this one lacked. It made him appreciate help in regard to information and the structure of power, but it wasn''t as simple as that.


    After all, it also included being a duck, albeit only to a certain extent since he was a demonic beast, with mana, and some unknown demonic roots.


    Murai figured that Lisa finished, so he started to look left and right, turning the lower section of the library upside down. He was curious to find any kind of interesting thing, that could be either old or older. He wasn''t interested in some basic elemental spells that a mage could learn from simple things, but the question was, would there be something for him?


    Spells were easy to figure out in the shape of mana tomes. They were structural magic, with intentions, elements, and flow of the spell or anything at its source. How they were written and created by magic, was dependent on the finalized product and intentions of the maker.


    That meant anything that mage had in their Path or anything within their magic. If a beginner mage would learn and consume the tome that held a basic structural magic of the Fire Ball, the tome would allow the mage to comprehend the basic form of the Flame Affinity. With it at the Mana Core, it can lead to comprehension of the Fire Ball in a couple of days.


    That was one of the reasons why Lisa was so surprised when she saw Murai conjure the Flame from nothing else than the mana. It was kind of strange since he held no Flame affinity before, yet he gained one from nothing. In the principles of mages, that she was familiar with, Murai was unique.


    Minutes flew by and even Lisa was forced by Murai to help out. She handled the old, and ancient tomes and scrolls with great interest, and expertly told him their brief content.


    Murai always grunted in displeasure, dismissing even Grade A magic Tomes of space, lightning, earth, water, or fire.


    ¡°Then what the hell do you want? Are you looking for something specific? You haven''t even been satisfied with the Blessing of a God for devil''s sake, so tell me,¡± Lisa shouted from above, eyeing Murai with unhinged frustration. ¡°WHAT do you want?¡±


    ¡°There wasn''t any Grade S stuff, am I right?¡± he asked, unbothered by her issues.


    ¡°Oh, a tiny duck wants a Grade S, or wishes for one? Even if you got one, it would be hardly used by you, since its content may be too much for your current progressions and tiny little legs to carry this sort of thing. In fact, those should be rare, with hints of god''s hands, or top-tier mages behind their creations. Considering the end of the Acaman lineage, I doubt they had any of these.¡± Lisa guessed, following what she assumed to be the most likely reasoning.


    Murai couldn''t help but agree with it too, so any idea of Grade S Tomes went out of his mind. So, he remained listening to Lisa and continued looking for something that would pique his interest. It came later when Lisa shouted the name of a tome, which was kind of interesting, and caused him to recall something from his memory.


    ¡°What? Repeat that,¡± he asked, glancing at Lisa, as he wasn''t sure of her words the first time.


    ¡°Mana Inferno - Shaping and Conjuring of Rudolf the Great. Grade A Tome.¡± Lise repeated.


    ¡°That one! That will do.¡± Murai said, smirking with a strange glint in his eyes.


    Lisa didn''t know what was up with that, nor did she care all that much. Grade A shouldn''t be that bad, and considering the Inferno, which was under the premise of the Flame, she probably understood why Murai found this so interesting.


    With some difficulty, she forced the tome to fall from the shelf, falling a bit away from Murai. He looked at it with great interest as if he were looking at a precious treasure that he desired for a long time.


    What was before him was a simple book with regular physicality. Though, hidden underneath the leather cover was a mana tome or something entirely different. On top of it, he noticed all kinds of diagrams, and runes around the exterior of this cover, creating a rather strange and locked mechanism behind a crossed rope around it. Behind the rope, there was the name of this tome, which had strange elvish symbols depicting its name.


    Murai could read it, meaning the elves in this world were the same as the ones he met on other planes of existence.


    Well, this is a rather surprising old friend. I wonder if you ever thought I would come here, or if you were the unlucky one instead. Murai thought in a rather strange melancholy, learning, and finding the source of this familiarity rather hilarious.

 Chapter 33: Greedy choices, and a Gift

    ¡°M-Murai?¡± Lisa asked with half of her usual style, glancing more at him than the Mana Tome on the ground.


    ¡°Who is Rudolf the Great of this world? Does this name appear in some of your memories?¡± Murai asked, turning his face to Lisa above him. The glitter in his eyes was still apparent from this brief acquisition of this tome.


    ¡°Rudolf? I guess some kind of mage, but I can''t think of every great mage there is, and ever was. I don''t know him, nor it did remind me of anyone in particular.¡± Lisa shrugged her arms, dismissing the book''s owner, or a writer. ¡°Why? Are you curious, or do you know something about him? It''s just a name. Why so serious? It could be a different Rudolf if you are asking about that name. As for the tome itself, it''s probably some advanced Shaping of Flames or whatnot. It is nothing fancy, nor something is off about its mana fluctuation. It seems like an ordinary Grade-A treasured tome of a great mage.¡± Lisa deducted, floating closer to the front of the closed tome, which was bigger than herself.


    The tome was about 25 centimeters tall and about 15 centimeters wide. As for the pages and how thick it was, Murai didn''t know that, since the cover and rope around it prevented any eyes from discovering what should be underneath it. Though, it shouldn''t be anything big. A few centimeters thick was the basic idea, but it was shrouded by the leather so it may be smaller than it was.


    Outside of that, it had one major factor that Murai realized. It had a strange rope in a crisscrossed fashion around the leather cover, making it secured. Tight, and sturdy it was. The knit on the rope seemed it wouldn''t open unless someone forced it, or ripped it apart.


    Hehehe... No. I am not even sure why I asked that because I know it''s him. It is HIM! It''s about the mana of that old fool. I bet he died and got sent here too. Considering his luck, it would be... funny. Well, that should have been a long time ago, considering the state of this place, so what did he do here?


    Murai wondered, watching the cover, and feeling the mana coming off of it. As with any mana object of this kind, it was created by a great mage with an abundance of resources and brilliance like many others.


    In fact, Lisa couldn''t tell much from the start. She didn''t know why Murai was acting like that, since her own feeling about the mana was hers, and not Murai''s. She held no recollection or memories like him, so it was no surprise. Murai discovered the familiarity with the name and the basic form of the word great, carried a special intent.


    No one else but him would be brave enough to be called Rudolf and also have the great after his name. That was a one-of-a-kind circumstance, which may not be as unique to this world, but Murai was sure of his hunch. Worry about anything else no longer mattered to him, as this tome may be more than meets the eye.


    He could only guess the meaning of this tome, but its owner and writer were obvious. No one else but someone from one of his past lives should have this sort of intent, idea, and feeling.


    Rudolf was an old pal of Murai and one of the senior citizens of one of his more special lives. It was the 2nd or the 3rd life within the influence of the River of Manaflow, which allowed him to have a better understanding of the mana, albeit, not the greatest. Rudolf the Great was the first proper teacher of magic he ever had and one of the craziest people he ever met.


    They became a good friend later on, and surprisingly, Murai never once felt bad or ashamed about their friendship. That even included the political aspect and rather strange Rudolf''s personality. He was somewhat of a maniac for world domination, which made him rather domineering, unique, and chaotic.


    However, it wasn''t the case of him being a sadist or being too brutal, as the word domination had many implications. For once, he was never intending to kill all humans, mages, demons, or any kind of good or evil.


    He was a simple man of simple belief. He wanted to be a clear winner at the apex of power, and he was also a person who influenced Murai the most in his earlier reincarnations. Those were simple times when he lived dozens of years under his influence and teachings. They furthered his horizon, enabling him to view mana differently.


    What Murai felt from the tome wasn''t the simple mana fluctuation that Lisa felt. It wasn''t some kind of mana or series of regular spells, runes, and words. It was also weak and faint. It was a signature, as well as a clear indication of the Mana Intent. A greater-than-average mage made this book, and if Murai''s hunch was correct, it may hold many secrets of utmost care.


    Smirking, Murai picked the tome by the rope with his beak and began to walk toward the Gate of Wisdom. He will take this tome as his one-time reward from this Gate of Combat. He guessed he discovered this deep familiarity thanks to the improved Mana Detection, or perhaps he would feel this familiarity anyway.


    He wasn''t one to guess it, but he felt that each level of his abilities that World boosted him with, felt peculiar, making his prowess and mana better without spending many days doing so himself. It was like a gift or blessing. It was cheap and easy, happening by itself and giving his body quite a noticeable boost. It was also forming, improving, and shaping up the Beast Core itself, which was quite an interesting premise.


    Hence, his improved understanding and usage of his mana could play a big part in uncovering this signature and Intent.


    Behind him, Lisa looked at him, and then at the mess they left behind. All sorts of books were in shambles, and it was mostly Murai who wasn''t really good at doing things in a tidy manner. He was a duck, after all, so he wasn''t so gentle with them with his beak. ¡°Well, I am cleaning this mess.¡± She shook her head and followed Murai to the World Essence Throve.


    Murai wasn''t interested in the weapon selection, or the many kinds of magical tools that were there. He was a duck, so it made sense. Staffs, knives, and all kinds of mana talismans that can help with conjuring or shaping the mana were there. Many even held some stored spells. None of them was something a duck would find appealing to use, so what was the point of them for him? Limited, if none.


    Murai dropped the tome to the ground, feeling the clear message of the Wil of the Battleworld that his choice had been made.


    As for the trove, Murai looked at the barrier, but he continued forward. The moment his beaks touched the surface, they didn''t dissipate before his eyes, but he walked inside instead. He can take 2 things from here, as well as buy a couple of things from the 800 points he had.


    It was kind of funny since Murai didn''t view the points as valuable at first. Now, upon stepping into the barrier, Murai was hit with an incredible storming river of mana, seeping from the World Essence that no longer had a stopping force thanks to the barrier.


    The barrier itself shook, becoming clustered and weak. It broke off to certain restrictions and spells, and all the encompassing mana behind or within the Everflower seeped forward. It hit like a wave, but Murai stood firmly on the ground unshaken as his Robust Spirit cleared his mind.


    Expected, a tiny little flower... I won''t take you, but I will take your other treasures.


    Instead, it was Lisa, who struggled and the push of force pushed her to the distant wall across the whole room. It was like a hurricane of mana, enveloping everything, and forcing everything under tremendous pressure. Flabbergasted and waving in her physicality and Soul Form itself, she felt the massive amount of mana within the surroundings the moment the barrier was opened.


    ¡°What is that? This treasure? Isn''t it a Celestial artifact? Is it directly involving the Gods under the Somalis, or is it something beyond?¡± she wondered, feeling the source of this mana to be anything she had seen before.


    Alas, she was able to sense the source. It was a tiny flower, with two swirling vortexes on top of its tiny, intangible body. It had mesmerizing colors of countless stars, brightness, and not a bit of Chaos.


    Murai eyed it with great intent, and greed and couldn''t help but curse this flower since he couldn''t pick it up.


    He knew it... It wasn''t possible since he would sooner die than get any kind of "something" from it.


    ¡°Well. I doubted myself... and I was stupid. It is here, so I may as well raid this place in the far future where the gods won''t be a problem for me... Nice joke. I am already kidding myself so early.¡± Murai laughed at his own fate, but only for a moment.


    No. No. That should work since it''s not... wait. Trial? This Trial! What if someone powerful enough would purchase it from the trial with barely any waste of time and effort? Purchasing the Mana Essence for 10,000 points would become a possibility in that case. Wouldn''t it be funny? Murai wondered, and as he did so, he began to pick his choices.


    It didn''t take that long, since all of the things here were enriched mana materials, treasures, and gifts that were undergoing quantitative changes thanks to World Essence''s involvement and its close proximity. So much so, that Murai had trouble with decisions, while this pressure of the Everflower was just a minor inconvenience.


    In fact, it wasn''t even the true pressure of the Everflower itself.


    Those would be stronger, forceful, and able to shake the mountains and change the flow of rivers.


    His body felt fine amid the pressure and flow of this mana that was part of a huge array made of countless tightly manufactured runes inside of this room. They were preventing this World Essence from undulating too much force and affecting this world in itself, or the Everflower was restrained in some other way.


    This may be the heart of this Dungeon, or something much bigger than that, but Murai couldn''t care less about it. His soul underwent those currents, while his own premise of reincarnation was much bigger than this measly flower.


    This was nothing, or so he wished to think amidst his greed and desires.


    Murai step by step went over many things and chose 2 choices without Lisa''s intervention. As for the purchased mana materials, he went with the most "basic" types of them. That included Vials and Dust treasures that were much better than any kind of it. Calling them mortal was also a bit away from the truth since their power, worth, and mana were unique and improved by the World Essence.


    Murai got what he wanted, albeit the core of this place was much more interesting.


    Instead of wanting the impossible, he dragged his choices from the barrier. When he stepped outside, the barrier emerged once again, making it impenetrable, with who knows how high of power. Level 70? 80? 100? Was this God''s involvement as Lisa said? Was Pakutan the source?


    No.


    Upon walking out of this storm of mana, the room outside of this corner calmed down. The forceful mana was restrained inside of the barrier, where it will continue being a farm of worldly desires, or perhaps something beyond.


    Lisa dropped from the wall, glad that she was finally freed from a couple of minutes of distress that she had no control over. Picking herself up, she floated back to Murai to see what he picked and if everything was alright.


    What was before the Gate of Wisdom was more than a duck could even keep. This left her with some questions about what was he supposed to do to handle that. Frowning, and making circles around the objects of great value, Lisa faced Murai, who remained silent.


    ¡°What did you pick for your 2 choices? I can see a bunch of materials of good value, but nothing extraordinary from your 2 choices,¡± She said, not knowing it from the eyes and feeling of the mana.


    1st choice was a dull stone, with a wide, and flat surface resembling a rock. It had a fiery undulating of warmth, with the appearance of a disc.


    2nd was simpler and something she recognized after a few moments. It was an extremely rich mana material. A metallic element and right and shape sharpness. It should be some rare variant of Mana Crystal of almost 2 times the Murai''s height with quite some toughness and unique sharpness that was hard to tame and guess. It should be useful for forging, crafting, runes, and machinery as far as she could guess.


    ¡°Unique Mana Crystal of Grade S with some... Affinity? Is that a Metal alone, or Sharpness? Why did you pick this one? Only great mages would use this sort of thing. You can''t use it or sell it yourself otherwise, it could cause you a disaster.¡± Lisa said in worry. ¡°And what is that disc? I can''t tell what it does at all.¡±


    ¡°My picks... My choice, Lisa.¡± Murai said, unbothered by her question, but appreciating the calm minutes that he used to pique his stuff. ¡°Anyway, what am I supposed to do with this? I could barely grab this Shard away, let alone travel with it out of the cave.¡± Murai assumed the obvious issue he had.


    So far, he was unable to determine any kind of space magic or anything that could be useful to store things up. Lisa also didn''t know what to do, but she thought about this problem, which had no solution.


    In a few minutes of picking the treasures and worrying about them, the tremors echoed throughout the Somalis Dungeon. An opening emerged from the ceiling, where a series of stairs moved toward the ground. It was a way out of this dungeon, much to Murai''s pleasure.


    ¡°Great. Am I supposed to keep these things then? How? What a waste...¡± he glanced at the pile of rewards that he didn''t know how to take with him.


    Alas, when fortune was met with misfortune, the Will of the Battleworld descended once again, informing him of a new message.


    [The choices have been made, with additional rewards from the 1st Trial too]


    [They amounted to a lot, forming steady rewards for a young duck such as yourself]


    [Maybe it was more than you can chew, which shows the choices within your greediness, desires, and acknowledgment]


    [How unexpected, yet foreseen]


    As the words echoed on, an undulation of mana and shaking space revealed a crack in the air behind the stairs. From there, a few dozen pouches and vials fell into the big pile of Murai''s rewards. These were the rewards from the 1st Trial, which amounted to 30 objects falling from that space crack.


    ¡°Great... More rewards. I think I am gonna break them apart or I will regret having them to begin with.¡± Murai complained, yet the Will of the Battleworld was yet to stop.


    [The end of your Somalis Dungeons is beyond the stairs. Your stake in the Dungeon has been successful, so good luck with your upcoming fate]


    [Reach the surface by the luck of these stairs, and travel safely to the surface]


    [At last, there has been issued a specific, and unique message. Will you hear it? Not like you have a choice to ignore it, so proceeding....]


    Murai frowned, and without a choice, as the machine voice told, a powerful, yet not Chaotic sounding voice penetrated his soul, reverberating it throughout, and almost making him choke in how sharp it felt.


    It was another God, and it was no Pakutan this time around.


    [Well then...]


    [The little duckling became a duck. Expected, and welcome indeed. What a time to be alive as well. Anyway, you have accomplished the Somalis Dungeon and even got yourself a few treasures that seem more than you can chew. That''s how I like things, and that''s how this is supposed to look but... It may be indeed too much, considering the eventful flower...]


    [No plotting or something eventful should be in your mind, but I doubt that is the case]  Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [This is the simplest thing in the Battleworld that I''ve made! Play with your desires, as long as you can be allowed to do so]


    [What I am supposed to tell is a simple message from one of my wives while my words have been, whatever... She has been nagging me for a while, and she is a fan of yours... Whatever the case or reason for that is. It''s complicated...]


    [She made something for you. It''s cute, or so she said in the strange context of her usual voice. I can''t give a crap about it, but a calm wife means a calm life, so there goes my Divinity and purpose, I suppose]


    [You have to reap what you sow]


    Then, from the space crack from before, a piece of leather, or something resembling a leather pouch fell. It resembled a bag that fell into the big pile of rewards, traveled down the pile, and ended its journey before flabergasted Murai.

 Chapter 34: Gods Gift and End of the Dungeon

    With the Gift of a God in front of him, the message that Lordis wanted to tell continued.


    [Also... I heard something disturbing in the notions of my control. I couldn''t help but notice your little intervention in how I do my work. Pakutan is strange and weird in his Chaos, but I can''t stand anyone going against my Battleworld and our reasons. He broke his Divine Pact, and you are the reason for that.]


    [You made him break a promise because of your intervention, which in turn, makes things difficult for me. Having such examples isn''t a place for your measly confidence or ploys. Understood? No? That is fine too because I will be making it very clear for your, and our sake]


    [I figured something out for you. A little trial, you piece of an animal. Heheheh. I am good with some reasonable demands that I made Pakutan solve. He will solve his problem, and I will even forget your intervention afterward. Whatever problem you made him do, in 100 days of your living, it will be that much harsher for your reality]


    [If you feel great about this, that''s good. I don''t. Getting his piece of Blessing is already subject to Rules, but he overlooked it, because of you. You better strengthen yourself because I will make you regret it all so much more than you wish. Regretting to go against me and others will be just an appetizer for the reasons that are hidden... and I hope to see and uncover them myself]


    Lordis''s words sounded deadly serious, and suddenly, the voice turned to the intent to kill that seeped with words alone.


    [In 100 days I will present you with the Level 50 God''s Trial, little duck. I hope your life won''t give you any headaches in this remaining life you''ve got]


    [It wouldn''t be fitting or would it?]


    Then the voice message stopped, and the Will of the Battleworld ceased to exist, leaving Murai''s trembling core and soul in peace.


    Murai glared at the rumble of his rewards but cursed at the God of Battle with all kinds of words. Some involved... well. They involved not-so-pleasant things that one would utter to their worst enemy.


    Lisa cringed, and both palms were around her face as if she couldn''t bother to show her expression at all. Listening to the same thing as Murai, she hoped she wouldn''t get this sort of attitude from him.


    ¡°Murai Hisagi... You? Pissing off a Ruling God of all beings!? You are insane... or really something else... Why in the seven hells would you do such a stupidity?¡± she uttered beyond her palm, crying and uttering it with honest frustration.


    Well... It seems that bastard already had some issue with me anyway, so there it goes. It''s rather soon to meet something akin to a God''s Wrath, but whatever. Murai thought, dismissing this to much greater heights than he was willing to admit.


    ¡°What is even God''s Trial, Lisa? Is this something that is distinct and special in the Battleworld? The word trial sounds more like a treasure, and reward opportunity doesn''t it?¡± he asked, unbothered by whatever Lisa thought or not.


    ¡°It''s... It''s punishment. More or less, you have pissed the Battleworld itself, so that''s about it. It''s a disaster.¡±


    ¡°Is it that bad? I haven''t done much at all. Yet! And I am already pissing gods off? That doesn''t make much sense.¡±


    ¡°SENSE?¡± Lisa asked, shouting. ¡°You aren''t making sense! You make no sense! It''s already Level 50! Of course, this is bad news. You just fought level 23 Somalis Dungeon and barely won. What do you think you can accomplish in 100 days? Reach level 50? Impossible.¡± Lisa said, opening her face with quite a frustrated expression.


    Murai sneered and thought. But it shouldn''t be just that, am I right? Levels are levels, and I am not as weak as level 8. It''s not like I gained a small number of things from this Dungeon and my experience works wonders. 100 days is a long time and I can do a lot of things. Shouldn''t this chance be passable for a God''s Trial?


    ¡°You... You are so na?ve, Hisagi Murai. You asked, yet you spoke as if you understood it already.¡± Lisa sighed and flew all the way to the bottom of the floor, where she assumed a teacher-like position. Crossing her arms, she pulled her head higher to look at Murai with a high attitude. ¡°Sometimes, I can''t even understand you, let alone help you when I can''t comprehend you.¡±


    Pointing a finger upwards, and strengthening her posture, she turned her face more serious than ever. Murai looked at her and almost burst out laughing, but he couldn''t force it.


    After all, he was curious about this problem, which seemed to be hiding some secrets. Angering Gods shouldn''t be that easy, so maybe the Pakutan and Lordis have much more complex issues going on. Like the Everflower, or they had an issue with him as a whole?


    If the reason for this whole punishment was his suggestive guesses, which included gaining bigger power, then it should be a fairly biased reason to punish him. It could also involve the politics and standings that made the world of gods that special, and that was something Murai more than understood. It wouldn''t change his decision though.


    Murai had his own desirable path and some of God''s plans could go away, but what if the truth was much simpler? What if Lordis had personal problems with him, even though he never met him before?


    After all, Murai was only active against very specific and certain gods in his previous lives - and not everyone was known to him by their name, divinity, or Path alone. Those were mostly singular meetings - often ending in his death - but not always.


    Most plains of his living were places under the surveillance or ownership of certain gods and that much he realized a long time ago. He never was in a void, or nowhere. This Battleworld was like that too but multiplied by 10 by his own guesses since the Gods thought of this world as nothing but a playground.


    With that untold, Murai couldn''t help but think of a reason to desire more. Who else would explain this current predicament - forgetting his Cursed Living - than his Life Companion? He had no one to rely on for the moment, and gaining information was important. That was already well-understood desire in Murai''s mind.


    Lisa saw and felt that fact in him, so she voiced it as she could. ¡°As I said, Murai Hisagi. God''s Trial is a form of punishment for the sake of the Will of the Battleworld. It is for the God of Battle to decide and oversee this thing according to his wishes and punish some actions that shouldn''t have happened. Just so you know, I also went through this form of punishment twice, but it was because of different reasons and desires. Yours directly involves the decision and standing of the Gods and running of the Battleworld. It''s a stupid reason, and frankly speaking, terrible and deserving of this punishment. One shouldn''t involve oneself with gods, let alone argue or offer them some deal.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Stupid? They are stupid.¡± Murai said, chuckling and finding it rather funny.


    Lisa didn''t make much of a comment to him and rather continued.


    ¡°I did something against the rules that Battleworld ruled to some causes, but the case of the Trial was much lower... and private. Yours is bluntly speaking, quite harsh to be fair. Level differences besides, the talk of 100 days in your current life is like asking a child to beat an adult in less than a year. Such chances don''t look that good, get it?¡±


    ¡°Well, for once...¡± Murai said. ¡°I get it. Beat it, and it doesn''t matter any longer. Sounds simple, doesn''t it?¡±


    Lisa grunted, still forcing the seriousness on her face. ¡°I get it. You are confident. You can work around this time because of your attributes and the lineage of the Anatidae. That is true, but you are still na?ve because God''s Trial is different from some Somalis Dungeon. It can consist of all kinds of stuff. From fighting, taking up a mission that one couldn''t refuse, and all kinds of other types. It''s brutal. A heartless way of punishing certain problems that only God views as a punishment in their own book.¡±


    Murai sneered, looking at Lisa, who was shorter than his current height. ¡°I can see some reasoning in that since the Gods are like that. I am not surprised by your words, so I may accept it for what it is, regardless of anything. What if I end up failing the trial, for example? Will it be harsh like a punishment when forming a pact with a Devil or something?¡±


    ¡°Devil? You... Your view on gods is indeed peculiar.¡± Lisa said, unbothered by his way of talking about such a topic. ¡°I don''t know too many specifics, as these Trials mostly involve very specific circumstances. Each is unique and what it entrails isn''t clear until the Trial starts, so no one is prepared for it. It can be a life-and-death battle, a curse, or doing... something that goes against one''s will. I heard a one time, where the Trial entailed killing a loved one or something along those lines. It wasn''t that crazy since it also involved a devil, or so I heard. Battleworld is known to be a righteous place, as far as I understand.¡± Lisa explained.


    ¡°Oh, so it''s also hypocritical? What a surprise.¡± Murai casually commented.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing... Continue.¡± Murai flipped his wing, dismissing whatever he just said as he walked towards his pile of rewards.


    While Lise kept doing her lecture, the leather bag, in particular, piqued his interest. It was what Lordis''s wife sent him for some reason. A fun service, or so he said.


    However, before he wanted to do so, Lisa moved before the treasure so he wouldn''t get distracted.


    ¡°Trial can also have many stages, and as you said, one can also gain something out of it. It''s part of perception, understanding, and comprehension that resolves around the Battleworld''s purposeful name. Things like your attributes, powers, grades, fusions, and even new abilities, can be granted. But!¡± Lisa shouted, posting her fingers importantly before Murai''s beak. ¡°There are no good tasks in this God''s Trial, unlike any kind of Dungeon or mission of the Battleworld. Got it? It is punishment, more than a chance.¡± she sternly added, leaving the bag and this pile of rewards alone, as she also wanted to know what they entail.


    ¡°Alright. Alright.¡± Murai nodded. ¡°You are done speaking so much useless sense. Let me see what that is first, while God''s Trial, or whatever it will be will wait for later. Reaching power around level 40 shouldn''t take that long. 100 days is 100 days, and I can already progress quite fast, Lisa. I haven''t been out of my egg for even a fraction of that number.¡± Murai said and finally gazed at the bag in the hope of seeing its details.


    It wasn''t a bag, but something close to that. It resembled a pouch, but it was bigger than a human head but not more than twice as big when it spread.


    Picking it up with his beak, it had 4 strips around it, making it seem like a bag or something... familiar.


    Something... I am getting a bad feeling about it. Cute? Nah... Nah!


    Murai tossed it to the ground, but Lisa was curious, wanting to see more of why Murai was so unwilling to take this God''s Gift. She was able to observe and even handle this leather bag much better than Murai could with his beak. Her physicality allowed her to do so, while her hands were handy - if that made sense.


    She immediately discovered what it was. It was a backpack. A tiny one for human standards, but enough for a duck to wear. The 4 strips could go along the lower body and neck, tightly fitting and securing around the body, so it wouldn''t move or slip away.


    Upon discovering this, Lisa''s mouth twitched a little, until she turned her gaze to Murai, who was looking at the backpack in a weird manner. She burst out laughing, having no other choice but to imagine a duck with a backpack. ¡°This is good. Way too good! So funny!¡± Lisa laughed out loud, leading to Murai''s clear dissatisfaction.


    The backpack in itself didn''t look that bad. It was made of tough leather that was light since the bag itself wasn''t that large. It was enough for a 30 or so centimeters tall Murai to wear it comfortably.


    Stopping her laugh after a while, Lisa smiled at Murai meaningfully, indicating some form of intent. She put forth her hand, placing the backpack towards him with an obvious message involving no words.


    ¡°I won''t wear that. Fuck off.¡± Murai quacked at her without even knowing what sort of bag this was.


    ¡°Come on! I want to seeeee!¡± Lisa pushed herself with a bag in hand towards Murai, who began to run away from her.


    Alas, the case of running away was quite a bad idea since Lisa could fly, and he couldn''t. She caught his neck, making quick work of securing the backpack around his back and neck as Murai rolled on the ground. Murai cringed, almost having a panic tendency to use all of his mana against Lisa. Alas, he didn''t have a choice in this, nor he could do something against her.


    Soon enough, the bag was on his back, and Lisa felt quite proud of herself.


    ¡°It''s small, Murai Hisagi, and not that noticeable. It doesn''t look that bad, for duck''s backpack,¡± she said seriously, yet her mouth twitched once again. This time, she was restraining herself for the sake of not angering Murai any further.


    ¡°Thanks... Really thank you. I think I am gonna throw up.¡± Murai uttered these words with utter killing intent, yet the strips didn''t put any restraint on his body, nor anything was wrong. It was as if the backpack wasn''t on his body at all. It fits well alongside his beck, and even around the wings. It still obscured them a little, but it was nothing that Murai found frustrating.


    Sighting afterward, Murai took a deep breath in and out.


    Can you check the insides of this thing already... I am... over this little joke and your enjoyment, Lisa. Murai ordered with his will, giving up and accepting the current circumstances. Since you are done with this... charade! You may as well check the Gift of God, don''t you? I can''t do much with it, since I am a duck, you know? No freaking hands, and a clumsy beak that can''t do much but strike and stab the foe.


    ¡°Gift? OH!¡± Lisa slapped her face, forgetting it was the case of Gift after all and not some fashion choice.


    Flying and taking a seat on top of the backpack, she was quick to discover the intricacies of this thing in a moment. The pouch was a compartment, hidden by a secured little rope that had very few runes around the top, making it seem like a spatial pouch that adventures used all the time. It was forming a circle around the holes in the leather, making it closed so nothing would go out of it.


    Opening it up, from within, a mana fluctuation surged out, shocking her a little. There was a small vortex inside the pouch for Lisa to see and feel. It was a familiar object and a thing of beauty and mystery.


    ¡°It''s a spatial treasure, Murai Hisagi,¡± she said, observing the core space of this pouch that could be many times larger than its physical capabilities. ¡°What a Gift! This could be a precious treasure that could be worth at least 50 pouches of Class A dust, crystals, or shards, but it can''t know its quality, or how much space it provides,¡± she added, surprised by these facts.


    Even the leather itself seemed to be of fine quality, but Lisa didn''t recognize it. She didn''t have it within herself to know all the extraordinary materials in the world.


    As for where this vortex came from, she knew it was the work of a powerful space mage. For all that she knew, many mages worshipped gods, in the hopes of Divine Kingdom or blessings. Making all kinds of stuff to please them in the hope of receiving their hope, wisdom, or Blessing, was thus understandable.


    Murai didn''t say a thing to her. He rather accepted the help of the wife of his... enemy? That sounded about right, since the beef between him and Lordis already started, and Murai had no intention of walking a different path than his previous lives. It was quite ironic and funny, to see himself now, but this was his life now, so Murai accepted this since he really needed this spatial object.


    After a few minutes with it, Murai felt a distinct connection forming in his soul. At first, it was a tiny little intent, but it grew stronger, but not enough to make any problem for Murai''s soul, or Will. It was making a small link to this backpack.


    Ho? This thing? It can be bound? Murai guessed, feeling the mana that this backpack let out, and something that connected to his soul. This wasn''t anything ordinary. There were runes on some sections of its leather, indicating nothing special but spatial.


    ¡°Bounding a Gift? Is that this kind of thing? It could be that. So, that could mean this is at least a Grand Gift!¡± Lisa guessed.


    ¡°Grand? What is so damn grand about this freaking backpack?!¡± Murai shouted at Lisa, unwillingly turning his flexible neck back, so he would see her.


    ¡°It''s God''s Gift! Wait and see. Will of the Battleworld will give you a message soon after this binding.¡± She said and right she was.


    A few seconds later, a message was put forth.


    [A throughout gift is up for yourself. It binds to your Soul, making it yours, as it should]


    [It is as special as it is spatial]


    [Spatial Bag made of Polugan Immortis - Level 93 - Space Beast from XXXXXXX XXXXXX]


    [Grade - SS - Grand Gift under God of Battle''s Wife]


    [Item is forged and crafted by a Mauricius of Tower Pagos. He is a Level 95 Primordial Mage of Lighting Path and an Involver of Bauricius''s Will]


    [It is a crafty methodical commission of Lady Pachi so be careful with that]


    [This item shall allow the user to have the Will to seize. Your Will wasn''t affected, allowing the treasure to pick its owner]


    [It binds to your soul, and no one else but you and your Life Companion will open it up thanks to your involved soul space]


    ¡°That''s quite a lot of origin information!¡± Murai thought, and even Lisa listened with quite some surprises. It was more than she would ever assume, or guess, but it did answer everything.


    ¡°I-involvement of level 95! Thats like... A lot! It''s God''s Will after all, but this gift... It''s too precious, but also useless to others, so... ¡±


    ¡°No. No. This is quite good, Lisa. It''s balanced to myself. I like it now.¡± Murai told, assuming a position that wasn''t the least problematic all of a sudden. ¡°In fact, spare no more thought on this, Lisa. Help me get this off of me and let''s store everything inside so we can move the fuck out. Those stairs have no time limitations, hopefully.¡± Murai stated and pointed his beak towards the middle of this room, not far from the submerged tower or his pile of rewards.


    Lisa nodded, no longer questioning this stroke of luck. No... Maybe this was a misfortune? She wasn''t sure, but one thing was clear. She agreed with Murai, so she helped him store everything that he gained in Somalis Dungeon in this backpack. That also included Rudolf''s Book, which Murai wanted to learn at some point in the future, but not right now.


    5 minutes later, Murai glanced at the god''s statue that kept emitting a certain aura. It was as if its eyes were watchfully glancing at him. Though, even if that''s the case, Murai smirked, stepping on the stairs, before hopping up and up into the darkness.


    He left this special kind of Somalis Dungeon''s version that was unlike many others. It was a brief adventure that one could meet at astronomical chances, and only enter once in a lifetime. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, that fact didn''t mean he couldn''t come here again, and Murai realized it. There were even other Dungeons, per Lisa''s comments, making them an interesting topic indeed. Murai held some hope of getting to know them better in the future since they posed as interesting premises to get powerful quickly.


    He gained a lot of power and things in this Dungoen, and challenging fights made him feel kind of good. Murai definitely felt a strange burning sensation through his blood when he thought of the Acaman Golem. That never happened in this life before, but it had a small familiarity with the time when he was a demon.


    Shaping a small flowing flaming orb, the surroundings of the tunnel were clearer to see, even though Murai had passive Night Vision. He liked to see things well, and Lisa''s body glowed not enough as a source of light, so she wanted to see the surroundings as well. She was happily sitting on the backpack, enjoying the rather comfortable premise of leaving this place.


    The stairs within this tunnel ended in the dark cave, with nothing in particular around that indicated a surface. It held no resemblance to the entrance of the Dungeon and seemed like a cave like any other.


    Murai willed his improved Mana Detection, which was quite good right now. It was enough for him to feel the surroundings around 20 meters around him. That was quite a lot for a small duck like him.


    There is nothing here. We are still deep underground. Murai thought and followed through the caves that went on and on.


    ¡°Well, the Will of the Battleworld told us this is leading to the surface, but it didn''t specify how, or when,¡± Lisa argued, making an obvious manner of truth, rather terrifying.


    So it was a prank and quite a good one? Is this like a freaking djin who grants wishes but doesn''t specify how? What a bothersome thing... Murai said, obvious that it should be the case.


    Hours went by, with nothing in particular happening. The cave system was much longer than Murai though, and he couldn''t see the end of it. The place was dull and had no mana either. He traversed with some difficulty in this place, but it was passable for his current physicality had good jumping and his own balance wasn''t bad either.


    It took some effort and luck to move through some sections until he met a wide and big cave. It was even bigger than the Acaman''s Grounds. This one had a lake, as well as running water from up and below. There were rumbling sounds, indicating that a river or waterfall was flowing here from the surface.


    Murai had the Mana Detection put forth for a long time, and he was getting tired of the constant journey that was way too long for his tiny legs.


    ¡°Seems like a good place to me. Time to rest and camp for a while.¡± Murai said, deciding to rest for a couple of hours. He will also catch some fishes he detected in this lake and perform some introductory readings of Rudolf''s tome.

 Chapter 35: Opening the Rudolfs Tome

    Lisa loosened the 4 strips around the Murai''s body, letting the backpack down. Like the duck that he was, Murai jumped into the water, flipping his legs to move forward and detecting fishes in the lake.


    Hmm? That''s rather a deep lake. My Mana Detections don''t even reach the bottom. Such areas of water need a steady water source, or am I in the mountains, or underneath something large? Morhgalis volcano? Tabula lake? Murai wondered before diving into the water without the use of his Diving Sphere.


    There wasn''t a need for that at the moment, as he was running out of mana and stamina.


    Lisa waited, sitting on top of the backpack of impeccable value. It was small, indistinct to think of it as a Grand Gift sort of treasure. She even considered this backpack to be quite small for her taste. It appeared more like a large pouch, considering the human-sized hand, but about 50% larger than an ordinary spatial pouch, or pouches of materials that she stored in this thing.


    Each reward that Murai got was one for mages to wield and desire. All of them were large enough to be too big for Murai to handle. Although, that fact didn''t seem to bother him since the treasure was a treasure. It was his, and using them could be possible, albeit bothersome and unreasonable right now. He was yet to do much in this life, after all.


    Watching the peaceful lake, Lisa didn''t wait that long until Murai appeared back at the surface. He caught 3 large fish in his beak, piercing them, or forcing them to the surface. He didn''t take long to hunt ordinary things, that had levels in the range of 10s.


    There was a lot of fish in the water so Murai had no intentions of being petty about it. Grilling them in a matter of minutes, before stuffing his stomach, he was glad to have a full belly until he had enough.


    This was his first meal since the start of the 2nd trial, which was hours and hours ago. Eater Status revealed nothing since they were ordinary fish and nothing seemed intricate to them.


    ¡°Now... Lisa. What are the current plans and what to do?¡± he asked in satisfaction, laying on his back, and facing the ceiling of the cave with his eyes.


    ¡°Plans? Isn''t it obvious?¡° Lisa sneered not so far from the place where he grilled his fish. ¡°You need to figure out the method to get stronger, or you will regret pissing off the Battleworld. God''s Trial! Remember it.¡± she nonchalantly added, also enjoying the view in her own manner.


    Murai couldn''t say anything to that, since she was right.


    Getting back to his feet, he solved his hunger so it was time for the event he was curious about.


    ¡°Get up,¡± he ordered Lisa, walking toward her, but not to her, per se.


    ¡°What? You want something?¡± she lazily said, sitting on the ground as she rested her back on the backpack.


    ¡°Get me Rudolf''s Tome from the bag. It''s time to see what he figured in this world, or what sort of thing he even left out there.¡± Murai ordered, expecting something great out of it.


    Lisa agreed as well, so in a bit, she picked up the tome by flickering her hand into the opening of the backpack. Through the focused mana coming off of the opening, she picked the tome with some unfamiliar struggle. The space in this place was large, and she had trouble recognizing things by the touch alone. Although, it wasn''t that hard since no other tome, or book was inside.


    Figuring out the motion of the space magic was quite a challenge for her current her. It shouldn''t be that difficult since she had wielded such things before. However, back then she was alive, but she never possessed her current physicality, which was limiting her strength and the things she may touch or wield. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In a sense, she had no physical senses as a Soul Form. Murai would struggle much more with this sort of thing, considering his lack of touch, and his clumsiness of being a duck.


    Pacing in front of the tome on the ground, Murai was looking at the cover with the name - Mana Inferno - Shaping and Conjuration of Rudolf the Great.


    Now. How to open you up, hm? Murai wondered, looking at the main thing on top that had all kinds of runes. It was a clear lock, indicating some kind of method that was for closing this tome against anyone interested in its secrets. It was a precaution put forth by Rudolf, which was something Murai had to figure out. Stuff about runes was complicated, but he would solve it in order to open it up.


    So, Murai moved his head closer, observing the runes on the surface of these intersected ropes and cover in itself. Ropes seemed to be the sturdiest defense and the key locking mechanism of locking this tome up.


    They appeared like small, almost unnoticeable symbols and engraving systematic lines, circles, or swipes of engraving knives. He had a small knowledge of such runes which had special and intricate designs. He also knew that he was never an expert on them, or paid full attention to them in any of his lives as a mage.


    In general, runes were a method of wielding and storing mana. It was to create all kinds of effects under the premise of intent and those symbols or words alone. It was one of the cores of structural magic that moved through the River of Manaflow.


    Humans created it a long time ago. It was one of the eldest and most complicated Paths one could follow. Lisa was of the same opinion and awareness of them, so she watched in silence what kind of tome or deal was with Rudolf the Great.


    ¡°Well, the Tome has his imprint of mana and it''s old like the tome itself. I doubt he is alive anymore, but whatever. It seems I will have to figure out some history of this world too, Lisa. For the sake of my curiosity and your knowledge of the current time, I want to know his history while you want to seek the world. It seems our common interest just crossed their paths, so what do you think about it?¡± Murai said, turning his head to curious Lisa who observed him from behind.


    ¡°For once, I agree with your words.¡± Lisa nodded, continuing to observe.


    Murai kind of struggled with his knowledge of the runes, and cracking, or using his beak against the rope would never work. It was the case of reinforced rope with runes, which were impossible to crack by ordinary means. Hard and tough they were.


    With the first cases of physical failure, Murai figured the physicality was useless, which made sense. Rudolf was a magic maniac, who disregarded the physical-based power in its fundamental form.


    Why would he not think that? The mana was the tool. A case of utmost mystery and countless possibilities, making any kind of hand-to-hand combat or weapons absolutely useless. That was at least his untouchable and caring opinion, and Murai uncovered that truth as well, albeit with more lives. Murai knew Rudolf''s philosophies and knowledge in this matter like the palm of his hand. Symbolically speaking, that is.


    So, the only choice he had was to solve it as a mage would - form an escape path with Mana Shaping to open this lock up. That meant forcing his intent, or move the runes, or destroying them completely. It could be either hard, or easy, but Murai didn''t know which was it, so he was kind of nervous.


    Hopefully, Rudolf didn''t do something crazy for the sake of his tome.


    That sort of thought was already a strange thing to consider and Murai couldn''t help but shake his head involuntarily. Of course, Rudolf would do some crazy shit.


    Knowing him, he was always a crafty fella, clever bastard, and maniac in terms of new things. The runes within these ropes weren''t that complicated but they required precision and control over the Shaping. It had to be gradual and slow. If not, the runes wouldn''t move, making the lock a powerful, unmovable obscurity.


    Murai was kind of surprised to see this kind of tome, considering it came from the Acaman family. This was looking like an ancient manual in his opinion, so why was this in the hands of the Acaman family? Was he part of them? He wasn''t sure but he wanted to know more.


    Shaping mana to the ropes, It took him some effort before he succeeded in covering the first rope whole with his mana. Then, in the following minutes, Murai pushed it against the rest of them. Upon feeling that nothing was going wrong, he twisted each rope to the left, then to the right, and left again.


    A single rope cracked, along with the runes that moved within them. The rest soon followed like a chain reaction. The knitted ropes loosened up on themselves, revealing the bare leather without any obscurities. The runes on top of it also changed its purpose, albeit Lisa didn''t catch that brief moment.


    Murai did.


    ¡°You know the stuff of runes rather well, don''t you?¡± Lisa asked, not understanding what he even did. She was feeling the surrounding mana, and even Murai''s use of his own. He put a particular Shaping towards the runes and mana within it, but as for what kind? She didn''t know.


    ¡°I don''t, really. It''s a structural kind of magic or so I heard is the right term. I didn''t practice it all that well but I can do a few things around them. Making them work in complicated patterns or doing some crazy stuff like the Rune Masters do, isn''t up to my interest. It''s a bothersome and time-consuming process which isn''t fitting to my style.¡± Murai excused himself and picked the cover with his beak, hiding his painful efforts that Lisa didn''t catch.


    He almost went out of mana once again, overdrawing on his massive restraining abilities in this complicated process of destabilizing this thing. In fact, Murai was now aware of it. His control over his own mana wasn''t good, but not terrible, simply speaking. He was always using too much mana and control in his Shaping, making it costly for simple use.


    Some learning was due since the Anatidae was the cause. But first things first. He wanted to get back to the surface, and no longer waste the time underground.


    Alas, this tome was his current priority and it wouldn''t take that long to take a look at it. Turning the cover to the first page, the seeping intent of the mana went off the tome, revealing the intent put forth by Rudolf. It was a mysterious intent that dispersed and reacted when he opened it up. Without any disturbance, shock, or pain, the intent revealed a calm action of whispering noises, words, messages, and emotional feelings.


    Murai felt a penetrative force of this intent going to this Beast Core, but more toward his soul. It wasn''t something that he expected, but he felt it once. It was forming a connection. A state of understanding beyond the mana, and it wanted to know him.


    It was seeking him, as he sought the state of comfort with this tome. It was as if the tome itself wanted to merge with his mind, which wasn''t something Murai heard before.


    It wasn''t like the usual things with the tomes where the content of the tome should be absorbed slowly. This thing literary wanted to go inside of him. The successful connection to the tome was the first thing a mage needed, but this was like a connection was trying to connect itself to him instead.


    There were too many things within this intent, making it rather complicated to hear and understand what it even wanted.


    Murai scowled, and Lisa jolted up upon discovering something was wrong. Comprehending the tome may be a complicated, or easy thing depending on the Grade, and the kind of tome in hand.


    Murai knew this one wouldn''t be a simple one, but he knew the writer and his habits, so what could go wrong? Coincidently, a lot of things, it seemed. As for this intent, he felt no danger from it. In fact, he felt excited, even though one of his rules was breached by this forceful intent that penetrated his soul, seeking something within.


    Glancing down to the first page, Murai noticed it had a portrait of a man, who glanced at him as if he was alive. The intent wasn''t trying to be harmful, but it wasn''t trying to be comfortable, and pleasing either. It was the page that spoke for itself instead.


    It was a stern-eyed man, with a brown mustache, but a mischievous face. His face was unlike his eyes, which were serious, and lacked no sort of ambitions. Brown-colored mullet went around his scalp, ending up behind his back. He had a short beard around a distinct mustache as if it was trying to make him somewhat younger, but he was clearly aged around the eyes and his forehead.


    Below the portrait was an introduction and a welcoming message about the successful entrance of the tome. It was the usual stuff that any kind of mage wrote for the beginning of their own Tome.


    [A dear asshole who dared to open this book and wasn''t eaten by my preying intent, nor the complicated notion of this book]


    [You have at least some resolve, or other mysteries within yourself, which I welcome. If you want to practice the teaching of the Great Rudolf, that is. I will give you a high mental mark while opening this thing, which proves your talent necessary to get anything from me, for your sake or my sake]


    [This Tome of mine is a series of my life! A good one, in fact. It''s one of the 10 Tomes I was able to make in Silence. I was hoping to make something for this Battleworld''s people, who eyed and took forces of Gods for millennia or longer. Still, it makes it my home, albeit one filled with meaningful Chaos like any other. It''s worthwhile, so why not come up with something that can shake the world in the far future? This Tome is that. I have been told that at least... by someone, I hide in this Tome]


    [Any of the 10 may lead to a certain interesting future or a future will seek one of the 10?]


    [Anyway]


    [This Tome is yours now. Learn, and hopefully, make due improvements within the many truths and things I figured about the Manaflow of this world and many other things. The usefulness of the tome may act similarly to the Battleworld. And yes, the World shall be also included, but be careful about some things. Gods may be watching everything I do, or did, or will do. The case of the 11th sun is PRIMAL and ALIGNING]


    [May the blessing of the mana be with us all, and you won''t be lazy or stupid when it comes to this opportunity. By the degree of the Great myself, you will be a novice of my Will. However, it depends on your Will too. If you feel inclined to think of me as a teacher, or... You may even hate me instead - for all I care about. I don''t if you read this anyway]


    [Rudolf the Great - Path of a Rude Mage]


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Heh. That''s so like him. I like it. I knew it, but still... Murai turned grim. He turned out to be a fucking human! Why wasn''t I something like this too? Freaking reincarnations! What kind of prank is this!? For the sake of the universe, I will make you suffer! Whoever did this! Murai scowled inside but calmed down and turned the page to the next one, which was an introduction to the chapters and what this tome was about.


    Huh? Mana Inferno. Rudolf practiced the Flame in this life too, unsurprisingly, or intentionally? Maybe I will give it a shot too since it''s one of the 3 forms of mana I perfected in my following reincarnations after getting to know him on that one. Murai assumed, and read the Table of Contents.


    The tome wasn''t made into many sections, nor it was the case of a small tome with the usual fundamental structure for a spell like a spell tome would have. This one included a complicated procession of basic elemental magic with the Flame in its core.


    It was incredibly complicated, and unfit for a Grade A since it seemed to include many lesser, medium, and highly advanced spells. However, unlike a spell tome, they shouldn''t be obvious to learn thanks to the intentions of this tome''s maker.


    Any kind of intentions and purpose of the tome depended on the maker of what the tome should include for the reader. Rudolf wasn''t the one to gift anything freely, so some efforts had to be put forth in order to get the most benefits. It was something up to Murai''s taste, and this tome can strengthen the core of his understanding of magic even with his life as an Anatidae Panacea.


    The tome was one of the 10 Rudolf made which Murai didn''t know what it meant. They may be a special tactic he came up with because of something, or someone. Were all of them special like this one? It would make every wielder and person who would be able to open the ropes stronger and understand certain things better.


    It was at this point that this semi-weird tone of intent spoke within the structural magic runes around the corners of the pages. It was a whispering tone, yet inaudible and weak, told in a weak machine-like manner that lasted a few seconds.


    Species - observing - monster - battleworld - levels - brief - memories - the source - origin - mana - core - Anatidae - demonic family - brief - points of interest - noted


    Proceed to page 54 to view the basics of the demonic mana and cases of Rudolf''s deep experiments and knowledge of the mana of the wild nature of demonic species. No Anatiade information was detected.


    Ho? Hmmm. Rudolf did something strange in this world. Pairing the fundamental intent to form a message that would involve the soul through the structural magic of runes around the tome? This is a rather complex magic that he didn''t have when I was with him.


    Did he improve over his life here? They would make this easier to understand for me, which is great but still... What a nice fella to brave the others. His schtick to others remained the same, I suppose. He ignores and hates the weak, but respects the power and abilities of those who are worth the Power. Murai concluded from the message that was whispering to his soul, so no one else heard it apart from Lisa.


    The rough intent of this structural magic had some strange mysterious manner that no one should figure out. Not even gods, unless their Wills was directly present, or they - themselves - were before him.


    It was like a mind on its own, indicating that this structural magic was different from the way mana ruled. It was left behind with the tome, digging to the successful opener, and reaching their deep consciousness under the premise of the maker, before coming back to the tome. It figured out small changes and hints for the sake of the one who opened it up. That, in itself, was strange.


    Mana wasn''t supposed to have such intentions along with the Intent that Rudolf left behind. Even when one put forth their own Intent to the tome it shouldn''t be possible to be like that, since it worked with the mana and not the other way around.


    In this case, this strange thing made the rundown of Murai''s circumstances. That included the body, bloodline, and basic structure of the mana, which was quite in line with this tome''s purpose, but Murai found it suspiciously surprising, as he never heard of this before. Structural magic that can create a speaking, and thinking - albeit limited - mind?


    Sounds ridiculous, but interesting. Murai thought and smirked.


    This was way out of the league for this world, thanks to Lisa''s brief rundown that she explained to him.

 Chapter 36: A change in stubborness

    By this point, Lisa long disappeared from her previous spot, and rather floated closer, hiding right behind Murai''s head for the sake of viewing this tome.


    She had nothing to gain from this, but her curiosity got hold of her. She will read it all since nothing much can harm her on a physical level, and getting to know more things like this was her privilege as a life companion.


    Table of the Content was the following.


    Chapter 1 - Introduction of the base of the Inferno.


    Subchapter A - The Beginning of the Flame


    Subchapter B - Familiarity with the Mana Core, the Flame, or the potency as a Handler.


    Subchapter C - Getting stronger S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Subchapter D - Flame Shaping


    Chapter 2 - Mana Inferno


    Subchapter A - A core idea


    Subchapter B - Intent


    Subchapter C - Mindless Shaping


    Chapter 3 - Beyond the Inferno


    Subchapter A - Techniques


    Subchapter B - Runes


    Subchapter C - Bloodlines


    Subchapter D - Mana Core


    Chapter 4 - Hints of the Greater Destruction


    Subchapter A - Flame


    Subchapter B - Disintegration


    Subchapter C - Annihilation


    Subchapter D - Conjuration


    Chapter 5 - History of Me, Great Rudolf, and Comprehension of Old and New


    Subchapter A - Mana


    Subchapter B - Battleworld


    Subchapter C - Abilities


    Subchapter D - world, evolution, and Fusion


    Chapter 6 - PRIMAL


    Chapter 7 - ALIGNING


    Any of the chapters didn''t surprise Murai''s beginning read. There wasn''t anything that was out of his touch, and everything made sense. It seemed Rudolf included a lot of things, while the meaning of Flame and Inferno made things rather interesting. However, there weren''t that many new things, making it less useful for him.


    Chapter 7 was the end of the Table of the Content, and Murai figured out what Rudolf meant before. The last 2 chapters, as well as the two words that his welcoming message spoke of, were quite clearly intended to be special.


    They were the words for a hint and the initiation of some form of runes within this tome. They were hiding secrets. That, or it''s a wordy effort that was hiding meaning that Gods weren''t supposed to know? They could also start some strange processing under the secrets of this tome''s intent.


    Murai speculated that the answer was hiding certain secrets that Rudolf decided to hide for the better of him or the readers of these tomes. No one should utter them or speak of them since they were a secret. Murai probably knew it was the case since the Gods were watching... He bet they would since Rudolf mentioned them too. Whatever it was hiding, whether it was good or not, wasn''t important.


    Murai knew what to expect. Certain secrets regarding the Gods or something that Rudolf feared to include openly, in fear of God''s knowledge, or interventions. That was why he pulled this secrecy to the last 2 chapters. For the time being, Murai wasn''t interested in them, since he already pissed off a god, so others should wait for their turn.


    That was at least his assumption so Murai dived to Chapter 1 and a bit further. He wanted to have a quick glance at what Rudolf was dealing with, and if he managed to get something new out of this life in the Battleworld. The Chapters themselves may not speak sense, but many things can become clear and detailed within them.


    And as he expected, what he was reading was good, yet not groundbreaking. The terms of Inferno were a tier of the information above the Flame. They weren''t the least bit confusing or unfamiliar to him The base knowledge of the Inferno and the Flame was something Murai was very familiar with thanks to the life he had with Rudolf as his student. Though this didn''t include his lives, let alone the present life, which should be quite unique. His life as an Anatidae can lead to some differences and new comprehension. Perhaps even Rudolf also gained a lot from this life, which in turn, could mean new additions to his Path and knowledge.


    Murai spent some time reading the first few chapters, while Lisa was doing the same, hiding behind his back, frowning.


    ¡°Those seem like some very generic ways to teach magic to someone,¡± Lisa commented. ¡°It''s no intent and written words alone. Is it really a Grade-A Tome? From the way of the words, it isn''t but there is nothing about it that screams... something. Tomes are not like this. Not now.¡± she said in disappointment, causing Murai to look at her in annoyance.


    Listen here... Let me ask and tell you something, Lisa. He willed and then spoke with his regular quacks. ¡°What kind of magic do the demons have and how hard is it to create a tome like this one, in general? It''s just the beginner chapters for now, but what do you know about the complexities of later ones? Have you ever seen the whole documentation of the structural magic in the appearance of a tome? Or the one that storms around the whole perception of one Path? There are some basics needed for the sake of the later complexity. That''s how it should be like.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? You just speak of the fundamentals. This is common sense about the tomes, but this... seems more like Elemental Tome, or partial Path Tome. It''s rather disappointing since it takes too long to reveal the talks of magic. Why not skip later to the better stuff? That should be to your liking, since your.... soul, and everything is so strong.¡±


    ¡°Hm... Strong. What about you, Lisa?¡± Murai asked. ¡°Have you been firm in your Path?¡±


    ¡°I was Succubus, and those have plenty of powerful magic powers. Some of us could even have many bloodlines and evolutionary pathways like you, but those are strictly kept in unique branches and individuals.¡±


    You didn''t have it as s Blessed?


    ¡°I had no need for it. I was Blessed, but not the kind who was firmly set on the evolution side of things. As a Succubus of Queens'' blood? No. I didn''t have a need for any of that because I had plenty of talents outside of that. Magic and Enchanting were more up to my tastes, while the blood and feeling of it is another. Power as I saw fit. That''s the kind of Path I saw.¡± Lisa replied, puffing her chest in importance and pride.


    Oh. Is that so? Murai couldn''t care less about her appeal on this matter since it wasn''t important what she was or wasn''t in her previous life.


    ¡°Come on, Murai Hisagi. I am telling you this because you asked that. So how about listening to my words and explanations a bit more?¡± Lisa said to him, pouting at his dismissive attitude.


    Murai sneered inside and completely ignored her for the sake of his reading. It took quite some minutes before Lisa couldn''t take this anymore, causing her to fly to the front of the tome.


    ¡°Fine! You said it. You asked it. I know a lot about Battleworld, and you are so curious about it as well. You are totally oblivious to that anyway. Demons and magic were what you want to know, right? More? I know a whole lot of things, I swear. Dark Magic is also included in your memories, isn''t it? Many things too? Like... Greater Runes? Paths of Laws, even? I can''t even talk about the specifics right now... Ummm. I don''t know you...¡± she scratched her head awkwardly, figuring that she snapped in a moment that wasn''t necessary.


    Murai gave her a simple nod amidst his chuckling self.


    ¡°Then you should know the plenty... of... differences?¡± Lisa stopped talking, realizing something stupid on her part.


    Murai knew a lot about magic already. Maybe a bit too much, causing any of her knowledge in this region to be somewhat diminished. She was a succubus but not the one dedicated to the road of conventional magic like Murai was. She was a more physical type of mage. A highly capable fighter in terms of weapons, and abilities surroundings them.


    Use of her body was her strongest forte, though. Her flying skills too, as well as her repertoire of Enchanting Magic, made her powerful in terms of battle power.


    As for what she could teach, or say to Murai, it won''t be something that he would find worth hearing. At least in the terms of magic, while the terms of this world were something else. It was an obvious realization that was probably already happening to her every so often since she met him. Her knowledge of the conventional path of magic was kind of lacking, but she didn''t want to admit it herself. Adding the species'' abilities, and unique circumstances Murai had, she wasn''t fit to talk about a lot of things.


    You, Lisa. Murai pointed his beak closer to her. ¡°You seem to talk a lot at some times and most often than not, it''s either you are thinking too much about my worries or you consider yourself too much. Universe has many experts and even this Battleworld must be bigger than you ever knew. I will give you a topic to reconsider your choices. It''s right. My soul went through countless things, as you are probably aware of it, but are hiding this topic in your head. I experienced enough in them which makes your words kind of lacking, but context matters. There are some things that you will undoubtedly help me with, and I need you - albeit in a subjective matter. It''s simple. Sometimes, you are not needed at all and that is something you should be aware of.¡° Murai said, indicating the honest truth that he was thinking of, ever since he met her.


    Lisa glared at Murai, floating above the tome''s surface. She heard his words enough, but she had no idea how to respond to them. Of course, she had some pride in herself, as any succubus would, but hearing this sort of... magnitude of intent was rather new to her. It would be weird if it wouldn''t be the case since she was always a proud figure in the world she was part of. All the succubi were like that, and it didn''t change much in her life as a Soul Form.


    In fact, it solidified her loftiness, since not many people ever got to have another chance at living in the Battleworld. She was aware of that, and her ego wasn''t hurt by that, but by Murai''s words. She heard their honesty, as well as... too much honesty. He believed in everything and spoke the truth. She could be useful, but it depended on how she could perceive her own worth while becoming a life companion of another Blessed.


    It wasn''t a problem in this sense, since it was rewarding in itself. Seeing life in another form than her past self was always worth seeking.


    Do you not know how to feel and answer the truth? I am not self-righteous either, Lisa. Murai continued. ¡°I am an asshole, prick, and not some nosy brat. Knowing the truth about yourself shouldn''t hurt as it is honest. Wanna see my memories? Too bad, I won''t let them to you. They are mine and you are unworthy of that. Get it?¡± Murai said again, forcing his words to sound truthful, as harsh as they sounded like the quacks.


    ¡°Accept this and stop being so annoying. Your imperfections for the sake of our partnership should be fine, but a change of attitude is long overdue.¡± Murai said the harsh truth, which Lisa bitterly accepted after some struggle within her face and thoughts.


    So much so, that she flickered her head away, and unhappily accepted his words by flying to the water to not hear him any longer. She accepted it in silence, which was rare.


    Murai didn''t care one bit about her issues. His words may have been long overdue, but he never felt the need to take the initiative in this sort of problem. He felt it was needed in this companionship, which was rather poor to his standards. After a couple of moments of glancing at Lisa''s back, he went back to his reading since he was more curious about Rudolf''s experiences than her problems.


    It would lead to much more than he wished for, but the harsh truth or facts didn''t matter to him. Murai was long beyond the motion of caring about such problems. The number of lives he had was too much for one''s mind, so he learned how to act with what was important and what wasn''t.


    Going over the beginning and middle sections, Murai didn''t read anything shocking to startle his mind. Rudolf''s overview was pretty much the same as his apprenticeships with him. It was the general overview of the elemental flame magic which amounted to nothing much but getting familiar with the flame within the core and subsequent work.


    It was later ones, which piqued his interest in their topic.


    Hm... This is strange. Rudolf figured out the methods around the Law long before coming to this world. Was he like me, and become Blessed or something else? This... This is intriguing since the Gods shouldn''t be involved in this process, or... I don''t know. Afterlife is difficult to comprehend. I have only a few flashes of that place anyway, and their context doesn''t matter to me. Rudulf hated those pricks called gods, so what to take out of this tome''s hidden context? Maybe the latter chapters of those two rune unlocks should speak about it. That would be so much like him to include some secrets for the future holders of these 10 tomes, but why... Why did he do this? Was his Path ending? What happened?


    Murai had various thoughts from this tome and spent the rest of the day going over the chapters that Rudolf left to the fated one.


    Much later, Murai shut the tome in chapter 4 with his beak and figured one thing from this. Rudolf was most likely dead.


    It wouldn''t be surprising, but his lineage may go on. Probably... but I will look out for them if I will see and hear about them. Let this be a good way of karma, or whatever it was that he believed in. He thought after dismissing this tome that didn''t shake him all that much. He got a few things from that, but it wasn''t enough for his current power to use.


    Everything was subject to lesser interest by his powerful soul that perceived countless memories. It made sense, but Murai wasn''t inclined to read further into the topics of the latest chapters. Particularly some subchapters weren''t of much interest, and he was yet to move to chapters 5 while 6 and 7 were left blank.


    Glancing around the big cave, Murai noticed still sitting Lisa in front of the underground lake, floating close to it in a melancholic silence.


    Water was glistering, making her appearance visible in the water. She was like this for a long time, yet she was calmer the further she looked at her glistering face made of mana. Then, it was obliterated, when the appearance of a duck appeared behind her mirrored self.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Lisa asked. ¡°You aren''t getting rid of me that easily, you know? I am stubborn, while your words were yours. I just let you have your pleasant times with that strange tome since your words were... that. Being willing to listen to me seems like a hard thing for you. I get it. Speaking some sense to me is also a hard thing, but you want it. I get it too. So?¡± she said, not willing to turn her front to him. The water surface should be sufficient to see him, and it was.


    ¡°I spoke some sense to you already,¡± Murai answered, watching the water as well. ¡°That is enough for me, so whether you like it or not is not up to me, but you.¡±


    ¡°And that is exactly what makes me mad!¡± she said in frustration, frowning at the water that made her image rather strange to herself. She was a small, tiny Soul Form that had no power in itself. She was insignificant, yet her ego and mental view of herself were higher than the sky itself.


    ¡°Oh, so you are the one of those who hate the truth? I wonder what was your life as a Succubus with Queen''s blood in this case, but... those aren''t the righteous folk. Betrayal, death, and plot are their forte, aren''t they? You... You may be even plotting something against me, don''t you? How funny.¡± Murai sneered and walked close to Lisa''s front. He caused the water to splash, making her mirrored self disappear.


    ¡°So what if it is? I am not like that anymore, hmph!¡± she puffed her chest, making it bigger than it was.


    ¡°Yeah? That was another lie.¡± Murai sneered, noticing her annoyed tone.


    ¡°So what if I am a liar? At least when I am speaking to you, I am honest, albeit to some extent. It is important for you to be powerful so you won''t die. That also includes me because I would die too if things go wrong. That is the reason why I am like this but... Maybe I was wrong? Maybe... most likely... I don''t like to admit it.¡± Lisa said, hugging her knees and floating on countless little stones that made this "beach".


    A small change was becoming to turn brighter in her mind, but it may take some time to get familiar with this strange power dynamic. She wasn''t useful, nor some lofty character of the Battleworld any longer. This was her restart of life to a certain extent, and she already wasted it with a useless point of view that was no longer useful.


    Murai said what he should, and it was time to make it better. It wasn''t up to him but it wasn''t for her sake, as he said.


    Lisa had a lot to gain in the future, after all.

 Chapter 37: Light of the surface beyond the water and enemies

    ¡°To the extent you say?¡± Murai asked, finding her excuse quite fitting, even when he considered himself. ¡°That puts things in a different light, doesn''t it?¡±


    ¡°Shut up, and your clever words... I am doing my bare good and considering you, it is fitting to me. You are you.¡± Lisa said, still a bit upset.


    ¡°Yea. Yea. I see the sincerity that is just a pile of excuses and willingness to be yourself. Get up already, will you? I don''t care much about your problems, since I have my own take on living. Yours is yours. There is nothing wrong with it, so if you will help me with something, I will be glad you will do it with honesty while forgetting the scheming.¡±


    ¡°Scheming? You think I do something?¡± Lisa asked, as her eyes remind upon the water.


    ¡°Right, a bit is fine. It''s going against your code, or whatever. I meant what I meant. For once, that is the truth and you should understand our situation and circumstances. Do your part of our idea that you consider being enough, but don''t waste time. I hate that.¡±


    ¡°You.. meant it?¡± Lisa turned her face around, watching Murai''s figure was taller than her figure that is 20 or so centimeters tall.


    ¡°Accepting others is one key to achieving some form of inner peace. I bet it''s not something demons find that appealing. However, you shouldn''t be all that different from then, even with this form of yours.¡±


    ¡°I know that... Fine!¡± Lisa floated up all of a sudden, so she wouldn''t feel so small before him. ¡°I am not accepting you, by the way! That''s who am I but in no way I cannot make my words enough for you. Instead, I will help you with what I can, and since you are so... old? Right, I won''t get so worked up. Is that what you wanted to hear? An excuse?¡± Lisa said, pointing her finger at Murai''s head.


    ¡°I wasn''t really ready to hear your description of our issues, since I don''t care either way. You can lie, plot, or care less about that, but I am remaining on my path one way or another. I just came here to tell you that I am getting the fuck out of this cave, so if you don''t want to remain here, then it is a good idea to get on my back or go into my soul space. If anything doesn''t faze you, then consider my talking as an insane talk of an old man.¡± Murai said, and with little regard jumped into the water.


    Lisa didn''t hesitate flying at his back while Murai swam further into the lake. She had some problems with something, but some considerations were long overdue. She knew it but realized it was tougher than she expected.


    ¡°Your bag is loose. You are going to lose it like this. Wouldn''t it be funny?¡± she said, securing her position on top of the backpack that will be her main seat for traveling.


    ¡°I can''t do it myself that well, so secure it yourself,¡± he replied, unwilling to admit that he tried to do that for 10 minutes by himself, but couldn''t do it properly thanks to his clumsy beak.


    ¡°Maybe you should try more advanced Shaping. I met some invalid mages who lost a hand or two. They made artificial hands from mana or golem-like structure with some materials.¡± Lisa said, securing the backpack a little bit better since she had hands that only needed a bit of change in physicality.


    I know what you mean, but that is a bit more advanced for my current Shaping and my mana is.... unfitting to me. It''s too early for trying to skip things up that much, but it is a possibility to lift and use some objects... Most likely. Not now though.  Murai argued in his head.


    ¡°Really? I can see you are advanced in many things already. Some, which are surprisingly more than you think. Things like getting the flame out of some... strange fundamental Shaping, and creating these huge spears, javelins, blades, and spike out of no peculiar ability and with Shapining that takes few seconds. It speaks for me. Your magic is your finest weapon, but you are forgetting the body. You even get the additional affinity to your Beast Core without doing a thing! Will of the Battleworld usually doesn''t do things in this way. That is quite impressive for Blessed under level 10.¡± Lisa says meaningfully, not exaggerating her view on Murai''s progression.


    Although she viewed things from a different perspective than him, it wasn''t as bad as some exaggerated words or lies. Murai wasn''t that considerate about his power either, and the number of times he took her words into consideration wasn''t that often. He was always more self-centered, making him rather poor at handling people like himself. It was part of Ego and his Will, or so she assumed.


    This time wasn''t any different, since his basic view was vastly different from Lisa''s. Although, having a different view wasn''t a bad thing. Taking her words into a small corner of his mind was the bare minimum that he could give her, but maybe that was a bit too much to ask for.


    ¡°Not telling anything to that... Fine. What are you going to do now? Is there any way outside of this cave?¡± Lisa asked, figuring that Mura will tell things that he wanted, and how he wanted. She spent the past many hours in silence, while he researched Rudolf''s tome, so that was about it.


    I hope, but I doubt there is a direct way out apart from these wild running water sections in this cave. Those are too wild for me to pass upstream, so I have another idea. Which do you think?


    ¡°Like, which way is a great way to get back to the surface?¡± she asked curiously.


    Murai nodded.


    ¡°Currents, or caves. Water is a possible path, but it will depend on its length and speed. Your Diving Sphere is passable, but it has limited speed and duration.¡± Lisa answered, giving a right answer that Murai agreed with. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Right. Underwater currents and underwater caves lead to more moving water in this lake. A current is there. I think that is the one way to get out or try to figure out the way out from the other section of the caves that led to this one.


    Murai tried his guess since he couldn''t be sure about it. He felt the water current moving so there was some way out, but what if it led to other caves, ending in a never-ending cycle of these caves? No... He was already getting tired of this place. He wanted to get out.


    ¡°Are you asking for my opinion, or are you thinking for yourself? Can I bet?¡± Lisa chuckled, and then frowned, thinking that he wasn''t even willing to hear her opinion.


    ¡°You figured? Heh.¡± Murai also chuckled. ¡°I will dive underwater one way or another,¡± he said without hesitation and did as he said, leaving Lisa to understand that a certain change between them was already happening. She had to accept it, otherwise, she will regret it by being too damned stubborn.


    Performing the Diving Sphere prepared him to travel at passable speed, but for how long and where? That was the problematic part since he didn''t know the exact part of the uncovered cave systems down below. Even his Mana Detection lacked those means since the place was too large.


    What if the lake''s deep layers were also part of more submerged caves, causing him to lose his time and then die agonizing death? Drowning was one of the most terrifying things he had experienced, so it was obvious he had some issues with that.


    The lake was deep, with some sections having grass and some underwater flora, flourishing around some rocks and soil. There were also many fishes, but nothing dangerous as far as Murai was concerned. He already ate a few of them, so he was certain there was nothing to them apart from being normal fish.


    Diving down, Lisa remained on her spot. Murai kept feeling the surroundings with his Soul Read, which was for living beings, and Mana Detection was for general surroundings.


    He was able to do so up to a few dozen meters away, which was some improvement from before the dungeon.


    ¡°My mana did improve well enough. Grade F to E? Is that good or bad?¡± He asked out loud, but this time, Lisa more or less figured out he was thinking about it, so she would answer it. As far as she understood, Murai wasn''t as familiar with the Grades of the letters, which made this Battleworld unique from his experiences.


    ¡°Your Grade D is passable in itself since it''s meant to be a progression. It is slightly stronger than F, so take it as a system you have. S is highest, forging the unique circumstances of SS, or SSS, circumstances that are out of the norm. You are lacking the time, experience, and use in your mana itself. Mana Detection can encom...¡± Lisa stopped herself, figuring Murai didn''t listen to her while putting his effort into the surroundings. She already explained his desirable answer well enough, so she stopped talking too much.


    Ability such as Mana Detection was very basic but quite important. Murai knew it and so did Lisa. Grade meant the degree and might of the Ability, and it wasn''t unique to most beings. D meant that Murai''s use of Mana Detection was at the beginning road of the progress, while still being better than Grade F. Any kind of mage would have something similar to the Mana Detection at this level, but at Grade F or D at best.


    Murai was different since his current life wasn''t that of a regular mage but an Anatidae.


    Lisa had to accept the answer in her mind, and not voice it. It came from her willingness to talk, and not because she didn''t want to talk. Murai was focused on his journey, feeling the tension in the air and reaching the depths of this lake. The currents that led to some corners of the caves were soon discovered and seen.


    There was an opening, barely large enough for a Diving Sphere. The current was sucking the water of the lake to it, and Murai found himself in a similar position. Diving into it without hesitation. He decided to try this out since his mana detection didn''t detect any issues.


    Vortex of the water currents pushed against his Divine Spheare, mixing him within, and shaking him up, but it at least remained intact. After a couple of seconds, his Diving Shpere stabilized, making him travel without any effort to the unknown. It didn''t seem much from the outside of the calm lake, but here, it was much stronger than Murai''s control over the Diving Sphere.


    He was at the mercy of this current, and he realized it too late.


    ¡°Well, here goes nothing, Lisa. Do you regret my choice?¡± he asked, sensing and understanding that everything was his decision. Was he greedy, confident, or dumb? Lise would agree on all of them to a lesser degree.


    ¡°It was your choice. Not like I have a say in that.¡± she unhappily added, clutching her hands around Murai''s neck since the time of the turbulent arrival to this place.


    This road in the water current wasn''t that long. It took a few dozen seconds until they reached another, almost fully submerged cave that led to yet another one. There was at least some form of space above, allowing Murai to restart his Diving Sphere. Another good news was the light that the Diving Sphere was making the surroundings clearer, even with his Night Vision.


    Murai reached another cave afterward, doing so at least 3 more times. Shooting out of a small opening that was sucking more water, he appeared yet in another vast space. Vast? It was bigger than the ones before. Unfortunately, he noticed that no current was there, and the tension of the water was calm.


    Calm? Murai asked himself. That means this is the end of the currents, so the most likely cause is...


    Murai moved his Diving Sphere upwards, swimming as fast as he could since time was ticking, and he felt he was quite deep in the dark waters.


    Far above, he saw a wide opening of a submerged cave that was quite narrow. It resembled some submerged valley, with little or no light. There was some occasional Underwater Grass and generic flora and fauna one would find in anywhere.


    Those are common... Great! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! He cheered.


    Reaching up and up, Murai reached the depth section with visible light above his line of vision. This was quite a deep cave, but the light coming off of the distant surface was clear.


    It was the surface! This cave led all the way to the light of the sun. Murai grinned upon seeing the change but also frowned soon afterward since he noticed dozens of flickering lights surrounding his Diving Sphere. They appeared from some holes and caves of varying sizes.


    ¡°Hm? FUCK!¡± he quacked, feeling the sudden tension that was unlike what he hoped when seeing the land after a long time.


    ¡°Those! Where did you end up for fuck''s sake!¡± Lisa shouted, seeking the upcoming monsters, that wasn''t that easy to deal with. They were no Speedo Shark that was barely in its living. Those eyes were of bigger and more dangerous light.


    This... or to be precise, these fish were bigger, and they weren''t fishes at all. They were much stronger, wilder versions of something inland.


    [Ding Dong! The land of the underwater is full of enemies our dear citizen of the Battleworld! You''ve met a regular case of bad luck and encountered enemies that no longer view you as an unworthy battle opponent]


    [They seek you as food. How fitting]


    The Will of the Battleworld descended with a simple message and a simple reason.


    [You have been brave, crafty, and interesting, but the unlucky part is also there. After spending your luck in the Somalis Dungeon, it''s time to shine through the truth. Too bad]


    [You have met the flock of Regators. They are part lizards that have highly effective underwater control but equally sturdy powers outside of it]


    [Their appearance consists of small height, but quite some wideness and they are quite long and muscular. These can grow up to 7 meters, with up to 1 meter in height]


    [Their distinct appearance is their wide and big jaw with deadly teeth and incredible bitting power]


    [Once bitten, it means a loss of flesh and life]


    [The current flock of Regators - Level 26 to 35]


    [Class D]


    [Notable Abilities]


    [Power Bite - Such Ability speaks for itself]


    [Grade D]


    [Levels 17 to 32]


    [Gnarly Eyes - the ability to see in the depths of the ocean. Allows seeing at night, in the mist, or any kind of impediment to eyesight]


    [Grade D]


    [Level 17 - 29]


    [Fast Swimmer Passive - General ability of Ragator species. Dexterity is 20% higher underwater]


    [Death Roll - when bitten the twist and turns can turn one''s flesh and bones to mush. A fatal attack]


    [Grade C]


    [Level 14 to 26]


    [Your current task of meeting this flock? None]


    [This is a generic encounter of the Battleworld so deal with it as you wish. Get stronger, fulfill the cause of your fate for the Battleworld to its utmost potential, and get familiar with your own powers]


    [That''s what Battle should look like, dear Citizen]


    [Survive, or die trying]


    ¡°Fuck you!¡± Murai cursed the world at end of this message, but it didn''t change a thing.


    ¡°C-calm down for my sake!¡± Lisa argued, still clinging to his neck. ¡°This isn''t anything abnormal. It is true that the fight against the Blessed has some prohibition of balance, but those aren''t the case here. They view you as food, and frankly, you got powerful. The balance got broken, and you got yourself into trouble. Regators are common beats, but for you... It''s bad. and They appear pissed off for some reason. Maybe there wasn''t much of a challenge here, so the Will included nothing?¡± Lisa guessed, yet nervousness also appeared on her face.


    Those monsters were way too tough, large, and powerful than the current Murai.


    ¡°What? I thought the Battleworld has some principles regarding the balance of low-level monsters and high-level ones!¡± Murai complained since he thought so from his time before his 1st Evolution. As far as he saw it, he encountered many beasts, but none attacked him or no message of the Will of the Battleworld descended upon him.


    Now, it changed, and why? Will of the Battleworld explained it enough, and Lisa repeated it too, making Murai realize the harsh fact.


    ¡°I think you were unworthy of any care back then. I would expect nothing else since that appearance of yours as a duckling was more than useless for any animal or beast to consider. That is, apart from the involvement of the Will of the Battleworld. In such cases, the Devil Fox and Pouncing Devil had their own gifts to seek you dead, or you initiated the combat itself. Now, you are different and have... some abilities so to speak. Also, I think the mark of God''s Trial can make things a bit more difficult and different from some points... I think. ¡±


    ¡°You think too damn much!¡± Murai snapped and saw how the flock started to circle around him. He saw Ragator''s silhouette in the dark. Wide, and thick were their silhouettes, and their eyes glowed in red color. ¡°I need facts or I won''t understand this at all!¡± Murai shouted in frustration, looking around in apprehension while Regators flooded his vision, making it clear that they were playing with their food.


    ¡°Deal with this as you wish, Murai Hisagi, and you have plenty of goals yourself. No need to involve the Will of the Battleworld all the time! This is war! A fight? You got yourself out of the troubles in the Dungeon before, so what makes it different now, or difficult?¡± Lisa argued, hoping she would be of some help, even though Murai was a stubborn old fool.


    Different?


    The Levels were clearly huge, and Attributes must be so as well. Letting one Regator pass would be fine, but there were at least a dozen of them. This was bullshit and nothing else.

 Chapter 38: Breaching the surface

    Lisa saw the present situation as more than dangerous, so she had all intentions to help out.


    ¡°This is just a simple encounter with beasts that are no longer hesitant about you since you are no longer a useless duckling. It is a simple situation where the strong eat the weak, and power or sense doesn''t matter. Battleworld does so for the sake of everything, as strength is what matters. It leads to tougher times, but at least you know who you are against while the opponent is an unintelligent beast. Think about this!¡± Lisa said, clutching his neck while talking as if her life depended on it.


    It did, in a sense.


    Think? Thinking about this mess doesn''t, and shouldn''t make sense... Hmph! So what! I think I made a huge mistake in trusting things while ignoring the past...


    Murai scowled, thinking of how his current view of the situation was his fault. He shouldn''t depend on outside influences. That was what he learned many lives ago.


    ¡°I am unhappy, Lisa so some sensible care can piss off. I don''t care either way about it, since this is natural. Only natural... The world should be like this while blaming other things only makes me unhappy about myself. Those fucking monsters... I will solve it. Watch.¡± Murai fumed in anger and looked at dozens of large Regators around him.


    The monsters viewed him through their Gnarly Eyes, enabling them to see everything much clearer the same way Murai did. Though, Murai''s appearance was clearer, thanks to his use of the Diving Sphere that glowed around him, changing him into a glowing sun in the darkness.


    ¡°Can I give you one piece of advice, Murai Hisagi?¡± Lisa asked in a calm tone which changed all of a sudden. ¡°RUN! those freaking beasts aren''t something you can deal with at your level. There are over 19 of them, if not more!¡±


    ¡°Tsch... Stop shouting so much...¡± Murai said, ignoring the fact that Regators were yet to attack. They waited, for something, or for him to move. ¡°I will run, regardless of your words since I can sense the situation and I am not stupid. It is terrible even when fleeting. The level is whatever, but for them to attack me without repercussions is pissing me off. Although, this is how it is in nature, so why am I angry or surprised? I met this kind of situation many times before so why am I so agitated?¡± Murai asked himself, unknowingly thinking that his mind wasn''t as it should be.


    However, he had limited time so he forced himself to act.


    Looking at the sight beyond him, he Conjured a massive amount of mana in the shape of a sphere. Mana glistered in its fundamental appearance, and let a lot of light off. It was the same sphere he created in the Acaman Tower. He wanted to use the Gnarly Eye''s effects against the Regators. Their eyesight should be fairly sensitive to a huge amount of light right now, so the light blinded and shocked them for at least 5 seconds. The light was also fairly powerful since his Mana Pool was full after spending many hours doing nothing but reading.


    It was working, albeit it didn''t put Murai at ease. Time was not up to him, so and so was the fleeting up to the surface. He was at least a minute away to flee out of the water, so he had chosen the corners of this "lake" instead. It didn''t amount to much, other than gambling, and hope to not get swarmed by them out in the open waters. He needed to swim faster, but also safer.


    The light of the surface was dim, so he guessed he was well over 20 meters below the surface of the water.


    With a successful distraction, Murai wasted no time, Shaping his Diving Sphere as fast as he could above. He moved to the side of the wall, where nothing will obscure him from his left side. Seconds passed, and the light turned useless. The first charge of a few Regators pushed forth. They were fast, pushing at the glowing Diving Sphere and stumbling to the wall in the same manner that Speedo Shark did. They shook the wall a little, but none of them hit Murai, who wasn''t an easy target. In fact, he had to make sure to dodge everything completely, otherwise, he would be killed for sure.


    Swimming and charging out of his Diving Sphere was a terrible idea. His lack of breath would be fatal, and dozens of meters to the surface did seem like an eternity. Adding to that the fact that Regators had much higher dexterity and speed under the water, Murai had no other option but to use some tactics. Hopefully, they would work.


    His face long turned serious, and Murai would even clutch his fists if he could, but all he could do was stare at the beats with utter killing intent. It wasn''t met with any kind of response, making the beast strangely convinced to the motion of a simple hunt.


    He knew he hadn''t gotten to that point of shaking those things up with his eyes alone so what about his Will? For the first time, he used the Strike of the Will, but Regators barely stumbled for a moment, before restarting the journey. Strike of the Will was an intangible wave of intent and appeared invisible, jolting the beast for a single moment.


    Though, Murai felt like a child, slapping an adult. It didn''t change shit, which was strange. He thought his Will was stronger than this, while this Strike of the Will seemed to be weaker than his own Will which was subjective to his soul. His soul was incredible, so seeing this weak strike was suspicious.


    He at least hoped that the beast would be hesitant by something, but nothing happened. Their Gnarly Eyes were as if possessed, and their killing intent seeped out of them. Maybe his soul would work wonders in regular Path, but he didn''t know how to work around it, since his Path had just started. For now, he had no choice but to improvise and get out of this dire situation. Fleeting was the only option, but no amount of that will make him less angry about the Will of the Battleworld and this mess.


    Left and right, and up and up he went, Murai dodged every incoming Regator by a couple of dozen centimeters. They were fast, furiously smashing into the wall in their missed attempts to catch and kill their prey. By now, their features were more than apparent. They had long and wide jaws, with the long and flexible bodies of an alligator.


    Their jaws were their biggest weapon, littered with surprisingly wide and tall teeth. They could open their jaws wide and clutch Murai''s Diving Spheare without issues. Thus, even if Murai was thrice bigger, he was sure a jaw would envelop his body regardless of anything.


    Their numbers were another advantage, and Murai felt a rising tingling sensation of deadly dangers. His Diving Sphere was getting unstable from just 2 scratches from 2 strikes that he was unable to dodge properly.


    Yet, he still fled as he could, hoping to see the light of day.


    Alas, the Regators would say otherwise, if they could. Two of the faster and bigger Regators charged further up, making Murai unable to dodge anywhere. It was an encirclement, making Murai unable to do much but stare at the jaw of death, and their glowing, stupid, and gnarly eyes.


    Murai cursed wildly but was in a helpless spot with few meaningful choices. However, there there was one choice, right aside from the further Regator. It was a hole a few dozen centimeters wide that went into the wall. He would fit there for sure, and Regators wouldn''t. It would be a safe spot for him, and Murai felt some very weak current coming from that hole.


    The time wasn''t on his side and so were the Regators, who charged at their prey in their eyesight. It was prey and their purpose, so nothing else mattered in their eyes. Weak or strong, it was useless. They were a pack for a reason, hoping to kill any enemy that would appear before them. The numbers were their strength, while they had nothing extreme in itself. They weren''t the strongest species of beasts and were quite normal instead.


    Murai shrank his ego inside his head, feeling helpless to see the fast movements of these beats. Their power in this current situation was too much for him to handle, even though he would flee at any other chance.


    So, he had to come up with the best solution in a split second.


    He dissipated his Diving Sphere and grabbed Lisa with his beak. ¡°I am not sorry.¡± he sent her his words but it didn''t help her one bit in her panicked, yet helpless state. She can''t help him with anything right now, nor did a motion of her, going back to his soul space appeared in his head. She also thought this world was against her, like Murai, but she wasn''t one to tell it.


    A couple of Regators charged into the bubbles, hitting the wall again. With the Diving Sphere gone, the light dissipated and bubbles temporarily shrouded Murai''s location. Using this chance of pressure to his advantage, Murai used his tiny legs and wings, propelling himself up to the hole.


    He had enough time and force to swim about 5 meters away, allowing him to fly past those 2 front-facing Regators whose jaws missed, thanks to Murai''s smaller appearance, and sudden force. Swimming and swinging his body as far as he could, he used his everything. He even used the residual mana of his diluting Diving Sphere''s mana to glow up and make the eyesight of these beasts useless for a few seconds but it didn''t change anything.


    It was a matter of time before they will catch him since there were too many of them. Although the majority was no longer locked in the direction of his Sphere, their Gnarly Eyes can adjust to it anyway.


    Especially those two Regators that just missed him, eyed the chance, while more were coming forward.


    As Murai focused forward, hoping, and imagining his freedom, his yearning was shattered. His speed wasn''t sufficient and one of his wings was caught within the jaw of one of the two bigger Regator which was quickly able to turn its head. The shiny and glittering feathers could help only so much against the tough and sharp physicality of a Power Bite. This time, the pressure was too much on the feathers and his body.


    Murai didn''t watch, but as he kept swinging his body, fleeting, he felt searing pain, and how feathers moved and almost disappeared. His flesh and blood did, and crimson colored the water.


    Power Bite was incredible, and sharp teeth moved against his speedy fleeting, revealing a deep crimson and gushing wound across the wing, and part of his body. Alas, this didn''t stop Murai''s movement, nor his fleeting. Murai''s left wing ended up deeply injured, but the Regator didn''t bite it off completely. Its teeth glided instead, making the gushing wound as troublesome as if the entire wing was cut off.


    Even though this injury, Murai preserved, thinking of no pain, but hope. While gritting his beak even though Lisa was still there, he did what he wanted. At least he could do so since Lisa can''t feel the pressure or any physical pain. She watched in her panic - the gushing crimson and monsters that were coming.


    By sheer will and effort, Murai reached the hole where he stumbled to the wall, hiding his body for now. No Regators could come here, so that was at least a part of his successful hope. Without seeking past enemies, he only glanced at his left wing and further bite marks around his body. Weirdly enough, no feathers left his body, but they moved away instead, letting the teeth attack his flesh underneath them. It was no wonder since this attack was too much for these feathers.


    Without wasting more time, Murai noticed his breath and swam further into the hole without caring about the consequences. He knew his limits, so he had to make sure to get to the surface as quickly as possible. Hopefully, this hole will go somewhere, or it will end up as his grave. That hole was a huge gamble but also a hope. If he hadn''t felt here, he would have died regardless of his desires or choices.


    In order to reach the possible surface, he had to be quick, and that was what he did. Flapping his legs, and both wings regardless of his injury, Murai still had his Mana Detection, so he swam as fast as he could until this tunnel ended at 10 meters. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Its end revealed a deep, and long tower, only about two meters in diameter. It was still filled with water, but Murai looked up and saw clear water and a small hole with bright sunlight. He was closer to the surface than before, so he continued to swim up as fast as he could.


    He was struggling in his mind and pain, and his breath was turning haggard. He was closing on his limits, yet Murai still breached the surface of the water, flying through a small hole around a wooden structure, which revealed a bright sky. It was a well. A human construct to make water more collected. Murai breached the surface fast, even amidst his limited care.


    He flew fast, breaching the reaches of the surface. The air was finally in his lungs, making his mind glad, yet his wound wasn''t small at all.


    Flapping his wings in midair, and above the well, Murai immediately stumbled in midair, collapsing to the ground beside the well. He was glad to see the world of the sky once again, but he wasn''t in a shape to enjoy it further. The blood flowed around his feathers, making him bloody and filthy. He forgot about everything, as he fell to the ground and didn''t even look at the surroundings properly.


    Right beside him was a well with wooden pipes that make a water source out of a small stream of water coming off of some lake further up the hill. Those pipes ended up in the well, but he crushed one of them, letting it flow to the ground. It was clear that this water went to the bigger water source, but that was further down the hills - to the place where Murai battled Regators.


    Murai blinked, getting his eyesight back on track, but he was still feeling quite hurt. Lisa within his beak was still struggling, but she was conscious and shouted something to him.


    ¡°WAKE up!¡± she smacked his beak, getting him to reach full consciousness even if he wanted some rest.


    Alas, it was too late for that, since she and Murai noticed a sword pointing at both of them.


    He heard some language that he could understand. It was a familiar one, but his ears and mind were playing some tricks on him... Pain. He was hurt. This was a common language across many lives, albeit he didn''t know the reason for that.


    ¡°W-what is this? Why is it a d-duck... No! A demon coming from our water source? Impossible!¡± a manly voice said, and it was coming from the holder of the sword.


    The one who was speaking was a man, wearing dark fabric trousers and a tight shirt. He appeared quite strong but wasn''t too muscular either. He had some tight ones, meant for endurance, or fights. However, the muscles were one thing, but the sword in his hands was trembling in fear. It was obvious he had some familiarity with the weapons, but a fear of a demon was within his eyes the moment he saw Murai, or the being before him.


    Murai knew it, but it was his first time meeting another... Well, it was his first time seeing a proper human in this life at all.


    ¡°A human? What''s wrong? Put the swords away and help me out, will you?¡± Murai scowled, but all that came out of his mouth were quacks that humans couldn''t comprehend.m Murai didn''t know it, since he was used to Lisa that could understand him regardless of that.


    The man that wielded his sword hesitated after hearing the quacking duck quack, but that wasn''t something abnormal. What was abnormal was the mana coming off of this seemingly ordinary-looking duck, which wasn''t something he had ever seen. No, he saw just enough. A little, but enough of the world.


    What he felt was something else than what his eyes made it out for him. It was a feeling of a demonic beast and mana that was anything that human mages had.


    Aside from the man, a child appeared. It was a young boy around the age of 7. He grasped the man''s hand to stop his forceful manners since he couldn''t feel the strange and dangerous sense of the mana that Murai had. It wasn''t obvious for this kid, unlike this man who was afraid of it.


    ¡°Uncle, this is a simple duck. Why are you doing this? We have plenty of chickens and ducks are fine to leave out. Isn''t it what you told me?¡± the child said, standing between Murai and the man.


    ¡°Listen, Timmy. I know that, but this isn''t a normal duck... I don''t know why... this... AH?!¡± the man exclaimed and grabbed Timmy before doing a quick slash at Murai''s body. It was such a clumsy attack with barely a sharp sword that left no injuries. The attack simply slid off of Murai''s feathers and didn''t penetrate any skin or flesh.


    Though, the sword didn''t aim at Murai, but at Lisa, who finally got off his beak''s grip. Her appearance wasn''t as clear to the man, but upon getting free, Lisa got hold of her physicality and form, which was a bit haggard. The man stumbled with Timmy in his embrace, pointing his sword at her demonic appearance. Succubus was right there, albeit in a ghostly appearance.


    Lisa floated up and watched the surroundings as well as the surrounding humans. Her appearance was of a demon after all, but her feelings, power, or danger didn''t match her appearance. She was a soul form made of mana, which wasn''t anything evil, nor necessarily good. Some people would be kind to such a creature, while others would consider it a creature of the devil regardless of the death or life of a soul. However, her choice of appearance was a succubus, so it was obvious that she was a creature of Chaos.


    As for the surroundings, Lisa noticed quite a lot more people. In fact, a whole group was standing around, observing this man from a safe distance. A few dozen of others were also hiding around the houses. This well was in the middle of the village, with dozens of buildings surrounding it. It was clear that some would notice a sudden appearance of a duck coming off of their source of water. The moment Murai emerged, everyone was surprised and paid attention to this strange occurrence.


    Lisa watched everything in utter silence, wondering if this was terrible or good. These people... These mortals? She held no regard for them, but that wasn''t the case for her to decide, or think of that. Her current life wasn''t the one she held before.


    She can''t do anything else but appear good and helpful for Murai''s cause. She wouldn''t be able to do anything, regardless of her will to them. She was like a trophy, which possessed no skills at all. She felt weak, but her appearance was giving off nothing but nasty feelings. A succubus wasn''t anything good.


    Alas, what will these people do to her was none of her concern since damaging a soul form was impossible for them. Some powerful intent, magic, or a mage or dark mage with some steps in souls would damage her, but that was about it.


    However, what they would do to the injured Murai was something else. That would affect her more than she would like, so she had no choice but to react to their hostility with words or come up with some plan to save Murai from this place. The man before her was quite hostile to them after all, and Lisa had bad feelings about it.

 Chapter 39: Disaster

    Lisa looked around, noticing a village that was filled with many people. They looked at her, now that they could, but the man with the sword was closest to her.


    ¡°Humans. Calm down and don''t run to nasty and unnecessary conclusions,¡± she spoke out loud, pulling her arms up to the air. ¡°It seems this is a big misunderstanding and everything doesn''t seem as strange as you would think. I was just minding my business at some other part of the lake, and here I am. It''s only a mistake on my part. I will take my leave with this duck of mine, so I don''t want any trouble.¡± she said, hoping to settle this in the gentlest way possible.


    Alas, the man with the sword and Timmy in his defensive embrace, wasn''t moved at all. Upon hearing Lisa''s words, he hesitated but the sword still remained firmly in his right hand. Her words sounded weirdly convincing, yet her appearance was still that of a demon. He pushed the kid behind him, before getting to his feet after he backed a couple of meters back earlier. His right hand was still trembling and upon getting up, even his eyes showed some fear.


    ¡°Eliza! Inform the Falconers! A demon appeared! Be quick.¡± he suddenly shouted, turning his head to a side where his words jolted a girl hiding behind a house. It was a teenage girl, but she was close to being an adult than a teenager.


    She hesitated but ran away after hearing this man''s command. As fast as she could she disappeared beyond the horizon.


    With that said, Lisa frowned but cried in terror inside. Did she just fucked everything up that much more? Maybe if she played dead it would be far better, but the duck below her would be hard to explain since this man was somewhat familiar with the dangers of such creatures. It was her terrible luck, perhaps. Or, the mana was something he would find familiar, and a demonic beast with mana was something he met before?


    Lisa understood it, but she hated that fact. This wasn''t a good place to be in, while Murai wasn''t a normal duck after all.


    The man before her grimaced in newly found strength of his message. He was a coward, but a coward with a sword nonetheless. His previous words jolted him with strength since they didn''t involve him but the Falconers. It was a belief in incoming help, that he found this strength. With them on the way, he had a firm decision behind his back. Although, it was also clear that he was something greater than the average joe, but that didn''t matter to him.


    Clutching his sword with both hands, the trembling disappeared, so he charged at Lisa as if his strength was greater than ever before. Lisa looked at him with disappointment and utter indifference. His swing cleaved her body, leaving the man to stumble in his wide swing. It did nothing to her, in the same way, Murai''s beak didn''t damage her at all.


    ¡°I will say it again, human. I am not interested in any of these schemes of good and evil. You can''t kill me as I am dead, so leave us be and be glad that your village is safe. I have no need for this or your problem. Some human problems are too bothersome so let us leave, and nothing will matter.¡± she said with both halves of her body coming back together.


    The man watched in utter shock, and his eyes filled with fear. The appearance of this demonic succubus was clearly within Lisa''s appearance but an unkillable demon wasn''t something he had seen or heard about. He didn''t trust her words, so he panicked, figuring this was a greater foe than he thought.


    It didn''t matter if her power was nonexistent in her current life form. Her charming, yet demonic face, firm smile, voice, and sharp wings, made her figure much more enchanting than one would guess. Obviously, this was a demonic succubus and nothing else in this man''s eyes, and limited mind. The man swung his sword again and again, but it wasn''t doing anything but tire his shoulders, and cleave the empty air.


    His forehead was sweating profusely in a few minutes, but he wanted to play it safe and do his best to remain this demon in place. Falconers will soon appear, and he will do an excellent job in accordance with their words, and their rules. They would solve, or kill this demon without hesitation, and with greater power than a peasant like him would ever achieve.


    Lisa was further and further helpless, since her words didn''t work, nor did anything that she thought of. She looked down at Murai who wasn''t able to move while his mind felt weak. She noticed his faltering mind.


    Murai felt weakness overlapping his mind, and it wasn''t just the wound within his left wing. Blood loss? It was a traumatic injury that he never felt in this life, so that may be the cause, or was this weakness accumulation of everything he did so far? That may be it.


    He felt helpless and hated the feeling over the left side of his body with passion, but it was better than nothing. This state of his body was much better than New Begining, or worse, so he accepted this, even though he hated it. That was his simple view, and a simple thought, so he pulled his shit together, standing up with cringing eyes, and pain around his body. Every inch of his body hurt and pain filled his mind. Droplets of blood fell down his feathers, but he didn''t care.


    ¡°Some fucking dizziness can fuck off!¡± he quacked out loud, and his wing was bleeding more and more. It bathed his already filthy colorful appearance with the crimson color of blood, making him seem much more ferocious than one would see.


    ¡°Huh... Shit... Fuck.¡± he huffed, feeling like an utter joke. Of course, quacking was useless, and he knew it. What is this... What? Lisa? Murai thought, hoping she would get this mental message from their connection so he wouldn''t have to quack. He looked around in the moment of sanity and care and noticed how this situation turned from hope to another disaster.


    ¡°You good?¡± Lisa sent him a mental worry. ¡°It appears we are in some human village and... They hate the demons so I suppose we ended up in a place that hates those kinds. The Centralis Kingdom or one of its sub-counties, or others who had bad experiences with demons.¡± Lisa sent back, not feeling one bit conflicted or surprised by this situation. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Is it bad? I am not looking like a demon.¡±


    ¡°You aren''t but the mana within you can lead to that discovery. It isn''t... normal, you know? The Demons have a distinct ferocity to their aura, and you aren''t familiar with letting these feelings hide. Anatidae... Those are tough and legendary demons in any shape or form. They are powerful, and their might isn''t small. They are incredible legends in the world of Demons and many other things.¡±


    Lisa''s answer shook Murai to his core, but not so much to let him be completely out of his breath. He somehow expected such an answer, but hearing it so bluntly was the first he expected from Lisa. After all, she was always hesitant with her words, and he too was cause for that.


    Damn mistakes... Everything turned to shit with me at the center. I have nothing to blame... Just myself.


    he scowled, closing his eyes in acceptance.


    Struggling on his legs, Murai turned his head left and right, opening his eyes to see the situation better, and hoped to come up with a quick solution. His mana was unstable, and no longer as clear since his body wasn''t in a good shape. His previous battle with Regators left him with an abundance of mana, but the injury turned everything into an abyss.


    He was definitely feeling the mana going out of his control, but not like he can solve it quickly, or care about it too much. With such injuries, it was no wonder.


    The current situation was the aftermath of his hope and following decision. Alas, It bite him to the ass, the moment the danger was over.


    Then let''s leave this place... Those fuckers... Murai saw the man holding the sword and other''s people''s faces. Some were fearful, and others grabbed some sticks or whatnot. I don''t care about some measly little effort between anything. I mean no harm to them... Why wouldn''t I? Humans are useless to me, so I don''t care. Murai thought with utter composure and calmness, surprising even Lisa, who saw him in this manner for the first time. Injured, calm, but accepted in his own way. She felt his emotional impact, and how everything seemed almost serene in Order.


    It wasn''t like the moment when he decided to leave the dungeon or battle through the dungeon with utter confidence and power. Back then, he had motivation, and purpose, so he worked for it. This was the power of the Soul, Robust Spirit, Wil, and something that was more powerful than she could ever imagine. Now, he had nothing, but himself in a clutch of fate.


    Lisa was silent for a couple of moments, and even the cowardly man stopped his swings. He noticed how Lisa gave this duck silent looks, and it made him nervous for some reason.


    Lisa shook her head and sent the obvious message. ¡°I agree, but figure out how to get out yourself. I tried my best, but I don''t make it any better since I am a demon in this man''s eyes and my physicality and source of beings are hitting their limits. if you know what I mean, do your best... I couldn''t.. help you... it''s unfitting to me.¡± Lisa said, and for the first time in a while, dissipated into mana particles, and disappeared into the light.


    It was fast, and it happened right before the man swung his sword. Lisa disappeared to Murai''s soul space, but no one noticed it. No human present would be familiar enough with such a sight. Not even the man who backed off away, afraid upon feeling something amiss. He jumped away, crawling for some meters before the "spell" of that demon stopped.


    Murai didn''t move or care for Lisa''s decision, but her words pissed him off a little. He watched in silence as she materialized within his soul space.


    ¡°Phew... This place is really spacious and special... My bad I was out of this place for so long... It affected me. Wait... Why does this place seem a bit different?¡± She asked upon discovering a small change in Murai''s soul space. It was shaking a little and seemed more robust, and everything seemed more vibrant and firm.


    ¡°Explain the situation, Lisa!¡± a powerful voice spoke to her in the soul space.


    ¡°Yea. Yeah. Don''t shout at me like that.¡± she shook her head in annoyance, ignoring the soul space altogether. Though, she noticed the Robust Spirit, and how Murai Soul swayed in powerful undulations. Small cracks seemed to appear around him, affecting the soul space altogether. ¡°I can listen even without all of this shouting... Murai Hisagi. This man before your sent someone to get some knights known as Falconers. I think... or remember them being Centralis Kingdom''s forces. He was afraid of you, but maybe it was me, to begin with? I don''t know if he has some feelings of the mana or if he can discern the special feelings you give to others...¡±


    ¡°Chatty again?! Useless... You should have spoken to me about this sooner!¡± Murai complained.


    ¡°How am I supposed to know you would end up running to people who hate the demons!?¡± Lisa argued back.


    ¡°Who in their right mind wouldn''t hate the demons for fuck''s sake!?¡± Murai shouted back, loud and clearly stronger than Lisa''s voice. She shuddered in fear, and pressure that Murai pushed at her weak soul form.


    ¡°Yea. Yea. I heard that... Deal with it as you wish. I doubt you want to hear me any longer, so I will rest my soul in this space for some days. Don''t die. That would be quite bad for us, me and you in particular.¡± Lisa said and gave up trying to appease his anger. Dismissing herself, or his attitude, she let go of these problems that were in part, her fault. She worsened the whole situation even more, and let Murai deal with the consequences.


    Murai scowled inside, but with Lisa gone, he was much more clearheaded in the real world. Having such a life companion was definitely troublesome. Having a sense of peace of mind was much better, so he wondered how to solve this current predicament.


    Since Lisa disappeared into shimmering light, the man with a sword fell back as if a spell was upon him, but it never came. ¡°What was that? Have you seen that?¡± he asked nervously and turned his head to others.


    ¡°It was a freaking demon, Lazar! I tell you that!¡± An elderly woman said. Shivering, and old, she was hiding behind the people, yet she still chose to see the demon with her own eyes. She was the elder of this village and her wisdom and words spoke reasons for the majority of the villagers.


    ¡°Grandma Po, This... What is this duck? Is this also a Demon? Is that Succubus gone? Have I slain it?¡± Lazar asked, pointing his finger toward Murai who was yet to begin his journey to get the fuck out of this place.


    ¡°Hm? A duck? Ducks aren''t demons Lazar! What have you learned in your time as my student?¡± she replied with clear words that made everyone sigh in relief. Everyone watched how the succubus disappeared to the light, so perhaps Lazar killed it for real, but Granma Po wasn''t sure of that since she never heard of such a ghostly succubus before.


    It was good news for Murai, who heard and understood their words but pretended to be an ordinary duck. He clutched his feet and wings and internally stopped any kind of mana from undulating out of his body. It wasn''t something he worked with as an Anatiadae, so it was quite a poor iteration of stopping the Mana Flow. He hoped the man wouldn''t notice anything strange and not suspect a thing.


    He had never paid any attention to stopping his Mana Flow so far in this life, so it was no wonder his mana was seeping out involuntarily. His sensitivity towards it was something that shouldn''t stop flowing, so he never stopped it. That was common sense for any mage, but who knew that his mana had some aura to it? He didn''t, but the mana seeping out of his body would obviously be a bad thing in such a situation.


    Murai hated this. He hated such problems and pain even more. The mana was always a blessing to him, but now, it was a disaster instead. His body? He couldn''t put his finger on how to deal with everything, since he found his Beast Core unfamiliar like a new planet to be rediscovered. He didn''t know how to work around it, but he may discover it, thanks to his overall knowledge of magic he already had.


    Shaping and Conjuring wouldn''t, or shouldn''t be too different, and it wasn''t. That was why he can Conjure, and Shape the Mana in his current form, but it wasn''t anything above his satisfaction.


    Murai definitely was like a wolf among the ordinary duck in terms of pressure and feelings, but if he hid it well, or others would be unfamiliar with that, he may be safe. So, with the plan ahead, he could only try his best. Forcing his steps, he began to walk in unsteady steps towards the one aisle that led to some forest. He was hoping to reach further, so anything that would push against his path would no longer be around him.


    Alas, as he did so, a sudden dizziness reappeared or became stronger than ever. In that moment of weakness, he stumbled on the spot, right after Lazar and others figured this Duck must be fine to be left alive.


    Murai fell with his beak to the ground. He was gone - tired beyond his sense.


    ¡°Don''t be fooled! This is a demon! I can tell you that! ¡± a woman''s voice shouted behind a particularly hidden house, warning Lazar and others, that the disaster wasn''t over.


    Unfortunately, it was almost gone, but this voice reminded them of another issue, which will turn into yet another disaster.

 Chapter 40: Velga

    Words that shouldn''t have come, came from afar, yet sounded so clear, that one would wonder who spoke them. However, Lazar recognized the voice. It came from a woman shrouded under a cloak, hiding behind a building.


    Most villagers turned their gaze towards her when she revealed herself. Upon doing so, they realized who it was, and some held some hesitation over her. It wasn''t someone will clarity in their minds, or anyone they liked to see, or hear. In fact, Lazar was the one who turned the most attention to her by holding his sword and pointing it toward her.


    ¡°We don''t want you here, heretic. Why are you hiding like that, and even talking like that!?¡± He shouted, his words turned into a threat aimed at her.


    ¡°I am not... hiding...¡± she murmured, not talking loudly, yet the surrounding villagers still heard her. Her words were more meant for herself, so she walked past the house and headed towards Lazar. She wore a deep black cloak, which hid her attire underneath it. Her face was hidden and so was her entire body. The hood around her head only made her nose and a part of her lower head visible.


    ¡°I know your kind, woman. Your master was the heretic, and you aren''t anything else. I told you that before. You aren''t welcome here.¡± Lazar stated the truth with an obvious threat in his voice.


    ¡°She was no heretic!¡± the shrouded woman spoke out since she couldn''t stop herself, or she lied to herself. It was hard to tell since her face was hiding.


    ¡°Anyone is a heretic in the eyes of gods and order of the Centralis Kingdom,¡± Lazar argued. ¡°You aren''t any different since your fate is crossed with your master. It makes you mad, unable to see the true truth!¡± he didn''t back down, still spitting his truth at her.


    ¡°Gods... You are speaking no sense at all. How usual...¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°Silence! Why did you speak out on the behalf of that demon, or this... thing? This duck... Why did you speak those words.¡± Lazar said, pointing his gaze towards Murai, who was laying helplessly on the ground, a couple of meters away since he didn''t walk for long before collapsing. ¡°Earlier, It was clearly a succubus what I had seen. Do you have some hands in this or what, heretic?¡± he asked, and by this point, the woman walked forward to face his sword a single step from her face.


    Without speaking further, the woman let her cloak out, revealing luscious and utmost dark hair, pale skin, and eyes that weren''t looking healthy. She looked like someone who had a lack of sleep or some other deficits.


    ¡°I will explain myself,¡± she said calmly, hiding her hands and everything under the clock. ¡°I speak on the behalf of the people here, obviously. This being is clearly a demon too. It has an aura that none can figure out. That succubus also wasn''t a succubus. It was a being made of mana. A soul form. I only heard about them and have not seen them in my life.¡±


    ¡°Why should I trust you... It is already gone? Wait..¡± Lazar hesitated, thinking that a ghost wouldn''t be too farfetched. He heard of those, of course. ¡°The ghost... what about this duck? It is a fucking duck!¡± he changed the subject amidst his confusion.


    ¡°It''s a weak thing, but I thought it would be fitting for me to help this village out. Ending, or killing its misery is necessary since it''s injured. Let me do it. How about it?¡± she said, her eyes traveling back and forth between Murai and the sword. Not once she looked into Lazar''s eyes.


    ¡°You mean this duck? Wasn''t the Succubus the cause of this demonic feeling?¡± Lazar asked, turning his head behind his back to see the struggling Murai who heard their words. He overcame his dizziness, and even something else.


    Fucking lunatics... Where in the world have I ended up? Someone hit me with a mental spell, yet the Will of the Battleworld isn''t working. Fuckign hell! Murai thought, struggling to move his beak. They have... Well... it isn''t that surprising for demons to have a poor reputation, so who am I kidding... Killing me... because of it. How fitting. He pushed himself, yet still pretended to be a normal duck.


    It wasn''t the easiest thing, and he could notice that the voice of that woman was nothing good. She was most likely a mage and the one who forced some spell upon him. She was also not a popular one, since they called her a heretic for some reason. A religion mess or problem was involving her, or so Murai figured.


    It must be because of many reasons that would be hard to guess. Unwillingness to follow whatever the reason was, it may involve Gods, most likely. That, or she was a dark mage or enemy of something. That was also a possibility that Murai thought of, since he forced his beak aside, glancing at her visual representation after adjusting his blurry vision.


    She seemed like these kinds of mages. Unpopular with righteous beliefs, they would be quite mad most of the time, while their mana was nothing stable either. They could lead to many troubles, and their experiment could be either bloody, dangerous and against the normal concept of morality.


    Murai even had a hunch that this woman was more than met the eyes. Perhaps this woman had some problem with him, or she had completely seen through his farce as a duck? Murai wasn''t willing to put any of his mana to use, since she was obviously a high-rank mage. His soul read definitely perceived some hideous thoughts, and feelings out of her soul. Also... Danger.


    He couldn''t use his Mana Detection, otherwise, he would be found out, but he trusted his instincts. Neither was he in a state to fight or figure out anything about her. Not like he was even interested, since he had much bigger issues at the moment. From his point, it seemed this woman wanted to sell her knowledge to make her appeal good, which was... a bad thing. Murai wasn''t sure if he could get out under her grasp with his injured body.


    ¡°My name is Velga, by the way, and I meant my words to be good for the sake of good,¡± Velga said, putting her pale right hand outside of her clock towards her chest to swear she had no ulterior motives. ¡°This mana I felt was coming from this duck. I am sure of it, so how about I will deal with this myself?¡±


    She spoke honesty and something that was common in terms of regular mages. That was to solve the issue of magic in the name of the betterment and safety of people.


    Though Lazar didn''t think much of her modesty, or words since his own view on this thing was different. ¡°We don''t work with heretics. What you said may be good, but we already informed Falconers, if you didn''t notice that. If you don''t want more trouble, you should leave. That is the least amount of sincerity I can give you.¡± he said, even though he also found this situation with the succubus and duck to be quite strange.


    He was only a little familiar with the sight of demons, but any irregular demonic beast was a different story. Pure Demons like a succubus and countless other kinds like Lisa had very specific feelings for them. The kind that was unlike regular beasts with some running mana in their bodies. Anatidae species was exactly that, albeit they were also a fairly high-class demonic beast with a plethora of uniqueness since their origin was quite old and ancient.


    They had no essence of any pure demonic blood, but only a sliver of deep-rooted bloodlines, which made them demonic beasts, and no direct demons. Of course, with the Evolutions in play, and the Will of the Battleworld, it may change with countless little things. One could become a higher demon or anything - really - with many methods. Evolution allowed for it.


    What was a demonic beast was a simple common phrase to view the ferocious monsters by the words of commoners. Whether or not they had ridiculous mana or evil intentions wasn''t that important to them. What was dangerous, unlike humans, and held variables outside of them, was thus unique existence with their own name. Demonic beasts were like that.


    Lazar was firm in his belief, but Velga''s eyes hesitated upon hearing his words. She didn''t catch the first appearance of this duck and only felt the mana undulating from this particular section of the village. She hurried for the sake of this feeling, as well as something that she awaited for a long time. That was her purpose and desire. Something that she needed!


    Right.


    She wanted Murai, but for what or why? That was another thing altogether.


    ¡°Falconers?¡± Velga asked, appearing quite hesitant, and even afraid.


    ¡°Yes. What''s wrong? Are you feeling upset about this?¡± Lazar said, smiling in a good mood. ¡°They are coming, so tell me, heretic. Was something wrong when that succubus disappeared into the thin air? You mentioned it... I feared she used some spell upon me but I can''t see or feel her everywhere. Unless she is so strong that it was a sheer coincidence to see her appearance, but why she would be in this remote and uninteresting village then?¡± he asked a series of questions, while his sword wavered a little.


    Velga gritted her teeth, wanting to speak to make her reason possible and appease her goodwill.


    ¡°I... know something you don''t. I will get rid of that duck for you since it''s possessed by that succubus who disappeared, thanks to her soul-form appearance. You can tell I am right, right? She can kill this whole village if she could! I swear!¡± Velga shouted, her eyes glittering in confidence from her words alone that she only made up in her mind.


    ¡°Possessed duck? Do you think I can believe in such a thing? It is true that succubus is evil and utmost devilish creatures, but possession is not something I heard them do.¡± Lazar still didn''t believe her but chose to test her out.


    ¡°I...¡± Velga hesitated. ¡°It may be the special case and something dangerous. Never heard of Gifted, or Blessed? I heard it all. The kinds of demons that my master killed, and found!¡± she reasoned, appeasing some sense to Lazar, who was standing between her and Murai.


    ¡°M-master? You are still a heretic... I almost forgot. Leave, or I will apprehend you for the sake of the Centralis Kingdom!¡± Lazar said while securing his grip, pointing his sword at her neck. The tip was so close, but no blood was shed.


    ¡°No... No. P-please... Some good is what I want to do. I have no ulterior motives behind this... I am not a bad person, and so was my Master! That is a simple truth.¡± she argued again.


    Lazar frowned upon hearing such words that he remembered from his military service. Excuses and made-up words of reason. He shouldn''t be hearing them, but here he was...


    Retrieving his sword back, Lazar picked the hilt within his grasp and smacked Velga right in her face, leaving her with a bruised nose, and dripping blood. She let herself be hit and staggered to the ground, where she looked at Lazar with anger, unlike before. Even an aura changed around her, the moment she glanced at him.


    ¡°Y-you want to make this unsightly?¡± Velga said, looking up at him with no hesitation in her eyes. Her voice was strange now than before. It was deadly calm and filled with power and fury that was like an abyss - dark and hard to perceive, but worth fearing.


    ¡°I doubt this village will let you do that, heretic. Falconers are here in a bit, so get the fuck out. My last words.¡± Lazar said, and other men and even women surrounding them stepped forward. They were hiding their fear, yet they had to use numbers to their advantage, since this woman may be a heretic against the Centralis Kingdom, but they wanted no trouble.


    Most knew she was a high-level mage, but how powerful? They didn''t know that. In fact, no one knew it, since she occasionally started appearing in the village a year or so ago. Reason? No one knew.


    Even Lazar, to some extent, felt unwilling to have anything to do with her. The village should have protection from such people, and no heretic was worth the trouble. She was a clear problem since she was a heretic and her view was against the Centralis Kingdom. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alas, problems found them, and not the other way around.


    The cause? A duck that was behind Lazar''s back.


    Velga unhappily grunted and got back to her feet. ¡°I was being sincere for the sake of my goodwill, and what mages do. My own feelings also play a big part in it. You are leaving me no choice, but to make it different than I hoped for. Let''s make a trade instead. How about it? I will offer you 150 gold coins for this duck. There shouldn''t be a problem with such a trade. In fact, it is much better for you than me.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Lazar asked, frowning.


    ¡°Why ask a question?! Isn''t this to your liking? Gold or whatnot... that''s what the Centralis Kingdom likes the most!¡± Velga said, putting forth a left hand underneath her cloak. There, she held an open pouch filled with glittering gold coins. Each was great and worth a lot of effort.


    Lazar looked at the others, and even at Grandma Po, who had some hesitation in her eyes. This was a lot of money earned with no effort whatsoever and it would help a lot. They may be forced citizens of the Centralis Kingdom, even though it wasn''t that long ago when they weren''t. They had to pay high taxes because of that, so this kind of money was good fortune.


    Lazar gritted his teeth but declared his view on this matter. He may not be as wise as the elder of the village, but he was the only one among the villagers that went through military training. That also included a few wars before he returned to his home because of some problems he had.


    Lazar knew that had to be firm in his stances and opinion. That was what he learned throughout his military service, which held nothing but hellish memories. Acting how a leader should act was the bare minimum of what he could force out of himself, regardless of his own standing in the village.


    ¡°No will do. When I see you now, offering the moon for a duck, I won''t let you have it. In fact, I will apprehend it myself, for the sake of Falconers since you insist on this too much. Considering the premise of a demon, I am sure at least a captain will come very soon. They are fast, so you should get out.¡± Lazar stated and walked back to pick Murai up.


    Upon doing so, he noticed the strange piece of cloth on top of the duck, but for the time being; he didn''t question it all that much. Briefly, he tried to open the pouch to see what that was, that made this pouch on this duck''s back.


    He failed, so by grabbing Murai by his neck, Lazar ignored its wounds for the time being as well. He walked out of this part of the village, going straight to a wide street where he walked into a particular tavern.


    Velga looked at him, and her goal in apprehension. She was certainly aware that she was doing one mistake after another. She didn''t want to lose her life because of Falconer''s arrival, but this present situation was part of her failure. Maybe she could have done things differently. Like snatching this duck without anyone''s intervention, since she had plenty of strength to do so.


    Unfortunately, that would put her in a sore spot. She had some doubts after waiting for a long time for her purpose, so the current situation happened because of that. Money should had solve that, but it didn''t. Lazar''s belief messed up even the obvious plan she had.


    I swear... I prepared so little for this... She complained in her head and used the remaining idea that she had.


    ¡°300 Gold!¡± she shouted again, but Lazar already shut the door after giving her an indifferent stare. Frowning, Velga then tried to appease the other villagers, but they no longer paid her attention. In fact, some tried to apprehend her and shoo her away.

 Writathon afterwards and what comes next.

    Hello, Wandering Joe greets you.


    5 weeks disappeared in a nick of time, reaching the time when I accomplished what I wanted, but not really.


    Wriathon has been a challenge for me to get the brief idea of a duck out quickly, and with a challenge in mind. I managed 96 603 published words, without including the unreleased ones. At the present, I have written chapter 68 but those aren''t ready for anything, but wait for their time to rewrite and edit. Either of these things is an annoyance, which is my problem to solve. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Here comes the kick in the guts.


    I am not burned out, but priorities have to become straight. I published a shit ton of words, and it hurt my other fictions. Mainly, the Mortal''s Fate, while Emblem Apocalypse


    is doing alright. I want to keep publishing them as well. Both of them have over 100 chapters respectively, albeit with no bigger audience than this one.


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    In fact, I see no incentive to continue publishing at all, since it''s not attractive, and that is fine. Seeing the numbers may be the reason for my feelings, which may a lot of authors on this side find similar to their own cases.


    With that said, this novel schedule will change since doing daily releases put my mind in shackles. Doing so for longer would hurt me, but I do not regret these 5 weeks, which were.... disgusting.


    Reincarnated as a duck will be updated Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. If it will be troublesome for me, I will ditch the Monday too, so that leaves me with weekends.


    Thank you for your understanding, and I hope you liked the story so far.

 Chapter 41: Falconers

    Inside the tavern, Lazar turned Murai towards his face. He was wondering, what Velga thought of this duck, but no matter how he viewed it, he wasn''t sure if he made mistake or not.


    ¡°What is this thing... I did feel some sense of dread from it like I did back then in the Endless Plains.¡± he wondered out loud, glancing at the wounds further. Blood dripped along the left wing, and further around the left side of the body. ¡°It seems something nasty happened to it too... Am I thinking of this badly? If I do, and Falconers will come and realize it, will I regret it?¡±


    Questioning his choice was already futile. Lazar quickly wiped dripping blood from Murai''s wounds, so he wouldn''t mess up the cage.


    This tavern was Lazar''s business, with various things around. There were dozens of tables with chairs and even a bar. It was strange to have the cages around one part of the wall, considering it was a pub, and restaurant but he had no idea where to put the cages since they were too large and hard to store.


    Murai was still bleeding, but it wasn''t anything Lazar thought of, since he thought little of this duck''s well-being after he put it into a small cage meant for rabbits or whatnot.


    Was he willing to make fun of himself to the Falconers if this duck ended up as a normal duck? He wouldn''t like it, but it was worth being careful. After all, Velga seemed too forceful to want this duck, so asking Falconers was the only thing he could do.


    Crouching down beside the cage, he looked at the laying Murai, who wasn''t able to stand up nor move much at all. Before, he wished to disappear, but it seemed he got too overwhelmed by everything and felt dizzy and strangely obnoxious. It was a feeling he was familiar with. He was fucked up pretty badly, and that was about it.


    ¡°Well... The duck is an animal, or are you a demonic beast, duck?¡± Lazar asked, still clutching the sword in his hand. ¡°I never heard of a demonic duck or similar thing in its appearance to it. My bet is that the heretic had other intentions in mind... Like this bag of yours, which I was unable to open at all? Hmmm... Let me see.¡± Lazar opened the cage and tried to get this backpack from Murai''s back.


    The strips were tightly secured and didn''t move, making him struggle in vain. Even the pouch itself was impossible to open to see the insides, which was a bit frustrating since it seemed like a regular pouch with a strip running on top to open it up with even a single hand. ¡°What the hell is this... Is this strengthened by magic or its some sort of joke or... valuable treasure?¡± he asked himself after his failure.


    Alas, Lazar had no idea what to make of it, and he didn''t even consider taking the pouch out of Murai''s body. Strips didn''t move either and everything was bloodied, and he had no intention to think of it further. So, he put Murai back into the cage, while Murai had no choice but to curse this clueless man to oblivion.


    ... this... This situation... I hate it with a passion! Murai thought in his mind, forcing his consciousness to regain some clarity. He couldn''t do much about it, being in the cage, or whatnot. His health was deteriorating further, while it seemed his Vitality wasn''t having desirable results. It didn''t help at all, but perhaps it was trying, but the wound was too severe. He felt weaker and weaker, and his ability to move was getting worse.


    It is the blood loss...Unsurprisingly. Murai figured, yet his mind was turning clearer instead. Body and Mind are two different things. I know it... but at one point, the pain of one thing will encompass the other. It''s a matter of time when.. wait. Robust Spirit? I felt its power. It is making my mind sturdy, like its name. Though, it can help me now, for how long is another question. My mana is in shambles too, so the case of this mess is a mixture of everything that could go wrong. Fuck... I need to get treated with these open wounds around my wing. He deducted, but with the cage closed and no one around him, he couldn''t do a thing.


    Lazar took a seat close to this cage, waiting in order to seek the Falconers.


    As he waited, the door opened, revealing a head of a boy named Timmy, who was curiously glancing inside. Lazar noticed him and gestured for him to go in, and not waste time. Walking inside, Timmy noticed how empty this tavern was, because of the happenings outside.


    ¡°Uncle Lazar?¡± he asked, raising a question if he may continue going or not.


    ¡°You are already inside, boy. What is it?¡± Lazar asked with his arms crossed on his chest.


    ¡°C-can I take a look at this "demon" duck?¡± he asked with a question, filled with curiosity.


    ¡°Demon? I doubt this is thing is such a case, but sure. It''s just a duck that is on a brink of death. The kind that you had seen many times.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡± Timmy cheered and stormed the closed cage. Looking at a possible demon that he was curious about, he was surprisingly cheerful and curious about it.


    Murai glared at him with a bothersome look, but that was the bare minimum he was able to do. Considering his face was the face of a duck, it did nothing to the curious boy.


    ¡°It is a duck... and it is bleeding a lot, Uncle. Will it die soon?¡± Timmy asked in worry.


    ¡°Don''t worry. It will, probably. Hopefully, not before the Falconers get here, that is.¡± Lazar stated with an uncaring tone and did pay not much attention to Timmy''s curiosity.


    ¡°Falconers...¡± Timmy mumbled, thinking that their involvement wasn''t a good thing. ¡°By the way, Grandma Po made that heretic flee the scene after she was done with her offers. She ended up at 400 Gold coins, which was a ridiculous number. I heard it and almost stumbled in place. I have never seen something worth that much gold.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I am not surprised.¡± was Lazar''s simple answer, while all of a sudden the main entrance door shot open, revealing a couple of figures.


    Falconers finally reached the village according to Lazar''s hope and found their way to this place that villagers pointed to.


    Knights in glistering armor amidst the sunny outside walked inside. There were 3 of them, with one leading the others. He was a serious-looking man, no older than 25. His features were wild, with some scars around his clean shaved face, and dangerous-looking face. What was the most insane about him were his open and unblinking eyes. They were bloodshot and equally dark as his hair.


    The 2 others after him were quite serious as well, but not like the leader.


    Lazar immediately got up from his sitting position, greeting the Falconers with a polite salute. He didn''t utter a single word, and even the 3 knights said nothing to him as they reached his position.


    They stopped before Lazar, and that was when the leading man started asking questions. ¡°What happened? Explanations!¡± he said with a quite focused and clear tone of straightforwardness. His eyes went right towards Lazar, who shook and almost jumped in fright.


    ¡°C-captain Razmund...¡± he started, recognizing this man from a couple of meetings. He wasn''t one he expected, but it will have to do. ¡°There was a sudden intrusion of a demonic ghost. They, or it, appeared from our well. It was that thing, but not that alone... I think.¡± Lazar pointed to Murai in the cage and Razmund glanced at it afterward.


    ¡°I also noticed and talked with a strange succubus in glittering mana form. I don''t...¡± as he was speaking, Razmund no longer paid him any attention. He turned on the spot, focusing his unblinking eyes on Murai, and walked right towards the cage. Timmy was still there, but upon seeing the scary eyes of that man, he backed away to the opposite side of the corner. He shouldn''t be in the way of the Falconers, and he knew it.


    ¡°A duck? I don''t feel... Wait... This feels familiar but not demonic... It''s stranger than that, and it''s bleeding. Those wounds... Something deep and sharp. What is this?¡± the man muttered underneath his nose, crouching down to take a better look at Murai.


    ¡°Explain the situation better, Lazar,¡± one of the other 2 knights ordered, and he had no choice but to comply according to their wishes. It was his own problem, and one he created, so he should solve it with them too. So, Lazar didn''t hide anything from them, since it wasn''t needed or even worth to lie.


    In fact, he would tell them anything that they would need to know and it will nothing but the truth. This went on for a couple of minutes. It wasn''t that hard, nor a time-consuming process, since not a lot of things happened since Murai''s and Lisa''s appearance.


    ¡°... and then the succubus disappeared to nothingness. There was even a heretic from Yuzni Mountain who was interested in this beast. I didn''t see her in a long time, but it seems she was luckily in the perimeter when this strange duck appeared from our well, or the reason was that succubus? I don''t know.¡± Lazar said at last but didn''t include much of what Velga specifically stated and offered.


    He was more curious about the clearer words and decisiveness of these Falconers, who were much better at dealing with these thigns than himself.


    ¡°A succubus made of mana you said?¡± Razmund said after listening to Lazar''s words and carefully looking at Murai. Then he got up and faced Lazar once more since the topic of everything turned out to be quite interesting. The succubus was quite a rare demon to meet in this part of the world after all, but that wasn''t a fact he was curious about.


    ¡°Precisely, sir. It talked as if it didn''t want to do anything but move on, or something... It had some demonic aura for sure! I swear.¡±


    ¡°I know you aren''t lying. You served some years, as I''ve been told,¡± Razmund said.


    ¡°Yes. Demonic beasts have a specific aura so I felt what I knew from Endless Plains in the north.¡± Lazar explained.


    ¡°I can understand it then, but demons aren''t like beats. Did that succubus have something else besides the appearance of one? Any aura that is unlike the normal? It appears to me you felt things that weren''t familiar to you or something isn''t right here, but I wasn''t there, where the succubus appeared, and I am sure I feel an aura of a demonic beast from this thing.¡± Razmund said, walking one step at a time to face nervous Lazar.


    The air around Razmund was deep and dangerous, making Lazar shudder in nervousness. Some demonic beast? This man was worst than that from the face alone.


    ¡°I am unsure, but it was a succubus. I wasn''t willing to endanger anything for the sake of my village. That was why I called the service of the Falconers because you always deal with the demons and troubles of any dangerous beast.¡±


    ¡°So you summoned us since you felt like it?¡± Razmund said with utterly focused eyes that didn''t blink even once throughout this exchange. Veins were visible all over the white parts of his eyes, making him seem like a lunatic.


    ¡°N-no! I was...¡± Before Lazar finished, a hand quenched his mouth and lifted his whole body above the floor.


    Razmund clutched his head singlehandedly, looking at him with seriousness and unknown intent.


    ¡°Not a word of this... understood? I will solve it myself, and I already heard Elder Po''s explanation. It appears to me you did say everything that should have been told., but missed some remarks. Don''t do so in the future, unless you want some punishment,¡± he said and then dropped Lazar to the ground where he collapsed to his knees, coughing.


    Razmund smirked and wiped his hands against his light leather armor, which had some fabric parts. Out of the 3, he was the only one who didn''t have glistering armor.


    ¡°Just so you know, succubuses can''t possess others, unless they would be incredibly advanced in power. Such figures wouldn''t come here, and if they would, this place would be gone from a map. The one you spoke about wasn''t, or it used to be one, however. Regardless of that... I can see some truth in your case, but you weren''t in danger as far as I can see. However, this duck is indeed some form of a demonic beast since its aura is hiding or it''s quite weak because of its injuries. While I am at it, I will get rid of it, but remember my words from today, Lazar! I speak the truth for the sake of your freedom and lives. No words.¡± Razmund said and walked back towards Murai, leaving Lazar nodding amidst his coughs.


    There, with a single swipe of his fist, Razmund destroyed the wooden cage, squeezing Murai around the bars, and pulled him out. He wasn''t gentle, and Murai could feel a higher pressure and power within this man''s hand. He almost crushed him like the cage, but only almost.


    Murai didn''t even have the power to utter a single quack over the man''s clutch, but not as if he wanted. He could tell he was seen through, even though he did his best to refrain any mana from leaking out. It worked, but it seemed Razmund saw through it for different reasons.


    With Murai in hand, he turned back.


    Lazar looked at Razmund with understanding and sincerity of his own inferiority. He kneeled on the floor, pleading in affirmation. ¡°I will never do such mistakes. No words. I understand. I wanted to know your honest and right answer alone, captain Razmund. I didn''t want to tell the wrong things. I only said what was needed at the moment, so I may get to know the right things from your wisdom as a Blessed.¡±


    ¡°Hoh... How sincere.¡± Razmund sneered, having fun squeezing the living shit out of Murai. ¡°All of a sudden, you appear trustful and I accept no words. Good.¡± Razmund said, turning his face towards Murai as he commented about Lazar''s pleas. ¡°When it comes to the demons, the Falconers are always serious. We don''t take things lightly, even though this part of this kingdom is new to our possession. You understand what I mean, am I right?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I am a citizen of Centralis Kingdom and no longer support the past regime.¡± Lazar said without hesitation and turned his head down. He rather faced the ground, understanding the standing of who was before him.


    Then, the 3 Falconers left without many other words, since their job was over. Whatever it was, no demon was present, and they were right in some sense of reason.


    It was impulsiveness on Lazar''s part that led to their arrival, albeit the feeling that Lisa gave him was real. It was right in his opinion to call for them, but in no way was Razmund able to recognize the presence of Lisa inside Murai''s soul space.


    The reality of what Lisa was, was different. She was no longer a demon, nor someone who could be considered one, but the mana that she was part of, was part of her Chaos. So, Lazar noticed those feelings, albeit to a limited degree of familiarity.


    Soul forms weren''t known to be demons, but they could have many forms. Having one with an appearance of a demon wasn''t unlikely, but Razmund wasn''t interested in that kind of thing. He could only think of some bizarre possibilities. Like... Soul form possessing a duck? That sounded way too ridiculous, so he took the duck in order to try some methods to see if Lazar was right.


    The Falconers didn''t need to prove their fighting abilities, nor if their work was right to call or not. They said their work was done, and with Murai in hand, they indeed accomplished what they had to.


    Inside the building, Timmy and Lazar felt the pressure these Falconers possessed. It was the terrifying strength of the Magic Knights of the Centralis Kingdom and one of many strong Blessed of the Centralis Kingdom. Though only Lazar held the utmost fear over the knights. Timmy, on the other hand, was yet to be aware of the true powers of the terrifying knights that were Falconers.


    Out in the sun, Murai was once again glad to see the light. Though, thanks to his current circumstances, he wasn''t feeling glad or good at all. His insides were rushing, and his lungs almost collapsed. His chances against these knights were like possessing the Eveflower, or so he calculated.


    The hand that was quenching his life wasn''t something he could escape, and it was touching his very life ~ something that was precious to him. This clutch and pressure was the arrogance of someone who could do what he sees fit. That was the immediate reaction he got when feeling the hand of this man, who appeared to be another Blessed.


    Murai heard it all, and it was at this moment, that a Will of the Battleworld descended upon Murai''s soul.


    [A clutch of a powerhouse! Blessed human is fit to clutch and destroy the beasts]


    [You have been sought out, demolished by your luck and carelessness of your own fate or abilities]


    [Another Blessed figure lays and towers over you mealy little life. HE is before you as HIGH as above you. He is a human named Razmund Dietrich - level 65. He is clutching your life away. His hand holds your life] S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [A duck within one''s palm]


    [Your current circumstances are grim, but the Battleworld gives some chances to its citizens. That''s what is fair, and that is the case for you as well]


    [Your choices...]


    [Well...]


    [Survive]


    [That is all]


    [Reward - Anatidae specie''s special Ability - improvements in the abilities, additional attributes, and strengthened mana]


    [Special property added to the unique circumstances- Grade SSS - High-Rank Clash of the Blessed - Further degree of rewards will be granted in success under the pretext of RULE XXXX XXXXX]


    [Failure - you will die in his hand so it doesn''t matter]


    ¡°FUCK!¡± Murai uttered an audible, yet small quack within Razmund''s grip.


    This audible quack piqued his interest, so he looked at the helpless duck as if he was a butcher, ready to slaughter it without hesitation. It was unknown if Razmund felt something strange about Murai or not, or if he felt Will of the Battleworld as well. After all, none could feel what other Blessed are currently having, apart from the boosts from the World.


    What he did was simple, even though many kinds of villagers were around this section of the village. He walked towards the same well in the middle of the village where Murai emerged from. He stopped about 10 meters away from it, and then Razmund pulled his head backward, curved his back, and tossed Murai as if he was baseball.


    Murai''s helpless body smacked into the well so damn vast, he fell almost unconscious. Still, his mind remained bright by his sheer Will and ability to work through the pain thanks to his abnormal soul.


    The same wasn''t... couldn''t be said about his physical body which crumbled, and wounds deepened. Razmund''s toss was overpowering and empowered by his own abilities as a Blessed, and high-level one, at that.

 Chapter 42: Incoming death, and change of situation

    Gasping for his breath, Murai ended up facing the bloodied stone of the well that was not long ago, his hope. Blood seemed out of every hole in his body, and his mind shook amidst the pain. He didn''t even stumble or struggled. He felt his mana turning, and itching along the instability in his Beast Core, indicating some issues.


    He wasn''t usable in any way, since he felt this strangeness in almost every way when the End of life was happening. This mana degeneration was another nail to his coffin, or so he thought.


    Razmund smirked, wearing the same unblinking face. ¡°I will give you death worthy of demonic beast, duck,¡± he uttered, and without much regard to the many villagers present, he began to pound the little duck on the ground. He kicked Murai with quite some strength and used his knees, elbow, and fist to his heart''s content. He didn''t use any abilities. Just his physicality and nothing else.


    His face twisted in a sneer, revealing much enjoyment in this, while his eyes seemed the same as always, bloodied and focused and purposefully uncaring about any blood that danced around the well. His other two colleagues watched this in silence behind his back, thinking this was just a regular thing that neither of them found strange.


    Dozens of kicks later, Razmund sighted in relief and picked Murai up to see his results.


    ¡°Well, it is still alive. It has some tough features, let''s acknowledge that. I can feel its life too, but it''s quivering. Waldorf, is this a normal duck to you? These eyes, this... lifeform?¡± Razmund raised a question, pointing Murai to one of his colleagues that wore a helmet and full body armor.


    In fact, both Razmud''s colleagues wore the same armor. They looked unlike Razmund, whose head was unmasked, and hair visible since he didn''t wear his helmet. Their armor was of lower quality, made of a different metal and lighter color. Razmund''s armor was a lighter mixture of tight metallic plates along with a neat leather combo. It was a much better uniform for flexibility and high combat capabilities and comfort.


    ¡°It does look like a duck,¡± Waldorf replied. ¡°I find its life is in shambles, though. I can''t tell if it is a demonic beast or not, however.¡± He almost looked identical to the other. Wearing helmets was the cause, while the only difference was a mustache visible under his nose.


    ¡°Well, and what is this then? This mana within this duck is strange... It leaked at the end of my pounding, but as I see it, it''s weak. I fear I see a rare type of species, but I can''t recall the case of the demonic ducks... It''s not under the Centralis Kingdom''s libraries, at least. What about this thing around its body?¡± Razmund pointed with his other hand to the bloodied backpack, that he tried to destroy but it didn''t even flinch. It was a gift from a god, so it was no wonder it was tough.


    ¡°There is a lot that our libraries lack, sir. It... I don''t know what that bag is, though. Looks like a spatial pouch, but bigger and purposefully made for this duck. Well, probably. Its strips can be adjusted, so perhaps even a wolf or dog can wear it.¡± Waldorf gave another answer to Razmund''s question, but why this duck had such a thing around its body, he couldn''t tell or guess it.


    The bloodied leather was tough, albeit bloodied. Razmund could tell it was in a magnificent grade of material even after his beatings. He was definitely feeling interested in it since he tried to rip it open with his strikes. No regular leather, nor armor would survive that, yet this thing prevailed, and even this duck? He tried to kill it just now, truthfully, but he found the feathers flexible, yet tough when he punched or kicked it. The slash that exposed the flesh and was featherless, not so much.


    Grinning the same as always, he tried to open the bag as one would do, but it didn''t move an itch, similar to the time when Lazar tried to open it as well. It was sealed well. Opening it like a regular pouch was possible, but none apart from Murai and Lisa could do it. There was nothing one could do to open it up.


    ¡°What is this thing? Fuck...¡± Razmund cursed after trying his grip. He used all his one-hand strength to rip it open, but it didn''t do a thing.


    So, Razmund forced it with both hands. Murai was still consciously aware of what was happening, and his eyes still worked. He would love to make a comment about his sheer stupidity to open a sealed object, but couldn''t. Regardless of his numb, and bloodied body that was limp below his backpack, he felt helpless.


    His soul was shaking and trembling, amidst the struggles his body endured. It was the begging of something he felt many times over. Yet, there was something stranger in this death. His Will was still standing firm, allowing him to perceive it unlike many times before. His ability to perceive everything through the pain was clear like a sky, indicating that something was affecting him right now and causing this clarity.


    It was a strange feeling. It was as if he was watchful over his own death and felt every second of it happening in real time. He was watching how his mortal body was ceasing to work properly, and he was even forgetting the pain, ignoring it away by reaching a strange state of mind. It was one thing he could do as someone with the Robust Spirit, albeit he wasn''t aware of it.


    That was, up until now.


    His whole soul''s perception of the dying changed when something shook his soul.


    In fact, the present ordeal made his Will and Soul different from before, while a message spoke to his soul.


    [Strange iteration of the Object - 92554 - detected. Breach of the System - Creating, adjusting, and calculating... Error detected, RULE forfeited in accordance with Object X''s interventions and Will. Ruler''s rule overruled by due intervention]


    [Robust Spirit - Core Identity granted under the further degree - unleashing its effectiveness to a lesser degree, however]


    [Your body is near destruction, but your Will is unshaken in terms of Higher Power. Core Identity is caused by the situation of the powerful Will and Soul. It''s far from the pinnacle of perception, but it is a step!]


    [Your Soul Power takes the first root to the Higher Power and is seeping around your Soul Space, making the Robust Spirit stronger, and allowing it to proceed with creating a Core Identity outside of ordinary rules]


    [Soul Force unleashed by the Will of the Robust Spirit, causing the creation of the Soul Force]


    [Soul Force - It is a Fusion of the Soul Power and the Will, becoming its own thing, yet the former powers still remain their own things]


    [The case of the Soul Force is an identity of the Robust Spirit, creating new variables according to the breached power]


    [What you can manifest with your powerful Will and Soul is following....]


    [There are 100 points within your Soul Force. From this number, you can activate the special cases of Robust Spirit Identity Abilities]


    [Robust Defense - 1 through 50 Soul Force]


    [Upon activation, it can unleash a powerful Soul Force that will cease all abnormal and irregular harm. Your body will be shielded for the duration of each point. 1 second 1 per Soul Force. The limit is 50 but it can be adjusted by a firm grasp of the Robust Defense]


    [Further use of this ability may improve its effectiveness and change the shape of the Robust Defense]


    [The base structure is close to Mana-based Abilities like Barrier and Ward, albeit with higher efficiency]


    [Grade - Unique]


    [Level - adjusted to the Soul Power]


    [Robust Will - 30 Soul Force]


    [It will enhance your senses and Will. It can stop any negative elements of physical and psychological manners and issues, creating a Serenity of Order. Unlike the Robust Defense, the Robust Will works through the Will, easing the mind, while the body may still be under some pressure, but rejuvenated, and stronger. It has no physical defense improvements or offensive attributes.]


    [The duration of the Robust Will is at its core 1 minute. It can''t be adjusted but improved it cannot]


    [Grade - Unique]


    [Level - Adjusted to the Soul Power]


    [Indomitable Strike - 50 Soul Force]


    [It is a fully offensive ability. It is an accumulative power of the Soul Force, which will shake not only one''s Will but strike the world of physical realms with terrifying power. The Soul Force can do so thanks to the perception and many ways, making it a powerful attack that can change the status quo]


    [It is a powerful force, with dangerous ways of usage]


    [While the Indomitable Strike is happening, the Soul Force will momentarily leave your Will, making you an easy target for any mental attacks and ambushes]


    [The careful use of the Indomitable Strike may be a strike between life and death, leaving your Will up to the task or the body. One needs to be careful, or one may die with the foe]


    [Grade - Unique]


    [Level - in accordance with the Soul Power]


    All the Core Identity Skills of the Soul Force are Unique abilities with powerful usage but forced adjustment to the Core Identity points. Soul perception and prowess of your case is up to the task of the Anatidae species, but XXXXXX''X interventions.


    [Limiter given]


    [There is a 10-point limiter of the Soul Force that one can get a day. Spending the Soul Force may be easy, but getting it back is not. Steading and getting your Soul Force back may take time, while its advantages are tremendous]


    [Power of the Soul Fore is determined by the power of the Soul, Will, perception of reality, and fusion of it all - Soul Power]


    [It may be difficult to gouge them, and the level of the 3 abilities will always remain on the same level as one''s Soul Power and Will]


    Murai heard this all, yet he wasn''t feeling anything in particular. There was no happiness, nor gladness to achieve some incredible ability at such a bad time. He didn''t even feel any boost, nor did Falconers notice he just ignited a Breach.


    It may sound like a hopeful time at the end of life, but Murai was a realist in the far-reaching End, albeit it was no End for his Cursed Living. He was feeling the unsteady source of destruction coming his way...


    It was coming back to him.


    A New Beginning, along with the End of Everything.


    A monstrosity that will drag everyone who dies. He never saw it but felt it many times over his Cursed Living and along the road to power. It was a crazy thing. None could stop its clutches, nor stop it. It was beyond the Laws or Reason. It was one thing that he never understood, as it stood beyond the sense of some measly Gods, who may die, but none will ever feel what was it like to feel what he felt.


    Hence, what would be the point of using the Identity of the Robust Spirit when another End was coming back to drag him away? Small, if nonexistent.


    His body was utterly useless right now, so what about a good old Will of the Battleworld and good hope? Should he fight? Will his vitality return to his body all of a sudden? How could he heal from this sort of damage that Razmund forced upon him?


    His muscles were destroyed, bones crushed, and his lungs seeped with the blood of his species, making him seem like an excuse to be called an Anatiade. His Anatidae blood wasn''t all that powerful yet, nor did he live for enough time. Murai was helpless at this very moment of his End. It made him recall situations like this, yet this one hurt much more for some reason. Murai hated it too since it didn''t make sense. The fact that this Soul Force won''t help him was obvious to him. It won''t change the outcome or the past.


    After all, the present man before him was Level 65. He was a powerful Blessed human in his own right, and someone completely outside his power.


    Involuntarily, Murai completely stopped all of his efforts to stop his mana aura from appearing. He did so the moment his Will almost gave up, and Razmund beat him like a lunatic. It was a bit senseless if he tried to continue doing so. Murai recognized his own useless efforts, which was no wonder. He was very new to the lack of familiarity with the Beast Core and how to act like a demonic beast. There was no point in playing a regular duck, so he gave up trying to play it tough.


    In truth, it wasn''t even that different when he stopped all of his efforts. He had only so much fuel to do a thing. It only let out a more distinct feeling of his demonic origin, while Razmund was trying to open the backpack. He noticed the shimmering feelings of mana coming off of Murai''s body, and some things, but it wasn''t all that special.


    It didn''t even come to his mind, since this bloody body wasn''t a threat, not something he should even consider to be one. Razmund was much stronger in handling the mana itself, and Murai was less than a threat. He also had more familiarity with how demonic mana felt, leading to his unimpressive state of mind. He didn''t think Murai was worth anything, which was a fair point, since he didn''t know, nor did he need to know about him.


    So what if this duck was still alive in the Battleworld for a bit more time? Just to suffer? This was a Battleworld where lives were dying left and right. There was a law of the jungle, where the strong ate the weak.


    Those were the Rules, and the facts that Razmund followed. Albait, what he found instead was frustration in the appearance of the backpack. It was interesting, annoying, and confusing. He almost turned his mind over itself and opened his primary pouch for a weapon, but that would be too humiliating.


    So, in the end, he figured this should be something that he will take with him, whether it will be something bad or good. A treasure was a thing Blessed liked, and he was no different.


    But for that to come to him, some things had to come off or become twisted away. Razmund wasn''t so good at being gentle, and he didn''t care about the strips enough. He gave up on them, similar to not giving a fuck about this duck.


    At the end of his patience or the start of his desire, he grabbed Murai''s right wing that wasn''t bloodied from a deep cut. Then, he twisted his hand, breaking the bones at the section of the wing, close to Murai''s body. Twisting it away, Razmund made sure one strip of the backpack was able to come off. Murai''s neck was long, soft, and clumsy, so Razmund only twisted his neck slightly with little force to let all the strips around the upper body away.


    As for the next ones, it was as simpler as the first ones. Razmund had only two things to consider. That was breaking the tiny legs, and twisting them away. That was enough to let the strips away from the body.


    Murai didn''t even though much about it, or what happened to his body since lack of life was more precious than some treasure. It wasn''t like it would change anything, since this pouch was his, and no one else will say otherwise. It was a gift from a God, and no one else will be able to take anything from it, even though what was inside wasn''t even worth a lot. Just loot from a single dungeon. What worth it had when he barely started this living?


    Two crunching noises away, Razmund finally retrieved the pouch, that he handled with curious importance. The small backpack in the shape of a pouch was within his bloodied palm. It was a handful one, and rather light. Razmund held the broken duck in the other hand, but his interest was upon the pouch.


    The use of this duck was over, so he wanted to flicker his hand and toss Murai back to the well where he came off, but a change occurred.


    Behind him, towards the left side, a woman''s figure, intangible to the eyes, shrouded in a cloak and with a dagger in hand, emerged. She appeared from a twisted space as if she had emerged from another realm of existence. Though, the reason was easier. She was using an Invisible Spell.


    The one who emerged was Velga, who wouldn''t take the Falconers lightly, so she prepared beforehand, adding an ambush to her purposeful chance.


    In a moment, she stabbed Razmund 3 times with quick motions of her dagger. 1 stab went to his shoulder, while the rest went to his hand he put in a quick defense. It was the one with the pouch. This quick reflex saved his life, albeit he wasn''t happy about it all that well.


    This was no regular knife, after all. It went right through his shoulder and even his hand, which were all protected by highly valuable armor. Made of Mithral, famous blacksmiths from the Dwarf''s Fortress forged the armor under Centralis Kingdom''s rule. The dagger lacerated into it like butter, leaving bloody holes in his armor.


    Upon noticing the sudden change, Razmund''s colleagues went alert as well and since they were close, their actions weren''t slow.


    ¡°Dark Mage!¡± Waldorf shouted and did what he should. Unsheathing his blade on his hips, he quickly cleaved at the enemy that wasn''t facing him, but Razmund alone.


    Alas, the strike hit the empty air. There was only shimmering space, and mana convulsing in mid-air. Velga teleported a few steps aside while her face was shrouded under the hood, making her appearance as deadly as mysterious.


    ¡°It is a powerful one!¡± the other unnamed Falconer shouted and charged forward. He had a massive hammer as the weapon, which wasn''t the right weapon of choice against a mage, but what he could do as a knight? He used what he took with him for a simple mission, and considering the Falconers, he was a capable individual. He struck the ground with a powerful vertical leap, letting a shockwave lead to quite a powerful force.


    It pushed Velga, Razmund, and even Waldorf aside, creating a perfect chance to catch up and cease the effectiveness of this ambush away - albeit, it will destroy quite a large space of this village. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And that was precisely what the Falconer with the hammer aimed for. Razmund stumbled to the ground from the shockwave, but he was able to get to his feet in a moment. He noticed he was still quenching Murai in his right hand, but the pouch wasn''t on his left any longer.


    What was seeping with blood was the left hand and left shoulder, which Razmund was sure was Velga''s aim. Yet, he noticed there was also something else to his deep wounds. It turned the left side of his body numb and unusable. It was as if it disappeared, and he was half the man he used to be.


    Velga also stabilized from flying away, crouching down not far away. The hood around her head loosened, uncovering a bit of her face. She was eyeing the pouch lying on the ground since she was unable to catch it just now. This was immediately noticed by Razmund, who felt more than capable to kill this woman with half of his body.


    Turning half of his face to a wide grin, he spoke with utter confidence - albeit it was a bit hoarse and harder to understand him.


    ¡°What is this, woman? A Dark Mage of a Nightmare Guild, or an unnamed one? For you to be Level 55 and never met me... This must have been a terrible nightmare for you.¡±


    ¡°Shut your stupid mouth, dying moron,¡± Velga uttered in a cold voice and leaped forward without too much willingness to start a conversation.


    ¡°What is this? Are you that heretic who villagers mentioned?¡± Razmund asked again, also leaping forward with the right half of his body. He was feeling good, yet it was questionable if the veined face and his mind were also fine. Noticing his slower speed, he used the duck, which was still in his right hand. Frowning unhappily, he tossed Murai at the pouch, making it travel out of Velga''s first reach.


    She grunted in displeasure since she was a step away from one of the purposes she recognized. She knew her chances weren''t the highest for what she was here for, so for the Falconers to appear, and her ambush to fail, she realized her chances.


    With the failure of the charge, what was left before her was Razmund, while the other 2 Falconers were right past him. They encircled her to make this a 3-way attack, while the pouch was far away from her reach. She realized she can teleport there, but it would make her an easy target since the Falconers should''ve already realized that.


    Velga gritted her teeth and put forth her left hand forward. She held some talisman and mumbled a series of quick incantations, creating a barrier around herself. It was a quick form of the 3 thick barriers on top of each other, which was an effective way to defend against these Falconers.


    Though this high-level Enchanted Ward was enough for the Falconers, they realized the disadvantages and surrounded her with her lack of movement being one. They knew how to act against a proper mage, and when they would turtle up like it, it was half the job done. Since she was inside the Ward, unable to move, she shouldn''t be able to teleport or use such spells while performing this Ward.


    Inside a spherical barrier, Velga eyed Razmund with utter disgust and killing intent. ¡°How about a deal?¡± she asked, looking through a swirling mana that was seen through, yet incredibly tough.


    ¡°What is that pouch?¡± Razmund asked, turning his right hand towards Murai, who rejoiced with his gift. Though he wasn''t really happy about it.


    ¡°I don''t know what is there, but have you never seen a spatial object? I doubt you didn''t,¡± she replied with mockery since it was a doubtful statement.


    ¡°So what if I know it is a spatial object or not? Does it matter when you almost killed me for something like that? Such a thing is not worth it for a level 55 to fight a group of skilled Falconers.¡± Razmund asked while his bloody left arm was limp, along with the left side of his body. He was still more or less standing just on his right leg, and even then, he was quite fast and deadly - at least for a man that wasn''t able to move half of his body.


    ¡°So, are you interested in my deal? I will force this if I will have to...¡± Velga continued.


    ¡°A deal with a bloody dark mage? What do you take Falconers for?¡± Razmund said, not one bit afraid of her words, nor her special dagger that penetrated his armor with ease.


    ¡°As a bunch of greedy people... I may offer some interesting things. I know you would be willing to listen.¡± Velga argued, trying her hardest to deal with these 3 Falconers. ¡°I can give you some information that should work to your advantage, or how about 30 pouches of Grade A Mana Materials of your desires? I have a lot of them, so a price should be worth at least 20000 gold.¡±


    Razmund still smiled in his strange smile. Even with such an offer that wasn''t small, it further made things obvious.


    ¡°Paulfred, get me that pouch,¡± he ordered the Falconer with the hammer, who confirmed the order. ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    He walked towards Murai, who was laying beside the pouch, and ignored the duck. He wasn''t there to care about a half-dead duck, which was still breathing and glaring at him through one side of his face turned up.


    This simple glance jumped his mind a little, but grabbing the pouch was enough before he tossed it to Razmund, who caught it with his right hand.

 Chapter 43: Velgas confusing secrets

    Velga glared at the pouch, appearing focused on it, but a small glance was also upon a laying duck for whatever reason.


    ¡°20000 gold for a spatial object seems normal, or abnormal depending on it. Unless it''s something specific or damaged, it can be a couple of thousands of gold. But... What do you take me for, woman? I reached Level 65 according to the guidance of the God of Battle. Of course, I know what this thing is, but for you to be interested and willingly be apprehended by 3 Falconers, your actions seem stupid as attacking us. You speak of offers, yet you already attacked. Are you an idiot?¡±


    ¡°Don''t force me to unleash my wrath!¡± Velga spitted those words out, growling and wishing to curse.


    ¡°Heh! Funny. Wrath of a wretch. My bet is, that you know the content of this bag, which I couldn''t open nor damage at all. Me! I can force a lot of things with my hands, you know? It is something I bet you will be soon aware of. This also adds to the suspicion of that succubus demon, which I trust is real from the reports, or this duck that appears to be some demonic beast. What is it, heretic? Speak, and maybe I won''t be that hard on you.¡± Razmund said, but Velga didn''t tell him much.


    After all, she didn''t know what was in this pouch, nor she was interested in it. The reason for anything didn''t matter as her own eyes and the mana core within her body were firmly set on her purpose. To this man, she had nothing to tell.


    The spatial object was hard to find, depending on quality, or grade. However, such a topic wasn''t her purpose since the very beginning. Velga felt the divinity of that thing, causing her a deep surprise since it was her purpose. The reason was strange, yet seeing it was something she had to discover herself. It was a gift of someone special, to someone even more abnormal. She also recognized the Anatidae special, but that was a secondary issue that she found less confusing for some reason.


    ¡°Very well, you stupid men. I will kill you and no one will blame me for that, since you are so unwilling to cut a deal,¡± she uttered the words filled with bloodlust and killing intent. She wasn''t a person who was trying to cut a deal. No. She was a cunning devil that will butcher them all.


    She meant what she said, and within the Ward itself, she began a second chant. It was a dangerous prospect for mages to do this with another one active, but this time, she didn''t take any talisman. The Ward itself was high-level enough and required some need of fueling mana from her core.


    Though she did what she wanted, and her chant made dozens of floating mana runes appear and flicker around her praying hands. Mana flared up within the Ward, but it didn''t seep out. It was revolving as if the mana within the Ward itself was turning into a chaotic storm - or acting with it instead.


    Razmund frowned upon recognizing the motions and incantation of what she was doing, so he turned to Waldorf.


    ¡°No time to waste on this heretic. She indeed feels inclined to destroy us here, or maybe this entire village as well. Here, use this instead of me. I will give you compensation for this later.¡± Razmund said to him, tossing him something out of his own pocket. It was a sharp needle-like shard, which Waldorf unwillingly grasped. It had strange liquid inside, while the needle-like shard itself had a glossy finish to it. It wasn''t manmade to be exact.


    However, the mana undulation that this object had wasn''t normal, and natural. Waldorf held it with a surprise and quite an apprehension. Yet, he nodded, since the situation called for a small sacrifice and he was a Falconer too, albeit not really. He was under Razmund''s status as a Blesesed companion so he had no choice but to follow his desires.


    He quenched the shard within his right hand and pierced his shoulder with its tip. Before that, however, he quickly pulled his upper shoulder, chest, and armor pieces away. Without hesitation, the pierced flesh underwent a dark change that seeped into the bone. A sharp pain enveloped his mind and at least half of the shard went inside his right shoulder.


    Blood seeped out of rough penetration, while the shard broke to many pieces upon his wild grip. The content of it was already inside of him, letting his body, and something else, go wild in his bloodstream.


    Waldorf grimaced in the pain, clutching his right arm that began to change. The veins swayed and twisted, bones cracked apart and the arm in itself exploded in power. Muscles popped off strangely, causing the arm to grow to almost 2 meters in length along with the shoulder and a small part of his chest.


    The thick muscles of the right arm seemed disproportional to the rest of his body. His fingers turned thick, and the fist he made was like a hammer. He would easily grasp any weapon, and he did. From his pouch beside his left hip, a long pole emerged under his left hand''s control sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was the handle for a huge 3-meter-long curved blade that he swung out of the pouch. It was thick and silvery in metal appearance. Yet, he held it with a single hand, as if it wasn''t anything abnormal.


    Paulfred and Razmund stepped aside, leaving the revolving mana inside the Ward up to Waldorf''s forced abilities.


    Moving forward in the unsightly face, and unbalanced body, Waldorf''s whole body was sweating, and veins were visible all over the section of his visible skin. That was his face, and burly swelled body, but most of the impression would go toward the hand, which was the biggest, and strangest.


    Velga looked at the change amidst her incantation. She was no longer able to see what went on behind the Ward since the mana turned dense under her control. She had her own things to worry about, but even she can tell that something strange was happening.


    One way or another, it was too late for her to get faster, or change the idea midway through.


    ¡°Dangerous double incantation will be your death. Not by it, but by my own hands. Heheheh.¡± Waldorf chuckled, and like a pouncing tiger, he flickered his sturdy hand with unnaturally fast speed.


    It was like a snap of a Dragon''s jaw or a flick of a Greater Gian''ts arm.


    In almost an instant, this slash completely obliterated the Ward. It went even further, hitting the ground, while the aftereffects of this semi-vertical cut, affected a few trees and about dozen houses, cutting them to a few pieces with the wind alone. This was a terrific swing, but an unnatural one. Waldorf had no way to stop or control this strike, but the surrounding villagers were long gone to safety. The clash between the Falconers and Velga was an easy excuse for them to flee. Although some stayed, too fearful to move.


    The Ward''s 3 sections exploded, revealing bloodied Velga, which endured the aftermath of the destroyed War and following the destruction of the ground. Her mana was disturbed, and incantations failed. She endured this slash to a certain extent. At least she wasn''t cut in half.


    Still, a residual power reached her. Bloodied mark was around her upper body, reaching her arm, and chest, but it wasn''t deep to be fatal, since it didn''t hit any vital areas.


    She looked towards the monstrous Waldorf in unwillingness. The sudden change and the sword that shattered her tries were more than she could defend against. Such fast movement and destructive attack were wild.


    She was unable to stop her 2nd incantation in time, and it blew her plans away. Though, it was her gamble, which she lost the moment she performed the Enchanted Ward before Waldorf dealt with it accordingly. Explosive power stopped her incantation without her own violation, which was a terrible thing for any mage who had a long incantation for certain powerful spells. It was supposed to kill those Falconers, but backlash caused some internal injuries to her mana core instead.


    Velga coughed up blood and dropped to her knees. The Ward was long gone, dissipating to mana that dissipated to the world. It was a perfect chance for Razmund to clutch her face with his left arm before pulling her high into the air. The pouch was left in Paulfred''s hands since Razmund wanted to interrogate this heretic by his own methods.


    Similar to Lazar, he lifted Velga''s body upwards. She was lighter than him by a large degree. However, what Razmund didn''t notice was a dagger, still hiding underneath her bloodied body, hidden by her tattered cloak.


    Fast like a flicker of dragon''s wings, Velga stabbed towards Razmund''s neck, but it was too late, or maybe too slow.


    Noticing the motion of her hand in a split second, Razmund stumbled to his left, dodging the dagger by a couple of centimeters. While he was in motion, he swayed back and flexed his arm. Still grabbing her face, he smacked her head to the ground, cracking the hard surface, and maybe even her skull.


    Velga helplessly let go of the dagger, feeling as if the world shattered, since her physicality as a mage was quite poor. She let the dagger go not because she wanted to. Muttering something inaudible through her broken face and blood, she was beyond hope of turning this situation better.


    She was fucked, per Murai''s internal thought, albeit he felt sympathy, as he felt no different from her.


    ¡°Now, this is a mage I could see and talk to,¡± Razmund said in a good mood, lifting her bloodied head with his grip. The rest of her limp body followed. It was as easy as lifting a baby for Razmund, even though half of his body wasn''t useful, or put in any effort.


    ¡°You are alive, which is why I had to be gentle. Hehehe.¡± he chuckled with his sinister laugh, which was many times crazier by now. It was worsening his expression and the tone of his voice, which was becoming hoarser and deeper. ¡°Now. Now... You will talk, or I will kill that duck for good.¡± he stated, shoving her open eyes towards Murai not far away.


    ¡°N-no... N-no...¡± she struggled to say, moving her lips that were bloodied in the same matter as her throat.


    ¡°I am kidding. It''s not like I need your permission for that, heretic, or should I say... Well, I will see it for myself.¡± Razmund said and put forth his eyes towards hers.


    Velga looked at Razmund unwillingly, unaware of what he wanted to do at all. Albeit, looking was the easiest thing to do in her state. Razmund''s eyes were full of madness and red veins, showing a sheer dedication that he never blinked even once in a long time. It was a focused gaze of a lunatic and she realized it far too late.


    What she didn''t expect to see and feel was a sudden penetrative force that went from his eyes. It was light. A Spell? Ability.


    ¡°N-no! ¡°she cried, understanding that the man before her was using high-level appraisal on her soul, memories, or something within her mind. None of them was something she wanted him to know, since the forceful extraction of anything from one''s mind was an atrocious process, and not one bit good.


    She knew her secrets, and they were fresh in her mind, making them easiest to extract than old memories or ancient secrets. They were her highest secrets and the most important thing that a person like her had at that moment. She was on her mission, unaware of much information, apart from a few important ones, so she would know her desires and purpose.


    This Appraisal was ferocious, hurting her mind, which was almost going crazy from the inside out. She could scream all she could, but nothing would stop her eyes from being open. Razmund unblinking eyes were terrifying at the moment, and a small tinge of light was coming off of the iris. Much information was coming in, and some were something he expected, while others weren''t.


    Yet, there was also something else. It was a force that Razmund didn''t expect.


    ¡°Oh? Protection put forth by Grand Mage? Was this your Master''s hope? What a suspicious and careful mage ... I am glad he or she is long dead, but this doesn''t matter to me. I will extract just the things I need in this situation since your life or your own memories are less than important to us. That''s how pitiful, and weak you are, heretic and follower of the Order!¡± Razmund stated, his glowing eyes further brightening in the light.


    He appeared like an evil god that watched the mortal with loftiness and arrogance, trying to sough out the deepest secrets or desires by force.


    Velga couldn''t do a thing, since her own defenses failed. Her own Will wasn''t powerful enough to stop Razmund. Their level differences weren''t the biggest, but one thing stood like a mountain before them. He was a Blessed, and she was neither that nor a Gifted. She was a simple mage of the Battleworld along the side of a person, living in the flow of the River of Manaflow.


    The only thing that was helpful was the inner seal of her master, but it can''t help her completely against her fateful mission, which was more than she expected.


    Razmund continued the extraction of the memories, but only a little of important things were following since the seals were strong. Those were the fresh ones, which happened in the last months if he was forceful enough. Most important things weren''t available for his taking. The powerful seal that was beyond his power, guarded Velga''s mind. Any knowledge of her past, desires, purpose, Spells, or fundamental Path was hard to force out.


    So, Razmund pushed his own Will that used the powerful version of the Appraisal, further. Light enveloped her face, piercing through everything. He was reaching for the distant memories that enveloped the current situation. which amounted to nothing much but penetrating her soul space with his Wil. Those were somewhat easier to see since what Velga thought or worried about was easiest to proclaim, and not forget.


    It didn''t take long for Razmund to see what he could see, but not what he desired. Her memories didn''t include a lot, indicating something brief, much to his disappointment. In fact, the case of the memories was salvageable, but they entangled distant parts within one other, making them difficult for Razmund to recognize and seek.


    Alas, he succeeded when a sliver of memories went from the seal, under the forceful push of his Will. They amounted to nothing much, but a fraction of the complete secrets were much better recognized by his Will. It put forth a certain pain in his eyes, which started to bleed, making him appear as if he was crying blood.


    ¡°Ohhh... Finally.¡± Razmund moaned in pain, clutching Velga''s neck firmly as he almost fell to the ground from the pain alone. A series of images, words, conversation, and information entered his mind the moment he closed his eyes.


    This was the full effect of his appraisal since when Appraising it wasn''t workable to seek things when doing so. Thus, when it was over, the meanings will turn clearer.


    ¡°You... What the fuck! A Futuresight? Such a high level...¡± Razmund found what he wanted, but it was surprising. ¡°Your master predicted the appearance of this duck, but not an exact time, so you spend the last 2 years in the mountain as a guest for Dark Mages? Who are you?! This makes little sense to me.¡± Razmund asked in agitation while appearing quite different now that he had his eyes closed.


    He appeared hurt, pained, and fragile. Under the eyelids, the pain seeped from there, coloring his contorting face with crimson colorful lines. It made him appear very different from his regular unblinking face.


    Velga didn''t answer, not she wanted to say a thing. Her silence was the worst answer that Razmund wanted to hear, so he couldn''t help but chuckle since the memories can''t be wrong, or false. They were truthful since only gods could work with human minds, and Velga wasn''t like that.


    The pain of doing this high-level appraisal was high. It involved no ordinary thing, such as a material, but a living and breathing soul. Adding the view of another person''s memories, it was no wonder that only a lunatic would use it in this way. It was a tough thing to achieve and was common practice to be frowned upon.


    It was a true high-level prohibited action, but one that the Centralis Kingdom possessed and agreed to use. It wasn''t the kind of ability that Battleworld would give on its own, but it didn''t matter to countless mages in the vast history of the Battleworld.


    There were many mages and beings that went against the bigger picture of conventional magic, creating all kinds of abilities, techniques, and tomes that included powerful spells and abilities that they, themselves, created. It didn''t cater to the Battleworld or its system.


    The Appraisal wasn''t such a spell but could be upon its use. It was an ability that could envelop the user with all kinds of information with very little effort. That is, If the Will requirements were high enough, of course. Not just anyone would get one, since the mind had to be sturdy to go through the process of the Appraisal.


    Behind Razmund, Paulfred was clutching the pouch, while Waldorf was kneeling on the ground in pain and misery. Forcing his way through the forbidden body material wasn''t pleasant, but he endured it. He was clutching his convulsing right hand with the other, while it was twisting, and shimmering when it was turning back to normal.


    This process was much more painful than the start - more than the surge of blood and adrenaline where it started. Now, he felt the blood seeping from the busted veins, twisted muscles made his mind scream in pain and bones? They weren''t intact in any part of his right hand.


    ¡°Kekekek... Now, what to do with you, woman?¡± Razmund laughed after regaining clarity after the Appraisal was done shoving him the things. ¡°I don''t need to know what you are, or what was the case of this strangely fateful encounter... I didn''t see it. I know it is there, but this much was enough for me. You really didn''t know a lot of things about what you wanted to seek. You wanted to retrieve a duck.. or was it something else? Something would emerge from the well. That is something clear to me. Was this about the pouch rather than this duck? What is this then? This duck... inside of that spatial pouch?¡± Razmund asked, forcing his grip against her skull, after changing his grip.


    He was forceful enough to almost crack her skull, yet Velga didn''t say a thing.


    Razmund was further having some confusion since the information wasn''t clear. They never would when unwilling Appraisal happened, and even seals were in use.


    ¡°It was your Master''s task or his last wish? I can''t see it otherwise, but it makes me question your decision, and ability... wait... I already dealt with that duck in your memory, so you wanted to take revenge? No... What kind of reasoning is that? Any mage to regard the demonic beasts in such a manner is a disgrace to the Battleworld. I fear you are out of your mind... Moreso than myself.¡± Razmund said in recollection of the memories and things he discovered from Velga.


    ¡°Y-you... know nothing of magic and its mysteries,¡± Velga mumbled, forcing her words under her tired, hurt, and given-up voice. ¡°You are just a thug. A fanatic without a speck of wisdom or care for the world that created us all. You are a sicko. That''s what you are. Bastard.¡± she said, glaring at the man underneath his grip. She tried to move her hands or legs, but she couldn''t. Her neck didn''t listen to her either, nor was the mana stable enough.


    Now, her overall battle prowess was like the duck laying beside the well, but even then, it was higher. Probably.


    ¡°Ahh... a physically hurt mage is indeed easy prey to the strong Knights. You... are not needed. You don''t need to worry about your state of secret, or why such a master of the Futuresigth would seek out this duck or this pouch. I will get rid of you, and your desirable task. I will kill this duck, and have the pouch, so either way, everything failed and you have nothing. This way, your master can reach nirvana in his afterlife or whatever heretics go through when one dies.¡± Razmund said, moaning in faked-up pleasure.


    He appeared disturbed, or he was motivating himself to appear that way since he wasn''t feeling that well by now. With little change of expression or words of wisdom by Paulfred behind his back, he decided on something drastic but needed.


    Without even seeing where, he tossed Velga right toward the well, right towards the part where Murai was laying beside the stones. There, she met half of her goal for another time.


    Maybe when she struck Razmund for the first time in her ambush, she should have attacked the right hand first. In a fearful and focused stand, she did her best, which wasn''t enough. Now, she ended up like that in the current nasty situation.


    No. Perhaps even earlier. She could''ve forced the situation with the villagers. Killing few, and forcing that duck away along with that pouch. Why she didn''t do that was beyond her idea, since too much time passed with no purpose and desire in sight. 2 years, in fact.

 Chapter 44: Hands on experience - Forceful Will towards the Soul Space

    With a thud, Velga''s head and back smashed into the stones, reaching the destination with bare clarity and awareness that her doom was coming.


    ¡°Fucking hell... This fucking thing!¡± Razmund struggled to stand after the throw, feeling poor in his right hand. He didn''t even see the well, yet this toss was precise. He forced his eyes open. They were adjusting to the light, while the bleeding was stopping.


    Noticing the struggle, Paulfred came to a rescue. He grabbed his left shoulder and went with his master forward as support. Razmund took it with some hesitation, albeit slowly. Stumbling towards the well, he stood above the two beings, that he didn''t care for, nor did he need to.


    ¡°Heretic or not, this situation was more than justified to kill you. Your past is yours, yet is mine for taking. By God''s will, your soul may go to heaven or...¡±


    ¡°Heheheheh.¡± Velga giggled, sounding like a madman too, but it was a giggle of no reason as if she heard a good joke. ¡°You don''t know anything, again... You are a pawn in the hands of beings that are unworthy of heavens...¡± she said the words of truth, causing Razmund to click his tongue, frowning in displeasure afterward.


    ¡°Paulfred...¡± he murmured


    A glint of the sword went out of the sheath in a flash, swiping the air in an ark, and in far reach and even faster usage. The sword was leaving a crimson pathway in the air, and even the stones around the well turned into more bloody color.


    Velga''s headless corpse was still beside the well, yet it turned limper if it was even possible. The head traveled through the air, leading the path and ending in the well where it would end at the bottom. She reached her end, and a smile on her face made Razmund a bit unhappy. He didn''t even care to see it at the moment but he still did find it annoying. If he would, he would probably smash this head to quench his anger.


    At last, this was the end of this fight, which wasn''t up to her ability.


    Razmund didn''t feel much like a winner, nor someone who dealt with the foe and evil according to the Will of Centralis Kingdom, but not his own. He did act for the purpose and the views of Falconers, but that was secondary, if not further behind.


    The demise of this woman filled his mind with almost no emotions, as the memories of his brief dive into her soul space were his main concern. She had information about certain things, but it was vague. He can use them to his advantage, but he needed some context. The Dark Mages in particular weren''t that protected in her mind since she wasn''t one of them, to begin with. No. She wasn''t a Dark Mage, which was one of the many suspicions.


    Her appearance and robe were just a cover, while her whole purpose may be the duck that was beside her headless corpse or a pouch in Paulfred hand. Murai was conscious but barely so, and with a head, which was good. He noticed the death of a woman with his soul read. A small shivering emotion stopped, along with unwillingness, pain, and frustration. Velga died in agony, even though she had a smile on her face.


    ¡°S-sir?¡± Paulfred flickered his curved sword in the air, letting the blood off of his blade, and holding Razmund''s right shoulder with the other hand. He steadied it back towards his waist while looking at his thinking master, whose mind he didn''t see, but feared he did. Though, it didn''t mean he couldn''t understand something from his body language or face.


    ¡°Good work... finishing this heretic,¡± Razmund mumbled after a minute of thinking. ¡°Let''s get back from this place. I am over this. This is more complicated than I initially thought, and it doesn''t make me feel good. The purpose of everything is dead... There may be others... acting against something in this Battleworld, or some Gods! BAH! Leave me be!¡± Razmund suddenly forced Paulfred''s hand away, which in turn, caused him to stumble on his single usable leg.


    His demeanor changed again when he found the situation lacking some sense.


    ¡°I was the one who finished the fate of this dead woman. It''s just right since I heard it. I heard her Will... and something else that belonged to others. It''s against the Battle... Lunatics... Heretics. That won''t do for us. Those assholes should lose their limbs... Kill. Let''s butcher their numbers, seep the blood from their vessels.¡± Razmund mumbled in craziness, as the blood seeped out of his opened eyes again.


    Now, he appeared like a lunatic, if not something worse. It was a sight of a crazed man for sure.


    Razmund struggled on his leg not so far away from Murai. Turning his head at the well, he bend his left knee and picked up the limp duck. Razmund clutched its body, but no sound came from this duck, whose eyes were still alive, but not really. It made him nervous. The words and possibilities of a Grand Mage, who predicted something about this duck, or something else about it.


    It was so important, that he lost his life, but for what? Succusef Futuresight that moved against the Chaos or Order? Did he lose his life through the possibility to view a far future? It wasn''t something good for sure, and it may cause a disaster or some hope for others.


    Razmund had to investigate more about Velga''s purpose, but she was already dead. There were other mentions and possibilities that he can use, so his mind went through hundreds of probabilities and even those fragmented memories.


    ¡°I clutch the fate of time... This is a change to go against the Futuresight and I am worthy to accomplish such a thing!¡± Razmund mumbled again and put forth his decision. His eyes were bloodied, but a sudden pressure pulled away any blood from his face. Some fell to the ground. Other to his armor. It made his face barren of any blood, while his opened eyes were clearly upon the duck, clear, but bloodshot.


    For some reason, his right eye was also usable, indicating he had some sort of specialty about it. His eyesight was fine, but the blood vessels inside of them weren''t. In fact, they were two flat circles, when one chunk of dark, made nothing but madness. There was almost no clarity to whiteness that should be visible, making the eyes a sea of blood.


    Razmund clutched his teeth, eyeing the eyes of this duck with his bloodied eyes. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Appraisal!¡± he shouted out loud, and his Will forced a powerful version of Appraisal to another use. There wasn''t time for anything, and a beam of light went against Murai, who wasn''t really trying to do anything, right now.


    It successfully went against his eyes, and even his mind, but what did it matter? Murai wasn''t one to be fully aware of what Razmund wanted or tried to do, but his words were more than clear to him. Murai heard everything from the beginning to the end in silence and his own suffering and End.


    While his body wasn''t usable any longer, it didn''t matter for one''s Will and powerful soul.


    ¡°Sir! The second use so soon is dangerous!¡± Paulfred reminded, but he did nothing else. ¡°You can lose your eyes and cause permanent problems for your future. This Half-Death poison also needs treatment or you will regret this very soon.¡± he insisted, shouting behind his back but didn''t touch him, nor appear inclined to do so. He understood that Razmund was unreasonable, and in an unsteady state of mind. He may as well snap, and kill him in the process.


    Razmund clutched the duck within his grasp, not caring for Paulfred''s comments since this was his Will.


    He penetrated the mind of this duck with the Will of his Appraisal, which was the same one he used on Velga. He was hoping to see what sort of thing this duck could have, so he was much more open with his Will, unlike Velga, who had the defense of a Grand Mage in her head.


    At first, he saw and felt little of anything at all. So he pushed his Will toward Murai''s soul space, where Razmund tried to seek what made a being a being. It should be a soul in itself, but he saw, nor felt that kind of thing in this soul space. He saw no memories he could take, nor he noticed a glowing sphere that usually made a soul.


    It was rather empty and barren - even dull of life, Will, and anything that made soul space special. In fact, he saw some cracks around, indicating that Murai''s end was still apparent, but they were indistinct, as if too far.


    Razmund Will traveled forward in a steady manner. He put it forth with the intent of his Will and mental power, guessing that the Soul and Will of this duck were further ahead, but even that notion was strange, making him suspicious.


    Hoping to seek what sort of reason for Future Sight was, Razmund wasn''t hesitant to use Appraisal for further minutes. His awareness was yet to go deep into the layers of Murai''s Will, but he was planning to do so without any hesitation. There were no defenses, as far as he felt, so he did something specific.


    He traveled with his Will toward the core of a Soul Space, or so he thought. Everything was strange, but traveling far took some effort as if he traveled quite some distance. Then, he spread his awareness further, noticing some sections of roundness or whatnot. Then, he saw it. A sight that he didn''t expect. A sight that he will never forget.


    It was a huge divine duck, with strange resemblances to something he couldn''t put his finger on. Perhaps they weren''t that of a duck or were trying to be that. Its beak was strange, filled with strange symbols, and certain sharpness and shape. Its wings were vaster than its body, and its tiny legs were still tiny, but its feet were steady like pillars that didn''t move at all.


    Also, on top of its head, feathers of utmost beauty, glitter, and power protruded. Almost like a crown. Further glistering feathers engulfed this divine duck, fueling it with special feelings, while the eyes were most strange.


    They appeared mystical, seizing, and filled with intent and Will that Razmudn felt would crash him for sure.


    No. Perhaps that would be fitting, or so he thought.


    After all, what was this?


    His Will crashed into a wall, and he was yet to seek this place, nor a part of this divine duck.


    It was far too strange and far too big. It was humongous for his sense to comprehend, and Razmund could tell he was either far from it, or he was tiny, in comparison.


    Maybe it was big as a planet, but then, he knew his WIll wasn''t weak. Razmund didn''t know what should make sense, since the shock to his own Will was tremendous, making him understand a single fact. He had to go away, and he had to be fast. The eyes of this duck held a universe of their own, and its gaze was turning toward him, terrifying him.


    It had power, and it was strange. Velga was weak, and Razmund worked well against her since he was stronger than her, but this wasn''t Velga''s Soul, nor memory fragments.


    This was Murai''s Robust Spirit, strengthened under the Breach, and Soul Force.


    Without a change of expression or turn of events, Razmund closed his eyes in reality, realizing that the danger was upon him. He stumbled to the ground, feeling sick to his stomach, and mind. It was almost instinctual, what he did just now.


    Sweat long flew around his back, making him question the reality itself, and even his own mind. It was almost like a fever dream, where he was in an unsteady state of mind in one moment, while in the next one, he was seeing the reality. He was feeling cold as if he escaped the clutch of death itself. He didn''t care, nor he couldn''t stop the shaking of his left hand that kept clutching the bloodied duck. Its eyes were closed for some reason.


    Razmund was so damn fast with his reaction that Murai didn''t have a chance to do anything. Although, not like he was unwilling to kill this man. It was simple. The man reacted too fast, almost like a coward. At that moment, he could''ve spoken to him or pranked him in his last moments, or something. Murai was just a bit too late for that.


    Who knew that the case of experience, one''s will to survive, and Will in itself, his Robust Spirit would shake him so much? Razmund wasn''t weak and held a powerful Will, but it wasn''t on par with what Murai had.


    ¡°S-sir?¡± Paulfred asked, wondering what was wrong with Razmund''s surprised face and shaking hand. He wondered what Razmund saw within this duck, but he was more looking for his well-being, so he didn''t come too close.


    Blood was emerging from the eyes again, and even some tears were mixed in the blood. Razmund made a mistake with the 2nd use of high-level Appraisal, and it didn''t matter if one viewed the content of a weakling or the exact opposite. Though the results would be different in the end, Razmud didn''t suffer the consequences of Aprasing the soul, as he wasn''t as hurt as he feared. He was, only because of his long use of this Appraisal.


    As Razmund cried blood, he didn''t respond, because he was breathless in his lungs and mind. He was feeling and clutching this thing within his palm. It was similar, yet a bit different thing from that Will, but there was a resemblance.


    ¡°A-Anatidae?¡± he muttered, and with no second thought or behind his actions, he tossed Murai to the well close to him. Reaching the water, Razmund heard how it hit the water, which calmed him more than he was willing to admit.


    This threat to his life... It will drown, and reach the bottom where it will stay. Yet, Razmund''s hand was still trembling and his mind was blank, for once. It was a sight of fear. A thing that Razmund experienced a lot, albeit unwillingly, which caused his mind to turn frantic.


    Paulfred watched, still with that pouch - by human standards - in his hands. Seeing the matter with the duck away, he didn''t think much of what Razmund said about Anatidae, but he noticed that something in him snapped. Unsurprisingly, the second use of Appraisal right after the other would have tough effects and varying aftereffects. Such as delusions, lunacy, and an unclear mind. Some would turn to idiots after two appraisals on too-powerful targets.


    Paulfred didn''t even know what Anatidae was, so he walked before Razmund to check his state. The effects of the half-death poison were also a problem and could endanger his life. It did seem bad, as far as he was concerned. It was just... his master was such an involuntary jackass that he would never call for help. Also, Paulfred didn''t have any sort of healing items with him, so what then?


    ¡°Back....¡± Razmund mumbled, feeling strange.


    ¡°What for? Where? Which?¡± Paulfred raised 3 questions.


    ¡°Fuck... Back to the headquarters. Shit... Take this thing with you and... As for this woman''s body, ignite it and let this get over with. They may look for her, but it could be troublesome. The Somalis Continent is too vast... and many variables can occur. Other Continents too... Too much shit. Too much.¡± Razmund continued mumbling, speaking with better clarity, yet his body was getting numb.


    At this point, Waldorf already stabilized his right arm and appeared behind the back of those two. He grabbed Razmund under his armpit without any regard if he will dislike it or not.


    ¡°What do you think you are doing!¡± Razmund barked at him, angrily stating this wasn''t needed. The man was dying from poison, yet his pride was showing.


    ¡°Shut it... You are injured and so am I. Let''s get this over with, and I don''t care about anything else but to get some treatment for both of us. You owe me, master.¡± Waldorf stated as if the matter of Razmund''s problems wasn''t a big deal at all. It wasn''t, in the grand scheme of common sense.


    Falconers were tough, and Razmund viewed this 100-fold more as with many other things. Calling it stupid and meaningless pride would be the correct way to describe his Will but issues? He didn''t particularly care about Falconers, as it was a temporary place where he stayed as a Blessed. It had various advantages which were hard to pass by.


    So, with the end of this strange fight and summoning, Paulfred Conjured a simple fireball and Shaped it towards the headless Velga. Letting this woman turn to ashes wasn''t up to him, because it was what Razmuind ordered, as he stated. Whether it was good or bad, it didn''t matter to him, since they were the Falconers.


    After being done, he looked around at the mess they did. Villagers were long gone indoors, or they fled far away from this village the moment Velga appeared, or when the fight started.


    The ground was a mess, but surprisingly, the well remained intact. Paulfred joined Waldorf under Razmund''s other shoulder. At this point, Razmund looked at him, but more toward the pouch in his hands. Paulfred held it firmly in hand and tossed it a few times in the air, deciding he will keep it for the time being, since Razmund wasn''t in the right state of the body. He will keep playing with the pouch, while Razmund gestured to leave this place and move on for good.


    Their "job" was over, but it wasn''t the one they expected, nor the one that they wished for. On each side of him, Razmund cursed the fact that even Paulfred joined his other shoulder. He will smack these tools of his, and he won''t be polite about it.


    Leaving didn''t take a long time, and they soon left beyond the hill, where they left their horses.


    Back in the village, some people were hiding in their houses, noticing that it was too quiet outside. So, a few peeked their heads outside and noticed everyone was gone. There was silence in the midst of the chaotic aftermath of a battle. A couple of minutes later, some villagers moved out for real, watching the burning clothes and flesh of someone they knew.


    The Falconers were gone, and the first to act was Grandma Po.


    She walked outside of one house, unbothered by any complaints to keep hiding, which others told her. She was long old and fed up with listening to such words. She was an elder in this place, and it was part of her responsibility to watch out for everyone in this village.


    Walking towards the flaming remains of Velga, she hardly kept her breath away. Grandma Po watched it with a keen yes, understanding the foe was gone, and whatever it was these Falconers wanted, it was over. She declared so, and many villagers followed suit. They soon began cleaning this place and even buried Velga''s corpse at the unnamed grave in the middle of the woods.


    This was common sense and a situation that these people understood. Almost all of them were glad for the Falconers when they get rid of their problem. To be safe was important, whether it was false that danger was gone or not.


    In the well that took an interesting fate.


    Murai was falling towards the bottom, breathless as he longed for his helplessness to disappear for good. Feeling the body a bit more, for some reason, he figured he felt light and less pained. He was in the dark spot, falling comfortably towards the silence of the well. Wounds were leaving a crimson path above him, but he didn''t care.


    It was almost as if the End itself was yet to come to him, yet he knew It shouldn''t take that long for it to make a final appearance. If not, it shouldn''t take that long for his body to End in this well.


    His body... No! His soul would follow suit with the End of his body, making it toward the next New Beginning but he wasn''t willing! His Will wasn''t ready for this sort of ending.


    He wasn''t willing to be tramped by that cowardly man! Both! All of them!


    Murai was angry, and fuming in anger in his Will, feeling wronged, while Lisa was yet to regain any sense of reason. Her appearance as the succubus was enveloped in the veils of mana, yet her eyes were deeply shut. She was sleeping, regaining the strength as a soul form in a safe place for the sake of being a life companion. Unknown to her, the end was coming for her too. Whether there were strange currents coming off of her cocoon, Murai long dismissed them.


    For now, he put his attention towards his soul, which remained more than calm, regardless of the chaos in the reality.


    What in the world I am supposed to do right now? Surviving this shit is impossible. What do they take me for? A fish!? Fuck off with such senses, I don''t even have the ability to swim, let alone to get out of this dozens of meters tall well.


    Murai whined against his fate, but what use did this have? He was complaining and fuming in anger for his sake, which was rather meaningful than anything else. He was also as clueless, as angry. His real body will drown, making his death to be slow and breathless, yet as empty as meaningless.


    He didn''t even feel a thing any longer, turning to numbness instead.

 Chapter 45: imminent End

    When Murai reached the bottom of the well, it was nothing but a silent fall toward the abyss. He felt nothing but panicking silence, and feel as if life was stepping outside of his own steps. It was something he felt a few times, and each was different from the last.


    Soon within the limit of his life and soul, his soul space began to shake, cracking, and turning the situation into something that he experience a few times, but not every time.


    This was the End, a hallowing feeling of emptiness, and depressive nothingness.


    His soul space was destabilizing for some time already, albeit the Robust Spirit made things kind of unique in this life, thanks to the involvement of this world, or whatever the Will of the Battleworld gave him. Perhaps it was also involving the Anatidae species, or it may be related to the Will of the Battleworld or the World itself?


    Murai wasn''t in the right state of mind to think about some possibilities and reasons for feeling this way.


    He didn''t find his crumbling soul space annoying, or hurtful, even though it meant the End was coming. It should be the feeling he felt when he died in his last life, yet something was off this time. Now, he was feeling everything 100-fold more since his awareness was quite alive and stronger than ever. It was almost as if he was a bystander towards his own death, which was strange. The body and soul space were crumbling, and the soul should be joining him on the journey to another darkness.


    It was a matter that none could change, as it shouldn''t since this was a Law, and Rule of the universe since time immemorial.


    Although he wasn''t feeling deep reverence and apprehension towards these feelings of New Beginnings, Murai wasn''t willing to feel this way. He didn''t want to let go of this life yet. He felt he was just starting to have some fun in this life and he barely did a thing. Living was supposed to be more meaningful, especially his Cursed Living, or so he guessed was his reason for this... everything.


    Having this sort of different life experience than usual was as bad as he initially thought, but he wasn''t kidding himself when he thought it wasn''t bad in the reality. It was a similar style of pathetic living as a pebble, or a leaf, albeit those were unique circumstances while living a breathing life was much better.


    Yet, here he was, dying in the hands of some assholes who hated a simple and honest-looking duck?


    Nah... They viewed him as a demonic beast, which forced Murai to accept these terms. But here was a catch. If others perceived him as the demonic beats, he didn''t feel like one. No. He wasn''t necessarily a demonic beast, because he, as a Blessed, wasn''t a beast with a Will of one. He was an extraordinary being, who experienced more things than anyone would try to guess.


    A ploy of the Gods? Those were highlights, but not rare sights in his living. Here, in the Battleworld filled with chances - albeit with a limited time - his time to meet gods and their ploys, fell short, yet the gods sought him out instead. That was peculiar.


    Now, that statement and belief to be a beast were beginning to turn into something different and probably not that something bad.


    ¡°If... If they want me to be a demonic beast, I will let my restraints out of the damned door and show them the fucking beast! Gods or not... I will kill you all for the sake of this shit called Battleworld!¡± Murai muttered within his crumbling soul space and did the last thing he could do.


    He blinked his consciousness back to his real body, no longer paying attention to the soul space that wasn''t even affecting his mind.


    His Robust Spirit wasn''t magic, but the kind of Soul Magic that Murai was yet to recognize, let alone experience, as he was never familiar with something this specific.


    Feeling the present pressure and time, he began to consider it. This power but what for? A soul can turn into physical realms and then to a higher power that can move fate itself. That''s the stuff of stage in power that Murai didn''t have but heard of. The base premise he needed the mast was Vitality. It worked the best for the value of his life. Health? Oxygen? Yes, and yes, but where to find it, and change this fate?


    What was most needed? Oxygen, unsurprisingly, since his lungs were submerged in this water, yet his Will remained unaffected by the dying body. That was a strange fact that he felt. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Where to find it at the bottom of the well with no ability to get up, let alone take a breath? Murai wasn''t sure how he wanted to try and work against the crisis of his fate. His Will looked at the surrounding darkness, as his eyes blankly looked forward, unmoving, but open.


    He knew he had no chance to get out of this, but the time still went on, while his soul space kept destabilizing, yet something still kept clinging to his living. It wasn''t his Cursed Living, which would only restart this life, or get him to another reincarnation. That wasn''t it. It was the heart or the Beast Core making some strange noise and beats with surges of power.


    ¡°Beast Core and my insides? A pounding heart means oxygen and blood still flow through my body, but for how long? How long it even goes on? I didn''t pay much attention when I think about it. My brain still works without oxygen, yet this breathlessness lasts too long already? My lungs are full of water, but my mind isn''t affected by this which... Isn''t make sense at all. What sort of thing is happening with my soul, or... this sound?¡± Murai felt frustrated, and his eyes kept looking for the light at the end of the tunnel.


    However, it wasn''t the kind of tunnel he wanted to see right now.


    High above him, he couldn''t even see the sunny surface of the water, nor guess how long even passed since he was in the water.


    Living is breathing, yet I live without it is having no living. My life is what matters, but my Will is firm. Anatidae... Those beats must have many secrets but this living of mine forced me upon it. I have my wonders but chances? What sort of secrets could matter, may matter or not, as life means living and that''s how it should be like. It has always been this way, Murai... Yes. Yes.


    Murai wondered, feeling as if his own mind was turning sober after thinking of hundreds of ideas, motions, and actions that would help him. His anger dissipated and his frustration moved away. It was a serene moment when he thought of this End. A strange thing.


    His legs, and wings? Razmund broke many bones in many sections, and not even the blood loss in his left wing was as terrible as those shattered bones. He had some doubt about how he remained conscious throughout that, but he never felt helpless because of his powerful Will. Maybe it was the aftereffects of the Robust Spirit, while his Will was quite unwavering since the moment he got to his world, but what did it mean?


    Could he survive at the bottom of this place until his soul space crumbled first, and then the body would follow towards the End? Murai thought it should be the exact opposite since that''s how it always worked. His awareness would turn blank within the death of his body, and then, it was utter darkness, and then, not so much.


    It was always a strange situation that he understood little about.


    Today should''ve been no different, but the reality of his situation differed from what he wanted it to be. No. He expected the worst, yet the worst didn''t come.


    Murai''s Will kept on living, but it wasn''t something that can be called that, that easily. The crumbling soul space kept happening, but it was gradually turning slower until it ceased crumbling altogether. It remained quite damaged, and weak compared to before, turning into a crackling space that was on the verge of destruction - almost resembling an incredibly large spider web.


    It seemed as if the body moved out of the bigger picture, making the soul the primary reason for his survival. Murai''s mind felt fine. What did it mean? The brain would be the most affected by the lack of oxygen. It would cease to work in a couple of minutes in the state without it. That''s what was another reasonable example of common sense.


    Murai was already on the bottom of the well for quite a few minutes, but the exact amount was hard to tell. His eyes were numbly looking forward, glossy, and without much glint to them. The utter darkness around him was slowly making him afraid as if light had ceased to exist. There wasn''t much to see. Only a stone wall a meter before his vision, which wasn''t much.


    Turning his body around was also not possible. His bodily functions weren''t right at the moment, as if his soul was within the body, but the body was without the soul.


    Body and the Soul. Could a body exist without a soul? This was questionable even for Rudolf, but... what about that woman? Her master saw me coming here 2 years ago. Wait... Soul Forms? Those are strange, but... I am not that. Velga was her name... She waited for more than a year before I was even born. What''s up with that? Murai wondered, feeling bored of this numbness.


    Thinking of the situation after he emerged from the well for the first time was a good idea to pass some time. It wasn''t much to think about, however. He rather kept on pestering his mind to get some ideas for solutions to get out of this weird and deadly situation.


    Vitality was the issue, and blood loss was also severe. He would have to eat for that? No. He couldn''t move a finger, nor his neck or beak.


    Murai kept hearing his beating heart, or was it even the heart? It was the only thing he could hear, so he should be still alive, wasn''t he? Though It was still sounding like the common song of the living, so he figured it was indeed the case.


    Time moved on, while the light at the end of the tunnel disappeared towards the darkness.


    Maybe he was here for hours? Days? Murai felt numb in his mind, yet he felt it all as if he was alive.


    His wounds, crumbled bones, injured wing, and even his tiny legs were in a desolate condition. He would wish for all of them to be alright at the moment, even though he hated his clumsy body, he wouldn''t find them that unreasonable any longer. Without them, he was just a limbless body, and soul that would remain in an unmoving state. It reminded him of life as a pebble on the side of a road, and that was quite something.


    Though he knew more than that, since he was no ordinary rock, similar to the life of an Anatidae - he was no ordinary duck.


    Murai was turning his attention from escaping his fate, toward himself.


    He was starting to feel the slivers of mana, albeit with a crumbling sense of his Mana Detection that was hardly even usable. The controllability of that was very weak, but not nonexistent. Was he perhaps getting better internally? He couldn''t put forth his mana, and not even the special cases of anything else. Soul Read? Who he was supposed to read? Himself? That''s not how it worked.


    It is here... The living condition of the dying duck. What total dogshit this situation is. Maybe if I would be an Anatidae of the Death, maybe I wouldn''t be such a dying duck. Heheheh. Would I rise from the dead and become a zombie duck? That would be too hilarious to even think about! Murai joked around in his mind, having only himself to accompany him to his End.


    He even considered Lisa''s accompaniment since her disappearance left his surroundings quite calm, unlike her nagging and constant talking. It was quite a different feeling from before, which he amounted to the current helpless situation and bored mind. With a simple thought of her, he felt nothing much after a couple of other topics. Even with her gone, he didn''t particularly feel she was that important to him. Even if he died, and that would cause her to die too, he wouldn''t find it to be one of his problems.


    Then, after a couple more hours of trying to figure something out, he thought of something. It was the Will of the Battleworld that tasked him to go against that shithead named Razmund. He survived that ordeal, didn''t he? Was he around any longer, or was it over since he was already dead?


    Dead... Death... Maybe this is already it? How strange. Murai thought it through, but it still made no sense to him.


    He didn''t breathe but thought and acted as if he was. His heart still worked, meaning his brain was fine. Didn''t he need oxygen like a regular duck? The Beast Core let out some mana undulation inside, or outside, affecting his body, but it wasn''t very strong. This wasn''t something his current sense could understand and this wasn''t something common for him to consider.


    Right now, Murai wasn''t familiar - as he never was - with Anatidae Panacea. A powerful sub-species of the Anatidae family, yet he didn''t die as a regular duck would.


    He had the mana filled with the power of the demonic blood of the Panacea. With it within his body, he was more than he would ask for. It went directly to him without his content or control since it was the Will of the Battleworld, or it was a state of efforts that went outside of it.


    That may be that, or was it as random as Afterlife''s sneeze? That may be right as well, or as right as one would guess, but none knew about it.


    Afterlife or the New Beginning or End was an action that even gods could comprehend very little since all changes in the universe, moved towards the next one, following a desirable line - or fate. Any random action could change the others, giving completely new directions to the former, or the latter.


    In this way, the evolution under the Battleworld can change many things and can turn most common sense obsolete. Whether the demonic, or typical beats, it didn''t matter, but it could. Murai was that example of extraordinary, becoming something more than that.


    Scowling in his mind, but not panicking but desiring something else than the End, Murai''s heartbeat rang continuously until a surge of something unfamiliar called for him. It wasn''t an explosion, but a wave of sound. Soundwave? Whispering voice?


    What''s that? It''s coming from my chest for sure. Murai though, and when doing so, the Will of the Battlworld finally descended to make the message and this whole situation clearer.


    It was a strange situation, considering his damaged soul space could mean his soul in itself could get damaged.


    [Citizen! You have been... got! And! Possibly, almost killed]


    [That is right, more or less, but it isn''t simple as that. It is also strange, considering the calculations and things of the Order... making... Errors]


    [Possibly - is no understatement since you most likely can''t go out of your predicament very easily unless you grow a pair of wings, or have membranes for better swimming on your feet Wait...]


    [Anyway, your Task by our definition has been completed, much to the dismay of our wording, Rule, or premise for your case. Our words are held by rules, and no one will say... otherwise. It is of utmost importance to abide by them, in order to give rise to the greater purposes of the Ruler]


    [You indeed survived, you prick, but the sight of your accomplishments and the rewards are peculiar since the Breach caused some problems in the equation - making some things difficult to gouge since the source of information is vaguely available to us]


    [The Tasks, by the definition of the Will of the Battleworld, have been unlocked]


    [So far, you had small cases of nips and fingers onto the Battleworld, albeit your fate and common goals aren''t that. It wasn''t that bad, and your first main goal was to perform 10 battles within the rulesets of the Demonic Lands. That was clear as it could get, and one of the first defining factors of what you had gotten]


    [There aren''t any time limits, apart from the general dislike of the God of Battle for your cowardice. Punishments are still due if one is unwilling to get anything for the sake of the Task. As minor as it could be, one''s Blessed is a form of the Battleworld, and one can''t get away from it]


    [Your Unique Task of going against the Clash of the Blessed was an order put forth by circumstances and... {redacted}]


    [In this case, it was misfortune rather than luck but who would be nitpicky about that? Not us]


    [Your fate has been as interesting as annoying, and hard to point and work with]


    [You have survived in the core meaning of its word. That is a fact, thus the Clash of the Blessed on your part is over, and so is the Unique Task of its survival]


    [Your reward is embodied... while submerged... Uh... Its blood, the heart of the Panacea is a strange one, while the {redacted} is coming in terms of the solutions]


    [Anatiade Panacae was the god''s pet a long time ago, along with other sub-species, or the sub-species of the Anatiadaes as a whole. They were almost extinct since certain gods were sick of them a long time ago, and now, their stakes are unlike one would imagine since they still live]


    [Anyway, the source of the powerful stabilization and resonance was your imminent End, but the Anatidae species blood says otherwise, making the right call to let you live]


    [Why, or what it was, you may ask?]


    [Simple]


    [It is a Mutation within the Evolution powers of the Battleworld and {redacted}, in conjunction with the circumstances, efforts, abilities, and core powers of the Anatidae, and your case of first evolution]


    [This one goes directly towards the Anatidae Family, without direct contact with the Panacea sub-species]


    [Unique Species Ability was structured by the common sense of the Anatidae - caused by drowning, panic, and utter exhaustion of the body and blood. It is a long and dreadful feeling, and a long time ago, some Anatiade figured some things out, creating a Bloodline Path for the future species]


    [Thus, under the pretext of your accomplishments, and circumstance, it is forcefully created with the notion of this Bloodline Power - Anatidae Blood]


    [Water-breathing - Your lungs were long submerged, making your current Evolution undergo a slight mutation. Your lungs were greatly expanded in a strange manner, allowing for a unique chance to occur in the notion of the Unique]


    [Water-breathing - Allows the Anatidea {YOU!} to breathe underwater for an extended period of time depending on the Vitality, power, and inner powers. What it entails is the following. You breathe the water, which will cause the oxygen within the water to turn you on... I mean, breathe. Breath, that is]


    [Grade C]


    [Level 5 - Can get strengthened by training, and water-breathing, with small conjunction to Vitality]


    [As for the other, good or not-so-good things along with the stretch of Breach, and following issues you forced on us - the base affinity with the Water reached a threshold of first understanding - allowing your Beast Core to undergo a qualitative affinity to the Water Element]

 Chapter 46: Will - Major Task to get back what was his

    The Will of the Battleworld sounded a bit strange to Murai''s standards, but its mechanical voice did tell things in a good way. Well, whether the {redacted} meant something good or bad, Murai didn''t know, but it seemed it was something restricted in this bullshit system.


    Upon the brief pause, the Blessing started, fulfilling its first promise. The explosion within his lungs turned into a revolving power in his body, jolting, and convulsing his insides. It was following a strange feeling of something moving around his head, which wasn''t anything that he knew of nor it was all that pleasant.


    The water in his lungs evaporated by pressure and Waterbreathing ability, no longer obscuring his insides. Although, it wasn''t as if Murai was feeling better afterwords, than before. It just meant another unfamiliarity to his body, which still couldn''t move. Breathing was a simple act while moving wasn''t fixed at all.


    Now, with this surge of breath and ability to breathe the water, his lungs turned to huge sponges, which used the water for breathing. It didn''t make sense to him how it all worked, but he wasn''t willing to find a reason for that. Was he now like some sort of fish? Was this even how fish work? Murai wasn''t sure, nor was he interested in becoming a freaking fish. He was already a duck, so he didn''t have the willingness to think of some goddamned fish.


    Yet, the facts of his Waterbreathing were better than his unfounded willingness to care for it. The oxygen turned his body better, even though the heart worked even with the flooded lungs. It surged his body with power, and even lifted his mind, making him a bit more clear-headed ~ if it was even possible since his Robust Spirit was more than clearheaded.


    The minutes that followed were turning his body much better and soon enough, Murai felt that his Will adjusted to the condition of his body. The wounds didn''t get healed though. The Water-Breathing at least allowed him to feel his physicality and the connection between the soul and the body was a bit better afterward.


    It was like having a tad bit more strength than being half-dead. He was yet to become stabilized enough to move, but that could change from one of the main problems being gone.


    Alas, before channeling more interest toward the sudden miraculous Will of the Battleworld, that gave him the suspiciously needed ability, the voice returned after being silent for a few minutes. Murai was experimenting with the Water-Breathing, feeling its effects, and what it was doing while listening to earth-shattering information that was coming into his mind.


    [Errors adjusted under the {Redacted}]


    [Unfolowing the Ruler''s stake under Rule 10] S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [The limits are important to the core, and you are no fish! It''s no Diving Sphere which is one of the core structures of the Anatidae species that you discovered not too long ago]


    [Waterbreathing''s current limit is in no capacity of your lungs. For now, it allows the breathing time of an hour if you will be careful to not overwork your lungs and the body. It may go for much less, so be careful. It is physically based, so you should understand what it means, and adjust it in the future]


    [In connection with this Mutation, Breach, and unique... adjustments? - the Bloodline of Anatidaes has been stimulated by extensive damage and quite a nice beating]


    ¡°Fuck you.¡± Murai silently commented but still paid attention to the voice and his Water-Breathing.


    [Anatidaes are quite ferocious beats in any common sense of their newly rediscovered freedom and history - uncaring about the history before the history, that is]


    [Being carnivorous for them is normal, but quenching the thirst by drinking blood isn''t that common for such a duck. It''s a form of underlying lineage, which stems from distant relatives, or by banging some other beats, or demons. It is... complicated, and old process]


    [In fact, Anatidaes have some demonic roots, as well as that of some devils, albeit partial ones, which may be quite important if an Evolution is put into consideration]


    [Your body was almost destroyed, yet the Will preserved its splendor due to unique circumstances. The core of your specimen - Anatidae is strengthened, and you have reached the level threshold]


    [Level 9 was achieved, causing all attributes to increase in might]


    [Thanks to the damaged body, Vitality isn''t yet to improve your body to its fullest, but certain powers of Vitality can indeed help your body. For now, it won''t be enough]


    [Vitality is increased, and with a thud of Anatidae roaring, your body and Will were put on a revolving spirit. It is a tremendous achievement of the Bloodline, while the resonance of it made the rest through the unique and special connection to your lineage]


    [The ability of the Ancient Species: Bloodrush is created]


    [It is similar to Adrenalin, which some beasts, devils, and demon species, or what humans are getting under extraordinary situations, or achievements. Though this one is vastly different from theirs. Bloodrush''s strength is at least thrice more excessive at the initial stage, and follows a certain price]


    [The Vitality of your species can be exchanged by time-limited Bloodrush]


    [Bloodrush: It is a dangerous, yet extremely powerful and life-defying ability, stemming from Wildness and Chaos. It allows Anatidaes to exchange their Vitality for a surge of health and a significant increase in strength along with many other things]


    [It has highly regenerative effects with the obvious downside that some of the Vitality attributes will be permanently lost afterward. Depending on the extent of the injuries, it may put one at a disadvantage afterward, so think about its use. It is not an overpowered healing ability, but a temporary one]


    [Duration - a few minutes to 5 minutes, depending on furthering the injuries, or extensive use of its powers]


    [Examples? None. The ability will be used when there is intent put forth. In exchange for the Will of the Battleworld''s message, the Bloodrush shall turn your heart and Beast Core to shambles, turning you into an utter monstrosity that Anatiades once found and then ate, absorbing its strength for their Bloodline]


    [Grade SS ability of the Anatidae Species]


    [Level 1]


    [Your core strength isn''t yet to be enough, but the beatings you have endured strengthened your soul considerably, or it is at least mentioned that way in our record, and readings]


    [Soul-Power +5]


    [Will +5]


    [The first threshold of Robust Spirit has achieved 25 points, turning its Identity, along with its source of power into an interesting premise]


    [Robust Spirit Level up +3, while its might has been excessively increased by your powerful Will]


    [The major power surge of the soul followed, and allowed for the new source of understanding, allowing the Robust Spirit to become more comfortable, and less demanding]


    [The core abilities of the Robust Spirit are strengthened by following the cores of the Soul Force]


    [Soul Force extended by 20 points to 120]


    [All abilities under the Robust Spirit gained a threshold of level... Unknown threshold....]


    [Unable to calculate the degree of might]


    [Power level misapplied... Disabling the error. Rule 10 follows - Rules conducted. Power level depends on the use and circumstances and follows the Rules of a Ruler and Rule 10]


    [The price of the abilities was lowered, while their power is proportional to the Will and Soul]


    [Robust Defense - 1 to 30 Soul Force - 1 seconds 2 point]


    [Robust Will - 28 Soul Force]


    [Indomitable Strike - 45 Soul Force - Temporary retrieval of the WIll will be lowered, but not excessively so. One still has to be careful]


    [Replenishment of the Soul Force was also increased to 12 a day]


    Murai heard it all, and couldn''t help crying inside with happiness. All of these were incredible news, and a road to survival was right before his eyes.


    He didn''t care about the loss of any attributes, since why the hell would he care about such losses? It was either die here or use the Bloodrush to get the fuck out of this well. It was yet another suspiciously good ability for the current circumstances, leaving Murai doubtful of this luck since he actually needed it.


    Maybe it was too good to be true, while the purpose of everything was to indicate more pain afterward. That may be the case. After all, this whole problem and cause of the situation were caused by some mild interest from the Battleworld, and Gods beyond it.


    Albeit, it shouldn''t be the case, or was it? Murai ended up here because of a single reason. He jumped beyond that wall in the cave where he battled Devil Fox - his first-ever enemy. Without it, he wouldn''t create this mess or get stronger in the Somalis Dungeon, but he wouldn''t get to this damned well or met Razmund either.


    Murai had some doubt, but thinking of what would happen, if something didn''t happen was unnecessary. The duration of the Water-Breathing ended up larger than he thought, and Bloodrush seemed like a ridiculous ability for his current needs.


    Losing the Vitality was, in fact, sensible and made it firmer. It had a certain price, for a certain reward. It was a win-win in his opinion, which should make this ability quite strong since its rules were simple with nothing hidden behind them.


    Right now, he needed to get his shit together, and nothing could change it too fast. Not even Bloodrush would turn him into a bloody monster, since it was like a deal with the devil. Murai thought about it for a couple of minutes and figured out the obvious problem with it.


    It was all temporary, with a significantly deadly comeback later. The Vitality will disappear in exchange for temporary strength, and healing, which will also disappear the moment Bloodrush will be over, leaving him injured, if not in a worse state than before. It should be worse since some backlash from losing the Vitality wouldn''t be small.


    Murai guessed from the name and explanation that it should be an ability like that, and he was right.


    Yet, when it came to the life and death situation, Murai didn''t think it was that bad. He welcomed this sort of ability with wide wings. It didn''t matter if he would end up half-dead again if he would be able to travel back to the surface.


    As he was cheering himself at his suspicious luck, the Will of the Battleworld returned.


    This time, it put forth surprising, and powerful messages with further intent and power. It was as if someone powerful was beyond this strange monotone, and sometimes, sarcastically mechanical voice.


    [Lastly, the notion of another upgrade has been notified, and granted]


    [You have been Blessed for not long enough, but it doesn''t matter]


    [Anatidae Evolutions are filled with intent and powerful possibilities for countless definitions and dedications of its species'' past. God of Battle and many others like him view such chances in their respective paths, and views, leaving you... unknown]


    [The 1st Evolution is already behind you, with the choice of Anatidae Panacea]


    [The further choices and possibilities are nothing but more powerful but there are prerequisites, and further requirements needed, unlike the 1st one]


    [You...]


    [You have successfully achieved requirements for one of the 3 possible choices for the next evolution. You are yet to be ready for it, and neither are core strengths nor abilities, but knowledge of one of the 3 choices is required in the Evolution Paths in the Battleworld for your Species]


    [It is a rule]


    [Anatidae Aquantis is the choice you''ve been granted and one that you may choose for the next evolution. The following ones may be completely different and unlike the 1st Evolution since it is your choice, and luck to do so]


    [Anatidae Aquantis: a sub-species of Anatiadaes and follower of the dedicated path of the water, as well as lengthy plains. It''s one of the few water-based choices within the beginner levels with all kinds of powerful abilities]


    [It''s following and is part of a few other evolution paths from the Panacea, but it isn''t unique to it alone. In its structure and sense, it is similar to Anatidae Panacea in any form and doesn''t seem excessively different. It is unlike the other evolutions, which may significantly change your physicality and appearance]


    [The core structures of Anatidae Aquantis are higher Dexterity, and lower, but not weak Strength than most sub-species of the same Class of similar sub-species. It is still powerful and can grand easier time figuring out some Path]


    [Magic remains mostly intact in this choice, with a stronger Magical Affinity to Water, Lighting, Darkness, and Brightness in the Anatidae Species. Meaning, it is a strong evolution at Class C]


    [In fact, its mana may be strengthened depending on the use of your own mana familiarity, since it is one of the few things that Will of the Battleworld can''t touch at its core, nor the God of Battle can. It is dependent on you and Aquantis''s might could be higher than usual if one works with the mana outside of this world''s influence]


    [Magic may be furthered by the extensive, and unique circumstances of the Blessed''s skills]


    [Unique perk of Anatidae Aquantis: Flashy Feathers: Dexterity is 50% higher. Strength and Vitality are 20% higher]


    [Notable; but not every ability: Dashing Duck: Create a shockwave with a gust of wind by your wings or feet. Water or Wind Affinities are recommended to have, but having one of them is enough]


    [There are many other unique evolution-based abilities]


    [That is for now. Further information will be provided by the Will of the World, which is residing deep within your soul in the following choice of the evolution in the far future, providing you with further intel]


    [For now, you need to figure out the next 2 evolutions on your own, since it is a unique rule of the Batleworld and your species. None are talked about, or put clearly before you like the first one. It is like this because of the Order, rules, and care of the Battleworld. Figuring out your path and future yourself is one of the core beliefs of the Battleworld and many Gods]


    [Having powerful abilities is one thing, but the path of evolution is vast]


    [This is just a glimpse of what the future can hold for you, dear Citizen]


    [The following ones may be different, depending on your fate, luck, comprehension, and your own fateful encounters along your path. World of the Battleworld is full of surprises, and many opportunities can give rise to countless abilities. It may come as a surprise, but that is it]


    [Thankfully for you, the Anatidae species are special in a lot of ways. They have a lot to offer, so don''t be afraid to be unable to have enough evolution possibilities, unlike some cases of other rare species]


    [In fact, starting from the next option, you may choose to discard the possibility to be disappointed altogether, making room for the future that may be more than interesting because you are looking for them yourself]


    [Isn''t it generous enough? It sure is]


    [Now, for The Tasks!]


    [The Tasks are an important viewpoint of the Battleworld for almost anyone. It is similar to the missions you have temporarily done or chose not to do, you lazy animal]


    [It forms connections and goals, and most importantly, it allows others to reach passable chances]


    [They can''t be sought out, ignored for good, or forced. It''s the Will of the God of Battle, whose choices abide the Will of the Battleworld]


    [So far, you had very little to accomplish. It''s no wonder, for a tiny and young little Anatidae to be like that, but it may change in the near future]


    [There will be a surge of new Ends, and everything will revolve around your, dear Citizen. Your doing may have caused a tremendous disaster, which may turn into a plentiful opportunity for you and many others]


    [Not even a year in the Battleworld, and you already formed a connection with a Blessed from the Centralis Kingdom and even Clashed?]


    [That is certainly not a good Fate on your path, but Will of the Battleworld thinks of it otherwise. Certain things pertain to obvious solutions and problems, creating variables of interesting possibilities that are viewed by Gods and.... us]


    [You have survived this encounter against Razmund of Level 65, who didn''t even view or notice your presence as Blessed. Calling it fortune is good enough on your path, but next time may be different. Depending on the Task at hand, major influences may cause an Encounter to appear, amongst many other things]


    [Will of the Battleworld gives you a Major Task since the sought, aren''t fateful for good reasons. They took something precious from you. A gift it was]


    [Major Task: Get back your Gift that Lady Pachi blessed you with]


    [Doing so: Possibilities are endless. Rules are unimportant]


    [Optionable choice: Overrule the entire Centralis Kingdom]


    [Rewards with the Major Task: apart from her Gift, you will be Blessed with a Blessing from Lady Pachi. The choice is hers, but God''s Blessings aren''t something infinite, so choices can be strange, or very good. Others are abilities, attributes, or significant improvements depending on your progress, results, and view of your accomplishment. They can vary]


    [Reward with the Task + Optinable choice: Everflower Essence of crippled God''s Domain]


    [Time limits: None]


    [Difficulty: up to Level 99 or significantly lower if one is clever enough]


    [The Major Tasks are a significant action of the Batleworld, filled with Gifted, Blessed, and other factions that may join into it, or work against it out of spite. Many can feel included to follow or go against the Major Task, and it is up to many to follow through this ordeal that revolves around the cause]


    [Cause? That is you and Razmund]


    [A lack of rules or precise commands means a Blessed is free to do whatever he wants, but the Major Task remains firm in its meaning. In the plausible Encounters, there will be specific rules put forth, but they act outside of the Major Task, albeit with familiar problems]


    [It has started, and you have little to change since the Centralis Kingdom and a Blessed human named Razmund uncovered the mystery of Lady Pachi''s Gift. She isn''t happy about it, so prepare for the consequences]


    [Good luck going against the heavens, duck]


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Then the voice ended, leaving the message clear, even though Murai was utterly silent after hearing the latest parts.


    It was no wonder. He couldn''t complain out loud, while his mind was taking everything with twice the amount of usual seriousness. Meaning, he listened to it to a greater extent, since he was bored, and wasn''t too happy about what he heard.


    So... for the start, fuck me, he started to think. Evolutions from now on won''t come to me just because I have the attributes or everything for it. I need them all, even if that means I want just one. There might be some choosing, or it is like a chain to wrapt these beasts. Well, it is no wonder. I need them to start this evolution. I get it, for once, because this bullshit system is annoying. But, how did I accomplish the threshold for this Anatidae Aquantis? Is it Water affinity, or are other attributes like Will, Soul-Force, and Soul Power included for it as well?  Murai wondered, thinking of what caused it.


    He wasn''t thinking about it in the wrong way at all, but Will of the Battleworld wasn''t including details of how it happened. Mostly, to get evolution, it was just going out to the world and figuring it out yourself. Then, one would unlock it.


    Well, for once, I must agree with such a method. Figuring out the possibilities is one thing that can make the choices easier, or very hard depending on the choices one would desire. In this way, I might unluck all choices for the evolutions, but all of them will be extraordinary which would make me unable to choose. That... is something else, or impossible. I can also discard some. Does it mean some questionable rules are behind evolutions? Heh!


    Murai sneered in his mind.


    What a playfulness and good fate on those Gods... Is the God of Battle even good, or retarded? War or Combat ones should definitely be also included, but this is yet to become something I can search for, or look for. In fact... I am already under the vision of some Gods, so I need to be careful. Particularly that Lady Pachi that is the wife of this battlejunkie. In fact, she was the one who started this all. That bag caused it all!


    But... Here is something that I DON''T care about at all! Murai complained all of a sudden. Stupid Task under the rule and no visible choice to refuse it? Fucker! Bullshit! God of Battle is the one who makes them, meaning it''s a fucking sham, and those Tasks only act as a means necessary to make it look like a freaking chessboard... Lisa said something meaningful about this... Was she aware of these Tasks and God''s involvement? She should''ve known it since she lived here for god knows how long. Battleworld... It is right to name it like this, but for Gods to make a chessboard in the name of some grudges or problems is way to... my liking!


    Murai began to laugh in his mind, and even the little bitter chuckles caused his beak--which was intact--to shiver a little.


    I will use this against them. These Tasks, or whatever they are. Those chances are the choices of Gods to grow, and I will kick their nutsacks and smack their asses! That is already fun to consider, more so when I am a duck. I bet no Anatidae was ever close to kicking their asses!


    Murai found some enjoyment in thinking about kicking something far beyond him. If Lisa heard him, she would slap his beak, and call him a lunatic, but she was thankfully still sleeping in the calmer soul space, which was no longer crumbling apart. Instead, it turned more vivid, and cracks were turning brighter in repairs.

 Chapter 47: Goal? Get the **** out of here.

    Murai found the situation with The Tasks intriguing enough, but the core of their issue still pissed him off. Some motivation was also there since thinking of it differently didn''t make much sense to him at the moment. Being overly zealous for his own sake was his usual style, but the context was important along with a way that would make his living better or worse ~ or both.


    That meant that a change in attitude was due, like in many other lives where he hit a wall - emotional, literal, or one that made him regret his life''s choices. Maybe he will even find some form of enjoyment and adventure in this situation, albeit he was still in the middle of the deadly situation, which only changed by Water-Breathing for the time being. With the new abilities and rather unique circumstances, he realized his chances and what he should be doing.


    It was clearly a situation where some gods were directly involved in the running of this world, and they were using The Task and Blessed as key figures for their desires. Murai knew it and found it unsurprising, so getting to know about this world seems to be the first step to working around The Tasks. Battleworld and many more things will be needed before he will even consider some lofty thoughts.


    First, some things had to turn upside down in his head and adjust too. He was far from being even remotely strong, or ready to think like a previous egocentric maniac.


    Centralis Kingdom... Tool of the Gods, I presume? Chessboard... I was never good at chess, but when it comes to plotting or causing a mess, I fear my curse will make you regret your god''s choices. This duck will overrule your puny force, but first, I need to get the fuck out of this stale and silent place.


    Murai decided, forcing his physicality to move his body as much as he could. Flexing, and feeling it, he wriggled himself around ~ or tried to do so.


    Crackling his bones in the process hurt a lot, but it was much better than feeling helpless. The pain seemed to also return, so his Will didn''t turn to complete indifference to everything, but it seemed the Robust Spirit was behind the previous serenity. Murai found his physicality lacking, however. His functions went to less than 10 or so percent of his normal use while a lot of things in his body were broken still, even with the pretext of the previous boost.


    It wasn''t a lot... since less than a little of something was a smaller amount of very little.


    As for what was in the best condition, it was his beak. The second was the Beast Core, which was slightly more flaring up with mana after almost undergoing cracklings and ceasing to exist from Razmund''s beatings. Blood was rushing throughout Murai''s body thanks to the heart that underwent second wind. It was faster than before, which meant that the blood was moving even with the lungs being flooded.


    Murai didn''t question the common sense for now, since he wasn''t one to do that. As a duck, some things simply didn''t make sense.


    The bones of his wings and legs were still useless since cracked bones of such importance wouldn''t heal in hours or even days in this sort of situation. However, Murai was realizing that his body was turning better, but it may be temporary because Water-Breathing was providing him with temporary power.


    That was the breathing, which enabled his body to rejoice in a couple of minutes after spending who knows how long at the bottom of this well, growing in despair.


    Although, there was one thing that Murai kept ignoring. The fact that Battleworld saved his life.


    Alright... Let''s get this straight. The body is stabilizing, and the use of the Bloodrush needs to be done carefully since it is the main key to my survival.


    Murai deducted amidst his struggle to move his body.


    I don''t care about the loss of Vitality, but I don''t know how powerful this Bloodrush will be. Will it be enough to get me all the way out of his well? It''s a long way ahead and I can''t use the previous road that led to those fucking lizards... This wing of mine is their cause but...


    Murai found his body in terrible condition to consider getting up the well.


    Hmm? Feeling my injuries, even 5 minutes may not be enough to get up. It is more of a 10-minute journey up, and that''s me, being generous since my beak and neck feel a bit better, but everything else is bad. My wings are useless and so are my legs that that lunatic twisted for no reason at all. The wound on my left wing is still open, but the blood isn''t flowing as fast as before. My neck? Passable and so is my beak.


    Murai started to push his neck and beak against the mud, preparing himself in the hope of travel. He had the limit of his Water-Breathing, so one way or another, he had to get out before it will run out in an hour or so.


    Bloodrush was like a perfect choice for his situation and it came at the perfect time. Bloodrush should be the stimulant that would allow him to work well since it was the Grade SS Ability from the lineage of the Anatidae. Murai thought it should be incredible since double S should be good, right? He couldn''t help but think this way since he remembered how Lisa explained the Grades in her brief outlook.


    It was his hunch to trust it, stemming from the feeling of his ability and being played by the gods numerous times. Alas, this hunch was something Murai had to forget. He had one big trouble ahead, and he had no time to be wasteful over insignificant problems that didn''t need solving.


    Keeping his senses as sharp as possible, he was trying to get the feel of what he could do and not. His beak and neck pushed through the mud at the bottom of this well, causing his muscles to scream and move after a good while. They were regenerating, albeit slowly. Torn ones weren''t good, but movable through the pain. Others were fine, but some things couldn''t be regained.


    One wing shattered the other cut. As for my feet, how to solve them? I can''t. That freaking Razmund or how his name was, grasped them with his fingers, and twisted them in a simple motion, breaking the main bone, but not the fingers. Well, it didn''t matter if he would twist even the fingers. I can''t use them either way, so it is too bad for me. Murai deducted, and in the following minutes, began to twist up his neck, moving with his beak towards one side of the well.


    It hurt, and he scowled so badly, that he wasn''t sure if he should be glad over this Water-Breathing, or curse at it instead. This was his try since he was still alive. In fact, he felt good through the pain, since it was his living that was going through his veins and nerves. His body was reconnecting itself through this pain, but bones were bones ~ an impossible thing to repair on a whim or get powerful feelings into them.


    Pushing his beak to the ground, he powered it with his bare physicality, lifting himself up. It went well, albeit with a straining effort on his spine. The lower gravity, and being underwater meant relative easiness of his movement, which was an important discovery.


    As he lifted his head above the ground, he noticed something as he viewed the other side of the well, there was a hole he used to get to the surface. There was also something else, other than that hole. It was a bloodied head of a woman.


    Severed head barely a few tens of centimeters away from his limp body and it was looking right at him.


    It was a face with a smile, the deadly paleness and empty eyes of Velga, who tried to get him earlier. Murai wasn''t all that surprised by this since he watched everything that went with her. It was an interesting topic, but she died regardless of her efforts, meeting her demise instead.


    Served her right, Murai initially thought, but now, he felt conflicting feelings. Whatever her master wanted from him, or what kind of future he predicted were the things Murai didn''t know. Razmund, nor this woman told a lot, but Murai felt his soul read. Something was amiss with them, not talking about it.


    In fact, Razmund straight up ordered to kill Velga, which was brutal, but a well-understood way of getting rid of any problems. Murai knew how things like that worked, as he did similar stuff like that before.


    So he looked at Velga in a rather calm manner.


    Well, you are you, and 2 years and the rest of your life went to waste. How fitting. It was too bad to want to eat more than you can chew, woman. He mumbled in his head. Whether she was a good person that could strike the heavens, or not, when one was headless, one would be dead. That was it. A finish of one''s life unless one would... be unique, which she wasn''t. It was simple since she was a pure human, and not a demon, or some kind of devilish creature that would be able to resurrect above some threshold of power.


    Murai put himself back on the ground and adjusted his head to face forward. Feeling the strength within his neck to be passable, he decided on what to do next. Was this enough for Beak''s Peak? He doubted that, feeling his mana would jolt his body to further injuries if he would try to strike something with his beak.


    The aftereffects of the Beak''s Fury would be too much for his current body, let alone the Peak which should be much stronger. There was always a shockwave that traveled throughout his skull when he used Fury on a harder surface. It would shake his head, and travel through his spine where it would dissipate in his Beast Core. It was an ability that had some fundamental elements over his body, lineage, mana, and Anatidae in itself. A powerful one indeed, albeit a beginner one.


    Alright. The first step out of many is done. I need to wait at least 20 minutes to get this neck and beak to be much more usable. Healing... regenerating thanks for my heart, and the little Vitality I have. He thought, figuring this should be the best idea to do.


    Murai had one issue. Using his mana will eventually be possible, but he needed more time for any kind of Shaping. Mana, and the use of his Beak''s Fury, which he couldn''t use right now, would increase his chances. He was long out of his comfort zone, but managing this idea was all he could muster.


    I was on the brink of death... It was the same with my soul space which shook under the impact of the dead. When I think about it, isn''t this a bit unfair for Lisa? She went back to the soul space in hopes I would solve the situation, but I didn''t do shit. Nah, I fucked it much more. Maybe I will apologize to her after I will get out of this hurdle of a situation. He considered as he rested.


    Nah. I won''t. It was good she was gone. Well, she had some limitations as a soul form, which she never mentioned, but I am not stupid. I will ask her about it later. I don''t think soul forms like hers would be something those lunatics would consider to be normal anyway.


    It is a classic picture of prejudice and what humans do in every damned world. Of course, it would be like that in a world ruled by Gods in a steadier manner. Lisa also mentioned the Centralis Kingdom before. Humans, who are Blessed with a superiority complex? I am curious about what is more powerful. That, or a duck with a superior complex?


    Heheheh! Murai giggled, letting some bubbles through his nostrils on top of his beak. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Anyway, it is time for the 1st option. Use my beak and gradually pick myself up against the stone walls of this well. 2nd, wait for my mana, in hopes to regain something over my Shaping. I don''t feel the shaping will be stable for a long while, let alone an hour. Diving Sphere seems like a good pick, but it''s also questionable since it needs oxygen for its use. My body has nothing much, but internal Water-Breathing so I doubt it would work together. IT wouldn''t in my guess since those two abilities seem different from one another. The 3rd choice of the Bloodrush is something I will have to use when it will be right. Time is ticking fast. The choice is obvious. Murai talked to himself, conversing with the only matter of some logic in his mind at the moment.


    He came to a simple yet decisive conclusion, so he moved according to it.


    Picking himself up with his beak, Murai used his strained, yet movable neck, pushing and propelling himself slowly toward the wall. It took him some effort, but after the last glance at the Velga''s head, he continued without regrets. She may rest in peace, but she will rot here for the far future.


    Facing the wall in a minute, Murai pinched it with his beak a couple of times, letting some dust, and pebbles fell from the empty spaces between the stone structure that made this well. It wasn''t the kind of well, made of a simple hole in the ground. It was man-made, albeit rather poorly.


    Stones were layered on top of each other all the way to the lengths that Murai could see. it went all the way from the bottom and ended beyond the surface. It was hard to tell what was closer to the surface since it was rather dark at the moment. Murai didn''t need to see the surface since it wouldn''t disappear.


    The wall should be the same.


    This was a piece of good news in an otherwise, terrible situation. Murai shoved his beak into the empty space between the stones, wriggling it around, to see how sturdy it would be. While doing so, he could use his neck to proper himself up, before using his beak as a prime method of catching himself from falling down.


    Good. This is usable to climb, but it''s so clumsy... I am almost laughing. Heh! It is the same as everything with this body! Murai though. The pressure of the water is another advantage, allowing me to use my beak better even when I am not fast. I don''t need my legs to do anything, but wings would help a lot with the balance but neither is usable.


    Like this, Murai used his neck and beak, using some force and flexibility of his neck like a catapult. Clutching his teeth, he swung himself up by using his flexible neck, and the motion of his beak.


    He traveled little each time since it was a terrible method, to begin with, but one he had no choice but to use. He ended up could a dozen centimeters above the bottom of the well, shoving his beak to another spot between the rocks so he wouldn''t fall right back down but fell down anyway.


    Power is low, and I am not floating how I would like. My feathers don''t do the usual stuff... The rest of my useless body is a dead weight. Maybe because of all this blood, filth, and dirt¡± Murai asked himself but rather than feeling anger, he steadied himself by his beak and used his beak once more.


    He shoved himself beyond. He flew the same distance as the last time, and he shoved his beak to the stones well enough. Murai had to be careful not to use too much force since he could push himself away from the wall instead.


    C-careful.. shit. This is harder than I thought but usable.


    Murai clutched his beak open, using it to leave him in place. This was the only choice in his repertoire of solutions. It wasn''t the best, but he had to be careful with the time while the Bloodrush will wait after he will be more accustomed to this climbing.

 Chapter 48: Bloodrush and end of the well

    Bitting the stone was much better than shoving his beak between the rocks. Murai didn''t consider the teeth before, but now, he began the ascent a few dozen centimeters at a time without catapulting himself over larger distances.


    It wasn''t the hardest thing he had ever done, but he felt how every movement strained his body and bones. This whole process of climbing up hurt his body a lot, yet Murai kept going because he didn''t want to die. Giving up would be an insult to his many lives and any motion of memory of that beating that Razmund caused, jolted his mind with more strength.


    Meter by meter, the time wasn''t the easiest for him and soon enough, he was 10 meters above the bottom of the well. He had still more than 15 meters or so left to reach the surface, which indicated a terrible thing. As Murai reached the higher stages, his vision got better, allowing him to see the end of this well.


    Who in the seven hells makes wells this large? It''s bloody useless! There is no need for a such big thing if there is running water on the surface! Murai scowled at the designer and maker of this torture device but still kept going.


    His plan?


    Use the Bloodrush halfway through to get past the limits of his body, and charge right past the dark surface of the water. His patience was running low, so he decided on being harsh to himself. Whether it was a good idea was questionable. He couldn''t see what was beyond the water, as the surface turned shiny because of the moonlight.


    Murai kept his inner clock running, but he couldn''t tell whether his lungs were beyond the halfway limits, or above it.


    One way or another, it was about... half left? There was also a fear to lose all of the progress if he didn''t bite the stone well enough or if Bloodrush will cause some issues with the Water-Breathing. All in all, Murai was nervous to fall down since it would mean his death. So he spent quite some effort to make his swings perfect every time. This caused him to waste a lot of time, but if he restarted his journey, he would die because of time and nothing else.


    It was a stressful journey up.


    From time to time, Murai still used his beak to fly at least dozens of centimeters at a time. Doing so every so often was all he could manage, but he got to his halfway goal in about 10 minutes, since the start of the ascend. Clutching the stone roughly halfway through this well, Murai began to flare his intent and stubbornness up.


    It was time for the Bloodrush!


    Murai clutched the stone more than ever before, but not enough to crack it or destroy it. The first thing that happened when using the Bloodrush was the message of the Will of the Battleworld.


    [Bloodrush is at the 1st level, but yours is level 9 - Vitality is 44 - You will lose 10 points permanently after the Bloodrush ends. Do you want to deal with the consequences afterward? The extended injuries won''t fare well for your cause after the Bloodrush ends]


    [Do you want to proceed?]


    Murai heard the message and willed his intent to agree. Not even stating any words, he couldn''t really speak as he felt his message going across the Will of the Battleworld. His soul space wasn''t yet to be truly stable, so he didn''t even consider moving his consciousness to speak up. He should only hope, that his Robust Spirit will stand firm even within the instabilities that were lowered.


    Still, Murai was nervous over the death of his possible mistake. His soul was the most precious thing to him after all and losing his footing in this way would hurt him in the long run.


    Will of the Battleworld didn''t hear him, nor it needed to listen too much. Murai''s intent was more than clear, so it didn''t take long for him to feel something glowing on the walls. Something penetrated the wall as if it was indistinguishable shadows and strange waves of chaotic lines or laws.


    It was a strange occurrence, but Murai understood what was going on. It was some form of blood power, but no mana was within it. It was also not a source of the Will of the Battleworld which was providing all sorts of wonders and effects for the citizen of the Battleworld. Or maybe it was? Murai was feeling as if he was showered with something hot, bloody, and crazy, and he couldn''t understand what was it.


    This is... Bloodrush?


    Murai thought upon being hit with the chaotic feelings and intent of something demonic. It was unlike what he expected. It held both, intent, as well as the mental power of some chaos and the incredible mental power of Will and physicality. A surge of this power made his blood boil and his body winced and jolted in fright. It didn''t change his perception or his emotions, but something was still forced upon him. No... He wasn''t necessarily against it, since this was a source of power he needed and he accepted it.


    Murai knew his soul was more than sturdy enough to not get affected by the surge of this demonic intent. But his body may not be, as it was precisely the body that will undergo the Bloodrush while his Robust Spirit ceased some negativity of this strange power away.


    [Bloodrush is activated]


    [10 Vitality is the price for one of the Gifts of Blood. The duration is 1 to 5 minutes depending on your use]


    [The core structure of the Bloodrush - Increased strength, ferociousness, speed, and most physically based power. Your improved blood flow will stimulate your body and gain regenerative power corresponding to days if not weeks of Vitality effects in a single moment. Temporarily, you will regain some power, but the case of your future will be still in your hands]


    [Stimulated Anatidae blood calls the power of the past, yet your soul is unmoving, sturdy gaining an undeniable truth and clarity that is unwavering against the Chaos of XXXXXXX Entity]


    [Will rules over the blood, and so your case is special]


    [Certain diminishing weaknesses of the Bloodrush are lowered or completely wiped out, allowing you to gain access to a higher threshold of power with smaller repercussions apart from the loss of Vitality]


    [Bloodrush affinity is higher for you than normal]


    [Recalculating the threshold of the Bloodrush in accordance with Rule 10] sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [+5 Levels into the Bloodrush. Further power is strengthened by the allowance of the Will and Anatidae lineage in accordance with the potency of your uniqueness]


    Murai heard it all amidst the clear sounds of his incredibly fast beating heart, which was like countless wooden sticks beating a tree. It was becoming faster and faster, and hopefully, the stick won''t break apart against the tree, or the tree will be sturdy enough and the stick will break instead.


    Murai waited and waited for his body to calm down. All of this surge of power wasn''t that long, but it put forth a strange flow into his core.


    First, it was pleasant, and then it wasn''t. Bloodrush caused his Beast Core to explode in strength, causing his organs, muscles, and even bones to return to their places in vastly different sight of his mana. Beast Core wasn''t just the mana, after all. It was a source of many things. Be it the blood, origin, and everything else. Apart from the brain, it was the most important thing a demonic beast possessed. Sometimes, it was even more important than the brain itself. This process of the Bloodrush was a forceful one, leading to a massive amount of pain and power.


    Alas, mostly because of the intent, or whatever it was that washed over his mind and body, Murai was indifferent to the pain as he observed the changes with calmness. He didn''t know what it was, that turned his body into a monster bathed in demonic energy, but it wasn''t some sort of gift. It was rougher and crazier than he would expect from the source of the world, or something else. It wasn''t the mana, but it had some bloodline element, leading to a surge of weird feelings of demonic origin.


    That was at least what he noticed about it when he was overseeing his own body that kept clutching the stone. It wasn''t originating from something normal for sure, and no world or gods should be involved. As his mind was calmly looking, and thinking, the surge of power already made sure he didn''t have time to ponder too much into it.


    Blood in his veins sped up, and muscles tensed up, causing all torn flesh to rejoice, and even the destroyed bones were jolted up by temporary power over the flesh. It reminded him of some bloodline powers that he held in the past, so Murai was thinking, what in the world was Anatidae anyway?


    Particularly, the tiny legs that were twisted and broken turned back to normal. Both of the legs straightened up, while the small muscles, hidden under the small feathers, temporarily made them straight once again while the bones remained detached from the rest of the body, apart from the skin, feathers, and muscles. Not only that, he was able to feel and move them with muscles alone.


    Throughout these effects of the Bloodrush, Murai felt his body getting hot and his mind faltered in the unfamiliarity of this form. Nerves and everything that went throughout his body were connected to physical feelings and the blood was the wildest, spreading to every corner along with this demonic energy that pushed against him like a charm or a spell. Murai figured any ordinary animal, or even Blessed with an average soul would be lost in this ferociousness and bloody feeling that his body was going through.


    Trying to move his body caused bone movement and muscles to jolt up, giving him a lot of pain. This was about right. He was glad in being so powerful in the Will and soul, and perhaps the power over the Robust Spirit made the most difference. But this discomfort and power were temporary, and this pain and madness would drive someone to the limits of their mind and Chaos if it would be too long-lasting enough. It will cease to exist soon, and Murai was more than aware of that fact, which he felt with a rising heartbeat, yet with utter calmness in his mind.


    Normally, this sort of Bloodrush would cause instability in the mind, while the body would undergo a berserk fluctuation of every inch of the body, causing a complete mess in the mind while the body would become a monster. Everything would become destroyed, or damaged. Murai''s case was a bit different, as his body was already destroyed before the Bloodrush and his mind took this surge of power well enough, which may be not what the ones who granted him this power expected.


    In normal circumstances, a Bloodrush would be used in a more offensive and chaotic manner. The being would use it to obliterate the enemy at the cost of some Vitality. They can regain such Attributes over time, so it was a powerful ability that was worth the signature of Grade SS which stated powers of ancients, or Extremes. Such an ability may even overrule some rules of the Battleworld, or it does or did in the past.


    In a poor sense, it was similar to the Berserk Aura of Octopshark, but it was much more powerful with effects and power that no Bersker Aura would accomplish. Their soft flesh would become mush, and their mind wouldn''t take it all that well.


    After all, this Bloodrush ability almost grants a complete Second Life, which was precisely Murai''s case. Even a being on the verge of dying would be capable of fighting on top of their power. That was, of course, if they weren''t injured too much afterward, or if they would be missing some limbs. That would be too much of an inability to make any Bloodrush useful. Thankfully, it wasn''t like that for Murai.


    He felt the muscles move throughout his limbs, but it wasn''t enough for his wings. They were still numb, even though this surge of power was encompassing them alike. In fact, the bleeding of his left-wing returned, after the increased blood flow, so Murai figured it was indeed too injured for Bloodrush to heal it in a couple of seconds. It did to his legs, so did it make sense? No. Perhaps the Bloodrush or this surge of power had some intent and it carried reason to heal by itself.


    All of this surge of regeneration happened in a couple of seconds. Murai waited just 5 seconds from the full activation of the Bloodrush before the state stabilized and his body was bathed in the water, but with many lines and wavy matter of crimson darkness. It was shrouding his body, involving his feathers and giving his eyes a dark look. Now, none would recognize him as a duck but a demon instead.


    Time was ticking, so Murai pushed his legs against the stones, while his beak remained to clutch the stone. Like an athlete of utmost experience and power, he pushed his beak and legs alike. He shot vertically up, like a professional runner. His leg''s claws helped, while the power over his beak was more than enough to leap a meter away in a couple of seconds.


    Meter by meter, he pushed himself up with his legs and beak alike. He still had to be careful to not fall down, which could''ve been a disaster if his mind wouldn''t work against this madness. His mind had to think twice or thrice before his hot-blooded body would act. It wasn''t as fast as he thought, but it was enough to move a couple of meters in moments. Now, it wasn''t run against breath, but against the effect of the Bloodrush. It stated a range of minutes, so hopefully, it will be enough for him, since he didn''t know how long it would pass. There was no timer. It just stated 1 to 5 minutes, which was a vast range of time.


    Murai began to feel the tension within his chest, coming off of his lungs and feelings of the Bloodrush in his veins and muscles. It was eating him up from the inside out, giving him power but it was straining his injured body quite a lot and organs took it the hardest


    Fuck. This Bloodrush acted against my lungs! This thing is a double-edged sword... I swear... I won''t ever use this ability if I don''t have to. So what if I would be able to use it without injuries? Wouldn''t it be like going Berserk? Fuck off with that... This thing is dangerous and mindfully crazy. What sort of thing would possess this sort of thing?  He wondered, upon stopping for a couple of seconds to regain his stability over his body.


    He still had around 6 meters left before the end of the water, but it was already past the 2nd minute in the Bloodrush state. This state was lowering his breathing time by the overflow of blood in his countless veins. It required a lot of oxygen, which made the Water-Breathing quite strained like a strong engine with not enough fuel. He had to rest every so often so he wouldn''t fall down, or his lungs would explode. Now, it was coming to bite him to the ass, since the Water-Breathing had its limitation with a conjunction of the Bloodrush.


    Murai did think of this potential problem, and right he was. The problem happened and it wasn''t good.


    Hell... Is this limit of my body, or of this shitty ability that Battleworld gave me? I swear I can go longer than this, but maybe I expected too much from this... Too much from myself? Would... a restart help me? I wonder...  Murai thought, gritting his teeth at the stone which cracked under his clutch.


    Without noticing it, his anger over the body turned his mind against him as well. He clutched his beak too much and turned it into many pieces. Thankfully, his legs were clutching to the crevice down below, so he was only out of this wall''s reach with his beak. He flickered his neck, securing his beak to another opening between two stones.


    That was close... Fuck. This Bloody ability is getting on my nerves. Literary... Shit. Let''s keep going, and no madness or this Bloodrush will stop me from my choices. I will survive this. I swear. No matter what.


    Murai jumped up as fast as he could after regaining his stability. His bloody body was now as crimson as a ripe apple. His many feathers still looked pristine, but they were all batched in blood and demonic fluctuation. One would think of the current Murai as a demon, albeit, a small one. He was a duck, after all, but the feeling of the demons was the epitome of chaos and death. Even a mortal villager would feel fear from his current form.


    Getting closer to the end of the tunnel, the shiny surface was becoming clear to his bloodshot eyes. He was... surprised? What was up with that end of the well? It was... curved inwards, making him unable to crawl completely up, nor swim all the way to the surface since there was a gap from the water''s surface to the end of it. Jump would also be hard, and the Bloodrush also turned his feeling over the mana useless.


    Everything was becoming hectic in his mind. This whole situation was a mess.


    The end of the well wasn''t something Murai noticed upon swimming up to this place a while ago. Back then, he was panicky, and also... the well was fuller of water. The well lost quite a few meters of water since the fight above, and the wooden pipes that led the water to this place were destroyed. Hence the situation. Now, this was a big problem, that he noticed right away. From a closer distance, after he reached the surface, one would think of this situation as helpless.


    Not only did he notice it, but he also saw it all too clearly.


    He was fucked.


    ¡°Are... Are you kidding me? This... This fucking luck!¡± Murai cursed his fate, quacking in a strange noise after observing his choices. His Bloodrush had some little time left, even though he breached the surface. His body regained the feeling of the proper oxygen, but it didn''t change a thing if he can''t get out of there.


    Water-breathing deactivated by itself, causing Murai to cough up a lot of water from his lungs. Bloodrush seemed to regain some power from the proper source of oxygen, and Murai let his neck out of the water, gazing at the end of this well. Now, he had no choice but to quickly reach some conclusion. If he jumped towards one of the edges around less than a meter wide opening, maybe he will clutch the edge with his beak.


    That''s what he thought immediately, and that was about the only fast choice he thought of. In all this time, thanks to the chaotic nature of the Bloodrush that was more of a demonic ability than anything else, Murai wasn''t able to use the mana. Not even the Diving Sphere was something he could conjure at the moment. It needed oxygen, which he had, but it wasn''t something Murai was able to start in his current condition.


    Murai was at the corner of his life. Literary and figuratively speaking.


    He was about 2 meters below the surface of the starry sky. A distance that was quite large for his current physicality of a duck. As he saw it, the diameter of the well itself was over 1 meter and 50 centimeters wide, while the end was curved like a dome, with an opening at the very furthest middle. There was an opening for a bucket, which was about 40 centimeters wide. The opening was out of his crawling capabilities since it was curved and made of different rocks without any gaps.


    Jumping up was the only choice since the stones were too smooth, and weren''t submerged in the water either. Murai wouldn''t be able to crawl further above, even though his body was in the power of the Bloodrush. There was also no rope for the bucket here, indicating that everything was on the surface, or it was temporarily away since he emerged from the well. One way or another, villagers temporarily withdrew their interest in the well, in the fear of demons that almost killed them all.


    Murai watched the opening with focused eyes. There was definitely something wrong with him since the power that was under his control was very limiting and strange.


    This... Yes. Of course, the Battlewoled wouldn''t tell everything. It had no need to do that. It only needs to tell what gods need to tell. I doubt it has some science and common sense solutions over them. That, and the problems along with it aren''t something a lofty powerful gods would think to see. There should be some problem with my former injuries... That''s the only reason I am unable to form any Mana, and my body isn''t working properly over my senses. It is.. as if my body is no longer mine to control?


    Wait... This call and madness? Is it caused by the mother of this body? Anatidae is calling this Bloodrush, or is it the history of the blood itself? Ancestors of this species may work against, or along the Battleworld. That may be it. and it is the reason for this madness that I got? Though, it helped me...


    Murai fell into a storm of thoughts. The water surface ended 2 meters below the opening, leaving Murai no choice but to force things up a little. He had no time to think too much about the strangeness of this ability. There was no chance to even try and breathe within this space above the water. His Bloodrush would cause him to drown again, most likely ending his life for good this time.


    Murai clutched his teeth at the barely wet stone. He ended up cracking it, but not much. His eyes, mind, and everything were kind of out of his usual calmness. He was turning towards the helplessness that he hated with all of his heart.


    Choice.. death or life? This... I will make sure to bite someone other than these rocks! I swear on this life of mine. I swear on this duck!


    Murai shouted within his mind and leaped out of the wall, using his legs to run on it as he traveled far but was it enough to reach the corner of that opening? He used every ounce of his body power. That included his tiny legs, which almost curved beyond the temporary regeneration as he jumped after losing his running momentum. He even flipped his wings, but they didn''t help at all. At this time, his right-wing was somewhat firm once again, but his left one wasn''t. They were still useless, like many times before.


    His beak was like the tip of an arrow, ready to strike the edge of the well as he flew, biting it with all of his power. He was close to it and at last, he reached it, clutching the edge made of dried stone.

 Chapter 49: The sight of freedom and fate {end of the Book 1}

    Murai was close to freedom. A clutch or a swing away, actually. He flew through the air, with his beak as a tip. His vision was upon a hole in the middle of this well, eyeing the freedom and starry sky alike.


    He should be there. It was so close to his eyes. Murai used everything, including his bloodied wings that at the last moment, pushed his body a push further. It was still a useless pattern since they didn''t work, but perhaps it did something. They weren''t stimulated by the Bloodrush enough for them to work properly. All that he was able to do was to put his whole body strength towards his legs, leaping towards life with his little feet.


    Was it enough? Yes, it was. Murai reached the edge of the well, where stones were glued together by some sort of made-up cement. All of them were looking dry, making it so that only a small section in the middle was open for the bucket. At the section underneath the done were small holes for the running water from the surface, but they were small openings.


    His beak opened up, clutching the stone surface upon striking the edge successfully. Pushing his beak close Murai bit the edge, but the stone wasn''t like the ones under the water. This was a tougher and smoother version of that stone and quite dry. Because they weren''t under the water for too long, their properties were a bit different. He secured himself for a moment, thinking he will swing himself up easily but Murai was unable to use proper control over his strength. Seeing the close surface put his mind at unease. His clutch over the stone was way too big, which ended up cracking the stones.


    Slowly, he was slipping with his grip, causing him to panic, as further helplessness caused Murai to grimace. He could only watch as he kept slipping, while at last, the rock turned to many pieces until he fell.


    He was falling back to the water, but not the edges. It went right towards the middle of this well, because the hole was in the middle of it. Murai felt naive, or helplessly hopeful. He thought he would change it somewhat, but his body gave up, while the mind didn''t. He didn''t know how, however... The well was like a fall to a volcano. Helpless and easy to End oneself within it.


    Yet this time, he won''t drown immediately. It was because of his feathers that were no longer filled with water and filth. The moment he resurfaced from the water, the water escaped from them, letting them dry up in a couple of moments. It pushed water away from his body, letting his feathers be a bit fluffy once again. The moment he leaped from the air, there was a tingle of heat, and flame within some of them.


    Murai didn''t notice it, but the Bloodrush made some other changes that were hidden from him. For example, the drying of his feathers, which was... useful?


    So, as Murai fell, he was watching the hole close, yet distances away. He wasn''t gliding through the air, but falling like a rock with his back falling down first. Watching the night sky full of stars was a satisfactory End to this try, which he thought was quite passable and he did his best so there was no need for regrets. He couldn''t reach the skies again, nor walk towards them, but that was enough.


    With a splash, he fell back into the water. He couldn''t care less about the fall, nor that he was floating on top of it.


    Murai knew he was over his chances. Only a couple of seconds later, the Bloodrush ended, causing a vigorous amount of demonic energy, bloodline powers, and strength to escape his body. The flaring energy that came from within him with the price, escaped his body. It was as if a power switch went off. At one moment, he felt full vigor, and the next, he felt utmost nothing. His heart almost couldn''t make it, but because of his powerful Will, Murai was able to watch everything with distinct feelings. The Beast Core within his body almost crumbled down, and the painful end of the Bloodrush penetrated his innards.


    In his mind, Murai prepared for immense pain. It came with a cruel rush, but it was twice harsher as he expected and twice as lower in a couple of moments. Most of his muscles that were forcefully put together, were torn apart once again. In fact, because of the lowered Vitality, even those which weren''t previously torn were ripped apart as well. Let alone the bones that were forcefully put together, yet remained broken, became a tangled mess again.


    The pain that was caused by the muscles was enough for Murai to scream. Albeit, he couldn''t utter a thing as his Robust Spirit shook his Will, causing it to be the negligible premise. It was automatic, and Murai felt he deserved this pain because of his failure. He felt helplessness as weakness overlapped his body as if it was the end of his life.


    It definitely felt like that, because it would be no wonder. Razmund already destroyed a significant portion of his body, so the ability to restore such damages would be quite extravagant, or fairly easy. A couple of dozen of Vitaliy would work wonders, but he doubted it would come all of a sudden like Water-Breathing and Bloodrush.


    His legs turned limp once again, but the pain of losing the feel of them didn''t come to his mind. In fact, Mural felt like accepting this situation and his inability to reach the surface. It was like a game he failed, so whose fault was it that he ended up like this? His? Razmund''s?


    Since he indeed did his best, so why be mad at himself or others? Was he mad? Of course! He was livid!


    He cursed within his mind so wildly at those pieces of rocks, which fell down along with his descent, that he couldn''t stop until he reached the limits of his vocabulary. His mind was fine as it could be. The backlash from the Bloodrush didn''t destroy his life completely. It just put his previous problems to another level.


    That was, that he couldn''t do much any longer and he became crumbled bloodied mess. His body was broken much more than before. His feathers become bloody from all the reopened wounds and ripped muscles that moved his feathers apart. He kept floating on his back in the water, thinking of what to do next as he was unable to move. Perhaps he will starve to death? That would be the End he didn''t meet yet.


    Stars... I see you and met some of you, I reckon. Now, look at me! Floating on the water before you... Maybe it was really the dirt and filth that did this to me?


    He thought of the reason when he no was no longer drowning. It was good, but how long it will last? Murai felt the blood seeping from his wounds, turning his feathers bloody. Sooner or later, he will begin to drown again, and this time, he won''t be able to do anything about it. He couldn''t move his body, so he kept watching the starry sky from a few meters away, which was a distance, as large as a mountain for the current him.


    It was such a small distance in any shape or form, but what could he do? With the end of the Bloodrush, he felt his Vitality seep out of his body. He didn''t lose half of it, but it was still a large amount of life power that he lost. He felt sick to his stomach, but even that became useless as nothing much was uninjured.


    He kept floating, unmoving below the hole. At some point, some clutter resounded beyond the hole, but Murai wasn''t paying attention to it. Neither he noticed that some eyes were watching him from above. He was numb to this since he rather wept over the numb feelings of his undeniable failure. It went without much thought put behind it.


    This went on for some minutes of eery silence. His body was starting to descend down below, as his inability to move, made it so.


    Suddenly or not, Murai was oblivious, or he didn''t care about splashing water beside him. A bucket fell down from above, coincidentally lifting him up from the water. A rope was attached on top, which someone pulled to get him up.


    The one who was beyond the hole in the sky was just some kid''s silhouette. At some point down his descent, Murai already closed his eyes, but upon noticing some movement, he opened them. It was about the only physical reaction he could force, while anything else was like asking a limbless person to do jumping jacks. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Above him, in the starry sky was a face he saw not so long ago.


    Similarly, the kid was also someone who saw Murai before. It was Timmy, who looked at the bloodied duck in the water bucket meant to take the water from the well.


    ¡°W-what is this? I heard that you died in the hands of Falconers, little unlucky duck. Why were you there in our water?¡± Timmy asked, oblivious to the information that villagers said to him. He wasn''t lucky and fearless enough to watch the fight of these Falconers, so he didn''t know what this duck went through. He knew just enough of what some villagers knew.


    Timmy looked around in fear of someone watching him. He decided to let Murai hide in the bucket. It was deep at the night, so there weren''t a lot of people around. Some even said that he shouldn''t walk, or be near the well. In a fear of demons or whatnot, some villagers were angry at the well and misfortune that befall them. Some buildings were obliterated, so their anger was more than apparent.


    Timmy didn''t notice anyone. With something suspicious like this duck, he wasn''t one to be impatient over something this interesting. In the midst of the night, someone tasked him to take water from the well, or a more distant river. Of course, Timmy chose the well since it was the closest thing and he wasn''t fearful of a duck that others considered to be a demonic being.


    He did so not because he didn''t have a choice, but because he wanted to. Coincidently, he noticed Murai''s fate.


    Before, Timmy noticed and heard some splashing sounds of the water. By sheer luck of fate, he looked at the well that was quite tall for him. The curved dome made of stone enabled adults to work with it, but with some tries, even Timmy can take water from there. As for looking down below, he could only jump toward the hole where he saw a rather surprising sight. A falling duck towards the water, and pieces of rocks that went along with it.


    The lady luck was on Murai''s side.


    Timmy checked Murai''s limp body many times, fearful for some reason that it was already dead. Upon closer inspection, it appeared he was somewhat familiar with checking some things, like breath or even heartbeat. He noticed them and movement within Murai''s eyes was still somewhat alive. Murai''s body was beyond its limits. He was just a limp doll, with no ability to do anything. At some point, he even closed his eyes, because a strong sense of weakness overlapped his mind and he wanted to rest. Even if his Will was strong, one''s mind can be prone to tiredness. Murai fell unconscious.


    Timmy wondered what to do with this strange duck. Since he decided to put it from the well, he felt a kind of responsibility over its fate. He couldn''t force himself to drop it off somewhere and forgot about it. He wasn''t that kind of a person.


    Thinking about his choices, he also went over the story of what happened here not so long ago. This duck was sought by the heretic witch that sometimes visited this village. That was very interesting to Timmy, who wasn''t afraid of such stories or witches. As for heretics? They weren''t that. The Centralis Kingdom said that. Not him.


    In fact, who in their right mind would care about demonic ducks? Falconers did in Timmy''s opinion, but he found it more funny and interesting, than dangerous. So, he decided to take the bucket with him to his home. Hiding the opening with his hands so no one would see him, he hurried away from the well that was a home for Murai''s significant struggle for his life.


    Timmy went to a building that wasn''t his, but it was his home regardless. It wasn''t big, nor small, but it was warm and cozy and that''s what mattered. He was careful to not meet the owner of this place. He would be most angry at him for taking this duck from the well, so at the tip of his feet, he entered the hallways and reached the further section of the house. He was as careful as to not utter a sound so he managed to enter a room in a lonely corner without alerting anyone.


    It wasn''t his room. It was his sister''s room. Right now, the room was bright, filled with candlelight that was on the table. Aside from the table was a girl. She was sitting on a simple wooden chair and writing something in a book. Alongside here, a lot of apparatuses and magical tools were.


    At first, she didn''t notice the almost inaudible steps of her brother, indicating Timmy was quite familiar and good at being a silent walker. What she heard was the door that he had to shut, which made her glare at him in surprise.


    ¡°What took you so long?¡± She asked in surprise, glaring at him with a startled expression. ¡°S-sorry sis. I... I think I found something interesting. I hope you won''t get mad at me.¡±


    ¡°I am never mad at you, Timmy. What is it?¡± she asked, looking somewhat perplexed over something.


    ¡°You... You said to me you wanted to become a priest, didn''t you? It was a dream of yours for a long time and you did it, right?¡± Timmy said, whispering almost all of his words to his older sister. She was quite older than him and was already an adult in this world. Even if she wouldn''t, Timmy would think of her as such.


    ¡°I always said it to you. In fact, you already know I am that so why are you asking at this time? Have you got the water I tasked you with?¡± She asked, frowning upon discovering how Timmy is hiding the bucket with his hands.


    ¡°I... I want you to look at this, sis. Can you do that for me and not talk about this to a soul? Promise me that!¡± Timmy walked forward and showed her the content of the bucket.


    His sister looked at it because he piqued her interest, but the content of the bucket was... kind of strange. A bloodied mess, along with feathers and the curled duck was inside.


    ¡°Is this some kind of joke to you? Where did you get this duck from at this hour?¡± she asked, not getting what he wanted from her, nor did she understand what was up with this duck.


    ¡°Y-you can heal it, right? I am not joking... this thing was bullied over something that didn''t make sense. I saw it with my own eyes. It was quacking in pity and frustration, hoping its suffering would stop but it never did. Isn''t this sad, sis Iris?¡± he asked while appearing quite sad, and unbothered by the consequences of his actions. In some strange manner, he even appeared proud of his actions.


    Now, upon hearing his explanation, Iris understood what he meant.


    ¡°So, this is the duck that Uncle Lazar apprehended? I heard the Falconers were involved as well.¡± She said, folding her arms over her chest and glancing at Timmy rather than Murai who wasn''t in a good state of mind to wonder about anything.


    ¡°Yes... You weren''t here because of some other matters, but I saw it myself. I found it in this state flapping its wings in the well where those evil knights tossed it. I took pity on it as you taught me. Isn''t this the teaching of the Vermillion Church that you talked about?¡± Timmy asked, filed and full of expectations and innocent intentions. He was a kid. A 7-year-old kid that wasn''t in any shape filled with the filth of the world or experienced anything too harsh. That was, apart from having his kingdom obliterated by the Centralis Kingdom, but that was an issue of something else.


    ¡°Pity... Pity? Is this... that demonic beast then? This duck?¡± Iris asked, pointing her finger toward Murai while glaring directly at Timmy.


    ¡°Is pity also wrong to point at the demons?¡± Timmy asked, not knowing if that was the case.


    ¡°Well...¡± Iris started talking, but Timmy interrupted her.


    ¡°It is injured and I feel its right to help it!¡± he insisted.


    ¡°So you picked it up in hopes that I will treat it since you can''t do it? Am I right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Pretty much. Will you help this duck? Pretty please!¡± Timmy pleaded with his eyes and it wasn''t at least one bit faked. Iris could see that since she is the closest to Timmy out of everyone in the family. At 17 years old this year already, she held some responsibility to care for his younger brother and sister. Adding to her willingness to be a priestess, she was a good person that was attending the teachings of the Vermillion church that weren''t part of any Centralis religions. It was part of the many other nations, with distinct views, power, and ability to stand even against the Centralis Kingdom.


    Iris sighed, picking up the bucket with both hands and placing it on the table. ¡°Does Uncle Lazar know about this?¡± she asked after turning her face to Timmy who appeared quite happy.


    ¡°No. I am Timmy the Slim-Timmy-Toes. Isn''t it a great nickname? I came up with that on the spot, and Uncle never found me out!¡± He said, but this time, he exaggerated things a little bit in his favor.


    ¡°What about sis?¡± Iris asked.


    ¡°She... I didn''t see her, but I hope this will be our secret. Are you fine with it?¡±


    ¡°I am not fine with anything Timmy and I don''t want to get us both into trouble.¡± Iris dejectedly said, yet upon closer inspection of bloodied duck, hesitated. ¡°Still, I will keep this a secret, but in return, you will help me with any kind of alchemy and things of priesthood for the next 5 weekends,¡± she said without a speck of shame. She was already lenient, and rather pure-hearted, yet she also understand what it meant to piss off certain people.


    ¡°Sure. Sure! I will do anything that you will ask me, sis Iris.¡±


    ¡°Really... How come you are so happy about this then... It''s just a duck.¡±


    ¡°Yes. But it is a pitiful duck. That is a different duck from other ducks who feels indifferent and float in the middle of the lakes. It''s like you who helped me from my bullies! Helping the weak is a teaching of priesthood too!¡± Timmy insisted with the honest intention that only a 7-year-old would have.


    ¡°Pitful... Alright. Get me another bucket, but this time, don''t brink another duck, goose, or any kind of bird. Water is enough.¡± Iris ordered, after picking Murai from the bucket, eyeing him with some helpless since he was all bloody and she will end up like that too.


    ¡°Well, you will be a piece of work, even for me,¡± she mumbled, looking at Murai with a mysterious look.


    End of Book 1 - Dungeon


    Next


    Book 2 - Encounte

 Prelude to Book Two: Messanger

    Prelude to Book Two: Messenger


    Razmund felt like burning charcoal when he dealt with his problems. There was a head flying, meeting its End, and pain. A lot of pain. He saw it drop and felt that blood. Then, that ridiculous duck forced his eyes to bleed, yet it still ended up in a similar Fate for that silly woman who couldn''t bear the pain of Fate.


    He believed that. Deaths were very honest according to his memory. They were like Laws of his words. Dead never returned. That idea should always prevail.


    But this world was different. He also died and returned. Could that duck or Velga do the same thing and hunt him later?


    Unless one watched and knew those called Blessed, one should always doubt one''s words. Razmund doubted himself. He knew that because he was one himself. Experienced with one life, he awakened up in a world of insanity and wonders close to one giant wonderland. It was a place in the middle of a much vaster universe, or so he was told. It was a belief hardly feasible for his former life.


    He had yet to accept it even after that fight, or was it even called one? The sight of that massive duck left a lingering expression on him, and he thought he had already seen enough of this world in his decades.


    The poison that went through his body after dealing with Velga wasn''t something he had ever experienced either, which spoke of something ridiculous, because his Physique was supposed to be extremely great at solving these issues.


    Unfortunately, it wasn''t something that granted him immunity. Not yet at least. For now, it was relentless like his ideology. Like his life. Like his Path seeking some happiness.


    Just who was that woman? Razmund thought as he was barely able to move half of his body. My Physique... Mana.... It is all in shambles and no longer going together. This is at least Grade S poison, so what and how to take it? What is happening... That duck. That head. So much Dread and weight. He complained when he remembered his quite heavy Appraisals. Adding his eyes, he was asking for a beating and got more than two of them already.


    One was easy but complex, revealing some nasty secrets. The other left him speechless and utterly devasted. He discovered something more dreadful than his Master, or anything, really.


    Now, he was going through these experiences, half certain this poison could end his life, and half confident nothing like this would kill him. He had so much to do... so much to promise.


    Perhaps it is good... that it happened. I killed it. I finished it. Nothing else matters than healing and doing my promise justice, he thought. Death comes once. Why not twice? Perhaps it should''ve come at me sooner. Promise that hasn''t been fulfilled. Yes. Death. Go and be done... Sleep and dream.


    As he silently complied with his melancholic failure, Paulfred, one of his Blessed Companions, bumped to his side, hitting him where it hurt. They were walking away from the village and their battle when they caused something they didn''t even understand.


    Razmund grunted and snapped at him. ¡°Was that fucking intentional?!¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Paulfred said unapologetically. ¡°You looked way too sorry at the moment, Master. I had to do it. It is called pain treatment therapy, or so your Master usually says. Is the poison spreading to your head, hm? I bet it will get destroyed much sooner if you are uncharacteristically angry if that''s the case. You see? A stronger position always destroys the weaker ones! HA! Isn''t that clever?¡±


    Razmund hated how Paulfred often ended up like this; teasing him, hinting, and helping where it wasn''t needed. His Companions were truly way too compatible with his stubbornness and this life, which was good and bad at the same time. In some regards, he couldn''t ask for anyone better. On other occasions, he wished he would be all alone.


    No punishment or training will change their minds by now, unfortunately. It was something recommended by his Master, who was fascinated by Razmund''s stubbornness and personality, which made all kinds of potential Companions not appealing.


    That didn''t happen for that long.


    Razmund was kind of disappointed that he went with his suggestions, but these companions were great. They were more trustworthy than any contracted mercenary or bought slave. They served him wholeheartedly because they wanted and needed it very much. It was way too good for them, albeit dangerous. Most of them knew it but couldn''t stop doing it for various reasons or causes.


    It was about power. It was no Temporal Power Chain. Blessed Companions were even better than that contract, as it wasn''t close to a one, but more like a pledge.


    Razmund was rarely glad. Having someone to rely on in many parts of his life meant he could forget some issues. Even when it was kind of forceful and weird, it was helpful to have followers. It made him recall some gnarly bosses from his previous life. Leaders. Wrong in heads, but so vivid and sharp in their voices and acts. People lived in packs. Humans were that sort of animal. Razmund wasn''t like that; he never wanted to be like that.


    Every once in a while, it was fine to seek that idea and act like an asshole or a boss for the sake of it. It was a good reminder in a lot of ways because it always shattered some doubts. Becoming forceful and demanding was like warranting something. They should understand it if they want to keep going.


    That was why it was forceful; they served someone more significant than they could touch, let alone nibble in their act.


    At more such points, Razmund couldn''t care less for them because he had his worries and Path to walk in. If they can''t keep up, they should stop. It was fair, yet they wouldn''t stop. It was stubbornness.


    Razmund thought it was like that poison he was feeling right now. It felt worse, however. This half-death numbness was nothing in comparison to some rules of some value.


    It wasn''t some small matter. Many Blessed Companions couldn''t ever come close to their Masters. It was simply too much to expect because of the nature of Blessed.


    ¡°I won''t die so easily. Not some poisons will crash a future Sage!¡± Razmund said forcefully, taking his words for nothing worse.


    ¡°True,¡± Paulfred said. ¡°Poison is King''s End. Don''t die like this before becoming one, Master. Or... Sage? Well, this is awkward,¡± he was kind of reluctant to tell the latter part, thanks to knowing that his Master was expected to become a Sage at some point in his life. It was literarily pointed under his Path. Under his life. His talent was supposed to blossom and chance, unlike the predicted start.


    Razmund would hit him if he could, but the poison was still acting up, even though some nasty experimental training methods had gone through his body since he was young.


    It wasn''t a great feeling. No matter how he grew and sturdier his Limiters, attributes, or Path, the pain always felt the same. It was a shortcoming of his Physique, he assumed.


    Or was it reminiscent of his past, where pain and relief were considered luxury or very easily felt? What about here? Pain, time, and age were vastly different concepts in this society, let alone the world as a whole, or... the universe. Just how far he should think or imagine things?


    What was even a soul, let alone some magic?


    It felt as if he was no longer the human he once thought he was. Many thought so as well because it was correct, yet he still felt like one. No one will tell him otherwise. No King. No Master. No pain.


    Pain wasn''t nostalgic, but persistent. Pain made him human, or thinking of distress did, he tended to believe and whisper to himself.


    Razmund was no monster. He was no beast. He was no insane person who preferred pain over other things. But he often looked like that and felt like that on numerous occasions, or in some eyes. Blurred eyes, shrouded by hatred, confusion, and greed. There were many of them when he often closed his eyes. That was often hard by itself. It wasn''t some lunacy. It was a memory. No fragment, but history.


    Laughing, squinting, and pointing at him, black and white felt like no karma. It was all ugly, looking like faces, fingers, and dreams.


    Yet, at the end of this madness, what had he acquired? Reputation? He might be strong if he judged it like an idiot or weak if he saw the truth. For now, he was strong. He fled those left out aside to rot or be forgotten pieces of flesh. Soulless. They got what they deserved.


    Beside each shoulder, his little hopeful companions supported and carried him away from a very nasty meeting. It was such a clash that neither of them could even imagine what had started at this very moment. It was inconceivable to them. Both in craziness and luck, dreadful Ends, or a time that had no possible future. They had no idea what was before them, or what was tolerating the depths of that well.


    Not even Razmund knew what he met and dealt a heavy blow. He crashed some wings and snapped some legs. He wasn''t proud or feeling good because of it. He just felt like doing it because what were some beasts, let alone some demonic beasts?


    They were dangerous animals that were known to hunt humans in this kingdom. Killing them felt right, yet what was a duck to him? What had he forgotten? There was some greed, wasn''t it?


    Razmund felt like he missed something very important.


    Back then, he had no idea who Murai was, or what. He just saw him as a beast with some demonic origins, while that bag was very enticing. It survived his onslaught and beating, so it must be precious.


    But after noting the weight that Murai carried by his soul, he thought he saw a fatal oversight.


    There was no way that a beast with such a soul was normal. There was no way the bits of aura he felt were all there was to it.


    Razmund had yet to know it, but he was feeling wrong about everything that transpired, and right about a few things. It was correct to assume Murai was a weakling with not that strong aura. Why? Razmund was strong, so he didn''t think Murai was worth much. The way Velga acted and talked, to the ambush and fight and those Appraisals. Razmund killed them both. Ended them. He shouldn''t feel bad, and he didn''t.


    He was just so fucking anxious, he couldn''t even quench his teeth. Was he close to the End? To a simple mission as a Falconer? From the bottom of his mind, he couldn''t help but feel irritated, disappointed, and dreadful to feel like this. Perhaps it was his instincts that came from numerous Delves into Dungeons, or this life that shifted from being helpless. He was very sensitive to dangers by now and felt like Fate was a real villain in everyone''s life.


    Walking, the pair of Blesed Companions beside him had their amends and work to do. Their Master was hurt. It wasn''t their fault. Razmund had made his mistakes today. The kind that will follow him and perhaps give him his remedy, followed by a suffering that he won''t forget, followed by many temptations.


    On their way to the horses, which had been chained away from the village for a while, Paulfred had been holding a handful pouch. Waldorf, the other Life Companion, had been grasping Razmund more firmly, though his injuries hadn''t been smallest either. Using a Taboo Item had its merits, but also nasty results. He felt damaged and weak, but not so much as Razmund with that poison eating half of his Vitality away at a time.


    Yet, Waldorf dealt Velga a blow that ended up in their victory. Some small wounds and cutting his Vitality away were nothing in comparison to that.


    An order was an order.


    Blessed Companions were supposed to be shields! Especially the kind that had been screened to Razmund by his Master.


    ¡°Master,¡± Waldorf said calmly, ¡°your injuries aren''t small at all. Perhaps we should use the barrack''s magical circle? Teleporting is...well...¡±


    Razmund scuffed at them both. One was silent and the other was way too worried. Both were useless ideas that better remained in their silly heads. He won''t die because of some position. He was no King. ¡°Shut it... Am not some master what you call, and there is no way portal is right. The scrutiny that would follow it... Horses will do just fine.¡±


    ¡°But you are our Blessed!¡± Waldorf argued, knowing that caring for him was up to his biggest benefits. He genuinely felt like his servant and some face value or politics in the City of Chaos mattered to neither of them. Razmund didn''t care for them either, but right now, he was in a bad state. Mentally and physically, he needed some care while his Physique was lasting against a poison that would crash Cores and hinder Laws from existence.


    Razmund didn''t care for how his so-called privileges in this world affected his life. He was not their master. He was a seeker of his own happiness.


    But he was still chained to be called their Master, chained to them for their benefit and value. He didn''t think of them as friends. It was like a job for them, while he was their shop. He was providing them with routines and growth out of the Voice, and they provided him with loyalty and help. Any help, frankly, including their own lives down the line, though one was never sure about where safety, power, and balance ever were in this world.


    Dangers consisted not only in Mortal or Holy Wars since he was Blessed loomed by the Gods. Hiding across the Sky and Depths, they were watching and thinking of the supremacy and well-being of their subjects, or the Ends of their oppositions. Mortals did the same at lower levels.


    Blessed Companions sounded like a dishonest honor of reason and trust to Razmund, though it was also true that this world had its differences and cultures. They were different. Razmund learned to accept some of them through time, knowing that he had to use what he should and use those who were worthy.


    And this pair of Blessed Companions around him were people like him, yet no Blessed. They were breathing the same air and often held similar hopes and dreams to many other Blessed. But they had no second life under their souls. This single difference was supposed to be small, yet it was such a big deal in this world, that many wished to be his slave. Especially in Centralis Kingdom, which had been Razmund''s home since he was born for the second time.


    Razmund would laugh at them. He didn''t need some weird beneficial shop. Because of that, he went with those fervent and crazy enough to accept his current life, his changed head, and ideas that changed the moment he became someone great. Even Child Blessed had fervent followers due to growth and their political importance. Depending on the talent or the Blessed, things could be vastly different across many of them.


    Razmund was nobody at the beginning. He was insignificant like many born Blessed in the Centralis Kingdom. Some became significant faster than others, becoming like stars and powers of their generations, or becoming something new due to this world. There were many kinds of Blessed after all. Some held regrets, others hope for the past, while some had nothing more than a new life.


    Razmund''s past wasn''t so old, so his ideas and memories were squeezed together, which made his current life complicated. His companions beside him weren''t his concern. They followed him even through his crazy life and mind.


    How they ended up was their choice. Not his. Their lives were theirs. Razmund learned that such companions died in their line of duty, stupidity, and dreams, and desiring strength that Fate hadn''t gifted them.


    It was no wonder. Servitude and helping Blessed was a very heavy and dangerous task. It was also full of envy and some politics if one grew very powerful, or sought someone like that, while those seeing their benefits might be people that could change. Good or bad, it didn''t matter.


    Such companions were under different sets of expectations from normal folks, which was closely related to their Blessed. Without them, they would be nothing.


    It was caused by their Quests, a privilege that they clinched into because of their bravery or stupidity. They were supposed to help their Blessed unconditionally. If they failed far too much or simply refused, then it was the end of their Blessed Companionship that worked with the Voice alone. It was like being granted a gift in a shop; a blessing in disguise. It was like a contract because a Blessed was nothing but a person granted a position by the Voice. Without that, one would think of them as ordinary people who had memories of their past.


    No companion wanted the end such benefits. But the ending deal was still up to their Blessed, who could refuse them outright, kill them, or set them free from their burdens or hopes, for they were peasants seeking the heavens.


    Thus, one should be sincere and do their work for their Blessed as best as possible, or die trying.


    That was a belief that Paulfred and Waldorf grew up with, and through luck and effort, they became the Blessed Companions of someone who grew to quite some heights. They maintained it and became someone close to him in return.


    Though they went through quite some nasty schemes and efforts, Razmund tolerated them even with some failures. Frankly, it was a heavy job to see and follow this dipshit, yet they would be nothing without him.


    What was some effort before those cherished by the heavens? That was something that many citizens of the Centralis Kingdom believed in, so they viewed Blessed as those beseeched by Gods.


    Paulfred and Waldorf had been with Razmund for years, so they knew him and his temper, despite fewer details about his past life. It was sensitive to ask about the knowledge from the different Sky, which Razmund was part of.


    He wasn''t some lofty individual, nor someone arrogant in his head. He was just too damn stubborn and prideful in his individuality of this life. It changed him, often turning their lives south, all the while their little Blessed was closer to Chaos than they understood. It was a different realm of problems when he wasn''t a Falconer, so when he was, they were Falconers as well.


    It was like a vacation. Making missions for people and subduing monsters like Falconers were easy. Taking care of this time with Razmund, who had his head filled with unknown, was just better taken slowly.


    Not anymore.


    They witnessed a change and became part of something bigger.


    ¡°Let''s get you to the City of Chaos first,¡± Paulfred said, storing an unknown bag into a spatial pouch beside his hip, ¡°Who knows what will your Master say out of this simple mission? It wasn''t supposed to go like this, you see. Why we were stationed here? Isn''t that a terrible luck? There wasn''t supposed to be such a bullshit!¡±


    Razmund moaned, uttering a grunting huffing sound without any of Paulfred''s poking. ¡°Jeez. You shouldn''t have said it... Can''t imagine what he will say, but...¡±


    Waldorf laughed and told his guesses, which ended up in more grunts. ¡°No worries, Master, we have killed the cause. No need to shed a tear. You need to get back to your feet. Both of them!¡±


    This time, Razmund had to truly restrain himself from doing something stupid.


    ¡°Bullshit,¡± he whispered, knowing that the cause might be more crazy than he thought. Especially Velga was a weird one since her secrets and acts were stranger than that duck''s reality or existence. Yzna Mountain. Dark Mages. There were many related interests following that, while Velga was still unknown. Perhaps he was also thinking about wrong things and what they were about wasn''t some time or control.


    Two years. That bag or that duck.


    Which was it? What organization would willingly touch Fate, or why?


    Anything related to Fate was bizarre, and she was in that village, waiting for something. Some nasty place was behind it, doing something that they shouldn''t. Velga was just a disposable tool, while many others might be hiding somewhere else. Razmund felt their threat even when he didn''t know the truth. Something dangerous was moving. That was what his heart was feeling.


    His new instincts and life told him it wasn''t over yet.


    He had to report what he found in Velga, even if it meant her cause was death, and not a whole lot of it made sense. But with the information-gathering network that the Centralis Kingdom had, he was sure things would clear up.


    It wasn''t easy to get Razmund to his horse, but eventually, they departed this place, before galloping through official roads straight to the City of Chaos, the capital of the Centralis Kingdom, the one who destroyed and captured this land.


    Their journey went quicker than one would expect, thanks to the wonderful breed of their horses, or their hurry.


    They hadn''t returned to their previous locations, the barracks on the outskirts of the newly increased land, where they were stationed as part of Falconers.


    They had to return and forget their Falconer duties because of Razmund''s injuries and new purpose. He accepted it as his weakness.


    It didn''t take them more than a couple of hours before a large city''s outline emerged across the horizon.


    It wasn''t a simple city; they could see it from very far away thanks to a massive tower in the middle of numerous districts and buildings. It reached out for more than a kilometer into the sky, allowing one to see it quite easily, and giving this city a majestic look.


    ¡°No matter how I see it,¡± Paulfred said, ¡°it is even bigger.¡±


    Razmund held the reins of his horse, barely holding onto his seat, and riding between them. His conditions worsened, much to his previous words and vigor.


    ¡°Where to go?¡± Waldorf asked. ¡°Is it fine to go straight in? What would people think?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Why ask such a stupid question?¡± Paulfred said, giving him a long look. ¡°Straight to the barracks, I tell.¡±


    ¡°Shut... up,¡± Razmund said. ¡°Drop it and get me straight to Uzbek. I need to talk to him.¡±


    Paulfred laughed, leaving Waldorf grunting. To the barracks, they went.


    The entrance to the city was a big gate, with massive and wide streets going straight through the city in numerous passages. It was a bustling city in the middle of the day, with many people doing business and their living, so no one paid them much attention.


    Many adventures and mercenaries were seen everywhere, thanks to various war and hunting-related jobs that were available year-round in the Centralis Kingdom.


    It was a paradise for such professions.


    Razmund''s target was the region around the huge dark tower, and they soon reached the privacy they wanted.


    ***


    Away from the horse, Razmund struggled and moved to the large building with quite some decorum. It was a big blocky building with round styles and big rocks for heftiness and weight, giving this place roughness, weight, and size. There were no windows, so it seemed like a giant fortress. For a place seized by royal authority, it was looking odd.


    ¡°Shit. Why did the guards tell us he is here?¡± Paulfred grimaced.


    This was the King''s Mansion, one of the most secure and secluded places where training was done for the most sensitive people of this kingdom. Many Rising Stars were brought up here, along with multiple generations of them, or others. Numerous training segments made out of the most skilled teachers and techniques were inside. Many powerful people wanted to come here, but there was no academy. It was more like a camp where one forgot the existence of the outside.


    Razmund spent years inside long ago and regretted it ever since. He didn''t want to visit this place again. Not only was it close to the huge tower, which, by this point, looked even bigger thanks to its proximity. Thick and made of dark purple, near black bricks, it was majestic and alien when one saw it from this closer and lower perspective.


    The City of Chaos was built around it a long time ago, as it was a pivotal and important majestic structure from the Old World or even older. However, it was hard to call it that, unless one was curious about history, or knew what that tower was from its depth to the tip.


    Not even Razmund knew much about it. He was indie of it less than a few times and it never felt strange since he visited many strange places. He heard its position was similar in reputation to the King himself, with mages and secrets that had the same power as most powerful royalty. It was still part of this kingdom, yet that tower was more than met the eyes.


    They walked into the mansion and were quickly greeted by a couple of butlers in charge of this place. Not many could enter it on a whim, yet when they saw Razmund, they exchanged looks and didn''t hinder his path.


    ¡°Welcome, welcome, ugh!?¡±


    ¡°S-sir R-razmund?¡±


    ¡°Wounded?!¡±


    Exclamation from these people was expected. Razmund looked like shit and these people were far too used to that.


    In no time, a whole regime of butlers looked at half-dead Razmund, and immediately went up at arms, sending for doctors or alchemists. Most had doubtful looks about what to take his appearance for since they heard he was sent to regular Falconer''s duties due to some problems he had caused a while back.


    Now, he came back all injured? Just who had this messed up Blessed attacked? This place was no hospital, but they couldn''t just ignore him. It would be ignorant since everyone knew who was currently present in this place, and what business truly meant. No one missed his destroyed armor, deadly face, or half of his body not working properly.


    Razmund looked like a wounded soldier who went through war and won.


    Paulfred and Waldorf acted as his retainers, so they explained the situation and told the bare minimum of what they wanted to reveal. The most prudent one was Waldorf, who indicted some people with getting the best doctors and getting them into some private room.


    Paulfred looked for Razmund''s master, though neither was sure where he was. This place was big, and soon, the news about Razmund''s return would spread. Perhaps Paulfred should remain with them.


    In a short amount of time, Razmund was lying in bed, surrounded by doctors who were on standby. It wasn''t that hard to find some of them quickly due to the training and situations happening in this place. They were also close to the middle portion of this city. No one would deny any work for King Mansion. Not when that man was here.


    ¡°What in the world is this?!¡± one of the doctors, a scruffy old man, said, examining the wounds of barechested Razmund. Wounds were relatively small, but half of his muscles were turning green, straining tendons, and muscle fibers, or hindering his blood. It was cycling and creating a mess out of the flesh. Half flash, to be exact.


    The moment it would go to his bones, it would be over. Yet, for some reason, it hadn''t happened thus far, so the doctors were speechless by Razmund''s resilience, body, and potency of this poison. By now, he should be dead.


    ¡°Poison?¡± Paulfred guessed after he came back, successfully failing to look for Razmund''s master. Waldorf heard his remark and grabbed his neck, dragging him to the other room for a quick chat. He was obviously aware that those doctors had no time for their bullshit, voice, or their presence.


    Razmund was conscious of everything and heard them all. ¡°Poison is poison. It won''t kill me... It could be many things and it is dull. It must be something dark-related, or from the Depths or Hell. Poison was the dagger itself, or it was...well, it is evil.¡±


    Doctors were unable to assess the situation from that little comment. They were losing their wits and ideas about how to fix this Blessed.


    Not for long.


    ¡°What in the hell happened?¡± A tall man burst from the main door, looking old and powerful, wearing a neat uniform fit for a high alchemist.


    ¡°Nothing much. Just hit my head, I guess.¡± Razmund regarded this acting figurehead of some alchemy associations. He didn''t even know which one this person attended to, but he knew he was a reputable great alchemist and doctor.


    He shook his head and quickly gave fools attending Razmund different jobs. All surrounding people started to act under his orders, going away to get some materials, or not bother him.


    ¡°You sick bastard,¡± the alchemist, Wault, said. ¡°Whom have you met? Which disaster have you caused again? You should be glad that you are alive with this sort of heavenly poison. Half death, your other half fights, but what if it all ends? I''ve seen plenty of fools or mighty figures die because of this hellish position. You live because of...well, it does matter. It is good you live. I will crash you next and let you live through this suffering.¡±


    Wault laughed like a maniac and felt good that he was bound to cause pain to this problematic person. He could allow it. No King will cause trouble for him.


    It took a while to find the starting ground of this poison, pivot most of its characteristics, and lower the symptoms. It was a cycling poison affecting half of the body at a time, but when half of the affected body was getting better, the poison would attack the other half. Thus, one had to poison the whole thing or leave all potential cycling routes.


    It was a nasty poison that was supposed to have no end. If the body would survive, the person''s mind would crack sooner or later. It was an insufferable process.


    Yet, Razmund shrugged, giving Wault no time or shame. He gave him some words alone and assured him that no pain would ever hurt him. ¡°I am still alive... and kicking... with one leg. Also, don''t underestimate me.¡±


    Wault wished to slap him.


    An hour later, though perilous efforts of many treasures, cutting, and acupuncture, Razmund''s status stabilized. At that point, barren of poison that sizzled the ground and equipment alike, it was a time when no doctor could help any further. Weak, sick-looking, and wounded all over, Razmund had to recover. Alchemy could do more about it, but it wasn''t something Wault wanted to use.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The rest was up to Razmund.


    ¡°You see,¡± Wault said to him. ¡°Any ordinary person would be dead in a few minutes. You have survived for hours, while the only source of that is the cycling and your body''s efficiency or compatibility, but who am I to judge that? I think you are hiding some big mistakes, brat, or something that you hold in your depths. Normally, a half-death body poison is no different from turning a person into a skeleton. You need your head and body to function and restore your inner cycling. Your Mana Core was affected as well. In a month you should be kicking things with both legs. Normally, I would call it a miracle to walk, but you are different.¡±


    Wault huffed a breath, took out a pipe, and smoked some treasure. He was sweating and swore this poison was problematic and wished to see where it came from. Unfortunately, Razmund didn''t care for it and Velga''s dagger was not important to him because he didn''t know its importance. Wault knew its value and got plenty of concepts through Razmund''s resilience. If he wasn''t here, who would save this Blessed?


    ¡°Then I am glad I am not ordinary. I barely winced or cried, right?¡± Razmund reckoned, causing Wault to regretfully agree and puff more smoke out.


    Then, Razmund got plenty of loud words from him next, ordering him to cycle his mana and rest. That ended this charade that would''ve ended his life.


    It didn''t take that long after doctors departed for troubles to emerge. Unlike the poison, Razmund went ahead with Wault''s suggestions.


    Forcefully sitting, breathing, and cycling mana, he had been doing his diligent training for many years already. It went through calmness and often some treasures, but this time, there was no calmness. Well, perhaps he wasn''t calmly training for a long time, if ever after obtaining his reasons. Razmund was bedridden and quite beat by the poison, so he wasn''t calm about it because of it, or efficient. His mind was turbulent, thinking of that duck, Velga, and what was the meaning behind everything.


    Suddenly, doors opened and an unlikely figure walked inside, followed by many pestering butlers, soldiers, and doctors. Wault was among them, giving the King a long look, annoyed words, and puffs of smoke.


    Nobody stopped a King. Not here. Not in this kingdom.


    The King came for a visit, which ended Razmund''s cycling since he hadn''t seen this man very often. In most cases, the visit was either special, weird, or both.


    Razmund eyed the approaching hegemon sitting on his lofty throne and felt nervous.


    Why had he come? Razmund thought. This shouldn''t be his concern unless he was here, to begin with, or... is this related to something he wants or knows? What about Uzbek? Does he know what I don''t? What is it that I am missing?


    Answers will be revealed soon, though he didn''t know it yet.


    The King was a brazen, tall, and sharp blond-haired man in his forties, though he was much older. His power was unfathomable at the naked eye, or Will, or in mana for those below Level 70. His aura and demeanor were fit for a King, and no matter how many people pestered his steps along the way, nobody could stop him. His power radiated under his steps, giving shimmering cold hues, a sharp behavior, and bits of his Path away. It was always shining around him, manifesting as shades of indescribable air, clear ice, and invisible wind that swayed his rich attire.


    He wore no crown, no sword, or any other bothering tool.


    ¡°Well, some sorry kid got injured, so I go to take a look at him,¡± the King said to Wault, dismissing the butlers and the rest of the doctors behind. He left them in the hall outside, shutting the door before their faces. They couldn''t refute him in the slightest and remained outside.


    The room wasn''t so big, to begin with, but it felt even smaller with King''s Presence. Razmund definitely felt smaller, and... weaker. Insignificant.


    ¡°Greetings,¡± Razmund said and bowed with his head. ¡°This much is all I could do to you, oh the king.¡±


    ¡°No matter,¡± the King laughed and walked further. ¡°It is strange that this is how it goes, young man. Both of us are Blessed, you see, yet you speak as if you are a small insignificant insect. It is interesting when the world takes us in and expects us to play safe or crazy. Everyone is different.¡±


    ¡°Does it matter what one expects?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it does. Everyone thinks that the second life is a blessing and that the Gods watch us and take us onto their mighty minds. Is that true? For whom? I say that knowing the people and this Surface doesn''t matter. Everyone has differences between them and some Blessed are worse.¡±


    ¡°I don''t care,¡± Razmund replied.


    ¡°You see, this time was supposed to go fix things together. Give you a bargain for what you''ve caused. But you spit at that, came back injured, called yourself Blessed, and gave my brother what?¡±


    ¡°Not every of those is equal. That is true, sir,¡± Razmund told coldly, eying his wounded and vitality-barren flesh. He won''t step out of this bed for a while, which pissed him off.


    ¡°Oh, I know that the inequality seems quenched onto your mind, young man. Most Blessed from some of the Greater Sky have that idea. However, this world is bigger than them all, and changes soon always come. They soon understand what matters, and you were the same.¡±


    ¡°What does that matter? Taking it or not, you speak as if you aren''t arming an army of Blessed for your own needs, or for nothing at all. You grow us and give us a place, but aren''t you laughing about it too?¡±


    ¡°Laughing, hm?¡± the King looked out the window and saw the place he owned. ¡°Kingship is a heavy burden, young man. I heard you''ve lived barely two decades before, so how does this world take that for? Well, it must be something wrong with everyone, yet it is such a wild world. I am giving it the attention it deserves.¡± He gave Ramzund a shape look, eyes blazing in revolving coldness.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Razmund cut the chase and went straight to his main worry. ¡°Is it because of me? Sorry, but that is hardly a concern for a King.¡±


    ¡°Falconer duty is supposed to be full of merits.¡± The king ignored him, which Razmudn couldn''t refute even if he wanted. ¡°Not some injuries, youngster. Right, youngster. You are that kind of Blessed. Falconers were supposed to be a work when one accommodated this kingdom and people and gives you time to forget your fuckups. Yes. You forced this onto yourself.¡±


    ¡°Well, thanks for the vacation, but I don''t regret a thing. Where is my Master?¡±


    The King ignored him again. ¡°It is good to know that. Power and job go according to one''s abilities, so how come yours is like this? You killed people.¡± The king waved a hand, indicating the whole room and bed and pointing to Razmund.


    ¡°I would do it again. They pissed me off.¡±


    ¡°Does it reason with people or families?¡±


    ¡°Ask them when you die. They should blame the time of weakness.¡±


    ¡°You seriously outgrew your formalities. It is almost unrecognizable.¡±


    ¡°And you speak nonsense and run around the fire like your brother.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Uzbek does it too? No way. I don''t trust this.¡±


    Razmund was starting to get annoyed at how this room was getting smaller. The King was definitely here for something, but what?


    ¡°Sir, this wake is just an unspecified variable in my Path,¡± Razmund excused himself. ¡°That is not for people or some families to decide. Will you disavow such freedom? I think you said that Blessed have their valid freedom which is just an excuse for some acts.¡±


    ¡°I suppose. You can kill anyone you want as long you are capable. Expect some to kill you in return, or seek revenge. That is the belief from far faraway Skies and this one works and does not work with it. Why? We have our Voice and reasons.¡±


    ¡°So you deny and deny things if they matter? Like Gods, eh? To whom does it make rules??¡±


    ¡°I asked the same question when I got my Kingship. No, perhaps that was long before that when I got used to the feeling that you are just a tool in a weird game and that killing and not killing things might put a lot of strings into strange gears.¡±


    ¡°Roger that,¡± Razmund sighted and scratched his face and hair from his forehead.


    Suddenly, the King shifted and faced Razmund''s bed. ¡°Even with our Voice, what happened?¡± the King asked a very strong and assertive question, indicating that something that shouldn''t have happened, happened. ¡°Or it was your mistake to end like this? As a Falconer, have you found the truth? Well, you aren''t one... frankly. It is just a temporary position out of desperation, so what sort of disaster have you met to end in this half-dead state?¡±


    He was right. Razmund knew that Falconer''s duty was a loose term for jail because he made mistakes he didn''t regret in the slightest. It wasn''t consistent. Every once in a while, he would get this job done and be monitored. Nothing more. It was like a slap on the wrist.


    But this King''s words were strange. What was he asking or inquiring about, or why did Razmudn think he was agitated about something? A King whose Level was known to soon reach the limits of 100 Levels?


    However, Razmund''s mission was simple. It had no mistake. The Voice spoke to him, informing him of a mission about a sudden demon in that village. It was at Grade E difficulty for him, which the King seemed to know.


    Razmund wouldn''t have done such a mission if it weren''t for a brazen little girl, who charged into their barracks, created a possibility in Voice, and forced them to accept it because it wasn''t anything wrong.


    Where did all of that end?


    In bed, almost dead, eyed and antagonized by a King, while enduring and knowing that this whole mission was wrong and silly. He was being played.


    That was right. Razmund had no awareness of a Blessed Clash. Only Murai was.


    ¡°I had plenty of time to think about what occurred, sir. It includes a lot of doubts and things that I''ve learned over the years,¡± Razmund said. ¡°But not anymore. Why, sir, have you come to me? Surely a simple visit isn''t why, nor some worries? What is the death of someone like me to a King?¡± Razmund implied this question to be the cause, but he must be wrong.


    He was.


    ¡°Yes and no,¡± the King said, smiling. ¡°You see, my brother is lonesome. Loathsome too, at some capacity. He rarely cares for someone, so when he does, so do I. Sometimes, that is. I don''t care if you die for example.¡±


    ¡°How generous.¡±


    Razmund didn''t trust him at all. He just kept his face straight and tone upright. ¡°My Master, does... he knows something? Was what happened a variable that Centralis knew all along and sent me there for that purpose?¡±


    ¡°No. We don''t work that far. Nothing does, I think. It happened by chance and I don''t know what you''ve endured,¡± the King cleared his throat, and the door to the other room, the one where Paulfred and Waldorf disappeared into, opened.


    A blond man in a rich uniform full of details and ornaments, walked in, dragging Paulfred and Waldorf under his arms. Both were witless, speechless, and beaten.


    ¡°Oh, a beaten disciple comes crawling back. At last, you are like this not because of me!¡± the man laughed at Razmund, pointing a finger at him close to Paulfred''s face. ¡°This is hilarious! Grade E Mission and you are bedridden! This is worth some celebration, brother.¡±


    The King got a slight headache and gestured to his brother to calm down and think about his words twice.


    He refused and found much pleasure in Razmund''s misery. He had a bright head full of glossy hair, and his eyes were full of gold. They were bright, with nothing inside them other than the sea of golden waves. He looked considerably younger than the King, and his attitude and face were different. He looked not that much older than Razmund, though he wasn''t some weakling.


    Razmund forced his workable hand over his face, unwilling to show his face to his Master. Why he is like this? Why I am here like this? Why... this fucked up King plays with me? Is this a joke?


    Questions didn''t matter, because a little pouch flew to his face next, giving him what he deserved. It was his love. His Path.


    Razmund looked at it, silent and wavering in his eyes that glanced past his fingers. It was a pouch that he left before his Falconer duty. He always left it aside because its priority wasn''t under Falconers unless some nasty missions happened and he was allowed to take it with him. Due to his blunder, his Master took it from him as simple punishment.


    From the half-open pouch, a sizable sword handle protruded, looking cold, thick, and old. Dark in color, its handle was unknown in full length, similar to its edge because the majority of this sword was hiding inside the pouch.


    How? It was spatial equipment for his main weapon. No other weapon mattered to him. Just this one was all Razmund will ever need. If it broke, he would follow. If it cracked... well, he was already cracked.


    Razmund grasped it without thinking, eying the curious King and his smiling Master who gave it back.


    Then, his Master released Paulfred and Waldorf and kicked them aside. They wobbled and fell, finding their place in the corner where they belonged.


    ¡°I heard the gossip and voices from those two fools who failed to see the truth,¡± the Master pointed to the laying duo before walking over to Razmund and sitting on a table beside the bed. He took an apple from his pocket and looked at him, teasing him with the apple and deep eyes. ¡°Which is curious, you see. I asked and they talked, but I heard nothing. This much...¡±


    A clutter and glinting cuts spread. A sword glint flashed around the room.


    In a moment, Razmund swung the handle with one hand, drawing its full length from a handful pouch. Then, he cut into his Master, willing to do it as much as he thought and wished. His speed was low and his arm hurt, but he still attacked with full vigor and movement.


    The Master smiled and moved his hand holding an apple.


    The glistering weapon aiming at him was long. Substantially long. It was an old, yet surprisingly sharp-looking claymore in its full length and style. It was way too big for a single grip or hand. It had a long handle, and even a guard made of two poles with some intricately designed embroidery made of unknown metal that went into the handle. Edge was silvery grey in all parts, but darker in the sheens below. Yet, the edge and its speed gave it a softer appearance, as it was straight and heavy as claymore were.


    Razmund swung it once, meeting that hand and cutting the apple in half. Then, it all stopped and his Master clicked his tongue. He caught the halves of apples and appreciated the cut. ¡°This much injury, and this much strength? Dis...¡±


    Mana moved next, crushing Razmund''s insides until he coughed up blood. It enveloped the edge of the sword and groans spread because he used his Shaping. It crashed against his healing and still weakened body. He cut again, and again, leaving the apple in pieces.


    And in Master''s hand.


    Then, Razmund lost his strength and his claymore fell to his bed when he accepted his inability. ¡°Fuck you...¡± he murmured and looked at the wall.


    The Master held the apple in pieces, nodding and smiling. ¡°Not bad for cutting. Such a big knife yet so good at slicing apples. Want some?¡± he offered some slices to the King, who took one just for taste.


    Razmund was fed up with this room and people. He wanted to leave.


    ¡°Hey, calm down with that pouting face,¡± the Master said, no longer laughing at Razmund''s face. ¡°I came with worries. Initially... almost. Tell it!¡± He turned and gave King an urging look.


    The King chewed the apple slice and decided to cut the chase. ¡°Well, it isn''t much. Your time was just one oversized Breach. Your mission was a hoax. It was in pieces, or hidden under some Taboo, or so I think.¡±


    ¡°Taboo?¡± Razmund frowned, turning to the King. Taboo meant a situation or anything troublesome and against all logic and pursuit of the Voice and Gods of the Sky. It had its merits to look at it as something that shouldn''t ever happen, but that something often did, and it was up to the people or Gods to seek them out, excusing them, destroying them, or letting them aside.


    ¡°Why a Taboo?¡± the Master asked the King. ¡°That is a bit of a stretch. Mission and Taboos don''t go together. I say it is a Breach. An unfathomable change and idea that just rushed and made a mess of reasons. That''s why it is a Breach. Someone crashed against Razmund''s time and logic but straight under the Voice, or the Voice couldn''t cope with it while Razmund was between them.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?!¡± Razmund shouted to them both and was no longer calm.


    He looked at his Master and demanded some answers.


    ¡°Listen, stupid and far too crazy guy. Tell us what you''ve encountered first. Then we talk and figure it out because this King of ours has some interesting propositions that forced his hand and... something. He doesn''t want to tell it to me too! Isn''t that rude?¡± the Master ate another slice and glared at his brother.


    Razmund decided to talk to them, even if he felt reluctant because of their acts and pressure. He mentioned most of what he endured, memorized, and felt. It wasn''t because he was fond of secrets, but because it wasn''t a clever tactic to give them half-witted answers. They would know the truth or his lies. He told them of his encounter with that lofty duck and everything related to Velga, including her time, mentions of Fate, and confusion lingering around everything.


    Throughout this time, the King and his brother were thoroughly intrigued and listening.


    After hearing most of it, the gold-eyed Masted hopped from the table and took a deep breath. ¡°So, this much... is as expected as crazy. Weird meeting for Grade E. Hidden in Fate, or acts of Voice. What is it if not a forfeited Breach and not fully seized chance because of unfamiliarity or complexity? As expected of something involving the unknown.¡±


    ¡°A Hidden Mission, perhaps?¡± Paulfred from aside asked, kneeling and facing the ground, though not so much.


    The King nodded. ¡°It might be complicated, but... there is something else that is going on. Fate or not, the Dark Mages move all the time. They might not be it. Hells are stirring more. Now or later, or anywhere, it doesn''t matter. You''ve got involved out of pure luck, frankly. Wasn''t this about a simple job of going against some demon that appeared in the village? It ended up like this because of that woman you''ve killed. You should''ve apprehended her. It would solve everything.¡±


    ¡°Was too busy feeling hatred and chaos to care for that,¡± Razmund excused himself.


    The King scoffed at him, ¡°Ah, kids these days...¡± Sighting, he figured little sense in everything.


    ¡°What does a King have to do with any of this? When mistakes happen, they don''t matter because this is created by variables and unknowns. In a sense, isn''t it sincere and how things should be? Not fake or forced or... weird acts that touch this absurdity. The world without limitations. Isn''t that the most honest world?¡± Razmund said, half-hiding his agitation.


    ¡°You speak as if you know what it means. The reason is not here. Why? Something else came up, haven''t I said it?¡± The King chuckled and lifted his arm, tapping his forehead and manifesting a bright symbol attached to his soul. His Kingship was old and wonderful, looking like an energy gem and numerous runic constructs circling over one another. They were much more important than a single life.


    It was his authority of a King! A piece of treasure that had a very little equivalent for mortals who were handling the limited authority of these lands from the Old World.


    Taking it out meant something came up to his Kingdom in a large tide. An invasion, perhaps? A Mortal War?


    Razmund was intrigued if this was a war related to the Dark Mages, or directly going against something from Hell. There were numerous potential targets, more hidden ones, or those yet to be even in the equation. For now, he was curious about what would happen.


    The King had his ideas. He tapped it lightly and created a little shining light on top of his fingertip.


    ¡°Messenger,¡± he whispered. ¡°Come forth.¡±


    Razmund wasn''t sure what he had expected. When those two acted all mysterious and curious, it was obviously something serious, but how much? Razmund had seen and accepted Grade S and SS trials before, yet this smelled different.


    True, it didn''t seem like an Origin Dungeon he had endured for a whole year, so what else would be there?


    Something worse.


    From the tip of the King''s finger, glint and Authority seeped, acting as a bridge between his Kingship and the Will of the Battleworld above, or something much vaster and bigger.


    The Will of the Battleworld was the Voice. It was just a different name and a culturally accepted term by this kingdom for thousands of years.


    The light spread and then, a Messenger arrived in a blink, as if walking through the window not so far away, shocking Razmund.


    A ghost. A figure? It was more of a silhouette that roamed the air until it found a spot on the table, where it stood like a statue less than a meter away from Razmund. Made of light, fog, and blistering waves of wavering powers that he couldn''t understand, Razmund couldn''t stop glaring at it.


    Sizable like a toddler, the Massanger was mostly human in vision, but ghostly. Its body was foggy and bright, with two little dots for eyes and a line for the mouth.


    It smiled.


    [It is mostly welcomed occasion, Centralis King,] the Messanger talked with an unlikely voice. It was heroic, deep, and definitely belonged to a God because this voice shook everyone in the room, King included. It was a powerful male voice and nothing mechanical.


    People of this room hailed as mortals from godless lands, though they all knew that this thing was mighty. A God''s Will descended in a different vision from Blessings or any mighty force. This was more prudent, meant to guide something official, or unofficial that was yet to come. Messengers were like notes of Gods that might be them or their subjects from the Divine Kingdoms.


    Apart from Paulfred and Waldorft, who never heard a Messenger, everyone was tense.


    Even Razmund saw it once. This was the second time, and it involved him in some way, because what else made sense? The King came here with this in mind. Not because of his health, voice, or reason. The King already knew something and played with Razmund for some reason. His brother did the same.


    He gulped, nervously glancing at that God Messenger that had no Voice. It was the genuine Authority of some of God and nothing artificial like usual. That voice was intense, powerful, and controlling, affecting gravity, space, or perhaps even the time itself. It was a concept far from Razmund''s current mind or body, but he knew what it represented.


    The King was the first to return from his greeting and brightly smiled. ¡°It has been a while, oh, Ruler of the Battleworld.¡±


    [You flatter yourself,] the Messenger said, waving little hands before crossing them on its chest. [I am glad you accepted this note. In any capacity, the current opacity of the issue is sensitive and complicated. Right now, fixing things is a priority but things got messed up instead. I seize the opportunity by giving worth out to those regarded as bound. I hope your discretion is fine and ready because my position is unfit for a little Tier A power. If you are interested in my offer, then spread your intent widely.]


    ¡°Of course,¡± the King said. ¡°We don''t get to heed the Ruler''s words directly. What is it that changed? What needs to be done?¡±


    [Not you.] The Messenger pointed to King, then to his brother. [You neither, perhaps. Both can''t go and do this justice. You... will do.] It turned and faced Razmund, meeting those crazy unblinking eyes and beaten body. It was a little bit awkward because Razmund had a difficult face and his eyes made him look strange and crazy. [Well, you will have to do.]


    ¡°Me?¡± Razmund asked. ¡°What is this about?¡±


    [You dare refuse me?] the Messenger demanded, highlighting a powerful tone and bits of anger that staggered the existence of this room. The King and his brother backed away from the Messanger and almost bowed. Razmund shuddered, angled his head down, and felt a mountain on his back and head. He looked like bowing and wanted to stop. He didn''t want this. He dreamed of crushing this damned Ruler.


    Yet, he didn''t consider it was worth agreeing. ¡°Questions go to those worthy, right? What is it that is hiding, s-sir?¡± He grunted, causing the Massanger to laugh. The pressure lessened.


    [No matter, the taker of a Sword Sage Path is at your fitting range. You''ve proved that fact in that Dungeon, even if you might regret it due to your head and Fate. You will be due for this chance. No matter what, it also includes something you deserve and hope for.]


    Razmund clutched his fist and gritted his teeth. He never wanted to kill something more in his life.


    The King cleared his throat. ¡°Ruler, this goes through me as well, while this youngster is just between things that make very little sense. I will take that this interest is Veiled?¡±


    [That is correct. This is business related to your little Tier A power and myself. Of course, things will go according to the rules themselves.]


    ¡°Oh, that is most interesting. What is it about this Blessed that interests this Ruler? Razmund is our responsibility, you see. My brother takes good care of him.¡±


    The Ruler''s Messenger pivoted its head sideways alone, making it natural and crazy. It looked at King. [Yours? Ha! Blessed are not anyone''s. You, King. King is face. Your Kingship is yours, but the kingdom isn''t. Kingships can lose their value all the time. Lives are so soft and feeble. It is hard to point it out to mortals. Bare the mind of a mortal Ruler and think of what I will tell next.]


    The King didn''t like such a tone but against a Ruler, what had he thought would happen? There was no point in arguments if this was something good.


    The King felt this was an opportunity that was hiding in the unknown. This was an obvious assumption if this Ruler showed up in his private Messanger.


    Whether it felt a disaster or not, that was something this King had yet to think about.


    [Next, I shall mention the cause of my visit. A series of shortcomings and unfortunate events led to my dismissing attitude and further unfortunate incidents. Thus, I will let the Encounter happen under my rights and some unknown events drive it to acceptance. It has been issued and processed. Now, it awaits.]


    ¡°Encounter?!¡± Razmund''s Master shouted and cheerfully giggled. ¡°This is nice. Holy damned hill, this is nice. Directly from the Ruler? That''s hilarious.¡±


    The Ruler ignored his cheers and laughter. [Encounter is needed for something sensitive, so your discreetness goes without question. It is beginning. Overseen by myself, it needs Origin and Reason. Both are closer than you think and ready.]


    The King smiled when he figured most context out of these simple words. Unfortunately, figuring out Gods wasn''t an easy task, and there must be reasons for his acts. The King had no idea why the Ruler of this whole planet decided to visit them with this sort of demand. It was unusual. He also asked for discreetness. By his own Messenger of all things?


    This reeked of something heavy and secret, or straight-up disastrous or dangerous if this happened like this. Why? It means this Ruler needed them for his own benefit.


    The King doubted the validity of this truth and felt something wrong for good reasons, which was why he had no desire to back down or be weak. After all, from the very beginning of this Kingdom, Centralis wasn''t known to be easy to fuck with. Some Ruler of this planet won''t change it too much. They can''t. What was Sky up to was not something that many of those like this King cared about?


    That was right. This King had his ambition and bowing to power was a clever thing to do. It was about politics and knowing this world. ¡°What happened, if I might ask? To see Ruler make such a move expresses some wonders.¡±


    [Silance,] the Ruler sharpened its edges and winced its arms, appearing bigger and more menacing. It was a foreign Authority that crashed against the King.


    He frowned as he took steps back. ¡°Fine. This much care will involve my Kingdom on many layers, no matter if you refute it now or think of yourself as mighty. Encounter is what, might I ask? We aren''t stupid fools.¡±


    The Ruler laughed at such a concept and found it fitting for such a little force to deal with his Messenger. These people were poetic in their vision and hopes, crazy for power and reputations. They weren''t that easily used, however. It made them more fitting if one clutched their desires and used them well.


    [It might end terribly for your, King.]


    ¡°Encounter and your words are heavy and hiding daggers. You want to mess with us, but we can take it if you speak. No matter what, the Encounters under our belt will increase. You won''t stop my voice either, Ruler, because you need us. Why else would you come at us so secretly and involve my Kingship? I am here. Listening.¡± The King didn''t back down and shared the burden of this pressure, or to be precise, lifted it up. The air became ice cold and the Messenger visibly frowned and deepened.


    [You don''t question me, mortal.]


    ¡°I don''t. It is called common sense where I come from. Centralis is something else. They aren''t known for listening or doing such justice out of nowhere¡± the King smirked. ¡°Though, I very much am interested in how your problem is going, what it endures, and why you are so pestering and annoyed. Perhaps it is fine to be forceful from my side because you sought us first. Compromise. How about it?¡± The King lifted a single finger. ¡°Just one.¡±


    The Ruler didn''t like where this was going, but the King read him very well, so he discreetly liked how this King acted. It was with care, worth, and certain appeal and force. Gods were working like that too, albeit mortal kings were far from their lofty thrones.


    Kings and Gods had some similar issues but different might.


    [Centralis, eh. You are a lucky one or a misfortunate one if this goes where some spirit thinks it does. No matter!] The Ruler calmed down and lifted one arm.


    A glowing screen appeared above it, appearing out of nowhere. It wasn''t the work of this Messenger. It was a work of something else.


    And it was showing a rather....well, strange was a weak word.


    A struggling half-dead duck at the bottom of a well wasn''t what a King or his brother had expected.


    But Razmund? The moment he had seen it, he shuddered and visibly yelped. ¡°That thing! That fucking little thing!¡± he pointed at that screen and realized what was wrong.


    [My condolences,] the Ruler said to Razmund, [but you will be dealing with this duck for a while, Razmund Dietrich. You''ve started something involuntary without knowing. I considered its force and worth, forcing it to an unknown. It needs attention fit for this situation. You are the Origin.]


    Razmund felt as if the world and existence weighed a ton. In the next few minutes, he watched how that duck struggled and lived at the bottom of that well, moving, wincing, and then breathing water. It was alive, struggling in the misery he had caused. Razmund felt guilty. He thought he killed it and that it wouldn''t even drown that long.


    The King watched it with interest, while his brother moved closer, smiling and finding this very interesting.


    Razmund was ignorant.


    That duck didn''t drown. It kept its life for a very long time. It was an intense colorless moving picture, causing him to understand the struggle, acts, and no cause.


    Then, the duck pushed forth by moving its neck and beak, crawling to the side, before climbing toward the top of that well. All the while its limbs were unstable and barely attached. It was a wonder if the screen was exaggerated, but Razmund didn''t think so. He knew what he had caused and seen.


    It was a pure struggle. The duck in the picture was bleeding, yet still climbing. Razmund watched it like the King and his brother, who began to cheer Murai up, thinking that if he was in that position, what was a good thing to do? It was a deadly trial.


    The climb lasted a long time for these watchers until the duck climbed closer to where the water ended. Then, the screen flickered and turned weird. Bloodrush was hardly conceived in that colorless screen, shifting hues of energy and wawes of lines. It made this duck into an utter demon and even the King''s brother flinched and yelped as if afraid.


    Razmund was speechless upon realizing that something crazy happened. Suddenly, that duck was more vibrant than ever.


    He butchered it, dealt it a grave blow. Why was this God showing it and calling an Encounter to him and this little thing?


    It is alive... It is still there?! I didn''t kill it but put it through griefing trial instead? How does it make sense? Why it makes sense? Where does this God think it goes? Why call?


    [This is a mistake.] the Ruler said regrettably. [Many mistakes were put together until it came to the Surface after some time. It was an inevitable time, in a sense. It shouldn''t be right. It shouldn''t be here. It isn''t good. Everything is wrong... so...]


    Barely anyone paid those words much attention.


    Razmund was glancing aside, watching his Master cheer for that duck in its climb. It was unfortunate, but the moment the upper portion of the well came close and its freedom was closer than ever, the duck didn''t manage to clutch the edge and fell back to the water. Its jump was futile and weak and its limbs were broken once more when the Bloodrush was over and failing its flesh. For a while, there was hope.


    Master was anxious and forgot about his apple.


    Razmund fell short of breath at that portion, unaware that this wasn''t happening right now. It was a recording of an unfortunate accident of numerous other mistakes.


    His? No.


    This Ruler''s? Also no. This Ruler was just... well, he was a lot of things. what it was about right now, Razmund couldn''t guess it. The King couldn''t either, nor his brother, who was far too obsessed with the moving screen.


    There were no mistakes here. Lives and Blessed came here in any way and did their things, while the Voice, or Will of the Battleworld could only help everything move better, or worse. Gods had no say in that, albeit they wished and often meddled with everything.


    Mistakes happened. They were natural in the universe of Chaos and Order, and where balance was absent. The living were mistakes. Souls were machination in that process, and nothing was perfect.


    And this duck...


    [This duck is my mistake.] The Ruler revealed without knowing why. He sounded like a sorry engineer who had numerous all-nighters behind him.


    The King frowned, staring and scratching his chin, eying the screen where the duck fell and rested on the water. It gave up. His brother aside visibly cursed and shed a tear, obviously touched by how this duck failed such a profound climb for its freedom.


    He was touched. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nobody cared for Ruler''s voice besides the King himself. ¡°A duck?¡±


    [Anatidae, to be precise.]


    ¡°I recognized it immediately but didn''t want to acknowledge it,¡± the King sighed, suddenly realizing that the reality of this situation was much more complicated. Anatidae was in question, followed by something important that Gods probably knew. Not him. It was about a new Anatidae. A hatching which didn''t happen in many decades. Someone would know it. Anyone.


    The birth?


    The King wondered why nobody and nothing knew of it. By all means, the Anatidae in the picture was already past its Seedling Stage and grew in the unknown first evolution of its Child Stage.


    And from the looks of it, this Ruler was rather intrigued, afraid, and forceful towards it. The King realized it but wasn''t sure of the details.


    He knew about Anatidaes. Those little creatures were monsters in the bodies of small hunted animals seen as livestock in many words, or simple water and land animals below the chickens.


    Unfortunately, this world was unable in common sense and there were many insanities in this world.


    Though inured and now waiting for its End, the King reconsidered his approach, words, and choices, figuring that this duck might be the reason for everything. Not Razmund, per se, or him. This Ruler was the main worry because he was aiming this whole thing at this little duck. He was asking them to solve something he couldn''t touch, or it might be even more complicated.


    In that sense, the King decided to swallow some pride and help this Ruler out if it was this interesting and worth it.


    Soon, the scene shifted and the duck was raised in a bucket, causing the King to shift in eyes and smack his brother to the wall where he cheered up and celebrated with Paulfred and Waldorf. They weren''t aware of what was happening, but they celebrated with their master''s master out of sheer will and no choice.


    Then, the screen ceased to exist, showing flickering colorless waves. [That is the first wave of what is problematic. It lives. Through Clash, grudge, and meeting Razmund.]


    Razmund clasped his claymore''s handle, visibly straining his hands and eyes. ¡°That thing!? What is it? Ruler?! No... God. What is wrong with it?¡±


    [It is a Blessed Anatidae] He revealed. [Do you fear it, Blessed.]


    Razmund eyed the Messenger, taking the word Blessed as a shaking core foundation. That would explain so many things that Razmund wasn''t sure what to say or think. Something in him broke for sure, or was it the sense of reason that he felt?


    ¡°I don''t... fear it. I killed it once...¡±


    [Oh, you wish. All is good if you understand your position and my proposition. You will become Encounter''s Side, Razmund Dietrich.] The Ruler clapped and turned to the King. [Regretfully, the Sides of Origin and Reason are still pending in rules and what could happen. In the meantime, prepare this fool and be discreet about the Encounter. It hadn''t started, and its sensitivity and rules are complex, to say the least. Be vary that something separate and difficult might start because of its existence, while you act... well, it doesn''t matter to me what you will do because I haven''t said anything and I am not even here.]


    ¡°Oh, I see. It seems this Messenger is an outside factor that is less than a breeze. I don''t talk to anyone right now, right?¡± the King smirked and swore this Ruler got angry for a moment.


    ¡°Can''t we kill it before it starts?¡± Razmund asked. ¡°Like, right now? Solve it all!?¡± He was agitated because he thought he killed it. But now, with this and everything, he was... what was he thinking? Why was he so anxious and shaking?


    At that moment, his Master came over and smacked his face twice, before smashing the last portion of the apple into his sorry mouth.


    ¡°Listeeeen, Razmund, my dear green disciple. This Ruler comes and judges us enough and wants some help. Killing before the Encounter goes around many things, while the mentions of the Encounter are what? It means it is a problem for this Ruler, but an opportunity that needs some attention from mortals. Killing it means it would be seen quite far and unfortunate since it is clearly a high-ranked player. I like it. The idea that he seeks us out without doing some nasty ambush and killing it himself, he relies on something else instead for a good reason. It means it can''t be helped. Something official and more prudent is needed. That means his hands are tied because of other Gods, right?¡± the Master turned to the Ruler and gave him a meaningful look.


    [That is unfortunately right. I was seeking something new and different but the reality is often disappointing. Gods... no, everything is more sensitive than it is. You. Be vary and in upcoming days, don''t stir it. You are my Agents now.]


    ¡°Agents?¡± The King nodded and watched how the Messenger bliped to nothingness, leaving not a speck of fog behind. ¡°That is hilarious.¡±


    His brother turned to him after shoving reluctant Razmund deeper into the bed.


    ¡°Zendurion,¡± he started. ¡°This reeks of some nasty troubles and no simple godly benefits, doubts, or hopes. It reeks of so much more if Ruler is like this. Anatidae or not, that one in that screen was alive and kicking and it conceals so many other holes that Ruler hadn''t even mentioned. Whose Blessed it is? What kind? The Ruler wants some dirty work done while he reaps some benefits. That is my gut feeling. Nothing about it is normal. I mean... what about Razmund? Something is fishy.¡±


    The King remained silent for a while until he turned and began walking away. ¡°We will take it regardless. Time is pending. For now, support your ideas and make sure Razmund will take them seriously. Think of Helpers as well. We will crush it if we can and if it is viable. If not, then what do some rules matter if the Ruler himself wants it done discreetly and like this? He spoke of it even if he didn''t. He wants us to do a dirty work for him. Obviously, it won''t be cheap or for free. Rules don''t mean trust or facts.¡±


    Razmund felt a headache when the King left and he felt even less certain about his time.


    Holding his claymore, he watched how his Master glanced at him next.


    ¡°Oh well, this is gonna hurt,¡± he said and cracked his fists. ¡°I kind of like that duck, you see, so tell me everything you know about it and what you didn''t tell my brother. I know you didn''t. That Approasiled and soul. Its weight and notes. That Anatidae might be deep trouble if it is Blessed, so talk to me when I will fix this shit about you.¡±


    Razmund sighed.


    Outside the room, the King glared at his attentats and shooed doctors and butlers away. ¡°Leave this room alone and go away.¡±


    They bowed and left the place alone apart from the attendants. Walt waited but a simple annoyed look from the King shuddered his core and forced him to leave.


    Attendants wore black uniforms and seemed important. ¡°What is it, oh the King?¡±


    ¡°Summon Apocalypses, inform the Endless Tower that I will come, and notify the armies to increase their processes.¡±


    ¡°Not every Apocalypse is present.¡±


    ¡°Do it... Something will happen soon. Notify them and...¡±


    ¡°Well, there is news about the Lunatic. He might come back.¡±


    ¡°Oh, good.¡± the King smiled. ¡°I want some things done aside from that too. Make sure to ensure no one hears of it.¡±


    The attendants bowed and promised it as if it already happened.


    The King would use this situation to his advantage if he had to, and some Ruler might crawl to him for help if he was like this. No Centralis would ignore such an enticing chance. No. He will take advantage of it and do as many Breaches or Taboos as long as the Ruler desires them.


    For now, it will be a game of layers and rules that might hide in the Sky and unknown Depths, but it will inevitably crush into the Surface.


    He could wait or move beforehand. His brother already proposed that.

 Chapter 51: Healing

    Timmy grabbed the bloodied bucket without hesitation, disappearing from the room before even replying to not bring anything else back.


    ¡°Wash the bucket properly! This duck is all bloody. I need clear water.¡± Iris shouted before he left behind the closed door. Timmy gave her a simple nod, which was enough for her.


    With the successful and clean mission being over, Timmy did not need to be so quiet when Murai was no longer with him. He ran even in the middle of the night back to the well.


    As he did so, Iris got her attention back to the bloodied mess in her hands. She, herself, wasn''t Blessed, but there was something else within her that was interesting. Something that even Timmy didn''t know about. The beginning of being something great was already a part of her Path.


    Iris was a priestess of the Vermillion Church because of certain benefits, or luck on her side. Because of magic, and thanks to the blessing from Lady Vermillion, she had certain privileges. The power of the Handler was in her control, using mana to perform all kinds of things that no regular person can do.


    It allowed her to perform a limited amount of spells, but it was nothing near what a proper unrestrained mage could make.


    What Iris held resembled more of the borrowing power from the mana of the world, thus making her a Handler that worked with what she could. It was unlike the mana core, which some mages could create under certain secret arts, but it wasn''t all that successful. Unless one would be born one, it was hard to change fate.


    As for being the Handler, it was a generic way to mention someone handling the mana of the world as a mage with the core could. It had similar rules of Shaping and Conjuring and had intricacies of similar values.


    One can''t handle it all the time, making Shaping infinite and returning. After all, in Handlers, using the mana of the world had limitations on how much, and how long one could work with it.


    Iris was more of a normal kind of mage of this world, without being talented enough to be someone special. She was a simple girl that was prone to the mana, while the mana itself was prone to her. Such cases were abundant and ordinary since the flow of mana in the Battleworld was quite rich.


    Anyone born with the right aptitude could become a mage, and correspondingly to that, there were many Paths one could choose. Out of the many races, humans like her were the most common Handlers of magic.


    ¡°Alright, with Timmy gone I will start with the healing then,¡± Iris stated and grabbed something under her shirt. It was a necklace, that she pulled forward, resting it on her shirt.


    Putting both of her palms around Murai''s body--close to the wings--she began speaking strange syllables of an unknown language. They were crisp, and sometimes rough-sounding vocals.


    This was a unique incantation method of letting mana around the world turn to one''s specific control and turn a bit stronger than without it. It was a simple spell turned stronger by the use of incantations, which wasn''t only available to her alone. It was a recipe for success as if the world would carry the laws themselves.


    Anyone could use them, but in the heat of battle, it wasn''t something unique to forget about them completely.


    Even though she was under the premise of Lady Vermillion, it didn''t mean spells and abilities over the mana were exclusive to gods. None of the regular and common spells were, but the unique and powerful ones might be, since Paths were exclusive, and many Blessings were the same.


    Lady Vermillion was a god that was following a similar premise as Lordis, and her place in the Battleworld was as firm as it could be. Unlike many, she was a kind goddess in the eyes of many people, and she wasn''t the kind that overruled others. She had a more passive approach to being someone beyond the Battleworld.


    There were easier methods of proving her godhood, so her vision was different than the rest of her peers.


    She had a lot of followers, and people worshipped her for her good reasonings and blessings that weren''t overly harsh like some others. In this way, the Vermillion church was a place of wisdom, help, and care.


    Many ideologies made Battleworld a harsh place, so having this sort of god as a beacon of hope wasn''t a bad thing. It definitely didn''t resemble the common situations of this world, but a lot of people certainly needed some form of hope.


    Hence, the option of the good-willed god in the presence of Lady Vermillion was created, and her power wasn''t small.


    Iris was already a part of this church for some time. She may still be a small and insignificant priestess that wasn''t all that powerful, but that may change one day.


    The influence of her Lady on her wasn''t that strong yet, but she had every right to like her and devote her Will to her view. Particularly, there was something rare that she had. Iris was lucky enough to reach certain requirements of getting a minor Blessing a few years ago when certain luck, presented itself to her fate.


    Ever since then, she was interested in following the doctrine of Lady Vermillion, and it didn''t pose a problem to her to do so. That was to never hurt others and care for the souls instead. It was a rather unpopular belief in this world, unsurprisingly. But for the sake of the interest, Lady Vermillion used such a rare view as an opportunity instead, creating power over the common folks.


    These sorts of beliefs were within Iris''s interest. It was something she needed since her parents died not long ago, leaving her, Timmy, and her elder sister as orphans. If it wouldn''t be for the help of her uncle Lazar and his status in the army, she and her siblings would have long died or become slaves of war.


    After all, the course of losing her parents was a Holy War ~ a disaster that struck her homeland. The Centralis Kingdom destroyed it, and the kingdom under the name of justice ceased to exist. The overwhelming strength of the Holy War was undeniable, and it was nothing that a little kingdom of fewer than 100 years of history could manage.


    She remembered it all, yet it was already in history, and her future mattered much more than that.


    Now, the Centralis Kingdom was her forceful home, yet the Vermillion Church always felt more like a home.


    Iris continued muttering many syllables, causing a form of Mana Flow to appear around her body. It was coming from her surroundings, air, and from the open window, bathing her in light of the mana. The mana was part of everything.


    At usual times, one can see it normally while at other times, not so much. Under certain conditions, reason, and certain rules, its vision will offset its mysteries. One could flare it up, making it useful for oneself, and jolt it up. The air, wood, and everything around her was part of the undeniable source of the River of Manaflow.


    Murai would understand what was Iris doing, but he was yet to regain his senses.


    The mana had the appearance of small waves and was a bit like what Murai had within him, but their quality and power were different. Iris was more gentle over her Conjuration, which was like calling the mana itself, speaking to it, and whispering for its help.


    Her quality and control were different that what Murai had, as it wasn''t forceful and mana drifted under her control itself. It was the difference between a Shaper and Handler.


    Iris held her hands as a beacon, turning her palms as the ending path of this spell. Mana was traveling through her body, flowing toward Murai''s body.


    He, on the other hand, was restrained to his soul space, sleeping senseless, since he needed some rest. He couldn''t feel much of anything, but the certain flow toward his body and soul woke up his awareness. He recovered his reasons and noticed his mindful connection to the soul space was still firm, even though he nearly met his End.


    Ever since he fell back into the water, his focused and strained mind was put into a state of turmoil. It was as if a sudden force caused his mind to take a break. Since Razmund''s beating, the effects of his near-end experiences caused his mind to take what it deserved, regardless of what Murai wanted.


    It was a numb state, or maybe it was an involuntary effect of the trauma that was even working against his powerful soul. He was aware that he almost died, yet he wasn''t fully aware of what was happening at the moment.


    At that time in the well, Murai didn''t watch everything with all his attention. He just felt his body lifting up.


    Was he reaching the heavens back then? No way. That was impossible!


    His mind was drifting within the pain and helplessness, but his soul was keeping a watch out.


    Amidst the state of these feelings, and partial recovery of his senses, Murai was floating in his soul space. Around the still-sleeping Lisa, he made a few rounds but chose not to disturb her, even though he couldn''t even if he wanted.


    It appeared something was going on with her sleeping state, as the flaring soul form of her body was unkept, and the vortex of mana was surrounding her ghostly figure. So, he didn''t pay her too much attention.


    This was bad... So bad. He thought inaudibly to anyone but himself. Maybe I was way too comfortable with how this life went. It''s rare to see this sort of living and feeling life in such a different way. This pain, I will keep this in my heart for the future, but first things come first. What the hell is going on in reality and myself? What is this strange feeling of being weak? It is so annoying.


    Murai decided on some certain decision in his mind. He was feeling something wrong within his perception and senses. Did he want to come back to his soul space upon his harsh failure, leaving his body to the fate of someone else? Hell no! He was the ruler of his own fate and whether the world would turn upside down, he won''t live it down!


    As he thought so, he recalled the face of that kid before the stars. It wasn''t what he wished to see, since what happened afterward? He can''t remember.


    Sighing, he left his worries alone and lifted his Will up to no good level.


    ¡°So I am not dead. I can feel it, but should I be glad? Fuck this... Let''s see what is happening outside. I seem to feel a bit numb over this experience and disaster.¡± Murai scowled and decided to broaden his Will. That was to spread up his soul awareness, lifting the unwanted feelings away and going back to reality.


    Reaching the real body that was broken didn''t mean he was unable to go there. Soul and body can be activated separately, and he knew it as he did so numerous times in this life. But that didn''t mean his mind was well accustomed to his body disaster, as the death experiences weren''t always easy to deal with.


    He was a step away from the End yet he was still living. No. He should''ve been past those steps a long time ago, instead of living, yet he wasn''t.


    It was a temporary crisis like the pain but too much of something can create trouble even to something like Murai''s soul.


    Frail, his Will went back to its proper place, wincing left and right in his state of the Robust Spirit that remained standing firm. It was as if a dog shook water around itself, becoming soft and fluffy. His senses and mind turned to some calmness.


    He was still usable as if he wouldn''t fare too badly against Death itself. Then, Murai put his consciousness and feelings back into his real body, hoping to uncover what he wanted. It was like a simple wave, and his awareness jolted back into reality.


    Could he breathe? Yes, he took a small breath, but it almost turned his lungs aflame, and blood choked his innard. This shook Murai''s body, alerting Iris who was focusing her attention on the mana itself rather than Murai. She opened her eyes for a moment but closed them again since she had to control her healing spell.


    Murai opened his eyes amidst these terrible feelings in his body. He couldn''t do much but watch his surroundings. At least his head, neck, and face were alright. Albeit, barely so, apart from his beak which was bloodied but remained in pristine condition as if made of precious materials.


    In front of him was flowing mana, surrounding a face of a young-looking girl. It wasn''t something he saw with happiness, since his circumstances were quite terrible. He put his senses around his body and quickly went over his biggest problems.


    It took a second to discover how fucked he was. Almost every muscle around his body, apart from the neck, was damaged. Bones and even blood flow were in shambles. He was broken as a duck could be, yet he was still alive by some miracle.


    Iris ignored the slim movements and kept chanting some incantation. Her closed eyes hid some previous interest. From Murai''s view, he saw her glowing figure, flowing long brown hair, and a small, narrow face. She appeared young, all things considered, and kind.


    There was a serious look on her face, filled with strange resolute kindness, but there were also some grief and emotionless feelings that he perceived with his Soul Read.


    Murai read her face in a simple glance, coming to these conclusions as if it was the easiest thing in the world. It was the involuntary effect of the soul read, but not as he cared too much about it. He guessed a smile wasn''t on her face for a long time, but why was he even thinking of that? S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What is this... girl? Someone saved me, right? That kid? This fate? Who is this girl? She is using the mana of the world and the chant over the prime principles of magic. Is she a tool of some god, or is working with one already? What kind of magic is this... It''s somewhat familiar, yet unfamiliar at the same time.


    Murai was looking forwards but that''s about what he could do. He felt his terrible injuries, and blood dripped from his feathers, coloring the table below him with his blood.


    Iris didn''t mind it, it seemed.


    The wounds caused by the Bloodrush''s aftereffects overlapped with Razmund''s damages. It wasn''t anything good, and he felt weakened, even beyond the previous injuries.


    I knew it... This mess of the Vitaliy is like a gift or a blessing that god can give. This whole Battleword is like borrowing power that isn''t mine, yet it is, in some sense. What a strange system. It''s not mine per se, but life is still mine, so in a sense, this borrowing power is a gift of this world and not gods. Lordis is also borrowing this... I bet. It makes him like some kind of shopkeeper? How funny. It''s as if this life of a Blessed is a borrowing power of the world itself. This Battleworld... Fuck!


    I should have read the whole book that Rudolf left behind goddamnit. Now, it''s lost in the hands of that fucker from the Centralis Kingdom. I am even supposed to get it back! What kind of reasoning is that? Major Task? More like a major ass! I feel like I am some sort of plaything of those fuckers who came to that conclusion as if I am a tool for their desired chess. It''s making me so uncomfortable that I would rather crush my skull open!


    Murai could complain all that he could, but what happened, already happened. Crying over the spilled milk wasn''t worth it, but the course of his newfound ideas was truthful. He couldn''t see it being otherwise, because that''s how the gods acted.


    They had to live off of their divinity alone, and it was a source of power that was desirable in many paths. Not in each, but it made sense. They need prayers, and the power of the living to keep their divinity going. They could reach higher stages of power depending on their decision over living. Though, their Path still mattered a lot more than anything else.


    It was in a sense, similar to the situation of that God of Pain that Murai talked with at the end of Somalis Dungeon. Pakutan was his name. He was offering him a blessing from a challenge, but that wasn''t just because he was Blessed, but because he accomplished a rule set up by Lordis, or the World.


    Murai guessed what he could, so he won''t worship him because of that, but some would do so without hesitation. That was a difference between the stakes. Mortals had their own. He had his own.


    Blessings and amount of people they could influence were extremely important to any god. That''s how they are, were, and will always be until the end of their time.


    Watching the girl before him, Murai began to pay more attention to her words.


    Hearing those words, and looking at the mana under her influence, Murai was slowly grasping the situation. She was forcing some structural spell over the mana to heal him. In a sense, it was a Mana Construct, Chanted Spell, and quite a good handling of mana.


    It was already channeling for a good while, empowering a version of a spell that one could use without any core. Doing so in this matter was more difficult than the simple use of spells, which were defined by magic and simple usage.


    Murai felt goodwill from her, so where did that bad feeling from before come from?


    He didn''t believe it at first but he was actually half right, half wrong. Iris turned her attention to the shimmering mana under her control, which traveled around Murai''s body, enveloping him in a warm hug. It began to seep the residual blood away, turning it to nothingness.


    Then, the mana began to flow toward the external wounds that Murai had over his body. There, the mysterious force of this spell and worldly mana was reconnecting external wounds, making the wounds slowly disappear.


    In truth, Iris was treating Murai''s injuries with the help of her Lady''s Gift that was glistering on her shirt. It was a strange necklace, that led some shimmering mana out of it. That was strange, filling the surrounding mana with certain affinities, or partial laws, but Murai wasn''t able to feel the mana all that well.


    So he did nothing regardless of his previous feelings and if they were warranted or not. Right now, he had no choice but to wait.


    The healing wasn''t fast. Murai could guess she wasn''t that good at it. At least it wasn''t uncomfortable. He only felt a minor numbness and itchiness from his wounds, and warmness and cold spread from this hugging mana.


    Suddenly, the warmth spread around his side, coming from her palm, and a powerful flow of surrounding mana focused more toward Iris''s hands. It began to seep into his body, hoping to seek and heal internal injuries.


    What in the seventh hell! She didn''t even finish external ones, and is already going inside of my body? Are you kidding me? What a novice...


    Murai was shocked at her attitude. This wasn''t proper.


    The mana of others was usually a problem if they went into another mage, but this time, it wasn''t the mana of others. It was the mana of the world itself, so Murai was feeling a surge of warmth penetrating his body, traveling around him, and jolting up even his Beast Core. But that stubborn thing didn''t like it, and only took a little of it before barking back, unfollowing this unfamiliar richness.


    It was like a shockwave or lighting that struck someone unprepared for it. The mana wanted to repair the cells, making blood vessels whole, and torn muscles whole again. It was flowing through his blood vessels, stretching the muscles, which were indeed becoming better in a couple of dozen seconds, but it was too slow, and too poorly done.


    The mana itself wasn''t healing him on its own. It was Iris who did so because of the spell under her control.


    Murai could feel and see the struggles of her brows. She was frowning, while her eyes remained shut. Sweat floated down her cheekbones, making her decisiveness apparent, albeit her skill wasn''t up to this task. She was obviously a beginner at this, or was it some kind of different issue?


    Murai would stop her if he could.


    As the minutes flowed, Iris didn''t stop, but something interrupted her after a while. The opened door to her room shot open.


    It wasn''t her uncle or her elder sister as she feared. It was Timmy, who was carrying a water bucket with some difficulties. She glanced at him but returned to her focused state shortly afterward. The spell was visibly shaking the room with mana, making Timmy gasp in surprise. She didn''t cease her hands from Murai at all.


    Timmy understood what was going on since he saw this situation a few times already. Although, the majority of these situations were done in some other ways, than healing a duck.


    Still, he knew his sister was a Handler of mana, and was also a Priest. This was clearly a Healing Spell with some water or earth-based affinity or some kind. Timmy didn''t know what it was specifically, but he saw her healing him and others. That was why he asked for her to heal Murai.


    Timmy quietly closed the door, before reaching her table with the bucket. He put the bucket beside her table and looked at Murai that was in her hands. Around the table were some diagrams, runes, and small versions of mana crystals or shards. Those were tiny and big as one''s palm.


    Some of the mana was coming off of them under Iris''s influence, but Murai wasn''t able to see what was underneath him.


    ¡°Is something wrong, sis? You look pale.¡± Timmy asked after a minute of his open presence. Since Iris didn''t tell him to get lost as usual, he figured he could stay.


    This healing spell that he saw a few times already was always a magical thing to see. He watched the light in the room, which was all too beautiful and interesting to his curious mind.


    After a while, Iris coughed, losing some sort of control over the mana and her spell along with the incantations.


    ¡°This... Timmy... This is a demonic beast. You were right. No, they were right, but I am not going back from this. By the doctrines of Lady Vermillion, one''s Will shouldn''t be against living on the fundamental level. It is like that...¡± She said the truth through a determination that came upon opening her eyes. ¡°It would lead to apathy and pain instead... You hear and know it, Timmy. Right?¡± Iris asked after glancing at him beside her chair.


    He had a worry in her eyes, but Iris wasn''t that kind to go back against their promise.


    So what if this was a demonic duck with intact Beast Core and powerful feelings she felt through her senses?


    So what if it made her very afraid for her life when she felt its might, feel of the soul and Will?


    She had to restrain her fear and healing upon discovering the massive presence of this duck. It went against her mind, and at last, she couldn''t help it.


    Being forceful over something wasn''t her Will, but her power wasn''t enough. Because the demonic energy worked against her efforts, she stopped the inner healing part of this spell.


    Although her sense told her she didn''t have to worry about that, since Murai had no inclination to do anything against her. It wasn''t as if he could even do something.


    Iris was unaware of what exactly was before her, but it was dangerous inside, and not outside. From the way of things, Murai''s demonic aura got lost in him and his Beast Core was calm like an unwavering pond of water, creating no large quantities of mana. Anyone would disregard this duck to be a normal duck, but not her.


    Maybe the majority of mages upon researching or feeling Murai''s body would come to the same conclusion.


    ¡°Is.. it bad sis? You can heal it, can''t you? Can I help you with something? Anything!¡± Timmy asked in worry, hoping to ease her frowning face away, but he knew he would never achieve that. Her sister never smiled since the time of the Holy War.


    ¡°I... I don''t need help.¡± She said resolutely since she can still heal outside wounds. There wasn''t anything Timmy could help her with, since now, this was her problem and hers alone. It was part of her stubbornness and how her Lady would act.

 Chapter 52: Face to face with an Anatidae

    Iris restarted the chant right after turning her attention back to Murai. She ignored Timmy and his worry which was rightfully placed on the duck. She didn''t question him about that. As an elder sister, this was the least she could do and to their promise.


    Gradually, the feathers filled with blood became cleaned up and Murai felt the heat coming from outside, returning some of his lost vigor. His insides were also turning much better from the inner healing from before.


    The surge of mana in terms of man-made Mana Construct proved his point. It was a fairly well-made spell that some mages created in accordance with specific and natural magic.


    It was good in the hands of this girl. At least this one, not the one before. Maybe she was even too good, in his opinion, outside of the instance where she too eagerly moved to the inside before being done with the outside.


    That was unnatural, and Murai noticed it right away. He also guessed this type of spell wasn''t created by her but by someone else. It must be a technique that someone taught, gifted, or got to her.


    Now the mana returned in the same way, clearing and cleaning his external wounds, but it wasn''t fast, because the limits of the mana itself were up to the Handler who worked with them. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In this case, Iris wasn''t as familiar with it, so it took her 5 whole minutes to heal his left wing. As for the destroyed bones, she was unable to do much with them.


    Even with that Gift that Murai noticed on her shirt, there seemed to be limits to the physical healing she can solve. However, the sole ability to cease external wounds to exist was much better than nothing.


    Murai was satisfied with that much, to say the least, while it was happening for free and without many problems. That, in itself, shouldn''t be something he should be complaining about.


    Overall, the open wounds were all gone in a matter of 30 minutes, which was a long time for any kind of healing mage even with a specially constructed spell at play. Since she could see external wounds, and feel the outside better, Iris did what she could.


    Healing the insides was something she should do too, but bones themselves were extremely important to not mess up, so she didn''t do much but tried to seek Murai''s condition. She had to be much more careful about them since badly healed bones can be as bad as not healing them at all.


    So, in the end, Iris decided to leave them alone and did so with potential issues of organs and muscles alike. Everything was connected, so it was a good call.


    Ceasing her chant to halt, Iris stopped revolving mana around Murai. Her hands around him stopped the flow of mana, making the flow disappear into thin air. Her healing abilities reached the end.


    Putting the much better-looking duck on the table, Iris looked at Murai after wiping the table clean from the blood with a sleeve of her shirt.


    Timmy saw her do that, so he also helped. His face beamed with light and a wide grin upon noticing a healed Murai. It all led up to a silent cheer on his side, that the bloody duck was better because of him.


    Taking a deep breath, and wiping her sweaty face with the other sleeve, Iris felt exhausted like never before. That feeling of handling something dangerous was definitely new to her, but she wasn''t afraid since she believed in the goodwill of the world.


    With this deed over, she shouldn''t expect anything bad, right?


    Well, there was obviously something bad in all of this, but that didn''t involve this duck directly. At least not much, but its existence was the reason to be worried. After all, she healed a demonic beast because she could, and did so by her own will. If the Centralis Kingdom hear about it, she would be beheaded instantly.


    Maybe even her brother and uncle would get involved as well, which may be understandable because Iris knew what the Centralis Kingdom was capable of.


    Sighting, she looked at the bigger picture with her usual stoic expression. Was she thinking too much about that? Her pessimism was apparent, but would it be possible to let this be a secret?


    ¡°Timmy, I couldn''t heal this duck all the way through since broken bones are hard to heal even with my magic. Its internals aren''t healed like its appearance so most of the issues still prevail. Those aren''t easy to solve like the open wounds and blood that could come back inside, closing. I have a piece of a med kid that is used in the military, it''s on that shelf.¡± Iris pointed at the other side of the room, filled with many shelves, closets, and a small bed in the corner.


    ¡°Oh? Alright. I will get it..¡± Timmy replied innocently, not thinking much of what she talked about. He only viewed how the duck was getting better from his eyes alone, and that was it.


    He retrieved the small handful box that he found after some time and got it to her. Inside the handful box were a needle, thin fabric thread, a few vials of some liquid, a bottle of clear alcohol, and all kinds of bandages.


    It was about what a regular soldier could ask for, and for a priestess to have it, it wasn''t anything strange at all. After all, so much can be done with blessings and the mana itself. Iris had this sort of box for the worse case scenarios, and occasional wounds which weren''t necessary to get the mana involved.


    Iris used some bandages to cover and cater to Murai''s limbs, and both wings, since their bones needed attentive care. Those broken bones were very physical, meaning that the possible way to health them without the involvement of magic was possible and exactly what Iris planned for.


    She used the most common methods to adjust the bones. Small wooden sticks beside the bandages would make the bones unmoving and secured.


    With utter care, but vast apprehension and fear against a snap of this duck at her, Iris grabbed the twisted wing. It was the one that wasn''t bleeding, but it was at an impossible angle to make it a wing. She had to put it back in its place, which may hurt a lot and anger this duck in Iris''s view. Razmund twisted it rather hard, so she had to return it back to its socket.


    Murai winced his body every time she tried to touch his bones. She wasn''t that gentle, and the few try to fix this right wing almost snapped his mind.


    Alas, she managed it after a few tries, making Murai scowl at how this girl handled his wing. He felt better after she bandaged it along with a couple of sticks.


    It was clear to him that he shouldn''t be able to move for a long time.


    There was also something that was perplexing him. He noticed the nervousness of this girl through the use of Soul Read. There was also fear. He tried to not be too crazy with it, but not much pain was paining his mind, meaning he was getting better in almost every way.


    Soul and the body again? It''s interlocked quite a bit in this mess that Battleworld gave me, or it''s the motions of the Anatidae itself, or my Will and soul? I wonder. Who knew that the motions of the healing body would ease the soul space to become calmer? Was it that, even? I am having a hard time understanding the motion of my Robust Spirit since it feels so... like one with me, that I am having trouble feeling its might. Soul was always hard to perceive in terms of powers. Others can do so instead, but one can''t feel one''s might alone. Not like I need that, but it''s a welcomed change. Murai thought and began thinking of his next course of plans.


    He won''t be able to move for a long time, because of his bones. The Vitality was also smaller, making his recovery take a steep hit. His natural regenerative power will be slower, but he couldn''t tell how much time it will take to heal these tiny legs of his.


    That was the most problematic part. Wings were whatever at this point. The ability to walk was obviously something that no one can live without.


    Handling Murai with little care after solving both wings and legs, Iris put him high in the air to see his whole body. This 30 or so centimeters tall duck wasn''t that strange to her eyes, and it also didn''t attack her as she feared.


    Its feathers were peculiar, healthy but quite normal at first~for a duck. They had some glitter to them, but through touch, they were quite soft. At first glance, no one would think of it as a demonic beast.


    Yet these feelings that she got within her Gift actually scared her a little. It put her mind on guard and hoped she wasn''t doing a mistake.


    ¡°Well, you are a duck in any shape or form. That is, apart from these legs of yours and a few other things. See these little claws, Timmy?¡± Iris put Murai back on the table, showing his belly upwards which caused Murai to scowl inside at her poor handling of his body.


    Though, he can''t do anything physically, and could only curse inside his mind.


    Timmy watched his sister with interest, observing Murai from the side. He even dared to touch the clean feathers on Murai''s belly. They were soft like the finest of furs. Giggling, and observing this "monstrosity", he was quite happy for whatever reason.


    ¡°These things between those 3 fingers will cause it to swim faster. It is something that evolution made possible. These animals are quite familiar with the water lands. But this duck has it in a different case.¡± Iris pointed to the clawed fingers that protruded from the bandages. ¡°It is a bit different from other animals of its kind. Well, mostly. I think it could run fast on the ground because of these little claws at the end, while these membranes around the fingers will work against the water. It is part of the evolution, which can make this duck a land animal as well. Another thing is also its beak, which has a strange shape to it, don''t you think?¡± Iris asked upon observing Murai throughout her time of healing.


    Now, without the visible anxiety of her previous fear, she was teaching her brother a few things that she discovered.


    ¡°Yeah, I see that beak. It''s strange, and unlike something I see in wild ducks. Its tip is sharp, and even its sides are like that. Can I grab it to look myself?¡± Timmy asked with interest and care on his face.


    Iris couldn''t see a reason to say no, so she placed Murai in Timmy''s hands and looked at him with a meaningful glance. ¡°Now, my part is done, Timmy. It''s healed, but the legs will take a long while to heal. It can be done without my interventions, so it''s about the end of our deal. Probably... What are you going to do with this duck now?¡± she asked without much politeness in her voice this time around.


    This caused Timmy to frown, and stop smiling since he knew he would never be able to keep it. Not after hearing Iris''s words that this duck was a dangerous demonic beast. He would never go against her words, which implied quite a bothersome problem.


    Since she took great care of him, unlike his other elder sister, he viewed her as an important figure. Going against her words wasn''t something Timmy wanted to do. But, as for his uncle, that was a different story.


    ¡°Don''t even think of keeping it here!¡± Iris insisted, imagining what sort of thoughts were appearing inside his head.


    ¡°I know... that.¡± Timmy hesitated, patting Murai on the neck and belly alike. He took it involuntarily, as he held no power over his movement. ¡°But it can''t move at all. What these bandages could do for it? It will starve to death in the wild? There are so many dangers outside and it would be an easy target.¡± Timmy argued while caressing Murai''s neck and head as if he was a dog.


    Showing it up towards Iris, he was confident that this duck wasn''t a bad one.


    ¡°See? It did nothing to us, so what makes it a demonic duck? Have you ever heard of one as a duck?¡± Timmy changed his strategy to appeal to Iris''s good side. This wasn''t him, going against her worlds, but it was close to that. Considering it a roundabout around her word was the most correct term for this.


    ¡°I can see that... But you don''t feel the mana yet, so you don''t feel what I feel. In fact, it isn''t as simple as that, and you know what I mean.¡± Iris argued.


    ¡°But Uncle Lazar can feel the Mana even if he isn''t a mage!¡±


    ¡°Being a mage has nothing to do with the mana. I told you that. Unle has it becue of something else than being a mage, and I and him already told you about that many times. He will discover this duck in a couple of days if you keep it here and then, it will be very painful to ease his anger away. Do you want to get scolded, or worse? If others will found out about it, we may even get into trouble because someone could snitch. Then, the Falconers would come and we wouldn''t be able to do anything. Do you think after what happened today, anyone will be lenient?¡±


    Hearing her firm, and resolute words, Timmy fell into silence. ¡°I... I...¡± Speechless, he was thinking of what he could tell next. Since she sounded reasonable, he couldn''t find any power within himself to go against her.


    ¡°Hmm? I hear nothing.¡± Iris crossed her arms, frowning, and began to ponder what she could do to him to change his mind. She could see that on his face.


    Timmy was stubborn and she was also like that, so she could guess what he thought about. She could make it change since their relationship as siblings was deep, but as an older one, she had to be firm in her decisions.


    ¡°I can give you 1 day. I will look for a change in the church tomorrow, and maybe get medicine that can heal those broken bones. Will it satisfy you then? You are already asking too much for me, you know!?¡± Iris seriously said, glaring at him with quite a stubbornness, which hid a love for her brother.


    Timmy stepped back, still having Murai in his hands. He looked at him with blank eyes, wondering if this demonic beast was really that, or if adults were just stupid. It wouldn''t be the first he would think of that, so he shoved his arms around Murai. It was a bit tight embrace, causing Murai to quack inaudibly, but loud enough to be heard.


    ¡°Ah, sorry. Sorry, little duck!¡± Timmy quickly apologized, leaving Murai out of his embrace. ¡°A-alright, sis... What will be the price for that? I... I don''t know about some medicines... Aren''t they expensive?¡±


    Hearing his hesitant and afraid words, Iris was also helpless, but not enough to see his brother like this. She never spoiled him, and the Vermillion church influence was good on him, so she wasn''t afraid of this duck, or the things that may happen if things go wry.


    If it would be bad, she may regret it, but that was life.


    In the end, Iris had full confidence in the church and believed in her Lady.


    ¡°I will tell you tomorrow how it will go. For now, go to sleep as I have Alchemy to do and it''s quite late already.¡± Iris ordered, sounding nicer than before.


    Timmy nodded in silence, looking at Murai with a questionable look. It was a look of wonder what to do with it, and Iris managed to read it without any words.


    ¡°Let me have this duck for the evening. I won''t let you have this, for obvious reasons,¡± She said, making her intention and words unmoving and clear.


    Timmy had no choice but to comply with her, so he left Murai on top of her palms, before reluctantly leaving her room. He turned his face to her as he shoved the door open. He didn''t know what he wanted, but at the end of the day, he trusted Iris, so he left.


    Murai was left alone with Iris, who was watching over this demonic beast if something will go wrong. Grabbing Murai between her both palms once again, she placed his head closer to hers.


    ¡°Alright... I didn''t want to be clear with my brother, but... Are you a special duck? You... You have an intelligent awareness, don''t you? Your stubbornness is vast. The soul too, and my feeling over the.... strangeness of the Will is quite bad, but I trust it. What are you? Who?¡± she asked straight into Murai''s open eyes.


    Murai looked from time to time around, which Iris already knew and noticed. It was time to make it obvious.


    Murai observed her in the same way she did. In fact, he understood where she was coming from, but it didn''t make him happy.


    Now, what to do? She definitely felt something through that magic and that necklace she has. Connection to myself must have happened without my awareness when she healed me at the start. I was out of my fucking mind before, so this is... troublesome. Murai wondered in his mind, thinking of what to do in such a situation where he had no way of communicating. Forcing his soul upon this girl as he did with Rain seemed like a bad idea. He may hurt her while doing so since it was a rather universally accepted pawer in the universe.


    On the other end of this side was Iris, who was questioning herself too, since she was certain to ask this duck out loud, but on the other hand, she was talking to a duck as if it would talk back. That was funny, and even Timmy would giggle if he saw her like this.


    Frowning, Iris watched Murai''s unblinking eyes, which were kind of mesmerizing. They were dark in color with shimmering specks of mana within. Those were unnoticeable specks of the Night Vision and Soul Read alike, which had some connection to his eyes also.


    Most normal ducks would long struggle from her touch, and she knew it. Considering pain was a fundamental rule that went deeper than one would guess, she expected this duck to struggle much more. It didn''t.


    Maybe this duck was stupid? Iris considered that too, but what about mana and the demonic feelings she got from it? Her gift and feeling wouldn''t lie to her and she knew it.


    So, she could do the only thing right now. That was to use her gift again to confirm what was before her.


    ¡°Sorry for what I am about to do, duck, but I don''t have a choice. If you are stupid or not, I had to do it, because I had to be sure for myself.¡± Iris said, oblivious to how reasonable or not she appeared.

 Chapter 53: What kind of duck do you think Am I? Huh?

    This time, Iris spoke the kind of language that put Murai on guard.


    With full attention, his body tensed yet he couldn''t move between her palms. It was a language that fundamentally changed the world of magic. A source and old theme of the Laws that put magic into words. It was similar to the one before, but this one was much older and not custom, but lawful.


    I call my goddess.


    A lady shrouded in the wail of numbness.


    I welcome thy pleasure of the Blessing in the lands of the living.


    I hope to see the end of the sight, for the sake of thy Gift.


    Iris recited her hope and by sheer pressure of telling her words, which seemed to hide a greater meaning to anyone familiar with it, her necklace moved. Before the collar of her shirt, a necklace with a pendant of crystal floated towards Murai, stopping closer to his face.


    Then it glowed in the light, traveling by itself in front of Iris''s face, and then facing Murai as if it was seeking something from him.


    This was a magical item of unknown value to him, but he could only guess what it was. Murai''s basic guess was that it was bestowed upon Iris when she underwent the blessing of Lady Vermillion, but he had no idea about it. It could also be a Gift from the church.


    Either way, the fact that she spoke the Laws themselves, alerted Murai, making his mind to be doubtful and suspicious of what she was doing.


    I call, for the lady of mine, an Appraisal of the being in front of me under thy vision. She continued, and Murai shook upon hearing her latest words.


    ¡°Wait. Wait. I don''t want to do this like this again! Stop!¡± He quacked around, wriggling between her palms and causing quite a lot of discomfort to himself. Yet, it was too late for his quacking, as the force of another appraisal was already upon him.


    It came from the necklace, which was magical equipment, and it was part of the blessing to carry certain connections to Lady Vermillion.


    A flood of light shot from the necklace, enveloping Murai, who wasn''t all that happy to meet this sort of thing again. Although, it was a bit different from the Razmund''s.


    This one wasn''t as overpowering, but it was never pleasant to be seen through by others. Appraisal of living things was always like that. It was bothersome, but only for the opposite side of the spell.


    Murai had no choice, but to feel it again. Apart from the fact of his powerful soul, he held no defenses. Hence, he was unafraid in the grand scheme of things, but he was still angry that it was happening again.


    He was pissed since this appraisal was trying to envelop his soul with a distinct feeling of a watchful gaze, causing him to recall some unpleasant memories. It was trying to pry towards his soul, watching everything closely with the understanding that shouldn''t be something that this girl can do alone.


    Murai struggled between her unmoving palms, while Iris seemed to be completely enveloped in the light as well. She also appeared to be in some sort of trance after uttering the last words of her chant.


    Murai''s struggled, but that only led to his suffering. Feeling the broken bones, he scowled loudly when he couldn''t break from the appraisal or Iris''s grip. He was a bit away from forcing his barely manageable neck onto her arms, bitting the hands with his beak, but at that moment, something spoke to him. No... It was someone, to be exact.


    Gentle... Citizen Hisagi


    He heard a shimmering voice from somewhere, reaching his soul and talking with a gentle tone.


    ¡°Fuck off!¡± Murai quacked forwards, unaware of where it was coming from. So, while doing so, he figured he had no time to waste. It was time to be forceful in a different way since he didn''t want to hurt her.


    ¡°Robust Spirit! Robust defense!¡± Murai willed his choice forward, making the only choice within his repertoire apart from the mana that he rather didn''t use. He didn''t want to make any of his mana come out of his body, alerting the man who was the cause of his fate. That was the uncle of these kids who helped him.


    Murai heard the majority of things that went on in the conversation with everyone. Be it Razmund, Velga, Lazar and now, Timmy and Iris. He knew Lazar was the cause of it all, and he was the uncle to these kids who helped him so much.


    It put a certain knot in his heart, which was quenching his morality that was more than questionable. He was inclined to slaughter that man, but now, he hesitated because of these children. Though, he overlooked it for the time being, since the situation called for it.


    Razmund was the better choice for his revenge and he wouldn''t feel a speck of shame upon killing him.


    Even if that unblinking lunatic had someone that need him, Murai didn''t care. Becoming a hypocrite for the sake of his revenge and getting his stuff back was more than what he wanted.


    What about Timmy and Iris?


    Who else gave something to him with such openness and care? A choice? Life?


    Timmy was a strange case and someone Murai didn''t expect to see again. It was the same face that looked at him when he was in the cage. Back then, he was further away from the End, glancing toward the corny face of an innocent child.


    Murai used an ability of his Robust Spirit. It was the good old defensive technique, but it was the first time he was using it.


    Willing his Robust Defense forward, his soul space underwent a massive shaking. The effects of the Soul Force started to shake his Robust Spirit, and his Will came up to him like a raging volcano, turning his powerful soul to form an unshakable defense. It will go against whatever Iris was doing.


    It wasn''t mana, but a power of the soul. It had nothing to do with mana or physicality, yet this sort of strength can force itself against anything like that. Although it wasn''t necessarily stronger than mana, one couldn''t understand it that well.


    The undeniable rules set up around the mana were easily understandable because they had a certain set of rules around them.


    On the other hand, the soul was a peculiar thing and was hard to calculate or guess.


    Outside of Murai''s body, twisting invisible waves enveloped his body. It was coming from his head, darting the flowing light away. There was something that Murai didn''t expect. Some light still went to look at Murai''s core, even though the use of the Robust Defense should cease it away.


    Iris watched everything with a distinct light within her eyes. She appeared uninterested as if she wasn''t focused at all, even though her bright eyes looked forward.


    The necklace around her neck was unstoppable. It kept releasing the force of light, but only a fraction of it entered Murai''s body. That went on for a couple of seconds as if it wasn''t enough, or the light itself already saw enough.


    Either way, Iris stopped whatever she was doing after couple dozen seconds since the start of her chant.


    Noticing the unshakable defense that she couldn''t see through, something stopped this whole ordeal against her care.


    She closed her eyes and recited a couple of thankful words before the light in the necklace stopped, dispersing around the room, while some returned to the necklace.


    At this point, Murai stopped wriggling his body. He watched in shock what happened, and that was about what he could manage. It was... terrific because he felt the tinge of something familiar at the end of this situation.


    A partial Divinity penetrated his soul, seeking something from within him, and moving even against his own Robust Defense.


    Did it look for something?


    Did it find it, reached something he wanted to keep hidden, or something it wanted to see?


    Murai was too busy with the defense, which indeed stopped Iris and her direct appraisal, so he didn''t have the time to seek the answers. However, what was it with that Divinity that moved outside of Iris?


    He glared at her face, which seemed to hold certain secrets. Was she a proxy for some divinity according to this situation? A tool of a god? Her Lady? That treasure that was within her necklace was a possible answer for that, yet Murai wasn''t fine with this kind of answer.


    The truth remained the same, and certain gods looked through him, thanks to Iris.


    That thing... Fucking hell! What luck. I swear I hope this has no unpleasant repercussions. Murai cursed inside, ceasing the Robust Defense away. He kept it running for 24 seconds, which was 24 points off of his 120 Soul Force.


    It went well for the first time, yet it didn''t ease his mind at all.


    Murai could already feel his power lacking, albeit what he went against was something entirely different than something one would meet on a whim. A god''s divinity and interest were a nasty thing, and also too powerful.


    Numbers were enough, but everything else wasn''t. It made him question his choices and how utterly disappointed he was in himself.


    Since it all started ~ this living ~ he was dependent on the Will of the Battleworld and its abilities. He didn''t like to be dependent on someone other than himself, so that made him quite frustrated, albeit stubbornly so.


    He asked himself what can be done for one''s safety because of this lack of one''s power. If one was weak because of one''s weakness, what then? He didn''t want to be sorry for his own mistakes because he was weak. It would be the start of the nightmare and he didn''t want to repeat the past mistakes.


    Iris''s eyes returned to normal a couple of seconds after Murai''s deactivating his Robust Defense. He became a normal duck once again, but it was too late to be sorry about his actions.


    Iris saw through him for enough time, while the fact that she couldn''t do so at some point, made his status more apparent.


    ¡°Y-you... Are you Blessed?¡± she asked in shock, while Murai was still between her palms. ¡°Oh, you can''t answer anything? Because you are a duck with your physicality... I heard about this. Those examples. What is this... A Blessed Monster? Demonic beast? I heard they are rare, but seeing it with my own eyes? What is the Will of the Battleworld like, I wonder?¡± She asked a series of questions, that gradually turned somber, but only she could answer them back. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only after a few minutes of silence, glaring at Murai who didn''t move, nor did a thing, she felt a little calmer.


    Her little try of the Appraisal was successful, but only a little. In the end, Lady Vermillion was of much-needed help, helping Iris to reach certain things for the sake of Murai''s Appraisal. Why? It was a gift from her Lady, and one of the benefits that one can get out of some treasures, or lucky encounters.


    Maybe it was also for her curiosity, but as a god, Vermillion should be aware of things much better than a mortal girl like Iris.


    However, Iris didn''t question it much, as her reasoning to view this duck was nothing bad. She was curious for the sake of her brother, as well as to see if she was doing a mistake or not. Her Lady helped with that since it was the usual stuff, and it worked again.


    So, with that said, did she make a mistake? A Blessed may be that, or not, yet she wasn''t sure what to make of the situation. It was a duck in her hands that made her hesitate in her actions.


    She also considered the previous things, and how she helped or spoke to him. The involvement of the Falconers also piqued her interest, as if she was trying to connect a few dots of interesting things that were nothing but an insensible mess that hid Centralis Kingdom''s brutality.


    Her actions already happened, and she forced herself upon a Blessed.


    It may be a mistake.


    Most would think that.


    Involvement of the blessed beings was usually quite terrible things. Murai was seen through by the Will of God. A speck of Divinity was within that necklace around Iris''s neck and it wasn''t weak at all.


    Murai glared unhappily at Iris. What this girl wanted from him was none of his concern, yet being seen was making him upset. There seemed to be a deep prejudice against Demonic Beasts in this kingdom.


    In such cases, it was best to remain far from dangers or involvements of humans.


    However, the troubles came to him one way or another, so what then?


    Murai was thinking of a way how to ease the situation and not fuck up things further.


    He would love to answer some of her questions since he had already been seen through. How though?


    Forming a connection to the soul as he did with Rain? That seemed excessive for a priestess who shouldn''t be that powerful, but what if that necklace was involved? It would protect her in the worst-case scenario so he was reconsidering his choices.


    His soul could do some steep harm to her one way or another, and Murai didn''t want to bite the hand of someone who fed him.


    Though, in this case, she healed his external injuries rather well, albeit slowly because of his extensive injuries.


    Iris no longer felt nervous. Instead, there was a tinge of excitement, with an addition of one big worry. Nothing changed. He was still a demonic beast in the Centralis Kingdom. That was about the worst place where a demonic beast would end up.


    ¡°Well, duck? Err... I will call you, Sir Duck instead, is that right? Right... You can''t answer... I know... Ugh.¡± Iris said, embarrassingly putting Murai on the table after contemplating what to do.


    ¡°I am sorry if I was a bit... harsh? I don''t think any Blessed likes to be seen through, but I never thought you would be one, and I have no idea who you are even through this situation. The Appraisal was a simple one, so don''t worry about some hidden things. I just wanted to be sure what was up with you, a duck that my brother Timmy was so curious about. It was the best choice for how to solve it, and now, I see that situation isn''t the least bit normal.¡± Iris said, sounding quite humble, but not overly so.


    Murai huffed his beak and visibly sighed as if he was fed up with life itself. He stopped pretending to be a normal duck since his Robust Defense more or less spoke for itself.


    Though, what was the point in acting like an irregular duck? Was this something that Iris found important?


    She already guessed he was a demonic beast through some of her senses, while the Apprasail was just a direct confirmation.


    Sitting on the chair, Iris was looking forward at the table. Laying duck was there in all shapes and forms. Yet, she knew it was a special one. It was much more powerful, and it didn''t even seem that way.


    From the appearance and feeling of touching his body, Murai appeared quite normal.


    Even his flesh was nothing special, and his blood was crimson and warm as it should be. One wouldn''t think of much upon seeking Murai unless they weren''t special either.


    Now, Iris also thought about Falconers, and Razmund who she heard came here. He was also Blessed, so maybe the situation was more complicated than she was willing to admit.


    ¡°What are you looking at me for, sir duck?¡± Iris asked, noticing the apparent frown that Murai had on his face. His eyes and face turned to a sight of intelligence. It was in a sense, the mannerism that changed the way Murai held himself.


    His beak and neck resumed some sort of elegance, and the face did the rest. Yet, appearing like that was one thing. Another was why to appear like that at all.


    What''s the point of talking to a duck? Is she stupid?  Murai thought to himself, almost smacking his head towards the table in embarrassment.


    Suddenly Iris got an idea, which she showed by pointing to her head. ¡°Right! How about having a normal yes and no format of communication, albeit one-sided? You can move your neck more than well by now, so part of your muscles are stabilized. Nod will be a yes, shaking your beak is going to be a no. How about it? Wanna have some questions and answers?¡± she asked, excited about the prospect of meeting a Blessed.


    It was one of the most prevailed pieces of information she was able to find out from this Appraisal since a lot of things were hiding behind the Divinity of her Lady. She only let some of the things to Iris, and Iris didn''t seem to know it was the case.


    Murai kept glancing at her, not knowing if what she wanted was a good idea or not. It sounded more like a bother to him, but it didn''t seem like something that will hurt him. He could see that from her. She meant no danger, but danger may be in some other forms.


    So, he nodded, indicating his approval and confirming one issue that Iris didn''t seem to be sure of.


    A sight of intelligence. After all, some Blessed may be too young to perceive some words. Beast Blessed was exactly that.


    ¡°Yes! At least you can understand me, so our source of language is the same, and your intelligence is obviously high. Every Blessed is a special case of this world so I wasn''t sure. I didn''t know that so I am glad. If not, that would mean I would be talking to a duck, which would be strange in itself, but... I am still talking to a duck. Don''t I?¡± Iris sighted in understanding, glancing at Murai while scratching her head.


    Murai paused his gaze open her face but still gave her his bothered nod.


    ¡°Right, I should be making my questions in the form that you may answer in the form of a nod or a shake. My bad. My bad.¡± Iris quickly apologized, hoping to clear things up. She began to think a lot about what she could ask in the form of easy yes and no answers.


    ¡°Alright... first one. Are you a bad duck?¡± was her first strange question.


    Murai glared at her, upset by such an open, and pragmatic question. ¡°What do you think?!¡± He quacked and did not nod, nor shake his head. Instead, he smacked the table with his beak, cracking it a little. He did so in open frustration, and his action spoke for himself.


    His intent spoke for itself as well, screaming at Iris. ¡°What kind of duck do you think I am?!¡± It was a frustrating sight, with a tingle of fury and utmost curses. Even Iris could understand what Murai meant, but her face was upon the cracked table.


    ¡°Sir Duck... This table is precious... Don''t destroy it please.¡± She pleaded, her eyes turned to a serious glance that went against a Blessed being, while she wasn''t one herself.

 Chapter 54: Meaningful, yet poorly executed conversation

    ¡°A-alright...¡± Iris shook her head in some understanding. ¡°You don''t have to let go of your frustration on my magic table, but I will let it go. I made it myself, so it''s cheap to repair, but the efforts are sometimes more expensive than money so let''s not do it again, alright?¡± She argued, but Murai was having none of it.


    He glared at her as if he was telling her, ¡°Ask something else, or I will butcher this table to make scraps¡±


    ¡°2nd question then. Are you angry at my uncle and Falconers? They did make you go through hell, didn''t they?¡± she asked.


    This time, Murai nodded so fast, and not only once.


    ¡°Yeah. I can see that but don''t be angry at my uncle. He was forced to do this by the circumstances of the Centralis Kingdom and their ideologies. I swear he wasn''t like this in the past and this issue is just how people cope with survival. I am not like him though, but he helped me a lot because we are family.¡± Iris said, pleading for the sake of her uncle.


    Hmph...Does she think of me as some kind of shameless bastard? Well, I did consider it before, but I don''t care either way about her stupid uncle. Murai thought, aware of a tinge of anger aimed at Lazar which was undoubtedly in his heart.


    He was the one who kept him for the falconers, and the falconers were the ones who finished the job.


    That man Razmund.


    He was the one that did the most damage, and Murai won''t ever forget him, nor forgive him for that. He was already dead in his eyes for butchering his feathers and turning his body to scraps.


    Seeing him answer nothing because she didn''t ask a question, Iris continued. ¡°Do you want to hear what I found out about you? I don''t mean to mock your fate. I respect all Blessed regardless of their beliefs, past, or current time. They are the extension of the Will of the Battleworld and gods cater to them since time immemorial. They are a special part of the Battleworld and many people think of them as an extension of this world.¡± Iris revealed and almost a small smile appeared on her face. But only almost.


    Tsch... Why does she ask this? I don''t care about it, but fine... It may reveal what she knows about me through that extension of that god. Fine. Murai nods with an apprehensive look, interested in what she found out from the previous thing of that Divinity that wasn''t hers.


    ¡°You are a Blessed. A citizen of the Battleworld of less than level 10 and little time behind yourself. That means you are new to this world, which I found kind of pitiful. Second, your species... duck? Anatidae something? I never heard of a species like that, and it looks like some kind of duck species, obviously. I will look through the library if I will have time to do so tomorrow. Vermillion Church has a lot of information about these things. Years of research worth of countless species. There has been also this... feeling in your soul. A powerful awareness that I found shocking in you. It''s the thing that made me change my apprehension of you, sir Duck.¡± Iris said the things she found worth telling, while she ignored the rest.


    This Appraisal wasn''t a normal one thanks to the addition of Lady Vermillion''s gift and her Divinity that allowed her to seek many things or beings.


    Though, was Iris aware of that Divinity and the help her Lady provided? She was, but not through what she was looking at.


    It made the initial course of the Appraisal smoother until Murai put forth his defenses and after that, Iris saw or felt nothing. The divinity of Vermillion did continue, Appraising him by itself, and was able to strike Murai''s soul to seek out information. Iris wanted to know more, so Vermillion sent her some things afterward.


    Iris found what she wanted and she wasn''t interested in how it went. Although, that ended in a rather poorly done state, thanks to the Robust Defense that pushed against her but not against that Divinity. It made the Appraisal half-finished, so Iris found only a few things that she wanted.


    Then, there was a thing that Iris found most strange. The fact that everything happened as it did, shocked her. A Blessed before here didn''t even enter the range of Level 10s and had such a powerful soul inside of such a tiny package.


    She too, had some level herself, but that involved the priesthood and it wasn''t something fancy as being Blessed of the Battleworld. In a sense, it was more compatible to call her a Gifted person whose purpose was twisted with a connection to a certain God. It would enable one to reach power not one bit lesser than a Blessed had.


    Although, the degree of power depends on the talent and amount of care a God would give to their Gifted.


    Iris had power and magical capabilities around the threshold of level 15, while her healing powers could work across all sorts of levels. Healing physical wounds didn''t pose a problem to her, because they were physical wounds that anyone can inflict on anyone. Healing them was a simple process, but any magical wounds were different and would require some context of magic.


    Thankfully, Murai had no sort of curses or any kind of mana-inflicted wounds that could give her some problems.


    That was, of course, depending on the Blessings that she got from Lady Vermillion. Each and every one of them can cause drastic changes. Any God''s Blessings and gifts were like that, and she knew it very well as a Priestess and follower of her Lady.


    Thinking of her words and memories further, Iris had no recollection of another explanation from the connection to that Divinity.


    ¡°That is about what I think about yourself. Your life in the Battleworld has been brief, but you are a Blessed, so I wonder what kind of being were you before becoming this thing called Anatidae. Were you perhaps a human? Elf? Have you even come from another plane of existence or experienced life outside of the ordinary in some sort of Divine Kingdom? It sounds so strange to be suddenly stuck in the body of a duck. I bet I wouldn''t fathom such a difference and how it could feel!¡± Iris talked without stopping, saying things with deep interest that showed in her pristine blue eyes. They were glittering in excitement, and her body language was obviously like that too.


    Murai felt it right. Iris''s whole person radiated none one bit of hidden intentions, and he felt it through the Soul Read the most. An emotional honesty, along with reverence and lowered fear. How was possible such a rapid change? He was still a demonic beast, but it seemed that his status as a Blessed was more than good enough to calm her down.


    Her words were a bit unhinged, but they were also truthfully honest. Whether Murai felt like smacking the table and ruining those runes or whatnot underneath his feet, he heard her truth that was painfully hurtful.


    He was a duck now, and he had to accept it like that bothersome divinity of that God. That wasn''t a good thing, and Murai felt a distinct feeling that this may be a disaster because of his inability to move or do a thing. He was literary at the mercy of his fate, and he didn''t like it.


    So, out of respect for this deal to talk, he nodded, telling her the truth in his way.


    Iris stopped talking as if she didn''t think Murai would answer in a positive manner. She asked for the sake of talking and her curiosity.


    ¡°Really?!¡± She exclaimed out loud. ¡°You were really a human before, or... something else? Does this mean you got another life? You are one of these Blessed who accomplished something great and got another chance in life at some point? How? What in the world?!¡± Iris leaned forward, talking very close to his face without being aware of what Murai even nodded for.


    She was surprised, and a lot. After all, having memories and awareness of the past was like having another life. Considering the briefness of his living, she was sure of this. It was how it went through her knowledge of the Battleworld as a priestess and living in this world for the past 17 years.


    This time, Murai didn''t nod or shake his head since it was obviously not an answerable question and she was getting obnoxious with her talking.


    ¡°A Blessed... Old Soul? I heard about such things but only in that book. Are you aware of your last life? Your memories of the Battleworld or some other world?¡± Iris asked openly and without hiding any of her curiosity.


    And as the truth was true, Murai nodded with his beak, since it wasn''t wrong, albeit, he had many such memories instead.


    ¡°Wait... what kind of nod was that for? Which question you are nodding for?¡± she asked again, unaware of her quick charge of talking.


    Murai nodded twice.


    She is right. More or less, but she asks everything with unintentional openness. I am not from the Battleworld though, but not like it matters.


    ¡°All of them?¡± Iris nodded, figuring it was the case of everything. ¡°That is... so impressive. You must have experienced quite a strange thing, and another start in a living must have been strange and even as a duck? Are you upset by this?¡± Iris asked as if understanding what was Murai thinking.


    This f.... girl. Is she... No. She is an honest type. I can tell that and she feels like a literal disaster. So a Vermillion? Have I heard that name before? If she already has the priesthood under herself, I bet she is not a weak god. Which Rank? Degree of Path? Is she? No... She still has this religion, of course, she wouldn''t touch the Greater Sky. Murai deducted from this conversation, as well from the feeling of being seen through by that Divinity. But what he can get from this were different things than he wanted.


    Iris was the one asking questions, and not him.


    Murai still chose to be honest, even though his strange fate against Iris and Timmy, was kind of unique. After all, this was his first interaction with another being, ignoring the fact of a Rain, of course. That one was more of a battle, while their conversation wasn''t brief, but not exactly casual either. It was a simple trade.


    He gave her a nod while realizing that this conversation was quite pathetic to him. Having no ability to talk was terrible, but forcing his Will onto Iris was out of the question.


    ¡°I see... So you are upset... I can see why, so let me ask another question.¡± Iris kept leaning closer, observing his face. ¡°Do you want my help?¡± she asked a question, that wasn''t sounding any different from the others, but it included her help... The help of a priestess under a God who was so lofty to force her upon him? Murai paused and didn''t answer.


    ¡°You hesitate... I can see that in your eyes, sir Duck. I think it should be possible for me to give you some kind of help. Have you heard... Wait. You were listening? Are you aware of everything that happened to you since you appeared from that well?¡± she suddenly recalled Murai''s past, and what even happened before she found his secrets.


    Timmy told her a lot and all of them were things of importance, but not everything was something they were aware of. After all, the villagers were fearful for their lives, hiding in their homes for safety, while most fled the village completely.


    It wasn''t that surprising. The involvement of Falconers was a big deal and some even hated Lazar for involving them when it wasn''t needed. So what if a duck emerged from their well? At first, it didn''t matter, but Lazar took the problem into his hands and created others.


    It wasn''t as if that strange succubus killed any one of them, and as for that duck? No one really felt a thing from it apart from Lazar. It was hardly a situation that required Falconers and that was the truth.


    It was a strange situation that Iris understood. She wasn''t even that aware of everything because she wasn''t in the village yesterday. She realized that Murai''s awareness played a big part in this, and his Blessed Status as well. It may be why it was so strange. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Perhaps, the Falconers would come one way or another, and a Blessed Razmund was the cause.


    For all that she knew, this Blessed before her may be very angry towards her uncle and the whole village. It wouldn''t be hard to think this way, since Iris knew that most of the Blessed were those kinds of being.


    Some were... strange? Unhinged? Out of the norm? Either word would work, but one thing was sure. Most often than not, they didn''t mean something good. Especially the ones with inhuman appearances.


    Murai heard her reasonable question and wasn''t resentful of her, or Timmy. Lazar? Maybe...


    This whole mess was his own problem since he was too weak, and the circumstances of his actions played a big part in the outcome. It all started when he tried to reach the surface of the Somalis Dungeon. A flock of way too powerful beasts wanted to eat him this time around, meaning that his previous situation where the beasts and monsters ignored him, was no longer possible.


    It made sense. He got stronger. He killed a high-level Acaman Golem! That was impressive.


    He hated the fact that he became prey. The whole issue of his bleeding left wing obscured his speed, causing his inside to turn upside down from that injury and loss of blood. If it wouldn''t happen, he was sure he would end things differently. Escaping to the forest and not dealing with any consequences would help, and he wouldn''t end up meeting Razmund or Lazar. He would flee instead.


    Perhaps in that sort of situation, Velga would find him instead, and whatever it was with her would become apparent. After all, Murai was unaware if she was a foe or not.


    That was a possibility. A what-if kind of deal. It didn''t happen, so it didn''t matter. He suffered serious blood loss and pain stuffed his mind after Velga tried to apprehend him.


    So Murai figured he should be much more careful in the future, so he won''t have to repeat the mistakes of the past.


    That was his rule as a numerous-time reincarnator and he can learn from these issues of living where any failure can mean nothing but the End. It wasn''t an End for him. He can learn from them.


    Murai gave Iris a long look as if he was pondering over her numerous questions and sentences. It was true that he heard a lot of things but what did they matter now? Most of what he was aware of involved Velga, and what Razmund found up from her and his forceful, and much stronger appraisal.


    Though, Razmund didn''t find much from him, so that was good. However, what he heard him say to Velga was much more interesting.


    Murai was conscious throughout those times, regardless of the state of his physical body and his injuries. It was one of the main advantages of the Robust Spirit which was yet something Murai was fully aware of.


    He gave her a nod, furthering her wonders by an exponential amount.


    ¡°Then... How can I help you? This... I don''t want you to be angry at us... It''s not like it''s our fault for being like this... Hating demons or whatnot. It''s... kind of needed, but not in some cases. It''s like putting a lot of apples in the same bag. I am sure some would be filthy at some point, but others wouldn''t. Right? Some demonic beast must be good, but... You are that, but also intelligent Blessed.¡±


    Murai sighed, shaking his beak and indicating his disproval of her help.


    ¡°You... So you don''t want my help? Are you not hurt so much that you can''t walk? Or you don''t want me and my little brother to be involved in you?¡± Iris asked, asking 3 different kinds of questions that may have different answers.


    ¡°How in the flying duck does she expect me to answer that normally?¡± Murai scowled inside, turning his beak to smack this girl who can''t even form an easy-sounding question.


    Alas, while he bent his neck along with his head, he noticed an open book aside from his body, as well as a quill and bottle of ink.


    Iris noticed his turn of attention, also getting a small idea. ¡°Can you use this beak of yours to write? That would be a much better form of communication than this... whatever it is.¡± She sighed, grabbed the book, and placed it in front of him. ¡°Alright. Go on then. Write.¡±

 Chapter 55: Agreement

    Murai looked at the book in front of him with an uncertain glance. Then, he gave Iris a simple nod, accepting this sort of idea to be better than nods or shakes of his beak. Though his beak wouldn''t get the writing down.


    Handling this quill will involve something else than the beak that won''t touch a thing. But can he manage it ~ mana, that is? It was stable enough, his mind but his insides? Murai decided to give it a chance regardless.


    Conjuring a small amount of nana out of his body, Iris flickered her eyes upon it. Seeing and feeling the mana coming from inside Murai''s body, she was both startled and impressed. It was a wild, semi-chaotic mana that had a tinge of a demonic beast but it also meant he had the mana core.


    After some time, it was more than obvious that it wasn''t anything dangerous since Murai wasn''t dangerous. It may be just a dangerous feeling, but that was it ~ like an angry-looking dock that would be a good boy inside.


    Murai Conjured just an amount of mana under his care. It was almost negligible and appeared like a few strands some rough, flickering lines. Yet, this jolted Iris because she feared alerting Lazar but it was small, so hopefully, it won''t be enough to alert him.


    She remained calm to wait and see what will happen.


    It was a case of careful Shaping but Iris was thinking it would... Well. It was questionable what she was thinking since from the very beginning when she discovered something went with this duck, she was uncertain if she was making a mistake or not.


    Using her Lady''s gift to get a better idea was the bare minimum of what she had and whatever will come out of it later, will happen or not.


    What if people discover that she has this demonic beast in her possession? She didn''t dare to think the villagers would be that happy about it, even though she was a priestess of the Vermillion Church. If worse would come, perhaps her position as a priestess would help but it was a doubtful claim indeed when Centralis Kingdom was the ruler.


    Iris looked at the shimmering strands of mana and how they grabbed quill with thin threads. It was weirdly natural as if a human hand was grabbing the quill, but it was wobbly.


    Murai wasn''t one to be afraid of trying hard things, but Iris could recognize he was doing this for the first time. Perhaps even this slip of mana would alert her uncle, but he shouldn''t be worried too much. Iris always had a perfect mind to make some excuse for things but in this situation? She doubted that.


    ¡°Alright. I would expect nothing else from a Blessed. You are really extraordinary, even though you are a duck. Duck with a mana core, in fact. How peculiar¡± Iris said.


    In a few swipes of the quill, Murai wrote a few words on the paper, albeit they were unreadable, causing him to stomp the table with his feet. This was his first time Shaping something this precise and intimate with this peculiar Beast Core. It was hard as if he was writing with his non-dominant hand and a dozen dogs were barking right behind his head.


    He managed to work with what he had. Controlling the quill from dozens of points to make writing motions was easier said than that, as it was one of the more advanced types of fundamentals of Shaping.


    The only setting that this could be used in, was in many mage schools to properly teach Shaping to new mages. Although, this sort of method was quite useless in actual use since it had no real-life values in advanced magic or spells.


    The only good it would do was the improvement the control of the mana and improve the Shaping to control certain objects with some efficiency and power. Or certain Paths, or spells would need this, but those may be very specific.


    Murai was Conjuring strands of mana in the shape of thin fingers. Then those strands will have to be Shaped and controlled into fine motions to move the quill which was the hardest part. They need to move the quill to make words on the paper, and that was harder than it looked.


    Using mana in small doses wouldn''t do much to anything in magic, or power. Now, Murai was using it in a laughable manner since he had no options.


    He wasn''t new to this sort of thing, but doing so in this life was... not ideal. He spend years mastering this sort of exercise but he was a duck. The unkept mana of his Beast Core was yet something he controlled with ease.


    In a bit, what was before Iris was simple, although barely readable words in her notebook.


    Name Murai


    ¡°Murai? Your name... Nice to meet you, sir Murai.¡± Iris said, understanding that this shouldn''t be an easy thing to do. She would never be able to Shape something so intricate as writing without her own hands.


    In fact, why she would do that if she had her own hands? She gave him a customary bow as if she was a newcomer in front of the elder and watched how Murai didn''t glare at all and rather focused on his writing as if he was looking at his worst enemy.


    It wasn''t a wrong assumption, and Iris wasn''t stupid. She was feeling the mana of her surroundings while clutching her necklace that was swaying from her neck. She would never be able to achieve this level of control over the mana on the first try.


    Even when would her lady blessed her with some luck or blessing, it wouldn''t make such a difference. What she already had was an achievement for her present self.


    Without any other meaningful writings next, Iris was the one who started this so she continued.


    ¡°Well, mister Murai. What will it be? I want to help you so what''s your view on this? You are still injured, so what can I do for you apart from involving the Church?¡± Iris asked with a different kind of tone and feelings in mind.


    There wasn''t much she could do about his internal injuries, but involve the church. She had limited power, and getting help from the church was not a bad idea in her book.


    Having this method of written communication was different now, so her tone changed when one can have a proper way of talking.


    Murai thought for an answer, but those weren''t the kinds that would come all of a sudden. Instead, he asked a question in return.


    The help of a church?


    That may be troublesome since she is a priestess of Lady Vermillion, and by this extension, Murai pretty much understood where this would go.


    He wrote more words this time, trying to not butcher them, so he took his time. He was hoping to get his idea across this barrier which was his inability to properly hold a discussion.


    Why do you want to help me? Is there something for you by doing this?


    Those simple words and questions revealed a pessimistic view of what Murai thought of Iris and her offer. What she was doing wasn''t making much sense. As a demonic beast, Murai already figured out the fear and anxiety that she had, which changed because she discovered him to be Blessed.


    It changed her fear quite a lot, which may be suspicious, even.


    It also shouldn''t change the fact that he was dangerous in the eyes of many. Especially in the Centralis Kingdom, albeit he didn''t know much about the politics or inner structure of this world.


    Maybe the reason for everything would be completely different if he wasn''t that pessimistic. But here he was, having his own feelings over something that wasn''t his fault. Perhaps he won''t have a choice and take this offer instead. It may not be that bad.


    Murai also had a small hesitation about Iris, who wasn''t anything special at first glance, yet held the power to call a god.


    A gift or a blessing from a god can cause all kinds of strange things to occur, so perhaps she held more secrets?


    That necklace close to her was one of them for sure.


    ¡°Why help? Why not?¡± Iris asked as if the matter of this question made total sense to her. ¡°I don''t see why I shouldn''t do that for a Blessed. It''s part of the doctrine of my Lady, and it''s not like I am afraid of you. It''s not like Blessed is anything common, so maybe this karma will get to me one day. Though, it depends on your morality, sir Murai. Are you a bad pers... I mean, duck? Wait... This is getting confusing.¡± She sighed, shaking her head in frustration.


    Murai did so as well, albeit in his mind. This girl is indeed what I assumed. A naive tool, or a fool. Exactly not something I need, but who knows? Murai thought, figuring that any kind of help wouldn''t hurt his insides. He only hoped there will be nothing bad that will come from this since there was an option for a lot of potential problems.


    He wrote the next message, which took quite some time.


    I see your sincerity. Depending on what you seek and view, it may be a good thing in disguise or a disaster in good. I, myself am a neutral evil, or chaotic neutral if I feel like it.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Though, if you feel nervous, I don''t seek to destroy your family or do anything to you. You saved me, and that is a fact that I am extremely grateful for.


    I am not an ungrateful person or a duck.


    Iris read the message and sighed in relief. ¡°That is good. I hoped to read something like this,¡± she said, not involving her real reasons why she wanted to help him at all. She was a curious girl, and meeting a Blessed in such a situation may be a good fortune for her and not a disaster in the appearance of a demonic duck.


    Whether he was a demonic beast, or not, didn''t matter to her and her view of the world.


    She grabbed Murai without much regard, lifted him up, and give him the rarest kind of thing she could give him. A small smile.


    ¡°Although, I hope for something in return, sir Murai.¡± She asked, and Murai no longer sensed the flow of mana according to his Shaping intent. He was a bit too far from the book, and being lifted didn''t help with that either. ¡°I will give you a week to get into a better shape. That''s for you to recover completely, but that is an assessment of a small, insignificant priestess, so at the end of the day, it depends on what you want. Do you want me to treat you better? If so, the Church may be the best choice, and I swear nothing bad will come from this. I give you my word or I will leave the church forever.¡± Iris stated, staring at Murai, whose expression was unmoved by her offer.


    Iris was expecting the return of a nod, which came, but after a fierce battle of stares.


    Murai didn''t know what good will come with this girl or what kind of intentions she even had. It was a strange turn of events but maybe it wasn''t that terrible. Having this kind of help was needed since he was in a hostile place and having a week should be enough to get back to his health.


    Perhaps?


    He was still doubtful about his broken and limp limbs since they were broken like a stick of wood at their base. At least it didn''t hurt any longer, but having his tiny legs sway below him like a broken branch wasn''t what he liked.


    The question was, what was he supposed to do after a week? Follow some safety? Get recourses and try to make some sort of living? Murai had no time to figure out what sort of life he will have since the world was already pestering him with a Task to do.


    For now, or forwards, he wasn''t sure what to think of his living. He can''t live like a mage and move some politics, right? Become a member of some guild, or teach others magic at some academy as he did numerous times? Impossible... Not now.


    He knew the Task that Battlewolrd gave him was just an excuse in the form of some motives that God of Battle wanted to stir. It was another course of lofty people, working with weird ideas to stir their own Egos and put forth some grudges over their Divinity.


    Murai knew he was a tool in place to make something happen, or it was a situation that was inevitable because of him? He had all intentions to stir some troubles as well, but not now where they aimed at him instead.


    He was too early in his path to do a thing, but then, he remembered he already stirred enough troubles with some of his involvement.


    It was quite a big problem in his opinion and not the kind he wished for.


    Stirring a war and problems between the gods wasn''t good. Involvement in godly motives and war should have incredible differences and heights because gods were those kinds of beings~messed up and unreasonable.


    It would be to his liking at most times, yet he needed to be very careful about that prospect at this point of his early living. Otherwise, he would have no other chance but think of regrets.


    With the simple, yet better then usual discussion, Iris was satisfied with helping Murai out for a week. It wasn''t a lot, not little. She didn''t want anything in return which further put some suspicions in Murai''s mind. He could live with that for now.


    If worse will happen, he could always use his mana to push himself away and escape. Where? How? That wasn''t under his plan. It was a hopeful claim that he would rather forget. He wasn''t sure about Lazar''s ideas, nor if he would be able to do much in the outside world that would no longer stop from bearing its fangs at him.


    It wasn''t probably a good idea to think too pessimistically.


    Considering his wounds, unless he had a helper, which he had, it would be a terrible mistake. Iris had no intention of anything else but getting him back to a healthy state, and that was it. After a week, Murai will be back on his own journey, and that was all to it.


    After having this simple confirmation, Iris gave him some corner of her room which was well hidden from the door. Piling many pillows to make a bed, she put Murai in a resting place.


    At that corner, Murai sighed, feeling that his simple agreement came too quickly.


    Well... this has been something. Injuries in this body weren''t a good thing to have at all but not like it was something I could''ve stopped, was it? Razmund did it, so screw my luck, I suppose. He complained inside his mind, laying in his little cozy corner.


    That was a good thing but a week was a long time for him. After all, there was a big issue. He was supposed to have enough prowess to go against God''s Trial in 99 days, and there was also an issue with the Punishment Acts along with his Major Task, and the other one with the 10 Demonic foes.


    He feared the punishment to some extent, thinking it was created to stir further problems and make Blessed''s life worse.


    Yet, there was something more pressing to him than that. He lost his bag filled with treasures and injuries littered his body. Only one of these things truly bothered him at the moment.


    His rewards! Those that he shed blood for and fought for? His spatial bag included absolutely everything from the Somalis Dungeon that he worked hard for.


    Having it stolen from him was of utmost disgrace for him and he cursed Razmund more at that fact than his beating. It was enough that he was quite angry at himself, and not much at his unlucky circumstance of ending up in the Centralis Kingdom.


    He didn''t even think much of his own injuries, which were a terrible thing to consider.


    Murai''s first thoughts in this position were simple.


    How to regain the strength which he needed for the future? He needed to shoot past the limits and ignore the injuries that will need time to heal.


    Murai realized that even with that healing, it wasn''t infinite nor was it an encompassing ability to end up resurrecting the dead.


    His case wasn''t good, so 1 week to get his bones intact already sounded way too good. Now, the real problem was, how to get powerful in such a situation where he can''t walk, or do anything.


    Mana? He thought of asking Iris if he may practice something, but he feared being discovered by anyone involved with the Falconers. Lazar was the prime example of that.


    Murai had an idea of getting more progress over his magic since it was easiest, and something that was possible. Figuring more Shaping was a perfect choice to do in his circumstances since he didn''t have to move a finger for this sort of training. #


    Considering the issues of the Battleworld''s system, the magic was something that acted within it too, but to a lesser degree. Mana was encompassing energy, so one can handle it without involving oneself with the Battleworld itself.


    Though, if the world decided to involve oneself with the one willing the mana? That was precisely Murai''s situation and the situation of many others.


    One can improve magic, and in return, the World will give it meaningful values or potential rewards. That was the general view of how magic and the Will of the Battleworld acted.


    He needed some time to get accustomed to his affinities, create, or come up with any spells on his own. That may change at any time unless he wouldn''t have too pressing issues, which he hopefully won''t have.


    In this way, Mana Tomes would help, but they weren''t almighty. One can create their own feelings over the spells themselves, and Murai wielded countless variants and spells in his head. If anything, his Cursed living made him average of countless of them, along with many Paths.


    Well, there seemed to be some things to take care of firsts.


    Things like mana javelins, or that sun that Murai used against the 1st Trial of the Somalis Dungeon were good examples of simply constructing the nature of the Shaping into a distinct appearance of spells. They did require proper imagination and Shaping and did seem like a spell already.


    That was the example of Shaping the mana without Battleworld''s interventions into the appearance of a spell, and how a mage would form magic outside of this World. It was from within, rather than using something outside Factror like this Will of the Battleworld. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He used them because he was well familiar with them and his Shaping was more than enough for them.


    As for the more complex things to do, he needed training, comprehension, and gain control over his Beast Core.


    Unfortunately, everything involved time, and time was a peculiar thing that the World may not gift him.

 Chapter 56: Alchemy - A source of wonders

    Caring, and thinking about his choices, Murai didn''t know when, but he fell asleep, exhausted and out of his wits. Perhaps it was because his body was over the physical limits a long time ago, or build-up fatigue was too high?


    Either way, it was a good time to rest up and even someone like him had to do that.


    Healed outer wounds didn''t change the issue as a whole. He went through a lot in the past few days. Since the time upon entry to the Somalis Dungeon, he has been going nonstop forward and had very little time to recollect himself. He focused on getting back to the surface and he got it, but in what way?


    Standing close to her table, Iris noticed an unmoving Murai laying back in her room. She was a bit hesitant to go closer, fearing he would wake up. She even had an intrusive thought to touch, pat, or pet him. Though, she wasn''t one to invade personal spaces, if the situation called for that, of course. Maybe she could touch him? Pinch him to see those intriguing feathers? Get... Nah.


    There was not much appeal in appreciating the demonic beats. That''s the job for others, and she was quite a different kind of person that wouldn''t get close to such beasts. Pacing back and forth in her room, her mind was full of thoughts and questions about what to do.


    A plan. She needed a proper one to do what she can do.


    She had a Blessed in her room and one of the kinds she thought she would never see, let alone meet and speak to. It was a skeptical situation, which made her frowning expression at sleeping Murai that much more complicated. At least there were no ill intentions in her gaze, and if Murai was awake, he would come to that conclusion as well.


    Spanking her palms together, she looked out of the only window she had in the room. ¡°Oh, Lady Vermillion! Bless my luck and patience on this one... You heard my call, so maybe I am meant to help this duck? I... I wonder whose Blessed this being is, but I shall work with what is deemed good, worthy, and purposeful, is that right?¡± She talked out loud, not really caring if her Lady heard her or not. Nothing happened.


    This little prayer served one purpose. That was for her to calm down since she had a job to do. A job that she wanted to do long before Murai came to this room, albeit it became a secondary interest.


    The reason she tasked Timmy with getting water included it. Tonight was an excellent moonlight, making it the best time for the Alchemy so she wanted to do it. It was part of her Alchemic training, as well as potioneering task given to her by Vermillion Church. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alchemy began at her table, littered with runes, and magical elements. It was the very same table Murai spend some time on, and thankfully, he didn''t damage it to make it unusable. It was only a bit filthy from blood, while some cracks didn''t destroy it. Blood was nothing that a simple swipe of cloth couldn''t solve.


    A clear workspace was a start, so she carefully placed everything that she needed to start the Alchemy on the table. All sorts of runes were at its surface, mainly focusing on the very middle of the table. She made them herself for her hopeful training, creating the best conductor for mana for her current needs. She could buy something better, but she didn''t have the capital to do that.


    Tonight, it was her regular time. Nothing fancy. Just making healing potions that would sell in a day. Those were general supplementary potions that were always in need. It can increase the effectiveness of vitality, and heal wounds, as their name implied. Though, the degree of effective healing depended on the grade of the potion. ]


    Iris couldn''t conduct anything better than the low grades since she was still learning.


    In the middle of her table, there were 3 circular and flat stones. Around them were densely packed runes, which made them the center of the table, and the main focus where the Alchemy will take place.


    Each stone wasn''t that large. At 10 centimeters wide, each had a different color, indicating they were of different origins, densities, and kinds. They were around the circular rune formation, making it more triangular since they weren''t exactly round. They were rougher than they should be. Probably because Iris couldn''t afford better ones.


    It resembled witchcraft and a summoning platform in a poor sense, but it was far from it.


    The runes represented a vast history of countless years. Many ancient mages formed and understood laws, intercepting their acts of mana as blessings to be used. A lot of magical things appeared since then. From creating unique mana-based languages, and symbols to go along with them, to many Paths, and powers that used runes as their priority.


    The runes were in principle, the flow of mana made of those truths. They acted in their own principles according to the formations, intent, and purpose, but it was a bit more magical than that. Mana seemed to have all sorts of encompassing effects as if it was alive. Past proved that. Presence used that, and the future will cherish both of them.


    The mage, be it Shaper or Handler could partake in these effects, and use their fundamentals as their rules.


    Iris knew about them, and using them was a matter of experience. Since she was inclined to become a decent priest, it was no surprise that she was quite hopeful. Getting proper recognition from the Vermillion Church shouldn''t be easy, so had to try her best.


    It was for her good, and hopefully, Timmy will have a good life because of it. Though, he was still too young to understand what it can take. It was a part that Iris, as an older sister, had to follow.


    These 3 stones will do for now. Another main ingredient for the alchemy was a pot. Iris took one underneath the table, struggling with its weight as she put it onto the 3 stones. The pot was a circular, stone-looking bowl that rested on the 3 stones. It was hefty in mass, making it a good heat conductor, as well as dense, and robust to take the heat and mana.


    All 3 flat stones were making sure there was a good source of conduction for mana, as this wasn''t any ordinary pot. Runes would follow her steps, as she will wield the mana to work with the formation of the table, thus enchanting the effect of the 3 stones touching the pot.


    Sounded simple?


    It was hard to conduct any alchemy for an extended period of time. Mistakes can happen, explosions could put one in danger, and harmful liquids from the pot could leak out, endangering the mage and the environment.


    The pot itself was made from Lazui Marble. It was a type of stone filled with small, crystallized magic stones of decent quality for beginner mages. Iris was exactly that. A hopeful aspiring mage to be a good Alchemist and Priestess alike. It went hand in hand, as Vermillion Church had a hefty amount of Alchemical knowledge and she had a knack for this sort of work. According to her master, to say the least.


    It was a no-brainer for her to go along with the wishes of her master. All she had to do was work diligently, and not make mistakes. It worked, sometimes. Sometimes not too much, which in turn, made her life quite miserable and poor.


    Everything was ready.


    The pot, runes, and stones. Her mind? A little. She still had Murai at the side of her mind, wondering if she should be doing this at all.


    Sitting in her chair, Iris started the alchemy by pouring the water from the bucket into the pot. It was normal water without anything strange, but when she will be finished, it will be a few dozen low-grade healing potions.


    She filled the pot with around 3 liters, which wasn''t a lot, nor too little. Pot still had some space for other ingredients, in order to start the true process of alchemy. That was to act and make the runes flicker, and work with mana.


    Another thing was, unsurprisingly, the materials. The mana in itself won''t make a healing potion. The kind of mana that would do that would have to have a unique place to grow in and affinity to it. A person could also affect them, while the setting was most common. In almost common materials, they would never become something higher. Specialized equipment and crafting led up to alchemy.


    Placing the bucket under the table, Iris put her palms on top of the table''s runes. It was her own work, so she was familiar with this more than a formation one could buy. It was an ordinary rune formation to make mana flow in an orderly fashion, which made alchemy work. Iris didn''t make this rune set in her mind, of course. She used knowledge and texts she learned from books that the church provided.


    That was enough for her, and after more than half a year, she succeeded in her first set of runes. Her success was passable, making her quite happy back then and her master proud.


    The purpose of this ordinary rune formation was to charge it up, turn it hotter and influence the pot in the very middle through those 3 metallic stones, that looked like stone but weren''t made of stone. They held some residual elemental magic and were made of certain mana ores instead. Iris didn''t even know which ones she had. They only served a limited purpose, so she didn''t seem to be too curious about them.


    A mage should use their mana carefully, and all ingredients will get slowly nurtured inside the pot. The amount of mana coming from the runes and their stability played an important part in the alchemy. It wasn''t necessarily about temperature or heat as one would think.


    What went along the alchemy was an intricate mixture of everything magical. From control of mana, runes, and knowledge of materials and how to conduct the liquid. It was a part of the experience, and part of a large amount of failures in order to succeed.


    Iris was already at the stage of getting familiar with these processes since she started this when she was 15. Having those experiences wasn''t really enough to make something extraordinary but it was enough for her to reach the beginner level. Including her level and age, she wasn''t bad, or great. Only hard work would make up for the differences and that was what she always hoped for.


    She had no need to seek out extraordinary levels or abilities. After all, almost all priests of Vermillion Church were, most often than not, Gifted in status by their Lady.


    This time, Iris didn''t call or uttered any words for her Lady. She will control the surrounding mana so that only luck could grant her wishes or her own ability.


    A good enough perception or talent was needed for that. She had both of those, and all of them were for the alchemy. Mana started to seep out of her hand, and around herself. A wave of bright particles began to follow the runes, and lines of text toward the 3 flat metals, which began to shake. The trembles turned to steam, which in turn, provided hotness in a well-controlled state.


    It wasn''t anything strange, but the light of glowing azure mana and her focused eyes made it quite intriguing. Even Murai would want to watch it since he hasn''t done a thing with alchemy in quite some New Beginnings.


    In a couple of dozen seconds, the pot shook a little, and the water began to glow and change. It was becoming a Celestial Pool itself but at a much smaller scale. This was the first step.


    Purification of the water with a steady flow of heat and combustion of mana particles to fuel up the formation and pot.


    That was at least how books that Iris read worded this part. In actual practice, it was simpler. The water went with waves of mana, turning to a base form that could take the following ingredients a bit easier.


    With that done, Iris picked the ingredients for the healing potion. They didn''t wary a lot from her grade of efficiency and power. There were 2 types of flowers, 1 half of Pachito fruit, and 1 pinch of Armandia Crystal dust. Neither of the Ingredient was more than Grade E and could be a few gold coins per 100 grams. Of course, flowers weren''t heavy, so their worth was subject to their physicality. Those could be petals or the flower as a whole.


    ¡°Calm, Iris. Remain calm.¡± She whispered to herself. ¡°First comes the Pure Tulip. Its essence will help ease the flowing mana. Then, the motion and body of Rising Grassroots will increase the richness of the water. Pounding the Pachito fruit to paste, and adding the low-grade dust next will be about it, but I need to be considerate of the amounts. As usual.¡± Iris talked out loud as if she wanted to self-assure herself.


    In fact, she knew more than enough about what to do, since this wasn''t her first time making a healing potion out of these materials. Every success would guarantee some reward, so she always did this when conducting potions.


    This situation of her, wanting to do the alchemy was part of her own willingness and part of Vermillion''s church influence. As with the majority of mages who conducted the alchemy, they didn''t consume them but sold them instead. In a sense, Vermilion church was getting a future Alchemist and profit.


    Iris didn''t think of this badly. In a sense, it was a small mission for her, because she sold goods and it provided her with some income. She purchased these materials in the church, in exchange for a discount and the ability to sell them on the church''s market, or to someone from the church. It usually depended on other things. Such as apprenticeship, and the status of the mage. Iris had a good master, so her selling was done privately.


    There weren''t only priests at the church. A whole lot of people always needed healing potions, and they were most common to seek. If they came from some church, or outside, it didn''t matter. A potion was a potion, after all, and they were made to be used.


    Any church in the name of some god had its own kind of forces. The Vermillion Church had few battle legions, but the vision of their beliefs was different and not bad as some other churches.


    Their priesthood was at least more influential than their military department since it benefited Lady Vermillion much more. Those military departments could always buy any kind of potion, and work behind the scenes to support her desires.


    Iris was relatively new to these settings, but she didn''t think she needed to get closer to anything. She was yet to live in the church, so it provided her with a lot of freedom and choices. It was because she was yet to become a fully acknowledged priestess, but there could only be benefits to becoming one, regardless of some losses. Iris liked her current training too well. Yet, she was also hoping to achieve something in her life. And that... That won''t happen in this house.


    Relaxing her furrowing brows, Iris started to recite certain incantations. Her necklace flowed up in the air, jolting surrounding mana in a small lighting storm. It swayed her hair up and flickered her clothes as if gravity was getting strange. She wanted to make sure of her worth, and this little necklace was still a magic tool. It eased her Handler status, and mana always flowed better under this action.


    Soon enough, the pot began to glow in a different light after Iris placed one ingredient into the pot after the other.


    The liquid started to sizzle, freeze, and boil at the same time. In the end, the boiling was the strongest, which then turned to steam so deep, the liquid was no longer visible yet the steam didn''t rise too far. Bubbles and rising mana particles were visible on the surface. It was producing something, working on some rules under Iris''s steady control. Runes never began to falter under her vision, and her hands were steady on the table, touching the runes.


    Seeing the change with her glowing eyes, she noticed a steadiness in the boiling. The pot was also stabilized, allowing her to put both hands around the pot, so she could lift it up. Her hands, protected by the glow of mana, didn''t hurt.


    Iris didn''t find it hot, but quite heavy.


    She never got used to this last part that she learned from that book. Whether it was needed or not, she wasn''t sure, but it worked for her. Somehow...


    As if a blessing was put towards the pot, Iris kept reciting some words, while the mana flickered around the pot. Inside was a storm made of many kinds of colors, flickering veins, and stripes of energy. Each ingredient was there for a purpose. Mana itself was a form to put them into a specific product under many rules of magic. That was to change all of this storm to a basic structure ~ as if forming a spell, but not really.


    This was what the alchemy was about.


    Calling it Forced Constructing wouldn''t be that wrong. At least according to Murai''s opinion, if he saw this.


    After a few dozen seconds of holding the pot, she put it back down after she was sure everything felt right. Steam was no longer coming up, and instead of it, the liquid turned clear, with a tinge of redness and a colorful parade of mana-swaying particles.


    From this moment forth, the liquid changed. It will be capable of treating injuries, enchanting vitality to a certain extent, and temporarily putting the pain away.


    Looking inside the pot, Iris nodded in a self-confident manner. This batch turned out fine, after all.


    One could still fail from time to time, leaving one dissatisfied afterward. Or even angry, and so upset, one would smash things up if one used more valuable ingredients.


    ¡°It''s about 35% lesser in mass, so it should be about 20 portions. 22... 23?¡± She speculated, calculating how many containers she needed for this liquid. From a wooden chest, well hidden under the table, she pulled various glass bottles of all shapes and sizes. The box was quite large, with hundreds of them. It was her whole stash of purchased vials, bottles, and storage for the potions. The more one would buy, the more cheaper they would get, so she bought a lot. It cost her a fortune. Almost a month of her income.


    They were ordinary in appearance, yet a few mouthfuls of the liquid inside wasn''t.


    She took a tall-looking yet thin bottle to her hand, and shoved it into the pot, filling it to the brim with this nectar of health. This bottle in particular had about a mouthful of the liquid, making it a one-time use. Those were the most popular and easiest to sell.


    Iris did the same for the rest and used the same-sized bottles as the 1st one. The healing potion was usually like this, yet she used 26 bottles in total which was more than usual. Each could be worth about a few gold coins. More if the demand was higher as the market can fluctuate because of various things. A war put demand higher, or various availability of materials could create a shortage.


    Though, neither of these things was up for Iris to care about. She was just happy to have this sort of experience. This batch will do for now, but it was yet to be over for them since there was one thing intricate enough to improve them. Something unique that she can do, which was something no ordinary mage can do.


    That was to see if she could enchant each bottle as a priestess.


    Sighing, she took the first bottle into her hands. At this point, almost all mana fluctuations from the runes, stones, or pot were gone. Everything turned to normal, as it should.


    However, Iris wasn''t over with the alchemy. The mana around her hands prevailed, and so did the swaying light around her necklace. One hand clutched the necklace and the other held the bottle.


    I heed, no one.


    Just thyself and this world.


    Mana surrounded by a chasm of lives, trees, and countless lives.


    She recited some words, turning her full attention to the enchanting. She was feeling the mana with her body, guiding it onto the bottle itself. She was basically making herself a strange rune, enchanting the bottle through her own body by demanding the connection to her necklace as a blessing. She remained talking and even repeated some of the sentences.


    It took barely a minute until mana around her surged to her right hand, and enveloped the bottle for a couple of seconds before disappearing.


    Iris shook her head, seeing that enchantment didn''t give this bottle anything worthy. It could be some enchanted effects, blessing, or improving its quality or grade, but she rarely succeeded. Some batches often went without any successful enchantments. At that moment, it would be too bad, but not the worst.


    Enchanted potions will have increased effectiveness of the healing by some percentages, or have strange property that wasn''t up to her. In a sense, this process of guiding the mana onto the already-made potion was quite random, and she was blessing it through Vermillion''s gift.


    One couldn''t force anything, and through countless types of research, many mages tried to seek the reason why it all worked the way it did. Part of it was god, but it wasn''t always part of the Enchanting. More ridiculous and talented mages could guide the mana on the potions, and enchant them by their own powers. There would be no need for some god.


    The reasons were the following: the mana will make up the decision of the enchantment, which in itself, flabbergasted some mages.


    After all, for mana to decide on itself was a ridiculous claim, but as with many mysteries in the world, it was one of many mysteries. Iris was aware of this since the topic of enchanting was old, and figured long time ago. Research of today''s age didn''t give it any clearer light. It was just a mysterious thing, and whether it was important to know such secrets, was up to the individuals.


    Iris didn''t care for any answer. She just hoped that this mysterious rule of mana will take some pity on her, and gift her some enchantments, while her gift will add more success. The potions will sell for much more if the enchantment will be good enough. Sometimes, they could triple in value, or more, but never become waste.


    Following one bottle after the other, she ended up with a couple of successes indeed. Success was a clear glow and changed liquid. It led to a slight change in the color of the liquid inside. Sometimes they will become clearer, denser, or completely different, yet with generally the same effects as what the potion can offer. For example, a healing potion can''t become a strength potion. It would be straight-up transformative, fundamentally going against the principles of the alchemy itself.


    What Iris ended up with were numerous common enchantments that piqued her interest and the couple she didn''t manage to guess. The ones she recognized increased the effectiveness of the healing by dozens of percent, as she could tell from their more vivid appearances.


    ¡°Well, this was free work. I just used more mana so I am more tired, but I got some gold out of this. Hm...¡± she told to herself, nodding upon seeing many bottles on the table. Each stood on its own, and a couple even radiated a growing and vivid aura. ¡°What... What if sir Murai drinks these?¡± She suddenly got an idea, glancing at the brightest one. She knew they weren''t as effective as her own healing abilities, but this one could be a bit different. This one had swirling lines of crimson life force and appeared different.


    The example of an enchanted healing potion was simple. An open wound on the chest could be healed with enough potion, directly to the wound. One could also digest it, gulping it down for internal effects. Use in conjunction with other potions was also possible, and so on. Only the imagination was the poor man''s fault or excuse. They would never have any wrong or harmful effects.


    Feeling the end of her play, and her energy running low, Iris dismissed the idea of making Murai a test rat. She rather went to sleep, hoping the next day would be fine. She had no need to worry about Murai since he was also sleeping, or so she thought.


    At the moment, Murai was indeed sleeping, but his conscious mind was in the shambles of various storms. Past, or present, it didn''t matter. Certain nightmares still followed him behind.


    Everywhere, unchanged, or stronger.

 Chapter 57: New journey

    Little by little, the night was flying away, disappearing into rivers of everflowing time.


    Murai kept resting his body by sleeping, but not until the morning.


    His awareness woke up in drowsiness and confusion, eyeing the power of the mind. He woke up in his soul space for some reason.


    He was alone, apart from still sleeping Lisa, whose figure was wavy like a flowing River of Manaflow, shrouding her ghostly body. He wasn''t thinking much of her, or what was going on with her figure. He paid little attention to it, or perhaps his drowsiness was the cause for his disinterest?


    Either way, his mind seemed to be calm and through this vision, he wondered what to do. A time in the soul space was always calm, unless it was about to be destroyed, which wasn''t the case any longer. Thankfully.


    This is a new sense of living... I almost died. Time is always up against my back and my efforts can''t be all to this world... It''s... unlike a free land, unimportant to the gods. Why have I ended up in a place that is opposite to that? A world that is a big pile of toys that those fuckers use as they wish? I need to figure out the past that Rudolf must know. Right... He was good at understanding things better. His... His tome is gone though, so what if there would be others like him? Figures that fought for something meaningful and clutched their fate with their own hands? He wondered, hopeful it could be the case.


    In a sense, he didn''t realize he was basically speaking about himself, since he was pretty much like Rudolf: a person who experienced a lot, but held a much vaster amount of lifespan.


    Murai deemed himself as sufficiently adept to think of that past, yet it was already long gone, shattered in the past that no longer existed. This Rudolf may be different. His past with him was like that too and thinking of a goal that was plausible to use to his advantage should help. Still, a meeting with an old friend after a long time apart could be quite interesting, he suspected.


    Murai always had an intriguing living. Either he was a fiend, or he focused on getting power way too much. Sometimes it was both. That was what he had always been, is, and will be.


    Alas, the current situation in this life was unexpected and different from the past. It was strangely malicious and forced a lot of messed up premises upon him. The possibilities of different magnitude and meanings caused his despair and even if he was holding a perspective on the road to power that few ever knew, there were limits almost everywhere.


    Power was always important since it was the easiest answer to clutch one''s destiny and move against one''s worries. Sometimes, having to rely on someone else could help a lot. It was almost as important as having plenty of options to work with one''s talent, powers, and skills.


    Right.


    Murai will get some help, and while he will be at it, he will have more time to focus on other things that he needed.


    His wonders, worries, and motivation were steadily approaching the new day and he could only wonder what will happen.


    Iris slept by herself without worrying about the demonic beast in her close proximity.


    Murai couldn''t help to think of Iris as honestly naive, but very trustworthy from what he had seen and felt about her. Regardless of her priesthood, he didn''t mind helping her in any way and it did seem he will have a chance to prove that.


    Focusing his awareness back to reality, outside of his soul space, the shimmering and vivid light came back to his eyes. Then, there was the real light beaming on his face. It was one of the suns that made the sky bright as usual, focusing on him from the only window in the room.


    Maybe he slept not that well, or not that long since he still felt fatigued and glued to the comfort of this bed. It was kind of strange to him to feel this way since he never felt humanity inside his heart. Perhaps he shouldn''t get too much into it, so his mood won''t shatter, and his day won''t be ruined. After all, he was getting comfortable with being a duck, or was this a rare comfort in the civilization that he lacked before?


    ¡°Hell NO!¡± Murai shouted in his mind, waking up his clarity upon a new day. The first thing he did was to check his body. What he noticed wasn''t good, nor terrible.


    As expected... The Vitality attributes give my body quite a lot of bliss, and Bloodrush was quite a significant hit to the quality of my life. Murai figured, feeling how his muscle squeezed in discomfort and bones twitched around his body in tries to reconnect and regenerate. Even the lowered Vitality provided him with some improvements since he was able to wake up. But it wasn''t worth a lot, and he quested its worth.


    From the moment he emerged from the egg, Vitality was always a key to moving forward: both figuratively and literary. Losing a huge chunk of it ended up as a necessary price, but it was a purchase he wasn''t willing to take again.


    Now, how to get it back though? I am getting a bunch of Vitality from some eating, while the levels up can give it some boost. I noticed that, and those boosts always feel like small jolts of power from somewhere. Hmmm. How strange, but... welcomed. Although this system feels stingy at times, it could go away at any time, meaning the gods made this somewhat balanced to a certain extent. For what? To their tastes... Shits. Clever bastards. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With those wonders, he tried to force his neck and upper body upward. His neck was better, but his wings and legs were more than broken. Nothing changed about them overnight, which was understandable.


    The view of the room entered his eyes. It was a nice morning, filled with bright sunlight. He also noticed a still-sleeping Iris on the bed and quite a few mana undulations from the table. Iris left her night work for all eyes to see since she had no need to be hiding that from anyone. Her uncle or his brother or sister knew about her Alchemy, while Murai was... a variable, to say the least.


    A while after he woke up, Iris also jolted up from the new day. Bright sunlight didn''t escape her eyes either.


    Yawning all that she could, she got up and began to change her clothes. She forgot there was another being in the room, much to her clumsy mind. She was half awake even from her, barely enough rest. Considering the things that happened last night, she was quite exhausted.


    Halfway through her exchange, she stopped, realizing that she wasn''t alone in the room. Both of them gave a questionable look to the other, making it a bit awkward for a moment.


    ¡°I... I forgot you are here...¡± She mumbled inaudibly and quickly changed herself without further care. It''s not like she should feel embarrassed, so with that done, she took the book, quill, and bottle with ink, before going straight to Murai''s bed.


    ¡°Alright...¡± She said indifferently. ¡°Good day to you. I hope you slept well, considering your injuries and my lackluster abilities. Some numbness or pain should have already returned since I healed a lot of external wounds, but the internal ones, not so much. Here.¡± She gave him the book from the last day to take notes.


    Murai Conjured some mana, Shaping it into threats to grab a quill to voice his wonder.


    He wrote.


    What did you expect? That I would chirm like a bird, and hop like a frog? I feel better, though, thanks to you to a vast degree.


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Iris mumbled, taking a seat on the ground. ¡°I expected nothing though, so with that said, do you want to go to the Vermillion Church? They aren''t afraid of the demonic beasts unless they would be ferocious monstrosities, or fairly dangerous. You may be at least one of that, but considering you are Blessed, you shouldn''t be stupid. Some priests would welcome you with wide open arms, unlike the majority of forces, so that may be your good luck. Vermillion isn''t against Blessed no matter the race or species. She can welcome anyone.¡± Iris stated the offer she talked about yesterday.


    Church? Vermillion... Hmm. Murai thought, remembering her offer.


    Going with her idea wasn''t that good, nor bad. It was mainly his choice that mattered since Iris''s willingness appeared to be honest. At least the little Murai knew about her and how his Soul Read allowed him to perceive her emotions.


    Soul Read wasn''t anything strange, good, or substantial. It was a kind of dull feeling that allowed him to perceive certain things about the souls in his surroundings, and up close. Nothing about it was at least some groundbreaking stuff, much to Murai''s disappointment when he got an ability about souls, They shouldn''t be anything normal. After all, a soul was a precious thing and one of the most mysterious things in the universe. It was what made a being a soul, rather than the soul, making up a being.


    The reason Murai got it was simple. His soul. His perception of the past and his Will made the threshold toward the Soul Read negligible, thus the Will of the Battleworl calculated it was worthy to gift it.


    Murai was able to perceive small hints of souls and emotions, but where would this end? Abilities can improve, he knew. Almost everything can.


    For now, it wasn''t anything overpowering, nor something he found useful for his actual tastes. It had no offensive powers. Apart from perceiving the souls from some distance and the feelings and emotions of other intelligent beings, there wasn''t much to it than that.


    Yet, since the abilities could get stronger, according to Murai''s idea, it could change into something insane. Like perceiving the souls so much, one could flood one''s senses, viewing it in the same matter as Appraisal without any burdens. That was his guess, but he didn''t know how right it was or wasn''t.


    In a sense, his Soul Read and Mana Detection were all surveillance abilities and neither of them was too powerful, nor broken. Even though his Mana Detection was higher than his own level, it didn''t mean it had some mildly impressive results when it was still in its first tier of evolution.


    Feeling the mana itself was almost up to every mage. Some mild feelings over the mana were common no matter if they were a Shaper or a Handler like Iris. It was always like that. Every world that Murai visited on the gargantuan River of Manaflow had this situation.


    Hearing her idea, Murai didn''t really consider it all that much. One thing was to know the immediate situation, and the other was acting according to, or against it. Aftermatch would usually involve some kind of decision, and Murai hadn''t had a lot of experience with such things. At least so far in this life.


    From the Devil Fox, whom he defeated promptly, to Rain, who he battled with his Will and soul. It was only a while ago since he put his mind to the art of magic, and everything inclined him to follow the suit of his past.


    Since he already had one thing he needed--the core--then he had no intentions of trying to walk some crazy paths. The world already gave him this blessing, while his body was a treasure to go along with it. It was as simple as that, even though he didn''t like to think about his body.


    Becoming a powerful Anatidae seemed to be a possibility. They may be quite a powerful sort of beast when it came to mana if they had this sort of thing, while Rain and Lisa mentioned them to be quite crazy beasts. Though, Murai was yet to become convinced of that fact.


    Sighting, Murai gave a simple nod as an answer. I may actually enjoy being a duck, but first things come first... My damned life! Hopefully, things won''t go bad in that church.


    Moving the quill with his intent, Murai also wrote a few messages as Iris noticed his approving nod.


    The sentences were the following, filling almost a whole page.


    I have some worries, so it''s up to your discretion to think of them, and I don''t want to trouble anyone. If you want me to come to the church, I don''t mind that idea any longer, but you should consider it with caution.


    Also, I am still a demonic beast in the Centralis Kingdom. A place that is fundamentally, quite a bad place for this sort of duck I am, you know?


    The second thing is, if your goodwill is honest, I am not one to be ungrateful. State 2 things that you wish or want to have, or know about and I will do my best to give or answer anything that you have in mind.


    Third. I am starving... Do you have any kind of nutritious bones, meat, or any kind of meal that I could eat?


    I need to get my Vitality running, or I don''t think a week will be enough for my recovery


    ¡°Oh? You want... I see.¡± Iris read the sentences and understood his issue. ¡°Don''t worry about me or you, sir Murai. I don''t seek anything from you, but for the sake of this pride of yours, I will consider those 2 things for the future. As for your worries, I won''t lose you from my sight, since I already accepted to get you back to your shape. That is all about it. As for your hunger, I will see what I can do, but I can''t offer much. This village isn''t anything poor, but neither it has an abundance of food. Meat is a luxury, but I may have a solution for your somewhere else... We will move towards it later when we move to the church. Is that alright?¡± she asked.


    Murai accepted her words with a simple nod. Both of them got what they wanted, and each came to their respective decisions. Iris wore a priest attire, consisting of a high-neck red robe, with a white scarf, and other white accents. As for how to act with Murai in a stealthy manner, that was a problem.


    After a few ideas, Iris went with a simple solution. A bucket will do since Murai would fit there easily. It shouldn''t pose many problems, since she usually used it to get some food or to buy alchemy resources from a nearby city.


    Grabbing Murai by his belly, Iris placed him on the bottom of the wooden bucket. It wasn''t the one that was used for the water, but another one that was bigger.


    After this, she put her potions in the bucket and covered them with a thick fabric cloth. Like this, Murai was nowhere to be seen, but his body ended up pressing agast dozens of bottles that added some weight. Though, he didn''t find it that uncomfortable for whatever reason.


    ¡°I am sorry if this will be a bit uncomfortable, but I will give you some air when we are away from the village,¡± Iris assured Murai, grabbing the bucket with some difficulty with both hands. It had a moving handle, allowing one to grab it one handle, but Iris wasn''t strong enough for that right now. She hugged it with one arm, placing her other palm on the bottom of the bucket to move better.


    It''s not like Murai can fly, or walk as he would like. Being carried away by someone else wasn''t a problem to him, but having someone cater to him in this matter was a bit strange to him.


    I swear to the seven hells, that I will never get myself into such a situation ever again. I swear it. He scowled in the bucket, unable to see anything but glowing bottles above his head. Iris also included her quill, ink, and her notebook.


    With everything done and prepared, she left the room, clutching the bucket with both hands in a nervous manner. The toughest thing was the very start. That was to leave this house, directly under Lazar''s watch.


    She planned to leave straight away, but the only place she could use to get out was the kitchen and living room. Neither of these rooms was large but both of them were connected. In the living room were cushioned chairs surrounding a simple table. A small library and some hunting trophies of some animals littered the walls too.


    The kitchen and the living room were part of the same room, and both Lazar and Timmy were already there, eating some bread and dried ham. It was cheap meat, which wasn''t all that nutritious, but enough for what they could afford and get in this village.


    As she feared and expected, Lazar was there so she walked inside.


    ¡°Good morning, Uncle Lazar, brother.¡± she calmly greeted them both, doing her best to remain calm and not do anything strange. She was hopeful Lazar wouldn''t get any wrong ideas about her bucket.


    ¡°Morning, Iris. Already prepared to go to the church? Isn''t it a bit early for that?¡± Lazar asked while Timmy remained eating, so he gave her a small wave of his hand instead.

 Chapter 58: City of Cinnar and Vermillion Church

    Iris looked at her uncle Lazar, ushering a forceful smile in his direction that she tried to make as natural as possible. It was a bit strange, considering she didn''t smile often, if at all. ¡°I have plenty of things to do as a priestess of Vermillion Church, and you have no issue with that, I think?¡±


    She didn''t have a particularly good relationship with her uncle, but with how everything went on, she had to rely on him for the sake of her brother, and partially for her sister Eliza. Iris couldn''t see her anywhere in the kitchen, deducing she was still sleeping or doing her own things behind Lazar''s back.


    It was the usual stuff, so she didn''t even consider her yesterday or in recent days, nor did she think much of her to ask her for help. It wasn''t worth the effort.


    Instead of worries, Iris thought of getting a meal for herself, but with Murai still in the bucket, she was skeptical. Lazar didn''t seem to be in a good mood either, as he eyed her in his frowning and morning mood. Iris could tell he was hiding some worry or frustration in his voice because of yesterday, and his face was the same.


    It was a good idea to get out of the house as soon as possible. In this way, only Timmy will be the sole undertaker of Lazar''s mood. Not her. Stepping towards the exit, Lazar finally noticed her suspicious behavior and a tinge of something else. Perhaps it was her smile that made him change.


    ¡°Why won''t you take a seat and have breakfast like usual? I doubt the church would force their priests to starve when working,¡± he said, pointing to the empty chair in front of him.


    ¡°I am not hungry,¡± Iris replied with her back facing sitting Lazar.


    ¡°Then why am I sensing something strange from your bucket? You don''t usually take it to the church. Shopping, sue. Especially this early in the day, it is strange. It also seems heavy how you hold it.¡± Lazar said, squinting his eyes to appear focused on something that shouldn''t be his worry. Once again, he was sticking his hands where they didn''t belong.


    Hearing his well-perceived worry, Iris clutched the bucket with her fingers, nervous. She had no choice but to turn around and figure something out.


    Walking to the table, she put the book, quill, and ink before Lazar and shoved her arm deep into the bucket. Lazar was watching Iris with some doubt, but he didn''t check the bucket himself. He trusted her, while he didn''t think of the possibility of her, having a demonic beast in her possession. That wasn''t something possible, and considered for a priestess, but who knew, it was precisely the case of a demonic beast in the bucket.


    Call it a joke of a world, but Iris didn''t place Murai wide open on the table. In fact, she pulled 2 Healing Potions from her last night''s endeavor.


    ¡°You probably sense this, Uncle.¡± Iris showed him the Healing Potions that glistered in mana particles. ¡°I bet you are nervous and too sensitive after what happened yesterday. I hope everything is fine with you so you don''t have to worry about me. I have a job to do, so I am going out early.¡± she readily said, finding the right excuses along the way.


    Without waiting for a reply, she stored everything back in the bucket without further ado and suspicions.


    ¡°You know about yesterday?¡± Lazar asked, raising his brows in further question. ¡°I thought you were away from the village,¡±


    ¡°I told her what happened back then. It was interesting and I saw it all, so I told her, Uncle,¡± Timmy replied since it was also a part of his problem. Timmy wasn''t stupid and noticed some tingling strangeness in the air around the way Iris acted. He couldn''t sense the strangeness of the mana, but he noticed that Iris was a bit nervous.


    Though, she was hiding it very well so he figured she was hiding something in that bucket. Maybe a demonic duck, or so he thought.


    ¡°I see...¡± Lazar sighed and massaged his temple with his thumb ¡°I didn''t think of that in this way. Anyway, take a meal at least... The church doesn''t provide you with much, but hopefully, your work will be generously rewarded with your efforts in alchemy.¡± Lazar dismissed his strange attitude, so he ignored his unnecessary suspicion. Timmy and Iris gave him good enough excuses.


    He knew what to expect from himself after what happened yesterday. In fact, he didn''t sleep that well at all, nor did he notice the acts of mana in Iris''s room. Alchemy was unfathomable, as far as he could tell.


    Through his insistence, Iris put some bread and ham in the bucket, telling a simple excuse that the market was better visited early, rather than later. So, Iris did what she could, leaving the room right from the main entrance which was barely a few meters away.


    Clutching the door''s handle outside, she looked at suns in the sky that warmed her face. They weren''t the brightest, nor were they strangers. 3 suns were visible in the sky, while 2 more will come beyond the horizon at a later day, indicating the start of the afternoon.


    Placing one hand down the bucket and the other clutching the handle, she walked the path that was leading outside of the village.


    The road towards the nearest city Cinnar won''t take that long.


    With firm steps and not many people around, Iris managed to go past a few villagers who remained living as if nothing happened. Some were still repairing the damages caused by Falconers, while the majority went with their day. Farming, trading, and so on went along their mundane lives.


    While some tried to greet her and asked her for some favors, Iris couldn''t help them. As a beginner priestess, she wasn''t the kind to accept everything, so after finding some excuses, she left the village.


    After a couple of minutes of hurried jogging, she stopped beside the forest path, littered with bushes and trees on each side. Before her was a well-kept road and not the kind of road one would expect from a small village.


    Putting her hands into the bucket she put to the ground, Iris revealed Murai''s head, so he would breathe better.


    ¡°S-sorry for this... I didn''t mean to take that long.¡± Iris said nervously, while Murai couldn''t help but hear all the things around her. He heard her nervousness through his Soul Read, and the exchange between Lazar and the villagers made him recognize how living went in this village. ¡°Don''t use mana for the time being... I am still suspicious of the people of the Centralis Kingdom. Since my former nation lost, the people began to change. Not for the better by the way!¡± She said the last word in agitation, hoping that no one will cross her paths.


    Murai knew the case of war could change anyone, and Centralis Kingdom seemed to be quite ridiculous at what they desired.


    So a bunch of powerful lunatics, who have Blessed statuses think of themselves as superior? It seems some assholes are trying to use these paws to clench some grudges, hoping to reach some sort of understanding by spending the lives of mortals and beasts alike. What a fucking joke. Murai sneered inside, but he still remained his mana in check. It wasn''t perfect but passable to let the mana forcefully remain in his core. It was like not breathing but with Beast Core instead.


    Murai forcefully kept his mana undulation as little as possible, clutching the Beast''s core like a bag of gold coins. Like that, he hoped none of these "strange" feelings Lisa and Iris talked about won''t appear too obvious.


    As he remained in this thing called training, Iris returned to her walk toward Cinnar.


    On her way to the city, she stopped behind some hunting spots, where were open trading shops beside the road. People traded coins or made barter with the hunters. In this manner, she purchased some food for Murai with some coins.


    ¡°Sorry if it''s not up to your standards¡± she whispered to the bucket and stored the meal deeper inside. Fortunately, there weren''t any mages or someone who would notice this demonic duck. ¡°You mentioned some bones, so I made a special request for a butcher to smash Red Board''s rib roast apart, bones included. I hope you will like it.¡±


    Murai didn''t think much of a reply. He rather clutched the paper bag with his beak, finding some meal for himself inside. It was passable, at worst. It wasn''t cooked, much to his dismay, yet he still forced his beak to rip it apart to eat.


    With that said Iris grabbed the bucket and continued her journey.


    Cinnar wasn''t the biggest city in this part of the Somalis continent, nor it was the kind to be called a village. Surrounding the city were tough stone walls of at least 10 meters in height. That was kind of tall, for not being a fortress city, nor a place for nobility.


    Cinnar had a few tens of thousands of permanent citizens, making it a big city in this region, but not the largest. In this place, a Vermillion Church had its main headquarters for some reason that Iris didn''t know. It was a bit remote city for a church of that size and might.


    For the lack of care for Murai''s worry, Iris once again put a cloth around the bucket, shoving him close. It wouldn''t be that long to reach the church anyway, so she did what she could, hoping the last hurdle of going inside wouldn''t become her last.


    That was, to walk past the entrance gates to Cinnar. Even though she bore priestess attire, she was still stopped by Centralis knights. They inquired her about something, pointed to the bucket, and questioned her. They had some familiarity with mana, so Iris did the same as she did with Lazar and showed them the potions. That shut them up since the priests of any church had much higher potions than them.


    She was glad nothing happened, so getting to the city was, thus, a bit stressful, but successful.


    The following journey was without hurdles, since there were so many people on the streets, no one would care for any random mana undulations. Most people cared for their own problems and businesses so they walked without any worries toward their goals.


    Iris was the same and soon enough, she reached the Vermillion Church.


    It was a big plot of land with a structure of just a couple, yet significant buildings. Tall, wide, and with quite nice architecture, they were the biggest in Cinnar. There were tall walls around the perimeter of this land, distinguishing it as a holy place. Still, one could see the majesty of the buildings with wide windows and a few towers up to 40 meters in height.


    Poking his head beyond the cloth, Murai couldn''t help but look at the building with various thoughts. This sort of place was a vessel for a god''s reputation. A place where they paid a fair amount of attention because they had to.


    It was fair he held some apprehension towards coming to this place. But he also trusted Iris and his own judgment that he needed some help.


    Am I stupid, or too naive? Disagreeing and remaining in that village was a possible way to... Nah. It was a possibility, but this is a gamble. I will take my chances with the church. Murai thought, hiding in the bucket.


    Iris voiced the matters in her own style, while I could live through this regardless of my choice. Gods are gods, while I am myself. Whatever the church has to offer, I may take my leave in some way... or die miserably. Sounds good to me, but since Vermillion seems neutral to straight-up righteous god, then it is fine. At least it is not some Chaos God. Those are some nasty fellows.


    Murai thought helplessly about his fate, hoping he got it straight with himself, even though it sounded a bit strange.


    Walking forward, Iris reached the main gates where the pair of old pries, wearing long robes in red color and white accents, stood.


    ¡°Good day to you, Mister Pitts, Mister Kurz.¡± She greeted the two with a small bow, while they nodded and let her in without a word.


    They weren''t the guardians of this place. They were a simple medium for people in need. Anyone who would come to the church would be able to get help because of these two old priests.


    With the last thing done, Iris noticed a poking beak out of the bucket.


    ¡°Where do you think are you poking your beak to, sir Murai?¡± She asked him, whispering and turning the bucket closer to her face.


    Murai looked away, faking his obviousness that he didn''t do anything wrong.


    ¡°Fine. We are here anyway, so it''s time to solve this trouble of yours. I wonder if it''s gonna work though.¡± Iris said and openly carried a duck in the bucket right toward the biggest building.


    It was a huge cathedral of dozens of meters in all sizes. It was a wide building made of glistering and smooth bricks with a couple of towers that stretched to the sky. It was longer than tall, with the ability to seat thousands of people for religious purposes in the main or secondary halls.


    Reaching the main open gate, Iris walked inside. It was rather early in the morning, so there weren''t many people, but all of the priests and personnel of the church were present.


    Though she was also included as a priest, her own standing wasn''t as official as most of the villagers, or her family knew.


    She was still a beginner, with not enough accomplishments down to her name. She was both young and inexperienced, yet hopeful to become a proper priest for her sake and her family''s. That was one of the reasons she became a student of one of the head priestesses of Vermillion Church. She was the one Iris wanted Murai to meet, and she was someone that can help him. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I have no time to have any discussion with you, sir Murai, so bear with me talking alone. I am about to introduce you to my teacher and master. A level 74 priestess that is with the Vermillion Church for almost 2 centuries. Do you have a problem with me, taking your problems to her? I know her for years, so I believe she will help you in the same manner as she helped me. There are no ulterior motives, I swear on her goodwill. Though your circumstances are vastly different than mine, so if you don''t want to, I won''t take you to her. What is it then? Nod if you agree.¡± Iris said, glancing at the bucket and saw Murai''s nodding confirmation.

 Chapter 59: Ceila of the 2nd Sun

    At that moment of Iris''s questionable gaze, Murai was also looking at other priests, focusing his Soul Read around him. He felt no present divinity in this place, unlike that cave in the Somalis Dungeon that made it quite strange. At least for now, he saw nothing wrong. A lot of priests had quite some feel to them and were bright, calm, and well-behaved.


    As one would expect, he through.


    Well, I am already here, so why does she even ask for my consent? Murai thought, glancing around and seeing the interiors of this cathedral.


    Her master is of level 74? There goes my life if it''s too bad of a decision.


    He confirmed her question with a simple nod, so Iris continue forward. She walked towards the open space of this cathedral, reaching a section that went to the side building. Iris didn''t see her teacher anywhere in this place, and she was hard to miss. She must be in her office that wasn''t in this cathedral.


    Vermillion Cathedral had another build-in section beside the humongous open preaching space. That was the side building meant for offices and other things. Though, unlike this open space, the doors, and stairs to the interiors were private and not as open. No common person from the Cinnar was allowed here unless they had a need for that, or a formal invitation or access.


    It was a place of focus and business, making each room special in its own purpose. In a sense, it was the main living space of the priests, mages, and everyone that worked for the Vermillion Church. With a lower ceiling and special places of interest, it was unlike the massive cathedral. There was even a large hospital on the lowest floor, making it readily available for the needs of the public if it would be needed.


    Other than that, there were also some military barracks, weaponry, a smithy, and all kinds of workshops. After all, the priests were all mages with their own need for knowledge, safety, and privacy. Such spaces were important for every religious church of every god.


    No matter if the god in question was fierce, or good in nature, a need for rules, and a system were always needed.


    Walking beside the wall with many doors, Iris reached the stair, walking up to the upper floor of this side building. There were more doors, indicating more interior spaces, such as offices for high-rank mages, and priests, or experimental or alchemical rooms.


    The one with deep bronze oak wood indicated a standing of a person behind the door. One of the 5 Grand Priests of the Vermillion Church. Ceila of the 2nd Sun.


    Knocking seven times, Iris waited for a response that never came. After a while the door opened by itself, revealing no one behind. Iris knew it was nothing strange, so she stepped forward and closed the door.


    The room was somewhat humble and minimalistic. It wasn''t small, but the ceiling was bigger than normal. It was at least thrice the size of her room, but the special person who was behind the worktable was no beginner priest. No. It was one of the stronger ones in her Class.


    ¡°Good morning to you, Iris.¡± A pleasant-sounding voice said. It carried goodwill, honesty, and calming nature. ¡°What makes you find me so early in the day?¡± Ceila asked, sounding quite young for her age. Her soothing, and gentle voice resonated within the room, and even Murai was momentarily lost in thoughts.


    Ceila remained with her back facing Iris, but after she asked her question, she turned around.


    She was a beauty to behold in every standard of that word. With a high, yet thin nose, tall legs, a tight waist, and somewhat of a worthy chest, she appeared as beautiful. She was wearing a smaller-sized robe than she should have, which wasn''t tight so she couldn''t breathe. It was revealing nothing of her body apart from her palms, head, and a bit of her neck. Her hair was of golden color, traveling behind her ears, toward her collarbones, and behind her back.


    ¡°T-that... is complicated. This.¡± Iris hesitated but decided to not speak of much nonsense before her. So, she put forth the bucket with Murai¡ªwho was glancing around with his head¡ªforward.


    ¡°A duck?¡± Ceila asked, questionably raising her right eyebrow.


    ¡°A duck,¡± Iris replied, still holding the bucket quite some distance away from her.


    ¡°What do you... mean? Oh? A duck? I see. I see. Interesting. It''s... strange duck. What makes you come here, Iris, or this duck before me is the one to seek me out?¡± Ceila asked with a glistening smile after pondering over her thoughts. A quick rundown of what this duck was, allowed her to discern some possibilities, but why come with answers when answers were before her?


    Iris surely knew what should be said.


    Murai clutched his beak, poking it out of the bucket for him to see the priest. Looking at the woman on the other side of the room, he turned out to be quite fascinated. It wasn''t a bad thing? She was a beauty, but what use did it have for the current him?


    Murai scowled inside, yet did nothing more than silently observe, hoping that Iris would explain the situation, rather than him.


    ¡°Master. I was the one to come here with him. Not him with me.¡± Iris explained herself.


    ¡°Him? Does this "him" has a name?¡± Ceila asked, walking towards Iris, and soon enough, she was towering over her by more than a meter in height.


    It wasn''t that Iris was small, but Ceila was too tall. She was at least 3 meters tall, which was the reasonable answer for the high ceiling, and taller utensils in this room. The table was higher than usual, and the chairs were as well. They were for her, so it made sense.


    ¡°I... I will explain this a bit better, but it will take some time...¡± Iris hesitated, placing the bucket on the table.


    ¡°Go on. I am all ears for meeting an Anatidae species in this sort of circumstance, this place, and age.¡±


    Ceila''s words surprised Iris a little, but then she knew who exactly was before her. Ceila was someone vast like the sky itself. A priestess that went through many holy wars under the name of greater power and the good of her Lady.


    ¡°It...¡± Iris hesitated, wincing around in nervousness. Ceila''s unwavering gaze made her a bit nervous, but she had to explain the situation. Otherwise, her whole journey would become useless. ¡°It is like this...¡±


    Iris went for a long stretch of clumsy explanation that almost took 10 whole minutes. Throughout this time, Ceila didn''t ask anything but observed Iris, and Murai at the table.


    ***


    ¡°... And that is the reason I am thinking of helping him. Is it wrong? Am I doing one enormous mistake with this... situation?¡± Iris asked at the end of her wordy exposition.


    Ceila frowned, letting out a mischievous smile at the end. ¡°No. It''s your own decision and your own fateful encounter. It is disregarding anything that that kingdom has, but it acts outside of the Will of our Lady. I agree with you, Iris.¡± she patted her head, feeling her hair, and giving her a praiseworthy smile.


    Iris clutched her hands and lowered her head to not see such a beautiful picture of her brightness. Her cheeks reddened upon this sight every damned time.


    ¡°T- thank you...¡± she mumbled, hesitant to say it out loud.


    ¡°That is only right thing to do, considering the matters of the Centralis Kingdom that this region is under...¡± Ceila said, remembering some unpleasant memories when she mentioned the Centralis Kingdom. ¡°As for this little beast in this bucket, Falconers went against it even though he is a Blessed? How come? If the one behind it was a captain, it was also a Blessed man, but for it to occur against this weak beginner? Suspicious. Didn''t Battleworld make something for you, or was it a punishment act? I wonder which was it...¡± She turned her attention to Murai by grabbing him directly to her huge palm.


    Like a small doggo, Ceila placed Murai carefully on top of her palm, so he wouldn''t be in any pain. It was so gentle, Murai thought silk strands of bliss wrapped around his body instead. He couldn''t defend against this. No. Perhaps he was even looking forward to this.


    ¡°M-master... sir Murai can''t voice anything, because he is a duck, so I used that instead.¡± Iris pointed to the table, where was the rest of the things she took from the bucket.


    ¡°A book? Quil? Do you know how to write?¡± Ceila asked Murai, who gave her a simple nod.


    ¡°Who are you? A child? A Blessed is more than this, but I guess you didn''t want to hurt Iris, which makes me glad... Good. Good duck.¡± Ceila said, patting Murai on the head and scratching his chin, creating shivers down his spine, and his tail started wiggling involuntarily.


    ¡°Alright, I will help you because I can and wish to seek Blessed in many circumstances. This one isn''t that bad. Consider it a courtesy against the Centralis Kingdom and my Lady.¡± she said, continuing to pat Murai without retracing her hand.


    After a couple of moments, she stopped and pointed with her point finger toward Murai''s small forehead. A beam of intent suddenly seeped out of her finger, traveling right into Murai''s mind.


    In a blink, Ceila forced herself her own Will towards Murai''s in a similar, yet different way as Rain did.


    ¡°Alright. Does it work?¡± Ceila''s voice echoed in Murai''s Soul Space. ¡°This is called an Inner Voice. I am speaking to you through the Will alone, which may be something strange to you, but it is something this world possesses. But... I fear you do have some... powers yourself, considering your soul is very powerful. Maybe even bigger, and stronger them mine, which makes me question you a bit more. Who are you, and why are you in such a predicament to seek this church out?¡± she talked straight to Murai''s soul, but not outside. It was as if she talked right before him, but she remained her pinky lips shut.


    Iris behind her heard nothing, but she noticed that Ceila was doing something to him so she waited for them to finish.


    ¡°Oh, so an Inner Voice? You are quite a lofty one, aren''t you?¡± Murai voiced these words in a similar matter to her, putting forth his Will into his Soul Space, which was where Inner Voice spoke to.


    It was almost the same way he talked to Rain, but at that time, it was a bit forceful, as if both of them tried to force each Will down, thus reaching some understanding without pushing one''s Wil around like a toy. This time, it was much more steady with a smaller disparity between the two speakers. Murai can tell that Ceila was countless times stronger than Rain. Her Will and soul were incredible but in no way stronger than his own.


    Back then against Rain, Murai was indeed powerful in terms of his soul, but he lacked many abilities and attributes. Since the fight against him, Murai became stronger, while his own powers evolved to another level.


    ¡°You may say so,¡± Ceila replied, her voice echoing around.


    ¡°To answer your question, everything that Iris said was true, but she left a couple of things behind the scenes since she doesn''t know everything. I am a simple Old Soul, or so I heard that word a lot.¡± Murai explained. ¡°Some folks are calling me like that, so I don''t question it all that much. There is also this Blessed thing, which is a bit annoying... It goes over my head so think of it as you wish, slave of a god.¡± Murai stated, calling Ceila one thing that she didn''t like.


    Frowning a little at the reality, which made her face strange and unnatural, Ceila changed back in a moment. ¡°I see... You are that kind of Blessed? Understandable, yet being a slave is nothing but an excuse in the eyes of chaos. You think everyone deserves freedom or wants one?¡± she asked with her Will, sending more powerful currents of power than before.


    Though, they did nothing but made Murai''s body shiver a little while doing absolutely nothing against his Will.


    ¡°I can feel your soul being squished by the divinity. So-called a nasty gift, I presume.¡± Murai guessed, feeling the pressure rising as he pushed his Will against hers. It made certain things unable to become hidden, while Celia herself was turning serious, irritated by Murai''s remarks but unquestionably shocked by his Will and Soul Space.


    ¡°Think of it as you wish, duck.¡± She said, giving up on her pressure. ¡°I am not here to let me question myself. I, for one, have no need to change the course of my fate. Your soul, on the other hand, is something else, so what do you want? Is Iris your future plaything?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then are you someone of those... who goes against what makes the gods rightful beings in the universe?¡±


    ¡°Rigthful? Universe? That is funny in so many forms that I can''t even fathom it. You seem to know a lot, for a god''s tool and slave,¡± Murai uttered, not one bit weaker than Ceila''s rising voice. She may have lessened her pressure, but her Will was pushing at him stronger than ever. She was unable to move Murai one bit, which she tried in a heated argument, so she retracted her turning anger back.


    She didn''t want to do anything wrong in front of her student, after all.


    Grunting all of a sudden, Ceila still held Murai in her single palm, but she felt like squishing him like a toy.


    It was...


    Something was calling for her.


    It was a call. A divine one. Her Lady was also angry inside of her, as her partial divinity within herself made it more than apparent. Any wrongdoings against her were infuriating her also.


    Ceila became impatient and irritated once more. She didn''t want to hear Murai''s words. His words of arrogance made her recall many things. ¡°You... State yourself... I don''t like running around a bush. Not now, against an Anatidae.¡± Ceila asked with obvious annoyance in her voice.


    She could more or less tell, that Murai was playing with her emotions the moment he forced his Will against hers. Or, maybe it was because he felt confident since he was stronger? She only guessed it was the case.


    Maybe he was harsher because of her words, which made this whole exchange a simple revelation of her true colors. That, or it was the Divinity that was something he was curious about? In this sense, Murai wasn''t sure what to think, since his Soul Read couldn''t perceive anything out of Ceila''s at all.


    No emotions, nor a bit of something went out of her, into his Soul Read.


    After all, this was his first time meeting someone very powerful in this life. Murai could guess that Rain was strong only because of their level differences. In actual fact, he was still level 54, which wasn''t a lot, but a lot against a level 0 seedling of any kind.


    On the other hand, Ceila was strong in all regards.


    There were no hideous secrets, unlike what Murai expected. He could perceive that Ceila was very righteous from her words, and not someone nasty. For a slave, that was.


    So, with questionable feelings running rampant in his heart, Murai came to a simple solution. He will stop playing with her and turn himself into a good duck.


    ¡°I am running around like a madman since I was born, to be fair. Hell, I wish I could continue running, but you see it yourself. My state of the body is poor since I pissed off some unpleasant fellas already. It''s funny, isn''t it? You may make fun of me too if you feel like it. I don''t mind.¡± Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Unlike yourself, I have no such intentions, Old Fart.¡± Ceila barked at him, unafraid to sound angry.


    ¡°Huh? That''s a new one.¡± Murai mumbled.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Simply put, I am "standing" before you because this charming girl named Iris wanted to help me because she felt like it. I agreed, in the goodwill of this Vermillion god she likes. I have no ulterior motives against your lady, so calm down with your hideous personality. I wanted to see your colors and that is all to my forceful words. I am sorry if it makes you a bit calmer or bitter.¡± Murai excused himself, sounding more humble, yet powerful at the same time.


    ¡°Your excuses make me less happy, but I can see some truth in you. Regardless of your less than pleasant motives behind your words and soul, I accept this as a Gifted.¡±


    ¡°Then I am glad and hopeful for this small opportunity and goodwill of your Lady.¡±


    ¡°Not so fast... I am still curious about something.¡± Ceila stated firmly. ¡°Who were you before coming here? Into this Battleworld... Your soul... It is a strange one. Calling it Old is an understatement.¡±


    ¡°You can tell?¡±


    ¡°I can, but you won''t... reveal it. I can tell that because you want something in return, don''t you?¡±


    ¡°Heh!¡± Murai sneered, almost laughing at her successful guess or powerful perception. ¡°Fine. Help me get to my health, and provide me with certain information depending on my question. That is my price, and I will let you look at my soul. Uninterrupted by myself, of course.¡± Murai offered a big pile of cake, which she couldn''t refuse at all.


    He couldn''t tell the reason for her curiosity, but it appeared that Ceila was fairly interested in the mysteries of the souls, or was it something about him in specific?


    As a mage, she should have some curiosity over many things, wanting to research any mysteries of this world and universe. That was an undeniable intent, and will of many mages, and Murai was one of them himself, so he can recognize one if he met one.

 Chapter 60: Ceilas intentions

    Murai felt like the price of this bargain, sounded way too cheap to his standards. Tough, what else he could negotiate with? This person before him was definitely a curious one, so he may use it to his advantage.


    ¡°Is it about Falconers or something is hidden that Iris didn''t know? Maybe it is something that Battleworld did to you, told you? Something that you aren''t even aware of?¡± Ceila asked, smiling in wonder.


    ¡°No idea. Don''t care.¡± Murai sent.


    ¡°Hmph... Fine, keep your secrets, since I will find them anyway. Just so you know, Lady Vermillion has no intentions of going against the God of Battle for the time being, so things may not become what you want. I can''t go against my Lady''s doctrine, nor her hidden intentions either. I can feel it within my soul. She is my Lady. A precious part of my fate.¡±


    ¡°You don''t say...¡± Murai sighed, telling it with a bored voice. ¡°I will decide the extent of my questions later. I will also voice my questions and request for information in a way that won''t collide with your doctrine. Is that fair?¡±


    ¡°Depends on your fairness, but it shouldn''t be an issue.¡±


    ¡°Shut up...¡± Murai mumbled. ¡°I am fair if it''s a kind of situation that requires it, which this is, such a situation.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. However, I won''t be one helping you. Iris will be enough with that, while I will do the finishing touch. Your bones are not simply broken but shattered in many pieces at their foundation. Iris didn''t notice it, so I presume someone tortured you instead? I wonder who would do this sort of thing, and who hurt him.¡±


    ¡°You will see that at our end of the deal,¡± Murai said, not budging with his Will.


    ¡°Alright... Let''s keep this connection going, while I will explain the situation to Iris. What will happen next will be part of her too. It''s not like I don''t want to help you... but...¡±


    ¡°Your lady is against it, isn''t she?¡± Murai asked.


    Ceila didn''t answer that, nor shook her head. Instead, she turned to Iris to voice the matters in her own way.


    ¡°I will allow the help to his Anatidae, but certain conditions require some work to make it possible. Our inner discussion worked out for a deal, so will you accept some responsibility, since you took him here? In return for some favor, of course. I won''t make things difficult for you, Iris. Nothing is free in the names of the doctrine under Lady Vermillion''s subjects.¡± Ceila said, but this time, clearly out loud with a gentle tone of her voice.


    Iris jerked her head, as she suddenly understood what was going on. They had some form of bonding conversation which went behind her senses or the mana itself. What did that mean? A simple thing. Murai was much stronger than she thought.


    ¡°So it is like that...¡± She mumbled. ¡°Was sir Murai rude to you or our Lady? I am sorry if that was the case.¡± Iris said openly. Maybe a bit too much, since Murai almost laughed out loud at such an honest and understandable question.


    Ceila rolled her eyes, sighing since she was strongly inclined to agree with all of her words. ¡°I am not fit... for this¡± she mumbled


    ¡°What do you mean, master?¡± Iris asked.


    ¡°Nothing. It is nothing bad. Thanks for interfering with this one''s fate. Think of this situation as a part of the Verm Trials.¡± Ceila said tapping Iris on her shoulder with one hand.


    ¡°Vem Trials?¡± Iris exclaimed, hoping to reach a full confirmation of her words.


    ¡°Exactly that trial. You are a fine piece already, so how about proper care put for yourself? Like becoming an Intermediate Priest in the next year, and reaching level 20 in a couple of months? There are so many things ahead, so why not continue trying? You can do what you could, and try what you should.¡± Ceila said, convincing Iris through her worlds alone.


    A shocked smile appeared on her face. ¡°I... What do I have to do? No... I can''t refuse this. Master knows that already. I can''t. Don''t wish to.¡± Iris dejectedly said, knowing full well this wasn''t a bad thing, but a huge opportunity instead.


    ¡°Good. You will do a simple thing. You will help Murai achieve his... request for a certain problem. It may be bigger than you think, but he is hesitant to reveal everything at the moment, so work with it as you can. Hopefully, he won''t mean you any harm, will he?¡± Ceila said, turning his face to Murai to coldly stare at his very soul.


    It put shivers down his spine in a different kind of way than before. After all, he was still on top of her palm, which put certain things into his perspective.


    He was like an insect, yet the insect was too lofty to be called an insect.


    Glancing at her with his Will and his real body, he gulped down his saliva in a forceful manner.


    Maybe I am way too arrogant. Should I change this drive of mine for the time being? Hell... This Vermillion god was aware of me, but she didn''t do anything apart from warning her subject. How peculiar... I guess this is something beyond me right now to worry about. For once, she should be able to hide even from my perception and soul, so I guess I shouldn''t feel this confident in her church. Right... Let''s be a bit cautious, for now.¡± Murai thought and considered his situation better than ever before.


    He was arrogant, but it was an arrogance put forth by his efforts and talent. He felt very rightfully confident in his abilities, and no one should take this attitude from him. Not even the dangers, pain, and injuries caused to his body.


    That was until the reality came upon him, hitting him with a situation that was too much for him to handle. It could also be described as being hit by reality, or a reality check, but that wasn''t important.


    He thought little of the bad past because that will always pass at some point in the far future. Even though he wasn''t in the right state of mind, he still hoped for a better future. Calling it stubbornness wasn''t wrong either while being physically fucked up at the moment wasn''t even an understatement. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The only piece of good news was he met Iris and Timmy.


    So if there would be something he could help them with, he wouldn''t hesitate even behind his wellbeing. A certain karma was already between them, or so Murai thought. That, or it should wait since he had no power to help others since he, himself, was beyond his own help.


    Murai watched Ceila''s gaze and shook his beak resolutely even though he was still within range of answering her with his Will.


    ¡°Good... I hope you will keep this up because the Wrath of a God, or its subjects is the least pleasant thing that you want, am I wrong?¡± Ceila stated the utmost truth through her Will, making sure that Murai understood everything. Unfortunately, he already pissed a god, but not some lofty followers.


    That was good, and Murai had no plans of changing that.


    Ceila gave him another deep look as if pondering over something. There were a lot of variables to care about. Particularly, the topic of this Anatidae was floating around her head, and considering the situation, it sounded fun. ¡°Now.¡± She suddenly said. ¡°Take a seat, Iris.¡± Ceila gestured, pointing towards a high chair in the corner.


    Iris followed, hoping to hear everything she could since the Verm Trials were already mentioned. It was one of the main roads of a proper Priesthood under Vermillion Church, leading to another level altogether.


    Vermillion Church had its proper training regime under Lady Vermillion. It was there mainly for their priests, while the knights and so on had a normal kind of training. On the other hand, the clergy, priests, and helpers directly under the source of the religion were a different story. They were much more important for Vermillion than one would expect.


    As for what Verm Trials were, it was something beyond what Iris currently was aware of. She only knew there were some prerequisites, requirements, and task one had to do to move forward in these Trials. In a way, they were hidden questions and requirements that the church had, and her Lady devised.


    While she sat down, Ceila placed Murai in the middle of the room. There was a big, circular table of 2 meters in diameter with a similar kind of setup as Iris''s special table.


    Unlike Iris''s homemade alchemy table, this one was an Enhanced Table, and not for alchemy alone. Mages used to perform all kinds of complicated experiments and work in a high-quality table such as this made it better. This one had stronger, and more intricate runes and details throughout its design. It went without saying since this was the office of a level 74 mage.


    Though, Ceila didn''t want to give anything to Murai, yet. Even though she would like to do something. For now, it was a normal table like any other.


    ¡°Let me ask something, ¡± she asked Iris.


    ¡°Please, do,¡± she replied, her eyes beaming with the light of excitement.


    ¡°What would you do to help him? Are you aware of the obliterated roots of his bones? It''s close to being an amputation, but it''s not too late for... some help.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She opened her mouth, letting out a flustered moan. ¡°It was that bad? I didn''t know.¡± she dejectedly said, since she was unable to perform a better kind of healing since her experiences were still a little.


    ¡°Don''t worry too much about it. No one blames you, since this sort of damage must have been done in a rather strange manner. Someone wanted to put everlasting damage to his bones. Only the kind of priest around level 40 would have enough magical power to perform immediate help, while level 30, would work their mana to the brink of instability to heal this over many hours. Neither of such situations is up to you, Iris. So, calm down. You did good with residual healing, stopping blood, and figuring out what to do next.¡± Ceila said, giving her a small glistering smile.


    ¡°I...¡± Iris clutched her fists, unable to come to terms with her idea of helping Murai according to Ceila. She was weak, as Murai too, was kind of weak in his own way. After all, he ended up this wounded, so what to think of that? He may talk to Ceila with Wills alone, but that didn''t mean a body can live without a Will.


    Everything was important. Body and health too.


    They weren''t that different in their feelings, but their context and overview of their emotions were vast as the sky itself.


    ¡°I am giving you a chance,¡± Ceila said. ¡°It''s a follow-up topic for a Blessed, so do you know what it means?¡± she said, brightly smiling back and forth at Murai and Iris.


    ¡°N-no? No. Do you mean like... a companionship? I have a family! My brother won''t forgive me for letting him live with my uncle without me.¡±


    ¡°No. No. I meant the other thing.¡± Ceila shook her head. ¡°You already learned about it, but it''s been a while.¡±


    ¡°Other? Other...¡± Iris fell silent, hoping to retrieve a lost memory of what she could possibly mean.


    Ceila wanted to force her to help Murai over a prolonged period of time, but for what? Or, to be precise, in what way? Being with a Blessed meant an opportunity. Battleworld opportunity?


    ¡°A Temporal Power Chain?¡± Iris asked, after remembering the thing that worked in a strange way regarding the system of the Blessed. In a way, it was similar to companionship but was less straining against the non-Blessed part. It still gets some benefits, but it wasn''t all that known and used very often.


    ¡°That is right. It''s unlike...¡±


    ¡°I don''t want that. Forcing this child upon me. I won''t allow that.¡± Murai suddenly jumped at their conversation, letting Ceila hear his refusal by his Will.


    ¡°Are you in place to refuse this help since you already asked for that? It''s too late for that.¡± She sent him back, unbothered by his attempts to remain without the god''s influence.


    ¡°Ugh... Why do you insist on doing this to this girl... Is this something to do with that necklace of hers, or is it about her?¡± Murai noted the thing, that Iris previously didn''t include in her talking for some reason. In fact, Iris skipped many details when she explained the situation regarding Murai and bringing him here.


    ¡°Necklace? What about that? Did you... Did she activate it?¡± Ceila asked, appearing more serious than before.


    ¡°Freaking gods... That is right. I guess she didn''t want to say that, but you forced that from me. Are you planning something with this girl, or is this something... beyond yourself... Or is the Will of your Lady that is speaking from you?¡±


    Ceila furrowed her brows and stopped being so bright. With her back against Iris, she stepped towards Murai once again, grabbing him with her palm.


    ¡°G-gentle, woman... That''s what she said. Heheheh.¡± Murai giggled, finding this situation weirdly familiar.


    Though, his previous words were nothing but his guest. He couldn''t feel anything strange going in with Ceila or Iris. Whatever it was, he wasn''t sure, but he could guess a couple of things. It was a hunch, that he couldn''t perceive, but he was damned sure he wanted to understand his current circumstances.


    Iris looked in shock at the sudden change. It appeared Murai was continuously bothering her master, so she had enough of them since a change occurred. Now, she had a task to work for. A situation as well as an opportunity that won''t come by itself for years.


    One had to have a talent and the approval of others to follow through the Verm Trials. The secondary thing was God''s Will, but she didn''t worry about that, since her feelings for her Lady were long formed within her heart.


    Getting from the chair, Iris hurried to Ceila to hold her hand that clutched Murai.


    ¡°P-please... Let''s calm this down, even though I don''t know what you are talking to each other about,¡± she said to the both of them, while neither of them changed their opinion and won''t back down just because she said so.

 Chapter 61: Hard pressing understanding

    Ceila was furious since the intent of what Mruai spoke was anything but pleasant. It was also clear that he believed it to be the truth, and it didn''t make her happy.


    It wasn''t a time to reject or force some of her ideas but she had all intentions to become calmer for the sake of the present situation.


    ¡°Is this how priests force things, master?¡± Iris said again, stepping closer to Ceila. ¡°Is this how it goes?¡± she insisted again, asking to let this go straight to her face.


    ¡°No. Certain things lead to certain problems, Iris. I am doing things that are meant to happen or should happen. While this may be a hurdle on the way toward your future, I am doing things according to the desires of our Lady. Are you willing to follow through the love of a god or not?¡± she stated, glancing at Iris with a strange light in her eyes.


    Iris was looking at her with a serious look, and for once, she wasn''t blushing like usual. Her words sounded a bit forceful, making her a bit hesitant.


    ¡°I want to be a good priest, master. That''s what I am hoping for in the future. Is that something that...¡± she hesitated, looking at the floor in fear. ¡°... is it impossible for Lady Vermillion to have some leeway? Is this something you don''t want me to be? Own thing?¡± Iris said, clutching her hands with both hands. ¡°She is watching... doesn''t she? Is Murai a bad person for you to be like that? I... I had no incentive to bring a bad person here, so why is this happening, sir Murai?¡±


    Then, Iris turned her face to Murai, who looked at her with some understanding, but it was clear that she didn''t know what she was doing or speaking about. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was clear that Iris was a bit confused and didn''t know what to tell.


    They were forcing something bad, or good onto her depending on someone''s opinion and context. It was posing serious issues to a certain someone though, and Murai wasn''t willing to do some mistakes.


    He was just a variable. A small part of a greater context that he entered. A questionable kind in the grand scheme involuntarily spread around him once more. Yet, he still forced himself between this inevitable blunder, so he should be also one to solve this and not wing it as usual.


    ¡°L-look... Ceila, or if I can call you that.¡± Murai said through his Will. ¡°I am not interested in your Lady''s problems, and neither I should be.¡±


    ¡°Then you should have been a good beast and swallowed some problems. Not be like this,¡± she said, sounding not one bit calmer.


    ¡°Alright. I get it. It was my mistake, but this girl helped me, and so did her brother. What If I will help her in my own way, while you will get what you want.¡± Murai offered her a solution after coming to a clear conclusion of not stirring any troubles.


    Sighting, Celia, jolted Iris''s hands away and placed Murai back on the table. ¡°I was under the impression that you are a bit too naive, Iris.¡±


    ¡°I may be clueless at some times, but I am still a priestess of Vermillion Church. I am already years in this place, so I know some things already.¡±


    ¡°Years?¡± Ceila said. ¡°I guess that is right. Time sure flies, and that is already a fine time that passed.¡±


    ¡°Yet nothing much happened to me, and this right there is my work.¡± Iris grabbed the bucket, placing its content on the table for Ceila to see.


    Many bottles of Healing Potions were on the table, seeping small mana out into the air. Few were enchanted, and others weren''t.


    Ceila put forth a light touch of Appraisal, meant for seeing the quality of such items, and was surprised by the information she got.


    ¡°This... Where? How long ago you started with Enchanting?¡± she asked with a small surprise in her eyes and voice.


    ¡°Year ago? Maybe longer, or less, but when I reached level 10 per your requests,¡± Iris said. ¡°And insisting words that you told me... to follow the alchemy.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Ceila nodded, grabbing a glowing potion that seemed Enchanted. ¡°A lot of potions. All of them are minor Healing Potions, but some are enchanted to effectiveness, while 4 have a form of rapid regeneration thanks to successful enchantment by mana and their vitality. What materials did you use? It shouldn''t be possible for them to have this property on your level.¡± Ceila asked.


    ¡°Just regular ingredients that I use every time,¡± Iris replied, unaware that something wasn''t as regular as usual. That was the water itself, which was mixed with Murai''s blood, but Iris didn''t remember or consider it to be an issue.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Ceila furrowed her brows, seeing Iris''s simple nod of confirmation. ¡°Then I suppose this is your luck. The Rapid Regeneration Enchantment makes their usage highly desired, making them at least 5 times as expensive as usual. Well done. I didn''t expect that.¡± she stated, patting Iris on her head.


    It was her habit that seemed to never change or stop. She couldn''t read the atmosphere where Iris was somewhat unhappy with what was happening.


    On the 3rd pat, Ceila understood what this was about so she pulled her hand behind her back. Perhaps she realized it by Iris''s silence and unflattered expression.


    ¡°You want your own path and decision to matter. No surprise there, but it''s not easy to follow that. I thought having a Blessed would help you with a chance to familiarize yourself with the Battleworld and your future. The current problems of seeing the world are still strong, but you are hesitant because of your brother. Am I right?¡±


    Iris nodded and let the bucket drop to the table.


    ¡°Then let this worry be the past.¡± Ceila smiled. ¡°Rikz from the Knights of Vermillion Order already informed me of his willingness to his training. It''s a unique circumstance, so starting young wasn''t something he found that bad, but my words pushed him a little. Though it will depend on your brother''s hard work to make it worth it, but you don''t have to worry about it.¡±


    Iris suddenly opened her mouth as wide as her eyes. ¡°What!? Are you telling the truth?¡±


    ¡°Have I ever lied to you, Iris?¡± she asked, obvious she could, but what did it matter?


    ¡°My brother will be with the knights... Is this...¡±


    ¡°A problem, or something you should be worried about?¡± Ceila said. ¡°Could be, depending on the context of your worry and the future. He will need your help with other problems than the ones you had so far. That''s how knights are, while you are a priest. Do you think you can support your brother? If so...¡±


    ¡°... nice blackmail you''ve got there,¡± Murai said through his Will, mocking her and her attempt to force Iris with a humongous offer. He couldn''t help it, much to his dismay.


    His remark caused Ceila to stop talking, causing her to be so inclined to slap this duck so hard, that his beak would separate into two halves. Clutching her fist behind her back, she almost did that, but she was faced with Iris, and her beaming face, so she had to do what she should.


    ¡°I will do it. Regardless of what I need to do for that.¡± Iris resolutely said, oblivious to Ceila''s problems. It was good being ignorant.


    ¡°What about sir Murai then? Will you come to a certain conclusion already or both of you aren''t finding the rightful trade?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn''t call it a trade, Iris,¡± Ceila said, sighing and shaking her head back to Murai. She gave him a meaningful glance as if she decided on something.


    ¡°Don''t look at me like that, Ceila... It seems you want this to be a trade, but I like favors the best.¡± Murai argued. ¡°My interest against yours seems like an interesting topic already, but having Iris see the word is rather interesting and a bit too specific of a topic. I wonder why are you like this, for this small girl that is yet to be something.¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Ceila uttered the two words, filled with killing intent, as well as the intent of a power.


    She was long on the brim of uncontrollably forcing her fist to his beak, so these two worlds were like fists, but they did nothing to him.


    ¡°Alright... How do you want this discussion to come to some conclusion? I feel we did nothing at all.¡±


    ¡°I fear we didn''t discuss what exactly this trade will be.¡±


    ¡°Because I hate trading in general, but whatever,¡± Murai said, not bothering with sounding arrogant. ¡°I want my health, you want something to do with this girl and myself. Reach some idea, or you may regret it.¡±


    ¡°Fine... I got some gist of you now...¡± Ceila sighed, coming to a certain conclusion. ¡°I have a last offer, so neither of us won''t regret this. If you are so mighty as your words and soul, I won''t be polite with anything either. Show me your memories first, and then I will decide how to treat you. If it''s going to be interesting enough, I won''t be polite by being generous. This church can afford it.¡±


    ¡°Is this your Will?¡± Murai asked curiously.


    ¡°Does it matter if it isn''t?¡±


    ¡°That is true. Fine. I will give you a small rundown of my soul first if you feel you can take my offer.¡± Murai decided on something that went against his rules, but this wasn''t a time to be stingy.


    In the past, he did such things a few times to win over certain people, and what made this different from them? Nothing much.


    For all that he knew, Ceila may have some form of God''s Will in herself, but not like it was that strange. She was still herself to a certain extent, but he couldn''t tell it with his Soul Read at all.


    It was intriguing, so Murai was more and more curious. Her persona or whole being could also be acting according to the will of Lady Vermillion and all of this that happened so far could be her Will.


    It shouldn''t be necessarily that bad. Even though his provocative words, ''''she'''' was willing to listen to him, which was good.


    That meant she had some troubles that allowed her to swallow whatever Murai''s words were. They could also be troubles that Murai could help her solve, or he would be of some use to this god.


    Both of these things were kind of interesting to him, apart from him, being put to her use, which wasn''t something he liked at all.


    ¡°Your offer is only to put you back to health, and provide you with certain information? Is that all, or are you hiding some secrets?¡± Ceila asked again, just to be sure.


    ¡°Like you? Nah. That is about it. I want my bones back in place, and my wings to be free to use. As for the information I mentioned, they include my problem, and how I ended up like this. It''s included in my memories, so if you feel Iris is too bad to follow your questionable hope, then that''s the reason I think you may regret this.¡± Murai said.


    ¡°Alright. I agree with whatever you want so let''s get this over with. I will push my Will to your Soul Space now. Having this opportunity to seek yourself is interesting enough, whatever you are.¡± Ceila''s tone changed, and so did her eyes. They became deep like a sun, and upon this decision, she grabbed Murai in a similar manner as Iris did yesterday.


    Her palms grabbed Murai''s side.


    He scowled a little but there was nothing he could do to stop it.


    ¡°Iris. I will finish this trade with him in a couple of minutes, so if you want to wait, feel free to do it here, or outside. I don''t care either way.¡± Ceila said, while her whole body began to undulate bright mana waves and an unnatural aura. It appeared quite different from anything normal. It was dense brightness like a scorching gold. It was also somewhat hot for Iris, but not uncomfortably so.


    Hearing her serious words, Iris nodded, stepping away upon discovering their silent exchange. She didn''t feel included, but not like she was someone who could decide on that.


    Hell, she even had no idea why Ceila insisted on her, helping Murai. How could she even be useful to him in any way? Why Ceila insisted on the topic of the Temporal Power Chain? It is true that it was useful for anyone, since it''s a topic of a Blessed and put the use of the Will of the Battleworld to someone else than the Blessed. It was no companionship, but a brief connection that would help anyone.


    It surely wasn''t anything easy, fair, and simple. Becoming a companion was different, and Murai''s case was something vastly different than she even knew about.


    Anything involving Blessed was kind of rare, so she could only guess what worth it may be. But whatever it can be, she had no idea about what it could do to her fate. Ceila did know more, so Iris curiously stepped away to see the end of this, and not left the room.


    ¡°Wasn''t this against the doctrine of Lady Vermilion? Forcing myself to do something unrelated to her doctrine?¡± she thought.


    Feeling this tension, Iris was hesitant, yet excited at the same time. This world of powerful individuals was an interesting prospect since she was little and seeing Ceila in this golden state was also part of it.


    Maybe she was weak at the moment, but what of it? One day, she may be as strong as her, if not stronger. It put her imagination and hope at a sky-high level, but it was only that¡ªan imagination that may be met with a drastic reality check.


    Inside of Murai''s Soul Space.


    A new party was forcing its way into him. It was a bit similar to the feelings he felt when he awoke his awareness in this life, but it was weaker by an exponential amount.


    There, in his soul space, the bright Will manifested and turned into a glittering image of women. It wasn''t distinct from Ceila''s appearance, but it wasn''t that far from her either. This was the appearance of her Will, while Murai let her be free to move since she had no ulterior motives.


    In fact, he could damage her, causing her inescapable harm.


    Murai had his own question and intentions in his mind. This will be his small experiment to see how well he will fare against a high-level soul of this world''s powerhouse. Since this world had such a systematic approach to power, he was curious how well it will work.


    Upon stabilizing, the figure of golden light opened her eyes. Her Will reached every surrounding, yet Ceila was unable to see and perceive every nook and cranny of this Souls Space.


    It was vast.


    Too vast.


    And too sturdy.


    Calming herself upon entering Murai''s soul space, she looked around with her eyes. It was easier, allowing her to see only the close proximity around herself.


    Though, it was anything but calming to her. Perhaps, it was as crazy as the vastness of this place, since Murai was right before her. In a questionable, yet powerful appearance of his Robust Spirit.

 Chapter 62: Lady Vermilion

    Ceila also noticed some damage to the Soul Space, around some parts, but neither crack nor strange waves in mid-air were enough to make her realize the extensive damage that almost crumbled it apart not long ago.


    Small notices of crumblings were present around her proximity, appearing like shattered mirrors, or glass. They were small, disappearing at an unnoticeable speed.


    Upon realizing that speed... No. Even the sole mentions of that possibility. NO! Again... She was speechless upon the fact of even seeing the cracklings repairing themselves by something she couldn''t perceive or see through.


    Now, it was perhaps clear it wasn''t that long ago that Murai was close to his End and his soul almost crumbled apart, and mode to the Afterlife.


    However, she never heard of a soul space healing on its own. It was a thing that was mysterious beyond measure. No one understood all about the souls, but any damage to a soul... was not that simple.


    From what she knew, when Soul Space was damaged, it would be impossible, or near impossible to repair.


    Even though the terms impossible, and near impossible, were quite close to each other, they meant differences. In actual theory, Ceila did know a few examples of successful repairs of the soul, but they require patience, time, and who knew how many precious treasures. Neither of them was present in Murai''s case.


    Realizing that put her in a questionable, yet unfazed manner. After all, the source of everything was before her, floating in this place.


    It wasn''t Murai that she knew off. It would be strange to be exactly the same as in reality, but it was resembling him.


    She already knew he was Blessed, so she got a typical idea of what she should''ve expected. Another idea was Murai''s mentions of an Old Soul. According to Iris''s small overview, that was how Murai would be, but that wasn''t that.


    Ceila also noticed a strange being in some other parts, not far from her. ¡°A succubus, huh? How fitting...¡± she mumbled to herself and awaited the source of her visit. Murai''s soul was yet to fully emerge, but even though that she could feel the vastness and might of his soul.


    It was like a typhoon of vast magnitude. It was like a small storming planet, appearing foggy, bright, and mighty.


    Murai put his full attention toward his soul space following Ceila''s Will, and his appearance as a planet changed. Big waves changed, turning, overlapping across each other to shape shimmering wings, a tall neck, and who knew what else.


    This was his soul. His Robust Spirit. His everything that indicated his current living. And it wasn''t up to Murai how he looked. Mostly, that was. This time, he didn''t care about any appearances, since he was a duck. There was a drastic change from the previous experiences he had, so it was no wonder he gave up.


    Now, he had the Robust Spirit, which was a fusion ability between his Soul-Body, Soul-Essence, and his overall Will and soul. For all that he could care about, he had no power over his form in this matter.


    In the end, he appeared like a gargantuan duck, even though it was a bit awkward impression to give.


    The simplest, and most efficient explanation to it was the basic form of his soul. Usually, it will be a simple round object and not some lofty form that Lisa was, for example. Though, her case was her Will and not her soul.


    Not just anyone would willing to force one''s soul onto someone else. That could mean a lot of things, and that was something Ceila actually did.


    She looked at a duck of quite a magnitude, while she, herself, was like a moon, in front of a humongous planet.


    She was big, and not small by any means. She was much bigger than Lisa herself, but that didn''t matter to her. The basic might and vastness of one''s soul were one thing, and Ceila understood that Murai''s situation and his whole being may be more than she knew.


    ¡°You are big, unlike in reality,¡± Ceila stated the first obvious sentence she thought of.


    ¡°That was a good one,¡± Murai said, his voice echoing throughout the soul space. ¡°What is it then? Are you ready to view the content of your desires? I will allow it since I need some trust. I fucked up before with all of those talks, so I have no choice.¡± he said, willing his soul closer toward her in hopes of scaring Ceila, but she was having none of that.


    She was like a goddess of light, and her gaze was firm on her goal before her eyes.


    ¡°Show me!¡± She shouted, and a streak of light shot out of Murai''s soul. It was a forceful one. A pressure of his Will that followed a flood of information.


    Well, this will work in the end. Murai thought, figuring the use of the Robust Spirit wasn''t all that unfamiliar.


    It made his soul... More robust? Strong and more sturdy than ever before? That was perhaps the only explanation he could give it, unsurprisingly.


    I am glad since I don''t think a direct memory transfer is something I can do that well, but this works too. Forcing part of myself onto her, I wonder what she will think. Maybe it''s because she is powerful enough that I succeeded and she didn''t crumble apart? I am yet to know a lot of things about the Souls, and other souls, it seems. Murai thought, following the gust of light with another to send her a few other things that she wanted.


    He continued to do so for the most important things, while he included even useless kinds of information. He wanted to see what she would make of that, or how long she will last.


    This went on for a couple of minutes. At first, Ceila wasn''t upset, but her face contorted from time to time.


    10 minutes into this, she gritted her teeth, and her body flickered in brazen pain. She jolted her head away, letting the beam shoot away back to Murai''s soul. Panting, and clutching her head, her mind was in pain and confusion after viewing so many things.


    There were too many, and all of it was too strong and sharp.


    There was way too much craziness.


    ¡°You... You are crazy...¡± Ceila said, turning her gaze to the Murai''s soul. ¡°Why did you let me see so much? Are you testing me? My patience?¡± she barked at him and shook her head.


    ¡°To feel you a bit better. That is all.¡± Murai calmly said. ¡°I just did what I was required, so don''t feel too bad about it. Then, I did test what I could and figured things out on my own. Do you think this life of mine is different from what you would expect, "Lady" Vermillion?¡± Murai stated, following these sudden words with a powerful wash of hidden intent. It washed over Ceila, giving her a surprised look and different light.


    ¡°Oh, so you do know it. As expected. ¡± Then she changed her matter of speech and body language. No. Perhaps her whole personality shifted, her face became unfazed and normal as if nothing mattered.


    She straightened her posture, and a smile appeared on her face. ¡°It''s just part of my Will that speaks through Ceila. It isn''t a big deal to do this, and my Divine Sense isn''t here. I knew you would more or less know it, but it was an interesting thing to come up with this thing on the spot. Thankfully, my subject works wonderfully.¡±


    ¡°Did Ceila... No. Again, God''s tool.¡± Murai asked, a bit forced with his words that Lady Vermillion didn''t find that arrogant at all.


    ¡°Of course my Ceila is fine.¡± she smiled. ¡°Now, I can talk to you freely without anyone''s care. The sky is away, and any rules state nothing about it. I am glad this worked, but it was the course of fate that led to this encounter, don''t you think?¡±


    ¡°Like the fate of why I ended up in this place?¡± Murai sneered. ¡°You wish I knew, but this is beyond ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°I don''t know about that fate.¡± Vermillion spoke, appearing quite unbothered, yet smiling as if nothing mattered. It was a lofty smile she wore, unlike the previous one, which was gentle, yet powerful in its own right.


    ¡°So, what is it? I spoke with whom all this time? Ceile or yourself? I couldn''t come up with the right answer, but seeing your expression and force of entry to my Soul Space, I figured the most likely thing, but... It did happen, so there must be some reason for your visit. Isn''t it?¡± Murai asked, curious about some words that didn''t matter to his soul. He never figured out the strange feelings in reality, and considering the Gods, he wasn''t too happy to be right.


    Another interesting meeting with a God wasn''t always a good thing.


    So, which was it? Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A disaster, an opportunity, or a good thing?


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± Vermillion asked, floating in the place as if she was on a stroll to a garden.


    ¡°It does matter. I have no idea what your intentions are since I have never met you before. That, I am sure of.¡±


    ¡°That may be your case, but I have met you thrice while observing your case was quite fascinating a couple of times. This, on the other hand, is four times more interesting, since I am actually in this world.¡±


    ¡°Thrice? You have your hands in 3 words already?¡± Murai asked in shock and tried to remember if this sort of God was something he knew of. Name? Her feelings, appearance, divinity, and so on were all unfamiliar to him. He was sure of it.


    Then, what did it mean? It could indicate her skill, power, or his inability to detect her throughout their encounters.


    He wasn''t sure which lives she meant, but she was sure her meaning was about his Cursed Living. She meant unknown previous lives and they were all different in most cases. Many variables would give rise to questionable reasons and situations. Like meeting a god without knowing about it, or being under surveillance of one, and never knowing about it. Nothing would be that surprising.


    After all, unless she wouldn''t push herself onto him, Vermillion can remain hidden without his knowledge. That, in itself, made Murai quite a bit afraid since he didn''t know the reason for that, not anything else. It was a fear of the unknown that lingered in his soul. Any secret was like that. Any unknown variable. Any danger involved. Almost all the powerful beings were worth those feelings.


    ¡°Three fully, or 26 in small nudges. The number doesn''t matter to me.¡± Vermillion said, raising her arms to caress her cheeks in a curious look. ¡°Right now, it is the case of a Battleworld by your sheer luck, or misfortune, depending on how you view it. Though, not like the latter matters at all, since your life will continue regardless of your End. It will go on, floating with the flow as a neverending curse. Isn''t it a fascinating fate?¡±


    ¡°Curse my arse!¡± Murai shouted. ¡°I have no intentions of becoming a plaything for entertainment for you, the assholes, or others like you!¡± Murai willed his fury, his soul undulated a powerful pressure, that did nothing to this partial Will that Vermillion was. It flickered her glowing long hair a little, but her smile remained.


    She kept floating in this space, while the pressure washed over her, only to cause her to giggle.


    ¡°You think too harshly of myself, Murai,¡± she said, amused and lazily stretching her body in this place. Not like it did something, since her Will, nor the soul manifestation of her subject, Ceila had some physical feelings. ¡°Your case is good to me as far as I know. I am willing to help you in this life, since it is up to me.¡±


    ¡°Fuck off.¡± Murai shot her down, unafraid or he was exactly opposed to that.


    ¡°Oh, so direct... I am so scared.¡± Lady Vermillion wept a fake tear.


    ¡°I curse my luck for allowing this to happen, but what you can do to me here... woman? Your help... No. Your plot is more than a curse itself. For me, I can''t Will it into myself to force this situation away, nor your cause. So don''t think your words have any effects on me. I don''t trust you and you should know it, considering your lackluster tries or... whatever this is, or was about.¡±


    ¡°I know what you are feeling, but the situation is changing rapidly, and this world is strange. Well, not for yourself, but for the Pantheon. It is full of anger and frustration, like always.¡±


    ¡°Why are you telling me that?¡± Murai said, disinterested. ¡°It doesn''t matter to me how it goes Not now. Not in the past.¡±


    ¡°Just because I can.¡± She replied, obliviously aware of his unwillingness, but here went nothing. She will talk, and perhaps he will change his mind. Simple as that. It was a lofty attitude of a God. Truly. ¡°It makes that place boring, chaotic, and messy, so this Battleworld is special in many cases. It is...¡±


    ¡°Why are you speaking? Do you think I care? That I am willing to help you in any shape or form?¡±


    ¡°Well, you are interested in continuing living. That much, I see and feel. Otherwise, you would remain in that well and never get out. A New Beginning would happen, and you would restart your fate.¡±


    Murai shut up, realizing that this Vermillion God seemed to know a lot about his Cursed Living, and him as well. Whatever she knew about him, it made him uncomfortable.


    Vermillion continued. ¡°Considering the fact you even allowed yourself to go to my main church, it is a good excuse to force myself upon you. Don''t you think it is bad? I feel rightful in my cause to help you.¡± she stated her feelings, hoping to change Murai''s stubbornness that stemmed from being a very unique being. Well, it was much more complicated than that, with dates that no longer mattered to him or her.


    Though, Vermillion was one of the few individuals that cared about Murai, and she was also fascinated and aware of his struggles, regardless of her passive stance in the Pantheon. It was time to change that stance, so her descent to his Soul Space was met with her good mood, yet with an unsurprising amount of Murai''s unwillingness in her eyes.


    Overall, she wasn''t surprised by anything. Perhaps, she even expected him to be completely furious and pulled more tricks at his sleeve, yet with her divinity at present, they would do nothing.


    It appeared Murai was yet to be something crazy in this life, so she was quite open in her words, efforts, and meaning. He wasn''t a threat.


    ¡°Change? It is always happening. Things won''t remain the same forever. Even Gods can''t go on forever. It is the rule of the universe that keeps going ever since the first Shattering. You could know that I presume.¡± Murai said, a bit calmer this time around. ¡°The case of the Pantheon is less than important to me... I wish it wasn''t, so I would clutch your cheeks and rip them to shreds, but here I am, unable to do shit from life to life. Do you think this is comfortable? Meeting the End and knowing it is for nothing but another incoming End?¡±


    ¡°Your pessimism isn''t a good way to go about that.¡±


    ¡°Shut it... I already went over this countless times, yet... it is my first time meeting a willing god... Which is...¡± Murai mumbled, telling things that he felt, but didn''t want to feel.


    ¡°Lies...¡± Lady Vermillion took a deep breath. ¡°You met a few, but you used them instead. Killing one while destroying a portion of the divinity of 3 others. That was quite something.¡±


    ¡°Something evil, I presume?¡± Murai didn''t take it as an offense. ¡°I don''t deny that I did these things.¡±


    ¡°It was what you wanted to do for your living and the course of fate you chose instead. I don''t deny your evilness or your morality. Neither of them are things I found strange in your case. In fact, I find it all that more fascinating.¡±


    ¡°So... Aren''t you afraid you would be next?¡±


    ¡°With your current power? No. With the future one?¡± she hesitated, turning her right palm towards her mouth, glancing deeply into nothingness in a pondering look.


    ¡°Yes. The future one sure is questionable. As it should. I may regret it a lot, but it is a gamble I am willing to take since Battleworld has very unique circumstances. I never thought you would come here since it is... Well... it is a complicated screening process under the Greater Sky. God of Battle used 30 000 years of his time to make this a perfect place to hold grudges under the pretext of justice and his Divinity. Using it to entertain, and place some standing around the Pantheon, makes it a rather interesting place for us, but it serves an interesting purpose. It is a good place to strengthen one''s divinity, so... it''s as you already expected, I presume?¡±


    ¡°Yeah... I guessed that already. It''s another plaything of gods, while their subjects are tools, unsurprisingly.¡± Murai said after listening to her explanation without interrupting her. For once, he found it reasonable within himself, since the talk involved the Battlworld and its secrets.


    Though, calling it a secret was a bit of a stretch since nothing else would make sense to him. Murai already guessed at least half of what she said.


    Feeling right to continue, Murai added. ¡°Is that girl Iris like that to you as well? A future Avatar, or a tool to become the next head priest? A life filled with control, and a mind full of a God. How sad and poor thing Iris has before herself.¡± he said, turning his words upside down while thinking of the bitter truth he was aware of.


    ¡°I have no excuse for being a God myself. It is just how the universe goes around in a circle. One has to continue Rising or crumble apart in the place of others. You were aware of this truth a long long time ago, weren''t you? A former...¡±


    ¡°... Shut up. I don''t want to hear about that. You were long a speck of nothingness before me. The point of existence is nothing, so why point that out? You are clueless of that past... yet you speak as if you understand what it was like... having that taken from me.¡± Murai''s whole being flickered in emotion and unknown thoughts.


    He was willing to talk but it was causing him to recall many things that Vermillion observed with quite a good mood. Every piece of intent and word he let out was firmly etched into her memory.


    It was with great pleasure since this was her first time speaking with a being that was probably the most unique thing in existence.


    After a long stretch of silence and Murai''s questionable change of mood, he was the first to speak up. ¡°So, why are you here anyway? I didn''t ask for a presence of a god nor is this something I ever wanted.¡±

 Chapter 63: Deal? More like... bribe? Blackmail?

    Vermillion winced her brows, growing a bit cheerful so she floated a bit closer to the gargantuan Murai. ¡°I initially wanted a helper for myself, but having this opportunity to talk with you is the start of something that is more than plenty enough for me. Your watchful and careful stay in this world is an important part of it, while your past is an answer I am willing to chip in.¡±


    ¡°You don''t say...¡± Murai said for his sake but Vermillion seemed to have some plan already.


    ¡°Many Gods are interested in the following times, and what will happen next. That includes me as well. Maybe your life here will be different from others, but remember one rule, which is a fundamental rule of the Battleworld. One that many know about, but don''t talk about it. No Gods are allowed to directly affect the occurrences in the Battleworld. None, under any very specific circumstances. IOt goes along with you or anyone.¡± she said, showing her resolution with a serious face.


    ¡°That means they can, but indirectly. What nasty excuses,¡± Murai said. ¡°That could also mean I will have to force myself onto god''s realms or force down one myself. Whatever... It''s not like rules are something that will forever remain. In fact, sometimes, they should be broken. They should.¡±


    ¡°I am not denying that. Take it as a warning instead.¡±


    ¡°Warming? Heh!¡± Murai sneered. ¡°What you are doing is against the rules, isn''t it? Involving...¡±


    ¡°... I am not involving myself directly, that is a difference. What do you think Blessed, Gifted, and others are? What a Will of myself is? What do god-touched work for, or act as?¡±


    ¡°Nothing but tools as you stated... Which I suppose is what you want from me as well, don''t you?¡±


    ¡°Not necessary.¡±Vermillion crossed her arms around her chest, flowing close to the Murai''s face. ¡°I don''t want to force anything onto you. Your unwillingness is steady enough, so coming up with enough reasoning is the first side to making it work. It''s not as if you will do it anyway, but I may try.¡±


    ¡°Liar. You hope for that.¡±


    ¡° Alright. A little bit.¡± she shrugged her shoulders and continued ¡°It''s nothing but my Will and hope. In the end, it depends on your Will and what will you do. You may hope and desire plenty of things yourself. You and many others act as they wish in this world, filled with countless filths, egos, and undeniable plots that Pantheon uses to form connections and hope for advancements. It''s a peculiar world. One that I don''t, for once, consider a fitting piece to the universe. It makes this road to power chaotic, yet interesting from many points of view. A place that always changes is rightfully something that needs a steady force, as well as much-needed change. A steady and firm hand.¡±


    ¡°And? Your wordy efforts are making me sleep.¡±


    Vermillion sighted, getting a slight headache already. ¡°The Divine Kingdoms fluctuate in power, making the gods put effort into their rise to power. That includes me. Don''t you think what I am talking about should pose an interesting subject of interest? I mean no ulterior motives. Only goodwill.¡±


    ¡°Your words make me sick, but I have no idea what you are getting into... What are your true intentions in... all of this? You speak to me as if you want to ask something from me, so do it already.¡±


    ¡°One doesn''t need hidden intentions for anything, but sincerity speaks thousands of words. I want a helper to change my divinity to the Rank 0 God. Is it a bad thing to ask, or desire?¡±


    ¡°You? You a Creator?!¡± he shouted. ¡°You think and hope too highly of yourself,¡± Murai uttered these words with utter mockery.


    ¡°One mocking expression is someone else''s dream. That is a saying of some mortal tribe in one of my places... You know that am I right, former Nimerius?¡± she said, flowing closer once more.


    ¡°Oh? That name brinks memories... You were there back then? I wonder who you were, and why THE FUCK you are bringing that up?¡±


    ¡°Because I am interested in you. Don''t you think me, coming here is a good thing? It''s not bad to try something for oneself, and while I am at it, I may get to know you, and help you. It''s a win-win!¡± She insisted, appearing like she said the easiest thing in the world.


    However, what did she just say? Rank 0 God? Creator? She wanted a big pile of something that none should give. Neither Murai nor anyone else, so why did she desire the undesirable?


    ¡°Bad? It''s a terrible thing. Greed comes afterward, and you... I can''t see a reason to not laugh at your face.¡±


    ¡°How direct. Alright... You never change yourself, but maybe that is also a will of the universe. I like that part of you.¡±


    ¡°Shut up already...¡±


    ¡°Fine... I cannot get what I want but that doesn''t change my willingness since I am careful. My God''s Will is already forming a steady flow and is already steadying for 2 millennia, but this chance is rare. Ceila will be nothing to you in the future, but allowing your freedom is the basic thing I can give you. Is this what you want? Something that will accept my willingness? A Pledge? I can''t give you that, so what do you want?¡±


    ¡°I want nothing but revenge... for the sins or my curse. Neither could work.¡± Murai said calmly.


    ¡°Revenge because of no cause but revenge. How dull... yet filled with intent and undeniable Will that goes back so many millennia... No wonder you are like this.¡±


    ¡°You would feel like this too, after enduring the pain of other parts of yourself dying alongside you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that was a rather deep sentence. I will remember it for following millennia, or forever.¡± Vermillion smiled, swirling her body before his soul, unbothered by the pressure as if she was flying to take scrolls amid the stars. ¡°It was a good refreshment to seek your memories... I don''t regret doing this, nor should I be worried about your future.¡±


    ¡°Shut up...¡±


    ¡°No, you shut up.¡± she smiled, giving him no chance to retaliate. In fact, Murai was unable to do a thing. His soul was doing nothing to this Goddess, which was... surprising? Murai was sure if there was one thing to be confident in, it was his soul. Yet, it did nothing, so perhaps his whole being was yet to become what he wanted it to be.


    He needed time since it was a bit early to think of treating any gods. Since he came to this world, not that long passed. Even his soul will need some time to adjust to the body and New Beginning. It could only get stronger, he believed.


    He knew that every time he was reborn, the soul always stayed the same, but it had some repercussions that he was yet to know. Every time, it took time to readjust properly, and this shouldn''t be any different, even though a lot of the Will of the Battleworld made it different.


    Murai got quite a haul of messages under that voice, after all. His soul was well perceived by that power, giving him rise in abilities, strength, and some form of a systematic overview of his powerful soul. What was the Will attribute? Robust Spirit? Oneselve? It was a simple state of stubbornness and many things he didn''t understand since they were gifts of this world and meanings of the power system.


    That was at least what Murai would explain it like. In fact, anyone could form a Will on their own, since it was a mental state and nothing else. The Attribute was just something that Battleworld came up with to give it some name, and nothing else.


    Adding the number, which did some things according to his senses, he held the Robust Spirit in higher regard. As for what was the most useful, or how useful the thing that Battleworld gave him, Murai will have plenty of time to look into it in the future.


    For now, he had no plans to try his hardest, since he was hurt.


    Vermillion continued. ¡°Ceila will help you with some things according to your wishes. I mark my word. Your life depends on you as usual, but allow me to help you, at least. If it''s for your revenge, regardless if I am part of it or not isn''t important. In fact, it makes it exciting for me more than you think. But as with all-time in the world, I will observe your time.¡± she stopped smiling, giving him a strange look.


    Murai didn''t know why, or what for, but she waved her hand, and with a last smile said. ¡°Farewell for now, Murai, and I hope I will get to change your mind soon,¡± she told at last, while her sudden appearance and feelings of her Will ended.


    She didn''t give Murai a chance to retaliate. She ended the discussion as if she was the one giving a favor, and not the other way around.


    Murai would curse her in normal circumstances, but he didn''t want to for some reason.


    Suddenly, Ceila''s face appeared dull, while the next moment, it was brighter, as if a light switch turned upside down. Her Will changed to the other, or it was a state of the temporary slumber of the former one? It was hard to tell since Murai didn''t know why Vermillion would suddenly barge to him like that.


    Forcing her subject to become such a tool, that Ceila forced her own Wil towards him, thus forming a connection between him and her Lady? Calling it a good plot was nothing but an understatement. It was a clever use of Ceila, as Lady Vermillion said.


    It was as if a switch turned up and down, yet nothing much changed. Ceila''s face moved once again, glancing at the powerful force that was before herself. It was close.


    A bit too close for her. She got spooked.


    ¡°T-this... You have spoken to her!¡± She exclaimed, backing away from the powerful pressure that was before her. Unlike Vermillion, she had no such mental barrier to Robust Spirit. She was hoping to seek the truth since her awareness was completely cut off by her Lady, the moment she started the process of coming to his soul space. That meant she had no knowledge of what they talked about.


    ¡°What a strange turn of events...¡± Murai sighed. ¡°Really... Gods are fucking freaks, I tell you that. Using the subject like toys, playing with them on a whim. Plaything. You are exactly that.¡± he mocked his own words and hoped nothing but to have some calmness in this situation.


    This whole mess was so damn confusing and unnecessary to him, that some gods were no longer important to him.


    ¡°Calm down... Ceila. Your tasks or whatever you called it, you didn''t see it, but it should be in your Will, isn''t it?¡± Murai asked, stopping his pressure to calmness. It seemed that Ceila was indeed someone he could be forceful with, but it wasn''t needed. In fact, he shouldn''t do a thing to her, unless he wanted to piss Vermillion off.


    ¡°Of course!¡± Ceila said, firmly clutching her first in confusion. ¡°It makes me mad for some reason.¡±


    ¡°It''s just your soul being shocked by... being a plaything.¡± Murai chucked, using that word even though it was in the wrong context. ¡°It will calm down, or you can freely think of other things. You decide what is good, or you can blame your Lady for the seventh hell. Be my guess on that.¡± Murai said, dismissing her momentary change of face.


    It appeared Murai was right, and Ceila observed herself a bit better and calmed in a moment. For once, she didn''t retort against Murai''s unnecessary remarks.


    She also noticed some strangeness around herself, or it was inside of her Will? Being put to use by her Lady wasn''t something she found strange at all, but this circumstance was indeed a bit weird. She would usually use her partial Divinity inside of her in the real world. It was how most gods do their bidding.


    Being put through the Will of a God was always a strange thing to anyone, but it was a part of oneself and willingness that mattered. In poor condition, the Will of God would kill any mortal. Only a few would manage the power of a proper divinity.


    In fact, this was her first time feeling a certain strangeness, and it was stemming from being in the state of her Will. It was as if she forgot something important. Perhaps her own Will was overturned by hers? It was strange... She couldn''t remember a thing. What did they talk about? She didn''t know.


    Her mind was still in shambles because she saw the content of Murai''s memories. Because Vermillion wanted her to take note of that too, she stored the memories in Ceila''s head. For the others, unnecessary ones, Vermillion will be the sole witness to them and the conversation between her and Murai.


    ¡°You... I see that...¡± Ceila said, clutching her fist upon going through the memories. They did surprise her, and by sheer sense, if Vermillion wasn''t the one to take them before, Ceila would have trouble absorbing them for sure.


    Thankfully, Vermillion used her love for her subject, and also her plot to give her only the kind of information that was needed, unlike what Murai intended.


    ¡°You angered God of Battle so much that he put forth a God''s Trial?! You also forced the God of Pain under his pilgrimage to change his mind? Dungeon? Hm? No wonder... Did he know about your... case? Old Soul. I knew it. The situation is strange. It is no wonder Battleworld is so against you, regardless of you, being who you are.¡± Ceila talked as if what she was speaking about was none of Murai''s concern, yet it was. It was his big, huge concert and problem.


    For now, Ceila was aware of the majority of things that Murai endured in this world, even though Murai had no intentions of letting this go that easily. It was Vermillion who let the memories flow in a steadier manner, allowing Ceila to discern them without a problem.


    ¡°Oh well... You know plenty now... So?¡± Murai asked, ending Ceila''s worked-up face. ¡°Yet, it seems your lady is good for you. Hmph! So much for our trade, it seems.¡±


    ¡°Of course, she is good for me...¡± she said in an unsteady flow of words. She was still feeling kind of apprehensive and shaken by what happened. She was her own being, regardless of Vermillion''s influence or not.


    Another question was, if her own being was so within her influence, that it no longer mattered to be its own thing. This Ceila was yet to become aware of that. But perhaps it was too early for her.


    Murai could see a tinge of Vermillion in Ceila even without her Divinity active. What that meant?


    She put her careful nursing to good use, giving Ceila a good place in this world for the past 2 centuries. Now, that she was a high-level being, it was an easy step to the god''s influence. Thus, Vermillion had a subject that would never leave her grasp.


    Whether it was good or bad, it was questionable. Even Murai didn''t dare to think of other people''s decisions. He may not like it, but others would have no trouble with being that. It was a matter of perspective, and he was his own boss.


    It was always like that, neverending.


    Though it appeared Murai underestimated the situation quite a lot, that was a story for another time.


    ¡°So? What''s your conclusion about seeing my memories? Are you willing to think about my offer, or what you saw? I expect a good deal! ¡± Murai inquired, sounding a bit angry and even greedy.


    ¡°Your memories... I knew you was a strange being, the moment I became hesitant about you... Even my Lady''s curiosity was put to use, so what can I say other than offer my sincere and utmost help? I will also add some things, as I don''t find the situation charitable enough. A Church''s Mission. Are you willing to take that?¡±


    ¡°Mission? What for? I thought our deal was already over the moment you watched my memories!¡± Murai unhappily argued.


    ¡°Certain things change. It''s because of your... huge problem that even Vermillion Church has no power to control yet.¡±


    ¡°Yet? Is it you who are telling me that?¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡±


    Murai sneered, upset. ¡°So now, that it''s too much of an issue, you give me another thing to worry about? Fine... Fine. I will remember this. I don''t like owning favors, as much as you, it seems, but my questions still remain the same and so does my healing!¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry, I will take the part of my deal with much more sincerity than you,¡± Ceila said, sounding quite confident after she calmed down. ¡°Let''s get this over with here, and not outside. Soul Space is the safest place to do business after all. No one will discern our discussion here.¡± she offered, but it wasn''t as if she had any say in that.


    In fact, her words sounded a bit strange, since they came from her, and not Vermillion. While that was good, Vermillion used this exact reason to speak with Murai.


    ¡°So, why its a problem for you, or are you speaking of the church itself? Are the things that Battleworld put me through not to your liking? Aren''t you entertained to see my misery?¡± Murai asked mockingly.


    ¡°I am not unhappy, nor happy. What you experienced is... something. That''s for sure.¡± S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You don''t say...¡± he sighed, letting go of his unnecessary words. ¡°Get on your topic and stop wasting being so vague.¡±


    ¡°I am still thinking... Your memories are quite a lot but... I swear I won''t let anyone know them.¡±


    ¡°Of course. That goes without saying. Now, go on. You should know my questions and worries by now.¡±


    ¡°Right. A Gift of a God, while subsection to that is... overthrowing the Centralis Kingdom... My Goddess... You seriously put some effort to make your life miserable, didn''t you?¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself, plaything.¡±


    ¡°Hm... I will give you a week, and also a Grade S Spring-root of Paguta Flower and my personal Alchemy. Iris will work around that to heal you, while I will... do the rest. It should be enough to raise your Vitality and give your body a nice return. It''s quite a high-quality material, for such a bothersome duck.¡±


    ¡°Finally some sense!¡± Murai cheered. ¡°I thought the world already turned upside down when I am not the one speaking!¡±


    ¡°Not so fast... It''s complicated but this problem of yours can be partly solved by us.¡±


    ¡°You, us? Do you mean the Vermillion Church? Oh, wait... I think I am starting to see some patterns here.¡± Murai said, forming a better context from the conversation between him and Vermillion. ¡°You want to overthrow the Centralia Kingdom as well?¡±


    ¡°Not that ridiculous one yet. Do you even know what that means?¡± Ceila said with ridicule and questionable gaze within her eyes.


    ¡°Overthrowing a Centralis Kingdom. What else?¡±


    ¡°By the degree of a God of Battle, a ruler of this world. Also, it is a Tier A kingdom!¡± Ceila added.


    ¡°As I said... It''s the playground of the gods, didn''t you watch my memories?¡±


    Ceila smacked her forehead, unwilling to see eye to eye with Murai. ¡°I... I don''t have time to watch every little thing you went through... It''s full of curses anyway, you vile guy.¡±


    ¡°Tha puts a smile on my face for some reason.¡± Murai unwillingly commented, making Ceila regret her life''s choices.


    ¡°Fine... You are clueless about the Battleworld anyway... What in the world did you do in your previous living to offend your fate so much? Even your life companion is questionable like you.¡± she looked at Lisa in the distance. She was still sleeping, while the mana around her fluctuated, revealing something strange was going on with her, and Ceila noticed it, but Murai wasn''t interested in her sleep.


    ¡°She is a little rascal, but my rascal nonetheless. She put some effort into this life of mine, but she lacks certain... motivations.¡± Murai said.


    ¡°She... Nevermind... I don''t think your case of going against the Battleworld will come to any fruition. You are too entitled to your own power, and lack any critical thinking.¡±


    ¡°How harsh... yet truthful. I have some plans, but I need a calmness of time, resources, and actual living conditions.¡±


    ¡°2 of them are easy to solve, yet the last one isn''t something that a Blessed has. You... You may regret being born here.¡±


    ¡°It''s not like I had a choice in this...¡± Murai said, and with that, their conversation ended in a semi-successful order.

 Chapter 64: First Pagoda

    In the end, Ceila got what she wanted, and Vermillion perhaps even some more. But for Murai to know that, he will have to wait or wonder what their intentions were.


    While he had quite an interesting discussion with Vermilion and her subject, it didn''t leave him wanting more.


    He only wanted to get some footing for himself, and help. Healing was his highest priority right now, but not big enough for him to sell his body, services, or whatever Vermillon wanted from him. His price for himself was sky high. He had his own standards and he won''t breach them.


    Still, his Will disappeared before furthering or assessing the situation further. Vermillion didn''t give him much room for discussion either, leaving him nothing but his own thoughts that she simply left for some crafty reasons. Without his retort, it felt like she gave him a favor and an unknown one at that.


    Those were quite questionable results. This whole time wasn''t for him, but more like something Vermillion wanted for herself. Perhaps, she didn''t even care about healing him. It should be as easy as lifting a finger for her so that left Murai back in reality.


    Ceila was still clutching him between her palms when she regained full clarity after leaving her Will in Murai''s soul space for quite some time.


    Iris was also present, even though Ceila told her to leave. She watched the silent sight of her, holding Murai from the opposite side of the room, where she sat in wonder.


    From her point of view, she was looking at the frozen expression of those 2 beings that far outstrip her in any form of understanding.


    Maybe she even regretted this a little. This decision of sticking her little hands to the fate of others. She already sat in the chair for quite a while, thinking of Ceila''s words, her help, and the future that may inevitably hit her.


    Her face was somewhat conflicted. Her help to Murai was honest, albeit a little naive by her conviction and goodwill.


    Upon seeing some movement and glow from Ceila subsided, she hurried toward her.


    ¡°Is... Is everything alright?¡± she asked with a face filled with worry.


    ¡°I am...¡± Ceila nodded, sighting as her glow-like appearance turned dim. ¡°But I am questioning some choices I will have to do. Whether this little duck in my palm is worth the effort... I wonder what would happen if I would squeeze my hands a little, ending the life of this being that was once... whatever it was.¡± Ceila stated these words with a strange coldness after she was finally away from Murai''s pressure of his Soul Space.


    It wasn''t that comforting to her. Being in a place that was as dangerous as seeking an Extreme, and that soul made her recall some dangers for sure. However, the Robust Spirit was unlike anything she had seen in her life. The only piece of excuse she told herself, was that Murai would never do something crazy to her because of her Lady.


    But that didn''t mean she was calm about it.


    Ceila knew he could restrain her with many variables, and destroying her Will would damage her soul to the brink of destruction. Even locking her Will in his Soul Space would be a possibility, but a better one, at that.


    Murai within her grasp looked at her with naive innocence as if he had done nothing wrong at all.


    ¡°Don''t give me that look... I won''t care about your fate, regardless of our deal or not,¡± she stated out loud, voicing her words so even Iris could hear. Yet, she didn''t understand what she meant. Instead of caring about her connection to his Will, Ceila retracted it, tossing Murai to a surprised Iris.


    ¡°I will have some tasks for you, albeit with some changes that happened between me and him. Instead of before, you won''t be much of help, but a little helper nonetheless. It will be a good start for you, and I hope to give you some sense of help in what I am about to show you. This grand world of the priesthood. Are you willing?¡± Ceila asked, giving her a serious look.


    Clutching Murai in her embrace, Iris looked at him in wonder, and then at Ceila. ¡°Is... Is this bad? I don''t want to trouble anyone, but I am willing. Of course, I am.¡±


    ¡°You don''t need to care. I will show you. Help you. That''s what I have always done, and I don''t plan to discard you, or forget you, Iris.¡± Ceila said, smiling, and giving Iris a pat on her head. It reassured her a little, albeit her worry still grew a lot.


    ¡°As for you, Murai,¡± Ceila said, sounding serious again as she turned her gaze onto Murai. ¡°I will give you a week to get you back to your health, and after that, you will get some opportunity from my Lady. A mission, so to speak, or her Will. It may be to your liking, considering it''s not for free. It''s for the sake of this church though, and your future. Partly...¡± She hesitated, furrowing her brows as if trying to come up with the right words and Will of her Lady that was always present in herself. ¡°So if you feel like not doing that, I won''t blame you but my Lady already stated her Will. I will give you that after everything is over, of course. It won''t be something you will refute, or so I fear. My Lady is quite generous to you, for some reason...¡±


    Oh... That''s great then... Murai though. Getting help from a God isn''t a first, but whatever. Murai decided on keeping it simple and gave her a simple nod.


    Ceila chuckled. ¡°It''s not like this nod of yours makes it any different.¡± Then she turned her gaze back to Iris


    ¡°Iris, take him to the First Pagoda. I will allow him to use our stock of treasures, but it won''t be for nothing. Look for sir Tuskan, and gave him this list, and this is for you.¡± Ceila walked to her worktable, where she took some paper and scribbled a few words, as well as imprinted some sort of symbol. It had a flower-like pattern, resembling a lotus.


    Upon doing so, she placed it directly before Iris, who took the handful piece of paper with some hesitation after hearing the words First Pagoda. What was that place? A precious place that she never visited before.


    It was a storage facility, as well as a business place where the most precious things of Vermillion Church were stored. Each was kept well, hiding behind the robust walls of a tall Pagoda that stretched to the sky. There were always some rumors about that place¡ªsecrets hidden in the underground of that Pagoda, or so Iris heard.


    It was a good place, as well as quite infamous in this city. Countless robbers tried to get inside, taking countless valuable treasures, yet any efforts failed. It never got robbed in its history. Not once. At least officially.


    ¡°I understand, Master. I will do what you''ve told me.¡± Iris agreed, clutching Murai in her embrace as well as the paper.


    ¡°After you will get these things, act according to them. You will understand them, while I will have something to do for now, so you will go alone. If you will find it troublesome, you can ask sister Lirra for help, but it shouldn''t take me that long. Come to some alchemy room afterward. I will find you there, of course.¡± Ceila said, turning back to a far table where she began working or looking for something.


    Seeing Ceila no longer talking, Iris figured this was about the end of their visit. It was kind of strange, and she couldn''t help but think about what she was even expecting before coming here.


    Was it the expectation of healing Murai without any troubles? Maybe... She was naive, after all.


    What was the most plausible thing she thought of? It was something else. She would trade some valuables that she kept for herself, buy some medicines from the Second Pagoda, and help Murai regardless of Ceila''s Will, or help.


    Taking the bucket to her hands, where she placed Murai, Iris walked away from his office after giving Ceila a deep bow.


    The door shut close behind her back, leaving Iris sighing. ¡°Well, I am sorry if this wasn''t to your liking, sir Murai. I didn''t.. or to be precise, I had no idea what to expect. I didn''t even expect you to be that... savage with her. Whatever you are... I do blame you if you made her angry, but she is reasonable, haven''t I told you that? She still helped you even after you entered her!¡± She said, expecting an answer, but it never came.


    ¡°You are a powerful little duck, aren''t you? I never saw my master like that.¡± She shook her head, forgetting the worries, so she began her journey to the First Pagoda.


    She kept talking to herself, or to Murai. She didn''t mind even when people walked beside her. ¡°Even when she talked face to face with rulers of some counties and powerful mages, my Master was always something I looked up to. A figure that I can trust, and follow. Like the steps of my Lady, or so I think. That also included a few figures much more powerful than her by the way!¡± she said, announcing her last words, before calming down when she realized she was talking to herself.


    ¡°I wonder what sort of things you talked about with her.¡± She kept talking, yet Murai kept himself silent.


    He listened, but not much interest was there for him in her words.


    Murai succeeded with his first thing, and that was to heal his body. Vermillion had enough sincerity to give him this favor so it was a great success. As for the other thing, of what Ceila wanted, Murai was well aware of what she viewed him like, yet that didn''t mean she understood him, or he knew her intentions. Vermillion knew them, and that was something different from Ceila.


    In fact, Ceila didn''t know what to expect from Murai at all, even after overlooking his memories. There were a lot of variables behind the scenes, and Ceila had a lot of doubts because of that. There were a lot of things, and even the help of her Lady didn''t ease her mind.


    It was about Centralis Kingdom that Murai angered somehow. His shambles with Gods, his questionable history, and his soul. Each was a big variable in the grand scheme of the Battleworld that Ceila was part of for centuries. She knew a mess when she saw one, and Murai was one of the biggest messes she had ever seen. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That could mean an interesting subject for gods. She had no doubt about that. They were always like that, and it already seemed they got their lofty hands-on Murai, as a big variable to push some things onto the Battlworld. A new tide will come. Ceila felt it, and Vermillion wanted it.


    Iris kept talking to herself, walking through the hall and outside. Many priests passed by, looking at her strange demeanor of carrying a duck in a bucket and talking to herself. It was a strange sight, but it didn''t take a long time for her to travel to the First Pagoda. It was just outside of the cathedral.


    Built behind the Vermillion Cathedral, there was a lofty building, not one bit smaller than the Cathedral in itself. It wasn''t as wide, of course, but tall it was.


    The big plot of land that Vermillion Church had was enough for a few dozen large buildings, and many smaller houses.


    As for the Pagodas, they were the 3 tallest structures, forgetting the main Cathedral. They were tower-like buildings with quite some thinnest for their height.


    Each had a unique color scheme, as well as a different amount of floors that were distinct from the way they were built. Each floor had a section outside, with windows, and protruded parts of the architecture that thinned to the end of the pagodas. They were widest on the ground and thinnest on the last floor.


    Iris walked right towards the biggest one, which had purple bricks, and reddish wood for the accents and support. It had around 20 floors, with each floor taking at least 3 meters. It was quite a tall building up close. Murai couldn''t help but think of this style as something that only the church would build. It must have taken a lot of money and effort.


    Basically, only Gods would find this appealing, and not the regular mortals. Though, if those would look at such structures, awe would result from such sights.


    Inside was kind of empty of people, with architecture not one bit normal. The floor had smooth marbled stone, and pillars of smoothened redwood made it quite nice. Other than that, there was a steward who greeted Iris upon her arrival, sitting behind a counter.


    ¡°Greetings, young priestess. May I be of some help?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I am making some...¡± Iris hesitated, still looking around in awe. It was quite a different sight from the regular-looking Second Pagoda. There were even a couple of emerald and glowing chandeliers, making the place bright and nice.


    The steward cleared his throat, noticing her absent mind.


    ¡°...errands for my Master. Errands!¡± Iris jolted her gaze back to steward. ¡°She gave me this list, and something on this was probably meant for me, I suppose?¡± She reluctantly showed him the paper, leaving the steward taking the list from her hand.


    ¡°2nd Sun...¡± the steward smiled. ¡°You must be her new student. I have never seen you at the First Pagoda before, so apologize for not recognizing you. My name is Tuskan. An overseer of this place, even though I am a simple errand boy of this place. It''s not bad, right?¡± Tuskan, said, appearing quite friendly.


    ¡°It sure is, sir. It is a pleasure of meeting your distinguished self. I bet you worked a lot for the sake of our Lady.¡± Iris showered him with her style of compliments, leaving Tuskan to view her in a much better light.


    ¡°I will provide you with this... request. It''s for your Master, so it goes without saying that you don''t know how it goes here. I will show you around.¡±


    ¡°I know this place has some restrictions sir Tuskan. Though, not like I need to know them, so let''s get this errand over with. I have a lot of things to do, after all.¡± Iris said while hiding the bucket down.


    Tuskan did notice its content, but it was none of his concerns to stick his fingers where they didn''t belong. Considering Ceila, he quickly went to do his work and made a quick tour of the First Pagoda for her student.


    Iris watched everything in silence, while a small beak and curious eyes were poking out of the bucket.


    Well, this is surprising... I wouldn''t mind raiding this place, but... being a bandit duck doesn''t seem like a good idea. It sounds laughable. Murai thought, looking through the floors that were filled with treasures. Yep, it would piss off more people. Unsurprisingly. Let''s forget it.


    Murai decided, and by the end of the long stretch of walking through dozens of floors, Iris was left with 2 wooden, and sealed boxes. Each had an envelope of what they contained. From the list Ceila gave her, Iris didn''t know what she wanted from her.


    After all, on the paper, there were only numbers present in Ceila''s message. Nothing else, apart from her symbol of the 2nd Sun.


    Only Tuskan would know what the numbers would mean, so he gave her the required treasures, per Ceila''s request. Intent put forth by the symbol of the 2nd Sun was more than enough reason to do this.


    Everything was so discreet, Iris didn''t find anything wrong with it. Yet, the content of the First Pagoda left her speechless.


    She was aware of the wealth of the church, but for it to be this big, she had no idea. She noticed a dozen or so Celestial Artifacts, and countless materials so rich in mana and rarity, it left her dizzy even though they were sealed under many formations.


    A lot of things were crafted in this place, mined under Church''s influence, or bought by its capital. Though, the vast majority wasn''t something that belonged to the church, but stolen, or seized from its enemies. That, or they were rewards from the war and services some powers purchased from Vermillion''s influence.


    ¡°Here you go. These two are about what your master wanted.¡± Tuskan said back on the 1st floor.


    Their hour or so spent in this Pagoda went by quite fast and was over in an instant. Murai was somewhat speechless, but not as Iris who took it with quite some force.


    ¡°T-thank you, sir Tuskan. Have a wonderful day.¡± Iris shook her head, getting her mind back on track.


    Giving him a big polite bow, she, alongside the bucket with Murai and 2 small boxes, moved back to the cathedral.

 Chapter 65: Companionship, gift, and Murais thoughtfulness

    Turning around to leave the First Pagoda, Iris wanted to rest her mind for a bit, otherwise, she felt like fainting. There were so many things in that pagoda that shook her up. Everything, including Tuskan''s wordy efforts to explain each floor, to treasures worth Tier B, or C powers, everything left her speechless.


    Also, she got to know there were specific underground sectors prohibited from entry unless you have Vermillion''s Blessing.


    t was unsurprising that she felt this way. Ceila never explained to her the worth of the First Pagoda. Only general information and the other ones were explained to her.


    So many treasures... The Second and Third are nothing compared to this place... Who is buying stuff in this place? Their benefits or even the topic of finding them is so wild. War, dungeons, and ancient ruins. She wondered, but before disappearing far from the First Pagoda, Tuskan shouted something behind her.


    ¡°Careful of this gift.¡±


    Though, his message was more or less ignored by Iris. She had no intention of doing anything but calm herself down before walking to solve this mission that Ceila gave her.


    Since yesterday, she felt a strange sensation in her chest. It stemmed from a lot of things. Some of which, were even feelings that Iris was yet to explore. It was perhaps a wonder of adventure, or she had a deep-rooted problem with anxiety because of her family, or past. Those were two vastly different things, yet Iris was aware of the former, and not the latter.


    Taking a stroll around the Cathedral to calm down, she returned to where she came from. Offices beside the cathedral held many things for the priests or any mage. Even those unaffiliated with the church could buy out their services, doing alchemy, forging, or whatever they needed to.


    Iris found a regular mage room filled with experimental mage equipment that one would need. As a priestess of the Vermillion Church¡ªalbeit a beginner one¡ªit was free to her use.


    The room was for the mages to work with initiating their experience, experiments, and so on. It wasn''t of high quality, but neither it was poor. It was more than better for Iris, who was used to her own experiments in her home and her clumsy homemade Alchemy Table.


    Tossing Murai and the two boxes onto a wide rectangular Alchemy Table in the middle of the room, Iris used the chair aside to lean deep into it, making herself comfortable.


    ¡°I am exhausted...¡± she complained, sounding like an adolescent, for once.


    She was always under the watchful eyes of others, but she figured Murai wasn''t somebody she should be worried about, so why bother with being polite?


    Forcing his neck, and beak up the bucket, Murai was curious about a couple of things. Watching the sight around him, as well as two gifts behind the bucket, he was wondering what Ceila or Vermillion wanted from him, or what they will give him. Those boxes were a handful in size, but they could reveal many secrets.


    After all, he could see the runes on top of these boxes. Those were high-grade Mana Seals, filled with enough power to stop any futile attempt to seize what was inside. That should include the defenses with power above level 70 or perhaps even higher. Murai wasn''t sure of the proper power levels of this world yet, so he could only assume things from the runes and mana alone.


    In fact, he hoped for a better example of some power-leveling stuff that ran in this world, but where would he look for that?


    So far, he wasn''t as comfortable and familiar with anything about this world. Lisa should be the main helper who should provide him with such information, but she was asleep. She should''ve done a better job before that, but it was too late to cry over spilled milk.


    There was also this Will of the Battleworld that provided him with huge benefits, alongside the power-leveling bullshit that Gods put into this place.


    Right. The World was the answer he was thinking of when considering everything. Gods were the cause or excuse for how it all worked together, while the World gave them the edge.


    A power system that stems from the World, followed by Godly control. It was a recipe for an unbalanced mess, according to Murai''s own guess. But a guess was a guess. It was an interesting idea that he had seen a couple of times indeed, but this was the first time Gods were making such a mess.


    Goings against such a system seemed like a thing to his tastes though. Murai knew it should be fairly intriguing since his power level wasn''t nearly adjusted to this world at all. His prowess was different than some numerical systems, even though they were provided by those boosts.


    Murai was broken thanks to his soul and Cursed Living, or so he figured. Not in a bad way.


    Iris was glancing at the tall ceiling, breathing calmly in her leaning position beside the Level 40, and Grade C Alchemy Table. After a while, she noticed Murai struggle to keep watching.


    ¡°You are free to put your restraints away in this place.¡± She said, noticing he was still looking and feeling like a regular duck. ¡°It''s not like anyone is interested in any strange mana undulations in this place. A lot of mages do worst things than take the demonic beasts to this place. It''s built well, hiding mana and dangerous elements within.¡± Iris stated, shoving her hands around as she spoke, giving some notice to the many runes around the walls.


    Murai knew what she meant even if she didn''t say a thing. He noticed them right away. The walls had no windows, but a few candles were enough to light everything in bright light. Not like there was a lot to see, since the walls were more or less barren brick walls, filled with all kinds of rune symbols.


    It was a passable Rune Array put forth by quite a good mage. It was a construct of runes that will prevent any mishaps in any experiments, so the building wouldn''t get destroyed. They will be enough to last decades, which meant a lot of effort was put into this place.


    Murai couldn''t help but give it a meaningful nod, deciding to go with Iris''s suggestion. He willed his mana forward, which was like a small streaming river, that was momentarily flooded with debris.


    Muria felt more comfortable than ever, the moment he stopped restraining his unkept Beast Core. He was yet to figure out the right way to calm the raging mana inside his body. His mana was definitely on the chaotic side of things, making it hard to control and stop flowing.


    Even though he felt he had this sort of familiar mana in some past lives, he couldn''t help but think of it as something unique. It wasn''t because the mana was hard to shape or use when one was unfamiliar with mana. He had plenty of those familiarities, and this was caused by his body itself. An Anatidae, in fact.


    He was unable to control his core regardless of his hefty experiences and knowledge. Was it something to do with being Anatidae? Murai obviously thought so, since it was the only good answer that would make sense.


    After all, mana was an encompassing piece of universe-scale power, spanning countless distances across the universe. River of Manaflow was a topic of mysteries, spanning both, time, matter, and courses of unnatural powers that made the universe what it always will be.


    It didn''t matter if one was a human, a beast, or anything else. The mana was remaining stagnant, unchanging in its structure and rules. The only times when it could change were beings that could use it, sense it, or wield it in around, or within their bodies. Then, the mana can become a tool to be used, experimented with, or played with like a toy.


    Though there were some extreme sides, Murai knew about them. The Laws, or so he imagined now. Order of Chaos held the Laws intact. Chaos Laws were the most intense. It came from the demons and chaotic elements that were ever present in the universe as the mana itself. Order was more gentle, thus weaker than Chaos but not by much.


    If the universe had no balance, it would get stagnant, leading to meaningless destruction, and an imbalanced course of living. The universe had to have a counterbalance, otherwise, things would become heated, mundane, and filled with nothing but diminishing rules.


    Amidst the feeling of the mana in his body, Murai took a deep breath, Shaping small strands of energy to grab the quill, book, and ink to the table.


    ¡°You want to talk?¡± Iris asked, noticing what was happening right away.


    Murai went right at it and wrote.


    I am thankful.


    ¡°Realy? Why does it feel strange to see you write it? This, coming from you? I don''t know you enough, yet I have this feeling... it might be unfit?¡± Iris thought out loud, leaving Murai to cringe inside.


    For fuck''s sake... here I go, being nice for once, and this is what I got? Maybe being an asshole is a better idea after all. Murai thought and started to write something else rather than being himself.


    It was mostly gibberish, which meant nothing, but to make Iris feels better about herself. He was trying to motivate her, upon discovering her tiredness and her circumstances that he more or less understood.


    ¡°What do you want? This?¡± Iris asked, straightening her posture, and pointed to the boxes with her finger.


    Murai nodded impatiently.


    ¡°I feel like resting for a moment... Do you mind it? ¡± Iris lazily stretched and went closer to the bucket. ¡°You should also rest up, otherwise your wounds would ache in the Afterlife. You should think about it, but you don''t have to hear my words. I am talking to myself, after all. Talking to a duck... even? Strange.¡± she sighed.


    She watched Murai from the corner of her lazy eyes. She was curiously watching what Ceila meant by an Anatidae, or why things happened in the way they did.


    This was a Blessed before her, but one, that was quite wild and unique beyond her wildest imagination.


    ¡°I can be inclined to be more than your helper, you know? If my brother will end up in the knighthood of Vermillion Church, all of my worries will disappear. What do you think? Are you worth of services of this beginner priestess?¡± Iris asked calmly, sounding a bit sour as if her words weren''t something she thought were honest.


    ¡°I didn''t mean a regular companionship. Are you aware of how Blessed do their work? They have one of the highest standards in this world. Some call them Heroes in human powers, while the cases of the beast, or demonic Blessed are... A bit strange, but not unheard of. Have you heard of Temporar Power Chain before?¡± Iris asked a bunch of questioned unrelated to one another, which gave Murai a headache.


    This time, he wrote a simple answer. My Life Companion so far was a letdown, so I don''t ''expect anything.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    I don''t know a lot about this world, so I would appreciate anything that you can offer. Temporar whatever... never heard of it.


    ¡°I am glad to read that,¡± Iris said and changed her posture to lean on her hands on the table so she can look at Murai a bit closely. ¡°Life Companion is a different process of power. From what the master explained to me throughout the years, alongside my own findings, it is the guiding soul of someone already familiar with the Battleworld. Such souls then serve as direct help to a new Blessed, providing the unique services that Battleworld can do for each unique Blessed. Apart from this singular special companion, they could also have all kinds of folks under their influence. Perhaps you already know it, but I will say it for the sake of it.¡± Iris said, giving him a much-needed knowledge boost.


    ¡°Slavery is most common. Then forming a regular blood bond, friendship, or forming groups with folks of similar interests. Temporar Power Chain is something that can give an unrelated person to Blessed some unique opportunities, and a better connection to the Will of the Battleworld. It isn''t like Blessed Companions, but similar, time-limited, and weaker. Mercenaries, and people of the coin in general work fine too. It''s quite a vast subject, but it all revolves around a simple premise. Do you know which?¡± Iris said, gesturing to Murai to write his guess.


    He wrote.


    Uniqueness


    ¡°Interesting answer. I wrote it myself when I was 11.¡± She chuckled, continuing. ¡°It''s because a Blessed is extremely important when it comes to the connection to the Battleworld. They can use that to a huge advantage and not just for themselves. The Battleworld can give rare chances to the companions alongside the Blessed. They can form a lot of things. From Tasks, missions, and quests, you name them, and they probably exist in some form. Then, they could be something more than helpers walking side by side. They could become a huge help, getting blessings, and benefits similar to the Blessed. Meaning, they would get stronger faster than an average person.¡± Iris explained, leading to Murai''s gaping beak.


    Iris talked quite well for her age and knew a lot more than he thought. After all, Ceila gave her quite a few important rundowns about this world and its interests since she had to know them. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Iris had an interest in them herself, long before she met Ceila. So, it was no wonder she talked with enthusiasm, giving Murai the knowledge that he needed.


    Any normal scholar or stronger adventurer would give the same rundown as her.


    As for Lisa and her methods of being a Life Companion? That was as unique, as herself.


    What in the actual fuck. Murai scowled inside. Did Lisa ever consider such a simple rundown? Did she ever plan to tell something like that, or did she even say something like those lines? I don''t remember... Wait, the Will of the Battleworld did tell me something about it when I formed a connection with her. But I was so fed up with the situation back then, that I ended up ignoring it. Fuck... It''s my fault also. No need to be upset then. He sighed, letting his beak down in frustration.


    ¡°Hey, don''t be let down by this.¡± Iris patted Murai''s on his head, ignoring the fact he was a demonic beast, and started undulating some residual aura of something... sinister? She ignored it since there was no point in being afraid. ¡°You see... It isn''t bad to have helpers. After all, Blessed are kind of unique existence in this world. They do a lot of things and could create miracles, and also disasters. It is... what makes this world a Battleworld as you probably know already.¡±


    Murai wrote.


    I know what kind of world this is, but it doesn''t make me happy it is like that. Do you want to be this kind of helper?


    A priest helping a demonic beast? I doubt it is a possibility that is worth the danger.


    What would people think, or your brother? You should care for yourself and your future.


    Being a helper to a Blessed should sometimes be a disaster, rather than a miracle. I bet. It sounds like that, from your words and how I think of it from my own perspective.


    Reading it, Iris almost laughed. ¡°My brother would agree with exactly what you wrote. He is young and inexperienced, but like me, he has a bright future. Maybe he would even agree to be your knight if he was older. Who knows? Screw some sense. Blessed are already living legends so why have common sense about right and bad? It doesn''t matter when it comes to them.¡±


    What a freaking family... I wonder why their uncle ended up as a braindead follower of this Centralis shithole? Murai wondered but didn''t write it to make Iris upset.


    ¡°But no... I accept not following you myself. You speak sense, sir Murai. It is already finite. My life depends on things and a set future. My life is dedicated to my Master since she already accepted me years ago behind my uncle''s back. I want a good life, safe from the worries of some disasters. Nothing but this church could provide a sense of peace for me and my brother. It is like that. Right? Am I wrong, si... er.. Murai?¡±


    Murai wrote, feeling Iris was making a good decision.


    Right, or wrong is often subjective. The same is with good or bad. Righteousness or evil. Chaos or Order. It all depends on many variable perspectives one could see or feel.


    What one wants to achieve, feel, save, or hold precious to one''s heart? Having the freedom of choice is a gift that not many have.


    No god can force us on a path that we don''t want to make ours. Freedom is like that too and your Will is one thing that holds true beyond the heart and intent.


    Forcing yourself or others is a thing only a few could do, so which future will be yours is yours alone. No one will decide on a life for oneself unless it serves some benefits. What is upon you is a path. It is yours. I can''t give you wordy advice, or give you hints for answers.


    You should already know it yourself since you answered it yourself. You sure wish to serve Vermillion honestly. It is a good beginning to feel it, so I hope it will remain. It is the same with you Master, but that is outside of my influence. She is also important to you, and I can tell it.


    She gave you a chance and you took it. It is no time to be greedy about some possible Blessed chance. Not when you have shackles in your Will that already make you prone to your future. Vermillion''s, that is.


    Don''t waste this luck that Ceila''s hopes in you.


    Iris read it all twice. She thought of it as excellent writing that solidified her intent. ¡°Right... Thank you for these words. I will engrave it into my heart so I will never forget it. I am grateful, so let''s see what this is next, otherwise, I will start to cry and forget to do a thing.¡± Iris said, forcing the book away and grabbing the envelopes on top of the box meant for herself.


    Folding it open in a second, Iris was surprised to see a full-blown Scroll hiding in a rather small envelope. In fact, it wasn''t a whole Scroll, but a piece of certain Mana Script, which should be part of something bigger.


    The name of this treasure was on a small token-like object, folded over the scroll by a leather strip.


    Seven Profound Pills - Chapter 1


    Iris furrowed her brows, trying her hardest to come up with a memory that should include something about hearing this name. She couldn''t for the life of hers recall it.


    Murai scrabbled a few quick words, unaware of the name since Iris kept it close to herself.


    Show me.


    Though, Iris didn''t catch his writing, since her eyes were upon the Script of quite some value.


    In fact, the side, on the other side of the handful token also included a small hint of the rules from the First Pagoda. It stated to be careful of this scrip''s physicality, authenticity, Class, and Grade, and one had to be wielding this old piece of paper with care. It was old, so it went without saying.


    ¡°Grade SS? Path is unclassified but its Class isn''t? I never heard of this. Class - The Sharadar God? That... Isn''t it similar to the goddess that fell in the Shattering War!¡± Iris exclaimed, putting her palm across her mouth.


    Murai quacked in annoyance from hearing her words but was unable to get anything out of the situation, other than hearing her words.

 Chapter 66: Seven Profound Pills

    Iris spent the next 10 minutes going over the Mana Scripture, leaving Murai to wonder about it, as she did what she could and thought of it in her head.


    Why Ceila even gave her this opportunity to view such a treasure of unclassified rarity was more than questionable.


    Any kind of relic from the Shattering War was absolutely something that any Church wouldn''t take for granted. It was something worth having in the secret depositories or the underground vaults.


    Iris was sure this was something along the line of extraordinary, and it was on the uppermost floors of the First Pagoda. Thus, it was precious, since the further the floor went the more valuables would be stored there. That went apart from the underground, where the dangerous artifacts dwelled.


    Tuskan explanation of her gifts from Ceila was brief if it can be described as such. He did not mention any war or unclassified information. In fact, he didn''t tell their name, but worth.


    This Mana Scripture was following the name of Seven Profound Pills. It was a secret treasure meant to follow the traditional path of priesthood but there was something within this scroll that was unlike the normal kind. It was an Intent put forth by the scripture, following something hidden that the maker or writer intended.


    It was a technique or a partial method of magical technique that was part of the heritage of the Sharadar Goddess, and while the Path itself was lost, its Magic wasn''t. It was classified as supporting magic, meant to depict healing and other supplementary things. It went with Alchemy as well, Pill making, and all kinds of weird techniques.


    Iris clutched her mouth, furrowed her brows, and lost her vision in the scripture. The other hand gently hold the soft paper, while the scripture itself wasn''t anything long, it sure felt like she could read it for weeks.


    Her eyes were long lost in the stretch of the Intent, and so was her soul. She was mesmerized by the fact that she could read something like this, and she wasn''t afraid even though she didn''t consider herself anything special. Apart from the Gift that Vermillion gave her, she had nothing to her name whatsoever.


    Iris was yet to hold anything that she considered "defining" of fate. Embarking on something special was her dream and hope, so seeing this scripture that Ceila gave her, was unordinary.


    Suddenly, like a jolt of lightning that struck the earth, Iris''s head shook, and she screamed in pain, letting her head away from the scroll.


    She began to struggle as if something was clutching her mind from the inside out. It wasn''t anything comforting, nor something she wanted to experience, but it felt powerful enough to not let go of the scripture and its Intent.


    Though, it wasn''t something she could maintain for longer, because the intent of this scripture was too much for her. After all, such scrolls weren''t meant to be viewed by beginner priests, but by high-ranking priests, or mages prone to its powers.


    The Intent was the cause, and it viewed her in delight. The following technique was floating from within the scripture as intended. It was trying to discern the readers, finding something special and well-behaved. A host perhaps, or a worthy reader? A talent worth of the Seven Profound Pill?


    Iris could only guess it, or perceive the answer from the little what she was feeling right now.


    Why would such a treasure be let into the hands of a beginner priest of a low level was beyond her senses, but there was no way she wouldn''t give it a try.


    No way.


    Iris had no time to ask questions about being afraid, but Murai was different. He didn''t like her struggle. It was useless in his opinion to discern the inevitable failure. It went against the common sense of his vast experience.


    It wasn''t worth moving a mountain when one couldn''t move a river.


    S-should I act? Help?


    he thought and considered his choices. My mana is getting to the point of good stability, but why is she struggling so much? Is this... not her that is the problem? A forceful intent put forth by the writer? Does it want to put all of the information to the reader, or is it something that is too vast or complex? What was Ceila thinking, or what is it even?


    Murai clutched his beak as he watched her from the bucket. He had some ideas to stop everything, but all of them involved his Will and force which could also endanger her.


    In the end, he chose to wait, accepting that Iris''s stubbornness kept struggling. It was his interpretation, while Soul Read provided him a slight hint that she was still fine, albeit hurt and struggling in her unyielding spirit of interest and curiosity.


    She remained to clutch the head with her left hand, and the scripture was in her right hand.


    Turning herself into a ferocious dancer, Iris ended up stumbling from the chair, where her movements became a bit chaotic. She was trying to stabilize herself by being stubborn without letting the scripture from her hands.


    The moment she will let go, this chance will be gone.


    It was digging... The Intent was forcing something on her. A force of... something greater than she wished for?


    Seven Profound Pill - Chapter 1 seemed like priesthood material or Alchemical knowledge. Perhaps it was Sharadar''s knowledge itself? Her Will or technique?


    Iris had not once felt the pressure of the Will of the Battleworld or anything else. She was not Blessed, nor Gifted yet, and she held no special advantages. She was a regular human, turned into a priest by her own effort and talent.


    She was gritting her teeth, forcing herself to sit on the ground. This technique was just paper. A piece of something regular, or so she wished to think. It was obvious that it was hiding something she didn''t expect.


    Like most Mana Scriptures, which were a bit similar to the Tomes in terms of context, Iris began to seek the answers amidst the pain. It wasn''t her first time going through the scripture, but it sure was her first to seek something precious like this.


    Her proper stubborn restart in her tries started with feeling the intent by a couple of words at a time. Then full sentences, until the intent was screaming to her soul.


    Discerning the Intent was difficult, yet amidst this shock, Iris remembered the teaching Ceila gave her.


    Even the strongest efforts could become a tool against the chaos, and oneself.


    Becoming calmer, and letting the matter flow without a care in the world is a true state of purpose.


    Calmness amidst the storm. Breathing calmly like a breeze.


    Those were her words, and Iris knew them since she recited them out loud from time to time. It was making her mind calmer, where she was finding tasks in hand too hard, or out of her touch.


    This was precisely the situation, but tenfold more difficult to remain calm.


    Letting the matter flow naturally by her own calmness? Was it something she could do?


    Iris can try, so she retracted her left hand, grabbing the scripture with both hands. Straightening her back, she stopped her struggling face to appear calmer on the exterior. It was the first step. The second was to become calm inside as well, which wasn''t anything easy.


    She managed to stop the pain by following the calming breathing and discerning the pain as a momentary thing that will pass. Getting a hold of herself was a matter of time.


    Taking a deep breath, Iris put the scripture above her head, and let things flow naturally.


    That was, to make her mind relax, and let go of fear, pain, and anxiety of seeking something greater than herself. It was a state that a mage should know, yet she was a beginner, gifted a tremendous chance. No wonder she was shocked at first, but she found the right path and firm ground alongside her Will.


    Minute by minute, her face was turning serene, while her mind was discerning the meaning of Seven Profound Pills.


    It became clearer. Chapter 1 was about a Medical Technique. Something that any doctor would love to see, but no regular one would understand it. Mana was part of it, as well as the intent that used to belong to an extremely powerful being.


    ¡°A God''s Gift is like a treasure made from Heavens. Its usefulness depends on the wielder, while this... This is an opportunity and no treasure. A tool for one, a technique that can become something better.¡± She recited the meaning she found out loud. It was calming her to hear her own words. ¡°One gains nothing but knowledge of how to perform certain things, but in no shape how to succeed. It''s like... yea... It''s Mana Tome for any mage, but its content is like its origin. Unclassified and out of the norm. Pills. It''s that ancient topic. Seven Profounds. Seven chapters. Seven pills. A last Pill to extend life, release the soul, make an Avatar, and form a brand new body. Ridiculous stuff!¡± Iris shouted the last words, shoving her eyes open as the Intent ended its pursuit. It hit her head, shoved deeper inside, and rested in.


    She was awake at last, and her mind was never so clear before. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was no change in herself in her fundamental structure. There were no noticeable mana improvements, but perhaps her whole being felt more refined. Calm could be a part of it, but this Intent was her chance. Her feelings about her soul weren''t stranger, or stronger.


    She was still herself, but the Intent of this scripture made her perceive things differently. Maybe it was about the perception or a Will that she began to seek, while it was yet to manifest in a more noticeable manner.


    Murai watched something like this happen many times. A sudden clarity followed the inevitable stubbornness and hard success. Such feelings were special in their way and he saw that Iris succeeded in becoming something greater.


    That was a simple growth of a person undergoing chance, catastrophe, and chaos. Iris understood the meaning of what it meant to be a priest or mage, but something that came before, or after, wasn''t something she was yet to know.


    Unfolding the scripture back to its previous appearance, Iris got up to her feet.


    Now, she was feeling good after she let herself wash in this Intent, but the start and the process were anything but that. It was painful like being shouted by hundreds of Ceila''s. The beginning and following times were that, but now, she felt like it didn''t even happen.


    ¡°That was strange...¡± She mumbled and wondered if what just happened was her fault or something she should feel happy about.


    Alas, she remembered where she was, and what she was meant to do. Noticing Murai''s curious face, poking out of the bucket, she took the seat back at her seat.


    ¡°Yeah... Sorry for waiting,¡± she said, sounding apologetic for some reason. ¡°This is Sharadar''s Scripture. Seven Profound Pills is the name of what this scripture is about, and it is old beyond common means.¡± Iris explained.


    ¡°Sharadar? Hmm... I see.¡± Murai thought happily after finally hearing it. Putting forth his clever use of his quill, he wrote.


    What do this Intent and Scripture entail?


    Iris briefly mentioned all positives of what she learned, but even that took almost 5 minutes. Then, she moved to the Pills themselves, and the medicinal technique she suddenly comprehended. The whole situation held quite a unique concept of mana, shaping life, blood, and all kinds of ways that were anything that Iris knew of.


    In a sense, it was an ancient kind of Priesthood that she realized was under her grasp, and she can follow this Path for now.


    Each importance of the Profound truths led to 1 Pill each, making this Seven Profound Pill Scripture, seven chapters long.


    The first chapter was about the body and healing. The ending results and peak of this chapter would allow the creation of the Second Life Pill. It was a pill created by a ridiculous amount of vitality, including a rare kind of material.


    For now, Iris couldn''t even imagine thinking about it, but the Intent spoke for itself, revealing everything regardless of her shaken Will to imagine the power of all those profound truths.


    This way, she learned everything as if she was a bystander, but she watched how this intent developed her soul instead. It was an as strange tactic, yet it worked marvels.


    The calmness of being like a bystander worked wonders, and Murai nodded at her sheer willingness to get this to great success.


    ¡°I think this is something I can help you with. It was like... as if This was a Tome. It put so many things into my soul...¡± Iris said, clutching her head in a try to remember and feel her headache. ¡°Is this how it should feel like? Those feelings of undergoing a flood of intended memories and feelings. It almost feels as if I am no longer myself, yet I know I am. If I will get lost in that, I will lose myself. Is that right?¡± Iris stated her confusion, hoping to get some help from Murai''s vast amount of experience she thought he had.


    In fact, he knew precisely what she was talking about. It was just a ridiculous case of being washed over the ridiculous technique, followed by her even more steady efforts.


    Iris skipped a lot of parts and it was a miracle she was able to hold on for so long. That, Murai liked to see. It immediately put Iris in his good book.


    Murai watched her with a better outlook, understanding that she may be special in something after all since Vermillion was interested in her. One way or another, it couldn''t be something bad for him, so Murai began his hints to her worries in written form.


    It shouldn''t be like that all the time. It will calm down later. For now, you are confused because of your lackluster emotions. It''s normal. You are what? 17? You did more than enough for your age and talent.


    The Intent of something extraordinary was putting a certain amount of itself to yourself, making a mess of your feelings, ego, and internal thoughts. It was like a Push of Will against your soul. That was why it was so painful for you. It will calm down after a good sleep, or meditation, or it depends on your mental fortitude.


    Someone with a big Will would cease all of this forced intent away in thought, letting only the important stuff inside their mind. That, or they wouldn''t get shaken at all, and instead used this pain as a furnace to strengthen themselves. You did something similar, albeit with smaller efficiency.


    Tomes works at the same principle, but this Seven Profound Pill is ridiculous. I don''t know why Ceila made you do this. There must be other ways to let me heal, so why she did this is beyond me.


    Reading it all, Iris also didn''t understand why, but this intricate technique wasn''t anything bad to her. Sure, it was something beyond herself, reaching the realms of gods, but she managed to perceive it.


    The fact that she was able to comprehend it to a certain extent was already surprising to her, even though a lot of pain was involved in it.


    Frowning, Iris was somewhat unhappy about Ceila, but only a little. She still had her own mind, so what she could do wouldn''t necessarily fall under


    her influence.


    She wanted a better life, but it was exactly the opposite way how Murai viewed this matter. Iris wasn''t interested in the road of greater power. There were others for that.


    How she became an orphan, was more or less, influenced by these people, so Iris became aware of a lot of things even when she was young. Though, it all went to shit, when the Cetralis Kingdom attacked her former nation Palia Kingdom, obliterating it in a matter of a single day.


    Both of her parents died back then. She still remembered the sight of the war and blood. She remembered it much better since she was 8. Fortunately, Timmy was only 3 years old, so he wasn''t as influenced by that Holy War. He didn''t remember specifics, but what came afterward was nothing better.


    What he was, aware of was the aftermath, while he become older to see the world that wasn''t that pleasing. He had his sisters to follow, and that was enough for him.

 Chapter 67: Wave of Life

    Iris held no better choices than what she already had, so she asked.


    ¡°Sir Murai... What should I do? I know we came to an agreement, but how do you want my help? After everything that happened between you and my master, she told me to help you. I have to do something, don''t I? She won''t like it otherwise.¡± Iris said hesitantly, yet her eyes showed some resolution. She wanted to help him with sincerity, stemming from Ceila rather than her goodwill.


    Well, part of it was herself, but only a little. After all, she already came to terms with Murai''s conditions. His words convinced her to do what she can do, rather than what she shouldn''t do. Forcing herself onto Blessed was a peculiar thing that Ceila and Vermillion planned for, or hoped for, but it will fail.


    Murai heard her worry, feeling her soul that the situation still needed some touch.


    The deal between your master and myself doesn''t necessarily involve you, as far as I see it myself. She wants and expects something from you, and something else for me. I am a different kind of mess.


    For you, it is something more important, meant to let you grow up, and get stronger. Forcing you to myself could be a small hope, but it won''t come.


    This Scripture, on the other hand, will be a good start for you. It should be your future. So, don''t worry about it and indulge in a proper Path this seems like. It is finite though. Perhaps Ceila knows the full extent of this Path herself? I wonder.


    Murai wrote his ideas, leaving Iris nodding.


    ¡°Being hesitant is something I struggle with a lot...¡± She said. ¡°Maybe it''s this anxiety within me since the moment this... situation with my home changed.¡± Iris thought out loud, feeling uncertain about what she even wanted to tell.


    As she did so, the door shot open, revealing Ceila, wearing the same robe as before. Her face was also the usual smiling self, with brightness and light. It was an unlikely face from the time when she was dealing with Murai.


    ¡°I am over it...¡± Ceila said, stopping in her tracks the moment the door closed behind her back. ¡°So?¡± She asked, looking at Iris that looked at her in surprise. ¡°Are you managing my gifts well?¡±


    ¡°M-master?¡± Iris asked, nervously clutching her fists in remembrance of her, not telling her what she wanted from her. Although, she forgot one thing. She opened just a single box. That one was meant only for her. She forgot the whole purpose of what Ceila meant for her, which wasn''t surprising since Iris went through a lot from that Scripture.


    Ceila was looking at the seated Iris, and her particular attention was on the bucket and Murai inside of it. She didn''t care for the quill that moved under Murai''s influence. Though, she wanted to mock him for such a clumsy method of communication.


    ¡°You didn''t hesitate...¡± Ceila mumbled, walking towards Iris in wide steps. She ended before her and Murai''s spot, where she placed her hand on her head.


    A small flush of mana went over Iris, who wasn''t sure what was happening, but Ceila didn''t want to hurt her for sure.


    ¡°You took it well. For a 1st Chapter,¡± she said after retracting her hands that remained around her head for a couple of moments.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Why? What exactly you are curious about asking that? Do you mean Chapter 1 of our careful path scripture or this unopened second package?¡± Ceila said, glancing at the wooden box that was left unattended.


    Iris momentarily hesitated, forgetting about its existence. Instead of that, she summoned her courage, telling her wonders clear as the sky in the heavens.


    ¡°Why have you gotten me something like that?¡± she pulled the closed Scripture towards her. ¡°Isn''t it something beyond my capabilities, let alone something I could see? This... Godly gift, relic, or what you called this kind of stuff years ago? I thought I wasn''t ready to know a thing. You said it.¡± Iris argued, yet Ceila was unbothered by her question or her words of wonders.


    ¡°Priesthood is different, Iris,¡± Ceila said. ¡°The situation is also a bit different now, but the topic of the priesthood takes priority. I did tell you a lot of things and left some things behind. It''s normal. It''s unlike the Pathways that mages consider a conventional path. A way of solitude under our Lady. A time where individuality matters, but for the sake of something greater. This isn''t Vermillion''s Path, but something that she advises looking for. Called Seven Profound Path, it is a different kind of breed of paths.¡±


    ¡°I know what... What? But this is...¡± Iris struggled to talk, glancing at the Seven Profound Pill Scriture on top of her palm. ¡°God''s Gift, isn''t it? A relic that means a Will of our Lady?¡±


    ¡°More or less.¡± Ceila shook her head, sighing and patting her head. ¡°It''s part of an ancient heritage, and it''s part of our Lady''s treasury meant for prospering priests. If they can take it, their Path is then provided.¡±


    ¡°So it is true... Did... No! I am unworthy of this!¡± Iris grabbed the scroll and shoved it toward Ceila''s hand. Unfortunately for her, she wasn''t interested in her unwillingness, since she couldn''t change it anyway. In fact, what was given can''t be given back. Iris already absorbed the content of the 1st Chapter.


    ¡°Calm down.¡± Ceila refused her hand. ¡°Having this chapter is something a proper priest of Vermillion church should at least know. In fact, it is hardly something that can be called a Path. That changes when your level spikes to 30, or more. You endured it well and formed a structure of healing magic that will take a certain time to master, but it is foundation-level stuff. It''s good for your future, while future Chapters may prove to be a worthy subject.¡±


    ¡°Healing... It''s... unlike my current blessing, isn''t it?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± She nodded. ¡°Having the blessing over the Constructed spells, and feeling of the mana is already something you know. The knowledge of the 1st Profound Chapter will come directly from within you. It''s going to be a path that you will figure on your way, I presume, and believe.¡± Ceila smiled, giving no choice for Iris to feel bad about her hesitation.


    This girl has always been like this. "Unworthy" "Lacking" and "Hesitant" Yet she was also hopeful, so Ceila changed her tone back to a forceful one. ¡°Now, let''s not talk about it. I am glad you went with it well, and Murai had no thoughts of intervening, which was part I am glad for. Do you have anything to say?¡± she turned to Murai. ¡°She may be helpful?¡±


    Murai glared at her back and offered her the inevitable refusal. He will decline what he should, since he had no need for companions at the moment, nor her plot. His priority was his life, and health, while anything that will come afterward will be secondary, or useless to him.


    No. Ask yourself if you think this is good. Iris has her own pace and place to be in, and it surely isn''t one close to mine. As before, 1 week to heal me.


    Then, we will talk, clearly, and hopefully according to whatever you and I want.


    Mission, or something else, I don''t care if it even means an opportunity for myself or hopes for Vermillion.


    He wrote again, glaring at Ceila who had somewhat of a mocking smile on her face.


    ¡°I know that you would refuse already,¡± she said. ¡°I still tried to see your reaction. Part of it was that, and another was something else. That''s why I will work instead of Iris in her first attempt at this Seven Profound Path. Are you willing to assist me today, Iris?¡± Ceila said, turning her face down, so Iris couldn''t escape her gaze no matter what she tried.


    ¡°A-already? Isn''t it... rather advanced for me to see that, let alone help? You said I am not allowed to skip things up!¡± she argued, but what use did it have? She talked directly to her, so who else would tell her what to do and not?


    ¡°And you are too afraid, my dear. My rules are only a facade structure to allow a proper progression. I am not even walking the Seven Profound Path, but I do know the Sharadar''s Scripture from the perspective of Alchemy, Pill Making, and other secrets that don''t make it a Path. Since I did what I did, you will naturally follow what I have for you. You are ready, so change your attitude a little and cheer up.¡± Ceila answered, turning away to face the alchemy table.


    ¡°Life Force is under me. Ynza Flower. Pristine Immacula. Distilled lifeforce elixirs of 10 Grade A and a few other things are needed. I will be the main involver of the mana, but you should learn alongside me for your future. Come closer.¡± Ceila ordered, understanding that her offer was indeed a bit too much for Iris that wasn''t even at the level to help her with what was wanted from her.


    Were these Healing Potions in her bucket anything worth it? Some value, sure, but they weren''t a lot in the grand scheme of things.


    However, considering the fact she made them, it was something else. Iris wasn''t even that well grounded in Enhancing according to Ceila''s teachings since it was a fairly advanced thing, and quite expansive.


    Iris escaped with her eyes upon Ceila''s retreat, drifting somewhere else since she had no idea what to say back.


    She nodded, noticing that Ceila looked at her again.


    ¡°That''s more like it. Now, for the parts I wanted you to do, I will do them myself. Seeing your success. means you are drained. Mentally, and physically. You don''t even feel like yourself, most likely. ¡± she said, ignoring Murai''s watchful gaze as she grabbed the remaining wooden box that Iris retrieved so she didn''t have to do so herself.


    Inside the box, there were about a dozen or so kinds of materials, meant to make one thing: Creating a potent Life Elixir named Wave of Life. It had high requirements for the maker, thus, making Iris useless. Each ingredient wasn''t that common and was quite precious in its own right.


    Adding the fact of needed Life Force itself¡ªwhich came from the maker¡ªit was no wonder Ceila will make it alone.


    Seeing all those ingredients, and Ceila getting to work, Iris let go of her worries, trying to see if she can even be of any help. Things that required the conducting of high-grade elixir happened in special ways.


    She couldn''t partake in making them, but that didn''t mean that elixirs were that different than the potions. It was a dedicated naming, and elixir usually involved one key difference. It was something that can be done without any equipment and usually involved higher-level stuff.


    This sub-profession was called Conducting and depicted the force of mana and included a special way of power called Life Force. It was a specific requirement for the Conducting, which was under the whole magical category of Alchemy. Making the ingredients fuse together, creating a mush of matter with Mana''s influence, and Life Force.


    That was the Conducting. A sub-category under the Alchemy, while what Iris was doing yesterday was simply called Potioneering.


    Ceila had some experience in creating and working alongside this category, and Conducting was extensive in their vision. It could involve and fuse other categories under Alchemy. From pills, potions, powder, or elixirs to pastes and aromas.


    However, one thing was clear upon her start and serious face.


    Murai saw and felt the ingredients from the box alone. No... He saw them and felt them, and that alone was enough for him to realize their worth. He thought it was way overkill for him, even though he didn''t notice his body was that broken. Thus requiring something like that shouldn''t hurt him, yet.... He did recognize these materials, but from the sound of his reading of the atmosphere and her words, it was obviously something hideous.


    Ceila was pushing a favor upon him, forcing way too good a healing method under her, or Vermillion''s plot.


    Clutching his beak, Murai watched from the side where Ceila watched the bucket, so he wouldn''t get in the way.


    Not like he could try, help or be an annoyance, so that left him growling and swallowing his anger. He will probably take this gift with a speck of shamelessness and whether he will regret it or not, his future self will think of it later.


    He was once again a bystander, seeing the stuff without his involvement. It wasn''t all that bad. Seeing a master of alchemy resurfaced many memories hiding in Murai''s soul.


    Soon enough, mana was glistering all so brightly around Ceila, enchanting the room with all kinds of colors that came from the materials as well. Particularly the 10 Bottles of Life Elixirs of Grade A were colorful enough on their own, intriguing Murai with their quality.


    He considered them already enough to solve the majority of his injuries since there were 10 of them! Couldn''t they help him on their own? He almost squeaked like a toy, and get them rather than watch this charade beyond his beak.


    There were waves of crimson color coming from those elixirs, but it wasn''t blood by any means. Their Life Force was so strong, it let out quite some impression. Inside them, it was as if a glowing sea was within a speck of space.


    It was the rest of the materials that let the brightest waves away, undulating the mana of many elements.


    ***


    10 minutes went on with surprising and unsurprising sights. Ceila was working steadily like a master she was, using the force of her mana to fuse the ingredients together while using her Life Force to stick them with her Conducting.


    All of it was happening above the alchemy table, under her watchful and careful control. At the moment, the sight beyond the table included a swirling crimson cocoon, resembling watery waves swirling together. It was forcefully made this way by Ceila, who was using a highly advanced type of Conducting that required no equipment whatsoever.


    She was at the last step of Conducting the Wave of Life that could bring a person from near death, alongside many primary benefits.


    Again, Murai was unable to recognize the potency or efficiency of what Ceila was planning. He had no idea about the Grade or origin of this Wave of Life. Neither Ceila nor Iris voiced the matter out loud.


    Although, from seriousness and clear reading of Iris''s soul, Murai could tell it should be something crazy. Unsurprisingly. If it was something that Vermillion thought would entice Murai to work with her, it should be enough to force his standards.


    Around the meter-wide cocoon, Ceila held her arms, as she controlled this swirling storm. ¡°Control is good. The last step is before me, so step back, Iris,¡± she ordered, giving her no glance as she placed her right hand underneath her robe.


    She pulled something out. Something bloody that smelled and let the room reek of blood. From the eyes alone, it was a fruit shaped like an apple, but it had no color of one, and its mass was bloodied flesh. In fact, it wasn''t a fruit, but one would mistake it very easily.


    It was a core item of the Wave of Life meant to be used as a final touch. A heart of level 78 Loch: A monster of no demonic origin, but a life force not one bit weaker than any bloody devils, or life-devouring demons.


    With hundreds of years of lifespan at its base specimen, its body was full of precious ingredients. The strongest could even truly a long time, reaching thousands of years of living under the water, which was a significantly deadly space in this world.


    Lochs were nasty creatures, resembling megalodons in shape, but with squid-style tentacles beyond their fins. In a sense, it wasn''t farfetched to call Loch a horizontal-looking squid, with fish-like properties. Their bodies held quite a vastness and mass, reaching dozens of meters in length.


    They could be tens of tons heavy, making them a tough enemy to fish out. Albeit to their impressive stature, their hearts was very small, making their metabolism slow and their progression not that great. Few could ever reach an Extreme equivalent in their evolutions, while their intelligence was always low.


    The heart in Ceila''s hand wasn''t a fresh one, but old, dried up. It was a fistful in size, but her fist was bigger, and even then, she hold it rather tight. It was clear, that her hands made this heart smaller than it was.


    It was quite a few years old heart, and its flesh long turned firm, yet the vitality remained vast in its origin. It almost resembled a refined life force heart from Murai''s careful guess. Now, its outer flesh resembled a glossy gem-like surface. It was bloody in color and hard as an unripe apple. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ceila didn''t waste any time. Before she came here, this was the reason she disappeared before. Getting this heart from the underground under her Lady''s guidance was easy enough. Hence, she was sure of its quality and properties.


    Putting the heart into the middle of the swirling matter, Ceila clutched her fingers, letting the heart explode into many pieces. She let every speck of the Wave of Life reach the crescendo of the final step.


    The last step was easy, yet the most crucial one. She put her hands into a praying position, letting go of any of her worries or redundant thoughts.


    This Wave of Life was part of the church''s secrets and few other forces had access to making it. It wasn''t something readily available to the public, let alone in private and custom manners. Yet here she was, making it to a demonic duck in the name of some... business?


    It was a strange situation that would be more than questioned by the other Suns, let alone some other churches.


    Thankfully, no one would question her, since she was a powerful figure in her own right, while Vermillion approved of this directly, yet discreetly. This, right there, will remain secret. That was at least what she ordered Ceila to do.


    Feeling the explosion flicker the storming cocoon, Ceila then started reciting some words. Incantation of the laws was a peculiar thing. Her Intent to wield it all together jolted this storming cocoon above the table aflame.


    At that moment, Ceila put her hands forwards wide around the cocoon, starting the Compression under the Pill-making category of Alchemy. She almost appeared like hugging this ferocious storm of high-grade mana, and extreme life force from many ingredients.


    In the following seconds, she gestured for Iris to place a bowl-looking furnace, without a lid, underneath this storm.


    Iris watched the sight with some fear, but thankfully, because of that, she noticed Ceila''s gesture. Her fear didn''t help much at all while Ceila did everything quickly as if she was doing this for the 100th time.


    That was impossible in her opinion, considering the fact that she recognized Loch''s heart. These poor fishes were almost exciting according to the common knowledge since they were slow and easy targets for Extremes. Their bodies were treasures, so it made sense.


    The cause of her fear was mostly caused by this unique process involving Life Force and mana. It wasn''t her first time seeing Ceila do her Conducting. She showed her something similar to this, albeit something lower in stakes so she could understand.


    Compressing it with utmost power and gaze, Ceila smiled as the storm started to sizzle, and let heat do its thing. The heat emerged from the visible decreasing cocoon.


    A few minutes into this, Ceila pushed her hands away, forming quick motions in the air with her fingers. 30 or so centimeter-wide cocoon didn''t expand back, and under Ceila''s quick Shaping of 10 or so runes in the air, she started the hardest part. Pill Creation.


    Each rune resembled a symbol of an old language, meant to do things around the Alchemy. One would think it was an intent of magic. A primordial intent that came alongside the mana itself, making rules, and all sorts of possibilities involved in the magic.


    After all, runes weren''t something created. They were discovered to be under the Laws themselves.


    Each rune floated to the cocoon, reaching the smaller one inside of it. They all disappeared inside, while Ceila could do nothing else but watch.


    What she decided were the primary effects of forming the Pill Creation, but her use of runes was like small nudges to make it more successful, and easier. If one would be confident enough, one may ignore runes altogether. Forming Pills, or other things with nothing but natural Conduction and other techniques was also a possibility.


    But this is where variables in terms of age, quality of material, and grade came into place. Advancements, further research, new findings, and new solutions were all matters of the inevitable progression.


    Ceila used an easier solution, while in the past, runes weren''t something encompassing, and used to make things easier. In fact, they were harder to understand, since they lacked the progression that countless years provided.


    Why not make things easier after all? Not using it would be stupid, and Murai thought so as well since he recognize what she was doing.


    A Pill, huh? This puts me in a spot... since it looks way too good. Well, I doubt I can see some resemblance in this since the Mmana itself is encompassing. Back then, there was no mana at all, but it worked in a similar principle. How peculiar... This method of doing this doesn''t seem that complicated. I wonder if I would be able to do something like this after my core is completely stabilized and familiar. Like becoming an Alchemy master duck? Heh! Murai though, considered his life choices and almost choked a laugh.


    He felt small, and weak considering the methods that Ceila did, but he understood the underlying tactics of this method he wasn''t all that familiar with. After all, what were the Pills? Just another form of elixirs, potions, or whatever came into his mind.


    Usually, the methods of liquid compression worked the best according to the rules Murai understood. Pills were dense extraction of liquified essences, while Elixirs were less dense than that. Potions were considered the weakest of the bunch and required the least amount of resources and talent to make.


    For him to form a pill meant a hard trial and time-consuming process that was difficult to master. For now, at least. Murai was weak at the moment, and this pressure of simple Conduction scared his body, yet his Will and soul were still lofty enough to view this in a different light.


    He didn''t like using others. This pressure of watching something extraordinary being created motivated his spirit and many supplementary skills he achieved, mastered or learned in the past. It was nice, and not at the same time. It was making him recall some unpleasant memories of a few New Beginnings.


    A couple of minutes after the last rune disappeared into the cocoon, it started to rapidly deflate. It started to rush out steam to the ceiling while dropping liquid down to the bowl-like furnace underneath it.


    The furnace made no additional changes. It was just a place for the droplets to drop, becoming bigger until something strange happened. A Wave of Life should be 2 centimeters wide pill. The forming of the pill was peculiar. After all, it was liquid, while the pill usually had some mass. This was the stage of Crystallization and something that all Pill Makers dreaded since failure meant waste, and success meant a win.


    As the liquid dropped, they appeared like magnets, forming the ball as if they were meant to do that.


    A Pill? A Wave of Life is a pill? Iris thought. ¡°Master, havening you done...¡± Iris said, looking at Ceila who pulled a hand to stop her words.


    ¡°It''s here...¡± Ceila whispered, leaning around the table to look inside the bowl-like furnace. ¡°Look.¡± Ceila pointed inside, revealing a beautiful glossy pill. It was crimson, with a tingle of white waves. Its consistency wasn''t like water, but hard it was. After the liquid cooled off, formed a proper Crystallization that was outside of the maker''s reaches, it formed a hard surface, leaving the inside pristine so nothing would leak out.


    In its own right, it was like a thickened sauce, although that was quite a poor analogy.


    ¡°Y-you... Is this the step above... that?¡± Iris mumbled, mesmerized by the Wave of Life.


    ¡°You don''t know a lot of things, my dear,¡± Ceila said with a smile and took the pill in her hand.

 Chapter 68: Refusal and Will

    Ceila retracted her hands, revealing the pill for Iris and Murai. Between her thumb and pointing finger was a glistering pill of colorful shine even though it was crimson in nature. The shine was a bit metallic¡ªprobably because of the Loch''s blood, or Life Force of many fused ingredients¡ªand was rainbow-colored at some angles.


    Other than that, the pill was letting off quite powerful mana fluctuation and an even crazier flow of vitality.


    ¡°This will be your new dawn, as well as my price for something. Do you dare to take it, Murai?¡± Ceila said, changing the gentle gaze within her eyes into a ferocious look: a look that gazed into Murai with seriousness befitting such a high-level being, but her words were like sharp sticks, craftily penetrating and seeking advantages.


    Murai found her words more than crafty. By this point, he retrieved his Mana Detection and curiosity over the disappeared cocoon, and the pill itself. Her gaze upon him was something else though. Something with the way she was looking at him terrified him.


    Was it her offer or the offer was what Vermillion envisioned? He couldn''t answer either, which frustrated him because of his inability to seek her soul with his Soul Read. Emoties tidied up a person and made a lot of things easier to feel. For him to not feel a thing, it was like reading a paper but the paper was blurry, or unreadable.


    Seeing her unwavering face, Murai unhappily Shaped his Mana forward, grabbed the quill, put it into an ink bottle, and stated his intent.


    Though, it wasn''t much in Ceila''s book, since she already predicted all of the possibilities of what would happen next. It was her forte, making people do what she or Vermillion wanted.


    Yet, the few words left in the book left her kind of speechless.


    Fuck off and get this shitty pill out of my sight. Agreeing on something stupid like this is beyond me.


    RIGH! Do you hear me? This trade is stupid!


    I ain''t even asking for a lot. My body is broken, but nothing that those 10 potions from before wouldn''t solve.


    Do you take me for a fool? No? Yes? Don''t care.


    Do you think I will take something that is probably something that you, yourself, wish to use? This bribe isn''t something I will take at this point at all.


    Fuck off, sincerely.


    Ceila frowned, her brows twitched a little, and even Iris curiously looked behind her back to see what he wrote.


    ¡°Listen...¡± Ceila said, her voice skipping a beat and becoming hoarser. ¡°It''s true that this is a precious gift to almost anybody. That is undeniable, but I did take this pill once before. It''s something you can take only once, so...¡±


    Quill moved again.


    Tell it to someone who cares.


    ¡°Fine... Since you insist.¡± she sighed, grabbing her lacking patience with Murai instead. Murai''s body was jolted from the bucket by her free hand, and she picked him up into the air under her more than firm grasp.


    Murai scowled, squeaking like a toy, and looking at her close face as she held his neck. ¡°I am offering you something really good, so why are you like this?¡± Ceila asked, sounding somewhat angry, but restrained at the same time. Weirdly enough, she didn''t ask but put her Will directly into Murai by the use of her Inner Voice that shouted to him by her demand.


    Murai realized her anger, knowing very well that this was basically what any religion or assholes do. Forcing their own view onto others, while anyone powerful enough would seek out the benefits no matter what.


    Such people were plentiful in the universe, and those were the kinds Murai disliked even amongst the god themselves. Greedy, selfish, unrelenting, and among other things, uncaring for others.


    Those were the powerful people who grew up with a golden spoon sticking out of their mouths, or in places opposite to that, but it didn''t matter. When one was an unreasonable asshole, expecting heaven from them wasn''t fitting.


    Murai watched her with unblinking eyes and decided to do what he can do, and not what he should. Sending his own Will to her, now they talked like he did with Rain¡ªforcefully, and steading one Will against the other.


    ¡°Businesses are two-way things. I want my health back and talk. This sort of Pill has no place in our discussion. It''s too big, and Vermillion''s offer is something I declined myself. You think I am stupid or what?¡± Murai said giving her quite a smug look of a winner. He was basically declining the feeding hand while being hungry and asking for something else. It wasn''t the right attitude to have either, but it was his Will.


    Sighting, Ceila shook her head and had every inclination to shove this pill into his beak. Could she do that? Sure. It would be one of the easiest things she could do at the moment.


    Alas, as this thought appeared in her mind, an outburst of force appeared around Murai since he could tell from her face alone, she had a bothersome idea.


    He activated Robust Defense and went hand to hand against the present nasty situation. He didn''t need to feel her soul, since the matter of telling was no longer important. He could see it as clearly as feeling the pain in his legs and wings. Ceila wanted to force the situation which had, in his opinion, a 99% chance of happening.


    Robust Defense was a powerful force that traveled from his head, but Murai had no idea about its power level or how strong it actually was. Forcing it against level 74 priestess? That was... not enough, but enough at the same time.


    Ceila was still grabbing Murai by his neck, and the swirling barrier of the unknown matter was only irritating her forearm by destroying a little of her robe and twisting her skin. She appeared focused as if hearing, or pondering over something.


    Her gaze was fixated upon Murai''s gaze, as they stared at each other for upcoming seconds.


    Murai was unyielding and so was she, yet a solution to this matter must happen no matter what.


    Ceila was the first to acknowledge the situation.


    ¡°I thought differently of you... My Lady too.¡± She sighed, tossing Murai back to the bucket. ¡°Maybe I was mistaken with the present situation, as I had no idea what m Lady wanted from you. But it is too late for me to do anything apart from helping how I could. I acknowledge this Pill is too much. A wave of Life was given and shall be given under different circumstances or different times. Perhaps then, you will see its sincerity, or ours. I will give you 1 week to heal yourself in a different way, then we will talk again and reach our full trade. Remember that, while I will remember your words. Business is a two-way thing, so we will heal you, while I will see in a week what will happen next.¡± she Willed and upon finishing that, she gestured to Iris to deal with the rest.


    Iris wasn''t really bothered by that but watching Ceila''s silenced sight put things in a new perspective. It seems the situation changed again because of Murai''s refusal, which may be her fault, caused by their previous conversation.


    It seemed Ceila''s plot failed miserably, or something of that kind. It was Iris''s guess, which wasn''t far from the truth.


    It was true, that the offering of the Wave of Life was a lot to take. It was one of the keen treasures to maximize one''s potential above level 70, but it can be taken way below that lever because of its intricate properties.


    If Lisa would be present, she would think of an excellent example to tell. It was as if Ceila was presenting him with a core reward from the main parts of the Somalis Dungeon. That was how ridiculous it was since the main parts included dangers, unlike anything before. Of course, the rewards would also be wonderful in return, but here?


    There were almost no clear dangers, and glaring at a gift wasn''t what Murai wanted. Not when a Vermillion was right there, hovering around his interest like a fool.


    Murai wasn''t stupid as he stated. He had no intention of taking more than he desired. Yet, considering Vermillion''s offer, he went against his will.


    It was true that his health was important, but his freedom was equal to that. That was his common sense and no rule per se.


    After briefly talking with Iris, and giving her last instruction, Ceila left the room after making sure she said everything that she wanted.


    This Pill Conduction didn''t take that long, yet Iris was glad for it to be over.


    Sighting as if she was an old man, she reached Murai''s bucket and collapsed to the chair. She took him between her arms, putting him high in the air while he struggled a little. But it was a futile attempt, as his body wasn''t listening to him all that well. He long stopped his Robust Defense which he used for 4 seconds.


    It was little, and it posed no danger to use it. It formed no underlying qualities over the rest of the body. All it included was the power of the Will and his soul, so it was quite a nice ability indeed. He could use it even when his physical body is so destroyed so this was the power of his Robust Spirit.


    ¡°You are really something...¡± Iris mumbled, watching Murai alone as she could. ¡°I swear if I won''t talk to you like my master did, I will regret that. Promise me one day that we will talk. I am so interested in the life of the Blessed, but from the little glances I managed in the past, they are all individuals of lofty stature. Proud, hectic, and worrisome. Those 3 words are what I told myself when I saw a few of them in the past.¡± She said and unwrapped the bandages around Murai''s legs and both wings.


    His left one which Regator destroyed, wasn''t in too bad of a shape regarding the bones, but some were indeed broken. The swiping motion of its jaw led to some unpleasant damage, leading to quite some loss of blood, and a severe cut across Murai''s wing.


    As for the other, it was broken in a similar state to his leg, but not that severe. After all, Razmund was quite savage with his legs much more than with his wing which were more flexible and softer.


    Iris placed him on the table, beside the bowl-like furnace called cauldron.


    She had her instruction from Ceila, and acting according to them shouldn''t be a problem. Well, partly. Ceila made a remark about Murai''s unwillingness to take the Wave of Life even though she made it for him. and that she should reconsider it, and force him to swallow it.


    That put Iris in a certain understanding of the situation. Working without Wave of Life made things a bit harder, but it was nothing that she couldn''t do.


    After all, Ceila addressed his unwillingness and gave Iris a mission for the following week. If he doesn''t want the pill, then regular painful healing will have to do instead.


    For now, Iris will act as his caretaker, catering to his wounds during his stay in the church or at her home. That included making a few additional medicines, which would then be enchanted by the residual tonic from the Wave of Life. In the cauldron, beside the pill itself, were leftover liquified essences from the conducting. There were always some residuals from the Conducting, and it usually ranged from 10 to 30%.


    They weren''t enough to fuse into the pill, as they were residuals when the last two stages¡ªCrystallization and Compression¡ª happen. Even high-level mages will inevitably leave some leftovers. It would usually leave second-rate valuables, but in the case of Wave of Life, they were worth like high-grade materials.


    Vitality Paste and Medicine Bandages filled with Rejuvenating Potions would become better after absorbing these effects. Though, if he consumed the Wave of Life, it would be better without any doubts. For now, the residuals appeared like liquid, and tiny dropped of crystallized pils. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Though Iris didn''t question either of their decision, Murai had his own view, and so did Ceila.


    Sure, she may feel a bit at fault, but only a little.


    Regular healing would take a week, or more, depending on her work. Overall, Murai''s legs had the biggest issues, but that would not be her problem any longer.


    ¡°Alright... sir Murai. The thing is, making the bones straight is hard, and painful. A Wave of Life would help with that... It''s what my Master said... But...¡±


    Murai sneered inside and put forth a message not so far away.


    Don''t care.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Don''t mind.


    Do what I need, and care about the consequences later.


    A Wave of Life? Forget it. We talked about it and came to a resolution. Simple as that.


    ¡°How direct...¡± Iris sighed. ¡°I won''t be polite with the help, nor your body. What was said is simple. I will have to buy a series of 14 or so healing pills. They will soak in the residual tonic alongside the bandages and so on for half a day, making them more efficient in the art of bone healing. Is that good enough, even if Wave of Life is included?¡±


    Murai nodded and let this be over with.


    Iris had no other toughs, so she retrieved everything that she could and walked out of the room with Murai in her bucket.


    Her current goal was simple. She will go to the Phenix Pagoda, which was a special public space for mages around this region. It was outside of the Vermillion Church, right beside its plot. It wasn''t part of the church. Albeit with quite a bit of Vermillion''s influence.


    Phenix Pagoda wasn''t under the influence of any force in particular. Not even the Centralis Kingdom had any say in the running of this place which was run by the Association of the Mages from countless organizations.


    Hence, it was quite an influential place with monthly auctions and yearly grand auctions that pulled unimaginable wealth and materials to this place.


    Its principle was to provide information and a trading hub for those interested in the Pathway of Magic. Anyone could enter, as long as they could afford it, or have some standing on their own.


    Iris was an insignificant member of this pagoda, which was one gargantuan building, not one big resembling a tower. In the middle, beyond the door were huge bird, feathery, and phoenix-like engravings. Some artists must have worked a long time for them to be so lifelike. It was as if dragon heads were right there.


    Phoenix Pagoda was a wide, and massive building, with many people coming in and out of the entrances. Architecture resembled a flat stone wall, but the front was nothing like that. It had dozens of tall pillars along the entrances with many gates to walk inside. Some pillars even resembled the tails or necks of the phoenix. It almost resembled a temple of some sort.


    Iris wasn''t nervous about having Murai in the bucket. Ceila assured her it was fine as long as no Blessed or mage under the Centralis Kingdom will take notice of Murai''s strange demeanor, while him, actually retreating his aura worked better than she expected.


    But... Tell it to a girl who was keeping a demonic beast in the bucket, next to dozens of Healing Potions. Which was stranger or out of space? The answer was easy.


    Walking inside, Iris kept Murai hidden by shoving a cloth above his head., but it didn''t stop him from peeping a little underneath it.


    It was a regular-looking entrance to the magic shop, and it didn''t need to be extravagant. As for what will be inside, it was a good question. There was some incentive to think of a mage trading hub when seeing this place from the outside, but inside?


    ¡°Greetings, young priest. May I see a token?¡± A young guard asked upon noticing her arrival at a gate. Every mage or associate of this trading hub had to be examined and own a token to do business in this place. Either to buy or sell, it didn''t matter. One needed the token no matter what.


    There was a small fee put forth in every transaction, which made the running of this place much smoother, and possible in the first place.


    Iris put forth a palm-sized piece of metallic plate from her pocket. It was a simple information token with an engraved name and level of her clearance for this building. She was the lowest member of the bronze tier, which made her unable to purchase a lot of valuable things, but not as if a bronze mage could even afford them.


    ¡°You may come in.¡± the young guard gestured her towards a door, letting her walk in.


    Behind the door was a much brighter place than the shady entrance because of the thick pillars. There were no windows, apart from the open gates, but there was similar light as outside.


    Iris looked at the huge hall, with many vendor streets visible from the entrance. It was a huge building without floors. A single one was enough, while massive windows on the ceiling provided the necessary sunlight. One would even think, why it''s not outside, to begin with?


    Well, it was a good question with a simple answer.


    Mages were extravagant and why not form an inside hub on their own inside place? This was no food or grain trading hub. This was a lofty place for mages who were better than some farmers or merchants.


    The building was at least a 2 dozen meters tall hall, with 45 meters in each direction from the middle entrance Iris walked through. It was an open place, with many buildings and private shops and a couple of open floors were built around some sections on the walls. It made the place unique enough and Iris liked it.


    One would notice all kinds of mages in this place, and everyone was chatting, or haggling over some goods, or between each other on some occasions.


    Iris knew what to look for, so she went directly to the acquaintance who ran one particular popular shop under the Vermillion Church''s influence.


    It was a good idea for any priest or mage to have some sources of goods, and they were always in need of money in all regards. While Vermilion Church had its own shops, this one was providing the same thing for the public or those who wouldn''t walk to the church themselves. Many other forces did have their official shops in this Phoenix Pagoda.


    In fact, all kinds of transactions went behind the scenes in this place. There were occasional auctions, and all kinds of important guests would come here from time to time.


    Iris''s destination was a sizable open shop with many shelves and materials for eyes to see.


    Behind the open vendor shop, was an old man, with a long white beard and equally white, receding hair. He wasn''t bald, but he was quite close to that. Maybe out of spite, he let the remaining hair do its work while its remaining hope was to remind him of his former self.


    At that moment, he was looking forwards with lost light in his eyes and mind. He was bored since not many people were visiting his shop.


    ¡°Greatings, mister Rizlek.¡± Iris said as she came right in front of the vendor. Then, Rizlek''s eyes changed to a much livelier light.


    ¡°Oh! Finally someone and it''s little Iris? What can I do for you? We have fresh stock of quite some materials for your taking.¡± Rizlek said with a face full of smiles.


    ¡°I came for selling, as well as... to buy some knowledge or ingredients.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Rizlek''s face turned serious. ¡°What kind?¡±


    ¡°First things first. Here is my fresh stock of Healing Potion. My master said to sell it here. It would make more profit, she said.¡± Iris said, taking the bucket to the ground, while carefully taking one bottle from it to the counter.


    Each potion was its own thing with important worth and future value. Before it could sell it was important to be careful.


    Soon enough, before Rizlek were around 26 individual Healing Potions. Few looked special, which he noticed by the glistering mana coming off of them, and his own feelings.


    Examining each of them carefully, he hummed and mumbled under his beard from time to time.


    ¡°How much?¡± Iris asked, hoping that her efforts would be greater than she hoped for.


    ¡°Lesser ones don''t sell that much, but many merchants buy their stocks regardless of Grade. Most are of normal value, which amounts to 2 gold each. 40 gold in total, while the rest is significantly better. They should be 50 gold in total. Especially those enchanted kinds. I wonder why 2nd Sun wanted to sell these here? Had she some ideas?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Iris opened her eyes wide after hearing those prices. They were much better than she expected. ¡°I... I made them myself, mister Rizlek. Why is there such a jump in price? It''s the same potion, forgetting the enhancement.¡±

 Chapter 69: Phoenix Pagoda

    Rizlek looked at her aghast face, oblivious to the fact that the enchantments weren''t normal according to Iris''s efforts.


    ¡°Oh, right. Is it your first time making Enchantments of this caliber? Rapid Regeneration is a very effective way to get an advantage in dungeons or battle, and many seek such things, but they are rare. I even suspect...¡± Rizlek paused in thought. ¡°... some would buy it above-asked price. Demand is higher than the ability to make them, while their rarity at your level and grade is the same. Some new adventures would love this. Although, it is a Lesser Healing potion. It''s sought out quite a lot, hence the high price¡±


    Iris nodded, gulping down her saliva in preparation for hefty rewards. 90 gold? That will be money she would make in 2 weeks of hard work with alchemy and help as a priestess.


    ¡°So, It is true that you made them.¡± Rizlek nodded, following his previous wonder. ¡°Since it is your work, I believe 2nd Sun explained to you plenty of things about it, young Iris. Alchemy is one thing, but the craziness of the Enchantment is something else.¡±


    ¡°I know what it is about, mister Rizlik,¡± Iris said. ¡°I just doubted myself and this price. That is all.¡± she shook her head which calmed her down. She completely forgot to cover the bucket again, exposing Murai to bystanders and so on. At least he had the conscience to forcefully calm his aura and mana, so he wasn''t as obvious as he should be.


    ¡°Good. I am just a vendor, but you should know what you are selling yourself. If you take it somewhere else, I bet someone would scam you for your luck and hard work. It wouldn''t be anything surprising in this world, where greed is following us all. Unordinary things sell better and higher, depending on many things one had to know. That''s just how things go. For example this one.¡± Rizlek grabbed the charming glowing bottle. ¡°It has 30 or 35% more effectiveness, while the materials remain the same. as one without any enchantment. It is like adding a grade to it, so it is a good enchantment, but it isn''t Rapid Regeneration. It would be more chaotically crimson than that. The price is still good though. It''s by chance, so Lady Luck is the only one who could answer those things. Alongside materials, and your prayer. Some resources can improve the chances of the Enchantments, but I am sure you know it already.¡±


    ¡°I know that mister Rizlek,¡± Iris said again, repeating the same sentence. ¡°You are weirdly chatty today... I bet it''s because you don''t make many sales, don''t you?¡± she said, smirking.


    ¡°I don''t deny that... Heheheh.¡± Rizlek laughed and continued making examples out of her goods. ¡°There are always some resonances of mana out of the Enchantments that make these rare chances better. The more familiar you are with them, the more often you will see some results,¡± he explained.


    ¡°So... Is this how is it? What about the precise price for this Rapid Healing Potion?¡±


    ¡°For one?¡± Rizlek asked.


    Iris nodded.


    ¡°Price should be around 10 gold for one. It can mean life and death after all. It isn''t a small amount. Amounting it to the rest, I can see and count your profit myself. Considering the materials that you purchased 2 days ago, they were worth around 9 gold, so it''s a steep profit just from this one alone. Isn''t it crazy enough? I would be smiling wider than finding something like this if I were you.¡±


    Suddenly, Iris was calculating it herself. Since yesterday''s happenings with Murai, she wasn''t even that aware of her own logistics. These potions? Something was strange about them. Usually, she would make barely 20 potions, and now, not only some were enchanted, but there are more than 20 of them.


    Something hit her right there in her head, yet she wasn''t sure what it was. A sudden recollection that she couldn''t point her finger at? Glancing down in thought, she noticed Murai looking around him.


    Him? she thought. No way. Influence over mana and alchemy just from presence alone is unlikely. No matter what.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Rizlek said, raising his brows and leaving the potion be. ¡°I am honest with my price if you are wondering about it. I won''t haggle or lie to fellow members of the Vermillion Church.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Iris mumbled, suddenly going back to reality. ¡°Oh, sorry. Sorry. I understand and I wasn''t thinking badly of you. Still...¡±


    ¡°Prices are kept by demand. No need to feel upset or happy. Now, back to the business. What were your knowledge and things you want to buy today? I will take it from your future gold after these would sell.¡± Rizlek asked, sounding quite professional as he pointed to the rows of potions. Such high-demand items will sell in a few days for sure.


    In fact, if Iris would be in a hurry, he could take the potions and sell them to bigger companies for basically the same price as he offered. Such was the price of demand, and business owners in the Pagoda Towers weren''t at least haggling with each other. Many were friends, and colleagues, albeit some were enemies, which was normal.


    Money was greed, after all.


    ¡°I need 14 Inner Life Pills of lesser quality. Around Grade C would do. I presume you don''t have them, since I have never seen them in your shop.¡± Iris said, remembering the demands and things Ceila gave her.


    ¡°Inner Life Pills? Such quality is good, but Grabe C? Only high mages do and use these things and they discard those or reform them for something else. I suggest Pika''s shop. He is a good fella and much stronger. He will help you out if it involves some gold. I guarantee his services and personality. If it''s that, I suppose it has something to do with your Master, so let me give you the full price for these potions so you will have enough. She sure is demanding...¡± Rizlek said, pulling a pouch out of his belt. It was an empty looking one, yet he pulled a surprising amount of gold coins out of it, signifying its spatial properties.


    Iris took the gold since there was no way to get the price higher than that. It was already quite good for her as Rizlek said. Profit of more than 50 coins¡ªminus the expenditure¡ªwas good. She even planned to purchase some additional materials to try her luck again later today, or tomorrow. Her style of alchemy wasn''t as demanding, so that wasn''t a bad idea.


    Giving Rizlek a simple bow, Iris moved toward the next destination. There was one section of this big place that was unlike the rest¡ªwhich was open.


    There was a street, or an alley if one would say so, with 2 rows of one-floor buildings on this street. They were famous shops with much better businesses. Pika was precisely here.


    Finding his shop was quite easy. There was a big sign with his face and a small name of his humble establishment: Pika''s Shop. It was kind of an obnoxious sign. Someone liked his own face a bit too much, it seemed.


    Walking inside by opening the door, a bell rang to note an arrival of a new guest and potential business. Mages liked those most. Some could even make the bell''s melodies special, making the first feeling of coming here as best as possible. It would boost sales.


    The room wasn''t big, or small. It was what any mage would need to do their business in a single building.


    Behind a counter was no man, but an elf girl. She had chainless shackles around her wrists, making her owned by due demands for a good assistant.


    Iris frowned, as she didn''t like to watch these kinds of things, but what she could do? Slavery was a thing, and some people liked it for its simplicity. In fact... It was making Iris angry, that the worth of certain people can be sold by a whim of a coin.


    ¡°Greeting dear customer.¡± the elf said with a beaming smile. ¡°Can I be of any help? Provide any materials or selling? Master Pika provides everything.¡± She was decently clothed, in a bright white uniform, with well-kept blond hair, which floated behind her revealed long ears. She didn''t appear like a slave, but it was obvious by her shackles alone.


    ¡°Hello. I come here to inquire about some pills by recommendation of old Rizlek.¡±


    ¡°Old Rizlek?¡± a man''s face said from the room beyond the counter. ¡°What did that fella do again? Making a business for me? I don''t owe him a thing!¡±


    It sounded like a rather young voice, which wasn''t all that surprising, but the annoyance and arrogance in his voice annoyed Iris a little.


    The door hidden behind a piece of embroidered cloth, revealed a young man, barely in his mid 30ies. His face was chiseled, young, shaved, and quite handsome. Even Iris could acknowledge that, but it was obvious that he liked himself more than he cared for others.


    ¡°It was a simple recommendation, mister Pika,¡± Iris said, giving him a proper bow as a younger, quite inferior mage. It was proper etiquette, and Pika liked it.


    ¡°Hmmm...¡± he looked at Iris who he didn''t seem to recall from his memories. ¡°Alright. That makes sense when I think about it. I owe nothing to him anyway, and this doesn''t change it either. What do you want? I doubt my services would fare well with your standing, and you... questionable level. I suggest taking your route to your superiors in the church, and not seeking high mages in this Association.¡± Pka stated, sounding quite lofty and arrogant.


    ¡°A simple try never hurt anyone,¡± Iris said, unbothered by this man''s demeanor. ¡°I am looking for purchases of 14 Inner Life Pills around Grade C¡±


    ¡°Those?¡± he raised his brows. ¡°Garbage... What quality?¡±


    ¡°Lesser would do.¡±


    ¡°What use do they have at such quality? I toss them to my assistant, or use them as residuals for some experiments.¡±


    ¡°Personal things, mister Pika.¡± Iris reminded him to not stick his hands where they didn''t belong. It was also a part of the businesses, and Iris knew how to act around high-level mages.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Pika sneered, unhappily grunting some words, but he also knew the etiquette and business.


    ¡°Selling those for 4 gold a piece is possible. Do you have the gold?¡±


    ¡°4? That''s too much. It is almost unusable for you!¡± Iris argued, showing a side of her haggling nature over many situations of the normal merchants to get cheap food.


    ¡°Tsch... forget it.¡± Pika waved a hand, not having the patience to haggle or argue with the low-level mage. ¡°Get her those 14 at 3 gold a piece, Alushina.¡± Pika gave up, ordering the elf girl that remained politely aside.


    ¡°Understood,¡± she replied and soon retrieved the things that Iris wanted from the other room.


    At the end of the day, Iris got everything, including a Grade B Shimmer Gel, and a couple of things from other vendors as well. They had a huge variety of things, so there wasn''t as strong competition among the vendors or shops. Of course, what was rather competition-heavy were the potions, and other goods from alchemy itself. Pills were known to be more expensive then potions at the same grade, while elixirs were less valuable than pills but better than potions.


    The materials were simpler, as they weren''t up to the lack of things or conducting. The demand for them was for crafters and not users of the potions. After all, potions remain fixed with the demanding material, and price included everything.


    What mattered was selling the potions since it was the source of the most profit.


    Iris purchased the required materials for healing Murai''s wounds. They should make the wound around Murai''s wing disappear within a weak, but the bones required more than that. Inner Life Pills will suffice in this sense because of residue from the Wave of Life. It will take just... 200 times more time, or perhaps even more.


    Walking in the aisle, Murai pushed the cloth again after Iris forced it upon him in Pika''s shop. Glancing around to familiarize himself with the sight of the Phoenix Pagoda, he was curious to see the standards of this world. His Soul Read was long put in use, and he knew no one felt a thing.


    There was no mage familiar with powerful soul perception, or their level was too low. Murai was happy to remain in such a position, but then, he noticed something as Iris''s soul shook.


    Slave market.


    Iris momentarily stopped her feet from moving. Seeing this section was her unhappy moment every time she visited this place. It was part of the biggest Slave Guild under the Centralis Kingdom. They had the guts to make a secondary shop in this trade hub after pledging enough money and promising to remain without any politics or making any issues.


    It was the fault of the power of coins, as well as the willingness of mages who needed helpers. A slave was the best way to get an undeniable helper, that would have no choice but follow orders. Some races could be even excellent alchemy assistance and adventures, and mercenaries of high standing could purchase them without a problem.


    A tough slave? Sure. A pretty one to quench their thirst? Easy enough. As long as the coin was provided, and war and the heart of men were unchanging, it will prevail.


    However, Iris was furious it was the case. She hated it for the simple fact that she almost became one herself. It was a pathetic way of living, with even more pathetic people behind such a guild.


    There were many kinds of beings displayed. Exotic races, normal humans, and even pets in cages. The whole row of the left side of the street on the way to the exit was this slave market.


    It was a disgusting practice, and Murai saw the same thing that she did. In fact, he even felt her emotions and others. They were wavering, yet she grit her teeth, unwilling to make herself upset or cry.


    Beast folks, elves... Hm? Quite a variety. It seems this world is bigger than I thought, but no wonder. Gods probably thought of many things in these tens of thousands of years. Murai thought and retracted his beak.


    It was their bad fate to be a slave, and one could only curse it, or hate the world itself.


    Calming her anger down, Iris returned to her trip out of this damned place. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Every trip out of Phoenix Pagoda ended up like this since the exit was at the other side of the pagoda. Unless one would have to travel all the way back to the opening, one had to go through this place. For the better luck of business, this slave market was here, so most people would get some help in addition to their purchases.


    It was quite a vile business practice, and Iris always stomped out of this pagoda unhappily.


    Clutching the bucket with her both palms, Iris wasn''t inclined to do much but to get home and do what she must.


    She made a small visit to the butcher she knew and purchased gold worth of meat per Murai''s wishes for dinner and tomorrow''s snack. It was quite some haul with increased gold, yet part of it went immediately away. It always hurt to see the gold disappear. Iris wished she could complain about it...


    She didn''t even think of selling her potion to the church. After figuring out what Ceila wanted from her, she decided to sell it at the same price in this place.


    Walking home, Iris was tired and confused about a lot of things. A lot of things happened today, but many further wonders and confusion may follow in the upcoming week.


    By Murai''s lack of interest or needs, Iris didn''t go straight home or to the church. She decided to do a small visit somewhere safe and sound. It was her own place where no one would bother her.


    Woodlands: a place surrounding the region for hundreds of kilometers. The plains around her village or even the Cinnar were full of forests, and hills. The earth was good enough for plentiful seasonal harvests and a lot of villagers made decent money by being farmers or lumberjacks.


    Though, there was a certain section that was unlike the rest.


    The part that Iris was visiting was known as Dried Woodlands. It was part of the scorched earth and forests. It was a dull place thanks to the vast forest fire that happened when the Centralis Kingdom attacked the Palia Kingdom. It destroyed part of the Woodlands, but nature and things changed since then.


    The Woodlands healed, yet the Palia Kingdom didn''t. Some wildlife did, but it wasn''t the same.


    She remembered the fire back then. It was destructive as a flame of a dragon, and many people and villages were also buried under that heat.


    Walking towards a small hidden cavern up the hills, surrounding small rocky formations, she wasn''t happy or glad. It wasn''t far from her home, a village that was rebuilt 3 years ago.


    She let Murai out, which amounted to nothing but let him rest on the piece of stone since he shouldn''t move.


    ¡°What about this meat?¡± Iris asked, shoving him bony meaty bliss that was wrapped in butcher paper. ¡°I can make a fire if you want it cooked, or is it enough for your raw?¡± she asked innocently upon seeing his uninterested face.


    ¡°Tsch! Raw?¡± Murai sneered and gestured for her to let him have his meal his own way.


    Then... a strange thing happened when Iris looked at how Murai ate. He Shaped his mana and willed his Flame to rise.


    Watching it all with surprise in her eyes, she forgot what was before her. ¡°A Magic duck? Y-you... You are already a powerful enough mage to use elements and use Shaping to such an extent? How magnificent for you... You are just a level 10 or something. Crazy...¡±


    She wondered out loud how talented Murai seemed and if Ceila heard her, she would pinch her cheeks for sure.

 Chapter 70: 1 week

    Murai was enjoying the cooked pig''s leg all the way to the bottom of his stomach. It tasted good, for a regular pig, and not the Red Glory forest. It was no demonic beast, as his Eater Status surprisingly worked, providing him with nothing but useless information.


    Glancing from time to time at Iris as he cut the meat into tiny pieces, he used some of his Shaping to write things down.


    It was his usual route of writing, which was becoming easier and easier the more he was doing it. It was perhaps even a good solution to train his Shaping and increase his control over his mana but he didn''t consider it all that much. Well, considering the fact that he started writing today, Murai felt a certain degree of satisfaction with his writing style.


    With nothing much to do, they talk about some stories and their own wonder with each other. The pair of a beginner priestess, and demonic Anatidae stayed in the Dried Woodlands for a couple of hours. Iris had no incentive to hurry away, and Murai had no plan to force himself to do it either.


    Eating and healing will be sufficient with time, while what will happen in a week will be a topic for his future self.


    After hours when Iris talked alone, and Murai was writing the answers, they returned home to do what must be done. Iris decided to leave Murai at her home since Ceila was a bit hesitant to leave Murai at church after his constant problems and demeanor.


    The solution was simple. Murai can have the healing done anywhere. Even the Alchemy table that Iris had will be sufficient to cater to some less demanding things, so Murai will be in her home for a week. All Iris needed was the residual tonic from the Wave of Life''s cauldron¡ªwhich she will take tomorrow¡ªand she will have everything.


    Hopefully, it will go well according to her worries, but this long talk in the Dried Woodlands calmed her decisions down.


    Surprisingly enough, Murai did tell her many things. Stories, information, or some hints over Alchemy, and Conduction that would prove to be useful, and some of his own historical stories. It was nothing crazy. Just enough to quench her curiosity and pay her with answers to what she asked.


    As for what Ceila had in hand for him? Murai didn''t feel nervous, since Iris seemed to be enough. His body will be better with time. That was his generic belief, which was stupid. Iris scolded him herself a couple of times for refusing such fine treasure as Wave of Life, but Murai waved his beak in a dismissive matter, leaving her shaking her head.


    Since his attempts to negotiate a proper business failed, he held a certain amount of confidence that he may get away with almost non-problematic offers. Basically, what he was hoping for was getting something free out of this whole situation, without involving any of his own promises.


    Although, he knew he had already paid Ceila and Vermillion with his memories, why should he take this sort of route? That question appeared in his head a couple of times since his memories were quite valuable for a god but useless to many others.


    Perhaps he was overthinking the matter, as he wasn''t sure how Vermillion even planned to accomplish becoming a Creator. He didn''t know that his current circumstances were less than good, so he accepted it for what it was, or out of spite for his ego and future.


    He needed more experience to move on, and for that, he have to have his body in full health, if not better. Well, it wasn''t time to be greedily stupid, so he will be glad to walk soon.


    It won''t be easy, since the pain is, was, and will be there¡ªin his mind, voice, and screaming at him like never. It won''t leave him. The pain that Razmund inflicted on him and what he caused.


    Oh... Murai will remember it all.


    1 week later


    It wasn''t a long time in the Battleworld. But it was a time that kept running constantly, so it couldn''t move any less, or faster. It was the rule after all. A universal one where planets moved around, rotated, and formed what Men considered a day or night.


    It was the same in the village, not far from Cinnar, nor the Dried Woodlands that Iris and Murai visited every day to train, eat, converse, or get stronger.


    At the moment, Murai was in Iris''s room, alongside Iris who was preparing the last piece of an Inner Life Pill. It wasn''t a necessity anymore, but Murai was one to insist on taking advantage of every ounce of her hospitality.


    Yet, his face appeared upset about something, and it showed in his eyes the most. Ublinking, focusing, and wandering around the room. That was the usual stuff, and Iris recognized it.


    ¡°Don''t be upset, Murai. It''s better than I thought. Your body, that is.¡± Iris said, clutching his leg to apply a medicine paste with residue from Wave of Life. The paste needed only a little of that liquid anyway to change its effectiveness to Grade B - Bone Healing Paste. That was a usurping effect coming from the Wave of Life. It appeared as if this medicine that villagers used, became a fine treasure, striagh after being Grade E at best.


    As she caressed the paste upon the feathered straight leg, it sizzled, letting mana particles disappear into the air and his body. It was a strange thing, consisting of nothing else but materials that were rich in Mana, along with strong vitality that seeped into the bones.


    Murai scowled inside, unwilling to admit his wrongful approach to his own wounds. It hurt like hell every time Iris did any work with his body. Hell! Even that freaking Inner Life Pill was an absolute torture device along with these medicines.


    No pain, no gain, or so Iris said to him, shutting his squeaking and complaints a week ago.


    Since then, he became better at this, yet it still hurt, and she didn''t change her indifferent approach to his pain. It was what he decided himself anyway. A simple Wave of Life and a couple of minutes later, he would be without worries. But no! He didn''t take it, giving her a job to be his caretaker for a week instead.


    However, she didn''t complain about it at all. Her time with Murai wasn''t bad, and unsurprisingly, she wasn''t even all that much stuck in her home as she envisioned.


    She even discovered a couple of intriguing facts that were in her mind a week ago. Particularly the alchemy attempt after meeting Murai for the first time. She did a couple more batches of Healing Potions, and each was better than usual.


    Only after 3rd batch, everything became normal again. Even the enchantments became harder to accomplish, revealing nothing but confusion. She thought Murai had some effects on that, but she didn''t discover a thing. Still, this left her with 200+ gold in profit so she didn''t mind leaving some confusing thoughts behind her back.


    As for Murai and his current scowling, he thought that 3 days were more than enough to get his life together, but here he was, struggling a week later. The bones in his legs were much more troublesome than he thought, so he kept pestering Iris to apply more medicine to them.


    Handling his wound with little or no care, Iris was already on the brink of slapping his beak, since it wasn''t an easy thing to heal him at all.


    Let alone that, leaving him in her place was kind of hard for the healing. Thankfully Lazar didn''t notice a thing, which left her glad, since she had no idea what sort of excuse she would tell him.


    It wasn''t the case for the other person, sitting aside at the table, glancing at Murai''s Shaping of a quill that quivered because he was in pain.


    It was Timmy, who long showed that he could keep the secrets quite well. He watched how Iris applied the last piece of medicine she used for his own bruises a long time ago. Yet, it wasn''t exactly that.


    It was a shocking sight to little Timmy, who found the sizzling sounds and bit of radiating vitality quite intriguing. Well, it was mostly for a little time, since he found Murai''s Shaping much more interesting. Where else can he watch a mage that was a duck? Nowhere but this room.


    In the past week, he, alongside Iris watched how broken and shattered bones reattached themselves under the influence of many medicines and Murai''s own body. It was fairly successful to see that even though Inner Life Pill made the most work.


    With the last bandage, drenched in the same residue from Wave of Life, Iris let Murai stand back to his feet. Having this healing done with his belly facing Iris''s face wasn''t all that pleasant.


    ¡°Alright, Murai,¡± Iris said, ignoring the honorifics since Murai insisted on that a week ago in the Dried Woodlands, along with other things. ¡°Is that fine? I bet it wasn''t that bad now, wasn''t it?¡± She asked.


    Fine my ass. I swear... when I see that man Razmund again, I will shove my beak down his ass! Murai scowled inside, unhappily turning left and right at the table to feel his legs. He was pissed off, but he walked fine.


    The bones healed 2 days ago, but repercussions from the damage still lingered on. It wasn''t the easiest to repair such wounds, but as Murai saw it, it was better to be glad than sorry. He could only imagine what Wave of Life would do to him.


    But for that to happen, no way he would make it happen.


    Alas, as he turned, Iris turned her hand with a last, 14th Inner Life Pill. ¡°This is the last one. It has been a pleasure to have such a worrisome patient.¡± she joked, as Murai turned and gulped the whole pill down his throat.


    He felt warmth in his core almost immediately, followed by a jolt of vitality. Each Inner Life Pill felt like that, even though the effects were thinly wearing away.


    According to his calculations and knowledge, eating pills wasn''t a source of success. There would be some impurities within those pills, and they weren''t good to eat constantly. In fact, some of the pills could become less efficient the more you consumed them. It was the same with the Conducing which produced these pills, and other styles under alchemy Murai was aware of from previous lives.


    Each Inner Life Pill felt like a jolt of Vitality provided by the Will of the Battleworld. In fact, it wasn''t that, yet surprisingly, the status of his Vitality attribute changed as if it did.


    Iris explained that the residuals from Wave of Life, were rich enough, while the Inner Life Pills were residues from high-level experiments, or conducting.


    She also added that attributes weren''t fixed to massages of the Will of the Battleworld but one could gain them with other things. Those were items from alchemy, and eating various things, albeit they had many criteria and diminishing returns.


    That was how mercenaries, mages, and adventures unaffiliated to any greater power improved their power and future. They felt their own sense of progression, and sometimes it was a shimmering voice, while other times, it was a feeling they had with their bodies without anything else.


    In Iris''s case, she was feeling the sense of progression that one had to learn on their own. It was usually quite subjective and lacking. Murai could guess what she meant by that, even though she struggled to explain it for hours to him when they discussed the Blessed status and other topics in Dried Woodlands.


    Going back to walking, Murai figured he could jump a little, but not like a madman. At least for the following days, he should be fairly careful. Within a day, he should run just fine, and today? He was sure he could fight someone already.


    Shaping his mana in front of Timmy''s face, Murai once again wrote some things on the paper with a quill, leaving his face bright in wonder.


    Nothing is left, so you have my thanks


    ¡°You shouldn''t be thankful... I did it because of this little guy.¡± Iris said, patting and grabbing Timmy''s head before shoving him into her embrace. ¡°I already learned all to this situation of yours, so who else is prone to your thankfulness than him?¡± Iris said.


    Then what can I do than be thankful? I provided him with plenty of stories I told you as well.


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Is there something else to that?


    Do you want me to gift him something? I am not an ungrateful person, just so you know.


    Murai wrote, and upon his finish, Iris frowned, letting go of Timmy to hurry to the window.


    Outside, small tremors echoed, making Iris hesitant and confused. She also felt something else among those tremors, and the window revealed her wonder.


    ¡°Knights of the Vermillion Order?!¡± She exclaimed, letting all her words out as she ignored Murai''s messages.


    It was rather unexpected for her to feel these distinguishable tremors. Only hefty mounts could produce such sounds. Not ordinary horses. Iris didn''t know what Ceila had in hand after a week passed, so this may be that. Did she want to visit herself? She never did that before, which made Iris nervous and unable to think.


    Seeing the tall and sturdy horses with knights on them pass on the street, Iris was upset about why to show up like that. Villagers knew she was a priest, but for this to occur in such a fashion was a bit overwhelming. It was too eye-catching, making her upset since they all stopped before her house.


    Hearing sudden footsteps and figures dismounting, Iris grabbed Murai, shoving him to his own corner. He flapped his wings, but it didn''t help at all. At least the pillow and Timmy who helped him afterward helped.


    After that, footsteps sounded inside the house as well, and Iris was quick to recognize them.


    Without knocking, Lazar opened the door to her room. He wore an indifferent expression, while his attire was the same as always¡ªa simple white shirt and grey trousers that many villagers were wearing.


    ¡°What is happening, Iris? Did something happen with the church?¡± He asked, looking around the room with a strange suspicion. He found Timmy hiding behind the corner, but he hurried forward so Lazar didn''t notice Murai. Conveniently enough, Iris also left quite a few potions from the previous experiments laying around on shelves or on her table. They should provide a good enough excuse. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I... don''t know.¡± Iris lied. ¡°I will go and take a look at what is happening since they appear to be from my church. If you want to come along, or not, it depends on you,¡± she replied, appearing somewhat restless, but serious.


    Lazar did find it a bit strange, but considering the church, he wasn''t overly worked up. Seeing the potions also piqued his interest but it was always happening in the last week. Perhaps, Iris just finished some important work so he shouldn''t be too hard with his questions. Such work as alchemy must be quite exhausting from what he knew.


    Lazar followed behind her footsteps, following along with Timmy who insisted to hurry up. That left Murai hiding behind a corner, and Lazar didn''t notice his presence thanks to Timmy and the potions.


    ¡°Atta boy, Timmy!¡± Murai cheered.


    In fact, it wasn''t the first time something like that happened, so Murai was more or less fine with this handling. He didn''t want to repeat the past after all, so he endured it for the time being.


    Outside, the knights of the Vermillion Church stood in a small formation, revealing a distinct figure on top of a terrifying beast.


    It was Ceila, riding her personal choice of a mount. It was Phoenix Horse. A rare beast, that had wings around its torso, and a head that was something between a horse, and a bird. It had a thick long neck, a robust appearance of more than 3 meters of height, and sizable weight. It had legs unlike a horse''s, while the back legs were curved like tigers, and the forward ones resembled some beastly arms with claws.


    The legs still had some similarities in status to horses, as they were long, and thick, making them faster than any horse. They were thick and covered in luscious orange, white and red feathers, making them appear majestic as their name suggested. Phoenix Hrose had a thick red and orange coat of feathers, and its eyes eyed the surroundings with a proud look.


    Iris wasn''t seeing this beast for the first time, but she was curious about the reason for Ceila to come here with a part of her battalion. She counted at least 50 knights along with their respective Beast Horses, Bdounds, Swifters, and so on.


    Behind her back, Lazar appeared along with Timmy. Both looked forward as if this was something bad.


    Lazar also noticed many curious villagers hiding around the windows or doors, glancing to see who was seeking trouble this time around. He didn''t know much about Iris and her stay in the church. The money she was taking home was more than enough for him to not tell her to work somewhere else.


    ¡°What can we do for you? Such lavish guests don''t appear in this village very often.¡± Lazar stated, walking forwards to act like the leader he thought he was.


    Ceila recognizes the uncle that was helping Iris, and she had no intention of causing any trouble.


    She wore her battle armor, consisting of shiny gold and red patterned metallic plates resembling scales and feathers. Even her head was hidden behind a helm, letting only a long strand of her hair behind her back, and a few to the front. She overshadowed her surrounding soldiers along with their mounts by her appearance alone.


    Stepping elegantly out, Ceila walked towards Lazar and pointed her hands forward. ¡°Two things,¡± she said, letting the point and middle finger straight and leaving the rest folded. ¡°Some things are due to change in this nation, while our church is in need of forces. Your niece is already a part of Vermillion Church, and she will join me on my journey,¡± she said, her voice sounding powerful as if no one dared to question her at all.


    Not even Lazar would dare. He bitterly gulped down, hearing that his little fortune was getting away from him already.


    ¡°I... I understand. What was the other thing you care for?¡±


    ¡°Her brother Timmy has been accepted to the Knight''s training. It is overseeing decision by me, 2nd Sun, so if you have...¡±


    At this point, Lazar''s face turned pale. ¡°N-no... No. This is fine. Timmy is a bright boy. I jest he will do well for your cause.¡± Lazar said, jumping right to her words while glancing at Timmy behind his back. He patted his head and his wondering face as if he didn''t know about it.


    ¡°Good then. I presume Iris had no troubles either?¡± Ceila voiced while hiding her face behind her helmet, which left only her gaze visible.


    Behind Lazar''s back, Iris clutched her fists, but what use did they have? She already accepted her fate, and it appeared something changed again. For her to come here in such a fashion, it would be hard to say something else.


    It was a time for her to leave her past behind and hope for her own future which may, or may not be great.


    ¡°I am extremely grateful, 2nd Sun.¡± She politely bowed, sounding as sincere as much as she could.


    ¡°Well then,¡± Ceila said, glancing around her man. ¡°I already achieved the consent, so let''s wrap this up and move this once and for all. I suggest taking fewer things with you, but not like you have a lot. You have 10 minutes, both of you.¡± Ceila stated, appearing calm like a sea before the storm before she went back to her mount. ¡°Don''t forget about some important items.¡±

 Chapter 71: Departure

    Without many words to utter or thoughts to tell, Lazar watched as Iris walked back to her home. Timmy glanced at Ceila and the knights surrounding their home, but before he could continue, Iris grabbed his hand, before disappearing inside.


    That left Lazar facing the towering Ceila, who took something from the mount''s storage pouches beside its body, before coming back to him. In his view, she was a legendary figure. A priestess powerful enough to do whatever she could imagine. A figure he very much knew, and heard stories about, but never met. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What makes you come here, such a figure... and personally? For those kids? I doubt...¡± He mumbled his words, turning his voice to cracks. ¡°What is even going on? War? Those knights seem ready to go at it.¡±


    ¡°Nothing that you need to be worried about,¡± Ceila said dismissively.


    Lazar didn''t believe it, and it was obvious by the frown on his face.


    ¡°But nothing but a good future it will be, I hope. The business of churches is a private thing. Nothing that a regular needs to know.¡± Ceila explained. ¡°Yet, I appreciate no dramas on your side when it comes to those kids. New blood is important for any institution, let alone a church. Be it a guild, or a church in need of a better future. You helped those kids in a tough time, and we of the Vermillion Church have certain standards when it comes to appreciation. So, take this, out of the respect for our cause and your helpful understanding.¡± Ceila said, putting forth her palm that held a small round token.


    Lazar picked it up, noticing engraving patterns of an indistinct goddess face alongside golden-scaled patterns around the edges. This was a precious thing that he saw only once. A personal token of the Vermillion Church''s influence, but what use did it have? He wasn''t aware of such things, but thankfully Ceila explained it.


    As she was planning to do that, her head jolted to a side, facing dark bushes that moved just now. A figure was hiding there, watching them for a good while, but it posed her no interest. She turned back to Lazar who didn''t notice the figure in the bushes.


    ¡°This is one of the few Private Tokens of the Vermillion Church. From now on, you can get any kind of help from our church, depending on the circumstances. Need healing? Easily done. Work of some protection? Done too. Come, and we shall help according to our standards.¡± Ceila explained, looking at Lazar whose face was upon the token. He was looking at it with quite some focus. ¡°Additionally, some monetary values are also included. Some gold and so on from the depository. Or if you want to trade, make some business, and so on, certain fees and prices will be voided in our Pagodas or our numerous partnerships. Thank you, in the hopeful beliefs of these two who you are leaving for a better future.¡±


    With such wordy efforts, Lazar couldn''t help but speechlessly listen to everything in silence. Ceila talked simply, causing him to understand it much easier. He liked this simplicity.


    Money? Business? This was something that some towns would kill for, let alone a village. Unfortunately, having this token wasn''t something heaven-defining, but it can help lessen the burden of many things. He quickly thought of some exploits since the topic of the Vermillion Church was quite a big deal. No one should cause issues for him with this token.


    Sighing, Lazar clutched his palm, appreciating this token for what it was, and will be. ¡°I did what I had to do with those kids. War almost ended their lives, and I couldn''t see them becoming war refugees, let alone slaves. I am hopeful for their future alongside the Vermillion Church, and I hope they won''t forget me and my favor.¡± Lazar said, storing the token in his pocket.


    ¡°As it should be... Very well. Farewell.¡± Ceila nodded, backing to her mount after dealing with him.


    Lazar watched her back, but he held no remorse for anything. He retreated back home after having had enough of this situation.


    Inside, beyond the closed door, he pulled the token and watched it with an intense stare as if it was made of the most valuable metals. A firm grasp was included, fearing it would disappear at a moment''s notice. ¡°So what... I still have Eliza, who may appreciate me more. The future too, that is. Or my help. Those two were meant to disappear one way or another, so this isn''t the worst.¡± he said, and let this situation play for itself.


    It was a situation that he was never aware of, yet it went on without him. He knew that becoming a priest in Vermillion Church wasn''t easy, but he never expected to get any compensation for this. That could mean one thing. Iris wasn''t some punny person as he thought, and Timmy was just a bribe for her to do something.


    That was the only thing he could guess from seeing such a powerful force coming to his home in order to take these two kids away. Ceila and her soldiers was a force that wasn''t necessarily weaker than some battalions from the Centralis Kingdom, yet they came for two kids.


    It was strange. He knew it.


    Lazar wasn''t stupid, yet this wasn''t bad at all. This token will do, so he let the door be and disappeared to some other room.


    Ceila remained close to her mount, patting the Phoenix Horse with her palm, smiling underneath her helmet. The Phoenix Horse liked it, and its face pushed to hers from time to time. She didn''t mind it, as her mind was filled with all sorts of other thoughts. Some were intrusive, wild, and calm, and few had the itch to do so something to Lazar, but she restrained herself to the bitter end.


    It wasn''t like he was abusive, and that much she knew.


    Though, using Iris to his advantage put her position to a certain question. She was her master after all. A teacher and somewhat of a parent figure to a certain extent. She didn''t like this situation, but there was a price for everything in this world.


    She kept patting the horse and calmed down in the following minutes since this whole situation no longer mattered. Iris will follow her path, while her biggest worry about Timmy will also resolve itself.


    Their little exchange was overheard and watched over by a pair of eyes behind the corner. Bush was a good place to hide, yet it was easy to discern the spy if the bush would move. Inside was a girl, hiding and watching. Her appearance was similar to Iris, but she wore a ferocious gaze, which no priest will ever have. Her face even had a couple of scars around her temples, forehead, and alongside the neck.


    Her brownish blond hair went around her shoulder in a ponytail, and she was wearing a light leather combat uniform that many adventures used. It protected the body well enough, while the female version was easy to use and move in. It was Eliza and she was already watching this sight of her home for a long time.


    She was curious and worried about what was going on. Without alerting anyone, she was hoping to seek, or watch the true reason for a 2nd Sun''s visit.


    As the oldest sibling, she felt strange responsibility to be powerful and more responsible for her younger sister Iris and brother Timmy. Yet her personality, situation, and action weren''t exactly for the good of her family. She wasn''t even with them that much, since she was hoping to be strong enough one day to cease all worried away.


    Yet, here she was, watching how someone else was doing that instead. It put her personality, visions, and beliefs to the test, yet she was watching it with calmness, followed by various thoughts and possibilities.


    She waited, as she was used to it.


    In 10 minutes, Timmy and Iris walked from the door. Each had a piece of simple luggage, consisting of nothing but one big leather bag that Iris made in a hurry. It was secured with all kinds of ropes and stripes and appeared quite poor.


    ¡°I didn''t think you would be... so quick with that, and now... I didn''t think you...¡± Iris struggled with the bag, alongside a bucket in her free hand.


    ¡°Yes. You didn''t think. I can see that.¡± Ceila said, turning back to the main door. Lazar was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Right, good day to you, little boy.¡± Ceila crouched down, patting Timmy''s head, and gave him a bright smile.


    ¡°Are you afraid?¡± she asked, nicely, but it left nothing on Timmy''s face. He was carrying his own luggage. It was a pile of clothes, while something was wrapped within.


    ¡°I am not afraid. He will help!¡± Timmy resolutely said, turning the pile of clothes to reveal the duck''s beak. Ceila almost burst into a laugh, alas her lips twitched only a tiny little bit as she regained her conscience.


    ¡°I thought so much... It appears all 3 are here, so let''s move on to the next destination.¡± she got up and gestured to 2 knights to help Timmy and Iris to their horses. There was no carriage to make things smoother because Ceila had other intentions in mind.


    In fact, they were neither good nor bad. A change occurred, and it wasn''t necessarily a piece of good news for the church or anyone involved.


    The only thing that Ceila held with her was the content of Timmy''s luggage. Timmy had to come with something since Lazar was surprisingly agitated with them leaving. He watched over their departure from the house, making Iris unable to take Murai at all. So, Timmy solved it himself by taking him at the last minute into his luggage.


    In her palm, Murai was there for no eyes to see, wrapped in a blanket. She clutched him in her single hand, eying his silent gaze, and almost chuckled.


    Back on her mount, she put him towards his face. The wings and everything around Phoenix Horse made him unnoticeable.


    ¡°You appear fine. Mind a quick talk? I don''t have time for anything significant like your lackluster tries in bad writing, but time to talk I have,¡± she stated and put forth a powerful Will, clashing against Murai''s. He struggled a bit since it appeared as if Ceila''s force was much bigger and stronger than the last time. It was firmer, more straightforward, and more encompassing in terms of sharpness.


    She became stronger in a week, he feared.


    ¡°What the fu... What happened to you?¡± He asked, not being all that upset by her handling of his body. ¡°You... You reached a breakthrough?¡± Murai asked, after forming a basic connection with their respective Wills.


    ¡°It is nothing much. You can even say it like that. I received a gift from my lady. She put certain confidence in me after your... and hers... Debacle. It makes me furious. Knowing that you refuse the world for nothing but filth and pain. It makes no sense, seeing that you are Blessed. But it probably speaks for itself. All Blessed are arrogant bastards in one way or another. You are exactly like that but not... at the same time? It''s strange. You are strange.¡±


    ¡°And you got a bit better at this... Huh?¡± Murai chuckled, figuring that she appeared quite different than the time in the Vermillion Church.


    ¡°Maybe. Albeit not so better than the 1st Sun,¡± she commented, giving him a long look.


    ¡°B-bunch of freaks... This willingness... It will be your shackles alongside your doom and helplessness.¡±


    ¡°I am fine with the shackles, as long as they serve their purposes,¡± Ceila said with a surprising amount of calmness. ¡°Now, things are moving along nicely with me, but I am still upset. I spent 3 days under the influence of some of your memories, under my Lady''s mission, but I cracked so little... You are a freak of nature yourself.¡± she said, sounding quite different than her usual stern and serious face.


    This vision of her current personality wasn''t all that bad, and Murai liked her much more than the big, stern lady in the church.


    ¡°That... doesn''t make me any happy,¡± Murai stated, but at this point, Ceila gestured for her mount to move. The rest of the knights in their respective mounts will follow her behind. She will remain to talk with Murai since they will have quite a lot to go through.


    It wasn''t a time to continue with the topic that happened in the church 7 days ago. That was something else than the current problems and something that mattered more.


    Having a clear and personal conversation in the soul space was much better than having these entangled Wills. However, the talk with Wills was better than anything else, considering the situation changed alongside the Will of Vermillion.


    The group kept riding to an unknown place, reaching quite distances that Iris didn''t recognize. The group was followed by Eliza, who was yet to be intercepted by anyone from the church.


    Murai was a bit apprehensive because he didn''t know what was happening, nor why Ceila appeared... strange, nervous, and a bit afraid deep within her heart. He was still unable to perceive her soul with his Soul Read, but some things may be apparent from the voice, or body language. It felt as if a huge shadow was cast over her being, making him unable to perceive her as usual, but he had clever eyes.


    So he had no choice but to ask. ¡°So, what is it then? What is happening with you and me? Did my memories pose some changes in this business? You did help me. Providing me with healing was great, which I appreciate, even though Iris wasn''t necessarily familiar with it.¡±


    ¡°Don''t spout nonsense...¡± Ceila said, glancing to the front of the running Phoenix Horse. ¡°You could have died if you had even a tinge of some madness, filth, or infection in your wounds. Be glad that Iris performed something she wasn''t supposed to do when she found you. Though it was the reason our Lady noticed you, so it may be your fate... or ours. How peculiar isn''t it?¡±


    Hearing her words, Murai knew it was the case too. He wanted to see the proper face of this situation, so it appeared he was really indebted to Iris to a certain extent.


    ¡°Fine... I joked a lot before.¡± Murai said. ¡°So, it''s time to get to work with my dedication and hopes. What do you want from me? Knowledge? Kill something or someone? Is it about the Will of your... lady, that is the price? No. I refused such an offer and It''s no time to kill some god, just so you know. There are still many days until I will get wrecked by God''s Trial so I need to move quicker. Part of that is finding my goddammed backpack!¡± Murai sent her, sounding quite upset, but not angry to make Ceila disappointed.


    In fact, she furrowed her brows and made a strange smile after she let go of the helmet, securing it in her lap. ¡°It''s complicated.¡± was her excuse, or the unwillingness to talk about it for the time being.


    Murai could only accept it for what it was.


    ¡°Then I am hopeful your lady won''t be upset by my rejection if you keep pestering me with such vague words.¡±


    ¡°Silent with this... Your path has been foretold by someone in the Dark Lands. And... The situation considering the Battleworld itself. doesn''t help with anything. Some forces and powers become involved with the Fate itself.¡± Ceila said.


    ¡°Dark? How edgy. What is it? Fate is whatever. I don''t give a shit.¡±


    ¡°Powers led by Dark Mages are complicated, but they are strong because of many Hall Havens. As far as I know, the one who wanted to retrieve you upon your discovery was someone like that.¡± Ceila revealed the obvious thing that Murai already know, but it seemed that Ceila didn''t see the full picture.


    Velga was no ordinary dark mage, even though she was briefly one.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°It involves some nasty things... Less than the kind that one can be happy about. Not in a whole political spectrum, and touching the fate is.... not something the Pantheon takes that well.¡±


    ¡°You don''t say.¡± Murai sneered. ¡°Does it involve gods that much? I would presume they are the ones who would pick their noses to fate itself. If they could.¡±


    ¡°That is correct and unarguable, but it isn''t just them. There is so much you don''t know, maybe? Your memories were... something. I don''t know what to even expect from this, but the Will of my Lady is firm, so I will follow through with this no matter what and you won''t complain.¡±


    ¡°Why now? It makes no sense. It''s so early for forcing something upon me, or around me. My start just started, so what is even behind the scenes? Some assholes with grudges? Well, it would be understandable, since this world is deeply connected to them anyway. So... revenge? That will be so unoriginal.¡± Murai wondered, confused by the life that he was leading right now.


    Maybe it was all caused by the Battleworld itself, and its politics he never heard of. That could enable such weird changes and things.


    Adding the factor of his life as a demonic duck, he was certainly suspicious that something even stranger was going on.


    ¡°This is a Battleworld,¡± Ceila said the obvious. ¡°A thing you already know. m yet this world is much larger, and more intense than your soul can guess. Do you plan to follow this life by the orders of the Gods and this world, or do the same thing as usual? Yourself? Path? Your own powers?¡± she asked, with eyes filled with strange color and resolution.


    Murai was looking at her as they rode the streets, then plains, then roads in some forests. He was wondering whose words she was speaking since it seemed they were coming from Vermillion herself.


    ¡°I may do what I can. Who is to decide it than me?¡±


    ¡°You don''t decide shit unless you want to die,¡± Ceila said in a weird manner, unbefitting to a priest at all. She spoke for the sake of talking with Murai on equal terms since a few things changed in her heart in the last 7 days.


    She used this amount of time to comprehend Murai''s situation as much as possible, as well as consider the changed Will of her Lady.


    Vermillion wanted something very special. A road towards a better future that was littered with corpses, and destruction. It was unfit for her present situation, but not much different from many other gods. She had to work with others since her current Path was at a Wall.


    It was a tough decision. When life in the Pantheon was full of ego trips of countless gods that wanted a better standing, hoping to trample over the weaker ones, it wasn''t a good situation to be in.


    Murai unhappily grunted, turning his beak to face the front. Thanks to his flexible neck, he was able to do more than that, but he was happy with whatever he can.


    He saw yet another ordinary path. He could already tell he was riding for at least 30 minutes, and it wasn''t slow at all. Even the other mounts of the knights were quite fast, so he figured they were under some sort of enchantment by their riders.


    ¡°Trust me... Meeting the next End is the least of my worries,¡± he commented, yet Ceila didn''t.


    They remained silent in their riding, and Murai was the first to destroy this silence. ¡°You have quite an army under your command, for a neutral god''s forces, that is.¡±


    ¡°Hmph! That goes without saying. Battleworld is no place for anything weak. My Lady knows it all too well.¡±


    ¡°Then what use this little weakling duck has in all of this? What changed this week? You keep it all to yourself!¡± Murai complained, hoping to get something out of her. ¡°How about speaking up?¡±

 Chapter 72: Suns of the Vermillion Church and change

    Ceila didn''t mind some talk, but she was looking hesitating over what she can say right now, and what was better told later.


    ¡°It is a gamble and a complicated part of the situation that I am struggling like my Lady is. So let''s talk about the reasons and everything at our destination. I feel you will get it then, and not now.¡± she excused herself, and that was it. She no longer pulled her words to his Will any longer and continued riding the Phoenix Horse until reaching the ending destination dozens of minutes later.


    The places they went through were quite vast forests and hills, consisting of nothing but Woodlands, and occasional villagers. Considering the length of their travel, they were within 50 kilometers of the city of Cinnar.


    Murai no longer insisted on explanations that won''t come, so he waited until a vast park-like forest appeared around a corner. It was a private land, with a big mansion in the middle of the Woodlands.


    There were 3 towers, which were interconnected by walls, making it like a small castle. There were at least 10 floors visible from the get-go, while the mass of the mansion was as large as the Vermillion Cathedral. The triangular shape was exquisite, wide, and tall.


    Upon the arrival, only Ceila, holding Murai in her hands, dismounted. She took her helmet back to her head, forming a formal image of the 2nd Sun. The rest of the knights, including Timmy and Iris, remained dozens of meters before the mansion.


    Ceila turned to the pair of youths, giving them a positive attitude to wait since she had some serious business to do. She also stated that everything was fine, and knights will protect them if it won''t be fine. It sounded strange, which made Iris suspicious of the way Ceila said that, and acted.


    Murai in her hands was also silent and not stating anything with his body language.


    Though, she had no choice but to stay mounted and watch her leave alongside Murai in her grasp. Timmy watched it as well, but he held less than understanding knowledge of the present situation. Will he be a knight? He never heard about it from Iris, but if it was something that can allow him to help his sister, he will have no issue with that.


    Walking forwards, Ceila passed by some sort of flickering glossy light, indicating some form of barrier around the whole mansion. The rest of the knights stayed out of this barrier.


    Only the Suns of the Vermillion Church can come to this place, with some other examples, such as high military personnel, or Gifted figures of the Vermillion herself. Thus, it was a special place in all regards and a main place where the toughest, and most important decisions of the Vermillion Church took place. It was separate from the main headquarters for some reason.


    ¡°What is this? I feel... This mana construct is quite intrusive and unoriginal. What sort of atrocities is happening here if no one can come inside? Hmph!¡± Murai said, pushing his Will against hers, but Ceila preferred to ignore him.


    Walking towards the door, she pushed them open in one swoop of her free hand. It revealed a glistering place, that was outside of the norm. The floor was polished to the extremes, and not a speck of dirt or dust was visible anywhere. It was like a renowned castle with nothing poor or distasteful.


    In fact, glamorous interiors filled with paintings, statues of beasts, and people of all ages and professions, littered the exterior decor of this place.


    Murai saw the surroundings with quite some free mind, and he couldn''t help but think he was in a bothersome place. This wasn''t looking like a living place, but more like a museum or a memorial of something that happened in the distant past. A religious place, he reckoned, or something with history, or whatnot.


    Ceila walked through the halls, seeking nothing, as she was completely disregarding her surroundings. She wasn''t interested in these sights. Not anymore, not right now. The place had a lot of corridors and hallways, and with 10 floors, there were a lot of rooms, albeit wide and tall open hallways made more than half of the interior space. Each carried special luxuries, with the same extravagant style throughout the architecture.


    Ceila carried Murai to one particular hallway, with 5 tall statues of the Suns. They were all stationed around a 5-meter-tall gate. 2 were on each side, while above the gate was a depiction of Vermillion herself along the kneeling 1st Sun. They were all faceless but with quite a style and details outside of the face.


    The maker of these statues wasn''t holding back at all. The curves and gowns he carved by chipping the stone away left many details. Vermillion was the biggest and most intricate one, while the Sun kneeling before her statue depicted a religious freak in Murai''s mind. Her hands were above her head, preying while Vermillion''s gaze and hand were upon Sun''s head.


    It was a generic religious depiction, and Murai saw quite a few of such things. It didn''t impress him all that much.


    What was somewhat impressive was this big open place. The ceiling was at least 15 meters tall, while the 5 meters tall gate at the front revealed his most likely destination. It was also polished, but the material wasn''t stone or marble. It was a golden door with more emerald or jewelry accents around the corners.


    Such a useless extravagance. It makes me question the choices of this designer and the loftiness that Vermillion has. Well, luxury is a depiction of a god in general consensus throughout the universe, so I suppose I shouldn''t be much surprised. Murai thought, leaving no thoughts behind.


    Similar to the gate before, Cela walked forward, ignoring the statues of no importance. None depicted her anyway, since the ancient suns were long gone. That was why everyone was faceless, as they should be. The face was the most intriguing part of any god and religion and it went hand in hand with many beliefs.


    She pushed the gate open, and with screeching sounds, she revealed a pitch-black room. It was quite a tall room like the one before, almost like a mausoleum with globe-like features. There were stairs floating to the main floor, while the only little light from the ceiling''s chandelier, lit a round table in the very middle.


    There, 4 figures were already sitting around the table, while one of the chairs was vacant. That one was for Ceila, albeit the numerical order of chairs was nonexistent. She may hold the 2nd highest position amongst the Suns, but it didn''t mean she was the most powerful.


    Watching ahead, it seemed none of the other Suns were missing, which was a bit surprising to her, and she realized that Vermillion must have had a lot to desire.


    There were 5 chairs in total, representing each Sun which represented an intriguing order of Vermillion Church''s interest, but not the whole power.


    ¡°Hoh? What is this? Do you plan to summon God''s Will or what? How useless, but interesting. Count me in!¡± Murai commented, yet he could only watch a firm clutch of Ceila''s hand, which made him squeak and scowl. She didn''t tell a thing.


    Walking down the stairs, she tossed him to the table as she took her seat. Along with that, she also pulled her helmet off, revealing the resolution on her face along her luscious hair that fell behind her back and shoulders.


    ¡°Is this our guest, 2nd?¡± a soft girly voice, shrouded behind a veil, said. This Sun wore a deep red gown made of silk. It was way bigger for her smaller body. She sounded young. A bit too much so.


    ¡°It is, 1st,¡± Ceila answered. ¡°It is precisely why I made this journey quick, yet intrusive reason to summon the rest of the Suns happened behind my back. I am surprised,¡± she said, taking a quick glance at each woman behind the table. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°It is fine since it is Will of our Lady.¡± another woman said. This time it was the 3rd Sun speaking. She was an equally beautiful woman similar to Ceila''s standards.


    ¡°This is hilarious!¡± another voice shouted. ¡°I hardly believe that Anatidae appeared in this part of the world, yet here are the hard pressing facts. Is someone having a good laugh or what? I wonder.¡± She sounded hoarse, and it was the voice of the 5th Sun.


    She was a widely smiling woman, with quite an indecent appearance. Her face was quite pretty, but she was muscular, and with a revealing sleeveless robe that ended just before her thighs. The robe was secured around her hips by a tight strap of cloth, which enunciated her chest into a V-shaped collar cut. Out of the 5 Suns, she was the only one who wasn''t a priest, but a military general and rather powerful in terms of fights.


    She was the strongest of the five in terms of martial arts and power, but that only included the premise of a fair fight. She had a hoarse, yet powerful and loud voice, while her face was rightfully glued onto Murai.


    ¡°You are the same as always, Lia. We haven''t seen each other in 4 years.¡± Ceila stated with a friendly smile. ¡°I missed your voice.¡±


    ¡°Missed? That is the first...¡± Lia smiled, leaning forward to see the Murai who got on his legs. ¡°We haven''t seen each other since the last Holy War, I bet,¡± She stated, lazily stretching and letting her legs on the table after she was over Murai''s appearance. She wore her robe with unhinged disinterest, while her high boots covered only part of her knees but not her hefty thighs. Other than that, she had metallic gauntlets and partially metallic boots.


    Like her personality and voice, Lia was quite a wild beauty, and her long red haggard hair wasn''t brushed, or taken care of at all. At least regarding the Suns of Vermillion Church, she was the poorest depiction of a Sun.


    ¡°I know what you mean, but let this table be, 5th.¡± a young-sounding 1st Sun said.


    ¡°Shut up, 1st,¡± Lia said, unbothered by the strongest priest in this place.


    ¡°Anyway!¡± Ceila clapped her hands. ¡°Encounter is already starting to show its pace, under the supervision of the God of Battle. It''s something up to our Lady''s Will, opportunity, and tastes. It needs our attention.¡±


    ¡°Encounter? By the definitions of this Blessed and whom else? Do you even know the following messes of the Encounters and their subjective matters? Unless you are hundred percent right, this is a high claim to make.¡± 1st Sun said, pointing her slender finger beyond her veil toward Murai, who is somewhat oblivious to their conversation.


    It was to his dismay that he couldn''t jump to their conversation, but watching and hearing them was enough for him. That, plus the sight...


    Bloody world... This Vermillion God... she has a knack for a harem, I bet. Well, for a woman... Murai thought, yet forgot he still had that connection with Ceila under their Will. She rather ignored his unpleasant words for the sake of important conversation.


    ¡°Yes. I hear your worries, 1st.¡± Ceila nodded and leaned forward. ¡°I will listen to your opinion on this matter before stating my plan. That''s how it goes around this table so let me give you the basic rundown of the situation,¡± she said, going over a quick rundown of the situation around Murai as a whole.


    She ignored some details, like his memories, or whatever wasn''t important to be told.


    ***


    ¡°So an Old Soul... I had a feeling something was wrong with this duck... I never saw an Anatidae species with my own eyes as well. They do look like a duck... but aren''t that. I know that, so this must be how history and ancient times made them. They remained the same even through the evolutions. How intriguing, and strange. Considering this one is a Blessed, I fear something unlikely and strange is going on.¡± 1st Sun thought out loud and gave her opinion.


    ¡°You are a 1st Sun for not that long. It''s no wonder, but it doesn''t change the matter of importance and your position.¡± Ceila said.


    ¡°Let me help out with this,¡± Lia commented. ¡°Those little things are vile, Arkhana. They would follow up at every opportunity to kill a human they don''t like, act according to their bloodline, thoughts, and desires,¡± she stated with a chuckle and a look of much more interest upon Murai. ¡°But a Blessed one is another story. I heard some possible rumors of a new one, but rumors are that. Mostly fake, or whatnot. It is already topic for years. Seeing a Blessed in terms of the savage appearance of a demonic beast is always interesting but an Anatidae? That is the first, and I know all about all sorts of stuff..¡± She smiled, glancing back and forth between Ceila, 1st Sun, and Murai.


    ¡°Don''t use my real name...¡± 1st Sun complained, yet she knew it was a useless try. Lia was the latest addition to the Suns, so it went without saying that she was least used to this position. Considering her wild nature and demeanor, she didn''t really fit in and was like a rogue.


    Albeit, it wasn''t as if Lia found it strange, or worrisome thanks to her nature and ongoing personality.


    ¡°Ehm. Ehm.¡± this time, 4th Sun cleared her throat, turning their attention to herself. Ceila, and the rest of the Suns all turned to her.


    ¡°I heard everything from the messengers of our Lady, and I am frankly astounded. What to do against the Centralis Kingdom depends on so many variables, that I doubt you can even imagine it, 2nd. I don''t think we have any capital or care to put any resistance against their Blessed, let alone start a war. Weakening them? Sure. I could see that, but it is hardly that easy. They are clever. Zendurion and his ministers.¡± 4th Sun stated.


    ¡°I am thankful for your opinion, 4th.¡± Ceila nodded.


    ¡°Keep your thankfulness, I am not over.¡± She replied sternly. ¡°What Encounter started or how do you even know it? Messengers didn''t mention that. Only the briefest terms that our Lady gave. Encounter is a Blessed forte. We are unaware of anything, and Centralis Kingdom didn''t state any Hunt or anything according to my sources.¡± the 4th Sun spoke with a stern and older voice. It was similarly stern women like sometimes Ceila appeared, but she was an old-looking woman, unlike Ceila.


    She wore a face that ceased smiling a long time ago, and wrinkles already appeared around her face. She was the oldest of the 5 Suns. Out of everyone, she remained in the humblest attire of a regular priest, and even her hair wasn''t visible.


    ¡°I agree with your words, 4th. The case of the Encounter is simple, yet different in many ways. My Lady''s words and my direct affirmation should be more than sufficient.¡± Ceila said and pointed to Murai. ¡°He is our chance to gain some opportunity, as he is one side. It will depend on his willingness and our... help?¡± she sounded a bit unsure since Murai gave her quite a bothersome look.


    Helping those 5 vile women? Hell! Murai wasn''t willing in this kind of body!


    ¡°Our willingness? It''s Encounter, so I can already guess where this is going.¡± 4th Sun sighed, already imagining what a pain this situation is going to be like.


    ¡°What help can he offer?¡± Lia stated. ¡°You called him a chance and a side, Ceila. I see no problem in him being an Anatidae species if it''s a Blessed. What I found strange is the base of his... situation. What kind of situation led to a Blessed becoming an Anatidae of all things and beasts? I heard hawks, mermaids, and all kinds of carnivorous beasts, but Anatidae? They are rare, to begin with. I can''t wrap my head around it. Not in this continent at least, or this world as a whole, and you know why.¡±


    ¡°I know. I have long established a room for communication and got some decent understanding of the situation.¡± Ceila said. ¡°All that we had to do, was to put our Will towards his Soul Space. Then, we can communicate. He agreed since I saved his life and he isn''t such a petty bastard to be annoying, is that right?¡± she shot an annoying glance at him, and appeared ready to smack his beak.


    This woman...Fuck! Murai scowled, unhappily glancing at the lofty demeanor of her face. She is forcing this situation on me more and more. What does she even mean when she means Encounter? Is it the Task put forth by the Will of the Battleworld or something new? Bullcrap... That is my problem, not theirs so why she keeps exploiting some valuable chances for her and this Vermillion god? Murai thought and looked at each woman around him.


    Apart from 1st Sun who he couldn''t discern, everyone was questionably looking at him. Neither of them was someone he could discern with his Soul Read, which gave him the basic answers to many wonders. He can''t read the unreadable, too-powerful beings, or defended souls.


    Soul Read had some obvious limitations about the level and power. Well, the Soul Read had Grade and Level within the system of the Battleworld, so that may be why. The stronger it will be, the better its effects will be.


    Already on his feet, Murai stretched his legs and wings a little. Then, he looked at Ceila. ¡°Is this what you want this to be? No mission, but something completely outside of my knowledge? Becoming a tool against the Centralis Kingdom will be enough? It sounds like you want more than a helper with this exploitation of my situation. I won''t be subjected to this mess and be a tool for God''s interest. Are you even aware of what I mean by that? You saw my memories, yet you know nothing of my intent or my direct experiences. You know nothing. Clueless, arrogant, and selfish bastard.¡± Murai stated his Will by stomping toward Ceila unhappily.


    ¡°Pheheheh. This is too funny... How old is this thing anyway? I am interested. Interested!¡± Lia burst out laughing and got her legs back to the ground. Getting up from her chair, she walked right toward Ceila''s spot where she grabbed Murai without any regard to his struggles and swings of a beak.


    ¡°May I?¡± She giggled at Ceila and Murai who was flipping his wings and beak in her direction.


    ¡°Be my guest,¡± Ceila waved her hand, ignoring Murai''s unwillingness completely.


    ¡°Light Appraisal!¡± Lia turned her gaze to Murai, causing him to feel a minor disturbance once again. It was as if a Will of this woman pinched his soul and nothing else. It was so light, that he couldn''t even do a thing in time. It was like a gentle pat of someone on top of a watchful gaze.


    It was quick, and not hideous. Hence, Lia didn''t see much. The only thing that she wanted to see was surface-level stuff.


    ¡°Low level. Less than a year old, yet... his soul!? What in the seventh hell?! He is beyond me and... Who is this thing?¡± Lia asked, furrowing her brows and looking at Ceila. She remained glaring at Murai, who was so included to use his Robsut Spirit to punish this impudence, but this Appraisal wasn''t an annoyance.


    What was, was the lack of basic courtesy and consent. That pissed him off, but not enough to become physical or mental.


    The rest of the Suns looked at Lia and Ceila, expecting a better explanation since they weren''t directly responsible for each other''s efforts or actions. They each had many worries and acted outside of one another.


    ¡°Our Lady is interested in him, and his soul is one of the reasons,¡± Ceila said, gesturing Lia to put Murai down. ¡°I expect this little beast to rapidly grow, which should provide us with much-needed assistance if we are generous enough.¡±


    Her words sounded sincere, but 4th Sun wasn''t bough. After all, she was in charge of the economic side of the Vermillion Church, so that may be the reason for her numb and old face. Though, even when the reason in her heart spoke with reason, the Will of the Lady was much stronger.


    ¡°What is it then? Offer, business, trade, Blessing? What have you promised, 2nd, and what he needs? Providing a place and supporting Blessed is something we do on a regular basis, but what is exactly this Will of our Lady that you speak of? Helping the demonic beast, let alone a Blessed one seems like a hurdle that would force us to unknown territories. You, along the 1st, are the only one with direct Divinity to our Lady, unlike the rest. Speak.¡± 4th Sun said.


    Ceila smiled, expecting this kind of topic right away. ¡°Change... No. A reason is already happening and should provide the necessary information, since our chance.¡± she pointed to Murai. ¡°... has no idea what is even happing right now.¡±


    Her words of interest were quite powerful, and Ceila knew why she was spoking like that. Bewitchingly glancing at Murai, and looking at the entrance, the 1st reason will soon arrive.


    As she did so, a door shot open, revealing a butler-looking old man, who bent his hips to a 90-degree angle upon his arrival on top of the stairs.


    ¡°My deepest apologies to seek this important discussion, but someone is looking out there for something specific out of my picture.¡± He politely said, looking at the ground as if it was his master.


    ¡°Well, the Encounter is already here, I suppose,¡± Ceila said, smiling and getting to her feet. ¡°Shall we take a look, Murai, and the rest?¡±

 Chapter 73: Initiation of the Encounter

    Murai winced on the spot, glancing at the stewards that just appeared. An Encounter was due? He looked at Ceila who appeared collected as always, yet he couldn''t perceive a thing from her at all. She seemed to know everything, and tell nothing.


    Something weird was going on with the way she was speaking and acting for sure.


    And it included quite a lot of things, even though he didn''t want to have anything to do with them. Gods can become gardeners for everything that Murai ever cared about.


    ¡°You... What is happening, 2nd?¡± the soft voice of the 1st Sun stated. ¡°You speak so strangely, it makes me a bit uncomfortable, considering the motions of the Anatidae, Blessed figures, various Gods, and the Centralis Kingdom itself. In fact, more powers always move if one moves. It is a cycle, and if we move, others will move. We will move when others do. It is that simple.¡± she said, still hiding behind her veil.


    ¡°Uncomfortable?¡± Ceila smiled, not really understanding 1st''s worries. ¡°Who else would seek this place then a possible start of it all? They move. We do it afterward. It may be strange, but I know the Will of our Lady perceive things that you probably don''t yet understand. In this situation that revolves around Blessed, all I can see is just opportunity and many variables. It''s a chance to be grasped. That''s what our Lady wants.¡±


    ¡°So, it is another Blessed... Centralis Kingdom is making the first move?¡± Lia stated, glancing at Murai as if he was a toy.


    Ceila nodded, stepping toward Lia to see her view clearly. Lia was also quite tall, but not as tall as her. The rest of the Suns were smaller. Still, she towered over Lia''s tight, and muscular body that revealed quite a bit of skin.


    ¡°I am unsure if what we can perceive will help us, Lia. This little guy has no idea either. I speak on behalf of this summoning and Will of our Lady. I will follow him through the height or lows regardless of anyone''s help. I suppose each has their own worries and work, so I don''t expect the involvement of each and every one of you. That''s what kind of situation this is, and our Lady does not force anything since she is still overlooking the situation for many possible changes. For now, I am to make this happen. A lot of chances can pose a great chance, while the decisions are up to the individual. It''s the same as always, Suns. You decide while declining has no cost.¡± Ceila proclaimed, and then, wanted Murai back into her hand.


    Lia dodged her following grab, mischievously smiling. ¡°Nah. Nah. I am interested. Why shouldn''t I? You probably made those wordy efforts just for me, didn''t you?¡± Lia stated, patting Murai like a dog, even though he wildly struggled in her embrace. ¡°You are fishing for answers, and I am biting. Isn''t this what you wanted?¡±


    ¡°Well...¡± Ceila sighed after hearing her nice words. ¡°I don''t deny nor confirm this. I did what our Lady wanted. Asking everyone, is seeking this chance that could be a road for the future.¡±


    ¡°Future?¡±1st Sun mumbled behind her veil.


    4th Sun appeared as serious and wrinkled in worry. ¡°I don''t dare to imagine much sense in this. Other Gods are no puny forces, and Encounters are one of the most complicated things that they can crate. It serves many paths and countries. More powers will get going too. I will wait to see the situation, but If it''s our Lady''s Will, then the economics of the church will go through me. I will at least help with that.¡±


    The 3rd Sun didn''t make any comment. She kept smiling, observing the situation while leaning on her hands as a pillar for her chin.


    ¡°I fought plenty of Anatidaes before...¡± Lia mumbled, struggling with Murai''s beak that tried to eat her fingers. It was a futile attempt since her gauntlet was enough against his efforts. ¡°These things are vile, and much to my liking. I think I did tell some stories about them to everyone here. A mission to the Blouding Chackroad. Seeing Blessed Anatidae is once in a lifetime opportunity so I will do whatever I can. Count me in, Ceila.¡± Lia stated, trying to pat Murai as if he was the precious thing, even though her grip wasn''t the lightest.


    In fact, he struggled for his life on the line, since he didn''t want to remain like a damned pet.


    F-freaking woman... Why is everyone handling me like a damned thing!? Murai scowled, giving up on fighting since he could tell he was outmatched by this woman in any power, apart from the soul. His calmness was met with a victorious pat on his head, while Lia found it quite intriguing to pat an Anatidae, for once.


    Murai wasn''t weak, or strong at the moment, and he knew it. He held a strange situation over his power level. The balance around his power wasn''t that firm, as on one hand, his body and magic were weak, but his soul was astronomical.


    So, could he afford to be arrogant? Not really.


    Against the Somalis Dungeon, he worked fine with what he had, because it was balanced around his rough power, but anything tougher than that would prove to be fatal. The whole situation after the dungeon spoke for itself, as he bled and wept.


    It reminded him to follow the path of power and never repeat the same mistake twice.


    And this start began long before he went back to walking.


    One of the possibilities to get stronger in the past weak was general magic. Murai worked on his mana-centered abilities, improving his control to a large degree since he didn''t need to move a finger. All he needed was his mind, mana, and controlling it, and that was it.


    It went surprisingly well, much to his lackluster Beast Core that remained like a constant source of problems. It made his progression slower for sure, but even through that, all of his abilities and even his level improved.


    Will of the Battleworld didn''t descend with anything abnormal, but it did provide him with occasional things. Such as improved levels of his abilities or even his own levels alongside the improved attributes.


    Right now, he was Level 12. The Rundown of his abilities followed at least his own Level, but not everything was fine, to level, as he lacked the means to use them. His magic was about what he managed to improve. It was a kind of time-consuming process, but through his focus, it went well.


    Yesterday and the day before, he tried other things, such as his beak, and general movement but he couldn''t do them at full strength. Many limits were there


    because of his legs and body in general.


    As for the rest of things, or his soul abilities or hidden ones, they weren''t as easy to train with, if at all.


    Overall, Murai was still weaker than he wished, but at least he improved his basics. Considering the degree of power he wanted to achieve, a step was a step regardless of the length.


    When it came to fights within his power level of 25+, he held all confidence he could fight anyone. Win or loss was questionable, and dependable on strategy, but he wasn''t fearing a thing. Although, he didn''t consider the degree of his power in his beak, since he lacked its uses in the last week. Any hit that traveled through his body hurt, and he needed some rest.


    Then, there was the Robust Spirit, which was kind of unique.


    He didn''t know how to go about it. The Robust Spirit Identity Abilities were something he reconsidered throughout the last week, so he did run some experiments and felt how the Soul Force worked. The powers and limits made sense but Soul Force was hard to get back, so he didn''t make any experiments regarding it and his beak in the last days.


    He didn''t want to get too physical with his damaged body.


    Part of it was caused by the result of a couple of new abilities that didn''t count for much, but they weren''t bad either. After a long time of training in the Dried Woodlands, he achieved the basic structure of his Flaming and Sharpness affinities, achieving beginner abilities.


    Each affinity supplied his Beast Core with distinct Shaping to use. Regarding Shaping, the ability was thus granted accordingly to him by Will of the Battleworld.


    For Sharpness, it was a Proper Mana Blade. If Murai weren''t Shaping swords but used spears instead, he would get Proper Mana Spear instead. It worked with training and shaping in mind, and it was a well-known fact in this world, that Iris mentioned.


    She was the one to explain him the rules of this world to him instead of Lisa that remained sleeping all this time.


    About abilities and the Will of the Battleworld itself, Murai wasn''t all that knowledgeable about it, so having Iris by his side helped more than he thought.


    As for the Flame affinity, Murai achieve the basic spell called Flame Shot. It was a basic flowing fireball that he could conjure out of his Beast Core, and Shape it as a ball. Then, shooting it with his Shaping was easy, as he always said.


    As for the Water affinity, he wasn''t nearly as convinced over the power of the water, so he didn''t do much with it. In fact, water was always a curious thing in the Pathway of Magic. It was an intricate element, considering the planets and countless other things were made out of water.


    The human body was like that, for example, and now, out of the blue, his Beast Core held a Water affinity without almost no effort. All of this happened because of the Battleworld, and it was as if he wished for that, and suddenly, his Beast Core had 3 swirling elemental waves surrounding it.


    Working with the water wasn''t something Murai cared for under normal times. He was never a firm believer in trying something that was hard, and special to use. It was almost the same with every element, but he found some easier to use than the rest. Water was one of the toughest, alongside the Earth.


    The reason? Shaping and creating Water with one''s Mana Core was harder, and for the Earth, it was harsh and heavy to create something so intricate as the Earth itself out of the Core.


    Simple rocks? Sure, but it wasn''t great power at the start.


    It was that kind of element that shined when outside influence came into play. Like Shaping up a river up to one''s touch, or holding a mountain-sized boulder like a pebble and tossing it at the enemy. Murai knew all of this, albeit from memories alone, and by no experiences. He witnessed enough after all.


    When someone reached a threshold of forming or Shaping minerals, and ores or metals alone, then that was a stage of much-sophisticated powers and spells. It was by no means weak, as difficult things were often worth calling powerful. But for one to reach that sort of power, it would take time and talent.


    Highly advanced Earth Shaping allowed the controllability of the earth itself, and the use of what already made it.


    It was the case of all elements that all worked in their special ways, rules, and laws. Murai knew all about the high-level knowledge of distinct elements, so he held no incentive to make his already tough life, tougher.


    That was why the Flame and special Sharpness were his priority since he was not only familiar with them, but his body worked at a passable level with them. He didn''t need to consider his body much, in fact. Shaping both of them was pretty much the same as if he was a human mage, but slightly more annoying because of his Beast Core.


    Adding the Mana Shaping that became Level 10 a while ago, Murai achieved the basic balance he hoped for. Albeit, neither held the terrifying power of his beak and he acknowledged that. His body was his temple¡ªpowerful, sturdy, and something that allowed him to live through disasters.


    Further improvements were needed across the board. Especially the one regarding his Beast Core. Murai was yet to become comfortable with the use of his body. Beak''s Peak, was pretty much his priority, as it had an interesting premise like a spell would, but it was part of his body. Having control over his body was his second priority, right behind his magic.


    Murai was yet to know why the progression was so damned slow. It shouldn''t be because of his damned Beast Core, right? He calculated it and thought about it a lot since he had a lot of free time. At this point, if he would be a human he would be long a level 20, but then... his age would be different since that sort of New Beginning would be different. That''s how unfamiliar the concept of the Beast Core was, regardless of his knowledge of Shaping and Conjuring.


    As for his Soul, Will, and Robust Spirit? They did get better, but not by much.


    Some attributes improved by almost a dozen points. Will wasn''t one of them though, with only +7 Will. Robust Spirit itself achieved 2 Levels ups after his Will endured the painful healing and a couple of dozen mana overdrafts.


    Murai considered it his most powerful weapon, reaching the highest might of damage he could unleash. Considering the power of the Soul Force, and the basic structure of its points, he had to be crafty using them. Their power was quite good, even if he didn''t use its offensive ability.


    When Lia grabbed him with quite some strength, he was so damn close to trying the limits of his Robust Defence, that he almost tried to use his Beak''s Peak instead or Indomitable Strike.


    Though, it would probably do nothing much to her anyway. Lia was, in his opinion, around the same power as Ceila, if not stronger.


    Ceila looked at Lia. ¡°You... Lia. You were the most likely one to agree. I imagined it. Thank you.¡± she smiled.


    ¡°You already knew it, you liar,¡± Lia said in return, not letting Murai free.


    Thus, Ceila and Lia were the only ones who reached some understanding and followed the old steward out of the room.


    The rest of the Suns were still somewhat hesitant since they wanted to see a clear picture of this... strange occurrence that they found more than bizarre.


    The reason for their hesitation was actually quite sensible. Ceila didn''t explain a lot of things, since she didn''t know much herself. The fact of the Encounter was a major ordeal, and the 4th Sun knew all about it.


    In fact, all of them knew about it, since it was always a topic that appeared on the continent and wreaked havoc once in a while, depending on its premise. Sometimes, just a minor one would involve some organization, but the toughest ones would literary destroy countries.


    Suns viewed it simply. It wasn''t that it wasn''t a bad opportunity, it was just the possibility of danger was quite enormous and Encounter was the higher-grade playground of godly interests.


    After all, the core rules of the Battleworld were the following: nothing was free, and every opportunity had dangers, or stakes involved. Power ruled supreme, while rewards came with a price or the following power, achievements, and desirable techniques.


    The whole concept of power ran supreme. That was the way of the Battleworld. As for the Encounter and things Ceila believed in, the Blessed parts were quite peculiar. So much so, that even when considering their Lady''s approval, the majority of Suns didn''t agree immediately.


    ¡°What if... Our Lady is testing us? She must think further into it, as 2nd said, and this could be a change.¡± 1st Sun asked the remaining 2 Suns that remained.


    Neither wanted to test their guesses, so they remained seated until the situation would be clearer.


    They will see, and then follow up with their respective opinions after the situation outside will solve itself. The basic premise of the Suns was to have a level beyond 70, and a powerful Will, so each and every one of them was a powerhouse on their own.


    Lia and Ceila walked with the steward, who remain bowing as they retreated out of this round room.


    ¡°You may leave,¡± Ceila ordered, walking to the luxuries that were in the hallways alongside Lia, who kept pestering Murai in her clutched hand.


    ¡°So, did you expect my help in particular?¡± Lia asked. ¡°You are so careful about everything. I bet she would know more and tell you to act this way but still... Was this also a Will of our Lady then?¡± she asked Ceila curiously, putting her free arm around her shoulder.


    ¡°It is my Will, as my Will is Will of my Lady. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Sounds fair, but then, it is quite poor if that is the case at all times. I wonder what she wants to achieve with this, considering the powerful Centralis Kingdom. I haven''t battled their force in 2 years, but I am inclined to try my chances.¡± Lia smirked in confidence.


    ¡°If that''s the case...¡± Ceila frowned suddenly, feeling as if something was wrong. ¡°I don''t think you will wait that long for that to occur,¡± she said and they both arrived before the entrance gate. Grabbing the gate to push them inwards, the gust of wind, along with blood and Woodlands permeated the interiors.


    Out of this mansion, in the plains surrounding it, there were the knights present, but all of them were laying on the ground. Some were shitless, others unconscious, and many were dead, with blood and limbs severed and organs scattered on the grass.


    This caused the pair of Suns to frown. Especially Ceila took it the hardest since she didn''t expect this to occur. This part of her battalion was quite powerful so who did this? What did this?


    ¡°Is this what you planned for as well?¡± Lia asked, scratching her head as she retreated her free hand back to her side.


    ¡°I told them to wait and be cautious. I didn''t want this, nor did I hear of this.¡± She frowned, changing her face to one of anger and seriousness. ¡°What happened here? Is there someone?¡± Ceila walked forward, stating those words with the intention to kill. She even forgot the case of the Encounter.


    Amid the chaos in front of the mansion, there was still a single man who didn''t lay on the ground, and it wasn''t a knight.


    He was a bare-chested man who wasn''t even that big. He wore an open cloak, similar to the style of Lia''s cloth, apart from the rope around the hip and moderate-length sleeves. Trousers on his lower body were quite haggard and had seen better days. He didn''t even bother to have the boots, so he was all dirty from the mud and blood. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Messiah from the Central Church?¡± Ceila thought, immediately recognizing the madman who was before her. For this sort of madman to appear here, it was quite frankly, a stroke of bad luck.


    It was at this point, that Murai in Lia''s grip squeaked, letting audible quacks in surprise.


    Will of the Battleworld descended to his head, and it was more powerful than ever before.


    [Punishment of inactivity is almost due, but your luck is good, as the change in the grand schemes of the Battleworld changed, giving you opportunity instead and instability because of your case]


    [You almost got your 2nd Act so be careful not to die, you intolerable duck!]


    [As for the change! It is a tremendous one that is hard to come by. It will be a special underlying case of the Encounter, Willed by the God of Battle and the opportunities that fill the Battleworld for dozens of thousands of years]


    [Encounter Innitiated]


    [Oppening act started: Escape, or defeat messiahs of the Central Church. Hows: Escape outside of the Woodlands. Simple enough]


    [The current power: over level 60, so try your luck in this case, or give up]


    [Rewards: None you bloody lazy animal]


    [Failure: your damned life]


    [But here is a catch. Encounter is a two-way thing, undergoing big variables from two sides of the Blessed beings]


    [Encounters are initiated by meaningful choices of God''s interest alongside their respective Blessed]


    [Your current foe, runner, or fateful enemy is no other than the Razmund from the Centralis Kingdom]


    [Another huge variable lies in the positions of potential Helpers. Possibilities of these figures are attainable for both sides, providing a better chance, hope, chaos, and strategies by both sides]


    [Your case of the Encounter and further information]


    [Mixture of reasons: Major Task, forceful Clash, God''s Trial, and others]


    [Centralis Kingdom is currently in the hold of your God''s Gift. By the demands of the Fury and Gods, it is demanded to be back, but rules state that no matter what, gods can''t redo or take away what was already given. They are unable to do anything with it, apart from stating Encounters, and using chances to provide entertainment and chances of wealth and might for the sake of the Battleworld]


    [Razmund''s case?]


    [A powerful and mysterious dark mage uncovered your fate, case, and future in limited fate shocks. It revealed variables, unexpected by the gods, and flickered through and against the Greater Sky. Thus, following, and revealing the Wrath of Lordis''s wife was a very bad thing. By threatening the Centralis Kingdom, an Encounter was initiated and accepted unconditionally]


    [Encounter is timed matter, indicative to the Blessed sides, filled with rewards and opportunities to those interested or not]


    [Unlike the Punishment Act, Encounter is a huge opportunity for getting stronger or falling to the bottom of the abyss when one may belong. It forms choices, strategies, and mighty callings and actions onto the Battleworld, giving rise to helpers and chaos]


    [It will be the same for you, dear Citizen but the difficulty is set to counterattack your lazy behavior]


    [Difficulty isn''t set, but the Grade of the Encounter is indicative of the opportunities]


    [Current Grade: SS]


    [Involvment of God''s Wrath could lead to a lot of trouble, so do your best. The opportunities may lead to countless realms of rewards, alongside finishing parts, and secondary, or unrelated objectives]


    [Currently, the case for your Encounter is the following]


    [Encounters are made into many parts: 1st, 2nd, and so on. Each completion of one part will lead the various Level Ups for any Ability within yourself. A chance for your own Level ups are depending on your achievements and tries, but it stays firm that as long as one survives, the rewards are due]


    [Secondly, there is a special rise of a hindrance onto yourself. You will be temporarily unable to achieve major bottlenecks, improvements, and things that one may take to one''s advantage, within the specific part of the Encounter]


    [Boosts are deactivated]


    [Number of parts within Encounter is subjective, hence they vary in a lot of ways, difficulties, reasons, lengths, and so on]


    [Opportunity to rise to greater power is huge]


    [Think, and use this chance wisely, or give up to die]


    [Addition information about your current part is Oppening Act.]


    [It is the very grand opening and includes messiahs of the Central Church and a few other potential henchmen. The following Parts aren''t usually any easier so do your best]


    [Centralis Kingdom discovered your presence, and because they are fearing the Wrath of a God, they decided to be ruthless. Such cases are filled with opportunity and madness]


    [Razmund is the whole reason for everything, as his pain, hope, and dreams are to eclipse over the Heavens]


    [Your current actions are simple enough, but rewards may be nothing like that in the end. Variables, depending on the fulfilled encounters, and end results of the Encounters will prove to be hard, but rewarding enough afterward]


    [Timer of the Encounter as a whole: 30 days to do what Blessed must do, or when the certain Major Objective is fulfilled]


    [Your Major Objective: Surivive]


    [Reward: Attribute Rise, Levels, new unique species'' abilities, or a certain help in Evolution, Blessing, Title]


    [Encounter''s Parts will have different timers, reasons, tasks, and difficulties]


    [There is a special case of available Helpers, varied to individual rules, parts, and decisions stated by individual Parts]


    [The current one for your case is simple enough. 1 Helper can be chosen]


    [Helper]


    [Each figure of this choice will choose a Pledge and will get a reward, and task depending on the part''s difficulty, solutions, and overall doneness. It is subjectively decided by the Battleworld what rewards, tasks, and opportunities will be like. It is outside of Blessed influence]


    [That''s it, dear lazy Citizen]


    [Battle to your Wills, quench the opportunities, and fill this Battlewrold with the glory of your victories]


    Then, the whole stretch of intent disappeared away, leaving Murai aghast in Lia''s surprisingly soft embrace.


    Murai heard it all and wasn''t upset.


    NO!


    He was livid.


    ¡°W-what... the FUCK!? I was inactive but how else I was supposed to do anything with my broken body? For fuck'' sake this dogshit Battleworlds is wiping my asshole with a screwdriver or what in the seventh hell is wrong with it? What kind of reasonable system is that?¡± Murai cursed, flapping his wings and quacking like a mad duck.


    Ceila observed Murai''s reaction and understood immediately what was happening. As she knew, it confirmed her guesses of what her Lady sent her by her foretelling.


    ¡°I am sorry for that, Murai, but you are already entangled with the force of Gods. Do you want a Helper?¡± Ceila sent him her words through her Will, smiling at him meaningfully.


    Murai heard her cocky words and could perceive her meanings without even looking at her. He was cornered to utterly shitty situations, and there was nothing but helpers who can help him.


    ¡°You knew this would happen...¡± Murai sent her with his Will.


    ¡°Maybe. Is escaping possible? I think the Centralis Kingdom won''t let you anywhere since their objective must be quite harsh. For you, that is. I think this is also an introduction or an Opening Act to the Encounter. I can''t see your case, but I can guess what it can be. Or my Lady knew it? Who knows? Part 1 of the Encounter itself will wait until this is done, I suppose? The true deal is yet to start, as with every Encounter could involve whole countries and kingdoms.¡± Ceila explained out loud, appearing fine and collected, even though she forgot one important part.


    ¡°Whaaat?¡± Lia looked in surprise around herself and turned Murai to face her face. ¡°You are in bad luck, aren''t you?¡± she smiled, obvious to Murai''s livid mind.


    It was at this point, that the messiah turned his attention to the new arrivals after he was done beating a knight to oblivion.


    ¡°A simple mission, with uncertainty it was. A Giftee''s fate it seems. Kekekekekeeeee....¡± He laughed like a madman, screeching in his voice. His face was seriously lacking any emotions, apart from madness and bloody murder in his eyes.


    ¡°Your time to die will happen. Wait a bit.¡± Ceila stated calmly, figuring that Murai was more important at the moment.


    ¡°Of course. Of course.¡± Messiah said, mumbling some intangible whispers along with it. He clutched his bare fist, walking towards the pair of beauties. ¡°That''s the fate of the Giftees such as myself and you. Mere tools, to quench the desires of mighty beings! How fitting is it? ¡±


    ¡°You are nothing like us,¡± Ceila said, unwavering before such a weakling. This man didn''t kill nor destroy her knights. That much, she already guessed, apart from one fact that was yet to hit her head.


    There was no Iris and Timmy around. There were not even their corpses.


    ¡°Trueeeee... Kekekeke.¡± Messiah screeched, finding her words rather funny. ¡°Yet you are holding this Giftee''s target. Is this a Helper that was included in the motions of the Ignition of the Encounter? You? SUNS? It is a Will of the almighty GOD! Oh, I won''t back down! Nononono.¡± Messiah mumbled, and his face changed.


    Smiling wildly like the lunatic he was, he began crying and charging at his foes with the brutality of a religious freak.

 Chapter 74: Lia of the 5th Sun

    As the messiah was charging, Ceila thought little of him. Instead, she remained attentive to Murai.


    ¡°Listen,¡± she said, ¡°This is a vastly different situation than you''ve met so far in this little life. To go through this, I beg you to swallow some pride and think of what you should do, rather than what your ruling soul does. So, with that said, what were the grade, difficulty, and things around this Encounter that Will of the Battleworld sent you? Tell me. Us!¡±


    ¡°Tell... This was a long and messed up message.¡± Murai complained, turning his eyesight from Lia to her. ¡°Though, it seems the undeniable reasons are gods and they little ploy. The Centralis Kingdom is also there, but it is rather vague. Is this what you wanted? Desired? Is this how it went according to Vermillion?¡±


    ¡°A little. Probably.¡± Ceila agreed. ¡°To me, it seems the Centralis Kingdom already has a plethora of information about their desires, and it involves quite a lot of their hopes. Their side must have more information or forced reasons than normal. Just who started this at all, and what went behind the godly decisions?¡±


    ¡°Who or what? This dogshit-eating Battleworld did it all because of the gods! It is out of its mind. That''s the thing that started it all and that''s what this shitty Encounter is.¡± Murai complained again, feeling wronged. ¡°So, what does this mean in any terms of sense? It sounds like the same mistakes and messes as encountering a Pouncing Devil of level 54 when I was a freaking level 0 duckling. What sort of mistake is this and what sense should be there? It says to go against these messiahs, or whatnot at level 60!¡± He sent her, feeling that the world was against him more than ever.


    Going through the message again, he was sure of it. The voice stated a lot of undeniable information, and the majority were effective at conveying enough information, but the context was just another case of playing some parts in gods games. That, or it was a mistake, and someone was getting rid of him?


    ¡°What is everything then? Don''t tell me...this is also a Punishment for you? This Encounter... Have you angered the core element of the Battleworld so it makes it like that?¡± Ceila asked as if understanding what was going on, but Murai was yet to tell her the information she wanted to hear.


    ¡°So what if I did that or not? I was injured and grievous for my fate. I do what I can. Always. No matter the cosenquances.¡±


    ¡°Then you reap what you sow,¡± Ceila said seriously. ¡°That''s how Battleworld is and always will be. Sometimes, there are no reasons or Order to it.¡± she sent him, glaring at him unhappily, yet with a hidden sneer on her face. She was less than aware of what this may be about, but she knew her actions went according to Vermillion and no one else.


    Forcing Murai to do what she wanted was an easy task, considering the unavailability of Murai''s life companion was a good thing. If Lisa was here, helping him, it could become bothersome. That was why she wanted to finish getting Murai to agree to her demands fast, and also push him over the edge. That was what Vermillion demanded and desired.


    As for what that was, Murai was yet to know the reason for anything.


    Accomplishing something with this Encounter seemed to be something he had to do, rather than want to do. That or Helpers were her hidden intentions with special tasks or rewards they will get out of their helper status? It shouldn''t be that simple. It never was.


    Murai hesitated. In his view, Ceila was toying with the reasons and didn''t tell him Vermillion''s desires. He was becoming a toy, or a reason for Vermillion Church to grow alongside him, using this Encounter and his person like a variable to push some things behind the scenes. That wasn''t something he wanted to take part in, but did he have a choice in this matter?


    He didn''t, yet he wasn''t even aware of it.


    Murai wanted to get out of this situation fast, disregarding his morality to pay for what was owed, or what he should do.


    At this point, messiah crossed his arms in his charge, Conjuring the mana around his hands with black strands, resembling chains.


    It was a Black Death. A spell in the appearance of dark flaming chains with the core of his fists. These flames will not stop burning for up to 15 minutes out of his own influence, burning the enemy to the ground. But direct clutch? It was a powerful spell that disregarded a lot of Physicality, and defenses, making it possible to damage high-level beings than the wielder''s level.


    The disadvantage of this spell was terrible. Black Death will leave burned marks and painful hands and fingers for the rest of his life. It was a forbidden kind of magic and an overbearing part of Chaos. It had undeniable power that was useful for certain groups of people that didn''t fear Chaos or pain.


    Murai understood it right away. What was before him was a lunatic. A complete moron and a madman who didn''t cherish his life, normal reasons, or decency.


    ¡°I will burn your pretty faces! Chechechecheeee.¡± messiah laughed wildly, pouncing right at Murai, but his eyes were upon the 2 Suns.


    Ceila ignored Murai for a moment, turning to Lia.


    ¡°A Helper''s case is due with this. Encounter has started, so I am not sure how many per encounter, but you can do this, right?¡± Ceila quickly stated the fact to Lia, even though Murai was yet to tell answers to her questions.


    ¡°Unknown, is it? 1 per this opening act is minimum, so I will take the reign.¡± Lia said, glaring at Ceila, but she didn''t tell anything back. In fact, she realized something nasty. ¡°What is up with this... That''s too much against this child Anatidae, but then, what isn''t? It is all strange. What sort of ploy is God of Battle thinking about, I wonder.¡± Lia wondered, but not like she cared about reasons, unlike Ceila or other Suns.


    She liked adventure and it was always like that. Battle, blood, and glory. That was her Path, and she wasn''t all that bad following it.


    Messiah pounced with undeniable speed forward, coming closer yet he forgot something. He didn''t come even close to them with his fists, before bumping into the barrier that he couldn''t stop. It led to his strange stop in mid-air and shocked face.


    He almost pushed his fist to his face, which would be unsightly, since he would burn himself to death.


    ¡°C-cowards... Get out of your tiny corner to reap this Encounter!¡± messiah shouted, getting back to his feet after falling to the ground. He was eyeing them 4 meters away, while the Black Death didn''t seem to do much against this extremely strong barrier.


    Behind him, coming from the forest, many figures emerged. Each looked similar to this messiah, but there were some differences among them.


    20 people dressed the same as this one messiah, with cloaks, and crazy eyes. They walked forward, brandishing weapons, spells on their own, or nothing yet. They didn''t care about the knights, who were out of the picture already because their forces were much stronger than some parts of 2nd Sun''s Battalion.


    ¡°Does this looks to your liking now? I think you should move, or I will do so sooner.¡± Ceila said to Lia.


    ¡°Shouldn''t I do something else? They seem too weak, but not like it''s just them.¡± She waved her hands, tossing Murai to Ceila''s hands. ¡°I forgot something, but not like it matters. The rewards or potential also matters little, Murai, if that''s your name...¡±


    ¡°Lia...¡± Ceila said again, gazing into her eyes with pressuring look.


    ¡°I know, but I deserve to know a bit about him too.¡± Lia stomped the ground, cracking it dozens of meters around. Then, she pointed her finger at Murai and spoke meaningfully and loudly.


    ¡°I am a helper for the sake of the Encounter! By the call of the Battleworld! I choose the ride of this Anatidae, so let the ride be a joyful one.¡± Lia shouted, forming a formal pledge that connected Murai and Lia into a strange power dynamic.


    Murai couldn''t even disregard this, nor did he disagree with anything. She simply stated her desire to become a Helper, appearing to be Murai''s official cause while fleeting pressure was upon him. He accepted it and agreed with her pledge. He had no choice. Letting Lia be a helper was up to him, and he could refuse her but why would he do that?


    Since the Encounter was this sort of mess, and before him were enemies he couldn''t even touch, he will use others, or others will use him.


    ¡°Level around 60. Some messiahs are around 50, or lower. That is nothing in my eyes and there is something else... Is this Encounter formed around Helpers in mind since it involves Centralis Kingdom and Murai''s incredibly low level?¡± Lia asked, feeling the tingling messages that immediately descended into her mind, forming a task and rewards alike.


    She wasn''t Blessed, and her case of getting powerful wasn''t some messaging pattern that they had. Glancing at Murai in Ceila''s grasp, she smiled, satisfied with the situation, rewards, or reasons Battleworld mentioned to her.


    ¡°It appears to be the case.¡± Ceila nodded. ¡°But I think it''s the beginning of the true deal, or situation that our Lady predicted and desires. We will make a lot of enemies along with this, but it is her Will. Vermillion Church will establish certain dominance over the current worldly efforts. Isn''t that what is this about?¡±


    Lia smiled, cracking her knuckles with a wide smile upon hearing her words.


    ¡°I don''t give a shit. My Lady disregards this me, and I am a simple tool. My blood is boiling just imagining our Lady walking through the world. Fine. Let, the party started.¡±


    As she said so, she walked forward, stepping out of the barrier, while something strange started to happen along the way. A lot of foggy steam gushed out through her skin, washing or changing her body. It was coming off of her veins, making her figure indistinct and hazy.


    Messiah hesitated, even though she was a handful of reach away from her. He felt the temperate rising, making him sweat, and realized that someone crazier than him was before his eyes.


    Lia turned redder and redder, while her muscles began to twitch, mold, and clutter together. Her arms turned longer, and her fingers turned to the sharp claws of a dragon.


    ¡°Come on, little man. Will you die and quench the thirst, and desires that gods love? You will like it, I fear.¡± Lia talked behind the fog, smiling not one bit crazier than the man 2 meters before her. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He appeared to face the reality, but he couldn''t change it. No, his mind was too devoted to even consider fleeing or considering something else. He moved, pushing his body to its limits. He pulled his right fist to face Lia, while the Black Death should eat her Physicality without any problems.


    Swoosh!


    He didn''t notice how the fog swayed, and the draconian figure moved fast like a shadow. A strange scene of turning upside down turned his vision along a hazy figure of Lia''s current changed form. Into the blackness, his mind went, as his body lost something important.


    A head, to be exact.


    Lia''s simple swing of her single finger ceased the filthy blood away. She stood a meter behind collapsed messiah, while his headless body rolled around the ground.


    Her body changed to a Dragonic Brawler: 3rd form, Class A of Path of a Dragoneer. It was a Path of quite a rarity and strength.


    Her dragon claws were sharp like the finest blade. They weren''t not overly huge, nor small, forming a strange sensation that her appearance was natural as if she was born like this. Unfortunately, she wasn''t of Dragonic Tribe, nor actual Dragon that can shapeshift to human appearance.


    The appearance in terms of dragons didn''t end in the claws alone. Scales emerged around her forearm, flowing to the elbow where they ended in a sharp spike. Beneath her robe, more scales spread around her back, neck, chest, and a small part of her lower face. Her own mouth twitched, becoming wider, and even her teeth became longer and sharper. Her face or even the crimson hair remained the same.


    That was about the changes she underwent from physical aspects, but it wasn''t only that. The fundamental density of Lia''s muscles changed according to this transformation. Dense, lean, and tight were the 3 words that described her current disposition the best.


    She didn''t become some big muscular dude, nor she became ugly. She retained a woman''s elegance, albeit with quite some savagery. Her red long hair flickered in the wind, making her appear quite wild and ferocious. Her claws clicked, as the last piece of scale went to its place.


    ¡°19? No.. 20 to go,¡± Lia mumbled, looking around herself as the remaining visible messiahs charged at her, wilding all sorts of weapons and spells.


    Most were medium-level mages, but some of them were knights, turned messiahs for the sake of Central Church that devoted all of their followers to the sake of Centralis Kingdom. This church had no devotion to no deity in particular so it was a wild and unique church. They had one very special, and intense belief that made them a fearsome and terrifying force in this world.


    That was a simple notion of battle. Everything for the sake of the Battleworld mattered the most. Every belief that came afterward, stemmed from Blessed that made the tip of the iceberg of their kingdom and vere epitome to a fundamental status that Will of the Battleworld provided.


    ¡°A neutral force such as Vermillion Church turned against our hopes? Is this a will of your God?¡± a stern, serious voice shouted from a distance. It was coming from an unknown man, hiding nowhere in particular. He emerged from the air since his body was hiding behind the indivisible spell, void, or space crack.


    ¡°Your attempt at hiding isn''t fitting for old folks, nor people of your caliber, old man,¡± Lia shouted, ignoring the charging spells or arrows that disintegrated from a couple of her claw swipes.


    ¡°And your attempts at eating more than you chew are less than laughable.¡± The man said coldly, revealing his face hiding behind the hood. He was no old man, unlike Lia''s statement. He had a clawed mark around his face, revealing hideous slashes that revealed a section of his teeth, skull, and healed flesh.


    ¡°Hello there, Archie.¡± Lia waved her claw, smiling at him with child-like carefreeness, while Death Shot, in a form of a raging fireball, ended up in her hand. She stopped it with a simple flex, making no harm to her body because of her scales.


    ¡°You mad woman. I knew you would be inclined to move once I heard the information about Vermillion Church''s involvement... But, I am doubtful. Do you want to involve yourself with the Blessed of our caliber, and carry a notion of undeniable change that is about to happen to this world? This is just the beginning, Lia.¡±


    ¡°Becoming a Gifted was one way to get involved with A LOT of things, so yes. I am already fine with what is about to come, or what should come.¡± Lia said, half smiling, half laughing as she turned around, slashing the throats of 2 messiahs that teleported behind her. Each held a dagger and each successfully made their way to her body, but they stopped, as their End came sooner than they wished. Not one of them penetrated her scales.


    Then, she turned back to the scarred man some distance away. He was a high-level mage under the Centralis Kingdom and had no church influence on him. She knew who he was. Calling them acquaintances wasn''t too far-fetched.


    Named Arch, for the better lack of terms, or Lia''s making nicknames, his level was lower than Lia''s but not a lot. Having any level close to 70 was already impressive enough though.


    ¡°This is a beginner action of the Encounter, so why make this so vile and turn this into something crazy?¡± Arch said, dismissing the raging spells and a couple of powerful arrows that traveled to Lia from his temporary underlings.


    He talked as if they weren''t there, killing her, or injuring her. In fact, he would be glad if they will do either, but he knew it was a doubtful claim to expect any success.


    ¡°You already took this to our hands, so blame nothing, but nobody. Killing our knights is already enough for us to seek revenge, while anything else can become an excuse, isn''t it like that in the City of Chaos? Wait, not only that. Encounter is always like that. I know more than you know.¡± Lia argued.


    ¡°Oh, I know that. Trust me. I was kidding. I am more than glad to see you. Heh.¡± Arch''s face turned to a wide smile, broadening the scars around his face. ¡°I will obliterate your fucking face as you did mine all those years ago!¡± He shouted, and an explosion of mana enveloped his hands with many shaking notes and large pillars of dense mana.


    The Conjuring of this magnitude was quite common, but what came next was Shaping. In a second, the wavy azure nature of his mana revealed countless little dots the size of water droplets. Each was heavy like an iron ball half a meter in diameter and all of them shot quite fast toward Lia.


    ¡°Dropping Sky? Your care for your spells is low as always.¡± Lia sneered and lowered her posture. Placing a single palm forward, she punched fast and furious forward with the other.


    An incredible pushing force obliterated the whole Dropping Sky that tried to shatter and push against her body. Each drop was truly like a hit of the anvil or worst, yet neither hit her.


    Arch wasn''t doing anything, but stare, standing on his feet in defeat.


    He frowned, ¡°You... Have you improved once again? W-what bloodline is that? Those scales look similar to the past, but they aren''t... that?¡± he pointed forwards.


    ¡°You just noticed?¡± Lia said, crouching down. ¡°You are stuck in an old past, old man.¡± she sneered, and then, something similar, yet different from before, started. She dropped her boots to leave her legs bare. No scales were there at all, and her skin was soft, with some muscular waves visible from a close distance.


    She clutched her fists and turned her face serious. Her claws widened, turning to shield her because of her momentary fixed position. There were a lot of messiahs left, but their power wasn''t threatening to her. Not now.


    In a moment, a similar change to her hands happened to her feet. They became longer, while muscles transformed much more visibly than with her hands. Scales also spread, but muscles changed first. They turned and curved along the bones, becoming dragon-like with the scales. It was a strange mixture of dragon and some bird''s leg with 3 joints.


    They weren''t that much thicker than before, apart from her thighs, which become thicker, and noticeable because she got at least half a meter boost in height.


    Her ankles lengthened, and curved back, turning her legs into other joins apart from thighs and calves. Their shape became a perfect mixture of endurance, and speed, making her reach terrific power. Higher ground provided an advantage, but not always. For Lia, the most important change was the speed.


    She swiped her claws around, disintegrating Volcanic Shot, Lighting Great Arror, and many other spells. While she was at it, Arch started reciting some incantations, forming a sea of mana from within him to his aid.


    Lia did the simplest thing after being over her 2-way transformation. She pounced forward, and the grounds exploded where she had just stood at. She disappeared in a blink, while the next moment was quite impressive, or terrifying for others.


    Her claw penetrated and destroyed the successfully formed barrier that should stop attacks from level 80s to travel through it. It didn''t, and the claw traveled further, unbothered by anything, catching, and clutching Arch''s head, while his spine couldn''t take this stress.


    She snapped it so fast, that the head remained in her single-clawed grasp, while Arch''s remained standing, even without his head.


    Lia traveled forward because her momentum was too heavy, stopping dozens of meters away in the forest. Glancing at the terrified face in her grasp, she no longer smiled. ¡°So much for a combat mage. Thought you could turtle up, huh? Bad move. I wonder what your desires were for coming here when you were barely a level 70. Well, the circumstances of the Encounter are wild and probably involve Extremes at the higher states, so I can''t talk about it.¡± She complained and tossed this useless head behind her shoulder.


    Sighting, she walked back to the plain where she looked around to see the rest of the messiahs. Their leader died, so what came next was obvious. A bloody sight, that was nothing but normality for the sake of the Battleworld.


    Murai looked at the murders from afar, hiding behind the barrier in Ceila''s grasp.


    How in the world do I live this down... Taking help from a woman... while I am unable to do shit? he thought, taking this battle as an important piece of context. It was fairly high level, but nowhere near close to balance.


    ¡°Oh, you have a problem with that? Should I toss you to the battlefield?¡± Ceila commented, still having the connection to his Will.


    ¡°Screw you...¡± Murai quacked, turning his beak away in frustration.


    ¡°It''s fine. Don''t worry. I am sure there will be a chance for you to get some kind of fight out of this predicament. My Lady is sure of it like the Centralis Kingdom or the one responsible for this Encounter. Everyone will want more from this. Such as the Gift of that gift of yours, or who knows what else.¡±


    ¡°I have nothing to offer...¡± Murai helplessly said.


    ¡°But you do. A lot of things actually. Any Blessed is special and can provide a lot of things for all kinds of reasons, but you don''t know about it... because.. reasons. Funny ones. Heheh.¡± Ceila giggled, which made Murai uncomfortable.


    ¡°Are you making me question my choices? I have none. What is this situation for you anyway? A chance? Hope to see some... war and schemes of gods prevail and turn into something good? It''s always the same. The Ego leads to nowhere but to other Ends, and many struggles. Grudges to grudges and murders to other murders.¡± Murai stated his intent with his Will, saying what he wanted, even in the grasp of someone closer to a god than him. At least, at the moment.


    ¡°I know. It''s a constant rule of BAttleworld. Encompassing, and never changing, or so you think?¡± Ceila said, raising her head to see the sky. 5 suns were visible from this place that was open in the middle of the Woodlands. ¡°I think you know what this is about... You always did. Whether you like to imagine, wonder, or know about it.¡±


    ¡°Hmh! S-shut up...¡± Murai sneered. ¡°I will do what I can. You won''t deny my desires, but...¡±


    ¡°You are nothing but a tool...¡± Ceila pushed Murai above her head, glancing at him with indifference, as her eyes glowed in bright light.

 Chapter 75: Change of plan

    Murai glared at Ceila up close, and he was done, finished with her bullshit.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± he asked, yet no matter how he wriggled and pushed his body from her grasp, he couldn''t do a thing. ¡°TOOL? Are you forcing my Will against your unhinged move and foolish tongue? I am disappointed and almost laughing.¡±


    ¡°And I am hopeful since no matter what, if I toss you beyond this barrier, you are dead. Isn''t it an interesting prospect? The Centralis Kingdom wants you dead, or whatever else they even want. Not helping you basically means having your Will forfeit anyways, since what could you do with freedom anyway? Tell me.¡± she asked straight to his face, telling facts that pushed the reality to him.


    ¡°Tell? What I would do is none of your concern since this whole mess of the Encounter serves one issue. Godly interest. It makes little if no sense to talk with you, you madwoman so whatever you even think, you are underestimating me.¡± Murai told, having all inclination to use Robust Defense to at least get free, or test other Robust Spirit''s offensive abilities.


    Ceila sighed, letting the brightness in her eyes disappear. ¡°I am disappointed by your damned stubbornness, you tiny-looking fool. I probably expected to feel some sense, but I am not surprised either way.¡±


    ¡°Heh! Do you wish I would be something more? I could. OH! I could be a bloody disaster if I wished! Trust me. I have no issue with having some tough living, so think of it as my redemption. I would even give up on this Encounter if I could, but I doubt it''s possible, am I right? And it is also in your interest to help me, so your try at blackmail is fitting, but it only makes me laugh instead. Pathetic.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know. What is given can''t be denied. That is a partial rule of this world,¡± Ceila said, sighting and lowering him towards her hips. Changing her grip around his neck to rest him on her palm, Murai regained his freedom.


    He wanted to jump away the moment she lessened her grip, but what then? Ceila was right, and he hated being in unsolvable situations between impossible forces that were like adults toying with a baby, so what now? Going with the Encounter seems like a merciless and unavoidable thing, and Ceila''s intentions weren''t up to his liking. Should he go with the path of lesser evil, give up, or be more ruthless to himself than ever before and swallow everything up?


    ¡°Well, for once, I feel your solution has some sensibility to it, since the ego, Will, and situation are quite sincerely fucked, or so I can say,¡± Murai said after a couple of moments of thinking. ¡°What I can do, you may ask? I would do my best, get stronger and kick some gods in their lofty places, but they are of different opinions so they forced this Encounter upon me. That''s what I would do to quench my mind. Nothing less, or meaningful, so screw you if you expect something from me. I expect nothing from others.¡±


    ¡°Expectations...¡± Ceila mumbled, glancing at the sky again. ¡°No one knows the future for sure. Situation or even you, yourself, can change in the blink of an eye. Think of this as a momentary game, while the benefits of working together aren''t bad. Or, do you want to forfeit your life? Would you do it? Feeling the End... and everything again?¡±


    Murai stomped with his feet on her palm, turning away with his beak to not see her face. He didn''t answer as he can''t find one to be good enough to specify his anger.


    In a significant conversation that was happening in their Wills alone, Lia was upon the last 2 messiahs that worked in tandem.


    Runes around their bodies flickered, dancing around with mana to empower themselves as if two bodies became one. It was the usual situation that the Centralis Kingdom possessed in terms of military strategy and the core form of messiahs.


    Yet, even if two weak opponents became 1, or a dozen, Lia solved their tricks with a fast stomp to one''s face, demolishing his head with a taloned finger on her feet. As for the other, the flickering mana and many runes were disturbed, so she picked up the speed, shoving her arm right through his chest, ending with a heart speared in her pointed finger.


    As fast as she was with killing everyone, she wasn''t someone who forgot something important.


    At this moment, a certain notion hit one individual.


    ¡°Fuck! Ceila?¡± Murai asked and turned back again. She gave him a questionable smirk as if she was thinking or coming up with some questions or topics in her mind.


    ¡°This student of yours... Where is she? Where are Iris and Timmy?!¡± Murai asked, realizing he forgot the favor of his saviors.


    Suddenly, something hit Ceila as well, jolting her head around this plain. She was unable to see or sense Iris and Timmy at all which meant something bad, or terrible. Nothing in-between, but one of it was most plausible than the other.


    Frowning, she wasn''t willing to accept this big mistake that she didn''t expect. They were supposed to be protected, but against what? 70s? Would Arch be enough to work through their protection? It was possible, but she doubted that since she felt nothing wrong. There were probably some other individuals involved other than Arch.


    Considering Murai''s situation, it made many other possibilities much more apparent, and the Centralis Kingdom may even work in secret to push some things forwards and hid behind the scenes. Hiding beyond the gods was a possibility, albeit it was rare and tough. It usually involved Extremes, so it was rather a dangerous prospect.


    Someone was playing this Encounter game in the long term or had information, or workforce at a significantly better level.¡°She isn''t here...¡± she mumbled, involuntarily clutching Murai with her palm again.


    ¡°What did you expect anyway? At least they shouldn''t be dead. They were kidnapped to blackmail you, I bet.¡± Murai commented, even though he wasn''t sure if he was right or wrong. He hoped to be right, though.


    ¡°Shut up. What kind of Blessed was involved... No... what was the full repertoire of the Will of the Battleworld and this Encounter? TELL ME!¡± She ordered, tilting her face closer to him along with physical words this time around.


    ¡°A Blessed involved? The one named Razmund, as you should already know because of your Lady''s involvement and my memories. Her plotting is deep, so I have no doubts that she knew did her duty.¡± Murai calmly answered, rather than pulling off some jokes, or useless remarks.


    ¡°Him...? Razmund? I didn''t see him in your memories. They weren''t enough to let me see the face of your fates, while my Lady didn''t include some things, fearing that they weren''t necessary for me to know. I know where to accept the limits, and it''s fine, so tell me what you interpreted from this Will. That much, you should know to tell.¡±


    ¡°Then that is too bad, really,¡± Murai said. ¡°I am terrible at making things easier, or less complex, you know? In fact, I am a master at making things worse, as you may already guess from my life so far. It''s a total mess, and it seems this Encounter wants my life, rather than anything else.¡±


    Ceila almost fumed in displeasure but managed to give Murai an irritated look instead.


    ¡°It''s not about you. It''s that damned gift that you lost, and many other things that you, nor myself knows about.¡±


    ¡°You said nothing new, and see? You must know some things yourself if you talk like this. You called me tool, so what does it make you?¡± Murai mumbled, giving her a bothered look. She was no different, if not worse, so who was she to think of others like that?


    Imagining a priest like that would be truly disappointing for some ordinary devotees, or villagers, but Ceila had no worries about showing a rough side of her face. There were no perfect priests in the world. Not in this world, at least.


    ¡°It seems the initialization of this Encounter is in the hands of the Centralis Kingdom because of everything you have created and Lordis pushed upon you. This isn''t going to be good... Tell me every shift of this Encounter, and messages that Will of the Battleworld will tell in the future. I don''t care about your unwillingness. I do this with no regrets, unlike you. And my student too.¡± Ceila said, ignoring his protesting look.


    Murai saw her rather serious face, which changed her personality for the better. It seemed when this situation involved Iris, it made her change her view a little. Though, when considering the dead knights from her battalion, it wasn''t the case. Calling it double standards would be more than fitting, considering the situation and hypocrisy.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Ceila suddenly shouted, ignoring Murai''s willingness to talk more. Before he uttered a word, she walked out of the barrier.


    She stopped Lia who was a single step and a handful move away from killing the last helpless messiah that was before his End. Before, she didn''t kill him completely and assumed him to be dead. He faked it, which made her a bit upset.


    ¡°What?¡± Lia asked as she turned her head around. Her face was crazed and bloody from all of this killing. The intent of the ancient beast and danger engulfed dozens of meters around her. She was a true monster in this form, but Ceila wasn''t afraid. Why would she?


    Unbeknownst to Lia and her turn, the messiah waited for such an opportunity, even though he was far unmatched in terms of power and skill. He took a sharp dagger from his pocket, stabbing Lia right to her abdomen. Even though the stab succeeded, Lia barely noticed it, since the knife shattered into many pieces the moment it reached her well-defined abominable muscles filled with layers of scales.


    She felt it wasn''t even a scratch of a fly, albeit it was a fly nonetheless. She grabbed his head without looking, expecting some answer of why Ceila wanted to stop her play of a Helper.


    Lia watched as she arrived with Murai in hand, appearing serious or a bit agitated. ¡°Where are the kids? You left the knights alone, killing some, but not the kids. Why? Who else was here besides Arch?¡± Ceila asked straight to this man''s face, almost grabbing him but that wasn''t needed.


    ¡°Heheheh... Too bad...¡± he struggled to laugh and coughed blood, yet it didn''t stop him from being a devotee for his soul. ¡°It is all meaningless. No need to force it all away as it goes by our Will. It''s all according to the will of the world! The Voice! And I wo....ughrrhhh..¡± His words were cut short, as his throat was between Lia''s two clawed fingers.


    A simple motion and he would be dead, yet she was gentle and clever enough to not do that. She lifted him up as if he was as light as a feather, adding to this talk some domination and fear.


    ¡°Tell. Us. I will rip you apart otherwise.¡± Lia insisted, giving messiah a glimpse of his End. Recollecting this person''s beastly killing and murder was even more brutal than his own. Lia ignored his struggling voice, or flowing blood from missing a part of his shoulder, and a whole arm. He wasn''t bleeding out yet, thanks to his sufficient mana, and power over his own body.


    But struggling more would only delay the inevitable. This messiah can only watch and realize the foes'' strength. Hers or even the power past that barrier was beyond their power, yet they didn''t expect this much, because of Encounter''s Rules and plot hiding behind the scenes.


    That was their wisdom. A part of why the Centralis Kingdom did the things they did, but they were different from what Ceila or Murai would even guess.


    Alas, here came a Helper from the other side of the Encounter, killing and obliterating their forces unexpectedly. He was only glad, that the hidden forces from their own part thought of another plan. Expecting a direct involvement of the Suns was a small possibility in their leaders'' opinion, but facts speak no lies. The first touch of their plan failed, so it was time to move with another one.


    Messiahs and the figures behind them were wrong to assume a good time, which caused an imminent defeat at the hands of the power. There were no excuses put in their heart. After all, they all knew the sources of the stronger forces of their kingdom. They will push against this Encounter, avenging their hard work for their sake.


    That was what the messiahs were for. That was their purpose. Their bliss in the Afterlife will be the revenge for their superiors. It will ease their heart even though the messiahs as a whole, weren''t weak in terms of military prowess. They were devotees for the greater purpose, but not powerful enough to be proper independent mages or even Gifted.


    Ceila looked at the struggling and bleeding man. His face was ashen, ready to die at any moment, yet his hatred and Will for his cause were still there, hiding in his eyes. ¡°Is it Razmund? He isn''t strong to be a leader though so who else is there? Head Priests? 4 Cataclysms? Other leaders?¡±


    ¡°Doesn''t matter... As I! Am a devotee of theee... Ugh..¡± he struggled, spitting some blood from Lia''s tightened grip.


    ¡°Don''t even try to jolt a speck of your mana, idiot. I may be musclehead, but I still have my core.¡± Lia said behind his ears while pointing his face to Ceila. ¡°I can tear your head with an attached spine. Want to see it? It''s not painful, I swear.¡± she whispered, showering the man with cold words that were no different from a devil.


    ¡°You... will die. A splendid death!¡± the man said, clutching Lia''s hand with his remaining arm. Something within him changed, as revolving pressure came from his chest. It prevented Lia from clutching his throat, which was surprising since she wasn''t far from clutching even his spine.


    ¡°Hiding a spell? No... Someone used his body to put something dangerous. Ancient Rune set, or Bloodmagic.¡± Ceila deducted, frowning, as she understood what was happening.


    Alas, it was too late.


    It was an array consisting of many runes and rules around them. It was similar to the formations that messiahs used to work with numbers, but was older, and had something else within it.


    The mana flared from the man''s chest, revealing a strange object that penetrated his chest from the inside out. It came from his core, which left a lot of strange patterns around his body. The object was a crimson needle-like gem, filled with little lines, that weren''t like runes or any language-based symbols.


    They were older than that, indicating its intricacies or mysteries that were hard to guess. The object was a reason for the sudden push, and Lia backed away, while messiah was nothing but a tool to use this tool if things would go wrong. He accomplished his mission, albeit on his End.


    The mana enveloped this object under the messiah''s blood and a couple of intricate syllables that even Ceila didn''t understand. This object was thus, completely activated, pushing a potent set of power into effect. The lines and runes were complicated since they involved a living being and old complicated processes of activating some technique.


    At this point, Lia wasn''t able to handle his throat for longer, so she flexed her claw as she could, and did what she wanted. Obliterating the man''s neck was barely possible but it didn''t stop this object from performing its structural purpose.


    Grunting unhappily, Lia kicked the headless man away, after severing his remaining hands as well. His conviction prevailed even without his head, which was remarkable since it prevented her one arm from moving for a couple of seconds.


    ¡°What array is this?¡± Lia asked Ceila who was glancing at these runes that were closing and encompassing their location. Lia knew she knew much more about these things than her, so if she didn''t what it was, it meant trouble.


    ¡°It is... Ancient. I don''t know how old, but its structure is like another Ancient Magic from Founding War. Forming Flarinq with the effect of forceful... Teleport? Void? Space Magic of some sort?¡± she deducted at last, but it was too late to change anything.


    She wasn''t even right, as this was older than even Founding War and was even from a different planet altogether.


    The rune array spread from the appearance of this gem-like object. Whatever it should do, it was long under its purpose, and it no longer needed messiah''s life. It had enough rules for its purpose that was right before it.


    Darkness filled with flickering notions of light shot from the gem-like needle. Lines intersected, forming a maelstrom of dozen meters around them, preventing Ceila or Lia to move for a couple of seconds.


    Those seconds became extremely important. Ceila wanted to jump away, prevent its purpose that she guessed right now.


    It was too late.


    The rune array came to its apex, becoming a beam of darkness and light that enveloped the only being it needed to feel. That was Murai, who was no longer under the influence of the barrier that it wouldn''t be able to breach.


    Everything worked, and Ceila didn''t have time to come up with a proper solution, since her agitation got a hold of her before. She should''ve left Murai within the barrier, but she forgot about potential troubles since she was confident she would be able to protect him.


    She failed, so she could only watch how Murai disappeared within her hand to an unknown location after a beam enveloped him in her grasp.


    Hm? They came prepared more than I would ever guess. And this thing? Ability or treasure of some Extreme? Different... world? Is it some Traveler, Wanderer, or Guest?  she thought, seeing the runes and the dark lines disintegrate into tiny particles, before disappearing into the world.


    ¡°Ceila! You didn''t... What was that? What about that light, knights, and... Murai?¡± Lia said, securing her position on the ground, and looking at Ceila. She dismissed this whole ordeal as if it didn''t matter all that much to her. She was unhappy, but not like she didn''t do her best. She always did, so she never met any regretful decisions in her life.


    Ceila grunted, fearing that the situation changed once again. ¡°He is gone... Knights? They served their purpose, but one that is my fault to happen. I will cherish the fallen, and serve their wishes. I did expect messiahs from the get-go, but I didn''t know the full details of the Encounter. It may be a small excuse, and I acknowledge it. But, some beings got involved faster, and they should''ve done something. Do you think even my partial Battalion is weak?¡±


    ¡°Don''t be so worried, Ceila.¡± Lia patted her shoulder, after getting up. For once, Lia wasn''t one bit smaller than her.


    ¡°Who is saying I am? You already did spend your part, while I didn''t, and with Murai gone? Ugh... How irritating. 30 days of utter nightmares will happen next, and who knows what will even happen afterward? I already fear that our Lady took more than we can manage, or she could see.¡±


    ¡°We already serve her purpose, Ceila,¡± Lia said. ¡°No one knows a full stretch of fate, and that''s a neat part. Anyway, it''s fine to see some changes. A good person can be a hundred-man army if one is good enough.¡± Lia argued, leaving Ceila speechless by how naive and carefree she sounded.


    ¡°Is your Helper status in the Encounter over?¡±


    ¡°It will revolve soon... I think?¡± Lia said, and soon enough, a gust of intangible matter flickered from the ground, granting her the blessing of the World in the notion of a Boost. ¡°Oh, speaking of the wolf, and wolf is around the corner. Fantastic!¡± she cheered, as she felt a surge of power going over her whole body, strengthening and improving her. ¡°I got a Level Up alongside some upgrades. Not bad. That is quite good, and dozens of Attributes across the board. That is quite a harvest result... No wonder it''s always so rare.¡±


    Lia cheered, while the feeling of getting powerful always felt good. She clutched her claws, feeling like it was still not the end of her path.


    She decided to end her transformation, retracting the scales back where they came from. She became smaller, and the process of turning back wasn''t as fast as starting it. Getting it done, it took time. The 2-way transformation took usually up to 10 seconds, yet she was done with both in 6. She clutched her regular human hand and felt her feet in bloody mud.


    ¡°That was it? Nothing else is within the message of the Will of the Battleworld? Nothing about the Encounter or what happened to Murai''s part?¡± Ceila asked.


    ¡°Obviously not. I am just a Helper, and one that is gone form the proper side. Encounter no longer means a thing to me, as it should.¡± Lia shook her head. ¡°My part is done so Murai''s 1st Part should be starting. My rewards were excellent, so I wonder what he will get. An Anatidae in the Encounter sounds like a savage chance. It''s not like my bloodline can improve even when considering the Encounter, nor have any of my abilities strengthened too much. I am satisfied, so that leaves you alone, Ceila. What do you plan now?¡±


    Hearing her question, she was calmly observing the current situation. Her motives were in shambles, and so were her own feelings. She failed herself by being unable to protect Murai at all and she even failed Iris and Timmy.


    A simple mistake caused it all. Hearing about Iris, she became agitated and messed it all up. She had no doubts that Vermillion will be furious.


    Ceila wasn''t fine at all, so she turned her attention to the residuals of the teleport of some sort that left something behind. Right, she was.


    A crumbled gem remained on the ground, but it was dull and no longer useful. From its purpose, complexity, and power, it was a tool of a powerful mage. It should be a possession of someone more powerful than herself, which meant one thing.


    Things will get complicated, and it will be hard to guess what sort of cards will Centralis Kingdom use.


    Lia observed her actions of picking that gem, while she found her boots and adjusted her clothes. Her transformation was the reason her clothes were stretchy, yet tight. The materials were good and nothing got destroyed. After all, she didn''t want to get naked.


    ¡°I swear to my Lady, did she think this would be a small effort? Can we handle this?¡± Lia complained out loud, leaving even Ceila silent. Then, looking around, every single messiah was long dead. The last one''s lifespan turned to a valuable source to cast that unnamed Ancient Spell, leading to the current result that Ceila couldn''t change.


    ¡°The mana led to the Seventh Death Forest.¡± a soft voice said, coming behind their back, and revealing 1st Sun that walked out of the mansion.


    Ceila and Lia turned their attention to her words.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Ceila asked, turning her face away from the dark gem. 1st Sun was alone, and the rest of the remaining 2 Suns kept their cards hidden.


    ¡°Are you doubting me?¡± 1st Sun said, still hiding behind her veil. Like her voice, she was small. Barely one and a half meters was her height, and that was involving the hat with the veil itself.


    ¡°No... I will solve this problem of mine since it doesn''t appear the rest are interested, nor are you.¡± Ceila glanced back at her, storing the gem in a pouch hidden underneath the armor.


    ¡°We are, but not right now. It''s too risky and the situation of such vastness is too much to force all of us out. In fact, it isn''t about us, but the Will of our Lady and her stakes, and plans. I believe our Lady views things in her own light. She plans massive things, while we aren''t even her finest tools. Others all. The 6. 2 Suns are already good enough, so good luck with what you will do, and don''t wrack havoc as you see fit. Especially you, Lia.¡± 1st Sun said as if her position couldn''t be any stronger.


    ¡°Oh! Nice. I got 1st Blessing. So, want my help for good?¡± Lia patted Ceila''s shoulder, smiling at her worried face. ¡°I can indirectly affect the Encounters. It won''t be the first time I am doing it, and you know how they work. I won''t become a part of the next thing, but what about the one afterward?¡±


    Ceila doubtfully looked at her but still chose to trust her. ¡°Sometimes, I forgot who you are... Very well, let''s go, but first. 1st, can you help me with them? I doubt...¡± She glanced toward her knights, feeling that it was wrong to abandon them for the second time.


    ¡°Doubts aren''t needed.¡± 1st Sun said. ¡°I will carry on their will. It''s a fitting thing to say, or so would be a Will of our Lady. Good luck.¡±


    Thanks to her confirmation, Ceila turned her hand into the air, Conjuring out a shimmering pillar of mana around her and Lia. A gust of wind blew up, while waves of bright color enveloped them like an inverted waterfall. In a moment, they disappeared somewhere else, leaving the 1st Sun alone in the middle of the field, and surrounded by wounded and dead.


    Seeing their disappearance, 1st Sun sighed upon this scenery. Messiahs were one thing, but the knights of Vermillion Church? She didn''t like it, but it was unknown how she felt since her expression was hiding under the veil.


    At least 3/4th of the Knights survived, but even then, Ceila ignored them, leaving her to do her job.


    Similar to Ceila, she put her hand in the air, revealing a thin arm. Throughout her left arm and skin, many light lines of shimmering brightness were visible. Then, she let her mana shine, and shimmering green light began to wrap around her palm next. It wasn''t coming from her, but from the outside, indicating she either didn''t have a Mana Core, or she was using some spell in one of her rings.


    Mana was becoming bigger, stronger, and faster in its movement until tiny balls remained in her palm. Shaping them to her use was easy, and unleashing the next move was even simpler. Each ball did not need her Will or Shaping. Each will move according to its purpose.


    Countless strands of needles and threats were visibly within them, and they spun like a maddening river. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Alathi Alusi!¡± 1st Sun uttered in Elvish tongue, letting countless threads travel from the balls to knight to knight, allowing their bodies to heal. Their open wounds were stitched together, bruisers or burns were healed from the verdant touch, and even some severed limbs became one with the rest of the body. Those who were dead didn''t come back to life, but those close to death will survive.


    They will thrive for the future of the Vermillion Church according to the wishes of their Lady, and 1st Sun''s help.

 Chapter 76: Seventh Death Forest

    Out in the wild and unknown, Murai traveled through space-time itself, becoming entangled with the inability to feel up, or down. He was taken aback by the chaotic nature of that forceful teleportation, but it only took him a moment before he realized what had happened and where he was.


    It wasn''t a problem to him, as he had a powerful Will, but he couldn''t do much about it, which angered him slightly. That strength of that spell was strong, and it happened in an instance where Ceila took the matter into her own hands, and hesitated without the ability to do a thing. She squeezed him tightly, but that was about it.


    This... Bah! Another plot of their desire. I swear... Centralis Kingdom works and does what it could, and for what? I don''t do shit, yet they try like a bunch of woven chicks. Laughable. At least I should be glad since they got me out of that woman''s clutch. Seriously! It''s whatever, but I wish I could leave this thing with my intention, but that doesn''t seem to be the case.Yeah. I am not kidding. Folding and touching this sort of chaotic space is unlikely.


    He thought around him, glancing around the waves, matter, and strangeness of this bizarre space itself. One can''t fathom it all that well, as if the notion of this travel cleaved through the truths of space itself.


    It looked like being stuck in a strange maelstrom or inside the eye of a tornado, but it was more vivid, and mysterious. Ripples and cracks outside of his travel would kill any being that would try to step out, and without the spell that provided the protection, travel through this sort of thing was difficult ~ but not impossible.


    I guess following the aforementioned path of that bloody spell is the only thing I can do. Causing the space to crack, or forcefully go away somewhere else doesn''t seem to be my possibility. I know that, but I am welcoming it anyway.


    He accepted the truth, and the travel didn''t take that long.


    In a gust of light, his body moved through the ending path of this maelstrom, shooting out of the beam of light to a dark forest. He struggled to the ground, feeling as if the earth pushed to his insides, yet the travel itself didn''t bother him all that much, which was strange. Any novice wouldn''t fathom this and would convulse, lose consciousness or their innards would scream. If someone had some internal injuries, they would cause some problems.


    Murai didn''t have it the worst, as he stumbled on the ground and after getting to his feet, he didn''t utter a word. There was nothing much around him, but many trees and deadly atmosphere. This forest seemed to be lacking the life force, and natural elements.


    The ground was dark, and the trees and bushes were in darker colors. Something strange was happening to this forest, and he was feeling it to his bones. Everything was eerily silent, death, and stoic, yet those facts didn''t upset him all that much.


    Taking a deep breath, he stretched his body and spread his wings. ¡°Finally away from those women! Thank to not myself... but I will take it.¡± he sighed and began to flap his legs, walking away from the spot. That sort of teleportation was forced and dangerous if the spell wasn''t good enough. Thankfully, it was a splendid treasure that was akin to a life-saving object, yet the Centralis Kingdom used it in exactly the opposite way to move him away. He didn''t complain, however.


    That was an interesting thing that I''ve seen. Murai thought. That gem radiated the chaos... and intent of a powerful mage that walked the path of its kind. Was this meant to crush me, or help me? Well, that was a treasure the Centralis Kingdom got by some random chance, I bet, or not? I wonder which is it since each thing means drastically different things.


    Murai recognized that gem from the sight alone, while its activation and his Mana Detection dealt with the rest. But that didn''t mean he could feel its intricacies as he wished. His own comprehension was lacking in this body, so he didn''t feel things right. His knowledge did make up for it. It was the same with pretty much anything when one''s eyes and mind worked just fine. He also recognized the power that Lia possessed, which made him quite impressed that powerful bloodlines like that existed. A dragon-kind, of some sort.


    Power, Rules... The Will of the Battleworld mentioned some things before. That Breach and errors, rules of that Ruler? I suppose the system of this Lordis guy isn''t as stupid as I thought, or it isn''t fine to work with me in question? It calculates things, and it also mentioned errors or whatnot when it comes to certain Rules. I remember that. In that well where I moved up, a whole bunch of things happened. I suppose the current reality is up to my tastes, but the Battleworld itself seems to want my head, more than to see me grow. I will take it, still.


    Murai kept walking, glancing around the forest that had dark soil, unmoving bushes that were almost leafless, and trees that seemed to see better days.


    ¡°Anyway, willing to speak, or stop pretending to be in slumber, Lisa? We are alone so if you are afraid of those women, let this charade be over it. I feel how your slumber within my Soul Space is less than optimal, and fluctuations of your mana... or whatever it is, are turning serene and actually calm, unlike before. I am not stupid.¡± Murai''s voice turned up within his soul space, revealing the fact that Lisa was awake, albeit not for long.


    At that moment, in his soul space, Lisa appeared indistinct to be a succubus and was more like a vortex of mana surrounding her wavy figure. The head was there, and eyes opened, and every inch of the vortex of mana around her moved toward her, forming a humanoid figure.


    ¡°T-this... Did you know that so well? How long? I know, what.. but w-what happened to you?¡± she asked, voicing things in unnerving confusion, unaware of everything that had happened since she disappeared back to his soul space more than 7 days ago. Her mind was absent ever since, making Murai alone and without her Will, or "help".


    The Will of the Battleworld was still something she comprehended, albeit to a lesser degree, since she had to wake her souls to care about them. Regardless of her sleep or doing something shady, she had some limits.


    ¡°I am still alive. That''s what happened, so I am glad you are fine too. I was eyeing your case but mine was more important, so I didn''t give you much attention since I was so close to my End. Why chose to get up now when the destruction of my imminent End was quite a tough thing... and imminent. I found it quite ironic and strange that you keep sleeping in my soul space while it almost cracked apart, killing your or me the same.¡±


    Her flickering body formed indistinct light, and Murai focused on his Soul Space before her, watching her in his Robust Spirit.


    ¡°I... needed some rest. That''s all, and I trusted you to follow up against those humans. It went better. More than I wished, but it''s not important.¡± Lisa said. Her appearance was different than before. She appeared more ghostly, and not like a succubus any longer.


    She was a soul form in her base structure, so appearance didn''t matter all that much. In fact, she can choose her appearance. Foggy matter of mana made up her body, while the essence of herself was included in that too. The hazed upper body had thinly distinct arms, while the head itself was almost faceless, flickering in small waves, while her soul seemed.... stronger?


    Whatever she did for the past days made her former appearance disappear, and her soul form went through some changes.


    Neither wasn''t something Murai knew much about, as he was busy with his own issues. But he could tell and mention the strangeness of her acts. Not doing anything at the moment of his imminent End was unlike her. It was suspicious.


    Lisa continued cycling her mana, while her body kept overlapping over its structure. ¡°I heard... a lot of things, and I will talk. Talk... more than ever. An Encounter happened, in fact, and you... No. Not you. The world turned upside down against you. Of course, I had to do something, but then... Things went south, and doing something for you became impossible. I am glad you are alone, so how did you end up almost regretting my life''s choices is beyond me. Care to tell, or show me your memories? I have trouble... adjusting myself.¡±


    ¡°I will pass.¡± Murai refused, unwilling to add the context of the last days. ¡°It''s not like I had many choices, so I did things in my way, while fate worked around itself. I suppose being alive is such a case and I am not complaining about myself. But you?¡± Murai mumbled unhappily, which made Lisa''s appearance stoic, and emotional. Only her emotional voice spread to the soul space, while her body was dull and almost lifeless.


    Though, Murai could feel her soul a bit better, which was a bit conflicted, shocked, surprised, and fearful over something. It was dull, and barely something that he could call... consistent emotions. Her nervousness was apparent to him, but not like he could change her views or feelings. But hear her, and talk to her he could.


    ¡°Fine. Keep your memories, as I know your current problem more than you, it seems. So, let me out. Right now!¡± Lisa said, annunciating her words with quite some importance.


    ¡°I will pass again. There are already some issues that make me unhappy, and floating around with little purpose is like you -- useless. Mind if I work alone for now and stop chirping around my head? What use do you even have when you were out? It makes no sense and you... Lisa. You are suspicious.¡± Murai said, unwilling to let Lisa out of his soul space. She was more of a bother in reality since he can''t force her back to his soul space when it was needed.


    ¡°Ugh...¡± Lisa grunted, making her foggy body flicker in shock. ¡°You haven''t changed at all. More than 7 days passed, with many improvements, but this level of punishing Encounter is way out of your league! Let me help you with this, and I can''t be contained within you. You don''t want it yourself, so stop lying. Me, out of this place. It''s a lesser evil, so deal with it, or I will annoy you so much more here, as I have no other distractions. So?¡±


    She offered a highly sophisticated argument, which Murai viewed with some truth.


    ¡°Lesser evil. Do you think so? Heh! That sounds like nothing that I can''t deal with, so that makes your excuse sounds even greater. Heheheh.¡± Murai laughed.


    It was at this point, that his laughter stopped, as another Will of the Battleworld hit his soul.


    [Oppening part of the Encounter successfully accomplished]


    [Grade - passable, with the help of a Helper]


    [Because of the range of possibilities, the available ability to strengthen oneself won''t happen until the official 1st Part]


    [Body Attributes +4]


    [1st Part of the Encounter starting]


    [You''ve ended up in Seventh Death Forest under the pretext and Will of the other side]


    [The presence of the Seventh Death Forest is filled with countless dying, dead, and chaotic soul forms and beasts. It is a special and unique place that is outside of the norm and normal coil of the Battleworld. It reveals no purpose but being grim, and filled with death]


    [It is a place of the Dark, Chaos, and Death attribute. It is part of the Centralis Kingdom and Razmund leads the charge against you. Either he or his forces will soon arrive, as their unique task is firmly their own. That is to catch you, kill you, and spread your measly living against the heavens, or so it was told. What will you do against the foes of this place is your next cause while the degree of possibilities is unlike the opening act, as it should]


    [The Centralis Kingdom is yet to be aware of your precise location, but that may change. This forest is half as big as their primary land, making any finding difficult, and hard]


    [1st part of the Encounter]


    [Location: Seventh Death Forest]


    [Task: Survive and battle your way out of the forest. The sooner it is done, the bigger the rewards. That may vary in context, and power depending on your acomplishments]


    [Dificulty: a wide range of possibilities. Enemies may be countless, filled with regret, pain, and fury to the living, yet you must thrive, clutch their Ends with your grasp as they hate the living]


    [Level of difficulty: Grade S - The variable Level difficulty is calculated, and depends on your actions, but the terms are set]


    [Soul Beasts and wasps of death are awaiting to clutch your soul]


    [Enemies of no lesser than level 25 are in this place, with some clutching the power of the Extremes hiding in the depths]


    [Helpers available: 5]


    [Timer:12 days]


    ¡°Hm? What is this forest, Lisa? Does it even have Laws? How peculiar.¡± Murai asked, thinking of this message as a not-that-bad one, for once. It didn''t include something nasty things like going against the messiahs that were way over his level. This one seemed more grounded, and well to his tastes.


    ¡°Seventh Death Forest? It should be dangerous, but the problem lies in the context of the Encounter as a whole, Murai Hisagi.¡± Lisa argued.


    ¡°I know. Leave it be, and focus on this 1st Part.¡± Murai said, disinterested in thinking about the greater context that wouldn''t change anything anyway.


    ¡°You are messed up, truly. The Centralis Kingdom wants your life, and you care about the present issue? Ugh. Fine. You are the same as always. Current part? Escaping this forest. You may be hundreds of kilometers from the borders or more. You teleported randomly, I believe. I have no idea where are you, so...¡±


    ¡°Thank you, miss obvious.¡±


    ¡°Hey! I am trying to help and reply to your question!¡±


    ¡°And you haven''t changed your ways as well!¡± Murai barked at her. ¡°I hoped you would answer what matters. This situation... It is less of an issue for me than you would think. Dealing with messed-up situations is my expertise. Hmph!¡± he said, smugly forcing his Will back to reality to restart his walking.


    He felt his core, and mind become more unrestrained since he was finally out of the clutches of others. His body was also workable, and largely uninjured. He held power to be better once again, albeit he didn''t know the enemies, but the enemies didn''t know him either, so what did it matter?


    It was an advantage for him to be alone, free, and ready to do another adventure. He liked it and preferred it over being with Ceila. She would pose more dreadful consequences, while his own... Well, he was prone to disasters one way or another. At least in his opinion, his own guesses over the Encounter were lacking.


    Murai didn''t know how crazy and messed up the possible Encounters were, but Lisa knew all about them. It was something similar to The Major Task that she also realized he had, and now? The Encounter started with even The Major Task at play and went head-to-head without Murai doing a thing.


    This was a nasty ploy. Insensible, even. This should happen. Lisa knew the harshness of this issue, and how ruleless and ruthless this whole situation seemed.


    There was no opportunity here, nor a challenge. It all seemed like an excuse to get rid of Murai with one of the toughest tasks a Battleworld can offer and that was it. She understood it, bitterly imagining every issue that resolved around a few things that weren''t even worthy of these issues.


    Encounter? The Major Task?


    She didn''t get any of these until hitting level 60 but took part in them because of others.


    Murai, on the other hand, felt his chances were better than ever. He no longer had a Helper, so the difficulty or the issues should be different, or straight up better. Shouldn''t they?


    He at least assumed that much, which amounted to nothing but a pat to his ego. Willing his Mana Detection forward, it traveled dozens of meters around him, providing him with a special feeling of detailed surveillance and feeling of the surrounding mana. It worked well, mapping and discovering the matters of interest around him, which was akin to some weird mental map.


    Mana Detection worked with the mana alone, but it did other things as well. Detecting Mana-based beings, materials, specific spells, or flowing matters of mana properties. The laws that painted the mana itself weren''t included, as they were vast and sophisticated.


    Thus, Murai felt the most rudimentary form of mana in the appearance of glowing waves and spreading connecting dots in his mind''s vision. It was impossible to tell what the ending path of Mana Detection was, but Murai had all intentions to discover it in the future.


    His current reach was about 30 meters around him, which was an astonishing number for his level.


    Even Lisa was surprised to feel it, and even the facts of his upgrades spoke for his aptitude for power. Regarding that, she realized pretty much everything that Murai possessed - including the numerical or even his rough prowess.


    All she needed was a bit of connection to him to see his improvements in magic, Shaping, attributes, abilities, or even improvements of his own level a couple of times.


    4 Spectral Wasps. Around level 25? Piece of cake. Murai deducted, feeling 4 flying souls forms of glistering color not so far away. He decided to start his adventure by hunting and seeing where he was with his present power. Sprinting through the forest, his Mana Detection worked wonders, but it was also detected by the Spectral Wasps.


    They were floating soul forms, resembling a dragonfly, but their body was almost incorporeal and ghostly. Their only source of physicality was their head, which wasn''t big, and the needle at the end of their foggy and long torso. Their mouth was a hole, with a vortex of teeth that can bite.


    Murai jumped at the tree''s trunk, and by using his small talons on his fingers, he got far, reaching a branch to get the higher ground. The Wasps were already flying and charging up their attack even without any mentions of battles starting.


    Once again, the terms of the enemies didn''t matter. They wanted to attack Murai and that was it.


    Their attack was an Underworld Breath. A basic ability that let a piercing source of their being forward. Slightly azure, but a white flaming shot flew from their mouth, shooting a beam of light surrounded by foggy waves.


    Spectral Wasp was considered a soul form, but also partly an undead, as it had Death affinity towards it. Undead Soul Form was their official mention.


    Some considered them to be soul forms of death monsters who mutated into their current ghostly images, but not many knew how they were born, or created. None was wrong, or right.


    They were simple beasts, filled with the deadly aura of the Seventh Death Forest, making them a unique existence that arose only in this place.


    Murai looked at the approaching beam of light. Taking a branch that overlooked their position, he assumed a higher ground. He thought of his move, rather than about theirs.


    How much? My Mana Pool is full, so it will be 40 or 50? No... Numbers are a useless wonder. He thought, thinking of a spell he wanted to use. ¡°It is so strange figuring out the mana by the numerical value, and it''s not my cup of tea. I never liked it since the Mana Pool is like an Inner Sea. It''s basically the same thing as Immortal Qi but with special rules and a systematic approach. It makes me a bit upset since it is unnecessary. Mana Pool should''ve been done differently. This is terrible. I would change it if I would be given a chance.¡± Murai mumbled, Conjuring thin layers of glowing and flaming mana that flickered from his body. He Shaped two Flame Shots above his line of vision.


    It appeared as if Murai was aiming with his beak, leading to quite a powerful and vigorous sight of flames rising on top of his beak.


    2 Spectral Wasps beside each other didn''t move as they kept channeling their ability, making Murai''s aiming much better since this spell was a channeling one as well. He needed at least 1 and half-second to channel the Flame Shot. He could be quicker, leaving the Flame Shot to be weaker and with smaller effectiveness and strength.


    It was the same as always in terms of magic, and he was quite familiar with the use of such spells. It was his favorite aspect of the mana-based power system in a couple of his past lives, which involved a world around the River of Manaflow.


    Spectral Wasp''s own channeling ability was tougher, so that allowed him to be more aggressive. He was the first to strike forward as his Flame Shots traveled faster, slamming into 2 Wasps and thanks to their area of effects, it disturbed the form of their Underworld Breaths. One of them still shot forward, but it missed, traveling a bit off from Murai''s body.


    The moment Flame Shots collided, one of the Spectral Wasps shook when a small explosion followed, letting its Breath explode into oblivion. It also disturbed the other, but not killed it.


    It was also at that moment, that the other two Spectral Wasps appeared around 10 meters away, flying at him also. One above the tree, the other down below.


    Murai used this timing, leaping from the branch while Shaping another Flame Shot to deal with the 2nd one. The last duo will be his personal hits.


    He jumped from quite some height and didn''t even watch where he was landing. The Flame Shot hit the second target''s inner mouth, flying to its core and obliterating it from the inside out with his Flame. Then, he pulled his beak above, and a distinct light came from his beak.


    It wasn''t moonlight or sunlight, but it was as mesmerizing as light. This forest wasn''t too dense in fauna, but dark it was. Clouds littered the sky above, making the sunlight dull as if it was the middle of the night. There was still light around the leaves and fauna as if their own souls or mana lit the surface. One''s eyesight should be quite good in this environment, and Murai had an excellent one since his Night Vision was already level 8. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He figured the continuous use of the passive abilities worked wonders in terms of progression. It was like training, and it worked the same with many spells and abilities and their leveling.


    The faster leveling meant a faster Boost which corresponded to a larger power. It wasn''t his, but he already learned it was. World itself was making it a blessing, so he didn''t question it, since Battleworld worked because of it.


    Such training meant a lot of draining of the mana, but it was something Murai didn''t find the worst. Thankfully, Iris used some of her own stock of potions for his training, even though it was a loss of money for her.


    It was one of the reasons for his impressive growth these past 7 days, even though he was unable to move for the majority of that time. God''s Trial was still a long distance away, making its threat not as apparent but disturbing.


    As for the light coming off of his beak? It was an ability Murai found quite interesting by now, as it involved mana and his body. It was Beak''s Peak. An ability that was similar to his Beak''s Fury, but with less flexibility and vast differences in terms of power. It was something he didn''t use a lot after getting it from the end of the Acaman Tower.


    He used it a couple of times at some training opportunities yesterday, getting a first impression of it, and thanks to some time, he even figured out how to channel it longer. The more he did, the stronger it will become. 2 seconds of channeling meant a rough hit that would destroy hundreds of kilograms of heavy rock.


    Murai leveled it thrice in the past already and got familiar with it when his legs got better enough to train with his beak. Its flexibility and usage improved when he got better at it, so he was curious how good it can be against "living" targets.


    He could only tell so much from his clumsy attacks at the rocks, and trees in the Dried Woodlands where Iris took him every day to loosen up.


    His quick and decisive manner of defense worked. The 3rd Wasp attacked him with its sharp sting, but it was blown to ghostly fog by his beak, its stinger bent as it tried to attack him. Its stinger was no longer physical and disappeared into the light as if it bent the laws themselves.


    Then, Murai flickered his neck, hitting the Wasp to its torso with his beak, destroying it with a residual power of his Beak''s Peak.


    As for the 4th, directly below his falling body, Murai flexed his neck, and pushed his beak down, defending and obliterating the Underworld Breath that pushed against his body. The Beak''s Peak residual force was enough to push against this force, but it seemed the attack glid from his feathers instead.


    He fell down head first, hitting the wasp in its open mouth, killing it. A smooth entrance inside turned its body apart, obliterating its limited physicality in one strike.


    It was gone, with no speck of its body or physicality left.


    With that, Murai still kept falling down, until his beak hit the ground.


    Thud!


    Dark soil cracked apart a dozen or so meters around, leaving no crater, but a beak-sized hole in the ground. Murai''s beak was a perfect fit for that, but thankfully he wasn''t stuck as he feared.


    Quite good. 4 gone in an instant. I am glad to loosen up with the actual fight. Murai sighed inside, feeling his insecurities were no longer present.


    With those women gone, I feel much better. It''s no wonder. Having the watchful eyes of some god freaks isn''t for me. What do they even see in me other than the value of my status? My past? Right... No. Maybe a little, since Vermillion seemed to be interested in pestering me along with my present that she was aware of? How? Isn''t she afraid of... me? Nah... Probably not, but she must have heard and used something she knows about me. Murai guessed, pulling his beak out and seeking the next course of action.


    His Mana Detection didn''t detect anything new, so he assumed he was alone for the time being.


    ¡°What did you think, Lisa?¡± he quacked out loud to inform her in his Soul Space.


    ¡°You got somewhat stronger,¡± she replied. ¡°Not like Spectral Wasps are even comparable to difficult enemies as their Class is at grade F and you are a freaking Anatidae. It would be disappointing if you had some trouble. Acaman Tower''s difficulty was worse and because your basics are way too good at the moment, you solved those level 25 wasps that didn''t even have any evolution as their life form is unique. You should have focused on your core abilities, and not spent this entire week on the basics of magic. Levels are also important, similar to attributes, and what they can do around the body, soul, and magic.¡± Lisa argued from his soul space, talking directly to his mind.


    ¡°And how am I supposed to level up myself? I don''t even know how it works, and you didn''t explain shit as you promised! It''s all Battleword this, rewards that. How to convincingly and smoothly get stronger in a steady manner isn''t something I know in terms of this bullshit system. Not even those Sun girls explained to me a thing, nor did anyone else to a large degree. Well, Iris did... That girl was talkative beyond common means, but she is young.... and weak.¡± Murai willed his mind, speaking to her without quacking like a mad duck. He didn''t like how IRis got stuck with the short choice of a stick.


    ¡°I know the lack of it. Sorry for your meaningful lack of sense... Hmph!¡± Lisa sneered. ¡°You wish I would mean it, but I don''t. You almost died because of the reasons that went behind the senses, ruining you without much sense, or underlying fate. So I am excusing myself and you... It''s complicated. You underwent a grim time even without me knowing or seeing it myself, yet you are fine now, so how about a proper discussion between a Life Companion and its master?¡±


    ¡°You think of THIS as a master?¡± Murai asked, confusingly mentioning himself as a master. He didn''t feel like one, while Lisa wasn''t thinking of herself as a servant either so what did she mean by this?


    ¡°Maybe a little? You are you.¡± Lisa changed her mind. ¡°I don''t care either way, honestly. It''s not like I am useless, it''s just that the beginning stuff is bad and... not up to me. I don''t remember much about the beginning of a Blessed life, nor do I have much experience with teaching, or figuring out specifics for your unique circumstances. I had, and have my own system now, you know? Before, I was a succubus. An unrelated being to you with its unique takes out of your case. I was no demonic beast. That means I have little if no context for your path. or what you should do. What I know can mean useless things for you so I was always hesitant to explain things since they may be wrong for you.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit.¡± Murai barked at her, knowing full well that she was just excusing herself from responsibilities. The system should be fundamentally similar in terms of progression. She could''ve given him plenty of explanations and exposition throughout the way of progression since they shouldn''t differ. From Levels, attributes, and so on, he didn''t need much for a start. Just knowledge of that, plus the world and magic that Will of the battleworld had would suffice.


    That was his guess from the context he discovered, so he continued. ¡°There are so many things that you are forgetting, I bet. The part of this all is me, which is undeniable, as yourself. You are forgetting to think of the bigger picture. Context is also important, so that makes you useless since you think too highly of yourself. Thinking in common sense and helping with little things is better than thinking too much over too little. It''s all about Ego!¡±


    ¡°I don''t deny that either,¡± Lisa argued. not shouting in anger but with interest and calmness. ¡°Now, I am a Life Companion. An important tool, even if it sounds... lame to myself or you. I know. Every Life Companion of a Blessed is a special figure that is respected by the Battleworld, as we are former Blessed. We have our own set of rules, knowledge, and things to offer or tell. I follow that to a lesser degree, but since the Oath I''ve got, I have to do this. That is the reason we got a chance to live again, helping someone who is Blessed while living the life of our past failures through them. It is savage.¡± she explained, sounding less lofty than before.

 Chapter 77: Hunts

    Lisa''s words put a certain something into Murai''s mind. Her words were much better than usual, leaving him suspicious of some other reason, or information she wasn''t willing to tell. In this way, Lisa wasn''t all that different from those Sun girls with her loftiness, pride, and tinge of arrogance. That much, he figured long ago since Lisa always had this air of interest--as if she was better than she was--around her.


    Though, that was something else and frankly, it wasn''t surprising to view this sort of arrogance in the eye of power. Her hidden ploys were unknown to him, while the past hour or so wasn''t. He understood why she wasn''t willing to reveal herself when she was already awake for some time.


    Ceila had some suspicious attitude about her, and Murai noticed it right from the start. Perhaps she knew about Lisa, or something different was happening for some other reason.


    Unfortunately, neither it made sense to him nor did it lead him to satisfaction. The current situation was a little better since he had no one else around him but her. No Ceila, nor a figure that would push him around like a toy was here to hinder his thoughts. Not even Lisa will do it.


    It put him at ease, yet he couldn''t help but curse at something else. The current situation wasn''t good in the larger picture, after all.


    Murai didn''t know what kind of thing this Encounter had for him in the long term, how it was working, or what it was for. From the sound of it, it was unlike anything he met, filling the reason with uncertain,y that one was at the hands of others. In this case, godly interest moved this thing, and not him or his reasoning.


    It was no dungeon, a powerful foe, or persistent trial of some sort. From the sound of it, it will be either a complete struggle through thousands of enemies, his death, or other unfavorable situation will push at him again in the appearance of Centralis Kingodm and Razmund. It will lead to stamina deficits, a lower ceiling to calm or heal, or other harsh problems.


    He wasn''t sure how much of a hurdle it will become, but it was obvious it will get nasty.


    ¡°You wanna talk meaningfully like you should? Here? Sure. Let''s do it right now! I am already inching closer to dealing with you either way.¡± Murai decided, following the flow of conversation by sitting down on the spot and pushing his Will to his soul space.


    ¡°You know what, Murai Hisagi?¡± Lisa said as she realized or decided on something. ¡°Focus on yourself and not me. Since you think I am so not needed, focus on your time and do what you think is right. You feel and hope for that anyway,¡± she said, sounding convincing, yet aware that she was lying to herself or him.


    Out of spite, finding it funny, or like Lisa, Murai did exactly as she told, unraveling his senses back to reality as he reached out to her, and ignoring her silence.


    It was her word and Murai figured it was no need to push things around. She won''t disappear and she will talk. He will make sure of it later. Following his senses, Mana Detection, and Will to adventure, he went from place to place, battling undead foes in glistering forms or a mixture of physical and soul-form monstrosities. Gaining experience was important, and he needed quite a lot of that to work for him.


    The past week may have been great, but he lacked actual battle experience. The dungeon was the only thing he would mention in this way, and for the first time since then, he had the freedom to battle in this place. It was a perfect time, in an imperfect situation. Murai felt he was on an adventure he longed for, while not being entangled in the hands of others made his mind sharper and calmer than ever.


    He always lacked that, since the moment of his birth was quite.... lacking to his standards. Now, he had some power and ability, and he didn''t care for any ploys or Battleworld that was trying to plot again him to push him like a tool or toy. He may be still that, but in his mind and heart, he was free. He always was, albeit in the soul, he wasn''t.


    He was a being who held numerous spans of experience. An adventurer, knight, paladin, and all sorts of other professions, classes, beings, or figures filled his memories. Some were dark like Chaos itself.


    He knew it and felt it.


    Righteousness and evil were two sides of the coin, but they sometimes mashed together, causing distress and disorder that made what? In the end, it did nothing much in the universe that was already filled with Chaos. His Cursed lives weren''t always normal since life was always depending on the circumstances of living and setting.


    Being an orc was one example. It was a time when he wasn''t comfortable with a part of his humanity or past. Of course, amongst the Chaos, it wasn''t a race meant to shake anything and was considered a humanoid race. It was no demon or devil.


    Though such living questioned something. What it even meant to be a part of humanity? To seek the worth of one''s action, seeing beautiful faces, and sights? Seeking the things that only humans did or had?


    It became meaningless, at some point, but then, it became a topic to seek again because of a variety of reasons. Murai held many things dear to his heart since his perspectives, perceptions, and hopes changed according to his perception of his living. Perhaps it was simply because his Cursed living was the cause of everything and his view on it became mushed together, no longer being what it was at the start.


    Was he a human at heart? An orc? A demon? Who he was? Was Murai even his name? They all crisscrossed together at some point, creating pain and confusion.


    The races were the most complicated part of his living. It always pushed a new kind of experience to him, and setting and beings were usually next. The differences in races were always a bothersome topic. From the setting, living, hating, or just seeing the world from many perspectives made him understand some things. It didn''t make sense, nor it did need to. Figuring out impossible ~ that was almost like his Cursed Living that he was never close to stopping.


    It was always a wonder to seek those living in these perspectives. Sometimes it was bad, other times, terrible. Murai didn''t know when it began, but when he started to experience indifference and a stoic view of his living, he began to see patterns, as well as specks of truth.


    Life or death - at the end of his life, middle, or start - no longer mattered to him. He started to enjoy himself more, living to fulfill his wishes to seek something worthy of his Curse. It was a part of his purpose, or so he wished to create, or out of spite against the one who caused it all.


    To do that he needed time to find a reasonable approach to seek his Curse. Revenge for his past can also become a priority, but any living was different for that sort of revenge. Universe was vast, as he recalled many times, and saw many planets or interstellar objects of vast scales. Slaying the gods who caused it, or had problems with him a few times was merely an excuse to seek some problems. He was a couple of steps into his living, while far in others.


    Perhaps this life would be like that too, as he was almost dead, or should be dead. The former context of his past won''t matter for the future, since it was always a new start. The lives, people, settings, and objects of his past hatred always changed, thus, regrets were almost nonexistent or exchanged with new ones.


    Murai followed no forest paths of the Seventh Death Forest, but the common sights of many unkept roads. They worked some tangible mess, as if their order was long gone, and their purpose lost. For an unknown amount of distance, he battled and traveled some kilometers while he was at it.


    During this time, he fought about a dozen times. Sometimes, it was an easy fight, other times, not so much. He preferred tougher ones, since they pushed his mind away, causing his tries to be much better.


    Spectral Wasps were the majority of his enemies, but a few different foes also emerged. Phantom Lanterns ~ appearing like greenish and hot metallic ghosts ~ attacked with flickering light, and then struck the foe with sharp flying needles made of mana. Their appearance wasn''t prone to a normal beast. They were like essence monsters, whose purpose was no longer original.


    Their bodies were vague, filled with aspects of Death, Chaos, or simple natural essence from this strange forest.


    Murai was pleased to see them, though. They made good targets, since they floated from afar, making them an easy target for his Flame Shot even though they were level 26.


    Obliterating level 26 as a level 12 Anatidae Panacea was a bit surprising to him, but he didn''t know the context of his prowess or the overall might of his mana. The reason was his lack of context to the greater structure of the Will of the Battleworld''s power system and what made a person more powerful in the context of others.


    In fact, the level differences weren''t as important as one would guess. They held the marginal solution to seek some sense out of power, but a large portion of power was in Grades instead. A striking ability of Grade F of level 9 was lower than Grade E with level 2 for example.


    Similar, but not adjacent to that, were external items. Having a mana potion of Grades F, and D made them quite different, but that was an external example. The body itself and its abilities were direct sources of one''s prowess while external ones shouldn''t be something one should take for granted.


    They can disappear, while one''s body wouldn''t. The body included everything. From mana, and body sources of power.


    In the early leveling paths, the abilities themselves mattered the most in terms of fighting power, while Class was secondary.


    As for the one''s Level in itself, Murai figured quite a few answers to his worries in the past 7 days. It included his own comprehension, experiments, and his own expertise. The bigger part was something else thought. That was Iris, who wasn''t holding back with information since she was no Ceila or Lisa.


    She gave him a plethora of ideas, solutions, and answers, while the rest went hand to hand along the few mentions that Lisa gave him. Iris had no need to remain some secrecy, and Murai used it to his advantage. After all, as a priestess with 17 years of living experience in this world, she knew a lot more than him.


    His own level wasn''t determining and furthering his attributes every time. Sometimes, no numbers increased, but their sole strength or efficiency did, giving him a rise in some other way. It was also adding some power to his abilities but Battleworld didn''t mention anything with it, but he could tell that Strenght increased his Beak''s Fury and Peak alike. Dexterity made his abilities move faster like his body, thus allowing him to act much better.


    At least according to the facts and feelings he got from the boosts from the World and Iris''s hints, he got something out of every improvement, but not every fight. Sometimes, Battleworld needed further reason to give something in return, and it acted in unique ways that even Iris didn''t know. So much can be contextualized with common sense and a Blessed was kind of unique. It should be like that, at least if he got it right.


    As for the current status of his prowess, it looked like this prior to the start of the Encounter which will prevent further improvements until the end of the 1st Part of it.


    [NAME] Murai Hisagi / no nicknames / Tittles: Citizen


    [AGE] 280 days / no time-variants, yet oldness detected


    [SPECIES] Anatidae [former ones- human, elf, demons, devil, god, leaf, stone...] / Species properties or specialties yet to be detected. Evolutions are highly possible in this species. Variants UNKNOWN.


    [SUBSPECIES] Anatidae Panacea / Class D / properties - Higher Mana Aptidue, stronger body - further improvements depending on the leveling, and strengthening processes


    [PHYSICALITY] Duck / A strong specimen of the Anatidae Panacea with stronger physicality than base Anatiadae. Change in physicality from evolutions caused stronger inner structure along with UNKWON variables that skipped Class E. They are yet to be quenched or attributed by your inner self.


    [ATTRIBUTES] S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Strength: 48


    Dexterity: 38


    Vitality: 48


    Wisdom: 100


    WILL: 35


    Soul Power: 30


    [ABILITIES]


    Beak''s Fury - Grade C - Level 6


    Beak''s Peak - Grade D - Level 4


    Soul Read - Grade D, Level 4


    Strike of the Will - Grade B, Level 1


    Robust Spirit - Fusion Ability - Grade SS Unique Ability of the Soul Path, Level 7 - Soul Force 120 points // Identity Abilities - Robust Defense, Robust Will, Indomitable Strike // 12 Soul Force a day regeneration


    Diving Sphere - Grade C, Level 1


    Water Breathing - Grade C, Level 5


    Bloodrush - Grade SS, Level 6


    Hidden ones are detected yet are hidden under the prerequisites and circumstances / Soul Lock, Soul Manifestation


    [MANA ABILITIES]


    Beast Core - Stage: Initialization - Small Success


    Mana Pool - 1250


    Mana Flow - Grade E


    Mana Shaping - Grade C, Level 14


    Mana Replenishment - Grade D, Level 8 // Mana per minute: 22


    Mana Detection - Grade C, Level 13


    Proper Mana Blade - Grade E, level 8


    Flame Shot - Grade F, level 5


    Affinities: Flame - Grade F, Water - Grade F, Mana Sharpness - Grade D


    [STATUS: The Eater, Explorer of Dungeon]


    [BLESSINGS: NONE]


    [EQUIPMENT: Key of Remembrance, Spacial Bag~Pachi''s Gift - Lost]


    [LEVEL: 12]


    [POWER: varied but level 30 is subject to your current Anatidae''s standards]


    [TASKS - The Major Task - Get back Pachi''s Gift ~ Normal Task - Fight 10 Demonic opponents in Demonic Lands ~ God''s Trial - Time left 92 days]


    [ENCOUNTER - 1st Part - Escape the Seventh Death Forest]


    Murai felt good about his strengthened numbers, but could they change his fate? It was hard to tell, but one thing was certain. He was glad to be back on track with his Vitality thanks for his carefulness, or laziness - if he was honest with himself.


    Thanks to Iris and her care, and the treasures he ate, he improved in a lot of things, Eating and resting helped, and even though he was craving some adventure, and dangers to get stronger faster, he had more Vitality than before.


    He attributed this to the secondary treasures from Wave of Life, which still pushed his Vitality above the level prior to Bloodrush. It provided him with healthy boosts and strengthened his body.


    As for how he was even getting them, it mattered little. Out of treasures, pills, training, or rewards out of some battle, they formed an easy enough system.


    Any higher attribute boost provided a small doze of World''s Blessing, giving him a mysterious growth that he couldn''t figure out. It was a lawful boost, rich, and something no god should ever possess since it was a fundamental rule of this world. At such a world scale that it made no sense. That much, Murai realized.


    Though, at this point, he gave up asking, or wondering. Murai accepted the truth of the matter that some things were better unknown. He liked the sense of mystery and one way or another, he will discover it one day.


    If worse could come in terms of battles or situations, he may use the Bloodrush again, albeit with a pained heart and body. It would ensure a powerful strength and form a trump card, which was something he liked to carry.


    Though, in truth, Murai didn''t want to consider Bloodrush ever again, since it involved a life-and-death situation and quite a nasty situation. The price of losing Vitality was too steep, but it made things fair and easier.


    He accepted that much, so he was glad for it regardless of that. He got to live because of Bloodrush, after all.


    Time flew on, and Murai already spent around 8 hours traveling throughout the Seventh Death Forest. In all this time, Murai didn''t meet a living soul, nor any beast that had some meat to them. It wasn''t that bad though, since he still felt powerful enough thanks to his body and strengthened senses.


    This time was quite nice in his opinion, and he needed it since his mind needed it. A hunt, fight, and getting hotter. That was what he felt his heart wanted and it changed his mind.


    ¡°You fought with the Phantom as if he was a piece of cake... How lame.¡± Lisa commented, still floating within his soul space.


    ¡°You jest..¡± Murai commented with his Will aimed at Lisa, thinking of the Phantom as nothing but a beginner form of something more dangerous. ¡°Figuring out the weaknesses of barely physical Phantom is easy. Their hazy appearance is just prone to mentality, and push of one''s Will. They aren''t one bit crazy at their level 30 level, which I doubt is indicative of their power as you said. It''s just a number to follow, and a sense of death and skill can obliterate such numbers. Abilities truly make much more sense and attributes too. I suppose level is nothing, then?¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Lisa sneered, figuring that taking some sense was good after all. A couple of hours ago, she stopped being so nosy and started speaking. ¡°That goes without saying, but... You... You are a crazy one. Do you know that? I know you are... special, but Battleworld gives reasonable things to this system. For you to kick its ass at your level is still surprising.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Whatever you say.¡± Murai sneered. ¡°...but what do you know yourself? Expecting me to hold back? You are kidding... Have you been aware of every piece of improvement I gained? My power improved a lot without me doing a lot. My mana may still be in the Initialization stage, and even Smaller Succes, but my grasp of that is beyond that stage. I am already at the Shaping where I can firmly stand against a lot of issues even with Beast Core forcing my sense away. Though, it is getting familiar, albeit slowly... Time is why, I reckon.¡±


    ¡°I know That. I see it.. unwillingly.¡± Lisa said rather begrudgingly. ¡°That is unless your foes aren''t human. You fought nothing but mindless forms of the beast of this place! Intelligence plays a higher role in fighting, but you should know that. Feeling good because you defeated intangible soul forms that were formed in this chaotic mess is less than something you should feel good about.¡±


    ¡°Right. Stupid beasts are whatever. You are right.¡± Murai agreed, feeling that her words were truthful. When one fought foes, it wasn''t just about numbers, abilities, or these weird blessings that he had. Tactics, strategy, and cleverness play a huge part in everything involving the battles.


    ¡°Uhm.. fine, Murai Hisagi. I haven''t seen everything you are capable of, since I... Nevermind. You worked your ass off, alright?¡± Lisa said, sounding a bit fed up because of something. ¡°I acknowledge your absolute superiority over my lacking knowledge of your and many things, Murai Hisagi! So how about some talk... I have some things to tell... Little things...¡± Lisa unwillingly whispered in his mind. She already had enough of such battle topics, so she figured it was time to talk.


    ¡°Talk? Now? Wait a bit... I sense some souls ahead. Not the dead ones, for once.¡± Murai said, hiding in the bushes and traveling stealthily thanks to his small stature.


    Not like he needed to be stealthy since he got plenty of power, but throughout his time, he did sense quite a few soul forms he wouldn''t match at all, so he fled instead. Knowing one enemy and course of power was also a part of the strategy.


    Apart from Lisa''s mockery, he achieved good results so far in his battles around his power level. They provided him no tangible benefits, though, apart from furthering his mana abilities that weren''t stopping because of this Encounter. Shaping of mana and familiarity with his Core will still improve even though a halted progression.


    After at least 40 or so killed foes, Murai felt his mana to be still fine, but his Mana Pool was lessened significantly. The majority of the fights were over by his clever tactics and use of his beak. He felt it became his favorite weapon since it had some need for mana, but it never disappointed him.


    ¡°Souls? Is the Centralis Kingdom finally catching up, or you do?¡± Lisa wondered, feeling the surroundings of the outside world through the senses of Murai''s soul space. It wasn''t enough to see and perceive his soundings as him, but it wasn''t bad either.


    She preferred being in reality, rather than being kept in this safe cage though. Unfortunately, she was yet to reveal everything about herself, her position as a Life Companion, and what kind of help she can do.


    What was a Life Companion? A slave? No. Tremendous helper, that can unconditionally follow? A gift from the heavens? A tool? Friend? All of that could the true in some cases.


    In its fundamental core in any higher realms and civilization that littered the Chaos of the universe, the Life Companion was someone who one can trust with anything. It catered to rules and honesty ~ to walk the paths of interest in their respective manners, understanding, and their bond.


    Murai did trust and viewed Life Companions a lot already and continuing to twist through this topic wasn''t something he disliked, but he did, because of his current situation. As for Lisa, and what she was, or wasn''t, it wasn''t something Murai was yet to question, since he was a loner, hoping to reach the heights of the living, along with many other things.


    At the moment, Murai kept his mana in check, hoping nobody will notice him. His Soul Read solved the rest. None should feel the sensation of his Soul Read as far as he was concerned. His work over the mana became a bit easier after a week of training and getting more familiar with his Beast Core.


    Also, it should be easier here, since this Sevent Death Forest was naturally a magical place, where all kinds of magic beasts of death, were. Mana was rich in this place, albeit no treasures were in abundance in such sort of place. It was a land of death, filth, and dangers that no living would like or prefer. Some lunatics in the path of the Soul, Death, and other Chaos path would, but they were rare.


    The only things of value and interest were some species of rare flowers fruits with death elements, and so on, but it was a rare sight to see them. Other than that, not many living things actually lived there, which made this place unfit for humans and many other races.


    However, humans were precisely what Murai was sensing, and after further pushing through the bushes, he saw them.


    They were messiahs but seemed different from the ones on that plain. They were 3, walking in the forest, and not dressed less like some strange cult members. Instead, they had adventurer kind of attire, with few metallic plates and leather armor instead. Swords hung below their waist, and they weren''t hiding or were careful.


    They didn''t talk to each other. Walking was their sole purpose, with weapons on their hips, while their perception and gaze flickered left and right on their faces. They were looking for something for sure.


    ¡°Murai!¡± Lisa said, unafraid to shout since none would hear her anyway.


    ¡°What! Stop pestering me!¡± Murai complained in his mind, finding Lisa to be a bother since a new prey came into his eyes.


    ¡°Those are Messiahs! Central Church''s influence over them is wild so they have a strong devotion to their purpose. They should be here for you since it is their purpose. I saw what you went through with those Vermillion paws.¡±


    ¡°Why are you repeating what I already know?¡±


    ¡°So you would understand it better. Do you even know something about them, or how you ended in your position?¡±


    ¡°Oh, tell me. Are you so knowledgeable about the Messiah or the Centralis Kingdom? Time to give me some information, if you think you are useless.¡±


    ¡°I want a reward!¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    ¡°You... You don''t know which one?¡± Lisa hesitated.


    ¡°Don''t care. You are probably plotting something since you woke up. I can''t see that in your soul, but I know your kind. You are a bit different than before too, aren''t you? You are part of my soul space already so nothing that you do will pasters me like your nagging voice and constant worries.¡± Murai told with a surprising amount of disinterest, yet his voice carried a confidence that he believed he was right.


    ¡°You... You are right. You always mention the same things, yet I am useful in many ways. Similar to you, I have my own Will of the Battleworld, with Evolution on my own, and things I can do as a Soul Form. You haven''t formed any proper-looking connection to me in your soul space, or you did but not like you would change a thing. I underwent my first evolution. It''s called Soul Render.¡± Lisa revealed.


    ¡°Oh, is that so? How impressive.¡± Murai said, sounding as bored as he could.


    ¡°HEY! It''s good! Soul Forms of my caliber are similarly rare than your little tiny legs as Anatidae! Do you even know that fighting in numbers is much better than being alone? I can be a great addition, and being a Helper doesn''t include me in the Encounter at all. I am part of you, after all.¡±


    ¡°Ugh... Fine.¡± Murai bitterly accepted her words. ¡°Then what can Soul Render do? Is this something like a level 1 and you think you have some use, but actually not so much?¡±


    ¡°No! Soul Form is no beast. Under the Battleworld rules, they have distinct specialties. I am a Soul Form made of the essence of mana along my soul. I have my own mana source, which is the soul in itself along with mana. Some call it strange, but I call it Sona.¡±


    ¡°How original... Soul and mana into one. Sona? That is hilarious.¡± Murai joked but remained listening since he faked his disinterest. He didn''t know about the special life companions of this Battleworld so her worlds piqued his curiosity to get to know more.


    That, or maybe he was hoping to know why she didn''t talk about her case of evolution or her own Will of the Battleworld so far into this life.

 Chapter 78:

    Murai didn''t know this world after all, so seeing Lisa and her plotting nature and vague word choices were always something he found annoying. Hearing her willingness to finally talk was a welcomed change that was important, but would it make a drastic difference? Not much. Not now, at least in his opinion.


    The problem was obvious. Why this change didn''t come sooner? Because Lisa didn''t want to talk before, and now she had an advantage or change in attitude about it?


    Though, that would be his problem since his own perception and opinion caused his own anger while caring about Lisa was his own problem. For all he could care about, he may forget her and be done with it. That would be the easiest solution, but sometimes, the easiest thing didn''t happen according to one mind. He needed information and Lisa wasn''t talkative when it was important to be so. That was a fact that he disliked with a passion. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°So what if it is a bit funny?¡± Lisa said, annoyed. ¡°Sona sounds like some form of the ancient word anyway. Like something magical and mysterious, since it is that. Strong, and something I haven''t heard before. It''s my own interpretation of what it means to be in a world of a power that means a magical being.¡± she sounded as important as always.


    ¡°Right... magical. Got it. Tell me about it please...¡± Murai kept his comment short, and boring, leaving Lisa in a self-centered view as if he really was interested.


    ¡°Since you insist. My ability as a Soul Render is special and I am extremely pleased with how it feels when I have it now. Not only it is special, but it resolved around my whole being that I see as a power of the path of souls. You don''t ever hear of such paths normally, so feeling it with my own senses is interesting. Only special cases of mages can feel my presence if I will turn my physicality to null, and even fewer could make an impact on my form with their magic. It would require quite a specific power, or incredible Will, intent, or weapon.¡±


    That made sense since Lisa''s form was that of a soul form. An intangible thing that was one of the most mysterious essences known to anyone. One can destroy it. Murai did so many times in the past hours with many tangible or intangible soul form beasts. Of course, those weren''t of the kind like Lisa whose origin was of a higher caliber than those beasts born from this Seventh Death Forest.


    Murai viewed this topic in high regard, and with stronger intent than anyone, as his soul was walked, existed in, and formed many paths already. Something that should be impossible, but it was, for whatever reason that caused his Cursed living.


    Lisa continued. ¡°It is true that as this... peculiar Soul Form, it is hard to damage my physicality by ordinary means, but that doesn''t mean I am invisible. A soul may be weak for some figures of specific paths. Beings that can wield and empower their attacks with the intent that can move unformed, I am like a good target for them. I may die because of that, the same way you can also die or injure yourself.¡±


    ¡°Die? This talk about physicality makes sense, Lisa. Soul Forms are peculiar because their soul is involved in their origin, rather than their power in general. So what If you die? Will it have some repercussions since you are this... unknown Soul Form directly involved within my soul space?¡±


    ¡°M-maybe... I am... Unsure.¡± she said, appearing as if she didn''t want to tell the whole picture of the truth. It was a bit more complicated than she was willing to explain, while his interest piqued some hesitation within herself.


    ¡°Oh, so your case will have some problems? Is it your form? Ability as a Soul Render, or it has something to do with you as a Life Companion under this rule of the Battleworld? I bet you aren''t talking sense as you should, but it doesn''t mean I can''t figure or come up with some guesses myself.¡± Murai deducted.


    ¡°Yeah... Yes. About that... I will talk. Alright? I own that.¡± she winced her body, appearing nervous about what she wanted to say. ¡°It has something to do with this world and these differences and messes that make not only the Will of the Battleoworld crazy but many other things that follow us around,¡± Lisa said hesitantly. ¡°I was doing something. with you, Murai Hisagi. Don''t hate me for that as you probably think of it as important, but you didn''t feel it. I was using a part of your World''s Blessing for myself, pulling it out of you by the intentions of the Will of the Battleworld that gave me that option. Rewards that were meant for you, became smaller because of that. It was one of the reasons I didn''t explain a lot of things to you sooner and it is the reason I went to sleep to finalize my first evolution behind your back... S-sorry.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?¡± Murai barked at her, almost stomping the ground in the reality where the danger of the messiahs lurked not that far away. ¡°Are you serious? Did you mean.. this whole leveling thing, upgrades, and the World? You bled me from the inside out so you would have your own meal? How.... shameless... but...¡± he hesitated. ¡°You took advantage of my cluelessness... and situation. How does it even work? You were taking something from me without my knowledge? That... sounds... doubtful. Who do you take me for?¡± Murai said as his voice drifted to doubt when he questions his own power and lack of noticing what she did. He was not really angry at her words, but more confused as something important probably happened without his awareness.


    Also, he didn''t feel his progress to be lacking all that much in the past week so whatever Lsia took from him meant, she was taking it for herself because she wanted more power. It was that kind of thing. Murai couldn''t blame her since he would do the same thing if he was in her situation.


    ¡°You... you aren''t angry?¡± Lisa asked, surprised and calmly waiting for his fury. ¡°I would be furious, as a former Blessed that understands this thing... Its... Against the unspoken code, but not as it matters, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Who says I am not?¡± Murai said. ¡°You don''t have to worry about my soul or intention to shackle you like a fool. Tell the truths, for once. Think of it as a price for whatever you did, that went behind the scenes of my knowledge.¡±


    ¡°It''s... simple¡± Lisa hesitated, thinking of what she wanted to tell, as there were things that she couldn''t reveal. ¡°I wanted to wield the power over my Soul Form faster, so I would travel the world to be more useful. That is it.¡±


    ¡°That''s it? It sounds like an excuse to not tell any more of it, but I''ll take it as if you don''t care about the whole picture. Also, don''t make it all about yourself... You may think of yourself as important but you aren''t all that useful to me if you continue to be such a bother. What about this leveling process at all? You took it from me, I presume? This... power? What is it... I guess it has something to do with the world itself, which is making this whole evolution and progression possible. You didn''t steal my mana, or something within my soul... I know that much. It isn''t coming from within us, so my only guess is the World''s Core itself?¡±


    ¡°I... You are right. I know you would know it, or guess it sooner but you never said anything along your... Soul or mind. I said things I deemed worth telling and didn''t say things that should''ve been said. I know it my wrong as a former Blessed. I can tell... more things if you will accept me.¡± Lisa said with a change of attitude and confidence.


    ¡°I got it... Accepting... you. Asking or talking like that is a basic thing, but you are forgetting something. Trust me... I feel your loftiness from a mile ahead. I didn''t voice my questions, as I have no need for caring about your ego. Now I do... slightly since the world is pressing on me like a mountain. I need it, so explain this situation without being borderline, yourself.¡±


    Lisa shut herself up, as her whole being in the soul space shuddered. Murai''s words were quite meaningful, and they made her realize some things that she wasn''t willing to acknowledge. She also understood some things from this conversation and something in her mind changed.


    ¡°Alright... It is true that I am myself. Still... am.¡± She whispered to herself before speaking loudly to answer Murai''s words. ¡°The World itself is one big source of messy magic that is unique and unlike... anything you''ve seen. It is something similar to the River of Manaflow as you mentioned before. That is a source of mana, but the world is a source of everything pertaining to the many paths and possibilities one can get within, or outside of that River.¡±


    Murai heard that to another degree of interest. ¡°A power in the level of River of Manaflow? That... seems insane. Does the Core of this world itself do this? These Blessings under God''s domain and this whole ass system? I don''t get it... It makes no sense for gods to wield this sort of power... They do... I can tell it because it is happening.¡± Murai figured in confusion and understanding.


    ¡°I don''t know the answer to that.¡± Lisa shook her head left and right around herself, noticing no qualities or strangeness before her in Murai''s soul. It is still menacing, even in confusion and hesitation. ¡°But, I know a few things that can or may make sense for your worries. This Core is the reason this all works. I can vouch for that. It is also one of the reasons many Gods are present in its proximity, forcing and trying their way toward higher powers.¡±


    ¡°You speaking surely, or with guesses or hunches that you know, or not?¡± Murai asked, eyeing the messiahs that moved throughout the paths of the Seventh Death Forest. He was still patient and had time to hear her words, so he wasn''t in a hurry.


    ¡°Think of it as you wish, but I am not joking. My own guess is that the secrets of this planet are something beyond the gods themselves. It shouldn''t be something about one''s divinity, or power over the people like the conventional ends of one''s path. For example, this whole thing about the dungeons is also a thing to question. Somalis and others are obviously places that have already been here, long before the gods came to this world. It was part of the former planet before it became the Battleworld itself. No one can be sure of why, you know? A whole lot of things are old and ancient, but some are still older than others. This whole World Core idea isn''t a topic that the public knows about. I do because of my former status, and a lot of Extremes think of this as an important topic. It is hard to point it out this sort of answer to this sort of power, you know? It''s something I wish to uncover myself someday, so if you may, this is my answer which provides some answers to your doubts.¡±


    Murai grunted inside, feeling that she was still forgetting or not stating some of the things he wanted to hear. Or should hear.


    The talk about the World Core was a peculiar one, as the universe itself held many individual and unique things. Murai knew this sort of huge deal... Power in the similar complexity as River of Manaflow shouldn''t be anything simple. This system in this world was definitely something of that sort of caliber.


    For countless times, Murai wasn''t sure which part of the universe he was born with. The knowledge of that always became important later, or not. Because of that, he knew many secrets and knowledge of higher powers. Planets were no simple things, and whenever a civilization in the cosmos rose, it was prone to certain mysteries. After all, life was a rare thing in this universe filled with Chaos.


    Battleworld itself may be just a tiny little dot in the greater place and there was nothing wrong with that approach. Yet, the Gods made it their plaything for some reason that Lisa just explained. Literary and most likely, figuratively.


    Murai held a couple of guesses which could make reasonable cases, explanations, or answers, but it all came to one thing. He had no need to care about it. At least not now, when he was weak and not ready to take such answers to his heart.


    Lisa continued. ¡°As for the reasoning behind my... situation. I was eating up a bit of this power that was flowing to you by your... existence? As you endured life in the Battleworld, it makes this flow into you. They are known as Boosts. Core does it to import power from it to the beings on the surface, up or below it. Pretty much anyone is prone to it one way or another, but some more than others. Blessed are among the more... than the latter. In this special affair of me, being within you, it puls its power to me also, but I took a chunk of it for myself. In some sense, it is like mana, but not really.¡±


    Murai nodded to himself, feeling that her words carried a lot of truth, yet it was a truth he couldn''t see or conform it himself. The origin of this worldly feeling was vague and hard to point out.


    ¡°Is it true that everyone has this flow? This intangible.... threat? Or... something, vaguer?¡±


    ¡°Everyone has it. It should be the case. The world is huge and it poses some value of interest, I believe. Its purpose should constantly flow to all beings, enabling them to level, improve, and share countless possibilities of power. Abilities, attributes, and their own level all play a big part because of this Core. The Will of the Battleworld is then a topic of the runner of this place, along with this Core. It is an artificial voice of reason, creation, and a lower purpose to appease some sense of the creator who... or... It is created by whoever runs this place right now, I reckon.¡±


    ¡°Hoh... Your words this time carry a lot of sense. It''s surprising...¡± Murai said, impressed by figuring it was the case.


    ¡°Excu...¡±


    Murai shut her off, continuing. ¡°I heard some of this topic already from a little girl of 17 years of age, let alone a figure such as yourself. It is... a weird progression that doesn''t make me happy, but it makes sense. You added much-needed context while she added some answers too. It doesn''t need to be intricate, or sensible. Alright. That doesn''t explain my inability to sense very little changes, nor it should. I couldn''t even sense a tinge of it, so I guess you ate a lot, didn''t you? I couldn''t notice it.¡±


    ¡°Well... M-maybe.¡± Lisa mumbled hesitantly. ¡°It''s more complicated than that. It''s part of Anatidae. It''s about them. They are creatures of darkness and brightness. They are demons of unlike features and Will that is... kind of legend in some parts of the world. I haven''t felt the need to be too direct with you, so I did what I did, hoping your progress would be fine even without the part of it, but I suppose it isn''t fine. I decided on it before you finished the Somalis Dungeon, so I am sorry.¡± Lisa bowed, apologetically looking like a sorry figure even though Murai''s Will was no longer in his soul space.


    Though, her whole bearing of the lustrousness of before, slowly became more intricate as she talked. The Essence of her Soul Form, filled with glowing and shimmering wavy mana, was unlike before. It was more vivid along with waves of rules within them that seemed more intricate, complex, and powerful. Her being was bearing the mystery of the Soul Render, so it was no wonder.


    Before being one, she held a very poor iteration of Soul Essence that worked with those strange flows of power from the World Core. It made matters out of her hand but now? Now, she held some incentive to work through her decision, which may have worked against Murai, but she did it for him, albeit more for herself.


    Feeling her bare sincerity, she appeared honest, according to his sense but that didn''t mean there weren''t more words to tell. Doubt was still there since Murai knew he didn''t know much about her past. Since she already plotted something once, it was easy to figure she would do it again. Murai thought of that as such.


    ¡°I doubt you are even sorry all that much,¡± Murai said. ¡°You may be your own person, but I am myself. You seek something out of this... because you want to live and walk the power like before. It is Ego, as I said. I don''t blame it, as I blame my... or everything. I know that. I can''t guess it or force it. I am not upset all that much by your action, since I am used to being alone in the path of power.¡± Murai said in a calm manner after some sort of decision came to his mind after deliberate contemplation.


    Lisa remained silent as if wanting to hear more of his words that stemmed from her sincerity. ¡°I wish to continue... but this was a good start. So... Wanna see me butcher those messiahs? I am over your topic, so if you want to talk about some more meanings later, do so later and without hesitation if you fear my anger or your plot that much. My Soul Read isn''t allowing me to gouge the powers of these lunatics, but a soul is intricate enough to gouge them a little. They should be level 30, or around that number. It''s going to be a mistake or straigh up the tough challenge.¡± Murai said, still hiding in the bush. ¡°It is quite to my taste. Hehehe.¡±


    Looking at the walking foes that weren''t spread around the Seventh Death Forest, Murai saw them enough throughout this talk with Lisa in his head. They firmly walked a couple of meters beside each other, walking and looking for him. Though, they didn''t know they were hunted instead of being hunters. The Centralis Kingdom''s messiahs were trying to catch him according to the topic of the Encounter from Razmund''s side.


    Murai couldn''t guess which sort of meaning they had, as his own part was his, while Razmund''s case was his own. Two parties will clash either way, with individual prose, rewards, wish, and ploys. That was what sort of mess Encounter was.


    A mess that Lordis decided to call after deep deliberations, or further plots that knows no bounds of common sense.


    Having his life exposed and used by others made Murai quite upset. In one way, he was furious at Razmund, but more so at gods who were likely figures hiding behind their lofty palaces. This feeling of pressuring hunt made his heart skip a beat, but his mind was firm. Hunting him like some kind of animal wasn''t his idea, but if the world wanted him to act like one, he may bite this bait and carry his Will to the bitter end.


    Perhaps in the end, he will love this idea, but now, it was time to taste the start of it first. Murai was right in his own approach, but this whole Encounter was suspiciously against his odds, and Lisa realized it all too well.


    He was way too low in the flow of power and this whole balance of this Encounter made no sense. Including Lisa''s worry or purpose, it also posed no solution. She couldn''t help him, let alone give him a solution to end this madness. She can carry her purpose and help him with solving it, but only in small steps which may not be easy at all.


    ¡°If you let me out, I can be of some help against those messiahs,¡± Lisa said after some thought. ¡°I am more powerful than before. Levels themselves aren''t good enough to gouge others, but they are good to look at yourself. Numbers aren''t absolute. Especially when humans are involved. In the sense of the Battleworld, abilities scale much better with one''s power. They make up for the core attributes that the basic level-ups contribute. Your case is more than like that though, as your body is that of an Anatidae. Such species must have a ton of hidden properties where the Will of the Battleworld, Blessing of the World, is included. Your own experiences are making the biggest impact though. The level differences don''t matter to you, am I right?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You just explained the absolute common sense of any power, Lisa,¡± Murai said, unbothered, and unsurprised by her basic revelation that he long figured out.


    ¡°That''s your opinion, so I am just stating what is this Battleworld and its system like. Do you think my words don''t mean anything to you? I will stop eating up your Boosts, so tell me how it makes you feel after a week, or 2. You will soon be worried about God''s Trial anyway... so this whole mess is just another mess to the others. Hmph! You make me worry and tell useless things. Numbers are important, but only some of them. Talk in the cleverness and skill can many levels useless and those men are no dumb beast, let alone dull soul form monsters.¡± She explained before playing a pouting game, where she was playing an upset princess since she wanted to get out of the soul space.


    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot about that... How much do you... Well, what did you gain from this eating-up flow from the World Core, or should I call it something else? Boost?¡±


    ¡°Begginer path of the Soul Demon,¡± Lisa said begrudgingly, not answering his second question. ¡°I am still a Life Companion, but a special one that is residing inside of you. I can be called the case of the Battleworld itself, if in the broader term, as my whole creation is... a bit complicated. I don''t understand it either, but it is what it is. I am something between Blessed and Gifted. A being that can improve and walk path like you can.¡±


    ¡°Then what is the difference?¡±


    ¡°Blessed is a being like you, involved with the Battleworld with the utmost freedom and care from the Core. A Gifted is a familiar, or someone who gained something from the Battleworld, or by God''s domain, Will, care, or gift. Such figures can still have a certain freedom, but Gods usually use their position as an opportunity to gain a permanent follower. My case is something between them since I am something like a Blessed, but my involvement with yourself is hinder... Is complicating things a little. Get it? I am like your... follower. We are connected by a strand of fate.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡± Murai thought out loud, thinking of Lisa''s words in his own storm of thoughts. ¡°Your abilities? I am quite intrigued by this now, unlike before. This isn''t bad, so since you used my lack of knowledge, you shouldn''t feel too bad if I use you as a tool. Get it?¡± Murai sneered in mockery and a meaningful glint was within his eyes.


    It was vile enough to turn Lisa a bit uncomfortable, but she got what she deserved. She thought so too, so she understood her change of mind. It was important to deal with it with her own problems. That much, she owed him. The situation called for it since God''s Trial will be way too harsh, but that was far away.


    For now, the Encounter was the present problem that needed her attention. She had no choice by to force herself to be as honest as possible, and even include many other pieces of information that she hoped to trade to get to know him better. She failed in those unnecessary and frankly speaking, greedy choices. In fact, she was much more inclined to work with Murai than ever before. She held some power right now. Murai also wasn''t some clueless brat that some Blessed would be at the beginning of their life. In that sense, Life Companion was like a huge helper that would give Blessed a meaningful start n their journey.


    It was the exact opposite of Murai''s case so it wasn''t a time to be the greedy and egoistical succubus she used to be. It was time to change it towards something else since her own life was still hers, but not hers alone.


    ¡°Soul Render... Those aren''t necessarily some soul beasts, but demonic mana beings. Their Class is varied, and Class does matter a lot in the context of power. My Class D doesn''t even cover a lot of my possibilities, similar to your own Class D grading. I look like a ghost as before, so that means the obvious. I am still far from being an incredibly profound being. At the moment I am level 18 Soul Render with a beginning range of abilities.¡±


    ¡°Abilities that are useful are basic Mana Shaping as you have, but my Mana Pool is lesser than you by more than a half. I have a high perception of the soul and can view or force memories out of others depending on the power of the foe, or their Will. Mental attacks to the soul are also something I can do, albeit, their effectiveness doesn''t go far above my level. It should be quite weak against level 30ties, who have high Vitality and experience that shaped their soul to be stronger than my power. For example, those messiahs are quite tough, since their utmost belief makes their soul and mental defenses quite hard. They could even kill themselves if I tried to view their memories.¡± Lisa explained quite a bit this time, leaving nothing but meaningful word choices.


    ¡°Then use your... questionable abilities along with mine. I will smack those messiahs and see for myself what is this Anatiadae about. I can''t be carrying and fighting those ghosts all the time and those fuckers are from a place that forced this all. It will be the first task for you. Work now with me, but according to me. Like a tool with some senses.¡± Murai ordered, leaving no place to talk back as he willed Lisa to get out of his Soul Space.


    It was time for a fight and he won''t be the one forced to it this time around.

 Chapter 79: Ambush

    Murai didn''t consider Lisa''s unwillingness to be important. Even her idea to be useful was questionable according to her desires. Ignoring a swirling mana that took a shape of her Soul Render Form, Lisa was out of his Soul Space in a couple of swirling motions. It was like waves overlapping over one another, and her figure spread her arms and then wings. She glanced around in a good mood and figured out her current form. It was the same, but slightly bigger at around 40 centimeters, but it can vary in height or mass because of her own Shaping.


    Murai didn''t care about her though.


    Stepping toward the path that those messiahs took before, Murai adjusted his mind to work at a high degree of proficiency. That was, to have the mind focus on one thing at a time and not be distracted by unnecessary thoughts.


    The group of messiahs wasn''t as close as he thought. All this inner talking with Lisa took longer than he desired and the group walked a bit outside of his regular vision. Out of clarity, he didn''t use any speck of Mana Detection, fearing they would notice his aura or something. For Lisa, he dints'' worry, as she was soul form which was plentiful in this forest. Her reappearance shouldn''t give messiah any ideas. It was enough for the messiahs to feel the disturbance, but because they walked further away, they had no idea that their desired foe was right within the range of Lisa''s undulation.


    They were already 25 or so meters away, making it possible for Lisa to appear without disturbing the surroundings too much. It was also the perfect time to ambush them from behind or the sides, and that was what Murai planned to do.


    Taking a deep breath, he was halting the mana within his body from seeping out. It was akin to holding your breath when diving, but it was much more intricate. His Beast Core constantly shifted some mana of the world to itself and tried to affect the rest of the body. It was an aftereffect that one can stop willingly, but unless one stopped this flow, the mana of the world constantly shifted to the Core. Then, the terms of these shifts can affect and seep out of the body, but only a small amount of it will do so. That was exactly the aura Murai was halting when he was in that strange situation outside of that well when he was facing humans for the first time.


    The terms - upgrading, cultivating, and cycling the Mana Core was used in this manner of shifting. It was energy action when one''s Mana Core was constantly resonating with the surrounding world, improving one''s mana and quality of spell or one''s talent. It was also up to the individual how much it can affect oneself. Talent in this way was also important. It was a key element in upgrading the Mana Core stages along with willing cycling and mana improvements.


    Mana Core was a powerful tool for any mage and having a good amount of mana, insight, and control over the mana, worked wonders in any kind of sense. All kinds of paths and magic revolved around this basic premise - albeit, not everyone had the option to have the Mana Core. One can''t reach the highest realms of the conventional Path of Magic unless one had the Core, while Handlers of mana of the world may also reach similar stag,e but it wasn''t the same. When one can reach the potency of having a small River of Manaflow within oneself, it can hardly compete with Handlers.


    Murai calmly took a breath in and out, lowering his heartbeat along with his mind which was in a turmoil of thoughts after all of his arguments with Lisa. He also did his best to suppress any desire to kill, or even a speck of his Will to seep out, but feelings - if his efforts did anything - were a hard thing to notice.


    He just thought of not doing anything, which may work for his Will, but his killing intent? It was an unfamiliar concept in this life so far, albeit the one before worked around the Intent, and desire to kill a lot. It was the sort of thing that should make his present easier, but it was depending on his handling of the situation, rather than viewing the past as something important. After all, it wasn''t the same. Nothing was. Everything was unique, and this life as a duck was nothing but something unique.


    Murai got a hang of it in a couple of minutes and started his stealth mission.


    When it came to mana, it was easy. His Beast Core became as gentle as an unmoving boat in the middle of the lake, calm and steady - even voiceless, and soundless.


    This was one of the aftereffects of the last week, which he spent familiarizing his unkept mana with his body. It was harder than he thought, considering the strangeness of his own mana as he feared.


    Tries to remain steady and hidden worked surprisingly well. It led to a complete standstill of his Beast Core, which could remain in a forceful state of dullness for up to 5 minutes. Anything more, and his core would start to show signs of uncontrollability since forcing this natural force of mana was putting strain on its structure.


    Murai could still move within this state, albeit not very fast. Any ability or spell won''t be usable unless he will be ready to kill or strike. His use of Beak''s Peak, or Fury would charge some mana out of his core, making them more powerful, since anything his body did, some of his mana affected their functions. As for how, or why, Murai had his guesses. Anatidaes weren''t weak magical creatures and their mana aptitude worked in conjunction with their body.


    Hence, they were phenomenal in many environments, since mana was everywhere, and body and mana could affect each other. As for how much? Murai wasn''t one to experiment with his own body, yet, but he had many kinds of ideas.


    Lisa saw him disappear from the bushes, leaving her alone to do her own thing.


    ¡°Make me an opening. Figure how along with a flow of your own use.¡±


    Murai told her soul from their connection. ¡°I don''t know what you can do, so figure that part out yourself. Chew what you can swallow. We can communicate well in this way, so give me a proper choice, and the rest is my problem to solve.¡±


    Their connection worked quite well in this way, allowing them to work in tandem without any words, undulation, or problems. Crouching as he tracked the surroundings with his eyes, rather than anything else, Murai figured out what he will do. Well, the else in this case was Soul Read. He couldn''t figure out how to stop its effects, but it allowed him to perceive the others without any handicaps, so he figured it wasn''t a bad thing.


    A clear path that messiah walked in, was right there. Close along their shimmering inner voice, and soul indulging in desire of greed and fear. Murai felt them well enough to notice where they were in their surroundings rather than reading them like a book.


    ¡°Y-you don''t even have to kill them... Do you know that?¡± Lisa argued back. ¡°You need to get out of this forest and that is all to this Encounter. Killing them can be a waste of time since it isn''t about any killings. Let me tell you that... You are making this more complicated than it is. Trust me. I saw and worked through such Encounters before. Their reasoning is a Rule, and the Parts are like sections of a dungeon to solve. They can be intricate, something dumb like a brick, and sometimes all it needs is some cleverness for an easy solution. ¡± she sent her words to him, but Murai ignored her, focusing on his desires, rather than common sense.


    There was no need to try common sense - which may be the best solution - but there was one key difference between that and his desire. Murai was furious. Furious at his fate, furious at the world, and the one who made him like this. Not an Anatidae, of course. Those reasons were fundamentally different from such a simple case of a specified life that moved without deeper context.


    His fury was upon the smaller picture, particularly Razmund and the Centralis Kingdom. He will quench his anger on them, aiming toward the causes of their mess and their madness. He will butcher him - the one who obliterated his body - and who made him go through hell and Iris''s healing process.


    Well, it wasn''t exactly that, nor was one of those things as bad as the other, but Murai was feeling as if his fury was well justified.


    However, did he have the strength for that? To see the chance, and clutch his beak to this desire to kill Razmund and destroy the kingdom? No. It was simply not the right time to do that by his own hands.


    Will he be able to prevail against the messiahs or stronger forces that may be way above his current abilities?


    It will be tough, but his desired journey - unhindered by others such as Ceila - was a future he looked forward to. It was always his favorite part of his Cursed living. Going with proper choices of self-indulged adventure, skipping power, breaching the system, and so on. He had all intentions to do them all over again, and this system in this world seemed like a perfect choice for them all.


    At least hopefully, as he was yet to understand how utterly messy this Encounter can be, while the case of Will of the Battleworld was yet to turn his choices into an utter pile of Chaos. It was only a pile of messed up reason with gods hiding beyond them, but there were some rules to this thing. For once, Murai seemed to see no Razmund before his face, nor someone powerful as him. Thus, why stop when enemies are in the range of his own power level?


    Gods were directly responsible for a lot of things in this world, making it more than desirable in his mind to seek his Path to the bitter end. Which? He didn''t know that for now, but he sure hoped the duck path may end at the range of possibilities that would allow him to seek his desires.


    So far his Path wasn''t his own, since all sorts of things hindered him. Murai wished he could blow them to pieces, creating and releasing his mind to former glory. That''s what he should do, as a former grand mage and all sorts of other professions, names, titles, and whatnot. He was called a lot of names, but...


    Now? He was a duck, albeit not the normal kind. What kind? He was yet aware of that, but he was inclined to ask Lisa about it since she said some interesting things about them in their past talks.


    Maybe he wanted to hear about it later, or he ignored it intentionally, as the talk of a duck reminded him of his present situation that hindered him like this Encounter. If he was a human...


    Getting such information out of her seemed like a lazy attitude since Lisa - as he realized it - was kind of a terrible Life Companion, but what did he do, to deserve this sort of attitude? Nothing or too much? Perhaps, he wasn''t deserving shit, and what Lisa was, was nothing but a reminder that he was supposed to be alone and figure his living on his own merits.


    Only he knew all about himself. Nothing more. No one else. Just him, and his Path. His Cursed hoping, or clearing things up.


    Moving his legs left and right, Murai carefully moved behind the trees and bushes alike. His steps were firm and calm, stealthy and soundless. He was like a ninja. Duck ninja. Anatidae ninja?


    5 meters from the group of 3 messiahs, hiding behind the bush, it took some effort and time to find the right path to move at a faster pace than their walking. Thankfully, the messiahs weren''t sprinting and were rather nervous about the surroundings. But they were careful, observing the nook and crannies of every direction. Now, he was waiting for Lisa to do her move. She made up her mind to do the right thing, albeit it wasn''t her intention, but Murai''s.


    He noticed her presence and notion of her desire too. She wanted to try herself against them too, but it wasn''t something she was willing to admit herself. It seemed she gave up trying to purpose Murai to not attack, so instead of that, she decided to commit to the act of slaying this group. Flying fast, and steady forward, her Soul Render form was much different from the small succubus she was before.


    Her physicality changed to one of firmness and vividness. Flying forward, the air sizzled, and bushes swayed in the wind or tangible aura of dangerous movements. She did have a proper ability to cease her mana away, but her demonic appearance? Why stop that? She was a Soul Form. A form of something that Seventh Death Forest never lacked so she was a good way to be a distraction. It worked to her advantage since this place was full of Death. A thing that was familiar and easy to see in the Seventh Death Forest.


    3 Messiah went alert the moment they sensed a coldness seep behind their back, and then, the front, surrounding them, clutching their cores. Lisa emerged from behind the tree, facing their back. Her face was twisted like the most gruesome demonic ghost she knew of, appearing like a monster, and no succubus.


    Her eyes glowed red, and she pulled her proper senses and abilities to use, which was something she desired. Power was always in her life, and this life was no different. It wasn''t any memory extract, but two abilities put together to make her appearance indistinguishable from her normal kind.


    A powerful soul-shaking aura spread from her form, which could put one''s Will to turmoil. The first ability was her ability to change her form, physicality, and aura. She was still a Soul Form, so she can''t become a living thing, but her Soul Render had many advantages.


    ¡°Demon!¡± one of the messiahs shouted, letting out a fierce shout as he grabbed his sword.


    ¡°No, a Soul Demon! Careful!¡± the middle one shouted, putting his palms forward, creating a Ward before him, and the other 2 as well.


    ¡°Ward won''t be enough, this one is big!¡± the 3rd one shouted, and he was right. This being before them was unlike their non-Gifted status. They were the most regular members of the Centralis Kingdom who had no privileges then pull their weight. Their reasonable ability was their experience and level, making them fine to use as messiahs and simple tools.


    Lisa''s gaze turned wide as her mouth. The messiahs swayed in fear, sweat, and silent stance. They stopped their movement for 1 second as they formed no momentary runes, spells, or their formation to use. That was their fatal mistake, albeit it wasn''t one, in their eyes. They waited for a proper choice for their action - something that any military should know, and consider when undergoing combat training, let alone proper battle. Lisa wanted to use this distraction to good use.


    Will it be their mistake or advantage?


    There was only one way to find out.


    She floated closer, swiping her hands around like a mad ghost. Her ashen face was long and deadly, and she shrieked like the most insane Banshee she could imagine. It was her own ability, unlike the core species ability of the Banshees she was currently impersonating.


    This was a Soul Shock Scream, which should injure, or daze the target depending on their Will, body, or other factors. Earth and trees shook as a shockwave traveled through the Ward, striking the bodies of all 3 messiahs since it wasn''t an attack of Will, focusing on souls. The left one shook the most, and fell to his knees, while the other two stood on their feet, but with the ashen expression on their faces and a temporary daze. How long was one she caused to these 2? A single second.


    Without awaiting something better, Murai jumped from behind the different tree, figuring his time had come. His mana swirled in a moment, and his beak was already forming a steady surge of mana. Hopping quickly and steadily, he was fast and approached the middle messiah, whose shield was only facing Lisa.


    He was an easy target, and Beak''s Peak reached this man''s back, piercing inside at a peculiar angle, breaking the spine and his insides. He shoved his beak deep into the flesh and in a wild twisting manner until blood flowed like small steam. A couple of twists of his beak penetrated the heart, while the body from the inside out, was nothing strong. It was unsurprising.


    The dazed man noticed his own demise and coughed blood. He was dead long before he understood who, or what killed him.


    Alas, the two messiahs beside the middle one, jolted from their daze back to the harsh reality. The right one noticed straight away that something struck their leader, so he turned himself to his right, noticing a gushing wound on his leader''s neck. Then, he noticed the duck so he turned his palm to Murai and flared his mana up.


    Both of the messiahs understood that this was an ambush. Lisa was just a distraction and wasn''t something menacing to them. Daze was weak if it lasted only a second, while Lisa''s appearance seemed to be menacing alone. The real threat was behind them, in the shape of a duck.


    ¡°D-duck! T-target?¡± the right messiah mumbled and was almost unable to start the spell he wanted.


    It was a version of a formation spell created around the rune crafting, enabling storing any kind of spell in specifically made rings or bracelets. The degree of power depended on the ring, crafter, material but most often than not, the spell. The spell was Punishing Strike of Grade C. It was a lighting-based attack, similar to the Flame Shot but at least 20 times mightier with a wide area of effects. Lighting was known to be an unhinged element, and hard to contain, but it was right there, in the notion of the complicated rune equipment that was a simple ring.


    Lighting shot out of the man''s right hand, electrifying himself and his surroundings, while shooting a much stronger attack at wide-open Murai who just finished off his Peak. He had trouble retrieving his beak, once again. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Though, he watched calmly as the incoming strike arrived in the blink of an eye. In his eyes, it should be quite tough for him to deal with such a wild and dense amount of lighting. It was part of his intuition, but also his Mana Detection, which allowed him to seek the overall quality of the mana. This spell was much better than what those messiahs should be able to use.


    They skip rules... a bunch of cheaters... Hmph! These are pretty damn high-quality runes for such a weakling! Murai thought, while his beak was still within the back of the middle messiah. Flexing his neck and gritting his beak, he snatched the man''s spine, lurching the torse along with the man''s limp hands to his left. The former Ward was still in his hand, so Murai used it to face the Punishing Strike.


    It was a known fact that mana can survive for some time even with the death of the caster. The will, intent, and power after the mage''s death were always intricate, but they can disappear in a couple of moments. It worked the same way in the land of the River of Manaflow and even in other places.


    Murai grinned, feeling the dancing lighting push against the Ward that was a good choice against this sort of spell and its power. At first exchange, not one lighting penetrated this rapidly weakening Ward.


    Alas, the Ward wasn''t under anyone''s rule, or control, so it cracked apart in the following couple of seconds. Then, the continuous power of the Punishing Strike still continued, charging at the body of the deceased messiah, while Murai hid behind his back. He felt the lighting storm punish his body, and along the charred corpse, the lighting pushed him 10 meters into the forest.


    The man who forced the Punishing Strike appeared haggard and even staggered on his feet. Powering this Stored Spell was extremely heavy on his mind, while it also negatively impacted his body. That was a side-effect of this crafted tool, which was way over his level and ability.


    Without thinking of the burned right hand, nor his overall shocked appearance, he grabbed and shook the head of the remaining comrade. ¡°Wake the fuck up! I need proper Formation! We are bloody Messiahs! Who uses a singular one? Huh?¡± He shouted until the kneeling man''s mind rejoiced to reality.


    It wasn''t a happy face, so who knew who he dreamed about? Perhaps about a time with the succubus? Who knew?


    ¡°W-what was that? Huh?¡± he mumbled after his face underwent a slap to each of his cheeks.


    ¡°Wake the fuck up, Porik. You dumbfuck, why aren''t you having a freaking minor ward shielding your mind. It was mandatory in this freaking forest.¡± the messiah cursed Porik to oblivion, and he wasn''t one bit caring, but instead, furious.


    At this point, Murai finally reached the destination of his flying, which wasn''t great, or terrible. He had trouble getting his beak out the first time since his teeth got stuck in the man''s spine, but this attack helped him get it out a little. The simple use of another Beak''s Peak solved the issue by shattering the spine to oblivion, ending the remains of this man for the sake of this forest.


    ¡°Well, that was surprising, and... easy?¡± Murai forced himself to stand, noticing scattering lighting around his feathers, while his insides hurt, but not much.


    Hm? Whatever. Lisa was quite effective which was unexpected. The bigger obstacle is gone. That is good. How nice is it to ambush a strong mage, even when one is weak? It is the same everywhere. I swear. A dumb mage who can''t protect the body is like a soldier without armor. Murai thought in a good mood, reminiscing of many times when he killed a grand mage, who wasn''t under the protection of his spells or some formation or friends.


    It was always fairly easy to do so since the majority of mages shouldn''t have powerful bodies. Mana can strengthen them only so little, while most focused on the paths of convenience and conventional magic. In this case, the body wasn''t directly important, but it was one''s life. Protection was incredibly important in almost all aspects of fighting. Shield, or Ward to protect them from the attacks was about the most common spell, while there were countless more powerful variants or weaker ones, even.


    Some would have Bloodlines, carrying powerful spells, or empowering abilities that would protect their bodies outside of their magic. Others could have permanent spells on their clothes, and armor, or Warding entire body, and so on.


    None of these examples was the case for these messiahs, even though they weren''t weak at all in the context of Murai''s own level. Their level was, in fact, much higher than Murai would anticipate, at level 30s. The one who Murai killed in his ambush was even level 37 while the one with lighting was level 32, and Porik was the weakest at level 30.


    The dead one was the strongest, but he died regardless of his mana, path, or stored spells. It couldn''t protect him, since his mind wasn''t up to the task and his skill didn''t overlap with his power. His back was wide open, and his physicality couldn''t cover for it at all. Only a moment led to his death and there was nothing he could have done about it.


    It was the truth - rule - that Murai understood. Death mattered in a duel, and a dead man had no desires, nor anything - truly.

 Chapter 80: Murai vs Messiahs - Part 1

    The rest of the messiahs quickly got to their proper position, stepping closer to each other, calming their minds, and steadier their posture. The death of their leader was unexpected, but if they didn''t want to die, then they should work with what remained. They yanked their hands forward, forming a circle of runes in mid-air under the pretext of rings in their fingers. They hover there with their hands in the middle of these runes. Each hand had a few circles of runes, but when they became entangled together, the runes fused to form one larger structural rune circle below their feet.


    The mana flared up dozens of meters around them, turning frantic as if the world turned ablaze.


    Two of their runic enchantments became one, forming a structure meant to empower the messiahs with mana. It was a highly efficient formation meant to increase the workforce of mana by 2 to 3 fold. 2 people were better than a singular one, after all.


    People under this structural rune formation will be able to use spells with a higher degree of power, and mana would be easier to recover and use. This did matter to anyone. Be it Handlers or the beings with the cores. This formation was messiah''s specialty, but with their leader gone, its effectiveness won''t be the greatest. The more of those special rune formations would entangle with each other, the more powerful the fusion would get.


    Murai was a bit farther from them to see it, but he felt the tides of mana in his close proximity. He began to ponder on the next course of his actions.


    They turned serious...Great. but it was a bit too late for that when their leader is probably the core of their formation. It doesn''t mean it won''t be easier, however. A direct approach to this fight may be a mistake, but I want to see where I am at the moment with my shaping and body strength.First, this formation is annoying. Should I try to mess with it, or deal with it in some other form? It doesn''t look that weak, since it comes from the external links on their hands. They are decent, as far as I feel things with Mana Detection. Their rings or bracelets hidden underneath their sleeves should be problematic to strike directly.


    Such runic formations are complicated, but it is understandable to see them stored in treasures instead. That means they aren''t that confident in their own abilities, which makes them less of a threat, or this is their primary strategy no matter what? Well, less threat of what? They are still tough opponents, for humans.


    With the uncertainty about his action, Murai still chose to walk back to the forest path, revealing himself. As he did so, he was watchful over the two messiahs, who remained in the circle for some reason and didn''t move.


    Underneath their feet was the formation known as the Grand Enchantment Circle. It was a structural rune formation made up of hundreds of smaller runes, leading to 20% more effectiveness of the mana, and at least a 30% increase in the might of any spells. This was a more powerful formation level than their usual one. It was in their possession only because of the Encounter, and nothing else.


    Per Razmund''s or someone else''s order, Helpers, or regular dogs under the Centralis Kingdom got powerful external items for protection and accomplishments of this hunting. The spot of their target was the Seventh Death Forest because they knew created this opportunity for themselves. It was quite a bothersome place, but it was for them and their enemy alike. And because of the importance of the Encounter for the Centralis Kingdom, many treasures conveyed a certain desire to achieve great results.


    That was what?


    Murai didn''t know the details, since each side of the Encounter had a distinct task with unique chances, missions, and rewards. As for what Razmund had, it was a good variable to think about. He did his best to use the Centralis Kingdom to his advantage, creating a threat to Murai on a scale that was quite large.


    One way or another, the topic of the Encounter was a huge deal in this world and nothing moved it better than ego and greed. A better chance always invovled getting more people to one side, and they didn''t have to be Helpers. The Centralis Kingdom knew it and used its vast amount of experience and resources to get things going. Why would they do that for Razmund alone was another question altogether.


    Murai would never guess some answers, since his own unique side was less than powerful. After all, he realized that Razmund did create quite a mess for him, but the world and rules, with Gods aside, complicated things. The rules, reason, and parts of the Encounter were always chaotic Murai was yet to know how much mess Lordis - the true maker of this Encounter - created, and pushed at him after unveiling unique circumstances around him and Razmund. In this case, Razmund was a mere toolkit to move things better, while Centralis Kingdom may be the true enemy. It wasn''t directly stated, but Murai for sure guessed some things. His Major Task involved them, because of the gift from Pachi, but Encounter didn''t. Later parts could, but the present one was already plenty of an issue.


    For him, knowing the plot of this mess wouldn''t change his approach to it any better. Murai didn''t even know that Celia and Lia will soon reach this place as well, albeit only Ceila can directly help him. He didn''t even view them in a good light, because Vermilion had some plans with him behind the scenes, causing Murai to simply refuse it, and not care about it, even if he should.


    The part of the Helpers was peculiar, but if he was alone, none will help him. Ceila would, but one needed to be close to the Encounter originators to start. It also didn''t mean Lia can''t do anything, even when she butchered the 1st part of the Encounter. 1st part Helpers were prohibited to help in the 2nd.


    The 2nd part would be a great opportunity to indirectly cause some damage to the Centralis Kingdom since the notion of the Encounter didn''t talk about them, nor were they part of the rules. They were variables that were just forcing things up, acting around the complicated rules that they knew. Centralis Kingdom will lead more forces outside of Helpers, leading to skirmishes that didn''t move along the orders of the gods, but they didn''t need to.


    After all, it wasn''t outside of the rules to affect the surroundings of the balanced rules to affect the Encounter sides. It may create lackluster solutions and further chaos, but it was perfect to make things more interesting. No rules will be broken, as the rules themselves were in gods interest, while too many variables hiding around the rules weren''t breaking them. It was a clever tactic of the Centralis Kingdom, while the gods and Encounter rules won''t create troubles for them. It could backfire if their own situation would become too forceful, but even then, it was hard to tell what would happen. That was at least the notion of the Encounter surroundings, with more things hiding behind the scenes.


    Lia planned to make quick ambushes, butchering a few squads every once in a while, outside of Seventh Death Forest''s perimeter or inside of it. She didn''t want to get involved too directly, fearing the involvement of rules that were weirdly convincing on making things difficult for Murai.


    Which exactly?


    Murai was a loner and had nothing and no one to his name. Encounters usually involved similar sides of power, but this one invovled Razmund. A prominent member of the Centralis Kingdom which was a force known as an absolute unhinged Tier A Domain. It created this mess, while Lia was high level enough to not touch things she shouldn''t, that didn''t mean she can''t do things that the Centralis Kingdom does. That was to become a variable dancing on thin ice, while the dangers from above weren''t small. If she would be touchy with Razmund himself, the rules already viewed her as part of Murai forces.


    It was a complicated force and an opportunity for Murai and Razmund respectively, yet neither side knew the information about the other. It made sense, after all. A messy adventure where two sides had to achieve some results would need to involve strategies, and not be a little clash. It was up to Lordis''s ploys.


    Who was Murai? He may be outside of the norm in many things, but he was still an Anatidae Panacea who lived for less than a year. Let alone his level, his proficiency with many things was dozens of times worse than Razmund''s. So wanting him to feel comfortable with hearing the notion of this Encounter was anything but rotten to their rules. It shouldn''t happen, yet it happen because some things were forced up.


    Will of the Battleworld was vague in terms of the Encounter, and not even Lisa was aware of a lot of things hiding behind the scenes. Particularly Razmund''s case and the whole picture of Lordis, which she observed in a limited way. She was trying to hide from the Vermillion church, the moment she woke up, so she wasn''t comfortable until Murai got to this forest. Now, the Encounter started.


    It was as much of a huge deal as the messed up situation he got himself before. To go directly against the Centralis Kingdom was suicide. It more resembled the likes of Divine Punishment, or quite tough God''s Trials instead, but considering the circumstances, Lisa thought this was much bigger than Murai in itself. Something was hiding underneath this. She was sure of it since it wouldn''t make sense otherwise. Something was using Murai as a starting spark to make bigger plays and it wasn''t as small as Lordis. That, she was sure of, but voicing it out loud wouldn''t do a thing. She wanted to live, and Murai had no choice but to continue, creating his own sensible mission in his heart that would deal with this mess.


    This was the best comfortable desire that put his mind at ease. An excuse to think of the present, rather than the future or the past.


    Lisa understood a lot of things, leading up to her unpleasant death but it wasn''t as simple. The scheme around this world moved against something greater than she was able to touch, so it ended her life. Now she had quite a terrible time considering her desires. Her hope turned to another disaster, and she feared the hidden reason for this Encounter would be her last End. She held limited hope for Murai''s achievement, and even if his Soul and Will were incredible, she had some doubts of she can take it.


    After all, Lisa knew one specific piece of information that even Vermillion church should understand. They forced themselves upon him, creating validation for Centralis Kingdom to force things up. It wouldn''t be surprising, as Vermillion was another lofty god with some ploys and desires upon this. Encounters led up to the Mortal War, then to Holy War, and ended in Divine War. But each stage of this caliber could take time, and involve a few nations, and a lot of politics. Races, hidden forces, and all kinds of guilds would fight for the sake of the Battleworld, while the Encoutner would become negligible, but it would be a necessary spark. The wars were a blessed chance, as well as a chance to get one''s name to echo throughout the whole world.


    Lisa thought a lot about the possibilities of this Encounter, but Murai held different habits over terrible situations. He believed in mental habits. Creating a notion in his mind that this was just another thing to solve, he was much less nervous about it. It was a terrible and clever lie, which spoke to his mind. The timing may be terrible, but maybe he could get something out of this bad luck.


    He always thought like that in lives that weren''t pleasant, or normal. Gaining something out of the misfortune was the first step to forming some calmness. The other was to cater to his mind with other things. Like battles, for example, and butchering the reasons for his bad luck. That may be a form of luck as well, albeit a rather strange one.


    Walking towards his fight, Murai gazed towards the messiahs who were quite average mages, if not below that. It was because of the equipment that they possessed quite significant power, while neither of them held the Mana Core, it didn''t make them weak. The mana around the world was plentiful, and thanks to their runes, they weren''t weak.


    Hm? They seem calm enough. With two of them forming this Great Enchantment, are they close to the power of their dead leader? I wonder, but I am unable to guess it right since I killed the leader as easily as eating a chicken. Murai chuckled inside, yet didn''t voice anything.


    He remained walking forward with a sneer visible on his face. A duck''s sneer, which wasn''t something fearful, but the messiahs were nervous since they knew the degree of danger invovled in this Encounter. Their leader died in a flash of an ambush, causing problems for their overall power level as a team. The cause was this duck before them.


    ¡°W-what are you smiling about, blessed demon?¡± Porik shouted, asking nervously and forming two flaming balls in his both hands. ¡°Eat this you damned animal! Scorching Shot!¡± he shouted and shot those two shots twice the size of Murai at him. The heat enveloped the surroundings, and Scorching Shots moved fast approaching Murai who was still 10 meters away. The proximity of their Grand Enchantment took around 3 meters around them, so he was quite far from them.


    Murai wasn''t surprised by this attack, as he expected this sort of thing from this kind of formation. They had some experience in magic, and an agitated and fearful mage - per the use of his Soul Read - was obvious to attack. Porik feared him, as Murai saw it. He spent a couple of moments considering this spell that was one class higher than the Flame Shot. He can use his own, creating a fight of flame against his flame but it would be hard. The degree of heat of this Scorching Shot was twice, or thrice more powerful than his Flaming Shot, so that meant he would lose. The two of them were even bigger than his whole body, so Murai Conjured nothing out of his Flame but Shaped a Mana Blade.


    A sharp-looking, 2-meter-long long and slightly curved blade emerged right beside his head, siding with his beak as if it was an extension of himself.


    Side by side, it almost looked as if the beak was the one controlling the blade, but that wasn''t the case. Murai was the one controlling every inch of this blade with his mindful Shaping. His core improvements with his Shaping were much bigger than the Flame since training in the new affinities would take more effort at the start.


    As for the Sharpness, it was an easy thing to cater for. All Murai did was train the Mana Blades for 3 straight days before it upgraded along with his Mana Blades. He cut the trees at first, feeling that they would be good enough for the 1st tests. That was for 1 day before he went up towards the mountains. Under Iris''s catering and physical help, he managed to reach the mountains where, instead of trees, he began to shatter and cut into mountains made of tough stones.


    That sort of training was very familiar to him, so he reached Grade C in the Sharpness in less than 3 days before moving to other things. It was a great reminder to him that training worked wonders in this world, even though it was shitty. Finding that he may progress outside of some dangerous situation was great, and Iris also acknowledged it, by explaining the basics. Although, for the Beast Core, it was a different story.


    He figured the methods of his past didn''t work on it. Mana of the World didn''t cycle throughout the Beast Core that great. It was probably because of his unfamiliarity and his bad control. It was still uncomfortable, so he didn''t reach any success in upgrading his Beast Core. As for the abilities that came from the Sharpness, Murai wasn''t able to reach much further either. IT only created higher efficiency in Shaping the Mana Blade, and turning it sharper, thus more powerful. He also catered to small things like arrows, smaller blades, and even javelins, but neither of these things created an ability on their own. Iris said that this would take time and circumstances. What did it mean was simple. Time, effort, and challenges.


    The core of the Sharpness was a Proper Mana Blade anyway. It got quite stronger, so that was at least some power he gained since he couldn''t move all that much in the last week.


    As for other, more intricate and possible techniques, Murai hoped to buy or found some specific and certain magic tomes. He didn''t want to be bothered by his own comprehension of something that he wasn''t used to. Using the tomes would be faster since he didn''t want to waste too much time focusing on complicated shaping that could cost him weeks of time.


    So, for now, he found satisfaction with his core abilities.


    Mana Blade was a fundamental core of Sharpness. It was there to cut, and that was it.


    It reached level 8 for now, with the might of the Sharpness at Grade C, ensuring that it reached a better Shaping comfort. Conjuring speed also increased, and the Shaping of the Sharpness smoothened things up. Usage of all of these things was always prone to this system under the Will of the Battleworld. When a certain threshold was reached, it informed him of new things and comprehensions, with a following boost from the world.


    All things mattered, but some were deep and on another level depending on familiarity with the ability. Everything was subjected to the level of comfort, training, and fusions. Be it his own body, and magic in general. It was the usual stuff, albeit the terms of having it said to him in those robotic voices weren''t the usual. Murai found it somewhat appealing since the core of the magic was still a bit outside of this Battleworld system. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Murai was quite something to train with this ability to the current level. It meant he focused a lot of attention and care on the Shaping of Mana Blades and their movements.


    It wasn''t like he could grab it with his hands, and swing it like a proper battle mage. He couldn''t do so, obviously, so he hoped for the best with his mental fortitude and his own talents. His mentality was the Shaping in itself. His mind can control any adjustment to his Beat Core by Conjuring the mana under his mediocre methods. This was as mental as Shaping, while the human battle mages focused on more physicality but it wasn''t always the case. It was a preference. Even a human mage would wield mana like Murai, but they had hands. Things such as density, toughness, and shape of the spells or magical weapons mattered under their hands.


    Of course, it didn''t mean that Shaping was limited to one thing and one thing alone. Any mage could make things levitate with their Shaping, but it was prone to talent. The base view of the Shaping the Conjured mana was more of a steady way of the magic. Things such as making rocks and metallic weapons levitate were more of an aftereffect.


    The form of Murai Shaping was only levitation, which was under the fundamentals of Shaping. Murai long ago underwent this sort of handling of the mana, so he wasn''t unfamiliar with it. The majority of the battles in the Somalis Dungeon were won thanks to his Shaping along and experience. It also didn''t involve his unfamiliarity with the Beast Core, since the Shaping partially involved his soul and mentality. Conjuring depended on Beast Core.


    For the time being, Murai was curious and wondered if his Mana Blade can blast these Scorching Shots to oblivion, or not. So, he tried it, just because he felt confident in himself.


    Lisa, hiding from behind the messiahs was also curious since she didn''t know the limits of Murai''s talent or strategies.


    Unexpected as it was, Murai moved his Mana Blade, swiping it diagonally right into the Scorching Shots. He struck them with the sharp edge and it didn''t stop them, nor cleaved them in half. They exploded instead, shattering the flames of the Scorching Shot apart and creating a wild explosion. Murai felt the heat and sudden flame push to his face. He wasn''t even able to quack. It thrust him away like a pebble since his weight was small, and the flames enveloped him with searing force. He flew far, reaching much further into the forest than before.


    His attempt to grasp his own ability ended up as a splendid failure.


    ¡°Huh? Is... that... What?¡± Porik asked in woder. ¡°A Scorching Shot was enough or is it weak against the flame or what... What?¡± he turned to his left, asking in confusion f it was the case.


    ¡°We are up against a Blessed, idiot. What do you think?¡± The other messiah argued. He was yet to start any spell.


    ¡°That we are fucked?¡±


    ¡°Are you seriously asking me that?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Should I pull...¡±


    ¡°Shut off. This freaking demon is right beside our back.¡± The other man shouted, turning his attention to the curious-looking Lisa who was eyeing them both. Her appearance was that of a demonic lizardy thing. She can change her appearance on a whim since it was a minor ability she was able to do thanks for being a Soul Render.


    In fact, Lisa was able to do a lot of stuff in this current form of her Path. Shapeshifting was one of them, but it wasn''t as lifelike as she would like. She was still like a ghost, with a Sona that made her body.


    Her basic form around the mana still prevailed and overall physicality would always prevail one way or another, making her a ghostly figure that can change shape. Her current appearance was that of a 2-and-a-half-meter tall demon, Vipera. A ghost version of that beast, however.


    Although the two messiahs were aware that soul forms were common and bothersome things in this Seventh Death Forest, they didn''t know that this one was special. Lisa was no residual soul from death, but a proper Soul Entity.


    Each of the messiahs was aware of the dangers residing in this place, so thanks to the treasures they got from their superiors, they were confident.


    ¡°Freaking shit... It can change shape? Meeting a Vipera in this part of the forest wouldn''t be possible. They should be rare in this part of the section.¡± Porik complained again, turning himself to face Lisa.


    Lisa heard their words but remained in her appearance and ploy as a Vipera. It seemed she wanted to pounce at them all, and her wide-open ghostly jaw wanted to devour them both. Alas, she knew she couldn''t do that, since she can''t. Souls in this forest can kill the living as they wish, but her own power wasn''t reaching the threshold where she can fight these men. Not yet.

 Chapter 81: Murai vs Messiahs ~ Part 2

    Only the stronger or weirdest kinds of soul forms can achieve high combat capabilities and Lisa was far from such a thing. After all, her own systematic approach to her own progression wasn''t at Murai''s level, but it wasn''t far. That was why she''ve eaten a bit of his own progression along the way of the past week. As a soul form, she needs mana to get stronger, but many other things would also increase her power. Mana-enriched materials with spiritual properties would be the greatest. Extremely dense mana in any shape would also help her undergo some changes in her structure, but those were quite rare.


    That was one of the disadvantages of her forced Path of Soulreign with the Class D ~ Soul Render. Her upgrade path wasn''t that easy. As long as she will remain with Murai, her physical living form won''t change, and when would it? She didn''t know that, and she never heard of any life companion of another Blessed to gain a 3rd chance. But as with some things, she was promised a fortune with the 2nd, even though it made her prone to certain problems. It all may be a sham, an excuse, or simply a lie about everything that went behind the scenes. Lisa knew it. The future, power, and her case of guiding a Blessed, amongst other things.


    She knew her past self, and even the one before, but no further up to the future which would make things better. For now, she could change her physicality and incorporeal body on a whim, but it didn''t mean she had power against higher-level opponents. With the right strategy, she could do some good, but she wasn''t Murai, whose perception, and most of all, Anatidae''s body, worked a lot better than her Soul Render''s powers. Her body may be hard to damage, but it wasn''t invincible.


    It may be an incredibly rare thing - her Soul Render form or the path itself - but it was a path that was hard to follow in an actual scenario. Progression was slow and hard because of the acquisition of materials, and following her path required a lot of Will, and talent among other thigns. Fortunately, this present situation didn''t call for her care or combat capabilities. All she was meant to be, was a distraction, which shouldn''t be anything hard.


    She hesitated to do much, the moment Murai struck those Scorching Shots, which ended up as a terrible idea. It harmed him for sure as she saw him fly with quite a splendor. Curses echoed in his mind when he disappeared into the forest, but she was sure he was more or less fine.


    What an idiot... He hit the Scorching Shot with his already sloppy mana. What did he expect? Slice it apart? Well, maybe this is my fault as well. I could''ve sent him some words of wisdom, but it isn''t as if he would listen to me. That is true. There is a huge level difference between them, and magic isn''t something one can straight-up skip in terms of skills or rough power. Maybe I should be a bit more careful and explain things better since I am like a whispering tone of wisdom to him, or at least I should be like that. Lisa thought and floated a bit back in her Vipera form. Unbeknownst to her, all that Murai wanted to see were his own effects, while uncaring about the result. It bit him back.


    Her movement caused the two messiahs to turn alert since they were yet to be comfortable with this Seventh Death Forest which was home to many dangers. They had some means that could damage the soul forms, but if they could, they hoped to not use them. Both of them turned their hands forward, pointing at Lisa as if their target was her and not Murai.


    Mana cycled around the ground, forming a swirling matter around the two of them. It cycled around them fast and steady, almost unnaturally coming to their care from Shaping, or the spell from one of the rings they wore. Moments later, before they were finished, they heard a quackling scream of terror and pain, stopping their attempts. It was a wild scram that was hard to not unheard of, let alone forget. The pair halted their channeling, finding even the mana itself jolted in their care. They failed to do anything to Lisa, who was trying to come up with some plan, but she was also looking to the nearby forest, knowing full well what was within.


    Murai emerged from the dust and smoke of the forest. Quite a bit of the surrounding forest caught fire, causing smoke to spread and trees to be set ablaze. His appearance wasn''t haggard, nor his face seemed all that shocked. The ends of his feathers were a bit scorched, but it was almost unnoticeable. His expression, however, was one of annoyance and disappointment. The power of the Scorching Shots didn''t damage his body, but it didn''t mean it did nothing.


    ¡°In the seventh hell, this hurt!¡± Murai complained out loud, but the only thing those messiahs heard were angry quacks and staggering little excuses for walking steps. Murai''s pushed his tiny legs to use, forcing himself from the forest of smoke.


    ¡°Crap, it lives. I knew it.¡± Porik said, turning back to Murai. He quickly decided to halt the previous magic and used another dual Scorching shot. Channeling it in a moment, he fired them without hesitation in 2 seconds. It wasn''t fast nor slow casting speed, and since the Grand Enchantment was in play, the might of this spell wasn''t weak.


    At this point, Murai was no longer willing to take them head-on, which spoke of some development in his heart or ego. Surprisingly Porik seemed faster than before, shooting the Scorching Shots faster than Murai was right to react. ¡°Not giving me a chance? You wish for that!¡± Murai grunted and was a bit hesitant about his next action. He at least didn''t die from the shots before. That would be a funny story to remember - dying by such a style, that was.


    It was his mistake of taking them on, but he also learned something from this about himself, which made his life a tad bit more exciting. Mistakes weren''t a bad thing in his opinion, as long as they wouldn''t matter all that much. One could learn from them in their own ways, perform or realize new things because of them. One can grow from them, becoming a better person.


    Alas, that situation was stupid because of his ego. Murai realized too late that the scaling of the Scorching Shot was vastly larger than his own mana. The thing that was greater than his luck was his body. It was stronger than his inability to follow up with the proper offense, or defense according to common magic sense. The moment he felt the heat rising, he wanted to use the Robust Defense, but he wasn''t anywhere near fast for that. He lacked proficient use of it, and the explosion happened fast, hitting him like a tidal wave.


    His mind was late because of his ego. After the hotness enveloped his body and powerful pushing force moved against his flesh, he cursed and that was it. Flames and that force even penetrated his feathers, straining his healed bones, and muscles that painfully screeched in horror and pain. This experience in this life was full of this thing. The pain. The last week was enough for the months upon the usual starts of his living, so Murai felt like an idiot. He didn''t like to feel this sort of pain. It reminded him of the helplessness of being handled like a toy, tossed, and cracked like one too.


    Now, it was a different situation than being handled by Razmund, and even different than undergoing Iris''s healing. Murai could feel his feathers absorbing the heat, and the pushing force didn''t crack his bones, but the flesh took some damage. Ringing sounds echoed in his head, reminding him how his Robust Spirit took things to another level. His mind didn''t even blink in this explosion. He saw and felt every speck of the force, every flame element to hit his body. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His legs felt fine, albeit he was still feeling the last 1 week in them. His neck took some damage too since it was a longer and more flexible part of his body. Thinner and softer feathers lined down towards his chest, becoming thicker and longer. As for the back, there were also thicker feathers. Wings didn''t take much of anything, since he wasn''t using them and they were behind his back, folded.


    Overall, he felt like shit taking those Scorching Shots straigh to his face. It may sound strange to the messiahs, but Murai didn''t consider this to be that terrible. Perhaps he lied to himself for his sake. It wouldn''t be the first time he did so, nor the last. He realized he can trust his body, enabling him to be fine against this spell that should kill foes around level 10 in almost any situation. If not, then causing some significant damage from messiah''s perspective should make sense to occur.


    Alas, what they - Porik especially - didn''t know, was the detailed knowledge of their enemy. They knew it was an Anatidae, but their unique status, rarity, and exotic traits weren''t something they were sure to meet. Making any case of this species was unique and hard to figure out. Not even Centralis Kingdom knew of any special ways to solve it, other than by brute force, enough personnel, and bare maximum power to not anger the gods. Those were the hunts, and military they sent to this forest.


    Apart from the important thing that Will of the Battleworld provided to Razmund - or other means - they didn''t know the overall experience or abilities that Murai had at all. It was similar to Murai, who didn''t know what Razmund''s side had to offer.


    The most important piece was the information that he was Blessed. But that sort of thing spoke thousands of words, if not more. Such beings were large and important factors in the running of the Battleworld, and each one was extremely individualistic and remarkable. Sensing anything about them, or discovering their power wasn''t anything easy. Their status was all sought out by kings and nations alike, and each was powerful in their own unique way.


    These two messiahs feared their enemy to a certain extent since they were nobodies and their opponent wasn''t. Such was the status of the Blessed - the beings that were tools and souls of the Battleworld''s plains, or tools used by gods from above.


    Porik''s Scorching Shots surged in the same power as before, arriving toward Murai, who didn''t desire to test their might again, nor have anything to do with them. It was the case of getting the right familiarity from them, which he felt with his body alone. Murai learned from his poor mistake, using this to change his ego a little.


    Still, 4 or so meters away from them, Murai Conjured some mana, Shaping 4 Flame Shots in less than a second. They were quick to create because their might wasn''t that high as itself, but they could become quite mighty with some shaping aimed at weak points. He didn''t take his time and started this quick process the moment he felt the shots coming from Porik''s hands.


    He took almost 2 seconds waster than Porik since he made a special case of the Flaming Shot under his unique Shaping. He made them longer, flatter, and not round as they should be. They almost resembled flaming throwing knives, poorly said, but they were nowhere near their proper shape.


    What was Murai doing was another advanced use of Shaping. By connecting two fundamentals of two affinities, he was creating something new with his logic, shaping, and memory. Flame and Sharpness were compatible with any sense of magic. Doing so after 3 seconds of literal calmness and immobility, his mind was preoccupied with their Shaping. That was a dangerous time, which was taking some effort and ability on his own. 3 seconds was a long period of time in any battle and thankfully, the messiah beside Porik didn''t choose to attack.


    The only reason Murai was able to stall for his counterattack was the distance, and Porik''s brief hesitation to unleash dual Scorching Shot faster. He wasted a second after the spell was over the full channeling before he unleashed their might. A couple of seconds of spell delay can play an important in any duel. It was part of Murai''s successful Shaping of this type of magic, which he did only twice in this life.


    4 distinct flaming blades shot forward much faster than the round and large Scorching Shots. Murai''s ability was much thinner, penetrating the wind better and faster, but it wasn''t as direct as his Mana Blade, or stronger.


    One flaming blade penetrated each Scorching Shot. They didn''t explode this time, much to Porik''s inability to detect the speed of these blades or their power. Though, they were enough to penetrate the core structure of his Schorching Shots.


    They swelled in a moment, destabilizing in their internal structure because of an unfamiliar flame entering their insides. They also lose a large amount of their momentum, almost stopping 3 meters before Murai. Puffing smoke and small sizzling flames escaped from their body yet they kept going forward. The remaining 2 flaming blades shot straight forward, through the residual smoke and heat, arriving at the two messiahs. Unlike Porik who was using his attention on the Scorching Shots, the other one used his own Ward. It was a weaker version, unlike their leader''s. The advantage of numbers and tactics became apparent as their teamwork. One of them can carry the offense, and the other can perform the defense. It was a common strategy, the kind that Murai figured would most likely happen, but he didn''t like to see this cleverness.


    This Ward was enough to go against Murai, whose fusion of those affinities was more of an experiment, than something he wanted to use to kill them. He wanted to see the effects of his upgrades and magic, which didn''t destabilize their mana, nor did much to the Ward, but it did use their attention. That was already plenty enough, while the smoke and flames did the rest.


    He succeeded in his first plan, so amidst the chaos from destabilized Scorching Shots that flickered and lost further momentum, floating at snail''s speed, he hurried to hide around the trees, escaping behind the bushes.


    It wasn''t time for a direct confrontation, and he didn''t even wait for his flaming blades to reach the Ward. It was obvious in his eyes. They didn''t penetrate the Ward, nor did they do something great. Two straight flaming blades made a few cracks, which was already quite impressive. They had no blessing from the world on their own, nor their form was great. They held Murai''s affinity, mana, and Shaping.


    Those cracks caused the Porik to frown and get much more nervous, fearing that he fucked up more than he thought he did. The smoke turned thicker, causing the situation beyond the Ward to become unknown. The surrounding forest was already foggy to begin with, while the smoke and forest fire didn''t make things better. They couldn''t feel Murai at all, who disappeared to the section of the forest that wasn''t on fire, but it wouldn''t last for long.


    ¡°Way to go... Porik. Using the same two spells to gouge the opponent? Are you still a fucking rookie?¡± The other messiah scolded Porik, who was more than 10 years younger than him but was around the same level as him.


    ¡°I wanted to be sure, elder brother Izik. Don''t be upset,¡± Porki argued, looking at Porik who wore an annoyed face. ¡°1st Scorching shot did some damage, so I wanted to try it again. Who knew that a duck would shape those flying blades under some strange speed and method? They didn''t look like a spell at all.¡±


    ¡°Spell? It wasn''t one, idiot. That was simple unconventional magic without any form, so what are you so sure about? You think of this too lightly. Do you want to be sure that this Blessed is unlike what meets an eye? Of course, it is the case. Every Blessed is special in their own rights. Now, shut off your tries, and let''s work together like a proper team. This is an incredible situation where we can achieve once-in-a-lifetime results and rewards. If we won''t fuck this up, that is.¡± Izik said, ignoring the fact that their leader was long dead and Lisa was eyeing them again. A chance will soon come when Murai will unleash another ambush. She figured it was an interesting strategy, and up to her impressive tastes.


    Izik then ceased the Ward away, and so did Porik, who couldn''t help but turn silent in the fear of his older comrade. Their Grand Enchantment swayed in mana fluctuation, turning both of their attention to something new. It wasn''t a try to use any outside spells this time around. Both of them grabbed the handles to their blades, which rested beside their hips. Drawing them up, the blade faced their faces, while the mana turned to calmness around their feet.


    Watching them, they started to murmur some sort of incantations, which in turn, led to all sorts of runes and formations appearing below their feet, and on the edges of the blade. The runes were enveloping their bodies and swords alike, giving them the advantage of direct enchantment.


    Behind their back, Lisa was inclined to do something, but her physical prowess was lower than a deer. Should she barge to cease their formation away since they returned their attention forward? No, but she can use something else. She shook her head and screamed another Soul Shock toward them.


    Izik frowned, while Porik shook internally, but both were alright. They expected this sort of thing. What they were doing was a self-enchantment, and it worked like a charm. It was something body related. It wasn''t a spell to cast outside but formed internal improvements like a blessing from a priest. It formed a glittering aura around them, as they both performed a few spells to shroud their bodies and blade alike.


    This right here was something Lisa was familiar with. Enchantment magic with the ability to create special effects to enchant one''s body, or equipment with unique properties. Both messiahs used their connection to the Grand Enchantment formation, which even influenced this enchantment to be stronger than usual. Their Mana rejoiced into the enchanted body, giving rise to further strength, and reflexes, and enchanted their blades to cleave at their opponents.


    Although each of their blades was a magical sword, Lisa wasn''t able to guess their power or grade. Just from a glance, their blades had at least 4 enchantments, which should involve a lot of mana, but it all invovled the Grand Enchantment so she felt helpless to attack any further. Those were Might enchantment, Quickness enchantment, Sharpness enchantment, and a Brittle meant for the explosive power of mild vibration. Their bodies had a few other enchantments, like some form of weaker Ward, Strenght, and Dexterity enchantment.


    Seeing that, Lisa put forth her mind and sent a message to Murai after feeling her Soul Shock turned out to be useless. ¡°Those two are turning desperate, or extremely confident. Be careful of your next move. They want to finish this as soon as possible with their weapons alone, so don''t give them any chance. Also, I bet they discovered that you are weaker than they feared.¡±


    In the forest, close but shrouded in the smoke before him, Murai watched in silence. He didn''t speak, nor sent a thing. His Mana Detection was more than enough to feel the pressure rising and he didn''t need to stop anything. With the flame and surroundings aflame, he doubted they would notice his mana in this situation. And they didn''t because of their own enchantment, which pulled their attention to themselves.


    So, enchantment magic? I didn''t use that sort of thing myself, since it involves a better experience of Shaping and pretty much everything. I guess their level is indeed too much for me to handle. Though, it doesn''t mean I can''t kill them. They are still humans with weak points and not much armor. That is good, but... Tsch... their Ward enchantment is a bother. Should I focus on close combat? Their swords may swipe my flesh in those enchantments, though. Murai deduced while Izik and Porik looked forward, seeing the residual force of the Scorching Shots disappear.


    Fog, smoke, and flame subsided, but it was still quite hard to see things because of the flames of the trees and mushes. There wasn''t much fuel for the shots to be puffing smoke for minutes so it took around 14 seconds for them to stop before they dissipated.


    ¡°It''s gone. The Blessed is gone!¡± Porik exclaimed and started to look around frantically. They were in the middle of the dark forest, made of dead trees and quite dense-looking bushes. It was perfect for an ambush so he realized it was quite bad.


    They were all in the middle of a patch of land, surrounded by dozens of options for an ambush, so both of them figured Murai was close like the first ambush. It was a perfect choice, and they didn''t make a mistake with their strategy. After all, their might was bigger than Murai''s.


    ¡°Shut off, Porik. Obviously, it is away. What have you expected? It, dueling two swords agast beak in 1 against 2? That would be stupid. Now, back to back, do you hear me?¡± Izik ordered and forced his back to face Porik''s. He was the one glancing at the back, focusing his gaze on Lisa who appeared floating 4 meters away as if waiting for something.


    Izik looked at the demon in disguise, but who knew that this Vipera had a much worse demon underneath? Not him, at least.


    Well, they appear experienced. Lisa thought, feeling Murai''s tactics through their connection. She had no need to feel or do a thing. She was always aware of Murai''s whereabouts and movements. There was no need for Mana Detection or Soul Read.


    As expected of the troops of the Centralis Kingdom. Nothing much changed with them. Their Enchamnents are still the same with this sort of artificial enchantment circle, but without it, they are like chicks before a halbert. I wonder how many years passed since my death? They also think this appearance of mine isn''t up for this Seventh Death Forest, so... remember, Lisa! What are the routes and regions of this forest... You were here before, even though it was only twice when I visited it personally. Twice? When, where? Wait... Could this be... Lisa thought to herself, appearing hesitant, yet fierce at the surface when she recalled some important thing about this location.


    ¡°This fucking demon... Is it in the shackles with this Blessed? When I think of it, there doesn''t seem to be a Life Companion around it. It has no Helpers, slaves, or companions.¡± Izik thought out loud, focusing his attention on Lisa, who won''t attack.


    This put some strain on messiah''s power dynamic, and Murai wanted to use this to his advantage. Although, it meant nothing great since both of them were strong.


    So, with him hiding close behind the bushes, who will Murai choose? Izik or Porik as his target for his 2nd ambush?

 Chapter 82: Murai vs Messiahs ~ Part 3

    Underneath the bushes, hiding outside of the residual smoke and trees, Murai was 4 meters away from the foes, waiting. The pair of messiahs didn''t seem to sense the surrounding Mana all that well in their state of enchantments. They stood there, watching over the potential ambush with their readied swords and flaring mana that was quite threatening in power.


    This very well might be power in the same proximity as what Acaman Golem possessed but in a different way. Theirs was the clever one, filling the air with the threat and dangers of any movement. Murai knew this was as important a moment as the first ambush.


    Failure meant troubles, while success was dependent on what kind of move he would use.


    Surrounding them were trees and bushes at all sides, while Lisa was eyeing Izik in her Vipera form.


    Murai wasn''t hiding, per se, just waiting for a chance. His Mana Detection was putting forth some Mana undulations for sure, making the potential of his discovery higher, but he didn''t want to be blind.


    Only when he came closer, towards the 3rd meter, was he discovered by Porik, who pounced forwards to the left side of the forest, opposite of the forest fire. Swiping his double-gripped blade widely, he cleaved at the bushes with a wide swing and slash that swiped 6 meters around him. Wind and sword strikes slashed down the trees and bushes alike in a horizontal slash, while his face was serious, thinking he had won.


    Unfortunately for him, Murai was so small that the wide and hip-tall swipe that he slashed forward with, did nothing but show an opportunity. Porik was too hot-blooded in his current option, failing to gouge the situation better. He forced yet nothing things outside of what Izik wanted, but he was too late to act. Both of them were.


    Pouncing forward, Murai used the temporary openness of fewer than 2 seconds that Porik had after the wide slash and jumped high toward his torso. Even though he was yet to regain full capacity over the injured bones in his legs, he didn''t care.


    They were like 80% healed, but what else was he supposed to do?


    Carry on and act how a normal mage would?


    He doubted he would fare well against these 2 with their decent-looking enchantment, equipment, and power. He wasn''t that comfortable with the power of his magic, but he didn''t need to be. His body was that of a magical creature anyway, so Murai clutched his beak tight and gritted his teeth. The pain subsided as many things in his Will, while Robust Spirit caused an unwavering sensation in his soul. It felt kind of good having this sort of opportunity to act with one Will.


    At the moment, he was fine with having some trouble with his fighting choices, which was something similar, yet different than his almost healed body. His legs were fine. As for his wings, he did consider them as nothing, since flying was impossible, nor were they good at anything for him. In an actual fight, they didn''t matter at all.


    He needed more experience for that, or some brand new Evolution, or figure something else when he could. It wasn''t like he could master the magic of levitation out of the blue. But they had at least one thing to offer. Adjusting the wings for balance and the push of force that he needed for the upcoming attack, he pushed forward like a raging bull.


    His beak was forming bright colorful mana on top of his beak, creating dense power fluctuation that moved towards his beak. Murai was more of a physical guy than caring for being a mage anyway, albeit it was a bit counterproductive. Hitting enemies from a distance was always safer and more manageable.


    Murai pounced at Porik with his Beak''s Peak that he channeled before he even leaped forward. Porik was open for enough time to get past the 2-second channeling, giving the Beak''s Peak more than 3 and a half seconds to charge with his mana and momentum.


    There was something wild with this ability, but Murai didn''t care. He didn''t care how his neck screamed with the push of force that traveled from his core to his beak, nor how the Beak Peak''s form winced, almost destabilizing. He liked the explosive power it created, while he found it quite nice to battle opponents with it.


    Porik didn''t expect a charging duck, nor did Izik think of such a direct confrontation. Thanks to the late notice and abrupt actions of Porik''s attack, he was too far from him. This damned rookie was overly zealous and acted without the right intentions and teamwork. In fact, the whole swiping motion of his blade was a terrible idea, and Porik''s blade was out of Murai''s direction, and reach.


    Momentum worked to his advantage, and now, Murai using it against him. Porik needed to return the blade fast, which was impossible to do since Murai was coming faster than before, jumping and flipping his wings behind him. The glowing beak was the most dangerous sight.


    Porik saw it, and he could only swell his body and clutch his muscles, focusing on his enchanted defenses. The glowing beak hit him straight to his chest, causing mild, gradually widening cracks to spread over the thin layers of Minor Ward around Porik''s front.


    The defense vision of his enchantments did work the best as they could, spreading mana and forming protection against this powerful point-heavy force. Murai''s attack was strange and unlike some sword attacks, or magic. In the best scenario, it was akin to a powerful stab of a spearhead, with the explosion of force right afterward.


    Alas, seeing so many cracks appear, the momentum and strength from Murai''s all-out Beak''s Peak pushed through the enchantment, hitting Porik in the middle of his chest.


    Defense, Vitality, or Strength, Porik''s body was still that of a human. It was prone to core physical issues. in a sense, human bodies were weak, almost frail. Murai knew it. Muscles, the softness of certain body parts, organs, joints, and bones. They all created intricate masterpieces, but it can crumble in certain ways.


    The momentum of the Beak''s Peak pushed Porik dozens of meters away as if a bull smacked a child. Stopping by hitting a tree with his back, he coughed up blood and glanced up at his chest. Mana turned unstable, and the cracks of his enchantment revealed the cause of this trauma. Blood floated, from his nose and mouth alike, and he had no doubts that his ribs were crushed.


    Putting a hand on a gushing wound on his chest, he saw a few broken ribs penetrating his skin and exposed flesh. It was considerable damage, and he didn''t even take that attack head-on with his body. The use of Grand Enchantment, let alone the cycle of mana between him and Izik, should''ve made his defense better. They did, along with the enchantments on his body, but it wasn''t as effective against the Beak Peak''s high aptitude and hidden strengths that Murai was yet to know.


    It was close to a lethal injury, and a handful hole was put into his chest, damaging his lungs which was quite a risky injury. He was out of this fight from this single exchange that even Murai didn''t think would be so great.


    At this point, after a quick change and ambush, Izik finally got his shit together. He long turned around, ignoring Lisa to attack Murai without hesitation. He noticed how wide-open Murai was, from his surprising push of force. Before, he wanted to use Porik as a platform to jump out, but he flung away so fast, he couldn''t even touch him. Now, he wanted to go back to the ground but that can take a couple of seconds. So, Izik swiped his blade directly against him, cleanly and smoothly arriving at Murai''s neck.


    He was a small target, but one that was close to his quick arrival and placement of his sword.


    ¡°Fuck off!¡± Murai saw the blade and quacked in annoyance. Putting forth an attack, and not the defense, he decided to use the residual power of the Beak''s Peak to clutch the blade''s edge with his open beak. The Beak''s Peak wasn''t necessarily powering the offense alone, as it was encompassing his whole beak, channeling the mana all over it, or even within it.


    The finest focus was on the tip, unsurprisingly, as it was the ending focus of the Beak''s Peak. It was something sturdier and more powerful than the Beak''s Fury which had a rather strange name and held a more flexible nature.


    Murai figured there weren''t just attacks that he can use with it. The Beak''s Peak strength lay in many other things that Murai was yet to discover. Using the beak in another way than the attack was a possibility, because of his flexible neck, but it wasn''t just there. It was an attack that channeled more things together, creating quite some force that he had to uncover by himself. Like many things in his mind, his Beak was a tool. A weapon, in some sense.


    This, right there, was a precise situation where the experience with the ability can lead to drastic changes. Not necessarily in a good, or bad way. Comfortableness and confidence played an important part in this, yet Murai felt all the confidence in the world, even when he wasn''t that comfortable with his body.


    Beak''s Peak''s main strength lay in the dense power that will accumulate between halves of the beaks before coming outwards, focusing on the tip. Murai used that notion against Porik, but not against Izik. He let go of the wild demonic nature of this ability, which was a mixture of mana, and some wild momentum that Murai couldn''t yet guess.


    It was something of a demonic nature, stemming from his core. It was what made his Beast Core, a Beast Core. It was a state of mana but of different properties along with his body. It was something that made him different from humans, as he was no human, but a demonic beast.


    Murai opened his beak, watching how the blade was coming for his neck, wanting to behead him like a chicken. Alas, as he wished, he clutched the upcoming blade with an open beak, eating this attack head-on, literary. The power of the open Beak''s Peak clutched against the blade that Izik was strengthening with what he could master. Empowering a treasure blade with the power of his whole body, let alone the 4 enchantments, made this attack more than powerful. It was a lethal attack, outside of the range of level 30s.


    It was way out of the Murai''s reach, but unexpectedly, the blood wasn''t shed, let alone the head flew through the air.


    Smack!


    Thanks to the posture of Murai''s jump, Izik managed to smash Murai to the ground but he didn''t pierce him, nor slash him in half as he hoped. Pushed to the ground with his back, Murai still clutched his beak with the blade in it. A quite ferocious glance was in his eyes, and he looked at Izik who had a surprised face.


    Wincing his neck, and wriggling himself free, Murai wanted to smash this blade to smithereens, but he couldn''t do so. Even when he tried his best, clutching every fiber of his neck and beak together, he held no power to destroy this sort of blade. But stopping it? Murai felt the powerful sword''s momentum when he hit the ground, crushing at him like a tidal wave. It moved to his insides, straining him in a fierce attack. Most of it hit his head, neck, and spine, but it was way weaker than Razmund''s hits, so he thought little of it.


    His teeth were sharp and his beak was sturdy beyond anything regarding his body. Murai realized something. He believed his beak to be his highest treasured item. Unfortunately, it wasn''t beyond a metallic blade of unknown rarity and power, much to his disappointment. It was enough to deflect and defend, which was at least something.


    Izik was looking down, handling the blade''s handle with both hands and trying to push it further. He put his whole body weight down, yet he was unable to do much as well.


    This was a standstill, where neither opponent was able to do much.


    ¡°Fucking beast...Die! Die!¡± Izik said through gritted teeth and sweat fell off of his forehead, making him nervous. He felt the threat to his life when Murai glanced at him. The glitter in this duck''s eyes was dangerous while stopping this attack was another thing altogether. He believed this sort of slash was something that would solve this situation.


    His sword was excellent, and he still held full control over his enchantments, but there was a problem. With Porik gone to the far tree, the Grand Enchantment became obsolete, ceasing the advantage of having two times more mana to disappear. It made his attack weaker and less lethal, but it was still strong and should''ve damaged Murai for sure. It would, but the beak wasn''t necessarily weaker than the sturdiness of this blade. In fact, it was much sturdier than it looked.


    Thus, the standstill occurred, when the duel between Izik and Murai was reaching its conclusion.


    Then, right as Izik was trying his best, he heard a strange sound coming from down below. It sounded bizarre as if some devil was clutching his sword, laughing and scrapping its claws or horns against the window. Murai was giggling, sounding quite strange when he had the sword in his beak.


    ¡°Beak''s Peak, for the second time! Motherfucker, I will kill you too!¡±


    Murai willed his intent forward, which amounted to nothing but calming his mind and making up his mind. He could continuously use the Peak, as long as his mana capacity was good, and nothing seemed wrong with his body or core. It didn''t, even though his insides hurt from being pushed to the ground and going through that wild momentum of Izik''s slash. Most of the sword''s power moved through his beak, dispersing the majority of it within it, but it still hit him with part of that power.


    Murai may overlook some momentary discomfort and even tinges of instability in his Beast Core. Now wasn''t a time to be angry or upset, but be as decisive to the opponent as to oneself. So far, he was still unfamiliar with his mana pool, but he was sure of one thing. It was larger than what those two messiahs can combine together even with their Grand 2-way Enchantments and handling of the world''s mana. They didn''t even have cores of their own, so what else could he use, then exploit it to the moon?


    Maybe it wouldn''t be enough to do so if the 3 messiahs would be together, but in 1 versus 1, it was obvious how advantageous it could be. Against an opponent which had fear in his soul and hesitation because he was alone, Murai turned up his confidence to the maximum.


    Another force of mana spread over his beak, becoming thicker and shimmering with small waves. It appeared within the Murai''s Beak too, unlike before when he had it close. Clutching the sword, it was making Izik question reality. This mana was strange, and... he couldn''t do anything about it. His sword was already losing some of the strength from the enchantments, but he clutched it tight to hope for the best. His whole body weight pushed down, but it seemed like he had a dagger to cleave a King Boar in half.


    When his attack put Murai to the ground, the residual force of the Beak''s Peak was lessened, causing Izik to feel comfortable with finishing the job. Now, that he was feeling this unnatural sturdiness from the clutch of his sword, he figured that the beak around the edge of his was the main problem.


    Izik was wrong. It was everything combined. The mana and beak combined with the Anatidae. A fucking disaster.


    With his life on the line, Murai would use what he could, even though he could''ve solved this dual in a flash. After all, the use of Robust Spirit''s Identity would deal with Izik in a moment, but Murai didn''t even consider it.


    With the second Peak coming forward, Izik was unable to gouge what was happening, but the danger was down below. He could feel it as a long-time member of the Centralis Kingdom and as a messiah in general. When fear and context of this danger hit his mind, he wildly grimaced. He was unable to keep up with the rising mana requirements for all of these enchantments.


    With Porik gone from his position, he was unable to retain the connection to the Grand Enchantment. it was their specialty. The power of cowards and people of lesser strength than the lofty powers that the Gifted and Blessed held.


    The number was their power, so when alone, it was obviously a bad thing.


    Bad? It was disastrous.


    Izik gritted his teeth, forcing everything he had in his being onto the blade, but then, he decided on something else. He swung the blade away - towards himself - and not down. It was to his side, so the blade slipped away from Murai''s beak, who clutched it close but it was unable to clutch this movement properly because it was like hanging onto a sword with scissors. One can''t clutch it fine, since they would slip.


    Then, as quickly as Izik could, he wanted to use this chance of a single second to slash this motherfucking duck into two halves. He swung his blade around his head, uttering a simple technique he had practiced for a long time.


    ¡°Focus Strike!¡±


    The blade flickered, and mana smeared around the edge, making the sword seem like a wavy arc. The Focus Strike then appeared around the side of Murai''s head. He was close to finishing the Beak''s Peak''s channeling, but it wasn''t enough.


    Still, he chose to feel the mana within the blade and was able to perceive its movements. It was coming right towards his head again, so by turning his beak sideways, alongside his body, he formed an angle with his beak''s side. Since Izik was no longer forcing him onto the ground, he got plenty of room in this second to get some room to move.


    Bang!


    The metallic sound echoed, and banged between the two tough forces, leaving Murai to travel for about 4 meters along the ground, unhurt.


    He emerged fine, thanks to a split decision. In the end, the second use of Beak''s Peak was kind of a dumb idea, since it needed channeling, and Izik used that chance to strike him down. That was almost a fatal mistake, but it wasn''t one that happened.


    In duels, such things happened a lot. Murai knew it. A mistake can cause death, while a moment of hesitation would create opportunities.


    Izik looked forward and was unable to suppress his surprise. What kind of beak is it? Is it really normal? Even with the demonic beast and Anatidaes combined? Dear gods... No wonder the executives were so insistent on being careful and gave us all so many treasures, he wondered to himself, yet he was unable to notice Lisa from behind.


    She was watching him for a long time by now, and strands of shivering particles moved from him to her. Izik didn''t feel a thing, because it wasn''t a physically based thing, nor something he would notice right now when his mind was preoccupied with Murai alone.


    Turning his blade forward, he steadied his mana in the last stand that he should retain. He was already feeling unsteady in his steps. This blade... It was feeding on him like a wild river, enabling him to get an increased power level, but its requirement was at least 3 people in formation. 2 for a limited time and if alone, it would work for less than a minute. It required mana and the strength of a person. Izik felt the drain of this sword, but what was before him was that enticing to put everything in line.


    How much time had passed since the start of him, being alone? He was closing on his limit, with the minute flowing around the corner.


    Izik was a zealous devotee of the Centralis Kingdom, and rules were the rules. He will follow them to the very end and try to catch the prey or kill it instead.


    He pointed his sword forward and lowered his posture. Bending knees, his face turned solemn and sword pointed forward with both hands on the handle.


    A thrust? Murai thought, forcing himself back to his feet. His beak''s Peak turned up to be dispersing already. The channeling took some effort, but if stopped before unleashing it, the Peak would disperse. The strength of the Focus Strike left his beak kind of numb but his deflection of that strike was successful. He was pretty much fine in the body, and no amount of dizziness in his mind would cause him to be in shambles. His neck was a bit strained too, and his beak was numb, but so what?


    His steady mind and soul were an advantage he had from Soul Force and Robust Spirit seemed to be much stronger than he thought. That, or his Will, and Soul powers in this life were much better than he thought? Murai can''t get used to these systematic things and the catering that the Battleworld was giving him. This whole concept of borrowed power and achievement was lackluster and sounded like a recipe for a disaster.


    It was giving things of incredible value for cheap, almost in an insensible nature that shouldn''t happen according to the thigns he perceived from the universe and his Cursed Living. It did give him a tremendous boost. That much, he acknowledged. Any new thing pertaining to the Soul was like a sculpting tool. The kind that was shaping Murai''s powerful soul with new things.


    In a sense, Murai was wrong. It was no borrowed power since he was strong in the soul aspects from the very beginning. He was always like that, but the majority of the worlds wouldn''t give him the sense of direction that the Battleworld did. A proper gist of such things at the start of this new life was unlike his usual approach to thigns. Thus, he was confused over many things and it made less sense the more he tried to ponder about it.


    Murai didn''t uncover anything new about this in the last week, but he could tell the course of his soul in this life was unlike the previous ones. It wasn''t so apparent in the past, so why it was the case in this one? Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That sort of question appeared in his head a lot of times, but he wasn''t sure of the answer. He definitely didn''t want to look for such a thing at the moment.


    With his pair of 3 little fingers in his tiny legs clutching the dry soil, Murai felt good. Facing Izik who wanted to kill him with his best and most likely, last attack, this was a proper duel right now. It was obvious from his gaze alone that he was confident. Izik radiated killing intent, but also calm recollection. He no longer seemed like before ~ afraid, shocked, and hesitant.


    Murai was familiar with such gazes in many of his life. It was a look of decisiveness, greed, and desire to kill, but deep down, there was a speck of surprise and fear. The pain was in there too, among other things.


    Huh... Soul Read seems like a better ability than I thought. It can read emotions and feel the soul itself, enabling me to feel the person without even knowing them... How strange, Murai wondered, finding the current situation kind of peculiar. It wasn''t as if he could look at the soul directly, and read them like a book. But the overall feel of the person was much more distinct and emotions played a lot of parts in one''s action. It was honest as emotions were something the soul perceived at all times, and none would think of them as something bad.


    Murai raised his beak, feeling the situation with his body. Seventh Death Forest was a dull place, and for some reading, this whole situation made him calm. He didn''t get any message from the Will of the Battleworl as he usually did with the battles. He wasn''t sure if what was happening was normal or not, but when fighting for one''s life, nothing mattered more than being a victor and not a loser.

 Chapter 83: End and memories

    Before Murai had a chance to wonder further, Izik charged with a thrust of his straight sword. It was an attack of a simple mindset, steering from the fact that Izik didn''t have a lot of time left. A sharp point of the sword aimed straight at Murai''s chest, coming fast after Izik pounced forward with unnatural speed. This attack was what Izik considered the best against this sort of beak, which should have some limited potential and flexibility to stop such an attack, but that was his hope ~ not knowledge.


    In this way, Murai will have some trouble with catching such sharp and quick points of the sharp blade that has the potential to rip through his feathers.


    Izik guessed it correctly, and Murai noticed it right away as well.


    However, neither planned to back down when this last exchange happened in the next few to dozen seconds. Both of them held minds of conviction and confidence in their ability, but one was more resounding and stronger than the other by an unsurprising grade.


    Strangely enough, Izik wasted a lot of time, allowing Murai to prepare another Beak Peak. It was the strongest attack he had in terms of his potential. It was part of his unnatural body, so it made sense to do things in his way. He was ready in a couple of seconds, so Murai made the obvious strategy that he could use against the obvious upcoming attack.


    By lowering his center of gravity, and crouching down along with his posture, he could interact with the incoming attack much better. Since Izik was aiming quite low, Murai''s advantage went without question. He was short, giving him an advantage of a small target, which was more than apparent in these clashes against large opponents. The path of this upcoming trust will move in a fine and narrow line, so expecting it to come straight was obvious.


    Seeing crouching Murai, Izik felt nothing but expectations that his momentary pause and focus would pay off. The mana within the beak was flaring strangely, aiming straight toward him, and making him nervous.


    With the beak facing the tip of the blade from afar, Murai''s move will go straight toward Izik''s intentions. This will be a confrontation and that''s how it should be like. Izik understood the intentions of this Blessed even without any words said between them, albeit in the true line of conversation, Murai would rather curse this man to the seventh hell.


    ¡±So you are confident to take me on?¡± Izik asked. ¡°I am as well, so you will be sorely disappointed by this!¡±


    Pushing his whole being towards the kill, Izik was like the thrust itself. His whole body strengthened, resembling a spearhead itself. The sword pushed forward with all of his body strength, flaring up with speed and mana. The sword itself had a glister of mana, engulfing it with waves of momentum. It was as if the tip of the sword pierced the sky, aiming at Murai in a split second and arriving at it soon.


    The tip reached Murai''s Beak''s Peak so fast, but in a straight line, that the straightness became negligible, nor did their size matter. Izik hoped this attack would create an opportunity or straight victory and he should be right, but Murai wasn''t an idiot. He held some confidence in his own choices, which was the core of this Peak. Tensing his head tight by clutching every fiber of his body, he hit the tip of the sword with his closed beak.


    The tip against the tip. Both were sharp, but one had momentum, and the other hadn''t moved at all.


    Screeching sounds emerged from the impact, pushing Murai, instead of Izik because of the difference in momentum.


    ¡°Bah! Damn!¡± Murai grunted, feeling how his legs gave up on him, causing them to not bend, but travel through the ground behind him. Those are physical limits and not my issues, I bet. Soil isn''t strong enough to support this. Those are damn pesky things, or am I way too light? Murai thought, yet still tried his best to push his beak against this straight and incredible momentum. Digging with his feet to the ground, he was hoping to find a steady footing so he wouldn''t lose his balance and find some firm spot to stop this momentum.


    Izik pushed him for dozens of meters, uninterrupted by anything but was unsuccessful in injuring his target. That angered him as much as he was shocked.


    Murai kept grunting, wincing his neck against the sword but his body was firm and steadily taking this sort of attack without losing further. It was the surroundings that were losing against him.


    Because of the lack of steady footing, Murai fell to a disadvantage, feeling his neck was giving up on him, but the beak was sturdy and Beak''s Peak was strong. It was pushing against the sword just enough without losing or winning, which wasn''t bad or great. It was a case where it shouldn''t be lost normally if it wouldn''t be for the rest of the body. The rest of the body was weaker than the beak since the growth and time Murai underwent weren''t all that great. He lacked the comfort, usability, and potential of his body.


    Murai felt a bit disappointed in himself in this matter, feeling that he should prefer to master the body first before anything else. However, the world had other things to give him, albeit he was at fault for it instead. He lacked the time because of many things combined.


    Now, seeing his situation before his beak, it would be quite bad if he would end up being rolled over so easily. The sword was right there, ready to pierce him. Murai was pretty much sure this sort of attack wouldn''t stop because of his small stature, or feathers that seemed more than they appeared.


    Like this, Izik was pushing Murai further through the soil, forcing Murai to dig his feet deeper in a try and find something to hang onto.


    This went from meter to meter, and even some boulders and wood were pushed away because of Izik''s force.


    Murai already went through this force for 3 seconds, giving his neck an unnatural twist while his beak was yet to lose. The force of this momentum and lack of proper ground strained his neck and hurt his throat. He shouldn''t go with this further, or some bones will break. A neck one would be fatal since the spine was quite important.


    His Beak''s Peak went against the glowing tip of the sword, but both of the forces were beginning to lose some of their lusters. The reach of the limits was prone to them both, as their time, mana, and power were approaching.


    Murai watched it all with his eyes that went along his beak, allowing him to see everything clearly. Izik''s eyes showed helplessness and his soul screamed how he should flee or do something better than ushering his life in a death momentum. It was the sort of emotion that was common in the End and grief for one''s inability to do what one wanted or desired.


    He was close to the limits, but so was Murai, who had enough of this bullshit. Clutching his lower body by pushing his flat parts of the push as behind as he could, he did the obvious thing he could do. He halted as much speed as he could before he twisted his knees and by using the power from his core, Murai jumped if he could. Instead, he took a step, wriggling himself to the left as he opened his beak, and twisted his step.


    The small movements would allow the force behind Izik''s sword to change direction, so the blade would no longer pierce him. It traveled through the Murai''s open beak, but because of the sidestep, it didn''t travel to the throat further or hit the insides of the beak.


    At the moment of this small and almost unnoticeable sight, Izik was too late to realize the strategy that went before his glowing sword and after Murai''s Peak. It was too hard for his helplessness, so he only felt delighted after his sword went in, no longer restricted by the Peak. The radiance disappeared, and his thrust traveled forward without any interruptions.


    This went for a meter until he pierced the soil of the ground, while almost stumbling to his knees. He watched forward in disbelief since there was no duck any longer, nor any corpse of one. There was no blood and his sword pierced nothing but the soil. Izik thought he moved quickly and pierced fiercely, yet here he was, speechless and empty in his insides.


    He should''ve been impossible to dodge. That was what he thought but before looking around more, he noticed distinct cracks around his blade. Then, before he knew what caused those cracks, he felt dizziness and pain around his neck.


    Putting one hand towards his neck, he retrieved only flowing blood on the top of his palm, pouring down his fingers and dropping to the ground. It was no small amount of it so he realized how fucked he was. The dizziness overlapped his mind at last. His sword stumbled from his other hand, ceasing the enchantment to exist along with any will to fight.


    ¡°C-crap... Fuck...¡± He mumbled as blood escaped from his mouth, before he stumbled to the ground, falling onto his face where a pool of blood funneled out of his severed chunk of the neck.


    Murai was a step behind him, clutching a piece of flesh around his beak, and almost staggering to the ground as well. He just got out of his jump but he was more than tired after this intense fight. This was an incredible challenge to figure out the proper gist of this attack, strategy, and desired attack. He even doubted himself in his own confidence, but it didn''t matter in the end. He succeeded so that was what mattered.


    Spitting the flesh out of his beak, Murai felt grossed out for some reason. The blood wasn''t up to his taste, and the idea to use "mouth" as a weapon, still seemed strange to him. The taste of the human blood was metallic, almost like tasting scraps of metal, the soil of some sort, or a cold blood soup of some sort. It wasn''t great. It was terrible.


    ¡°Welp, I am no maneater... so good fight, lunatic, and have some rest in the Afterlife. Give her thanks, in fact, or... whatever. It isn''t important.¡± He quacked and walked forward victoriously.


    Murai emerged victorious thanks to his careful tactics and a slim tinge of luck and determination. He already killed quite some individuals that were higher than him, but it wasn''t fine to view levels as a direct and meaningful rule.


    It all came down to his strategy and force as an Anatidae, while physicality and one''s skill seemed to be an important issue when it came to life and death. Humans had many vital areas even if they turned out to be stronger than normal kinds. Striking a vital area was a normal way to hit and injure a tough opponent. That was what were armors for, after all. They were protection for the flesh and vital areas.


    The neck was an easy target, filled with important veils, windpipe, and spine. It was usually thin, and not protected by tough muscles. If pierced, the potential to kill someone was high. It didn''t matter if one''s Vitality was over the moon, as the benefits of Vitality worked on an individualistic basis, species, or other factors.


    In a sense, Vitality was defense status, while not really when it came to certain physical limitations. Overcoming the limitation of vital areas wasn''t easy, and in most cases, it was unnaturally. For the most part, the Vitality served as body improving attribute, with regeneration, stamina, and flesh along with the biggest, which was the stronger Physicality.


    Physicality was the basis of one''s overview of their physique. For humans, there were child physiques, adolescent ones, young adults, and so on. It usually had some prefixes, or unique visions because of the Battleworld, but beasts or demons had it differently. It was stepping from their species the most, while their sub-species, path and so one can also had some factor in their Physicality. Of course, the Vitality could have many other effects, but those were rarer to level up, improve, find, or get out of the Battleworld.


    Izik, Porik, and the 3rd dead messiah had nothing unique about them. They were as regular in their body as they could. They wore regular leather armor sets, and seemed like regular infantry, even though their treasures weren''t like them. Albeit, if together as a whole, they would be a force to reckon with because of magic.


    Murai watched the 2 corpses on the ground, feeling great over this fight that put some anxiety out of his mind. It calmed him amid the struggle against this Encounter, situation, and issue pertaining to his body. Though, it didn''t take long for his body to wince in pain, and he almost felt as if his legs went through twists and turns.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± he quacked, feeling not that great, since he wasn''t in the perfect shape. His stamina was out like his mana. ¡°This has been.... great... but... I am dead tired indeed. My strategy was fine against this damned lunatic... Good.¡±


    The force of his Beak''s Peak was a source of satisfaction for sure. It was stronger than anything under his repertoire and it was one of the few Anatiade species abilities that he had under his control. At least for now, that was.


    The fight was over, or was it?


    Murai looked around, noticing Lisa who regained some sort of view of ideas. She went back to the appearance of a succubus after figuring the fight was over. She didn''t help with anything apart from the 1st distraction, which was the most important part. Destroying the potential of the 3-way Grand Enchantment allowed Murai to get rid of Porik much easier. Then, solving the things against Izik was another challenge, which turned out to be much tougher than she thought, but he emerged victorious in the end.


    At the moment, Lisa was looking at the remaining survivor of the group of 3, since Izik bled out after his collapse.


    With a chunk of the neck gone, it was no wonder. Murai''s quick, albeit forced and dangerous ability to change the flow of the strike allowed him to jump for real. Appearing like a phantom behind Izik''s head, he flew past the sharp sword and struck his neck with a clutch of his beak. It was a fabulous kill with splendid results. If he had failed even in one step, or calculation, or felt the flow of power wrongly, he would''ve ended up pierced for sure. He didn''t, so that was fortunate.


    Lisa was looking, and sending some strands of sona toward Porik, who still remained alive. He breathed heavily, unable to lift his finger or help or do anything for his comrade. Blood flowed out of his mouth and chest. He won''t have much longer to live, after all. He would have had more time if he hadn''t been stubborn when he tried to get up and fight for the sake of Izik.


    Alas, he didn''t even manage to stand, much less fight or steady some formation.


    The moment he tried to do that, he felt like his right lung exploded, ending with a lot of blood seeping out of his wound, nose, and mouth. Let alone that, the inner bleeding was already fatal.


    He was drowning in his own blood, creating an agonizing death, yet Lisa was looking at him and doing something that she wanted to do to him too.


    She smirked closer to his face, pointing her hand toward his chest. Porik saw her figure closing, yet what could he do? This demonic and ghostly beautiful face was at least a bit numbing to his pain and upcoming End. He tried to open his mouth, trying to speak, but it didn''t do much, then led to bloodied coughing.


    Lisa spread her palm, and touched his head, giving a Memory Extract under her abilities as a Soul Render, a shot. It was a direct one, unlike the slow and unsteady flow she used against Izik. This one was more fierce and appeared as if her hands clutched into Porik''s head. The moment she did so, his face changed and contorted in pain. If he could scream, he would, but he couldn''t even do that for long.


    Murai realized what she was doing, yet he realized if it even mattered. He hesitated for a couple of seconds before turning and Shaping a flying knife out of a simple strand of Conjured mana in under a second. He flickered it forward, striking Porik''s forehead, traveling to the brain, and ending his life in a second. Along the way, the knife moved through Lisa, but she was indifferent to it as a soul form.


    Porik was dead in agony in his eyes and face, which caused Lisa to turn back. Anger and confusion were on her face as he glared at Murai who was looking back at her. She was indifferent to the End of this man, who appeared like a victim, rather than one who wouldn''t hesitate to kill anyone for the Centralis Kingdom.


    ¡°Why have you done that? Why have you stopped me?¡± she asked, frowning in disapproval at approaching Murai.


    ¡°Memory extract and dying breathlessly in a pool of one''s own blood... Tell me, Lisa, have you ever felt a true, gruesome death like that? Have you ever felt that kind of End?¡± Murai asked, appearing somewhat restricted in his quacks, but his mind was sharp, and his words caused Lisa to argue about this nonsense.


    ¡°So what? There are all kinds of torturing deaths, and you are the one who ended up killing him like that. In fact, you did create this sort of death, because you hit him in a piss-poor manner to his chest, causing him to struggle in this pain. If it wouldn''t be so shallow, he would''ve died quicker, and in a less painful End, so who are you to quack like that? Is this called hypocrisy?¡± She argued.


    ¡°Yea? That is true, so that''s why I killed him to end his misery. That''s it, and you are you. Your case goes over me like my flying knife to his skull, and Memory Extract or not, it''s not like you would gain a lot from these lesser guys.¡± Murai downplayed the issue that wasn''t really an issue.


    He was more or less inclined to the appeal of the Memory Extract. That was why he hesitated. He would get as much information as possible, but doing so in a matter of utmost torture wasn''t something he desired. He may be a devilish fiend, but he preferred to be a fiend with certain standards.


    That was one of the less important rules of his lives. It may be because of the many experiences, deaths, and kills he underwent in many of his lives, but thinking about them was always a norm in any New Beginning. That, or he may be a hypocrite, as Lisa stated. He can''t deny that possibility, but feeling that these messiahs would know something, was true. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He butchered that, so he would do what?


    Feel better?


    Was he?


    ¡°I gained something, but you stopped the full extract. Thank you... Really.¡± Lisa said and waved her hands to fold them before her chest. ¡°It was something regarding this Encounter and things those bastards got from some superior, but they are undetailed... and you stopped it, so thanks you, for yourself, or me, or whatever you even tried with this. Are you an idiot?¡±


    ¡°So what if I am?¡± Murai stomped the ground, reaching her destination after some walking. ¡°You are one to talk about such things, fool. You sought that older lunatic yourself with some Memory Extract and even tried some things behind his back. He didn''t even notice it, so what about him and not this rookie-looking corpse? Do you feel good about yourself too? Wanna some pat on your back?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Tsch... No secrets... I feel like I am becoming less of myself...¡± Lisa complained, feeling wronged by the shifts in Murai''s tone. Yet she chose to comply for the sake of the information and his more than excellent fight that he finished with splendor. It was clear to her that apart from the 1st kill, the whole course of the battle was under Murai''s command and she wasn''t doing much of anything.


    What did he just do in this battle against the 3 messiahs? Lisa understood it more than she was willing to acknowledge.


    He just killed the 3 person squad under messiahs'' numerous and powerful departments. A single triple-powered messiah in the low 30s would be able to go toe to tea against anyone above level 40 but not 50s. Hunting monsters, killing targets of this caliber, and solving missions well outside of Murai''s prowess. They were strong. The 3 of them, that was. Without the proper structure of the 3-way Grand Enchantment, they lost their full strength, and it showed.


    Lisa let Porik be, since what use was the corpse for her? None. Dead had nothing to offer.


    ¡°It appears you are a wanted duck, Murai Hisagi,¡± she said.


    ¡°You don''t say... Wanted? I feel like a toy for a hunt if you say it like that,¡± Murai sighed. ¡°But, it angers me though. This whole mess isn''t fine. When I can''t do much about it and then move on, it gives me a headache, so tell me, Lisa. What about it? Were this whole Encounter and Razmund''s case so craftily created just to force me into this situation? By whom? Assholes? Gods? Something worse?¡±


    ¡°I... don''t know the details,¡± Lisa said, glancing away as she noticed Murai''s unhinged anger again. ¡°Well, the information that this older messiah knew was kind of lackluster and you stopped my 2nd attempt...¡± Lisa said hesitantly but chose to not talk further after noticing Murai''s annoying stomp.


    ¡°The memory extract wasn''t the finest, since It was my first time doing it under these conditions and the situation of my body. But that doesn''t mean I can''t see some sense. As far as I know, the whole premise of the Encounter was Razmund''s doing. Messiahs got this hunt from higher-ups, which means Razmund forced some situations to occur for his own benefit. The good success of the Encounter means a favorable position for the Centralis Kingdom, so perhaps the whole situation is more messed up than I thought. It has something to do with some gods for sure, but I wonder who is above the Centralis Kindom. The one that is hidden, and only performs certain actions for the chosen ones, or Rankers, or others? I wonder.¡±


    ¡°Chosen ones? You mean, Blessed or those messiahs too?¡±


    ¡°Something like that.¡± Lisa nodded. ¡°There seems to be the inclination of something... worst. I knew it wouldn''t be pretty but it really seems that the world wants you dead. It... is probably because of you. ¡±


    ¡°What? Me? I fear no Wrath of Gods or some measly God''s Trial but when things feel like the heavens are falling onto my head without proper reasons, it is ridiculous. What else have you discovered? Tell me.¡± Murai ordered, guessing a few things about this whole ordeal of an Encounter out of the context he understood.


    He didn''t necessarily need Lisa to tell him everything, since he wasn''t stupid. This whole world had complicated systems of relationships, and adding Gods and their followers to the systems must be creating a total mess. Adding to him the various things he heard from the Will of the Battleworld, things must be complicated because of his soul, or other things.


    It went without saying, so Murai was curious about what sort of crappy chaos Razmund, or someone else created with him at the center.


    ¡°It''s... Good news, but not good per se. If Razmund is unable to solve this Encounter in your successful retrieval or kill, the Wrath of a God will swipe and create some nasty things for the Centralis Kingdom. They ended up scapegoating Razmund, I bet, but Gods or their rules stated some rules specifically against them. That means some favor in your case, but that is my guess. I think they haggled over some choices too, so they got the upper hand in this because their punishment is quite severe for their failure. It is a gamble on the fact of their might. They aren''t giving you much chance. It is that sort of thing. Razmund involved his kingdom for his sake, but perhaps it was his plan or his higher-ups did something as well? A possibility of some nasty Extremes acting behind the scenes is also right to assume. Hence, the Encounter is undergoing massive scales that I can hardly perceive from these memories. It''s bigger than me, and the reason for the start of this all is also weird...¡±


    ¡°Weird?¡± Murai asked, eyeing Lisa in her lengthy explanation that seemed to include her knowledge, opinion, and facts she found. ¡°It sounds like nothing but a total mess if you ask me. Gods are playing the chessboard, finding chances, and playing moves by possibilities that are happening at a moment''s notice. Then, they change the Encounters and follow certain agendas they have with mortals involved, but mortals can also make their move. It can be within or outside god''s interest. That''s what Encounter is for, basically. Rules are there, but they aren''t clear. The mortal realms do have plentiful changes as well... That is as interesting as simple, Lisa. I get it now.¡± Murai explained, ending the explanation that Lisa wasn''t finding as clear for herself, but perhaps she wasn''t telling him everything.

 Chapter 84: What is Blessed?

    ¡°You are right... in your own truths.¡± Lisa sighed, unable to perceive Murai''s demeanor or how he viewed this situation in itself.¡°I also underestimated the circumstances about you, and the whole situation as a whole, so have my apologies.¡±


    Hearing her, Murai glanced at her in silence, not willing to take some fake apologies from her at all. So he waited for what she wanted to tell him. Lisa saw his look so she had no choice but to continue. ¡°I got some things, alright? Calm down, will you? I''ve got the year I desired for so long and few important happenings from this Izik guy.¡± Lisa pointed to the bloody corpse behind Murai.


    ¡°Yeah? What kind of things? Foes? A number of enemies? Circumstances about the Encounter that you forgot to mention? I know I haven''t been able to get any news about the current state of the efforts, even if Iris seemed to talk some sense, she wasn''t... informative enough. I lack the context that you would know, and since you were always sleeping, I didn''t get anything great. The last week was quite hectic... with everything.¡± Murai excused himself.


    ¡°It''s fine... We are even!¡± Lisa smiled mischievously.


    ¡°Oh, you think I will forget about the case of eating my part of the pie? You wish for that but I won''t forget that.¡± He barked at her, ending her tries to remain her wishful power dynamic running.


    Though it was late to do anything else, so Lisa explained the situation according to her desired information.


    ¡°As I''ve seen the memories, only 50 or so years passed since my death. It''s about the context of some war. The current year is 34409, which isn''t a lot to tell, but it allowed me to gouge the situation a bit better. It''s not centuries or a couple of millennia that I feared would''ve passed. That would be quite a difficult change to get used to since the whole political aspect of the Battleworld would change in many drastic ways. Thousands and even a couple of hundreds of years is a large timespan for many things to occur. A lot of beings can grow in this span, with even changes in godhoods, and divine kingdoms, and numerous Extremes would emerge. Kingdoms would fall, and rise from the ashes, giving the Battleworld splendid changes.¡±


    ¡°34th millennium?¡± Murai frowned, taking it for what it was. ¡°That is quite a small number you''ve got there... Such years in the divine context aren''t much. How do you even know the passing years would cause a lot of changes? Are you some historian or something? I didn''t take you for that.¡±


    Lisa seemed perplexed again after hearing Murai''s words. Considering her own though, she was sure it was hiding a lot of things but she was no different.


    ¡°Well, I am not convinced about your problems with time, nor am I a historian. That is true, so let me give you a glimpse of the present issues. Past is past, so it matters to some degree, but you don''t need to worry about it. I lived for almost 3 centuries and it was a life of a Blessed, so I speak from my experiences and things I''ve done. It''s sensible, whether you like it or not. It may not be for your liking because of me, but you will accept it, right?¡± She asked, but Murai wasn''t having any of that so she continued.


    ¡°Many things can change even in a couple of years, you know? With such a world of power, including the frequent appearances of a Blessed, plot of gods, and the warring states of Men. One can''t be surprised that only a few years can cause a lot of disasters. You probably know why, don''t you?¡±


    ¡°Why? That question doesn''t matter. When power and people meet, drama follows. It is the same thign everywehrte. It makes more sense than one would guess, considering the mana, and things I''ve seen so far. Gods are also variable, but in the actual scenario, the people beneath them have a rather chaotic nature. Rising in power in a couple of yours seems like a possibility but... I lack the greater context of this world. Apart from the magic, I don''t get a lot of things. Magic and shrouding laws and whatnot should still be unchanged so what makes you speak like this?¡±


    ¡°Right? I mean...¡± Lisa hesitated upon hearing the term laws but decided to forget it for the time being. ¡°It''s all about the power progression and many other factors, Murai Hisagi. It appears Centralis kingdom is much stronger than when I was alive. They vanquished quite a lot of kingdoms, with at least 10% of the current world being under their sizable control. That''s a lot, considering the size of the Battleworld.¡±


    ¡°10%? That seems lacking. What else? How about their powers, if you managed to retrieve the basics of their strength?¡±


    ¡°Right now, there are a couple of hundred Blessed under the Centralis Kingdom and they have dozens of Extremes by their size. Now, when I mention it, Izik was aware of that, yet it is a prohibited kind of information to share, along with not a whole lot of other things. I wonder why I was able to read into his mind at all. Wards and everything included, he was like a fortress.¡± Lisa said, surprised at her own success.


    In truth, it was thanks to the Soul Render''s abilities that she was able to do things she did. It was unlike her past experiences in terms of souls. Now, she was a unique existence. When it came to the souls - hence the memories - the Soul Renders can view a lot of things, and force some restrains away because of their unique properties that Lisa didn''t know, or she was yet to explore in full. These little experiments were something she wasn''t all that expecting to succeed, yet they did.


    Memory Extract seemed to work well on the forceful side of things, but outside of that, she felt like washing her own soul sense towards Izik without any undulations. She reached further than she ever would. With the Porik, she forced herself directly to him but for Izik, he didn''t notice how Lisa''s Soul Power touched his own soul fragments. It went without his awareness, or was it a mixture of agitation, fear, and being in the middle of combat that allowed it to happen?


    ¡°Who cares about that? I am not interested in hearing much about how you made it happen.¡± Murai said, uncaring about her words. ¡° I care about what it provides. What about more information about the Centralis Kingdom? Their provinces, armies, and land. Is even the number of hundreds of Blessed a large number?¡± Murai asked.


    ¡°It is... It''s a humongous number.¡± Lisa said the obvious things, realizing that Murai lacked quite a large context of the world even when considering his... uniqueness. When she thought about it further, she never give him much of anything. It reminded her of her first time being Blessed too. Back then, she was a naive demonic girl with a soul companion to teach her the ways of this world. Alone in a world full of wolves and demons, she was undergoing trials without any context as well. It was a pure survival world where the strong ate the weak.


    Lisa paused for a while, reminiscing about something in her mind before continuing. ¡°Centralis Kingdom means troubles. They have many provinces and kingdom powers under their belt, giving them high military strength, as well as agricultural, and geopolitical advantages. Right now, they are worth of dozens of regular kingdoms, but their Tier of power still fluctuates. They still form a Tier A kingdom on their own, while their subdivisions aren''t as powerful. I believe they tried to achieve something with more people but failed because of messed up politics or the administration of too large of a land.¡±


    ¡°Though, they are an absolutely powerful hegemon in the Somalis continent, and even a bit outside of that. They long reached every nook and cranny of the Somalis Dungeon, so they hope to reach the others. But that should be difficult to accomplish since the Centralis Kingdom isn''t a lonely hegemon, and never was, or will be. That goes without saying by the number 10%. There are many forces stronger or with similar strength as them. Tough people, beings, or races of incredible power. There are nations, kingdoms, and even organization that holds more sizeable lands, but they do not necessarily have the military-proven might of the Centralis Kingdom. Their armies and Blessed are things to fear.¡±


    Murai hears her well-thought-out words, that for once, didn''t seem like bullshit. ¡°How exactly are Blessed considered important on a size of a nation? You mentioned them a lot, but I can''t see their number being an intriguing aspect. You... lacked the words before, so how about telling it now? Aren''t they just powerful individuals under the vision of the Battleworld? Shouldn''t they be... less important in the grand scheme of things?¡±


    Lisa chuckled and continued in a better mood. ¡°That is a normal idea to consider. I thought so as well, since the world and the power one can have at their fingertips, lacks some touch to shake the heavens. In terms of might, the individual can''t move a powerful nation, right? That is true, but not always. At the might of Tier A, none can force oneself against the Centralis Kingdom as a Tier A force. That''s just how it goes. But the terms of a Blessed go along a complicated way, other than the one I had, and you think about.¡± Then Lisa paused, cycling her thoughts to say something that would make sense.


    ¡°You see... some things are strange. Blessed are strange. Blessed are crazed beings, or have souls like that. They are unique existence who got a second chance at living, after all. By whom? None knows it... They are the kind that got invitations to this world to act on their second chance but for what? Every Blessed is a person of some Ego since they already achieved something before coming here. And the Centralis Kingdom is the only force in this world, which holds Blessed in their highest ranks. It is a nation ruled by them. It happened when some god met the common beliefs or reasons to haggle with something. Then, letting hundreds of Blessed beings form a force under the same banner happened and the rest is history. It''s kind of ridiculous since a Blessed is fundamentally stronger than the majority of the Gifted beings, let alone anyone without any special care. That is the general perception of them in this world and you should know why.¡±


    ¡°Power. Blessed have options and catering of this world that is unlike anything normal. It is as you said, right?¡± Murai answered, and Lisa gave him a light-hearted comment about how right he was. ¡°These words that are coming from you don''t seem that exaggerated, for once.¡± He mockingly added.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Lisa grinned, almost chuckling. ¡°I know what I am talking about when I mean it. Murai Hisagi, the Encounter is upon you, so do you even have any idea about the general perception of power in this world? So far, you haven''t met anything substantial, forgetting the case of this... Encounter, strange dungeon, and another Blessed who... I rather won''t go into this, since it seems like a plot of a godly interest. As for the things before that, you met nothing but beginner stuff, with nothing to them than simple things. Mana, power, magic, and so on. Even those messiahs are nothing but small fries at the ending point of their Path. That''s just how it is. The beginning to power is...¡±


    ¡°Yet, this beginner is already getting a shot against level 40ties while forced to go against level 60s or whatnot. Are you... serious? How does this make sense to happen within those rules that you spoke of? It doesn''t make sense from the sensible stance.¡± Murai jumped between her words. ¡°Are you sure you have a good perception of reality or logic, or do you have a screw loose in your head too?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Lisa barked at him unhappily. ¡°You talk to someone who was close to the Extremes!¡±


    ¡°Close is not near... nor that. You''ve died. That''s all to your tries in power. Twice already, if I should believe your words.¡± Murai said the truth as he viewed it. That, coming from him was quite strange, considering many of his lives, and roads of power from one End to the other. It might be not that different in this life as well but only time will show that.


    Seeing her unhappy expression, Murai figured he was indeed a bit harsh at her with his uncaring words. So, like the proper lunatic he used, or still was, he changed the topic.


    ¡°Anyway, what are those Extremes you mentioned twice already? Are those the Blessed who reached the power close to the gods?¡±


    ¡°Close... Hmph! We are just paws for them, as you often say, but no. Those aren''t blessed, nor anything substantial like that. They are overpowered beings above level 90. Simple as that. They aren''t only Blessed. It includes monsters, humans, elves, dwarves, and so on. Anyone can be an Extreme, as long as they reach level 90 under the Will of the Battleworld''s context or their unique power system.¡±


    ¡°That explains a little, so how hard it is to reach that level? Are there a lot of Extremes?¡±


    ¡°I am not telling you that. It''s unnecessary.¡± she flickered her head away, hoping to exchange it for something that Murai haven''t told her so far.


    ¡°You said you would be honest.¡± Murai reminded her, which blew her tries to stir things up.


    ¡°Fine...¡± Lisa gave up and floated down to sit on the ground and appease a position of a teacher. ¡°I won''t talk about the topic of the Extremes, however. You don''t know much about the progression and power anyways, so why talk about the pinnacle of the power? Since I hoped your case would be different from what I understood, I will give you some other topics. Blessed can reach certain power thresholds quite faster than ordinary beings and there are some ways to fasten their progression. That also includes gifted ones, but that depends on the degree of the blessing and other things when it comes to them. In your case, what do you think it is, that gives you an advantage in your leveling? I asked you that before, I think.¡±


    Murai didn''t even need that long to contemplate this question and answered right away. ¡°Level is power, roughly speaking. It isn''t that, but also is. Power is encompassing that, as far as I understand. In the past week, I''ve got a couple of levels, but for what? I didn''t accomplish much but train, so how or what did it even give me? My own improvements, and undergoing this healing process are the answer for the former. Is it a sensible kind of system? No. Does it make sense to me? Also no, so what is it? I haven''t killed a thing, so the level is a simple excuse to give you a rough gouging number to my improvements, right? ¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Lisa asked.


    ¡°That it is bullshit and a mess, filled with unnecessary things running around it. They appear sensible but hidden underneath it are hideous factors of the unknown. My improvements are like small numbers. Things that the Battleworld gives and takes for granted, and gives me boosts for what "they" consider as necessary or worthy within their rules. In a sense, what is even this level? It isn''t power, but is it something else? I don''t think so. Within the Battleworld whispers, there is a term called Power Level, and it''s there for a good reason, isn''t it?¡± Murai asked and glanced at Lisa who listened, her eyes gleaming in a keen light, looking for some hints or whatnot.


    ¡°You are right, but not entirely. It''s not as if the Level itself isn''t important. It still gives a couple of Attributes to you and gives a higher threshold to their number. That is important for growth, but its primary strength is in the potential reaches of higher-level spells, abilities, and tomes to use. The higher the level is, the more strong one is, and the more potential one can reach. There are restrictions in many of these things, however, but you are yet to get a spell Tome, while Rudolf''s stuff wasn''t even... I don''t even know what that was, but you lost it, so let''s forget it¡±


    ¡°Another usefulness of reaching higher levels is the availability of specified equipment, and most of all, reaching the threshold to go into the dungeons, and other specific and unique places to improve yourself. So, reaching new levels mean attributes, and opportunities but not only that, maybe... Will of the Battleworld didn''t tell a lot of specific or unique things for you, so maybe the evolutions would reveal further power dynamics that you lack? I guess...¡± Lisa said, shrugging her arms in a harmless and helpless manner.


    ¡°You guess?¡± Murai asked, uncertain if this was something right to tell. Guuesses were for those who were uncertain about something, and he had no need for uncertainties.


    ¡°I do... alright? Blessed have unique circumstances, while your case is 100fold more unique.¡± Lisa reasoned. ¡°I never heard of a Blessed Anatidae and their Path. You want power, right? Slowly getting to know your Path is the best way to do so, but... the Blessed aren''t normal, while the beasts have also unique things to worry about. Gods made them this way, you know? Reaching level 50 in 30 years for ordinary humans is good, but for Blessed, it is nothing but slow. In fact, I heard some mentions in the Centralis Kingdom, where even children before the age of 18 are already above level 30. The most ridiculous ones would be 40 or higher. Of course, I am talking about Blessed. Albeit even none-blessed can achieve miracles. Be it by themselves, or in sight of being Gifted by a degree of their desired god, or by some ridiculous talent that can appear once in 10 000 cases.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm... Alright, that is an interesting prospect, but for levels to include this lackluster way, I thought it would be more intricate than this.¡± Murai reasoned, and at last sat on the ground as well, calmly considering the tone of this conversation. ¡°Blessed are already born with the connection to the Will of the Battleworld and the world''s blessings, so it is making some sense of the situation. I bet the terms of unique aspects, are as you said - honest and truthful.¡±


    ¡°It''s complicated, thinking of them one by one, Lisa. Paths are Paths, but they are there for magic, body, and soul alike. Every step can be similar, but ending results may differ. Now, it''s the same, with many differences along with unique aspects. Evolutions and this system are one thing to consider in my case. Species, sub-species, while the Path is different than them, am I right?¡± Murai curiously said, wondering about the potential Path and possibilities that he could have.


    ¡°Yes... That''s precisely why it''s ridiculous. Now, do you know why your case is also as ridiculous as you view this yourself?¡± Lisa asked, but more so than this, insisted on forcing Murai to realize something.


    Murai fell silent amidst his thoughts. ¡°Are... No. Is this because of the Anatidae species, or something different? My soul? I know I am not even 1 year old into this living, yet the system and this power are giving me plenty of things, while the world is against me. Is this unique, or is something broken about this system?¡± Murai said, after pondering over this problem.


    ¡°All of that combined together, I think, but that is that, and the future may be whatever,¡± Lisa said, sighing afterward. ¡°Now... for God''s Trial, and this ridiculous Encounter, do you feel like a silly goose? Do you think it''s a good or bad thing?¡± She asked with a strange and restrained tone of curiosity.


    ¡°The Trial? Depends on one''s reach to powers. It''s time-gated, so I feel my chances are decent, at best. The Encounter? Uh... Are you seriously asking me that?¡± Murai frowned.


    ¡°At best...¡± Lisa sighed and then tapped her fingers with her crossed arms. ¡°BEST yourself then! This is the ridiculous excuse for getting outside of their robust rules, Murai Hisagi! It doesn''t make rightful sense! Not only do they force the Encounter upon you with ridiculous requirements, but God''s Trial is also there. Then, there are rules, reasons, and plots that shouldn''t be possible! Tell me... Have you killed some damned gods in your previous lives and now they are hitting you back? HOW?!¡± she snapped her finger at Murai''s head, almost clutching him but Murai winced back.


    ¡°Is them, sending you here, the reasonable thing? To get their revenge? Kill you for their lofty desires, while I am meant to die along with you? Don''t you fucking dare to tell me this should make sense!¡± Lisa shouted, almost slapping Murai who appeared somewhat perplexed but understanding of Lisa''s anger. She was quite talkative this time around and he got something out of it. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Alright, I won''t argue about that...¡± he said, ¡°since I can''t change it, nor did I ask for this. If you think you are the one who is angry, then you are the ridiculous one. You seek me like a book, but one that is closed with the majority of things hidden underneath the cover. I am upset no less than you because it goes outside of my own will too. Now!¡± Murai slapped the ground with his feet. ¡°Let''s get the fuck out of here and stop wasting time. I am fed up with this dead place already and thanks to your talk, I am getting hungry.¡±


    Lisa clutched her fist, unwilling to halt this conversation but seeing Murai flap his tiny legs away, she knew that her anger was reasonable, and she barely started talking. Her own anger dissipated thanks to the present issues. Her view on the rules and reason may be hers, but some things hiding behind the scenes may be more ridiculous than that. The rules of the sense moved through the divine kingdoms, while the balance of the world was at stake here. Some messed up things like what Murai had shouldn''t happen. Not when he was so young.


    ¡°Wait, are you going to ignore the treasures laying around? Those messiahs may be low-level like you, but they carry decent things.¡± Lisa reminded him, gesturing towards the rings, bracelets, and swords laying around. None of them got damaged apart from Izik''s sword and they were free to take.


    ¡°These?¡± Murai quacked, turning his head to Izik, Porik, and an unnamed messiah. He didn''t care about them from the very beginning, so he shook his beak in denial. ¡°Treasures are good when they matter, but have you forgotten me? I am a duck. I can''t do shit with them anyway, nor can I carry them well.¡± he flapped his wings in ridicule.


    ¡°You can learn telepathy!¡± Lisa argued, pointing at the metallic sword that lay before Porik. It was a decent one and at least a Grade C sword of around level 40. It should be worth hundreds of gold if not thousands.


    ¡°I already tried that thing recently. It''s not passable with my Beast Core, and I like to use what I have in my mind and body anyway. Using treasures can lead to overconfidence, while one''s Path is one''s strength. Caring about material objects can lead to troubles in one''s life, so forgot about these thigns. That, or you may take them. Oh! Wait, you can''t because they are even more worthless for you than for me.¡± Murai chuckled and turned away from the corpses.


    Murai wasn''t an idiot. He long scanned their bodies and found nothing great in his opinion. They had nothing apart from the swords, and the tools to power up the Grand Enchamant that was more technical, than physical. It was custom magic, which was kind of useless to him. They didn''t even have spatial pouches or other types of storage. That meant they were professionals who were ready to die while leaving nothing behind for the enemy.


    Murai understood this fact, and kind of respected it. It may be true that he can''t use anything, but he may take it and sell it somewhere. Iris did give him some reasons and context over the trading business of mages, but not so much to get the whole picture. Murai figured that acting like an Anatidae and trading accordingly would pose a massive issue since this species was ridiculous, and kind of, diabolical when it came to their history.


    Another factor would be his demonic origin, which should pose an issue to undergo any kind of business.


    ¡°Fine... It''s your decision...¡± Lisa agreed, looking back at the dead Porik and Izik with some disappointment. She can''t take anything too.


    Then the pair left this part of the Seventh Death Forest, hoping to walk toward the other parts and potentially leave for good. That was at least what this part of the Encounter talked about. Leave the Seventh Death Forest and get some reward. That was it, while Lisa wasn''t able to retrieve much information about this forest from Izik or Porik. That left her no choice but to travel with Murai as before.


    As they left the battle scene, something strange occurred amidst the death of 3 messiahs of no small power when put together. Their bodies began to disintegrate as if years passed by in a blink, turning their flesh and blood to the ground, where they became a part of the forest''s soil. First, their fabric or leather clothes folded and disintegrated, then the skin, blood vessels, and everything that was organic.


    That went until only skeletons were left, while the more potent treasures on their bodies remained. It was at this point, that the ground shook, and all 3 skeletons trembled and the soil itself engulfed them whole as if the earth swallowed them, treasures included.


    Now, nothing of the past battle remained, and even the attacks and damage done to the surroundings were gone when the forest readjusted in these trembles, stopping any fire and spots of battle. The forest seemed the same as before. Deadly stale, dark, and silent. Now, it appeared, as if the Seventh Death Forest wanted to hide any Murai''s steps away, or the cause was a much deeper one.


    After all, the 2 reasons for Lisa''s visit that she mentioned weren''t something Murai found that strange. She didn''t talk about it, because she had some reasons to remain silent about it. Both of her visits involved the deep secrets of the Seventh Death Forest, which wasn''t a part of the Centralis Kingdom when she was alive. It was part of the past kingdom, under the same banner as Iris''s kingdom. Lisa held certain secrets over that nation, or she was involved with many other thigns than she let out.


    She shouldn''t, and did in fact care about any of that right now. Knowing that only 50 years passed, she was a stranger to this current world. Situations and time flew quite fast when she died, and who knew what happened to all the people she knew, clutched with her power, and so on? Perhaps most of them were still alive in this world, following their living without her at all.


    That put some strange emotions in her head, but she kept them to herself when she slowly began to ponder about this forest.

 Chapter 85: Hunted

    Walking away from the tough, yet enjoyable battle, Murai felt satisfaction like any other. Although it was more bittersweet when he realized he got nothing out of it, he grunted but that was about it. There were no attributes or abilities. No message from the Battleworld. Nothing. As the Encounter stated before, there won''t be many improvements while ongoing this mess. Something about the rules, or so Lisa said.


    The feeling of satisfied battle was all he had, which took him way back in time, but only for a little while.


    After the focused battle that went on for a couple of minutes, he figured out something about his body, and strategies, and less about his magic. The right way to go about brawling and using his body was a testament to a good fight. Trusting his body was now something he believed in more than before. He should also trust his own living instincts since the body can make necessary adjustments if he fails.


    His beak already exceeded his expectation when hitting Porik''s direct defense, while the way he defeated Izik, was passable at best. He gnawed at his neck with his slightly open beak, ending up almost bone deep. Obviously, he hit major arteries, letting the blood loss be too deep for any Vitality to kick in.


    That, or he simply did his best, assuming he was much better than these 3 messiahs he didn''t know at all. They were the kind of opponents he hoped to meet and fight with, yet it still surprised him how potent their magic was. The feelings of danger and the thrill of going against the dangers lifted some issues from his head, giving him a tough wake-up call. It was a close call, all things considered.


    They were a tough team and this accomplishment wouldn''t happen, if it wouldn''t be for the strategy of making it more 1 on 1, then going head first, and dealing with it later. He still did so, but after he killed the 1st messiah while adjusting his strategy next.


    It was satisfactory, albeit lucky in terms of his mistake, which his body thankfully solved. The successful finish would make anyone happy and it was making his mind sharp and soul cleansed. It was making him feel good for sure, which may be inlined to his body, rather than his fighting. After all, this should''ve been the toughest battle to date, and he won against the force that would kill him any other day.


    Outside of his body, his Mana Detection, and Soul Read were his other strong points. They formed calculations and strategies where a majority of his decision ended up going to his actual reality. He did some mistakes - like taking the Scorchign Shots when he shouldn''t take them - yet he remained uninjured apart from the strained legs that he used extensively against Izik attacks.


    After all of this, the body tensed up but also shivered in its inner structure. Vitality kicked in, giving Murai a slow rise in heat in his heart, regenerating the muscles, and strained body. This felt good as Murai recalled any rise in Vitality, but this time, it was quite direct and noticeable. It was giving him noticeable energy, soothing his strained muscles and easing up any pain. He even thought he would be fine after couple dozen minutes.


    Striding away, Murai began his nonstop action of the Mana Detection that he kept in a steady place as far as he could. It was draining him of some mana, but the fear of other messiahs or other forces around was still apparent. A prepared man was a prepared winner, or so he remembered.


    This sort of situation was a good way to train his perception, but he had to be careful of the mana usage. After this fight, he felt his core slowly reaching its limits. He was yet to be so sure about how much mana each notion of his abilities consumed, or if his Mana Replenishment was good enough right now. He could only roughly gouge the overall Mana Pool in his body with feelings of his core alone, which was only rough telling, like seeing water in clear glass from 10 meters away.


    He was sure there was some point number to them, but it wasn''t something he could tell right away. It was there, in the whispers of the Will of the Battleworld, yet it wasn''t something he can see on a whim. In fact, he was preferring it this way, since he believed that if he cared too much about more numbers, he would care less about his surroundings. His situation was changing, while his mana was leaving his core. There were probably some issues with this because of his Beast Core, or the lack of a stronger connection to this system that the Will of the Battleworld had.


    Murai still remembered every message of the Will of the Battleworld, his improved magic and abilities. Everything was sensible and voiced in that mechanical voice, but that was it. Calling it something crazy and heaven-defying wasn''t correct since Murai felt fine even if he didn''t have it at all. Nothing much would change, or so he believed, which was wrong.


    He would do the same strategy, or at least similar moves. Knowing things in numerical points - like the cost towards the abilities out of his own mana pool - wouldn''t work all that well at raging combat moments.


    Murai didn''t have such intricate details in his system, which may be a good thing. It would create problems where there was no need for them. Like worrying about which ability would be efficient for long time use, and which one he wouldn''t use at all. There was also an incentive of using the most efficient method of striking, which may not be the actual best method to solve fast-paced combat. Still, he wasn''t caring much about his Mana Pool, even though it was almost empty.


    Without this issue of undergoing too stressful hours of his mana-heavy situation, he held a vast mana pool. It was part of his Beast Core, albeit it was yet to undergo the improvements and strengthening that it deserved.


    Because of that lacking aspect of his magic, the use of his abilities didn''t shatter any limits or common sense, nor did they cost a lot of mana. His highest advantage was the basis of an incredibly large mana pool, allowing him to endure half a day of using magic. It was like having a large battery, yet using less demanding tools. That was why his Shaping became an important factor in his rightful strategies.


    Doing simple things posed lesser issues when it came to magic. Smaller things required less care, mana, and mind. Using this belief correctly and understanding it enough was what Murai did, according to his own results and what he considered important. With mana costs hidden away, his mind was thus free from the worries that a lot of regular mages had to consider, and even a lot of Blessed were the same.


    The continuous drain of the Mana Detection wasn''t large, as this ability was more on the perception side of things, involving nothing but the mind and feelings of mana. In fact, he almost thought it wasn''t that bad considering his Mana Replenishment that was constantly working. Mana Detection pressured one''s mind and was similar to echolocation, or sonar if one with it would describe it poorly.


    Murai wasn''t seeing things from afar, like some Clairvoyant''s ability, or high-level Eyesight, or Sky Vision. He was only feeling rough consistencies of the mana and that was it. In a sense, he could gouge the colors of the intricate mana particles better from far away, thus the moves and feelings of those moving waves. In this sense, he saw Izik and Porik from the fog as if they were light and colorful figures. Seeing their movement, he also saw the degree of the moving mana under their enchanted care. Their mana flow would and should make changes depending on the movements and desired moves of the users.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Lisa asked, following Murai who went back to the forest of dull trees and dark soil. ¡°Are you thinking about this battle, Murai Hisagi?¡± she asked again, floating a little further in front of him to force him to acknowledge her question.


    Facing him to seek his attitude, she wanted to understand him a bit better after this battle, It was also to restart their discussion afterward, but she wasn''t sure if Murai wanted to continue when he wasn''t interested. She wasn''t sure he would be able to win that easily, but he did with some power left. After the fight, things didn''t move according to Lisa''s thoughts. She felt as if Murai held feelings as if this fight didn''t really matter when he was over it. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It seemed to her as if the battle itself raged in his heart and body, but afterward, it returned to a splendid calmness - relative one, that was. Murai''s mind was still agitated over the Encounter, so finding some other things to push his mind into would come next. That was, to get out of this forest or find another battle. This sort of vision was not what Lisa expected to see from him, since she thought of him as a calculative lunatic, instead of a battle-craving maniac. Though, she wasn''t one to find it problematic. It was a sense of a damned lunatic and crazy person, but who was she to question?


    ¡°It was a decent battle,¡± Murai answered, continuing to walk away. ¡°I didn''t think at first that my beak''s peak would be that overwhelming, but it ended up being pretty good. Or, are you thinking of something else when you ask like that? For example, those Enchantments they had, or do you question my tactics and your own useability?¡±


    ¡°What about the enchantments or your tactics? And no, I am not thinking about myself.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Tactics are your issue, while the other is my prior expertise. I know a lot of things about this world, as I said before. I was familiar with the enchantments a lot, as a Succubus of more physical-based prowess. Do you want to hear my title or rank? Hm?¡± Lisa asked, thinking of the past in nostalgia and melancholy as she floated with her front facing Murai while floating without looking behind.


    The past may be gone, but with 50 years gone, the majority of demonic forces shouldn''t have changed, nor should had her own. Probably. In fact, all sorts of her acquaintances should still be alive and well. Demons and devils alike had longer lifespans than humans, while 50 years wasn''t even that long when it came to the road to power.


    Even a lot of humans, whether friends, opponents, or whatever else, should still be alive. For the Blessed cases, living past 100 years was more than common, and it depended on factors of their Path, bloodline, and how they would age in this world in terms of luck, talent, and magic. Normally, even with the mana involved, they would age the same way as any other human, unless their Path was extraordinary.


    Only elves and other cases of uncommon races had distinct longevity outside of the human race. It was thanks to their extraordinariness and bloodline that followed long-lost and ancient times. Humans had neither of these aspects, as far as it was common. They weren''t extraordinary unless a special uniqueness would come to them in other forms. Talent, soul, or blessing would create some change. In the wildest case, the Blessed or not would become long-living but the terms of that were subjective.


    Other than that, the Gifted could reach a higher lifespan, thanks to the special Gifts of Gods. But for that, it was one thing to be worthy of such a gift and another was to hold onto it for their whole lives. Gods were peculiar beings, while the Gifted could lose the favor of their precious gods.


    After all, time was one thing that even Gods found quite unappealing, let alone mortals, whose purpose was more than questionable in the eyes of higher beings.


    Murai wasn''t thinking of time as a limiting factor. Out of anyone in this world, he held the most intricate past. Now, thinking of the past wasn''t what he did all the time, nor did he was curious about Lisa''s question about her past. It wasn''t up to his tastes, and it seemed Lisa wanted a simple pat on her head, rather than talk some sense.


    Sometimes, Murai cared about the present and the future more, since it was usually what mattered. It was a sensible thing to do, so he wouldn''t get headaches over the past. He was of no opinion to tell, so he remained silent amidst Lisa''s questionable glances. He knew she wasn''t joking and he was indeed curious about what she knew about the Battleworld that she didn''t let out. It was obvious since she made one piece of information more than clearer in her unhinged agitation.


    In fact, she may have regretted saying and mentioning that. It was something Murai heard and did choose to talk about.


    Lisa was close to the Extremes in power when she was alive, and that was very significant information. What did it imply? Her power and standing in this world must have been quite important, and lofty. Her own power, living, and Path must have been ordinary to go along with her Blessed living. Politics and standing in this world went hand to hand with power, so Murai considered Extrems to be quite an important subject of interest. After all, a lot of his present Tasks mentioned them. Be it The Major Task, or the Encounter at some point.


    Another thing was that Lisa should be fairly acclimated to the rules of this world, which was another intricate point of her knowledge.


    As for how easy was it to reach the status of an Extreme, Murai was curious about it. He may ask her about it in the near future when she will have some incentive, or will to talk. Forcing some information from her will take some time, however. if she will be so vague, or unwilling to talk about them, then he will have to adjust some strategy or consider something else. For now, Murai had more pressing issues in hand, and they were coming his way, thanks for his Mana Detection.


    ¡°Phantom Coyotes!¡± He exclaimed, shooting his head behind and feeling Mana fluctuations 30 meters away. That was his Mana Detection limit in terms of the radius. The diameter was 60 meters long. A stretch of distance that was quite significant and beneficial to incoming dangers. Now, he didn''t regret this draining of mana.


    Phantom Coyotes were coming straight after him. Those were the beasts and no ghostly things which may mean only one thing alone. Since the Seventh Death Forest had no living things, the living came from the outside ~ a Centralis Kingdom''s hunt.


    ¡°Huh? Coyotes? It''s a hunt, Murai Hisagi, what did you expect?¡± Lisa looked back but didn''t notice a thing. The forest was still quiet and stale, with creepiness around every cranny of a tree. Even the meetings of an undead, or soul beast were rare since they walked away for 15 minutes without any battle.


    Lisa figured that Murai wasn''t joking, so she recalled some things. ¡°The Centralis Kingdom always has methods and ways to find what they desire. Razmund is like that too, I bet. Using whatever is necessary, for their beliefs and benefits. They may be a bit too harsh, but this is fitting for them too. They hate anything to do with demons, and anything inhuman. Those beasts are pets, slaves, or something in-between. I hope you won''t end up being eaten alive like a proper hunting duck that dogs eat in royal hunts. Heheh.¡± Lisa giggled, explaining the situation a bit better, but Murai was already thinking of a way to destroy these things, rather than hearing her words.


    Around the trees, 20 meters away, 4 legged beasts emerged in a low and shadowy stature. Murai watched them from the bushes, unnoticed by them. One would notice them right away in the darkness, but not so much without proper eyesight. Their steps were silent as their breathing. Their eyes were deep red, and their bodies resembled wolves in their frontal appearances apart from their head.


    Phantom Coyotes had much more ferocious eyes and wider mouths with a pointy heads. Their statures weren''t large, and their legs were angled and made up for a sprinter - unlike dessert coyotes. 10 Phantom Coyotes in total appeared in his line of detection, with only a few emerging behind his physical eyesight. The majority had scarred faces, while their heads had a wide jaw littered with a lot more teeth than a wolf would have.


    They had similar snouts to wolves and their fur looked hard with deep blackness and a tinge of azure mana fluctuations. Another thing of interest was within their mouths. There were layers and waves of mana coming from it, indicating some sort of strange affinity, or ability they had. It resembled a fire in their mouth.


    ¡°Lisa! What level of a beast is that? Around Level 20 or something? ¡± Murai guessed.


    ¡°Your guess is right, but numbers are numbers and levels are levels. We talked about it a moment ago. Worrying about levels isn''t all that important against Class E beasts. They are stronger than Fs, but why is that so? They had more strength than that, while their highest worry is their numbers! Do you think you can kill them faster when one would bite your wings off sooner? I bet their owner is coming right past them since they have slave collars hiding in that fur. Those are lowly beasts that are only good for surveillance but not now. They can hunt you for real.¡± Lisa said, hoping Murai''s decision would be a bit better thanks to her words.


    Impulsiveness wasn''t a correct choice in any Encounter, and it was more than true in the fight against the 3 messiahs.


    Either of the groups could have fled, or not attacked, ending the battle abruptly, yet with an easy path afterward. Murai was the one who started it all, while the 3 messiahs become 2, then 1, and then 0. Izik and Porik could have fled the scene if they wanted to, and they would have done that if their beliefs and decision would be normal. They weren''t, so this belief cost them their lives, albeit in the hands of someone who didn''t care about their lives either way. After all, expecting to be killed while you want to kill was a normal belief. Murai understood it, and so did the messiahs who accepted their Ends.


    Murai hesitated in the decision of questionable importance. He didn''t view these beasts as a threat, but more so as an annoyance that could litter him with other problems. Those Coyotes were beasts of good value, with snouts that were best for tracking. He assumed they found him because of that.


    They did, so what came next was the important thing. A decision to flee or fight come to his mind, while Lisa was right. The owner of these beasts was coming behind those beasts, forming a threat that was harder to solve than the 3 messiahs. It was his hunch to continue fighting and deal with the rest, but Lisa may be right, or not.


    Was he willing to be too forceful at this part of the Encounter? Nah, he had plenty of time to do anything, while his mana was yet to recover to a passable degree. It was best to preserve his strength.


    ¡°We flee.¡± Murai decided and began to run as fast as he could in the opposite direction than those hesitant-looking coyotes, who were sniffing the ground and air alike. He maintained the bare connection to his Mana Detection to see where they were. He could tell those beasts weren''t the most intelligent ones, and they didn''t spot him yet. They smelled him or felt his mana, but it was rough like a compass. They would know his general direction and that was it.


    There also wasn''t any human in their proximity, so Murai will wait a bit more to see what will change. 60 meters in diameter was a long distance, but that was only 30 around him so he wasn''t close to seeing far, if that made sense.


    Alas, there was something that he didn''t expect, or consider.


    It was the smell, decisiveness of the coyotes, and the one behind them.


    Phantom Coyotes had a pretty good sense of smell, but it wasn''t their highest selling point. Blood, fur, and the smell of distinct beasts were easy to digest, thanks to their snouts. They can track all sorts of things with their senses and the range wasn''t all that bad. It was a physical-based ability and could encompass kilometers if the steps of the prey would be easy to feel.


    What Phantom Coyotes would do about it depended on the ability and right attitude of their master. The one who raised these beasts, or made slaves out of the wild ones. That was the Beast Master, that was following the Phantom Coyotes couple of kilometers behind. There were more than those 10 Coyotes, with many more hiding or sniffing behind the range of Murai''s Mana Detection.


    Murai ran and run, uncaring about his speed or the Seventh Death Forest. By now, he forget about his injuries or tiny legs. He run with many iterations and changed his direction. He wasn''t running in the opposite direction all the time, yet the coyotes weren''t running, but carefully took their time and considered the moves of their prey.


    A few minutes into this, a shrouded man in a deep dark robe emerged in the same spot where Murai battled the messiahs. He had many chains over his dark robe, while 3 much larger coyotes were behind his sides. They growled in displeasure and agitation as if they were feeling something strange.


    ¡°Calm down, beasts.¡± the man, hiding behind the hooded appearance said in a grumpy voice, smacking the snouts of these large beasts. They calmed instantly, fearing more dread would come their way.


    ¡°What happened here? This sense of dread... Is this what is the source of this forest? Captain Razmund did talk about something, yet the higher-ups weren''t interested in this forest at all... Encounter is the priority, it seems and this place serves as a good catching place, yet it doesn''t mean it is good for hunters either.¡± the man said and sniffled the air in the same manner as the coyotes.


    ¡°All indications of anything are gone, yet the smell of blood prevails. It''s blood and nothing else... How strange. Someone butchered a group of messiahs, or so I guess. The human blood it is, and the mana is impossible to read or sniff out. It seems to be the case of a brief battle that went on for a few exchanges and the loss of a lot of human blood. It also wasn''t that long ago. The place is also cleaned up. As expected of the Death.¡± he figured, and let the smell of blood follow his senses.


    There was nothing in his place, but something he found was indeed there. It was a sense of a demonic beast, and the coyotes widely growled, sensing the prey in the air. ¡°The other lesser tools probably sensed it, thus they act under my education. Good. I sense them. That may be the reason for their careful positioning... which means. The enemy is a demonic beast. Of course... Heheheh!¡± The man laughed in an evil tone. ¡°The prey! The one! I will be the one to beat this Encounter!¡±


    The Beast Master remained laughing and glancing at the open direction Murai escaped to. With the right mindset coming to his mind, he followed the senses of his beast and hurried toward the direction of the rest of the coyotes.

 Chapter 86: Bad situation

    Further into the Seventh Death Forest, Murai was hurrying under the premise of preserving strength, which may be a good idea or a terrible mistake. His running speed is faster than ever, which may be a good thing, but he was in no way faster than those 4 legged beasts for sure.


    In the seventh hell... Those monsters are carefully taking their time and adjusting their speed according to me. They aren''t catching me, but hunting me as Lisa said. They are bloody hounds, eyeing the prey for their master without catching it. How savage, Murai thought, hurrying forwards as long and fast as his tiny legs allowed him to.


    Lisa floated above him, carelessly looking behind her as she flew ahead. ¡°Maybe there would be some better things to do than this running? You aren''t fast, Murai Hisagi. Maybe try hiding, or masking yourself better?¡± Lisa tried to help, but it was only met with Murai''s disapproval shake of his beak.


    ¡°Fuck that. Those beasts are picking my scent which is impossible to shake, unless I would shed my skin... I can see that, but you can''t. Those beasts are taking their positioning and careful placement. I can see their changing location to my former locations. I fear I need to do something more... drastic.¡± Murai quacked in annoyance.


    ¡°Or kill them instead,¡± Lisa said the obvious thing, which meant potential troubles, but depending on the strategy, it may be more effective than running while not being good at it. Lisa definitely wished to point out Murai''s speed and Phantom Coyotes'' strength in this regard, but she didn''t want to mock his clear tries at running away. It wasn''t a bad choice, but it went for 5 minutes without any success.


    Kill? That is effective, but not passable either. They have a clear mastermind behind them that is waiting. Otherwise, they would catch me. They are like dogs, clearly trained with proper hunting skills to tire me out. Mentally, or physically, the foe behind them isn''t stupid. Do they want to tire me, or do they await for the master that is still behind them? I wonder which is it. Murai wondered, feeling that the past minutes were all the same. 10 Phantom Coyotes were taking their time, with no larger or smaller number of them.


    They stretched around the perimeter of his rough 30-meter radius behind him, sniffing his location out.


    ¡°I bet you guessed everything,¡± Lisa said.


    ¡°Yeah? Why in the world are you mentioning bets? Now, of all times? You must be kidding...¡± Murai scowled, but Lisa only chuckled instead. ¡°Forget it, Lisa. I think you aren''t wrong, so what other choices do you have? Do you think you can hinder them so I will escape further? Hm?¡± he asked while running nonstop through the forest, even though it was a bit uncomfortable for his tiny legs.


    For a 30 or so centimeters tall duck to run in this matter was less than questionable, but surprisingly, Murai found his running pace quite fast under those circumstances. It was still slower than dogs running, but thanks to his Vitality, Strength, and Dexterity, he wasn''t slow.


    He wasn''t fast, however. At least he wasn''t slower than the Phantom Coyotes who followed hunting orders and adjusted their directions as they should. Many changes of direction that Murai did worked to his advantage, otherwise, they would long found him if he ran in a straight direction.


    Doing something better than running would be better, but what it would be? This fleeting was only stalling the inevitable, and his stamina was also an issue. Murai was still feeling great, but his tiny legs were hiding some injury and straining pain. Sooner or later, his legs will give up on him and he knew it.


    ¡°Fine... Murai Hisagi.¡± Lisa clapped her hands all of a sudden, changing their physicality in her palms alone. Stretching, she still flew ahead but leaned her head to face Murai''s. ¡°I didn''t want to tell it, but watching you struggle is my issue too, so it is time to do something about it. What are your thoughts?¡±


    ¡°Is it funny then? Having your own life at my hand?¡± Murai smirked. ¡°You are joking... Any normal life companion would do one''s damned best you damned succubus? Do you have a screw loosened in your damned seen-through head? I can''t see it, nor the brain.¡±


    Hearing his mocking tone, Lisa hesitation but knew he was only telling it to make himself feel better. That, and what she was about to tell him was something quite significant. ¡°I am doing things my way and truth to be told, I was and am familiar with the Seventh Death Forest from my past life. But only a little, since this is a place I sought out before. I know where we are for quite some time already.¡±


    Murai almost stopped running and got the urge to slap her down. ¡°Are you fucking serious?¡±


    ¡°Yes. This place is known to change its shape a lot, so more than 50 years changed it for the worse. Though, the major natural regions should remain the same since the longevity of my living was longer than my dead. I saw the Battleworld change too, and this place is one kind of chaotic place. Canyons, rivers mountains, or lakes should have remained the same, and all major locations too.¡±


    ¡°Seeking, knowing, and being familiar with something are different things. You died 50 years ago, so what are you getting into, Lisa? Do you think knowledge of this location will help? Where are we even?¡±


    ¡°Midwest of the Cherry section,¡± Lisa revealed.


    ¡°And you telling me that now? Where I should run?¡± Murai barked at her, obvious that Lisa know how to deal with this situation much better than his lackluster fleeting. ¡°Wait, how do you even know it? Did you know it all the while I struggled? Location means you know the way out!¡±


    ¡°Well, I was waiting for the situation to go desperate and it''s not like getting out is something easy. After seeking your battle sparkling your much-needed mind, I figured waiting is better. Then, the messiahs appeared and now we are here, being hunted and fleeing.¡± Lisa argued, causing Murai to grumble and clutch his wings and beak in anger.


    He wished to curse her to oblivion, but in a sense, she was right in her own bubble. It was an issue of their constant power dynamic, and Murai felt he can''t do anything about it.


    ¡°No need to be angry, Murai Hisagi. It may not be fine, as I still hesitate over this decision because of certain reasons. As fine as it is, I know where to go, but daring to go there means some other issues, so unless you aren''t afraid of Death, I wouldn''t take you there. If you feel confident, let''s go towards that direction¡± Lisa pointed with her hand back, but more so to the right.


    ¡°You... You know a way out of this forest?¡± Murai asked, hesitantly stopping his steps to think of something better.


    ¡°I do, in a sense, but were are far from that. We are closer to the middle part of this forest than the corners of this forest, which may be a long stretch of walking away. Hence, it isn''t possible to remain fleeting if you aren''t comfortable with your tiny legs or stamina.¡±


    ¡°That''s fucking great...¡± Murai cursed and sighed. ¡°But I will l take any chances. For now, will you lead me properly then? It should be to your advantage and since you''ve already mentioned that, you should carry out your own words.¡±


    ¡°I have my reasons to be hesitant... This place isn''t easier than the Centralis Kingdom, you know?¡± Lisa said and straightened her floating position to position herself face-to-face with him.


    ¡°So?¡± Murai didn''t care. ¡°You aren''t saying a lot of things as far as I see, but you aren''t giving me choices either. Death? I long ago felt the uneasiness of this place. It''s either cursed, or so old, a lot of mana, and things around the earth went to shit. Maybe even a past Holy War was in this place, or a straight-up Divine War? That''s my guess, among many deaths. This place is full of Death, seeping Chaos, and undead energy.¡± Murai guessed and before seeking a surprising expression on Lisa''s face, he turned behind him and ran according to Lisa''s direction.


    This time, he ran way back, but he kept the direction that Lisa told him in his mind. First, he had to outrun the coyotes behind his back, and hopefully, she will be a good GPS and won''t half-ass her usefulness as with many things.


    Murai was yet to reach any different section of the Seventh Death Forest, meaning that this place was fairly large. Everything seemed the same all the time, with dead trees, and soil that wasn''t fertile any longer, yet the bushes still remained. It was an eerie place, where the sun wasn''t bright, but dull over the dark and cloudy sky.


    Murai ran for a couple of hours in such a way after he successfully emerged after outmaneuvering the pair of coyotes by hiding in the trees. In this way, he reached the proper position that Lisa mentioned. He ended up overrunning the coyotes quite a bit right now, but then other coyotes emerged next. He almost ended up being caught, but he found a pool of mud, where he swiped his beak and body as fast as he could.


    Acting like a proper assassin, he stealthily moved and moved past the enemy''s line toward Lisa''s direction.


    Now, an hour later, the Phantom Coyotes were in utmost reach of his Mana Detection, and some of the 10 Coyotes were even behind his reach.


    Murai''s Mana Pool was still fine at this time since he wasn''t using anything else but his Mana Detection which seemed to have more or less the same cost as his Mana Replenishment. However, constant running and mindful connection to the Mana Detection was taking some toll on his spirit.


    He didn''t have infinite stamina, and he felt his tiny legs were giving up on him for the past half an hour. Yet, he prevailed and kept running for the sake of it. Doing so with much more vigor or care, he would fall into a disadvantage if a battle would start, so he kept his mind sharp.


    Either of these issues annoyed him, but before he wanted to do something with that, a change occurred. In front of him, 4 Phantom Coyots emerged along with more behind him, ready to strike. It was a clever ambush from all directions.


    Fuck... Those beasts went out of my Mana Detection radius and went further in to trap me? I bet they got some sense of my proper direction after picking on mz movements for the past hour, even though I am trying to constantly shift it. How clever are these bastards?


    Murai scowled and did what was best in the situation. He prepared for the battle by Conjuring and Shaping a pair of Mana Blades around him.


    They went side by side with his body, indicating his willingness to dive right into the Phantom Coyotes who were running fast as if they expected him. They were no longer hesitant and bared their fangs and claws instead.


    ¡°I... feared this would happen,¡± Lisa said. ¡°Those Phantom Coyotes aren''t normal ones... See that? They have rune shackles around their necks and are carnivorous like crazed beasts to fuck a female.¡± Lisa deducted, pointing with her finger ahead, where the 4 coyotes appeared out of the bushes, right in the middle of the many trees, close to the Murai''s location.


    Something strange was about them indeed. They were agitated, growling, and looking different than the past ones. Their aura was wilder, full of ferocity and intent to kill.


    ¡°Don''t tell me they are something like the messiahs? Numbers are stronger? Right? Can they use some enchantments and other party tricks? Give me a fucking break already...¡± Murai scowled, yet the first coyote went out of this pack, pouncing right before Murai''s face without much further stalling. It was more agile than Murai expected, with an open jaw that seeped Mana as if it wanted to clutch his soul. A flame was around its baring teeth, wanting to clutch him like a piece of meat.


    ¡°Hm, you mealy beast! Fuck off!¡± Murai swiped the left mana blade, eyeing the jaw with indifference and calmness. Stopping the jaw with the blade a dozen centimeters from his beak, he also stopped the pouncing Phantom Coyote''s whole body which was quite a bit larger than Murai''s. It was at least 70 centimeters tall and more than a meter long. Its head was quite big, with tall frontal limbs and a rather thin-looking torso. Thankfully, he didn''t use his physicality, since his legs wouldn''t take this attack lightly.


    Within the pounce, the Phantom Coyote stumbled mid-air, as the mana blade was firm and not limited to Murai''s physicality. It also led to the halt of the momentum, welcoming an opportunity and the right call. The second blade was coming faster than the coyote''s stumbling reflex after meeting rather strong magic.


    Swiping fast and steady, the glowing blade went right toward its neck. Murai sliced the head off cleanly, letting a flow of blood emerge from the rest of the body, seeping it into the soil and coloring the dry bark of the surrounding trees. Murai was filthy more than usual because of the mud, so this blood didn''t change his appearance much.


    With one coyote dead, the rest may or may not follow. Right as the head of the first Phantom Coyote fell to the ground, the 2 other, similar-looking coyotes emerged beside the dead one. They glared at Murai but didn''t pounce at him directly. They position themselves side by side and decided to attack from the far.


    Murai watched the opening jaws, that led out azure flames and warm waves. They rushed forward, engulfing the dead coyote and himself in the flames. It was like a flash of a sudden explosion and suddenly, the world turned bright.


    Once again, Murai didn''t feel the heat, nor a danger rising in his mind. Only his vision was a bit abnormal, filled with azure flames yet his mind felt an absolute calmness.


    A flame huh? What is Anatidae anyway? Murai thought, and before thinking of any other changes, he Conjured his own flames amidst the flames of others.


    A pair of flaming vortexes was under his command in a couple of moments, floating before his beak. Two Flaming Shots emerged with colors of orange and red, and quite a hefty amount of heat. It was stronger in this department than those azure flames and it was obvious why. Murai held better Flame than these Phantom Coyotes, or the reasons were completely different.


    Reason for what? Murai didn''t know what the hell happened, but suddenly, something strange fell thoughts his mana. The surrounding azure flames shook and started merging and coming into the Flaming Shots, turning them into two whirlpools that ate up the azure flames, which wasn''t the strangest thing.


    What was strange was the mana under Murai''s control and his Beast Core. Everything moved fine, and the azure flame wasn''t overpowering his own control, nor did it eat a lot of his own mana. It was, as if the azure flames moved on their own violation, turning to something better. This strange happening didn''t take any mana from his core. That was an unexpected thing.


    The azure flame led to a surprising turn of events, creating 2 vortexes of Flames that were unlike the Flame Shots form before. They were larger, bigger, and more firm in their physicality. It was also right to assume that the Flame Shots acted on their own as well, gulping down the azure flame while Murai wasn''t creating or doing anything apart from the previous start of Shaping.


    After all, it was still his Flaming Shots, so he felt his own control over them, yet it was changing within his own grasp, which was unnatural at this sort of level.


    Murai didn''t see a thing, but he didn''t need to. His Mana Detection saw the heat and brightness of the azure flames, but he also saw his Flame in these strange vortexes. So he moved past the obstacles in his mind and gritted his teeth while standing on the ground. Flames surrounded him still, forming a small storm with those two Flame Shots before his face.


    He Shaped the changed Flame Shots according to his will, deciding to make weapons out of them. He had to be fast since each was destabilizing quite fast. It was a higher degree of mana and flame that he shouldn''t be able to Shape, or Conjure at the moment. Making weapons out of them proved to be difficult, but manageable with some force.


    Murai was barely able to change the shape from the revolving balls to a flatter kind of discs that he then shot toward each Phantom Coyote. The condensed flames should make much better explosives that the ones without any pressure.


    The discs flew fast as Murai wanted, not giving the coyotes much time. They should be unable to dodge the wide area of effects of these discs because they seemed preoccupied with the bright flames, but their instincts kicked in fast. They jumped away from the discs, dodging almost 3 meters away.


    Unfortunately for them, they backed away, and not the side, which proved to be a fatal mistake. The revolving discs hit the ground, turning into a wide range of revolving shards that exploded and traveled far and wide, obliterating the two coyotes to pieces.


    Murai was a bit more away, but his body was lighter, so the shockwave of this explosion wasn''t fatal to him. He flew away instead without any injuries apart from some shock that hit his face. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In a bit of time, his vision calmed down, watching a dull soil. When he went back to his feet, he saw the degree of flame that he created. It was dancing wildly, traveling around the trees and obliterating smaller bushes. No shards were around, and the azure flame also disappear, leaving his normal Flames instead.


    A small crater was there, around 3 meters wide.


    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Murai asked Lisa, who saw it all without any need to be worried about her physicality. She was like a spectator so she noticed Murai''s glance. But she was also surprised. With what exactly? By Murai''s creation and his seeming unawareness of doing it.


    What he did wasn''t right. Lisa may have not been a mage, but she used to have a Mana Core too. He used what was offered outside of his own core, using the coyotes'' ability of some inner flame affinity to create something new. That was the wrong sort of magic. Flame affinity and mana were peculiar things. Lisa wasn''t sure of everything under the heaves, and so was Murai, but the rules of magic were there to provide some sense.


    ¡°Hmm...¡± Murai straightened his head, looking ahead. Using the flame of other kinds of flames to touch them and create a stronger one? That reminds me of many things, but not the flames of shaped properties. That isn''t how affinities of one''s shaping work, but it resembles how elements can evolve. I don''t think this falls under the knowledge that even Rudolf knows about. Is this what an Anatidae can do, or it is more profound than some flaming affinity? My Flame Shots sucked those azure flames into them, but the flames went in as well, turning into a higher state of flame on their own. Which? Was this Annihilation, Destruction, or Heat?


    Murai wondered and watched the flaming area along with the last coyote of this pack. The remaining ones were yet to come, probably because of the situation of his smell that he tried to hide.


    The last coyote was much bigger, with over a meter and a half in height, and quite a ferocious look. Some scraps from the explosion traveled to him, causing some damage to its face, and sides. It was bleeding, but it wasn''t enough to damage it. Instead, it was a mild inconvenience or a small bother.


    Lisa was floating above the ground, out of Murai''s way. 10 or so meters above the ground, she watched everything with calmness. She had her own thoughts about what just occurred. She will enjoy the last fight against this Alpha Coyote. This was an evolution above the Phantom Coyote within the Coyote species.


    Watching the Alpha emerge from the flame as it walked forward, it was unhindered, and in its jaw was a regular-looking flame, unlike the azure one, which was a bit colder and lower ranked in power and quality.


    So those things can evolve too? Murai wondered and shaped another 2 Blades that he previously discarded back to mana to use them on the flaming shots. Each probably cost him a few dozen points of his Mana Pool, but that was his guess.


    I am kidding... Of course, I know things can evolve, He snickered and stood straight.


    He could tell his mana pool was less than 10% full, which wasn''t a lot, but not a small amount either because of the large base. Running around with the Mana Detection was the cause for this much loss of it. It would be quite a large expenditure for any ordinary mage, but for him, it was also much needed.


    The fight against the 3 messiahs wasn''t up to his mana at all. He killed them with his beak since it was the most likely the easiest route, even though his Beak''s Peak did take some of the mana toward the peak.


    As for this Alpha, Murai was inclined to try his beak as well, but his mana was an issue and his legs wouldn''t take any sort of strike all that well. That was at least what he thought, so he did what he considered to be the best of what he was capable of. It was his confidence, yet he forgot about the back, where other Phantom Coyotes will come soon.


    He had at least a minute, so he was itching to gain some sudden idea to solve this situation.


    ¡°Let''s get this over with, beast.¡± Murai quacked and did as he said, Shaping the Mana Blades around his beak.


    Then, another shocking thing happened, or so he thought. He heard a voice. An unexpected one, but hearable within his head.


    ¡°You... a Blessed?¡±


    It was a faint voice that carried meanings of the Will, sounding sorry, weak, and on the verge of doom.

 Chapter 87: Strange Alpha

    The voice that Murai was hearing was strangely physical, yet also speaking to his soul. It was hoarse and seemed like scrapping swords against a tree''s bark. It was coming from this Alpha Coyote, which seemed as dangerous as it should and was out of its mind. A strange glint was within its eyes with quite powerful strength similar to Murai''s.


    Alpha Coyote was a Class D monster, but that alone wouldn''t pose as the biggest issue. From the aure and the mass, it was obvious it held years of experience with power larger than Murai''s. It was a dangerous beast by itself, so it was no wonder that he was feeling a lot of threat from it.


    However, the voice spread from it, giving Murai a tinge of something strange. There was an intelligence hiding in those crimson eyes, hiding even a reason, but it was shrouded in the agony of the huge metallic collar around the neck. Its inner voice also sounded a bit old, tired, and fed up without much regard for anything then dying.


    ¡°Wait... Wait. Wait. You understand me?¡± Murai quacked again and Alpha nodded slightly while restraining his paws on the ground so it wouldn''t jump forward, pouncing at Murai with the hopes of eating him up.


    How could this beast understand him when he quacked? This question entered his mind but he had no idea for an answer, but that nod seemed real.


    ¡°Uh... what the fuck am I supposed to do then? Should we kill each other now? Fight? I never met a soul who would understand me outside of my damned soul or...¡± Murai glanced upwards, uncaring to mention Lisa at all. ¡°What the hell is it then!? This... I can''t read your soul with my Soul Read... It makes the emotions confusing, while the soul itself is so hazy and dark like clouds of chaos. It is unlike the previous beasts who were bloody murderous animals as they should be. You, what the fuck are you?¡± Murai cursed out loud, showing quite a sight to this Alpha, who was not only an intelligent being, but its soul was an unordinary one.


    The kind that Murai had trouble reading, or was it made this way?


    Some spell, curse, or some powerful soul-based power would give a soul this sort of vision, yet he wasn''t recognizing any examples.


    From the way it seemed to him, this Alpha was unlucky to be caught by the Beast Master and made into a slave beast. So whatever was wrong with it, Murai found it intriguing and interesting, rather than fearful and depressing. He forgot that this beast wanted to eat him, hunt him like a toy for its master. For a beast to understand him, he sure was wondering why it was possible.


    Through the soul?


    Will?


    Could he understand his quacks?


    How did it all work?


    Murai uttered quite some nonsense and unhinged worry, unaware of who or what kind of being this Alpha Coyote was.


    Now, there was a sudden standstill between the two forces. Alpha Coyote hesitated with the attack, but more so was stopping itself from attacking. The collar seemed to notice its hesitation, unleashing a powerful backlash so its body whimpered and shocked as if in pain. The shackles put around the neck glowed in cursed mana filled with some deep restraining magic so it wouldn''t be able to get rid of the collar.


    There was also a slaving seal on top of the collars, forming a basic vision that the Beast Master commanded. All of this shackled this Alpha, electrifying and causing horrific pain. Yet, it remained watching, wondering what this duck was, rather than crying like a dog. The pain only caused its legs and paws to dig deeper into the soil, stopping while the eyes seemed resolute in their last stand, or so the Alpha believed. It didn''t want to attack, hoping to seek help instead.


    It didn''t even consider the pain and rules to be a bother. To get help, it would need a large one or the kind that wouldn''t make common sense. Someone stronger than some Beast Master wouldn''t fit this. Perhaps even a Blessed would do, but something of that kind was right before it.


    Right! A Blessed Anatidae would do, but it didn''t know of this sort of species at all. It was a simple hunch. Intent, or instinct to trust the process.


    ¡°P-please... D-destroy. Chains¡±


    Three words echoed into Murai''s soul again, sounding helpless yet resolute to do something. At this point, Murai figured out what was happening. This weird, yet intelligent beast before him was an unfortunate one. Some kind of soul like him, or some sort of poor bastard that held some unfortunate fate. It met poor fate, which was something Murai deeply bonded with not only as a duck but as a being that had more such experiences with Curses and Ends than any other soul.


    ¡°Fine. Fine.¡± Murai sighed, walking forward by 3 steps. ¡°I see your body''s honesty, yet I can''t see your soul. I damn hope you won''t attack me if I try to help you, right?¡± he said, stepping to the close proximity of potential attacks after some deliberate decisions. He still had the Robust Spirit identity abilities, so using them against this beast should be more than enough.


    ¡°If you even flinch in a try to kill me, I am damned certain I can kill you regardless of your soul perception that led to this shitty situation. Are we clear? It won''t matter if your physicality is stronger, or if your attributes or care is larger.¡± Murai quacked again, Conjuring and Shaping a rather large Mana Blade.


    He formed it into many parts, making it a stronger, wider version of the blade that was a bit harder to Shape but only this sort of thing had a higher power to crack some metal.


    Probably.


    The downside of its mass would be a slower degree of shaping, but its strength would make up for it. It could also be powerful in its own right, and wouldn''t necessarily lose its shape. That was one of the basic visions of the Shaping that Murai was confronting for the past lives in the River of Manaflow. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alpha Coyote kept his uncaring attitude about the pain, neverending straining, and shackling power of this collar. As for the upcoming blade that aimed toward its neck, perhaps it was afraid a little as if it wouldn''t hit the collar, but the neck instead. A desirable choice, or so the Alpha Coyote thought, the moment the upcoming blade went at his neck.


    Its body wanted to stop the blade, yet the mind strained the body, causing the last dozen seconds to halt any actions that wouldn''t be its own. This required tremendous will, considering the notion of many years of living like a slavering dog.


    Alpha Coyotes were a larger and sturdier version of the Phantom Coyote with tougher fur and spiked parts of darker lines around their torso and tail. Of course, it was stronger in everything from the basic Class E Phantom Coyote. Be it the fangs, claws, speed, or strength, it had all the advantages of higher grade species.


    For the moment, it was doing its very best to go against the slaving seal put on the collar, that was shrouding its soul for dozens of years.


    Flying as fast as it could, Murai did as the voice asked, flashing the swords straight against the collar.


    BANG!


    A sharp metallic sound resounded, leading to countless scraps of metal and the complete dissipation of Murai''s blade. Mana seeped out of every speck of his blade, appearing not only bright but something wild and crazy became of the cracked collar. It was an old one, almost corroded and filled with many spots of rust. It may have been a Void Seal Collar a couple of hundred years ago, but now, it was nothing but scrap even though it was firm and restrained like any other slaving collar a few seconds ago.


    To Murai''s surprise or shock, he was able to destroy the collar. He thought he wouldn''t be able to do it according to thickness and factor that it was around a beast that looked to be of the same class as his current Anatiade Panacea. It looked like something hard to do since destroying the property [collar] of a Beast Master needed to be strong.


    It wasn''t his first time meeting such an occupation, so he thought little of it.


    In fact, he held some satisfaction that he cracked it up.


    Murai met all sorts of strange happenings in his life, and many situations put beasts and slavery into a certain perspective. Murai long figured out human nature and what they could do against other races, let alone some beasts. Though, it wasn''t always humans that seemed like that, as the source of power and ego worked within all of the creatures the same.


    His own experience in many lives was one thing, but seeing the acts of literary countless beings that he had seen or met, Murai held an almost equal amount of value on that, as he held on his own experiences.


    It was knowledge.


    And knowledge was power in a similar strength as experience.


    It was like watching and participating in countless other adventures than his own, leading to many positions where he no longer cared about a lot of things, but also noticed more of them. His current living was also this sort of position, and one may even say that living long lives can lead to a lot of wisdom.


    Though, Murai would disagree and call that person an absolute and clueless bastard. Too much of something was easy to become full of useless clutter.


    He was mostly tired of many considerations, which in turn made him somewhat of an apathetic asshole. He didn''t fault this version of himself, as he sometimes forgot what version of himself he had in his mind. It was caused by his cursed living, as he recalled many times. Noticing that issue, or whether it was even one, came in a clutch of his ego when it became important. But such conditions were rare.


    Mostly, the New Beginning will give him a blank mind, while the many memories were like hazy pictures - in his mind, ready to see and feel. It was by rigorous Will that he figured out the right method to go about Cursed Living. That was to don''t give a fuck.


    It was a simple quote, and it worked in many ways. Sometimes not good ones, he reckoned many times. Unhinged living, and trying to be true to himself. That was his current outlook, which may be close in many terms of Chaos, but he didn''t care.


    Though, if his care or goodwill will show, he didn''t have trouble going with the flow of Order too. If it was something to his advantage, that was.


    Murai didn''t know if what he was doing was right or not, but meeting another Will to understand his own was something his life desired. No. Perhaps he was fed up with Lisa and wanted another talk. He wasn''t sure of it. Ceila was already out of his mind, and it wasn''t as if Rain could appear out of nowhere too.


    It was a bit strange, yet he was unaware of one simple thing. He felt kind of lonely if that made sense, so without realizing it, he put his mind to focus on the current issue or task, acting with full vigor and all-out strength that took half of his current mana out of his core.


    ¡°Hoh? The collar''s toughness still obliterated my blade, yet it as well?¡± Murai figured, thinking of some reasons for the current situation. He long noticed these slaving seals around the collar still floating around the cracked collar, but that didn''t mean he was feeling sorry for this Alpha that had those things. Phantom Coyotes had them all and they all acted with bloody instinct, Beast Master''s desires and to kill.


    It was a simple premise yet this case with the Alpha Coyote was different. This beast was forcefully sealed by some strange way that put something... forth? The moment Murai "destroyed" the collar, something auric changed the air, causing the temperature to drop and darkness shrouded the location a bit more. It was better to say that the collar collapsed on itself, and something came out of it.


    Many strings and waves of crystal and shimmering chain shot out of the collar, enveloping Murai with some strange runes. It was tangible to the eye, but on closer inspection, it didn''t appear to be physical.


    One end of the chain was upon Alpha Coyote''s neck, while the other went for Murai''s head.


    Was it a restraining formation? Chains to shackle someone together? Was this a trap?


    Murai''s vision was able to perceive everything and notice what it was. He was... right yet wrong. It was his hunch to be a trap, and this wasn''t some Beast Master''s technique, nor a trap.


    No.


    Something was forcing some technique, or formation upon this Alpha Coyote''s soul, becoming a toy or some kind of messed up cursed beast.


    Upon these chains were countless little dots and runic symbols of many intricacies, made of invisible threads of understanding and light. It wasn''t the usual stuff of magical runes, appearing older and specific. Murai saw them and was an itch away from unleashing Robust Will that should stop this madness, or Robust Defene would do too? Perhaps, but under Murai''s Will, his Robust Spirit trembled along with his own Ego. He didn''t care to pull the trigger of his unique abilities yet.


    ¡°Hmph! Something damned intriguing came up! Whatever you are, you are damned to wish to shackle me with some crafty runes of barebone laws? Whoever you are, you are a moron!¡± Murai shouted, and put forth his powerful soul to good use!


    The shackling chains did hit him to his head, enabling some connection to form to his soul, forming a chain reaction of some sort in his soul space. Murai wasn''t willing to have this sort of mess under his nose, so he snorted, causing his Robust Spirit to explode in mighty emotions like himself. His powerful soul let a sudden wave, destroying the chains and anything that was coming to this place.


    It was over in one swipe of a simple spiritual wave.


    Outside, the Alpha Coyote shuddered and coughed up blood. It also whimpered on its legs, staggering aside upon feeling the chain reaction that followed forward. The chains cracked outside too, and not only within Murai''s soul space. Like a domino effect, the wrapping enchantment of some kind ceased to exist in every interaction of some laws that cursed the soul of this Alpha Coyote.


    It was an old thing that was with its life for a long time. It was a neverending curse and something it didn''t want, and it didn''t ask for it.


    This duck freed him! Alpha Coyote understood it, albeit it wasn''t understanding. Many things followed behind this action and it was feeling conflicted. Its soul went out to become free after so long, leaving the slaving markings around the neck to appear. The residual parts of the collar cracked a bit more, falling to the ground.


    Then, as if possessed, the Alpha kept watching as Murai glared at him unhappily, until he snored and went running away, unwilling to ask or deny this occurrence. Just now, it was somewhat dangerous. It was his hunch, and trusting it was his own little rule.


    Murai was fast, disappearing to the bushes and unwilling to have anything to do with this beast that was free and unshackled like a dangerous beast. One can''t know what this sort of thing could do, and it was clear to him it was something more than meets the eyes.


    Murai did the right call since the Beast Master entered his range of Mana Detection, thus forcing him to flee as fast as he could. Danger. A much larger one was coming and it wasn''t a measly phantom coyote or alpha coyote.


    It was also at this moment that the Beast Master noticed undeniable Mana Detection coming to his own location. He noticed it with his rightful perception of the mana. It was light, slightly thriving shimmers of shivering mana in the air.


    ¡°Hm? Mana seems to look out for itself, but... What happened? This...¡± the Beast Master seemed to notice something within the connection to his toys. ¡°That cursed beast is gone? What happened? Did... Did it die? Impossible! Target is... Wait... That... That is GREAT! Good!¡± the man exclaimed, yet sounded quite happy as if a huge burden lifted up from his head. Something he wanted to get rid of for a long time was finally gone. It was worth being happy.


    It didn''t even occur to him how it even happened. The feeling of delight about the loss of the cursed connection that pestered him since he got this damned coyote out of the scam, entered his mind.


    Forcing his way through the forest, the Beast Master resumed his full attention on his purpose. Around him, there were 4 other Alpha Coyotes. They looked almost the same as the one Murai freed, apart from the sizeable collar and some color difference and face. Around those 4, each Alpha had 5 Phantom Coyotes, making quite a pack of beasts that would hunt Murai until the end of time.


    That was at least Beast Master''s intention and he won''t go all out, fearing that using the most wouldn''t be fitting for the Encounter. Gods were watchful, after all, and he wasn''t ready to unleash the Godly Halo yet.


    Without hesitation, there was no question that the Beast Master would go all in. The intention and potency of this hunt were wild, and he wouldn''t stop against any odds that were up to his advantage. Now, he still won''t be as fierce, since he had to be careful of some hidden things that filled the Battleworld with hazy and complicated spoken, or unspoken rules.


    He knew them, while Murai didn''t. However, who did know them around him was Lisa, who didn''t do much but watch Murai''s struggles from her seat above him, flowing in the air.


    It was a great luck, that the Beast Master took for granted. The Seventh Death Forest was vast, but he met his great fortune that he was able to detect because of his beasts, which detected the blood, leading to the current situation. The Beast Master finally understood that the goal of this Encounter was before his eyes. Whether it was a bad or a good thing, wasn''t important to him.


    He felt confident, as he was much more powerful than the last 3 messiahs put together.


    He was level 56, Class C - Beast Master within the Path of a Hunter.


    He was someone who could butcher Murai one way or another, so the question was, would he be fast enough to catch him himself, or his beast will be enough? The victorious smirk was already on his face so he didn''t want to wait for long. He gestured the packs forward, hastening as fast behind them as well.


    It was at the moment of hesitation of meeting that strange Alpha Coyote, that Murai discovered the rough power of his opponent with his Mana Detection. It was a Class of someone way more powerful, giving him a tough outlook on his current living. He doubted he would be able to handle it. The beasts were powerful, yet he didn''t understand why he wasn''t able to catch him so far. Was that man stupid? Murai probably thought so, if it hadn''t been for his own fleeing.


    The Coyotes were powerful sprinters, and seeing that strange Alpha was a nail to his coffin. He would be like a damned snack for it, and its jaw would swallow him whole.


    It was good that he wasn''t a coward but a clever bastard. Murai knew that power was everything in the current circumstances, so he fled without any shame. He needed to get the fuck out and figure something out.


    Flying above him, Lisa appeared closer to his head, unbothered by trees and bushes alike. ¡°What was that just now?¡± she asked, looking back and forth between him and Alpha who was some distance away, stunned on the same spot below his former collar. ¡°Also, it is strange... that man behind is way out of your league. How is he allowed to act against you? It basically confirms that the balance of rules is in shambles, so the Gods are prick in all of this... I knew it.¡±


    ¡°Who gives a damn! That freaking beast had some forceful something... Runes? Lawful things... I don''t get it. It felt like a curse, but a strange one. It pushed to my soul and for what? Establishing some connection? Was it a forceful slave-making tool? What a sore loser.... that was.¡± Murai mumbled, wheezing and focusing his attention on running.


    ¡°But that thing communicated with you?¡± Lisa wondered. ¡°Like me, with Will alone, or was it something else?¡±


    ¡°Some tinge of soul power... Probably by its powerful Will, soul, or generic perception, or it knew my quacks? I have no clue. It was probably struggling with the last shred of its soul, so leave it be. Poor beast it is, but I don''t have time to do much with it. Not right now.¡± Murai decided and shot a glance at Lisa above. ¡°Now! It''s about damn time you tell me where I am running to. That man is behind my damned ass, ready to butcher me for the sake of this cursed Encounter and many beasts are following me behind.¡± he complained, hoping to get something meaningful out of Lisa.


    As if seeing nothing, Lisa didn''t hesitate and gave him a needed answer. The kind that Murai didn''t find fitting, however.


    ¡°Hm? Right... I guess he is too much to handle. I guess having a helper would solve this problem of yours.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± He quacked in annoyance.


    ¡°Fine. Fine... There is a Death Valley beyond this cherry section. I know it since it''s a famous location for adventure. It''s a bit further into the forest, edged along a large deep hole. There is a high elevation of half a kilometer, which should be right to form your escape path. Jumping down, and glide to safety with your wings. What do you think? Do you dare?¡±


    ¡°I think you are ridiculous as always,¡± Mura said what he felt. ¡°But... I have no other choice but to believe my wings are ready to face some air. Death, huh? I hope I won''t fall to my End... That would be a hilarious one, I must tell.¡±


    Then, Murai complained some more and almost cried at the harsh fate that was closing upon him.


    Literary, that was.


    Soon behind him, the first packs under Beast Master''s influence tried to sniff the freed Alpha, who was no longer under any slaving orders or rules. The eyes that were long shrouded in the midst of curses, and complete control beyond their own destiny, folded up some clarity. There was a new vigor, and the Alpha snapped his front claws, cleaving the fangs at the necks of the two closest Phantom Coyotes.


    They shrieked in pain before succumbing to lifeless Ends under a simple slash and growl that the freed Alpha let out afterward.


    Other coyotes hesitated, including the alphas. The attacker of the two glared at the incoming Beast Master, who hurried forward with a limp running speed. It was obvious that something was wrong with his legs, but his long robe was preventing his legs from being seen.


    ¡°Oh... What is this? The cursed thing is still alive?¡± Beast Master asked, masking his surprise with words full of killing intent. ¡°Not for long you fucking annoyance! I cursed the day I got you!¡± Without even uttering more words, the 4 leading Alphas went forward, attacking the lone Alpha. They would charge at whatever enemy their master wanted.


    Even to the death, they wouldn''t stop. That was the kind of slaving seal the Beast Master used on that beast that wasn''t his primary source of strength. They were toys, not his highest-level beast. It was common practice to use such tactics with the beast.


    For humans or intelligent living beings, it wasn''t worth restricting the body, souls, or instincts all that much. For the beast, it was fine to let things be a bit more forceful, so it lacked some order. It wasn''t strictly prohibited, but that was only in the context of them. For less demanding and harsh slaving seals, there were lesser ones, and even contracted ones, which were basically servants with some limited freedom, but requirements to have some loyalty.


    Attacking their former Alpha, who was no longer under their master''s command was an easy mission for those alphas. Even if the Beast Master wanted to see which one would be the strongest, he wouldn''t hesitate to start a battle royale on the spot. Though, it wouldn''t make sense. Every loss of the alpha with those collars was a loss of money.


    In the eyes and burden of the 4 other Alpha Coyotes, the freed one smacked the couple charging alphas aside, making a last meaningful glance at his former master before running away.


    He was like a bolt of lightning, disappearing into Murai''s straight direction, who was able to get further, thanks to its small stoppage of Beast Master''s group.


    Murai was able to run quite far in this small amount of time, but would it help against a hunt of this caliber? The free Alpha Coyote seemed bloody excited for some reason, and its body glistered in excitement and was full of life. It got even bigger and stronger as if its body shook in a splendid boost from the world. From the curse, and the hazy mess of its former enslaved mind, its mind ended like a misty lake - calmer, yet numbly unfamiliar.


    The soul space was like that too. Unfamiliar, cloudy, and foreign like freedom.

 Chapter 88: Death Valley

    In a time of running and fleeing for his life, Murai went almost 200 meters away from the meeting of that strange alpha. He lost control of the current situation, unknowingly going over the edge of his possible Mana Detection. It made him somewhat nervous that he was unable to feel the presence of the enemies or what was going on behind him or around him.


    Tsh... This is terrible... Murai complained in his head. I got used to my Mana Detection way too much and now, it is affecting my train of thought along with that damned dog! What the hell was wrong with it... And me? I am not like that... No! I shouldn''t be like this at all. I swear.


    Murai unwillingly viewed himself as that alpha, as if memories of old reached and resurfaced in his mind. A slave... He was one before. It was unpleasant, but not... After all, who was he if not an eternal slave to his cursed life? It was another life after the other, making a cycle of chaos and neverending Ends. He hated it as he hated the context of being shackled by anything. And that alpha reminded him of him so much so, he cursed and fled like a duck meeting a wolf.


    ¡°Calm down, Murai Hisagi. This situation isn''t as bad as you think.¡± Lisa argued aside from him. ¡°That thing was only strange because of some hidden factors. There is no need to care about it since you ceased that issue away with a little bit of soul force. Now, it shouldn''t bother you since it had no seal to eat you up. Probably.¡± She tried to calm him down, hoping it would work and his mind would focus on what will be important. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Along with this brief chaos, his chaotic attitude became apparent, full of some inner madness and memories that Lisa noted.


    Her tries were unsuccessful, however, yet Murai remained silent in his fleeting. Then, Lisa glanced backward, and before even Murai was aware of the new presence behind their back, the alpha from before was less than 5 meters away, storming behind Murai''s back. It was furiously running like a bolt of thunder toward them, reaching the running Murai who may run faster than any duck could, but he had no physicality of 4 legs.


    ¡°M-Murai!¡± she shouted, but she was slower than Murai''s own reflex and feelings that he perceived from behind. He could only jump to the left, stumbling behind a tree as an open jaw littered with teeth and flame alike shot past his body, missing him only by a couple of centimeters. The alpha was no longer shackled, thanks to Murai and no one else, so whatever it came here for, he was skeptical.


    ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± Murai angrily quacked, landing a few meters away, and turned to face the enemy that almost bit his back or neck. The alpha jerked forward a bit more, stopping after losing its momentum. Then, it turned, facing Murai with a slightly hunched head as if sorry.


    ¡°You... helped. Me? Not enemy. No bite. I... help. Away.¡± The few messages left the alpha''s mind along with strange body language. It bowed to the ground, and at last, indicated with its head away in a gesture to flee. It was soul intent as for Murai''s guesses and it was traveling to him with little effort for this sort of beast.


    It was special in some way and had some interesting Will on its own. Perhaps it was a Gifted that was forgotten by a willful god or a being that saw the end of its god? Many instances would cause this issue to be possible, but Murai wasn''t sure if this was a unique circumstance to this world, or if it was something he should be familiar with.


    His head went over some memories, but he couldn''t find much of anything. Possibilities could range from a powerful soul, a blessing that could enchant its soul, or there was some Will that made this alpha unique.


    Lisa had a few guesses herself, but she remained silent so she would see what Murai would do about it. She was doing this style of passivity without any issue since Murai always had his own mind when solving issues. Sometimes, it wasn''t worth it for her to step in, giving Murai another worry. Putting Murai''s nerves to a certain risk of bursting out wasn''t what she desired and when fighting, she wasn''t truly a helper, so why be a bother?


    Though she didn''t mind being one, so she floated closer, hoping to see what would happen with this quite fast alpha. Her eyes and mind even thought of using a Memory Extract, but out of curiosity about what Murai will do, she restrained this thought. From her eyes, she could tell it was way more powerful than Murai, considering how quickly it caught up with him. There was almost no aura, time of waste, and undulation upon its arrival.


    From its aura alone, she guessed it was a beast that developed at least 2 successful evolutions, which wasn''t hard to guess. Coyotes had simple ones, from a pup to unique sub-species such as Phantom Coyote, which then could follow other evolutions. Its Class shouldn''t be more than D. A same class as Murai, so it was an advantage, but what of it?


    Its level should be higher along with attributes that would create an even larger factor than that. They would matter much more in this situation.


    ¡°You?! You wanted to snatch me away!?¡± Murai asked, quacking all the same. ¡°A helper? Help me? That is great... Is your mind even in the right state of mind, you foggy dog? Your soul and mind are like a hazy fog, so what is up with you? You wanted to rip me to shreds before, but you restrained yourself, but I don''t give a shit about it. Now, I am in a damned hurry with Beast Master behind me so if you don''t want to die, scram!¡± he unhappily quacked, having no patience for this thing that was unlike the rest.


    It pestered his mind, clouding his resolution when Soul Read informed him of the calm agitation that this alpha now possessed. Something went through with his Sou Read, after all, giving him some idea that this alpha had an intelligent soul hiding under that fog. It also seemed it was hesitant or afraid of something, and couldn''t properly gesture its own intentions or words. It sounded like a stranded soul in the mists of a new beginning that it couldn''t move through. There was also that curse that dispersed, freeing the soul from that abyss.


    Again, Murai found himself irritated by this.


    ¡°Me... No bite. I. Carry away. Fast.¡± Alpha argued back, tapping its paws on the ground and hoping to get some reasons to the other side. It wanted to help and nothing else, or so it appeared since it was no longer under any rules, seal, or even curse. It gestured its paws further to the ground and forced its head down as if bowing to its master. That, or it wanted Murai to hop on its back. Both would make sense.


    ¡°Hmph... Your soul seems to be in shambles of nothing but fog and confusion. Fine! I see your sincerity. You are faster than a dozen of me so it seems I have no choice anyway. But I won''t let myself be bitten by you!¡± Murai decided to trust it for now since the situation seemed hopeless one way or another. He had already stopped for 10 seconds, causing the packs of coyotes to appear within the edges of his Mana Detection.


    Hopping to Alpha''s back, grabbing the fur by his beak, he used his tiny legs as a support. Murai found its body large and sturdy from the touch alone, giving him some tough realization of how small he was. The alpha appeared a bit different than before, but he couldn''t point out the reasons why it was the case.


    This little gesture surprised the alpha, who was no longer afraid of a lot of things, so some things were due. Its forced purpose, vision, and fog were slowly disappearing away. At some point, nothing will be clouding its life.


    Without much further hesitation, and seeing Murai secured on its back, the alpha jumped away like a bolt of lightning. Charging at a fast pace as if breaks were no longer under its command, Murai found it incredible and bad at the same time. He had trouble staying on its back, and seeing this speed, he won''t match it with his body. Not now, but in the future?


    For once, he doubted he would ever manage this sort of speed considering his legs and the physicality of a duck. Murai wondered for a moment what he could do to accomplish this sort of speed. Body enchantment came at first, then the magic or equipment of some sort? That, or some evolution in stronger physicality?


    Anatidae Peniscula mentioned a high potential in the physicality of his species, so perhaps there were some possibilities of unique opportunities. Albeit, the kinds that were hardly possible, since his path of magic was already decided and he can''t change what already happened.


    Anatidaes had a limited start in their evolution and many beasts of magical aptitude did as well. Usually, Anatidae''s evolution choices involved 3 things. Soul power, body, and magic. One decision can lead to furthering a firm path, one of those 3 things, or more, but that didn''t mean one won''t be able to get some possibility to desire something else.


    Though finding an opportunity to seek a different kind of evolution was a possibility, it was harder and usually not easy to do. The first evolution usually came up with a firm decision to follow certain things, but it wasn''t a common thing. Humans can change their paths midway through their journey if it was in a similar threshold or kind. In this case, some sword paths would be easy to change to spear paths or other kinds.


    For beasts, it was different, since their evolution was almost their Path alone, but it wasn''t accurate.


    The Path was what one viewed as their road of power. It could be body, magic, soul, or anything. Evolution in this sense can improve the Path, or become the Path itself. It was following options and possibilities one could have. A certain desire for power, it was.


    For the beast, it was easier to follow the road of common sense of the evolutions, upgrading one''s body that wouldn''t be too different from the first choice. That was at least common sense in the Battleworld since the large differences at further evolutions may turn out to be a bother and hindrance to getting used to. The time required to learn new things about a different kind of evolution was the issue.


    Lisa furrowed her brows from far, floating above them as she kept up the alpha''s pace without any issues. Alpha ignored her, viewing only Murai as a worthy thing to talk to. She sighed, feeling that the situation went a bit differently than she thought it would. At least it didn''t end up in a fight, which was a good thing.


    She swayed her body, flying fast as she managed to keep the same - if not faster - pace than this alpha. It put her in a good mood to experiment with her soul form, since she held no limits of ordinary physicality, albeit it held major disadvantages. After all, having a body was what she desired, since a soul form was a rather empty living. It was dull, yet mysterious in some sense, creating some strange notion in her head.


    Perhaps she didn''t find it as bad as she thought she would.


    Now, she and Alpha were at least 5 times faster than Murai''s excuse for running as a duck. That was quite some speed.


    In fact, they outrun the packs of coyotes behind them, much to the Beast Master''s dismay and inability to change the outcome of his hunt. Realizing that, he suddenly remembered the route of some success so he put forth a map from his pocket. It was an old map of the Seventh Death Forest, but it was hardly detailed. It had only rough shapes that wouldn''t change, yet the Beast Master knew where he was.


    Looking at it, he smiled ¡°It will get cornered in 5 kilometers before Death Valley. Good. I see no issue with my plan. Hunt it is.¡± he snickered and then gestured 2 packs of phantom coyotes under 2 alphas to go into the intersection of this trap, circling to clutch the forward running Murai.


    The way they run into will be nothing but a long stretch of elevated cliff, without many choices to flee. It should be enough to allow his prey to be unable to escape, or so he thought and hoped.


    That should go along with his hopeful plans, but whether it will be successful depended on the prey rather than his desires.


    Murai was no ordinary prey, and Beast Master forgot about it since he discovered how weak his prey was. It should make sense, considering he knew more about the current circumstances of the Encounter than Murai did about his own. He felt his chances to be much higher thanks to the many beasts under his command, but even then, he failed to capture him fast.


    Sending all the Alphas first would make the most sense to do, but trying to hunt for further information was always a good start according to his path. Considering the possibility of strange helpers that Murai can have, it was no wonder he was cautious. After all, the Centralis Kingdom knew of Vermillion Church so the Best Master was careful about his own sake.


    It may be a battle against the beast outside of his own power, but it was his path. Feeling confident that he will win like a proper Beast Master, he grinned with delight.


    Further into the Seventh Death Forest, almost half a kilometer away, Murai was riding this little helper he got out of nowhere. Following Lisa said nothing about it. She only gestured for Murai and Alpha to move toward the location she planned to be their hope. It shouldn''t be a long journey with this sort of speed until Murai suddenly got an idea that he wasn''t sure how to interpret.


    ¡°Lisa?¡± He sent her through their soul connection, hoping the alpha wouldn''t hear him, but he doubted it didn''t. Though, not as if it mattered, since it was yet to become clever as it should.


    ¡°What? Enjoying the ride?¡± Lisa followed his will along, also speaking to his mind.


    ¡°As if... What about this Helper part of the encounter? How does it exactly work? Is it not similar to the way things go under the gods'' views? I am unsure of how this exactly works... Like this beast, who is helping me. He is like Lia, but not at the same time, so what is it?¡± Murai wondered.


    ¡°Oh, that issue? Heheh.¡± she chuckled. ¡°Good question. You aren''t stupid, so let me tell you rather interesting things. There are a whole lot of issues and things that Will of the Battleword didn''t consider telling you, nor even mention. I see it as no surprise. Encounter is a pile of shitty mess, in a sense of your own. There are some complications in any kind of complicated run by the gods as many variables can happen in this world. If it would be too forceful, or way out of one''s grasp, God''s Wrath would already descend and kill anyone who would try to help you. Is that what you think of it, and how it should be?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± she shook her head.


    ¡°Helper is what, you think? A Helper is a being that follows the encounter part along with you. They may be outside of the rules but within them as well, along with some variables. Could someone help you without being a Helper and fearing God''s Wrath? Sure, but it is a bit too complex than that. That''s the rough point of what I can tell for now, but I am sure there are some slacking variables, in the same way that Razmund has his own. I think it has something to do with the Centralis Kingdom, and considering the whole Encounter, gods have some desires for this Encounter as a whole. Which? I don''t want to guess. You wouldn''t like my guesses, I bet.¡±


    ¡°Guesses? It seems you are beginning to understand me.¡± Murai seemed surprised by this. ¡°They want some trouble... Gods, Vermillion Church, and Centralis Kingdom alike, and for what? In the name of some made-up games... Desires? What a mess.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? It''s not a game if it doesn''t involve Gods.¡± Lisa said, shrugging her arms. ¡°It is like that priest, or whatever that dragon nutjob was. She directly put her Will towards the Encounter and got something out of it in return. It was an official stake for her part of a Helper status. You accepted her since you had no choice. The encounter made it possible because of the present variable of those messiahs. This beast, on the other hand, doesn''t know anything about it, so it is helping you with the Encoutner in return for nothing. In fact, he is riding a steep hill that may end up killing it in return. It is a variable that does give you a helping hand. Well, the hill may be literal, in a couple of moments...¡± Lisa explained.


    ¡°So an indirect helper... Isn''t it quite bad in this way? This encounter is already involving a lot of them under the Centralis Kingdom, I bet. Mess... as you said. What else have you seen in those memories that you are keeping for yourself?¡±


    ¡°Some stuff. Unimportant.¡± Lisa dismissed his doubts, ignoring the fact that Murai knew she wasn''t taking every reason out of her own mind. She kept some things for herself, and even though she can be secretive about it, Murai can see through such a facade. In this sense, they both started to know one another a bit better, but that didn''t mean in a good or bad way.


    ¡°If you say so like that, you obviously sound like a pathetic liar. Is this how you want this to be, Lisa? This life and death situation that would have been my End a long time ago? This Encounter WANTS me dead. GODS wants me dead!¡± Murai argued.


    ¡°Shut up, Murai Hisagi... Man up and deal with it. I am following the motions I think are right to tell while your situation is your idea that pushes to mine. It''s mostly your journey, while I am forced to endure it along your way.¡±


    ¡°That is coming from a soul form that would die if I die. It is as hilarious as you are pathetic.¡± Murai chuckled and Lisa unhappily frowned and continued following the forest.


    That went on for a bit longer until the Seventh Death Forest and this cherry section changed. A wide plain entered their vision when trees became scarce, revealing an open cliff baren of them because of lack of eath for roots.


    Alpha shot out of the forest, slowing down before a desert-like location that was before them, but not directly. It was below, and at the front, since they ended up in a wide stretch of cliff, barren of trees, bushes, or grass. The word, vast was the right word to describe the following description of mountains, storms, and wild feelings of Death Valley.


    There wasn''t even a steep hill down, but a complete fall to an abyss that went unknown distances down. Beneath, and further beyond, there was a desert region in a deep hole-like crevice in the earth''s crust. It had nothing but sand, rocks, and storms of incredible might. It looked like quite an unpleasant time to travel through, and worse than Seventh Death Forest.


    ¡°Is... Is this our way out? THIS? This damned hole seems like a prison rather than hope! Wouldn''t I leave the Seventh Death forest if I enter this place?¡± Murai asked, thinking it was way different than the forest behind him that was under Encounter''s name. Again, he repeated the same wonder, forcing Lisa to repeat the same words.


    ¡°This is still part of the seventh Death Forest, Hisagi Murai,¡± Lisa told, floating a bit higher to seek the surroundings. She was looking for some familiarity, or hoping to glance for something else.


    ¡°Is it? It looks completely different from the word, forest. Whoever it was that decided on this sort of name is a dumbass. I swear...¡± Murai said, unbothered by the sudden stop.


    Even the fact that Alpha followed the direction that Murai told him was quite a good thing. Having this sort of taxi at least put Murai''s tiny legs into a relaxed position and his stamina improved along with his mana. He was sure he could jump and maintain some flight for some time.


    ¡°Well, this seems it''s our end, doggo.¡± Murai quacked, jumping back to the ground and leaving this furred back that wasn''t as bad as he thought.


    ¡°Name. Is Alp.¡± Alpha sent, trying his hardest to get his words together, which seemed to work and the words did seem smoothened out.


    ¡°Alp? Yea... That''s quite a name. Good for you to remember it now, but good luck retaining your freedom. I don''t want something bothering me. Look.¡± Murai gestured with his beak and one wing towards Lisa. ¡°I already got one thing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Lisa unhappily shot between them, causing Murai to chuckle as if he was the biggest comedian in the world.


    Even Alp chuckled, finding this sort of strange dynamic weird. In fact, he was so happy to have proper freedom, he wasn''t afraid of anything at the moment. Even death can come and he won''t be bothered by anything but clutch it, or stop it. Before, even death was impossible for him, since Beast Master''s slaving seal prevented the deaths from happening. He was never unable to die on his own terms or Beast Masters.


    Not even the sight of a succubus put him on guard since the duck was much more interesting than it. That was already strange enough, considering Lisa''s appearance wasn''t common, and should be as rare as the Anatidae species as a whole.


    ¡°Alright, let this be,¡± Murai said and calmed down. ¡°Listen, Alp. You saved my life at the moment, so we are even if you think you want to repay me for getting rid of your cursed living, or this slave thing, or whatever you believe in.¡±


    Alp wiggled his tail, nodding without any words. Though it almost seemed as if he wasn''t listening, so Murai asked again.


    ¡°You still want to follow me?¡±


    Alp nodded, wriggling his tail in return.


    ¡°Fucking hell... This whole situation seems familiar...¡± Murai cursed, remembering the time when he "talked" with Iris in his nods. This resembled it so much, that it put him in unease.


    ¡°Don''t wriggle your tail, goddammit!¡± Murai scowled at Alp as if he was already the owner.


    ¡°You. A Blessed! Me, a potential Companion!¡± Alp sent and the tail seemed to have a mind on its own.


    Murai stopped thinking, hearing some giggling from above. Lisa was having a good time above, finding this whole exchange adorable, if not hilarious.


    ¡°You think this is funny?¡± Murai asked.


    ¡°I do, and I am tired of pretending it is not.¡±


    Murai sighted, forgetting how dangerous their situation was. No... the time was dangerous, not the other way around.


    ¡°Then, what are you, Alp? I am not taking companions lightly, as I have none so far as a Blessed.¡± Murai said, putting his beak high in the air to appear majestic.

 Chapter 89: Fly! Fly? Wings... What are they for, again?

    Alp kept wriggling his tail, thinking and wincing his head toward Murai as if lost in thoughts or what to even tell.


    ¡°I? Me...¡± Alp was a bit hesitant, figuring it wasn''t that easy to recall some thigns. Being chained for so long did this to him, among other things like having his soul strained ~ almost like having a mind below the abyssal waters. It was, as if he finally submerged from the trip from hell, and finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel.


    His memories weren''t the brightest, but he knew his name, but nothing purposeful or larger than that. At least partially, he was like a dog with a mind of an old man who underwent memory defragmentation or deterioration of some kind. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I already see that you are an Alpha Coyote. Around level 30, or higher?¡± Murai asked again, noticing the confusion with the Soul Read.


    Alp nodded, although unaware of his own prowess. As an Alhpa, it was about right, yet not so much because of his inner self?


    Murai gradually sought out his purpose through his thoughts and the ability of his Soul Read. It read some tinges of emotions, yet glancing at him was like reading a mashed paper that had way too many words written over the others. It was confusing so he didn''t see much sense out of Alp''s soul.


    ¡°What about this soul of yours or those chains that wanted to wrap me to yourself, or vice-versa? That was tough... I didn''t like it. Do you know something about it?¡± Murai asked again, yet it put some strain on Alp''s mind as if unpleasant memories resurfaced inside. He wasn''t willing to experience them yet, let alone thought of them.


    His tail stopped wriggling, and even his ears went down his head.


    ¡°I... can wait. You helped. Me. You... survive. I will help. When ready... and... free. Soul.¡± Alp added, figuring that he needed time for himself, rather than doing something he could do, but shouldn''t force.


    Forcing himself onto others wasn''t what he wanted. Being shackled for so long was one thing, gaining free will and this situation was also nothing he was ready for. Another was to have one''s mind ready to be free, which he feared wasn''t something he ever desired. Alp did realize that he wasn''t ready, and he viewed freedom as a dream to have.


    Now, it was suddenly before him and he couldn''t see it as it was hard to feel it. A time of true freedom was yet to come and he wasn''t ready to touch it.


    Alp made a small bonded promise to himself, and it may shackle his heart but no soul as his soul was no longer cursed by those chains. It was much better than being a slave or being alone, facing the curse that put his soul towards eternal servitude or punishment.


    Alp then bowed, as if in thanks before striding along the cliff, wiggling his tail at the sight of the freedom, leaving Murai alone without giving him other words.


    Murai and Lisa looked at the running Alp in wonder, thinking about what in the seventh hell they''d just witnessed.


    Alas, their time was cut short, when the first coyotes emerged in the range of Murai''s Mana Detection. They were coming close, and there were a lot of them than one would assume. Whole packs of them, with brighter lights, indicating the other Alphas were coming to clutch his little neck.


    Murai felt their threat.


    Those normal Coyotes may not be as strong as messiahs, but their numbers and brutality may be as strong. Though, he was wrong. Alphas were already powerful enough to clutch Murai''s with only 2 of them together. 1 on 1, it was also dangerous, but it was obvious to see the problem in the present situation.


    There were dozens of incoming enemies, and it didn''t even involve the additional packs that Beast Master prepared at further corners, outside of this particular cliff to clutch Murai''s escape paths. Since they ran straight towards the edge of the cliff, instead of escaping this trap ~ which wasn''t a trap for them ~ they didn''t meet them.


    Murai forgot Alp''s strange case, remembering him, but focusing on what was important. Turning his face around, he glanced at the distance. His current circumstances weren''t good so he hurried toward the finest edge of the cliff. Down below, it was an incredibly tall cliff that went quite a distance down. At least half a kilometer, or so he guessed. A gust of wind smacked his head when he glanced over the edge which almost caused him to fly away.


    ¡°W-what... Wouldn''t it be damn bad if I fly in this sort of environment?¡± Murai hesitantly asked, finding some excuse to face Lisa.


    ¡°Yes, but are you a coward?¡± Lisa asked, smirking and almost laughing at his hesitant steps that tried to step away. ¡°You have wings, so learn to use them rather than have them like trophies that make no sense.¡±


    Hearing her words, Murai couldn''t help but curse at her mockery aimed at his instability and doubts. He had all reason to doubt his wings, and anyone would. He didn''t care for his wings. He never did. They were clumsy and hardly something handy and easy to figure out.


    ¡°Ugh... Fuck. Fuck.¡± He cursed, stepping back and forth before and out of the edge. Looking down, the surrounding kilometers of mountains, storms, and valleys, were at the bottom of this large desert-like region. It looked like the madness of a lot of things combined together. The weather down below was terrible, filled with sand storms, tornadoes, and quite some darkness in here.


    Above it in the sky, Murai saw unkempt and dark storming clouds, forming a whirlwind above this region. To get down, he needed to glide, fall, or fly for at least 500 meters below ~ more if he will glide, furthering his traveling time. It was quite a larger number than the time when he flew for the first time in the Somalis dungeon.


    Now, he was certainly scared, and he wasn''t ashamed of it, even if he would never agree to himself that he was.


    Lisa floated above him, and behind him, eyeing him with little interest, glancing at the sight below instead. This place was her 2-time visiting opportunity, and something she knew would save some time, and give Murai an interesting opportunity. Hopefully, that was. He may fail, dying miserably in the desert that was more dangerous than the Seventh Death Forest itself.


    Smiling, she knew that this will prove some interesting results, if successful. It will give Murai an edge over this Encounter. It may also push some other rules behind, causing problems or whatnot for the gods, which was something she found fitting and hilarious to do. But she liked Chaos as Chaos liked her back.


    Getting a little mischievous idea, Lisa got down his back and changed her hand to become corporeal.


    A single little smack was enough to let Murai fall beyond the edge, causing him to cry in horror as if the worst enemy emerged in his dreams. Faceless, hiding in the abyss of the cosmos. It was unfathomable.


    Lisa looked back, not flying down behind him. At this moment, a Beast Master emerged with the closest Alphas 4 meters away from her.


    She smiled at the beasts, who stopped the moment Murai fell, afraid to fall to their deaths, but accepting their master''s orders not fall to their deaths. They would jump without hesitation if it was their master''s order.


    ¡°Too bad,¡± Lisa said, proudly looking as if she was victorious over some little ploy.


    Beast Master furrowed his brows, following the steps of his beast with unnatural steps. A few meters before Lisa, he stopped. ¡°What is this? A succubus? Are you the Life Companion of our target? A soul form... in this place... How peculiar.¡± he told with quite some killing intent.


    ¡°And you lost.¡± Lisa proclaimed in much higher arrogance.


    Beast Master frowned, finding those words truthfully painful, as he didn''t expect this cliff to be an opportunity for his enemy instead.


    ¡°I will follow this path until the end of this part of the Encounter. My beasts are more than capable to do that, and these aren''t the only ones I have. In fact, I am only a small man. The true forces that are hiding behind me are wild, ready to slaughter the way to your little master. The forest is gone, but this Death Valley is still something I entered 4 times and others like me will soon follow. You will die in misery, let me tell you that.¡±


    ¡°4 times? You?¡± Lisa laughed as if she heard quite a good joke. ¡°I doubt that you ever stepped close to the middle of the Valley. With your weak aura, I wonder what you even did there? Catching birds? Beast? That is about right since you would be dead in no time in normal circumstances of reaching the true place of this Valley, cripple.¡±


    Her words put Beast Master in a bad mood because he knew she was right. Uncovering his long robe with a flick of his hands, he revealed prosthetic legs all the way down his crotch. It wasn''t known if his manly part were fine, but that wasn''t something Lisa needed to see, or know.


    ¡°This was the 4th part of my challenge to that place that you speak of. Do I take it as your desire to go there with your little master and your little choice? Centralis Kingdom won''t live it down. They aren''t afraid. Not at the eyes of our desires that can move mountains and rivers. This place is nothing to them.¡± he said, doubtfully claiming it to be as ridiculous as his own fate.


    ¡°Whatever you say, cripple. 5th visit will be your last, so enjoy the time that you are left with.¡± Lisa replied with a smile and waved to make a farewell before floating beyond the edge. She descended like an arrow, following Murai in a couple of seconds while ignoring the unhappy curses that followed behind her back.


    Beast Master was furious, yet he could blame no one else but himself for the lack of his own tries and lack of strategies. He failed with his hunts and even failed to talk down a little toy of his target. It was no wonder he was furious. Since he lost his legs, his power steadily went to shit, turning him into a lackey with very little power in the Centralis Kingdom. His level was low, but if it wouldn''t be for the last visit to this place, he would be much more powerful.


    He knew it, and this little opportunity was key to getting back some of his lost vigor and power. Though this hunt and Encounter was an opportunity for him to regain some footing, he didn''t hesitate even a little to go back to the place that was quite dangerous.


    Looking below and eying Death Valley, the beast around him growled in displeasure or fear. It was unknown which was which, but perhaps it was both. Beast Master was the same as them. Fearful and crazed because of the failed hunt that should''ve ended differently. He clutched his fist, thinking that he should''ve gone all out regardless of anything else, yet he failed because of the rules of his own stakes. He failed and gaining a second chance in a failed Encoutner of this caliber was hard, if not impossible to follow.


    Seventh Death Forest


    Region? Death Valley


    Precise location? Above it, but around the side of one edge.


    Murai screamed wildly, quacking and cursing Lisa in his mind. Wincing his wings and neck around like a swirling mess of feathers, he was like a duckling trying to feel the wind for the first time. Turned his wings left and right, swinging them around like a mad duck, he was hoping to regain some balance. From the moment Lisa pushed him down, he was unable to get even a speck of balance to his core.


    He was out of his mind until Lisa came back to calm his mind. Well... calming the storming chaos itself was a hard thing to do since Murai was quite furious at her.


    ¡°Alright, you swing them with more vigor than before. Your Strength and Dexterity are better, so it may be passable to actually fly, but your mind doesn''t follow your wings. Do it like before, Murai Hisagi. You did it well enough in Acaman Grounds. Spread the wings wide and let them become sturdy at their base, but soft and firm at the rest. Clutch them tightly and use the core of your body to stabilize yourself. It''s easy! Any Anatidae can do so since hatching...¡± Lisa talked to his soul, gesturing the same things as she did back then. Her empowered soul form of a Soul Render was much better, enabling her to move, fly and Shape her own body with more power and control.


    Her wings spread, giving Murai an indication of how to fly yet for her, it was very different than having a living body. Lisa didn''t mind this as much as she thought she would. She spread her wings wide, even though they weren''t doing anything unless she wanted to. Making her whole body corporeal wasn''t something she tried yet. Doing a body part one at a time was much better than trying something whole that would strain her soul to move to full unnatural physicality.


    Looking at crying Murai, and hearing his curses aimed at herself, she found it as hilarious as the last time she saw him in such a position. His face was pale, albeit it had a duck''s face. Murai tried his best to move his wings as he wanted, and almost succeed yet big strides of wind propelled him away a little, ending his success in vain.


    Though, every time he tried it, his wings weren''t able to keep up with the fast wind. This definitely wasn''t a place one should be able to train flying at, but he had no choice.


    ¡°Come on... We are halfway down the Valley. This isn''t as hard the clutching your core or figuring out walking. Use your goddamned head of yours, Murai Hisagi. You had it before in the Somalis Dungoen, and this is just a tad bit steadier wind.¡± Lisa cheered him again, giving him no advice this time since none would work. When it came to flying as a duck, she knew Murai had to figure it out himself since she had no idea how his physicality worked. Lisa only knew how to fly because of her own wings from her past life.


    ¡°Fuck OFF! There wasn''t such a wind in that cave.¡± Murai barked at her, unhappily doing as she said. Pushing his wings while clutching every fiber of his muscle to stabilize his swirling body, he did his best. His vision was long confused along this swirling motion, but his mind wasn''t.


    Then Murai heard some grunts. Out of her sheer unwillingness to help, Lisa smacked Murai''s beak, stopping his rotating body. Then, she grabbed his wings and positioned them to a proper angle along with his tail, neck, and beak. All she did was two motions with her palm, and that was it, but even that, caused her body to convulse, causing cracks to spread along her corporeal hands. This strained her because of the wind pushing against Murai, offsetting her own tries to help him, but she managed it in the end.


    ¡°Now! Keep this up. You don''t have to fly, but gliding to the ground so you won''t die like a miserable speck of dust is something you can do. Unless you want to die, that is.¡± She reasoned, and Murai surprisingly kept his posture firm when it was calm. His wings weren''t hurting, and his core wasn''t spinning like a damned wheel.


    Instead of that, the clarity of the movement enabled him to get some hang of his wings, allowing him to get going with his gliding.


    As Lisa said, he clutched them at their base, pushing them firm so they wouldn''t move like some piece of cloth. He glided and traveled through the air beside the edge of the cliff that moved straight to the bottom of Death Valley. All it took was well over 300 meters of a free fall before he reached some understanding.


    A couple of dozen seconds more, and he would smack to the ground, which may be fatal, or not.


    Not like it mattered since Murai managed to use the gust of wind, propelling himself against the air so he no longer fall like a rock.


    ¡°Oh... Flying again is such a nice feeling...¡± he sighed in melancholy, looking far and wide in a vast difference in mentality. He was no longer cursing and rather viewed the deadly sights below as if it was a walk in a park. It wasn''t, and he wasn''t even sure what was below him. Lisa did, which was yet something she explained to him.


    What was below wasn''t good news, nor something he should be happy about.


    This Death Valley wasn''t an easy place to travel through, yet Lisa decided to put Murai through this place with her unknown intentions and hope to stir some troubles. Against what? Murai, Encounter, and unsurprisingly ~ Gods.


    In fact, there were other parts from the cherry section of the Seventh Death Forest that she recognized, but she chose this one instead. Some may be easier to travel through, and getting out of the forest would then work too. Though, it was questionable since she discovered Centralis Kingdom forces in Izik''s mind.


    There were hundreds of them trying to catch Murai alive, if possible, which was strange. She thought this was a deadly hunt, but it wasn''t the case. So, thanks to figuring out her location, she realized that Death Valley was the closest, yet was the most dangerous one. But it wasn''t that bad since it may be dangerous, but it worked both ways. For them and the Centralis Kingdom.


    Back on the cliff that Murai "jumped" from.


    Beast Master kept looking down, fearful of Death Valley underneath the cliff.


    ¡°Fuck... I... I don''t want to get there for the 5th time, but... Others would do so for sure. Maybe even Razmund would initiate a direct confrontation since this is his doing from the very beginning. Right... Right.¡± he nodded in affirmation, ignoring the scowling beast around him that feared what was beyond the horizon.


    Thinking of some options, Beast Master pulled a talisman underneath his robe.


    It had complex runes engraved on it, indicating it was some sort of magical item. It was a square metallic talisman around 8 centimeters wide. The material was metallic in nature but also resembled a bit of wood. Beast Master pushed the worldly mana towards this object, which ended up blowing the runes into the light. Soon, a voice emerged from the talisman.


    ¡°What is it, Ultrek? Too fearful of this forest?¡± a woman''s voice said in a mocking tone.


    ¡°Shut up, Tikka. I am in a nasty situation, but I am willing to share a certain kind of information that may be quite significant for the rest. Care to hear it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you do have something? How surprising. I wonder if it''s good or not.¡± Tikka said, doubting his words.


    ¡°Think what you want. Not like you are known to keep secrets... I met our target, but it escaped.¡±


    ¡°Target escaped? You went to the Cherry section, right?¡± Tikka asked, surprised.


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°Squad of messiah went missing there a while ago, so I suppose your words have some truth to them.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I wouldn''t lie.¡±


    ¡°Well, you failed in your retrieval... if you speak into this talisman, and ask for permission to share the information, then I take it for the truth. How troublesome. Is the enemy alone?¡±


    ¡°It has a bothersome life companion, but the strength is unknown. The target destroyed the team of 3 messiahs, and also killed a few of my Coyotes.¡± Ultrek revealed, not hiding much from his own superior that had a much better position than him in the Cetralis Kingdom.


    ¡°Well... I don''t care about your unsuccessful mission. What do you want for the information?¡± Tikka asked, obvious that Ultrek wanted to use this chance to obtain some sort of advantage.


    Giving him some treasures in return, or some monetary rewards was always a case for providing information in the Centralis Kingdom. They weren''t Helpers, so no matter this Encounter, the topic of human greed was always prone to benefits. It was always like this and Centralis Kingdom was the epitome of this issue.

 Chapter 90: Lurking dangers and variables

    The issues and opportunities of this Encounter and its reasons were finite for some, but the term of this high-grade task was prone to a lot of interest. Greed was among the most common, by those who can clutch it.


    Those of no high luck can only hope to gain some form of sense out of it, wishing to get some sort of chance to prove themselves. In this case, Ultrek was one such example, and his case was no different from many others like him. Even Tikka was no different.


    None would ever work for free.


    That was a fundamental rule that worked behind the power. It was among other things, rules, problems, and issues of the Battleworld, but many people saw them as fitting, while others loved them or hated them. People and ordinary beings didn''t run this place, but they filled the world to the brim with many things that Gods couldn''t even touch, but could influence. Gods were using such prospects to move many things, giving the desires and options choices, and hope.


    Though many took it for granted, human greed and weakness overlapped such things or straight up seeped into their Egos. Those were the maniacs, lunatics, and the kinds that moved through the Chaos of this world.


    In a sense of the opposition, many didn''t consider those high interests and rather viewed the world in a pragmatic view of values, with some occasional greed, and what was worth taking. That was money, power, and Will. Money can rule over the rules in some sense, forcing someone to move past the limits so their life may turn into a better living. That was common sense to many as well as a deep solution and method of how the Centralis Kingdom and many other organizations worked.


    Ultrek was greedy. Of course he was, so he made a deal out of this situation for his own good. None shall question it and no one will.


    ¡°1000 tokens will do,¡± Ultrek asked for a small amount, hoping for something better later if his help will put a significant change into a larger picture. This information was worthy of more and he knew it. ¡°Also, for the sake of our deal, the enemy fled to Death Valley so you probably know what it means. A nasty situation that may become variable enough to make things worse.¡±


    ¡°Deal, but the Death Valley? Are you serious? From Cherry location?¡± Tikka seemed surprised, but not so much to make her life worse. ¡°I thought it wanted to escape, but that may be not that bad for our superiors, I reckon. They did force things onto the Seventh Death Forest, so this may be within their expectations. Oh well, good job lurking it there, then. I will provide you with additional benefits if everything will go well. Also, don''t go there unless you want to die.¡± she said, sounding sincere, yet Ultrek knew she didn''t care one bit about his well-being.


    In fact, not so long ago, she was under his command but because of his injury, she became his superior in rank and power. That was the rule he couldn''t overturn, as power ruled over certain people, and the Centralis Kingdom loved power.


    Stopping the flow of mana into the talisman, Ultrek returned it back underneath his cloak, still upset about something. His greed, that was. He was fine with what he said since the situation asked for reason and greed to get something. Power was more important than that, however, so Ultrek gestured for his beast to follow him back to the forest, where they will find a way toward Death Valley on their own.


    Below the cliff, yet still above Death Valley


    Murai was gliding away in the sandy wind, following a direction that Lisa pointed into,


    Harsh winds of the sandy storm blew to his face, causing his eyes to squint and his body to shudder. The sand was the most annoying thing out of this, blowing to his face and creating a harsh environment for flying. Though it may be a bit uncomfortable, he figured out how to stabilize his body by clutching his muscles along the wings. Then, getting the proper form of direction was possible by a few motions of his wings, tail, and neck. It wasn''t that bad to fly even in these terrible conditions, while his core was somewhat manageable even through this wind.


    It wasn''t the easiest thing he ever did, since he lacked a lot of practice and care about his body, but he wasn''t the worse at it thanks to Lisa''s tough help. For once, she did what she should, giving him a much-needed boost of confidence and help one would need.


    For the second time flying, he wasn''t doing the worst, but it was all thanks to Lisa, who helped him to regain his stability and caught him with some troubles.


    She flew along with him now, glancing left and right but more forwards, trying to discern the surroundings and how much they changed in 50 years. This place was harsh, yet she held some confidence that Murai can take it because of his talent and body. If not, then what she planned ahead may be just an excuse and awkward failure that she will take towards the Afterlife.


    Gesturing him forward, she pointed at the sandy mountains of Death Valley that were in the middle of this dozens of kilometers wide valley. Murai followed her since he didn''t seem to have a choice.


    Slowly, he was already reaching the limits of his momentum, albeit the wind of this place was strong, pushing him around from time to time like a kite without any strings. Murai wanted to get back to the ground for a long time, but Lisa argued it was better to skip a few kilometers, rather than travel through the desert underneath him by foot.


    He agreed, feeling the threat and dangerous aura from below, lurking for any living. It was a dangerous feeling without any Mana Detection in action. but Soul Read''s passivity did give him an idea of how deadly this place was.


    The Death Valley underneath him spanned many kilometers in many directions and was like a bright spot in the midst of the Seventh Death Forest. It wasn''t wrong, in a sense. This place was hard to escape from, with half-kilometer-tall cliffs around the entire perimeter of Death Valley.


    Murai saw the larger picture of this place because of his flying and sight from that cliff. This place was actually more dangerous than the Seventh Death Forest, filled with many lurking dangers that were unlike the soul forms. No. Perhaps they were worse than the soul forms.


    He noticed some Sand Harpies flying at some distant sight a hundred meters away, but they didn''t seem to notice him. The environment was harsh for the flying monsters and for once, he noted there were many physical beasts.


    Slowly, he was reaching the surface. Looking down, he flew about 10 meters above the uneven ground of light brown sandy dunes. They stretched to the distances, filling this place with curves and sand. That was all to this place, apart from high storms and quite dusty surroundings that were densely spread around this whole region.


    Murai decided to flare up his Mana Detection again, fearing the surroundings of this caliber that seemed quite menacing and dangerous. His Soul Read told him that, rather than mana. This place was full of souls, filled with threats of Death. Mana Detection helped him to detect hundreds of flickering mana lights and the presence of creatures in the surroundings. No matter what, they were everywhere, hiding underneath the desert, or openly roaming or swirling around the dunes.


    There were many dozens of meters-long snakes, scorpions that were like wolves in size, and many more. Murai was surprised by the amount of threat he felt with his Soul Read. The motion of the mana wasn''t helping too, since the beasts seemed stronger and were well above the Alpha Coyotes in power.


    ¡°What the fuck is this place, Lisa? Are you seriously putting my life on the line from that forest to this sort of hell? It seems like I am getting from one lesser problem to a much larger one.¡± Murai scowled, which in truth, eased his mind a little and helped him with staying focused. One way or another, he can''t change what he already did, since he agreed with Lisa''s plan.


    Now, he had to grit his teeth and follow through with this problem until he will solve it. That was who he was and how he solved many issues in the past. Whether it was a good thing or not was secondary, as the rise of adventurous spirit was forming in his heart and he wasn''t afraid to get nasty. He never was, but he preferred to openly treat the dangers with seeming hesitation while he actually didn''t mind it. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That was right.


    He was an absolute idiot with this sort of attitude but would someone blame him? Lisa would, unsurprisingly. It was an insensible and idiotic attitude, and one should be serious and take this thing as a bad thing that needed full attention.


    Alas, neither his worries nor his body will stop him from complaining about this place. The majority was aiming at Lisa, who had some hidden intentions about this Death Valley that she was yet to tell him.


    Murai can tell that from her careful gaze of the surroundings and how she was shifting her finger from one location to another as if turning Murai from fewer dangers or leading him in a specific direction. Murai noticed nothing specific, however. He can escape the dangers in this flying motion but on the ground? He felt he would become minced meat and a soft feathered pillow in a heartbeat.


    Though, Lisa was guiding him somewhere, silent and not talking about it even though Murai continued to try to force her to talk. Not like he had choices so he halted his tries, fearful of his own life.


    Flying required his full attention so he accepted the circumstances with bittersweet hopes of survival and adventure. He didn''t know where, what for, or why she was like that, but he kept gliding through the barren-looking desert, that didn''t have a speck of greenery. There were no trees, grass, or anything indicating good living conditions.


    Like the Seventh Death Desert, the lurking aura of death, chaos, and something else spread around this place. It was familiar to him for some reason.


    Apart from many hard and tough living beings that Murai detected, one wouldn''t hesitate to call it a land of death for sure. The name of Death Valley was fitting in his opinion, but what wasn''t fitting was his lackluster tries at flying longer. Murai strained his wings at some point in his focus, feeling as if the tendons of his right wing snapped and his muscles tore.


    Forced to descend at the end of his efforts to remain flying, it caused Lisa to grunt, telling how he didn''t even last 4 minutes. It was already 3 more minutes than any beginner Anatidae would last, but she didn''t care about that sort of thing. Neither Murai, who fell to the sand, stumbling and rolling as he was unable to put balance into his legs or wings.


    Great... This was terrible...


    He complained inside, forcing himself to stand up after not praising his landing at all. His wings were strained from this long stretch of flying. He didn''t find it surprising even though it was surprising, since his wings were out of his touch and one of them was even out of his body a week ago. Only feathers and muscles helped his right wing to stay on his body, while the lack of firm bones was not his issue.


    Wanting to fly for 4 minutes was already more than anyone would ask him for, and Lisa''s high demands were less than sensible. However, Murai didn''t care about her at all, viewing the surroundings instead. The sandy dunes were tall to his standards, but what wasn''t? His stature was small, causing him to feel the impending issues of this journey.


    He wasn''t far from some storms, while the desert was quite chaotic and filled with wind and a strange atmosphere or aura. Surprisingly, his flat feet were kind of nice to travel in this desert, allowing him to walk just fine.


    Glancing at Lisa who remained floating above him, she didn''t view things in their favor, but not as if she complained further. He flapped his flat feet forward, walking uninterrupted in this environment that didn''t seem to be hot. Yet that was about the only advantage he had as a duck.


    He nervously looked around him with his Soul Read and used his Mana Detection to feel the mana. There wasn''t much to see apart from sand and for some reason, no beings were around his proximity, but some were behind him, away from the hills in the opposite direction.


    The dunes were free of the beast, yet it was eerily cold, much to Murai''s expectations. He also discovered how the sand seemed strangely bright, and a bit cold and warm to the touch in terms of mana. He felt it. The ridiculous aptitude of mana that soaked the whole of Death Valley with large quantities of it buried, yet noticeable in many strange aspects and laws.


    Lisa shook her head, figuring that she wasn''t seeking a lot of things from this low position, so she moved down. ¡°Well, that was easy, wasn''t it?¡± she said, floating before Murai''s face. ¡°We are at the right place, so good work.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? Easy? I won''t argue about it to you, but you damn wish I will live this down. I won''t, because of your damned issues... Slapping me like that... hmhmhm..¡± He complained, mumbling in annoyance in his regular quacks. ¡°I hope I won''t have to endure this shit for the second chance. Wait... Don''t tell me there is another cliff at the end of this desert. That wouldn''t be funny at all.¡±


    Hearing his fearful tone, Lisa chuckled, looking at the surroundings instead. ¡°What if there is actually something much more menacing than some measly little cliff? I thought you were confident and nothing will bother you. Or are you that afraid of flying? That is... a bit strange, considering yourself an Anatidae.¡± she said, glancing at him with a smirk of victory.


    Murai didn''t have a steady argument about that, so he asked what he should do instead since it seemed she already had some plans.


    ¡°I am fine with what I can do and not. What is your plan? Are you finding this place familiar as you looked? You were like that since you realized our location, or you decided on something behind my back? Mind talking about it, or do you want to upset me all over again?¡± Murai asked.


    Lisa stopped smiling, feeling it was indeed too much to remain in their power dynamic as before. The situation wasn''t good and she knew it.


    ¡°I know this palace from my experiences, but to travel through it isn''t put to myself. But I know what I know. Apart from these mountains, everything seems different, as if changed. It''s sand of the death, so it is no wonder.¡± Lisa pointed to the distance, pointing to large specks of cliffs and mountains in the middle of this Death Valley. Engulfing it, and surrounding it were many sandstorms and whirlwinds. One wouldn''t be able to see it up the cliff with how dense the sand and wind seemed. But on the ground level, one could see some motions of those storms creating a pivotal location to travel to so one wouldn''t get lost.


    That, or it was specifically like that to lure out foes. Who knew that other than Lisa?


    ¡°This? The sand of the death?¡± Murai looked down at his feet, feeling the name to be dishonest. That didn''t seem to be right. It wasn''t necessarily hard sand made of countless little rocks. It was kind of softer than that, but not really. He couldn''t point it out, but the mana and the aura coming from below were fitting for that name too, so he decided to forget it.


    ¡°Fine!¡± Lisa clapped her hands, causing Murai to jot his beak toward her direction. ¡°I will talk. You need to know it and I am sorry and not for what I am about to tell you. This place has certain legends to it, but not as if it is a legend for some. Wanna hear about it, Murai Hisagi?¡± She asked, inclined to do something about her way of sensible talking.


    ¡°Is it about the reason why you wanted me here? You did try your damned best, but I don''t know if you planned for it, or if this whole decision was only a small idea or a gamble to create a chance.¡± Murai said, finding the obvious reply to his question more than likely to be a confirmation.


    ¡°You are more or less... right. I knew you wouldn''t refuse me either way, so I will explain the situation here since...¡±


    ¡°...since I don''t have a chance to refuse? What a joke...¡± he sighed.


    ¡°Anyway, there is a reason for my actions because frankly speaking, you need some variable and chance. This place allows it. This is hope and chance as you said, but you will find it to your liking, I bet. I visited this place twice in the past when I was quite a vivid succubus. I was around... Level 60 to 70 back then, which is around 100 or more years into the past. There was a tremendous opportunity discovered in this place long before that. It forms a nasty thing and many beings know about it, yet fear it for their own living. Now, I suppose it''s under the watchful eyes of the Centralis Kingdom since Seventh Death Forest is surrounded by their land ~ this Death Valley included. I know it should be the same opportunity that could cater to fate, and cause some variables in this Encounter. Are you down?¡±


    ¡°Down to what? Is there a Dungeon? A demonic nest? A city buried underneath this mess? Wait... this Death and Chaos, I am having some doubts about this.¡± he fearfully said, yet remained expectant of Lisa''s answer.


    ¡°You aren''t right or wrong. It isn''t far from the truth, and it isn''t good either. It is a Temple. An old place of interest, more than dozens of millennia old.¡±


    ¡°Wait. wait. wait.¡± Murai stopped her explanations. ¡°What''s the difference between that and dungeon? It sounds the same to me.¡±


    ¡°The reason is simple. That is God''s interest while the other is not the kind you would guess. This whole region used to be a place where a god resided at some point in the distant past. An ancient one, in fact. He or she left a Temple in this place, or the Temple remained by itself until someone took it to one''s hand.¡± Lisa revealed, sounding quite serious which put Murai on guard.


    ¡°And? Is it an opportunity then? Forgotten places of gods... That sounds like a freaking disaster if you ask me. What god was that... God of the dead, or someone of your... kind? The less righteous folks out there must have some demonic gods, I bet.¡±


    ¡°You are less right than you would think. It used to be someone on the opposite side of the chaos but some Death side followed it, while the rest is kept in history. It is too long ago, hidden in the veils of darkness that none can guess. See those mountains, that are hiding in that storm?¡± Lisa pointed to the distance. Around 1 kilometer from them were silhouettes of hills and mountains, not one bit resembling a temple, but that wasn''t that surprising. Sandstorms were quite furious around those mountains, protruding in the central surroundings of that region.


    ¡°What are you getting into?¡± Murai looked forth as well.


    ¡°An opportunity for Blessed is there, but not for them alone. You are more or less guaranteed some safety from the Encoutenr in that place. I think your Anatidae species would be compatible with certain criteria there, unlike the human or humanoid beings.¡±


    ¡°Why a Blessed though? Is this something to do with the Battleworld if you word it like that?¡±


    ¡°I suppose you are right... but your case is unique. I don''t know much about it, since not many were able to get too deep into that place. There are a dozen floors with the majority of the Temple being underground, following the grace of the past temple of that god, and current overlord.¡±


    ¡°Underground?¡± Murai said, finding it not that surprising. ¡°Great... Another way to not see a speck of sun... We have a 10-day limiter, Lisa. What do you think will happen if 10 days will disappear and I won''t get away in time?¡±


    ¡°Nothing?¡± Lisa said openly without a change of face, oblivious to Murai''s surprised face.


    ¡°Nothing... What the fuck? How? What? Wait... Will the Encounter change accordingly to my timers and the flexibility that Gods creates with ongoing interest? If I will fail, that doesn''t mean the end of my Encounter. This is their take on some sort of delirious game... so they are playing with the rules and decisions as they see fit. That would make sense. I don''t have to worry too much about it if you are telling me what I think you do. Am I right?¡± Murai thought out loud, hoping to get a clearer picture for himself which causes Lisa to look at him with a hesitant face.


    ¡°You see... That is a basic premise of some truth, but it is much more complex than that. I don''t have time to tell it all. You are a player in their game, as strange as it sounds. They make the rules, but that doesn''t mean a player can''t force some things in his favor or cause some imbalanced mess. We can, more than you think, but it can create some trouble for them and us. God''s Wrath, not so much, but some variable may create more troubles, but it isn''t as bad as it sounds.¡± Lisa said, nodding in confirmation to her own words.


    ¡°I can tell that.¡± Murai nodded. ¡°Are there some limits to these rules or variables? For example, I have seen no Will of the Battleworld descent to me so far into this Encounter, so I am pretty sure I am out of the loop. Will I gain something from the battles I had undergone?¡±


    ¡°You will.¡± She said hesitantly. ¡°Well, you will get them at the end, or somewhere... at the end of the parts. I don''t know your details, as a lot of things and rules behind them are only clear to the makers of this Encounter. Your rules state no direct boost from the world, but that doesn''t mean you can''t gain something from mana. The Encounter''s part may differ but don''t worry too much. Your improvements will be noticeable in many things. Also, I am sure this Temple can create a large variable in the rules of the Encounter, allowing you to get some strength that you lack. But for that, you need to clutch it tight, and not let go of it.¡±


    ¡°Hmph... Fine. I agree since it seems interesting, but what about this Temple then? What is it? Are there any dangers? You went there twice, right? That is why you were like this throughout this time... What are some special floors and so on? Explain it.¡± Murai ordered, looking at the mountains as if he was to seek something from them from afar, but he didn''t see shit.


    Murai wasn''t sure if what he was about to do was the right call or not. Should he be hesitant over the dangers? He still held a rather low level, yet he was overpowering the others thanks to his skill and... body? His Anatidae species definitely seemed interesting enough to move past some obstacles and limitations. He already killed those tough messiahs with his Peak and body, so his confidence shot up.


    However, there were many places that would shoot him down like a mosquito. He knew it. It wouldn''t be surprising.


    ¡°It... actually depends entirely on yourself. I don''t know what kind of dangers you can meet there since it can vary and become flexible like dungeons do. I know the floors are vast and unlike many kinds of dungeons. It is a unique kind of place that differs from the majority of Somalis sub-dungeons. As for the level of issues, or differences and lurking dangers, there are many... way too many things to consider. Undead, demons, or devils are there. It is a place where the demonic world meets the challengers with open arms.¡± Lisa said, talking and explaining this in vague terms as if she was hesitant to tell it as it was.


    ¡°Demonic world? Now that seems like something I shouldn''t miss out on. I am in.¡± Murai said in confidence and decided to go along with Lisa''s idea. There wasn''t much to that then do them anyway.


    ¡°What about a way to get out of this valley? It almost seems there is no place to get out with those cliffs and dangers.¡± Murai asked as he began to walk.


    ¡°I will tell you that after this Temple, alright? I didn''t think this chance would come, so why not grab this opportunity instead of worrying about something else? Do you trust me?¡± Lisa flew forward until her face was upon Murai. She smiled at him, which wasn''t something Murai took for a good sign but a bad omen instead.


    ¡°Hell fucking no,¡± Murai replied without hesitation. ¡°but I don''t have a choice but to seek your sense and hope you aren''t creating something stupid since this involves your living too. Got it? I do... I do. I am not stupid, but angry. Furious about being hunted like an animal, so yes. I am stupid, wait... Ah. Forget it.¡±

 Chapter 91: Welcoming Party

    Murai looked at her serious face, curious and wondering what else she was probably hiding in her head. There must be many other things that she wasn''t letting out, like him. He kind of feared this version of Lisa who was eyeing the opportunity and her ideas with her own benefits and cares.


    Something was definitely hiding behind her action, but some were kind of needed, and others were insensible like trying to swim in a desert. This time here wasn''t for her to try herself, nor it was important 3rd time here. It was an opportunity to cause some variables and for Murai to clutch and try to work around certain rules.


    Lisa was acting for her sake more than hoping to change this status quo. That, Murai saw in her and he preferred this sort of reasoning much better than her usual demeanor. Now, she actually had reasons, and she took him to an interesting place to escape danger from. Well, it ended up in a place full of other dangers, so should he rejoice in his suffering or luck?


    Was it even luck? Murai was doubting his choices over this topic, but this version of trouble was better than the kind he had before. He will take what he gets. What else would be the point of worrying about it anyway?


    He can''t go out of here, considering the problems of Death Valley''s location and lurking dangers that would endanger his life. He can go straight toward another potentially deadly situation, but it was better to take stakes in some form of a dungeon than worry about the hunt for his skin.


    Without giving an answer to her question or more words, Murai grunted and shoved her aside. He at least tried to, but his beak traveled through Lisa this time around, causing her figure to waver and her face to flicker in motions. It changed back to normal in a second.


    She didn''t even smile, or let out a sight or any words. Her face wasn''t the usual unbothered kind. The issue pertaining to the Temple was a significant one, and she was familiar with it in her head. It shouldn''t have changed in 50 years, let alone through the unknown years, that went on in this place. Not even the Centralis Kingdom would be able to change a thing since it got the Seventh Death Forest under control.


    It posed no issues with the lurking dangers ahead, as it was no place for Men to touch a thing. There was a place lurking and working through the hands of a certain Goddess hiding underneath this whole place.


    She was thinking alone, outside of Murais'' views or curses, thinking and calculating about the way of this situation. There was this hesitation about certain rules too, but most of it revolved around the questionable ways Murai was prone to have. She was never sure what to expect because of it, but he indeed was like a magnet to dangers and a plot of gods. Since she discovered the notion of the Seventh Death Forest, she recalled Death Valley too.


    Then, Izik got the map in his head, causing her to discover their route of hunting and it was close to this Death Valley.


    After that, the hell went loose as the Coyotes appeared and the rest was history.


    Murai ended up here because of her. In a place that she was rightfully claiming to be an opportunity and something that could help him, but could it? She thought of it as an excuse, more than an opportunity, but it was better than trying to move through the Seventh Death Forest which was home to the hunting grounds of Centralis Kingdom.


    That was the undeniable truth, and she wasn''t wrong in any regard of those topics. But how much this idea could change his fate? With the whole perception that was surrounding Murai and devouring him, she doubted Lordis or his perception of the Encounter was anything but a means to destroy this Blessed Anatidae that should never exist. That was a fact she understood and realized the moment she became his Life Companion and began to know him from the inside out.


    Though, it was nothing but undeeded worry, as she can''t undo her choice, nor her vision as a 3rd time carrier of living. First life was whatever. It went like a fog, hidden after she followed a much more intricate 2nd New Beginning, which was crazier than anything else. She went ahead and lived a fulfilling life as a succubus, following desires, powers, and options as a Blessed. Right now was her 3rd choice and probably her last worry to have.


    Wasting it wasn''t something that she wished for, yet the circumstances of this choice weren''t up to her. Nothing was, in a sense, as whatever decided on these choices was nothing but wild chaos that she was unable to see, let alone change.


    Now, a non-option of being a Life Companion of a Blessed Anatidae that shouldn''t exist moved her nonexistent innards. Along with that went her internal motivation and confidence surrounding many visions. From gods, heavens, and things she discovered as she was closing on the power of an Extreme. Lisa was stubborn like a brick and her old vision, ego, and self were something she was realizing. Her mind was still hers and it shouldn''t be any different.


    Her terms were not hers, however, but she can work around Murai in a way that may work. It could, because if it wouldn''t, then it would be yet another End and her last chance. She disliked the fact of this context of her last choice that was more like a death sentence, but what if... What if this situation would still turn around to greater heights?


    Could she trust him with her life? She may, albeit she never did before. Too few did.


    Glancing around the further dunes, Lisa seemed to accept her wonders in silence, following behind Murai who got to his walking. It was a decision that Murai didn''t expect to occur as it was another time for another wild and dangerous dive, and for what?


    So A Temple huh? Another place of danger? Murai thought. Call me old-fashioned but my sense of adventure is ticking off. Hell, even my name was Danger at one point! Bah! I am not fearing this messy place that may be more than one would assume. An ancient past fell from grace, moving to the future to turn into yet another ancient past. I saw things like this more than twice, or thrice. It just means I will have to put full resolution over my decision and cater to this mess.


    He was walking through the desert, fearing things he should. With his body low in the sand, the wind was pushing him to the ground, rather than away. That was an unnatural advantage in this sort of place, where the wind blew and sand was making things uncomfortable. Though, he passed and flew over the most ridiculous storms, and was in a more milder part of Death Valley.


    He snuggled his neck down, squinting his eyes to see better so he could move past the wind blowing to his face. It didn''t work that well.


    He saw the direction to go, so he jolted his Mana Detection with further limits, fearing the lurking dangers above when he glid through the air. He also tried to seek out the Temple''s direction, but it was hard to tell what went on beyond his 30-meter limit.


    The hills and mountains were still around 1 kilometer away, but all things considered, he fell very close to the temple and was more than 5 kilometers away from the nearest cliff. That was a surprising amount of flying distance he managed to pull off after falling for 100 meters. The wind of this place helped the most, unsurprisingly.


    Flying was much better than going on foot, which was something most people willing to challenge this place had to do. Lisa was glad in this case since Murai wouldn''t be able to get here if it wouldn''t for his wings. She was glad she forced him through this ordeal.


    Then Murai stopped, feeling as if something wild spread through his senses and smacked him to his head. Before, he was not as attentive about some things, and... the underground... No! This whole valley was reeking of blood, death, and certain brightness that was full of an unkept ambiance. It was seeping of the mana too, and quite a wild one it was.


    It was evil and chaotic, like the forest before, but that one was direct and menacing like the Death itself. But this place was hiding the true colors of something more hideous, yet surprisingly intricate than a large forest. It was something more than death as if some dark elements wanted to clash with some Order instead, creating clashing revolutions under the sand. The mana was shimmering underground, filling the sand with strange vibrations of many kinds.


    Aura was there too. The kind that mana was letting out involuntarily through the mesmerizing effects of years of some ways. Whatever was below, or further, wasn''t normal.


    Murai could feel tingling senses of dangers underneath him yet he was unable to point to specific things. It was more about the aura, than anything specific. Nothing sensed him, nor attacked him, much to his surprise. It was because his Mana Detection wasn''t that good, and he also felt he didn''t penetrate more than 20 meters below the surface.


    Though one feeling was particularly terrific, so Murai stopped walking upon discovering it. ¡°L-Lisa... This fucking place... This is terrific. You weren''t joking nor exaggerating.¡±


    ¡°About what? Ancient god, or what? Trust me, I know what I am talking about when I have no time to waste, mostly... sometimes. I suggest putting away the Mana Detection, or something will find it offensive enough to clutch your weak body like a pile of old grass. None will attack you, I mean. We are close to the temple, much to your lackluster luck of being able to fly to its proximity, so it is your luck before the actual challenge even starts. Since you are weak, that is, but I fear some things may be closer to you... There are some issues around the Temple, and they will try to apprehend you.¡±


    ¡°Apprehend?¡±


    ¡°To your death, seeping the life out of your or your blood,¡± Lisa said fearfully, before chuckling and patting Murai on his head, smirking. ¡°I wished I was joking more than I could, but don''t fret. We are close thanks to my guidance and your tries in flying. I would praise your wings, but... I reckon you don''t need it.¡±


    Murai gulped down, feeling the dry saliva in his throat. ¡°Nah... Keep your praises to yourself.¡± he quacked in annoyance. ¡°Isn''t it better to wait a bit to rejoice in this journey? I haven''t eaten a thing in a while. I am hungry.¡± Murai put forth an excuse, which Lisa ignored at first.


    ¡°You will be fine. There will be some food, probably.¡± she hesitated. ¡°if you are lucky in terms of the party.¡±


    Her words didn''t reassure him, yet Murai still accepted her suggestion and ignored whatever was underground.


    Putting forth his Mana Detection was something he can force across the surface and the air alone. He ignored the underground for now, noticing the living beings in the sky, or feeling the surrounding location. From his senses, he figured that the sand itself was shimmering light brightness, and he could feel the sand unmoving even in the midst of some storms. Only the tiniest specks of sand moved to the wind. Lisa didn''t need to worry about any storm since any physical object can move through her body like a ghost.


    Strangely, this put his mind at ease, so he walked and did not run like a mad duck since this place made him very nervous for some reason.


    It was the atmosphere, or this deepness of this Valley that seemed like the burial of Ancients, rather than some measly place of fallen gods. Murai definitely felt itching in his beak but couldn''t put his finger on the specific feelings. Those were feeling that kept pestering his mind no matter how many hundreds of meters he breached forward. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That went on until he reached 100 meters before the tough hills and crazed sandstorm that were 10 meters before him. This was the only place in the kilometer radius that had some wild storms around it.


    Swirling gusts of tangible twisting tornadoes moved around. They were hundreds of meters tall, and a few meters wide, forming protection around what went behind. Sand, rocks, and sharp winds, along with an unspecified range of mana went around those sandstorms.


    They hugged the surroundings around these protruding sand rocks that were at least 300 meters tall while the temple was nowhere in sight. It was like a sight out of an apocalypse, yet the close surroundings around him were more than fine to stand before it.


    He was close to those things, yet he stood with his low weight, eying the tornadoes that should smack him like a pebble away. They didn''t, as the forward force of these storms remained in specific proximity around the hills, rather than swirling around on a whim.


    ¡°So a formation, of some kind... Now what? Do you want me to walk through these things? I will die...¡± Murai argued with Lisa about what he figured.


    She kept glancing forward, uncertain, but sure about some things.


    ¡°No need to care about such things. Those storms are nothing but a lock. If you feel them to be worse enough, just wait for what will happen when the party starts. You need to get acclimated to death.¡± Lisa said, unbothered by the storm since it probably wouldn''t do a thing to her. She itched to try her chances, considering her physicality, but didn''t seem to have a final itch. Instead, she pointed with her hand towards the rocky and dusty hills, where certain something began to emerge from the underground. It was happening at last.


    Hundreds of figures were rising from the sand within the storm, clasping the sand and wind away, chirping the wind too, as it subsided to accommodate for the death. Those were the skeleton undead of all kinds of beings and races. Most were humanoid, littered with treasured armor and weapons alike. There was nothing to them apart from bones and treasures. Some wore full body armor of glistering color, indicating it was a treasure and a majestic piece of equipment that moved even through death.


    Each skeleton had a pair of rising flames, within their empty eye socket. Those were the presence of a soul flame, indicating some nasty things about the necromancy. That was an Undead Path. Necromancy, or some kind of curse about the land that prevented the souls from dispersing to their proper Ends.


    Murai noticed it right away, while Lisa had no need to care about it because she was expecting the Welcoming Party to start a long ago. It happened here, for some reason. 100 meters before the Temple? She didn''t mind it, it seemed.


    ¡°Huh? So a fight against the undead? Is there something to this than that? Sounds cheap....¡±


    ¡°Heh!¡± She chuckled. ¡°I want to hear you talk like this later. Fight to your tries and see what you will get. You like bones, don''t you?¡±


    This time, Murai chuckled, smacking the sand with his feet and pointing his beak further above, glancing at the hundreds of figures rising from the sand. ¡°I am not a maneater, but... Well, those undead will do!¡± Murai said, gleaming with a fighting spirit. The majority of the skeletons were human remains, but some weren''t. Some were hiding further in, and Murai couldn''t perceive what went there. There were some large ones, demonic ones, or even alive ones? He didn''t question them, as he was worried about the overwhelming undead and the surroundings of this whole undead army.


    From the start, he noticed the human skeletons. They were adventurers, past challengers, or mages of some kind. It was hard to tell what wasn''t of the human race, since the bones remained with their featureless skin or exteriors. In this way, Murai almost caused a joke to litter his head.


    In this way, what race mattered? Bones looked the same all the way to the little details. That was, of course, unless one would have devil horns, or large stature like orcs, but it all resembled one another. Everyone was similarly deep to their bones.


    There were few figures of larger statures. Those were of beasts, radiating quite a terrific aura from their eye sockets, but Murai wasn''t one bit fearful of them, even if he should be.


    ¡°So a death wants to see my reasons, payment, or might? It is like an invitation? I knocked on the door as an uninvited guess, so it makes sense to make amends for my mistake. I like this sort of rule. But..¡± Murai walked forth, stopping 10 meters before the undead army. ¡°You are already dead, so what''s the point in seeking the world of the living and crawling back to the surface? I will be generous enough and help you back to the ground. What a reasonable thing... I swear.¡± He chuckled and pulled his shit together and watched how the last figures crawled from the sand.


    The storm subsided to a side, making room for these figures that were littering 100 meters from the rocky hills.


    Nothing indicated the start of the party, but Murai wasn''t a polite duck. Conjuring large amounts of mana out of his core, he Shaped them into dozens of Flaming Shots in a couple of moments. They hovered above him. Then, he Shaped them with affinity of his Sharpness, rather than the Flame alone.


    This was a combination of two affinities that can work in tandem. It wasn''t like two flames pulled together like the time when he fought the 2 Phantom Coyotes. At that time he did things without intentions or awareness, uncaring for the chaos that gulped the flames.


    Now, he was using his own familiarity and control over his own affinities that he catered to in the past week. Using the two together may not be as easy as lifting a finger, but he was close in terms of some advanced adjustments. All one needed was a proper imagination, enough mental fortitude, and Shaping which should be up to the task with the concepts of the magic.


    Spells worked in many ways through the imagination, but certain rules stills applied to many structures of certain spells. In this sense, it was all about using what was available to someone, and Shaping was the start to get the hang of it.


    In fact, Murai wasn''t Shaping the mana out of the 2 affinities. He used the 1st and stabilized it on its own. Then he moved with the 2nd one, creating a Two way of affinity shaping, which was an uncommon thing in magic and many paths or spells had them in later stages. Considering he was rather low-level and his core was yet under his full control, what he was doing was as ridiculous as a duck riding an Alpha Coyote.


    Murai handled Flame Shots like a rock that was up to a sculptor''s care. He changed the structure of the Flame Shot, turning them wider and long like an arrow. They remained in the flaming state, but certain sharpness moved them together, creating a Flame Arrow. He did so with the rest, but each one took at least a second to reshape.


    It wasn''t a lot of time to do so, all things considered, and Lisa glanced at his action with interest and certain integrity. She didn''t talk but floated back to see what will happen and start next. That was a Welcoming Party of the Temple. Each was unique, so whatever Murai will get wasn''t up to her, but to the rules of the Temple or the whim of certain someone.


    Most undead were unmoving so far, yet when the first''s skull smashed to crips of flames, shattering under the power of the Flame Arrow out of nowhere, the dozen of others howled. Their skulls cluttered in shock, and ground and sand flickered in motion. The soul flames within their heads frenzied, turning angry and crazy when one of them died.


    Then, the few undead skeletons went forth from the front row. 3 armed, holding swords in their hands and with limited armor. Their aura wasn''t anything special. The further the undead were before the mountain, the more powerful they were. What was before murai weren''t that strong undead.


    Just 3 pounced forward from the forward group of 4 dozen. They weren''t fast or anything, reaching Murai in many strides so he had all time in a word to shatter them like he did the one before. He only struck one to see their reaction. As for the one he struck, it was quite something. A kill in one hit? A surprising result, but he chose one of the weakest in terms of a soul flame.


    Now, from the way it seemed, stronger ones emerged. Murai hit another one 4 meters before him. He hit the skull again with his Flame Arrow, yet the undead head wasn''t damaged at all, so he willed another arrow upon the different target. The skeleton swung his arms towards him, while another 3 were behind.


    Many clutter of lines, flaming arrows, and swings later, Murai jumped away from safety, clasping a sword in his beak. He successfully disarmed the arms of each undead skeleton. He put most attention to the limits of common physicality ~ the joints around their bony and shrill shoulders.


    Armless, those skeletons became like fish out of the water, cluttering their jaws and swinging their legs in a try to get up from the ground.


    ¡°Tsch... Only limbs? Those bones are tougher than goddamned steel.¡± Murai complained, yet he was slow to realize the truth. Flames weren''t the strongest kind of tool against the undead skeletons. Sharpness added some effects, but it wasn''t the strongest. So he jumped forward, using his own beak to see the status of these bones.


    Skeletons screeched in terror, turning their clattering skulls into a shockwave that traveled to Murai''s ears. It shook him not even a little. His Will was firm, albeit without any message of the Will of the Battleworld again.


    Murai''s jump ended upon the head of his first prey. Pulling his head and neck backward like a crescent moon, and without Beak''s Peak, he smashed the tip of his beak toward the skeleton''s head.


    Bang!


    Murai''s attack shook the skull, cracking it to many pieces, yet the flame upon the skeleton turned to a frenzy that much more. It was seeping with anguish as if something precious was destroyed at the moment.


    Murai didn''t care about that, so 2 more strikes obliterated the skull to smithereens, while the following 3 aimed at the chest, seeking the small metallic plates and how much damage he can deal to that. The skull crushed to the sand, many pieces of bones fell, and the soul flames itself dissolved into the sand as well.


    Bones themselves didn''t follow, but perhaps they soon will.


    Murai wasn''t inclined to eat them yet. When he saw the quality of them, he grimaced. There wasn''t any marrow inside and each was hollow like a pipe. They were dried, and petrified for decades, if not more. That was like wanting to eat a rock. He simply refused those without any hesitation.


    Murai unhappily grunted and sidestepped to dodge the swipe of a blade, that almost cleaved his head off.


    It was the second laying skeleton, which held the blade within its jaw. It was angry at the death or aimed to kill the enemy without care. Maybe they were acquaintances when they were alive. Who knew but them?


    Murai was fed up with these poor bones, so he willed his Beak''s Peak to certain effectiveness. The channeling and accumulation of power took only a few moments, and two strikes later, Murai struck the blade at two sections. One at the edge, one at the tip. Both he, and the blade shook afterward, yet the Murai was one to bounce back.


    Alas, the blade''s edge bent and then completely shattered from the points of Murai''s hits.


    Damn... I am light, yet the beak''s power is good to go along with it. Good, but I need to be damned perfect, or something will butcher me when I am not careful. How does even Anatidae fight? With beak, right, or magic... Those evolutions probably create a lot of variables in this way. I am more of a mage Anatidae if I am not wrong. He thought and watched how the skeleton unhappily tossed the blade away. It took another blade of its fallen comrade.


    It did it fast, but before it had a chance to get its hand on it, Murai'' shaped a quick Mana Blade and slashed at the head. It was a clean hit aimed at the torse at 90 degrees angle. It went through the shoulder and ended up a couple of dozen centimeters deep, below the armpit. At that point, the limit of the mana blade reached the limit and the shaping lost its touch. Murai didn''t mind it, as the skeleton crumbled to bones, death along with its body.


    With two done, Murai turned his attention to the last one on the ground, obliterating the skull with his beak. As he was over it, more undead were waiting for their turn.


    It seemed the rule of battle still followed this place, and they simply didn''t swarm the enemy in high numbers. It wasn''t the kind of rule that was popular, especially in the context of what this place was. The remaining skeletons of the beast and humanoid figures were patiently waiting until those 3 were killed.


    ¡°What nice skeletons... Really...¡± Murai acknowledged and remained standing with another Blade by his side.


    1st Wave of the Welcoming Party was over, but the 2nd shall start right away.


    The one who came next was a single, bulkier undead skeleton, wearing a partial full body armor apart from the face shield of his helmet and a few other parts of the set. The armor seemed sturdy, making it slow by thrice the amount than the last ones. There were only a few points of interest in having slower speed because of defense. Murai saw it as a weakness. An obvious one.


    The armor was round around the torso, arms, and head. Its bottom was all bones, indicating nothing ordinary was there. It was asking to shatter the lower body.


    Within its right hand, resting on its bony shoulder was a 2-meter-long curved blade with quite a long handle. With the 2-and-a-half meter height, the undead skeleton made quite some impression, but it was slow, albeit it looked impressive. The sword itself looked like something that would cleave a cow in half, let alone a human, or a measly little duck.


    ¡°You want to hit me with such a blade? Pche! you damned wish!¡± Murai sneered and felt his chances rising exponentially.


    Though, the skeleton was indifferent to his taunts, which either meant it didn''t understand him, or it didn''t think much of it.


    The tightly clutched hand around its single-handled grip loosened, and the next thing it did, was to shake the air. The burly skeleton unleased a vertical slash, reaching with its blade down from 3 meters away onto Murai''s location in less than 2 seconds. With power over the unnatural gravitational pull or strength and unlikely speed, the blade seemed far at first, yet it reached him in seconds.


    Murai didn''t even have a chance to quack before a blade was upon his beak.


    Defend? Counter? Catch? Dodge?


    Dodge!


    Murai sidestepped the fastest in his life, uncaring about anything but cold steel facing a couple of centimeters off of his neck. The gust of wind shook the sand away when the blade hit the ground, causing him to fly far into the air.

 Chapter 92: Kill is a Desire

    Murai felt aghast, stumbling with his face on the ground when he fell. Dust and sand got to his beak, and eyes, dirting his feathers in a mess of sand.


    He found himself in a nasty position once again, as his light body caused him to be wide open right after being hit by a powerful force. This undead skeleton had a lot of physicalities hidden behind his bony body, or was the armor enchanted? It seemed likely, but Murai felt this one was stronger than the dozen of the past skeletons combined together. Its soul flame was stronger in its core, and flames swirling in a wild storm.


    Its strength and dexterity were definitely high enough to push against his body, but it wasn''t enough to obliterate him. That still frustrated him, but only for a brief time before he thought of some solution. Any problem can be solved with some strategy. That was one of his core rules about his Cursed Living, stemming from times when he truly needed to think about some actions.


    So what if it went well this time around? Blade didn''t punish him, nor did it move for the second time, cleaning him in midair where he was wide open. Anyone stronger would do it, offsetting the issue of his preparedness.


    Was it part of one main problem?


    No.


    Mass, weight, and momentum. 3 similar things were a problem, but each followed one main factor.


    Hm... This body is too light, yet powerful in some strange way anyway. I am not wondering how it flung me like a pebble since it makes sense. My body is still following physical rules, or so I would say, but this is magic shit I am talking about... This world doesn''t have to make sense. Nothing does. Murai thought as he got to his feet.


    I may take the hit well, but that doesn''t mean that if I can''t, I can take the aftermath of my wide-open body that can''t counter. Future issues of this caliber may be problematic, while... Yea... I suppose caring for the Robust Defense is good, but it almost feels like a little cheat and it is that, while others can have power in a similar way. One way or another, this puts me at a large disadvantage when my body is out of my control which is an issue.


    How to solve it without using precious Soul Force points? Well... precious is questionable. It is still an ability that seems too broken to not use it, but being dependent on it is truly cheap... I get that a lot.


    Then, there is a balance... wings? Sturdiness and flexibility over my neck would also work. This is an issue of my living body. How to solve this issue? Eat until I am like a fucking elephant? No...


    Gravity manipulation? That is space affinity already... Such force seems plausible since this species has universal affinity, yet such affinity seems a bit too complicated for me at the moment. It wouldn''t make sense to force things when I have too few aspects to my power. Adding it to my beast core which already has 3 affinities right now, I am having no choice in any proper Path. Creating time to cater to gravity involves time and care. It is too early to think of the affinity beyond the common elements. A finite choice would be best... to make a Path, but not now.


    Unless I have the Tome regarding the Gravity or some treasure, I should rather experiment and get used to fighting others outside of my size. That is right. What is it called? Strategy... Am I getting dumber?


    He asked himself, still feeling how his body was feeling the dust and sand on the ground. Frankly, he may feel it a lot more than he liked, but his mind actually wasn''t feeling much pressure. It was calm like a lake, seeing and feeling the surroundings from a rational perspective.


    Strategy and use of my brain can be much better for training. Getting accustomed to my body is my main concern on all fronts. Since it is already at a point of magic and some... power over the body? I need familiarity. My injuries are more or less fixed, but mana is a problem. Working around this sort of challenging attitude would get me some advantages in the future so it makes sense. Like the one before. Assassin. Hard challenges follow the improvements. I can take advantage of that one since it is still fresh, but... This weight problem is really bothersome.


    Murai thought and ended up backing away after stabilizing his dirty body.


    As he fled a few meters away, glancing at the burly skeleton without any care, he thought of his strategy. He didn''t land with grace and even got an additional couple of meters distance between them, yet the enemy didn''t use this chance to strike. The burly skeleton stood there, glaring at him.


    Murai stood on his feet, looking at the enemy, that almost seemed like it was chuckling, and finding fighting against the duck hilarious. The cluttering sound of the teeth resounded in the stormy weather, making it quite a terrifying sound when dozens of other skeletons joined along.


    Burly skeleton stepped forward at last, grabbing the long handle of the blade with its both thin skeleton arms. Blade looked magnificent beyond measure, with sturdy forged steel of quite a tough style and mass. It had nice polish along the distinct sharp edge that was noticeable at a glance. It was still glistering clean with not a single crack, or chop on its sharp edge through the many centuries of resting under the soil or somewhere else.


    It was hard to tell its origin, but its Grade wasn''t the smallest. It was definitely ranging in the Grade of Cs for Level 30s or 40s, but it was a weapon. Anyone could use them, even when one''s level was in the 10s. That would only mean their efficiency wouldn''t be that great for this sort of weapon, while the basic value of the weapons was defining their potency. Grades worked the best in that way, while the level was a rough estimate of its usability. Usually, the Grade was what mattered the most, while the level was determining the range of the usability.


    Murai observed the blade, noticing a few characteristics about it. There were a few spots and issues on the blade but it wasn''t on its sharp edge. It was at the side, where were clear bite marks along a couple of cracks and two clawed strikes, creating 8 lines around the side. It made it more unique and gave the blade a certain charisma without causing a major deficit to it. They weren''t enough to cause the edge to become rolled or cracked.


    It was questionable if it didn''t have some internal damage, which may affect the blade''s sturdiness as a whole. It was still a strong blade because of its mass. Its weight was in tens of kilograms for sure, while it had a long handle and an even longer blade with quite some thickness. The marks at the side seemed as if it was the intention of the maker to make the blade that way, but it wasn''t the case.


    The claw marks were residual damage of either, the last foe of its wielder, the last kill, or it was from meeting a challenger like Murai.


    However, none of these was something that Murai cared about. There was only one thing that mattered. When he was an issue, he may as well use it to his advantage. He didn''t really care about the blade itself. Why would he? He had his own Mana Blade, which may or may not be enough to go against this tough and sturdy metallic blade, but he had all intentions of trying to challenge it.


    Now, that he understood it, he loved it. This situation was absolutely fantastic to start to get him to feel and thrill of battle started. Him, of this living, that was.


    Smiling for God knows how, he didn''t care about the other undead who were eyeing him like prey. They might have caused some distress for unfamiliar challengers, but Murai saw the surroundings well enough. None of them came forward, followed the burly skeleton''s footsteps, or even took a step forth.


    That was the rule of this place, it seemed. One wave at a time.


    That was it.


    The present situation turned out to be a duel, much to his satisfaction and fear to take some backstabs. Before, it was 3 versus 1, which he won because those basic undead skeletons were among the weakest opponents around. They were around level 10 of this Temple''s high standards, with enchanted bones and stronger swords than one would normally have.


    Levels were always peculiar knowledge. No level was the same throughout the continents. Sometimes the Class mattered more while other times the equipment overlapped the common sense. Grades of abilities, talents, and the power over magic usually made things more lively and complicated.


    Murai''s 3 previous opponents were Class E - Enhanced Skeletons. They were weak undead in terms of level, but their bones were strong, giving them unnatural prowess that can cause problems to enemies twice their level. It was no wonder since this temple was their honing home. The terms of Class E of this level weren''t normal.


    Everything weak in levels usually started at Class F, with more having better powers and options for their path. For a best-to-be Grade E, or even D at the level of 10s, it meant a unique bloodline, unique physicality, or everything combined together. It depicted anomalies of rare and special species or bloodlines.


    The challengers who came to this sort of location didn''t care for such foes as level 10, even though they were rare than the normal ones outside. Undead monsters weren''t a rarity, and these may not be normal, but they were weak in comparison to any Challenger. If they would struggle, then they would have no right to go into the Temple itself. In fact, they wouldn''t even get to the Death Valley, or reach this Welcoming Party.


    Murai was yet to step forwards. He was yet to gain the amends for his challenge and still needed to kill more Waves or reach the threshold of successful accomplishment of a Welcome Party. None talked about it. Not even Lisa, but he figured he should fight to get it right.


    He viewed this burly skeleton with some interest. For once, this enemy seemed to enjoy the duel and wasn''t desirable in opening his innards. ¡°Well, what to do with you?¡± He wondered out loud, thinking of some way to start a proper duel.


    He knew how, long before he started.


    Because of the lack of his reach, the basic premise of the Sharpness and his magic was the perfect excuse to use his Mana Blade. They may not be the finest to go against the metallic blade of this caliber, but he shall see how his current version will fare. Generally, the Mana Blades of rough or initial phases in magic weren''t a good choice for such a situation. To go against a heavy metallic blade, one would have to have densely shaped mana or a tight affinity to Sharpness.


    They would be enough to cut things apart, but expecting defense or high physicality to go against the physically stronger blade wasn''t that clever. Add to that some uniqueness about the blade or the wielder, then it could become harsh. Thankfully, the burly skeleton had no mana core. It had simple waves of strange mana fluctuations around the bones like the others had.


    Everything depended on the Shaping, Conjuration, and how the mage would work around the blade itself. The Mana Blade could damage the physicality of many foes and the attack would be even better in many cases than the physical one. After all, mana was flexible, while the physical sword may be clunky, dependable on the experience, body strength, reflexes, quality, and so on.


    There were many variables and Murai thought of hundreds in a couple of moments as he observed the foe.


    Mana Blade would create some good things. In a speedy flash of swiping and cleaving, it was possible to do a lot of things around his sight. Murai knew the Laws of the Sharpess and Blade like the Laws of Flames, but his body wasn''t one to wield the Laws yet.


    His mind knew of that concept, making the magic more appealing, but basic. Its history was more on the warring side of magic, with few mages actually caring a lot about the Sharpness. After all, there was an issue with the Mana Blades and countless other variants of weapons.


    Why Shape something out of mana, when the physical ones would fare better in almost any way? There was an equally impressive amount of powerful metals on the planets within the River of Manaflow as the amount of powerful magic. That was the fundamental truth about the matters of Mana Blades.


    They weren''t meant to obscure the swords, as they weren''t meant to do that from the very beginning. Only higher stages would fare better.


    That gave rise to an intricate question. What came before? Magic or blades? In the path of the River of Manaflow, it was hard to tell the right guess, but the metal usually prevailed as the first choice.


    Mana can improve them too, giving the ores unique properties and magic could then enchant the blades. That was equal to creating magical equipment and swords, so the desire to shape and fight with nonphysical swords or blades didn''t make sense to a lot of mages.


    It meant that the physical swords were quite powerful and equal to even ancient and powerful magic, while magic exists just because of the River of Manaflow. Murai knew this truth, but he liked to be unconventional because of the usual stubbornness of his living.


    For once, this truth wasn''t all that useful for him and in fact, it went out of his mind. That truth wasn''t his current truth. He didn''t need to care about that old concept that was familiar, truthful, and right. After all, things can change and the universe was vast. The core of the Sharpness and Shaping of the weapons was quite important to him because he had no fucking hands. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a reasonable thing to rely on unconventional concepts.


    After all, having the ability to conjure and Shape a dagger out of nowhere seemed convenient enough, there were some disadvantages. It was as if the heavens wouldn''t allow the mana to become stronger than the metallic blades. It seemed like an honest fact as the mana did cater to the metal more, while the Mana Blades weren''t ever natural. They were constructs of magic made and created by mages of the ancient past.


    But Murai wanted to see it because he wanted it. He needed it. The power of his Mana Blade didn''t matter to him, as the potency of his magic may make due changes in time. He already put considerable affection into them in the last week or so. It was the easiest form of upgrading two things at the same time. His Shaping, and his Mana Blade in itself.


    Now, he had to harvest the results and continue on.


    It was something he could use relatively easily, like in some of his past lives. He thought he had more affinity towards this sort of magic in a few of his previous lives, while the current one may or may not have the talent for it. It would go along the premise that no life was like the other. Sometimes the body stated the rules, while the Cursed Living would make up for the rest.


    Murai was aware of a lot of things throughout his living. Many experiences led to many discoveries that would shake the minds of many grand mages. It put his mind on the certain push to rediscover certain memories, knowledge, and advantages about certain potentials. That was about the smallest advantage he had as an undertaker of many past lives.


    Memories didn''t always stick together and became foggy at some point. In this case, it was rather best to move on, while the past was the past. Murai discovered this approach to living worked the best. It may be a neverending cycle but some knowledge that would be redundant in one life would turn out to be quite useful in the other.


    In this case, it was better to think of some interest and store it for later in his consciousness. His Rules were something like that.


    In this sense, his knowledge turned out to be as valuable as the Laws themselves and outlived many values that even gods would envy.


    However, Murai never focused on everything useful to overflow his mind. He could only hope that something will be useful at some point in the future while nothing was finite. He wouldn''t worry about anything that may be useful, so he only cared about what should be already interesting. It was the context, that usually mattered, and his hunch.


    Magic was among the primary knowledge that he held in high regard and meeting the world in the River of Manaflow was an important discovery. It was the wildest source of life in the universe. At least according to his memories, which made sense. Mana held countless variables in terms of fantasy, imagination, and magic.


    It was interesting enough, so it was no wonder he was a complete lunatic over the mana, while this life as a duck... Well, Anatidae species, to be specific, may be more unique than he thought. Having Universal Affinity was one such weird example since it spoke of the uniqueness of the species. He only heard of having Universal affinity. He never had this sort of talent.


    It was a different beginning to living than he would ever wish for, but at least it wasn''t boring and was interesting in magic instead. He never wielded mana as a demonic being, while it may be unfamiliar to him right now, it may change. He may complain, and curse the gods and heavens for this, but he was secretly enjoying himself by the difficulty and this unique opportunity. A change of pace never hurt anyone, one would think.


    There were very few circumstances where his life began at the very beginning of living, such as this. There were few, where his awareness of the past returned to him at ages between 5 to 8, but no more than 9 years old. It was usually the teens that changed the pace of his living, or the world.


    There were also unique properties of living as a pebble and that leaf. Those were unique lives that he viewed with interest since they were in the RIver of Manaflow as well. They were almost as unique as his current life, but Murai didn''t view those lives in high regard. In fact, he despised them from many points.


    Now, as an Anatidae species, he was aware of his beginning. From the 20 days from his start, living as an embryo and growing duckling, it was a ridiculous prospect.


    However, the end of the ridiculous thing may pass, and turn into a pleasant surprise. He patiently waited, since he was that type of a guy. A rather vocal in his annoyance, and anger, but he can swallow his pride and move on. That was at least what he assumed and felt at that moment when he woke up in the darkness.


    Now, he had some experiences, yet time offered nothing much but chaos and unkept variables.


    It was a time. A variable, that was always prevailing in the constant flow of the living, and this world wasn''t giving him time to live. One wouldn''t be able to experience a lot if one didn''t have enough time. One wouldn''t be able to get stronger, if one didn''t have enough time. One wouldn''t reach the length of one''s potential if time would go against oneself.


    It was an issue that put him into the endless flow of possibilities, while this life was the most confusing one he ever had.


    His progress was in shambles, he didn''t particularly feel the comfort of his past memories, and even though he may be something special, the world turned against him.


    And he was even a duck, so he figured it was the case to pull his heart together, let it be, and move on. He will turn his stubbornness to another level if he had to and no Anatidae species will stop him from doing that. It seemed like that, as far as he understood, so Murai slammed the sand with his head and feet alike, calming his mind in a couple of moments.


    Then he glared up at the burly skeleton and pulled his shit together and focused. Then, he Conjured more mana towards the Mana Blade, turning it to the same length and thickness as the opposite one.


    It turned out to be the same length, yet he was unable to make the right curvature. The Shaping of his mana lacked the right flexibility, and he could tell it strained the potency of future strikes. He didn''t need to experiment with it. He could tell it by his Shaping, eyes, and how the blade moved under his Shaping like a stubborn dog that was hard to calm down. It was the same with his Beast Core, but not exactly.


    This was a disadvantage of his current Shaping, which needed a lot more work than he would willing to admit. Making complicated things required time, effort, and rightful control of Shaped filled Sharpness. Murai can tell his large Mana pool was incredibly useful, and even through the unfamiliar clarity over his Beast Core, it did pose fewer issues when he was forceful enough.


    So, he decided to use the massive glowing sword for now. He turned it into some kind of greatsword with two sharp edges, which may pass his standards, but it wouldn''t be a good slasher. Unless he would stab a foe, he was sure he wouldn''t kill this undead. It wasn''t that great but Murai wasn''t willing to use some half-assed efforts. He created a heavy sword to see how it would fare against the physical one.


    With a nearly 2 meter long-sword, Murai was like a David, before a Goliath. His body was quite smaller than the actual blade, while the enemy before him was even larger.


    Though, the burly skeleton wasn''t necessarily overpowering, per se. The weapon and how it would use it was.


    Murai wasn''t able to figure out its rough power from Mana Detection alone, but there was something he could use. It was the Soul Read, which allowed him to gouge the rough feelings of souls. Those undead were perfect for that, since they were limited in their Will, and Soul Flames were rather honest and pure soul essences.


    As expected or not, the one before him had a distinct stubbornness and firmness. It was a skeleton of a former Knight, and his soul was full of anguish, and something else.


    It was a restrain of some kind, but no curse.


    Murai felt it. This place and not only Death Valley. This whole Seventh Death Forest was like a huge prison to any undead being and other things... probably. He didn''t like to guess things.


    Something conscripted the Undead Knight, putting its soul towards eternal despair, in some strange sense of bonding, or it was an offer? Lost best? Willing servitude? Loss of oneself? A forceful clutch of a soul formed into a skeleton?


    Murai was thinking for a couple of seconds, yet before he knew it, the Undead Knight attacked as if he felt his soul was under someone''s gaze. He didn''t like it, even though his Will was long subdued and his soul wasn''t even a speck of the former glory. It was an instinct. That was usually what the undead held. The shell of the former Will and glory.


    Making the low, horizontal slash, the Undead Knight swiped the ground, hoping to cleave the small duck with a simple and single strike.


    It wasn''t fast, by any means, probably because of the large mass of the blade, and his lacking body. It was a different kind of attack that didn''t use gravity to its advantage. It allowed Murai to use this to his advantage. The last strike was unexpectedly fast, but this wasn''t as straightforward as it could get.


    Putting his own sword to the defense, Mana Blade went against the curved blade that would cleave a few humans in half.


    Ding!


    A metallic sound echoed, and Murai still stood without being halved. He didn''t even dodge, because he was confident in his Shaping and his Mana Blade. The clashing blades stopped less than 10 centimeters before his neck, halting and resting in a cracking Mana Blade that barely remained in its shape. The Undead Knight tried his best, yet failed to kill.


    The Mana Blade was twisted, and the metallic blade almost went through it without further problems.


    ¡°Well, excuse me, Knight. I am no honorary person and you are basically asking for this.¡± Murai quacked out loud and jumped as he restrained the metallic blade inside of his Mana Blade, halting the retrieval of the sword by the Knight.


    He didn''t jump toward the knight but toward the blade itself. He let the Beak''s Peak go for a couple of seconds, while the undead knight struggled to free his blade. It was a good attempt, causing more cracks and destabilization of the mana blade, but it wasn''t fast enough. Murai aimed toward the scratched marks on the blade, particularly toward the bite mark.


    Clank!


    The Beak''s Peak hit the mark, yet it didn''t shatter the blade, as Murai thought it would. It only caused a single crack, halving the large blade into 2 pieces, which spoke volumes about how well-made this blade was.


    Damn... I hope I will someday reach a proper ability to understand things... Since this place has such a strange system to its living. Complex and varied it is. Some Appraisal ability wouldn''t hurt, but the Will of the Battleworld seems to be stubborn and does not talk... Fuck the Encounter, I guess. Murai though, and by extension, jumped once more, pouncing at the knight''s stumbled body that still held the blade, but it was a poor excuse for a sword. He aimed towards the head.


    He wished to finish the job, while the knight''s soul turned somber over the destroyed blade. It was as if the blade was part of the knight''s honor, which meant he lost the proper duel.


    Murai''s used the residual power of the Beak''s Peak to hit the temple of the knight''s skull, obliterating his head to pieces. It was one of the weakest parts of the human skull, which worked fairly well, yet even then, Murai was surprised at how tough the skull was.


    He felt reverberation and a huge recoil when he hit the skull with his Peak.


    It put his neck, brain, and eyes in 1-second shock, before the hotness and clarity spread from his Robust Spirit, giving him deep clarity as if it didn''t even happen. Upon this finish, Murai was happy it went well. He used common sense to his advantage, albeit the context of this sense was partially right. The skull of this undead was equal to a metallic anvil, even though it was a dull skull.


    While the weakness was crucial, another advantage lay in his small size. Murai was able to create a great opening, and because of how light he was, his jumping height was good. He was also quite flexible because of his size, dodging the wincing half of the blade, and then striking the knight''s temple. It all needed precise timing, as well as a decision to kill.


    Though, why worry about killing the undead? Murai found that idea funny.


    Undead Knights'' headless skeleton fell to the ground, no longer able to continue. Murai did well, looking at the fallen enemy put yet another challenge to his experience.


    ¡°No need to seek the Soul Flame, I suppose. Though, who am I kidding... I am no soul mage, nor a necromancer. I could''ve been one, though... Nevermind.¡± Murai said, looking into the shattered skull that had the soul flame in its sockets. There was a small, residual color to them, but the pair of these flames was weak, falling to the sand as if possessed. It seemed the Skeleton Knight''s Will died the moment he destroyed the blade.


    ¡°Well, whatever. What else? Lisa!¡± He quacked in a helpless manner. ¡°Am I supposed to kill every bone in front of me or what?¡± Murai glanced above, looking at Lisa, who remained floating high in the air.


    She was an observer, as always. She didn''t want to bother Mruai too much, since the proper start of this business of coming here, was just starting. They didn''t even get to the Temple yet, so she was observing things in her own interest.


    ¡°Welcoming Party is somewhat weaker than I remember. I doubt you have to kill them all so just do what you should, and the Temple will open by itself. That''s how it works. After they stop coming, a message will pop into your mind, or a true guard will come, you should try your best for the Temple to gouge your strength. The enemies will become stronger and stronger until the Welcoming Party is over. Got it?¡± Lisa explained.


    ¡°Hm? So it is that simple? That isn''t so bad at all. Great. Fine. I have no issue with fights unless I feel like winning, which was so far great. This is going to be a good sparring, I feel. Let''s go!¡± He cheered himself and turned his blazing eyes to the upcoming enemy.

 Chapter 93: Murai vs Undead Mage

    The sand storms around the proximity of the undead army and hills remained, swirling and causing sand to move around the clear skies. They were creating a terrible atmosphere, but a unique setting with all of these undead beings clustered together.


    It also created a plethora of messed up problems that would bother the living, but the undead no longer needed to care about their eyes or even lungs. They had their senses, and soul flames that acted as their cores.


    So, with that said, Murai found the current position acceptable, albeit he felt the incredible gust of mana and threat from hundreds of undead before him. It was like looking at the gate to hell if it would exist. He was particularly affected by this since his Mana Detection was quite sensitive to his Will and highly efficient to his senses caused by his Robust Spirit.


    It meant he was sensitive to the mana, but that didn''t mean trouble. His Will was unshakable while many weaker mages would become overwhelmed by this undead army. In this messed up place, he had already fought 2 waves of enemies without using much more than a couple of moves.


    The fight against Class E ~ Undead Knight wasn''t the toughest, but quite stressful when he looked back at his own situation. He moved with a large amount of mana and caused enough damage in a few moves to make a vital hit. That was a rule that he took from his last life, and it worked wonderfully here too.


    A simple Beak''s Peak to the temple solved it all, while the knight''s cleave formed enough momentum, but it wasn''t enough against his wide and thick Mana Blade. Murai didn''t look to go toe to toe with the Undead Knight. A simple stoppage and destabilization of its momentum was fine while jumping to attack his head happened next.


    It was a nice kill, yet it was behind him already. Murai looked at the next opponent, who moved forward. It was yet another undead skeleton. Wearing a tattered cloth made of many strains of fabric, it seemed exotic enough, while not a whole lot of bones were visible. Glowing eyes made of soul flame glanced undereating the hooded appearance. It was an Undead Mage, holding an old-looking staff in a bony hand.


    Now that it walked forward, the wind swayed its fabric strips, revealing tattered and old-looking residues of a robe and quite a lot of various talismans. They ranged from metallic plates, paper strips with symbols, or simple wooden tablets. Those seemed fine enough, radiating mana fluctuations, and noticeable flickering runes on their surface. They were flat pieces of material, but there were also some scripts mixed in them.


    Mana was also noticeable surrounding the visible bones, similar to other undead that Murai noticed. It seemed their bones went through some strengthening, making them tough and effective in defense and strength. That Undead Knight was definitely no weaker than the Izik, or so Murai thought.


    It was probably because of the unique aura of this place, or the mana, or the basic principle that these undead beings weren''t so simple.


    Undead don''t need to be created from anything, but they needed something as well. The dead part was normal to assume while calling the dead to remain walking was the basic principle of the term - Undead. It was basic necromancy. A Path of the literal wildest part of Chaos. Murai was aware of this sort of Path, thinking that the present situation was quite interesting from this topic alone.


    This place had a lot of powerful undead. So much so that he had trouble figuring them out, the further he looked and pulled his senses forth.


    Making undead needed unique circumstances, specific or forced ones too. The soul flame depicted their forced souls attached to their undead living. It can be natural because of the setting filled with dead, curses, or elements that halted the power of the Afterlife herself, or someone was touchy to halt the Rulers that pertained to the universe itself.


    It was usually the former since the Path of Necromancy wasn''t rare or hard to see. It was bewitching and evil, creating many possibilities in the path of power but it had a nasty reputation. When one turned their soul and mind toward the lands of the dead, one will proclaim their soul to the Chaos itself. It was that kind of Path, where individuality, evilness, and insanity prevailed above all else.


    Murai guessed this place could have both of these things, however. Someone must be controlling these undead, while this Temple and setting were other things to question. Death Valley had this aura of dead because of them, or it had this aura since a long time ago.


    Hm? So an undead mage? Have I finally met my equal?  Murai wondered, standing firm and clear to feel and see the foe. It had powerful fluctuations of magic around the talisman and its head, and mana was surrounding the wand as well. There was a gem within the swirling motion of the wood that went below to make a shaft. It had a simple design, with a simple purpose. That was to attach spells, increase the might of a spell, or enchant the mana itself.


    How strange... Hm? Its mana is strong... I wonder which level this body was when alive, or could it also improve as an undead? Does it have some help from this world? It sure feels strange when one has no desire to die because one is already dead. I guess it could make sense. Murai wondered and saw as the Undead Mage stabbed the staff to the ground, so it could pull two talismans under the tattered cloak forwards.


    ¡°Oh? Is this that kind of mage?¡± Murai went alert, preparing another rise of mana under his Conjuration without specific Shaping. It was easiest to be prepared than be sorry.


    The talismans were a one-use type of equipment. The ones Undead Mage held were dull-looking metal plates filled with engraved runes. Upon activation that involved the mana of the user, the runes would become a raging river. It involved runes made of mana, storing a structural magic or specific spell.


    These two talismans looked the same, projecting a large number of mana waves seeping out of them. It was like a large fountain or explosion that enveloped the Undead Mage. That went on for a few seconds until the mana calmed and focussed on the structure of the specific spell. Those were ice spears that were as large in mass as the caster.


    The way they unfolded was simple. At first, the tip of the ice spear appeared from the talisman, but in a second, the whole ice spear emerged. It was also hovering above the undead mage, whose hands were up, still holding the talisman while a large amount of undulating mana still went from the talisman. This was an ongoing spell talisman, with a finite number of Ice Spears it could create.


    ¡°This isn''t all that to my liking...¡± Murai commented, frowning. ¡°In fact, what sort of crap is this mage? I get it is an undead one, so it is as dumb as a brick, so it may not use mana properly, but it still hurts to see this.¡± He complained, founding the whole situation with the Talismans quite tough to swallow because it was the sort of magic that was cheap.


    ¡°Those are simple combat talismans, Murai Hisagi. Never seen them before? I doubted that.¡± Lisa asked, floating quite some meters above this whole charade that was like a large play before her eyes. She quite enjoyed her lofty view, overlooking many memories of this place as well as her past troubles. She knew this place wasn''t easy to see or visit. In fact, it was quite some task to get inside the temple itself, since she knew the parts of some secrets underground.


    The Temple wasn''t a simple one like a sub-dungeon would be. But the main Somalis dungeon? Sure, it was close enough to that sort of thing.


    ¡°These talismans?¡± Murai glanced up, seeing Lisa''s unbothered floating self, hovering in midair. ¡°Those things are toys from the real deal. Runes, that is. So much can be done with the structural magic of lackluster material and this... usability to make it cheap. It seems like a kid''s toy. Such ways to do, craft, and use them aren''t good in combat. It is a waste, let me tell you because they are useless apart from some war aspect. What kind of mage would need a tool such as this? Mana goes through these talismans for a longer time than the actual mage''s spell. It''s such a waste of time and effort.¡±


    Alas, as his own words were that of an old, generally stern mage, the case of the Talismans with a premade spell was nothing bad in the Battleworld. It was created so it would become used. It was that sort of thing, but he viewed it in a pragmatic way.


    After all, it was literary a borrowed power, while the spells themselves may, or may not be fancy or efficiently pulled to the full effectiveness. It depended not on the carrier of the talisman, but on the talisman itself. They can store unfamiliar spells, with the only requirement being the mana itself, and activation when needed.


    They would allow any mage to come up with more strategies and increase their survivability. It had a clear disadvantage that Murai witnessed. The time required to cast them was much longer, and depending on the talisman or the mage, one could be unable to move freely.


    Magic and power of their own mana wouldn''t increase, as the equipment was variable in terms of power levels. Of course, Murai didn''t view it from the premise of this world, or how the history of the Talisman was in this place at all.


    He didn''t need to care.


    He held plenty of contexts from the way of his own living, while it was pretty much the same thing. At least from the first glance of these flaring ice waves that the Undead Mage held. They were old Talismans, but the runes could last man years without any use. Even low-grade ones, which the Undead Mage had.


    I am damn right... I know that. Murai scowled inside, feeling the might of the mana of these Ice Spears. It was quite a large amount of mana, but it seemed the shaping principles of these structural talismans weren''t the finest. Probably because of the oldness of this pair of old Grade D Ice Shower spells stored in them, or they weren''t crafted properly. Such a spell can allow the mage to fight against larger, tougher, and stronger opponents.


    It wasn''t a terrible spell, allowing the mages to have less worry about Shaping the spell against others. That was why Murai found it so cheap. In this way, it would then be possible to view magic as an easy way to weaponize it and follow the battles even against the proper knights and trained professionals. Such as assassins, for example.


    Such enemies would be a disaster for any slow or inexperienced mage but with the Talismans, some things can change, even though spells have more seconds to start in lower-grade ones. But at higher Grades, it was another story.


    After all, unless the mage was well experienced in the art of Wards, Barriers, or Teleports, it would be easy for an experienced assassin to kill a mage. That was one example. Murai knew at least a hundred ways to overcome such measly efforts, but now? It wasn''t a matter of knowing them, but acknowledging his current situation.


    It was the basic common sense of advantages against disadvantages. Like Water against Flame, it was that simple, and even moderately large level differences wouldn''t change that. But the large one?


    At some point, the power curve of the magic wouldn''t cater to the talismans unless they would be high-grade enough. Murai was yet to know how the Battleworold held this topic. The worlds that he lived through, had extremely different circumstances in their structure. That much, Murai can guess but he lacked the context of this large world that seemed bigger than he imagined.


    The past was past. He remembered it because he went through it, but he didn''t go through this world at all. He preferred to keep his guesses to himself, but what he could discover was another thing. Context from the past will affect his reality.


    ¡°Well... Undead Mage is already dead, so it''s one way or another, not a big deal to kill the dead. Heheheh.¡± Murai joked to himself, Shaping the mass of the mana around him, bathing his body in waves of glistering particles. He created another pair of Mana Blades, letting them hover like arrows around his head. He aimed like the Undead mage was aiming with his Ice Shower - which had simple ice spears kind of attacks.


    The standstill didn''t last for longer than additional 4 seconds. The first batch was made of rough ice spear-like attacks. They were quite sharp at the tip, resembling thick throwing knives, but were as large as a person. Their body wasn''t as clear but rough and bulky. Their vision wasn''t that of mana, but literal ice.


    The Talisman let the mana stored inside turn to ice because of water affinity runes. The Ice Shower was also filled with undead aura, poison, and some curse as a bonus. It was a well versatile attack, with fast movement, and fast cadence in their shooting. First two shot forth, and less than a second from the first moves, another one shaped up next to the Talisman, flying right after the first even hit Murai


    He was waiting in patience, almost itching to counterattack even though he had at least 2 seconds of free time to deal at least a heavy blow to the Undead Mage that was preoccupied with the Shaping of these Talismans.


    The difference between the regular Ice Shower and this one would be quite simple, but it depended on the comfort that the mage would have with this spell. Talisman would remain fixed, while the mage can improve in their shaping and usage.


    At some point, the mage would take a couple of seconds starting the Ice Shower, while improvement in cadence, and shaping the ice spears would provide upgrades that no Talisman ever could do unless the mage would be a great rune mage or had a lot of money to spare. Taking care of the Shaping was also another major advantage when one would wield their spells. One could manage individual ice spears, and move freely.


    The first attack flew for about a dozen meters from the Undead Mage, closing on Murai who was some distance from the enemy. He wouldn''t be able to hit with his body, but not like he needed to do so to get rid of this poor Undead Mage.


    He already dealt with a few of these clumsy things, yet this Undead Mage may not be the easiest as he hoped. For once, Murai felt some pressure from the ice, the moment the attacks started. The mana still seeped around the skeleton parts, giving it a nasty feeling and aura of death. It was affecting the Talistmans too, and the ice.


    So, Murai wondered if the Battleworld had some nasty differences when it came to the undead, or if it was this place that made them this way. It was a momentary wonder before the first strike arrived.


    Murai intersected the two blades until they resembled scissors.


    He put them vertically 3 meters before him. He also pushed his back straight, clutching his body like a boxer who was ready to take a hit. The attack arrived and went right through the intersected blades, which sliced the ice into two halves. They continued their momentum without pushing the mana blades further along with their momentum. They missed Murai, who stood like a madman before an Ice spear that was larger them him by dozens of times.


    He watched in silence, yet almost grinned like a maniac because more attacks were coming. He was as confident, as curious how many ice spears these scissors will take.


    ¡°Defense may be a good offense, but why not it can''t be exchanged?¡± Murai wondered, leaving the blade firm on the spot, acting in the same way as before. They sliced the large chunks of ice spears quite well, letting each half miss him by a handful of distance. ¡°Let''s try it. A continuous push of Shaping against these blades and what can they do against an Undead Mage¡± he decided and did as he told.


    Many ice spears shot toward him, yet none hit him thanks to his careful placement of the vertically crossed blades, which cleaved them apart. Murai only watched the two halves disappear beside him, causing the destruction of sand in their continued momentum behind.


    He continued to Shape the blades before him, while the power of his Sharpness worked with the rest. It was basic stuff, in this mind. All he needed was a propel angle, and his Sharpness was passable against these ice spears'' momentum. Though, they weren''t moving at exact angles all the time, so he used his eyes and the Mana Detection to angle his blades, detecting the flow of the ice spears that flew in his direction each second. It was a nasty barrage, but Murai couldn''t tell how many spears will fly forth.


    Undead Mage was only focusing and empowering the use of his Ice Shower Talismans to obliterate the enemy, yet it never became the reality.


    The ie spears flew and became halved like a cleaved head of a chicken under the experienced butcher. They didn''t even pose a threat, but Murai wasn''t thinking of the ice as dangerous. He feared his own weakness. By the 25th attack, his blades began to shake apart, and the cuts became duller. His shaping caused the blades to remain before him, but every attack after the 18th let the blades a bit forward. This was causing quite some strain on his mind, as the Shaping was not done by anything but the mage''s mind, in conjunction with the core. ]


    He couldn''t touch or hold them by his hand, so his mind was all he had. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It worked well for Mana Cores, while the Handlers would slowly get restrained with their control over the worldly mana. In his case, it was an obvious lack of control. He felt the pressure rising in his core, causing the mana of his two blades to become unstable when he was closing on the 30th ice spear.


    Fortunately, by the 33rd one, the talismans cracked apart, causing a small ice explosion to shock the mana around the Undead Mage. The runes that made these Ice Shower talismans were no longer operating, leaving the Undead Mage staggering on his steps. They reached the limit, as Murai hoped for.


    It was another disadvantage of the Talismans. They were finite. If they wouldn''t it wouldn''t make sense.


    Without much of waiting for the further opening that wouldn''t come by itself, Murai turned his mana up a notch. He gritted his teeth and changed the trajectory of one of his blades. It turned straight according to his line of vision. It was slightly curved, ready to pierce the target. The one was enough because the target was quite far away, causing his eyes to become small dots in focus.


    He focused a lot of attention on this strike, which he never used for such a long distance. Not even when he practiced this sort of Shaping move in his training before.


    The mana blade shook and became firmer, turning to a streak of lightning-fast attack resembling a shot of an arrow. Murai only willed it forward, creating a resemblance to an arrow in the vision of his own Shaping. That was usually how it went without some touchy Shaping, but it had no way physical resemblance to the actual use of bow and arrow.


    It was basically shoving the mana of a specific mass forward and hoping for the best.


    Mana in this case will leave one''s control, dispersing afterward unless one would connect to it again. That was usually quite hard, so this sort of attack was a one-way attack anyway. Murai''s sword was fast like an actual flying arrow from a heavy bow. It flew straight toward the Undead Mage head, who frantically tried to get another pair of Talismans but barely 3 seconds passed before he got back his lacking stability.


    It was too late. Before he managed to get the mana flowing and activate the other spell, a Blade shot through his sockets, traveling through the soul flame, and creating a large hole at the end of the skull. It obliterated the further hood, while the ending motion eradicated the skull in half. Soul flames ceased to exist the moment the remains of the undead mage hit the ground, ceasing to the sand.


    ¡°Oh? I hit the bullseye.¡± Murai quacked, surprised but aware that he did it.


    Huh... Amauter. Not even a Ward was around its body? Is this the limit of the intelligence of this sort of Undead Mage, or it was so long dead, it become as boring as the Death itself? Murai wondered, figuring this was a similar difficulty to the last enemy. Before, the Undead Knight created some trouble for him with the massive blade, while the Undead Mage created a rather harsh endurance rush.


    Ice Shower was known as quite a wild and heavily focused spell. It was among the finest choices in the earliest Path of Ice to affect large areas, attacking more foes at once, while its might wasn''t the smallest. It was dense in its structure, attacking fast with quite some power. The advantage of that was that, but the disadvantage was also there, apart from the basic of the Talismans which was the case here. Normally, the Ice Shower would still leave the mage immobile and focused on the spell.


    Murai knew how it was affecting the mages, even if he didn''t like the Path of Ice.


    With the finished 3rd wave, he felt the pressure of the surrounding undead turned up a notch. Through his Soul Read and Mana Detection, he felt tides of wild power surround the proximity around the front rows of this undead army. 100 meters before him were hundreds of powerful soul flames lingering in many empty eye sockets/


    Soul Read let out many shimmering thoughts, and pressure enveloped his mind, informing him of dangers, while anything else became unimportant in this version of the Soul Read. But it was enough to make him a bit nervous, considering the kind of enemy there were beyond the front row. Perhaps things will get nasty next, as he already guessed that this place had some rules in it.


    Those wild auras of powerful force won''t attack him. Only the weaker undead will, which was already happening for the 3rd time now. The 1st group of skeletons was just a small nudge at him, giving him a polite pat on the head from the Temple. 2nd was more serious and 3rd was to view his magic. That was at least what he assumed.


    Mana Detection showed him incredible auras and powerful mana of various affinities that some of these Undead possessed. There was one particular one, further in the back, but Murai was unable to see or sense it. It was long behind his line of Mana Detection, but that pressuring feeling was coming towards him too, allowing him to feel it.


    He was unable to determine who that was, or what it could have been, but it was seeping the power of partial divinity. It was strange, considering the divinity wasn''t mana, yet Murai was feeling it all the same.


    It was a feeling of someone beyond the realms of common practices. It was something that Gods viewed so highly, they would even kill other gods to seize their power. Though, that was easier said than done.


    The one he felt was visible to Lisa above, who eyed the whole undead army because she could, while Murai couldn''t. Her position allowed her to feel the mana too, noticing a dark robbed skeleton, whose only visible vision was red dots, within the empty sockets. There was no glowing soul flame, but it was bright in some light. It was hard to tell what it was, as this skeleton was hiding completely behind a haggard-looking cloak, with a thick and long hood.


    Out of any undead, this peculiar skeleton was riding some sort of horse beast. It was also an undead one and large like a low giant. A skeleton of the powerful looking powerful beast was its mount, giving the large skeleton the power of higher ground.


    It was a big mount, at least 4 meters tall from her observation, and the skeleton wasn''t any smaller.


    It would be like a towering giant before a measly duck, which won''t be much taller in the future. It was a common rule that certain species had. Overruling them wasn''t something anyone or anything could do, as certain things became impossible.


    Murai was sure that the Welcoming Party was yet to be over. He managed to obliterate a few opponents, but it wasn''t as challenging as that time with Acaman Golem or with messiahs. In the past week, he did achieve a plethora of improvements, but he didn''t consider he would fare much better against that golem.


    Now, seeing the situation, it was as Lisa said. Something was gouging his strength to make the 4th opponent a true challenge or final boss.


    The majority of the further undead would kill him for sure, yet the ones who always stepped forwards had some major defects or some other issue he could use to his advantage. The first skeletons were weak in themselves. The Undead Knight... was average, at best, but with nice equipment and power equal to level 32.


    As for the mage? Murai was extremely familiar with getting rid of any kind of mage since experiencing many lives in the flow of the River of Manaflow made sure of it.


    With the 3rd Wave, the rest of the undead army around Murai''s proximity cluttered their jaws, causing the clutter of teeth to echo, as if laughing. Though, they weren''t sounding like laughing for sure.


    It was an eerie sound, followed by another Wave of an undead that walked forth.


    It was a stranger one than the previous ones. An inhuman undead, in fact.


    An undead monster walked forward. It had 4 bony limbs, thick Soul Flames in its sockets in quite a ferocious skull. Tough, and sharp teeth were pristine as if they never disappeared or became dull in time of death. It was a beast resembling a tough wolf or lion, but it was hard to guess since the skeleton held not many features. Tattered pieces of meat, skin, or fur were visible in a few parts, but they were hard enough to get some answers.


    ¡°Is this a freaking Alpha Coyote? That... is wrong. It is too large. It''s hard to guess that when the flesh and fur are almost no longer around.¡± Murai looked at the approaching enemy with some interest.


    He wasn''t right this time around, but he wasn''t far from the truth either. This one was Wildling Jaguar. A Class D Magical Beast of level 35.


    Murai saw one special feature of this undead beast. Apart from the glistering soul flames, this one had a swirling mana core within its chest. It was tiny, considering the mass of its 3-meter tall stature, and more than 4-meter long body.


    Wildling Jaguar was a beast stronger than some Alpa Coyotes, because of their status as a magical beast, and their bloodline. Though, it was only rightful to call it extraordinary when alive. When it was undead, the bloodline ceased to become an important factor. There was no flesh, no blood vessels, and no blood. Just bones, which may not be normal but were hard as steel.


    It was still fitting to view it as a powerful beast. It had a great magic aptitude, thanks to the roots of magical creatures of the carnivorous species. It can eat the foe''s flesh, gaining some power from the foe. It was from the bloodline of species called Devourers ~ carnivorous magic beasts of the Path of Fengblood.


    But now that it was no longer alive, what magic and powers it had?


    Murai looked at the 3-meter-tall Jaguar as it carefully started to intercept him like a hunter. That was, to make circles around Murai, while the rest of the undead waited.


    ¡°Lisa, How many rounds of this shit do I have to endure? This is getting annoying already.¡± Murai asked floating Lisa high above the ground.


    ¡°Don''t Know. Don''t care,¡± she said back, floating as if nothing bothered her in her place. She kept her watch to the distance, uncaring about the issues below her.


    Murai sighted, unable to exploit much of this conflict at all. He was seeing and feeling enough. This beast was stronger than messiahs and the last 3 Waves combined together.


    He could only attempt to obliterate this bony beast with what he could. As for how? He had to figure that out.


    Murai was starting to be a bit hesitant with his mana spending. He was reaching his limits and it was noticeable. The firm use of singular or few Mana Blade forms before was a cheap price to pay for a good solution. It worked wonderfully for the course of those battles, enabling him to achieve fantastic results against the Undead Mage and the Knight.


    As for this ferocious undead beast that seemed like a prime hunter, Murai figured his chances were lower, albeit not impossibly so.


    ¡°Peak. Let''s see a proper battle freakiness of this Anatidae. Or... how should it be like, so let''s do what I can do.¡± he thought to himself and simply waited on the spot. He didn''t Shape or Conjured anything. The first blades long become the mana of the world, the moment the Undead Mage died for the second time. The second Mana Blade stayed before him, waiting after deflecting and shattering the rest of the spear that came to him before the mage died.


    Seeing the prey hesitate, or ignore its proclamation of a hunt, Jaguar cluttered its teeth in frustration. Then, it roared, as the soul flame itself turned violet in rage.


    It was being underestimated, and this jaguar didn''t like it one bit. It was a strong beast when it was alive and proud, yet it was true that it was weaker when it became an undead beast.


    From within its roaring jaw, another jaw emerged. It was phantom one, filled with dead elements and long-range mana fluctuations that spread forward like a toss of a spearhead.

 Chapter 94: Murai vs Wildling Jaguar

    The phantom jaw-like attack that Jaguar unleashed was Death Breath. An overreaching mana ability that was stemming from its mana core. Graded at C, and leveled at 35, it was one of its primary powers. It unleashed a potent threatening power, and killing intent in the vision of the mana and the bloodline.


    It went fast, yet Murai was looking at it with quite some calmness.


    Calculating the degree of mana of this attack, velocity, and aura, he felt this attack was way too large. It was encompassing him like a tidal wave, and something that was wide, and tall as a person. Mana swirled in the waves, lines, and blackish colorful crimson, folding to make an opening like a jaw of a monster that wanted to swallow him whole.


    Murai''s turned his attention to his own condition, feeling the sudden change, and how this attack felt.


    The Jaguar pounced towards his front, ready to act with this Death Breath in a row. The real jaw was hiding behind a crimson one. It was a dangerous all-out attack that came in two waves.


    Defend, dodge, or counter? Three options with various possibilities to turn things up a notch entered his mind.


    Chances were there for all of them to do something, but it all required his attention and quick decision-making. The Jaguar''s mana seemed stronger than the one of the Alphas Coyotes because of the core alone. With it, the terms of even its physicality weren''t as pronounced, making the mana the core of this undead Wildling Jaguar.


    Because of the loss of blood and mass, it was closer to the power of the Alpha Coyotes for sure. At least in their rough power level, which may be a dangerous prospect for Murai''s current capabilities.


    It was definitely the toughest enemy he was facing in a long time, forging Razmund of course. It was resembling how he felt against Acaman Golem as Anatiade of level less than 10.


    The difference between the Undead Mage and this Jaguar was far wider than he expected. Even Alp was probably weaker if they would possibly clash against each other, but his case was stranger than some mana, or anything normal.


    Murai was hesitant for obvious reasons. He hadn''t gotten a very wide repertoire of abilities since he didn''t have enough time to come up with something fitting to call his own. Magic can be learned, but the body needs time to grow up to accommodate it.


    Mana Core was the same. His soul was unique out of all things he had, but it wasn''t something he knew was easy to exploit all the time. Soul Magic required an even larger investment than many Paths combined together, making it impossible to consider it.


    Sometimes, options change the possibilities of the Paths. The living as well. His variety of lives would cater to the unique circumstances of the world, creating some adjustments that he never understood before. Thus, he could change and come up with new experiences and it wasn''t rare at all. Almost all living ended up in unique places, with interesting developments.


    It was the Cursed Living he was undergoing for god''s know how many millennia, giving him an edge to learn from his mistakes. This life was the same. His life was his enduring soul, undergoing stages and undertaking endless time but magic and his body were there as well ~ just in a bit different form than normal.


    His Robust Spirit identity was his last resort, and using it against this sort of enemy may be fitting indeed. Murai was, however, yet to understand something. From his body conditions, magic, and soul, he also had those hidden abilities, which turned out to be absolutely useless. They needed certain criteria for them to even start, yet those criteria weren''t even something he understood.


    Timing, soul, and pressure of the mentality would create these options, as Soul Manifestation or Soul Lock seemed to be limited in their worth. Battleworld gave it to him in his beginning days of figuring out his steps, but they became useless since then.


    Something about Rain made it passable, or it was that whole Punishment act that gave him the leverage for his Soul-based abilities. Since then, anything afterward didn''t meet the right conditions.


    This also didn''t change even when certain criteria for the Robust Sprirt adjusted to new powers and his soul. It moved behind the hidden abilities, turning them less efficient or void, but Murai wasn''t sure of it, since the Will of the Battleworld didn''t mention them since.


    He didn''t like useless things. Especially in the last life when everything mattered, he didn''t like to see and feel the power in his sight to be useless. Having an interesting power, and being unable to use it was something he hated with a passion. It was inside of him, yet the certain rules around his body and this world created some unnecessary limits.


    That only ended up eating his mind for a split second since it can only cater to his attention for that long. If something wasn''t worth his attention, it was fine to toss it away. That was his old rule, but rule regardless.


    Murai didn''t care one way or another how he will achieve victory because he will!


    That was his Will and decision of his own living. And stubbornness, one shouldn''t forget to tell.


    Murai glared at the magical jaw coming his way, engulfing his line of vision with noticeable teeth lurching to embrace his little living. Though, it was a mana-based ability, so it should have some limited physicality. For better terms, an undead wasn''t living and mana needed a proper mind and soul to control it. For the undead to have magic wasn''t uncommon, but it had limited usage.


    It was acting in instinct for the most part, unless the undead was unique and its soul was strong enough.


    Controlling mana required a careful mind, but it wasn''t necessarily needed all the time. It was about how much care would mana need to pull off to form a technique. Something can be unkept and crazy without any passion or shaping, and still be incredibly strong. This incoming jaw was precisely that, and simple it was.


    Wildling Jaguar was a demonic magical beast with Beast Core so there were some additional things to consider. Mana didn''t need to be fine in this case, nor it needed any Shaping. It was a primal and instinctual kind of ability, stemming from the soul and instincts. It was unconventional to even consider it a magical spell, but a bloodline spell instead. It was how Magical Beast often acted, as they weren''t mages, nor did they have a mind of one. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Death Breath needed to be firm enough to clutch the enemy and tear it to shreds. That was enough. It didn''t need controllable Shaping. Might and power will do. This was how a lot of magic-gifted beasts fought. This Death Breath will do well for its simplicity since it was basically Jaguar''s direct extension of the bony jaw behind the Death Breath--resembling its literal jaw.


    Something familiar to the body was making it stronger.


    That was a general way of how many shaping exercises made the rules, and how many spells came to be. Familiarity and efficiency will then follow with more power.


    Murai was no different as an Anatiade, yet his mind was that of a mage. His beak reached a point of focusing on an attack before him, while the Jaguar was behind the Death Breath. Murai faked his reaction to flee or defend since he felt the incoming attack before it even started.


    After all, mana within Jaguar''s core wasn''t infinite. As an undead, it had certain limitations that living can''t have. Murai didn''t need to realize it, or even remember it. It was basic common sense in his line of vision and Mana Detection. Its Beast Core was frantically trying to gouge out the necessary strength for this attack. It almost seemed like an engine of a small car trying to move a huge truck. It shook Jaguar''s bones, core, and even the Soul Flames in its eye sockets. It wouldn''t take a lot to guess its limits.


    The soul and origin of every undead were the Soul Flames. Without them, the bones were nothing but emptiness.


    ¡°Interesting.¡± Murai thought out loud. ¡°Undead mana seemed intricate, yet it is probably the intent of the creator to make this so chaotic. They aren''t natural undead, but the kind that was made in an unkept mess to make large quantities of them, but the bones and this aura are peculiar. Mana caters to them still, or did the maker do something special?¡±


    There were a few problems within this line of vision. Unless there wouldn''t be a special way when the undead was created, their mana wouldn''t come their way. It would scatter away unless the undead had some way to have it. Mana Core was an exception since it was easier to use if the reviving subject had it. Without it, the world of the living was no longer their place to stay in as a mage, while their aura of death and undead body would be all to their might.


    None should expect a lot from such a beast unless the world did cater to them similarly to others. That, Murai didn''t know.


    Perhaps there were many ways the undead could improve, evolve and get stronger in a natural way that moved against his usual context. This world would make up for it, perhaps, and he wasn''t wrong, even though he was skeptical about it.


    Undead can evolve, albeit it wasn''t the will of the heavens, but this world instead.


    Jaguar''s Death Breath arrived, and Murai used his beak as a central point of interest. It already glowed for a few seconds, unleashing fluctuations of power and might. He briefly calculated the condition of his Beast Core and ran into a problem. He probably won''t last more than a couple of attacks and his Mana Blade was still beside him. Hopefully, the next round won''t come, since this enemy seemed way too strong to his standards.


    He spent way too much time using his magic in the past day, with little of no time to rest.


    Though, he didn''t view it in a bad way. Some things go, and some things happen. He trusted his body even without his mana so he jumped forward to intercept this wild attack. The incoming jaw of teeth held the similar sharpest, and the number of teeth was the same as the real one.


    Smack!


    Beak''s Peak pushed towards the wild mana of this Jaguar, dissipating only a little, before it stopped moving forward. A tiny duck stopped a massive storm, but only for a moment. The power and momentum behind the Death Breath were indeed too much, causing Murai to back away 10 or so meters through the sand when the Death Breath forced him to the ground.


    He was trying to catch this attack with this force, eating the limits like a snack. And he was looking for a chance, much to his acknowledgment and satisfaction.


    Murai was feeling his neck turning against him, and the force that penetrated his head shook his brain and strained his spine. It wasn''t that small of a problem, yet. In fact, a powerful force went through his body, jolting him from the inside out, but his body held because of Beak''s Peak alone, Robust Spirit helped him ease the spirit, and the aura of this Death Breath didn''t manage to penetrate through his feathers.


    This was a lot to take in, but for some reason, his body didn''t suffer much discomfort.


    ¡°Shitty... thing! My body again?!¡± Murai shouted, and forced the beak to yet another angle, causing the power to shift, and balance to twist. He sidestepped to his right before jumping up from this momentum. He somersaulted through the air, using the wings as a balancing factor. His push from this Death Breath was enough to let him fly 4 meters into the air. It wasn''t that great of an idea, but the mana of the Death Breath wasn''t dissipating as he would like.


    It was connected to the Jaguar, which was right behind it, ready to snap the real jaw. The Jaguar''s attack was coming his way. The real one, that was.


    Murai found himself in a precautious situation as he feared. He almost expected this, since he recognized the issue of airborne combat from the 2nd Wave. Knowing this weakness was one thing, but if the choices mattered more, he had to come up with some solution to move from this problem.


    Proper use of the situation will be enough, as this was part of his unwilling strategy and not a desperate attack as Jaguar felt.


    Murai was prey in its eyes. In fact, every undead in this place held this notion in their origin.


    He was being overpowered by a higher-level opponent, but his choices had some options. His Beak''s Peak ended, forcing him to come up with a different kind of approach since he had no choice.


    Flapping his wings, Murai gritted his teeth and pulled himself out of the jaguar''s mid-air attack with a swirl of his wings. It was as funny looking as desperate, but he dodged the pouncing real jaw.


    It jumped along with the mana-flowing Death Breath that only curved a little, scrapping Murai a meter away. Death Breath wasn''t flexible, so the attack ended up smashing into the sand, letting an explosion of dust encompass dozens of meters.


    Murai did enough to dodge that, yet he was unable to counterattack the next thing too. The jaguar followed behind that strike, almost snapping its jaw at him, and swiping its paw with 5 sharp talons protruding from it. It almost hit him, yet the wings saved him in another time of need.


    He dodged that and reached the surface once again. He was close to the Jaguar who reached the ground as well. So he hid behind the opponent, almost thinking of a counterattack but he rather focused on defense.


    There was an obvious weakness, he noted. The Jaguar wasn''t that flexible without the muscles and blood, while the Death Breath was equivalent to an all-out attack. It wanted to deal with Murai when it already had 3 Waves after him, striking when the enemy should be weakest. It failed, much to its disappointment.


    Murai dodged well so far, figuring that the jaguar could only attack forward, with not enough power to change direction well in a heated momentum.


    Will there be an actual possibility to use this weakness to his advantage? It was akin to a similar situation with the Acaman Golem when he used his wits to win, by exploiting a weakness of an opponent. Now, he was in a similar situation where an opening and opportunity came to his side.


    The Jaguar hit the ground and used its strong boned limbs, which had flowing threads of mana flowing within them. It stabilized on the sand, turning to face Murai who was thinking of another point of interest when he reached the ground.


    Then Jaguar pounced, not giving him any opportunity to catch his breath after the attempts of mid-air attacks.


    ¡°Fuck! It''s fast!¡± Murai flipped his wings again, but it wasn''t as fast as he wished when he was on the ground. When in mid-air, the terms of his body were different when he was on the ground. When grounded, Murai did find the use of his wings lowered.


    So, he conjured some additional mana, Shaping the fastest Mana Blade he could create so he would have two of them. He didn''t slash at the incoming jaw that was as strong as the Death Breath. Instead, he slapped himself aside, dodging it with his wits while he used the second to slap the jaw aside. It failed, dissolving into the mana particles.


    At least he slapped himself well. It was a strange strategy and something a mage shouldn''t be able to do. He did so because of his light weight, albeit it was an ineffective way to do things, he had no other choice.


    This slap was enough for him to change his direction of coming directly to the jaw of the pouncing Jaguar. It missed him, continuing with the momentum as it had a hard time changing direction. Murai used this brief opportunity of 1 and a half seconds to Shape another blade better since he already had it close. It was enough time to create a better Sharpness structure and empower its strength.


    Swiping it towards Jaguar''s ribs, the Mana Blade cracked before dissipating to mana particles. Once more, the blade failed because the core of the bones took all the blood and was stronger than metal. The previous pouncing motion was not an ability, but it was powerful nonetheless. It added momentum and power to its much thicker and stronger bones, filling it with power that was quite sturdy and strong.


    Murai unhappily grunted, realizing that the bones were the case of his failure. It seemed he hit a tougher part of the body according to his Mana Detection, but in a heat of momentum, he had no choice. He was already glad to hit it, considering the timing.


    Jaguar didn''t have enough time to do another attack. It stopped its momentum after another 5 meters, where it turned to face Murai once again.


    2 consecutive failures were enough to change its raging Soul Flames. It was inadequate against such a weaker opponent, which angered its soul and instincts.


    Soul Flames stormed inside, wincing and shaking in wilder colors and flickering flames. Violence and brutality encompassed the Jaguar right now. The same thing, albeit with different feelings, happened with the Beast Core too. It flared up in mana, but the Soul Flames turned every cranny of the bone into a flame. Its eye sockets had the most blazing flames right now, turning to something chaotic, and restless.


    Jaguar''s Death Breath long dissipated into the mana, yet the Beast Core still held some power, even when it unleashed more than 3 quarters of its force. Mana was no longer confirming certain rules of magic, so a huge loss of the mana wasn''t something it liked.


    So, the Jaguar decided it was time for another source of attack. The strongest kind. A Soul Flame itself.


    Using the life span of its soul was basically fuel to its source of living. It will unleash a new attack. Jaguar didn''t hesitate to lower its lifespan, unleashing the Death Ray. Within its flickering Soul Flames, circles of distinct light emerged in the middle, shooting toward standing Murai. it was faster than anything Murai had met so far, resembling a laser-like flame shot, but it was denser and quicker.


    He would be able to dodge the usual attacks, so he tried to carry on his dodges. The two Death Rays were side by side, arriving at him in a breath of time. Murai focused on his legs, squatting down to hit the ground at a moment''s notice. He dodged it well, leaving the Death Rays to go on less than 10 centimeters above his torso. He slammed himself flat to the sand, uncaring how he looked.


    He was small, so this sort of attack didn''t even phase him.


    Though, what he didn''t expect was what came afterward. His Mana Detection pulled a lot of things up to his use, giving him a feeling of mana. This Death Ray had some of it too, but it was also quite a peculiar soul-based attack that held 90% of mana and 10% mystery of the soul. It was a peculiar Ability of Grade C that the Jaguar held as a level 35 Beast of the Jaguar Species - albeit the terms of the past living overlapped it to a certain extent.


    It was an undead beast now, so a lot of contexts over the living no longer mattered. It had no special defenses of the usual Jaguar. It had no tough fur, the flexibility of muscles, and so on. Though, it didn''t mean it had nothing from that past. It certainly had something new that it never had before. A Soul Flame to use, and the aura of death.


    Murai didn''t watch it but he felt something rising behind him. Death Rays turned behind him, hitting him on his back.


    ¡°Huh?¡± he cried, feeling the pushing force, but no piercing pain. The Death Ray stopped by his feathers, but the physical power and momentum of their power forced him forward. It was terrible since the rays were returning towards Jaguar, who was controlling this ray with its Soul Flames.


    ¡°Fuck you!¡± Murai quacked, but he couldn''t do a thing. He tried to flap his wings, wince his body and turn his beak around, yet he was unable to do anything against the pushing force. He was too late to adjust himself, dodging for the 2nd time. His reflexes weren''t yet to be up to his satisfaction, so the only thing he figured that helped, was his feathers once again.


    The Death Ray didn''t pierce him as he feared, but it was pushing him like a toy toward yet another disaster ~ Jaguar''s open jaw.


    ¡°Ffff... Fine! Hell! I am not afraid!¡± Murai opened his beak and caught the protruding teeth that wanted to stab him. Jaguar tried to pierce him, but he stopped the momentum with his own open beak by gnawing on its teeth. The pushing force behind his back jolted his body, almost piercing him, but the softness of his father, combined with his own body, let the Death Rays slide to the sides, disappearing to the ground.


    Clutching his teeth, Murai''s stoppage was successful, but from up close, he felt the mass of the raging flames. Jaguar Soul Flames were glaring at him, and the jaw would fit 10 such ducks. It tried to bite Murai 5 times, but all of these tries weren''t working, because Murai flapped his wings, latching on the biggest fang there was.


    Frustrated, the Jaguar had one problem. It had no lips, tongue, and nothing to squeeze Murai between its bite. Murai was out of his biting power, trying his best to not get bit, so he flapped his wings to adjust his posture.


    Jaguar stopped struggling like a turtle trying to turn itself. It halted its tries, eyeing the annoying fly that was this measly little duck. Another light emerged in the Soul Flames, creating yet another pair of Death Rays that traveled up close but Murai felt their creation. This time, Murai dodged twice in success by dropping to the ground and stumbling underneath the Jaguar. The Death Rays didn''t follow him behind, since it was too fast to change the direction in this situation.


    They hit the ground, disappearing into the sand.


    Jaguar wasn''t willing to put up with the failure, so it jumped and tried to stomp Murai to pieces. Both of its front legs held sharp weapons in the shape of 5 talons on each bony finger.


    They remained even through death, albeit no flesh or muscles were able to retrieve or stop these talons from appearing. Wildling Jaguar was of a mixed species of feline and canine species, after all. Their claws resembled cat''s talons, and their fangs were one of their deadliest weapons.


    But, what use do they have, if they miss?


    Murai dodged left and right, stumbling, and turning on the ground as if an armageddon was upon him.


    He dodged each and every one of Jaguar''s stomps. It jumped dozens of times, and each jump was followed by at least 4 to 6 swipes of its front legs. It growled as if it trying to catch the toughest mice it ever met.


    ¡°Hehehehehe. Behehehhee.¡± Murai began to wildly laugh, following the successful dodges, even though he wasn''t one bit calm by this situation. In fact, he was crazy in this vision of his own living, glaring upwards and feeling the mana like never before. The situation wasn''t what he wanted to be in, yet his heart raged, and his mind flared up in the heat of the battle.


    He turned to yet another fanatic from the past who enjoyed this sort of situation.


    Jaguar grunted in displeasure and tried to bite this messy duck with its jaw next.


    Once again, Murai clutched its front teeth, feeling the sand behind his back, and muscles to squeeze. He almost coughed up blood since he was too late to dodge such a large jaw. Though, with Jaguar''s clumsiness and agitation, he stumbled away when it tried to bite for the second time. Thanks to his slippery body, and wings, he was able to not get bitten, but he felt his body ache.


    ¡°Oh... Poor beast. You are too weak to handle this magnificent duck!¡± Murai quacked through the gritted teeth of his own lunacy when he caught this bite again.


    Jaguar struggled and struggled, trying to shake Murai by swinging its head wildly above the ground. Smashing its head on the sand wasn''t ideal, as it figured, so it wanted to shake its head until Murai would be gone. It happened in a flash when Murai let go of his beak.


    Upon seeing it was gone, it still continued to shake its head, unaware that Murai was nowhere to be seen. It stopped and looked left and right when it realized he was gone.


    Alas, it was too late, since Murai was up in the air, using this perfect chance that Jaguar gifted him with. He flew high into the air.


    There, he put special attention to Shape a Mana Blade once again. It was about the last he could manage, much to his disappointment. He had at least 3 seconds of time so he held plenty of chances to create something good. What he ended up Shaping was a thick base of a blade, but not long. Its tip was strong and pointy, almost resembling a spearhead, but there was some edge and curve into it. It was almost a dagger, spearhead, or the end of a mace or axe.


    Murai didn''t even know what it was called. He only cared for what he will use it for, so he clutched his teeth onto the mana itself.


    ¡°Well, here goes my everything.¡± he put forth his Will and began to twist his body like a swirling eye of a tornado.


    He used his gravity to his advantage, but because he was light, to begin with, Murai used the swirling motion and the sword in his beak to go down fast like a chopping axe.


    Swiiish!


    Murai''s storming attack was close, arriving at Jaguar, who realized where he was too late. It wanted to pull another Death Ray, but it was too confused or too late to charge up. Murai flowed like a chakram down, slashing and turning part of Jaguar''s bony skull to cracks. The cut of the blade left a lot of damage this time around because of speed and momentum and a lot of Sharpness, leading the Soul Flames to flicker in weakness.


    The Jaguar stumbled away, while the cracked skull was trying to jolt together under the Soul Flames. But they shook, trying to comprehend the freedom which will never come.


    Jaguar lost and stumbled to the sand, but its Soul Flames were unwilling to move by the rules set upon it by certain something.


    Murai felt a bit dizzy when he smacked himself to the ground in his own momentum, confused. He took well over 10 seconds before he got up, feeling as if his mana was empty like his stomach. He looked at the cracked skull in a hilarious fashion, enjoying this fight quite a bit. Maybe too much, if Lisa would be willing to make any comment.


    Struggling on the ground, Jaguar''s Soul Flame wasn''t dissipating, but it shouldn''t be too far from following its premise.


    Murai wasn''t sure what to do, now that his mana was closing on the emptiness, and his body was quite tired. Kill it again. Well... he had his beak,


    Before he had a chance to decide on his decision, he felt a loud tremor behind his back, shaking him to his core.


    A large skeleton undead, riding an even larger and more monstrous horse than the Jaguar, appeared right behind him, observing. Murai got shivers down his spine, feeling the dreadful aura and mana coming off of these two large Undead monstrosities.


    It was too much. Too strong. Was this a power of an Extreme?

 Chapter 95: Undead King Thar

    The undead army was still around, the mana felt ashen and strange as if clutched between two large hands, and the world turned to a complete standstill. Murai wasn''t feeling that good in his core, but he had some Will and steady mind to glance up, straining his neck to see and feel the pressure of the Extreme.


    This undead was looking stiff as if waiting, or he froze still. The feeling about this Undead army around him became like a mild river when this Extreme Undead came forth, while the mount was equally impressive. The two glaring sockets were what he found pressuring, not the giant mount.


    Murai didn''t even notice their arrival before, which was stranger than he thought.


    But then, he realized how crazed he was when fighting this Jaguar for a few minutes. With the battle that wild and attention so focused, he did his best and he didn''t have time to care about his surroundings.


    That would explain his unawareness about this incoming undead, which he accepted for the sake of the fighting. But he wasn''t sure what was up with this undead, that was up there like the hegemonic mountain overseeing a lone duck. He wasn''t even sure of its power level, or whether it was an Extreme or not. It was just looking mighty and lofty. A depiction of a powerhouse. Simple as that.


    Finding Lisa, who kept floating 10 meters above him, as if none of this was her concern, he hoped to get some answers from her. She dismissively waved a hand at him, shrugging along the way at Murai''s glaring look. She didn''t seem to want to go down yet.


    Turning his eyes down, Murai faced the bony feet of the sizeable undead horse that had some residual fur, and unnatural thickness of the bones. Just the lower part of the leg was as large as him, so he was quite flabbergasted about what to do with this situation. It was immensely more powerful than any ordinary horse, beast, or creature with a common 4 legs.


    He wondered what sort of majesty and speed such a horse would have if it were alive. Though, he didn''t consider it for long, since it didn''t matter, as the undead horse could surely go wild in speed if it was a mount of an Extreme.


    It wasn''t alive, but its aura still left so much dread behind, that he had trouble getting his breath and core straight. There was mist coming from its nostrils, bones were thick and dark in color, and its Soul Flames were raging in a dark mist. Murai realized how dull he was feeling when he observed this beast.


    His Beast Core was almost empty, causing his body to shake and strain when wanting to covet and understand this creature.


    It was a common sensation when the sign of an overdraft was apparent, but it wasn''t as bad as he feared. The last fight put considerable pressure on him, and he used every bit of mana he had left, yet the Jaguar was yet to die.


    The Soul Flames flickered in a cracked-up skull that he hit well, but not enough to shatter it to the End. However, it was enough to cause enough damage to its origin to make its core unstable and Soul Flames loose. It long stumbled to the ground, no longer able to fight.


    Yet, it remained alive, as if wanting to continue even though it was over.


    Side by side, the Jaguar was a large beast, but when collapsed on the ground, the undead horse was an absolute freak beside it. It was a significantly more powerful beast than Jaguar, Alphas, or perhaps even the little Pheonix Horse that Ceila had. It was different in aura from the majority of things he had seen so far. It was a dreadful feeling to feel and it must be a high-level beast.


    Perhaps its aura was part of the original species, or it was so dominant after it became undead?


    Murai wasn''t sure, but for now, it was something that he didn''t feel with his Mana Detection but Soul Read alone. This monster would stomp him without even glancing at him, killing him like a human stepping on an ant.


    The horse had visible bones, fur, and some muscles throughout its mass. Everything about it was dense, powerful, and burly. Bones especially, and quite a sturdy amount of power went around and within the thick legs. Dark mana cycled throughout every inch of the bones and muscles, creating the aura that Murai was feeling, but most of it was in its eyes. Utterly dark misty flames were in the horse''s eye sockets, looking not at Murai, but indirectly staring into the distance.


    It held not much clarity, intelligence, or intent. Maybe it was even a carnivorous beast, since the jaw was wider, crazier, with teeth exposed in their sharp glory. It was a mixture of tiger and horse skull, with a thick mane going behind the back, giving it a tough look, even though bones took the majority of its body. He didn''t even notice the beast core in the horse.


    Murai was right in his guesses that he didn''t know what to think. He only briefly went over the possibilities of seeing this beast, feeling it, and coming up with answers about what to make of it. That calmed his mind a little since he wasn''t prepared to clash or think lofty against this monster that would kill him like an ant.


    It was no time to be stupid, let alone be arrogant since the horse was the least of his concern. The rider of this thing was another thing altogether, overshadowing the horse with absolute savagery.


    Looking up, there was an undead rider, eying the collapsed Jaguar with a distinct red glow in the empty eye sockets, but some whiteness was subduing the crimson. It was a strange sight, but Murai was able to watch it with shaking legs, hesitation in his core, but a steady mind. He wasn''t afraid, even though his body was.


    Named, and classified as an Undead King, the rider wore a long dark tattered robe, with the skeleton head of an unknown mass hidden behind the hood. It wasn''t looking at him, which was good. The intent of this Undead King went further down, aiming at the cracked skull and Soul Flames flickering in stubbornness. As if he were ruler over the Soul Flames, he had to act even though he wasn''t supposed to do this.


    He looked in pity and anger from above, eying the Jaguar from the higher grounds, and a voice spread in a deadly tone.


    ¡°Unsightly!¡±


    Upon hearing, and seeing the presence of this... being, Jaguar''s Soul Flames flickered weakly as if hit by lighting. The bones shuddered, cracks spread further, while the flames around the bones dispersed away. That went on for a moment until the Soul Flames dissipated to the ground, becoming one with the sand. Jaguar understood that rules were boundless and no one should go against them when one lost. It was too arrogant in its loss, leading to a situation where the Undead King had to intervene because of his purpose.


    As the Soul Flames disappeared, Jaguar''s bones collapsed to rest on the sand, as if losing the mass of what made them fused together. It was right. The empowerment of the undead was peculiar, with bones being the best example of their physicality that was outside of their usual class and species.


    For this Jaguar, even the Beast Core cracked like the bones, letting the rest of the mana disperse to the world, but the majority went down, following the Soul Flames. No amount of glue would make the Jaguar whole again.


    Murai had seen it all, thinking that the single word the Undead King spoke was quite savage. It was like a call of a true king, with Jaguar being the peasant who made an awkward mistake. He also noticed something new. Something that his eyes and body viewed better, rather than his erratic mind that overviewing this Undead King''s soul. He... He couldn''t read it. It was unfathomable like the most ancient of texts that one couldn''t fathom.


    The moment his vision calmed down was when he noticed the cracked bones. They looked much better and even had marrow inside of them! ¡°M-meal! I am starving!¡± he thought, forgetting the fact that Undead King wasn''t walking away.


    Instead, he glared down from his horse, looking as down as he could, which finally alerted Murai, who looked to seek the bones. They seemed juicy, filled with color, and delicious meaty extract.


    ¡°C-crap! I am not here. I am not here.¡± He muttered, unfollowing the deep desire of his body to eat this Jaguar so not a speck of waste would be left.


    He could scowl all he could, but his trembling legs and body didn''t even move according to his Will. After all, the pressure of the Undead King changed. His purpose was over, so the Undead king glanced down, looking at Murai who was an interesting Challenger and undertaker of a harsh Welcoming Party than usual. It was a move against Anatidae species, so it made sense.


    Then, the Undead King did a rather surprising thing. He folded his leg and arm to the left, getting from his mount to the ground. He didn''t even need to jump, as the Undead King was quite tall, reaching at least 5 meters in height.


    A tattered robe drifted on every cranny of his torso, leaving even the bony legs hidden. Though, what was visible were hands, and feet that were quite thick and large in their bone structure, and with larger amounts of bones than humans would have. There were 5 fingers with claws at the end of his arms. Bones honed everything about this Undead King, but his bones held black waves of colors, with some natural bone color behind them, which hid some whiteness. Mana did swirl within them and was deeply rooted inside as well.


    Now, the Undean King''s attention was upon this successful Challenger who accomplished the 4th Wave. Murai knew he couldn''t do a thing against this sort of attention, thinking that the pressure of this foe was a bit too much. Pulling his hand down, the bony palm as large as Murai''s whole body picked him up by his neck, albeit very gently by his feathers. Undead King lifted Murai upward so he could be facing his "eyes", creasing the feathers in his clawed fingers.


    Murai couldn''t dodge or think of fleeting.


    He kept shaking, feeling stupid for having some idea to counterattack, which was surprising. He never liked being handled like this. Especially to the foes stronger than him. Though, he understood one fact. There was no killing intent in Undead King''s aura. It was the basic pressure of a powerhouse. A being that was too high in the world to think of this little young duck as a threat.


    ¡°An Anatidae...¡± Undead King''s voice spread again, taking to Murai 30 centimeters before his face. ¡°I have met the kinds of yours before. The ones who would intervene in this business of mine here, but it was no intervention, I suppose. The Challengers are the usual subject, but I suppose you are a rare one, beyond common sense. A Blessed, in fact?¡± he asked in a thunderous voice, startling Murai''s soul. The voice was endearing, but not overpowering by itself.


    It was gentle, speaking with sense and power of age and wisdom, but also incredible power.


    However, this was precisely what shook Murai to his core. He didn''t like this sort of vision and handling. He also wavered in his own acknowledgment, and whether this wasn''t the case of an Extreme or someone with god''s stolen Divinity. This was directly... No. He was facing a former godly being himself? He wasn''t unsure, but perhaps everything was lying to him. His sense, pressure, body, and vision itself?


    Murai trembled in Undead King''s grasp, not trying to escape as it was impossible. It was at least 20 times more threatening and crazier than the clutch Ceila gave him before. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Calm down...¡± Undead King said, disappointed as he shook his head. ¡°I am talking. Asking too, so it is polite to answer.¡±


    Murai didn''t answer anything but he figured there wasn''t much anger or threat in his voice. Undead King was just curious, or this Welcoming Party was over?


    It was over at this point, but perhaps some things had to move up next. He didn''t know the details, but someone did.


    Floating down, Lisa went down to greet the Undead King of this Welcoming Party who surprisingly got involved, even though he shouldn''t do so for the 1st timers. Yet, before she had a chance to reach 2 meters before him, she felt a pressuring power wash over her soul. It was putting her neck, and whole body in intangible shackles, and fear struck her insides.


    It was Undead King''s second hand, which clutched her like a sausage to eat. Lisa was smaller than Murai, so she was like a tiny vermin before him.


    ¡°Scram! You aren''t welcome to intervene... death spirit,¡± he said.


    ¡°I... I am...¡± Lisa struggled to say. ¡°... not a death spirit.¡± She pouted, yet appeared calm even though the pressure was even stronger than the one Murai was experiencing.


    Something about Lisa or her voice left Undead King speechless. He turned his face toward her, noticing the being before him in more detail.


    ¡°Oh? That? That one? Have you finally died? When?¡± Undead King asked.


    ¡°It is... usually stuff. Unspuring one.¡± Lisa mumbled, begrudgingly escaping with her gaze away.


    ¡°Is that so? How pitiful, for a being of your caliber to become... interesting. A life companion of Blessed? What is this fate? Hehehe. Hilarious. That is fucking hilarious!¡± Undead King wildly laughed, shaking his head and hands in trembling laughter.


    It was as if he heard the funniest joke ever and he enjoyed every second of it. This action spread over his body, causing the hoodie to fall down the back, revealing the skull of quite some mass and curves. It wasn''t a human skull, but something along the lines of demons or devils. It had 2 tough-looking horns on top, but that didn''t mean he was a former devil.


    The curve of the skull was quite sharp with wide eyesockets as if they were blades instead. The mouth was also wide as if smiling in grimacing sight, but it wasn''t as apparent without the lips or skin.


    Even the surrounding undead cluttered their bony jaws in approving giggles as if the joke was also comprehended by their minds.


    Then, the pressure around Lisa lessened, and Undead King left her floating above his hand. She was finally free from the shackles that weren''t visible by normal means, and her inner soul calmed.


    ¡°G-greetings... King Thar. It has been a while.¡± Lisa bowed midair, appearing as honest as possible in her words, albeit she was forcing those words out quite a bit. Considering Lisa and her... usual demeanor that Murai was subjected to, it was quite a sight.


    ¡°Is this duck''s fate your doing, or the world is clutching you both?¡± Thar asked, nodding in approval while uncaring about his exposed skull. The jaw cluttered in his voice, making the whole skull appear as if it was indeed alive. ¡°Coming here to this Temple again too... I see you have something in mind with this, but I think his level is far too low.¡± he pointed with his gaze back to Murai, who was eyeing the situation and watching Lisa with an unhinged stare.


    ¡°Level isn''t everything,¡± Lisa argued, ignoring Murai''s issues and inner question that wanted to hear what was going on. ¡°I also know that this is a perfect choice because of our circumstances. You don''t have anything to say to that, right?¡± she floated calmly, folding her arms around her chest while talking face-to-face with Thar. Their power was extremely distant, resembling a rat talking with a divine beast as if they were equal.


    ¡°That''s pretty much true, but a lot of things can go against Lordis'' appeal. The leveling balance would anger him for sure, but....¡± Thar hesitated. ¡°... who I am to talk like this, I wonder? This whole vision is more complicated than either of us knows. It is... too far.¡±


    ¡°It is fine...¡± Lisa said, pointing to Murai. ¡°This guy is already a huge fucking mess, let me tell you that... He has a God''s Trial up behind his back. 50 in 100, let alone this whole Encounter and other interests.¡±


    ¡°Oh? He does?¡± Thar turned his eyes towards Murai, who was questionably glancing at their wide-open conversation that was quite honest, as if two pals talked after a long time apart.


    It was once again, something he was able to do thanks to his powerful soul.


    ¡°Well... I see some possibilities that can make interesting things, but most are well outside of Temple''s care. It will anger some beings on all fronts. Be it below or above. Temple won''t refute any challenge, but you know how it is.¡± Thar proclaimed and turned back to Lisa. ¡°The Will of the Battleworld feels like shackles right now, with unknown things hiding behind the scenes. Temple will add another thing that may make things complicated. I can tell that from my eyes alone, but his overall prowess is passable up to Gate 4, I suppose, which is... impressive. Then, I have no doubts he would pass more in years, but this place can be entered every 3rd year. Do you get it? The early path... choice of this caliber. It isn''t a decent choice. Is this what you want, Lisa, or you, little Anatidae?¡±


    ¡°That is good. Good!¡± Lisa said, jumping ahead with her words.


    ¡°Is it?¡±


    ¡°W-what the fuck is this situation you both!¡± Murai quacked, uncaring about the mess as he heard enough.


    ¡°This... right there...¡± Thar pointed to Lisa with his free hand, as if understating Murai''s anger, but he didn''t. ¡°...was a former lackey of mine. Isn''t it funny? Now, she is yours, which makes things rather interesting, but inconveniently hilarious.¡± he stated, appearing quite friendly, for an Undead King of Class SS and unknown Path.


    Murai questionably looked at this "King", trying to comprehend what sort of thing he even was. He wasn''t an ordinary Extreme. He was sure of it, but as for what exactly was this strange feeling about it, Murai wasn''t certain what it was.


    ¡°And, no, I am not a God, per se,¡± Thar said, glaring at Murai once again. ¡°I wasn''t a lot of things, per your various intentions. I was just the tip of the Extremes in this world and nothing else. Still, one under Wisdom''s power, but that is another story. Lisa was entangled with my fate for a century until she reached some... Ego, I reckon.¡± he said, talking in nostalgia, more than in some sense.


    ¡°Then how come you are an undead?¡± Murai asked again, figuring that Thar could somewhat understand him. It must be some soul flow, or he was reading his intent?


    ¡°You wonder about me? Hmm... I have been Undead for more than 4 millennia because of certain messed up things... It doesn''t matter, as you feel it, am I right? This is partial Divinity. You seek me as if you are curious about it.¡± Thar said, his eyes appearing deeply curious about Murai as well.


    ¡°You wanted to become a god, but failed?¡± Murai asked openly.


    ¡°How blunt is it to feel the failure, but it is right. I am already here for a bit over 150 years, which was... something I had to do.¡± Thar sighed and shook his head. ¡°Anyway, back to the proper path. I am not required to do this talk at all or... act. What will this be, Blessed Anatidae, and his Life Companion Lisa?¡± Thar asked and enunciated the words Life Companion with a mocking tone.


    ¡°What else than go there.¡± Lisa pointed towards the mountains, which seemed nothing but sand, stones, and nothing crazy like some god''s temple.


    ¡°I wanted a simple confirmation... Feel free to think whatever you want.¡± Thar swung his free hand, dismissing any argument away. Murai was still clutched by his feathers with the other hand.


    ¡°And you, Blessed? You have your own Will while Lisa is.... what she is, it doesn''t mean things can make sense. Your Will is quite particular... It seems to me.¡±


    Murai then felt a tremendous Will try to seek out his soul, digging for some quality, power, or how sturdy it was. It was a deadly feeling, indicating that Thar wasn''t kidding when he stated his interest.


    Murai figured it out quickly since it wouldn''t make sense otherwise. Thar was particularly involved in some divinity of the Death, or Chaos itself, but as for which, he didn''t know, since either of those Pathways was vague, It was no wonder he wasn''t able to become god since such Pathways had so many ridiculous Paths, they were always something that one can hardly comprehend, let alone finish to the very end.


    Murai clutched his beak, willingness was visibly shaking in his eyes as something strange happened. He heard no Will of the Battleworld, but something from within him created some additional whisper. It was permission or a successful confirmation for the required Hidden Abilities.


    This one was for the Soul Lock, which Murai viewed as something interesting, but was it something to shake this Extreme? He was curious, so he pulled his Will together, creating a wide storm around his head. His eyes glittered, while some constructing lines surrounded his head.


    They were visible manifestation strands of Will itself, which he didn''t see the last time he used this ability. Those lines jolted Thar''s privy intent. It was like a light slap, but for once, the defensive power of the Soul Lock was excellent even to his standard, which was the most surprising thing.


    ¡°What a rude asshole you are!¡± Murai shut the Will, forcing his own power against this "King" who was the strongest being he met so far. But so what of it?


    His soul wasn''t that weak to falter before the Extremes. Probably...


    ¡°Oh? A fierce one?¡± Thar chuckled. ¡°Fine. I suppose my hunch was right to call it a good interest. I will let you go to this Temple, because not only do I want to, but I had to. Welcome to the Temple of Levendis, which used to be under the Sungod''s domain. Whatever you will make of your fate over there, do whatever you can to use this change to the brim. There are 10....¡±


    ¡°... I will explain this to him on the spot where he needs to.¡± Lisa jumped between Thar''s explanation, which required some information. It was a proper Welcome, set up by the current owner of this Temple ~ Levendis.


    ¡°You haven''t changed... Still a rude bitch.¡± Thar chuckled again.


    ¡°And you still appear as if a word is under your command, yet you have nothing but a few skeletons. You fell from your grace, so reap what you sow.¡± Lisa said, grunting afterward. She wasn''t sounding one bit weak, even though she was internally shaking, since she didn''t want to feel those shackles again.


    Thar snorted, feeling quite peculiar about this meeting that he least bit expected. He was a guardian here, and nothing more than a dog that failed to clutch his fate.


    ¡°An Undead under Sungod? You think I believe that?¡± Murai asked again.


    ¡°Past is a peculiar... Anatidae. The part of former Paths is fine... Now, this is a place for demons, if I say so myself.¡± Thar excused himself and tossed Murai back to the ground.


    He unhappily flipped his wings, as he didn''t expect to be let out back to the ground. Then, Thar jumped back to his undead horse, no longer paying attention to those two, albeit he wanted to talk longer.


    Some things were due, and as the highest degree of the Welcoming Party, he was the one who could let Challengers inside, or not.


    Murai was successful in all accord, so he didn''t find any issue with letting him go in, even though it meant a lot of problems would come afterward. Some will be fun. Others will be so ridiculous at some points, that he will question fate itself.


    However, Thar''s words were honest, and he indeed thought Murai''s level was problematic. It wasn''t necessarily about it, but the time. Thar noticed how young Murai was, while the dangers lurking in the Temple were quite deadly. Especially to those who did not have much time to grow, improve, and follow their desires and Path.


    Thar was more surprised by the notion of meeting Lisa after so long, which put his immortal soul on a trip to the past. It was a different life back then, even though he was still an undead, it didn''t matter to him. Servitude against the direct god was a fine addition to one''s experience, yet it ended as fast as his rise to power.


    Now, he was nothing but a dog to a certain being, which wasn''t as strange as Wisdom, but was drastically different.

 Chapter 96: Entrance [End of book 2]

    Thar was over the introductions and talking that he considered fitting. It was about what he wanted, even though he viewed both of the souls before him with some interest. Be it Lisa, whom he knew from the past, or Murai who he regarded as an interesting subject because of his own context. But a separate and unexpected purpose was etched into his soul, and it wasn''t what his mind wanted.


    It was giving him no choice but to be a lap dog, and act in a way that went his way, so he could continue serving the world.


    It was no longer his Will to turn away from these forced responsibilities, as he was no longer someone who could afford it.


    ¡°Let this temple be your playground, little friends,¡± Thar said at last, turning his face away from them to face his mount and the temple.


    Back on his mount, he caught the reins and swayed them to the side of the horse, gesturing it to go back where both of them belonged. That was to go all the way back to the army of undead that was lurking around Thar''s proximity. They waited, desiring something, yet they remained unmoving throughout this exchange that was outside of them like desiring the suns above their heads.


    It was their boss''s place to shine, and some of them realized their choice was already gone, and none gained any sense of a blessing. 4 Waves failed just like that, and Murai got through one of the toughest Welcoming Parties a 1st timer can meet.


    Thar moved into his purpose, arriving all the way back where he faced the mountains where hills made of sandstone and many rocky hills hid something mindboggling. It wasn''t looking like anything more than a natural structure that one would see in the tougher kind of mountainous deserts. He ended up halting his horse 10 meters before this large mountain, that was like a spike in the middle of nowhere. He pulled his right hand up so his bony palm faced the mountain, seeking nothing but confirmation and a successful Welcoming Party.


    After some brief hiatus, Temple will get a brief time of adventurous Challenger in their Gates and it won''t be a normal time for sure.


    It won''t be like the few last ones, but it sure won''t be anything normal since Anatidae will once more travel through the Gates. Many extraordinary visitors it had will turn into enemies, treasures, and opportunities.


    This will be fun, Thar reckoned. And also an incredible mess, but that wasn''t his problem.


    Thar''s palm had a dark symbol of a revolving circle, with an eye in the middle. Etched to his bones, the symbol, and the circle seemed part of his bones, rather than drawn by runic quills, colored with a brush, or stomped there by a forceful seal. Though this was forced upon him, he knew what this was down to his bones.


    The eye glowed the moment he put it in the air, eyeing the mountain with clarity of light. Then, Thar recited some incantations, voicing something in an unnatural language that was of demonic origin. Mana flared around his hand, while the eye let out a much brighter light that flashed at the whole mountain. That went on for 10 seconds until the mountain and the earth itself shook, as if an army of giants advanced forth.


    Dust and sand winced on the ground, rocks fell from the hills, and an unknown amount of mass of sandstones began to move. The hundreds of meters tall mountain became alive, moving but not collapsing on itself. Stones, as big as 30 meters long and many meters wide and tall moved on their own as if a god''s hand moved them aside, or like a wavering piece of a tree''s branch in the wind.


    It revealed an entrance to a rough-looking temple that seemed ancient beyond measure. It was right there in the very middle of the mountain, resting in a crevice, but noticeable after this brief seal removal.


    It was a deep entrance right before Thar, along with a vision of a true temple.


    Sandstone and whiteish-marbled stone were the main components of its structure. They were looking old, cracked, and dusted in ages of unknown past. By itself, the temple didn''t resemble one, since the mountain hugged it close, revealing the entrance alone. About a dozen pillars 15 meters in height supported the rectangular blocks of large marbled stones, creating architecture of old age and supporting the ceiling or mountain beyond.


    The entrance itself held various feelings, but one thing was clear even from afar. It was dark like an entrance to the abyss, or crack to earth so deep, the light wouldn''t see the very bottom. The openings between the pillars were deep, heading inside the mountain to unknown distances.


    It almost seemed carved into it, but it was obvious that the outside mountain wasn''t part of this temple. Someone moved or created this mountain here, hiding the temple, or it was like this by some other factors.


    Murai and Lisa saw how it all happened from their previous location, not walking forth as Thar did. They waited, albeit Murai was the only one curious about what will happen next. He expected something curious, and he got exactly that.


    A rather intriguing entrance indeed, he figured. It was hidden well behind the formations and seals that stemmed from this Death Valley and magic alike. The ridiculous flare of mana kept these mountains in check, while the temple itself hid underneath for various purposes and reasons. It wasn''t usually fitting for this place to be hidden, so the maker or current possessor of this temple must have some reasons for this.


    There was a certain aura of earth, and death throughout everything when the mountain moved and Thar acted.


    Thar himself was able to open a seal of a lawful passage hidden by extreme measures.


    It was peculiar, like the entrances to the many dungeons, and exactly like Lisa remembered. It was cautious, and hidden like a secret vault. No Extreme will ever be able to push their Will to this location for this entrance alone. Only Gods would do something about it, but in most cases, unless a Divine War was night, it will never happen.


    It was at this point, that Murai eyed this void with excitement, feeling that the sense of adventure was returning to his rightful choice. Any damaged muscles or bones or empty core can go out of his mind. Though, it stopped in a brief moment when he felt something he hadn''t since the time Ceila held him like a toy.


    A weird-sounding and rough grinding voice came from the Will of the Battleworld and washed over his soul. It didn''t happen for quite some time, and strangely enough, Lisa winced her head to look at Murai, expecting something interesting to happen. It was what she wanted to hear a lot more than she was willing to admit.


    It has been a long arduous journey to this place, yet the 1st Part of the Encounter was still going on. This upcoming Will will prove to be Lisa''s main reason for coming here, so she pulled much more of her attention to this than Murai did.


    [Admission of a Breach, Tasks, Encounter, possibilities...]


    [A certain aftereffect of the rulers relinquished]


    [Variables of the undetermined values found]


    [Partial Breach reached]


    [The Encounter of high grade is long upon you, dear Citizen, making the rules prone to work with carefulness, harshness, and reasons set up by the Rules of the Ruler and the Encounter''s high-grade clause]


    [You have experienced battles of your living, yet the rewards and everything are due towards the successful part of the Encounter. It has been part of it, yet the Rules stating the Halting Effects of the Boosts, and Blessings are there to provide a high stake challenge. It is what an Encounter is, was, and always will be]


    [By the degree of Rule 13 ~ Effect X92 ~ the situation of the 2 Major Influences created a Partial Breach. Reasons and undetermined factors created a variable in terms of possible Rules and reasons around Will of the Battleworld and Temple''s Mindarch]


    [Changes had to be re-calculated and Rules changed]


    [What lies before you is a challenging factor of godly touches, overwhelming and fundamentally acting outside of the Encounter, allowing certain Rules to be briefly forfeited, and halted]


    [You have entered the Domain of the Levandis. A Rank 1 Demonic God of one particular Hell Haven. She is a Demoness of the Devil family of Lurr. She reached the Godhood under devilish Pathway, and Divide of Chaos, becoming entangled with the Madness of the Chaos, which is deeper than the underworld that never even exists]


    [She forced the Sungod''s Illuvitar to submission, becoming something of a god herself, yet with a different reason, care, and Will]


    [She stated her wishes, willing to forge the Tablets and Sungod''s Domain toward her opportunity, instead of worshipping and respecting a fallen god]


    [By the definition of the variables, the Levandis''s Domain is vast and affects even Battleworld rules by the degree of Hell Heavens and Temple''s Mindarch]


    [Named Levandis Temple, it is a Grade SSS Influential Trial that is under partial rules of the Battleworld, but not to the fundamental degree. It is part of the Hell Haven, directly under Levandis herself]


    [Level of potential difficulty and threats- Above Extreme]


    [Variable threshold of your living will be prone to balancing overlook from the Mindarch itself. Proceed inside to discover the various benefits, variables, opportunities, and changes in the upcoming reaches into the Temple]


    [Your difficulty - Unknown]


    [Potency of the rewards - Unknown]


    [You have proved yourself worthy to try your sake in this Temple by overcoming the Welcoming Party]


    [There are 10 Gates onto the abyss of the Levandis Temple. Each is more intricate and difficult than the last, forming unique tasks, missions, rules, and options for completion. Each Gate has opportunities to gain, and rewards to seek. Paths may be difficult, proving different rewards with interesting pathways that the may challenger may choose. Each successful Gate will grand a unique chance to Vault the past, forming goods to be taken straight out of Levandis''s hands]


    [Think carefully, as the choices of this temple aren''t finite. One could enter the Temple every 3 years. That is the limit set by its inner rules, while every chance will come up with a distinct upwards trend of higher difficulty, changes in rules, and threshold of rewards]


    [Because of the specific circumstances of the Levandis Temple, certain Rules of the Encounter went behind Rule 1. A certain undergoing variable was briefly overlooking other rules, and the case of the Encoutner]


    [Rules halted by 90%]


    [Encounter still prevails, but certain effects aren''t. Levandis Temple is a unique place, overcoming the Encounter by giving your potential reward from the Will of this World. They are there to make a difference for your little living, as the difficulty is higher than the Encounter by a large margin]


    [Variabe found]


    [Partial Breach understood]


    [The prose and understanding behind the Encounter are still ongoing, making the force of the Encounter still apparent. Their prose still prevails, and a time limit is still ticking by. Foes from the other side are not stopping because of the halt of your side, as the rules are flexible for the other side as well. Be careful of your choices, and the dangers of the Demonic Paths, Undead Paths, others, and Encounter]


    [Rewards are subjective to your choices, luck, fights, and your own challenges in the Levandis Temple which is home to many opportunities and riches]


    [Good luck]


    The Will of the Battleworld then stopped, allowing Murai to catch a brief breath to think of what he just heard. He had his worries, but a lot of words within this message gifted him some clarity, flashing over his memories, and even got him some new knowledge.


    For once, he didn''t find this thing annoying, since it told quite a few interesting things about what was before him, and it even included some interesting topics and secrets that even Lisa didn''t expect.


    Wincing his head to glance at Lisa, he spoke in his verbal quacks. ¡°That was an interesting message that is as you expected and said. This thing is the right variable to act outside of the straining rules of the Encounter, and it affects the Rules by 90%. What is that last 10? It was right that I wouldn''t gain anything until I would escape the Seventh Death Forest?¡± he asked her, giving her a tough look, and an even more annoying rise of questions.


    ¡°I told you this thing is fine to seek, but you are right,¡± she said hesitantly. ¡°...and I was underestimating this still. 10% is quite small to be fair and almost negligible. It must be some rules about your stakes, or some limits about some equipment, blessings, and high-grade stuff. 10% moves rules a little, but 90% is a ton of loosened ends. The World will take its effects with you much better while Mindarch will gift the rest. You will be able to get even Levels out of this, I believe, let alone attributes and new spells or abilities. It all depends on you!¡±


    ¡°Me? I worked my ass off, and for what? I haven''t got anything because of restraining rules behind the Encounter.¡±


    ¡°... which no longer works by the way,¡± Lisa said. ¡°The Encounter is usually too harsh in most cases, giving someone a potential halting progression for so-called... balancing issues. It is like being shackled, haven''t I told you that?¡±


    ¡°Have you?¡± Murai asked, uncertain if he even heard or remember it.


    ¡°I bet, but maybe a bit differently than the obvious message that Will of the Battleworls stated, but it still counts!¡± she argued, giving him a victorious smirk. ¡°It said it right, however. This Temple will halt it because it''s going against the rules of the Encounter.¡±


    ¡°I heard that, along with other things that make sense. But I get it, and see it.¡±


    Lisa smiled. ¡°But not everything is as nice as this little Breach. This Temple is a wild place, and unlike what you think of it. There are unique things that are unlike the little sub-dungeon you''ve encountered before. The world below us is not so nice place, but I was right about it being powerful enough to overshoot the Rules that Battleworld forced on you. So, are you annoyed? Upset or fearful of this chance?¡±


    Murai grunted, escaping with his eyes to the Temple. ¡°I am looking forward to it. That is all to it.¡± He said, unwilling to go into another long discussion with Lisa and her reasons.


    Since she was willing to argue with even a being that was at the pinnacle of Extremes, he may give her a bit of slack. If he wouldn''t, he would regret discussing things with her because it would be a waste of time. It was more than apparent that her reasoning wasn''t that terrible, yet the way how she worked with that wasn''t as clear. Lisa wasn''t one with a weak Will, but Murai still wasn''t sure what sort of power, memories, and soul she had.


    In all this time, he never once felt a thing from her through his Soul Read, nor he could guess what went behind her Soul Render Class. It was kind of strange since he thought he could read people without much trouble, figure out their secrets, and so on. It was his talent, or so he believed in his previous life, but here, as a duck, he had other kinds of worries altogether.


    At this point, the opening of the Levandis Temple was over, creating quite a sight. The temple was large and had crazy undulation of mana or secrets as if it was ancient beyond measure. Yet the essence of its place was hiding deep underground without a speck of it going out. Only the tiniest effects went out, forming the aura of Death Valley, or creating this place as a whole.


    Thar retracted his hand down, turning, and gestured his army to make a way to the new guests.


    The bones cracked, thuds echoed and a road appeared right towards the temple''s entrance. Murai was watching them, feeling the pressure of the undead army to turn to his location. Some eyed him with some Will, hoping to clutch his little neck, but they couldn''t. Welcoming Party was over and that was it.


    There was no point in doing anything else, and Murai almost forgot something. Noticing the bones not far away, he pounced at them with his beak, messing up meat juices and bones that were left behind by Jaguar. They were quite hard, yet Murai was barely able to crack them with his beak, and he couldn''t shatter them further with his teeth. Satisfied with the bone marrow and a few cracked skull fragments, Murai''s hunger subsided.


    It was a passable meal since the Jaguar was quite large in terms of the thickness of the bones and their quality. But they were incredibly hard like eating pebbles. He noted no Eater Status, but he didn''t mind that.


    With that being over, he moved forward while Lisa floated behind him, observing and thinking further about Murai''s message. They went through a path that was barren of the undead, but that didn''t make this journey any better. The path was barely a meter wide at the further section, giving Murai plenty of room since he was small, but that meant the undead were quite close.


    Murai glanced around him from time to time, feeling the threat from them like a sky, but none were as domineering as Thar. Some must be as strong as an Extreme, he figured and felt. Probably.


    He had trouble adjusting his senses because he figured Thar must be at the peak of some unique Path. Also, he never met an Extreme before, so these creatures around his proximity must have various powers because of their standing in this world. They were also densely packed together, so he had trouble recognizing their might.


    That was something Murai was yet to get used to since he didn''t know what kind of peak this world possessed.


    There were mostly skeletons of humans, with knights, paladins, priests, and even giants, orcs, and a few elves. From beasts, there were intricate few beings. Demons as large as Thar, walking on 4 libs or 2. There were devil skeletons, with horns and demonic blood in their hands. It was quite a wild feeling to glance at them without much danger involved. Their aura was, however, not much restrained, and quite a few weren''t looking like undead at all, with clear flesh, blood, and bodies no different from the living.


    Murai appreciated that he didn''t have to fight them all, for once. He realized something upon walking through this path. What he underwent were the basic fights, with hundreds of stronger undead beyond that Jaguar.


    He was weak.


    There were much stronger beasts and beings around him that would smack him like a fool.


    He only get what was considered a Welcoming Party for the 1st timers. Those would be usually somewhere around level 30. Sometimes, some challengers would paper with lower or higher levels as the first timer, and it was up to the Thar to decide the stakes. In most irregular fashions, there were also other rules besides his own, but those were rare cases that rarely happened.


    Overall, the Welcoming Party was akin to a basic understanding that one could challenge the Levandi''s authority over the Temple''s Mindarch.


    Murai adjusted his head many times, feeling the surroundings with his Soul Read, which gouged the undead with unnatural usefulness. He felt plenty of dead and helpless spirits in those figures, but almost all of them were wild in their might. They were crazy in their sockets~the Soul Flames that every undead had.


    This was definitely a true Chaos Lair from his memory, and this sort of army wouldn''t lose to anything, or so he deducted. He counted more than 440 spirits, while the strongest kinds were at the back, outside of his vision. Pressure increased there, but Murai was unwavering, not stopping as he walked through this path. He was about to try his chances inside this temple, so these undead didn''t matter.


    Walking towards Thar, who kept glancing at them as they moved past him, right towards the section of the temple before the entrance. There were openings beside the pillars in the shape of utter darkness, but behind the pillars were some dark rooms, acting as an opening before the official entrance. There was no gate or door. Just openings that were a dozen meters tall and with an eery deepness behind, stretching to the unknown darkness.


    ¡°Careful of the fate, and demons.¡± Thar''s voice gave Murai a last piece of advice before he moved back toward his undead army. His time ceased away, so his horse and even he, himself, slowly drifted to the sand, as if engulfed by a jaw of a monster.


    His army followed him next, leaving the desert barren in less than 10 seconds of terrifying pressure descending to the ground. Sandstorms returned to this place, giving it the same old chaotic feeling, yet none traveled to the entrance, leaving Murai alone and well.


    ¡°Fate? Was he meaningful, or poetic?¡± Murai asked Lisa, ignoring the entrance for the time being. Many rune symbols, murals, and engravings of many languages littered the temple''s walls, pillars, and stones. It was an old piece of culture that survived many years.


    ¡°Or literal?¡± Lisa guessed, glancing around the entrance, unlike Murai.


    ¡°Fate isn''t real though.¡±


    ¡°That''s what you think.¡± she waved her hand dismissively. ¡°This place hasn''t changed. It is still the same thing, so what will it be? Shall we go in? I am excited to see your tries.¡±


    ¡°I won''t argue about that...¡± Murai sighed, turning to the darkness. ¡°Let''s go then unless I will change my opinion, which I won''t. I am not afraid of this place.¡±


    Murai stepped into the darkness, while the floating and glowing Lisa did so as well. Her body was slowly engulfed with the darkness, disappearing inside as well after she looked behind her back for the last time. Her look was hesitant, flickering in intent, memory, or hesitation.


    They disappeared inside, yet something still changed about this place. The temple remained standing, not disappearing behind the stone and sand. It remained open, while 1 singular glowing dot appeared on one pillar, acting as the active Challenger.


    As this happened, the outside world around Death Valley wasn''t calm. The issue that Mruai didn''t want, but picked regardless of his Will, created another mess. It wasn''t for him. Others would find it worse, however.


    There was a surge of news amidst the unofficial helpers that were in Seventh Death Forest under Razmund''s plans. It happened because of Ultrek alone, but also because of his deal with Tikka.


    Hundreds of kilometers from the Death Dessert.


    Ceila was standing amidst the chaotic aftermath of fighting in the middle of the Seventh Death Forest. The term, chaotic wasn''t for her, but for the surroundings. She was still calm and collected, and there were many dead messiahs laying around like poor rats meeting a hungry wolf. Some had shattered heads, while others were limbless, or had smashed chests. She wasn''t one bit gentle about them, for a priest.


    Crouching down beside a man dressed in a half robe, half uniform, she pulled a sword out of his stomach. ¡°Tell me... dying lunatic. What Razmund had in mind when kidnaping my student?¡± she asked with a deadly stare, touching the man''s throat with the sword''s tip.


    ¡°Pheheheheh... What a pity. Pity it is.¡± he chuckled, but before having more chances to continue, she slashed his throat, ending his life in a pool of blood.


    He tried to appease her Will afterward, trying to clutch his own throat in visible shock and fear, but he couldn''t stop the blood from seeping from his neck. Nothing would help. Although Ceila could save him, she rather watched as this level 59 Magic Knight died before her eyes. It was a fitting end to a lunatic that were the messiahs.


    ¡°I swear... I have been looking for Razmund all this time, but I don''t know where to look. Should I even look? The Rules are vastly underestimating me, but what if I move against him? Will the Rules stop me because of Murai, or because of Razmund alone? This is already 3rd group, but none are inclined to inform me about anything nor are Rules stopping me. Is... Is this also a part of the Encounter, but Murai forgot to mention it? Iris and Timmy should be in Razmund''s hands, but for what, or why exactly?¡± Ceila asked herself out loud, placing her hand towards her mouth.


    She was unhappy with everything so far, yet she couldn''t change much about it. She should have done this differently, giving Iris and Timmy better care, or she could''ve got them inside the mansion as well. The whole appeal of not taking them to the Sun''s Mansion was a stupid mistake on her part. She regretted it.


    However, she had trusted her knights with honest hearts, yet they didn''t do shit against the special plot that the Centralis Kingdom prepared before the Encoutner even started. It gave her a heavy blow, but not to her alone--to a whole lot of potential problems, it did.


    The messiahs were redundant parts of those plans. The one who dealt with her knights and gave her a heavy blow was something else. And it happened without her even knowing about it, which meant that... her Lady didn''t either? She doubted that... That was a strange and ridiculous issue about that situation. It went behind the Rules that she underestimated, and perhaps even her Lady did too.


    This happened a lot. With the Battleworld being so large, no God was ever sure to flow their interest in every nook and cranny of their domains or subjects. Problems and mistakes were meant to happen.


    Back then, Ceila tried to appear as calm as possible, discovering the truth only at that moment when Murai mentioned Iris. Someone unique kidnapped the kids, who had nothing to do with the Encounter or had to do a whole lot with it, which was an important factor. It was something quite peculiar and something worse. Kids had nothing to do with the Encounter, so they got kidnapped without breaking any rules.


    In fact, it wasn''t something that moved behind anything, as she figured in the past hours. She underestimated the situation and the plot that the Centralis Kingdom had in their mind and her Lady informed her of terrible news.


    Now, it appeared it was a plot that Razmund used to his advantage, or someone different moved beside him. As for what sort of plot was hiding, she had no idea, but she had all intentions of finding it out.


    Did he want to anger her with this? Her? 2nd Sun of Vermillion Church? She doubted that since she wasn''t a big deal in the church. She was no public Extreme, nor one in reality. Probably, this meant a hit against Murai and her Lady. That would explain it. Ceila was just a vision of the Vermillion Church, so kidnapping her student shouldn''t make much sense.


    Something much more sinister was going on behind the scenes and it didn''t make her comfortable.


    Either way, there was no news about her travels, so she spend traveling through the Seventh Death Forest, in hopes to catch some answers.


    She didn''t find anything to do with Murai, even though she was able to put her Will 2 kilometers around herself. She would be sure to feel Anatidae''s aura and bloodline far away through such a distance. Albeit it ended up being too small compared to the whole Seventh Death Forest.


    There was one issue. Ceila was yet to become Murai''s Helper. She was an unofficial one for the time being, which worked against her, since any sort of force that the Centralis Kingdom had, can come against her. It was the same way Razmund used his own status in the Centralis Kingdom and they deployed forces for his cause. It was all thanks to his overall standing in the Centralis Kingdom, so he did what he had to, which wasn''t surprising.


    He held no regard for an official helper since his own Encoutner''s information was different than the one Murai had.


    His was... easier? Manageable? All sorts of words would be fitting for his position since he was level 64, and Murai was anything but something strong or with a strong backer.


    Although, it also had something to do with the Pachi''s Gift, which was in his possession. All of this was within the approximate knowledge of what Ceila was capable of knowing. It wasn''t a lot, and everything seemed stranger, considering Iris and Timmy.


    ¡°Were then kidnapped because they were involved with Murai? That could be it... But... it may be something else.¡± She thought, and all of a sudden, she heard a message hit her mind.


    It was a mental telepathic wave, and the voice was Lia''s, who no longer was within her rights to be involved in what Ceila was doing.


    It led to one of few bad news. Lia got a warning from Will of the Battleworld, stating she can''t be involved with anything in the Seventh Death Forest, and should leave in a day. The same thing didn''t happen to Ceila, for some reason. Probably because she wasn''t part of the beginning part of the Encounter and had enough leverage to move against unofficial helpers that Razmud used. But what if an official Helper moved against her? Rules would clash, and perhaps she would be forced to leave too.


    Lia had to leave in a day unless a threat of God''s Wrath was something she wanted to undergo. Those were the brief mentions she got when she and Ceila butchered 1st group of messiahs together. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, Ceila remained alone, but it didn''t pose an issue for her.


    ¡°Yo! Ceila! I found something great!¡± Lia''s voice said, sounding in a good mood.


    At the moment, she wasn''t that far from her location, since she had all her time in the world to leave. If she wanted, she can get out of this forest in an hour, so she wasn''t in a hurry. This allowed her to look for something new, and she was successful.


    In her Dragonian Claw was still breathing Centralis Officer and no messiah. By sheer luck, Lia got to know the tight-kept secrets that only leaders of the special groups were capable of knowing.


    Centralis Kingdom found Murai''s location and it wasn''t pretty.

 Prelude - Centralis Kingdom

    The Centralis Kingdom was in a sweep of their reality and fate.


    A situation that some feared to occur, occurred.


    In a time, a bit before the situation with Ultrek and Tikka happened.


    There was a time of peace in a ridiculous period, filled with greed and power that moved this entire kingdom. But one thing still prevailed, standing and being true to its purpose. The City of Chaos stood the passage of unforeseeable time in the outskirts of the main Somalis Plataue. It was the main city of the entire Centralis Kingdom and a lot of eyes aimed at this city.


    Centralis Kingdom was a Tier A nation, which was nothing but a grading scheme set up by the tens of millennia-old system. It spoke of 2 factors. It wasn''t strong enough to be a nation of Tier S caliber, yet its stakes could shake many other nations. Their land stretched for more than 1 million square kilometers and was one of the larger nations in the Somalis Continent, which was home to 15 powers of Tier A, with many other smaller powers.


    In the rankings, it was the 3rd strongest in terms of Extremes, but 2nd in terms of wealth and overall military powers.


    As a nation prone and willing to do and create numerous invasions, it was no wonder it had some enemies. It built its incredible power out of countless Ends and upgrades that moved along this world.


    Considering it was the most single racial-dominated nation in the world, it made sense. Humans made up 90% population, with 10% being slaves, or rare additions of inhuman adventures that wouldn''t be primary residences of such nations anyway. The fact that some could even get in, and stay there spoke of one factor. Their power, reputation, or loosened rules.


    Nevertheless, Centralis Kingdom was a place that was keen on the clarity of bloodline, and humans were deemed worthy as rulers.


    In the City of Chaos, all forces of men took note of a couple of important factors. The most notable was a huge tower in the very middle of the city, surrounded by the two main forces of the Centralis Kindom. Those were Central Church, and Central Government, with its king''s chambers and palace at the north, and many other sub-divisions. A lot of business was done in both sectors and it was basically a huge fortress with invaluable assets.


    It was also a place of many adversaries, and where major decisions were taking place in terms of invasions, and anything that was important for the kingdom. After all, those 2 forces weren''t enemies, but keen factors that allowed the Centralis Kingdom to shine.


    There were even academies, guilds, and other organizations in this sector, known as Central District. Mage Association had its place here, and even Adventure Guild took some note of this place. In a kingdom with the most Blessed figures under the same banner, it was unsurprising that a lot of care was put into this city.


    Central District was home to almost 10,000 important figures, ranging from a king to young and upcoming Blessed stars and even servants.


    The Centralis Kingdom had a large amount of Blessed, and they viewed the potential of Blessed as a keen point to a powerful nation. As long as they were human, of course.


    Right now, there was a situation that was shaking the core of the city, and the tip of the stakes in Central District and its leaders. It was relatively simple in words, but complex in everything else.


    It all revolved around Razmund, who was currently at the Ardent Division, which was home to Central Government officials, and where major discussions took place.


    It was a relatively narrow hall, surrounded by many paintings and even statues made of gold, or other materials. Some were even rich in mana, making them shine and letting this hall shine in rich mana waves. One could stabilize their cores in this place in no time, and some with Initialization Stage Core would even improve after some meditation.


    Paintings, like the statues, depicted famous figures of the Centralis Kingdom. Blessed ones, adventures with origin in this kingdom, and other figures were painted in rich colors and details. As for the statues, they made the biggest impression. They depicted knights, figures of men or women, and were almost lifelike. There were 20 of them at each side of the hall, and right behind the chairs of a 20-meter long table, that was making this a conference hall.


    Staues were imposing some keen aura almost like the living being sitting at the front of this table. At the very end and center sat the king himself, wearing a white-coated cloak, with a blue-white uniform depicting his status underneath. He was looking young, but incredibly strong in his aura that was pressuring everyone in the room. He had white hair trimmed to the length of 4 fingers.


    He was Zendurion Centralis and an old king that was already in his position for more than 120 years. He was Extreme without any doubt, as any kingdom in this Battleworld needed a simple premise. Any family to create some sense of dynasty had to have the power to maintain it. If not, they would be nothing but a thin layer of history, forgotten or straight-up destroyed in no time.


    Without a doubt, Centralis Kingdom had the position of power, albeit Zendurion wasn''t looking as he seemed. One would guess he was a cheerful man in his 30s and not a king who was before his subjects. Close to his position on the table were other figures of some standing. Beside him stood his main assistant, one of the 4 Apocalypses. Those depicted monsters of the Extreme, and were pillars that acted as key points for this Kingdom to remain in Tier A power.


    It all acted for the prose of the Somalic Empire, the strongest and the only Tier S nation on this continent.


    Zendurion had to respect and care for such an Empire since power ruled supreme. But it wasn''t always that simple, since the status quo can always change when greed and gods were right there in the sky.


    Politics were never simple, and right now, and even a week ago, he had horrendous news to cater to. They weren''t simple, nor were they even up to his fate, but he sure will stick his hands where they didn''t belong if it meant goodwill to his kingdom.


    Sighting, he leaned like a lazy bastard that drank too much. ¡°What is even happening, hm?¡±


    Razmund was right there too, standing not far and not sitting, even though he could. Before Zendurion, there were 4 Ministers and 4 High Priests from Central Church sitting on their respective chairs. Most of them weren''t Extremes but to run a nation, power wasn''t always necessary. Sometimes, wits and brains were better. Thus, Ministers made up the majority of the Zendurion''s words into reality, while Central Church was not the usual religion.


    There was no god in its prose. Only the World this kingdom officially worshipped, and the Centralis Kingdom wasn''t hiding this fact.


    Razmund stood like a good boy aside, waiting, or hoping to regain some hope because of his status in this kingdom. ¡°Nothing to be gained, sir,¡± he said.


    ¡°Nothing?¡± Zenduriton didn''t believe that, so he took a wine glass out of the table and took a few sips. ¡°Let me ask in the other way. There must be something... anything that happened in the greater schemes of the Voice, and you are the one who has the blessing of this Encounter. It went as we desired and wanted, yet what happened? Hm?¡±


    ¡°Forces are failing. A day has already passed.¡± Razmund acknowledged it, but it wasn''t his fault. It was this king''s idea, while ministers forced that fact, albeit begrudgingly since Zendurion himself anticipated something better.


    ¡°I took the pain of the rules away so that the new star could have a better way, and this is how it shows?¡° Zendurion sighed. ¡°Is this how it''s done, Ranui?¡± he asked the Apocalypse to his right, who was de facto his main aide.


    ¡°Precisely sir,¡± the man of regular stature, and wearing regular armor said. Not a speck of power showed on his ordinary face or features. Even his voice seemed calm and collected as if he had no purpose than to act according to his king.


    ¡°Then what is happening then, Razmund?¡± Zendurion shot a glance at him, showering this level 64 Blessed with a tough look and aura.


    Razmund would usually fall to his knee but wasn''t willing when such high stakes were in his current time. He was the reason for everything, and this Grade SSS Encounter was a ridiculous chance that was hard to see in 10 generations. It wasn''t even about him. It was encompassing more than his interest since Zendurion found some worth in getting involved with his Encounter. That brewed trouble, but it was almost fitting, since right there, beside the glass of wine, was a bag.


    It was Pachi''s Gift and the main thing that caused headways in the Central District and in king himself. It was a dangerous prospect since this Gift wasn''t theirs, and it shouldn''t be... here.


    It went along the way of the Encounter, and according to Lordis himself. An excuse.


    Razmund looked at it, understanding that Zendurion was hoping for good news that won''t come. He, along with the ministers, forced the Hunt into reality and even involved the forces beside the prose of the Encounter before it even started. It involved Iris and Timmy, and how the 1st Part of the Encounter started, was also their doing.


    They sent Murai to the Seventh Death Forst to hunt him down, while the rules weren''t necessary for it, they moved along since Zendurion made it happen.


    It was a gift of this king, and Razmund understood the worth of this chance and choice. He made it happen... This choice could shake or jolt this kingdom to new heights, while he was a fine tool of this very king before his eyes.


    ¡°I will come and do my stakes personally. Soon.¡± Razmund made a light bow and spoke in his vision and hope. This Encounter was his prose too, and it won''t disappear.


    It was never this simple, even though he gifted his king the chance to change the status quo.


    It worked, but not in the way neither of them hoped.


    ¡°As you should,¡± Zendurion added.


    ¡°Then sir is...¡±


    ¡°Played, and paid. You do you, but... I hear some voices... ¡±Zendurion piqued his brows and flickered a finger to open the door at the other end of the room. There was nobody, but soon, 2 figures walked into the room. One of them was a blond-haired man, and the other was an ashen-looking woman with Falconer''s attire and long black hair.


    ¡°Yo.¡± the man waved a hand and continued until he was behind Razmund. Then he made a light bow and pointed at the woman. ¡°Took some news, which is worthy of some headway. A chance, for the both of us or everyone.¡±


    ¡°Tikka?¡± Zendurion said, figuring that finally, some bait bite the meal.


    Tikka fell to her knee and made a rightful report. ¡°Just 2 minutes before, a report from the Seventh Death Forest came.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°Target found in Death Valley.¡±


    ¡°Found?¡±


    ¡°... Let go. Not caught.¡±


    ¡°So failure, is it?¡± Zendurion sighed and pointed at Razmund. ¡°You wished for a chance... and got it. It seems the Hunt failed splendidly, and the prose of the Encounter returned. Reclaim the Hunt.¡±


    ¡°But king?!¡± one of the ministers shouted and slammed the table.


    Zendurion looked at him with cold eyes, leaving the minister ashamed and silent


    ¡°I took my word for the rules, and Hunt failed. There is nothing more to it and the fitting prose will return. It is how it went before, but not always... You have my words, so what do you think it is, Razmund? Heard the Voice?¡±


    ¡°I know what I always knew. Game of mouse and a cat.¡± Razmund said. ¡°I will do my due diligence, king.¡±


    ¡°Excellent.¡± Zendurion cheerfully said and got up from the chair. His stature wasn''t tall or shoulders wide, but he had a certain dignity and power about him. He walked to Razmund, ignoring the gazes of ministers of priests alike.


    He stopped before Razmund, who was half a head smaller. ¡°I hope you heard my words,¡± he said and pointed to the bag. ¡°That thing is your stake so what will you do next?¡±


    ¡°I plan to get going if you don''t mind.¡±


    ¡°That is good, but Dead Valley, hm?¡± Zendurion frowned and pressed a palm to his chin, scratching it in wonder. ¡°What do you think, Uzbek.¡± S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The question aimed at the man who let Tikka here. He was a bit like Zendurion himself in demeanor and stature but had a vastly different air to him. He was no king, nor anything more than a soldier who followed this world for a long time.


    He looked like a pretty powerful swordsman and had a proper Path long figured out.


    ¡°Think of the kids,¡± he said and patted Razmund on his shoulder. ¡°That one is done, while he will do what he should... as he should have since you all forced this to new heights and reasons. Gods are watchful, no matter what, and the other side is an unknown factor. Now, Razmund will have to add it to his head, and so does the Voice.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°He will do well, that''s what I think.¡±


    Zendurion took this idea and grabbed something out of his pocket. It was some dice-looking object and seemed like a pebble with many sides and a hole in the middle. He slapped it to Razmund''s chest, who was remaining standing like a good soldier. ¡°This choice is yours, so don''t waste it as you wish, and do... this.¡± Then he crept his head closer, so Razmumd was looking at his cold eyes. He was calm, however.


    ¡°You know the consequence if you won''t take this badly, so take this.¡±


    He grabbed the dice and glanced at it. ¡°This thing? Why?¡±


    ¡°You think Death Valley is simple? There must be a reason the other side went there, and considering the Seventh Death Forest, if they escaped the Hunt to that side, there must''ve been other ways to escape. This isn''t about the hunt any longer, but the Encounter itself. Temple is their choice, I reckon.¡±


    ¡°Levandis?¡±


    ¡°You doubt me?¡± Zendurion asked, and moved back a couple of steps, to see the Pachi''s Gift. ¡°This is more than we can handle, and it just revolves around a single person, but it is just our side. What about the other? Hm? Finish this Encoutner, Razmund. You hear me?¡±


    Razmund clutched the dice rather unwillingly but knew when to accept the reality. He already did so a week ago, when a tidal force hit his head and created the Encounter at such heights, they never heard of such a thing before. Its prose was ridiculous, difficult, and complicated. It revolved around Anatidae, and also... his own stakes, and godly interest of questionable values. It was rather unusual.


    He wasn''t unhappy about it, nor expectant. He had to think of this further and reach some sort of understanding. Plans and his power will have to do.


    Suddenly, a palm slapped his back. It was Uzebek again. ¡°You heard the king himself, brat. Bear the weight of these words, and get the fuck out of here.¡± He gripped his shirt, and tossed him to the other side of the room, close to the door outside.


    He didn''t fall to his ass or face, but adjusted his flight mid-air, and stepped to the ground with grace and stability. Then, he glared back and thought Uzbek was unreasonable again. ¡°I will do... what I must.¡±


    ¡°Choose your Helpers wisely, brat,¡± Uzbek said before Razmund walked away.


    This left him and others in the room, while Zendurion eyed the Pachi''s Gift with thin layers of interest. ¡°Uzbek,¡± he said and watched how he went to his side. ¡°Do you think this was a mistake?¡±


    ¡°Too early to tell, and frankly, you already know more than I do.¡±


    ¡°True, but your idea matters.¡±


    ¡°Doubt that.¡±


    ¡°Then, I will speak frankly.¡±


    ¡°Please do,¡± Uzbek said and smiled in a cheerful and carefree manner.


    ¡°Take the Helper status yourself.¡±


    ¡°Me? You mean... the prose is changing?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Always.¡± he acknowledged it and moved away from the bag to look at Uzbek. ¡°I fear more things will turn to new heights, but Razmund said it. He will do well in the Temple, but what about the other side?¡±


    ¡°You know something, don''t you?¡±


    ¡°Something?¡± Zendurion frowned. ¡°Wrong... I know shit.¡± he laughed and moved to the statues and walked beside them in wonder.


    Uzbek followed his person with his sight, wondering if his words were true or wrong. To know shit, meant something, rather than nothing. If a king who already taken an interest in the Will of the Battlefield, which had a simple name in this kingdom as Voice, then things can be difficult. For once, he doubted if Zendurion made the wrong choice since he did at least two things.


    He forced the rules away, and second, he desired more than one would assume.


    Uzbek sighed and glared at the ministers and priests. ¡°Bunch of old men... Take his words for granted, and prepare for the consequences if you don''t. Got it?¡±


    Some agreed, but some glared at him unhappily.


    Uzbek chuckled and moved to the Zendurion, before catching up to Razmund again. ¡°I hope you won''t regret it yourself, king,¡± he whispered, while Zendrion himself kept some secrets to himself.


    ¡°This is bigger than us anyway. Too big.¡±

 Chapter 97: Laughing skull

    The location surrounding the Seventh Death Forest was full of dangers, but it was a perfect place for a hunt of any caliber. Surrounded by the Centralis Kingdom''s core of influence, it was hard to escape from in almost any case, and Murai''s was terrible. Every piece of land around this forest surrounded more Centralis lands. To escape it, was not easy, but it was exactly Murai''s task.


    The surroundings weren''t something that Murai know, nor Will of the Battleworld gave it any importance. Lisa was the same, and instead of voicing it, she let him to a difficult time. Escape would be possible, but one would still end up in the Centralis Kingdom anyway, so the Encounter, or what Murai was having as a goal, wasn''t the finite end of the struggle. It would be a different kind of struggle if he escaped by other means.


    He didn''t know about them, however. Lisa did ever since she woke up. Seventh Death Forest was familiar in her eyes regardless of her current form, but she wasn''t one to talk about it once again. She acted around it, forming a plot to help Murai through some other means which ended up at the Death Valley.


    That was the location that the Centralis Kingdom got out of Ultrek, and now, Ceila got hold of it thanks to Lia and her little help.


    ¡°Murai is in the Death Valley.¡± Lia''s voice proclaimed from the far distance, speaking to Ceila as if she was right beside her ear.


    She heard her right, yet she was having trouble comprehending the sensitivity of this issue and what she can do about it. A Death Valley? She couldn''t help but furrow her brows, asking about it once more, just to be sure. ¡°Are you sure? I know that place is... close, but you can''t be serious. For them to go from the jaw of the hunt to the claws of a dragon? Just what kind of hunt goes against them to force them to do such lengths?¡± She voiced her wonder, afraid she was correct, but surprised Murai would even go that far. It was her bet he wasn''t willing to do something like that, so the situation was so poor, it was literary his last option.


    She wasn''t wrong but she wasn''t entirely correct.


    Though, when she thought of it further, the situation must be out of his choice. Helpless, he moved to a location that could loom over the Encounter a bit better. It was against the Centralis Kingdom''s hopes which was an issue she realized immediately.


    ¡°Serious? Kidding? You can''t be serious yourself, Ceila.¡± Lia said, chuckling at the words of her triumph. ¡°Do you think those assholes would be clever enough to talk about it without knowing I am near? They weren''t lying about it when they didn''t notice I am near. Someone almost caught Murai up in some trap, but failed and forced him to Death Valley. Simple as that. He had no choice, so he chose to be ruthless in his choices. I suggest going there at once, retrieve him before he dies.¡± Lia argued, clutching the head of the officer all so tightly.


    After initiating combat with the minor regiment consisting of 10 messiahs, Lia didn''t kill them, fearing God''s Wrath that may or may not come from the above. She still wasn''t upset or fearful of that possibility. It could take time, and she was careful. God''s Wrath in the context of the Encounters wasn''t always deadly unless the degree of the Wrath would reach the degree of spitting at the god''s face, or ignoring the rules way too much.


    Minor things like these officers'' deaths wouldn''t end up overthrowing any rules, even though the Encounter was within this forest. So it was correct to be careful, and Lia was doing well. It wasn''t a time to be like a hot-blooded dragon path which she respected with her whole heart. Ending up injuring a few was easy, while a few slaps, thrusts, and punches were enough for the officer to reveal more information.


    The man bleeding from every pore of his body was a coward among the messiahs. Mana was dancing around his shivering hands, mouth quivering in some prose to talk, but the hot grip of Lia''s claw was clutching his very own life. It wasn''t a great feeling, but this man was up to Ceila''s disappointment that it was Lia who was successful and she wasn''t.


    ¡°So dying wish he had? I wonder about that, but what do you think he will do there if he is already there? Time may be not on our side. Is he aware of where he is even going and what this Encounter is about?¡± Ceila asked, hesitating and wondering what Lia was thinking. Having more opinions would give her some edge.


    ¡°The official part of the Encounter is clearly starting, but you seem to not know a lot yourself, Ceila. Obviously, some things will go in different directions as it always does. Some rules and gods will try to move some things around, but it depends on the context of the stakes and both sides of the Encounter. If you speak of my expertise as a 12-time Encounter Champion, then this is irregular... It is affecting the power of the nations from the get-go and involves some nasty figures already. It is... weird. Someone is pulling some strings. Then, there are us, but it is mainly the Centralis Kingdom that is clutching this chance for themselves.¡±


    Then, Lia paused, as if collecting her thoughts before continuing. ¡°Why, you must wonder? I have no doubts more troubles will soon follow, but it is still early to tell what will come. It will probably come into play after the 1st part. If it''s my guess, the Murai''s location was or wasn''t part of some... plans? Plots? It is hard to tell, considering the timing and how Murai endured his time.¡± Lia acknowledged the truth. ¡°What it may become later is something else altogether. Maybe he is running from something. I heard from this asshole that some minor officer fought with him, but he managed to escape to the Valley after slaughtering his way to the edges of the cherry section. That journey didn''t bother him so much, I bet, since he was able to escape. He even butchered the trio of mid-tier messiahs with Grand Enchantment under their belt. I wish I was there to see that. Is a child Anatidae going ham against those assholes? I am disappointed I wasn''t, sadly.¡± she said, whimpering in fake tears.


    ¡°I see your points and am glad to hear them, Lia. Our Lady was of various opinions too, but yours have other validations since you experienced them yourself. I am glad to have you, so good work sending me this message¡± She thanked her in return, changing her face to a serious one, while her eyes gleamed in a new light. She decided on something on the spot.


    ¡°Still... Do you want my help?¡± Lia asked, unafraid of God''s Wrath.


    ¡°Are you out of your mind? Get out of the forest and leave the rest of this work for me. Our Lady prohibited you to be so free anyway, and this damned place is like a perfect excuse to get rid of you. Out, you hear me?¡±


    Hearing her argument, Lia sighted and smashed the officer''s head to the ground. He will live, but if his head will be fine, was none of her concern.


    Lia agreed with her, knowing full well that this was her only option. It didn''t matter if she was safe, as the situation may change when some high-rank officer may come here to hunt her down by the vision of the Encounter or the Centralis Kingdom''s Will. That was dangerous. Shaking up the Vermillion Church was something they would certainly want right now. The indirect helpers may very well become a scapegoat for the other forces.


    Ending the message, Lia''s head was out of the will that followed the connections of the Suns under their Lady.


    ¡°Hmph... I swear I will let myself loose in the 2nd round. You hear me?¡± Lia promised to herself, grunting and kicking the groaning bodies out of the way, before storming off from this place. She ran so fast, she blasted past the ghosts and trees alike.


    Meanwhile, Ceila had a new goal. Murai was part of that, or right after that, depending on her decision. He was secondary right now because certain variables became a high enough priority to change the plans.


    Before, she held a simple one. That was to find him first, pledge her allegiance as a Helper, and by return, she would be prone to the rules of the Encounter which would then surely change it as a whole. In that case, finding or forcing the situation around Razmund would be possible, but it would create other kinds of variables on both sides. This sort of plan would kill all birds with one stone, albeit if successful alone.


    She would become the hunter for Murai''s sake and deal a heavy blow to the other side of the Encounter. It was basically what was Razmund doing with his status in the Centralis Kingdom, but she would act on her interest. It wouldn''t be a problem for Murai, she imagined.


    However, that wasn''t passable right now. Death Valley will add some mess because it was a place that can change any kind of rule.


    Ceila held some doubts about it, feeling that things become way too complicated. Her Lady never encouraged or explained the situation to the full, stating how this Encounter will be the finest chance the church will ever have. That was her rule, and she shouldn''t question her Lady at all costs.


    It wasn''t a small proclamation at all, so her view on the Encounters was quite adamant. It was for her Lady! For her desire! What she followed for the past 2 centuries.


    The rules will change on both sides because gods deemed it so, as it wasn''t up to the original sides to do everything by themselves. Just the strategies around Murai''s side will create a whole lot of trouble since Levandis Temple can do that. Razmund will do something about it too, while the premise of the Encounter will remain the same. The only change that will occur will be strategies around the plans and what will come afterward.


    Ceila was unsure of those possibilities. Even the Will of her Lady wasn''t as clear for the past half a day. Her Lady was silent, giving Ceila no direction, and giving her a much tougher time than she wished for.


    In the end, she decided to give Death Valley a visit but only after getting better plans since she never went there herself. As a 2nd Sun of the Vermillion Church, she knew the Death Valley held only one variable. The power of the Demonic God ~ Levandis. She wouldn''t fare well to create a challenge for the gods for sure, which will complicate things a lot for Murai''s forced side.


    Ceila only heard a few things about what could happen in that sort of place and it piqued her curiosity. Albeit with minimal reaction. She was a priestess of the Vermillion church, and they didn''t have much freedom. In fact, that temple wouldn''t like a surface-level god''s dog at all.


    She was sure of one thing. If Murai will go to the Death Valley, then the Levandis Temple was the reason. Razmund will be sure to follow behind, using this as an opportunity to catch Murai in the limited spaces of the temple''s gates. It was a better plan, or perhaps it was the best to catch him there, rather the vast Seventh Death Forest.


    Razmund wasn''t the kind of man to not get personal, so one way or another, he will appear sooner rather than later.


    All of his schemes so far were just the common methods to work around the rules that Encounters provided. She also understood that his rule over the Encounter''s possibilities was of a different magnitude than Murai''s. There was an obvious answer to why it was the case.


    Centralis Kingdom''s direct help, Breach, or a certain sacrifice. A Tier A kingdom that held many Extremes under its belt was prone to be unyielding and also ruthless. That by itself wasn''t that troublesome, since such forces shouldn''t appear in such an Encounter.


    For the current reality that was surrounding Murai''s fate, Razmund was a big deal. He was high in his level and could endanger even Ceila if she wasn''t careful. That was at least what she believed from the context of what her Lady provided. It spoke of the strange rules that she realized were hiding around this Encounter.


    They were senseless, aiming at Murai as if it was heaven''s punishment instead.


    Ceila hesitated whether to follow the dozens of lights around the many stretching kilometers, which were moving toward Death Valley. Some were dim, others high in the power of Will, but some were without hesitation or full of it.


    Grunting, she kicked the ground, upset. ¡°Fine... I am not afraid to do this. Let''s see it for myself first.¡± She also went towards the valley.


    At the entrance to the Temple of Lavandis, further into the darkness that was flowing to the unknown


    Murai was still walking in the unnatural darkness, that held not much light. Stepping with some hesitation on the smoothened marbled floor, he kept walking forward even though the wasn''t sure where it will end. The Night Vision didn''t help in this darkness at all. There was some form of formation, preventing the sights of the surroundings, or so Murai figured, or they were Laws instead.


    There wasn''t any source of light, but if his own night vision wasn''t working, then what could? Something could.


    Glancing up, he saw the light.


    It was Lisa, who was glowing all the same, following the power of sona which was her body''s strength. She was the light of his life. At least at the moment, so he found it a bit hilarious and chuckled from time to time.


    She floated forward, a meter or before Murai and a bit above so he would get to know where he will go. She was also doing it for herself to remind her of this place.


    ¡°Look how useful you are.¡± He joked to her Will.


    ¡°Do you think you have time to joke?¡± Lisa turned her head, appearing apprehensive for some reason.


    ¡°I... I tried. What is this place anyway? You seem familiar with it enough, so how about letting your mouth speak some sense? It''s about time to do so for the... 4th time?¡±


    Hearing his words, Lisa sighted, knowing herself that some things were overdue. She just wanted to be sure if something was different about this place. The last time she entered this place was much more than 50 years ago, and this place wasn''t simple.


    ¡°I know I should talk. Much more, in fact. This temple and your Battleworld''s messages are peculiar in their wording. This is a place similar to the dungeon, but not really. There are more... or fewer rules, in some strange sense. It is a unique case, as it is placed directly under a powerful Demonic God. It is worth being careful, you unique case.¡± She insisted by pointing at his beak, pointing at him as a trouble that may cause a disaster.


    ¡°As you heard, this is partly under the Battleworld, but not fully because demons go against the Battleworld itself. It is a ridiculous godly treasure, but when there is order, there is chaos. It isn''t common to think of this temple as a hunting ground for the Blessed. By whom? Demons. It is an example, but it isn''t always the case, of course. Levandis is a deity of devils and demons too. She is powerful... and you aren''t listening...¡± Lisa complained, clear to the fact that Murai was looking away, following the light that spread from Lisa''s body to the ground.


    He was also stretching his Mana Detection and wondered about his Soul Read, as far as he could. The latter wasn''t doing anything, but he felt something wrong with the mana. He was sensing the deepness that was voiceless, immaterial, and hidden like the void itself. Not much mana was around the air, the stone floor, but the aura of this place was quite ancient, giving him various thoughts.


    It was an eerie and silent place, and this hallway was so large, it would fit buildings of few stories tall. Lisa found this place the same and unchanged. For the 3rd visit, that was. Although, this visit wasn''t for her, as only one light lit on the pillar outside.


    She knew it herself, but not like it mattered a lot.


    This was Murai''s opportunity while she was just his life companion.


    ¡°I am listening... Levasomething deity. I''ve got it.¡± Murai said, dismissing a few things she mentioned. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lisa knew that Murai wasn''t interested in some of her words, so she spoke briefly as if she was talking to a child with a poor attention span.


    ¡°There are 10 Gates to this Temple. They have many unique and reasonable variables, giving the Gates corresponding dangers and important touch. I will help you with a few but don''t expect a lot. It is a flexible and unique place anyway, as choices and rewards come in various waves. This temple will give an Anatiade some special care for sure, and it will be unlike mine, I bet. Each Gate is a massive place, and a dungeon in itself no smaller than any sub-dungeons. As a whole, this Temple of Levandis is no smaller than the Origin Somalis Dungeons, for example. There are many rooms for following one''s path, but talking about it is useless. I think... It''s about time you will meet that one, so how about you follow me faster? Enough with this sightseeing... we are... Nevermind.¡± Lisa said looking down to the floor and occasional pillars that had all kinds of diagrams, runes, and writings of all sorts. Some of them had many symbols of revolving circles with the eye in the middle. Murai was glaring at them a lot, and because of them, he wasn''t hearing everything she said.


    A few more minutes of floating later, Lisa lit up a massive gate that had all kinds of old, long unusable runes. They assumed all kinds of engraved pictures, caricatures, and symbols, as well as pictures made of many styles. They seemed to be made by many kinds of techniques and this gate was full of them.


    It was about 2 dozen meters wide, and so tall, Lisa wasn''t able to light all the way to the end of the ceiling. Though, that wouldn''t stop her, since she could fly up, but she didn''t have a need, care, or time for that. This wasn''t some adventure or archeological sightseeing, even though one of them did look around as if he was in a zoo.


    Murai had some brief weak moments of wanting to research this place, but Lisa saw this place enough when she came here for the 1st time. There wasn''t much to this place. It was so old that meanings lost any value.


    Murai watched the gate, following the sides that were lit, and came to a realization that he understood the majority of the depiction. They were hiding all sorts of magical runes, languages, and symbols that held lawful properties, but they had a complicated, and old system of magic. They didn''t work outwards, or inwards. The mana to them wouldn''t come from the outside world, or from the living being that would have a mana core.


    No.


    This gate was a place to put a Divinity inside, meaning this was a Celestial Artefact, if not something beyond that. A Divine Artefact? A circuit to follow up on the above? Portal to the lost Divine Kingdom?


    Many brief thoughts swirled in his brain, but most of it wasn''t as clear. This wasn''t of any use to him at the moment.


    ¡°Interesting door,¡± Murai muttered, eying the rules around them.


    ¡°What?¡± Lisa turned to him after being lost at the sight of the unknown gate for who knew how long.


    ¡°Nothing. What about the 1st Gate?¡± Murai changed the topic.


    ¡°It will wait. Someone will be a Guide for you since the Temple isn''t always the same, and it is a huge place of many interests. Not only Levandis is alone, but she is the Overlord. This place has its unique system of influence, under her Hell Haven. It is here giving the challengers their own stake, in a sense. Just so you know, this is more of a finite, and individual opportunity. I won''t fare well in helping you at all.¡±


    ¡°Not like you would, if you could,¡± Murai added.


    ¡°Ehm? Yeah. I guess you are right.¡± Lisa chuckled and moved closer to the gate, and gestured for him to do the same.


    He wanted to look at the gate a bit more in-depth since it delivered some interesting subjects, so he took some glances at the closest things. He could visit this place someday in the future so he wasn''t too worried about not looking at it less than he preferred.


    Upon getting a step away from the gate, a line was starting to emerge from the bottom, lighting up a thin line. The gate was opening outwards, causing the thunderous noise to spread through the darkness, and pushing the wind through. Ground shook too, and a massive gate of thousands of tons was opening to the single, small duck.


    Behind the gate, the line itself indicated light and no longer darkness. Murai briefly closed his eyes, unfamiliar with such bright light. When he opened them again, the gate was open just wide enough for him to walk through so he walked ahead. Lisa also followed, and they both reached the other side.


    There was a lit room, with 4 torches at each corner. It wasn''t as humongous of a room by the previous standards of that hall or the gate itself. It was about a dozen meter wide square room, with an unknown height of the ceiling that stretched quite far upwards. Considering this room was for the gate, it was quite small.


    There weren''t any drawings or runes any longer. Instead, there was a skull.


    A huge skull of a demonic race was at the very front of the wall.


    All corners and other walls were full of white, and black bones, filling the space in nasty aura and elements. A singular skull of a former gigantic demon was the main insanity.


    ¡°What is this? Is this something to do with pirates? Hilarious.¡± Murai joked to himself this time around, yet forgot that Lisa could also hear him one way or another.


    To his momentary wonder, he didn''t notice one particular, and different kind of skull that was right before the huge one. It was hard to notice it, because it had similar features, but was much smaller, similar to the human''s skull in size.


    This one was floating and wasn''t etched to the wall, and was pretty much living? Soul Flames of dark flames lingered in its eyesockets, creating the immersion that the skull was a devil instead. It was no wonder since it also had a pair of horns, but it was no devil, probably. Demons and beasts can have horns as well, so Murai wasn''t thinking much of it.


    ¡°Greetings. Challenger number 5409. It is a nice meeting of...¡± the skull talked, clutching its jaw as if it wasn''t a skull at all. Voice spread through it, talking out loud.


    It was yet another undead once again, but the one with natural vividness and clarity, indicating it was either artificial or a former powerhouse. Its soul was also quite powerful, clever, and not foggy.


    It watched forward, looking at Murai''s flabbergasted face and open beak. He had never seen such a thing as a floating skull of this sort of vision. That, in itself, quite surprised him, since he considered himself to be quite knowledgeable.


    ¡°H-hello?¡± Murai quacked, unsure if it would understand him like that. That would make him the 2nd being, which was strange, considering it happened not once, but twice. The Alp was the first.


    ¡°An Anatidae? Fair enough. Its Lorry''s first, so how about this?¡± the skull talked in a manly yet shrill and high-pitched voice and turned to Lisa. ¡°I presume this one is Lisa if Lorry isn''t mistaken? A familiar face, Lorry belive... Was she a bitch, which didn''t talk much, or said at least something to this duck?¡± he said, speaking completely without regard for common sense or attitude.


    ¡°Hello, Lorry,¡± Lisa uttered in an absolutely abysmal voice, frowning and almost crying by her luck. How unlucky was it to get this one again? Remembering what kind of being was before her, she instantly regretted her choices.


    ¡°It IS Lisa! Greetings, bitch. Isn''t it funny?¡± Lorry laughed.


    ¡°What?¡± she grunted.


    ¡°You. Hahahahah.¡± Lorry burst into hilarious laughter, cluttering his jaw fast and having quite a good time as Thar did.


    Murai looked at the skull, which was bigger than himself, but not by much.


    He was speechless, glaring at Lisa in a new light. ¡°Was every undead of some Will struck by lighting or what? What have you done to them, Lisa?¡±


    His quacks led to her silent curse for her own fate. ¡°This... isn''t important. Nothing is. I did tell him some things, Lorry. But the temple is unlike something he knows about, so run him through the stuff, like usual. You are required to do it anyway, so why should I bother doing it myself?¡± Lisa stated, unbothered by a laughing skull, that kept looking at Lisa as if he saw the funniest joke in the world.

 Chapter 98: Temple of Levandis

    Murai stood firmly on the ground, standing like a duck faced with a tough decision to eat a worm or a fish. He wasn''t one of such ducks, however, nor was he in a situation that any would find attractive.


    Facing the two floating soul forms of different kinds, rarity, and Paths, he wasn''t sure what to expect from either of them. But for once, he never thought he would get this sort of picture out of his head.


    It was a truly unique sight since Lorry was looking like a rather unique existence, similar to Lisa. Rising tides of affirmation told him that through his Soul Read, which was huffed and weak. Lorry was rather peculiar, like Thar and few others. He couldn''t pinpoint his emotions, so that must be his soul form that acted against his Soul Read.


    The flickering sona made up Lisa''s appearance. She was floating before the cluttering and laughing skull. Flicking her head with arms folded around her chest, she was bitter to see Lorry once more. To turn calm and do what she should do, this damned Lorry should rather halt his laughter.


    She clearly knew Lorry from the past more than she preferred, but the history between them was hard to guess or take into account.


    Murai had no idea where in his imagination should he start... Getting some ideas about them seems to be a mistake he wasn''t willing to start thinking about.


    Lorry calmed down after one additional laughter which followed plenty of more jokes aimed at Lisa''s fate, or topics that he found right to tell. Calming at the time of his break, he realized he was out of the jokes.


    His bones stopped moving, and flames flickered in his sockets. A reminder, message, or pitiful strike to his Will, it was. That was at least what Murai thought it was when he felt as if Lorry''s soul was hit with lighting.


    Lorry shuddered deep into his bones, his Soul Flames flickered in pause and pain. Then it stopped, and he glanced at Murai in a brief hesitation, and his soul calmed down.


    ¡°Eh? So it is not only a clueless challenger but... a lot of things. That reminds Lorry of someone. Heheheh.¡± He chuckled again, but something struck his Will again, forcing him on the path of the right purpose, rather than not doing what he should. ¡°Right... right... I am working!¡± Lorry stopped laughing, shouting at the ceiling instead.


    He also noticed how Murai''s and Lisa''s sense of humor wasn''t up to his own, which seemed to be about right, unsurprisingly.


    ¡°Lorry greets... err?¡± he floated down, facing Murai to greet him like a proper Guide.


    ¡°Murai,¡± he answered, eying the skull with all of his knowledge, and interest. It was peculiar in terms of Soul Flames but rather interesting in the bones and everything else. He noticed straight away how many runes littered the inside of the bones, and many were even on the surface. The force of Will, soul, and all that made up this skull, caused Lorry to retain pretty much a clear and clever mind.


    That, or it was because he was strong-willed and powerful prior to being... this?


    Well, it was not a win. A mind and soul came with a personality, which showed in a lackluster finished product.


    Murai noted very few things with his Soul Read, noting the power of his soul a little, rather than anything substantial. It wasn''t anywhere near the level of an Extreme, or anything higher, but not necessarily lower either. It was perhaps the runes, and everything combined that made him that impressive. Lorry looked like someone who wasn''t present but locked inside the skull, while the skull may not be him at all.


    It could be a sham, and Murai couldn''t figure out the right idea to go about his origin or how this skull even operated. It was looking artificial, like a scrip of magic and runes.


    He at least saw enough to realize that Lorry had something that many wouldn''t get in many lifetimes. Figuring that Lorry was a form of a soul from the fundaments, was hard to tell, while the skull was a simple construct to hide a lot of things.


    He saw how runes, unique magic, but a slow tide of some soul power spread around and within him. This skull may be his prison, causing the End to never come to him, which made him immortal.


    That was more than interesting since it worked against the rules of the universe. All sorts of soul shaping and necromancy did.


    ¡°Murai... Hm?¡± Lorry nodded, observing him by making a quick round around him. ¡°Right? A number would be more fitting for Murai, but whatever. As a proper Guide, Lorry shall make a proper introduction. This is a magnificent temple! The one of its kind! A temple of the most dignified, prettiest figure in the universe!¡± Lorry crept upwards, shouting and exaggerating every word out of his mind. ¡°Levandis Temple! The toy and domain of Lorry''s dear Lady!¡±


    Then he relaxed his words, turning serious and calm.


    ¡°For the messes from the outside, let alone the surface to come to this place, it is an interesting subject and place. An Encounter, is it that is up to Murai''s mind? It doesn''t matter to Lorry, but some would find it harsh and upsetting.¡± he said, implying things with some disappointment but quite some force. ¡°This is only the beginning and the rest will be under Lorry''s interpretation and Murai''s path. Lorry is a Guide, to say the least. A Guide of the Challenger that accomplished the successful briefing of the Welcoming Party. Now, Murai is facing the true deal of this interesting place. It''s part of the opportunity by our Lady''s Gift! A bestowal of her grace, in fact!¡± Lorry said, seriously proclaiming everything like a religious freak.


    Murai was listening, but not because he had the choice. Lorry was speaking so loudly, it was impossible to not hear him.


    ¡°The temple by itself is an important piece to the land of the devils and demons, but as Lorry sees it, the demonic beasts are also welcomed. Murai is one, but the one touched by the asshole gods... It isn''t fitting, but Challengers makes nothing but an interesting opportunity for the world below. Lorry will be witness to that! ¡± he shouted again. ¡°Lorry welcomed, saw, and guided all kinds of folks, but Anatidae is... isn''t Lorry''s first meeting of one? Lorry forgot about 2 others, but those weren''t Lorry''s responsibility. Right. No. Murai is the 3rd. The 1st was a long time ago. A few millennia in a time of many wraths. The 2nd was like a tidal wave, causing centuries of growth to halt and it happened only a couple of decades ago. Murai is the 3rd? No! 4th? Lorry is bad at math... Fuck. Shit. Dog! Memories! Digging worm!¡±


    Cursing like a mad skull, Lorry cursed so much, that his eyes turned to a wild storming flame that stirred the depth of chaos.


    What exactly he was angry about? Maybe even Lorry didn''t know that, while Murai wasn''t seeing anything but a lunatic in the wreck of his choices. He wasn''t feeling sorry. It seemed Lorry wasn''t one bit ashamed of his life, nor there was any sorrow or anger towards himself.


    He was honest in his anger and lunacy.


    This sort of honesty was an aspect of emotions that Murai at least respected.


    ¡°Yo... Calm down, you damned skull,¡± he said, hoping to jolt Lorry back out of his stupidity. ¡°I am in no hurry, but some things are better explained. Do talk some meaningful shit if you want, but at least present it like a tool of a god. It''s just some temple of the long past, but for it to be a toy instead? That is interesting, so how about those Gates, or whatever lies there? Mind talking like a guide?¡± he quacked out loud, unable to connect his will towards this being as he tried it right now.


    Something obscured his tries, affecting even the basis of seeking what was deeper inside his skull. Even his Mana Detection wasn''t able to dig too deep as if something powerful was obscuring everything, but not the eyes. He saw the runes around the curved bones and holes.


    ¡°Ah...¡± Lorry paused, calming the raging flames in his eye sockets. ¡°Temple! Right! A temple''s beginning. Guide''s work! A splendid choice of Lorry''s Lady. There is the 1st Gate and a leading 1st selection of the temple''s paths. It is the very beginning. There are countless waves and pathways one would take, hiding various opportunities and rewards. Battles and suffering can come left and right, challenging the Challengers with forceful hands or claws. Each path leads to a different kind of place, so the decisions or one''s success will have a myriad of results because of one or many decisions.¡±


    ¡°It is a truly complex labyrinth. Below, that is. Enemies aren''t really normalized at some points, as the labyrinth is the commonplace of the undead, demonic monsters, and larvae of many things, so worry not about some balance. This is a true devil lair and not some cheap mess like Will of the Battleworld or the Surface has! This isn''t some sort of game, Murai know? It is an Art! Art of our Lady! A beauty to behold!¡± Lorry stated with absolute certainty, speaking as if his words were the laws themselves.


    He was also dismissing Murai''s wonder, but also mentioning some interesting things that led to some clarity.


    ¡°Game of what? This? This isn''t one bit different than many things around.¡± Lisa argued, oblivious about what Lorry meant or his complete ignorance about her words. Lorry faced Murai alone, observing his actions, and words or he was acting like a proper guide. He even ignored Lisa.


    ¡°Continue... sensitively, Guide. I am listening, or won''t be soon if you keep at this. Want some smack instead? I can try my beak and wings too. I don''t like insensible pricks, let alone some annoying skulls that seem to have screws loose in their brains.¡± Murai quaked, stopping Lisa who wanted to force some more words out of her mind. ¡°In fact, is there even a brain? Should I take a look inside of your skull?¡±


    Murai''s idea was quite threatening, giving Lorry a shuddering feeling and a threat to his own fate. He halted his exaggerating words, leaving his Lady out of his soul and words. There may be honesty but it was misplaced, so he decided to talk some sense instead.


    ¡°Yes, Lorry will do so, because Lorry had to. There is no single clear path through this temple, but the Gates form certain rules and possibilities. Some are unchanging, and the paths to them may be harsher when one chooses an improper path. Also, Lorry bets Will of the Battleworld will also provide some knowledge because Murai is a Blessed. Those always mess up with many rules in the Temple, creating interesting premises, and opportunities, so the temple will force some things on them instead. It will put forth a lot of interesting things in the Gates, and many things below. Lorry bets and is curious about what will be the case for the current time. Some formal agreements between our Lady and asshole Lordis came to interesting results, making one guess how some things can happen. That is how it will be, Lorry reckons.¡±


    ¡°That is how exactly?¡± Murai asked. ¡°Sense of rules? Does Levandis have some say in the rules that shackle me? What rules even?¡±


    ¡°Lorry is sure Murai will understand it better when Murai will experience the 1st Gate. The temple has the Mindarch to acknowledge and move rules together, creating what should have because both sides of the verses are coming together. One is the temple, the other is around Murai''s Blessed status. There will be some enemies, puzzles, and who knows what else below.¡±


    ¡°Puzzles? Are you kidding me?¡± Murai scowled, knowing he wasn''t good about such things.


    ¡°Yes! Lorry is kidding.¡± he chuckled again. ¡°Puzzles aren''t there, much to Lorry''s disappointment... Our lady... hates them too. What a shame.¡± he stated, sadly sighting from remembrance or pity that it was the case.


    ¡°You see what I meant, Murai Hisagi? This place is good for messing things up. One can experience a lot, and gain a lot, although Lorry is yet to mention that, it will happen soon enough.¡± Lisa argued beside Murai, floating and not being annoying.


    ¡°Is that so? I see no mention of so-called, rewards, or things one would get from this "opportunity" as you said.¡± Murai agreed on this with her, wondering what sort of thing this temple had.


    His imagination ran wild, and he believed this place was a massive treasure vault. It was his hunch again. Considering the sights in the Acaman Tower¡ªSub-dungeon of the Somalis Dungeon¡ªhe had no doubts this place should be anything lower than that. The question was, if the Gates and maze below will move according to some sense, will the rules around the world and Will of the Battleworld be fine or not?


    ¡°Oh! Right! How could''ve Lorry forgotten!¡± Lorry sighed, remembering important aspects of his purpose. ¡°There are as many rewards as dangers. Some are more so than others, but whatever. Rewards include all sorts of interconnected possibilities with Battleworld, whether one is Blessed, Gifted, Demoniq, or Wicked. If everything is right and fine, then rewards will be up for everyone''s decision. The Mindarch will decide for the Challengers, basically, and Will of the Battleworld will add its purpose too. There are materials and all sorts of reasonable things that can move even the Extremes.¡±


    ¡°Examples? You don''t mention shit.¡± Murai stated the truth, finding his words rather unfit. Lorry was running around the topic, speaking nonsense.


    ¡°Well... Lorry is unsure since there are so many things floating around Murai. Lorry knows for sure that all Blessed use this place for their attribute farming, training in their abilities, and all sorts of new comprehension. Oh! And there is a phantasmal source of mana in the temple, creating a paradise for the mages. Any magically gifted being can have a good time here. Lorry is not Blessed, so Lorry doesn''t know what Murai will be offered. That is all to these... examples.¡±


    Murai pretty much guessed that already, and he could see his sincerity. Lorry before him was some form of an old soul, but drastically different than Lisa''s case or his own.


    Considering the talking and tone of voice, this looked artificially made, or it was an old or ancient kind of soul that underwent a lot of issues.


    That, or it was stupid, to begin with.


    One way or another Murai was no longer as nervous because this was an opportunity as Lorry said. This temple will create the variables Lisa mentioned because of a demonic world that went against the Battleworld, or so it seemed. It must be something about Lordis, and Hall Havens, or Chaos, and Order.


    Lordis was the kind of a Ruler of this world, Murai guessed, or he may be wrong. The context mattered and he was yet to understand it all that well. Information gathered through living in this land will do that. His past didn''t help much in this regard. It could only assure him of what may be right or not.


    This temple sounded like an ancient place where mana and history intervened, making this place a rarity in any kind of world. Even this Battleworld must hold a fair share of ridiculous things. Murai had no doubts about that.


    Whether it would be a significant one, or just a chance to get stronger, he knew it didn''t make a difference to him at all.


    He needed to become stronger, and that was all to it. He didn''t want to be handled like a toy. He desired it so he would continue his purposeful living and find some fitting place in this world.


    ¡°Very well, Lorry. I accept that so where do I start? Entrance? Gate 1?¡± Murai said, unhesitant and fearless of what was before him. Although, it was more precise to say, what was below him, as the Temple was an underground place, rather than a lofty place that went to the skies. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thinking of this place as a temple was thus, a bit strange, considering how remote, and dark it seemed. There was no speck of sun, so thinking of this place as a former kingdom of a Sungod was sounding like a lie.


    Torches littered the corners of this room, enlightening the room in dim light, while what was past the gate behind the large skull was dark without any equal. It was the same as what was behind him.


    Murai saw no corners, or walls in those minutes of walking to this room, but he was sure some things were there. He wanted to uncover that something but Lisa insisted on going forward, fearing he would get lost. She knew many who did try to be curious, and they never came out of the darkness.


    Now, the darkness was behind him, hidden by a closed gate. Light of the torches was around him, but also a pair was before him. Lorry had bright Soul Flames that illuminated his face.


    ¡°Behind Lorry is the very beginning of the temple. Shortly upon entering, Murai will walk to the dwellings of the temple, with a small addition to the Battleworld''s Will and the Temple''s Mindarch. Those will make unique aspects known, while Lorry won''t explain everything since it is as even Lisa doubtfully said. It''s easier for Murai to experience it firsthand, rather than hearing Lorry''s useless talk.¡± he explained, sounding as laughable as he was.


    Lisa didn''t make a comment for this sort of remark since even hearing Lorry''s joke made her mind scream in annoyance.


    Though, she was keeping it for herself, feeling it wasn''t worth being so petty. He and his jokes were the same as ever, and who knew there wouldn''t be any current challengers in this place? She didn''t know it, prior to getting to Death Valley so she took this at her own pace.


    In this small amount of time of discussion, she took her time and observed Murai and his opinions. He remained interested in the situation, yet Lisa could add more than what she said if she wanted. She didn''t but it wasn''t as if it mattered.


    So, the entry was right upon them, while Lisa followed Murai behind. She had no choice in this, but surprisingly, Lorry will also follow them. One was his Life Companion, while the other was his personal Guide.


    Lorry made some small remarks. The Guide had to follow any challenger out of spite of Levandis''s rules, Mindarch''s paths, and many criteria.


    A huge skull behind Lorry opened up on its own, cluttering and shaking the room. Dust fell, flames winced and the aura in the room changed. Inside the skull''s jaw was a passage that anyone could walk through unless one was a giant. It was an opening resembling a hole in the unknown darkness.


    The mouth of a giant skeleton was this entrance, revealing utter darkness that went down the staircase.


    Murai could feel an unnatural breeze coming from there. It was cold and deadly. There were also distinct screams and a demonic aura surging out of the entrance, sending shivers down his spine, yet he still smiled. The most special feeling that he noticed right away was the mana flooding from the dark passage.


    It was almost visible to the eye, but it was something he could notice. Only those with small magical potential wouldn''t notice it.


    Everyone in this room knew of it since they were all special beings. Mana was, and always will be special to them as it was the source of magic and their path. Be it from an indirect form, or something that was their very own essence.


    ¡°Hoh? Very well then. This is an exciting sense of adventure I am feeling. Let me see what sort of god''s forsaken place this is. Literary... right, Lorry?¡± Murai shot a meaningful glance at him, but Lorry only sneered, almost laughing again.


    ¡°Right. Right, but the current situation isn''t any better than the past. Murai will soon understand what Lorry meant. Lorry is sure of that.¡±


    Sighting, Murai couldn''t help but agree, albeit how Lorry was talking about it wasn''t up to his taste. It seemed he had some issue in his head, which caused him to talk in 1st person to himself and mention the names of others. He did so with himself and others, without shame or feeling weird.


    Murai tossed that nonsense behind his head, figuring that Lorry was hardly the weirdest being he had ever seen.


    He rather thought of this place as a whole. Any godly being that stole, or took the place of the dead and ancient god wasn''t anything ordinary. Murai was sure of it, so he knew he shouldn''t anger such a god for the time being, but what if some god angered him?


    What then? They surely won''t find it appealing, and it would attract more problems around them.


    Watching the entrance, there was a sense of danger for sure. Any weak adventure that would get through the Welcoming Party, would fail to even take a step down. But not Murai. He was no common adventure, let alone a normal duck.


    Placing his tiny legs down the stairs that moved down below, he cursed them to oblivion. He will have quite some trouble walking down the stairs and reaching the start of the temple. So, he found jumping to be much better, albeit it was rather funny-looking.


    It was quite a different way of descending. The 2 floating beings above him had their own respective feelings about hoping Murai below them.


    Alas, their own times were their own, and their hopes and desires moved their hearts.


    It was the same in the other parts of the Seventh Death Forest.


    At the moment, a few kilometers away from the Temple, in the desert region that was full of death and sand.


    A group of people walked through the sandstorms, unobscured by any weather, or bad temper in their heads. Well, the latter was questionable, since the majority of them hated visiting this sort of place. At least what was on the surface, that was.


    Leading the group was a silent figure, with a harsh, tough fabric cloak around his body. It was obviously a man, because of the wider size of his shoulders, and overall build that was noticeable from him, standing alone.


    It was Razmund, whose armor wasn''t visible underneath this cloak. Behind him were his 2 companions Paulfred, and Waldorf, who wore similar cloaks around their bodies. A cloak''s hood was also shrouding their heads, and the softer fabric was beyond their mouths and noses, protecting them against the wind and sandstorms.


    Death Valley was a terrible place, full of tough conditions on the ground and sky at all times. Sandstorms were a neverending part of many dunes, outside of influence or any care about travelers or challengers.


    ¡°God''s forsaken places... This is the land of the devils. I swear to a god of Battle.¡± Waldorf commented, looking around, which amounted to nothing much but looking at the sand.


    The sandstorms made sure to observe their vision, and anything they saw, was just more sand or curved dunes a few dozen meters ahead.


    They couldn''t see their rough direction with naked eyes, nor did they see the distinct natural waypoints of the temple.


    ¡°That is right. How are we supposed to find our foe, Master,¡± Paulfred asked, similarly concerned since he and Waldorf never got a chance to experience this desert yet, let alone the temple itself. This was their first time coming here, but they heard a lot about it in the Centralis Kingdom.


    ¡°Our?¡± Razmund''s voice echoed in this sandstorm, which ate his words, and huffed them low. He turned around to face his company, whose attitude wasn''t up to his taste.


    ¡°We are sorry. We got the chance to know that your enemy is at this place, but where are we supposed to look for it? Is it even safe to travel and change direction? It is so easy to get lost, considering the weather, let alone the lurking dangers below us or on the surface. We already fought enemies outside of the demanding forest to get here and this isn''t one bit better.¡± Paulfred argued, unafraid of his master''s attitude.


    Since Razmund got the Encounter going, he changed for the worse.


    It was as if Razmund was experiencing something extremely unsightly in every moment of his life. Maybe it was even before the Encounter started. Ever since the incident against that madwoman Velga, who almost killed them all, they were unsure what Razmund''s attitude was.


    None knew too much about the Encounter, nor did Will of the Battleworld send the special forces, such as Blessed Companions, any kind of information. They were variable, tools and companions under Razmund alone.


    However, he took most of the context for himself, speaking about it with the Centralis Kingdom alone.


    It was a general point of the Encounter. An unsurprising strategy was to keep most for himself.


    Strategy and plotting were as important as one''s strength, and he knew all about it as level 64 Blessed.


    Razmund was like a spear, whose sole purpose wasn''t to lead forces, but to act like an arrow, ready to pierce the target. But killing it? Finding it? It was hard to tell what was in his mind as his purpose was his own.


    Paulfred and Waldorf were just minor help, and even the surrounding shrouded figures around them were nothing else, albeit some were quite hefty in their nature and Ego. These were mercenaries and helpers Razmund paid for. They may do something or maybe nothing but be cannon fodder, but who knew what would happen next?


    After all, this was a Death Valley and their trip to the Temple of Levandis will have various interests in their heads. It was a place that Razmund visited twice, after all, so he had various thoughts about it.


    This one will be the third, which may be significant, but it was too late to work through another chance, plan, or desire.


    His enemy went in, causing him stress and problems, but he shall work with it because he can and will have no choice.


    Gods already stated their wishes.


    He accepted them.

 Chapter 99: Storming party

    Sandstorms blew around, carrying the dust and filling the air with tiny specks of rocks. It was hard to breathe in such an environment, but some people didn''t care or didn''t mind this.


    Looking at his companions, that spoke words of insensible blubbers, Razmund''s unblinking eyes returned to their previous splendor. He was calm after all, and he needed to retain this notion in his head.


    He understood many things in the past week, and a sight from the past entered his mind. He shouldn''t be upset to hear the words of his companions, but what happened a week ago wasn''t such a nice time at all. His eyes were still veiny and bloody, indicating some eye technique or it was like this because he wasn''t blinking.


    No hesitation or fear was within them, and neither a lot of care about a lot of things. Greed and strength were more to them along with his resolute and serious face. Rather than anything else, the priorities of the present moved forth, and he had to move on.


    His eyes were more than noticeable to any common eye, giving him a tough look and grinding thoughts of what went behind them. That was at least what Paulfred and Waldorf noticed, since it was the only thing they could see. Even they didn''t know what went on behind them.


    They didn''t dare to argue with their master. It was never worth it, considering the stuff that was happening for the last week. It wasn''t fun going to the Centralis Kingdom''s capitol, and it seemed Razmund''s case wasn''t pleasant at all. In fact, it was full of holes, interests, and all kinds of problems that affected way too many things.


    They already had some guesses about that, because they didn''t have a choice but to follow him behind.


    ¡°If you have time to worry about useless and unimportant problems such as coming to this place, then you better train your Paths better. This place doesn''t want weaklings, as I said before. You could become food for the death, and be destroyed like any experienced adventurer, let alone a silver mercenary.¡± Razmund told, uncaring and voicing his word without even looking at anyone behind his back.


    ¡°Oy! What do you mean?!¡± A loud-sounding voice questioned his words. It was coming from a rather large figure that wasn''t wearing any tough fabric against the wind and sand. He was a sorry figure indeed, and the only one who dared to be like that.


    ¡°I meant what I meant, Gordfiend,¡± Razmund said. ¡°Don''t think of this lightly just because you are confident with your body and ego. This place doesn''t care about it at all, and you are still my Helpers. In your case, stupid ones, frankly. Maybe even insignificant ones, if my hunch is working, but who am I to decide that then your willingness to catch your little prices? Hm? Afraid of little wind? Afraid of death?¡± He turned his head, looking at the figure of the man who was trembling from the wind and sand.


    Knees quivering, feet bare like his chest, and bald head, Gordfiend wore a tattered open vest and trousers that barely had their shape. That was about all of his clothes, apart from a duo of axes behind his back.


    ¡°Huh! Do you dare to tell that to the great myself? You want to hear it again, brothers?¡± Gordfiend shouted, uncaring about his words so he turned his head around to face 10 other figures, who, unlike him, wore the cloaks so they won''t end up like their boss.


    Out of everyone in this group of fewer than 20 people, Gordfiend was the only one who didn''t wear the cloak. That either spoke of his ego, toughness, or idiocy more than anything else, but he wasn''t one to willingly admit either.


    His skin was already turning red with sand, his eyes were squinted against the wind and his feet were taking a harsh beating against the bare sand. He wasn''t feeling cold or hot, since this place wasn''t hot or cold. It was just brutal, menacing, and just painful to be in.


    Walking and being in this environment in this sort of attire were more akin to thousands of Gold Ants crawling around every inch of his body.


    He was the epitome of reap what you sow and no one will change his mind about some little storm. It was just a little wind and sand, he said as he saw Death Valley for the first time in his life, so he didn''t fear what he was doing, even though he should. It didn''t even take that long until he began to regret it, but it was too late for any change. For what kind, one may ask? To change man''s pride, of course.


    None had a spare cloak.


    It was absolute idiocy, which one of the figures behind him thought.


    However, as his voice spread far and shook the wind for a couple of seconds, none of his men voiced a word. They shot an annoyed glance at their boss instead, whose attitude was the same as always. Terrible, questionable, and frankly, stupid. That was Gordfiend in this picture.


    Though, he was strong and there was a reason Razmund was willing to take such a man to become his Helper. Not many would venture to Death Valley without such protection unless one would have a clear path to the middle of this place, which was less prone to stormy weather. This group had no such way, so they walked instead, which was through many obstacles on the way, including monsters and lurking danger swirling below the sand.


    Gordfiend was a silver-rank mercenary and even a leader of his own mercenary group, directly under his name. As a silver rank, he wasn''t the strongest, nor weak. He was about the middle spectrum of what was considered enough to venture to most open-world dangerous regions.


    Mercenaries of any official rank were those types of people, but they also included intelligent beasts and any kind of being as long as they passed certain criteria. Such figures were under the order of Adventure Guild ~ one of the biggest and most influential cross-continental factions in the Battleworld.


    The purpose of such a guild was to make some order in this hectic world, but it wasn''t always the case, nor it worked all that much.


    Chaos was more prone to come forward when godly interest and clashes went above, below, or on the surface. It didn''t involve Blessed in its runnings, but in most circumstances, it did have a lot of them.


    Unexpectedly, it had a limited envision of gods, and was one of the rare independent organizations. Albeit, in terms of the whole picture, it was less productive in those ideas, because of its history and mass, it managed to remain in its form for many millennia.


    Considering the rarity of Blesed to the numbers of ordinary figures, the disparity was quite huge. Most of the Adventure Guild''s numbers took up the adventures or mercenaries without any Blessed status. They were regular folks with a mild concept of the Will of the Battleworld but it was still enough to follow this world.


    However, as with many things, power ruled supreme, so the further someone in the ranks of this organization was, the more Blessed appeared.


    Those kinds of Blesed were rare, and powerful individuals with many interests in other places. Adventure Guild was no nation, nor it restricted its members. There were Blessed, who didn''t want to be involved with any kind of shackles or organizations. Those would be lonely, strong, or unfortunate ones, but this world wasn''t fit for lonely figures.


    Being alone was not that good of an idea. Not in the world that was ready to clutch one''s life, drain one to the bones and call it a normal day.


    Battleworld was no punny place for half-assed efforts. Having at least some footing was better, and Adventure Guild was the least problematic organization there was since it had the simple political and strategic infrastructure of power and interest. Even the most introverted and sorry figure would reach some sort of understanding through Adventure Guild.


    There were countless people and beings of a variety of levels, and their order was more than apparent among gods and many nations. It held no nation at its fingertips, nor it held any political power, apart from the generic vision to never be someone''s. That was a freedom of working everywhere, while no powers, be it Tier A country, or even S, shall force the Adventure Guild into submission.


    Their ranking spoke for the organization''s structure, which held many quests, and missions and gave opportunities to ordinary people, or even the most powerful Extremes. Be it a kind in some village, to a Blessed figure, anything went along the Adventure guild.


    Any mercenary or adventurer can at any point seek some branch of this guild. Thanks to the evaluation system in every major town, one would get a ranking. Bronze, Copper, Silver, Gold, Amethyst, and Diamond rank were the prime examples of the simple form of rankings, which was made of valuable metals.


    Albeit, there was one above diamond class, but those were under a few special circumstances or rather lofty individuals who Adventure Guild deemed worthy of that rank. Earning those sorts of ranks required standing on par with the peak of this world, and a lot of politics and power. Those would be for the cases of the tip of the Extremes, and also individuals who were keen on understanding. They would have o reach a perfect arrangement and agreement of the tip of the Guild leaders.


    Gordfiend was of a Silver Rank, which amounted to nothing but a power level to his abilities. Roughly, it was around level 50, which was the bare minimum to travel to Death Valley which was under the general supervision of Centralis Kingdom, and not just anyone can enter it.


    Not as if some would do so on a regular basis, but some order was better than none. Being in the middle of the Seventh Death Forest already made it hard enough, so not many would come here anyway.


    ¡°Hmph! Bunch of weaklings! As a man!¡± Gordfient shouted to the sky, shaking the wind 2 meters around him with the power of his voice alone. ¡°..you should never falter against such a measly wind and pebbles on the road! Road? The sky! Sky!¡± he pointed upwards, straightening his back, as if he was tougher than he was. ¡°Like the Ragnarok! The Punishment of the Haven! The Wrath! This one isn''t worth the fear that comes from that pleasure. It isn''t worth it.¡±


    ¡°Shut up already, idiot.¡± A female voice said, already fed up with this lunatic, whose sole purpose was anything that he thought of. ¡°You already wasted enough breath,¡± she added.


    ¡°That comes from a woman, who is too weak to undergo this sort of measly weather. Let me ask you, are you that weak? Hm?¡± Gordfiend said in an interested tone, staggering to turn against the wind as he stared behind his back. He turned with some difficulty, and walked, which was akin to a wobbly excuse for a drunken walk, yet he still managed to appear before a smaller figure of cloaked women, who spoke to him with an annoyed tone.


    Similar to everyone¡ªbecause she wasn''t an idiot¡ªshe wore a cloak. Made of tough fabric, it was a bit different than the ones that the rest had. It was of deep black color, while not a speck of her face was visible. It wasn''t because of the cloak or the hood, as she wore a metallic face mask and not a fabric against her face. Yet still wore the hood, covering and masking the mask itself, which was unnoticeable because of it.


    Hidden behind the shadows, and engraved with all kinds of ornaments, she wore it for a reason. There was one thing that was more noticeable than the rest. It had a wild smile, while no opening was there for eyes. It seemed like a devil''s face or some demon.


    Gordfiend didn''t notice the mask, nor did he know any other helper who Razmund took with him on this journey to Death Valley.


    That, in itself, bothered him, but who knew for what reasons?


    He overshadowed this woman by a couple of heads, as he was fairly tall. He would have to crouch to look at her up close, but he would fall face to the sand first before that would happen. A man must keep his dignity so he stood firmly before her, expecting an answer.


    As he spoke, this petite figure completely ignored him, as if he was the air, or he wasn''t worth any comment.


    ¡°I asked you a question,¡± Gordfiend asked again. ¡°It is polite to answer it when one keeps it in their heads.¡±


    ¡°And I am ignoring your attempts of talking to me, idiot,¡± she said, unbothered, while stopping, since Razmund stopped walking some time ago. ¡°Get it in your head, or is it that tough to get the words into your bald head? Do the words and air of my words bounce off of that? I wonder.¡± she chuckled.


    The group of fewer than 20 people was standing in the storm, while Razmund himself was ignoring everyone being his back. He returned his interest in the surroundings, eying the storms and hoping to catch up on the desired path beyond. They were closing on the middle portion of the Death Valley.


    The dense wind and storm raged around still, so they were a bit off of their course.


    It was giving them a tough time figuring out their location, but something can push them through it. Razmund''s eyes. He didn''t prefer that, but it wasn''t making much difference if he was here, or in the open plains.


    His eyes were open to the storm, as goggles against the sand weren''t something he liked. Blinkless, his Eagle Perception went further than the storm, crossing through the dense sand and wind alike. He knew where he was because of it, but also thanks to his knowledge. He was here for the 3rd time, so he knew what to expect. They weren''t that far.


    His call of duty and desire was closing, yet he wasn''t sure if he should curse his luck, or someone else. He didn''t care, however, how it came to be ~ the Encounter that started suddenly upon a request by a simple village girl.


    The trouble from behind didn''t matter to him, at least. His helpers were small variables anyway. Almost negligible in terms of his part, but as with any Encounter, he can create variables on his own and with them. That was at least suggested by Centralis Kingdom and his master.


    His Path was what mattered to him more and this Encounter was an enormous potential treasure. It was also something of a caliber that he will never see again because of circumstances that went over his head.


    Though, he didn''t care or perhaps didn''t know everything about it. He shouldn''t, he knew.


    Unless he had a death wish, his interest will remain in his head, because gods were involving themselves a bit too much according to Zendurion himself.


    Gordfiend stopped talking, glaring at the woman, whose attitude wasn''t up to his taste.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± She asked again, bothered by his stare. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gordfiend hesitated upon the visible threat in her voice, almost trembling in his wobbly posture. She was obviously filled with killing intent. ¡°You. A woman hiding behind your little black cloak. I asked you a question. Shouldn''t it be polite to answer it?¡± He came up with the same speech that he mentioned when he first spoke out.


    ¡°I am deaf? I am not talking to idiots. Sorry. Not sorry.¡± She said, standing still without any bother about the wind or sandstorms. In fact, she was standing there without a speck of movement, appearing like a sculpture, apart from the dancing cloak around her body. Her whole body remained stiff behind the thick fabric, while her voice turned to a clear cold reach of absolute dread. There was arrogance behind it, and also plenty of confidence that suggested she wouldn''t back down.


    This pissed Gordfiend off so much, that he grabbed the cloak around her neck, and tried to pressure her to clear her face.


    He somewhat succeeded, and a twisted smile of metallic color appeared beyond the cloak. It happened only for a split second in his eyes, but then, his vision blinked next.


    He wasn''t sure what or when that happened, but the next time he regained his vision, he was on the ground: his head was dizzy, his body didn''t listen, and his vision was wobbly. The sand was all over his head and face and seemed to be everywhere around him. The sand was down, up, on his left. Disoriented, and lapping for some stability, he was a depiction of a sorry figure.


    Then, the sky went back beyond his head, and that was when he figured out where he was in a moment of clarity: in a sand dune, lapping around with his hands as if trying to swim away.


    Looking at his previous location, he saw the woman retracting a slim-looking bare hand under her cloak. He figured he was more than 10 meters away from her and collapsed on the ground. His legs didn''t hear his commands or his voice spoke up to his wishes. He began blubbering something noisy while trying to get back on his feet.


    ¡°You reap what you sow, Gordfiend,¡± Paulfred said after he walked beside his side. ¡°That''s what you get while being a hot-blooded idiot but I suppose it is what makes you such a funny companion.¡± he laughed and offered him a hand.


    Begrudgingly, Gordfiend accepted the hand when he calmed down and realized rather interesting factors in his little play. He recognized and saw what that mask meant, yet he didn''t want to acknowledge it all that much. Nah... Maybe he did want to believe what he had seen, but he definitely shouldn''t try his luck for the second time.


    What in the seven hells is an assassin from the Seven Orders do here? Do the damned Zeanor''s bastards dare to step into this play? He thought to himself, sobering up from his previous mood in a mere moment. One would wonder if he was faking it, but it was hard to tell. He got to his feet and will remain silent in the journey.


    Razmund returned to the journey, realizing that his little helpers were over the little misunderstanding that was meant to happen once or twice. That was what happens when nearly 4 groups of different individuals teamed up together.


    As he walked, he kept looking for something.


    The storms were getting quite thick by this point, so that should mean something according to the reports and his own experiences. It wasn''t anything pleasant for anyone present, and even Gordfiend with his strong body, felt it was more savage than he was able to endure. For a prolonged period of time, he won''t be able to remain here without suffering injuries.


    ¡°We are here... I hope.¡± Razmund said, at last, standing before stormy walls.


    ¡°Where are we, exactly?¡± Gordfiend asked, yet his question went over everyone''s heads. No one, apart from 3 people knew the special circumstances of what they had to do, manage, and endure. They may have already pledged their allegiance, but the terms weren''t creating some clarity.


    They held general help with accomplishing the Encounter''s means, which may be many things that only they knew about.


    That was a simple premise that needed no context since Razmund held his own context, while Helpers had their own.


    He will remain on his path, and his Helpers will help him with that.


    Razmund pushed his palm upwards, indicating the rest to wait. Then he walked toward the storms that seemed to be a meatgrinder to anyone weak. His figure disappeared from the sight of his group, fading away into the wild sandstorms. It was oblivious to a single worry within the group.


    Out there in the storm, he was indifferently walking towards the mountain, which was only visible in his static and shimmering vision. Dancing images of death and wild feelings were around, appearing like a temple of death spirits, and a place that was closing on a vision of Hell Havens. It was here, yet wasn''t.


    Razmund wasn''t sure of what to trust, as Hell Havens were a peculiar location void of human interests.


    ¡°Indeed... It is here. The temple is open far and wide so that answers many questions. I am doubtful it would be anyone but my little friend because where else it could hide? This place... Well, I am sure some Extremes or even weaker ones can come here without any issue, but not now when he is watching.¡± Razmund muttered through his dry lips, aware of what went on 100 meters in front of him.


    As he confirmed his guesses, he stopped walking. He sensed a much more powerful dread, threat, and tremor gush out of the ground. Hundreds of figures emerged around the whole perimeter before the temple. As it happened, the storms didn''t disappear like what happened to Murai, but went around them, but not fully. Many remained around, as if obscuring them, or him.


    Razmund visited this place two times, and each was more special than the last. Perhaps this third one was most out of his picture since the path of his past, was not like his present one.


    The rumbling stopped, yet the storms remained.


    Through the rumble of those storms, a thunderous voice echoed, speaking louder than them, followed by hundreds of cluttering bony figures. Thar was hurting the eyes and ears of every individual in a large radius and even Razmund cringed from the pain.


    ¡°Welcome to the Havens! Who wants to die today!? Let it all be the witness of the higher beings!¡±


    ¡°Tsch..¡± Razmund clicked his tongue, unhindered by the pain, as he regained his composure. He noticed right away where the voice was coming from, and he knew who was speaking in this high voice and demeanor. He didn''t like what will happen next, but not as if he chose when he had to walk in a straight line or around.


    Back in the group, still behind the storms, Gordfiend was the first to regain his composure, but that was only because he was most obvious. Who knew who was fine, since they all remained hiding underneath their covers, but they all heard Thar''s voice.


    ¡°What the fuck was that? Havens? Is this really about that temple?¡± Gordfiend shouted, clearly flustered, but not frustrated. No. He was clearly enjoying himself, as he couldn''t help but smile in this ridiculous weather.


    ¡°Calm down you Blood-boiling for now. You will get your change.¡± Paulfred said beside him, also getting the hang of his mind. It appeared that the Helpers or Companions will remain in this position until Razmund will finish the starting procedure which wasn''t part of their own.


    Right, it was the start of what Murai did, but it was vastly different from the way of a beginner ~ The Welcoming Party, that was.


    ¡°Oh? A third-timer? It is rare to see someone who wants to come here for the third time. Mostly, they are pissed from the 2nd attempt, as the difficulty jumps up quite high.¡± A voice said as Razmund continued walking, storms on his left and right, while many undead were standing between or within them.


    He ignored them, as they ignored him on his path. They weren''t his match anyway, so Razmund stopped 10 meters before a skeleton, who was on a massive horse.


    Thar will be his little challenge, but not in the way he hoped for.

 Chapter 100: Finger

    The time that Razmund spent walking was brief, but to him, it felt like a dozen minutes of walking into the depths of Endless Plains. The warring places, full of death and dangers. This Death Valley reawakened certain memories. The kinds he didn''t hate, but didn''t wish to relive. No... He would slaughter the past if he could


    He wasn''t afraid or unfamiliar with the surroundings. Sand and wind were less of an issue here, but unlike the 1st timer, or the 2nd, the 3rd timer had no easy time at all. The environment was part of the challenge, part of the Welcoming Party of the Lavandis Temple down below, and part of what this place offered.


    On his right, there were familiar undead skeletons he fought the last time. A knight with a huge and deadly axe, a mage with orbiting orbs made of Azuripped Gems around it, and a few other mentions.


    A pair of flaming skeletons in particular caught his eyes. They meant trouble before, he reckoned, but now? He felt nothing about them but slaughtering them and getting something out to of their Ends. Opportunities, worthy treasures, or simple experiences would suffice.


    Perhaps he will welcome their wide-open threatening aura with his own? Nah. He knew better than that. There were way too many dangerous threats around him and he didn''t want to care about them all. He didn''t need to. However, one of them was something he needed to pick.


    The biggest, like a craving dark sun in the middle of the Death Sea. An undead monstrosity that was feeling like the Demon Lord. A figure with menace and dread. Eyes glowed under the hood, and skeleton hands grasped the reins of a massive undead version of a highland horse from the Radagan Continent.


    He had seen this pair of Soul Flames once before. At a time as a younger self. A stupid self, he supposed.


    Razmund knew he couldn''t choose his enemies, nor should he feel picky about it. The choice of the Welcoming Party was the desire and part of the Undead King before him. Thar of Laquira. His preceding reputation was something he knew because of his own standing in the Centralis Kingdom, and Thar was a menace in the long history since he was Cursed with the Endless Physique, making him basically immortal.


    ¡°We meet again monstrosity with the name, and it''s unlike the last time, Undead King,¡± Razmund stated, unaware of what this being was supposed here for, but it wasn''t as if he should feel guilty not knowing it. Considering his status as a Blessed, the feeling Thar had around him was like an encompassing world storm before him, but it wasn''t breaking him.


    He saw... tougher things out there. Humans, Divine Beasts, Elves, Prime Hunters, and so on. There were many dreadful races filled with the mind to shake the heavens. Gods were whatever under those categories since they were quite detached from the world of this surface.


    He wasn''t afraid, but perhaps it was a hope to feel that way. Gods were surely a degree higher than anything he should''ve seen, but one thing was to know the might of them with a clear picture or imagination, and other times, know about their might.


    Sometimes, or most of the time, it was impossible to glance at a God in one''s lifetime.


    The last time Razmund came here, he was only a mere level 48 with a brief start on his proper Path. That was a fine time, considering everything that happened, and the timing of this opportunity that counted towards his fate.


    However, Razmund was anything but something obscenely strong to move the rules, laws, and desires of this world.


    Back then, he wasn''t able to do anything to Thar. He only chopped forth with his claymore as usual, taking the mocking words that Thar had back to his mouth. That was a fine wish, which was buried into the sand, dripped with blood and sweat. He deserved the pain, smack to his face, and everything, honestly. He wasn''t surprised nor did he think of that time as something he regretted. He just wanted to see the picture that THar had, and he attacked him out of the blue and for himself.


    Razmund gained the bare notion of a successful Party, and out of spite or acceptance as a fine challenger, Thar accepted his degree, welcoming him to the Levandis Temple for the 2nd time.


    He didn''t like the world back then, yet he had fog in his memories because of it.


    Now, things changed. Razmund was hoping to finally understand how unfathomable Thar was, or if his changes meant something or not. His Path was fine and in line with the age, limits, and threshold of what he should be capable of.


    Clutching his hand beneath his cloak, he still felt the massive tidal force coming from the distance, pushing his body and mind. No. That was a wrong idea, or was it? Thar was not getting close. He was, yet it felt as if he a mountain of dread was right there before him, observing him with the power of a planet. Thar was also above and beyond the horizon, but it was a sense he felt. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It lied to him.


    Or was the aura, mental pressure, or this place itself making fun of him? Pressuring power coming from the distance wasn''t there, and the open temple wasn''t up to his mind, yet. Everything was before him, coming off of Thar''s blinkless eyes like his own.


    A pair of Soul Flames were turning discerning in the storm, while the clapping sound of a horse''s hoof, resounded in the wind. He was coming to him, eying him like prey and moving in a circle through the wind and sandy storm.


    Was Thar taking initiative? An Extreme and a dog before the Lavandis Temple did? That was unlikely, but also possible because of the latter part of who he currently was.


    Razmund frowned, thinking of what he should do.


    Attack, retreat, or remain in place?


    Do nothing?


    Right. Razmund chose nothing but to wait for Thar to start the Welcoming Party or start his own examination.


    Wrong. He wasn''t deserving that. He was the Challenger! Not the other way around.


    This place had its own set of rules, affecting everything and everyone under the rules of Levandis herself. Razmund knew from his own experience to be understanding of Hell Haven, and his knowledge about this place and its context.


    He wasn''t some clueless duck that had little clue of this greater world. It wasn''t because of laughable Life Companion, but because Razmund was part of the Centralis Kingdom, while Murai was nothing other than himself. That was why he was sure that not even a massive threat of Thar should be something that could move past the rules.


    He was a Challenger. Officially speaking, that was. He should be more interested in what was walking through the steps down the Levandis Temple.


    Thar emerged from the sandstorm in the middle of the flat portion of this desert region, coming closer and a handful of reach away from standing Razmund. He was no longer unhindered by any wind, so he circled Razmund in wonder or curious eyes. Thar had no issue with the storm.


    After all, he was already dead so it made sense to care less about some physical issues. No sun or heat will ever bother him. No poison will clasp his lungs, and no water will flood them either. He was a skeleton, so he had full immunity to a lot of ailments and elemental attacks.


    He was towering over the standing Razmund underneath him like a kid watching over a puppy. As an Extreme, he had every right to be like that, yet the time of his freedom was long gone. Now, he was nothing but a pawn in the grand scheme of gods. A chess piece, a failure, a mistake, and a tool, and who knew what else.


    A lot of things could describe him, but only he himself knew of what mattered and what was the truth. A failure meant to devour it up and accept it.


    That was all to it. It was honest and eternal. A second choice will never come. No more.


    ¡°What is it that you come here for Challenger?¡± Thar''s voice shook Razmund to his core, but he clutched his cheeks and jolted his mind to a steady calmness. Not once he was afraid to escape with his gaze. That was already an improvement from the last time.


    ¡°Silent? Upset? A third-timer wants to feel the threat and dread of the Welcoming Party, isn''t that just right and fitting? I wondered, but there are also more figures hiding behind the storm back there.¡± Thar pointed with his finger behind Razmund, knowing what went on behind the scenes. ¡°Are they cowards for not coming forward because they wait for their turn? They may be the limit of what the temple can manage, but that is probably not the reason for this group of questionable individuals to come here. Will you give me some idea of what to make of it? Hm?¡± Thar asked, turning his hand from the front towards his chin. He appeared almost like a philosopher, albeit he was a skeleton.


    Razmund listened in his silent understanding, surprised by the acts of this being before him. Thar was always more silent and indifferent to everything. Like an emperor overseeing his subjects. Like a lofty figure that lost interest in the small tries of those lower than him.


    Years ago, Thar seemed like heaven itself, which befell his sorry mind. It wasn''t right to imagine, let alone try to strike or obliterate the heavens. He did dare, however, and failed miserably.


    ¡°Are... Are you a former Extreme?¡± Razmund asked.


    ¡°He can speak? Good.¡± Thar chuckled. ¡°Former isn''t a steady form of what Extreme is. Nor does it matter now, as I am unimportant in the grand scheme of what you want.¡± he calmly answered.


    ¡°Really? What... What then the senior think I want?¡± Razmund asked, still hiding his face but his blinkless eyes were watching Thar with every second, every tick and threat of his snapping mind. He didn''t want to miss even a single thread of reality and his body was long sweating under the cloak, and overheating in exuberating dense undulations.


    Every fiber of his muscles was ready to go all out, but he waited for a better chance.


    ¡°Want? A desire then? Your interest lies in many things because you can afford that. As a Blessed, it is no wonder you are like that, as it is fitting for them. Anyway, what is it then? I ask again. This isn''t a playground for children nor a place to talk.¡± Thar turned serious and moved his hand back to the reins.


    ¡°Talk? You started it...¡± Razmund mumbled, but it seemed Thar either didn''t catch that or ignored it instead. ¡°I want something clear, easy to say and figure out. Certain something that went to the temple before I got here.¡±


    ¡°Something, or a thing??¡±


    ¡°Thing.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Then are your colleagues part of it?¡± Thar turned his head upwards, glancing behind Razmund as if seeing the rest of the people waiting for the storm to pass.


    ¡°That is right. It goes within the rules, obviously. Or is it a problem for the temple to handle?¡±


    ¡°I don''t decide that. I am just a guarding dog, but it seems the world is still the same. Some things will never change. You know the rules, yet your reasons are as bad as you, coming here. It has been 5 years since you came here upon your successful 2nd try and accomplished 6th Gate. You will die if you aren''t careful, or... it isn''t the 7th or 8th Gate you seek? Well, seeking them is useless in your case. 8th is too much, and even 7th is a stretch. You will never get.... Or do you plan to farm in the 6th? Not as if it is unheard of, but...¡± Thar indifferently said but paused when he realized something.


    ¡°I am not interested in what lays there for me in the temple. I am here for the being that entered the temple.¡± Razmund said through the clutched jaw, telling the truth for once.


    ¡°Isn''t that the same thing? Temple this, temple that. Rules that and this... You know them all too well for a 3rd timer.¡± Thar waved his hand as if in a sight. ¡°But I accept the circumstances because I have no choice. Shall we start with a course for the Welcoming Party? Oh, wait, parties, if we have so many of you coming. This is going to be fun. Not for me... Hehehe.¡± Thar laughed and his voice turned to a sinister grinding chuckle of death itself.


    The Undead Army around this perimeter did so as well, and the aura of the surroundings turned to an absolute animosity. The air thickened, and storms seemed to be the least of a problem. The undead were like the wildest storms, cluttering their bones and some even stomped with their feet against the sand.


    Though, none moved. They waited for Razmund to decide on something, it seemed, or they waited for Thar?


    Razmund did wait, and not because he wanted to, but because he had to do that.


    ¡°This time... I will get your direct approval and not some excuse to let me go inside!¡± Razmund shouted and shoved part of the cloak away from his body, revealing the left side of his body. A shiny plated armor was hiding beneath the cloak, as well as a thicker-than-average pouch was around his left hip.


    A longer hilt of a sword was visibly sticking from it, ready to be grasped and drawn. The handle was a smooth and old-looking steal of dark color, resembling a dark alloy, or void meteorite with dark-infused elements. Around it was some older-looking leather of tattered quality. Everything was of equal dark color as the metal itself.


    Grabbing it as fast as he shoved his cloak open, Razmund swung it upward, revealing a lengthy sword of quite some size in one singular movement.


    It was a wonder how he managed that, considering how this blade even hid in a pouch, but the reason was simple. It was a basic spatial pouch for a single item, or more, depending on the grade and quality of the spatial pouch.


    A lot of adventurers or anyone in need of storage used such things to travel better and use the advantages of space equipment to travel at ease. It was an old method of storing valuables in clear and forged means. But it wasn''t without its disadvantages. One had no equipment within one''s direct grasp when danger arrived. One''s readiness to get equipment ready was quite important because of it.


    When standing between life and death, wearing or wielding the equipment mattered more than having it inside a pouch. However, it wasn''t the case for Razmund, who only took a second to shove a long sword of quite some aura forward.


    It was as if he indeed had the blade on his hip, but the blade was too long to be secured on the waist. Perhaps it would be difficult for it to be in the back. It was that long, but Razmund wielded it onehanded as if he were a child wielding a short dagger. In his case, the sword was even taller than his own height.


    Razmund''s eyes were set ablaze, and a pure killing intent and readiness to fight was seeping out of his stance. Sword''s aura focused around him, ready to cut, yet he still wore the mask around his nose. A grin was obvious to notice on his face because of the contorted skin around his unblinking eyes. It was a sight of a madman, a battlejunkie, and someone who wasn''t afraid to do something stupid.


    Thar was never someone to judge others. He had no right to do so.


    ¡°Oh? A claymore? A rather good and rare weapon to see indeed.¡± Thar jokingly said, playing with the reins with his fingers to move his horse around.


    As crazed as he was, Razmund didn''t care for the feelings or words that Thar spoke. He knew he should be an endurable opponent against Thar unless things would get outside of the rules or his own common sense.


    He also held at least a certainty, that 9 in 10 undead around Thar shouldn''t pose too much trouble for him. Killing them with a few blows or some special tactics could do the job, but what about the last ones, right around the end of this promenade of the Undead Army? Auras of strength rose through the air, while Thar was the toughest, it wasn''t as if there weren''t other powerhouses.


    They weren''t like Thar, of course. Having too many Extremes in one place was insensible, even to a leader of Hell Haven.


    Razmund wasn''t fearful, but he would lie if his excitement and killing intent weren''t there to hide some doubts. That''s how strong he was! Standing before the whole Welcoming Party in the vision of a Thar? Who else would do that? He had no doubts that only crazed beings, while the last Party was anything like this.


    He remembered it like yesterday. Razmund battled until he spitted blood, and even then, he was unable to lay a finger on Thar. It wasn''t because he had to do that, but because he wanted that. Desire was truly a man''s demise.


    ¡°Your goal is as insignificant as your attempts to try my little ploys.¡± Thar suddenly said with a mocking tone aimed at Razmund''s stance. His claymore was one thing, but learning to use it was another.


    This infuriated him, so he jumped up as if he were a tidal force to move the mountain. He wanted to confront Thar face to face, wielding his weapon right, and mind in the same pattern. Claymore in his right hand was right behind him, ready to cleave in a wide slash. Then, he used the second hand, to clutch the handle, using the momentum and twist of his hips to swing it as fast as he could.


    Claymore twisted the space, while no speck of mana, or surge of otherworldy power was behind it. It was pure, physical prowess since it was something Razmund did in the previous Parties as well.


    No pain no gain.


    That was one aspect of his Path, but it wasn''t a lone rule of it.


    Razmund was a step away from striking Thar with his claymore, yet the blade stopped as quickly as he became close. He was caught. No... The claymore stopped between a pair of bony fingers, and the full force behind this slash traveled forth, dispersing through the bones, as if nothing happened.


    ¡°Undead... fuck.¡± Razmund cursed and watched as his unstabilized position was seen through by Thar. It was like an open invitation because jumping wasn''t a good idea, which he realized in a mere moment that he coughed with his unblinking eyes.


    Thar flickered the other hand upwards as if pinching Razmund toward his chest with a single finger. An exploding sound echoed through the Dead Valley, and the sheer force of this strike destroyed the sandstorms almost 2 hundred meters around him. Similarly to them Razmund was nowhere close to the Undead Army, nor Thar. He traveled hundreds of meters far, rolling on the ground without stopping.


    Perhaps thanks to the cloak, that was tattered from the strike, he wasn''t as hurt as he looked. Or it may be the armor hiding beneath the cloak that helped with some damage reduction. No... He felt like shit, and every inch of his body felt as if hit by a mountain.


    His chest especially was too damaged, and his cloak tore through his rolling through the sand. He felt the pain and blood in his chest, and surging blood flew in an unsteady pattern in his veins. This single finger would kill a lot of weaklings, and even his past self wouldn''t fare that well.


    What the fuck was that? he thought to himself, but as he traveled and rolled through the ground without the ability to stop, his companions came to his help. Paulfred and Waldorf caught his body, forcing their own size to cease his momentum. They stabilized his flying speed until he stopped.


    The force necessary for that was quite something, and both of them were surprised by the damage Razmund had on his chest. The whole part of the cloak that was on his chest was showing cracked armor and one small dent on his plated armor which pushed down toward his skin and flesh.


    ¡°Y-you good?¡± Waldorf asked, unsure if he should ask, but he asked anyway.


    ¡°Bloody hell, has the heavens befell me after all?¡± Razmund cursed and forced himself to stand up. He almost shoved both of them away.


    ¡°You jest, master. It''s too soon for that.¡± Paulfred stated as he helped him back to his feet, or tried to.


    Razmund staggered, yet remained firm. He clutched his chest and spit some blood from his mouth. Circulating the mana and blood in his body took a mere moment, similar to accessing his own health. He regained the healthy color in a couple of seconds, yet the damage was already done.


    ¡°He cracked my armor and even ribs with a single finger. What a monster... I have too high of a standard... or too low of estimations. What have I thought 5 years ago?¡± Razmund asked out loud.


    ¡°You were a hot-blooded shot back then. It was no wonder.¡± Paulfred stated, unaware of the deep unhappiness that Razmund had.


    There was so much of it, that Razmund picked Paulfred by his chin, and smashed him to the ground. He didn''t use a lot of strength, nor the sand was that tough. It did some damage, but a different kind of storm was brewing in his heart.


    No.


    It was more precise to call it a disaster.


    ¡°S-sir?¡± Waldorf mumbled, afraid that Razmund would do something to him too.


    ¡°I am so damned pissed,¡± Razmund grunted the words of anger, his face contorting and veins popping through the visible skin. With the storm starting, he tore the rest of the cloak apart with his bare hands and cared less about anything else.


    The sandstorms ceased away, the moment Thar struck his body, revealing the whole picture of the temple, along with hundreds of undead before the temple.


    Razmund saw it without blinking, thinking that the Party was just starting.


    Finding his claymore, which stumbled somewhere when he flew through the sand, he was livid that he lost touch with it. It was there, half sunken into the sand as if life lost its meaning.


    Razmund wasn''t done with shedding the useless mess around his body. With already half-destroyed armor, the cloak was barely something inconvenient. But the chest armor that was already cracked? It was eating him from the inside out, so he pushed the claymore to the ground once again before opening his fist wide before his body. While trembling and taking a breath, he struck himself and the armor screeched. As if clenching the nuts, he pushed his fingers towards his chest, tearing through the armor like an old shirt.


    What was left was still considered armor but without a chest piece. He still held some neck parts, but he tore them as well because it was useless like the chest piece. All the way to his hips was nothing. The only armor he held was around the arm, while the legs were fine as well.


    Baring his tight and defined chest, a small wound was visible at the front, right between the ribs, and quite close to the heart. But it was nothing much for him. The strike wasn''t that deep to affect the bones. It was a mere scratch, he believed. Wrong. He wasn''t even thinking about it. He felt fine, but his pride wasn''t fine.


    He thought he fought a tougher opponent than ever before, yet some measly toy of Hell Havens kicked his ass this easily? With a finger, no less?


    It was coming from an Extreme, so why should he be that upset? That sort of question surely spread among the rest of his helpers, but no one voiced it. Not even Gordfiend.


    His ego spoke and lived dearly for his life. No wonder he was so pissed. He destroyed his favorite armor without a speck of hesitation.

 Chapter 101: Razmund VS Thar

    Down on the sand, there were many pieces of cracked, and forcefully torn metallic plates. Some were thick, and others weren''t even shattered but bent or torn out of the bigger pieces.


    Razmund wasn''t that gentle with useless things, which didn''t work up to his standards. They seemed like nothing special but some scraps of utter nonsense and useless metal. They were part of a Grade S Equipment Set of level 62 made of heavy manaforged alloys. They were quite valuable, but they weren''t for someone like Thar to hit them.


    Looking towards the source of everything, Razmund wasn''t happy or afraid. He briefly glanced down to the ground but changed his mind as fast as smacking Paulfred to the ground. His eyes glared far, arriving 200 meters away into the large area full of undead. They waited, as he saw it. Thar did too.


    Shaking in anger, even his mouth quivered and his hands trembled. Razmund didn''t smile this time around, nor this was part of the original excitement and hope. It was an ashen realization that reality hit him. It wasn''t pleasing him, but it indeed reached under his skin and shattered something dear to his heart.


    The mere notion of the Encounter vanished from his mind, as something personal spread in his head instead.


    This fight became personal with this little exchange, turning this into a play of ego and desires. He won''t live this mistake down and will do his damned best to latch onto his claymore all so better.


    Now that he felt he had the power necessary to walk hand-to-hand with the powers close to the nations, it was fine to be ruthless. It was a matter of perspective, but he was of quite some power, albeit not within the same threshold as Tier A or B powers, let alone Extremes. A voice to change things around at such a level wasn''t for his level 65 to do.


    Not yet, he figured and understood.


    Razmund was still in a similar range of power when he met Murai for the first time. Nothing much can change in a week unless one endures hardships and goes through rather hard Battleworld endeavors. Dungeons were the most common means to reshape and change one''s powers.


    Some could take a couple dozen minutes until completion, to hours or days till the end. It depended on the difficulty and their level or origin. There were some harsh and extremely difficult dungeons. The harshest of circumstances in them would take months or years to solve, but those were rather rare to meet, and even harder to complete.


    For Razmund to have level 65 was already splendid enough, considering his age was less than 30. He was a human, and he was no beast, nor someone with a weird bloodline or powerful physique.


    Feeling the raging blood in his veins, and the pressure of the undead before him, he felt challenged. Unsightly was merely his face, but rising tides of mana spread inside his core, filling him with power until it leaked out of his skin. Yet his face hid a notion of fury and deep resolution to get serious or regret trying.


    200 meters away, below the massive mountain filled with sand and many hills and stone blocks. An ancient temple stood there for a long time, albeit it was hidden for the majority of the time. Outside wasn''t that important at the moment, as the mountain was mere upfront, or a simple callback to let it be a place off limits to Men.


    The temple was visible for all eyes to see, standing in the same spot as it was found more than 3 dozen millennia ago, but buried in the sand. In a different manner, context, and state, of course, but with the notion of power that prevailed through the years. That sort of feeling never disappeared from this place, even though the previous god lost its way.


    It had a new owner now and new rules to go along with its new purpose and standing in this new world.


    Right.


    This was the Battleworld and Razmund felt included to follow its principles to the core and taste Thar''s power.


    It was obvious now. No other undead came his way. Only Thar had some interest, and the difficulty spike applied to the Welcoming Party too.


    The rest of his group was within the range of the destroyed storms, not far from the standing Razmund. Thar allowed them all to see the impressive state and clarity of the Levandis Temple, or perhaps it was a mishap to see his might and Undead Army?


    Only he knew if he desired to test Razmund, or if that single finger meant something else. Lika a shush? A pressing finger to one''s mouth to cease the nonsense away? That may be that.


    Gordfiend and the rest all saw the mountain, as well as the unholy amount of undead standing right before the temple. Even though they were 200 meters away, it sent chills down their spines.


    Gordfiend was the first to speak, feeling not that confident at this sight. ¡°Holy mother winky shit! I saw only the picture of this mess, and heard stories! Has Death already formed a Welcoming Party? What the hell we are waiting for?¡± he mumbled in agitation, turning around to face his men. ¡°Brothers! Let''s welcome them as well. Uaaargh!¡± He let out a war cry, and soon enough, the rest of his man followed with a roar as well.


    With him included, there were 10 of them, and they formed a Fury Group. The 9 of his brothers let their cloaks away since the storm was gone, revealing a bare chest, and a distinct, yet similar appearance to Gordfiend. It was clear none of them were his brothers, yet all of them had the same appearance. Bald head, mustache under the nose, and bulging muscles. It was a strange sight, but their strangeness was like their leader''s.


    That was one of the reasons they were here.


    ¡°Not yet, you bunch of lunatics.¡± said the mask-covered woman as they almost charged to the combat and messed things up that much more. They shouldn''t force the party up yet. It was improper and only one should start it all. It seemed she knew the plans that Razmund had for them and Gordfiend didn''t.


    As if afraid, but more so than that, hesitating because of her, Gordfiend stopped and pulled a hand to the air, indicating a stoppage. He stopped so suddenly that some of his brothers bumped into him, yet he remained firm on his feet as if nothing would force him to the ground again.


    ¡°What is the point of this? Is it not a time for a Welcoming Party? A polite action is to welcome the welcomed. You haven''t learned such manners, I bet. It is only polite, but nobody seems to be aware of common sense. How disappointing! I was told I could go wild!¡± he reasoned with an unyielding tone, oblivious to his lack of skill in reading the atmosphere.


    In fact, he was widely grinning, while his muscles were sweating profusely. Veins and muscles were already twisting apart on his robust body as if each thread of muscles was trying to overcome the other. He was already ready to burn and forge his path forward.


    ¡°Shut up.¡± the woman said again, sighing as if she gave up on him a long time ago. Though, she at least had the power to point her finger forward, pointing at Razmund who started walking forward in his new appearance. ¡°It is only proper for the leading force to decide what he wants to do and create. He is the chosen one for this. Don''t forget it, " she said, still not discarding her cloak, hood, or her mask.


    This, or her words made Gordfiend unhappy, but he couldn''t help to agree and not make some mistakes that he would later regret.


    After all, he battled Razmund before, and a lingering strike from this woman was due to some respect. It went hand in hand with Razmund, whose beatings were very honest, and every time he fought him, he almost never recognized himself afterward. Gordfiend wasn''t willing to piss that man for sure, and the same was going with this woman.


    In fact, one of them was more terrifying than the other, but voicing it out loud wasn''t a good idea. Not now.


    Shuddering his arms down, disappointment was apparent on his face, yet his body remained heated up under the undeniable Will to keep going forward. But he agreed on Razmund''s time first, so he will remain waiting for his chance.


    Observing Razmund will at least become a fine time to spend his time, and it won''t be boring. From his point of view, he looked at how Razmund was holding the claymore in one hand, letting the tip creak through the sand as he walked in a straight line forward.


    Where and what for?


    That question entered his mind, as Razmund''s walk ended before the strongest-looking undead in the group of hundreds. There was a wide-open path for him to walk through, which ended before a massive undead on top of a large horse. It wasn''t clear to him what, or who was stronger. In fact, it was hard to feel the difference between who was the strongest undead from such a large distance.


    Since Thar was so far from them, pressure rising from the cluttering bones and hundreds of undead, was an encompassing storm of unnatural feelings. It wasn''t even mana which was the craziest. Their mere presence was enough to create some doubts and fear and it was pushing to them like one large entity.


    Someone unfamiliar with it wouldn''t be as clear about Thar and his strength at all, but Gordfiend wasn''t an idiot, even though he seemed like one. He felt the pressure and power he couldn''t fathom with his head, but he sure could feel it with his body.


    Sweat spread around his skin and muscles, and a tingling feeling spread over his body hair. It was a strange analogy, but it was as if every fiber in his body was jolted up, ready to brawl or hoping to escape and survive at all costs. It was a form of self-preservation. An instinct. Gordfiend slammed his chest with his fist and then slapped and fist-punched his cheek. He wasn''t upset but hopeful to see things clearly, and he grinned afterward.


    All of it wasn''t because of him, but for something better that will be waiting for him.


    As the group returned to being the spectators once more, Razmund was grasping his claymore with utter calmness, as if he was taking a stroll through a field of roses. It was the exact opposite of that, but once again, he didn''t see the difference in either. Without his cloak, Razmund had nothing to obscure his face or movements.


    He was also barechested, showing dozens of contorted scars made from all kinds of weapons within many muscles. Some were cuts, others bruisers or puncture wounds. Some even traveled all the way around his back. Yet even through that, he held a beautiful, and surprisingly thin-looking body beneath that clutter from before. All of that armor was quite thick, yet it was what armor was for. Without it, he was visibly thinner and with a lean physique of a swordsman.


    Still, he wore the remaining armor pieces, since they weren''t in pieces or baring to his body. He didn''t destroy them before. Arms pieces and even gauntlets remained, which had openings for fingers. His bottom pieces gave him some vigilance of a knight~in this case, a Falconer kind of pride, but it wasn''t as if it was important to him. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It wasn''t even 4th or 5th most important thing for him, similar to his armor.


    For the most part, his claymore was more than enough for his needs. Far from anything else, or anyone. It was almost undeserving if he would ever utter an honesty.


    However, the lack of the thicker armor didn''t mean he was small, or big. The muscles in his chest had the right proportions to his head, not making him too tall, sizable, or thick. Nothing was out of place or proportions and he seemed well-versed in proper body training. His physique must be better than average.


    A body suitable for the swordsmanship of his unique Path was all he needed, yet it still lacked some aspects and was yet to be perfect. He had a clearly defined 6-pack, a thin waist, and a chest that was round, and firm as unrip apple. It wasn''t yet up to his standards, even though it seemed strong and well-developed.


    Apart from that, another notable part was his arms and his biceps, which were quite large and well outside of the rest of his proportions, yet hidden behind the armor. They were bigger because of his unique swordsmanship, and his main weapon.


    As for the forearms, they were hiding under the gauntlets, but they shouldn''t be all that much thinner. His shoulders weren''t the widest part of his arms, giving him some slimmer and tighter flexibility for his swordsmanship. After all, he wasn''t some brawler, nor did he need a build like a bear.


    He needed flexibility, which provided his well-built back. It seemed there was a demon sculpted from the shoulder blades, trapezius muscles, and his back in general. It was something akin to the layered face in a vision of a ferocious demonic enemy.


    Soon, he ended 10 meters before Thar again, while it seemed that the rest of the undead made more space between them. None were around 15 meters around, making some space for himself and Thar.


    Thar stood like a true king, observing the incoming challenger on his lofty throne. ¡°You took my single finger rather easily. I wanted to break your loose armor completely, so I speculate it is better than I guessed.¡± Thar said, his voice resounding throughout the surroundings. Skeletons remained standing around, clustering their bones as if they desired to charge forward as Gordfiend tried.


    Even the group that remained 200 meters away viewed things in rare silence. They won''t do a thing, because this entire situation was what Razmund wanted and deserved. He will eat up his fill, and none shall question or stop it.


    All according to a Centralis plan, one would think.


    Wrong. Razmund changed some of those small plans they had, because of his private issue.


    It was a rather insensible matter, Central Church would say, but there was no religion, or rules to shackle him. This was his Encoutner, filling his ego and desire with ridicule and amassing knowledge of his Path which desired this Encounter.


    Razmund had only one shackle. Encounter and his own heart. That was two, or one thing in fact. Sometimes, he didn''t see any difference in either, so he didn''t consider it as two different things. It was the same with many desires one could have.


    Most of his group was full of capable individuals, apart from indirect ones, such as Gordfiend''s little toys.


    They were more than capable of venturing toward the temple, but it was another question in what way? Razmund had his own plans, yet what went on in the many gates below the surface may be more than worse for them.


    Out of the group of fever than 20 people, only Razmund and someone else were there twice. Paulfred, Waldorf, and masked women had their time there, but that was only for the first-timers. Their 2nd Time will await.


    Every start was simpler than any following tries. It was a common fact in many dungeons unless they would have fixed points.


    Alas, what may be a limit in the eyes of the extraordinary, Blessed viewed this temple as nothing but a challenge in a similar way to the Origin Dungeons on the 5 continents. Considering the hundreds of sub-dungeons and other kinds of various places across the lands, one couldn''t fathom them all. Viewing them even in a nice light was a rarity and vanquishing at least 10% of them was already a feat of one''s life.


    For once, this Levandis Temple will have some interesting Rules that were quite fitting for Razmund''s tastes and it was too perfect to not exploit them. Though he wasn''t the one who came up with it, it didn''t bother him.


    Everything went for the desires and reasons for the Encounter, while some other figures will plow through this Encoutner, exploiting its worth and interest for their own benefits. Razmund will be a part of their hopes.


    He indifferently kept his silence and didn''t answer Thar''s question about his armor. He kept staring at him, while Thar returned to his curiosity and silent wonder but it didn''t last long.


    ¡°Tell me, what sort of armor was that, will you?¡± Thar said, and if one would say he was smiling, one would be an idiot. It was either a devilish grin, a casual smile, or both. ¡°I am dying to know it... You know?¡± The last part had some mockery, so was he joking?


    Razmund wasn''t one to laugh, so he kept some space between him and Thar, hoping to get some clear idea on an opening act.


    ¡°Armor doesn''t matter,¡± Razmund answered at last, stalling for time. ¡°My body is much stronger than some measly armor that can obscure one''s body. It is fit with blood, sweat, and tears of ages and countless trials, errors, and training, yet it seems some don''t need to do that.¡±


    ¡°Was that a joke at my little poor living?¡± Thar said and seemed a bit offended so he through of a counter. ¡°Then why have the armor to begin with? Is that sensible? Humans are really stupid, I must say.¡± he joked, and soon enough, Razmund was there once again ready to strike.


    Blinkless and strained like a bowstring ready to discharge, he was in the range of Thar''s bones with his claymore.


    Claymore was a long weapon, and for a single-bladed sword, it held a tremendous range.


    Alas, it needed skill and efficiency to use it to one''s advantage. Its range was enormous in proper hand and it was hard to master. Razmund knew it and didn''t need a lot of room to get some opportunity to strike. All he needed was a bit of a range, timing, and desire to strike.


    ¡°You are wasting time here with all this slow walking. Don''t you think you want to the temple as fast as you can? Time is ticking.¡± Thar asked as he watched his body change.


    ¡°Silent! I know my foe, but the foe can''t know me. It is my advantage, while this is just a brief path I have chosen. You, Undead King, are a stepping stone toward that desire. That is all to it.¡± Razmund said as he grasped the handle of his claymore with both palms and placed it beyond his head vertically.


    Like this, the whole claymore''s body and edge were closing on Thar''s height even with the horse included. It was facing him like an axe to chop his head off. For this sort of stance to be that high, even though he was on his mount, Thar found it quite interesting.


    ¡°Oho? You are stoppin'' with the physical strength alone? You aren''t as stupid as I feared.¡± Thar commented, yet Razmund wasn''t a chatty person if he didn''t want to talk or stall.


    He reforged his promise to himself, yet forgiving himself for his inability was a tough decision. He was angry at himself for not going all out before, and no one else should say otherwise.


    That was right.


    He didn''t go all to in his first move.


    Razmund exploded his Mana Core this time around, which was under his Path and Shaping. He wasn''t a mage, but a kind of knight with some magical properties. He was at no peak of ordinary knighthood, and his strength was undeniable. His Path was under the Pathway of Magic and Sword.


    He held utmost care in his mind toward this duality, and it wasn''t rare for a sword to handle the magic.


    The fact that he survived a strike from Thar with minor injuries spoke for that itself. He was an absolute tank.


    Now, it was time to see if he could even do something to Thar with the proper attitude and not some underwhelming tactics like using physical strength alone. It was foolish, and he only paid with his armor alone, which was a cheap price for stupidity.


    He was similar to the many kinds of Magic Knights but not really in the grand scheme of context. It would be too generic for him, so he had something better¡ªsomething specific with sword and mana combined together.


    He was no Berserker from the Radagan who wielded both mana and sword as one, with a major part of physique playing a large role. Nor was he a Fencer from Zeanor, who would focus on a sword with a small addition to magic.


    One couldn''t perceive all of the possible sword Paths from many layers of continents, or even from more distances. Many Blessed took their paths from the past life, which they may use or not. In this way, a whole lot of techniques moved to this world in this way, and countless times, they were incorporated into many Paths.


    Razmud wasn''t far from having the most careful Path one would ask for, but he did succeed in finding a passable one.


    His Path was that of the claymore but with a simple way of name to make it shine. Path of the Sword Sage was the official name of his Path swordsmanship. He got it after an exuberating amount of effort and torturous training by his master. Getting it was the tougher part. It involved a certain vanquished hidden dungeon. The kind that few knew about, and even fewer accomplished it, as it was Remnant Dungeon. An ancient kind of place, among the Origin ones.


    Razmund had this Path for less than 10 years, and his current stage was that of a Sword Mage of Class C. 2nd one out of an unknown number of Classes within that Path, but he was fine with what he had. It was already better than what any generic Sword Paths can provide.


    He was yet to be comfortable with leaping to the 3rd Stage called Sword Saint, since it required confidence and powers beyond level 70. There was a need for time, improved mana, physique, and swordsmanship. For now, the Sword Mage was enough because it was a unique type of Path, combining magic and weapon, along with the body.


    There was nothing else cluttering one''s mind. Just one''s body, sword, and enchanting either of them with magic.


    That was a simple premise.


    Using magic, Conjuring and Shaping was up to his alley, but not in a way one would expect from a regular mage. He wasn''t one. He was a Sword Mage. Razmund''s largest advantage was his status of a Blessed. He and many others like him had one of the strongest connections to the world that one could ask for.


    A fate and talent, one would say, but it also put forth large demands, reasons, and desires from the gods.


    Razmund knew his pros and cons, but using them to fuck with his ego was one thing. The one was doing what he should, and shouldn''t do.


    This was precisely the kind of situation where he had to force himself up and swallow his anger. He will make due power moves.


    One Sword.


    That was a major technique under the Path of a Sword Sage. It relied on the special circumstances that could come naturally, or by force. It was a state of mana and the sword, combing both together under a seeming resonance and care. It will also give birth to an unfathomable amount of might, as one''s entire body would become a sword or channel for mana. It required the user to use a single type of sword for the entire duration of following this Path.


    That was a tough requirement, but as with many things among the many Paths, there were advantages and disadvantages.


    On his claymore''s surface, a distinct glamor was emerging from Razmund''s hands, while his body was no different. His mana surged like mindless waves out of his body, flowing toward his sword. It was like a layer of silk at first, and thanks to the clear sky above him, it was glamorous in the sunlight. It was thin and almost unrecognizable from the sunlight.


    It was Razmund''s mana of rich properties. It had high-quality Sharpness Affinity, enveloping and submerging his claymore with an increasing number of layered waves under his One Sword technique. It was gentle like a breeze of wind, and then, it began turning faster and faster, revolving into storming waves in the middle of the oceanic tornado.


    And it wasn''t stopping until mana reached a certain threshold, turning from a silky glow of azure whiteness to a mixture of azure and red.


    ¡°Blood is a neverending abyss. The body is a Temple. Abyss can face anything, and anything can face everything. One Sword Technique - 1st Dance - Cleaving the Earth into Two¡± Razmund let out no cry or emotions and recited sentences from the parts of the Sword Sage chapters.


    It was a simple and calm tone he spoke, and instead of shouting like a madman, he rather let the sword itself scream.


    By now, the claymore was like a raging tornado, with spiked mana fluctuations engulfing the whole claymore by turning it longer and thicker. From the thin yet long claymore became a large mass of swirling mana. It was in itself not as thick, but because of its length, it looked heavy and large.


    Claymore was a very straightforward sword, with a straight body and a double-edged type of blade. A sharp tip at the end was good for stabbing, but it wasn''t an ideal sword for that, because of the length of the blade which was, in Razmund''s case, 140 centimeters long. Add to that the not-so-tiny handle, it was as large as his height.


    Yet, the use of One Sword made the claymore many times more flexible, and as strong as a chopping axe, or other types of stronger weapons. There was Odachi, a two-handed type of curved blade known to cleave bison and many humans in half with a simple swipe. The peak of that swordsmanship could do that very easily, of course.


    One can''t simply hand someone a treasured sword and swing it and win. It never worked like that.


    Without a doubt, there were a lot of types of swords, yet Razmund had a claymore. A rather unpopular type of sword with certain clunkiness and not much standing at the present age. It was a massive straight sword, with fewer redeeming qualities than others. That would tell any ordinary blacksmith, yet in terms of uniqueness and this world, sometimes the weird things didn''t matter.


    It may have less flexibility than some curved blades or simple straight swords, but anything could turn right in the right hands of unique Paths.


    Razmund had no doubts about that, but if there was a mistake, one should overcome it or fix it.


    How?


    The sword was only a dense and crafted metal. It was never a Path by itself. It needed a good wielder to achieve some purpose, and that was that fix for everything. Every problem will have some way to fix it and it wasn''t up to the sword to decide that.


    The question was, what Razmund can do with his claymore? It was a storm above his head, yet what was the edge and not?


    Could mana cut through the secular world, and reach the physicality as strong as metal could?


    Of course. Murai was doing so since he restarted his re-familiarity with his own mana.


    The use of Mana Blade was a bit similar to what was Razmund doing right now, but instead of imagining and using mana alone, he was using a catalyst for channeling the mana. This was how most conventional mages would describe it.


    It was a popular and most sough-out method of enhancing and improving the use of swords, or anything in Pahtway of Magic. Of course, when one had mana and talent, or if a sword could actually take the mana with its structure, it could differ. A weakly forged blade would crack and shatter under this sort of power of one''s mana, and if a sword-bearing soldier wasn''t familiar with it, it will have mild effects.


    Razmund was using a real sword, while Murai was creating one with mana alone.


    Both of them had their specialties, but to tell which was stronger, it became very subjective and dependable on many factors.


    Thar looked at Razmund before him with little of no interest. The strength of the claymore and what went above him was what was interesting, and this little challenger was something he expected to bite back. He remembered him from his two meetings already. Last time, he was merely a powerful Blessed at the starting point of his Path. The first time wasn''t worth mentioning since he wasn''t even an adult.


    Now, he seemed like a man of conviction and will to shake things up.


    Thar was thinking of his own reflection on those times, and he couldn''t help but question the land of the living. It was too long... since he saw it. He wasted and tossed that sort of living away. It was too long ago since he was standing amongst the living, but it will never happen again, since he sinned, and deserved what the heavens got him.


    So, Thar let go of the reins and opened his arms wide like a true messiah before facing the heavens.


    Without any word, he put forth a clear message. ¡°Come and try me! I will bore your sword.¡±


    Razmund''s unblinking eyes met Thar''s Soul Flames. He wasn''t afraid, as he was reliant and confident in his own ability, but he knew the limits. This was just a test. There was no way he could cut or damage Thar''s origin at all.


    So, he let go of the shackles and decisive thoughts alike. Swinging the blade after taking a wide step forward while swaying his back, he arranged every fiber of his muscles like a tensed-up bowstring. It also seemed the mana and the sword itself curved into an arc, similar to Razmunds'' back. He wasn''t overly fast in this move, but it wasn''t slow either.


    By now, the claymore was almost 4 meters tall with all of the swirling mana that was ascending upwards. Then, Razmund swung it at Thar, turning this whole wavy storm of sharp lines forward. They were before the true edge of his claymore, which was behind. Everything went forward, cutting and trying to feel Thar''s body, who felt the mana enough and turned his bony right hand forward, pointing at the real claymore with a single finger.


    Thar didn''t even sway on his mount when this tidal wave hit him. Yet, the power of this One Sword + 1st Dance, kept going, striking forward with everything it had. Razmund even stomped on the ground, jumping upwards to add some weight to this move.


    That was enough for Thar to struggle with one finger, so he put forth another one, which ended up losing too. So he used the 3rd and then the 4 to stabilize the situation.


    He was yet to put forth the thumb, which was the strongest of the fingers, yet it was already enough. Thar sneered inside and looked at Razmund who was in midair, clutching the claymore not so far away from his face in the desire to kill. He was looking like a demon, eyes twisted, muscles tensed up, while the crimson mana added him some edge.


    He was eyeing every power, hope, and desire to test himself. There were no second thoughts, or the temple in there.


    It was worth the praise and interest. it was very honest too.


    There was no pain in them either, when he noticed that not even this all-out attack wasn''t enough to force Thar to use a full hand. All it took was 4 fingers to stop his 1st Dance, while no amount of mana, sharpness, or combination of sword, mana, and body did a thing.


    Though, Razmund wasn''t giving up, and kept sending forth his strength. Since he already started, he will seek through the end of this failure and use every fiber of his mana and strength.


    ¡°Unfathomable Sharpness. Your mana is decent too, for a made-up knight with... some Sage feeling to him? That is rare... You must have a Remnant Mark, and your mana went through the first Awakening. Impressive.¡± Thar stated, unbothered by the raging currents of the mana that couldn''t possibly damage his bones, but it did bombard his chest, cloak, and face too.


    This was too large of a strike, but the strongest point of this attack didn''t move past the 4 fingers. His already tattered cloak became more tattered. It wasn''t a big deal. It revealed more of his body, which was made of thick and dull-looking bones.


    With the move basically over, Thar placed another hand forward and did one thing Razmund didn''t expect, or to be precise, what he feared.


    Thar made a thumbs up.


    ¡°Good job. You pass.¡±

 Chapter 102: Gate of Suffering

    Razmund barely saw what went behind his action and mana, but it was clear as the sky above his face that Thar was making a joke out of him. He gritted his teeth for god knows why, he pushed his claymore that much harder, but all he did was move nothing.


    Thar held his attack with 4 fingers stretched, like a palm before a child''s hand who was trying to slap an adult.


    And that thumb-up wasn''t looking pleasing either, even though it was casual action without any sense of pride or agitation.


    It was as if he told a simple rule, and he shouldn''t be questioned why or to whom he spoke to. It was a simple acknowledgment that Thar was required to give, and he gave it with some worth.


    Yet a worth that Razmund didn''t appreciate.


    ¡°Don''t fuck with me!¡± Razmund shouted and poured much more mana into his swirling storm of a claymore. He became unhinged, angry, and livid, uncaring about his limits but angry at that single finger. He at least wanted to get rid of the single hand. That should give him plenty of pride since it would be an Extreme side of defense.


    He tried his best efficiency, but because he was lacking proper momentum and a firm spot, his One Sword pushing to the 4 fingers wasn''t enough. Adding to that Thar and his unyielding power of an Extreme that was throughout his undead body, Razmund was out of the contest long before he realized it.


    Thar knew it himself, and his eyes shuddered and his body winced forward in some odd irritation.


    Seeing Razmund''s agitated face and hearing his words was a reminder that he went a bit gentle on this damned human. Thar wasn''t too happy to hear that. He already announced his acknowledgment, and he didn''t like to be questioned in his own job.


    He had no choice but to spank the bad child, who thought was much stronger than he thought. It went along with the Ego and Will, making Razmund a fine Blessed, which wasn''t faulty, nor something he should criticize. It wasn''t rare to find any egocentric individuals among them at all. Thar knew this, yet expected something else from such a Blessed, yet he found annoyance instead.


    Holding off Razmund''s momentum and power was like halting a child from punching him, so he raised his free hand up. A thump up still remained, and the lower fingers were forming a fist. He slammed into Razmund''s head like a mountain, shaking the mana and halting everything to a stop.


    It was explosive strength that destroyed the unrelenting mana surrounding Razmund''s claymore, and even the air and sand shook around them. It was some sort of attack from Thar''s physique or just physical power, and it was unworthy to call it special or unique. It was a simple strike to spank a child.


    A Thumb Hammer name would be fitting, perhaps? Thar didn''t seem to think that names were important. Perhaps if he changed his hand, the thumb would be a perfect piercing weapon.


    Razmund was unable to endure this attack with his mana or body, nor did he see or feel it coming. Letting go of the claymore without his awareness, his mana cluttered out of his control and his own mana core creaked in shame. His body slammed deep into the sand as if a mountainous hammer truly hit him.


    All it took was less than a second, and a single Thar''s slam to his head.


    He blinked afar for almost 3 seconds and drifted to complete stillness and darkness, which amounted to dozens of possibilities of dying. Though, he couldn''t help it, or stop it because he didn''t see the attack coming.


    Even if he did, would he manage or do something against Thar''s fist? Deflecting, countering, and even defending against an Extreme power were unlikely actions for his level, but for his Ego? He felt more confident than he should have and the thing was, his Master or King wouldn''t mind seeing this. They would encourage hoping for the heavens, and not have power for that.


    Defending against an Extreme was doubtful What If, but something that Razmund desired.


    He pushed himself against it, yet it failed. Again...


    Before he noticed what was even happening, he was once more without his weapon. Thar was holding the claymore and started playing with it with his free hand. The other was also free right now, but one hand was more than enough even for this large weapon even to his standards. Well, if someone would tell this claymore didn''t fit him, they would be lying. With Thar''s height, this claymore was like a regular sword in his hand.


    ¡°So light. So light. It''s impudent to expect this sort of sword to be with you for much longer. It lacks spirit, I reckon. But then there is the fighting and your dancing, while some weird Sage''s interest is up there in power. It definitely doesn''t lack the punch, but it is weak and light, or less dense. Maybe you could reconsider your position and change the job? How about a dancer?¡± Thar commented, which lingered in the air until Razmund heard it when he regained his clarity.


    Angered, his eyes quivered, blinked, and opened wide. He was more upset by hearing that than by his own defeat.


    He accepted his lack of power, but the lack of going against his words wasn''t making things better. Only worse.


    Wriggling his body out of the sand, he forced his freedom up with a strained and pained mind. And for the first time, he gasped for breath and felt a tidal wave hit his core. He didn''t even notice the blood dripping from his eyes, nose, mouth, or ears, nor did he notice his swollen forehead and damage around his body.


    He was even shaking, kneeling before the mighty figure of Thar who was still on top of his horse.


    Razmund forcefully shook his body and clutched his hands to stop the shaking. He checked his insides and figured his mana core was intact, but his mind wasn''t. He did succeed in stopping his shock, but not a whole lot was left in his mind, mana, or body. It was a physical and mental blow. He won''t get anywhere with these sorts of feelings.


    There was no need for fear. There was no worth in that, yet before an Extreme, all was futile.


    He failed to follow Sword Sage''s principles.


    The blood and shock were about only physical damage he noticed straight away, but before getting the hang of himself, he examined his body a bit better. He indeed went all out, and it wasn''t pretty or nice. He felt rising heat in the core of his body, while every muscle and tendon in his hands, back, and legs were screaming in pain. His spine, or neck was another thing. Pain... What didn''t hurt?


    ¡°Here, catch it. ¡± Thar tossed him the claymore back, uncaring to even hear his words back. It was no longer bathed in the mana of Razmund''s core, appearing normal and ashen in the silvery sculpted symbols in the middle flat portion of the blade. It was straight and pretty well-crafted claymore with a wider blade at the start of the crossed handle, and creeping thinness towards a sharp point.


    It was even a bit larger than the normal kind. At least by human standards, it was indeed larger than it should be.


    Razmund caught it with one hand, feeling the time and his mind playing tricks on him. He hated this feeling of pain and helplessness before a proper powerhouse. It was secondary, however. Losing his weapon for the 2nd time... He hated it much more.


    Thar was making a ridiculous joke out of his rules, or was he even aware of them? A followed of Path of Sword Sage without a sword was no one at all. A joke.


    Razmund doubted Thar''s intentions, so he shook his head and calmed his mind. He never wanted to lose his claymore again, yet he failed so he clutched it tightly when he got it back.


    ¡°Is that all about your mocking words, Undead King?¡± Razmund spoke, spitting some blood and spit out of his mouth. He didn''t care about anything else, so he stood up and glanced up. He wasn''t planning to fight again, even though he seemed that way from his posture and hold over his claymore.


    There was no point in forcing oneself against the heavens, similar to how many won''t go fishing Chaos Whales with a simple bow or dagger. Some still did try, but it was insensible and almost insane.


    Was Razmund insane to test himself against Thar for the third time? He was, but his body was telling him otherwise, even though it took 15 seconds to get half of the damage away. He got his feelings back, because of his powerful vitality and sturdy physique, but seeing Thar''s threatening aura from so close didn''t give him any Will to start it for the 3rd time.


    Thar was watching him from his lofty position, waiting or seeing this petty challenger''s face or body in some answers. Extremes were complicated beings. Their understanding of others and the world was already well beyond the normal means. Razmund knew them. He saw more Extremes in his life than the amounts of his defeats. Neither of these facts was feeling better than the other, however.


    Most often, Extremes won''t consider the weaker opponents as interesting. That was normal unless they would feel threatened or there were other reasons behind it.


    In this situation, Thar was required to act against a much weaker opponent, and for what?


    ¡°Do you remember your time and words from 5 years ago?¡± Thar asked as if figuring some answers or wonders from his gaze. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Time?¡± Razmund didn''t like where this went. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°No? Is that so? I know very well that a lot of beings wield this temple as quite a treasured place. Not in a good way, but... a farming spot, or a simple way to test themselves. It goes how it should. I know it, but I don''t like how the little bastards in your place surround this temple and call it their own.¡±


    ¡°So what? Things are going as they should, as you said. And from what I know, Centralis has some deals with your...¡±


    ¡°Don''t. It is nothing that should be spoken of...¡± Thar said unhappily. ¡°I am speaking for old-time sake. I remember every challenger ever since I got here. Well, you were stupid back then and now you are here with questionable desires that move the desires of others. It isn''t or perhaps it is too fitting? I wonder to what extent it goes, but I shan''t question it. It is no wonder you don''t remember a lot. Years go and years pass, but I would expect some decency from the person who rode the New Beginning twice.¡±


    Razmund lightly chuckled, causing his core to shudder so he coughed at the end. ¡°Twice or even more, it doesn''t matter at all when years go and pass. Knowledge is nothing. Power is everything, and some decency is a bother anyway. That''s how it goes everywhere, so what do you think of it when speaking like this? Is the fight over? Can I move on?¡±


    ¡°That the situation seems to be interesting.¡± Thar laughed and jumped from the horse, landing with a thud, and revealing some bones visible under what remained of his cloak. He was still overbearing and large, twice bigger and looming over Razmund like a tall sculpture. ¡°That is all to that, you see, little Blessed figure. The 3rd time challengers have a spar against me. It is not for the 1st ones or 2nds where I shouldn''t get involved. It is a flexible one, with worth and choice on me alone. Only those who will pass my marks will get the chance for the 3rd time in the Temple.¡± he stated calmly, overlooking Razmund who quivered and handed his claymore down.


    He still glared up anyway, but the being before him was indeed among the highest and strongest he had ever faced. It was the aura surrounding Thar that was giving him the weird sharpness and power. It was destructive, and chaotic as if the world was turning sober around him on its own. It was almost unnaturally void of mana, but Razmund felt some traces hiding there, but they were rich, hidden behind the veils of something unique. It must be the bones... or.


    He figured it must be something else. Awakened mana like his own but in a much higher state.


    Then with the 2 eyes glaring at him with unnatural pressure, it was all that easy to know, that his Will to fight disappeared.


    Razmund would never think he would lose in any staring contest, but he was finding Thar as an unsurpassable opponent. He wondered if he was also a Blessed like him, or if his case was something different. A Gifted? A person who rose to the top by blood, tears, and sweat of countless adventures in this humongous world alone? Was he... like the mysterious duck he had seen a week ago in the soul space of another duck?


    He did dare to imagine that Thar could be many things, but he didn''t dare to speak about those details.


    ¡°Then, Undead King, was my little sword able to get this choice? Ridiculous... By what remarks? By what Will? What about 4th time here?¡±


    ¡°By my choices, so shut it and accept it. Or do you want me to smack you twice? Rules are flexible... or do you think the little force and rules of this world will shackle me enough to not allow me to kill you?¡± Thar said, smiling and giving Razmund a tough choice of words. He didn''t speak further, staring at Thar with a frowning and unsightly expression. ¡°I figured silence is a great choice. For the 4th, you will have to defeat me, or destroy the partial interests behind my back.¡± Thar pointed behind him.


    He spoke of many unnatural-looking figures, ranging from humans to beasts, and even a couple of intricate races. Some were partially undead, few weren''t at all, but most were. They were among the many undead, hiding, or waiting but with more calmness.


    Razmund took a breath of fresh air while calming down after figuring out that fact. He got it now. This place was indeed how it always was. A den to the Hell Haven, with Levandis at bey.


    Of course, things wouldn''t be simple. He knew it, but time went the way it did and it didn''t move according to his hopes, and the voices of his superiors.


    Things got a whole lot messy, but it went in a direction that wasn''t terrible. His Will of the Battleworld talked about it. The Rules won''t force things, but Chaos will ensure the fairness and the place of this Hunt to go on.


    It wasn''t as if it calmed him fully, however. He was still solving his head within the rules of this world while hoping to clutch and move around them, or through them.


    Now, Razmund was sober of his usual stubbornness, which amounted to nothing but plain stupidity that he should''ve gotten rid of a long time ago.


    ¡°I see how it goes... and accept it. What about the rest of the Party?¡± He pointed towards the group of his companions, that were quite far out of his way, but Thar knew what he meant by this gesture.


    ¡°I am doubtful everyone will pass, but those 2-timers and that one 3rd-timer seems like a passable choice. However, I still have to reevaluate them. My skeletons will do so, while you can go inside since you got your mark. Things go wry or not while you should be doing what you want. There are rules for this, and nothing will change that.¡±


    ¡°I know that,¡± Razmund said and retracted his claymore back to his spatial pouch. ¡°Do you know the being that went there?¡±


    ¡°Being? No.¡± Thar shook his head.


    ¡°Did you battle it?¡±


    ¡°Why would I do that? That isn''t the rule for me to do.¡±


    ¡°But you saw it. What do you think of it?¡±


    ¡°That you are asking too many useless questions that shouldn''t be asked. There are many strange beings everywhere. Do what you want, but don''t overthink my words. If I would do things my way, things wouldn''t be the way they were, are, and would be like. Bear that in mind. Some things are bigger than you would ever wish, or desire for.¡± Thar commented, jumping back to the horse and grabbing the reins.


    Swinging the reins, he moved toward the rest of the Welcoming Party, while his army followed him behind. While he did that, he would do what he had to do. There was no point in helping Murai, or Lisa, as any helping hand can be detrimental to success, and in fact, what help could he even offer? He desired some helping hand instead.


    Thar could tell the enmity of deep layers that went behind the scenes, and this man, Razmund, will be like a raging river that will swallow everything. That, or before he will try that, he won''t have enough momentum and will crumble apart, unlike what Gods were scheming and hoping behind the scenes.


    It wouldn''t be the first Blessed of that caliber to do so, nor the last.


    Sighting, and looking at the hilt of his claymore back in his pouch, Razmund finally noticed the damage inflicted on his body from an inside and outside perspective. He overdrew his mana quite a lot with his overbearing use of One Sword, and 1st Dance. He unleashed the highest caliber of his Sharpness Awakened mana, and his body was strained to the maximum.


    The move of getting out of the sand was all it took before he realized, he was out of his breath. He still knelt, feeling defeated but alive, until his body mended itself so he could get up. Even now, his hands trembled, while the claymore was not within his hand, the hilt was all he needed to still feel the tension of the Undead Army and Thar.


    It was impressive that he underwent this spar with so few injuries, considering he heard stories of Extremes dying in this place, or going in, and never being seen again.


    Now, after experiencing a different kind of Welcoming Party than 5 years ago, he got a much-needed reality check.


    He was weak and it hit him like a truck.


    ¡°Y-You have been with me since the beginning... I won''t replace you.¡± He mumbled to his claymore so only he could hear that. A previous unsightly expression changed to one with humbleness and depth of some understanding. He almost blinked, but watched the hilt for a moment before he glanced at the temple a few dozen meters away. It was there in all of its glory, open and with a swirling dot of light at the pillar depicting an ongoing challenger.


    Then Razmund thought of his own deficiency, so he meditated for a couple of minutes to stabilize himself. Afterward, he rose again and glanced behind him. The Undead Army was away, yet still radiated quite some pressure. He didn''t like them, nor did he care about the monsters that walked past him a minute ago. Some of them were itching to take a bite out of him, but he didn''t even glare at them.


    He turned to the temple and without giving the rest of the group some words of advice, he went straight inside.


    This temple will also be his chance, as well as a tool.


    A bit earlier, before Razmund''s group appeared. Inside the temple, and well below it.


    It was in the place that was close to the proper Gate 1.


    Murai was jumping like a rabbit down the stairs, smacking his flat feet to the rough and uneven stone slabs, and almost fell down like a pebble. He didn''t want to do that, so he cursed and complained about how this place was insensible to little ducks.


    It was already getting on his nerves, and he could hear noticeable giggling above him.


    Stopping himself, he turned and shouted above him. ¡°What the fuck are you giggling about your dipshits? Do you think it''s all that good to be floating around and be an utter pain in the ass? No? Scew your souls!¡±


    ¡°But. But. Murai has wings. Why won''t Murai use them?¡± Lorry said, floating beside Lisa who had no need to care about some physicality or sense of being serious. Lorry had similar effects as Lisa''s soul form albeit his appearance was quite physical. ¡°Gliding should be possible through this narrow and not-so-small staircase,¡± He commented, while the giggle was mostly done by him, but not entirely.


    Lisa didn''t comment much on Murai''s displeasure and rather viewed things in a more pragmatic manner. They were closing on the beginning Gate, and she was wondering how it will go. It was quite a serious topic and something she expected to shake the current events, She hoped for changes, and important times under this temple. Murai didn''t think like she did.


    After all, this temple and journey into it was her stake and idea. Her cause, which Murai accepted.


    Should this opportunity be as advantageous enough as she hoped? Lisa knew this place more than she wished, and it held many secrets and also many wonders, or chances.


    Feeling and remembering his case, the terms may or may not be that good. She recognized his art of messing things up, and the world wasn''t making it easier. The Encounter had some clear rule limitations, and if time passed, a whole lot of things could become chaotic. How? Lisa knew how but didn''t dare to imagine how much they could turn out to be worse than they already were.


    Unfollowing the premise of any Encounter with lack of time will create a disadvantage that was akin to punishment and steep disadvantages. The prose of the next part can become much harder, or rewards could be reduced. It depended on the degree and situation within each individual Encounter and it depended on the Gods, and both sides of the Encounter. It can be harsh or mild.


    Lisa knew quite a bit about it, but Murai already had trouble with the 1st Part of the Encounter, so what to make of it?


    It was reasonable to assume that a lot of subjects about the Encounter weren''t simple and he was against tough foes. So much so, that she doubted rules made any sense, and Will of the Battleworld was creating messed up reasons by someone''s plot. Thus she decided on this temple to get some time for him, as this place can allow this sort of opportunity.


    The timer of 12 days meant trouble since this temple could go on for many days without an end in sight. That was worrisome.


    Working through the gates was one thing, and her idea of what was going on didn''t take some things into account. Why? She had limited knowledge and she brainstormed about the ideas of getting out, options, and changes that would give murai better advantages. Almost all of that depended on Murai, and the surroundings, and not her. So she gave up and opted to wait.


    There was a premise in the temple to leave on a whim, but it wasn''t that simple, as the enemy can be everywhere. Outside, waiting in the Death Valley.


    Lisa thought of the depths of this temple and her ideas and silently observed Murai''s unwillingness to hop like a rabbit. It wasn''t surprising, nor something she thought was funny. Her own views changed and it was to do it or die trying, or so she feared.


    There were further opportunities and interesting things down below. They can change some outcomes, but they require more time while solving the Encounter may follow that behind. Or it could backfire and regrets would follow.


    Murai didn''t view this in harsh reality like Lisa, as he didn''t think of it at all. What he didn''t know wasn''t a problem because of it. He was the kind of person to go with the flow, even though he hated how it happened to the bone.


    ¡°Ah... Anyway. Where do the stairs lead? It''s already like the thousandth step already. How deep does this even go?¡± Murai asked, forcefully calming himself and steadying his steps.


    ¡°This? This was like the 300th step, Murai Hisagi.¡± Lisa commented.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    He didn''t believe it.


    ¡°Really really. Murai is just hopping like a rabbit, so descend doesn''t feel that way, Beheheheh.¡± Lorry laughed again, having quite a good time for himself. Lisa only sighed and chuckled as well.


    Lorry shot her a repulsive look, remembering what sort of being she was. ¡°Lisa hasn''t changed,¡± he said, openly scrutinizing how much of a bitch Lisa was.


    ¡°Well, I am who I am. Look, there is a sight at the end of the tunnel.¡± Lisa pointed down, and because she was higher in this 5-meter tall staircase that went to the depths of the earth, she was able to see the end in hundreds of more steps.


    This passage was quite deep and completely straight. It was reaching dozens if not hundreds of meters below the surface, and that was just the entrance to the 1st Gate.


    Who knew what was below that, or what even the deepest Gates were like? Even Lisa didn''t know the last few, but she sure knew the ones above the 9th. Since she may have gone here twice, she defeated Thar in her 2nd forceful attempt, since she acquired power that wasn''t ordinary and the challenging Levandis Hell Haven was up to her interest.


    It wasn''t a rule to defeat Thar, but it was a unique spar, which this temple was all about. It was a hidden requirement for something hidden, and secret. There were a lot of special prerequisites and hidden paths. A lot of variables may occur and give some flavor to the Challengers, but few talked about it.


    One had to figure out the path independently, which made this place unique.


    In this sense, this wasn''t too far from how the dungeons worked, but it had different kinds of rules and most importantly, the Ruler.


    This was no place that was under the Sky, nor it was etched with the Will of the Battleworld like most dungeons were.


    Murai wasn''t willing to guess it, but he understood the concept of what he was about to go through.


    The being that changed this temple was most likely quite a savage demonic god, and this concept of the 3-year challenges was most likely something to please her power and chaos. It should be what Demons and Devils were about, while it shouldn''t be that much different from what went within usual chaotic places.


    Most likely than not, not many beings were challenging this sort of place, since it was too dangerous and getting inside was tough. Add to that the Welcoming Party and it can get nasty. Lisa knew it and Murai recognized that as well because he underwent and saw the Udnead Army and Thar.


    It wasn''t under the command of the Will of the Battleworld, but only a speck of situational awareness was put forth into this place by the God of Battle and certain rules he had with Levandis.


    It was at least how Murai interpreted it from all this talking with Lisa, Thar, and Lorry. Previous Will of the Battleworld also gave him some information.


    That meant that Lordis was more or less running the Battleworld as a Ruler and wasn''t as strong to rule over the entire world. That was good news. This temple was outside of his rules because of the status quo and Chaos between Gods of the Sky, and Gods of the Depths. He and Levandis were similar in strength but they were both of drastically different factions.


    There were other forces beside him and it was true that all Gods were worrisome fellows. But as for their intentions or whatever their desire and status were, Murai had a hunch over them. Their loftiness and desire for power were never changing, while it wasn''t about them alone.


    Lisa more or less already confirmed some of those ideas. Even a former member of a Battalion under some God from the Depths should know a lot of things that went behind the scenes. Though, Lisa wasn''t talking about the majority of the details, since the presence and future mattered more than some past.


    ¡°Huh....¡± Murai sighed and glanced down the stairs. It was a bit dark here, but with Lisa and his Nigth Vision, he had no issues with anything. ¡°It is there? Nah. I shouldn''t worry about some closing problems. Let''s deal with what this place can offer. Levandis may be a devilish God, but it is unreasonable to assume this place serves no purpose for her or others. It is a Challenge of a God, in some sense. A sensible way to describe some hidden training grounds, isn''t it?¡± He asked and resumed his hopping down to seek the end of the stairs.


    Lisa followed as well and talked to him. ¡°You aren''t wrong, but think of yourself first and foremost. This isn''t something nice walk in a park. Everything will want your little life because of the rules of this temple.¡±


    ¡°So like the Somalis Dungeon, I took for... myself?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    They were getting close, and soon enough, the three beings whose appearance and origin were extraordinary, reached the entrance to the 1st Gate. It was a simple room at the end of the stairs. Nothing was there, however. No swirling portal in space magic, nor a door or gate to the official challenge.


    ¡°Alright, Murai. This right here is a room before the Gate of Suffering, but the room is Gate 1 in simple terms.¡± Lorry proclaimed, floating forward into the empty and large room. Swirling flames of the torches were at the corners, letting some light to this empty place.


    What a nice name, isn''t it? Murai thought.


    ¡°Murai think so? That pleases Lorry very much. It''s all idea of our devilish and cunning Lady.¡± Lorry stated, smiling and giggling afterward.


    ¡°Nevermind... I take it back. How do I go inside this gate? Is there a key? Door? Gate?¡±


    ¡°Murai can just walk forth. Simple as that.¡±


    Sighting, Murai turned his head towards Lisa, hoping to perceive some sort of words from her face. She was quite indifferent during all of this time, which was a bit suspicious, but it was true that she was no longer a thief who was stealing his pie.


    But that didn''t mean she wasn''t suspicious about something else. Murai wasn''t sure what she was planning in her head, yet he was sure something went there from her constant shifts of silence and thoughts.


    Why did she even think that the visit to this place was something he should do? This talk about the Encounter and how to force things around it was her idea. He sort of accepted it and went with what she told him because he had very few choices about the Hunt for his little life.


    Murai was sensitive to the souls and Lisa had this sheer indifference as if the wide ocean was motionless. She appeared like that ever since she got to know the precise date of her death and the current age of time.


    What if... What if she was lying about something?


    Murai didn''t even dare to give rise to this suspicion since he knew that Lisa was sensitive towards him in every way.

 Chapter 103: Intersections

    Becoming a Ruler of a planet was a tough reality. One''s strength should be unequal to all potential or existing powerful figures. It was a high stake position and something, not anyone could achieve since it required a lot of upkeep and fate.


    One can get this sort of title by becoming influential within the proximity of many powers and other powerful figures. That meant acknowledgment, and having an influence like any other. In the case of common Rulers, the words no longer mattered and power was everything, second only to the politics.


    It was already a hefty idea to view the Rulers as something restricted and with some limits. They weren''t something that anyone below the Extremes knew, or worried about, as the shifting tides of being called a Ruler over a planet, were already lofty enough.


    Few would ever worry about it, or come close to that point.


    The vast majority of beings didn''t need to consider such heights.


    Their position came with some consequences. That was to have no equal in a hungry world for power, and one''s Path and power were off the charts. It was a tough job to maintain the position so none will overtake you.


    It had more various implications that one couldn''t truly perceive until seeing enough of life or seeing the peak of their own living. Murai had unquestionable knowledge about such things and examples, as he walked through worlds with each having their usual Ruler. Sometimes, he saw one, or acted against one, while other times, not so much, or not at all.


    It wasn''t always the gods that were following those heights and becoming a ruler of their own rights. Many Paths and worlds had drastic differences. Manaless worlds were most peculiar and sometimes very unique.


    The planets within the flow of the River of Manaflow were the most common to have a rich life. At least that was always the truth.


    The world god, in fact, wasn''t the most prominent one to assume in a good or bad light. Every interconnecting Pathways and its Path in the Divides of Chaos and Order had various aspects, and the culture of the world can change the vision of them all, but not their roles or laws. Sometimes, nothing will change.


    Sometimes, the gods weren''t even considered that lofty or high. Most often, it was a status and word for those whose Path was at the top of their Paths. It was hard to point out their power and stage. Though, that depended on the world. Somewhere, or sometimes, the Gods couple even be viewed as someone who barely held the Laws. It depended on the richness of the world, culture, and advancement of civilization.


    Worlds varied a lot. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Battleworld was a very different breed in this regard. Its structure was different than usual, and power and stakes were higher as well.


    Battleworld-driven God was a common phrase to call a being beyond the rules surrounding the world''s limits. They were the kind of beings that stood over their Paths and held power without questions.


    People and beings of all shapes and sizes of origin can become powerful Rulers, but in terms of this world, it was different.


    Outside, be it from strength, cleverness, or tactics, one wasn''t overruled by anything, but others.


    It was tough out there. Hungry. The universe was full of many wonders, and path-seeking individuals were always prone to interesting development when certain aspects of power became apparent.


    Ego, Will, and desires.


    Those 3 aspects of one''s mentality were the most common words to describe the start of the ends of some Paths. It implied godhood and power that touched the laws of the universe in very implicit ways.


    The word, God had many language iterations from Murai''s knowledge, but simplicity was always better. A god was a god. A being that was versed over the people below them, with loftiness and a certain Path that overlooked its boundaries. It spoke of an utter limit and something that should only happen once in one individual Path.


    If there was a living God in an individual Path, it was impossible to have a second one. This fact and rule meant a lot of interesting details and quite a complicated process. Gods can die, after all, and it was common for a Path to be Godless for a long time.


    However, in a universe with tens of thousands of Paths, how many Gods could there be? There were limits to almost everything, as the universe couldn''t accommodate them all.


    Murai thought of it as normality and his current living proved many of those points. It made his memories shudder in meaningful waves. His soul liked it, although his vision didn''t. This Battleworld was a nuisance of an extreme example and side of that coin.


    There were a lot of things going on in Paths and beyond. This world should be a lot higher at all fronts and terms than he had seen in almost all of his New Beginnings, yet something shuddered his hopes. If he wouldn''t have been a duck, he would be much happier with an easier time.


    The powerful road of many Paths was the reason for everything. The River of Manaflow was also a huge variable, allowing many various changes to follow and view them to be more common. There were also some rules, and surroundings that intricately connected everything into an absurd web of interest.


    Murai feared to imagine it all, but in terms of what he comprehended, this world was nudging closer to what was possible and what was reaching something abnormal.


    As for how Godly interests were widespread in this world, he didn''t dare to view it as a bad thing, but it was rare for sure. It talked of grudges, or so Lisa proclaimed a long time ago. That meant an interesting prose, their Ego, Will, and desires were prone to this world. It was there for them. It acted like a construct. It wasn''t some casual world where there were limited resources. In those cases, Gods wouldn''t want them as their own.


    This one seemed the opposite of that, and almost seemed to be manufactured where they opposed one another for their desires, and why?


    That had an easy answer... Vermillion already spoke of that. Becoming something better than a God. That was what they wanted. An utter peak! Creator status. Entity. Someone with a vision of the depth of the universe, and Pathway.


    Murai didn''t like to consider thinking much of this sort of status. It was too high, and too... messed up. He was already having his Cursed Living to think about, and seeing how things can become complicated didn''t make his living easier.


    Outside of the unfathomable River of Manaflow, there was another intricate thing that Murai was worried about. It was unfathomable to perceive the Will of the Battleworld and this world''s core as something normal. This was all weird because of some absolute rules that followed certain actions, and consequences, and it all acted from gods'' interests.


    It should be absolutely phenomenal and rare to see a world of this caliber in any way, and it had touches of the Creator for sure. It all seemed to look like a huge chessboard of interest because of it.


    From a godly view, the Will of the Battleworld was a tool and some strange iterations of power that allowed beings to follow rather interesting premises. It all seemed complicated, but it did allow the common folks to follow the Paths clearly, and reach powers unfathomable in normal ways.


    Why it was this way if Gods wanted to remain in their loftiness?


    That was insensible in Murai''s understanding. It was helpful. Too helpful, in fact.


    For him, this whole world seemed to be magnitudes higher in terms of the common tropes he was familiar with and why was that the case? He didn''t see the full context or answers to his worries, of course, but he wanted to seek them and this world for real.


    Its continents, Depths, or Skies. He was curious about them all and didn''t want to shatter his head over his Cursed Living like usual. Not in a world that seeped with power and interests like none ever should.


    Be it the lofty Gods, or why this world was the way it was. He desired to seek the possible lengths of the Paths many could reach, or how magic will get Shaped up. Then, there were beings that desired to be the Rulers of their own game. He was one of them as well, but it wasn''t because of them. He was doing it for himself, as many others will do the same.


    It was all about power. Murai knew of it himself, while this world was defining and operating in an extreme side of that vision.


    Sighting, he no longer looked at Lisa or Lorry. They were questionable, but everyone can have their vision of their desires and secrets. That didn''t mean he liked that to see, but he didn''t hate that as well. It was all about honesty.


    So, he figured out one thing he should do. Not question every little thing that came his way, even though he had every right to be that.


    Looking forward, the Gate of Suffering nickname for Gate 1 was as unordinary as a stone underneath his feet. There were no runes or anything that was indicating some sort of place of suffering. There was no handle, door, or anything else. He stepped forward, to see if there would be a change of pace.


    He could feel something change as he stepped forward. A strange aura and mana surged out of the walls and there weren''t any structures or formations. These were simple and bare walls so something deeper moved through them, but from where and why?


    He walked to the wall as Lorry proclaimed, interested and curious about the way of the suffering. Step by step he felt those waves around the walls hit his body, and they became apparent under his Mana Detection. He went until his beak almost hit the opposite wall, and the weird energy seemed to be touching him.


    The wall was the same sandstone, and the moment he was so close to it, the wall changed. It shook, and visible mana poked out of the wall. A large whirlpool emerged, swirling and causing Murai to back a step.


    A Portal? Murai thought, knowing very well what sort of spell this was. It was a structural spell that was hidden under some intricate rules or crafted by an Array Master, or Runic Master.


    Murai figured that even if someone powerful came here, slaughtering Thar and the Undead army would be futile. None will ever reach the Gates below. There was something odd about it. It was a Spatial Spell that was so sturdy, it locked the place above this with such lengths, that it almost made it an entirely different realm.


    This Portal was incredibly stable, leaving the Gates down below open to any challenger.


    Gradually, the whirlpool on the wall outstretched the wall, becoming stronger like a void storm until it resembled a wormhole. It was forceful, and without any stoppage, it sucked Murai inside. He didn''t have a choice, even though he tried to step away.


    Even Lisa and Lorry followed behind him. They both didn''t speak but glanced at each other when the storm sucked them in.


    Like that and without much trouble, Murai was in the midst of a chaotic space. It wasn''t like that spell that a messiah used when he was in Ceila''s hands. Back then, it was a powerful and forceful power of Chaos that was akin to grabbing the rules of space-time and twisting them apart. This one was stronger and firm, filling the rules of space-time with more mysterious usage and stable power.


    It was working gently, and not by force. There was no chaos in the sense of mana, but this chaotic space was the prime conduct that was making this Portal Spell workable.


    Around him was Chaos Space. It was akin to a ridiculous and mysterious way the space, time, and void functioned and it was one of the mysterious places in the universe. It was everywhere, in fact. Any Portal allowed one to travel through this place, which was akin to pushing and ripping through spatial waves amidst an oceanic universe. It wasn''t dark at all, but bright and unfathomable.


    One couldn''t move within it, or affect anything unless one''s power was as weird as this space. It was all working from the Portal Spell anyway, and if one tried something, one could easily die or disrupt the flow of the predetermined journey through this Chaos Space.


    ¡°So it is that sort of thing again?¡± Murai wondered after watching Chaos Space after a long time without it. ¡°That makes me wonder from the way of those messiahs. Was it a spell from some random Pathway of Chaos, or was it some specific Path? This one is sturdy. I can tell that from the craft and power, but its origin is questionable. That portal was way too....crafty? Is this spell outside of some order, or... Nah. I am overthinking it. I don''t need to worry about that right now.¡± he decided to forget it and rather viewed this positively.


    Anyway, this journey is fine and stable enough. It must be the work of an Extreme for sure, or even someone in cahoots with some space itself. I wonder, but it isn''t bad. Travel can take a bit longer though so let''s get a couple of things straight. This Temple is Levandis''s possession and tool of Hell Haven. I am taking it as power for the Chaos factions that I heard mentioned by a couple of Gods before.


    I suppose it makes a lot of sense, and I am glad to go over my memories from time to time. Though, few are prevalent, others aren''t.


    Anyway... Levandis is someone who formed a proper godhood but is of Chaos and remains different from the norm. Demon of some sort is possible, but it is hard to guess. Never heard of her though. What sort of situation is going on here... Really? There must be more than a few factions. This should go as I should know, but I do not. Rain didn''t mention much. Only little bits that I needed, while Lisa is... Lisa.


    I''ve got some hunch of them lives ago, and in a world where many gods are in one place? This is as unique and strange as those proclamations. Perhaps I could even expect something even stranger? What if a Creator pops out of nowhere? That would be hilarious.


    That would fit this world I guess since I am beginning to like this sort of mystery about this world. Getting out there and adventuring through this seems fascinating. Who knew that this world had even existed? This sort of playground for anyone who wants to desire the peak of their power? What a living.


    Murai laughed for himself, flying through the Chaos Space until his vision blinked, and he flew through a lighting whirlwind before hitting the physical wall.


    It wasn''t a pleasant end to getting out of the Chaos Space. The landing was terrible since his physicality wasn''t something common to go through a Portal and he didn''t get a hang of his flying in time. It wasn''t meant for something so small as a duck, he figured.


    Soon enough, he found his ass at the other end of the Portal room, and nothing was strange apart from slight dizziness that he didn''t find upsetting. It disappeared the moment he landed thanks to his Robust Spirit that was like mild overflowing power that washed it away.


    His soul wasn''t something that could become unstable by a simple Portal and brief travel through the Chaos Space.


    He looked around the room that had a similar swirling whirlpool of mana at a wall like the one before. Though, there was no rectangular and limited room but a large corridor instead.


    There were no stairs any longer but tall walls a dozen meters tall and with equal wideness. It was quite a large space for his little body and his perspective and sight made it much larger for him than it was in reality. Aside from the wall were lit torches that weren''t wooden. They were of metallic frame, while the flame was ghostly blue, lighting the surroundings in dim yet quite stretched light. There was a lot of dense fog around too.


    Interesting. A Gate of Suffering, huh? I wonder if I will suffer, or if others will do so instead. Let''s see.


    Murai wondered and walked through the corridor made of sandstone and a mix of dark-looking stone slabs. Before he got far, the whirlpool of mana flickered again, letting Lisa and Lorry emerge next.


    They both appeared fine as they should, flying through the Portal with firmness and steady form. They were rare cases of soul forms, and both floated in midair without any tight undulations that cracked them up.


    Although, Lorry wasn''t like Lisa. Unlike her, Lorry was a soul forced upon the physical skull of some demon or a devil, with rules, formations, or something even stranger. It was a wonder if it was a skull that was once his, but not like it mattered. At least neither Lisa nor Murai asked about that, nor were they curious about it. Each had more important worries on their own, and Gate 1 was before them.


    ¡°Well, this is the Gate of Suffering. Lisa is truly fierce... Taking a Master here, what a huge gamble this is.¡± Lorry said to Lisa, who furrowed her brows unhappily.


    ¡°I do what I must so who are you to question it?¡±


    ¡°Under whose circumstances? Lisa''s?¡±


    ¡°Doesn''t matter,¡± Lisa scoffed, glancing around the room. ¡°This place is the same as ever. Just a tiny little beginning to something better. Is Mindarch here? Watchful?¡±


    ¡°Lisa knows stuff, but Lisa shouldn''t forget what sort of individuality this place has and what goes behind it. Blessed are most welcomed here, so let''s hope the 10 Overlords won''t be too forceful to Murai. Isn''t Overlord and Mindarch what Lisa is worried about? Anatidaes too?¡±


    ¡°Overlords? They are still having some touch over here?¡± Lisa hesitated. ¡°Wait... You are kidding. This isn''t about me, but Murai instead, so stop joking.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Of course.¡± Lorry chuckled and cluttered his teeth. ¡°Some things never change in Hell Havens. This is part of Hell Havens still. Although, Murai had no idea about what goes around this place, or what.... his place even is here. Lorry can''t even imagine everything, and Lisa is truly unfathomable to come here again. Consider Lorry surprised, and cheerful to hear and see Lisa again.¡± he stated the words of some interest, uttering them in a way, that Lisa found fitting so she wouldn''t snap at him.


    ¡°Cheers and celebration then,¡± Lisa said with a sigh.


    Lorry spoke in tight and cluttering words, speaking in whispers so Murai didn''t hear them. It was a strange fluctuation of words, that held some truth and power to them.


    Though, Murai wasn''t interested in them either way. He walked further, eying the walls and the corridor itself. He also put his Mana Detection forth to a full capacity, hoping to discover some factors about this place. From the basic overview, this place was like Death Valley and the paths towards that gate before, seeping of chaos and unnatural aura of magic and soul fluctuations of Death and Chaos properties.


    He no longer cared about the soul forms behind him. He was feeling the mana shrouding the walls in many layers that made his Mana Detection unable to go through them. Usually, he was able to perceive things even through some wall limitations, but not here. His Mana Detection only penetrated the wall slightly, and even then, there was some sort of overlapping backlash that pushed against his Will.


    He couldn''t reach further than a couple of centimeters, so he decided to give up.


    ¡°A living... This Temple was completely reforged by a powerful being or was it done naturally? Indeed. It can be both, or one can be more important than the other. It was Sungod''s place, after all. I''ve got that answered.¡± Murai recalled and chose not to spend too much attention on the Mana Detection. His Mana Pool wasn''t steady in his core, but it was getting fuller, so he had to be careful of it.


    If the walls were firm, unable to be perceived, he could only focus on the way forward.


    His Mana Detection was already quite good under his magical senses and Will. If it couldn''t detect the surroundings around him, Murai could focus on one specific direction. It was a bit harder to use Mana Detection in this way, but he managed to at least work around it in the last week when he could.


    It was more stressful on the mind, and his core, but it gave him some advantages. In this way, surveillance had much higher efficiency, and the distance and range were always important. However, this sort of style of Detection was limiting, since eyes were often much better at this.


    Mana Detection had one vast advatage. It could perceive things eyes couldn''t, so when it became limited, it became not as good.


    Still, Murai felt good about this choice. His Mana Detection can go beyond the means of his limited eyesight, since his height limited his field of vision, and ducks weren''t known for their bright outlook and mighty eyes. They were no dogs, hounds, or wolves, that could think with their noses, nor were they eagles to see from far away.


    The lit corridor went 40 meters forward, ending in an intersection. There was a left path and a right path that went to their respective corridors.


    ¡°Murai has to choose the path ahead,¡±


    Murai heard Lorry above him. He appeared out of nowhere, surprising him.


    ¡°A path, hm?¡± Murai wondered and stepped forward to take a closer look.


    It was at this moment, that long-awaited call of the Battleworld echoed towards Murai''s soul. It was something he was waiting for since many things had to become clearer about this temple.


    [Variant X04 of the Remnant Dungeons, Temple of Levandis is officially entered]


    [Recalucalting, and adjusting the means and necessary preparations for the gifts, reasons, rewards, options, and fighting chances]


    [It is a pleasure of the Death, Devils, and Demons. The Temple of Levandis is up to the Citizen''s choice. So far off, however]


    [It is a fine adventure indeed, and an undeniable choice, albeit amidst the ongoing Encounter, which may not be the wisest choice but an interesting one regardless]


    [The course of the Will of the Battlewolrd is limited in this place, but not so much to let the Devils, Undead, and Demons to make it detached from reality]


    [Rules are there to follow, with premises and desire that act according to the rules of the temple itself, and the premise of Levandis, its Ruler]


    [First and foremost, by the decision of the owner of this place, Levandis, and the favor of God of Battle, Lordis, this place serves the purpose of strengthening those who aren''t afraid of Death. You aren''t, since a Blessed already died at least once]


    [You are a Blessed being under God of Battle ~ Lordis, and by the definition of your New Beginning. No choice has been made to be part of any faction, nor are there any limiting factors outside of the norm. You are a free being through and through, with free choice and Will to see the Temple of Levandis to its full extent, apart from limits of power and Gates]


    [Because of that, various things can occur. There are 10 Gates in total, with each harder, and deadlier than the last. You are before Gate 1 with the name: Gate of Suffering]


    [It is known as a Gate of Suffering because of the rules and stakes involved. You are to travel past the hurdles of Suffering, seeking the entrance to the next Gate. If done, rewards will be granted under the vision of the Battleoworld and the stakes of the temple. Each will mash together to form a stable promise and opportunity to seek the next challenge]


    [But be aware, that the place is not run by the God of Battle, and many rewards of the dead, are not something a god or world can stop, or cherish. It is a strength that can do so, and anything that is physical, or not, can be taken out of the temple like many rules and things around the Battleworld. There are limits to many things. Rewards and treasures are subject to various opportunities. Greed moves them]


    [That is, if one survives until the very end and gets out, one can end up rich]


    [Be aware that survival chances for the 1st timers are less than 25% for Gate 1. One can end the Gate anytime, and reach the temple back on the surface under the power of a Guide on your side. It is a Soul under the temple''s order, so it can''t lie but it surely speaks words that may not be handy]


    [Reward of the Gate 1: Modification of Attributes, variable improvements in Spells, Mana, Abilities / Minor Blessing]


    [Good luck, and don''t be a poor Challanger]


    Then, the Will of the Battleworld stopped and sounded rather cheap and briefer than usual. It still sounded like a mechanical voice, but the kind that was huffed, and speaking quicker than usual.


    Murai looked at Lorry, who somewhat knew that the message of the Will of the Battleworld went toward his soul. He wasn''t one to witness, or hear it, but Lorry knew all that was to a Blessed living because of his connection to the temple. He saw plenty of Blessed, as they were primary challengers to this place.


    In this world, there were a lot of things to consider. After all, there were 5408 Challengers, but some of them entered more than once. 25% wasn''t a small amount because of it, even though not all these numbers were for Blessed beings. Many would come here again after giving up, hoping to challenge it since one can give up and come back in 3 years'' time. They would have higher difficulty, but they counted as survivors.


    ¡°So you are a Guide to my stakes? What should I make of you?¡± Murai asked directly, glaring at Lorry who glared back with a sneer on his face.


    ¡°Lorry is nothing but a small helper for Murai''s stakes. There are some situations that are better explained by words.¡± Lorry said. ¡°Lorry is a stake for the temple''s interest, forming a steady following sense for the Challenger''s sake.¡±


    Murai grunted, obvious that the course of a Guide was just an excuse to watch the challenger''s attitude or make some rules more sensible. He was probably spying and affecting the course of the temple''s Gates and someone who will constantly watch his steps.


    He didn''t like it.


    What it was all for, Murai wasn''t right to guess it. There were a lot of things to consider, and Lisa was the same as Lorry. Both held some thoughts they didn''t let out. Maybe they could keep their secrets forever, but was he one to blame or curse at than because of them? He wasn''t that sort of petty duck, as long as it didn''t involve him way too much.


    And this life of his wasn''t exactly so nice. He should force and know as much information as he could, since unlike ever before, this New Beginning was a massive pile of mess that was unnaturally fast-paced.


    ¡°Fine, you flying and bony Guide. Left one, or the right one?¡± Murai asked, shoving his beak to the left and right, gesturing to the intersection that had simple choices, but quite important ones.


    ¡°Murai should decide.¡±


    ¡°You are a Guide, so I am asking you. If you aren''t a Guide, what sort of other purpose do you have to be by my side?¡± Murai asked a well-thought-out question, which made it rather difficult for Lorry to find the right excuse to tell. ¡°Chirping and laughing behind my head... That is all you are good at?¡±


    Lorry was still a Guide, but there was also something else to him than guiding the Challengers.

 Chapter 104: Undead High Wolves, and fog of death

    Murai''s words hit a nail in the coffin. Lorry knew the course of his own purpose more than anyone else, so his words definitely made him hesitate over something. But what it was, probably wasn''t fine to tell or imagine.


    There were undeniable rules around the way all Guides were working in the temple, and they made interesting power dynamics. They indeed created solutions for steady attempts by challengers to finish and follow the premises of all Gates. They also acted as an interest in the temple''s politics, and challenges, and acted with Mindarch in mind. They were important proxies to greater powers.


    Lorry knew what to expect, but the situation didn''t play that well right now.


    Murai''s variables created factors in the rules of this place and it made some interesting results that Lorry had to work with. He seemed to not mind it, as he was a playful fella, but others wouldn''t be that happy. Down below, chaos ensued at the gates for more than just a couple of millennia.


    This whole aspect of Blessed Challengers was always prone to issues. They were desirable challengers from the point of loftiness and care, but not everything was fine in this temple. There were a whole lot of politics and rules hiding deep in the depths, stemming from the Levandis herself, and her Hell Haven.


    Lorry knew a lot about it since he had centuries worth of living in this temple as a Guide. This was one-of-a-kind location in this world, so it led to many desires.


    His face changed from sneer to hesitation and some mixture of brief laughter and hope. He heard Murai''s words well enough and wished to speak of something, but he figured to express it differently at the end of his contemplation.


    ¡°Lo... Lorry is a Guide. T-that is how it should be, Murai. Of course, Lorry can explain the ways that work for any Challengers and this place. That''s how Guide will act but the choice such as Murai''s current one is not for Lorry to decide. That is the rule of this temple. Challengers are there to challenge the temple. The Guide is to guide the Challenger and provide enough incentives, information, and Will to make the journey bearable. Important choices are there for the Challenger to decide. Interactions are such a decision.¡±


    Murai still glared at him from below but accepted his excuse. ¡°Respectable choice, but then what can you tell me? You are like Lisa for my sake...¡± he sighed. ¡°She constantly mentions things meant to be told while not telling things because she doesn''t think of them as fine to tell. Does it make sense? I don''t think so. It is as hilarious as absolutely ridiculous. I sound like a fool!¡± He scowled and stomped the ground once.


    ¡°Ha! That was a good one!¡± Lorry chuckled and turned to the intersection. ¡°...but Lorry will provide things in greater benefits when it matters. Well outside of the bitchy Lisa, Lorry reckons.¡± Then he turned on the spot, shooing a glance at Lisa who was further behind Murai. ¡°Of course, things should be how they should be. For this choice of Murai''s stakes, the left one goes to the left wing of the suffering and the right to the right wing. They form paths of various stakes that depict Gate 1. A simple choice, but each has different stakes to offer with rewards and a challenging mood.¡±


    ¡°What offers?¡± Murai asked.


    ¡°The left one has an undead path, filled with old and tough tools that are following undead enemies. Past challengers, the filth of the remains of old are there to make up for the suffering. The right has devils and demons from layers of the temple and Hell Haven. Right is more straightforward with enemies to fight and seek certain things that Lorry won''t rather tell.¡±


    This brief and simple explanation was all it took for Murai to interpret the words to brand new meanings. Lorry did mention it little, but from the word that the Will of the Battleworld spoke of, it was obvious that choices mattered. This journey through the temple di, so let alone the Gate 1, he doubted sense in demons was fitting. He wouldn''t be surprised to see nothing but mindless enemies.


    Undead were a peculiar topic, and the subject of taking things out of the temple was quite specific. For example, Murai bet that one could find some treasures in the bodies of the undead since they weren''t creatures of this temple, or they could be. From the way the Welcoming Party seemed, there were a lot of undead that served under Levandis.


    He didn''t know why, but he noticed a few demons and devils in Thar''s army. It was mostly bones and old fools without any awareness but residual instincts and dull senses in their Soul Flames. He noticed nothing much else since his limits on Soul Read and Mana Detection were noticeable and weak.


    Undead beings in Gate 1 won''t be prone to the Welcoming Party, or they may have some stakes in that. It wasn''t precise, or clear, so Murai didn''t wonder too much about it. Undead were mindless tools anyway, unless the souls put into them were stable enough, or the former living was formidable enough to leave a shred of awareness behind.


    He thought the undead in this place held an interesting premise because of this whole place. Not only because of Death Valley but everything combined together.


    Undead can rise even without any touch of outside force. They can form from the uniqueness of the chaos and death, meeting the End in a strange way that wasn''t always satisfactory according to some rules of the universe. It was kind of unnatural, and heaven-defining, and normally, it involved some forceful necromancy.


    In this case, finding naturally occurring births of undead was prone to disaster and chaos. It meant a whole lot of sick issues, but unnaturally born undead were as irregular and prone to chaos as natural ones. Murai figured the issue was this place. Each undead should be a work of some necromancer or some sort of effect of the temple, or because of the Seventh Death Forest? He couldn''t help but convince himself that a lot of things seemed to be dark and connected.


    Thar was also questionable, while stronger undead were similarly interesting from his army.


    For Gate 1, anticipating the undead enemies seemed well within some regards. They were unliving but with the bodies or potential treasures of their former selves. Murai was thinking about it in the long term, and at least twice or thrice before he made a decision. Undead can have tools and treasures he could get. But as for what devils and demons can have, it was another question altogether, which Lorry wasn''t willing to share.


    But someone could do so beside him.


    ¡°Lisa? What do you think of this intersection and choices? You should have words to tell rather than being this silent for the past minutes. You should have all right to cooperate with me, don''t you? Especially since this was your idea, to begin with, and your past stakes in these Gates seem enough to jolt your head. It is already happening for the past hours, isn''t it? Some sort of plot or memories that flood your head. They make you think, and recall the End and past life. I can tell that. Seen it enough. I can''t read you, but I am not stupid.¡± Murai quacked in annoyance, thinking and considering her knowledge to be quite important.


    She was someone who was here in the past, and she was no Guide with limited rules at the core. Lisa had no stoppage, apart from her own head and issues pertaining to her persona. That could mean trouble, but Murai hoped she would reconsider her stubbornness because he was being honest and speaking the truth.


    ¡°What do I think?¡± Lisa floated forward, glancing at the two paths. ¡°Either path is fine, to be honest. Murai Hisagi, my time doesn''t matter. Yours does. It is unique to each challenger, since this place is flexible enough, like dungeons are. I am simply worried about the other Gates. This is just Gate 1 and you are not a complete newbie, so why care about my opinion? I am fairly certain you''ve got a whole bunch of thoughts about it, but you should be able to get to the 2nd Gate without any issues. I am betting my secrets on that, got it?


    ¡°Secrets?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I think I am fine with you for now, but some things are there for better times.¡± Lisa said and floated right towards his face and pointed at him with her hand. Her face was calm, and her smile wide. ¡°It is for your potential and hope that you need. Don''t you find the concept of those Gates ideal for yourself and your core or head? Why do you think 4th Gate is something Thar talked about when he briefly went over the willingness to let you in here?¡±


    ¡°Because he was a chatty person? Wait... No. He told me I was too early for some reason. Power or time is the cause, but there must be more to this than you are letting out. Lorry, Thar, and you included. There must be a whole lot of reasons for some limits, but some Gates must have more to them than some difficulty, or path. Arent'' they fixed in some difficulty or something?¡±


    She continued an uncaring smile while giving a glance to Lorry who was behind her. He gave her a shrug, figuring that there weren''t many words to this than a simple choice. She shouldn''t talk in meaningful voices so soon and should let this go on naturally.


    Murai was right in his words, yet the reasons in her head were still stronger. In the end, she shook her head and made it more than obvious to let Murai decide his own path because it was fitting.


    Frankly, there was not much to think about. Either path would do the basic stakes for this Gate of Suffering, while it was a simple start. There wasn''t anything intricate about this Gate, but it can become difficult if one went in unprepared. That was what Lisa thought and it was without any plot or other meanings.


    ¡°Fine, what did I even expect? I swear the world will end the moment you will become nice and meaningful to me. I swear...¡± Murai complained and walked through her, deciding to leave this topic alone for the future. He watched the intersection and stopped wondering about his choice and options.


    At the end of his brief recollections before the two paths, he chose the left one. He was more or less curious about the treasures he may find, and the undead path should be quite nice for all his considerations and problems he adored.


    So, he walked through the curved path that was the same size as the previous one. It was still large, continuing with the torches and devilish blue light. He wasn''t sure if it was cold or hot, but something deep lingered through the air. It was something about the mana he felt and the fog that cluttered around the walls and the ground. It was making him serious and curious, and the aura around the place changed to a much sinister flow.


    It didn''t bother him when he walked in steady steps, but his Soul Read and Mana Detection did provide some insights. He wasn''t hurrying or running like a mad duck, even though he should be in a hurry. Things that were happening beyond the surface were starting, and Razmund was coming.


    But that went over Murai''s head when he began focusing on the task at hand. The sandstone and dark stone slabs around the walls became cracked and older, the further he walked. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Minute, by minute, the corridor changed in appearance and aura. Thick fog filled the air to a brim, and the strange mana fluctuations were noticeably lingering in the air. It was turning out to be strange for his senses, and the eyesight too. A dreadful feeling was in the air like the Death Valley, yet Murai scowled upon seeing those curtains of death.


    ¡°What sort of joke is this?¡± He asked himself, oblivious to the lingering feeling, that posed no issue to him. ¡°Mana is getting out of hand, with some affinity to chaos and.... strange quantity? It is getting richer too, but also forceful in some feelings. Is this temple doing something to that? What could cause it?¡±


    He could think all he could about it, but there shouldn''t be a problem with mana getting richer. It made his mana-centered abilities easier to manage, and there were fewer problems with his body when his Beast Core took this mana in.


    it wasn''t as if the mana was posing a threat. It never would on its own, unless some magic formation or dangerous natural aspects would be around.


    However, the deadly feeling of the mana was dangerous.


    Some elemental properties could change the mana in the surroundings, giving rise to dangers and damaging the body or corrupting the mind. For example, poison swamps filled with rare poison flowers would change the mana around to a dangerous degree. It would still be mana regardless of it, but it would change to a mana that would hold the elemental property of poison. Death and other chaotic elements were the same, yet Murai wasn''t feeling disruptions coming to his Core. It was fine, mostly. For what it was.


    It was a wonder what was up with that, but it didn''t disturb his Beast Core when he absorbed some of it to his core. In fact, he didn''t feel a difference.


    So Murai tossed this issue behind his head and observed the fog itself. Mana Detection was turning out to be a bit harder to seek things through the fog, while his physical vision was useless as one would guess.


    Then, another change occurred when he felt souls emerge out of nothing but some trembles and clutter.


    A howl roared in the misty corridor, revealing a skeleton wolf whose eyes glowed in fierce flames. It was close, allowing Murai to watch it from about 10 meters away, but it wasn''t charging. It was standing there and waiting.


    It was unlike the skeletons on the surface. This one was much wilder, while the bones themselves were unlike those of an unordinary wolf. They were thick, and lingering blood was on their surface, or perhaps even their insides. It was a bloody sight and an impressive facade.


    There were even sections of muscles around some bones and a few residual organs deteriorated in its chest cavity, but that was about it.


    ¡°Oh? A feast to my eyes!¡± Murai sneered, meeting the eyes of his first foe with his. In a mere moment, the roar halted, and a growl sounded. The wolf pounced forward, poising its mouth filled with sharp teeth against the tiny duck. Murai figured it was similar in size to Phantom Coyote and following Alpha evolution.


    It was large, but it was undead, so it was hard to tell what sort of species it used to be. Murai didn''t care even if he knew, so he clutched his beak close and smacked the wolf''s mouth to the side. It stumbled aside with a smack, and even some bones creaked and blood dropped away from its head.


    Murai wasn''t on the losing end this time around and didn''t back away more than a dozen steps. He didn''t fly away, which he liked so much, he grinned in confidence. His neck and head went dizzy for a moment, and he figured the foe wasn''t as strong in its physicality then his own. Its mana wasn''t that strong either, as there was no Core inside its body.


    It still had some remains of a strong physicality, and he could sense how the surrounding mana enveloped the undead wolf with some waves of empowerment. It affected the bones and muscles alike, giving it a neat addition and a threatening look.


    The temple empowered this wolf, and the wolf took it well.


    That wasn''t a good, or bad thing, since the wolf attacked with an all-out attack even through this empowerment.


    With the wolf stumbling away, Murai waited for nothing. He stabilized his steps and jumped forward like a bloody mad animal. His flat feet were fine to be used, and he turned on the spot to strike the wolf from the side. He pierced the neck with his beak and twisted the spine and a few other bones apart as he went deep.


    Crackling sounds resounded in this eerie space. The wolf struggled and stumbled to the side with Murai still in its side. After Murai twisted his beak, he crunched the bones in his mouth and smacked the shit out of its head and the convulsing body. His beak was strong enough to crack the spine, while the few smacks left the wolf unmoving. Though, unlike the bones in the past, they weren''t as tasty. They weren''t that old, so that may be why.


    ¡°It seems my appetite and taste are not up to this simple thing any longer. It''s dry as a land of the dead... Like crackers, or tough bread. No. I am not complaining... Iris fed me like a prince, I must say.¡± Murai complained, yet still crunched the remaining crumbled bones, and ignored the rest.


    Food was important for growth. That was what Iris told him about the beast of magical properties. He supported that idea with all of his two wings. Yet he didn''t get anything out of this then slightly filled stomach. No words from the Eater Status stirred his mind either. Again.


    That made him a bit disappointed since he wanted to see what was up with this undead wolf and what secrets it had.


    He was sure his Eater Status could give him some details about its species, or anything that defined it to this temple. Even the meat aside on it wasn''t something for him to consider. It was rotten, and the blood was too foul to be drinkable. In fact, calling it blood was wrong. It was foolish and dense like the glue of crimson. It ceased to be water-based long ago. It was dead for years, so it was no wonder.


    Well, he killed it again, so he laughed at its face.


    Before having a chance to reconsider the wolf''s species, yet another howl spread from the mist. This time, it was further away, followed by mumbling steps and clutter of bones. Appearing from the fog, Murai pushed his Mana Detection forward and noticed a group of skeletons, led by more vicious-looking wolves.


    It seems his first kill was just the test, or it was a simple scout.


    There were 10 human skeletons wielding swords and each had cracked old armor. They were bare of any meat or muscles, but their vision was also full of this aura in the air, similar to the wolf before. It wasn''t only adding some protection, but it gave them some power, and speed, similar to the messiahs and their buffs.


    Murai believed he could hit them with ease and kill them the same as the 1st Wave of the Welcoming Party.


    At the front of this group were 2 wolves, who were considerable undead beasts, but like with the first wolf, they weren''t all bones. They still had a decent shape to their species, and their meat was not too rotten, their fur was intact, and their muscles were clear.


    Their eyes weren''t within their sockets, however, as their body was their power. Undead Beasts were harder to lose their skin and muscles than the human race. At least in terms of becoming undead creatures.


    They still radiated the aura of the undead. The bones were visible around the paws and limbs. Jaws were ferocious and fur haggard and loose at some portions. Flames of red color were in their eye sockets. Both of the wolves were a bit taller than a human, and their breath let out a subtle mist. They were High Wolves ~ A simple evolution of the 3rd step in the most common of wolf species.


    Class D was their potential, while their threatening aura and vision were quite grand for their power. When turned undead, they were considered Undead High Wolves. Still Class D, but not living like the living versions of their species.


    Their physicality added quite a strong aspect to their power, and it wasn''t as powerful in the mana that much. Their muscles, speed, and weapons were clear. Jaws were full of sharp teeth, and paws irregular in their appearance. Undead High Wolves had almost cat-like claws in their front paws and were ready to tear someone apart.


    One of them growled and a group of 5 skeletons went forward in a small and tight formation. Murai noticed them straight away and wondered what those 12 opponents would have up their sleeves.


    ¡°Tsch! You look like a complete waste of my taste buds! Drop dead, since you are already dead.¡± Murai Conjured a few waves of mana from within himself and Shaped it into a light sword no thicker than a finger, and no longer than an arm. It was a thin, straight-looking one, and was far from being like a real one. This was part of his many shaping exercises and involved not a large amount of care or mana.


    The blade was thin and not that long, reaching half a meter in size at most, while its width was thin. Murai could put forth more mana into it and then, it would pose no problem to think of it as a real deal. But using this smaller blade was rather easy on his mind, and highly flexible since handling a mana was unlike a physical object.


    The ones who could wield the mana in this way and their cores were known as Shapers. The ones wielding the worldly mana were Handlers, who took the rules of mana from an outside perspective. Murai was the Shaper all through and through. It was one of the core elements of many mana-based Pathways that Murai mastered long ago, but any New Beginning would restart his progress.


    It was one of the reasons his Shaping was so good since it wasn''t something one could forget that easily. It still gave him some edge, even though his Core wasn''t up to his testes. It was part of the soul and instincts and Murai was familiar with both of those aspects. Well, the soul not so much, but mana was easy to see and even easier to feel.


    Similarly to the mana, all sorts of things can be Shaped according to one''s will. Even a soul, to a certain extent, but that was unique and rather impossible to even consider in most cases.


    So, Murai used his favorite method of thinness and quickness, which was potent because of his Shaping efficiency. Skeletons charged at him, but before their eyes even flickered further into the fog, their skull disappeared from the rest of their body or became cracks.


    A simple and quick process of slicing and guiding the thin mana blade through their necks and skulls was all it took to kill them.


    5 undead skeletons crumbled to the ground, and it all happened in the blink of an eye. Alas, their End didn''t even matter. Be it in the flames of the two wolves, or in Murai''s eyes. The blade traveled from the moment of killing those 5, straight to the high wolves. They were yet to realize the deaths of their 5 little tools that weren''t far from the first wave of the Welcoming Party. The blade was as quick as an arrow, arriving at the wolves'' heads. Murai made a simple move of a stabbing, to see the strength of these high wolves.


    ¡°What a Welcoming party... I will butcher you all. Really.¡± Murai grinned, yet the blade only stabbed about halfway through the socket of one wolf. It growled in anger and defiantly stomped, and pushed the fog around it as if in flames. It calmed, yet the Soul Flames still remained even if one was dimmer.


    5 remaining skeletons charged at Murai, but their demise was met by another blade that Murai Shaped in an instant.


    Interesting. Mana is rather easier to wield here, but something wrong foes along my core. It is hungry like a beast. Is there some sort of mana source besides the world and the River of the Manaflow? Did Lorry say something along those lines? The secrets run deep... It seems. It''s the same with those wolves. Are they something that a Gate 1 can produce? They look fresh.


    As Murai kept thinking, the 2 wolves became alone. Their meaty bodies with residual fur meant they weren''t undead for long. Perhaps weeks, or months, or their High Wolf species was special in their undead ways. That, or there was something strange with these wolves living in this temple. They could have an abundance of lifespan, bloodline, or life force to accommodate their current undead living.


    All of these were important to any physicality, and any undead desired to come back to life. It was a basic principle of deep consciousness, and one''s Will and desires.


    Murai knew it and researched these aspects in some portions of his lives. These high wolves may be even older than they looked, but as for their power level, they shouldn''t pose a ridiculous challenge like the messiahs.


    ¡°Lorry, am I supposed to rush through this Gate?¡± Murai voiced, glaring behind him to see him floating not far behind. Lorry observed Murai with thoughts kept in his mind, while Lisa was closer to him as well. Murai didn''t ask her anything, even though she told him that this Gate should be an easy business, yet was it? Those Undead High Wolves looked strong, and 10 Undead Skeletons were the same as the 1st Wave of the Welcoming Party.


    ¡°Lorry is unsure what Murai wished or meant by that. Murai should do what Murai could do and Lorry is sure Gate 1 is yet to speak of its premise. Getting to Gate 2 is to find the portal. Power isn''t everything that is up for this Gate. Murai isn''t a beginner, and the temple will work around the flexibility to make it challenging enough, as Lisa said, right?¡± Lorry shot her a glance, but Lisa only shrugged her shoulders and nodded her head.


    ¡°So... There is some reason for me, being unable to go past 4th Gate?¡± Murai wondered.


    ¡°Lorry is unsure. Murai will have to try and see that. Gates are about difficulties. 4th is far into it.¡±


    Lorry seemed mysterious but was more than aware of some reasons. He seemed more like a hesitant asshole who didn''t want to destroy the fun for everyone.


    Huh... What an unbiased attitude this temple has. These Gates aren''t for the small fries, but so what? The temple can adjust against impudent challenges. Sounds like an excuse for the owner to get new toys. Seems like Lordis doesn''t care about it either way, since it goes along with his vision of power that is this Battleworld. I wonder if it is that, or it''s much more complicated than that.¡± Murai wondered and kept Lorry be.


    Instead, he wondered where he stood in the power levels of his current prowess and these Undead High Wolves should make up a nice comparison.


    What was his most powerful attack under his belt?


    Beak''s Peak was definitely among them since it was an amalgamation of his mana and his physicality. His beak was quite strong and never cracked, bent, or got hurt.


    Other than that, Murai didn''t think his repertoire of magic abilities was all that powerful. He had Bloodrush too, but since the time in the well, he never even thought of using it. Losing Vitality was too harmful. What about the hidden abilities or Robust Spirit identity?


    His Robust Spirit Identity had an interesting premise, but using it was akin to shackling him with the limits of the Soul Force. He didn''t like it, so he long figured them to be important trump cards.


    As for the hidden ability that was Soul Lock and Soul Manifestation, they required specific circumstances. It wasn''t up to him to activate them, as they require high mental pressure and incredible danger or circumstance. It wasn''t something he should decide on a whim, in fact. And there was also the Robust Spirit itself, which seemed to be part of his soul.


    He didn''t find anything bad in all of this. He had the Beak''s Fury too, and it was strong, but not as wild as the Peak. It was akin to the flexible use of his beak, unleashing fury in quick succession and power. It was significantly weaker than Beak''s Peak, but it wasn''t that bad either. It had some uses.


    As for something else, Murai could create some spells but it required time and effort. Did he have time to come up with something special? That was easier said than done because Murai lacked a couple of things that any regular mage needed. That was the underlying stability and usability of the mana core, which, in his case was Beast Core. Time was the biggest issue. Training too.


    The time spent in magic Shaping and training was important. 1 week was nothing by his standards. He spent lifetimes worth of training in some of his dominant lives of mastering simple moves or spells.


    It went without question that time was an important factor in the road to power, let alone in a Path that he had yet to even choose.

 Chapter 105: Path opportunities

    Having a proper sight on a Path was an important factor for a steady future. It would cater to the person, and create opportunities for the present or future.


    They were often finite choices that one had to follow no matter what. Those were the Paths that defined those who had chosen to follow some Pathway.


    Having nothing meant having fewer choices, and more often than not, it meant having certain limits or having no specialties. For most humans, villagers, and farmers alike, they had nothing, to begin with, so expecting something wasn''t fitting.


    Paths were for the powerful to consider, and not just anyone could take them to their peak. Murai was limiting himself in this way quite a lot, but this life was limiting him anyway, so he was still delaying that inevitable decision. It will happen sooner, or later. It was nearing, and the Paths in his mind were countless.


    Encounter shackled him with unfamiliar reasons and his living was starting to have a negative impact on his choices. There was a Pathway of Magic to be desired, but there were countless other Pathways that involved mana too. They would have different sets of Paths, with Laws underneath them. Paths under the Magic were fine to consider in his opinion, but something truly fitting to his current living was always better than having something generic and bland.


    It was always sensible to be careful because any New Beginning was perfect for smart and unique possibilities. It was fine to start and figure something new. He had his knowledge and memories to consider, so he wasn''t afraid. He wouldn''t like it at some times. Too many choices were often redundant.


    His reasoning made sense from the Anatidae standpoint, while this world was having a drastic means to view the Paths. Those weren''t that finite, but he was no man to consider them. He had the evolutions that were akin to a Path, but not really. They may gave him something decent and unlikely to his standards, but for now, he had the vision of Anatidae Panacea. That meant a certain and strong physicality, and magic to accompany his mind and flesh.


    What will happen next to his Evolution or progression, in general, was questionable and something that Murai wasn''t sure about. He lacked context and information.


    But he had no qualms about their importance. Evolutions were extremely powerful since he became much stronger from that measly little duck in that cave to one with a mana and a much stronger body. Without that behind him, he doubted he would''ve lived for long.


    Because of them, beasts may not have to consider the notion of the normal Paths, because they had evolution to cater to. He didn''t see the difference or clarity about both of those decisions. Path may be part of Evolutions after all.


    Paths were always steady in their vision and approach. They mostly spoke of histories, since they were concepts of technical and precise powers. They catered to their respective Pathways, and any being could walk on them as long as they could. In a rough sense, they were foundations, and each addition to that foundation added a certain benefit to them. Evolution was that, and they could also change the foundation at its core. Could... There were variables in anything, and a potent source of power in this world can transform it all.


    Mura bet he could think of evolution as a helping hand to steady some Path under his head, but he was clueless to decide on his Path, while Evolution was far away. After all, the Path was a finite and single choice. Evolutions weren''t, and he could choose them when he reached a threshold for one or Breach some requirements. He already had that choice of Anatiade Aquantis, and he got it after he suffered through the pain of drowning. That was a weird requirement for an evolution, but it was the only one he managed to get. He still needed more, even though he was no ordinary beast.


    This was also no ordinary world. Will of the Battleworld steadied the purpose of all Paths, supported it all by Boosts, and Evolutions and for what, or set by whom?


    Paths were for those who followed the road to power and had the potential and willingness to reach a higher stage of their living. It followed a unique premise, unlike those of common origin that had no major stakes in any word. Children, farmers, musicians in taverns, or simple hunters and gatherers. They weren''t interested in some Paths, as the world and their fate weren''t up to that task. Though they were living in this world, the world didn''t love them back. The universe gifted those who earned some talent and fate. It was a matter of talent, fate, and luck.


    Murai had this view that considered fate or luck as excuses. One had to make his own choices to make a decent living. That was his rule, but in this world, a lot of rules seemed to be in shambles, causing his mind to turn to an unfamiliar corner.


    Evolution and beastly living followed the premise of the Paths for sure, but it depended on what a beast''s intellect and body could take. Magic can Shape a lot of Paths, and it wasn''t common for a Path to be something better than a species'' uniqueness or drastic evolutions. Both could be interconnected, or one of them can be much stronger than the other. Hence changing major aspects of many species, or Paths alike.


    When considering the premise of bloodlines, and countless various species this world and universe had, there were more of them than humanoid races. But only a handful were worthy contenders against the talents of humanity, let alone the heavens or beyond.


    Beasts had it tougher than humans, as the universe wasn''t accommodating them that well. That much, Murai understood, so he was curious about his potential. It was about his soul and less about the other things. After all, his memories were one of his strongest powers, and he always used them to his advantage. The body was usually the largest variable in any of his New Beginning.


    He held magic in his core, which combined with his soul, made up some interesting results. It should be fitting to think of some Beast Paths with tinges of magic in them. He wouldn''t dislike it, but choice mattered, his body affected the magic far too much. Then, there was his soul which had trouble adjusting to this mixture and didn''t take up the magic and the body that well. Beast Core was savage in his Shaping and Conjuring. That much Murai knew, so he handled it with significant savagery like his Core too.


    And if anything made sense, if things moved far worse, he could adjust it and force those problems away with more force. That was what he was doing with his Shaping, and so far, it worked for about.... 10% of his expectations.


    He didn''t know why it was this unsteady to his senses. It wasn''t as if mana was sufficient with uniqueness in its essence that haunted him like a crazy dog that was hard to keep leashed. It shouldn''t be THAT different from his memory, yet here he was, struggling with his mana for many days.


    Some would laugh at him for thinking and being annoyed at this issue. Most beginner Shapers struggled with feeling their Mana Core for weeks, and Shaping was a matter of months of training. Many weeks and months could pass before any Spell will start to show results.


    However, that was the difference between the talents of humans, and beasts.


    Humans visualized and worked with the core differently, similarly to their growth. Beasts grew faster, thus many things were different, including the core, and blood. That''s where evolution became important.


    Murai was outside of that picture because his familiarity with mana through his soul made up for many shortcomings, but it was hardly enough to solve the differences between the body and the soul. That was a fact he couldn''t fault since the body was always a different story.


    What always made his potential different from the norm was the body he found himself in and its talent. In his current case, it was the Beast Core and Anatidae body ~ unsurprisingly.


    Both of them were something that he had yet to figure out since he had never even considered being a damned demonic beast of this caliber. Even his research regarding the mana didn''t come up with coherent information, or thoughts of precise differences between human mages and this sort of demonic magical beasts. There must be more to that, he believed, but it was like trying to read an ocean. One had to become an ocean to understand its full mysteries, and right now, Murai was that


    . A being he had never been before.


    Something to give him at least some edge was important. Like life as a pebble and the Laws of Rocks that he managed in that unique life. But that wasn''t a beast or some demonic blood. He was a straightforward rock... A strange being that worked like a Handler, but not really. It was a different world with different stakes.


    He could gather a few things from his memories and work for himself.


    But a duck?!


    Murai wasn''t feeling confident around this prospect, even though the magic and body didn''t seem to be the worst he ever had. He at least shook his Shaping in power and forced it to work, while crashing his Beast Core to submissions. Hence, he made many improvements in the past week, which weren''t surprising to his mind. Mana flowed out of his core in larger strides than normal, but it was harder to follow it afterward. It wasn''t impossible, otherwise, his Conjured mana was like tossing water out of the bucket to a vast ocean.


    His Shaping helped with that, and that was how Conjured mana had to be handled. Conjuring by itself did very little, but his Beast Core was a large issue in that. The Shaping didn''t become as large of an issue when he focused his attention on the individual Spells and forced mind. At least the unique Shaping he was using worked wonders, but creating something advanced wasn''t up to his current possibilities.


    In this case, Will of the Battleworld was the variable that created those possibilities.


    Only because of it, Murai was able to have his Proper Mana Blade as his official Spell, while the notions of affinities that went to his Core were Boosts he took out of his accomplishments. It wasn''t because of his own training, Mana Tomes, or other things, much to his lackluster thoughts. The same was the Flame that he got out of nothing but one motion of sparkling the mana aflame.


    Will of the Battleworld acknowledged those situations and gifted him the affinities that flew to his Core.


    Any Boost to them gave him some success, improving the effectiveness of the spells. Sharpness was for his Proper Mana Blade, and Flame to his Flame Shots.


    Any new spell that he will need next will either happen on its own, or by his own training or other matters. He needed Mana Tomes, or time for everything, or a place that would force his development by fighting and accomplishments. Temple of Levandis was that, much to Lisa''s clever plot.


    Will of the Battleworld was a shortcut, yet Murai hadn''t got time to exploit it that well. Not now at least, even though he already got a lot of unordinary gifts.


    Mana in the beast''s bodies was often described with distinct wilderness since their blood, heart, and souls were inhuman. That was common knowledge in his research from many worlds. Instincts moved them more than human intelligence. It was something about the primal ancient times, or so he believed when beasts began comprehending the concept of the mana. These were wild times, and he was living through them too, but not as a beast, but as a man or different other beings.


    He held that sort of unique living at the moment, which was up to his soul to take care of, and not the rest. Body and magic can all just adapt already, and fuck off with the unreasonable demands. That would be what he desired and he didn''t care about some limits. He lacked the beast''s spirit, and instincts.


    The wilderness was why the mana was savage, and hard to control, unlike humans whose large power was their ability to think in complex and detailed ways. It was about how souls were portrayed, and distinct to many individuals. Race and species issues made it this way. Bodies as well.


    Murai had a prominent advantage in his soul, as he was Anatidae with an extraordinary soul. In terms of mana, nobody else but the humanoid races could wield the mana in the most pleasing and comforting ways. But sometimes, monstrosities from ancient times were no worse and could be nothing but a disaster in disguise.


    It didn''t mean that all beasts were stupid, or unable to reach certain talents. There were definitely many cases of intelligent creatures in all sources of living conditions and forms. The universe was full of them. Some were prone to more care than others, creating various aspects, Paths, evolutions, and powers that no human could ever manage.


    The ability to think made the most changes, unsurprisingly.


    Murai knew it more so than anyone and experiencing his own memories was always a rather laughable matter. Especially when he thought about the past in consideration of his current problems.


    He was overlooking the dumb undead beast before his eyes, who growled in Gate 1. He was thinking of them by holding himself back.


    My last week was rather short in terms of progression, all things considered. I had my fair share of Will of the Battleworld''s messages, and a couple of mild Boosts. They were good and interesting, but I shouldn''t be dependent on them too much. It isn''t accommodating me in its rules right now, and who knows how long will Encounter last. In fact... what will I even gain after getting out of the Seventh Death Forest? I am already out... for fuck''s sake, but no! Rules! Reasons! He complained to himself.


    I know I didn''t need some Boost or this voice in my head in many of my lives to become strong. I need to come up with something better to make up for the current shackles, but what? He asked himself in his head, wondering in many ways about his current magic.


    Caring about some measly problems isn''t my style. Mana is a part of who I am and was. Right now, I am a demonic beast of the Anatidae species, and they have abilities that others don''t have, nor have I ever seen or heard. This beak is one example, and I need to improve not only my mana but everything about my body. Handling the weight, movement, and flexibility. It was obvious that it could work from the way I fought in the Welcoming Party. That jaguar was.... tough, yet I cracked it. Will of the Battleworld can fuck off with its forgettable attributes. My mana will have to do and who knows what this temple will give me too. Rules changed because of Lisa and her plot, so let''s go deeper. Murai decided and changed his mind to be a bit tough and brutal to himself.


    There was no time to waste, so before he decided on what he should do, one of the wolves stepped forward.


    It was the one he previously attacked to its eye socket, which ended up flaring its Soul Flames and slightly cracking the skull. It didn''t get damaged much apart from giving it more anger. Wounding its pride was also a possibility since no predator liked to become hunted by a duck. It wasn''t fitting to many and Murai could feel that, and understand its anger from his passive Soul Read.


    The red Soul Flames in its sockets remained in its wavy pattern and appeared somewhat bigger because of the emotional rage that this beast contained. It was giving the wolf a sinister look. It growled as it walked forward, stomping the ground, and its eyes flared and glowed in the fog.


    Fog and an aura of death littered its face and every step was one step closer to him. It was coming right towards him, but not pouncing like a tiger. The atmosphere of blue flames at the sides of the corridor and fog around made it more threatening.


    ¡°Huh...A zombie dog? Let''s call you that. Blood and a tingling mess of flesh go around your bones. You appear like that anyway.¡± Murai joked around and the wolf pounced forward. Its jaw had some muscles around, and bloody teeth filled the two halves of its bony jaws. It was a smaller beast in terms of mass than a Wildling Jaguar''s jaw, but even then, its open jaw would be enough for at least 2 ducks, maybe even more.


    ¡°You want to eat me? Me? I wish I could do the same to you, but it seems my hunger won''t be quenched in this Gate that easily. But, you seem juicy, but not like I expect much from a rotting corpse. Eating here isn''t probably fine...¡± Murai sneered and put forth one ability he hadn''t used in a while.


    Beak''s Fury.


    It was a little amalgamation of the power of his beak, neck, and momentum. It was akin to holding a bat, but the bat was his nose, and the hand was nothing but his neck.


    It was a strange analogy and one he didn''t like to think about. The beak was his closest and strongest kind of weapon, right after magic that required more care and attention. In truth, both needed a lot more care, and neither was as comfortable to him as a proper Path.


    One had to be careful against the larger type of opponents, so Murai lowered his stance and looked at the approaching jaw. He hit the teeth that wanted his life. Powerful force kept him sliding on the relatively smooth floor, but it wasn''t overpowering him. It was no sand like the one in Death Valley which was kind of soft, even though it was a unique kind of sand.


    It was hard to find a proper footing on this surface nonetheless, and the wolf''s momentum wasn''t that weak.


    Glowing eyes flashed in a growling wolf''s skull. It was right before his vision, and its attack failed to reach his feathers. His beak pushed against its jaw, acting in a defense and long stick so it didn''t snap at his neck.


    ¡°See? You are not that strong now.¡± Murai laughed and did the one thing he could. That was to use his Beak''s Peak and push forth as much as he could since the power of this wolf''s attack wasn''t as weak as he feared. Jaguar was indeed much stronger, so 2 seconds was all it took to get ready to clutch yet another victory.


    Murai put forth some stability through his core, clutching his neck and flexing his muscles. He needed to relax his neck for a split second and then unleash firm momentum through the Peak. It went from the leg, spine, neck, and towards the beak. His Core was somewhere in between those lines, giving the Beak''s Peak even more strength.


    Everything needed proper care, stability, and momentum, creating his most powerful ability at the moment, right after the in his Robust Spirit.


    There was also some sort of crescendo about it, and it was at that moment, that the Beak''s Peak would become unstoppable. Undead High Wolf still kept its momentum going, and since this corridor was far and wide, there was enough room for any kind of battle. Murai held his own ground, pressing with his beak against its jaw, and jolted his body. His little claws on his feet found some footing, and his body tensed up.


    He stopped the momentum in a single moment when he unleashed his Beak''s Peak.


    Cracks and crushing sounds echoed in this space, shaking the fog when the wolf''s entire body was lifted up, flying over Murai''s unmoving body. He used the basic knowledge of momentum, yet seeing a duck do this sort of thing to a wolf as big as a horse wasn''t common.


    Wolf didn''t die, but Murai did enough damage to the lower jaw that must''ve caused some serious damage. I was better than what he managed with the Beak''s Fury. He knew it but wasn''t upset that some ability was stronger than others. It made sense. Some things were overdue for some upgrades, and Beak''s Fury was one of them.


    The wolf crushed to the ground, growling, howling, and angrily stomped up to the ground. A crack and a large wound were on top of its upper jaw, while part of the teeth was destroyed and seeped blood and flesh to the ground. This infuriated it, while the other wolf howled as well, thinking how humiliating this was.


    Still, only one of them went against Murai, as if it were a rule that couldn''t work against the Challenger. It wasn''t sensible, but Murai wasn''t complaining. A bleeding wolf was on its paws, and its claws screeded against the hard surface of the ground.


    ¡°A claw this time? They seem sharp, but you underestimate this duck!¡± Murai quaked, Conjured mana, and Shaped a blade once again. His mana was once more usable since quite some time passed since he was out of his mana. The Proper Mana Blade he created was rougher and cruder than the many before. It was his try in a Rapid Shaping. Expertise in Shaping he was fond of, but it was like shooting just a wooded stick out of the bow. It had limited sharpness and results.


    Still, the attack that the wolf unleashed with its quick pounce with its front-facing claws, ended up as a failure. Murai''s blade was at least shaped in stability and acted like a simple stoppage thanks to his Shaping. Not because of the Sharpness of the Mana Blade, which didn''t cut a thing.


    The furious wolf reminded him of a pouncing tiger. Its jaw cluttered, letting more blood splutter around, and flesh creased down. Its two front paws were mid-air, halted within his Blades. Murai was right there below it, a glow was once more on his beak.


    He jumped and slapped its neck from the side. A gushing wound, as well as a cracking sound, echoed. He obliterated the spine and crushed the flesh and smaller bones.


    Spine Bones were the strong part of its body, and flesh was soft and hardly useful. Murai clutched the part of the neck, and let a roaring quack, tearing the wolf''s head apart from the rest. He was unable to finish the whole move, however.


    Ah... Not enough strength... Well, Peak''s purpose isn''t to tear things to shreds, but it could do that. Not now. At least not something this heavy and tough, I suppose. More attributes would help. More meal? I suppose the boosts of the attributes contribute to my strength indeed. I suppose rethinking my opinion about the Will of the Battleworld isn''t out of the picture. Murai thought as he retrieved his beak from the bloodied hole on the wolf''s collapsed corpse.


    It was death, stumbled to the ground and its Soul Flames turned somber in their End, but they didn''t disappear. Murai ended up all bloody but felt great in such a wild kill. He also tasted the blood regardless of his unwillingness.


    ¡°Hm? It is kind of foul, but... Not bad? Should its meat be as good as this?¡± He glanced at its body, eyeing the rotten meat. Blood seemed better and fresh¡ªprobably because of the unique and more powerful bloodline this Undead High Wolf had. ¡°Maybe not everything is rotten from the outside perspective. Hell, I doubt I will get sick if I eat it anyway. It just goes against my standards. Yes. Yes. I can be flexible.¡± Murai said in a self-important manner and turned to the remaining wolf who was eyeing him with fury.


    It was time for the second fight.


    ¡°Unintelligent undead beast. I wonder what is its level. Around 20s is my guess, or should I care about the levels? It is a system of this world, so I will take what I can.¡± he shook his feathers, letting blood splatter everywhere. He was clean in a couple of swipes. ¡°What sort of crap is this? Enemies are weak, or have I become strong? Well, there have been those hunts in the Seventh Death Forest, and that Welcoming party had its fair share of troubles. I am meant to get stronger. Messiahs were whatever, but haven''t I fought with powerful beings in their 30s already? No way things are around the level of that Acaman Golem I fought for dozens of minutes.¡±


    As Murai tasted the blood, he knew the answer. Strategy moved against the rules or levels alike. It was a skill issue, but it wasn''t an issue.


    It was a matter of perspective, and his soul and cleverness shined through his own limiting level and young age.


    After a dozen seconds of silence, something strange happened. He heard a shimmering whisper. Eater Status spoke out some information after a long time without any. They were insignificant, yet something he didn''t mind. Any information was another context to his living. Blood permitted out a lot of core information, or so he figured.


    A Bloodhound Bloodline, Undead High Wolf of Level 26, Class E? It is undead from some nasty origin. Tools, I suppose, or slaves of more powerful species of those above this low-grade bloodline? Hmmm... Nothing about the attributes, nor the current situation changes a thing, but knowing something is better than nothing. Maybe I should eat more, so I will get to know who am I against. What if... Nah... Not that. Murai thought and was much more comfortable with who he went against.


    Knowing one enemy was one thing, and the enemy shouldn''t know what was before him, right? That wasn''t wrong, but not truly.


    The last wolf hesitated for a moment, as if a speck of flame within its eyes flickered with fear. It didn''t want to be eaten, but the rules were rules.


    It jumped at its foe that was under the Challenger Rules of this temple¡ªits home and hope. Murai was yet to return the previous poor iteration of Proper Mana Blade to the world, or back to his core. He put it against the wolf''s head once more, stamping and stopping its jaw aside just before it hit him. It didn''t hurt or destroy a bone, so the wolf jumped to the wall, where it changed direction.


    ¡°A fast one? This one isn''t as stupid, or did it learn not to be so direct? Good. Good.¡± Murai laughed and reshaped the Blade.


    Mana flickered and wavered in a couple of sharp lines akin to a saw blade. He slashed against the foe that wasn''t as fast as it thought it was, and his control and reach of his changed Blade weren''t small, reaching at least 10 meters around him. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After getting his mana out of the 10-meter radius around him, Shaping will become unstable, and highly ineffective. Mana Blade would snap and dissolve, but it didn''t work for things such as arrows. Their Shaping was meant to go for longer, dissolving only after hitting the target or hitting a tougher foe.


    Undead High Wolf howled, as the wild sew-like mana blade hit its neck. The wound spread around the beast''s body, letting out a lot of blood, and cracked the bones. The blade also severed one of the front limbs as well, but mostly, it was done by Wofl''s struggle and momentum. It traveled further to the chest cavity, and it seemed the sew patterns worked better than a sharp and lean edge.


    ¡°Drop dead, once again.¡±


    Mana Blade slashed forth again.


    Wolf''s head dropped to the ground while it didn''t even have a chance to get back to the ground. It died mid-air after suffering 2 slashes in total.


    Murai was once again, bathed in blood, but he didn''t flinch or find it disturbing. He only found it surprising that it had that much blood in those muscles, and rotting flesh. Though, he knew why. The heart was still alive, and a few other organs as well. They were what fueled the bloodline, but the heart was probably the sole reason for that alone.


    This blood bath was something he could get used to.


    Like that, the group of 12 undead was once again, dead. Murai flipped his wings, wriggling his feathers to clean his body out of the blood.


    ¡°Phew... That was good. Not bad.¡± Murai sighed, yet noticed no treasure for his taking after realizing his victory. So, he glanced forth, using his Mana Detection to go deeper into the fog, and scanned the bones lying around. There was nothing, so he intended to return to his journey into Gate 1, hoping to find something that would pique his interest.


    But someone spoke, jolting his head and steps to a halt.


    ¡°Wait. Wait. This was a well-fought battle. Why doesn''t Murai check the opponents more carefully?¡± Lorry said, floating behind him, and appearing before his face.


    ¡°There is nothing of... importance?¡± Murai stated, remembering the fact that nothing much could be carried by him, nor did he want to eat those wolves. He didn''t care about skeleton bones either. One hope he had was to get some sort of spatial object from some undead. That would be splendid so he would be able to take anything with him next.


    From the many wordy endeavors he had with Iris, he got the general gist of how this world acted. It wasn''t anything difficult to comprehend. In fact, it was only fitting and familiar across many worlds.


    He held a better understanding of the Battleworld from the commoner''s side, rather than from those of power. Iris was a beginner priestess in her journey, but because of the Vermillion Church, she wasn''t some clueless brat as many villagers grew into. She had plenty of experience with all sorts of things. So, he turned a few pages of questions into a plethora of knowledge, and for what? Some stories, questions, and answers from Iris answers, or stories alike.


    For once, the source of adventure led him to that decision and one of his main and primary rules. Knowledge was also a power. Not a Path, but it moved forward any keen desire.


    Spatial equipment held a very important and valuable premise. The majority of adventures had some form of ring, bracelet, or pouch for easier travel. No one wanted to wear a large bag on their back and battle with it. It wasn''t fitting.


    So spatial equipment came forth, becoming an important aspect of any good adventure. They shouldn''t be too expensive, but their insides were. A single cubic meter worth of spatial equipment was worth 500 gold. It was something that even the weakest of adventurers could afford after a couple of weeks of work. It would then become their important possession, and it won''t deteriorate in a couple of years, depending on the maker.


    The larger the cubic meters were, the harder the spatial equipment was to craft, and the more expensive they became. As for how they were made, Murai knew it from his experience, but Iris still went and talked about it, since she was chatty, and considered Murai''s status as a Blessed. And their time wasn''t as limiting, so she spent a lot of time talking about useless, or her own interesting topics.


    Spatial equipment was a craft of mages of Space or Void origins. Runesmiths proficient with spatial materials could also crate them, without any Void or Space under their care. Blacksmiths who wielded the hammer with unique skills or mana were no different either.


    Although Murai was only two of these three examples in the past, he held plenty of knowledge about crafting aspects of magic. It wasn''t anything impressive, yet, he won''t be able to forge any sort of spatial object for a long time. It required talent and time, and also plenty of resources. Proper arms helped with that too... but who was he kidding? Using wings for forging sounded laughable and Space or Void wasn''t something easy to comprehend.


    Any sort of New Beginning in the River of Manaflow was a restart to his magic learning process, and this life was amongst the worst in this regard.


    His knowledge was one thing, but mana wasn''t something that went along with the soul or Afterlife. It was the birth of a person that decided that. So, the question of a duck, being a maker of treasures was rather a laughable idea and Murai doubted he would ever make a name for himself in this way.


    He preferred getting his life together and getting it done would be the start of a better future. That was the first and foremost first step. After that, he will think of whatever he wanted, or what this world will gift him.


    For now, he had things to do, improvements to Breach, and Gates to finish.


    He wondered what Lorry had to tell about that.

 Chapter 106: Mana Essences

    The Temple of Levandis provided one interesting topic. If it was what Murai considered it to be, then he had all the time to successfully establish some improvements like Lisa deemed it so. Not only his present but also future ones, depending on his challenges, options but also efforts.


    It was about the magic too, while the rules he Breached helped a ton more than he would ever know. Surrounding Rules from this temple and the Will of the Battleworld will give him some edge.


    However, he had yet to know all about this place and its secrets. This may be far from that, but it was unlike the 5 Origin Dungeons. The context of what this place was, will be revealed to him soon. At that time, he will realize what sort of place Lisa forced him into, and he won''t complain. Probably... It may or may not be to his liking, but there was no time to stop this journey from happening.


    For now, he kept his worries under his own soul, spreading his Mana Detection forward instead. He didn''t find a speck of any potential undead, nor any residues of magic further in the foggy corridor.


    There was this encompassing dread, chaos, and threatening feeling encompassing the corridor, and it was unchanging and cold. At least there were no enemies, confusing paths, or puzzles to solve. It was a simple journey through the fog. It felt dangerous, savage, and wild, but so what? Murai had a hunch it was fitting to his journey and he didn''t find it disturbing. It was almost welcoming to his mind. Like a Path going onward and that was it.


    He didn''t feel a soul, but more undead could come around, or they were already hiding or waiting, since if one group came, why would others not appear? He didn''t know where they came from before. They must''ve teleported, or did they come out of the walls of this temple, or stepped out of the fog?


    Considering the fog itself, he wasn''t sure how that group of 12 undead appeared so close to him without his long-range notice. If anything, his Soul Read was immensely effective, and this fog wasn''t stopping it. There were things to be careful about and some that he should be fearful of. Something told him that, and this temple seemed more than his current self could think too deeply about.


    The ground was empty and smooth, blue light flickering around the edges, and fog spread throughout the walls and ceiling. It was an eerie atmosphere and he didn''t feel right to see this, but he wasn''t upset being here. It reminded him of some places for sure¡ªhomey and as wild as comforting. But some things were due to happen and the past was in the past.


    Lorry seemed willing to tell him something but his mind wavered somewhere else. Finding advantageous options in this temple will have to come from his tries and following the path onwards. That was at least what Murai figured, and these incoming Gates would gift him with fights and gifts that he couldn''t guess, but that wasn''t up to his current self.


    He didn''t know this place, while Lisa only hoped it wouldn''t be too poor of a variable and nothing else. Lorry, nor Will of the Battleworld told the most detailed information, and there was a whole bunch of important variables hiding below, but also forward.


    Murai reconsidered his not-so-long past. Pachi''s Gift in the form of that spatial bag was the same thing as any spatial pouch, but bigger and better than most. It spoke of some ridiculous worth, as far as he knew. It was a commission to a Lady Pachi from some Extreme. He wasn''t sure what sort of god she was, nor why she gave him that sort of gift.


    Well, he had his hunch. That favor ended up starting this whole Encounter, so he was cursing her gift instead, or perhaps it was an excuse? The Encounter would''ve started regardless of that gift, he also thought. Something would''ve forced it. Lordis would, Murai bet all his wings on that.


    If it were possible, he wished to ditch this Encounter, never ever giving a single feather about some gift that he never asked for. He had some need for that, but no desire for such a thing. He knew it, albeit, it frustrated him from a simple fact. The number of cubic meters Pachi''s Bag had was over 10,000, which was a ridiculous amount, and not worth 5,000,000 gold, but much more than that.


    Prices and values at that sort of stage were unworthy of any gold numbers. Anything beyond 100 cubic meters was already viewed as precious, forcing many adventures to tough missions, or long contracts. Some could even go to such lengths, that endangering one''s life for such a valuable item sounded cheap. It depended on individuals. Some poor adventures would view 100 cubic spatial pouches as gifts from the heavens, while others thought of them as mere tools.


    It was just equipment without any offensive or defensive means, one may argue. It wasn''t wrong to assume their usefulness, and they were simple supportive equipment, so not a whole lot of high-level being cared about them¡ªsome even thought of them as consumer items and storage facilities outside of physical limits.


    If a simple little pouch had a building worth of stuff inside, it was prone to some interesting consequences. Businesses, transactions of all kinds, and management of a lot of nations used this type of equipment. No peasant had a chance to have them in most cases, let alone have so many of them.


    1 cubic meter was almost negligible, unworthy to take even a spear inside. A small sword, daggers, clothes, and food were usually enough. And it was worth 500 gold, which was a lot of money for any ordinary person. 10 Cubic ones were for up to 5,000 gold¡ªsometimes more, depending on the market, while the bigger they would be, the more useful they became. The price moved along with their usefulness, vision, craftsmanship, and worth. At the lowest point, the point of gold coins was enough for low-grade pouches.


    After all, the inner appearance of spatial equipment didn''t change much in physical realms. Their outer structure did. Thus, 100 cubic meters were worth more than 500 gold per cubic meter, since a lot of things could fit inside of it. In this regard, spatial rings were the smallest and most expensive spatial equipment one could ever purchase. They were for royalties, or people with so much money, they didn''t know much what to do with them. It was a worthy investment since this sort of equipment can support many people in armies and at times of war. They were important for adventurers, and mercenaries would never be the same without them.


    Murai''s little gift was undoubtedly too much to ask for. Something like that was unworthy of his young status, so whatever reasons were behind Pachi, Murai realized how bad they were in the last week. He had no need to hear Lisa''s argument or slacking meanings. Iris and his own findings were enough to breach information and comprehension to another level.


    It was a gift worth catering to gods, with its own little livable dimension, but it wasn''t something he or Lisa discovered. Even Will of the Battleworld didn''t have that information and mentioned very little about it.


    That was one of the reasons Murai thought Centralis Kingdom''s reach over Pachi''s Gift was something insensible and unnatural. Razmund took it from him, but he should''ve never gotten any clue about it or its inner structure. Only those who had access to the insides could get any idea what worth it had.


    And he was sure Razmund never got into it. None should do so, as far as the rules of that bag went, but Will of the Battleworld may be worthy of concern. It could''ve told Razmund something, but Murai had no idea about it. It was no plot, or it was a rule that even Gods had to follow, like many things above, below, or on the surface.


    By all means, it was his treasure, even though it was a curse that created his current disaster. An excuse too.


    Murai believed there were many methods to see what may be inside, but none shall take what was there, let alone snatch the bag to one''s use. Perhaps Razmund did realize some reasonable guesses about what kind of treasure that bag was. That could be why he took it, but Murai was underestimating the situation and didn''t consider one factor. Razmund himself was a Blessed.


    There were no doubts that he realized the value of that bag. He tried to destroy it and failed, and his prying eyes were prone to seek out secrets. But Murai had no clue why he took something that was useless to him. It wasn''t some theft for values, as that treasure was an unusable piece of fabric that no one else but him would ever use. Did he steal it out of spite for his lack of fight against Velga? Out of spite for value or some other reason?


    Back then, he had no clues about the Encounter, yet viewed Murai as a ridiculous duck that he destroyed and tossed to the well, letting it die without a speck of remorse.


    When Murai thought of that time, he creaked his teeth and didn''t like what he remembered. He changed his stance and glanced at Lorry.


    ¡°Fine... Fine. You little weasel. I am listening, and it isn''t as if everyone is talking about it. So let me ask you, Lorry. How am I supposed to carry anything around?¡± Murai stated and then spread his wings. ¡°With those fucking wings!?¡± he quacked, angrily flapping his wings, slapping the corpse of the headless wolf, and didn''t even look at the remains of the skeletons, whose remains were hiding beyond the fog. ¡°What worth do these even have? Undead are undead. They shouldn''t be worth even a crack of care to think of them as food. I won''t eat them if you are getting to that territory.¡±


    Lorry was silent, glaring at him as if he was an idiot. ¡°So Murai doesn''t know of the temple''s well-known structure and values?¡± he stated, surprised. ¡°Lorry knows the temple is famous in many ways, so watching Murai being clueless is surprising.¡±


    Murai glared at his annoying and smug face, appearing serious and staring with obvious refusal to even utter a quack. He wished to try his beak against this skull, in fact.


    ¡°Lorry sees the reasons, however.¡± He said meaningfully as if he found the work he should do. ¡±Cluelessness is of no surprise since Lisa must''ve thought of ditching all responsibilities to Lorry anyway. Is that wrong?¡± he turned to Lisa, who turned her head away, observing the corridor instead, unwilling to talk to him. She was inclined to ignore everything under her own lack of words. It was her usual stubbornness and this time, it was not different.


    Murai looked at the pair of annoying beings of mysteries and meaningful ways but unreasonable Wills. He wondered if it was even worth hearing what Lorry had to tell.


    ¡°So, stakes are the following... Watch carefully, lest Murai''s eyes pop out of its sockets.¡± Lorry flickered his Soul Flames back to Murai, flaring their aura and flames alike. In a moment, a raging flame spread to the remains of the undead wolf beside them. Bones and the Soul Flames disintegrated to the ashes. Flames spread on the spot, before puffing into smoke, leaving something distinct and special floating above the ground.


    It was a small, bluish orb, undulating intricate mana effects of unquestionable richness. It did seem similar to the Mana Crystals, or Spikes, but it was almost insensibly non-physical and only made of mana that was more often than not, hard to point in a firm state. It was a glowing orb, round like a moon or a sun.


    Murai watched what Lorry did with a bothered look, which was then changed to a surprising stare and an awkwardly open beak. He didn''t expect this at all.


    ¡°Huh? Mana Essence? You crea... What?¡± Murai exclaimed in shock, unaware of why this sort of thing ended up appearing from the bones of this undead wolf and its Soul Flames.


    Lorry smirked and spoke. ¡°Essences are one of the many Murai''s chances. The temple gifts them and essences are one of the many fine additions that this temple can reform and gift to the Challengers. 1st fight was a fine victory, for a duck... and the reasons for this temple,¡± he added, feeling proud that he was the one who talked about this sort of thing to a complete beginner.


    ¡°...¡±


    Murai didn''t know what to tell, looking back and forth between the single floating orb and the floating skull. Speechless, he got his mind back together, and his Mana Detection flared up, going over the Mana Essence that floated close to the ground.


    Lorry remained indifferent, looking at him in wonder and what he would do with this little gift. Maybe both of them wanted to tell something else, but both remained silent.


    Sighting after fierce staring, Murai calmed down. He knew exactly what to do, but he didn''t expect to see this, let alone feel this mana essence with his Mana Detection. This thing wasn''t necessarily rare, but the way it appeared was. This one was not a high-grade treasure, but what Lorry did was suspicious, causing him to be curious about it.


    He realized how fine of an opportunity was before him. The kind that he didn''t expect at all, and it was about this temple''s secrets and something that no other place in this world possessed. Probably... He could never trust his guess unless he had concrete evidence. These mana essences were unlike the Everflower that he saw in Acaman Tower, but they were very close in their structure to those spikes or crystals. One of them was rich by an unfathomable degree, and the other was poor.


    This one was minuscule, low in grade, yet it was still an important piece of the magical treasures. In what factor was it important? It wasn''t the undead''s soul or origin. Its soul flames should''ve returned to the rightful flow by now, yet it didn''t. Something else came up from that since mana essence was no soul. It was one of the secrets of what mana was, but it was no Law either.


    Strangely enough, Lorry chuckled, and more beams raged later after he noticed that Murai wasn''t doing anything but thinking and realizing some senses.


    That was a fine answer. Most Challengers who weren''t aware of what this place had, were often disappointing. Being calm was a fine power.


    Lorry was glad Murai was no ordinary thing, so he disintegrated the bones and Soul Flames of the remaining undead, forgetting none. They all had some degree of effective mana in their forceful living, stemming from their simple premise of staying in the temple for many years. Albeit without Mana Core or anything substantial, their worth was in the roots of their bones. Mana was prone to them and these essences came from them because of certain rules and possibilities that stemmed from the temple.


    They came from their undead bodies that accumulated a certain amount of mana of the world. Temple, Lorry, and his Guide status guided this uniqueness forward by a certain Law of this temple.


    It came from their bones, while the wolf had some flesh and blood that held some mana. Small, but finite nonetheless, yet they were already dead, so what did it mean? It was a ridiculous gimmick as far as Murai understood, because he saw and felt how it all happened.


    This place seemed lofty enough to surprise him, as Lorry stated before, and Lisa promised.


    ¡°What in the world is up with this complicated process? Is this temple a playground for mages? Hmm...¡± Murai walked forward, reaching the first piece of floating glowing matter that spread from the wolf. The bright light of this mana essence appeared pretty, yet its glow was small and not as bright. His own mana was brighter, for example, and also deeper. This one was low-grade mana essence around Grade 8, while Everflower was the peak of what was possible to naturally form from the River of Manaflow.


    If it weren''t for the darker kind of space in this corridor, one would ignore this orb of light, since its glow was hard to notice. Yet, the sight of even this brightness was the least of Murai''s concerns. What was precious was what it was and it was quite a useful thing. Right. A thing, tool, and resource.


    It was a treasure since mana essences were hard to manifest, and this sort of creation method was unfathomable. This mana essence was ownerless, lawless, and spotless of mistakes, or any elemental properties. It had some impurities for sure, so it wasn''t exactly rich, because it came out of a weak body.


    Mana essence can improve the Mana Core in significant ways, and strengthen the magic of any mage. Even Handler could do something with it, but it was much more important for Shapers. Improving quantity, quality, and all other things around the Mana Core was always important. They were useful for empowering spells because they were a small source of mana.


    It was an influential resource that was highly regarded by all mages. It was rare to see or meet this sort of unique possibility that stemmed from the River of Manaflow.


    Murai knew exactly what he wanted to do since his Beast Core wasn''t under his command completely. He wasn''t sure why and how long it would last to be this way, but this thing can improve his body, and perhaps even eliminate the unfamiliarity. He thought of it some more, and perhaps he could create something ridiculous out of it. It was obviously useful, since it had no place in the Will of the Battleworld massages, as it was what this temple had, and this sort of treasure was way out of its rules.


    It was its separate thing like any kind of treasure was.


    And he can exploit it!


    Will of the Battleworld had no say about this strange farming method of harvesting the mana essences. This was Levandis'' place and well outside of rules that affected the Battleworld''s many places of interest. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Many abilities revolved around mana, and this essence was a component of equipment and progression of many Paths. Their most potent feature was charging and cycling them into the core. The potency of that depended on versions of the mana essences and their grade.


    Alas, there was a catch. Murai already had three minor affinities. Flame, Sharpness, and Water were up in his Beast Core, already digging into it like little worms. Well, the two of them were useful. All of them were there, without him fully understanding his core. That was a thing he found mildly disturbing, but welcomed at the very end. It may be quite a peculiar thing according to his memories, as affinities usually spoke of talents, but his case was different.


    Those affinities came to his core because of the Boost and rules of Will of the Battleworld, much to Murai''s questionable overview of his current living.


    His Beast Core was full of its fair share of issues, but it held one great aspect. That was a Universal Affinity that was never a focus in the Will of the Battleworld''s messages, but he heard of it once when he got his evolution going.


    Murai only remembered it because of some remark he heard in his first evolution, and his own past knowledge. Having talent over the mana was a thing in almost all lives within the River of Manaflow. It spoke of what a being can accomplish, handle, and learn, but it was mainly for those who had the core. A person can be born with full Flame Affinity in their Mana Core. Their flaming spells would be much better, and they would usually fail to touch opposite elements, such as water, wood, ice, and so on.


    Universal Affinity was neither bad nor good since it had no specialty, but also no limits. The good thing was, that it was a neutral kind of talent, and the source of it all was the Anatidae Bloodline, which had many intricate notions, well outside of Murai''s touches and knowledge.


    His issue was his unfamiliarity with this sort of body and talent combined together. He wasn''t upset about having a universal way to handle affinities. He can work with anything as long as it wasn''t a pain in the ass, which.... this partly was. His Beast Core, too. Why would he not view it strangely? If he already handled Laws of Rocks as a pebble, he was glad over any life that had hands and legs. This one included it, albeit he had no hands but wings instead.


    This talent still moved behind his own issue, giving his core some advantage, but he couldn''t truly use it to its full capacity.


    Mana was a power and talent that could move through the bloodline, affecting ancestral instincts, other talents, and all kinds of powers. Beasts who had higher aptitude in mana would give birth to similar prowess of the past, but they had it tougher than human races. It was a common view of the mana and bloodlines, and Murai was no different in this case.


    He had the talent of his species in terms of mana. It was just, that his own views weren''t ready for such changes, and he couldn''t adapt in time. He was no Anatidae in his spirit, and that was an important factor.


    Now, watching those 12 glowing orbs, he could forcefully move some things behind incomprehensible limits. This glowing orb before his face was a precious resource that wasn''t easy to seek, but not impossible to buy. He can put his Shaping to a test, and his Beast Core could gobble up every one of them with ease. It will get stronger for sure, but was it all it could do?


    Cycling essences to the core generated a certain harmony and flow. He could cycle this mana out of those essences into the core and improve and strengthen the stages of his Small Stage of Initialization Beast Core.


    It was happening naturally all the time, by cycling and absorbing the worldly mana. Absorbing mana treasures assisted with better speed and effectiveness. It was just, not every mana material was able to provide the kind of mana that could do that.


    Those crystals and spikes from his memory were the kind that were finite in their physicality and stubbornly kept in limited shape. Their mana was not in the shape of those essences: free, soft, and a breath away from crashing into the world. They were sturdy enough to use as materials in alchemy, but for cycling, they weren''t a great choice.


    Any rich and softly issued mana helped with cycling to some degree. A pill or even elixirs from crafted resources rich in many properties were usually the best, since it went through some diluting process, crafting and solving some imperfections and purity issues. In such cases, even Mana Spikes helped, but they needed an Alchemist for that, which was sometimes harder than looking for essences.


    Right... I am still in the Initialization stage of the Beast Core. I am still young, all things considered. For a beast, that is, so should I eat more than I can chew, or how about using THAT? It is a gamble... which I am willing to use 99%! Murai thought to himself, as he observed the mana similar in shape to his own core. But it was dull, so he got an interesting idea. Dangerous too. Stupid also.


    The lines of mana within the mana essence shifted the appearance of its structure, making nothing but a foggy orb. Yet, the appearance was that¡ªan appearance. Murai long put forth his Mana Detection to good use and observed this essence with the most attention he mustered. That was, to see with an open mind, and not with eyes alone.


    What he felt were all sorts of layers, rays, and mysterious lighting particles flowing around its structure but they were huffed and mushed together. His Mana Detection wasn''t that great, and he wasn''t seeing the truth. But he can guess it. That wasn''t surprising, so he was watching the basic structure of the mana. It seemed restrained in place as if it was forced to this state by an external force. It was, as if it was in a cage, unable to go to the world. Some rules restricted it. Laws.


    This was a forceful manner of creating a mana essence, and it was rather well accomplished. However, the quality of these particular essences wasn''t fantastic. Murai definitely noticed it right away, since he was familiar with these things from a few of his magical lives.


    These mana essences wouldn''t do much to him by itself, but what if he had 100s of such things? No... What if he created something from them instead and pushed against the rules of the magic itself?


    Murai smiled and Conjured his mana forward. Like a mild wave of a river that went from his core, his Conjured mana engulfed the first essence, appearing as if he ate it up. His Beast Core did, right under his care.


    This seemed normal, but it wasn''t that since this wasn''t how usual cycling happened. It should be gradual, like breathing and absorbing the essence in steady steps. One''s core should absorb it slowly because essences were brittle, and often weak in their structure. No one wanted to waste them, crack them up, and destroy them. Gulping them down like a gluttonous beast wasn''t ideal, and Lorry and Lisa both watched it with some doubts. She even wanted to shout at him and question his intentions, but she restrained herself for some reason.


    Murai forced himself to sit and put forth his past as a master Shaper. He could cycle this mana essence apart, turning it into much more important and useful matter than some direct mana improvements. But he had to be quick with that and not make mistakes, or Shape them too quickly or poorly.


    Lorry and Lisa were unaware of what he was doing at all. All they saw, was how his mana gulped down the first essence, and it happened without using a common method of improving one''s mana¡ªa simple cycling method. Neither of them understood what he was doing, but they noticed how the Conjured mana went back to Murai''s core, which wasn''t that strange, but not the easiest thing a mage could do.


    Any essence was great enough to improve the capacity of the mana, but because Murai''s core was so low at its stage, even this low-grade essence would increase the might of his core. That was why Lisa wanted to give him this chance.


    The strength of magic was important to enhance. It will never be too much unless one had better essences. In the strange forms of his beliefs, even with the use of this low-grade mana essence, he won''t get overpowered. He would need way too many of them, and also equal time to cycle them all. But he wasn''t doing that. He won''t use the traditional method, since he knew better, great, and dangerous methods.


    He reconsidered a couple of things, and something crazy became clear. For once more, this was just the beginning of something greater, like many of his previous lives. He heard Lorry, so he guessed these essences were the start of a whole lot of things the temple could offer. More essences will come his way, the deeper he will go. He decided to be savage to him more than to his enemies.


    For now, using them for his core wasn''t enough to change his status quo, but gradual flow and cycling can change in the future. It was slow, which also provided a bunch of interesting questions.


    What kind of mana essence was of high quality and enough for his needs? The Everflower? What use that would gift him? Murai would be able to improve his capabilities so damn fast because of his past experience, that he wouldn''t care one bit about problems of his Beast Core, or his body. He had no qualms his universal affinity would stand its ground, and growth would gradually widen. Some God''s Trial would better be forgotten and Encounter can fuck off to obscurity.


    Alas, it was impossible to think of this lofty idea, since Everflower would''ve shattered his body and head the moment he tried to handle its truths. Even if he had that sort of thing further down the line, it would be as hazardous as what he was about to do.


    Inside his flow of mana, in a place known as mana space, his core resided. A change began to occur by his own brutal decision when he felt his mana ate up the essence. The azure particles of the essence were duller than his own mana in his Beast Core, so he distinguished them easily.


    But only a crazy master Shaper would be able to do what he was about to do. Murai planned to extract them apart, and put this mana essence close to his Beast Core, not letting it fuse or cycle with it. He was planning to create something else. This poor essence wouldn''t do much for him anyway, so Murai ate up the other essences around the floor with other waves of his mana. Then he absorbed them into his mana space, leaving his Beast Core shaking.


    It went well, and no troubles occurred at this stage, which spoke no good or bad ideas. In fact, it was more confusing to him than he thought, since things moved... surprisingly well. Perhaps too well.


    A change occurred after a few minutes of the first experiment before he even started the true deal. With the gradual flow and no problems apart from general shaky mana space, he decided to continue. The mash of essences jolted together, forming a clear mass of essences close to his Beast Core. Mana surged around the mana space, and this mash of essence ended up floating way too close to his core.


    It seemed the Beast Core was having some idea on its own and felt the surge of the essence in its proximity. It wanted to devour that thing on its own, and like a hungry dog, a surge of mana flew out of it, waiting to devour the essences. Mana space trembled as they closed forward, and stress and mana turned Murai''s insides to mush.


    His body was way too particular with the mana, so he felt it in the physical realms way too much.


    Still, he didn''t cry.


    Murai squeezed his core like an annoying squirrel, put some use to his Shaping, and steadied his heartbeat. He took a breath and wanted to cry, but he tried his best to calm the surging mana. A weird resonance echoed throughout both of the swirling masses of mana, but he managed to ease the essences from going too close to his core.


    He stopped his damned Beast Core too. A standoff between two mana forces happened in a blink, and he was the master of both. Allegedly.


    Peculiar, again... He mumbled in his head. ..But manageable. What is up with this core of mine anyway? Mana is brighter than the low-grade essence, which isn''t surprising, but is it that achievable? Essences are rich no matter the grade, but there are truths and jokes, and then, the treasures. Is mine that different? Core, I mean... Am I truly at the Initialization stage? I am fairly sure Small Success is still under my nose. But who am I questioning...


    Anyway, this damned process depends on every intricate and complex thing, under my self. It isn''t about the Beast Core alone, but Shaping takes the cake. Both of those orbs are calm, but it took some effort. Neither is destabilized, so I need to be careful in the future, and not let one devour the other. This will put me in shackles, but those will be mine, for once.


    Murai wasn''t too harsh about him and didn''t look for answers to good things. He created and honed the mana essences close to his Beast Core, creating a revolving storm out of them. It was a small orb, about half the size of his Beast Core. It was a precious swirling object under his Shaping alone. Control and care provided unfathomable ideas, and the essences no longer wanted to dissipate and move to what they should go into.


    His eyes beamed with delight when he established the first stage of this ridiculous technique that required Shaping to perfection. He shaped the essence into a separate core, which was outside of his own, and had a similar style and appearance. It spun like a Revolving Core would, but it was like a child before the real deal. Both of the Cores swirled in a revolving manner one way or another since this motion proved they were taking mana in, and their essence was calm.


    Initialization Cores spun in the slowest manner, and the further in the stage it got, the stronger it was. Small, Medium, and Peak stages were all better one after the other. At the Revolving Core, the power and speed of the revolving were harsher and broader, providing strength many times the Peak Success of the Initialization Core.


    Murai never expected this sort of opportunity to occur in this life. Considering his luck, it was always issue after issue, pain after other problems. His strength wasn''t a lot to this unusual New Beginning, so any good news was delightful. He even ended up wounded, and almost met his End, while more setbacks pushed against his little life. A literal Hunt too...


    This was a welcomed situation since worse times can push him over the edge,e and provide his memories and life with something new. His power didn''t solve it all. Everything would''ve been different if he had the strength.


    Luck was also part of one''s destiny, and it seemed, a rather peculiar power was taking a form in Murai''s mana space. And it was thanks to Lisa, which he thought of for a moment. It was a brief motion in his mind, but it dispersed fast. He focused on this mash of essences instead and remembered what he was doing.


    Core Defining Fusion was the name of the technique he was following right now. It was something that moved against common sense and created an Artificial Mana Core without influencing the flow of his own core. It was an independent, sophisticated technique that was incredulous in its premise and facts.


    The first stage of this technique was Overlapping¡ªusing the slivers, and power of the mana essence to take a proper form of the Artificial Core. Through the Shaping, Murai will keep this ball of essence in one place, not close but far enough from his own Core to firm two independent forces. Then he will nourish the Artificial Core to become better, and then, fuse it with his own Core and rise in stages rapidly.


    It had very clever and nice usage. It was essentially completely made up for the user''s needs, and Shaped up so one can do anything with it. Often, the original cores were difficult to use, while Artifical Core''s usage and power were often different and easier to work with. Of course, that came after the fact that creating it wasn''t one bit easy.


    And there were a whole bunch of reasons to be worried about. When it would be ready to harvest wasn''t something Murai was sure about, but its worth and position were apparent. It was a peculiar item, but directly under his touch. He will move it to fuse with the Beast Core further into the future and maybe then, the true power of his Beast Core will be unleashed.


    Now, it was a question of how to get enough mana essences, and he knew the answer. There were two ways to get them: this sort of place, which had some special rules, formations, laws, or unknown mysteries to form unnatural essences. They shrouded every resident of this place, creating them out of their bodies. As for those reasons, and how this temple managed this, Murai didn''t know how.


    He rather didn''t care about the answer to these problems, since the status of mana essence vastly destroyed his care to know the answers.


    The second choice was to find a natural source of mana essences. That was a rather vague term. Finding and also natural.


    Sometimes, the River of Manaflow gave birth to many kinds of wonders. Everflower was the closing peak of what was possible, but there were as many lower kinds of mana essences and countless other treasures. For once, a situation where the mana wouldn''t dissipate away in the shape of essences was rare, but considering the vastness of any world, it was by no means impossible. At some point and lands, it was almost common.


    Mana can take shape in many ways. Ores? Shards? Spikes from the Celestial Pool which Murai saw? They weren''t the kind to be mana essences, but they weren''t far from the level of quality that some low-grade essences provided. Their creation, setting, and worth were something different.


    Those weren''t the true mana essence, even in the middle or high range of grades. Their structure worked in different principles. Many mana materials simply yielded mana in the basic state or unique affinities of elements. Mana essences were more of a truth. A rule that made them rich, and special, because their forming was taking longer, and their structure was soft and richer.


    Naturally occurring essences were part of extraordinary places that can be worth a lot of money. Those places enriched a deep concept of the River of Manaflow and formed lakes, ponds, flowers, and so on. They were rarer to see for sure, so the artificial kind of essence-gathering constructs were much more widespread and easier to manage. Mages can Shape and move the mana, so why not the essences? They can create them if they happen naturally and Murai was watching that kind of essence before his eyes.


    He understood those facts, and this temple was doing a very unconventional style of essence gathering. As for the quality of the essence he got from these undead skeletons, they were around the Low-Grade 8 in total, but those wolves were better.

 Chapter 107: Challengers

    The quality of the skeleton''s mana essence was the poorest of the bunch. Those were the lowest grade ones one could see at Low-Grade 9. It stemmed from their own level, the quality of mana that moved through some rules in this temple, and what their bodies were able to handle.


    It acted with the undead in mind, but perhaps even a living had this choice? Murai couldn''t guess it for now, but those undead were enough to provide some answers. Their bodies had a certain amount of mana, which acted under this temple to create an essence out of their body upon their destruction.


    He wasn''t right to assume how it worked from the get-go, but he wasn''t stupid. He saw how they formed when Lorry shattered the undead, and how they came to be. There were a whole lot of rules and laws in this motion, but in a sense, it was akin to some treason and sacrifice towards the temple and his status.


    They died at the hands of the Challengers, and their bodies shall become food for them. It was a basic trade of offers, albeit it was a rather surprising action in all truths.


    Murai found it surprising from a simple fact.


    Creating this sort of action must involve an incredible amount of care and understanding of the flow of mana. Souls may or may not be included, but those were the only undead he killed so far. Perhaps everything in this temple was within this act, and everyone served in this essence-gathering cycle.


    Why or what for? The essences may be the best answer, and someone was creating those rules to create a farm for unnatural essences.


    That was his basic guess, but as for how right he was, he had no idea. He also questioned that if a Challenger died, then what would happen then? He was on the opposite side of these rules, so could he become part of this strange temple?


    It sounded like honest and natural reasoning, and Murai wouldn''t find this unreasonable or surprising. However, he felt nothing much about the rules, laws, or any kind of force pushing its way into his body. He would''ve felt something long ago for sure. Something touching, or savage, but it never happened.


    There were 10 low-grade essences from those skeletons that he dealt with in a matter of few seconds. Each shed a small dull sphere.


    Skeletons should be at the utmost bottom of the power in this temple, and their worth wasn''t a lot. But if combined, they were worth much more in the Core Defining Fusion Technique. As far as Murai knew, he created a basic Breach into this treasured opportunity, and this technique worked like an essence-gathering construct.


    After all, what he was doing was unnatural, and creating an Artificial Core was as heaven-defining as it could get. Normally, the mana essences wouldn''t fuse together in the way he did under this technique. Outside of his technique, they could fuse under some specific and unique profession or treasures under the mage''s hands, or very specific and rare natural settings. Those were special, unique, and hard-to-come-by moments, but mages were Handlers and Shapers of mana, so using and fusing the mana essences wasn''t wrong. If there was a rule, or a problem, solving and working around them was fitting.


    Exploiting things was one of the things that mages of all kinds loved to do.


    As for the Undead High Wolves, Murai considered them more precious and better in quality. They had more mana in their bones and flesh than skeletons. Two of them made up for the 10 Low-Grade 9s, giving him an overall Low-Grade 8 essence fusion towards his Artificial Core. At what stage they were?


    According to his memories, the mana essences had grades in their fundamental worth, and they effectively worked as a currency. Grade 9 was the lowest and had Low, Middle, and High stages in their worth. Each was better than the last, while Low-Grade 9 was the poorest.


    If combined under the fusion, or an essence-gathering construct, a Low-Grade 9 needed 5 of them to create a single Middle-Grade 9 essence. 5 Middle-Grade 9s were enough to create a single High-Grade 9 essence.


    This was common across the beginning Grades of the mana essences, but things got complicated when essences became too rich. Their fusion could become harder, and require much more essences, and requirements for constructs would skyrocket. In Murai''s case, he had no such limits since he built it all up with his own Shaping, which was extremely potent, and less limiting.


    All he had to do was to be careful of his Artificial Core, and Beast Core, so neither of them would gobble the other. If some mistake happened, it meant the End of his life. Handling magic inside of his body was dangerous. An explosion of either wouldn''t leave a feather intact.


    Essences could also involve laws, and elemental properties, which would add other variables in fusions and their usefulness.


    Also, to create and improve high-grade essences, the next full Grade required more essences. The number depended on the richness, their quality, effects, laws, or elements. For example, 10 High-Grade 9s would make up the Low-Grade 8.


    All in all, the Grades up to 5 were relatively manageable to fuse and the required essences weren''t that high. Their value and worth were enough for most mages up to level 70.


    Alas, they weren''t as common to view as currency in the normal world. Instead, they were standard in magical societies where magic was the rule and truth of interest. They were quite useful, albeit often hard to get, since the demands outweighed their farming.


    The best way to get steady and high-quality essences was in natural ways. That was the mines, high-grade Celestial Pools, Ponds, or Rivers, with naturally occurring mana essences that took some time to grow. Under more unique circumstances, certain flowers could also form essence. They were all complicated in their vision and form and often seemed different from those orbs Murai saw. Those were unnatural ones, forged under the temple''s strange ways so they wouldn''t dissipate away.


    In nature, they formed because of the River of Manaflow, and its flow would shatter, and affect the natural rocks or other materials to create mana essences over time. It could even affect dead plants and animals, water, or the earth. Thus creating a natural mana essence with some unique elements and effects. It also depended on the setting, as there may be some forest, mountains, or other unique places where there may be a huge surge of natural elements. These things all affected the natural creation of the essence on the surface and underground alike.


    Mages preferred very pure ones, but some Paths wouldn''t mind some irregular essences, filled with weird or dangerous elements, or laws. Some of them could be much more precious than pure ones since their creation could be much rarer, and harder to come by.


    The requirements for their creation would be quite wild and could change in a heartbeat. Demand was usually much higher for them than they were found in the world. And this Battleworld was no different from the norm Murai was used to. In fact, it was much wilder and crazier than his own considerations, since he was yet to see much of this world.


    All in all, 12 of these essences weren''t enough to do much but were enough to start the Artificial Core.


    Grade 9s weren''t worth a lot, and Murai needed a lot of them to raise his Artificial Core to a passable degree. Of course, he could also absorb essences to his normal core, but that would mean the inability to shatter his limits by the use of Core Defining Fusion. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Murai thought it through, and in order to fuse the cores together, he needed a high quantity of essence. The better qualities helped too, but in such a low stage, the quantity was more important. After all, his technique helped a ton with one issue. He can fuse them straight away, which was impossible in normal cycling techniques.


    He knew how everything all worked with the Core Defining Fusion since it wasn''t his first time using it. Creating the Artificial Core proved an interesting fact already, and this body didn''t impact the rules of this ridiculous technique. He felt that nothing was wrong with either of his cores and right now, since he worked on them himself. A tiny and weak orb of mana was swirling before his Beast Core. He restrained them both to not affect each other and it was passable.


    It worked in this life and body. This world was the same as in others, so that was one of the rare good news he got in this life. As a proper Shaper, one must know how to work with mana essences, let alone the mana itself. Murai held high efficiency in all of them, but the issue about his body was like a worm in his head.


    He was a bit fearful that the starting process of the Core Defining Fusion would fail, but it didn''t. That was the first good step, and the Artificial Core was stabilized. However, there was a problem. This core won''t be an issue, but what about the final overlapping in the fusion? Things around his body and mana could become a problem since he feared some instabilities at later stages.


    Beast Core and the origin of his body was that of a demonic beast, and it wasn''t holding that kind of mana that was comforting towards the rich essences.


    It was vivid and hard to tame. Murai had to use a lot of his attention and power to let his restraints be as little as possible. It allowed him to work and get some basic Shaping up to his standards, but it was like leashing a wild dog. The collar or leash can snap, and things would get nasty.


    For now, he was at the beginning stages of any spell Shaping, but what about later? That was one of the worries he had, while his main worry was much more apparent. Core Defining Fusion will affect his body later on for sure, but it was mainly for his Beast Core. It will surely give rise to the issue of his demonic origin, yet could he change something about that?


    He can''t change his body or the origin of his New Beginning.


    This issue of his body was only an issue in theory since he never heard of any beast performing the Core Defining Fusion. It will be like a shot in the dark. He didn''t know what would happen further down the line, but he had certain expectations because of his knowledge.


    For now, he had to forget any issues, since he already did everything he could.


    How much is needed is a question though. Grades range from 9 to 1, and... higher. Nevermind. The higher ones are not for me. Unimportant stuff. My current time needs a proper start. Grades depend on the might of what my version of Core Defining Fusion can take. This is... for once, in the starting grade of Initialization, which isn''t as common from my memory, but I heard many mages who worked with it. I did so in later stages, but this one wasn''t so different after all. So much for the initialization stage core like mine. Using this technique to shatter the cores to form new ones will be a challenge, because of my body and Beast Core.


    I guess Grades shouldn''t be that high in my case because of them, which is good news. Middle-Grade 5, or even Low-Grade 5 should do the best job, but those are limited above very pure or even lawful essences. Could I take better ones with this body? That sounds ridiculous... Maybe Grade 6 should satisfy my requirements? Murai through as he finished the final touches to his Artificial Core.


    Getting back to his feet, he had a lot to consider now. In this temple, he will butcher everything in his way for better quality essences.


    ¡°So? Are you satisfied with these little things, Murai Hisagi?¡± Lisa asked after he got up. She was noticing what Murai''s mind thought, but even she didn''t know what went on with that core.


    Murai forgot about one thing. After a full week away from Lisa, he started to think freely, unhindered by her presence. Just now, and even before, his whole thought process was noticed by her mindful connection to his soul space, but he was not thinking much of it.


    He was late to be aware of that, but that may not be bad or good. However, not like Lisa knew much of what Murai was doing, or did she? She at least didn''t make it obvious, and rather voiced her wonder in different ways.


    Hearing her words, Murai couldn''t help but turn his head towards her. ¡°I guess it is something that digs deep into my care, and I am honestly surprised you didn''t tell me about those essences. I would be much more understanding if you told me about them! You see... it is like candy. I would take this bait.¡±


    Lisa smiled and nodded to herself. ¡°I had my reasons... and doubts.¡±


    ¡°Then do you have more of those


    reasons? Have you experienced this temple to better your head, or are your memories and head wrong after being in this Soul Form? You said you went here twice, so I am curious¡± he said to her head.


    ¡°Maybe...¡° she mumbled and didn''t care about speaking out loud. Lorry ended up confused, but it didn''t matter to him. ¡°I did well in here before, and many desires fold over themselves over this temple. In various ways, and unique waves to many Challengers. Mine is not yours, as I said.¡±


    ¡°You weren''t a beast, or mage but a demonic succubus, right?¡±


    ¡°It doesn''t matter what I was. Now, I don''t care about the past and care about what I could.¡± She said, dismissing Murai''s wonders. ¡°That is to have your path in my head, and you need to think of it. Advance forth, use this chance better, and whatever you do with those essences is up to you. It seems you already did something, so how about continuing forward? Gate 1 is there and gives more essence, the further you go. Undead do, not the temple. You are a taker of them yourself. That is all.¡±


    Hearing her unwillingness to continue the topic, Murai turned to Lorry.


    ¡°Now, you damned skull...¡± he started by quacking out loud. ¡°I have no idea how your head works, or how we understand each other, but she said what she did, but you are different. This temple has rather interesting gifts to convey the rules and laws. It seems much better than I thought, so should I think of every being in this temple having these forged essences?¡±


    Lorry was also observing everything from his position and had his own thoughts.


    ¡°Essences are true gifts indeed. As A Guide, Lorry will explain it further to the best of Lorry''s aptitude. What Murai killed weren''t necessarily the weakest forms of enemies, but the skeletons were indeed the weakest. As for the wolves, wolves have been living in this place for decades, slowly becoming stronger under the Mark of the Mindarch, their End, and the rules of the depth of this temple. A treasure deep in the temple is an answer to various Murai''s through that Murai is curious about.¡±


    ¡°Oh? You mention it so freely? Wait... what is that Mark of the Mindarch?¡±


    ¡°An important piece to the puzzle. Lorry speaks because it doesn''t matter if Challengers knows about it or not. There is nothing to get out of being clueless, and Murai is a fine challenger who is due to much better care.¡±


    ¡°Who says so and why?¡±


    ¡°Murai accomplished a rather harsh Welcoming Party. Mindarch is what makes the rules, and allows certain information to Murai, through Lorry. Gifts are what worthy gets, and Murai is worthy.¡±


    Murai accepted this sort of reason, but the way he spoke about it was still weird.


    ¡°So this treasure or Mindarch is one that is channeling this enormous amount of mana throughout the temple? I feel a constant rush of mana through those walls, affecting everything in a way that isn''t natural. Esesenec form because of it, or they form from some rules and laws. It also strengthens the monsters under some rules and only something extraordinary could do it. Those essences are either aftereffects of this treasure or the true purpose, aren''t they?¡±


    Lorry laughed like a maniac, finding Murai''s ideas pretty spot on, and quite funny for some reason.


    ¡°Yes. Yes. Murai is right to think of the temple in this way. Skeletons outside were rather weaker, Lorry presumes?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. Most of them had this sort of Mark as you said, and all of them were strong because of that. They were bodies of former challenges or enemies of the temple, or... they were exactly the opposite of that. All must be under the care of this temple, and Levandis. They may, or may be nothing more than some guarding dogs. Most of them aren''t, I bet.¡±


    ¡°Indeed so.¡± Lorry nodded.


    ¡°What then lays under the further Gates?¡± Murai grinned at Lorry, hoping to hear what he wanted to know.


    ¡°An opportunity, of course. Gates aren''t just for mana essences. Every Gate gives a deserved chance, and things will get worthy, the further the challenger goes. There are a lot of other things that Murai will find fitting to taste.¡± Lorry said like a proper Guide, and unhinged haggler that worked for this temple, Levandis and Mindarch. Lisa heard that comment, and almost laughed but followed him along.


    One way or another, her worries were diminished, because of Murai''s power and flexibility. She was glad for Murai to go along this journey uninterrupted, albeit she wasn''t the one who would usher in this one kind of place. In the past, it was different, and fine as far as she thought, but her mind remained serene and deeply interested in what will Murai accomplish in this place.


    A lot of things happened in this temple in the past, and what she did here wasn''t important. She remembered most of it, so she will be a secondary Guide to Murai''s interest.


    All of it was clear, and Murai decided to follow this path and go deeper. Seeing Murai''s back, Lisa assumed her dreams to still be hers, but whether it was a dream or a curse was another question altogether.


    ***


    Time flowed, and they ventured deeper and deeper into Gate 1. Murai periodically fought the waves of undead enemies and fused their essences to his Artificial Core. Lisa could also fuse and use them for her current Soul Form, but she never mentioned she could, fearing that Murai would get angry at her. She wanted them, but it was only fitting she remained silent after she had stolen rather important surges of worldly care from him.


    As they ventured deeper, fights were getting tougher. Corridors slowly changed, becoming harsher in fog and aura, but Murai couldn''t care less about both of these issues. Through his fights which usually took up to 5 minutes or more, he cared only about essences.


    Sometimes, the walls were regular stones, other times, there were bricks or wooded walls akin to old mines, or old buildings that seemed somewhat detached from this temple. Yet, nothing changed about the fog, the bluish light from torches, and the deadly feelings around. It was how this Undead Wing of Gate 1 was. A place for the undead to rise and fight.


    There was a lot to be desired about this place, and the corridors also changed to other corridors a few times. It was either a choice to go left or right, but they didn''t go to the other wing, as Murai figured. Lorry explained to him that every decision mattered, and no one could take them back. He had chosen this part of Gate 1, and he will get full of it, or die trying.


    That was the rule of this place, and that won''t change. So, Murai had no choice but to continue his efforts and flap his feet forward.


    ***


    Far above, the spar between Thar and Razmund ended by now, and Razmund moved toward the dark entrance. He didn''t care about the success or failure of the rest of his group. They had their own purpose, care, and plan. Well, he would lie to himself if he didn''t care, but he preferred to walk his own path.


    He did so with all of his heart, but his focus was on something far beyond some care. The majority of his helpers will fight against the Undead from Thar''s army but among the group, there was one man he especially paid a high price for. From the whole group, he was one of the two people, who he somewhat respected.


    ¡°Well, they will be fine, if it''s him. I already explained the situation, so he will do fine with his own desires. I suppose it is time to see those stupid skulls, once more. I wonder who will I get.¡± Razmund mumbled to himself, uncaring about the lack of sight or sounds in the darkness. It was eerie, but he kept walking, clutching the claymore''s handle that protruded from his pouch.


    On the other side of this waist, he opened his personal pouch and shoved a jacket out of its space. It was a spatial pouch of almost 1000 cubic meters, which he kept for his many needs. He wasn''t willing to stay barechested, unlike the unnamed hooligans who took more than half of his group. They were a group of savages under his command, however.


    No, that wasn''t correct. Razmund wasn''t a savage. Gordfiend was, and they were his responsibility. Not his.


    Any Falconer had to have proper etiquette and demeanor to go along with it. That was, forgetting the fact that their hidden demons weren''t always as apparent as their appearances, and Razmund was a prime example of that.


    Outside of this temple was prudent to a large tide of forces clashing against one another. Battles will fill the desert plain with Ends and hopes. It will be nothing but fitting time in the lower plains, overseer by many Divine Kingdoms.


    That kind of stuff was already behind Razmund, who arrived at the huge gate littered with all types of runes, hieroglyphs, and sculptured symbols.


    Like many before him, he didn''t know what sort of gate this used to be for, or why it was here in this manner. He noted its mysterious and undeniable mass, thinking it was a treasure of some sort. That was years ago. It wasn''t interesting to him any longer, since what it was, was lost in time and ancient memories.


    It wasn''t as if none were curious about it, but there was a catch to this gate. No one ought to understand it, because what was beyond it was a much more intricate, and interesting subject of interest than this gate. That was at least how the present words intercepted this, even though it was wrong.


    His time and hope were here, right behind this gate.


    ¡°Here I am again, after 5 years of postponing and hoping to shatter this mess. The situation is unlike what I wanted, and this place would rather wait for me, than me for it, but I don''t have a choice. I would rather not walk here for a couple of years to let my Path become stronger, yet here I am.¡± Razmund sighed to himself, ignoring the fact of utmost darkness. He didn''t find it that bad, as his unblinking eyes were more than capable of seeing a couple of meters into this darkness. Anything more was impossible.


    This wasn''t so bad, he thought. Walking closer to the gate, he touched it with his palm. Nothing happened, apart from the light that went from below, all the way up. The temple shook, dust swirled around and a rumbling sound echoed into the terrifying darkness that hid the unknown.


    The gate opened, revealing a light to guide a Challenger inside.


    The opening was enough for him to walk through, but not enough for 2 people to walk side by side. Each step he took was wide, full of his desires, albeit this temple had its own course of actions and he wasn''t one to question it. None should dare to do it.


    What greeted him was a familiar sight. A huge demonic skeleton at the front, and 4 torches at each corner of this rectangular room that wasn''t too big, nor too small. It was just tall, but that was it. Looking around, he was looking for a familiar of this place. Front? At the corners? No. There wasn''t a soul around.


    ¡°Up?¡± Razmund looked up and saw a smiling skull, with a residual torso and a single bony arm. It was yet another Guide, and a personal stake of this temple, which this place had more than enough of. Cases when multiple Challengers came here at the same time weren''t rare. Multiple Guides were for that.


    ¡°Heheheh.¡± Half skeleton laughed, giggling as Lorry did, but in a bit deeper tone. ¡°Oh, and yet another soul comes, quenching the desires and hopes in a place to this temple? What a day!¡± he chuckled, hovering in mid-air about 4 meters above him. It resembled Lorry, but unlike him, this one had a neck, spine, and part of the torso under the skull itself. In fact, it even had one workable bony hand, which was great, unlike Lorry who had nothing but his head.


    This half-skeleton was a male and gestured with his hand as if he were a poet wondering about fate itself.


    ¡°I don''t think we''ve met,¡± Razmund stated, uncaring about his singing words, or his words about the temple.


    ¡°Precisely. Precisely. You aren''t new here. A 3rd timer, in fact. That is a rare occasion and I like hearing the melody of the death surrounding your soul.¡± he said, and flew down to face Razmund like a proper Guide. He even bowed, and let his Soul Flames show. They were glowing in warm light and had quite some power. ¡°It is nice to meet you, Challenger. My name is Lint, a precious Guide of the temple, as you must know.¡± Lint graciously introduced himself before him, sounding nice and polite, unlike Lorry.


    He was even bigger than Razmund, and he was missing legs and part of the torso. It was a wonder, what sort of race Lint was, but all that remained from him were bones, which indicated nothing about his race, other than horns in his head. There were 2 pairs, and neither was too twisted and thick. They protruded from his skull like spikes.


    Other than his size and horns, he had no specialties over the normal human skeleton, which may depict some devilish race or a humanoid demon.


    ¡°Let''s get this over with already... I am in a hurry.¡± Razmund argued.


    ¡°Hurry towards the End? Ohohoho. How spectacular! You are a seeker of the death!¡± Lint laughed, gesturing with his hand towards the heavens. This was already getting to Razmund''s nerves, so he grunted, unwilling to get this going even longer. He did the simplest thing one would do in this situation. He grabbed the laughing skull and shoved it in front of his face.


    ¡°Listen here, buddy. I am not interested in any shenanigans of the demons like you. You have no place in this world and live just for the sake of this place anyway. Desires, and things going on in the depths are for nothing but the Hells. You can keep hiding in this temple like rats you are, but act like a damned Guide. Get this act out of your fucking mind, and work with the purpose of your soul.¡±


    Lint''s eyes had the flames of any undead, and they fearfully flickered upon hearing this open threat.


    ¡°You are... horrible,¡± Lint mumbled, disappointed but unafraid anyway.


    ¡°Do you want to try my patience? I''ve never killed a guide before, but some things may come for the first time, and I am doubtful it will be anything hard. You... are around level 75? Hm?! No... Wrong. A necromancer demon hidden under a mask?¡± Razmund guessed, uncertain if he was right, as his vision uncovered the power that was hiding behind Lint, or was it something else? His Soul Flames flickered, or was there something else in his head?

 Chapter 108: Art of war

    Razmund''s words hit like a nail to a coffin, yet Lint wasn''t finding them wrong or right to consider them.


    He helplessly sighed, scratching his bony cheeks with his single hand. He still watched Razmund from a close distance, persisting through his threat, and uncaring about the tight grab around his neck.


    He had no worries as a Guide and knew Razmund wouldn''t dare to kill him at all. Mindarch wouldn''t find it fitting, while the Depths of this temple would never allow it. He was a Guide after all. A tool that was responsible for Mindarch''s maintenance, and Levandis''s desires. He liked to play, however, and it showed a lot, so he wouldn''t get bored out of his mind with this near-undying body.


    ¡°How boring... Boring you are, the subject of temple''s interest, and tool of a few Surface-level problems. I wonder if others outside are anything like you, but the Welcoming Party will give them pleasant times for sure. You have your reasons... Interesting ones, as far as I know. What a bummer to meet such a Challenger.¡± Lint scoffed at him and forced himself free from his grip.


    It was more correct to tell, that Razmund let him go.


    Razmund didn''t reply to his remark, and itched to truly try his power at this Guide. His time was finite, and he was on his hunt, so he swallowed his pride and allowed Lint to reclaim some face. Something like killing a Guide wouldn''t end badly for him, but he had to go in as quickly as he could. That was his part. Catch or kill.


    As if understanding the situation, Lint backed away and spoke his reason. ¡°Anyway, allow me to give your due readings. Your visit here is finite on the 3rd attempt, so you must know how things will go in terms of spiked difficulty. Be prepared for the consequences of coming here again. The basis of Gates will get to you much worse, and enemies and interests will prevail in their power according to your premise. You successfully underwent Gate 5 on your 2nd attempt, but a few steps to the 6th almost killed you. You must''ve been glad that the 6th is unlike the rest and allowed you to stop your tries...¡±


    ¡°Shut up... I know that.¡± Razmund mumbled, remembering those times like the palm of his hand, which was still clutching the claymore.


    ¡°You may know it, but I have my required purpose, asshole,¡± Lint added before continuing. ¡°You may have your own purpose of coming here and it is unlike the last time, but not like the temple has any issues with that. In fact, I am even wondering if you will be able to seek what you want since the 3rd time won''t be as calming as others. Temple will rejoice, I fear. No. I hope. They hope! Yes. They do. You know the labyrinth of this place, don''t you, Challenger number 4897.¡±


    ¡°Stop blabbering about useless stuff. I have my own ways to get what I want, and I don''t want to hear any of this. Let the passage open already. It is just added difficulty. Level spike towards the 70s. You think I can''t take it?¡±


    ¡°I don''t question that. You know what you can do, which is good, but some folks may disagree. Mindarch will give you and me due orders, and many important reasons, and details, Blessed Challenger.¡± Lint said and turned to the skeleton wall. ¡°I will be counting on this interest, and watch you behind, so shall we start?¡±


    Upon noting or feeling some mental connection to Mindarch, he opened up the gate which closed after Murai went here some time ago. It wanted to swallow Razmund in the same manner as anyone in the past, yet it was no gate to the temple.


    The stairs to the ground were dangerous in their aura, and Razmund couldn''t help but get shivers down his spine. No matter what, this sort of thing was in no way weaker than the Origin-level Somalis Dungeon he traveled through.


    No.


    Perhaps this was much worse since this was a place of demonic interest, with unique powers, options, and history, hiding in its depths. This feeling was an aura of this place and it was fitting, as this place was worthy of a visit by only those who dared to step down the stairs.


    He knew those rules. No matter what, be it any kind of visitor, everyone had to take these stairs.


    The start was always the Gate of Suffering, Gate 1. The spike in difficulty will give him more enemies, and much more powerful than the last time. There may also be some unique chances and settings, but he didn''t know what exactly Mindarach would give him.


    It was fair since the limit of the years this temple had to offer was there for a reason. For it to be open all the time wouldn''t make sense, as it created a demand and value for any Challengers and temple alike. Those were mana essences and countless things in the depths of the gates.


    Few knew the true value of this place, but as with many things, getting them was harder than it looked, because this place was part of Hell Haven, and not some dungeon under the Divine Kingdoms or the world itself.


    Razmund knew more than the average Joe since his 2nd time was quite a hectic time. He almost died here back then, yet he gained a lot as any successful Challenger would. Perhaps too much, since the deeper one went, the better gifts and chances one could get.


    Any person who managed to get out of here in one piece would find the challenge worth it.


    Glaring at the deep staircase that went to the unknown abyss, the shrieks, and deadly aura pushed to Razmund''s face. He would usually grin at such a thing, but not now. He wore a serious face and gripped the handle of his claymore all so tightly.


    He will get there, and accomplish what he had to. It wasn''t this temple he feared. He feared his failure. It was still fresh, but something about the Encounter was much more precious to him than anything this temple could gift.


    He stepped to the depths, while Lint followed him behind.


    ***


    Down below, in the further twisting corridors of the Gate of Suffering.


    Unlike many above, or in the past, Murai was enjoying his time in this gate with greater drive than anything ever before. Well, apart from his time in a cave, where he stuffed his belly for days. He still had the cursed Encounter behind his back, but it was only chewing on his spirit a little since this temple helped him a lot more than he knew. He had a different mentality. The Centralis Kingdom hunted him down like an animal, but so what? He cherished this chance, and as an essence hunter, he was happy and crazy to fight.


    He had an unquestionable freedom of action. His heart and mind were the reason why. He didn''t care about whatever went within the truths of this temple, or what kind of dangers would come his way. It was yet another mindful excuse to focus on the present, rather than think of the past or far future.


    He excused himself and focused on his own essence hunting. Those were very simple things to do, and he had no trouble following them.


    He was a hunter in a strange sense of that word, but that wasn''t entirely correct. He still went forward like a proper Challenger and acted like one too. He fought undead waves and his time was relatively fine and simple.


    Fighting and getting experience went hand in hand with this situation, and his mana was slowly getting better. His Mana Replenishment was somewhat enchanted, delivering more mana toward the core, but he didn''t know why. His own Mana Pool was getting better in each passing fight, so that was great since he was spending some at each fight.


    Murai deduced there were two aspects of magic under his belt.


    He had abilities granted by Will of the Battleworld. Those weren''t his own, but something the world and this Will of this Battleworld were giving him by meeting certain demands and figuring truths out of his Shaping. They were subject to Boosts regardless of his care, nor did he could stop them. Why would he do that, if he could?


    If the world was giving treats with almost no shortcomings, it was a positive action without any negative afterthought behind it. Will of the Battleworld didn''t ask for anything in return, gifting what a person was due to, water it came from the person''s own knowledge, accomplishments, or external influences.


    The second thing was his own stakes in magic, and learning anything was subject to mind, rather than Will of the Battleworld. Beast Core was a very important aspect of his options, and the body came close second. Some of them will always be a bit outside of the Will of the Battleworld''s direct influence, but not entirely so. Will of the Battleworld can affect everything, however, including the Core, and Spells, but never in a negative way.


    Everything was subject to some care and Murai was uncovering it gradually.


    Nothing can stop the flow of mana from the universe, engulfing this planet in the continuous rush of the River of Manaflow. It was one thing that the Encounter could never stop, and Murai would be prone to that flow. Boosts just wouldn''t come his way, which effectively halted this worldly care and Boosts from stuffing him with various upgrades.


    Because of those limits, Murai would still improve his magic and mana in any way he could, even if Encounter shackled him with its effects. It wouldn''t give him any attributes, official spells, or anything else prone to Boosts. One could simply handle their magic as if no system was put in place. In this sense, Murai would be able to progress on his own, which meant slowly. Another issue was the Encounter''s premise, and hunt for his life. Its halted Boosts were one of the harshest affixes an Encounter can have.


    Mana was its own thing. It was outside of this world, going through unfathomable distances across galaxies. The temple halted any kind of effort from the Encounter''s rules, rendering those limits useless. Murai had nothing to halt him now, and some shackles disappeared. At least that was how it should be, but he hadn''t heard much from Will of the Battleworld, even after a few fights.


    In the sense of the Breached limits, Mana Replenishment was a passive effect from the world, fitted to his Core. It was prone to gulp up the mana from the world on its own. It was a lot like what cycling techniques were for, and Murai wasn''t all that creative about it. He had none so far, nor used any from his mind.


    With the Beast Core in the way, he still waited until his unfamiliarity disappeared completely and then he would focus on proper magical training.


    For now, the Mana Replenishment was almost like a cycling technique. They acted the same way since Mana Replenishment was inflating his core with mana and helping him without negative effects or his own care. Speed and how helpful it was, became a secondary problem, but he wasn''t complaining.


    This whole system surrounding Will of the Battleworld was about a lot of worth, readings, and achievements. It affected everything by unclear rules, and why or how it all happened, were complications. It influenced everything with changes from normal, to even weird things. It gifted Murai unfathomable benefits of Robust Spirit, and he had no idea about it.


    It was an incomprehensible idea how it all worked together without breaking the world apart. It had more than powerful implications, but social, and economical kinds of issues. How was it all possible when Gods were beyond this?


    The limits, Breach of those limits, and gifts and Boosts that went from little to significant power-ups. He kept this worry for himself in silence. Lisa knew of them too but she didn''t make any comment about it, even though she should. It was a fairly important aspect of this world, yet she didn''t deem it worth explaining for some reason. Perhaps it was because of the temple or the current situation, or because she wasn''t willing to talk to Murai because of some ideas in her head. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, Murai already moved through many annoying flies in the way, killing dozens of opponents in 5 additional waves. They weren''t coming in every corridor, or part of the left or right choices. It was as if the walls themselves were the opponents that gifted him those enem... essences.


    How peculiar... One can''t be sure what to seek, but those enemies weren''t the worst. Murai thought, walking through the fog and keeping his mind and mana sharp. However, there are some considerations about my Mana Detection and this place. It is getting weaker, and the fog is thicker. Mana itself is gushing and engulfing every wall, but it is of wild element.


    This fog is getting on my nerves too. This whole temple is alive, almost breathing like one large magical construct. It is also filled with dreadfulness and death, but those may be aftereffects of old age and something that wasn''t part of its creation. It isn''t about that Sungod, but Levandis and her Hell Haven for sure. I wonder if there are some purposes hiding in this temple because of it. It seems fitting for the undead, so perhaps that is enough for the current owner?


    He was wondering what this place''s true purpose was. It was a questionable guess, but he wasn''t one to run to quick conclusions. After all, the enemies weren''t enough to make him unable to lift a feather, and he moved faster and stronger when he had a goal under his beak. He already fought with groups of skeleton knights, more undead beasts, and even a few necromances. They even dropped some loot, so he was excited!


    It was how he imagined the undead area would work, and it wasn''t disappointing, yet something problematic hit his mind and his hope was crushed. Loot was almost worthless. Everything was so old, that it may as well be unfit for the undead.


    Some of those waves did pose some problems. Enemies ranged from level 15 to 34, with the toughest being a necromancer who was level 34. It was annoying, and he fought it, along with more undead for more than 10 minutes. Aftermatch was fine. The quality of the mana essences that Lorry extracted from their bones was gradually getting better, the stronger the opponent was at the peak of Grade 8s.


    So far, no Grade 7s went to his core, but even 8s were fine since his Core Defining Fusion will cater to them and fuse them together.


    Because of that, he wasn''t afraid of any dangers, and he decided to be a bit more ruthless since the rewards outstripped the danger altogether.


    Inside his mana space, close to his Beast Core, the surging mana became a bit firmer, creating a better-looking sphere. Artificial Core was a bit bigger than before, but not denser at all. After eating essences equivalent to a couple of High-Grade 8 essences in value, it was better only in structure.


    There was one issue with forging an Artifical Core in his body. He couldn''t use it for magic, since it was like planting a seed to be used later. That was how Core Defining Fusion worked, and that was a huge deal and a limited factor. He could use the Artifical Core as a source of mana, but it would be a waste. So he was using his Beast Core for everything while leaving Artifical Core alone.


    Murai knew he couldn''t do anything much with this, and decided to continue doing what he learned a long time ago. He needed more essences, and the future problems would be solved by future him.


    He got a couple more Middle-Grade 8s out of stronger opponents, but their values weren''t enough for his needs. He needed hundreds if not thousands of them, and he doubted such a large quantity of undead would come his way at this Gate.


    Now, he understood and wondered what sort of enemies would be in the lower Gates. Could there be a way to get lawful essences there? Lower than Grade 5? It made his greed show, but only for a moment. He went back to normal, knowing it wasn''t worth rushing things around or hoping for the heavens, before seeing a moon.


    His found essences weren''t that great, and it wasn''t as if he could find high-grade essences on a whim. He needed to earn them. No. He had to. Kill everything! Butcher their bones! Swallow their cores! There was no choice.


    Alas, his thoughts were even crazier than that, since his Core Defining Fusion was akin to an essence-gathering formation, and it was right in his mana space. Those would be quite desirable by any magic societies and upgrading low-grade essence deposits to better grades was a key to unfathomable wealth. They worked with natural and even unnatural essence depositories, so it was a big deal to have one. It represented how mages worked with essences in general. Fusing Low-Grade, Middle-Grade, and then High-Grade essences was a key to power.


    But Murai was using his body as that, and in fact, he wasn''t losing any efficiency in this process. If not heaven-defining, then most mages would kick his nuts and call him a God.


    Fusing them was usually much tougher than finding a mana essence of a higher grade because they depicted already low-graded essences. Those naturally found in the world would take a longer time to create, depending on their grades. It could take days, to weeks, or many years, but no matter what, fusing essences was universal and usable, if successful. Time limits deepened on the uniqueness of the setting too, or if some external formation worked for their beneficial creation.


    Mana essences were an accumulation of dense mana, filled with mysterious truths, assembling them into noticeably denser appearances by natural Laws. It was no wonder. It was a character of the universal laws that made them up since mana moved from the skies. But low grades were weak in those laws, while mana was following those principles and its own. Mages could affect them, handle them, and cherish their characters. That was how magic was created, and handling the essence was thus possible.


    Murai was doing exactly that, and something even crazier. He was creating a secondary Core in his body, so it wasn''t normal, and it was as dangerous as it sounded.


    Sighting after many disappointments about the loot, Murai kept walking through the fog. It was rather uncomfortable for him since the fog was getting so dense, that it obscured all of his physical vision.


    He tried dispersing it with his wings, beak, or mana, but it did nothing but shove it away temporarily. The fog returned to its previous appearance soon to smash at his face. The only thing that he could do in this situation was focus more on his Mana Detection, which worked at less than 30% effectiveness, but it was better than nothing.


    The fog was obscuring his senses, and it was irritating him to no end. He was able to detect the undead to a reasonable degree, but not more than 10 meters before him in one direction.


    Well, this Mana Detection is a gift from this world, and it wasn''t a spell that I came up with. Evolution gifted it, and it is useful to my control. There are similar things such as this in regular magical paths. Things such as feeling the world with mind, and feeling the mana with one''s touch, but not touching anything. This.... is similar to that but in comparison, better. It moves along my perception, and soul, instead of me caring about magic. It is a gift. A rather useful one. Robust Spirit must affect it too since it folds over my mana and perception of reality.


    Murai figured it wasn''t the wrong way to think about it, but something kept him at bay.


    Mana Detection was still in the beginning stage. He was yet to reach a higher level in it to cause the evolution of its usefulness by Will of the Battleworl''ds rules. For that to occur, he will need more levels, use of mana, and not be shackled by his body. All 3 of these issues were currently not that bad because of the location, and by his focus, it was getting better and better because of the fog that was obscuring it, forcing his mind to improve and handle his power.


    He was training by walking, sensing his surroundings, and even fighting. So he had high hopes for getting his abilities higher, and so far, he was trying to use everything under his repertoire.


    Mana Detection was starting to show its power through the limits and interference that was pushing its limits. It was the perfect way to train, and the temple itself felt like one large enemy to his Mana Detection. This fog was pushing him over the edge of his mind. It was straining his perception, so he took this challenge head-on, because his view of mana was rather cloudy, giving his Detection more time to develop.


    It was a strange situation, with even stranger reasoning. After all, the mana was a mysterious matter that no one perfectly understood. Not even Murai, and not even almighty gods that were hiding beyond the skies.


    Walking for an unknown number of kilometers, Murai noticed another group of enemies emerging within his Mana Detection. They were like shimmering light emerging within the fog. Like phantoms of messiahs, he noted from the fog of the flames and smoke not long ago.


    His enemies seemed like regular undead, but the number was much higher. He counted 4 large figures, depicting 4 Skeleton Knights, with sturdier bones, and a rich aura around them. They weren''t alone this time around, nor were they making a duo. Surrounding them were 20 skeletons who wielded spears, and few had even circular shields.


    Most of them also had armor that wasn''t all too shabby, but bones were still visible, their aura was clear, and all of those bright empowerments allowed him to notice every one of them. His Mana Detection shined like never before.


    Oh, are they going to war against me? How odd. Huh... I wonder if these skeletons will finally have some decent loot since nothing great came out of those from before. Disappointing... Disappointing! Murai cried in his head, remembering the failures that followed him for the past hours. He found some weapons, or usable armor on a couple of skeletons'' knights, but none were even good for him. There were also some tattered Mana Tomes, but they were long destroyed through the layers of time or intentional destruction.


    Nothing was infinite after all, and only something great will pass the passage of dozens or a couple of centuries. The same could be said about any kind of equipment, as corrosion and age could affect metal, making it useless.


    Murai didn''t care about them, since what use did an armor or metallic sword have for him? None, but what would? If he had a spatial pouch, he would store them there, and sell it later. That was at least his overview on this, but... NO pouches were anywhere. Only tattered clothes, and residues of fabric. Perhaps those used to be pouches, but now, they weren''t even in tatters. They were a mess.


    So, like many times before, Murai forgot his desires and sharpened his mind. He will fight against those undead hiding in the fog. It sabotaged one''s vision, and fighting would be much harder, but it was more than clear in Murai''s case. Mana was there instead of his eyes. It was a bit foggy, like the fog itself, but it was better than being blind.


    As before, the enemy was also facing the same problem, albeit in a different way. For Murai, lack of sight wasn''t a problem at all. It wasn''t like his first fight, where the fog was still passable, but the further he walked through Gate 1, the tougher it was to fight.


    Though, Murai''s Mana Detection was more than capable of distinguishing a sword from a bone. He also had his hearing and common sense. Thus, he discerned the moving targets, while oftentimes, they moved first instead of him forcing him first.


    Mana within and surrounding the bodies of the undead was similar to the surroundings, but as a proper former Grand Magus, he was able to work through this situation with what he had. They moved, and that helped to notice their movements, along with their aura.


    In the past hours, he figured out more usages out of his current Shaping. That was, to Shape smaller principles out of his Shaping. One''s imagination was the limit of any Shaper, and that was one of the truths he realized all the way from his very first life in the mana-centered world.


    But it didn''t end there. One should Shape and control mana at the same time. Then, the proper experience and expertise through Shaping will improve the mage''s abilities and prowess. In this sense, it would be his own accomplishments, which would then be realized and recognized by Will of the Battleworld, or this temple.


    Either of them will then gift him some Boosts in return, but nothing happened for now. Could they possibly add some spells too? That was at least how Murai figured many Breaches were working and how this world followed abilities, and a lot of Boosts. Iris talked about both a lot and annunciated it more than 3 times to his face. For the first two, Murai was in disbelief, but Iris''s urges worked for the best of him. She wasn''t wrong, as she lived here longer than him, and he accepted it.


    Feeling the surroundings, and those 24 noticeable figures in the fog, Murai Shaped 4 thin-looking arrows. He didn''t need to consider bows to be efficient, or needed under his Shaping.


    His overall power over the mana enabled him to wield the Shaped object with quite some power. It was mental power, coming from his Shaping that was dependent on one''s mind. It was the same situation when he wielded the blades mid-air through his Shaping and fought in the Welcoming Party. In a sense, it was a power of the Will, and soul alike, allowing him to Shape up spells to great effectiveness.


    There was also his Cursed Living''s advantage, and it often worked like no curse ever could.


    Controlling the truths, and laws of the mana with one''s mind, a mage can move mana with a thought. Murai was that kind of mage, but it was like having a large engine within one''s grasp, yet not enough fuel to empower it to full capacity. That was his Beast Core''s blunder, and his Shaping was much better than his mana. He may be a master Shaper, a full taker of its advantages, but there were still a whole lot of disadvantages left.


    He shot 4 arrows toward the fog, creating waves within it, as they went in before they closed. Each destroyed at least a single skeleton wielding the spear, obliterating their skulls, which extinguished dots of their Soul Flames under his Mana Detection. Mana Arrows obliterated their skulls to smithereens, ending their lives.


    A clutter of anger then spread through the fog. Thuds of spears hit the ground, and a cluster of bones smacked the other bones. It was an eerie mixture of sounds, and 4 Skeleton Knights were furious over the ambush. Another barrage of arrows smashed a few more weak skeletons, and like that, this wave of 24 undead lost 10 spear-wielding skeletons under a couple of breaths.


    Now, there were only 14 of them, which was still a lot, considering the 4 rather large-looking knights.


    Murai did well to attack from a distance, and the Shaping of his arrows went through his Grade D Sharpness. Arrow hadn''t got a lot of damage, but the skeletons were weaker than he thought. Properly Shaped, heavy, and sharp arrows did enough damage to their exposed skulls.


    They were asking for an ambush from their appearance and a simple march through the fog was useless. Murai had no remorse since the numbers were against him, so he took his time and distance, right around the limit of his Mana Detection.


    Upon losing those 10 tools, the rest of the skeletons hid behind the Undead Knights. 2 of them held their shield, which endured the incoming 4 arrows, so others went behind them, taking shelter behind their shields.


    3 arrow barrages went back to back, and some mana arrows were thicker than others, which caused the front-facing shield to waver, and the faster arrows hit the skulls behind them. A few arrows hit the skeletons, and their skulls cracked apart, but the Knights took them fine.


    Murai found his success after additional barrages, after changing tactics, and angles. He ended the lives of more skeletons, which made further fights less problematic. All Knights remained, but only 4 skeletons were behind them.


    It went like a flash of lighting, and before they could do a thing, the Undead Knights lost their most important advantage. Numbers.


    They acted at last, and a pair of them went forward, standing side by side. They were wielding tower shields in one hand, a polearm in another, and their armor was burly and thick. The other knights had a pair of long swords each and appeared like proper knights with their full body armor. As they felt more arrows coming from the fog, the knights with shields went forward, defending the two sword-wielding knights.


    They crouched down and smashed the shield''s lower edge to the ground. Their shields stopped another 2 barrages of arrows without a problem. They were mana arrows, so they dissipated into the mana, after hitting way too thick and tough shields, that had much better stability in this position.


    The 4 knights underwent a proper formation, albeit their numbers were too small, and it happened way too late.


    Considering the width of corridors that remained unchanged, making a long stretch of battle formations seemed like a good idea. However, as if confident in their strength, and numbers, and aware of the weakness of their enemy, they didn''t assume this formation when their numbers were high. Now, it bit them back, and they had only a few tools left behind them.


    Away from them, around 10 meters into the fog, Murai was giggling in a good mood. He felt his accuracy was improving in rapid speed, but the degree of his arrows under his constant Shaping and Conjuring was quite low. If he made the arrows bigger, their speed and accuracy would become lower, so all he managed was to kill those skeletons.


    The less mana went into the Shaping, the easier it was to wield. That was a common fact, and if one was too stressed or needed more accuracy, less mana was better. The more mana was within one''s control, the more power Shaping required. It was impossible to tell which was better, as each of those truths had its advantages and disadvantages.


    In this situation where accuracy was the key, being careful and precise was important. Slashing at the close opponent with the Mana Blade didn''t require any consideration about the accuracy, so one could Conjure more mana if needed and Shape it in a wider manner.


    That was where many differences in magical Paths came from, and some were better at something specific.


    Accuracy was good for long-range spells such as arrows, while Mana Blade needed toughness and Sharpness. A swing of a sharp weapon was more than capable of going against a direct foe, after all. Sending mana away from the body needed a different kind of touch.


    In this battle of attrition and distances, Murai used his favorite method of dealing with enemies. That was to kill them before they even saw or hit him back. He went undetected so far, or so he thought. He didn''t know if they knew where he was hiding in the fog. Dealing with foes that didn''t move in the fog was as easy as lifting a wing and enough for him to grin.


    ¡°Now... the garbage is almost gone, but those knights seem like a bigger problem. I fought a pair of those before, but I slammed on them with my beak and shattered their legs. Those are... better. Shields are thick. Armor too. They could become a pain in the ass with their wideness, thickness, and proper weight. I shook them before because they had no support from the ground. It seems like the perfect counter for my arrows. The previous knights didn''t have this sort of equipment, so I guess the temple can consider some changes to meet my demands?¡± Murai mumbled out loud and lo and behold, he heard a shimmering voice in his head.

 Chapter 109: Murai VS 4 Undead Knights

    The voice was strange, and almost insensible in its structure and tone. It was a shimmering noise at first, as if many voices spoke over the other, rather than sensible words spoken by a robotic voice that Will of the Battleworld usually possessed. It gradually turned crisp, as if a wavelength of the message figured out the proper manner which was workable.


    Murai was a unique existence in this sense, so Mindarch had to keep some things in mind, while a certain flow of information was undergoing massive tides of interest under many demands.


    Those were the very reasons Lisa had in mind when this thing arrived, and a proper connection to Mindarch was happening as she hoped for. It was a bit earlier than usual, but she was hiding further behind Murai, expecting this to be more than important. She was tensed like a bowstring ready to be released. It involved a power against Lordis''s interest and how this place affected those rules that clutched Murai''s little living. It wasn''t wrong at all to assume her interest was stronger than Murai''s, since she was the sole reason they were in this temple.


    Lorry floated by her side as well, wondering or already knowing what was happening under his mind. After all, Lorry was and always will be a Mindarch''s tool, and a creature that only lived because of Levandis and her Hell Haven. It made sense since he was no longer alive. At least in a physical point of interest.


    [Beeb. Boob. Biib...] the noise seemed to turn mechanical, emitting some notes to Murai in waves and shimmering noises. He figured it wasn''t up to his mind or soul but to his ears. Everyone in his surroundings probably heard it too, but he didn''t ask or care about it.


    He was in the middle of the fight, but it seemed he had time to hear what this was about since his foes weren''t attacking. They remained in their formation, fearing their numbers would get even lower.


    [Challanger number 5409.] a female voice said suddenly, speaking as if reciting a nice comforting story. It wasn''t one bit unnatural, which was surprising, and no longer mechanical. [Levandis Temple greets the challenger in his journey by the degree of Mindarch and Lady Levandis. It is under the Rules of Mindarch''s desire to connect and proceed to great Challanger''s interest.]


    [Mindarch spoke, and by his degree, the tides of rewards and challenges shall go hand in hand with Mindarch, along with Will of the Battleworld''s procedures.]


    [The first batch of interest was already conveyed. Thus, certain variables went over more research, and readings, unfolding and becoming clearer so Mindarch will have to adjust them according to Challengers needs.]


    [For now, the past is under Mindarch, so let''s go over your current challenge, consisting of a couple of facts after spending some time in the Undead Gate of Suffering and fighting the Undead Waves for the past hours]


    [Undead Squad of 20 Skeletons are among your current wave, albeit with dwindled numbers. Levels are ranging between 15 and 17. Armor range from dogshit to poor quality.]


    [Pathless]


    [Talentless tools]


    [Then there are 4 Undead Knights ranging from level 32 to 35]


    [2 are under Path of Vanguard of their very early stage called: Warden]


    [2 have proficiency in weapons under common knighthood. Path of a Knight. 1st stage: Knight Apprentice]


    [Level of difficulty is of Grade D according to the Welcoming Party and brief readings that Mindarch allowed to convey. And then there is...]


    Then, the voice slipped into the silence, as if wondering or figuring out something new. It didn''t take that long for her voice to return.


    [Change in status... Mindarch acknowledges the limits and challengers'' disturbances. Recalculating...] She sighed as if fed up with living, sounding as if she stepped on a shit.


    [Possession of the magic found, bloodline.. incalculable. Encounter too? The hell? Shackles found and restricted. Species'' properties are limited and understood for about 30%. Creating answers, information, and proceedings under the Mindarch and it is... Eh?]


    [Mindarch acknowledges the might of the Encounter as a bother but acknowledgment from Levandis is not found.]


    [Mindarch desires full to limited authority.]


    [Do you wish to proceed?] the voice asked out of the blue. At least she wasn''t shouting, but she sure sounded as if she didn''t want to speak.


    Murai didn''t seem to catch what was up with the last question. What proceeding did she say and why?


    As if fearing or hearing something unexpected, Lorry was interested in helping how he could, or should. His stakes as a Guide weren''t small, and he must not be that small in status either. He must have had some incentive to continue to provide the guidance, or this was a price for his living. It was quite a unique position, worthy of danger and hope.


    ¡°Murai has no need fearing the shackles, or any problems,¡± Lorry said behind him. ¡°Levandis nor Mindarch acts like sorry and petty children. Mindarch is a rule that follows these Depths, and not some measly Surface. Lorry bets on Mindarch with his own flames! Lorry knows Mindarch!¡± he insisted, speaking quite seriously by now.


    ¡°I don''t think I give a single feather about Mindarch or the secrets of this place,¡± Murai argued, after figuring out some reasons a while ago. ¡°I like this place, but giving this question a try is another thing... Why is it even happening? Mindarch is curious. What is it even?¡±


    ¡°Question is more important than that, Murai Hisagi. It is a confirmation of Mindarch''s interest,¡± Lisa said behind Lorry, appearing conflicted but glad for some reason. ¡°It is a good thing, although it will be yet another voice to be worried about. Will of the Battleworld is yet to toy with him for some reason, so I insist on taking his offer. Mindarch will act outside of any influence and in fact, it is a reason Breaches even happened to you. Reap what you can.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I am an idiot to take another annoyance?¡±


    ¡°Yes? I think some problems will happen inevitably at some point, but the benefits outweigh the issues. Maybe at the next Gate, or by the end of this one, you will thank me in return.¡±


    He figured her words made sense, yet he didn''t know a couple of those things. First, what problems? Second. She seemed to know more about this, and Mindarch must''ve been up to her last challenges to this place too. In memories. Not right now. He glared at her, wondering about it, which prompted her to speak up. It was getting easier for Lisa to bear his Will in her mind, and her way of working around Murai was getting a bit better.


    They were close to his head like flies, allowing Murai''s eyes to see them both.


    ¡°I am afraid... A lot of things in this place will want you dead¡± she said, shooting Lorry a wondering look, but the skull wasn''t interested in making any comments. That was suspicious by itself, and Murai wondered why.


    Lisa knew it. ¡°You are worth a fortune.¡±


    ¡°Fortune? How?¡±


    ¡°Look at yourself...¡± she pointed at his mighty 30-centimeter tall figure, which was hiding 10 meters before the Knight''s formation. He was still waiting to kill them all, but after figuring the present situation wasn''t all that bad, he decided to get over this conversation first. The remaining undead were waiting for him anyway, not attacking or walking through the fog, so Lisa talked some sense. ¡°You are an Anatidae. Every feather or patch of your skin is worth a fortune, let alone.... everything in and out.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Murai quacked, audibly shaking the fog around him with a surge of his quack. ¡°How in the seventh hell this didn''t make it out of your damned mouth in all this time? How have you expected this to be out of my damned mind? What the fuck is even worth about a freaking duck!? You hear me?¡± He barked at her. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Was it worth telling it? No. I don''t think so.¡± She replied back, not angry or calm. She was calculating some answers and Mindarch in particular was quite important evidence of some interesting things. It was unexpected but welcomed.


    ¡°Now. Now.¡± Lorry stumbled between them, stopping their arguments. ¡°Challenge is ongoing. Blabber isn''t fit, and neither it is to lay so low... or talk. Mindarch is the might of the temple. Murai is a challenger. The fight is no place for a talk, Lisa.¡± He reminded her, but she knew better than there were no rules such as not fighting, or talking. One had to simply abide by the common sense of going against the temple in any shape or form. That was... unless Mindarch said otherwise.


    Lorry had no need to mention anything better than that, so Murai calmed down, acknowledging Mindarch as a helping party. It wasn''t something negative throughout all of his ideas and for once, he doubted Lisa had any bad intentions either. At least for now.


    It was within his expectations. Part of it was the mana essences that helped him like anything else. He also wondered what Mindarch and Will of the Battleworld had for him. Breaches and rules were like Laws. They may be actions or words, rather than truths of the universe, but it was an order in the world of men and gods alike.


    He accepted whatever this voice wanted.


    [Acknowledgment succeeded.] The female voice said, sounding crips and glad, before turning to silence, until the Mindarch finished his job.


    Mindarch was a strange entity in this temple. He was its essence, but not really. He wasn''t some kind of living tool too, nor something artificial. He was more of a stranger. A treasure. A soul of something beyond the Greater Sky, and something that posed as an unfathomable treasure worthy of godly interests.


    Lisa knew of this from her own experience, which was proving its worth right now. Not talking and letting it out of her head was a mistake, and insensible, but she stood her ground. Murai hoped for more, but what he got was already much better than before.


    The noise spread, rushing to Murai''s mind without giving him any headache. Instead of that, he felt his spirit nudging along the emerging voice that acted in many slithering and shaking ways around the whole corridor.


    It wasn''t comforting, but it felt foreign, different, and powerful. It was stranger than a normal tone of living beings, nor even something deserving of some similarities. Those were shimmering voices of many huffed beings speaking and whispering at the same time. It also shouted and forced some words or tones upon him.


    Some weaklings would definitely scowl and feel how their minds would shatter upon hearing this, but not him. This was barely a pat on his back and something he didn''t mind.


    The voices spread next, speaking in a rather unique tone of crisp voice that was male, and not robotic. It was understandable, even though he noted at least a dozen distinct voices. Mindarch was friendly, and his interest was in doing what he could do. His certain premise upheld this temple, rather than Levandis alone. That was a lot to take in, and it included many rules.


    Murai was worthy to get some pat on his back.


    [Greetings, Challenger with the name of M. Terms are presented.] Mindarch said. [I will be an addition to the Guide''s interests, and follow the premise of Levandis Temple. It will be brief, following the rules set upon the Encounter''s interest and outside influences. Upon our agreement, I am aware of M''s interests, influences, and possibilities. It gives this challenge an additional taste under my rules, but it is under my watch. That means a touch to your spirit, so if I may?]


    ¡°Oh? I can speak to you?¡± Murai wondered, but Mindarch wasn''t following his voice. He only chuckled, and a firm and soft power washed over Murai''s head, core, and body. Mindarch spoke of the deal and deal alone and he was certainly professional and fit for this task. Almost like an artificial construct, with an incredible amount of cleverness and soul, Mindarch definitely recalled some things in Murai''s mind. He even got suspicious if this thing was something else than it seemed.


    Mindarch continued.


    [Readings concluded. Excellent! Following necessary Gates will be prone to Surface and temple''s interest. In addition, the Will of the Battleworld will bear its worth against the Encounter and my rules, which adds this a weird flavor, and also problems I had to... resolve.]


    [I am the sense, and presently, there are a few issues: Deal with M''s Encounter, which is... unique problem. It goes by my position, steeming from non-political and individual opportunities, void of shackles and other problems. This is such a temple. Such a place to follow dreams, shatter them, and care less about the Sky. The ruler and mind of this temple is worth of a proper Challenger, which M stands at all fronts.]


    [Thus, a temporary title is granted as long as M is in the temple.]


    [Archtouched.]


    [Grade S: Mark of Mindarch''s intent]


    [It grants a certain temporary connection to the rules and setup upon my individual calculations and M''s potency. How, M wonders?] Mindarch spoke as if knowing Murai''s thoughts. [According to my inner rules, Challengers slide into a few categories depending on their performance, origin, and care of the world. M is at the Top Tier bracket, and worthy of special interest by a few factors. First: Blessed Anatidae. Second: Involvement in the Surface with various notions. Third: Young age, current pathless power, and certain emptiness. Fourth: absolute dread!]


    [It is only fitting to befit this choice in a better light, which stems...] Mindarch stumbled in his voice as if hiccuping. He didn''t follow the sentence.


    [It is only fitting for a Guide to guide the Challenger, and for a temple to provide additional care. That is that.] He let some things go as if undecided over something.


    [Thus, I''ve decided on something special, by the degree of Unique-Level power called Godmark.]


    ¡°Isn''t he rather chatty?¡± Murai wondered, glancing at Lisa who was listening to every word Mindarch was telling. She didn''t comment on his remark.


    [Godmark: It is a unique status under unique circumstances and rules outside of regular influences. It gives rise to chances. M is worthy of this change, but it may or may turn into a disaster instead.]


    [Dangers involved in M''s interest are various, stemming from the Surface and beyond.]


    [M is aware of some of them, so let me be brief for the sake of the current wave.]


    [First of the many possible Breaches will be gained upon finishing the current wave, followed by more in the upcoming Gates.]


    [After the finish of the fight, the Godmark, and Archtouched will provide mutual benefits and necessary actions, along with further information.]


    [All is for the faith and sake of M.]


    Then, Mindarch shut up, disappearing in his voice, yet Murai could still feel his overlapping presence around the temple, once he figured out his overall notion. Soul Read helped with that, so that meant he was soul-based, or living thing. It was a bit strange, but it was everywhere. This temple was his home. These voices... He was emotional and livid in vividness. It was alive. This temple was. This Mindarch was everything. Everywhere.


    ¡°A rather interesting thing is around us, Lisa,¡± Murai quacked to her, which she accepted in her own way.


    She smiled, feeling good that Mindarch seemed to turn the situation from good to excellent. It was a basic confirmation of her worry and interest, and it wasn''t involving Levandis herself, which was a good thing. This was worthy of a smile, yet it wasn''t that alone. ¡°I know you are prone to disasters, so leave this be and move on, Murai Hisagi!¡± She argued, pointing at the undead lurking in the fog.


    ¡°I know. I know.¡± Murai nudged his beak towards them and looked at their glistering Soul Flames in the distance. ¡°So much for these demands then. I wonder if these challenges are as sensible, as the Mindarch is. The first time that he acknowledged me was great since he spoke sense and he was even polite?! That is... I swear. More things should be like that. The Mindarch is more interesting than lackluster Will of the Battleworld.¡±


    ¡°Mindarch is a boss! Lorry already explained it to Murai.¡± Lorry argued beside him. ¡°Murai will regret this range of thoughts. Hmp!¡± He sneered unhappily.


    ¡°He can think whatever he wants and do a lot of things... I know that Lorry, yet it isn''t fine right now. What do you want yourself from me then? You were previously inclined to remain floating further back with Lisa. So much for being a Guide that seems to follow this Mindarch''s interest more than me.¡± Murai shot a glance at Lorry, hoping to seek his reaction.


    ¡°Lorry wants to see it closer. How Murai will deal with the rest of this wave. Now, with Mindarch close, things will be much more interesting. Lorry can''t wait.¡±


    Murai wasn''t bearing his eyes on him like a drill, but he sure listened well. ¡°Should I take it as the demands are balanced toward me? By whom? You or Mindarch? Someone must be involved to decide the enemies.¡± He demanded an answer.


    ¡°Lorry doesn''t need to mention a thing. Mindarch is enough to answer to do that,¡±


    ¡°Hmh! Easy... It isn''t hard to seek answers, but having some lofty ass magic construct talk to me instead is better when it is sensible. Good. I will take it. It is better than Will of the Battleworld, and at least it doesn''t bear its shackles and fangs at me as the other does. Fine... Let''s do it. How do you want me to deal with them?¡± Murai asked, wondering about the 4 heavy and hard-to-deal-with Undead Knights.


    Their Paths were clear, but at their core, they were a tusk of a former living. Their Paths paired fairly well with one another, which was stemming from a Knight Pathway, with countless weapons, and army-based classes. Each of those Undead had a Class at Grade D, as they were engulfed in Mindarch''s Mark, Blessings, and auras. It improved them even through death, and it was outside of Will of the Battleworld.


    Murai could see that. He did recognize this from the Welcoming Party too, now that he went through Gate 1. Those undead had interesting power dynamics that went over the setting. They had no mana cores, but they felt as if their power was closing on them.


    Each was at the strength of Undead Knight from the Welcoming Party he fought, but they had no crazy equipment like that sword. 4 of them together were quite a party, and additional skeletons behind them could also become an annoyance.


    However, they waited in their formation, which was a questionable idea. They''d already wasted their numbers, and he was alone. They should fight and catch Murai in this place since hiding was futile.


    Alas, their good tactic was to wait, because there was no time limit in this fighting and Murai had to move past them regardless if they moved or not. In fact, time was crucial to Murai more, and he wanted to go on and not be stuck against these small fries.


    That was it. A simple wave like many before him, but this one was tougher.


    ¡°A direct confrontation is best, isn''t Lorry right?¡± Lorry mischievously smiled.


    Murai didn''t say anything in return and didn''t care about Mindarch for now. It seemed yet another thing altered his possibilities, which moved within Lisa''s expectations for some reason. She was tensed up throughout this time. He could tell that, and her smile or hopes seemed to indicate something for sure.


    He returned his attention to the Undead Knights, who restrained themselves 10 meters before him, hiding in the fog. and behind those shields.


    ¡°Knights are former adventures and soldiers. Surface enemies, whose instincts are left out because of intact Paths.¡± Lorry added behind his back. ¡°Murai will get at least High-Grade 8 essence out of each, and perhaps even Low-Grade 7 if Murai is lucky.¡±


    That was a nice motivation indeed, and it worked. ¡°Wait... Luck? Is the drop rate different from the rates of magic and mana?¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡± Lorry chuckled as he floated away, disappearing into the fog.


    ¡°Stop inclining me to do what you want! I do my things in my way.¡± Murai barked back, carefully thinking of the methods and how to dispose of those thick front-facing shields. He genuinely thought of those undead as mana essences alone, and shattering their defense was a key to killing them all. If he will have trouble, he may as well try his Robust Spirit''s identity.


    From his line of vision, he couldn''t see them at all. Mana Detection was his eyes instead, allowing him to view the outline of their bones, hiding behind the shields with high efficiency. They were known as tower shields. They were burly, tall, and hard to wield because of their mass. But when pushed against the ground, their defense was high. From what he could gather, the pair of shield-bearing knights had their shields secured to their bony right forearms. There were two straps, securing them so they wouldn''t move.


    This mean one hand was shackled with it, while the movement with the polearm was also limited. The shields around the forearm ensured their lack of flexibility, which was defacto a disadvantage of heavy infantry, and they even had heavy armor. Murai wasn''t sure how effective weight was as a weakness since their bones were long enchanted from their living in this temple. Physical limits may not be a key to victory, but the previous probe of his arrows provided some answers. They had some limits for sure.


    A clumsy enemy from his memory was already one step in the End. But a towering mountain wasn''t what he could shatter. Those shields were annoying for his current power of magic. He had to give his Shaping some other try since the enemies were sitting on their asses and doing nothing.


    Shields were sturdy, and rather unmoving pieces of metal but he had something that could move in any shape or form. His mana will do, and Shaping will do its justice. It wasn''t a massive surprise to make something unordinary happen out of literal magic.


    The shields were tall enough to be on the ground, secured there with their lower end. At the above sector, it was tall enough to cover the majority of their skull, but their Soul Flames protruded to seek beyond them, while sides revealed their shoulder. Other skeletons behind were also visible, but most of their bones were hiding behind two shields that were side by side. This wasn''t giving him many choices but to hit them with his arrows, or anything with long-range.


    Murai didn''t have many choices, and there were also the other 2Knights behind. Skeletons were whatever. He will strike them after dealing with the knights, or if they choose to attack, he will obliterate them with his flame shots or more arrows.


    The best way to incapacitate a heavy infantry was to go for the feet or to destroy their main weapons. One could strike the feet in any way as long as it would hit, but the shield was a part that was the problem. They may pose more than one problem since they were heavy, and tougher than they looked.


    He knew he shouldn''t get into the heated moment, or Conjure or Shape his mana for too long. It could be problematic for power, speed, and momentum. Their formation was also tight.


    Forcing the undesirable tactics wasn''t something Murai wanted, so he moved closer. The fog made the surroundings unclear for either group most of the time, but one thing was clear. Getting closer was a possible strategy, and every meter closer was an immense help.


    They, or the Mindarch want to test my status quo. Before this wave, undead attacked me fiercely without a bother of the fog, or was the Mindarch why it was like that? He spoke to me... along with Lorry and his interest. Or... they feel my threat and choose to wait for me since it is part of their strategy? Expecting that from such measly little undead fools is laughable, but what if it makes sense from their standpoint? I had to act, as a Challenger. They may also sense me to a certain extent but lack the means of control, flexibility, and attention. They are also stupid and lack a proper head. Their previous strategy to stand around like fools wasn''t right. Their remaining cannon fodder stands after them. Fine... I am clearing my head and the strategy is clear. Murai deducted, feeling he was right, even though he was half right, half wrong.


    The truth was, that every undead in the temple had a speck of a former consciousness. They weren''t walking dolls, since a former soul was always better than an empty shell. The intelligence was proportional to the strength of the undead, while Mindarch and their creations were also important. The stronger the undead was, the more clever it would be, and the stronger their tactics were.


    Murai had yet to meet anything stronger than howling beasts and crying skeletons, so this was a surprise.


    Slowly crawling forward, Murai moved 4 meters forward. He was quite close to them by now, and the knights could attack him in a blink, yet they didn''t.


    A test, huh? I will butcher them without an issue.  Murai thought, feeling his chances rising and he decided on his move.


    What he did was simple. He Conjured a vaster amount of mana forward since he was closer than ever, and accuracy wasn''t as big of an issue when he was 6 meters before them. The amount of mana was enough to form at least 20 arrows, but he didn''t Shape them to be small, or something.


    Excatl opposite.


    He made a couple of arrows instead and made them massive. Each arrow was a meter long, with a point that resembled a spear. Some of them had also a dull-looking point, with no tip at all. They looked like hammer arrows instead. Those were the first he shot forward, pushing the fog away.


    A screeching sound echoed in the corridor, and fog revealed the flying hammer arrow going against the shield. It hit the top of the shield of the left knight, who was prepared for it. Albeit, what it wasn''t prepared for was the power of this mana Shaped hammer arrow.


    Its momentum was stronger than the smaller arrows, that it was hit before. The shield was momentarily struck open, because the hammer''s allow weight that angled the shield, leaving Knight''s head and the left portion of its body, wide open.


    It happened in an instant when the hammer arrow dissipated and lost its momentum. A much quicker spear arrow penetrated its skull in a split second, traveling through its left eye socket, and ending its life in a mere moment. Eye socket was a weakness Murai figured in a couple of first waves. A spear arrow pushed through the socket,t and cracked its head, regardless of its higher level or powers provided by Mindarch or this temple. It crumbled their formation and ended the skull-less knight a few meters away.


    The first shield was gone, which meant great news. The rest of the undead momentarily panicked, so they used the last shield to cover all of the remaining ones behind it. It was funny enough and rather clumsy. 3 knights were after each other, and skeletons were behind. This was almost a perfect offer to kill them in one swoop, but Murai knew his limits.


    Murai wished he had a spell like Annihilation Ray or something of that kind, but he didn''t. The power of his mana was enough to destroy the skull, so he was glad. 2 thick and large arrows for one was a bargain. He won''t waste his Robust Spirit when his magic was enough.


    He created 6 thick arrows in total. Each hammer arrow and spear arrow took a chunk off of his mana pool. Shaping and handling them also strained his head, but nothing that he couldn''t manage. He shot them with power unlike he ever tried before, and since he was close, his accuracy wasn''t affected even with such an amount of mana.


    Thankfully, his Mana Replenishment was great, and his mana pool was quite huge. Robust Spirit ensured he wouldn''t get any repercussions from the harmful spiritual effects of those moves. He forced himself against his Shaping limits, and what his Beast Core managed, and had no choice if he had to shatter one skull in one move.


    He recouped enough mana after his overdraft from Welcoming Party. He even fought and used his mana at every wave, so his confidence grew. Something about this temple had some effects on his Mana Replenishment, and Murai was getting a hunch of it.


    Obliterating one of the knights in one hit was hard to accomplish. One accurate and heavy piercing shot and it was over. However, Murai was sure that if he didn''t come closer, he wouldn''t be able to be that accurate with such large and wild Shaping. Hitting the eyesocket was already impressive in his head.


    It wasn''t the only thing. He had to make 2 very accurate shots. One to the shield, so it would expose the knight, and then to go along with first, hitting the exposed skull. It was a simple strategy, yet it wasn''t easy. It needed very little delay, and he had to trust every shot. If the first shot failed, it was over.


    Lorry and Lisa both understand how it went, and they remained looking, rather than speaking about it.


    Murai still had 4 arrows left. One of them was a hammer one, while the rest were spear arrows. 6 of them were around half of his current mana. That wasn''t little, and it was almost equal to a whole mana pool of ordinary mages of his level.


    He fell into a dilemma. Should he use the same method of killing against the second one? That sounded stupid in his opinion. What if the undead weren''t as stupid as he thought? He wasn''t one to do one thing twice, fearing the enemy would learn from their mistake. So he did one thing he could. Use the same method but in a different way.


    Murai shot the hammer arrow forward. It was fast, but not enough for the front-facing shield knight to be unable to do anything.


    The knight steadied its posture and lowered its body even more. It put the shield at a steeper angle and put more pressure on the lower end of the shield. The shoulder was resting against the shield, with the weight of a whole body behind it, so the same thing wouldn''t happen twice. A notable defense was obvious, and in this way, the hit wouldn''t expose the body like before. If it did, it would mean the hammer arrow would destroy the whole shield, which was impossible.


    Alas, the hammer arrow didn''t travel to the same spot as the last time. It hit the left side of the shield from Murai''s position, and slightly lower.


    It was the left side of the shield that was closest to the arm. It put forth pressure and explosive power, exposing the Knight, but in a different way. The old straps snapped and the shield tilted by 60 degrees, exposing half of the chest plate.


    One, two.


    Bang! Bing.


    A pair of spear arrows penetrated the chest, swirling and pushing forth in power and momentum. The power pushed against the other knights behind too. Both arrows hit the chest cleanly, obliterating the bones, and armor alike. So much so, that the spine crumbled as well, ending the life of the last shield-bearing knight in a brutality and unlikely power. Even the continuous power of the arrows hit one of the knights afterward. It wasn''t enough to end its life, but a destroyed limb was enough to lower its power.


    What an overbearing power, Lisa thought to herself.


    Thus, the remaining enemies were a pair of sword-wielding Knights and the remaining Skeletons behind them. They stumbled by more than 5 meters from the powerful push of two arrows, but they soon stabilized their might, when the arrows dissipated away. They lost their power, and it sure was more than Murai wanted from them.


    Soul Flames flared up, and the Knights looked at each other and pointed at the skeletons to make a wide circle. Walking toward the fog side by side, they brandished their sword, a few round shields, and spears, before all 6 pounced toward the fog that was hiding Murai. They took the initiative, which he already expected them to do. The status quo was overdue since they lost their defensive formation. Alas, they forgot he had the remaining arrow, so could he kill them all with it?


    No.


    How stupid... Murai thought to himself. As the knights ran toward the fog at a fast speed, they didn''t expect what occurred next. Murai clutched the arrow within his beak and ran into them.


    Since they were close already, it was an unexpected situation, and the Knights didn''t see him coming. Knight Apprentices stood side by side, and they were asking for a proper counter. Murai shot between them, while the arrow in his beak went horizontal against their legs. He was small, so knights were unable to dodge in time, or even jump.


    They both stumbled to the ground before one of them registered a missing leg. It was from a swiping motion from the spear-like arrowhead on the left side of the arrow, but not like it mattered. Before it had a chance to use its sword, a glistering Beak''s Peak was upon its face.


    The crunching sound echoed in the space, as the skull exploded to many parts. Murai used the most savage hit he had, smacking his beak to the eyesocket, while the other knight went back to its feet. It was the one with all of the limbs intact, and other skeletons were also around.


    At this point, the last arrow was yet to disintegrate in the air, but it shook as the remaining foes attacked. They bore their sword against the feathers, hoping to slash the head of his little body. Murai didn''t care about them. His head was literary in the middle of a destroyed skull, but his arrow wasn''t. It jolted in the spot, turning violent and swirling like a whirlwind under his last-second Shaping before it would dissipate. The sharp point hit at random intervals around him, turning and obliterating the skeletons like foolish tools.


    The last knight furiously swung his long sword against the arrow, ceasing its momentum away under 5 swings, and dissipating it in the 6th. But what it didn''t expect was a countermeasure of one thing he forgot about. Where was Murai?


    He destroyed the first knight with a closed Beak''s Peak and without the use of an arrow. It was a lot easier than he thought, and he scoffed at his strategy. He was probably stronger in his physicality than he thought.


    Before the last knight had a chance to switch stances, Murai jumped, closing with his beak inside of Soul Flames, before ushering in a Beak''s Fury. It was a terrifying last sight before its End, and Murai smacked it dozens of times, swirling his neck, and pulling his insanity switch on. He was mad, hitting it dozens of times, and continued even after he shattered the skull. He continued even after the knight collapsed to the ground.


    There was no doubt about the end of this wave. Arrow didn''t have time to reach high speed or velocity at this moment, because Murai didn''t need it. He went for a kill with his beak alone, figuring it was pretty much the same as the use of heavy arrow Shaping he was familiar with. Will of the Battleworld wasn''t, however. It would take more Shaping for him to pull any proper and official spell out of its rules, and he needed experience before new abilities would rise in this weird system.


    He went for the face, while Murai clutched the bones in a heartbeat.


    All 24 undead: vanquished, destroyed, and shattered. Gone.


    Phe! Well fought, I suppose. Murai thought to himself, revealing a rather indifferent expression after he killed them all, He retrieved his head from the knight''s cracked body, uncaring about the little bones that remained on his head. He calmed down, and the only thing that changed his expression was what happened next. Mana essences spread their light around the ground, creating light and bliss to his senses.


    Lorry''s purpose was clear, and he worked fast.


    Looking at them, Murai was happy, rather than what Lorry and this place were about. All kills provided an essence. Some were better than others as they should be, but he didn''t know how exactly they appeared, and how some essences were better than others, even though they came from the same level foe.


    Surprisingly, some of the Knights left out a purer glowing essence, indicating the essence of Low-Grade 7

 Chapter 110: Mindarch and Loot

    Sensing the glitter of essences through his Mana Detection was a spectacular show. With the glow of dozens of spherical lights, Murai found peace. Low-Grade 7 essences were just the cherry on top of his fight. Those weren''t worth much, but they were better than Grade 8s for sure. Why would it be something else?


    Grade 7s were already treasures worthy of some care and luck for any beginning mage. Unfortunately, his standards were different. He was a magical duck and his Artificial Core needed much more than this. It was an issue, which wasn''t truly an issue. It was just a different approach to magic and his living, thus pricing things and their worth was somewhat away from the norm. His mind was always the same. It was just his demands that altered.


    Magic was known to be about spirit, rather than the body, but both of those could fuse the mana to a special harmony. It should blend with the body because the body accommodated the mana. Not mana the body. Because of that, the Cores of Shapers were always the strongest, while the Handlers were weaker at most stages.


    Where the mana essences came into play wasn''t important. Getting them was, and any mage profited from them in their techniques or spells. They were giving some advantages, though it wasn''t the cheat to ridiculous power unless one found an undiscovered mine, or pond full of harvestable natural essences. Natural limits of common sense weren''t something they could solve.


    Money wasn''t about it. Too much sudden power could literary explode the limits and mages alike. Thus, mages did care for their priorities, while essences were just tools and resources to have. Be it as Handler or Shaper, mana was about the mana and spirit.


    Having a cohesive plan and ideas was one of Murai''s highest hopes, so he wasn''t petty enough to ignore some hefty advantages. It was about the right mindset, and he was better at this thanks to his Cursed Living.


    In this case, his knowledge mattered, and his experiences led to a clear advantage in his magic. Core Defying Fusion Technique will be helpful, but it can fail. And if it will, nothing will be left behind, thus no mistakes shall be made.


    Shaping and control moved from out of his core and obeyed by his mind. Without any of that, he would be quite a pathetic Anatidae. It went in this direction, fortunately. His body wasn''t conveying the rightful facts, similar to how he found himself limbless, and dull when he woke up as a pebble. His body gave him some limits, and what could change that? Time? His continuous tries to get some familiarity? The stubbornness that seeped into his soul? All of the above? All...


    He had no choice but to flex and figure out the benefits of this body, rather than always complain. He knew it, but he still hadn''t figured out the right mindset to think of his duck as an interesting life. Perhaps bad times can pass, so endurance it shall be.


    Murai almost got excited after glaring at and counting all of those essences in his mind, but he refrained from that. He knew better than that. His current limits weren''t about his lack of such commodities, and for such little shits as those undead to have high-grade essences to satisfy his demand, was a joke.


    Detecting their quality provided some interest. Knowing a bit more about this world helped too, while Levels, and how it fused was another thing. He figured out some answers, yet how clear were they?


    Facts about their Levels and drops were the following: Low-Grade 9s appeared from undead between Level 10 to 15, but he also noticed some Middle-Grade 9s around Level 15, so he had no clue how that worked. Low-Grade 8s went around 19, to 23, while High-Grade 8s were limited between Levels 30 and 35. He encountered no Low-Grade 7s up until now, so that posed some questions about how their drop-rate worked. They might rarely drop from the same enemies that dropped High-Grade 8s.


    The chance to get Low-Grade 7s should be between levels 30 and 35, or they would show up more from stronger or special enemies. Something about the quality of the undead bodies, or their intellect, could also influence the dropped essences. That was his guess for now. An idea. Nothing else. Stemming from the way he saw this temple, undead, and this essence gathering, just how did they work in this temple? It was mysterious.


    He didn''t know much, even though Lisa or Lorry could answer this worry.


    Well, I didn''t fight those knights with the greatest care. Took it like a lesson. It was easy because of my tactics and long-range attacks of my arrows. I forced my limits and it strained my core and head for sure. Hail the Robust Spirit, I guess. The Artificial Core is fine, so that is great. It didn''t unleash itself under my fight, nor did my little beast eat it up. Good. As expected of my literal shot to the dark. It works... Sometimes. My magic will only start getting better under my care. Hopefully, that is. Will of the Battleworld doesn''t make it so, nor it will do its justice. I do. I will!  Murai thought to himself. He appreciated all essences, regardless of his overly ambitious demands. They weren''t realistic, and he acknowledged that.


    Into his Artificial Core, they went, turning it sturdier, increasing its cycling speed, and improving its shape and stability. It also got better than his Beast Core in size, but it still felt lacking for some reason. Why it was that? His Beast Core was literary at the first stage, and he never went ahead to care about it. It was like a raging beast, and hard to tame, but it was still handling his mana enough to allow him to fight.


    He didn''t fool himself this time around. He knew the answer. His Artificial Core needed more time to properly take those essences, and proper use of stabilization under his Core Defining Fusion Technique helped with that. It required time, and also proper following of this technique. His Beast Core needed that too, but he had no idea how much time and effort it needed.


    There were chapters about the Fusion Cycling Mantra under Core Defining Fusion Technique and it was clear in his head. He will take a look at it when he can, but not now. He created the Artificial Core out of Grade 8 essences, which were the lowest of the quality he thought was possible for this technique. Grade 9s were too poor, and Low-Grade 7s were many times better, but it was like calling a dagger a sword because one was a dwarf.


    Artificial Core was like a small candy, with low tides of swirling mana around it like a mash of clouds or small waves around a sphere. It was on the brink of small qualitative change, but it needed a lot more than what Murai thought. It needed his care. Essences more.


    After all, what he wanted was perfection, and not "something that is good enough". Grade 8s won''t be enough. 7s won''t do either. It wasn''t even worth calling it a starting point, since his Beast Core will eat it up, and then what? It will work. Hopefully...


    After Conjuring and absorbing, every essence, the Artificial Core turned a bit crispier. Murai got the equivalent of 2 Low-Grade 7 essences and some High-Grade 8s out of the rest. His Artificial Core ate them all, regardless of some grades. The 20 skeletons weren''t much to begin with. The Undead Knights left out 2 Low-Grade 7s, while the other pair had High-Grade 8 each. The rest fused together to form more High-Grade 8s, but they weren''t enough to become 3rd Low-Grade 7s.


    Still, Low-Grade 7 was a good start, since they dropped out between levels 32 and 35. It was a steady understanding, and High-Grade 7s should be around levels 40, and 43 if he was lucky, or met right enemies. That meant that level was somewhat corresponding to the essences, but it wasn''t the truth. Higher-level opponents were better for essences, and he was sure there were some concepts about better essences if the undead were special.


    Level 30 was not equivalent to Low-Grade 7 for sure. High-Grade 8 essences were. Low-Grade 6 should be below level 50, if lucky, so one thing was clearer than before. Killing higher-level opponents gave higher grade essences, and the stronger the foe, the better.


    Murai got back to his feet after sitting in a meditative stance. That meant sitting on the ground as a duck, feet tucked as wings, and neck resting in a carefree position like a crouching tiger. It was a bit laughable, and Lisa thought it was strange no matter how she perceived him.


    She was looking at him from behind, perplexed and full of various thoughts. His actions and how he handled his essences were under her watch, and she found it disturbing and interesting. The fighting was another thing, but as she saw it all, she had no complaints to tell. She perceived what he was doing because of their connection, and some fog didn''t matter to her, similar to Lorry.


    She was also a being of mana but in a different version than a living one. Soul Render was a sub-species made of magic, while Sona was a mesmerizing and hopeful matter of energy.


    In what way it worked?


    Lisa knew her destructive path was worth fearing, and her excitement to follow it wasn''t small. It wasn''t like Anatidae, but she felt it wasn''t too far away from them. Her current circumstances were the reasons for some wonders, while Murai was something else. Some things were more important than others, and her current living was like a cloud hovering about a much tougher, crazier, and ridiculous world. That was him, and she was an observer, among other things.


    Lisa felt the disturbing effects of the Core Defining Fusion Technique, and how those essences did nothing immediate to his body. Typically, any mage could either store them in an essence-gathering construct¡ªif they had one¡ªor absorb them to their core¡ªif they could.


    Without either choice, essences became a waste. One can''t store them without proper tools, and even a fragile Mana Core could refuse them. It was how talent discriminated poor bastards, from true shining gems. If Murai couldn''t take these essences, they wouldn''t float above the ground for eternity. They were a form of mana and without any purpose, they would dissipate away. Unnatural essences never lasted forever. A few minutes at most was his general idea.


    Natural essences often didn''t dissipate at all, but they needed proper physicality so one could take them out, or their Grade should be high. Those appeared like rocks, crystals, or more shiny and clear orbs. Those could be handled like a currency or a tool by anyone. Even normal people.


    Thus, the essences and their worth were often different, and the grading scheme was there for a good reason. This world had plenty of such things, and Will of the Battleworld wasn''t taking it under its rules. The culture and being of the planets did. It was common sense to have values determined by the market, and history made them happen. Having Order in many Paths was mandatory, and any kind of treasure was worth structuring into tight and fitting schemes. And this world was full of them, and calling it one large piece of blissful Order and Chaos was almost too poetic.


    After enough time outside of any influence, mana essences in this temple would dissipate like any Conjured and Shaped mana. That was why it was important to know about their uses, and Lisa knew all about them.


    She expected and hoped Murai would take them to his Beast Core, and improve the might of his magic. It was a part of her idea of coming here and something that was a genuine part of her actions. This idea and hope were shattered, but replaced by something else. A curious case was before her instead. It was irritating her mind as she was looking at Murai like a mischievous yet curious succubus.


    He was creating and using something very weird and complex, and also insensible to her head. On one hand, he was handling essences like tools, but in a certain way that adhered together outside of his core. How did he do that? The way he absorbed them was savage, and a normal mage would explode already. Shaping? His Beast Core should''ve got those essences long ago, and eat them like a hungry dog. But he was restraining it so it wouldn''t do that, and she didn''t know why or what he was doing these unnecessary actions.


    Lisa couldn''t fathom it, but she wanted to know more about it and his secrets. She was willing to do that alone. Wait for her chance. For now.


    Mana essences were of various elements, but their usage always remained stagnant, or extremely intoxicating. It was because of their truths, and how they formed. The essences in this temple weren''t ordinary in their creation, but their worth was simple. They were an accumulation of mana from the residents of this temple. Murai saw only pure mana essences alone. No flame was within them, nor some poison, or water, let alone some Laws.


    It was a lot more unique than regular farming methods, such as formation bases that would accumulate mana, and create unnatural essences. This temple was a bit close to that. Somehow, Levandis was using living beings as farming spots instead, while the temple was the reason for how, and why it was even happening. Though, the answers about how it was all in a good place, and how it worked were another thing. Even Lisa couldn''t fathom them, and she tried to look for answers a lot in the past, but without any luck.


    The second issue Lisa realized was simpler. Murai was creating shackles and as far as she could tell, in the shape of a second core. She noticed it, and bet all her ideas that Lorry understood it too, but he didn''t speak about it. It was an interesting premise and something they both viewed in their own opinions.


    Both of them remained silent, not willing to bother Murai in his significant time.


    Murai couldn''t possibly sit in a proper lotus position of interconnected legs like a human would. So he got up, stretching his neck and wings, and extended his legs. They each felt fine, while his body wasn''t hurt in any way after this 1 on 24 fight. He got a better hang of his possibilities in the last hours. From his leg movement, ways to move quicker in retrospect to his lower stature, and so on. His magic also grew a little, but how he exploded against those last Knights was his body alone. He smacked both of those Knigh Apprentices with his beak, and it felt good.


    Getting better was usually the aftermath when a lot of fighting went on for an extended period of time. He had all the time in this place to do that¡ªeven though Razmund was coming to get him and catch him like an animal.


    That fact had yet to hit him because he had other things in mind. Pretending that nothing bothered him from the outside was his philosophy to move forward. It was perhaps his focused mind, Mindarch, or the fighting that got him this idea, even though it was questionable.


    He fought with his magic the most, as it was his priority. Using his physical body had benefits that worked no worse than his magic. Of course, in most cases, his beak came in clutch as the final card against tougher enemies. It never disappointed him. He could live with it since his Beak''s Peak had incredible pushing and piercing power¡ªprobably even stronger than any of his potentially shaped spells.


    Though, if anything, his use of spear arrows was savage enough, and he shot them up from almost point-blank range. It was no wonder they did incredible damage and cracked the skulls if he aimed at the eyesocket.


    The fight against those 4 knights was possible after a well-made plan, albeit it was a rather playful one. Most of it was deliberate, but some of it was also part of heat and momentum. He fought with his mind too, and what he considered a fitting choice of action.


    ¡°How were the essences? Good?¡± Lorry asked, floating a meter before him.


    ¡°They were decent, as you stated. Grade 7 dropped, but I wonder how... it happens. Is it you or the enemy that decides them?¡±


    ¡°Enemy.¡± Lisa and Lorry answered at the same time, leaving Murai confused they both answered it.


    ¡°Well, that answers a lot more than I wanted, but I went through a rather boring fight in terms of rewards.¡± Murai changed the subject. ¡°Wasn''t this a test to Mindarch''s liking, though? What is up with those intentions, Guide?¡±


    ¡°Hehehe, Murai is right to think that. Lorry is a tester, as well as a guiding tool of Mindarch''s intentions. Lorry has many rights over the interest of this place, so how about reaching the next Gate? Murai proved to be unhindered against a rather difficult wave, and following Gate 1 won''t be worth it any longer. What does Murai have to tell to that?¡±


    ¡°Gate 2? If that is so, tell me about it. How to get to the next Gate?¡±


    ¡°Murai will have to prove Murai''s power against the Guardian,¡± Lorry said, intentionally speaking slowly and in a deep voice.


    ¡°And that is who, or... where?¡± Murai asked, curious and subject to increased hopes for more essences in further gates. Guardian must be worth something for sure. Something better than a Low-Grade 7, or... perhaps the essence could be a High-Grade 7?


    He bet he will get much better ones in lower grades, as he will improve himself, and kill more opponents with higher levels and talents. Lorry''s confirmation provided enough answers. His highest advantage was his Core Defining Fusion Technique since it could fuse essences together, which no Core should be able to do on its own. Thus, farming many Low, or Middle-Grade essences wasn''t that terrible. It was about efficiency.


    He figured levels took the majority of interest in their determined values. For skeletons to have poor Grade 9s was normal. Around level 30 was High-Grade 8s. So if the Level 40s had High-Grade 7s, that would be an excellent way to get some Grade 6s. The problem will be hunting them... which Murai doubted he could endure with his current power.


    He will farm and hunt them one way or another, even if it will mean shedding blood and splitting his head. Achieving at least a High-Grade 6 was the bare minimum under his Core Defining Technique, and if he was confident and lucky enough, trying for a Grade 5 was also possible. That, however, depended as much on this temple as on himself.


    ¡°Where is a Guadian, huh?¡± Lorry asked himself. ¡°How impatient Murai is, but how fine too.¡± he sighed and flew towards the wall.


    ¡°Wait a damned second!¡± Lisa shouted and stopped him. ¡°Guardian already? He already moved past the Mindarch''s block and acknowledgment. Isn''t it early? He needs to see something first, don''t you think?¡±


    ¡°Acknowledgement?¡± Lorry uttered in a deep voice, turning and glaring at Lisa in deep waves in his Soul Flames. ¡°Lorry said that Murai was under Mindarch''s care, and Mindarch does what Murai wants. Mindarch does the job well. Rules are enough already, but if Lisa knows more, Lorry will tell it. Yes. Murai is worthy and already fought many whole waves and all of them are enough. Wasting more isn''t fitting. That is why, Lorry plans to take Murai straight to the Guardian.¡± He finished and turned back to the wall, causing Lisa to accept his words. She had more to tell, however.


    On the wall, under Lorry''s power, another vortex of matter emerged when he bumped into it with his forehead. It wasn''t a gate or tunnel. It will be a hole and a shortcut to the Guardian since Mindarch had every right to not waste more undead when nothing was working under the pretext of the Gate 1 challenges. It seemed there were rules to this Gate and as Lorry acted, Mindarch spread his voice to the whole corridor.


    His voice spoke around his reasons, and Lisa and Murai jolted their heads and expected worthy news. Something that both of them wanted.


    [Welll, well well, look who completed what was required?] Mindarch voiced in a playful manner, speaking in many confusing tunes, but a deep male voice prevailed. [Challenges have been completed by the way. Cheers, and worthy celebration to everyone.]


    [Grade D wave has been vanquished, and certain Breach provided. Again... Amongst other things.]


    [Archtouched and Godmark deliver their benefits according to the rulesets between the temple and the Skies, but mainly by the great me!] He enunciated himself more than usual, but spoke officially and straight to the point otherwise.


    [Will of the Battleworld provided the limited shackle, Breach, and rise of many problems. They were annoyances that had to be retouched. Nuisances too... Bothersome as well.]


    [Benefits have been recalculated and proved under my rule, and M has all reason to be happy, since... a lot of weird shit is shutting the rules. No clue why.]


    [By my degree, I''ve recalculated it enough. M will gain 2 levels. Current level: 15, which is the base that I could grant.]


    [Power Level reprocessed to level 35, though in a limited context and possible outcomes. It may be lower or higher than that, depending on the setting, strategies, and enemies. M is a tough nut to crack. And hard to read too.]


    [Attributes are increased.]


    [Vitality +5, Current Vitality: 53]


    [Dexterity + 5, Current Dexterity: 43]


    [Strenght +8, Current Strenght: 53]


    [Will +5, Current Will: 39 ]


    [Soul Power +5, Current Soul Power: 35]


    [Magic has been a huge headache to figure out... So far, M''s possibilities have been enchanted by adding 3 basic spells to make a statement. See how rich and generous am I? They will be prone to Boosts and other benefits according to M''s efficiency, Shaping, and usage. Will of the Battleworld will also get their reading, and provide them with necessary care when outside of this temple.]


    [Certain criteria within them have already been improved while Shaping and handling them under special cases is similar to the Mana Blade that M proved and used many times.]


    [Mana Arrow has been created.]


    [Variants are detected and prone under this Shaping Spell.]


    [Grade F]


    [Level 11]


    [Mana Spear has been created.]


    [Grade E]


    [Level 10]


    [Mana Dagger has been created.]


    [Grade F]


    [Level 8]


    [Addition Magic Spells has been increased too, lest they fall behind too far, like M and his core.]


    [Mana Detection +2 levels, Current level: 15]


    [Mana Replenishment has been increased by 2 levels to level 10. Mana per minute is 26 points, and the benefit of Archtouched provides a small temporary Blessing]


    [Minor Celestial''s Blessing has been measured and shall be gifted.]


    [Mana Replenishment has been increased based on the current Gate of the temple. Gate 1 determines a boost to your current Mana Rejuvenation to reach 40 points per minute]


    [Mana Flow''s output out of the mana core will be increased by 50%]


    [There is a certain endangerment of the mage''s Shaping and Core. There is a high probability of losing control. Overdrafts have 100% increased negative effects, and Shaping can get difficult.]


    [M should better be careful and not eat more than M can chew.]


    [Grade of the Blessing: D.]


    [This blessing is limited to Levandis Temple alone.]


    [Species'' abilities are also increased after my careful touch and M''s magnificent throws, stabs, and smacks. I rate them 10 out of 10. The body shouldn''t fall behind, so improvements are due. How nice, isn''t it?]


    [Beak''s Peak +3 levels, Current level: 7]


    [Beak''s Fury +5 levels, Current level: 11]


    [Further Magic Spells have been increased.]


    [Mana Shaping +4 levels, Current level: 18 ]


    [Proper Mana Blade +8 levels, Current level: 16]


    [Flame Shot +5 levels, Current level: 10]


    [Secondly! I have been worried over nothing, but power over magic is weird under M''s rules. Thus, I wanted to empower the Mana Flow but failed... What a bummer. Battlewill can fuck off! Right? Anyway, Flame Affinity has been improved from Grade F to E, but the rest hasn''t. What is that Water even? I dunno.]


    [Alas, the delivered challenges and waves of the Gate of Suffering end for now.]


    [Guide provided enough incentive and supposed worthy Challenger wishes to get access to the Guardian?]


    [How fitting. How fitting! Access is granted without a doubt. Let''s get popcorn and... I can''t eat... What a bummer. Access has been granted, go and slaughter that Guardian! I can''t wait to Breach some more out of your depths. It is so funny how Sky is churning and Battlewill is screaming. Now, let''s go. Go. Go!]


    Mindarch ended his quick and neverending flow of words, and Murai had no chance to even utter a quack. The world turned to a standstill, and he watched how the corridor changed. Fog quivered, turned vivid, and dispersed. A massive rise of intangible waves washed into his body, coming from the wall, ceiling, or the fog itself. It was like a tidal wave, and Murai figured it was weirder than usual. It was perhaps Mindarch alone, and no Will of the Battleworld was behind it.


    It was just a Boost of a different caliber, but it felt the same.


    It was the same.


    All of it gave exactly what Mindarch described, and it was under his watch and decision to make them into reality. Though, Will of the Battleworld acted also along with it, but not fully. It merely confirmed it and allowed Murai to get this Boost hosted from Mindarch''s readings alone. They were due rewards, far from some imbalance, and who knew if Mindarch gifted them begrudgingly, or because he had no choice, or he enjoyed it far too much.


    Murai doubted his voice and messages made more sense than the Battleworld''s, but this surge of flaming power that rushed to his core felt real. Enchanted Flame affinity felt great, and he had to be quite careful about it, and not give his Artificial Core some care. It shouldn''t slip into his Beast Core out of the blue, but what if his Beast Core slipped into the Artificial Core instead? That would be laughable, so he had to make sure both of them remained away from the other.


    A stronger flame spread, becoming apparent in the waves of his Beast Core afterward.


    Murai got not that shabby Boost. His abilities got stronger, but what about the new additional spells? Mana Spear, Arrow, and Dagger were all basic spells he was using from time to time with his basic Shaping over the last week. They finally reached the proper care of this world and acknowledgment, or they should''ve come at him much sooner, but Encoutner or his injuries disallowed it.


    Still, it wasn''t bad at all! It gave him a general gist of how Boost-driven and unofficial spell gathering worked. It wasn''t complicated. Through Murai''s self-indulged teaching, he already handled and created some spells, so what did it mean for them? They weren''t Boost-related. They were his doing. All he heard were his accomplishments, which created letters and numbers towards them.


    What went out of this idea were obscure things, such as attributes that he had trouble influencing, his evolution, or some abilities, which seemed half under his grasp, and half related to Boost. There was probably also his Will attribute, Soul Force, or Soul Power, while Wisdom might be the same. He wasn''t sure.


    Overall, he was having a good time.


    Spell differences should be notable, but magic and mana can still be powerful even without some outside influence. Murai knew it, so he wondered if there would be noticeable changes with or without direct acknowledgments, or if those readings were the same thing. How to test it? By using them after the Boost was over. Some of its power did increase something, while some didn''t because Murai had already accomplished those powers by himself.


    Boost worked like that.


    This world may be different from his common sense and it was worth researching.


    Murai will finally get a chance to know what they could mean. He bet his magic could remain in a steady form under his care, with or without those influences. However, the Boosted official spells were stronger, and enhanced power was hard to ignore. It was normal and expected. It was still part of his power, yet he had other hunches about them. Did worrying about them matter? He had answers right there in his head, and they were soon coming to his demands.


    These Boosts were benefiting him in one way or another. It didn''t challenge his shame, nor improving at his own pace was good or bad. What if there were better choices to get stronger?


    He would lie if he said he didn''t like the simplicity and easiness of these Boosts.


    Minor Celestial''s Blessing moved next from the surroundings. It was a light that touched his forehead, coming from a sudden beam. A small mark appeared on his forehead, looking like a small dot that looked like an eye. It wasn''t painful or weak. It felt like a small warm glow that was on his feathered skin.


    Then, a surge of powerful waves increased by a large amount, and Murai felt the tension in his mana space turned frantic. His Beast Core became power-hungry, and his whole body tensed up. He gathered that the Mana Replenishment became too strong, while something else moved within his mana space. Those were various mana-based improvements, followed by new spells.


    [Oh... this is peculiar...] Mindarch''s voice echoed so weakly, that Murai didn''t hear him. [I thought it was strange. I get it now... How it is.]


    No one here was aware of what he meant.


    Power spiked and overwhelmed Murai in quite a few ways, and he had to focus not to lose the touch of his both cores. His attributes gained some points, and some abilities increased quite a lot. Proper Mana Blade doubled in its levels. It must be because he used it so much since the Encounter started. He relied on it a lot, along with other abilities. He even grew a little from those attributes, which he didn''t dislike.


    Murai always felt great when he underwent these changes and improvements. He feared he wouldn''t get them because of the Encounter. They were strong, like a wash of Laws over one''s mind. It definitely felt similar to when he underwent his starting evolution.


    From outside, it felt normal, but it turned his mind frantic. At least the mana pool didn''t get intense, which was good, but his mana space was a full-blown storm. He had to cater to it more than he liked, so nothing worse happened. Too much power could become a problem, and any disturbance to his Artificial Core wouldn''t end well. He needed to calm his both cores that seemed to take these surges of power for a candy.


    Thus, he sat on the ground and focused on calming his messed up feelings and cores alike. As he did so, Lorry kept glaring at him, voiceless, and Soul Flames watching.


    A portal emerged in the wall next to him, guiding the Challenger to the next source of troubles. A Guardian! There should''ve been a shortcut, and a tunnel instead, but Mindarch got him access to the portal instead. It was suspicious but welcomed. At least there won''t be a waste of walking a couple of hours to the Guardian''s location.


    Murai got hold of himself after 5 minutes of calming his cores. Then he went over his mental state, and then the overview of his Boost. He was calm, not greedy for more, or less. Satisfaction was in his head, and that was a good sign.


    ¡°See? That didn''t hurt.¡± Murai smugly said to Lorry, viewing himself and his feathers that seemed pristine, a bit fuller, and also larger. He got up and walked toward the portal.


    But, as he did so, Lisa coughed. ¡°With that said and done, I am glad you took it all, but you forgot about something very important, which is surprising to me more than I thought.¡± She said, pointing to a couple of things on the ground. Murai noticed them too, but not so much to be aware of it that well. His mind cared about other sights, so he forgot about them after those essences and Midnarch.


    When reconsidering his choices, Murai figured these things wouldn''t hurt to see. ¡°What do we have here? Loot? Is it even worth it?¡± He said after pretending to not listen to Lisa and her reminder. He hopped to some treasures that knights dropped from their belts, and waists when they met their second End. One of them, in particular, was a pouch, but it almost blended into the ground in its dull appearance.


    He went to the pouch first and picked it up with his beak.


    It was somewhat old and dusty, so he smacked it with his feather and cleaned it up. It remained in good shape, unlike those he had seen in the past. There was even a leather strip on the top that remained locked. It still had some mana undulation, but it wasn''t a lot. Murai opened it up with his beak and struggled, revealing a small light inside of it, along with the scripture of space spell runes. It was a spatial pouch of roughly 4 cubic meters according to his guess.


    It was something that most knights would use for their primary equipment, and the number of cubic meters wasn''t a lot. But they were sturdy. Murai also noted a haggard pouch that was no longer usable not far off. That one should''ve been bigger in volume for sure, while this one was better in its craft, but smaller in volume. That was why it lasted this long in an intact state, while the other had not.


    ¡°Not bad. It''s usable. Hey, Lisa, help me with it.¡±


    ¡°What help?¡± she asked. ¡°It is your loot and it doesn''t appear to have any mental mark of any kind. It seems to be at Grade D or C at best in quality, but the volume is bad. Anything in single digits is terrible.¡± Lisa argued, flowing aside from him and glaring inside the pouch.


    ¡°I didn''t ask for that. Will you carry it for me, or will you remain useless in your floating self?¡±


    Hearing his harsh words, Lisa was a step away from unleashing her anger, but for some reason, she refrained from doing so. She swallowed her pride for the time being and flickered her hand in faked distress. Her Sona quivered, and her hand turned pristine in mass and physicality. She jolted the pouch from his beak. ¡°What do you want with it?¡±


    ¡°You will become my official storage manager. Aren''t you happy?¡± Murai asked in a mocking tone.


    ¡°Hmph! Fine.¡± Lisa unhappily grunted, looking around, but saw nothing interesting apart from swords, spears, and shields lying around. 4 cubic meters weren''t a lot anyway and there was nothing else to it.


    But she could still store the smallest weapons. They were long but they will fit into the space of this pouch. Murai also looked around as she did, and found some pages from one of the knights. They weren''t in terrible condition like every other book or tome he had found, so he ended up surprised. unfortunately, it wasn''t a Mana Tome, but a martial arts manual for some Path.


    It was meant for humans, so Murai only dismissed it as being useless. He ordered Lisa to store it inside the pouch, right next to some shields and swords. He could sell it all, as far as he knew, and everything was prone to some value. Other than that, he also found some regular leather pouches with some intact gold coins and jewelry, but nothing magical, per se. They were worth some money, so into the pouch they went.


    A few minutes later, Murai was over the loot, and except for the spatial pouch, there wasn''t anything worthy of his interest. After walking toward the portal, he heard Mindarch voicing his loot and accomplishment.


    [Oho!? I smell some loot! M found something usable, for once. Much to his lacking hands, it seems.]


    [A piece of equipment has been gained.]


    [Spatial Pouch of Grade E.]


    [Volume: 4 Cubic Meters.]


    [No disturbed runes inside have been detected.]


    [Level of Equipment: Universal.]


    [No other species'' viable equipment is anywhere around. M had no luck, it seems. As expected of an Anatidae. No one would''ve had anything for them in this place anyway.] S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Too bad.]


    It was brief and only that, but Murai stomped the ground and found Mindarch annoying. Before waiting for more, he went through the portal without waiting for Lisa and Lorry. But as he was a step away from disappearing into the portal, he heard a massive explosion and an outcry echoed throughout the corridors as if two armies clashed against one another. It shook the walls, smashed the fog far away, and almost shook him in his steps.


    It almost seemed as if something crashed into the temple, but that wasn''t that.


    ¡°Oh? Interesting. It seems we have another visitor to this Undead Wing. How peculiar.¡± Lorry said and glanced away in melancholy.


    Murai glanced at him, and followed his line of vision, feeling a weird tension in his heart, but nothing else in particular. It was just a noise that disappeared in 3 seconds, along with dull tremors.


    ¡°A visitor?¡±


    ¡°Challenger, in fact,¡± Lorry added.


    ¡°It seems that I was too comfortable... Hunt for my life moved into this place from before. Is it that beast master? Or... someone else?¡± Murai asked himself, and before answering himself, or Lorry, or Lisa, he went through the portal. There was no time to waste, but a hunch and premonition of danger were alerting him in his mind. It wasn''t some sort of life and death danger, but something in this gate was coming for his little life. He was feeling it like never before.


    He disappeared, yet Lisa and Lorry stayed, glaring around the corridors, but also at one another. Lorry burst into a hilarious laugh. ¡°A freaking storage manager! Lorry is dying of laughter for my Lady''s sake. This is too good. Hilarious. What a day! Lorry is dying.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, idiot... Talk normally. Swallowing some pride is the least I can do at the moment,¡± she said rather begrudgingly.


    ¡°Yeah, you sure can do much more than that, storage manager Lisa.¡± He turned much louder this time, laughing like a crazed maniac.


    Hearing his constant laugh irritated Lisa, but not like she could retort with more voice. Lorry had every right to be like that, so she remained silent and instead felt the surroundings.


    ¡°Is it a human knight? Someone with crazed eyes?¡± She asked.


    ¡°It is. A Falconer too, in fact.¡±


    ¡°So Razmund is here?¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡± Lorry added and stopped laughing. ¡°Lorry doesn''t need specific names. Razmund is outside of Lorry''s jurisdiction anyway, and this place is more than large to accommodate for a little duck, let alone some additional challenger that has some gears loose in his head.¡±


    ¡°You already answered it.¡± she reminded him.


    ¡°But not directly.¡± Lorry reasoned even though he was quite direct.


    Lisa sighed and figured out what she feared happened way too quickly. ¡°He is suspiciously fast... I don''t like it.¡±


    ¡°That''s a difference between being prepared, having a Path, and having power behind, Lisa,¡± Lorry said in a serious tone this time around.


    ¡°I can''t say much to that, considering Murai and my circumstances. You noticed what is this about, am I right? Murai is unlike a regular to this temple, even though I took him here. It is a huge gamble, which works better than I ever thought. It is suspicious and right, but it isn''t the first thing that comes to mind. And I don''t mean this temple alone, got it?¡±


    ¡°Yea? What Lorry is supposed to tell about that then? Swallow it and hope for the best, Lorry suppose? Bah... forget it... Lorry thinks if Murai reaches the 3rd floor before this friend does, he will live. Well, it depends on what Lisa or Murai plans for...¡±


    ¡°Will the 3rd be sufficient though?¡±


    ¡°Lorry doesn''t know, but Lorry knows how Lisa thinks. Lorry seek no purpose of knowing too much, but options to leave this temple are various.¡±


    ¡°Liar...¡± Lisa muttered at last while shooting an unpleasant look at him. ¡°I bet someone is already waiting above, right before the temple. Regular fleeting out of this temple won''t work. Portals could, but I hate taking my chances for luck. It never works.¡±


    ¡°Precisely. As expected, considering your seen-through body. Lisa sure thinks it through. How clever she is, huh?¡±


    ¡°Fuck you...¡± she grunted and glanced at the portal before getting closer. ¡°Power progression is, for now, all I can give him. Agreed?¡± Lorry took her words with some surprise but he knew why she was like that. She went into the portal without further fuss.


    ¡°Huh... Lisa really hasn''t changed. I wonder what the Overlords think, but not like Lorry is someone who can think for them. Yes. Yes. Lorry is a Guide. Not an Overlord.¡±


    Lorry vanished to the portal.


    ***


    Far away, at some unknown section of countless intersections and corridors of Gate 1.


    The corridors resembled branches of a tree, with all kinds of paths that no one could really understand. It was a labyrinth, with long stretched corridors that were so long, it would take many hours to go through few alone.


    Not even Razmund, who was wielding his claymore knew what to expect from the Gate 1.


    He knew at least enough to get the most use out of his time, and what was before him wasn''t terrible. He stood in the Undead Wing of the Gate of Suffering, and facing him was a literal army.


    Was.


    A hundred or so undead piles of bones were already dead on the ground, unable to continue or make it call a fight. Among them, a few distinct living things were there too, cut or smashed to a pile of flesh and gore. But strong undead prevailed over them, as this was Undead Wing. There were Undead Mages, Undead Captains, and even a single Undead General was there to take their command. All of them had shiny armor and weapons that were valuable, yet all of them were cleaved in half.


    A clean slash destroyed their precious equipment without any regard.


    ¡°Was this how a Welcoming Party should be like, Lint?¡± Razmund asked, turning his claymore towards half skeleton who was floating above him.


    ¡°Well, it is just right to start with something bearable, so why not do so with a small undead battalion? Mindarch assumed it as fitting, you see? I can''t argue with him about it.¡± Lint argued without care for any losses. It wasn''t his job to be worried.


    ¡°But this? A battalion in Shara Formation? Those are clearly formations from the Sharadar Kingdom. Where did you get them?¡±


    ¡°Do you need to worry about that though? Past is lost in the past. I am sure there is all kind of other things that would be worthy of an answer. Some will be more than worthy of some measly kingdom that no longer exists, while others are unworthy of mere mention.¡± Lint said, unbothered by the killing intent Razmund sent against him.


    ¡°Will you answer honestly though?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lint said, as he looked at the cut undead in question. ¡°Rules and this temple stands above all else.¡±


    ¡°Some things never change... Will I get a chance for a Portal?¡±


    ¡°Portal? Are you du.... No. No. It is a bit soon for that. You haven''t even traveled through an intersection and you want to skip to the end? That isn''t proper.¡±


    Razmund snorted in displeasure and took something out of his pocket.


    ¡°I guess that time has come...¡± He mumbled and glanced at a dice with a hole going through the middle portion of it. A leather thread was within, which made it some kind of necklace if one wanted that. Albeit, none of it mattered to him. He acquired this thing through the harsh reality check from the Centralis Kingdom, and it wasn''t anything nice.


    A Destiny Dice. It was among rare cases of Celestial Artefacts of quite some value and something that a Tier A kingdom wouldn''t take for granted. It wasn''t his. Razmund paid a certain price just to take it into his hands. But the price was worth it, as it can find one''s destiny. It was a kind of a tough thing to wield, but there was a reason he decided to keep and use it.


    After all, he was on the ending line of his journey, and there was a first intersection not far before him, and the piles of bones. He won''t know which side Murai went through this time around. The dust and debris before the Left or Right Wing determined the right answer. He noticed the duck''s footprints there before the Undead Wing, which helped him to make his first choice.


    There was a different problem here. He saw no footprints, and it went as he expected. That was why he got the hang of this Celestial Artefact, but something had to be taken care of first.


    Looking around, Razmund retracted his claymore back into his pouch. Lint, similarly to Lorry, disintegrated every fallen bone or gore to dust and glowy mist, creating mana essences of quite a sharpness and glossiness. Unlike the kind that Murai viewed, these were of higher quality, since they were coming from higher-level opponents and noticeable quality.


    Many even had mana cores in their chest, giving the essences much better growth out of their Ends.


    The average was Low-Grade 6, which was a general threshold for the soldiers of this battalion, but it was not always true. Some poor undead even left High-Grade 7s, which was something Razmund saw with limited interest. There was a handful of them, however. Higher Grade essences were the most notable in their shineness and the highest came from Undead General of level 70. That one left High-Grade 6, very close to being Low-Grade 5. Perhaps if he killed 5 more, one of them would drop it.


    Sometimes, because of age and power that was slowly diminishing, certain residents of this temple would leave lower quality essences than they should''ve been worth. But some could leave a much better one because their bodies were better. It was a matter of growth, talent, and how this temple and world wield their undead bodies. After all, even they had Boost behind them, and each was a member of Levandis''s armies. This was her home after all.


    Lower lower-than-average drop was the case with the 4 knights that Murai killed. Normally, all of them should''ve left Low-Grade 7 essences, but two of them dropped them, while others did not. They were above level 30, and such residents were to leave Low-Grade 7s.


    Razmund turned his belt to reveal a section of the pouches. One was glamorous, made of high-quality material with spatial properties. It was glowing in light when he charged it with mana, and then, he opened it.


    He put the pouch forth, and without pretending to care about it, he angled it from his belt and patted it thrice. He watched as hundreds of essences moved inside on their own, storing themselves inside, because he didn''t need to fuse them to his core. This was an advantage of having a proper essence construct since he didn''t want to waste his time and efforts on those essences.

 Chapter 111: Enemies

    The rush of colorful mana essences littered and shook the starting corridor. Razmund was yet to even take the first choice or turn left or right, after going to the Undead Wing, and all he was looking forward to was that choice. He had to be quick if he wanted to clutch his own fate and do what he had to do.


    And something to help him was right there in his other hand. A Destiny Dice was awaiting its purpose, although it was yet to truly shine.


    It will. Soon.


    The essences twisted in their structures, going with a flow and forceful purpose and truths, becoming a mash of bright colors that moved through the fog. The pouch ate each like a gluttonous beast, dazzling the surroundings, but Razmund wasn''t impressed. He took everything in without an issue and didn''t even take those essences as something that would change his body. It won''t. Not these, at least. They will be for something else than his own use.


    The cluster of essences made it hard to point out one from the other. It all seemed like the essences formed a singular wave, resembling a weak strand from the River of Manaflow, and it all mashed together into something mesmerizing. It was glowing and difficult to forget.


    Alas, there was no one around to appreciate this sight. Razmund didn''t need these essences. His Core was clear to him like his Path, and one didn''t have to focus all their might on their progression all the time. If their limits and their Path were apparent, being careful and steady was better than being greedy.


    In this way, he held his Path of a Sword Sage in high stakes, but the burden was actual swordsmanship, rather than magic. It required time to manage his Path''s techniques, and dances, similar to upgrading one''s mana core. Everything moved together in a neat picture, forming what still was a Path. They could have various visions after all, and he was clear.


    Attributes were important. Abilties too. Swordsmanship had its moves and dances, equipment, abilities, and their evolutions or fusions. It all gave a sense of power and security. It was that simple, but hard to maximize it all together.


    It took about 10 or so seconds until all essences moved inside his pouch. It wasn''t because of the pouch itself that the essences went there. Generally, the course of mana will disallow the notion of storing the mana essences in a separate space, because they would dissolve regardless. At least the kind that this temple forged out of its residents.


    It was a law of mana, and how it acted in certain rules. Essences were generally difficult to store and were rare additions to the flow of mana. In this picture of forcefully created and manifested essences, they certainly resembled forged treasures. A construct, one may also tell. They would shake in their structure in any spatial pouch, turning useless alongside the pouch.


    Natural ones had their many unique birthing places. Their value and worth were subjective and hard to come by. Just having some was enough for most to absorb them to their core, use them quickly, or sell them. It depended on the type of essence, but unnatural ones would generally dissipate after their creation. They would require steady formation to let them remain in their form, or one may store them away through the use of special treasures.


    Razmund had that something, because of his status, worth, and hopes. Within his pouch that led the essences in, there was a different kind of treasure than his pouch. The kind that ate up the essences, and the pouch was a mere point to make the process easier since it had an effect of speeding this process.


    Inside was a high-quality Mana Gem: an accumulation of specific and rare mana materials so dense, that it became a very potent mana source. It can become a separate mana pool, and allow mages to absorb the mana from this gem into their bodies. It was made to eat those essences, so they could be useful later, since what was mana essences if not a very dense and manifested mana?


    They went for the gem like hungry wolves went for left out corpses.


    With the Mana Gem of Grade S and a pool of over 10,000, it was basically what Extremes were using. It was something that could accommodate their interest, and act as a secondary core, or tool in crafting. Though using such a treasure was costly in their use, and while anyone could use such things, affording them wasn''t feasible for most.


    For him, it was just a tool. Nothing more.


    With this done, Razmund went over the things on the ground that were of some value. That meant taking some treasures while leaving most behind since he destroyed them. He had high standards, and this little battalion was nothing but the start of this 3rd-time visit. He noticed how the difficulty spiked up for sure, and he could tell it straight away, but he also got stronger.


    This was just a start, and he will shatter this temple without a speck of hesitation. The first wave wasn''t anything terrible or good by any means. Temple gave him a first knock on his potential power then the last time, which wasn''t something Thar had seen.


    Razmund knew this time would give him some difficulties, but Murai was his priority. He can be patient, and this temple will help him steady his path and get stronger. Building up the momentum to go forward will get him stronger foes. His only advantages were his preparation, strong Path, and insanity.


    The priority was his Encounter and his hope. It was all in his head, heart, and also his palm.


    Using a Grade A Spatial Pouch of 1000 cubic meters, he stored some intact armor, weapons, and some other stuff inside. Anything valuable was worth some money, and he could sell it to the Centralis Kingdom. It was how most adventures acted through the dungeons, and he wasn''t any different. Getting useful equipment from such places was often not that easy to any challengers. They often sold most of the stuff anyway and took what was actually useful to them. It was a cheap and popular choice to get powerful equipment without buying from questionable sources.


    Razmund didn''t have time to waste, so barely a minute after the end of the fight, he returned his attention to the corridor itself. The fog wasn''t strong enough to stop his vision, and it wasn''t even as thick as he remembered. This was the beginning of the Gate of Suffering, so he wasn''t far into it.


    Slowly, the fog will start obscuring him like anyone in this place. One''s senses will be clouded, and the sheer pressure of this place can trouble anyone''s mind and soul.


    He remembered his first visit. He was a rookie back then and all things considered, he was a weakling amongst his peers. Yet he walked out of this place with an ashen face, intact life, and splendid treasures. This Right Wing was his previous choice because his master recommended it. He figured that his master was too cruel but also honest. He gave him a fair chance, and not only he was alone to take this temple, but he also helped him with his Path.


    It was too bad thinking about it right now, because this visit wasn''t like the last, nor the very first time. He will get used to this as with many other intricate and strange places he saw and visited. This was just one of them. A treasured opportunities this world offered.


    He knew what this meant as a member of the Centralis Kingdom and a Blessed who already had many chances to prove his status. He will do well, but the Encounter was a different breed of conflict. It gave him a much stranger vision and prose than his own choice. It wasn''t his choice at all. This was godly interest. Nothing more, but what if it was?


    Any Encounter was a piece of a much larger pie since it was a special chance that never came when one expected or wanted. It was following the prospect of Gods, so mortals didn''t though much of it. They shouldn''t consider that, but they desire power and hope. It was good enough of an excuse to turn many tides and desires, and no one was to blame them for taking their chances.


    As a Blessed, Razmund held a vast amount of interest in Gods and their desires and plots. Such figures were irregular and often described as the driving force behind any large powers and other forces. This temple dawned such disputes, as it was Hall Haven owned by a very powerful God. Power went hand in hand with it, fueling the world with many hidden treasures that can cherish someone''s Path.


    It wasn''t easy, but who would expect that?


    No pain, no gain. That was a quote from his previous life, and his current Path, and he could break if he didn''t think further about it.


    Razmund''s vision passed through the fog without trouble, seeing and feeling the surroundings as if no fog was there. His eyes held powers like his Will. It was unlike before when he was lost and attacked by the fog.


    The fog will thicken, create troubles, and hide more intricate foes. This visit was heavy, he knew. Enemies will be tougher, quicker, and stronger. He had no doubt some limits in his path would arise, stirring him like the Encounter. He even wondered how his little friend was doing, considering the 1st times weren''t that great.


    In fact, they were the worst.


    Usually...


    Walking forward forward, he thought no other mess would happen, but through the fog, enemies appeared again. They may be part of the previous battalion, but not as he cared if they were or not. These were direct, meant to show some value and touch that Mindarch wanted to see. Figures stepped out of the fog, but more so than that, they attacked him straight ahead. A party of undead was around his level, and each had various Paths. Razmund watched how the mana swirled under their bones, and most had weapons ready to clever his head in half.


    Too bad... He won''t give him this change. He rested his right hand on his claymore''s handle, and in one swoop, he drew it, cleaving them in half, which ended up cracking 2 and destroying the rest. The rest went ahead, and close to him, he flickered his claymore as if it wasn''t that large. A Slash Storm stopped their attacks, and also their limbs. Dozens of clashes happened in an instant, and the party was over.


    Razmund was quick to show them their worth and clutched the Destiny Dice with his left hand while holding his claymore in the other. At last, he came to the very first intersection and choice was right there before his eyes.


    Two corridors beside one another.


    Each led to a different path, but they weren''t that simple for him. There were many sides to these choices and they led to different places, depicting hidden treasures, or enemies worth visiting and killing. It was a left or right choice, and like before in his visits, each turn would mean a different path down the road. Their worth may differ because of Challanger''s choice and defeated foes.


    It was a true maze and something that Lisa thought would help her plan. Unfortunately, she was underestimating the Centralis Kingdom way too much. The complicated maze was up to Murai''s advantage. One can''t follow this maze so easily unless the Mindarch deemed it worthy. Recognized talents or the Challenger''s power could change his mind.


    In his case, Razmund was not yet a worthy Challenger, because of this 3rd time visit. It required more difficulties, and also much higher power and attention. He didn''t get any bias, choice, or recognition of high-grade interest.


    Not like he needed it, as his choice was literary in his left palm.


    Finding the right path would be a pain in the ass otherwise, so this was about the time that Destiny Dice would shine for the best.


    It was in his palm as he fought, and felt the connection towards this dangerous, yet intricate artifact. It had its special rules for use, and also renowned reputation. Not good, per se, but he didn''t care. To handle this Destiny Dice, one had to be ready to handle one''s fate or lose it all. That was one of the rules one had to understand, in order to activate the Destiny Dice. Upon activating, it would lead to one''s destiny, but until then, it shouldn''t disappear from one''s hand.


    That was a peculiar requirement, which wasn''t sometimes sensible or right to assume, but it sounded cheap if one understood what the fate was.


    For him, in the moment of the intersecting paths, Destiny Dice will give him an answer and no choice.


    Seeking the left and right corridor, Razmund turned ashen and pulled his left hand towards his face, where he watched inactive Dice.


    ¡°Well, you literal pain in the ass, will you show me the way?¡± He asked, and let the mana flow towards his hand, along with some droplets of pre-prepped blood that flowed from a bottle in the other. It wasn''t his blood, but after the blood Dice absorbed it all, it began to shake in ridiculous notions as if it were in epileptic shock, paining Razmund''s hold. It glowed, and threads of pink threads flew in and out of its single hole, making a circular ring. It trembled until it all dissipated inwards and threads connected to Razmund''s hand.


    A voice spoke from somewhere...


    [Sacrifice accepted... Ancient blood]


    [A tasty treat... yummy!]


    It was a soft voice as if spoken by a child.


    Razmund heard it right. It was coming from the Dice but either it or he was interested in any discussion. He tossed the Destiny Dice to the ground where it continued to wriggle as if possessed. It also shook in a flow of mana undulation, and pinky threads were seeking the path forward.


    Dice exploded, stuck into the wall of both corridors, and bounced left and right as if it had a mind of its own. It bounced dozens of meters around the fog and all corners, cracking the walls and floor. Hundreds of hits sounded like a hammer hitting the anvil until it stopped. A hole within the dice pointed towards the left corridor, which would be the one Razmund had to walk on.


    ¡°That one?¡± He mumbled as he caressed his claymore with his other hand. The edge was sharp, clean, and ready.


    Retrieving the Destiny Dice back to his left hand, he left the bottle in his pocket. He was glad to have this treasure, even though it had some burdens. This thing ate mana essences like crazy and even required Ancient''s blood. Those were ambiguous materials of old races, refined, or found in the main parts of the 5 Origin Dungeons and a few other places.


    Razmund wasn''t that happy as it ate through the essences he purchased beforehand. It will be costly, but thankfully, this place had its fair share of them, so that will help cover some costs.


    When holding it, since he had to, it also ate his own mana and fate. It was a peculiar detail... Something about the way this artifact worked. It was a warning and danger, said by a few surviving users of this artifact. Someone weak-minded could become hollow if one wasn''t prepared beforehand. Thankfully, he held many essences, albeit the blood was the problematic part.


    All of it was for the Destiny Dice, and every toss was like a fortune dumped into the abyss. It won''t come back, but it was worth it for the sake of the Encounter. Perhaps, that was. Only a madman would decide on continuous use of this thing since it was expensive.


    To touch one''s fate, it was to go against the heavens, and who knew where the Dice would lead?


    In some cases, the user found their End, and it had a reputation as a Cursed Artifact.


    Razmund was in the centralis headquarters upon hearing of Murai''s escape to Death Valley. That was one of the reasons he wasted some time since he had to adjust his strategy and recruit some forces. If he didn''t waste those hours, and additional travel, he would''ve already caught him. Theoretically speaking, of course. What ifs didn''t matter in the end, since they were just possibilities. An effect of fate that didn''t happen after all.


    Levandis Temple will give rise to the winner of this mouse and cat game. One way or another, Murai was the mouse, and Razmund was the cat. However, Murai wasn''t thinking of it in this way because he didn''t know what truly went behind this Encounter. Perhaps even Razmund wasn''t sure about it as well, but he was convinced, while Murai would rather not even think about it.


    He charged toward the left corridor with Destiny Dice firm in his left hand. He had to use it at every intersection. It wouldn''t be possible to catch his mouse otherwise.


    As he did so, a battle of his Helpers was in full swing on the surface, with some defeats, and some victories as well. Yet, here was a surprising fact, as many things turned into surprising sights.


    ***


    Thar was away from his mount, standing in the desert dunes, overlooking the world in his height. His Undead Army was at the distance, weary and hopeful to get their chance. Some did, while most won''t get any. His tattered cloak was swaying in the wind, and a surprise was noticeable in his unfathomable Soul Flames.


    Just now, he finished the way of his stakes and viewed the only 3rd-time visitor beside Razmund himself. It was a fine review and a spar, but he wasn''t one to be that insane to carry the 3rd timers in high regard. Those were fine challengers for the temple, and even a bit rare. On 4th visit and above, things would get intense, but there were more rules about them.


    After all, what if some insane Extreme visited this place from another continent for the first time? It wasn''t uncommon, and it sure would be counted as a single visit, so the rules had to change.


    Mindarch can be flexible, as many things were.


    Thar wasn''t looking at this Challenger though. He was observing his hand, which was missing a few fingers. Hell, even a part of his forearm bone had some cracks at 3 points.


    ¡°So what that palm was for? Ate it like a champ, I reckon. I can see that too.¡± A manly voice said. It was coming from the shrouded figure, hidden underneath a swaying cloak. An indistinct sword was also there, but only a section of it was visible underneath the wild motion of his cloak which seemed to be tight even in the wild wind scattered around this man. ¡°What now? This was it, right? I shouldn''t defeat you, but can I try that?¡±


    ¡°You pass if you want unless you want something special... and skip this charade, but I don''t remember you from before... How strange.¡± Thar said.


    ¡°A lot of things happened since my last attempt at this little place. 2nd visit is for those unworthy of a lot of things. 3rd is where the fun starts, I reckon.¡±


    ¡°Not necessary. So you are someone who was here long ago? Too many years passed? How many?¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡± The man said, unbothered to reply with something more meaningful.


    ¡°It''s already getting finished over there.¡± Thar looked away, noticing how the other figures had their fair share of battles. Razmund''s Helpers consisted of 4 main subjects of interest. This man, the masked lady, Gordfiend and his 9 hooligans, and Waldorf with Paulfred. No one else, and nothing more.


    However, 2 were Blessed Companions, which didn''t count for Helpers or indirect Helpers. 9 of Gordfiend''s hooligans weren''t proper helpers either. They were considered weak to move the rules and were part of Gordfiend''s strength anyway. They were just variable, and Razmund was willing to take them into this little invasion.


    They fought with giant the waves of undead, outside of Thar''s orders, but Mindarch moved those pieces himself. Some hooligans were defeated and wounded, but none died. Overall, there were 14 of them who achieved reasonable success.


    ¡°Buhahahah! I fucking win!¡± Gordfiend laughed upon the victory, holding a war axe that rested deep in Undead Mage''s skull. Most of his men were around him. Some had wounds, others not so much, while some were... worse.


    ¡°What is there to be shouting about?¡± A voice said, coming from a shrouded lady who stood not so far away from him. She was yet to reveal her face or much of her body.


    ¡°What did you say? Any victory is worth a battle cry!¡± Gordfiend argued, unafraid of her, because his blood was boiling, and his skin was ashen but crimson from shoulders to his fingers. He was too preoccupied with the fight, so he didn''t even notice if this shrouded lady fought or not.


    She sighed. ¡°As expected of a savage from the Highlands. What did even Razmund expect? Your group is the only one who lost some people. Have you not noticed that?¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Gordfiend shouted, realizing the truth of her word soon afterward. Turning around, he pointed to his men and counted his fingers like a child. 1 was for him since he was always number one. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 went towards other members of his group. ¡°Fuck! Where are 3, 7, 8, and 9?¡± Gordfiend asked, stomping the ground, and smashing the undead to pieces. His men were oblivious to others who were looking at his red face.


    ¡°S-sir. They are there,¡± one of the barechested men said and pointed to a distant sand dune. He was amongst the group of 5 who accomplished what they had to do. That was, to fight against the undead, and achieve victory several times. Those were the waves, and each had an enemy, so some fought more unique undead than others.


    In this way, it was a rather chaotic battlefield that was over in less than an hour. ¡°What do you mean 2? Where? There?¡± Gordfiend looked in the direction of 2''s finger. It led to 4 men lying on the ground far away and they were easy to miss. Each was wounded, with cuts, bruisers, and inability to fight, but it wasn''t enough for them to lose their lives.


    They will be unable to fight further since this Welcoming Party had one specialty that was always strange to others. Undead shouldn''t kill the failing Challengers of Welcoming Party, since most would either come back or give up. Only success counted as accomplished status as the 1st timer. Thus, many failing adventures can always try again later, which was an easy way to train the Undead Army.


    But once inside the temple, things were different. The End of the Challengers was a direct addition to Mindarch and the worth of the temple. Those were easy rules, and sensible in nature.


    The 4 wounded bald men had no strength to wield their weapons, and even walking would be difficult in their current situation. Gordfiend hurried towards them, crying but appearing as if he was a demon because of his Blood Boiling. Roaring loudly, he fell to his knees upon seeing his brothers. Weeping, and bearing his knees to the sand, tears flew down his face.


    ¡°Ahhhh! My brothers... What a dishonored way of fate! What a disaster of destiny! Wounding my man... I will take this interest over to the underworld of seven hells. Worry not my brothers, as I will lead your souls into salvation.¡± He spoke in utter conviction as tears fell down his nose, and chin, and were getting in the way of his talking. He put his hand around his waist, there was nothing in particular. Instead, there was a bracelet, with a small gem.


    It shivered in mana fluctuation, and in an instant, a special exe appeared in his hand. This one was clear and smooth, unlike his other two. Gordfiend got up, and by the Will of his words and action, all of his men¡ªbe it on the ground, or the ones who weren''t wounded¡ªwept. Tears flowed down their faces, and an unsightly appearance was on their faces.


    It was a strange face filled with the emotion of sadness of putting loved ones away, but this was how it''s done in the Highlands.


    Gordfiend swung his exe, severing the head of the first of the 4 brothers. Then, he grabbed the severed head and put it towards the sky.


    ¡°Ohhhh! Salvation to one''s soul! You all are watching! I will meet you in Afterlife!¡± He shouted to the heavens and put the head as far as he could. Blood dripped through the severed neck to his face, but not one drop of his brother was an issue for him. No. He welcomed it. The blood bathed his ashen body to crimson. His bald head as well as vest was bathed in the color of blood.


    He wore an expression of grief, yet a wonderful focus and desires were in his eyes. He was their leader and a force to reckon with. As he proclaimed his Will for a couple of seconds, he put his head down. He laid it into the chest of the fallen brother, before moving to the next, who was crying and weeping for the Afterlife.


    They weren''t hurt that badly. Cuts, bruises, and broken bones can heal. Wounds of this caliber weren''t life-ending, but it sure was humiliating to any Highlander. He was moved by Gordfiend''s action, and also by going to the Afterlife. He was both glad, impressed by Gordfiend, and disappointed by himself.


    But he was glad to seek the peak of his boss. Fearfulness and axe were the epitome of a merciful End and upon seeking his greatness, it was fitting to wept. Axe severed his head, and his vision blinked to nothingness. The same ritual happened to him too. A head went towards the heavens, while Gordfiend wept, and cried towards the skies.


    He went to the last 2 of his wounded brothers and put them to rest. The strangeness of these acts put the rest of the Helpers, and even Thar to a halt. They watched their play, yet none had the power to tell that their wounds were superficial in today''s age.


    A simple Lifeforce Bandage, or Lifepotion would help them back to health. In fact, some amongst them had such things, but none were obliged to help other Helpers. It went according to the rules of mercenaries, so they watched Gordfied kill his men for the sake of his conviction and madness. Perhaps even if they did offer him the help, he would''ve refused it.


    It left some strange impression on their faces, and how they all cried in tears and heavy feelings, some would think it was almost touching and reasonable. But they knew how unreasonable this all was.


    ¡°Well... as expected of the savages from the Highlands...¡± The masked lady said again, walking toward the shrouded man who battled Thar a couple of moments ago. ¡°Oy, Ortell? I want to know the next rules and plan. Razmund didn''t tell me the next move so I beg to differ, but if it isn''t about that time, I fear the damned life.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 112: Hell Party

    Ortell hid a strong physique under his cloak and even though he had been wearing it since the sandstorm passed, he didn''t seem to mind it. His power was notable by the broadness and the stance he asserted. He stood calm, steady, and unbothered by the wind that surrounded him since it was part of his power.


    Rarely would come such a man to go against Thar, and even he, being the Undead Kind, wondered how he forgot such a man. He was suspicious about the time, or it was longer than his knowledge? He definitely remembered some occasions where he wasn''t here because of certain incidents in the Hall Haven. If that was the case then this man was... questionable.


    Thar got some impression at last, and this man named Ortell fought with him like a champ and fought without problems. Ortel figured the fight was already behind him, it wasn''t so bad as he heard. This place wasn''t up to him in the long run, so he sure felt some nostalgia.


    He unmasked his face by letting the fabric down his neck, revealing a rough-looking face of a middle-aged man. Well, perhaps even a bit older than that, since he had some wrinkles, and the air around him spoke of some experience. One could guess from his face alone he was in his 40s or even 50s, yet what about his body? Behind the cloak was in no shape or form an old body, and Thar felt it more than he acknowledged.


    Still, his face had a fine defined structure, and his chin had pronounced edges. A rough beard he didn''t shave in a long time, revealed his lack of care about appearances, or any attitude. But one thing was clear. Ortell held unfathomable power and experience, and from a glance, one wouldn''t be able to guess how much of it was a front.


    ¡°Don''t use my name, brat. Should I call you out like that as well, hm? There is politeness, and then, there is some common sense. Use and learn it.¡± Ortell argued with the lady who called him out.


    She chuckled instead, uncaring about his words. ¡°I don''t care what this means to you. I have things to do, unlike you. I am doubtful many will live past this day, and whether it is me or you, it isn''t important. You took this with Razmund more than me, so speak up.¡±


    ¡°What a cheeky brat!¡± Ortell said, disappointment was more than apparent on his face, and any power went out of his way. ¡°You think of this way too much. That is a pessimism. For such a group of high-level adventures like this to think of dying before even starting this all, I doubt it even makes sense. We are going against the Encounter, for Wisdom''s sake! And you talk as if we go to the jaw of a monster? Is that right, Mikkala?¡±


    ¡°We don''t?¡± she replied as if she was right. ¡°I speak the truth, unlike some other people,¡± Mikkala argued, uncaring about her name, so she also uncovered her hood. Underneath a dark cloak, there was a demonic face mask that seemed curved out of some wood, akin to a bone. It was a single piece for sure, and an animal one, by all guesses. Surprisingly, she also pulled it aside, revealing part of her face. Her green eyes.


    She put the cloak towards her spatial ring that had been helping her for the past hours. The ring itself was spatial equipment, and whether one had to store something, a spatial whirlpool emerged from the ring and absorbed everything. It went quickly, and access went along with one''s sense since it was a different kind of equipment than the physical pouch.


    She paid some attention to her attire, which left her looks completely revealed. She wore light clothes, similar to a robe, but not truly. It was looking like a combat uniform, and it fit her figure well, and not one bit of it even revealed her upper body. She had high-knee boots, shorts revealing her thighs, and a robe shirt that showed some metallic-looking armament underneath. It was slim and collected, probably crafted with pretty good materials, as it was light and strong.


    Her eyes were indifferent and sharp. She must be much younger than Ortell. She was also smaller and in her late 20s. Apart from the clothes of deep blackness, and shiny armament underneath, she wore a belt with all kinds of stuff. There were elixirs, pouches, and other stuff that she had to take care of according to her missions and her status. It was an attire similar to many higher-level adventures and she looked quite strong.


    There were two neat swords aside from her left hip, resting and showing their silvery colors. They were looking sharp, as they had no scabbard to let them rest. There were also two other swords behind her back. Those were not that long and considered short swords, at best.


    Her long black hair was swaying by the wind, flaring around her back, behind the sword, and her front. Ortell knew this lady, who was much younger than him but he never had a chance to experience a mission with her. That would be fun, he reckoned, but he couldn''t help but question her current intentions and what she wanted.


    ¡°Anyway, what an assassin like you is doing in this place? I thought your kind is restricting working with the Centralis Kingdom, or is this something new? Old? I haven''t acted in such high stakes in a long time, so tell me.¡± Ortell asked openly.


    ¡°Why not to act? This seems like fun,¡± Mikkala answered with a smile that wasn''t visible since only her eyes were visible under the mask. ¡°In money, of course. I''ve got plenty of reason to not let this go, and it wasn''t Razmund who did reach us. His master did.¡±


    Ortell took this without much regard, ignoring other people who were standing aside, but there weren''t a lot of them. Razmund did take this party seriously and invited those worthy of some notion to get this Encounter going. That was him, and Gordfient, but Mikkala was different since she was not independent. It meant the management of the Helpes was complicated and he did understand why.


    They shouldn''t be overly powerful, as he had to act in some care about the temple, but the Encounter? Each Helper was an important piece to each Part of the Encounter. Ortell''s level was high, and who knew what the other side was like? He had no idea, but he knew his level was higher than Razmund''s. Those could mean a lot of messed up things according to his knowledge about Encounters.


    However, no Helper was even remotely doubting his stay here, and neither did Razmund or the Centralis Kingdom. It was weird. Ortell was way outside of the league of this caliber, but since he insisted it would be enough, he accepted this mission. He was strong while the others were significantly weaker.


    Not far away, Paulfred and Waldorf were standing, watching Ortell and Mikkala''s arguments that seemed petty, at worst. They were much stronger than them, so their power dynamic was lacking. They knew that Ortell was acting as a leader per Razmund''s wishes and plans. That was enough for them.


    There was no point in hiding in their prose or thinking further about this Encounter. Their Hunt was part of what Razmund had.


    Razmund had limited Helpers, and he couldn''t get more them 5 of them. Even higher rank Adventures, better mercenaries, or Falconers would be better. Waldorf and Paulfred knew little about the Encounter because Razmund didn''t inform them much. It went as usual, since Blessed had their worries, while Blessed Companions were often forgotten. The pair took the arguing pair in different vision as Gordfiend, albeit to a lesser degree. They didn''t find it worth talking to other mad people, so they waited until everything calmed down, which wasn''t far off.


    Standing aside ended up being a good idea, as their purpose wasn''t up to them. Now, the leadership went towards Ortell, whom they all knew very much. He was older than he looked and with power that was unquestionable and also famous.


    It wasn''t just them. Gordfiend and the remaining tools around him were already waiting, eyes wet and red. They cried the tears of war, and Gordfiend remained bloody after finishing his 4 wounded brothers. That''s how it went in the Highlands, and he wasn''t ashamed. No... He was raging! His soul was screaming!


    The next choice happened quickly, as Thar was eyeing everything that was happening in his own way. That included his hand. None of the Challengers walked towards the temple for now, which put him on guard, because that didn''t make sense. They can walk there. It was open and inviting, albeit hiding chaos and dread.


    Thar already guessed the rough power of this group, and it wasn''t small at all. The strength of this Ortell guy was undeniable, and his strength was at the limits of what non-extremes could achieve. He also heard their conversation. It was very open, even with him present, so he had various thoughts about it.


    What kind of Encoutner is it? I thought it was.. simple, but I am hearing something else. Mindarch wasn''t too detailed. This means trouble. It went faster than expected and Lisa didn''t include the other side when we spoke. What in the world is happening with this group? Hell, even Murai and his... prose? He is against them? Him? Less than level 20, and 1 year old? What in the world is Lordis thinking of this Hunt!? He cherishes rules and even forfeits them pm a whim, and for what? This seems like a total mess that Judges should''ve heard about long ago, and it is obviously wrong. What is going on? Thar wondered, unaware of the undeniable work of gods that operated behind the scenes.


    It was complicated for his current position to think of it further. It wasn''t even something he should care about, however. His time to wonder was long gone, and he wasn''t able to protect the truth of this world. He was an observer now and was less adamant about the statuses of these people, but not like it mattered too much to him. He realized it and accepted it like he did with Murai.


    ¡°Well, you bunch of little fools...¡± Thar sighed and spoke loudly to let everyone be silent. ¡°You all are takers of some chances, but the temple will take it all.¡±


    He returned to his horse, which was laying on the ground, dead. It wasn''t dead per se, as it was long undead, but the Soul Flames in its eye sockets were almost gone since Ortell made sure to extinguish them.


    ¡°You shouldn''t have gone for the kill, human...¡± Thar complained to Ortell, turning his Soul Flames at him, but Ortell only smirked in return.


    ¡°It would be disadvantageous if you kept your mount. Strategies, you see? They matter. Not sorry.¡±


    Thar didn''t answer that and forced his horse to its legs and patted its head a few times. He returned the color of the flames back to its sockets. The horse huffed the smoke out of its mouth, shuddered, and trembled before smacking the ground with wild stomps. Thar calmed it down and almost smacked it at the end, but the horse realized the End was yet to come. It huffed some smoke at Ortell, and wild Soul Flames glared at him in annoyance. ¡°This one didn''t like it... you see? It is pissed.¡± Thar said, mounted the horse, and watched the group.


    ¡°Anyway, what a powerful group you all are, so let me ask you some wondering questions since you aren''t taking even a step into the temple. Do you want to seek a Hell Party? All of you?¡± Thar asked, figuring this must be the only explanation since neither of them stated a thing. Ortell was eligible for some unique approaches to the Welcoming Party, but he stated nothing about it.


    ¡°That is exactly that, bony friend,¡± Ortell said with a smile. He appeared quite casual and friendly like that, causing Thar to put his guard up even more.


    Wait, do I need to feel this way? Thar thought to himself, yet remained an appearance of the lofty individual who he undoubtedly was


    ¡°Hell Party?¡± Gordfiend mumbled as he was one of the more clueless individuals after hearing this topic for the first time.


    ¡°Which Gate?¡± Thar asked.


    ¡°4th.¡±


    ¡°That... is a bit low, don''t you think?¡±


    ¡°We can decide whatever we want, don''t we?¡± Mikkala asked, unbothered by the pressure Thar was letting out like the sun that let the sunshine out. She was in the rough power level that Razmund possessed, but this was her 2nd visit to this place, so she had no choice but to move along the rules.


    Just what was their group doing with the Hell Party? It was a clever tactic, that seemed to be better than one would guess. They were abusing the system of the Levandis Temple and were to catch Murai between two unmoving sides. Those were the Gates. Obe will be then, and the other was Razmund.


    Thar understood what was going on, yet he couldn''t fathom how sick and unnecessary this all seemed. They were making decisions as if they had all ideas of what would happen next, which was impossible. Yet what he could do about it? Did he even want to help Murai and Lisa? A little... Well, he wanted some explanations, but it was far too late for that.


    The Hell Party was a rather sensitive topic. It was a unique opportunity that was a much harsher part of the temple''s challenges and corresponded to a very potent and dangerous time. It went right against Levandis herself, and Hell Party was a nasty thing that was rarely happening. It always put forth utmost chaos on one particular Gate, because Hell Haven will get included.


    Thar could tell straight away what this meant, and it was their decision that mattered. Not his. They will meet with quite some chaos from the many sides of the Hell Haven, and this will stir part of Levandi''s interest. This temple was hers, and it was her place where chaos moved.


    ¡°Challengers decide whatever they want,¡± Thar said. ¡°You are right, yet the power and opportunities of the Hell Parties are next. The further one goes to the Gates, the more precious it gets. Gate 4 for your group... I can''t see it disapproved, since you want to stir chaos in the Depths, and the Hell Haven, or do something else. I suggest care, as this seems like an excuse to start some troubles down below instead. Depths won''t take it that well.¡±


    ¡°Once again, we...¡±


    ¡°You can do whatever you want. I get it.¡± Thar halted Mikkala from continuing and glanced at the temple. ¡°It is a fitting End to seek the temple, so prepare your group for the chaos that will follow, or for the Ends that will clutch your souls,¡± Thar stated coldly and flickered his hand in the air. He snapped his fingers and ordered his army of hundreds to sink into the sand.


    In a moment, it was as if there was only desert, but Thar remained and went straight towards the temple''s entrance. He will have to do something that he hasn''t done in ages. The start of the Hell Party will definitely be a bothersome political mess down below, but it was also a chance.


    There were no rules that he could use to refuse that. He could only believe in Murai''s power or luck, while Lisa may or may not help him as he thought she could. This Party, may destroy him as easily as lifting a hand, so the question was, why is it so overbearing? Thar didn''t know the full details, and he realized the ridicule of the situation when Mindarch spoke to his head. He shouldn''t think too much about it, but he did care about his current job. For once, he wished to seek more information, yet he couldn''t.


    That was the truth.


    Unknown to him, Uzbek, and Zendurion from the Centralis Kingdom used all of their chances to make this feasible. Experience and the age that came from history and living in this world helped with that, and they came up with a clever plan, and rules to Breach. However, neither of them knew how the other side went. That was a rule of the Encounter that remained untouched, and all sides could plot all they wanted, but this rule prevailed.


    Razmund wasn''t sure if his foe''s journey toward the Death Valley and this temple was a decision based on hope, or if it was something more intricate than that. Still, it didn''t stop him from using cracks in the rules to obtain a better grasp of the Encounter. Uzbek made sure to help with that, along with the Centralis Kingdom as a whole.


    That was, to get a power that wasn''t so indicative of the rules. It was almost too overbearing. A Wrath of the God, or Judge''s descent may happen in most cases where a side of the Encounter would move against the prose.


    It was complicated, and Lisa feared things could become much worse, and she had no idea how right she was.


    The Centralis Kingdom used its advantages, so why not use them to a much bigger advantage? Razmund followed his plot to go along with that, and also his own path. He was confident in his own abilities, so his personal hunt shall be his next step.


    Whether the people that were with him died or not was none of his problems. Well, in fact, if they will be of some use against the incoming troubles in the temple, he will be very glad to use their lives to his advantage. That, however, went along the Helper status, and it wasn''t as if it was a slaving seal, or something cheap. Helpers had plentiful chances and worthy rewards for their purpose. It was subjective to their power and the Encounter. Helper''s rewards were incredibly enticing, and most would beg to be part of the Helpers of any side.


    Ortell summoned every one of the remaining people before the temple. Even Gordfiend, whose head and chest were all bloody had a serious face. He no longer talked, but bulging veins and muscles over his body revealed the utmost desire for battle. He will destroy everything for his fallen comrade and also something else. The blood will be a reminder, and for the sake of his fallen brothers, there was no sense in the lands where he came from.


    ¡°Very well. Some may not recognize me, but my name is Ortell Mauron.¡± Ortell talked to everyone like a boss, while Thar was further behind at the entrance. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Mauron? That Mauron?¡± One of the Gordfiend''s men said. He was a burly man who held a massive pillar as a weapon.


    ¡°That? No idea what that means, but I can''t care. This is a chance for me, and your boss, while Mikkala and the pair of Razmund''s toys are here to take their part. Are we ready? Is everyone worth enough?¡± he asked and folded his hands before his chest. He was a famous adventurer, as well as a former member of the Centralis Kingdom.


    Because of some disputes over some land, or allegedly, because of some mission or problems with the higher-ups, he was let go of his duties. Now, he was a vagabond, who had no land under his name, but he was free to do whatever he wanted. He was not Blessed, but a being that was still talented. A proper native of this world.


    Of course, that didn''t mean it was a bad thing to have nothing. Past spoke thousands of words. He was still a famous figure in the Batlteworld since he was neither a Blessed nor was he a Gifted. Yet, he had some power to shatter the power of the Extremes, so what did it make him? If not a talent, then he was nobody.


    He lost some power over his former decision, yet the ages passed, and this Battleworld still remained the same. Now, he was like a pillar of the country itself. At least in the Tier Cs, or some Bs. He was a person who could shake the status of smaller countries, and force some armies alone. Level 86, Mauron the Unfathomable, and one of the strongest adventurers below the Extreme.


    His dismissive attitude and affirmation led to many thoughts in the group. There were the following members: Ortell, Mikkala, Paulfred, Waldorf, Gordfiend, and his remaining 5 brothers. There was no one else. No ordinary mercenaries would willingly take on an Encounter without being proper Helpers. That was dangerous, and not even crazy bounty hunters with some fame and willingness to work in exchange for money would take this task.


    This group held almost no care for their lives because the reward outweighed the dangers. Razmund played a weird game, and getting Ortell was already worth the fortune. Be it in the notion of the rules, the money, or how it was even allowed.


    ¡°Now, you all! I don''t know what you all want, but Razmund all employed us to play alongside him. Factors don''t matter, other than the money and worth we have under our noses, so all he had to do, was to adjust our strategy by the use of Hell Party. We will go to the 4th Gate and stabilize the situation there for as long as it can be possible. There will be possible retaliation by the temple, but we are all powerful, am I right?¡±


    Some of the people nodded, others grunted, but most remained silent.


    This sounded like troubles indeed, Thar would add.

 Chapter 113: Guardian

    Hearing the mess and talk that went before his mind, Thar was glaring at the group from the entrance to the temple. He dismounted his horse long ago and stood and waited for their charade to be over.


    Ortell and the rest weren''t even that impressive to talk so high and mighty, yet if anything, their power could mean something, and their purpose something else.


    By this point, Thar didn''t question the timing or their purpose, so he walked toward a pillar and put his palm on it. He let the mana flow and spoke some words of a sharp grunting language of demonic origin, activating some sort of mechanism that Mindarch accepted. He wasn''t feeling sorry or glad about it, as the Hell Party wasn''t his problem, nor something he should disallow.


    It was up to the judgment of his current master, Levandis herself, or some underling under her Hell Haven. Not Mindarch. He didn''t accept this. Only allowed. Some underlings were more likely to act, rather than her mighty self.


    The action he caused trembled the temple, and the pillar he touched wasn''t one with the Murai''s pledged dot, nor was it a part of the second dot that was further to the left on another pillar. This one he touched was special, depicting demonic symbols of claws, jaws, and a flatting mess of thousands of depictions.


    There were rough engraved pictures of demons, swords along with dots of souls, and warriors that fought against the demonic marks and claws. It seemed holy, and unlike what a Hell Haven deemed appropriate. It must be a vision of a Divine War, or something even crazier than that, but Thar didn''t know about it. The history of this place predated his times by dozens of millennia, if not longer.


    Thar waited for a little while until his message came to the other side. A colorful light spread on the pillar''s surface as if something was coming from inside, out. It was vivid crimson, and two dots of much brighter light glared at him from this portal from the Hell Haven.


    They were looking like Soul Flames of some high-level Guide and a glowing crystal skull of a demon appeared out of the portal. It floated from there, appearing like a ruler with its might and aura that seemed a bit lower than Thar''s. The skull didn''t consider Thar as important, but he thought the exact opposite.


    He bowed and watched how the skull went from the pillar towards the Hell Party, where it ended up before Ortell. ¡°Welcome, challengers of the Hell Party and sick bastards who want to stir some troubles.¡± the Guide said in a crisp female voice. ¡°Your desires are the rules and laws that are like chains. You took it for yourself to be deemed worthy, and if you back away now, your lives will be forfeit. Understood?¡± The Hell Guide was brief, and the voice came out of the utterly smoothened-out skull of crystal-like mass, that didn''t clutter a bone.


    It was no Lint or Lorry, whose appearance was skeletal. This one almost seemed like it was not a skull of a living being. Was there even a soul inside? It was hard to tell or notice it, but its aura and Will shook most of the group, apart from Ortell.


    Out of this group, none ever saw such a thing before, yet Ortell showed the most interest and stepped towards this Guide.


    He recognized the Laws behind this thing. It was a Magic Construct and not a Guide. It worked fundamentally on Laws and certain forged criteria. It was a form of forceful device that some powerful demons could use to form messengers and talk to others across vast distances. Some gods from the sky also used this sort of thing, but their Divine Sense was usually enough for most of them. But those could be noted, while the Magic Consturts posed lesser problems. They even had something better than this. Their churches had enough voice and interest because of their connection to god, so it was easy to convey any sort of message.


    In this case, this crystal skull was a simple messenger and acted on mana, blood, and connection over the soul and Will. In a sense, it was like furthering one''s horizons and being somewhere else with Will alone.


    It was entirely different from Lorry and Lint, who were literally trapped souls, and living as skulls meant no End. But they were glad to be that. They were tools under their master, and none of them were making it more difficult. The Hell Havens and connection to a proper ruler of one of them was worth serving.


    Guides will gladly be slaves for Levandis, albeit most had various visions, hopes, and ambitions because of the Guide status.


    This skull was a Guide of Hell Haven and not this Temple of Levandis. Calling it a Hell Guide was thus, fitting. Behind it was most likely a member of a family of Lurr, and it was either a descendant of Levandis or some of her underling. Levandis herself would never involve herself in this sort of situation. The situation had to skyrocket in prose, dangers, and directly involve the interest of the temple.


    An underling was fit for this role more than enough, and Hell Party was a big deal. At least most times. Through some connection to the Mindarch, getting information was effortless. It was a tool and Guide''s job to act according to the Will of Levandis. That may be a lot of things and most were way out of the scope of normal human understanding.


    It wasn''t really important. Especially for this group of humans, who were simple fools who carried their hopes against this temple with inappropriate intentions. Mindarch knew it. Hall Haven will know it. Thar knew it as well. They were using the rules of the temple in accordance with the Lordis''s little ploys. It was unfit for mortals to be this harsh, but this went along a lot of godly interests, albeit not to Levandis herself.


    ¡°Hello, demon,¡± Ortell said, smiling in a careless demeanor and folding arms around his chest.


    He was quite fearless in the eyes of this Guide who had an aura of an Extreme. It was made out of crystal-like material, which was something between crystals, bones, and metal. It had a simple demonic structure, with a smooth curved forehead that ended up quite inhuman. Its eyesockets were squinted, and there were 4 of them. 2 Soul Flames were inside the upper sockets, while the bottom ones were empty. It had a weird curved inhuman structure and even spikes were behind it


    Overall, it made some impression, but none from the group guessed the species or race of this Guide. It may be something structured, but its core should be a real skull. It was always easier to form some connection to something appropriate. This skull was real, but there was no soul inside. Just a Will of someone, but not like it mattered.


    Ortell had the ability to be arrogant in front of all that mattered, and that went according to his desires, and heart. As he was close to the threshold of the Extremes, it was no wonder.


    As for how Razmund enticed him to his cause? That was in the minds of quite a few people in this group, but everyone among them had their own self-interest. None knew about the Helper status of the other, as it was for them alone. It was an impolite action to pry about them and it was an unspoken rule to let their stakes be theirs.


    Neither even knew how the Encounter came to be, so their interest was finite and connected to their purpose alone. They were Razmund''s swords, but ones that were away from him to force the Encounter in his favor.


    Thar thought about Ortell since it seemed ridiculous for this man to be allowed to act against Murai''s side. It shouldn''t be possible, because of normal sense, and he couldn''t help but think it went outside of the norm. This was an Encounter, but also a Hunt. A terrible one, at that. Totally unbalanced and savage.


    Ortell easily moved past the threshold of his challenge because of his power. As for the last 2 times, Thar didn''t even remember him, but the Mindarch knew what was up with that. Memories may be foggy and old, and he challenged the authority of this place 2 times before. Both were strange situations that went outside of Thar, but not outside of the Mindarch.


    ¡°Who are you to be like this, human? You should feel the truth like a law. We are watching, and waiting.¡± Hell Guide said.


    ¡°Does it even matter what is up with me at all? One of the subjects already accepted my challenge, and that is all to it. It''s too late to cry over spilled milk so let''s get over with this charade and let us in. I can''t wait to see the insides of this place once again.¡± Ortell said, speaking impatiently and almost laughing.


    ¡°Rules are a tool of Chaos and Order alike. For you to be so unhinged as to openly talk like that speaks volumes of your personality and ridicule. You are already in the pretext of the Extremes, so the rest of your party will take a certain hit because of you. You all are coming here in weird circumstances befitting the incoming Ends. Your opinion on forming a Hell Party can be your downfall so do you even know what sort of action this is, humans?¡± This time, the Guide spoke in a steadier vision, as if it was the rule of a judge.


    Ortell faced this Guide and remained confident in himself. None other dared to speak. That included even Mikkala and Gordfiend.


    ¡°That is fine. I meant what I said, and the Hell Party is whatever it needs to be. I heard plenty of things about it already. Managing anything that the temple can offer is fine. Tell it to your Lady too, if she even cares about this place.¡± Ortell replied.


    ¡°Hush! You wish my lady would even take a simple glance of misery to such a vile group!¡± Hell Guide grunted and almost shouted those words. It seems the Will behind it didn''t like what Ortell said.


    ¡°Oh, I am sure she would be plenty interested. Hehehe.¡± Ortell joked, laughing straight at this Hell Guide''s face.


    ¡°You.... Very well. My warning states the same degree of danger for the rest of the group. Hell Party is no individual course of action but a Party to go against the full potential of one of the Gates. Everyone shall meet their last fate if it''s worthy of your path, or if you are weak and dumb enough. It will be a chance for the temple to grow, and for you as well.¡±


    None of the people in the group told a thing. Each had some resonance over their decisions to get to this place. Some may be fearful, or questionable, but each decided to go in over their safety.


    So, the Guide gave up trying to stir some interest, and coming up with their reasons wasn''t working. Comprehending the situation was almost redundant since Mindarch provided enough information anyway. It was fine to send them straight to the 4th Gate and the rest will resolve itself.


    There, they will meet the kind of task that no ordinary Challenger had to undergo. It was a unique chance and challenge that was worth more than some Grade S rewards. The dangers were there, and the death toll of Hell Parties was above 80%.


    It mostly depended on what Hell Haven did. Ortell was the highest balancing factor because his power was the highest. The rest of the group wasn''t as powerful as him, which made sense since all Hell Parties had various patterns depending on the choice of the Gate, and amount of forces Hell Haven sent there.


    The Mindarch did view it too, so there would be almost no wrongs in this. They were making a mistake, however, and the temple won''t care for that. Their balancing factors will speak of the reason and Gate 4 will welcome them with corresponding power.


    Hell Guide began to undulate shimmers of mana and spoke some word of demonic origin. The mana flared around it, forming flaming crevices and waves from its sockets. They enveloped the group in a wide manner, while Ortell remained smiling.


    It shrouded them in a crimson color, similar to the color of the Hell Guide''s skull. A cocoon surrounded them, and upon fully submerging them within, it started to revolve like a sandstorm.


    In the blink of an eye, the mass of mana slammed to the ground and disappeared from this place as if nothing happened, leaving no one around.


    Hell Guide was also away, following Ortell and the rest that went straight towards Gate 4, as they wanted. They didn''t have to go through the Gates prior to the 4th.


    Unknown to them, they will meet with a disaster and force to reckon with, as this wasn''t a challenge, per se. They were mocking the full authority of the temple because their true reasons for coming here weren''t fit as a challenge. They weren''t challengers, but mocking challengers that wanted to stir some trouble. It won''t make a difference for the Mindarch, but mainly, Hell Haven won''t let this slide.


    Per their obliviousness, apart from Ortell, everyone else was a fool in Razmund''s plans.


    In the corner of the darkness, Thar stood there, looking at the previous location where the challengers stood.


    ¡°How impudent to let this slide in this way. They started it... So is it something that Lurrs already decided on pursuing? What will even she think? Well... I know what that may be. This already seems like they want to let some forces shine and change, but is this enough? Ortell is not alone... Razmund and Murai are other things. No. Perhaps they both alone are the spark that will engulf much more than what is currently obvious. They haven''t got much time, but war is war, and a challenge is a challenge. Disaster will strike this place I fear, rather than what remains of this place.¡± He mumbled, yet what he could do against it?


    Overthrow the Rules? They didn''t mean shit in the minds of powerful beings that ran this place., He was also nothing but a guarding dog, so he shut his mind.


    He used to be closer to the opposite of a dog, but because of the shackles that he took for granted, he can''t be as free as he used to be. Now, he was a shell of his previous self, as Lisa said.


    Looking at his right hand, which lacked some fingers, Thar watched his lacking power. He became softer, weaker, and betrayed the road to power.


    He hated this dog''s position.


    Quenching what remained of his fist, a glow, as well as bloody veins within the cuts winced the bones. He let them grow as if they were alive, and in a blink, his fingers regrew. His fist became bigger and more deadly. Each finger was now a fine weapon, and as a whole, this fist would shatter mountains, and clutch human heads. His bones were strong and almost unfathomable, filled with vitality and strength that seeped outside like a mystical treasure. It wasn''t necessarily called a marrow any longer. Fitting names would be Life Force, Mana Marrow, Mana Fluid, and all kinds of other iterations of fusion of mana, vitality, strength, and physique.


    Now, or before, it was still fine to call it a source of his power. He was only a skeleton as far as he could remember and his bones were all to his living, along with his Soul Flames, of course. He knew how strong his bones were, but he no longer remembered the shape of his flesh. It was too long ago...


    It was almost alien to imagine flesh and running blood over his bones. This used to be his body, at some point in his life, yet was it so different to think of this as his body? No. Even when free, he did hope for a dream.


    He longed for a proper life and not this mindless and numb body. His case was peculiar, as he no longer remembered what his face looked like. Was he lofty? Arrogant, with a hefty chin, neat brows, and sharp eyes?


    He wasn''t sure.


    Was he pretty? Ugly to one''s eyes, or opinion? What was his skin color, or the color of his eyes?


    He couldn''t imagine either.


    Sighting for himself, Thar moved toward his horse that remained standing outside. ¡°Let them play, and let them all seek their chances. Perhaps I will follow them too if Lurrs will deem my worth, but I doubt that. Taking some part is fun, but I doubt they can share. This dessert is my backyard. Protecting it is a task as you said, Mindarch. Let''s see and fear the consequences of Lordis''s idea, and the fog that surrounds Murai. This will end up as a disaster or an absolutely unfathomable mistake, I bet.¡±


    Jumping onto his horse, he watched as the sandstorms returned to their splendor, engulfing him and his horse into them. He disappeared to his rightful place, no longer interested in anything else. With the Hell Guide gone along with the Hell Party, things will get messy in this temple.


    He will have to look into the politics more than usual, and he didn''t like how Hell Haven acted. They were full of Chaos, and Ego. Almost like the Gods above, but who cared about the differences? God was a God. In the Depths, there were as many of them as in the Skies.


    No matter what, this will be interesting.


    ***


    At Gate 1, but far from the beginning and closer to the end than one would guess.


    Murai emerged from the portal some time ago and entered the corridors that stretched and curved far away. He was much further into Gate 1, and almost at the very end. Mindarch''s help was incredible, so he didn''t have to travel for hours to the end and battle like a maniac. He could, Mindarch thought otherwise.


    The corridors were like a maze, filled with chaos, death, and fog that was so thick, that he couldn''t see or feel his surroundings more than 5 meters before him.


    At some point, he wondered what sort of lunatic would build this sort of place, or force others to fight in this place. It seemed to serve no purpose than be annoying, and it must be of questionable past, that he couldn''t even imagine.


    Behind him, Lisa and Lorry also floated from the portal. They appeared fine, similar to Murai, but they were further behind, acting as observers.


    This journey was for Murai to take, and he looked forward to where he ended up. He didn''t watch the end of the portal behind him. He continued forward until he noticed something very easy to spot. There was an opening, and there was a light, as well as the end of the fog. But that was just how it appeared, as the source of the fog was right past this light, and it surged out to Gate 1.


    ¡°So a final boss? A room, or a unique place? Guardian of the 1st Gate? How original. Let me see what it will be.¡± Murai said to himself, ignoring Lisa and Lorry.


    Walking through the fog, he arrived and moved through some entrance at the end of the corridor. Murai''s eyes took a second to adjust to the sudden light and cleared fog. He wanted to focus, but he had some troubles in his head. That was an issue because he spent hours in the fog, and he didn''t like that. He cursed as he entered a tremendous, open room filled with all kinds of lighting elements. There were lanterns of all kinds of shapes and sizes on the ceiling, torches littered the sides, and even flaming chandeliers glowed up the ceiling.


    This was some sort of mansion hallway. A huge one, resembling a castle of some sort. The ceiling was at least 15 meters tall and about 7 meters wide. Everything inclined one to wonder what sort of place this was, but Murai watched it as his eyesight returned to normal.


    Fog spread around the floor for about 20 centimeters tall, making the surroundings that much more enchanting, captivating, and mysterious. In fact, this place was beautiful to behold. Unlike the rest of Gate 1, there were many paintings of beasts, animals, and figures of humans around the walls. Even elves were there, then demons, and sculptures and statues of them all. Nice architecture went along the interiors, ensuring this place was unlike the simple corridors.


    This place resembled a museum, unlike the rest of the corridors which had nothing to them apart from the death, fog, and battles.


    There was a different place altogether, but Murai didn''t care about them at all. The fog was no longer that bad. It was at the ground level, hovering around his neck, so he had to keep his neck jolted up so he could see out of the fog.


    It wasn''t discomforting, and he could see the surroundings far away. There were more halls beside this one, so he kept walking and saw more statues, paintings, and architecture. Mana was less unkept and more calm.


    It resembled a walk through a gallery of some sort and he watched the sculptures of demons, beats, and devils with his eyes. Some were even human-like, while others were nothing but a ferocious beast. Quite a few statues were looking almost too alive and had one special thing to them. They had some mana undulation and a Soul, and each of them was made of stone.


    Murai was looking at them but never found this so-called Guardian, nor the gate or portal towards the next Gate. He went around this place for almost half an hour, until a distinct feeling of Will of the Battleworld, descended upon him. It was not Mindarch this time around, but both he and Will of the Battleworld acted along, making a time for Blessed more unique than for ordinary Challengers. There were two voices of those things in his head, so it wasn''t that appealing to him.


    Some non-blessed held those voices in the high remark and took them for a god''s voice, but Murai would laugh at their faces. Spending some care on the Mindarch was worthy, as long as one reached further into the temple and wouldn''t die. Rewars were always due, as long as one survived.


    [Congratulations, Citizen. You''ve reached the ending course of Gate 1 of Lavandis Temple]The dull and mechanical sound echoed into Murai''s soul. Lisa heard it too, as she floated not far from him. She silently observed the surroundings, and it seemed a dark cloud was over her head. She was listening to what this would be about since Mindarch and Will of the Battleworld were very different things when it came to Murai.


    [What is around you are prisoners. All kinds of beings lost their touch in the Hell Haven, or against Levandis. One of them is your foe: A Guardian of Gate 2]


    [Be careful, as there may be more to this than meets the eye]


    [Defeat the Guardian in order to proceed to the rundown of rewards, and opportunities that will await at the next Gate]


    [Rewards will come through the Mindarch and Will of the Battleworld''s connection. Both will have to work]


    Hmm? That was it? No shit they are the guarding dogs. They are all alive, and some have a beating heart and even a mana source in them. I can tell that...  Murai thought to himself. I am not stupid, or blind.


    This one was a bit of anticlimactic massage, and he was more than sure Mindarch would tell him more about this than WiIll of the Battleworld.


    He had already gone over many of these statues, so he could tell their worth and number weren''t in the small digits. Be it the Mana Detection or the Soul Read, he was able to discern some of the living beings hidden behind the stone. They were all forcefully turned to stone, and stored here as if they were trophies. That was quite wild, and devilish, since the living soul and beings within the stones weren''t dead, but remained living. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Their lives were their prison, which spoke to how ferocious Levandis was. Murai wondered what sort of conclusion he should make about this. Should he choose his Guardian, or this place will do so for him? Will of the Battleworld didn''t speak of it clearly.


    He didn''t understand it until Lorry moved past him and laughed in his annoying voice.


    ¡°What does Murai think? Quite a nice collection, isn''t Lorry right?¡±


    ¡°It''s somewhat impressive. Sure. I saw some Omnibeast, Titan-like creatures, and even a Far Realm beast from Beyond the Sky. I guess your Lady is indeed somewhat peculiar with her tastes, and this forms a challenge even for Extremes, doesn''t it?¡±


    Lorry paused, opening his jaw as if in shock. He didn''t expect to hear Murai''s words and his rather clear and open words. They were still quacks, but he could understand it all. ¡°Oh? OHH! So, Murai understands it quite far and wider than Lorry would''ve guessed. For Murai to take notice of the highest stakes of this place is indeed a welcomed thing to consider.¡±


    ¡°You don''t say...¡± Murai grunted.


    ¡°Well, beasts and the highest ordeals are one thing. Murai is the other. One thing is, the temple is already full on going against Murai and the battle long started.¡± Lorry stated and looked around mysteriously.


    ¡°Did it? I can''t tell a thing. It''s just a place to seek validation so let''s get this over with already.¡± Murai said in a bothersome tone, already fed up with walking for the past hour.

 Chapter 114: Invisible F*****

    The circumstances and atmosphere in the museum weren''t that pleasing. Murai felt the statues around him from the perspective of a prisoner, and it reminded him of himself more than he liked. He almost hated it, but he wasn''t too vocal about it, even though he was sure he seemed that way.


    This constant loop of Cursed Living wasn''t what he desired. That was something that had long seeped into his soul. Almost like a law.


    Here, along with the Soul Read, he noticed the emotions that spread from those beings turned to a stone. Some were emotional as if screaming. Others were open in a weird aura that he couldn''t even get close to. Most were dull and numb, almost as if they were sleeping or it was this stone prison that let them be in a perpetual state of slumber.


    Some were heavy and strong, and few were even completely detached from reality and he couldn''t even notice an aura of their soul. They may be like Ceila or their Path, or Will was stronger than his Soul Read could fathom.


    Tall, small, weird, and oddly shaped beings were almost around every corner, and many had appearances he had never seen before. Some monsters, or beasts looked too weird and grotesque. Apart them the beasts, there were instances of humanoid figures of all kinds. Devils were always looking like humans, but with horns, and often different complexities. Their skin may be dark, ashen, or even white or very dark. Their horns were their most prominent feature, while the number of them, and their size corresponded with their rank and power. 2 was the norm. 4 indicated a powerful devil. 6 was already a token of a progenitor-rank devil.


    As for demons, they were complicated beings of many races that had all kinds of bloodlines mixed in them. Some beasts were called demons, and some demons were called beasts. It was often hard to describe them. It wasn''t making a whole lot of sense, since a lot of it came from the bloodlines, and evolutions, didn''t help with them either. Chaos went along with their living. Sometimes, there was no Order in some things whatsoever. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There were promenades of evolved beasts on one side of a long hallway. Some of them were humongous and seeped out of unique powers. Like flaring vines made of flames, ice, and chains made of silvery water. Those may be what Levandis caught from the ventures onto the Greater Sky, or they were opponents and foes that wanted her Hell Haven.


    Murai couldn''t guess the meaning of this place, but it sure seemed to be built different. No. Perhaps he didn''t give a single feather about why he was here or who they were. He was here for himself, and he nudged his head upwards from his body so he could observe the hallway for the enemy. He didn''t care about Lorry and his words but what if he was right and the enemy was already around him?


    The laughing Guide was a menace to common sense, and Murai wasn''t too happy or angry about him. Indifferent was a fitting word.


    He saw what he didn''t want and got much more than he would''ve ever wanted to see. This place was definitely a location where Levandis put some interest, and it was in a safe place inside her domain. And right in her grasp.


    Apart from the prisoners, there were many more interesting things, and some he actually liked: treasures of all kinds, symbolism from the Greater Sky, and many depictions from this world as well. Sculptures of living beings made of intricate materials were often mixed among the prisoners and were of incredible value. They weren''t living, while paintings were no prisoners as well. Only statues were.


    Some of the paintings were extremely old Venerate Grade treasures and had Laws and touches of World Essences. Like the Everflower, he saw in this life, or others where he wielded them, or saw them closely or from a far place in many of his New Beginnings. Almost all of these treasures were behind a protection formation, and out of touch to any detection.


    But Murai saw them with his eye, and that was enough for him to notice what they were. Their protection was sturdy, but so what? His eyes were enough to seek and note their secrets, even though the paintings looked like regular paintings of many kinds. From war-like themes and fights across the Greater Sky, or even symbols or words, there were even animals and human figures. They were how he remembered them¡ªfrom a distance and an overreaching sense of power. All of them were beyond Extreme, yet they were put on display like a bunch of toys.


    Just why they were here? Was Levandis making some sort of joke, or was she lofty enough to let them be shown? Was she mocking the Challengers by showing them treasures they could never even touch? He almost assured himself that was the most probable answer.


    Venerate was a term from a very old language, coming from the Ancients. It depicted outlandish power that allowed one to travel around the universe undisturbed by cosmic-level threats. Those ranged from galactic-sized storms, fleeting asteroids, stars so hot, that they would burn anything in their proximity, and many more. The universe was a dangerous place, and for one to travel further, or far enough to reach some sense of solemnity, it was an arduous journey.


    Ancients were different kinds of overlords, and they had power over a vast amount of space and time. They were around prior to the rules of Gods that Murai knew from his relatively recent iterations of his Cursed Living.


    The passage of time was unrelenting to him, and much menacing to others than he gave it credit to. The road of power was always shifting the power dynamic around the Greater Sky, and the universe as a whole was unrelenting and ruthless. However, some beings were not prone to this, and some were almost too important to care about that. Some of those... figures caused Murai''s fate, he felt.


    Albeit, knowing about the vast past was a rather peculiar thing since the notion of the past always moved forward, becoming a token for the present time, before it became the past. It was the future that was always hard, and insane to guess.


    Murai spent not even 10 seconds caring about these treasures put on display as if they were trophies. For this place to show them wide open, it was as if they were tokens of loftiness and Levandis''s pride. He didn''t care about that. He couldn''t help but curse at them in open disgust, and also many realizations.


    Unfortunately, looking and cursing was all he could do, since they were all obscured by a power above the Extreme. He recognized them by a look, while each Venerate Grade treasure had a glass behind them, with the protection formation and other defenses. Not a speck of aura went out of them, making them look ordinary, at best. No amount of Will could see through then, and perhaps nobody could even touch the truths behind them unless those formations went away. Murai was the same, but he wasn''t blind.


    A physical look upon them was all that he needed and his memories served as an interesting outlook. He didn''t talk about them though, because their value was much higher than something he should care about right now.


    Out of everything he saw before, they were the most valuable, right beside that gate before meeting Lorry. The sculptures of many beasts were beyond those paintings, which, in fact, some of them were pages from old and ancient manuals or other interesting things. In his opinion, they were invaluable, and he didn''t know what they were about unless he broke the formation.


    Such was the case of the invaluable assets of the past, which went beyond the senses of mortality or immortality. Some of them must be millions of years old, Murai knew that for a fact. Even older even? How many Chaos Cycles that was?


    Murai scoffed at such a thought, knowing that their premise came out of his past experiences and led to all kinds of memories. He was very old in the sense of soul, but calling him all-knowing was less than sensible.


    He may have a lot of living experiences behind him, but most of them were so different from one another, he was often forgetting about them. That changed many times, and sometimes, not at all. Some lives required some unique takes while living on many planets made him experience many things.


    One would wonder how many things he had mastered, but it wasn''t a lot. Considering him universally insane was almost poetic, which went hand in hand with his Cured Living.


    It was almost always dependent on the world and body. A New Beginning after the End always created new circumstances. It would often diminish the past experiences and make him angry and helpless. He couldn''t do much more than move on and giving some memories a nudge was often a key to a better life.


    This sort of living made him prone to the course and shifts of many histories, times long in the past, and many Paths.


    Ancients in particular were a topic that only Gods knew about since their past was based on the premise of powers beyond common sense. They were of similar status to Gods and were rulers of many worlds in a similar manner to them. They were no hegemons of time or mana, and their limits were similar to how some Gods wanted to become Creators. It was the next stage, and the Ancients wanted to be beings that moved through the dimensions and turned the universe up to their wishes. That was at least the grand hope and desire of those beyond the mortals, but still far away from the very peak.


    As for their direct past, few mortal-level beings knew much about them. Pieces of Venerate knowledge, scrolls, tomes, or any kind of treasure were of utmost value and could be found in some ruins and old and forgotten lands. Most of those treasures would move the strongest of the Extremes, and become invaluable depending on their power, or effects. Such things indicated the power of old history and power that was different, yet could shape the reality.


    Anything of that kind of premise should be powerful and it was.


    Murai was momentarily stunned after shifting through his memories and walked away from them without any issues. He was oblivious to Lisa and her curious look behind him. She floated around, glaring at them, him, the statues, or those treasures. She had a much better look at them, because of her floating body, but who knew what she was thinking?


    Murai wasn''t one to forget the importance of the past, yet he remembered what he could. That was to not know everything. He needed some rules about it, and thankfully, his soul was long accustomed to the flow of uncountable memories. Some were lost and neglected. Some were pristine and clear, hiding in the depths of his awareness.


    They were all in him, hiding, or were openly available at all times.


    Sighting, Murai didn''t see any enemy, so he turned around to face Lorry and Lisa. ¡°This is getting annoying, so how about some talk? Why were there some hallways with formation locks at some portion of this place? I''ve been walking for almost an hour!¡± he complained and seemed kind of laughable to the 2 floating soul forms who only watched his head protruding from the fog.


    ¡°It is important to be faithful to one''s destiny. Lorry is sure Murai has all rights to continue and follow that. Right?¡± Lorry asked in return.


    ¡°Don''t give me that crap! I would rather know some sense than get out of my patience. So how about letting this be over with already.¡± Murai glared at him with much interest, knowing that Lorry knew everything about this place. ¡°I know you are keeping something hiding! Are all the damned soul forms this petty?! Hm?¡±


    ¡°Kekekeke. Fine. Fine. Murai seems to be the impatient one. Lorry sees and gets it.¡± he chuckled and glared in some direction. ¡°There that one is, and that one went ahead or far. It has been quite some minutes already, yet that one is waiting for timing, or is upset and afraid because of an Anatidae? Lorry wonders about that, but if Lorry should order something, then what?¡±


    Lorry stated the surprising truth that he knew more than he was showing.


    It was as Murai expected. ¡°What was that for?¡± he asked and got a bad feeling about this place.


    Suddenly, a premonition of danger shook his spirit, and he looked around to feel and see something, yet saw or felt nothing. Left and right, he turned his attention to his Mana Detection but it was hard to discern a lot of meaning over the mana since there were many statues around. Who knew where was the enemy?


    Lorry did? No. He didn''t. He was making shit up, yet there was some truth in his presence. Mindarch talked, ordering the Guardian to not be a coward.


    A shrieking sound echoed through the hallway, and in the next moment, a whistling sound shot toward Murai. It went unexpectedly fast, while the air and fog were cut. Something moved, traveling from the ceiling, right toward him along the ground. A powerful force slammed against his body, causing blunt and penetrative power to go through his muscles and feathers.


    It was powerful. Way too much to his liking.


    Murai felt some piercing pain too, but no bloody wound appeared from this sudden clash. He stumbled away a dozen meters and even slammed against the ground before he quickly went alert again. He wasn''t hurt. Not too much. His muscles and bones didn''t like it, but his feathers took it much better.


    Looking at the place in the direction of this strike, there was nothing he noticed, apart from the dancing fog. It was as if a ghost attacked him.


    It was at this moment, that Lorry laughed and introduced the Guardian. He at least knew what was the Mindarch''s choice.


    ¡°Let Lorry present Murai a Crowhell Bat. A demonic beast of level 30 with Bloodline from the Sunless Divine Beasts. Diluted, but deadly, Lorry believes.¡±


    Crowhell? Never heard of it.


    Mura complained in his heart and reconsidered what sort of bat this could even be. It was invisible to the naked eye, and even with the sense of Mana Detection, he didn''t manage to catch a thing.


    What about Soul Read? He thought when he figured that regular sight, or even mana was useless. His Soul Read should be better. Feeling the statues put some stress on his soul, but with his Robust Spirit, it was possible to feel a large portion of them. The Soul Read went against quite high-level creatures, and if Lorry knew of it, he wouldn''t laugh but be respectful instead.


    For the lack of care or fun, Mindarch gave him an enemy that was worth his Power Level, which was a basic limit of his current power. The enemy should be tough, albeit numbers weren''t always proportional to one''s power level.


    His core strength was absolutely better than his level, which was apparent a long time ago. After all, he already defeated foes that were almost 3 times above his level, while his defeat of Acaman Golem was more than sensensual. Back then, he still struggled to finish the job in 20 minutes, but killing and defeating were completely different things. Acaman Golem didn''t make it quick and easy for him. That was for sure.


    Here? He was against some clever and annoying beast, so calling it balanced was more than fitting. It may be difficult since this bat seemed rather stranger than his past foes.


    Murai felt nothing with his Soul Read, which can mean a few things: the bloodline of this Crowhell Bat was rather good or his Soul Read couldn''t work on it. The range could also be an issue, but this palace had walls and wasn''t as large as an open forest.


    Crowhell Bat was undetectable in one''s senses and eyesight, yet the sound and movement still made it hearable. That was a weakness that he could use to his advantage. This hallway was quiet, so that was at least something.


    However, the Crowhell Bat was a noiseless flying beast of nocturnal living. It was an enemy that was by no means at a disadvantage against him and calling it a perfect counter against Murai was correct.


    Power of his Soul Read was unable to perceive the enemy, which added more questions than answers. One was that the enemy was too far away. Soul Read had a limited range, making the perception of others less clear. Murai was yet to be convinced about Soul Read''s full potential since he didn''t see and act with it against many living beings. Here, around the statues, he finally got the gist of what it could gift, but it was like reading the unreadable mash of letters. It wasn''t usable, while emotions were often a byproduct of desires. They weren''t helpful all the time, and reading and feeling undead was like reading half-finished sentences, full of gibberish.


    Soul Read may also not be helping with anything. A nasty and mindless soul of a beast was almost worthless, and he noted nothing much from all of those undead from before. Soul Read had the advantage against proper and intelligent souls, and one had to be clear about his own soul too. One could still see the presence of the unintelligent beasts, but they were present alone. Emotions and souls were different, then knowing and noticing one''s existence.


    Also, the interventions of the statutes made it hard to concentrate. Soul Read needed physical sight of the soul, or was that correct? That was something Murai had yet to test, but before someone, he should Soul Read if he was close. The emotional state was often all to that alone, while not many things besides the general feeling of the soul went further. Soul Read will need further evolution to get stronger effects, and that was far away.


    Murai frowned, thinking that even his soul and Will had clear limits, but it wasn''t his fault. It was this world. This mess!


    His growth was splendid, yet he couldn''t point this ability in one direction like he can with his Mana Detection, or use it like a tool. The intent of ignoring the surroundings also didn''t work when more souls were around. He was yet to gain a perfect understanding of his current potential, which may be an issue for him, Soul Read, or it was because of what this room limited him with.


    There were some clear lines of rules around uses, boosts, and gifts of all abilities. He couldn''t perceive Ceila, nor much of any Suns if he was honest with himself. That was a while ago, however. He grew and got stronger. There were rewards behind him, yet the limits and leveling made them slow-reaching, and often neglectful. Many abilities needed proper growth to become what one would take for a Path, and something that could define a power.


    Soul Read was terrific in its basic shape, and it didn''t need proper Shaping, but the proper soul and Will, as well as familiarity across the Soul Pathway. It was a passive ability stemming from the perception of oneself and reality. That meant trouble in terms of usage since discerning the souls around him had its limits like a range or complexity of one''s soul.


    Mana Detection was already his highest-level ability, and he got to the point of focusing in one direction just recently. That was useless at the moment, even though its range was more than enough to encompass this hallway. It wasn''t narrow enough to ignore the sculptures or statues, and it sure was useless in finding the Crowhell Bat. Soul Read was the same.


    Murai was angry to feel his unfamiliarity biting back. He had some powers, but limited time to grow them up. And he wasn''t particularly fond of the passive effects. He would rather use something one at a time, rather than care about the mentality and the constant effects on his mind.


    However, he shouldn''t worry about it. His Robust Spirit made him an utter hegemon in terms of the soul powers. It worked through his Cursed Soul, making his living tougher since the reading of the soul was happening at all times. He couldn''t stop it and mental ignoring took some toll. Stoping it was a task he put for the near to far future, but he was yet to perceive full control over this ability anyway.


    Mana Detection didn''t work. Soul Read wasn''t either, so what else was there? Murai noted his lacking means, so all he could manage was to try harder and find some answers.


    Is it the physicality? He through. it screeched like some sort of demon when it attacked and slammed into me like a fool. It''s invisible, so that poses two possibilities for a strategy, or answer. Its skin is prone to the mutation that is causing all matter to bounce off of it. Thus, making it invisible. Second, is a bloodline ability of some sort, as Lorry said. It can be about Space, Light, or some sort of camouflage fusion, or is it specific to its species? Skin condition? Not sure. Maybe there are some other ways of power in this world that can lead to this sort of ability. Evolutions can be that. Murai quickly deducted.


    It feels strong since it works against the soul powers and mana. Two weird and powerful ways of power, so call me insane, but ain''t this bat a bit crazy? I am sure this beast has plenty of mana in its body, so its invisibility evolved to the point of veiling its aura. Just now, I suppose it hit me with a claw in the hope of severing my belly and neck. It failed, but I felt it like a brick. No. A slam? Not sure how quick, or heavy it was, but it failed. That is what matters, so its strength and sharpness aren''t that high. Its offensive power is lacking, that is. It has wings of quite some speed, and it''s definitely faster than stronger. That is why it went against the ceiling. It used momentum, so it has some intelligence and means of strategy. Nah. Those are basic instincts of a beast that is invisible and can fly. What an opponent! How about its size? It pushed me for about 11 and a quarter meters and it was sharp and heavy. It is the size of... twice my body? No. Perhaps about half bigger? Well, size isn''t everything. For such an opponent to go against me, I feel sorry for it.


    Murai made a quick rundown of his situation and wasn''t unhappy. His Mana Pool was yet to be full, but it sure was well over halfway there. He was almost right in every guess he thought about, but not everything was optimistic in this hallway.


    Crowhell Bat had the ability to overrule the rules of mana because of its bloodline effects, thus making it invisible to the senses of mana and perception alike. That was what he guessed in a different way. It also has a Space affinity mixed in its blood, which meant all kinds of possibilities that Murai had no idea about. Some may be bad, good, or terrible.


    It was no wonder, since what else could it be? This sort of Invisibility was already a broken ability since it used it while fighting. That was already much stronger than what a bunch of humans with space, shadow, or void affinities could do. It often disallowed one to attack while invisible. At least in the earlier to middle stages.


    Using invisibility in combat at this stage was strange, and it should work well against weaker opponents, rather than the strong ones.


    Mindarch picked an interesting foe for sure.


    It wasn''t like there were some illusions put into this place, which Murai also considered. His soul would seek through them, he believed. So the only choice was a hideous ploy of complex invisibility that seemed to be quite a pain in the ass to fight against.


    Every rule and ability has some shortcomings to them. This bat should remain invisible all the time, while its physicality is quick and quiet. Its power... is heavy too. I get it.


    Murai was calm, standing and silently observing the ceiling of quite some height. He also pulled his interest on him and noticed some strained parts on his body. Particularly, his legs didn''t like the previous hit, while his torse took this well. His neck not so much. He could still move just fine, but what if it hit him for the second time? Third?


    Accumulative damage was a thing, and he wasn''t as impenetrable as he hoped. In fact, this enemy hit him straight on, while many before didn''t. Murai didn''t forget to take note of every cranny in the hallway, and he heard and saw nothing. Crowhell Bat was waiting for an opening, he figured.


    The hallway wasn''t a good place for a fight. Murai was in the middle of a wide open space, and he didn''t like to be at a disadvantage when those statues and mana-undulating sculptures were around. He should fix these issues because he was the target, and the bat could strike him like a loaded gun. He won''t fare well if it slam at him a couple of more times, and he didn''t want to suffer other injuries.


    Finding some hideout or cover in this sort of place wasn''t hard, but using the statues for that didn''t seem to be a good idea.


    Well, I don''t care about hiding or not. I would rather fight, but I don''t know how big it is, nor how effective are its weapon, but it sure is careful like an assassin. As it slid through the ground and hit me, it felt big and quickly went away after it realized it didn''t kill me. Wait.. felt? Righ... It may not be that clever after all, and its abilities have limits. For example, the range. Since the bat is invisible, it only attacks with its body, so that is one way to counter it. It is counterproductive for this sort of invisibility, so let''s see its next move.


    Murai identified his plan and chose not to force up some lax ideas, so he came up with something stupid. He can brawl his way out of trouble with some Proper Mana Blades, or shower the surroundings with some arrows, but that would be costly and stupid. He wasn''t a stupid mage, so coming up with a way to protect himself was his priority. Things like letting a couple of Blades hover around his body was his first idea.


    Yet, he didn''t choose that, fearing his mana may not be enough against this bat.


    Mana wasn''t an issue. He had enough for now, but one thing was constantly eating his mind. That urgent sense of danger did not disappear, and it was a mixture of this bat and something else. From the moment he left the last portal, he was tensed up like an unreleased bow. It was after he felt the calling of his soul. Killing intent! The notion of the enemy that wanted to kill him, hunt him, and catch him like an animal.


    Razmund was here, and he knew it. It should be fitting since his hunt was already happening for some time.


    Murai didn''t know the details about Razmund, since the Will of the Battleworld didn''t provide details of the other side. One needed them, and knowing them was one way to easier victory.


    Even Lisa was somewhat clueless about working toward his victory, so what Murai should do was work on his power and work around the Encounter with a careful mind. After all, power ruled over fate, while rules made it smoother if one could breach or break them apart. Getting the fuck out of the Seventh Death Forest would help him for sure, but where he was again? Not in that forest, but in something much worse.


    As Murai remained in peaceful silence, he focused his attention on his physical senses and surroundings. His feet rested on the floor, eyes pointed at the surroundings, and his ears tried to pick up any sound. Anything physical had to perceive the rules of mass and movement. Those were physical limits, and no matter how good a flier this bat was, it had to move.


    Murai didn''t hear a thing, which meant the opponent was away or wasn''t flying at all. Crowhell Bat may as well rest somewhere in the ceiling, observing him from higher ground.


    Hmmm. This is indeed too bad. I am too open. Fuck it. Murai thought and began to run towards other corridors. It was time to change the surroundings, rather than fight it out or wait like a fool.


    In the past hour, he walked around this whole place so he knew its layout and some places that could work to his advantage. He didn''t expect this mana would work wonders against such an enemy in a wide hall, and there were some places that may work better. One was a wide open space akin to an arena, where the Bat''s range should be higher, so its effects would take longer to reach him. Another was a narrow towering staircase that had no statues or sculptures to obscure his sense. It was also smaller, which should allow him to work better.


    Either should work, but that was in theory. In reality, Crowhell Bat can also adjust its strategy if it''s clever enough.


    Murai ran since the enemy was a pain in the ass. He will decide on his strategy depending on what the bat will do. He moved first, and this meant the enemy could make its move first. To his back, perhaps?


    Murai couldn''t help but imagine many scenarios as if he was the enemy. It was something he took after the last New Begining and it wasn''t a bad habit. Thinking of possibilities and strategies was something he was familiar with, and he wasn''t ashamed to say, that he was an outstanding strategist.


    But one thing was knowing something, and actually doing things with his body accordingly. That may be problematic for the body of a duck, but perhaps his magical side will provide its benefits.


    If I was an invisible fucker, attacking is the primary way to finish any job. Sure-kill would be the best at the enemy''s weak points and that is secondary, or priority. I don''t know the enemy, so does the enemy know me too? I have no idea. That leads to nowhere, so let''s take a proper conflict going, and kill it when it attacks me first.

 Chapter 115: Strategic fight: Murai VS Crowhell Bat

    Killing and going wild in this sort of setting wasn''t looking ideal. That was something Murai more than understood. The walls were far apart, so that left him a lot of space for all sorts of strategies, but the same could be said about the enemy.


    This place was its home grounds, so expecting Crowhell Bat to be annoying was an understatement.


    He could also fill the space with his mana to notice the enemy. That was a brief idea, but he wasn''t sure how effective it would be since he couldn''t detect it with his Mana Detection anyway. It would''ve failed too, he bet. Ha wasn''t forgetting the physical limit either, and the bat wasn''t a ghost.


    If the Crowhell Bat''s invisibility worked in a weird, and powerful manner, it was obscuring mana in its fundamental state. His mana wouldn''t change it. Perhaps the physical means of some elements would? Smoke or flames?


    It was hard to think clearly when the enemy was lurking over his head, ready to strike him at a moment''s notice and with power that could wreck his body.


    He kept glaring around as he ran, watchful, and careful of any sound. Soundless, the only noise was his steps that he couldn''t help to neglect. He kept his senses sharp, hoping to notice anything that was going through the air. He cared for the Mana Detection and Soul Read too, just in case.


    Upon arriving at the corner of the corridor, Murai went towards the right side and then stopped. His mind screamed at him again. Was it the Robust Spirit? He heard a subtle flick of the wings above him, but nothing moved nor flickered in terms of mana. Sounds were Crowhell Bat''s enemy, he figured.


    Conjuring mana for a Proper Mana Blade was quick and easy, and he slashed above him in wide and quick slices.


    He hit nothing but the air and his eyes tried to discern any kind of space undulations, or movement when he turned. He didn''t see a thing, so he hurried and flipped his blade sideways, which went higher than his swings and created a more layered attack.


    He was close in his attempts to make the least optimal space for the enemy to fly through, but the Crowhell Bat noticed his attempts.


    It sneered within its invisibility and pounced down lower than before. It went down to the ground, dodging the blades completely. Murai didn''t expect that, but he heard its sounds, and the fog dispersed. A thin layer of fog made the bat''s outline, but the fog visibly dispersed much further. Probably from the movements of its wings.


    The name Crowhell stemmed from the beak of this bat species. It had some Bloodline powers from a Sunless Divine Beast¡ªwhich was known as King Crow in some parts of this world¡ªbut as with many things, the species itself had fixed powers. In this case, the Crowhell Bat had some specific physical changes that one wouldn''t see in a bat.


    Unlike regular snoot, Crowhell Bat had a sharp and straight pointing beak that was of a crow. It wasn''t overly thick, nor it was too large in proportion to its body. One could even call it very thin and it wasn''t wrong. Its tip was sharp like the finest dagger, but its sides weren''t.


    Inside were rows of teeth, while it was a demonic beast in all regards, similar to an Anatidae but lower in quality and power by a significant margin.


    Its wings were quite large and at least a meter wide when fully open. Its legs had rather wide fingers, which ended up in sharp, curved talons. It was a strange mixture of a crow, an eagle, and a bat, but in the shape of an invisible beast that one couldn''t see. The invisibility aspect of it was most peculiar since it was a rather absurd and often neglected ability.


    Not-to-be-seen spells were often questionable since physicality and mana were rather special and clear in their rules.


    To not see one''s body, it wasn''t as if one lacked physicality. One wouldn''t be just seen but could be hit and destroyed regardless of some limits. Because of this, mages didn''t consider invisibility spells to be anything but second-rate spells and had subjective usages, which were hard to master and learn.


    One had to have a space, void, or light affinity, and reach a very advanced level and familiarity. It wasn''t often worth learning them, and mages rather focused on more important aspects of the space, or void if they had them.


    Of course, many Paths were prone to weird options, and such abilities as invisible were one of many. They could be very powerful depending on the user or luck. But they were in the minority because the truth of power was very straightforward, and being a coward wasn''t always fitting.


    Crowhell Bat was no mage. It was a beast with an aspect of its body that made it invisible, so it made learning and problems much easier to manage. It had its familiarity integrated into its bloodline and instincts, and it showed. It had no talent of a mage.


    Murai wasn''t sure of its full appearance, regardless of the fog. He at least saw its rough size, how wide its wingspan was, how those talons tried to slice his neck apart, and how its beak moved toward his chest.


    He didn''t need to consider it too much. He just needed to kill it and that will be all to his problems. It was a simple solution to a painful and annoying problem, but if anything, this was exactly that sort of situation that had this simple solution.


    Bat was ready to strike him again. A screeching sound echoed in front of him, but because of the echo and the size of the place, it sounded everywhere around him.


    It was too late to make it feasible to act.


    Murai heard its body, and he still had his Proper Mana Blade in the air, ready to strike, and he did. He swung his blade right towards the sound he heard, and cleared fog that remained for a split second. Yet the Crowhell Bat moved from the opening of his swing to the left, dodging it because it had high dexterity and enough distance away from him.


    It slid along the ground at a sharp angle, its pointing beak was like a sword ready to pierce its opponent, and it hit him after swinging its wings. One would guess the fog would make it easier to spot it, but the wind from the bat''s swings was so wild, that it pushed the fog dozens of meters away. Murai couldn''t use it to his advantage as he hoped it could.


    And now, he heard the screech surge forward, and terrible momentum went around his blade. Before he had the option to retaliate, or move his body away, a powerful force struck him to his front. Surprisingly, his body took the brunt of this force better than he expected.


    Perhaps it was because he expected it, and whatever it was that slammed at him, didn''t penetrate even a finger into his flesh.


    It just hurt like hell, and it pushed him aside like a ragdoll. He could tell and guess what sort of weapon hit him by feeling Crowhell Bat''s body through this hit.


    It was obvious that the beak went straight towards his chest again, and he felt some talons scrap around his wings and neck. It all hurt a lot, and he felt his muscles crushed, and a few feathers even disappeared from his body.


    What Murai noticed the most was the sharp beak that hit his feathers, and how it slipped past them without any damage. Then, the talons scrapped him across his neck and back, pushing him away.


    Crowhell Bat failed with the killing move for the second time, and it was quite pitiful for its cause. Murai felt his body scream at him in demand, and the pain was most prominent. He did feel this sort of pain a lot in the last week, so he didn''t think much of it. He always managed to distribute the damage to a passable level. Be it against those Messiahs, the Welcoming Party, or enemies in Gate 1.


    He managed them better than he should, and now, he felt the enemy was even less dangerous than all of those meetings. Bat wasn''t so strong, but the invisibility was way too crafty. It wasn''t even that rich on the levels, yet he felt its threat. This Crowhell Bat was much stronger against him than Wildling Jaguar, or those messiahs, but in a different way.


    It was the careful case of a balanced enemy that went against his current prowess.


    Murai couldn''t help but think that Mindarch did this to him. He got hurt from ending the 2nd attack, and his legs didn''t like it again, and so did his wings. His neck was fine, but his insides and bones didn''t take it that well either.


    2 more attacks like this, and he had no doubts his bones would snap. He refused to feel that again!


    Still, Murai felt the force behind the attack and understood a couple of things. Crowhell Bat wasn''t as heavy in offense and his body took it better, albeit painfully so. Secondly, the bat was surprised by its failure to slaughter its foe. Going through its opponent and stabbing them like fools was its favorite method of killing, yet it failed.


    Again.


    Right. The first attack went even better against his body, but back then, he didn''t notice it that well. He was shocked because he hadn''t been hit in this manner in this life, so he didn''t take it that well. He was still thinking of other things, so a successful ambush succeeded and hit him for the first time.


    The second time was similar, but he expected it and noticed how it happened. He took this hit against his health rather begrudgingly, and not willingly. But since it happened, he had to reap the damage and get something in return. That was knowledge of the enemy and confirmation that he could take more hits.


    Murai fell to his back more than 10 meters away and had no time for any counters. His Proper Mana Blade dissipated away, his body hurting and a flaring mind of pain lingered in his head. His body took enough so he didn''t suffer, even though the forceful push went against his bones, and flesh.


    It made him uncomfortable, forcing him to recall the memories where Razmund handled him like a stress ball. At least no numbness or inner wounds caused some suffering, and his blood was where it should be.


    He refocused on what he had left and stood on his feet, looking around the location he was in a moment ago. There was nothing apart from the fog that was going back into the place, swirling like a small storm, but there it was. A silhouette of a Crowhell Bat that overlapped with the fog.


    It was visible for a few moments, before the bat flipped its wide and flexible wings, and went to the space above.


    Murai hoped to seek some sense out of his enemy, but there was nothing afterward, but a small hole in the ground, and a couple of gnarly crevices caused by talons, or a beak. The enemy was gone, but at least he saw its silhouette. It was twice his height, and the head was similar to his in mass. Their beaks were of different kinds but weren''t far from their meaningful uses.


    Once again, the corridor turned to silence. No flip of wings was noticeable around the ceiling, but the bat was there, waiting. A screeching sound scrapped against the polished sandstone of the walls, causing high and eerie noises. Crowhell Bat was right above the hole in the stone, looking at the enemy in surprise, and maybe a bit of fear mixed with unquenchable anger.


    It caught the blood of an Anatidae in front of it, but what use was there for fear? It should kill the enemy and not question it because a grand Elder Bloodline was before its eyes.


    It was a simple rule of this place to kill and fight for one''s freedom. If a prisoner wanted to become free, they needed to kill their foes in a brutal manner and might. That was the notion of being a Guardian of this place, and no prisoner in this place had any say in when, how, or how often they could get this chance.


    After all, the opponents weren''t always strong or weak, but they were limited in number. Levels meant a general purpose and power level was more important. But it wasn''t everything, because level 30s that would come to the Levandis Temple were always low in numbers. Crowhell Bat had almost no chances to be a Guardian.


    Every Guardian was individually based on the Challenger, and Mindarch decided on them alone. Usually, it should be as close to the perception of the balancing factors, and each Guardian should be stronger than the Welcoming Party that was under Thar. At least for the 1st and 2nd timers.


    It was usually unbiased since the Mindarch can seek through anything and anyone. Murai was no different, and his enemy was particularly strong against him. Perhaps, it was the strongest opponent to date, apart from the moment that he had to survive against Razmund.


    Back then, the situation was very different from today, so Murai swallowed it up and moved along with what was before him.


    He stood on his feet and looked above to feel the scrapping sounds. Their eyesight met, but Murai saw nothing but the sandstone that was under the pressure of its talons. He couldn''t tell anything apart from that. Not even the Mana Detection or Soul Read worked.


    It is really annoying. What an invisible motherfucker. Murai complained in his head. Its power lies in speed, ambushes, and power enough to work with that. Sharp beak and talons work for it, but they aren''t penetrating my feathers. It is similar to me, but in a different way, and it is stronger in terms of attributes, and its age, I bet.


    Well, it makes sense. It''s bigger, so it should be older, and stronger, but who am I kidding? My Level is twice less than it, yet I don''t feel like losing.


    For the start, let''s not get hit for the third time and counter it instead. If I am not wrong, from the softness of its feathers I felt when it hit me before, its defenses should be weak. It has to have weak bones for this sort of speed, and its weight shouldn''t be higher than mine.


    It is just sizable, and fluffy, but its body is actually very hollow and slim. It is a bat, after all. Its wings make up the majority of its appearance but because it is so quick, its pounce is heavy.


    Plans were meant to change, and he had no issue with that. On his right, was no statue, but on the left was. He ended up in the corner of two corridors, meaning there weren''t as many interferences around him for at least 6 meters. That was about the wideness of this corridor, so Murai put forth his Mana Detection and grit his teeth.


    He focused all his Will on his Mana Detection, moving it up, right to the screeching sounds. It revealed nothing, but a shimmering silhouette for a split second cut into his perception. It happened in a blink, and Murai didn''t get much out of it than confirmation it was there.


    Huh? I felt it. How? Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As if detecting it had been seen, Crowhell Bat screeched with its beak and flipped its wings in a wild manner. It stopped scrapping the ceiling and pounced at Murai with its legs facing forward. Talons resembled an eagle, and this attack went for the neck, as sharp as it could get.


    Murai didn''t see the enemy again. The screech and halting sounds of scratches were gone and the bat attacked but to where?


    Towards him?


    Back?


    To the side?


    Once more towards the ground?


    The attacks could vary, but if anything, the fog around the ground gave him some answer. It didn''t move, so he waited a couple of seconds and the fog didn''t move. Then he heard the flap of wings, so he smacked the ground with his leg, and jumped aside, narrowly escaping 6 talons that crushed against the floor.


    Crowhell Bat screeched in annoyance and hated how its second prideful means of killing failed. What a humiliation, its instincts told.


    Butchering its opponents was a good kill, and since its previous attacks failed twice, it was time to change the strategy. Everything was for the sake of freedom, so any excuses it said in its mind were long forgotten.


    Murai once again changed his strategy and made a deeper shot of Mana Detection towards the 6 crevices. A weird thing happened, and it was no fog since it traveled away as the bat landed. A foggy image of a glowy kind revealed the bat for another moment before it disappeared in his Mana Detection. It was a ghostly image, so it wasn''t an error on his mind before, nor did his mana fail his spirit.


    Detection is improving? That is good, but I don''t know how great that is, or why it is happening. Is the Beast Core why? It feels like nothing goes around... Just adrenaline, and my heart is pounding faster. That is normal in any fight, isn''t it? My familiarity with the Detection is highest out of anything, and the Beast Core is like having a leashed demon in my heart, and it doesn''t listen all the time.


    I can borrow its powers, and get mana out with lesser problems now. Is this... because of Core Defining Fusion Technique? I made the Artificial Core next to my Beast Core, and could it become calmer because of it? I don''t know how or why it is happening but it sure is welcoming news.


    After all, Artificial Core isn''t Beast Core. It is under the outside and inner mana, so it is a mix of everything under my eyes. No one ever recorded a Beast Core and Artificial Core together, so this is new even for me. Murai deducted and readied himself for a direct confrontation.


    Just now, a single moment was a bit longer than he thought, and at the end, Crowhell Bat turned back at him, reading to fight. Another pounce was coming, and this time, Murai didn''t dodge.


    He clutched his beak and stood firm as a mountain. A small one, but one the size of a duck. It was the posture of a fighter, and he was fed up with running away and being a scapegoat against this damned fly. It wasn''t worth it to be a coward, and at this point, he already had a general perception of what he should expect from this beast.


    With 3 direct attacks behind him, he had enough to move up his strategy.


    Similar to before, Crowhell Bat went for the head and neck in direct confrontation. It was so direct, that one would question its intellect. It was the exact same move against Murai''s front.


    Upon hearing the flaring momentum of wings, and the changing fog that wanted to return, Murai knew the incoming foe. It went as he expected, so he shot another use of Mana Detection forward, revealing the attack pattern of his opponent. It went like a blink, and like a flash of a ghost.


    He saw enough, and it wasn''t too late to do something. Even if Crowhell Bat knew it had been seen through, it was already in mid-air attack and couldn''t stop. Murai saw wide-angled talons that aimed straight at his body and a pointed beak aimed at his head.


    It wanted to grab him whole, force him onto the ground, where it would strike with its beak, ending his life. A simple thing to do, right? Murai imagined his loss, but that was about it. Just an imagination. A fantasy.


    He didn''t Conjure any of his mana forward and rather used a direct force of his body. That was to use his beak against the talons, stopping them before they would even come close to his body. That should cease the next beak aimed at him.


    As if he were a madman, he charged toward the enemy, brandishing his beak like some kind of sword. He wasn''t sure in which direction these talons would come in, because the ghostly flash of the enemy was too crude. He knew the general direction so he swung his beak in all kinds of angles in a maddening rush of Beak''s Fury.


    Before he knew it, a clash smashes against his body and beak. As he wished, Fury went against the talons, discarding the majority of them away, and even struck the bat two times. A few talons scraped against him, pushing toward his dense and flexed body which was no longer as soft.


    He stood his ground and felt his bones and muscles scream, but he prevailed and continued attacking.


    Unleashing a series of 15 attacks with his Beak''s Fury seemed like a limit. Some of them failed, but others successfully smacked talons away, and others not so much. His power over his beak was already pretty good, even though it wasn''t proportionate to his familiarity.


    For once, the level of his Beak''s Fury or Peak was kind of low, but their power and class weren''t as weak as his assumptions. It was significantly better than whatever this bat had.


    This was the power of an Anatidae. This was the power of ducks that ruled along the gods at some point in the distant past.


    One way or another, brute strength-based abilities should kill or damage unarmored, or glass cannon opponents. Unlike Murai and his species, Crowhell Bat had weak defenses as he predicted, and it had some disadvantages that countered its invisibility and dexterity. It wasn''t some overpowered species like Anatidae that were known monstrosities even in the world of demons and devils.


    A few strikes that Murai caused were enough to inflict minor injuries on the mysterious flesh and skin of this Crowhell Bat. Those were strange, and the space and some blood bent over its skin, making its body bend in reality, as if space creaked apart.


    Crowhell Bat staggered upon meeting an unfathomable wall that was smaller than it. Murai felt much bigger than it ever feared.


    It screeched upon falling backward, where it flapped its wings to regain some stability, hoping to give another blow to its foe with its talons. Its beak failed. In all this time, its invisibility remained the same apart from those couple of hits to its skin.


    Murai had no worries about fighting like a bloody animal any longer. After noticing those noticeable blood and space ripples before him that depicted his hits, he reached another understanding. His defenses and species were better than this bat''s, albeit his own power was lacking in the shape of his Level, so he had to try much harder to hit with everything he had.


    Although truth to be said, he accomplished everything so far because of his decisions and body, so what excuses were there? None.


    His surprisingly sturdy body took this pouncing Bat''s momentum at full speed. He completely stopped the force of about a dozen kilos of strength, while he, himself, wasn''t even that heavy. Calling him light was a proper way to describe his weight.


    Murai heard the stumbling sounds of his opponent, and the thud it felt down with. The fog ceased away once more, and the Crowhell Bat was right there on the ground, and within the reach of his beak. He did what he should. He channeled his Beak''s Peak in hopes of shattering this enemy to pieces.


    As he did so, he gambled on his body, as he noticed the bat''s balance returned. It attacked him, and its beak slammed against his head, which was a mistake of its life. Attacking an Anatidae in this manner, right when channeling the Peak was a stupid mistake, but an understandable one. A spell could fail, but not the beak.


    This Crowhell Bat never met an Anatidae, and that was its fatal flaw.


    Murai heard a simple metallic thud and stumbling sounds of the foe''s head. He attacked in a moment, tearing a huge hole through the air, revealing blood and gore.


    Crowhell Bat struggled on its feet, trying to inflict the last remaining possibilities to retain its life. It forced its beak against Murai''s head again, but because of its injuries, it didn''t hit straight ahead and only scraped the sides of his head.


    Its beak slipped from the bloodied feathers, blood splurged on Murai''s head, and he looked dead silent at a failing attempt to take his life. He was yet to be over his Peak, so another stab later, a second gushing wound to its neck ended its life.

 Chapter 116: Evolutions of abilities

    Murai stomped heavily on the ground, overlooking the mush of blood and gore all over him and the floor. He wasn''t fearing anything right now, nor was he upset about how this fight went, even though it could always be better.


    He did what he did without fearing some pain that would go away soon. It could fuck off, for all that he cared about throughout his Cursed Living. He flapped his wings, pointed his neck and beak up, and screamed at the top of his lungs. He flapped his wings afterward, ceasing the filth and blood away from his body along with his battle cry. It echoed like a roar of victory that carried his Will.


    This was the end of Gate 1.


    A mess always happened when he was a bit crude with his Peak. He smashed the hole into the Crowhell Bat, splattering blood everywhere, his body included. His actions made up a laughable picture, much to Lisa and Lorry who were watching this show from a safe distance away.


    There was one thing that he didn''t notice or didn''t care much about it. No matter the End or not, his Peak against this Crowhell Bat worked well. Perhaps too well, but it was still invisible even when it was dead. It was a bit strange in all regard and Murai realized why. He did notice how the skin split when he hit it. The gore or its flesh was not invisible, yet the skin was. Similar to the attack before it hit his head.


    Glaring down, he saw the mash of filthy blood, gushing out around the invisible corpse of Crowhell Bat. Its skin was not obvious. The blood, hole, and severed neck made it also interesting. There were layers to its invisibility and it worked at all times, revolving around the skin.


    Murai scoffed at that, thinking about how this exchange went and how this bat worked. If it would''ve killed him at that last attempt, he would laugh in the Afterlife over such an End.


    He looked down on it, but it wasn''t precise to call it a foe, even if it was dead. What was underneath him was a bloodied color of gore and blood with a hole in the air, along with a severed head that was a fleshly circle beside the body. The fog went ahead, engulfing this picture in a couple of seconds. It revealed the appearance of the Crowhell Bat a bit better, even while remaining invisible.


    What did it mean?


    This invisibility was a very potent aspect of this species. And it couldn''t turn it off at all.


    Damn... Here I thought it was an annoying kind of ability, yet here it is. It is even worse than I thought. This seems like a shitty sub-species. I wonder what others would be like around this sort of bat species. Rain was some sort of eagle with 4 eyes, quite some aura, and feeling to him. Perhaps there is more to these species evolutions than I thought. Anyway, I am glad I didn''t end up reincarnated as this bat. Invisibility is such a lackluster ability anyway. Especially if you can''t turn it off. Murai thought to himself and did some quick research on this bat.


    Around the perimeters of the first hole he inflicted, there was a distinct line that obscured light and space. It was an outer layer of skin, which was the reason for the invisibility that hid the flesh underneath. It had no way to turn it off since it was part of its body structure. There was nothing it could do.


    ¡°It is more than the skin that makes up this change.¡± Lorry''s voiced above Murai, hovering and speaking things that didn''t need to be said.


    Murai almost jumped in fright, smacking this damned skull with his wings and beak, but he only squeaked in surprise. He didn''t even notice him. ¡°Don''t scare me like that...¡± Murai unwillingly let out some quacks and rather than continuing, he changed the topic before any further embarrassment. ¡°Obviously it is the skin. Blood and bones must make it work too. It is improved by mana and some sort of Bloodline. It is part of it as the heart or head. Well, one of them is away... yet still under its effects. Nothing else would make sense, so its physicality is quite abnormal. No dust or mana seemed to be able to discern its appearance, but then... fog did?¡±


    Murai thought if he should mention his Mana Detection and those flashes of improvement. He didn''t say it out loud, but he was sure Lisa, who was behind Lorry, knew his thoughts.


    Lorry chuckled. ¡°Oho? Is Murai fearing this skull? Hm? How surprising since Murai fought with a rather strong Guardian for this sort of level.¡±


    ¡°Don''t give me that crap. It wasn''t even half as hard as it felt.¡± Murai proudly said, enunciating his power and comfort by spreading his wings again and appearing as lofty as he felt. ¡°For example, the body of this bat is weak. Its invisibility is its toughest trait. Its best option is to kill a foe before giving anyone a chance. But it doesn''t use it all that well. I bet it is a weak version of this Sub-Species, as it had almost no redeeming qualities of a magical demonic beast.¡±


    ¡°Hm? Does Murai know this sort of beast? Met some? Fough some?¡±


    ¡°Nah. I don''t need to see it to know the rules and limits. Its power and limits are obvious. Disadvantages even more. Invisibility isn''t viable at all in almost all scenarios. It is too subjective when strategies and abilities form specific powers. It couldn''t even ambush me and kill me in one swoop. That was the first and most important problem it had. Second was simpler. It was stupid, screeching like a fool, and scratched the wall to give me a direction. Foolishness. That is what it was.¡± Murai said and didn''t notice how Lorry seemed to not think of Invisibility as being poor.


    Murai was speaking out of his experiences, while this world was creating a different breed of power when it came to many Paths or beasts. The evolutions and changing power of this world were unordinary.


    The power structure of magic, affinities, and all sorts of blessings made a lot of unique spells or powers much more viable. He didn''t think of all the options, even though his body was a prime example of this idea.


    After all, he was a duck, yet he fought like none ever should. His body was strong, magic prominent, and his abilities majestic, even in the body of a duck. His soul made it as firm as it could get, albeit it was yet to reach a proper fusion across the board. He needed time for that along with a lot of other things.


    Murai continued talking without thinking of the general truth that may be different in this world. ¡°Invisibility is lackluster. It can''t adapt to everything. I could hear the flapping wings when I got near enough, and it had a whole lot of physicality left. The fog helped too. The stronger kinds of this species can be different, I bet. Even dust would find its way around the invisibility, while the space itself would fold better, making it invisible even in the fog, along with some other effects. Am I right?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Murai is. This sort of species has a whole bunch of evolutions under Pterademons. Evolutions depend vastly on luck, leaning on the choice, and satisfied requirements. Those could mean trouble, limits, and a lot of interest that many species of magical demonic beasts have. Crowhell Bat is Class D Sub-Species. Its Invisibility would get much stronger until the Elder stage, while the possibility to truly become Divine Beast is another hurdle altogether.¡±


    ¡°But those are almost impossible, right?¡±


    ¡°Surely, but bats aren''t weak species at all, just so Murai knows. Especially those with some sense of Bloodline from the Elders. This bat''s birth was weak and the disposition of laughable mana is similar to the bat''s intellect. That is why this bat was weak relative to Murai, albeit relative to everything. Flexibility and adaptability are strengths of all bats, yet Murai still killed the bat with few problems. Excellent. As expected of another prime example of an Anatidae species. Lorry is speechless and absolutely glad to meet another kind after so long. Heheheheh.¡± Lorry laughed, and just as he wanted to turn this foe to ashes, Murai stopped him by pointing his wing around the blood.


    ¡°Not yet. I am not over this fool. Its body or skin is precious, isn''t it?¡± He asked, interested in its skin. Well, it was not undead, so Lorry thought nothing much out of it.


    But as with anything related to this time, the essences were part of every being of this temple. It was up to the Challenger what to want or do. Here at the end of Gate 1, Guardians were worth a better essence. Lorry didn''t mention it; neither did Lisa.


    Lorry glared back between the bat and Murai, thinking of some things but deciding on something specific.


    ¡°Although Lorry is a Guide, Lorry must say that if Murai isn''t interested in the essence of the Guardian, is this broken body of this bat worth it? Doesn''t seem worth much. Though, this bat should have at least a Grade 7 essence of High Grade.¡±


    Murai fell into a dillema. On one wing was an essence worth many fights. Another was a precious material that can turn things invisible.


    But he overlooked one problem. He already destroyed part of the skin, worsening its quality. Who knew when or how this skin could be useful?


    In fact, since the beast was of Class D yet of lesser quality than Lorry mentioned, its skin was the only thing that was worthy of something. It had its invisibility intact, making it a good ingredient for many things.


    Invisible Skin shouldn''t be worth any less than the essence he would get out of its body. It needed further work or a situation that would make it worthwhile. A skilled crafter would make a great treasure out of it for sure.


    Essence was immediate help that his Artificial Core would gobble it up without an issue. Its skin won''t be of any help even in the near or far future.


    Still, the skin was just a part of the whole picture. In truth, every outer part of this bat was invisible. Be it talons or the beak, it was not the skin they were made of. Murai was mistaken about the skin, and Lorry didn''t speak the whole truth. It was something deeper than that, while the skin took most of this Invisibility.


    What about the insides that Murai exposed with his Peak? They ended up interesting. He saw no bones throughout its body, so the truth may be more complicated than he thought.


    In the end, he didn''t regret the killing method he used. Any use of his Peak was one key to more familiarity. It was also fun to use it. He smashed this bat to pieces and felt the rise of adrenalin surge and power in his body. It went from his core to his spine right toward his beak. It got the same feeling when he ambushed those messiahs.


    He wanted the fight to end, so he killed it like he wanted to. That put him in a good mood.


    Hearing his silence, Lorry asked a question. ¡°Does Murai wonder about other things? Let Lorry ask then. Why are bat''s talons and beak invisible as well? It''s no skin. So are eyes, talons, or beak.¡±


    ¡°Hm? Why are you mentioning it right now? I thought you wouldn''t ask. I am not blind, or stupid. It should be because of the Bloodline that you mentioned before. Or is it marrow? Bones and skin combined? No... It''s all about the Elder Bloodline from before, isn''t it? Blood is part of the skin, so invisibility affects more than just the skin. Blood affects everything, but... not the blood itself? How does it make sense? Everything would have this invisibility to it because blood is everything, yet it is wrong. Is it the marrow or the mana combined with flesh or bones?¡± Murai wondered, thinking way too much into it than he wanted.


    ¡°Wrong is sometimes right. Murai is right. Invisibility is confusing because this bat''s Bloodline isn''t pure. That is why. Now, what then?¡±


    Murai shot him an annoying look, understanding that there was no need to continue this topic. ¡°I will take the skin rather than its essence. Perhaps one day, its use will outweigh this kill better than a speck of essence that may be good, albeit not up to my standards. Those Gates below should have much better essences. This sacrifice will be worth it.¡±


    ¡°Not up to Murai standards?¡± Lorry asked, surprised and rather shocked by Murai''s remark.


    Standards? Most Guardians were expensive kinds of foes. Their worth was an effort from Hall Haven to many Hunts. They were here to provide a challenging attitude to all Challengers according to the purpose of this Gate. Any Challenger would walk out of this place with heavy hearts or filled pockets.


    Murai had chosen an option that rarely happened: the Guardian.


    Murai nodded, dismissing his choices for a less stupid reward. He didn''t know the worth of this skin for now, nor did he know when it would be useful. It will need a seller or a great crafter familiar with it. He was not the one who would handle the skin for sure.


    ¡°Very well. Allow Lorry to be curious. What does Murai do with the essences? Lorry noticed Murai''s own core doesn''t increase in a surge of mana, nor is the power of the mana going out of its usual way. It is a peculiar issue, making Lorry surprised and curious. Does Murai not absorb them to improve strength?¡±


    ¡°Oh? Who is so curious suddenly? Why do you even ask? A curious Guide feels the need to ask a question, while this Challenger is less than knowledgeable about this place or himself? Does it seem fair and normal? Nothing does. Nope. Not at all. No answers.¡± Murai kept looking at him, preferring not to answer his question.


    ¡°Lorry is just curious. Curious! Lorry can''t help it because Anatidae is... interesting enough. Talk... is.¡±


    ¡°Then I am not answering one bit of your senses. That is about it so leave that be.¡±


    Lorry sighed, dejected about something that he did want to know. He can be understanding of one''s secrets, but when it came to the Mindarch and his purpose, he had to act.


    At this time of need and talk, Mindarch and Will of the Battleworld took their purpose onto their own rules and mashed their Will up a notch. But it wasn''t them that moved forward, ushering their Will right towards Murai. Someone did. A weighty Will struck Murai''s soul, shaking his body, and staggered his legs.


    He almost stumbled to the ground, grunting under the power of this power that shook him to the core.


    It was stronger than the ones before. Perhaps it was not even a Mindarch since this one had a savage outlook and hit closer to the home of a proper Divine Will, Sense, or a Presence? A God descended with their Will again?


    What a bit of luck if that was right.


    There wasn''t a clear Will of the Battleworld either, but something similar and specific went around this Will. It was more robust or powerful, feeling as conscious as lofty.


    Lorry looked in astonishment over sensing a sudden turn of events that he didn''t expect. Even Lisa jolted behind him, glaring at Murai in a deep look. They could tell the Wills apart. These ones were unexpected.


    Something strange was going to happen.


    Murai''s face contorted, and his feathers momentarily lost their luster as the blood of the bat splattered when he stumbled to the ground. A piercing power hit his soul and it wasn''t pretty or nice. It was invasive, heavy, and strong. It resembled the insight of the Gods: the power that went around, or above them for a long time


    He forced his mind to act, turning his attention toward his Soul Space where a change unlike ever before, occurred.


    Throughout the vastness of his Soul Space, two new lights appeared out of nowhere, right before his Robust Spirit. His was in the appearance of a lofty Anatidae that seemed holy, divine, and unnaturally savage. It was his soul that took this Robust Spirit ability as a toy without his touches, changing it according to the Soul Body. A lot of powers fused because of this, fundamentally taking the gifts that Will of the Battleworld gave him a long time ago to another level.


    ¡°What the fuck is this? This is the first time I see some assholes bare their way onto my damn Soul Space like this! Care for some talk? Business? Pain? Hm? Where are the damn manners of the fools, or.... whatever you are? Say something!¡± Murai shouted unhappily, echoing and washing over the Soul Space, yet trembling nothing.


    His anger changed nothing, traveling to the two lights of deep color and surprising vastness. They were about half as big as Murai but without clarity to their appearance. They formed colorful orbs, looking similar to suns or planets. Their power and aura flared around their mass in the same color they had.


    The left one was of deep silver; the other was of crimson color. They represented something interesting, so Murai wasn''t overly angry, but curious about what the hell was happening. He refrained from being angry so he would get something out of this situation. Some sanity wouldn''t hurt in order to see some answers.


    ¡°Ehm. Well, isn''t this situation awkward?¡± The right orb said in a crisp female voice that seeped with power and arrogance. ¡°I am Villan, a helping hand of Mindarch and follower of Lady Levandis. I am here to talk... business, but also to remind something else.¡±


    ¡°This one is part of the Will of the Battleworld, to say the least.¡± the left one said in no dull or mechanical voice. It sounded sane, conscious, and understanding, sounding like a man in his 30s who was the owner of some business. ¡°Think of myself as a more exuberant piece of the messages you heard from time to time, Murai, Blessed of the Battleworld, and Citizen. Call me Battlewill.¡±


    ¡°God figures... You both talk? No Mindarch or Will of the Battleworld, but a bunch of those under them? What is this invasion about? You two are bloody conscious parts of this world, or are living beings in your true forms?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Villan shouted. ¡°You have no idea how annoying this is getting. A rather peculiar situation is happening right now around the Mindarch and our stakes. We don''t like being taken advantage of. Mindarch and my Lady, that is.¡± She said, sounding angry for some reason or another.


    Battlewill shook. ¡°And because of many interests, this Temple is also partly responsible for the occurrences of many outside problems. It is a mess that a lot of beings have to care about, solve, or tidy them.¡± Battlewill said calmly, uncaring about the flaring power that moved from Villan.


    ¡°Oh? So gods are helpless against the changes that are occurring because of their own problems. They are even tossing responsibilities to other fools? Call me stupid, but this is hilarious!¡± Murai smugly said, chuckling and surprising two Wills who had to act under their rules.


    Both of them were much higher beings than he was, though Murai didn''t care much about being polite. They were just specks of Will with no physicality and power that should punish him like a fool.


    As for if they were Gods, he was sure they may be that. They weren''t lying about themselves, but he wasn''t sure of their prowess. Their Wills were not as overbearing in his Soul Space, which was unlike what he felt against the external power that Pakutan had. Murai didn''t notice extreme sides of annoyances other than Villan who sounded unreasonable and arrogant.


    But he still felt fine, even though 2 powerful Wills invaded his Soul Space and he couldn''t stop them.


    Villan was most obvious in her Will. She was open with desires like a devil. ¡°Well... you are a fool to expect this to go any better. This went unexpected, but whatever will happen will be dealt with according to rules and what should happen. You reap what you sow, so let''s not care about pettiness. Let''s go to the business. How about speaking up... Battlewill¡± She said, telling the last word with force and irritation. She was dismissing her undeniable willingness to hear more of what Murai said.


    ¡°Indeed. It is better to refrain from changing the course of action. Blessed! You have every right to follow your path. It is no different now, but the Mindarch and Ruler spoke and we are mere tokens to seek your choices and chances because of your specific issues. Your choices are yours alone, under our supervision of unbiased manners, and many rules. The prior situations will matter a lot more in the future than you wish. Your case is following the process of Mindarch. Limits, rules, and options vary because of two forces stumbling to one another.¡± Battlewill said what he should.


    Upon doing so, a list of all sorts of stuff went directly to Murai''s soul, straight out of the silvery orb.


    It went like a rush of silvery waves, traveling to Murai gently as if it was a touch of silk. Murai took it for an exchange of information and saw it as no danger.


    It was regular information at first, but much more manageable and neat.


    It was similar to a message that Will of the Battleworld was sending him throughout his time in this world. This one was more detailed, exploring all the nooks and crannies of his victory and achievements after finishing Gate 1.


    Of course, it didn''t talk much about the thing that Murai was doing behind everyone''s back. Magic and his mana were peculiar. Not everything was under Mindarch or the Will of the Battleworld.


    For example, there were no records of the Core Defining Fusion Technique under its codex. But some similar things akin to creating a secondary core existed. Not in Murai''s context, so it didn''t mention it at all.


    [Congratulations, Citizen!]


    [You have reached the ceiling of Gate 1 under the required voice of the Mindarch, Gate 1 of Levandis Temple, and Will of the Battleworld. All sides are currently finalized and due rewards, solutions, and Boosts will happen next]


    [It is double the worthy efforts. Your success was undeniably good to your fate, reaching everything as easy as lifting a finger, or wing?]


    [Because of the power and accomplishments, a whole lot of changes are going under the premise of Mindarch, forcing their way into the Wall and Will of the Battleworld which adds various implications and problems]


    [It is only fitting because of your actions, so one way or another, they may go against our will, but it goes accordingly to yours]


    [That is good]


    [Rewards are following]


    [YOU! Gained a Level Up not once, but twice over the prior improvements and achievements]


    [This includes battles before the Guardian and Guardian itself. Some other things are also there. They make readings and proper management much more messed up, much to our problems]


    [You have reached level 17]


    [Attribute efficiency is increased]


    [Further potential as well]


    [Secondly, a major undertone and power over the Citizen''s mana led to many changes within the readings and possibilities over the Boosts]


    [Previous Breaches have been noted. It has been recalculated under the Mindarch, reputed and declined by the rules]


    [Hance, Mana Flow increased to Grade D from Grade E]


    [Mana Pool increased to 1550 Points]


    [Mana Abilities and Spells has been improved and will be stronger from Mana Flow''s Boost]


    [All level-ups, improvements, and might of the spells and abilities have been recalculated]


    [Mana Detection underwent a surge of meaningful comprehension that stems from the Sour Read, and Robust Spirit]


    [Mana Detection gained +5 Level and reached level 20. Evolution is available. Changing the Mana Detection under the cover of Soul Read and Robust Spirit touches]


    [Mana Sonar has been created]


    [Mana Sonar: An Evolutionary Ability within the perception of mana. It allows to feel the mana and its influence over the Mana Detection increased the threshold of mental perception, allowing the Citizen to feel the pressure, and notes of mana within others in a more influential manner]


    [Notable features: Ability to glimpse into, or around living and non-living beings regardless of mana in their use. Mana is, however, more notable and mandatory to feel and note any details. It has a limited range and threshold of power. Further learning and training are thus needed. It has higher power and higher demands on the mind and core. It has the possibility of focusing on all directions and the availability of newly uncovered aspects is possible after further training]


    [Any newly upgraded Mana Ability is recommended to train]


    [Grade B]


    [Level 21]


    [Next topic is partial Breach and power over the species and mana]


    [Beak''s Fury and Beak Peak are further strengthened. One of them significantly so, because of a partial Breach into the might and possibilities of the Anatidae spaces underwent a minor change. Mindarch''s interventions allowed some reshaping]


    [Beak''s Fury has been lacking the means of properness. Under the Mana Flow of Grade D, growth of mana Shaping, and powerful accomplishment, an anomaly has been detected]


    [Anatidae Bloodline is roaring]


    [Level Ups granted toward the first Evolutionary Path within the perception of detected Fury. After recalculation of its might and unfilial boosts, it can''t be restricted]


    [The current level is less than 10, yet it Breached the limits. Its power is reshaped. You are on the pretext of the improvements of the Beak''s related ability]


    [New Evolutionary and Species Ability is attained]


    [Beak''s Fury changed to Beak''s Blitz]


    [Beak''s Blitz: A highly versatile ability of the Anatidae species. It is an integral and powerful ability over the use of mana and the beak. It can be used through Shaping, Conjuring, and Affinities to further its improvements, benefits, and powers. It has minor Shaping and channeling possibilities. Its use can be constant or gradually savage when taking or hitting the foes. Training is recommended since its benefits are body and magic in one package, similar to the Peak]


    [Grade B]


    [Level 21]


    [Beak''s Peak has been improved. +4 Levels. Current Level: Level 10]


    Additionally, power over the mana is stirred within your Beast Core. Temporary Blessing of the Temple of Levandis is gained, following the power over the Archtouched, and Godmark. Both are Mindarch''s, so Will of the Battleworld gives another addition]


    [Fear Of Missing Out: Because of world-class treasure deep within the temple, the mana of the world is prone to crazed flow, allowing any mage to uncover a certain amount of their potential, and feel the tension of the mana and laws. Mana Flow is pulling the string of Chaos and unkemptness of worldly essences around the Gates. Archtouched and Godmark work similarly]


    [Core mana recovery will be gradually increased by 500%, and rebalanced under the Gates]


    [It is a Minor Blessing at the moment. The deeper you will get, the more effective of a blessing it will be, and the more powerful it will get]


    [Current limit: Gate 1: 30% increase of Mana Replenishment] S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Citizen should be aware of the limit and power over the world-class Mana Source. Too much of something may lead to a disaster, and Beast Core could lead to mishaps. So would Shaping or extended fights]


    [Furthermore...]


    Oh? So an overdraft warning again? Murai thought to himself as more messages went directly to his soul. I heard the same thing after the fight against those 20 bones, but that one was Mindarch alone, wasn''t it? Are they connected or fighting over what to tell? Nah. They sound like enemies instead. Mindarch sounds more helpful. Both are forced to work because Lordis and Levandis want something else, I suppose? It is a different kind of business and they work individually because of no choice.


    Fear Of Missing Out, huh? I don''t fear anything, but it''s a weird name for a blessing for sure. It is even a temporary one. It''s a blessing with a hidden curse, that will surge through my core, giving me a neat bonus but it hides a poison. Such kind of boost can cause negative effects on the mana of the mage. Revolving Core may become unstable with such a steep Blessing. Mine is the lowest of its kind so that may be good. I won''t gobble it all out, which gives me fewer problems.


    Though, the Minor Temporary Blessing is 30%. 500% is for what? Is that a joke? What sort of treasure do they have that provides such a Source to exist? This is no bigger than Everflower considering the size of the effects. This bonus goes through all Gates. That is interesting. He wondered to himself and thought about all the messages he was getting.


    He had yet to pay full attention to everything that he got on the fundamental level. He focused on hearing what was interesting.


    It went rather well, all things considered. This overview didn''t consider Encounter as expected, even though it went through the Will of the Battleworld and some so-called rules. Murai thought and laughed about it in his head, thinking that Lisa had a splendid idea to come here.


    It was a proper Breach of the rules that Lordis was forcing upon him. It didn''t matter in the end. It was mostly because of Mindarch, but Murai didn''t know everything about it.


    No Boosts until the end of the Encounter weren''t functioning because of Mindarch alone, which should anger Lordis to no end.


    Murai got two whole Levels out of this Gate, which should make his attributes much more potent. Not only that, he also made some improvements over their numerical values. Efficiency alone wasn''t enough when it came to Attributes. Their number mattered while the leveling process did give them much meaningful power.


    Strength went all the way to the 57. Dexterity was worst at 50. Vitality got back on track and even beyond. Murai reached a threshold of 60! Wisdom remained the same throughout his life at 100. Soul-Power was 40. Will went up to 42.


    Soul Force in the Robust Spirit remained the same. His magical abilities got some edge over the past. Mindarch had already given him something decent before.


    The most prominent news was the two new additions: Mana Sonar and Beak''s Blitz.


    He noted his Shaping got a level and was right around the corner of level 20. The biggest hit to his magic was his Mana Flow. Grade D should be quite good for his level, allowing his core to function better. Flow under his Beast Core will undergo a change that he was curious about, but it was hard to tell what would happen. Those messages alone were a report. Not the actual Boost. That happened after the talk was over.


    He was sure that no good ever came from perfection. His Beast Core was far from being good, which was the reason why this may not be as good as he hoped for. More flow through his Beast Core could mean more trouble. But then, he had the Artificial Core around the corner, so perhaps it would resolve itself without even his care or fear? He hoped for that.


    For now, he had to be careful about his magic. Not questioning every little problem was helpful too since gradual care was important to any Mana Core.


    As for what the number of attributes even meant or how he should view them, Murai wasn''t that interested in caring about their vision. His combat prowess wasn''t so prevalent because of them alone and he recognized that. They had some validity in their rules. Sure. Their usefulness was noticeable since the Boost wasn''t just numbers. They gave him physical and obvious improvements that everyone noticed.


    Although, when hearing about them out loud, they didn''t seem that impressive.


    When he returns to his body with his Will, a full Boost will elevate all doubts. A surge of power will rejuvenate him and solve the minor injuries he got from clashing against the Crowhell Bat.


    Murai can''t wait for what Gate 2 will be like.

 Chapter 117: Rewards and Vault

    Murai got a wide range of improvements across the board, and it was rather surprising that most of it came from the Will of the Battleworld, which this Battlewill was part of. He lacked certain knowledge if this was fitting, or if everything was meant to be like this.


    He wasn''t sure about the Battlewill and his voice. Or if he was the same thing as Will of the Battleworld or not. So if he wanted to know it for certainty, he could try to persuade Lisa.


    She must know more about it since her status in the past must''ve gone through depths and skies. This included answers to his wonders, information about this place, and volumes of interest that Blessed were prone to. All of this must be within her head. Somehow... They must be. She just didn''t talk out loud about them for some reason.


    Anyhow, he needed some answers to know just what invaded his Soul Space without a choice on his part. It went all of a sudden and why it happened was clear, but how wasn''t.


    There were many suspicions lingering in the air around Villan and Battlewill alike. He didn''t like how it all came to be, even though they said what this was about. They were proxies to the double-crossed interest of Mindarch and Will of the Battleworld. There was nothing more to tell about it. They were simply doing their job.


    Unsurprisingly, Murai didn''t mind the benefits that came out of this brief overlook. And let''s just say they weren''t small at all. The incoming Boosts that Battleworld will grant him won''t be small at all. It was his due reward, coming out of this systematic approach to his abilities which had noticeable and real values.


    Vitality increased the weight of his body, regeneration, and power over his life in itself. It also eased any consumption of food and elevated his growth. It was empowerment to his physicality as well. That included power over his flesh, muscles, blood, organs, and even his beak and feathers alike. In a sense, it was like a boost to his core life force. At least in his head, it was exactly that.


    For now, few things indicated any life force kind of power that he was used to. He had a simple thing for now. And the Battleworld never mentioned anything apart from Vitality.


    Life Force was a term used in many of his lives, depicting the strength of the living body, the power of one''s blood, and living potential. The more qualitative it was, the better it got. It was how physiques, treasures, and talent made a true difference. Life Force was something that was always able to change the status quo between a weakling and a powerhouse. It was how proper power made the difference and how talents shattered those differences.


    Vitality sounded like that, but in a way, it was different. It was coming from an outside entity toward his body without his direct touch or Will. It wasn''t coming from within him like Life Force would. Nor it was working on some treasure, or high life force treasures, or materials. But they could be.


    Murai wasn''t lucky to find any such treasures so far since Vitality was essentially the most generous depiction of Life Force.


    Depicting the same source of value as Life Force, he would realize it if he broadened his head, or if someone talked to him about it.


    Not thinking and comparing his living experiences to his current life would help too, but Murai wasn''t exactly that broadminded individual. Especially when this world wanted his head. His Cursed Living never allowed him to have a great time. It was a Curse, after all. A nasty one.


    Vitality was groundbreaking, affecting the majority of developments of the body in its fundamental state. Like proper Life Force would''ve done. It was like having a clear path and purpose. It effectively gained him the upper hand without his direct involvement.


    It was cheap, forming a very strong point of interest that affected almost all living beings in this world. It was different from his usual life, so he didn''t find it fitting to his memories. He didn''t prefer it for sure, since he was always more happy to involve his own choice that would affect his body or Path.


    If anything in his Cursed Living made sense, it was choices where he found himself in another life. He could roll with anything he ended up with while following anything afterward was always up to his choices. In most cases, of course. If his life ended up enduring even those choices, it was the beginning of a tough time.


    This was such life as well. Perhaps even more so since it was significantly different. The power ruled in different ways in this world. The choice was always a rule that supported the growth of his mind. A truth. The hope of his living.


    Vitality was a supplement to the growth, increased efficiency of his other attributes, and added benefits like nothing. Strength and Dexterity needed the foundation of Vitality to truly shine. Each had worth like life itself.


    That was why having all 3 Body Attributes around the same number was important. Vitality was life itself. Its line.


    Of course, there were Paths and evolutions that weren''t doing that. Speed-based Paths will always lack strength, but the disparity between the attributes shouldn''t be large. If they were too far apart, the benefits of the Body Attributes weakened instead, their power would remain stagnant, and their disadvantages would undoubtedly become a major headache.


    Those limits and problems were one of the many reasons some Paths were harder to follow in steady steps. It was because the individual was unable to progress, breach past the limits, and reach a higher stage. It can happen because of a lack of information, teachers, or opportunities. Such people simply wouldn''t know any better. No one was to blame for that but fate.


    Strength was self-explanatory in power and value. It affected Murai''s power in steady ways, unlike the force of Vitality which was more of a foundation to build upon it. Strength worked with power that was shaking the base. It increased the power of his body or physical abilities.


    But for the Dexterity, the number was rather special in its prose. It involved more things than just speed. It stimulated senses and not just physical ones, but one''s awareness, reflexes, and how one''s mind worked with speed and perception when one moved quickly. He definitely noticed improvements in his movement. Fighting after increases in those attributes was always easier than before.


    It must had some notion to his Wisdom as well, but he had it always at 100. It never went up, so he wondered what effects it had. He always wanted to know that, but he never noted Wisdom''s worth, or what it was giving him. He always figured out what others did when the Boost came to his body in those surges of power. He never got a Boost to his Wisdom, so he never noticed its worth.


    Even his Soul Power and Will had their notable effects, albeit they were vague since they revolved around his soul. Those were harder to perceive.


    Murai was sure the attributes affected something around his magic in a less steady manner. He had yet to discover what.


    After all, almost every recent message of his improvement increased his mana as well as other things. Because of that, he didn''t know the exact waves and benefits of which Boost increased what. It was always one huge flood of power. Not one thing at a time.


    Murai had no doubts it would be the same this time as well, so he waited for the message to end.


    Though, not like he cared too much about it. Beggars can''t become choosers.


    After further outlook and a few level-ups of other mana abilities, nothing else mattered. From this rundown, what he gained was great merits. He just wasn''t happy to see two absurd Will to invade his Soul Space.


    Mana Sonar and Beak''s Blitz were the best things to come out of this. He couldn''t wait to see their growth and effect. Training in them will be fun. Especially that Mana Sonar sounded weird and exciting. He always loved the Detection side of magic, while his beak was coming close second in terms of his fighting capabilities.


    Magic was always more fun because it was soft in nature, and the power to Shape anything up to insane proportions was always amusing. His body was the limiting factor like Laws, so he couldn''t Shape it up. But something could. Evolutions of his species were like magic of the body. In this world, they had intricate positions, similar to magic in other worlds.


    Murai had to gain more information about his choices, but the requirements for his next evolution weren''t clear. He gained only 1 of the 3 possible choices to start the next Evolution. He needed to accomplish other choices. How? He didn''t know...


    Understanding his own power was more important than knowing his foes. It happened behind his head and Battleworld''s systems. His Detection was pretty much the most used ability he had for a long time. At last, it gained its evolution. Fury was... whatever. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It happened by following their leveling process and by meeting the right requirements and efficiency. They changed to a better ability. He wasn''t surprised by Detection becoming a Sonar. It sounded right within its Evolutionary Pathway, but it also mentioned Robust Spirit and he didn''t know why. Still, it went in a good direction so Murai didn''t complain.


    Sonar will be a better version of detection. Blitz will be the same.


    It was true he was using Fury more since the Encounter started, and his Hunts in the Seventh Death Forest worked for the best of it, but it wasn''t something he used very often, yet it still moved towards its evolution.


    Did it mean there were shortcuts?


    If so, that meant massive news.


    This Gate was great for Fure since it was flexible and usable in less than a breath. Unlike the Peak, which held better and denser power, Fury was suitable in many other ways, complimenting other aspects of his beak.


    It had no channeling, which put more emphasis on his beak, stance, and powerful slaps and stabs. He made it work in Gate 1 of this temple.


    But it went all the way to a Beak''s Blitz. Why? How? Was it even Fury''s evolution? Battlewill did mention some requirements and recalculations, but it went over it like a drunkard over a beer.


    Blitz and Fury were species-based abilities of Anatidaes, so he wondered if their requirements were different than mana-based abilities. He couldn''t fathom how evolving the abilities worked since it wasn''t what Iris talked about that much. Lisa was... whatever.


    Iris mentioned a couple of hints about them: how unique species worked with them, how important they were, and how one gained strength from changes. One shouldn''t remain stagnant. That was one of the deep rules of this world. Stories or some overexaggerated legends were mostly what she mentioned along with them. Those involved dragons, Blessed figures, or beasts of all kinds.


    It was a prudent view of stories based on word of mouth. Those were often exaggerated. In this world, they may be far from that or be close to the truth, but Iris talked about them as if they were backyard stories. Murai couldn''t tell the difference how great or bad they were since he lacked substance. And Iris was overly excited about them because she was talking to a legend as well.


    She didn''t shake Murai''s senses. So he was curious if abilities and their evolutions happened because of something specific with the way species worked. His mana was constantly under his body, so it made sense they would evolve. Perhaps the body wasn''t that different from how mana abilities worked.


    Every ability had its value, Grade, and level. Gaining some familiarity and efficiency in order to get access to the evolution formed a steady path. That was the fact that Iris insisted on. It worked along the leveling system that all beings in this world had. Some had it clearer than others, which was why Blessed were the most intricate beings.


    Then came a different issue. Could a mage evolve their ability on their own without relying on anything coming from outside, Will of the Battleworld included? The answer was clearly yes.  Mana was the outside influence that moved from the universe to this world. Not the other way around.


    Could a mage evolve their abilities through the Will of the Battleworld alone? Relying on its rules and system? Yes! That was the most popular choice in the world. Will of the Battleworld was better than trying things alone.


    Working alone required more time. One had to have an incredible teacher, great Mana Tomes, or talents to overcome the hurdle that was the Boost.


    Those were the two main means of progression. They transpired with pretty much anything and anyone. Be it body, soul, or other powers, one can be the giver of their own progression, but they will be acknowledged by the Battleworld one way or another.


    So why care about outside, or inner ideas? It was just a different acquisition of power. Battleworld will always read one''s potential and grand due Boosts anyway. It was like reading a book and learning from it. It could reward one for reading.


    Someone can also learn from one''s own head, which was very important. In Blessed figures, it was their significant advantage.


    It was an easy concept, so why not take a more comfortable slice of a pie? Will of the Battleworld was clear, easy, and generous. That was the truth that Murai was understating in gradual steps.


    He had a shameless stance on this topic. He wasn''t that serious about his own progression, so he had chosen to handle those Boosts as a pie to eat.


    If the world was hungry for his skin, taking everything that he could get wasn''t stupid. It would be ridiculous.


    Shame was unnecessary, nor were his rules or choices. He wasn''t upset or ashamed over this strategy at all, even if it may be laughable or hypocritical.


    According to him, Beak Fury''s evolution had a simple premise. Its lack of power and efficiency was enough for Mindarch and Battlewill to reach an agreement, getting him its Evolution earlier than usual because it was no longer on par with some limits or rules. It spoke of some recalculation, Anatidae Bloodline, and limits.


    That must be it. It may be for the balance too, or because he was worthy, as Mindarch said.


    He shouldn''t complain about free stuff, so kept it shut. Evolutions of his abilities may or may not happen, as they were outside of his vision anyway. All he had to do was follow the Gates and kill things. It was surprisingly simple.


    It was one less worry up his mind since he didn''t have to care about anything.


    The world will gift him choices by his direct, or outside influence. Those were places such as this temple, treasures, successful battles, or new comprehensions.


    In most worlds, power had complex concepts. It wasn''t this... easy or generous. One should have a grip over one''s choices when power was fueling one''s Path.


    One could elevate it with new equipment, techniques, or upgrades to the body, or core of one''s strength. These could be various in form and worth. Such an approach was truthful across countless Paths.


    But this world was affecting everything with the generosity of unfathomable proportions. Its rules were the Laws. Power was that and rewards came with following those rules, effectively killing the controlled flow of power that Murai was accustomed to.


    It sounded cheap... almost too easy. He was suspicious about what was worth following, trusting, and knowing. He could ask Lisa more about it, just to make sure. No. He will have to ask her further, or his curiosity will eat him up.


    Hopefully, she will listen and talk. It was a bit weird idea. For the second time today, he thought of taking his curiosity to Lisa. Was he so dependent or desperate on her insight and care? He never liked the approach of being dependent on someone. It stank of lacking power, opportunities, and a slacking approach to a New Beginning.


    He had his rules and powers to care about, which were unique and unlike what anyone should even consider. Because of that, he had many opinions that were considered rude, insensible, and insane.


    Murai tossed the worries behind his head for now. Lisa will be willing to talk some sense. He will force her to talk if she won''t.


    Upon the closure of Battlewill''s words and new assets that seemed bigger than usual, Murai noticed that the globes of Wills remained. They floated in his Soul Space as if they wanted something else than to be witnesses to this charade of their rules.


    Battlewill was there because it had no choice. On the other hand, Villan was questionable because she was too vivid and her reasons may be questionable.


    ¡°Well, I heard it all.¡± Murai spoke to both of them. ¡°What choice is there then to take those gifts like a pie? I am not gonna thank you if you are here for that. So, let me be frank. What do you want with all of this? You remind me as if you are hungry. Want a share of my pie or do you want something else? My whole head? Sorry. Not sorry! Get in the line.¡±


    Both globes of Wills were silent.


    ¡°Hm? Speak! Why keep this up? Wills of whatever you both are?¡± He asked again in his curiosity. He didn''t put forth his power or soul, speaking calmly like a reasonable duck. He got his reward, so he shouldn''t be too obnoxious or poor in his words.


    Villan was the first to talk since it seemed she had a much more steady Will than Battlewill. She was vivid, as she was not forced to come here. Normally, Mindarch was enough. She insisted on sending her Will to Mindarch and then to Murai on this rare occasion. In fact, since it was too interesting, messed up, and detached from the norm, she had other reasons to be here.


    Battlewill was calm, floating beside Villan without talking. He spoke enough already, unlike the mechanical voice that Murai was used to.


    ¡°Again with these lacking choice of words... You are speaking to the height of two powerful entities!¡± Villan said unhappily, speaking in anger and arrogance. ¡°We had to act. We are here to observe the course of this... chance that you forced to create, Anatidae. That is that. We are... observers.¡± She said her latest words with some hesitation.


    ¡°Is that so? Simple observers can mean a lot of things. What about it? You know I am a Blessed, so what is there for you to even seek? I am fairly certain Battlewill knows all about me, since I am under constant watch of it, or am I not?¡±


    ¡°Precisely.¡± Battlewill agreed. ¡°It goes by the rules of all Blessed. They are takers of God''s Will. Wordly guests that went to this world for a new purpose.¡±


    Villan paused speaking, thinking or realizing something in her head. ¡°I will be blunt. Are you interested in the spot in the Demonic Armies under the Somalis Hell Haven? It''s proportional to your interest. Your cause needs more than what you think. You need a safe place, or the world will shatter you before you know it.¡± She said as if she let go of all her breaks.


    Murai found her words surprising. A warning and invitation wasn''t what he expected. He guessed some hostility in her voice, but he was mistaken. ¡°Is that the recruitment I am hearing about? Or shackles? I thought you were some nasty God since your Will is so strong. This offer... isn''t one?¡±


    ¡°Don''t speak useless nonsense. Are you willing or not?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. Someday. Who knows? I am not interested in being part of anything at the moment.¡± He replied and didn''t care much about her offer. He had too much in his head already. #


    And taking an offer from a suspicious God was less than sensible. Unless there was a person before his eyes, he wouldn''t take any offer of this caliber. He did the same with Vermillion. He wouldn''t agree to anything on such an occasion.


    ¡°Heheheh. You truly have no idea about your situation, both of you.¡± This time, Battlewill said with some mocking laughter. ¡°So the Hell Haven has this sort of vision, Villan? Is that something that should be considered with the current bigger picture?¡±


    Villan sneered. ¡°Shut up tool. Tell it to your bosses if you give a shit. I don''t. No one does. So?¡± She turned her attention back to Murai.


    He observed them from his high throne, interested but silent. Those Wills before him must be very complicated in their status, as they act under this temple and the Will of the Battleworld, but neither of them is fundamentally that. They should be manifestations of the bigger picture. Interest that was curious.


    This temple and his situation were reasons why it was happening. They sounded way too individual to be stupid, so they must be fairly important.


    ¡°I don''t care about the plots of some... entities, or whatever jokes you are thinking of. It''s better to act for oneself than by sheer logic of others. Especially those that are offering the world without promising anything. I refuse you, Villan. I am alone, but not at the same time. It has always been the case.¡± Murai said.


    ¡°F-fine. Keep at it if you wish you are fine. But you are not. Not at all. Let''s see what you will accomplish in Gate 2, or 3 and whether your life will continue or not. I wonder if you will regret your choice or not, or if you will be able to continue at this pace. Hmph!¡± She spoke before shaking her Will, retrieving her voice and crimson color out of his Soul Space.


    According to Murai, this wasn''t Villan''s power. It was some sort of artifact that acted over long distances pushing her Will to his like an arrow. Mindarch could structure and send Will to others, perhaps?


    Murai no longer saw or felt that crimson Will. It blinked like a construct losing mana before it disappeared completely. What was left was Battlewill, or what was the shred of the bigger piece of Will of the Battleworld as a whole.


    ¡°What about you then? Battlesomething. Will you also include some stretchy wordy efforts between some sense and nonsense?¡±


    ¡°I fear you understand too much of very little. Too little of everything may also be there. It may be your downfall to be like this. Not in this world.¡±


    ¡°Downfall of what? Me?¡± Murai laughed and didn''t think of this as a loss.


    ¡°Maybe...¡± Battlewill said with a strange tone. He sounded as if he wanted to tell more than that, but he began to disappear.


    ¡°We will meet again, Citizen. Every Gate will seek our attention from now on. The rules and following Breaches go against the norm. It is a rule among the Blessed Challengers of this Remnant Dungeon. Don''t take it as an offense or chains. We are watching. A lot of us are.¡± He said calmly, unlike Villan whose intentions were questionable. Those were coming from whatever her position in Levandis'' Hell Haven was.


    At last, the Battlewill disappeared into strands of silvery threads that moved out of his Soul Space. It was different and more full. This must be a more static vision of a bigger Will, but it wasn''t one bit weaker than what Villan had.


    Murai ended up alone, floating in his Soul Space, contemplating what he should do next. With the two weirdos gone, their words resounded in his Will.


    ¡°So stirring trouble, huh? Limits, or Breaches? They are afraid of me, aren''t they? I don''t know specifics, but I don''t know much. I do it all. Others too. Why should I care about what others think? They do... Why offer an army then? Is Villan one to want me, or someone else?¡± He mumbled to himself in worry and curiosity.


    Outside was no different.


    Lisa was out of this discussion, but she heard it all because of her connection to him. She was frowning, thinking of some things in the real world, appearing ashen and serious. She floated above Murai, who wore a stoic expression as if he was turned to stone. It was how one usually looked without one''s Will, albeit it was a bit weird since not just anyone could travel with their Will to their Soul Space, or be such vivid about it as Murai was.


    One had to have very deep familiarity with one''s soul, which was essentially the Soul Space itself. It was the source and power of Soul Shaping, but its prose and power weren''t prone to the normal course of any magic.


    Soul was no magic, after all.


    Murai had very little familiarity with the source of Soul Pathway, yet something was showing him that he had some talents in this. At least in this life, that took major threads of his soul as a source and everything. It manifested it all.


    Lisa didn''t question everything that was to this world, but she recognized all of Murai''s intricacies and stored them in her head. Those were all points to the whole picture that was his weird status. It was hard to fully merge, and submerge one''s consciousness so deep into oneself, that the body would get stranded still.


    One could even die if one''s Will was away from the body. But Murai was different. His soul was special. The power of his Will and soul granted him a special Breach.


    He will return to his body with a steady flow. Normally, one''s soul space was a no-go place, unless one worked within some Soul Path. Any touch or disturbance to one''s origin was extremely dangerous. It could endanger the soul, after all. No one wanted to leave the body alone.


    After some moments of undisturbed time, Murai''s eyes flickered. His vision turned back to normal.


    ¡°Oh. I am back.¡± Murai mumbled, unaware that his awaited Boost was coming.


    What followed next shook his body like hundreds of hammers. A surge of power went from the ceiling, walls, and ground. It was the Boost he expected and it was as powerful as ever.


    It was still intangible to one''s senses, but he felt it with his body as if something was touching and pulling his feathers. He was noticing this power more and more. The intangible waves encompassed him like many hands, touching and going deep into him.


    Intangible force overflowed, enveloping his body like squeezing a toy. It was filling him with all sorts of understanding in one swoop, giving the numerical value of his attributes some edge. They were like a current in their form, but thinking of them as just numbers wasn''t fine.


    There was more to them, he believed.


    Everything corresponded to his accomplishments and prowess. His muscles convulsed, his heart skipped a beat, and blood rushed through his veins at unlikely speed and force. It was like many shots of adrenaline, or... drugs? He was almost inclined to think of some very potent elixirs, but this was much more outlandish.


    His Vitality shot above its limit and his feathers grew, similar to his body that grew a few centimeters. Strength steadier his muscles, giving the little of what was under his feathers more density. Dexterity was not as noticeable. Whatever it did got washed away with the rest.


    He was sure it all improved, one way or the other.


    Will, and Soul power this time around were unclear to his sense. Perhaps it was because his awareness rose a bit higher, or this wild rush of Boosts included more things than usual. His new abilities did give rise to some flow of power, mashing together with other things, making it a bit wild. He had to grip his beak and think of this as a wild storm he had to endure.


    ¡°Oh shit... This Boost is wild, creasing every strand in my damned head and body all at once.¡± He moaned, squeaking like a duck. The power was not crazy as if he couldn''t fathom it. It was penetrative and smashed his senses, which was what bothered him. It went straight to the source. His head. Soul. His body. Everything.


    Nothing. This is nothing. I was a taker of much wilder things. Like the Law Waves of the literal planet when I tried to escape that prison. Where was it again... Not Novihaim. The different world. I can''t remember... He dismissed it and went over other things, hoping to gain some clarity by thinking in his head.


    It seems this Boosting power is abnormal in its purpose. It is clever... flexible. The surplus of information is steady, so it must go through some conductor, construct, or even a catalyst of some kind. A lot of things can work like this, but what kind of it would be this insane and widespread? The world is that, or the Gods handle it by some use of something specific.


    Just how big or complicated that is, if it involves a whole world? Probably large... Well, hideously large. Just this stimulus of this degree is bewitching to my heart and greed. What if I will gain gifts of this kind in later stages? How do Lawful Boosts feel? Like a sudden Bliss? Resonance? Lawful Comprehension? Kick to guts?... nuts? Well... Anyway. All is good at the End or the start. Let''s get those Attributes higher than this. They feel incredible so I will take what I can. That is, what the Battleworld and Mindarch deem worthy. I have no say in what I get, but I sure can influence it by my actions. Like a game.


    I''ve fought with relative ease so far because the enemies weren''t overly aggressive and powerful at the same time. With special circumstances, the fog gave me an advantage instead. Those deathly or dreadful feelings have been whatever. I saw enough to usher in eternal darkness anyway. All of this enabled me to uncover certain comprehensions and fight how I wanted.


    This Mana Sonar will be especially handy, and I got some hunches over it after the last clashes against that Crowhell Bat. Evolution! It seems to have a specific power over perception limits. It is something that carries certain themes. Is every evolution different? Could they change the flow of an ability and turn it upside down?


    Blitz can be that. It seems from the description it should be a different kind of ability than the Fury. It even has some minor channeling and Shaping abilities. I need to take a look at that. Coming up with more evolution is a trick, however. Evolving them further may lead to interesting results. I need to train, fight, and uncover their effect and power. Like gifts, truly. Murai thought to himself.


    The flow was yet to be over, yet Murai stood in the midst of the hall, thinking of them as if he were in the middle of the reckoning force. Lisa was above him, speechless when she felt the large tidal power rush and envelop him from inside out. Normally, the people and Blessed alike would begrudgingly take it. Most of them would lose consciousness, waking up after it was over.


    It was how it usually went, but who was she kidding? She doubted herself ever since she woke up as a soul form. Then, Murai was way out of her... head? She watched him reap the benefits of those Boosts with delight and a little bit of fear. It wasn''t the first time she had seen this. Hers was the same, and she made sure to view and hear everything Murai was subject to.


    This rush of power was making his body tremble as if he were in epileptic shock. Yet his mind was serene as if he was taking a candy. Robust Spirit stood its ground, while Murai thought nothing of it. His face wasn''t one bit crazy. Murai was even wearing a pleasant face, thinking and feeling the continuous stretch of the waves in the hope of understanding them better. Thinking in his head also helped him with ignoring some pain and discomfort.


    Almost everything was improved. Be it his physical abilities or the value of his magic.


    The first feelings that he noted were probably the most interesting out of everything. It was the Beast Core. It steadied, even though his stage remained the same. He thought it would improve on its own, like his spells or abilities, but that wasn''t the case.


    His Core remained the same, but his Mana Flow Grade was different. It was not his Core, but it was touching some rules of his Core. He could guess how it worked. Mana Flow increased the density, flow, and power of his mana. It gave his Shaping more power and force. That was what Mana Flow was. It didn''t improve the Core directly. That was up to him, it seemed.


    Improving. Channel everything up. A better core would be the best way to get more out of it, but getting stronger feels great in other ways too. That''s what I am getting when I am rather weak. He dejectedly thought. This won''t shatter my capabilities all that much, but overall, I should be much better at handling more complex Shaping and situations.


    What if I can fight those around level 40s now? Can I handle some essences beyond Grade 7? Those... How is it again? Nah. I suppose the level 40s should still drop Grade 7s. At the end of level 40s, there should be rare enemies with Low-Grade 6s, but those must be tough foes for sure, and who knows what? What if the drop rate drops off since the quality of mana essences skyrockets at higher grades?


    Thinking of the possibilities, he held all kinds of comprehension in his mind. Everything seemed that his future would be more stable if he kept taking this route of gifts and boosts. Was it something he wanted to do until the bitter end? Perhaps...


    Murai got stronger, but not enough to become someone who can disregard his current life.


    Looking around the hall, the power washing over his body ceased to exist. He soon noticed Lisa looming above his head. ¡°What do you think?¡± Murai asked. ¡°Have I got enough to shock your face? You seem to be like that. Wide eyes and mouth. I would stick something there, but I can''t.¡± He spoke to her head.


    Lisa didn''t know when, but her face betrayed her core. She changed back to normal in a breath. ¡°Not much to call you. An Anatidae, you are. This Gate 1 was a good start, I suppose. The route towards Gate 2 is open by the way. You should hurry forward if you are afraid of what, or who will come here sooner or later.¡±


    ¡°No comment about my improvements? How boring.¡± Murai sighed, looking around to seek this so-called Gate 2, but he didn''t find a thing. He wasn''t in the right place to see that, so that''s why. Lorry was her for that. And like before, he appeared around the corner of his vision. This time, Murai didn''t quack like a shocked duck.


    ¡°Congratulations Murai. Well done taking everything in. Murai is indeed a fierce duck, Lorry must say. Taking it all in, solving the issue of the invisible Crowhell Bat. Lorry must say that Murai''s awareness and fierceness are off the chart. Very Impressive.¡±


    Hearing Lorry and his exaggerated words put Murai at ease. At least he knew how to act with a face.


    ¡°Right. Right. This was quite a nice fight I must say, filled with all sorts of benefits.¡± Murai acted like a beggar who found a mountain of gold, yet stepped away, acting proud of his accomplishment as if he made it to the heavens. His beak was high in the air, making him appear as he felt. A true winner, but of what?


    Killing Crowhell Bat wasn''t an accomplishment worthy of much. The only source of trouble was its invisibility, but once it was solved, it didn''t pose a problem. Close quarters were its weakness, while Anatidaes were known as expert brawlers. And he wasn''t even a Peniscula.


    That was at least what Lisa was thinking, but she was finding excuses to underwhelm Murai''s accomplishment. All in all, he did more than she thought was possible against the invisible enemy. It was almost the perfect counter-opponent to his powers, but the Crowhell Bat had its fair share of disadvantages. Mainly, it had no clear magic, it couldn''t injure him deep enough, and its intellect was like a rock. Sure, it could slam him and damage his feather, but not once it penetrated the flesh.


    More head-on slams and Murai''s feathers wouldn''t help him much.


    It wasn''t the case, however. He ended up fine. Any fatigue was gone after this Boost. Even his feathers turned crisp and full. He put his strategy and skills into powerful countermoves, solving the problems with strategy and brute strength.


    ¡°Now. Now. Lorry is glad it is over, but before Gate 2 is next, shall Murai move on to the other parts of the rewards? As a Guide, the source of the reward is not only up to the Battleworld. This temple has a Vault of Gate 1. Lorry bets Lisa is already itching to see that, right?¡± Lorry glanced at her, but Lisa sneered and looked away. ¡°No? Very well. Temple will reward the challengers in a unique way. The Guardian fits the right time. Gate 1 has Treasure Vaults. Murai will like them, Lorry is sure. It goes outside of the Boosts.¡±


    ¡°Is it somewhere else than the next Gate?¡± Murai asked.


    ¡°It is part of this Gate. Lorry will guide Murai to Gate 2 afterward. First, the Vaults will be up for Murai''s choosing. Is that not great and exciting?¡± Lorry asked, his teeth clattered in a seemingly good mood.


    Murai ended up nodding without many other thoughts to say. Lisa followed behind him after she stored the invisible corpse of the Crowhell Bat in her spatial pouch. It worked easily by a space storm that ate the invisible enemy. Space in the pouch was enough for it since the bat was not large.


    They moved around the perimeters of the hallways until they walked to a wide and short hall. The leading figure was Lorry, who went straight to the locked door at the front, which unlocked. It was Mindarch who opened it wide. Not Lorry, who was just a token.


    Thick moss littered the ground, which was a mixture of stone and soil, making up the bottom of a large cave beyond the door. Residual grass was trying to go through the edges, little creeks were around the floor, and nature tried to survive below the surface. Perhaps a lush land, filled with healthy grass was once this cave. Now, it was barren, with dead trees in the corner, and an empty pond of what was once full of water.


    A dark atmosphere was in this place, but Murai had his Nigth Vision. Lisa was also a nice lantern. The surprising factor was also Lorry himself, whose Soul Flames lit the surroundings since there was limited light. There were no flowers¡ªjust some weeds.


    One probable reason for the lack of vegetation was this place itself. It was underground, and flowers loved the sun. It may be solved with an artificial sun, or a spell of a similar kind, but the walls had some chandeliers of fire. Torches weren''t enough to light this huge cave.


    Though, Murai didn''t watch the backyard for the scenery, or what was on the floor. What interested him were two large buildings in the middle of this large cave, as well as the Portal between them. It was quite a magnificent one, filled with waves of all kinds of colors and a mash of swirling mass of space.


    Murai figured that each colorful wave and thread represented a path he could choose next. There were dozens of them. It was a very open Portal indeed. It was quite an exciting method in this challenging place. A choice was prone to no regrets aimed at the temple. Only one would be to blame if one was regretting the choice.


    This sort of Portal was as clear to him as the path forward. But there was a catch. The further he went closer, the least he was sure about the Portal''s premise. There was something wild and livid about it. It was absolutely chaotic in its waves, making the undulations tremble the surroundings around it.


    He never considered this sort of chaotic spatial property in a Portal before. Too much of it can lead to unnecessary troubles. It had one big issue that made it absolutely horrendous.


    It butchered the sole purpose of what made Portal so good, That was to travel from point A, to point B. This one, on the other hand, had no such purpose. It was full of Chaos. A fundamental element in the wild universe that was the origin of everything, along with the Order.


    This Portal played with the Chaos itself. It wasn''t natural. It was just insensible and weird, making the choice nonexistent. He will come in, and the portal will go into one of the possible Gate 2s.


    Still, Murai was sure to gain some familiarity with this thing too, but he didn''t like what he was looking at. Chaos Space this Portal held must be a peculiar power that only very few powerful mages can work with. He was never lucky enough to wield such sources of power, since his own comprehension and talent toward them was always lacking.


    ¡°Well, that is interesting,¡± Murai mumbled with his beak, tapping his flat feet a couple of meters before the portal.


    ¡°Oh, Murai is interesting in the Portal, rather than the Vaults?¡± Lorry said behind him, mocking his choices, but pretty much glaring at him in curiosity. Lisa was the same.

 Chapter 118: Bothersome choice

    The Portal between the buildings was made of an unsteady flow, making one unable to choose their ending destination. Murai realized that, looking at the unclear picture of the waves and threads of space. They didn''t make sense to him, so he turned to Lorry, who didn''t care about the Portal.


    ¡°Left building and right building are the Treasure Vaults of Gate 1. All challengers end up here, as long as they accomplish certain criteria, or reach this place by foot. Killing a Guardian is part of it too. Vaults have rewards that aren''t the least bit worse than what Murai has so far. In fact, the little nasty things Murai got out of those undead were just toys. Nothing worth mentioning.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Murai said coldly.


    ¡°Lorry must say that they lack certain appeal for sure. But for a lot of Challengers, they are like treasures. Loot so far into here was more for the low-level adventures. Most advanced ones wouldn''t be as interested in such measly rewards.¡±


    ¡°How so? Am I not a beginner, and wasn''t there a balancing aspect to fight and the loot? I need every little thing that matters.¡± Murai argued after having his interest piqued. He already guessed the general rules of this place. Whatever he found had been up the general direction of his level, but because he was fairly low in progression and a duck, hardly anything was for him.


    It was exactly the opposite of the most Challengers. Just the mere addition of a spatial pouch ensured that his travel would be much easier. His loot will get infinitely richer because he was no longer constrained to carry a sword.


    Lisa was handling it herself, using her hand in rough physicality so she could hold it. It strained her to no end, but it was better than holding him as she did in Acaman Tower.


    It was the same everywhere. Everything was subject to one''s worth and advantages. Essences and loot were a balancing reward that he needed. They were clear to him so far, and their balancing factors carried some rules and interests of this temple.


    The interest in the low-grade rewards held obvious answers. No Challengers should be interested in something useless. It was a normal procedure. No one should obviously lower themselves to care for useless things, so the temple adjusted these problems.


    Every Challenger was prone to balance by Mindarch, who was making sure it was working for anyone. Enemies will always range around their power, or slightly above them. That meant their equipment and loot shouldn''t be that far from the Challanger''s reach.


    That was a balancing factor that wasn''t always that useful. Those who came here weren''t some simpletons. Their Path, equipment, and abilities should be greater than average.


    In Murai''s case, he had nothing but his body. He was nobody, so any advantage he held was nonexistent. He required anything he could get. The rewards, be it around level 20 or 30, he will take them all from those Vaults, or any Gates.


    ¡°Anyway, how do those Vaults of the temple work? Can I take whatever? Are there limits? Can I just walk in and grab whatever?¡± Murai asked since Lisa wasn''t talking. She let Lorry do his and her job.


    ¡°Obviously not.¡± Lorry shook his head. ¡°Reward stems from the performance up to this point. Lorry as a Guide has a purpose to say. Lorry hasn''t said it, but there is a rewards system set by the Mindarch. Lorry calculated it. Murai defeated around 160 opponents throughout the Undead Gate of Suffering. Enemies ranged from level 15 to 36. Most were one-shots, but some battles weren''t as easy, as Lorry had seen, but Murai wasn''t suffering the usual suffering. Interesting...¡±


    ¡°Get to the point,¡± Murai growled.


    ¡°Point? Lorry is saying a very important piece of advantage that will help Murai advance further and crush some Breaches.¡± Lorry argued, appearing important like some arrogant teacher. ¡°Murai showed utmost care in tactics and power. My Lady likes this approach very much. Mindarch likewise. Of the 160 opponents, they have certain tiers of rewards. Each kill proves some points, while the level of the kill determines the points of the rewards. 160 is a lot, but because Murai fought against levels 15 to 36, the number isn''t important. Kills, strategies, and how it went was.¡±


    ¡°And? What is the number?¡± Murai asked, disinterested in this lengthy explanation. He wasn''t particularly happy to hear another source of points, but he will take it since it''s easy to understand. It''s the same thing that happened in the Acaman Tower, so he wasn''t that upset about it.


    In fact, he may as well welcome it, since the source of better understanding was always welcomed.


    ¡°3400,¡± Lorry said after calculating the numbers in his head. Most of it was done by Mindarch, but he wouldn''t admit that.


    While he did so, the top of its skull, sides, and eyes glowed in the light and fog, making him rather funny-looking. If there would be an addition to mirrors around his head, Lorry would make a good disco ball.


    ¡°Is it a lot?¡± Murai asked, unclear if the number made sense or not. He figured this number was just a copy of what the Will of the Battleworld used in the dungeons.


    ¡°It''s a decent number, Murai Hisagi,¡± Lisa said at last, floating beside Lorry, glancing around the perimeter in remembrance. Mostly, she supervised Murai''s rewards, his current possibilities, and what went in his Soul Space a while ago. She also glances around her, noting the Vault Cave as an important piece of her hope.


    An entrance to Gate 2 was basically the start of a whole lot of difficulties this place had to offer. Gate 1 was always known as a first nudge. A poke at what the Challenger can offer.


    She came here twice, so her views and thoughts should be useful and strong. The kind that Murai couldn''t guess, but it was more than apparent that something had been on her mind for a long time.


    Should he question that? Sure he should, but he didn''t really care about her lack of words, since the answers will present itself very soon.


    ¡°Oh, so it is decent? What about the rewards then? ¡± Murai nodded to her. ¡°What was your first time here? How much did you get?¡± He expected a good answer.


    ¡°I don''t rememb...¡±


    ¡°Bit... Lisa had accomplished 4840 points.¡± Lorry jumped between their conversation, uncaring whether Lisa remembered or had chosen not to talk about it. It backfired nonetheless.


    ¡°You shouldn''t talk about unnecessary stuff, Lorry. Read the atmosphere.¡± Lisa barked at him in fury, making Lorry giggle in unhinged pleasure to see her angry.


    ¡°So I am quite weak in comparison to the usual Challengers?¡± Murai asked, not one bit angry that he accomplished less than Lisa. He wasn''t really competitive about the differences between them or others. His stakes were different from them.


    When his body and power were slacking, his potential to accomplish greater results in this place were the same.


    He shouldn''t be here. Thar spoke of it clearly, causing Murai to understand the problem he was carrying. He lacked the gradual growth most Challengers would had before even coming to this place. His power was not only up to this place''s standards, it lacked proper steps. His less than a year of age was the most notable problem.


    There were proper reasons for these numbers. They were sensible like the ones in Acaman Tower. Everything was gradual, following the rules like his body and road to power. This place was no different, and it even had rules that Lorry didn''t tell out loud.


    Once more, the words that Thar said echoed in Murai''s mind. He was weak in his eyes, which wasn''t surprising, but his wisdom and words were steadier than Lisa''s.


    And there was still plenty of consequence to remember. After all, what was his recent time in this temple anyway? Murai was already going through this temple, killing foes left and right without having that terrible of time. Sure, it was rather long, difficult, and tedious, since he traveled and fought alone. Lisa shouldn''t intervene with anything, and she didn''t, leaving Murai alone on his path.


    It was a solo challenge unless a team would come to Thar. Then, it was either a Hell Party or a Teamplay. Sometimes, adventure parties assembled, calling the temple their sole challenge. They would have team-based rewards and much more enemies to kill.


    This wasn''t what Murai had, obviously. He ended up traveling through the long corridors, which wasn''t that quick. His steps were short, so it took some time to travel forth, figuring out his Shaping, body and his strategies.


    He wasn''t losing anything but time. And each win wasn''t worse than his time in the Welcoming Party. It further helped his body and familiarity, while each dough was one step closer to helping his Cores.


    Even though he accomplished quite good results because of his skill and strategy, the lack of age and familiarity was making his time flawed. The terms of points were according to the number of enemies killed, how quickly, and how the journey through the whole Gate went.


    Murai, by sheer lack of choices, went through a rather rudimentary road without meeting any weird and unique enemies, settings, or choices. The corridors remained stagnant throughout his journey, but the opponents were changing. Just those fights against the Necromancers lasted for 10 whole minutes since they kept summoning additional spirits. Their undead familiars were also annoying.


    To add insult to injury, the points went according to Mindarch''s interest, so not even Lorry knew the right representations of these numbers. He just knew the truth from the lie and could point to the past to reach some conclusions. Murai''s hadn''t got that many, or too few of those points.


    He was just above average, or the Mindarch gave him some slack attributed to his age, thus increasing them a little. That would make sense according to Lorry''s assumption. He didn''t know the truth.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Any first-time challenger should be happy to go above 2000.


    Murai heard it right and thought of them as simple points that carried his strategies and fights.


    160 opponents was a large number. Those were 160 essences! The majority was in the Grade 9s, but dozens of 8s weren''t bad at all. He got only 2 Low-Grade 7s, however. Because of them, he was feeling some greed over the reward of this temple. The loot was absolutely horrendous. He wanted more loot!


    And there was much more to be desired.


    Murai no longer cared whether he did well or badly in Gate 1. It posed him no interest since it was already behind him. The rewards shouldn''t be as groundbreaking to his current limits anyway. Regardless of Lorry''s exaggerations, he will see them and decide on their worth himself.


    The Acaman Tower under the Somalis Dugoen had what it had, but then, what it had again? Where were those rewards now?! Safe and sorry in the City of Chaos, resting before the chin of Zendurion himself.


    Memories of those rewards¡ªthat he lost because of that damned Razmund¡ªcracked his nerves and angered his mind. Murai stomped the ground, hoping this temple better have some good stuff, otherwise... He had nothing to lose. He just never wanted to lose his blood-soaked and hard-earned loot.


    ¡°Oh, that may be right. Right! Murai is right, but Murai is also strong!¡±Lorry tried to cheer him up after he watched his angry stomp. ¡°Temple isn''t necessarily a bad place to form some greed and power progression. Murai''s case may be temporarily bad, but the temple accepts all Challengers in balance and Mindarch''s care. How has Murai thought it worked so far, hm? Mindarch is taking care of it all. There are also unwritten rules befitting the ages. Balancing through the limits is also up to the Mindarch. Certain things are more fitting because of them. Some Challengers and beings in the Hell Haven call it Min-Max.¡±


    ¡°Min-Max?¡± Murai fell into silence. ¡°What a term...¡± he sighed and kept listening to his explanations.


    ¡°Min-Max is a term that carries maximum potential with the least issues. It can be reproduced by past Challengers to be optimal, but all Challengers want to seek validation for their accomplishments. Challengers want rewards! Badly, even. Because of the limits of the 3-years, it is necessary to come to the temple again for many of them. There are many waves and limits to be had.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense if you are asking me.¡±


    ¡°It does. The Welcoming Party is part of it, so any Challenger that will come towards the temple after 3 years will have many changes on all fronts. In their power and Mindrach''s care, the Welcoming Party is a start. Mindarch is the major caretaker of all sides to ensure that everything can form a steady flow. That is the sole reason that not many Challengers go more than twice. 3rd timers are rare, while 4th-timers are... It has been a long time since anyone of that sort came here. Poor. Sad it is.¡± Lorry sighed, dejected over this idea.


    Murai nodded. ¡°It''s all about finding the optimal source of power without dying. Getting stronger as much as possible for the sake of easier time and rewards is simple. Isn''t it all normal everywhere? Temple is optimal to enter anyway. Not mandatory, so when one is confident in their power, it makes sense to take advantage of that. I did not have this sort of luxury, but that doesn''t mean the temple can''t adjust to me, even though it is accomplished with some or limited care. Right?¡±


    ¡°Precisely. Murai is completely right.¡± Lorry nodded with his skull, which amounted to nothing much but turning it up and down.¡°People are greedy, and the temple of my Lady is an opportunity for them all. Everyone should take it as a threat to their lives, but no! Humans and Blessed of all kinds seek this place as farmlands, growth, and nothing else. It is different for us, the beings of the Hell Haven! Temple is part of our home! Invaders can fuck off!¡± He cheered.


    ¡°Calm your horses, Lorry,¡± Lisa argued behind him. ¡°You will crack your skull if you keep talking like this.¡±


    ¡°Bah!¡± he sneered back at her and didn''t care for her remark. ¡°Anyway, Murai is a taker of the proper rewards. So far, Murai has done well. A win-win for all sides. Such difficulty isn''t always easy to manage regardless of the preparations. Lorry supposes Murai knows what Lorry means.¡±


    ¡°That the rules may be steady, yet complicated. Nothing is worth being worried about. One is your idea and the other is mine. I can''t give a crap for 99% of things around here. One should also be more predisposed to this world, as it is a breathing and helping entity. Mindarch dos so as well. Challenges may vary from the opponents. It is to go against this place. That is what Challengers are. Just bunch of opportunists.¡±


    Lorry nodded, chuckling at Murai''s rightful comments that eased his mind.


    ¡°Right. I guess I will look through the rewards now. I wonder what 3400 points will do.¡± Murai turned toward the left building, which looked like a small depiction of the temple. There were many pillars around the rectangular-looking building. It had a triangular wide roof that looked kind of out of touch.


    ¡°Not so fast!¡± Lorry stormed before him, almost bumping into his beak. ¡°Left one or right one? Murai can only choose one of them to be the choice of the rewards!¡±


    ¡°Choice? Are you kidding me? What the fuck is wrong with choosing both?¡±


    ¡°Choice is what choice is, and what Chaos rules, and Order cherishes. Rules.¡± Lorry insisted, making Murai all the more annoyed, so he glanced to the left and right. Both buildings were the same. T the portal was between them, swirling and glowing.


    ¡°Fine... Fine! If that is so, then what is it then? Which one is worthy for me, Lisa?¡± He turned his neck sideways, glaring towards her figure. She was taking her time in her melancholy, memories, and current reality. Murai also heard the cluttering teeth of Lorry, who wanted to say something, but he didn''t speak for some reason.


    ¡°Clever try. You know that asking me about the rewards isn''t against anything. It is to your advantage, Murai Hisagi.¡± Lisa smiled as she said it, turning and flowing towards Murai in self-interest. She loomed behind Lorry, who was curious what she would say.


    However, her next words weren''t that good. ¡°I went to the right temple twice, though. I don''t know what is in the left one.¡±


    ¡°How so? Sounds like an excuse. Won''t some adventures share such information with the other Challengers? it sounds worthy to do that from economics and power. You went here twice! Considering the source, and how greed rules the paths, it makes sense. This is a constant room. Information about rewards should be valuable to force future challenges into the temple. Doesn''t that make sense to know what is in both of them?¡±


    Lisa frowned, and Lorry seemed to do that too. In his bony face, it appeared weird.


    ¡°I meant what I said. Sorry if you think of it worse. I didn''t care for this gate much anyway. The right one is already good enough.¡±


    Murai was a bit disappointed, and Lorry remained silent. ¡°Fine. What is in the right one then?¡±


    ¡°Bunch of things. Points are the currency to purchase them. Just like in the Acaman Tower. All kinds of mana treasures are there. Anything that a mage could need. From dust, crystals, runes, books, and even tomes. It has all kinds of stuff, essences included.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm....¡± Murai hummed, looking towards the right building. ¡°Should I take it?¡±


    ¡°Be my guess.¡± Lisa shuffled her arms around her chest, hugging the pouch without telling what was on the left one at all. It made Lorry kind of suspicious of her intentions, but he wasn''t sure if he had the motive to speak of it. He didn''t know whether Lisa knew the left one or not, but if anything, the rewards in this Gate should be known outside fairly well. Murai was correct.


    The sources of the Challengers were always steady, albeit it was recently turning dimmer and dimmer because the Centralis Kingdom was in possession of the Seventh Death Forest. There was a suspicious reason for that. They didn''t want to touch the Hell Haven, and only worthy ones were allowed into Death Valley to try their luck. It was usually up to the Centralis Kingdom, but it wasn''t always the truth.


    There were 5409 Challengers for a reason. That number wasn''t large at all, considering the tens of thousands of years of history of this current temple. Those, however, varied in prose since Mindarch was changing it according to the Will of Levandis.


    The vision of the 10 Gates was unveiled relatively recently, skyrocketing the status of this place by a massive margin. Then, the Challengers flocked to this place like hungry dogs.


    Temple went heavy in reward, and difficulty was like that of the Origin Dungeons. But unlike those, this one stemmed from the Hell Haven. That by itself was a dangerous prose.


    Many Gods from the Skies were against the existence of this place, but because Levandis made some sort of agreement with Lordis, things worked up in the end. But that didn''t mean that the mortals couldn''t cause trouble for the Gods. They did. A lot.


    Not only did the Centralis Kingdom limit the entrance to Death Valley for many years, but they essentially locked the source to their benefit.


    Blessed weren''t always up to the temple''s tastes because of complex policies. Sky went against the Depths. Order shared, cherished, and went against the Chaos, but neither can live without the other. Gods were like that too, no matter the stance or their origin.


    There were people, gods, or anyone, and then, there was greed and all sorts of Path, or pathless troublemakers. This place was special because of its location and origin. Few adventures went inside in recent years.


    In this case, it was a kind of rare occasion when the Blessed Encounter formed a challenge toward the temple. It will make it rather interesting, or dangerous. Most likely both.


    Either way, Lorry was part of this temple. He guided the Challengers out of his free will. If the higher-ups of the temple had an issue, Lorry would act according to their Will. That''s just how things went. Subjects acted according to the master''s demands.


    And Lorry was a splendid subject.


    ¡°I assume you won''t tell me what is in the left one?¡± Murai turned to the Lorry, who already seemed he wouldn''t tell a thing.


    ¡°Well, Lorry can, but it will cost something.¡± Lorry giggled as he said it, sounding like a good haggler he wished he was.


    ¡°Cost? Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Yeah... I would expect nothing else from this damned skull.¡± Lisa also agreed with Murai''s obvious surprise and bit of anger.


    ¡°Uh... How much?¡± Murai asked just in case.


    ¡°Half of your points.¡±


    ¡°HALF? Don''t you want to kick me in the nuts as well? This is preposterous! What a laughable thief you are!¡± Murai almost snapped at Lorry, but he managed to hold his anger away.


    Lorry backed away a little, fearing the repercussion of angering an Anatidae, which, according to his memories, wasn''t one bit sensible. He was forgetting the fact that Murai wouldn''t be able to do a thing to him; that he wasn''t a threat.


    Lorry awkwardly laughed and said what he should. ¡°Murai shouldn''t be surprised. Worth and inflation have a regular procedure.¡±


    ¡°Screw your procedure. What if I didn''t have Lisa? I would have to force the knowledge of the buildings, but I would have no points left. Is this how it''s supposed to go? What a complete and utter joke.¡± Murai snapped, picking his anger at the ground which he slapped with his beak. it cracked a little, but not much.


    ¡°C-calm down, Murai Hisagi.¡± Lisa flowed toward him and stopped his beak from another slam. ¡°This isn''t as bad as it sounds. How about having the right one I know very well. I can help with your choices, and you can come here again in the far future if you are feeling so adventurous. Isn''t it better? There are some things inside that could be a treat even for you, but they may no longer be there. It has been a long time since I''ve seen them.¡± Her grasp over his beak was gentle and powerful at the same time. Her hand changed its physicality and clasped him well. It was calming him down too.


    By this point, Lisa was no longer that small fairy she seemed like when they first met. Now, she was as big as Murai at the moment, but thanks to her wings and flexible sona, she appeared bigger than she was. She can change it on a whim, so that helped a lot.


    ¡°Oh, so you thought of something, yet you didn''t tell a thing? As expected of you. You are really annoying me to the bitter end.¡± Murai forced himself free by opening his beak; quaking loudly at her face. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°R-right? I get it. So?¡± Lisa shrugged her shoulders, ignoring his anger in the grand margins of her care.


    ¡°I will take what I can get. Let''s go.¡± As if no longer angry, Murai stomped towards the right building. It was 1 story tall rectangular temple, with clear tiles, walls made of crisp-looking bricks, and a wide and large gate. It was at least 10 meters tall, making it rather nice looking.


    As for its materials, the walls and pillars were made of some kind of tough wood that looked like polished stone. As for the backyard itself, it was wide and would manage at least a dozen additional buildings. Above, there was no opening for windows or ventilation.


    One large cave was the backyard''s appearance, which used to be a place of Sungod''s interest, or it was created by Levandis? Murai wasn''t sure, but far above, he noticed many engravings, statues, and a plethora of symbols spread around the tall sides of this cave. It seemed to be a divine place for sure, and old, old time. It used to be Sungod''s place of rest, a place for subjects of faith.


    Now, it was nothing like that. Ancient Artifacts may litter this place, but it was now a place under the demonic domain. The challenge for the sake of the Battleworld will never cease, Mindarch''s interest will prevail even after more chaos cycles go missing, and whatever Levandis wanted didn''t even matter.


    In the middle of the building, beside the portal, there was a door to the right temple.


    Murai went straight to it, followed by Lisa and Lorry behind.

 Chapter 119: Trouble before the temple

    Depressing and dim light surrounding the buildings lit up Vault''s entrances. Upon getting closer, Murai felt the spectacle of their proportions from his 30 centimeters tall vision. It was too tall for him.


    The door by itself wasn''t as tall as one could guess, but it was still 5 meters tall. Twice the height of the first floor, or so he believed. The building was hard to perceive. There should be at least two floors notable from the walls. Its origin wasn''t that of the Sungod for sure. No ornaments depicting the previous owner were around.


    Only Levandis was the fitting ruler of this place since she made it hers by all means necessary. The floors of this Vault could be one or two, but since there were no windows, Murai couldn''t tell more guesses. It didn''t seem that way from the distance, but the gate was closed, disallowing any unnecessary troublemaker to come inside.


    There were a lot of precious things in each of the Vaults, and Murai didn''t expect such a tight lock formation on the gate itself. Perhaps only a proper God could shatter such entrances that hid and protected this place for many millennia.


    ¡°How to get inside?¡± Murai turned to Lorry, quacking so Lorry knew what to know. It was hard to tell if Lorry knew the Anatidae language, but it was surely convenient for Murai to have another soul around him to understand his stupid quacks. He didn''t truly care to know why Lorry understood him.


    ¡°Is Murai sure of this choice?¡±


    ¡°Wanna have another eye socket in your head? Forehead seems almost too perfect for my beak.¡± Murai said with quite an obvious killing intent, knowing very well that choice wasn''t really that important. Lisa already stated her idea which he sort of accepted it. She was itching towards this Vault. Begrudgingly... Any of the Vaults provided rewards and a chance. Those depended on the proper difficulty and points of the Challenger.


    Mindarch was a taker of this interest alone, making this place practically more proper than the majority of the Origin Dungeon in this regard. Mostly, Origin Dungeons wanted one''s life, but how different was that from this place? Murai had no idea, but this place was very independent because of Mindarch''s existence. A soul construct, right in the hands of Levandis herself.


    It was up to the Challengers to reap the rewards and get what they wanted. Whether their points were enough to purchase what they desired was secondary, or sometimes their priority.


    However, it was a bit more complicated than that, and neither Lisa nor Lorry talked much about it.


    Points were one of the aspects of this temple that caused huge differences for successive Challengers. Another was their premise of rewards and choice which was often very rare in the Battleworld.


    There were only two things one could truly influence: Evolution and Path. Some had only one of these, both, or none, which made up drastic changes to one''s life.


    When one came to this temple for once, it may be the poorest attempt, while any following attempt increased the points, making many rewards and unique opportunities proportional to the spike in difficulty. One would get more out of each consecutive attempt, which was one of the core rewards of this temple.


    Lots of wealth will then arise out of any successful Challenger of this place, and it was no wonder that the Centralis Kingdom eyed this place for many ages. Levandis may not like it, but the prospect of the Surface was a neverending issue for any patriarch of Hell Havens. Especially when the Sky got involved in many layers and greed. Those two factions weren''t glaring at one another eye to eye. They were more cutthroat and savage to let things slide.


    Murai''s Will put Lorry into a state of shivers, so he agreed with him because he feared the prospect of his beak. He opened the door with his status as a Guide. It was a front. The door opened by Mindarch''s intervention, revealing a spacious room for giants. The ceiling was well over 10 meters tall and could accommodate small titans, or many thick and large beasts.


    The size was often described with regard to loftiness and greater skies. Gods and mortals alike wanted to touch the untouchable, and the most basic principle was to create a more elevated ceiling. One may say it was laughable, but there was some true ancient history in this idea.


    The gate opened inwards, letting out bright soft fog out of the insides of a large open room. There were all kinds of displays, open shelves, and even bookshelves, or tables all over the room. The floor was simple polished wood with few appliances that went along with it. It seemed surprisingly modern, cozy, and unlike what one may expect from a demonic place.


    Considering the importance of this place, history, and degree of Levandis, this impression was just the bare minimum of what was proper. This room looked like some sort of salon, museum, and gallery mixed together. It didn''t resemble a shop. Murai quickly noticed an abnormal amount of mana swirling throughout the room, coming from light constructs in the appearance of bulbs, flames, or pillars.


    There were all kinds of powerful undulations, which he noted after a simple sweep of his new Mana Sonar, which surged around the room in one swoop. It gave him a headache in a split second, so he didn''t like the first use of this new evolution of his Detection.


    A lot about this Sonar was mental. Mana around this room was simply too strong, but thankfully Robust Spirit came into the clutch, providing him steady protection against the tension of the surroundings. He decided to be more gentle with his Mana Sonar which needed a different touch. It worked more flowy and strongly than Mana Detection.


    But it still proved its worth when he used it again. Mana that went to his Sonar was like an auric wave, coming from all kinds of artifacts, equipment, and materials. He noted hundreds of kinds of treasures in an instant, and it was just from a mild wave of his Sonar. He wondered what else it could do.


    There wasn''t a noticeable Everflower, but not like it mattered.


    A lot of things in this room looked the same as the prison from before: hidden behind runes, protection, and displays. Some must be on the upper floor as well. There was a staircase at the edge of one corner he noticed, but those were tall strain clearly not made for his body.


    Murai was sure he wouldn''t get these sorts of things anyway. He will be glad to... He paused his steps and swiped the surroundings a few more times with Sonar because he noticed something peculiar.


    Uh? Sonar seems... interesting, or is it me or the surroundings? My mind takes it gradually better from the first swipe, but it requires some edge, use, and power. Like a light slap, or a punch. It can be flexible, or savage, unlike Mana Detection which was more straightforward.


    It is quite different from Detected which was like the Inner Eyes from that rocky life. It may be the effect of my magic, steadier core, or mind. Robust Spirit too seems like a valid help and something I should consider more often. Something about Grade SS is a huge deal, or so Iris said. Anyway... Murai began to walk around, ignoring the two souls behind his back that chirped something between them.


    This will be his shopping spree and he can''t wait!


    Behind him, Lisa was grabbing the spatial pouch ever since Murai ordered it. She hugged it like bear a prey, floating up to look around to see whether there was something decent she remembered from her last visits. There must be items that should''ve prevailed for 50 years of time.


    In fact, a lot of potential rewards were centuries old, even before they came here. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everything was intact and in pristine condition because of time-regulating constructs and arrays filled with runes.


    Someone must be taking good care of this place. No speck of dust was noticeable on the floor, corners, or shelf. Lisa smiled as she floated a bit more towards the ceiling, watching the shelves or displays under her Sona Eyes, which allowed her to see the world in a new light. Her eyes glowed in thick azure light, and mana became like vivid sea waves under her sight.


    It wasn''t hurting her at all, although the effects of this ability were still new to her. She hardly paid any attention to her skills after all. She can''t really afford it.


    She will find something that will be useful for Murai, so he will accept some slack for her lacking manners. It will be difficult because she had no idea what sort of things Murai needed. If anything, she understood the heights of his standards more than Murai knew.


    As she watched, Murai turned frantic and jumped to the rows of tables in the middle of this open room. He used a stool which was barely enough for him to climb. ¡°Oh, those are Tomes? Good. Let''s see.¡± He cheered when he ascended the stool, standing on a large table filled with many martial technique manuals and tomes of some importance. They weren''t on the packed shelves, so these must be exceptional.


    There were sections of dozens of kinds of tomes ranging from beginning to middle advanced magical techniques. Elemental Tomes with all kinds of individual-based spells took a large number of these. There were also many magic constructs, depicting equipment to all kinds of magic tools.


    Sometimes, it was hard to see the difference between equipment to magical items. Mainly, the equipment was something one had to wear, but magic construct can be that too, but not always.


    Equipment was always wearable and quickly noted. Weapons were important on all fronts. Magical constructs could be like Talismans: one could use them in all kinds of ways, and they may act like equipment, or a simple tool or action.


    There was almost no stop of them because the rows of tables went to another row of tables towards the other side of the room.


    ¡°There are indeed a lot of things of some value. Is this what you all got from the adventurers that died here?¡± Murai asked, turning his attention to Lorry who kept floating above him through this time, observing him and his choices. He didn''t notice where Lisa was, but it wasn''t as if it was that important.


    ¡°Oh, is Murai interest?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn''t... if I didn''t ask!¡±


    ¡°In that case, not really,¡± Lorry explained and floated down until he was at his eye level. ¡°Most of what Murai can see are touches of wars that Demonic Armies under our Lady acquired from the Battleworld under various forms. Vaults are just a portion of our Lady''s stash, but the temple is important for demons and challengers alike. Demonic Armies also get to choose whatever they want from this place when they accomplish great results. Isn''t it great?¡± He floated closer, speaking in a crisp and impressive tone. ¡°Only about 20% is from the temple itself. Isn''t that intense and kind? Our Lady is truly a kind Lady. One kind of a Ruler!¡±


    ¡°Ruler, huh? Just a nickname. She isn''t even one..¡± Murai mumbled, but Lorry ignored him as he kept blabbering about how great Levandis was. ¡°So is this some sort of storage?¡±


    ¡°And place for the Demons under our Lady''s command to get rewards for all kinds of services. A lot of... AY!¡± Lorry shouted as if someone hit his skull, causing him to scowl in pain. ¡°I''ve got it! Ugh... Lorry does understand. Yes. Yes. No talk of it.¡±


    Murai glared at him in astonishment, figuring that Mindarch had drilled into his head, similar to the Will of the Battleworld. He talked to him and ordered him like Will of the Battleworld. Murai wondered what it could be like to have a clever construct in one''s head.


    Lorry changed back to the professional Guide that he was meant to be. ¡°Anyway, in the case of a temple''s politics, this place works as a place to steady the military progression of our Lady''s armies, as well as to get some rewards under certain criteria... that Lorry can''t indulge, unfortunately,¡± He added, revealing the kind of information that Muraid already figured.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Oh, so the Chaos faction has this sort of resources... and order? I wonder what this could mean for the lower floors, or those Hell Havens and many Gods. Like... No. It seems it''s a bit too early for me to worry about it. Razmund is not part of it anyway, so I suppose that makes this rather forced on the Sky instead? Mindarch talked about it like that... but what about that Battlewill, or Villan''s offer?


    That isn''t important, I think. Huh... Freaking gods and their ploys! That is what it is. Forcing me with their messes, grudges, and pain. I swear I will bite some in the nose, or ass. I swear to my name as Murai Hisagi, or... others?


    Murai was unnaturally irritated for no apparent reason, and Lorry seemed to take Mindarch''s voice in unsteady steps. It usually didn''t speak in this manner. Not in Gate 1, or in such...


    Well, the circumstances weren''t normal in any form or shape. There were dangers out there, as well as problems. Sky and Depths will always clash and try to up the other. It was up to Mindarch and Will of the Battleworld to clash their benefits, when many foes wanted to clutch one''s throat.


    Alas, it may not be up to Mindarch to care about it, since he was a tool of Levandis. Whatever she desired always moved. Even mountains and rivers were no different. She had yet to make any move, which may change since it wasn''t every day that Encounter moved right into her domain.


    For now, Mindarch acted alone on his own calculations and stored Levandi''s rules.


    As Murai remained wandering in his shopping, seeking the treasures and hoping for the best, outside of Death Valley wasn''t one bit calm.


    ***


    The moment of importance had arrived. Ceila was walking through the harsh environment of Death Valley, unbothered by wind or storms that could tear bronze-rank adventures apart.


    She already walked for some time, unhindered, even though her mind wasn''t quite calm. She wished to fix this mess quicker.


    There were a lot of bothersome people bothering her, as she feared. Solving or kicking their asses turned out to be wasteful. Though, it was yet to be over. True troubles were just starting.


    As the sandstorms subsided before her eyes, there were new enemies and one humongous structure.


    200 meters before her eyes was wide open Levandis Temple. Much closer than that were 3 dozen men, guarding this place. Those were a variable, but not Razmund''s idea, nor Thar''s tools. Razmund commanded his own care of potential threats in different ways. He wasn''t alone. King of Centralis Kingdom: Zendurion and his brother Uzbek¡ªRazmund''s Master¡ªthought of different scenarios and interesting premises.


    It wasn''t as if they had many choices, however.


    ¡°Well, what is the little battalion doing here? Level 30 to 40? Is this a joke, or something that the other side is so clever to use?¡± Ceila asked the front-facing man who was obviously obscuring her path. Most of them were wearing long cloaks, leaving their aura shrouded and faces hidden.


    But Ceila wasn''t stupid or blind. She noted their level and might, but something about them was fishy.


    ¡°What it can be, hm? Can we do something for you, the 2nd Sun of the Vermilion Church?¡± the front-facing man said, speaking calmly as if he were talking to a friend. ¡°This is Centralis''s Kingdom place of interest. Not just anyone can enter it, you see. Especially someone like you. It needs proper etiquette or a form of contact with our humble establishment of Falconers. It is only then, that some may try to come here. Not behind our backs, you see? A lot of them come in without any care, leaving us no face. It needs some change, don''t you think?¡±


    He had the appearance of a Falconer, and out of them all, his cloak was less useful. A dusted yet glistering light armor was underneath the cloak, protecting what shall be protected. He was holding two sword handles beside his hips, and the hood at least worked, shrouding his face. Not one bit of his face was visible, but something about his voice caused Ceila to stop her steps.


    He appeared stoic at first, yet his voice was filled with quite a force when he mentioned her title of the 2nd Sun with mockery.


    ¡°You son of a devil... Do you want some butchering? You all?!¡± Ceila uttered with utter calmness, stomping the ground and crossing her arms around her chest. Her armor shined without a speck of dust on her whatsoever. Her aura was vigorous; her eyes resolute. It went along with her decision to come here first and ask questions later.


    ¡°Would you care of a face? That seemed to be the case at first, but... who am I speaking to again?¡± The man asked, shoving his arms open while the men behind his back brandished their weapons. They were all low-ranked Falconers who weren''t worth much in this sort of Encounter that touched many limits and plots. But all of them had way better weapons for their level than they should, and who knew what else they had under their sleeves.


    Most of them were under level 40, but the front-facing man was much stronger. Securing the outside region around the temple wasn''t his proud idea, but he puffed his chest and walked forward as if it were.


    He didn''t want any obscurities, and whether Vermillion Church would pose a threat was highly possible. Under normal calculations, around 40% was a base chance for them to cause direct trouble. This was quite a direct and correct assessment.


    Ceila was hesitant to come here, but 40% was still quite a number. She was ready to force the situation if the situation called for that. And it long ago did.


    Since the moment Iris was kidnapped under her inadequate vision, she was furious. Another bother was the lack of Vermillions'' voice. It was suspicious, growing her face with worry when she didn''t know why it was happening.


    ¡°Where is my student, nobody?¡± she asked openly; expecting an answer.


    ¡°Oh, have we been found out?¡± The man revealed his face by flicking his head and getting his hoodie behind his back. He revealed his face, which was confident with a smile creeping on his cheeks. ¡°From when have you got some student? Sorry to tell, but...¡± His voice stopped not because he wanted to.


    Before he expected to continue, something went ahead into his mouth, shutting it along with his voice and life.


    He looked at a long stick, which reeked of blood under Ceila''s single-handed grip. It was a thin spear, while the spearhead itself was resting behind his head. She grasped the other side of this flexible secondary weapon, holding it like a stick. She appeared one moment before him and shoved it to his throat, shutting his words from telling useless blabber.


    Whether he ended up dead or not, it worked quite well.


    The man looked forward in surprise since he didn''t detect such movement from the start. Death Valley was harsh in detecting Veils, or defensive formation, and the stronger the person was, the more this place seized their spirit and clutched their Will.


    Detecting dangers was always difficult in this place, and he was just a guarding dog. Not a foe to kill the troublemakers.


    The rest of the Falconers quickly released their formations, making use of their numbers to be as strong as possible. Albeit, without their leader, it was too late to hope for the win, since Ceila didn''t even move away or regarded them as a threat.


    She glared at the corpse, angry and serious, ignoring the flaring mana of the dozens of fools. She retrieved her spear from the head. It was a long, but thin-looking 3-meter-long spear. What was strange was the fact that it didn''t bend at all, making it a rather strange spear, considering its thinness. The man''s dead body fell to the sand, a hole was visible through his head. Blood splurged out of both ends.


    Ceila didn''t even look at him, nor glanced at the others with clear intent to kill. ¡°So, tell me, the one hiding behind this charade, ploy, and mess. Is this situation anything normal, hiding weasel? Forcing things up is a facade that Centralis has done for a long time already. I, WE, we are all fed up with it. So, tell me, Uzbek. Should I be clear with my intentions to make this situation clear, or do you want to watch in silence as I kill these children? It doesn''t matter to you, it seems. It certainly doesn''t bother me if I say so myself.¡± Ceila turned her head sideways, her gaze pointing towards a dune where no one was.


    At this moment, one of the Falconers used this opportunity and swung his Grade A and Level 65 halbert towards Ceila''s head. He jumped from his group, but the range of the formation was wide. He was still under its effect, swuing his strong halbert in its thickness and nasty-looking sharpness. It was well above his level and grade and could endanger a Sun.


    He went for the head under a moment since she was close to them from the get-go. 10 centimeters before her neck, the halbert''s edge stopped, and even the man''s vision turned strange. He no longer had his eyes on her whatsoever. Part of her was missing. Or he was?


    A spear went through his skull too, piercing his right eye, pointing a part of his brain at the other side as if it were a trophy.


    The skull was crushed, blood flew, and the body fell along with the halbert to the ground. Ceila didn''t even look at him.


    ¡°Very well. I took it as clear as the dots in the pillars. The prediction came through.¡± A deep voice told, coming from the dune that Ceila remained glaring at. A silhouette of a man, shrouded in cloak appeared out of nothing but sand. He sat there for who knew how long, so he patted his clothes from all this sand before standing up.


    He was a young-looking man, clothed in a green cloak, while a leather attire had golden outlines around its designs. It looked like a decent military uniform of high-rank standards. It wasn''t something ready for a war, but it could work the same as any equipment.


    Sometimes, the appearance of equipment no longer mattered. A bulky armor of lower grade may as well be weaker than high-grade armor made of thin and carefully forged dragon scales. What was their quality, or what effect it had mattered more. Runes and formations can shatter physical limits by empowering the user with many layers.


    His hands creased and pushed the sand away. After a couple of awkward swipes, he revealed his face that hid behind a cloak. His short blond hair fluttered in the wind, making his appearance relaxed, as he forced a slight smile towards her. He winked at her and even waved a hand. His eyes were completely golded. Be it iris, pupil, or sciera, he watched everything with golden confidence.


    Uzbek Centralis. A man who was no direct servant of the Centralis Kingdom, but not as if it mattered. The past didn''t matter. He was strong regardless of his appearance and his level was in the 80s.


    ¡°I expected someone else, other than... you,¡± Ceila said, shoving the spear towards his direction, letting the blood drip to the sand. ¡°Since my student is involved, I invited myself. There doesn''t seem to be a problem with it for some reason, which may be explained by the intervention of Vermillion Church, or... you. You invited me. Us. Everyone. It is only fitting to touch on this problem, while involvement in the Encounter''s prose is just secondary. Got it?¡±


    ¡°It''s a basic plot of those that are beyond us, Ceila. Nothing more.¡± Uzbek spoke calmly.


    ¡°Excuses.¡± She grunted, unbothered by the man''s gentle voice. It almost sounded soothing. Too soothing. It was as if his voice traveled to every corner of one''s mind, making one glad to hear him.


    ¡°Well, the course of history is always interesting and everchanging. I love it. Love!¡± Uzbek cheered and laughed, walking toward her in an open manner. ¡°Splendid changes go along the history. To get something done, something decent must change or disappear. It is a course of normalcy. In this world. No. Not only this world, you see? It is everywhere. The universe is a taker of Order and a Judge of Chaos. It appeared a peculiar chance occurred at all fronts, and it''s strange, don''t you think?¡± He asked, stating his truth as he got even closer. Ceila remained unmoving like her gaze and her spear.


    ¡°It''s up to your favor though. Bastards.¡±


    ¡°Whose?¡± Uzbek frowned, appearing flustered. ¡°Mine?¡± He shoved an arm beneath his cloak, pointing a finger towards his face and giggling. ¡°I don''t think you are in a clear picture of what is even happening, but at the same time, not many people can guess what is happening in the Skies, or greater Divine Kingdoms.¡±


    ¡°Uzbek!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, will you?¡± He turned his voice stern. ¡°I heard it all and seen most of it. Razmund touched your student. They are in our capital, so have you got the gist of it already? It goes according to our unfollowed terms, which go alongside Battleworld''s wishes. Do you know what it means? I bet you do. You are old and clever, much to a glance at your face.¡±


    Ceila''s face turned red in anger for the first time. ¡°Capital? Why?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Yes. Anger and all of that is fitting. We... or to be precise, Razmund is responsible for the part of this change, which appears much bigger than him anyway. It''s rather surprising, or so Zendurion said. That sicko has always been plotting things, watching the Somalis for a long time. The source of it all is a small thing, or so someone said. Some things went... a long way ahead from the norm. For now, that is. A start of something greater.¡±


    Ceila didn''t know what to say, but Uzbek seemed to be the talking type of an idiot who explained the situation first, before dying a horrible and useless death.


    She wished to laugh at his face, but what he spoke was interesting, but terrible for her purpose. She wanted Iris back. She needed her back, but can''t even fathom the idea to get to a City of Chaos, let alone talk it out with Central Church, or Zendurion himself.


    This reeked of problems, and Uzbek also mentioned it, albeit poorly. It was about Gods. As expected.


    ¡°Why my student? I barely made her official, so why have you got her involved? They are children too. You a sicko also.¡± She almost spat those words at him.


    ¡°Don''t ask me. I would''ve opposed it if I had the chance, considering our old acquaintances.¡± Uzbek nodded, making an unnoticeable gesture to his troops.


    ¡°That was a long time ago. ¡± Ceila shoved the spear away, letting other corpses down her feet when a pair of Falconers wanted to cross their blades and cut her head off. Turning her feet to face Uzbek, she completely ignored the remaining Falconers when a sickly white aura surged around the ground, coming from her body.


    She enveloped the Falconers in this aura. They could no longer move regardless of their formations. It was as if their muscles ceased to work, or their fear restricted them from stepping forth.


    ¡°Come on. Calm you Holy Aura... Well, not really. Calling it Holy is an understatement. It doesn''t fit with this you at all.¡± Uzbek said, and by this point, came face to face with her. He walked as if going to a garden, ignoring the ability that stemmed from her Gifted status of a large-scale interest.


    Holy Grail Aura: A restraining type and Grade S domain ability. It worked well against those weaker than her, but when met with a tough and powerful foe, it was like restraining a mountain. Uzbek moved toward her without a problem and stood a meter before her.


    He was shorter than her by more than a few heads, but it didn''t seem to bother him. In fact, it was the opposite; obvious by a smirk on his face.


    The height of a normal person had its benefits. A clear duo of them was right there before his face. He glared at her chest as if it were her eyes, but his eyes were hard to glimpse at. It was a mash of glowy gold, and nothing indicated where he was looking. From the turns of his head, it was barely enough to read his face.


    He smiled, nodding in some silant confirmation.

 Chapter 120: Judge

    Uzbek had all the time in the world to decide what he wanted to do, but he did let his eyes linger on her more than necessary.


    Ceila was glaring at him as if she wanted to bite his head off. Even her spear was firm in her grasp, ready to strike in the blink of a wrong word.


    But Uzbek didn''t care about her power, status, or her glimmer of a proper God under her power.


    Ceila was a magnitude more interesting than he gave her credit to, so he took his time to think twice before acting.


    He held power similar to her on almost all fronts since he had an advantage in levels over her, but that was about it. Just level advantage was basically nothing to celebrate, as he was long accustomed to this world and the advantages of power. Levels were just mentions of one''s potential anyway, making them like stages of affinities. They could work from many angles, giving rise to suspicions and differences. A level 50 can defeat even those above 70 if enough merits and advantages meet the right differences and changes.


    Talent and treasures often outshined such disparities. Gods were also included in this with their Blessings, plans, and gifts that many took for a massive chance.


    Uzbek''s age wasn''t an issue; his status as well. He could act however he wanted before her.


    But if he should, was another thing.


    Ceila was a bizarre Gifted, who held power in an unconventional connection with Vermillion, which made her dangerous because she held a significant portion of her authority. Her power went along with it more than it should, albeit it was a topic that few fully understood. It depended on Vermillion, rather than anything else.


    He didn''t look down on her because of it, of course. He looked upwards instead, enjoying the view with a warm smile, knowing that the plot and his words were half-truths, but she shouldn''t know it. Things and the plot got busy in the Sky, or so Zendurion judged before he sent him to be a guarding dog out of Razmund''s vision.


    There was no point in speaking the truth. Not to her, not now, where the advantages can be incredible and the drawbacks rather dangerous. To whom? To all the chaos that the Centralis Kingdom was currently creating and influencing. It wasn''t about Razmund alone.


    Uzbek took note of what mattered as he was a part of it before it even started, even though he shouldn''t be. His level and prose were too high, yet the King spoke, and the world didn''t take it away.


    Those were glorious chances and clever tactics that Uzbek believed went behind the scenes. But it was not his time to shine, or Zendurion''s.


    They were mere proxies for something higher, but what was going on in their direct, or indirect involvement? They should''ve never touched Murai and his prose, as they were too mighty and out of his prose. At least under the norm, of course.


    But under the common rules, which especially Tiar A powers had to be careful of, it made doubtful actions that shouldn''t have happened.


    Ceila glared down at him, knowing this damned man and the head between his shoulders. He was a troublemaker, but which Centralis wasn''t? She looked down on him, not knowing whether he was a piece of bad news or a disaster instead. She could fight him for sure and even hurt him. Make him talk.


    But depending on the equipment he surely had, depicting trump cards he suppressed, it should be hard, or straight-up impossible.


    Sometimes, powerful people were hard to catch, or defeat without killing them. Especially those that were so comfortable, confident, and steady in their Path. This man before her was all of that, folded at least twice because of his status, power, and sheer aura around his head and face. The eyes were menacing in their light, seeking truths and secrets within their depths.


    Ceila wasn''t looking at them because she wanted to.


    So yes. He was a disaster, as she thought. She kept frowning with a face that spoke many emotions, yet Uzbek wore nothing but a smile. It was getting on her nerves.


    ¡°Oh, come on Ceila! You know how time and opportunities go. You can glare all you want. That''s just how benefits and power rule this world, and my actions go along with it. It is how things are. This world is full of it, and you know it more than enough. You may not know the bigger picture, or you fear to see the honesty this world provides, but you must have some clarity about the worst that could happen. If not, we call it naivety. You locals are sometimes all of that alone. Hasn''t your Lady said nothing to you? Grown you like a pig instead, I bet. A lot too. I can see that.¡± Uzbek scoffed at her and backed away a step when she almost slammed into him when she stepped forward.


    ¡°Hearing that from a lunatic is the most moronic sequence of words I''ve ever heard.¡± She said coldly.


    ¡°Ever? Doubted that. There were¡ª¡± A swing of a spear passed his head, but he ducked down, dodging it by a thread of his hair.


    ¡°Please, not my hair,¡± he begged. ¡°I see how your head goes. Sure as the steps. Some things never change, huh?¡± Uzbek sighted and touched his chin in wonder when he backed more than enough steps to go away from her spear. ¡°Doing the guarding work is not my specialty, but seeing you is a fine addition to the whole picture. Means Vermillion is interested. A worthy information that must make lots of heads turn. I wonder how many.¡±


    ¡°Enough with the chit-chat.¡± She said and picked her spear up towards his face. It was longer than he thought, because her arms were long, making her reach quite large. The sharp and thin spear''s tip pointed toward his golden eyes, ready to pierce one, but he wasn''t thinking about that.


    ¡°What do you want from this unnecessary trouble of coming here? Stop me? Go past me? I am just sitting there like a dog, doing nothing but standing. Truly. Sitting too, if you want to join.¡± Uzbek excused himself once more, uttering nonsense that did seem sincere, but Ceila was already catching on not trusting his words.


    He was full of shit, almost blundering away from reality. Stalling. Filler. That was what he was doing because he wasn''t in a hurry. His purpose was there in this sand, making him free like nothing in this place.


    Being a guarding dog meant to do one or two things: secure the position around Death Valley, which, in his case, should be more them possible as a whole. This included the potential return of Razmund''s little prey, which may be forced to give up and go back to the surface. Usually, that meant going out with a style, straight out of the front door, or from a random Portal in Death Valley.


    The second issue was right before him: Helpers, or indirect ones that were to stir troubles or hope to force some opportunity against Razmund''s side. They could be various, out of the picture. Vermillion was about that alone, for now.


    Helpers were almost impossible to pick in the temple anyway. It was an enormous advantage Razmund currently had by picking his choices before coming here. Murai had nobody since he was alone ever since the 1st part of the Encounter started. Add to that his vision of the Encounter lacked a certain assistance, it truly resembled a hunt, rather than sides that were equal.


    Uzbek knew what to expect because it was only fitting for the Encounter to possess a variety of politics, problems, and faces. He was also that since he accepted his prose as a Helper, even though it was questionable because of his level that should''ve made the other side viable to the same standards. Still, his pledge was accepted, for whatever reason.


    Maybe because of Vermillion? That would answer something. After all, who was he looking at right now? 2nd Sun. Her favorite.


    Uzbek saw the resolve, but also the lack of means in Ceila''s head. Those were interesting, telling of many things even if she didn''t speak of them at all. She knew less than he thought, which was weird.


    As Vermillion''s toy, he bet on his success that her church would mean major troubles. But here he was, speaking to the 2nd in official command of Vermillion Church and no one else. There was no indication of anything else, so that answered and raised other troubles or questions.


    As far as the constant shift of information from long-range communication construct went, nothing about Vermillion Church, nor the Suns changed. He didn''t know what was happening against Razmund''s side, or beyond the bigger picture. Razmund had already gone into the temple a long time ago, so that was great. It left him to do his assignment.


    The idea of more foes coming to Murai''s side was a small chance, that had validity to its claims. Vermilion may be neutral, but no church was a simple place.


    In fact, the mere presence of the side of the Encounter in Vermillion Mansion was interesting prose, but Uzbek didn''t know the full details about Murai at all. He heard enough from Razmund, who spoke of even more confusing things, like mentioning Dark Mages, Anatidaes, and after some digging and a week later, Vermillion herself.


    Ceila was someone whose experience could lead even armies to war, and they already pissed her off. It wasn''t because they feared that, or didn''t mean that. It was an inevitable part of the bigger picture that happened outside of their views and plans. Uzbek accepted it for what it was, like others did.


    But he couldn''t move past some of these points forward. Ceila was exactly that kind of a problem they feared. A terrific opponent.


    This situation called for weird choices, and currently, the issues pertaining to her interests were driven by him alone. No one else will come here, probably.


    Uzbek couldn''t stop smiling because no matter how he glared at the spear, with some glances beyond, he had to stop her.


    ¡°Stopping you seems like an ideal choice, Ceila. I do have the ability for that, but not the others around. Though, it doesn''t matter. This is an Encounter of my student. You won''t make a fuss about it, or out of it. Go it? You won''t.¡± Uzbek said and turned a bit more serious, continuing before she even spoke or poked his head with a spear. ¡°You wonder why, right? At the other end of this conflict is a whole lot of problems. Variables that those beyond decide, or ignore, but it won''t concern us. Skies are still watching, you see? Voice is also listening.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know what that means. I trust they do exactly that. And they should remain on it forever.¡± Ceila smiled and stepped a few more times again, getting closer to him with her spear. Her aura shot up, and her level seemed disproportional to her actual power.


    Uzbek didn''t even flinch.


    ¡°If my bet is correct, I don''t need my Lady to get her Will to myself. I see the world with my eyes enough. Your side is afraid of the rules under the Encounter, yet still stirred them up and Breached more things than you deserved. 12 or so days for playful Hunt is there. Seems nasty, until you feel a whole lot of trouble that can come out of it since I''ve seen the other side. Both sides aren''t probably aware of the other''s secrets, but that is how Encounters goes.¡±


    ¡°Interesting idea.¡± Uzbek reckoned and felt how the spear came handful reach towards his face.


    ¡°I can butcher you all, wrapped by my Lady''s previous Will or not. That can be a perfect excuse to work, and killing a lot of people from the Centralis Kingdom will put a new page to this whole mess. A true and proper start, wouldn''t you say?¡±


    Uzbek coughed, clearing his throat, and taking a step backward. ¡°You see, that sounds reasonable when you put it that way. I am listening and can''t help to wonder what else you know. Care to continue? Should I take a book to make notes?¡± he smirked, though Ceila ignored his last words.


    ¡°The methods may be sinful and wrong. If the other end of the Encounter is used by me, we are talking about completely different things,¡± she said. ¡°From what you''ve already told, a whole Tier A nation is behind it, so who else but certain somebody stirs threads behind the scenes? That reaks of Gods. Truly.¡±


    ¡°Oh, for once, you surprise me.¡± he held up a sword beside his hip but didn''t draw it. ¡°A hunch, right? Or you Lady?¡±


    ¡°Well, you lot already used some methods to get advantages before it even started, so it isn''t hard to guess them. Just... the fact that you stand where you are is an answer, considering the other side. Using the Encounter for whatever it meant isn''t fine, yet it is. How suspicious. Solving this issue first is my priority, and what then is up with the rest of you?¡±


    ¡°It''s eat or be eaten world. Quite simple. A game of mouse and a cat. Kill or be caught. Eat or¡ª¡± A swing of a spear shut his words again, making him dodge for his life and his hair.


    ¡°Shut up with those excuses. I won''t let you eat me up ever again.¡±


    ¡°...but last time was¡ª¡± Uzbek''s words were cut short for no other reason than taunts. A thin-looking, slightly crimson and wet sharp object was closing on his neck. The spear''s tip was the sharpest object he had seen, making the 20 centimeters long edge not that bad either. It almost tasted his flesh, but he swayed his head back, dodging it by a thread. ¡°Sorry, I spoke unwarranted words,¡± He mumbled but knew he wasn''t.


    ¡°You are good at it. So?¡±


    ¡°What are you here for again? We keep talking as if you wan¡ª¡± A spear sliced forth again. This time thrice, wheezing through the air and going against Uzbek who jumped away with his whole body, pirouetting like a ballerina.


    ¡°Like an eel. An annoying eel.¡± Ceila grunted. ¡°I want simple things: to make myself part of this mess and make you suffer the consequences of messing with my Will and my Lady. The second thing is my student being a scapegoat. A variable that you used, forced, and kept alive. That is a guaranteed fact from the way you''ve spoken, so one way or another, I will make you regret it. You or the city, or your little ass.¡± She readied her spear as she spoke, gathering mana around it of bright and almost velvety tone.


    Uzbek sweated a bucket, whistling and clapping his hands. ¡°Excellent tone. For you, but you alone? You see, Tier A power can offer many things. And it isn''t something that a measly neutral Church can offend.¡±


    ¡°So what? Do you think I am not enough?¡±


    ¡°I didn''t say that. I am fairly certain how handful you ar¡ª¡± Uzbek twisted the spear''s edge away with his sword that he unknowingly forced from the scabbard. He was unwilling to feel the edge of the spear with his skin for real. ¡°...but the temple¡ª¡± He tried to change the subject, but she wasn''t listening, swiping the spear toward his neck, mouth, eyes, or his legs.


    Dozens of exchanges occurred in under a couple of seconds, letting foot techniques, striking techniques, and defensive techniques shine.


    ¡°What about it? I can turn that place upside down too if I had to. My Lady won''t complain. She will love that idea!¡± Ceila argued while striving forward, slashing with her spear at his sword.


    ¡°Her? You kidding? That would turn this whole mess a bit worse, don''t you think? We are already making sure not to involve a whole lot of forces with our purposes. It goe¡ª¡±


    ¡°With what?¡± She spoke when Uzbek stopped his words.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    He cursed, noticing his loose tongue that spoke without thinking.


    ¡°My Lady wouldn''t care about worsening already bad attitude between her and Levandis if you meant that. That is, if you mean what you said, but I doubt it is what you meant. Is it some order? Task? Price? Which Gods are involved?¡±


    ¡°Anyway!¡± Uzbek laughed, hoping to change the subject when she stopped her attacks. He backed far enough from her spear again. ¡°If your Lady would go to such lengths, it means a lot of things. I wonder how peculiar of a mess she is willing to swallow if you are getting involved.¡±


    ¡°Enough to let you bleed dry.¡±


    ¡°I would bleed for anyone. You incl¡ª¡± He dodged another powerful swipe of a spear wrapped in wild surging mana waves. It appeared out of nowhere. leaving a blood mark on his cheek. ¡°I deserved that one.¡± He licked his cheek, brandishing his sword before his face. ¡°Want to hear something funny? Rumors of Godrick?¡± He changed the subject.


    And Ceila seized the bait.


    ¡°Godrick? What about that lunatic?¡±


    ¡°A week ago, he returned alive and well,¡± Uzbek revealed a piece of information that Ceila took for a warning. That wasn''t good. Godrick was a very sensitive topic. Years ago, he traveled to a very distant place, forming no group to finish one of the most difficult dungeons in the Battleworld. The fact that he returned was already a good indication of troubles brewing.


    Now, of all times?


    A week ago?


    Calling it a coincidence or surprising wasn''t an understatement. She believed in no coincidences. Not in this world.


    ¡°And what does he have to do with any of this? His shenanigans are known across the continents, but in this way, you mean it as a threat?¡±


    ¡°Yes. A threat is a good term. He voiced interest in involvement. For whatever reason.¡±


    ¡°He did, or something forced him?¡±


    ¡°No idea. I am sure it was meant for the latter parts, of course. Right now, it''s not right to be so direct, especially since it is that Lunatic. Every place is looking at the bigger picture, you see? Like you. Everyone is waiting. Watching.¡±


    ¡°What do you know? Haven''t you told me that you and your little city want to prevent that?¡±


    ¡°Wants are desires. Reality is something else. There are a whole lot of things that are happening in this continent, let alone the whole world.¡± Uzbek calmly said, figuring that talking like this was too much, but he couldn''t stall forever. Thankfully, the sky was changing and white storms were brewing.


    It was about a time. ¡°Well, maybe other Suns are doing something behind the scenes as well, but you do you, and I like this fact about you. So direct and fierce.¡± He cheered with a smile and unchanging tone. He even tried to raise his fingers towards Ceila''s face, but a spear obscured his path.


    ¡°So, should I take your words for a thread not to get myself involved this time around because of some fear? Should I go to the capital and get my student directly, so my involvement would diminish the other sources of this Encounter? Hence, you will basically have no one powerful enough to obscure your path towards seizing the winning change?¡± She read the bigger picture, reading between the lines of what Uzbek revealed on his own accord.


    ¡°Hm? Yes. That sounds about right. Do all of that. Sure. Sure. Go ahead.¡± He nodded twice.


    ¡°Are you dumb?!¡± she swiped the ground, almost slashing his legs open but he jumped up and defended when a spear trusted to his chest, shredding his uniform, and leaving blood marks after dozens of thrusts. Blades connected, and two separated. ¡°I still refuse to participate in your ideas, Uzbek.¡±


    ¡°I also expected that.¡±


    ¡°Why so afraid to speak sense? Involving a child is a no-no. You will speak up for this.¡±


    ¡°Who says the word afraid?¡± Uzbek raised his brows, squinting his eyes unhappily toward her when he backed and landed on the sand. ¡°I see the world clearly, while you don''t. Never heard of the Hidden Society?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then no wonder. It''s part of why Godrick is interested.¡±


    Ceila fell into momentary silence, thinking about whatever this Hidden Society was. It sounded fairly secretive; unknown to her, which wasn''t that strange.


    The Vermillion Church had a lot of information sources of all kinds throughout the Battleworld, but it was by no means enveloping every nook and cranny of every continent. It was barely enough to cover most of the Somalis, and that was already a great achievement,


    5 large continents took up this world known as Battleworld.


    And enormous lands of water surrounded them all.


    For some abnormal Extremes, traveling between them was as easy as stepping into a neighborhood, but for others, it was an unsurpassable wall and passage they shouldn''t cross. Hidden Society could be a foreign power, involving a whole lot of things that she had no idea about. If it involved Godrick, it should be that.


    There seemed to be an organization that piqued the interest of a Lunatic himself. Calling her surprised and afraid was the basic principle of honesty.


    ¡°Why are you telling me that?¡±


    ¡°Because I want to. It''s important. Not me. Not the Encounter.¡±


    ¡°For whom then? Me? You jest. You care about Centralis Kingdom and nothing else. Stalling too. You kept blabbering about nonsense and didn''t take my spear or presence seriously. Is something happening with the temple? Where are the guards, or the party?¡±


    ¡°Where indeed.¡± he swung his arms around, wondering about it himself since his involvement with the temple was nonexistent. But he had his hunch.¡°True. You are right. I care about me and those dear to me. You are no different.¡± Uzbek winced his shoulders, turning his face to walk beside the dead Falconers.


    Ceila let him do that, watching how he crouched and began caressing the bloody hole in his face that looked blankly toward the sky.


    ¡°It''s funny. When met with the End, one can look at the sky yet see nothing. Yet, when alive, we see nothing but the sky, yet we still see nothing.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Ceila said, unaware of his intentions.


    ¡°That you think too much into it, without seeing the bigger picture.¡± Uzbek got up, turning his body quite fast to clutter his cloak, revealing the second scabbard around his waist, he quickly swiped his hand forward and pointed upwards. ¡°I heed your call. Judge!¡± He whispered.


    In the blink, Ceila watched how the world turned stiff, and lightning storms spread around the sky like cracked glass. Authority stopped her mana, and actions and crashed her spirit.


    She didn''t notice it before, but after Uzbek pointed it out, she turned her head up. A light emerged from the storm, forming something that Ceila feared to her core. A Judge descended. A taker of the rules this world acted with.


    It almost turned her eyes obsolete, but her aura kept rising around her but it crumbled because of Judge''s Authority that descended to the mortal world.


    A Halo: A depiction of the Judge''s construct and token of their power. It was a humongous ring, swirling in a quick motion of white light, descending along the Judge down.


    A youthful girl was sitting on top of it, appearing like an ant sitting on a cut-down tree.


    She was whistling and singing some song, watching the storm above her head. while uncaring of what went below. She wore a simple long white robe, which fluttered in the storm, but her youth and voice were like bolts of lighting. Ceila heard her voice and watched her in fright. Uzbek was grinning like a child who got away with murder.


    Judge''s Halo stopped hundreds of meters above Death Valley; its presence alone cracked the ground and changed the shape of many dunes.


    Sandstorms ceased away in the entire Death Valley, but nothing else was apparent from the point of the Sky or the Depths. Nobody from the Hell Haven made their move. Even the Sky remained tranquil, apart from the Judge''s appearance, who came from the Sky.


    Judges were independent forces and were mainly from the Sky, which was nothing but a nickname for many Divine Kingdoms of many Gods. They were takers of Order from countless Divine Kingdoms, living in their lofty palaces in the Divine Spheres. Regardless of the factions or politics, Judges were like enforcers.


    They were protectors of rules, and their involvement was touching the Order. They appeared when something unkept happened, or many rules were Breached. Their appearances were either part of God''s Wrath, tough to handle Breaches, or when two forces clashed without proper rules, or reasons that went against various rules.


    What went outside of it? Ceila never in her wildest dreams imagined a Judge descending for a mere 1st Part of the Encounter.


    There was no reason why a Judge should''ve appeared for her anyway, so what did it mean? They wouldn''t descend because of nothing. Their presence and status were important like Laws.


    Every one of their descent was to stop something or punish something. It was never nice. Most times, their Messenger was enough instead for a Judge to descend, but Ceila thought of it differently. She had seen this Judge before.


    This divine character, albeit young-looking, was a God of some Path that involved Order to ridiculous proportions.


    She didn''t know her name. Just an alias was fortunate to understand because Vermillion told her to be careful of her. It was never a good idea to go into Judge''s bad look, even though there was no bias. Only rules and Order.


    Whitesnow was her godly alias, which many Gods took for their time above the Battleworld. It wasn''t usual for them to go by their regular names, but sometimes, they were useless. A simple nickname to go along their Path was often enough, as they were masters of their Paths. Sometimes, they could even forget their own names, making the nicknames or titles important.


    Gods were already closing on immortality, so it was no wonder.


    Whitesnow kept singing a song, but those below her couldn''t understand a word of her chirping. It seemed inhuman and complicated to understand the words, let alone sentences, and what they meant. It either spoke of the Laws she mastered, or she was singing for the betterment of her mood or work.


    Either way, she stopped in a while and gazed down. Her eyes were white, with black dots in the middle. Her snowy hair flickered by the wind, and her white eyelashes went along her alias. ¡°Listen... Listen... I heard a story. Once, or thousands of times.¡± she began her message, speaking playfully and calmly. Her voice carried special power and authority, shuddering both of the figures below, and even one hiding in the temple. ¡°Work is due, so how about the proper way of the fate? It is annoying to descend for no apparent reason, you see.¡±


    Ceila shuddered in disappointment. Her gaze was on Whitesnow, who restrained her powers and words. She was here to stop her. Ceila realized that but how can a Judge do that, or why? She wasn''t doing much... or.. was it because Uzbek was a Helper? She had no idea if he was, but if he was, that answered a lot of things.


    It seemed her thoughts were seen by Whitesnow, who sighed on top of her Halo, before conveying the message that her Messenger couldn''t do.


    ¡°Child named Ceila, a subject of Vermillion. You overstep the boundaries of rules.¡± Whitesnow said, speaking in annoyance as if she didn''t want to be here, let alone speak.


    ¡°Why?¡± Ceila asked with a simple forced word.


    There was a reason for every Judge''s descent.


    Whitesnow rested her pale hands on her knees, sitting at the very edge of the Halo. She looked down, knowing everything she should from her position and reasons. ¡°Encounter and Rules are stating the options and reasons. You shouldn''t be here.¡±


    ¡°Here? What is the Centralis doing then, hm?¡±


    ¡°That isn''t for you to question, child,¡± she said to her coldly. ¡°Rules are there to provide Order. If someone won''t comply, then we move. Simple.¡±


    ¡°Then why did no warning go along the Battleworld?¡± Ceila wondered that since Lia did get a warning, but she didn''t. Unfortunately, Whitesnow didn''t know the answer to what Ceila wanted.


    This went behind the other reasons, that moved behind the veil that Lordis kept for himself. Whitesnow was just a proxy to some rules that moved this situation. She meant to protect her job and force those who ignored the rules, even though a lot of them were complicated.


    And there were a lot of complications that even Whitesnow hated with a passion.


    Whitesnow thought for a second before continuing. ¡°A question shall have an answer when Order is tight. Not now... You overstepped and swept the rules tight. Understood?¡± she pointed at her, a snowy globe of light forming on her finger. ¡°It ought to be better. Tighter. Especially as a subject of God''s hopes for the Ascend. That is why you won''t make trouble. Not in front of a Helper and that messed-up temple.¡±


    Ceila didn''t say a word to her back and glanced at Uzbek who wasn''t part of the conversation. Not directly, at least. He was just toying with the rules, and Whitesnow was just a proxy to them.


    ¡°Just give up.¡± Those were the last words Ceila heard from him before the snowy light enveloped her vision. When she regained her eyes, she was no longer at the Death Valley, but at the edges of the Seventh Death Forest.


    ¡°Fuck! That asshole!¡± She punched the tree, obliterating it to smithereens. ¡°Who did they pay? What rules and bullshit have they moved away? Judge? Why did this go this way when...¡± She stopped speaking, knowing that finding sense in this was as hard as going against the Judge.


    She should be questioning her ascend, but it was irrational. She knew someone who could find some sense in this topic. Her Lady. Ceila gritted her teeth and disappeared into the forest, but not to the direction of the Death Valley.


    She had work to do.


    And she wasn''t giving up.


    ***


    Before the temple; above the massive Halo that was at least a few hundred meters wide, Uzbek happily turned his face to Whitesnow. ¡°Gratitude.¡± He bowed and waved a hand at her.


    She flicked her head away, annoyed. ¡°Work ought to be finer. Tighter. This is just a trail that needed a fix. Not something that you need a concert for, but the rules are there...¡±


    ¡°..to protect the world. I know.¡± Uzbek finished her sentence, which she didn''t like. Whitesnow snorted and folded her arms around her chest. She glared up, chin high, and moved her Halo back to the sky. ¡°Don''t think that paying with the rules is fine, humans. The Sky is watching. Us too. Lordis... too much.¡± Her words drifted until her voice carried no meaning.


    Uzbek saw how the ascend went as quickly as the descent, and before he knew it, the Death Valey returned to normalcy. It will take a while before the sandstorms will spread around the dunes, turning this place back to its chaotic state.


    He returned his sword back to the scabbard and sighed after this weird endeavor that he kind of feared. He didn''t truly understand what went on in the Sky. Few truly did in the mortal realms, Zendurion included.


    Unless they had confirmation from the Voice or some God, it was hard to trust some information.


    So Uzebk gambled on using the rules as a scapegoat, while his status was high enough to move it around. But he didn''t expect a Judge to appear. Messenger would''ve been enough. He was above the upper level anyway, so what happened was something he didn''t expect.


    ¡°So, a Lordis, hm? Rules are meant to be broken, or something above changed? She didn''t mention much. She just moved Ceila away without stating a warning either. Not even a word about Vermillion or Voice either. Weird.¡± He whispered to himself and yawned loudly as he stretched his arms high. ¡°That went better than expected. Alright, folks!¡± He turned to his men who long ago collapsed to the ground, unconscious.


    They woke up after some kicks and Uzbek''s words, shuddering involuntarily. They were fine, but their heads were numb. They had plenty of experiences with meeting powerful foes, yet feeling someone like a Judge¡ªwhose powers were completely inconvincible to the naked eye¡ªwasn''t fine for anyone below Extreme.


    They all lost their minds before even glancing at her, however.


    Even Ceila was unexpected to them. Was it the spear that made her dangerous, her aura or eyes? Nah, they doubt that was everything they felt. That spear was like a stick for her, but a powerful spear to a regular man.


    ¡°I expect some order here, but our objective still holds the truth,¡± Uzbek said the remaining men, whose morale hit rock bottom. ¡°You will be handsomely compensated for these efforts. It goes out of Razmund''s pockets anyway, so not like my words warrant anything.¡± Uzbek laughed, scratching his head.


    He looked in the temple''s direction, noticing many lights on the pillars, as well as a figure hiding further into the entrance.


    Thar was standing in the midst of the dense darkness, taking everything into his soul. He was questioning his gladness that he overstepped the boundaries. The Judge noticed him for sure, yet didn''t make a move.


    ¡°Oho? That one... is watching too?¡± Uzbek asked himself, but Thar disappeared to the unknown. ¡°Hm. I wonder how it goes down below, and whether Razmund''s plan will be even successful. My boy isn''t the brightest in terms of plans. He uses brute strength and rough power to deal with any consequences and then, he thinks. This time will be no different. Making Hell Party can only come up in his sort of mind.¡±


    ¡°S-sir?¡± One of the Falconers forced his hesitation away to speak up.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°S-sir.. Your b-bottom,¡± the knight shuddered again, making Uzbek look down below. His precious trousers, made of Heavenly Silk and Thunderdust Gold revealed a clean cut, exposing his intact underwear in a bright golden color.


    ¡°Oh my... How embarrassing.¡± Uzbek seemed unbothered but still covered himself up by his cloak. ¡°Not a word, ok?¡± he said to the Falconers, who all shuddered in fear. They had no choice but to consider his words to be another rule of their lives.


    ***


    Down below, at the end of the Gate 1. Murai found plenty of interesting things in the Vault, but none were as amazing to shatter his current expectations.


    Each treasure, technique, Tome, or material had a specific price that was easily visible below them. Some ranged from hundreds of points, but a whole lot of them cost thousands. It was at least easy to view all the information, making shopping easier so one can buy what one could.


    Lorry explained to him the rules what went along with the points and his accomplishments. The Vault had many useful goods, but there were so many of them, that no one could pick them all.


    Every little thing had at least a dozen variants, making shopping more complicated, since there were a lot of things one had to consider. For Murai, his opportunities and possibilities were endless and limited because of his body and points.


    His experiences in many things showed his worth in most of his lives, so he knew what to look for. He bought 5 pouches of Low-Grade 7 essences. Those were natural and found in nature, so none of them would crumble apart by being out in the world. They had a vision of a glossy sphere, no more than a couple of fingers in diameter.


    There were also rough crystals that embodied what made mana essences special and long-lasting investments. They looked like shards of ice.


    As expected, this world had essences in many shapes, rules, and sizes.


    He will use them to adjust the concerns of his Artifical Core. Each pouch was 200 points, which wasn''t that bad, considering the price corresponded to worthwhile rewards. Each had 5 essences, so that meant 1000 points for 25 Low-Grade 7 essences, or 2 and a half Middle-Grade 7s. It was well worth buying them all, but 1000 points were the limit he decided to spend after Lorry explained to him that these things are quite easy to acquire by Demonic Armies and even further into the temple.


    Armies had a simple premise: plundering the human world, so they made up these rewards in this Vault by more than 70%.


    Lorry also mentioned that down below, there were much more chances at getting better essences, the further he went. It definitely hyped him up.


    5 pouches. Each has around... How was I even counting the essences before? It used to be... pinky, palm, fistful in size. How was that again...?¡± Murai wondered about some of his past lives, but at this point, Lisa floated toward him, shouting something to his head.


    ¡°I found it.¡±


    ¡°Hm? What?¡± He turned his head, standing on top of a large table.


    ¡°A Tome.¡±


    ¡°Mana Tome? For me? Do you even...¡±


    ¡°Shut up and come with me.¡± She barked at him. ¡°I am sure this is something that may be useful to you.¡± For once, Lisa seemed agitated and hesitated very little with her words. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grabbing Murai by his beak, he shut up as she forced him towards the opposite side of the room. There, she let him see a series of well-kept Tomes, wrapped in the leather, glittering behind a glossy panel. It protected them; letting them shine.


    ¡°Those?¡±


    ¡°Not those. Those..¡± Lisa pointed to rather pathetic-looking tomes that were part of more tattered tomes as a support for a broken shelf. Each was worn down, stacked on top of one another, making the covers not visible, but the sides had some information. Each looked like dogshit. They had no aura, or power at all. They weren''t even under any formation, or protection.


    ¡°Are you serious? It looks like I pooped on them.¡± Murai argued, yet still went to look at them closely. ¡°Wait...¡± he halted. ¡°Do I even poop?¡± He shuddered as if he realized a worldly secret.

 Chapter 121: A peculiar Mana Tome

    This was the first time in her memory that Lisa couldn''t come up with anything reasonable to say. Any answer lost its meaning when she wanted to tell it out loud. She looked at Murai as if he asked the most ridiculous thing, but didn''t know the answer to that. She silently watched him, as he stood there before those tomes, uncaring about them.


    ¡°No... Seriously, do I not?¡± Murai quacked again, blatant that pooping was an issue.


    ¡°Don''t care...¡± Lisa sighed and pointed to the shelves. ¡°Focus. We have something good before us that is more important than your shit.¡±


    Murai opened his beak to make a statement but halted himself before doing something that he would''ve probably regretted. He straightened his neck, shook his feathers, and almost slammed his head down in a try to calm his head. He refrained from this move out of respect for the furniture, so he glanced at the tomes.


    The covers on most of them looked like shit. That was the right truth as they were in terrible condition. They were right before the ones that were looking crisp, clean, and glittering in mana and quality. A crisp condition was for those worthy of some attention or history.


    It was clear someone hated these dogshit tomes, so using them as a support for a shell provided their worth enough. It was a bit laughable and sad. They were placed directly beside the pretty-looking ones, reminding Murai how pitiful some things can be, but who was to change or question it? This was only fitting reality, and how worth spoke of age and quality.


    Useless things were often ignored, or forgotten. There was no such thing as an ideal world. Such things happen all the time and everywhere.


    ¡°Hm? These things?¡± Murai walked closer, glancing at those tomes that Lisa pointed at. They were looking more than enough for a support of the shelf, as far as his eyes went. But as his eyes cast no doubt, he felt nothing out of them even with his Sonar.


    ¡°Are they good? Is it up to your taste?¡± Lisa spoke again.


    ¡°It really smells like dogshit too. Impressive.¡± Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°...¡± Lisa smacked Murai at the corner of his beak, leaving the spatial pouch on the table. She made him focus when she grasped his head with both of her hands.


    Voiceless, she spoke thousands of words with her face alone: serious, ashen-looking, and angry at the same time. She was making Murai understand that some things didn''t have to make sense. He wasn''t that either sensible either from his core, so who was he kidding?


    ¡°Right. A Mana Tome is a Mana Tome. A magical tool of dogshit. Why are you doing this anyway? It looks like they went through the digestive system of dozens of cows at least.¡±


    ¡°Doesn''t matter how many. What''s inside is still fine, no matter the cycles, years, cows, or piglets. Got it?¡± She said coldly.


    ¡°Are you telling me to not judge a book by its cover?¡±


    ¡°No. I am forcing it on your head. Just look at yourself, a cover speaks dozens of words, while literal heavenly libraries are in your head. So carry on before I will make you change your head.¡±


    ¡°Great... Now, you are forcing me...¡± He forced himself free, but she kept her hands close to his beak. ¡°I thought I would have to force you to talk... but then, you are still yourself.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to think? What about me?¡± She didn''t let him go, hoping for a change.


    ¡°Haven''t you said something about willingness to talk about some secrets? Or talk when I finish Gate 1?¡±


    ¡°Have I sai...¡±


    ¡°Lorry is fairly certain that Lisa said something like that,¡± Lorry added, floating above them, which ended up angering Lisa so she shot him an annoyed glance. ¡°Promise speaks the rules, or so it is said in many Hell Havens. Even Chaos needs them.¡± He added.


    Lisa let Murai''s beak alone in order to fly upwards to slam Lorry across the room, which ended up cracking her spirit and shattering her arm. ¡°Tsh..¡± she grunted. ¡°So much for this body. Can''t even smack a clown.¡±


    Murai sighed, ignoring the clowns above him. He observed the tomes before his face more throughout their appearance, but he had no idea which one Lisa meant to show him. Each looked like dogshit anyway, but some of them may hold some secrets since they were all old.


    And old things could mean complications or various issues, but also secrets. However, they were left out as support for a shelve for a reason. No one wanted them, so they were useless. They could be also so old, that nothing inside of them even mattered. Their magic may have long lost its uses, their truths failed to be conveyed enough, or pages became tatters.


    Their usefulness was thus, lacking like their appearance. Using them as support for bookshelves would then be more than fitting.


    He used his Mana Sonar quite a few times just in case, feeling the tomes in a surge of Sonar that allowed him to perceive anything under this wave of mana. There was some mana within them, but it seemed old, barely holding on. #


    The Soul Read could also provide some benefits. It wasn''t useless, because some Mana Tomes could have soul imprints, which he can discover thanks to this ability. He did feel one in Rudolf''s Tome for example. That one had an old imprint, which was a fancy term for the signature and intent of a mage. Those generally lasted for much longer than mana, but Murai couldn''t feel anything out of those tomes in terms of soul powers.


    These before his face didn''t have anything great, as far as their senses went. It may change if he opens them, just like with Rudolf''s tome.


    Waves of Sonar went ahead, and not once, or twice. He was curious but felt nothing specific. He was happy to experiment with his new ability, so he took his time and even concentrated on those pretty tomes before this shelve. They were more vivid, and even his Soul Read felt some shimmers of intent that were like thin whispers.


    If he truly tensed up, it worked much better than before.


    Alas, glaring at them was useless, let alone reading them with his Soul Read. Their mere price was in thousands of points; few were even above 5000. He didn''t want to waste too much time on them since he couldn''t buy them.


    Those acting as the support of the shelves were weird choices since they had no price, so he turned up to Lisa once more.


    ¡°Alright. I am listening. Come down and talk. Secrets or not, you are talking and acting for a reason. Right?¡± He spoke to her through his Will, watching how her cracked hand folded back together from the light of her body. It had some lesser physicality afterward, but without Soul Read, he would''ve noticed nothing. It was like watching the water droplet repair itself. He couldn''t feel much out of her otherwise, and he didn''t want to use Sonar on her without thinking.


    Lisa floated down, flicking her arms around her chest, and flashing her body which looked like a long dress she didn''t deserve. She pointed to the pile of old Mana Tomes. ¡°So, have you seen them, and felt them with your new things?¡±


    ¡°Should I''ve not?¡±


    ¡°I mean... Seeing them is useless. What about the feelings?¡±


    ¡°Can''t tell you much, can''t I? Stop being so mysterious. Tell me what you are getting out of this. I don''t like a waste.¡±


    ¡°Then you are probably hating yourself...¡± She mumbled and went to the pile where she struggled to revive one of the tomes she recognized. Others besides this one were useless to her. She couldn''t move it with such a body, so Murai had to help.


    A surprising amount of patience and care went into picking an old-looking Mana Tome out of this pile. It was thin, hidden beneath all of the filth of others. It was so thin, pressed like a piece of wood, but it was a tome with some paper pages that were still apparent and firm. They were not wooden pages, that some of the older and more ancient races used for pages.


    ¡°Oh, impressive. Now I see that dogshit may be a dogshit in disguise. Impressive.¡± Murai still joked, speaking of excrement as if it was the only thing he was thinking about. Alas, he couldn''t help but notice something that surprised him, when the tome flew out of the pile, the cover was visible under the light.


    This tome was about Magic Technique and not one for a Spell.


    Magic Technique was a term for the fundamental structures of magic, and those would be often very expensive since they touched on something specific. Those could be core-focused techniques, ranging from breathing exercises and cycling mantras to full-blown magic Paths. Those that focused on Mana Cores were impressive, along with all kinds of Handler types of techniques.


    Magic Technique Tomes were extremely potent because they took a long time to develop. Calling them significantly important for every mage wasn''t far-fetched. It was their blood and sweat, and taking and finding a good technique could help a new mage advance leaps and bounds faster than without them.


    They could also include Shaping or even Conjuring styles of countless kinds. They were the foundation, whilst Spell Tomes were directly helping a mage figure out some specific spell in a short time. Those would be less complicated, often sold and viewed like currency, as Spells were immediate help, while Technique Tomes were the foundation.


    Such help in the long run gave a clear edge over the major hurdles of magic. There were countless potential bottlenecks, and having a strong foundation early on helped solve or diminish their troubles.


    They made learning countless times more efficient, depending on the grade of the Magic Technique Tome. That included all sorts of things, but it generally didn''t provide too deep of a look at many Spells in detail. Rudolf''s Tome was also Technique kind of a tome, but it was much throughout in its structure. It had some spells within it too, but that was only because of the tome itself, which was fairly advanced and special.


    Rudolf made a full-on Ancestral Technique Tome, which was a rundown of his Path, its intricacies, magic, and whatever he could''ve found. It was of high quality, including affinities, troubles of his magic, and everything that came out of his Path.


    Even a clueless mage would learn much from it, but Murai will never figure that time ever again. He won''t be a beginner ever again. Not with his soul full of memories.


    The Spell Tomes created and taught powerful and more direct knowledge about specific spells. In the case of this tome before his beak, it was something quite interesting. There was a name for it that was previously hiding below a pile of trash.: Heavenly Shaping.


    Two words were glowing beneath the dust, scratching the cover that only a powerful sense could see. His Mana Sonar did, but it looked like someone truly took shit on it. It looked intentionally damaged. Ordinary eyes didn''t see the name, but it went ahead under his all-out Mana Sonar efforts. It did hurt his brain and head, but the pain was temporary.


    Anyone else shouldn''t even care about it, since it was looking many millennia old.


    ¡°Heavenly Shaping? Huh? No points under it...¡± Murai almost sighed and glared at Lorry who was returning from his quick flight over the room. He chortled something along the lines of complaints but seemed intrigued by looking at that piece of shit.


    ¡°Oho? An old trash? Interesting.¡±


    ¡°What is the price?¡± Lisa asked him.


    ¡°Could be various. How about 2400?¡± Lorry chuckled.


    ¡°That''s like... almost everything I am left with!¡±


    ¡°That means you will take it? I wasn''t sure before.¡± Lisa innocently said.


    ¡°Th... This expensive thing? This dogsh... tome?¡±


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°No, Murai Hisagi. It''s actually very cheap. Technique Tome won''t come so pitifully cheap. That never happens. So much so, that it makes me kind of suspicious... Do you want to get rid of it, Lorry? I never figured the price of this before, you see? It was useless to me, like to many others.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what did b.... Lisa thought of this before? Does Lisa know its truths, or how long it is even here? Is it a choice for Murai or Lisa? Let Lorry see.¡± He forced his way forward, moving closer to the tome even though he asked her questions which Lisa didn''t answer.


    Seeing the dogshit tome piqued his interest, as well as highlighted his laughter that began to echo in the room. ¡°What a bitch! Lisa is giving Murai this sort of thing? What a hilarious way to end this Gate. Lorry is dying!¡±


    Lisa gestured to Murai to ignore the laughing and annoying skull. Instead, she insisted on keeping his senses sharp to research this tome. She pointed to her head and flowed beside Murai and the Heavenly Shaping Tome.


    ¡°What made you think this is useful to me? Of course, I already know why you insisted on the left Vault. You''ve seen this before, didn''t you? Though of it too before we even came to this cave?¡± He asked through their connection, figuring that verbal talking was annoying all day long. Lorry was also loud, so this telepathic talking was rather useful in such conditions.


    ¡°No surprises here. You figured it, but it is about a few other things,¡± She said out loud.


    ¡°Are you gonna tell them or not?¡±


    ¡°Uhm... I will. Not out of respect for the previous things I''ve yet to tell, but because of you. It is the fundamental knowledge that you have about magic that is interesting. It''s magnificent, to say the least. Magic, techniques, or spells. You lack a few things, but the most crucial one bites your ass to no end. That is time, right behind the Beast Core itself. But those two are connected and put you at a vast disadvantage. Beast Core will calm down the further it goes, but as far as I see it in myself, it takes time and a large amount of issue because your soul and...¡± She hesitated.


    ¡°And what?¡±


    ¡°Your soul... Instincts of the Anatidae are nowhere in your body. No wonder you have had troubles for so long. Well... You will keep having some troubles one way or another, but I have no idea what will help you. Unfortunately Not even this could help, as it is individualistic what it could even do for you.¡±


    ¡°Huh? I guess that is not surprising. You had no clue about my circumstances since I have none either. If you would, that would be surprising. Is there anything else that you know? Any help?


    ¡°Nothing major that would shatter your head. You have your head.¡± Lisa said in her voice speaking to his head.


    ¡°Agreed. What about this tome?¡± He pointed down to the tattered cover with his beak.


    ¡°Heavenly Shaping already provides its worth by its name. You can see it like I did in the past. I think its worth will help you reshape your issues since I heard and know something about this Technique Tome from my past. No matter what is in your head, it will outstretch it, I reckon, but your Shaping is already extremely advanced.¡±


    ¡°Cuz Shaping is very related to feelings. My soul is stronger to make it work.¡±


    ¡°I acknowledge that, but it lacks the critical mass of its full potential. Why? I have known it for a long time and mentioned it before. It is because of your Beast Core that is yet to fuse right with your spirit, and the Core itself is wild. All Anatidaes are like that. Almost all of their magic potential is of a very chaotic element that stems from the quality of their bloodline, which serves as a catalyst for wild mana. I have no idea about your direct ancestors, but if anything, all Anatidaes that could lay an egg aren''t fine, let alone ordinary. Your Mother may be worthy of an Elder Name, you see.¡±


    ¡°So you are saying that my body is the biggest hurdle? Tell me something new... Please.¡± Murai sarcastically said.


    ¡°You lack time!¡± She argued.


    ¡°Says someone who was stealing my pile of pie. How or why? I don''t care about that any longer. Let''s be sufficient and efficient about it, alright?¡±


    ¡°I won''t deny that. I did what I did without seeking any sense of redemption.¡± Lisa said without a speck of shame. After this exchange, Lorry stopped laughing, noticing a total silence. He was left alone, since they both started to talk in their heads, making their conversation private so that Lorry wouldn''t hear them.


    ¡°So direct... and messy,¡± Murai said. ¡°No matter what, your succubus nature is showing its fangs to no end. I hope your soul will seek the salvation you deserve. Wait, you are already dead. I guess killing a soul isn''t really that great of an idea. Hehe.¡±


    Hearing his joking matter, Lisa smacked his beak again. ¡°Focus.¡±


    ¡°Until you tell me the logic behind this tome and your actions.¡± Murai sent back, resolutely looking into her eyes.


    ¡°F-fine... I would talk about it regardless of your problems. But before that another topic is... my guess?¡± She said, unsure and questioning even herself.


    ¡°Guess?¡±


    ¡°It''s your strange demeanor since I woke up along this temple I forced upon you. It has been not my intention, but this place can and will gift those worthy of challenging views. It attracts seekers of power. Mana Essences is one idea I had to strengthen your Core. It takes some precedence, but it is mainly what you do with this opportune that is in my mind.¡± Lisa kept her face close to him.


    ¡°What about them?¡±


    ¡°The thing that you do with those essences is weird. I see and feel it, yet I don''t understand it. But I see a power when I see it, and the truth behind it is less than comforting, I bet. You are quantifying your Beast Core by secondary Core, making some sort of fusion out of... or what? No idea, but I see problems straight away. It will cause instabilities, won''t it? It is dangerous... Very dangerous, as far as this heaven-defining technique you do goes.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I fear you didn''t understand it as high as I thought. Good, or not, it doesn''t matter. I am surprised by your worry, but it''s not warranted. What I do is something I already did before. That is all to it. I will continue on it by the way.¡±


    ¡°Before? Well, not like I can even remotely stop you, so whatever. How does it even work though? It needs... What does it even need?¡± She asked, agitated but curious like never before.


    Murai gave her no answer, so she took her guesses to the source.


    ¡°Does it need perfect handling of the dissolved Mana Essences within Mana Space? Is the fusion what is troublesome? Two Cores speaks of clear, to no clear troubles, fusions, and workings. Let alone one, there are already problems in upgrading or handling the Beast Core. Working with two? That sounds so hard in itself since the true Core shouldn''t like the presence of the other core. Shaping within the other could be harder because of it, or impossible, but again, you work just fine for some reason.


    Murai kept his silence in order to see the extend of her guesses.


    ¡°My guess is that you are distributing your care, Shaping them but under something... unfamiliar, and weird. Restrains? Cage? Formation? You are essentially trapping external essences in your mana space, outside of your main Core''s influence. Mana Essences went ahead, forming a core under your own eyes. How does that work? The start was peculiar... I remember how it went. You gobbled up those essences and into the mana space they went. Then you Shaped them in the middle of it, caring, or not caring at all about your Beast Core. You hoped it would work, and created an Artifical Core. What it does, I have no clue, but you do nothing with it apart from feeding it more essences.¡± Lisa made her guesses, speaking clearly and loudly to his head


    ¡°These are interesting guesses. All have some validation, which surprises me, since it answers you aren''t as stupid as you seem.¡° Murai nodded and heard her loud grunt. He insulted her at the end, which she didn''t like, but before she smacked his beak again, he asked. ¡°Have you ever heard of the dying stars?¡±


    ¡°A dying star? Like.. A star that is so old it''s on the brink of destruction? Those are Celestial Objects. A topic that isn''t fitting for normal stakes in the Path, let alone in talks of Mana Cores in the current era.¡±


    ¡°But you''ve heard of them. Does this world have what it takes to know it? Iris was clueless about it. More or less...¡±


    ¡°I am not her!¡± she argued. ¡°I mean... I am not a clueless brat.¡± She grunted and positioned her chin up.


    ¡°But you are right. A celestial object is unfathomable, similar to their End. It is a special occasion, full of light and countless mysteries. It is a true event of world-shattering properties. In this sense of my... explanation, I am creating something of that caliber. My Beast Core is yet to be stable so that is whatever. You''ve answered some of my wonders from before, so I appreciate them, even though they won''t change what I do at all.¡±


    ¡°If it''s good, why change it.¡± Lisa acknowledged.


    ¡°Exactly. The fusion of two cores under my Shaping is like an explosion that will make them connect anew. My case is not an old star, but the exact opposite of that. The dying start can be saved, you know? However, it''s extremely hard and it needs to be done with absolute care and unfathomable power. You can plant explosives, reshape.... them with your own hand, fill them with high magnitudes of energy, and so on. What I am getting into is that power can help jolt the star back to its shape. Do you get it?¡±


    Lisa blankly looked at his open and serious face, imagining the dying star filled with explosions under one''s grasp. It wasn''t hard imagining it. Not for her. But something was. This was just an analogy for Mana Cores, and letting the light be the rule for a star is not fitting in terms of the Mana Cores. What did it need? How much energy? What kind of power and in what Pathway, or.. Divide it even worked on? No God can fathom this. That was for certainty.


    ¡°Wait... What sort of comparison is that? Did you just compare a massive dying star to a core the size of a peanut? What sort of reasoning is that?¡± Lisa snapped at him, not knowing whether he was making a joke or not. Alas, Murai was dead serious, even though it sounded straight out of the overly exaggerated book.


    That was his belief over the matter of what he was doing inside of him.


    On all fronts, it was a dangerous prospect, and Lisa figured out most of the issues around it without many problems. It surprised Murai a little, but not much. If anything, if she had been clueless about it before, yet hadn''t asked him about it. That would have been more suspicious.


    Anyone unfamiliar with the Core Defining Fusion Technique may as well die in an explosion at the actual start, let alone the fusion, leaving nothing behind.


    Of course, when talking about the Initialization Stage Core, nothing wild can even happen. He considered some explosion in a brief contemplation, but nothing world-shattering would''ve happened. Not at the failure at this stage. Exploding a mountain, or a small hill was about the limit of a failure.


    But it depended on the amount of mana that was stored in his Core Defining Fusion Technique, Artifical Core and his Shaping put together. His Beast Core as well, and the quality of his mana space mattered too, but that thing was set like a law: pointing to his bloodline as one can''t change it.


    ¡°I am serious, Lisa. Your reactions are good. But for this shit of a tome, I suppose you remembered it from a long time ago because of my situation? Why, or why do you think it''s something I need?¡±


    ¡°You don''t need it?¡± She asked as if she was asking herself. Doubtfully.


    ¡°I can take it if it is good, but I''ve asked about it before. Answer that first.¡±


    ¡°So a trading then? Fine.¡± She turned serious in a flash. ¡°Reason is simple. Because it''s Magic Technique Tome under the Pillage Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Never heard of him.¡±


    ¡°If you would... Well, the name is various. Pillage Emperor, or Elder Emperor, or Monarch. He had various titles, but one thing was clear. He was a pioneer of the beasts 14 240 years ago.¡±


    ¡°This book is that old? No wonder it''s such a dogshit.¡± Murai giggled again, uninterested in that number, which caused Lisa some hiccups.


    ¡°Uh... I won''t argue about age, but its content is plenty interesting for you. Should be, I mean.¡±


    By this point, Lorry was getting nervous and fed up with the utter silence around him. He hated being ignored, especially when he was holding many responsibilities as a Guide. He began to tremble, but that was about what he did. One still has to retain professionalism, especially in a position he had for a long time.


    Murai and Lisa kept arguing about the topic of the Heavenly Shaping, until Lisa finally snapped, and understood what Murai was trying to tell.


    ¡°So... You mean it? The reshaping of the Core can be done?¡±


    ¡°Yep. It''s like a reaction in the middle of the sun, but It needs corresponding energy in the shape of essences, enough familiarity, a sense of mana, and mainly, the Core itself needs to be under constant watch before and after all procedures. That is known as Stabilization. Now, my question. What about this Pillage Emperor? What do you know about him? How come you recommend this thing to me?¡± He asked a few questions after giving her a satisfactory answer.


    ¡°As someone with a fairly good amount of demonic and beast experiences, I am well accustomed to and aware of a lot of powerful individuals of the greater Paths and histories. Battleworld especially is filled with all kinds of figures, leaving a lot of legends behind. Deaths, fights, and all kinds of stuff have been written down over the ages, creating all sorts of stories that may sound exaggerated, but most remain quite factual. Pillage Emepros was a beast, like you, but not like you as well. I don''t know the greater details, nor was it passed down that well. From what I know, he was someone in the feral group of species. Wolf, or something along those lines. Some say dragons too... The depiction of his demeanor is often demonic, so apologies for the lack of a better picture.¡±


    ¡°No worries. Continue.¡±


    ¡°He uncovered a lot of secrets over the possibilities of Shaping the wild mana of the beast. He constructed what was known as proper Beast Core. That doesn''t directly mean only a Shaping, but the fundamental structure of the magic abilities that became, or formed around many parts of the demonic magical beasts. As we know it today, succubus originates from such direction too, even though we are of more human nature and could be born out of them too.¡±


    ¡°Hm... What about Anatidaes?¡±


    ¡°Those... It is a rather peculiar topic, as you heard before... Wait! My turn! Don''t skip!¡±


    ¡°Yeah... Leave it. Anatidaes used to be godly pets or something. Don''t they predate the Pillage Emperor by dozens of millennia? I will get more out of this topic one day.¡± Murai sighed and let Lisa resume her talk.


    ¡°That is right. In this case, this tome underneath you should be something left after that Emperor. He was the tip of the power back then, closer to the gods than any other beast ever before. It was fairly a big deal back then, as it went against the universe, let alone this world.¡±


    ¡°Oh, something close to the true limits this world had? In terms of power or something else?¡±


    ¡°I am unsure, but in terms of fame and legendary status, he was like no other,¡± Lisa revealed, almost revealing a speck of reverence towards such a figure.


    ¡°So, why has no one, nor you, taken this tome?¡± Murai asked a well-thought-out question that even Lisa was unable to refute.


    As if she long waited for this question, she smiled in an obvious reply. ¡°Because it''s impossibly hard to perceive it, hard to read, figure out, or comprehend it. Let alone the time consumption of his technique, it was crazy to think of this as anything useful because it is playing along with the chaos of the universe. It is extremely specific to be a Tome Technique. It takes an unprecedented topic over the chaotic nature of mana. The kind that you have, I suppose. If no one can take it. No one will.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you are telling me no one ever dared to touch it because it was outside of their understanding?¡±


    ¡°Pretty much.¡± Lisa nodded, unafraid of the truth that she would never accomplish anything with this sort of technique. ¡°But also because its use is universally subjective. Just how much time has passed since this tome was created? How many Paths changed? Its difficulty is truthfully ridiculous. Also, the beast and their reputation have been quite terrible since then. Technique Tomes from 14 thousand years ago are rare to find, and this one is a relic and part of many that had been left behind.¡±


    ¡°So it isn''t that weird to find these things?¡±


    ¡°It isn''t as if this is a huge rarity. Finding and realizing their truths is. I''ve seen similar things in many other places. Even in a similar state as this, and from him too. It is a piece of shit that few would find useful.¡±


    ¡°Yet you remembered it so much, that it became useful when you are with me? What a timing, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Is that weird? I was a fan of Pillage... I mean I heard of him a lot.¡±


    At this point, the cup of patience was overflown within Lorry. ¡°How about including me for my lady''s sake!?¡± He shouted between those two, ending their inner conversation that had been happening in their heads for quite a few minutes.

 Chapter 122: A Portal

    Lorry''s question was definitely warranted, but his demeanor and way of talking wasn''t. He had his prose as a Guide but so what? Both Murai and Lisa glared back at him, aware that they remained chatting between them alone because why not? Who was he to judge that? They were Blessed and a Blessed Companion talking to one another.


    And Lisa was unnaturally willing to talk. More than usual at least.


    ¡°Lorry means... You keep blabbering something important. Lorry knows it.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Lisa talked out loud. ¡°I am fairly certain that things regarding any rewards are fine as they are. Like my talking to him that needs some attention and care. I am merely explaining to him what he wanted to get. Is that wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nah. Nay!¡± Lorry shook his head, floating a bit away. ¡°Lorry would do everything to make Murai time better. If Lisa does so after who knows how long, then that is a surprising time indeed. Lorry just making sure that such time is fine, but time is ticking, even though there are no time limits. Rewards... Has Murai picked something at last, or did Lisa do so instead?¡±


    ¡°Want another smack to your face?¡± she said dead cold, stroking her hand. ¡°We are going over this issue right now so pipe your skull down. Unless you want a third hole for the 3rd Soul Flame, I don''t mean to be so petty or poor.¡±


    Lorry shuddered, glancing at Murai who wasn''t interested in his comments. If this tome spoke of an issue about the demonic kind of mana that he wasn''t all that familiar with, he would gladly take whatever this Pillage Emperor left behind.


    ¡°Lorry..¡± He started, glancing at him and stopping Lisa from doing whatever she wanted. ¡°Heavenly Shaping. What is its history? What you can tell me about it?¡±


    ¡°Haven''t Li...¡±


    ¡°Answer it!¡± Lisa argued. ¡°I can only know so much about ancient things of this world. This tome right here has been in this place for a long time as a part of his legacy. Mindarch knows more, won''t he? Or you. Yes. You should know a whole lot about everything in those Vaults, "Guide.¡±


    Lorry went closer to the Heavenly Shaping Tome, glancing at it with his flaming eyes for another time. It was an interesting treasure with even more interesting history, regardless of anything else.


    But as Lisa said, he knew this thing better than her. ¡°Well, if Lorry takes some sense out of the nonsense, then this tome is an unusable pile of shit. An old pile of shit from more than 14 thousand years ago. It is the Tome Technique when the Beast Sect revolved around the Somalis. Cherished times, weren''t they? Lorry''s Lady got this out of those times but was angry about how dogshit it was, so Lady tossed it away and forgot it.¡±


    ¡°Somalis?¡± Lisa frowned. ¡°I didn''t hear of that, but Beast Sect is different. Is this tome something else than what Pillage Emperor had in mind when creating the Beast Sect?¡±


    ¡°Pillage? That one was under interesting times indeed, but that is far away from what matters to Murai. Lorry should talk about what matters. Mindarch thinks so too. This tome is nothing more than a pile of nothing but lost legacy. Old and tattered, this tome has been here for many millennia. A nefarious loot that Lady earned and didn''t know what to do with it.¡±


    ¡°Can I take a look inside at what it is about?¡± Murai asked.


    ¡°Look? No. No No. The Vault isn''t working like that. Murai has to choose. The choice is finite. No looking inside.¡±


    Murai grunted as he glanced around this Vault once more. There were many Spell Tomes that intrigued him, but if anything, the fundamental technique would be more helpful than some spells he could eventually force or work with. And the fact was, that his head was full of technique regardless of this Vault, but one thing was knowing their ways, and another was having Tome with comprehension that could directly come from it to the head and core.


    It was different than acting according to his memories.


    The prices were problematic. Most basic tomes started at 1,000 points, and the better-graded ones required more points. ¡°I will take the Heavenly Shaping if there is a discount.¡± Murai decided to haggle.


    ¡°D-discount? For this? Wait, this tome? Does Murai want this pile of mess? Is Murai even aware of what history it has? What does it entail to the Shaping and its history? Yes... Lorry guess what it means... Lorry should talk, considering Murai''s silence and cold stare and Lisa''s cracking hands.¡± Lorry suddenly calmed down, as if he understood something they wanted.


    By all means, this wasn''t that bad, since Mindarch did confirm to talk it out.


    So he talked about some sense that was coming more from Mindarch than him.


    ¡°Heavenly Shaping is under Pillage Emperor''s ancestry, describing demonic energies and bloodlines alike. Beast Cores and Shaping take priority in Heavenly Shaping, as it is taking power over mana and Shaping to a unique level. That is at least... the bare mentions of the origins of this tome, but the tome''s inner structure and quality are terrible as a tome. No one figured out much out of it, since it is a complicated and chaotic kind of technique, unlike what the name suggests. This isn''t the sole tome of this caliber by the way. It is one of the many left behind that Will of the Battleworld will know more about it. Does Murai have a connection to it?¡±


    ¡°What connection?¡±


    ¡°Talk,¡± Lisa added to Lorry while turning to Murai. ¡°Will of the Battleworld grands occasional chances for information requests or gatherings, but not for you, I suppose. Maybe the Encounter is why it''s so stingy. Or... you? No idea.¡± She shrugged.


    Lorry hummed in interest after he heard what he wanted. ¡°Then... Murai should be glad. Mindarch can provide such information himself.¡±


    ¡°For free?¡± Murai chucked; he was almost sure it wouldn''t be free. Few things were ever that, and if they were, they would be under harsh, or straight-up exploitable excuses. Free things were most often a lot more costly than they suggested.


    ¡°Eh... If... Oh!¡± Lorry heard something hit his head and jerked his head sideways and upwards. ¡°Seems so... convoluted. That isn''t usual practice, just w...¡± Then he grunted as he flew from the left bookshelf sideways, before hitting the table in pain. He mumbled something along the lines of terrible welfare, pleads, and how sorry he was.


    It calmed when he stumbled before Murai''s face, no longer questioning a thing. ¡°Murai is weirdo to want this tome, so let Lorry tell why.¡±


    Murai never had an itch to uno reverse his nonsense, but he was more interested in what he would say than what he said. If anything, Lorry was a weirdo.


    ¡°Diffulty and Grade are at double S tiers. It requires a deep bond over mana and shaping, and most of all, the tome is alive.¡±


    ¡°Alive? Does it have some intent? Can''t feel it.¡±


    ¡°Nay. Tome has something worse. Bloodline.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Not sure what you are getting into, but not like it matters, am I right?¡± Murai wasn''t sure what he meant.


    ¡°Depends. All Lorry says, is that the Heavenly Shaping''s difficulty originates from the complications of mana of this tome. Got it?¡± Lorry said as if he couldn''t be less bothered with it.


    ¡°Well,it will be great to have something interesting anyway,¡± Murai said.


    ¡°So Murai can take it. Discount? Sure. Is 500 points enough?¡± Lorry went ahead and floated above the tome. ¡°Not many would accomplish anything with such a tome anyway, so tome should go away from this place in respectable hands or wings? Maybe it will find its rightful place under Murai''s wings, but who knows? Someone else may kill Murai and take the tome to the rightful owner, creating a cycle like a lot of things in this world. Old things work like that.¡± Lorry stated a series of strangely connecting sentences, which weren''t that wrong or right.


    But he forgot to mention some things, though Mindarch wasn''t fussing over Guide''s choices. Usually.


    In the end, Murai accepted the discount and took this Heavenly Shaping because it sounded interesting. There wasn''t much else to it. He sort of accepted what Lisa explained and what Lorry added.


    Not like it mattered much, but he got what he paid for and perhaps even more than that. If Lisa thought of this as something special, she already stormed him to get it, giving him almost no other choice.


    Not like there were a lot of choices for a duck anyway.


    With the remaining 500 points, Murai made the last purchases that he wanted. Those were items he lacked in this life: proper potions he couldn''t create out of nothing. It wasn''t possible loot from the undead. He understood after skimming over piles of broken glass bottles in Gate 1.


    A pair of Grade D Vitality Potions were 100 points a piece.


    Grade E Mana Potion will restore some mana: 50 points per bottle.


    Rejuvenations Potions were of Grade F, but they were dirt cheap in this place, so he took 10 of them for 100 points. They worked against fatigue of the body, and a neat bonus was less hunger, which his Robust Spirit didn''t solve. Robust Spirit was more about spiritual help, rather than physical issues.


    Unfortunately, there was no meal for him at this place. Disappointing him.


    As for the rest, he had not much left, so he went ahead and spent it all on potions that went directly to Lisa''s pouch. Lorry said that the points would get terminated between the Gates, so anyone who came here, had to purchase their worth. Buying was thus required.


    Murai got plenty of useful things, apart from the dogshit tome that hadn''t got clear advantages. He had to look at it closely before he would run to some conclusions, but he trusted Lisa''s persuasion. His current spatial pouch was enough to store potions for the lower Gates when they would be undoubtedly useful. Lisa agreed with his choices because he didn''t need a lot of things that this Vault had.


    There were tons of equipment selections, but like 99% was meant for humanoid races.


    Essences were essential to him, so spending 1000 points on them was right, or almost too good to be the truth. The most expensive was the Heavenly Shaping, which sounded like a mistake, but he took this gamble with an open heart. If it ended up useless, he had a clear idea of who he was to blame.


    Apart from that, if he wanted to do what he planned for, he needed 100s of those essence pouches, which had some purchasing limitations. In fact, there was something strange about them.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Essences were dirt cheap when he glanced at the potion values right beside them. They weren''t as far apart as they should''ve been in normal circumstances.


    200 points per 5 Low-Grade 7s were a steal.


    40 points per Low-Grade 7 essence seemed to have a brand new meaning when Murai thought of their drop rate. It spoke of level differences, or the prices of the essences were cheap in this place for a good reason? That was an interesting point since he got 25 of them for basically nothing, yet he got only 2 out of the direct battles in Gate 1.


    He kept this wonder for another time. For now, he wondered if the next Gate provided a similar style of Vault like this, if not better.


    If so, his worries about the required essences for his Core Defining Fusion shouldn''t be an issue as they would be on the Surface. Murai had no idea how rare and problematic essences were on the surface. Lisa knew exactly that, yet even without knowing what he hoped for, she granted him this rare chance to exploit the shit out of his place.


    She didn''t even know what she had started.


    Soon, Murai went outside of the building, satisfied and in a great mood, followed by Lisa who held the Spatial Pouch in a lighter mood. It felt good to finally talk it out between them, and she felt particularly happy to talk with Murai in such a way. She felt validated that she helped him after all. While also getting some of his answers in return.


    It seemed they both underwent some character development between each other.


    On the other hand, Lorry was still speechless and nervous about something. He was in a better mood after he went out of the Vault, and without glaring at the other building, which had only demonic rewards from Hell Haven and a bunch of bloodline-related treasures, he gestured them to the portal between the Vaults.


    Looking at it, Murai was inclined to jump toward the chaotic waves without hesitation, but Lisa stopped him before he did so. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Feel the colors first. There are a lot of things to this portal that I know and figured out before. It may be random in nature, but trust me on this, there were a lot of challengers with plenty of heart and ideas over the years. I have an idea to decide the path forward. Care to hear that?¡±


    ¡°One can decide it even amidst this Chaos?¡±


    ¡°Oy! What the fuck ar...¡± Lorry complained out loud, shouting like a lunatic, but a mere jolt of her hand shut him up.


    ¡°You are familiar with the Portals anyway, aren''t you? Colors represent the Paths that go to the other sides. There are around 10 of them, but some are clearer than others. Only 4 or 5 are familiar paths, while the rest are either impossible to enter or unavailable for most Challengers. Do you think you can choose your path? It depends on the individual senses, so I can''t help you.¡±


    ¡°Mere idea that you even talk like this, and helpfully so, gives me a weird headache and fear the world will soon shatter. So yes. I will give it a shot.¡± Murai obviously didn''t hesitate to try what she offered, so he stepped toward the waves of this portal. He wasn''t teleported straight away, but his head was overwhelmed by powerful force like the rest of his body.


    The waves enveloped him in a series of threads, crashing into him in powerful waves. A regular person couldn''t connect to them, as they were so fast, it may as well be random. And this Portal wasn''t a normal kind where one simply stepped in and went to the Chaos Space.


    As Lisa said, Murai figured out what she meant. There were colors to those threads, and some were clearer than the rest. Few were much wilder, making them impossible to feel or see. There was only a blur. Some colored threads were transparent, black like the color of the black hole, or bright like the sun.


    Murai hesitated which one to choose, but he had no doubts he could direct one towards him with his magic. He wasn''t lost, helpless, or torn to shreds as he refused to accept the random thread that looped around him almost right away.


    It was a unique portal with a simple premise. One could force the threads to move closer, making a connection if one were powerful and careful enough.


    The threads were strong since they were connected to the Chaos Space. Anything of that caliber was dangerous. He could accept one on a whim, or be an idiot and force one thread to wrap himself up. What sounded more ridiculous, or harder? The former, so Murai decided to connect with the color that wasn''t looking too hard to connect to. Those impossible ones were clearly out of his touch.


    Behind him, Lisa was looking at him, observing his every thought and action.


    ¡°You do great. At least you can control yourself not to be sucked into the Chaos Space like a fool. Seen some arrogant fools come here, and get obliterated in seconds. Those were idiots, whose remains were gone under a few breaths.¡± Lisa recollected a few memories, before continuing to explain what he needed.


    ¡°There are a few colors that may be good for you since they were explored throughout the ages. What they depict is simple: some underlying qualities and differences go to a different Gate 2. That is the idea about them. There are differences, but each makes up what is known as Gate 2, which is a mash of places that Levandis created, or found already in this temple. You only need to enter a single one of them and prove yourself. But they can provide different rewards in their prose. They also include special pathways that are determined by the Mindarch. Wanna hear about them?¡±


    ¡°Go on. I am still feeling things around, but it isn''t biting me like a fool. Gentle. That is what is needed when handling anything related to the Chaos Space. Nothing fancy, you see.¡± Murai said, shrouded in the ripples of Chaos Space, but was still fine. He had yet to fully manifest his connection to the threads, but he figured few were clearer to catch than others. Those fast ones were literary impossible.


    ¡°I will mention those that are direct. The red one with the tinge of killing intent is a Hellwar Zone. It''s quite literary the trail of Hell Haven. It is a connection to a plain that is under Levandis, filled with all kinds of demons and undead. Dangers are countless and full of chaos. It''s a more normal choice of the options.¡±


    ¡°The black one with a tinge of silver and light is a native place called Islands of Greatness. It has a simple premise that is full of battles. It has more of an Order than Chaos. One goes through the Island to Island, battling 100 kinds of opponents till the end. One had to defeat everyone to move towards Gate 3.¡±


    ¡°The purple, filled with velvet sheen is Trail of Lottery. It is a weird choice when one can get a plethora of rewards, but gamble the enemies. One may meet a weak opponent with good rewards, or a bad one with bad rewards. It''s quite a funny choice which I took in my first visit. Not recommended by the way.¡±


    Lisa explained the 3 options she thought were the best.


    They were most optimal for Murai''s current issue, but there were still others she remembered. Those weren''t great under her understanding. She considered the rest to be too special, requiring the powers of the Extremes, or Laws at bare minimum.


    ¡°What gives the most rewards?¡± Murai asked the most important question.


    ¡°Lottery if you are lucky. If you are strong in individual battles, the Islands will give you a plethora of points and options to fight. As for the Zone, it is dangerous and chaotic. But it is also possible to get great loot out of the foes, similar to the Islands, or Gate 1. The Islands can take some time, but the enemies are clear and subject to not overwhelm you. They are deemed to be like a duel around your level, but I never took that path. I only heard about it from a friend at that time. He regretted it because he spent way too much time in that place, and he wasn''t as prepared for it on a 2nd visit.¡±


    Murai thought about the choices. Lisa explained them rather well, and it seemed he didn''t have to get over the other choices if they weren''t worthy. Those 3 were enough for this help, even though Lorry was fuming in anger. Obviously, this went against the rules, but Mindarch wasn''t complaining, so he had no choice but to remain silent.


    Murai disregarded other choices, unwilling to waste more time. If the others already built the path, why create the road next to them? He may as well take what others figured before him and use it to his advantage.


    ¡°I will take the black one. 100 duels, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That is good as well. Let''s go. Lorry?¡± Lisa turned to the skull, who remained frowning because of his terrible luck. Having this pair of a Blessed and a former Blessed was awful. They were a terrible team that frustrated him to no end. They weren''t giving him any face whatsoever!


    He sighed as he moved along, flowing to the waves of dark that soon enveloped Murai and Lisa alike. They all disappeared in a dark colorful blink, traveling into the Islands of Greatness, where Murai will challenge 100 foes.


    The Vaults remained closed, waiting for the upcoming challenger that was slowly ushering in slaughter, traversing through Gate 1. Razmund was coming, and he was closer than ever.


    But something in this place was yet to be over.


    In the corridor that underwent an invisible fight and butchery, blood was visible beneath the fog that kept lingering on the ground. It was there, as it wasn''t something meant to disappear. It added mystery to this place, making up a great atmosphere.


    After Murai and the rest disappeared from Gate 1, in a closed corner, the ancient door cracked open after squeaking loudly. It was more than a 4-meter tall gate, and surprisingly, the person who walked from there wasn''t fit for this gate.


    But he opened it without much trouble. It was a person. A very small person.


    Suited in black attire akin to a suit, he was an officer of the Hell Haven and current caretaker of the Levandis Temple. He was male looking person, smaller than even Murai. 20 centimeters was his bare height, yet he carried himself as if his head touched the ceiling. His head was a bit disproportional to the rest of the body, bulkier and thicker. But the suit looked fit for his figure, giving him a neat aura.


    He walked through the museum, leaving the fog in shambles after a mere flick of his two fingers, leaving the place clean. ¡°Dislodge the rundown. Fight, information of Blessed Anatidae. Put it into a request.¡± He spoke in a normal voice that was quite powerful.


    [Access granted. Request accepted.] A male voice that held other tones told out loud, traveling to every corner of this museum. [Blessed Anatidae fought with an ushering tone, fighting on all legs against the Crowhell Bat. The fight lasted 3 minutes and 20 seconds. Enemies clashed 15 times with various means. Final move...]


    ¡°Shut the nonsense, Mindarch. Grand the information of this Blessed. Don''t leave the Battlewill behind either. Initiate a total lockdown. Villan acted behind my back. Wretch!¡± the little person argued, speaking loudly as if he wasn''t even that small. His aura flared, cracks spread under his feet, and the surrounding voices yelped. He wasn''t happy at all for some reason.


    [Uhm...] Mindarch squeaked as misty and dense fog waves erupted from the floor, making up a weird face that was akin to a ghost. It had two holes for eyes and mouth, but that was about it. Made of whitish azure mist, it spoke in a clear tone. [Reports are... unclear. So are the rules. Battlewill is rather ferocious in taking it under a rug. There are reasons in the Sky that are kind of big. ]


    ¡°I have access granted by my Lady. What is wrong?¡± He clicked his tongue, impatiently standing before Mindarch, back straight and hands behind his back.


    [Report has already been sent to you, Manager Kil, as per the request and rules by Levandis.]


    ¡°I wasn''t clear enough?!¡±


    [Um... You were. Right. A lockdown can be initiated. Reports are clear. Blessed Anatidae... huh? Delivering the report.]


    The mist quivered, swirling around the museum in order to manifest ghostly images that showed every single one of Murai''s steps since he arrived here. Manager Kil watched it from the beginning, indifferent but watchful over Murais'' every step. Mindarch didn''t show Lisa or Lorry. Murai was enough.


    Stops to seek the treasures on the shelves, platforms, or the pauses before the statues of the prisoners were shown. They didn''t clear much for him, but the fight against the Crowhell Bat was clear as the day. Mindarch created a shimmering image of the bat so Manager Kil could watch it as if it were real.


    The clashes, moves, and forces slowly changed the tides before the fight was clear to his experienced eyes. It ended in a few minutes in rather few exchanges that were quite significant and straightforward.


    Murai stood over the destroyed bat, frozen and unmoving as the report ended.


    [Report complete. Do you want further vision? There are 138 estimated possibilities of how this fight would''ve gone in other directions. Variables and choices.] Mindarch spoke to the entire museum once more.


    ¡°Denied.¡± Manager Kil mumbled, standing before misty Murai, observing his feathers, face, and eyes. The vision that Mindarch created was spotless, bloodless, and clear like a picture. ¡°Blessed Anatidae huh? How in the world this had happened? Report this to Levandis straight away!¡±


    [Denied. She is sleeping.]


    ¡°S-sleeping? Do you think this is fine?¡±


    [I dare you to wake her up.]


    This shut Manager Kil for good, but he couldn''t help but curse. He grunted and finally noticed what he wanted. Bloody steps showed the mess the fight had left, and there, soft feathers remained, bloodied on the ground. He walked towards them, picked them up, and clutched them in his tiny hand. They were about half of his height and soft like any feather.


    ¡°Just outer ones... Just these?!¡±


    [Panacea detected, as well as abnormal magical aptitude. Do you want a full rundown of his Spells? Grades?]


    ¡°Denied... Tell me the age.¡±


    [Less than a year old.]


    ¡°Less than what?!¡± he asked again just in case.


    [Single. Year. Blessed. Panacea. An Old Soul in the body of an Anatidae. Do you still want a report of the Encounter?]


    ¡°D-denied... Later.¡± Manager Kil grunted and watched the feathers in his grasp.


    [Anything else?]


    ¡°Observe the target. Report to me. Wait for Lady Levandis to wake up. She will want to hear about this more than you think, tool.¡±


    [That can last days...] Mindarch said dejectedly.


    ¡°Do it!¡± Manager Kil shouted and almost shattered the feathers under his power. In a swoop of a finger, he stored them into a gem on his belt. ¡°Careful of Battleworld''s messages, or any movements from the other side of the Encounter, got it? Work well and I won''t mention any wrongdoings.¡±


    Mindarch grunted, but sighed in the end, letting the picture of Murai dissolve into the mist before clearing everything up.


    Manager Kil preferred his hands behind his back, so he walked away, vanishing into the previous door that led to a bright portal. ¡°I swear... Something nasty is brewing from this...¡± He mumbled as he left.

 Chapter 123: Razmund VS Goldsteel Titan - Part 1

    A few hours passed since Murai finished his Guardian.


    Close to the end of Gate 1. A person was walking among the obliterated enemies that he shattered under many cracking sword lights that cracked the floor. It was Razmund, who appeared unhinged like a wolf before his prey.


    He was completely fine when a deep blue color shrouded his body in many waves. That could come from some sort of artifact, or high-level ability was in use. Either way, he ignored whatever worries he had, since he arrived at the end of Gate 1 by foot. He hated he didn''t get the choice to skip ahead, but perhaps it was the change that was part of his 3rd visit.


    Before his unblinking eyes were the same opening that Murai had seen hours before. It led to the bright museum full of fog that returned after a brief pause by the temple''s caretaker. Statues of all kinds of demons, beasts, and people littered the corners and sides of the museum''s wall. He more or less ignored them, sneering at few as if they didn''t matter to him at all.


    What was the highest possible enemy of this museum, let alone Gate 1?


    So far, he had fought against enemies around level 70. Some were even below that level, or slightly above that.


    Still, they were less difficult than he thought. He dealt with them like someone with his kind of Path would, but considering it was his 3rd visit, he should be glad that he had these kinds of opponents.


    The limits were clear: enemies up or down 7 levels from sis level 65, which was already within the range of Law comprehension for the first time.


    That was already a standard for high-level opponents, where the level disparity was no longer that wide. It wasn''t like with Murai, who was fighting against enemies almost twice his level. Balance was kind of lackluster in the lower levels, while the further leveling and balance were steep, and every difference mattered at the higher stages.


    Power creep was also apparent, and leveling and power around level 70 varied.


    One way or another, Razmund felt confident enough to take whatever this temple gave him.


    Above him, a half skeleton was following him behind. It was Lint, a Guide like Lorry.


    ¡°Well as a 3rd timer, I suppose you know what to expect from this place, don''t you?¡± Lint asked.


    ¡°I already know what to expect. Although, I would rather not bother with it that much. You should''ve let me to the boss room long ago. What a shame. I''ve lost some of my stuff, but not like it matters much. I will make you regret it, do we understand each other?¡± Razmund glared at Lint, killing intent pouring out of his voice as his surrounding technique ceased away.


    ¡°Fret not my friend...¡±


    Razmund pointed his claymore to Lint, his eyes unblinking in a deep stare.


    ¡°Ok. Not friend, but a word of advice is fitting regardless of your unhinged feelings. You shall get the desired rewards one way or another. Temple isn''t shameful over the means necessary for any accomplishments. And you are already well over the threshold of the speedrun bonus.¡±


    ¡°Speedrun bonus?¡±


    ¡°It is additive point accumulation. You will get 20% more. 30% if you will defeat the boss in less than an hour. Isn''t that great? That''s how generous the temple is for those that are outgrowing the limits.¡±


    ¡°Never heard of this speedrun bonus. How come I got it now?¡±


    ¡°Because most 3rd-time Challengers travel in care, take their time, and think twice before being a lunatic. You, on the other hand, are alone and in quite a peculiar hurry. I wonder why.¡± Lint said in a meaningful manner, appearing smiling, yet it was hard to point that from the bones alone.


    Razmund lowered his claymore, glaring back at the statues and this place. ¡°Whatever, where is the Guardian? I need to get my shit together and go to the next Gate fast. I need to hurry. Faster, or I won''t make it.¡± Razmund said, clutching a Destiny Dice that was wrapped inside of his palm by strands of silk. He used it not long ago.


    And he didn''t like how the Dice acted because his destiny was no longer in this Gate.


    ¡°Well, You don''t need to be that afraid. Whatever it is, the Guardian will give you plenty of time to worry about other things, rather than your own reasons. It is coming. Careful and good luck.¡± Lint added, floating away to leave Razmund alone.


    Thuds and tremors followed afterward, and even the fog seemed to shudder. Razmund stopped in his tracks, observing the surroundings to feel mana. The tremors were shaking the core structure of mana alone, destabilizing the laws that made them so thick, crisp, and clean together.


    Noticing nothing abnormal about the rules of this noise, Razmund''s face turned ashed when the Voice entered his head.


    No fucking way. Those fuckers made that my boss? They weren''t kidding about a spike in difficulty. Just what kind of monstrosities go into the 4th time? What sort of reason did they give me with this sort of decision? Fuck the Voice. Truly. Fuck both of them... Razmund cursed in his head and watched how a huge creeping shadow loomed around the corner.


    He wasn''t feeling that great, some even his forehead bulged with veins, indicating his anger and desire to fight it out with a literal giant.


    Razmund had a limited understanding of Mindarch and what he truly was about. He was always the good boy to the Voice, the nickname for the Will of the Battleworld that was the center of the Centralis Kingdom. The riddles of Levandis Temple weren''t something he was understanding of, even though he had grown as a proper Blessed with a chaotic mind.


    He was standing in the big and tall hallway, built enough for any human to fight in, but those loud noises weren''t that of a human. And he realized it with sounds alone, stretching and bouncing from far-away walls.


    Well, the confirmation that he heard from Will of the Battleworld helped him get the full notification of what was to come. Not just the noise, he knew. It didn''t mention anything wonderful to his mind, but his heart and core were delighted. The Guardian was coming, and by normal standards, this place won''t be enough for it.


    For him, this place was humongous and enough for anything, similar to small ducks such as Murai.


    Razmund waited, feet on the ground, and claymore''s handle tensed up like his eyes. He tried to remember the correct turns to get to a better position, think and see an angle, or he was thinking about reading his heart. Desicion and strategies were helping points to win any fight, and he was thinking of them before every start.


    This place may be big enough for him, but what if the enemy was so large, that these hallways would be disadvantageous for him because of the size? This space was enough for any kind of maneuvers, dances, or stances. Going all out won''t be a problem, even if the boss fight was up to his standards.


    He expected something else, however.


    Not a literal giant.


    The need for a wider arena wouldn''t be a bad idea. Fewer distractions as well, but those statues and treasures were everywhere, acting as bothersome details and obscurities. Few places around this place worked for better fighting purposes, but he remembered them from the last time he walked through this place. Back then, enemies were not this problematic.


    This time, he knew he should use everything to his advantage. So the tight corridor may not be one of them, he reckoned.


    Supporting pillars stood well to be of some help, unlike what Murai felt with his height and weight. Walls were nearly unbreakable, allowing one to jump around like a maddened monkey if they were quick enough. Challengers usually had their all-out battles in these corridors, and they acted straight to the point since most hallways were like tunnels: straight, one way forward, or one way behind.


    One had no choice but to fight. Intersections, turns and further hallways created some changes of pace, but it was no maze.


    Plotting or plans paid off when one actually could afford them, but the Guardians were always at least one step ahead of the Challenger. Their power and level were higher, so the need for some advantages was subjective.


    What was behind Razmund was the hallway with only one way to go ahead. The hallway had a turn dozens of meters before him. And that was where the loud noisy thuds were coming from. What was after him was the path with no return. It was critical to continue. And hope.


    Before him, the hallway soon had a huge shadow enveloping the corner, and those noises shook the surroundings much more than before.


    Thuds of steps, akin to boulders hitting one another, were turning louder. A figure of a monstrous warrior walked behind the corner, shrouding the chandeliers of light, and forcing the fog to drift away. It was a manly warrior, but one that barely fit into these hallways, as his head almost reached the ceiling.


    He walked straight, albeit his shoulders scraped the side of the walls when he turned around the corner. Then his hands and feet hit some statues, but the giant didn''t care for them. He even trampled them, but they would never crack or shatter even under his finest of attacks. No one cared about them, since they were under specific and powerful bindings.


    No one would crack them apart. He included, even if he was one of them a while ago. The giant was around 10 meters with human features, and his walking was like humans. However, he was not even close to a human. His race was known for its savagery, long-lost past, and weird history. Titans. This one had their blood, albeit diluted and weak.


    He was following the bloodline of those warriors and creators of old times. His interpretation of Titans was called Goldsteel, depicted by golden threads running through their stone-like skin. Those threads glittered in the light, and even moonlight would give them a special look, as if many cracks were going through their skin.


    Goldsteel Titans held deep lore that ran wild across the current Sky, as they were tools of many godly battles and interests.


    Most known for being a slave of gods, Goldsteel Titans were unlike the progenitors of their race. For now, and even long before, they were known as workers and warriors, but their prominence was like a worm before the lost glory.


    This one before Razmund was looking young, because who else but young Goldsteel Titan would go against him? No adult for sure. That would''ve shattered no small part of this temple.


    Goldsteel Titans were constructed specimens. Their physiques and bloodlines came from the true Titans, but their birth did not. Their premise was simple: battle for godly sakes, die by their hands, covet freedom, and battle to the bitter end. Armies full of them were used in many past Divine Wars, and they were known to be terrific battle maniacs, protectors, or guardians.


    How bad or great they were depended on the side, or who was their enemy, but their reputations were as respectable as their slave-like status.


    Who was before Razmund was a peculiar tool, and someone far from the true Titans like any Goldsteel Titan. Youth lingered around him, but he was still at least a century old. This humanoid monstrosity resembled humans in nature with all regard to their physical appearances. For an old and ancient race, of course, it had some specialties and differences.


    The size was most notable as he stretched tall, with two sturdy legs and arms acting as his main weapons. A torso was well proportioned to his body, and even the head seemed not out of place or proportions. His skin was parched, full of those glistering cracks of gold, but it was greenish and grey everywhere else. Hairless, but his skin hid muscles of deep mass and definition like the finest metal.


    He looked strong in every way, and his wide shoulders made it bigger than he was. And then, the glistering Goldsteel Eyes glared for the enemy to fight.


    What was out of place was not only his size but also his weight. The ground cracked a little here and there under his steps, but it wasn''t enough to destroy this place. If there were hundreds of them, perhaps it would get dangerous.


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    Goldsteel Titan found his target and stopped walking. Eyes glued to Razmund from about a dozen meters away, and his muscles twitched and twisted firm, but they weren''t overly bulky. Simple clothes made from some monster''s hide poised as a vest armor that highlighted the biceps and arms. It covered even his bottom, thanks to a belt around the hips. His chest was visible from the roughness of this big vest, protruding like boulders.


    Both palms wielded a rough blade each, but their size of at least 4 meters was quite menacing. And even though they were twice as long as Razmund''s whole body, he handled them with efficiency and power.


    They didn''t even appear that big in the hands of this Goldsteel Titan, whose information was clear to Razmund like a book. It was the splendid advantage of a magnificent Blessed, who were prone to Will of the Battleworld''s messages.


    All information about the enemies, let alone a Guardian, was covered by Will of the Battleworld or Mindarch. Usually one of them was enough, rather than both.


    The Guardian looked to be quite powerful under Razmund''s Voice, and all information about it confronted his ideas. It was already happening for some time after Goldsteel Titan moved forward. Razmund was hearing it all, and even the start of the fight. The messages from the Will of the Battlewold informed him of the Guardian, his Path, abilities, disadvantages, advantages, problems, equipment, and even notable abilities.


    It was a hefty and detailed report, giving him the details he needed. Potential rewards acted to hype him up.


    Level 70 Goldsteel Titan? He thought without changing his expression. Familiar with the Laws already? Well, for a youth. Expected. Familiar with hand-to-hand combat and sword arts of... questionable and inhuman quality. Don''t care about those. The rewards are prominent. A Relic Artifact of the best choice? That is right there in my upper limits. That''s rather a steep reward if luck and choice are there, but one never knows what the Voice decides. I will take it. Of course, I will take it. 10 attributes of choice are whatever at this point.


    Razmund sighted, lowering his posture and taking a fighting stance by leaving his left grip on his claymore''s handle. His right hand was his primary way to handle it, but his left one would do well too. He always held the handle with his left when he walked, but when fighting, it was different.


    His right hand went for his pouch, closing as he looked forward. Slowly, he was pulling it toward his pouch, where there was something more precious than any kind of Relic Artifact. He seized the handle, pulling the tip of a straight handle out. It was a bit strange act since the sword itself was a long claymore, a medieval type of weapon with unnatural lengths, mass, intense power, and crude flexibility.


    A straight sword went after the hilt. It was bigger than a longsword in any regard. Usually, the claymores had some differences in their designs. It can have all kinds of handles, but their size and mass stay constant. There could even be extended handles above each other for better grip and flexibility, or it could have a dull edge right past the handle, poising a better grip. But the latter one was a bit rare and often lackluster, while Razmund had a straight-cutting edge and nothing else.


    Details such as these were usually not that stable in the world of gods and magic. So a straight and simple design was often more than enough. Razmund found out about it eventually.


    In another case of such swords were those named zweih?nder, which held many similarities to claymores, but were even better. But Razmund can''t handle anything other than claymore. He was fateful for the choice he had made. His Path required that alone.


    He finished his pulling under a few breaths, right as the Goldsteel Titan arrived before him, waiting 10 meters ahead.


    ¡°A Challenger of the 3rd breath? What do you seek in this place of my master? Revenge? Rewards? Or riches?¡± Goldsteel Titan moved his dark, dry lips, speaking in a very deep and muscular voice, which shook the surrounding walls. He was unbothered by his own voice, as his mission was much more important than any collateral damage. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although, one thing was clear. He wasn''t supposed to trample anything on this place, but he was impatient. Taking the initiative was part of his bloodline, and he was no failure of his bloodline, unlike the Crowhell Bat.


    Left-out statues behind him were none of his concern, but unnecessary damage to the museum was one of the rules that shouldn''t be broken. Someone won''t be that happy, but it wasn''t his problem.


    ¡°Oh, a Titan that hadn''t had his intelligence wiped clean?¡± Razmund voiced, unafraid of him at all. He may have a higher level than him and even better combat prowess, but he had no choice but to still win in the end.


    However, it may not be that easy.


    Upon hearing his words, Goldsteel Titan''s face changed to one of utter anger and immeasurable disappointment. His eyes shone brightly and his lips pressed together, making his face crack in great stress. It was a wonder which emotions were aimed at what. One of them was definitely aimed at Razmund, while the other was probably aimed at himself.


    ¡°Don''t think too highly of yourself, human. Being a Guardian is my job. My breath!¡± he said, pressing his sword to the ground and pulling them sideways to point behind him.¡°Now, move those tiny legs of yours. We go to a proper location. It''s up to your bene...¡± Before even ending his speech, Razmund picked his claymore behind him. His unhinged unblinking eyes were scarily looking forward. Then, he pouched forwards so fast, that he was leaving afterimages and sword aura behind.


    Those appeared like shadowy forms of sword slashed and rough sketches of his body.


    He used an ability called Flying Steps, which was Graded at C for his current version. It was a Dexterity-based ability and technique under his Path. It was a movement type of ability, allowing him to strike and travel dozens of meters under a breath. It didn''t bear offensive or striking properties. Only moving, which already helped a ton more in a fight than one would guess, since he could use it however he wanted, alongside other techniques.


    It was immensely flexible in sudden speedy moves. It went along with swords nicely; his claymore too.


    Overlapping abilities was one of the strongest pursuits in any Path. One may find and get abilities that are highly compatible with one another. Those would enhance one''s strength much better than a single one alone. The end result was often terrifying, especially if Grade S abilities or above were included.


    Flying Steps was a great supporting ability, and it pushed him in a split second, followed by rapid strikes coming from his claymore. The enemy may or may not react properly since his sword went behind his steps, increasing the momentum of any strike, even though this was nothing more than a supporting ability. But it was helpful in gaining momentum, and fleeing at such speed was much more successful.


    Right now, Razmund was using it for an ambush, because before him was one kind of a legend. No matter the age or the bloodline of this Goldsteel Titan, they were reputable and outlandish beings with tens of thousands of years of battling histories. He respected that, so he went all out straight away. It didn''t matter to him if they were shadows of the true Titans or even that.


    Unlike the situation against Thar, where he only wanted to try his luck and the power of his One Sword, this situation was different. He was obviously not any threat to Thar. A simple confirmation of his power was all it took for a thumps up.


    Now, against this Goldsteel Titan, he wanted no test, nor did he want some challenge. This was a kill-or-be-killed kind of situation. Also because he had to fight, and not because he wanted to, but what difference or sense it made in a Battleworld? Little, if none. Kill or be killed. That was the law of the jungle.


    Fully seeking his own potential came in stages, and his Path had limits meant to be broken. It will be good if they do, but if they won''t, it won''t be the end of the world. This temple was no large challenge for him. It was a stage for his Hunt, so one way or another, the power of this Titan race was something he had to test. He wanted to see it.


    Well, it came unexpectedly and in a weird decision that wasn''t his or this world''s. Mindarch decided on this, giving him an unexpected gift.


    Goldsteel Titan frowned, feeling a sudden push and change from his enemy, but as a warrior, he was always ready to take any hit. Because of the tight hallway and Razmund''s Flying Steps, he took his hits head-on.


    Razmund struck the thick legs, making 4 powerful slashes as he pushed forth with his Flying Steps. He was able to leave wounds on the tough skin, forcing cracks to widen, and gold fluid flowed for a split second before the Goldsteel Titan flexed his leg.


    And his voice shouted in his flexed and trembling body. ¡°Human! You seek no bliss, but shameless pride! You! You are a despicable sinner! You have no place in the battlefield of prided warriors! I, Zao of Goldsteel Titans shall be the one to clutch your head and twist the spine out of your body. Using it as a tooth cleaning tool shall be the sole purpose of your spine afterward.¡± Zao shouted so loudly, that even Razmund clutched his hand around his ear, feeling his ears shook in pain.


    He stumbled as he hit a mountain, headache, and tremors swathed his body. Because he was so close to him after his failure to sever the whole leg, he accepted this cost.


    Before him was a muscular mountain, more than 10 meters tall, and the sheer size of Zao''s legs was impressive, let alone him as a whole. His upper body was wide, an intensity trembled in his core, and the Titan Physique spoke for itself. The defenses that Zao possessed were incredibly strong.


    Before blinking for another step, Zao kicked Razmund across the whole room using the wounded leg. He flew and hit the wall, which shattered into many pieces. Part of it was the force of that kick, but his body and landing weren''t that smooth. The walls of this museum were tough as steel, and yet the force of his body and Zao''s kick shattered it for real.


    Someone won''t be too happy about it, Razmund reckoned, but his head was full of pain. Oh, so delightful one.


    He forced himself from the wall and stumbled to his knees first before his eyes restored his head. He blinked for once, noticing a flash of something before his eyes. The tip of a massive sword went ahead, pushing through the air like a mountain. A straight thrust clashed against the wall.


    In a nick of time, Razmund fell to the ground and managed to dodge Zao''s attack which appeared in a second, before going away. It had incredible range because Zao had long arms, and the addition of his long swords made them very potent.


    Zao was standing where he was before, in the hallway, and still angry. He was wielding his two swords beside his legs, crossed and deadly. It was a fairly relaxed stance, with almost all openings visible. But that wasn''t the case. Razmund saw it himself and felt the aura and the threat coming from him.


    It was a trap. One step closer meant an obvious move and a clear End in a couple of slashes, or thrusts. This place was terrible, Razmund realized. He regretted making the first move. He had almost no time to dodge. No room to move. Not against those swords and the mass of his body.


    ¡°Sobered up, huh?¡± Zao mocked how he rested there on the ground, speechless.


    Fuck me. What sort of swordsmanship was that? Didn''t catch that in time... Were the legends of these monsters wrong? I thought they were more conservative over the techniques and their swordsmanship. They always use spears, or single swords in addition to a light or heavy shield.Razmund scowled, but no other attack came his way.


    It seemed Zao had enough of his hatred, so he took some pity on Razmund''s lacking means to fight in this location. The inability to properly stabilize himself was important, but this place was harsh.


    Zao was a Goldsteel Titan through and through, so he was respectable to honor the proper duels like a Law. He waited, which pissed Razmund quite a bit.


    ¡°Now, shameless human. Let''s move to the other room. I seek a proper fight. Not the kind your kind may be used to. Do we have an understanding?¡± Zao said, his gaze filled with unfathomable power that Razmund did expect, but he was more fearful of his actions. Or those swords.


    He gulped, pressed his hands against the ground, and picked himself up. He preferred some sense. The sudden ambush should''ve been a great idea, but it backfired instead. Thankfully, he had his own Physique, which was one of the most tenacious ones on this continent.


    He looked forward to the glory of the Titan race, but unlike his high expectations for them, Zao was much stronger than he had ever expected. Their power was deep and mysterious. Almost too much, but Goldsteel Titans were much younger them them, and also weak and different than the original Titans. But even this little difference was unfathomable and heavy.


    Razmund wondered what the true Titans were like, but those were old; almost extinct in the current era.


    Goldsteel Titans were a byproduct of their history and legacy, forming a race that was similar to them, but not exactly. It was strange. On one hand, he knew the legends around this world, and a small part of it was before his eyes, but something much deeper was behind them. Should he fear history or reality more?


    Gritting his teeth, Razmund picked something from one of the pouches around his waist. It was a handful potion filled with red glowing liquid. He gulped it down in a matter of seconds, before tossing it to the ground, shattering it in the process. ¡°Huh..¡± Razmund let out a gasp of smoke, feeling a bit better. His body trembled, turning his fatigue away by increasing the stability of his eyes, head, and everything combined together.


    His Physique can take this potion like candy, so he wasn''t fearing some nasty side-effects that were often possible after consuming many potions or pills.


    He liked the potions more, even if they were more diluted and less potent than the pills. Those were harder to craft and create, thus more expensive


    His shivering lessened when the effects of Heartsear Potion were taking full effect. It was a Grade A Potion that had mental effects of empowerment. It sharpened one mind and jolted muscles up without increasing fatigue or pain, but it had some disadvantages. It would make one''s body so tensed up, that one couldn''t hold himself for too long if their physique were too strong. If the Physique was too weak, then the body would crumble.


    Taking another thing out, but this time, from one of his pockets, he glanced at a small vial. Filled with transparent liquid, small points of red dots moved within inside. Some were large; others were bigger. Their different density made them prominent, but Razmund didn''t care for them as he gulped the vial down his throat.


    As he did so, his body stopped trembling. The complexity on his face calmed down. A surge of heat radiated out of his skin, creating steam. This was Grade B Stimulat, some sort of drug that Battleworld took for granted, supplying it into the harsh environment of this world. Battles provided its uses, so for many millennia, a considerable amount of potions and wonderful crafts were created by countless talented mages.


    Stimulant was a mana-based potion, similar to the Heartsear Potion and many others. It was useful for only specific individuals who had powerful Physiques who could take it with an additional kind of potion. The Stimulant wasn''t useful on its own. It can highlight the effect of the potion one already swallowed down their throat, making it stronger.


    One had to be strong in mana and body, and if one of those wasn''t stable enough, it was like swallowing poison.


    If a weak unstable person went ahead with such a combo of potions, even with the addition of a high-grade Restoration Potion, one would drop dead on the spot, or blood would seep out of the body until nothing would be left.


    Either way, neither of these things sounded that great, but Razmund didn''t have to worry about them. He knew of much worse combos, potions, pills, or drugs and their effects. He had tried a lot of them, so he remembered what to expect.


    An empty vial fell to the ground, shattering into thousands of pieces.


    Razmund quivered and bent his back sideways into a weird motion, almost as if picking those thousands of pieces with his eyes. He glanced at them from a centimeter away, eyes bloodshot and body standing in one leg. Veins spread in his unblinking eyes, yet Zao already left the hall, his steps echoed into the distance, leaving him alone.


    ¡°He wants to play. Play!? With me? That... is good. Good.¡± he whispered in a calm voice. His body was weirdly hunched over, almost inhumanly so when he realized Zao was gone.


    He smashed the leg that was angled upwards to the ground, beside the other, stabilizing his body, but his back was still kind of bent.


    With that done, he walked towards Zao, the claymore''s edge pressed to the ground behind him. His eyes looked down, his back still a little bent, but his mind wished to kill something or anything.

 Chapter 124: Razmund VS Goldsteel Titan - Part 2

    Razmund stared blankly forward when he followed Zao''s steps. Uncaring about claymore scrapping the ground behind him, the vivid calmness in his eyes was nonexistent. But his ears were sharp, his mind ready like his body, and even his hand itched to swipe his weapon at anything moving.


    He forgot about his primary Hunt. Following Zao''s steps and the sound of his robust body were enough to quench his stress. He was hearing massive heartbeats echoing into his ears. Those were highlights of the combo of potions he used, so he felt everything in much detail. Every step went to his ears like a stomp of a giant.


    The effects of Heartsear Potion were exceptionally strong with the Stimulant, and if he wanted to deal with Zao quickly, this was the bare minimum.


    Heartsear Potion had 10 minutes of effects even with the Stimulant. Everything about the mind and the enchanting effects of it turned wilder and stronger. But it wasn''t some power that could shatter his limits, of course. No potions would grand world-shattering powers. It was their users who would.


    For him, the potion combos were just a nudge to move his latent potential, increase power, and steady his Path. It always worked wonders. A tool was a tool. Those that used them mattered more than the tools themselves. Their use was still very popular in the Battleworld, let alone the Centralis Kingdom. Razmund had no shame in using them.


    Zao''s steps rang from the many hallways this place had. He seemed to have a great grasp of the environment, similar to Razmund, who followed him behind.


    Someone with a Titan-like body was hard to miss, unlike an invisible enemy. Razmund soon arrived at a wide arena that was big even a team of battling Goldsteel Titans. Though Zao was considered young, his race wouldn''t go past 20 meters on most occasions. 30 meters was the upper limit of their race, but those were what was possible and hardly viable to reach. Few of those were present in the Battleworld.


    At least down here, in the world of mortals, limits and old history often meant many different things when gods and Skies were concerned.


    The arena itself wasn''t some cave. It was a huge rectangular room, with a rigid stone floor and no clutter around the walls. The room was clean and fogless to make the battles viable and straightforward. Sharp light was coming from little dots of light from the tall ceiling, shining on every tile. Let alone for Goldsteel Titans, anyone could battle here however they wanted.


    And stopping or hiding in this place was impossible.


    ¡°Now, human,¡± Zao said. ¡°Are you ready to taste the consequences of my patience?¡± Standing tall in the middle of this arena, his back was straight and imposing, facing Razmund who arrived shortly after he had spoken. This act was yet another invitation for a backstab. A simple bait that Razmund wouldn''t bite.


    ¡°Don''t make me laugh, Titan,¡± Razmund said with unnatural firmness in his tone. His body was itching all over, and his claymore was hardly calm in his clutch. ¡°I don''t seek any consequences. Not here. From anyone. Battles are the sole reason for this, Am I right? Do you want your own reason? Sure. I have mine. A simple business. Simple logic. Warriors seek their purpose, yet my path is different from your Pride.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you are of the Chaos?¡±


    ¡°Chaos isn''t necessary for everything and everyone. Dissaray, disorder, evil, and so on. I don''t know all the depictions of Laws, but I never felt one that is speaking to me. They are all their own things, following the Order of Chaos and vice-versa. Neither of them can mold to my needs. That''s pathetic. Working with something already premade, It''s better for it to mold around oneself, than be in the shackles of some rules.¡±


    ¡°That doesn''t sound right, but at the same time, it does sound exactly how humans perceive the Paths.¡±


    ¡°Is it wrong? No!¡± Razmund answered his own question. ¡°It shouldn''t be the other way around. I am a decider. Choices are mine. Not the world''s. You are thinking about it differently. Don''t you think so, oh, proud warrior of the Pride?¡± Razmund asked, speaking in a voice that carried quite a force in this wide and open place.


    His words visibly confused Zao, who wasn''t looking for some talks or answers. It was wrong. It was also right. Everyone had their perspectives, so Zao didn''t refute this human who had his own agendas and beliefs.


    Everyone had their own mind. He had his own, albeit the shackles he had were firm and deep. What he expected to happen didn''t happen, so he turned around, glancing at Razmund with his Goldsteel Eyes.


    Razmund''s words were confident and honest, similar to the stance and madness that was within his body. It seemed that the human in front of him really believed in every word he said. It was obvious on his face. They were his truth, so he almost laughed at him.


    One was never free from the shackles that was the life. There were no excuses, even if someone believed in some miracles. The world accommodated the living, and any taker of some Path had various problems and limits. Calling it a shackle was thus, fitting.


    Although, it was more about the perception of truth, rather than that. Words that he found unfamiliar weren''t what Zao took for something new. After all, Pride was all that Zao needed in his life. Nothing else mattered. No other Law was in his heart. That was how Goldsteel Titans were made, and that''s how they will meet their End. In a Pride accommodating to their heart.


    Suddenly, Zao flickered his hands, letting his sword face the enemy. He took a fighting stance for real this time around. Continuing some wordy efforts wasn''t what he intended, yet he was the one who started it. It dragged long enough, so his swords will do the talking instead.


    He lowered his one leg forward to face the enemy and leaned onwards with both swords beside each other as well. He was looking like a bull with two horns, ready to stab a fool. It was a fairly strange stance, but it seemed rather stable and very straightforward.


    What kind of attack did this sort of stance pose for? Razmund didn''t know what it could do, handle and maintain, and what power it held. But he will take it all, counter it the same, or eat it up. He wasn''t a pure Sword Sage who wanted to know everything about every swordsmanship. It wasn''t right when he had a lot on his table, even though the truth of his Path did work with many sword techniques.


    Initiating the attacks was something he enjoyed by all rights of his Path. He was supposed to be the one to handle the Sword Sage Path. Anything with the sword was just part of it, as it was a literal pinnacle of Sword Pathway. So he wasn''t fooling around before any sword of others.


    The fighting was part of the inevitability, and figuring the sword was a neverending journey.


    But what was that ambush before, one may ask? A failure? Blunder? In death and battle, hardly any of that mattered.


    And in order to take over the past mistakes, Razmund shouldn''t be the one with doubts. He wasn''t lying to himself. He wasn''t truthful either, but his claymore was ready to decide all of it anyway.


    Zao was more important than not getting smacked out of his breath. It gave an answer for some worry, however. Getting too close to him wasn''t ideal because he wasn''t as clumsy as Giants. Titans were more versatile and battle-stricken than that. So it wasn''t time to repeat the same mistakes twice.


    With the body and mind ready, he did exactly that. Razmund pounced at Zao, but this time, it was clear as the sky that both wanted to clash together.


    It was a straightforward start, with no hint of cowardice on both sides. Zao opened his eyes wide, surprised by the speed and Will of his opponent. He expected a more vile and cruder manner of attack since this human backstabbed him once. Seeing refined terms of swordplay, he was surprised.


    But if anything made more sense, his enemies shouldn''t be so weak if he was required. If a Challenger was already before him from Mindarch''s readings, there were no doubts.


    Fancy attacks. Those were what those punny humans always used. They were oftentimes laughable to his heart. A simple fist and swipe of the sword did the right justice in a fight. There was no need for theatrics or fancy moves.


    Zao was simple in this nature, like any other Goldsteel Titan. But this exceeded the affection he held for his Pride. This human even tried to ambush his Pride, even when he had this fine of a sword? Laughable. Zao smiled, face gleaming in a wide grin. His teeth were silvery sheen, resembling human''s as well. It was a perfect side of teeth; not sharp but they had some effects. They were unable to decay, and their silvery color was nothing but an effective part of his physique.


    Zao saw the incoming attack and took it head-on.


    Razmund dragged the claymore behind his Flying Steps. With a single hand, he swung it halfway through his journey, followed by the premise of Flying Steps. Each step in this technique gifted one with a great speed and surge of momentum. The use of it enabled any attacks afterward to reach great strength. Depending on the number of steps, the user had to have a strong body and a flexible mind. Too much speed may be harsh; a misstep fatal.


    Amount of steps corresponded with the stages in Flying Steps, as it had no regular evolutionary pathway, unlike the vast majority of abilities. They corresponded with the leveling journey, making this ability rare, simple, and less convoluted.


    Everyone who could get this ability started at Grade F no matter the talent or fate. This was how most constant abilities worked, but not always. Grade F went for up to 3 steps. Each step increased the power of the last one, making every step matter. Each Grade meant 3 new steps, and more layers of those steps meant more power.


    It was a movement technique that could allow one to literary reach flying speed and great momentum. It required precision, control, and incredible Will and body. Failure meant backlash, waste, and pain.


    Hence, the travel towards Zao was brief, barely taking 3 steps which Razmund used before. Every new step stressed his legs, yet he didn''t hesitate to turn it up a notch.


    Zao also didn''t hesitate, so he turned his sword sideways. Like two scissors, they looked ready to chop a mountain in half. He lowered his posture almost to the ground, kicked the floor, and went forward like a pouncing tiger.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Two forces arrived at one another, and Razmund was watching everything at high speed, stressed body, and blurred vision. Unlike the sheer speed, he watched everything in unnatural calmness and vividness because of the Heartsear Potion. It was almost in slow motion, but his body barely listened to his command when all he needed was to kill.


    Turns, jumping, and general moving of the body while using Flying Steps were very heavy.


    His eyes weren''t an issue, similar to the claymore in hand that was like Law. One of them stemmed from his Will, and Dexterity allowed his mind to work with this speed. Vitality had also some touches in this but to a lesser degree. His eyes permitted him to perceive reality much better, allowing his mind to be extremely sharp, and his sight to undergo qualitative change.


    In that sense, Razmund was a freak in terms of perceptions, but he still couldn''t see one thing. Souls.


    His eyes were his freakiest source of pride, giving him a tough look and weird complexion that was a byproduct of everything combined. There was no point stopping the source of great power. It was too beneficial, and even his master would agree with it since he basically forced him to lean onto this perception, even though it gave him this look. He didn''t complain now, but he sure hated the pain, or how learning and training went. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In a breath, a wild and sharp sound echoed in the Chamber of Battle. With a powerful chop, Zao struck with quite a ferocious attack toward the much smaller opponent, yet surprisingly, the smaller human didn''t flinch from this attack. Razmund carried his weight more than enough, and his claymore flexed along his swipe, striking both swords the moment they intersection upon each other, wanting to slice him in half.


    In that fraction of a second, Razmund''s body twisted, arriving at a complete stop since he struck the swords, instead of Zao himself. This halted the Flying Step at the 3rd Step, allowing him the intercept this two-way attack with a single swipe of his claymore and momentum carried by 3 Steps.


    The wild thing about this exchange was that neither of them managed to gain the upper hand.


    Razmund managed to jolt back both of the curved blades after shouting and letting his claymore strike the ground as he pushed those large swords away. But at the same time, the reverberations and force from the clash struck him in a backlash. He, along with his own claymore, traveled for dozens of meters away, leaving the ground cracked. It was clear that neither won this exchange. No blood or sword went to the ground.


    One would think that what Razmund did was much harder since Zao attacked with quite a crafty attack. Perhaps, any other opponent would''ve been long cleaved in half.


    Zao abandoned his wide, numb hands, still clutching the rough handles of his swords, which ended up disappointing him a little bit. They were unable to do a thing to this sword of human caliber? This disappointed his heart and Pride. What sort of crafty thing was that claymore? For that little sword to go against his, he had met few such swords.


    Normally, the human opponents wouldn''t be as direct against his swords. It was the difference in mass that made it hard. They would use long-range attacks and other crafty techniques. That was how most humans fought him. This was straightforward without lacking the Pride. He liked it.


    ¡°You, human. What sort of weapon is that?¡± Zao asked, barely flinching in his step after taking this single slash with the power of 3 Flying Steps behind it. Razmund''s slash by itself wasn''t special by any means, but any slash of a Sword Sage was like a proper technique of ordinary Paths.


    ¡°Won''t tell,¡± Razmund replied after stopping his steps and readied himself to fight. He stood straight and didn''t fly away like a fool. He simply slid on the ground, secured his momentum by piercing the ground with his claymore, and felt the brittle future ahead. This Zao was trouble.


    ¡°Tell me!¡±


    ¡°Well... Even if you insist... No. Not that.¡± Razmund hesitated and tensed his claymore. ¡°If you will die by my sword, I shall speak to your prided End. Doesn''t that sound fitting to you, Titan?¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Zao smiled. ¡°Magnificent idea! What a magnificent Pride! I am moved. Let''s do exactly that.¡± He then grinned much wider than ever before, moved his hands apart, and readied his favorite stance. One sword was wide on his left; the other wide on his right. They were quite far from each other in this stance, making it hard to point out which one he would use. Perhaps both? One?


    Because of his wideness, Razmund wasn''t sure.


    In fact, if one was slashed out, and he defended enough, then the other would finish the job. It was a clever tactic that touched upon this wide room setting. It made differences in mass and height all so apparent, and it was an advantage that Zao obviously liked.


    Zao''s reach was extensive, so before Razmund could reach him, the second sword would strike him, causing a neverending cycle where he wouldn''t reach him. This idea, upon watching his wide stance, instantly replayed in Razmund''s mind.


    He wasn''t sure if he was right or not, but he didn''t like imagining the idea of losing. It was one step to truly accept the defeat, so he hated this idea.


    But he was not so naive fool. Defeats were part of every path seeker. As a Blessed, he had a life behind him. The kind that allowed him to get some sense of gifts so he could reach this world with his memories intact.


    However, his demeanor and ideas changed more than enough after living here for more than 2 decades, numbing the past and overriding it with a ridiculous land of gods and magic. One had few choices. Cherishing it, getting accustomed to it, and following it all were the most common examples. Complaining or not following it was as rare as stupid, but every Blessed was a being with a questionable demeanor, so when past resentments or ideas clashed with new ones, things got complicated.


    Razmund followed this world for a long time already. It was fun.


    He steadied himself to deal with this attack in his own way. His unblinking eyes were bloodshot and focused, his mouth twitched, and his body tensed up. The fog from before was only temporary, disappearing before he even walked to this arena.


    Claymore was heavy in his hand today, and for now, against this Goldsteel Titan, he overlooked his hunt. What was before him was no weird duck after all. He had a foe to kill, so he grinned, enjoying this situation more than he ever thought he would. This was rather surprising for him, which wasn''t what he had expected. He just wanted to obliterate his fated enemy and deal with the Encounter for the better good of his future and past.


    Now, on the other hand, he was kind of moved by Zao and his Pride. It was a little contagious. Having his limits extended felt great, but he wasn''t going all out with a proper dance of his Path. These Flying Steps were a powerful technique on its own wherever his Claymore swung without anything behind. But if a stance and Flying Steps combined together, it was a different story. He focused on this for many years already. Using 3 Steps was far from his limits, or what was possible.


    This combat of life and death against powerful Goldsteel Titan will be an unexpected addition to his Path. He shall become stronger from this, reach new comprehension about his head, and swords. A few minutes will be enough. More wouldn''t be necessary because long battles weren''t up to his body, or techniques, or a combo of potions.


    But a simple sword strike was often said to be enough to obliterate any enemy of the Sword Sage.


    Razmund had to follow the past steps, so he clutched his claymore with both hands and steadied his breath. The last part was heavier and harder since his Core was heavy like lead. It was fueling his body, pushing his unique grade Physique that constantly needed a flow of mana. It was why he couldn''t fight for long periods of time, even if the costs weren''t that heavy. Heavy use of Mana Potions helped a lot with it, but those didn''t grow on trees, especially when his Mana Core was long past the Initialization Stage.


    His feet were firm on the ground; his claymore went above his head. He used the same technique against Thar, but this time, it will be a two-way dance, rather than a singular one. In rightful terms, it will be a fusion of one main dance and one minor move. It will be heavy to fuse it together, but he shall try.


    With claymore high above his head, he began to move towards Zao. Step by step, he walked as if unafraid of incoming attacks that were wide and encompassing his whole line of vision.


    Zao wasn''t clear how and when he would attack, but that went to both of them. Each possibility to kill or defend left behind some clues, or actions. Razmund was wide open, with the long claymore looming above his head like a guillotine, ready to strike any incoming attack. At least that was what Zao felt and saw, but that was far away from him. His reach was quicker and wider, capable of striking this small human.


    But he could feel the tension rising from his enemy. A storm was brewing


    The tension in the air was so thick, that one may even cut into it. The rising powerful feelings over that claymore weren''t hurtful, but wild mana was starting to gather. That claymore was dangerous. Aa instinct that his Pride felt wouldn''t allow him to mock it. And as a warrior, one should respect the other warrior. That was undeniably truth and a rule among all kinds of figures, races, and beings.


    Goldsteel Titans had the honor, but who knew if the original Titans also had this approach? Probably not...


    Attacking the bare body of a warrior, who stepped up and resolved into a powerful stance, spoke thousands of words and acts. It was about resolve, similar to how one didn''t attack helpless children.


    ¡°What a peculiar stance. I shall meet it with my everything. End this all in a breath! Maybe it will be even the last clash of this fight. Let''s see.¡± Zao said, following through his Pride until the very end, and didn''t slash at him as he approached. He asked for it, but even if he did go ahead by using his wide stance, he felt they would''ve done nothing. He at least felt it. Not know it. It was a hunch. Something deep was telling him that he would''ve regretted it.


    So Zao remained in his wide stance, waiting until Razmund was close in front of him. In the time it took for Razmund to walk this distance, the aura of his sword changed to a pristine, colorful light. He let go of all stops, and his mana was powerful in its full Sharpness Awakening. Thin layers of white and orange overlapped the claymore, turning until they were red. It was how the tide of 1st Dance went.


    Cleaving the Earth into Two.


    It was the same attack that he used against Thar, but the ending results were quite obvious, but not against Zao. He had no power of an Extreme, nor an Undying Physique.


    Titan Physique may be extremely sturdy, but he shall test it.


    There was a clear difference in the opponent, and Zao noticed the change in the claymore, mana, and dangers involved. A screeching sword storm grasped the claymore at all fronts, making it dangerous.


    In that distance, no Pride shall be taken, forgotten, or betrayed. Zao accepted this sword with what he could. He attacked from his right, twisting and cleaving the air with his right sword first, arriving vertically against Razmund''s upper section, aiming at the claymore. This was just a basic confirmation that was following his warrior''s heart.


    He will fight to the end; to see who was stronger. A change and proper difference shall decide a part of it. Not waiting.


    Clash and timing were at a perfect angle for what he was about to do, and Razmund was happy to see that. Zao''s Pride was fine foolishness to covet, trust, and fully take advantage of. There was no shame in this. He welcomed it with a thin grin, and gently spoke words under his nose. It was so quiet, that the flickering mana of the blade didn''t change at all, nor Zao heard his words.


    The claymore went down so quickly and easily, arriving at the first contact with Zao''s sword, crashing at it under a breath. Nothing else was obscuring its path, so the incoming slash was expected. A storm of mana and a single heavy clash shook the room, and one of them was stronger.


    Zao almost lost the grip on his sword, and couldn''t react with the left one in time, because a lot of power went behind Razmund''s 1st Dance, obliterating the momentum.


    Seeing this success, Razmund turned on the spot and continued with the Dance with his feet alone. He used most of his body strength in maintaining the One Sword and 1st Dance, but he started the other action as well. Strength over the hip bent the power and used a lot of momentum, securing the follow-up attack.


    He turned a momentum sideways, and by using his right hand that was clutching the claymore, he grasped the hilt with the left hand that had Destiny Dice wrapped around it. The whole storm went to the ground, closing on his chest, cluttering around the claymore.


    The rest of the handle rested in his inner palm, traveling side by side with the rest of the forearm that went along the hand. He was like a dart, ready to strike forward. His left hand moved along with his claymore, opposite of the right hand. It was heavy. Changing the 1st Dance was like holding a true storm.


    With this part done, Razmund lowered his left knee and strengthened his core and stance to make the last and following changes. He looked like he held a club, and wanted to smack a bear, but it pointed forward.


    Building momentum was a point in almost all swordsmanship. The use and way around them differed, but at the core, they had similar settings and truths. In his hands was power, and the powerful force of momentum went from his hip, arms, and flexed right leg pushed most of it forward.


    Both hands clutched the handle, and instead, of a slash, it was a powerful thrust attack that led a massive amount of Sharpness Mana forward. Like a storm, the heavy storm went against the massive blade, which Zao stabilized first before the other.


    Razmund right leg''s stomp cracked the ground for a few meters around him, and the mana itself shook the ground even more. The Bolt of Sharpness went ahead, straight towards the large target.

 Chapter 125: Razmund VS Goldsteel Titan - Part 3

    Bolt of Sharpness was a manifestation of Razmund''s awakened mana. Shaping up any move that worked entirely on following the principles of his Path was much stronger than simple slashes. These always followed the creation process set by a predecessor, the one who was worthy of being called a Sword Sage.


    Most of such techniques, or swordsmanship moves had complicated processes, and some were clearer than others. They demanded precision, care, and power. It required not only a sword but also body and proper footwork or momentum.


    Razmund''s Dances were one of the most intricate points under his powers. It was the core of his Path after all. Each was a partial manifestation within the in the Sword Sage Path. It required everything in him to feel and touch them, but as with many things, they had their limits. And he wasn''t afraid to become brutal or crazy to touch the untouchable or come to terms with his choices.


    Zao looked in utter bewilderment at the raging current of a sharp mana storm. Its appearance and threat were not only made of mana, twisting and flowing like a current of Stormy Sea at the edges of the Somalis continent.


    Under a breath, it shook his closest blade aside as if it was made of paper, and even his left blade was momentarily unable to come close to defense. His body didn''t listen to his commands when meeting an incoming attack that didn''t feel to be in line with the past Challengers. It was strong, savage, and piercing. The sight of this storm almost touched on some swordsmanship from legends and twisted and powerful Paths that Zao heard about.


    He knew of many extravagant examples and even their depictions, or direct sights. Most Goldsteel Titans held the Skies as their main residence, but not a home. Nothing was their home. Never been. Only temporary places that may desire. Those were enough for most of them.


    Their greatest motivation was to follow their Pride or the purpose of their contracts. Those factors were their masters, albeit those had many forms, reasons, or worthy individuals behind them.


    Everyone had the price for anything. That was a popular phrase across the Skies.


    Countless Extremes performed all kinds of miracles, hoping to reach those heights. But Gods were not void of the past, or deep currents to get stronger. In fact, they were more savage than what mortals made them to be. It was a matter of expectations and exposure. Gods simply didn''t offer the same validation to mortals, while mortals viewed Gods in different colors. Their miracles and descends did leave their mark. That was the difference mortals couldn''t deny.


    Descending from their lefty thrones or deep Depths when their time or War had arrived, ushering the world and many powers under their Paths, the world changed.


    From the stories Zao heard from his elders and siblings, many Paths lacked certain edges and descriptions, similar to the one he was seeing right now. He had no clue about a Sword Sage Path. Unless one knew those powers oneself, or if it left a clear picture before it shifted to void, knowledge about special Paths was abysmal. Comprehending the Divides was complicated, and powerful Pathways with their respective Paths always ruled above anything else.


    Gods ensured it.


    Unfortunately, Zao wasn''t alive when the original Titans battled and carried chaos, directing many cycles worth of time.


    Those times were long gone, replaced with a multitude of small and intricate problems that held some touch of that past. Differences between these passing times and lost histories weren''t simple, but this world and the current universe were never meant to be simple.


    In the Divine Wars set up by Gods, Goldsteel Titans merged with many forces, and by what or why? Powers? Rules? Excuses? Zao saw the heights of many Gods with his own eyes, felt their power with his skin, and saw their light or lack of it. From far away, he watched, but that still counted as a great experience since he would''ve become obliterated by any Extreme, let alone a God.


    Extremes were monsters that Divine War hardly lacked, and every being worthy of touching such wars had to effectively go against a God. Or Gods fought against other Gods. That was also a possibility, right beside a power that set their sights on a God.


    Extremes were the bare minimum to not fear certain repercussions of rules. The mere presence of Gods shouldn''t wobble their legs. Zao was far from an Extreme, so there were fears in his head since he was a youth, unable to be of proper service. Being a trophy and occasional help were all he had under his Pride, and Levandis had no shame in handling gifts like toys. He was a prize, and it may not be prideful to be like this, but the rules and honor of his clan ran deep.


    Goldsteel Titans were just a relic of the past, fighting for glory or hope, so Pride counted for everything in their heads. It was for them alone, but Zao had no shame in that. Past was often mesmerizing motion, and while history was often underappreciated, it wasn''t overexaggerated in his mind.


    Seeing the power of Razmund''s unfathomable thrust, his eyes saw nothing but light alone. No Razmund. Just light.


    And unfathomable Sharpness.


    Zao didn''t consider he had time for his left blade to move, so he focused all he had on the right one. Puzzled and focused, he was like Razmund who was briefly taken aback by his attack. In this surge of power, he felt no weakness as two Dances went back to back like he wanted. Momentum, a surge of One Sword, and a Bolt of Sharpness followed the effects of Heartsear Potion''s doubled effects.


    It was only the second strike he pushed against Zao, yet he felt as if he fought against him for hours. This was all thanks to Heartsear Potion. It sharpened one''s mind and readied the body and mind without fatigue. It will have some backlash later, but it will be a minor problem at most. His body can take worse beatings than just a combo of potions.


    It had vast benefits, but also a problem. He had already fought many fools before coming here, yet those felt like child''s play compared to Zao. The last time in this temple was like this too. Guardians were the true problems of this Gate, leaving the journey here in a different light. 3rd-time visitors were prone to intense challenges, he knew and felt.


    Razmund wondered what the next Gate would be like, but he didn''t think of it at the moment. Before him was no Murai. The only challenge was to kill Zao.


    He didn''t know what Zao was capable of, and that was a pain. A joke too, if his master was here, complaining and looming behind his back. ¡°Nothing that a brute force can''t do, right? Perhaps you should think before you swing that long sword of yours.¡± His words whispered in his head from countless bits of his mocking lessons. Memories and lessons were fine to remember since the actual fight to the death was different.


    Holding his claymore far before his chest felt like drawing an outlet to a massive flood out of his Core.


    2nd Dance was called a Bolt of Sharpness. It had a simple premise to work with. Affinity of Sharpness was one of the prerequisites to the Path of a Sword Sage, and this Dance played a part in its layered structure. Awakened Mana helped massively, but that held a different kind of concept of power. 2nd Dance didn''t require it, but stronger mana sure empowered everything to new and grand heights. Any upgrade to his swordsmanship or mana elevated One Sword, causing each Dance to become more potent. It was how his Path should look like.


    Because of it, he had no doubt he was powerful right now, and he could rise much higher than this. His Mana Core was currently at the peak of the Revolving Core and provoking the Path Core which should be incredibly strong. But that one required Laws, and that wasn''t up to his standards no matter what his Dances or Path held. It wasn''t his time for that yet.


    His age was a limit, as he was human through and through. His Physique wouldn''t change it, nor his choice of a Path. The following stages required more things than brute strength, and everyone around level 60 slowed down significantly. Humans had their limits too, albeit in a different vision than those of beasts, demons, or devils.


    Luck, prizes, and understanding one''s Path. That was what Path Core signified along with worth and talents. And no matter what, anyone who accumulated such a high level should already carry some Path under their grasp. Following it meant an essential foundation, solving smaller problems from before, and time. Accumulation of everything was what Paths were, a certain road that one had to follow to the bitter end. If they won''t, they go against their Path and no one should want that.


    Razmund cherished his Path since the sword was in his grasp. It was an unfamiliar feeling to use multiple Dances one after the other. Both of them worked seamlessly, folding over one another and moving as if he had used it in the past. But he didn''t. This was his first proper follow-up of the 2nd Dance after the 1st, with little to no delay.


    Stressed and huffed, his Core was squeezing its Sharpness out, but he still moved it without a care for any repercussions.


    It birthed a powerful attack upon his mind. Such seamless usage of Dances should had a specific name under his Path, but he can''t remember what it was like. He had no Will to think of it for now. He just wanted to see what he could do with it.


    The claymore''s tip cleaved the air, reaching the edge of the incoming sword that Zao forced down. His body convulsed and shined in golden veins, visibly shuddering out of his cracks. He activated some technique and got hold of his sword after he almost lost it. Swinging it like a guillotine against the light storm, the sword''s mass and weight worked surprisingly well, making this attack a true Guillotine Chop.


    Both attacks clashed against one another, leaving only a single clear winner. It wasn''t the claymore by itself, but the light and its power were the sole survivors of this rough momentum. It barged against that mountain-shattering Chop, unleashing countless little sword slashes, but most of those were thrusts of thousands of little swords. They overflowed Zao''s sword with an absurd amount of Sharpness, obliterating the curved blade, and cracking it into a thousand pieces.


    Those pieces of stone-like metal exploded, leaving marks on the ground, and even in Zao''s face. His blade left him... More than half of it was now gone, yet it wasn''t over. The lights sough their next target, and a powerful push of the mana traveled forth, reaching Zao who was wide open. It was too late to do a thing, but unlike what he anticipated, Razmund didn''t expect this sort of offense over his storm.


    Not one bit.


    He didn''t even expect the effectiveness of his 2nd Dance to be this long-ranged and unyielding. 2nd Dance alone normally lasted much shorter and had less mass.


    Was it the effects of his current One Sword, or was it the Dance Layering under his Path Manual? He wasn''t sure, but there were many feasible ideas. One was clear. Dangers stimulate potential, bloodline, talent, and many other things. His body moved on his own, mana followed suit, and his mind didn''t even comprehend the changes. He was improving in lightning speed, and fighting strong opponents helped with it.


    Or was it because of those effects this temple gave him like the last time, improving his mana like a curse?


    Mana Flow was savage in this place, but his Core consumed it all up under his Grade B Mana Devourer just fine. It was a variant of Mana Replenishment, with a unique twist in its evolutionary pathway and countless variants of mana-related techniques and abilities. It was different from the regular growth because it was a modification occurring from his Path.


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    How? The Breathing Technique under the Path Manual created many things, like what many Mana Tomes did through countless years.


    Will of the Battleworld cherished such changes and even encouraged them if the individual wanted them, or could have them. These changes were a great idea that turned options into accomplishments. Especially when one was a Blessed.


    Following the leveling process altered Razmund''s Mana Replenishment to correspond with his Path. It happened at Level 20, right after he got better in his Path. It was a factor that could change the person forever, and even demons, beasts, or devils were no different. They can make their own choices, while this world will cherish them the same.


    Razmund didn''t even breathe when he watched how his 2nd Dance beamed forth like a thick storm thrust. It looked large, but it was a single surge of mana. Dances were one of the hardest power systems to progress with, as they didn''t rely on or work well around the Boosts and Will of the Battleworld. They required experience, rather than cheap gifts. Because of this, all technically advanced Paths were deemed more respectable, since anyone great with them was prone to more troubles than the one who had chosen an easier Path.


    Bolt of Sharpness formed a long beam at its core, traveling from his claymore for dozens of meters, obliterating all on its way. It was terrific, but can it do something against the bloodline of those lofty and ancient Titans? Answers weren''t needed, since it went right against Zao.


    A wave of crimson and radiating light scrambled toward Zao''s chest, and his Goldsteel Eyes watched thousands of straight swords under his eyes, bearing their weight and sharpness into his cracks. At that moment, he felt an unfathomable pushing force, but not the greatest amount of Sharpness. Each small sword wasn''t powerful in its own mass. But they still cracked his blade apart, bleeding his heart.


    When he viewed them as one entity, it felt like the Mountain Blade of Origin Titan pinched his chest, pushing his body dozens of meters away like a toy.


    Zao lost his weight and mass, traveling on his feet that scratched the floor. That went on until he stopped and dispersed the mana with a flex of his back and a twist of his legs. He flexed his entire body, and a surge of mana shattered the ground as if the power he endured moved to the ground instead. His back bent, so he faced the ceiling as he did so, but he didn''t fall to his back, unwilling to create an awkward stance.


    The vest around his chest crumbled apart, revealing his well-defined, yet cracked muscles filled with golden liquid. There were clear bruisers and much wider cracks, but nothing indicated any blood loss. Any Godlsteel Titan held their body to the highest standard. It was what life meant for them.


    Power meant many things to many races. The defense was often great offense and vice versa. In terms of defense, the first ambush on his legs was healed before Zao even walked to this Chamber of Battle. As he fought, he had no fear of injuries, similar to Razmund, who came to this realization as well. Zao''s defense was not one bit lower than his own, but they were of a different kind.


    The Bolt of Sharpness came to its end, dispersing after losing its edge after traveling dozens of meters away. The residual attack dispersed into thin air, leaving Razmund''s arms holding his claymore pointing at Zao. He let the point hit the ground, feeling a tinge of exhaustion and some disappointment, but Heartsear Potion moved it all away under a few breaths.


    A sudden recollection entered his mind. He remembered the name of what Dance Layering mentioned, but only for a little moment. The battle was hardly over. Zao kicked the ground, turning serious after taking a hit that damaged his Pride. One of his blades was gone too... That was the start of something savage. Titan Engine began to rumble.


    This Dance held some power for sure, but what was Zao again? A Guardian for those that could touch such a race? Challengers who would get him wouldn''t walk away that easily.


    Upon clearing his throughs, Razmund felt his mana core. It underwent quite a deep dip. Almost 20% of his pool was gone in an instant.


    Oh well. It was worth the experience. I need to utilize the Layering more and use it to gain a better affinity for Sharpness. It is difficult. No doubt. Sword Sage mentioned it in the hints and sides. Layering is what makes the Combos shine. If I master this one Combo alone, I will be one step closer to going over level 70, and achieving better power over my Dances is also great. It is mana that makes my body boil, and One Sword will last for more.


    But if I was closer, It should''ve been deadlier... I was quite a long distance away, which caused Bolt to lose some of its Sharpness over time. That''s what I get when my standards are too high, and who am I attacking again? Titan Physique... I should take this as a powerful indicator of what a Combo can do, so what if it traveled towards his body and dispersed? I obliterated the Blade too, which I am unsure how good it is. Considering it is common for Titans to care less about anything but their Body, I guess it should be cheap like their armor? Razmund deducted, thinking of the exchange in a mere moment.


    Zao looked up in his weird stance, glaring at the ceiling with a wonderful glint in his eyes. His Engine Flex seized a lot of damage, obliterating a great deal of the floor, but creating no hole in it. This room can take much more than those hallways, so it was no wonder. Zao straightened his back and met the eyes of his enemy. ¡°How is this move called?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Does it need a name?¡± Razmund asked back, aware of its name, but he didn''t want to speak of it. Every swordsman had their pride, and indulging in unnecessary information in this temple wasn''t fine.


    As far as he knew, his Path was kind of rare, since it came from a very remote Remnant Dungeon that no one had visited in who knew how many centuries. His Swordsmanship had no names for the combos of the Dances. It wasn''t something that the maker of this technique deemed worthy.


    ¡°No need, human. Names are there for many. Seeing and using it is already magnificent enough, and my eyes etched it into my memories.¡± Zao said, sighing, pulling his right arm toward his face. His right arm held the cracked blade, which lost more than half of its mass and weight. It ruined his swordsmanship and even his Pride took a hit. ¡°Twin blades shouldn''t become one. It''s a shameful way to be unable to protect their way, but as a Prided warrior, I shall fight with the remaining one and make the end of this battle! For the sake of the End of my right blade. That shall be its Pride!¡±


    Zao let go of the destroyed blade as if it were his kindest and most prized possession. With reluctance and an almost teary expression on his face, he let the blade fall to the ground, not so far away from the metal pieces of its former body. By the lack of surprise, there weren''t even that many pieces left of it.


    Most of it was just crashed cracks, and any additional hit would obliterate it to countless little metallic pieces. Having it in his hand was unfit, and useless, yet he let go of it with heavy heart.


    Considering its weight and mass, one would wonder how could a metal blade explode in such a manner. After all, if such shattering happened to a sword, it usually meant that the metal wasn''t forged that well. It would have quite a clear problem when it came to forging, quenching, hammering, and so on. It depended on the maker, a blacksmith who crafted them. They would be the ones to blame.


    Alas, that wasn''t the case here, as Zao''s blades were fine in all regards. It was just the material that wasn''t the usual kind, with properties that went outside of the norm. It cracked because of certain brittleness caused by its mass, and meeting a powerful force that made its internal structure obsolete.


    Razmund made it crack and he didn''t care about it. One blade less to worry about was the advantage he was accepting without any shame. He looked toward his enemy, clutching his claymore with new confidence. A duel was always his cup of tea, but fighting against Titan''s Physique was an unexpected harvest.


    With a heavy thud, as if hundreds of kilograms of steel hit the ground, Zao buried his sword. He changed in an instant. His right arm went below his left, clutching the remaining blade. He was feeling imbalanced in this way, as he wielded the twin blades all his life. For him, this loss was a loss of his Pride, but it was more than that.


    Like Razmund, Zao had his own Path.


    Seeing the perplexion on his face, Razmund returned to a fighting stance. This time, he pointed his sword forward with an obvious intention of getting this battle to the last part. Zao saw his action, his claymore that remained pristine and without any mana. He figured there must be some limit and delay between his previous attack. But deep intent was traveling through that claymore, readying the mana in a heartbeat.


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    Without much regard for ploys or ambushes, there were no hiding or crafty moves. Razmund barely used a proper stance and danced with his claymore without much qualms about powerful moves. He had to know what else Zao could endure. Then, he will finish him in one swoop.


    His Physique took care of most troubles one would see when met with such an enemy. Both of them clashed together, arriving and clashing head-on. Razmud used his Flying Steps, flashing and swinging his claymore against a large sword that wanted to smack at him like a mountain.


    Every attack that either of them did, reverberated throughout the Chamber of Battle, overseen by few hidden Wills and one clear Guide. Small cracks spread on the already damaged floor when either foe struck the other. Each moved fast, making their different figures rather unnatural. Especially Zao seemed weird. His speed and reflexes were faster than one would guess from his stature, and every swipe of his sword touched and halted Razmund''s advantages.


    Considering his huge body, he moved no worse than Razmund, which was impressive.


    Dozens of clashes went left and right, missing the bodies, hitting the swords, or striking the floor and the air alone, shuddering it for dozens of meters. More often than not, Razmund was the one in defense. He took each exchange with a worse kind of attitude but didn''t lose either. His Flying Steps worked even with a single step, while his swings carried enough momentum against a single Zao''s blade.


    The physical strength that Zao held was larger than his, but he had better flexibility and reflexes, and his claymore should be able to cut him. He already tested it, so he should find a way to cleave his body properly and work around his Physique and a large blade. That was a problematic part.


    There wasn''t much he could figure out with clumsy methods such as quick exchanges. He was only looking for an opening and more knowledge of his enemy, but the enemy was doing the same. Hence, he should act faster, or he will lose.


    Using more powerful methods over his claymore would do the trick since his Path had plenty of methods to shatter high defenses. But he had limited time to figure them out.


    Zao turned into an utmost freak after getting serious, striking and following Razmund without a care for a time, or his defense. Restless and nonstop attacks went from both of them, and Razmund tried to back off to gain momentum, but Zao already figured out his Flying Steps. He kept pestering him with wide and quick slashes with his remaining blade. His long reach over his enemy helped a lot, giving Razmund very few chances to use more than 2 Flying Steps.


    His remaining blade had the same appearance as the lost one, albeit, it wasn''t shattered and betrayed on the floor.


    Razmund had enough flexibility and reactions to follow this fight. All thanks to his high Dexterity, a combo of potions, and proper footwork. His eyes worked to his advantage, making all of the chops, slashes, and stabbing motions clear for him to dodge or deflect on time. He couldn''t dodge most of them, but deflecting them was fine too.


    Bearing the other deflected half of his momentum with his Physique was a passable result, even though Razmund disagreed. He felt every inch of his body tense up after each passing clash. And this continued to drag on since neither upped the other. Razmund tried, but couldn''t find the right way to get out of Zao''s continuous barrage. Hundreds of quick exchanges ate his stamina, while Goldsteel Titan was a menace that seemed to have endless stamina.


    Heartsear Potion had a few minutes left.


    It almost seemed that Zao was in a Bloodrush, with all of the highlighted cracks of brightening golden liquid, but it wasn''t the case. Zao was simply going all out, while his core worked to his advantage.


    Path of the Turbulent Engine was the pride of all males in Goldsteel Titan clans, and his Physique worked overtime. His eyes were pristine in gold, making it clear that his bulging muscles were working at their highest capacity. His mind wasn''t. It was relatively blank, focused on this fight as if it were the most important thing in his life.


    In this sense, Razmund had no choice but to go all out with his body.


    He activated one of the Secret Biddings under his Path.


    Mana flared up from his chest as if a flame lit his body, bathing him in the azure light of his unawakened mana. Raging Bull was light in colorful azure shade, traveling around his body and making waves an inch above his body. At its core, it was one of the more common types of enchantments, but like Mana Devourer, this one was a variant that accommodated his Path to create something different.


    It moved along the enchantments that Lisa was familiar with as Morghoth Succubus. She would recognize his potency right away, as well as the dangers and how it worked. At its core, it was a strengthening spell known to protect and handle the body like a puppet, amplifying the flesh on all fronts.


    But Razmund was a unique case since it was under the Secret Biddings. it had similarities to many other spells and enchantments, but at its core, it was much better.


    Body Enchantment was the most common name for any mage. Raging Bull was much stronger. It was way more other, but still under the mana, so Shaping it was possible. Shaping could strengthen each use of the Raging Bull, and empowering one particular part of his body was also possible. It was a simple ability at the price of some mana.


    In Razmund''s case, Raging Bull was covering most of his body, because his Physique could take it all in even if it was savage in its flow. He could focus on his torso, hands, or feet, but for now, he needed everything, since its sole purpose was to twist his body for additional power. Not defense.


    The color of the azure radiance represented this spell, and he had yet to Shape it. He just pulled the savage power of Raging Bulls from him, letting it go free in its basic flow.


    It enchanted all of his Attributes by dozens of points, empowering his Physique to another level. His physical senses tensed up, but his strength twisted under the flowing azure waves of his mana. He wasn''t sure how strong he was with it, but the cost was clear.


    Raging Bull growled out of his core, turning his mind up a notch. It was hard to tame, and his bloodshot eyes looked on the verge of exploding. It was harder to focus when his Mana Devourer acted against Raging Bull, and the battle against Zao won''t help either.


    Thus, it was most important to have a clear mind, and Heartsear Potion nursed his mind under a few breaths. It was as if a drunk person sobered up in an instant.


    It was time to counter and shatter this Goldsteel Titan.

 Chapter 126: Razmund VS Goldsteel Titan - Part 4

    The power of the Raging Bull was adapting to Razmund''s Physique and vice-versa. It wasn''t part of his Path, however. Many secondary, or supplementary spells, or techniques could be adjusted to almost any Path. Some could be even far outside of it, but still allowed for changes. This allowed one''s general prowess to be better than average, although it had many concepts.


    It was how mana usually worked on universal principles, how Physique enchanted the body, and how one''s talent or equipment made a huge difference. For swordsmanship and other complicated and technical Paths, some techniques were suitable across most of them. Some may be hardly adjustable, simply because of their detachment from one''s Path, or their core''s strength was not suitable for the body.


    It was a matter of finding, mastering, and using the right fit for one''s Path.


    And that was where Secret Biddings were absolutely priceless and used for many millennia to change what Paths were in the Battleworld. Those were techniques outside of one''s Path and usual limits, adjusted by one thing and only: the Will of the Battleworld. They only operated when one had chosen a Path. Only then did one have a chance to get some Secret Bidding.


    They depicted the powers reshaped by the generosity that this world gifted. Will of the Battleworld had a surplus of power and readings, viewing everything under a much larger context and codexes. It had the means to empower and generously send massive rewards to anyone in this world.


    It was a wonderful additional case for those who desired something special, so it was certainly not a bad thing. It was how strong figures got more power, similar to how Blessed had a very interesting power dynamic with local powers. It was fair.


    Secret Biddings were prone to almost anyone, as long as their Path was officially acknowledged by Will of the Battleworld. It was a noteworthy rule. An already acknowledged Path with history must be under one''s life, or someone had to create one. One of those was easier than the other, but at their core, it meant meeting a certain threshold of power and influence.


    Blessed were subjected to such choices more often because their knowledge base was much better than someone who had no End behind their life. it wasn''t a rule, of course. Many powers viewed Paths as commodities, which made having a Path not that rare in certain places.


    Secret Biddings could be techniques, spells, or some unique powers that had many limits in terms of one''s Path before becoming a Secret Bidding. They described unique changes to foreign abilities that changed for one''s Path. These could be anything from the outside presence, and should never be compatible without the use of Secret Bidding.


    But that didn''t matter. The Will of the Battleworld can change anything according to one''s Path. That was the power that Secret Biddings had, causing Will of the Battleworld to become an important piece to a lot of figures.


    Razmund had one long ago because his Path had been with him for a good while already.


    Raging Bull was known for its brutality, as it was a non-human-based power. It had roots in the magical beasts, known for their mass and insane physical prowess. Raging Bulls was their unsurprising name. They were Divine Beasts the size of a mountain in the Radagan continent with various powers and strengths.


    Razmund never saw one with his own eyes, let alone battled one, but he had the prospect to get their power shaped up to his Path. He took it without hesitation.


    It was hard to refuse unique grade spells. Even many Extremes went to considerable lengths to obtain them. And Razmund was no Extreme, so it spoke for itself how Secret Biddings overpowered many limits since their possibilities were massive.


    They weren''t infinite, of course. There were limits on how potent one''s Bidding could get, but generally, their potency was enough to make up for many shortcomings.


    Razmund sometimes wondered why there were such advantages, but upon realizing their worth, there was nothing bad to them as long as one could take them.


    And there was a possibility one couldn''t take them, unfortunately.


    Secret Bidding could cause problems since they often came from unfamiliar lands, Paths, and beasts of various shapes. It was up to an individual to choose, but it depended on the Will of the Battleworld how to change them. Ending results varied; problems arose. No person can decide the ending results, so in a weird sense, it was a gamble to get something fitting. Many figures didn''t trust everything when it came to Will of the Battleworld, so skepticism around Secret Biddings wasn''t small.


    But when the gamble succeeded, the rewards were massive.


    The road to power was full of skepticism, greed, and taking full advantage of any opening or chances. Few would refuse the power from heaven of this caliber. Razmund was no different. He took the gamble, and it paid off. It was that simple, albeit not many figures shared this opinion. Sometimes, Bidding would be less than stable, filled with clear drawbacks, or specific requirements or circumstances that were hard to meet.


    In Razmund''s case, there was one too. Raging Bull had a clear problem with stressing one''s mind under too much mana flow, originating from these Divine Beasts. He had trouble taking advantage of its flow. One of the many reasons he had problems blinking for a long time was because of years of mastering this power. Part of it was also his Physique and eyes in general, but those weren''t that meaningful.


    Still, Raging Bull ended up as one of the most insane Secret Biddings Centralis Kingdom had ever seen. At least in the context of Divine Beasts, how it was created, how he even got it, and how he used it.


    Like any spell, Raging Bull had its cost, benefits, and usability. It also had progression, so improving it was possible in many ways of levels. Shaping it was helpful since it wasn''t working exactly like Bloodline Power of Raging Bulls. Will of the Battleworld changed it well enough so a human could use it, and not become a mangled bloody mess.


    Razmund already had a high perception of his own prowess, so the addition of a Raging Bull was a massive boost. It was a proper spell, and when in use, his senses went to sky heights and deep depths. It put stress on things that one wouldn''t even dare to guess to feel, but with enough Will, or additional spiritual influences, drawbacks weren''t that bad.


    Taking advantage of it was something that no Sage wouldn''t do. He heard enough and was taught it too.


    Grabbing his claymore with both hands, the weight and mass of it were like a feather. When the azure waves twisted his arms, he fought against them, Shaping them like strings for a puppet, but it was all under his control. Razmund felt the effects of Raging Bull immediately, and for the first time in a couple of minutes, he didn''t deflect the blade that went against his whole torso. He went against it with his whole being, stubbornly feeling his power.


    Sparks clustered the empty air above the floor, and surprisingly, neither foe was better than the other. Their powers countered one another just enough. That shocked Zao, who looked down in shock when he wanted to finish him off. It was the first time he met a human opponent that took his Guillotine Chop so head-on. It had a wide and powerful range of motion with enough power to split part of mountains. Humans were too small to take this kind of attack unless the levels were higher.


    Zao was a champion for his level, as he had defeated many Challengers in more than 100 years since he arrived here. His left hand clutched the remaining blade, while the other was free to do whatever since he wasn''t so comfortable to hold his single blade with both hands. It wasn''t made for double grip, which turned his anger and disappointment to another level. Fighting as he could right now was his priority. Not how he should.


    Holding this sword with both hands caused a lack of flexibility, so he handled it by not handling it at all. His free hand occasionally tried to grab or punch Razmund, creating options and variables that both of them fought against.


    So much so, that right now, Zao was in the perfect position to use it to his advantage, since Razmund kept his feet on the ground, he was unable to move as he tested his strength against his Chop. He glared at Zao with an ashen look, realizing one problem. The defense was not that great in this state, so Zao may as well smack him well.


    Razmund watched a shadow flicker from his left side. A humongous fist was coming at him like a boulder, so he forced his claymore aside, deflecting the mountainous blade. It seemed easy, but it wasn''t. Without Raging Bull, he had some misgivings about his strength, and taking the fist or the massive Chop together was like deciding on the lesser evil.


    Deciding to take it all by his claymore proved to be a good idea.


    The fist connected to the claymore. The power behind this simple fist went against his entire body, but Razmund stayed on his feet, which was surprising. His core screamed at him in stress, and his hands holding the claymore almost snapped. Nothing broke because of the Raging Bull overflowing his upper body.


    He slid on top of the floor for dozens of meters, almost ending on the opposite side of this huge room. He was fine afterward as if his body was as heavy as a dozen elephants. In the way of his travel, there were two lines left in the ground, as if two sword strikes hit the floor.


    Blood dripped from the corners of his mouth to the floor. He wiped his lips with his left hand, noticing Destiny Dice shining under his eyes. His promise kept his sanity in check, while this little cursed treasure was a reminder of his goal.


    ¡°Weak.¡± Was his first word after a long stretch of silent fighting.


    Zao grimaced and didn''t follow up after his fist because he wasn''t ready to connect this fast. He had fought all out for a good while, but like anyone, he wouldn''t last forever in this state. Razmund was the same, but Zao had a different kind of attitude. He was neither angry, shocked, nor happy. It was the kind of face that a madman would make when met with something absurd.


    He had a face of love and passion, but the kind that was a bit... strange. Intense may be the best way to put it. His sword and hand trembled, and a smile crept on his face when he stepped forward. Then he started a weird movement akin to a free fall as if he stumbled, which made him look as if he was collapsing but was far from it. As he fell, his fingers on his feet dug to the floor. In the moment before he faced the ground, he flexed his everything.


    And then he pushed, using his own Dance: Floating River that Cleaved the Sky.


    The single blade went along his fall in his left hand. It was an intricate striking pattern, making the timing and angle strange as Razmund watched him. Zao pushed himself hard, traveling at wild momentum, great speeds, and at an angle that was as direct as it could get. But the sword wasn''t facing the enemy. Zao held the sword upside down. His thumb was at the end of the hilt, unlike usual, where the thumb gripped the lowest point of the handle.


    As he pounced, the sword''s edge came to Razmund''s point of view in less than a second. The angle and speed of this slash came in a flash, and Zao swiped it before his face, leaving a deep cut in the ground behind him, caused by a flowing wave of the tip. The blade slash flew like a river, and there was no mana around him.


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    Everything happened deep in his body, making it physical as Zao''s swordsmanship was heavy, but also vastly weaker than it should''ve been. A single blade didn''t change it much, however.


    Razmund barely realized the speed of this move with his current body. He barely took this fist up to his head. When Zao traveled dozens of meters in a flash, he could only watch how his Dance crossed past his last-second defense, almost stumbling his claymore from his hand. Raging Bull moved its waves too, just in case, but the wave-like slash passed his claymore, slashing at his shoulder.


    It almost cleaved his left arm away from his body completely. Considering the mass of the blade, the cut was not only deep and rough, akin to an explosion, but it was exposing the flesh and destroying the bones.


    The wave slashed his torso alone, leaving bloodshed on the floor and behind. Yet, through this fatal hit, Razmund still clutched the claymore without a speck of Will to let go of it. Even though the left hand was almost outside of his body, exposing the bones, blood, and flesh, he stood.


    He stared blankly forward, viewing every second of Zao''s Dance and etching it to his memory. His body couldn''t move, but his eyes watched it all. That was an excellent harvest that any Sword Sage would appreciate. Viewing the intricate Dances moved their heart, manifested their potential, and changed their hopes. It was a matter of new perspectives that often changed them, as Path of a Sword Sage held various techniques.


    Someone in the Sword Pathway could work with many Dances at once, as long as it could be compatible, or comprehensible under the same vision. It was one of the most replicated power systems, and if one wanted to remain unique, one had to create a Dance so wild and sturdy, that no one should be able to replicate that. It was a principle that ran across many Paths, driving individuals to create a piece of their legacy to last through time.


    It was a dream of all sword artists to be unique and create a swordsmanship that no one would be able to replicate. Razmund wanted to master countless Dances to make himself a true Sword Sage, before combining them as his legacy.


    A quick clash happened in the blink, and the sheer speed that Zao used to crash forward, backfired, causing him to dash further without stopping. So much so, that he bumped into the wall quite a distance away, shattering the wall. There was such a huge force of momentum over this Dance that he couldn''t stop, or change the directions. It was a pure attacking move that was as straightforward as a Pride.


    It was a fitting end to this fight, or so he thought with sheer indifference and no words.


    Razmund glanced at his open left shoulder. Wriggling flesh and dripping blood were turning around the cut. There was an unnatural source of blood in his body, causing an unnatural amount of blood loss without it being fatal. Muscles twitched as if busy solving their separation and even Raging Bull dispersed.


    Blood was flowing out of the deep wound in many layers, bathing his body and squirting like a fountain away. Even his lungs and heart were visible from this deep cut, shaking and moving. The exposed mid-section looked gnarly, yet his head was weirdly fine, but also close to this wound.


    If Zao had been a bit more accurate in his step and angled his single blade better, he would''ve severed his torso completely.


    Zao was away so that left Razmun alone. He watched his body with a strange detachment, almost as if this wasn''t a fatal wound at all or his body.


    Letting go of his claymore, it dug to the ground. With the right hand still fine, he grabbed something from the pouch that was fortunately safe, albeit it pained his heart. Once again, a potion went out of his pouch. It was a weird one, appearing like a hexagonal orb with droplets of velvet liquid inside crystal-like borders. The glass itself was strange and it was hard to tell if it was even made from glass at all. It looked like a prison instead, remaining twisting in the air, as if the air, or space itself was the material it was made with.


    ¡°Fuck... Taking this here... I guess it is a fitting end to spend a fortune on this Hunt.¡± Razmund mumbled, but his words became a mess after blood went to his throat. Damaged lungs tried to repair themselves when his Physique did what it should, but it was clearly not enough. So he pulled his palm towards his shoulder, clutching the hexagonal orb until it crashed and exploded to bits.


    A surge of countless strands of strings exploded next, twisting and crawling meters around him as if possessed. In a mere breath, all of the droplets of that liquid escaped its prison, looking for a host.


    The treasure of this caliber was tough to wield, but Razmund knew what it was, so he opened his palm which held most of the liquid. Then he forced them into his open wound, causing the flickering strings to pour in and out of his wounds. They were eating the blood, rushing in the exposed flesh and bones, and undulating powerful Vitality, as well as a tinge of something else.


    This was a treasured source of living restoration. A Grade SS treasure: Tears of Leviathan. It was an Essence of their Bloodline, coming from the heart of a Divine Beast of aquatic origin, from Lands of Unknown, or Uncharted Seas. Those Lands and aquatic Depths were topics of deep fear in the continents, and as far as anything went, the Depths of the oceans and seas were deep, hiding countless nightmares.


    Each string was like a thread of life, swirling and knitting the flesh together from inside out, solving even bones, but not blood. Blood was the price, and even the blood on the floor or his clothes disappeared to those strings. Bloody droplets weren''t the true treasures. Strings came from it, making the droplets a catalyst. They held an incredible amount of Vitality that was almost dangerous.


    Razmund''s body could take it even when the blood loss was extensive, and Heartsear Potion''s effects would diminish a lot. Perhaps it will expire...


    Healing almost all wounds in a few moments was the power of almost all Grade S and above Healing Potions. As for its price? That... wasn''t known to the public. The majority of powerful Blessed wouldn''t take such treasurers for granted. Only a few would get to experience it, let alone see it once in a while. It was life-saving medicine, so it made sense because no one wanted to expose one''s body to seek the End.


    Razmund clutched his teeth and fell to his knees. The pain was indeed too much. The blood within the open wound exploded next, as another stage of healing was starting. It was a nasty feeling to have the body exposed amidst the swirling motions of those Tears. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At incredible speeds, countless strings worked and started to reform the other wounds. It started by reconnecting the cleanly cut flesh first, so no more blood escaped, so Tears could eat more blood. Even bones that were shattered, and not cut so nicely, somewhat returned to pristine condition.


    It was a fast process where a few blinks weren''t enough to see it all. The bloody Tears trembled, and the wound closed, leaving his torso whole once again. Even the Tears disappeared inside, cleaning the wound, and letting the outer flesh clean.


    Zao had no time to see the start, nor the end of this process at all. But he felt something was amiss. He took the hit against a wall, so he scowled, punching the wall when he got to his feet.


    The only downside of Tears of Leviathan was obvious. The blood that was lost, couldn''t be returned. It was a laughable price for Razmund whose Physique was perfect for this sort of treasure. With the bloody feast, the Tears took his blood and will remain inside of his body, slowly withering away and nurturing his body. Nothing much was lost.


    Considering the fatality of that slash, it was wonderful that not even a scar was left behind. The blood and pain were about it, and while the few shattered bones were pain he wouldn''t forget, the whole cut was one of the nastiest wounds he had ever felt.


    These were issues that Tears of the Leviathan could fix without problems, but it required Will to take it, as well as a very powerful Physique.


    Razmund sighed in relief, still trembling his body and kneeling. He felt fine, but he was closer to the End than he ever was in the past few years. ¡°Titans... I guess I was a bit too naive. Thinking that I can take them on with very little effort. Those guys are toys of the Gods and work with them at many points. Their Physique used to be at the apex of the Ancient Races, but this one... I can see a road to some victory, but taking another hit won''t do for sure.¡± He mumbled to himself and retrieved his clamore with his right hand.


    Getting back to his feet, he turned to face the wall, where Zao finally returned from his wild trip. He looked at him, expecting the bloody sight of his successful kill, yet he ended up disappointed, as he feared.


    His expectations weren''t met at all. Razmund appeared fine and even wore a slight mocking grin. His claymore pointed forward, expecting another go at his blade.


    ¡°Hoh? I swear I almost cleaved your body clean. What is it... That? That blood and your previous light?¡± Zao muttered, looking at Razmund in bewilderment. He could see the slight blood marks on the floor that were so minuscule, those strings didn''t eat them. Then, he glanced at his shirtless upper body, since his attack shattered his clothes. Skin looked fine. Too fine, in fact. Zao shattered his mana and flesh along with his Physique.


    In any normal world, he should''ve perished.


    Everything spoke for itself, and Zao knew his attack succeeded, but Razmund looked like he had taken it. He was pale, and a loss of a lot of blood affected his mind, causing the Heartsear Potion to take a major dip. His time went from a couple of minutes to a few exchanges, and he had to be fast. Tears of Leviathan''s effects will help and support him for the time being, but his Core took a heavy hit as well.


    Around Razmund''s left shoulder kept going a few of those strings, going around the previous cut, that wouldn''t leave a scar behind. They won''t remain there forever. They will cease to exist in the flicker of the wind after their Vitaliy reaches the end.


    ¡°Tears... Bloody tears... I see.¡± Zao smelt the air. ¡°You have treasures that saved your life. You should be as proud as alive, considering I would''ve cleaved you in half if I had both blades,¡± he said, taking this surprisingly well and almost with a smile. ¡°I suppose this is part of how humans do their bindings. Should have expected something like that.¡±


    Then he nodded in understanding and walked towards Razmund without a speck of anger or disappointment. It wasn''t about Pride any longer, but as a warrior, this exchange was his win.


    But the exchange wasn''t the end of the fights until it ended in the End. Wars never ended simply as well. This whole fight had only one outcome: The End of one of them. Nothing else. That was the rule set up by the Levandis, while Mindarch was subject to monitoring whether it was working at all times.


    Zao was clear in his heart, since what else was there for him other than fight? Not fighting was not possible. His race had a clear idea behind the Pride. Serving someone more powerful than them was fine. They didn''t mind it as their Bloodline should. Of course, he had chosen to fight to the bitter end, and he preferred it over anything else.


    Razmund remained ashen and silent. He watched how Zao stopped about 15 meters before him, and he made the same stance as before: blade backward and stance relaxed. ¡°I will shatter and cleave you in half this time,¡± Zao promised it out loud.


    He clutched his remaining blade, making the same falling motion as before.


    ¡°Doing the same Dance twice? It may not be that good idea.¡± Razmund said while pointing his claymore forward. His words washed the anxiety over Zao''s mind. Do the same attack twice? Was he nervous? This was a rookie mistake that could end one''s life. Zao forgot who was before him, so he stomped the ground and straightened his back to glance at his blade.


    ¡°This one... I am indeed inept with the lonely one. It''s not my Pride to fight like this, but it''s still something I shall do to not tarnish this fight. If not, let the death be the End of it.¡± By his words, the tinge of hesitation on his face and mind was gone.


    Razmund watched the calmness return to his enemy, and power surged around his cracks, golden liquid seemed more wild, and his stance relaxed once more.


    Oh crap... Where are my manners? Should have remained silent. What a mistake. Razmund scowled inside, thinking that he hyped Zao in the wrong way. A clear way to counter that Dance was hard to do if his body wasn''t up to his task. Even if he knew it could come, he had less than half certainty he wouldn''t get hit.


    And half a chance to die was astronomical and something he refused to try.


    Seeing his Dance for the very first time was the reason he was unable to do much against it. That was usually the deciding factor between experience, End, and living. Disparity over the close battle of more or less, similar powerful opponents, was sometimes less than small. It could also be as humongous as a mountain, causing advantages to lean towards the winner.


    Zao had a body and power advantage and it showed.


    Razmund acknowledged a strong enemy, and it seemed to him that this temple had chosen a very capable Guardian. For Gate 1... it was way too powerful.


    Who knew what the next gate would be like, but he had no idea where he would end. Was he even thinking of that? His mind focused on the battle, so what if he fought the devils or demons? Nothing will matter to him if he will kill them all.


    Razmund sighed and watched as Zao turned serious. Lowering his posture, his blade flickered backways, and his feet dug to the ground. Once more, he pounced at him with his large curved blade. It was coming again. Razmund saw it, but with a weakened body that would shatter without doubts.


    His mind had never been this empty, lingering pain made it wrong, and his core flared in mana.


    Under a breath, he went over his choices. Heartsear Potion had few exchanges left, and Raging Bull faded after taking way too much of a hit.


    So, with a clear head and a healed body, he activated the Raging Bull once more. His Vitality can take it; his Physique too. He already felt the blood pumping through his veins. The Tears of Leviathan were Grade SS for his sake, so their effects weren''t only immediate, but long-lasting and powerful to save even Extremes. They effectively ate the wound close because his Vitality was losing.


    These strands ate it all, so they wouldn''t escape so easily with a meal inside of him. They will nurture him from the inside, while the blood loss wasn''t an issue if disappearing blood pumped through their effects and his Physique. It worked in a great loop that didn''t have any loopholes.


    Razmund was ready to take his Dance with his own.

 Chapter 127: Razmund VS Godsteel Titan - Part 5

    Tears of Leviathan had not only regeneration properties but also empowering effects of flesh. Like a ridiculous shot of adrenaline, it tensed everything physical, which in return, pushed a massive storm of physical feelings onto the spirit. Someone weak-minded would turn insane.


    Razmund cared little about it, thanks to what he had. Zao wounded his foundations and turned his mana flow to shambles, but he countered it with treasure that most Tier A powers shouldn''t take for granted. Tears caused the sense of insanity to spread in his mind, but they also helped with the prospect of Raging Bull and stabilizing his Core.


    It was barely enough for him to stand straight and feel this tension and madness. He cherished it, grasped his claymore, and focused on the simplest outcome.


    To fight.


    Leviathan was said to be a large aquatic Divine Beast, capable of swallowing arrogant fleets that desired to cross the waters between the continents or simply fish. Those locations were dangerous around every land, but the desires of men to do business between continents were neverending. Some folks even considered it their lifelong dream to make a fortune, or they revered the seas.


    Leviathans were one of the most nightmarish creatures around the shores, making their heart''s blood legendary and capable of bringing a person from the End. Of course, that was exaggerated. Few took it that seriously since End never came back so easily.


    But at its core, it can certainly revive someone from the brink of the End, exactly like how it saved Razmund from lacking defense. Razmund was not using the base of that treasure, it held up the empowered effects because it was made into a potion. Graded SS, it was better than digesting those tears alone, since they went through the processing of some high-level alchemists.


    Razmund got the blood flow moving in a matter of seconds, guiding the mana around him so even Raging Bull spread under his Shaping, focusing on his arms and neck, before circling around his back. That should be more than enough, thanks for the rarity and concept of the Grade SS treasures. Razmund was in a top-tier condition once again, albeit his combo of potion was slowly turning away.


    Going all out against Zao was possible for one last series of clashes, which was enough for him.


    Both of them reached the possible limits of what their bodies may endure. However, it wasn''t as obvious on Zao, whose body gleamed through golden cracks, tensing the ground and air around him. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Power rampaged through Razmund''s body after Tears fully bonded to his Physique. It wasn''t as nice as it sounded. After all, most of his peers would''ve never considered taking Grade SS treasure of this caliber anywhere near them. They wouldn''t be able to take its effects without losing their minds.


    Razmund was able to take it all at the moment thanks to a few things. Combo potions, while surprisingly, the Raging Bull''s spiritual pressure did move well against the Tears, reaching some sort of crescendo that allowed him to take it better. Then his Physique took it all in. Without it, he would''ve died.


    His failure was resolved easily, albeit with limitations put under his ticking time. Those Tears would lower their efficiency the more time passed. It wasn''t just a mistake. He got angry after enduring pain and an attack that he could''ve prevented. Though, Zao wouldn''t allow that, as he wasn''t so weak.


    ¡°Ok. Time to turn this up a notch.¡± Razmund mumbled and changed his stance. Caving his knees down to almost hit the ground, he lowered his stance. Grabbing the handle with his right hand alone, Razmund pulled the claymore around his left shoulder, almost resting it there. His left hand grabbed the furthest edge could reach, and it was fairly far, making this stance look unnatural. Thanks to the waves of the Raging Bull, every act seemed seamless and bathed in azure luster.


    He poised in such a low-ground stance, that any swordsman would question its effectiveness. But it looked threatening, resembling a crouching tiger. Under his Path Manual, it was the 3rd Dance that represented the momentum and power of a strong slash. Following its principles, he had clues and hints of the old sword masters who took the sword as their life.


    It was a Dance that he had trouble adjusting to, but it had incredible cutting power.


    It was even more oppressive when Raging Bull took it to another level. Flowing azure waves supplemented every point of this Dance: waves pressed around his right hand, securing the hand to the handle so it wouldn''t go away, and his left-hand fingers were each curved with waves of mana, securing the grip around the furthest edge. He touched it thinly, but thanks to the Raging Bull, his flexing fingers handled it more than enough.


    Then, he bent the sword''s edge, acting as if he wanted to break it apart.


    The whole sword bent, flexed and screeched, yet it remained in a single piece.


    Zao had yet to hit the ground, so he saw what was happening. He was excited to see the tension rising, feeling the tingling sensation of danger from his Dance. It was a ticking time bomb, ready to thrust forward and strike the opponent like his own Dance. It looked similar to his Dance and much to his personal Pride, so he didn''t hate it.


    It perhaps took after his ideas for sure. The swordsmanship of Titans was known across the Skies and even beyond, but Zao didn''t know what kind of Path was under his belt. If he did, he wouldn''t be as excited for sure.


    There was no Pride in being afraid. He continued being the attacker because that was what he had always done. Whether it would mean the end of his wishes was another thing. Zao pushed his feet forward, crushed the floor, and his left sword went down, forming a curved horizontal slash right around the waist area for a regular human, and crashing the ground.


    It is coming! Razmund thought in focused excitement. The attack is both fast and strong, capable of cleaving me in half. It comes directly, advancing like a form of the Titans. The beings that took the Ancient Races to another Sky, an unknown time, and... who knows what else. Impressive. I am speechless that someone allowed a Sword Sage Seeker like me to see the aspects of Titan''s swordsmanship. Splendid. Great!


    Their sole purpose is to battle and so is mine. Their skin may be tough, their muscles are like Timeless Marbles, or Oz Metal that will survive the ages of gods. I. Myself. I shall be the witness to that might. Old and ridiculous. A kill to streak that past. Fight for the Pride. Razmund thought amidst a strange sensation of peace and serenity.


    He hyped himself with utter calmness, but his internal body was boiling. Both arms touched each side of his long claymore, shoulders screamed under a tight clutch similar to a tensed back. He was tensed like a bowstring, while his claymore was a releasing point to this tension, bent and resting above his left shoulder.


    There was no chaos for a mere moment. There was silence until it exploded. A surge of killing intent washed it all away, although he was yet to release his fingers. Mana of dense crimson color enveloped the claymore in a thin layer. It went quickly, created for the purpose of not destabilizing his grip and the bent nature of his claymore that shouldn''t be like this.


    3rd Dance: Crouching Tiger that Cleaved the Heaven.


    Razmund flexed his right hand, trying to overcome his left one that was keeping the claymore in place. He bent it further, trying to build up power. The claymore bent further, no longer looking one bit straight. But it didn''t shatter, which was a major problem of this sort of Dance. One had to own a splendid sword for it, along with 3 understandings.


    Momentum. Patience. Accumulation.


    These words were principles of the 1st of his Sword Sage Manuals he had. The 3rd Dance was the epitome of striking with everything one had in one single slash, similar to the 1st Dance, but in a different manner. An incoming wave like a mountain came from Zao, and at that moment, Razmund released the edge of his sword.


    Raging-Bull-infused left fingers let go of it, which left the right hand flying forward, flexing the claymore and building up more momentum as it wanted to straighten back. Even his arms and back twisted, and Razmund stepped forward all so slightly to move like his claymore.


    Physically demanding, sharply awakening mana and metallic claymore cleaved at the incoming chop that wanted to cut him apart. The metals struck one another, shooting and leaving storms of wind blades around the room, shocking Zao''s sword away and cracking it in a few nasty cracks. It didn''t explode, but both of their moves clashed against one another with utmost momentum. Any ordinary swords would be long gone.


    Razmund countered his move, rather than striking Zao directly. He knew he wouldn''t be able to hit him when his reach was way too advanced.


    The floor itself cracked throughout the whole perimeter of this arena, but mainly, in the line in front of Razmund and Zao. That came from their direct confrontation and starting clash of their swords. It was becoming wider the more they pushed against one another until the momentum exploded and a wild power rushed forward, striking Zao. He took the brunt of this power without trouble, but the force behind the Crouching Tiger was a pure swordsmanship strike that was as straightforward as it could get.


    The physical strength of that little claymore felt like an endless river. Zao understood how heavy it was if it endured his body and his charge in one piece. Razmund barely took a few steps, yet his claymore struck his blade with the power of the mountains. From any point of view, each Dance was capable of killing one another.


    Calling it a terrifying striking potential was the base of their abilities, but Zao''s was far too impressive, considering his weight and mass. Titans were more known for their physical power, rather than the flexible nature of their bodies.


    Razmund had his fair share of impressions. 3rd Dance needed some preparations in order to use it to its full potential. This, right there, a clash of metal to metal was about the finest uses of this Dance he had ever used. With every speck of strength he had in him, his Claymore still forced its mass into Zao''s sword and stayed in place.


    Zao tried to shatter everything before his path, but it felt as if he struck the mountain, while the maintion roared back. Razmund thought the same thing, but he had one advantage. His sword was better than his. That was the key difference that allowed him to change the outcome of this fight.


    Getting fed up with this sort of strike wasn''t fitting, but Zao grasped his core to null, empowering his blade with everything he had.


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    Golden cracks widened...


    A huge blade cracked further.


    Just a little bit more and it would be gone.


    Unless one had a clear way to get fundamentally stronger, this sort of strike often remained in limited use because of limited equipment. Dances had peculiar methods of progression. They had no levels. Sometimes, they even had no Grades. They had nothing but insights into swordsmanship, making each matter more than the other. Swings of the swords often carried simple motions, but when it all came to the arts of killing and moving, there were an impossible amount of variables.


    More advanced Dances touched upon the mana and all kinds of techniques and Laws. There was no end of them.


    Crouching Tiger that Cleaved the Heavens held a limit of what many physically based dances never had. The body was important like a sword, making each mend the other. That was why handling it together was important to become stronger, yet if one thing was in shambles, everything crumbled apart. It was unlike regular Paths, which had more specific needs of progression that often didn''t have many shortcomings.


    A simple spell to shatter the enemy sounded easier to manage than figuring out a complex swordsmanship.


    It needed utmost care, reflexes, balance, and patience. All sorts of other things were needed to make a great swordsman. A sword too.


    Zao understood the complexity of Razmund''s move more than enough, which caused those cracks following his blade to be an endless disappointment. He almost felt his Pride crack too.... He almost laughed at that.


    His left hand flexed like the rest of his body, but his remaining blade was an external item. Those often couldn''t follow the power of the flesh, let alone the physique. They were simple tools. Cracks widened around his arms and torso, and Razmund pushed forward, letting his claymore pass through. A crimson claymore slashed forth at Zao. It was quick and close since Razmund had no need to move. Zao kept moving forward after losing the clash of their swords.


    What was the closest behind the partially cracked blade? His head almost blew away, as crimson streaks and claymore colored his flesh and body. Razmund cut at him, leaving a deep wound around his forearm, traveling to his head, and even chest, before Zao stumbled behind him in his lost momentum.


    Zao didn''t groan. His hand took the most damage, but it was bleeding very heavily in return and almost turning it useless.


    Razmund was unable to finish the job to the bitter hand. He angled his slash just a bit worse than he wanted, but he figured it was because of Zao''s blade that changed his angle. He failed in his desire to cut Zao''s head away. It was his mistake, or did Zao aim for that instead?


    It was far too late to cry over spilled milk. Razmund grunted and didn''t care for the loss of momentum. He attacked Zao again, charging at the stumbling Goldsteel Titan.


    ¡°E...Excellent. You managed to cleave my skin... And...¡± Zao mumbled as he bled. ¡°It appears you are not holding back at all. Good. I suppose this is something I should''ve expected from this sort of invitation that this temple granted me. You aren''t even 30. I actually forgot it''s such a case here, but some blood loss is no concern for us. Right?¡± Zao talked as if the blood loss was none of his concern, but the wounds around his head and body did make his voice weaker.


    He sounded like a dying fool, but the cracks filled with golden liquid made him weirder, while his red hooded wounds made him look like a savage warrior who was far from his End.


    In a moment, he flexed his right arm, stopping the bleeding thanks to the control of his flesh. As for the head and torso, they still bled, but it was something he could live with for the time being. His arm looked worse, so the twisted muscles and cracks solved that for him.


    Razmund didn''t hear him. He struck him without hesitation, but Zao flickered his almost destroyed sword, using its edge to slap his claymore aside.


    Claymore almost shot out of Razmund''s hand, but he kept his touch on it with Raging Bull alone. He hit the ground, deeply engraving his legs into the floor, while he bled from his pores. He didn''t even count the amount of muscles torn in his body or cracked bones. Everything hurt when performing this damned 3rd Dance.


    His mind screamed at him to fight.


    Fuck... Has he gotten stronger? Freaking Titan Bloodline... They took in way too much mana and Sword Intent. He thought, before getting back to a proper standing position, glaring at Zao who was still able to fight. For now...


    Zao stepped forward, ushering in his monumental Pride and Will to continue this fight. At that moment as he swung his blade at Razmund, the wound on his chest and head burst in many cuts. Razmund hadn''t moved an inch. It almost seemed like an explosion, causing blood and flesh to splurge from much deeper wounds. His arm wasn''t spared either and through the twisted cracks and twisted muscles, lines cut and severed his bones and shredded his arm.


    This time, Zao had no way to stop it. He didn''t expect it. He was way too overconfident in his body, which allowed Razmund to take it into his own hands.


    Zao clutched his torso with his left hand, seeking the blood uncontrollably flowing away.


    ¡°W-what? Was that...¡± A cut around his forehead and scalp also led to quite a bloody hole, revealing even bits of skulls and his teeth. They were deep enough to be fatal, but the ridiculous vitality of his body left him standing. Fight may be too much for him, but in terms of wounds, he will either bleed out or die after suffering more minutes, or more cuts.


    It wasn''t just the skull that was tough on Zao. He took this without a peep. Firm and shocked to seek his wounds, he felt warmth and no pain. usually, even the tiniest bruise on the head led to bloody wounds. That was common sense over many human-based physiques and races. Zao was no exception. He was still in a weird sense of shape, part of a humanoid race.


    Razmund looked at the bleeding Goldsteel Titan with a calm face. He can end things here and there, but can he? Did he want to end it in this way?


    As he thought and waited for nothing, Zao was trying his best to readjust his control over his flesh by breathing and letting his heart calm down.


    It was hard, considering his Path wasn''t known for calmness, but relaxing should help against the loss of blood. The power over his flesh was extraordinary, so without Razmund''s interference, he managed to close the wounds on his chest, but the mangled mess of his arm turned out to be a failure. Then the toughest on his head were impossible to heal. They will keep bleeding, showing his skull, teeth, and mangled flesh and cracks. He didn''t follow his Pride, but he didn''t lose it.


    The dizziness started to envelop his mind, so clutched his remaining hand.


    At this point, he looked like a waterfall of blood pouring down from a hill. Calling him a warrior-like figure was quite praiseworthy and prideful.


    Zao shuddered, noticing that he was already dead, yet the sword was still firm in his shredded arm, so grabbed it, clutching it for himself and no one else. Fury aimed at Razmund. Pride surged. Unwillingness to let go of this fight returned to his face.


    ¡°I am not thankful for how it turned this out...¡± Zao mumbled. ¡°But I will seek the End myself.¡±


    ¡°We are even, Titan...¡± Razmund argued after coming to an easy conclusion that he had won. Since his plans in this temple were already going well, this brief fight was a good reminder. The fighting was his fate while continuing them wasn''t wrong. But he couldn''t ignore his purpose in this temple.


    Experiencing new things as a 3rd-time challenger was already well over his expectations. They were magnificent chances, allowing him to reach new limits, and seek his Pat. It required this sort of attitude, albeit this temple would gladly kill him for his path and treasures in his pockets.


    New comprehension will allow him to finish this Hunt faster. Razmund knew it, so he was yet to forget about Zao.


    Dead enemy didn''t matter in the end, but memories of this fight will linger in his mind for a long time.


    That was about the core of how Blessed viewed this world. Razmund was no different. His sense of adventure and seeking power was still surging through his mind. Now, he was no Falconer. Even Cetralis Kingdom vanished out of his mind. He was here for himself, yet shackles were there in his mind and heart, following him because he accepted to be here.


    An undeniable plot surrounded everything. He didn''t want to care about it or think about it. But that wasn''t up to him... It was useful to not ignore it. it wasn''t always the case. Sometimes he can accept some sacrifices, or punishments to appease his mind and sense of self.


    Greed. Gods that considered Tier A powers like toys were never simple, so questioning some ideas was oftentimes useless.


    Clutching his claymore, he held all sorts of thoughts, while Zao staggered forward. He was slow like a turtle on land, but his stature made up for the speed. The strength of his mass ensured some power remained in his messed-up body.


    Razmund calculated in his mind the rough time he had left.


    That was when he realized he was out of his time himself. The effects of Heartsear Potion faded away, Tears flared up in intense spiritual pressure, while his Raging Spirit raged more. He clutched what he was left with, shredding the insanity away. The remnants of the Raging Bull will be enough, albeit his Mana Core was almost empty.


    His style of Path had harsh mana expectations since sending the mana away came with a price that wouldn''t come back. It was unlike what Murai was prone to, as his mana could return to him if he wanted.


    Zao was fully on his feet, straight and tall. Almost falling too.


    Wait... Do I need to fear or care about this? There should be plenty of others like him on the lower Gates. Though, I don''t know. The last visit wasn''t something pleasant, although I faced high-level opponents, but not this big. I don''t know what will be down below. That is the truth of this Hunt. Razmund thought, forgetting the fact that he was in the middle of the battle.


    Swoosh!


    Noticing Razmund''s careless attitude, a blade emerged beside his body. Razmund saw it, placing his claymore vertically to deflect it away by angling his claymore. Raging Bull flared to support this angle and move, clutching his feet, supporting his back and both hands. Still. as he did so, he staggered away a couple of steps before another slash was coming again. This time, it was a vertical hit, followed by Zao''s cry and utter savagery.


    His blood boiled, life was in no line. He was as good as dead. He was simply following his Pride.


    Razmund sidestepped aside, dodging the Chop that struck the floor, breaking it in return. Unlikely and wild clashes soon ensued. Calling it a dance may be the correct term because Razmund''s emotionless face glared at every spot of Zao''s body. He kept dodging more than ever before since he knew his enemy had a tight clock around his fate.


    Zao was spending his last bits of living, ushering in remains of his Pride, blood, and what his Core wanted.


    He was fighting to the bitter End. That was the motto of his race.


    His strikes seemed not one bit weaker than before, but they lacked a certain punch and intent. Razmund saw a drastic shift in momentum. Exploiting these weaknesses was not shameful. Blood splurged after every one of his swings, painting the cracked floor with more blood. A lot of it even ended up in Razmund''s face and body, but he didn''t care for it.


    Second by second and move by clash, the remaining Zao''s Pride prevailed. He ushered in his hope that his tribe viewed as fitting. Honorable End meant a peaceful End on the battlefield.


    Razmund was looking at him and soon found his chance. Zao cleaved the air into a horizontal slash, stabling afterward as he used too much momentum. Razmund jumped up, kicking the dull edge of the blade away as a platform. As he did so, he assumed a rather quick and clumsy-looking posture of his 3rd Dance. Putting his right-handed claymore beside his left shoulder, he bent the end of his claymore by clatching the edge with the left hand. It was a little bent, but enough for him.


    Releasing it was a matter of single movement, and with Zao close and in mid-swing, he asked for it. Yet, what was before him wasn''t a wide-open Goldsteel Titan. His face was his shield. His mouth was a weapon. His eyes showed unhinged resolution to bite his head off.


    ¡°Let''s see what is stronger. My Path or your Pride?¡± Razmund shouted, and let go of his edge with his left hand. A flickering slash resonated in the air when a thunderous strike hit the skull and the flesh, violating everything in one direction.


    Zao''s body endured it no more, blood splurged and Pride left his mind. The floor pushed to his back, leaving a trace of blood and dust behind him. The floor was at this point one big mess, but it was no wonder, considering who was fighting here for almost half an hour.


    This exchange was the finale with a clear winner. Razmund landed from his jump and clutched his claymore, kneeling, and feeling like shit. He looked at the dark and dull edge with hidden emotions and various thoughts. Getting up proved to be a massive headache. Every power under his disposition faded away, causing his bones, blood, and muscles to scream. Raging Bull ended.


    Forcing himself to walk forward, he placed the claymore on top of his right shoulder, still alert over the enemy. It was a weird habit... Unless he confirmed a kill, he was never fine to leave any doubts behind.


    Well, he failed to do so with Murai in that well, but who knew that a limbless duck was even more resilient than a freaking Goldsteel Titan?! He didn''t... so when an Encoutner snapped his mind apart, revealing that Murai was not only alive but engaging him in an Encoutner, he was more than shocked.


    Following the trail of blood, he came upon Zao who moved no more. The right hand was mutilated with a few fingers missing, and bones cracked in open wounds, revealing flesh and golden veins. Blood flowed away, revealing his insides that Razmund didn''t care about. It wasn''t disturbing for him, as he was the one who caused these wounds.


    Mana seeped out of his wounds along with blood and golden liquid that was part of his bloodline and physique. He was more or less unable to lift a finger. It was no wonder. There were deep cuts around a chunk of his head, revealing his skull and brain.


    Yet, Zao remained breathing, still clutching the remains of his blade. ¡°Prideful loss... is acceptable.¡± He mumbled, aware and accepting this End.

 Chapter 128: Islands of Greatness

    Zao''s life force was fading under every breath, word, and twitch of his bleeding mouth. His muscles contorted, mana and blood seeped into the floor under his collapsed body, while his weight left no marks on the ground. Everything was in the color of blood and tinges of gold.


    Death was always gradual as far as Razmund was aware. He didn''t mind seeing the results of his actions and slashes. He wasn''t feeling his pain, or what Zao was thinking.


    But he did see how the life seeped out of this being of rich history. He had known nothing about him, yet he killed him.


    He almost ended up in the same position as this Goldsteel Titan before, so he had enough incentives to care less about his death. That was the underlying truth about the battles and fights across the Battleworld that granted wishes and powers in many layers and pasts. When dueling for life and End, there was no need for morality. Wanting to live was the honest truth, which made killing in this world deemed the norm.


    These ideas seeped into Razmund''s mind ever since he found himself in this world, awestruck and bright that a world of this kind even existed.


    The last shred of the fight went better than he thought, right under his loose vision of Crouching Tiger and his Awakened Sharpness that barely exploded out. It ended up kind of weak, but enough to deal the last blow to a weakened Zao, who was dying and no amount of his bloodline helped him overcome that situation. Not with those nasty wounds that exploded his body from the inside out.


    Seeing him on the ground, Razmund sighed in his stead, pointed claymore against his throat, and spoke. ¡°You were a powerful opponent, but as with many warriors and fights under these lands of gods, there is a winner, and then...¡± He paused, adding some melodramatic timing, or it posed as his hesitation. ¡°There are losers.¡±


    ¡°You don''t say...¡± Zao mumbled. ¡°As they should be. The world needs them.¡±


    ¡°No kidding. I am glad to see where I am standing against the power of the young Goldsteels, but I am not entirely convinced about your... affiliation. Are you truly a member of this place?¡±


    Zao forced a rough laugh, coughing blood and scowling in pain. ¡°You are too clever for your own good... but that... isn''t important. Fight is fight. Fights make us glad, so tell me, human. Is this up to the current world? Do you feel... Is it? Strong? Our blood?¡±


    Razmund frowned, nudging the claymore closer to his skin. ¡°It''s about so-so because I doubt you are anywhere near the limits of your body. Are you injured? Weakened? Cursed?¡± He shrugged his arms, unaware of where Zao even stood in terms of power over the Battleworld, but in terms of Goldsteel Titans, he knew better than this from stories.


    No doubt that Zao was like a child among them. Their reputation and power were way out of common sense. They were literal guardians of quite a few Divine Kingdoms in the Sky, holding many godly missions or desires. Not every one of them had their services, but their reputation often moved to the surface and mortal realms. They were essentially soldiers. The kind that weren''t prone to many limits or rules.


    They were so strong, that Razmund heard stories of their battling reputation since he was a child. There were many legends, stories, and facts about the rich history of this world.


    Years back, a young Blessed, orphaned, and barely eligible to get into Centralis Kingdom got the hang of this world''s history first. It was something Razmund took after his last life on the world called Earth, so learning about this world set his mind ablaze.


    A world of gods and magic was an unfathomable concept, and many things made no sense whatsoever. But some things hardly changed, or went to such heights, it turned into something completely new. They shouldn''t and they often didn''t from a practical point of view.


    Goldsteel Titans obliterated many Tier A powers in many instances where Divine Wars commenced by lofty desires, and plots from the heavens. They could even touch and vastly challenge or change the structures of Tier S powers, but those held much more impressive history than most Tier A powers had.


    When one place became a Tier S power, it meant a reputation that wouldn''t change for millennia down the road.


    Destroying cities, rambling the cores of the nations, and destroying whole dungeons were just mere points of their Pride. But when powerful individuals obscured or angered the Gods, they were Reapers, takers of orders from Judge''s Departments. Destroying a nation or individuals was like setting forests on fire. It wasn''t even the extent of their abilities or Pride.


    They were the epitome of a powerful army, which turned into many lands of interest. Many reached some freedom, forming tribes somewhere on the surface and not amongst the Divine Kingdoms.


    They got the hang of their status to have stability and no longer be slaves. Few would deserve to be that. However, some beings weren''t fond of that idea. They didn''t deserve that chance because of the views of some gods, but there were some shortcomings and business to be said when power ran rampant everywhere.


    Most of them held status similar to servants, while some remained nothing more than slaves. They were more notable to be called mercenaries because of their usefulness that wasn''t fit for ordinary slavery. They were worthy much more as workers with limited leashes, so through trials and errors, Gods agreed to grant them limited freedom. T


    Time on the surface was a great way to limit their individuality which was often hard to tame. There, they grew tribes and developed their families to be an independent power, in exchange for servitude in times of any need. So they were still slaves, in a poor sense. Some Gods still thought of them as that and nothing else.


    Alas, the truths and history proved the past. They were viewed as a cataclysm and part of certain godly desires that demanded a fix, or punishment. One met them rarely, and when they did, they were so far from the concept of regular Bloodlines, that no one really knew what to think about them. Their power varied, they aged slower than even elves, and their power was fixed because of their fixed Bloodline beyond this world.


    Knowing how powerful all of them were in the present age was a hard topic to find.


    Considering the past was another story. History was often filled with people who thought of the future. Similarly to the present, records were made, stories told, and the minds of people feared the unfathomable.


    Of course, they were a force no one wanted to feel, or see.


    Razmund doubted Zao''s appearance in this temple made sense, but what was this place again? A full-blown domain of the strongest demonic God under the Somalis continent. Seeing a race conceptualized from Titan''s Bloodline shouldn''t come as a surprise, but what did it mean to try those powers? It wasn''t up to him but to others to decide, albeit he did crack him apart.


    He doubted if Zao''s presence was a view to seek his rare Path. Many would kill him just for the possible Sword Sage manuals, after all, but few knew he was even walking the Path of the present Godsword.


    ¡°So? That''s how we ended up? So-so? Is that a cuss? I am... unsure what it means.¡± Zao argued, still not willing to end this time.


    ¡°That you are already dead.¡±


    ¡°How simple... You humans have various words for anything.¡±


    ¡°Says a dying Titan.¡±


    Zao almost chuckled, but all that was left of him were weird sounds coming out of his mouth. ¡°Yes... Yes... My Pride shall disappear and flow to the endless flow of my brethren, allowing me to return to those who lost their Pride in the past... But my Pride shall cherish that, like this fight with you, human. It won''t forget anything. I won''t... forget.¡± His voice was turning weak.


    ¡°How melodramatic. You talk too much in your lose.¡± Razmund scoffed at him, but deep down he was impressed by his resilience and Will. He took the concept of Sharpness Explosion way too well, and the 3rd Dance ensured the essence of Sharpness advanced much better. It invaded the foe, exploding from within out like slashes of the sword. Razmund wasn''t even close to mastering this sort of concept. Further Dances held the start of this idea.


    Lint suddenly appeared in the midst of this talk, hovering above Razmund''s head in silence. Zao noticed him straight away.


    ¡°G-guide? I won''t deny my Pride... Nor you will. Even in the very End, our concept matters. It means infinity... And I''ve lost.¡± Zao argued as if Lint wanted to hurt him.


    ¡°What stubborn fools those Goldsteels are... Very well, what do you want to do with him, Razmund?¡± Lint turned down to the standing and frowning Razmund who kept staring at the gory sight.


    ¡°Is that even a question? He may die for all I care about. It''s already over anyway and this fight... is over.¡± Razmund swung his claymore away and didn''t make the last cut. He turned away from them both, watched the Chamber of Battle with an ashen look on his face, and felt the repercussions of this battle.


    He felt his body scream at him and saw the cracked floor and half-destroyed room. He suffered way too much for the sake of something that came out of nowhere. It wasn''t even that important for his Hunt. Well, apart from killing Zao, that should''ve been enough motivation to move on.


    In the end, he should be glad to walk out of this place in one piece, but it wasn''t because of his power. It was thanks to the things he wielded, was gifted with, or those that were forced on him. Those were all part of his power. There was no shame in using any equipment or treasures. They added and cherished one''s path forward, so many viewed them as commodities.


    Lint didn''t know how to respond to that, so he didn''t. Zao did.


    And with a wild, shrill, and wet laugh, his mind went insane. ¡°So that''s it!? The End the world cherishes? It feels cold... detached. Like something that can''t be touched, but it arrives.¡± Zao uttered which ended up pouring more blood from his wounds. He sounded insane, and his wounds and voice deepened. His head especially was a mess, considering the open wounds that were making him seem half undead. Well, that may not be that far from the truth. Not for too long.


    Hearing his bizarre laugh, Razmund walked directly to face his face from aside. ¡°Want to die by my hand? For this "Pride" of yours?¡± He offered, thinking of the fight as a payment for no favor. He had some impressions of warriors. A small one. Prideful...


    ¡°I want nothing since I lost. This place shall be my hell. As for our previous conversation... Shall I take the name of this blade to my End?¡± Zao glanced with the remaining eye in its socked towards Razmund''s right shoulder, which carried the claymore in its glory.


    He was eyeing the claymore that piqued his interest, noticing that it was still pristine even though it clashed against him at full swings.


    ¡°This is my bliss. Calling it a Pride isn''t far for this head of yours. It used to be something more... Now... it is like this.¡± He revealed nothing in particular since it hurt to talk about it. A surprising amount of openings were visible in his spirit, which hid an abyss of deeply hidden emotions.


    ¡°Oh, a Blessed case... Sorry to hear that... I shall... see... the Hell now.¡± The gradual faint voice of the Goldsteel Titan ceased to talk, turning to utter silence as mana and blood stopped flowing. Goldsteel Titan under the name of Zao died in the midst of a prideful battle like many of them desired. He couldn''t take the force of the battle or damage to his core, so he accepted it for what it was.


    Razmund didn''t think much of his words, but he would lie if it didn''t leave some impression. It was a strange meeting with a race stemming from legends, so various thoughts and impressions surged around his mind. He didn''t hate this.


    But if they walked before his face and obscured his path, he would gladly kill anyone before his face. He didn''t get the impression that their talk would''ve been this meaningful anyway, so unknown emotions rang in his ears.


    Turning to Lint, he appeared relaxed, decisive, and hurt. ¡°Next Gate.¡±


    ¡°W-what? Huh?¡± Lint mumbled, watching how Razmund walked away from what remained of Zao to the hallway not far away. ¡°What about this though? You know you can do whatever you want with the Guardians? Don''t...¡± he shouted, watching Zao and Razmund as if he didn''t understand what was going on. He watched their long fight and heard every one of their words. He didn''t cheer or fear the loss of either of them.


    But if anything mattered, the sight of cleaved and bleeding Razmund left a deep impression on his face. Adding to the fact he was even able to endure the effects of Tears of the Leviathan, he was shocked such humans existed at this level.


    He should know all about it. Hell Havens had no small amounts of records of such vast insanities. Be it in the Depths or the Surface, or in the deep and unfathomable Skies, there were powerful foes and beings everywhere. The world demanded it. The universe created it.


    ¡°Don''t care. Don''t care about him at all. Take it as an interest for my lacking standards... I bet this place would rather have his flesh rather than myself, and I certainly don''t want to piss off the one who decided to gift this titanic battle to me. Give me points instead for that, how about it?¡±


    ¡°Sure enough, but...¡±


    ¡°Oh, and I don''t care about essences either, so that''s that.¡° Razmund said, feeling rightfully aware of the undeniable power Titans possessed, so he respected it. Their bodies were treasures, and the essence of their mana was strong and full of laws. Even their blood should be quite a precious resource, so would their skin and bones. Nevertheless, Razmund wasn''t inclined to touch the servants of gods since the time was pressuring him from behind, and he doubted Zao''s arrival was normal.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    After all, no Goldsteel Titans were ever visible from any statues. He would''ve remembered it. Zao was not part of this collection of prisoners. Not in this Gate, at least. Someone from the Depths wanted to test him, he thought.


    So in front of no problems, he turned and walked towards the end of Gate 1, going straight towards an old gate that would reveal a path to his target. He should have time to get going,


    But hours passed, nervousness overlapped his body, and this fight was a touch he wasn''t expecting. He was spent. Way too much effort and time went into this almost meaningless fight.


    Now, he wasn''t sure what to expect from the next Gate. He could only hope that his little mice were lucky and went to the gate that would help him catch him quicker.


    Unfortunately for him, Lisa outsmarted him even without her knowledge of his Destiny Dice. Islands of Greatness wasn''t a helpful place for any catching or quick path to end. Way too much fighting happened in that place, and time wasn''t in his favor, while Murai wasn''t under tough difficulties, unlike him.


    For now, Razmund will recoup his lost power by cycling mana and calming himself by grabbing his claymore.


    ***


    Meanwhile, in Chaos Space, Murai, Lisa, and Lorry were flying away, leading them to unknown depths of strange and mysterious space. The portal at the end of Gate 1 worked like any kind of portal, even with those choices of threads. They made it specifically prone to individual ends, making lines of travel touching different roads. One had to have a pair of Portals to make them work, but this had multiple of them, thanks to multiple lines that connected to different places.


    In a sense, portals worked opposite to black holes, wormholes, or void passages. Those had a single opening and a single end, often created and crashed by individuals who wielded these dangerous powers.


    Portals constructed a hole into the Chaos Space which was essentially everywhere. Those there were easier to manage on the planets with less turbulent spaces. It wasn''t as overpowering and mysterious as the black holes or other types of spatial transportation.


    Portals were fairly normal because of their structure and magic properties, while the black hole... wasn''t that. No one knew how they reacted to the realities of the void, space, or even chaos itself. But they existed, and how they came into existence or what their purpose was, was unfathomably complicated.


    Murai flew and rolled like a wild animal down the rocky hill. This time, the travel through the portal was a bit more chaotic than the one before, but the route ahead to the Islands of Greatness was simple and straight to the point.


    Reaching the end of the portal was like a flash of lighting. Usually, the mind was in shambled because of Chaos Space, but that wasn''t the case for him. His mind and soul made adjustments, so when he fell from the other side of the portal, flying like a little bird that fell from the nest, he didn''t like the landing alone. His feathers took the brunt force of the impact against the rough rocks with ease, but his flapping wings didn''t help with stability.


    He grimaced, complaining how nothing was made for ducks at all. His soul wasn''t, he feared.


    ¡°Oh... That went well. Normal, right... Where am I? Is this the next Gate?¡± He wondered, looking around in a mere moment as he stopped rolling. The confusion that passed through his mind was like a mild headache, and he got to his feet even before the others arrived.


    In a bit, Lisa and Lorry emerged as well, but unlike him, they flew like birds coming to their nests.


    ¡°What in the seven hells!?¡± They heard quacking noises coming from Murai, who was standing on the edge of a huge hill, overlooking a massive cave that seemed like a separate world altogether. The distance and vastness were hard to calculate, and so did the depth or the size of the whole cave.


    Before him, stretching far into the distance was a humongous sea as far as he could see, wide sides of the cave''s walls that stretched for kilometers. The hill he was on was at the edge of this cave, overlooking a cave of an unknown size and purpose.


    The sea in itself wasn''t that important. It added weird perspective, depth, and azure light to this land. What was interesting were countless series of pillars, stretching and penetrating those waters. All kinds of bridges, roads, and ropes connected them, creating a maze of islands that weren''t islands at all.


    Islands of Greatness wasn''t a name fit for this Gate at all, and Murai''s imagination was hurt and his day had been ruined.


    He expected something better. Not thousands of pillars of various lengths, widths, and sizes. Some moved alongside the waters, close to the surface, and few were even fully underwater. Others went hundreds of meters above the water, creating what resembled a series of trees. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On top of each pillar was a platform where the purpose of this Gate happened. Some of them were burly, others flat, and some were cages or forests. Thus, this place had a terrible name, and he wondered if someone stupid had come up with it, or someone lazy.


    ¡°Impressive, isn''t it?¡± Lorry asked, proudly floating toward him as he was speaking. ¡°This land is originally under the previous iteration of this temple. Lady Levandis refurbished it, and changed it accordingly as my Lady wanted, creating what is known as Islands of Greatness! It is a place where fights happen, armies train, and where demons and devils take stakes in many competitions.¡±


    ¡°You didn''t have to tell me this meaningless history...¡± Murai said coldly. ¡°Frankly, I don''t care one bit what it is used for. It''s just so-so. Looks like shit, however. The name is also... questionable. I would call it Thousand Trees, or... Well, my naming scheme is lacking, but that isn''t the point. What''s next? Where to go? How does this Gate work?¡±


    Lorry appeared shocked, surprised that he wasn''t impressed with the sight of this place that had been in this place for many ages. He wasn''t surprised by that fact but disappointed at the name? Lorry didn''t complain too much, but he glared at Murai as if he were an insensible prick. ¡°Ohhhh... Very well. This is...¡± A slap later halted his words, coming from Lisa who drifted to the rescue.


    ¡°Let me explain things better since I''ve already started it anyway. Hearting your words is grinding my head. I would rather tell it myself than you, boring him and making him jump from the cliff.¡± Lisa said, arguing with Lorry who took the slap well. She was a bit more gentle this time around, and Lorry hesitantly snorted and let her be.


    He was feeling left out, but at this point, he was feeling useless. Lisa had a change of heart and appeared as if her purpose might be reignited, and he didn''t know why. Was it those rewards? That tome and talk with Murai? Lorry wished to be a good Guide, but Murai was disappointing in many forms and crazy in others.


    At least he fought with great entertainment, so that left him glad. This was hardly another nail in his coffin, so he waited for what Lisa wanted to tell


    ¡°Listen, Murai Hisagi. This Gate''s name doesn''t matter. Questioning it isn''t right, so that leaves me glad to take this to your head. Everything is in one piece, and this Gate has quite a few intricate features and paths ahead. Some may be good, others are bad. Promptly, the place will give you an overview of it in terms of the Will of the Battleworld, or Mindarch. Not sure which one... seems fit for you, because of the mess that is currently hovering above our heads. But let me be brief with the words first since I''ve already talked about it.¡±


    Murai angled his head to face hers, no longer paying more attention to the cave and these pillars. There was light in the ceiling and some walls, making it look shiny and nice. Some islands were lit by flames, and the ceiling had some masses of lighting orbs, creating a cycle of night and day. But there was no land, apart from the land he was standing on. The water took all the surface of this cave, while pillars stretched far and wide.


    ¡°There are thousands of Islands. Each has specific Grades and enemies, creating a massive maze because of bridges between them. It all starts at single Islands, while 100 following choices make us to the end of this cave. Each Island may have unknown or known variables, but each has a fight of some sort. What kind or in what way it will go, that is up to Mindarch, who can reshape this whole Gate to an individual basis since 100 fights is a lot to consider.¡±


    ¡°And who decided on that, hm?!¡± Lorry shouted at her, knowing that her decision to help Murai choose the color of that portal was way out of the norm. But Mindarch didn''t complain and didn''t think of it badly, which left Lorry kind of powerless.


    Lisa ignored him completely and rather continued. ¡°On every island is an enemy to defeat. From what I know, rewards can be based on the enemy. Essences are pending truth, and loot as well. It''s usually quite random, or not at all, but there is more to it than being good or bad. I will talk about it later, as there are some Variant Islands and some things that may come at you or not. It might change into something I have no idea about. It depends on the choices of the Islands, and your luck has been confusing my knowledge. Mindarch is interested in something, isn''t he? Collaborate.¡± She turned to Lorry, giving him a serious look that he didn''t appreciate.


    ¡°Mindarch is!¡± Lorry turned his head, unwilling to mention anything else.


    ¡°If he is, that means a lot more things than I thought. Considering the Will of the Battleworld, I have doubts it will be normal either. For now, there are a few things to consider that will remain stagnant and important. The choice of your enemies depends on your Power Level and Level itself. Those things make a lot of sense in different ways. One is your direct proportional power, combining everything under, or slightly over level 35. The second is the potential of what is under your possibilities, what you might get, handle in terms of your flesh and mind. That means abilities for the most part, or equipment but those are out of your sight. Level strengthens attributes, gives some touch to abilities, and also grants access to more advanced stuff.¡±


    Murai nodded in understanding, not uttering a peep because he thought this was fairly important. ¡°Wait, advanced stuff? Who decided that?¡±


    ¡°This whole world... but Will of the Battleworld does so at its base.¡± She replied hesitantly. ¡°You see, it is a bit more complicated than that, and you haven''t got much regard for that in further shape under my watch. True, Will of the Battleworld gifted you with things out of the norm, and weirdly enough, some are kind of ridiculous, but they also lack flexibility and endless interest. Blessed are special, you see. That means someone hates your guts, let me tell you that much.¡± She nodded as if she was speaking the laws themselves.


    Murai had no qualms about her ideas, but the truth was important. He could tell at least that much himself, but he didn''t know much about the Will of the Battleworld and how its voices and power held up to individuals and Blessed alike. He lacked greater context, how others had it like, and what it meant for him.


    In fact, what was that Leveling itself? Iris did mention it during his time of recovery but in very little and lacking details.


    Now, it seems Lisa was talking about it for the first time as if it was a big deal. It was...


    Reaching Level 1 meant access to the starting evolution, so did it mean he had to reach higher levels to reach another one? That was correct, although Lisa hadn''t mentioned anything about it yet.


    Murai wished someone would''ve long explained to him this stuff, and this right here was exactly that. Lisa should''ve done that a long time ago. That was what Life Companions of Blessed were for. Mostly...


    ¡°Anyway...¡± Lisa contemplated what to tell next, watching the endless sea of pillars. She had various things to tell for sure. Most of it depended on important things outside of her head. ¡°Mindarch does one thing or a whole lot of them. He will adjust the Islands in terms of challenges, similar to how Gate 1 worked. It''s as Lorry said before. Temple won''t give anything freely. This is a fighting Gate and there will be challenges up to your level from the very beginning, albeit not to the level of Guardian. I think?¡±


    ¡°You think, or know?¡±


    ¡°Give me a break. You are a piece of bloody animal with the art of messing things up. Deal with what I tell.... or curse me while trying. 100 Islands! Some will be tough for sure, and the further it goes, the tougher it gets. That is what others always said.¡± This time, Lisa got angry, but not much. ¡°Just expect more from Mindarch. Not me. I can only provide knowledge I''ve got from my past. It still validates this talk, and you will move through the first 30 islands with relative ease, but it depends on you.¡±


    ¡°Hm? That... Sounds so clumsy. Who the fuck came up with this sort of crap?¡° Murai voiced his displeasure out loud, snapping Lorry into furious anger and letting his Soul Flames rise.


    ¡°What the hell was that for?! What the fuck does Murai think Murai is saying!? Murai thinks he is all-knowing and can create such a thing on a whim. Lorry wants to see Murai create this sort of challenge for many millennia to come!¡±


    Glancing at the furious skull, Murai''s mood slightly improved, but before giving Lorry more attention, Lisa continued. ¡°Alright. Pipe the heat down. There are Tiers of accomplishments of the Islands. It depends on how you perceive them but think of them as a success. Let''s start with them. They are like rarity, to provide difficulty and opportunity, similar to the abilities that you know of by your own head or this... Iris girl.¡±


    Murai mumbled something but kept Lisa talking. As far as he knew, Iris did provide him with passable knowledge but not what Lisa could.


    ¡°Grades are easy to see. Letter F is the weakest. E is the second weakest, while SSS is the most intense. Levels of the enemies will correspond to the Grade, and then there are Tiers. Grades and Tiers aren''t the same in this place. Tiers are not all that important for the Grade, and the reason I am talking about this is the point. They can change depending on the Mindarch since you will get to know the enemy before the fight... I think. Maybe even their species, weakness, or Path and race? There are 5 variables to the Tiers, and each is decided upon the successful Island. These are Flawless, Satisfactory, Fair Enough, Basic, and the worse is Barely Not Enough. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Crap, another dynamic scheme to remember. I don''t care about it all that much, but hearing that isn''t worse. Great. Are you over? Let''s move to the islands then.¡± Murai couldn''t wait, so after hearing her explanation to the bitter end of his attention, he walked away without knowing where.


    ¡°I am serious! These things may sound strange, but each corresponds to the point threshold and rewards and whatnot. You care about essences right?¡± Lisa gave him bait, which Murai took with a speck of shame.


    He stopped walking away, his wings shuddered, and his tail wriggled without his knowledge. He turned his neck, watching her without blinking. ¡°I am... interested.¡±


    ¡°If you have continuous Basic Islands, then the points won''t be that great, but rather average. If it''s gonna be Satisfactory, the multiplier is added, making the end results that much better.¡±


    ¡°I think you are mistaken...¡± Murai wished to argue, so he thought of a proper argument. ¡°I can adjust to anything. Be it a place worse than the Seventh Hell, or the crazy tides of the Chaos Space itself. I don''t give a feather about the consequences of a lot of things. But you sound like you are enjoying this much more than I will, so don''t you want to try your luck on these islands and leave details behind? I never wanted to come here, but since I am here, I can go on. Sure as the sky over our heads, but I don''t like it.¡± He said in mocking quacks, which confused Lorry and Lisa alike.


    It sounded so strange, considering he was so happy after finishing Gate 1. Perhaps both of them realized that Murai was lying to himself, or he was like this because of some coping mechanism. Lisa began to understand him a little bit more, which left Lorry in the unknown. Guide knew he was enjoying the Gate 1 more than any other Challenger in the past years. That much, Lorry could tell, since he hunted essences like fish and desired them like beggar the gold.


    So the talk about unwillingness to be here was questionable since Murai wanted to be here.


    Lorry certainly scuffed at his ideas, which seemed like a lie, or an excuse to no longer take it seriously, or he wanted to tell something else but butchered his thoughts.


    For some reason, Lisa still found his words in a pit of anger. ¡°Hisagi Murai!¡± she shouted. ¡°This is a chance that will grow you! And you need it like anything that you''ve ever touched or messed up before.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? What is at the end of those Islands then? Another dogshit reward? A pile of bones? Pond of water with fishes to fish?¡±


    ¡°Could be...anything, but as far as I know...¡± She smiled and knew the answers. ¡°There are ways and countless ways to help with certain things up in your alley. Those are Influence Items for your evolution possibilities or straight-up bestowed evolution. There are also some talks of demonic secret techniques. Some may prove to be interesting to you.¡± At the end of her words, Murai raised his beak in interest. Anything about evolution was great since it provided increased power similar to evolutions of abilities but across the board of his whole species.


    He felt it the most after Level 1. The differences between being a Seedling and a Child were crazy. Panacea granted him his choices, which he grabbed and followed without any regrets since then. True, the mention of being Anatidea of the Death was interesting. He thought of it from time to time.


    ¡°Very well. You have my attention, but I don''t necessarily need some techniques since I have plenty to work with already. Too much to worry about may be overwhelming. However, the topic of evolution is way too big to ignore. Explain why there would be something in there that would allow me to have another one. What are those Influance Items? I still need 2 before starting it, right? Wait! I can''t because I don''t know any details about it, do I? What does each evolution require besides levels and attributes? Abilities? Powers? Grade or powerful evolved spells?¡± Murai asked.


    Lisa watched him with no hesitation, but distinct silence and a glint in her eyes.


    She knew exactly his problems, and those were roots that hurt her brain and crashed almost all her thoughts about this world.


    Murai had shackles.


    Quite large ones that limited his potential, and she mentioned it a few moments ago, but Murai wasn''t thinking of them at all. She did.

 Chapter 129: Evolutions, tiers and bridges

    Lisa went closer to Murai and his unhinged hope to seek more out of her head. She knew he had every right to be like that, and for another moment, she was genuinely serious.


    Glaring at him without flashing a smile, folded-up arms around her chest assured her decisiveness and stance.


    ¡°An evolution, huh?¡± she asked. ¡°You want to consider something... so complex and unnecessary right now?¡±


    ¡°Unnecessary? You mentioned something interesting that I might get out of this Gate. If not important, then what is it?¡± Murai didn''t believe not knowing about it was a good thing.


    ¡°As a whole, it is unnecessary worry. As a bit, I might add some voice, but what hurts if it doesn''t concern you right now? You just got out of your head and near the End, and you hope to get another evolution done? Even when you have no clue how they work? That isn''t right, considering you barely even started to fight like a proper Anatidae. Do you want to start another problem figuring out changes and issues of your mana or body? No? Because that is what evolution would give.¡±


    ¡°Nah! That isn''t a problem.¡± Murai almost slapped her lofty face, and his anger reached the limit. The way she was talking to him like this was hateful. The way she looked at him pissed him more. ¡°Knowledge doesn''t hurt a soul. That is a saying I tend to follow, and you should etch it to your head. I am not asking you to form a bloody evolution for me or give it some head. I ask about their concept, work, or how they operate, and what Influences are.¡±


    ¡°Then why care about what doesn''t matter? It doesn''t need a revelation when it concerns your body.¡±


    ¡°That doesn''t seem right.¡± Murai shook his head. ¡°It does concern me from a practical standpoint. My future.¡±


    ¡°Sounds stupid,¡± Lorry stated beside them, thinking he was part of this conversation but he wasn''t. Lisa gave him a cold look that sent shivers and something else down his skull. ¡°Or... clever?¡±


    ¡°Listen...¡± she turned back to Murai. ¡°I acknowledge the necessary knowledge and information matters. For that sake, I will keep it short. Evolution is an important piece to beasts or those who prefer this style of power. Battleworld allows them, and they might take Paths in the equation, but not necessary. You have none, and probably won''t have time for any Path, let alone an evolution.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Lisa chuckled. ¡°Looking at you is answer enough. Let''s give evolution a nudge. They need 3 choices, but one may omit one to find new choices. In the end, only one matters, so finding that choice is what one wants. There are heights and lows in them, and requirements. The best ones require a greater degree of growth. Those are known as limiters. That Aquantis might be a fairly normal evolution choice, so it isn''t really that strong or tough to take on. Would you take it?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking that right now?¡±


    ¡°Answers it.¡±


    ¡°Not before knowing other choices. As you said, there might be greater ones later, but where does the growth end?.¡±


    ¡°That is the norm and an excellent question.¡± She nodded and appeared like a satisfied teacher. ¡°It depends on what kind of power you want to wield, what is possible for you, or what you might like. Evolution is a variable that totally changes someone''s perspective. Finding them is what changes beasts from simple animals.¡±


    Murai nodded, appearing surprisingly docile and silent, while Lisa went surprisingly deeper into her explanation than he thought.


    ¡°Frankly, you have too much to do with your core right now, and any sense of magic is a potent way to land a Path or evolution. Anatidaes have major magical options, causing their evolutions to be wild and various. They may be too universal, but countless Paths are there for you to take, while evolutions may take them into account, or vice-versa. Pathways are massive, but I suppose you know that already. Paths ought to be something finite and nice. Something that flows along some Pathway, and the world shall acknowledge that.¡±


    ¡°Hm? I don''t care about Paths right now. Got hang of many long ago.¡± Murai reasoned, which Lisa accepted with a slight smile. ¡°And you left a bunch of things behind... as expected of your usual explanations.¡±


    ¡°Evolution is something you should take into account.¡± She said.


    ¡°Why would I do that?¡±


    ¡°You have your soul and body to care for. They support or could be key to a Path.¡±


    ¡°That... sounds kind of reasonable. Now, TELL me what is up with those Influences! Speak.¡±


    ¡°I am not running around a bush. There are just words to tell, explanations to give, and time to work with them.¡± She shook her head as if he was stupid. ¡°Evolution takes steps, requirements, opportunities, and acknowledgments in many layers. They all are part of this damned world that wants your head! And it certainly doesn''t give you much. Normally, choices happen frequently, with many being refused. Will of the Battleworld should be there to help you, but... It doesn''t happen at all. Watching you is enough to warrant it, or Encounter is why? Rules and deep-rooted problems concern you, or give you no chances? What to think of that?¡± Lisa wondered and didn''t know the answer to that herself.


    Murai was just a messed up troublemaker in her head, and Will of the Battleworld wasn''t doing the usual sources of acts.


    ¡°Battleworld again?¡± Murai found her questions surprising, since he got plenty of things already from it, even before the evolution. Should he have gotten something way better than that, or was the talk about evolution different from abilities? What was she talking about right now? Specific or flexible powers that influenced the choices or some options? If evolution had various grades and requirements, then taking the time to choose sounded far too important.


    Why give poor choices?


    Murai found that kind of lackluster, but he was forgetting about the norm. Evolutions were there for all beasts, races, and species of all kinds. More explanations or powers meant something for talented individuals, which Lisa mentioned before this questionable rant. Dynamically shaping changes were part of it. Better exposition of his abilities, levels, attributes, and strength of his species as well.


    ¡°Yes. Yes. Battleworld is lacking. At least in the regular terms of common sense that I know, right?¡± She turned to Lorry who pretended he wasn''t there.


    Murai thought nothing less or great, so he asked again what she meant.


    ¡°Listen... Murai.¡± Lisa glared at his eyes. ¡°Possibilities are endless across the Skies, or at the bottom pit of nonexistent hells. I hope this temple changes that, since Mindarch is defacto.... similar thing, that grants such possibilities. You heard him, right?¡±


    ¡°More than well but out loud like a fool.¡±


    ¡°That is secondary, or completely irrelevant. Your issues are mine as well, yet I am not even understanding a speck of what I wish for. Evolution isn''t that by the way. They form what Paths ought to be long ago, but they have different visions at this age. In this world, they work in terms of levels, attributes, and all kinds of limitations to your species. Those could mean affinity thresholds or abilities, or you may find something great that can help or achieve an evolution. Those are the Influence Items.¡± She said and went silent to add a dramatic touch.


    ¡°Go on.¡± He added.


    ¡°They are Bloodline Treasures. Influences in specifics are quite a valuable and great way to choose an evolution or influence that one fateful choice. Their worth is great, as you might get. It is a two-way treasured chance, that doesn''t require accomplishment, or meeting the questionable appearance like evolution choices do. One still had to take them into consideration, as influences still need a good body and attributes. A whole lot of evolutions are based on Bloodline-related powers. You''ve already got that idea in as Panacea. Got it? That is the gist of Infulance Items. Nothing more for now.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Murai cheered as if she had given him the gold. ¡°Did it hurt to keep it in your mouth for so long?¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡± Lisa gave him a confused look. ¡°Are you satisfied with this much? That is... surprising.¡±


    ¡°Better clearer knowledge than forcing it all out of your damned head.¡± He cheered and turned back to Lorry. ¡°Influences, huh? Fine, you damned skull. Cheer up and guide us, Guide.¡±


    Lorry didn''t cheer himself up. The moment he glanced back at them, the space shook, and a pressuring force spread to Murai''s soul.


    Speaking of wolf and wolf around the corner, the Will of the Battleworld commenced the start of Gate 2, instead of Mindrach, which was an act that Lorry found disturbing and Lisa confusing.


    This should be Mindarch''s backyard since it came from the previous temple, but there were always variables at play when Blessed challenged this temple.


    [Congratulations on the success of Gate 1, dear Citizen]


    [Rewards have been granted within our and Mindarch''s verification, our acknowledgment. Your decision to continue is also recommended, hence Gate 2 is before your eyes]


    [As for this Gate, it''s unlike the one already behind you. There are thousands of Islands in the depth of this cave, filled with...] The Will of the Battleworld basically explained the same thing that Lisa said, leaving Murai complaining why he had to hear the same thing twice, and why he couldn''t skip this damned voice speaking into his soul. But again, why Lisa was even taking the Will of the Battleworld to her own mouth?


    [...The points at the end of Gate 2 can be used as a source to buy out Influence Items, depending on performance and Tiers. Your species and recommendations shall be given afterward, as you are a beast going through the domain of Hell Haven. There are also other things, such as your own accomplishments during the incoming fights. Levels, attributes, and improvements of all kinds shall be taken into consideration. Mindarch and Will of the Battleworld shall be witness to that]


    However, there were still some interesting things that Lisa left out, leaving Murai in a good mood when the voice continued. It revealed that Lisa truly didn''t talk to her full capacity.


    [For now, let''s leave the end of this being the end. You are before the first choice of your Island, and a Guide shall be guiding you throughout the Islands all the way to the potential end. There are no shortcuts, as 100 Islands shall be a distinct challenge with special flavors and unique opportunities to seek Challanger''s might]


    [It isn''t up to a Guide to influence the fight, nor is it up to us. But there are definitely ways the fight will happen due the external and curious factors. You are choosing your path of Islands and upon entry to the fixed starting Island, you shall meet the enemies of various choices, unique settings, and fighting sequences in every following success. Tiers are there to provide an answer to how well you fought, alongside a higher multiplier to your points]


    [Upon each completion you will gain access to the interesting and desirable Island choices. They can intersect, flow like a maze, go up or down, or sideways to many distances. Sometimes, the journey to the other island can also be met with certain problems, so be careful of the choices you take, as there are 100 Islands, with 100 paths between them]


    [As for the motivation in terms of the Battleworld,and what shall be given, there are varying degrees of rewards, depending on your progression of Tiers, and the Grades of enemies. For that to be something great and meaningful, it is advised to do your best, so no disappointments shall be forgotten]


    Then, the voice swiftly stopped, the pressure disappeared, and the world turned back to normal.


    In Murai''s soul, nothing pretty much changed. He started to take those voices much better, the further he felt them. He didn''t even quiver.


    ¡°Hmm... This isn''t so bad in terms of meaningful voices. It''s quite direct as I see that, albeit it didn''t give anything substantial in return.¡±


    ¡°It was just a confirmation to get started,¡± Lisa argued. ¡°Nothing fancy like a world to give.¡±


    ¡°And I am not questioning it, nor its shackles or what it does, unlike you.¡± he fired back, creating sparks between him and her.


    ¡°You should question it more. It touches on your life, soul, and body.¡±


    ¡°And you should keep talking. Nothing good comes out of your closed mouth.¡±


    ¡°Says a duck who can''t even handle a sword. Oh, and a beak that can''t even speak! Hah!¡± Lisa laughed, finding it more than laughable and causing Murai to stomp the ground and watch the scenery as if it were a painting.


    He took a deep breath, thinking that he was surrounded by lunatics. Nothing new, as far as he knew. ¡°How nice. How nice. It''s similar to any kind of labyrinth, filled with all kinds of filth, loot, paths, and secrets. I like this, unlike a named ghost that hunts my life.¡±


    Stolen novel; please report.


    This humongous cave was kilometers wide, with various heights at the sides, but at the bottom of it, he didn''t care for what it was like. The deep water hid unknown things, but it was more like an underground lake. There was some mist around its surface, creating a weird and mysterious atmosphere.


    The pillars stood in their spots, not moving, while the mist wasn''t so thick. Most Islands were visible and present like many trees rising from the soil, giving this place a unique aura of adventure.


    Murai did appreciate it, so he decided on a long-awaited experiment.


    He pushed forth his Mana Sonar, feeling the surrounding air, the quality of mana, and its range. For the first time in forever, trying to feel the mana in an open place felt great. Barren and narrow hallways were limiting for sure, but he evolved his Mana Detection not long ago, so he hadn''t gotten around to testing anything major with it. Beak''s Blitz was the same thing, but that one shall wait for proper targets.


    Mental pressure arose all over his soul, mana, and mind. Like a push of wind, Mana Sonar surged out of his head, appearing thin like an invisible sound. He felt the rocks, both Lorry and Lisa beside him with closed eyes, and an aura of mana around. Everything went around him, creating a mental map as he stood over this whole hill.


    Sonar gushes out in all directions, and where this Sonar passed, mana quivered, sending information back to his mind under a breath. The distance was much larger than he anticipated, similar to how harsh and spiritually demanding it felt.


    In terms of numbers, it was at least 10 times more demanding on mana and his mind than Detection, but its range and quality were worth the stress and costs. His mana wasn''t terrible, and this ability didn''t seem to stress his core all that much. It worked surprisingly well in fact. Perhaps too well.


    He was at the center, and Sonar went about 120 meters all around him, pushing at a decent long-range radius if there was a place for that. That was about 240 meters in diameter, where everything was under his inner eyes, or so he wanted to call it like.


    It was very mental, similar to an aura of mana that winced like flames under his mind. Almost everything reacted to his Sonar, allowing a clear vision of this hill to enter his mind.


    It was actually kind of impressive in range. Even for his standards that were very often way out of the line.


    After all, he knew his Beast Core was yet to be in a steady flow. When it would be, he didn''t know. For now, it was in a beginning form in his body, while his soul, body, and mana slowly cycled to get used to one another. He considered it to be normal, as his soul was extraordinary, and this body wasn''t necessarily up to it.


    Everything took time to adjust, and he had to trust this process, or he could crack his head to force it to happen. He often did it in some nasty lives. That rocky life depended on him more than anything else.


    No genius ever fell from the sky and became an emperor.


    That was a quote from some life he probably forgot about. It must have been some medieval sort of world since it sounded laughable and not right. However, Murai knew there were all kinds of geniuses in many forms, thanks to the sources of power that could give them earlier or special starts. Talent and Bloodlines were exactly that, while this world was taking that too seriously thanks to its workings.


    He wasn''t one to touch such talents in most of his lives. He was much more than that to change it, as his imagination had no bounds and his mind fueled his body countless times. His body may not be his temple at this time, so things had to come in different waves. According to his judgment over the last Gate, Welcoming Party, and a week of handing his training, adjustments will take no more than a couple of months. Less, if this temple was as high as he hoped for.


    Time was required to get cycling and mana-related techniques starting, and working with the Mana Core stages often required resources, rather than luck. Reaching a Revolving Core was his goal right now and it wasn''t looking distant if his Core Defining Fusion technique will have enough essences.


    He was barely holding his magic together for 10 days, so he didn''t mind further training and waiting. He may have a time limit in his Encounter and its looming threat all over him, but that didn''t negate his progression. That time limit can fuck off as far as he was concerned thanks to this temple.


    Training and fighting in this place will be a massive help.


    By calculations and his ideas, if he wanted to change his status quo, he could do so by a simple action: making the Beast Core higher at its Initialization Stage, but that could have some implications because of his unfamiliarity. He viewed it all as experiencing constant courses of experimenting, while his Artificial Cora was also included in this problem.


    He could send its mana to his own core anytime he wanted, but it would be both dangerous and pitiful. It wasn''t what he wanted to do at all.


    He had full control over his Artifical Core, and sending its power to his Beast Core was unnecessary, albeit possible. The degree of its inner essence was simply too poor. It wouldn''t do much, but push his Beast Core to the Middle Succes of Initialization Stage. It was a great idea from a quick power-gaining perspective since his magic would improve.


    There were more uncertainties since he never had a Beast Core in his lives, and after he sacrificed so much care to cater to his Core Defining Fusion Technique, he wasn''t willing to make any missteps. Its creation was already problematic enough to allow any second-guessing.


    Core Defining Fusion was a unique technique under many core-related techniques. Each required a start and a finish, or continuous defining use of mana and working around the mana space. Murai had no need for shortcuts or a way to shorten its effects, so he let his Beast Core be where it was, by focusing everything on his Artifical Core.


    It would weaken his potency and power since this was akin to storing things away without using them for profit. He had to think further down the line, so there was no point in touching his Artificial Core at all. His Beast Core should be enough and remain calm for the sake of this temple.


    Hunting for essences wasn''t ideal at this stage, but it certainly was the main attraction of countless Challengers, him included. Having a great farming method to get high-grade essences for nothing but a challenge sounded way too cheap to pass up. They didn''t even have to spend a coin if they were powerful enough.


    Thus, a lot of value was in this temple, its reputation, and the dangers involved weren''t small.


    Lisa felt what Murai was doing with his Sonar, figuring that his new addition wasn''t bad.


    Murai retracted his Mana Sonar after discovering his stabilized and furthest range. He may as well put his efforts towards one particular direction, but he was yet to be too familiar with the Mana Sonar in itself. Perhaps it won''t even work like that because it wasn''t Mana Detection. Sonars always worked in a radius and wider range.


    ¡°Wait... When I think of that. I am getting hungry.¡± Murai said just as his stomach growled in affirmation. He looked at the floating Lorry, appearing as if he wanted to take a piece of his bones. Thankfully, Lorry backed further above, making Murai''s ideas to come into sudden halt.


    ¡°I think your enemies this time won''t be like before. You thought of those Undead as nasty, right?¡± Lisa asked. ¡°Their bones weren''t nutrient, but old and dusty. Here in this Gate, you may meet all kinds of enemies. From undead, demons, devils, and other creatures. Beasts too, by the way. Eat those, grill them, and mash them to your stomach all you want. That will cost an essence, however.¡±


    Murai turned to her and stepped very close to her. ¡°What about humans?¡±


    ¡°They are here too. Almost anything is. This temple is large, contracted, and directed by one of the Hell Havens itself. No wonder you can meet a unique life form on each Island. But perhaps you won''t. It depends on the Mindarch or... Battleworld?¡± Lisa questioned herself. ¡°In fact, why was Mindarch yet to speak this time around? Is he shy?¡± She turned to Lorry who once again pretended he wasn''t even there.


    ¡°What are humans doing here?¡° Murai asked and changed her attention.


    ¡°Ehm. Ehm.¡± Lorry jumped between them. ¡°Lorry thinks it''s better for Lorry to explain things that are due to. Will of the Battleworld also thinks the same thing. They recognize me! Isn''t that great? Hm?¡± He glanced at Lisa more at Murai, hoping or expecting a slap to his bony cheek.


    Lisa sighed, letting Lorry take the lead, which ended up somewhat disappointing him.


    ¡°As a Guide, it is given that you should speak more sense.¡± She guessed.


    Lory winced his teeth, floating right past the cliff to be in front of the series of pillars, that looked like a monstrous forest. The platforms were thick; pillars tall. Some poor soul named them islands. This sort of naming scheme was indeed extremely poor, and Murai couldn''t come up with something worse than that.


    All of them went from the bottom of the lake, resembling a tree trunk, and others were made from wood alone, metals, or various other materials.


    At the end, there was a flat piece of platform in each of them. Some were rectangular, others were circles, stormy, and unknown in appearance. Their diameters and lengths varied way too much to make sense of what went on around the platforms. The further they went, the more unique and harder to discern they became.


    That''s just how Murai had seen it with his eyes, but not his Sonar. He didn''t reach them with it. He was far away from the ones he was seeing. He was yet to seek the whole picture.


    ¡°Gate 2 nicknamed Islands of Greatness for a reason..¡± Lorry proclaimed and wanted to sing a song or say it better.


    ¡°...¡± Murai was a step away from diving into the lake or trying his beak on his skull.


    Lorry noticed the awkward silence. ¡°Ehm... Well, Gate 2 has the following start: Murai chooses what Murai wants. It is in that direction.¡± Lorry turned his gaze behind the cliff. After them was a portal which they traveled from, at the open space, flowing in dark colors of black. Around it, down the hill were pathways of stairs leading down to unknown depths, as opposed to the cliff.


    There were some rocky mountains around the portal and part of this mountainous hill acted as a single mass of ground in this cave. It was a thick and big mash of rocks protruding from the bottom of the lake or part of the wall. The portal wasn''t big, but not like the size even mattered. As long as one fit inside of one, it was enough. Murai was the prime example of that rule.


    Each path beside the portal went through the mountains, circling down toward the beginning of this gate that was at the bottom of this rocky mountain. There were no different sections of starting islands. There was a starting line that further branched out.


    The end will always end up with 100 Islands, which was a huge number. From what Lisa understood, choosing a path or thinking twice about it didn''t matter at all. But she wanted to force Lorry''s explanation about Mindarch and this place.


    He didn''t give her that respect. ¡°All paths lead to the starting Islands. Then, the flow of the maze of bridges between them acts as paths. It''s almost random, as far as Lorry has to tell. Lisa is surely right not to advise which path to take, is Lorry right?¡±


    This shut her up. There is almost no point in any advice.


    ¡°My choice, my pain. Great. Let''s go take the easy route then. The path straight down, filled with no damned stairs!¡± Murai cheered and went straight down the path. It was a kind of narrow passage around the mountain pass, appearing like a tunnel, but beside him was an open cliff.


    The wind wasn''t strong here, so he had no worries about falling down. Even if it was, it was nothing to Murai, whose strength returned more than twice over the previous week.


    Boosts did help him a lot more than he wished, and it certainly helped a ton more when he was full of hopes and powers he wanted.


    Ever since the incident in that well, where he fell to his near End, he felt fear and anger toward any water. Every change to obliterate that evil well to oblivion was one step to his inner peace.


    Reaching the end of the passage was a matter of minutes. It revealed another rocky hill and small cliffs that were further down this mountain. There was a section of the Islands right ahead, and they weren''t as big. They were close, and unlike most Islands, Murai had seen from the previous cliff. They were small and not that impressive.


    Most pillars had at least 30 to 40 meters of mass above the surface. Few had only a few meters above it. The path ended up on a plain, with nothing new in particular apart from the bridge of a single choice of an Island. Choices will happen further down the line, so he cursed the heavens for this damend world, hoping for some lack and good time.


    Murai saw how these starting Islands connected to one another. Some had a vision of a simple string bridge, going straight to a platform not so far away. It was a straight journey forward, but some angered him to his bones. There were stairs in a vision of a bridge, ascending far into the skies, down, curing around, and in unexpected fashions.


    ¡°Fuck my legs! No way I want to ascend such stairs with these tiny legs. No way!¡± Murai quacked in no denial and decided to never take such an option.


    Glancing at Lisa aside, she shrugged her arms as if aware of what Murai was curious about. Alas, choice and worries about the bridges were the least concern for most challengers.


    Not for him, however.


    ¡°Take the wrong path and it may be great or worse,¡± Lisa said. ¡°100 islands are a lot to take anyway. Many are interconnected, and who knows what enemies Mindarch will give you? The first few dozen aren''t supposed to be that hard anyway, since you got stronger after the last Gate. Testing you is necessary. Tougher Islands in the second half is where the fun starts. Just deal and accomplish Satisfactory Tiers or above and you will be fine.¡±


    ¡°No one is mentioning the difficulty of those 100 Islands. The journey seems long.¡± Murai argued.


    ¡°It is. Some folks take days or weeks. I told it as you decided on this type of Gate 2. Other choices would be more open and not a bit worse. But in the end, you reap what you sow. Just fight and kill. Simple and easy. Your Beak can take it; magic too. You are meant to improve yourself a lot, so experiment and grow to your own benefit. For me... too, if you want to thank me for giving you this chance.¡±


    Murai looked at her as if she were telling a joke. He will never be grateful to her. No way.


    He went ahead, reaching the first island in the form of a wooden bridge. It wasn''t the kind that was built well enough. It was basic, with the addition of ropes that secured it. It swayed in the wind the moment he stepped into it. Below was the water, creaks of wood sounded nervous, and he it was at least a few dozen meters above the water.


    High altitudes weren''t his forte and the water didn''t look great either. The wind here was surprisingly strong too, so Murai cringed inside, remembering that paths between the Islands may not be the easiest for him at all. In fact, they may be his biggest obstacles, rather than the foes in these Islands.


    In a bit of struggle over the swaying bridge, Murai came to a shivering wall of space, right before the platform itself. It enveloped the whole platform in a power known as a Space Cage. It kept any curious eyes from seeing what was inside. Not only that but any senses or abilities worked too.


    ¡°A privatized space.¡± Lorry introduced the Space Cage around the platform. ¡°Murai can''t see what sort of shape the enemy has outside of this place, or what setting is, but Murai can see what sort of environment is there. Roughly. It is flat, right? Every Island has this sort of thing, but fret not. There is still something to be told. The foe may be hidden, but its potential isn''t. Murai can ask Lorry about the Tiers of the Islands and Lorry will answer that. As A Guide, it is what Lorry is here for.¡± he said, smugly smirking as if this was his proudest job.


    ¡°Very well, what is this then? If it''s dogshit am I supposed to travel back on this clumsy bridge? This is a fairly bad system, let me tell you that.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what? Lorry... Why does Murai think so? It is quite well thought out by my Lady! It is excellent!¡± Lorry said in self-denial that was more than apparent in his voice.


    ¡°Nevermind... What is the difficulty then, or what can you even tell me?¡±


    ¡°Grade D difficulty, Level 23 foe. As for the ending Tier of your rewards, it depends on the ending marks of your fight. Understood?¡± Lorry quickly said, changing the topics so he wouldn''t be bothered with coming up with answers.


    ¡°Grade D? It''s... not that strong then?¡±


    ¡°What have you expected? Do you think this place wants to waste too much time or resources in looking at your readings and current or new power level?¡± Lisa asked. ¡°Majority of your opponents will be redundant pieces from Hell Haven because of your low level. They will send fodder at you: Fools, slaves, or those who wish to move up the ladder in terms of their might and power. If they kill you, dreams and rewards are there for them. Some of them are thieves, murder hobos, and beings deemed unworthy of having any sort of slack. In this sense, it should be quite hectic. Those islands.¡±


    Murai paused, glaring at this flickering space that he couldn''t perceive at all. It was sturdy, following the affinity of space at a high grade. ¡°That sounds more than reasonable, but wasn''t I supposed to know my enemy? Lisa, you said it, or... Lorry did?¡± S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I wanted to ask that question myself.¡± Lisa smiled and looked at Lorry who laughed awkwardly.


    ¡°Lisa sees the truth. It is up to Mindarch, but Mindarch is silent. This is just a start. Lorry has no doubts Murai will kill this sort of Grade. Come on. Chop and peirce. Kill and walk!¡± He tried to hype Murai up, which succeeded since he didn''t care who was before his face.


    There were only essences in his eyes.


    ¡°Very well. Let me see how fast I can be over these 100 Islands.¡± Murai said and stepped beyond the shimmering space. His body disappeared from the spot, entering the space beyond, leaving Lorry and Lisa behind who didn''t want to step into this place.


    This was his time to shine, and Lisa didn''t know how his fight would go. Lorry was no different either, but both of them were curious about the upcoming days in this Gate.

 Chapter 130: Islands? Stairs? What is this missery?!

    Murai stepped beyond the Space Cage, signifying a separation from the outside by a very complicated pattern that worked on principles of space and runes. Runes carved their truths into the floor, while the input of space, or the space within then, created some sort of separate dimension when one can''t see through it that well.


    Murai doubted this was even necessary. Why be this secretive? He bet enough curiosity and power could bend this dimension in half. Not by him, unfortunately. Gods could crash it with their mere presence, or powerful Extremes would seek through it with few issues.


    He wondered why these things mattered. Were those fights in this place a secret? Why was this separation even necessary when weaklings battled one another? Was it just a culture? The endless flow of battles in this temple? He had no clue how many beings were present in this Gate, so that may be the answer to why it was like this.


    Sight beyond the Space Cage wasn''t unexpected. From the platform that looked flat from the outside, Space Cage went around it. Looking behind him, Lisa and Lorry were nowhere to be seen. However, he saw the bridge as if it were a painting: unmoving, wooden, and far, yet close to his face.


    Some images still escaped through the Space Cage, but they looked unnatural like shadows, so once he turned his full attention to the platform, he got a better idea of what this was about.


    It was time to hunt in a huge dome of the Space Cage that was looming over his head. It was bright thanks to light coming from the rough cave''s ceiling. It was still visible even with a Space Cage between the platform and the ceiling. A simple flick of his Sonar answered many questions. It was like a sudden flash of understanding, revealing the truth of this space. It was a thick and broad-locked space, and how many runes worked together wasn''t even clear to him.


    Sonar didn''t penetrate anything, nor did he sense the outside. All it did was to encompass the whole platform.


    He was here by himself. Alone. Islands were supposed to be done without any outside influence, similar to how Gate 1 went, but he knew there were instances, like the one against a bunch of Undead Knights and skeletons, where the rules bent. Lorry and Lisa both talked to him, and even Mindarch''s presence talked while he was having a fight in the dreadful fog.


    He still killed his targets as if no rules mattered, so it didn''t matter in the end. He got a lot out of it after all, which made this next Gate up next.


    Murai didn''t mind if Islands possessed a different kind of environment than a bunch of dark and dreadful hallways.


    There were a few glistering sections of crystals that undulated a bright light at the corner of this platform, making the environment quite warm, and brighter than the cave''s light.


    ¡°Hmmm... I guess some things are passable, but still... Naming this thing an Island is way out of the line.¡± Murai sighed, glancing left and right to seek his foe. The battle should''ve started, but Sonar detected no foe. Was it something like the Crowhell Bat? Wouldn''t Sonar detect that?


    What was before him was a flat flat-looking arena, with a bunch of pillars in random sections. There were even a few brick walls and other obscuring parts that were supposed to give this open arena some kind of flavor and strategies. Murai would laugh at that, but then, he remembered what this was used for.


    Not bad. Levandis lets her troops enter these places. Training them must be some form of trial, so this is great for newcomers to battles for sure. Not to me! Where is the essen.... enemy?


    There was a fence around the edges, with crystals on top of them to shine across this whole platform.


    Murai wondered if one could easily fall through those fences and if that Space Cage stopped physical objects or not. He had no desire to try that, however. He was half sure the Space Cage was just a way to stop senses. One may fall out of this platform for sure, but what about going back up?


    He shuddered just from that idea.


    From the looks of it, it was possible to fall down and reset this whole run, but since he wasn''t a coward, he didn''t want to give up. The idea of climbing back was terrifying, so falling out of those platforms wasn''t in his mind. This was making this arena kind of dangerous, but it was a dozen meters wide, so he had a lot of room for any dodging or movement.


    It was at this point, that a voice popped into his ears, speaking loudly and around the whole platform.


    [Hello. Hello. Greetings, Citizen M, or so how to call you.] Mindarch voiced, speaking in his weird manner of manly tones. [Welcome to the Islands of Greatness, the addition and neat training grounds of Lady Levandis, the God of Thousand Graves, Bloodlady, or so she calls herself like.]


    [I shall be a giver of some care, similar, albeit in unlikely fashion to a Guide that you''ve already taken behind your head. Battleworld can screw off... I shall take this task upon myself. Bunch of reeking fricks. Pche.] He scoffed.


    ¡°Sure enough. Any words are good words.¡± Murai cheered and listened to what he had to tell.


    [There are a couple of things amongst the 100 Islands that will have a unique approach to Citizen M. Most are under my jurisdiction and care.]


    [Everything falls under my mentions, as I had to readjust some things, and... acknowledge some criteria and messed up reasons that come from the outside world.... Bother it is. Bother!]


    [1st: Foes shall be spoked before each fight, or after entering the island. It will vary, probably, or if you want it, it can change. It could include Paths, Levels, Grades around some difficulties of foes, and other fitting mentions. Read by me, of course. Degrees vary after each gradual success, and great fights shall be rewarded with more information than failure.]


    [2nd: Tiers of success are up to my readings. Those will be mine to cater for. Points are hidden.]


    [3rd: There won''t be any sudden impacts of Boosts in this Gate at all. The challenging nature of these Islands will poke at Challanger''s limits and potential. As Lady Levandis wanted, you see. One gets the consensus of mine or Battleworld''s Boosts after finishing the 100th Islands. Of course, it doesn''t mean Citizen M can be pitiful Anatidea.]


    [Not at all, in fact. one always improves one way or another. Boostless. It is all that training does, so some other touches and blessings can be far too improper if one can''t work with them afterward.]


    [Because of that, there are no time limits put into this place, and one can wait before the Islands and recoup some injuries or take a nap. Meal and water aren''t provided, however. We aren''t a hotel, nor do we take any responsibility for any Challenger.]


    [Citizen M might want to work on self-improvement, as it is an important way that power flows in this world. It is only fitting to not be dependent on the silly mess that is Will of the Battleworld like Sky and Surface calls it like.]


    ¡°Huh? Then why do I even have that damend skull, if you are taking everything to your... words? Are you explaining things differently than him?¡± Murai argued after figuring that Mindarch was taking this Island into his own hands, which did go according to Lisa''s confusion.


    [I had to act, can''t I? Or do I want to...] Mindarch said hesitantly. [Anyway, the fighting shall be on! Fight! Citizen M already had a great time in the last Gate, and this one has one of the harsher passages within Gate 2s. Starting Islands shall be gradual, to see what Citizen M took after Gate 1. I am curious about what you shall take out of Hell Haven and my readings. I shall be a witness to that power and degree of your feathers, Citizen M.] Afterward, Mindarch menacingly laughed, but it sounded fake and kind of awkward, or forced.


    [Now, for the enemy....]


    A swirl of spatial storm crashed into the platform.


    [The first foe is under beasts.]


    [Family: Canideamons.]


    [Species: Wolf.]


    [Subspecies: Luntera Wolf]


    [Level 25]


    [Fight to the End!]


    [Spread your wings, or clutch your beak! Fight!]


    Mindarch hyped him up, which worked halfway to being useless. Murai heard his voice fade away.


    ¡°A wolf again? Can''t I smack and shatter some other types of life forms, or... bones? Flesh? Races?¡± Murai complained, not taking his hype for anything but silliness. He wasn''t so thrilled after all. He had way too many 4 legged opponents under his belt. Well, he had almost none in Gate 1, but those Coyotes, Jaguar, and High Wolves weren''t that different from one another.


    He watched the spatial storm and focused his mind on the task before him.


    Noticing a furry creature step out of the teleport of questionable origin, it appeared as if it walked out of its den. It shall be his opponent and one way or another, it was about average as far as his opponent got.


    For this world, of course. It had quite some aura, as it was a beast worthy of some power and name. Its fangs and eyes were brutal and bloodthirsty, holding a certain savagery all over its posture. Azure light surrounded its head, filling the fur with shine-like metal. A unique aura made of mana surrounded it, depicting the Mindarch''s Mark, or its Bloodline. Murai saw these marks many times. Those were manifestations of some enchantment from this temple.


    Unfortunately, Mindarch mentioned nothing about them, but he could.


    He said so, but first, Murai had to accomplish great results.


    Luntera Wolf was a magical demonic beast like him, but it had no Beast Core, or great merit to its accomplishments. It wasn''t larger than High Wolves, but it was bigger and deadlier than a Devil Fox, which pretty much made sense because of the level differences and strengths of their species.


    Devil Fox was part of the Felideamon Family, but the one Murai killed was more than young.


    As far as it should be a norm, weakness meant savage consequences in the jungles that were the demonic lands. Murai was sure of this truth, thanks for his endless living. Power was a majestic law of nature, so he got used to fighting those 4 legged beasts that were much larger than him. He can strike the heads when they pounced forward, or focus on their frontal paws, or chest that were fairly close to him.


    His smaller stature allowed him the kind of strategies that he had never thought about. It was an interesting perspective, as far as this duck''s life went.


    This Luntera Wolf was a prime example of what wolves could be if their Canideamon''s bloodline manifests under some specific evolutionary pathway. It depicted the change in their status quo, or how lucky or talented they were.


    This one before Murai had limited redeeming qualities of demonic beasts, who held chaotic bloodlines in their veins. This wolf had some speck of such power; not rich or very potent to make it special. Its Bloodline came from either a chance or ancestry, enough to give it a Luntera Wolf Bloodline. It was a basic evolution working with manifested mana physique. That was the mana cruising through the fur, increasing its strength and defenses, as long as its body could take it, and bloodline allowed it.


    It was mostly thanks to the Will of the Battleworld that this happened since not every beast can achieve their evolution, even if their bloodline had some specks of powerful ancestry. Those helped with the flow of power, however, increasing the success rate.


    In the end, evolution was strictly possible on an individual basis, requiring proper attributes, which many would never have. It was a whole lot more complicated since one had to accept all the consequences of success or failure, alongside opportunities and a proper mind. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To gain evolution wasn''t common under every individual beast. It was too insane of an ordeal as there were far too many of them than humanoid races. There were talents and limits to their powers and hopes, and bloodlines, talents, and limits moved alongside that prospect, giving beasts a time that was often difficult.


    It was a norm, as far as the law of the jungle went, and how power held up through many ages.


    Many beasts cultivated no such possibilities. Like many humans, they weren''t precious or powerful enough. It was a matter of talent or luck to change that or proper intelligence.


    Every chance meant greater powers. Some will never step out of their limits and will grow to stagnancy, becoming ordinary beasts hunted by hunters or other beasts.


    It was all too similar across many life forms, as not everything can walk the path of the extraordinary. The universe wouldn''t allow that, as shackles and limits burst apart by those who were worthy.


    Most beasts had their troubles, and the more normal a beast seemed, the less they were prone to major changes. The more crazier the beast, the more likely they were prone to abnormalities. It was all a matter of family, or race itself. As long as talent, bloodline, and body allow it, almost anything can develop.


    According to the Will of the Battleworld and its power that reshaped this world long ago, there was a neat balance to everything.


    And those that went against this balance, didn''t want anything else than shatter that and become overlords of others! Masters, and takers of the weaker foes.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    It was created this way, reeking of troubles and dramas, while Gods were watching it from their thrones as they were the makers of the Battleworld.


    Murai recognized this sort of issue within the last week. In a world where evolution changed the status quo and Boosts gave powers that were far too cheap, it sounded like one hell of a mess.


    Unfortunately, even with Lisa and her mild run of an opening mouth, he didn''t fundamentally know how everything that affected the world, let alone his choices. He could only follow the time, and see how significant they were in practice. Lisa at least answered his questions with her own take on it, so it wasn''t terrible or great.


    He will have to figure out answers on his own, which meant caring for his body for the most part. That sounded like the easiest road to knowledge. A direct experience meant easier explanations and answers. It went according to his knowledge and how he was used to thinking and calculating his own stakes.


    He had no voices in his head in his past lives. For the most part... Nor did he have a forced Life Companion in most of them. He preferred silence, and it always made sense to have inner peace.


    There wasn''t any need to think of this Luntera Wolf as something special. For the start, it didn''t look that threatening, but Mindarch didn''t voice anything else about it. Family, Sup-Species, and Level. No Path was there to be said, which meant there was nothing meaningful about this wolf.


    It was correct. There were many such demonic beasts under this temple. Known as fodder, there were large demonic factions under every major Hell Haven, ruled by powerful demonic Gods. Levandis held this temple at high marks. It was proving grounds, as well as a home for many of her forces.


    It showed its teeth at Murai.


    Luntera Wolf growled at its foe, fangs trembling, fur spiking, and eyes glistering to appear ferocious and dangerous. It probably thought that Murai was easy prey, as it began to walk rather slowly toward him.


    Murai didn''t move. He just stared. So an unintelligent beast, without much Will to its head? Soul Read is quite handy for figuring out intelects. It has Level 25, which is almost on par with what I have met so far, apart from those bone problems. It seems to have some instincts, at least, but they don''t seem to be working against me by some condition.


    Reading a clueless and instinctual beast isn''t fine at all... I know that. The more intelligent the creature, the richer Soul Read is. I guess I look like a regular duck to it, but I am far from one, yet it still views me as an animal... I see it in its eyes. Those growling sounds that want to eat me and rip me to shreds... I will fucking murder you! Murai thought, agitated and fury brewed in his eyes since he refused to be underestimated by this pup.


    He had enough to meet those undead, so he was out of his damned patience. He stood still and waited for what his enemy would do with its slow walking.


    He was veiling his core and spirit, but he knew it hardly made any difference in the last Gate. Enemy would attack him regardless if he stopped his core from cycling, and he wasn''t an expert in it anyway. Not in this life at least, which was a shame, considering his last life.


    Well, I am halting the force of nature in my mana space. It isn''t sounding great, similar to how a pent-up wife is not good either. I have a pair of cores now, and undulations from my Beast Core are hard to tame. I guess that''s what I''ve got out of getting more flow going, and even my body grew a little. That may be that for a while.


    I ought to grab such chances and never release them. My past selves would agree, I bet. Got better tools over the last few days, and this temple got me a bunch of tools to try them at. Sonar is next. Blitz is a weapon like my beak.


    I should fight better than ever.


    Luntera wolf came upon Murai, brandishing its fangs as if it went to an open buffet, wanting to bite into Murai''s innocent and empty-looking head. Alas, what was done instead was the exact opposite of that.


    Murai snapped his beak open, stepped aside, and attacked its neck instead. Luntera Wolf howled and charged the spiked fur and azure light around his head in defense. It was fast, but not fast enough to turn its head and bite Murai in return.


    He was way too agile in his single step and snap of his beak.


    Murai went straight for the neck, biting and twisting it in a simple clutch, ignoring the toughness and shape of fur that tried to dig into his head and neck. They bent or went against his feathers instead, and lost. His neck and beak were much better than this measly Luntera Wolf, who was just an overgrown wolf with a special mana-based aspect that changed its fur into sharp weapons.


    It wasn''t a high-grade one for sure. Murai bet his wings its class wasn''t more than a Grade E.


    Wofl''s neck snapped under the pressure, and Murai didn''t finish it with a piercing attack. He gnawed at it instead, crashing the spine under the crunch of his beak. If he wanted, he could flex and twist it some more, detaching the head from the rest of its body. He didn''t do that. That would be a waste to tear the whole head off.


    ¡°Phfh.¡± Murai spat some fur from his teeth, backing sideways, while the wolf crashed to the ground, meeting its End. Its body twitched, mana seeped out of its fur, and blood dripped to the floor. Not much was flowing, considering the thickness of the fur, and Murai''s beak wasn''t supposed to be that savage. His teeth weren''t enough to penetrate too deeply, so he focused on his strength and went straight against its neck and bones.


    It worked well, much to Murai''s satisfaction to pretend he was a normal duck. He sidestepped quickly, finishing the foe in a single move.


    ¡°Well, that was unsurprising, or was it not? My twist and strength are better than I expected. Is this a change that came out of those last Boosts? I haven''t even used the Blitz or Peak.¡± He wondered out loud and glanced at his enemy. ¡°How about a roasted wolf? Should be enough...¡±


    Murai prepared his Blade and Flame and began preparation to have a quick and nutritious food. As he was doing so, Mindarch once again voiced his stakes by talking out loud to the whole arena. Will of the Battleworld was anywhere close to this, so Murai wasn''t complaining.


    [Excelent fight, Citizen M. First Island is done]


    [Tier: Flawless.]


    [Path onto the next one shall be opened next, revealing chances that will further describe that paths and web of bridges to many Islands. It all flows under my watch, making it seem there are too many of them, but trust the process. The end of the cave always ends in the 100th Island.]


    ¡°You don''t say. Now, let''s eat!¡± Murai dismissed the message, beginning to eat in less than a few minutes upon the end of this "battle".


    As he started to gnaw at the charred meat, after separating the fur and other nasty things, Lisa and Lorry appeared as well, knowing that they hadn''t seen this fight at all. As a Guide and Life Companion of this Blessed duck, it ended up frustrating both of them, since barely a minute passed since the fight started.


    ¡°Is Murai always like that?¡± Lorry asked her from behind.


    ¡°Unfortunately...¡° Lisa sighed and watched the mess of gore of what remained of some wolf.


    It was law of a jungle. She had no surprise that Murai would do anything less than this.


    ¡°Lisa is nothing better though. At least it''s quite a comforting companionship. And match! Must be nice for Lisa. Heheheeheh.¡± Lorry giggled in a good mood, while Lisa sighted and ignored his cluttering teeth. Rather than giving him any face, she floated towards Murai who was enjoying roasted pieces of meat.


    There wasn''t a lot of it, unfortunately, but it had passable texture. And a poor taste. Some salt or other seasonings would work wonders, or so he thought and wished.


    In less than 2 minutes, he devoured the last bits of the meat.


    ¡°So, what about the so-called rewards of the battles? Can this beast be made into the essence?¡± Murai voices his wonders after having a filling meal. It wasn''t some steak for sure. Just torn muscles, with removed fur, which he quickly wrapped with his flame to make some sort of oven. It worked wonders, meaning that his control over his Flame also improved.


    ¡°From what you''ve eaten, the essence shouldn''t be anything greater than Grade 8 by now. Points are the true interest though.¡± Lisa answered, looking around to see the intersection toward the next Island that swirled to reality a while ago when the battle ended. There were two bridges ahead, but Murai was too busy thinking about the meal than them.


    With nothing much to be done, Murai went along with this essence idea, even though he ate mana-infused meat. Lorry turned the remains of this wolf to the essence of Middle-Grade 8, which Mura let to his Artificial Core.


    After that, the group moved toward the next Island, and then the next after that.


    Murai went from one bridge and Island to the other, defeating beasts, monsters, and demons alike. So far, no devils or humans were involved, and enemies weren''t tougher than those Undead Knights. They were singular, creating duels without adding it significant number of enemies. That alone was always up to his benefit, training, and time.


    Too many enemies were a pain in the ass to deal with, and so far, no enemies were above Level 31. He obliterated them in a couple of moves, reaching the 7th continuous Flawless Tier. Then, he went to have another meal, since he spent more time walking through bridges between the Islands than actually fighting.


    It was a bit strange problem, but Murai was able to deal with it on his own accord.


    However, after the 14th Island, he met his worst enemy so far. Stairs. Murai managed to kill a demonic beast of Level 31 named Rageshar Bear. It was a smaller version of the Grizzly Bear, with limbs littered with pointy bones, and its defenses and mass made it quite a tank. It was a tough nut to crack, and it was surprisingly flexible and clever with its sharp bones.


    But thanks to some strategy, Murai used his head and his own flexibility to shatter its sturdiness. His magic was enough for the time being, so he wiped its head off with 5 consecutive Flame Shots and a slash of Blade.


    There were even some rough tries at Flame Swords, but those were rough, barely able to even scorch, let alone cut. This fusion worked far more unstable than he had ever seen and felt in his lives. Something about Flame and Sharpness didn''t work in his Flow or Beast Core at all.


    The flame was soft and hard to tame, and Murai was utterly speechless about how fusing affinities felt under his Shaping. For now, working with them one by one should be at least manageable. Rudolf would agree, and laugh at his failures.


    Creating variants out of his Proper Mana Blade was still not that easy since he barely managed to score some success with it in the last week. He gave up trying to do the impossible, and let the Flame be what it could be the best: a flame source.


    This bear was a great deal larger than any wolf he had seen, which was good for its meat. Murai had no fears about being a hunter right now, and this bear was quite clumsy as it tried to charge at him on both legs. He killed it before it came too close, but in this act, he spent most mana out of his fights.


    Murai grilled a portion of its body, while the rest went to create Middle-Grade 8 essence. It was the 7th continued essence of this Grade, and Murai complained about how Rank 7s weren''t on the menu at all. Mindarch, Lisa, and Lorry argued back, however, saying that more worth was always ahead, and he ate part of its body anyway, lowering the mass of mana.


    100 Islands was a lot to take in, similar to the upcoming stairs bridge that looked to be a much bigger problem for him than lack of essences.


    One had to advance forward. That was one of the rules Lorry spoke about.


    Murai stood before the stairs that lead quite far above, swaying in the wind, as they were wooden, and reeked of falling off.


    ¡°Well... fuck me. Lisa!?¡± He turned to her, hoping she would understand him without any words.


    ¡°Fuck no!¡± She snapped at him, turning her face away from his and hugging the pouch she always carried. ¡°I am already your inventory manager. Hmph! Wanting me to carry you above the stairs is a bother. It is no longer under my capacity. You also grew, and my job isn''t to carry you around. Use this to learn how to work like a normal life form and train your legs a bit better. You need it like salt. You will thank me for this later.¡±


    Hearing her unwillingness, Murai smacked the wooden platform and moved up the stairs with a shaky heart and screaming mind.


    Curses flew, and steps echoed to the wind, and minutes went by without reaching the summit of an elevated Island. There was an approximately 300-stair-long bridge, which was 100 stairs less than the other stair bridge that went to a different Island. Choosing lesser evil was the least he had in his heart.


    ¡°What enemy is next? Difficulty?¡± He asked Lorry as he climbed the stairs. Lorry was the taker of Mindarch''s messages since that lofty ass voice didn''t descend before or inside every island. Mindarch usually introduced the enemies after Murai stepped into the Space Cage.


    Murai wouldn''t mind hearing them before that, but he didn''t complain too much if enemies were this easy, and his essence and magic were gradually turning better.


    He experimented well so far, and it wasn''t so bad to have easy fights. They steadied his mind and carried great timing to focus on his techniques and learning.


    ¡°Lorry doubts Mindarch can explain everything. Not now. Later Mindarch will, Lorry guesses. It should be Grade B... Oh, it definitely is rather high for the 15th Island. Level 33? Lorry suppose something is there because it is tough.¡± Lorry explained.


    ¡°Oh, I will take Mindarch then.¡± Murai sighed and had trouble catching his breath against these damned stairs meant not for the human race. They were bigger, shakier, and clumsy.


    Knowing the foes wasn''t always that important. Not when his power was enough and his mind ready.


    Murai held more things up his head. Boosts didn''t happen, but they didn''t have to. He wasn''t in a hurry, and Mindarch did voice Tiers in a great way; he even increased the amount of information about his foes. Knowing the Level was basic information, the Grade of the foe proved few points, and notable abilities acted as a warning.


    So far, he hadn''t met any Grade B foes, meaning, that the greatest challenges were yet to come.


    It went exactly how Lisa said.


    As for the Levels, they appeared to be around the threshold of the previous Gate, yet he felt the enemies were kind of stronger and more menacing. Were they more talented, or better? Was Mindarch giving them greater enchantments? Considering it was a duel all these times, he found it hard to believe, considering he fought against 4 Undead Knigths well over Level 30.


    He was already stronger than before, so his comfort zone was above that number for sure. His upper limit was another question.


    Murai believed the early 40s were that, but Lisa doubted that, arguing that the greater threats hid under the second half of the Islands and that he would regret this belief.


    It was true that he hadn''t got much of a challenge, albeit the individual opponents did feel somewhat stronger. No foe was fundamentally stronger in mana, or his body, nor were there beasts that would engender his life by unique abilities or attacks.


    Now, Grade B with Level 30+ was before his eyes, per Lorry''s guess.


    That could only mean a better essence and greater loot!


    For now, Murai hopped up and up, while curses in his mind moved from language to language, leaving Lisa glad she didn''t know them all. In a while, after a lot of jumping, and resting his tiny legs, Murai got to the end of the stairs.


    Before him was the same Space Cage, but much bigger.


    Wheezing, he sat on the ground right before the Space Cage. ¡°I am... hating all the architects that created those fucking stairs... I swear! This is tougher than those battles by dozens of times!¡± he complained, resting his body but complaining to Lisa and Lorry alike.


    ¡°Well, Lorry can''t argue with that logic. Although, so far! There will be a challenge. Of course, there will. It''s just a steady flow of killings, so Mindarch will get a better picture of Murai''s capabilities to prepare forces right against Murai''s life. It shall be fun. Not even a few hours passed. There is plenty of time.¡±


    ¡°Shut up...¡± Murai grunted, yet Lorry acted as if he didn''t hear his quack.


    ¡°It''s quite an easy and understandable way of the progression. Is Murai unhappy with how it goes? Would Murai change something?¡± Lorry asked in an attentive manner. It seemed he, or something obvious to him would like to hear Murai''s suggestion over this Gate and how it worked.


    Hearing his change of tone and meaningful question, Murai sighed and wished to create another eye socket in his forehead. It was wide and thick. He bet it wouldn''t look too weird on this skull. ¡°You want me to help out with the balance and give suggestions for future references?¡± Murai asked as calmly as his mind allowed him.


    Lorry nodded, knowing that Mindarch wanted to force him to ask Murai this question a long time ago.


    ¡°What am I?! A fucking lab rat? A pig? Fuck off...¡±


    ¡°Right... Lorry is sorry. Sorry.¡± Lorry quickly went away, floating far as if afraid of another Murai''s snap.


    He glared at him from away, knowing he couldn''t bite him at all. Lorry flowed far above the water, uncaring about the wind or any lack of wings.


    Turning his neck as he watched, Murai wished to get hold of his own wings too. Flying far, quick, and easy, he thought ducks were great at this, yet he never felt much need to fly, didn''t he?


    ¡°Oh well... Let''s see what''s inside then. I am curious, so hey!¡± Murai shouted above, quacking high and lofty. ¡°Mindarch! Get me something great this time around. No disappointment!¡± he reminded before disappearing into the Space Cage.


    There, he wasn''t met with the usual sight. It wasn''t an open space, filled with nothing but a flat platform, or simple wooden or rocky constructs.


    Instead of that, there were all sorts of walls made of bricks, and dense and thick pillars that made this platform appear like a made-up arena. ¡°Oh? This is a first.¡± Murai smiled, looking around to find his foe.


    [Citizen M is before the 15th Islands!] Mindarch cheered. [Due diligence is finite, and continued Flawless efforts shall be rewarded.]


    [Foe: Wild Tusk Monkey.]


    [Family: Primdeamons.]


    [Pathless.]


    [Grade B Enemy.]


    [Level 34.]


    [Bonus information: Wild Tusk Monkey has full control over its flexible body. Its thick, whip-like tail is a deadly weapon with a full range of motions and slashing and potent power. Its powerful mouth can bite chunks of turtles and bears alike, and they are known carnivorous hunters.]


    He didn''t even need to use his Mana Sonar to feel the crack in space and the falling monkey. The enemy had arrived quicker than that wolf.


    ¡°You don''t say... A monkey huh?¡± He laughed. ¡°Better than a human, or worse? Oh well, I am not complaining.¡±


    Murai saw it as no problem, dismissing Mindarch and his talk that wasn''t even that informative. Murai had already seen the swirling thick tail of this monkey that was behind its head, slashing and ripping around the empty air.


    Wild Tusk Monkey was standing on top of the highest pillar, watching over the entrance and its prey.


    Its eyes glowed, and a devious smile revealed its teeth. It was ready to kill this duck.

 Chapter 131: Murai VS Wild Tusk Monkey

    Wild Tusk Monkey looked really pissed off. It looked at him in a similar way as many others did: with a sneer, a desire to kill, and a spark in the eye to smack his little beak and crush his neck. Murai didn''t like it of course. That was why he killed every single one of his 14 opponents without any remorse as he preferred.


    Be it an undead, demon, or beast, he smacked them with his beak, cleaved into them with Blade, and used these precious moments for his training. Sonar was specifically difficult to figure out in terms of uses, so he focused on it as much as he could here when foes weren''t that difficult.


    It proceeded faster than he expected but the journey between the Islands was much more of a headache than the fights themselves. He figured out many good facts about him and what he could do and teach himself. For the start, the latest Boosts evidently enchanted his power and slightly shifted his perception of his abilities and what they even meant.


    This was the change evolved abilities represented.


    It wasn''t like levels that moved the Blade, or Fire Shot. Those increased their strength, but never became crazy, which he found interesting.


    He didn''t know how or why such change made such a sudden difference. Perhaps it was the Mindarch and Will of the Battleworld who changed it all? Moving it together into a more notable Boost? Or was he before some threshold of his limits he had no idea about?


    Truth be told, he wasn''t sure about any of this, though he was seeing the proper effectiveness of it right now. Lisa hardly mentioned words about abilities and what mattered, but from the looks of it, this world had many complex powers. Attributes were the easiest to perceive. Their number correlated with physical realms of possibilities. Of course, something like Will, or Soul Power was hardly something he noticed, as they were rather vague in their effects.


    For Murai and his body, Vitality was the greatest gift that he could ask for.


    He grew up, his feathers expanded and his height increased. It was greater than ever, while magic and every evolution of an ability changed how one viewed or used them.


    Better stabilization of his body came more from experience, so it was a matter of time before he got better. His beak and general strength followed this idea also, but a smack of his beak wasn''t under some complex rules. Peak and Blitz were.


    His mana was another thing altogether when body and magic were connected and suited one another. It was significantly better than any Attribute increase because his mind and handling magic were more suitable for him than mana itself.


    That sounded contradictory, but it was like handling a master swordsman a huge pillar-like sword that constantly wanted to fly out of his hand. Murai worked like that with his magic, so he could force it clean, but it wasn''t that appealing.


    Whether it was Mana Arrow or Mana Blade, they were pretty good right now if he Shape then well, but unfortunately... the Peak outshined them.


    Considering his nerve-wracking choice of using the Core Defying Fusion Technique, the situation around his mana space and Beast Core needed constant attention. After fighting, it will give him new ideas and further improvements.


    Hence, everything needed time.


    Seeing his opponent put him in a greater mood than his past foes. Grade B and Level 34. The first of its kind that he met in this Gate was before his eyes. This should be a great adversary against his current level, and quite far from Gate 1''s difficulty.


    This should be more difficult than dealing with Crowhell Bat.


    Murai was kind of happy to see that, similar to the wave of Undead before meeting that bat. It meant this monkey was more dangerous than 24 undead combined together.


    And right it was. This monkey felt dangerous.


    Standing on a pillar and hunching its back, the monkey wasn''t old but ferocious and wild. Wild Tusk Monkey held very loose humanoid features with tight and developed muscles, and legs and arms the thickness of a small tree, stemming from the species of monkeys that once ruled over the Radagan.


    It had a sturdy and long tail coming from its back, and fur all over its body added to its ferocity. Its legs and arms weren''t the most notable but their size resembled gorillas instead. They were unlike the rest of its body, including the tail, head, and chest.


    Its fur hid a potent set of muscles, while its head made the final vision of Mindarch''s expectations. It had a deep pair of eyes of crimson color and a wild mouth. It wasn''t undead. It was pretty much as alive as it can get, growling and itching for a fight. There was some insanity within those eyes.


    Murai felt the chaos of its emotions from his Soul Read right away.


    Perhaps a lot more went on within them but it was hard to feel anything else than wildness and chaos. Under the eyes, a wide open twitching mouth revealed clear fangs, describing the mouth of a carnivorous beast. Wide and tall, each side of the jaw had a pair of sharper and longer teeth than the rest. They were deadly fangs capable of stabbing and tearing the foes apart.


    Monkey glared at Murai with clear killing intent. Huffing and making high-pitched noises, it at least didn''t bang its chest like gorillas. It was a monkey after all and all resemblances to them were there as part of the same family of beasts. It was just thicker and larger than usual monkeys. It also shouted and opened its mouth, bearing its teeth at him in taunts.


    It was standing on the pillar, overlooking him like a powerful predator of the jungle. Its thick but quite long tail swayed behind its back, helping with balance, or it could be a powerful whip or additional limb.


    Murai sighed, stretching his neck. ¡°Well, another kill goes under my belt ... or how is it said? Nevermind. Let''s see what you''ve got, monkey.¡± He burst his Will to fight, flaring up his mana in preparation for a close or long-range fight. It always depended on the opponent and his strategies, which often changed in the last dozen or so Islands.


    His opponent didn''t do the same. It had no Mana Core in its body.


    Wild Tusk Monkey was a very physical beast with a powerful physicality. Be it Strength or Vitality, they were its main aspects. No magic was available for it because its mind wasn''t ever up to that task. Monkey''s instincts weren''t meant for that.


    It was a clear depiction of a foolish beast that could never become accustomed to mana and its magical properties. It was rare to see a proper mage amongst most beasts. But seeing a magical beast wasn''t rare. They could have specific bloodline-related enchantments or abilities that depended on instincts.


    Murai was exactly that case, as Anatideas were a special case.


    Murai always knew that mind and knowledge always increased the limits of the magic.


    Perhaps that was why he had Wisdom at 100 since he arrived in this world. It was a sensible idea, considering his soul was the greatest source of his Cursed Living, albeit it was more of an aftereffect. His beginning of this madness was unlike this at all. Those were struggles after additional struggles and more suffering. It all came down to the fact that changing and shaping his living was possible, the more he endured it.


    And he was far into this charade that had no stops.


    This world shall endure it.... like him.


    He bet the monkey''s body must have some other powers excluding the magic. Evolution, specific abilities, or effects, and various improvements could change one''s life in its entirety because this world gifted a lot of beings with unnatural treasures and changes by following certain tasks. Simple living and battling for one''s life was the most common method to acquire it. The better a being took it, the better and stronger this world regarded them.


    That was the slowly accumulating truth that Murai was getting into his head.


    This monkey was the same, regardless of anything. There was a spectrum of interest for every individual, as levels and attributes followed every soul.


    Murai figured this monkey probably didn''t hold much control or choices over them, but neither did he. There wasn''t a speck of intellect in its eyes. Just savagery and the will to hunt, but that didn''t mean it was weak.


    His Sonar flashed forward, traveling in a single moment to encompass the whole platform again. Like a breath, it pushed against the monkey on the pilar. There didn''t seem to be a strong connection of mana to this monkey, nor did it seem vivid like a flame or notable light. But it had at least something. It had an outline of power stemming from the Mark of the Mindarch, granting benefits like stronger attributes, or various enchantments that worked like small blessings. Most undead had the same thing.


    With a simple impulse of his Sonar, Murai sensed the mana around this place. Before him was a sturdy monkey with a strong body that was significantly more alive than the ordinary beast. Rich Vitality had a weird scent under his Sonar. Mana washed its body like dust on old furniture.


    He wondered if he had this sort of effect himself but when he tried to wash his Sonar over himself, it never worked. Detection was the same story but weaker.


    Wild Tusk Monkey grimaced in the vision of its prey, noticing the change of pace or it felt the Sonar. It jumped from the pillar, arriving at the section of the entrance in a dozen-meter-long leap, landing right before Murai in a heavy blow to the floor.


    Murai wasn''t impressed.


    Straightening its back in front of him, the monkey was more than 1 and a half meters tall. Up close he saw its thick body and tail that was longer than its body. In a sense, it wasn''t a monkey. It resembled a gorilla in mass but a monkey in its concept. But it wasn''t the right kind of attitude one should have. Describing a demonic beast of this caliber wasn''t realistic in nature, as this monkey had its bloodline, which meant it wasn''t an ordinary monkey.


    It had no aura of a wild animal. It had the power of a demonic beast, filling its body with an unnatural aura that no monkey should have. Murai was the same in his Anatidae perception.


    Monkey was a couple of steps before him, fingers trembling and its flexing muscles contorted like the rest of its body. Even the grin widened.


    Monkey glared closely at the duck below its eyes, hunching and wondering about something or so Murai felt. He exchanged a simple glance with it. And it looked back at him as if no worries were within its eyes. It was acceptance or a sight.


    Murai didn''t like it for sure.


    He frowned, wanting to slap this monkey over the edge. There was also something else within their gazes. Something toxic or infuriating for both of them. Murai made the monkey quite uncomfortable and its position as a hunter wasn''t as strong as it assumed.


    It was humiliating to acknowledge it against a duck.


    Its hunting was its purpose; its time in this temple was finite. A prey was more than apparent before its crimson eyes. Feeling some nasty pressure from this duck didn''t make sense. For fear to arise, it was furious at its weakness. A tail slammed the ground behind, cracking it and swinging it around like mad.


    As if it had life on its own, the tail drifted like a whip straight towards Murai''s side.


    The blow was quick, dull in its power but powerful in its snap. The painful quacks didn''t spread, nor the the floor become an utter mess.


    Murai moved his beak the moment he noticed a flicker of mana in the air, or was it the air itself he noticed under his Sonar? It was all sharpening his mind anyway, so he was watchful over any change. He poised his beak forth and pushed his body to clash against the tail. It was about 6 to 7 centimeters thick at the butt of the monkey''s body. Then, it thinned out but not so much for it to be razor sharp.


    The tail was for grabbing and smacking purposes alone. It mostly worked wonders to shatter something in its powerful slaps. The tip was still thick and had no apparent fur. There was thin intangible hair. That was about it.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    He caught not, not deflect it or chewed its tail off.


    Seeing its failure and not even staggering or bleeding duck, the monkey grunted in displeasure, yelping and screeching like crazy. It turned its tail into a wide variety of attacks while its body remained in place.


    Sometimes the tail aimed at Murai''s legs, other times at the head or wings. The motions of the tail were quite crafty and fast to seek. Not for Murai, fortunately. His mind was clear, Sonar worked wonders and his beak was sturdy like the finest tool under his belt. His mind kept up with the barrage of dozens of strikes, clashing against his moving neck and beak in less than 3 seconds.


    Murai did what he did best.


    Experiment, learn, and move on.


    His beak started to glow in slowly accumulating aspects of mana and Beak''s Blitz. He used it once more, putting a weird flow of mana to his beak which enchanted it in some sort of way.


    Well, he wasn''t the best at this sort of thing for the time being. He wanted to test it some more but the lack of great enemies was way too lacking. He put his diligence to the test, figuring this monkey should test his second-strongest beak ability right now. It was about the second overall, so it wasn''t a big deal anyway. The Peak was the best! It never disappointed him, even if it didn''t reach its proper evolution change.


    He had every right to be confident. Each new addition and discovery elevated his mind, allowing him to overcome future adversaries.


    Blitz surprised him with how versatile and flexible it was.


    Each strike of the tail arrived at him with powerful momentum and weight, cracking the floor and challenging his back. Each swipe was like that of a hammer whip or some kind of heavy weapon with unnatural flexibility. He knew of many variants of similar weapons. A whip sword of metallic elements, tails of beasts made of flexible fibers, hair, or tendons. In some lives, he even saw some lunatics who used spines of beasts as a whip or straight-up sword.


    Those were laughable, but then... they worked.


    His neck would make a terrible whip and he was way too short to consider using such ideas.


    His own whips of his neck were more than passable for him. He remained on his spot, unmoving as he deflected, caught, or forced Blitz against each and every swipe of this huge tail. None of the slamming hits went to his feathers. Perhaps even if they did, Murai was confident that his body could take them all.


    But why risk it when he had other kinds of experiments and tests to see? S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His body may be full of mysteries and strong defenses, but that wouldn''t be the most sufficient action for his current needs. He slowly began to understand that he should think much more about his actions rather than the things that surround him. Taking new things beyond his mind, the abilities were much more amazing to level up than he thought.


    He realized it at last.


    The power that this world had for him wasn''t small. Perhaps evolving the abilities after so long was even better than his evolution. Beak''s Blitz worked so much better than Fury, he laughed at it from time to time.


    But as always, everything needed proper learning processes. And following the leveling of him or his abilities was meant to take a long time. Complaints, tears, and labor will come out of this without any doubts. Even countless curse words out of his mind wouldn''t help to quench it, so he kept continuing, as the taste of the aftermath wasn''t bitter.


    It wasn''t unbearable to fight as a duck, and even as time progressed, his ideas were changing his mind.


    There was one thing that was new to him in this regard. Proper power that built around the aspects of further details and quality. It wasn''t always about him, as this was Anatidae stuff he lacked before. It was all about Blitz and discovering its uses alongside his body improvement.


    While the fights so far were easy, that didn''t mean that Murai wanted to be over them in a mere flick of his Beak. Not at all. Since his experience and familiarity needed to be better, he took time with the majority of the fights while suffering no injuries. Flawless results afterward were just a cherry on top of his efforts.


    Right now, he was using the most basic structure of Beak''s Blitz that he got. Unlike Beak''s Fury which was simple to the bone, Blitz was fundamentally different. It was like Beak''s Fury multiplied to another level, adding to its complexity and usability in different layers. It wasn''t so simple as smacking fools left and right, using the momentum of his neck before shoving the tip into his foes.


    Blitz was an accumulation of every momentum, move of his neck and beak, and taking opponent''s attacks as well. It was a continuous powerful weight of strength over every attack that depicted momentum and combos, giving Blitz a time where offense and defense happened at the same time.


    In this stance, or to be precise, with the Beak''s Blitz that worked continuously unlike the Peak, Murai felt the accumulating strength after each swing or after taking a hit to his beak. It all ended up strengthening it, and the flow of mana over his beak grew from his core, blood, and momentum. His chest was getting hotter, mana harder to tame and his mind was utterly focused like never.


    It was like working with the Peak, but better. He loved this.


    Murai figured attacking with this ability could be much stronger and more flexible than anything he had. It shouldn''t be that far off of the Beak''s Peak, but that ability awaited its evolution which Murai was very curious about.


    However, Peak had one issue. That was the channeling of mana and stress over that time. Blitz had this as well but in a different direction. It was less stressful in mana use since the accumulation of mana and hits happened naturally over dozens of seconds. Blitz can last longer than the Peak. Minutes. It wasn''t quick and immediate.


    Murai understood that the offensive power of Beak''s Peak was much stronger than Blitz.


    But what if the Blitz accumulated power for longer than a few minutes of constant fighting?


    He was taking hits and while he was seeking the benefits, the negatives were also there. A wound, failure, or overwhelming his Blitz meant a stop to this accumulation and backlash.


    In this way, Blitz wasn''t up to the strength of his Peak, but that didn''t mean it was weak. In fact, it was way up the ladder of uses and something that Murai liked the moment he tried it against a couple of opponents. It was way too versatile, flexible, and quite usable power that set his beak like a sword, hammer, or spear. It was everything yet it was still a duck''s beak.


    It was as strange as laughable.


    Blitz was akin to having a powerful tool at the tip of his neck. Well, it was that, since ducks were that: beings with the beak at the end of the head, right past the neck. Countless other animals were no different. Birds used their beaks for everything, and ducks, swans, or gooses had it too. It was their mouth, to say the least, so when mana became usable alongside the various demonic bloodlines, Anatidaes ended up as monsters.


    And Murai was loving it.


    Dozens of attacks flew away in no time, bearing their weight and mass against Murai, whose eyes were wide open and his neck and beak ready. He glared in each direction of every attack, swiping his neck left and right, down and up, or sideways like a hammer. He was furiously smashing the tail away. The monkey was doing nothing but using its tail for now. It remained standing there, a couple of steps away with its arms flexed beside its body and mouth wide open in shock and anger.


    It remained glaring at the Murai, focusing on the victory and fight.


    Ha! Does it think it''s powerful? Is it taking its time to savor it like a fool? That fact is over its head, and not mine! I am taking my time. Not it... Murai though. In a mere moment of his blissful tests, he changed his style of combat which was taking the hits without any attacking.


    With his Blitz ready, beak glowing, and mana flooding his body, he used more power over his Blitz, smashing the tail far to the right before pouncing at the foe who didn''t expect that for some reason.


    Monkey growled like a wounded beast, letting shrieks and shouts crash its mind.


    It countered this attack by pushing its left hand against the beak. It was a rather futile attempt, considering Blitz was under a lot of accumulative power. It ended up being a terrible decision that monkey didn''t even manage to regret. Murai hit the arm, crashing the fur, muscles, and bones. He moved easily, leaving rough bloody holes and deep flesh crevices in the hand. A lot of blood splurged out of this clash and Murai felt great.


    If he wanted, he could''ve ended this fight right here by smacking the hand away and slamming his beak to its head or chest. He had done something else. He could have accumulated his Blitz strikes over one spot, severing its hand completely before moving closer.


    He rather tested the flexible nature of his beak, and the jabs and stabs of his Blitz. It was something that wouldn''t hurt knowing and he could do more than that. At least against opponents that weren''t immediate dangers.


    He was ready to fight more by testing his Blitz.


    To say the least, he assumed a position of an utter nightmare. His eyes gleamed in delight, feathers spiked, and the monkey grew frustrated and filled with horror.


    Murai turned mad.


    It screeched in anger and pain, showing its teeth and backing away, disappointing Murai since he didn''t expect a foolish retreat. This change happened in a couple of seconds, leaving few chances to put forth any defense or changes. Monkey hoped to finish this but it backfired splendidly.


    Now, it acted with its instincts and nothing else, fearing for its life. Monkey backed off to the pillar, hitting the back with it while it kept watching Murai in horror. It wanted to flee upwards, hiding at the top of the pillar that should be safe against this duck. It was a good idea that counted for its cowardice or fear.


    Murai went forward, pursuing the enemy on the ground. This idea proved to be right for this task and his Blitz was far from being over. The accumulation was still going strong, but without more hits coming in or out, he feared Blitz would lose its effectiveness. That was his finding for now. Not a fact. If he wanted to continue testing, he needed an enemy with some backbone. Not a coward.


    He wanted to smack it again, shatter the second arm to see if it wasn''t a sham. Unfortunately for him, the monkey jumped aside, leaving him on the ground. The fleeting enemy wasn''t good, His tiny legs weren''t meant to catch up with these fools.


    Disappointed as he may be, the monkey made a fatal mistake. It wanted to go back to the pillar by grabbing it and trying to climb. Murai saw it in immeasurable anger and was utterly disappointed.


    ¡°You bore me. Just die then.¡± He quacked and used the momentum of running to jump up, going straight at his foolish foe. Using his legs like that wasn''t looking to be that right. It was making a rather funny-looking picture. A jumping duck with a glowing beak and glistering feathers followed a neat straight line. Pointing forward, he assumed a position like an arrow. His beak was an arrowhead, ready to piece and hit the target.


    Murai pierced and pushed into the monkey''s leg. His beak went straight into the fur and muscles, exposing flesh and bones when the leg almost exploded. The monkey panicked, and veins bulged throughout its body, overpowering the fur. This wound led the blood flowing out and it was almost clear to be unable to win.


    Still, Wild Tusk Monkey may be cornered, it used its bloodline ability on its own, ushering in the Blood Drive. Muscles contorted, blood flowed and the body grew. It should''ve done this earlier, but it was far too terrified of Murai''s ability, or something completely else. By instincts and fearing for its life, its full power advanced.


    However, it was already far too late for this sort of change since Murai was over his tests. Disappointed, and fed up with this coward, he slowly fell down.


    He did care for the proper form of his enemies, and he was long over this charade. He fell to the ground while the monkey clung to the pillared hallway through to the top, building up power over this form in order to drop down and kill that cheeky duck.


    Murai glared at that power and didn''t change even when the monkey didn''t look that bad. The bleeding stopped, but the holes he caused didn''t close.


    In the end, he Conjured some mana out of his body, Shaping a Proper Mana Blade of a simple nature. Straight and meter long, the edge of this blade was glistering in Sharpness. It moved on its own, cleaving at the screaming monkey that didn''t expect a long-range attack. Still clinging to the pillar, its head fell down, leading to a rain of blood from the rest of its body.


    ¡°Don''t worry. I won''t eat you since you have no meat anyway. Hmph!¡± Murai smiled in a lessened mood because this foe wanted to flee and not fight.


    Some of the past foes were no different than this. He expected something else from a Grade B and Level 35 foe.


    Turning his Shaped-up mana away, Murai was over this Island. The fountain didn''t last that long. The monkey''s corpse fell down close to Murai before Mindarch''s voice carried over the results with a great mood and an even stronger voice.


    [Excellent accomplishment, Citizen M!] Mindarch shouted. [15th Island is a splendid success, albeit it was playful and poorly proper. Tier has been Satisfactory since Citizen M played in a bad mood of the fighting before the veil would turn the best tides. It wasn''t a Flawless victory but a slight struggle. The proper battle should be efficient, over when one has the Will for it.]


    [Citizen M is testing things, which is respectable.]


    [Bonus for the 15th completed Island has been added to the ending results.]


    [Space Cage halted and bridges uncovered.]


    [Go on to the 16th island. There are much more of them to go through.]


    As soon as Mindarch was over, Murai noticed Lisa and Lorry emerge from the entrance of this island.


    ¡°Oh, this one was such an arena?¡± Lorry wondered out loud, looking over the pillars and everything. It wasn''t obvious to him that he knew all of the islands on top of his memories. Lorry wasn''t aware of how this fight went, however.


    ¡°Yeah, but nobody, nor this monkey used it to the advantage.¡± Murai quacked, hitting the monkey with his leg after noticing his Blitz was actually disappearing under his beak. Murai wished to have some hands and a book, writing what he had figured to make sense out of it. Blitz was fine under his mind. He remembered how many hits he took, how many seconds he fought with, or how it felt overall.


    How long it took to form was also important, but accumulation was kind of vague. The longer it went on, the better it was.


    That was an easy answer but the conclusions weren''t as simple.


    It was better behind his slight disappointment, but when the Blitz had nothing to do, it quickly diminished and returned to normal. There wasn''t some painful backlash in this natural act, which he was glad for. Perhaps this flow of power over this Blitz worked well with his body or his Beast Core, which could make their evolutions much more viable than anything else.


    It wasn''t bad because the accumulation of hits went from there, through his spine, neck, muscles, and blood. A lot of things went around Blitz to make its power rush throughout his body, focusing on his neck and beak.


    That was why he wanted a paper in hand to make some conclusive test results.


    It wasn''t possible, unfortunately. ¡°It seems this asshole is just another prick which underestimates the power of this duck. Hph! Such a bummer to see such enemies! Disappointing.¡± Murai complained out loud, yet he couldn''t hide the prideful giggle and a smile that didn''t mind being underestimated at all. In this case, it was to his advantage since he could come up with all kinds of ambushes, killing the foes before they would even have a chance to retaliate.


    That was his shameless style of fighting. And if the foes thought of them as jokes, he had no troubles with that. The current combat capabilities under his body were growing rapidly, so he quite liked to see any results done. It wasn''t as fair for himself as he preferred but that monkey deserved it.


    ¡°It''s no wonder though, Murai Hisagi,¡± Lisa argued. ¡°Your body looks tasty. Any lofty and arrogant beast should either think of you as a meal to be devoured or an insanity. Nothing in between. A duck, you see? It is kind of funny... Just wait until you meet the beast with some senses, pride, and a powerful bloodline running through their veins. I bet those will be more than hesitant to be overly dramatic to run, and lofty against an Anatidae.¡±


    ¡°Says Lisa.¡± Lorry chuckled, wondering how she knew this monkey ran away. She ignored him without any care.


    ¡°Dumb beasts are whatever. They will remain dull and dumber even if their instincts scream at them that an utter monster is before their faces,¡± she said with a meaning that she understood. Murai discerned her words with the context of the Islands, knowing that more enemies would provide better challenges and learning experiences.


    The further he will go, the tougher the opponents will become.


    That was a splendid chance for growth.

 Chapter 132: Drop rate

    Growth was quite important in all regards of power and progression. It was always gradual. The feeling and worth Murai got out of these last Islands were exactly the primal traits he felt with comfort and familiarity. It was what always followed him from behind, looming and changing his head. It was his living.


    Memories and new knowledge echoed deep into him, forming knots, and decreasing nausea or unfamiliar feelings. Getting them sorted out was one of the many things that he had to consider. It was a good idea to change his mind, follow the suit of the past, and the start of this Gate was perfect for that.


    Changing some ideas, reforming memories, or coming to a sudden realization that he was wrong weren''t bad things. Once he had some power going under his hands, living got easier.


    And now, he was following that desire to keep going and grow to change something. Anything. It wasn''t because of the life of a duck. It was more primal, deeply integrated into his soul that wanted to resolve his life.


    So he shouldn''t fear a thing. Others should, as he wasn''t fearing any pain, or the End itself.


    He felt it way too much at the start of all of this. He feared that nothing would change and this loop would never end. Now, he grew indifferent to the constant strain and flow that would shatter any normal soul.


    15th Island was behind him like a toy he had broken. It went by an indifferent kill and training he preferred. Blitz proved its worth, but there was something greater about it than he thought. But the disappointment after this monkey fled with its tail folded between its legs was still in his mind. It was a pitiful sight, which was why he killed it with little thought.


    He didn''t like foes who fled without fighting him. He finished it less like a true Challenger, and more like a jenitor. Murai wasn''t locked in this Island with it. Wild Tusk Monkey was locked here with him. Hence, he was more into learning what he could do than thinking of this as a place that wanted his neck. It wasn''t yet a time to fear for that, but that monkey did want his meal until it changed its mind.


    So if others weren''t following this premise of his serious training, he took it personally. Blitz took its time to grow into some familiarity and clarity, but it could be better as he saw. It needed time to shine, accumulation to bear, and proper foes to endure its effects. He was closing on something great, he felt.


    The Islands before the 15th gave him some barebone notion of its worth because there weren''t tough foes. It was almost surprising, as there were foes stronger or the same as in Gate 1. So when he struggled before, now he shinned just because of a few additions to his arsenal. Blitz was all it took to get stronger, while Sonar was supporting it from behind.


    Mana was also up there in his upgrades, of course. His Proper Mana Blade was passable in its structure and Sharpness, but that was about it. It was enough for now, as he barely needed more than a couple of moves to kill his foes.


    Starting to see some struggle was thus, very enjoyable for him. Wild Tusk Monkey took more of his Blitz than others before, while his Blade chopped its head just because he aimed at the back of the head. It was quick and easy, simply because the monkey was clinching onto the pillar.


    But those dozens of clashes and taking that tough and wild tail to his neck and beak was proving him wrong. Without some tough foes, growth was hard. He won''t grow when foes disappear with a simple swipe of his Blade. He needed to get personal to get the results done. So against an enemy that challenged his body and beak alike, he thrived.


    Murai learned Blitz''s intricacies in steady steps, but no matter how, he still felt he lacked the proper boundaries. He needed something better than some monkey. Someone massive or savage will do; not a coward. There was much more to discover about ability evolutions, he felt.


    Murai didn''t voice anything about his issues, or unkept ideas he harbored and hoped for. He gestured for Lorry to turn this monkey into the Mana Essence without him eating part of its flesh. He figured eating them sufficed for him, but not for the essence-gathering constructions. If he won''t eat them, essences shined better. A Low-Grade 7 essence appeared from the mass of glow that went from the monkey on the ground.


    It was expected results, but Murai was hoping to start seeing Middle-Grade 7s.


    Essence drop rates were still confusing. The might of this monkey truly felt more powerful than any foe before, but Murai was also stronger than before. Though, it still fled like a coward.


    ¡°How to think of those... foes and essences?¡± Murai wondered.


    ¡°What? Is essence wrong?¡± Lorry asked, noticing how Murai seemed somewhat disappointed. And he could see the unreasonableness in this belief as well. The Grade 7 essences were what he got in large quantities at the end of the last Gate. With the 100 foes going forth, Grade 7s won''t be rare any longer. Murai breached the limit of his power, which meant further potential to gain some hefty useful prizes.


    Now, it was the start of his true essence hunting, as Grade 8s were no longer pending to the foes that he shall meet in his duels.


    It was an issue pertaining to this temple, as the drop rate wasn''t clear, nor the foes were. Were Graded foes also part of that? Or their levels?


    So Murai asked about it since Lorry glared at him in curiosity. ¡°I am curious about the drop rate of these essences. How do they exactly work?¡± He could no longer regard his own findings as enough. He needed a clear and steady picture.


    Lorry cleared his throat, which was less than normal, conspiring he had no need for that. ¡°Actually, Lorry is perfect for explaining this. Mindarch also acknowledged the truth of this claim. Murai is worthy to get this choice, or so Mindarch told.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so?¡± He quacked coldly.


    ¡°Drop rate for essences follows regular to the irregular procedure, as Lorry said in Gate 1. Murai must''ve made rightful guesses already about them, but lacks the whole picture.¡± Lorry stated, flowing down to face him. ¡°Grade 9s appear from level 10, all the way to level 19. Low, Middle, and High Grades follow the simple processes that depend on the quality of the foes.¡±


    ¡°But some 20s dropped some Grade 9 essences!¡± Murai argued.


    ¡°Hold on a breath. Lorry gets how Murai thinks. That is right. But undead dropped essences at various thresholds, like anything else. Essences in this temple are all about accumulated power, time, and the quality of the denizens. What bodies endured. The drop rate depends on limits varying to talent and bodies, making level and grade matters. Some won''t drop the essence within the rightful means, while others will go much higher than the norm. Why, Murai wonders?¡±


    ¡°I... already realized that long ago. You don''t have to repeat that for me like a dumbass. I am not stupid. Just answer it.¡±


    Lorry pretended not to hear that. ¡°But Level 10s and 20s pose almost no threat to Murai right now, right? Their worth may also be... questionable as their quality is low and Murai has no storage. Such essences are simply too poor. Sad even.¡± Lorry said without hiding his disappointment, sighting and thinking how poor they were. ¡°So what about Grade 7s which Murai is currently prone to with this amassing threshold?¡±


    ¡°Will I get them more often?¡±


    ¡°Undoubtedly. Grade 7s are already pretty good, right?¡± Lorry winked at Lisa who ignored him. His Soul Flame just flickered, making it kind of unnoticeable. ¡°Overall, Grade 7s should be prone to drop at level 30 and up, but some foes won''t drop it for various reasons and qualities. Chances go higher with stronger foes. Crowhell Bat had a very potent body with the potential to grow Grade 7 of Middle or High-Grade. Low or Middle Grades go around the starting limits of level 30, depending on your luck. High-Grade 7s to Low-Grade 6s drop at the end of the 30s and at the start of the level 40s. But there are exceptions to everything. Lorry is sure Murai will get a chance to seek those exceptions. Murai should know them too.¡±


    ¡°Talent and body, huh? What a weird and systematic approach to this mess. Is this common?¡±


    ¡°Lorry is sure this act within the means of the Surface. It if works, why change it?¡±


    Murai couldn''t disagree with this kind of logic. He got the picture steady with this little confirmation. All he had to do was to continue fighting as best as he possibly could.


    Devouring the single essence like usual, he put it to its usual benefit.


    Which was nothing more than pushing it to his Artificial Core. By this point, Murai had yet to use his purchased essences from the Vault, nor did he work with the Heavenly Shaping Manual. He was in no mood for it. It wasn''t as if those essences could upgrade his Artifical Core way too much, and if they would, what would it change?


    He didn''t have plans for his Artifical Core right now. He just wanted it to grow, and since the stored essences in his pouch wouldn''t even dissipate, why use them? What good would he even do with them, when his Artificial Core acted as storage for future fusion?


    He was far from that point anyway. It needed time, so he decided on a simple rule. He won''t absorb them to Artifical Core unless he had to. That meant taking the essences of these fools from these Islands was all he had to consider.


    There were no starting doubts about the purchased essences, so keeping them in his spatial pouch as long as he wanted didn''t sound wrong.


    Essences of the fallen foes were enough to stir his Artifical Core anyway. They will be enough for his starting toches of stabilization and working around the mana space. It was a steady revolving sphere by now, closely observable beside his Beast Core, but neither was close to the other. Murai was sure they wouldn''t pose any threat, but what if his mana became unstable or in an overdraft?


    By his calculations, the essences added to quite a few Low-Grade 7s. It wasn''t half bad, considering the significance of his Core Defying Fusion Technique. Adding the factor of the purchased essences that waited for their time, making the fusion into a few Middle-Grade 7s was guaranteed.


    But anything more than that wasn''t. Murai wanted at least a bunch of High-Grade 5s; if possible. Alas, Grade 5 still sounded like a dull mistake under his expectations and knowledge of the drop rates and foes. He would have to fight foes above level 40 like Dragon hunting the chicken.


    It wasn''t something Murai deserved right now, so he changed his mind and ground up his expectations. The explosive strength of quality that Grade 4s possessed was massive, but would it work for his current circumstances?


    Murai worried about all kinds of problems and calculations. Figuring them out by folding his knowledge and experience over his current body made it even stranger.


    It was about Anatidaes. He wasn''t familiar with his species, their issues, mana, and internal structure. His work around the mana space, where Beast Core and flow of mana were, held questions he wasn''t sure of.


    As the past researcher into the Core Defying Fusion Technique, he was prone to knowing valuable facts that drove mana to new heights, or lows.


    His current body was something he had never researched before for this technique or Shaping in general.


    Since the qualitative change over the Grade 4 essence was extremely big, it would lead to a fundamental change in the density. Grade 5s wouldn''t possess extreme problems. Fusion would put a massive surge of qualitative mana into the flesh, bones, and the whole body.


    Everything was about the fusion results. Nothing else mattered more than the success. Every step before it was useless if he failed in the end.


    Murai was sure of it from his past lives that moved along this sort of fusing direction. Once he comprehended the fundamentals of the Core Defying Fusion Technique, he began to use it everywhere he could. Sometimes, it created problems and even failures. Other times, he got killed because of it in a variety of ways. Sometimes, not directly.


    In this life, it was more of a gamble, and using it wasn''t a no-go territory.


    Since he already had a target on his head, he would use every shred of power and wit under his soul.


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    He wasn''t so sure about the validity of his past successes because of Beast Core''s involvement. It was new to him, unlike many things before. There were already conscious and notable differences over the usual style of human Mana Cores that he was used to. Mainly, Beast Core was more chaotic and the flow was much more savage, guiding mana to be prone to instabilities and turbulent flow.


    Because of this, there were other worries. For example, this world and its Boosts possessed the power to shape and handle mana. Any upgrade to his Mana Flow was an absolutely splendid gift that completely shook his core, and it wasn''t because of his handling or training. The Battleworld gifted and made it happen.


    It always stormed into his core, challenging the flow of mana and turning his mana space into a storm. It never became an issue, which either spoke of his achievement in Shaping, or his body and soul were getting used to this flow.


    Murai wasn''t all that aware of how it all worked. It was like having an unfamiliar weapon, which he glanced at from the distance. He knew what it was about and how it looked. How to use it was different; and so was its worth. When he got his mind on it, Shaping was slowly getting better like gaining experience with an unfamiliar weapon.


    Conjuring still had some issues because of the flow of mana out of his core. Afterward, not so much.


    Another issue was the sheer power that this Core sometimes provided because of its savagery. The output of mana was a strong point of his body, species, or Core alone.


    The last issue was... simple. The amount of mana in his Beast Core was utterly humongous and way out of the norm.


    These were some of the most suspicious things he figured in recent days.


    So add to that together, it was all part of him being an Anatidae. Murai had no way to confirm how this species was working with magic and what their qualities and effectiveness worked alongside the rules of magic. He guessed it must be plenty powerful because of some Bloodline or some latent potential, considering he ended up as one.


    Unfortunately, even Lisa wasn''t as knowledgeable about this topic. And she was aware of his thought processes and what he was trying to get out of his research. It needed proper analysis, which wasn''t something that many had. Anatidaes were way out of the line. Few at the Battleworld were truly aware of the intricate details, methods, aspects, traits, and powerful ways they held. Their Bloodline was deep after all. Very potent.


    Anyone familiar with them would at least confirm that kind of thing. Even Lisa would, but she remained silent as she watched him eat this single essence.


    Murai was inclined to ask about Anatidaes around this temple, as he wasn''t the first of his kind that appeared here. Lorry was the prime target to question, right behind Mindarch, but he wasn''t that sold on asking them out loud. The former Anatidae Challengers were an interesting topic.


    In the view of his own species, there should be some knowledge about them in this place. Be it from the denizens or some foes, but mainly, it was Mindarch or Guides that should know about them.


    Since Lorry already said that he wasn''t the first Anatidae visiting this temple, there must have been some people who had met them before. In that case, he may discover some aspects of his species, giving him better ideas and understanding.


    Though, that will probably wait for a good while. The road toward more intelligent opponents looked to be surprisingly long. From undead to a monkey, he wondered if he would even face a human within the first 50 Islands. His time wasn''t looking that great.


    100 Island was a big number to go through. It meant almost 100 stair bridges, or... Murai didn''t think of this from any sensible point.


    He focused on the journey ahead, fearing any bridge that was around every corner.


    Any Challenger prone to this type of Gate wasn''t predisposed to any time limitations, making the journey take days, or in some cases, weeks. Murai didn''t have that much time to waste walking and quacking around, but he sure had full intentions to go through the Islands how he wanted. Finishing this Gate was just a secondary issue to him.


    Island by Island, he moved past the obstacles in all kinds of shapes. Mainly... those were the travels between them, while the fighting happened briefly, or it took some time because he wanted it that way. There were no humans at all, making him guess that intelligent foes must be part of the later difficulties or further Islands.


    At Island 35, he had yet to encounter something so strong that he couldn''t overcome it with his Blitz, magic, or brute strength. Barely any strategies went into these hours of travels and fights, while his training and comprehension all improved by leaps and bounds.


    The level of enemies was still in the 30s, while the Grade didn''t go above B. Most foes were beasts, with few undead foes here and there. Some Demons also poised as an interesting change of pace, but their appearance wasn''t that much different from some beasts. They were often more sporadic and crazy, with various physical features and strengths.


    It was never an issue to overcome them. Murai rather viewed them as foes and sparring partners that he could kill.


    Which seemed to be an average way to get stronger at best.


    Murai complained in his mind over the balancing and stretching power of his foes for the past 10 Islands. He never got an essence better than Middle-Grade 7s. Which was already lucky enough according to Lorry''s constantly shifting perception and cheering of how good was Murai doing.


    It was getting on his nerves. The skull never shut up about it.


    At least the fighting went outside of this picture. Murai had all the time in the world to focus on fighting on the platforms. No Lisa whispered to his ears. But she could''ve done so by going back to his Soul Space. She always argued how she didn''t want to go there for some reason, saying that she would rather stay behind.


    So far, the journey wasn''t all that steep or tough. It wasn''t terrible or even that great. Sometimes, it was even a bit boring to him because he expected the Islands to be more exciting than fighting a single enemy at a time.


    Levels of foes went slightly upward every 10th Island. Their average was about 34 right now, with occasional 31s or 35s. Murai didn''t complain about it. His own power went along with it, so his improved style over his Blitz was better than ever.


    Occasional use of mana gave him some rough ideas about the latest Boosts as well, but Blizt and Sonar overshadowed them like mountains.


    It definitely gave him enough ideas and incentive to focus on his less powerful abilities. Weak abilities can improve. That was proved, as they can change and evolve like Fury and Detection.


    It was an interesting subject of power that he fully recognized as a potent way to get stronger. It was perhaps even more important than his species'' evolution. but he wasn''t sold on that idea yet.


    Murai was greedy for something great for sure. Though, he was careful with his wishes, since the Blessings of this temple were always flowing onto him, giving him a much wilder and crazier Mana Flow. It was still within the few dozen percentages of improvements, so he wondered what the treasure deep in this temple was. According to his calculations, that was it. A calculation, a guess he couldn''t fully trust unless he saw or heard it from Mindarch himself.


    And that spirit of some sort wasn''t willing to talk for nothing. He kept the last hours professional, albeit he sounded like an aloof idiot from time to time.


    So far, Murai hadn''t met with any kind of message from the Will of the Battleworld, nor had anything extremely strange happened. Fighting was secluded, while Lisa and Lorry were observers, who weren''t even aware of what went behind the folded space.


    More hours later, Murai moved past the 50th Island, marking half point to this journey. But it wasn''t time for celebrations. The tougher ordeals were always the later half according to Lisa''s knowledge that she kept in her head.


    It was at this point, that this section of Levandis Temple had a new guest.


    Razmund walked from the shimmering portal, clutching his claymore''s handle that protruded from one of his pouches. Looking around the location that he hadn''t entered because he wanted to, he never visited the Islands of Greatness. He knew this location was very potent as a source of crisis and his current poor mood.


    He wanted to cry right now. He heard other Challengers describe this Gate to him many times throughout his research into the Levandis Temple. Stories and legends over this temple were kind of a big deal to anyone in the Somalis continent who wanted to get stronger. Dungeons were one of the strongest forms to accomplish that, albeit few regarded this place as that. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was more homemade, following the premise of Levandi''s creation, rather than following ancient history like most dungeons were.


    Old and past challengers, who escaped or successfully proved themselves in the temple, provided enough motivation, stories, and information to anyone outside the loop.


    Presently, the Centralis Kingdom was in possession of a large amount of interest in this place. Razmund knew most of it, which shouldn''t come as a surprise. He always wanted to come back here and finish the past failures. Like him, many others were taking this place as a simple proving ground and getting stronger.


    Long before the start of this Encounter or handling Murai''s fate, he gathered information about every possible secret of Levandis Temple. That amounted to looking for past Challengers to purchase knowledge from them or taking quests or resources from Somalis Kingdom.


    Not everything was easy for the Centralis Kingdom, which was posseing heavy hand over the temple. It was quite a challenge in itself to handle the pressure of Hell Haven itself.


    Thankfully, a lot of people have a sense of adventure in the Battleworld, leaving a steady flow of Challengers entering the temple for many millennia. Hence, there was always a steady flow of information and treasures that Hell Haven would never dislike. Most of the information came from the Challengers sent by the kingdom. Razmund was one of them in the past, so he knew what this place was all about.


    Be it in the form of information for the rookies, or information about Gates that were previously unknown, everything had some value and worth.


    Knowledge was power.


    And power can be a massive advantage.


    Razmund knew this truth like the back of his palm, so he glanced from the large cliff at Islands of Greatness.


    ¡°Oh? It really looks as they say. Islands...¡± Razmund said out loud. His voice calmed him down significantly. ¡°How utterly boring and shameful name. Looks nothing like that. But it means a terrible and long stretch of traveling. Huh... Why the fuck did they chose the most time-consuming Gate? Well, it''s probably the most useful for them if they want to stop me from catching them.¡± He sighed and felt a headache coming.


    ¡°But it depends on if they know I am here. This is still the slowest of the gates for me. The time to get to them is... Yeah. I figured that good things come in no such times.¡± Razmund caressed the Dice in his left hand as he noticed how Lint flew from the portal.


    The bony torso had a wide open jaw, revealing a perplexed look on his otherwise unchanging face. There seemed to be some question in his mind over the choices and manners of travels that Razmund had chosen. The rewards were an annoyance, as well as the continuation of the challenges.


    Unsurprisingly, Razmund wasn''t as excited over the prospect of the Vaults. He spent the majority of his points on the most valuable materials and refilled some of his main potions. That wasn''t cheap at all, but he achieved more than 7,000 points, leading to quite a haul for his slacking needs.


    Lint was a bit dejected over the boring shopping. Razmund had no need for Mana Tomes or any weapons. He spent less than a minute in the Vault in total, and that was the reason he wore his current face.


    As for the portal itself and Razmund''s choices, it was the good old toss of his Destiny Dice, which helped him figure out the color of the thread. Even when fighting Zao, he never once dropped this Divine Artifact that he didn''t fear. He kept it in his hands throughout the whole duel. It wasn''t that big of a dice, so it didn''t pose much discomfort when he secured it with a bunch of threads around his left palm.


    However, it would be a lie if it was comfortable when he was holding the claymore with both hands, and Dice were tightly secured to his palm.


    Razmund tossed it each time he had to choose his path, and the portal was no different. The Dice showed him the way, so Razmund followed it.


    ¡°Well, Lint.¡° Razmund turned his face to the perplexed half-skeleton. ¡°For once, explain this type of Gate to me, and what my current position holds over it. I know the gist of this Gate, but every Challenger has it slightly different. ¡±


    ¡°Oh? Oh! You have never been here before. Right. I forgot about this style... Right Right. This Gate is simple...¡± Lint quickly went over the information, leaving nothing behind. However, there was one thing in particular that he forgot to consider.


    Razmund had his path in hand. Destiny Dice will show him the path of his Islands and bridges to go through, leaving the path of the Island cut in stone.


    ¡°So... That''s it? Just go and fight to the bone?¡±


    ¡°The rewards aren''t anything strange, nor unfamiliar to you, I presume. Upon getting to the starting Island, there will be a brief overview of the enemies hiding behind the Space Cage. Mindarch or the Guide should mention everything beforehand, or later in the platforms. As your Guide, I prefer a steady path, but that''s useless because of your dice, which leaves me quite dejected by how useless I am...¡± Lint said without hiding a speck of his depression.


    He had enough! ¡°No! This is totally unacceptable! What a preposterous situation this is for this temple! I hate that Dice in your hand! Toss it over the cliff! I dare you!¡± Lint snapped at him, pointing his bony hand straight to his face and then to the water.


    Razmund wore an unbothered, almost bored expression. He couldn''t even bother to reply to his taunt.


    Seeing Lint''s anger almost made him smile, but his current problems were more than apparent. He was here for the first time, and 100 fights depicted 100 challenging times for the status of his 3rd visit. The 1st timers had far milder difficulties and easier time.


    His enemies will be too tough.


    It was at this moment that the Will of the Battleworld put forth a message to his soul.


    ¡°Hm?¡± Razmund raised his brows, frowning upon hearing the message that spoke no good news as he expected.


    Mindarch wasn''t interested in him, it seemed. ¡°The course of my status and level is indeed a bit high. 100 foes around my level mean 100 powerful demons, monsters, or whatever temple even has to offer. It seems there will be some trouble with providing such numbers of enemies for me, Lint.¡± he said, snickering in his direction.


    ¡°No Mindarch, huh?¡± Lint said in wonder. ¡°If your status is like that, then they already talked about it. All is good. In fact, I know about it already, but I wanted to wait until it''s official. It''s just... The high-level stage of this particular Gate is indeed not so good at too high heights. 100 fights is a lot to take. Most timers wouldn''t be happy for this gate at all, in fear of too many tough fights that may endanger their lives. You probably understand why, don''t you?¡±


    ¡°Because I am not a clueless child. Other Gates are better regarding their prose. This one provides the most combat experiences one could ask for. It is for the battle freaks, who want to achieve a quick rise in combat level. Feelings over the techniques by fighting back to back hundred of times do that sort of thing.¡± Razmund said it as simple as he could.


    Lint nodded, feeling that this challenger was truly not stupid.


    ¡°That is the biggest reward that isn''t even provided by Voice or Mindarch.¡± Razmund continued. ¡°Well, ignoring the basic premise of having this chance to battle the enemies, that is about it?¡±


    ¡°That is right. Other than that, the rewards are extremely limited and loot is kind of... good or poor depending if you are here for the first time or the third. Points may be average, compared to the rest of the choices, but the limited loot within these Islands isn''t right. There are no hidden chambers, secrets to find, or anything else that you don''t know. Variant Islands, Keys, or Marks are there instead. That''s why many high-level Challengers want this Gate, but quit it because it is tough and improper. Heard your Voice?¡± Lint asked.


    ¡°I did hear what I could.¡± Razmund nodded and tensed up in slowly building anger that twisted his face. Veins popped on his forehead, hand clutched his claymore tighter, and he continued talking coldly. ¡°There will be a special case of battles for me. Mindarch or the higher-ups of the Battleoword will combine some interests. Seems they came with a mutual agreement that I shan''t kill the opponents...¡±


    Then he snapped his mind, grinning at the nasty sight of his anger. ¡°Not kill?! What a fucked up way to put it. How improper for the Battleworld. I am disappointed... Disappointed!¡± Razmund shouted at the ceiling.

 Chapter 133: Talk in the 67th Island

    Razmund wasn''t rightfully happy. This wasn''t a decision that was up to him, but it revolved around him like a curse. This place forced this to him. No killings meant a rule. A law set in place against him.


    In essence, it was an explicit aspect of this Gate that he had to consider. Gate 1 hadn''t got this change, but Razmund knew that many people had a variety of changes that forced some specific rules into creation.


    It was an added mark into the flow of this Gate, which meant all Islands of Greatness changed from the norm. Razmund didn''t like it when something known changed to something else. Questioning it wasn''t a problem. Following it was way out of his league, as he was a killer.


    There would be a special kind of punishment for him if he didn''t follow this rule.


    And sometimes, it wasn''t worth endangering the status quo of those who made such rules.


    Alas, Razmund had never heard of this sort of rule in this temple, which was why he shouted like a madman out of nowhere. This wasn''t a fine rule to hear when this place was always known to be a killer of any surface Challenger. One always pursued life in this place. Be it sustaining one''s life, or working hard to destroy others.


    The enemies were always doing the same thing, so why should he bother with such a rule? Even Extremes were following the same rule, going against nasty and powerful members of this place.


    So what about him and this time?


    Something about him was clearly an issue, or this temple decided on this rule because of some questionable or hidden reasons. Those could be anything as far as Razmund knew, as many interests or excuses could be mentioned and made into rules. It was a decision against him on a fundamental level. Thinking of it as a "gift" chain that Will of the Battleworld gave to Murai wasn''t that wrong.


    However, Razmund had no idea what Murai''s side was, or what rules he was going through. He had no idea that he was subject to the lack of Boosts, which was essentially the harshest change one would see. Although, this place got rid of it.


    After further thinking, it seemed this could be also part of his Hell Party, which shouldn''t be taken that lightly. For the change in rules to form, it should be by Mindarch''s authority alone.


    Will of the Battleworld accepted it, or Mindarch was much firmed in the decisions to chain him with this chaining rule. This made sense, considering this was Mindarch''s backyard and Razmund was messing things up.


    Shaking his head before tossing Destiny Dice high in the air, Razmund begrudgingly accepted the rules of this temple, but he knew better than that. He didn''t have to take these rules as chains wrapping his heart. It was more of a reminder. A reminder to not try his luck.


    Dice bounced around the floor, but because it had no walls to smash at, it bounced around the air instead, finding the threads of fate. That went for a couple dozen seconds until it jolted on the spot, arriving back at the portal, and pointing toward the paths around the rocky mountains. Why he even tossed that Dice, Lint wondered. Starting Island was always a single choice that widened to dozens.


    ¡°Oh, it seems to want to go there. There we go.¡± Razmund resumed his journey, but when he tried to grab the Dice back to his left hand, it jolted forward instead. It wanted to continue going, so he ignored Lint who cursed the Dice in his head.


    Lint didn''t like this one bit. I swear higher-ups fucked this up more than usual. Are they sure to make this mistake while doing just... the bare minimum? What in the Haven is even going back down? I would rather be there than here.


    Sighing to himself, Lint had no choice but to follow Razmund on his journey across the Islands of Greatness. There were quite a few actions around this temple that followed various consequences.


    One could even jump into the water, swim against the water, and fish to reach further Islands. Getting to these Islands against the norm was possible, but 100 foes were still a rule.


    Someone capable could even fly away if they could, adding a unique flavor to this Gate that Mindarch loved.


    But Razmund had his path to follow, and his Destiny Dice didn''t point to his foe, but toward the path had had to follow. If he won''t, the Dice won''t like it. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It wasn''t something Razmund could afford, which Lint accepted. He didn''t have to consider anything too complicated because he was contractually obligated to continue unless he wanted to regret it to the bitter End.


    *****


    Meanwhile, as the source of Murai''s troubles arrived at the same Gate as him, wandering less than 3 kilometers away amongst the Islands of Greatness, Murai conquered his 67th opponent with an excellent kill that quenched some of his annoyances. It was something that Razmund wouldn''t have. His leveling and battle experiences ensured that his time was different in this Gate, as his actions spoke and described some consequences.


    Hours passed, and Murai was reaching his limits. 67 Islands in less than a day was quite a number, thanks to the words of encouragement that came out of Lisa and Lorry. But for some reason, Murai felt dissatisfied. It wasn''t because he arrived at this point in one go without any rest.


    This journey wasn''t enough for him.


    67 foes behind him had various levels of difficulties. Below the 50th Island, there weren''t many changes. After that point a few hours ago, things got slightly different, but not much. 50th Island was not much different from 66th when it came to his actions, even though some foes had some uniqueness about them.


    It was because he grew and learned much more out of this last day than the last week combined together. That was the strength of continuous battles where there were no limits. It was a simple act of going in and killing the foe. There was no running around and waste of time. But nothing too extraordinary came against him that needed some special attention.


    It was good ol'' brawling against the expected foes, ranging from more undead or beasts of various species and styles. Training was passable thanks to them which had been the same since the starting Island.


    No foe was above Level 38 so far.


    But it wasn''t the same story everywhere. The further he went, the fewer foes were scared to go for his neck. That meant the quality of foes was there, but Murai was improving more than the difficulty of this Gate. That was at least one of the benefits of going further since all the foes were above Grade B by now. Few were even Grade A, describing few dropped Middle-Grade 7 essences.


    Murai liked those, as around 5 of them dropped after reaching the middle of the Islands. One came from a large wolf, a few impressive Undead Knights, and some demonic opponents that were hard to describe. Demons were like beasts, but crazier, often with mana of chaotic properties that corrupted the bodies to ridiculous proportions.


    Nothing about their intelligence spoke more than some instincts, unfortunately. Murai hoped for gold but always found the mud in terms of intelligence.


    These Islands drove his endless irritation out of him, worsening his mood, because he hadn''t met a soul to talk to.


    Occasional snack after killing some living foes was at least an addition that lessened this irritation. If there was a reason for increasingly good mood and stamina, it was these times and loot. He got a bunch of armor and weapons meant for humans, followed by a couple of Spatial Pouches that would never hurt him.


    Eating allowed him to continue walking on, regardless of the true challenge of stairs and many bridges. This half of the Islands had been going for approximately 5 hours.


    Nothing much moved like a wall against him, unlike Gate 1 where there were difficulties requiring strategies and some care. In this case, Gate 1 was kind of difficult, while this Gate wasn''t really that problematic, forgetting the bridges and number of rights one had to endure.


    So it was perhaps balanced, one might say.


    Against simple duels, he had no misgivings to think about.


    It was a bit suspicious for Lisa, who viewed this Gate in her usual silence. She had no clue how Murai fought that well, which added to her slight confusion and annoyance to know more. She always found the aftermath of every duel, and because of time and his quick journey above 50th Island, she figured out a few things.


    Murai was much stronger with Mindarch''s additional touches than she had expected, requirements for this Gate weren''t as difficult, and Will of the Battlwrold wasn''t included in this picture. She could always ask for his memory fragments, viewing the fights she wanted, but she hadn''t mentioned that to him yet.


    Another thing was Murai''s thirst for essences and loot, and while the food was expected, the strong sense of training was something she had never seen in him.


    He was almost terrifying in the learning processes of his magic and newly acquired abilities. She had seen just a nook into this notion in Acaman Tower, but here? She was daring to think she was looking at the tip of an iceberg.


    During these 67 Islands, Murai achieved tremendous changes to many parts of his current, albeit limited powers. Familiarity with the Beak''s Blitz was the largest benefit had had ever encountered, blowing the Peak to bits. It was second only to the Mana Sonar, which ended up being much easier to get used to than he thought. It overshadowed even improvements to his spells, Mana Shaping included.


    Sonar was an incredibly useful helping tool when Shaping since its wave included his own mana and his range of perception. He felt his Shaping much better because of it, and his accuracy over his Proper Mana Blades, or Mana Arrows all improved in power and range. Of course, the power didn''t become unbearable, as this was like gaining better control of a large beast.


    For more power, he needed to properly take care of other things: Beast Core, Mana Flow, Mana Shaping, and the spells themselves, which had levels that indicated their power. Everything was kind of connected, increasing the strength of most things.


    Murai felt more powerful after going through blood, bones, and 5 hours. There was no Will of the Battleworld that told him a thing, but he surely felt like he got powerful on his own accord like he wanted. Mindarch talked and mentioned the Islands as he said, but he wasn''t as talkative as usual. He was providing essential information about every foe before and aftermath after the Space Cage lifted. In those cases, Lisa and Lorry always heard it.


    No Boosts will come out of these Islands as he expected, but the training was outside of the Boosts, which were often viewed as gifts and blessings by many people.


    Murai had his own benefits and training to accommodate for his own improvements, so some world can screw off with its limits. It was always how it was done in other worlds, making his views and ideas come in clutch. Such ideas weren''t small.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    If the Will of the Battleworld was stealing the source of the world itself like he thought it did, creating these Boosts, Blessed figures were just foolish fools that ate cheap prizes, but in higher qualities or reputation. Boosts were for anybody. That was the truth.


    Murai never liked such things, albeit these blessings in terms of numbers were excellent and kind of addictive.


    So, yeah. He didn''t mind being left alone, or being full of those cheap prizes. He was flexible when he needed to be, and his objectives and own findings would be met with some accomplishment, Boosts, and readings after finishing these Islands anyway. That was what Mindarch promised.


    ¡°Huh... The last 8 opponents were a bit lacking, don''t you think?¡± Murai asked Lisa after enduring this Island that was quite rarer than usual. It wasn''t some devilish stair bridge that went for many steps, but a difficult foe to kill instead. Wheezing at Lorry and Lisa who appeared behind the corner, he wasn''t feeling that well. The Island had the appearance of a tall stone maze made of many tall walls and many corners.


    All of this was visible even through the Space Cage, which didn''t care much for the appearances of the platforms. It was there because of something else. The diameter was a few dozen meters wide, with circling simple patterns all around this circular island.


    For him, this was a disaster. He ran in circles, hoping to catch and kill his foe that ran away until he succeeded in catching it. That went on for almost a dozen minutes. Running in circles wasn''t fun.


    The foe was beside him in pieces. It was resembling a destroyed rocky substance filled with flesh, blood, and grey stones around them. Those were the remains of Level 38 Menthir of Grade A difficulty. It was a rather peculiar monster that was by no means a beast or a demon. It wasn''t carnivorous like its appearance suggested, but it had a personality to kill.


    It was a known magical creature across some of his lives, living in forests or mountains. Some cultures thought of them as stone spirits, as they were made of stones on the outside, but flesh on the inside.


    Unfortunately, it was here to kill Murai, so he killed it first. It was as simple as that when it came to this Gate.


    Menthir was a rocky monster, capable of wielding mana and earth properties. In a sense, it resembled a golem in nature, because Menthir was one of many ideas to make up a golem. It was a rather thick-looking stone, with thick arms coming from its top, and extremely tall legs coming from the bottom. It had no necks or heads, and its torse was either slim or round like a boulder, giving it around 3 to 6 meters in height.


    Its main powers were natural and earth elements, which made their bodies glow in many special rocks, densely clustered over the flesh that looked thick like magma in green colors. It had a long lifespan because it ate the worldly aura the best, making them creatures that lived all thanks to mana. It was what created them, some believed.


    Murai took well over 10 minutes to kill it, since its defenses were quite good, and its slippery body moved past the rocky walls of the platform, mending into them. When he caught it, he didn''t even put a dent in it with his Blade alone, so he had to use his Peak and barrage of Blitz when he felt the right chance. Menthir wasn''t the fastest opponent he had met, so he did so with relative success, albeit with being hit numerous times by its earthy spell or slaps of its wide hands.


    Rather slowly, he did finish his hunt with every chip of stone cracking away. Surprisingly, the aftermath that Mindarch told was Satisfactory, which wasn''t that surprising. He was far from a Flawless victory, which he accepted. Out of 67 foes so far, only 30 ended up Flawless. Rest was either Satisfactory, with few rare Fair Enough Tiers.


    All in all, it wasn''t that bad because Murai started to meet craftier opponents after finishing Islands in the upper half of this Gate.


    ¡°What do you mean, Murai Hisagi?¡± Lisa floated towards his face as he wheezed and complained in his usual quacks. ¡°You are already doing much better than I expected. Here I thought you would be a lazy duck, but you are crawling your way into the 70th Island very soon. So much should be steady and tough, and you''ve already gone through more than you think. Consider myself impressed.¡± She puffed her chest in a self-important matter.


    Murai glanced at her, silent and rather numb to hear her words that didn''t give him anything new.


    It was a gaze of doubts, which Lisa did see coming. ¡°What? I mean what I''ve said. No lies. You do well.¡±


    ¡°Think whatever you want... I am getting tired. Mentally that is.¡± Murai scolded and lied, and instead of jumping into the air like he wanted, he collapsed on the floor.


    Belly up, he appeared like a dying duck, with his legs going high in the air, and neck resting sideway, painting him a sorry figure. Well, for his height and tiredness, this picture was no different from sleeping humans or dogs. And he wasn''t really sure how ducks were even supposed to sleep.


    Wanting to voice another series of words, Lorry made his move before Lisa smeared Murai''s face with her voice. ¡°Let this be, Lisa. Murai is right. Murai needs some rest. There is no penalty over any waiting, as Murai has no special rules. Murai may as well get some rest since the rest of the Islands may not be the easiest.


    ¡°You think I don''t know that?¡± She said to him coldly.


    ¡°Murai already did well to achieve the 67th Island in great time and accomplishment. Hell! Murai is close to having over half of the Islands in Flawless results. That is already worth more than anything in Gate 1. Those are great results capable of holding some speedrunning bonuses, albeit it isn''t up to Murai''s status.¡± Lorry argued, leaving Lisa blankly looking at the skull in front of her face.


    She placed her hands on his cheekbones, grabbing them tight in her charged physicality before pushing him aside. ¡°Got the picture more than twice you want. Leaves me itchy to see the rest too, so...¡±


    ¡°Let''s just rest and think of the current time. Let''s get over the things so far. What does Murai think about it?¡± Lorry offered, looking at Murai on the ground.


    Unfortunately for his wondering question, Murai could no longer agree with anything. He was gone, napping on his back with closed eyes, while absolutely spent.


    ¡°See? Lisa has no choice but to wait.¡± Lorry laughed at her, regretting his current body because it had no arms. He would love to get a physical touch on his words. His forehead won''t do.


    ¡°Ugh...¡± Lisa retraced her hands, sighting in the process. ¡°Fine. This is excellent timing because I want to talk to you about something meaningful. I am curious about the current state and efforts around this temple, Levandis herself, or her Hell Haven. Did some things change from 50 years ago or longer?¡±


    Her words and tone drastically changed to more confidence and some arrogance. There were also some hints about something, appearing as if one worry was exchanged with another one. Lorry heard and sensed the change immediately, thinking that Lisa was really a good player.


    ¡°Interesting. Lisa wants to talk about it in front of the sleeping Murai? Lisa isn''t fearing Murai will hear us. Lisa was always like that... Careful and cunning like a fox.¡±


    ¡°He is indeed sleeping like a camel who found an oasis, thick and deep as if he fell to the void. I can feel it with my connection over his Soul Space like the back of my hand. His soul is always undulating power like a menace, but now, it is resting like his body does, which is... rather unsurprising, considering the amount of stuff that happened in the last day or so.¡± Lisa said, sounding quite sincere and a bit different from when Murai was sleeping.


    Lorry also changed a little, but not much. ¡°As a Life Companion, Lisa is surely understanding of what Lisa could do and know. Lorry can see it from far away, or close, but that doesn''t mean Lorry can answer or talk about such things willy-nilly. Does Lisa think her current standing means something else than it does? Even when we consider Lisa''s past?¡±


    ¡°I don''t expect a thing from you, skull and bones,¡± she scoffed at him and pushed herself a bit closer to him. She watched him closely. ¡°You can speak normally by the way, so why even consider my past? Do you think I fear a thing, or you? That''s why I am asking what I wanna know. Seen Thar, you see. Met him above, like the guarding dog he is now. Asking usually provides something, but considering our... relation and the past, I was reluctant to even try it in front of this mess.¡± She gave Murai a small poke with her hand.


    ¡°Murai wouldn''t do a thing. Murai is shackled like a fool, more so than Lisa would ever be.¡±


    ¡°Even me? Right now?¡± Lisa didn''t believe this statement one bit.


    ¡°Well, it''s a different... idea. Lorry doesn''t know it all. At all!¡± Lorry said rather reluctantly.


    ¡°No star you don''t. You don''t have to go into specific ways to appease your rules or the voice of Mindarch. And you!¡± Lisa shouted to the ceiling. ¡°I wouldn''t mind you do something else than usual, you bastard...¡± She grunted, knowing that Mindarch wouldn''t deal with her.


    He didn''t, which left her dissatisfied and Lorry happy.


    Grabbing his temple, she held him tightly and he didn''t resist. ¡°I am still curious about the status of the demonic factions amongst Hell Havens. That much is fine to answer, don''t you think?¡±


    ¡°I... Lorry... It may be generic.¡± Lorry sighed, his skull trembled as she shook him. ¡°You don''t make this one bit easy for me, huh?¡± He said resolutely and in a firm voice. At least Lisa didn''t dare to use her Memory Extract on him. It wouldn''t end well. ¡°In all senses and purposes, not much can change in the 50 years since you''ve been gone to hell knows where. In the bigger picture, you matter like an End to the Death Valley.¡±


    ¡°You don''t say.¡± She said coldly.


    ¡°A lot of changes occurred in a lot of medium to smaller factions under almost all Overlords of every Hell Haven. It makes sense. Generals or Wicked grows everywhere, and let''s not forget about the challenging orders of the Sky that touch the Surface and want to get rid of the Depths. There were quite a bit skirmishes against Rank 2 Gods who wanted to reach some rewards from those above them. Each led to some nasty, or understandable results. Overall, it''s the same standstill that has been in this world for many centuries, where both sides suffer some minor losses, but nothing earthshaking. Dungeons all stand as they''ve always been, while the pivotal Gods all live the same.¡±


    ¡°Oh? I thought, considering what happened as I''ve died, a lot of things would''ve changed.¡±


    ¡°I suppose... or suggest, that you think too much of yourself.¡± Lorry surprisingly talked with utter confidence and honesty, leaving Lisa speechless as she looked at him within her grasp. She had no doubts he was mocking her a little.


    ¡°Do you mean what I''ve heard and how we talked before?¡± She asked, oblivious to the rightful answer.


    ¡°Partially, it doesn''t mean shit, or too much for either of us. Hard to tell, to be honest. That duck...¡± Lorry pointed his Soul Flames to Murai. ¡°...is a problem to all of us, I suppose. Blessing to few, also. I am aware of quite a lot of things since we saw each other before, but your former status before your End is also known as a variable that isn''t under my coverage. But Lorry knows it was a big deal at some heights and lows. In the end, Levandis didn''t care.¡± Lorry was slowly turning to his previous tones as if fearing that the inevitable hit from Mindarch was soon coming to his soul.


    It wasn''t.


    Mindarch was letting him talk.


    ¡°She didn''t, huh?¡± Sighing, Lisa looked around this maze as if remembering the past. Her eyes were kind of lost cause, and this Gate didn''t matter to her. She was under the influence of her past, similar to the present, but her last End was kind of a thing that ate her from the inside. The same thing as the one before that. She got another chance, albeit it wasn''t an easy decision. On some fronts, she regretted it immensely.


    She had to come to terms with the future if she wanted to eat up the past and come to terms with the present future.


    ¡°Well, at least you''ve answered something, but it is still less than good, so I assume no Overlord or Hell Gods are interested in talking with me?¡±


    ¡°Why would they? You''ve died in the Sky. No one cares for such a thing as personal choices. Rules still stand and Hell Havens bear heavy responsibilities. You were just a small piece in the massive engine no longer in the picture. Not until your standing will return to its former, or partially former glory. I presume Lisa understands what Lorry means. Handle this duck like a gem, or handle it like an arrow into your heart.¡±


    ¡°You jest... Of course, I know that much!¡± Lisa shouted and slammed Lorry to the wall. The skull kind of enjoyed it, sounding from his thin moan. ¡°You speak as always with excuse. Fine. Let this be. What about Murai? What do you think of him and the current situation? We talked about it. I can only help him with what I can, but thanks to this insane stubbornness of his proportions, I am only able to do so much.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± Lorry snorted. ¡°That''s what happens when a pair of extremely lofty, arrogant, and equally stubborn fools meet. It''s kind of funny if Lorry has to say so himself.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really... Wanna have another feel of my Sona in your Soul Flames? I fear I heard some sizzling, but you don''t fear my current body as you should.¡±


    ¡°Fearing a little kitten that barely holds her physicality doesn''t seem like much,¡± Lorry said smugly. ¡°So yeah. Not one bit. Yet...¡±


    ¡°I won''t deny what is the truth, but I deny and question what Mindarch and Sky want from this! And Depths too... I got it all involved by my actions, so hearing that no one is getting involved sounds confusing and weird to me. Villan did, but... what was that about? Armies? Invitation? Which moron thought of that?¡± She asked, reluctantly looking at the sleeping Murai from the side of her vision.


    ¡°Oh? That is a rare problem indeed. All in all, Lorry must say that these problematic statuses aren''t really that much of a problem right now. It isn''t even that much boring. Lorry suppose a lot of others will sooner or later get involved more, or as we speak, they think about it. It all depends on what Murai will even do at all, and how the Sky and current Encounter proceed. It is an interesting and ongoing effort in this temple. Lorry would tell you more, but Lorry can''t. Certain things are prohibited to tell...¡±


    ¡°...because of morons, rules, and your stupid head.¡± Lisa wished to crawl her fingers into him but it wasn''t a solution for anything. ¡°The knowledge that Gods decide by themselves is one maddening variable. They wait in their asses... but... who wouldn''t?¡±


    ¡°Good question.¡± Lorry agreed.


    ¡°I got that much already. Some things don''t change at all. One has to solve it oneself.¡±


    ¡°That''s just how things go. Lisa should be patient with this brief start. Murai is young. Too young, yet problematic too. Perhaps revealing or talking to him a bit more from your side would do you justice. Honesty can work on someone like Murai, Lorry suggests. If the luck and opportunity will move alongside it, that''s what Lorry thinks is acceptable.¡±


    Lisa chuckled as she let him go. ¡°I will think about it.¡±

 Chapter 134: 68th Island

    Lorry laughed straight to her face, thinking that Lisa was either exaggerating or lying about taking his offer to her questionable head. She was hardly honest with herself in her past life, so when others got involved around her, it shouldn''t make any difference.


    ¡°Got some problem with that?¡± She asked as she wanted to grab him again between her palms or stomp him to the floor.


    But this time, Lorry wasn''t willing to take her offer. ¡°No. No... Lorry is wondering about something. How come you''ve not asked this earlier? Murai is alone in these Islands for the most part, hiding behind a Space Cage that messes with perceptions. Any talk that Lisa wants doesn''t come into Murai''s ears. Lorry supposes you''ve been very curious or cautious, but many more questions are there. Consider Lorry curious.¡±


    ¡°Says someone who won''t bother answering what I wanted. So why should I seek answers that won''t come, idiot?¡±


    Lisa knew why she didn''t ask this earlier. She doubted it was fine to be this open, not when her link to Murai was always strong even with this Space Cage between them. She had her boundaries, albeit they were hers alone.


    So when Murai was sleeping, she had the certainty to speak about anything she wanted. That was one of the few reasons she wanted to stay outside of his Soul Space. Portals also helped with setting strong boundaries, because Chaos Space was quite a menace to any connection. At least according to her logic, this idea played some role in her decisions and talking.


    ¡°Lorry is sure there will be more time for this... And if Mindarch may rule it so, Lorry has no problems with anything, as long as it is within the rules or judgment.¡± Lorry mysteriously said, glancing to the ceiling in understanding.


    He trusted Mindarch like a fool, so if Mindarch didn''t give him anything, a Guide hardly moved like an independent force for the Challenger. And Lisa wasn''t even a Challenger. He could laugh, taunt, and ignore her however he wished, which he did, but not to the extent he wanted. Lisa was a small menace herself anyway. At least in his Soul Flames.


    ¡°I would use you like a fine tool if it weren''t for those rules...¡± Lisa grunted and was no longer willing to give him any care.


    ¡°And we wouldn''t mind asking you about this Path of yours. Later perhaps? The current time... and this duck. Those are also intriguing quite a few people.¡± Lorry said in a strange voice, surprising Lisa that they were willing to listen to part of her story. This meant ammunition to use in trades for information. She could use this to her advantage if the other side showed some interest in what she alone knew.


    She smiled, no longer taking this conversation further because Lorry was telling only the bare notion his side could take. It was a good start to her interest, which may go further thanks to the other Islands.


    Without clear directions, speaking casually about anything wasn''t fine. Lisa needed certainty to feel if it was worth it. She wasn''t taken that lightly by Mindarch and others, similarly to Murai himself, but he was a Challenger and she was a simple ghost of her former self, so his stakes were different.


    With this semi-closed and private conversation being over, the time moved on.


    Sometime later, Murai woke up, trembling in distress at some callings. Something screamed in his mind. He wasn''t sure what, but it woke him up.


    ¡°Uhm... I really needed this nap, but what is going on?¡± He asked himself as he was still on his back, barely able to open his eyes. ¡°Truth be told, I would prefer sleeping for a couple of days like this, but who am I kidding again? My current species needs such a thing in almost all scenarios. A ton of food too, but I know I eat like a wild animal.... poopless too. That is hilarious like being a duck.¡±


    He knew it. This was no dream. He woke up as a duck again.


    ¡°At least Murai has all limbs and quacks to complain about.¡± He heard Lorry from not far away.


    ¡°At least? I would rather sleep more hours, but that is just my preference. It grants strength and beauty, you see. It is the rule of the universe that always prevails!¡± He grunted as he lied. He didn''t have many preferences about sleep, but something about his species and rest truly resonated with him.


    But this setting didn''t allow for that, nor his time. So he fell to his side and forced himself from his position. Not far away from him were floating Lorry and Lisa who readily greeted him with a nod and wave of a hand respectively.


    ¡°Yeah. Yeah. I see and hear you. I slept like I wanted. Leave it at this. Falling asleep is not my fault, so it is time to move on...¡±


    ¡°Murai needed it,¡± Lorry said. ¡°Seems that way to Lorry.¡±


    ¡°Whatever. Why did none of you wake me earlier? Bunch of lazy bastards. Are you not getting a hunch that I shouldn''t sleep at all? Got Islands to beat, essences to eat, and heads to crack.¡± He asked in doubt, still half sleeping and feeling that something was wrong.


    ¡°Not sure what you mean by going forth with more troubles ahead,¡± Lisa said. ¡°Many Islands still remain and those will take more out of you than those behind. You fell asleep because you needed it. It is the truth and you worked your ass off for it. You may be level 17 right now, but the enemies you face will push through some of your limits, regarding your level and mentality.¡±


    ¡°Got that idea already through the last few dozen islands. Got stronger with time, you see. That is a common concept.¡±


    ¡°But the pressure of growth and killings are different things. Think of what you can do. You are great for your kind of species. Fighting enemies twice your level is enough of no concern for you, but it is a harsh reality in the common world. Not for you, but someone would be jealous of you for sure. Or scared. So be a bit understandable. You are doing good. Keep it up.¡± She tried to cheer him up, but it sounded kind of weird coming from her of all people.


    Murai halted his step, jolting his neck and beak toward her. ¡°Have I just heard a helping topic out of your mouth the moment I woke up? Is this universe in one piece? Is the world in one spot? What is my name!?¡± Murai cried in a faked and teary panic.


    ¡°Is stating a fact that hard to imagine?¡± She argued.


    ¡°No...nonono.¡± Murai furiously shook his head. ¡°You are the insane one! What about the Levels? You hardly mentioned those... like ever. Level 17. What does it even mean when fighting level 38 Menthir? Are numbers just foolish excuses and time and strategies are everything? Or point to kill is a fact that is outside of some Level? What about Grades? Have I gotten so ahead of that number that it doesn''t mean shit?¡±


    Lisa smiled at him without worry. ¡°True. It is right in a little bit of everything. When you consider the heights and limiters of your species, it doesn''t sound insane, but your head doesn''t know the context. I guess you deserve some apologies but look at it from the positive side. Look and consider yourself for a moment. You are the insane one.¡±


    ¡°Insane?¡± Murai glared at her in doubt. ¡°In what layers?¡±


    ¡°Balance. Your life proves that point, while this world is subject to handling it. It does so in some parts and not in others. I bet your little Iris was enough to give you some ideas about this, but it isn''t as if you are an idiot yourself. You kept thinking about your own takes on this world anyway. And since I''ve woken up, you got hold of your head and body a bit better to make it useful. Now, you are taking the rewards through time and training. That is what pushing yourself through battles does for your species and head.¡±


    Murai looked at her without a word to give. He was fighting better the more he endured, but wasn''t this the most common thing? Experiences won''t appear like lightning from the clear sky.


    ¡°Want more truths?¡± Lisa asked something stupid. ¡°I can be all ears and full mouth wide for you if I want. It just poses a question of how much you need to know, because you know and do what you want. Am I that important? Is it worth the hassle?¡±


    ¡°This...¡± Murai was speechless to listen to her nonsense excuses that sounded overly complicated. It was true that he didn''t consider her much, but if she wasn''t like this, he would think of her differently. He looked at Lorry who was aside. ¡°Was she such a bitch in her past life?¡±


    Lorry furiously nodded, not peeping a word to make her angry.


    ¡°Huh? Got a problem with that logic?¡± Lisa increased her voice and tone a bit higher.


    ¡°67 Islands took this much to force your mouth, while I fought for my life and growth. What about the things you might say to further things I''ve already got? Haven''t thought of that? It is called furthering an already established context. Only stupids would not consider it, and I don''t know everything, stupid.¡± Murai said to her resolutely.


    ¡°Not sure what you know, but I am not stupid. I haven''t taken a look at your fragments since I woke up a bit better than ever. No time went for that, you see. Woke up in an already established Encounter that wants your life. And you were handled like a fool by one of the Suns, so I decided to be helpful and gift you this temple. Are you complaining?¡±


    ¡°Oh... now, it is a completion how to piss me off? Are you that proud to give me this thing? Or Is it all about those fragments again?¡± Murai got somewhat calmer as she mentioned some truths he already tossed far behind his mind.


    Murai wasn''t taking Lisa and her status that much into account since she wasn''t doing anything important. She mostly left him alone. But she might be useful... That was a fact.


    ¡°Why haven''t you mentioned that earlier? You have no idea how much I''ve suffered in the hands of that girl, or what occurred afterward, or in that well. When you disappeared into my soul space, it was a moment shit went wry against those humans.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn''t mind to know about them,¡± Lisa said with a carefree smile.


    ¡°Alright. I will give you such a gift that will change and shake your mind. Crack it too. Heheheh.¡± Murai laughed like a demon. His memory fragments were special. They might not be easy to handle for her.


    ¡°Wait! Not so fast. Still have some voices from Will of the Battleworld and Mindarch in mind. I heard what I could. Like whispers, but only creaks and some knots. You don''t have to consider fragments too much, so let''s not go far with any gifts.¡± She visibly got nervous after remembering his memory fragments to this day.


    ¡°Which poses a question of why Lisa is even taking this topic out right now if Lisa doesn''t want it.¡± Lorry expressed a good question instead of Murai who was kind of dull after his sleep.


    ¡°He asked why I mentioned something about his level and might. He does the same thing. It is called information gathering. Don''t ask me how Life Companionship goes back and forth between me and a Blessed, Lorry. I would fucking murder you If I could.¡±


    ¡°Wow. What a savagery.¡± Lorry chuckled like a maniac.


    Murai lightly stretched his tensed-up body and settled his mind on what to do next.


    ¡°Fine. You keep your head and soul tight. I do mine. My level is low because of my age and time. That is what Iris told me, Thar confirmed it, and the world contextualized everything. The reality is, that I can work around this level because of my actions, while abilities, their evolutions, or evolution itself are the true changes. Level enables them, right?¡±


    Lisa nodded.


    ¡°Then, there are chains of the Encounter that stopped it too, but most of it is because of my age. Not you, Lisa. But considering what my power is, it should be about my species the most... Right, Lorry?¡±


    ¡°Asking a Guide, huh?¡± Lorry shuddered. ¡°Sure. Lorry agrees with this logic. Anatidaes and many great species can fight way out of their levels thanks to various factors or limiters. Means a nod at Breaches that do poise something that went over the common sense. It is also part of Grading schemes. Some abilities and their high grades matter more than some levels. Then, there is magic. Shaping experience or familiarity achieves many more advantages than leveling does. It is what experience grands, which Murai is no novice to. For example, Murai isn''t aware of it, but attributes aren''t as important. How one uses them is. Attributes are like authorization to connect aspects of one''s body, which do change and empower the body. When fighting, killing poses two things...¡±


    ¡°To kill efficiently and get it done regardless of some limitation. To kill, doesn''t mean much else than to end one life. Means don''t matter.¡± Murai answered instead of him. ¡°That is the norm to anyone who has some head on their necks. When one has great and precise powers, it shows regardless of the Will of the Battleworld or those... limiters or what those are. But those grading schemes and attributes give it some edge. It is logical to think of them as fuel for my body, so yeah. You answered what I''ve deduced.¡±


    ¡°He still left some things behind.¡± Lisa weakly mumbled beside him, not willing to get involved in this conversation more than with some comments.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°We will take this topic again after some stops, both of you. We will have time for that, right? Not now, when I have energy and mana to spare, and Islands to beat. Oh, and that Heavenly Shaping is still pending to my eyes, so let''s hold this conversation for a better time.¡± Murai said.


    ¡°Sounds like a plan to me. Sure. Go ahead.¡± Lisa shooed him, gesturing with her hands to the maze.


    ¡°Whatever, I still need more. More time and growth.¡± Murai mumbled, looking at the walls that were quite tall for his figures. Stone walls were a big problem when it came to this Menthir fight because they were thick and tall. However, that didn''t mean there was darkness in this place, and even if it did, his Night Vision worked wonders even in pitch-black places, giving him more visual clarity.


    Then, he had Sonar that could easily deal with the rest of any unfamiliar, which was a very important part in figuring out where Menthir was attacking from.


    A shady maze was nothing, even when there wasn''t that much light or mana around. It was a perfect place for a quick ambush, yet Mindarch decided to give him Menthir, which was quite a questionable choice, considering its size was hard to miss out and its mana was like a light in the night sky for his Sonar.


    Sending well-balanced forces against the Challengers was already an established rule that Murai trusted, yet Mindarch kept testing some parts of his powers, rather than wanting to shatter this Challenger like usual.


    Balance was gradually turning thinner the further he went.


    Murai moved through the maze and soon found one of the ends that went straight towards another island far away. It was a curved stone bridge that looked so brittle, it seemed as if it would crumble very soon. High in the air, a new Island was visible, representing one of the tallest ones he had seen, reaching all the way to the 200th meter above the water''s surface.


    Which meant he had a lot to cover to get there. The bridge ahead was terrible. He wondered if he should look for the other exit, but he saw another angled bridge fairly close when he looked out of the bridge to the cave. It was leading to an Island that was even further ahead, but slightly lower in height.


    He decided to take the first choice. Gulping down, Murai felt the gust of wind coming from the large cave. There were just straight wooden planks making up this bridge, with no protection against the wind. One could be swept by the wind in no time, stumble by the holes, and leave nothing behind but a freefall to the bottom of this enormous cave.


    It wasn''t the end of this journey. As long as one managed to get back to the starting point, one might restart the walk, but not the fight. Falling meant a lot of walking, which Lorry mentioned around an hour ago to him.


    And it wasn''t something Murai was willing to ever consider. He didn''t even think about it. There was no way he feared those stair bridges, but he didn''t like them. Murai shuddered at such options, hoping to seek another option out of his terrible time.


    Either way, this was what the average path toward the next island looked like. All he could do was accept it and move on. Well, in his case, he had no choice but to clutch his cheeks and use his beak as a tool to clutch the planks that at least had some mass to them. They didn''t crack when he stabbed them or clutched them.


    He munched to each plank, moving step by step forward and upwards, cursing the wind and this Gate for all eternity.


    He hated it more, because Lorry and Lisa were always above him, graciously floating without any bother about the wind.


    At least they didn''t taunt him. That was their good grace and idea.


    Ascending was a bit clumsy and slow, but it served its purpose of establishing some difficulties of the terrible layer. In Murai''s honest opinion, it was even worse for him because of his small stature. He wished to have a deep chat with the maker of this Gate. After all, because of his weight and lack of security, Murai can be swept by the wind.


    Lisa didn''t argue against his anger. Once, not long ago in the Islands in the 40s, Murai tried to move normally and fell off the bridge for a speck of a second. If it weren''t for his senses and readiness, he would be long down at the bottom of this journey, walking and cursing Lorry to piss off and force him to fly him back.


    He wouldn''t mind fighting his way back into the Islands if it meant some essences, but this temple didn''t work like that. It created this nasty falling and walking problem instead, which he hated to his bones.


    Of course, it would be a pain in the ass, and Murai was more than unwilling to even try it. He already spent too much time walking and ascending the bridges, then fighting.


    However it didn''t mean that Lorry didn''t find it funny, and he teased Murai from time to time, allowing him to curse this talking skull to the seventh hell. Without even hearing Mindarch''s words about the content of the upcoming Island, Murai reached the end of this nasty bridge in about 10 minutes.


    It had the same old wavy space, depicting a much more sturdy-looking Space Cage that left nothing of what was ahead clear. Thick and wavy, the platform was hidden for some reason.


    That was when Mindarch spoke out loud to all of them.


    [Congratulations on a safe journey. It must be tough, huh?] Mindarch joked, but it sounded terrible and fake.


    [On the contrary of the difficulties, Citizen M has finally met and selected a great Island! It is a great result to reach a further bracket of chances.]


    ¡°Oh? Is that it? At last!¡± Lorry cheered.


    [Dificulty: Grade A, Level 41]


    [There is a specialty about this Island you''ve chosen. Great luck, I must say.]


    [It is called a Variant Island. It adds a nice sound to it, you see.]


    Murai wasn''t impressed after what he went through on the bridge behind his back.


    [There is a triple bonus to the points upon the successful finish of the Island. Double bonus if the desire to give up knocks the foe sooner. Both choices add some flavor to the Tier of success afterward.]


    [Oh, and as a bonus reward for Variant Island, there are special bonus rewards upon completion.]


    [That is Question Mark: It is a knowledge transfer or message regardless of any conflict of interest. More about it later, when you succeed.]


    [Grade is nonexistent, as it serves as an information-gathering bonus that Challenger can use to gain answers to one''s worries, or anything. I, great Mindarch shall answer that to the best of my capabilities since Citizen M is deemed great enough. No Guide... Not this time.]


    Lorry visibly shuddered in disappointment.


    [Another thing is a Key.]


    [That is all.]


    The series of words echoed quite steadily, revealing little information about the Island itself which was unlike the past ones.


    Glancing behind, Murai shot Lorry a questionable glance if he heard this right.


    ¡°Ohoho. Murai sure is lucky to have Murai''s answers and worries ahead. Mindarch knows a lot in terms of Question Marks. They are an excellent route into his Codex. This Island is special by itself, so Murai has to see it for himself. It isn''t the case of the chance given to you by the hunch of the higher-ups. It''s just a chance that Murai gave to himself. Murai had chosen this island.¡± Lorry said it like a haggler.


    Murai felt something wrong with his bones.


    This felt like no luck or chance.


    He felt tested for a long time already, and this Island was just an option to push him over some edge. Or it was here to give him some push and hope to get something interesting out of him.


    Points weren''t interesting to him, but that Question Mark sounded great. He hardly used anything from the last shopping anyway, as the points didn''t give him something great. Well, apart from those essences that still held some value.


    So with a sigh, Murai was still keeping his beak in the wooden plan because he had no choice. The wind was still pushing against him even before the Space Cage. And there was no choice before him. Even Lisa was curious about what this Island would be like since she knew all about the Variant Islands, what they possessed, and what Keys or Question Marks were. She shall wait for Murai to finish it, and let him reap these nice rewards.


    She didn''t mention anything about them to him whatsoever.


    Murai pushed himself past the entrance, entered the Island, and landed on the ground of the arena. Right. An arena. Space Cage hid an old-looking circular arena with sand for the floor. It was bloody and rough. Around its perimeter was nothing but an empty wall, with no way to see the edge of the island. That was good. He can''t fall over the edge.


    Above it, floating in the air were seats to hold thousands of people. Made of stones, all of them were empty, but their sheer size and width made this Island the biggest he had seen.


    And surely it was weird. The Island from the outside was nowhere this large.


    Before, Murai couldn''t see any of this for a good reason. The platforms were behind the Space Cage, letting Challenger second-guess their strategies. Only a rough layout of the platform was rarely shown. And this time, there was nothing but dense wavy space. It was a bit unfair, but Murai wasn''t complaining about this. Fighting was fun so far, so he kept going to these Islands without any care for consequences.


    This time, he didn''t know the foe, but he knew Level 41 and Grade A difficulty spoke of some interesting things. Perhaps a High-Grade 7 essence? He can''t wait to be disappointed...


    So far, the rules that worked around these platforms were all weird anyway. Killing the foe was the simplest form of accomplishment. There was nothing hideous about that simplicity, which he preferred and liked.


    Murai stood on his tiny legs, looking around the surface of the sandy arena. It was well over 50 meters in diameter, making this the biggest arena he had seen so far. In the midst of everything, there stood a lonely figure that poised as his already present foes. It was a man. A half-naked one, to be exact, which wasn''t mentioned by Mindarch even once.


    Murai finally met what he wanted in all of these Islands. A human appeared at last.


    ¡°Oh? A human? No... Not one per se. It could be fake. A monster in disguise!¡± Murai decided to not trust a thing. So he looked at the figure dozens of meters before him, and the man looked back at him. But he remained standing with his hands crossed around his chest, clearly thinking or hesitating to go ahead and fight.


    Murai trusted his Soul Read, mind, and Sonar. So he pushed Sonar ahead and felt his soul. It wasn''t wrong. He was a human through and through.


    He was a man in the prime of his life, but his exact age was hard to discern. His body held quite some tan, his muscles weren''t bulging nor huge. He held well-toned-down proportions, combining a combat body with high flexibility, power, and endurance. He looked straight like a warrior from tribal nations and looked like he loved to fight.


    So when he noticed Murai, his face changed. ¡°What do we have here? A duck? Is this a joke?¡± the man asked and lightly chuckled. ¡°Haven''t tasted one in years! But... Is this truly the Hell''s Punishment? No!¡± Suddenly, the man scowled, turning his stoic expression to one of utter madness and disappointment. He even clutched his brown hair with both hands, tearing a few strands away.


    He was upset, glad, and fearful at the same time. Upset over having to fight duck, glad to have a meal, and fearful over not having this sort of meal for years down the road.


    Hearing his words and sensing his soul, Murai cringed his face and tensed his wings and beak like never before. He got the fury right up his mind.


    Fucking what? This little shit thinks of me as a freaking meal? I will kick his nuts for real! Underestimating this duck shall be your eternal mistake! He thought to himself without quacking like a duck. Following this, he completely stopped the veiling of his mana that he kept training between the Islands, or upon entering it.


    A powerful surge of his mana went out of the Beast Core, cruising into his body and changing his aura. It appeared like many flame waves that followed his feathers upwards. They weren''t natural, of course. Murai let it all out, while veiling only worked to steady and hide his aura. What he was doing right now was the exact opposite of being normal or veiled.


    He started with his Flame Affinity by Conjuring it out all over himself, creating the basic premise of a fiery aura. It wasn''t practical, but it sure got the blood and his aura going from the norm, outwards. Pure mana without a thing would make him azure and kind of rich. It was always good to use some affinity to make a stronger point.


    Why use something worn when he had something better?


    Murai wanted to go with already established spells under his arsenal but changed his mind. Conjured Flames were the perfect way to start some Shaping. It was a regular procedure, so he aimed at the start of the fight.


    Mindarch hadn''t voiced a thing yet. It was suspicious, so Murai pushed his flame aura forth.


    A powerful burning pressure slid out off the little duck, turning the disappointed man weird. He went alert, yet continued pressing his hands around his scalp, hoping to quench his anger and frustration away.


    He took a light breath as he felt the sudden change in temperature and that duck; his hands trembled in the process of retracing them to his waist. As he did so, his face changed from regret to clarity and seriousness.


    ¡°Oh? A prank is it not? A Challenger was pending, or so I thought, but in the appearance of a duck? I presume you are one of those... How they are called again? I heard one of the old mates talk about these monstrosities that came from some other continent. Ah! Anapipa? No...¡± the man shook his head. ¡°Apapa? Akura? Anala? Anatita? Right. Right. Anatidae. That is their weird name.¡± he finally remembered, and upon doing so, his whole body went stiff in battle readiness.


    He shook to his core as he realized his ridiculous foe.


    Unlike before, his whole body changed, trembled, and began to radiate the luscious aura of a warrior. He had no clear weapons at hand, but a distinct aura went over his body, bathing him in crisp light. His mana of a Handler category worked wonders because this temple was perfect for any mage.


    At this point, Murai also noticed something else on his body. There was a crest on his chest, burned with the crest of a slave, looking circular with two claws on top of each other and a demonic skull in the middle.


    Murai expected this sort of thing to see, as it wasn''t the first foe to have this crest. Some beast had it as well, but this was the first intelligent being he had ever met here! He was happy to see him, even though the crest meant his position was that of a slave.


    His anger was unreasonable. His will to fight was getting better. Murai had no idea how such emotions mixed together, creating a mess in his head.


    For this temple to have this sort of enemy wasn''t unexpected. The fact that it happened after more than 60 Islands was disappointing. After all, having human slaves around the level 30 to 40 shouldn''t be all that expensive or hard to get.


    War slaves around level 30 were commodities in almost all wars. Their numbers were never small, albeit they depended on the rules of continents, cultures, politics, or how powers around them started those wars.


    Holy War or Divine War, it didn''t matter. Mortal Wars were quite normal occurrences and an easy way to force some slaves to flood the market or many businesses.


    The man before him was exactly that. A tool. A commodity that demons viewed as resources, while even other human powers did the same. In the Battleworld, this much was a norm.


    The man obviously knew what was better for him. Choosing to serve was even a little respectable since refusing was meaningless. Few would rather starve and die meaningless Ends.


    However, his journey may still end like that. Slaves weren''t that happy and right. His past was less than visible in Murai''s eyes, nor was he too interested in his story. He had already pissed him off, so he wasn''t ready to forgive him.


    Everyone had their own life stories. Be it in terms of virtue, evil, or whatever else, there was no greater good or evil. There were just acts with consequences. Poorly said, of course.


    Murai long ago understood many facts about living, since he viewed death and life from a completely different point than the rest of the beings in the universe. Few would even dare to imagine his cursed living.


    Some gods may try some tiny part of it, but it wasn''t validating enough. They were too lofty and arrogant bastards who were more often than not, too preoccupied with their own asses. Powerful and deserving of their standing, it wasn''t surprising.


    It was the power that held up these truths. Where power ruled over the ego and lesser power, things happened by virtue of more power. Those who were better than others were the winners, but those wouldn''t understand Murai either. What good or bad was in power or ridiculous authority that Gods might have? Nothing? Everything mixed together, perhaps?


    Murai disagreed with pretty much anything. There was nothing good there. There was no good or bad that moved the universe, let alone any world. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fate just flew and things and people were changing.


    It was just how it was. An endless cycle. A truth of nothing but the individualistic path that maintained no threat or greater meaning. Everyone walked the path that they could and wanted to walk, or was there something that forced them down some curves or changes? Simple fateful excuses were often also included in some living, but Murai hated to handle or think about Fate.


    He wasn''t that angry at this man in any deep principles. He just didn''t like his words and act. Were these valid reasons to kill him? Murai doubted it was, but the man wanted to kill him. It was obvious by the rising killing intent that surged in his soul. Considering the circumstances and finally meeting a different island than endless beasts, bones, or demons, this warrior was a neat change of pace.


    Though, in this case, it was a duck against a man, which was still making a rather funny picture that Mindarch couldn''t help but eternally engrave to his Codex.

 Chapter 135: Duck vs Man - Part 1

    Murai faced the foe he hoped for, yet the circumstances were different from what he expected. It changed his mind. He wasn''t ready to face the common sense he didn''t have.


    This was a normal reaction. Those who talked and thought like normal people wouldn''t regard him as something special. He was still a duck, while this man had clearly no thoughts to give him back.


    Perhaps it was a far too improper idea to meet someone sensible in this regard. Expecting someone to talk to him, or give him any thoughts was way out of the line.


    It ended up infuriating him, rather than giving him hope to talk to someone who knew Anatidaes who visited this temple.


    So when he had an actual person before him, the kind he hadn''t battled that much in this life, he felt skeptical if his ideas were just lies and over-the-top expectations. Perhaps he was just too fed up with those stairs, making him look for a scapegoat that wasn''t Lorry or Lisa.


    However, Murai doubted it was all that easy to be angry about these stairs all the time. It was honestly refreshing to battle without any consequences in these Islands. Killing those who wanted his head was just another tinge of blood left on the floor, ending another life like a drop into the ocean. There were truths behind these issues or questionable meanings, but it was honest.


    Such was the law of the jungle.


    It was the kind of truth that he got used to in many of his intense lives. There were times when he simply couldn''t care less for anything else than power and people who wanted a piece of it too. Perhaps this world was the same. Dealing with those who looked at him wrongly, or those who wanted revenge or wealth, were all the same, or similar. He wasn''t that different, he believed.


    For a weird sense of reasons, it was a kind of melancholic and almost rhetorical for him to think of it right now. To be free of the norm, fighting without care, and being without any consequences was a sincerity and free part of the universe. It went hand in hand with those who understood some laws, knew what the true consequences of living were, and how one dealt with them.


    Few comprehended those aspects and even fewer beings mastered them.


    Killing was just part of something that balanced the universe, similar to destruction, void, annihilation, and other kinds of power that moved the Chaos or balanced the Order.


    The man before Murai was one of those foes he simply couldn''t hate or like. On one wing, he did piss him off, and on the other, he stood in his way like fools he used to like or hate. There was usually nothing in between.


    Squinting his eyes, the half-naked man looked at his opponent, thinking to make a first move, but he realized he had misspoken. He accepted an extensive mission he had taken, and then it backfired.


    ¡°Oh, sorry. I suppose animals like you can''t speak the human tongue? Have my apologies but...¡± he instantly appeared shocked as if he realized something. ¡°Does it even understand me? You? I speak to myself all the time like a fool?¡± He almost wept a tear upon realizing his embarrassment, but he had time to shake these feelings off or slap his face.


    Murai was yet to attack because he was curious about what this level 41 foe had to offer him. He should be definitely much stronger than the triplet of messiahs he killed not that long ago, what those Undead knights in Gate 1 provided, and whatever that bat was about.


    According to the difficult approaches to this Gate, the higher level and grades meant always tougher foe. Perhaps the Grade was more than sufficient, as some Grade A foes of the lower level were much tougher to deal with than Grade B of the higher level.


    ¡°Anyway, duck. I heard that your kind is very intelligent, so can you understand all sorts of tongues? Mine included, is that right? Nod in return.¡± The man asked a good question after going over his initial shock. He spoke with a seemingly honest attitude, yet his whole body remained tensed up, unlike his words.


    This remark almost snapped Murai in half of his slowly dissipating anger. What?! Hmph! What do people even think am I? Some nodding toy? Are they sane to make fun of me? I am not laughing. Murai grunted as his mention reminded him of Iris, whose fate was still unknown to him on all fronts. Even Timmy was somewhere around his mind, close to Iris, but away from his reach and knowledge of what even happened to them.


    They were rare people who actually assisted him in this life, followed by Ceila and Lia, but who knew where those were after he disappeared into the forceful teleportation? He never saw or knew what became of all of them, which was perhaps a good thing for him and Lisa.


    Were the kids safe?


    Were those Suns plotting something because of Vermillion?


    Should he care about the kids or those Suns?


    Murai was a bit perplexed over these issues for some reason, which was unlike his typical attitude when it came to things that were way out of his reach. He usually stayed focused on what mattered to him, rather than what didn''t. Perhaps it was the goodwill that came out of these meetings that made his consciousness a bit weirder than usual.


    Or was it all because of the body of a duck, the life passing through it, or the world that wanted his life? He had a hard time getting over it.


    It was the aftermath that he got after almost meeting his End in that well, which Iris worsened by a whole week of catering that he, unfortunately, forced into existence by refusing Wave of Life. Murai wished to forget these times, same as enduring the stairs bridges, and those hunts for his life. It changed and stuffed his head with undesirable thoughts and intentions.


    Yet, as if remembering Iris and the past, Murai involuntarily nodded, letting the man know that he understood what he asked.


    ¡°GOOD! I like this!¡± he cheered, putting his arms above his head. He immediately went to a fighting stance by putting his arms forward. ¡°I suppose the terms of this service and these Gates are known to you by your Guide, Challenger. Let me warn you, I ain''t giving up against such a beast like you, sir Anatidae! NOT! Giving... UP!¡± The man shouted and with each of his latest words, he put forth a trembling aura around his limbs.


    Each held up his precious equipment, assembling gauntlets around the arms that held no finger protection, and ankle armor without the feet protection. They were the treasure of his life, empowering his Path and equipment that fueled his magic.


    Murai figured it out right away thanks to his Sonar. He felt no Mana Core on this man whatsoever, which made him a Handler that used the body or some treasure to guide the mana into their techniques.


    Core would be obvious to him, similar to how Menthir had it like a revolving glowing stone in its midsection. When sensing the mana, his Sonar always dug for any mana-related links, making spells, flow of mana, or cores obvious under his senses.


    Things he could sense weren''t only living things. Materials, the aftermath of some techniques, or the mana sources themselves were all sensitive to his Sonar.


    But Sonar was the best when sensing the living creatures who were working or holding the mana close to their bodies. It made them pop up, pushing their flow forth, while his Sonar viewed and sensed the intricate notion of their movement, the input of mana, or upcoming techniques. It was like knowing what the enemy was doing from the inside out, which was a fine advantage to have.


    So far, it was great supporting power, but what if the flow or power of his opponent was much wilder or greater with mana? Murai bet he wouldn''t feel this advantage. Sonar seemed to be the best against weaker foes and normal flow.


    Around the man''s limbs, lighting vortexes zipped, stirring and coming from the equipment that was his Catalyst. There were quite a lot of powerful and quick lighting fluctuations all over him because of them, and even his insides weren''t spared. Lighting and mana started to flow around his skin and muscles, twitching his body and seizing his attention.


    Handlers were more than capable of feeling mana like a Shaper, but their bodies were more like a conductor, rather than the source.


    It allowed them to handle the mana of the world like a tool, guiding it according to their techniques. Catalyst helped in the guiding process, making the might and Shaping easier to push around. Thus, it was an advantage that allowed spells or various techniques to flow stronger and better.


    The man visibly tensed up as he went almost all out, and his flesh screamed in pain from the high input of mana. Murai noticed it with his Sonar as well, noting it as a weakness, but also a strength.


    His flesh didn''t take all those limbs performing whatever technique he was using that well. He won''t last that long, so when Murai jolted up after sudden recollections and his Sonar findings, he looked at the man who undulated a rather intriguing technique that he recognized after a few rounds of overlooking his memories.


    In terms of Shaping, it was nothing special as it depended on the lighting-based Catalyst that was fueling him with mana and tensing his flesh. He was using what he should be familiar with, while Catalyst and his Handler status made it still very potent. The man had a talent for sure, and the power of those lighting Catalysts was kind of well-established under his limbs and familiarity. It didn''t crash his flesh or the lighting hadn''t gone out of his touch, making it at least passable.


    After stabilizing for 4 seconds, each Catalyst that was part of the set arranged a revolving vortex, appearing like chunks of flickering lighting waves coming from the ankles and palms. They could have various depictions and shapes depending on the Shaping. Called Lighting Vortex, they could become a weapon of fury, capable of obliterating all kinds of foes in all sorts of sizes.


    However, it had a clear price of stressed flesh, creating time limitations that Murai noted at first sight.


    Murai held this sort of power before, albeit not as a Handler, and it was a long time ago. He barely felt the impressions about it right now, yet memories were always available for this sake.


    One''s Physique had to be truly excellent for this kind of spell that ate to one''s flesh, guiding the mana into savage constructs to empower it better.


    A fist-powered Lighting Vortex can tear the whole person to pieces, cutting, crushing, and scorching. A kick can cleave a person in half, and not in a clean cut either. It was a rather savage technique, but Murai knew his foe wasn''t a master of this technique. It was fairly difficult to get it going, and in this world, it should be over his level because he struggled.


    Under the Battleworld, this technique was called Vortex Shaping, and it could have various elements and styles. For this man, it was lighting, describing the storms under his limbs.


    The apex of his technique allowed the users to surround their whole bodies or surroundings in crystal clear vortexes of lighting¡ªor other elements of their choice¡ªkilling anything in their path. It could shatter, cut, or obliterate anything in its quick and rough power, and the dependency on the Catalyst wasn''t small, similar to Physique or Shaping.


    Even obliterating mountains and rivers was possible aftermatch, but what kind of apex powers weren''t capable of some ridiculous feats of strength?


    Well, few definitely couldn''t bear such costs.


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    Some powers had their specific uses, thus some were better at pure destruction. Others were flexible, or full of gentle straightforwardness, albeit one shouldn''t take it any lighter than wide-scale power.


    Upon these inspections of his foe''s powers, Murai felt a sudden idea that he was way too considerate of this foe. It happened after noticing a familiar technique, pausing his mind and body. It made his mind calmer, previous anger disappeared, and his itch to handle such powers himself became stronger. He sure thought too much into it than he should.


    So when he watched how his foes kicked the sand, flying high in the air with both fists coming at him, he was slightly taken aback. The man didn''t hesitate to attack at all, striking with the highest power he held, and letting the lighting speak first. This wasn''t a stupid call when meeting an Anatidae. It was what anyone like him should do in this Gate known to be a grave for a few Challengers, or tools used against them.


    The power of his Vortex Shaping could handle striking and pouncing like nothing, but was his body the same? His mana output wasn''t the smallest at all.


    One thing became clearer in Murai''s mind. Mindarch was yet to mention his foe or if he was even supposed to kill, or defeat him.


    There was a mention of giving up though. He heard Mindarch''s tone before he entered this arena, marking this as some sort of special Island with a better premise. If he wanted, he could kill him or not. Either way, what was he supposed to do than choose when fighting was starting?


    NO! It is kill or be killed. One of the primordial rules that follows all eras of the universe. It is the same now as long before I was even... born? Murai turned serious, meeting the incoming attack with the most intense beak attack he could start in under a second. Doing so required nothing on his part than a readied beak, a firm step forward, and a surge of mana going through his mana space and his body.


    Because he got plenty of experience out of those 67 Islands behind his back, his handling of his beak was better than ever.


    Beak''s Blitz allowed his beak to become a fine-tuned weapon. It can move at incredible speed and power of momentum with its simple activation. An input of mana was all he needed, but it worked differently than the Peak. Depending on the input of the mana, it had semi-closed stages in its structure. Low, medium, and high input made his Blitz feel different, but it was always more flexible than his Peak even at the highest input.


    Looking at approaching lighting fists, he aimed the medium input Blitz right at them. His body was quite a small target, so the man had no choice but to angle his fists at an unfamiliar angle. Murai felt another lacking power this man had. He was unable to change the direction of his Vortext Shaping when he pounced at him like a rocket. He had no chance for that at this steep straightforwardness. A change to force his fists downwards was all he could muster.


    Striking his foes with his Lighting Vortex Fists, as he proudly called them, allowed only this much at his level.


    A sharp sound and explosions resounded in a wild impact, storming the sand and dust dozens of meters into the air, followed by crips sounds of lighting. Only one figure staggered afterward. Murai did.


    His beak turned a bit numb because of the constant flow of this lighting element, but it wasn''t hot or sharp. Nothing was a problem for him, thanks to a couple of smacks he forced under a breath, forcing his Blitz against the fists. He just backed away because his weight and angle to take these fists weren''t that great.


    As a duck, he had to think twice about enduring or going against such heavy attacks head-on. His footing was terrible in the sand, but he wasn''t hating it that much.


    But his body endured the Vortex Shaping rather well. Perhaps too well, considering this power was above common above Level 40. I gave him a nice surprise indeed, but most of all, a nice answer. His feathers were part of his body that always wondered and surprised him. All over his body, they were crisp, soft, or hard when they needed to be.


    At the moment, they were all pointing outwards while the lighting zipped around them, leaving no shock to go deeper to smear his flesh. He attacked with the beak first, until the lighting hit his whole body like swirling snakes. It should''ve paralyzed him, hurt him, and punished him.


    The man looked at Murai in disbelief. He pushed the small duck only a few meters ahead without it bleeding profusely. He knew his fists were powerful and lighting nasty, but it seemed he met his match or saw something more insane than that. That beak was much stronger than he thought.


    Yet he went against this Anatidae all by himself without any regrets and with his own power. He felt no regret when he left no injurious on his foe. His hands only hurt more; a tingling sensation zipped over his knuckles and section of his shoulders.


    He felt quite a bit of recoil, as if he hit a massive boulder that bounced back away, forcing the majority of his storm to hit nothing but those feathers, while the beak felt... weird. It smacked his fist and lighting away, but it didn''t feel powerful or insane. It just felt... robust. Like something that moved past the steel or powerful alloys.


    But he did strike this tiny duck successfully. He understood that if he became greedy or careless, it would have very unpleasant consequences. ¡°You... You are strong! Strong! I will fight with everything I have, so I expect you to do the ...¡± The man paused, glancing at Murai in flabbergasted face, as a voice spoke to his soul. Will of the Battleworld did, as he was a subject to his own set of rules, albeit without being Blessed. ¡°Huyah!? WHAT THE FUCK! You are level 17!? Are you serious?¡±


    It seemed the information about Murai was clearly there, albeit in a more conservative manner, spoken to his soul rather than to his ears. This moment gave him a much clearer picture, which showed on his face.


    Murai wasn''t sure if the other foes he fought against also knew about him, or if they had some warning like he usually had against them. Did it matter right now or before? Little, if any. For him, not at all.


    Either way, he will fight the same way as before, train, and find some footing in this Gate.


    While his opponents probably knew his level, it could be that alone or much more. Murai wasn''t sure, nor did he care. Would it be too weird to see others having various information-gathering methods that he had as well? Not really. Abilities like Appraisal existed for a reason, while Mindarch and Will of the Battleworld clearly voiced many things when battles became important.


    For all of that to have balance, both parties should know about the other.


    Which was weird. Murai didn''t hear anything about this man from Mindarch or Will of the Battleworld.


    Murai winced his beak against the lighting, patting his feathers and getting these numbing feelings out of the way. The power of these Vortexes aimed at him without regard for his beak, but perhaps it would hurt more if it would crash at him with full power. His current defenses were still rather unknown, as he preferred not to experiment with the damages or his health. He got enough of that from Razmund, so some pain and misery wasn''t on his radar. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This didn''t hurt him that much, so in terms of the power alone, his defenses countered it enough. That posed a few interesting questions about what levels and abilities truly meant. How did they interact with his body, attributes, and defenses he didn''t even know that well?


    Murai found it all a bit confusing since this Vortex Shaping this man had was clearly his primary weapon of choice. They should be around the limits of his level, yet they haven''t done much against him.


    Did it mean his defenses were around this man''s technique and level? Was the balance of everything in this picture clear and countered one another?


    Murai wanted to see some limits of his body, but he wasn''t willing to take risks to find these answers. The lighting definitely held some edge and power over his Blitz, as they failed to damage him in a deeper capacity. But he didn''t manage anything against them either. Those lighting fists barely flinched as he took them head-on.


    All sorts of comprehensions were involved to make the speed and stability of Vortex Shaping passable. This man had a full Lighting Vortex of quite some thickness at each end of his limb. That, in itself, was almost as impressive as stupid. The ones around his legs were basically useless. They added no inherent bonuses besides establishing cycling, which was adding only more flow and problems.


    Murai figured they must be a set of Catalysts, or straight-up equipment to fuel Vortex Shaping alone, or they hold the lighting to give this man this technique to handle. His foe didn''t know how to take it that well, so Murai felt rather melancholic as these issues were something he felt many times in the past.


    One had to constantly cater to Shaping elements and their constant flow. It was like taking care of his current cores that ate and put his mind aflame.


    Lighting was an element that was very hard to handle, tame, and control. But when stabilized, the Lighting Vortex can then swirl on its own for some time, allowing one to wield intense power.


    Problems went ahead when the instability of the lighting and body went hand in hand. It could cause a domino effect and crack everything apart. Hence, Vortex Shaping had no need for too many Catalysts, even when one was a good or inadequate Handler. One or two Catalysts were plenty enough since more attention often meant more flow.


    Endurance and Will of the user, thus, played an important role in such techniques because Mana Flow itself was a limiting factor for the Catalyst and all Handlers.


    Either way, Murai didn''t think of this Vortex Shaping as something bothersome. Did it slightly hurt his wings and neck, and touched his feathers? Sure. Was this hug of lighting bothersome, albeit it didn''t even scratch his flesh? That was the truth, as it did more than well to tense his body and crack his head.


    It changed back to normal when the feathers changed, and his decision to fight moved his soul.


    This clash was a challenge to go against his body, so killing his foe may be a dangerous prospect if he had no qualms about his safety. Tactics must be adequate and manners less dangerous. If those 4 Lighting Vorexes all arrived at him at once, there could be problems.


    But Murai didn''t have to kill him, as he recalled. All he had to do was make him give up. That might come in all sorts of ways that he was too numb to think about, so some brute force better be enough.


    The task was clear like his beak touching these lighting fists. He understood his foe more than enough in this single clash. And that was exactly what Murai was thinking about. A strategy.


    Once again, this Gate made him think twice before acting.


    The man before him kept staring at him with a flabbergasted expression and pushed his fists ahead. Murai caught them again, looking at a face of utmost hesitation, while those Lighting Vortexes shimmered and remained in their cycles, pushing onwards against the beak.


    The man understood what was up against him, and shock and terror moved his insides. Level 17 Anatidae? That meant a completely different thing for his level.


    Not a single good idea came to his mind after knowing this information. What it meant was a simple fact. A reputation and premise. He still had to keep fighting against this Anatidae of a significantly lower level than him, but it was allowed and already proceeding by Mindarch''s rules. It was insane, so giving up appeared in his mind instead.


    Mindarch recognized both foes to be in a similar bracket to one another.


    That was a terrific prospect.


    Well, well. What to do now with this guy? Murai thought to himself as he rested his beak against the man''s hands. Feeling the man with his Sonar made certain thoughts about his power clearer, while his Soul Read dealt with the emotions. Murai learned a lot about both of these abilities and how to get more out of them. In fact, more than 60 enemies behind him provided some answers on how to properly use most of his abilities to his advantage.


    Noticing differences, slight emotional distress or changes was an excellent hint for counterattacks or attacking at weak points. Soul Read was creating a different approach to battles than without it. Mana Detection was many times worse than Sonar, which was an excellent tool against strategic fights where mana was important, rather than emotions. Such differences were the power that made stupid beasts weak, and intelligent beasts stronger.


    He will keep up with this approach without any shame.


    Mana Sonar viewed mana with the waves of his senses. Whenever he activated this ability, certain flickering lights acted in his field of vision that jumped off of the enemy or the surroundings, constructing a clear picture under his Shaping and mind. In this manner, it was similar to the Heatsight, which worked with heat alone, but he wasn''t sensible to the warmth, but to the degree of mana that was around him. How powerful and clear it was depended on the power that made Sonar work. That was his magic, partially his Will, and how or when he used it.


    One had to actually understand what one was seeing after all, as Sonar wasn''t working with eyes alone. It was very mental and every rush of Sonar was a small explosion in his mana space. It echoed far and worked better with further usees and familiarity.


    In front of Murai was no glowing sphere, hidden inside the man''s chest. There was light and quick-moving lighting instead, forming from each limb, but around them was a web of glowing veins of mana zipping around the flesh. Those weren''t notable with the naked eye thanks to the Catalysts.


    From there, he could see mana move around to each limb, making each Catalyst strong and revolving into his technique. It was continuous, meaning that there weren''t only some limitations, but it was a set of Catalysts as Murai expected.


    The ability to distinctly feel and see the flow of mana was worthy of some interest. Sensing the density and speed of their power, flow, or revolutions can allow him to discern the quality of the foe or see the incoming change of attacks.


    Against Shapers, this should be fairly overpowered, but against Handlers, it was like a cheat, making the upcoming strategies and counterattacks much easier to predict. Anything else wasn''t strong or apparent as the use and flexibility of the Mana Sonar.


    On the offensive side, the familiarity over the Beak''s Blitz was up to his wild standards. Murai was quite flexible with his attacking patterns, 3 sets of inputs, and one tasty surprise in the end. Blitz can fuse and absorb damage after every clash, increasing the might of his attacks instead. That was unlike what his Peak could do, so he was happy to try anything it could do.


    In a weird sense, Blitz was akin to swordsmanship, but it was part of his body.


    So what to make of it?


    Blitz was limited to the way his neck allowed him to move, while the only token of disadvantage was how he could move or not. His neck was an issue, and so were his feet or wings that affected his movements.


    He could move his whole body alongside the swiping, stabbing, and slashing motions with his beak, adding some momentum and weight to each swipe. Blitz took it all in, unleashing the power, and absorbing the momentum and each clash added to its strength. Releasing it all was unexpected but not a bad feeling.


    Soul Read made up for the rest of the situations, albeit it was mostly useless against chaotic and dumb foes. There were a few ambushing foes in a couple of Islands filled with vegetation or deep fog or darkness. In those cases, Sonar or Soul Read proved to be capable of helping him finish those than anything else. He could sense the hiding foes like few beings could.


    As for his spells or mana-indulging abilities, Murai didn''t work with a huge variety of things, albeit some Mana Arrows were often useful. He was more curious about the Heavely Shaping Tome that was on top of his mind. It was something he wanted to read or research while Gate 2 was ongoing, but he had foes to beat first.

 Chapter 136: Duck vs Man - Part 2

    For the time being, Murai had no desire to try Heavenly Shaping. It was true that it was interesting, as its premise laid the foundation for the Beast Sect somewhere in the far past. But he was almost certain it was nothing groundbreaking for him and his own experience or history. He saw and lived through so many things, although not in this world, that his expectations and perception were all different.


    Thus, it was a good thing to have it stored in Lisa''s hands, because he surely didn''t want to lose it in this Gate.


    It will await for a better time when he will want to care for it. Which may be soon around the corner, because the balancing factors of the other half of Islands of Greatness were yet to show their fangs. It won''t be easy. Difficulties will arrive, time will become more important, and foes will be much harder to seek and defeat.


    That was why the time between the Islands was essential. One shouldn''t need to hurry ahead all that much. Resting, use of potions, and management of stamina were all important at this Gate.


    One should think twice before being confident and go into the upper Islands ranging from 70 to 90, while what was further was another thing.


    Time was what made this Gate challenging, as the rules stood strong, and going to the end was a very important aspect to get this over with. It was all about survival, power, stubbornness, and resources.


    Mana wasn''t truly an issue to anyone, as this place made sure to provide enough of its flow. But it was also a hidden poison, capable of punishing cheeky mages whose bodies or Shaping may not last that long under their control. This environment could crack them like the flow that was significantly enchanted under the partial blessings and marks. Because of that, Gate 1 was actually very easy because of the limited fight, whereas Islands of Greatness were much harder.


    Lack of experience, preparations, and fighting capabilities were a major reason many failed in their attempts. This one had it worse because of the continuous journey ahead, making it one of the hardest among the Gate 2s in terms of viability.


    But for those who sought out this challenge while being prepared, it meant massive opportunity. Lisa didn''t mention these aspects to Murai yet, albeit she knew all about it. There was no need for that because she knew he needed these experiences like anything else. She needed to see his resolve and power.


    What else did he need?


    Resources may be an issue since there was almost no way to escape the Islands, replenish the potions, or gather food. One can only rest between the Islands, provide for oneself, eat, drink, and sleep, or fight until the bitter end.


    One might get some loot to help with that, or one might try eating opponents after the accomplished Islands. Not everyone did that, however. Most wouldn''t bear the cost of losing the Mana Essence because of eating a defeated opponent.


    Giving up was also a highly viable option, since one may get stuck on certain Islands for days because enemies won''t ever become easier. Anyone could always repeat the failed Islands, as long as one wanted or could.


    Stored out of this Island and in Lisa''s hands, Heavenly Shaping awaited. Surprisingly, even Lisa agreed to let that be for the time being, even though she urged him to look at it between some Islands when they had time to waste. But he acted hesitantly, thinking that it was important to act with what he already had before thinking of something new.


    Sonar and Blitz were that, but pretty much anything went under his mind. Be it Arrows, Blades, or Flame Shots.


    It was important to focus on them, finding their footing, aspects, chances, and relations to his current body. In the past hours before his brief sleep, Murai was rather stern-faced, filled with rare optimism, internal cheers to hype himself up, and desires to fight. His new toys to handle these foes made him like that.


    He didn''t question himself all that much because of that. He was even thinking less poorly of his little physique, which was strange. Perhaps there was some neatness into killing those larger than his size, so coming up with shortcuts and ways to kill those cheeky foes¡ªwho thought they were more powerful than him¡ªmade this unnaturally enjoyable.


    Murai was kind of glad that each Island was very private as well, giving him time away from Lorry or Lisa. He bet they would annoy him if they chirped around him when fighting. A pure duel where either side won or lost was as simple as time can get.


    Feeling his chances slip nowhere, Murai refocused on his fight and decided to push against the Lighting Vortex Fists with a glistering beak. Blitz was an ongoing ability that wouldn''t end that easily, so when he stepped forth, he clashed against the lighting.


    Or did the lighting clash against him instead? It did feel like exploding swirls of lighting snakes all over him.


    Feet pushing against the sand, he readied his body to take this man''s technique with his own. A single step became another one, and his Blitz pushed the fists in each step, forcing the man to take a step back. He was losing his footing, so he changed his stance. He backed away a couple of steps, leaving Murai almost stumbling as he tensed up in his stance.


    ¡°A-alright. Let''s calm...¡± The man pulled both hands high in the air, looking like he was about to make a hug. Vortexes glistered in light and power, influencing his every action in power and cracking sounds. ¡°Down!¡± he smashed his own face, cracking his skin, and letting blood drip from his mouth and nose. He needed this simple act to calm down for some reason, but he went way overboard.


    Retracting the palms in a mere moment after the pain and blood went away, the man positioned his body into the proper posture of a warrior who had a lot to lose. He hadn''t got much of that, however. Just a life and some merits for Hell Haven was up to his life, Mindarch, and some weird politics that ruled this temple. He wasn''t important. He was a simple foolish tool that lived off of the battles and services that were far from freedom.


    He wore a calm face this time, appearing almost too cold as he forcefully calmed his raging heart. Being stunned was a terrible action when battling, but emotions can strike a master or even a fool. There was a clear line between them, so mastering one''s emotions meant growth and more opportunities.


    Murai would agree with that, and even pat this man''s shoulder in understanding if he had time for that.


    This man felt ashamed that he acted like a fool before, even though the validity of his action did seem normal. They were that and weren''t at the same time, as his normal time clashes against something far above his little life.


    ¡°Anatidae...¡± He mumbled, knowing that this worthy opponent''s level didn''t mean clear rules in this world. His level may be higher, but it perhaps didn''t mean shit. 17 was just a number, albeit it was unnaturally low in the grand scheme of things, as it was reading of one''s might, achievement, battles, options, abilities, and time. Hence, Murai''s time may be lacking, and thus level was low.


    There were talents and grades that spoke of more meaning, and everything about species, races, and achievements was important. Evolution did change it slightly, turning what one may consider normal to another level, but there was something hard to calculate.


    Those were the souls, skills, and experiences.


    Murai stood on top of the sand, feeling the ground below him with quite a hostility after he almost fell face down to the ground. The sand wasn''t a good place to fight for him. His legs may be flat, but they still had diminishing stability for his stature. The membranes between his clawed fingers did at least improve this issue.


    Still, it wasn''t as good as standing on firm ground that was in the majority of the previous Islands.


    On the opposing side, his opponent was barefoot, forgetting some layers of Vortexes that were obscuring his skin. But one thing was clear. He had no issue with the sand whatsoever. After all, he had a well above-average build for a man of the human race, allowing him to be more than capable in any setting.


    The steady and easy movement went along his long legs and strong core, so in this environment, he held an advantage against a duck. It was the truth regardless of what an Anatidae was, but he still felt some doubts.


    He was the first intelligent foe that Murai was fighting in this place.


    ¡°Sorry for this sorry state.¡± the man apologized after spitting some blood on the sand. Crouching down, he let down both of his hands, making a stance as if he were a swimmer ready to dive forward. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, the Vortexes around his fists exploded. Gusts of wind pushed against the ground and Murai alike, blasting sand and dust from the ground up, enveloping dozens of meters around them in lighting sandstrom.


    Murai didn''t panic. He was surprised to see that amidst this storm that did push him away, there was a flow obscuring his Sonar.


    He could no longer pinpoint the man''s location or body with it alone. There was way too much clutter for his Sonar to work with, flooding his brain with unnecessary information that he couldn''t overcome in a couple of seconds. This was where training and familiarity mattered.


    It was also the first flaw of the Mana Sonar he had discovered, as this was the first enemy that held mana of much better quality and handling. Murai appreciated that since it seemed his enemy knew how to hide and use mana to his advantage.


    This should challenge his senses, strategy, or limits.


    Alas, what the man didn''t expect was Murai''s other ability that moved within the perceptions and surveillance and not mana. A passive ability like a Soul Read noticed flaring emotions and Will in the storm, looking like a dot, voice, or the shimmering presence of a stressed man. It held a savage appearance like a tiger that wanted to pounce on its foe.


    Then, it moved.


    The man jumped inside the sandstorm in one big leap, aiming his lighting-enveloped hands like a hammer at Murai. He almost seemed to fly at him instead, but his leap did indeed work like that because his legs weren''t on the ground.


    Murai calculated his actions under a breath, knowing the direction of the attack, but not its power. There were numerous methods to dodge, deflect, move, or solve this as easily as possible. Plan was one thing; action was another. Realizing and creating the aftermath, or actually doing things accordingly differentiated fools and strategists.


    In this split second, his foe arrived with his lighting fist, wanting to devour and kill him like a cracking lightning storm, or a Trial Storm. Lighting arrived and danced around, but the fists were yet to hit Murai''s body.


    He stood still, bracing his beak to take this foolish hit. The man noticed the shimmering mana undulations coming off a little beak that wanted a piece of him. It was channeling Beak''s Peak for more than a second, which meant he let go of his Blitz. There was no backlash.


    Weirdly, there was some weird consensus of his beak-related abilities that allowed his Peak to be faster in channeling after turning the Blitz off. He barely channeled it for a second, yet he felt it was thrice more effective. That meant almost 3 seconds of flow that Murai put under his improving arsenal, albeit it meant Blitz and its accumulation of power became useless. Peak was more limiting and stressful for his movement and body, but it wasn''t that bad.


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    In a good timing and position, using it was a suitable choice.


    His Peak was his highest offensive-based ability. If properly used, of course.


    Depending on the channeling, it contained quite a massive amount of power in a small-looking beak. Blitz was very different from it. And since the man took his time to attack, Murai wasn''t so stupid to go easy on anyone who barged at him without stopping or holding back.


    He liked it this way.


    So he will be trying his best against this cheeky man. It was neither a punishment nor a killing. He simply hoped he would take it in one piece since he had never had a proper chance to seek the limits of what his Peak could crack. Until now.


    He already tried his Peak in many of the past Islands, but the enemies became a mess after testing the limits of the Peak.


    This situation presented itself upon him like the finest of gifts. Hence, he almost giggled upon the activated Peak that met the swirling storm of both fists that appeared like one large storm.


    The man came like a rocket at him, forcing his both hands upon a little duck that was at least 4 times smaller than his vortexes combined together. Alas, the size wasn''t everything in the arts of war. This was more than truthful in both of their minds.


    Murai had the physicality of a normal-sized duck. Physical-based limits and weight were problems he couldn''t change.


    The vortexes were an accumulation of powerful revolving mana around the bracelet Catalysts. It focused on them, making his move even bigger, but bigger wasn''t always better. He needed to hit, but weirdly enough, his little enemy took this wild hit head-on. He had expected some problem to arrive in some form, but he hadn''t expected this.


    The moment he decided on his ability called Meteor Rush, he knew there was no coming back. He attacked straight like he preferred, crashing to the Peak.


    And no explosion came from the impact of both moves, unlike the last time. Instead, there were countless crackling lighting noises, shuddering the ground in amassing power that focused on this clash.


    The man felt a very powerful physical power moving against his Meteor Rush, but it didn''t stop him from moving entirely. He went forward upon the impact. Just for a couple of moments, before he felt pain in his arms that went against the Peak. His eyes turned out to be quite useless when vortex brightness outshined his vision, so he wasn''t entirely sure what Murai was doing.


    Lighting cracked the space around them, leaving the sandy ground moving away like waves. Surprisingly, the aftermath was a relatively clean standstill, where both sides kept clashing and challenging the other.


    Murai did move a few steps back after his Peak ended imputing a large amount of physical and mana-based power forward. He was still standing, neck screaming, legs tightening, and Peak rumbling. He can still go on, even though he always felt weird after fully immersing his attention in the Peak. It always wanted him to keep going, flooding his mana onwards, which in turn stressed his neck and spine.


    But it worked at last! The foe wasn''t dying like a fool.


    He wished for a laugh, but the aftermath of this clash changed his foe. He pushed forth as he felt slowly creeping instabilities under his Meteor Rush because of the Peak that crushed into it like a thin arrow. But the arrow felt like a sharp mountain.


    Murai still had his lacking weight, which felt worse because of the physique and weight his foe had. He dug his legs into the sand thanks to his claws at each end of his feet, stopping the push the man enforced. Peak and his stubbornness stopped the rest.


    This simple decision allowed him to withstand this impact much better, as it was indeed overpowering him in physical limits, while the lighting moved to his body too, digging into him, trying to cut his feathers and smash his head.


    He hadn''t felt such continuous pain in a long time, and even his Robust Spirit didn''t seem to be that helpful. So when the lighting cruised around his feathers, many became strained in shock and physical power that was both sharp and heavy. Feathers took it head-on like his mind, diminishing the Metor Rush by more than half, if not more.


    His mass always left him much to be desired. Weight problems kept pestering his senses, making all kinds of attacking moves kind of bad. His memories held many fighting styles, but most of them weren''t feasible for this life at all. He could change a few to new lengths, improving many aspects of them for his species or benefits.


    There were countless techniques in the universe.


    A duck should be... something else. Perhaps he can''t take them.


    But Murai already figured out some method to truly shine like a duck, albeit not with his past techniques in mind. The gifts this world was giving him comprised the majority of what he held, forcing him to reform the ideology he used in most of his lives. Then, mana was at least something he could always rely on, as it was the constant rule in the universe, flowing in the neverending flow.


    Having a light body was an issue that could be fixed. It was clear there might be changes or powers that his body could handle. They weren''t coming or were clear, which was a problem for now or another time. He would prefer a change of some kind, otherwise, he will go insane in his weight.


    Would an evolution solve that problem?


    It could, but he had yet to believe its power that he tasted just once. Perhaps he was just nitpicky about it. Doubtful. His strength wasn''t lacking at all, which was obvious by this simple clash, similar to his mind that kept underestimating the term: Anatidae. They were ducks in physicality, but their attitude and legacy were deeper than his expectations or ideas.


    On the opposite side of him, the man pushed his legs on the ground, squinting his eyes, and pushing his Metor Rush forth. Like the Peak, it was wild power that rushed forth in momentum and his limit.


    Murai felt his mana amidst too bright light, as Sonar wasn''t too bothered about it.


    Swirling and cracking vortex kept spinning, cutting, and turning into shattering lighting cracks in mid-air, creating power that would obliterate a foe around level 40. They pushed against Murai too, but most of them cracked to particles when hitting the beak, or gliding off of his feathers which were much more tensed up than before.


    Meteor Rush could even obliterate a small hill or rocky mountain. It should be impressive and enough of an answer to see the limits of what this world had.


    This man was this powerful, yet still a slave? He pushed against him, who was basically Anatidae Child, yet hadn''t wounded him?


    Though, perhaps only this man knew the answer to what was life in Hell and this world like. Murai didn''t know or read much into it. Perhaps he wasn''t even interested in his life story.


    And the man hardly had time for such thoughts, when he felt the tip of the beak, striking, and going against this Meteor Rush without any cracks. It was still pushing and defying the sharp rotation that stormed sharp cracks forward. They were sharp and powerful effects of lighting.


    It should''ve long cracked this foe, or at least cut into it, wounding the flesh.


    Beak''s Peak was still ongoing in its flow and Murai kept his feet and neck tight. He put more mana into it, feeling his limits and his foe. The Vortexes were turning weaker, slowing in rotation and some cracks thinned out. The end was nearing in just a few seconds over this short exchange.


    Murai decided on endurance, focusing on his body so he wouldn''t destabilize his own posture. He was too close to flying backward, so keeping Peak going was crashing those lighting cracks better than he thought, but it was all because he kept going without stopping or changing his angles.


    It was as straight as it got, and unlike many instances, he didn''t use his Peak in a mere moment to crash a foe to pieces. It was a clear indication that Meteor Rush was good enough to limit his Peak, albeit the mana consumption to power the Peak wasn''t small.


    5 seconds had passed since he had unleashed it, which was longer than his usual. Peal clashes. Its full power was diminishing because its channeling wasn''t proper and long, giving Murai a great indication of its limits, his body, and the worth of this clash. It was draining, but it didn''t feel wrong.


    He felt he could keep at this for longer. Not forever, unfortunately.


    Murai was going all out like his foe, crashing dissatisfaction away like the cracks that his feathers smacked aside. He knew he had plenty of more powerful foes before him, but he didn''t care. There were more Islands left.


    The crackling lighting clash went on and on, giving him suffering, trial, and training, but he wasn''t faltering just because of some searing and sharp pain.


    He survived much worse. Against this attack, which was most likely the toughest kind he had met head-on in this life, he didn''t want to lose. Though, in the past, he met similar situations to this, the context of this fight mattered to him more than the truth. He had limited abilities and power in the past. Razmund crushed him like a toy, and Regators stormed him like a fool, wounding him in many layers.


    Now, he had plenty to work with. It demonstrated his resolve and improvement, implying that persisting in his living gave him a better time after all. Or going by Lisa''s suggestion wouldn''t hurt either, perhaps.


    No... Not that. The world will end before he will accept her suggestions like a piece of meat.


    At last, the first to lose control was the Meteor Rush. The cracks almost all dissolved all of a sudden, leaving the man''s bare fist to smack against the Peak, leading to cracking sounds, when flesh met the unnatural sturdiness. Bones broke, blood flew, and both forces clashed for the latest time.


    The backlash of the Vortex Shaping had started soon enough, grinding the man''s body in many layers of wounds that went around his legs and upper body. The worst were the hands, as even his Catalysts cracked slightly under the Peak''s pressure.


    Murai wasn''t having any second thoughts, similar to the man who forced his hand to act just in time. He had still 2 Catalysts left, which he used when his fists failed. Pushing himself a step backward, he kicked the ground and put a knee downwards, creating a lighting crackling vortex around it, appearing like a spear. It went straight to Murai who was slightly off from the course of his Peak. That fist took the majority of his attention, and he pulled away his Sonar long ago because he didn''t need it in such a direct confrontation.


    But his eyes still looked; his body ached.


    The brightness of the lighting also decreased, which helped both of them.


    His Peak had enough time and power to act. His neck had enough flexibility, so he flexed his legs in the sand, charging and swinging his neck when Meteor Rush ceased to exist. He went for the kill, but that knee went for him instead.


    He struck the Spear Vortex with his beak, leaving the last exchange up to luck and his diminishing Peak.


    An explosion rang in the arena, creating fissures of lighting in the ground and the air, pushing the sand away. Then, the Peak lost control, but not before the man lost the feeling of his mana. Lighting cracked like his bones and Peak hit his legs like the backlash, shooting him into the opposite side of the arena.


    Gliding through the sand, he left blood and dust behind, revealing his pained and disappointed expression. Although he got back to his feet in a mere 2 seconds upon the stop, he felt like a fool when he could''ve done this attack differently. His right knee was bleeding, bones shrieked, and he barely stood straight.


    Staggering on his legs, he didn''t care for a bloody hole in his leg, along with a broken knee. His control over the mana still held a few sparkling vortexes around his feet, albeit those were negligible; almost in the bright of going out of control.


    But this was an advantage of the Handlers, as they didn''t have to care for the Mana Core in their bodies. They can stop the mana flow anytime they want, allowing their bodies to be without mana.


    However, it also depended on their Catalysts and how well they controlled mana flow. It seemed this man put a lot of effort into these few exchanges and his arms, leaving them basically crippled and broken as he failed. It was his choice, which ended his chances and the whole fight.


    Trembling, he looked at his bloody hands. His fingers were broken, but not so much to reveal bones or flesh. That was at least a piece of good news, as he didn''t mind this aftermath of going all out. Before thinking of something else, or expecting the incoming gesture to be not like before, the man no longer hesitated and spoke his will, just as he felt the pressure rising and Arrow hitting his head. ¡°I give up.¡±


    His words were kind of reluctant and unfortunate, leaving Murai standing far away in silence. He was still processing what he had done. He had no intention of forcing the situation out of his inability to finish this foe for good.m, so he stopped his Mana Arrow in time. After all, he went all out himself, yet he didn''t kill this foe. There were no excuses when the fight ended and his foe gave up.


    For all he wanted to care about, the results of this fight exceeded his expectations. Killing or not, some greater bonuses weren''t that enticing when other Islands must hold similar or better foes. So, he let the man deal with the defeat as he wished, and it was clear that his hands, body, and mana were out of the question. He was shambles too, which Murai quickly uncovered by his Sonar.


    He was in a worse state than himself.


    The man had nothing on him whatsoever apart from the Catalysts and barely any clothes. No potions or recovery items were there for his help, leaving him in acceptable defeat that he took in silence. He looked at the standing duck quite some distance away. It was still in one piece, ready for some fighting as he feared.


    ¡°I am sorry to show such a quick battle, but that''s just how this sort of fighting goes. I would only regret forcing myself to continue with these hands.¡± the man shoved his twisted arms forward, almost smiling as he did so. ¡°F-fret not, sir Anatidae. I am sure this Gate will not be an issue for you. There are much bigger fishes in the upcoming ones, albeit this one...¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± a shrill voice sounded from behind Murai, who turned to notice floating Lorry who growled at the man. At some point, Space Cage disappeared.


    ¡°Oh, a Guide? Am I not supposed to talk, huh? Wait I can! I heard I...¡± the man argued.


    ¡°Shut the fuck up, slave number 408!¡± Lorry snapped, unwilling to let the man do his job. After all, since Lorry was in the presence of Lisa, who kept pestering his working manners, he had no inclination to leave others to talk and reveal any information if Lorry could do so himself. That''s why he barked at the man, who seemed to be a slave number 408 without a name to his soul.


    ¡°R-right... Here is the Key, at least.¡± Slave 408 tosed a small token toward Murai. It was a round metallic object with a branch coming from one side. Murai didn''t catch it as it landed before him. This situation had resolved itself.


    He had won fair and square, so he let go of every fighting spirit he had. Calming his core, body, and beak, he almost stumbled to the ground.


    He hadn''t noticed how tired he was, how stressed his neck and feathers felt, and how wild his mana cycled in his mana space.

 chapter 137: A Key

    Tired or not, Murai still squeezed his mana, even if he had trouble with the fatigue of those lightning strikes. Glancing at the Key on the ground, he wondered what that was about. ¡°A Key?¡± Mindarch mentioned something about some Key, but it was nothing else than barebone words. There was also some Question Mark, poising as an information request or some trade for information.


    ¡°Should be something exciting for your part.¡± Lisa suddenly whispered to his ears, floating behind him and pointing to the man. ¡°Not for him, though. He lost this to you. He is the loser from Hell.¡± At some point, the Space Cage ceased to exist, letting her and Lorry in. Murai hadn''t noticed it.


    Lisa didn''t understand everything that had occurred here, but she already got an idea from watching the surroundings and both sides of this conflict.


    Murai wasn''t looking the best, but he was far better than his foe.


    At the end of 68th Island, slave 408 gave up after being unwilling to break his body more. It wasn''t ironic or good. Sometimes, it wasn''t good to turn things unsightly further.


    ¡°So, this is it?¡± Murai asked vaguely, feeling that this was a bit underwhelming end of this clash. Noticing Lisa, who retrieved the Key from the ground, he still wondered if it was something good or an incoming disappointment.


    Lorry floated forward to scold the man some more, blabbering nonsense as if he was a fool deserving some punishment. But it wasn''t fitting, as the man had his own stakes made by Mindarch, so he hardly cared for Lorry''s blabbering nonsense. He had to be silent, accepting this nonsense unless he wished to bear the results of his defiance. Lorry shouldn''t be like this, although he enjoyed this far too much.


    ¡°Well, I learned but not earned quite well out of this mission, so calling it great is more than good. Good fight deserves proper aftermatch.¡± Slave 408 nodded to himself, even though he felt every kind of pain all over his body. He wanted to take a step forward and kneel before one of his superiors, but he smacked his upper body down instead. His legs were deeply submerged in the sand and his wounds were deep.


    Smacking his face to the ground, he smiled while feeling the sand in his eyes, mouth, and nose.


    ¡°You fool!¡± Lorry cursed him as he had more words to tell to his face.


    ¡°Alright. I may not stand straight.¡± He said as sand pressed on his face. His last remaining mentions of his Vortexe Shaping ceased to exist next, going into the remains of the Catalysts that will need some extensive repairs. ¡°Righ. I forgot. I suppose sir Guide doesn''t have to be mad anymore, but the mighty Mindarch did serve me a mission. I served my purpose already, giving up to gain nothing in return.¡±


    ¡°R-return? Lorry will make sure 408 will get a proper punishment in return!¡± Lorry shouted, not one bit ashamed to be like this. Considering any common sense outside or within the norm, every piece of interest from the Hell Haven had stakes involved in such Gates and Challengers.


    This place held pivotal importance to Levandis and her forces. Challengers from the Surface were just mild additions that she was forced to accept, but the majority of Challengers were her own troops.


    Her own forces were coming to this place in steady numbers, creating a flow she proclaimed to be the best way to give them strength. Mindarch ran this place like works of Law, so it was possible all because of him.


    The fact was, that the man facing the ground was a slave to much more than this entire situation. He knew it as he accepted it long ago, but he couldn''t help feeling the coldness, hotness, and sharpness of the sand on his face. He lost something he worked hard for and he couldn''t do anything about it.


    Everything was fair.


    The terms around slavery were widespread around the Battleworld. He was a mere warrior in many instances of wars and conflicts, meant to follow the powers that wanted his mercenary and adventure status. He lost his way against Hell, becoming a war slave afterward. Servitude was war slaves'' description, as they were contractually obliged to be slaves, but war was a word with a different meaning from eternal slaves.


    For slaves to fight for their captors or buyers, was normal across the board.


    But war slaves weren''t individuals who were deeply rooted in slavery. They still held their heads high, hoping to achieve their freedom by any means necessary. It was often extensive and hard, met with demise and problems of all kinds, but they could gain their freedom back.


    War slavery provided a lot of benefits on many fronts. It wasn''t far from giving prisoners of war some meaning and not becoming enemies of winners was good. From monetary incentives to fighting and resources, it was an effective way to make armies, forces, or gangs.


    There were always contracts involved, but they were hardly very deep or complicated. After all, the roots of the war slaves were smooth and easy to understand. A winner dictated the rules. As long as they served well, they held a chance to gain freedom, means of progression, and other chances.


    And in Hells, this position wasn''t overly dramatic or terrible. It was just different.


    Having limited freedom wasn''t so different from being a follower of some power, but even amongst them or their captors, there were differences. Some were no different from slaves because they lacked talents or status. Others were not far from being subordinates that could outgrow their slave status.


    However, it still worked strangely because Battleworld was a very diverse world where many races acted around many other races, making up all kinds of powers. It put additional complications to already established politics, making wars for resources, people, and power difficult topics to understand.


    Gods were also not against it, so the ending result was an overlapping interest from people and many races. Hence, slave markets were almost in every corner of the world.


    It also made sense there were many beings against it, but since the majority preferred not changing the already established status quo, it didn''t change. So in some twisted way of force, it was a reminder of how power ruled the world and how weaklings had to adjust to those in power. Where power ruled over the others, the winners were powerful.


    Murai understood it straight away after hearing the mention of slavery from Iris. This man before him was no sorry fool. He just lost his ways because he was either too weak, or made wrong enemies. Murai knew this sort of thing wasn''t a rare sight. Similar to everything drifting in the worlds in the universe, all intelligent creatures had some form of this problem. Diversity created drama, power established the status quo, and intelligence provided a constant loop.


    There was no denying it. It was how it went and will go.


    Glancing at his body and forcing his legs out of the miserable sand, Murai stood up and shook his feathers like a duck diving out of the water. He was all dusty and filthy, and he barely calmed the sudden surge of exhaustion out of his mind. He was proud after winning this fight without a single significant wound on his body.


    But he still felt tired from the inside out, knowing that he strained his core a little after pushing his Peak to its limit. However, most of it was caused by enduring the Vortex Shaping that not only pushed against his Peak, it tested his body.


    He felt it more than he enjoyed.


    Those lighting shredding strikes hurt him, chipping into his Will and spirit, and punishing him bit by bit over a long period of time which ended up being quite a lot at the end. Straining his feathers, neck, and legs, he didn''t remember a single attack from his past foes in this Gate that forced him in this way.


    And there were supposed to be more of these guys?


    He wasn''t sure if he should smile or cry.


    His beak was the main endurant of most of this Island, but it was as if it hadn''t gone against a too-powerful spell. It was still straight, strong as always, while a simple shake of his body reformed his featherful appearance, although his feathers were still looking a little chaotic. It looked like that wasn''t a problem for him. Not when he was still a duck. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He scanned his inside and figured out everything about his condition. He was actually far from a pristine condition.


    He spent more than 5 Islands'' worth of effort on this Island alone, and it ran his mind wild how he had done it. A little bit of strain and effort, and everything turned up a notch.


    It was a great reminder that he needed. In order to get going with his Shaping and power, challenges such as these were necessary.


    Well, this worked well. At least my Peak has truly outshined my ideas. Going for a second-long channeling after Blitz does seem to have its limit, but when I put more mana into Peak afterward, it is like adding fuel to a rough flame. It outputs a lot of mana through my core, going to the spine, neck, and beak. Attacking and its use is unlike the Blitz. They have different conditions, but similar styles make the adjustments hard to tame. It needs proper form. He thought as he spread his wings, and stretched his body to feel his physical conditions.


    Lisa was silent behind his side, wondering something as she usually did.


    ¡°Feel you got left out?¡± Murai asked her because she was unusually silent.


    ¡°Nothing more than the sun shining down.¡± She snorted and held the Key with disinterest. ¡°On the contrary, you look worse than usual. Was it that hard to touch your limits? What have you done anyway? That slave is in quite some tatters for level 40-something Handler.¡±


    ¡°Crashed him enough.¡±


    ¡°You look like that yourself.¡±


    Murai chuckled, thinking that she may be correct. He slept before this island, yet he felt he needed even more rest after a single Island afterward. He felt like laughing indeed. So he proceeded towards the source of this mess, or at least part of it. He walked fine, but deep down, his core rumbled and his bones ached.


    ¡°What is this, Lorry? Stop pestering this broken man.¡± He quacked.


    Lorry turned to Murai, unwilling to let this slave go without further reminders. There was a clear status hierarchy that Slave 408 adhered to. How it went was mostly convenient to the top brackets of any hierarchy, but with any loss came consequences. Slave 408 couldn''t get to his feet, nor did he care for it.


    ¡°Right. Hph! Murai is right to let go of unnecessary things, much to 408''s pleasure, Lorry presume?¡±


    The man kept his attention sharp, albeit his body was far away from it. He had a few issues with mental strains or his mouth. ¡°Oh, so the name is Murai? Good. Good. This has been a good battle, sir Murai!¡± he said through the sand, trying to shout but it wasn''t all that successful. ¡°I hope your remaining battles will be as good as this one, and don''t feel one bit like holding back! I swear I will let this story of another Anatidae fighting in this temple rise into the Hell Haven! On my name of a Long Zi.¡±


    ¡°Long Zi?¡± Murai almost burst into a laugh after hearing his name. It had some funny implications in a few languages he knew. In a rough translation, it meant a long dick or a nose. Neither was probably too accurate, but Murai wasn''t curious about finding the languages right or wrong.


    At least the latter was clearly false since Long Zi had ordinary features, making him not ugly or handsome per se. However, Murai wasn''t one to judge one''s appearance because he was a duck himself.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Well then. Tell him that I am glad that he takes this loss this way, but what is that Key? A good fight is good, but I still wished for more.¡± Murai ordered Lorry, who gulped his words down, no longer willing to talk down on Long Zi. He told what Murai said, leaving a deep impression on Long Zi''s face, who appeared to be humbled for some reason, even though he was a talent rising in the Hell Haven.


    At this point, a successful message was put forth by Mindarch, shaking everyone on the ground as his thunderous messages spread.


    [68th Island has been completed. Excellent job as always Citizen M, albeit with a side of failure from our side.]


    [A double point bonus has been applied.]


    [Points have been recalculated.]


    [Tier: Satisfactory.]


    ¡°What about that key?¡± Murai asked again as if he hoped for an answer.


    Surprisingly, Mindarch answered it. [It is an additional bonus that has been seen, but the fight has been accomplished, albeit not killed. A Key is a token of accomplishment, as our side has certain privileges and options besides taking Challengers from the Surface. Slave 408 is a taker of different paths of this temple and Gates. With this battle, he loses part of his hope, giving up on a retrieved Key that means some chances and wealth.]


    [It is called a Key for a reason, as it opens up a place of specialized treasures at the end of Gate 2.]


    Murai wasn''t all that happy to hear it meant something after enduring all of these Islands in this Gate. He enjoyed immediate rewards, rather than those that would be interesting later.


    [Additional information reveals a vast degree of greater accomplishment, coming from battles or luck. Keys can be found in specialized islands, fallen foes, or even further Gates down below that point into better Keys. They can be exchanged in the temple alone, or spent by special circumstances that I, great Mindarch, can grant alone.]


    [It requires luck, or a very specified set of information upon entering and accomplishing the Gates across this temple. Special rewards rooms all act in tougher pictures, forming a desire that many want to seek and get. It is all about the Artifacts after all! A treasure that could change the men''s hearts.]


    [Also, some of the enemies may drop variants of the Keys that may give different chances or different brackets of the rewards, depending on the level and difficulties up to the Key. The Key you''ve found on 68th Island is of Bronze Quality, allowing Citizen M to view and decide on a Level 20 Relic Artifact or below.]


    ¡°Oh! Relic Artifact? Finally, words I can get into my head. Sounds familiar. What does it mean in this context and world, Lisa? You must know how Keys or those Artifacts perform and act here, don''t you?¡± Murai sent this wonder directly to her mind.


    Lisa remained floating beside his side, handling the spatial pouch in one hand and Key that spoke of some value and rewards in another. It was rough to call it a Key, but it did look to open some sort of mechanism. Or it was a mere token that had no need for a keyhole.


    Murai wasn''t sure.


    He was convinced that such a simple-looking key must have an equally poor lock. Any proper thief would lockpick such things with ease, albeit he wasn''t one to do that, since he had no proper hands, leading to his silent disappointment that his previous self wouldn''t like.


    ¡°Of course, I know the Artifacts and what these Keys mean. They drive a pretty huge equipment base of treasures that makes equipment very powerful. Relic bracket is a basic tier to the stronger equipment with some history, reputation, or craftsmanship behind them. That makes the beginning, similar to how cores have their Initialization stages. Relic Artifacts are worthy for those below Level 50 or 60. They have levels adhering to their uses. Above them are Law Artifacts that could give someone some law powers even without handling them oneself.¡±


    ¡°Law Artifacts?¡± Murai hummed a strong impression in his mind. ¡°Sounds quite significant. How tough or great are they?¡±


    ¡°Enough to wage many valuable exchanges up to another level. Above them are already Divine Artifacts that are the tip of the interest of every Extreme and many Gods.¡±


    ¡°Divine, huh... Sounds too high for me, but it isn''t bad to know that. Seems like a familiar system to some of those I''ve known before. Relic ones shouldn''t be that poor for me. How about these Keys? Got some before?¡±


    ¡°Well, can''t say I haven''t. This Key system is possible for Gates 2 and lower. Versions or their variants matter a lot in their uses, but finding them is a different story. One needs luck or power when one sees them or knows a way to acquire them. It acts as a rare opportunity to get some specialized reward. It adds quite a bit of chaos and greed to this temple, which Hell Haven and this temple as a whole use to their advantage. Countless adventures die in the hope of finding these things because they are a huge part of motivations, similar to the essences.¡± Lisa explained it to the best ability and openness.


    ¡°Oh, so it is like this. How good it sounds. I am trembling in excitement.¡± Murai said to her mind without even wriggling his tail. He had limited desires for such treasures in reality, as he felt tired to his core and body. He doubted his body could handle these things, which meant this Key was of limited value to him.


    ¡°But you know what Relic Artifacts are, don''t you?¡± Lisa asked.


    ¡°I have my memories from many instances, but this world may have different interpretations for the treasures, tools, equipment, and so on. That is why your words surprise me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I suppose your little Iris hasn''t mentioned those, huh?¡± Lisa smirked in the reality, oblivious to Lorry who noticed their hidden exchange that he couldn''t hear. She hadn''t expected Murai to need a basic run over the equipment, but it was true she hadn''t said much to him in this regard.


    So she decided to change it right now.


    ¡°Relic Artifacts are basic treasures that are equivalent to special equipment, but they can be other things. Even talismans, some magical external techniques or treasures, and so on. They have no grading system behind them, as their levels grant them a basic scheme of what one could or couldn''t wield. Below level 50, you will be fine with any Relic Artifact. They are great tools for adventurers, albeit their styles or powers create many disparities since some could be more viable than others. Thus, their uses range below level 70 in various ways, but their level is essential.¡±


    ¡°But gradeless? Isn''t that weird if the equipment has grades but Artifacts don''t? Both sounds so similar. What is their difference?¡±


    ¡°You''ve already got some equipment up your head.¡±


    Murai paused, knowing that he hadn''t got many pieces of equipment apart from Pachi''s Gift he didn''t even have, He got a bunch of things from Gate 1 and 2. So considering the topic of the Artifacts and whatever they can gain some advantage, he was fine with their varieties and uses.


    ¡°Though so. You got one in my hand.¡± Lisa tossed a pouch up and down, giving it a good shake. ¡°Low one, but one nonetheless. It isn''t an Artifact because it has nothing much into it, obviously. Artifacts could have many visions and styles. Equipment has a physical touch to one''s body, so it holds some protecting power and very direct meaning, whereas Artifacts could be literary anything that a good crafter can mold or craft. Those could mend Paths, elements, mana, or anything. The disparity over Relic Artifacts goes within the perceptions of one''s level. For example, Relic Artifacts of level 50 are treasures sought by anyone within that same level. Many would even cherish them above that level, using them before reaching Level 70 to handle the Laws of their Path. Above level 70, Law Artifacts are out of your picture. You don''t need to know about them, correct?¡±


    Murai agreed with her. ¡°So... It''s practically nothing different? Just a tool to have? A piece of equipment or treasure to be used?¡±


    ¡°Pretty much. But it''s a bit complicated in this sense because Battleworld''s influence is shading many limits and powers in layers. I don''t think we have time to discuss too much of this topic, otherwise, we will talk for hours. I will see about it when we go and see the Artifacts out of this Key. Perhaps I can help or talk about it more. For now, you have Islands to beat, don''t you think?¡± Lisa argued, giving Murai a tough look.


    He reluctantly agreed with her once more, thinking that this topic was easily digestible and neat. But he wasn''t sure if he should start stressing his mind over the next powerful Islands.


    Lisa explained the general truths of what he was already familiar with, but the case of the additional variables that Battleworld had acted in an interesting topic.


    They could mean that Relic Artifacts had patterns with the way Battleworld acted. Could these be Boost? Some sort of dynamic layer to move along with the Path or evolutions? Could some of them benefit Blessed or Gifted differently, or have something to do with the mana under its endless circulation?


    Murai quickly went over many possibilities, wandering in his mind for answers that made his face cool-looking. He remembered the way treasures moved the worlds under his memories, and there were countless similarities to power and greed. He liked how it sounded.


    The battle was over in his body and mind, even though this was the first time he didn''t manage to kill his foe.


    However, Mindarch still gave him a Satisfactory result, which made him wonder how these results and points acted. Unfortunately, he hadn''t got much out of this, since points weren''t important or spoke out loud. He had no idea how many he had, and he even doubted knowing them would change his actions or Islands.


    So Murai went ahead, forgetting the Key he got, or points that could be important, but Lisa hadn''t mentioned what wasn''t needed.


    Murai doubted Artifacts would help his current body, similar to the equipment. Nothing much should be helpful for a duck who was too ridiculous to wield them anyway. He knew better than that. If the key meant something to the current him, it can be soon negligible or useless. So it wasn''t time to look at the teeth of a horse. He glanced at the half-naked Long Zi, who kept glancing at him from the corners of his eyes, half sunken to the sand


    Somewhat, he pushed his face from the sand, sitting down on his knees, wishing to look at his powerful foe that cracked his strongest and newest techniques. He held a certain meaningful and interesting glint in his eyes that Murai quite liked.


    Alas, he was a slave of this temple, and that was where this issue started and ended. He was a war slave, so that left him nothing but suffering or endless run toward his freedom that was at the hands of others, or himself.


    [Before it all resolves and Citizen M leaves this Island.] Mindarch spoke like a thunder hitting a roof. [I do want to point to Question Mark.]


    ¡°Mark, huh?¡± Murai mumbled as he glanced into the air where the voice came from. Nothing or no one was visible, of course, but Murai got a hunch that this weird entity was very strange like Will of the Battleworld itself.


    [There are choices for you. State your question or topic right now, or wait for a better time. On that note, Citizen M should know that this Question Mark is only available at this Gate. As long as its validity is correct, anything shall be portrayed, as information is knowledge and not a tool for war.]


    ¡°Now or later,¡± Lisa whispered behind Murai. ¡°I suggest taking good care of a topic. Don''t regret trying, but regret voicing something stupid. Information requests are kind of rare. Think twice before quacking aloud.¡±


    Murai had no need for her reminder. He had already chosen his answer.


    ¡°Later then, Mindarch.¡± He said. ¡°Though, the Key is in my hand now.¡±


    [Very well. State the willingness by voice and I, great Mindarch, shall respond.]


    [In a picture of the Key, the ending choices are at the end of Islands of Greatness.]


    [Now, choose your next destination!]


    Around the perimeters of the stone walls of the arena, stone walls rumbled, revealing 5 dark tunnels. Murai looked at them, not knowing which to choose. He glanced at Lorry, giving him a meaningful glance.


    ¡°Murai is still one who shall decide on the path.¡± He flickered his skull away, looking away from his gaze and back at Long Zi.


    ¡°See you if fate brings us together again.¡± Long Zi waved at Murai, before a space storm swallowed him whole, moving him to the unknown.


    Murai saw that action without any reaction. ¡°So much for being my Guide.¡± Murai sighed. ¡°Whatever, let''s take that one from the left unless Lisa has some problems with that?¡±


    Hearing his words and seeing his head turn in her direction, Lisa shrugged, hugging the pouch where she tossed the Key. She had no idea which paths should be decent or not, as there was nothing good or bad to decide.


    Either way, the foe he will meet will be more or less the same in every choice, but the stakes or settings may differ. There were no indications of that unless one traveled between the bridges, hearing Mindarch''s every choice, or knew which Islands held what. That was too time-consuming and something that pretty much no Challenger ever did, unless one had wings of course.


    Worries about the choices didn''t matter. It was obvious to deal with whatever choice of a foe he had to deal with it, so Lisa had no intentions to decide his fate.


    So, without any reply, Murai left this Island, traveling through his choice of tunnel towards another insufferable bridge that would crush his mind and challenge his languages.


    In this fight, he gained some findings and discovered some limits. This accumulation of confidence and body will soon make some difference. It was all part of the time, which was one of the strongest pursuits of any young beasts. Especially the ones who had influential bloodlines.


    The clash against Long Zi was perfect for him to seek his prospects. Murai found exactly that, and perhaps even more since Long Zi tested everything about his body, output of mana, Sonar, and what his Peak could do. Unfortunately, Blitz or his Shaping had no time to shine, but that wasn''t that bad. He will do so at the incoming Islands, he hoped.


    That will undoubtedly help him to achieve better results in the future. That was one of the major advantages, as well as a primary reason Gate 2 was best for any battle junkies, or for someone unfamiliar with one''s Path. The constant flow of battles would improve even the laziest, untalented, and poorest bastards.


    There was no escaping if one wanted something to gain.


    Comprehensions over the battles established this place to be the best out of most beginning Gates, apart from those much lower, which held much different challenges, powers, and time.


    ***


    Meanwhile, as everything was happening with relative success in Murai''s case, the former Islands and bridges he took weren''t so calm.


    Razmund had already established his romance by restarting his hunt after his long duel with Zao. He kept going through the choices Murai had made before, cutting his savings, essences, and Ancient''s blood. Destiny Dice took it all in, giving him directions to seek.


    He cut or defeated the foes from Island to Island, reaching the 29th Island in less than a few hours. 29 didn''t mean that the Island had this number like a law. It wasn''t right. After all, each interconnected Island made all sorts of possible pathways, creating a maze of bridges. They would make numbers kind of obsolete.


    Number 29, similar to how Murai''s 68th Island established his success, meant the number of how many of them Razmund completed from the very beginning.


    He was gaining the right traction, carefully giving each foe a quick defeat or pain.


    It was relatively smoother when he went all out without giving them a lethal blow since he had to make them give up. As long as they got a taste of his power, defeating them was almost easier than killing them outright. It was the power of fear and his Path.


    At least for his current time, because he hadn''t met any foe even remotely stronger than Zao.


    He was still prone to duels after all, which was essentially the best possible fight for any swordsman.

 Chapter 138: Ending Isles

    Razmund had seen enough of this temple to know what to expect. Its reputation and history were overwhelming in the past eras, poising as a major threat in the Somalis continent.


    That started many millennia ago, at times when the Centralis Kingdom wasn''t as powerful, but the cycle of power was neverending like the time when Settling Gods came into this world from beyond. Later, there was a time when Levandis raised her power, establishing her Hell Haven that shook the Battleworld as the newest form of Hell.


    Levandis established quite some courtyards of her interest, which eventually became what it was known for. The Centralis Kingdom took advantage of the power of the Surface and their established armies and secrets. It was a worthy price, thanks to the numerous Blessed that had risen, died or turned the Battleworld upside down. Everything was moving according to godly or selfish desires.


    Razmund knew all about it thanks to his interest, curiosity, and the set of decisions he made for himself. Some Gods won''t stop him, but the status quo of such a nasty place was hard to forget or ignore. The rules of this place were firm, the same with the Battleworld and many Surface powers. Yet, an established power could Breach anything.


    So Razmund had been on his journey throughout the Islands of Greatness for a good while, cutting through them one by one. Literary when he had to, or carefully when he was forced to.


    Though he went through many of them very quickly, establishing dominance and killings, his time and opportunities moved as he expected. Not only he had far underestimated this choice of Gate 2, which was a known killer of stamina, resources, and talent, but his unique change of rules was eating into his reserves.


    100 consistent opponents was a formidable army, and there were also potential variants of exponentially bigger threats because his enemies were already on the verge of Laws.


    Level 70 was the point in 100 Levels that was very special. Meeting those above that point while being below that level was dangerous. But thanks to his Path, he was good enough to take certain leverages against that idea. Many martial-based Paths did move at different heights or lows, forming neat advantages against regular foes around level 70. Add to that he wasn''t too far from level 70, his talent, exceptional Will, and stamina, he was an excellent Blessed.


    These Islands may be a variant of the worst possible Gate 2 he could''ve gotten, but with Destiny Dice in his grip, he moved on. He thought he could afford it, which he did, but with deeply bleeding Spatial Pouches that hauled many droplets of Ancient''s Blood and a plethora of high-quality Mana Essences.


    And that was just the part of it. He cracked his head over the limits that the Voice or Mindarch forced upon him, while the bleeding resources weren''t even that bad.


    Not killing was a terrible rule or excuse to have. Especially in this sort of Gate on his level. There was no surprise in his heart that he was defying that rule, and much to the aforementioned punishments of ignoring these rules, he killed the foes that were impossible to not kill.


    Those were mostly annoying opponents, arrogant, or too bloodthirsty demons or beasts that went at him regardless of their health or life. Cutting them was fitting if they wanted to kill him too. It was hypocritical from this Gate so Razmund hated this with passion.


    Going against the rules wasn''t as dangerous of a prospect by itself if one could afford it. It wasn''t as if no-kills were a requirement that would kill him in return. That would be too harsh even against the wildest of demons. Razmund was ignoring that rule because it acted like a reminder. A simple rule that he should think about for his good.


    He shouldn''t push this rule too far beyond his limits, or he will be sorely disappointed. Going over the edge meant a certain danger, while a little bit of killings were just a knock against that rule. Everything in the heights of Gods and Dungeons had some form of rules one had to take. Going against them meant to defy, Breach, or anger things that shouldn''t be touched. Tried they might get, but only by those that could afford it.


    Razmund was somewhere between those lines, as he had ignored such rules whenever he could. He hated going against the proper flow, albeit he often regretted that more than once or thrice.


    This Gate was up there in the heights that could crush him. And it already did, but not in this Gate. Zao was a terrific opponent that should''ve killed him, crashing this whole Encounter to a sudden end and obliterating a situation that went through many hands and minds.


    But that didn''t happen, of course. Razmund carried many cards left up his sleeves, while the force of rules or going against them required further care.


    He can accept some losses.


    When he needed to, opting to use more brutal tactics was part of his Path and heart. Some temples or rules won''t change it. Holding back was often not possible against crazy foes, whereas his claymore preserved its bloodthirst like his heart, giving him often no choices.


    Regrets weren''t a fitting choice. Accepting these results was all he could muster afterward, as anger and domination swayed his art and heart, giving him a thrive that had no bounds.


    Against this temple, he shall endure his actions, even though this place was set to challenge the underlying laws that were above him. But it was all worth it. Just a few such enemies that he couldn''t ignore or force to submission wouldn''t shatter his Path.


    A place full of Chaos and those who cherished it were within his expectations.


    He anticipated worse.


    On his level, affording rules and adjusting them was much more significant than one would guess. In a place that was taking him in much higher remarks and interest, he wasn''t a normal Challenger as he hoped. His actions or acts of others changed that. Those could mean Gods, his Hell Party, or acts of the Centralis Kingdom. Those would change it more than his actions, or his 3rd-time status. Murai was also somewhere between these lines, acting as his target.


    1st or 2nd-timers were usually those who hadn''t reached that far into the Gate, challenging Levandis and her authority over this temple. Some could still go to such lengths, but it depended on their strength.


    However, 3rd-timers were different since they wouldn''t give up on their attempts. They meant troubles and true challenges because they accomplished a pair of runs with finished multiple Gates. Usually much more than 3.


    Thus, 3rd-timers were intense figures in this place, viewing it as a challenge and worthy place to establish their dominance. It was similar to how many figures across the Battleworld dived and delved into the Origin Dungeons, but in this case, this place was different. In some senses, it was full of bewitching riches and more rewarders for the cost of higher challenges. It wasn''t that old either, as it was fully under Levandis, who had the reputation of one of the strongest Hell Gods.


    Mindarch was the onlooker, the seer, and the pivotal ruler who ensured all went well. Razmund bet it was him that gifted him this kind of distaste. Such disparities from the norm were something he deserved.


    Razmund was taking them like a trial he had to fix, but not fear. As of right now, he had a rather unkept appearance on the 29th Island.


    His eyes remained gleaming in the relative darkness of the night Island, shrouded by the layers of rocky cliffs that made up a dome. Breath unsteady but at least viable for more minutes of fighting, he was looking around with his bloody unblinking eyes, knowing that the fight was over.


    He was bleeding once again. Expectedly. It was an occurrence throughout pretty much every Island because his Path established pain tolerance and endurance as one of his choice of priorities.


    Sturdiness and sword.


    That was all it needed. A neat balance of strength and endurance.


    Razmund''s Physique was taking care of most superficial wounds in seconds, but such stamina wasn''t eternal. He still ignored attacks that would be lethal or dangerous for others.


    Hundreds of little cuts and wounds smeared blood around his body, revealing droplets of blood from each cut that moved back into him at very slow speed. None of the cuts went through his skin, cutting into his bones. But it still meant he bled. He didn''t like it very much, as the searing pain going through his core and Physique felt like he was grazing magma in his flesh.


    Unblinking eyes did make him look like he was on the verge of insanity, but his mind was never so clear and focused. He was on the edge. An important time that any swordsman adored, so some loss of blood was useless to worry about since his opponent was already dead.


    He put another dent into the rules that weren''t like a curse. Smirking at the corpse of a blackish-looking mess, he accepted the dangers of not only this kill but also this demon.


    Right. A demon. His claymore had its usual crimson sheen to it when he established his Path and One Sword filled with various techniques.


    Around the Island, Blood Ponds gleamed in the dull light, giving everything a crimson hue. This was the perfect part and depiction of the demonic lands, filling this Island with death and chaos, and fueling demons to another level.


    It was what one would see in various Gates around this temple, as it was empowering for a lot of beings that called it their home. For those who liked it, it was like paradise. For those who didn''t, it was unkept and unfit for the Surface.


    Locations specifically set for demons in mind were numerous, as this was a place reconstructed for them in mind. Murai moved through this place with relative ease, unlike Razmund. Murai was partly a demon in his Bloodline, so it made sense for him to not mind such effective places that put more chaos to blood or mind. He didn''t care for it, in fact, or perhaps can''t.


    Throughout the Island, there was rough mossy ground with many old-looking bricks. Blood Ponds were accumulations of demonic mana that spoke of the bloodline of chaos, known to possess insane properties. It was very dangerous for most humans, as it was known to corrupt mind and body alike.


    Before Razmund was a corpse of a rather large demon, which of course, Murai had no way to meet or fight against. The reasons were obvious.


    It was a level 69 demon known as Karx. It looked like a mash of blackish swirling tendrils resembling a beast. Most demons resembled some sort of twisted beasts, but not all beasts resembled demons.


    Mindarch gave Razmund his style of opponents for a good while, challenging many aspects of his Path or straight up trying to crack it. It was no different from any Challanger, but the degree of it was much more intense. Most of his foes were strong members of the Hell Haven who were costly or important in armies. Killing them meant a slap at the rules.


    But that was what troublemakers do.


    Killing was a norm in all of Hell Havens or even the Surface, so Razmund was more than willing to do what he always did. And that was to do what he wanted regardless of what he was told to. It didn''t come back at him yet.


    Not killing his enemies wasn''t a style of pretty much any Challenger. It was a rare rule that Mindarch occasionally forged under unique circumstances. This was especially what Razmund deserved, as he knew about the reasons and how it happened. Centralis Kingdom had pretty much everything researched about this place to the T.


    And this won''t stop him, because it was yet to brick him like the sight of an Extreme. The situation where he killed his opponent without a shred of hesitation wasn''t a significant Breach of this rule.


    It was a slowly accumulating merit that was like a creeping curse that may come at him after going over the line.


    This line was the problem.


    He didn''t know how much he should go towards that line.


    Lint appeared from behind, flowing in all of his half-skeleton glory, and laughing and eyeing Karx and Razmund alike. Looking and observing the former demon of quite some value and worth, he could only pity the armies of his Lady.


    Such demons as Karxes weren''t that expensive to maintain or grow, but every cut into their army was cut to the heart of many Generals. Of course, Overlords didn''t care much for those around this level, because those were pivotal pillars that observed Extremes alone.


    While Levandis herself shouldn''t even bat an eye to this situation. As long as not too many Extremes died, she would never set some examples.


    Karx was a race of insane demons who were known to possess a very specific set of skills. Around their bodies, their tendrils were countless, capable of shifting as if made of mana. It created many switching weapons, and besides some severed parts of its body and tendrils on the ground, there were weapons resembling mantis mandibles, swords, spikes, and many others.


    It had about a dozen forward-facing cutting circles and swords capable of shredding anything in under a few seconds. That was its mouth.


    Thanks to the countless little or thick tendrils that acted like limbs, it moved at high speeds, and its reach was incredible. At night, it was like a shadow capable of holstering scary ambushes that could obliterate many established squads within the same level.


    In this matter, the quantity of its strikes unleashed hundreds of cuts that reached Razmunds'' body. Albeit with small effect, he took them with a sneer and deliberation, as blood was a good reminder to his mind and Path. His core and physique hadn''t thought of them as something terrible either.


    But it still angered him, as the searing pain reminded him of nasty memories. Pain or anything spiritual wasn''t made of mana or his flesh. Although, they all connected.


    The spiritual strain was a neverending problem for any Sword Sage. Especially for the kind that Razmund decided to pursue.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Lint slapped his face with the single arm that he cherished like the most prized possession. ¡°You damned fool! This is already the 11th foe you''ve killed! In this way, the bonuses will be quite poor for you, and the line that you are creeping into is slowly moving upwards. And you don''t want to know that, tru..¡±


    His words were cut short when a claymore lurched around his head.


    Razmund said nothing.


    ¡°Are you sure you don''t want to reconsider your actions?¡± Lint mumbled after he changed his mind. Trying to appease Razmund''s common sense was hard like taming one of the many Divine Beasts.


    It was a futile attempt. Finding a stop to the madness that was close to being infinitely stubborn was laughable.


    Grunting on the spot and finding a cleaning cloth from one of his spatial pouches, he began cleaning his claymore. Razmund turned to Lint after being over this demon and filth that was on his claymore.


    ¡°Some things are simply impossible to resist,¡± he said, ¡°I do not need to care for some points or rules that you''ve forced upon me, Guide, or anyone else.¡± He spoke coldly, cleaning his claymore for a few minutes until he was sure it was in pristine condition.


    Then, he turned to the section of tunnels that went to their bridges.


    Ignoring the basic messages that Mindarch grunted to this dark-looking Island, Razmund was almost sure he heard anger from this weird construct that was sometimes talking to him, but not always.


    The usual prerequisites to hear Mindarch''s voice were either bad or extremely good. Nothing in-between.


    In his case, it was a clear warning, since the 11th kill was behind the 29th Island. It was a redundant message for Razmund at this point, but too many kills could be a problem.


    He had very little interest in the points, but what Mindarch pictured was a different story.


    The fact that he will have to battle dozens of times will benefit him more than some treasures that may be of quite good value, but what was good, may not even be enough for him.


    Razmund shook his head as the wounds healed. His Path could take it, alongside his connection to the Centralis Kingdom, which provided plenty of interest, treasures, and wealth. He didn''t care for any of that, however. There was something much better behind this Encounter, hiding even behind his kingdom that was a mere stepping stone in his path.


    Letting the Destiny Dice out of its secured spot, he did the same motion dozens of times, but the cost almost made his eyes shed a tear.


    He didn''t have to let Dice eat before every toss. It could usually last at least a couple of times before he had to refuel it again, letting its chirping sound eat his heart from the inside out. Not literary, of course. If that would be the case, it would be unbearable.


    But these 100 Islands were getting on his nerves and he was running out of patience. Wasting time became a problem because he knew Murai might be quicker than him. So he had to hurry, knowing that fighting might be easy, as long as he was savage to him like his enemies.


    Unsurprisingly, Razmund was right in his assessment that these battles would be extremely advantageous for him. That was an aftereffect of coming here, rather than his priority. He wasn''t here to fight or to gain points, but to catch his little mouse.


    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    And to finish this, he had to move faster than his opponent.


    Which was at least half of the reason he was very pissed off because he had no idea how far he was from Murai. All that Destiny Dice could do was to point the direction. That was it. It couldn''t do more than that, apart from chirping notes and eating wealth.


    Watching the Destiny Dice bounce between the tunnels to the bridges, Razmund was silent while Lint was cursing him and this damned Divine Artifact that shouldn''t be in his hands.


    He cursed the human nature and costs that bled his Soul Flames even though this Dice wasn''t his.


    Soon, after Lint obliterated the Karx and Razmund took its essence, they both resumed their travel through Gate 2, defeating the foes. Occasional kills were inevitable or intentionally hard.


    *****


    Hours followed like the River of Manaflow going across the boundless Skies. 2 days later, the matter of the hunt was yet to be anywhere near the end or behind a proper start.


    Stagnant. That was the perfect word to describe the Islands of Greatness, which had a pair of fateful Challengers who overcame many difficulties, set examples, and made good points for Mindarch. On the bridges or Islands, each moved through many of them a day.


    Both of them already established a certain dominance over this Gate, but time was still a major enemy that slowly crept behind their necks. This Gate itself wasn''t time-gated. Challengers were.


    Murai understood how much he had underestimated his stamina and his means to go without rest. So he rested how he wanted and when he needed, figuring that the last days above Islands 70 were ridiculous.


    Rest between each Island was almost mandatory by now since his constant shifts in tactics and learning his abilities did cost him some time and effort. And after understanding that Razmund wasn''t coming any time soon, which was just a guess or his hunch, he felt he could afford some rest.


    His current location was a wide platform that was relatively close to the water. The wind was more like a breeze here, making the platform the perfect resting place for his tired legs and stressed neck. It was a nice position, albeit right next to a Space Cage that he had yet to visit.


    Before him was his 93rd Island, which was his great accomplishment that surprised Lisa and Lorry alike. That was still hours, or a whole day away from the finish line of this Gate as a whole, but significantly better than being stuck in the 60s or 70s Islands.


    Over the last few days, Murai spent his time and battles how he usually did before. That was learning his progressively changing qualities and comprehension around his abilities. Some things hadn''t changed much regarding his time, but some did because of the Islands themselves.


    He improved at a steady pace thanks to increasingly challenging Islands. Of course, out of no spite but curiosity, he decided to take a first look into the Heavenly Shaping Tome in the past day.


    It ended up disappointing him. What it was about was hiding behind the veils of locks and formations he couldn''t even see through.


    It wasn''t good or bad by itself. He liked the challenge, but he hadn''t expected it to be locked so well, even though he hadn''t looked at it even in the Vault. It was sealed shut like it should''ve been. It was complicated to even stare at it, let alone open it. It was as Lorry said. Complicated.


    Trying to look into it was difficult, which was a good sign since the difficulties meant worthy rewards.


    Or immeasurable disappointments.


    Solving the runes, lock, or twisting formation on the first page was the key to moving inside. Murai felt it was current. All of the tome''s pages were hiding behind the starting page made of countless runic scribbles and lock formations resembling a mash of runic lines. Filled with intent and wild mana that was in a constant loop, it was always changing and disallowing an easy attempt. It was never the same, so he had yet to even see what Heavenly Shaping was about.


    Like with Rudolf''s Tome, this thing was the same. It required some idea or unique method of unlocking.


    Unexpectedly, it held a very potent Intent, hiding internal sections of techniques about the Heavenly Shaping that fueled the confusing locks. Without opening it, it was like a soul-crushing formation that challenged the soul, body, and mana of those opening it.


    Even against his experiences and memories, he had no idea what to think about it. That was the problem. He was trying too hard to look at it from a rational perspective and a runic structure passed uncountable layers. He believed there was something he had never seen before inside, but he didn''t know what.


    That intrigued him, so he stubbornly tried to solve the locks which were harder than he thought. He had been at it for the last day already, yet he was far from finding any answer.


    Lisa argued he should''ve tried it much earlier, gathering the answers since the Vault. But she had no idea this Heavenly Shaping would have this sort of lock and complicated patterns. From her memories, techniques left out from Pillage Emperor varied and often confused the users or were hard to tame.


    Tomes of this caliber didn''t have this kind of intensity. Lisa knew it. To this day, she wondered why Levandis even allowed this tome away from the Vault. There was no sign of such a lock outside of it, which may be another confusing thing since it all started after opening it up as its owners.


    Before Murai purchased it, opening it was hopeless. Money worked like this in this place. Until one held the rewards in one''s hand, rewards were nonexistent.


    Pressure arose, lines changed, and locks spread, starting when one opened it, revealing the opening page. Every passing page was locked tightly against anything or anyone. Murai accepted such curious things with interest and willingness. He took it as something worthy of his interest, and something that looked much better than what Rudolf left behind from unspecified age.


    Hence, his time wasn''t all that great, since answers weren''t coming to him like whispers of Fate. It was similar to quite a few past Islands, which rapidly spiked in difficulty, making all kinds of brutal and clever opponents that crushed his tactics or body. He went to his limits at some of them, yet almost a dozen were before him.


    Wishing to cry over the losses of some potion he was forced to use, the failure in figuring Heavenly Shaping was worse. So he rather rested, repeating the success he had under his wings. Holding almost 50 Flawless Tiers felt good. 20 Satisfactory ones weren''t as impressive, while the rest were Fair Enough or Basic.


    He accepted these results, even though he didn''t know their validity or worth. Mindarch spoke about them a few times, offering to spend 10% of his points to seek his point.


    That was stupid. Why spend points to seek the points that Tiers adhered to? It sounded so laughable, that Murai laughed at Mindarch instead. He wouldn''t even use them here. They were for the upcoming Vault after this Gate.


    Murai put all kinds of vulgarities to his beak, ushering them to the ceiling with his lofty attitude. He shut Mindarch''s mind, knowing that the points mattered to him like his wings.


    Lorry could only sigh, knowing that Murai would never take this bait, albeit it wasn''t right. Lisa knew points could be useful even in the Islands but perhaps not for him and his status. She stayed silent about this, lest he caught it and be even more angry.


    Murai took some facts into his mind, which came in tides of worse times. After finishing 80th Island, he had accomplished only 4 Islands with Flawless Tier. Few were Basic, with most being Satisfactory. Because he was often trying his best to fight and train, he wasn''t the best or worse. That was passable in his book, considering no failure was under his wings.


    These days, Murai was taking his journey worse. He was lucky and unlucky at the same time when he encountered another Variant Island. It had a different kind of premise than a martial duel. It was Island 89, where he battled a Low Lich, a semi-intelligent undead necromancer.


    It was over Level 40, and surprisingly... at Grade S!


    It was the only Island of that difficulty in all he had conquered.


    Low Lich took him almost an hour to kill, as it was a Variant Island called a Hunt, rather than a simple duel. On a wide and complicated Island, a forest concealed Low Lich and his Hunt. Murai was sure the Hunt was just an excuse. Both of them tried to kill the other, as there was no point in forcing that lich to give up. But Low Lich was slippery like himself, cleverly using his tactics that came from his white Soul Flames.


    There was no option to make it give up at all, and it kept summoning Mana Skeletons or Undead Skeletons forwards, while its mana pool seemed endless. It kept summoning many fools that challenged Murai''s mana pool and the overall quality of his mana space.


    Summoned Undead had an overall level of 20, which was right within his Level, so they technically possessed some defenses and skills that made them very annoying on a large scale.


    It was a recipe for a prolonged fight, carefully decided and crafted by Mindarch so he would see the full-fledged limit of what Murai''s magic potential could endure. It worked splendidly for that point, as what qualities Murai''s mana space held were quite significant.


    And he surely finished it, but at what cost? His mana went to the overdraft right after catching Low Lich in a net made of dozens of Proper Mana Blades, cutting the skeletons and lich to pieces along with a barrage of last-effort Mana Arrows. Stressed and shitless, the fight ended, yet after an hour of the fight, the bitter feelings of his overdraft still kept his mind hurt. For some reason, it was a much worse overdraft than the ones before.


    Murai hadn''t gotten many of them, but he knew why it happened. He considered this overdraft to be an accumulation of the grind of this Gate and aftereffects of the Fear Of Missing Out, Godmark, or Archtouched. This triplet of temporary blessings or whatever they were, touched upon some principles of mana or some interest. They affected him to some degree, but what did they do?


    A glowing dot on his forehead shined in all of its time, poising as some mark, but he wasn''t sure if it was something significant or not. He felt the Mana Flow better, however, so he might give it some benefit of the doubt. Mana Flow within this Gate was richer than in Gate 1, so if the overdraft''s effects were much stronger, it wouldn''t be surprising.


    In the end, Murai endured it after some rest and slow meditation, caring for his mana space and both cores without leaving anything behind.


    The Island he was currently waiting for was 93rd Island, so whatever was behind him didn''t matter. Focus. That was what he repeated as he rested, along with some touches on the Heavenly Shaping Tome. At least he held another Low Key that came from the 89th Island.


    Improved Level 25 Relic Artifact was thus up to his taking, so it shouldn''t be that bad. He tossed it to Lisa like many things but not the essence. Not that. The High-Grade 7 Essence that went out of that Low Lich went graciously towards his Artifical Core. It was poor... He would bet that Lich would give him a Low-Grade 6 after so much effort.


    His current Artifical Core was way out of the norm, as the Gates up until now stirred it in quality and an endless flow of Core Defying Fusion Technique. It was starting to resemble the qualities of mana that were reaching the basis of the lowest fusion available under this technique.


    Which meant it was far from what he wanted because it was in the range of a few Low-Grade 6 worth of essences.


    And it took a lot of effort and pain to get his Artifical Core to this inadequate quality. Literally every essence he could get from his kills went into it, with most being Low-Grade 7s, with Medium-Grade 7s being second common. By now, almost no Grade 8s appeared. Those summoned skeletons were part of the Low Lich''s strength, so they didn''t go through Lorry''s death beam.


    Hopefully, getting his technique past his hurdles will be possible with points, or another Gate.


    As for the loot, Murai was much happier about it than he would acknowledge. He got a few new additional Spatial Pouches, and some undead and beast dropped various materials that were either part of their bodies, or their equipment was valuable enough from Lisa''s perspective. She was generally the only one who cared for them, leaving Murai to focus on what he wanted. It was a good dynamic that Lisa believed was necessary.


    Murai had a bad habit of eating some beasts he found good enough, but he still ignored those that weren''t looking tasty. That allowed his stamina to be greater than your average Challenger.


    All of the loot ended up in Lisa''s hands, so she didn''t find it disturbing or that bad. Lorry teased her from time to time, but Murai held different worries to bother about than a laughing skull.


    His wealth was increasing, but what did it actually matter, if it was all low-level stuff, or it was improper for a duck?


    Lisa talked to him about it, and he was correct to be angry and frustrated. It wasn''t much. That was the fact.


    Murai rather did not think of that, opting to think of something else. Food was one of these things. Beast monsters were enough for him not to starve too much in the last few days, providing his stamina with good supplements that most Challengers weren''t able to take. They didn''t mean any problem to him either. His stomach could take anything this temple gave him, unlike Razmund or most Challengers.


    At this moment, he observed the Space Cage before an interesting Island that Mindarch established a couple of hours ago.


    Not too high in the air, there was no annoying wind, and the marbled structure was strong enough to last centuries. This was a much better Island than most others. Most were on the brink of destruction or corrosion but still held up their physicality thanks to some spells or maintenance. This one looked too fancy, as it even held a waiting room before the actual entrance.


    Lorry had explained it as they arrived here, saying that every Island above 89 had a new set of expectations. The maze of bridges and Islands always ended at the other end of this huge cave.


    Dozens of Islands were the finishing line of this Gate as a whole. Called Ending Isles, they had many different structures, settings, lengths, or amassing difficulties. Some were humongous, clear like the sky, or dark like the abyss.


    The one before him was structured like a huge dome. He bet it had an arena similar to the one where he fought with Long Zi. But the Space Cage was vague, disallowing anyone to seek what was behind it.


    Murai waited for some fatigue to be over, and even slept for a couple of hours. Taking care of his mental state wasn''t his priority, as Robust Spirit was exceptional in most of these cases. But the mind wasn''t the body, even though the Robust Spirit had a certain connection to the flesh.


    Murai was still unable to perceive the aspects and strengths of Robust Spirit outside of some instances and its Identity Abilities. He was still occasionally feeling the build-up of fatigue or tiredness like any Child of a beastly species would. It wasn''t threatening, but he knew better than that.


    Too much effort will eat him sooner or later. Fatigue can build up more if ignored.


    ¡°Rested for enough?¡± Lisa asked as she was sitting on the ground. It was kind of strange. Her usual floating style could keep going for as long as she wanted.


    Lorry was nowhere to be found because he excused himself to float somewhere else. The skull had done so a couple of times in recent days, but he would come back in an hour or two when they rested.


    ¡°More or less,¡± Murai said. ¡°There are still many Islands left, which is... I feel like I spent weeks here already. All that fighting and fatigue is unlike what I''ve endured before this temple. Wait... I did endure similar things before but in a different light. Hunt... near End, and fighting for my life. Sounds the same, to be honest. Week with that girl Iris was the same. She wasn''t concerned about my complaint or health.¡±


    ¡°Again with her? Trust me when I say it, but you need this temple like bones.¡± Lisa cheered him up, talking calmly and without any holds. ¡°You''ve been here for 2 and a half days. That isn''t that much, considering you are before 93rd Island, and 3 Ending Isles are already behind you. I think you do great against this style of Gate 2.¡±


    ¡°You''ve already said this 5 times. Can''t say something new?¡± Murai grunted.


    ¡°I am cheering you up and you complain?¡± She folded her arms before her chest, appearing hurt, and glancing at the pouch resting beside her. ¡°This place is one of the most time-consuming Gates that 3rd or 4th-timers take with glory, warnings, and at least a dozenfold care. Well, at least in the first half of the Islands, there are layers to everything. Anyway, let''s forget about such advancements. You are the 1st-timer here. A sorry figure, huh?¡± She smiled at him, appearing as if her smirk was laughable.


    ¡°What makes you think I have time for your nonsense?¡± He quacked coldly, sounding like a laughable squeaking toy.


    ¡°Things I remember, and you are listening to me.¡± She says as if it was a fact.


    Murai sighed, realizing she was torturing him because she was getting familiar with him way too fast and well. She was growing on him too, and he wasn''t sure if it was a terrible thing or something worse.


    In the past few days, Lisa proved her worth. She went ahead to talk about the temple itself and the past she remembered. This was something she had done a lot because Murai was curious about this place that Lorry often neglected. And since Lisa knew about this place, he aimed this interest at her directly.


    It usually ended with him talking about something that Lisa was curious about.


    It was a win-win situation for both of them, as an equal exchange in the trade of information was often meaningful and respectful


    ¡°Folks around the Somalis continent are interested in such a place that has various and flexible challenges. It is a challenge that is irregular to the regular dungeons, as it is like a huge construct. As past Dwelling of an old God, it is no surprise. Simply put, you do great when I am taking your current accomplishments. And I was curious succubus, so I got to know quite a bit about this place.¡±


    Murai sighted again, unwilling to admit he listened to her every word.


    ¡°Here we go again!¡± Lisa once more looked at him as if he was done with her talk.


    ¡°I know that, but you''ve already explained this to me 3 times. I get what kind of place this temple is. After enduring this banter with me for the past 2 days, it goes deep.¡±


    ¡°I speak freely,¡± Lisa argued, asserting her stubbornness with her words and arms folded over her chest.


    ¡°Yeah. Yeah. I heard this for the 100th time already.¡± Murai exaggerated it after feeling that it was about time to move on. ¡°Anyway, how about a peek into the 93rd Island, while you will think about the next banter and topic we both want to talk about? It is your pick this time around. Do something worth it, alright?¡± He got to his feet, stretching his wings and neck before setting his eyes on the Space Cage.


    ¡°Fine. I will do what I can, but you still have Mindarch''s choice. We talked about it, but you keep hoping to meet someone intelligent to talk about your species. Why not ask him already? You have your Question Mark, while the Keys aren''t even that important. Leave them to me!¡±


    ¡°Don''t wanna,¡± Murai said like a stubborn fool.


    ¡°I''ve told you more than half of what I''ve ever before, but there is a lot I can''t advise you. And you are still dissatisfied, Murai Hisagi. Dissatisfied!¡± She grunted as she turned away from him, playing this game not for the first time.


    ¡°So what If I am? I am just fed up with this place. It drains my soul. I swear!¡±


    ¡°And here I go again, hearing how you are a poor little duck with a soul wrapped in a poor little loop. You can''t take this for some sense, huh? Is it that hard to take some help?¡± Lisa said in a mocking tone, but deep down, she knew that she couldn''t see Murai''s stubbornness and truth.


    What he had endured was way out of her sight, but closer to her interest than Murai knew.


    ¡°It''s already the 100th time I have heard that!¡± Murai argued, turning to her as they kept their banter going for half a dozen more minutes before Lorry emerged from the previous Island.


    ¡°Well well, is the pause over, or is Lisa so bad, Lisa can''t see from Lisa''s eyes? Oh, does Murai wonder how Lorry sees things?¡± Lorry asked, directing both of their attentions from their unnecessary bonding conversation. ¡°Let Lorry say that....¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Both of them shot him down, one quacking, the other speaking and cracking a fist.


    Until Murai accepted his decision with a flick of his neck towards the Space Cage, and with a grunt, stepped closer. ¡°I am going in, fools.¡±


    ¡°Murai is already upon the Ending Isles, so Lorry expects a series of greatest results!¡± Lorry cheered, exaggerating every word to the heights of his possible expression and tones.


    ¡°Whatever you say. I will kill every opponent that will be on my way. And If I don''t, I will find a way to do it anyway.¡± Murai quacked his truth before disappearing into Space Cage, leaving Lorry and Lisa behind in their respective conversations and privacy.


    What was beyond the Space Cage was something that Lorry knew, as every single one of the Ending Isles had special kinds of offers and premises that were very open and public. There were a lot of things he knew, but there were things that Mindarch hadn''t told him yet, as he wanted to surprise Murai inside.


    A Grade S Variant Island awaited. One of the 3 among the Ending Isles that possessed a unique set of properties and premises.


    Murai was in luck by choosing a bridge on a whim, and it had a pre-planned range of motion and even terms of levels set by Mindarch. It wasn''t a duel to take some lives, nor hunt. It was a mission.


    It was quite frankly, a terrible decision that Mindarch prepared, but Murai didn''t know about it.


    The level was unknown, difficulty too, or so Mindarch said before Murai entered the Space Cage. But Grade S difficulties were open knowledge about pretty much every Ending Isle, which Lisa acknowledged and even mentioned more than twice or thrice.


    Something was going to be problematic, similar to how Low Lich cracked his mana apart, splitting his head in temporary pain.


    Murai walked past the same old wavy space, arriving at the wide platform that was a huge arena made of countless bricks. It had no walls or pillars or rocks whatsoever, revealing the wavy space dome in all of its glory. Just a plain old flat platform was all about it, leaving every conflict straight and easy.


    Beyond the wavy space, Murai could see patterns of the humongous cave that he traversed to the near end. It held a constant glow as if it was the middle of its constructed day. The lights on the ceiling of this cave worked wonders for that sake.


    Murai spent barely a few glances at the ceiling, before turning to the countless rough sketches of Islands protruding from the waters behind him, while the current one was far above the water, revealing quite a sight as if they were paintings of trees.


    Retracting his head from this already established sight in his mind, Murai did not need to see some useless patterns.


    He rather looked forward, where he faced his 4th ''''human'''' opponent.


    It was a child. An elven child that looked 6 or 8 years old at best.


    ¡°Huh? Are you kidding me?¡± Murai cursed inside, unwilling to do this sort of job because of his honest unwillingness to fight with children. He was forever pragmatic about his rules while being a freaking hypocrite in his mind.


    He was unwilling to kill children throughout his many lives because they were hopes that the universe cherished. They were ensuring that blissful ignorance was the beginning of a better future.


    That was one of the unconditional rules that he followed like Laws. But only for humanoid races, including those that he hardly cared for, regardless if he used to be one of them or not.


    As for the young beasts, he had no issue with killing them or not, as the law of the jungle was a different truth, ensuring that some rules mattered and bent.


    That was a separate issue, however.


    Standing in the precise middle of this platform was an elven boy. He was looking homeless and lost, with haggard clothes and a small body as if he hadn''t eaten in weeks. Tattered clothes around his body were at least in one piece; probably because it was a long adult shirt that he got beforehand.


    He had no pants or shoes, while his unkempt blond air was dirty and filthy as if he wrestled in mud. Bath wasn''t on his mind for a long time, making him look like a work slave.


    But his skin was still healthy looking, acting like one aspect that was making elves one of the prettiest races in the universe. However, he was still far from such elves, who were known for elegance, cleanness, and powerful bloodlines that were part of the rich eras of many worlds and depths of the universe. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Murai didn''t like this Gate from the get-go.

 Chapter 139: Protection

    Watching the boy who had nothing in mind and hands, and certainly felt like an empty husk of an elf, Murai was speechless. Was he supposed to fight him? What an insult Mindarch had created.


    This boy was empty like a piece of parchment paper that went through a cow''s stomach, declining over a long time afterward and withering. That was most notable by his lifeless and spaced-out-looking eyes, making him look as if he had given up on life itself.


    None of the elven qualities was shining in his appearance apart from a little bit of his fair skin. He looked more like a broken doll.


    His eyes were staring at the other end of the platform without any purpose, duck, or hope in his eyes. Coincidently, he stared right onto the entrance, directly into an approaching animal that entered 93rd Island. It was a weird idea to see a duck, but he didn''t seem to care.


    ¡°What is this!? Who in their right fucking mind thought of this?¡± Murai quacked loudly as if he stepped on shit. ¡°Mindarch! Explain yourself!¡±


    No one would understand such loud and insane quacks other than ridiculous things such as Mindarch or those who knew such quacks. This boy didn''t even flinch after sharp quacks echoed around dozens of meters wide arena, echoing loudly.


    [Well, Citizen M has moved through mud and dirt, fighting like an excellent Anatidae specimen. So, what else but more fighting goes around the corner?] Mindarch voiced smugly. [I, great Mindarch, always move ahead, putting effort and mind into the proper ways of this place, giving anyone a chance and mighty learning opportunities that everyone loves. Citizen M shouldn''t complain, as you''ve hardly seen a tip of what I mean to offer.] Mindarch began his willing message by speaking relative nonsense that sounded more like a bunch of excuses.


    He did sound lofty enough to challenge Murai''s anger. He saw straight through them, as he was already well familiar with this weirdo that talked to him usually twice on every Island. Since this whole mess started, he spoke before, in, or after every Island or a kill.


    Alone, Murai knew his quacking noises were heard. He quacked how he wanted, knowing that Mindarch understood his every tone, quack, or grunt under his intentions that moved out of his beak. It was fairly convenient, but Murai was still unaware of how it all worked, or what even allowed someone to understand such nasty sounds.


    He forgot about using his Question Mark that Mindarch granted him for anything useless. That started days ago, gone behind the dust of his travels, battles, cracked enemies, or cut-down beasts.


    Murai was still the same duck as before. Nothing about him changed apart from a slightly worse appearance as he hadn''t gotten a plunge of water in days. Constant fighting and following his way into the Ending Isles gave him a tough appearance.


    But he wasn''t in a bad state like the child before him.


    It was time for Mindarch to voice what he kept for himself, and better timing wouldn''t come unless Murai demanded it.


    He got what he wanted, but not in a great way.


    [I get it. I do. Citizen M is having a mental breakdown, but it is hardly true. Worse things can happen in Islands of Greatness. Trust me! Wanna know some projections? I have a full-on archive of funny moments!]


    ¡°No thanks,¡± Murai replied without thinking.


    [Shame. There are thousands of those who rather jump willingly out of the Islands than be stubborn to the bitter End of their battles. So trust me, some stress is the least of an issue.]


    [Citizen M stands in 93rd Island as I''ve said before, but it is one of the Variants among the Ending Isles. It holds no Key or Question Mark, but a graceful point multiplier and my interest.]


    [It shall be further revealed at the end, as you''ve chosen this Island yourself.]


    [Difficulty: Grade S]


    [Special mission is assembled in this levelless arena.]


    [Goal: Protect the child against waves of enemies and you shall be rewarded with my grace.] Mindarch said cheerfully as if he couldn''t wait to give Murai more attention. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What the fuck!?¡± Shrill quacks echoed, stopping Mindarch''s dozen tones of cheerful laughing. ¡°A protection mission? Really?! Are you seriously messing with my wings? Laugh at my neck, I dare you! Or are you thinking of kicking my nuts or pinching my limbs to stretch them apart? I swear, who the hell do they think I am?!¡± Murai wasn''t having great mental stability right now, which always changed in a blink because of more than 90 Islands that were already behind him. Those meant... a lot of bridges or stairs to ascend, or descend.


    Pretty much every Challenger had various issues at this stage. Mentally or physically, they were reaching their limits. This was where stronger minds always won, while success meant great merits that crushed difficulties.


    Nothing was free.


    Mindarch knew all about it as a provider and jailer of this whole temple, which made Lorry a partner in crime in this regard.


    This left out Lisa, who, for once, touched on this subject more than once by having a rare period of peace with Murai. She had a lot to mention and pursue with many topics between them, ensuring that the last 2 days weren''t that dull and full of fighting.


    Things slowed down significantly because of streamlined difficulties that hid tests, forcing Murai to always think of strategies, or on what to focus on before every Island.


    Why? It wasn''t his usual practice, Lisa knew. One always went on and on, failed, restarted, or kept going until the bitter end.


    While Mindarch shouldn''t be an overly active voice in this regard, as Guides were enough to point out any of his interests.


    Lorry was still part of this picture, but Mindarch was more of a ruler of this temple than Lisa understood. It gave interesting topics much better touches. She knew that a lot of Challengers were up there in Mindarch''s interest, but seeing him give so much attention to Murai was interesting. She doubted it was just a coincidence, which might be good or bad depending on some unclear doubts.


    Slowly, she began to ignore it after Mindarch spoke to them more than a hundred times, giving her a much better understanding of the situation. Murai deserved this interest, similar to how he deserved her interest. Mindarch had some motivation to be like this, similar to her, yet some things may be obvious and unlike her.


    Lisa knew better. It hardly mattered if she heard Mindarch''s voice on her 1st visit or not. In her other time, it was a different story because her power and interest shook some limits and Breached some fools along the Gates. She angered some Overlords, but she laughed at them instead. In that matter, she was no different from Razmund and Murai, albeit in different layers.


    The issue about Murai was on another level from hers. She acknowledged that idea a long time ago. So while Murai was clueless about a lot of things because he had a lot on his mind, she began to understand him better.


    Mindarch spoke again of some sense, rules, and statements that didn''t need any questions. Murai can quack how he could, high, low, like a horse or a dog, but it didn''t matter.


    [Island 93 shall start in 4 minutes. Be ready and quick, Citizen M.]


    [The ongoing procedure of this protection goes by an untold amount of waves and untold time limitations. Isn''t that an exciting variable? Kill them before being overwhelmed!]


    [Oh, and let''s not forget about the target. Don''t let your chess piece die.]


    [Citizen M should do his best.]


    [Try us!]


    An involuntary horror filled Murai''s mind when Mindarch stopped speaking, and instead of his voice, a beeping sound echoed into the arena, noting him every passing second. He hated it immediately.


    ¡°Kidding... Foolish cretins. They are toying with me. Shut up! Screw you!¡± He cursed this noise that posed as nothing but additional stress. He loathed it in less than dozens of beats.


    But in the end, he had no time for arguments, since Mindarch was unwilling to make any compromises. He always stated his messages with relative fairness, but Murai still acted the way he did because the stress was getting on his nerves.


    No one was around him to berate him, stop him, or call him names. Lisa would certainly get him from his high horses, grounding him like a whispering succubus behind his ears.


    She was good at it. Unsurprisingly.


    With that said, Murai was either to do this protection mission or... There was only a single choice.


    Murai changed his stressed voice to the silent acceptance as if he had faked it. Mindarch''s words were more like a simple statement where giving up meant stopping this whole ordeal, but that wasn''t the case. By all rights, if a Challenger went through a couple of Ending Isles successfully, that meant they could get it done either way.


    But how exactly?


    A single goal entered his mind. He had to protect this boy at all costs, which could mean many things or a single act. Mindarch wasn''t specific on dangers or waves, but one thing was clearer than the stars above his head.


    There were none, same to his calmness or the Order in this place.


    Protecting the boy was all to this situation. It was a single rule, so was he even supposed to kill those waves of foes? It sounded like a recommendation, even though Murai wasn''t included in the rules besides being a protector who handled the fate of this boy alone.


    He concluded that this Island wasn''t about him whatsoever. Foes will want the elven boy instead of him. Was that all? Was he too sensitive and overthinking this? Mindarch hadn''t mentioned failure once, while protection and waves were completely different from the other Islands.


    Well, it wasn''t as if Murai would care to hear about a failure. Those words were better left out before becoming reality.


    With a firm mindset, Murai stretched his neck and legs. Then he walked towards his target who remained stagnant, stoic, and hardly impressed by Mindarch''s voice, Murai''s soft feathers, or ridiculous quacks.


    Perhaps he hadn''t even noticed his presence, or how Murai appeared before him like a lost duck.


    Murai wasn''t even reaching his waist. In fact, he was far away from it because this boy was around 130 centimeters tall.


    ¡°Well, dogshit...¡± Murai almost cursed this situation again but refrained himself like a proper protector. Wrong! He was a bodyguard! That sounded way better in his head.


    He had done that sort of job in his past life, so he cheered himself up by appearing like a thug duck that was ready to smack some asses, kick some faces, or crack some skulls. Or was it different? Had he gotten it backward?


    ¡°This kid''s going to be bothersome. He is already half in the End with this kind of attitude.¡± He mumbled to himself, glancing up to see the lifeless face this boy had. ¡°I swear my Soul Read can be way too assertive sometimes. It gives me flashbacks... Not good ones too. If he dies, will it be my fault? What am I even considering... Of course, it makes sense. I will protect him, I suppose. Not for myself by the way! Don''t get me wrong...¡± Murai quacked, pointing his wing upward to make a statement but the boy kept his expression numb.


    Murai stood before him next, appearing to wait in calmness, but deep down, his Shaping was itching for a change and everything under his arsenal was ready to go. He can go all out right away, regardless of this boy or not. It looked a bit weird, considering a duck stood before a lifeless elven boy who lost touch with reality.


    With the time ticking by, the minutes disappeared and even the beeping noise stopped.


    Murai hadn''t even noticed it as his mind went over every possible scenario that could mean protection in mind. His plans could be numerous, various in length and mass, but he knew the aspects of such missions. Strength wasn''t important. The job was. Protection meant many things, similar to magic, rather than his body. As a duck, his range of motion was limited around this large Island, so when protecting this large target with his body, he believed in his magic more.


    But that will be not up to him. If his magic won''t be enough for the waves of enemies... Well, this will be difficult if it would be the case.


    Experience from his past life¡ªthat was relatively fresh¡ªplayed a surprisingly firm role in his decision-making process. As a former assassin, actions and possible ways to kill this child meant he could act against them.


    Murai wasn''t aware of what Mindarch had in mind with those waves, but let''s not forget this was an Island Graded at S! It was supposed to be difficult like that freak of a Low Lich!


    Plans often changed amid some storms, so Murai was sure of his uncertainty.


    A prepared man was often a safer man. It could be said with ducks in mind too, hopefully.


    Can his fight go well while protecting this empty boy who lost the will to live? That, by itself, sounded like the hardest thing that was contradictory and weird.


    Sensing his Soul Read revealed massive dread pain and numbness. Like his appearance, everything about this boy was a lost cause.


    So Murai ignored his Soul Read for the time being and opted for his Sonar. A surge of it cruised around this whole Island, shimmering the mana, ground, and dust around. The child held some familiarity over the blissful magic. A fledgling Mana Core was hiding under his midsection, but dull and barely flinching under his Sonar that washed over him, shuddering him a few times.


    The boy moved for the first time but in fear and instincts rather than serving the norm. He still kept his expression numb and stood like a doll.


    ¡°I feel sorry for you.¡± Murai reckoned, noticing that his mana was also lost cause, but that wasn''t because it was poor. It hadn''t gotten its chances to shine at this sort of depth, but it had a general quality that an elf might hold.


    But with a broken mind, thinking about magic was useless. Both malnourished and empty in mind, he was the best example of a broken slave that went through |Hell.


    Choosing to become numb to every emotion, or living as a doll was a mere physiological trick and excuse to get out of the misery.


    Murai saw an unnatural amount of people like this in some of his lives. Misery went along nicely with the power and cultures of many worlds that touched on the aspects of higher powers. Gods were all about it, unsurprisingly. Strength and power made it all possible.


    It didn''t matter when considering intellect, culture, or how advanced some worlds were from others.


    This Battleworld may be advanced in terms of power, its people and cultures may be brutal, harsh, and primitive on many continents or places.


    Murai wasn''t surprised even a little bit to see this boy like this. After all, where was he again?? A place that toyed with living lives, acting like a farm, where their worth had specific values. He killed many of the foolish foes that Mindarch sent after him, so Muraio knew he was right.


    The starting wave began with a portal that went straight from the Hell Haven or some other place, appearing like a bright hole a dozen meters before him.


    It opened right away, revealing limbs that stretched from it to the ground, air, and screeching noises revealed a nasty aura and silhouettes from nightmares.


    For a nice starting touch, a demon emerged. It wasn''t the kind that Murai was as familiar with since there were so many variables in the universe of beasts or demons alike, there were literary millions of their variants. Demons were insane.


    Battleworld with its evolutions messed with it even further, giving them more faces and powers.


    To remember the names of them wasn''t what Murai ever thought of. He will kill all that will move anyway. Roughly, it resembled a myth of Minotaurus that was barely salvageable in his mind.


    Bigger than any human, it had curved legs and countless tendrils of hair that had hands at their tips. It walked on a pair of sturdy legs, and it was fairly muscular and pretty much like a human in structure but bigger. Hands ended with wide and sharp claws and its body was hairy and had no clothes. It had no intellect, as it was primitive and demonic to its bone.


    And the most bizarre thing was its head which had a thick and rather weird inhuman appearance. It was what made this a demon, rather than a beast. That was the most rightful claim, as it was hard to point it in words. Resembling something human but at the same time inhuman were the basics of being a demon.


    Eerie.


    Disgusting.


    Sick.


    Those words were often definitions of anything demon-related, but even demonic races held incredibly vast differences. Some were rich, some were weak.


    Something like a Succubus race was much more gracious in their powers, rich in intellect and latent talents. They held vastly superior bloodlines, which meant status when it came to any demons.


    Murai would know about it. He was one of them at some point, while his current body had some demonic roots as well.


    But roots were roots. It was the difference that mattered, establishing demons as progenitors to insanity.


    This one was clearly that, as it almost looked abstract in the sense of its head and tendril hands. It had a grotesque jaw that was wide and full of white teeth. And it screamed when it stepped out of the portal, revealing its 4 meters of height and thick body like the toughest rock.


    Murai wasn''t impressed. It looked as if it was an experiment gone wrong.


    He imagined it wasn''t far from the truth.


    Demons had universal flow onto their Bloodlines, which made them most suitable for experimenting or researching anything related to naturally occurring evolutions. Breeding powers, science, and so on then played some parts in many worlds.


    Demons were ancient beyond common means. It was said their wild predecessors birthed everything under the heavens because of the sheer mass of their variants and then... mutants that changed the status quo of the universe. That was long ago. Even humans were part of that, along with countless other races that went out of them.


    However, more often than not, demons were disfigured monsters filled with madness and Chaos.


    It was a bit peculiar topic, considering how Murai viewed this topic in his old head. He was put into this flow literary thanks to his Anatidae''s quality or secrets that were unknown to him. One thing was still there. His mana and the context of his memories.


    In some way, he wasn''t that far from such creatures internally, but as with everything, the exterior mattered. He was duck... so he wasn''t interested in contrast. He needed to seek his own improvements and secrets and what he could do to change it.


    Direct knowledge and how it all was happening was one key to moving forward. That was the rule he had always desired, and for some reason, he felt he wasn''t far from having some basic understanding of his current circumstances.


    Fighting helped with that.


    In his mind, this demon in front of him was far from a speck of intelligence, nor was it strong enough to pose a mental threat.


    But its thickness and power weren''t that poor, as it seemed ready to grab and shred him to pieces. Well, it was not aimed at him, because it was loud and hungry against the boy behind him.


    That was to be expected, he reckoned.


    Murai realized the anticipated problem. This demon could end the life of this boy with a flick of its hand because Mindarch provided its name and difficulty next.


    [First Wave has started.]


    [Foe: Demon called Minoxar.]


    [Level: 35-38.]


    [Pathless tools.]


    [Notable aspects: demons with thick bodies and powerful flesh. Their intellect is shit, but their flesh is strong.]


    Murai got this idea even without this message, so the premise of this Island was as he expected.


    Problematic.


    Without a moment to waste, Minoxar went at his enemy, ignoring Murai who was in the way.


    He preferred this idea after some thinking, realizing that there was clear aggro at play. That meant an exploit that he could force, but it was a straight gamble instead because the boy was a huge target that could die in a blink. If the foes weren''t aiming at him, he could move much better against their necks or sides, aiming at their weaknesses.


    Thinking twice over it, it appeared Minoxar had made a rookie mistake like many of his past foes. Most underestimated him, before realizing the monstrosity and power he held.


    It went straight to their instincts or some speck of intellect, viewing him with high regard, unlike with common sense. Either fleeting or fighting with the life on the line, which usually turned the fight more savage than it should''ve been, most foes he met were dangerous cowards that endangered him more because of it.


    That was why Murai wasn''t cruising past the upper half of this Gate as he did with the starting half.


    Against this sort of enemy, he should be ruthless because of the rules and his decisions.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    It attacked with its arms, wanting to squash the boy in a quick finish. Its sharp and wide claw went for a fly that was unmoving, and it was expecting to crush him to end this Island on a high note.


    Alas, before it was even halfway close, it was still far away in this desire when a duck made its move.


    Murai shoved his glowing beak into Minoxar after he jumped high, flying like a rocket, clutching it so tightly and straight, he penetrated deeply into its neck. He wiped the part of its flesh apart, and thick and dense red blood, almost as if it was black, poured from the punctured neck. Murai winced his beak before it even reacted, moving sideways to make a quick swipe to the side, attacking the torse with the residues of his Peak.


    Part of the torso split open, letting even more blood away, but it was yet to be death.


    Murai had to abandon its upper body because its hair swirled to a motion, attacking him. Landing on the ground, he successfully ended its charge as blood poured out and steps trembled. Dangerous hands were still reaching to touch the boy, but they were far away.


    Murai sneered at it, letting another flick of Peak crack into the already revealed cut, exploding and forcing more blood onto the ground. Even through this gore and filth, the boy was yet to even flinch at this sight. Some of the blood even ended up on his shirt and face, but he didn''t seem to care.


    Murai didn''t care either, knowing that the boy was a lost cause. Minoxar was still standing when the bloodshed took its toll. It took a second before it crumbled down to its End, growling in unwillingness, but the bloody mess was too much for it.


    Seconds later, Murai watched as another Minoxar appeared out of the still-opened portal. It was the exact same one from before, and even its actions were the same.


    This enraged him. Nobody seemed to learn a lesson. Not even Mindarch, but it seemed he got more than he deserved. Levels 35 to 38 acted as an interesting selection since it wasn''t that long ago when such foes would be a dangerous threat to him. Now, he was killing such foes in quick steps, albeit without the magic he wanted to test.


    He figured he was wrong. He needed to be quick, and his magic wasn''t enough against this sort of foe.


    Not only did Murai have time to act, but he took advantage of this chance by jumping sideways after witnessing that it ignored him again. At incredible speed and force, he ended his Peak on a much more accurate and stronger note, reaching the side of the head and neck, before crushing into its temple that was its clear weakness.


    Brain, tendrils, and skull exploded, and through cracks in the skull that were hiding behind the weird tendrils that couldn''t stop his Peak, another Minoxar met its End.


    Blood flowed and gore splashed through the holes and fleshly crevices of this poor Minaxor that stumbled to the ground as if struck by lighting. it barely knew what ended its life, or how it even happened.


    This starting wave went on for about a dozen or so times, dumping one Minaxor after the other from a glowing portal. Murai figured this was getting intentionally time-consuming because each of them was quite a sturdy target to kill quickly and well enough to disallow them from reaching the boy.


    This was meant to test his patience or stamina, Murai thought.


    Well, he was sure it was about stamina the most, or his acts or strategies were also tested? He didn¡¯t know it, but Hell Haven was watching this play that Mindarch was constructing for days.


    At the end of nothing but his patience, he was absolutely certain he had a chance to go for at least a hundred kills in this manner, as long as he will conserve his strength and his Peaks ended up being clean and accurate. He ended up using the most gentle Peak possible while ushering the stronger ones to ensure the nastiest kills.


    His mana space should allow it, while his Beast Core wasn¡¯t barking at him like an untrained dog. It visibly calmed after he kept his Artificial Core going, but he always put some care into it, fearing the repercussions of his mana that skimmed with a technique from a very different world.


    Murai didn''t want another overdraft, so he paid his Beast Core as much attention as he could. If the goal was to not go overboard, it was partly up to him and these waves, rather than anything else. And this was especially dangerous and harsh when those damned demons came in their thickness that needed his Peak, wanting to devour and kills the boy.


    Spending mana and killing them was still doable. Until the whole platform was littered with gore and blood, making moving around painful and fighting unclear.


    Murai was no different from the floor, feeling that every feather on his body was dark red. He had no time to flap his wings and shake his body like a sorry duck.


    He was basically slaughtering each Minoxar so far, but how much Chaos do these waves have in them?


    Not much, he hoped.


    A new foe went ahead from the portal, ending the fighting against sturdy-looking Minoxars that went for exactly 12 quick back-to-back duels. Murai didn¡¯t count how many he killed, and from the blood around the arena, he thought he fought more of them because of their mass and thickness.


    Another wave looked to be much easier to see, as they were not thick demons. It was a familiar foe¡ªan undead. To be specific, Undead Knight was his next time-consuming project. It looked to be similar to the ones he fought at the end of Gate 1, but stronger like the ones he met a few times in the past Islands.


    A single shiny Knight that was of the human race walked out of the portal. The premise of duels wasn¡¯t there, as its hunt for the boy still prevailed even though Murai¡¯s obscurities or bloody sight around the arena. At least so far, nothing should change even if a bunch of bones comes here to play.


    The knight was looking strong, and as it extended its steps forth, it revealed its weapons.


    Mindarch felt to bear his responsibilities and talked.


    [Another wave has started.]


    [Foe: Undead Knight.]


    [Level 33-37]


    [Various Paths: Vibrant Sword, Vanguard, Herding Shield, Vibrant Earth.]


    [Same ol¡¯ shit. Kill before your boy is dead.]


    [That''s it.]


    Holding a neat sword, the knight¡¯s armor protected its bones. A shiny aura was dense around the visible bones, giving it a noticeable enchanted feeling that the majority of undead got in this place. The sword was ready to chop the boy to pieces, and its steps were steady and experienced.


    Murai already knew this kind of enemy from more than a few fights. This one was looking stronger than those Minoxars even though they were lower in level on average. They should be much more powerful because of the differences that proper Paths provide. He wasn¡¯t sure which Path this one held, but not like it mattered.


    Mindarch picked a few from the many undead armies this place didn''t lack, and from the way this Knight held his shield and sword, it was no wonder why.


    When lives get lost, the undead can rise.


    It didn¡¯t mean much to Murai if he killed them anyway.


    Alas, this knight was better than the ones in Gate 1. Its speed, flexibility, and strength were all great, making it a foe that held some specific advantages thanks to its Path. Starting to appear around Island 60, the qualitative change over the undead drastically changed his opinion of them.


    It was hard to use some advantages or tricks against them. Brute force was the best way to crack their bones, rather than find a way around their armor or swords. Murai had to think or use twice as much power than usual to deal with such knights.


    Mindarch ensured the variety of foes. Undead were still the most common kind of foes, albeit their faces and powers can vary too. But at the end of the day, the Islands of Greatness that Murai went against still lacked substantial differences or variants of them.


    It was all because of his level. 100 was a number that established time and battles, but at its core, this temple had only one kind of tool that was very easy to replenish and use.


    Undead. Most of their kind was easy to create, thanks to the various living and warring states of efforts around Hell Haven, bearing those that touched the ways of the Chaos.


    Murai was glad about that idea and these knights. He discovered what this Variant Island held.


    Essences. numerous foes will mean more chances for drops and some loot. Undead didn¡¯t fear their injuries, so they were fairly easy to manage since they lacked the basic instincts of living targets. Well, how easy that might be depending on their equipment and power.


    Murai pushed himself hard, so he started to meet much tougher undead than ever before. Now, the ones from the Welcoming Party were laughable.


    Similar to Minoxar, Undead Knight went straight for the boy, but this time, it made some changes by noticing Murai who stood before its target.


    Knight held a much lower height, so its perspective and glowing Soul Flames had their effects, insights, and intellect. It was stronger, even though its level wasn¡¯t necessarily that high. In its instincts, it was the kind of undead made from well-trained knights for nobility.


    The knight was still a dull undead without the ability to speak, making its decision lean on instincts alone. That overlapped with the basic prose of its rules or way of nature, disregarding many kinds of norms. In a way, they were slaves to their makers or their bones or instincts alone. Death wanted more death. It was a common quote.


    But what were undead if not heaven-defying? They shouldn¡¯t exist, but their mere existence was making their souls unable to go to Afterlife. Chaos should have no problems with it, and given the body was already dead, its advantages were obvious.


    Murai also thought of such enemies. It could be suicidal, pushing it to die and kill the boy as well. It was something that went against human nature and Order, which made many undead formidable enemies if they were numerous.


    But numbers weren''t important in this Island, nor in Murai''s decision processes.


    He hated that he was correct. Undead Knight¡¯s appearance was way too great to pass on since they should be one of the best choices to kill the boy behind him with very little cost. Just giving them enough power, defenses, and strength, and some limits won¡¯t matter.


    In this way, the undead was almost like a ticking bomb that would explode, killing itself and the boy in the process.


    For now, this didn''t happen.


    Undead Knight was still acting in a reserved manner, giving rise to its sturdiness that was looking to be quite annoying. Its armor was Murai''s main opponent in his mind, right behind the shield it held.


    Though the demon from before wasn''t that far from its level, the flesh was at least easier to cut and shatter. The bones were not much different, but its current equipment looked to be leaps and bounds better than those loose excuses in Gate 1.


    There was a clear line between having good equipment ranging below level 30 and those around level 40.


    Murai discovered their differences, while the most significant change was their Paths and auras around them. Their strength and qualities, along with differences, moved under his experiments whenever he met an undead in a few dozen Islands in total. His beak moved against such things, testing their qualities among many other things.


    Some of those held great and old instincts that one would expect from a master. It put forth some differences at some specific angles, and Murai couldn''t truly take advantage of his beak against well-established armors most undead were wearing.


    Aftermatch usually meant his beak slid off the metal, or the undead¡¯s deflection would push his body away, or straight up hit him back. Lacking puncture and proper physical collision from his hits diminished his attempts.


    And this Undead Knight wore one of the better-looking armor sets that he had seen in on an undead. It was almost alarming how smooth and proper it looked, which meant its speed shouldn''t be that high. A tough fortress was hard to move in when meat wasn''t there. And looking for openings or doors was often a risk that was often met with dangerous traps.


    Undead Knight was holding a shield in one hand, brandishing a long sword in the other as it strode forward. Slow, its steps were weighing its choices and the prey.


    It walked away from the portal, directly marching towards the target, ignoring the mess of gore in the arena. Its shield wasn¡¯t tall or heavy, but round, meant for quicker combat and easier maneuvers. It was about the width of its armored torso, giving it flexible and great defense manageable for one hand.


    The longsword was right at the side of the shield, where its pokes should be very effective. It put the shield forth, protecting the upper body but not the legs. The left side of the shield held the sword aside, forming the weakness that Murai had exploited whenever he met this kind of foe.


    How?


    By blending his magical flexibility and brute strength.


    Shields were fairly easy to work around in many ways. Their effectiveness depended on the shield, but the wielder usually limited himself by trusting it far too much. Murai could shake its structure or crack its fundamental structures like a piece of wood, but as long as its base or the wielder wasn¡¯t lacking, Murai didn¡¯t know if the equipment was good for his tries.


    And then, the armor sounded like the real problem.


    In his perspective, the added flexible and good shield was a nice combo towards its Vanguard Path that this knight held. Its sword was ready on the side, making it apparent that it knew what it was doing. However, there was something strange and obvious that Murai could do.


    Considering there were no duels on this Island, Murai could ignore this half-dead boy and focus on every enemy first by killing them without worrying about him.


    It was an idea he got after dealing with the Minoxars, and his style of gambling choices and fighting wasn''t that bad. However, he wasn''t sure how viable it was against proper foes. All he had to do was to kill the enemy without thinking anything else.


    Easily said, right?


    Whatever foe will end up before him, all he should do was to kill them before they would harm the boy.


    Sounded like a simple rule. Well, perhaps.


    He still went with it.


    Murai jumped forward, leaving the boy alone. Attacking the Undead Knight in a swift motion of his Beak''s Blitz, he engaged in combat right away without giving the knight any chance to touch the boy.


    It worked.


    And the knight fought back, ignoring its purpose which was to hunt the motionless elven boy.


    A thin spread layer of mana was around Murai''s beak, while the further it went on in its barrages or exchanges, the brighter and greater it became.


    Like a maddened duck, Murai slammed and swung his neck, pounding the shield, or crashing against the swinging blade that went against his beak. The qualities of his Blitz worked better against this sort of exchange than he expected. Fabulously, even. Blitz was far too flexible and taking the hits well. Not only did he not lose a speck of momentum, but instead, he pushed the undead a step away.


    He put a lot of effort into it, hoping to see how quickly he could deal with it in the least amount of pain and time.


    His Blitz went under its constant shifting attacks that went strictly against the shield or sword. Both were stronger than he thought, but they still trembled after dozens of strikes. And a few cracks spread in the shield''s metallic luster, closing on cracks.


    Seeing the decreasing chances, or Murai''s strength, the knight struck with the sword in a much stronger fashion by switching its stance, aiming at the crazy duck that was right on his angled shield because its knees bent backward.


    A swing met an open Blitz.


    A swift, ready, and sharp crack echoed in the arena. Murai broke the sword in half, which was impressive because it didn''t shatter into countless pieces as he expected. That meant the metal quality was excellent, but still lower than his beak.


    Murai snapped his beak, making the same move against the top of the shield by using Blitz in a different motion than stab or swipe.


    It had some biting power too, as the beak was still a beak and not some sword. Peak didn''t have this sort of flexibility at all. Not even a little. Peak was all about the qualitative yet closed powerful smack. Nothing more.


    Forcing and focusing on his powerful bite, he pushed with his momentum to move the shield down, crashing the knight to the ground.


    It struggled in its fall, but it still held no proper stability because of the weight of its armor and Murai''s push. It fell, so Murai jumped up, kicked the shield away, and smacked the helmet aside. Taking a moment to destroy its skull, he shoved his Blitz at the section of the shoulder, swinging upward to crack the neck apart. Hence, this Undead Knight was out of its life.


    Before having a chance to cheer for his kill, another knight appeared from the portal.


    It was the same-looking one that was on the gory ground, but this time, it was quicker in its legs because its armor was less thick and its shield was round and barely as wide as its forearm.


    And it hurried closer to the left-out boy, who remained indifferent to everything. Knight took advantage of Murai''s mistake to fight it out in a location that was slightly away from the portal and the boy. Murai screamed, jumping to action to save that fool of an elf.


    Knight''s charge was way too quick, disallowing Murai to act that far. In his momentary panic, he conjured a Proper Mana Blade as fast as his present time allowed. Mana moved so quickly and savagely, that it swayed and swirled in barebone motion of Shaping. A rough cutting edge of a blade cut the air, making up for the lack of his range while the flow and its appearance were sketchy and poor.


    He successfully pushed the knight away, by stumbling its steps when he hit its side and back. He didn''t kill it. Knight staggered but its long sword cut into the boy, making a shallow cut.


    It still counted.


    Boy didn''t care for it, unlike Murai who was furious. This simple mistake was like a slap to his face because a failure wasn''t on his mind.


    But not entirely. Perhaps he was thinking of it too badly because the slave was a child and this place carried quite a savage grading scheme. Unfortunately, it took its toll, since Murai was starting to get used to it after more than 90 Islands.


    Hurrying back, Murai knew the knight was still closer to the boy, but it was wide open. He waited for nothing. A quick second swipe of the swirling blade manifested a little better, moving like a shadow, and ensuring another cut.


    The knight noticed the change and its failure. It swung again at the boy after quickly stomping the ground, but the sword clashed against mana. Clash ensured, and another Blade later, aimed at the head, the back of its helmet cut into the bones, opening enough for the blade to move through, cutting into the neck.


    It didn''t go well, so Murai put his mana into more shaping and used simply more of it. Quantity was often the answer for lacking strength, so with dozens of slices and clashes, he cut the head off.


    The clutter of bones became dull inside of the armor, so when it hit the ground, it made noise.


    Celebrations or curses were useless.


    Another Undead Knight followed the suit of the fallen one, ensuring that the wave was consistent and quick.


    Murai went back and forth, but closer to the boy and portal than before, dancing and flying like a maddening duck.


    Sometimes, they managed to reach the flesh of their target, but nothing was worse than a cut. or small stab. Nothing life-threatening, apart from Murai¡¯s consistent curses and anger issues.


    So far, he recognized his overconfidence and the harsh conditions of this Island. Protection was very hard for him.


    Murai found different difficulties, unlike in pretty much any of the past Islands. Thanks to the changes between Blitz and his Proper Mana Blade, moving and paying attention to his actions, the boy''s location, and his enemies worked wonders for his understanding.


    He opted to not use his Sonar because its action wasn''t needed. Clashes went quickly and weren''t difficult. His problems were more in his movement and the fact that he had to keep others in mind. Sonar also had a clear cost that he rather kept behind unnecessary expenditures.


    Murai cursed wildly inside his head, but there was a weird pleasure in overcoming such a difficult challenge.


    Every kill of the Undead Knight of various Paths eased his anger a little. Some were light in shields and armors, while some held some thick eart and stone elemental shield or armors, noting of some Paths that he didn''t care about. All of them were around the general power of an undead human species.


    Knights depicted the body, while their Paths all moved within a Chaos Divide and Pathway of an Undead. Undead Knight was merely a point in undead life that was better than being a skeleton, hence the name. Above it, there were other names for them.


    After more fighting, Undead Knights slowly disappeared, followed by a few other waves.


    1st were demon Minoxars.


    2nd were Undead Knights on the verge of a breakthrough to become Captain, while still holding onto the instincts of their Paths.


    3rd were Lizards holstering weapons like Undead Knights but were living tougher beings and complicated foes in different ways.


    A Lizard was a humanoid monster in the shape of a crocodile but with more human features. It had a thick tail behind it, and instead of normal skin, it had tough green-colored scales. The color depicted their bloodline legacy that pointed to actual Dragons. While their head was resembling them in a much broader and wild manner, these Lizards weren¡¯t that potent because of their level.


    These were low in talents of their bloodline, but their bite held sharp teeth, and their skill in weapons and fighting weren¡¯t worse than that of those Undead Knights.


    They were great fighters as they should be, because they were one of countless battling races that lived in this world. They held light and round shields with short swords for quick combat, but some of them held broadswords, or even construcs for Handlers, making them rare magic-wielding foes.


    And here in this Variant Island, they were problematic, as they could attack from distances. Murai paid them especially grim focus and price with his mana or body for none of them to hit the boy with some long-range spells.


    They weren''t clumsy enemies at all, making them filled with possible evolutions and many Paths. Their tough scales were their armor, proving elemental protection that was part of their skin-like armor.


    But before Murai, they were just Lizards. Their attacks did meet the wide-open boy just a few times, while it took some effort on his side to kill each of them cleanly so no magic or flying dagger went to the boy.


    Sometimes, Murai was even using his feathers and wings like a shield, figuring that their defenses were enough to deflect or push some spells or daggers aside. It was a neat addition to his discoveries, making the wings kind of cool and unexpectedly flexible.


    He dealt with Lizards without thinking and fighting more than a single enemy. So far, he kept his time limits tight.


    As for the 4th wave, those were very problematic foes.


    Armondols.


    Those were devilish creatures with wings that held devil and demon bloodlines. It resembled a sickly thin human, with thin features and bodies. In a poor sense, they were like vampires, but feral like beasts.


    Then, they stormed from the portal and ended up having much notable intelect. They even spoke, but most of them growled, screamed, and hoped to kill the boy.


    Murai didn''t care for them, so a series of raspy shouting Armondols, who wanted nothing but the blood of that boy, died one by one.


    Their speed ended up disappointing Mindarch, as it was not enough to pose a threat to Murai''s Shaping or strategies. Murai changed his strategy to move along with each foe, while his idea to move in a circle and close to the elven boy gave him numerous advantages. Overall, he had fun with his strategies and his arsenal gave him a proper outlook on his limits.


    Armondols lacked defenses, so Murai killed them all in exchange for a few wounds on the boy that he couldn¡¯t catch in time.


    By this point, the boy was shuddering in pain and bled, no longer able to ignore the pain. He would''ve begun to cry, but perhaps he wouldn''t dare to even start that act.


    Murai noted some bolstered emotions that began to appear in the boy. Soul Read was constant, albeit he often opted to ignore it as much as he could. Having flaring soul-based powers that worked at all times wasn''t appealing. Thankfully, having few around to read wasn''t giving him any problems.


    He discovered that the boy was hiding even more pain than expected.


    Slowly, emotions moved beyond the forceful indifference as blood overcame his mind. He started to cry in silence, trembling and appearing like a doll that was lost in some swamp.


    Expressionless but crying, he looked even more miserable.

 Chapter 140: Bothersome waves

    This whole situation about the elven boy standing in the middle of this arena was a problem. Murai minded him from the mere existence. Every foe and wave had some unique problem he had to solve or exploit, but one thing was a constant bother.


    The boy.


    He never moved once even when he took a hit and many cuts. Even when he shuddered and hid his pain, Murai felt it. Read it.


    And he hated it, understandably. Ever far from helping him, it was something Murai found more than terrible. He had the itch to smack the boy himself dozens of times whenever there was an incoming foe that was coming at his head, but he didn''t even flinch or try to escape. If a snail went for his throat, he would let him.


    That was how terrible this was.


    In the middle of this mess, he stood like a stick. A doll to be butchered. A fool to be destroyed for nothing but some rules and a broken spirit.


    This Island felt wrong on so many levels, that Murai wished to change it in some way. It felt like something that was way out of his space. Like something that he could change, yet it was someone else who decided on the course of his act for him. The boy did, or the decision maker who created this whole Variant Island.


    Murai wished to curse at Mindarch rather than this boy. But he had no chance to do so with all the fights and chances slipping by. Foes from the waves weren''t listening or doing anything more than follow their set of rules and chances.


    The boy was also following some weird principles that were more like excuses to force Murai over the edge. Perhaps metaphorically, or literary.


    At least with the blood and pain, the boy was getting some color to his face, while the pain was even changing the voice of his soul. Murai could feel some tinges of changes or emotions. The boy was great at making sure to remain in a constant state of helpless idiotic state. He wanted to die, Murai figured.


    And when the dozens of strikes from the past waves ended on his body, his face turned unsightly, as if living itself proved to be a bother and the End should come at him already.


    But he didn''t welcome it with gladness. He accepted it as a simple release. That much Murai could tell, albeit with little compassion left on him. Even if someone offered a sword down his throat, the boy wouldn''t take that, but if it happened, it would be fine.


    Murai hated this fucking hypocrisy. This whole situation felt wrong, so he didn''t care for him and his life, even if he was his bodyguard. He had wings full of anticipated problems. Armondols proved to be quick and slender enemies, capable of damaging their target the best out of all waves because their speed and their respawn were quick.


    Sometimes, there was more than one of them out of the portal because they either traveled around the edges of the arena, hoping to save time or escape Murai''s Blades or flying Flame Shots. Thus, more of them appeared because he didn''t kill them in time.


    Murai fought more than 10 of them, succeeding in all kills that weren''t as quick as he preferred. Now, with the bleeding boy behind him, he waited for another wave which he hoped would be the last. 5th wave should be the last, considering the time and stamina he had left in him.


    Balance around the Islands was a topic he accepted. Lisa assured him that it should be fitting according to the balance Mindarch adhered to.


    He wasn''t sure how it all worked together with his balance, power, training, and new comprehension. Murai increased his power through many layers of training, figuring, and learning. Mindarch was only speaking of introductory things around the foes, rather than speaking how many were left.


    It lacked details, while the introduction to the foes wasn''t even that unclear to him. He didn''t need it all the time. His memories could gift him his chances, while his power crashed them the same. Thus, Mindarch''s voice was often unnecessary.


    But the various notes about their aspects were a great way to show some exploits or details that adhered to this world and Mindarch''s principles. Murai still heard and paid attention to every one of them to take the most chances he could.


    And there it went. A glowing portal was creating yet another show, undulating light and delivering a shadowy figure. A distinct shine of an armored foe appeared from the portal, revealing a single foe that wasn''t that big, but it was shiny, protected, and stronger than most of the foes from before.


    The despair had arrived.


    Murai shuddered. Not in fear or excitement, but the discomfort and misery that awaited him. The thing that walked forward was like a fortress for his sets of powers. A terrible enemy that went over his level more than a little bit.


    He had fought it once and hated it to his bones. It was worse. This thing looked much sturdier than the last one, thanks to the armor that seemed way out of the line.


    Undead Captain arrived, stepping and bones rattling around the 93rd Island.


    [Well, well, well, if Citizen M isn''t that lacking in skills and tries.] Mindarch humbly voiced. [Target is bleeding, but breathing still counts as living, albeit... well...]


    Murai bent his head upwards, ushering such a look and angry face that Mindarch paused. He hadn''t said a thing to him. His silent fury was more than evident.


    [You''ve certainly done your job, so let''s get to the last wave.] He said something he wasn''t supposed to tell, but it provided good enough answers to ease some fury away.


    [Undead Captain is a foe above the Undead Knight. You are currently close to reaching the peak of your current bracket of power. It all forms under my influence, so take it with a grain of your current prowess. It isn''t wrong. Your last captain was met with your fury, but this Island is different. Equipment can change even fools from talents. For knights, it is their pride to become a captain, as it is a stage within the undead race!] Mindarch said cheerfully and with quite some power.


    Murai didn''t care for his tone, but his words were validating answers. He heard and hated how his first Undead Captain felt for the first time.


    They ranged above Level 40 and closed at Level 70 when the end of their limiters showed their ends. The better they were, the higher level they had and the more power they held. In the simplest terms, they were much stronger knights. Usually, the boundary for an Undead Knight becoming an Undead Captain was Level 40. Sometimes, for those more potent and unique in variants, it was Level 50.


    The lower threshold could be lower, but high ceilings were often impossible to overcome. It depended on how their evolution, power, and other aspects worked, or how their undead bodies or instincts acted in their Soul Flames.


    All of these were important things for any undead, while Undead Captains weren''t just depictions of human-based undead. Many other undead beasts and different races had different names, but they could be named a captain as well.


    To see this thing once more, Murai feared this was a rather big headache for his current stamina.


    By now, the whole arena was a butchered mess with blood and gore everywhere. Dozens of corpses were lying around, some still bled, but all were motionless.


    [Undead Captain is your foe once again, while the premise stands and goes how it should. You are the bodyguard. Protect the boy!]


    [Level: 43.]


    [Path: Hound.]


    [Notable powers: higher quality armor than usual, bigger threat in tactics because of highlighted instincts, and increased versatility poise as challenging attitude to get this Island going to a proper end.]


    [A big notable forte for captains is their ability to shape their magic and work with their Path in significant quality. It is something that Knights can''t do that well, as Paths are very limited because of their undead status and instinct. They can handle magic duels in great form, but the end of the flow depends on your tactics. If a captain is a martial artist, things are different.]


    [This one has a clear Path against you in physical forms. Its Soul Flames are glowing under the armor to crack your tactics in half.]


    [Beware.]


    [Or gave up in sight of the wall that is before you!]


    [Figth or stop in your futile tries.]


    Murai expected to hear this obvious fact. The armor was looking stronger than normal for sure, while the Undead Captain was level 43! The biggest foe he had met so far.


    Watching the incoming foe with quite some interest, Murai guarded the shuddering elven boy. It was certainly a bigger humanoid undead than knights, but perhaps it was because of the burly and shiny armor that made it look bigger.


    He couldn''t detect or figure out its basic bony appearance even when he pushed onward his Sonar. The armor was too thick and weird. Mindarch hadn''t mentioned a thing about it besides a mere sneer-like comment.


    At least 2 meters tall, the captain was a warrior-based captain with two hefty axes in each hand. It was a bit out of his perspective because the armor looked as if he was a Paladin or someone very keen on some kind of defensive Path. Undeads were usually weird about the Paths because of their instincts.


    Sometimes, their Paths were barely recognizable. The stronger the undead were, the better they utilized their former Paths.


    One thing was clear. This one was well past the threshold of Murai''s balancing readings in its armor alone. Murai didn''t like it for sure. Armors worked kind of great against his magic. And while the penetrating power of his beak wasn''t that problematic even against powerful flesh, sturdy metals, or thick bones, it could still slide off of the powerful protections.


    Out of his arsenal, the only thing that had some chance was his Peak or Blitz.


    The captain itself was passable in its Path and its axes weren''t as impressive as its armor that looked like an impenetrable fortress.


    Armor was layered in detail and overlapped in plates at least 3 times with various forging techniques. It looked surprisingly seamless like plates of liquid. The pristine condition meant it was relatively new, and it didn''t seem to be part of its Path in general. Path of a Hound was kind of... weird when seen on an undead.


    Murai didn''t hear much of it besides some warrior or primal races using it.


    Armor was a tool. Most were well outside of everything, but most could be empowering to everything too. It depended on their use and how advantageous it all could be.


    Murai knew why it got this, but didn''t know how it was possible against him. Undead or not, the armor was his true enemy. After all, it seemed there wasn''t even undead underneath the metallic seamless mass. He only noted shining Soul Flames underneath a sturdy helmet that didn''t show the bones. It was hiding everything it could.


    It looked heavy at least, giving the undead noticeable speed limitations and flexibility issues that he could exploit.


    But if the captain went forward, stopping it might be harder than moving a flying fortress.


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    Expectedly, there was the elven boy in its eyes that thinly gleamed underneath a thick helmet. There was a sinister aura all around the armor, giving the undead a notable power thanks to its maker and mark of the Mindarch.


    This was the greatest undead Murai had the privilege to fight, but it was far from being the strongest he had seen. Thar or his toys behind his Welcoming Party were much better. Murai will gladly kill another Undead Captain. He met one just a single time above Island 70.


    That one had significantly smaller armor with even lower quality. Level 39 Undead Captain was freshest and weakest or freshest possible, yet he didn''t manage to kill it cleanly at all. Only by his tactics, use of his arsenal, and ploy that went for 10 whole minutes, did he manage to move past the armor to focus on each of its limbs, destroying them one by one before finishing it off.


    Undead couldn''t regenerate lost limbs unless their abilities or latent potential before being undead formed special powers. Vitality was one of the weakest aspects of any undead, unlike the living who cherished every last bit of this power to empower their flesh and blood.


    Usually bloodless, undead were the kind of tools that had limited bloodline-related powers, which did pose a limit to their strength. But it was understandable because their mere existence was known to be unnatural.


    Special undead with special instincts or Wills was well over the norm. Murai hadn''t met a single one of these, and probably won''t at all in his current limiting powers. He should be glad for that since when the good instincts and Will met the near undying body, it meant problems in various lengths.


    It could be a struggle, but the lack of Vitality and living qualities often created some advantages. Caring less for wounds was one such thing.


    Focusing on the weaknesses was always key to a victory. Their bony bodies were the only physicality left from the living.


    What were the bones for most of these undead of past adventures, or mercenaries? They hid their essence, Bloodline left the flesh, and bones were the center of every living being. Sometimes, it can all fuse to form uniqueness.


    It was their skeleton that protected the functions of what living or unliving things had to keep going. Organs were no longer in the picture, but some undead still might have them unless they were very old, shivered, or dried to the bones.


    Blood, flesh, and organs were possible assets for most Undead, but not their priorities.


    So what if nothing were visible?


    Weaknesses disappeared or changed significantly when talent and levels went upward. And when the method or certain disparities were disproportional and weird, the only method of winning was to shatter the most feasible weakness or look for a way to uncover one.


    Murai understood these tactics more than well. How this undead before his eyes acted, moved, and took care of his armor gave him many ideas. For once, it seemed unfamiliar with this big armor. Finding a weakness in it was thus the only source of strategy.


    Succeeding meant uncovering a weakness, creating a domino effect that might lead to victory until the whole undead would crumble like a house made of cards.


    There was a huge difference between knights and captains, even if their levels and talents weren''t that far. At least this one was a big one with Level 43, while the one before was 38. That was a difference that seemed little at first, but the quality and power that captains followed had tougher principles and instincts. A complete novice was weak. Experience and instincts made fewer mistakes, and their skill with magic or weapons was much better.


    In this case, Levels were no longer that relevant, or close to balance or sense.


    Murai felt the creeping sense of levels and their balancing factors.


    For example, if the Undead Knight of Level 33 clashed against him, he could fight with them even if there were 10 of them. Murai would crush them all without giving them a chance to see or hit his feathers. By use of Flame Shots, Blades, or Arrows, he would use distance. And even if they would storm his closer, he bet his Blitz would crack any undead below level 35 apart. Add the Peak, he was sure to be confident.


    But a captain of Level 43 was way out of such an opportunity or fantasy. Its level was high; its armor was brutal.


    Differences in a whole stage of evolution were vast. Murai realized that for the first time, albeit he knew their importance after slowly getting that idea from this Gate and Lisa''s words between the Islands. Hell, he was also a perfect example of evolution. His Panacea, or finding footing with his evolved abilities changed his mind many times in this Gate.


    Add to that equipment and Paths, each captain can have different ways to channel their powers and even learn new techniques. Of course, that depended on their instincts, desires, and how well their bodies held up their Soul Flames.


    The desires of any undead usually depended on their makers or area of influence under their creation. Necromancers always mangled with them in many forms, while any natural undead was a different kind of problem altogether. Unchained undead were always a problem that could end powers and nations in hordes of undying slaughter.


    But those weren''t in this Gate, fortunately. Levandiss wouldn''t take such a route to such a brute-forced Chaos. This place wouldn''t take it anyway, and why not use some Order to set her armies in better concepts? As a Ruler of her Hell Haven, this idea wasn''t foolish.


    Murai would rather ignore such things, but knowing them wasn''t a problem. Solving them was.


    His foe held powerful sensations, which altered Murai''s mind to pessimism.


    ¡°You little shit! Damned Mindarch! What is that armor you goose?¡± he cursed the sky but Mindarch was no longer interested in speaking. In seeking Murai''s acts, he was.


    Coming up with quick methods to make up for obvious differences in mass, strength, and power, was his current priority and test.


    Murai improved himself since the last time he had fought the Undead Captain, but Mindarch upped the limits when Murai closed the distance to the upper bracket of his limits. It was reaching the tipping scale that Murai was allowed to enter, but it wasn''t overflowing yet because of this unique Isle.


    It won''t overflow, probably. The end of this Gate was closing, and learning without Boosts had its limits, but not the ceiling.


    That meant Murai''s current abilities couldn''t evolve on their own, and pushing him over the edge was a testament to the limits and his foes. This gate was a test for every soul that went here.


    Murai realized that fact long ago. It constantly pissed him off, since the lack of Boosts meant a lack of power and change. But perhaps even if he did get them, it wouldn''t change a thing. His improvements weren''t ridiculous, while the Boosts would get rebalanced by stronger foes anyway.


    Mindarch adhered to the proper balance after all, and comprehensive understanding was different than taking cheap gifts, so Murai chewed his anger down, knowing that lack of Boosts was an important aspect of this Gate.


    He was making steady progress on his own. There was no mistake in his trials or something shabby in his tries. His abilities or limits mattered little when the growth and familiarity extended his soul and body.


    But when Mindarch smashed these aside, so he never touched his comfort zone, it changed things considerably. Some differences mattered little if others changed them outside of his choices.


    It wasn''t all about strategies. Comprehending one''s power always went out of the soul or out of talents. A power might be enough to crack these differences, but it wasn''t reliable.


    Murai was doing that for more than a few dozen Islands out of sheer spite and hope. A constant shift in strategies or his slowly understanding abilities went against the lack of Boosts, crashing his head that hoped for a change.


    It was relatively forced, even though it worked well for him.


    Murai had an idea of how helpful this all was because being dependent on outside influences was an interesting way to grow. Taking the easy way out of the hurdles of comprehension sounded wrong at first, but Boosts were that but weren''t that either.


    One had to comprehend what one got out of them or not, and the neat line between those who followed that, and those who didn''t, weren''t small at all. Lisa learned that ages ago, while Murai was starting to figure out how to go on with his own feet.


    He wasn''t mindful of it because he wanted to ignore it or follow the easy path ahead. His soul can influence this problem quite well, but sometimes, powers outside of his soul did matter.


    Boosts were that because it influenced his power in all ways possible, and with cheap and neat tricks. Lisa never mentioned that, because she trusted Murai''s incredible Will without any worries.


    In this sense, he was doing well in this Gate that truly challenged all Challengers to the bone.


    Murai had no issue with that in mind, but he hated the principles that twisted his mind and cracked his current body. He followed this Gate for days already, which made him frustrated. The issue was the difficulties that went out of his wings.


    The elven boy behind his back was the perfect example to piss and crash the thin line of his patience and soul. He made this Island difficult outside of his influence. And right now, this was no longer about him and him alone, because the problematic Undead Captain arrived to crack this Isle apart.


    Killing and protecting were different things, so Murai couldn''t disregard the boy or the undead. However, the Undead Captain can disregard him without any issue.


    It was a tough reality that Murai found sour.


    He was at no crossroads of choice. It was either accept the stubbornness and the reality, or... There was no choice but to somehow protect the boy well. He would do that by challenging the undead alongside his stubbornness.


    Murai was already before this clueless bitter boy, standing around 10 meters across the approaching Undead Captain.


    Unlike the one before, this one held one-handed axes in each hand that were way overkill for the boy or a duck. They weren''t the true problem, however, because their quality was lacking when the bones were hiding behind a literal fortress.


    Not a speck of bone was visible, which was the same thing as the previous captain. Thick and better quality metal shined and its steps were heavy and slow.


    Back then, he had time to crack that captain apart by focusing on the armor pieces before focusing on the limbs and bones. Not protecting some dull elf helped a lot in that as well.


    ¡°Well, here I go again... Onto a silly battle that doesn''t concern me even 1%!¡± Murai grunted an excuse, thinking about how to solve this captain when everything looked much worse than ever before.


    Looking around, he was looking for a way out of trouble with those axes. Armor was another thing. He could probably deflect those weapons with his barrage of Blades, similar to how he had done so numerous times with enough mass of mana.


    But that armor was thick and who knew what mass it held in total? It should be capable of enduring his Peak for sure, but that was a guess because Murai couldn''t figure it out by his Sonar alone.


    He flared it twice just to be sure, but it got washed out without clarifying a thing. There were almost no clear edges of its plates, making the overlapping tight and he wasn''t even sure about its material.


    Imposing was the sole word he could think of.


    Coming up with ideas was a good start, but before he had more time, the captain slapped its axes against one another, exploding nothing but the air and letting sound echo far. Then, it began walking onward quicker and its Soul Flames blazed. It had no shield, unlike the starting undead wave, yet its defense was far higher.


    Murai trembled in anger and lacked time.


    Unlike before this wave, he faked how calm he was because Level 43 was a clear problem that was hard to tame. And it acted first, even though it moved much slower than Minoxar.


    Brandishing the long axes forward, they were ready to chop some necks. Captain was unafraid of any attacks as its armor advantage was more than clear in its instincts.


    Murai realized the biggest problem with a simple swipe of a quick Blade. It swayed quickly, clashing with its tip towards the helmet. Mana splattered without making a dent.


    Going through this thick armor wasn''t possible for his magical capabilities, which hurt his pride. Now, he needed to look and test other things first because giving up completely wasn''t an option.


    Had he time for that? Perhaps. It depended on how the boy behind his back would fare and how this damned fortress will take his beak.


    It took time to come to some realizations. A time that he didn''t have.


    4 seconds of channeling his Peak would do the first poke toward better answers, but this time, it was dangerous. The boy may not outlive the approaching captain who was closing every second. He had to stop the fortress.


    So without much choice, Murai did the obvious thing: charge forwards to intercept this damned undead before that axe arrived sooner.


    His beak glowed in a colorful glint of mana, and out of desperation, it wasn''t the only thing. A pair of Blades followed behind his steps, acting as poking sticks meant for touches or helping tools, rather than poising as dangerous weapons.


    With his magic being not enough, its utility was still unrestricted. Perhaps some quality metallic weapon would do a better job, but expecting a duck to wield it was absurd.


    He flung his Blades first to distract the captain in its step by clashing its legs. Another swing went for the back of its head. The second cracked rather than exploded, thanks to the amount of mana and general Shaping he used. It slid off the helmet to the shoulders. It was in one piece for a moment before disintegrating under a crashing axe. The first one didn''t make much change. Captain kicked it aside as if it was a fly.


    Murai was using what he could, so he had no regrets besides assuming Mindarch to be someone fair. There was nothing into it, or so some might say. All he had to do was to find the way into the armor and the undead would crumble in time.


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    He had another worry to think about. What if too much time passed and another Undead Captain emerged from the portal? That was like a death wish that he didn''t want to try as he did with the Armondolds, or Lizards for once.


    In these waves, he could not finish one in time and a minute later, another appeared from the portal.


    It was as Mindarch said. There were time limitations that he had to consider. Not only the boy, which made this Island ruthless.


    But this time, it wasn''t about toying with Lizards or insane vampiric Armondolds. His control was not in his wings.


    Undead Captain swung its arms, crashing against the last Blade that went against his legs again to test its balance. It was a good idea, which might not be wrong, considering it purposefully chose to crack it aside.


    This will be the starting weakness that Murai hoped for. It should give some answers he hadn''t gotten with Sonar. Its feet were weak, or the balance was?


    He needed a peaceful mind to control too many Shaped-up objects. Too many would make it a bit hard. The fewer Blades the better control and power.


    So, he decided on the poorest and most questionable idea he ever had. He gave up overthinking this Island or whether another captain would emerge or not. Overflowing his mana space and Conjuring to a maximum, he Shaped dozens of thick blades forward, attacking the captain, who crossed the axes in a defensive stance, swirling them while enduring most of them with its armor.


    It wasn''t fast with the axes, thanks to the burly nature of the armor. It was around the skill level of the past captain for sure, but all because of the weight it carried.


    Still, the axes crashed his Blades, causing the axes to at least shift to a good angle. Murai launched himself from the ground, hitting the wooden handle of one axe with his Peak, leaving no cracks in the process because the Captain changed its grip, deflecting the majority of his Peak''s strength with the other axe.


    Murai wasn''t over yet. His many Blades swirled above him, sending a few slashes past his body to go around, attacking the captain''s side and legs. Before that happened, it shoved Murai aside like a fly, hitting his beak with the edge of an axe. A metallic sound echoed, but neither won this clash.


    Protected by the ongoing Peak, Murai felt his neck straining and Peak lost its effectiveness.


    Murai lost this clash in a flash and endured immediate backlash.


    He felt the difference in a massive gap of strength.

 Chapter 141: Undead Captain

    Murai had no time to use his Blades to change the outcome of this loss. He lost this direct clash. That was all about it. But he saw Blade''s usefulness besides supporting his actions or distracting those axes. Crashing one of them would give him the groundwork for further tactics. Most of his Blades went to the armor, or the axes hit them first, giving him a much-needed reality check.


    Every Blade exploded next, giving him no good signs or feelings.


    Murai stumbled meters away, feeling a dull sensation on his beak that went against that axe. His neck and spine took a hit, but he ignored it for the time being by flexing and shaking the pain away. Perhaps it was the adrenaline or the source of his Robust Spirit that helped?


    ¡°Asshole...¡± He cursed and Shaped another set of Blades. Backlash of his Peak didn''t stop any of his Shaping. He focused far too much on everything to lose it all. He returned to his prior strategy, but not the Peak. He unleashed his Blitz instead, which should still be able to do something, but its effectiveness came after enduring and focusing on the continuing absorptions of attacks and swings.


    Blitz gave the beak powerful properties that protected him against backlash and attacks, empowering his neck and head with mana. Then, the combination of momentum and clashes improved every swing by taking hits.


    But it still lacked a considerable level of efficiency and his handling needed more experience. Blitz like the Peak didn''t move with his beak alone. It needed the work of his neck, proper stance, stability, and swings of momentum. His entire body, ranging from legs, hips, or wings bore some momentum even if he was small and lightweight.


    It all counted for something in the end. Peak was more unhinged. All he could do was sway his neck behind and hit head-on. With Blitz, things were kind of different.


    He didn''t want to give this captain any time to come up with bad ideas, because it could learn and act according to his weakness. The Undead Captain could do it. Their instincts were suitable for learning, and this one wasn''t stupid after taking these first couple of clashes with disdain and confidence.


    That was why Murai began to change his tactics by attacking non-stop, hoping to come up with something that would help him against his desperation and continued steps that he couldn''t stop.


    The Undead Captain kept going for the boy while undergoing his barrage.


    Anything! Murai was getting desperate from the 16th clash of his Blitz that barely flinched the pair of axes. He stumbled instead, and each clash dulled his head and the feelings of his beak.


    Every loss was like a slap to his face. Literary.


    And by this point, the captain was within the boy''s reach. Just a swipe of one axe can end this Island, but not the Gate. There was no failure here. Just loss.


    Murai was on the ground, growling and looking up at it from 2 meters away, lost. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He can''t do shit to that armor, or stop those steps. His mana didn''t work. His beak felt weak. His beak had some effectiveness against the legs, but the pair of axes went against him in time, causing no advantages to come and rescue him from his misery. His Blades disintegrated against the armor while attacking the legs ended up as a failure.


    Captain can do his tactics too. He started to protect his steps by lowering his posture, which lowered his speed but increased his stability. Another advantage was more time for attacking, so it went ahead like it wanted. It didn''t give him many chances with its instincts and overpowered defense that didn''t feel proper on a Captain.


    His Peak never failed him in a proper channeled manner, while Blitz under dozens of strikes held powerful momentum that could crash some bones and flesh of anything below level 40. Well, there were exceptions to this rule, as he had yet to test every exceptional foe.


    Murai didn''t like being tested. It was way out of his league. It wasn''t even that crafty. It was just annoying. Irritating.


    Seeing him from behind, slowly reaching for the boy, Murai suddenly got an idea.


    His eyes turned bright with whitish force. Standing upright, he forced himself up, just when the captain put his right axe behind its shoulder, ready to swipe at the boy and cleave him in half.


    Swoosh!


    The exe slashed the air, leaving no blood on falling to the ground.


    Murai jumped like a rocket, knowing that if he couldn''t stop the mountain, he could move the river in the way. He reached the boy in time, slamming to him, grabbing his bleeding shoulder by his beak, and shoving him away.


    This process was quick and not something he wanted to use. It wasn''t about cleverness or tactics. It was just last-ditch efforts that had very limited uses because this damned half-dead boy was out of his mind.


    The boy grunted in pain, feeling that the sturdy beak cracked his arm. Murai would hit him again if he wanted, but he landed beside him, also grunting, but not in pain. He hated this tactic.


    For the first time on this Island, Murai was past the point of anger and hesitations. He finally snapped in fury, pushing his Will over the edge and using something he hadn''t in a long time.


    Perhaps never, when he thought about it.


    Strike of the Will.


    It was a rare atypical ability based on his Will and soul, pushing it all forward to touch the Will of others. Perhaps it had some other powers and limits, but it was like eyeing something with pressure of no gravity, yet it felt like gravity. It wasn''t mental alone, but coercing in powerful Will that shuddered the reality.


    His was small because he was short, but it was notable by a whitish glint in his eyes. When he unleashed this ability, it worked like shimmering pressure in his case, making it an ability that could evolve.


    A small explosion echoed, looking as if wind pushed the wind. It was enough to force this ridiculous boy over the mental edge. Murai was no longer willing to watch his blank face that had almost met that axe.


    It was ridiculous. He did it with complete willingness, giving up because of his injuries or pain.


    Now, both of them gave up on something in their minds.


    It was preposterous. All stops lost their meanings. Murai had never seen this mess in all of his lives.


    His Will pushed into his mind next, shuddering so little of what was left of this elf''s pride. If there was anything left, that was.


    Murai didn''t know what he was doing. If he was making a mistake with this, he would never regret it. Not like this at least. Like with Iris, his Will can hurt someone weak-minded, young, or anyone with an already weakened mind. The use of his Will alone to talk to others worked in different principles from the Strike of the Will that manifested the power of souls and emotions.


    But right now, Murai figured they were all connected. Putting or striking with his Will out manifested the power of his soul.


    This boy should be weak above the norm and even more, yet the surge of pressure washed over him, shuddering and shocking his face. His eyes and nose bled, but his mind surprisingly sharpened, almost exploded, and survived.


    A properly connected Will to someone else usually needed a mutual agreement, but Murai had no time for that shit. Strike of the Will did its justice, so it was time to talk to this bleeding and awakening fool. Murai invaded his soul without any qualms or consequences. And this time, the boy did not need to even consider anything, because he can''t do shit.


    Murai forced himself upon him since there was no shred of care in his mind. Being polite or easy on him was useless.


    In this manner, Murai knew he could crack his mind, made him a cripple, or kill him in so many ways, he would wish for an easier End.


    But the boy already did wish that, so what of it? Talking into his soul if he would survive his Will was a hopeful idea that sounded better than utter loss.


    Waking him up in this process might provide some sort of benefit.


    And he needed to be quick. Captain was turning, so he shouted into the boy''s soul.


    ¡°What the fuck were you standing there for, boy? What an utterly shameful appearance! Elves are the kind of beings that I look up to! You are shaming their mere speck of presence in your Bloodline and my memory you little shit. Their whole Authority is crying! Their grace and history span many cycles. Shameful! Wake the fuck up and work for the sake of your race and don''t even think twice about caring for the End. You hear me?!¡± Murai shouted to his soul, causing more pain to him because he wasn''t polite with his power that cruised and damaged his already weak mind and body.


    The boy listened. He collapsed to the ground, bled, and nearly cried. Pain and this shouting voice shocked his mind. He couldn''t do anything else while Murai continued with what he wanted to do because this was the best outlet he had ever found.


    ¡°Being proud of your past, even if it isn''t in your head, isn''t a bad idea. So what if your current life is a dogshit. So many have it like that already, so why do you need it too? Have some backbone, will you? Have it like them? Hopeless and weak? You have some resemblance of a core in your midsection, but your mind is like a fluttering piece of dried flower in a storm. So silly. So useless!¡±


    The boy shuddered and hoped to crawl away. At least he was able to move.


    ¡°Being different is fine, but one has to have the guts to be dependent on one''s Will and bear the marks of failure or success with equal confidence. Learning allows growth. Failure is what it is. Loses empowers the winners. Your eyes are long past any glances of the living... I can see that you lost your mind, you wimpy bastard!¡± Murai decided to act with much more force than he wanted, picking up a fight with his face by slapping him twice.


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    Physically, his wings worked surprisingly well for slapping, even if his inner voice provided mental slaps much better.


    He still had time before the captain arrived, thanks to the Will that he sent in a few seconds.


    ¡°Get on your fucking feet or crawls away like a rat that you are. Move away to that corner of this arena, or I will bite your cheeks and drag you there myself! Got it!?¡± Murai gave him a series of orders, poising his wing above his eyes and red cheeks.


    His Will thundered its way around the boy''s mind, so he kept trembling, facing the consequences of the Strike of the Will, while Murai''s Will almost finished his spirit as a whole.


    Somewhat, it didn''t cripple him, which Murai considered to be a surprising miracle. An unexpected one too.


    Murai gave him what he considered a bare minimum gift, even though he would give him at least thrice more words and even more of his Will. But the boy wouldn''t survive that. He kept trembling, painfully growling, and touching his head, alive.


    It worked and his voice reached his head. Murai didn''t regret this quick jump after all, nor the use of Strike of the Will that he wasn''t all that sure about. It wasn''t an ability that sounded great from the start, and he never heard anything about it since he had it. True, he never tested it or used it very often, but pretty much anything was subject to some readings and upgrades.


    Either the Will of the Battleworld couldn''t touch it, or Murai wasn''t touching it enough to validate its leveling or powers.


    This meant that ignoring abilities was not a good act to do. One should use what one had to change them and improve them, otherwise, they will become useless garbage.


    Well, a whole lot of beings in this world did consider and had many such abilities at many stages. They called it simply trash skills because their usefulness was subjectively terrible so they wouldn''t focus on even touching them. Evolving them could help, but it wasn''t worth it at many points.


    Murai didn''t think of Strike of the Will in this way. Its uses may be sporadic, but it was soul-based, so its power and uses weren''t trash because of his soul alone.


    After a sudden silence, the boy stared in shock and the sight of a duck, until a wing slapped his face again, shaking his face. He was wondering if he was insane after all. He was. Perhaps.


    But, he was also feeling the pain differently than cut, blood, or hit, as some voice crashed his mind and talked in powerful tones. It was very powerful and meaningful. Clear too, so he glanced at this duck that spoke to his soul, remembering that helplessness was just a point in Chaos that he long accepted to be his End.


    At last, the veils of his soul turned crisp, or the long submerged layers of his emotions and soul were torn apart. It was either Murai''s wing, voice, or he was just a helping tool to help this boy crash it himself. Either way, his soul became softer and more emotional, and his body soon followed. Tears flew out of the corner of his eyes, drenching his sorry and bloodied face.


    Soul was an important prospect across all of the elven histories and worlds. It was precious among countless races too, as a soul was a factor that everyone possessed.


    This boy lived a shameful life, and he was preposterous about what his race, family, parents and the grace of his bloodline gave him. He had given up without shame before. It wasn''t surprising. He was the kind of slave that had very little chance of surviving in this current world. Everyone like him would be like him in these circumstances. Most elves would.


    The boy clutched his hands, accepting the voice and these slaps by nodding to the duck that was ready to slap him again. He began crawling to the corner how Murai wanted.


    He whimpered in the process, hurt and suffering, but Murai was at least glad that he crawled.


    Seeing his success just in time, Murai tore the last bit of his hesitation away, along with a piece of the boy''s shirt that was in his beak. He waited for its plan that slowly crept under his mind. It was time for the last ditch effort and be insane. Murai can afford it. He always did.


    ¡°Very well, asshole. I will butcher you now, you bunch of bones in shiny armor!¡± He turned to face the captain who had arrived above him with its axes in mid-swing. Its target got away in time and was much faster than his slow speed even when the boy crawled.


    ¡°Can''t even catch a crawling elf? Laughable.¡± Murai chuckled.


    Captain viewed Murai as a threat, even after dozens of attacks that did almost no damage to it because of the armor alone. Against the boy, he had no qualms.


    Against Anatidae, things can be much more complicated and better done carefully. Because of this, the captain was making steady changes and tactics, unlike the past foes that eyed the boy as their priority.


    The time was getting away, yet the portal remained open without a second captain in sight.


    Murai forgot about that. His mind focused on his current task. A chance to crack the armor around the few little bit separation plates that were hardly notable between the helmet and the shoulder. He noticed it thinly between his Blade attacks and brief notes of Sonar. Destroying the limbs was out of the question, and there wasn''t even an option to push it out of the arena, as there was no edge, but a bunch of walls.


    Undead Captain was quite a tough nut to crack, but with the boy crawling out of the picture, Murai had a certain plan that should work if he had enough time.


    Well, it wasn''t a question about time. He had to succeed. There was no other choice, albeit there was also no guarantee that his plans would work.


    Undead Captains were very strong in their bony bodies, while this armor was just a way to create a very potent fortress that should be pretty expensive, and certainly not possible to manufacture in great numbers to make an army of them.


    Its use was also limited because of weight and their bones that might be undying, shatterable, and let''s not forget the lack of Vitality and proper regeneration. It was no flesh. Bones had their limits.


    Murai eyed the captain with remembrance of his last kill. It was still fresh in his mind. He wasn''t stupid to not consider what he understood about the last meeting, even if it was different than this one.


    Considering it, using whatever means necessary to kill this fucker was a great Will to have. The boy crawled rather clumsily away, so it was a temporary solution, but it served its purpose because his crawling speed was up to the captain''s steps. And it will be faster when Murai bothers its steps.


    Focusing on the task at wing, Murai returned to his onslaught of magic, while his Blitz endured the swinging axes while faltering away. He deflected and defended because the cloth in his beak swayed and got smaller, so he opted for more careful tactics.


    Striking like an annoying fly was like an art that Murai loved. Magic was good enough to be annoying, even if he couldn''t crash these plates, but it certainly left a mark in other things.


    Within a few minutes, he successfully failed to manage any cracks in its full-body armor. He knew he was far from that point without a proper Peak.


    He should get the timing and situation right very soon, as the cloth, which served an unknown purpose, still held its physicality. For how long? He will have to use it sooner rather than later. After all, his mana wasn''t closing on its limits because most of his spells were single-use alone.


    He had no endless mana as he assumed. Even with the cache of this temple, his expenditure was massive like his Conjuring and Shaping. It was wonderful that his mana space and core survived all of this so far. Mindarch was impressed.


    Yet, the cloth and his beak had to wait, until Murai found the right opportunity to accomplish their mission.


    Feeling every ounce of his being focusing on this captain, Murai forgot everything. The captain was just mildly infuriated and annoyed at him because Murai stopped his steps.


    So the captain swung its axes, and with a great addition to its momentum and weight, crashed against the beak. One went for the head, the other at the wings, yet it wasn''t as successful as it preferred. Clashes always ended in a couple of after-matches: Murai backed or flew away, or he deflected each swing in learning chances thanks to his wings or beak.


    Thankfully, it was possible because these axes weren''t as great as the armor and they weren''t very quick. If they were similar, Murai bet he would be dead in a single swing. Still, there was almost no win against those axes either, since they might not be the sharpest or best against his beak, but they were sturdy and still in one piece. They survived his Blitz so far, so they were pretty good on their own.


    Murai took every attack with the least amount of trouble he could afford. Which was surprisingly wide range, including a couple of kicks, or shiny elbows that struck Murai aside, stumbling him on the ground.


    However, he wasn''t upset about them from the outside perspective. The curses in his mind were enough to act like a great meaningful therapy while his plans weren''t going away as long as he had his beak and cloth.


    He cycled between stumbling, flying, and going back against this damned captain dozens of times. This act continuously took its toll on his mana and body. It was closing on the limits of what was winnable, but he was using his Blades most of the time. Sonar gave him barely any flashes of chances, but the armor held not-so-complicated weakness.


    With losses, Undead Captain moved all so closely towards the crawling elf that was slowly decreasing his speed because of bleeding and lack of stamina. Dancing with Murai, who was taking his distance by now, the situation was changing. By now, his Proper Mana Blades were the only tool that was of some use. Mana Spear or Arrows did nothing whatsoever. The Blade was better, sharper, and clearer to find a way inside.


    Like the annoying fly he was, Murai continued without stopping, looking for a way to do one single attack with his Blitz that he was saving for proper timing. With each passing exchange, the captain soon realized that Murai was helpless and desperate. Suddenly, as if the switch turned off, it decided on something brave and stupid.


    It turned its attention, no longer unwilling to care about Murai and his lacking means and fighting capabilities that no longer done a thing to its armor or axes. It went straight for the boy crawling half a dozen meters away.


    That was a fatal mistake and something Murai cheered to see. He aimed for this, bid his time, and found the right angle to use one special ability that his Blitz held after accumulating numerous clashes, mana, and something else.


    Called Fatality, it was an attack closing on the Peak''s top channeling, but it was sharper, quicker, and less demanding, even if it was similar.


    Fatality was part of the Blitz. It held a set of moves that Murai discovered and Mindarch stated in a rare information thanks to his various accomplishments after his brief stays in Ending Isles. In the easiest terms, it was an accumulated power that was taking all of the momentum, mana, and power to the thinnest point of his beak and a single second.


    It could be a thrust, swipe, or a simple smack. That was what a Fatality was. It was a simple savage attack that could arrive in a blink without any channeling, yet striking under special accumulated cases.


    It wasn''t cheap or easy to accumulate enough power over the Blitz to unleash Fatality. He needed dozens of strikes to start it, while it had some amazing power and threshold that maybe needed even hundreds of clashes.


    Murai experimented with it in the past Islands by intentionally not finishing some targets. Fatality had some stages, but nothing about it was concrete. Mindarch only mentioned that it was part of the Blitz and gave it a barebone description before chirping to go to other Islands.


    Lisa said nothing about it because she had no idea what Fatality was. But she argued that after this Gate, he would get his answers from Mindarch or Will of the Battleworld.


    Boostless, the aftermath of this Gate will be massive! The biggest Murai will see, or it shouldn''t be that far from Gate 1. Lisa knew how worth it would be, or Murai could ask Mindarch about it by using his Question Mark.


    He refused such an idea, opting to figure it out for free at the end of this Gate or later.


    Watching the changing steps of this Undead Captain, Murai gleamed in delight. Using the crawling boy as bait, he crept behind with the gleaming tip of his beak. He used his Fatality in the right way, pouncing at the back of the captain, right at the part of the helmet that had been the target of his Sonar and Blades.


    There were relatively small layers of plates, thanks to a gap between the shoulder and torso armor, acting as a base for the helmet that should be able to get off. Most plates around this section had a crisscrossed pattern, so it wasn''t as if the bone was visible even underneath some layers. There was crafty protection, but some sections had fewer of them, or none at all in very little space.


    Someone made this armor. It wouldn''t just be created in one piece. It had parts, details, and craftsmanship behind it, which Murai decided to exploit. It sounded as hard as it was, but there was a latch set between the helmet and the gap.


    That was the most suitable target that Murai had discovered.


    At its back, swinging wings and letting go of all breaks in terms of his mana, Murai made his move. Fatality cracked into the gap, creating a bigger hole barely able to make something useful. Armor was still too good when metals folded around one another.


    So Murai charged and blasted the Fatality with all strength he could, pushing his beak towards the neck by angling and wriggling his body and neck like a maddened duck. He was looking for the latch.


    And he found it in a heartbeat. A latch that kept the helmet and the armor''s internal structures in place. It was inside, hidden behind the first layer of the armor that was possible to turn away and handle the helmet.


    It was a gamble. Murai was happy it paid off. Hopefully, the piece of cloth that went alongside his beak down will get its job done too.


    His plan was yet to end.


    He started the last gamble and exploded his core into flames.

 Chapter 142: BOY!

    Fatality was very useful, obvious to the amount of focus behind it. With enough power in the Blitz and without outputting too much away, Fatality can become an incredibly sharp tool.


    Unlike Peak, it provided uses in other ways besides a simple potent thrust, followed by an extensive force of mana, momentum, and strength. Peak was the epicenter of Anatidae''s offensive strength, whereas Fatality was following Blitz''s momentum, which made it a special move.


    But it wasn''t universally acknowledged as a stronger ability than Peak because it was versatile. Peak or Blitz, both had some unique touch on Anatidae''s beak. Some principles could be similar or with a similar idea behind them.


    After all, what a beak had was physical limitations. Something that magic often couldn''t change. At least on this level.


    Peak had better brutish power than Blitz, but the point of Fatality was the peak of what Blitz could do. So it wasn''t wrong or right to assume their uses. It was a follow-up ability after a simpler Fury.


    It should be better with time. Everything should.


    Peak was becoming clearer under Murai''s touches as well, as it was closing on the limits of its starting leveling capacity. A lot of Murai''s current arsenal was reaching that point, similar to his level which should be soon above Level 20, which was the general threshold of getting some abilities to the evolving threshold. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Levels of abilities of the same grade as one''s Class should usually move in the same principles and levels, but it wasn''t the rule. Anatidae Panacea was a Class D sub-species, meaning that every Level 1 Abiliy at Grade D would follow the leveling process similarly to his level. It implied balance.


    Alas, it still depended on how one leveled them up, how one used them, and when, which was nothing more than readings of experience, familiarity, or following their uses. Proper Mana Blade, Shaping, and Peak were the closest to their respective limits of Level 20.


    That was the general evolving threshold for any abilities, but some had their expectations or exceptions. For example, Murai doubted his Mana Shaping could evolve. It was one of the fundamentals of magic.


    Fury and Detection went over the edge first, giving him blissful upgrades that he loved to use at every given opportunity. He used Detection fairly often before that, but not the Fury, which was weird. It probably moved quicker towards its evolution because of something going on with his species, familiarity, or something else. This temple either changed it, or he did it without knowing how.


    Either way, he didn''t want to complain about it. It still changed, giving him versatile additions that went along the Panacea sub-species.


    Undead Captain was tasting the power of Blitz''s Fatality onto its neck. Murai was a sneaky little duck by using this attack after it ignored him, attacking it from behind. Captain even offered its back, giving him this choice so easily, that Murai would never refuse it.


    Fatality severed no connecting layers of armor, but it did go through a metallic latch where the helmet met the neck and shoulder plates. It was just enough space to let the little tip of his beak inside, smashing the latch apart. His ambush attack succeeded, and after angling and swirling his neck, it ensured his beak moved the rest aside, causing the helmet to tremble and loosen.


    Murai pushed and used his weight and beak to snap the helmet away, severing it from the rest of the armor. As he suspected, the helmet wasn''t that outlandish part of this whole armor set. Perhaps it wasn''t even part of it, but a secondary addition.


    It flew away, revealing the panicking skull of the Undead Captain, who stopped walking as it felt the sudden force behind its neck and flying helmet. It got angry, and its Soul Flames in its socket tried to look behind, but it was futile. Its burly-covered armored arms couldn''t reach for him, or the helmet on the ground.


    Murai laughed, looking at the dried skull that was quite edgy in appearance. It was a bit curved, almost inhumanly so, depicting not a human but it wasn''t far from them.


    Eye sockets were particularly wide, making even the flames thick and swirly. It was a prominent feature of the skull, glowing in flickering panic.


    In all senses of purpose, the captain resembled a human on all fronts, because it held a nose, not particularly wide or strange mouth with normal teeth, and holes in ears were there as well. There were no horns on the smooth top of its skull.


    A lot of devils or humans were looking similar to piles of bones that most undead were, but some features still made some differences. Horns were for devils as their most prominent aspects and their token of power, moving even through death to appear in all of their skeletons remains.


    Demons were much stranger because their appearances were so varied, that it almost made no sense to think of their bones. Some looked human, some looked beastly, and others were nothing but sketchy life forms.


    But some demons looked like humans, similar to the humans that looked like demons. Everything was somewhat connected at the wide spectrums of every race, poising as a large graph or a circle with millions of connecting lines.


    It was the undeniable truth that made something like slavery laughably childish, but undeniably real in almost all tangible ways. Everyone wanted to feel special, which enabled all acts of violence. Greed was there too, as it was a very prominent truth.


    At the end of the day, everyone might be similar to one another, when met with the End. Souls were that, but not the bones.


    When one went to the Afterlife, all of that mattered even less when one became just a little dot of light that was subject to grand reincarnation and Afterlife. Physical bodies no longer matter.


    Murai didn''t care about any of that right now. He didn''t care if this skull was all bony or scaly, or if it was tiny, big, or sketchy like a ball, rectangle, or shaped like an egg. He wanted to break it regardless of any features.


    But he had his beak full of problems because it was still inside of the captain''s neck. He didn''t crack the spine or touch the further plates. He just bent some bones in a way, moving his beak deeper when he had a wide opening into the armor. The armor could take all the power of his Fatality. Some parts didn''t, which enabled this current moment of having his beak below the layers of armor.


    It was part of the plan. A gamble too. The Undead Captain was too late to stop what was about to happen.


    Conjuring the wildest flame Murai could create, the tip of his beak outshined the Blitz. Focused on nothing but the Flame, Murai blasted all breaks away and changed his mana into Flame, letting the cloth drop down as well.


    Inside his mana space, the Beast Core flared in a great flaming storm, switching from the neat azure color to unleashing a flurry of waves that acted accordingly to Murai''s Conjuring. It was a flood of the remaining mana his core had. He spent everything, pushing his Flame to the tip of his beak, and there was no stopping it.


    But there was still a problem. It wouldn''t do much on its own when the bones of an Undead Captain were sturdy and partially immune to elemental harm.


    He didn''t crack any bones with his Fatality. It was just enough to go through the armor, which was what he wanted to do anyway, but that was the first part. Second was what he was doing right now. He needed fuel for his Flame because his mana was too weak to do what he wanted.


    Conjuring lasted for a couple of seconds. Far too little than he wanted, but his mana had its limits when Conjuring restricted his Replenishment.


    Murai would have to become proficient with some kind of Flame Conjuration Technique, or something that worked with Flame inside his Core to properly touch or shape it better. It wasn''t a necessity, fortunately.


    Even if he had it, the current circumstance wouldn''t help him with anything. Not only did he have too much in mind, his mana had problems. It was already late in his fight, so he opted for the most intense Conjuration method possible alongside the best Shaping he had.


    Those were the Flame Shots, following a rune, and many flames flying ahead.


    A pair of Shots swirled below the skull, coming into contact with the bones. They became singed immediately but didn''t crack. Murai let them go deeper, exploding in flames and the rest of his flames went ahead.


    But before that, he changed some truths about the flames, meshing some symbols with his imaginative Shaping to create a simple rune. He attached it to the piece of a cloth he let go into the deepest part of the Captain, followed by his Shots and Flame.


    A good alternative to seize victory was simplicity. Flame can devour the dried-up bones from the inside out, or mana could fuel them for enough time. That was the usual method mages used around many techniques, because mana was fuel, or materials were. Catalysts often worked for that purpose, or essences did.


    But Murai wasn''t rich in such choices. He had to burn this damned undead from the inside out, so any piece of bones was a good start.


    And it worked!


    Flame Shots cracked a little piece of a single rib apart, which began to sizzle from inside out to propel the flames inside. Then, the heat surged out to the air, and flames began to spread when oxygen went in.


    Murai was delighted after seeing and feeling how great it all worked. Whenever the plans went according to a plan, it was a perfect time for a cheer.


    Smoke began to emerge from the opened-up neck soon enough, traveling up from the insides of the panicking Undead Captain. The armor won''t stop this, so Murai churned a laugh before jumping aside and tumbling as he panted. His mana was out of his reach. He was too tired.


    Undead Captain kept panicking and forgot about its target or a duck. Dying by burning was truly a horrible feeling for its bones. Smoke began to rise much faster as it began to roll on the ground, hoping to change something, but the armor became its prison. Anything...for help.


    With a pair of Flame Shots and a Flame Rune latched into a cloth and wrapped onto the ribs, flames consumed. It was like poison seeping deeper into the bones, and even heat rapidly spread inside like in a stove.


    Its armor couldn''t contain what was within, which became a problem as there was no opening beside the neck, fueling the flame with oxygen. It was looking good, as if it went even better because the heat was well kept in, surrounded by a great armor.


    However, that was because the fuel was mainly Murai''s mana, and the Flame Shots had limited effectiveness because they were spells. They exploded inside, gave the rune more fuel, and added more flame around the bones before dissipating.


    Shots wouldn''t do much without the cloth that was the essential fuel, allowing the Flames to cycle by consuming the bones and spreading. All under a Flame Rune that had a simple rule set into it, heat rose.


    Murai used the rune theory in the simplest motions. So he watched the show from aside, stopping tumbling, and supervised the foe on the ground.


    ¡°Not sorry.¡± He mumbled, feeling great and good in his nods that felt as if he was patting his back. He truly wanted to hear what would Lorry say about this move, but his mana space and core felt like shit. His insides were squeezing him, but surprisingly, he didn''t feel much from his mind. He wasn''t that tired physically, even though he should be.


    For now, the situation stabilized. Undead Captain kept dancing on the ground, cluttering his armor and panicking. Flame ate the bones, so its movements were slowing down. With more exposed bones or marrow, the flame got stronger. It soon became independent from the Rune, which flickered and stopped existing.


    From then on, it was disastrous for the Undead Captain, who seemed to give up and became detached from the reality of the situation. It kept lying on the ground, hoping to extinguish the flames. It was impossible. Flames spread to form an independence.


    Soon enough the whole body was aflame, spreading even to the skull which flared in its Soul Flames.


    ¡°It spreads slowly, as expected. Captains have their core bodies in great shape, probably because of what they are in this temple. Their defenses are sturdy, but not against this sort of tactic, huh? Gonna remember that. There should be more resistance depending on level or might. I wonder about the possibilities, Mindarch.¡± Murai mumbled out loud, hoping to seek Mindarch''s voice that was constantly watching.


    But no comment went his way. He bet Mindarch was feeling stupid right now, so the silence was pitiful or great in any regard.


    Anyhow, the use of his Flame worked wonders because Murai used it in a great way. If he was wrong in any act, they wouldn''t be able to reach enough heat and fuel.


    Conjuring it all under his current Grade was still a questionable act, but Murai used enough Flame to last long enough to reach the inner portions of the bones. If that didn''t happen... Well, it went within his calculations, even though his mana pool sank to the bottom, but then he looked into it and discovered it wasn''t empty. He could''ve sworn he Conjured the most he could.


    Now, less than one-tenth was left, which shocked him. That was enough mana to Shape more Flame Shots. Could it be the power of the Replenishment and this Gate? It gave him so much mana that he wondered about its effectiveness and whether his near-zero mana wasn''t hurting him. It didn''t. Even with all the bullshit things this temple gave him that enchanted his recovery with hidden poison.


    He should be careful next time, but he completely forgot how many seconds and minutes had passed.


    ¡°Wait, no other Undead Captain arrived.¡± He said to himself, looking at the portal. ¡°Oh well.¡±


    He knew his Flame wasn''t in threshold of some great quality. It was just elemental affinity at the beginning stage. His Sharpness was better than it because he wasn''t stingy with it, and usurpingly, his talent with it was better. It got Boosted a few times already.


    His Flame was neglectful because its uses weren''t as widespread under his needs. Flame Shot was the lone spell under his Flame.


    That was it.


    He had no time to think of something else for the time being, even though he could Shape something new out of his Flame Affinity. That was essentially how mages came up with new spells and trained. With affinity already within his core, it should be even easier.


    But did he want to start it? Flame Shots weren''t potent alone because of mana itself. Flames had fundamentals that poised as Laws.


    The flame was hot. Ice was cold. The wind was quick and formless. That was a general truth that all elemental affinities held, making the Laws slowly creeping truths, and creating suitable techniques and spells.


    Laws were powers of another class, changing Shaping, or spells under many categories. One can have as many Laws as one can hold. That was the only limit, and there were Laws to pretty much anything. Murai knew it but had no desire to look at any with this current body. He calculated this world took Laws for very limited things because of Boosts and the way the power gathered.


    Frankly, he couldn''t even think of Laws right now.


    Major and powerful Conjuration and Shaping techniques moved along these truths, otherwise, it would be an ordinary flame.


    Murai''s Flame wasn''t stronger than what any ordinary mage had. His handling was. The amount and density of flame can change it, while the Flame Rune worked wonders. Mana touched it, so it became a skill on its own.


    Murai let his Flame turn crisp, growing into a higher degree of heat on its own thanks to the new fuel and heat. Without the armor around, it wouldn''t work either.


    He let go of some doubts, figuring that he should trust his instincts, rather than be worried about every little problem this life had. He hated dealing with problems, so overlooking the sizzling captain felt good.


    ¡°Ahahah! Too bad, fucker! Drop dead you piece of churning dry bones!¡± Murai happily quacked, standing up to his feet and taunting the captain''s last attempts that changed nothing. The smoke was turning dense and even little flames started escaping its mouth, or the sides of its neck. The armor made up a nice oven, so the captain was more or less done.


    Amid the dozens of bloody corpses, the Undead Captain struggled to no avail. It couldn''t do much, and soon enough, even flames started to envelop its skull, leaving its already swirling Soul Flames weak. They lowered like the skull, almost disappearing into the armor.


    Captain screeched and cluttered its teeth in terror before it cursed and dropped its limbs to the ground. It lost. Letting go of its exes was the basis act of defeat. At the last moments, its fingers stretched to catch the elven boy that was far away. Until they dropped, leaving the flames consuming.


    Murai won this fight, and it wasn''t easy for him at all. The plan had good methods. Accomplishing every step wasn''t easy, and if it hadn''t been for the Fatality or his use of Flames, it wouldn''t have fared well.


    Well, perhaps he could''ve forced it with the most intense Peak anyway, but he doubted it would create such a great opening to allow the helmet to fly away. Flames needed oxygen, after all, while he lacked time.


    The captain stopped moving not that far from the crawling boy, who looked at the smoking corpse of a corpse.


    His eyes were alive, but confused and weird after looking at how a little duck killed an Undead Captain, whose armor looked more like that of a General. He knew at least this much, but after hearing its screech and clutter of armor, he watched and harbored memories of a slave from Hell Haven who saw many undead.


    The boy didn''t know what to think. How to act? Should he keep crawling? Death won''t come at him. How? Why? When did it become this weird and bright? He thought he was lost in eternal depression, but Murai crashed his mind out of that curse.


    In fact, he shouldn''t dare to even think, because Hell Haven and his slave status were chained to his bones, mind, and soul. His status didn''t change, but his mind did. That weird voice woke and changed him.


    Feeling confused and weird about this unfamiliarity was the basis of his current mind. While the pain of having his mind cracked in half was still fresh, Murai was no longer talking to him, so it didn''t hurt him that much.


    His only sight that mattered was the insane picture around the arena. Blood was everywhere and he realized every single fallen foe was in pieces, and many armors and weapons lay around. It was a small army of more than 40 or so killed foes in not even that large arena. Perhaps more, but he had trouble distinguishing pieces from individuals.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    There were severed heads around his arms too, and big chunks of intestines. The metallic stink of blood hit his nose. It was a familiar stinking sensation that was also coming off of him. He thought he had outgrown this feeling long ago in his dreadful stance and mindless helplessness, but the world had changed.


    He wasn''t finding it good, however. It was terrible, so his eyes focused on the surroundings more than his nose.


    The only standing foe was a powerful duck that destroyed all of them. That powerful Undead Captain too? Weird... Insane.


    Flashes of painful memories, along with strains of pain over his body, were enough of a wake-up call. They wanted his head. They wanted him dead!


    All of those beings were a dreadful existence in his eyes. Yet, throughout this nasty picture, the boy remained on the ground, shaking in excitement, Will, fear, and whatever else that his mind couldn''t even handle. It all overlapped into trembling, giving his body and mind a tougher time, but his eyes were still firm. Wet as well.


    His fate seemed no different from before, yet it was how it always was: an unbearable experience of being a slave. Not a normal one, but a slave for a human nation was often better than being a slave for some household name in Hell Haven. It depended from slave to slave. He was an elf. That was already well over the normal slaves, be it war slaves, work slaves, or something else.


    He survived for now, but the future held way too many pictures and possibilities, and some duck wouldn''t change it, even if it briefly shook his lost Will.


    This boy, will he survive even the nasty future that was ahead of him? He survived the death sentence that should''ve killed him. He tried to escape. He tried to kill. He tried many things.


    He hoped for the death too. Many times, without any authority or permit. Others should be the ones to give him that gift. The Rulers. Gods. Overlord. Mighty ones that had far too much of an ego.


    That was the truth about the slaves in all of the Hell Havens; places where Chaos ruled.


    The power of the rules gave those in power superiority over the others. In this sense, the pictures of this duck were weird. Whatever death he wished, be it peaceful or filled with suffering, he hoped to reach the end of the numbness.


    He failed to get that, even when it was almost guaranteed. Murai defied that choice, refuting him like the ones who judged his Fate.


    But he didn''t hate this duck. He knew it was the one that spoke to him, somewhat... How? That was another puzzle to his confusion. Was that duck a different thing? A weird variable that he unwillingly met because of nothing but his past act? It saved his ass. That much was true.


    Smiling in satisfaction and the great sight of smoking bones, Murai was surprised to see the portal trembling in cracks and conclusion.


    This was indeed the end of this whole Island. Undead Captain was the last boss, which was as funny as frustrating, because Mindarch played with his words on a whim, speaking as if more of them would come out of that portal.


    But he was kidding, fortunately.


    Murai doubted he would manage the same tactic on another one, but various foes within the same wave had different points of interest. Some had different Paths or equipment, thus different strategies were required to kill them. Mindarch mentioned only a single Path, so perhaps he should''ve gotten there was just a single foe.


    ¡°Well, this piece of bones was still considerably more difficult because those defenses were way overkill. I put my everything into the weakest parts of that armor, managing no cracks, but look at it! I found a way in anyway! Terrible... Terrific!¡± Murai cried to the sky, spreading his wings, and wished to laugh straight at Mindarch''s face.


    ¡°I won, Mindarch! But... at what cost huh?¡± He shuddered and calmed down. Feeling his mana space, it was calm, but both of his cores seemed to churn in some activities. They were restless, similar to his neck that suddenly snapped and pain lingered for more than a couple of seconds. Murai grunted as he glanced up, aware that he got hurt on this Island after all. He almost stumbled backward, falling to his back in pain.


    ¡°Was... Was this?! A great Resonance? Nah... Wish they would reach some agreement though. Huh? Agreement? What am I thinking... My cores, my playthings. No Path to take it onward. Patience. It needs patience. ¡± he mumbled.


    Within his body, Beast Core was feeling more than empty, but suddenly, the effects of the highlighted Replenishment rose, flowing into it like a wave too big and qualitative. It stormed him, so it ended up harming his insides. Weak mages would become crippled immediately, but surprisingly, his mana space only shuddered and Beast Core gobbled the power off the Replenishment and effects of this temple for snacks.


    Replenishment felt like a bigger, easier, faster, and greater Meditation Mantra or some kind of Cycling Technique.


    This place was doing it for him, but it was more like a hidden aftereffect, with obvious hidden poison that could turn one''s mana space to shambles along the core.


    Handlers had a much better time in this place, thanks to their reliance on the worldly mana. Shapers were more sensitive to the intense Mana Flow of this temple, while all of those gifts that Murai got ensured that it acted like a semi-constructed Cycling Technique that moved to his core without his choice. That was the Replenishment, which Murai felt was kind of tame in comparison to some of his memories, but why care about such automatic gifts?


    He accepted it for what it was, and when the time for changes arrived, he would worry about it later. Feeling this aspect of the temple for quite some time, he wasn''t finding it problematic


    Gate 2 was good, but whenever he was close or behind the overdraft, things got intense in his mana space. His Beast Core always got restless, which caused his Shaping to be worse, or forceful. It was still squeezable, so that was at least some good news for his little life.


    And now, with an almost empty mana, he felt the churning limits and flow of this temple''s secret. It was turning mana into a peculiar crazy flow as if it was under some time-manipulating aspects or major mana-based formation arts, or sources.


    It was pushing into him from outside, turning his already wild mana up a notch. A speck of distraction would prove to be fatal, but he squeezed his core even more to calm it down.


    Especially to him, who had a lot to lose in his mana space since he used almost everything without regard.


    The amount of mana he gave to put the bones aflame wasn''t about flames alone, but expecting little flame to shatter that captain wasn''t possible. So he put a lot of his mana out, giving the flame more attention by ensuring their heat and time were enough. He even went a little overboard, but the past waves were equally harsh in his mana or tactics. This one was far too close to his limits...


    Murai knew it was no time to be stingy, so turning to be ruthless was part of his tactics. The bones of a captain required that, as they weren''t some ordinary dried bones, but the kind that were resilient to elements, brunt attacks, and mana abilities to a certain extent. That measure ended in its level, but only in terms of bones. With the armor in the way, things were different.


    Bones were tough like steel by all rights, even if they were dried like Death Valley. Mruai wondered how he managed to crack at least that small part of that rib. Perhaps it was already damaged, or open?


    It was too late to question a victory.


    Taking a good look around, Murai gave himself a rare calm breath. It was no time to waste upon unimportant problems, so he rather changed his interest upon the boy, whose purpose seemed to be over.


    It was right in time. Mindarch spoke aloud, albeit a little grumpily, as if he hid some disappointments, anger, and frustration.


    [Island 93 has been completed, dear Citizen M, the epitome of cleverness, Chaos, and one that should think about consequences, acts, and calmness...]


    ¡°Piss off.¡± Murai quacked. ¡°I wouldn''t change a speck of my tactics. That is what you get after messing with me!¡± He laughed, which wasn''t warranted because he stopped as the pain returned and he wheezed on the ground.


    Mindarch didn''t laugh.


    [That is fine. Fine. Not like I can change what has already happened. This Island in particular is a rather tough one to crack or even finish since the end isn''t the end. Perhaps I should''ve said that... Oh well. It is filled with challenging times. You''ve completed it in a Satisfactory Tier, much to my lacking merits, ideas... problems... curses.... Complaints! You damned bloody animal! You fucking killed it!?]


    ¡°Which it? Well, who says you should care? I don''t, so don''t give me this attitude.¡± Murai whimpered on the ground.


    [You slaughtered everyone!]


    ¡°Should I''ve not?¡± Murai said with very questionable quacks. ¡°Don''t be unreasonable. This is no place for reasons. I am not one to take it either, so who the hell are you?! Hm? What? Who? Where?¡±


    Mindarch didn''t reply to that.


    [Just you wait... This won''t end well for either of us.] Mindarch said, almost too wishful to mention the name of his Lady, the one that was soon to be awake.


    Murai wanted to argue with Mindarch whom this ended badly for, but he hurried to the boy after noticing that Mindarch ceased his words.


    Smacking his head with his wing, leaving a small bruise in the process, he had all the time to scold this excuse of an elf. Pain or not, Murai eyed him with unhinged interest and anger. It made him look mad, overly serious, and laughable to some people.


    The boy didn''t even process the pain, nor the movement of this duck that smacked him in no time. He was left in a state of shock since he heard the Mindarch''s voice in all of his glory.


    He was unfathomable, deep, and something that one should revere in this place.


    In one moment, Murai arrived upon his face, smacking him from his reverie again, and giving him a nasty surprise with his wings.


    Then, a deep voice crashed into his head, hurting him so much, that he hoped for the End itself. It talked directly to his mind, which wasn''t surprising because he heard Will of the Battleworld many times himself.


    But Mindarch or Murai wasn''t that.


    Terrifying it might be, this boy, whose experience in the world was less than pleasant and unlike what an elf would meet, met something much more savage than some lacking voice of many tones, or voices of reason or Chaos.


    Boy grasped his head, terrified, and tensed up like a bowstring. He trembled again, but not a sound went out of his mouth. After a few moments of notable silence, he looked at the duck''s angry expression.


    A tear was past the bruised mark that Murai left him, giving him a stinging pain that put some emotion on his face.


    ¡°At least you can cry!¡± Murai pushed his Will onto him again. ¡°For god''s sake, if you are willing to die, do it on your own accord, or in a manner befitting an elf! Also, don''t be such a wimpy kid! You are making your ancestors so disappointed, that I am inclined to give you another slap! Do you dare to take it? My wing? Hm?!¡± He gave him quite some tone, leaving no calmness, nor a try to comfort him. He even put his wing up in the air again.


    The pain returned, and the boy accepted it with clutched fists and gritting teeth. ¡°D-did.. W-what?¡± he muttered, sounding how he looked: weak and confused, and without knowing what to make of the situation.


    ¡°Well, at least your mind can take my Will, so that is one thing to take onto your spirit. It hurts, huh? Good. You should be glad for that, similar to how it didn''t crumble. But I guess it was quite close to that point, stabilizing as I left you alone. Think of it as your good fortune, since it means that your mind and soul can take this little duck... So piss off with this depression and stand up for yourself.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± the elf mumbled, thinking of something else amidst the painful voice and close wing that aimed at his face.


    ¡°Can''t hear me?!¡± Murai got irritated again. ¡°It doesn''t mean the world will always be in this perpetual state of numbness and depression. It always cycles to someone or everyone, leaving some worse than others. I get that, but it isn''t even half that bad unless you give up like a fool. So what if you are a slave? Have you ever seen those above you or lower? They must be slaves for others, or slaves for themselves because they all care for themselves and their Paths. Those are called idiots! Fools! The kind of assholes that moves their heart just to make a dent in their soul. Laughable! That is what they are. Now, laugh!¡±


    The boy didn''t laugh.


    ¡°Well, you can try it at some point. You can manage it after regaining some form of freedom. How about to start it? The first point is to get your mind free. Get it across some nastiness. That is a good stepping step across a wide mountain. And if you are lucky enough, getting further is up to you. Not me! Everyone needs a poke across such mountains from time to time. It''s not like you have no choice but to die. You''ve chosen the easiest and most disturbing, dogshit, and terrible choice of them all. Get!¡± Murai bent his neck up and readied his beak. ¡°grip!¡±


    He slammed the top of his head with his beak, forcing the boy''s chin to the ground where the world turned upside down in all kinds of bloody pictures, or feathers.


    Afterward, even more tears went forth from the corners of his eyes, turning into an eventual waterfall of emotions that flooded his eyes and cheeks. He wept freely for the first time in years, feeling as if a huge mountain lifted his mind.


    He wasn''t stopping, even throughout more arguments that Murai cursed him with, speaking of how elves shouldn''t weep like fools, or men should only cry when met with rightful reason.


    But secretly, Murai only muttered excuses. It needed an outlet. Both of them needed this.


    So, with that said, Murai let the boy cry the tears he deserved. Just in time when Lorry and Lisa managed to come inside, right when the Space Cage lifted its limits. The entrance to this arena was a simple caged gate, so when they saw the picture of what was behind it, they both had various words in their mouths.


    ¡°What the hell happened here?¡± Lisa asked first, unaware of what Murai did in this place. He spent an hour inside, which gave her a long time to speak alone with Lorry.


    Even as his Life Companion, she wasn''t aware of what he felt or saw, but that can change after this Cage lifted. She usually didn''t speak of it, unless there was a need for it. In this case, it was interesting. The methods of these Islands only allowed a single individual within each of them, unless one went as a Party, or someone was a Blessed. In such a case, a lot of things changed.


    Usually, it was either a choice of a single group going through the Islands, or the group would separate to their respective paths. Each would then have their own Islands, loot, rewards, and Islands to conquer. That was how Lisa knew this Gate. Going solo was the most popular.


    That was its purpose set by Levandis herself.


    ¡°I had some fun,¡± Murai said to Lisa through their connection.


    ¡°Did it consist of making a child cry? What sort of monstrosity are you?¡± Lisa said out loud, mocking Murai more than anything else.


    ¡°That is some hilarious thing to hear from you. Coming from a former succubus? That is a more hilarious joke than laughing at my own legs. Have you heard how 3 ducks went to a bar?¡±


    ¡°No. But I''ve heard plenty of other poor jokes.¡± Lisa chuckled. ¡°Wanna hear them?¡±


    Murai was in no mood to go this way with her, so he didn''t refute her like usual.


    But she did. ¡°Whatever, Murai Hisagi. What sort of Island was this? Mindarch was rather... terrible at voicing it properly. I count at least 44 corpses, but... some of them were already dead, huh? That reminds me of a joke....¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Murai barked.


    ¡°Oh, a joke?!¡± Lorry moved forward, noticing that quite a lot of numbers died in this arena because of Murai alone. It seemed way more savage than he thought.


    ¡°You shut up too¡± Murai didn''t forget about him.


    While Lisa took a proper look around, knowing that the Ending Isles held quite a change from the Islands behind them. They were usually set into proper notions, but they varied a lot because of each Challenger. Especially this kind speaking to her soul.


    And this Isle was something she only heard about. A place amongst the Ending Isles, the kind that held various methods, but incredibly harsh difficulties that weren''t supposed to be finished. Giving up meant no end. The rewards were based on the choice when Challenger gave up, or how well they did after giving up.


    Of course, Mindarch hadn''t mentioned that, nor Lisa did, because she didn''t know the rules of this Isle. Murai didn''t know that either, because Mindarch sidelined this information, even though he shouldn''t.


    The content of this Island was not entirely hidden because Mindarch talked about it a little before Murai arrived here. Lisa thought that he would get some ideas inside, which was one of the reasons she was silent.


    So when Mindarch spoke rather vaguely about it, Lise regarded it as unimportant. Shrouded mysteries were something she was very familiar with, while Lorry remained weirdly silent about this too, even though she kept pestering him about it.


    She had no doubts Lorry knew everything about every Island, while she didn''t.


    And as far as everything went, Mindarch was playing with Murai like a toy.


    But it backfired badly, even though Mindarch was an expert at playing with fire. And it burned.


    Something else did as well, but physically speaking. Smoke coming from a great-looking armor was incredible to see because of Murai''s level, and whatever undead it used to be, it seemed to be at least an Undead General in Lisa''s eyes.


    Because of that, she had some doubts because such an undead was a Lawful Undead, capable of handling some measly duck like a toy.


    So Murai talked like usual: briefly. ¡°I had to protect that crybaby.¡± he pointed to the crying boy with his wing. ¡°Waves of enemies went from portal one by one, so I killed them without rest. Oh, and they wanted his head. Not mine, so I took it personally. Guess how? By taking their heads, of course. Sounds fair, right?¡± Murai quickly explained what he thought, leaving the specifics behind, but she saw her lingering eyes on the smoking armor. ¡°Oh, that one is an Undead Captain. A fortress that I cracked just a tiny little bit because the bones were a tough nut to crack like its armor.¡±


    Lisa doubted they were different, but the armor was looking too good for him to crack it even a little bit.


    ¡°Must have taken advantage of some loose screw, I suppose.¡± She reckoned without knowing she was essentially right.


    Murai attacked the most probable place where the helmet would get loose. It succeeded, as there were fewer problems and he he managed to crack it enough to let his Fatality carry the results.


    Looking at the charred, still smoking piece of the armor, Lisa more or less guessed what sort of situation occurred there. The end that he was supposed to take with a loss. The skull disappearing insane aflame was enough for an answer.


    He killed it from the inside out, leaving her breathless because it shouldn''t have been possible. Even when she wasn''t the being that even breathed, she doubted herself.


    At this point, Lorry forced himself to become the center of attention.


    ¡°Very well... What is done is done, does Mindarch agree?¡±


    [Shut up... I am contemplating this mess...] Mindarch barked, leaving Lorry speechless.


    ¡°Oh well, Murai is good. Good! Lorry is impressed.¡± He shouted as he changed to a cheerful skull, floating past Lisa to go before Murai''s face. He ignored the crying child.


    ¡°Yeah? It was good, as Mindarch said. Calling it a challenge was less than appealing though. It was a nightmare... This dogshit protecting was more of a bother than killing those waves of fools. Such a method of challenge was annoying. A bad taste. Bad! Terrible!¡±


    ¡°How would Murai change it then? Lorry is listening.¡± Lorry smiled, clutching his teeth tightly.


    ¡°You wish!? I am not cheap, you see?¡±


    ¡°Forget it then.¡± Lorry sighed.


    ¡°Though so. Who even came up with this thing? Who would find this appealing enough to let such things into public... This feels terrible. Some kind of demon who had a loose head came up with that, didn''t it?¡±


    Lorry churned some hesitant noise, but Murai continued.


    ¡°Who would choose to protect a slave that was already half into the End? Hm?¡± Murai argued, letting his beak up into the air to speak up.


    Mindarch wasn''t interested.


    ¡°My Lady...¡± Lorry mumbled.


    ¡°That explains a lot...¡±


    ¡°Well, Lorry shall take such input for future references. A lot of things are still balanced to a rather... subjective manner of the Hell Haven and various personal trials. So, with that said, what Murai wants to do now? Another essence gathering? There are a lot of them this time around! Fusing with it is better to be done in stages, otherwise, Murai will lose some of them. Murai has no Gem or special pouch. Take Lorry''s suggestions to heart, however. Lorry knows how Murai views those essences.¡± Lorry spoke with knowledge about Murai and his essence desires.


    Glancing at all of those essences littered around dozens of meters wide platform, Murai held nothing much in his mind other than some rest. And the rest was like... 90% essences.


    ¡°Sure. Take your time turning them in. But not that thing. I want that myself.¡± Murai pointed his beak at the smoking piece of armor that looked great even with smoke and internal flames.


    The heat didn''t damage it in the slightest, leaving Murai expectant as it was his loot! A loot that he wasn''t supposed to get at all, which Lorry can''t change, and Mindarch can''t stop. Lisa realized it, laughed internally, and understood where this was going next. Murai caused another trouble, problem, or disaster.


    ¡°Oh... that? A part from the last boss. Well, Lorry has no choice, Lorry presume?¡± Lorry said as if he wanted Mindarch''s help or acknowledgment, but nothing came from the ceiling.


    So he turned to his authority and control as a Guide, obliterating the bodies of each killed tool on the ground first. He left shimmering orbs of essence behind.


    Soon enough, there were quite a lot of them around, and each was above Grade 8! The lowest and most common were Low-Grade 7s, but quite a few were in the Middle-Grade too. Fewer were High-Grade, but that was to be expected. Murai bet the Captain was Hight-Grade 7, or straight-up Low-Grade 6, but he knew nothing much was left of the bones, so he forgot about its essence.


    Murai moved from one essence to another, absorbing them towards his Artificial Core that ate everything like a glutton.


    Murai was patient with it. He was much slower in his absorption because of his unkempt mana space and mana that was getting back on track. Calming, was a process that usually took hours, but he took 10 minutes only.


    Taking the essences into his Artificial Core eased the stress around his mana space surprisingly well. It was just a temporary feeling of taking them in, but with enough essences coming under his Core Defying Fusion Technique, things got smoother in no time.


    There were no issues with his Artifical Core. Only his Beast Core was a little unkempt. And those dozens of Essences weren''t a great addition to its quality and power. They went to the other swirling core, leaving it churning and turning in sadness.


    In the past few days, Murai realized a harsh truth that he hadn''t expected to arrive so soon. It became clear to him when a variety of essences went through this high-class technique.


    There seemed to be a variable in the fusion equation and his current species possessed unexpected potential. Core Defying Fusion Technique had countless years of research under its legacy and his memory. Murai hadn''t created it, but used it and learned all about it because he could.


    So he knew its intricate nature and research, and thanks to his numerous personal lives and experiences, he was the only being in existence who felt this technique in dozens of methods and patterns.


    Using his current method worked well, as it was fairly universal, but an Anatidae was still special in mana and mind. It was giving him some new additional worries that proved to be quite a large bother because mana was complicated, similar to this core fusion technique.


    Required Mana Essences to turn Artifical Core to a passable level were at least 10 times the usual amount. It wasn''t because of the essence, his experiences, uses, or this world. It was his body. The fusion will be astronomical in terms of values, even if he was working with Initialization Core and few Low-Grade 6 Essences in total. For now, of course. He wanted at least Grade 5 for the fusion, but that may change, because of his discoveries.


    His body required far too much power.


    Anatidae simply held too much mana, and his mana space was the core problem of this fusion. The flow of everything was quite strong, so each passing essence left him with more calculations and an increased threshold. There shouldn''t be this sort of increase in terms of Initialization Mana Core, but it was the truth.


    After all, exploding the Artifical Core had to encompass and influence the whole mana space, Beast Core included. So each passing upgrade and familiarity increased the potential of the fusion.


    So yes. It wasn''t a terrible thing by itself. It just provided an unexpected difficulty and expenses in terms of essences.


    There was an easy solution to this problem: Get more essences through this technique and outrun this problem.


    That sounded like an easy solution, but at a higher ceiling, this could mean something entirely different. Imaging this problem with Law Core would be.... interesting. For now, he had no choice but to follow this interesting beginning along.


    There were no worries for this fusion because he didn''t plan to go any further than Revolving Core anyway. That was enough of a jump anyway, and it didn¡¯t even change his desire for more essences. It remained stagnant because he was already hungry for them like a dog for fresh meat and bones.


    And this Island gave him dozens of them! That was equal to thousands of points! Thousands! Or tens of thousands? Murai rather didn''t think of points at this point.

 Patreon announcement + few other things

    This is an announcement post, with the proper chapter getting its own uploaded later today.


    So a Patreon, huh? I figured that after almost two years of writing in RR, I might try it and see what many authors do with it on this site. The premise sounds simple and I''ve spent a few months figuring out new chapters and Patreon''s stakes.


    But I am launching it before or within the Christmas times anyway, so it might be a good timing or a terrible idea. I shall see what it will be like, but it won''t change anything else for those not going to Patreon.


    For the time being, Patreon will have 30


    extensive and RR-ready chapters for release, which amounts to roughly 180k words for those who want it. I tend to write longer chapters even though they aren''t very common for this site, but it works for some authors, while some have success in less than 2k words per chapter. I tend to go higher than 5k most of the time. Not above 8k though. Usually...


    What does it mean other than a new way to read my work ahead of schedule? As of now, these 30 chapters are coincidently depicting the end of Book 3, which ends in Chapter 171. I''ve decided to cut the Demonic Temple Arc in half because I didn''t want to have 600k long book, or 700k. Not sure how long it''s going to be, but the chapters are clear, but not the words. Book 3 is twice as big as Books 1 and 2 though.


    Book 4 will be starting on Patreon this week, starting with a Prelude called~ Heist of Lady Vermillion, and the first chapter of Book 4.


    With 30 chapters in Patreon, they are edited and looked through twice to the best of my ability, so they tend to be the same overall quality as the latest releases you are reading in RR. No proper editor is in sight, unfortunately, so it is not different from the RR experience.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    1,600,000 words and counting, this is a small step in this writing journey of mine. So if you like Reincarnated as a Duck and Murai''s journey throughout his ducking life, consider this as the biggest support with a decent ability to read ahead.


    Thanks to anyone who will subscribe, support my work, or even read it. I hope it will be worth it for those who want it.


    Next, what about the journey ahead with this idea? I want to use Patreon to put proper covers on all of the books, starting with the first that I am funding myself around the beginning of the next year. I am currently looking through some artists, but it is something I''ve neglected because of the Patreon build-up. The next course would be some proper editor, but that seems like a chapter in its own book.


    Patreon plans aren''t something big. That might change, or it won''t.


    Any patron is an utmost chad in my book, so if any of you have suggestions, I am all ears.


    The new year is coming to its End, so I hope you will have a wonderful time in the remaining time of 2023, and 2024 will be even better.


    Plans for next year on my side won''t change much.


    2 chapters a week for Reincarnated as a Duck sounds like the perfect amount for me and my full-time job.


    Emblem Apocalypse shall return from the cursed hiatus in a better and new form around February next year.


    Mortal''s Fate is.... dead. [I have no time to look at that world that I cherish even more than others. Fuck! I even read through Craddle in 2023 and it is right at my alley to continue Mortal''s Fate!! Why I can''t double my hands or head!? UGH!]


    Anyho, 2024 will be interesting. Book 4 of Reincranted as a Duck will be released fully even with these 2 chapters a week, while Book 5 should be an enormous start to a new long part later in the year. I considered it a new part, but that will come at a later day.


    That is all for my side, so thanks for reading this or my work, Wandering Joe Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 143: Loot and food

    Requirements for the Artificial Core didn''t move Murai''s heart, but it impacted his mind and future for sure. There were concerns, but also advantages that could come with a higher ceiling.


    In most facts, it meant talent that his fusion could be incredibly efficient because his core would take more essences. The second thing was that his body was taking mana much better than anticipated. It was weird because his mind wasn''t all that adapted to his body, but his body was taking mana easily.


    So with more fights, that meant more mana coming and flooding into his mana space. With that in mind, he was handling different kinds of styles of mana. Core Defying Fusion Technique or even essences were outside of many ideas and norms. Murai knew that his moves on essences were good for him.


    But that wasn''t the case for most, if not all Challengers of this temple. Everyone was taking essences into their cores, improving them straight away, or they stored them if they could.


    Murai was fighting for days already and every damned battle followed another. He could stop himself any time, but he kept going for a long time, which was quite a rare occurrence when human mages and their limits were apparent. Those needed more time to mend their mana, steady foundation, and rest up.


    Essences helped with some of these issues, even though not everything can be solved with treasures or money.


    Murai was out of that idea. He understood it after getting practical answers with clear consequences. His knowledge helped in some parts, although taking essences for direct power correlated with a very potent boost in Mana Flow, or other various benefits.


    If he took them into his Beast Core, boostless, he would enrich his mana space substantially, but not far in stages. Beast Core would get to the Middle Success of the Initialization Core at best.


    Right now, it wouldn''t help him much at all, apart from giving him more flow. Mana space and Artificial Core had weird aftereffects that no Anatidae ever had, and Murai never saw or heard anything about them. Beasts and Core Defying Fusion Technique was a delicate topic, as it was a technique that was primarily followed by human races.


    Used to. Murai long uncovered many secrets about it, so using it had many faces and possibilities. Through trial and error, handling the Artificial Core was similar to the primary core as long as one was clever about it. Anyone could touch this ridiculous technique that defied the heavens.


    His past lives helped and gave him some ideas about his approach, but practicality was worth much more because he had never seen or felt what a magical beast was like.


    He got the front seat of this concept. And even as a prime member of the Anatidae Species, he shouldn''t complain. And he wasn''t... too much.


    Not anymore. Not after what he had learned and gathered in this Gate. It gave him the most substantial change of pace he had ever felt. His abilities adjusted like his outlook, although some anger issues or his personality still prevailed.


    Cheering and taking the essences in, Murai accepted them all. The quality and speed of the mana fusing into his Artificial Core were all incredible under his care. It didn''t leave him speechless or poor, because he was taking full control of half a dozen of them at a time.


    Comprehending his body and aspects was one of his priorities. Mana was less of an issue, as it was fuel, while the actual arsenal of his body mattered much more. He was quite the opposite of some clueless duck. Lorry and Lisa both understood it in a much brighter light.


    Alas, only one of them was truly in the grasp of his essential situation. That was Lisa, who knew much more about him than Lorry. She spoke to him through his technique quite extensively, hoping to discover and see its secrets. Her interest was substantial and time not limited thanks to the harder Islands.


    Murai''s willingness to talk about it was also much better if she mentioned something good in return.


    She found a way how to talk to him. It wasn''t about how exactly to do it, since nonsense wasn''t what Murai wanted.


    She figured out the requirements to make their exchanges work, by training information for information. He told her about Core Defying Fusion Technique after he gave up trying to hide it. There was no point when she existed and connected to his soul space, so she got the hang of his ideas and power.


    After many tries, some things were still confusing. Managing the Core Defying Fusion Technique was incredibly hard and individual to learn. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because Lisa was feeling it herself as his Life Companion, she saw its effective ways to change the flow of mana. Few secrets wouldn''t pass through her hands, so she knew how his mana space was acting, how he worked with essences, or how his Beast Core functioned with the Artificial Core and other problems.


    Of course, she couldn''t feel it on a personal level. She could only guess that by her experience and knowledge, figuring tips and bits on the go.


    Lisa didn''t know the fundamentals, nor did she comprehend the types, tiers, or stages within this technique as a whole. Murai did mention the starting processes and how strange or great they were, which Lisa appreciated and memorized. She wouldn''t mind using this herself, but her current life form wasn''t meant for this technique at all. It was a shame.


    Complicated processes with many stages sounded like a cup of her tea, but only one mattered at the very end. The successful fusion. It meant a great deal of insanity, where failure was very harsh and brutal. Anything before that was like walking on thin ice. There could be failures, but the fusion was the embodiment of this technique. It was like sculpting a mountain of ice with a hot needle. The finishing line was big and the journey wasn''t easy.


    Failure almost always meant crippling wounds, or straight-up dying in a cycle of exploding cores, losing one of the cores, or at best, surrendering any possibility of advancement.


    Murai barely let her know these stages, opting to be vague because he wasn''t that far into it in this life. He knew why. He was working through the starting stages at the same time as figuring out the later stages. The few starting stages were establishing the Artificial Core itself, letting the flow and cycling establish its influence without causing any trouble to the primary core.


    It was called Growth for a good reason and stage. The Artificial Core was slowly stabilizing and growing in its revolutions, outside of the main core, but enough to touch and utilize the mana space as a whole. That was where the flow of his essences always went, so it was inevitable that many things were touched and influenced.


    Growth was an endless stage as long as mana space was stable. At the point where it will be sufficient enough for the individuals, it will be a time when the finalizing stages become clear. Murai did not have much will to think about them right now.


    It wasn''t fitting, especially when he needed an incredible amount of essences. As long as his mana space can take it, which it seemed it did, then he will keep feeding it until his Artificial have Grade 5 or above equivalent of Mana Essence. Such essence was valuable to anyone above Level 50 and potentially harmful to anyone below that.


    Low-Grade 5 Mana Essence was a stage where the quality of mana increased, and fusing with it was taking time and a certain toll. It was also the most prominent grade of essences for crafting high-level tools, or where their quality or details became complicated and worth a lot of value.


    Troubles haunted Murai at some points because he was chaining his current potential, but long-term gains were tremendous. He knew that even if he put some essence into his Beast Core, it would destabilize the current pace and stability of his mana space. He maintained no balance after all, but a squeezed clutch between both cores of different origin and mass.


    The Artificial Core was sturdier after this Gate. It had no affinities. It was pure, unlike the Beast Core which was still full of those... feelings. Chaos. Unkeptness. Unease. That was what his Beast Core felt to him. It was close to the Demon Core he had once, although he had some affinities.


    Thinking about the problems ahead wasn''t up to his mind, so he opted to think about the gains and what he needed.


    Lisa understood it, so she wasn''t always nagging him about the Core Defying Fusion Technique. And since there were a lot of things she was curious about, finding topics wasn''t that hard. It was up to her interests, which Murai accepted because he was curious about some of her knowledge as well. That was especially apparent when he was often willing to take her trading offers.


    It was a welcoming change of pace for both of them and something that both liked in different ways.


    Figuring out the full stages required at least written forms, or a fully acknowledged technique manual that Murai could send to her mind at any time. That was something that Murai refused to give her no matter how she insisted. It wouldn''t hurt him in any way, but it would surely made things much easier for her.


    Why?


    He basically confirmed that with enough time, he would bend his knees and give it to her if she would give him something in return.


    That hyped her up more than seeing this bloodied Island, and if Murai knew it, he would be surprised and curious.


    Lisa wondered how Murai killed so many enemies above his level one by one, and that boy or the armor aside was interesting as well.


    Ending Isle of this quality seemed very harsh and attested to her idea that Murai was improving significantly better than she thought. It wasn''t all that shocking, even when she often regretted she didn''t watch these shows. She could. By all rights, her status went hand in wing with Murai''s Blessed and Challenger status, but she didn''t want it.


    It poised an interesting idea because she looked at the skull aflame and armor of... interesting value and quality. Its quality wasn''t for anyone around Level 40 for sure. Smoke was coming out of some of its small gaps and crevices, and captain''s Soul Flames struggled in heat and flames.


    She eyed it with quite some mocking interest because it seemed way out of this Island.


    She wondered what Mindarch did with this in mind, figuring out the truth and facts. Murai did something he shouldn''t have done, spitting onto the rules of this place. It wasn''t his fault, however, which she at first questioned, but nothing about him was ever normal.


    Clever tactics and Anatidae specialties all crushed into Mindarch''s plans, which were partly his fault anyway. The specific courses of most Ending Isles were all set into his rules and acts. There were many sets of missions and variants of stakes, giving every challenge unique and personalized touches. Be it waves of enemies or the last bosses, everything was set in rules.


    Challengers would get to know them as they set into the arena, but Mindarch''s idea was poor or deliberate. He hadn''t mentioned what he was supposed to give, which played a big role in the current mess he was taking. Perhaps Murai would acknowledge some loss if he knew he would cease the fighting madness with a negligible amount of lost points and essences.


    It was all about the last boss anyway.


    Alas, it was too late. The essence of the Undead Captain was part of the loot, but it had something better on the ground, free for his taking. As part of the fundamental rules of Levandis Temple, the armor was his possession the moment he killed the undead.


    Lisa knew the rules like some Laws. Everything that Challenger fought for, be it from the surroundings or the incoming foes, everything was up to their taking.


    In the end, Lisa only watched the armor without making her move. It wasn''t her stage to shine yet.


    Murai kept absorbing the essence. Not very fast, each passing minute furthered his requirements, feedback, and comprehension the calculations flickered in his soul. His Artificial Core was stable, unlike the Beast Core which will always prevail as the primary core.


    It was impossible to create and think of the Artificial Core as the true core. It was man-made, forced, and only workable with a true core in sight. Handlers can''t create it, nor use it as a substitute for their magic. Shapers could use their mana to empower the primary core, but it can''t absorb the world''s mana that well. Essences were one of the primary sources to fuel them.


    It was the same across any species or race, and Anatidaes was no different. It gave Murai increased validity in his research and his overall thoughts and mana space, creating answers or wonders.


    That included pretty much everything about his mana, leaving his soul behind. Soul wasn''t that important, but magic as a whole wouldn''t work the best with poor souls. Murai wasn''t someone like Lisa, who was a unique life form that lived by having a fusion of mana and soul called Sona.


    According to his calculations, the need for more essences was a fixable issue. Mistakes weren''t. How he calculated his options before Gate 2 hadn''t changed. Essence hunting will be quite an ordeal that will need a lot of points, killings, and work.


    Thankfully, all of these things were here in this place, right for his taking.


    Murai only hoped for more fights and Islands such as this one. Well, not in the premise, but in execution. He didn''t want to be a bodyguard to some poor kid. Even if it was a painful reminder of how his mana space wasn''t infinity, he wasn''t fearing the difficulties ahead of him. If it was infinite, that would pose more questions, so he kept his expectations lower just in case.


    Everything went into his Heaven Defying Fusion Technique that gobbled them up, fusing into the mass of his Artificial Core. It sizzled and dazzled, becoming better. It should be slightly above a single Low-Grade 6, so that meant... not good things.


    Differences and fusions across the essences were difficult when the whole grade became important.


    Creating Middle-Grade essences out of Low-Grade ones was easy. So were the High-Grade ones with a bit more numbers, but getting into Grade 6 territory raised the ceiling. Essences of Low or Middle-Grade 7 quality were turning out less ineffective.


    Quality mattered more, which made the current Island a rarity because it provided him with an incredible quantity of essences that disregarded quality for his absolutions. He grew his Artificial Core quite a bit this time around.


    He was far away from Middle-Grade 6.


    High-Grade 7 essences poked into his current Artifical Core, leaving much to be desired. He needed half a dozen of them to notice some changes, which meant his growth became stagnant after this Island gifted him far too many essences.


    Murai discovered the poison in the blissful treasures. It increased his ceiling once again...


    Now, he needed more enemies and greater essences to make a change. The biggest hurdle will be improving the High-Grade 6s for sure. According to Lisa, they should be way out of his league of foes, but that was a significantly reduced problem because the Core Defying Fusion Technique worked best against this problem by handling lower essences by fusing them bit by bit to increase their overall quality. In a sense, it was a cheat.


    Lisa chirped and cheered how great and overpowered it was to fuse them in mana space. His technique was acting as some sort of internal mana formation that worked with essences in mind.


    They did exist in external forms, looking like circles that worked with runes, or by various mechanisms that took essences and clashed them together. That usually worked with diminishing returns and lowered efficiency the poorer these formations were. Murai''s technique increased the efficiency to the maximum.


    Lisa realized it. Her assessment wasn''t wrong. His technique acted like an essence-gathering formation from faraway places.


    Murai ended up cheering happily after taking the last essence inside of him. This loot might be feeling great, but not better than the harsh training he got. His abilities needed it, similar to his body and experience. Getting essence in return was more of a bonus in Lisa''s opinion, even though Murai would disagree because his eyes usually turned to essences whenever he finished each Island.


    It was a time with almost no negatives, besides some exhaustion and rest afterward.


    Apart from the near-end experiences, tougher foes to crack, and terrible times between the Island, most of that fell short against Murai''s cheers afterward. He was excellent in disregarding terrible situations if enough time and output of his anger were put in place. Rewards and loot helped too, of course.


    The boy was interesting in this regard as well, even if he was still crying and proving to be an excellent helper against Murai''s outburst.


    Murai felt he could go far and wide after finishing this Island. Success always felt great, making him feel as if he shouldn''t care about anything!


    No fear, no gain, or... something like that. Such belief should provide him with enough mental strength to go far unless a tougher wall in the upcoming Islands will crack his mood apart.


    But that wasn''t up to him, unfortunately.


    With essences after him, this temple was proving his past doubts wrong. That fact, in itself, annoyed him slightly.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The reality he didn''t want to acknowledge might soon approach. Once outside of this temple, he would have an exponentially harder time acquiring essences of great quantity. This temple provided an excellent artificial gathering method, which was one of the major factors of its existence.


    The use of living beings as furnaces was kind of ridiculous to work this well. Few would bear with such an idea. Only those of Chaos would even attempt it.


    Outside of it and around the wild Battleworld, such things as essence gathering places were rarer than meeting a Divine Beasts. So yes. They weren''t incredibly rare, as every natural or artificial essence-gathering spot was a rich and important place for every power.


    But for the world or one of the continents, they were small in comparison. Every power had many of them with various qualities, and the better such things were, the better the powers got, and more politics went into the Battleworld.


    Resources were essential for everything in the Battleworld. Unsurprisingly any artificial gathering spot of this kind of quality was even more impressive, so seeing this temple held limits by entrance and difficulty made sense.


    There were no such choices outside of this because this temple provided essences for basically nothing. Challenges and going deeper into the dangers were all about hopes for resources and challenging their Paths.


    Murai wondered how it all worked in the end, but whenever he heard Lisa mention casualties and potential rewards, he understood the facts outweighed the norm.


    Just the amount of Extremes that disappeared into this temple was in the dozens or even hundreds under some rumors. It was hard to tell the facts from logic, because of secrets, plots, and how Extremes were often lofty and independent individuals.


    Hardly anyone knew how many treasures this temple had gotten because it was tempting powerful individuals in its internal and private Gates. It wasn''t all about the essences after all.


    Fighting the Gates provided excellent ways for comprehension and growth. Extremes needed every bit of it in their difficult stages.


    Murai had no doubts a lot of beings died in this place for Levandi''s sake and their hopes. So when he thought of the outside, he would have to find some way to purchase natural essences or look for some way to craft an artificial essence creation formation that he knew on top of his head. But these required materials and skills he didn''t have as a duck.


    He would require some great craftsmen that shouldn''t be far from his experience, which was a terrible idea, because who would listen to a duck?


    Another terrible point that Lisa mentioned was how expensive essences were outside of this temple, and anything related to them made material for essence constructs rare and expensive. With a rich history and established powers of all kinds, Murai had no doubts a lot of powerful tools were locked by Gods or mortals in power.


    It wasn''t anything surprising. Various factors made farming essences in any world incredibly efficient and enticing. Even some questionable parties or strong individuals could get a fortune in such places as Levandis Temple, even when dealing with Grade 7 essences at best. The lower one would get, the better efficiency and worth they would get out of their rules, but the tougher the Gates would get.


    From further introductions and answers that Lisa provided, Battleworld was familiar to many worlds Murai carried in his mind. He hardly found it strange, even though his current case was kind of odd.


    When considering the number of powerful beings this world surely possessed, the required essences and their demands were very high.


    Murai was just one of the many.


    The world was created this way, while mana ensured the endless flow, supplying it away. It was up to others to take it. Time gifted that idea, while living often took such gifts for granted.


    Soon enough, Murai was left with the glistering armor, remains of the Undead Captain who still had some bones left inside of the armor, various other loot, a helmet, a pair of nice axes, and many weapons, tools, or armor.


    It was unfortunate, but the scorching remains inside the armor weren''t useful according to Lorry. As Murai spent nearly an hour focusing on absorbing essences, Soul Flames melted alongside the skull down the armor, fusing with the rest of the shimmering flames and mash of bones.


    The flame was still going. The first captain that he killed hadn''t ended like this. Its essence was an investigation into the drop rate, as it was right there around level 40. It left him with the only Low-Grade 6 essence he had gotten so far, which was lucky when Lorry saw it.


    Luck played some part in getting them, as Guides were their makers. Drop rate and Grade depended on the killed foe and luck.


    Stomping toward the armor after watching over the significantly opened ground, Murai poked the armor a little with his beak, cluttering it with some left-out bones inside.


    ¡°Well, it seems the bones are almost gone... Have I overdone it?¡± Murai wondered.


    ¡°You should be glad for them,¡± Lisa argued. ¡°Having some snack sounds good how I see you.¡±


    ¡°Oh... Nothing much can be done about it. Let''s see what is left of them. Bones are interesting snacks, speaking from experience. Charred too? Hm. HM!¡± Murai began salivating, remembering how the crunchy and blissful bones in a cave at the start of his living tasted like. So without much shame, he looked to find a way to the bones, appearing like an addict trying to find some drugs.


    Fortunately, it wasn''t that hard for him at all. He found the opening just enough for him to squeeze inside the armor. It was still burly and shaped like a small boulder. It kept its shape because the folded layers of these plates were tight and crafted like a fortress. It didn''t crumble even when the majority of bones crumbled to pieces or melted.


    The opening was the hole for the skull, which remained in leftover physicality down below, as it was one of the thickest bones this undead had. So Murai kicked some remaining bones into the armor, as they were in pieces and half melted.


    There was only discint charred dust left behind most of the bones. And they were strangely glowing because the flame wasn''t over yet. It was hot inside, but not unbearably so.


    Murai felt satisfaction after seeking his successful flames, but his interest in these bones wasn''t just that. He glanced closer to the opening and jumped right into the hole that was enough for his body.


    He disappeared from Lisa''s and Lorry''s eyes. They looked at each other in questionable glances, uncertain if they were supposed to joke or laugh. Lorry still laughed, finding this whole idea hilarious.


    This left Lisa sighting, figuring that Murai was still the same duck she had seen in that cave. So she turned away from the armor and glanced at the crying boy. His tears had no end, similar to the unending flood of emotions that were making his face ugly.


    Lisa smiled at such a picture, knowing he was way out of his wits, as far as she saw and felt him as her current race. She floated towards him without trouble, which wasn''t the brightest idea.


    Noticing a sudden light and some movement before him, the boy opened his crying eyes. They were more or less closed for the past hour. Before him was a monstrosity. An utter calamity.


    He panicked after noticing the features of a demonic succubus, but he didn''t meet this with his terrified expression. He was terrifying because of something else. He met succusses before. Not even once, or twice. Something was different about this one that made it even worse. It shook him as no succubus could.


    ¡°F-fairy...¡± He mumbled in fear and got an itch to go as far away as possible. It all came in instincts, trembling his bloodline and moving his body on its own. He crawled away, trying to save something from within his mind by reaching for the edge and going over it to meet his End. He was far, however, and Lisa wouldn''t allow him this sort of End.


    ¡°Oh, they really put an elf to good use.¡± Lisa couldn''t help but play with him a little. She looked at Lorry from behind, just in case he had anything to tell.


    He did. ¡°Well, what Lorry can say to an elf? They are good wares, all things considered. Their numbers are still hefty, but higher bloodlines are thinning out. War Slaves such as this boy are exactly that, but when the time is terrible, or their acts improper, some of them still don''t know what is good for them. Or someone doesn''t like them. That is that. A business, rather than anything else. Doesn''t Lisa agree?¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡±


    ¡°Lorry does. Lorry is sure that Lisa''s acts in the past life disregarded a lot of things.¡±


    ¡°We''ve talked about it already.¡± She grunted as she shot him an annoyed look that Lorry took with substantial pleasure and a swirl of his Soul Flames. ¡°Let''s not talk about it without Space Cage in sight.¡±


    Lorry laughed, figuring that Lisa was weird about some aspects that he couldn''t understand. ¡°Lorry still wonders...¡±


    ¡°Then let "Lorry" know, that Lisa has nothing to tell.¡± Lisa firmly said, half smiling, half laughing. Honestly, she found no issue with the topic of war, as slavery was such a prevalent power dynamic that one could hardly change or get rid of it on this planet.


    But from Murai''s little memories she got, he may find it problematic as an eternal slave to his living that provided unfathomable secrets and chaotic problems. There was something... deep. Something with the elves in his memories that was deep and numerous. Something interesting, important, and terrifying, or... tragic? The last one wasn''t clear to her. Tragedy might be the wrong word to think when considering Murai''s memories.


    She only knew of a couple of glances; a few glimpses, which she had no intention to seek without proper opportunity or confidence. Or Murai''s willingness to seek his memories in better pictures. He could allow that, she believed. It seemed that memory had come, as wing bruises were visible on this boy''s face. Murai slapped him well.


    She figured some answers for these glimpses may come out of this meeting.


    So, with that said, Lorry seemed reluctant to continue with this topic, and rather lazily floated around, hoping that Mindarch would figure something about that armor, rather than leaving him as a scapegoat.


    With Murai gone, waiting was a good idea.


    Lisa turned back to the terrified boy, who continued to weep, but this time, while crawling away from her as she looked away. Followed by a dreadful face, and thinly sounding grunts, he was as terrified as if hearing Murai''s Will.


    In Lisa''s glowing eyes, he had a face of sadness, grief, gladness to let the tears away, and who knew what else. She was watching and feeling many things when strands of her Sona left her body, going over to touch his face and tears.


    ¡°Oy. Calm down, will you?¡± Lisa said in an elven tongue, quickly catching up with him and glaring at his face. It was a profound tongue that worked with high-pitched syllables, sounding quite elegant and nice.


    It made little sense for the boy to hear that, as it wasn''t something he heard very often in the Hell Haven. But he heard that right, and his efforts to crawl away didn''t seem to work. He gulped down whatever was in his throat, and looked at Lisa who was more than curious about him.


    ¡°W-what.. this one can this do... An offer? T-task? Am I...¡± he mumbled without any sense of what to say. It was the voice of a helpless slave who looked up to a punishing authority or the Death itself.


    ¡°Well, you lost a screw in your head and found it broken, I suppose. Good for you, but I am not looking for something great. Just some wordy efforts, alright? What did that duck do to you? Something bad? Terrible? Curious? ¡± Lisa asked openly, but the boy didn''t seem to take it lightly, because the picture of her floating, glistering, and azure-looking body with wings and little limbs, terrified him even more than Murai''s voice.


    More tears left his eyes, but he stopped crawling as if fear had taken its toll.


    ¡°Wait, this is awkward.¡± Lisa slapped her face. ¡°It seems like I bully you. Where are my manners when speaking to a high elf, huh? A kid, but what is your name? My name is Lisa, and just so you know, I am no Fairy. Am no longer alive, you see. That is the difference between insanity and Chaos. So don''t be so afraid. I can kill you the same way as them anyway. Could eat you up too. Slurp you like a speck of essence and soul dust.¡± She shrugged.


    It seemed her words went past whatever obstacles were within the boy''s mind. He stopped crying, but his body trembled and his mouth opened to speak.


    Nothing came out, but he did choose to trust her words because what choices did he have? In his memory of elven legends, Fairies were like Lisa. Not exactly, but he knew of elves, stories, legends, and so on. Battleworld was full of these things.


    Lisa''s body was see-through and made of mana and soul so... She was looking like a Fairy, or a ghostly being filled with sona and sweet talking. Even a young elf such as him knew to fear these aspects.


    Calming down a little, the boy channeled the remains of his bravery to speak ¡°Tori.¡±


    ¡°Good start, Tori. But... That doesn''t seem to be an elven name, does it? Not for Your Highness anyway. ¡±Lisa asked, obviously trying to seek the origin of this elf, who had something onto him other than misery. His core at this age was notable in its light, but dull in forceful crippling anxiety and chains of some sort.


    His ears were long too, hidden behind the filthy blond hair. Add to that the very little residues of light coming from the roots of his hair, even through the filth of his hair, it was there. A quality of a High Elft who were bearers of Light and carriers of Order.


    Tori shook his head, hiding his ears that were pointy and long. His haggard and long blond air was in terrible shape, so hiding most of his features was something he was familiar with.


    Lisa chuckled, finding his actions familiar and laughable. ¡°Well, I see an elf anyway. Nothing else. Even if you show me some tears or whatnot, I don''t care. What about that duck? What happened in this arena?¡±


    ¡°It... That duck... Duck! What is it? Why am I still here? Alive...¡° Tori hesitantly asked, his voice crackling in anxiety. He felt a big headache forming in his mind, which was slowly returning after a surge of adrenalin, a slip of a chance, and hope.


    Lisa was the cause of this, but Murai was the epicenter since his Will hadn''t left the boy. It was just temporarily muted because Murai was hunting the remains of that captain inside that armor.


    ¡°Can''t speak? He is a Challenger of this temple that is your home. And as far as it looks like, have he protected you? Slapped you a few times, and got your sense sharper too. I wonder why.¡±


    Tori shook his head, but then he remembered the flashes of painful sights and feelings he remembered. It really did. The duck was there, slapping him aside, slapping his face, and even hitting his head with its beak. It wasn''t filled with malice, as far as he knew. It was just... annoyed. Very annoyed.


    Tori spoke. ¡°It... killed a lot of monsters. They tried to kill me. I hoped for release. They... were close to it. I... I..¡± Tori seemed to recall the suffering, so the tears emerged once again after stopping for a few moments. Sometimes, it was hard to stop the unstable emotions.


    Lisa didn''t care much for his suffering. Many suffered the same, if not worse fates.


    But when he started to hyperventilate, and his trembling fastened, Lisa shook his head in disappointment.


    Trying to look for more information was not working. Sometimes, Murai wasn''t one to talk with too many details about his Islands or his fights, so he left many details forgotten. Lisa was quite curious about how he killed that Undead Captain and how he conquered this Island. That was it. Some bones or demons didn''t matter to her.


    She wanted answers, so her Sona came in clutch He touched him, figuring that taking his clustered and weak emotions shouldn''t destroy him. She dug for brief and limited memories, so it didn''t hurt the boy if she was careful or specifically looking for them.


    The first captain was underwhelming, as far as she heard Murai talk. He kept the details behind, forgetting even how long it took to kill. Managing to kill it with a lot of effort was pretty much guaranteed, but after being done, Murai was often downplaying everything, his tactics included.


    From her recollection, the first Undead Captain had a bow and a pair of daggers for a weapon, alongside much lesser armor that even revealed its bones in thin gaps. This time was different, clearly indicated by that overpowered armor, while even the pair of axes weren''t looking that shabby.


    ¡°Oh...¡± She huffed a breath and stopped her sona from touching him. ¡°Interesting.¡±


    Murai bid for his time against the first captain, unlike this one, who required much more care for the kill. Or... far too much care to reach even that chance or possibility. The first one was a straightforward duel, where he dodged and took his time until the bow ran out of arrows. Then, it was a wild battle for a chance to seek the head or bones.


    Out of every battle so far, that was one of the toughest ones, right behind the Low Lich, or... this one. Everything afterward was progressing with the same idea, but some Islands were easier than others, simply because of the setting, their unique aspects, or foes that challenged some parts of Murai''s species.


    Now, it was probably the same, if not worse in comparison, yet Murai remained in his Satisfactory Tier, which wasn''t wrong. It should made the points from this Island quite massive after dozens of kills.


    Without terrible injuries, but tired mind and core, he did what he could, which left Lisa wondering how he was doing it. She remained waiting for him, asking Tori some questions. He didn''t provide very nice details, so she got pissy about him a little because his memories were kind of dull. It ended up making him cry.


    She wondered if she should push the full-on Memory Extract, but that would seriously endanger his mind.


    In the end, she got angry with words alone.


    5 minutes later, a cluttering sound revealed Murai, who was finally over his "meal". His grin was notable, similar to notable pieces of charred bones around his feathers and head. He didn''t care for the appearance or what was in that armor.


    Then, a loud quacking sound echoed, revealing his mood, or head that poked out of the armor. ¡°What a haul. What a haul!¡± He quacked the sounds of a happy duck and trembled his feathers. The mess around him or the glistering armor weren''t in his eyes.


    He let go of the filth, dust, and charred particles around his feathers. It took just a couple of motions for him to appear pretty much the same as he was a few minutes ago: still filthy and haggard.


    However, the glint of his longer feathers proved to say otherwise. The glitter or filth wasn''t entirely gone. Their color was still a little dull, but brighter at some points as if they were hot.


    Seeing and hearing him fine, Lisa backed from Tori, floating towards Murai. ¡°What have you found to be like that? Snack alone, or... something else?¡±


    ¡°A good meal, I suppose,¡± Murai said with a face satisfied as his stomach. The bones were crunchy and hot, filling his stomach with an absolute bliss that didn''t seem to hurt him in any way, even though it felt like being inside a furnace. He felt something else coming within, but he ate it all the same.


    ¡°What was that smoke about?¡± Lisa asked straight to the point.


    ¡°Curious, ain''t you? Well, I played the role of a firestarter, by turning that pile of bones into a campfire. Who knew they would fire up that well, huh? That armor made a nice tool indeed.¡± Murai mischievously smiled, thinking that his tactics were way more profound than they were.


    ¡°Fire? Your Flame? Undead such as that aren''t prone to some elemental affinities, but their defenses are good against them. Especially the Undead Captain of level 43 and wearing such armor provides benefits to the body. Equipment does that, you see. Haven''t told you that before?¡± Lisa argued, not believing his words at all. She already got the truth anyway, so she tested him instead.


    ¡°Who killed it huh? You or me?¡±


    ¡°You,¡± Lisa grunted that word.


    ¡°Though so. Allow yourself to hear that! What if I used a big chunk of my mana to put a dense flame onto a piece of cloth, using it to draw a Rune of Truth Flame to spread a high dense flame forth, and after cracking millimeters aside, leaving consuming to do the rest? From the inside out, the bones or effects don''t matter. Truth works like that, so what if...¡±


    ¡°A Rune again? That... works.¡± Lisa fell silent, trying to calculate if it was a feasible idea to use this against this sort of captain because Tori hadn''t seen much, or knew what he saw.


    But Murai forgot about the Fire Shots that played a pivotal role as temporal fuel to the Rune. They also cracked the poorest rib a little, before crashing together to do the rest. Following up the explosion, a surge of oxygen from the opening, Rune then did the rest, the victory felt like looking at the burning house.


    ¡°Think as you wish. I did it anyway, whether it was plausible or not. Loot is good, you see? A pair of axes and... armor? Well, a bunch of stuff around is weird to me, but not as if I need them. Essences were my bliss. So is the stuff in my stomach. Quite nice!¡± Murai cheered, oblivious about struggling Lorry who wished to say something but couldn''t.


    Even Lisa wondered what was up with those bones, but if he ate it, nothing mattered. Undead Captain''s bones should be fairly good treasure, because their bones were everything to them, right behind the Soul Flames which... Where were they again, if Lorry didn''t destroy them? Souls were different than physical things. Had murai consumed them as well?


    Lisa looked at him suspiciously. ¡°Fine.¡° She grunted as she couldn''t take much out of her head.¡± What about rewards besides the obvious things? Were the bones good? Something I am unaware of?¡±


    ¡°Tasted like meaty crackers. Not terrible, if I say so myself. Added flood of flames added to it some quality. Oh, and my Status spoke after a long time of silence. Captains are that kind of Undead, huh? I thought it would be a fairly... normal skeleton, but they aren''t that.¡±


    ¡°Status? Eater again? What did it say? Normal for your might be... not normal.¡±


    ¡°That is a secret. I will tell you if you shut up, and stop being a bother.¡° Murai said and turned to Lorry and Tori. His stubbornness was back, leaving Lisa angry but silent.


    Annoyed as she may get, what can she do against Murai, who turned to be like this whenever he felt like it? It made her that angry, because, as a Life Companion, very few secrets should be kept between them, yet here she was, unaware of something that Murai discovered. It was a questionable idea because she was keeping a lot of things away from him as well. It was mutual and fitting, even if she didn''t like it.


    Had something changed, or was she too preoccupied with Tori to notice it, or... was she the problem? She thought some problems would happen. She had to lay low.


    So she appeared as if no anger was on her soul at all, focusing on her curiosity.


    Eater, huh? Captains of this temple are known as Variant Undead, prone to mutations and unique Chaos Aspects. Did he discover something after eating those bones? What about the Soul Flames that are part of it? Lisa speculated in her head.


    Murai turned his attention to somewhere else. It was time to move on and leave this damned Island.


    With his mana better after his meal and Replenishment, he was ready to go to the next island after dealing with the remaining problem that was in his mind.


    ¡°Lorry, what about that kid?¡± Murai asked after thinking twice about this armor before his sight ended on the silent Tori who no longer cried.


    ¡°Kid? That slave? The slave''s purpose is out of the current situation because Murai has succeeded in everything this Ending Isle provided. Lorry supposes it no longer matters, so the slave will await another time and be sent back to the Hell Haven where the slaves belong. As a slave of this temple, it works like that.¡± Lorry explained.


    ¡°I see.¡± Murai nodded, dismissing whatever issue was left, but internally, he wondered if Fate was a truly strange sick bastard or laughable prick.


    ¡°Or!¡± Lorry suddenly shouted as Murai pointed his beak towards the gates that appeared after Space Cage lifted its limits. ¡±If Murai wants, Lorry can offer the slave for some points. How about it? Slaves are quite popular for any Blessed or takers of Lady''s temple. Lisa should know all about it, indulging in this topic like Lisa always did. So?¡± Lorry became a haggler again, hoping to act by himself, rather than by Mindarch''s voices or orders.


    But in the corners of his Soul Flames, the armor and pair of axes remained. He hoped Murai would forget about them, but.... he doubted Lisa would ever take them out of her mind.

 Chapter 144: What is freedom?

    Lorry was speechless. There was a lot to take into consideration when seeing Murai''s mess. Especially when Mindarch fucked up big time and failed to consider, or reach adequate readings or ideas. Giving that armor to Undead Captain did that to him more than anything else.


    Lorry knew such occurrences were rare, if not extreme. The upper limit that Murai had was an Undead Captain, but the vision of the last boss was supposed to be unbeatable.


    Mindarch was the epitome of care and Order in a place full of Chaos and insanity, giving this place the means of advancement that it lacked.


    It went by Levandis''s orders and desires, giving this place a rare chance that was a kind of anomaly.


    Lorry didn''t care for Tori. Slaves such as these were everywhere, but he didn''t remember or know the specifics about this excuse of an elf, who was owned by one of the Overlords in Hell who wanted to get rid of him. The reasons were unnecessary. Overlords could even get rid of Extremes that failed due to some missions or various problems in many wars.


    Tori looked terrible, whimpering like the child he was, even though elves had different rules about their lifespans. This kid should be no more than 12 or 14 in human years, but appearing like 8 years old was the norm for their bloodlines. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing Lorry''s offer, Murai glared at him as if he heard an insult. ¡°Perhaps Lisa did speak of some slavery, but not about elves. But someone else did, so why are you meeting some payments or offers, when lives are at stake?¡± Murai uttered with quite some force, stepping forward in attention and causing Lorry to wince a little back, fearing that Murai was hideously pissed but hid it well.


    ¡°What does it matter? Purchasing this slave isn''t Lorry''s concern. It is just an offer Lorry thought about. Nothing else. What then?¡±


    ¡°I don''t like where this goes,¡± Murai argued.


    ¡°No worries, if you don''t,¡± Lisa said behind him. ¡°Lorry has probably some questionable agenda about this, and Tori is just another slave to his life anyway. All Guides are slaves too, after all, but in different ways thanks to their soul and...¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Lorry shut Lisa down with a crips clutter of teeth and flaring Soul Flames.


    Lisa didn''t let his shout stop her, but at least she stopped what she was about to say. ¡°How many slaves are in this temple anyway? How many tools to toss against challenges for so-called tests and opportunities? Is getting some freedom possible? Is this all for just entertainment, or rules that Mindach affects, and Levandis cherishes? Guides follow the rules and so do the slaves, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, Lisa should simply shut it down. Lorry is talking. It doesn''t concern Lisa at all.¡± Lorry said coldly, feeling that the inevitability of this questionable topic wasn''t important, but he had already started it so he intended to finish the job. He ought to do it all the time, regardless if it was a bad or terrible idea.


    Tori may be a valuable elf in some way, but a kid with lost Will was terrible to have as a slave. Killing useless slaves, or tossing them into an inevitable situation was very common across the Hell Havens or those in power in general. In this temple, being a part of the Gates was just an inevitable part of failure or hope. Sometimes it was a potential reward; other times a punishment that ended in the End.


    Thus, Lorry couldn''t give a shit about Tori or any situation, since Lisa was correct.


    And truth sometimes hurt.


    Murai didn''t change anything, or at least on the surface, Tori was the same slave in anyone''s eyes. One shouldn''t worry about those that didn''t concern them. That was an unspoken rule. A warning, an excuse, and a bunch of other things that spoke of many hidden or clear reasons.


    This place had its rules after all.


    Lorry didn''t know this boy in the slightest, however, but that didn''t mean he couldn''t use his authority as a Guide to do things such as some trades if he was supposed to be dead anyway. If it involved Challengers and points, Guides could do essentially anything if Mindarch allowed that to happen.


    That was yet another rule.


    Murai had his own sets, however. His bunch of lives too, looming over his mind, resting in his soul, and depth that had almost no bounds. His eyes were often the same. ¡°Purchasing lives, do you? Are you offering that to me? Me?!¡±


    ¡°Well, Murai doesn''t have to be worried too much about points or lives anyway. Murai is like that in Lorry''s eyes. It is about fascinating interests, so let this be what it can be. Power allows that. Allocates those who touch and make such decisions.¡± Lorry said and turned his attention to Tori, who had no clue what was happening because Murai was quacking, while the others were talking in human tongue.


    ¡°This slave is property of the temple because of wars and rules this world holds. Ownership can change at any time as long as the contract works. It''s flexible. Lorry offers 5000 points for this slave after the completion of the Islands of Greatness. That isn''t a bad offer for such an elf. If Murai chose to give up before that, as Lorry explained a couple of days before, points are enough for such an ongoing purchase. Islands of Greatness has incredible merit to points. Murai sho...¡±


    ¡°5000 or 10,000, I don''t give a fuck. What is even the point of that, huh? If he had died, that would be that. End. I saved his ass not because I wanted anyway, and you want me to save him again by purchasing him because you thought of it? Fuck off with that logic, your bony prick. Forget it. That is way out of... Uh.¡± Murai stopped his statement that Lorry took without surprise, similar to Lisa.


    Unwilling to believe that a person''s life has a monetary number was a common concept for those who get personal with this idea. It was hypocritical to accept it. Some cared about it far too much, and others didn''t give it any care.


    Power worked in strange ways, and Murai hated it both ways. When given this chance to change Tori''s life, he hesitated because of the anger of his heart.


    For those who weren''t fortunate, slavery was like shackles that Murai wasn''t unfamiliar with. When seeing that, or having a chance to stop it, he hated such reminders.


    It didn''t matter if the reality was often ruthless and exactly how Lorry voiced it. It was the same with money and business, even if it sounded terrible.


    Everything or anyone had a price for something they feared or never wanted to think about.


    So what if Murai''s beliefs were what they should be like? Some moved alongside truths or logic. Would they be wrong for some people? What was wrong or right in this world? The universe wasn''t acting according to that anyway. It just exists to allow the acts and beings to cherish its existence.


    Could Murai solve every slave''s fate by himself? Was there someone to help him with his own shackles that kept him in this perpetual loop of agony that never ended?


    Never before had he hoped for someone else'' touch of help. Nothing helped, he tended to believe.


    It was a constant truth that people and countless races were subject to. Some things can''t change. Or questioned, as Murai often thought when met with bothersome choices. Slavery was an issue that went further than he ever liked, keeping him shackled, and pestering him in all of his lives.


    This one ended not so different from many of them because the setting was often what made each life miserable or acceptable.


    Most often, they weren''t so good for some reason, or his body was the issue. So when both of them were shit... Yeah. He didn''t take it well. He can influence the outcome by his acts, changes, or his outlook, but if the whole universe acted as his prison, what was there to think?


    Was positivity a good idea? Murai hated this. Everything. He hated his concept, or even this boy, or what Lorry said.


    ¡°Murai can think about it further, but what use does it have? It is a simple purchase, does Lisa disagree?¡± Lorry looked at her, hovering beside Murai and Tori who was the lost cause.


    Lisa shrugged her arms again. ¡°It isn''t my place to decide that. It is up to him to think, or we can turn this to the other party.¡± She pointed to Tori behind her. ¡°He listens as we speak. I can feel it.¡±


    Murai thought of this too, but who was Tori anyway? Murai was a little confused in his anger which was very heavy in his heart, but his Soul Read was still working, and his Will was still pointing to Tori. He can let it work.


    ¡°Decide? Are there even some decisions and answers to the madness?¡± Murai shouted, almost getting to the point of insanity.


    ¡°Though so,¡± Lisa said. ¡°There aren''t, but I think a simple choice of yes or no is enough to get a point across. This place will take it anyway, and you can afford that. The boy is... I mean, it isn''t important for you, I get that. It shouldn''t be. That is what I think.¡±


    ¡°Screw that.¡± Murai picked a fight with the ground, smacking it with his beak. ¡°I don''t like it. Why have you offered that!?¡± He demanded to Lorry, who pretended to be a stubborn haggler


    ¡°Would you go lower than 5,000?¡±


    Another smack echoed.


    ¡°Calm down.¡± Lisa made her move, clutching his beak, and stressing her arm as she shook under the thinly glowing beak. A start of the Blitz, she reconned. ¡°You will get plenty of points out of this Gate. above 10,000 is my idea. As Lorry said, this Gate''s advantage over 100 kills is large and the point limiter at your level isn''t that big, but it is good for you. So don''t think. Decide.¡±


    Glaring at her closely, Murai heard them both, but who he was to decide the fate of others when he had no fateful choices either?


    He hated it more than he showed, but Lisa nor Lorry didn''t know that.


    Grunting and forcing Lisa away with a simple smack of his beak, a few cracks were on the floor made of countless bricks.


    ¡°Fuck you both.¡± He snapped something in his mind. He stormed towards Tori, who, at some point, stopped crying. He opted for silent curiosity, observing what he regarded as a weird Fairy, a duck that was... kind of weird, and a talking skull. Duck talked to them. To a lofty Guide that was looking menacing and crazy in its eyes.


    But the duck seemed to have the upper hand, quacking in power and slamming its beak to the ground or the Fairy. Why? Tori heard some ideas but lacked the context. The situation shouldn''t be simple if Guide was around, and some talks about slavery... or whatever else came up in Lisa''s mouth.


    And Tori was alive... What was to become of him? He heard some mention of some points, slavery, and offer, but what of it? Slaves weren''t supposed to care for such businesses. Especially war slaves of the elven races that were deemed enemies across the Surface, Depths, or Sky.


    Tori knew his fate wasn''t his to decide. It was prone to others, forever left in shackles and powerful hands.


    Murai knew it and hated it not because of choices or this offer. It was a principle of how it all resounded in his mind because helping or not won''t change a thing. It will trouble him instead.


    When Tori heard what Guide said again, offering the points for him, while Lisa pointed to him, something hit his mind. Lisa and Lorry were talking openly, so he got some idea just in time when Murai wasn''t talking and opted to do things personally because his Will was still pointed at Tori.


    Tori had no clue what he said, as Murai didn''t care about him.


    So when he looked at the approaching duck that wore a fierce and pissed-off expression, Tori tried to back away.


    He failed. There was no coming back from this pissed Anatiade that he hadn''t even known existed.


    Involuntary or in instincts, he feared this duck that left him a bruise on his head, a headache on top of his head, and who knew what else was inside his mind.


    What was he afraid of again, he asked himself, knowing that this duck saved his life and talked like crazy, but who wasn''t crazy? The world was crazy.


    A duck wasn''t? Talking duck, Fairy, or a talking floating skull?


    ¡°D-duck? S-sir... W-what? What do you want from this one?¡± Tori asked as politely as he could, his voice cracking in anxiety when Murai kicked his crawling feet. It didn''t hurt him. It was just a statement to stop being a wimp and think of fleeting or jumping from this arena.


    ¡°Oh, I am so pissed! You too?¡± Murai used his Wil again, shaking Tori''s head into a painful growl and splitting headache. No tears came, but his body curved and hands went over his messed up hair, revealing pointy ears.


    Murai frowned, figuring that he was hurting this boy because he used a bit more strength than necessary. But he shouldn''t die if he was already processing his Will without dying. He expected worse things would happen if he did this with Iris, but he hadn''t tested anything with her, nor did he desire that. Her involvement with Vermillion wasn''t fine for any tests.


    And this boy had no protection or grace of a God. In fact, he was utterly abandoned, lost, and seeking the End. If he took his Will and it worked twice, a bit more power shouldn''t make a vast difference whatsoever.


    ¡°Fine. I am brutal, but you deserve it! Try to breathe. That helps if you aren''t breathing. it is called common sense. Or you can try to passively stretch the pain by thinking widely? It is rather vague. Sorry. You are just a wimp.¡± Murai tried to help, but he wasn''t good at it.


    Not doing anything physical to him was a good start, as he left his wing, beak, and legs out of his reach, neatly folded closer to his torso. His Will was enough when he wanted to get personal with this wimp.


    He stopped before shivering Tori, looking closely at his face. He wanted nothing but a talk. It was a step in the right direction, albeit Lorry wondered what he was planning with getting personal with a slave. Lisa had her ideas so he respected his time and choice by not getting involved.


    Hearing the powerful voice akin to a God in his mind, speaking to his soul, Tori was struck with endless pain and panic. That would be anyone''s reaction, honestly.


    It kept going as if the storm was endlessly cycling in his mind. When he started to stretch his mind as if thinking widely, he did as Murai implied, and it worked by pushing the voice further as if Murai was speaking across the arena. Breathing helped much more with calming his heart, which was seized by pain.


    ¡°Good. Keep the breath steady, and a couple of seconds apart. Not further, alright? Your mind will become mush otherwise. Also, your thinking and mind should remain stretched. It eases the suffering. I do the talking, but you speak between breaths too. Are you better?¡± Murai asked after a minute.


    Tori looked calm in his eyes too, no longer quivering and escaping like a panicking child. He figured that the pain wasn''t gone. It was just... everywhere, stretching over his mind, core, and everywhere as he breathed. But each passing breath made it more bearable and manageable.


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    So Tori nodded.


    ¡°Good. So, have you heard of that insane skull and that annoying-looking ghost from before?¡±


    Tori nodded again, unwilling to speak as it was an act that grew onto his living. Authority. It was all about the subject of power. This duck was well over him. He should be careful, and not trying to piss it off was a clever idea.


    ¡°Then, an offer to purchase you has been offered by a Guide of this shitty temple that you are the slave of. Are you pissed like me?¡±


    This time, Tori shook his head, unwilling to tell the truth that was punishable by the rules of this place.


    Once a war slave as an elf, forever a slave. That was the truth of not only his life but other elves he had seen. It wasn''t only them. Any war slave ended up badly treated if they were useless or worse.


    Elves had just it a bit worse because of their reputation. And he, as an elf born in this temple to a female elven slave and some demon or some other scum, his life held different values, even if his Bloodline from his mother wasn''t poor.


    Tori knew it because it was all he ever learned. He only knew of what elves were from the voice of his mother, whom he loved dearly, as it was the only light of his life. Who was his father didn''t matter, but she said it was some sort of human, which was vague. The line between humanity in all Hell Havens stretched to nonsense.


    Regardless of it, this temple held more darkness than light. His mother had been imprisoned for years. He hadn''t seen her in a long time, so all he knew was the suffering without knowing the end in sight. At some point, it overwhelmed everything, engulfing him in complete helplessness when his life got worse and no help or ease was anywhere.


    His mind ended up terrible, but the brightness of his hair, hiding behind the filth, was the token of his mother. It was the same with his eyes, which were the light color of yellow, but usually dull and dark around the corners because of lack of sleep or caused by stress.


    They were still bright, and so was his hair, but it was nothing like that in his heart. He heard his mother talk of the glory of the elves. It was almost like a dream, or so he used to tell himself in the past years.


    He didn''t know much else.


    ¡°Why have you shaken your head? Were my words so weak? Should I reach deeper, huh? Do you think some excuses are there? I see your damend soul, you wimp.¡± Murai said resolutely, sounding angry more than anything else.


    Tori shuddered in the increased power of Murai''s Will but didn''t cry. He focused on breathing and broadening his mind. It wasn''t easy, yet he didn''t want to cry either.


    There was more in him, he believed. Shedding tears after long years wasn''t what he wished. It just happened on its own, so he shouldn''t cry. It was a bad manner for a slave.


    Some beings didn''t like it. Succubusses especially, because it would just increase the suffering, or crack their anger issues and endless torment as demonesses of Lust and many other Laws.


    He heard and followed Murai''s strong voice. It told him pieces of truth that he didn''t know, but heard of.


    Freedom. It was a weird term, which Murai broke into pieces of his darkness, revealing a hope that was there because of his mother.


    Living in the filth of anguish, Tori, nodded his head in hopes of getting his point across. His eyes firmed up a little. Murai even saw some motions of tensing muscles and fists. This boy wasn''t a lost cause yet. He was close. Far closer to being gone.


    ¡°So you know the voice, but knew the questions? I asked something. No need for an excuse. Or, do you want something? Freedom is fine to want, but managing it is like another layer of shackles because one has to keep it from changing or slipping away. It could cause inner demons to eat you from the inside out. Hope is often devastating to someone unfamiliar with it. It is also about expectations, as freedom and slavery are contradictions that go against one another.¡±


    Tori listened carefully, forcing every word into his mind while ignoring the pain. It went better than he expected.


    ¡°Now, I don''t want to be an asshole, but I don''t personally act like a savior. Do you like hearing this skull talking about your freedom, giving it to my hands? You, being purchased like a tool, that is.¡± Murai asked a brutal and meaningful question.


    Tori fell into silence, glancing past Murai who was still giving him some breathing space. Behind him was the floating skull that terrified him, as it should. Aside was a glowing Fairy, but that one wasn''t important, as he figured by his ears.


    But the last voice was weird. Murai wanted him to speak up. How? It was a Guide! No question came to his mind, nor did any answers.


    Freedom? Slavery, pain, and suffering? It was there. Forever included in his life. Slavery or nothing. Everything was weird or something else, or the blissful idea of an End. Murai saw his glaring issues: pain, hesitation, and fear. Soul Read worked way too well on this broken boy with lacking Will.


    He felt how unsteady Tori was, and some freedom wouldn''t help him achieve anything. It would just gift the inevitable problems that the real world wouldn''t fix. He wouldn''t gift him anything.


    The first thing that should be done was to put freedom inside of him, rather than around him. It was a concept that sounded weird, but that idea was valid. Murai saw way too many words with way too many issues and problems. He took half of it from there, and another half from his head.


    Physical or psychological, anyone had problems.


    So, Murai asked the final question that tested this boy''s spirit. ¡°Do you want to be my slave, or do you want to be a slave?¡±


    Both questions were unlike the other but sounded way too similar in its core. Tori understood something hiding in them, so he shuddered his head to look at Murai and answered without any lies.


    ¡°I don''t want to be a slave.¡± He said, wincing his head down to seek comfort from the ground. It was his wish, hope, and desire. It was something that went against the rules of this place, albeit it was the unspoken hope of every slave.


    ¡°I see. That is good.¡± Murai said, retracting his Will from Tori and walking away without changing a thing. ¡°Time to go to the next Island folks. I am done.¡± Murai quacked out loud, gesturing for Lisa with his wing to follow him along.


    Lorry could do whatever he wanted anyway, so he left him to remain on the spot, clueless about what just occurred. He could fly away and never return in Murai''s honest opinion.


    Hearing a sudden force escape his mind, easing the pain, Tori''s breathing and broad mind remained and confusion littered his mind. He speechlessly strained his head, looking at the walking duck, hoping to say something to change it. Why again? He had no authority here. He was nobody to this being who talked like a God he never knew.


    But as his Will to speak was up, following the aforementioned willingness to be no slave, another surge of Will clashed at him like slaps. It was much duller, emotional, and flooding. Information about something was sent to his mind, but it was so vast and confusing, that it all sounded like gibberish. The sound of words and teachings of an unknown language were elvish but older. Ancient.


    This time, Tori didn''t cry as he felt Murai''s take to give him his freedom. It may not be in his wings, but who was here to stop him from doing this anyway? Lorry? Mindarch? They both remained silent, either unwilling to act, or they didn''t have to do a thing. The possibility of their inability to interfere was also likely.


    Murai let it go, leaving Tori be as he walked away, unconcerned about him.


    But Tori disagreed, forcing himself to sit on his knees. It was a bit awkward act, as injuries were all over him, and the pain was too much to bear in mind or his body. He noticed some sense in this gift sent from the heavens. He hit his head to the floor, bowing and uttering a single word: "Sachitori" rather weakly.


    It was his name. An elven name, but without the surname, which was understandable because he was born a slave.


    Murai didn''t see his act. He didn''t need that, but a glint of a smile at the corner of his beak acted as his satisfaction. He walked to a random choice of those bridges, leading to another Ending Isle. He moved by himself. Lisa didn''t follow him because there was something left behind. Lorry stayed as well, glaring at Sachitori who kept kneeling.


    This fight had been good for Murai, but the aftermath of his success left something bittersweet in his mouth.


    Alas, Murai did what he did without fear of consequences. He left it all for Fate, thinking that he was correct that he shouldn''t handle someone''s Fate. He didn''t take Sachitori for anything more than a wimp anyway. Why should he consider him as something else than a slave to despair because of... others?


    As he left, Lisa could only sigh after she heard the majority of his Will that went to Sachitori. It worked at a passable degree when she fully focused on the connection to his mind, but because she was out of his Soul Space, it was difficult.


    But not impossible. She just didn''t catch the last surge of Will that went like a flood of some intent, mixed with memories. It all went to Sachitori, who didn''t crash, so she found that appealing and weird. It must have been some form of memory transfer, or something similar that acted because of his soul.


    ¡°Well, he refused.¡± She said to Lorry who seemed reluctant to act. He had no idea what Murai was deciding.


    ¡°Oh, let''s leave then.¡± Lorry flew away, as if in a hurry.


    Lisa smirked, knowing this would''ve happened. ¡°Apologies if I am taking this then.¡± She floated down, poking her finger at the glistering armor and axes as if their precious jewels. There were many other things around, and she had all the authority to take them away.


    Lorry shuddered and glanced at her before stopping and cursing the heavens. ¡°You! Mindarch!?¡±


    [Shut up already... She can take it by the rules that Citizen M adheres to. It is required and... inevitable. Damned Blessed! Always them. Always...] Mindarch spoke weakly to the both of them, sounding like whispers overlapping with grief and an endless supply of regret.


    He wasn''t that angry about what occurred here or the armor. He was angry about how his calculation went wrong. Someone will be very pissed off about it. Someone who will soon wake up.


    Lorry wished to cry as he watched smirking Lisa, who felt as if she killed what used to be in this armor herself.


    She took the armor and the pair of axes to the pouches each that she kept in a single one. They were barely enough for this high-level equipment.


    Lisa had to reshuffle most of the loot around nearly a dozen pouches. At least the armor was no longer working, so they went to the single pouch and the rest of the loot went to others.


    Thankfully, Murai found more storage so the lack of it wasn''t an issue. If not, then... leaving these treasures here was all there would be to it. Bleeding hearts, disappointing minds, and cursing languages would then spread from both her and him.


    Lisa disliked it a bit more because Murai seemed to not care about it as he left the Island. Armor wasn''t useful to him, unsurprisingly, nor were the weapons or other armor pieces from the rest of his kills.


    Lisa didn''t take everything. Some armor was in pieces, while some weapons were beyond repair. So she took what she considered to be enough.


    The talk with Lorry and Sachitori left Murai in an erratic mood, so opting to leave wasn''t wrong.


    Lisa would never let this slide, so she took loot straight up her alley like Murai told her numerous times. He had no time or mind for that, so she acted not because of him, but for the overall sentiment. She couldn''t bear to let them go when she knew how rare this opportunity was.


    Slapping this temple'' rules felt great as she remembered.


    ***


    Meanwhile, as the Ending Isles had its fair share of troubles and fights, Razmund had his own Islands to beat.


    It had been happening for days already. And he was starting to regret he even started this whole hunting ordeal that ended up in Levandis Temple.


    68th Island was his current location; far away from Murai by his unknown calculative risks.


    Razmund was fed up with the journey so far, because the resources inside of his pouches were running low, and fighting was starting to get stressful. So far, he hadn''t met any opponent like Zao, the Goldsteel Titan, but some were closing on his principles and differences in terms of dangers.


    He wasn''t lucky enough to meet any Shop Island either, where one could purchase things with already accomplished points. It was at least possible from his memory, but perhaps his 3rd-time status was different, or the path of his Islands were unlucky?


    Exchanging points was a possibility in Islands of Greatness since way too much time went into them. Razmund knew that by reaching some agreement, the Guide would allow points to be used.


    Unfortunate as it may be, Murai not only didn''t know about it, but he wasn''t lucky to meet such an Island. It was a possibility that was halfway through the Islands, but since he hadn''t met it, Razmund didn''t either.


    He knew they existed and were kind of a big deal in higher difficulties. It was an easy solution to extract some points or treasures out of the Challengers. Usually, they had no choice but to bite this bait and give this temple what it wanted.


    ¡°Fuck me. I should''ve bought more potions from the last Vault. Who knew the Islands would be so tough? I knew it... Yes. Not me alone. You!¡± Razmund turned to Lint who was always close behind. ¡°You knew it!¡±


    ¡°Right. Right. Of course, it is right. 3rd-timers are all so nosy and strong-willed. They ought to do better, can''t they just do that? What do you think you even do?¡±


    ¡°That you are testing my patience?¡± Razmund said coldly.


    ¡°Says someone who has a whole 24 kills down his neck. I fear your lifeline is thinning out, Razmund.¡± Lint said with the same amount of coldness because this was partly his responsibility. But it shouldn''t be much of a problem, since Razmund poised as a problem of this temple anyway. Not just his.


    Razmund sneered. ¡°Say something less stupid next time and then I might listen.¡±


    ¡°HA! Reaping what you sow and hoping for a change, are you? This whole mess that you are part of is putting a lot of people up in arms. They want you dead. And my Lady is like that too! She never lies down the mess that someone is stirring in her backyard. HOWEVER!¡± Lint added the last word with quite a force. ¡°Gods aren''t unconditionally angry.¡±


    ¡°Oh, tell me about it,¡± Razmund said, unimpressed.


    ¡°The corresponding chance comes with opportunity. Always! Troubles are part of it, you see. So what if the temple and people under, below, or who knows where, want you dead? It is how it is. Lacking or hoping. They all serve various interests, but this temple is the priority. So what do they matter to you right? You are strong and mighty, hm?¡±


    Lint''s sarcasm couldn''t be stronger, but who knew if he held some limits in his words? Lint was good at this.


    ¡°Dogshit excuses. This Lady of yours is just a filth of the Hell Haven. A God that runs rampant just because she can.¡±


    ¡°Watch your mouth, you punny prick of a human!¡± Lint shouted, his whole body tensed up as he floated and trembled. His single arm pointed at Razmund, who rested his back against a pillar, right beside the Space Cage to his 68th Island.


    ¡°Oh? Hurt your feelings? Sorry, not sorry. Told the truth. What did you want to tell me again? An opportunity? I know how it goes in this world. Everyone wants a piece of something for themselves. That is the driving force of this whole existence, let alone the Encounter. Everyone with a good head knows it. Oh, sorry.¡± He laughed.


    ¡°Testing uncharted waters, I see. I see. We have been at this for hours. You should overlook this difference, but again, you keep messing things up by killing and taking my bits of advice for air. As a Guide, you are testing me.¡±


    ¡°Why not? Do I look like a wimp to you? Affording it is one thing and I am already closing on the threshold of possible points. A max pool of them, I presume?¡±


    ¡°Where did you hear this?¡±


    ¡°A bird told me that.¡±


    ¡°Laughable joke. You are far from the maximum. Mindarch wouldn''t allow that... like ever. To reach the maximum would be like laughing at us all, one-shotting everything in one way. Done that? No. Killed more than you should? Not far from that, are you?¡±


    ¡°It sounds stupid to do that, but it is called bidding for time, and I suspect your head isn''t up there yet.¡± Razmund countered, having this sort of conversation with Lint for the past day. He was moving steadily onward, even though killing his foes became harder than defeating them.


    ¡°What use are our points to you anyway? You didn''t care for them before, did you? At this point, it''s not about points whatsoever. You don''t care about it either unless you are cornered like a dog. Heh!¡± Lint taunted him, knowing that Razmund would love some purchases, but Mindarch wouldn''t allow that because of what he was causing.


    ¡°Now, not so much. I am running out of words to crack your head with, rather than some points.¡±


    ¡°I can see that...¡± Lint said, viewing the Razmund who was tired after battling his way through the Islands with very little rest.


    Lint knew how impressive that was, regardless of killings or not. And the incoming Island was kind of great, but Razmund didn''t know that, because Mindarch ignored him for the most part, giving him attention that wasn''t even a quarter of Murai''s status.


    Razmund never asked Lint for any information or help, since that damned half-skeleton was getting on his nerves, and this place was one giant plotting device to eat his treasures and secrets. He realized it. Every foe wanted to kill him, but he couldn''t kill them in return. That was as laughable as hypocritical.


    So there was no point trying to move an unmovable mountain. Razmund rather focused on a fixed path before him and decided to follow the rules of fewer kills. That meant he would kill if he had to. All he had to do was follow his enemy, whose path may be not good for him, but what was set in Fate was clearer than his hopes.


    Razmund hoped to find him sooner, rather than later, but he had no idea how far that damned duck went, or how quickly it was getting into the further Island.


    Sighting, he clutched his fists. I am not done. If only the Will of the Battleworld is here! Boost! Those should happen here. Damned Islands! If only! Fuck... He cursed in his mind, knowing that this sort of Gate 2 had a unique style of halting such things, even if he wasn''t shackled before.


    It was an act that was truthful to this Gate because it held unique aspects of balance and fights, allowing for steadier progression, readings of foes, and proper challenges. It always crept up, forcing challenges to tougher fights and learnings.


    Razmund had no shackles before entering this Gate. Well, besides the Encounter''s premise of course, which counted for a lot of things since it was connecting some very nasty threads of interest. He was just the starting spark of everything, he reckoned, which ended up in him, being a tool that he accepted. But it didn''t mean something couldn''t give him some chance.


    He had no connection here, which limited the improvements that he was prone to. Limits about this Gate were relatively known, so that left him in a specific time that could only improve without Boosts in mind.


    That was his swordsmanship and training, which worked well, but he still preferred being unshackled, because he was used to it. He knew of powers that disregarded these shackles, however. Those were the Laws and similar powers. They were beyond the rules of the game, giving individuals comprehension, sudden twists, ideas, and recollections. Razmund can grow here. He was closing on Level 70.


    Without The Voice in his mind to lead him, all that was left for him was his hand, Lint, and Mindarch who wasn''t up to his benefit.


    Thankfully, Razmund had his head filled with knowledge and information, while his Path worked with the rest. The full picture of the Gates was there, along with secrets, rewards, and what he should be careful of.


    From the stories he knew from the former Blessed, Levandis Temple had its fair share of political aspects made of Overlords, the grand Generals of Levandis Legions, who were all great Extremes that were strong. Each had some care around this temple, and each acted under Manager Kil, the current figurehead and managing person of all Gates.


    Razmund had no idea how pissed they were down below, or how much his Encounter messed with this Hell Haven, but it shouldn''t be a small matter. He still forced it anyway, went inside, and formed Hell Party, while his Kingdom was taking their stance as well.


    He wasn''t in a hurry. Without anything to take, loot, essences, or proper compensation later will increase his power after crushing this Gate. That was what eased his mind a little bit.


    The potential Boost depended on the results and how well Razmund improved and proved himself. Murai had it the same, albeit each had their respective threshold and interest over who and what they were.


    Razmund accepted that his journey was meant to be less than easy. He battled above his level for most of the Islands, and upon clearing Island 60, he was touching the limits of Level 70.


    Who knew what would be against him at the Ending Isles that he knew from stories, but no personal experiences. That section of Islands was terrifying, known for fear and intense challenges for many good reasons. Such were the insane proving grounds that Hell Haven used for its best troops.


    It came as no surprise that Razmund wanted to reach Murai before Ending Isles. Unfortunately for him, he was long past that point without knowing that.


    Murai was moving on, leaving him in the dust.

 Chapter 145: Razmund VS Low Marshal

    Tough ideas and realizations were stressing and gritting his nerves for long enough. Razmund wasn''t an impatient guy in heart, but he was brutal in many different ways and also many acts. When desires swayed the heart, emotions, and reasons moved.


    He hated the fact that the slowly creeping advances hindered his hunt. He doubted he would catch Murai at this Gate, but what if he was close? Perhaps it was wishful thinking or something that eased his time.


    He still had his chances at Gate 3 if things got worse. It was a Gate he knew way too well after spending weeks in there, touching its premises, and surviving its lands. It was an interesting place, but Razmund focused on his current problems.


    He was always very strong and straightforward, almost like a sword he always had in mind. This world carried that wish, giving him a Path that was like pen writing a book. Some things were meant to be, he believed.


    Razmund sighted, unwilling to talk to Lint anymore, or hear his nonsense that had its validity. Razmund recognized that he killed too many foes, but he couldn''t stop it. The situation about the Encounter angered Overlords for sure, or could it involve Levandis as well?


    Gods shouldn''t be his concern, but what about the whole Encounter? Gods were always touching them how they wanted, using them as means in various political touches or personal vendettas or plots. It always touched on the mortals, of course.


    Gods shouldn''t become too personal with him, Razmund knew. Well, unless the Centralis Kingdom would get personal with its own heavy forces across this whole situation, or if more Tier A powers suddenly got involved. Everything should then vary in their steps. Encounter needed that care, which Centralis knew. They won''t be too obvious in any of their tries for obvious reasons.


    A single Tier A power would never fare well against a Hell Haven, but taking it on with Encounter''s rules? That was a different story. It didn''t matter if it was the youngest Hell of them all or the power in the Surface with a rich history and many Sages in their midsts.


    A proper Hell Haven was way too dangerous for even the strongest person on the Surface of the Battleworld. It was a large place, carrying secrets from the Depths of this world. Chaos was dangerous. Demonic factions were vast thanks to the Gods that clashed against the Skies in so-called balance and desired fights.


    Something was still salvageable. Razmund knew that Gate 3''s variables weren''t problematic. They were almost good for him because they meant to take a long and open time. It wasn''t about fighting any longer. Tactics, knowledge, and wits outplayed those in Gate 3. Or those who were unfamiliar with the way of the Hell Havens.


    Razmund knew how to handle them thanks to his claymore.


    One still had to be a good tactician, albeit the power still ruled above certain limits. He was there to hunt Murai down, so he was almost looking forward to that more than catching him in this Gate. Perhaps it was a fitting choice, as this Gate was problematic in its location and premise.


    Anyone would find obscurities of various lengths and layers. And there was no escaping him if he played his cards well. As far as Razmund knew, the fastest way to finish it was still a couple of hours, which must be outside of his target'' possibilities.


    It still gave him lingering fear, because he didn''t know where Murai was, what his strengths were, or how well his journey through this Gate went. Apparently well enough, evident by Razmund''s inability to catch him.


    So there were a lot of worries. If he let him get a long or steady way forward, Murai might leave him in the dust, but Razmund still believed in his tactics, what he knew, or what Centralis forced and helped him with.


    Razmund calmed down, no longer willing to be worried. He waited for his core and stamina to calm down before he stepped into another mess.


    That was a good idea, even though Lint pestered him for a good reason. Guides were responsible for the Challengers no matter what, and their problems or good merits meant a lot for their well-being, reputations, and spirits.


    Inside the Islands, it was calm without such pestering, so Razmund rested for just 5 minutes, which was enough for Lint to give him all the words he had.


    ¡°Heh!¡± Lint snorted. ¡°You are quite pathetic in this state. I swear, if you kill this Island, you won''t like the consequences.¡± He commented upon knowing all the visible frustration on his fleshly face. This was the best way to punish this punny human, although Razmund''s irritation wasn''t about Lint''s words. It was just his voice that annoyed him.


    ¡°Watch... Just watch. Calmly, like your eyes can''t allow you. I will prove my point by going there, accepting whatever this temple has to offer, and getting out without problems. Think I can''t do that?¡±


    ¡°Wanna bet some points?¡±


    ¡°Wanna test my claymore on your remaining arm? I can do many things. It will take longer, like carving the socket for your other eye. That''s it. I will do that later.¡± Razmund argued as he closed his eyes, repeating mantras from his Path in his mind. They should help sharpen his mind and ready his claymore.


    All noises disappeared, the wind became a hue of foggy air, and when he opened them after a few moments, that was the point where he got up, almost bumping into Lint.


    ¡°Don''t regret it, alright? Don''t do the obvious blunder! You can''t take it, I swear.¡± Lint snorted, clearly unaware of what else to tell this thickskinned man.


    Razmund disappeared into the Space Cage, swallowed into the Variant Island.


    ¡°Good lord. I hope his death would provide the end to this madness.¡± Lint said in a mocking tone, sticking his hand into the Space Cage himself, but not disappearing into it. ¡°Didn''t think I can''t watch? Too bad. I can.¡±


    Arriving on the 68th Island was like walking through a door. Razmund saw the same arena where Murai battled Long Zi, but unlike him, he had a vastly different foe that he had to deal with. Hopefully, without severing the limbs, or other important organs that would be fatal to lose, he hoped to tread this hypocrisy by its rules.


    But Razmund wasn''t thinking about that. Whether he battled for his life, or when his Path was on the line, swings of his claymore happened on their own. Aftermatch wasn''t important. He could only hope the foes could take them without dying, which was the usual case for the past dozens of Islands.


    Every foe wanted his scalp, so speaking about not killing them in return was resentful. He deeply wanted to shout at the top of his lungs, refute this temple, and reason how it came to him. It wasn''t part of the Voice he so respected, coveted, and cherished.


    This was Mindarch''s doing.


    It was unfair, but where was the fairness of his acts or in what Centralis Kingdom had done? There were questionable grey rules everywhere.


    And there, amid the sandy arena, a nasty foe was waiting, ready to slay this problematic Challenger. It was a familiar sight, but not in this temple so far. It was a human opponent, unlike the majority of his past foes which were almost fine to lose.


    Those were many beasts and demons, with the undead being the majority. Devils were rare and so were humans. Undead were much easier to crack than living foes because of his Path alone, while their loss was often a matter of stability. Undead could be replenished. Killing what was already dead was kind of hard to comprehend or stop.


    Sitting there on the sand, a naked man rested. His back was wide, arms crossed like his legs and he was the epitome of a warrior who prided himself like Zao.


    His back was slightly hunched because of his sitting position, but even then, he was still tall. His elbows rested on his legs, while one palm was down his chin, supporting his thick head, thin beard, and impatient mood.


    He looked bored, as anyone would be if they had to wait for hours without doing a thing. So when he finally saw the Space Cage waver in action, he cheered loudly like thunder.


    ¡°Oh! At last! I was dying out there! Finally here to catch our fight? Thought I would grow another pair of legs.¡± he said so cheerfully, that it was a wonder if he was here for something else than a fight.


    Getting up in a rather strange way, his whole body acted as if he didn''t weigh a feather. He flung upwards to his feet, where his legs smacked the sand for the first time. He was undulating wavy streams of space cracks all over his skin, which was a depiction of either: wind, space, mana itself, or some other various powers that had special pushing forces. It made his aura very strong, and every move of his limbs stirred the sand below his feet.


    In a mere moment, he got up without even touching the sand before. He was never sitting on top of it, to begin with. He leviated as part of a training regiment that he was subject to.


    ¡°Well, here I expected something normal from a Variant Island. Fuck.¡± Razmund cursed loudly, and by coincidence or not, Mindarch spoke out loud, giving this Variant Island the required attention.


    And hearing him and the incoming topic, Razmund met it with disgust and disdain.


    [Challanger, before you is your 68th Island.]


    [It is a special one, called Variant Island that has a unique set of special rules outside of the normal completions. For you specifically, it acts within the expected means with a twist.]


    [Defeat the foe and be rewarded with special rewards.]


    [Reward: High Key!]


    [Bonus points: 10-fold point boost upon a kill of enemy | 5-fold upon defeating him, or making him give up.]


    ¡°What the fuck?!¡± Razmund shouted. ¡°Killing? Are you fucking with me right now? Now, you giv...¡±


    [Shut up.] Mindarch muttered without a single care given to this mess of a Blessed. He wasn''t willing to hear anything after dealing with the mess that Murai caused.


    [Your enemy is Level 70 Low Marshal of the Demonic Army]


    [Just die already.] Then he shut up this brief and mandatory introduction.


    Low Marshal heard it too, but unlike Razmund, he remained smiling and standing in the arena. ¡°I hurried here from the Battleworld,¡± he said. ¡°An offer of my Lady is hard to tame in one''s heart, even if it is nothing more than a trial set upon this blissful temple. Though, I wonder. A cause has some reasons. At least in most cases, right?¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Razmund mumbled. ¡°Reasons don''t matter when Challengers go into this temple from all kinds of places and ideas. All of you are the same. You follow this temple in respective hopes of advancement and power, while you are a human, hm? ¡±


    ¡°Well, so what? Some have it different. For example, high-stakes Challengers that stir too much trouble in many ways are a problem worth mentioning. And this style of Gate 2 is quite a battle-stricken madness, I might tell. It is wonderful that you''ve chosen that, Challenger.¡±


    Razmund grunted as if he stepped on shit.


    ¡°Most wouldn''t bother with such a Gate, you see.¡± the man continued. ¡°And as far as choosing the Thread of Hopes goes, we all get that it isn''t as random as it looks. Funny. Peculiar. I wonder what you have in you to stir this place so much.¡± The sturdy man said with a rather intrigued face that sounded way too honest, confident, and brutish.


    Razmund met his match, it seemed.


    His whole body was extremely toned down to every sliver of flesh, while all-natural aspects of his body showed he had no shame. At least he wasn''t fully naked. He had some armor plates around the waist down and a bit of the thigh.


    A Low Marshal of demonic armies was a major figure.


    Looking like a mountain that coveted the strength to go against Gods and mountains, he was well over 2 meters tall thanks to his burly and tall legs. A relatively thin weist ensured his proportions were kind of weird, but that was because his back and shoulders were wider and thicker than usual. Muscular was the sole term to describe him, and he showed it all quite a lot more than some would like.


    At least he didn''t show it all, Razmund would reckon if he didn''t know this man.


    He did, unfortunate as it may be.


    Looking at him with a clear bother, but no disgust, Razmund''s whole physique tensed up upon meeting no freak of an exhibitionist. That wasn''t a problem, as demons or devils often fought completely naked because of their primordial nature.


    The problem was the status that this man held under the Hell Haven that ruled in some layers of the Somalis continent.


    He was a human. That was rare, similar to how his Level was only at 70, yet he was considered a Marshal? That was a military rank that was quite close to Overlords, albeit only in the aspects of voices and rules. Not power.


    Marshals were often Exremes in the same general power as Generals, who were more private in terms of military strength. Marshals rulers over their respective armies, right under the eyes of Overlords. That meant much more official strength that came with responsibilities.


    Low Mashal was the start of that rank, which spoke of his talent and accomplishments. It was a rank amongst the Hell Haven armies that held quite a meaningful reputation and authority.


    Having this as a human spoke of a couple of things: prominence, talent, and authority that touched some of the demonic Gods that allowed him to have it.


    He was also looking relatively young for a human, posing as a wondering indication of how he managed to get it. He must be powerful and talented to the bone, crashing any competition and anyone who denied him the chance.


    He showed great accomplishment by leaking his power all over the arena, traveling everywhere, and giving Razmund a tough wake-up call that he didn''t take for granted. It was a feeling alone, but it was more of a warning to take note of this person.


    Instincts were calling.


    ¡°Oh, you are not the one to talk that much, huh?¡± the man asked, disappointed that his opponent wasn''t a chatty person. He remained smiling the same as usual, undulating his power because he could. Nothing was wrong with that, even if it was a questionable expenditure of his mana when he wasn''t on a battlefield.


    Here in this temple, mana was enriching, meant to flow like crazy. He liked it so he used this change as much as he wanted.


    A personal invitation was something he shouldn''t refuse. He took it, of course, not thinking even once about refusing it.


    This temple''s special invitations were quite a special time. Every foe was a person or a being from the Hell Haven or this Gate. These two weren''t that different, however. They were all under Levandis anyway.


    Getting a chance to prove yourself before a Challenger was a great merit. Usually, it wasn''t an invitation, but an order. Rarely, there were invitations to greater members of Hell Haven. It was treasure itself, as it could highlight one''s status across the whole Hell Haven, please Overlords or even Gods.


    However, that depended on how the stakes were, how Challengers acted, who they were, and how Mindarch wanted it done. These weren''t overly crazy. On most such invitations, it went through at least one Overlord.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Razmund didn''t know the details, even though he was sure there was a lot to tell.


    ¡°Let me introduce myself, Challenger.¡± His opponent said. ¡°Rank of a Low Marshal is my backbone. The 2nd Legion is my home. Name'' Luno. Heard of me before, Challenger?¡± Luno introduced himself with a surprising amount of politeness, pride, and an unending amount of pressuring aura that trembled the sand and pushed against Razmund.


    He stood still, no longer caring for some face or hunt. This man was watching him like a fool. A stool to step on.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± He snorted, stepped forward, and introduced himself as best as he could.


    He wasn''t some raspy idiot who showed too much skin or spoke without thinking. He let his power shine without any care, letting tides of his Cycling Technique rise from his torso. It was crisp red mana, thanks to his Awakened Sharpness that touched upon his Path.


    Normally, such Sharpness should be either invisible or not that far from the azure color of mana. After all, what was Sharpness? It wasn''t something one would say held some physique. It was a simple act of something sharp, cutting, or dividing something into pieces.


    A thin aura engulfed his body next, which wasn''t having any effects besides showing off and pestering Luno''s aura.


    ¡°Razmund of the Falconers. Blessed of the Centralis Kingdom. And I heard of you before, Luno.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I heard of you as well, especially now when stirs of troubles touch too many folks that better be untouched. Though, I do wonder why a not-so-old Blessed does this sort of trickery. As I''ve heard, doing such madness is one key to an easy End when messing with the Hell.¡± Luno asked as he rested his palms on his hips.


    Strangely enough, there were no veins visible throughout his well-toned body. It was as if his body was sculpted out of the finest, yet a rather filthy brownish marble. Luno''s body was of healthy sheen, obviously so, as his physique was one of his core priorities. He spent a lot of time under the sun, battling for a chance to prove himself as someone who came to this world in a different way than a Blessed.


    He was Wicked. A person who was in touch with the Hell of this world in a different way than a Blessed. In truth, these two weren''t very different, but their reputation or relation to Gods was. Luno still held memories of his past life. He cherished a world full of radiance, battles, and blissful chances. He loved every sun, battled to touch them one day, charred by high temperatures, or wounded in other ways.


    Either way, he stood like a marbled statue, while his aura wasn''t suppressing his desire for battle.


    Razmund looked at his enemy with quite a helpless attitude. Can he defeat him? That will be hard, as his talent was probably out of his league because of his status alone. A Low Marshal of level 70? What kind of Laws or magic did he use to get that position? It shouldn''t be easy, so how about killing him? That was ludicrous, as Mindarch offered it himself, but it was more like a mocking test that was out of the question.


    ¡°What is this... Where is a sense of reason in this place?¡±


    ¡°Reasons?¡± Luno chuckled. ¡°Those disappeared the moment you arrived with your band, or so I heard. Though, a lot of it goes outside of that, right into the Sky. Is that correct?¡± He asked to the ceiling, laughing in the process.


    ¡°Sky? We Blessed had no heed to question the rules. They happen in shambles with the Chaos of your so-called Pride. You don''t say it is wrong. Nothing is wrong when winners dictate the rules and power allows that.¡±


    ¡°Well said. There is nothing wrong with how Gods do their bidding, if the mortals follow it anyway. Though pain or strings like dolls, it matters not when we follow our hearts too.¡±


    Razmund couldn''t disagree with him. He believed in that logic too.


    ¡°But what about this meeting?¡± Luno asked. ¡°We are different, but act in similar hopes.¡±


    ¡°Stop blabbering nonsense. I will try killing you. Hopefully, you won''t crumble to pieces. If you do, I am not sorry. That is enough for this charade.¡± Razmund pressed his hands down his waist, clutching a handle of his claymore with his right hand. His left clutched cold Destiny Dice that reminded him of his Fate.


    Right now, and even in the past, he shan''t stop clutching it, apart from the moment of every fateful toss, or the finishing side.


    He drew the handle, brandishing the full-length claymore beside himself.


    With such a view, Luno whistled in honest astonishment, almost clapping cheerfully. ¡°So it is truth? A Claymore Sage? That is some good blade if I see one, so I suppose it shouldn''t be hard for it to wound my body.¡±


    ¡°Wanna see the answer to this wonder straight away? I am cheap.¡± Razmund said, smirking as he walked forward. ¡°Stop right there, offer your head, and I give you the answer the right way.¡± he proposed a good idea but knew Luno would never take it.


    So he went to his fighting stance by grabbing his claymore tightly with a single-handed grip. He was close to starting his primary techniques, but he was practically out of potions, so he took his time with his tactics. At his core and empty stance, he was much better at this stage than before this Gate.


    He improved through these 67 Islands similarly as Murai did. He grew accustomed to these challenges though stable, albeit not peak powers.


    Luno heard his confident offer and still chuckled. ¡°Thanks. Will pass.¡±


    Then, by sheer confidence and killing intents of both men, both of them glared at each other with unblinking eyes and no longer swayed from the start of the fight. A step forward from either of them would start this fight, which meant momentum that both competed to take.


    Luno was most notable because of his visible aura that kept flying out of his body. His armor plates remained unmoving, but Razmund''s clothes flickered in the air, while the sand below their feed trembled and moved like water.


    Razmund made the first move by engulfing his clamore in mana. He had no choice but to go almost all out straight away, but Danceless, and with the primary teachings of his Path going forward. This was the core of his improvements. Just a claymore and his mana. That was all he had.


    His mana will last without a problem. It was one of his strengths as his techniques didn''t eat to his reserves. He wasn''t a mage who was too dependent on the quantity of mana. He was more dependent on quality because his mana worked in different needs.


    Spending a large chunk of mana to improve his claymore poised as a long-term enchantment that didn''t require sending spells away, thus spending mana. He should last for a long time while cutting things with a physical blade went as simple as possible through ages so old this world didn''t even exist.


    This was the simple state of his Awakened Mana that worked with his claymore alone.


    Razmund decided to do things slowly for the sake of discovering what Luno could do.


    Depending on how flexible either of them will become, Razmund had a single plan in mind. Made Luno give up. That was a harsh task with various possibilities.


    How I should go about it? Making him surrounded at the edge of no return. That is a possibility only when I am close to killing him. As before. All those damned demons and fools. They never wanted to acknowledge it. Only when half dead, some swallows their pride. Perhaps this time, this fool will get it with enough force? Razmund thought, remembering many Islands behind him that weren''t difficult because they were hard.


    Most were annoying. He survived worse.


    He was usually choosing not to kill his opponents when possible, which made his current ratio rather poor since his heart wasn''t deciding that. He was angry at how close he was to the vague line that may or may not exist.


    He didn''t know that, but he shouldn''t try to discover if it was real. So his successes came in simplest forms by clashing against the opponents until they would bleed out, die straight away, or give up.


    It worked well after he went over the 50th Islands when the spike in difficulty turned his tactics worse. It meant trouble because he had to try to go against their thirst for his head.


    The further he went, the tougher it was to kill them but also easier to find himself unable to cope with his choices. Making them give up was closer or further, the more problematic the enemy was. It was difficult to let his acts and claymore together, so he had no choice but to work with what he had.


    With brutality, this duel against Luno will be no different. So what if he was a Low Marshal? Razmund had no qualms that with enough time, overshadowing this man with his Path alone wasn''t a pipedream.


    Affirming his inner heart, Razmund clutched the handle of his claymore even tighter and changed the Sharpness Awakened mana into dozens of thin layers of twisting red lines. They swirled around the metallic edge, forming no Dance, but it was close to the 1st Dance.


    Lines resembled swords and were thin, similar to the vision of his claymore that acted almost like a Catalyst. It wasn''t exactly that, as it was his primary weapon that acted for his sake.


    These lines stopped flaring like crazy snakes, thinning and letting their flow go side by side, making his already long claymore even longer and wider. It didn''t make it heavier, but hard-to-wield aspects of this mana made swinging sharper and harder.


    This was one of the fundamental aspects of his handling Sharness in his current Path Manual. At its core, it was nothing more than a sword covered in Sharpness, but the kind that will sooner or later turn to a Law of Sharpness, Sword, or other various and vague sword-related Laws. Mastering the right foundation was mandatory if he wanted to go all the way to the Extreme.


    Mana can move like water or a sword under the right technique and grasp. Some acts and truths about specific powers did change its flow. In this sense, Sharpness was almost unnatural for mana, as it corresponded with swords, blades, and anything sharp, rather than following the principles of elements or what was occurring in nature everywhere.


    The sword was man-made, after all, while Sharpness was a forged aspect of mana that was a dream and foundation for any magic-based swordsman.


    It made a neat combo with a person, capable of going alongside a physical blade or enchanting everything to another level. That was how the Dances were created, or simple moves, or motions. They took their principles and made something neat and collected. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Following these principles, Razmund won''t be lost.


    He swayed his body, letting his claymore high in the air and behind his shoulder. It was not the 3rd Dance either; just a regular act of a sword that held nothing extraordinary apart from its foundation.


    Formless acts of a Sword Sage should be like that, capable of doing significant damage with a simple swipe. Dances were trump cards that required greater attention to detail and power. That was at least how his Manual displayed it.


    As Razmund finished his preparations, he followed the new principles of spending just enough energy for sufficient motion. That was the advantage of nothing complex. He had many layers of his power that required other touches.


    Simplicity was what he found in this Gate. And he needed this, as far as his teacher would chuckle behind his back. He crouched down and in one moment, deployed Flying Steps.


    It was a quick combo of a couple of steps, causing him to disappear on the spot, arriving right before Luno, who held the same standing position throughout his talk, or comparing auras.


    He saw the steps or the incoming claymore, but so what? He sneered, watching how redness swayed at his shoulder. Luno grinned in satisfaction, willing to test the quality of such a prestigious Path. He didn''t counter with anything but his body, letting the red mana and claymore reach him.


    Razmund realized it this person was way too prideful in his flesh. It was almost shameless.


    Upon the closure, the claymore hit Luno''s chaotic aura and closed onto the flesh. Then, everything stopped. The redness flinched as if met with a wall, and it didn''t move even a millimeter forward.


    Razmund failed even when the red amassing blades cut into the aura, moving at the same time as the metallic blade. Razmund retrieved his one-handed grip and kicked this fiend of an opponent.


    His kick went for the ribs, leaving nothing but pain in his feet. It was at this moment, that he knew, he fucked up.


    Luno clutched his fist, bent and cleaved his arm right towards Razmund''s face, and folded the aura around it. He didn''t punch him. Instead, he angled his hand aside, swayed his back, and unleashed his elbow onto Razmund''s chest, soaring him across the arena.


    Coughing and feeling the pressure on his chest as he traveled through the harsh sand, Razmund felt great. This was a much milder attack than what Zao forced him through.


    This posed an interesting question: why and how was Zao that powerful?


    Well, how was a clear answer. Goldsteel Titan were no weaklings from birth. They were meant to be ridiculously powerful.


    So, it at least confirmed that Luno was weaker than him, but what about the all-out fight? And Razmund killed Zao, even if he spent significant points of attention and vigor on that task, potions, willpower, and saving graces in his pouches. His mana and the best combo of potions ensured it became a reality.


    Which he couldn''t use right now. At least the whole lot of it.


    There was no choice back then, as Zao was there for his head.


    Now, Luno was no different, yet he felt as dangerous. Was it the confidence? Reputation? Was some Law bending around him? It was almost physical, but it was hard to guess it.


    A smile crept around Razmund''s cheek. He pushed the sand with his free hand, lurching himself upward to jump against the approaching wall. His feet went against it, cracking it slightly as he prepared his Flying Steps.


    He was like highly bent strings, ready to fly as he stayed on the side of the wall.


    Luno cracked his fingers and arms, stretching his neck as he began to walk forward. He sent Razmund quite far as he intended.


    ¡°Didn''t want to end your face. How nice of me, wasn''t that?¡± He reckoned. In this exchange, he remained intact, but afterward, his body firmed in the grasp of his aura which was his style of power. His Path.


    Was it gravity? Chaos Elements? The earthquake itself? Wind of some kind could form this aura too, and it was clear this went from his Mana Core. What else would do this besides some form of mana?


    Well, Razmund was sure some Artifacts could do this sort of effect, while Blessings often carried significant powers as well. He knew it himself.


    He could only make his guesses since he had never heard of the proper technique breakdown about Luno, but he heard of his reputation and some readings. He was known for the brutish strength of his flesh, and he should be relatively new in Level 70, which was a stage that was like an unsurpassable wall for some beings.


    There were all kinds of powerhouses in the demonic armies. Knowing everyone on top of one''s mind wasn''t plausible at all. That was where the Voice would gift the rightful information, but Razmund had no voice for his help. He knew why.


    ¡°Well, there we go.¡± Razmund pushed himself, readied his claymore beside his side, and jumped. He felt a bit numb in his chest, but it was nothing compared to having his torso in pieces.


    ¡°You call it an attack?¡± Luno asked, seeing how Razmund appeared before him in a flash, claymore ready to take his head.


    Luno moved his palm onwards, clashing against the rather chunky and crimson-looking claymore that swirled in tides of lines.


    ¡°I just scratched your chest. I presumed it was itchy, was it not?¡± Luno joked, his voice filled with clear mockery and killing intent.


    ¡°Right, you fucker.¡± This infuriated Razmund quite a bit, so he flared his mana up, let his action speak for itself, and gripped the handle with both hands. It wasn''t that nice when his left remained clutching the Dice in the process. Like many times before, it was mildly inconvenient.


    Within this clutch where Luno caught his blade, the air shook. Luno wasn''t losing this clash, and neither did Razmund.


    But he wanted to change it by backing away to prepare for a better position. Luno let him.


    Claymore ready above his left shoulder, Razmund pushed the ground into a storm of sandy dust as he performed the Flying Step in a different way than going forward. He pushed himself on the spot, tensing his legs, and lowered his body to an unnatural state. He basically performed very small Flying Steps by twisting his hips to a sidestep and performing a wide swing of his claymore. It added momentum that he wouldn''t get without them.


    His speed was incredible and quick, striking Luno with red mana alone. The claymore hadn''t reached that far by itself, because mana moved like an afterimage, but not like it needed it. Luno''s vision was momentarily useless when a storm of thick red mana of Sharpness enveloped his body, stretching in mass and Sharpness. It was like a veil.


    It went against his power, overpowering his aura for the first time. It was how mana worked well. It was a clash where powers influenced and interrupted one another. It was how powerful beings compared to one another, where differences mattered, and weaknesses changed these outcomes.


    Luno changed his face for the first time. A simple counter with the same quality or a much denser power would do the job.


    So he clutched his hands above his chest, taking this hit to his body as he flexed his torso before the crimson tide enveloped him whole. It was a bit tense, sharp, and heavy. Bruisers and cuts went all over his forearm and even moved to his chest, but his head was fine. He used his palms to save it.


    Luno felt the pain and loss of his flesh like a slap to his face. He widened his arms, opened his palms, and consumed the aura around him.


    Within his palm, a powerful swirling whirlwind appeared. Each was cracking like damaged space, letting out crisp sounds from wincing cracking lines a few centimeters thick, before they disappeared and reappeared in some other spot. That was occurring hundreds of times per second.


    It was the power of the space affinity, which was within the range of wind, air, and gravity as one of the greatest natural elements.


    Powered by the Path of the Shaking Space, he used a Space Shatter, which went through numerous changes since he got it. Luno clutched the whirlwind and changing space, swiping his left arm across the tide that kept eating into the flesh of his chest. Razmund kept sending more strikes from a safe distance away.


    It was a good tactic. It worked.


    A swing later, sand hurled away like a tidal way, and even mana went to shambles, revealing hard-pressed Razmund who was pushing his feet through the sand a dozen meters away, turning and swinging his claymore for protection. Until he heard a space crack echoing and a space-bending fist was coming at his face. He defended against it on instincts.


    And on time.


    He moved to a different stance that pulled the redness outwards, protecting him in a quick turn against a rather nasty force. This kind of action was part of the regular Mana Shaping, even though it involved a sword as a Catalyst and Sharpness awakened mana.


    What he was doing was relatively common, while anything more complicated or powerful required a specific set of skills or Dances.


    Mana Shaping in this form was nothing fancy by itself. Its benefits were. Razmund wasn''t even sure if what he was doing had some name. It wasn''t far from the Mana Slash, or other long-range uses of mana and sword. He changed his Sharpness however he wanted because it was his priority. His Revolving Core was full of it, as any Mana Awakening ensured that idea.


    Without undergoing too powerful changes, it was the stability of simplicity that any Sword Sage needed.


    It was a common stance of all Sword Sages.


    Razmund wanted to see his chances. Remaining in the previous form didn''t work that well, so he changed his grip, pulled his legs from the sand, and moved sideways, escaping yet another brutish long-range space manifesting fist that almost hit him. He was quick thanks to his Flying Steps that crashed the ground and moved the annoying sand away. He more or less jumped by exploding the sand away.


    He saw how Luno was still in the same position, annoyed that his flying fist strike was slow because of the red annoying veils. The crackling sounds still lingered around his fist, but the second one still waited in much more notable sounds.


    Razmund wasn''t ready to give him time. He drew his claymore onwards, stabbing Luno like a spear. The red lines of his mana swirled to make a point, arriving quicker than the real metal.


    This wasn''t a hard thing to do to anyone on his level. Differences arrived when weapons, mana, and other techniques were used at the same time.


    It was called Folding. Those were the techniques that worked well together, giving each other more strength, or other benefits. Everything about Sword Sage Path worked with Folding. Countless sword techniques and abilities had their symbiosis and compatibility with flesh or swords.


    These principles were major hurdles at the peak of what was possible. Low-level fools hardly understood them to make complete use of them.


    Razmund was long following these concepts that were available to pretty much anyone, but mastering them was not easy. There was a spectrum to the Shaping talents, while levels, equipment, talent, sword, mana, cores, and all sorts of things made it even more complex.


    He was far from reaching the lengths he desired. And he hadn''t failed in what was within his reach, or what was before him.


    It was like asking for the heavens before even knowing what it was.


    Razmund wasn''t the kind of idiot to hope for something unreasonable.


    Luno noticed the thrust coming to his chest and made his move. He readied both arms forward, palms ready and clutching the Space within. He struck the red tip with one of his Space Shatters before the redness swallowed him with Sharpness that felt like ranging currents of water. His other attack came in clutch, ready just in case, hitting the incoming cryptic claymore that went to his head, arriving closer than he liked thanks to the veils.


    Clash of Sharpness against densely packed Space exploded against one another, unleashing power that trembled the arena.


    Everything turned into a storm until the arm twisted the tip of the claymore aside before another came straight to Razmund''s face. Flexibility was hard to fix. Human hands were fine weapons on their own.


    Explosion spread in the arena as redness dissipated. Razmund felt his back in the wall in a mere moment, breathless, but in no way gone.

 Chapter 146: Cut

    Blood dripped from the corner of his uncertain smirk. Razmund didn''t know how or when, but he took a great hit yet still felt great. His Physique preferred taking damage, letting Vitality rise or fall, and cruising blood resonated in a surge of heat.


    Added all together, like energy that stormed around his flesh and skin, it trembled him from the inside out with unnatural power. Mana moved as well because some Physiques often affected Shapers to a specific or flexible degree.


    This clash felt painful, yet his body resonated with it somewhat. It was blunt damage, so it didn''t feel as threatening as a literary split chest in half. The residues of such clashes and forces affected his heart rate and flow of blood, which therefore affected his Mana Core.


    It felt intense. Like a meteor hitting the large sea. That was how he often talked about the damage, flow of blood, and mana. It was his major influential decision that he realized before he even started this Path. All under the chosen parts of the Sword Sage Path, it taught him, while Uzbek highlighted the errors. The pain taught him about consequences.


    This usually held different circumstances from fight to fight. It had certain costs for the future, but at the core, as long as he wouldn''t break down, pain or cuts were just wounds. It depended on how heavy they were and what came afterward.


    Which Razmund always kept close to his mind, lest he became insane like some Sages might get. Claymore rested in his open palm, still swirling in its mass of red sharp lines that knew no bounds. Well, it had some stops, as its fuel came from Razmund''s core.


    Luno pushed him quite some distance away, driving deep into the wall in a straight line. Blood leaking from his face was an unnecessary effect. He could stop it if he truly wanted, but it was more of a physical reaction of cause and effect. Enduring Space Shatter to the face can do worse.


    A dislocated jaw was one thing; his face swelled was another. His cheekbones were perhaps broken, or perhaps his brain was shaken to its core, yet what mattered? He felt the pain so much, that it made him more alive. His heart, blood, and Physique all swirled to a motion, swelling his core, and pushing an increasingly hot river down the bloodstream.


    He began his move. A price to finish this fight.


    The brain was fine for what he was like, but Razmund always told himself to care for consequences later when fighting difficult foes.


    He grasped his jaw with the free hand, pushing it into its right rightful place. It hurt, but bones clicked back into place. The swelling was better in just a couple of seconds thanks to the stream of his Physique that overwhelmed him.


    Forcing himself from the hole in the wall, Razmund staggered in his step, feeling that his legs went over these Flying Steps a bit worse than he expected. Well, he always used them in better effects thanks to his potions, but he wasn''t using any right now. It felt wrong, but their use wasn''t.


    The split of his attention between wounds, smirk, and this clash was soon gone. His wounds weren''t an issue, even if those Space Shatter strikes crashed at him in numerous layers. His defenses weren''t enough for them, but his Physique can take it with some price.


    While the coldness of his Destiny Dice kept his sanity in check, he grasped his claymore again.


    For the lack of its purposes, using a piece of thread to make it wrapped to his middle finger worked surprisingly well, and meaningfully so by its touch and purpose.


    In this matter, even if he went all out of his way, he shouldn''t lose it. It worked so far.


    ¡°Oy?! You alive? You are tougher than a brick. Which brick you ask?¡± Luno asked in half worry and half laugh, before noticing dozens of cuts around his arms and torso that weren''t closing. There was also a deeper cut around the left arm, the one he used to perform the last attack. The cut was reaching towards his neck. It started at the wrist, all the way to his elbow, before ending above the shoulder.


    Blood seeped out of it, dripping down to the sand, revealing flesh but no bones. Luno didn''t like it for sure. He felt the seeping intent and Sharpness out of it. He shouldn''t have underestimated a potential Sword Sage, even if Razmund was an unfathomable distance away from that status.


    It was an unfortunate blunder. A time when Razmund wanted to cut into the neck. He failed again at the cost of his face.


    Luno wasn''t that concerned about his blood after faking disinterest and scoffed at this Physique. He shrugged, shook his left arm as if there was a mosquito there, and looked at Razmund again. ¡°A rather fierce one this is. An unexpected attack. Sharp too. That ought to finish the usual job, I reckon. Too bad I am so tough, huh?¡±


    Razmund wished to pull his middle finger at him, but all he managed was to spit some blood on the sand.


    ¡°This Sharpness of yours underwent steep improvements from our readings and small Codex. I can see the mana of your quality seeping deeper into my flesh, coming from your sword. It wants to cut me that much, right? Too bad, again.¡±


    Razmund thought Luno was speaking nonsense far too much to someone disinterested in listening to him.


    Yet he kept going. ¡°Even though this Gate was yet to give you a thing too. Peculiar. I suppose your return to the Surface will grant you a quantitative Boost that you all so desire.¡± Luno said, still brandishing the whirlwinds of Space in his palms. Wounds and bloody cuts made him appear more regal and bloodthirsty.


    Hearing his sensible, yet bothersome words that shouldn''t have a place in such fights, Razmund didn''t care to give him any face. He already did it so literary, so he wished to grasp his face and shove it across the room.


    Talking also hurt, as his jaw winced in its spot, cracking it in the process of his breathing and tries of his talking. It led to quite some discomfort that he wasn''t used to. Usually, such brunt and brutish forces wouldn''t hurt him much. It did this time, so it proved how Luno''s strength was off the chart, clashing against his bones and the ways his Physique worked.


    The swelling was still apparent on his face, but unlike Luno who bled from more than a dozen cuts, he was fine. And his Sharpness failed to cut and prove his Path. Luno was still standing, not exploding to pieces. His eyes were shining brightly as he looked for a way to force this Luno to submission.


    So he readied his claymore, tightened his grip over his mana, and went towards another stance.


    ¡°Oh! A true wounded warrior madman? I like those the most. They are tough cracks to nut, and can''t think twice before they act. You didn''t disappoint me. My Lady didn''t disappoint me!¡± Luno cheered. For the first time, he took a proper stance.


    As a bare-handed fighter, he was a rather unique opponent that Razmund hadn''t seen very often. The flesh was flesh. It had its uses, but without a weapon in hand that had its proper history and uses, he felt using fists against a swordsman was questionable. Almos stupid. All Sword Sages would agree with such logic.


    Luno put his palms forward, focusing on the strengths and weight of his core. His Space Aura, notable by the shimmering energy all over him that seemed like gravity, wind, and thin fog, turned denser and swirled onto his palms.


    With whirlwinds of energy on top of his palms, his legs contracted in their muscles by slowly increasing weight above. The increasing velocity of his Space Shaping put some strain on his weight and muscles. It needed an outlet. He bent his leg, positioning it behind him as he changed his stance.


    Slightly curved as well, the other leg went forward, also bending but to a much sharper degree. Back hunched like a boulder, his arms aimed forward. In this weird stance, his height was lower, but his stability was guaranteed to create something insane. Was it an offensive stance or a defensive one? Luno wasn''t sure.


    He had no doubts that Razmund would attack him head-on. He was that sort of person, even if he had met him for the first time.


    This was one of his favorite moves. Called Bull Crasher, it put him into an unmovable position where he looked like a bull that was close to pouncing.


    This was a reasonably defensive stance that didn''t emphasize attacking, or defending. It could do both things well, but against a sword that already cut him? That worry was on his mind as well, but he honored his flesh and Path.


    His arm swelled as the whirlwinds cracked apart, cruising over his flesh and arms, giving him what one would consider moving armor that followed him in every way, cycling from the core to cover and create sharp and wavy horn-like fists.


    It was a different technique from a Space Shatter. It was much sharper and on a whole different level in its vision, concepts, and power. Law of Space was a very potent Law and Luno was handling it well enough for a Level 70 who managed to take the Space Law to his core, or core to this Law.


    It was not only another Mana Awakening, as Space Law was still within the perception of mana, but Laws worked differently from a lot of things. They were quite another problem, as they depicted truths of the universe.


    It was about comprehension. The means and aspects of the universe and its respectable rules complicated everything. Touching onto such a concept was often vague, and pounding like a sudden storm. It often came with luck. Resonances were often following such principles and hopes. One couldn''t usually get them, but hopes to reach them were neverending.


    And when Mana Awakening met the Law in a good way, fusing, or working together, things got intense. Luno held the concept of Space within his core''s roots, which then came in clutch when Laws arrived, fundamentally changing his Space.


    Mesmerizing was the word to use, as these swirling, crackling, and flowing Space Waves--as the Space Law often manifested--touched his Shaping, Path, or anything he liked.


    They could be physical, non-physical like space should be, or wild like cracks in space that were one of the most dangerous occurrences in outer space.


    Razmund understood this straight away, as he was closing on Level 70 himself. But because of the differences in Paths and many other variables, there were distinct lines to understand something unfamiliar and not.


    At least from his position, which was openly provocative, he understood his intentions. Luno was asking for it: HIT ME! COME ON, little sage!


    Luno remained unmoving, even if seconds passed and his Space Waves remained around his palms like pieces of cloth that stressed him like the strangeling touch of a Titan. Razmund bet they did hurt, and not a little because he was still Level 70. The further one went after that point, the more potent the Laws became before fully consolidating when one hit the Extreme stage.


    So Razmund walked forward, figuring that Luno waited for him, unlike him.


    Stopping a few meters in front of him, Razmund kept his mana rising within his claymore, and his blood boiled with this mocking challenge. His Physique was reaching the state he desired. Floodgates will soon break. It was time to make a proper Dance.


    He stopped himself and pushed mana onto his claymore like a small storm that no longer adhered to these lines. It became more savage but similar to before. He decided on the 3rd Dance.


    Putting the claymore above his left shoulder with one hand, he picked its furthest physical edge with point and thumb finger. Flexing every fiber of his visible muscles, Razmund was going all out as he bent his claymore, flexed his feet and hips, and everything about his Physique screamed.


    This Dance was extremely harsh and tense. Mana flared up all over the bent claymore, pressurizing, tensing up like a bowstring that was behind its curve. It was unnatural for a straight sword to bend like this.


    Razmund looked forth and pushed the limits of this Dance while Luno watched him too, silent. He could''ve stopped him, but his pride stopped him.


    Foolish. That was what Razmund was thinking, but he shouldn''t complain.


    Luno had a grin on his face, his aura turned thicker in his Space Waves that could crack apart at any moment, unleashing an attack that bent the Laws of Space.


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    It was dangerous, but each of them saw the danger in the other. Razmund had used this Dance many times after killing Zao with it. It had some stages with various forces, required bend, and amount of mana placed on his Physique and claymore could turn this Dance into many forms. It could be unleashed in a flash, barely bent before, or it could take its time, bending even more to unleash terrific force.


    1st, 2nd, and 3rd Dace were much more familiar to him after taking the toll of this Gate.


    But their use could be much more efficient, if Combo of Potion was down his throat, or if his other technique acted along with them. Unleashing Flying Steps along with this much bent 3rd Dance was that, or Raging Bull too might help. It was a question if he could afford that.


    Which he didn''t.


    Luno wouldn''t allow that; so did Razmund''s pockets.


    Razmund figured that, but he knew his Folding powers. Awakened Mana, his claymore, and freely changing Dances were a deadly combo that meant success and absolute power to anyone briefly familiar with any Sword Sage powers. Forcing himself to Luno was possible. That could mean even someone close to Level 80 should feel some pressure from him, but that was already stretching the limit. Any more than that, and he would be asking for too much.


    Understanding Laws would be a massive improvement and harvest of his dreams, second to catching Murai, of course.


    No Will of the Battleworld and its Boosts were there for help. This was up to Razmund, as it was a comprehension problem that needed familiarity. No Boosts will teach him how to handle his Dances efficiently, swing his blades, or work around the Folding of his powers.


    There were limits even what Boosts could grant, so it made sense that many techniques didn''t require any Boosts. But they would certainly have higher difficulty in learning and mastering, which many beings were predisposed to.


    Anyone was the seeker of this sort of success. And that was one of the many reasons why non-Blessed beings still had the potential to become extremely powerful, even if the ceiling was soaring high. It wasn''t because of the Batleworld and its gifts alone. Blessed were subjected to them in powerful ways than them.


    It was because of the talent, efforts, and sheer fucking Will. Those could crack many limits, but when Blessed and this sort of vision collided, it was another thing altogether. They moved along with that vision way too well, which made them very influential in the Battleworld.


    All Blessed were stubborn and conceptually different beings because of their memories and past. Each was their own problem, but Razmund had his full attention on something else than caring for something that he couldn''t care less about.


    The tip of his claymore was getting ready for the release. It was just a question of when he should release it, but he saw how Luno was turning more and more impatient.


    Using every fiber of his being, he was at the very edge of his Will, Physique, and touch of his claymore. Destiny Dice gleamed a little in a pink color, close to the raging currents around the claymore.


    His bend had reached the threshold of curvature seconds ago, similar to mana that audibly screeched in its Sharpness, almost exploding and cutting onto his arms and shoulder. It was a good sign. So when Razmund was thinly crossing some line, he let go of everything, his mind included.


    At that moment, Luno wanted to attack. There were around 6 meters between them, so Luno furrowed his brows, not understanding why Razmund didn''t jump in his quick and flashy ways. He thought he would, so he focused a lot on his hands and steadiness of stance to figure out his pounce that didn''t happen.


    It was a crucial mistake.


    Before he knew it, not so powerful, but incredibly sharp feeling arrived in his mind, before cutting into his flesh too. It was vague, like whispers of Mindarch.


    A wild, yet so quick and savage vertical strike flickered through the air, cleaving what was before, or behind him, but not damaging the Space Cage of this Island. The sand didn''t explode but split as if cut, parting away into two halves, as if the heavens were halved.


    Quick, not powerful, but thin slash of utmost speed pushed unto Luno''s palms, but something about it wasn''t only physical. It cut into his spirit too, but more so to his whole body.


    It wasn''t about his stance any longer, nor the Waves he wanted to unleash. It ended up useless, as the cut moved past his stance, shuddering Luno as he realized what this was.


    ¡°Crap.. Intent? I haven''t heard anything about that before!¡± He scowled, but it was too late to regret his choices or stance.


    His defenses weren''t overlapping his whole body, and soon enough, he felt the inevitable cut on his body. From the left shoulder, all the way to his right thigh, a crimson line appeared, cutting deep.


    Luno flared his Space Waves, flickering its forms into the barebone defenses that he desired. It worked as the line hadn''t moved to his arms because they had protections of his Space Waves. It made sense to expect something great from these new primary powers. Its quality and power were absolute, protecting his hands against the Sword Intent. Not an ordinary one, but one with a proper Sword Sage Dance behind.


    But what was after the hands, wasn''t under such protection.


    The cut had just passed through the hands, continuing as if ignoring the premise of what were physical collisions and what wasn''t. It still cut, moved, and severed where it could, no matter what Luno tried. At least his hands were safe.


    He saw the dripping blood from the cut that wasn''t too deep to reach his organs, but his veins were cut and so were the muscles and bones. It felt like a needle. It didn''t hurt all that much. It felt like the split that arrived like a yawn. And not just in small manners, but it was as if he was butter.


    Even a couple of his bones weren''t spared. A bunch of ribs were halved, shoulder and hip were cut. They lost like the muscles, which meant his entire Physique lost against this cut.


    Thankfully, his lungs were intact by luck or the Space Waves that flickered around his upper body from the hands, protecting what it could, albeit a little poorly.


    It worked for what Luno hoped for. That was enough for him as he felt Razmund outstretched his latent talent, similar to how he did so himself not that long ago.


    Lono was 34 old, and a lot older than this Blessed. Every year should be a huge disparity and advantage, yet surprises were everywhere.


    Razmund exhaled a breath of velvety smoke, arriving at the stage he only hoped to achieve in a year.


    Just now, he put his everything on the line. He didn''t think. He just acted and succeeded, striking Luno with the Sword Intent; an intangible concept that was different from the Laws but not very distant either. It was something that only a master swordsman could use.


    He did use it. Not willingly, but he did use it by pushing past his limits, or was it the accumulations of this Gate, his Will, or everything combined? Any Intent can change a lot of things and how someone could act. It wasn''t about Will per se. The intent was an action, motion, or belief.


    For swords, it was a spiritual and physical manifestation of what they carried. It was mostly about cuts, allowing some sword Laws to manifest much more smoothly.


    Bolstering his back, Razmund lifted the claymore that rested on the ground. A meter-wide pathway was in front of him with split sand, revealing bricks underneath.


    At the end of this path was still standing Luno, who appeared fine at first, as his Space Waves worked overtime, but the cut was deep, seeping into the spirit and the flesh. He was in rough shape of his failing stance, embarrassed that he couldn''t even unleash his attack. Blood continued dripping away, cutting into the fuel of his Physique, before it crumbled and blood splattered from the single thin line.


    ¡°Want another one?¡± Razmund asked, obviously aware that he couldn''t use this twice. Why not? Because he was out of his mind, shocked and surprised that he felt the Sword Intent. Perhaps it was just a stroke of luck that would soon disappear.


    He didn''t know how this affected him, but once felt, it should be easier next time. That was the common knowledge according to the Path Manual he held deep in his heart.


    Luno shuddered, coughed, and put his hands down, patting his injuries and feeling his blood. ¡°Nah. I will give you this one.¡±


    That was a clear indication of what Mindarch waited for, even if a little begrudgingly.


    [68th Island is completed. Acknowledgment of a Marshal loser was an unpredicted news.]


    [How improper.]


    [Tier: Satisfactory.]


    [High Key granted.]


    That was everything that Mindarch said, but a swirl of space later, a metallic key fell before Razmund''s feet.


    Hearing that, he took yet another breath, visibly calming down as he hoped. This exchange took just a couple of moves and neither was simple.


    Luno ceased his aura too, and both men let their killing intents decline, even if they could keep up with it for longer.


    This fight wasn''t as normal as many others, simply because of the Sword Intent that Razmund hadn''t counted on. He would never rely on something he hadn''t used or felt once. Without it, he had no doubts that his 3rd Dance wouldn''t cause such damage and shock Luno.


    That was how things were, are, and will be amongst this damned Gate. All kinds of warriors, assassins, and beings, in general, moved in such ordeals. Carefully, some didn''t want to spend their lives on something stupid. Most cherished their hopes, all hail to the Will of the Battleworld and the Gods that ruled this world.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Razmund asked Luno, furrowing his eyes in the process before picking up a Key.


    ¡°Nothing. Oh, don''t you ever dare to die by the way. I won''t live this down until we meet on a proper battlefield. I swear upon my name of Luno!¡± he shouted, ignoring the continuing flow of his blood from the cut.


    Even that couldn''t stop his personality. He appeared like a kid who found a good toy.


    ¡°Fucking liar. That is what you are.¡± Razmund said. ¡°You lack some proper manners, if you ask me, but against that Intent, I shan''t speak much myself. This is what you get in turn when you have such manners. This is... disappointing.¡±


    ¡°I wasn''t allowed to go all out. Space Law is complicated, but its manifestations are what they are. Apologies. Your Intent hurt though. That is the reality. Rules are like shackles, you see. I would damage the Islands, while all invitations run on some rules and specifics. Sorry for that. Though, your face says otherwise. Heheh!¡± Luno laughed, pointing his hand right towards Razmund''s face that he hit before. The swelling was still apparent, while blood was still around the corner of his mouth.


    Without any stops of his fists, Luno was more than confident to completely eradicate his head from the face of the planet. It would just need a lot of care, as he was under some rules. It was a neat idea to go all out, but an act that would destroy more things in the process wasn''t good.


    This place was fairly ancient and properly ruled by a set of rules and watchful eyes. Even Extremes often fought here after all.


    Luno had more to offer. That was the truth that Razmund understood. Which was why he hadn''t hoped to kill him in the slightest. If he were close to that point, Luno would wipe the floor with him sooner rather than later, taking the rules for unnecessary shackles.


    He had the power to do so. Reputation as well.


    As disappointing as it wasn''t, Razmund joked that he minded this. He won this by a sheer blunder and luck. That was all. Luno wasn''t expecting that Intent. If he did, he would ready himself.


    Razmund disregarded this for the time being since it was for the betterment of his mind. It wasn''t the first, nor the last enemy who held back for some reason. That was just how things went, or how some actions moved behind the scenes.


    And when two special parties moved at the same time, involving interesting subjects and figures, it had many implications. Trying to understand them wasn''t within Razmund''s mind. That wasn''t his job to solve, force, and work through.


    The most important worry was the forces of this temple. Not only Mindarch but its Overlords or Gods were problematic topics for the Surface. They didn''t want to lose powerful members who had to be roughly balanced around Razmund, who was untamed in this regard, as he was the enemy of the Depths.


    Anyone close to Razmund was a precious figure for any army, so most enemies he met were wild and feral beasts or undead at the end of their lifespan or some limits. Anyone further away from that was closing to Level 70. Those were all precious members, while even numbers around Level 60 were a force to reckon with in enough quantity.


    At least in terms of demonic factions, this was the truth. The same went for Surface too, but those were a bit more complicated as such lands were much vaster and varied in races and politics. Power ruled the Depths of the Hells.


    Razmund had a good grasp of both of these factions in the Somalis continent alone. And this Luno before him was no demon. He was a human, but a human that served a demonic God.


    Luno didn''t hate this loss. It was a fairly respectable fight, so he couldn''t be angry or cheerful about this loss.


    Razmund knew it, so he secured his claymore to his pouch. ¡°You are a damned demon. So no. I am the lucky one here. Let''s meet again if Fate wills it. Farewell.¡± Razmund said, and before walking to the bridges that revealed themselves, Lint floated into the arena.


    ¡°Oh!? He is alive! What the hell happened here?¡± Lint lied. ¡°Who do we have here?¡±


    ¡°LINT!? My guy, what''s up!?¡± Luno shouted, noticing a friend on the way. He ignored his bloody appearance, leaping toward the half-skeleton. Luno collapsed to the ground just before him, facing the sand as the blood loss took its toll.


    ¡°Uh?¡± Lint looked at the unconscious Luno. He looked at Razmund, who was also somewhat beaten, but he knew what happened here, so he wasn''t in the mood to be a chatty Guide. Razmund was in no shape for that either.


    ¡°This is ridiculous. Did he hold back this much?¡± Lint asked a thoughtful question.


    ¡°Who knows? Ask him yourself. Oh, wait... That''s too bad.¡± Razmund sneered, tossed his Destiny Dice after unwrapping it free, and hoped to continue at this pace.


    A new path was soon before him, so any argument was lost cause.


    Ignoring Lint and his face, Razmund returned to his journey, while securing the High Key to one of his pouches. This fight didn''t even take that long, but it could''ve taken much more effort.


    Using overpowering tactics to crack the opponent apart was the perfect idea to quickly progress through the Islands.


    But any mistake in being brutal and caring about consequences had steep prices hiding behind it. Razmund''s lack of resources was that. As he was doing this tactic, the use of his Dances on every Island became more frequent and clearer. It was fairly tiring, and while this tactic wasn''t fatal, it had its weaknesses and advantages.


    Perhaps, if Razmud had kept up this pace, he would have reached his goal faster, but there was a catch.


    The time wasn''t in his grasp.


    ***


    Hours soon passed with fights and some struggles. Razmund reached Island 80 with hardly any rest.


    While Murai was already closing upon the 99th Island. Just this one, and the next one, and he was free to go out of this Gate, or so he thought. This journey had no shortcuts, but some information was withheld from him.


    Unsurprisingly, he couldn''t regret what he didn''t know. He was happy in his blissful ignorance, albeit tired after the intense fights in the Endling Isles. His essence gathering continued; his time in this Gate was closing to its end.


    Every Isle took roughly an hour to finish; resting longer, so he had no regrets behind him.


    He forgot about the suffering, pain, and sheer effort that he put into the first half of this Gate, or time before the 89th Island.


    He put them behind his head long ago, focusing on what mattered instead, which were the diabolical difficult Ending Isles that made prior Islands like walk in a park.


    Calming down through suffering was something he had done in many of his lives. Focus, confidence, or stubbornly forgetting his chaos were other choices. Those were great factors to not get swallowed by his Cursed Living.


    They were the usual hopes. A lot of beings had them, so he wasn''t lying to himself. Usually. This life was showing something unique to him, and he wasn''t willing to be miserable all the time.


    Strange as it may be, by going this far into this temple, this life was showing him things that he never thought a duck would be like.


    It caged the life of that damned pebble or a leaf, as it had some insanity, wildness, vigor, and vividness. Those weren''t the usual miseries! It might be weird, but his wings were showing some opportunities besides flight, his core was still hard to handle, yet his sturdy soul was unshakable, providing benefits that he wasn''t even aware of.


    It was making his life less miserable, so that may be why he wasn''t cursing like a wild clueless duck without the ability to change it.


    He cursed at things that he couldn''t change. Those were the situation surrounding him, rather than what was within him.


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 Chapter 147: Heavenly Shaping

    99th Island was a serious matter for Murai''s mind and body. He considered it to be a close call to the end of this whole Gate, yet it was hardly over. Lisa and Lorry acknowledged how close it was too, but they both kept something out of his ears, and out of sight.


    All for Murai''s sake, if they were honest. He was too hectic and stressed with his Ending Isles after beating the 93rd Island with an unnerving attitude. Hours and more hours later, he was still thinking about it rather extensively.


    Lisa probably thought it was for the better since Murai''s nerves were creeping up to questionable heights. Some essences didn''t change that, nor did the talks of hopes and cheers between the islands.


    What awaited him were tough fights after all.


    Lisa and Lorry decided to keep his stress untouched, and after spending a significant portion of time outside of the Space Cages, Lisa talked with Lorry through many things. All outside of Murai''s knowledge, of course.


    When resting, they often pestered him about how the Endling Isles were great under his tries, as if it was greater than it was.


    Murai couldn''t care for this constant banter. He held every fight in his heart, core, and pretty much everywhere else. He got wounded, bled, and felt the nuisances of the Ending Isle'' increased difficulty.


    Nothing was easy here, yet he solved them one by one, spending a long time fighting and a long time resting. It all hurt in the process, slowly creeping up the familiarity of his body, but what didn''t?


    Wounds were numerous in size and effects, ranging from blunt damage, stressed bones, and even a couple of cuts that got through his feathers. His stamina, blood flow, and mana space also got its fair share of troubles. #


    Endurance was his forte, but when enemies of great quality loomed over him with greater levels, he discovered how difficult it was to get rid of them without suffering some consequences because his balancing limit was too high.


    Hence, he got some beatings against some nasty singular opponents. He kind of expected it and brutally assaulted that idea with unhinged curses and unwillingness to take it any longer. Yet Mindarch refuted it and challenged every potential aspect of his species and magic, giving him a tough time.


    He hated how it all started to make sense. It started simple... then the past Islands crept up around him like surgeon''s hands. Since he killed Low Lich while suffering the Overdraft, his tactics and views changed in seeming tests.


    Solving it was easy. All he had to do was to beat things faster than he would be. It was that simple. Duels were up to every Island since the 93rd, which made the singular foes special and more difficult. They were much worse than dozens of foes added together.


    What did it mean for him? Mindarch sent and spent foes of increased quality. All above Level 40, the hardship was stagnant at the very tip of the limits.


    At least the foes weren''t able to completely butcher him. Murai wouldn''t let them do that. He would rather fly out of the Island than take damage that was troublesome to heal.


    Wounds, or cuts here and there didn''t stop his tries or Will. It changed his approach after he started utilizing the bits of less convenient tactics he didn''t even use because he never had to.


    Isles forced him. Mindarch demanded it.


    He started to think outside of the box.


    Those were the effects of his feathers and their defensive properties, while his tactics changed from unhinged tries to kill, to observing the enemy more and thinking about strategies and defenses first.


    Murai thought about his feathers long ago, but using them to his advantage wasn''t as simple as puffing his chest or wings and hoping for the best. It didn''t work like that against problematic enemies such as Pawnter. It was a beast with a cutthroat personality, Beast Core, above-average intellect for an oversized cat, and incredibly sharp claws. Quick and powerful, it tried his defenses and succeeded a few times. 97th Island as a whole changed his mind about a lot of things.


    What his feathers held wasn''t under his whole understanding. It was supposed to be his great armor akin to tough skin, scales of dragons, or thick hide. He thought of them as something sturdy yet soft, so when an attack of high power creased against them, feathers usually moved suck attacks aside, or if they couldn''t, they moved aside to let the strike hit his flesh. Against blunt attacks, they worked less. There was some limit and usefulness about them that he had yet to figure out.


    Murai didn''t like the way figuring out things felt. Razmund was similar, he bet, but back then, his flesh and body were significantly worse than right now.


    Murai figured it was the usual logic. The same as how muscles in human bodies protect the bones and organs, ducks had their respective aspects. But power could still travel through physical objects such as armor, flesh, and bones. It was simple physics. Aftermatch and how to think of them depended on attacks, learning, and teachings. Rules too.


    His feathers worked in a logical principle to scales and armor, but it wasn''t entirely clear because his species might have other secrets. He found some elemental damage like heat or cold negligible, and his feathers had distinct properties that made them feasible dependable tools. They worked well against sharp objects and they shouldn''t be too sharp.


    When the defense was tight, anything that creased past them hurt so much more than normal pain. It was as if thunder hit his nerves, causing immediate pain. It wasn''t worse than broken wings or legs, nor worse than the beating Razmund had handed him. That pain was wilder, constantly shifting like a waterfall crashing to the earth.


    In the long term, it wasn''t a terrible thing. Pain can get lost because his body, Vitality, and feathers lowered most wounds to a certain degree. Of course, the Robust Spirit did the most work with pain and suffering, as its power applied an unshakable Will.


    Through some of the Islands or rest, his potions helped with empowering Vitality, and recovering the wounds was faster than without them. He liked their simplicity, even if they were kind of low in quality and quantity.


    It reminded him of being an alchemist, or how many worlds were full of wonders and nice things. Potions felt great, so using what he got from Gate 1''s Vault was up to standard, or occasional mouthfuls.


    These times happened a lot after 93rd Island, so he wasn''t some stingy duck who would hoard the potion without using them. He was no dragon for sure.


    What a treasure was worth if it can''t be used?


    The latest Ending Isle was tougher than the last few combined, as it held a peculiar demon that held more offensive abilities than him. That was already a big deal by itself, and even Lisa found that surprising from Mindarch''s voice before the 98th Islands.


    It tested his defenses, wings, legs, and everything about his mana reserves. He was even forced to use Robust Defense a couple of times in an almost 15-minute-long fight against a foe many times his size.


    Named Lucider, a demon-looking beast was a little vermin by all rights. 4 legged like a cat, its whipping 4-parted tail was like a flexible spear whip, crashing and cracking the stones apart. Then its razor-sharp teeth did reach into his flesh numerous times, similar to its tail whips. It was not a Child Lucider, but a fine specimen at the Adolescent stage.


    Murai didn''t meet any other Variant Island, but this one had an enemy that cursed his mind. Lucider was Level 42 and the toughest foe he ever met. He fought it to a near standstill with heavy reliance on his defense.


    Lucider was an incredibly versatile demon, and its scales were hard and shiny. Then, its brutal and unhinged aggression tested Murai''s tactics. He couldn''t afford to be that unhinged himself, so he wasted a lot of time and took many hits before he began to chip into its flesh.


    Graded at S difficulty, it was close to SS in rightful terms, as its scales were tough and special like his feathers, making his mana attacks useless. Birthed through the Divine Beast Bloodlines, it was a demonic experiment gone well.


    Until it met Murai, of course.


    Slowly chopping its health down with his Blitz, occasional Fatalities, or Peak that wasn''t as useful because Lucider was quick, strong, and sturdy, similar to a great Anatidae, he killed it in hot blooded fight.


    Murai wasn''t at its level, yet his strategies made up for the difference because there was a catch.


    He could choose to give up, yet still proceed to get forward with his kill. Success depended on the damage inflicted on the Lucider, as Mindarch proclaimed as he entered the arena.


    Murai ignored that premise. He felt immense satisfaction after he saw a Middle Grade 6 Essence coming out of Lucider, that bled out thanks to dozens of holes the size of his beak around its neck, or head. Anywhere else was too tough for his attacks.


    It came as no surprise that he rested before the 99th Island, easing his stamina with the effects of the Rejuvenation Potion, his Vitality, and aspects of his enhanced Replenishment.


    To pass the time, he was wondering about something beside him, rather than wondering about the cursed past.


    Heavenly Shaping Manual lay there on the ground, right above his bent neck and focused head with eyes that looked at its first page. This tome had a unique concept of writings and formations to unlock it. Thinly laid our Intent that was fused with everything was giving it a chaotic feeling. It felt as if someone insane made it, and formation-locking arrays were shifting like the flow of Fate.


    Acting against the mind, the lock formation was one of the most complicated Murai had ever seen because it carried no sense or reason. It followed the principles of beasts as far as Lorry said to ease the awkward relationship between them. It hardly helped.


    Murai was angry at the hours spent in his tries to uncover its secrets. Many hours passed since his first look and nothing was going on.


    He usually kept glaring holes into it, hoping to see reasons in it.


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    Heavenly Shaping must correspond to something he had seen before, but the formations and locks were out of his world. Lisa agreed with his intensity and unwillingness to give up. She looked at it numerous times as well, hoping to try to covet its secrets, but it shocked her more than she showed.


    She didn''t remember or heard of such locks before in anything other than... some interesting things that shouldn''t be handed over with discounts. It made her question Mindarch a little and also Levandis herself.


    Lorry usually took his time with any words, because Murai was still pissed at him for what happened at 93rd Island.


    ¡°Still clueless?¡± Lisa asked beside him, still curious about what had happened on the last Island. Murai wasn''t saying a single word about his fight against Lucider. He felt that it wasn''t a big deal to take his accomplishment to the mouth when he couldn''t solve a simple book.


    All that Lisa saw was a rare corpse of a Lucider of Level 42. She was surprised that such a Divine Bloodline beast would serve its purpose around the Islands of Greatness, especially when Murai wasn''t looking to be that easy to deal with. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It ended in the toughest battle out of all of them. Even Low Lich was easier because that pile of bones wasn''t as potent on its own. Lucider was.


    Murai looked at her, bothered about the Heavenly Shaping. ¡°I feel the concept of the beasts lays in variants and incredible variety like those of demons. Correct?¡±


    ¡°As I''ve said, this thing follows such principle to the T. It goes by Pillage Emperor. Heavenly Shaping is a technique that he created. Of course, it acts along that concept and this world alone, or at least how it is perceived. It is a Battleworld-focused technique. Not something that came from the further away, or it could? I don''t know. It is all about magic. Mana too.¡± She explained the little bits she knew.


    ¡°Magic and Pillage. Beast Sect, huh? How well of a sect was that? Sounds impressive from the little what you''ve told.¡±


    ¡°Imagine...¡± Lisa wanted to speak, but paused, knowing that Murai hadn''t seen anything about this world besides a human village, a rather unimpressed City of Cinnar, and a little bit of Vermillion Church. But there was something massive he had seen. ¡°Well, I think that sect was similar in might to a couple of Levandis Temples, but still far from proper Hell Haven.¡± She said it the best way, but Murai wasn''t even aware of the might this temple held, or what Hell Haven had to offer.


    Which Lorry took for an offense. ¡°Hey! That wasn''t proper!¡± He shouted at Lisa. ¡°Temple is great! Hell Haven is the height of the difference! Some Divine Kingdoms can fuck off. Levandis is the greatest! Her home is rich. Some beasts and their excuses for the solitude of the universe were just a way to opt for a better future. Laughable. That is what it was.¡± He snorted and acted all so mightly as his single skull allowed.


    Murai completely ignored him, opting to seek Lisa''s guidance, which was rather validating to her, so she put good use to it and talked without regarding Lorry as someone important.


    ¡°Know the gist of what Extremes are like?¡± She asked.


    ¡°A little. Individually, they are like Seers?¡±


    ¡°What are Seers? I think I''ve heard of those called liked this here, but you think of the worlds beyond, don''t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Nevermind that. What about Laws? Those are fairly finite in their aspects across the worlds.¡±


    ¡°Level 70 touches those here. The first sight of an Extreme Gate thrives in fully merging the Law into the Path, ending in a First Gate. That is the Extreme.¡±


    ¡°So... before that is consoling that idea? Uh. Someone powerful is the answer, but I am wondering about this pile of shit. Not a stage that is infinitely far away from me.¡± Murai smacked the Heavenly Shaping with his wings, clearly frustrated as he couldn''t point to the ending sequences of these lock openings. Not only did it work with mana, runes, intent, and various scribbles of locked formation, but its layers moved in endless loops.


    ¡°Again, I haven''t heard of such fine locks,¡± Lisa argued. ¡°I saw and heard of opened Heavenly Shaping Manuals before. Legacies from old ages. This is new to me and Lorry has no clue either. Mindarch ignores us too.¡± She had no lies to tell. She knew how complicated it was from her own eyes.


    ¡°Extreme or not... his tome is part of a legacy. The kind that has some interests that you know.¡±


    ¡°I do, but only in the brief ways. Like a bystander, as I am no beast and never was. Pillage and Beast Sect still has its roots in this world. 50 years are nothing and this world is vast. It is interesting, so I got curious about it in numerous ways when I was alive.¡±


    ¡°So you are basically telling me to fuck off... great! How helpful!¡± Murai smacked it again.


    ¡°Murai...¡± Lisa sighed. ¡°Just what happened on the last Island?¡±


    He ignored her, Conjuring strips of mana to touch the formations of many kinds. He began working on it in a heartbeat, overseen by Lisa who watched his act with great interest.


    She wasn''t annoying him, so Murai didn''t slap her aside.


    Minutes went to minutes, with some lock formations sliding away, forming more layers that he had to overwrite, sideline, or subsequently crack along the Intent that flooded into his mind. It worked in such a way, that he doubted there were some rules.


    It was like solving the Chaos itself or looking for Order in the Chaos, which was clearly impossible. Intent and locks were also annoying. The success eased them away, before changing and turning to mess next.


    Murai kept working in a neverending cycle that seemed purposeless, but he still kept trying. He was always stubborn to see something impossible become solved.


    It reminded him of his Cursed Living which didn''t seem to have an end, so he stubbornly kept his research going for a long time.


    Overall, he was reaching the 14th hour of his research in total, yet answers weren''t coming.


    ¡°Perhaps you should try something else? How about taking care of the locks before caring for the Intent?¡± Lisa offered her idea.


    ¡°Screw that. Intent is free to reign. It attacks and latch at mines anyway. It does whatever the writer wants, whispering and pushing my mind as if I am an intruder. Those acts as clear protection locks that would stop weakling away.¡±


    ¡°Or someone who shouldn''t touch it. It is at the level that would deaf some other souls, so don''t think too much about it. Others would give up sooner.¡±


    ¡°I AM not GIVING UP!¡± Murai snapped, glaring at her eyes from a feather distance away. ¡°You gave this to me! I am taking it.¡±


    ¡°You don''t have to be stubborn just because of me or some stubbornness.¡±


    Murai sneered. ¡°You or my stubbornness. What do you think is more insane?¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡± Lisa smiled, having an idea for an answer, but perhaps she was overestimating herself.


    Turning back at the swirling mess on the first page, all of this made no sense. With the lack of details and changing cycles, it almost seemed there was a need for a key to unlock this tome.


    Usually, such a key would have obvious points in the formations or some residues of locks to possess some clarity. But there was hardly an order for a key in this madness.


    Which infuriated Murai to no end.


    He cried, slapped it dozens of times, until thin layered whispers echoed so weakly, that only Lisa and Murai heard it.


    [Flood it.]


    Murai barely stopped complaining, but that whisper came like poke of a thunder. Lisa frowned, speaking up with her Will to his. ¡°Was that Mindarch?¡± She wondered but wasn''t sure.


    ¡°Impossible. Mindarch was so pissy about the 93rd Island, he wasn''t over it even in the last one.¡± Murai argued, realizing that Lisa heard it too. He thought he overhead Lorry or her, or his own head, but it didn''t seem to be the case.


    ¡°Flood it, it said,¡± Lisa repeated.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Be my guess, but that is just a whisper that came out of nowhere. Catch its phrase how you want, but I can''t give it any more light than your soul.¡±


    Murai agreed with her, but he was skeptical about what this voice was about or where it came from.


    ¡°Flood it... Flood it?¡± he repeated. ¡°By my mana? I haven''t tried that, because what formation acts well when too much mana is in place? I wouldn''t seal shit with it.¡±


    ¡°Have other choices?¡± She wondered. ¡°Could be a hint for something else though.¡±


    Murai agreed again, glaring a hole into the tome. ¡°Screw it. I am flooding it!¡±


    Murai cracked his floodgate, Conjuring a vast amount of mana by putting his wings on top of the tome. He let his mana out, and by some miracle or its internal structure, the tome was starting to tremble, and its formation locks began to move in sporadic, yet seamless fashion.


    The Intent hadn''t done a thing in retaliation either, as if the key was put in place, and no one worthless opened it either.


    Murai kept flooding it with more of his unhinged mana that had no quality into it. It was straight mana without anything else, directly coming out of his Beast Core, which seemed to affect this tome in some way.


    He wasn''t sure what was happening, but it was something for sure.


    Lorry and Lisa were beside his shoulder, wondering what would happen next.


    Lorry was the most confused one, as he hadn''t got a clue what made Murai force this sort of questionable tactic.


    Flooding the formation lock of a Mana Tome with such mana and hoping for a miracle wasn''t a good idea from his memory. But Lorry had no clues about this version of Heavenly Shaping. It was strictly private information, withheld by Levandis who forgot about it many millennia ago.


    Lorry wasn''t that old to remember or know what this was. Its history was one thing, but hardly anyone even cared about things left behind by the Pillage Emperor. Many eras were full of powerful individuals. Pillage Emperor was one of the many, and the present Battleworld was home to dozens of such figures. Beasts or not, Gods and the growth of this world guaranteed this idea.


    Murai spent half of his mana pool without controlling what was happening. Heavenly Shaping hadn''t changed much, but something happened. It began consuming some of his mana, while the rest flared aside, disappearing into the world.


    ¡°Keep at it and next Ending Isle will make Murai regret it,¡± Lorry commented, but Lisa grabbed his jaw, shutting him down. She glared at his Soul Flames, making his soul skip a beat. He almost moaned in delight but hadn''t forgotten his manners, so he kept himself silent.


    Murai was stubborn, and if he started something, he ought to do it to the bitter end.


    He kept flooding it until the Overdraft happened, and his Beast Core squeezed its bloodline quality of his mana onward, becoming so empty, its structure was squeezed so much, only the affinities that hadn''t got a chance to come out remained like dried husk. It was a painful process that felt as if his core was squeezing his whole torso.


    Affinities kept hovering in the layers of empty Beast Core, right along the ongoing Replenishment that hadn''t been ongoing as Murai kept his Conjuring. One had to stop Conjuring to let some mana inside.


    It took about 30 minutes to empty it, which was a lot more than most mages at his level managed. That number might be important outside of this situation. Stopping Conjurting in a timely matter would restart the Replenishment, but no matter what, he kept going.


    Mura hadn''t stopped demonstrating his talent. And that didn''t even include the amount of mana he kept sending away. He ignored the potential loop that adhered to the basic principles of Shapers. Mana should be coming in and out, and this line and balance were what made Shapers immensely powerful.


    Murai was letting mana go out without any regard, widening his Conjuring to its limits, which was stressing his core and mana space in general.


    Perhaps the right equivalent to this was an hour of Conjuring training for a regular mage, but those wouldn''t manage it for so long, nor their minds would take such a toll.


    The last pieces of mana flooded out of Murai''s dried core. Then, he collapsed to his back, no longer able to stand. Unexpectedly, the Overdraft wasn''t that heavy, as it wasn''t under stressful circumstances. Replenishment resumed, but unlike its usual power, it felt mild because of the Overdraft that crashed and muddled his senses.


    But Murai had clear thoughts, ignoring out of the pain. His eyes beamed in understanding.


    ¡°So it was a key. Mana was the key,¡± he mumbled as weakness overlapped his mind and his Will skipped a beat as something moved.


    The gates of the Heavenly Shaping opened, and something grasped his Will by a thin foggy paw that flew out of the flaring book that started to open its many pages.


    Lorry and Lisa didn''t know what was happening, but not like they had a way to stop it.


    ¡°Has he done that, huh?¡± Lisa mumbled, noticing that Murais'' Will was seized, but it shouldn''t be something terrible. But she couldn''t follow it even through their connection. He was isolated and she had no clue what would happen next. It was her gut''s feeling that she shouldn''t try to be too curious, so she turned to Lorry who seemed confused.


    ¡°What happened?¡± He asked, still grasped by her stressed and physically charged hands.


    ¡°Found a key,¡± Lisa repeated what Murai said.


    ***


    In a weird flood of Intent, Murai found no steady footing with his Will. He knew he wasn''t sleeping, dreaming, or being taken by something insane. He felt his Will was seized, clutched, and kidnapped, but who was he to question?


    He was in absolute darkness, where nothing was clear as he wasn''t sure where his Will even went. It was just a mental landscape, he figured. Not much different from dreams.


    ¡°Oy! Anyone here?¡± he shouted, floating to somewhere, or was he already somewhere and he just didn''t know where? Perhaps he was nowhere.


    It was silent, unending in some motion as something was stirring around, touching and stretching his Will. It barely flinched as his Will was unshakable, shaking some workings of mind. Murai felt no discomfort.


    It was just a little annoying when he wasn''t sure to point the surroundings, much to this tome''s internal trials that had been achieved.


    Murai had enough of this after what felt like an hour. He extended his Will and shook it like bracing for a storm, until a glaring sight came out of him, bearing the Robust Spirit in its rudimentary form, appearing like a duckling, but so lofty, it appeared like a small king.


    But its glare and shine were mesmerizing, revealing the surrounding darkness and one lone figure that was right below him.


    A puppy.


    It stared upwards like a bothered professor looking at a large new kid in town. There was also some curiosity, worry, and questions, and it was glaring straight at a humongous duckling above it.

 Chapter 148: Pillage Emperor

    ¡°Greetings.¡± Puppy said in human tongue. ¡°This is a little bit more awkward than I''ve ever hoped, expected, and desired. Is it how the Fate works? Surprising, shocking, and kind of... stupid-looking. I feel terrible too for expecting a world without seeing it first. But the choice is not mine, I suppose. Not anymore.¡± Puppy whimpered in seeming trouble of comprehending what was even before it.


    It had a hunch. Its intent was strong since it survived for a long time here, so it felt the glorious power that Murai depicted, even if it was outside of this world.


    Murai almost laughed after meeting this puppy, but then, he remembered the most likely scenario of what this was about. ¡°Eh... I suspect you are the Intent left behind the creator of the Heavenly Shaping? Am I inside of it? Seems... empty and barren.¡± Murai said, sounding like thunder speaking, which this puppy took even worse.


    It shook its form made of dense cluttering energy that looked like light in the appearance of a puppy.


    ¡°Pipe your breath... I am the Will of Pillage Emperor!¡± Pillage said proudly, but he looked lacking in comparison to Murai''s Will.


    ¡°Oh...¡± Murai said, unimpressed, as he wouldn''t expect anything less. He realized the book Lisa got him was more than met an eye. But what was extraordinary to others might be a norm for him.


    A lot of beings in some worlds used many methods to create legacies. This one was the first of its quality that he had seen in this world. Well, that was wrong. Rudolf left out something nice for him too, even if it was long gone from his feathers.


    Pillage took his indifference not that lightly, flaring his paws and jumping forward. ¡°How rude! This manual of mine is my legacy! A technique that has met with various challenges and values. You are speaking to someone who laid the foundation for beastly powers that Ravine took for something incredibly funny at first, but it slowly crept to a complete lunacy. How many Gods it angered, I can''t even count.¡± Pillage laughed in pride, feeling that he was the one who did it all, even if this puppy was just a part of his Will and wasn''t all that full on its own.


    But he talked well for what he was in this state. Perhaps too well, by Murai''s creeping suspicions.


    ¡°Impressive. Impressive.¡± Murai tossed whatever this puppy said behind his Will, and went straight to the point. ¡°What is the Heavenly Shaping then? I own your Tome, but calling it a Manual is more fitting, considering what this is about, I guess. Cracking it aside was... hard.¡±


    ¡°Hard?¡± Puppy calmed at last, ignoring the fact that it got ignored. ¡°Your Bloodline Imprint of an Ender Bloodline is taken for granted, huh? You have no idea what you are taking into your mind if you act so clueless about meeting such a person as me. But it is enough merit to open me and this up, so... It is still weird. Who are you exactly? I''ve got that you are weakling chirping fledging little duckling. And with a Will that thunders mine, huh? Weird...¡±


    ¡°How about you talk first? I can''t be bothered in this... place?¡± Murai looked around, but because his shininess was only a few meters around him, he was only looking at the shiny airy floor and puppy below him. There was nothing else. He was floating in the middle of nowhere, but he felt he was somewhere.


    Pillage seemed to get this point across his Will, so he bowed slightly. ¡°Well, whatever you or I may be, my Intent is acting for its purpose. You are here, so we are here. Pillage is what I am in some form. Right as the End came, I let my Will in strands. The majority is here, others somewhere else, while the rest went away.¡±


    ¡°Afterlife?¡±


    ¡°Most likely. Can''t say I know what goes with that part of me.¡± Pillage said dejectedly. ¡°Anyway, I am still the Intent and Will of the great me! A legacy that is the technique of my creation. It is called Heavenly Shaping Manual! A part of a pair, acting as my Ancestral Tome left to shine. This is... how was it... half? You got lucky, I suppose. This one consists of starting points to the Lawful touches above Level 70. Rest takes care of laws of Extremes, Gates, and what can come later.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I am listening. Tell! Tell me more.¡± Murai sat down in the middle of nowhere, willing to listen to Pillage since he had time.


    Pillage seemed interested in talking anyway, so he talked. ¡°My form is a puppy for the time being, as the current output you left corresponds to your Imprint and the amount of mana that the manual took. This place can''t survive on its own, you see. You are its fuel and you aren''t very far in your Path either.¡±


    ¡°None given, I am just an Anatidea. Or.. what it is called like.¡±


    ¡°Ana...¡± Pillage stumbled in his words, Will, and the puppy itself fell to its back. ¡°Anatidae! On Ravine, this savagery hasn''t been clear to me in a long time! Nice. Nice.¡± He cheered. ¡°What ducks have to offer anyway, well... I am a ferocious part of the Felidemons, so whatever it may be, crash it at my Will.¡±


    ¡°Must be nice... but you are dead, so pipe your hopes. Killed bunch of your brethren myself already, or... whatever those dogs were.¡± Murai reckoned, willing to talk to him face to face and on equal terms.


    It seemed Pillage was an interesting figure who had certain standards, knowledge, and history behind him. Murai liked this kind of folks the most, as long as they weren''t antagonizing to his life. And he knew about Anatidaes! That was great! Excellent and unexpected harvest, that Murai hoped to reach in these Islands. Unexpectedly, it came in a different way than he hoped.


    ¡°What are Anatidaes?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Ducks,¡± Pillage said simply. ¡°Rather insane one, but let''s not talk about them. You are in a unique place that has been created by me. First, let me introduce what this shall be about as you are a new student of this Ancestral Manual. It is what this place does best. Teach and gift.¡± Pillage swayed his paw around, but mostly at himself.


    ¡°Student? No thanks, but keep going.¡± Murai hoped for something else, but knowing about the Heavenly Shaping was fine too.


    ¡°Heavenly Shaping is my middle finger to the heavens.¡± Pillage started. ¡°It puts truths of what beasts are about, how we came about, and how we will end up about. Whatever that means something, means more. That is what the truths of the universe are like.¡±


    ¡°Like a neverending cycle,¡± Murai said.


    ¡°Exactly that. I wonder how you know it.¡± Pilage said and talked further right away, leaving Murai sighing. ¡°Heavenly Shaping acts in Beast Core at its core and only for Beasts alone, or so... I would say, but let''s not get too far. At least by its rules, of course, I worked with Beast Core, so it is a pity to have it. I''ve tried teaching that to many races. Failure! That''s what it ended up like. It''s a bit wild to consider, so why is it the case?¡±


    ¡°You tell me.¡±


    ¡°Our core, that is. Bodies and souls too. Learning or our foundation is a different cause that bears its effects. Everything prevails from the time we all came to be, in the time when demons spread their influence as sole rulers of the skies. How many cycles ago was that isn''t even calculable. No one knows that for certain.¡±


    Murai would disagree, but he kept Pillage talking for the sake of the Heavenly Shaping and more information alone.


    ¡°There are many concepts that I''ve created to work with. It is our magic. My magic! There is a certain wilderness and chaos that seeps into our cores, or is it vice versa? No one should be certain about the way of nature or the universe. You are no different in this regard, as a beast that my tome accepted.¡±


    ¡°Because of mana alone, huh? Interesting key concept.¡±


    ¡°Of course it is. It is how this puppy of mine works, and how I''ve created it. Do you think this Tome works by itself? Your mana was required for a reason, as it fuels it, giving rise to my current... lacking form. I don''t like it! A puppy talking to a duckling. Laughable! Almsot poetic too. But... yours is rather substantial. We can work well over this current stage of yours, even if you are a Child.¡±


    ¡°It is what it is.¡± Murai reckoned. ¡°What are the examples of this technique of yours? Shaping has many forms that I know, but the concept of wild mana and chaos seems... normal. I do work with my mana for a long time of this life, albeit with various successes and squeezes.¡±


    ¡°Define a long time?¡± Pillage asked a good question.


    ¡°Well... months?¡± Murai wasn''t sure how long, but it felt like that.


    ¡°Months?!¡± Pillage wished to laugh. ¡°I spent a millennia learning all about it.¡±


    ¡°Want a pat on your back?¡± Murai shot his pride down. ¡°I am young... That is why. Less than a year old by the way, so don''t give me this crap. This duck and everything... It defies the me that is deep like an Abyss.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know that, don''t worry. The moment your mana came through this tome, your Will was seized by mine, turning everything about you to my perception. It is... not a Path? What is deeper than... your soul?¡± Pillage looked in the distance, as if in wonder and curiosity. Then, his mouth widened, and his eyes turned as open as they could. ¡°What the fuck are you? WHO?!¡±


    ¡°Me? I don''t care much but to see what this tome is about. That is all. If it''s disappointing, I will just toss it away. Simple.¡±


    Pillage''s Intent seemed to take a different turn for the better because Murai was... something he hadn''t seen or expected in the slightest. At least in his residual Intent, this meeting... or should he say, mess, wasn''t what was within his calculation, awareness, or learning. He had never seen something like this, which should poise as something interesting for his residual Will and mostly intact knowledge.


    It wasn''t entirely about his Heavenly Shaping, but... it was mostly about it.


    But his purposefully and well-crafted Ancestral Tomes were well known for their formats. It can act alongside Murai''s mighty form as well. Probably...


    He was still a Child. It should still work.


    ¡°Fine. Fine.¡± Pillage sighed as if comforting something in his mind. ¡°I was just making sure this is right, but you aren''t. You are an insane one, but it matters not to this Intent of mine. I can work with anything! Anyone. My technique directly helps with Shaping at its core, which encompasses a bunch of layers across many techniques. Beasts can learn the shaping techniques of all sorts of races, but what if beasts have their own legacy or aspects of their own? It is still all about mana. Mana is infinite. Set in stone. It has its rules, and so do we. My technique is one of the best of its kind for you, I bet.¡±


    ¡°Prove it,¡± Murai argued.


    ¡°Don''t run in that direction. Everything needs steadiness.¡± Pillage argued back but seemed to hesitate about where to start. ¡°Heavenly Shaping examples? Alright. Let''s get to the points of its rules.¡±


    ¡°Like a middle finger, right?¡± Murai joked.


    ¡°No... but not quite wrong either. Beasts have a tougher and wilder approach to the mana. It is how this universe births us. Affects us. Mana Flow does that, as it runs through our veins, blood, and flesh. Everything that comes to the mana space, conjurating, and following up spells, shaping, or fleshly powers. Mana influences everything.¡±


    ¡°As it should.¡±


    ¡°But beast have it wild.¡± Pillage reminded. ¡°So I came up with methods to let this aspect turn better, by working through its methods, turning it into a fine weapon instead. It is about the input and output while maintaining the wilderness in no check. It is a tool. A weapon that needs a proper touch. There are stages to this Heavenly Shaping, as it is progressive according to the Sub-Species. Yours is a Panacea, the kind that is within the perception of magic. Correct?¡±


    ¡°Sure as my Will.¡± Murai agreed. ¡°But my mana is workable thus far, just so you know. I just need to squeeze it tight, like leashing a dog. It works well even with my cores.¡±


    ¡°Squeeze? That is a good term, but cores?¡± Pillage wondered. ¡°That is a good joke. Beasts can''t have two cores. That goes against the principles of wilderness. It would literarily explode what is known.¡±


    ¡°Can''t see the reason why that is important right now, old dog, but what about the rest? Shaping? Conjuring? How does it all work, or can it even help me?¡± Murai continued, understanding that Pillage couldn''t see everything about him. His Core Defying Fusion technique should be steady and unnoticeable, thanks to him, not using it in the slightest.


    Or the answers were clearer: Pillage had no clue about it whatsoever, or he did but lacked context. Again, the means of dual cores weren''t an unfathomable idea. Murai had no doubts there were some techniques in this world that were the same. He briefly asked Lisa about it, but she shrugged without talking much about it.


    Pillage chuckled, figuring it was time to get his desire across. ¡°That is why I shall be your teacher!¡±


    ¡°I refuse.¡±


    ¡°Wait... What? What choice do you even have if you got my Manual?¡±


    ¡°Many. One is forgetting I have your manual. As for you? Just give me a single reason to listen like a dog to you. I don''t need this chance per se. It is just interesting enough to listen to and I have a lot in mind and body. If it''s terrible...¡± Murai said without finishing a sentence.


    ¡°Alright. Not a student then. Fine. I had many lofty assholes to talk to me before they bent a knee and call me a master.¡± Pillage awkwardly laughed. ¡°Then let''s get my points straight at you. Heavenly Shaping Manual works in a willful matter. It requires mana to operate its various inner training, stages, and respective aspect phases. It can simulate teachings, learnings, expertise, and various exercises all under my guidance. Time works differently here. 10-fold slower flow is subject to its internal structure, the input of your mana, and the amount of stress in this place. Oh, and we are inside the Manual. It is a separate dimension that I''ve created out of some otherwordly treasures not worth mentioning. It acts for learning and comprehending the aspects of what I will further give away, but it doesn''t directly influence reality. That shall happen by the student''s touches and rules of reality, where the student shall take everything into account from this place. Got it? it is practical.¡±


    ¡°Didn''t hear the further reason why it is impressive, but that time flow sounds promising. Keep going.¡±


    Pillage went straight to the juicy stuff, fearing that Murai would truly leave him behind as his cold suggestions sounded. He couldn''t pass this choice! Before him was an insane Child of an Anatidae, and even if he had the lowest stage possible for Heavenly Shaping and still held an Initialization Core, it didn''t matter.


    Pillage made his technique around everything in mind. But Murai''s quality, quantity, and might of his mana space were wild and weird. The roots of his talent were incredible, causing Pillage to doubt why he was still at his most basic Beast Core. Wildnerness or chaos shouldn''t drop the growth to null. And with the amount of mana that went to this place, he uncovered Murai''s mana and control was incredible and way out of the norm.


    Which was weird.


    Pillage wasn''t seeing the reality of his Artificial Core, nor the effects of the Core Defying Fusion Technique. These powers were so outside of this world, that they weren''t object to its history.


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    Pillage knew he couldn''t influence reality like a book. He could only consider it by speaking through what he got out of Murai and his own WIll, while students could do anything they wanted afterward.


    Shaping was a vast term and magical expertise as old as those wielding mana in many names and forms. The core of Heavenly Shaping held almost no spells in sight, which made it an in-depth foundation technique. It had no spells or other techniques in mind because it focused on what made mages potent.


    Handling mana didn''t come by itself. Like cycling mantras or other techniques, it was one of the few principles of magic.


    So in a sense, it was more important than any spells. Laying the foundation and increasing the quality and possibilities was all about proper Shaping. Murai could''ve started some shaping mantras, control techniques, or cycling methods from many worlds, but because of the unending issues of his mana, he never started them.


    He got one already. Mana Rejuvenation kept cycling between reality and his mana space, acting as a semi-closed cycling technique. It was a bit rough, and he shouldn''t complain about it even a little bit because he didn''t have to work with it and the potential troubles of some unfamiliarity. Shaping or Conjuring his mana ended up troublesome ever since he got his core, so he couldn''t imagine what a foreign element out of this world would give him.


    He hoped to get some ideas about his own body from Pillage, who seemed to know more about it, unlike Lisa and anyone he had ever met.


    Thus, Heavenly Shaping should be much more useful than he initially thought. All because Pillage was a good speaker and not hesitant to give it to him at all.


    ¡°You are a Child, ehm.. what is your name again?¡± Pillage asked.


    ¡°Does it matter?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Murai...¡±


    ¡°Murai, then. As a Child Anatidae Panacea with Initialization Core, your current Shaping shall be tested for further testaments and context. Begin the introductory Trial.¡± Pillage said loftily, turning on the spot, and changing the surroundings in a breath of mana that all came out of his body. His paw swiped the surroundings and everything changed.


    In a blink, Murai found the location almost identical, but a bunch of combat dolls were before him, appearing like floating ghosts.


    ¡°Kill them,¡± Pillage ordered.


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°This place allows for normalcy like dreams. Your Will can simply shape and seize mana that is stored here, so let''s skip some sorry tactics and useless chatter. You sound old and collected to speak to me like this. Normally, anyone with heads straight would speak to me with politeness! Or... do you even know my name?¡± Pillage realized that he might be wrong and unknown. He didn''t know how many ages passed, or what the outside world looked like. He rather didn''t want to know.


    ¡°I heard of you from someone. Beast Sect and everything. Impressive but normal. Now, continue.¡±


    Murai didn''t question it further, so he wondered how to act without flesh or core. So he did the usual stuff, but with an imagination that moved this world by clutching the mana that Pillage reserved. It was his, in a sense, so it should be fine, even though it had its finite limits like anything in this place.


    Mana swirled around, coming into the touch of his Will. It acted similarly to Shaping which was no different from the reality, but it wasn''t feeling normal either. As Pillage said. It felt like a dream. His mana felt alive but slowed down, and kind of numb.


    This was possible because of Pillage or this place itself, which bent certain rules between mana and soul spaces.


    ¡°Oh! This is interesting. It acts so smooth.¡± Murai said, half impressed, and half playing with the Shaping of his own mana. It worked well enough like a fake mana source that bent to his Will, creating Shaping that was not far from the real deal.


    ¡°Stop wasting time,¡± Pillage grunted, knowing that time is essential, while he liked to act like a tough teacher. It wasn''t fitting right now, even if he wished it was.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Murai surprisingly complied. ¡°How does the learning this Heavenly Shaping work? What are the fundamentals?¡± He asked the rightful question he had in his mind for a long time.


    ¡°Hm.¡± Pillage nodded. ¡°There are 3 principles under the Child Stage of Initialization Core and my technique. Other ones are there after that, but that requires further evolution, or a Revolving Core of great quality to overcome the differences of wilderness and Shaping. These principles go forth too, acting as a basis that is further mastered later. A Child with a Revolving Core is rare, and you are far from that too. Still at Small Success? Tsch. How improper.¡± he scoffed in disappointment.


    But Murai didn''t care. ¡°Your point? What are the fundamentals?¡± He demanded.


    ¡°Right. Right. I am the insane one anyway.¡± Pillage conceded. ¡°Speed, form, and flow. Those are the principles.¡±


    ¡°Speed of Shaping, Form of Shaping, and Flow? It is basically what describes the Shaping methods in general, but what about the start of it? What about Conjuring?¡±


    ¡°Good question. That is part of my secrets, but... this place is rather poor in imitating that, as letting the core come into play is an aspect of beasts in reality. All I can give is the concept and an idea and imitation, while the student should conclude my teachings outside. And trust me, the terms of my training and demands are high. My concepts take immense practice!¡±


    ¡°Oh, tell me. What kind?¡± Murai took his challenge head-on, still swirling the mana without any form around his duckling body.


    ¡°Cores are simple in their premise. They store the mana and its force, while mana space adheres to the rest. Shaping has its feelings since Heavenly Shaping has 3 truths that I should''ve mentioned earlier, but whatever. Efficiency is first. The next one is fusing the Shaping and Conjuring. Last is increasing the input and output that correspond to the spells and everything added together. I call it Surge. It is the what truths add together in spells, while Insta Cast moved the Conjuring of simple things and Shaping, creating a core concept of Heavenly Shaping that bents some ideas of many things.¡±


    ¡°Alright. These are neat truths, but what use does it all have? Give me examples of your training.¡±


    ¡°Shape your Blade at them first.¡± Pillage pointed with his paw to the ghosty dolls.


    ¡°Blade?¡±


    ¡°It seems to be your highest potential according to your Sharpness and spells. Not soul, or... I can''t talk to your fleshly correctness. They are way out of my rules or familiarity like your beak. It touches on Shaping ideas that go against my principles, as it is an effect of your bloodline, rather they what Mana Flow is about.¡±


    ¡°Can''t touch my beak or body, huh?¡±


    ¡°Can''t. And there is nothing wrong with that. The body and Bloodline have their instinctual properties that work differently from Shaping. It will be up to you to discover what my Heavenly Shaping does to your body spells, or how I call them. It is about your species. I can''t touch that, as I can''t even fathom an idea of a magical duck.¡±


    ¡°Agreed...¡±


    Both animals sighed and shook their heads before Murai went straight to action.


    He did his usual thing. Shaping the Blade before hitting the doll, cleaving it in half.


    ¡°Terrible.¡± Pillage scoffed at that vision.


    ¡°It is how I do things.¡± Murai acknowledged that it was how it was, and although he succeeded in increasing his efficiency numerous times, it was very difficult to make some substantial changes to his current Proper Mana Blade. His body and core weren''t that happy to work together and act alongside his soul, and this place felt much better without his body in sight. This Blade was near perfect in its current form, cutting quickly and with notable sharpness.


    ¡°This is a prime example of how beasts take the mana without anything good in sight. I bet you work many times more brutish in reality, but that is what I can fix!¡± Pillage said proudly.


    ¡°Never heard of many fixes...¡± Murai argued, understanding that this was the regular Shaping that anyone could see, learn, and handle just fine. He used it since his core came to his body, even though it might not be the best way to do it. It was how he handled it before being a duck, so he squeezed its workings tight and worked with it like a stubborn duck. It was like riding the wrong vehicle, so it gave him a headache.


    Pillage laughed. ¡°And that is what creates a fine line between a proper beast and my kind of beast. I created a way to clear the time and methods between the Shaping, Conjuring, and mana space itself. How? Just because of the wilderness and chaos beasts have? It is true, helpful, and incredible, but issues are also there. I acknowledge that. Comprehending the quality of mana and working it all into the specific and great influence of my teachings takes time. It takes a lot of things, including guts. Why, you wonder?¡±


    ¡°Easy. Because beasts are diverse in talent, visions, cores, and Bloodlines. You mentioned it yourself. Every one of them holds many concepts differently, while the wilderness and this chaos you speak of could add problems that might be unique to one another. You haven''t changed the world but looked for a way to fix something hardly fixable. I think it goes against the norm of the mana, but... a middle finger, huh?¡± Murai wondered about Pillage''s technique. It sounded good. Too good.


    He doubted how reasonable it could be.


    Pillage smiled, hoped to argue, but couldn''t when Murai was completely right and found the truth without trying. Pillage created something important for any beast regardless of the Bloodline issues, but there were still hidden problems that both of them recognized.


    Heavenly Shaping and workings with beast'' mana in general required a clever mind, which was something that many beasts lacked in their most basic principles.


    Heavenly Shaping was thus, for the privileged beasts mostly, handling powerful instincts, Bloodlines, or souls. How many of them across countless species can even come close to his rather highly advanced Shaping methods?


    Pillage knew exactly how many when he was alive, but he wasn''t interested in knowing the current timeline or acts of his legacy. It would depress him for sure, so he opted to do what he was good at: teaching. He strictly adhered to his beliefs, so he made examples for Murai, as he wanted.


    Mana around his current Intent in a vision of a puppy surged. In a moment, it went around him like a whip, flaring in midair, and acting like a blade itself, but quicker, as if nothing about it was Conjuring or Shaping itself.


    In a flash, mana cut one of the remaining dolls apart with what Murai would describe as a crescent moon blade while remaining in half-shaped properties and the sharp nature of a Blade. It was basically as sharp as any proper Blade, while significantly more efficient.


    Nothing about it was simple at first glance, or later ones. Murai saw it all.


    ¡°Oh!¡± He was impressed. He wouldn''t be able to do that in hundreds of tries. ¡°That sounds complicated for beasts. True. You achieved it by...¡±


    ¡°Practise. It is what I''ve created and done the best. It is only managed by beasts who have high talent and minds because wilderness affects the mana. It forces mana out if you assess your reality. Don''t you feel it sometimes? How your shaping go with spells onwards without much care or face? Wilderness pushes our potential close to Chaos, so why not squeeze it as you mentioned?¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a ton of wishful thinking.¡± Murai reckoned, deep in thought.


    ¡°It is our reality. Enough merit and tries will counter our mana, which is naturally unkept, flowing like Trial Wind. Tried teaching it to some humans. They couldn''t even lift their spirits afterward. It was that complicated for them, or straight-up impossible since I could only imagine what their mana was like. It is much milder. But they have their benefits, and the beasts have their own stakes. Universe accommodates for it, creating talents for any life forms.¡±


    ¡°Can see why...¡± Murai said. ¡°Your Fundamentals and Truths act like good baselines. Give me your full rundown of training methods, learning practices, or hints. I am down to learn it, and hopefully improving what you''ve done would provide something nice for myself.¡± Murai confidently said, speaking something so arrogant, that Pillage found himself lost in words.


    ¡°You... What did you just say?¡± He mumbled as if he heard his words wrong.


    ¡°You dead, old dog,¡± Murai stated the fact. ¡°Do you want to know me? What I am? What does this mean to you? I will take your technique and improve it.¡±


    ¡°I mean... I see your Will. I don''t want to make my guesses, but you said something unspeakable for any proper mage.¡±


    ¡°Taking something is part of the power,¡± Murai stated. ¡°It is an undeniable truth. What you offer is a highly sophisticated technique. I bet no one reached very high stages within it.¡±


    ¡°Wrong! A lot of beasts did. Who do you even think I was? Emperor was my title and you are speaking to me as if I am giving you a box of apples.¡±


    ¡°How impressive apples they are,¡± Murai said coldly like a king of ducklings. ¡°Do you want to refute my idea?¡±


    ¡±I am not refusing it.¡± Pillage grunted, still half pissed and half infuriated to hear someone think of his technique that was like a child to him in this manner. What Murai stated wasn''t wrong, but his way of telling it was.


    Who Pillage was to question his hope and integrity as a beast? ¡°You wish to get my technique and improvise it accordingly to your species, or other things, right?¡±


    ¡°By interest alone. So?¡±


    ¡°Arrogant! Heavy. You are insane, but I like it. It is why I will be a good puppy, willing to give it some face.¡± Pillage said weakly, speaking in understanding that he was outmatched in terms of Will.


    Will was experience and depicted further Intent and a powerful soul. Even if Pillage was far lower in that regard than Murai as a whole, he accepted it.


    But in terms of beasts?


    Murai had to acknowledge some differences. Pillage knew much more about how beasts worked with mana or magic, or even evolutions and other things. If Pillage would teach him, that meant yet another piece to his soul that could turn to another level. It was about learning. All of his lives allowed him to turn many things into new heights. If new pieces came together into something new, evolving and improvements would eventually come.


    Murai believed that he could learn interesting things if what Pillage showed was even half as impressive as he stated.


    ¡°Do you know how many people and beasts prostrated themselves before me to become their teacher?¡± Pillage asked after second-guessing exactly what Murai said. He asked to be taught, but like an arrogant thieft that didn''t think of it highly.


    ¡°A lot. True. Do you know how many of such fools I''ve met?¡± Murai offered his piece of mind. ¡°More, puppy.¡±


    ¡°Uh!¡± Pillage didn''t like it. ¡°I am a puppy only because you are a Child! You scrutinous duck! You have no shame in your manners when I offer you something that I spent a lifetime improving.¡±


    When Murai heard it like that, it indeed sounded like he was the villain.


    So what if he did? Murai lost the concept of that word long ago. People were that all the time, and the spectrum of some morality was so grey and wide, it hardly made sense.


    ¡°Alright. I went overboard, but my willingness to learn isn''t wrong. You can give me something valuable. That is a fact. It could be useful to not only me.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit lie. You are shameless in your demands.¡±


    ¡°A little. Sure. So? Do you have a choice to refuse it, or do you want something in return? Oh, wait... You aren''t having many choices, do you, a ghost of a puppy?¡±


    Pillage hesitated, knowing that his Intent hadn''t met anyone in a long time. The exact number of years wasn''t what he knew, but it was so long, he wasn''t sure if it made sense.


    ¡°I will teach you. Of course, I will. That is my purpose as I''ve died in a world not accommodating to me, figuring the truths and words matter little in the grand scheme of the universe.¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°At least you''ve learned that before dying. Many won''t do that even after that.¡± Murai mumbled.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. If it gives you some ideas, I am not a bad person. I will appreciate your words, technique, and Will, and act according to them like a fine student if you want. But my Will is mine. It is an opportunity that comes with any manual, even if this one is full of yourself.¡±


    ¡°I agree to teach you, but... it is my Ancestral Tome. Lifetime went for this.¡±


    ¡°And you''ve died to let it die too?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Then teach me like you say without no consequences in sight. I can take it, so how good or bad it can be? I''ve never heard of your style of Shaping, but heard of countless others that try to put efficiency to another level. Wilderness is... new or unique, but it definitely sounds like something that someone thought of already even with you in the picture. Magic put screws to brains. Countless fools spend lifetimes engineering and managing their ideas. Yours sounds good but hardly breathtaking. It''s not like coming up with something new is easy in the vastness of this universe, so have my bluntness but no apologies.¡±


    Pillage got depression straight away, thinking that he wasted unnecessary time arguing for nothing. He would bend a knee anyway, while Murai had no clue how many beasts used to be under this historical figure. Probably a lot, if what Lisa said had some validity and truth, but Murai wasn''t thinking that someone qualified to be his teacher.


    He lied to him a little, hoping to calm the situation that he had caused. He wasn''t finding it that harsh, however. It was his truth.


    ¡°I will teach you, even if you are a vicious duck against this Will of old me.¡± Pillage decided. ¡°Time is weakening. I will give you everything within the starting lines. You Will shall take it, so don''t grumble on me for this choice of yours.¡±


    ¡°Would never do that,¡± Murai said confidently.


    ¡°The basics are vast. There is some truth and power in sending my technique through the Will. Whenever you wish to get some points across, or if you wish to seek your progress outside of your reality, come here. Time is essential in this place, often good, and my input can help even someone like you. I believe that. Truthfully.¡±


    Pillage sounded sincere, which touched a little bit of Murai''s consciousness. But little. Only a little.


    ¡°Sorry for the harshness,¡± Murai said. ¡°I take anything with magic for something interesting, and half already clear.¡±


    ¡°What I created is interesting!¡± Pillage suddenly cheered. ¡°No wonder you did.¡± he laughed. ¡°Listen, Murai. There is more to my technique. If you can learn something out of it and manage it, that is good. Suppose you won''t, so find someone who you think will. That is the mission that anyone who will adhere to this manual does. Do you agree? It is not mandatory. Just a favor that acts as no binding law or an oath.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Murai agreed without a problem. It sounded like a normal promise. However, Murai was confident he could manage this Heavenly Shaping just fine.


    Pillage''s body quivered, flaring in his memories, Intent, and technique, Then, a blinding light flooded into Murai''s head.


    Many Heavenly Shaping teachings came like a flash, flooding in statements, pictures, styles, and procedures. It all flashed from Pillage''s Intent, so Murai recognized not everything was about Heavenly Shaping since some of these things were weird. What corresponded to his past magical principles clashed against what Pillage created in a special world and in a special time.


    Though hundreds of magical techniques sounded great, there were millions of them across even more possibilities. Paths were countless, so it made sense some were heavenly and others trash. This Heavenly Shaping adhered to no Path in general. It was fairly universal in its structure, but its process wasn''t.


    It wasn''t for beasts alone, Murai believed as he felt the flow of information. He took it like a sneeze, shocking Pillage who kept glaring at him in curiosity as he pushed much more to him than ever before.


    Yet Murai took it like nothing. Pillage thought he should send something more, but before he knew it, all things about the starting stage of his technique went out of his head. Anything else would be beyond Murai''s needs, as those touched on Laws, and without mastering the starting principles of Heavenly Shaping, they didn''t matter.


    Chaos and wilderness that Murai felt through his body and his current magic still functioned with mana. Bloodlines and bodies can change it, but mana was much more special than that. This shouldn''t be so insane after all. Magic had to adhere to the rule. Murai often neglected such things for being dumb, but there was something pretty and neat in figuring Order in Chaos.


    It was almost poetic, so Murai took this change to heart, deciding to think of this as a new learning experience. Beasts handling magic like humans was way outside of his normal experience, but it affected Anatidaes!


    He can learn more about his body by following this technique in no time.


    ¡°See you soon, I hope,¡± Pillage said, wobbling in his form as he puffed to smoke after the stored mana reached its end. Murai''s vision blinked, coming back to reality where Lisa waited in his line of vision, glaring at him and poking his head with her little fingers.

 Chapter 149: Last Island

    Lisa watched how the Heavenly Shaping Tome flickered in its pages, letting the intangible Will back to the sleepy-looking Murai. It felt like a push of wind that winced his body. He got back inside where he belonged and looked at Lisa a feather distance away.


    ¡°Are you fine?¡± She asked when Murai shuddered on the spot and backed away from her as if he saw a ghost.


    Feeling his mana space fine, he calmed when the bits and pieces of the large legacy entered his mind. Overdraft passed and everything that Pillage wanted to give him was there in his mind. Ready to be taken by his memories. There was a lot of information, but also a lot of discovering, learning, and teachings he had to go through.


    All of the memories were kind of chaotic and shambled as if Pillage piled them without regard for Order.


    Which wasn''t wrong. That was exactly what Pillage wanted and intended. Sorting things wasn''t up to him.


    Murai was no longer that confident to cruise through them in a heartbeat. It will take time to take the most out of them. He will have to apologize to Pillage, who kind of hoped for more time, but he already talked to him for what felt like numerous minutes.


    That was longer than average expectancy because the first-time connection always spent most mana in the exchange of legacy. Pillage not only introduced himself, got his ideas across, but also showed him the example of his Heavenly Shaping. He created that Blade so effortlessly and with such low mana, Murai felt he caught the master playing with a kid''s toy.


    Adjusting his position, Murai was still in a little shock. Legs wobbly, he was on the ground close to the Space Cage. ¡°I''ve met someone interesting in that book,¡± he said to her head as he got over the shock in a heartbeat.


    ¡°Met?¡± Lisa asked out loud, forgetting about Lorry. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Ghost.¡± Murai laughed and went over the flashes of Pillage''s information first. It included ideas, pictures, and techniques that touched with the fundamentals, truth, and principles of the Heavenly Shaping for a beastly Child.


    It wasn''t specific for Anatidae, unsurprisingly. He expected that, so he was satisfied after a perfectly fine legacy entered his mind. It was like Pillage wanted and desired. It was a highly versatile Shaping Technique.


    Anyone could usually adjust and touch these principles on their own, while Pillage only set the spark ablaze by creating this foundation.


    It was as universal as Murai expected, which provided only a single response. It was suitable for his needs, albeit it was rough and Pillage wasn''t all that familiar with the Anatidaes, but Murai didn''t know it.


    Feeling it at first glance, there were doubts, but the Blade example that Pillage created, along with a bunch of mental images, helped a lot in practicality. It corresponded well with the information he sent him, or his brief explanations.


    Murai was very efficient in sorting them out, viewing them, and getting them into a proper spectrum of importance and interest. Their context moved to the rest of his memories, mashing most under his mind that thought of them as important or not. The degree of that changed when he shuffled some things away, viewing what he deemed worth or what Pillage considered as a priority.


    It was a straight-up foundation that his life always lacked, and it arrived unexpectedly while carrying surprising qualities that he hadn''t expected. So he cheered to no end in his mind, obvious to Lisa who glanced at him in confusing shock after she felt his emotions and who knew what else.


    It didn''t matter to him if Heavenly Shaping was more complicated than he thought. It was perhaps even better, from what Lorry and Lisa said about it from the very start, while Lisa talked about Pillage and the Tome aside numerous times in their resting exchanges.


    He realized that most wouldn''t handle this sort of idea, or Levadis didn''t want to make it public, so the piece of shitty book kept rotting away without its use.


    So.... why did she let him take it?


    It was kind of sad. Murai felt some sympathy for Pillage for sure. His living gave him more than enough time, life, and memories, so this was like the finest set of gifts that could fuse with even older context. It cleared many of his doubts to the heights of some insanity.


    Lisa looked at him in doubt. ¡°Was it that good there? What... are you thinking and seeing?¡± She asked after getting some idea that she felt through their connection.


    ¡°Yes. Good stuff.¡± Murai nodded, which she took for what she had assumed was correct.


    Murai found something great through the gift Lisa took for something else. She felt something move thinly in his soul, but it was too confusing for her unless he would give her the memories or some mental help. A simple voice or his Fragments would give it much better clarity.


    On her own, getting clarity¡ªthat occurred out of her sight¡ªwasn''t that easy. She had to dive deeper for more attention and Murai wouldn''t give her this privilege yet.


    She needed patience, so she shut up, figuring to ask about it when the time would be better. If it involved Pillage as she dared to think, it could be massive.


    ¡°Then cheer up.¡± She slapped the side of his beak, almost stumbling him away.


    Murai growled and didn''t care for that. He kept thinking of what he learned, half glancing at the flickering Space Cage, closed Heavenly Shaping Manual, and Lisa who talked about Pillage at great lengths not that long ago.


    He talked to his Intent. Not him, but him also. It was weird. It wasn''t some ghost, or something lost or artificial. Such things as letting a piece of one''s mind survive through the End were fairly impressive achievements that were hard to tame in their meaning. Pillage stored his essential part, unwilling to part away from what he created, or he clinched for his life.


    Now, he was a unique existence that was partly whole, yet not really. He was alive and not alive at the same time. A piece of his soul that might have been crazy and powerful at some point in time, ended up rooting in slumber.


    Pillage didn''t mention how he did it, but it was something insane that Murai comprehended. It was about soul fragmenting, which was something he knew but didn''t know from where or how. Anyhow, Pillage died, yet some piece of his soul stayed, remaining in some form that hindered the Order and Laws of the universe. It was him inside of that manual, forever trapped unless some special touches came to his rescue.


    Such things as warping the lines of what was physical and possible for souls was a vague concept as anyone would expect.


    Why did Pillage fragment his soul? Was he dying, figuring some curse on his own, or had no willingness to touch the very End of everything? Was that act for the sake of his Heavenly Shaping alone? If so, Murai was more than impressed by his sacrifice and firm decision that must''ve been hard.


    Shaking his feathers and standing up, Murai calmed his mind. ¡°How long have I been gone?¡± He asked Lisa.


    ¡°Like an hour?¡±


    ¡°An hour? Felt less... or more? My soul space seems stable enough and my mana too, so that seems about right.¡±


    ¡°Does it? Must be because of that tome, or the effect of your Replenishment and this Gate? Mana kept flowing into you, cycling like your mana and this world offers. Cheaply as I''ve said, you see.¡± She gave him her idea; it was better than his guess.


    ¡°Murai shouldn''t look for great answers that have already happened,¡± Lorry said without knowing even half of what they did.


    Murai got plenty of answers to pass upcoming madness. He will take the mantle of the opened Heavenly Shaping without thinking twice about any regrets. If Lorry didn''t care about losing this thing, then Mindarch or Levandis were the same.


    It wasn''t about the beast alone as he proclaimed to Pillage. Murai was right after all, but someone old or stubborn like Pillage trusted his failures.


    There was far too much importance in Order of mana to create such things as locked limitations. Bloodlines did these, but mana was a universal-scale power. There weren''t errors in Pillage actions or words either. He was right in his way, but Murai believed that Chaos was everywhere.


    When he thought of this technique further, it was a concept that braced chaotic powers that many had. Mana allowed it, so where did the start and end of this idea end?


    Why did Pillage consider beasts to be prime targets for Heavenly Shaping if he knew about the wilderness? Was it because of this world specifically?


    Murai heard how this was Battleworld-involved power, yet he didn''t understand it even after sorting his ideas out. Pillage insisted on the answers and his truth, depicting the Chaos and wilderness of beastly mana as one of many plausible reasons to make Heavenly Shaping workable. Perhaps something else would do the same thing.


    But first, mastering it was the key.


    Murai was skeptical. He didn''t trust his guesses because Heavenly Shaping needed proper assurance and acted across all kinds of aspects of power. Only one thing mattered when touching what was hardly untouchable.


    Comprehending the efficiency and flow of this technique weirdly resembled handling a massive amount of raging blob of currents. Dense and opposing, that was the gist of the mana that Pillage had in mind and Murai handled.


    It wasn''t as if beasts were loners in that vision.


    But Pillage trusted it, and his position shouldn''t have been small.


    So Murai decided to offer this technique some thoughts, and further information gathered about it around the Battleworld will give him better ideas. Or Pillage will. Going into his manual anytime his mana could allow sounded like a good way to 10 times more help. He should be a good source of information, even if a bit outdated in general senses, but this was his legacy.


    Murai found it kind of inexpensive, which confused him and his prior worry about why it remained in this place. As far as Levandis was concerned, tossing it to the Vault before forgetting all about it was a fitting choice for something hardly usable. She could''ve destroyed it straight away too, because as Ruler of a Hell Haven and a God, she saw through it right away.


    At the end of the day, no one batted an eye at it at this place, even if a lot of beasts throughout the Battleworld looked for such legacies, hoping to change their lacking status that was just above the animals in general.


    Heavenly Shaping had many variants that supplemented its one kind of legacy, but the true vision of Pillage''s legacy was kept in a pair of his manuals where he kept the bits of his soul. Those were heaven above the rest, as they held much more than the secondary techniques Pillage also created and spread around the Battleworld for beasts or demons alike.


    But all of it was known as Heavenly Shaping, or it went through many hands, changing in names or legacies.


    Filled with all sorts of ideas that had many concepts, its history was clearer even if lost in their origin. Many of these were public or parts of the powers of this world, flooding or filling its purpose. Those were different and much easier to digest, as they held specific sections and bits of the overall technique that signified interest in Boosts or Will of the Battleworld''s messages.


    What Murai got wasn''t everything, but it surely encompassed a whole more things than many sects preferred. His stage was set in motion without leaving a single page behind. Pillage wasn''t cheap because he wanted it; the Heavenly Shaping by its physical picture posed as a portal to its internal world. Not a book to read.


    Inside his head, along with the might of his soul that ate it all up, all sorts of things went along with his soul''s incredible mass. It will turn, churn, or fuse where everything belonged.


    Without hurry, Murai stretched his body and ignored Lorry as usual, while thinking about his mana, or how beasts did their bindings from his older memories, rather than his current body. It corresponded less than well, and the motion and rules seemed to be different when the workings of Heavenly Shaping came to his mind.


    At its core, there was only one single thing that mattered. Something that he liked as a basic principle. A lot of techniques following mana took this idea in many forms or eights. That was ridiculous efficiency, which was a rough word for an act called training. Efficiency won''t come on its own when wilderness was countering that possibility, because it lowered efficiency quite a lot.


    He felt it numerous times as Pilalge teased him.


    That was why Murai usually Shaped things before fighting, leaving Blades hovering around him. Arrows were the same, but Flame Shots needed Flame and aim, so he usually never pre-shaped them. They wouldn''t get stable at all and turn useless instead.


    All Shaping techniques, manuals, and mantras had their unique approaches to the rules of magic. Finding a good fit was thus, very important.


    Murai told that to Pillage himself. What Pillage created was something that he pinched from all kinds of ways of magic, which adhered to the core of it all: mana and wilderness of the beasts.


    Mashing many things together and creating something nice for the beast¡ªwhich he was a prime example of¡ªgave further headaches. Certain complications arose, and the deep roots of the racial issues arrived. Perhaps it was caused by this world that Pillage was part of, or was it the universe that didn''t allow some acts?


    Murai heard some mentions of something nasty in his memories. He decided to ignore them for the time being, which made him a little grumpy because there were many problems ahead.


    Working in hindsight of the normal widespread Shaping was like shooting into the void for the beast with potent Bloodlines and talents. Shapers were exactly that, so Pillage created something for such beasts to rely on.


    It wasn''t shabby nor poor, more set like a convoluted high-class Shaping with different truths in it that made it eccentric and unique. It wasn''t made for weaklings at all. More likely for the top 1%, if not more.


    Wildnerness made it complicated, overhalling the norm and pointing to a chaotic direction that Murai wasn''t unfamiliar with. In handling it himself, he wasn''t that great.


    Murai guessed the potential origin, similar to Pillage. Heavenly Shaping touched on the principles of demons and how their mana came to be and turned into beasts in distant eras. Demonic mana wasn''t all that calm either, but their truths and foundations were deeper in different layers. They should be as chaotic, if not more than beasts, yet some demons knew magic in great heights.


    Shouldn''t they handle Heavenly Shaping as well? Murai thought so at first.


    Not all beasts were the same, nor all beasts were magical or demonic. Demons were similar, as the spectrum in Chaos and talent was wide.


    Murai found an interesting new toy that would cause numerous interesting problems, new time, and learning that he had never done in this life.


    ¡°Shall I finish these Islands, before going over this mess?¡± He wondered, looking away at the wide cave. The current platform was quite large even from his small perspective, but the scenery around the platform before the Space Cage was enough for his eyes.


    99th Island was close to the other end of this cave, clustered and surrounded by almost 30 large Islands that were relatively close to one another. Not every one of them was part of the Ending Isles, but most were. Some were small or tall, or near the water, making the maze of bridges that were connecting some of them.


    Among the pillars, his current location was one of the tallest and widest. Surprisingly, a lot of swaying or firm bridges came to this island, connecting a dozen of them into this one.


    He wasn''t paying attention to these cursed bridges that had been on his mind for a long time as well. At least the benefits of difficult Ending Isles were the tougher fights than going up or down the stairs of those bridges. Some were smooth pavement roads, but those were rare. He grew accustomed to them by the time he reached Ending Isles.


    ¡°What are you so afraid about, Murai Hisagi? It''s just a couple of knocks ahead and you are over it.¡± Lise tried to cheer him up, noticing that the Heavenly Shaping would wait for another time.


    ¡°A couple? Does it sound that easy for you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Shit I hear you say is sometimes worse than stairs or those bridges¡± He sighed to ease his mood, uttering nonsense. He wanted to overhaul his mind to focus on the task at hand, rather than bearing the success of the Heavenly Shaping.


    It will be a long-term investment he admitted into many stages. The number of exercises that Pillage recommended went according to his Panacea sup-species; Child and Beast Core included. Those were various guesses and things Pillage figured would fit Murai''s choices.


    He agreed with most of them. At least with something, Pillage helped more than Murai guessed.


    Lisa smiled at him, figuring that he was planning to finish this Gate first before worrying about anything else, but that might not be good. She knew what awaited on the last Island, while her mind was halfway into Gate 3. She wondered what he would do against the enemies she had no clue about, but she heard his voice. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Repeating or excusing the same shit over and over again isn''t my style. I will do it, alright? This god-forsaken place can screw right off the face of the earth. I see it as I see it! I will do it! Yeah! Finish! Finito!¡± Murai hyped himself up, spreading his wings and quacking loudly, his voice echoed into the huge cave. Some currents and waves were hitting every pillar, creating ambient sound and wind. but not his quacks.


    ¡°Still so cheerful, huh?¡± Lorry wondered and knew some things that Murai didn''t. Glancing away to the cave, he noticed someone interesting behind.


    A lone figure, followed by a half skeleton moved on a bridge less than 200 meters away. Razmund was coming, bleeding and cursing the echoing quacks that he heard with discomfort. It was coming from some location he didn''t want to see right now.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    The Last Island!


    It came at last.


    Razmund realized his time was gone out of his hands.


    And Murai didn''t even see him. Lorry did. Murai couldn''t care if Razmund was close or far. He stepped into the Space Cage, leaving Lisa and Lorry behind.


    Lorry glanced out of the current platform that was acting like a waiting room before the entrance. It was rectangular and enough to house a giant.


    ¡°Should I''ve told him?¡± Lisa asked, smirking and crossing her arms. She had a surprising amount of enjoyment in all of this facade that had questionable reasons.


    ¡°Doubt Murai would care for that either way, so no need. It''s always funny to see people hype themselves before the last push of these Islands without even knowing it''s the last one.¡± Lorry chuckled, no longer cursing his mind over what was happening with Murai or the Heavenly Shaping. Hoping he would have some understanding, Murai was remembering grudges quite well.


    But their little secrets were just small white lies. 99th Islands was just a mark surrounding thousands of them. The true weight was on the Ending Isles, which Murai held in 10 whole fights back to back. Sometimes, Challengers wouldn''t take so many of them, since Mindarch was the decider of what was considered Ending Isle, so that made the whole choice of the bridges and Islands kind of pointless.


    Still, in the end, the road always ended in this one. 100th Island was a reward Island that took care of Keys, Influence Items, or special Artifacts that one might get a chance to acquire. Points came afterward.


    ¡°Lisa should''ve gotten Murai some potion, at least. For fun, or Murai''s slowly creeping anger issues.¡± Lorry said as he turned away from watching Razmund shake his head, pulling his middle finger in his direction, before continuing onto his 89th Island.


    Murai was in a state of blissful ignorance. A little look outside of the platform would give him nothing more than anger, but also clarity that Razmund was far away.


    All of the rising tides of this place ended here, merging into a huge Cage on top of the enormous pillar.


    Perhaps not knowing it was the last one was for the better. If he knew that a Guide and Lisa hid this behind their heads, he would''ve cursed them the same.


    Beyond the veil of Space Cage, Murai arrived in what one would assume as a small town. Well, calling it a town was a generous term that had very little to warrant for it.


    The pillar itself secured a large platform that was at least 100 meters in diameter. Dozens of big buildings formed a single wide street with them aside, creating a path ahead.


    This was the arena for the last Island, extending across the whole diameter and dozens of meters in width.


    On the opposite end of the street was something very nice for Murai''s eyes. A huge portal glistered with a single purpose: let the winner out of this cave.


    It was fairly big for a portal, with edges made of some stones, and with swirling mass of Chaos Space in the middle. It had various waves within its dozen-meter-tall appearance, acting as guiding factors of Chaos itself. It looked like a gate to another world, rather than a place to escape this hell.


    The end of the Islands of Greatness held no choice of bridges to go through. That fact alone would cheer Murai up more than anything else, but he wasn''t in the mood for that.


    Hyping himself up ended useless as he stepped further into the street and looked around carefully. The sight of that portal was the least of his concerns.


    He did take it for an escape, however. And a problem.


    On each side of the street, many figures were standing, acting as his enemies to fight. They had a big variety, as some were still immobile statues that he had seen in Gate 1. Others were breathing, eyes looking, and hands or heads shaking in his direction and anticipation. Those were all curious, unlike the golems that looked like statues but had clear validating status. They were easier to lose than living beings.


    One thing among them was clear. They all wore some form of armor filled with ornaments, colorful gems, skulls, bones, metal plates, scales, and even furs. A wide variety of races among them ensured diversity that this place always followed.


    There were very few undead, which surprised Murai a little, as he fought them the most. Perhaps he was at the point where they would no longer put dull death against him? Those always died much easier than those with clear Will in their heads, but then... He remembered those Undead Captains and Low Lich, and he shut his ideas down. There was nothing easy when his balancing point was reaching its peak.


    Murai looked at each of the foes, noting the most insane ones by his Soul Read, while his eyes noted the strengths of their peculiar races or their physicality. There were demons, a couple of low-level devils, some beasts, golems, undead, and even a succubus.


    One, in particular, looked far too strange, as it was so tiny compared to the rest, he wondered if his eyes were in his eyes. It was as small as himself, reaching 30 to 35 centimeters in height, and creating weird power dynamics amongst the other figures.


    Murai was speechless after seeing it because it looked familiar.


    ¡°A freaking Anatidae!?¡± He quacked, undoubtedly seeing a pair of small legs bellow a rather impressive rest. Its body had sturdy-looking plated armor that held layers into them, creating high-quality armor. There was also a nice helmet with a glowing opening for eyes, shoulder armor that didn''t seem that useful, and behind the armored neck, a pair of mechanical wings rested in its unfolded form.


    Murai noticed straight away what he was looking at. It was one of the figures that weren''t alive, as it was a golem with unknown might and an artificial core that was hiding deep, causing not a sliver of mana to go to the surface. Its layered armor looked impressive, probably for what was hiding underneath, or was it part of its skin?


    Golems were machines, so everything was part of some greater purpose. It was standing motionless, waiting for its fighting chance.


    Someone made sure to let its power seal fairly well, even though the rest of the figures around it¡ªthe ones who were alive¡ªdidn''t take its existence well.


    Similar to Murai''s steps, unsurprisingly.


    Soul Read was an excellent way to find who was alive and not. If it was dull like a tree, soulless like a piece of wood, and standing without doing a thing, it was easy to assume things. Without Soul Read, it wouldn''t be that easy since most of them were hiding underneath their armor. He would have to see their movement, acts, or way of fighting to assume their golem status.


    ¡°Well, this is an unexpected charade. There are 26 of them in total?! Mindarch! You damned fool! How am I meant to fight against them?¡± He shouted but no answer came back.


    He wasn''t one to give up.¡°Foolish... There are some nasty fellows there, eyeing me like food to eat. Tsch. I will smack them. Whoever comes forth. Who came up with this?¡± He wondered.


    Then, he observed the Anatidae golem further. ¡°Utilizing the concepts of the prior challengers to create golems might be this? Is that it? Did someone create a golem out of me or the past Challenger Anatidae? What is this Island? I swear, what a questionable originality. Even a child would come up with something like this.¡± Murai scowled, looking left and right as he walked forth a little bit to take a better look at them.


    Just to be sure that he wasn''t ready, he hadn''t activated his Sonar or Shaping. The figures waited on their designated positions anyway, clearly not ready, or they waited for Mindarch to introduce this Last Island.


    To see what would happen next, Murai wondered if he had to fight them all or not. 26 foes in total seemed a bit ridiculous, but when he thought about it, the essences that would come out of them wouldn''t be shabby.


    Unlike his stamina, mind, and everything else. Every single one of his enemies was in a similar state of effort as the majority of Ending Isles. Not at the level of Lucider, but most were close to that beast. So far, Murai hadn''t met any golem, so he was looking forward to fighting one. These should be easy to deal with.


    Stopping just before the start of the street and this huge flat arena that had brown sturdy soil for the floor, he eyed the start of his fight.


    Should he choose? Will someone come at him first?


    That large-looking portal at the end looked enticing enough for him to run into it. It was open after all. Could he storm into it and disappear without a fight? That seemed possible, but who would do that?


    Most people who would reach this far would take any challenge and fight for learning, or valuable treasures. Essences and points had incredible value if one considered the outside world.


    Murai knew it already, thanks to his Artificial Core that needed all it could get. Heavenly Shaping needed time and training, and it wasn''t fit to train it when fighting for one''s life. He did that for long enough.


    So the situation before him piqued his interest.


    Looking provided not many answers besides his Soul Read. So he nudged his Sonar a little bit, figuring to feel these fools. The situation was quite bizarre considering the past Islands that were behind him. They had a vastly different layout than this, which made up for something new.


    After all, Mindarch barely mentioned much before this Island, leaving Murai curious.


    And because of the issues about Heavenly Shaping, he wasn''t asking Lisa for any advice that she would find fitting. Lorry would be helpful, but out of spite, Murai wasn''t thinking of that skull.


    ¡°What now?¡± He asked as his Sonar provided some insight, but he put it forth very little, barely creasing the 26 foes to see who had Mana Core or not.


    Most did not. Some, he couldn''t perceive with this level of attention.


    ¡°Well, that portal is my road forward, and you will keep me out of it, correct?¡± He quacked out loud, but no one listened to him again. Every living enemy among the 26 didn''t seem to understand him, which was the expected and normal thing.


    Demons and devils were eying him with fervent eyes. The moment he pushed his Sonar at them, they winced and the beasts growled. Then, a succubus in one row looked at him with her livid eyes. Her unrestricted armor revealed some skin and her aura showed its fangs. The succubus eyed him like a toy, which shifted his core and mind as he felt her soul or the effects of her Path.


    It was his first time meeting such a variety of talented fools. ¡°Bitch... I think I get the gist of why Lorry calls Lisa names.¡± Murai thought.


    Where did this lead to? A final boss? Who the hell was he to make sense out of this?


    He sneered, slapped the ground with his feet, and pointed with his wings forward. ¡°Come at me, idiots. I will smack everyone regardless of race or ideas. Go one! Can''t step forth? Let''s see who is a coward and who is not.¡± Murai taunted them without knowing any better.


    It was good timing because Mindarch''s voice echoed next before Murai would taunt them with some of his rare gestures.


    [Citizen M, welcome to the Island 99. The end of the Islands of Greatness, filled with opportunities to prove yourself with stakes and high-class clashes.]


    [Grade is SS in its purpose, but lower it might get if might allow that.]


    [Level is individual, varying in races and golems, but Level less than 40 won''t come at you.]


    ¡°What about 26 of them, however?¡± Murai asked a good question, glossing over the fact this was the last island.


    [Enemies vary in might, as you won''t fight them all. The past comes to seek the present, obscuring the present for the sake of the future. Those are golems of various strengths, while the rest are here to clutch your neck.]


    [Demons, undead, or devils alike act within the reaches of the Hell Haven, thanks to the Trial Missions put in place.]


    [You are their target. Their success means their chance to prove themselves.]


    [The first enemy shall come forth.]


    Hearing those words that didn''t seem to give him much regard, Murai watched as one huge figure moved, walking to the middle of the stress and overshadowing the portal.


    It was a humanoid knight with armor that looked the same as his physique: huge. Its size was enormous, its steps loud, and its speed lacking. It was a golem, notable by the rigidity of its movements, and creasing mana that went around its Artifical Core in its chest, flaring around the limbs in visible veins. Unline the Anatidae golem, this one had its mana active, while its armor was more open. Perhaps Anatidae had similar veins, but those hid underneath its armor.


    Murai watched the golem make its huge steps. The height of 4 and a half meters ensured a wide gap between it and him. And then, its massive sword resting on its shoulder made the last impression. The sword had a long handle, thickness like a tree, and length as far as the golem''s height.


    It looked big. That was about it. Not many other qualities were there. Calling that sword a mace wouldn''t be too far from the truth either.


    ¡°So, a golem made of the past Challengers?¡± Murai wondered. ¡°Sounds stupid. I dislike this sort of concept. Where is some originality and dignity?¡± He sighed to himself, moved his wings back, and readied his mana. He let the floodgates go, Conjuring a vast amount of mana into a pair of blades that he Shaped like he always did.


    ¡°I don''t know how many of you will come, but if worse comes to my legs, I will stab you even with my feet. Now, you don''t laugh, but imagine what is that like?!¡± He chuckled and swung his blades quickly around him. It was quicker than what a knight of his level would manage with real hands and a real sword for sure.


    Surrounding figures realized it too. At least the living ones, who were observers, while the statues were here to provide the rightful numbers, aura, and providing factor that this place had many foes. Those probably would be put into use against group-plays, or Hell Parties that would come here. On its own, the factors of 26 foes were useless.


    Unlike Murai''s mana. ¡°I have very little possibility to lose control in this state. Pillage isn''t wrong though. I think it is just a point of more research. That is about it. The pool is full, much to that manual, but I feel no instabilities either. I am fine probably because of this environment, the squeeze of my core and flow. So yeah. You will lose!¡± he quacked loudly, proclaiming his power that no one cared about.


    Among the figures who were alive, each held various ideas about Anatidaes. A few of them didn''t even want to be here, hoping their turn wouldn''t come at them, as this was more like a punishment after discovering a new Anatidae had gone through the starting Gate.


    But against Mindarch, few could bear some loss.


    Alas, some of them desired the test of their spirit, power, and talent, hoping to clash against this little duck. They may not be the Regulars, sent through the channels of the Hell Haven that Mindarch did care for, similar to Overlords and many Gods.


    Regulars were a major faction of Challengers. All of them were Levandis troops. Most of those were closing on Laws or lurking above level 50. Murai wasn''t near that level, so what was before him weren''t as intense figures, but Fodder. Levels above 50 depicted them in this Hell.


    Which was a good sight, and an endless problem for Mindarch, because he had to give Murai his challenges that shouldn''t be weak or gone out of proportion.


    Mindarch did what he could, while most decisions about this Island came from someone else.


    Levandis had awakened, desiring her little own touches to the current mess, and had no qualms to give any care about anything else. It involved Murai more than a little, much to his cluelessness that had some bounds, but not much was in his mind other than essences, Heavenly Shaping, and some greed. Probably a lot of greed, frankly.


    The owner was looking into the current mess that was part of some human scheme. Gods were watching too. They watched a lot, similar to the figures eying the young Anatidae.


    Few were even trembling upon seeing his steps, the might of his feathers, and clear laughable quacks that one shouldn''t take lightly. Their potential enemy was an immense one, albeit most of them won''t fare well against it, since Mindarch was the one who decided when was enough, or who was to come here. So that meant Levandis did have the last words in this matter, but among those present, no one was worth knowing that.


    Very few trembled in excitement, however, but perhaps those won''t get their chances either.


    The first was a dull golem anyway. It was a member, imitation, and fine tool that depicted Goliath. Those held Giant Bloodline in dullutied qualities. Battleworld had a lot of these chances, thanks to various bloodline-related treasures, Influence Items, or internal or outer breeding of living beings. Added together, Bloodlines was a power desired by a surprisingly huge chunk of this world''s population.


    Goliaths weren''t that big when Giants came into consideration. With varying sizes up to 5 meters, they would never reach the adult-sized Giants, let alone Titans.


    Before Murai wasn''t some sort of weak golem that took all of its qualities and weakness for granted. Its armor was thick, and mana quick and revolving. It should be fairly close to the prime appearance of a Goliath, but a golem was a golem. They would never be as good as the real deal. Its prowess and capabilities weren''t even supposed to be that high.


    Numbers. They were there to provide fodder in wars, thanks to their size, and equivalent to Level 40 in strength.


    Murai could see it with his own eyes.


    Unlike the Acaman Golem in the Acaman Tower, this one was much better as it wasn''t forgotten, or ancient. This must''ve been recently made. Months at least.


    Its Artificial Core was smoothly etched in the chest, undulating flaring power when Goliath stepped on the ground, making ferocious and intimidating tremors.


    Goliath made some noises of heaviness and mana fluctuated around its arms that held its weapon. It was like glass shattering, rocks smacking together, and its sword moved.


    Just in time for Mindarch''s introductory that resounded out of nowhere.


    [First of unknown amount of enemies is Goliath Golem of an Adult. Level 40. Artifical Core of some quality and mass, capable of wielding a sword of quite some size. Care for it, but care less of its speed.]


    ¡°40? Met tougher nuts to crack.¡± Murai reasoned. ¡°Well, not as if I am complaining, as it is the first golem I am meeting. How is the essence coming out of it then? It has... Wait. It works for Artificial Cores too?! This place?¡± He asked a good question, but Mindarch was no longer speaking.


    Murai grunted, swung his Blade around as if pissed. It hardly helped to ease his mind. ¡°Who am I kidding? Enemies don''t matter. Low or high, they will die by my beak or Blades anyway. It looks fair when looking at the other fools. Fair, huh? Wait, this doesn''t make much sense...¡±


    Thinking of this further wasn''t in his mind. Murai almost hadn''t caught a massive cleaving sword coming in his way. He swung his pair of Blades above his head.


    Goliath''s arms gripped the handles tightly in both fists. They were undulating waves of mana currents that stressed its artificial mana veins.


    They were visible all over it, depicted by wavy patterns of veins that pumped up the mana from its core everywhere. With noise, heat, and movement, it had a good form for swordsmanship.


    For a golem, this was an impressive feat.


    Which was lacking against Murai, who had met foes in this cave that were many times tougher. The physical strength of this Golem wasn''t that poor, but its strength went for the sword anyway.


    Murai moved his pair of Proper Mana Blades that got 2 meters in length and shining Sharpness. They were thick, so he intersected them to stop the incoming chop. He remained standing on the spot below this clash, confident that his blades wouldn''t crack.


    Goliath attacked from far away thanks to its long hand and reach of the sword. Goliath stepped next, traversing a long distance in its chop, letting it closer to where Murai was.


    The explosion of the physical sword clashed against the mana-based Blades. Goliath had a simple goal of its maker in its core: kill any foe. According to its sensors, it was below the pair of shining Blades.


    Murai was looking up, indifferently focusing his eyes on the large sword. It was big, but so what? Even a tiny thing like his beak could crash it apart if he wanted. A moving mountain like this golem was a fine target in his mind, or so Murai thought.


    ¡°Hmph! This made-up thing.. It has a strong grip. I can''t shatter or move the blade away.¡± Murai frowned, feeling how the pressure was growing under his Shaping.


    He caught the sword, dealing with a massive pressure in his mind, as his primary hold of these Blades came from the outer Shaping, without physical touches.


    A Shaper could Conjure any amount of mana from their core as long as their channels, mana space, and mind allowed it. It was usually stressful in all manners if too much went out, or too much force went against their senses. Shaping it afterward was what defined a good mage. Without it, simply Conjuration posed as nothing but useless mana.


    Of course, this concept went in a different way when Murai thought of the Heavenly Shaping. Pillage figured workarounds, excuses, and other problems thanks to beasts and how their mana acted by their birth factors. He showed him the way to redirect his wilderness and unkept mana. He just needed time and it won''t hurt him anymore.


    Regarding that and even regular Shaping, controlling the mana was always a mental battle. If the body can take the output and input well, of course.


    Similarly, the Handlers without Mana Cores handled this issue in the same manner, but they carried Catalysts to ease this aspect and give mana more physical touches. It still revolved around the control of the mind or the body. Long Zi was the perfect example of a Handler that carries Catalysts.


    It was all just a matter of perspective, talent, and what one could learn. Murai was universally knowledgeable in almost anything regarding such fundamental aspects of magic. It was generally finite, hardly capable of changing too much, so its set of rules, powers, causes, and effects, were no different even if he jumped through time or many lives.


    Mana Core followed such stone-set rules, even though living beings might not. That could lead to quite interesting consequences, as Path and new Paths can allow some changes.


    Pillage was that.


    Such things hardly followed the unchanging principles, so time or beings moved things that could move. Those could be techniques themselves, various mental strains, and many other things.


    So what if Murai had trouble wielding unfamiliar mana in an unfamiliar body? The battles that he underwent in this Gate gifted him time, answers, and help exactly where he needed it.


    Push that over the edge. Force it all. Get used to it. These were small sentences that moved many of his lives.


    Murai kept holding his own against the pressuring attack that was just a half meter from his head. A thick sword was coming closer.


    All sorts of thoughts flowed through his mind. Most of it was glimpses of Heavenly Shaping. Could he influence the already shaped-up mana? Yes. That was one of the general principles of most Shaping, and Pillage came with his own sets of principles about it too, and even something more.


    Heavenly Shaping worked with mana like a moldable storm in a way. He could turn the Blade apart to Shape a new thing, but a Blade shouldn''t become a shield. There were some limitations in success, or speed and efficiency. Murai knew why it was the case, even if he hadn''t heard Pillage''s reasonings.


    He forgot these ideas, deciding to do what he had done in this Gate. Could he go against this sword with his beak alone, destroy the golem whole with his Peak, or was mana and his Blades all he needed?


    Perhaps all of the above was correct with varying successes, but he wasn''t willing to try them all.


    At the moment, only one of them will suffice. That was mana that he needed to improve one way or another.


    Grinning with a devilish smile, Murai didn''t stop with the forceful clutch of his Blades. In fact, he increased his Conjuring, forcing more mana toward the Blades and turning them brighter and brighter. This wasn''t against any principles, nor it was part of the Heavenly Shaping, or it was, but to a different degree?


    Again, he focused on what he was used to. Which was the flow of mana that he squeezed into submission, using it alongside his Proper Mana Blades that were already familiar to him like his wings. Well, those weren''t that familiar, as wings had their clear purposes that lacked their premises in Murai''s head.


    Bright mana exploded next, letting the crossed Blades snap into 4 pieces, which then wrapped, slashed, and bent around the large sword in a split second. Then, the sizzling and crackling noises spread as Murai pressed the wrapping motion to its limits and let the Sharpness do its job by ending and stressing the large sword. Part of it was still his Shaping.


    Murai wasn''t even sure what he did. He just used the Sharpness and mass of his mana pool to do the job of cracking that thick sword in half.


    It didn''t budge, so he kicked the floor and slapped the side of the sword, snapping it at last.


    With nothing obscuring its path, the halved blade slammed to the ground behind him. His Blades were twisting mess of whips and Sharpness, which bent and cracked this sword. The gust of wind and slam still surprised him afterward, but he pretended he was fine.


    He backed away a couple of meters, fearing that Goliath Golem would change its strategy. It indifferently stood there, aware that half of its Mountain Blade was gone. Its tip was gone; so was the reach. It would be of utmost disgrace to a proper Goliath, who would cry and smack their heads to the ground in shame.


    Alas, the golem had no emotions, nor memories of proper Goliaths. It was just a tool. A construct that moved according to the Will of its maker who only provided its acts, so they would get the reward without spending any lives.


    But sometimes lives were equal to resources.


    It was a good test against Murai, or so Mindarch or others thought.

 Chapter 150: Succubus

    It went as no surprise that Goliath Golem had no speck of shame in its runic formations.


    Its cracking and flaring mana continued working, moving its constructed body that had unknown amounts of tons. It must be heavy by all rights, thanks to the large sword of quite some mass and body.


    But without the edge, it looked like a mace. So it did smack with the remains of its weapon, crashing against the weird mass of 4 swirling Blades that looked like a pair of angled swords, appearing almost like scythes. They tried to turn back to straightness, which Murai accepted because they wanted to return to their stable appearance.


    Murai forced them to clutch the large sword and crack it like a stick.


    Onslaught, test, and slamming power of the sword''s weight crashed against Murai''s Blades, turning this fight into an expected picture where Murai went aside, attacking with his Blades where he could.


    It came as no surprise to his heart, but onlooking figures did question his acts.


    Golem''s attention came back to a tiny little duck that tried to change the pace or workings of its sensors. It shouldn''t fail, but its mace crashed against the previous dangerous light, forcing the Blades down.


    Murai used his Blades cleverly, forcing his feet to move and change the directions. The remains of its sword didn''t even come close to his body.


    Golem''s mana flared in a flash, pushing the Blades aside by increasing its mana output, powering quicker and stronger swings. Murai didn''t need to do the same; he just needed to dodge and look for a way to turn this golem into scraps.


    His already Conjured mana was enough of a tool and his Shaping clashed against much heavier and quicker swipes, slams, and slashes. Some of his Blades warped against momentum and heaviness, but they did not dissipate. Murai had to be careful about that if he wanted to finish this fight with them alone.


    Goliath Golem''s mass proved to be a formidable enemy, as some slams crashed his Blades, hitting close to where he stood. But thanks to the lowered mass and weight, Mountain Blade was a much lesser threat. Golem wasn''t, however, as its speed increased, and its powerful swipes did move things that many previous enemies challenged as well.


    Murai''s patience had its limits.


    Acting against him with unhinged power and tactics, slams crashed the ground, causing his steps to waver. So he used what he already had. If he crashed that sword once, why not again? A pair of well-aimed Blades slammed at the side of the incoming sword, while another pair went against the hands, forcing the grip and sword to split apart.


    This ended in the massive halved blade flying to a nearby building, leaving Murai free to reign. He immediately put good use to this situation. Blades had no other enemy than those hefty arms, but it wasn''t his aim.


    Slashing right towards its legs, and stabbing into distinct veins that flared in mana, he severed the use of its feet by digging deep into certain runes and important flow. Golem trembled and its legs turned unsteady. Its balance lost its importance, falling right into a placed Blades that pierced into the Artificial Core.


    It happened in an instant since mana flow in those veins was raging current. Usually, some measly stoppage wouldn''t end up troublesome. Murai had to truly sever it for a second to do this, which his mana did.


    Golem''s mass proved to be a good tool. Blades went deep, destroying fewer runes, but the flow of the formations cracked some veins around its legs and core, causing aftereffects as if the foundation fell like a house made of cards. With severed fuel, the golem couldn''t even move.


    Accuracy was essentially, so thanks to the well-placed slash and positioning his pair of blades like spears to the ground, just a couple of moves and Goliath''s Golem usability turned to scraps. It was still as lifeless as before, but this time, wide on the ground where it belonged. Its body was sturdy, made of a tough rocky substance called Inox Ore.


    There were many layers of golem-making that Murai was able to exploit. Good golems or makers would hide such clear weaknesses as veins outputting mana around their bodies. But Murai understood this problem, as the amount of mana to move this mass must have been incredibly notable and hard to hide.


    Ensuring the safety of mana was probably impossible, or straight up too bothersome to fix, as pretty much everything about the golem would have to change. Its outer or inner appearance, everything would have to work for the safety of its mana. But even then, if he wanted to stop its flow, it wasn''t as easy as he made it out.


    And golems of this size would need extraordinary resources for this kind of thing, or a skilled golem maker. This one was some prototype or poorly done concept that had its good uses, but glaring weaknesses made it lacking.


    At least against Murai, of course.


    Goliath Golem had served its purpose, much to the annoyance of some figures in the Hell Haven.


    Its armor turned out to be useless. Mana needed to be wide open because of its size, large quantity of mana, and need for cooling. Then, the sword lost against mana-shaped Blades, creating a surprising sight because the Mountain Blade wasn''t a weak sword. Its mass was incredibly tough and heavy, so seeing its loss against a little duck was ridiculous to any proper swordsman.


    However, Murai had his own thoughts and didn''t care for anything great. Its mana needed heavy output for its size and sword anyway, so its core was obvious, even with the armor around it in the way.


    Its armor was debatable because golems were made from precious materials already. So its armor wasn''t much but part of its body.


    Around the Hell Havens, armors posed great significance. They meant status, as low-ranked members of Hell Haven would never afford great pieces.


    Thus, armor was a reputable and reliable point of interest, and rather than physical help, it was a good triumph if someone owned a great piece of armor. Of course, it didn''t work that well with golems, or slaves.


    Murai knew that if this golem had clearer protection around its weaknesses, it would have limited flexibility in combat capabilities, but it would be significantly tougher to destroy. Protecting what mattered was all important. So when its weight slammed his Blades inside, ruining the runes and its internal structure, it was over in a heartbeat.


    Murai scoffed, thinking this golem was even worse than Acaman Golem. That was at least clear in its core, but its body was different. This one left a bad taste in his mouth. Simple as that.


    He crippled the Artificial Core, smashing it to pieces with his Blades that were lost in the process, but it was a good enough price for such a kill. Its armor pieces only flowed and acted around the visible mana veins and limited plates around the torso, revealing a hole to the core in its chest. Its hands were mostly barren of significant protection, making them free to hit, similar to legs.


    But they should be decent because of their sheer size and weight, crashing any weaknesses apart.


    Murai admitted that overcoming weight and momentum was difficult. This was why he attacked one of the essential principles of how to defeat a giant: attack the legs. Murai did use an easy-sounding method, as its mass was good, and he didn''t want to get smashed too. If he used his beak, such weight would truly challenge his body weight and he would be squashed like a pancake. Some feathers wouldn''t protect him well.


    He had no doubts, so the use of his Blades was clever and went according to his expectations and newly found confidence.


    In terms of guidance and mentality, this Gate provided him with more things than just valuable loot, or a bunch of essences.


    It gave him mental and physical growth.


    With the golem gone with relative ease, Murai looked towards the rest of the figures.


    He noted some glaring beasts that were alive, growling at him as their gazes met. It was just the end of the starting round, so Murai quacked. ¡°Wanna piece of me? Come and get something in return.¡± he turned, slapped his butt with his wing, and wished to have his fingers right now. This will have to do in his honest opinion an unhinged nature. ¡°Is this everything that you''ve got? So disappointing to see you growling to an empty air. Get lost.¡±


    For some reason, even if the beast didn''t understand his quacks, this act agitated them that much more. There was no need for language barriers when one talked shit.


    Considering Murai''s lofty and arrogant demeanor, most of the beasts wanted to kill him on the spot. Clever figures among the foes only scoffed at his acts, but a few of them weren''t happy either. The golems among them were indifferent as they should be, and so were statues of locked beings.


    Murai was successful in angering them and didn''t find it wrong. He happily stretched his legs, letting the remaining Blades swirl around his head. He could quickly change them into more Blades, as long as their mass would be able to get lower, and their flow wouldn''t be as quick or stressed. Finding that line was important, yet it seemed to be working well, as long as he squeezed his Shaping with enough force, and enough power to split the Blades apart.


    A similar method worked in numerous Blades and creating a single piece. That one required massive control and Shaping. Murai found both of these things hard. Both needed workings with mana, but increasing was flooding, and decreasing was tightening.


    In this case, he doubled his Blades in relative speed without weakening his Shaping or form. He almost used it as if he had 4 sharp fingers.


    ¡°Huh? Here I expected to have some conversation with these fools.¡± Murai wondered. ¡°Perhaps my set expectations weren''t that great? Right. That must be it. This is what I call expected if I can''t even utter a normal word. My vocal cords are probably in shambles, or they are as terrible as a pebble or a leaf. Wait... Those have no vocal cords at all. But I had my soul. It''s not like I can''t have conversations with others. It''s the other''s fault! They don''t understand me. Well, shit...¡±


    Sorting his ideas wasn''t that bad, because the brief pause between the rounds allowed that.


    2 minutes later, another figure came forward without Mindarch''s voice.


    This time, unexpectedly, the horniest figured her hopes in catching his little feet and feeling his feathers. Succubus walked forth, swaying in a strangely demonic appearance. She had no wings or tail, but she was the sole succubus among the possible foes. Swaying in her walk, her thick pair of legs gave her enough stability for what was above.


    Not one, but two sets of arms were there to set her Bloodline apart from the low-level succubuses, or it was the effect of some Influence Item or her own Bloodline. Hands were fairly normal to see in numerous numbers for demons, but what to think of 4 breasts that were unobstructed for all eyes to see? Murai couldn''t think what use they had, or why her armor didn''t cover them up.


    Her stature wasn''t small either, reaching almost 3 meters in height. Such a stature worked well with some physique-based Paths, while her numerous arms provided greater fighting power. Her muscles weren''t that small, leaning into the power of flesh for sure, or some martial arts.


    She wasn''t as big as Goliath Golem but perhaps her strength will be leaps and bounds better. Limits in golems were excellent exploits so Murai expertly destroyed it. Enough intellect should give this foe the edge that Murai expected from this Island. Her body and flesh should be much better than experimental constructs and sensors to hunt an Anatidae.


    Her vivid soul shined, giving her Lust notable feelings. Murai would recognize she was a succubus even if he was blind.


    ¡°G-greetings, Anatidae,¡± she uttered in a hoarse forced tone, stumbling over her words as she walked forth. Her eyes were steady, but anything else wasn''t. Her arms trembled as she clutched them around her hips, and her red face was either angry or far too excited.


    Straining her acts together, she waited to kill this duck to prove herself. Visible killing intent and her aura was so clear, Murai was probably sure only Razmund would be horniest for his skin. She was smiling in her bloodlust, and even her rather slim-looking torso, relative to the rest, made her legs and arms radiate a bloody aura.


    At this time as she came forth, Mindarch spoke the rightful message.


    [Goliath Golem has been defeated.]


    [The next foe is clearly a step above the rest, as Bloodspawn of an Overlord.]


    [Young but hopeful to be strong, Level 41 Uqari awaits her hopes.]


    [She is Lesser Demoness of Lust. Succubus eats the emotions and bathes in the glory of their opponents.]


    [This one made a blunder, so she hopes to proclaim and fix her choices in this Gate.]


    [Or she can die while trying. That is a fitting choice too.]


    ¡°Figures. A Demoness of Lust? Is that her Path? Should I be worried that she is gonna... do me? Hm!! What a hilarious possibility! Should I offer her my beak? That seems validating enough, forgetting the fact that she wants to kill me, of course.¡± Murai sneered, having all sorts of thoughts in his mind that weren''t as fitting as he thought.


    Most of it came out of his beak anyway, and because he felt no consequences for his tone, he spoke however he wanted.


    ¡°Name'' Uqari Nazga, Anatidae that comes to stir this place.¡± She said with visible calmness after hearing Mindarch''s voice. ¡°I will slaughter you. Right now. Right in this place. On my name, I will stop your unhinged raid on my Lady and our Blessed Temple!¡± Uqari said, and each sentence was like a surge of a Strengthening Potion that hyped, contorted, and heated her body.


    She had straight and deep black hair that flickered like snakes. Her red eyes glared down, adding a pale skin ferocious contrast.


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    Murai heard her words with quite indifference, figuring that this enemy may be strong. Golem was just a little test. A treat, he thought.


    The amount of intent, Will, and psychological effects this succubus gave him wasn''t unfamiliar to him. But against his Robust Spirit, it was not only laughable, this sort of demon wasn''t a fair match to his soul.


    Of course, unless she would be an incredibly good fighter. He had no doubts she looked physically demanding. At least 4 times more than the usual succubus, if not more.


    Her voice and tone bore her Path, affecting his mind so little, perhaps only an Extremes in terms of Lust would give him some problems.


    Forcing her clear open threat, use of her Bloodline, and intent to catch him, Uzaki frowned. Her veins around her eyes and forehead swelled in anger, and she stomped the ground in unhinged outrage.


    ¡°Y-you... You! I will kill you by my own hands if you can''t take my Lust!¡± she shouted, extended her hands, and let her Physique do the rest.


    Among the foes, she was coreless, much to her dissatisfaction, Murai guessed, but it seemed she had her advantages in different ways than her core.


    She can still be a Handler, whose effects and techniques often worked surprisingly well in physical or martial-based Paths. Such beings could wholeheartedly focus on their priorities without core or mana inflicting the rest. They would focus all they could on their martial arts or weapons.


    Uqari had no such Path, however. As she walked the Path of Succubus without any shame, the strengths of her current form moved through her Bloodline alone.


    Those were demonic powers, as a succubus was a wild being that was closely connected to devils. Their main influence came from the demonic roots that had chaotic properties.


    They wouldn''t look like Uqari in most cases, as their preferences in their form were more human than demonic. In such cases, they often looked straight like devils instead; almost too human.


    Her nails warped and sharpened to form sharp cutters, while even her fingers thickened like her forearm, becoming dense like fine steel. It was her Muscle Control, as all succubusess had various powers of shape-shifting and body-altering powers. Alongside martial-based techniques outside of her Path, she could train fairly well in them, as long as the effects of her Bloodline were tight.


    Veins popped throughout her forearms and her biceps swelled in body-alternating power, but she didn''t seem to struggle. It was natural for her, even if her mind wasn''t calm just because of her foe.


    It was just her arms that were changing drastically. That was all she was changing. Both pairs, of course.


    Though it made her whole upper body thicker and muscular anyway, her arms were the biggest. It took a couple of seconds to start her Tearing Heart Technique. There was no indication to start this fight yet, but she didn''t care for that anyway.


    Pouncing at Murai, who stood below her point of view and 10 meters away, she realized straight away how difficult it was to think of slaughtering such a small yet dangerous foe.


    It was too weird of a concept, similar to the pair of Blades floating above Murai''s head, acting like arrows or swords that could clash against her in a heartbeat. All on their own, they were impossible to read. Their speed and Sharpness were intimidating because she saw how Murai finished that Golem. His accuracy was ridiculous as well.


    Frankly, he did hit the weaknesses, but the precision and Sharpness that would cut into the mana veins required steadiness and power. It wasn''t as if veins were universal weaknesses. His mana had to overflow its flow. Some weaklings wouldn''t hurt these veins in the slightest, even if the golem stood still. And she knew that golem was a War Golem. Those, even if in experimental stages, were ready to go to the Surface and battle at any point.


    She was asking for a challenging fight anyway, so Murai sent his Blades forward. ¡°Piss off, small fry.¡± he quacked in annoyance, swiping his Blades diagonally, and clashing against a pair of her left arms.


    Uqari saw that swipe right away, so she halted her pounce, opting to put her hands against the Blades to test them out. She caught them without bleeding a little, and a standstill occurred, ending in no advantage for either of them.


    Neither of them hoped to kill the foe. Both wanted to test the other.


    In this sense, both succeeded. Which pissed Murai off a little, so he squeezed his core, straining both Blades to push against her grip.


    It worked, pushing Uqari a couple of steps back as she felt the depth of the shiny Sharpness and wild mana that seeped into her hands. ¡°What a savage force.¡± she huffed a cold breath, clutching the Blades with not her fingers, forcing some of her nails to cut into the Blades. It hadn''t done much. Their flow was endless, sharp, and tough to crack.


    Oh? Did she catch and stop it? It seems the difference in levels can show some unclear, or obvious disparities. It works weirdly, doesn''t it? Me and her, she is 42 and I am not even 20 yet. Seems unfair... but I can fight the same. What does it make me? Am I someone insane? How do levels work if they can''t even form good balancing factors? Or is it that the balance was never there to begin with? Murai thought as he stood, calculating the truths that this Gate kept giving.


    It wasn''t wrong. The sensible nature of this world wasn''t all that sane when too many weird things met and fluttered together in the most Blessed. And Murai was even stranger than that.


    There is also the succubus nature of her Bloodline and that Lust. Or does her mass work as some disaprity too? Weight is often subject to more power. I am light, yet still powerful. Or is it the beak that put this disparity aside? Anyway, she is a handful, that is for sure. Or, do some other effects act as another force?


    I may be weaker in some aspects, but stronger in others. That is what I call a normal thing, but in a world that makes clever use of some numbers, it hardly makes sense. This clash against the physique, mass, and weight is exactly that. It makes sense to lose some edge, as Blades aren''t supposed to be used like this. They are for slashing. Not pushing. Spears or pillars are for that. Murai deducted, glaring at Uqari from 5 meters away.


    He had to think about the limited range of his Shaping as well, so he thought of his acts and how to kill her.


    My current Proper Mana Blade shouldn''t be something overpowered alone. It isn''t by the norm, but it is passable because of my mana and... Shaping. Pillage would think of it further, I bet. I suppose I will take this idea to him on my next visit. I am fueling this spell to a new power. Not my mana by itself. I can''t wield it physically, and the amount of mana around my output is my saving grace.


    It still has some force thanks to my mind, turning out the way it does. Right.. It''s all about control, knowing one''s enemy, but mainly, oneself. My Sharpness acts like a Catalyst to make these Blades shine, but frankly, it is my mind that does most job.


    Wait... the Wilderness! Heavenly Shaping! Have I already worked around it without my intentions? Pillage... that dog must''ve come with his reasons, while I am working on it myself.


    Wait, never mind that. It is unlikely. I do not cover any of the points of his manual yet. I just squeeze it enough to let wilderness be what it can''t be. A bother. It isn''t important against this succubus, who is thicker and holds stronger core strength than me. It must revolve around her demonic physique of some sort, giving her more power than the previous golem. Her legs aren''t the problem. Not really. She is not dumb, but I can try to seek her weaknesses. No one knows how thin-skinned, or dumb one is, until the End is near, or power bursts it away.


    Well, her anger issues are obvious, I must tell. She thinks she is stronger than me, but that may not be wrong. Her power has its foundation, but her Physique can do so much against a proper enemy. Am I proper? I always am and am not, as I have my body and soul! She can screw off. Right, she can. Just some lesser demon under some lofty-ass demon who thinks killing me is cheap? Phe! Murai scoffed at that idea, standing still amid the chaotic undulation of the aura that Uqari radiated.


    The moment she popped her nails, her whole demeanor changed. She wore extremely revealing armor, that only protected her belly, shoulders, and neck, and her thigh-height boots did pose at least some protection, even if they were lean and long and the armor was relatively thin. These armor pieces could only be described as stripes of plates, curving around her body tightly.


    Her upper body was mostly bare of them, apart from a few stripes that secured the rigidity of the whole outfit. One would often see such outfits amongst the succubuses, as they bathed in primordial emotions, with Lust, Bliss, or Chaos being the most notable.


    Uqari was trying to destabilize the pushing Blade within her grasp. She clutched it as tight as she could, unwilling to let go of her test. Her nails dug deep, cutting into his mana, but he kept his control tighter.


    If she let go of her grip, she knew that the Blades would flash in momentum, slicing her in half if she wasn''t careful. She was wrong in this regard. Her body was strong and her armor was good because of her position.


    So she kept pushing, unwilling to see any stops. It wouldn''t stop just here, or so she thought. Her face was as serious as it could get, her unsightly clutched mouth revealed no smile. She wasn''t enjoying this, or she did it so much it turned her face weird.


    She flared her flesh again, arms bulged in power, and her other pair of arms came in help. With little effort, she clawed at Blades with the nails, obliterating them to foggy, azure dust that flew into the world.


    Murai kept this loss in his mind, but it was just a temporary hindrance. He had more Blades ready if he wanted.


    ¡°Ugh... This was harder than I thought.¡± Uqari grunted as she felt her arms stressed as if she moved a mountain.


    Turning her gaze upon a yawning duck, that wore an arrogant expression that almost snapped her mind, she shook. Murai remained on the spot, still thinking about how to deal with her.


    Options were numerous, but it all came down to one thing: kill.


    Unknowingly, Uqari watched with fear as she looked above, feeling more swelling mana. Her mouth opened unwillingly, her eyes looked at the hovering mass of mana that Murai Conjured in a heartbeat. He let it crash, divide, and reform into more Blades, but their Shaping and control would be harder if there were dozens of them. He knew that, but numbers were also strength, similar to a few much better controllable Blades.


    So he worked on them one by one, putting his mind to where it mattered, rather than to touch the whole mass.


    It was similar to how one can''t move a mountain. One may try to chip it away, moving or working around some bits before it will become manageable.


    That was a good concept that was similar to Heavenly Shaping''s few notable ideas, but Murai knew about this long before he became a duck.


    Some similarities in Heavenly Shaping touched on dozens of other Shaping factors. Pillage worked on them, figuring that some aspects of wilderness crashed the regular workings of his mana. Either by luck or intense training, there were workings in his technique that turned the wilderness into a Catalyst that would increase the efficiency of Shaping spells to another level.


    It was a bit crude in terms of practicality, while some wordy explanations were only that: foundation set by written rules, that had often questionable practicality.


    Murai made Blades that weren''t one bit weaker than the ones from before. He didn''t use any of the Heavenly Shaping properties. He had no time for the training, even if what he was doing right now was perfect for that.


    Uqari gulped down, nervously coming to terms with the fact that she didn''t even notice another Conjuration coming from Murai. She thought if he already pushed her over the edge, he wouldn''t have time to divide his mind.


    But he did. That fact alone should be fairly hard to do in her mind that held no core, but she wasn''t a clueless demon. She knew and learned about the way of Shapers and Handlers.


    Knowing the enemy was one key to a victory, after all.


    And she didn''t know nearly half of what she thought about this insane duck. Murai should''ve been way too preoccupied with forcing his Blade against her. The facts went against that logic, giving Uqari a tough reality check that someone insane just spent a huge chunk of their mana just to do this overkill Conjuration.


    She doubted it held some validity, but since Murai was able to achieve that thanks to nothing but his mind, she readied her stance again.


    This wasn''t about the familiarity of his mana at all. He squeezed it all out to submission, Shaping it in bits like he wanted. It was far from the fact that Uqari thought about, as that act of letting mana out while maintaining his Blade against her, took just a little more effort than usual.


    And since Uqari didn''t seem to be very insane of an opponent, he decided to do things slowly. She hadn''t come at him with utmost everything anyway, so neither did he.


    His powerful soul did make it all possible and nothing else. Normally, a mage would need to pay attention to multiple things at the same time. They would have trouble with subverting attention to many things. Controlling mana came in many stages, so it came as no surprise that dangers arrived if someone physically strong came at mages like a spear.


    Mages usually had weaker bodies, so killing them was easier up close.


    The more talented mages were, the more they could work with their mana and fix their shortcomings. That worked in more spiritual aspects than flesh or bones. It also didn''t include just mana affinities, quality of the core, or roots of the mana space. What one might take into their mind, control, and Shaping all revolved around a huge bubble. Popping it meant disaster.


    Mind, soul, perceptions, and Will in itself. Either of these was something Murai was good at. He wasn''t excellent at working or solving the shortcomings with the flesh yet, thanks to his Beast Core, so his unfamiliarity could give rise to new problems, or advantages. Murai was forcing it to work, which essentially put his Beast Core into more stress and flow.


    It was a vague problem within his mind, but he wasn''t even thinking about it. He forced it to happen, so it wasn''t a huge issue. He just wanted to handle his magic the same way he was used to. That was all. It was honesty that he was yet to change.


    Core was less of an issue with enough strangling squeezes, though it wasn''t nearly as half as Murai hoped for. That was because his set expectations were too high, and his overwhelming memories possessed knowledge way out of his misconceptions about beasts.


    He was willing to bend his knees and come to terms with his Beast Core, but only if everything would be calm. That required a couple of things: Heavenly Shaping and time. Both of them at the same time would be the best.


    And with the Encounter coming for his throat, along with this temple that seemed to hunt and test him too, he wasn''t at a point where his mind changed yet.


    His living provided the biggest strengths he could ask for. Some Heavenly Shaping was just part of a legacy that was part of a single world. It may involve secrets of beasts, sure, but out there in the wild universe, there were many such legacies, that would brick this world apart.


    That was at least his current perception, even though it was wrong or sounded too arrogant. He hadn''t even seen a speck of this world''s might.


    Killing this lesser lust demon? He could do that with enough force like he did with others. What he had was that, and even less of that wouldn''t hurt him, as he cared about having his ego in check.


    Murai playfully swayed his beak, letting his Blades sway in similar motions above him. It was a good practice that sent shivers down Uqari''s spine. Murai faced his mood well, ready to give her some suffering.


    He can also put others through some suffering, just because his circumstances were easier and power was ready.


    Powerful beings were known to do whatever they wanted. That was the truth that ran rampant around all of the visible Skies.


    Circumstances didn''t matter. Murai didn''t question the fact that his enemies weren''t as crazy as before, while deep down, his Soul Read of this succubus proved some fears and hesitations.


    Perhaps she knew more about Anatidaes, which would answer her starting words and current fear and shock.


    In the past Islands, he had met a lot of insane foes that often no longer cared for his Anatidae status. They were specifically set to go against him, while the Last Islands held different premises.


    These were simple tests before Gate 3.


    Goliath Golem or Uqari held no hunt to kill him outright. They were put into punishment for coming here, albeit some of them were no different from hunting him down.


    All went according to Hell Haven and Mindarch.


    Murai wondered what purpose they had if they were so different? 26 foes came here to test him out. How and why did Mindarch make it like this?


    He long imagined that each foe he battled was a slave or prisoner of Hell Haven that this temple was part of. It made sense in an individual matter he heard from Lisa or Lorry.


    But Mindarch was the central figure in this, sending them to test him, kill him, or do all of the above between these lines.


    He wasn''t sure about the core reason that went around the Overlords, or Gods. Those were too far behind his mind, inspiring someone like Mindarch in making decisions.


    That left him guessing, wondering, and fighting anyway. Murai smirked as he felt his slowly amassing army of Blades. He hoped these would be good weapons not only for her but for others. He stabilized all of them in their floating form and connected them all to his mind.


    Seeing his playful expression, Uqari turned to her inner fury. She had a hard time taming her emotions like any succubus who truly followed their heart.


    She stood there with her flexing arms, which contorted every fiber of her anger and muscles together. ¡°I will kill you.¡± She shouted as the boiling point of her body and mind went over some line.


    Stepping forward by shattering the stone ground, her fingers went forward as if she wanted to pinch a hole in the space. 4 hands went in a straight line before her, forming a sharp point thanks to her nails.


    In a strange sort of words, they weren''t far from 4 spears coming together, while her step pushed her forward in her unhinged will to slay her foe. She bent her legs and pushed forward.


    Dashing forward, she clutched her jaw as she was getting close. Murai wasn''t moving, so she placed her right hands first, arriving with them much faster while keeping the left ones behind just in case. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Piercing Heart!¡± She shouted the name of her technique. ¡°Let''s see who is curious how your heart will look like, Anatidae Child!¡± she spoke with utter conviction, following her Bloodline power over her hands, giving them a red look.


    The first pair of Piercing Hearts arrived at Murai''s chest.


    ¡°No. No. No. Nope. You won''t do shit, as I have an upper... hand? Wing! Wing... Right,¡± Murai quacked, forming an argumentative stance where he tested her Piercing Hearts by slashing a single Blade forward. It shattered to pieces right away, so he let the others down.


    He was sure his mana would lose if Uqari was serious and putting her power on the line like everyone so far in this Ending Isles.


    When Level 40 fought with everything in line, his mana wasn''t enough. So Murai wasn''t going to rely on his Blades yet, even if he was curious if the quantity of them could challenge her qualities.


    ¡°Using them all... Clashing agasint your hands? Why should I?¡± He decided on some terms of what he had left and put it forth with his Will. ¡°Robust Defense!¡±

 Chapter 151: Anatidae Golem

    Robust Defense was one of the most used Robust Spirit identity abilities Murai hadn''t held behind his head. Apart from the Indomitable Strike; he was yet to try it because of its expensive and offensive structure. Besides that, he felt everything.


    Robust Will was pretty much not that useful at all, as its use against the enemies around his level wasn''t that great if straight up not needed at all. It held very distinct protection against powerful mental attacks that the Robust Spirit couldn''t work against on its own.


    This meant around his level, Robust Will held almost no uses because foes had no way to challenge him to use it. Robust Spirit''s structure and his soul ensured he had no enemies on that front. At least for now... He felt Ceila or Thar would challenge him any day.


    And in the physical realms, things were much different.


    In Robust Defense, however, levels or Will didn''t matter. It can catch and protect against anything on the physical levels and means. Be it a low fool, or someone like Ceila who felt it herself, it worked the same. Each ability under his Robust Spirit revolved around the same principle of his soul, but each had different uses.


    His soul, Will, and Soul Power were what fueled them, giving him what he considered as trump cards. Each of them had some advantages and drawbacks, and depending on them, Murai could use or increase them by his merits and development. He already did increase their levels a few times, although he hadn''t seen much difference in their might.


    Robust Defense was the toughest to seek in this regard since its defensive properties had a wide range where he didn''t see any improvements. He guessed it got... sturdier. How much exactly? There were no foes that would test it, Murai believed.


    Increasing the might of them wasn''t up to his time, but to luck, use, and Boosts, since he had almost no way of trying to train them. Limits in the Soul Force were the reason why, and frankly, training them wasn''t possible. They were powerful on their own. Too powerful, if what Lisa said was right.


    He needed more familiarity to put them to good use. But not to the extent that he was in a hurry with them. His new addition to his arsenal was much more useful than the overpowered abilities of his soul that had its limits because of Soul Force.


    Robust Defense had the lowest expenditure, so he wasn''t that stingy about using it even in situations where he didn''t feel his life was on the line. Its use was far better than the rest anyway.


    He used it in special and tough circumstances that either ensured his victory, or he needed it against an attack that threatened his body.


    All in all, he used it 5-times. Robust Will went only once because it was more of an experiment at that time. Against an undead that was soul-based, it cracked and crept into his spirit. He activated his Robust Will and literature ceased its existence in a puff of smoke. It angered him a little bit, but Lisa ensured the time and Soul Force''s natural recovery wouldn''t hurt him.


    His stinginess was still apparent, even though Lisa understood why he was like that. After all, the powers of Grade SS ability were hard to seek, and he had got that before his first evolution! That was the most ridiculous part that she questioned internally for days. She still didn''t get why he got that, or... how?


    Murai was viewing his Robust Spirit as his best trump card, which wasn''t wrong. Its use should come at rescues.


    Against Uqari, this was the 6th use of Robust Defense.


    Uqari had no time to adjust herself because Murai was quick in his decision, while the flow of his Robust Defense was quick and sudden. A white glow spread from his head, gleaming from his feathers and bathing him in manifestations of his Soul Power.


    Enveloping him in a matter of a moment, Uqari''s Piercing Hearts came upon this impenetrable barrier that was stone-certain to be sturdier than his beak. It was just a little bit above his feathers, glowing like a barrier.


    Murai wasn''t sure about its limits or his beak, but both of these were much more useful than what made his level. To this day, Murai was still questioning the aspects of levels, which Lisa more or less touched upon in the last few days herself.


    They were useful only in terms of rough meaningful topics, which wasn''t all that clear. Lisa didn''t get that either because of him, but it was true that Murai''s level was lower than it should be. Age might not be the sole cause of it, but Murai wasn''t that interested in that either way. He worked around the levels anyway. He had done that ever since he came here.


    Mindarch wouldn''t change that, nor the Gates.


    Shrouding Murai''s body, the energy of his soul gave him warmth and confidence.


    Though his heart still bled in his stinginess, the Soul Force had its limits, so using it was hurting his questionable duck''s pride.


    Uqari struck him without regard to the sudden glow. She expected something to come, which was why she attacked with all of her might, but she had no clue what would come out of this duck or glow.


    Her nails didn''t shatter, nor did the white gleaming barrier aura. She had no idea what it was about. All she saw was something ridiculous in this light. Then she shoved her forth, hitting something small yet unmovable like a mountain.


    Uqari felt it more than she would prefer. Each of her nails twisted unnaturally, and so did some of her fingers that bent and cracked under her momentum of meeting an unmovable duck.


    Murai stood on the ground, unmoving as if his tiny legs had roots miles deep. Uqari growled, stumbling on her feet, and cursed her fingers and the momentum behind her attack.


    Murai didn''t attack. He couldn''t.


    She smacked herself to him instead, damaging her fingers and flailing at him.


    Attacking Murai was indeed weird to her in all regards because of his low center of gravity and overall weight.


    Then, she fell head first to the auric barrier as well, yelping and feeling as if she hit the tip of an iceberg that hid most of it underneath. Her back bent when she used the other half of her Piercing Hearts, and each of her arms twisted as she fell behind him. It felt unnatural for her stature to come to a sudden halt, but she truly came to an unstoppable wall.


    Spitting blood, she rolled away as Murai watched her with a clear sneer on his face. He was ready with his beak, although the Robust Barrier had to retract first. When active, he can''t move. Uqari tumbled dozens of times, not knowing what else to do other than ready her Bloodline powers and try to ready her hands.


    But she felt dread coming and it was closing. Murai stopped his Robust Defense quickly, letting it glow for a whole 3 seconds which required half a dozen hours of recovery. He could afford it without trouble since his overall pool of Soul Force was above 100.


    That was the truth, albeit his mind still complained.


    Adding the expensive Robust Will and Strike, it wasn''t a lot indeed.


    Uqari had no idea what she was hit with, but it was humiliating to shatter herself by her own weight and move. Robust Defense was a perfect counter, which some of the figures around the perimeter felt and saw with fear. A clutter of whispers echoed, but neither of the fighters cared for that.


    Uqari quickly tensed her arms, quivering and readying her Bloodline in glowing velvety aura around her. Stopping on her belly, she glared behind her, feeling mana that shimmered and tensed the air.


    Beak''s Peak was in its glory on Murai''s beak. He almost considered pouncing upon her neck but chose to be a bit more careful. A wounded demon was no different from a wounded beast.


    So he still went for the head, but carefully bidding for his time and to see Uqari''s last cards. She had something left in herself after all because the spirit in her eyes didn''t dim. With her arms and twisted body, she felt Murai gave her not enough time.


    It was fair in the battle to disregard the morality of death and life.


    Uqari pushed her Bloodline like thin veils of aura, pouring her control all around her like shimmering fog. Murai felt it closing, flying at him like an arrow. When he felt these foggy layers and the scent of the Lust, he could only laugh with his closed beak.


    It didn''t affect him whatsoever, although it was the best shot Uqari had left. Her quality of Bloodline and control over Lust could influence the mind even for the Wicked below, or around her level. She tested it herself.


    ¡°Drop your beak... and sleep,¡± Uqari demanded under her bloodline power that all succubuses had in one way or another. She was relatively good at it, but she met the wrong opponent.


    It backfired splendidly.


    Murai walked up to her calmly, showing off his beak and glaring at her like she was a fool.


    Uqari tensed up in embarrassment and immediately panicked. She got to her knees, twisted her hip, and pushed the remaining power over her hands into Murai''s head. Neils became whips and blood sprayed.


    It came quickly, Murai must say, but not enough power was behind it.


    He jumped, dodging one of her arms and smacking the other with his Peak aside, crashing the bone into an open wound that cracked the muscles and let the blood spill around.


    Uqaru had no time for yelping. A Peak arrived at her neck.


    Murai did not clutch her tight, nor did he twist it apart. He made a simple motion with his clutched Peak, swiping it as if a fly was flying around. Then he kicked her chest to move away, letting the blood seep out of her neck in a matter of few seconds. Murai did one motion his Peak lacked in terms of flexibility, by using it as a tool.


    A sweep had many faces; it didn''t have insane power, but his beak had good shape to think of it like a sword. Peak was still incredibly jarring in terms of flexibility as it guided a lot more power through his spine, core, and onto his beak. Using it in a different way than it was intended for wasn''t wrong. He used its energy to swipe around, essentially creating a crevice in her neck by the little tip of his beak.


    Through this Gate, he had time and foes to experiment with, forcing some ideas and familiarity to bear their results.


    A rough cut divided part of Uqari''s neck, moving the thin armor plates aside, or directly cutting into them. A fatal wound, Murai knew.


    Uqari collapsed under a breath, wincing, gasping for breath, and dying in a pool of her blood, unaware of how she could have done something else than do her best. Voiceless, she had no way to fight the dread.


    She made a fatal mistake numerous times, but this was a punishment that meant her End.


    It was unfair. It was too quick... Tough reality swallowed her, but when the darkness enveloped her, she felt nothing. It was eery darkness.


    Murai would sympathize with her if he was half the man he used to be. Killing her didn''t prove or satisfy his heart nor change his mind about anything. His acts did. Gulping a few drops of her blood that remained in his beak, it tasted bitter and slightly sweet at the same time. It didn''t give him anything, so he spit it out.


    The whispers that his Eater Status worked with didn''t tell anything either. The blood tasted weirdly comforting though, and in fact, it had a good aftertaste.


    Murai was inclined to try some more, so he glanced at the pool of blood hesitantly. But it wasn''t probably that great of an idea when he was in the middle of a place that wanted his skin. Literary.


    There was a group of demons around one side of the street, whispering and itching in fighting spirit and veiled doubts. Murai felt them all with his Soul Read, but thinly, because there were too many of them to seek them one by one. Soul Read had troubles with multiple souls around him at once.


    Murai can ignore some completely, but it was an exercise that he wasn''t that successful with. He didn''t get any splitting headaches, which was enough for him.


    If his memories served him any good, then eating another demon in this sort of circumstance would be worse than a slap on their faces. It would just lead to more trouble and agitation.


    He was satisfied with what he accomplished anyway. A pair of enemies were around this street, unmoving and gone out of his mind.


    Flipping his feathers like a duck that got out of the water, he was free of any blood, apart from some that was left on his beak that stopped glowing. Murai didn''t know how to comfortably clean it, so he left it as is.


    His mana was fine. He used even less mana than against the Goliath Golem if the dozen Blades shining above the street weren''t included.


    Turning his attention back to the street and leaving Uqari behind, howls, cries, and anger issues of demons welcomed his full attention. Not only demons were loud, but beasts that were half wolf and half-orcs, or those that were even harder to describe, all made some noises. They all wanted a piece of him, albeit they all lied in one way or another. It was all a front, but some of them were truly itching to taste him. It was their honest desire, Murai felt.


    Some doubts stemmed from fear of an Anatidae. Demons and beasts were most vocal, but none of them pushed their mana or aura forward. It wasn''t allowed unless Mindarch voiced his will.


    One way or another, whether he hadn''t eaten Uqari or tasted her blood, killing a demon was close enough to eat one. It was directly done in their lofty temple, so Murai understood where their howls were coming from.


    It was a front. Probably for the Challengers to feel tension or the heights of this place. There was no way they would all come at him as a group.


    But what if they did?


    Murai thought he would be dead for sure, unless he would crack his head around some nasty tactics, or he could just jump away to safety. That was the edge of the Island, which was an act he had never considered in his mind. It wasn''t worth it for his legs and mind.


    He knew he couldn''t afford it. It would be laughable, but it was a better idea than dying.


    On the Last Island, it sounded worse than terrible.


    Murai sighed, feeling that letting his actions speak for himself worked the best. He had no trouble killing someone who wanted to kill him. Those demons can growl and lie or play some sort of game all they want. He didn''t care.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Morality didn''t matter. Killing was a basic of basics across every Sky he had seen, and every world he saw and lived through. Even a child would get it. Well, maybe those didn''t need to understand it everywhere, but every world had some corners where death and utter hopelessness cherished the world or those above the hopeless.


    Mindarch''s voice carried some force and surprise. He was no longer that pissed off.


    He should just go over the Murai''s act in 93rd Island and leave the armor as a basic cost for questioning an Anatidae. It backfired, unfortunately, but it wasn''t his fault.


    [Citizen M has slayed another foe. Congratulations.]


    [Island 99 has it tough, albeit Citizen M does prove his tactics shattered even a punished member of the Lust Palace who thought of going solo. It is a Lesser Lust Demoness nonetheless, but the kind that has been through this temple more than twice.]


    [Killed, as she deserved, bonus points have been added for your quick wits and accomplishments.]


    [The next opponent shall be coming sooner than later, right after Citizen M waits for the situation to calm down.]


    [Dowtime: 3 minutes.]


    [Stemming from the cherished and those that acted through time and will of Levandis, the owner and the mighty Ruler of this temple, comes the next well-thought-out opponent.]


    [Factor of a splendid challenger upped the degree and limits of what Citizen M shall get. The low-tier opponents shall just wait or disappear, bark and howl how they desire, but low as they should, I must tell. They aren''t worthy subjects to test your might, much to my careful picks that didn''t seem to meet the rightful demands.]


    Murai heard a bunch of excuses that Mindarch must voice not for him alone, but because some folks from Hell Havens must be watching this place.


    He wasn''t sure if he was correct, as he couldn''t even feel the Pressence or Will of those that could do it from far away. It was a hunch he was watched. He trusted it.


    [Difficulty has been increased for the purpose of Gate 3.]


    [Who knows if it will be the last opponent, but some things glide through space and come to higher grounds.]


    [Because Citizen''s M threshold of higher mana added nasty surprises and great tactics, the next round shall be splendid.]


    ¡°The last one wasn''t?¡± Murai asked, feeling and knowing that Uqaru wasn''t that weak. She was just... unlucky.


    Mindarch stopped his words that seemed overly exaggerated for someone''s sake.


    Not his, Murai bet his wings on that.


    Hearing his message did provide some answers. Murai glanced left and right at the foes: demons, beasts, undead, and a couple of golems alike. He wondered what or who would step forward.


    He waited for his minutes to end while calming his breathing and mana. It was not that useful, obvious to the hovering Blades above his head. 3 minutes was barely enough to change his mind or do something with his complicated mana space.


    It was perhaps bad for him since these minutes could lower the flow of battle he had endured. Downtime could lower his instincts or carry other problems like a less tense-up body. For anyone unfamiliar, it was akin to a loss of adrenaline, or preparedness when one focused on fights.


    He was like that a lot of times, but this Gate had rather simple duels in its premises.


    This Island was different from that, similar to the 93rd Island that had 5 whole waves and dozens upon dozens of fights back to back.


    Enemies back then were in the lower tier to these, however. He could tell that, albeit killing them was still difficult because of Sachitori.


    Murai grew from that time as well. His beak, footing, and flow of his movements were improving better against tougher opponents. He acknowledged that, so he wasn''t afraid of anyone who would come at him next.


    He was far from his limits. And if someone will test them, he will welcome it.


    None of the foes on each side of the street dared to do anything else than growl in displeasure. No one stepped forward on their own, and Mindarch didn''t speak either.


    Some wanted to come forth, but unless they had a death wish, they needed the acknowledgment as dogs of this temple.


    Their levels didn''t go over the 43rd. Anything lower than 50 was considered Fodder around the Hell Havens. That was the undeniable fact unless age or talent moved in different ways.


    Level 43 was the upper limit of Murai''s current limits that Mindarch could push against him. Any more than that, and it would be a Breach of the crafted rules of this temple, which worked with balance in mind. Most of it was under Levandis''s care, making Mindarch a principal of her rules.


    It should be fair. That was what she wanted and desired, unlike a lot of places in the Surface.


    So when Challengers that were outside of the norm often closed toward the limits, Mindarch had endless problems ahead and a lot of work to do.


    Such circumstances were then met with special cases of challenges that Mindarch loved or hated. Nothing in between.


    The current situation was exactly that since Murai wasn''t normal and fair to Levandis''s rules. But either because of his level, might, or age, Murai was still moving within the established rules. Barely, but enough.


    All because of his somewhat low level, it was possible. Spending fools below Level 50 wasn''t an issue for any Hell Haven, but some talents and absurd members were different. Wicked were that, while many Divine Beasts or special Bloodline Demons had height ceilings for Levels or fighting capabilities. These could be similar to Anatidaes.


    Around the streets, the beasts and demons growled. Mindarch and Levandis were their masters, so they didn''t move.


    Soon enough, the unwilling, or in this case, unhinged and indifferent figure stepped forward. All of the growls stopped, turning the street into complete silence.


    Demons looked at the moving figure, jaws open and eyes bulging. The figure that stepped forward was the one they didn''t expect, as it was a rare and special case they had never seen before. For this one to do anything else that serves as a mascot, toy, and fearsome memento, it was strange. They didn''t know what to expect.


    Anatidae Golem walked forth, walking steadily and in a relatively weird manner. It swayed its chunky upper body, walking on relatively thin legs. Its body was mechanical and its wings were made of well-crafted alloys that resembled feathers.


    Murai realized it was a golem earlier, but the kind that he couldn''t see through at all. Even now, he felt or saw no mana out of it. Its mana veins must be hiding, or its efficiency or mana control was high. Looking at the two-legged golem, not one bit bigger, or smaller than himself, he couldn''t help but question this damned Mindarch.


    Golem walked like a machine, slowly and with an unnatural form of movement and steps. Featherless, its body held armor alone, but the legs weren''t protected. They were thin and flexible pieces of metal rods that held flexible and mechanical curvature, allowing golem to move. Those had no armor, but Murai bet some nasty materials went to their creation.


    Almost nothing indicated an Anatidea apart from its stature. It had made-up feathers etched around some armor pieces, but nothing else.


    The golem''s body wasn''t an object made of flesh, but in some cases, it could be. Depending on crafts, and Vitality-based treasures or materials, many wonders happened under talented hands.


    But in the end, souls were hard to forge into the lifeless metals.


    This golem was hard to figure out, as it held no mana undulations even after it began to move. It was relatively silent even in its mechanical steps. What it was holding underneath all of that armor wasn''t under Murai''s vision at all. From the basics he could see, it formed a special case of well-crafted layers of armor, but they were tiny and thin, and working as protection, weight, and he didn''t know what else.


    Its quality was exceptional if the mana wasn''t leaking, but something was still suspicious. What was its level? It was looking far better than Acaman Golem¡ªwhich was even forcefully put to his level¡ªwithout relying on its tactics.


    That could change. Murai wasn''t sure how, but this golem should be on his level or higher, yet it was small and weird. Almost like himself.


    Everything about it was hidden, unlike the Goliath Golem who had its issues as a mass-created war golem. Its runes and magic that would make the shape whole were hiding.


    That was his hunch. The runes made golems always work. They would be scraps without them, while a mana-less exterior meant a complicated interior. It made up for the shortcomings that Goliath had, but it was a wonder what kind of lunatic was willing to make such a nice golem in duck''s appearance.


    Well, the materials weren''t that wide or large, so perhaps that was one of the reasons. Another idea could come from the inspiration. Anatideas were quite fearsome creatures in this world after all.


    Murai wondered what sort of attack patterns it could have, or what its defense patterns were like. Runes of the golem ensured there was a certain set of motions available, which made certain outcomes different from the figure that held the proper soul.


    A machine can''t learn that well. That was usually the norm, as runes worked with calculations and outcomes to cause actions. All sorts of situations that a proper living wouldn''t think about, a golem needed more time for them.


    In this case, it was a wonderful idea of an Anatidae Golem that included inspirations from the former Challengers.


    As for which, or what this Anatidae accomplished, Murai didn''t need to know it. He was curious about it, however.


    From the attitude of the demons and beasts, Murai felt their clear emotions. They appeared to be scared of that golem for some reason. Perhaps it was honest fear of an Anatidea, or was it because of this golem in particular? If so, why they weren''t afraid of him? Or it may be a fearful reverence that caused that, or death, anger, or who knew what else?


    Murai couldn''t read everyone''s faces, but one thing was clear as stone that made up the ceiling of this cave. He had to defeat this thing that wasn''t even alive.


    Turning his attention and attitude to a proper situation, Murai focused his physical and mental interests with utmost caution. He was ready for this laughable fight against the enemy his size.


    It was that important to him! This was his first time coming into contact with another kind of his species, albeit it wasn''t how he expected. It didn''t matter to him it wasn''t proper. What it will be like had its merits, as its quality and power should give him some ideas about his species.


    Whether it was a bad idea or not, it didn''t matter to him. Carelessness wasn''t in his mind. Before, he followed the suit of his experiments and heart, but now? There was no way he wanted to taste a tinge of defeat against someone like him! Especially against a non-living Anatidea.


    That sounded quite terrible; he was unwilling to taste this sort of defeat.


    Murai maintained his Blades above him. They waited for their chance, hovering as if they were under his mental control. They tensed up before Mindarch even acknowledged the start of the fight, or introduced the enemy.


    Murai straightened up his Blades, forming a strange arrow made of dozens of them. He was very close to unleashing them like an arrow, thrusting them to see if this golem would take it head-on or not.


    Any kind of outcome, input of mana, or actions with good timing would give him some answers and expectations. How good depended on his strategy and view of this golem.


    But he was yet to unleash it. He waited for the Anatidae Golem to move closer.


    Unexpectedly, its movement speed was terrible... abysmal like a duck would walk. It walked forward carelessly, ignoring anything as its runes of motion stirred its internal structure.


    And its fight was yet to start, so it was calm.


    There was a clear delay in what a golem could do. How well they performed changed how the makers or the golems worked, or how well designed they were.


    But at their core, golems can''t do anything else than act under the written rules, set up by the maker. No one knew what to expect from them until they acted.


    Murai didn''t know what to expect from this thing that, as far as his eyes went, looked sturdy, but that was about it. It even had a shiny beak that looked sharp, protruding from the helmet with a crystal and shiny appearance. It looked impressive, unlike the legs.


    Should he take the initiative? He did most of the time but against this golem?


    He rather waited to see what it would do, thinking what sort of patterns it would do and what his Blades would accomplish.


    Many questions turned around Murai''s mind in a dozen seconds as the golem moved its slow metallic legs.


    Before he knew the right answer, he sneered. ¡°Of course, it is as easy as it is. What else is there for me here? This temple is turning into a serious adventure, but it hardly changes my heart.¡±


    Upon shouting this in his mind, Murai let go of the knots of a few Blades.


    Without words and any Mindarch''s care, they split from the rest, swinging and trembling in fine thrusts, appearing as spears instead.


    A triplet of sharp Blades arrived at the golem in a split second. As if expecting some form of explosion, Murai squinted his eyes, preparing the rest of the Blades just in case. Being prepared was his strength, so be it in the quick success or not, he could pull the trigger and let the storm descend. It wouldn''t stress his core at all, because his mana was already out. His Shaping would be difficult and the Blades''s structure poor, but it was possible.


    Overwhelming the foes was a good way to kill them, while expenditure was often neglectful if the mana of those Blades would come back inside of him with diminishing return.


    He was ready to see something, but what he expected didn''t occur. The sole thing that changed and stood up from this Golem Anatidae was its beak that could open up, clutch things with ease, and twist and tear with teeth made of some rocky gems.


    The metallic helmed was made accordingly to the beak, as it was one of the most important aspects of an Anatidae. The beak itself had a golden azure luster, perhaps because of the materials it was made from, forming some alloy or natural treasure. Murai wasn''t sure about the metals or forging. He wasn''t that active in this crating profession that demanded a lot of time.


    In the world set with mana, his mind worked well enough for it. Mana can be Shaped and forged like the finest of blades as well. So when he viewed this golem, unless he was one to research the golem closer, he had no idea about its armor or structure. He had to pique it with his beak to see its quality.


    Or he could just watch.


    Feeling the tension in the air, Murai looked at how it opened its beak and twisted its legs, before literally catching the fast-moving Blades in midair. Friction and metal sounds echoed in the street, and a glint of mana shined in a quick clash. The clear winner was obvious.


    Blades twisted and turned to specks of light, unable to take the jab of that beak. With a quick sweep of the neck and clutch of the beak, Blades disappeared into a puff of fog. Just like that, the golem solved this quick attack from 3 directions.


    Its internal structure also made some audible noise akin to a beast grumbling, yet its mana was still hiding. It was a fairly unnatural sound coming from such a small golem.


    It decided to initiate its attack next, figuring that the attack came so it shall counter it on its own. It was the general procedure of how golem worked. One action would lead to consequences, while myriad changes, orders, and possibilities can make the runes that much more complicated.


    Out of many subdivisions of magic, rune crafting was a complicated and ancient prospect that worked with principles of ancient energies, Laws, truths, and power structures that moved through time and lost histories. It was said to have roots in the universe that once was, but it got destroyed to set a new life.


    It was more of a rumor, with almost no redeeming answers to set it as truth.


    Runes followed the suit of the mana, or was it backward? Energies that moved the universe were mana in many names, while Laws were supposed to be set in stones, similar to runes. They followed all golems, creating one of the most intricate and hardest kinds of crafting magic to learn, let alone master.


    Murai never did much with it in a long time, since the premise of turning attention from oneself to other things wasn''t up to his tastes.


    Gaining a thorough understanding of how golems operate, what makes each one unique, and how to take advantage of particular vulnerabilities, was something he took care of throughout his lives numerous times. It never became his focus.


    The structure of the majority of golems wasn''t as intricate as their creators. They were often levels below them, causing issues about their expected touches. If a golem was too strong, it meant expenses and repairs that one would hardly swallow.


    Murai wasn''t surprised to see his attacks fail. If they caused some damage, that would be way too boring. Looking at the golem with his overserious and focused gaze, he was much more serious than in the last few Islands put together.


    And for the start, he pushed his Mana Sonar forth, pushing a wave all around him, but focusing on the golem with all of his attention. To his happiness that his focus worked, Sonar pushed at it more than around, even if there was a blunder.


    Sonar bounced back, not revealing golem''s mana structure or runes. That never happened before. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Oh? Surprising... That armor has some interesting properties, I suppose. Can''t see anything, or it might be something else. If my Sonar can''t reach what is deep, that is... weird. There should be at least some sort of resonance. No golem should have something this great, which makes.... what exactly? Whatever it was, it stopped my curious eyes, which the maker of this golem did plan for, or it could be something else.


    That is weird... my Sonar works wonders and mana is universal. There would be some form of destabilization in the runes if my mana can''t get in. It is about the mana flow that runes need. Right... Mana. I can''t find its core like this. Is it the chest? Head? All I can see are its armor, wings, legs, part of the neck and beak. Murai deducted, looking at the charging golem that was walking toward him like an angry duck.


    Nothing about its aura was threatening, which made its small figure that much less menacing.


    Anatidae Golem was seriously charging ahead, however. A clutched beak was coming for his neck and there was no way he would call himself great if he wouldn''t use his own as well.


    Murai clutched his beak, striking with all of his physical strength and power of his own body, and clashing against the golem. It had no abilities granted by Battleworld, nor did it have a soul on its own.


    But it could have some other nasty things, as the maker was the decider of its structure and abilities, giving it any unique set of favors one could want.


    It should have a multitude of intricate mana-based abilities and they would become obvious from the outside. It was how it always worked in golems, even if their mana was initially hidden. Mana would flare up in motion.


    With no flare-up, that meant it didn''t use anything else than the physical strength of its body.


    Which Murai met. A crisp metallic sound and a small explosion echoed around the street.


    Demons shuddered, frowning, and whispering amongst themselves. Beasts backed away on instincts, fearing these small beaks.


    Some of the more acclaimed and lofty demons were making deals, others made bets among one another. Who would win this exchange between a pair of quite hilarious foes? None of them knew the answers, but some dared to imagine the results. They all realized what this golem meant.


    They didn''t doubt its ability; they doubted its reality. How come it was here? In a place where fodder fought for opportunities?


    Murai went toe to toe against that metallic beak with multiple strikes and clashes. Its strength wasn''t the least bit smaller than his. Murai was inclined to believe it was hiding more strengths or cards under its armor.


    Yet, the beak''s tips went against each other, and soon, Murai felt overwhelmed. He had to step back, allowing himself a breather that this golem wasn''t prone to. Its flesh had limits, but in a different way to Murai who had his own set of troubles.


    He didn''t lose. He changed his tactics by getting away and changing stances.


    This little maneuver left the golem stumbling forward, flappings its neck and beak to the ground. Whatever change or structure this golem had, Murai didn''t know it. Sonar didn''t work, but he could use his imagination and set of rules he would use in such a golem.


    What this golem had or hadn''t was diverse.


    Thus, Murai began his dance of figuring out how to slowly chip this golem apart and discover its secrets.

 Chapter 152: Cracking the armor

    Battles were always about the rules of the game. How one changed and used the cards differentiated a fool from the player.


    Murai was often one or the other, unwilling to seek changes but to challenge the living itself or the whole world.


    In his case, runes were everything that he needed to care about, rather than the worldly powers or Gods that had their own sets of powers. This golem before him was tough like the finest steel, which he felt with his beak that never disappointed him. Its beak was crispy clean even after their dozens of clashes where he felt its weight. He lost in more things than he wished to proclaim.


    It wasn''t surprising to him. He hadn''t used Blitz of Peak after all, while his Blitz with its Fatality should work great with this sort of exchange in mind. Peak would work too, he bet, but in limited timings and problems because of its channeling.


    Golem charged again, sidestepping less than a second after Murai changed his tactics. Murai had a chance to attack it from the side but was too late, or intentionally observing its reactions.


    He was correct. Golem''s normal reaction speed provided a normal proceed of runes. At least for a golem. Whatever its sensors were, or how they acted and touched upon the reality, they worked without influencing the mana from the outside perspective.


    He hadn''t sensed a thing with another wave of a Sonar.


    This wasn''t natural, but weird.


    How was this golem working? Were its sensors based on something else than the mana? Would sound, scent, and heat work in such quick manners? Or was it the physical movement alone?


    It wouldn''t be the first of its kind to work in either of them, as many runesmiths and golem makers viewed the art of creation in many ways. Possibilities were as endless as one''s imagination, similar to the rules of magic.


    It was equal to the Shaping itself, albeit that one had some limits since the body was the temple one was given, while a golem can be changed in any way possible. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Golem stepped on the ground, turning, and was yet to flick his wings. They looked like the finest of the cutters, but it had no chance of using them yet, or it didn''t need to. Before, it probably figured the beak was enough, or was it his action or the motion set of the maker that made its moves?


    Golems can have custom inputs specially designed for specific opponents. If someone like Mindarch controlled it or designed it against him, Murai wouldn''t be surprised. He felt tested on more than one occasion.


    Its strength was completely out of his vision, so he found it more than frustrating and nasty. He didn''t like being clueless. It stunk of weakness.


    Golem turned and attacked while bending and intensifying the motion of its neck. It had no feathers anywhere, but many metallic plates did look like made-up feathers. They lacked the shine, fluff, and great touch of the real deal as if the maker couldn''t afford more imagination.


    Its colors were dull, metallic, cold, and hard textured. It looked like a statue of a duck made of many pieces of metal armor plates that created armor. One would wonder what was underneath it.


    Murai bet there was samthing.He saw a portion of the rougher feathered patterns around the neck, where there were few gaps in these plates to give it more neck flexibility. He was right.


    This armor was wearable.


    In golems, esthetics weren''t often needed, unless they were practical and required for something specific. Practicality and strengths were what mattered for most golem makers, seconds to the actions and making sure the sequences of the runes made sense.


    Independent golem was the utmost dream for any golem maker, and any golem that could pose as guardian for years to come without any touch was a successful golem.


    And Murai will gladly destroy them all. A step back against a shiny beak that flickered at his chest was more than enough to change his course of action. He was in the defense, dodging to see its actions rather than acting against his attacks. Attacking, dodging, and deflecting all changed the outcomes.


    Golem barely flinched. It changed its footing, steadied its neck, and attacked again. A twist and sidestepped on his one leg later, the stabbing beak was coming to his side and missed him by a couple of centimeters, leaving the golem''s side wide open for the first time thanks to its wide stab.


    Murai had Blades lingering above him, which the golem didn''t take into account for now, or it did, but it didn''t reveal any changes. Murai waited for the right opportunity to use his Blades, which was already more than unusual for him.


    He wasn''t always lenient enough against dull, stoic, or indifferent enemies, let alone golems whose sole purpose was even worse. They posed as nothing else but to intentionally piss him off and obscure his path.


    He hated these the most because there was not only a waste of materials in these golems¡ªwhich would be easily spent on better things¡ªbut he felt like a child playing with the toys of others.


    He had no qualms about destroying such things, but when the situation reversed too much, he didn''t like it. He would rather battle annoying opponents than dull golems.


    Murai stepped similarly to the golem forward. He was close, so he bent his neck with his beak to build up some momentum. He turned for the Beak''s Blitz for the time being, charging his beak with a glint of mana. He knew this was the best ability to seek the quality of this golem with, next to the Blades or Peak, but these had Shaping limitations in terms of seconds that he didn''t want to gamble with.


    So like a maniac, he began to stab, strike, and slash at the armor, neck, and wings of this small fortress of a duck. Crisp sounds came from these impacts that lasted barely a second because the golem was quick to react.


    It sidestepped, flickered its wings, and deflected Murai''s beak away, slapping him aside as a whole. But some hits did connect and left their mark, revealing rough blunt wounds at the side of its armor plates. Blitz had limited momentum left behind its stabs, so the damage wasn''t that high.


    Golem remained in that motion of going forward for less than 2 seconds, which was twice as fast as Murai thought his attacks would last.


    In that time frame, Murai was able to unleash his Blitz strikes 7 times, which was good, but not enough to change anything. Plates were in one piece, and the blunt forces of his Blitz hadn''t done much. He lacked the build-up momentum for the Fatality, let alone use Blitz''s properties. He was supposed to take hits and strikes with it, building up power, unlike with anything else he had.


    But he didn''t mind this aspect of attacks, since it was like earth and heavens in comparison to the Fury he used to have. Blitz was countless times more flexible as it didn''t strain his spine or head, and its power was much stronger.


    True, the Fatality was like a small Peak, but it didn''t have the massive force behind it that penetrated and destroyed things in a massive tide of force. Blitz was like a fine tool for his beak instead, while his movement of the neck ensured its flexibility.


    Everything worked substantially better after experiencing a hundred fights with the Blitz. In this Gate, he pretty much made the most progress out of anything had had done in this life.


    And it wasn''t over yet. With Heavenly Shaping behind him, future improvement and additions to his arsenal, and who knew what else, he was looking forward to what was next.


    Alas, what was before him was a tough duck indeed. Blitz was strong on its own, he knew. Even without anything behind, it was at least 10 times better than the basic smacks of his beak.


    Looking at the small dents in that armor, he began to laugh. Then he cursed out loud.


    ¡°What the fuck is it made off? It''s tougher than the finest piece of that Goliath Golem and that is the... Wait a second. The armor! Is the body underneath brittle? Why does it have those armor plates? It has its purpose. A special one, I bet, like its neck that is looking even weirder because of how flexible and slim it is, yet it is so strong too. Impressive... Fuck!¡± Murai cursed, misspeaking as he briefly thought this golem was a work of art that he wanted to discover. It was exactly like him, but he wasn''t willing to acknowledge that.


    One of his past lives showed its fangs at him, but it quickly changed to the ruthless and focused glint in his eyes. He got the gist of his reality, forgetting that he wasn''t much different from this golem in some manners and facts. His neck was also tough and flexible and he had armor too! His feathers were one of the weirdest and fluffiest materials he had ever seen, but from the way they worked, their defense was incredible.


    And this golem had no such feathers.


    His ideas about his body were the outcome of the pain and blood of this Gate. He trusted his research, so although he may be that, this golem''s body was different than his. How much, or less, was exactly the difference he wished to see.


    Metallic sheen, stone-like structure in some parts, and clear curved feather-like pattern indicated no peculiar ore in his memory. Who knew what was even hiding underneath that armor body? The idea of a brittle body underneath should be false. No golem should be breakable easily.


    The armor plates were dull in color, showing no sign of the golem''s body. He had to go through it, destroy it.


    He had a goal. It was time to chop that armor off, revealing the body or its metal frame that must work for something.


    He was yet to be sure if those layers of armor were hiding or affecting its mana flow, or if it was a front for something else. Armors were usually for protection anyway, not hiding some ploys or techniques.


    Murai would never like something silly like having armor while having even more powerful defenses under it. That was why he thought the way he did without questioning his thoughts.


    Having someone else to speak to would help his decisions since he was in a constant state of figuring out many things at once. It made choices linger longer, his decisions wavered, and actions delayed him all so slightly.


    With the new goal set in his mind, he struck with it and began a wild duck''s dance with this golem. Similar to him, the golem went along with his new morale and idea, but instead of challenging his feathers, it went for his beak.


    And Murai had to counter that beak, unwilling to test his own defenses for the time being. Blitz struck against the beak many times, sometimes even winning the fight and striking the helmet or the rest of the armor. Rarely did he hit it, which revealed and fixed his doubts.


    It was sturdy...


    Sturdier than any normal armor.


    Cursing in ways of noises that few in this world would understand¡ªas they sounded like quacks¡ªMurai figured this golem was one giant mess he couldn''t figure out. Its mana was nowhere to be found even after he made a few rare cracks to its armor, but a few dents were closing on going through. It revealed no mana undulations, nor any veins from the mana core.


    Out of dozens of his attacks, just a few had gone for the armor. It still worked for his plans, albeit creating small dents instead. It was enough to prove its quality, and also Murai''s capability and decisions.


    Peak or Fatality will shatter it. There was no doubt in his mind when it came to this question, so the question was, how exactly he should go about it?


    Golem was quick in its runic structure, allowing for quick changes and actions. Murai sustained some hits in this barrage of clashes, but he wasn''t hurt much. Its beak had a surprising amount of blunt force, rather than sharp offenses. It mostly slapped against his head and neck a few times. It hurt for a breath before Murai ignored it, continuing with an exchange. He figured his feathers did protect him against most of this bluntness.


    He didn''t want any dangerous exchanges, so he began to think rather than act. That turned to patience. An aspect of assassins that he was fairly convinced was great for his soul, but perhaps it wasn''t that fitting for this duck. He would have to adjust his head for that, and his body would have to follow the rest.


    Every life held a different story. That was the rule of his Cursed Living that he knew and remembered.


    Changing his overlook over this fight did come with surprising benefits. He no longer battled like a maniac, and because Blitz could sustain this sort of fight without costing a lot of mana, he began to stall, dodge more often, and look for opportunities to challenge its armor.


    It worked numerous times, and dozens of holes were slowly creeping around the armor plates. Golem didn''t seem to change in any manner. No locks, dangerous runic constructs gleamed, changing its nature as if it was in no direct danger.


    Murai questioned that idea since every golem should have some aspects that would turn on if they were in danger.


    If they wouldn''t appear, that meant no danger.


    What he was doing was useless, wasn''t it? That question appeared in his mind for more seconds than he preferred, but that was a time he didn''t want to waste.


    That armor wasn''t looking that valuable anyway. It was small, looking similar to the one Falconers wore, for example. But because it was smaller, it had fewer curves and features. And it wasn''t doing anything special... really.


    This armor was just a layer outside of the golem''s actual body to act as a bothersome layer that one had to get rid of before attacking the real body underneath.


    Murai got pissed off about this more than he showed.


    So he decided to show it a lot more.


    Mana gleamed under his beak as he backed away a dozen of steps. Peak was getting ready, leaving the Blitz that had only a few opportunities to cause a Fatality in a fight, whereas Peak could be used dozens of times. Golem pounced forth, unwilling to give him time nor space to let the Peak reach more seconds.


    This confirmed what Murai expected. This golem was set to corner him in some ways. He could work with that idea in mind.


    This was a great timing for using his Blades that hovered above him. Through these clashes, he did spare some touches on them to let their size thin out, turning their mass to less weight on his spirit. 10 blades hovered a couple of meters above the ground. Each was around a meter long, flat with a sharp point, and straight as a board.


    Golem ignored these, probably because they didn''t do a thing. A living being would be wary of them long ago.


    Murai flickered the blades like chains, focusing on its legs to stumble it away. Golem reacted by wincing its wing, which wasn''t protected by the armor of stone-cold metal. The actual body of this golem had more dull colors, devoid of anything vivid.


    It trashed half of the blades to pieces with its wings or beak, causing mana to disperse, but few did cut in, leaving the already established holes in its armor thicker, while a single blade cut into the wing.


    It didn''t do a thing.


    It splashed as if his Blade was brittle. Murai knew it wasn''t, so he stepped in when the golem was busy getting rid of the 4 Blades that wrapped around its feet, obscuring its legs as Murai desired.


    Its beak was more than enough to get rid of them in 2 seconds, which was twice longer than it should''ve been possible. It should''ve slapped every Blade with its wings, but it failed. Murai''s Shaping and mana weren''t that bad; he ensured his Blades would be more than annoying.


    He arrived at its side, Peak buzzing and air shaking. He attacked one part of the Anatidae that he once felt was detrimental the most: the part where wings connect to the body.


    A trashing sound echoed, forcing the golem to the ground under Peak''s weight and power. Grinding sounds echoed too, challenging the armor plates but mainly one of the wings. It was a good choice that worked surprisingly well.


    His tactics weren''t without any gains, and a chunk of the armor crashed under his Peak too, falling aside, filled with cracks. Peak was savage in its offense like nothing else. The main thing that Murai wanted to destroy fell off too. Its left wing hung on a threat of threads and layers of few plates, revealing mana that stirred in very thin veins that connected the half-severed wing to the body. It fell off completely when the golem got up, forcing Murai away.


    It didn''t seem to mind the loss of its wing, which Murai questioned in his mind. Was it perhaps as useless to this golem as for Murai, who didn''t even know how to use them to fly like a duck?


    Well, the wings were useful in many ways. Deflecting with them showed some strength, as wings held the loftiest and thickest feathers out of any part of his body. It was a shield, a cutter if he may add, but his flexibility over his wings was less than great.


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    Using it sporadically was understandable. This golem was much better at using the wings than him, so he decided to get rid of one of them by focusing on the weakness without knowing it was a weakness. He attacked the back without much accuracy. He dug deep and connected the part of the wing.


    He thought he would crash it completely, but the wing was not only whole and without cracks, but it was also hang-on threats and mana. Murai was speechless after figuring out that the wing was detachable, which essentially meant he just got rid of its one tool.


    At least, the golem won''t take that wing back... hopefully.


    Murai saw it in a different light. So what if this damned golem had secrets up its sleeve. He felt the mana thinly under the small opening for the severed wing. Plates moved on their own, closing the hole away under the armor that mostly remained.


    He felt it. Saw it! The armor was the front! There were additional layers of plates underneath.


    Unfortunate as it might be, Murai had no time to use his Sonar. But he had his eyes. That wound revealed layers of body plates with intricate runes between the detachable wings and its body.


    It was an interesting vision, which put more questions into his mind than answers.


    Loss of the wing was good, all things considered, but what if he attacked the neck? A head? Feet?! Those could cripple the golem for sure.


    He regretted attacking the wing after he backed away, feeling that the golem turned serious. It was an act that happened on instinct. He almost began pounding the golem as he stood above it.


    Considering the weight and questionable internal structure of this golem, it was at least 10 times heavier them him and set with battle motions of Anatidaes in mind. Murai had no such inputs, so he wasn''t fighting like an Anatidae would. He simply used their tools at his disposal, which didn''t make him a great Anatidae. Just a mediocre one at best.


    He was also, more or less, copying and thinking about how this golem acted for future reference. Its neck movement, footwork, angles of its neck, and so on were all useful.


    He was correct to focus on the wing first since it should put the golem off balance, causing one side of its body to be prone to more attacks. Similar to him, its wings acted as good defensive measures and tools.


    Golem stayed in place as if calculating the moves or loss of its wing. Murai waited for what it would do without agitating it with Fire Shots or Arrows that he was certain would do shit.


    If his Blades barely made a dent in it, those would do nothing. Which left him with the Peak and Blitz as primary weapons.


    He didn''t like it. Few choices out of nearly a dozen weren''t up to his standards. Everything should be useful, but some things about this world were meant to be stronger than others.


    This temple ensured that limits were high, causing low-level abilities to be less useful.


    Murai hoped he would at least level them up to be useful in the future, or he wouldn''t like the end of it.


    Unfortunately for him, he thought of it in a bad way. Anything was useful as long the mind and work followed the tries and experience. His Arrows were highly shapable, depending on his mana and Sharpness put into them. With enough of both, even his Arrows wouldn''t lose to his Blades.


    Alas, this golem was sturdier than any living thing he had met in this Gate. Perhaps only that Undead Captain was sturdier, thanks to the armor that was far above its level.


    But it had a weakness, which Murai used to win.


    This Golem didn''t seem to have visible weaknesses. It acted with a single wing the same way as with it, although it meant one wing less to worry about.


    What else was under Murai''s choices or touches? Slowly chopping this machine with his Peak seemed like an obvious choice, but would the golem allow that? No. It didn''t before. He created that chance himself so that put his Shaping up to this test.


    Murai stepped back even further, figuring that this exchange showed great answers. Perhaps not continuing with his attacks upon golem''s back was a mistake he regretted, but Peak passed, and he rather backed away.


    Patience was a virtue, and successful wounds on the foe were a catalyst for victory. He repeated the mantras of nothing but excuses from his past lives. It gave him clarity and the decision to finish this job.


    Being too persuasive or aggressive wasn''t his style at all. Instead, taking his time, observing its patterns, and using his wits and skills were much better ideas. Some of these things were something this golem had in its runic structure of actions and causes.


    It had no instincts, but solutions for strange and invaluable lessons were possible to solve with good enough variety in its runic layout. Runes weren''t all-knowing, of course. There was only so much a tiny golem could hold.


    Golem stopped its movement, unbothered by its wound that touched upon its true colors. If it would be alive, it would''ve gotten very angry.


    In a sense, it did get angry, because it shuddered, stepped forward and a thin layer of mana started cruising past the armor and part of its visible layers that hid under the armor Murai managed to crack apart. There were feather-shaped plates under the armor.


    Murai bet he saw a glint through the helmet above the beak too.


    Some armor plates fell from its neck, revealing a rougher kind of metallic texture undereat. Then, the armor itself blew to pieces, leaving the golem bare in its raw appearance.


    [Excellent! What a thrill!] Mindarch shouted, ignoring the fact he completely disregarded the introduction that Murai was due to.


    [Time for a second phase! Let''s see what Citizen M shall do! I can''t wait.]


    Murai ignored that jackass but didn''t ignore the golem''s actions. He noticed the changed layout of its layered metals.


    ¡°That is interesting. I knew that my Peak wouldn''t betray me, but it seemed to be ready to smack me aside. Oh well, I will crash it if it dares to injure me.¡± He quacked in confidence. ¡°A quick, decisive Peak should always do the right job. It is a nice final touch, albeit... that wing, and that back. Only some plates fell off, haven''t they, yet it blew them to bits?¡± He asked himself, thinking that his Peak did enough against that wing but its power still crushed against the golem as a whole.


    Peak felt great to use, but he felt as if he hit a massive mountain and chipped away a few pebbles.


    Perhaps he thought too much about his Peak or too little about this golem. Murai was thinking way too much into his fantasies in general, so he disregarded this situation, other opponents, or this Gate itself.


    He was all alone in his head, directly facing this golem in a sea of nothingness.


    It was him and it. That was it.


    Only one will walk on their feet afterward.


    Unlike the Goliath Golem, this Anatidae was countless times more valuable and tougher. He could see this being a priceless try or experimental creation that looked onto the Anatidaes, while who knew what was underneath these layers of plates?


    One thing still stood, even when mana flared around it a little bit.


    His Sonar was yet to work further into the golem. Sonar felt the flaring mana around it, appearing like a glistering fog that was stable and thick.


    Murai wasn''t sure what to think of that. He had yet to see what sort of runic or mana features this golem had in its structure, which was a huge disadvantage. Knowing them always helped against golem opponents. Be it Acaman Golem or Goliath Golem, they each had their external ways, which he then exposed or used to his advantage.


    Whatever Mindarch or someone else had in mind to force this golem against him, they must have a very good time.


    It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance after all.


    Anatidea VS Golem Anatidea. It would never happen in the Surface, because no one sane would work around a golem Anatidae in mind. Not only it was too small to work with, but its power would also have to come in very special layers.


    Around this street, the clutter of whispers and noises spread. This sight and fight were entertaining for most of the foes since Mindarch already acknowledged they weren''t fit for this fight. There were already established decisions about the battles, long before they even came here.


    It seemed Levandis forced the battles and their decisions.


    Seeing such a rare fight was a bliss that most bystanders took to their hearts, which would soon shake the Hell Haven in a new light. It had been decades since the last Anatidae wrecked this place, and this time was even more savage, since Encounter, Hell Party, and game of mouse and cat were occurring in real-time. All under Mindarch''s touches which flew to the rich public.


    It was a fairly public contest, albeit outside of Murai''s knowledge. Even Lisa didn''t know the extent of everything, while Lorry was surprisingly silent about it for some reason. That skull was talking about nonsense most of the time anyway, so not speaking about it was strange.


    This sort of occurrence and clash against a pair of Anatidaes was impossible to occur in any kind of way.


    In the wild Battleworld and across seas, or continents, Anatidae species were animals prone to form connections, friendships, and love for one another for a whole life. There was very little known about them to the general public, but they were a very family-oriented species. There were some legends, stories, or direct situations involving them more than they should.


    But in a sense, a peasant in the city of Cinnar wouldn''t know them. Hell, even Iris didn''t know of them, and she was a curious child who was close to Vermillion Church.


    They were part of many other interesting species, beasts, and demons, which made their knowledge generally duller since ducks were forgetful.


    Considering their lacking numbers, knowledge about them was subject to disinterest, since they were beasts that minded their business unless someone pissed them off.


    So yes. That meant many were familiar with them more than they wanted.


    Murai had almost no knowledge about that whatsoever, even though he was one such thing himself. It made him quite frustrated, but also excited to discover their information in the future.


    He could also ask Mindarch directly, using his Question Mark, but there were priorities in other things.


    Golem swung its single wing around, causing a pressure to arise, and mana to quiver.


    And there on its head, the helmet exploded as well. It smacked it to pieces, revealing the duck''s head without any eyes. Instead, there were thin feather plates all over the head, curving backward to make a rough outline of feathers that blended with the neck and back. They were all small and metallic, forming the first layer of its body.


    Above the beak, there was the Mindarch''s Mark.


    And it glowed, acting as the construct or ability that seemed to work for golems too. Goliath Golem hadn''t gotten this for some reason.


    With the armor gone, the golem had initiated the start of the real deal. Mana all around it exploded, stretching far and wide.


    A gust of wind, pressure, and fearsome mana pushed onto Murai''s face, staggering him for a couple of moments.


    It was quite a shock when this golem connected to the mana flow and let it all out, ushering in the torrents of this place that was part of this world.


    Murai watched in silence as its whole body disappeared behind the glowing sphere of mana. It was crystal clear at first, until the glow was too hard to bear, causing the golem to be a mere silhouette.


    Whatever it was doing, it was shaking the street in dozens of meters around it. Its mana was manifesting, and no matter how Murai pushed his Sonar ahead, he felt the glow alone. He bet he should glance at its structure for real, pushing the waves through the whole body.


    Flames of radiating light were enveloping the golem without any regard. Nothing indicated some shaping or a spell. It was just a massive surge of mana that could be part of the technique that Murai had yet to learn.


    It went without question that he was surprised by the output of this mana. Only extremely precious golems should be able to withstand this much mana without exploding. It was also perplexing how much mana this golem held, since unlike living beings, golems were defined by their Artificial Cores, the capacity of the runic structure, and the stability of mana veins.


    Just what kind of core did this golem have? What kind of structure wouldn''t break this small body apart?


    Many questions spread all over Mruai''s face, caused by this storm. The vastness was unlike what many living beings could handle.


    It was true that golems weren''t prone to the problems of the flesh. Their flow of mana went into a precise motion, unobstructed by living rules. They were also painless, soulless, and meant to endure problems or explode while pushing the limits.


    All of which wasn''t feasible for living beings, so that made golems often good assassination tools. A massive output of mana wouldn''t hurt them to the extent that no living beings wanted, albeit it depended on their structures.


    And this golem was... more crazy and vaster than possible. It wasn''t cracking or exploding even in the smallest manner. Its true layer of plates remained slightly trembling and runes glowed between them. That was it.


    Murai didn''t think. He didn''t determine anything wrong. He only fought his thoughts as he wondered if he could Conjure this much mana. It felt large, so... what if Mindarch got it wrong?


    He didn''t state the incoming part of this golem, so perhaps he wasn''t supposed to battle it? He attacked first, after all, initiating the combat, but Mindarch already voiced his enjoyment and something about the second phase.


    He was whimpering, sobering up, and there was something wrong about this world. ¡°Is this some sort of joke? Are they forcing this exploding golem upon me or what? What the fuck are they? Is Razmund behind this? Oy!¡± Murai cursed Mindarch, not knowing if his eyes were playing with him, or if Mindarch was secretly laughing behind the rumblings of the whole street.


    Mana Sonar provided no benefits or doubts. It was neither right nor wrong.


    It felt overwhelming by the motion of the waves, causing Murai''s mind to see the light and trembling light fissures. His eyes at least worked better. Before him, the sphere turned into a pillar, with a shining sphere of mana at the bottom.


    Anatidae Golem was right in the middle, pointing his beak toward Murai''s direction after confirming its target and the amount of mana to kill it.


    It was perhaps an overkill, some of the demons around the streets thought as they backed away in fear long ago.


    Then, as if nothing unusual happened, the mana disappeared down, as if a black hole sucked the sun. The pillar and every speck of mana ended up on the golem''s beak, forming a strange formation and powerful fluctuations resembling a dense star.


    Murai grimaced and moaned in immeasurable bother, figuring that if Robust Defense wouldn''t take it, he was as good as dead. He wasn''t sure if this was some form of special runic formation it had, or if this was an ability stemming from the imitation of an Anatidae this golem was made from.


    It could be anything. This golem could have some variant of the Anatidea ability, which he realized soon enough as some resemblance hit his head.


    It looked like Peak, albeit much bigger in terms of mana since this golem wasn''t taking any normal mana flow. The cause might be its structure, this place, or everything combined.


    In Murai''s case, Peak was flowing from within him onto the tip of the beak. It wasn''t this savage and external, but it was similar it their ending vision.


    Murai had no idea about Anatidae''s abilities. His repertoire of abilities was kind of lackluster. He didn''t gain a lot of variables in terms of Bloodline abilities, nor did he have a chance to grow as an Anatidae.


    Through suffering and determination, he did gain the basics at least. That was the Blitz for the time being, while Peak had been with him for a while.


    Other than that, his Diving Sphere wasn''t qualified to be mentioned. It was a supporting ability anyway, although it was related to his Bloodline. Bloodrush was another thing, but he swore to himself to never use it again out of spite for his near-ending experience and its harsh nature.


    So yes. He gained some things in his brief life and his questionable Bloodline. Pretty much everything worked out because of his soul alone. Training won''t help much either. He needed more of what he was doing and more time.


    Battling would have to do for now.


    Murai had what he had thanks to how his soul interpreted his living, making it his own and slightly different from the normal members of his species. There were also differences among them in general, thanks to the sub-species that birthed brand new or different kinds of Bloodline powers that other sub-species couldn''t gain otherwise.


    In terms of evolution, there were the 3 choices that held vast differences at the start, unlike the next one which was up to the individuals to decide. Starting triplet of choices was their fateful, or determined important choices, while Influence Items often changed one of them to a new level.


    Seeing this golem doing something insane, yet familiar, Murai was correct.


    It was a basic idea of an Anatidae Bloodline ability, where the mana turned into tides, making mountains scream, and the roots of the trees would fly from the earth.


    Could he defend against this ability that channeled a ridiculous amount of mana into a singular point?


    Is this what Peak''s next step is, or is it even further? Or am I wrong and dreaming? Murai thought, breathlessly standing not that far from the pressuring point of the glowing star on top of the shiny beak. There was ridiculous pressure on top of it, aiming at him.


    It was much bigger than his own mana pool would create under his masterful Shaping well above his level.


    This wasn''t fair.


    It was ridiculous.


    He had his cards left aflame.


    And the golem was coming. He could tell that from the creeping steps that cracked the ground as if the golem was suddenly a hundred times heavier.


    Murai backed away, knowing he couldn''t take it head-on.


    Anatidae Golem strode forward as he backed away, pointing its Peak right at Murai, who was thinking of a way to defend against it. Dodge, deflect, take it head first? Should he jump out of here? Fleet to the portal? Or use his Robust Defense?


    He may be powerful because of his soul, but deep down, he had his insecurities because of this strange life. Being a duck was hard to swallow, because he couldn''t imagine having a normal conversation with anyone else but a former succubus, the skull that had some screw loose in its head, and... was that it?


    His mind was faltering against this pressure that tested everything about him. Everything had its limits. Murai had his own, which spoke of nothing but insanity or common sense.


    In the past, he was handled like a toy in Razmund''s hands. In Seventh Death Forest, he was hunted, so he became a hunter instead. In this temple, he became a Challenger to set his sights on a change to be better than before.


    His life was turning for the better, but his powers and chances weren''t absolute.


    He remembered the most ridiculous time in that well. His feathers were useless and his soul or some abilities that weren''t even his own seemed like a joke instead. It changed because of his body or was it something else? It all saved him without even his tries, followed by Will of the Battleworld who seemed like an angel descending from the skies.


    Murai shook.


    Everything in the street came to a sudden standstill. Feeling the tension, and droplets of his sweat, Murai wasn''t sure if ducks sweated, but he felt like he was. Feeling every inch of his nervous body, should he feel this way? Was it necessary? He told to himself it wasn''t fitting. He had enough of being helpless.


    There was no point in that. Every life had its ups and downs, making each experience worth it in the long run.


    There was no way he should feel this way since it would make the previous lives more of a joke than anything else.


    Seeing the approaching death, Murai gritted his beak, feeling every strand of his being reach the peak as he turned his core upside down. if this golem wanted a challenge, he would go all out as well.


    In a weird sense, he never felt sharper when watching and feeling the close call of the End. Mindarch''s voice carried no meaning. No demons or beasts were lurking around, growling, or whispering.


    ¡°As the saying goes, without some kinds of storms, life won''t blossom,¡± Murai said to himself, composing his mind to do what this exchange should be like. A turning point in his life.


    He had to accept it. His body, circumstances, helplessness, or everything in between. Similarly, but not so much to the golem, Murai turned his full attention to his Peak and mana. He lost control over everything but just his beak.


    Golem was yet to reach him. It was slower than a turtle on the ground, bearing the weight of the dense star. This allowed him to open everything he had, but not so much so his Artificial Core would shrink or crash in any problems.


    He started channeling his Peak for a few seconds first, which then turned to a dozen seconds, and his core, body, neck, and spine all screamed at him that it was far too much power.


    Yet he endured it. Soon, Anatiade Golem was a few meters away, enduring something that was out of the norm as well. Its every step added pressure on his soul and beak. It seemed the force that it carried was massive, but he had no idea if he was close to it, or very far away.


    He wanted to see exactly where it was. The answer was right there in front of him.


    It was a test, or so Murai thought. Golem could''ve attacked long ago, he told to himself; making himself feel better.


    Yet, the golem crawled at a slow speed, as if waiting for Murai to match its mana to make justice to this clash.


    It may be a front. A trap? Sensing what Murai would do, it could crash him after his core would be empty. That was possible since it was waiting for his action, meaning that the runes were made this way. Someone wanted to see this.


    Murai wouldn''t usually fall for such obvious things, but here, he felt that not attacking was difficult.


    Although difficult, he was in no hurry or raced for time. He felt he was, but not in a way that his mind screamed to him to flee or look for a way out.


    Since he forced himself to stand against this force of runesmithing, Murai was stubborn.


    Itchy feelings over his beak were endless, stress over his beak deep, and his core felt empty like a dried well. He reached a crescendo of mana, where nothing went out anymore. And his Beast Core was screaming like a hungry dog that flapped its lone affinities around.


    He was like a sponge that was made of stone. Until he let go of it, his mana felt like a knot that was his neck that was going around him.


    Could he use his Artificial Core too? He could... it was there in his mana space, waiting for any action he deemed worth it. His Beast Core wanted it as well, but he forced them to be separate. Some folks used the Core Defying Fusion Technique as a secondary source of mana, but its uses were far better in time and fusions.


    Using it as a mana source was a good idea. It already had more mana than his Beast Core. How much? Dozen times? It was just a rough estimate. He did feed it a lot of essences after all, but he did that for a reason. It was a source for something else. Not this fight for sure.


    And his Beast Core took the mantle to feed the Peak instead, gleaming it in waves that seemed endlessly going over one another, forming no tip, unlike the golem''s Peak. His whole head shined, and his glowing beak was thicker and wider than ever before.


    His acts were opposite to the outside surge that the golem showed before. Murai had a more composed technique.


    It wasn''t that showy at least, but Murai felt heavy and his mana was utterly out of his control, yet it remained guided as if locked to his beak. It was the focused power of his Bloodline and everything that was left of him.


    It should lead to one of the easiest and most comforting feelings in the world.


    Releasing.

 Chapter 153: Depth of the Anatidae Golem

    Murai was lost in the stretch of flowing time that was hard to tame but crisp to feel. It felt flowy, like being lost in the depths of the sea that kept flowing and bearing on every speck of his flesh.


    He felt his mana departing through his mana space, going to his flesh and muscles, and there, something grabbed it, mending and pointing it to his spine which led to the beak that was at the end of this road. It was the definition of his Beak''s Peak. This time, it was so vivid and alive, that he doubted his body and mana was even his.


    His skull was part of this flow too, somewhere in the pain and flow that was creeping like the suffering that was constantly shifting. Everything became weird. Reasonably speaking, his mind was no longer caring about any stress beyond some irrational threshold. When it became unbearable, it just shut down in his soul, or was it the Robust Spirit that overcame it? Changed him? Helped him endure something that he never tried before?


    Putting it all on the line with his Peak felt different than anything else.


    It was hard to say what was happening after he let his mana flow however it wanted, moving it to his beak. He felt nothing wrong or right as it almost happened outside of his body. He just felt content to let the flow end at his beak like he wanted. It was that simple, even if his core and body felt squeezed like dried cheese.


    Time became irrelevant like the onlookers have always been, or how ground below his feet felt, and tension in the air wavered around his feathers.


    It flowed the way it did, and soon, two ducks in different layers and styles faced one another. Both Peaks were ready.


    They were close, almost touching one another, but the golem was slightly further since the glowing star at the end of its beak was twice bigger than its head. Its reach was better.


    It shone bright, undulating pressure that must be a passive outcome of its pressed mana. Murai felt nothing much of it than pressure that he no longer cared for. His own Peak didn''t outshine it, nor did he feel as if he stood a chance against this star. He was stubborn to stand straight, letting the mana flow to his beak in many tides that came through him.


    He never unleashed such force through his Peak. He thought his body wouldn''t allow it, as 10 seconds seemed like the most his Peak at the highest output was able to bear.


    Now, it went over that point like a knife through butter, even though the knife felt like a mountain instead. The golem was visually striking.


    By this point, 24 seconds passed since Murai started his Peak. It felt much longer for everyone present on this Island or himself. Lots of demons began to clutter in nervousness, and weirdly, Murai heard their voices as if they were talking to his ears. He heard noticeable sneers and fearsome remarks about how Levandis created a monster, or how this new Anatidae felt different from others.


    Some intriguing comments would make him angry.


    ¡°I bet 10 days of food for our guy!¡±


    ¡°You sane?¡± a demon laughed. ¡°10 days is a steal from you. I am in.¡±


    ¡°This technique, I heard that some old denizens died by this single and small thing, yet they were large like a mountain. Isn''t that insane? Similar to our guy?¡±


    ¡°Stop yaping about nothing! This is a fucking fight for the pride of our Lady, you bunch of suckers! I bet 20 days on the little guy.¡±


    ¡°Which one?¡± a few of the observing devils asked at the same time.


    Voices whispered, or shouted, speaking and yelping as if their time no longer mattered to them. This Island ended up as a show for them. It didn''t count for their hopes or punishments.


    This was their playground, their place where they proved themselves without any time limitations whatsoever. It was Levandis'' playground, as much as it was theirs to prove their strength and power to touch the Hell Haven''s structure and growth.


    However, their deaths weren''t important. Most often, deaths were always irrelevant in the grand schemes of anyone close to Chaos.


    Each of them spoke without the ability to move since they couldn''t miss out on this show. Be it from the pressure of the show or Mindarch''s authority, or the set-up of this Islands as a whole.


    Murai cared even less about it than the speck of dirt on his feet. He did the obvious thing he could do when he felt nothing about the golem was changing.


    Golem looked to be waiting with his Peak. It was either stuck in action or it waited for something. That could become endless if that was the limit for an action, cause, or consequence.


    He expected nothing else from a soulless machine.


    So he stepped forward, feeling that he had met a threshold to an unknown reach of his Peak and mana that he hadn''t encountered in this life. It felt stranger than usual. It wasn''t a Resonance that was omnipresent across the universe. Nor it was a sudden recollection or whispers or flow of the Laws.


    Calling it a Resonance of his Bloodline, or body and mana put together wasn''t sounding that wrong.


    He didn''t test anything. No validity was there for him, nor answers. He just did what he felt necessary to not cry like a helpless duck that was pressing power over a mountain.


    He tested the limits of his Peak many times throughout the last few days. Its mana consumption, power, and flexibility varied by the degree of channeling and input of mana. It had no official stages, even though it felt it should have some because it still had some aspects that could influence it.


    Will of the Battleworld didn''t give him any clarity over it, similar to the Blitz that he had to figure out himself. It was the same training and learning shit all over again, while nothing changed even after discovering Fatality and his familiarity over the 100 fights reached another level. He felt he had improved 20 times faster, opposite to the last Gate that lasted hours. And there, he had spent more walking through that fog than fighting anyway.


    Here? He... still spent some time walking because of the bridges, but fighting was much more substantial and denser after he met his match.


    Peak depended on factors that worked surprisingly well with any advancement in his mana flow, Peak''s level, or simply training and figuring out the means of the channeling that Will of the Battleworld mentioned all those days ago. It didn''t depend on Shaping all that much.


    Peak was its own thing, as it was Bloodline ability that carried connection to his blood, Beast Core, and as he figured right now, it could manifest his everything... apart from his soul?


    He didn''t feel any changes in his soul apart from unnatural calmness and weird stress that he believed was caused by this Peak or his current spent condition. He was certain that his Peak was using his everything, and it gobbled it up like his Beast Core the mana.


    What if his soul could influence the Peak? Wouldn''t that be overpowered?


    The flow of mana and channeling allowed him to work around the power that Peak possessed. The longer the better. Simple enough, but it had some other parts that touched on time and mana.


    He hardly ever reached 10 seconds with it when he went all out. Now, it was lasting for 24 seconds already, which was way over any limits that he ever felt.


    And it felt wrong and right at the same time. Was it some limit that he broke, or could his Peak do this if he went ahead and pushed it all out? Or was it a Breach into something caused by his soul or Robust Spirit? He almost thought it was, because this felt like Peak but not at the same time. It was pure mana, and the flowy glow of his beak was within his eyesight, almost blinding him.


    Normally, his Beast Core would refuse to work after the 10-second mark and mana would get out of his touch.


    Peak would end if he strained his channeling in such cases, mana would disperse, and core would get hurt. Upon that point, any further actions would destabilize the form of the Peak, making it impossible to restore. It was also causing the backlash to his spine, head, and core, but those weren''t that harsh if his output was not that harsh.


    Which was unlike that right now...


    If he failed, there were some nasty repercussions ahead. He tested them numerous times, but not this much. Having a fine line between the limits was important. For example, the small flow of his mana to his Peak would give less power, but the same concept over the Peak. That meant the stress was much smaller, but his spine and beak were always tensed up. That state would go on for nearly 20 seconds long channeling, while his beak remained relatively stable and still not flexible.


    Medium flow would go for 15 seconds with more power. High flow for 10, with 14 being the best he had achieved in terms of heated momentum and fighting, and that stressed the shit out of his core and neck. He almost felt his bones breaking.


    It was his strongest kind of attack without any doubts, thus, Murai had no choice but to attack with something he knew moved past his limits.


    It will be interesting, he reckoned.


    Then, when his Peak was coming closer to the golem, he let it out. More waiting would only shackle them in place, so when he decided to act, the golem did so as well.


    They both decided to step in, shattering the ground in a dust storm and light. Anatidae Golem moved forward further, letting a tremendous amount of pressure reach a certain crescendo. Then, it opened its beak, crashing the star around it and eating it. Its steps halted, and the air shook.


    Its Peak exploded, aiming at Murai.


    Reaching the same spotlight, barely any space was between them, making their fight so close, that humans wouldn''t be able to lift their hands without smacking one another.


    Murai felt the rising pressure on his Peak first, while his own dense power felt smaller in comparison. He wasn''t sure why that golem closed his beak and cracked that star and exploded that mana. That act never made much sense to his Peak, but perhaps its Peak was different from his? Anatidaes should have plenty of variants of abilities, so Peak should be no different. His was more beginner-friendly, that was for sure.


    He didn''t change anything. He pushed his Peak against the golem''s exploding surge of mana that felt like a tidal wave of light and pressure. It was wild like being in the middle of a tornado, or a flow of water that crushed down from a large waterfall. The pressure and light seized his sight.


    Then, he slammed his Peak ahead, meeting its beak.


    Ground cracked, Murai''s feathers flickered and pushed inwards through the surge of mana and immense pressure. Both of their necks stayed in place, while feet flinched on the ground. Murai felt his bones creaking and neck twisting, and his legs surprisingly kept their form.


    Both figures matched the light, while neither lost their beginning clash. Murai stood on his own, standing firm, while his feathers swayed in fast winds and stress. His Peak crashed at that wild power with more density over its mass, unlike the massive surge that was inside the golem''s beak.


    Then, the golem let it out as well, opening the beak. It was such a wild explosion, that Murai felt his eyes burned away. Light and dense, the Peak exploded onward, looking like the breath of a dragon. It was wide so it went over him and pushed further to the street.


    It was like a dragon breath added with Peak. The pressure and roaring power pushed forth, causing incredible power to come out. It wasn''t as piercing as he expected, nor did it hurt or push against his feet or neck. It went... everywhere.


    His Peak withstood it by going against this wide power. Or to be precise, his Peak split this force so most of it didn''t attack him. Most of this pressure was on his beak, which could survive worse things than this. Then, his feathers took the rest of the force by curving inwards and gliding the pressure away.


    This breath was unlike his Peak at all fronts, which pointed at this storm without fluttering or losing. It pushed the pressure aside thanks to its pointy nature, glowing and putting pressure where it was the strongest: on its tip. That was what Peak was for him, or how the Beak''s Peak worked the best across the Anatidae Species.


    This golem wasn''t able to reach that point, or was it a Peak of a different kind? That wasn''t correct, as this was just an imitation of the Peak. Not the rightful one that worked the best with Bloodlines alone.


    But its mana and power were still savage, making it suitable and not that different.


    A single attack that pointed to one place was all Peak needed to work. It was a simple attack with a simple premise. Murai worked surprisingly well against this large mass of power that flew to him regardless of his Peak. Some of that power went past him, pushing against his head and eyes, and trembling his muscles and feathers.


    He was still standing, even though this went on for seconds that felt longer than necessary. Stress on his spine and neck clashed against his senses which were dulled at first until they screamed at him like a dragon.


    Pain returned. Vividity and stress over his mana and bones crashed against his spirit. He wished to cry, but he felt if he faltered, his stubborn acts would be in vain.


    His gaze was fixed on his glowing visible beak. He was unable to see anything other than the light. Like the end of the tunnel, pushing against the stormy seas. The little beast in his mana space seized the flow of mana after the Beak blasted forward, allowing mana to come back into his mana space. It felt like a rush of adrenalin that seized Murai by yet another storm. He was no longer empty and dull, but pained when the flow returned. That was what caused the pain.


    When mana came at his emptiness, everything nearly broke. It was internal pain that subdued the external stress. And he no longer felt that empty in his mana space, which felt better yet weird. Mana rushed to him again like the wild train, but it didn''t change much, even though his Beast Core worked overtime and caused many negative effects.


    It was hungry, unsurprisingly. And wild! So wild! The flow was turning to tides and the mana flow increased.


    Murai felt an explosion in his heart causing no small distress. It helped purify his thoughts and tense his body.


    He couldn''t let more mana out if he already reached the maximum amount. All that mana did was calm his core and slightly empower his body which felt like gliding through the ground until hiding a massive wall.


    He didn''t move, however. Not even a little bit.


    Nor the golem did.


    Golem seemed to start the next course of action under some set of sequences it failed, or couldn''t finish. Its Peak kept rushing its mana forth, but it was dimming, leaving cracked and destroyed buildings in the direction of its beak.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Murai was within this line as well, alive but a couple of meters away. Some of his feathers looked haggard and bent like fallen dry leaves, his beak was in one piece, and little of his Peak crashed the remains of that star aside.


    Neither won. They clashed to a standstill, but one ended better than the other. Golem hardly changed afterward. Its mana returned to hiding after unleashing this storm, right into the layer of power it had unleashed.


    While Murai was out of his wits, he felt as if he went through space storms of the wildest Chaos Spaces. These were rougher, but in terms of feelings his current power, it felt like that.


    His Peak took a massive toll on his spirit, mana, and mind, but he endured it.


    And it wasn''t over yet. Golem''s runic structure was intact and well, its mana and movement unchanged. Like a pointed arrow, its beak jolted forward like its steps, arriving at Murai in the blink of an eye. It was strong and fast, carrying the same motion when they battled for the first time.


    Murai was able to see it, sense it. He couldn''t move his feet.


    Thanks to every fiber of his being, or luck, he was able to counterattack that thrust with the only thing that moved: his beak. It was closest and most under his touch. Up close, the golem''s beak was thicker at the start of the mouth, traveling in a straight line onto the tip like a sword. It had some slight curvature, making it appear like an irregular duck''s beak.


    It had a different kind of shape from Murai''s, whose beak was quite a bit longer and thinner, but the shape wasn''t as foreign for a duck. His wasn''t looking unnatural, if it made sense to him.


    Murai had a flatter kind of beak, with sharper sides, and a similar tip that worked not one bit weaker than his opponent''s. In a true matter of fashion, the beak of an Anatidae was their pride.


    It was their everything, which this golem took for granted. Its beak was probably the most expensive part of its materials, right beside the running of its runes. That was at least what Murai thought when he felt its Peak and those clashes against it. Runes must''ve taken years to develop, which money would never buy.


    The beak was of utmost importance to every member of this species. Murai wasn''t an Anatidae in instincts, but his pride and slowly creeping positivity over this living changed his mind. He was what he was, and he wouldn''t stand being trampled by a freaking impostor.


    This foolish tool may as well disappear from the face of the earth, Dephts and who knew what else. No one would care!


    Something in his mind snapped.


    Murai moved his beak faster than he anticipated, deflecting the thrust away. His Peak dispersed alongside that stormy Peak, while his neck and spine still felt useful. Strengthened, albeit a bit slower than the golem, he went against it.


    Beaks momentarily clashed against one another, and Murai felt the power behind the golem''s every sweep and momentum. He wasn''t sure of it now, but its movement got faster and power had more weight. It trashed his beak aside, bent his neck, and pushed him away.


    He was sure it got heavier, as it wasn''t any faster than before. It was smaller, however, thanks to shedding the armor away. Murai was faster, but it didn''t change his power all that much. Mana glided onto his core, allowing some strength to return. He wondered how it was possible. He was utterly convinced he wouldn''t be able to move after unleashing that massive Peak after enduring yet another Overdraft.


    But looking at good things with confusion wasn''t necessary.


    Golem was more than capable of matching his every move, performing the set of motions and actions that didn''t hurt it that much, and it matched his style and beak''s swipes. Murai got angry again, feeling that he was playing against this tool.


    He backed in a sidestep, hoping to take time to turn toward the Shaping that still might be useful. Golem pushed forward again, not giving him any time. Its beak slid off his side, and Murai clutched his beak, pushing and deflecting it away by screaming foolishly.


    Some of the residual force traveled throughout his body, smacking him many meters away. It wasn''t that bad. The majority of that force slid off his feathers. He felt similar kinds of hits in the past Islands. The tougher ones, of course. Sharper ones too.


    Which made this golem rough and weird. If he considered the previous Peak, this golem looked much stronger than the enemies he had met so far. It was holding back, he feared, similar to the Acaman Golem.


    Mindarch hadn''t introduced it, so Murai had no way to know that.


    Murai had almost no advantages apart from clear assurance of his defenses. He was yet to bleed, which was perhaps much more questionable than usual.


    Looking at it from his perspective, his battle-focused mind wasn''t that quick-witted. His beak helped, his mana was returning, so he had to adjust his strategy while his Beast Core surged and screamed at him like an angry and hungry dog. Why? It had its meaty flow, yet it was turning his mana space into a storm that stressed him more than the mana flow itself.


    He wished to shut down his internal issues by taking a potion or something... He forgot he hadn''t gotten any from Lisa before he entered this shitstorm Island. He ignored it for the time being, hoping that his mana space would endure it, and his Beast Core will calm in this rich and dense mana flow that flooded it.


    This place was indeed a rich curse for mages and any Shapers. He had no doubts that any other mage would explode or become a cripple through enduring so many Overdrafts. Add to that this temple and things got worse.


    Golem''s attack failed to draw blood, yet it was far from over.


    It was like an immovable force, and every damage that he inflicted upon it wasn''t even noticeable, unlike the previous armor. Its metallic flat feet weren''t weak at all. It put great stability to it, while its feet were thicker than his. It moved in place just fine, allowing its actions to turn its neck back on track. It turned, sensing Murai aside before pouncing at him. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In a split second, Murai dodged it in a jump and attacked its side, clutching his beak, and almost flapped his wings to add more momentum. As best as he could, he unleashed as many powerful thrusts with his Blitz as he could. Golem wavered a little in acts or calculations, but it took a split moment for its beak to follow.


    Starting clash pushed his beak aside, but Murai sidesteped to move to the wingless direction of its body. Even if he had no residual force from the Peak behind, his beak felt hot in Blitz. He pushed whatever he had, unleashing powerful thrusts into its body that was wide open at the wingless side.


    He cracked some feather-looking plates, creating a few decent holes further into them thanks to small openings between them that he created by force. They were almost unnoticeable, but when he put his Blizt forth, some widened and layered plates moved away. Its armor was long gone, thus its plated body in many layers was there for him to attack alone.


    Now, its torso wasn''t far from Murai''s in shape, but it was slightly narrower because its fluffy feathers were nonexistent. Its metallic nature did need size and mass for the runes, albeit those plated armor pieces did provide some wonders.


    As he pushed through some plates, there were more of them underneath, but in different metallic colors, and with notably denser runes around them. Mana was also slightly more notable as he succeeded, but Murai was hardly thinking about his Sonar.


    These plates had fewer feather patterns on their side and looked golden, but this opening happened only for a split second. It closed when the golem trembled. Its wing and everything else were still firm when it noticed something wrong. It moved its feather-patterned plates, clustering them together. Around its neck and head, smaller plates of slimmer metallic feathers shivered and turned, making layers of very dense patterns.


    With the armor gone, it wasn''t looking like a golem all that much. More like a metallic duck.


    As if nothing happened to it, the golem smashed with its beak, striking right toward Murai''s wide-open torso. He was slightly surprised he was able to push these plates right now.


    He took this hit and stumbled away. Murai scowled in pain as he rolled 10 meters to a distant building. Again, he felt powerful blunt force, rather than piercing pain. His muscles didn''t appreciate it, nor his bones. His feathers took the cutting wounds much worse, he feared, but something about blunt attacks also pushed well against them.


    It was a good discovery that taking hits very head-on hurt more. Murai felt his insides move, bones squeezing in pain, and his belly hurt. It wasn''t that long ago when he felt every movement of his bones twisting in terrifying pain, while Iris laughed it off, joking it would pass away.


    He remembered it far too well to his liking.


    And he didn''t want to repeat that experience ever again. That memento of pain flooded his mind. This golem hurt him, but it indifferently stood where it was, calculating him like a predator.


    In some demon''s eyes, it appeared like a victorious posture, thus some of them cheered, loudly proclaiming its victory. Those must be demons that bet against him, Murai thought.


    Murai coughed some blood, which shook him as he hadn''t felt that sort of damage. He was way too hurt without even knowing it. He clumsily got up with an ashen expression, feeling his internals and core seizing more mana that trashed around his body. It was all turning him weird because that golem smacked him quite well.


    It didn''t comfort him in any way, nor did it mean that his soul was unshaken. Not at all... He was still not over that Peak that went against something he considered way out of his league. Golem just utilized it wrongly, bending and winding that Peak like a massive explosion. There was no doubt that if that Peak was like his, his body would be in pieces.


    He was far from being fine. Both mentally and physically. ¡°So what... if you hurt me? Fucking tool. Clueless machine. Do you think you can calculate the havens? Touch my soul? Turn the tides agasint my favor? If it weren''t for those weird internals of yours or your endless mana, you would be scrapping on the ground like a useless tool!¡± Murai quacked his will, unwilling to give up.


    He hadn''t stalled intentionally, but he did wait for his mana to return to a passable Shaping stability. He didn''t want to put his core or mana space against any bad odds, but he already did it. It didn''t feel great so he waited and used his beak alone.


    He lied to himself, opting to ignore his pain, figuring his mana expenditure and core behind that wild Peak was far out of his mind. He forced it, so it was weirdly insensible. He didn''t like to put his guesses anywhere where facts belonged.


    He did attack it like an idiot, full and honest, so he wasn''t sure how strong that Peak even was. He just pushed it against that storm, stressing his body. He did nothing to it apart from defending himself.


    He hadn''t felt the impact, so he didn''t know what his expectations about it were. Not only that Peak eat all of his mana for a snack, but his Beast Core allowed that, devouring his whole body to let it work.


    Though he could afford it, he didn''t want to try it for a long time, nor did he want to use it right now. Even a small Peak would hurt his already stressed spine and neck. For him to use it, he had to be sure it would be fatal, otherwise, he would be in serious trouble.


    Murai didn''t even think there might be more foes coming after this golem. He was too focused on the task at hand.


    And he did what he wanted when the golem began to move after 5 whole seconds of his stalling. That time allowed his mana to calm down. Somewhat...


    Conjuring some mana, he let his Shaping shine in regular fashion. Slightly slim and sharp pointed arrows turned around his head. They weren''t the best, but they weren''t worse either.


    It was time to seek more limits, and whether the Overdraft of his mana space would crash him sooner than him killing this tool.


    Murai began a battle of attrition, where he went for less direct clashes. Since he would fail, albeit with somewhat good results, it was time to change his views and think outside of the box.


    His beak was his only proper tool against this golem, but mana was shapable and everchanging. He had no doubts he could come up with something under his arsenal of spells to make it work.


    His Mana Arrows weren''t stronger than his Proper Mana Blades, but because of the Sharpness and his quick and heavy use of Shaping, their actual usefulness was much stronger than normal. He sent dozens of Arrows ahead, throwing one after another to seek changes or opportunities. He was looking for a golem to change as well, while another set of blades or his beak could move quickly to finish the job. That was at least his hopeful idea.


    He was yet to know what those feathered plates had to offer besides incredible defense that he briefly moved away. Now, he doubted he would do it again, so it was time to use wits or more force.


    Each arrow used a negligible amount of mana. Creating and pushing dozens of them in a couple of seconds was more than possible, albeit only in this temple for the time being. Outside, he would''ve been long unable to fight.


    All he had to do was to let his Conjuring work, while Shaping would work with the rest. The rough appearance of Arrows was more than enough since all he needed was a good tip with Sharpness at the front.


    Was that easy? It wasn''t sounding like that at all when everything was happening many times per second, followed by the golem''s moves that trashed his arrows or moved for his neck. Murai dodged and moved too, looking for chances and strategies.


    His mind thought for some edge.


    Some of the demons'' mouths widened, and their vision was upon a wild barrage of Mana Arrows that kept coming at their target without any misses,


    It wasn''t as if the golem was taking them willingly, as it sidestepped sometimes, while mostly moving firm on the ground and taking the arrows as if they didn''t matter at all. In truth, they didn''t damage its proper plated body that hid under the previous armor.


    This went according to the general defenses and rules that this golem had. An unworthy attack wasn''t worth dodging or deflecting away. Arrows of this quality shouldn''t pose much problems to it, let alone damage its core body.


    Unfortunately, what its rules followed was common sense, and it hadn''t taken into account what someone like Murai would assume. He used not only the quality of his mana that wasn''t enough against it, but with enough quantity and numbers, he could look for a way to chip its plates away.


    It worked slightly, almost unnoticeably, but when he turned his Sonar ahead, he discovered some diminishing mana coming from the previously damaged plates. His Blitz took care of them, while from here on out, he could work around them.


    Dozens of Arrows stormed its side, where they began to chip away the upper layers of plates that he previously cracked. Golem didn''t take it for nothing, of course. It wanted to finish its target too, so it pounced forward.


    And Murai danced with it, dodging and running rather than moving to confrontation.


    74 Arrows and quite a lot of mana behind later, the cracks appeared, until swelling and closing again when the golem trembled. Murai made his move then, crashing it with his beak next. He moved the layer of a few feathered plates, revealing a thin mana vein that was barely visible behind some plates that he forced open. He saw golden plates beneath them, close and kind of hot.


    At that moment, Alarm Runes arose in the golem''s runes. A Breach had been met once more, which wasn''t anticipated.


    Some rules changed and mana pushed through the plates, forming a meter-wide barrier that was way too overkill. It thrashed Murai a dozen meters away. It was not only enough against these Arrows, it would take any Blitz, Fatality, or Peak head-on without a crack. Why did it appear now when he crashed its wing and cracked the previous layer of plates?


    Had he seen a weakness?


    Arrows stopped coming after this hit. Murai''s gaze was upon that barrier and motionless golem. Seeing those plates and a vein of interest, his Sonar surged again. It penetrated the barrier now, but not the golem as a whole. It bounced against his senses, so he set his sight on the wounds he caused, noticing the intricately patterned runes so dense, they were specially crafted with these golden plates in mind. Layered as well, they ensured to hide everything like a great formation that worked with runes and mana materials in mind.


    It was way too overkill for a golem of this size, but it worked flawlessly to hide mana when it could.


    He expected something insane, but it was shockingly overkill. He wasn''t surprised when the golem remained in one place. He was sure he wouldn''t be able to damage this barrier in any form. The mere idea that he worked with that edge and cracks in his mind was enough of a surprise.


    It was good it remained still. Luck was part of victory and he had no trouble with winning around mistakes or his questionable ideas.


    However, the question of winning was still not clear like everything about this golem. Murai planned to change it, wishing and fishing for some answers like he wanted. He dug deeper, spending no small amount of Sonar power to push through the opened-up plates and a vein that went deeper. It was yet to close, so he had to be quick.


    He was sure it was his time now, so he turned his Sonar into a weapon, discovering the runic structure through that vein that went to the core. It was hiding deeper than he thought. He worked through little things that were dense and rich, barely making sense to his current understanding of the Sonar, but he didn''t need specifics or some secrets.


    He needed outlines, a barebone layout, and answers. A sketch of a plan, or so he thought, was enough to expect from his Sonar.


    Golem had a magnificent Artificial Core that was also weird, as he barely noted its layout or vision, but he noticed the runes and general structure. He knew it existed, and just as he did, his Sonar ceased to exist after many flashes of ideas came to his mind. He saw something insane. Numerous things.


    The wound closed but something else pushed against him. Pain flared up from his mind and core, and the backlash of forcing his way through the golem was dozens of times tougher than he thought. It forced him out.


    But he had seen it! Felt its size and intricate runic layout. It was far bigger for his Sonar to see it all and he realized what it was.


    ¡°T-this fucking thing? It... has a freaking Everflower for a core!? What in the actual moon made this thing? How could someone push that thing against me? No wonder its mana from before was so vast, but its vastness was all to it. It is locked behind such tight formations that one can''t even sense it unless one pushes his way through them. If it would be as qualitative as its mana quantity, I would be dead.¡± Murai deducted the facts as soon as he went over the last flashes.


    He saw or felt nothing clear. Runes weren''t obvious to him, while this Everflower discovery was enough of an answer for most of his worries.


    He won''t be able to kill it at all. There was no way it was possible when he recovered some wits and barely fought through its plates. And it was just a little bite into the whole picture. Murai felt more layers of this golem below the golden layer.


    There were about a dozen of them, with each having some aspects of runes and power, acting as shields, formations, armor, and locks. Each had a specific flow that worked around that Everflower. He destroyed just pieces of the poorest point of these layers, uncovering the one underneath that was slightly unkempt as if made in a hurry.


    This golem wasn''t that old, Murai assumed.


    It was impressive. There were clear differences and masterwork behind these layers, forming formations that he couldn''t understand. It had a purposeful structure and work of an artist.


    Its source within it was what shocked Murai the most. It was little, barely a few thumbs wide and tall. It was a cubic glowing matter, barely viewable thanks to the Everflower inside of it. It was like dense light and fog at the same time but so powerful that it pushed against his awareness. It was powering this whole golem, but... in locked and tight manners and clear limits.


    There was no way if a golem with such a source attacked him with power of that sort, he would live. A clear flow within it revealed few purposes, but Murai had his guesses. That armor that he had already destroyed wasn''t important. These layers were, while its powers and acts were just a test.


    As he dug deeper, close to that Everflower, there was a surprising set of runes that Murai recognized with a brief look. It was a travesty for any runesmith to use such a set with Everflower in sight. But it was what enabled this fight to begin with. Someone set chaining runes upon it, bending the flow of mana to be small like a tight stream of a few veins from a large mountain. And it was recently made, following the weird cube around the Everflower.


    They obscured mana flow, making the flow of mana hidden, while leaving the mana at the core. That was why he hadn''t felt much from it, since they were part of the plates and all of the layers worked with it. Then, the weird thing was that cube surrounding the glowing Everflower.


    Since he breached through the layers with his Sonar, he discovered the truth. Golem''s power was heavens lower than it should be. Normally, no one would ingrain runes onto a golem that would obscure it like a fool, because they were a pain in the ass to remove.


    But there they were, locking its power.


    Murai discovered someone really curious and lofty enough to use Everflower for an Anatidea Golem wanted to see this fight.


    In a twisted sense, he wasn''t surprised.


    Some God was behind this, or a bunch of them.

 Chapter 154: Peak!

    The fact that Gods were getting involved in this situation didn''t put Murai in a good mood, but he was underestimating it. Their involvement was apparent, long before coming to this place. It wasn''t a guest at all. All points and facts went in that direction because that was the sort of thing Everflower was.


    They were a problem that should''ve better waited for some other time, but since someone pushed this thing against him, why should he not be angry?


    Murai had clear limits and a sense of justice in his heart, and this golem''s structure was worth... probably more than he knew about this world. What was exactly an Everflower? He saw one in the Acaman Tower.


    They were a kind of essence, a source of mana, Laws, and other things that were so good, that they could put Gods into a frenzy and change their hearts. Few would partake with them, so the one in Acaman Tower was weird. It was there for a reason, carefully placed and acting as a treasure to influence the other treasures.


    It was weird. He was still thinking of that from time to time, even though such things were far from his current status.


    They were precious treasures that held uncountable worth of wealth that any mortals couldn''t ever comprehend. They were meant to help Gods reach new heights, follow their respective choices in their Paths, or empower treasures of cosmic-level weapons or equipment worthy of their stature.


    So when he saw that sort of thing inside of this damned little thing, Murai wanted to cry for himself, cry for others, and curse at the heavens. He well understood the concept of what it meant and how it all came together. Research into Anatideas was behind this act, although it didn''t answer why it needed an Everflower of all things to fuel it.


    Perhaps it was a variant experiment that touched upon what might be possible. It followed crafts and ideas of their strong aspects, while most of it was not finished. It didn''t mean to be used against him, so it backfired by lowering its power to Murai''s level.


    Golem''s wings were kind of lackluster, followed by.... techniques, bloodline aspects, and what else? Murai saw only that Peak that he most likely forced, but could it have more powers left?


    For example, that barrier? Was that something that Anatidae could have, or was that a defensive structure against the intruders that forced something bad?


    Nah. Murai saw it as a normal mana barrier that tensed the air and bent the mana to make a defensive layer of protection. His Arrows tested it. It was hardly in the same category as his Diving Sphere for example.


    And he never had the itch to care for something like this when he had Robust Defense that was much better than some barrier. Then, his feathers were a nice defense on their own.


    Well, he wasn''t sure now, when he felt those layers after he worked his ass off just to crash that layer once. And that Everflower! That thing could explode, obliterating the whole Levandis Temple alongside the Death Valley if it would get unstable in this little golem that was far too... little?


    It was a ridiculously well-made golem if it had it for a core. That was for sure. So much so, this was the fact that made him take a step back and think twice about what it meant for him. It put him in a state of slumbering questions and wonders what this golem was about.


    He wanted to see more of its structure, uncover its secrets, and see the detailed runic constructs around that cube and how Everflower worked with it. Anatidae powers might be before him, hiding in its structure, but they weren''t all that important.


    Golem can show many things, but it was hiding behind that barrier as he caused something that shouldn''t have happened.


    And Mindarch was far too late to act or fix this problem. So he remained silent, opting to seek what would happen because this wasn''t up to him. Golem was the decision maker when it came to its structure, even if it was an experiment.


    Levandis sent it, figuring it was a perfect chance to seek the results of golem research she had for many years.


    On one wing, Murai was glad he was even able to discover its Everflower structure, albeit rough and barely conceivable to his senses. It was a different kind of feeling from that Everflower in Acaman Tower that was there for him to see and feel.


    Back then, it was a different kind of Everflower. It was more pristine and natural, revolving in a state that was far from being half-forged and modified. It wasn''t pushing to his senses because he wasn''t trying to look at it, let alone sense it. He just desired it like a sunflower that gleamed at the sun.


    Here, he pushed against a power that was above the eyes. He shouldn''t have looked at it. With that information, he couldn''t even fathom how to go against this golem. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the other wing, he didn''t like being anyone''s plaything, experiment, and enjoyment. He had enough of that in the past, although in this world... he was exactly that. Nothing changed.


    Whoever made this golem was an absolute legend of runesmithing. Personally, even with the right resources, Murai had no idea where to start thinking about it because of the size and intricacies that came with physical limits and runes. Those layers of plates were species, making this golem bigger, which hid what underneath? If he chopped the layers one by one, what would happen?


    One thing was for sure. This golem could be even smaller than him if he removed a few more layers.


    Murai didn''t believe he was able to try it. He barely poked a few plates of the first layer, revealing the one underneath. Further waves of his Sonar didn''t reveal the structure of these layers. He was barely able to glide his Sonar through that vein, going deep.


    It was a tiny duck-sized monstrosity, so Murai was a bit afraid of what he should do or think about. He fought it, so he knew it was strong, but it was so much stronger than one would guess. Its mana should be near infinite, and it might be similar in power to some godly artifacts.


    There were intricate problems and workings about runesmithing in this golem. In the inner parts between the layers, were the plates connected by the runes alone, or were there nails? Murai wasn''t sure since it all looked seamless yet separate because some plates had some gap between them, or not at all. They definitely could move and cover the damages.


    Behind those that he cracked, the layer of plates and runes was more extravagant, gaps nonexistent, and with visible veins here and there. Those even below were out of his touch, but he had no doubt they were turning smaller and denser, each filled with intricate, precious, and sturdy runes.


    He could see that. Golem didn''t seem to mind or sense Murai''s Sonar. It swayed inside of the barrier, figuring that its time was turning to a different light or act.


    Something unexpected happened after all.


    Be it the upper or the lower layers, they were metallic in structure, with clear distinct lines of runes that carried more density. That meant that each was a limiting factor that limited the golem in some way, hiding its workings with runes at its core. Each cracked layer meant some outcome to its sequences that Murai didn''t want to imagine.


    Obviously, each layer was stronger and wasn''t clear in their definition. Murai knew making those plates alone must have been a pain because of their size, layering, and taking care of runes and duck''s size in mind.


    He would sympathize with whoever made it, thinking that a duck was truly a ridiculous matter to consider.


    As for the types of materials that he was seeing, he had no clue about them. They were tough but also flexible. The wings were a bit weird since their detachable nature didn''t seem to work that well with the rest of its body. They were weak at their detachable core if Murai managed to crash it with his measly power.


    But its neck held fabulous thinner plates that were under the same workings as the rest. They were tighter and cluttered together, and Murai was far from judging them with his Sonar or his mind.


    He pushed through the densest part of this golem anyway, and it didn''t matter if it was hiding in that barrier or if its core or layers worked with something hidden. He created a keyhole and put his Sonar through. He even dared to think that these outermost layers worked on the same or similar principle to the scales of dragons or his Anatidae feathers.


    Although imitated, grades of these materials should put any human blacksmith in shame.


    And he was supposed to crack them apart?


    Had he really done anything substantial than test it a little?


    Taking a cold breath, Murai long ago forfeited his Arrows and thought about giving up on this battle. For now, he only touched the outer point of these layers and felt he didn''t want to see the outcome if he dug deeper.


    He had no doubts he couldn''t do that even if he wanted to.


    What he already accomplished was incredible anyway, but he didn''t acknowledge that. Considering his little cracks were part of the original layers, they were stronger than the previous armor by dozens of times, yet he still went through it a little bit. They weren''t invincible since his Blitz and Arrows, Peak, and even Blades moved its layers.


    As did so, revealing the bits of the second layer, it turned its sensors crisper, tuning its mana and acting wild, while increasing its weight and defenses. It was tough and weird, considering the plates hadn''t come off yet.


    There was no way he was seeing himself trying hard against something like it.


    Golem''s plates trembled slightly, and in that part of the opened-up first and second layer, the veins glowed. It was partly connected to the Everflower, so its strength was unquestionable like its clarity. It soon disappeared when the plates of the first layers twisted, covering the exposed veins.


    Murai wasted his chance. He could''ve attacked it, although that barrier was still standing. He doubted he could penetrate it even with his previous Peak.


    Now, there was no way to use some attack to cause internal injuries, but even if he had the chance, what sort of thing he could send to the Everflower veins, or push this golem over the edge?


    No! He shouldn''t try anything. Engaging its structure was already dangerous enough.


    It was pushing him over the edge. Not the other way around.


    ¡°Great... GREAT!¡± Murai laughed in faked enthusiasm. ¡°This tool wants to toy with me for the sake of its creator? Fine. Fine. This is excellent. This and that... or those. I will crack my head over everything if it makes any sense! Makes me ANGRY! More! I dare you.¡± Murai quacked loudly, not thinking if Mindarch was hearing him or not, or if someone else did besides the rest of the fools around this street.


    This cry helped him to ease his mind at least. He forgot about the Everflower. He forgot about this mess. This was his challenge so what if this tool was there to hunt him? He would hunt it back if he had to!


    His core burst out with mana, forming large waves that flew over him, forming a rather big pair of curved Blades that he Shaped as tightly and firmly as he could. It literally felt and appeared as if he screw the swords around him and squeezed the, like a cloth.


    Sharpness shinned and glinted, forming crisp edges into 30 centimeters wide, 5 centimeters thick, and 3 meters long Blades. Their tip was fierce like the finest sword, curve was seamless with mana that looked azure and thin motions of white glint at the edge. Mana went out of his core in large tides, yet it wasn''t all about the sizes, or the current condition of his mana space.


    In some way, he was still able to Conjure and Shape just fine, but where were the limits of this act? He bet he had only a few moves left before he would regret it. It wasn''t fine. His beak should work better than the finest Blades he had created so far.


    His beak wasn''t out of shape to crack his mind over this fight yet. If he had to, he will gladly crack his mind and mana over this damned golem.


    So he decided on the long-range techniques first, omitting the Arrows that he didn''t want to use. Their efficiency should be terrible, whereas the Blades were continuous slashers.


    A pair of Blades hovered above his head, forming a crossed shape. Murai turned into a little monstrosity himself, although he was one for a long time. Mana went out of him, tensing his feathers and giving him a ferocious look that the golem could only try to replicate.


    His appearance got prettier, one may say through the azure luster, Shaping, and decisive face that lacked emotions besides a rage.


    Murai looked at his target. Its plates winced forth and finished whatever repairing they wanted, protecting the layers of golden plates that he wished to crack.


    With the additional touch of that barrier, even its uppermost duller plates radiated light like the fine pieces of dragon scales, glistering as suns in the clear skies. Both Murai and the golem reached a critical point in their fight.


    Each injured the other, but one of them had a clear... Well, calling it clear wasn''t right, since the whole premise this golem had was to serve its purpose.


    That was to act under Murai''s guesses, which wasn''t good at all because he pushed forth against its limiters and forced more power out of its core. It was expected for the armor to shatter, but the shattering of the wing and the first layer cracking were unexpected and only happened due to Murai''s forceful actions.


    According to Murai''s calculations and account of these runes¡ªthat left mana flowing strictly under those golden plates¡ªthis golem exceeded his expectations. Its value was just a guess that came out of its Everflower, but it wasn''t that alone. Any golem that worked with Everflower in mind had to have a massive structure of runes and other materials of similar value to make it work.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Thinking of it as a luxurious ship with a fitting engine was a kind of fitting analogy. Everything then moved past some levels and made everything less sensible. He was laughable. Laws were laughable. Extremes were laughable.


    Well, he wasn''t sure what this golem would be like without those limiting runes, or if the layers cracked one by one. It may not be close to the Extremes because of them or the layers, or it could be beyond them since the Everflower was its core.


    Without limits, its true mana flow would perhaps crack its body completely, since what sort of small construction could survive Everflower flow? Murai doubted even the lowest layers would take that huge amount of energy without exploding, regardless of the runic structures, or materials put in place. It was that sort of thing to expect when making something this small and dense.


    He was the same. He doubted his Artificial Core was able to take an essence above Grade 5.


    But he was thinking between the universe and the grass. He was nothing in comparison to that cubic formation that was hiding a treasure Levandis cherished like the finest of the gems.


    Such core formation will never disappear from Murai''s memory. He felt the foggy layout, Everflower, and many little layers that surrounded it like a storm. He had felt it the best before, so each blast of Sonar put forth stable inputs of ideas that went straight into his mind.


    He knew that formation too, but just from a few bits that were older than ancient. It was something that allowed Everflowers to be relatively tamed.


    Cube Devil Formation was a mana accumulation array made of 6 sides of a cube, capable of holding any accumulation of mana. The degree and efficiency depended on the runes. Letting the mana out went through the 8 sharp tips of the cube.


    It was a defacto prison for many sources of mana, meant to empower treasures, some constructs of ridiculous sizes, or even small planets, ships, and so on. Everflower was a collection of mana for many chaos cycles, working around the edge of its possibilities. Through its structure, mana flowed through a vast accumulation of time, measuring the deaths of many Gods and some worlds.


    Devil Cube Formation was kind of brutal and outlandish in its structure, forcing certain Laws and mending mana in place. It was something that locked space and time, working many things around the runesmithing into success, but by force, rather than natural flow.


    It was strictly useful only for high-class items, of which Everflower was the peak, although some could reshape such a formation, creating a technique called Vast Devil Cube Array. Such a thing was capable of trapping or threatening the Gods.


    It depended on the force, mind, and resources one would have to spend to even start such a complicated and savage thing. Pretty much nobody wanted to have anything to do with them, since their dangerous backlashes and workings operated against materials and creators alike.


    Rarely, its use in runesmithing was a guaranteed safety net for any mana sources, but... if they exploded or destabilized, things got nasty. They were hard to tame and control, which was even more strange since Murai figured this Devil Cube worked around the core of the golem... which was the damned Everflower.


    Runesmithing wasn''t only about golems after all, so this made its internal structure even more complicated if it was able to use Devil Cube Formation and the Anatidae size in mind.


    And it worked... He had seen it. Felt it.


    ¡°Well well well... Time to give this the last dance a chance I suppose.¡± Murai reasoned, tensing the twin Blades behind him that he forced to assemble. They were the best source of long-range he had, filled to the brim with Sharpness and his remaining control. Their size was massive, but nowhere near the fart of an Everflower, which was still a Mana Essence, but so enormous, it was no longer right to call it an essence.


    In its structure, it was known by different names in many parts of the Skies. Origin Stone, World Essence, and a few other names had unique touches to worlds or cultures.


    It was a treasure that was no longer obscured by conventional rules of worlds, making it a defacto finest piece of the River of Manaflow capable of fueling most Divine Kingdoms. That made them an absolute key treasure for any God that wanted better powers, reputation, or stability. It was also one of the many reasons Gods had to traverse the universe in hopes of finding these things.


    One could never purchase them anywhere, let alone find them by luck They were hiding, growing in the Chaos or the massive forces of the universe.


    Murai more than understood that something was insane with this thing, considering he was fighting it of all things. The mere idea that it was possible and he wasn''t cracked in his head proved its stability. Well, perhaps he was insane. Everything was.


    Unfortunately, these worries will have to go without answers. He had his wonders but had no idea about the structural work. Just bits, which won''t satisfy him.


    Murai could only try to crack those layers more, revealing the veins that he would push through some last-minute Rune. Nah... that was impossible. There was no way he could imitate the technique he used against the Acaman Golem.


    He almost laughed at the idea of crushing such a golem. Mindarch, let alone Levandis herself, would never allow that.


    So Murai decided to inflict as much force and damage on it as possible with simple thought behind it. He needed an outlet for his anger, and the secondary effect was his hope to uncover more of its structure while not dying or pissing this temple in return.


    He had no issue with cracking the heads of others. What kind of mastermind was behind it didn''t matter to him. So what if this was part of this temple and Gates, or Gods? Will they let him go if he won''t be too savage? He doubts that.


    Making this temple were many rules and figures of dreams and nightmares. Everything was hard to follow even for the finest of devils or demons, turning things more savage when one stepped closer to the Hell Havens. Always.


    Murai kept gazing at the golem, trying to discern its acts. Then, its mana vanished again, disappearing into the core.


    The barrier disappeared, and its first layer shivered, obscuring what was below.


    It went quickly. Barely 4 seconds later all mana and the golem calmed down. Murai had a nice idea of why hiding its mana flow was clever. None of the demons present knew of something like a Cube Devil Formation, let alone Everflower. It was good they were as clueless as they should be, but something might not be that clueless. Will of the Battleworld and many Gods underneath that.


    Murai was nearly certain Levandis was hiding the Everflower so other Gods couldn''t know about it. It was a byproduct of locking the golem''s power and limiting its structure.


    ¡°So a toy, or a vault of a demonic god, is it? Or is it some ancient idea that some fortune soul rediscovered and remade? It''s so petty to create a duck that is close to me in appearance. I am flattered, so if I have to guess, I would think the Ruler of this place is behind it. How about it, Mindarch? I am unsure.¡± Murai asked, turning his attention above the street as the golem''s movements were yet to reclear. It was waiting for something.


    [Citizen M is cheeky to attack this treasured golem without even wanting to seek my attention. Hah!] Mindarch sneered like a stubborn child. [Serves you right, foolish Challenger.]


    Demons all cheered and beasts howled loudly, proclaiming that Mindarch was right and Murai should fuck off from this place and drop dead. It was universal, even for those who bet against the odds.


    ¡±Cheeky? Am I cheeky or you are?¡±


    [Brace yourself.] Mindarch reminded.


    Golem was beginning to crack and move.


    Murai kicked the floor, backing some meters away to give himself some space. ¡°Whatever. It is clear to me that I''ve triggered some set of actions. How? Destroying layers, huh? Cheap, but... I am kidding. This thing is a menace. Now, the question remains if I can force these layers to crack again, or more than that. All I can focus on is giving it my all.¡±


    He thought of his chances that seemed likely to pose a good idea. Mindarch gave him no hints either.


    Perhaps destroying the first layer if its true body was all he had to do to stop this fight? But was he supposed to do that? He cursed Mindarch as clueless as a rock before setting his Blades for an attack. The golem moved.


    Standstill immediately shattered between the two small figures. The first to make the move was the golem, which charged forward with its beak that was like the finest of spears.


    The beak had no layers, similar to the legs, but the neck or head had them. Perhaps there was some limit factor akin to shattering those layers, or their structure of runes ensured the beak got some other powers? With weight came momentum, so its beak should be heavier, punchier, and sharper. Like a layer of paint or color or shine? There was a clear indication its movement and power changed since the start.


    Murai figured his thinking troubled his head. In his heart, he wasn''t ready to fight losing battles. In reality, his mana screamed and the blade twisted. He will finish this out because of his sheer stubbornness.


    A battle that he couldn''t win was a battle he didn''t want to take part in.


    The true power of this golem didn''t matter. Its beak was strong, and its internal output of power and weight felt like a mountain. Murai felt its steps and heard its moves to his bones, so he didn''t want to push his luck.


    In a breath, the golem attacked with its beak firmly clutched, attacking him straight to the head, aiming at the beak.


    It was a test.


    A test Murai wasn''t willing to take head-on any longer, so he smashed one of the Blades towards it, chopping it down. A tremor echoed on the street, bright shining Sharpness glinted like a sun. And for the first time, Blade was in place, while the golem smashed into it with its beak.


    Murai backed away a couple of steps, noting that the golem pounced forward quicker than he expected. It almost hit him, and it continued doing so, pushing against his Blade, stubbornly stepping toward its target.


    This clash pushed his Shaping to the brink of losing control, but close it was. Murai took his Shaping more than seriously. As a limbless beast, the controlling motion of his mind and magic was his priority. In a mere second, he turned his other Blade to clash down.


    Blades didn''t combine, but even still, Murai used great angle and downward force as he planned, hitting one aspect of the Anatidades that was a weakness. These were the legs. The golem had its a bit thicker, but it was still relatively small. Golem stumbled as it angled its neck, hitting the other Blade with its beak.


    It accumulated enough weight and power, stumbling its legs in internal troubles with stability or motion control. They trembled under a massive weight, so it was no wonder.


    Murai didn''t know this could''ve happened. He just thought the legs would give up like his would.


    This move was enough to pin it to the ground with both Blades pushing its head and neck down. It momentarily staggered on the ground, wincing and making noises like a broken machine. It was trying to get hold of itself or its next course of action by flapping its last wing and wrigging its beak against the glistering Blades. These attempts did work that well thanks to the missing wing, crashing against Murai''s pushing force.


    Murai didn''t wait for anything. To be precise, he wasn''t that nice to give this tool time to react. He jumped forward. By the last chance he had under his body and beak, he started channeling his Peak as high as he felt it allowed. It went for a couple of seconds, stopping at 5th when his body and core gave up. His neck snapped and spine creaked, yet his feet remained on the ground and his beak kept glowing.


    Clutching it tight, overflowing his neck, footwork, and hips, he struck the head, crashing dozens of smaller pieces of the first layer apart, revealing the golden scales underneath.


    Further pieces of this layer crumbled down when he hit it again, focusing on the body and neck. After a couple more hits, golden layered plates made it look like a sculptured duck made of many golden gems and scales.


    It was higher in quality, apart from some patterns at the back that still resembled golden feathered scales. They were much shiny and denser, unlike the layer before that was kind of dull because of its underwhelming feathered patterns.


    Murai kept pressing his Blades down with half mind on them, and half mind on his Peak. He struck again and again with the same amount of force, smashing a big hole in the torso where he tested and shattered the first layer completely. Mana flared up, be it his or golem''s, nothing mattered. ]


    Golden plates revealed themselves and shined under notable veins between some of them. There were also runes around the little gabs or directly in the scales. Murai attacked it all regardless if it was good or bad. His Peak dulled, but he kept smashing down like he wanted.


    Some runes cracked. By this point, the golem got hold of itself and tried to stand up by charging its neck and beak with shiny glisters of mana. Steam and light moved from the golden scales, heating the golem and forcing it to go against the Blades. Its internal formation, be it sealing, repairing, breach-related, or anything else, didn''t change or activate anything for some reason.


    But it moved away from the first layer, deciding to turn some limits off.


    Murai noticed his success, so he turned one of his Blades into a series of whips, splitting the Blade and pushing everything against its legs.


    Golem had no clue what to do with such a serious series of quick attacks that were in 3 different directions. Murai was there hitting its side, one Blade focused on its beak, while the whipping mana went for its legs. Its internal structure of runes struggled under its Devil Cube Formation, creating a mess of actions and sequences.


    Murai didn''t care if it felt overwhelmed. He barely noticed its struggles which allowed him to turn the last tides of his Peak to hit the dull plates or golden scales some more. The golem even stumbled to the side because of its restrained legs and beak. Murai huffed, cried, and screamed. His mana turned to ripples and cracks, and his Blade and mana were starting to lose their mass and Sharpness. It was no longer under his control.


    He allowed the golem to stabilize its acts.


    Murai was reaching his every limit, yet his beak kept hitting down. Against the neck and another to the head, he completely obliterated the first layer in most of its body. Apart from the side of its back and belly that were on the ground, he unleashed his Peak''s fury on it at all fronts. It was enough to completely destabilize the whole visible structure, crumbling it down and letting the sizzle, steam, and heat escape. Golden scales gleamed and changed the golem.


    He didn''t care for its glow or stability. As if no longer willing to spare a glance for these golden scales, Murai began his attacks on the golden layer.


    He forgot about the fight. Forgot about the temple.


    He had his beak and neck to swing.


    That was enough for him, albeit his mind and his core reached the limit that he could no longer ignore.


    While the golem clearly struggled too. It was free from the Blade or whips that kept it on the ground, yet it couldn''t go up. Its legs were trapped between its body, crumbled first layer and ground. What went above it was also heavy and it kept hitting it as if something mindless and crazy screamed.


    Golem was a second away from activating something that was slowly creeping into its formation. Something that was locked.


    Then a male voice spoke to Murai''s mind, shaking him. ¡°This is enough.¡±


    He ignored it. Who was there to stop him from doing what he wanted? Mindarch? He can fuck off. A God? Nobody will stop him, so he pushed his strikes against the golden scales, making no dent, but many cracks began to spread when he focused on runes and plates around the wingless section. Those were the weakest and gaps full of veins and runes were visible.


    Murai was starting to feel immense and heavy backlash coming to his beak when he felt its flow and slowly creeping pressure arose. His spine, neck, and mana almost popped his mind. Overdraft was happening in many layers as he was attacking, yet he wasn''t willing to stop his attacks.


    Spitting blood in the process, his feathers turned haggard, similar to how he felt. Then he stopped after barely touching the heated and gleaming scales. His neck gave up at last.


    He cursed, stepping back to see what other choices he had, other than to collapse.


    Again, he wasn''t willing. He forced his legs to be straight.


    It was at that moment that he let go of everything. Flow or his mind, his legs bent and gave up. Murai felt his soul and eyes overlapping with something terrifying. So terrifying that he no longer paid any attention to the golem at all.


    He was still close to the golem, when, as if lightning struck the ground, Murai flew in the opposite direction of the street, far from the figure that was angry and standing not so far from the golem. Something hit him, kicked him, lurching him away from the golem that trembled in shock. Steam and heat were around it like a storm, while mana swirled around it like a maddening curse.


    And someone didn''t like it. ¡°I said, stop. I know you are a rebellious fella, but when I speak... YOU DO WHAT I TELL!¡± A male voice once again told, demanding the truth that Murai should''ve unconditionally believed like a Law.


    But this time, the last part shook Murai''s soul in more ways than he liked. He figured someone hit him, forcing him to the building''s wall. His body destroyed it instead, so he stabilized himself in a matter of few moments with his beak, before collapsing like a house made of cards.


    ¡°Who the fuck... you think. Who...!?¡± he quacked some words that weren''t that fit for this situation. They were brazen quacks filled with unwillingness and arrogance, leading up to his even more brazen expression upon realizing who appeared and stopped his fight.


    It was a small human figure, wearing a black suit, with a thumb-sized white tie. Standing there like a giant he felt he was, Manager Kil was here to consider this fight being over. Mindarch wouldn''t stop this, he knew.


    Manager Kil came personally to deal with this problem that weighed on his spirit. Considering the perspective and his height and weight, he was half the size of Murai''s height, which was kind of small already.


    Apart from Manager Kil''s small stature, he had a bit bigger head that was kind of disproportional to the rest of his body. He had normal eyes for his size, however. As funny as he looked, the rest of the demons weren''t pleased with his appearance, nor Mindarch was.


    He didn''t know Manager Kill would make an appearance, but it wasn''t his fault things got this ugly. It wasn''t even his job... Mindarch knew.


    Levandis was awake, watching this show. It wasn''t his time to shine.


    But when things got nasty, Manager Kil had to act. Every onlooker turned to absolute silence, fearing Manager Kil whom they didn''t want to anger. They forgot their voices, bets, or comments about either of the ducks.


    However, Murai was still able to hear a few whispering noises that spoke.


    ¡°Fuck us raw!¡±


    ¡°Manager Kil, were are screwed...¡±


    ¡°Another small one... Any bets?¡±


    Manager Kil took just a single glance to left and right to push an absolute domination over the entire street. As small as he was, he pushed a blackish mountain of mana out of his figure, unleashing terror that felt like a storming cloud. Made of unkwon Awakened Mana, this simple aura shut everyone down, Murai included.


    ¡°Well, well, well, what mess do we have here,¡± Manager Kil kicked the golem, stopping its internal uproar, and turned to Murai. ¡°You''ve made a fatal mistake, even while knowing the truth of this toy.¡±

 Chapter 155: Manager Kil

    As one of quite a few Overlords of Levandis'' Hell Haven, Manager Kil had a pivotal, albeit stone-cold reputation. Not only caused by his appointment of the temple but as a member of a race that wasn''t known for being battle-stricken maniacs¡ªlike most figures in Hell Haven were¡ªhis reputation and prowess allowed him to outstretch his capabilities. It was what power always allowed, second to the reputation that came afterward.


    Not only was he at the tipping point of the Extremes, but his power and talent allowed him to become an Overlord.


    Those were special privileged figures that had no small amount of reputation around the Battleworld. They were responsible for the major decisions of their pledged and loved demonic Gods. They could also be free of their reign if they wanted, taking the mantle as independent Overlords.


    By the public, Overlord was a position strictly under the Hell Havens, rather than stretching to the Surface, where Sage was a title and name for powerful Extremes.


    However, most of them weren''t really under any Gods, but not far from them either. In this world, it was near impossible to not think of them, or ignore them when one was high or close to their ranks. So more often than not, those lofty Extremes had certain benefits, businesses, and connections to Gods in one way or the other. All of this left those truly dedicated ones quite special. Gods needed powerful mortal figures. It was what thrived them.


    Those in power were often unwilling to strife too far problems, which made politics complicated, since who was running the Surface of the Battleworld, or what Depths were full of? Without people and those under the Gods, there would be no Gods.


    Rarely, touching and desiring their power was what made Overlords potent threats. Some were arrogant and lofty enough to oppose the world, working alone for their Path. It was the same even on the Surface.


    Alas, Overlord was more of a title. Not a stage where one could disregard everything and everyone, even if it came with benefits set by the Will of the Battleworld, or certain blessings, tittles, or nice equipment that became available. This title moved along the Extremes stage and was both pivotal and respectable. It meant certain growth and stability that manifested amongst the Extreme Gates, giving them power that only those with the same title would bear.


    Not your ordinary Extreme dared to challenge and trample with an Overlord.


    Manager Kil was the kind that served under Levandis out of nothing but goodwill and respect. She was the one who allowed him this power. Tasked with the temple that she made after shedding pain and sweat in the far past, he took this job more than seriously. Perhaps even more than some other Overlords under Levandis preferred, but his position was set in stone.


    He was in charge here. That was a fact that all other Overlords had to account for, so someone like Villan better remain silent as far as he understood. No one will trample or trouble him in this place. Absolutely nobody. Nothing.


    Not even some measly, arrogant, or lofty duck.


    Be it the finest of the Challengers that depicted those of his title, or backyard fools that had trouble with Gate 2 or 3, nothing mattered to him. They were numbers in his eyes, folks, and resources that challenged the authority of this temple. They wanted its piece, which he didn''t like.


    It meant taking a piece of wealth from their Hell Haven, which was essentially a slap at Levandis'' face.


    Well, not really, but he thought of it as such very often.


    Mindarch didn''t think about this at all, albeit Manager Kil''s appearance surprised him, shocked him and made him shut up for as long as he could. He expected... Well, since Levandis provided her interest, his appearance was perhaps normal since her little experiment was in danger along with her interest.


    ¡°Have anything to tell?¡± Manager Kil spoke to Murai again, who wasn''t interested in speaking to him, opting to glare a hole at this tiny human who looked and felt as if he was mountainous.


    He was, in some sense of weight, spirit, and aura.


    Manager Kil overlooked him from more than a dozen meters away. Even the golem wasn''t spared. He had a distinct sneer and interest that shouldn''t have happened. Murai forced the situation to an unlikely path that few even planned for.


    But he bet his Lady will be thrilled about the consequences and how it happened.


    Manager Kil still showed his hostility just in case. Not only at Murai but at Mindarch. His head tilted upwards, glaring at the waves of the Space Cages that were the biggest amongst the Islands.


    ¡°Mindarch. Cheeky tool. What excuse will you think next?¡±


    [Welcome sir.] Mindarch said like a child that made a mistake. His many tones and voices made him sound weird and laughable. Anyone familiar with who he was would be surprised to hear him like this.


    ¡°You ought to do better. Solving the situation wouldn''t hurt anyone. You are part of this mess now.¡±


    [He didn''t listen. No... He wouldn''t! Though of that, sir?] He awkwardly asked since he had to be like that to him in public. Demons were watching, although they were small fries worth less than a sneer from anyone sane in Hell Havens.


    ¡°Or you haven''t tried enough.¡± Manager Kil shot down his silly attempts.


    [I am stone certain you haven''t got a clue what it takes to change the mind of... some things.] Mindrach put forth another excuse. He had no doubts that Murai would never bend a knee when it came to fights. Especially this one when his pride was on the line.


    He wouldn''t give up, frankly, but against Manager Kil, few things should sound like excuses.


    He understood this situation well enough, but one thing was still very unclear to him, which he didn''t show. He had to act according to his position, so he appeared like a Ruler that descended.


    Murai barely kept his mind in one piece; his trembling wings, his neck resting on the ground, it all held interesting subjects that this Overlord felt. Manager Kil already had some ideas about what to do or think, thanks to Mindarch, the power of the Hell Haven, his context, or research.


    Beside him, Anatidae Golem was the fruit of many centuries of labor. Not in this vision of course. There were hundreds of attempts to create all sorts of golems that touched upon the aspects of many crazy species or Divine Beasts that lived in this unique world. This was one of them for sure, but not the weirdest.


    Murai was a neat specimen thanks to his soul, origin, and current power which were all interesting and unusual. And Anatidae was an attraction that ran deep among the tipping point of those interested in golem makings and dangerous beasts in general. It wasn''t only about Hell Havens, of course.


    As Manager Kil stood in his glory and aura that dimmed this whole street, the Anatidae Golem stopped moving and trembling in its acts. It was the end of its fight, albeit its structure wouldn''t take defeats for granted, as long as defined lines of runes were met. Murai Breached and passed a few of them, thus the golem continued to change beyond the proper means.


    Murai forced it to lengths that were no longer fitting since certain beings were watching, and endangering its runic constructs or golden layer wouldn''t be worth it at all. Everything that was happening here was important.


    It collapsed to the ground, where its near-full golden appearance and metallic shiny beak made a lasting impression. This form wasn''t supposed to come into this light, nor the cracks that spread from the second layer. Its lost wing was accounted for, albeit it was still a problem it parted away. There was some error in the equation as if no one planned for Murai''s beak to work well in digging that wing from its place so literary.


    Manager Kil had already foreseen the troubles ahead when it came to repercussions that weren''t his fault.


    But as a proper Overlord, he had responsibilities thanks to Levandis. This golem was, as far as it went, one of the masterpieces that went through Levandi''s hands and a couple of her direct runesmithing pavilions.


    He knew exactly what sort of resources, time, and wealth went into this thing, and Murai cracked it apart... ruining the work of quite a few people. And he did crack it even further, challenged its runic structure at the last moment, and surely went deeper than he thought.


    He had to intervene... There was no other choice.


    Begrudgingly and in a weird light, Murai forced himself up to a sitting position, but his neck wasn''t working, so his stare was quite weak. With his single eye angled at Manager Kil, whose gaze was suddenly upon him, their sights met. Mindarch was no longer willing to speak, nor Manager Kil was interested in continuing the topic with that questionable soul construct.


    Reality and problems already happened. Now, he had to resolve it, since no one else would. He couldn''t possibly imagine Levandis coming here herself.


    That would be... possible. This was her backyard, but not a position for her at all.


    So Manager Kil walked forward a little, his aura and gaze sending shivers down Murai''s spine, which hurt and tensed, sending more pain to his soul that quivered and screamed. He never felt this livid and vivid at the same time. Yet he reclaimed some firmness in his gaze, telling himself that pain will pass away like any damned life in existence.


    He didn''t want to lose out in terms of some glaring battles, and this tiny human was clearly not intending to make this worse. He was just pissed, but that could advance to some physical matters.


    He looked at him with nothing but a frustrating, yet powerful gaze, which Murai had to return without any qualms given to his current position.


    His body was utterly spent, gone, and everything hurt. Be it legs that gave up, neck that was at least in one piece, or his eyes that wanted to close. He forced his awareness to stay in reality, curious and wondering what this tiny human was about.


    He couldn''t Read him at all, similar to Ceila. Aura shrouded him well, undulating power that trembled this whole Island, while who knew what else was there on him that he either couldn''t Read or sense.


    ¡°Well.¡± Manager Kil turned his arms behind his back, walking to Murai in tiny steps. It took him a while to get to him, but no one insane would make fun of him for that. Which was good. Good for them.


    In a minute, he stood a meter before Murai, shrouding his aura a little but his gaze remained powerful. ¡°Blessed Anatidae, I presume you have a clear understanding of how runesmithing works, or how golem''s structures act with them in mind. Correct?¡± He asked calmly.


    Murai forced a nod that came out of nowhere. He was almost dead certain his neck wasn''t working and his face didn''t change either. He didn''t fall that far behind in terms of piercing gazes, but in terms of aura, he lost like a duck against a massive mountain. It was far from the power of Gods, but something about this tiny human was menacing and pressuring like proper Divine Will, Authority, or Presence. Perhaps this was the pressure of powerhouses this world possessed below that level.


    Both of them appeared like killers in their respective ways, but each held their lives and origins at different heights. Both were ready to pierce one another, unwilling to lose this battle of stares, but each of them was... handful.


    For once, Murai was looking at a being that was smaller than himself, but by a few centimeters at most. Murai could force his legs or neck to appear slightly taller than an average duck if he wanted, becoming taller them him by more than 5 centimeters, but he couldn''t do that here, of course.


    This strange situation was weird to him, all his history and present life considered.


    ¡°Good... You got the gist of that, since you took care of the Stone Armor, Bronze Leyar, cracked that wing, and also pushed the Golden Layer to unwilling glares of your intent. I wonder which was it, but you discovered what was inside. Hence...¡± Manager Kil took a deep breath, easing up his spirit and aura. ¡°I am hoping you won''t make this more difficult than it is, and won''t disclose what was inside this golem, nor voice its internal structure to anyone you knew, know, or will know. Is that alright with you?¡±


    Murai was shocked to hear a demand like this. He sounded sincere, but so damn straightforward and forceful at the same time, he sounded like he was commanding him to bend his knees, hit his head to the ground, and call him a giant.


    ¡°What the... Just like that? You... Do you wish to do this like that? Is that how one asks for a favor, huh?¡± Murai quacked in annoyance, but only weird sounds went ahead. He wondered how much sense it made, but at the moment, he didn''t care for it one bit. He didn''t dare to turn his Will towards this "person" at all.


    He didn''t know if he was good at all, or if it was terrible. But his intent spoke out of his beak either way. It was too late to change it, even if it sounded like a dying duck.


    Manager Kil frowned and knocked a tide of his aura forward as if angry or curious about something. A smile crept on his face, and his mouth moved in a tone that shook Murai to his core. ¡°Oh... An anatidae tongue? I, for once, am familiar with such sequence of syllables, languages, and speech.¡± He quaked like Murai without care for any consequences or common sense, turning the already silent street into an awkward silent graveyard.


    Manager Kil wasn''t aware of what he had just done thanks to his confidence in Anatidae tongue, proudness of that fact, and overall thick skin. Demons around this place and beats didn''t know what was happening, but they heard an Overlord Kil quack like a duck out loud. It was funny, considering his height and rather crisp and high-pitched tone as he tried to use their tongue alongside some accent.


    Yet, none of them dared to utter a word or peep.


    Murai didn''t either, because he couldn''t do much but question this entire situation twice over his head. Keeping his spirit sharp, he still looked at this tiny human, whose quacks he didn''t understand. It turned this whole exchange even stranger to him, considering he was always quacking. For it to reverse, crashing those quacks at him instead, he wished to cry and laugh at the same time.


    But his body or spirit didn''t allow for that. Or Manager Kil''s demeanor, serious face, and aura did. Considering the whole situation, Murai never knew that his intent pushed clear and nice Anatidae tongue out of his mind, whenever he quacked out loud. It was automatic, clearly an effect of his Bloodline, spirit, or something else.


    He never knew how it worked, but he sure questioned it on almost every such occasion.


    He simply hated it to his bones, cursing he couldn''t communicate properly outside of Lisa or Lorry. Well, if he pushed his Will to others, he could speak to others based on a rather unique communication method that required great connection between souls, or... his sufficient control.


    Words behind his quacks always worked well, so Manager Kil understood his quacks even if they sounded horrendous, weak, and blurry. Murai hadn''t realized it now, but he had met someone with whom he could communicate normally.


    That meant by mouth.


    As for understanding these quacks that hid intent, special fit syllables, and accents, he was unable to make anything out of them as any normal being would. There was nothing special about them in their sounding principle that would discern some sort of... systematic language behind them.


    Few would think of it as a language at all. It wasn''t a wrong assumption to think of it as the barks of a dog, or hisses of cats, even if they had intent put behind them.


    Manager Kil noted his expression and clear hesitation about something. He frowned even deeper, shook his head, and... began quacking again. ¡°My bad... My work with this language needs work. Is my pronunciation a bit tough? Or is accent a bit difficult to discern for a Child such as yourself?¡± He glanced at Murai as if he was wrong, or arrogantly sorry he made some silly mistake.


    Murai was no longer thinking of this as normal or fine. He didn''t care for his quacks that needed his output and work of his neck and throat. He was tired of that, so with him being as fed up as he was, he went for his Will. Surprisingly, it was the only thing that was willing to move under his control. Nothing else was. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It will hurt, but he will let it slide. Pushing the power of his Robust Spirit against Manager Kil worked wonders. It was similar to Strike of the Will as it was discerning power like a thinly veiled aura without much pressure whatsoever. He didn''t want to push anything physical or powerful, although Will could clearly turn things physical with enough power.


    Insane souls allowed many things after all, but not now. Robust Spirit had to grow, or his Will needed to reach enough attributes, or he needed to grow up in general.


    Pushing his Will to Manager Kil, whose strength wasn''t clear in his mind, his Will found a guiding factor of incredible firm soul. It was relatively tiny, sturdy, and clear. He anchored onto it, or to be precise, Manager Kil allowed him to do that since his Will was no longer a Will, but Presence. A power beyond the Will that was fairly closing on the utmost limits that Extremes could take without shredding their mortal coils and becoming Gods.


    ¡°I don''t speak, nor understand these quacks, asshole..¡± Murai voiced his worry in his thunderous voice that barely flinched Manager Kil''s mind. Speaking like this hurt him instead for some reason, probably caused by the damage and wounds he had right now.


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    ¡°Ass... Huh?¡± Manager Kill wasn''t surprised one bit by the words that spoke to him. He was slightly dejected and disappointed at the same time, unwilling to admit the awkwardness he had caused, or that he couldn''t test his hard-earned achievement of learning the Anatidae tongue.


    He barely noticed something wrong with it, so he acted as if everything was fine. His piercing gaze wasn''t one bit lessened, but with clear communication between them, he was more than happy to get to his business.


    With this talk, Murai was sure it was fine to rely on his soul with those who could take him. But finding them could be... hard.


    ¡°It is a bit disappointing against my learning and years of training, I must say. This subject is still pending. It seems your case of an Anatidae is rather interesting and not under your consistent touch at all. What about Mother? Egg? Where have you been born? How have you kept your life intact if none is around? Birth of an Anatidae is a storming occasion, you see. Weird it happened in such a way.¡± This time, he spoke with a normal voice, speaking out loud, because he knew he would have to put his Pressence into Murai for him to speak to his soul.


    Which he didn''t want to do. Asking questions that he had no clue about, he spoke like he wanted, curious and talking on behalf of not only himself but research worth centuries.


    ¡°Oh, you don''t say... these questions. Do you think favors work like this? Questions too? I don''t like this situation, tiny man.¡± Murai sent his tiny grudge out without hiding any of his displeasure. He would sleep or eat, rather than speak to someone who wanted some favors or answers in the middle of a ridiculous situation and meeting.


    ¡°Favors? Oh...¡± Manager Kil laughed, still clutching his hand behind his back. Then the air shuddered and his eyes glowed in black light. ¡°You think you are in a position to speak to me like this, tiny helpless Child?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Murai shuddered, but his Robust Spirit took his aura and glare without any issues. His physical body didn''t take it at all, but Murai nor Kil seemed to mind it for a death sentence.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Manager Kil chuckled. ¡°You are interesting enough for us to be more than interested, so of course some mending and respect are due.¡± He turned his aura back to normal and eased his glare. Whatever was previously wrong or not seemed to change as if it never happened.


    At least in his mind, Murai hardly forgot this matter. He didn''t take grudges and first impressions lightly.


    ¡°Allow this Overlord to introduce himself then.¡± Manager Kil bowed, turning one of his hands before his waist. ¡°Name''s Kil, but here in the part of the Hell Haven, I am known as Manager Kil. A figure in the upper echelon of a demonic world that Levandis rules over and with the current leadership position in her temple.¡±


    Now, Murai saw his sincerity that either spoke of his political senses, or he was forced to be like this through some test he was trying on him, or all of this was because of his position alone. Either way, it wasn''t so bad.


    Murai changed his mind, turned a bit calmer, and sincerely spoke his mind. ¡°So it is true this world has such dividing factors between crazy Gods and those that think... rightfully? And this ancient temple from another time is in the hands and rules of a demonic goddess?¡±


    ¡°Oh, why so surprised? You didn''t know much about that before? I doubt that. Haven''t got time, or a person to talk to? Mindarch can certainly speak of it, so does Will of the Battleworld, or... what about your Life Companion, Blessed? And yes. It is all divided by the way.¡± Manager Kil shrugged his shoulders, speaking without worry or care.


    ¡°I...¡± Murai hesitated to hear those things. ¡°Got some topics, but the truth often comes from the rightful sources. Not stories, or unkempt heads.¡±


    ¡°Clever. Fine. It makes more than sense to use every opportunity to get a hold of something interesting, or worthy. it is a good belief that makes beings stronger than being fools. It is a belief of my Lady as well. Oh, I forgot about the properness...¡± He slapped his wide forehead and strengthened his posture.


    ¡°I am a servant of Lady Levandis, Lady of the Thousand Graves and Endless Suffering!¡±


    He spoke with such reverie and an endless amount of respect, that Murai didn''t take it for a laughing matter. It was still weird, sounding like a strange introduction for a God, or was it because he recited it like some sort of poem that had to sound way over the line? It didn''t make him look pitiful, however, or like someone on the brink of slavery for their respectful and nice Lady.


    This was how it could be anywhere, be it far in the universe, or this world. Some things never changed, Murai presumed.


    Having this reverence came more from strength and respect, rather than compliance and utter devotion. They often intersected, but Gods got their hands on various subjects with various possibilities, emotions, rewards, and many other ways. Everything was allowed because Gods were in a position where they could afford it.


    Manager Kil ended up pausing after his speech, making a way too overdramatic pause for nothing but his pride or reverence.


    Murai was so close to laughing, but he managed to get hold of himself in time.


    Manager Kil coughed after 5 seconds, clearing his thoughts upon this respectful and his favorite introduction that he spent years perfecting. It went according to the words and things his Lady preferred, so he had no problem with being like this.


    ¡°So? Care to explain what is this about, what is up with that golem, or what is even happening at the end of this Gate?¡± Murai asked straight to the point, not interested in this sorry excuse for an introduction.


    Once again, Manager Kil hardly noticed his displeasure. He was far too prideful to even acknowledge it as forceful or awkward.


    ¡°Very well, since a certain... spiritual construct hasn''t done its job, I can allow this to happen,¡± he said as if he was giving Murai a favor. ¡°According to common sense in this temple, I am not to intervene with challenges or any Gates but circumstances went onto unexpected causes. It isn''t your fault, albeit it is. We are takers of any special circumstance. You are under them right now. Under all of our gazes. That golem isn''t part of the usual stakes, you see, similar to yourself.¡± Manager Kil said and pointed to the golem behind him.


    ¡°So it was a test?¡±


    ¡°What isn''t in this place? For a Blessed Anatidae, this much went to the lengths that weren''t that far from being that insane.¡± Manager Kil smiled. ¡°That said... until you exceeded expectations, cracked that golem''s structure, and... done something you should not have done. There are some issues, as with every case of your species.¡± He drowned in worry next, remembering memories or the voice of his Lady.


    ¡°Care to mention more?¡± Murai tried to dig for some information, hoping to seek something from this Overlord who must know something about his species. It wasn''t a wrong idea, as this golem played and forced him with not only a Devil Cube Formation, but it was hiding an Everflower inside of it, and let''s not forget about its runic structure with layers onto them. That was something Murai considered at least at the same level as the Devil Cube Formation that supported it.


    He wished to steal this idea for future reference.


    As far as he knew, making it workable was close to impossible. Something was special about that formation, the internals of this golem, or something else was going on with these layers. They forced the Everflower to follow it all, and taming it was hard even with all of that in sight.


    But the reality was clear. Not only was it fine in that Cube, but there was also focus on it, alongside the locking arrays to not allow mana to come in, giving it a look that the golem wasn''t dependant on any outside mana.


    That was often possible, albeit rather rare in some golems.


    In most cases, golems depended on the artificial core that either had essences as fuels, or other treasures instead. Rarely, some formations fueled worldly mana to the core, turning the golem into an endlessly absorbing killing machine. Acaman Golem was that type of a golem.


    In this case, Anatidae Golem was a unique existence, as it depended on one-of-a-kind essence as a fuel alone, and even then, the flow was far too savage for its limits. There was no Artificial Core inside of it. Just complicated processing runic conducts that all worked around the source that was Everflower, rather than it being like a heart like usual.


    Artificial Core should be the leading core for any golem, with everything working for it alone.


    Murai understood more than well why Manager Kil asked his starting question, but he wasn''t sure about why he spoke the way he did.


    Surprisingly, Manager Kil spoke next with unlike enthusiasm as if figuring out the course of action that Murai was curious about.


    ¡°This situation piques the interest of many beings, as Anatidaes are enough to warrant this attention. It''s funny, truth to be told. Entertaining too as intensity and such occurrences rarely come with such a level of strength. You are frankly too young for this place, considering the mess on the Surface, which adds another layer to our interest. Why, you wonder?¡±


    ¡°I don''t want to know. Is it that funny to see a small duck suffer so much? How funny. I am chorting a laughter as you speak.¡± Murai said coldly.


    ¡°Wel, it''s your rightful perspective. A perspective of a Challenger that eyes the wealth and bliss of my Lady.¡± Manager Kill turned serious again, unwillingly straining his aura again. ¡°Apologies. For once, I am not one to not see courage where it belongs. You, on the other hand, are a whole different height of situation altogether. I don''t see that far, nor my Lady, but this world is huge. We aren''t entirely sure of the happenings between Gods in the Skies and Blessed that are in their interest. We have our worries, you see.¡±


    Hearing his information, that caused some worries and warranted interesting information, Murai was moaning in his heart. He didn''t know what to expect, but he quickly realized that this world was divided into many layers of interest across two hegemonic factions of Order and Chaos. Some could be mixed, or filled with even weirder premises, but it made sense. Many worlds were the same.


    When there was Chaos, there was always some sense of Order that allowed Chaos to not shatter the universal Laws and cause Endless Dread. None wanted to deal with the consequences of that, albeit that was beyond Gods to worry about. At least in most cases. They still thought of that because they had to consider the dangers in the vast universe that had no bounds.


    Murai realized this place should be interesting, and Kil''s or other help shouldn''t be that bad for him. It was much to his liking, unlike the arrogance and hopes of the Gods in the Sky, Depths, or who knew where else.


    At least in this world, the morality and workings across the demons were somewhat expected and easy to work with. With enough power and touch, they were easier to pursue than righteous folks who were endlessly thinking of themselves as superior.


    When there was something worthy or advantageous, some limits or knowledge mattered more. It was all about if one bent the knee when something worthy came forward.


    Perhaps he had something easy to give them, and in return, this place would give him something nice.


    And he didn''t mean this temple or Midnarch, or Boost in general. He thought of a backer. Someone else than Vermillion whom he didn''t trust.


    Demons had often easy enough motivations and emotions, making them easier to discern and work with. One could die because of that, of course, since working with them was also very dangerous.


    Working with them became easier with care, validation, or power. It depended on individual circumstances and how clever or generous one was. Greed still worked between Order and Chaos in the same way between peasants and royalty. When enough motivations went into rightful words, results followed.


    Looking at the smiling tiny human that would kill him with a sweep of his little finger, Murai wondered what he should ask or work with. ¡°What is up with this Anatiade Golem that you mentioned? Some deal? You wanted me to remain shut? So, when we reach this minor understanding, speak. I have limited time, or... not. Anyway...¡±


    ¡°No worries. It won''t be long.¡± Manager Kil assured him with an excuse.¡°It was an idea and hope of my Lady. Anatideas are excelling takers of many forceful aspects thanks to their universal mana, which is a major part of all of their sub-species, outside of some rare occurrences, of course. I''ve heard Death got hold of some of your kin, but anyway. Research is long and ancient, similar to how they are. In terms of golem-making, they are manacing if certain things come into play.¡± Manager Kil revealed what he wanted, not telling more than he should.


    ¡°So, just an imitation?¡±


    ¡°A worthy and complicated imitation is worthy subject to any runesmith, or golem maker.¡±


    From his smile, it was intentional that he left some things out.


    Murai was satisfied with that much, albeit it was just a brief talk. ¡°Then, what about this Island or Gate?¡±


    ¡°It is done. You can move to the reward island and Gate 3. There, something like this won''t happen because it is a place with a new set of rules you have to follow, unlike Gate 1 or Gate 2. I pressure you will be satisfied with it, or worried, depending on what will come out of its structure or your luck.¡±


    ¡°Mind telling what it is about?¡±


    ¡°Luck, strategies, and you won''t have to kill a single fool to finish that gate. Though, many will have to do it anyway, so whatever will await you, can be outside of Mindarch''s intentions. You will see... We will be watching.¡± Manager Kil said his message with a little murderous smile. ¡°If you won''t tell anyone about some sort of cube in our hands, that is. Or a nice flower too, things will go smoothly.¡± He added, almost whispering.


    Murai expected this sooner, albeit he wasn''t fond of blackmailing, which Vermillion must know, but not Levandis or this little guy.


    ¡°Well...¡± Murai sneered and forced a chuckle that hurt his lungs and neck and sent a deadly shiver down his spine. ¡°Curses... Fine. As I can see it anyway, feeling the air and this Encounter breathing behind my neck, I guess I won''t have an issue with not talking to certain holy people about it, if I say so myself. As long as it is worth it, of course. You must know how it goes...¡±


    Manager Kil''s face remained unfazed by a clear blackmail back and forth. Murai was more careful about it, not making it forceful just to not piss this Overlord or this place in general.


    He still did manage to sound not that clever, as power ruled supreme and this place could squish him like nothing.


    Murai still tried his luck, so he did try to sound as great and good as he could.


    Manager Kil smiled. ¡°If that''s the case, I think some set of manuals of choice, or some essences and other things would pose no problem to you. Or I can leave some behind? I think I lost a pouch somewhere, but I wonder where.¡± Manager Kil frowned as if he stepped on shit, patted the gem on his waist, resting in a thin layer of belt, and a pouch felt from a tiny spatial vortex. Just in case, he kicked it aside, pretending he had seen nothing.


    Murai was impressed by his thick skin and wits, so he nodded and wondered what this little prize was. Nothing worse than a Gate rewards, he assumed. ¡°Well, I see that succubus dropped something when I didn''t look. Suppose it wouldn''t hurt to have another pouch.¡± Murai replied without a shred of shame.


    ¡°Excellent!¡± Manager Kil clapped his hands in a good mood, before changing back to normal. ¡°Deal is voiced. If things go wry, expect the repercussions set by an Overlord... or worse. Are we clear?¡±


    Murai agreed in a breath. Nothing else was much concern to him anyway. It wasn''t as if could blackmail this place with this sort of information, but he bet he could stir some deep hatred between the Sky and these Depths. Everflower or this golem in general should be more than worth it.


    But if it would cost him his skin, he made an easy choice. It wasn''t as if he had any merit to start blackmailing those who could shatter him like a toy. It wasn''t clever.


    ¡°I am honestly surprised that you even came here. There were some bets that you would get to Gate 3 much faster, or slower, but whatever... I suppose part of the blame was in your training, even though there is a hunter behind your neck, not that far if I recall. He is stepping into the Ending Isles as I speak, in fact.


    ¡°Not important,¡± Murai said firmly. ¡°I will run faster than him.¡±


    ¡°False.¡± Manager Kil said without any doubt. The only cause that Razmund hadn''t caught him was the difference in their respective arrivals. Murai''s ride was easier because of his 1st-time visitor status.


    Manager Kil knew all about it, as he viewed both sides of this current problem. ¡°Blame is nowhere but on the Surface, as the hunt between Blessed is certainly entertaining, even if it went all the way to this temple. Be glad my Lady isn''t that petty or disinterested, even though she could''ve killed you both and dealt with repercussions later.¡±


    ¡°Good, she didn''t then.¡±


    ¡°Don''t take her to your mind that lightly!¡± He reminded him with intent to kill. ¡°Blame is in on you too, like everyone else''s, but our side works with it too. Your Guide is also there, alongside a certain construct that purposefully hasn''t told you that you could''ve moved to Ending Isles upon meeting our approval in the lower half.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Approval?¡± Murai quacked.


    ¡°That was before my Lady woke up... So... Um... How to say it? Using the right tools for the whole course of 100 Islands is quite huge for us. Especially in times of war and conflict. It is a prime season for that, you see.¡± Kil sounded more like a tired salesman the more he talked.


    ¡°What?¡± Murai asked, unsure if his points made sense to him when his life was on the line. Should he feel some regret? Guilt? He never thought much of troubling others with his problems. He was always open about anything anyway, be it suffering or madness, or occasional good neutrality.


    He could have suffered fewer setbacks if he got to Endling Isles sooner, but he would have lost his touch with Heavenly Shaping. His training was significant with time spent below the Endling Isles. He was sure he would have trouble with them without this whole journey.


    It wasn''t Lorry''s fault. Mindarch simply acted on his own, outside of Manager Kil who was waiting for Levandis to wake up.


    Thin layers of bothering stress were behind Manager Kil''s cheeks and eyes. He couldn''t wait to meet that laughing skull or talk about this whole topic to Levandis.


    He will kick him in the windpipe, or make another socket between his eyes. And he was close, hiding behind that Space Cage that was yet to disperse.


    ¡°Well, I fear the luck part is subjective for a Blessed of your... species, sour, or whatever... It isn''t as important when power is there to allow things. I presume you won''t find our place as bad as you fear. Though, I deny the fact that I can tell you more about what is there. Unless my Lady deals with or, or put her interest forward.¡±


    ¡°No worries. No worries. I did fight like a maniac without any malicious intent behind it. I had no clue about the situation anyway, so there are no surprises there or regrets.¡±


    Manager Kil nodded in a good mood, knowing that Murai still gave him a lot of stress because of the Anatidae Golem alone and his tactics.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± He turned his hands back behind his back. ¡°My time is still about that toy.¡± He flickered his chin in the direction of that golem.


    ¡°Apologies if I was that rough. Did what I had to do. It wanted my head, you know? It was necessary, wasn''t it? Right? Right... Fuck...¡± Murai sighed in unwilling helplessness, seeing that Manger Kil was turning somber and his aura flared up again.


    ¡°A little bit unnecessary it was. Yes.¡± Manager Kil said, ¡°Though, I doubt this output and experiment was as useless as I''ve feared. At least for us, while you did reach the limits like I presume you wanted. Few things around your level provide enough challenge for us to spend on you. Which makes this... harder on us.¡±


    Murai kind of got this idea, but he did struggle against quite a few things besides this golem. But again, they were all well over his level, so what to think of it?


    ¡°What about the level differences then? Fights? That boy!¡± Murai firmly asked.


    ¡°Nothing worth adding. You gobbled our forces nearly twice your level, so if you speak of this further...¡± Murai heard a crack of his fingers behind his back, while his dark aura darkened. He shut up, allowing Manager Kil to deal with his message. ¡°Just so you know, before this is over, the completion bonus for doing the entire Islands of Greatness isn''t small. Some important matters are good for you, albeit they aren''t as good to us...¡± He sighed at the end, figuring he was speaking too much for his liking, but he wanted to understand and research Murai''s Will that was pushing against his Pressence.


    Where else he would get this chance? He stalled without any shame.


    And Murai had no idea he was putting him on a cutting board, researching him without any consequences.


    ¡°That''s what you deserve from making this sort of Gate! You could''ve sent me away... far away... How about to some sea? Hm?¡± Murai tried his poorly thought-out idea that went against his soul, greed, mind, and all that he believed in. He didn''t want to leave this place. It was far too good for him to pass it away.


    Manager Kil unhappily grunted. ¡°Occasional losses are as good as fleeting yet numerous victories. That is a brief belief of my Lady that believes with trials come changes. With changes power.¡±


    ¡°I don''t care what your "Lady" thinks.¡±


    This time, Manager Kil almost snapped his fingers. His aura turned to scarlet violence, shuddering the air and the ground, and causing all onlookers to drop where they were, pushing themselves as far as this place allowed.


    ¡°Don''t take my Lady too lightly, or you might feel sorry for your Fate more than the Surface or Sky does.¡±


    ¡°That won''t pose much problem to me. Since she is interested, as you said, I don''t mind some dealings with Gods as long as they are sensible. Some already did talk to me, you see? Offering me things too... I wonder if my refusal wasn''t a blunder.¡± Murai said without feeling an inch of fear because of his flaring Will, but the pressure that he physically felt was facing his body like a storm.


    His Will went wilder and Robust Spirit reacted by pushing some of these nasty effects away or turning it milder. So instead of a massive mountain pressuring his spirit, it felt like a massive boulder filled with spikes.


    It all happened spontaneously and behind Murais'' awareness, even if his body shuddered and collapsed. At least his eye still looked at Manager Kil and his Will still kept its shape. He just felt the outcome, which helped his mind to take this exchange much better.


    Each small figure held its own against each other, but only one of them held the power to act like this.


    That was Manager Kil, whose position was absolute, apart from Levandis herself.


    Manager Kil glared at his lustrous eyes, thinking that his Will was beyond his understanding. Something about it was way sturdier, while it affected many layers that pushed against his Pressence and power as an Overlord. That was ridiculous... This Anatidae was just a Child, yet its soul aspects were beyond absurd, even with Anatidaes in mind.


    Manager Kil calmed his aura. ¡°You proved yourself, while my time is ticking by in terms of what is worthy. I won''t be sticking around for you like a sore thumb.¡± Manager Kil stopped the majority of his pressuring aura and massaged his temples. ¡°Just so you know, the premise of this 100 kills is to provide a good challenge for our forces, so dying or not is up to our matters. Challengers are not here often anymore, but their subject of interest is between Depths and Surface which is this piece of our bliss. Sky validated that choice, forcing us to create the aspects of the 10 Gates.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Murai didn''t know what his message was about. It sounded like a scolding instead.


    ¡°Take it as a reminder. Act accordingly, or you will be sorry. That golem isn''t included in this Gate by the way, but it has been decided it is. Think of it as your win, which leaves the rewards for your silent taking and understanding. Shall I repeat that? Your price and our deal?¡±


    ¡°I don''t care for my time at all. Just give me more moments and I won''t make you regret this deal. I trust that my view on this matter won''t'' have any repercussions for your Lady.¡±


    ¡°Let''s hope so...¡± Then, he flickered his small fingers, letting out a crisp sound that echoed far and loud, lowering the Space Cage down.

 Chapter 156: Bribe

    Murai had small doubts he was giving himself too many flattering thoughts. He was nobody before this little person, but if this exchange validated something for his life, he wasn''t in a position to deny his chances.


    Manager Kil gave him plenty of interesting information, providing some context about Anatidaes that Lisa couldn''t provide. It shed some doubts. She never had a chance to discover them, since her time around the Battleworld wasn''t as widespread, and she wasn''t ready to take them to her head or Path. She had other worries because she didn''t end up as an Extreme, albeit she was as strong as one in almost all regards.


    There was something deeply impressive about Anatidae species that Murai wasn''t all that aware of. Manager Kil and this whole situation about that golem proved it more than his own body or findings. The ridiculous nature of his species had many aspects, so slowly, interesting ideas and desires crept into his Will.


    Alas, Manager Kill thought this was the end of his research and talking to him, as he couldn''t work around his Will to give it some of his direct touches. Not only was he in a sensitive and neat position, but many figures were watching this show.


    Thus, he snapped his small fingers, letting out a crisp sound that echoed far and loud. His aura dispersed, yet nothing about his demeanor and pressuring look changed. Murai still felt as if he was overlooked by an Overlord.


    Then, the voice echoed, speaking over the crisp sounds of his snap.


    [End of the Last Island has been issued.] Mindarch spoke like a good soul construct he was.


    [Initiating returning points of interest. Beginning teleportation.]


    [3 fights have been warranted and done under the Last Island and excellent work of Manager Kill and Mindarch. Course and cases of each round have been recorded, sent, and calculated into a series of points that shall be retrieved and fully provided before entering Gate 3. Not before Island of Rewards.]


    [Good work Citizen M. Many thanks to Manager Kil for your masterful work that left us all in awe.] He sounded sincere until he shut up like the crisp sound of the lighting without any light.


    Manager Kil didn''t care much for his shenanigans or voice anyway. His gaze was serious after issuing his authority over Mindarch, who ended up sending all of the onlooking figures around this street away. He figured they would give Murai at least some challenge, but after that round against Uqari, things changed.


    There were usually more than 3 fights. All of Mindarch''s choices were above Level 40, while Murai was still below Level 20. That was an insane difference that spoke of talent and an undeniable blunder of miscalculation, or lack of Will of the Battleworld''s touches.


    And Mindarch''s inability to take it all that well, but that was something Manager Kil knew. At least it wasn''t that ridiculous to truly shake this place. Spending some tools even with Bloodline of Divine Beast wasn''t that terrible if it meant taking more out of Murai''s potential, his calculations, and potential additional Anatidae research. All of those readings were worth a lot.


    Either way, those comparable to Murai weren''t rare as far as Manager Kil knew. It was about talent and quality around their potential, while Grades of their abilities became another thing because that depended on the Will of the Battleworld, their readings, or their willingness to Breach or rip through limiters.


    Calculating overall power into the proper state was sometimes difficult when the top of the food chain crashed the rules. That was what Levels were generally for, as it meant prowess that one possessed after Battleworld''s calculations.


    Across the board, it was the simple road of 100 Levels, but there existed figures that were either unique in their powers, speeds of acquiring it, or their cases were problematic in unknown levels of Breaches or unfamiliar powers.


    The fact that Murai was able to finish this Gate so quickly while learning and growing as an Anatidae was a testament to his status. This achievement shocked not only Hell Haven and Mindarch but also Manager Kil.


    Well, perhaps Manager Kil was much more impressed, rather than shocked, as he was feeling something that none of Murai''s opponents did: his Will and soul.


    He wished to research it directly, unleash his Presence or other tools at his disposal, and dig out everything about this insane duck. Understanding the concept that allowed the creation of this ridiculous Blessed¡ªor an Anatidae of all species¡ªwas brewing in his head.


    But that was a wish that he could only offer to his Lady for the time being. Or it could be a request? Kidnapping Murai and working with him regardless of his Will seemed like a possibility that Levandis could do. Either way, it was up to her to decide that. Not him.


    He can''t touch anything right now. Levandis was silent, or unwilling to deal with it because of the ongoing Encounter that Murai was doomed with. Mindarch would know more details, or Levandis would research it by her Authority. Or he could try it himself after this arrangement and summon was over.


    Slowly, all demons, beasts, statues, and a few young devils disappeared into the ground, shrouded in a spatial aura that caused the ground to change into a teleportation array. Even the golems weren''t spared, excluding Anatidea Golem, Goliath Golem, and Uqari in the pool of her blood. They were all part of Murai''s loot.


    Well, the motionless Anatidae Golem wasn''t part of it, Murai knew.


    Soon, the whole street was empty, leaving Manager Kil and Murai alone. That was perfect timing for Murai to speak his Will since Manager Kil was yet to leave.


    ¡°Can you tell me anything about Anatideas? Anything? I may overlook that pouch... that Uqari dropped. How about that?¡± He tried his best to sound sincere; he wasn''t sure if it worked.


    Which put a smile on Manger Kil''s face. ¡°Good enough try. It provides context that you don''t even know much about yourself. It isn''t that obvious by the way, considering how you fight and how you handle yourself while being this young.¡±


    ¡°I learned this the hard way. Aren''t all Blessed like this? This world takes that kind of idea to another level, but not the concept of unfamiliarity. This duck is ridiculous by the way! Could you imagine waking up limbless and without the ability to even touch things? I don''t like it....This Gate helped, true, but it was thanks to Mindarch who didn''t let me reach these Ending Isles sooner. Is that right?¡±


    ¡°Hm? Didn''t think of that like that. Seems validating enough for you, but no. I won''t speak of them. Spent your Question Mark and Mindarch shall gift your answers under its somewhat passable Codex that does possess a variety of Anatidae knowledge. Special portrayers, moves, abilities, or straight-up projections are all there, though it depends on how well you spend your Mark or voice your wonders. Consider this the end for me.¡±


    Murai couldn''t help but be slightly disappointed, but he let this go if Mindarch was much better at this than him. Constructs that held this sort of authority and vividness were great and not simple.


    Soon enough, the Space Cage obscuring the edges of this Island disappeared, letting Lorry and Lisa in. They were at the entrance, observing the disappearing waves of space so they could enter the street.


    In a flash, Lisa and Lorry looked in, appearing shocked, surprised, and kind of confused in different ways. Lorry noticed Manager Kil right away, while Lisa saw the butcherings of Goliath Golem, a dead succubus with 4 arms and quite a nasty wound, and... small golem that she took for something interesting.


    It was Murai''s work, she knew and cursed she couldn''t watch this show. It would be wonderful to seek what he did to this battle-focused succubus or the rest.


    But then, she noticed an Overlord, looming over Murai''s collapsed body and didn''t know what to think. It put her mind aflame, and her face calmed down because this was way out of her touch. She did know him by his mere appearance, but even if she wouldn''t, she immediately recognized an Overlord from the sight of his aura alone.


    There was much more vividity to them, while the Presence felt like an imminent shadow that was impossible to get rid of. Caused by pressure and a powerful soul, it was a concept of power that many Gods also possessed. The weaker ones, of course, until the true power of the Path bent the reality itself.


    Murai hadn''t gotten this idea... but perhaps he should possess Presence as well if his soul was so strong already. Lisa knew why he didn''t get that yet. Aspects like these depended on this world and individuals, or things that hadn''t warped the rules, or crashed the reasons completely. The most important aspect of that sort of power was the Will attribute. After getting enough points, it could change to Presence in most cases.


    In rarer cases, it was soul-based, which was why Lisa had various ideas in her head the moment she saw this street.


    Murai was still far from that, albeit his soul had all the proper traits to allow the existence of Presence. He just had no time to grow up properly, or there were some other layers and limits that she didn''t know, obstructing its creation. But again, he had something called Robust Spirit, so she wasn''t sure what to trust.


    Upon noticing the small figure of a man wearing a suit, Lisa and Lorry each had their thoughts and acts in mind. While only one of them truly knew him, both felt reverence at low heights, but their carefulness in their acts was the same. The first to move was ashen looking skull, whose Soul Flame flickered and dimmed.


    ¡°M-Manager Kil!?¡± Lorry hurried forward, smacking his skull in front of this tiny figure, who wasn''t even taller than the height of his skull.


    Lorry sounded sorry and afraid at the same time.


    Which Manager Kil saw and felt with a sneer on his face. He turned to Lorry, glaring at his flames almost face to face.


    Letting his hands behind his back to come forth, he pointed at him with his Overlord aura again. It was no skill or special move. It was a simple manifestation of the power he carried.


    Regardless of Path, it was a power that a lot of figures, even non-Extremes had. For example, Razmund had his own aura, albeit it wasn''t this strong. Murai had something himself, but perhaps that was part of his species, soul, or it all added together?


    Roughly, it was all about feelings that got stronger, the more powerful a being became.


    ¡°Guide...¡± Manager Kil addressed him like a superior. ¡°Your tasks are going well within the expectations, which means that a lot of things could be done better. So keep your flames alive and mind aflame. Gate 3 won''t have some deep repercussions, nor some ploys, so you will do the usual things. Got it?¡±


    Voiceless, Lorry smacked his forehead to the ground in affirmation. Then Manager Kil turned to Murai, half noticing Lisa who came at his side like a shadow. She was interested in his current status, but she had yet to address this Overlord, whom she was careful of.


    Murai looked like shit if she would be honest with the reality, but she felt his Will was pushing to somewhere else. She arrived at the conclusion that his connection to this little man was pending, but Manager Kil wasn''t interested in further talk. She knew it by now.


    ¡°Now, you and your Life Companion may be at ease. Take your future hopes to the next Gate.¡±


    ¡°Ease?¡± Lisa asked while squinting her eyes and looming over Murai. ¡°What is going on? Are you an Overlord that this little duck pissed or Mindarch was no longer needed, or... is this because of... something else? What that troublemaker caused!?¡± Lisa asked, faking being unafraid when she pointed down, figuring that Murai''s art of messing things up was as good as his Shaping.


    ¡°Finally someone who can speak with his mouth, huh?¡± Manager Kil smirked and ceased Murai''s Will away from his soul space. It was like a flash of lighting, and without any pain whatsoever, Murai shook as their connection warped away.


    He couldn''t go against this act even if he tried again.


    Managed Kil refused him, turning to Lisa instead. ¡°You may say that my position is enormous, while you... Um. 3rd-timer you may be, but in a way that makes it weird. I suppose there is no need to include you, but... You could... be.¡± He wished to say something, but Lisa interrupted him very quickly.


    ¡°No need to mention that. He is his own little boss, alright?¡±


    There was something Manager Kil understood quite well from her posture, a forceful wave of her hands, and words that didn''t want to linger any longer. All in all, she had more to tell but wished to not speak of it.


    ¡°Well, not like this matters much since you''ve died anyway and this little duck is an interesting subject.¡± He sneered, letting out an entertained smirk that seemed unnatural on his head.


    By this point, Murai was having none of his shit after he ejected his Will, so he smacked the ground with his beak, causing dizziness and pain to almost crack his mind apart. He grunted like a beast, coughed blood, and quacked.


    ¡°Screw this shit... How about to move on and let this damned Island be? There is so little to be done here. And you, Manager Kil or whatever... You understand me anyway, so I don''t need my Will to give you any reminders. Fuck you, in fact. Screw all of your little people. I don''t know why you think this is a big deal. It''s not like I would do much to this toy of your Lady, so let me get what I deserve and move on. Agreed?¡±


    His rant was quick, forceful, and slightly startling for Lisa, who gave him a complicated look. She wouldn''t expect anything else from him, but she wouldn''t speak to an Overlord like this if she were in his position.


    Murai talked without any shame and bother, taking this figure for something less than important, so he snapped his mind. It was no longer that important to him if Manager Kil refused to collaborate any longer.


    In his mind, so what if Manager Kil was someone important? It shouldn''t matter to him when his head went over this situation entirely. It wasn''t as if he had done something terrible intentionally. Others decided he did that for him, which was something he hated to his bone. So if there were benefits behind this, he wasn''t minding that as much as he wanted.


    Perhaps he was overthinking this because Lisa came here, or Manager Kil turned his attention and will to speak to somebody else. Or was it the added collection of his refusal, these Islands, his fight against Anatidea Golem, and his journey through these islands in general?


    His mind was tired for sure. Too tired. His body was never this broken and his desires ended as Mindarch declared the end of this Gate. Lisa hadn''t changed this scene much. Murai was no longer handling this situation as important, so his rant was more than unnecessary.


    Murai''s choice of words did provide her with some answers that something was wrong with this whole situation. She considered Overlord here to be enough insanity already, but some golden-looking and small golem aside from her changed her mind.


    Lisa noticed it, standing like a statue. Golem stayed on the ground, unmoving as if it was out of order. No matter how she looked at it, she couldn''t figure out its inner workings, even though her sona was special like her eyes. The golem was turned off without any mana undulations or something to prove its strength.


    Well, apart from its appearance. She was able to note much more from it since she was very familiar with materials and worthy treasures across the Somalis continent or a few other continents, and things from the Skies Beyond were also up to her knowledge.


    She didn''t underestimate this duck-looking golem even a little bit, since the premise of a golem of this size was ridiculous, considering its special layered appearance. She would think of this differently, if she knew there was a Prime Everflower inside of it, hiding under a powerful formation that didn''t originate from this world.


    One way or another, Lisa got the gist of this situation even without knowing what Murai went through. There was succubus not far away as well, followed by a big clutter of metallic rocks. Only 3 enemies went against him on this Island, which was a much smaller number than she expected, yet Murai was in terrible shape.


    Cracked plates of Anatidae Golem''s armor and first layer were around the ground, and its golden layer was all over it, glinting with some slow tides of runes that she couldn''t discern. There was some thin mana around them, but so little, that she barely noticed it. It looked tough and shiny, even though some parts were tiny touch cracked. Especially one side, where Murai went against it with his lunacy and unhinged Peaks.


    If he had continued his last exchange, he would reveal the third layer which wasn''t supposed to work. It would literary put the golem''s worth into question or straight up turn it to scraps, or worse.


    Bringing destruction and who knew what else if the Everflower destabilized was something no one wanted. Well, with the Devil Cube Formation, it wouldn''t do much. Such formation accounted for its protection, but not for its secrecy.


    Lisa recognized its runesmithing and material worth, so she was no longer surprised by Murai''s mind. Someone played with him by using a toy as an experiment. Wasn''t this all about it anyway? Murai complained to her how he felt like a testing rat quite a few times.


    Manager Kil turned his gaze back to Murai after hearing his rant. ¡°I see... I see. You are pissed off for no reason, but it doesn''t seem to me that I am overestimating my importance as an Overlord. Though, it seems my kind will not take you lightly at all, so you better care of your neck. Considering your trouble-making status, talks may sooner or later disappear and the consequences of what comes next won''t be pretty. Take that warning or give up.¡±


    He spoke calmly without any aura or threat besides the words.


    Murai wasn''t losing if words and talking were all to this discussion. ¡°If you think what you mean, then some assholes already spoke to me after Gate 1. They talked through my Soul Space as if they were some big deal, huh? Screw them! I turned them down like they deserved.¡±


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Oh, that?¡± Manager Kil raised his right brow. ¡°That was a bit unnecessary, but what had happened wasn''t within my reasons. Apologies for that. There were some neat places of orders and acts that went behind the scenes. Hell Haven is vast; your case is unique. It ends up as not that important if you are here, alive, rejecting the reality, and quacking like a fool. SO!¡± Manager Kil clasped his palms together, letting out a thunderous noise.


    ¡°There are doubtful words and acts, so don''t be an idiot.¡± He reminded Murai who sneered and felt his body heat up in tense pain. He felt he could no longer walk, but his mind was flaring with power and unkept emotions.


    It was a wonder how it all worked, considering his condition and what he went through.


    When Manager Kil opened his palms, there was a small gem around a metallic circle. It was a spatial ring of unknown grade that held nothing in particular. It was just a token of letting some problems slide.


    Spatial equipment was an important aspect for anyone in this place, let alone the Surface. He didn''t find it problematic to sponsor Murai''s journey through this temple or somewhere else. This shut Murai off, but not because of that ring.


    He was over this Gate, or this Overlord who was no longer willing to take his mind onto his ears.


    Tossing that ring to Lisa, Manager Kil said to her what he wanted Murai to know. ¡°You are clever, unlike your Anatidea who sometimes doesn''t know what is good for him. My condolences. Take that ring as a token of this... resolved situation. It''s outside of any merits of this Gate. Think of it like a gift.¡±


    Lisa caught it with a flick of her hand, curious what this Overlord thought.


    Then Manager Kil turned to Murai, who flickered his head away like a stubborn fool. He stopped any groan coming from his beak because this action hurt his neck in places he never felt before.


    ¡°Next destination will be your proper reward, alongside some bonuses that will be more than satisfying. You got lucky in Variant Islands, so good luck with the Gate down below. Oh, and don''t cause trouble over there. We are watching... Don''t let me force something you don''t want to see. Trust me.¡± He remained to him again with a glare that hid his Pressence.


    Manager Kil was over this entire situation as well, no longer waiting for anyone to speak. Lisa accepted that ring with a slight bow, wishing to slap Murai with clear motivation to apologize to this Overlord for any trouble.


    Out of respect for him and this Gate, she didn''t do it.


    Manager Kil snapped his fingers again, and in a mere moment, his body twisted apart, disappearing into a speck of dark vortex. It was as if his body disappeared into a black hole. Coincidently, Anatidea Golem disappeared alongside him, including detached wings and plates of armor or its destroyed layers.


    This action left Murai, Lorry, and Lisa alone.


    Lisa was the first to ease the silence and Murai''s flaring and painful mind. He was still somewhat angry about something completely unnecessary.


    ¡°What was that about? Are you an idiot? How come an Overlord pushed his ass here just for your troubles? Do you want to die that much?¡± Lisa went down, grabbed his beak, and glared at his eyes. She glanced left and right if they were alone, and gestured around with her other hand to add some drama to her acts. Her ring was still in that hand.


    She knew Overlords very well from rumors and few direct... Well, too direct circumstances, which left many stories left behind in her heart and past. As a former Morgoth Sucubus of Queen Bloodline, she held no small authority and talent in the past. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But it was in the past. Her time was different right now, as she didn''t know what even remained of her friends, tools, and who knew who else. 50 years passed, which must left many alive and many dead.


    She left many relationships and grudges behind. That was for sure, which might come back to bite her if she wasn''t careful. She knew a lot of things about a lot of things, but she didn''t talk about them as much as she should. Murai knew it too, so he made her talk more throughout the last days by questioning her worth and ideas.


    She took that chance to get to know him too. This temple, information about the Hell Havens, and their political aspects must''ve remained with fewer chances. It was her area of expertise, but that was still 50 years of difference. The world may haven''t changed much, but its people did.


    Levandis Temple was the same as she remembered, similar to the Centralis Kingdom. That... was all. She hadn''t gotten a chance to uncover much from anyone else. She needed a proper source of information. Which was here, hiding and closing to her head.


    Hell Havens could hardly change as pivotal locations that were engraved into this world, unlike Divine Kingdoms. 50 years should''ve allowed many Extremes to rise and fall, powers to change owners, and Gods to rise as well. She was curious about them, though she changed herself. Whether it was for the better or worse, she didn''t dare to think about it too much.


    Right now, she discovered and knew of far too many pressing issues that were pending like a storm over the Stormy Seas. It was all about Murai, whose little head seemed to interest some interesting folks for sure.


    He was her prime worry since her Fate depended on him far too much without him knowing it.


    Murai wasn''t following her desires all that much. He hardly thought of her point of view.


    He didn''t speak to her out loud. Their minds will do. ¡°Just some tiny force was questioning and forcing things against me. Hmph! Bunch of fools! They thought I would take their ideas for a joke? That I would fear some toy? Nonsense. Their problems aren''t my problem, but when those problems become aching, I will squish it like a fly.¡± Murai dismissed her worry, wishing to leave this Island and get some rest.


    Rather than asking or thinking of this further, Lisa still grasped his beak but not for long. She let go of it, sighed, and figured his fighting must''ve nourished him a lot more than she thought. She had no idea how long that Overlord talked to him, but she had all the means to discover it.


    ¡°What was he about?¡±


    ¡°There was an Everflower in that golem,¡± Murai revealed this to her without any remorse. ¡°They thought of it as a secret; a bunch of lunatics. Wanted to shush me too. Lunatics!¡±


    ¡°Clever ones,¡± Lisa said out loud, frowning and thinking that this piece of news was slightly surprising and utterly shocking in some weird context. She took it surprisingly well outside, but who knew what she thought about it in her head?


    Murai didn''t care for this topic anymore and rather asked about the content of that ring that Lisa held. It was a human-sized one, meaning it was large for Kil, him, or Lisa, but such rings were easier to carry than a handful pouch she tossed to the ground when she arrived here.


    Lisa took it for granted, however, and without any issues. This ring will be helpful, but she would rather handle Pachi''s Gift that Murai lost. That one was much better than this ring that held dozens of cubic meters worth of space.


    It wasn''t more volume than their current pouches, but its worth was higher than all of them combined, all because of its size. Lisa glanced at it, curious about what happened with his deal and Overlord. This was clear blackmail or a deal that Murai solved with the pressure of an Overlord looming over his head.


    Dealing with Hell Havens and Overlord so directly in this regard was dangerous. Especially when something like Everflower Golem was at stake.


    Shaking her head, she let some mana activate the ring. She wasn''t that surprised to see its content. There was nothing. It was just a token that Manager Kil thought of because of the next Gate.


    Which left the pouch beside her in a new light. Murai dismissed that ring as he couldn''t carry it either. He had no fingers in place to care for it, nor the pouch, so Lisa took care of it.


    Until Murai pointed at the pouch that Manager Kil left behind. That one wasn''t supposed to be empty.


    And since it was coming from Overlord''s goodwill and no force, it was a form of bribery that Murai accepted. That, in itself, wasn''t that clear to her. Lisa can''t wait to hear their entire conversation. How? She can try to seek his memory fragments, which was one of the reasons she opted to not travel with him to the Islands and rather remained with Lorry.


    She opened the pouch as well. It had plenty of essences for his Level and even more mana-related materials that were worth half of the essences. She considered their worthy gift from the Surface''s perspective, rather than the current place. There were even many Grade 6 in there, but none above Grade 5


    Essences were worth less in a place that held more of them. As far as she knew, essences were roughly half or a quarter more expensive outside than here.


    And considering the means to get them thanks to the essence gathering through living beings, the cost and quantity that one can find here were stupendously ridiculous. Killing an Extreme in this temple under this construct yielded incredible essence.


    Manager Kil wasn''t stingy. This pouch alone held half of Murai''s achievement in this Gate itself, which was a questionable bribe, considering the context of the Everflower.


    Perhaps Manager Kil didn''t doubt that Murai wouldn''t talk about it, because if he did, they would hunt him without mercy.


    After all, they could shut him up by force, which Murai should know, or... Lisa wasn''t sure of it right now.


    Murai cheered to hear more Grade 6 essences were there for him to consume. Their worth was incredible, so if his points and reward in this Gate were great, improving his Artificial Core wasn''t a pipedream.


    That, or its ceiling will get higher, depressing him instead.


    Getting to the High Grade 6 Essence should no longer be an issue. Grade 5 essences was a topic he wasn''t ready to touch. He bet he will need dozens of times more High-Grade 6 essences to brick the difference and higher ceiling for his Core Defying Fusion Technique.


    Perhaps exchanging his essences for Low-Grade 5 essence would be the best. It could be a small shortcut, or his Artificial Core wouldn''t change either. That was a possibility.


    He was yet to be sure about his luck in the next Gate, or if his dependency on his Core Defying Fusion Technique was overly aggressive.


    Though, he had no regrets. The materials contained in that pouch were quite a large sum of treasures, that¡ªcombined with what he had¡ªput his anger out of his soul.


    It was as if he pretended to be a foolish duck with anger issues, even if Lisa doubted that on all fronts.


    Seeing his expressions and Will, the added pouch''s content added yet another layer to this situation. Lisa wondered how this bribe came with such ease, or whether that Overlord pressured or demanded something else than not speaking of that Everflower.


    Murai mentioned few things and he was known to downplay the situation a lot.


    ¡°A loot? Usually, the pouches weren''t full of this, so if it is this sort of stuff... What happened here? I am all ears.¡± Lisa asked, even if her ears weren''t all that visible thanks to the layers of sona that flowed down her head, creating hair that seemed watery.


    Murai sneered, ignoring her question. He rather forced from her one of the few remaining potions from the last Vault. Mana Potion had a variety of purposes ranging from quick replenishment of mana, or, in his case, it was a great way to calm the raging currents in his chest. Even a little bit of Mana Potion''s poor quality helped.


    He uncovered some workarounds about his habits and body. Solving wounds was part of his days-long research, or to be precise, day-old research. The first day in this Gate went by with barely any wounds that required much attention.


    But when he bled and felt the pain, something in him moved. His natural recovery was quite good, forgetting the fact that he still shouldn''t take tough beatings. He wouldn''t allow them anyway, so by adding the potions into his equation, he discovered a few things.


    Mana Potion affected the stability of his mana space, which in turn acted in a domino effect, turning his head and blood flow better. That was the usual effect of Rejuvenation Potion, thanks for their input of Vitality that Mana Potion didn''t have.


    Gulping the azure liquid, Murai felt better after some quick cycling and breathing that calmed his mind and eased his core.


    Lisa took his silence as a temporary issue. She had no doubts she would make him talk in Gate 3. That place was where her time to shine would arrive. Without her, she had no doubts he would had major issues.


    Murai was blissful in his ignorance, so he felt his core turn better and his body followed suit in the upcoming hour of his rest. He remained in the same position and close to the cracked wall. He was still feeling like shit, but walking shouldn''t be that problematic. What stressed him was his neck and torso. Not his legs for some reason. His chest felt as if was punched there numerous times, while his neck and beak felt numb.


    Speaking or quacking was also hurt when he got over the adrenalin, so he rather turned his attention to Lorry, who remained on the ground, thinking of Manager Kil while glancing at the pair of troublemakers with unknown thoughts.


    ¡°Guide... It seems your superiors got involved, huh?¡± Murai whimpered some quacks that sounded weak.


    ¡°Seems to Lorry that''s right.¡± The Guide still heard him though, or the meanings behind those quacks. Murai bet he was also knowing Anatidae tongue, but he had no desire to ask him about it right now.


    ¡°This Island is the last one, and I could have avoided a lot of issues if I could''ve moved further into them, by having Guide''s approval?¡± Murai asked, deadly staring at Lorry''s face while faking his anger. He had no issue with this journey or his time. He had learned far too well to think of skipping ahead.


    Though, the first half of the Islands didn''t possess that much of a challenge, even though it provided him the core learning start that allowed his latter success.


    Lorry suffered some storm in his Soul Flames. Backing away for a bit before flying up, he wasn''t aware of this situation like Lisa did. What was going on with that bribery wasn''t in his head, but something else was.


    He knew of Anatidae Golem''s existence, which made him realize that Levandis was watching or was curiously interested in the recent events.


    And she wanted him back.


    ¡°Well, what Lorry can say? What Manager Kil said isn''t wrong, I suppose. As Lorry''s boss, you see. Lorry holds some responsibility, hoping that Murai isn''t as angry, since Mindarch deemed it important to let Murai go with the flow. This Gate, Lorry felt it would be much better to move one by one, and...¡± Lorry suddenly hesitated, not knowing that Murai was joking.


    He was testing him, while his current face was a nice repercussion from that 93rd Island.


    ¡°And?¡± Murai growled.


    ¡°It... It wasn''t an issue to spend some fodder to see Murai keep going. Mindach... He! Mindarch and higher-ups all wanted it like this. Guides are just tools. Not worth mentioning. My Lady! Right... Lady especially wanted to see Murai on the Last Island.¡± Lorry quickly put forth his excuses, sounding sincere and almost in a hurry.


    His brazen, yet honest and truthful manner did ease the tension between him and Murai. He found his answers not that terrible since Manager Kil did reveal to him the truth. As best as he could, he eased Murai''s anger.


    Now, Murai had no intention to let his anger crack his head apart. There were no benefits in that, but when did it have any benefits? He had few reasons to be like that.


    Lorry was just a tool, like many things under the supervision of devils and demons alike. Gods! It was all about their will to rule over the weaklings, treasures, and benefits that mortals couldn''t ignore. Hell Havens were just places that cherished those ideas, similar to the accumulation of Divine Kingdoms up in the Sky.


    Murai had yet to realize the might of what Hell Havens possessed, or what kind of problem he downplayed and pretended to not care about. It wasn''t that surprising for him to be like that, considering he knew the dangers involved in terms of Gods or those above.


    He wasn''t aware of Levandis, while Manager Kil''s reminders hardly changed his outlook.


    ¡°Fine. You provide your worth, Lorry. Not much here, in this Gate, since YOU! Mindarch... provides more touches, right?¡± Murai spoke to the ceiling, calming down and noticing utmost silence.


    ¡°Seems he is busy with the aftermath,¡± Lisa added.


    ¡°Aren''t Spirit Constructs able to split their attention?¡± Murai asked, knowing the answers already.


    Lisa shrugged her arms, storing everything in the ring that she could carry like a belt, ring, bracelet, or crown depending on how she Shaped her body. For now, she was holding it like a bag.


    Lorry didn''t make any comment, figuring that the end of this Gate was here, while the reprisal and comments from Manager Kil gave him a new purpose.


    Glancing towards the large portal, Murai knew what to do. ¡°Then let''s leave. Spending my Question Mark will happen, however... Right?¡±


    ¡°Should be correct. Mindarch will ensure its validity, but doesn''t Murai want the essences from these?¡± Lorry asked, glancing aside him to the last foes that were lying lifeless on the street.


    Be it a golem or a demon of any kind, everything had its essence under the mysterious rules and essence-gathering construction under this temple. That was an unchanging rule that was prevailing under any Gate regardless of anything.


    It was how Levandis'' Hell Havens had its fair share of wealth and very quick rise to power. This place had many times more Challengers from Hell Havens than from the Surface anyway, which ensured Chaos and an endless flow of beings into this place, even if it was just part of the whole picture. It was more of her den anyway.


    Essences were rather important aspects of the rewards for any Challenger. They will always appear unless the bodies aren''t turned to dust by Lorry or eaten. Someone can take the bodies for a reward, which was exactly what Murai did with the Crowhell Bat at the end of the last Gate. He could also eat the bodies, breaking the essence construction apart. This act usually nourished his body somewhat better than usual, but Murai hadn''t noticed many changes.


    Bat''s body was in one of the pouches Lisa kept for herself.


    At the moment, she had 7 spatial tools in total, including a pair of new additions that Manager Kil gave away. Added together, they reached quite a few cubic meters, although their number was a problem.


    Having too many spatial pieces of equipment proved to be a headache in terms of management. One can store other pouches in others, so that made them even worse in terms of taking out materials or treasures in a hurry.


    Murai had no problems with that. He pushed that issue to Lisa, whose storage management title was still persistent.


    He wasn''t even sure of everything that these 7 treasures hold. The last 2 days provided a lot of loot, but hardly anything meant something special for him besides the essences. For a duck, there were few treasures of some worth, so he viewed them as commodities that would be either sold away or kept for a questionable future.


    He would''ve no trouble taking any loot, but outside of his idea, Lisa already worked through them long ago. She insisted on taking them for their wealth, and thanks to her time when he fought alone, she managed them. Lorry helped with that a little bit too.


    She stored worthy loot from worthless objects worth less than Grade 8 Essence to individual pouches. Grade 9 essences were basically useless apart from starting alchemy recipes and mana potions.


    Mana-based treasures outside of essences held various values that depended on their uses and rarity. Grade 9 essences weren''t that good as a source of mana to put into formations.


    One would have to have thousands of them to make up for their shortcomings. That fact made Grade 8s and 7s much more valuable, while Grade 6 and above essence was something that intermediate mages worked with care and wisdom.


    The fusion of essences became important at any of their ranks, but efficiency or success was often flawed. Having thousands of Grade 9 Essences and fusing them would yield hundreds of Grae 8s. In this way, worth and value changed with time.


    Beyond Low-Grade 5, mana was quantified and dense, making them key ingredients to pretty much any mana-based equipment, wild and precious formations, or their value as a mana source worked as well.


    Most mages still viewed essences as a way to improve and work with their breathing techniques and mantras, making their cycling better and cores stronger. Thus, the volume and quality of mana were of great value and objectification.


    With the cubic meters he currently had, Murai shouldn''t be too worried about not having enough space. He had other issues.


    ¡°Mindarch didn''t introduce this ring to me like the last few... Is he that busy? I am curious what this ring is about in numbers.¡± Murai asked Lorry.


    ¡°As I''ve said. Busy spirit.¡± Lisa added again, also eyeing the portal and thinking of leaving. ¡°And I can calculate and feel their volumes. You could do it too with this ring, unlike with pouches that had to be physically opened before use. At least for this kind, but you should think of that ring. It is good, you see.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± he refused. ¡°How''s loot in terms of space? 6 pouches and 1 ring sounds like a lot, but that isn''t much, right?¡± Murai asked. Whatever Lisa wanted to see, the worth of this ring wasn''t breathtaking. It just made her job easier, and loot management better. Rings worked with mind and Shaping, allowing a mage to simply put mana into it and open the passage into its internal storage space.


    And with the end of another Gate and her plan... Well, calling it a plan was far from being accurate. Her ideas were simple to create the best outcome possible for Murai''s survival and power. Unexpectedly, it turned escaping the Centralis Kingdom into a game, but it wasn''t terrible. She had yet to feel the tension that most Encounters provided.


    How, or why not?


    This was just the 1st Part of it, with most tension and changes coming in the latter Parts. And she hated the idea of being in godly clutches of such ideas since all of this was to punish or hunt Murai down.


    She had no idea why it was all happening, but it was happening, which was the reality that both of them had to accept.


    Tossing the ring up and down her arm, she was satisfied. ¡°All 7 added together, they are about half filled. The ring has been empty so I put 6 pouches inside with their worth and loot distributed accordingly. The ring should be about 70 to 90 cubic meters. It is a quite generous gift, considering it came from an Overlord, who is known as...¡±


    ¡°Unimportant stuff.¡± Murai finished her sentence. ¡°We... or I, in particular, doesn''t care much about some measly statuses of ploys that hide behind the scenes. True. Someone pushed me around like a toy, but tell me something new? This... This whole thing just makes me so damned uncomfortable, yet I am biting my head to not curse them to the seventh hell.¡± Murai said coldly and out loud this time, letting out his murderous attitude that hadn''t made an appearance against Manager Kil.


    Lisa understood his anger and where he was coming from, even if she wouldn''t feel his connection. Murai wasn''t that happy since the Encounter started. That was a fact, despite all the situations and his trying to focus. Foregting or downplaying it was just a front.


    Situations that seemed like he was having fun weren''t fitting for her, but he wasn''t looking at the world from her perspective, while she didn''t see his.


    Though, she was trying to get the gist of his beliefs. It was happening slowly.


    It was like a jump from a shit to a swamp. This situation in this street seemed like someone forced Murai to turn into entertainment or experiment for the sake of nothing but some interest. The rules of this temple did make it unnoticeable and more of a joke.


    Not much of a joke for Murai, however. Adding the factor of unknown godly desires that were interesting, Lisa was questioning whether something hideous was turning upside down behind the scenes. She feared Hell quite a bit, so she hoped her idea of forcing Murai into this place wouldn''t turn this journey into a true hellish escape.


    ¡°Then, let''s get this over with,¡± Lisa said, catching the ring and pointing at the portal. ¡°Way out of this is clear. Good work through this Gate. Can you walk? Wanna me to hug you? Not sure you would like it.¡± She chuckled as if she told a joke, but an hour ago, Murai wouldn''t refuse her.


    ¡°You don''t have to tell me that twice. Know what will be in Gate 3?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She had yet to mention what was pending, and Murai was also not interested in it until it mattered. Now, it did.


    ¡°I will butcher that Gate the same way as these Islands and cursed stairs! Wait... will there be stairs? Walking?¡± Murai shouted the latter parts, unhappily glancing at Lorry who appeared as innocent as possible.


    As far as Murai knew, each Gate did possess a variety of wasteful stretch of times. And... this one was worse than the last, making the next one possibly worse.


    Lisa didn''t answer that for the betterment of their current tension. Lorry was an itch away from talking some sense, but he stopped himself as he saw Lisa''s fist. He knew some reasons and facts for a lot of things, but so far, he always worked and did what he was told to.


    After all, his whole body was just a tool, slave, and guiding factor to remain in the land of the living. Challenger were up to his interest, as it was the price he was supposed to care for.


    All for the Levandis'' sake.

 Chapter 157: Stretching plot

    Murai appeared angry just for a while, before refocusing and remembering his current position. He sometimes had problems coming to terms with his mind and how to often act.


    He didn''t necessarily think of himself as someone lofty, but no matter what or how it happened, his living made him less than pleasant. It was the cause and consequences that always challenged it. Problems occurred all the time, which meant that coming up with their solutions was always pending in his mind, rather than the bodies of his living lives.


    Now, he needed to rest. Not be himself, per se. And he needed it quickly, which was missing the resting charm.


    He was perhaps in no position to be wasteful or slow, but to this day, he had no clue how to solve the biggest issue that loomed over this current time.


    How to escape this place exactly, or what to make of his living? Why did he keep going deeper into this temple? It all felt like a game that had very little purpose, forgetting the means to get more powerful of course.


    He followed Lisa''s idea, being hunted in all kinds of ways, and feeling that the living did improve, but where was the sense in that? Not only did Gods want some problems with him, making Centralis Kingdom their toys, but this place wanted his neck too. Or was it something else? Manager Kil did give him some ideas, followed by Levandis and her interest.


    It all seemed weird, but Lisa assured him for the past day that he should be patient and deal with the Gates for his or her sake. She didn''t mention how senseless it could be in the end, or how the means to escape this place acted for the flighting itself.


    She had some doubts about her plans, yet kept thinking of a way to get him out of the Seventh Death Forest because it wasn''t something he could do on his own. This place proved its worth to help her plans, even if it put complications ahead.


    She wondered if her memories made sense, or if she should rely on them like facts. It was all about information.


    Murai laughed at her back then, thinking for himself, lying for the sake of his focus and his power rather than her words.


    This quickly changed him for the better or worse, depending on how either of them viewed the situation. At least it allowed his mind to focus and fight like he wanted, while Lisa kept her planning state of wonders in her head.


    It wasn''t turning this whole situation into something that had a start and an end. It felt like Murai was delaying the inevitable curse that was looming behind his neck.


    So with the fighting and some misery left behind him, Murai watched the portal with some hesitation as if it was an illusion close to dissipating. Confidence and the road to power were deeply rooted in his core, but how much of it was something this duck could take?


    ¡°Give me their essences,¡± Murai ordered Lorry, although he was considering taking Goliath Golem''s core structure of runes for something worth it. It wasn''t that damaged, albeit his Blade did pierce its core. With some repairs, he thought it could be workable or sellable. Such things as golems of this caliber should be worth more for some people than a single essence around High Grade 7 or Low 6.


    In the end, he had no time to think of that because this golem was huge, and he was curious how the essence-gathering construct of this temple worked with non-living things like a golem.


    He thought only living things possessed the means to create an essence, but he was wrong. This was his first golem in this temple after all. They were expensive and less normal to meet than undead which were easy to replenish in the Chaos.


    Lorry cluttered his teeth, flying at the pair of fallen foes. His eyes glistering, his purpose and this action was one of his favorite activities as a Guide.


    He obliterated Extremes in the past, turning them into nice glowing spheres of luster and tight feelings. Those were nice times, so these little ones would never sway his soul.


    Obliterating them to dust and light, mana surged, and golem and Uqari disintegrated into light fissures that danced under some rules.


    Murai watched it with his eyes, cursing his luck to not have Sonar at his disposal. Well, it was, but any touch to his mana wouldn''t be pleasant after what he had been through. He was still tired and glad to be standing on his little feet.


    His eyes were enough to see this artificial essence gathering. Goliath Golem essence extraction happened as a surprisingly regular procedure. Its metallic body turned to dust, runes did too and so did its Artificial Core. It all swirled, creating a High-Grade 7 essence, which was kind of an expected drop.


    Uqari ended up dissolving into parts of velvety mist and bloody mana, leaving no blood or bones behind. Low-Grade 6 essence from her wasn''t that surprising, considering she was much stronger than that golem in all regards, but she met the wrong match.


    Murai killed her with relative ease, but without the past islands behind him, it would''ve been straight-up impossible.


    Her Lust wasn''t that weak either, but it was like asking a mountain to fly over a wall, considering Robust Spirit''s existence, or his soul in general. It was all thanks to them that he was entirely unaffected by the aspects of her Bloodline.


    Lust was spiritual, capable of influencing the mind and enslaving others. Will would often not stop it; only halt or ease its effects. Erasing or ignoring it completely required powers beyond Lust, or such a firm Will, Lust wouldn''t find its roots in a person.


    Whatever Murai was, he was the perfect match against any Lust demon, but he wasn''t so sure about those with better powers or Bloodlines. What if a powerful succubus surged their Lust at him? Would he become their pet? At least in the physical touches, he would lose against them. The rest was... questionable.


    If Uqari had a much better physique or stronger defenses, he would be stuck like a boat frozen in the seas, unable to penetrate her or come closer. Then, she would penetrate his feathers sooner or later, regardless of Robust Spirit.


    Robust Defense had some notable limitations. For example, Murai can''t attack in that state, so if she didn''t hit him because of her momentum and his great timing, things would be different.


    Alas, Murai took that fight into his beak, killing her rather than experimenting or wasting time. Expectations and outcomes ended up great, albeit it ended up meeting the worst foe in all of the Islands combined.


    Anatiade Golems was a clear experimental test.


    Uqari did leave some marks of that too, testing his soul and the Lust. None of the past enemies had that kind of power, thanks for being relatively common fodder below level 50.


    The results were neither predetermined nor poor. Someone decided to test his patience, power, and possibilities. All combined, it turned into a nice course of fights. Goliath tested his strategy of fighting against a golem in general. Uqari tested his Will.


    Anatidae Golem tested everything and almost succeeded in crushing the floor with him.


    Either way, those figures remained behind him. Taking a long breath, it didn''t take that long for his legs to calm down, spine to relax, and core to ease up. As for his neck, tensed-up bones and muscles, most of his flesh was still screaming at him.


    Nothing was broken... he thought. Hoped. Some parts between the feathers, muscles, and bones were tensed as if torn.


    Slowly, it was turning better the more he waited, but he had no time to waste.


    Murai walked to these essences, absorbing them into his Artificial Core while keeping the gifted essences in Lisa''s hands. Manager Kil''s gift will wait for its purpose like those from the last Vault.


    Without further ado and after quick work of these essences, he walked to the opposite end of the street.


    The portal was wide and tall, so it was almost stone-certain it would fit a giant. Stepping into the huge portal that swirled in its path forward, he disappeared into the finishing sequence of this Gate without noticing the layers of thin fissures running around the waves and portal itself. They were thin, looking like mana but not mana at all. They were denser and thinner like Laws but not Laws either.


    Lisa and Lorry didn''t waste their time either. They had no time to spare when Murai had a great time ahead. Question Mark and his Keys were still pending for their time and Lorry was curious about his choices.


    Lisa was already half with a mind in Gate 3.


    ***


    Meanwhile, the spatial torrents of space and gravity glid through the Chaos Space, allowing Manager Kil to travel through it as he saw fit. His purpose was coming under his desires, powers, and clarity.


    He held enough power not to be fearful of the Chaos Space as long as he wouldn''t be too arrogant or moronic to think of it as the common backyard of any God. It was never that, so not touching or traveling without any path would help anyone, but he had no portal in mind. He rushed in and created his own line.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Beings like him could crack the space apart and open the land into the Chaos Space and its mysterious properties that carried countless time, ancient, and cosmic insanities. Flying too deep was never a smart choice, similar to the travels through the dark cosmos, but that was an entirely different matter.


    He was still no God, so he had some things he shouldn''t touch or consider.


    Why, one might ask this Overlord? He had far too important of a task in hand to deal with, as behind him, pieces of Anatidae Golem''s shattered body flew towards him, while even the golem itself was there, flying behind him.


    Soon, he crashed his travel with a swing of a finger, creating a hole into the end of his line that touched his Path and desired line of his travel.


    It went into a completely different space altogether, into the Depths that held Hell Haven that Levandis created many millennia ago. It wasn''t that far away place from Gate 2, as her Hell Haven was a separate space that was stretchable, connecting various places to her temple. After all, the maze and construction of this entire temple were ancient, with each layer being fairly separate from one another, yet still connected.


    It was a work of art from the ancient Sun God.


    Manager Kil had few clues or stories of what it used to be like before his Lady got it to her hands. It created a maze of interest, giving her Hell Haven a treasured place of the past Sun God, who was known to possess power beyond supreme. That was a long time ago. In time before the current Pantheon of Gods even came to this planet altogether.


    It was here, alongside hundreds of different kinds of constructs not one bit worse than this temple, including the mesmerizing aspects of dungeons, or other things. There wasn''t a lone lifeless planet when they came here, but it surely had no Gods for some reason.


    Manager Kill emerged from the Chaos Space with the Anatidae Golem close. Clutching its neck as if it was a foolish tool he couldn''t wait to toss behind, he hardly gave it any attention when he stepped forward. Pieces of its armor, wing, and layers flew on their own behind him, as if possessed.


    Before him was a humongous hall. 100 meters tall, dozens of meters wide, and longer than it was tall. Many layers of red curtains around the edges flared under the brief surge of the Chaos Space. Around them, archaic architecture made of many supporting pillars acted as part of each flank of this hallway, or they were like this because of the overly detailed ceiling that was far above the ground, adding contrast or style.


    There were curves to every wall and pillar between the curtains, and details of many textures created a maze of pictures, mosaics, calligraphy, or simple pictures or paintings. One would wonder if there were even some signs of battles, but it was all seamless and detailed, it was hard to notice something wrong.


    The shiny and solid floor was a single piece of marble, littered with golden and crimson veins, stretching into the room at the end of this hall. The majority of pillars were relatively simple, as they were beyond sturdy to make them workable for art. Made of Dark Obsidian, they were almost impenetrable for anyone below the Extreme.


    Veins below his feet put light on his path, as this place couldn''t have any torches or flames.


    Dark Obisian gobbled the light up, turning this place dark and filling it with death aura and suffocating pressure. They were as heavy as massive, but the lustrous golded accent to the veiny pattern made his path passable and clear, thanks to the rune scripts running around every vein.


    Manager Kil wasn''t praising this scenery or the architecture. He had seen it far too many times to care for it, as it was no hideout or place that was meant to be hidden. It wasn''t even that important, as it was one of many halls.


    Though it looked like something important, he thought of it as that when he saw it for the first time, or even now. It was hers, passing as a hall that was part of a palace. The Lady of Thousand Graves resided her interest here like a hegemon and Ruler of her piece of land and Authority. She spat at the facts and powers of the Sky, viewing their lofty Divine Kingdom and rules as nothing but hindrances that weren''t honest and free.


    Many argued against such views, but many did not. There was nothing wrong with either side of this clash of interests.


    Everyone was right in their own light or darkness.


    Those were the rules of demonic lands, where Chaos snarled at every Order, creating a mash of crashing dreams, dramas, and powers that opposed the Surface and choked the Sky. None of this was one bit surprising if one truly saw the truth of the universe.


    Expecting a colorful parade of rainbows wasn''t fit for this sort of philosophy. Seeing dark, blood color, and dark shadows enveloping every corner was almost too fitting. They hid soldiers, powerful Extremes hiding in the darkness, and a curious family, Manager Kil feared. Everything here was set exactly how Levandis wished. How it had always been.


    Stretching in the middle portion of the hall, there was even a thin but long pool of blood filled with bones and corpses of all kinds of creatures. Carved and made of them too, the pool''s structure protruded in hideous, yet stylish architectural styles. There were two sides to deciding his walk because Manager Kil did end up at the start of this hall.


    Left or right. Each path looked the same, but each was different.


    One was to walk to her.


    Another was to walk away from her.


    It was a simple course of Order, but some unwelcomed guess would end in the pool anyway, sizzling away without their souls remaining. Or they could end at either side of this pool, living but tossed like ragged dolls. Levandis didn''t care for details.


    The atmosphere here was hard to describe, as it was dull at some parts, or sinister beyond common means. There were highs and lows of unrestrained Dread and Death, exactly how many would describe Levandis and her mastery over her Path.


    There was nothing minimalistic about this, similar to the palaces and lofty places where most Gods resided regardless of their affinity or style. Each of them was old and wealthy, and they showed it because time and reputation mattered.


    When one had to walk the power structure of the godhood, face counted for half of the power. Reputation, power, and politics for the rest. Luck was somewhere between them, but one could hardly count on that.


    Manager Kil walked to the left side of the pool. There was no need for guards to be around. He was relatively slow as usual.


    At the end of this hall, he walked toward the big gate, which had ridiculously large red curtains that were also around the sides of the hall. Dim light shined through the curtains of this gate, revealing a room that seemed to be a dining hall. There were no meetings here for the most part.


    It was for times when meals mattered.


    Or, in his case, his status can be called for anything at any time.


    Levandis expected him regardless if it was time for a meal, sex, killings, punishment, runesmithing, or anything else. Sometimes it was all the above, but rarely it was fitting or sensible. It could be a meeting hall too if she desired.


    He walked in without any sound or fear, dragging Anatidae Golem behind him to follow its destiny that was not in his hands. As for the rest of its body, he ignored it apart from the wing because it was important.


    And this golem will come into her hands, as there she was, sitting on her dining throne, waiting for something, or nothing.


    Dim, but shrouded in the flickering shadows thanks to magma lamps, there was no one here in sight beside her, but that was wrong.


    There was always someone behind every God. Especially when they ate. No guards though. Those weren''t needed. Simple servants were required for meal prep or to give her drinks.


    The place was surprisingly small for his sort of frame and the previous grandiose hall. Still, for Manager Kil, hardly anything changed. Nothing or nobody would obscure his walks unless they would notice him first and crawl.


    He arrived at the dining table in a similar style as the hall from before. However, the interior and aura of this smaller place were cozier, warmer, and filled with the smell of food. There was no Dread left here, making this almost inviting with its wide and lengthy table filled with many plates of warm food and fruits. It seemed like a set from a tavern in the middle of the lunch.


    At the further point from the long table¡ªwhich started fairly close to the gate¡ªwas the only seat that wasn''t empty. Calling it a throne would be the correct term, and it was large like the table, yet it would still disallow anyone to notice Manager Kil''s arrival.


    He was like a lost kitten in this large room, but he didn''t seem to care. He saluted with the free hand, taking the left side of the table, and walked beside the empty seats.


    There was never a wrong time to eat. That was a saying some monks or drunkards invented, or was it about the drinks?


    Empty seats had no plates. All of them surrounded the further seat that overlooked the whole table and the gate.


    All seats allowed anyone to see any arrival, but this arrival was far too small and easy to overlook.


    The front seat was the biggest and widest, and the back support was made of many pillars and shadow fissures. There was some fur, pillows, and some ornamented skulls around it. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Levandis always preferred facing all troubles, arrivals, and guests at this table. Arriving a couple of meters in front of this seat, Manager Kil made a quick 90-degree bow and spoke loudly without kneeling. As an Overlord, he didn''t have to do it, but in public, he would lick her feet, crawl on his arms, and force his tiny knees deep into the ground.


    ¡°Your humble servant greets you, my Lady. I bear gifts and accomplishments of your desires.¡± He said with a surprising amount of power and strength. He even ignored the fact that she knew all about his arrivals and details anyway.


    But she preferred the voice and face to speak up first, before running into any conclusions.


    Levandis perked up her ears as she sat on her large throne, barely noticing her zealous Overlord''s sudden arrival.


    A moan echoed from her crisp lips that were half biting into a chicken. ¡°What is it here? Have I heard a fly?¡± a pleasant voice said, echoing like a song of elves.


    ¡°I presume you did,¡± Manager Kil agreed, remaining in his 90-degree bow.


    A sigh echoed in the room, followed by a gulp and more gulps of wine. Dressed sporadically but with no indecency and shame, Levandis bent her head behind the table to see what mattered. Stretching forward, she wondered what sort of fly wanted to let her chicken fly away. It was cooked, so it was a wonderful idea why she would even consider it, but it wasn''t the wrong assumption.


    The cooked and juicy half-eaten chicken winced as she tossed it to the plate. Then, it wanted to run in its single stomp of feet. Headless and with little crisp skin left, it ran from the plate. She stabbed it with a fork without looking, penetrating it and stopping its escape plans. Then, she glanced at Manager Kil.


    ¡°Ohhh... Kil. What is it then? Tasks and bearing the results? I see you have my long-time prototype in your hands, but it misses more than a couple of feats. Is the task successful? Have you had your fill in my temple? How long it lasted? Is it dead? Finished or what occurred?¡±


    An absolutely bewitching beautiful face spoke upon leaning from the chair, revealing her face to Manager Kil, but he didn''t dare to look at her.


    Levandis looked surprisingly young. Like a perfect depiction of her imagination, her face carried the wisdom and age of many generations. Almost all Gods reached mastery over their physique, perfecting all the aspects they could ever dream about, and making all matters of energy in their bodies as one. Infinite changes occurred with achieving the actual godhood, but the further one followed its ranks, the crazier they became.


    Like most would be, she was a gigantic figure compared to Manager Kil, but she wasn''t more than 3 meters tall. Her throne was far more capable of seating a couple of her figures, as her body was relatively slim, curved in voluptuous flesh that was hiding under a layer of thin coat of silk. Her eyes were black like the finest charcoal, and her long luscious crimson hair went behind her back and shoulders, bathing half of her front. Every stream of her hair was shiny and crisp red, flowing in its thick vitality and soft textures.


    Few would notice a crimson loose silk robe underneath her hair, albeit she wouldn''t mind being not dressed at all. Her hair was part of her Bloodline after all, strong and shiny like the finest steel while being thin and soft at the same time.


    Why should she take any shame to her mind? She was the Ruler of one of the major demonic factions that almost had no qualms about most decisions in the Sky.


    Lady Levandis trembled Manager Kil''s knees, showering him in cold sweat with her voice alone. Her face was thin, with a sharp nose and chin. But her eyes were sharper, followed by her eyebrows.


    Manager Kil shuddered after taking his godly being speaking to him with unnerving affection in his ears and mind. Eyed by many, be it demons, devils, and even many humans or all kinds of species and races, she was having a feast after waking up from her sleep.

 Chapter 158: Lady Levandis

    Per such usual occasions, Levandis was in a good mood because of her dreams or the sleep she endured. All kinds of delicacies of the human world were at her table, looking delicious. For a long time, she couldn''t stand the foulness of the culinary skills of any other race.


    Stewards and maids were behind the throne, hiding behind the shadowy pillars that went across the whole side of this room. All of them were readily available, hoping she would enjoy their meal.


    However, her time had been interrupted by a fly, which meant that her mood would shift from the food. It wasn''t looking that well for them, but her words didn''t seem to be that bothered about her little Overlord.


    In fact, she knew all about his task, hopes, and times. She expected Manager Kil to appear sooner when she sent her toy to the Islands of Greatness.


    Remaining in her casual and smooth smiling face, she let go of the fork while the half-eaten chicken no longer dared to run.


    She bent her head further down, letting some of her hair fall, hitting the floor and almost bathing Manager Kil in their weight, softness, and glory. She hummed some song of interest, curious what he had to tell her. She noticed her golem in his clutch, deactivated and missing a wing. Of course, its Golden Layer was within her eyesight, and so was its internal runic construction and the damages that occurred to it.


    She loved and hated it at the same time.


    Manager Kil didn''t dare to cease his bow, let alone turn his head up to look at his Lady. Through this action, his body kept involuntarily shivering in hopes of looking. His instincts or devotion did this to him. This was her real body after all.


    He was always like this before her, which was one of the many reasons Levandis teased him endlessly and often wanted him close.


    He knew he had to be like this. All of this wasn''t under his powers to change anyway, since it was his task to be here, bearing her pressure, voice, song of her moans, and weight of her words.


    He kept his posture clean like his head, disappointing Levandis slightly.


    ¡°So?¡± She asked, straightening her back and clutching some fruits from the plate in a playful manner. Tossing it up and down, it disappeared into thin air in a couple of tosses before being replaced with a new fruit. ¡°Speak.¡±


    By instincts, he spoke. ¡°The tasks have been... rather questionable in actual points that you or Pavilion Masters wanted. If I dare to say so myself, further research or guaranteed facts would help more than taking this golem out without further factors taken. It has been damaged by the locks, its armor lost; similar and shamefully to its Bronze Layer. Golden Layer almost lost too... which was unaccounted for. I am at fault for not bearing the Challenger in mind. Have my sincere apologies or my head.¡± Manager Kil lost his legs and fell face down to the ground. Golem did fall as well.


    ¡°You may be blunt and excused,¡± Levandis added, letting Manager Kil''s nervousness ease up a ton. Taking a long cold breath, he continued with his face on the ground, pointing at the golem behind.


    ¡°I shall give back what is yours, per your request, m''lady.¡±


    ¡°Done. What about the results of the other Anatidae?¡±


    ¡°The results ended up...¡±


    ¡°...good, I presume? Or do I already know all about it, I wonder, or do you do? That new Child seems interesting like the view of the Sky.¡± She interrupted him, unbothered by his posture, face on the ground, or the topic of her desires.


    Manager Kil remained silent as if thinking about what he should speak of first. He had a lot in mind about this new Child. There were a lot of topics, sides, and views to how Murai fought this golem, or how and who he was. All his moves, the flow of mana, and the discovery of limiters were developed by Mindarch through Gates 1 and 2.


    They got a lot of input, but a lot of things weren''t as sensible to them, because Murai was weird. The most important aspect was still the golem in question, lying on the ground behind him.


    It was why he was here. Partly for Murai, but mainly because of this golem.


    ¡°Let me guess first, Kil. My toy has seen better days, but its runes took internal damage without any harsh effects. It has been overwhelmed because of its locked-up limiters, but it wouldn''t be... that, if it hadn''t been for its act or how it ended up like this. Whose fault is this?¡±


    ¡°I... I...¡± Manager Kil hesitated before quickly giving his words and mind a change. ¡°Noone. The world of wisdom that you showed to me before was more than warranted and great. The duel has been recorded in the highest projections Mindarch had. He can let you seek all the details, including the mana, apart from the thought processes and internal workings of mana space or soul spaces. As for the golem, all internal runes, flaring problems, or all layers have been recorded.¡±


    Levandis didn''t appear surprised, or happy. ¡°That is to be expected. What about the other one? More details are always good, but how much is clear? They clashed well, haven''t they?¡±


    ¡°Of course. We got further rundown, increased the readings, and the other... has been under my watch. I spoke and met him. Though age is an issue, a variant in question, the growth can become exponential, I fear. And... the soul. I can''t feel the tension most of the time, but he spoke to my Presence with his Will. He pushed at me... I let him.¡±


    Levandis''s smile spread on her face and a light chuckle echoed. ¡°You did well to get involved. It means your experience has much more validation for our business and experiments. He did that because he could; you let it go because you were curious. But... I didn''t allow that... did I? No touches to that being...¡±


    ¡°Not at all, but this hasn''t been spoken. I decided not to touch him directly. Per your requests, I did not. He did.¡±


    ¡°Excuse dismissed. Continue.¡± She grunted a little bit, but because this situation had been resolved without much problem, she ignored his Breach of her rule.


    ¡°He had seen through the golem thanks to the Anatidae Sonar. Its properties are good and flow flared up under our control. Then, he came in contact with runes, obliterated the Armor, Bronze Layer, and... I think it may be coincidental, but he came up with ways to attack the separating layers between the armor and Bronze Layer while doing the same thing to the Golden Layer. It was a matter of time before he destroyed the unbreakable chain that hadn''t been finished for this experiment. It was sensible. He isn''t even Level 20 yet.¡±


    ¡°20?¡± She whistled and the air ate some more fruits. ¡°Worse things that would happen are...?¡±


    ¡°Heavily damaged runes all over the half dozen layers have been a possibility. Core should''ve been fine, but the situation could''ve become hard to contain. It would slip. The core, I mean.¡±


    ¡°It should be fine. I enforced it myself, but... he still found a way in. How many veins were left under the Bronze Layer and Golden Layer? What was their output again?¡±


    ¡°Considering he started to crack the code, few. The Level corresponds beyond 45, closing on the 50. Then, the workings of the Golden Layer went ahead but fell short because of acts and errors in codes.¡± He acknowledged the truth fervently and well. ¡°The inner structure of layers could see improvements. Especially when the Peak happened in its acts of codes. I''ve recorded the solution and...


    ¡°I''ve noted them myself.¡±


    ¡°As expected.¡±


    ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Clashes have been stronger than expected, input and wild mana flew out of order. I can''t see or figure out the origin of the troubles, but I promise to seek them. And the other... too?¡± he said hesitantly.


    ¡°Golem is a tool. Living things are forever meant to be complicated. Especially there, because Anatidaes are creatures from that time and place. So consider this temporary successful. I do know more details, but I do not know this one either. Look into it, or use Mindarch how you see fit. I am curious which Mother bears this mess by not bearing it at all. It is curious.¡±


    ¡°Of course. There were also undeniable factors that he would accomplish more, even though met or unreached limiters per your previous comments and wisdom.¡±


    Hearing his firm ideas that were well within her expectations, Levandis hummed a happy song, grabbing and eating some rib grapes and pieces of meat on sticks. Letting the juices travel from her crimson lips, right toward her slightly exposed collarbone and chest, she gazed into the nothingness in front of her table.


    Smirking and biting her lips in unknown thoughts and reasons, she seemed to get a naughty idea. ¡°Limiters are always exciting, aren''t they? It all is. A new page to the research has been added with this new Child. Take that idea with caution and call it Unit 0. Anatidaes will make a new storm, while the world doesn''t want it. Who is behind it? Lordis? What does he want with such quick and early touch?¡±


    ¡°Shall I look into it?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She changed her target back to the chicken, gnawing at it with her teeth.


    Juices flew, muscle fibers trembled, and the chicken was beyond saving. ¡°I am just excited... So excited that I am gonna burst! This prospect is tall order. Means good ideas or dreadful consequences. He holds the position of a Blessed that wasn''t supposed to exist. Not like this! In this shape. Who would bear such a soul? Human? God? Ancients? Someone from the Endless Skies? Which... No. Nevermind. I presume you paid your part well by now, considering you weighed his soul, but it isn''t over. Barely taking the steps into this world and living, yet ceasing no amazement away. He will get further. I want your attention, Kil?¡±


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    It wasn''t an order.


    It was a fact that he took for one.


    ¡°Of course. Per your request, I shall do my best. Are there others that should work with me on your order? Or is this your final Will? Or... what about the further pictures that abide by certain complications? How about the Encounter and his Blessed status? What about his... ghost?¡±


    ¡°That doesn''t concern me at all. If you feel like it, you can contact any of my runesmiths, or my Pagoda to look into the Anatidae research. The outside factors out of his life or my head are that. Outer problems that need no remedy.¡±


    ¡°Very well. Then, your... presence is still unknown to them. Should I take that into account? Or, this temple has been calculated into their acts? Perhaps many are curious, now that you are awake.¡±


    ¡°Hm? No. I will look into it myself. This is my personal interest that is old, but grudgeless, let alone amusing. The other Lords don''t need any work out of my backyard, while Sky does what they do all the time. They will do things without my consent anyway, but this time, if they do something more, I will gladly make trouble for them. Stirring some trouble against me is expected, but they brought the Encounter close to my face. It isn''t up to them, but these mortals did that instead. Oh, and my family doesn''t need any reminders. They don''t need to know my involvement. If they are clever, they know of it already, or know my interest.¡±


    There was no need for lies or plots around her subjects, but she turned a bit more serious when she talked about her peers. She said it straight as she wished, thinking that Lordis and his ideas were involving her in a larger picture that was unaccounted for.


    Murai caused nothing. Lisa did it involuntarily, or intentionally. Levandis didn''t know which was truthful, but not as if she cared.


    Her family will do the same. She might have to look into it. It could become a mess for Overlord to solve, Mindarch to seek, and her to smile at, but it wouldn''t endanger anything if she played it safe.


    This was all just amusing fun for her anyway. For now... Not for long, if she knew the truth already.


    There was no need to say it differently. Her open ideas, beliefs, and personality were what bewitched and caused her Hell Haven to shine in the darkness.


    However, this topic may not be that good for the long-term solution to her ideas. She had no idea how the Encounter would change after all, or who would dare to change it in Surface or the Sky. She might be the one to touch it from the Depths.


    Well, she didn''t have to do that or know all the problems. Mindarch could look into it, which he told her as she awakened.


    Someone was already stirring troubles in the Surface, while even a Judge appeared alongside their Halo, crushing the Death Valley in what she described as a slap to her Authority.


    But Surface was not her worry.


    Reputation took a slight blow. That was all. Ordering and changing the tides and strings of Fate behind the scenes was something she had to account for.


    Because changes were coming.


    One truth mattered the most. She wasn''t the lonely hegemon at the top, let alone the most powerful. Many coveted her positions, jealous of her temple and treasures she found in the Endless Skies, or... in this world.


    Welcoming her in this world were riches and death, followed by unreasonable anger of the Sky which she shook in her brilliance. She proved her position a long time ago. The Sky didn''t need to seek it further anymore. She made sure her existence would prevail, and it did for millennia.


    Other powerful demons and devils wouldn''t take that lightly, however. They were the peers that eyed her position.


    Sky did not.


    The Gods in their Divine Kingdoms were rather eventful if their power would take a hit, but they didn''t want to touch the corrupted power of demonic Gods. The universe was a wild vastness, and greed was endless, which worked across all of the Divides.


    Changes were there to seek remedy, fixes, or Fate.


    She was monetary lost in readings of Fate, wondering about some strings, while still holding a handful of a chicken.


    ¡°Any special requests of what am I supposed to do next? You wished for discretion, but I had to reveal myself.¡± Manager Kil asked with face still on the floor. It didn''t change the tone or strength of his voice.


    ¡°Oh. No worries. You did well for an Overlord that overlooked a duck. Oh, this is just low-level stuff anyway. For now, albeit it hides much bigger things.¡± She said smoothly and in a good mood that touched his soul, soothing his stress and anything else. ¡°You saved me weeks of work, Kil, while some layers and repairing the runes can be done by others. None would dare to question it much. Do you wonder why it is like that?¡± She leaned aside, her hair flowed all the way for him to see and touch.


    ¡°I... do.¡± He said automatically.


    ¡°Brazen, aren''t you today? I suppose that is what you''ve got from him, my little Kil?¡± Levandis laughed, watched how emotions stirred this Overlord who was always a lofty individual, but before her, those like him trembled. ¡°I will tell it since you wanna know. The toy beside you was an aftermatch of help and request of someone. Living one wasn''t, but he would cherish it the same. It was an idea that someone had. Not friend. I stole ideas from him, thus, I learned of the interesting things and manners that Anatidaes have. Now, his interest crawls back. It''s a rather intriguing concept, considering he is no God.¡±


    ¡°No... God? W-who dares?!¡± Manager Kil increased his voice, but still pressed his face to the floor. He flexed his knees, appearing like a fool that shook his legs.


    ¡°You don''t wanna know. It is what, you say? A secret.¡± She said with a smile and retrevied her hair. ¡°To see the past collide with the present, this new toy is such a handful. Both are. Such a wild presence in this wild Battleworld. I am looking forward to seeing an uninterrupted show, and others like it that way too. Rules are still in place so move along. Right, Mindarch? Regulars are rising, hoping, and there is still the matter in Gate 4 that I haven''t looked at. You said it doesn''t matter to me, but I noticed emotions stirring among my troops. You know how much I love them.¡±


    [I shall account for that.] A voice spoke across the whole room.


    ¡°So, is it the usual stuff? Excuses too?¡±


    [I will be... careful of any blunders and mistakes. Citizen M shall take it all. All of this interest! Encounter too. I will take care of it! I promise.]


    ¡°Promises are for those who could take them.¡± Levandis reckoned a telling form the past. ¡°The usual ride is amusing. Think about some changes, Archie. I think the Old One is what goes under your little Codex, and this change won''t come twice. If he will, then consider me surprised and fearful.¡± Levandis gulped down the glass of wine, before leaning on her chair. ¡°You are a handful too, or too ashamed to show your face to me after you played with him for days? I expect a good report from you in a day or two.¡±


    [Noted. I have no regrets.]


    ¡°Good tool. At least you are honest and don''t hide it.¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡± Manager Kil asked. ¡°What of the awareness about the situation across the Gates?¡± He dared to ask a rather curious topic, implying that Levandis should look into it more.


    The situation in Gate 4 needed some touch, while the matters before the temple or with Razmund were all questionable. The Centralis Kingdom was very bold for a long time, holding onto the Seventh Death Forest, a Taboo Zone known for generations. It was an interest that had been prevailing for far too long, lowering their reputation on the Surface and lowering the expected number of Surface Challengers.


    All sorts of happening happened simultaneously, right above Levandi''s home. She let them be, allowing their existence for amusement and the bark of dogs. She even dared to ignore most of it now, moving up to the topic of her golem first. She had no one to question her decision of course.


    Until now.


    It didn''t end up as any blunder anyway. All of that was outside of her usual problems, which left her curious about experiments and her golem alike. Most problems that weren''t worth it for her to care about were for her family or Overlords to solve.


    Such were the usual procedures when not even Tier S powers were involved in this situation. Well, the troubled Encounter could hide much more than that.


    To have her interest was already quite surprising, so when Manager Kil demanded her further interest, she found it surprising.


    ¡°Cheeky Kil. Not ignorant, are you? Have you regrown your backbone? Well, most of what is going on is per the request of Lordis, while I played with what I could. I didn''t overstep shit. He did partly... I think. So yes. I agree that letting these matters flow freely is fitting. Though I wouldn''t mind turning it all a bit chaotic, as I already did some things, or you did? Who knows? So how about requesting some Guests? Sounds good?¡± Hearing her playful and pleasurable idea, Manager Kil took a deep breath, still in the same posture as before.


    If this will go out of hand, Gate 4 won''t live enough and he will have to deal with consequences and her idea.


    ¡°No! Wait...¡± Levandis suddenly jolted her body, scratching her chin while gazing at her chicken. ¡°Since that little guy is already before Gate 3, Lordis seems to be of a different opinion or helpless touch. Or he has no clue what he is playing with. What does he think he is doing, sending this interest to Centralis Kingdom, until it goes straight to my temple? Using my place for this... I shouldn''t take this lightly, should I?¡±


    ¡°W-what do I make out of your words, my Lady?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I speak how I want. To the air, or this chicken.¡± She grunted, ceasing her smile while furrowing her brows. ¡°My words don''t mean the undeniable side of anything but my Laws or Path. It is not taken for granted by many, but reminders they might be. It seems the luck is also there, hiding or looming over us all.¡±


    ¡°Luck?¡±


    ¡°They will either run out, or it will cause a massacre. Either way, this is good. Implement the Rewards in Gate 3 as well as wanted posters. Set the interest in high demands. Take care of the politics, so there won''t be far too many casualties. Give notes to Guests and charge up the interest of usual benefits in Gate 3. You too, Mindarch.¡±


    [Noted.]


    Levandis piqued her lips, watching the ceiling that had a wavy patterned pool of liquid and white fog. ¡°This may be an interesting development, but I am unsure if I like the way it flows. How''s the situation in Gate 4?¡± She asked Manager Kil for the time being.


    ¡°What else but a hell? What else to expect? There is also a fairly decent Taboo Maker there. Level 89!¡± Manager Kil said angrily, aware of the Hell Party in Gate 4. All Gates were under his watch, and from the very beginning, he knew and acknowledged the running order of the Hell Party.


    A massacre had been happening for a good while there, outside of his watch for the time being. Days passed after all, but it was hardly over. It had been happening ever since Murai stepped into the Gates, so the work he had to think about was more than overwhelming.


    Considering all of the interests of all kinds of factions, politics, and powers across her Hell Haven, family, and Gates, this place wasn''t united like Divine Kingdoms were. It was a big headache for Manager Kil as a whole, while Levandis could only smile at him from a distance.


    Or far too closely...


    At some point, Manger Kil lost touch with the ground, floating to the table where he was far too close to his Lady. He barely noticed it.


    As a member of a laughable race called Tontati, named Kil Til, he may be small, but he was perhaps the tallest out of his race. At least in the spiritual sense, because his race would never be able to grow beyond 20 centimeters. There were limits in there, hiding in their Bloodline like in most weird races or species.


    Every strength and fiber of his being worked for his Lady. He had been at this for more than a century and without any end in sight. He had no trouble continuing his or her desires. Well, they were one of the same.


    It was the occasional storms that would put unnecessary stress across the whole temple, thus making his life a bit miserable. Nothing that he wouldn''t manage, or so he always thought.


    ¡°What is this?¡± He asked the table his face met.


    ¡°Though you might like the change of the ground,¡± Levandis said amusingly.


    ¡°So... Is that it? Luck and task?¡± He pretended to be on the ground.


    ¡°Luck is luck. A part of one''s destiny.¡± She told, leaning her back on her chair while gesturing to a maid to give her a new course of meals. She was starving from all of this thinking and excitement.


    Sighting, Manager Kil could only do what he could, so back to work he went, stumbling out of the table and feeling a storm in his soul.


    He left the room with a variety of thoughts, feeling that her demands had been rather vague, but surprisingly docile, yet more complicated than he wished. Levandis mentioned quite a few interesting objects, but essentially, she gave him more work.


    Like usual, he felt.


    She spoke like this often, giving vague tasks while the taker of these tasks had to accept them for what they were.


    Few would refuse her. Those that did usually put Levandis in a much different and greater mood.


    Hesitations had no room in Manager Kil''s heart, unlike some hidden ploys around this task, but his Lady voiced the matters like Laws. He would never refuse her so he could only go to the further depths of the palace, followed by ghostly layers of fog that depicted Mindarch''s partial manifestation. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [This is going to be fun.] Mindarch said to him and him alone. [She was in a good mood. I am already thinking of some things and Guests to fit in. How about Gate 3? Sounds fun, right? How about I send some of them there too?]


    ¡°For whom...is it fun?¡± Manager Kil cursed this fog and wished his kicks would do something toward this fog.

 Chapter 159: Island of Rewards

    Mindarch laughed out loud; he could dare to be like this in this place, on this occasion, and in this crazy time. He had work to do with Manager Kil but he could widen his perception around her whole realm.


    Levandis was still close, so he kept his voice nearer than wide, but who knew if there was even a place in this temple where Levandis couldn''t reach.


    Mindarch knew the answer to that.


    [I still did things the way they should''ve been dealt with, little Kil. I wouldn''t know better otherwise with that Old freak. All by myself I''ve...]


    Manager Kil cleared his throat.


    [Alright, by overlooking your great self too, I''ve taken account of it all. She thought of it differently, while...]


    ¡°No need to heed or raise my head, Archie.¡± Manager Kil said sarcastically and sneered at the mash of fog that had no rightful appearance to follow him like a lost dog. It had something that resembled eyes or mouth, but they were rather mild.


    Mindarch chuckled. [Havent'' said that to me in ages. You did grow a backbone, didn''t you? What a cheeky little Tontati, huh? What changed that? Old One? Have you had a chance to do someone you wished for ages? Well, you haven''t even touched what you wanted, so that is too bad. Such chances don''t come very often thanks to Anatidaes in general, but not like you are taking the short stick out of this situation.] Mindarch sneered as he followed him to the depths and the other side of the hall.


    Manager Kil had a dry smile on his face, which then changed to a devilish smile. ¡°I dare you to take this out to her, considering we have a lot to go through.¡±


    They had work to do.


    [Everyone does what they should. I will do it too and you better do your work carefully. No one knows what is brewing outside.]


    Only one of them will truly take it seriously.


    ***


    Back in the dining room, Levandis noticed Kil''s disappearance. She knew he wouldn''t leave like this in most cases. He would rather confirm her desires first before actually leaving.


    Heart stirs anything, she reckoned, unaware of how much work this little Overlord was giving and sacrificing for her. She had some gist of it, but which God was questioning such thoughts or their subjects? They shouldn''t be like that. All subjects weren''t without their merits or rewards.


    Manager Kil was greatly appreciative of his current position since Levandis changed the course of his race, him especially.


    There were almost no regrets for those who followed Gods to such an extent like him.


    But some might regret it further down the road thanks to varying heights and lows of godly desires. Some did it regret sooner; others later. Rarely would one truly be unchanged with the flow of changes or Fate, unwilling to betray or change their hearts.


    Levandis wasn''t feeling alone, however. Her eyes aimed at the lower ground, looking at the golden Anatidae Golem that had been in her mind for many years. It wasn''t under her watch for some time, but it depicted research that was older than herself. A lot of things about Anatidaes were like that, but it didn''t concern her all that much. Few things would.


    The room tensed up all of a sudden, air shivered alongside the magma lamps that almost shut off their heat and light. The personnel behind her shivered and almost went to their knees.


    Then, she spoke about her desire after the maids put the last plates onto the table.


    ¡°You are dismissed.¡± She said to them coldly.


    They left in a heartbeat, glad this was over. Levandis was much more alone now than usual, but her sight or mood was somewhere else. Her gaze was firm, her aura shimmering and her hair wavered around her like water descending from the mountain.


    She turned serious, or her attention went somewhere far or close? It was hard to tell by eyes alone, or it could be invisible like reading threads of Fate.


    Clicking her tongue and biting her lips, she put her palm forward, causing the air to turn towards her Authority.


    Golem began to float on its own, similar to how Manager Kil did so a while ago. That went on until it was upon her palm, trembling in its structure and standing rather than being shut as it was before. Activation was mandatory for most of their effective runes. Hardly any golem could be active for a prolonged period of time because it would lower their life expectancy.


    Levandis was serious about this toy. It held many secrets and segments of powers that she viewed as pivotal in the art of runesmithing. It was also weird because it was an Anatidae-based golem that was one kind of creation. Few would ever consider such species for a golem. It wasn''t something Levandis made out of boredom. It was fascinating on many levels and history, so not only did it follow the specialization and power of her subjects, but she also gave it something even more insane thanks to her treasures.


    Why? The answers were relatively simple and absolutely infuriating for anyone besides her.


    She could afford it, although she could''ve created much better golems out of its internal structure any day by using different imitations, but where was some fun in that?


    Making a wolf-based golem or human-like was much clearer in structures and masses, or putting any Divine Beast into the equation would provide much more space for work. One thing that would work the best were other impressive beasts with wings and legs. It wouldn''t even change its structure all that much. These could be dragons, phoenixes, and so on. She thought of them too, because Anatideas was simply far too small, but she couldn''t just make its body bigger while increasing the scale.


    There was no truth in that.


    Whether it was living or not, the truths of the significance of Laws and mana worked in mysterious ways. Anatidea Golem needed this small size, and it needed much more work because of it.


    Humanoid golems were pretty much standard across the whole universe, depicting common runic structures with hands and feet, with cores being in the chest or heads.


    That was a normal procedure that beasts and most demons weren''t under at all. Beasts were simple animals with tougher and more intense Bloodlines and irregular powers. When it came to demons, they were even nastier to seek imitations or any fantasy. Their physicalities were often far too chaotic, making golem poor.


    Levandis glanced at this golem from a rational perspective, sizing it like a normal duck in her grasp. It had an Adolescent stage in mind without any major Influence Item in question. Golems couldn''t take them, but she could''ve envisioned some change and given it some touch as if the golem took some Item. It would make it unique since the art of golem-making was limited by imagination and work.


    She considered appearance and normal pictures that Anatidae should have, similar to how Murai was like.


    He resembled a duck on all fronts thanks to his choice of starting evolution. Some of those starting choices held specialties that would''ve changed him, but not too much. Anatidea sub-species always had their wings, necks, small feet, and absurd beaks. Those were their characteristics or aspects that would never cease to exist, same with their usual weight or general physicality.


    That meant they would never become something else unless some insane Influence Items went to their Bloodline. Or some other massive luck would come. It was unlike the topic of how they can''t do much about their status and origin.


    On top of her palm, the golem stood without moving, brandishing its single wing and Golden Layer. If it held some shred of sanity and Will, it would crumble apart because Levanids was bearing her aura and interest in it like a curious scientist.


    She looked into it, around it, seeking the aura of Murai''s attack and the remains of his unhinged Will. All cracks told their stories, bearing the weight of attacks and mana that was of significant quality for a Child. There was a wild storm that went through these crackling capabilities, and Golden Layer should be well above Level 50 in weight.


    That meant that Murai''s Peak had power around that level if used properly, continuously, or far too much.


    Which wasn''t fine because of the stress Peak possessed in terms of physical flow and mana. No wonder Murai got injured and stressed like never before. he unhinged his Peak like never before, and even after he underwent that 24-second maxium-output Peak. He was truly looking for a beating.


    Levandis frowned and signed. ¡°Its Peak needs rework, which might work thanks to the new readings. Mana doesn''t need a change, as that one little Child left the seeds of interest. You handled it all on your own, instinctless and without a Mother''s wings looming over your head. Fascinating choice, but... where is the second wing?¡± Levandis asked the golem as if expecting an answer.


    It won''t talk. There was barely a place in her palm for it to stand.


    ¡°Uh... I think the wings went worse than expected. It goes down the Golden Layer for the time being, so with unfinished layers, it got out. Their structure needs flexibility, but also stable roots. That little Child moved through the gaps, using the downward force of the Peak and pressure to slide further into the layers. It did... reach deep enough, but the wings weren''t finished products. Its flow isn''t included in the Cube yet, so it''s like flapping around with pieces of materials.¡±


    Then, she signed as if feeling weak and tired. ¡°You went through a lot, haven''t you?¡± she whispered, patting the golem as if it was Anatidea that she never had. Yet, as her desires, thoughts, and words held her truth, they weren''t chains that wrapped her like a curse. She knew what to expect and do. Expecting miracles was never fine to wish.


    The universe wasn''t that accommodating for Gods to make them like that.


    Knowing how to fix this golem was simple. Its errors went hand in hand with direct or indirect causes, so she tossed it behind her head, looming the golem over her throne. Golem flew, still trembling but without feeling or doing anything else. It needed activation like any golem for any act. So far, it wasn''t active. It trembled because of Levandis alone.


    ¡°Take care of it. The pavilion awaits, so tell the details too. I will need to look through a lot of things right now, as some nasty things have been happening around while I slept.¡± Lavendis told without hiding her aura, and under a breath, all the food, plates included, disappeared to the unknown. It wasn''t teleportation or something else. She devoured it all, leaving the table empty and clean.


    It could disappear too, but thankfully, this table was made from the Acacia Trees, known for near indestructibility that made them top-tier boats or cosmic vessels.


    She wished to go back to her feast, but her aura and hunger slipped behind her wilder grin. Her demonic nature contorted her face, sharpening her eyes, but her charming face more or less remained. Her smile widened, her lips curved and her white teeth glinted.


    Behind her throne, hiding in the shadows of the pillars that might hide more than one would see, a figure stepped or flew out of the shadows. It was hard to say which act it did first, or where one started or ended. But it was a figure no less short than her, bulking out like a tree that spread its crown.


    Armored in plates of scales around the legs, arms, and lower body, it was a ferocious demonic warrior with a strong body. He hid there behind a pillar for a long time, as he was a follower and a great subject of her interest.


    He was no servant, but a fervent disciple that would do anything for her. So there was almost no difference between that and a servant in the fundamental meaning of that word.


    Truth mattered less for those who desired power, protection, or connection to one or many Gods. And this world held many of them, depicting a place that was guiding and strengthening their very prose. It was their literal playground, so it was no wonder that many of them went here from far away, hoping to escape or increase their power.


    Many Gods, however, raised their sparks here as locals, or Blessed, or anything between these factors.


    It was a world ruled by the force of nature and the universe. It was pretty much the same as anywhere else where the River of Manaflow flowed, putting certain growth and flow into the living planet itself.


    Levandis knew all about it.


    But not the Anatidea Golem that flew away. As time flew at normal speed, the man emerged in all of his glory. He was of average height at best, with a well-proportioned body that spoke of flexible strength and less bulk.


    It went according to his race, as the word ''man'' was only a point in gender that those like him cared less about. It wasn''t because of his origin, or upbringing, or just because he thought of it as such.


    One may not even call him a man because of some prejudice or care, albeit his race did come around in times when humans spread their seeds around the universe, letting time flourish in legends known by few. It was a time before the Ancients, where the Skies were one, and where Endless Skies were truly endless and not divided.


    Levandis didn''t care for genders or races. She loved or hated everyone equally, which made her loved or hated as she yearned. The man didn''t care for that either, as his vigor was only a form his Lady liked. He could change to become muscular, but a certain leanness went far better for his race than being a thickskinned fool.


    The plates of scales secured muscles and body parts without being seamless. Each part was for one thing, making up an armor that could change shape according to the body, or protect what it needed to protect. His legs from the knee down were bare, similar to his neck down or his elbows to his fingers. It was inefficient armor, one would rightfully say this very fact, but who would dare to think that when one died before even reaching that armor or flesh around them?


    Golem still flew by, watched by the crimson eyes of this man who held quite a unique head. Hairless, the crimson horns on top of his head pointed sideways first before curving up and slightly forward. Their base was ashen like his skin, turning darker until the later end where the horns were red as blood.


    He was a very advanced devil, filled with the quality of his Bloodline that stood tall and strong akin to the succubus. Like them or many who carried demonic roots, their Bloodline carried weird and wonderful powers. Choice of their Paths often limited such races, ceasing many preferences they wanted to pursue.


    Will of the Battleworld carried their premises similar to everyone or anything, turning their powers and interests into something their bodies and Bloodline tolerated. It was the same sort of limit that beast had, as the body was often limiting like the blood itself. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Devils were selfish, emotional, and brazen beings, with features and hearts that were often stubborn beyond any means. This made them quite different from succusses, who were more mischievous and lustful beings that were hard to tame.


    This devil had a single pair of quite large and thick horns, but those didn''t signify anything more than his race. Their horns could go through significant changes through their levels, becoming rounder, twisted, or longer. He was an Extreme, although it wasn''t as obvious thanks to the powers devils possessed.


    Horns symbolized the power and might of the devils, so the more horns were on their heads, the stronger they were. Succubuses had something else. They may have Bloodline aspects in terms of horns too, but thinner and smaller. For them, wings, eyes, or tails spoke of more familiarity thanks to their nature. Pretty much any body part can indicate their power, but devils had horns alone.


    A second passed since Levandis tossed the golem behind her head. The devil heard her command, catching the golem with both hands and embracing it, kneeling on the ground.


    Observing it, he understood his task. ¡°Your desire is my command, my Lady,¡± he told with surprisingly gentle, yet powerful words filled with conviction and work. He appeared as if life depended on this task, making him far too focused than he should be. Manager Kil would do the same thing.


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    A lot of devils were like this. There was nothing clear or soothing with their heads, nor it should be like that, but tell that to their stubbornness. Levandis would say anything and he would crawl, dance, jump, or try to fly, but since the task was simple, this serious fool was far too into it than her.


    The task was like a Law. Her word was a job that would be done, even though it was his first time seeing this golem in this state. At least he heard and understood the preferences of his Lady, similar to the conversation that went on between her and Manager Kil.


    ¡°Your heartbeat is rugged,¡± Levandis commented. ¡°Makes my stomach turn...¡±


    The words that she spoke filled his heart and voice with reverence. The task will fill the rest until the end of the world, and if it won''t, he will make it happen anyway.


    ¡°As should be, my Lady. Blood is always tight. Bloodline tightens it all.¡± He bowed and adored the golem with a couple of pats.


    ¡°I am your ancestor... and you keep being like this? Calm your heartbeat or I will eat you.¡± She sighed and wondered where all that food went, or where she went wrong with testing this family of hers. Perhaps she should be tougher with them or more lenient? She will probably eat somewhere else.


    ¡°Family is always watching.¡±


    ¡°I think far too much. Was a mistake on my part, I fear. Now, leave.¡± Without waiting for a breath, he was gone without giving her time for second guesses. That was a disadvantage of loyalty. It was always late for her to change her mind.


    She would change her mind if she wanted, but her work was yet to be over, as the current happenings in the Battleworld were turning her memories and future aflame.


    ¡°So a Cursed One has come...¡± She whispered to herself, playing with her hair between her fingers. ¡°Should be a splendid chance to visit you, oh, Son God that left this playground for me.¡±


    [Not sure if that is the right time for that.] Mindarch suddenly spoke.


    ¡°And I think you don''t know what privacy is!¡± She shouted unhappily. ¡°Don''t you have work to do?¡±


    [Sure enough, but I think there is something you want to hear about. The Surface is turning. Changing. Wanna hear of Vermillion?]


    ¡°Go on...¡± She smiled, cracked her fingers and her eyes glowed. ¡°What is that fox thinking?¡±


    [Well, not her but her too...]


    ***


    Back at the Gates of Levandis Temple, things had been following the steady flow of time and purpose. Thar was there, followed by dogs of Centralis Kingdom and eyes of many beings.


    Time wasn''t in any hurry, but some figures were more than willing to speed through space, bridges, or Islands down below.


    Razmund was still far from reaching his destiny, unbeknown to Murai.


    It was giving him a decent advantage, but that depended on the amount of time Razmund would waste fighting the Ending Isles. They held the most difficult setbacks, while his bracket of opponents touched on the Laws already, making the potential threat much tougher than one would think.


    True wealth and value always spoke around the powers of this world. Those were powers and the degree of war resources.


    Fodder below level 50 was often neglectful to care about, but what if there were armies full of them? They would certainly allow or create many changes and turn the tide of wars in many favors, but not all fodder were equal, similar to how many Laws were better than others. It was the same with affinities, abilities, or many kinds of powers.


    Extremes held their differences too, so Levandis had quite an outlook about wars and armies alike. This place loved it all, indifferently increasing the power of all those who wanted it.


    It was a belief following the threads from The Endless Skies.


    Quality was better than quantity when it came to Paths or, in some cases, pathless fools.


    Among the figures who wished to go deeper into this temple, those who reached the comprehension of Laws were plentiful. They met their fitting foes when it mattered, dying or living to tell the tale in subjective rules. Death wasn''t always here. Challenges were.


    While Challengers were near endless, thanks to the way Levandis handled her temple. Thus, beings with the Laws at their core held a stage where limits and walls stood in their way. They needed to improve in places with intense dangers and challenges, otherwise, their talents would get stagnant and years would pass without any progress.


    For that reason, many difficult or rare dungeons became important, turning them into businesses and commodities.


    This temple was one of the best places for dangerous growth due to its original, yet sturdy Order that concealed boundless Chaos. It had to be made public and open to the world above, albeit with fervent Levandis''s disapproval.


    What did it mean for fodder that was either growing in age or stagnated by lack of talent?


    It meant a certain death or reach of a Limitter where leveling patterns and power no longer mattered, and progression got overwhelmed by the intangible limits.


    Of course, there were also some very physical problems, but those were the kinds that Murai had yet to see, even if one of them had surrounded him ever since Will of the Battleworld shrouded him in the layers of its Codexes.


    It turned him into the Blessed, so he had no choice but to follow some questionable premise.s There was no way to refuse that title, let alone the flow and godly touches that acted by the calls of those above.


    Those refusing it would hardly have their future in their hands or any kind of limbs.


    Ignorance was blissful. It was one of Murai''s favorite quotes from a place he wasn''t even recalling all that well. Lisa would agree with this sentiment, albeit her decision and some aspects of her voice wouldn''t be worse if she talked how she should.


    They traveled outside of the world, feeling the tension of the Chaos Space itself. Murai or Lisa didn''t fear this. They always felt it in one way or the other.


    Through the layers of the brief line of Chaos Space, a surge of confusing patterns revealed grinding space waves, followed by clear physical sight. Murai was flying onwards, looking into a changing Chaos Space, which meant he wasn''t going back or straight in line.


    Whenever it went, he couldn''t change it. The portal at least led to a place that still had some line of Order, making it not that dangerous because of its structure that made portals even usable. Without some clarity and rules, portals would be a death wish. But it was still leading him to a journey that was somewhat longer than he preferred.


    Alone, but with Lorry and Lisa flying behind, they watched his back.


    Flying through some line, cut into the Chaos Space, twisted in no direct danger, some personal effects of some mages or natural causes confirmed the end in sight. It was hard to perceive the surroundings that made this flight possible, as time, when one traveled through this space, held an everchanging nature, closing on the borders of what was known in the universe.


    It could be cloudy or windy, colorful or shiny with a rainbow glow, or dark like the deepness of the universe.


    Portals followed the unique sets of motion that Chaos Space obeyed, as Chaos Space was etched into reality by specific points, thus allowing one to work with it.


    It was essentially everywhere, allowing the transportation and workings of teleportation or cutting into the reality itself. Such things were long etched into many minds and powers, so when two sides in the Chaos Space connected, mages sensed the lines.


    Space inside acted differently from normal, causing travel to be quicker across vast distances, dangerous spaces in reality, or it could be slow without much travel. It depended on the quality of real space, workings with the Chaos Space, or portals. All of them held their various dangers and worthy problems.


    Murai always knew that space, time, and Chaos Space were peculiar things worth many lives of research. It was a shame he couldn''t put such knowledge to his advantage when his body wasn''t ready to even touch these things. He couldn''t even hold a pen, let alone think of himself as someone who could do more than that.


    His unwillingness won''t change that.


    Sometimes, there could be mistakes when putting lines into Chaos Space or enforcing the portals in dangerous places. Those depended on the talent and resources mages had.


    Those of higher prowess could travel without any lines put in place, dragging their bodies straight into the Chaos Space and cutting into it without any problems. They would need to remember and understand the Chaos Space to reach their desired destination and blip back into reality. Manager Kil did that, for example.


    That meant a lot of disasters were possible to occur when flailing through the Chaos Space unobscured. For those without such choices, sturdiness and a safe portal were essential. Made by the mages familiar with space, time, and hammers, one should often question the means of their travel.


    After all, when one can have Divine Beast as mounts or crafted structures capable of flight, physical travel might not be quick, but safe for sure. Portals could be neglectful, but their importance was all about convenience, safety, and powerful connections or resources.


    A good system of portals was worth a fortune, especially if it involved many places holding a long history. Murai bet the portals in Levandis Temple were those kinds, possibly made by her subjects or her touches.


    Murai flew through the layers of twisting space that caused his vision to be useless. That went on until his rotating and twisting eyes saw some stars, globes of light and... rooms, cubic worlds, planets, abstract figures, and even humanoid shadows that loomed over the pictures and flashing light. Some even waved at him, giggling, or making weird noises.


    He wasn''t sure into what part of the Chaos Space this line led him into, but he wasn''t willing to look into the Chaos Beasts, their dwellings, and places that Chaos Space swallowed through untold amounts of ages. He simply knew that it was a no-go territory unless one wished to seek death in many layers of existence. It wasn''t only about souls or physical powers, but something of both.


    It was a place that went outside of reality, albeit it was infinitely close to it, sharing the sides like two sides of the same coin.


    Thankfully, that vision changed in a blink, but he watched the sight with a surprising amount of details and almost hundreds of scenes flashed in his mind. He wasn''t sure what those two behind him watched, but the twisting space stopped, and cracks swallowed him whole.


    He flew through the cracks like a tossed kitten, seeing no end of the portal. Quacking and cursing wildly like a chick that forgot how to fly, he panicked.


    Which wasn''t wrong, because he tried to flap his wings but all it did was add immense pain to his stressed and tired body. He didn''t take this flight through Chaos Space that well, or did those pictures and scenery shock him that much? He wasn''t that sure. He simply didn''t like how it felt.


    ¡°On my damned soul, who crafted this shit? They couldn''t think of a better stability? Why a crack? Whe.. Where the fuck am I? Where did that line go?!¡±


    Before him was no Islands of Greatness for sure, nor was it a part of the previous cave. If it was, there would be no need for a portal. Laying on the ground after a difficult landing, getting back to his feet proved to be problematic.


    So he glanced around first, figuring that he was in some sort of darkness filled with crisp droplet sounds coming all around him. It soon twisted when Lisa and Lorry flew out of a dark huffed crack.


    They were good at providing their worth by glowing, and they didn''t even take that flight that badly, watching the scenery and cave in calmness. In some cases, Murai thought their glow was one of their core features, but both of them wouldn''t like his comment for sure.


    Sona lit up the darkness for dozens of meters and Soul Flames added some red light and textures, allowing them to notice a cave that wasn''t that wide or tall.


    And it was wet, thanks to a relatively large lake before them and a fully enclosed cave. It was fairly wet all around. Droplets of water fell from the ceiling, causing soft and sharp sounds. Shiny walls took their light by storm, dancing around the cave until the entire cave was bright like a day.


    The lake was around a hundred meters in diameter and surprisingly circular. It was perhaps because of something specific, since the ceiling had a similar-sized hole right above it, going far above that one couldn''t see its end.


    Droplets of water were falling from that hole as well, causing crips sound to echo into the water, but it was a small amount of water every second. One would wonder how many years it took to fill this whole lake.


    There was land in the cave unless one considered the shiny rocky surface outside of the water for land. In proper context, the land was in the middle of the water, depicting an island. There was even a building way too small and poor, looking more like a hut on the verge of falling apart.


    The land was out of touch with the surroundings because there was healthy green grass, a tree, and some flowers around it. The island was floating in the middle of the lake as if it weighed nothing.


    It was a true island this time around, which Murai would praise if he had time and mind for it. Though it looked strange, he had trouble coming to terms with what made it strange. He saw far wilder things in the universe, making this seem like a stunt or just a joke of nature or hands.


    Silent but aware of the endless supply of dropping water sounds, the serenity of this place was almost nerve-wracking. Whenever he followed or turned his head, the sound echoed, clearing the mind, and lowering the stress. It was weirdly stressful for his soul, adding more weirdness to this picture.


    Lisa and Lorry knew this place, although something about it looked weird and unfamiliar as if the shroud and aura of this place were more vivid and clogged by something intense. It felt detached from the reality.


    At least one of them was sure of what this place was, yet uncertain of these feelings, while the other wasn''t here in ages.


    Murai still couldn''t force himself up... feeling like a duck that was limbless once again. So when he felt a hand grip his neck, forcing him up, he didn''t want to speak.


    Lisa wasn''t interested either, but getting him to move was better done by her than Lorry, who would bump into him with his forehead until he would get into the water.


    ¡°You are welcome.¡± She commented in sight of his silent apprasive look that didn''t want to be thankful.


    Murai didn''t complain. He looked around this place that acted like an enclosed cave without any way out besides the holes that he wasn''t sure led somewhere. There was no wind here. Just echoing droplets. It was an eerie place that seemed mesmerizing with just a little light coming from the pair of little figures.


    And the light began to shine better, making the water nice and noticeably deep, clear, and flowy like dense mercury without the silvery luster. Far... Far too deep for his eyes to seek the end, the water seemed endless. It was clear for the eyes, albeit everything was shiny thanks to what was at the ceiling.


    There was a starry sky around the circle but without any suns, or moon. There were rocks, small pebbles, and gems all around the rocky walls. When the slightest light arrived at them, glistering light spread into the water and between them, making the whole cave bright and magical.


    Murai had no doubt this water was some sort of Celestial Pool, and this whole cave was some sort of construct. As for the Pool, it felt qualitative like a Divine Artifact for sure, so... was that making it a Divine Pool? He wasn''t so sure about specific names, as mana-infused places had all sorts of names across many worlds. This place should have it no different.


    At least the name: Celestial Pool, had some roots in this world, thanks to the one in Acaman Tower.


    This one looked and felt... strange. As if it wasn''t natural. Well, he wasn''t willing to give it his guesses, considering the holes that were straight as inward pillars that went down and up. It could be for anything, really, as the mana here was rich, nor necessarily deafening and dense.


    Perhaps it was a ventilation or cooling for something that was out of Murai''s mind.


    Beautiful as it looked, the aura of mana spread and danced around the surface of the water, floating upwards like wind or fog. There was some flow to it, but small like a breeze. He wished to not care about it, but this was part of some ridiculous structure. A part of the essence of Levandis Temple, he dared to guess.


    ¡°Is this...? What?¡± Murai asked, shooting a glance at Lisa first before giving Lorry a face.


    She seemed uninterested in him, opting to glare at the island and water instead. ¡°Islands of Rewards seems kind of new to me, but something remains convincing. New locations do make it nicer. That...¡± She pointed at the hut. ¡°is your place of interest because of your Keys. Then, if I am not wrong, there should be the choice of the Influence Items you want to care about. Actual points you''ve accumulated won''t be spent here, but before you enter the world of Gate 3. Don''t worry, rewards are not only the Keys or the Item, right, Mindarch?¡± She asked surprisingly softly, angling her head upwards.


    Right when the thunderous voice raged, turning the mana aflame and light dimmed. Nothing or nobody made an appearance. It was just a flaring echo of something insane, or did Mindarch wish to scare them in this way?


    It didn''t work even a little bit, much to his internal desire to see Murai looking surprised or squeaking like a helpless Child. Or was it aimed more at his Anatidae face? He was bullying a Child without any repercussions whatsoever. It should feel good, but he didn''t get anything more out of it than more headache.


    Lisa and Lorry weren''t important in his mind. He didn''t care for them, since he had his mission and task that he had to accomplish, but in various lengths of interests that stretched across dozens of important figures. Most of it was still aimed at Levandis, but as a soul construct, he could look and take care of all sorts of things at the same time.


    This was one of the more interesting places, but more things went up in the temple than one would guess. With the right history, most Depths were like this, even if they had no souls or visitors for many millennia.


    When needed, Mindarch''s attention can slip into multiple forms, speaking to hundreds of beings at the same time, or to entire Gates.


    Murai was a great Challenger, so he spoke as if the 93rd Island or later parts hadn''t happened at all. Murai didn''t forget them, however, but he tossed these issues behind his head for the time being.


    [It is exactly as the ghost said.] Mindarch said calmly, pretending that everything was fine and well. [Not only are the Keys important places of loot and accomplishments, but they also depict treasures worth more than essences. Some could find neat tricky things worth more than the points, but those are rare occasions that points and lost artifacts or some specific powers. All sorts of things are stored in this hut, or crated. At least in this place, all Keys are nearly guaranteed to appear in the first 50 Islands, yet you''ve got two of them! Congratulations.]


    ¡°I feel like I want to smack him...¡± Murai commented so thinly, that Lisa barely caught it. Why did he even hear that skipping ahead in Gate 2 was possible? It was a useless remark.


    Mindarch talked far too lofty for a soul. Some celebrations can fuck off.


    [By reaching the end of your fights, in great merits and accomplishment, it has been decided you will get an Influence Item of your choice, regardless of the Grade, Purity, or anything else. Isn''t that great?]


    ¡°What?!¡± Lisa shouted. ¡°R-regardless of anything?¡±


    [Regardless.] He said simply.


    ¡°Means what?¡± Murai asked.


    Lisa glared at him as if he were an idiot who fell from Beyond the Sky. She spent hours going over the Influence Items with him, what they meant, and how their descriptions shook and changed many species and races. That went in the last day or so, at times when they rested and she had means to answer or request some information between them.


    ¡°Means Grades and shit are important. You can take whatever you want from there, as long as it is compatible or not, which I hope you are near cold certain about. Hell, Influence Items are key points that disallow certain things to be taken or sold. They could mean impressive Bloodline legacies, but... I don''t know what sort of Influence Items they have to offer. Perhaps they are no longer that crazy but put around your level like a sorry excuse? That is why they offer it without any limits. That is suspicious. As he says it, he means you can take anything in here. That means anything!¡±


    ¡°Anything is anything. What''s so big about that?¡± Murai said coldly, aware that Lisa was starting to speak nonsense. He didn''t see the worth of this surprise or the effect of this act.


    It was just a reward.


    But Mindach spoke of it as he was giving them a favor, which he didn''t take lightly, or for something special. Murai will never acknowledge that whatsoever.


    He couldn''t see the truth after all, and even Lisa forgot all about it, or what the length of Mindarch''s words were like. He allowed something specifically related and needed for Murai. Anatidea''s potential Influences were wild. That was what Murai was due to. Something that would work for him.


    That meant questionable, or already very potent Influence Items that had to work or touch his Bloodline to allow some changes. Something weak wasn''t fitting, which wasn''t that ridiculous by itself.


    Murai was kind of ridiculous to another degree, and he didn''t even know it all that well. Lisa realized the extent of it right now, at this very moment. Mindarch probably had few treasures that would truly entice this Old fool, but perhaps she was overthinking it.


    No limitations in Influence Items from his hut meant a choice out of ALL of the possible choices that were available across the board Gate 2s. All of the variants, she bet. That meant accumulated wealth of many ages, deaths, and values.


    Those could be even Influence Items for Extremes, or those filled with Laws or some specific affinities or something even better.


    That was the norm she thought about when considering Mindarch''s voice at first.


    Another change was Lisa''s set expectations. She knew this was a big deal, regardless of her thoughts. Even if Murai may not have a chance to use some lofty Influance Items right now, or far into the future, their worth was a choice that she won''t let slip by.


    Or the choices were limited... which would answer why Mindarch spoke of it this way?


    She doubted this could go in the direction she had in mind, but she trusted Murai would not choose something stupid. She knew how to regard his greed and ideas by now.

 Chapter 160: Question Mark

    One way or another, Influence Items were worthy rewards that could mean a lot in the long run, so when Lisa heard no limits for their taking, she wondered what Murai would do. If one thought of Items carefully in sight of further evolutions or Paths, their worth was nearly the same as Blessings in disguise.


    Lisa knew that Murai had barely anything under his Path right now. Well, he had yet to set anything for something. He had no sets of evolutions available either, except the Anatidae Aquantis, which was mentioned only once when she was sleeping.


    That was a long time ago, in a time when Murai endured hardships and improvements that should''ve provided at least some basic choices. Lisa couldn''t see why his choices were nearly non-existent. Will of the Battleworld gave him nothing.


    Why?


    Was it because of Anatidae in general, whose aptitude and ways or workings were way out of the norm? In that case, Lisa''s lack of knowledge about them would excuse her lack of ideas.


    Some beasts could evolve a lot of times with small bits of increasing powers, or one could also take significantly better evolutions less often. Both of these choices were worth the same, but in terms of growth and potential, taking care and finding the strongest evolution was the greatest choice. It also depended on the Will of the Battleworld.


    At least according to Lisa''s knowledge about the Divine Beasts, this was the truth. Anatidaes shouldn''t be that far into insanity, even if they were no such beasts.


    That could mean that what was inside this hut might be of limited value to him, because of a lack of choices. That was wrong. It was perhaps much more valuable to him than anything else, as this choice could let someone focus on finding evolution that would fare well with an Influence Item alone. One could take the full-on Influence for the evolution as long as it was compatible with the species, creating a full evolution out of it.


    It was well worth it in all regards since Murai wasn''t finding any evolution choices. It was better to take Influence Items concerning Anatidae''s next evolution. That was what Lisa thought was the best course of action.


    She didn''t know why... or perhaps she knew why Will of the Battleworld wasn''t giving him any choices. Encounter or other things things about his soul might be that reason.


    Another plausibility was simpler. Murai didn''t have any choice, because he was focusing on the beginning of the Anatidae Panacea which was surprisingly deep and basic in some aspects. For a Class D evolution, it was fairly standard if one compared it to many Divine Beasts.


    The next evolutions could mean Class C, or better, which spoke of many accomplishments, reached Limitters, and incredible growth, or other things that she knew but hadn''t mentioned to him yet.


    Leveling and evolution meant growing out of the Child Stage, which Murai was still under, according to the attributes Lisa recalled.


    He had them in the 50s, which was within the norm for his stage in progression. Some evolution choices could disregard potent evolutions and stay in the Child stage.


    And if Lisa knew Murai, he wouldn''t like something of that kind anyway. He was far too bothered or happy in finding his footing in the Panacea Sub-Species, so that was it. He would like something potent, which might probably require attributes in the 100s or a level close to 50. It was another question of which evolution would happen or unlock, as various choices had diverse sets of requirements or insane conditions.


    Like Aquantis requiring water affinity, Murai should simply follow what he had and reach that, or give Panacea''s further evolutions a try.


    That meant not much different course of action and his act. It might even be easier because he was fond of learning.


    Lisa thought about this far too much for Murai''s sake, and well outside of his head. Murai wasn''t thinking about such things at all, opting to focus on what mattered right now.


    Surprisingly, through time and talks, Murai got the gist of Influence Items and evolutions alike. He understood how important they were, or how one should view them besides evolutions of abilities, which poised as equally important power boosts.


    All of them were important to gain proper power, yet they didn''t happen overnight.


    One had to be truly crazy to level abilities up or gain special privileges to skip the leveling altogether.


    Murai skipped the leveling in Beak''s Fury, but not in Mana Detection. Mana Shaping, Proper Mana Blade, and Beak''s Peak all seemed to have no shortcuts either. They were closing on Level 20 however, meaning that their time to shine was soon to arrive.


    Having the Beak''s Fury change so quickly was more than enough for him to change his mind. He was just not impressed by things that were far from his sight.


    Which meant a lot of things.


    Perhaps he wasn''t willing to touch Influence Items at all or regard them as a world-shattering opportunity. They could be normal for his level, cause evolution, Influence the Aquantis, or some other choice that he might get in the future. That was essentially far from what mattered right now, creating a choice he wasn''t stone certain about.


    Mindarch gave him a choice that influenced the biggest choice a beast had up their minds.


    It was no Path, as Paths were often set in stone and never forgotten. Evolutions were slightly different in this regard, as they could follow a Path closely or far away. It was all about species and their potential Bloodline or followed Sub-Species.


    Panacea should have further magic-related choices that should focus on some aspects of his established technique. It could be Blade-related, Flame-related, and so on. Magic was near endless, while his Anatidae Bloodline seemed to possess a wide range of motion because of their Universal Affinity.


    Depending on one''s view of choices or power, relying on Path, evolution, or both, everything can work in different ways.


    So Murai decided to take as great an Influence Item as he could take or find. The rest will be resolved at a later date, at times when he will grow.


    Something that guaranteed interesting power was up to his taste. So it could be usable as a Fusion Influence, which was taking an Influence Item for a compatible evolution that could override Panacea or not, or it could go to a Partial Influence and establish a relation to a suitable and fulfilled Sub-Species.


    It was a fairly straightforward system, but repercussions from them were deep. Lisa thought and said how complicated all of it was since there was an incredibly large web of interest between evolutions, Bloodlines, and Influence Items available to him.


    Every race and species had something different in this regard, so she didn''t know how exactly Murai should think about it, but talking about general terms to him was worth it. She gave him some ideas and bits of information, which should give him further context and knowledge.


    Fusion Influence and Partial Influence meant a different approach to species and choices that may one regret later or sooner. But at the core, it was still a choice.


    And Murai never disliked a choice.


    ¡°Fine. Fine.¡± Lisa shook her head, realizing that forgetting anything between him and Mindarch was better than anything her mind wanted to tell. ¡°Is there anything else that you, oh, great Mindarch can tell?¡± She said the latter part with some sarcasm, but Midnarch didn''t seem to dislike it.


    [There is a change in plan that I had to reconsider. It isn''t a poor choice by the way. Just take it for a reward. I shall proclaim the time for Question Mark right now before Citizen M comes into the hut, the rest of the rewards, or Gate 3 itself.]


    ¡°Mark?¡± Murai wondered. ¡°Oh, right. I think I haven''t used it after all because a lot of things happened. Can''t you leave it for the lower Gates? It wouldn''t hurt me, nor yourself.¡±


    [Situations have changed. Speak of a topic and I shall talk about how you want it. Simple.]


    ¡°Such a Mark doesn''t work like that,¡± Lisa argued. ¡°He.. I mean...¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Murai asked.


    [Ghost speaks far too much... Ah.. Nevermind. I forgot I haven''t mentioned anything major about it after you got it.]


    [Question Mark has a few stages of ideas around it, creating a neat getaway into my Codex. It isn''t just a question with an answer, but a topic with layers surrounding it. There is depth to this chance that could broaden even the simpleton''s mind to a new level. It can work as a great way to teach topics, learn information, broaden context, or straight up shock the mind.]


    [Any kind of information up to my Codex is there for an answer, but not everything is fine to tell, you see.]


    [Example: How to kill Lady of Thousand Graves?]


    [Can''t speak of it, can I?]


    Murai heard logic in that statement, so he nodded and wondered what he could ask if there were limits to it. Could he ask a ridiculous question? Something simple?


    [The second issue is a double-edged sword since many knowledge Codexes runs deep, and mine is the same. Thus, there are parts of certain questions or topics that are inadequate for me to mention. There is a clear degree of secrecy that I pick, creating flexible means that are both for me or you to consider.]


    [Basily, you speak the topic and I decide if I can answer it first, before giving you a chance to adhere to this topic and ask questions.]


    [If it''s fine, then it is fine to proceed to another interesting topic about Question Mark.]


    [Question Mark follows the premise of Minor, Wild, and Chaotic questions. Each gives length to my answer or certain privileges depending on my Codex or my own choice.]


    [Example: What are the continents in the Battleworld, or how are their politics?]


    [I can mention a lot of things about such topics, giving it various attention, details, or secrets, thus Minor, Wild, or Chaotic answers vary in length and degree of answers. It could be quite a juicy, long, or potent way to find information, so choose your topic wisely.]


    ¡°Wait... What does it matter?¡± Murai asked, finding this whole thing a little bit convoluted.


    ¡°Wait for it...¡± Lisa added. ¡°He will speak more.¡±


    [Depending on the topic, I shall gift Minor Perk, Wild Perk, and Chaotic Perk to further provide context for the topic. Each will have various aptitudes to an acceptable topic, giving choices for you and how I could answer it. Choices are important.]


    ¡°So complicated...¡± Murai sighed. ¡°Fine. There is nothing more for me here anyway. This world is vast, but my heart is the same or worse. I want to know about Anatidae species.¡±


    [Oh, such a vast topic, yet so small?] Mindarch chuckled as if he told a fine joke. [That is easily done but even among this topic, there are answers not within my power. Hence, I shall give you 5 Minor Perks, 2 Wild, and a single Chaotic Perk to broaden your choices. Those could crack some of my Codex or rules, but it is fitting for you, Citizen M. Choose your question and Perks wisely, as it could Breach me for sure.]


    [That means you have 8 questions in total with answers that should all surround the Anatidae topic. All of them must include it in some way. Every question will need one Perk of your choice.]


    ¡°Oh! I get it now!¡± Murai cheered. ¡°You explained it like a dog a food... Alright.¡± He tensed up, thinking of what to ask, as it seemed Mindarch was done stalling and was up to some talking.


    Murai didn''t know where to start.


    And silence spread.


    Minutes went by into awkward silence.


    [Ehm. Ehm.] Mindarch faked a cough. [I mean, there are no time limitations, but wasting time isn''t fine for you or me.]


    ¡°I am thinking!¡± Murai argued.


    [Just voice a question and choose the Perk. Oh, and if the question about Anatidae isn''t under my Codex or is far too complicated or unacceptable, I can still refuse it without it costing a Perk. Simple enough. BUT! If you choose Chaotic Perk, I could be forced to talk.]


    ¡°So I can''t ask for some tough question that I have no idea about, but force it anyway? How do I know what is that or not? Wait... that does contradict that killing your lady question, doesn''t it?¡±


    [Not at all. You are overcomplicating it. Your topic is as easy as vast, with various ways to think about it. Most Anatidae questions are a rattle of legends that have some validity and research in this world, myself included. Currently, their standing in the world is relatively common when we talk about high levels of interest.]


    [That means that commoners and weak powers have no knowledge or idea that ridiculous ducks are roaming the world, capable of shattering some Tier S or A powers, or rage and eradicating the cities and dungeons alike. Some folks may have ideas about it, giving it a touch similar to dragon legends spread like telltales for children.]


    [Anatidaes are, unsurprisingly to the Anatidae Golem that you''ve fought, well researched under this place and my Codex. I can''t speak for the golem nor its details because it is a topic that is private under Levandis. I can talk about most things, depending on what kind of manner of question you ask, or how your Perk perks me up. Hah! Get it? Perk?] Mindach laughed but Murai had nothing to add.


    ¡°So?¡± Lisa patted his head, floating beside him and letting him rest on the ground. She was over with her, touching him. ¡°Not difficult, isn''t it?¡±


    Murai scoffed at her. ¡°You''ve never mentioned shit about the Question Mark. Nor Keys!¡±


    ¡°Can''t know what Mindarch would decide in terms of Perks, could I? Also, they weren''t that important before. Now it is. You didn''t ask them either, even if you''ve already known about this topic.¡± She made a point, so Murai went ahead to ask for the basics that needed a Minor Perk at best.


    ¡°How many Anatidaes are there, and where to find them?¡±


    [A fine question. Perk?] Mindarch asked even though Murai asked two questions at once.


    ¡°Oh, Minor one will do.¡±


    [Acknowledged.] Mindarch said firmly.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    [Numbers are limited by their harsh breeding factors that stem from their Bloodline and origin. Details are mostly unknown because of their questionable time from the Sky or their creation, but there are dozens of Anatidea tribes with a variety of powers and politics in the Battleworld. Some have various levels of influence over their regions. Some are large, others little. Some take care of other beasts under their wings, and other hides because dangerous fools hunt them down to eat or for other reasons. It goes across the continents.]


    [Finding them may be hard or simple, as most of their tribes are hiding in remote or very dangerous places. Not dangerous for them, however. There is a certain Depth into this idea that Minor Perk won''t get into.]


    ¡°Heard that myself. Diving Sphere gave me some ideas. It spoke of how they reached some place under some sea, creating a spell that allows them to roam the Depths, I suppose.¡± Murai said.


    [Oh? Knowledge gained from the ability is rare. Exactly. Deep seas are part of the harsh environment, but Anatidaes created a good spell to make it passable. That was many millennia ago, and seas are known to be forever unchanging, unlike the Surface. They are deep and dangerous, so it goes without question it is a safe place from the Surface.]


    [But... it is still more dangerous.]


    [Beside the sea, Anatidaes are more of Surface dwellers, with their biggest source of influence being a power known as Altas.]


    ¡°Altas?¡±


    ¡°Heard of that term before,¡± Lisa said. ¡°A place that is set to be quite intense and rich. Not much is known about it, as it dwells in unknown continents. It may be in Radagan, Zeanor, or Somalis for all we may not know. Heard it is powerful.¡±


    Murai nodded, satisfied with this minor answer that was surprisingly detailed.


    [Another question?] S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What are their aspects?¡±


    [Define an aspect and I might get some idea of what you want to know. Perks could change your mind too, or mind. So think carefully about what to ask.]


    ¡°Strenght? Powers? What makes them special? I am thinking of it every day, so if you know about it...¡±


    [Oh, that kind of aspect is fine to tell, albeit the length and might of Perks could give it a vastly different approach. Anatidae powers are vast, you see. So, which Perk?]


    Murai hesitated before deciding on the Wild Perk.


    [A fine choice!] Mindarch exaggerated it but spoke deeply like an elder before a clueless child. [Powers of Anatidaes has various ways or areas of expertise. It goes deeper than one would think since their core strengths surround their evolution choices the most. Magic adds some complication, thus it limits their Paths of choice, thanks to their Beast Cores and rich Bloodlines. Their strengths lay in their universal mana affinity, stemming from the Bloodline of Anatideamons.]


    ¡°Sounds savage. I like their name better than mine.¡± Murai added with a sigh.


    Lisa shook her head and sighed too. She expected this to arrive at some point, so hearing about this from Mindarch was admirable.


    [It goes into their origin, which is relatively known for being a mash of experiments with various Bloodlines and species across the universe. Magic is their vital aspect, right beside a surprising amount of incredible wildness that Citizen M should more than know. The flow of mana is wild because of that, so their cores are pretty savage on all fronts, capable of taking all kinds of affinities or potent magics. Why or how it all works is a rather peculiar topic that few ever researched directly. In this regard, even our research facilities have their shortcomings, as we have no Anatidae to work with... yet.] He added cleverly.


    ¡°So you know something or not? How can I trust your answers then?¡± Murai asked.


    [Oh! You can. You can! I have Codex full of them, so no worries. Anatidae species is known for countless and various Sub-Species that have all sorts of powers because of their unhinged nature, Beast Cores, and Bloodlines powers in general. Making them finite for research purposes is thus, hard. One can''t toss each apple into one pouch. Every Anatidae is often very different from one another, but their aspects may remain more or less close.]


    ¡°Those are? That was my question to begin with.¡±


    [Magic, as I''ve said, is a vast topic that gives their bodies potent powers as well. Their beak and set of wings often come in handy and in various numbers, and their feathers provide an unnatural stimulus of mana flow, making them one kind of protection that is impossible to research or imitate. We think it is because of Anatideamons since the feathers you have are potent indicators for your acts in Gate 2.]


    [Feathers are alive, in strange ways, acting as a factor between flesh and the outside world, yet they are soft and hard at the same time. They have never been replicated in the human world, nor our facilities. It is not much different from the scales of dragons, or various divine birds. The one that comes close is perhaps Pheniex Species, but those are, similar to Anatidaes or Dragons, secluded or intense depending on which continent we are speaking about.]


    Murai was fairly impressed with the amount of detail in this reply. It confirmed his guesses, but mentions of feathers, other species, and strengths were surprising. Mindarch spoke about them in general line to dragons and phoenixes, which were all insane and legendary beasts.


    He didn''t trust him that much, considering ducks were the topic of this question.


    Mindarch considered them on the same level as dragons or phoenixes. Ducks!? Murai didn''t believe this for the time being, thinking that Mindarch was exaggerating things, since he wasn''t aware of the heights of his species.


    But he can ask Mindarch about it, shatter his mind, and broaden his soul.


    He had many questions left, and the left-out Chaotic Perk was yet to shine.


    He wondered which question should he spend it on. Something about himself was a good topic because he was also part of the questions and answers. Or should he go through details about the ways of Anatidaes in general or in some specific heights?


    Mindarch seemed to be over with this question, albeit it could be deeper even with Wild Perk. Going to insanity, however, required a Chaotic Perk.


    Murai turned to Lisa. ¡°Is there something you have in mind? My Perks are still numerous.¡±


    ¡°You want my feedback?¡± Lisa asked, shocked and half hesitant she heard him right.


    ¡°Don''t be surprised. You''ve been helpful for a while. Don''t jinx it.¡±


    Lisa thought for a second. ¡°Anything related to you may be good, but useful questions should be up for you to seek. I have my own curiosity that will always come after you, rather than the overall topic of Anatidaes. I don''t need them. I need you alone.¡±


    Murai heard her every word with quite some impression. He didn''t reply to her and turned to Mindarch. ¡°Why was Levandis curious about making Anatidae Golem?¡±


    Mindarch was silent for a second, before humming in interesting tones.


    [That is... a curious question. I do wonder if that is answerable, as it is kind of hidden, so depending on the Perk, it may be decently answerable or not.]


    ¡°Minor one will do. I am just curious.¡±


    [Well, then there is nothing much to this question then.] Mindarch secretly cheered, since Chaotic Perk would give this topic immense flavor that would piss Levandis for sure. [She was interested in how such a little creature could wield so much power. It runs in Bloodline, so it is deep and old. Ancient, almost, which isn''t wrong. Anatideamons are older than this world, or so it is believed. It isn''t a fact.]


    ¡°Fact? How many things you''ve said so far wasn''t a fact? I don''t like half-truths or guesses!¡± Murai quacked in annoyance.


    [All of them were facts! I don''t lie!] Mindarch argued. [Anyway, the interest in making a golem out of them was simply in their nature, and golem-making was stagnant for many cycles. She deemed a change, thus she started creating new kinds of golems. It is an old process, with new features and ideas that only come around in this world of interest and countless colliding cultures. Blessed changes a lot of things, as one of many reasons why, Citizen M.]


    ¡°That doesn''t answer my question all that much.¡±


    [That is what a Minor Perk does for this kind of question. Next question.]


    Murai took a long breath to figure out what he should ask next.


    Lisa was itching to ask about his Mother but figured she shouldn''t try her Fate.


    ¡°Answered a bunch of interests, but what else is there for me... I don''t know...¡±


    [Perhaps I can guide your interest with a simple Minor Perk question?] Mindarch offered. [There are a lot of topics that may provide many additions to your current living.]


    ¡°Don''t need a question for more questions,¡± Murai said. ¡°Time for a Chaotic one then, before going to the rest...¡±


    [Oh, is Citizen M that confident about this question? Think twice about the Chaotic Perk! It does happen rarely!]


    ¡°I am an Anatidae. Give me a deep rundown of myself, my possibilities, merits, ideas, aspects, and strengths that deem some interest in your Codex. I know you''ve researched me throughout this temple''s Gates and battles like a rat. Each foe went hand in hand in the latest Gate, giving me various headaches and touches like some mild or intense experiments. Who else than you decides that? You should know all about it. You know a bunch of things I don''t because of added context. Your Codex also runs deeper than I could know, so give me some ideas for my future or present. It could go to Panaceas, my spells, and so on. Hm? Is it all? I hope I didn''t forget anything.¡±


    [That... seems deep.] Mindarch mumbled because of his demands. He feared that he should not have given him the Chaotic Perk. Now it bit him back.


    ¡°This is exactly what a Chaotic Perk question shall be like,¡± Lisa said with a smile.


    [Ehm... Fine. Extensive and deep topics are my forte, and this is the only chance for your Chaotic Perk to shine. I hoped for it to arrive in a different light.]


    ¡°Just talk like you should,¡± Murai said. ¡°About me and my demands. I want it deep.¡±


    [Well, I can see why...] Mindarch gave up and went over the details. [Your readings are clear to me like my experiments. The surroundings of your might are subject to a Child Panacea, the forefront runners of the magic of your species. Magic is their primary power and it is often said to be the most acceptable and adaptable magical beast. They can handle anything you give them, with few shifts or ridiculous things that would require a specific Bloodline to work. Those could be some blood-related powers, physique-based powers, or spells that need special attention, and so on.]


    [You are at the Risen Stage right now, making you a Child that is of Panacea Sub-Species. Eat and fight, get your attributes high, and you will grow out of your Risen Stage.]


    [Filled with 3 affinities, Water, Flame, and Sharpness, your Beast Core is fairly... impressive for its limited ways, but your affinities are stable. All is good between them, albeit Water and Flame are different from one another like Light and Darkness. And Flame doesn''t like Sharpness either.]


    [Everything can be interchangeable when you have your Universal Affinity, making the affinities one of the strong aspects of Panaceas. You work with it as you deem fit because of the strength of your species, albeit the Water is lacking as you don''t like it.]


    ¡°Agreed. Water isn''t good.¡±


    [I suggest combining Water and Sharpness or changing your approach to your affinities as a whole. You hardly changed your ways or approach to it, but your time in Gate 2 was subject to your core powers. I saw it as a good idea, but magic is what makes Panaceas special. Not their beaks necessarily, but it is one of their strong aspects too, since they are beasts.]


    ¡°Will see what I can do when I want to do that.¡± Murai excuses himself. He will definitely focus on magic in the future. When, was another question.


    [There ought to be great additions later too. Experiments and proper learning curves with affinities give Panaceas better attention and options. Heavenly Shaping should follow it too, according to my Codex and information about its historical aspects. Beasts have some neat characteristics that run deep and... Pillage created something interesting indeed. Give it a deep try, that is my suggestion about some of your magical potential, but his topic is away from this topic, so I shall not reach deeper.]


    ¡°Is this not about Anatideas? I prefer to take suggestions when asked.¡±


    [You did ask. Magic is magic. How one handles it is different, and every Anatidae takes their magic seriously. You do it differently, as Blessed without Anatidae instincts, but never mind. It seems you don''t like it either, but you handle it for the time being, or not at all.]


    Murai grunted as Mindarch continued.


    [Beside the course of magic is the core of everything that makes Anatiades savage little monstrosities.]


    [The BODY!] He shouted as he proclaimed a massive truthful statement.


    No one here was impressed by this.


    [There are strengths in the body of a Panacea, albeit not to the degree of Peniscula, who are known as powerful and physique-based beasts. Flesh and body are still strong in you, as you are quite compatible with it more than the Panacea.]


    [Perhaps you would make a great Peniscula, but the strengths of Panacea are still notable by your soul and handling of your acts, making you some sort of hybrid that has fewer disadvantages. Panacea''s physical aspects are still strong, while Bloodline''s abilities or their aspects are also there.]


    [Those are Beak''s Peak, Beak''s Blitz, and partly, Mana Sonar, which is a variant of Detection spells that stems from various species that Anatidae are also part of. It is part of a whole lot of bird species, so think of Sonar as something fairly compatible with you.]


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Murai nodded. ¡°So, the Bloodline-related abilities aren''t some spells?¡±


    [Kind of. Magic has spells. Body-related powers are called abilities in most depictions of readings. It gives some differences to both. Oh, I almost forgot. How poor of me. The Diving Sphere is exclusive power to Anatidaes as well. There are many others beside it as well, stemming from your beak, feathers, or wings, and Bloodline histories. Those are the major aspects that I''ve mentioned already. They are unique to Anatidaes as their strengths lay in what is clear to their physicality.]


    Murai wanted to argue about something, but Mindarch spoke without any stops. Perhaps for the better.


    [Peak and Blitz are kind of like body spells, but Bloodline-related to mana. Depending on mana, they follow the body and mana at the same time. It all works wonderfully in you, Citizen M. You''ve worked hard and established great merits in fighting powers over the Peak and Blitz. You get the gist of their inputs, depending on the core, their backlashes, or their potential.]


    ¡°At the cost of your damned experiments, being a rat, and my strategies. I must thank you, in a rather begrudging manner.¡± Murai said coldly, unwilling to admit that he was a little grateful for Mindarch''s challenges.


    [No worries. You have your time. Anyway, Blitz is flexible and powerful in quick close-quarter combat. Its Fatality is also sharp like a shot of a spear, with massive point damage. Peak is utter savagery in any input, meant to shatter things. Everything has some foundation and fountain to cheer it all up. Inputs and seconds are also there, as I must say you know it already.]


    ¡°Beak is easy to figure, but wings? I don''t think there are a lot about them up to myself.¡±


    [Right. Wings are wings. They are like hands, but... not really]


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± Murai grunted a question, half angry to hear anything about hands. It was insensible for Mindarch to speak of it, so he changed the topic.


    [Then, another suggestion follows the topic of wings. You should work or implement some ideas around the wings and Shaping. Blade could work with them well, or feathers do. Mana and feathers are all part of the Panacea magic. There are many ways Anatidaes take their wings as better Mana Blades, but that requires either good training, Influence Item, or a great degree of Sharpness. Some things are under your possession, as familiarity comes with efficiency, and efficiency comes with training.]


    ¡°Go on,¡± Murai said, half impressed and curious.


    [Influencing feathers to make them sharp with Shaprnes and mana works making to work with your beak, but you''ve never trained with them. It is suggested in our research that finding ways to awaken some powers requires specific touches and training. Nothing comes out of nothing. One should provide for oneself too. It could do something good, and you may work with Shaping as your priority, rather than be dependent on the body. Choices are essentially endless when you have so many choices. Anatidae are really wonderful little creatures.] Mindach cheered in a good mood.


    Muria heard some truth out of this. Shaping and taking initiative in finding power was what training and Boostless living provided. It wasn''t anything unfamiliar, so he was curious how many things he could force out of his efforts.


    So far, his body limited this approach, so what Mindarch suggested didn''t shock him. The main problem was that his body may not cooperate with this idea or his soul.


    If wings could be worked with in a similar manner as his beak, then... perhaps he was overthinking it, but that didn''t seem easy at all. Beak-related powers went out of him on their own, feeling good and comfortable, while nothing about his wings was there for him at all. He depended on their flight a few times, but that was it.


    ¡°Can''t see a point in wings. I have nothing to prove their strengths besides some... ideas. It isn''t that practical.¡±


    ¡°Training can change that. It is your body part, you see.¡± Lisa said. ¡°Time can do well for you, right beside you tries.¡±


    ¡°You think I don''t know that?¡±


    ¡°I wonder. Your Blitz did that to you already, changing because you haven''t touched Fury, yet your body and something did change it. It all comes down to your trials and errors. That is what learning, comprehending, and training without any shred of Boosts in sight does. All of that then comes out as a Boost because of met standards, readings, or after your own understanding. Either way, there is no loss in trying some suggestions. Will of the Battleworld provides nice touches for most beings, so finding ways to reach quicker or proper conclusions is up to individuals. It is how Mindarch said it. Forcing some acts out of Boosts is possible because of training that could ease the progression and learning. Got it?¡±


    [Couldn''t argue with a ghost more.]


    Murai looked at Lisa with suspicion, believing that what she said wasn''t entirely right or wrong. He didn''t feel he got the hang of the Will of the Battleworld anyway, which was something Lisa knew.


    ¡°Fine. I get the idea, but tell it to the world then. I can learn however I want, so no one will stop it, right?¡±


    ¡°That is... something else,¡± Lisa mumbled.


    ¡°Though so. Anyway, continue.¡± Murai ordered Mindarch.


    [Feathers and wings are one of the more difficult aspects to work with and something that you take with apprehensions and slowly creeping ideas. Take them all for your limbs and body. It is your tool. Your weapon. I can see how difficult it all is. The beak is often considered to be the most precious thing in Anatiade bodies, right beside the feathers, or an outside perspective can change that. It is rigid and strong, second to the feathers that are all over them.]


    [When it comes to your encompassing abilities of Anatidae, you are at the beginning stage of your species, albeit speed is up to your benefits, stemming from the way of your teachings or handling, or accomplishments. There is frankly not much to be said than to continue doing what you do, build up the strengths, and figure it all out as you go. I''ve said the strengths and what you want.]


    [As for the further possibilities that you depended on. The power of the Chaos Perk is wild, but there is nothing much to power for a Child. Growth allows that. You are young, so the best thing I can suggest is increasing the Success of your Beast Core, strengthening Shaping related powers, coming to terms with your body and affinities, and fusing that all.]


    [You could make due techniques, make new ones, or use tomes or things in your head, Blessed. These sorts of beings use various techniques with ideas from outside of this world. The world will acknowledge that, whether Encounter is dooming over your head or not. It will pass, I believe. Well, after the Part 1, I mean. There is that encompassing chain that I got rid of, albeit briefly.]


    [Which is why you should take the upcoming Gates seriously! Try not to die at Gate 3!]


    [That''s it for the Chaotic Perk question. Hope it is to your devices, but that is what a Child Panacea gets. Too bad. If you were stronger or older, there would be more readings and benefits.] Mindarch sighed.


    Murai agreed again, thinking he got more than he asked for, but Mindarch hadn''t mentioned a word about souls. Perhaps it wasn''t within his Codex, or Murai figured it wasn''t about Anatidaes at all, so he didn''t talk about it.


    It wasn''t wrong. Mindarch spoke enough and even gave suggestions when he didn''t have to.

 Chapter 161: Hut

    Out of respect for this talk, Mindarch suggested the basics of what a Panacea of his current stages acquired, or what his position as Anatidae in general meant.


    That was why Murai wasn''t hesitant over the rest of his questions.


    ¡°Minor Perk. What have you considered to be my Chaotic Perk question? You mentioned disappointment.¡±


    [That is... a weird question. Do you ask me? I can''t answer that. It doesn''t resolve around the Anatidae?]


    ¡°Bullshit. Shall I voice it differently then? I can bend words like Gods always do without a blink.¡±


    Mindarch grunted for once and made a simple answer.


    [What a weird Minor Perk question. What a waste. Fine.]


    [I consider the Chaotic Perks as the epitome of interest. A full-blown projection! Question Mark doesn''t always have such a Perk. You kind of wasted it, but not under your soul, I believe. You sought out what you didn''t know. It was kind of bland and basic, but it has been worth more for you than my Codex. The reason is your lack of context, Mother, and instincts. How one would spend that differs, so does your ghost have her answer?] Mindarch pointed an answer to Lisa.


    She knew how this went, but she didn''t stop Murai from his Perks or questions. It was for him alone. Not for her to barge in.


    ¡°Chaotic Perk can be anything. Full projection of Anatidae is my idea, which revolves around no limits whatsoever, unlike your question.¡± She said to Murai. ¡°Chaotic Perk question can work in principle as a full explanation of the entire species or any topic without any limits. You did ask something of that kind, but into a more defined category that followed your needs alone, which Mindarch did work with well. He answered enough, but he could''ve answered in such lengths and interest, that you would get your ideas about evolutions, their history behind strength, and various other things that other Perks couldn''t get.¡±


    [Nice rundown. Couldn''t say it any better.]


    Muria was kind of speechless when he thought about it, but he wasn''t feeling bad or disappointed since he knew what to ask next. Chaos Perk or not, he still had the last remaining Wild Perk. He asked what he wanted anyway, so he got what he wanted. That was enough for him to not be depressed.


    ¡°Alright. No need to cry over spilled nothing. Next question.¡± Murai said. ¡°Last Wild Perk will go into this then. Panacea Evolutions and how to find them? I need answers... clues, or anything of that sort. Chaotic Perk or not, Wild will have to do for them alone.¡±


    [Good idea. But... This topic isn''t finite to answer, as it depends on outer things, your limits, ways evolutions work, and other things. Finding and taking care of the next evolutions depends on Will of the Batleworld, rather than myself.]


    ¡°But you can answer that because of your Codex and research. You said it!¡±


    [I can put clues to that, but not a whole lot of facts. Talk about Evolutions of Anatidaes is one of my favorite Codex Chapters. Fine, I will give your Wild Perk some face.]


    [Panacea further evolutions? That is easy enough. There are a lot of them as Panacea is the primary evolution choice of every Seedling, second to Peniscula, and last being something specific to a direct Bloodline of your family. It could be anything, or something specific, or completely new.]


    ¡°That is... interesting.¡± Murai hummed, remembering that he had Anatidae of the Death. It seemed some duck in his family Bloodline got close to Death. ¡°Go on.¡±


    [Change is what evolutions do the best. The flow of Bloodline goes to the past regardless of direct family members, but it isn''t always true. Familiarity, compatibility, and ways of blood are wild. Even someone from across the world can influence the choices of the evolution. Will of the Battleworld ensures this idea like Law within its Codex, acting for the sake of numerous new or old sub-species, or variables in species in general. Creating new beasts with fuses, or weird mixes of Bloodlines adds new complexity to the whole Codex.]


    [For example, Panacea and Penisclua are known as key evolutions of Anatidaes, making each seem like a choice akin to a Pathway filled with Paths that are sub-species instead. They are all going in their respective directions without influencing one another unless one truly wants to change to something else. Panacea shouldn''t like to follow the suit of Peniscula, but it isn''t a limit. It would just add problems in many ways, or unfamiliarity because of their differences.]


    ¡°Good analogy,¡± Lisa added, half impressed and half amused.


    [But at the end of the day, you are a Panacea. It is clear you don''t want to change it. Those handle all magical proportions as mages do, but some have their respective changes that are intense. That is where Classes and sub-species of Panacea come into play, acting as pivotal changes that could change them drastically.]


    [For now, what are the evolutions? Anything after the first evolutions for Anatidaes is fairly impressive and wild in requirements or locks, but if you ask me how come you have none, I have no clue. I got that both of you are worried about it, or questioning the choices. There could be some mentions at least, with told requirements that would mean better clarity or goal. Like reaching 120 in some attributes, for example, or a Grade of some affinity? Anyway...]


    [Some choices are tougher to get, but as Class D Panacea Child, the upcoming evolution for you might have drastic changes and Walls, but that depends on what you want, or what... the choices will end up like. Again...]


    ¡°You don''t know the details. Sure. Continue. I am sure you know some specifics.¡± Murai said.


    [Your choices are not up to my guess. I would even dare to say that you should''ve gotten more changes than a measly Aquantis that isn''t that hard to get. It is in the same vision as a Panacea, so it makes sense it is available as it is compatible with you almost 85%. That goes according to my Codex. Water, magic, and everything else poise as that kind of interest.]


    ¡°Oh, you are taking percentages into your mouth right now?¡±


    [Compatibility matters the most in terms of evolution after the starting one. In Pathways, it doesn''t matter if is something unkept. I am covered under Levandis'' orders. It doesn''t happen naturally.]


    ¡°Bummer.¡± Murai sighed.


    [Some evolutions have some knock on some other aspects besides the magical Panaceas. It is what compatibility means, and every Anatidae is thus, very different from another when all kinds of powers merge. Some of them can take specific evolutions much better than others, you see? Then, some are very dangerous, as their requirements may speak of drastic limiters, Classes, and success is like relying on luck. Reaching them may require specific accomplishment, great powers, and progress as a Panacea. Of course, that is about you. Penisculas have their routes, while you have yours.]


    ¡°So basically, you aren''t answering anything specific, but take knowledge up your ass?¡±


    [I am answering it the best I can.]


    [Oh, and we don''t take refunds. So...] Mindarch laughed.


    ¡°Figured. Go on. What about the Panacea and my interest then? You are yet to answer it anyway. Are there some strengths or ways to get going quicker? Discover some evolutions?¡±


    [That requires a new Perk. I spoke of a Wild Perk enough.]


    ¡°Done. Answer it.¡± Murai said wihtotu qeustion. He had a last Perk left.


    [Minor one?]


    ¡°I have none other left,¡±


    [Going and focusing on discovering evolutions is an interesting topic that is kind of deep and complicated. You''ve got Sharpness, Flames, and well-done Panacea properties. Next choices of your Panacea sub-species should''ve been opened to you, or at least spoken in their requirements like Aquantis.]


    [But.. it isn''t the case.]


    ¡°Sure it isn''t. Why?¡±


    [Some incompatible issues or Will of the Battleworld deems Encounter as enough to cease the information away. That is my guess.]


    Murai almost got depressed, but so far, he got plenty of information out of him to keep his head straight.


    ¡°So focusing on Panacea is the future. I should just continue and do my best. That allows or meets the requirements for following evolutions that might or might not appear... Huh?! I hate this approach. Can''t I just evolve on my own? ¡±


    [Right. No, you can''t. Will of the Battleworld creates all of the potential, possible, or hidden evolutions. It is a system solely dedicated to this planet. The ghost must''ve said it to you already. No. In fact, she talked about it throughout the last day in Islands of Greatness, along with the Influence Items you are seeking. Evolutions are dedications of this world. Everyone shall take them for treasures. So they have rules, privileges, and various chances. Beasts take them for true blessings. You should too.]


    ¡°I did speak how he wanted it. Have you been eavesdropping on us all that time, Mindarch?¡± Lisa asked, half smiling and half holding her anger and curiosity over what else Mindarch knew about Murai''s conditions. There should be a lot of things that this thing was hiding.


    [As Will of the Battleworld often says: I am encompassing and under every rock.] Mindarch laughed. [I do listen and read it all. It is my rule and power. That is what is my purpose. Across hundreds of interesting points as well, things make more sense with context and sight. Fun times they might be, some could be often confusing when one puts them together. Oh well.]


    ¡°My condolences to your Lady then,¡± Murai said, surprising Mindarch and Lisa alike. ¡°But you did answer me well for what I wanted to know. Time to get the rest of it behind and get the rewards flowing.¡±


    [Sure...]


    ¡°Can you suggest to me some Influence Item or Key Artifact from the Minor Perk? Insides of that hut is up to your benefit, right?¡±


    [Can''t.]


    ¡°But it involves the Anatidae. Me!¡±


    [Well... if you mention it like that, I can bend a knee. If it will be needed, if not then the Minor Perk is gone.]


    In the end, Murai had no remaining questions so he kept one Minor Perk just in case.


    Mindarch gave him more than enough information to keep going without much change. So much so, that he considered Lisa less knowledgeable.


    She had no shame in that. She knew that Mindarch had a godly Codex of interest that spanned centuries and millennia. That meant he had information about millions of individuals across many points in time and space. All the memories stored under his Codex were essentially endless. Levandis got a fine tool under her grasp, as Lisa remembered.


    But still, she thought Mindarch would give Murai a better edge at figuring out his problems and ideas. He didn''t change it that far. Or the way he talked was the most valuable answer to her worries.


    Why?


    Mindarch basically didn''t help much because he couldn''t do it well enough, or it was because of other problems Lisa had in mind, but not in her mouth.


    The easier reason could be a lack of information about Murai, which wouldn''t surprise her. He could''ve Breached and put many strands of problems into the flow of these worldly powers, which Mindarch''s Codex wouldn''t change.


    Evolutions were part of that, or other choices were different and he didn''t want to reveal it because of something specific. Some rules or his inability to talk were simple ideas Lisa doubted were sensible. It may be because Murai had nothing available, so Mindarch took the easy route with his Perks or topics.


    Lisa didn''t like that idea. This place was far too valuable to pass it as a bunch of excuses. Information requests from Mindarch were greater than that. She should''ve spoken about it or offered it some clarity herself, but it was far too late.


    This could explain the silence from Will of the Battleworld and Mindarch''s inability to give him better clarity. Besides the generic information she heard him tell, few things surprised her.


    She couldn''t imagine what the true Codex of this world was like. Mindarch was just ruling over a small region after all, but the kind that allowed Levandis to grow and become Ruler of her own Hell Haven.


    That was a big deal. Lisa wondered what kind of thing allowed Lordis to be the Ruler of an entire Battleworld, setting an age where Gods flourished and countless powers rose to existence and flew Beyond the Sky.


    Lisa couldn''t imagine that.


    It took about an hour for Murai to get over his questions and some rest, similar to Mindarch who felt his Codex heating up.


    ¡°That was fun. Much appreciation, Midnarch.¡± Murai said.


    [I think I overdone it with Perks... Your demands are far too vast, filled with secrets but honesty.]


    ¡°Too bad. I got what I deserved. So continue and hope like you do. I think it feels fitting for my living, huh?¡± Murai sighed and felt that his findings and new knowledge didn''t crack his options. For now, he should trust his body a little bit more. Mindarch said plenty of things about Anatidaes and his Chaotic Perk gave him a lot of assurances. He was on the right track ahead.


    That was enough for him, even if Lisa ended up dissatisfied.


    Mindarch chuckled, sounding more like a cry. [Enjoy what lies in that hut. I will see you soon.] Then, he went silent for the time being, but thinly, his awareness was still around, watching and waiting.


    Murai turned his attention to the next destination, which was a haggard-looking hut built on a patch of land in the middle of this strange lake. Standing there as if it had always been, it had better years behind its existence, but perhaps it was all a front?


    Murai considered Sonar workable, so he rushed it ahead, feeling a tense sensation all over his mana space and core.


    He felt and saw rich mana in everything, crashing his senses and overworking his mind and Sonar. He saw nothing besides painful reminders that this water was special and this cave dense in all sorts of feelings that flooded his Sonar.


    So he scowled and let his mana do its thing. He won''t use it for another hour. He was far too spent after the fight against Anatidae Golem. The rest didn''t help him all that much, while that flight through Chaos Space was rougher than his landing.


    Behind him, Lorry was surprisingly silent throughout the talks with Mindarch. Lisa was more than part of this conversation, so she floated above Murai for most of the last hour.


    With some power under his legs, Murai got to his own feet and began walking. Itchy and hurt, his body endured the previous days of battles and training. Murai accepted it and hoped for some rest, or will the Boost after this Gate help him? It should, but for now, he gave that hut a proper physical look.


    He left the floating pair behind him. They didn''t seem to follow his steps.


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    Lisa seemed to have something in mind, so she nudged closer to Lorry, who wasn''t going anywhere after what had just occurred. It took him a good while to calm down.


    ¡°What''s up on your mind?¡± Lisa asked him. ¡°I thought Mindarch would be better. Murai is far too interesting, so he should have his choices, and the topics of Anatidaes are vast. Evolutions too are something his Codex should''ve gotten long ago. Panacea is relatively normal, right?¡±


    ¡°Hm. Who knows? It was still an interesting discussion, but Lorry doesn''t care for what Mindarch decides. Speaking is worth. Worth is secret. It is full of secret stuff and Anatidae knowledge that I''ve never reached. Perhaps I could''ve... Perhaps speaking more wouldn''t hurt.¡± Lorry said while forgetting to speak in his usual style. He was still a Guide so his attention was all over the place.


    Mainly, something about the current vision of the Reward Island looked weird. He knew all the locations of this temple like the back of his skull.


    Lisa heard his words but didn''t process enough of his worries. ¡°Though so... Murai will accept it because he has no choice, but I don''t like it. So, is this place fine? I don''t remember the cave... but a wide area of water instead. Is this new?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It is recently constructed out of the parts of some topics and Gates down and up. Don''t ask why or how, please.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Suddenly, a flash of light and a beam of weird energy crashed into the cave from the hole above, slamming into the hut like a thin line of light, before furthering and disappearing into the hut. There, the light spread from the windows, blinding everything as something changed.


    [What the fuck was that!?]


    Mindach shouted in shock.


    ¡°What that moron caused again?¡± Lisa asked and turned away from Lorry.


    Murai was standing a handful of distance away from the water, processing the idea of how to get into the hut. Swimming sounded easy, but he looked at the hut first before considering the water of this circular lake.


    As he did so, a flash of mana and light from the few windows of the hut exploded and danced all over the cave, drowning everything in sight.


    It shook the worldly mana, quivered the waters, and the hut itself trembled as if on the verge of destruction.


    Then it all calmed down as fast as it appeared.


    ¡°C-careful.. We don''t know what was that!¡± Lisa''s voice sounded into Murai''s soul. Lorry was unaware of her worry.


    But someone was. [Somethign nasty happened...] Mindarch argued as the light disappeared, leaving the hut''s windows bright alone, and leaving it calm.


    It came from there. It is inside. [Someone nasty visits.]


    Lisa jerked her head at the hut, arriving quickly at Murai''s side. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    Murai took care of his vision, blinking and shaking his head. He felt normal. Nothing happened to him whatsoever.


    ¡°That surprised me. What was that light? We are still inside this temple, so no worries. Is that right?¡± He asked Mindarch.


    [Oh... Well, I don''t see the end of it now. Something changed the outcome, it seems. Not me. Not me. Someone else beyond.]


    [Free to act... Free...] Mindarch''s voice slowly disappeared away, as if fading to void.


    [Levandis... Demands it. Please... be careful.] Mindarch disappeared as a whole from this cave.


    ¡°Well, he is gone.¡± Murai figured. ¡°Fine or not, nothing is wrong with some privacy. Hut seems open, however.¡± Murai noticed a creaking door at the front of the hut that went to the light.


    ¡°There is so no need for questions, huh? No pain no gain? No end without a new gain?¡± Lisa asked a bunch of questions that made no sense to her. ¡°You fear few consequences, you lunatic duck. Go on then. I can''t be bothered with you, but don''t be stupid either. You got what you wanted, so take what you want from that hut too.¡± She argued and watched how Murai jumped into the water.


    He swam across glowing water that seemed brighter than before. Mana of the water glid through his feathers, neck, and legs, easing frustration and fatigue away. Feathers bent to a healthy sheen and angle, his mana space calmed, and Beast Core''s beats and cycling reached half the revolving speed, calming down as if it was in utter bliss. Its structure was as if sleeping, and its mass seemed fuller as if it ate something nice.


    The effects of this Pool were like a healing artifact, overwhelming Murai''s physicality and mana.


    In a few dozen breaths, Murai felt brand new from the outside as if a God touched his head. He crashed at the other side, falling face down on the ground.


    ¡°Ungrateful landing...¡± He cursed as he was taken aback by what just happened.


    ¡°Were there for 24 whole seconds...¡± Lorry mumbled behind Lisa. Murai hadn''t heard him.


    ¡°W-what?¡± Lisa turned to him. ¡°Is that water... special?¡±


    ¡°Try that yourself.¡± Lorry chuckled as she did, picking a finger into it that sizzled her finger away.


    ¡°Godly pool... Why or what it is?¡± She didn''t mind the lost finger. It can regrow.


    ¡°Shouldn''t be like this. Finding a way in is part of the challenge. Some jump there, but swimming is correct as this Pool is training and a small blessing.¡±


    ¡°...or part of what fuels or cools this place?¡± Lisa mumbled.


    Lorry didn''t follow this topic further, believing that something changed with that light that shook this whole cave, Pool included.


    Murai got to his feet, feeling refreshed and in peak condition with his body alone. His insides had still some problems, but it wasn''t anything major. He cracked his neck and stretched his wings and legs before turning back. ¡°Felt better, but with core calm, other things will follow. What an interesting Pool. Got to the land in a half minute. Fatigue works like a curse anyway, so... Anyway, you two not coming?¡±


    ¡°Murai is there alone. ¡± Lorry shouted. ¡°Like every Island. Alone and well, unless Lisa wants in. Lorry doesn''t, so good luck.¡±


    Murai snorted and looked at Lisa who shrugged. She could come to his side at any point since there was no fight inside the hut. Or so she thought...


    She decided to not try her luck, so Murai turned back to the hut. Glaring at the creaking door in no wind, he had a clear path ahead wide open, because he was a duck. He was slim, but even though the door would fit him, he kicked the door further inside.


    Mana and wind flowed out of the entrance, hitting his face and almost slapping him aside. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Murai bore his feet to the ground, cluched his wings, and curved his neck down. His eyes were wide open, unlike his back. He glared into the interior. He didn''t fly away like he felt, so he took this power that bent his feathers and pushed his innards to submission. Either it was a test, or something happened from the way Mindarch panicked.


    He was curious so he stepped forward against the storm.


    Inside the hut were... There were no insides. No furniture was there, let alone a bright light. Instead, the dark twisted space of night was in the entrance. There was just a flickering empty space, but much deeper in mass as if space was bent and twisted.


    It was another case of semi-close space but destroyed or altered. It was vastly different than a Space Cage, as it was a true separate dimension, rather than a runic formation to cease senses away. It was making Murai hesitant if he should go into it.


    He wasn''t sure if he was supposed to come in alone, and his hesitation and wide open door made Lisa even more uncertain. She never heard of a separate dimension being inside the hut, or was this also something new?


    Turning to Lorry, she couldn''t read his face or Soul Flames.


    ¡°Is that new?¡± She asked the only question that made sense.


    ¡°It isn''t supposed to be like that,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Mindarch is gone though. I have no clue what goes on now or before. All is up to luck, hands or wings?¡±


    All of the reward rooms were completely open to enter for anyone. Be it Life Companions, slaves, or regular companions and friends, Guides included. Getting there wasn''t easy though.


    Apart from some special instances, or the ones that should challenge the Challenger to come inside, it was a place for rewards alone. It wasn''t the case for Murai, so why did it happen? The light changed it. This hut wasn''t a special trial.


    A pair of Vaults in Gate 1 were simple. A single choice would cease the other. Rules were in this temple to let Levandis''s Authority be beyond the Laws.


    This looked suspicious. Lorry didn''t know what the problem with that space was, but he had seen separate dimensions many times. That by itself wasn''t problematic. The hut was supposed to be a small dimension, but comparable to the Space Cage. This looked extra crisp and altered. Normally, there would be clear widened hut interiors, allowing the room to be big enough for all kinds of rewards.


    Wait, what if Lorry plays dumb? It wouldn''t be the first time he is like this. Lisa though. Hell, I didn''t even know you could skip some Islands in Islands of Greatness.


    She gave up and drifted toward the space to take a proper look. But just as she was above the water and far from the land, a gust of wind and mana exploded from the entrance and forced her away.


    Just when Murai walked in, disappeared into the space that twisted and let him in. Whatever it was, it didn''t let her in. There was some resistance just for her and Lorry, but Murai went in without any hindrance.


    Lisa looked at the space in suspicion, holding her hands around the spatial ring.


    And from within the space, a beak appeared. Murai came back, but only with his head. ¡°Not coming, huh? Well, I guess I will see you soon after my choices.¡± Murai sneered, unafraid of what this was about. He knew no boundaries or worries Lisa had.


    He disappeared into the hut again, leaving Lisa helpless, while Lorry didn''t know what to think.


    ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± Lisa backed away.


    ¡°Afraid not.¡± Lorry shook his head.


    ¡°Stop lying to me!¡± Lisa retorted, not falling for his lies that she should know, but wasn''t sure of. She was also an excellent liar after all, so liars should know the other liars. It did occur to her that some changes in this place were due because 50 years were 50 years. Some things would change for sure, but perhaps this was a change that occurred now, rather than in the past.


    However, all that Lorry did was shake his skull, leaving further discussion pointless.


    ¡°Lorry never heard of such mana before. It is deep and dense like the starry sky itself. Has some God played some cards behind my Lady''s back? Even this cave is detached because of its value and reputation this place holds, making it lonely and unlikely for any Breaches.¡±


    ¡°Breaches? Some God made their move again!?¡±


    ¡°Again?¡± Lorry flared his eyes, eying Lisa in curiosity. ¡°Seems your little pet has some interests around him that one would expect. Blessed and insane, his path and lives sound like something many beings want. A piece of him, perhaps? How hungry one could get for him, I wonder.¡±


    ¡°Don''t play dumb with me. With him gone, we can speak how we can,¡± Lisa argued. ¡°He surrounds others. Not the other way around.¡±


    ¡°That makes him what?¡± Lorry asked a useless question in unlikely seriousness that ignored his speech patterns.¡°I thought this would be a rare option that Manager Kil gave away from their previous topics, but I can''t guess what this is any longer. Mindarch''s disappearance is also suspicious. I can''t contact him any longer either, so that makes his divining parts lacking, or something special happened that needed all his parts added together. That is weird. He is always up to me as a Guide.¡±


    Hearing his words, Lisa grunted in displeasure, changing her glance back to the hut. Her connection to Murai, as with every dimension, wasn''t working. This time, it was severed even better, unlike before when she would sense his mild emotions and physical well-being.


    Back in Gate 2, it didn''t frustrate her or stop her discussions with Lorry. This, on the other hand, made her nervous. Being unaware of the situation was something she always hated. Whether she was alive or dead, yet alive at the same time, she preferred clarity over some mess.


    ¡°I am just worried,¡± Lisa added and decided to wait it out.


    ¡°For him or you?¡± Lorry laughed and piqued his Soul Flames with ideas that seemed to be fine to get out of her right now. Away from Murai and Mindarch, this was the perfect opportunity for both of them.


    ***


    Further in the hut, twisted space spread and the energy inside of this space exploded like a supernova.


    Surrounded by the dense space that looked pitch black, which was made of incredibly small amounts of little swirling specks of energy, Murai stood.


    He felt he had seen that sort of thing before, and not once or twice, so he didn''t panic. Quite the opposite. Murai walked to the exploding matter, and at that moment, the room revealed itself as if a handful of pictures widened thousands of times.


    It was a rather surprising sight, with wide-spread walls, great details, and modern interiors. It was kind of minimalistic, which Murai didn''t expect. Unlike the exterior, the insides were full of polished wood of quite a few colors and quality.


    It was a single room, with blocks of shiny wood for a floor, a wide chandelier in the middle for light, and tables and rewards were all there as well. It was a rectangular room, with tables or shelves of all kinds around the wall. Some were brown, others metallic or with shelves or glass boxes hiding many bottles or artifacts.


    For Murai, as with many things, this room appeared quite large thanks to his lacking perspective. It wasn''t made for giants at least. Everything was human-sized.


    However, unlike his expectation to pick his treasures alone, he wasn''t here alone. He sensed a presence hiding... Well, it wasn''t hiding. Someone was there, sitting on a chair in the corner.


    His Sonar picked nothing, as he didn''t even consider using it. He picked something with his Soul Read. An existence. That was it. Nothing else. Not even emotions or something else. He just knew someone was sitting in a corner, working beside the table. Back facing his eyes, he could rely on his eyes.


    It was an old man wearing a luxurious uniform with layered leather and a few simple metallic outlines. It looked like a craftsmanship uniform or military uniform. Probably both, or none at all because it was hard to tell what this old man was about. He ignored Murai completely, sitting beside the desk, watching, reading, or working on something important.


    Either the old man didn''t notice the new arrival, or he was too busy with work his work in this special space that he altered.


    So, Murai lifted his legs, walking to the old man at the corner first without admiring the rewards at all. He felt he shouldn''t do this, but something told him that he should take this old man seriously.


    For the time being, he ignored his surroundings for mud. His interest was in this individual because his mind and hunch were flaring like watching the sky turning red.


    ¡°What the hell is this?¡± He quacked, trying to see if the tongue of the Anatidae would give this old man some fright or wake-up call. Perhaps it could be something this old man knew, or his quacks would poise as simple call?


    Surprisingly, after hearing the quacks of annoyance, the old man turned his chair on the spot, revealing his front.


    He was looking wary and sharp, and his face was serious. Looking straight down, every act under his eyes, head, and the chair itself was lighting fast.


    His eyes weren''t that old, hiding behind glistering glasses of shiny metal and glass. His quite receded hairline didn''t add anything good, but Murai bet his wings that old fools were never to be underestimated. This old man should be nothing short of impressive, or straight-up disastrous.


    His remaining hair was unkept, or hardly taken care of, similar to his roughly trimmed beard. At the front, the luxurious feeling of the clothes vanished, revealing clothes that seemed to have better days behind them. He looked improper, albeit he looked important.


    Now, he looked like an overworked grandpa scientist who had way too much on his shoulders.


    ¡°Welcome. Welcome. Oh, who do we have here? No knocking is there in this age? Oh, I know why. I arrived quickly... bent some rules and invited myself in. So bear the consensus behind the head.¡± The old man waved his hand and spoke like his acts: quickly and without any lacking movements behind. ¡°Coming to this temple seemed like an interesting notion, choice, or it was forced like Fate touching the Skies? I wonder which makes sense more? A duck or an old man with a questionable mind, or a meeting between us? Perhaps we are alike.¡±


    He was speaking in quiet, yet incredibly fast speech.


    Murai heard every word, but any improper or untrained ears wouldn''t pick some words for sure. Some would feel overwhelmed by his weird accent, which, added to his speech, increased his talking speed.


    Frowning in surprise, Murai didn''t know what to do. Did he have a choice to speak or act before this old man? He spoke and looked at him with interest and curiosity, but the things he spoke were weird.


    Alas, while his mind was preoccupied with acts and questions that he wasn''t taking for granted, someone moved and decided on some acts himself.


    At an unknown time, the old man got up from the chair, leaned down to pick him up, and gently placed him on the table. He barely made any wasted movements, and Murai was far too late to notice the change in scenery or flow of wind, energy, mana, or creaks in the floor. The room was looking normal at least, with nothing bad lingering around.


    Even if Murai wanted to counter his moves, he was sure he wouldn''t be able to do shit.


    This left him confused, speechless, and disappointed, but he felt absolutely zero danger from this old man whatsoever. And he wasn''t sure if he should fear for his life because of it. He didn''t feel anything good from him either, so it added to his mood.


    He was... done for, wasn''t he? He felt like a toy in yet another hand.


    That was why it was confusing, suspicious, and terrifying at the same time. It was unnatural, like seeing the lakes in the sun, flaring Pools in the moon, or gardens full of birds chirping in the middle of the void.


    It was either the old man was far too powerful and beyond the Extreme, or he was an existence that Murai feared and hated to his bones.


    He felt he was wrong in either of these ideas, or both... or everything was weird. This added to his preoccupied mind that tried to seek through this old man. One of these choices was impossible because those would never become physical.


    And Extremes were... not like this? He met only a pair of Extremes so far. That was Thar and Manager Kil. Nobody else.


    On the table, the old man left him there. Murai was unhurt and standing like a motionless statue, glaring onward as if he lost his motor skills. He noticed a lot of stuff on the table, ranging from leather working sets, tools, and all kinds of writings, pictures, and technical documents of all sorts of armor. There were also materials, books, and toolkits for leatherworking, blacksmithing, and other professions.


    The old man watched Murai with open curiosity and unblinking eyes, and Murai bet he was frowning too.


    ¡°Hm? Hm? Feathers are smaller than I thought they would be. Age is why, I reckon. Meat too, possibly. Meals as well. Right. Growth.¡± He added and without much hesitation, he began to take the majority of Murai''s sizes with a piece of sizing tape that held the measurements that he needed.


    Once again, there were no wasted movements, so he worked quicker than a master of such craft.


    Murai kept observing this man, speechless by this situation that didn''t suit his tastes.


    Did he come here for a reward, for Artifacts and choice of his important Influence Item? Not for... this. What he was doing even? Who was this man? What should make sense?


    Those questions littered his brain for a good while until he had enough and moved his beak.


    ¡°What''s on your mind, Old Child? Oh, that sounds improper. Someone would get angry if they heard me. Glad I am alone, hidden too.¡± the old man suddenly said before Murai got his chance to quack.


    Once more, talking in the same fast pattern, this old man had no stops in his speech. His hands moved as fast as his mouth, and soon, the starting measurements were done. He took care of the neck, wings, belly, and all the most important sizes.


    Then, he turned sideways, deciding to work with some leather and metallic materials with a knife in one hand. It went quickly like a sudden storm, so who knew what else was he handling and doing with that leather and pieces of metal?


    Murai was at least interested in what he was doing, but he felt the weirdness of this situation seeping into his bones.


    He didn''t want to focus on this man''s act. He wanted to hear and speak to him. And since the old man asked a question, Murai answered it as bluntly as he could.


    ¡°You.¡± he quacked.


    ¡°Me? Oh, my dear duck. This is quite a decision to make for this old man. The tongue of your Anatidae hasn''t grown bold or clear. It is like a crisp deep instinct, coming out of your mouth or soul. Fascinating. Fascinating. Thrilling and exciting.¡± The old man replied as quickly as he worked, moving on from leather and a bunch of other materials to the new set of tools and other things.


    He was working through many professions in a heartbeat. At one point, he worked in some leatherworking, then runes, engraving some metal plates, while scribbling some ideas onto paper aside.


    Murai was half watching his act, but when he realized this old man was understanding his quacks, he ignored his acts. He began to move on the table, bending and turning his head. He was curious but no longer terrified.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Murai asked the best question he had.


    ¡°Does it matter who is who? We are always someone. Sometimes, some may decide who we are by others, or someone else decides that instead. It is all insane to me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it matters! I am curious and...¡±


    ¡°And? So what if you are curious? Does it mean that the universe is cycling around you like an old dog around a piece of bone? Nonsense. Nonsense. The universe is an ever-expanding force, forming no connection to any individual. It is an entity of vastness, similar to some mind or soul that stretches across the many Skies. It all forms familiarity or vastly different disparities that few could take to their heads.¡± The old man talked against Murai''s quacks without accounting for Murai''s feelings.


    He wasn''t angry at him for that.


    He was quick in his words so Murai heard his word even quicker. Murai took it to his head, so he ended up wondering what this old man thought he was, or what he was even doing.


    There was lingering confusion in his mind, so when he looked at the man''s attire carefully, there was something special looking indeed.


    There was a necklace with a peculiar-looking pendant hanging on his chest.

 Chapter 162: Old man

    The pendant was looking quite eyecatching, or was it the exact opposite? Did the air wrap it, or did space or the void shroud its existence? It felt it was there, hanging onto the chain that went around his neck.


    Murai doubted it was simple or very excessive. He did see it. Felt it too, but he wasn''t sure if he trusted his senses. After all, why had he not seen it from the start? He was either distracted, or weird about this entire situation, and his talk with this old man¡ªwho seemed to understand his quacks¡ªshocked him greatly.


    That pendant was suspicious.


    He trusted his hunches most of the time, so this thing here must be something special indeed. That was what he repeated to himself numerous times as his eyes caught its existence, lingering on it far too long than necessary. His eyes didn''t seem to move away from it. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For it to hang on thin strands of chains that weren''t even metallic, but made of a matter of some significance, Murai bet he didn''t know its origin. Chains were flowing circles of some purplish dark energy, thinly knotting to one another, until they ended in a round sphere with a much darker purplish metallic-looking mass.


    That was where the energy curved into a weird loop, or as he thought, it turned into a pendant. It was spherical, twisting around some details that resembled an eye.


    It was a wonder what the chains were for, or what was the deal with the pendant itself. He didn''t notice it, which was weird for him across the board. He considered himself perceptive to anything unusual or significant, so this event left him baffled.


    Murai had no trouble keeping his eyes on it, but something about this sight wanted to escape his sight. He kept his eyes on it, lest this pendant or old man disappear from his sight. Had he ever seen it? Something similar may be there, hiding or lurking somewhere in his memories. Deep. In unknown depths.


    Deep down, he wasn''t sure or right if his guesses to seeing it were what he wanted, or if it was fitting to be so fixated on it.


    Something in him told him to not look at it, not be curious about it, or seek its energy. He even wondered why he discovered it if he hadn''t seen it before. Did the old man move it closer to him on purpose? Was it a test?


    Or was it because of Murai alone?


    In his mind, he couldn''t resist the urge to look at it, even if it hinted at some troubles. These polar emotions clashed and one was stronger.


    He recognized both of them, knowing that this was problematic and insane at the same time. In what way? To him? No. He was just confused, unsure, and doubtful if he should ask about this or not.


    This clash of emotions disappeared when his interest in this old man increased. The old man looked at him similarly to how Murai looked at the pendant.


    The chain wasn''t impressive by itself, that was for sure. The spheric pendant was much crazier, as it depicted some object that held a mass of energy that looked like metallic mana. It wasn''t mana per se, Murai knew. Deep down... Again, he felt disturbed.


    At least it wasn''t... of this world, or was it? A lot of things could be depicted as interplanetary and otherwordly because the universe was rich and unfathomably deep in cultures, ensuring that some connections went around some words. In some sectors, it was more common than in others.


    The universe wasn''t like a dull lifeless plain, often describing the dead part of the void, cruising onto the Chaos Space that was like a graveyard or gateway into a disturbing space.


    This wasn''t that, or was it close or from far away? The energy was mana after all, but not all energy was mana. A vast area of space that held life for countless cycles was across many sides of the current universe. Thus some changes and differences were expected. In exceptional sectors, some spaces held up planets full of life, filled with some kind of energy in everyone or everything.


    The River of Manaflow flowed like wind, even in different names, lengths, energies, or legacies. But it had its start.


    Everything had some origin.


    Mana or not, an energy that moved around the universe was the epitome of many various names or styles. Sometimes, it was like water that enriched the world like the purest of Laws. Other times, it was a flame that flew and shined, hot like the finest of stars. Various elements or energies moved the living or regular things, giving some faces or powers.


    Some planets were weird in unique characteristics, be it from their origin or their creators. Battleworld was the best example of that kind of world, albeit it held a fairly peculiar style of energy, which was a pure strand of the River of Manaflow at the unknown length of this river. That was a common name Murai learned, describing energies flowing out of the center of the universe.


    Battleworld had a steady and gentle flow of energy, depicting the mana as many worlds described.


    But this pendant was all mana and not at the same time. Perhaps it was that, or it was from somewhere else. He wasn''t sure from where, or whether it was a correct assessment.


    It looked like a pure, yet abnormally dense energy, enriching the creation or the destruction of everything like Order and Chaos depicted.


    That was what his intuition and hunch told him, while memories and his head ensured that he wasn''t far from the truth.


    ¡°Seriously, who are you, old man? I don''t care for your excuses or some nonsense. Dont'' have time for that. No time.¡± He asked again, watching the old man''s craftsmanship in the corner of his sight. He wasn''t as interested in his quick hands, tremendous patience, and skill in which he handled the materials, runes, mana, or anything on the table. What was he even making wasn''t in his mind.


    What he deduced was a couple of materials around the table, but the densely knitted matter that slowly moved from the chains and flowed into the pendant was more interesting. There was some pattern to it, but the pendant was deep and dense like the most mysterious of steels. Any detailed or tighter movement was almost intangible under his senses, and he tried to seek through it as he stared.


    It didn''t help. All that remained were his failure and eyes.


    The old man kept working, but he had enough interest in hearing those quacks and speaking to him at the same time. He was capable, after all, albeit it wasn''t very clear from his appearance. His hair was unkept, his beard was at least trimmed but white at some portions, while his frontal attire was dirty and haggard. Perhaps from the work, the way he came here, or whatever else Murai couldn''t guess.


    Maybe he didn''t care for the appearances. That was entirely possible because Murai wasn''t that interested in appearances either. At least as a duck, he couldn''t care less about his feathers at all, but his half a minute in that Pool made him clean on the outside.


    ¡°I am who am I. Who are you to say or ask that?¡± The old man asked in return, ushering an almost unnoticeable smirk. ¡°There are ways to make it worth it, and I am kind of busy right now. Hands are full...¡±


    ¡°Don''t spin this around! I asked.... and this room is, or what... is even there? Where is Mindarch and my demands? Am I even in Levandis Temple? Seriously, what is up with you, old man? How come you get my quacks!? And what is that pendant?! What is going on?¡± Murai asked and blurred many questions together in a couple of seconds. He wasn''t as fast in quacking as this old man in talking, but he tried his best.


    ¡°Spinning is my specialty.¡± The old man chuckled for real, pushed himself from the table, spun the upper portion of the chair in a heartbeat, and went back to work with a simple grab. Murai barely registered how many spins he had made, but he didn''t care for the exact number anyway.


    He wondered about his or this old man''s sanity. Probably both.


    ¡°And yes. Yes. Indeed. You are in her temple, much to this 100th Island that is rather special and newly made. Finding a way in was a headache. Some figures destroyed it some years ago. What a shame, I must say, but a new one is nicer. I gave it some knock too, I suppose, since I just invited myself in. She let me, or was she forced onto it? Anyway, that is a simple answer. Are you satisfied? Spread your wings.¡± he briefly ordered his demand but Murai ignored him.


    Murai was unfazed by his impressive spins, or words that followed afterward. It didn''t answer much anyway. He was yet to introduce himself, or whether what he was doing was normal or not.


    Murai turned forth his patience and ceased his normal ideas. Now, it was time for an information gathering.


    ¡°Are you a God? What Path is there for your kin? How come I don''t feel anything from you? The soul is there, or... something. Divinity has its special forte in terms of aura, but... what is that pendant again?¡± He demanded again because he couldn''t stop it. He stood half a meter away from the old man''s moving hands that cut or bent some metals or handled some runic constructs with a pen or knife. All of his acts were fast and precise.


    ¡°That is a lot of questions to take into my old head. For a small Child, you are much bigger than one would guess. In the head, I believe, or somewhere else too? You definitely took this world like a storm, but you don''t know it, or do you pretend it doesn''t concern you?¡±


    ¡°Don''t care.¡± Murai shook his head and patted his feet on the ground. ¡°Saw worse things. Worlds should adjust to me. Not the other way around.¡±


    ¡°Aren''t there manners where you came from, or are you this much of a beast right now, or... is it how you''ve always been like?¡± the old man coughed as he turned and took some metals and a bunch of small crates out of some drawer. ¡°Anyway, there are answers where they belong. Do you want them that badly to ask them from me? I feel time in this place is limited. There are times for everything where time is ready.¡±


    Murai was still standing on his own, facing the pendant and this man, and he wasn''t sure where he found the word to ask about that pendant.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Questions appear when wonders go. Keeping it inside isn''t good. It is a simple cause and effect. And you are insane if you expect me to remain clueless. Since you''ve grabbed me first and this place is my reward, it is normal to seek you. All under the heavens work like that. Stars or rivers and blood. It is how intellect runs this world... or the universe to some extent.¡±


    ¡°Again with the universe? You are speaking of it lightly in your words but broadly think of the bigger picture. Fascinating perspective. You seek this old man for a curious wonder, but what if it is the same with me?¡± he changed the materials for some book, before changing back to some runesmithing. ¡°For a Child that is yet to spread its wings, it is wonderful to see you in such spirits. It adds context that I''ve lacked before, considering how rare Anatidae Children are. Well, you are that and something else, I believe. Wings.¡± He reminded Murai of something, but he wasn''t listening to his demands.


    Murai didn''t like how this old man acted. It reminded him of some assholes.


    ¡°Don''t call me a Child. Name'' Murai! And you are an insensible foul-mouthed senile old man who has no manners! I walked in and you touched me like a fool. Calling it rude isn''t condescending. When meeting such nonsense, curiosity is the only fitting act. Now, you do what? Speaking more nonsense as if I am in the wrong? Nonsense. That is what you do. That pendant is the same!¡± Murai snapped at him. ¡°Why, who, and how? Are those tough words to ask you?¡±


    ¡°Indeed so. Unless there is a pivotal equal exchange, things hardly make some Order or Chaos, don''t you think, little friend?¡± The old man changed the subject as quickly as he spoke and worked. He almost smiled, but the glint of his glasses revealed eyes that focused on his work. He wasn''t looking at Murai at all, but his attention was all over this room, Murai included.


    At the moment, it was his little invasive property. An assignment that Levandis had to accept because she couldn''t get personal unless some painful consequences would bear their cost.


    So whatever this was about, the old man played his cards well, even against a Ruler of one of the Hells. The results were right here, standing at the table. Handling and working with Murai was his priority, albeit brief and wonderful, with closing proper expectations and answers.


    Time was ticking away, similar to his work and the use of words. There were many unknown secrets and half-guesses in his mind. And right now, his mind and hands worked on something wonderful.


    Which wasn''t something Murai was appreciating, or knowing that well. He had a full mind of other things, unlike the old man who came here with a great purpose, bearing dangers known by few.


    Murai had his purpose too. It was all over this room, glistering around the bottles, tables, and shelves.


    He didn''t care for rewards worth a fortune or the entirety of Gate''s points. He had eyes on this old man alone;¡ªand that pendant too.


    Grunting, he got a gist of what kind of person this old man was. ¡°I see. You are that kind of... guy? You are an old fella, aren''t you? The kind that thinks too much about other things and himself? Those are often crazy because of their living, but let me tell you that. I am nothing simple. You look and act like the fools I''ve seen in some interesting times. Unpleasant and wonderful, I wonder if you are the same as them.¡±


    ¡°Interesting statement, but...¡± For the first time, the old man''s words paused midway through his sentence. He changed his mind about something or hesitated in thought. ¡°Hm. Age is a fantastic aspect and fact. It is like the Law of Time. Without that, there would be no age.¡±


    Murai wasn''t sure why he mentioned something that wasn''t even worth mentioning. Time was known to be impossible to handle, apart from slowing it through some formations. What exactly did he aim for?


    ¡°So, are you like me, fed up with words or worlds? Age or not, should I just jump, flap my wings, and walk away then? I don''t like the way this goes, old man. I have life to live, and you are bothering me for nothing. Seems like a good idea to leave, unless you speak and not run around words.¡±


    The old man paused his work, turned to Murai, and observed him while adjusting his glasses. ¡°Who bothers... who? Well, I wouldn''t dare to say age is wonderful, nor the world of mouth. No word, by the way. There are information and secrets that can ruin the galaxies, let alone some families, nations, and kingdoms that don''t know how life can go and flicker like a candle''s flame. A simple blow of air, and poof, it is all gone.¡± He made a point by slapping his palms and extending his fingers away in a single motion.


    ¡°Again with this useless topic... So what? Are you answering my questions or what, old man? I am getting irritated.¡± Murai said, half sure he was running out of patience, and half sure he was glaring a hole into that pendant. Why was this old man running away from answers?


    Well, Murai was an insensible one very often, or was he? He did quack and walked to him first, but again, this old man also mentioned how he invited himself in, so who was bothering who?


    Murai wasn''t finding this talk problematic by itself. He was sure he didn''t want to leave this old man behind. Not before he gets an idea about that pendant, this old man''s history, ideas, or why he was here. He didn''t look like a janitor to this place, a shopkeeper, or anyone normal.


    But again... this old man wasn''t talking and running around this conversation as if Murai ruined his family. It reminded him of Lisa, but much more... savage. Another wonderful thing was that Murai had someone who understood him other than a skull and a ghost.


    ¡°I run. I''ve run. We all run away from something.¡± The old man said, still turned on him and looking at him without working on things on the table. ¡°I can answer to your demands. Sure. Oh, and I haven''t lived that long yet, although I would love to try how it feels. Must be long. That is how it feels, right? I am not sure.¡±


    ¡°Why? You can''t even think of ages passing by? Are you calling yourself a runesmith, or an old man then?¡±


    ¡°Runes are like Laws. They have a beginning and endless variety. And this talk is close to that, as I''ve waited long enough for it, and played with threads of hope to change some subjects. So let''s say the circumstances between you and me are different like heaven and earth. Some things aren''t meant to be. Then, some things should be as they should be, and should be left alone for all eternity.¡±


    ¡°Like my patience?¡± Murai grunted. ¡°Seriously, who are you and why are you like this?¡±


    ¡°An old man, as you said. However, the secrecy is not something you are free to seek. I am like that too for a reason, as there are places and things one shouldn''t see, but at the same time, there are wonders everyone wants to see. So... let''s assume the status quo, shall we?¡± The old man said seriously, moved his arms up, and went closer to Murai. In his hand was a measuring tape.


    Murai didn''t move. ¡°Change? Is this how it is done where you are from? Hm!¡±


    ¡°Certainly. I am gentle, in fact. Now, move your wings, please. Hurry up already!¡± The old man barked at him as if Murai had spit on his runes and notebook, or destroyed something special.


    Without time or waste of movement, he shoved Murai''s wings and neck aside, clutching the wings and handling the sizing strip with numbers.


    Murai involuntary spread his wings without any complaint. He did so spontaneously for a good reason. That pendant swayed in the air a handful of distances away and was free for his eyes and mind. He was almost close to touching it. It was a good side effect, or just a coincidence Murai was like this.


    Either way, he could care less about the old man''s touches or the moving strip.


    In a way, the old man appreciated that Murai wasn''t moving because he had to take wing sizes and other sizes or positions.


    Murai wasn''t curious about what he was doing. Once better, he glared at the pendant that was mesmerizing in its activities. Up close, he was able to see more of its structure, color, or waves. Metal energies were moving in layered patterns as if alive, similar to the little chains, but denser in purplish black.


    There was some veiled aura around the pendant as a whole, and dense air and gravity, or some sort of effect made this either an artifact, simple token, tool, or something else. It looked important.


    Either way, he lost his eyes in it, but not the mind. He asked the old man another question he was curious about, and this time, perhaps he would answer it as his attention was on his feathers and body alike.


    ¡°Fine, if you are running, then I won''t. You mentioned a couple of interesting things. Are you aware of who am I, or why am I here? You arrived here for a purpose, against Levandis and Mindarch. You wanted something, or, is it the case of who I was? In that case, this is rather laughable and more questionable, since what is there to the past? It doesn''t matter to me like the talks about time you''ve mentioned.¡±


    ¡°Good idea. Is, or was, hm? A pair of words that means present and past. Like age, that is an excellent question that leads to fascinating layers. It is nothing but fascinating!¡± The old man said quickly as he folded the wings back to their place. After that, he pivoted his legs on the ground, forcing the chair to the opposite side of the table that was a couple of meters away.


    There, he found a yellowish parchment paper that was made of some Life Tree, capable of storing moving images after some processing and care. He took a special-looking drawing pencil to his hand and began drawing on the paper. It beamed in weird radiance, or was it because of his speed of drawing?


    All of this went to Murai''s eyes, as he stood where he was a second ago, observing the old man''s actions.


    The old man was sitting on the chair, with his notebook acting as the board for the paper. Grabbing a notebook in one hand and drawing or writing with the other, whatever he was doing, Murai wasn''t seeing it well.


    ¡°Fine. I am all ears and full hands,¡± he said without looking at him again.


    Murai wasn''t angry at that. ¡°I am not fond of doing something I don''t want to do, nor do anything else that goes against my head. Interest in the present is as good as the future allows, so the understanding goes here first. Past already happened. It is fine to pass on. I don''t care for it.¡±


    ¡°Lies, or excuses.¡± The old man chuckled. ¡°There are things that some folks find precious only at the present. They don''t mean much for the past, or the future. It is like watching a painting. It may be old, but the scenery and its truth encompass ages long lost, or the exact opposite. It could be a scene from the present, which may signify the future time or comprehension. What exactly, however? Isn''t it a coincidence to touch the future? It is fascinating stuff, isn''t that? Just like you.¡±


    Murai snorted. ¡°I am over it. So you are here for me? Why?¡±


    ¡°Why not? I invited my interest and did it by myself. Nothing else here matters, unlike my work.¡±


    ¡°Just because of some curiosity, or some nefarious ideas?¡±


    ¡°I think you are underestimating your body and your circumstances, little friend. I made some mistakes many times, but never regretted it, albeit I should have.¡±


    ¡°Body?¡± Murai thought of that word for a second, glancing around the room, to the table, his feet, and wings. ¡°Sure. Agreed, but the circumstances? I am fairly sure this is just a time and life that is playing with me. You too! Like everything always did. You do the same thing... Playing with me. Some tend to regret that. I wonder if you will be the same.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± The old man said without saying anything else.


    ¡°Let me give you some guesses. Such an old man like yourself should have most interest in the past, rather than the present. The future holds some interest too, but it depends on what matters to you. How is that so? Why it is the way it is? You are just like me! Wretched in time and worries of time, but so little, it matters little. Is my guess wrong?¡± Murai argued.


    ¡°Is that so? Reality is often wonderful or disappointing, so what makes you say your guess about someone you just met?¡±


    ¡°Who are you to question me then? We just met.¡± Murai expressed the truth.


    And his opposition didn''t seem to mind it. ¡°That is true. Some know you though, me included. In various forms too.¡± he argued. ¡°Your sake preceeds you, little friend. It is an interest old like some worlds, thus such words ought to travel far and wide, providing interest where there shouldn''t be. So why are you speculating about me, when we should speculate about you? Both you and me. Right now. Right here. Your life is on the line.¡±


    Murai didn''t take his words that seriously, even if he should. ¡°I don''t care about it. You are my hunch... You are clearly in my way, standing in the middle of a hunt for my life too. Temple... or you, or whatever. You make no sense. I started this conversation, I know, but you are here too! Speak! You want to do it too, right? So let''s do it.¡± Murai snapped his patience in half and moved his legs to come to his side of the table.


    On the way, he stepped on stuff he glanced at once. Materials, tools, and half-finished runesmithing scripts in leather, fabric, or little thin pieces of metallic paper. Their value should be quite high, obvious by mana dancing around some runes, and quite a few open handful crates were full of glittering gems or precious mana-infused materials. It was all the work of pretty decent craftsmen, meant to empower runesmithing to a high degree or create something nice.


    Murai aimed his interest at the old man like always.


    ¡°A hunch? Fascinating!¡± The old man kept talking at the same fast pace, leaving Murai helpless to figure out his intentions. He was yet to tell his name, why he was here, or what was even going on. His face remained glued to his notebook, but neither of them was finding the conversation lacking.


    Murai did a little bit because the old man wasn''t looking at him. He could live with that if the old man would start talking.


    In some twisted way, this was a conversation that looked normal as if a pair of old friends had relaxing banter between one another.

 Chapter 163: Family

    ¡°So, are you not going to tell me who you are, and why you act all this mysterious? Is there a reason for that? You seem to be aware of me more than enough. It is only polite for it to be mutual.¡± Murai said.


    ¡°Bah!¡± The old man sneered. ¡°Another nonsense that has no validation. We are in a Hell Haven. It is a place of many interests, but also quite a deep secret. It is only fitting for this to be a place of such meeting.¡±


    ¡°I am serious,¡± Murai said coldly. ¡°Talk.¡±


    ¡°You are serious as a cat''s purpose in life. Always changing and cunning like a predator. Chasing dreams like mice, or various rats. That isn''t such a waste if you think about it, yet the true manner of honesty is like that, changing when it is fitting.¡±


    ¡°You... So you are a simple prick?¡± Murai scowled. Hearing the man talk in this manner was quite demanding in attention and thinking.


    ¡°Just a man doing his dutiful wonder. A man needs no prupose. Just an excuse. I am all here for you.¡±


    ¡°Why?! What are you scheming in this temple, talking to me in this manner, hanging by that chain with weird pendant, and making... something I would rather not even guess.¡±


    The old man paused the drawing for a few moments to glance at him and his pendant. ¡°Your development has been quite something in some layer, but so little in others. It is the age issue, I reckon...¡± he mumbled to himself before going back to the drawing.


    Murai was fairly close to him, itching to smack that book away from him, but he hadn''t done that yet. ¡°Do you like me this much? These feathers and beak!? Wanna feel them on your head, hm? Tsch. So many people are curious until I bite back. So?¡±


    ¡°Bite with that beak of yours would hurt a fly. Well, not from where I am from, but it poses a nice prose. To me especially. You are the one who started talking to me, remember? I am not interested in this conversation, although I can work even in the middle of a fight, argument, or who knows what else.¡±


    ¡°What a whole lot of bullshit.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn''t dare to say that. It''s the same situation as with you. Are you liking to lie to yourself often? What do you eat? Are there enough growth periods? What about the Boosts this world provides? Do they grant some abnormalities? Well, I will see that for myself. Everything should be as clear as the starry sky outside of this humble hut, but you, my little friend, could be a problem of bigger proportions than a little duck can bear.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Murai frowned, taking his ideas for yet another concerning warning. ¡°This duck can live just fine. No worries, old man. I can bear whatever this duck will have to take. It doesn''t concern me if it does or not. Others should be concerned!¡±


    ¡°Good for you.¡± The old man would applaud such massage if he could. ¡°I am many things, alright? I know that from the outside or inside perspective. Many do know it as well, which is why I am here, able to talk to someone who many would kill for. You may soon get this too.¡±


    ¡°Agreed. Was a fiend, hater, or killer. Bunch of things, really. A murderer too, even. But not a liar.¡±


    ¡°Subjective facts surrounding oneself are often exaggerated. It is your opinion of the truth, which might be wrong as it is subjective in the outer perspective. You are many things; were too. Many people and beings hold their truth deep down in their hearts, while often forgetting about them when they need it. Few see through it, but it all makes the world lovely and complicated. They could even view you in that light that is as undeniable as a lie, or trust you without a shred of hesitation. There is nothing wrong with that.¡±


    ¡°Why would... That... matter? ¡± Murai thought of it further, but couldn''t see why he talked about this in this way. ¡°Alright. That does sound good. Truthful, almost. Rightful too.¡±


    ¡°Precisely. Think about this in the future. You may like the change of pace. Or hate it. Feel free to do either, as one is always the boss of their inner heart, I presume.¡±


    ¡°Hmph! you bet I am. You speak as if you are your own boss yourself. It reeks out of you... like problems and wonders out of your pendant... Seriously, what is that? I thought I knew, but now I am second-guessing myself. I don''t like it.¡± He lied as he couldn''t see through it at all.


    ¡°Who says something about a boss, huh?¡± The old man pinched his pendant, thinking that what Murai said was interesting and funny.


    ¡°My guess. What? Is that bad?¡±


    ¡°That is a wonder that better remains unspoken. You don''t need to know it. This thing has been with me like life has been with you. Unquestionable. It is no different from a lie or truth. See? It''s a matter of perspective, while the truth it holds means nothing to you. Only to me.¡± He argued, let go of the pendant, and pushed himself to the other side of the table.


    There, he folded many kinds of pieces of leather and fabric, spreading them around the table all the way to Murai.


    ¡°Now... this will be important,¡± he said. ¡°Which ones?¡±


    However, Murai never let his gaze from the old man''s face or that pendant. These pieces of material weren''t there for his eyes. He was observing him because he decided to trust him, but the way this conversation went, he couldn''t point out if he was exaggerating, or lying about that pendant.


    How important it was, might be not for him. That much was truth, Murai felt.


    But he felt like he should question him some more, get the truth out of the way, and ignore the growing urge to forget the pendant.


    ¡°Since you don''t wanna answer me, what is with this hut then? Are you part of the Hell Haven, or some other demonic faction? You, a fast talker, old man, and someone who speaks more than acts?¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± The old man seemed surprised as he caressed the layers of materials, wondering what should be best to seize or choose for his little experiment. Perhaps a pair? Folded-up layers of material often worked surprisingly well for what he was about to make. The question was, which were the best? ¡°This old man is free as the Skies over our heads. So... that may pose as a lie. Who knows?¡±


    ¡°That is false... and you know it.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps. Lies can be on top of one another but never make a truth. Though, this old man isn''t fearful of chains or a universe beyond the horizon. I am as free as you. Free to do what one wants, free to seek happiness, betrayals, love, hate, or frustration because some things are simple way too complicated, or out of hand. It has always been like this in this world, as this is my home. Not here. This temple is just a tool anyway. This room is just a hideout I helped to create, against the odds and other interventions. Thanks to that, I speak with you today.¡±


    ¡°How silly then. What about you in particular? Do you think this talk is meaningful? I don''t.¡±


    ¡°Well, you and I are not much different in this matter if I dare to say so myself. Power runs supreme, like Laws that set the world ablaze, or beyond the limits of what is possible. It is a truth that can truly shatter the lies.¡±


    Hearing his words, Murai sighed and decided to go with his flow. He started to not be that angry with him.


    ¡°You would dare to do a lot of things just for yourself? Like a fool going against the flow? Against the odds that others don''t want to see? If that is true, you are a fool like me. If not, you are a fool either way, because I trust you... which makes me foolish as well.¡± Murai chuckled and almost began laughing.


    ¡°Precious freedom, isn''t it? It sounds like a lie, but you do what is right, so those who don''t like it shall just disappear into obscurity.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Murai nodded and glanced at him with fervent light in his eyes. ¡°Fine. My head is on my shoulders, thinking and wondering, so what''s up with you and me then? You keep yourself and myself attached, but that sounds wrong. Or, is it really something about the past? Future? Have we met? Is this meeting what you wanted for a long time, while all I can do is swallow it and accept it like a fool? Again, I don''t like being taken advantage of.¡± Murai returned to the topic that constantly ate his mind.


    ¡°We may have met, but not in a fitting way. I don''t find it intriguing, as facts may be different from regular meetings. It isn''t fitting, as paths collide and souls flow. Now, we are here, at the time where we are present. Meeting one another.¡±


    ¡°That doesn''t make sense... Do you always speak like this? What a charade of a character.¡± Murai complained.


    It seemed the old man decided on the choice of leather and fabric to go beside one another, forming a single piece. One was brownish-yellow leather and the other were greenish fibers sowed together to make a fabric.


    ¡°Well, fine. These will do. Many things make sense when the time is right. You always liked being alone, right? Figuring things out on your own principles sounds better than expecting it from others. It has always been hard on you, yet it kept going as stubbornness is also part of power. It will keep us going, improving the limits. Like always. A true love and hate relationship, because it means insanity and continuous struggle against the odds. One ought to crash it all to bits, be the master of it.¡±


    ¡°Ru... Rudolf?!¡± Murai exclaimed, uttering a high-pitched quack. He recalled the exact same words from many lives ago. It was still clear because it had a tremendous impact on him back then. Alone, in a world of confusing magic, it was part of a time when he started this whole charade of many lives.


    It had a huge impact on him to this day, guiding him for better tomorrows and proper limits, but where was the start? When or how it all began?


    He didn''t remember.


    ¡°I fear not my little friend.¡± The old man said without hesitation. ¡°But you guessed and remembered the words well. Rudolf, however, is still a special case that is hard to forget. He is my ancestor. A person that this world mended and changed. Or he changed the world? I don''t recall the facts. It was a long time ago. A lot of things happened in the past, similar to the further past, leading to his memories, ancestry, and power for future generations. It is an interesting legacy if I dare to say so myself. Thus, I know some things that some may find surprising. You, being that, for example, but it goes deeper than Rudolf. Much deeper... and without his knowledge. He would''ve loved to...¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Don''t run into the walls!¡± Murai quickly quacked, surprised and shocked by this development. He felt this old man wasn''t lying or joking, but this was a lot to take even to his head.


    Rudolf was a topic he had found only by luck in Acaman Tower. Suddenly, meeting his descendant seemed far too weird. Well, the descendant clearly met and found him instead, as he proclaimed and acknowledged it a few minutes ago.


    It was a bit confusing. This old man didn''t resemble him in the slightest, but perhaps the way he talked was similar. No way. Murai doubted it was a valid reason. Perhaps he was even lying about Rudolf? But he did know that quote...


    Rudolf was more savage and straight to the point. Not like this. This old man had no redeeming qualities of Rudolf that he remembered. His face looked different. It was the face of a clever elder that had mischief and a lot behind him, and no likeness and harshness of a king the Rudolf dared to call himself.


    It was a level of confidence that only he, calling himself Great, would force and trust it like a Law.


    Murai had never seen Rudolf grow very old. Only a little, so that may be why it felt strange considering this old man was a distant relative to him.


    ¡°I am not running anywhere like Rudolf would say. See, I am already close to a finishing line, so charm your feathers and ready your eyes. I am doing it.¡± The old man gestured to the content of the table, pointing to the pile of stuff and research that needed assembling and careful finishing touches. ¡°Since we got the Rudolf topic for the start, let''s take the voice somewhere else.¡±


    By this time, the old man changed his position at the table again, towering over a pile of choices and his work, right beside Murai, who was standing like a frozen duck statue.


    The old man began his masterpiece with a long shiny needle in one hand and a glowing sphere of knotted threads in the other. His hands flashed and moved, right when Murai was lost in words and memories this old man initiated.


    Little by little, the sphere was getting smaller, the needle pierced the layers of fabric and leather, pieces of thin metal, or some plates. He often changed his hand to a knife that cut the pieces of leather and fabric into smaller portions, while heat and mana moved under some weird glove he took from nowhere.


    He moved well, like the threads that connected the pieces and layers, while mana, materials, and runes fused. Or had the green fabrics done so by itself? They did seem to eat the threads, runes, and that yellowish leather like nothing, although the greenish fabric was losing in color and edge.


    Like talking and working, his pace of knitting was incredibly quick. Assembling his pieces was no different. He worked over the knitting and runesmithing, creating layers with a precise style that seemed to combine on their own.


    Murai had no idea what he was making, but it was some attire if he dared to guess. Murai took a single glance at his hands, but he soon returned to his face or hanging pendant. He was more or less disinterested in what was happening down below or around him.


    He had other wonders because many things needed answers. So he asked. ¡°What is this meeting? Is this a predetermined meeting between me and you? Is Rudolf somewhere? Anywhere? What is his legacy or time in this world?¡±


    ¡°Right. Rudolf was many things, as you may know, little friend. Thus, I fear it''s not something clever like reading Fate, I fear. Your situation is more unique, far detached from the Fates of my late ancestor. Though, his reputation still growls old, not weaker than legacies of others.¡±


    ¡°So, is he dead? Shame.¡±


    ¡°Shame indeed, but that is what time gets and takes. This world is intense in that idea, although some could take age and time differently. It is hard to tame and impossible to see the heights of it. Few manage to outgrow it, with most growing into it, mending to its rules. Like an addiction, it is wonderful but hideous. That is what this world is like. Though, living is always a fleeting thing. One mistake and it can be gone forever.¡±


    ¡°He used to mention it like that. Dead is the End. Gone. Finish line. Life is precious.¡± Murai speculated in melancholy.


    ¡°Of course. It is a truth of his teachings that goes on for many generations. I spent decades under such teachings, albeit some take it better than others. And as descendants go¡ªI must say¡ªI am not taking the smaller kind of branch out of the bunch. Calling myself the most prominent figure of his past regime isn''t an exaggeration, but... I think I am getting ahead of myself. Let''s talk about you. I am not that interesting.¡±


    ¡°You do... and are. So, I am all ears to hear all about it. Got time?¡± Murai''s eyes glowed in excitement and hope to hear more about Rudolf and what he had done in this world.


    ¡°Are you sure to hear that? I have my suspicions that you''ve come into contact with one of his belongings. Tome? A log of his life? Ancestry and legacy materials are hard to find. Many are still around the world, scattered because he didn''t follow the family. He wanted to challenge it. His intent is powerful, hiding so deep that few folks would recognize it.¡±


    ¡°Uh... He did... what? What has he done? I don''t even recognize or feel a thing. What do you mean?¡± Murai frowned, thinking of the moment in the past when he wielded Rudolf''s Tome. He opened it relatively well for his level and power, but it wasn''t that difficult because he knew what kind of shit he would create.


    Heavenly Shaping was more insane in this case, while its use was probably better for him. Whatever it was, that Rudolf left in that stolen tome, it shouldn''t shatter Murai''s limits.


    But again, he hadn''t gotten much time with it either. He barely read through some of its chapters before Razmund stole it from him.


    Murai had plenty of teachings that Rudolf gave and pierced into him anyway, so it wasn''t all that important to him after all. What was important was the information he left there about this world.


    ¡°Hm. Perhaps he hasn''t done much to you. I don''t know about you and him either, nor the tome you''ve found. Not important, I suppose, but that tome is different. Its legacy is deep and great just like his title. Just think of the ever-changing, yet fateful destiny that is between all of that. You and him had a history together, yet both of you arrived into this fascinating world millennia apart. It is fascinating, isn''t it? Ages can pass, yet the past can connect with the future''s present. I can''t fathom it enough even at my age.¡±


    ¡°I think it''s not as difficult to comprehend it. It''s like strands of the river. At some point, they may become connected after being separated for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± The old man momentarily stopped moving his hands, pinched his pendant, and glanced at Murai for the second time.


    ¡°A river, huh? That is a fascinating vision that I never thought of. It adds perspective to more things than I assumed, similar to the flow of time, Fate, and various other things. Runes works similar, as old and ancient as they are.¡± Then he went back to work, leaving Murai wondering if he never thought of it in this way.


    It wasn''t even that difficult to fathom the myriad of changes like a river. The future and the concept of time were quite deep and unchanging in their structure. It should be less of an issue to be confused with, as time was set into the flow of the universe. Focused and unchanging, it was clear even if it was often very confusing or weird.


    Hence, Murai decided to continue talking but with a much stronger voice than before. After fully appreciating this old man''s words, and all thanks to Rudolf, he figured out where to start.


    Meeting his ancestor in this matter was an interesting time for him. So much so, that any breaks and hestition in him became loose.


    Interest in history, legacy, and time were all up to this world. Who else but his descendant would answer it better? Whatever Rudolf did, or what he accomplished in the past were all things that Murai wanted to know.


    So he let his beak open and talked without breaks. He asked many things, but the old man¡ªwhose name was yet to be told¡ªnever budged more than he wanted. Sometimes he answered like Murai wanted and other times vaguely, but Murai never became angry with him.


    He kept talking at a fast pace without ever stopping working on things under his hands. Minutes became minutes, and then 10 minutes passed into the 20th minute since Murai arrived here.


    ¡°What about his family? You are his ancestor, so I presume he had a wife? What about other children? Is his legacy or family important, fused together and part of yourself?¡± Murai asked, insisting on knowing more about Rudolf''s legacy, family, or what he accomplished. The old man mentioned fewer things about that for some reason as if hesitation or afraid to talk about it.


    For the past 20 minutes, he at least mentioned basics without releasing what Murai wanted.


    Legacy was up to his ideas, but the old man did mention more things about his accomplishments and history thousands of years ago, rather than his setting or politics. Murai liked it. If Rudolf hadn''t changed in this world, it sounded like him.


    ¡°Family, huh?¡± The old man slightly furrowed his brows, looking at the table with a deep gaze as his hands slowed down. ¡°You ask a deep thing, for someone who never considers families to be somewhat important. I wonder how you manage this. In this life too... I suppose I get it. You don''t want it.


    ¡°It isn''t as if I want it. They are usually bothersome. Not worthy caring for.¡±


    ¡°Uhm... That is a rather unique idea. As I''ve said, such things as Bloodlines and families are a complicated problem. He was a weirdo, like many under his later lineage. I am the same, but... in new twisted layers that he would find funny or insane. Shame he can''t see that.¡± he chuckled lightly before continuing.


    ¡°I wonder what he would think sometimes, but when the core of a family had such a nasty fella, it was probably like you would think. He was never the kind of guy to live things down. He was intense, mended the family, and turned many politics aside. He cherished freedom, but he was born into a family already possessing that idea. So it got more intense and fierce, as this world takes such ideas to a new degree, rather than a new leaf. Gods are rampant here, or so under his head. He challenged that idea that was never meant to end well. It was always fighting, coming to terms with new systems and power, while cherishing what he had or would have. Politics was that, or how power flows. He was a huge pillar in that past, but that may be long forgotten now.¡±


    ¡°Forgotten? If it was long ago... I can see why. Were the Gods involved in his death?¡±


    ¡°Gods? Oh, it''s like that always... Lofty people can''t live with other lofty people, but I do not know the precise details of it. It is about pride, you see. I know all about it on a new page since I live in an age quite separate from him. It is because many years passed and his legacy or memories are no longer much to regard with. By the general public or powers, of course, few know about him. Some still take historical figures for something great. Like Pillage that you''ve mentioned a while ago. He was a beast older than Rudolf, whose tomes are left out, cherished, or forgotten but never destroyed. Many did find them, toss them aside, or learn from them, cycling his interest as he wished. In this sense, Rudolf was like Pillage.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like Rudolf indeed,¡± Murai added.


    ¡°Just so you know, the family changed with the political aspects of this world. After his death, changes came. Most powerhouses end like this because this world has constant shifts and lives. His home changed as he ended up as Blessed, so his reputation holds over the present like a charming blessing. Many of his descendants still occupy a fortress in the Battleworld. Though... in terms of the further past...¡± The old man visibly strained his face, deepening his wrinkles and lowering his voice. ¡°There is one son of his still alive. A problematic fella. A taker of his Path, to say the least. He isn''t a troublemaker, but someone who cracked his head over his legacy that is still alive.¡± S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°That sounds... like no problem of mine, but why do you sound like this? It was long ago, so is that a problem for you? Are you like.. patriarch to his family? What about their name? Yours?¡±


    The old man didn''t answer every one of his wonders but continued. ¡°It is just thin worry that passes no worries onto my family. It doesn''t matter, in a sense, but I feel you wouldn''t like this.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°He killed Rudolf. His son...¡±


    ¡°Oh? Sounds normal to me but... A family, huh? Rudolf probably died laughing in this case.¡± Murai chuckled which the old man took with some surprise before going back to work with more speed.


    ¡°Take that with what you want. I fear that all regards to his family are complications like mine. It all became a bit hard to express. Probably because his Bloodline and mind were so unorthodox. I don''t mind it. It is just intensity that holds some truths and confidence. His son was like him too and his Fate may be entangled with yours.¡±


    ¡°Why? Does that son of his has some problems with him or me? Wait, why? Wait, how long ago was Rudolf''s reign in power? If his son is still alive, does that mean...¡±


    ¡°He is a God. It happened quite a few millennia ago, my little friend, which I mentioned, haven''t I?¡± He frowned as if uncertain about whether he even mentioned it to Murai or not.


    He didn''t mention anything about years or how long ago it all happened. He talked more about specific stories, rather than key points.

 Chapter 164: Huge treasure

    Family was a difficult topic, let alone an addition that was as natural as living beings. Regarding any individuals or rulers of a planet or nation, one had to think twice before acting against anyone. Everyone had a family. It was an unchanging rule that blood and living carried.


    Murai didn''t like to think about it. Family was a concept that was always confusing and a bit harsh to take into his head. It was never pleasant.


    He knew why he was like that, as he had time and lives to see and learn all about it and himself. He did try to mend some wounds from those tough times, growing his seed out, and taking care of people and those that were interesting, or interested in him. It often meant problems that he wasn''t willing to take alongside him because people were complicated beings similar to his lives.


    The family was an attachment that ended in disappointment or worse. That was his belief through experiencing his unkept lives that, for some reason, weren''t ever peaceful. He associated it with his Cursed Living. It wasn''t wrong, he believed, so he wasn''t seeking family, nor did he want to do anything with it. No more at least.


    Hence, this life was right on track to be yet another lonely life, but he wasn''t unhappy about it. As a duck, he had no choice but to continue being stubborn for his sake.


    He was a loner in his Cursed Living anyway, or so he thought how it was meant to be. He forced this sort of acceptance to his Fate. A variable that he stubbornly wished to refuse, even when there were times when a family became important.


    It was no wonder. The family was a string in the reincarnation and Afterlife that affected anyone.


    A New Beginning meant being born into a family. More or less, it was a new soul put into a cycle that someone played with him like a fool, or was that as random as tossing a dice? He wasn''t certain about it, but it was better to play along with it, which often ended badly or worse.


    Living was always like this, as having a bond that was cruising within the Bloodlines was endless. Beasts were the same, demons not so much, while humanoid races and a lot of beasts were pivotal familial beings.


    Past and future in such family ways were important across the board, as history was a family and future at the same time. It meant a heritage of some sort for any living thing that was in the picture or not. It was honest, following a cycle of life and death.


    Murai knew it. That was often why he was kind of a prick, but he saw honesty and truth in such acts. His perspective was different, albeit the living did gift him with different times and perspectives. In a sense, it was a time that was never supposed to be nice.


    He hated a lot of things about it. Few things about it were ever passable.


    Yet, he wasn''t tired of it. Not until he will take care of it and reach the proper End. It was perhaps a hopeful and naive approach, but what choice was there for him? This idea and belief was the only one he had that kept him from ushering in insanity and hopelessness.


    The family was not part of it. Never was. Never supposed to be. It was just a brief variable that might happen or not.


    Taking care of it was a serious, expensive, and rather interesting concept that one had to think twice about. Creating or having a family meant leaving the lone future aside, and accepting the future that shall never be alone. It was a new chapter in a life that was fitting across the universe.


    Like an act of procreation that followed every living.


    Murai was a rather problematic form in this regard, as his living depicted an unlikely form of actual living cycles. He never questioned it, but the family was a concept that went against him and his odds. He didn''t want it. It was a connection that cursed him with memories and times that often troubled him because they were meaningful and seeped with hope.


    Leaving them behind was always better as the End or his time always changed. Not for the better. He needed no remedy, seeking the End instead. Some of these times were miserable, while hopes were often futile, as his time in families often changed the rules of the world.


    So he didn''t want them.


    With many lives under his mind, caring for friendship and family was like an additional weight on top of his shoulders and living. What he wanted after losing, forgetting, or seeing the end of them with his own eyes, was less of it.


    He learned this the hard way.


    Perhaps it was like his curse. He was terrible luck that cursed the others with bad lives. So taking others onto his time was never under his radar. He tended to believe that, even though he wasn''t sure if it was right or wrong. He decided it was. Perhaps it was a correct decision.


    It came as the aftermath of mana Ends or harsh realities that changed him in this manner.


    When he heard of Rudolf''s family, Murai didn''t feel much. It wasn''t indifference or simple coldness. It wasn''t as if it was his concern to be concerned with others in this way, or their families. Those dramas or worries weren''t up to his head if they happened so long ago, so he wondered what this old man before him was about to tell next.


    Hearing that Rudolf was gone was enough already, so Murai would never think much about it anyway, but when he heard Rudolf''s son killed him, that was interesting like the mention of a God.


    It poised as a problem that might be interesting to listen to.


    He wondered how and why that happened. Was it because of a Path or simple misgivings that Rudolf had created because he was a rather harsh parent and even worse teacher?


    Or was it all because Rudolf became a God after all, and reached the premise he always wanted? This world would perhaps accumulate enough power in his life, giving him that edge to go over that line under his Path.


    Becoming a God ensured the Path would mend to reality, becoming one with God. Anyone walking the same Path would never become a God afterward. That was a rule that was old and ancient, ensuring that everyone was on the same page of Divides and Pathways.


    Which made Gods into important positions in many worlds and further Skies. However, some thought of them as less than that, as there was always a bigger sky over the others. One can kill a God and unlock their Path for others.


    Murai understood it, which was why he held many Paths under his theories and memories. A choice of a Path was important. He always held it in big regard.


    Which ended his sunken expression that some time ago, appeared on his face. Rudolf was out of his picture, but his lineage still lived on. This person before him was like that, albeit he wasn''t exactly like Rudolf. Murai can live with such differences, and turning this weird meeting into some friendship didn''t sound that terrible.


    But that depended not on him if others decided on it instead. Many... Too many problems were always focused on his living.


    And in this world, perhaps it was the worst. Gods and some ideas were present, descending onto him, and looming like curious gazes. He didn''t like how Vermillion sounded all those days ago, or how this world clutched and worked with desires and hopes. It made the concept of power kind of strong and cheap, which meant people wouldn''t condemn changes and rather go with the flow with fewer changes.


    Age and time ensured that, right beside Gods that were Rulers of this world.


    It was how hope for power always turned the world crazy. Battleworld was crazy, which may turned Rudolf into an utter monster, or perhaps Murai was wrong.


    He hadn''t seen enough of this world, nor what family, powers, or politics were like when so many things crystallized power and living beings. Lisa wasn''t that clever or firm in such expositions or ideas. She always carried their conversation around her interests and what Murai wanted to know.


    That was still up to him and his needs, so accepting her words was what he endured and did take with interest. Mostly, it was about power, Battleworld, or various topics that he did or didn''t need in this temple. Between the Islands where he had time, he learned a lot from her than ever before.


    There were a bunch of expected crazy things when many Gods flocked together like a bunch of birds. Not only were there factions in the Sky, but in the Surface and various Depths. Hell Havens depicted the places where Hell Gods resized their interest, while their names were Demonic Lords around the Battleworld, while Sky Gods went against them.


    Why? Reason or sense in this regard were the same as in the vast universe. Some things were simple because they''ve always been like that.


    Some Gods will never see eye to eye, creating dramas, grudges, and hopes to kill the other.


    So where in this picture was Rudolf and his family? Or... this old man before him, knitting and runesmithing a bunch of glistering threads and other objects onto some layers of clothes?


    Murai shook his head. ¡°Millenia, huh? Time is ruthless indeed. That is a time that must''ve left many generations behind, but the flow of time and age in this world may be weird. Beasts can live for centuries. Stronger ones for even longer. What does the Will of the Battleworld change it into? Do human and their powers and minds change into something insane? Power and Paths always change that, while rules around this world seem weird.¡±


    ¡°Insane is a rather harsh word, yet truthful. Few would think of it this way, as they could drown in power and reach the end. Why? Talent and speed of acquiring power are often limited to opportunities and other variables. Talent isn''t everything, nor this world is. You might think of this world as gracious and fine, right?¡± The old man asked.


    Murai nodded.


    ¡°It isn''t wrong to some individuals at all. It is a machine. This world, I mean. It crafts powers that mend into the flow of how Gods like it. It is about ego, power, growth, and countless political aspects. Why?¡±


    ¡°Gods are pricks. Greedy pigs.¡±


    ¡°That is... interesting view.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like what Rudolf would say, doesn''t it?¡±


    ¡°Not only him. I would hear this daily in some parts of my life.¡± The old man took a long breath as if remembering a rough memory. ¡°Anyway, Gods are pivotal to everyone. You or me included. Everyone like us should take those as interest that one might not like, but they are here, and they aren''t going anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Figures. It is the same as in any world, right? You know about me, so... Why and how to take it to my head? This conversation and your topics are the same. What to think of it? You forced this... while my living is under your grasp and awareness. You mustn''t be simple.¡°


    ¡°Well...¡± The old man hesitated once again, fearing that this topic was pending for a long time anyway and he stalled for long enough. He could only curse that he talked quickly, and Murai was absolutely unhinged in his curiosity and interest in him or his pendant. The latter part was curious too, but that was only in his mind. Not his mouth for now. The pendant will have to calm down.


    ¡°I supposed your reputation exceeds your height.¡± He said after some thinking. ¡°In many ways, you are known for your Curse and time around some worlds, because of the Gods that surround them. It flows out, going over the political and public aspects of some continents and powers. You are in Somalis continent, young and kind of weak, but what will happen later when you grow up? Though of that?¡±


    ¡°Not one bit. I can''t care less about what awaits far away. Worries or others are just a nuisance. I want what I want.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡± The old man asked a fairly interesting question in excellent timing.


    Murai sighed. ¡°End. You?¡±


    ¡°I see. Not the End for sure. I have too many things to find and discover, make and see, and meeting them all is my goal. It is an interest that is left in this world. You are here too. No way I would kick a bucket, or how some might say. It isn''t about Rudolf by the way. I am here because I wanted to. Alone, to take care of some things.¡±


    ¡°I''ve got you. No worriers. Why are you doing this then? Acting and talking to me? Is Rudolf why? Has he mentioned me, or... has he figured out who I used to be?¡±


    ¡°He never knew the you from the past. He got the gist of some information and legends across the Skies in this world. You are part of some legacies and reputations that poise various lengths to get them. Not easy, I might say.¡±


    ¡°Pche.¡± Murai sneered. ¡°I don''t feel loved by this interest at all. Wonder why and how my reputation even bothers others. It isn''t pretty anyway.¡±


    ¡°Ah, wanna pat to your head? Never was one to gift them, but you might not be the taker of them anyway.¡±


    Murai was slightly surprised by this offer but he refused it as quickly as he asked. ¡°I hate when others handle me like a toy. Hate it!¡±


    ¡°Then have my apologies for the impending Fate.¡± the old man bowed in his direction before going back to work.


    ¡±None taken. Let''s backtrack this discussion a little. You... Rudolf, or his son, or whatever. What to make of the situation and you? Is his son something that I have to consider? It must be under your idea, what else... Why are you taking it here then? To my head.¡±


    ¡°It is just a warning that is better be said. I acted with interest and some knowledge. You are quite something in this life, so take everything with a grain of salt. This world is special because of Gods put into aquation and your little curse.¡±


    ¡°Curse, huh? What do you know about it? What had Rudolf knew?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know him, nor what he got. He is my ancestor. Not my guardian. It is either a guess that stems from the stories and legends, but he was a weirdo anyway. We tend to think of something strange and crazy, without knowing what it means. You are that. I mean, confusing and lingering ideas might get some ideas. It was what research and intellect do. For example, what to do when focusing on a task when taking might and weight of who knows how many lives? It weighs onto the spirit, yet it keeps you alive. You are always the same, but not in every End. It is like the impending end of cycles, always looming over time and space.¡±


    ¡°You sound overly clever. It isn''t that complicated to ignore the pain and focus on what matters.¡±


    ¡°And you make it sound easy.¡± The old man argued, squinting his eyes and slowing down the process under his hands. He was in a stage of care and finalization. By this point, mana and runes danced around the room, focusing on his gloves, table in general, runes, and some gem in the cloth. Murai didn''t pay it much attention when he focused on his next words


    ¡°Always looking for some edge to cover, force Fate into your favor, find some chance, capture the opportunity, overwhelm it all, and so on. You are like a disaster. Small one, but the kind you''ve never seen. Heard about some stories of a Rocky, though. Funny stuff, I might say. It makes you a disaster with unknown truths no matter how anyone looks into it.¡±


    ¡°Hmp? You talk as if you know all about me, but not much can make sense of it, huh? Some try it all the time, yet few could help. Rudolf didn''t know all of this stuff if my memory serves me right. I didn''t take these starts well, you see. This world knows about me, so why or... how does it work?¡±


    ¡°Simple. Cultures and many souls coming into this world across many words act as catalysts for knowledge. Also, Gods. They tend to flock around here, but most of them have eyes on the broader Sky. Not just here, albeit the interest in the Surface is a neverending course of reputation and might. It fuels their Divine Kingdoms or Hells, but the latter one is different.¡±


    ¡°Got that idea already... Bunch of pigs, playing with the people while giving them carrots on sticks.¡± Murai wished to curse some more but didn''t go to such lengths before this old man.


    ¡°So why or how? Well, that may have been the case in the past, as Rudolf didn''t know the truth like anyone clear. But his curiosity got the hang of him, and further into his life, he reached quite a few forced discoveries. Right out of the major Codexes and Breaches. One in particular involved some facts and logic researched and warnings around a certain Cursed One, or who knows what else it was expressed with. I will leave the rest in blip since you know the rules to never touch what shouldn''t be touched. He never told anyone. Perhaps he left some truths in the Afterlife, or his tomes that he took for his diary.¡±


    Murai took his words in with a relatively straight face. He looked at the old man, understanding the deep repercussions of his words. Rudolf was truly unhinged when he wanted and desired something. Regardless of how heavy and tough it was, it never stopped him.


    ¡°That freak... Did he look into my Curse? Was he tired of living? That isn''t what they would like! Gods or whatever, tales and ideas are one thing. Truth hurts. Not me, but...¡± He halted himself for no one''s sake. He was unaware that the old man knew and understood this as well. There were boundaries in things one shouldn''t take to their heads.


    Some still touched them, because why not? Some people had no boundaries, or what one might call some stops.


    ¡°You see, little friend. Past is in the past, and you''ve arrived here after all. I am here myself, a taker of Rudolf''s knowledge because I got curious myself. I may not be him, but I am not worse or greater than great. His ambitions were far too great for his head or this world, and unlikely to ever mean something safe. You are the same, I reckon. It influenced him, I might add.¡±


    ¡°Influance? Me, him? Bullcrap.¡± Murai didn''t believe it.


    ¡°Why not? You don''t understand some consequences of this world and what someone might do to truly reach the peak, or... safety and bliss. There are so many obscurities and things one has to work against, as this world is a huge battlefield for the sake of nothing but pride and power that runs the Skies.¡±


    Murai was slowly understanding where he was coming from. So much so, that he completely forgot about the pendant. The old man was kind of talking all by himself, mentioning his interest in this world and too many warnings for his liking.


    Murai wasn''t one to forget them, but he wouldn''t stop because of some warnings alone. But he appreciated the talks about Rudolf, and what he was mentioning about the world was interesting. It seemed this old man was taking Rudolf''s mantle in some capacity. Probably in a very different way.


    Some things were still unclear because of a lack of context, or he mentioned some topics with fewer ideas that Murai wasn''t paying too much attention to.


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    It was his problem.


    ¡°One thing, little friend, before the discussions are over.¡± The old man said after being silent for a few moments. His hands more or less stopped working after mending some layers of clothes and securing some details around some parts. There were some neat gems at the front of some brownish-yellow cloth, all focused with runes and storming lines of mana and lines. Threads were no longer visible, or the light and mana overwhelmed them. His needle was gone too and so were most of the supporting tools or materials.


    He was close to being over with his desirable piece.


    ¡°It''s about this... trouble of mine. Rudolf''s son. He was a spiritual leader of Rudolf''s legacy and his home, which is my home now. He is a God who troubles my position and my home. Godly positions are all like that. It is tough, as you might suspect or get out of my voice. You can imagine the problems, although the problem isn''t his status. Gods have their worries. In this world, they don''t meddle too much with the Surface in their own heads, but in other ways, they meddle with it far too much. Hence, things are a bit weird between everything.¡±


    ¡°I don''t get the issue. If he is so detached, why worry about him? Or... does he want your home? He got exiled as God because those are not allowed to freely reign over the Surface?¡± Murai asked a good question after listening and broadening his perspective on this world''s politics.


    ¡°Well, something like that. He isn''t good or bad, just like Rudolf was known for. He holds no absolute authority over my family, but he is interested in what surrounds it. He is unable to do much with that because of a variety of issues that you spoke of briefly like myself. You might be included in this more than you wish.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You will understand it more in the future. I better not meddle with it as of right now, because you need focus. Encounter and some Gods want your life. I don''t know why. I can only give you this much behind their backs to help you out. He is free from anything that his father desired and included as he grew him out. It backfired, but that is in the past. I, on the other hand, am shackled, unwilling to make things any difficult for myself. I am a coward, I fear. A shame of my ancestor. All because I am not like him.¡± The old man said much slower than ever before, almost sounding like a normal person.


    His face drowned in some sorrow and hesitation, filling his words with some pain that remained in his heart for many years.


    Murai didn''t know what to say to such a monotone and helpless tone. He would never expected Rudolf''s descendant to be like that. No. That wasn''t entirely correct. Rudolf had many faces. He got softer when drunk.


    Perhaps he would expect something like that in a different situation. Sorrowful, or very difficult, Rudolf never took it badly. He was thick-skinned and with a smile always on his face even in the toughest situations. Murai bet he died with a smile on his face.


    ¡°Don''t take it badly. Being unlike Rudolf isn''t a bad thing. Cowardice is fine... It means End won''t come and get you early. That is good in my honest opinion. Cheers for that, so don''t fret about it.¡± Murai said, appearing much calmer than before. ¡°What about this son in specific? Are the memories or his legacy included in all of Rudolf''s children or Bloodline, or... this legacy? I know he meddled with a lot of things, but this place and life could''ve changed that. He was Blessed after all.¡±


    ¡°Oh... Uh... Yes. Thank you for this. Yes, he was a Blessed. And yes, he got a lot covered in many layers of his research and teachings. He was a crazy, talented, and unconventional mage. He created some Paths too, but focused on his own merits and time. He changed how some continents handled magic, but in a way that meddled with Gods. It hasn''t gotten much potential, I fear, but my home takes it to where it might go.¡±


    ¡°Clever bastard, wasn''t he?¡± Murai added.


    ¡°Mana and magic are universal like his mind. It should remain free, and it was and wasn''t at some ages. Now, it is fairly widespread, because of the passing ages, but it wasn''t always like that. Rudolf changed this world a lot, and it took a while for grudges to fade.¡±


    ¡°Good for the world, I suppose. So? What about this son of his? Does a God want trouble with your home? That... why am I in the picture? You sound like a huge warning.¡±


    ¡°I do sound like that. As currently as it goes, it doesn''t concern us, so think of this as talks of an old man who is briefly overtaken by memories. I was always unwilling to do much in terms of wars and ambitions. Others are for that, as I am not alone, but like to act with that in mind.¡± The old man briefly touched his pendant, playing with it as he gazed at the table. ¡°My home thrives outside of any Gods, but who knows the time when it will be opposite? I want to prevent some problems, which you should know.¡±


    ¡°Noted, but not necessarily clear. You speak of it as there is more to my position, but I am just... duck?¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry about that. As harsh as it sounds, it doesn''t mean his son is a trouble. He is to my home, but once he knows you, things might get different. He hasn''t forced anything for a long time because of my position, but changes might come. Surviving is good, but why survive when one might strike back? Power runs this world after all. Always and all up til now, some things weren''t clear to me. I no longer fear that past as something terrible. Sharing it with you is somewhat of a blissful timing.¡±


    ¡°Bliss... you sound like you are on the brink of death. Unsurprisingly so, for an old man.¡± Murai tried to joke, but it wasn''t a time for that. At least from the looks the old man was giving him.


    Hearing his mocking tone, the old man smirked, letting out a huffed laugh that tried to change the present mood.


    ¡°True! I am old, so it''s like that. No wonder. No wonder. Alright!¡± He slapped the table, turning his face right in Murai''s direction. ¡°His name is Archibald. Mind his word when you hear him, but it depends on you. Not me.¡±


    His eyes gleamed in the light, and one wouldn''t think of him as an old fella. He had some strength after all, which many enduring folks possessed in this world.


    Old people were scary. Murai believed in that, as experience was often much better than a gift of a Divine Artifact. But when it all collided, fused, and turned tides to a new light, things were different.


    ¡°I thank you, sincerely, but I am done.¡±


    ¡°Done with what? Talking?¡± Murai raised his beak, looking straight towards his face.


    ¡°With my gift and this discussion. I am far from being satisfied with hearing what your old life might have been like, but the situation is pending a change. Or location is?¡± He pinched his pendant again and worriedly looked around the room.


    Murai followed his gaze but felt and saw no changes.


    ¡°Hm. Seems the situation still has some time,¡± the old man scratched his chin, littered with patches of white hair. ¡°I feared or thought the content of his Tome that you got was lacking for your taste when we started this conversation. Rudolf let a lot in there. Someone like you would love it.¡±


    ¡°Love it? What has he even remembered me like?¡±


    ¡°Menace is what he has left under some notes one must take with further context. It wasn''t as if he took your curse or reputation out of his mouth very often or into the public. Most bear your existence with care or mild fear. There are actual reasons and methods he took as secrets and undercover context. Few of his further descendants knew about his experience and lives. The better a descendant was, the better they took his words.¡±


    ¡°So you are good?¡±


    ¡°The best one ever was, I might say.¡±


    ¡°Better than this Archibastard?¡±


    ¡°Well, the direct line to his... was special, but still better I might say.¡±


    ¡°So a better than a proper God huh?¡± Murai nodded. ¡°I might see a shadow of him in your heart after all. But it is hiding like a weasel surrounded by wolves.¡±


    ¡°I take it as the finest compliment.¡± The old man chuckled. ¡°But you must have been dissatisfied with little he let out on those papers if you are talking to me with such clueless manners. Have you read it well?¡±


    ¡°Well? I don''t have that tome any longer, nor have I had much time to read it all thanks to this!¡± Murai spread his wings. ¡°A fucking life where holding and touching anything just doesn''t work is not my tea. I can''t even scratch my chin! A chin!! Let me fucking tell you what this is like... I swear this life is most miserable out of many others like this mess.¡± Murai went on, reaching and ranting his mind onto the single individual he felt would take it to his heart.


    He wasn''t wrong. The old man listened with great vigor and wished to get his notebook in his hand. Instead, he was resting his hands on the table, right beside Murai and his crafted piece that he called an Experiment #140.


    Unmoving, he watched how Murai kept his rant over his life and lacking hands going for almost half an hour. And even after the slowly decreasing word choices, Murai felt like he could keep on going with worries that had been in his heart for a long time.


    It needed an outlet, which he had found in this old man. He would never talk like this to Lisa or anyone. It was perhaps all thanks to a weird connection and mild familiarity that he felt with this old man that allowed his mind to pour this all out.


    Alas, as his voice came to a halt, the old man used this opportunity to complete what he wanted to do half an hour ago. Things finally stabilized and mana and runes all ceased to exist, disappearing into the clothes.


    That didn''t mean he wasn''t unwilling to hear what Murai wanted to say. No. He was more than intertwined in his rant and aspects of Anatidae that fused with such an old spirit. He was carefully listening to all mentions, storing them in his memory. To research and write in his notebook, whatever Murai wished to tell helped them both.


    ¡°Now, let''s pretend to be calm, little friend. I fear this life hasn''t been that good to you. I can tell that from your agitation and rant. Anatideas are fascinating creatures, which you are right now. Think of them as tools that your soul might not find fitting right now, but it isn''t the worst, I bet.¡± The old man said, almost allowing Murai to open his beak next. ¡°Though! I feel this thing on the table can grant you a better time.¡±


    Murai was close to trying some bet, but before he wanted to argue about it next, the old man grabbed his body and lifted him into the air. Murai couldn''t fight back at all, so, at speed and force, the old man shoved the cloth over his neck. He made something nice for him throughout this time that Murai didn''t appreciate, but he felt with enough time, he would love it.


    Murai found all aspects of his tries to fight back useless. Against his hands and speed, he lacked all strength.


    Grunting, he was letting out angry noises that had no words behind them. Having a cloth over his head wasn''t nice when he had no way to force it away.


    Again, hands would help. He winced with wings, neck, and legs, but nothing worked.


    Before he knew it, the piece of cloth slid around his neck, arriving neatly over his back, front, and slightly behind his neck. There were openings for the wings, resting them naturally where they should be.


    It was a hoodie.


    Murai opened his beak agape, glancing at himself as if he were watching a ghost.


    The hoodie had nice layers of fused leather and fabric in many parts, but yellowish soft leather was all over the visible parts. Some were especially thick, acting as a hood over his head and neck. It can fold beyond the head, allowing only a beak or part of his face to show.


    It was a physical hood, so he could force it behind his head fairly easily. Getting it on, however, should be rather hard for him.


    The hoodie started at the part of his belly, right above the start of the legs. It was tight in that part, slowly becoming wider and looser, or was that because of the feathers below the hoodie?


    The thick-looking hoodie was not in a single coloration, but the majority of colors were yellowish gold, almost light brown. There was even a zipper in the middle of the hoodie, right below his neck and going down, allowing him to close or open it with his beak alone. That was one of the most practical creations this old man created, and it wasn''t easy to implement this sort of thing with everything else in mind.


    Murai could even take the hoodie off completely with this little addition. With a simple grab of his beak and moving it down, the hoodie can slide behind his back. Well, the wings seemed to be in the way, so it wasn''t made for taking it off.


    Though, could Murai take it off? He felt he had a chance, but again... why was he thinking of that? Why he was looking and wearing this damned thing?


    He was shocked, looking like an ice statue that was still in the old man''s hands.


    He wasn''t sure what to think by this thing that reminded him of that backpack Lady Pachi forced onto him.


    But this time, it was from a friend, so he felt conflicted feeling whether he should gnaw it out of his body or accept it like a mildly infuriating gift.


    Probably both.


    The old man looked at his finished product on Murai''s body with fervent light in his eyes and a wide nodding smile. As he did so, he put him back on the table and continued his observation.


    As he was facing his beak, he was adjusting the fabric and other minor issues he had found through his lacking crafts. Be it feathers that Murai had, or leather parts that mended well together with the fabric, it seemed to go well with Murai''s body.


    The hoodie made him slightly burlier if it was even possible with his 30 centimeters tall stature. At least the fluff of his feathers was no longer that notable, thanks to another layer of protection above them.


    All in all, it seemed like one seamless piece of soft hoodie, but Murai wasn''t sure about the softness. It felt kind of sturdy and soft at the same time, or was he feeling his feathers more as the hoodie pressed down on him, hugging him tighter?


    The fabric and softness were the most notable feeling from the inner part of the hoodie. But all in all, feeling and sensitivity over his feathers prevailed more, as if the hoodie enchanted them, or at least didn''t bother their properties.


    Murai guessed it as much. This hoodie didn''t bother him in the slightest, but he hated how it worked and existed. It obscured his feathers, didn''t it?


    Thicker and heavier leather was still apparent over his back, beside the neck and hood that, when over his head, felt secured and didn''t seem to fall behind on its own. His front and sides were kind of softer to provide more free movement.


    Murai''s head popped out of the hole for the neck, right above the zipper. Looking for enough time, he angrily scowled at the old man as if he had eaten his lunch.


    ¡°What the fuck is this? I didn''t buy into this?! Again? What is wrong with people and their willingness to put clothes onto a freaking duck?!¡±


    ¡°Oh, it''s not your first piece of Anatidae Uniform? I would bet my hands I was the first...¡± The old man mumbled in displeasure.


    ¡°Anati... what?¡±


    ¡°An equipment. A uniform is more of a fitting word. Their signature too, so to say. One might say it as that, but I call it a uniform thanks to its importance. Their extensive knowledge base runs deep in my home. I crafted you a single option, right under my numerous experimental pieces. You can take it, I think. Try not to destroy it, or do so by fully taking its power out to give it some feedback. Then, I have no trouble with anything. Do whatever with it if you can, or take it to the extreme. Either way is fine.¡±


    Murai looked at him like a dumb duck. ¡°Wanna feel a smack to your left cheek or right?¡±


    The old man continued without any interruptions. ¡°I''ve created it with all my heart, skill, and research into the Anatidae that runs through my veins. So hearing your displeasure put the craftsmen''s heart to the abyss, I fear. Is it my bad judgment for making it unappealing? Do you not like the fairly close cut that should be prone to the Child stage of your life? Is there some other issue? Is a hoodie uncomfortable? It should all tighten and crisp up your feathers. What a shame.¡± The old man forced a frown on his face, faking a cry, and put a palm over his rectangular glasses.


    Murai doubted the world was spinning properly, or his soul did.


    Either way, he took this in with surprise and shock. ¡°Alright. Alright. I didn''t mean it that badly. At least this hoodie has some form of fashion onto it, and it feels right on my skin... or feathers? Whatever. What is it even? Why... even making it? Don''t I have my feathers? This seems excessive and unnecessary.¡± He turned on the spot, watching every corner of his body thanks to his flexible neck.


    Seeing himself better provided nice additions because this hoodie looked good on him in all regards. With the hood on, he almost looked like a thug. With it off, the hood rested behind his neck, close to wings that didn''t seem to have any problem with this hoodie.


    His use of wings wasn''t all that great anyway, so it wouldn''t be a bother to him, even if this hoodie was obscuring them a little.


    Behind the table, he noticed a mirror, allowing him to see himself much better than forcing his neck to limits.


    Glancing aside... Murai froze. He wasn''t ready to see his appearance in this way so quickly. He saw a hoodie in all of its glory, details, and craftsmanship that was hiding runes and some interesting things. Most of it was no longer that crystal clear, filled with mana or runes. Everything was subdued, no longer flaring in the runesmithing and other craftsmanship jobs.


    There was a flat-looking gem in a small circular formation in the upper part of the chest area, acting as a Catalyst for something Murai couldn''t guess.


    The basis that it was a Catalyst was his guess. Not fact. He wasn''t sure what to think of the mana cruising through this hoodie that he discovered with his senses. It was thin like a breeze, barely notable. A simple little nod of his Sonar cruised through the hoodie, revealing intricate... or to say the least, insanely complicated runic formation all over layers of interesting things.


    The threads from the start were one thing; so were some metals that fused with the leather and fabric. Murai wasn''t sure what it was here for, but mana acted like stale water around the threads, in fabric, runes, or leather. It was in a stagnant state, not flaring under any act.


    It was a piece of mana-infused equipment that was in a dormant state.


    He was sure it held some runic treasures and effects when activated.


    His mind was shaken by the inner complexity that seemed to arrive in a singular form, acting as the center. That was the flat gem at the part of his chest, close to the zipper. He was taken aback, not knowing what to tell this old man about his creation and why he was wearing it. Should he be thankful? That felt wrong.


    Around the right side of the neck, where a shoulder would be, there was a circle made from visible threads. Those were white, almost disappearing into the yellowish hoodie. In the circle''s threads were another 3 circles and in the middle of it all was an eye. It was either for something, or it was acting like a signature, as it was small and unnoticeable.


    Truth be damned in the world, the hoodie looked quite well on him, which the old man was seeing, but not Murai.


    The old man saw his face, but he was still satisfied to see him like that. He was a master craftsman in many things throughout his life, and if anything made sense to him, these Uniforms were his specialty.


    Making a piece of Anatidae Uniform was one of his favorite endeavors. Especially the unique kinds of them, with new experimental sets of research, analysis, and treasures only he could muster to use.


    So when he saw and heard of Murai, he wasn''t able to stop himself from creating and gifting him the tool of his wildest dreams and research.


    Few would even handle this experiment with necks tight, wings clear, and internals in one piece. He hoped he would take it, yet he was still a Child. A ridiculous one at that, if his hunch and Fate were correct. Perhaps he will be able to handle it.


    The hoodie had a very simple design, with clean, soft, and smooth textures. It held good-looking material in the front, but pretty much anything was of high quality. Whatever the materials were, Murai had few ideas about them, or where they were from. He didn''t pay the creation process that much attention, but he surely looked at the finished visuals right now.


    He was sure runes and his handling of those layers of fused materials got lurking suspicions.


    In some parts, there were special types of layers where leather was a great addition under the fabric or vice versa, creating a neat light form of textures. He wasn''t sure where the metals or those threads came into play.


    What for or why had this old man made it like this?


    That small etched rune gem acted like some Catalyst under his hands not that long ago. Mana indeed turned wild. Murai noticed that, but the conversation was more important to him. That gem was the only visible metallic part on his hoodie. Even the zipper was made of some food or part of the fabric, as it was barely noticeable. Overall, the gem was etched onto the fabric with a seamless style as if it was part of the uniform to begin with.


    Murai wasn''t sure of this gem either, but he would bet his wings he had seen such things before. They weren''t natural but created in some way. Perhaps he was wrong about it too, similar to his face and overall idea that he was watching a duck wearing clothes.


    Since he wasn''t sure, he asked straight to the point. ¡°What is this hoodie gem and.. everything? Why did you make it and force this upon me?¡±


    ¡°Why? Why don''t you listen to me? It''s good for your health. A chance that won''t come twice. I gift this to you because you need it. Isn''t that good enough reason for you, or you rather want to seek horse teeth before riding it?¡±


    ¡°I don''t like to be taken lightly, old man,¡± Murai said coldly, watching his eyes as he stretched his wings and neck up.


    ¡°I think it could be the opposite, but never mind that. I fear time knits us together, so this hoodie is like a gift you should treasure and use. Why? Because this world is against you, little friend.¡±


    ¡°Again... Why? Is my living that much against this? Is this world special? Such a ruthless run for my life has never happened to such a degree. Sure, some weren''t much different, but that is either because of setting or other lacking means.¡±


    ¡°I think truths are... unknown even to me. All I can say is that giving you more chances will mean something good. That is why I want you to have this experiment.¡± The old man patted the hoodie, pushed the hood over Muraii''s head that he previously pushed away, and patted him twice.


    ¡°It suits you, I might say. Though, its practicality is better than its appearance. I am never good at outer design. Such things seem sporadic at best times, while actual results matter more. It''s something that Anatidae species are prone to wear. It is their indistinct piece of uniform that makes them different from animals they never had the chance to be. I worked quite hard on this, so what do you think? Any feedback?¡±


    ¡°I can see craft, years, and worth in this. Sure, but my questions remain the same. Why?¡±


    ¡°Why why why... Questions aren''t great when something insane is going over this world. Should you toss it behind and leave my work to dust? No. Take that to your head. Simple as that. Are you dissatisfied with the materials? Cut? How''s mana and your mana space? Any misgivings in Mana Flow?¡± He quickly changed the subject and took the notebook into his hand.


    ¡°Materials? They feel good, but why even wonder about that? Aren''t my fathers more than enough for some protection? Ducks don''t need some clothes! Why use this... I mean... This... is nonsense.¡± Murai remained unmoving in his unhinged confusion that had no bounds.


    This went against his common sense which was integral to his Cursed Living. If there was something weird to him, it was truly weird to another level.


    Alas, as he heard his words, he followed his sense of reason and mana. Upon closer inspection, Murai noticed a clear line of unordinary mana properties that mended to his own.


    His feathers accepted the hoodie, hugging and forming layers as if they wanted to be part of the hoodie. When it came to mana, things weren''t much different because of his take on his mana space and cores. The hoodie had internals that didn''t make sense to him even with attention and Sonar.


    A part of it went to his back, ending close to his tail where certain bigger feathers protruded a little bit upwards and behind him, creating a duck''s tail.


    Murai turned to the mirror again, seeing his body in such clarity and time for yet another time. It was a weird perspective, as he watched his own eyes and senses that moved the neck, and the duck in the mirror moved instead.


    Observing his body in such a mirrored perspective wasn''t comforting. A duck was pretty much all that he gained from the mirror, but a duck wearing a hoodie?


    Ridiculous.


    He never thought he would see that in his messed-up lives. Not only was he watching it, but that duck in the mirror was him, moving on command and doing what he wanted. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The cherry on top was that Murai was unwilling to say that he didn''t even look half that bad in this hoodie. He thought it fit him well enough since it was custom-made for him. It was even hiding some secrets. That was interesting enough to change his mind.


    Turning back to face the old man, Murai cleared his mind in an awkward pause and gave him a long look. ¡°Alright. My apologies. This looks good, but one of my points still stands. Why have this when I have my feathers? From what I''ve gathered in Islands of Greatness, aren''t they substantial protection against sharp objects and elements? I already understand what they are about thanks to Mindarch, my research, and experiences.¡±


    ¡°You think you do, but you don''t.¡± The old man said mysteriously.


    ¡°Bullshit. Knowledge matters like facts. Thanks to my feathers, mind, tactics, and magic, I had an easier time. Nothing else matters. Not some hoodie, I dare to say. Then, there is my luck, wits, or whatever else. This is a fact that makes this hoodie redundant.¡±


    The old man heard his argument with a carefree smile; he somehow agreed, but only a little. It was a matter of perspective because he knew what made Anatidaes special and what Murai was. ¡°You are not wrong in this assessment of experiences. So allow me to say why you should have it and think of it as a treasure.¡±

 Chapter 165: Hoodie and secrets

    The old man pointed at Murai¡¯s hoodie. ¡°A big part of it is the workings of mana, as well as a rather questionable piece of an Anatidae Uniform. It¡¯s that simple. History and worth give it a face. You don¡¯t like it?¡±


    ¡°You mean what are runes to magic, or mana in general, or... Do you think of these ducks as something they aren¡¯t part of?¡± Murai asked.


    ¡°Not at all. Runes are extremely dense truths and Laws, capable of storing things and meanings like a code of hidden languages. They are universal, big, and important aspects of all worlds where cultures and mana grow. At least for the most part, of course.¡±


    ¡°I know that. Don¡¯t have to repeat the obvious.¡± Murai grunted. ¡°Wait, you keep moving away from the Anatidae topic!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do. Sure. You know all about the broader worlds, but not this one! Runes are older, similar to freaks like you, acting as one of the main pivotal roads of magic in some places. In Somalis, things are a bit conventional across the board, but runes aren¡¯t that popular. Magic and Paths are countless, so many schools, sects, nations, or kingdoms take them in, or not at all.¡±


    ¡°So like anywhere else?¡± Murai rolled his eyes, believing this conversation wasn¡¯t going anywhere.


    The old man scratched his chin. ¡°If you think that, I might say that must be the truth. Are all other worlds like this too? Size, cultures, histories, and other aspects all matter in crafts of the important Paths.¡±


    Murai agreed with him. There was nothing universally bad or good about this idea. All cultures touched upon the energies of the universe in all sorts of aspects. It depended on their setting, intellect, histories, or how much influence from the further worldly cultures and people went to them.


    It could be heavy or mild, acting like legacies, stories, legends, and so on. That was the gist of how development through countless years acted, as lives spread around the universe where they could.


    More often than not, Gods were behind pretty much all such worlds where energies went, thus affecting such worlds in many ways. That was the undeniable truth.


    The old man wasn¡¯t getting this idea because he hadn¡¯t lived the lives that Murai had. But he was understanding much more of it thanks to Murai¡¯s perspective, or the general views that followed his old and... supposedly unique life.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s take the runes as mana and rules.¡± the old man said, ¡°All equipment theories are important. You got the idea behind them at least, right? If so, this world takes care of it in a better light. Rules are there for it. Equipment and Artifacts are that kind of thing.¡±


    ¡°Equipment is there to support the body, Paths, or mind. Magic too. Let¡¯s not forget that. Artifacts can mend to anything, as they aren¡¯t conventional. They could be supposed as equipment as well, right? What is this hoodie then?¡± Murai wondered.


    ¡°Exactly. A big part of your hoodie is my focus on fixing and focusing on aspects of the Beast Core and Anatidae'' unnerving insanities. They have their magic as a major priority and it isn¡¯t all that nice. Why? Because of mana that cruises through all of their lives. All of them have cores, you see, creating a mess that is hard to tame. It may pose as a rather questionable power for the uniforms, right? It all makes their connections pop off.¡±


    ¡°Then, what is your idea, or this uniform like? Feels soft and kind of heavy or light in some portions. I feel the mana in it like a thin layer of sunlight. Is that gem the Catalyst? I can¡¯t even recognize its properties, but if it isn¡¯t the core of this thing, I am not a duck. Seems more like densely clustered essences together, which makes it what? A mana gem? Does this world have it? Haven¡¯t seen or heard of them in this world so far. Perhaps it is something new? Old?¡±


    ¡°That is not entirely correct, but not wrong. It is all sorts of things. Mana can be anything. You aren¡¯t far from the truth. This equipment has one problem, though. It needs mending with the world to take its effects, as any equipment piece does. It is high in value, so you might not take it lightly.¡±


    ¡°So, is it something good? What does it do?¡±


    ¡°See that for yourself when time and you can afford that. I shan¡¯t speak of it. The creation process differs from hoping for its validity. It shouldn¡¯t fray far from this world''s ideas, balances, and hopes. Hoodie provides the secrets that I gave it, so let¡¯s give the creator some slack. What it does may be unconventional, but in the end, my touch isn¡¯t the last. The world is its taker, as the world decides and takes care of most things one could find or get. All equipment works this way.¡± The old man slapped the table, made the final adjustment to the hoodie, and felt satisfaction after everything was over.


    ¡°So? It shouldn¡¯t pose you much problem wearing it, I presume?¡± He gave Murai a small grin.


    Murai accepted such answers. Finding facts from truths wasn¡¯t that terrible when he had a hoodie on his body, Sonar in his mind, and knowledge in his soul. He could research this thing, but one thing was still confusing.


    Equipment sounded to be outside of many things, yet wasn¡¯t that quite close to weapons and armor one could just craft and use? Why were there limits to them when Will of the Battleworld had to acknowledge them? Wearing them didn¡¯t sound like a limit, but from his words, it seemed their effectiveness was subjected to the Will of the Battleworld¡¯s readings.


    One would believe they were out of that picture, similar to Boostless training and many other things.


    Did this world disturb the equipment and similar treasures one might craft? Were wearing these things put with shackles in mind? If so, what made the equipment good if there were some limits that the world forced onto them? Weren¡¯t there leveling difficulties already for them?


    Murai didn¡¯t get why this old man was speaking of some limits, but it wasn¡¯t any different from how he viewed abilities.


    As the old man said, his creation went against some rules, albeit he didn¡¯t state it directly. He had limited ideas about what Experiment #140 had in worldly rules, as it was quite a robust piece of empowering mana treasure that should work with mana space and the core. It should be workable¡­ Possibly accepted by some nasty limits because he gave it to a Child.


    It was also fairly inflexible and wild, as his touches to the runic structure possessed his biggest touch. The world shall take that into its rules that were far from this old man¡¯s touches, but if Murai wore it, something funny would happen for sure.


    After all, one thing was still a fact. Having it even with limits was good. From the material standpoint, it was a good protection treasure, even if its internal workings wouldn¡¯t pass the marks of balance and readings.


    This sort of issue was something that all craftsmen cared about. They had to consider the rules if they wanted to create nice things and had value and business to sell.


    Old man created layers of interesting runes and treasures that should put some power into a new perspective. It shouldn¡¯t be a good thing from the rule standpoint, but it wasn''t as if he cared about it.


    There were finite answers and facts about this hoodie, which all equipment had in common.


    The world was accepting these crafts, giving them limits. Levels and limits weren¡¯t up to the crafters, but they sure could make their treasures as best as possible and discover what they did after the world accepted them.


    Essentially, the old man had no worries about his craft, although he knew exactly what effects and powers it should hold because of his experience and intentions. But in terms of what it would do to Murai, or how the world would take it into account, he wasn¡¯t sure.


    He could only pray to no God in particular that Murai won¡¯t die because of it.


    Murai wasn¡¯t all that knowledgeable about how treasures and such things worked in this world. In practice, things differed. Lisa explained to him the situation about Artifacts or Equipment with excuses, but truths.


    He won''t be using them as a duck, yet who was laughing now?


    Murai got his first piece of proper equipment so he should be happy about it. He mostly ignored Lisa''s topics about them after knowing they were useless. As a duck¡­. Well, he at least had an idea about what level and grading scheme worked like.


    Lisa made sure of it, thanks to the Keys he had. Lisa held them, but as if it was important.


    ¡°Fine, old man. You won your share of my interest. So yes. You might say that I will take it, but it doesn¡¯t answer my feathers. Before this¡­ meeting, I spent Question Mark asking about Anatidaes. Their beak, feathers, and wings are all big variables. They are their aspects, or so Mindarch talked about them. Isn¡¯t it obvious that this hoodie is kind of strange to call it a uniform? Do all Anatidaes wear this sort of thing? You seem to know about it... Tell me why,¡± Murai said to him, squinting his eyes and hoping for answers.


    Doubts lingered there too, as if he was questioning this old man¡¯s skills and ideas.


    Which wasn¡¯t wrong.


    The old man chuckled in a good mood, expecting this to come sooner. ¡°Question Mark, huh? That fella took that like a charm, right? I think I¡¯ve put this realm to my benefit, but someone still lingers here¡­ or something.¡± The old man turned his chair, glaring around nowhere in particular.


    Then he heard some thin voice.


    [No¡­ need to care. Not as if I am eavesdropping. Just listening. Oh! Crap! Wait. Wait. Wait. That''s the same thing, isn''t it?] Mindarch panicked.


    ¡°You cheeky thing¡­ I thought I¡¯d got my deal.¡±


    [You did, so?]


    ¡°Can¡¯t I have some privacy?¡±


    [No.] Mindarch simply refused. [Where we are again, huh? Where?!]


    ¡°Your head, you idiot.¡± the old man sighed, as if helpless with this soul construct. ¡°Does she know it, or had she ordered it?¡±


    [Actually, more pressing problems are going on right now, so this conversation goes against her orders. She told me to not come even a bit closer to you. Hah! Who laughs now? You can handle Citizen M to your liking, as it is within the rights of the situation. Same as my existence¡­ that trashed at your little thing far too wildly. Seriously, it took too much effort for my liking!]


    ¡°Your problem,¡± the old man said coldly as he turned back to Murai, who wasn¡¯t all that surprised to hear Mindarch speaking. Their conversation seemed to give him weird ideas.


    ¡°So you work with Levandis.¡± He quacked.


    ¡°Alright. Not that. Where have we ended? Right. Of course, they do wear the uniforms. It is their signature. A token of their power, albeit it is more complicated. Wait here.. Wait a moment. I think there is something here that gets this topic more light.¡± The old man pushed himself from the table, traveling in the chair across the room.


    The chair had flexible wheels at the bottom, allowing him to travel unobscured on a smooth wooden floor. It was quick, and every movement needed just a light kick on the floor.


    The old man rode in the chair like a champion, arriving at different walls littered with many kinds of books on shelves. Murai glanced at them as he pushed his Sonar onwards.


    The majority of them had some form of mana undulations, but most had some locks or spells, indicating some research papers, tomes, or various books with unknown knowledge or purpose.


    There were a lot of them, he deducted by clearer mana and their names written on their sides. Who knew what sort of things were in those that weren¡¯t up to his Sonar or eyes? Some of them looked the same as the Heavenly Shaping Manual, looking barely coherent and like a piece of shit. Their aura was thin like weeds or nonexistent to his senses.


    The old man knew what to look for, albeit he wasn¡¯t the owner of this place.


    [Now, what are you looking for?] Mindarch asked in a bother. [Don¡¯t go around my home! Make sure to tidy it up afterward¡­ Old people are unreliable.]


    The old man chuckled. ¡°You wished.¡±


    Research facilities were also part of this treasury and special vault. It went deep, as all sorts of rewards for higher-level Challengers meant knowledge, information, or power in many forms. Some Mana Tomes weren''t about techniques, but legends, or specific information filled with wonders from old ages.


    It all made sense in the fairness of what kind of individuals came here for. What they wanted could wary a lot.


    Murai stood on the table, not yet ready to take his interest in this room. He still focused on the old man, who took some book into his hand after yet another snarky comment from Mindarch about how uncaring he was about his voice.


    But if anyone, this old man can take and do anything in this room right now. Mindarch can¡¯t stop him even if he could.


    One moment later, the old man kicked the floor again, pushing his chair from the bookshelf back to the table. Seamless and quick, all of this took a few seconds, giving Murai a bet that the old man knew what to look for and must know a lot more than he said.


    Every inch of that bookshelf may be on top of his palm, or worse? Better? Perhaps he was underestimating this old man, who was yet to tell who he was, or where he came from.


    The last hour was full of topics that he took like a careful fox, unwilling to let everything out of his mind. He reminded him too much of Lisa who wouldn¡¯t be happy with this old man for sure. Perhaps they would like each other or¡­ not at all.


    Murai recognized it, which was why he repeated some of his questions about feathers, but he didn¡¯t answer his most important questions.


    The old man took most of the topics to his own hands and mouth, telling what he wanted, and what he desired thanks to the fact he was here right now, talking to Murai behind many heads and backs. Most of it revolved around Murai¡¯s living, past lives, or the hoodie, which Murai accepted like a gift that sounded interesting after begrudging acceptance.


    The old man was holding a rather thick and tall-looking book that seemed like an encyclopedia.


    He opened it for his eyes alone first, forcing the main cover onto Murai¡¯s face. Pages turned away under his jolting eyes, quick hands, and mind that moved to what he wanted.


    The cover was nothing abnormal, but Murai saw its age right away. It was robust and veiled protection spells were around it, protecting it from unkept hands, interest, or time itself.


    Neither of which was a bother for this old man, who crashed some spells with a flick of his hand. Black leather covered each corner, hugging the wooden frame of the book for unnecessary protection and smugness, because spells protected its condition more than enough.


    But so much can be protected for many millennia, or more. Time was unnerving, always clinching to anything that went through human hands. This time, it may be something that went through much more than that. After all, whatever it was, it must be here for a reason.


    Murai never heard of some books being included at the end of this Gate. It was no wonder. He had no clue about the height of the rewards that were around the Gates that adhered to unknown heights and limits.


    It depended on how many times a Challenger went to Gates or how deep. Their result, success, Levels, and overall power moved the results and ceiling of the treasures next. It wasn''t about points, but overall choices.


    All the endings at each Gate provided rewards ranging from a pile of shit for Level 10s¡ªif they could even come to that point¡ªto Extreme treasures or various other interests. Those could be simple words, books, precious materials, or, as Murai knew, Influence Items.


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    He was here for them alone because it was under his current limit and a wealth of interest. Some Relic Artifacts were also there for his eyes, thanks to his pair of Keys.


    So when he glared at the cover of the book, he noticed its name on one side. It was an uncommon language, depending on the world or culture. Symbols were etched into the wood and leather, representing its name in the elven tongue.


    Encyclopedia of Beasts.


    Part 1: History of Beast in the Skies, Depths, and Surface.


    Murai read it without a problem, wondering what sort of things were written inside of it. He noticed there were thousands of pages, thanks to the time the old man took to look for what he wanted.


    In a minute, he found the chapter and sub-chapter he looked for. Turning the book around, he showed quite interesting pages to Murai.


    Beak open, eyes wide, he glanced at the many pictures depicting all sorts of ducks. There were numerous pictures, sketches, and diagrams of them wearing clothes, armor, and even stranger clothing. Some were weird and depicted old or otherworldly styles. Some ducks even wore suit, appearing like a gang leader.


    Like him, most had just an upper body covered in some leather or fabric, often stylized like human clothes. Murai was the same, but his hoodie looked fairly modern and unfit for this world.


    Some ducks had even simple robes with a leather belt around the belly or neck going up around the back.


    Once more, it was insensible to seek this circus, but facts were before his eyes. Some ducks had even better interesting concepts. The rare boots and hats made them look quite comical. Additionally, some armors functioned as miniature fortresses. Murai had no intention of laughing. After all, he was one of them.


    Up above them, on the uppermost edge of the page, was the title of a sub-chapter.


    Anatidae Uniforms, written in elven tongue.


    Unfortunately or not, most of the pictures were sketches and even less were written about the content of the rare pictures. The old man showed him many pages, giving him a look at a gallery with some comments about their styles, choices, cuts, or various means.


    It didn¡¯t mention those who made these clothes. Just pictures and ideas.


    ¡°So, it is true, I suppose? These handwriting and paintings have quite some style for them. As expected of elves.¡± Murai added as he returned to normal.


    ¡°Some of my ancestors were the ones to write it, but never mind that.¡± Commented the old man, closing the book and tossing it at the other end of the table.


    ¡°Ancestors? Rudolf was... interested in ducks?¡±


    ¡°Not only interest.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. Not bad, I suppose. He was insane before, so he must¡¯ve liked their concept. No wonder. I can see some value in that book, though you have yet to comment on some of my pending questions. This book provides context and history. Uniforms are fitting words, that much I must acknowledge.¡±


    ¡°That is true, I suppose. Fine, I will add more layers to this book. The clothes and uniforms are part of the style and history of the Anatidae species. Do you know how they came to be? Did someone, or anything, mention that? The world would often do that.¡±


    ¡°Know a few facts. True.¡± Murai nodded. ¡°Their history dates back to the times when Gods wanted some pets. Anatidaes are the aftermath.¡± He said as if he was proud to remember this little of the truth.


    The old man would expect more, so he sighed and figured the truth was often forgotten, ignored, or not said at all. He wasn¡¯t surprised.


    ¡°That is the gist of it. Clothes and their uniform are an aspect of that past. Now, I gave you one, because you need it and deserve my attention. Now, I am not even asking for some exaggerated price like some idiots would. Bah!¡± the old man sneered, remembering something nasty from the past. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°History... Can I look at that book?¡± Murai tried to dig for some knowledge, but when he looked at that book, it was once more filled with locks and protection spells.


    ¡°No.¡± The old man refused him as quickly as he wanted and tossed it away. ¡°This place¡¯s depths aren¡¯t for you to take. The world may be the same, as any Child should be wary of their steps. The thing is, I do have a price. Care to give it?¡±


    ¡°Price? What? I feel someone should gift me something in return for being... experimental rat. Or...¡± Murai hesitated as thin layers of doubt or conscience told him to accept this. The old man told him plenty of things and even gave him this hoodie that seemed more than he could guess.


    ¡°Let me be physical.¡± the old man moved his hands and quickly grabbed Murai¡¯s back. He gently swiped the fabric away, looking for some feathers deep around his back, close to the tail.


    Murai wasn¡¯t that pleased to be handled like this, but he allowed this to happen. Perhaps it was his conscience working, or curiosity about what he was doing.


    [Oh, what that one is doing!? Oh? No way!] Mindach seemed to be surprised, but the old man didn¡¯t care for him.


    Flexing his fingers, he found the feathers he wanted. They looked more crisp than usual, and their amber color was deep, looking like shiny metal, hiding underneath many layers of other feathers.


    He grabbed one of them and picked it out of its foundation, which was essentially Murai¡¯s whole body.


    As he did so in one move, right afterward, and like lighting, a piercing pain went all over Murai¡¯s back, shivering his body and giving him pain.


    Grunting and quacking a high-pitched noise, this pain was so immense and quick, he felt it like a day-long torture happened in a heartbeat.


    Clutching his wings and neck, he let the pain away, as if it was only temporary. Whatever happened shall soon pass.


    It was a fine excuse, which worked to ease the pain. He still cursed in his mind, glaring a hole into this old man¡¯s head. He wasn¡¯t that vocal, as one would think. Perhaps because he wanted to remain stubborn for the sake of hearing what this old man had to tell, or his mere existence caused Murai to be like this.


    Murai pretended to be tougher than he was, so he stopped out tears forming and innards turning. He didn''t expect a single loss of a feather would hurt him this much. Now, he never wanted to lose his feathers ever again.


    Either way, the feather was between the old man''s fingers, slightly glowing and looking like a prize. He took care of it, lifting it close to his eyes. Observing no less than a 10 centimeters long feather between his thumb and point finger, it seemed interesting and special.


    Murai didn¡¯t know why it was like this. Most of his feathers didn¡¯t look this way. He didn''t care for it, however, albeit he should. The old man found his disinterest rather fascinating, similar to his demeanor, tolerance, and other things.


    He nodded to himself a couple of times, watching the feather and Murai alike. ¡°Interesting. This right here is my little payment. Do you agree?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less,¡± Murai answered, half cursing the pain away and half sure his legs were still quivering. He faked his stubbornness successfully after he was back at the table.


    ¡°Excellent. Now, are you familiar with the world of the Battleworld and its various blessings and workings?¡±


    ¡°A bit. My... Life Companion is a bit useless in this regard, but I¡¯ve heard enough from Mindarch, a few people, and the Will of the Battleworld itself. Added together, it is enough for most things. At least what I need right now isn¡¯t much. I am sure I am lacking in a lot of ways.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t wrong or right. Do you want to change that?¡± the old man offered.


    ¡°I might. The world or some Gods want my head, right beside the fools in the Centralis Kingdom that took their mantle because of some rules this world has, I suppose. Gods can¡¯t come to the surface willy-nilly. So as far as it makes sense, Lordis, God of Battle, that asshole is behind my neck. Why or how he thinks of it isn¡¯t under my eyes.¡±


    The old man took his quacks in silence.


    ¡°Beside that,¡± Murai continued. ¡°Blessings are whatever. Can¡¯t care for Gods and their lofty asses. Evolutions, on the other hand, sound and look intense. I like their concept and how everything boils down to a choice one can make. Paths are the same, but I am nowhere near what I want. Abilities and their evolutions are nice.¡±


    ¡°Hm? Anatidae evolutions and Paths are an interesting concept when added together. May I hear of it further? What are your plans?¡±


    ¡°Plans? Not dying and fucking this shit up.¡± Murai spread his wings and stretched his neck. Pain still lingered in his back, but he ignored it. ¡°Needs for time and magic are the same. Got some nice things, however. A Tome called Heavenly Shaping and my magic is good.. albeit squeezed like a toy.¡±


    ¡°Squeezed... I tend to hear that a lot, but the Heavenly Shaping is nice. I might¡¯ve heard about that. Old and rough, it is the epitome of the complex legacy of the Pillage Emperor, but we talked about it a little already. An old dog, right?¡± The old man nodded and wrote something into his notebook that at some point appeared in his grasp.


    ¡°Tell me about it...¡± Murai sighed.


    ¡°But that sounds about right for those worthy to make such choices. Some cannot take that to their heads. Others have so much. A choice is like a curse. I presume Rudolf¡¯s Tome allowed you to see most of this clearer?¡±


    ¡°Clearer? That man was full of his head and pride. Some things never change, I know. But I haven¡¯t read into it as I¡¯ve got that tome with a mere few steps into this world. I even lost it. Haven¡¯t I said that?¡± Murai wondered if he did or not. He wasn¡¯t sure. A lot of topics went left and right when this old man wasn¡¯t that specific.


    ¡°L-lost it?¡± The old man seemed a bit shocked and hesitant. Scratching his chin in the process of some recollection, he mumbled something inaudible before changing back to normal. ¡°The thing is, the Blessed figures are like top dogs of this world. One should think of them as takers of the past that came here because of some merit. They gain tremendous advantages thanks to the sakes of their unique past. You, my little friend, are so different from that idea. I don¡¯t even know how to describe it.¡±


    Murai puffed his chest. ¡°Should I feel honored? Crazy? Sane? I don¡¯t care where I¡¯ve ended up. I care for the present.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s even crazier than one would expect and see. I, for once, can¡¯t comprehend the past things Rudolf left out or mentioned. Whatever will go out of this will be next to impossible to read or guess. Fascinating stuff. Seeing your soul and situation arriving at this world filled with so much stuff. I can¡¯t see the end of it, but the world and everything follows or bends around it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s passable time.¡± Murai downplayed his world, listening to him, and wondered what were his questions again. He was becoming lost in the conversation and what he wanted from this old man.


    ¡°May I have one question myself?¡± the old man asked next and didn¡¯t even wait for Murai to nod or quack. ¡°Do you recognize the content of your hoodie? That would help you with its purpose, but can¡¯t guess your memories or soul itself. It is deep. Like void.¡±


    ¡°Heard that before. Think of something else. But the hoodie, huh?¡± Murai glanced at it again and even moved his Sonar over it. ¡°I wasn¡¯t paying attention to your acts, but I¡¯ve seen your bits. Mana threads are made of some soft and thin concepts of sand, fluid, metals, and something else. It mends into the layers. Their quality is unknown to me, nor is this leather. The soft fabric is mostly on the surface, but it is all over the place. I doubt the natural ways. Is it processed with some additional materials, making it synthetic? It would give some answers to the internal structures of runes or that fabric, but it gives more doubts and questions as well. I am not sure knowing them would help me with anything.¡±


    The old man wrote more notes, nodding in return to his guesses.


    ¡°There is also this gem, as we talked about. I mentioned it at least, but doesn¡¯t it form a Rune Heart that handles formations that activate more runes or something specific?¡±


    ¡°More or less. It is a heart, in some sense. Though, it¡¯s far from the activations, since it is a gift that is yet to be processed. You might try to handle it as I¡¯ve made it, which works just fine for some people, but it is like handling a dangerous toy to a toddler.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Murai frowned at his slightly mocking face.


    ¡°As I¡¯ve said. Battleworld won¡¯t allow something like this to go unnoticed, as I take this whole situation with this temple in mind. This is my little hiding spot, far away from things that would make things difficult for me and others.¡±


    ¡°So you are involved in demonic Gods, or... Hell Gods or how they are called in this world? Or¡­ others?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Do you think Rudolf would be against it?¡± He laughed.


    ¡°You kidding? He had no care for the Order or Chaos in his head. Of course not.¡±


    ¡°You bet. Sometimes, Rudolf was much ferocious, tougher, and cruel than some measly little devils or demons.¡± The old man said those words with quiet confidence and proudness for his late ancestor.


    He still talked fast, but slower than in the start. Murai could discern his feelings with ease, albeit without Soul Read in sight. He didn¡¯t feel or figure a thing out of him at all, but it wasn''t a problem for him.


    Soul Read had limits. Few ridiculous things would allow a Child to view or make sense of powerful figures or those close to them. He figured that from Ceila and the other Suns.


    But this old man should be different from them. Glancing at his own feather in the old man¡¯s hands, Murai didn¡¯t have a word to give to his melancholy.


    ¡°Oh, sorry. Let these memories do their thing isn¡¯t usual for me to see. This hoodie is my gift, which shall be at some point overlooked by the Battleworld, fused to you, or taken away. I wonder which will happen first.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t it be difficult for you? I mean, it sounds like crafters are taking some interest in it as well, mistakes, or they feel to me as if they are slaves to this system.¡±


    ¡°I will be fine. Trust me. There might be an agreement or something under the present Encounter that I¡¯ve noted. I suspect this hoodie won¡¯t come into effect until you will go beyond your starting Part.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that? But I¡¯ve already had some little things here and there. Upon entering the temple, Mindarch worked over these chaining rules, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    [I sure did!] Murai said proudly. Once again, this pair of ridiculous things overlooked his comments.


    ¡°This is different. It¡¯s my gift.¡± This time, the old man was prouder than ever.


    ¡°Fine... I will look into this further, so have my thanks for making this hoodie then.¡±


    ¡°Got payment.¡± The old man played with the feather in his hand.


    ¡°Sounds like a cheap thing. Wanna more feathers? Got a few thousand more, I think?¡± Murai folded his wings, offered his back and ass, and chuckled.


    The old man refused him quite politely with a slight bow.


    ¡°Anyway, will this hoodie act in a steadier form with some mana included?¡± Murai asked. ¡°Runes always work that way, so does it have some strange properties? Should my Shaping or Conjuring do its justice? Limits should forget that idea or some outer mess like the Will of the Battleworld.¡±


    ¡°Hohoho. I will let you, little friend, be the judge of that. Yes. The initiating procedures work even without accepted equipment or Artifacts. That is true. It is often limiting, however. Try to overcome my gift and you will be glad about it. It¡¯s still a single piece of equipment like many others, but working with that is up to you, a Blessed who is truly blessed.¡±


    The old man took a deep breath, glad that everything he wanted to do and tell was successful. He accepted and stored the feather in a page of his notebook.


    ¡°Alright, anything else that you want to tell?¡± Murai asked. ¡°I¡¯ve got the gist of how useful it is, even with the feathers in the way. It is up to my interest to care for it like with Heavenly Shaping. It feels like I will be busy, huh?¡±


    ¡°True. Do your best. Other than that, there is nothing much, apart from doing Mindarch¡¯s work. Poor soul got scared or something, or Levandis ordered him to go away from my sight? I wonder, which is it?¡±


    [Shut up¡­ you pretend I am not here¡­ Jackass for your own good.]


    Murai almost laughed and wondered if it was the truth. ¡°You are that big of a deal, huh? For an old man that gave the duck a piece of cloth, I am not impressed.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be. Now, if my memory serves me right, you are allowed to take any Influence Item from this place, or according to Mindarch¡¯s guidance, so I suppose I will do it instead?¡±


    The old man gestured with his hands away from the table, pointing to the wide room filled with unfathomable wealth.


    The hut had sections with tables and shelves. Many had weapons and other things. Some were full of stored glass containers or bottles depicting Influence Items.


    There were also equipment pieces and tools ranging from Relic Artifacts to Law Artifacts. Anything better was usually under strict concealment formation, leaving any aura hidden or dull.


    ¡°I suppose this is the end of our discussion, so allow me to ask another question,¡± Murai demanded.


    ¡°Free to tell.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your name? Calling you old sounds like injustice.¡±


    ¡°Name? Well, you have yours in many acts, I presume? Mine is simple. People and all sorts of beings call me Amelius. A rather young-sounding name for my age, but it¡¯s fitting, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Amelius? That is good. Good name.¡±


    ¡°Unlike you, with many names under his belt, it is more than enough. Now, begone with this chit-chat. I bet the course of this Encounter won¡¯t be that pleasant, and you have gifts and Gates to take. We have been talking for so long and far too free in mind and soul. Help yourself with some treasures and move on. Spending more time with an old man such as myself is no longer needed.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I had fun.¡±


    ¡°Then I bet the time for the next meeting won¡¯t be far away, anyway. Now, go. Shoo.¡± Amelius pushed his chair, forming a clear closure upon this exchange. He didn¡¯t elaborate on their next meeting.


    He went aside, clutching his notebook, and became reading or writing at ridiculous speeds.


    Murai wasn¡¯t interested in that, albeit he glanced at the BeastEncyklopedia aside. There was a clear boundary that mattered. Dissociation with whatever Murai was about to do was his take on respect and pride. Amelius pretended he no longer existed.


    This left Mura in his hoodie, standing at the table. He was glad to meet Amelius, who at least introduced himself at the last minute, but he was still unaware of where he came from or why he knew so much about Anatidaes.


    Murai adjusted his body in the hoodie, making his feathers more comfortable after losing a single one to Amelius¡¯s hands. He still felt that itch on his back, but most of that pain disappeared by now.


    Glancing at him for one last time, he jumped from the table before seizing his reasons for coming here. The hoodie was a delightful bonus, however.


    There were all kinds of stuff that he paid no attention to upon his arrival. He spent all that time talking with Amelius, leaving the primary content of the tables or shelves obsolete.


    Fortunately for them, Murai was pushed to ignore their interest and had a mind around the table. By now, his mind had forgotten about that pendant.


    Whatever opportunity or treasure was there, he would pick something nice behind Lisa¡¯s back.


    Hm? Amelius mentioned some nice things about evolutions, so I presume the Influence Item is fine to interpret as a secondary addition to one of my three choices. Besides Aquantis, I have nothing. Sounds like a shortcut to get the finite choice done. I need 3 choices before fully starting the evolution by making a choice and meeting some requirements. That was at least what I¡¯ve gathered from it last time. Murai thought as he glanced around and pushed his Sonar to some objects of interest.


    Bottles with liquids and apparatuses, that mages use when conducting experiments and who knew what else, were on some section of shelves. Bottles of all kinds were all interesting and popular portrayals of Influence Items. They were often natural, but a lot of them were the work of mages who experimented or worked with Bloodlines. Usually, Influence Items could be anything. Even a feather, teeth, skin, bone, and so on.


    These potion Influence Items were often potent or weak, depending on the concoction and purity of the Bloodlines and choices of ingredients.


    Bloodline was not always about the blood, but most bottles held up red liquid.


    Murai saw at least a hundred bottles having names on a little strip of leather that was like a tag when one would buy some potions in the magical markets. Most had a name, grade, level, and even purity that showed the main ingredient and their quality.


    Murai went from bottle to bottle first, glancing at each tag and their information. He wasn¡¯t looking or feeling the bottles themselves, albeit almost all of them were unobscured, allowing him to notice their effects or purity. That was mostly about feelings alone and mana.


    In physical realms, sealing them went for a good reason and protection. Undulations and some sense were perfect for his sensual Sonar or his eyes alone.


    It was easy to assume bloodline extractions, concoctions, or the simple work of mages. Those were blackish red, denser than more diluted or conducted Influence Items. The thinner the redness went, the less pure it was.


    But that was where quality might get out of the picture. The grade of materials mattered; purity could be various. Low-purity but high-class ingredients would yield better results than high purity of poor ingredients.


    Distinguishing between them was the job for senses and mana alike. Or the content of the strips around those bottles.


    Murai was happy to see something familiar. He had touched on this subject in some of his lives, as Bloodlines worked wonderfully across many words and ages alike. After all, all living beings had some way to touch their origin foundation, spark, genom, or however else some worlds called them.


    Influence Items around evolutions and this world were new to his standards, but they weren''t anything groundbreaking. They weren''t the perfect way to start an evolution, of course.


    Most ways to touch the Bloodlines were under his knowledge, and he finally uncovered the portrayal of the Influence Items that were basic Bloodline treasures in many worlds.


    It was the exact same thing in his demonic life. This world had it a little better because the Will of the Battleworld and its acts of evolution helped a lot with many shortcomings and clarity.


    Lives ago, a demon with a poor Bloodline, Murai was a fiend that hated weakness. Bloodlines were currencies in that memory. Bottles of the finest pure bloodline were worth a fortune and power. A lot of killings as well.


    Here, these bottles around him were melancholic and nice, looking affordable like grass.


    He can take any one of them. He held no limitations whatsoever.

 Chapter 166: Ending choices

    What were the demons?


    That name depicted the degree of insanity that followed many names, all sorts of races, and even more ages and worlds. Some were full of them, while others took their creation and status as being lower than beasts.


    But they were the foundation in a rough sense of history. At times when the beginning passed through everything, Chaos birthed all sorts of existences. Space cracked, planets formed, and life ripened in many forms. Demons were of those kinds of freaks of that time. That was the general truth that was like legend and legacy that followed the oldest history.


    At its core, a demon was the epitome of life forms. Mutants, monsters, or creatures were their mere mentions throughout the histories where mutations and time passed slowly. Changes arrived with time, so when the universe thrived and life flourished, demons changed, Bloodlines warped, and souls manifested. Intellect followed and increased afterward.


    Human races and uncountable beasts existed just because of their immense will for survival even in the harshest conditions. Some worlds demanded that idea, making evolving and changes much more powerful, even though they took many years to show prominence.


    Fear and pain pushed that idea along very often, helping with change. Demons were beings that held their limits through time, where changes mended others instead of them, limiting their intellect because of their insanity born from Chaos. Powerful flesh and instincts changed their status in numerous ways, turning them into weird creatures that had almost no boundaries.


    The strongest kind of demons, even in the current universe, were no different from any other races. Their variants, mutations, and complex Bloodlines worked for the old times'' sake. Murai felt that sentiment not that many lives ago.


    Many demons could hardly change from the outside or inside, but deep down their souls or instincts could go to incredible heights. It went through their versatility, reliance on insects, or sheer resistance to many things.


    Where did the line between a demon''s origin and the rest end? Was there even some form of line? End?


    What was even Bloodline, if not an endless course of timely familial information akin to a law of creatures? Though the beginning was there, what followed the course of history were various dividing ways spreading across the Skies.


    For devils, demons were their more direct progenitors than humans, whose Bloodlines were tame and more fit for Order. But few devils would even accept, let alone acknowledge the idea that demons were part of their ancestry. It was unsightly for them to think of their demonic sides as something nice and proper, although cutting every devil into the same pieces wasn''t fine. Even amongst them, many cherished Chaos and countless other things.


    It was a string of racial issues, making devils consider themselves devils and not demons. But at some point, they were close to demons as the process of evolving was slow.


    Thriving across the universe was an old and complicated ordeal. Demons were simply unable to take the change. The best of them stretched their lives beyond, giving rise to more races and changes that the universe required.


    It followed unprecedented clashes and times, and few would even fathom what the creation or rules of these times looked like.


    Murai was no different.


    It was redundant to think of his status as universe-shaking, but if it could be that, he wouldn''t complain. Some of his lives were closing on some touches, as Creators¡ªas some often described those above the Paths¡ªcruised and touched the entire universe. But name mattered little, if any. They were Entities. Unknown and deep, mysterious and dangerous for those unworthy or too lofty to seek them.


    Murai was quite familiar with his set of expectations and knowledge, and after getting his lives together after numerous failures, he saw the pattern of insanity, Chaos, and Order. It all muddled together for some reason. Sometimes, he couldn''t even see the broader picture or any difference in anything. It was either because of the worlds that mended to a single Divide, or his soul was just messed up. Could be both.


    A proper idea or ideology for every New Beginning ensured that not much misery went into them. Every restart was a plunge into a new setting filled with new problems. Some were turning points that worked akin to a placebo effect. An idea that created the truth, even fi was fake or false instead. He thought of it as enabling growth and easing his suffering.


    It helped him further with those beginnings. That was the undeniable fact.


    Bad ideas disallowed clarity from the most basic principles. Too much overthinking wasn''t good either. His living needed something else. Something he hadn''t touched upon or seen.


    One should remain positive even through the harshest of conditions. That was what Murai learned but often didn''t follow through with it for various reasons. Every life was like that. It was and wasn''t in his hands most of the time.


    After all, why or how did he even end up in worlds and lives he had? Why had he ended as a leaf of a tree, a pebble, or a duck, demon, devil, god, or others?


    Was it for Bloodlines or no reason at all? Living bodies implied and moved everything like mana and soul.


    Bloodline meant a piece of information. A deep truth that was as old as mana, or perhaps even older because no one knew if mana ensured the existence of the universe, or the universe ensured the flow of mana. Some would dare the universe was bare at first, but none ever knew the truth about how it became rich and unfathomably vast.


    Across the past, Bloodline was like a law of a lifeform. A strand that went for countless cycles where individuality mattered very little. Murai felt and knew it far too well as their past researcher, taker, and sufferer.


    His current Bloodline was crazy like his living mess. He tried to follow the proper sense of reason, albeit it was a duck that ended up guiding this belief. He learned enough of that from Mindarch and Amelius, but not enough to change his perspective or outlook.


    He almost couldn''t hold his head straight because of it. In that case, pebble was bliss in some senses, but perhaps he was lying to himself. Bad things can pass, but the most likely mess that was infuriating him was the Encounter and the way this world acted around him. Perhaps it was all caused by his Blessed status? How did he even get it? Why was he hunted like an animal?


    He knew information ensured success, and while ignorance might be bliss, he didn''t fear many consequences. He doubted any of that would pass like his life.


    Islands of Greatness changed his approach slightly, while the Influence Items were Bloodline items that could mend his heart and cement some choice. That was a steadiness that one should have. It was up to him alone, which was a rarity. He hardly felt he had a choice in anything in this life apart from some brief act. That could be his first evolution, choice of getting out of his egg, going into the cave, and then... the rest went to shit.


    Demons ate Bloodlines, fused, or swallowed them all into their flesh and bodies however they deem fit. It was often rough and gratifying in pain, filling them with power and mutated powers.


    Here, in this world? Bloodlines seemed to turn into a proper commodity, thanks to the Gods or some clever beings that called it innovations.


    That was the evolution that was kind of cheap in comparison to what demons endured in the past, but it should be similarly intense and powerful. Such powers almost resembled the Paths which was the power that ruled the Divides.


    Murai didn''t hate either. He preferred when things made sense and followed stone certain rules that made problems easier to perceive. Evolutions were that, or perhaps more. Paths were too important as a choice, but evolutions revolved around the flesh and physical manifestation of the Bloodline.


    So it could still affect the Path, as Paths were essentially concepts that one could follow. Thoe were metaphorical, or physical in many layers.


    Murai will work with Bloodline first before worrying about something broader.


    So far, he wasn''t that clear in his choices. He was still learning, following what he could around this hut.


    Influence Items looked interesting because they were the same Bloodline-related treasures from his memories, but most were processed and substantially greater because of this world. Well, the latter part was unknown, as Influences were subjective in their use. It depended on how their taker used them and getting them was hard or expensive.


    He had no idea how they would feel or influence his species, or sub-species in that regard. He was a magical beast, not some necromancer duck, or fleshly duck with brute strength of a bull.


    He knew he needed Influence that worked with Panacea in mind, but it wasn''t entirely right. As an Anatidea, he needed anything not far from his species. He could even take an Influence that was subjective to a Peniscula. All it meant was he shouldn''t fuse with it directly, but take its effects a little bit. Ending results would increase his size, strength, or something else, but that depended on what that Item would be about.


    He wasn''t certain about ducks, which was why he wasn''t that fast in his choices.


    Since he was a Blessed duck with some sort of ridiculous powers and a rich Bloodline that Gods meddled with, he accepted his wonders. Discovering what he would be capable of by taking a proper look at everything sounded like a first plan.


    Not in terms of fighting, but in Bloodline relations to his memories. Not having any limits helped with that idea as well.


    Not going too far away was within a topic that Lisa barked into his ears not that long ago, which he accepted, telling her he was no earless idiot.


    The choice had to be compatible unless he wasn''t afraid of ending up as some weird mutant duck-looking monstrosity. He didn''t want that. Tampering with fusions of Bloodlines worked in that idea, as it was the objectification of power in this world that wasn''t working for demons alone. Anyone could get them, as long as one was a taker of some evolutions.


    Murai had no clue what to look for.


    At his core, he looked like a duck through thought, but he had some specialties that none ever had. He looked like one, however, so whatever Gods created and mashed together into their creation, Murai doubted it was simple.


    He had a goal in mind about keeping things as they were: normal and unchanging in physicality. He wasn''t willing to learn how to walk or fight again. If an Item changed a lot of things, his life would be more miserable.


    Thus, there were only 2 choices that Murai had. He won''t charge Influence Items at their full capacity. He would rather take the steadier approach and think of them as small helping touches. That was the most popular method of using these treasures. The second problem was their use. Minor Influence Items were only possible for fully acknowledged evolutions.


    For now, he had only Aquantis, which put potential Influences on a wilder ride of possibilities. To use an Influence, he needed two other choices to even start this idea. That was the only thing Murai wasn''t happy about.


    Merging with the Influence Item needed full attention, and it wasn''t as if their use was tremendous. There were many differences between them because of their deep history and craftsmanship that could meddle with evolution.


    Everything could become important further down the potential evolution line. Lisa gave him some examples from her experience. It was surprisingly helpful, albeit not fully clear because Murai wasn''t sure how to think of them with his lacking personal context.


    When taking an Influence Item, there was always a choice to fully take its effects and change from the ground up, causing current sub-species to change significantly. But when taking a small portion, it was just a small portion of the full influence.


    One might as well influence the influence evolution, creating a mash of Bloodlines that would clash together with the sub-species and species. Those could be extensive and dangerous. Lisa didn''t recommend it, because his species was already good enough at its base.


    That was why the choice of Minor Influence Items meant countless choices when one viewed the potential sub-species. The better the base of the Influence was, the more power they had. It was essentially a double-hit wonder, where no matter what, Influence Items had their use.


    The broader and harder-to-perceive ideas were a problem since one was never sure what might happen.


    It was kind of an annoying and complicated process as Murai expected.


    Perhaps one might get a good ability out of the minor influence, or some physical aspect would change someone too drastically and not in a good way. It was a double-edged sword because there was a near-guaranteed way to get something decent out of it, yet certain randomness was apparent. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That was where purity or their grade mattered. If the grade of influence and purity was better than one''s current Class, or species in general, one had certainty for a good change. If it was poor in purity, one shall pray.


    If a dog took an Influence Item of a great Canideamon species, change to a new level happened regardless. Be it a smaller bit or taking it all, it was a great way to change one''s life.


    Murai didn''t have many clues about the evolution pathways of his species, let alone his Panacea. He asked Mindarch about it, but if anything about Panacea spoke of something, it was their magical aptitude that should have far too many choices.


    And he didn''t like how Mindarch didn''t give him any examples...


    Thus, he accepted some postponement, and getting something for a further future from this place was his current plan.


    He played this for the long-term benefits, as Lisa suggested. And something strange, or too extreme in his Bloodline should better remain calm because of a duck and nothing else.


    Jumping and looking around the room, Murai spent minutes on Sonar and glancing around. He noticed many Influence Items of High Purity and Grade Bs, or As, but few were Graded S with High Purity. There were problems in making them, Murai figured.


    At the end of his looking around, he found some potions that depicted some airborne species. The duck was airborne, but also a land or water animal, so he had trouble taking something good or compatible.


    For now, he considered anything with wings enough, since what else he had? Interesting airborne species should have quite nice beaks as well. Couldn''t some eagle be worth it as well? They have wings, feathers, beaks, and little feet as well. Lisa suggested these kinds of species for a start.


    ¡°Rozian Potion. Medium Purity of Grade S. It is an experiment in Rossete Demon''s bloodline and... Chicken? Rossete is a devilish eagle, or harpy, with wings and beak. But.... Chicken? Why it has such a thing?¡± Murai sighed, unwilling to even think of chickens when he read explanations to a red-looking potion.


    ¡°Iruy''ik extract is the next interesting thing. It is a work of High Purity and Grade A. It allows one to directly extract Iruy''ik''s properties, which are known as slicers of the heavens. Among the demons, their wings are deadly, but their beak is limited. They are like mutated dragons, but clawless and without fire and a hefty amount of feathers. Their wings are great because many shards of metal come out of their bodies. Some are thick, others as thin as paper.¡± Murai considered this one the most, but then, something else piqued his attention.


    ¡°High Purity, Grade S?! It exists?!¡± He cheered and understood this should be rather nice. So he read its description. ¡°Bone Marrow Extract of Highland River''s Dragon Parrot? Parrots... Dragons? Ducks?! Call me insane, but this looks good. But... I''ve never heard of these parrots.¡±


    ¡°They are native to this world.¡± Amelius suddenly voiced, still scribbling something in his notebook, while partially taking interest in Murai''s choices.


    Murai glared at him, appreciating this answer, but it didn''t change much. He glanced back at the shelves, unaware of what he should take. Everything had a strange naming scheme and purpose to go along with that. Most had various extractions and even a mixture of ingredients amongst many species and races.


    Some were insensible. That Rossete demon mixed with Chicken was weird.


    But again, who was he to question that?


    There were hundreds of choices made for all kinds of folks with various needs. Some of the stuff wasn''t good for anything but some experiments and nothing else, while some were clear failed products.


    One''s trash might be someone else''s treasure.


    Murai got that idea, but he knew he needed something good and some failed products or poor mixtures didn''t mean that some of them weren''t good.


    In particular, the Bone Marrow of the Highland''s Dragon Parrot was intriguing in its name, purity, and grade. It meant it should be good, right? There was nothing better in quality that was closing on his species. This was the best he had seen, but not the richest in this room.


    There were some Grade S, or SS potions, or those with Intense Purity and many warning signs, chaotic, or other depictions. He didn''t know what that meant, but none of them were fitting for his needs. As he expected, the limits were still sensible like his compatibility.


    Some qualities of the ingredients can easily turn purity aflame. These influences depicted Titans, Salamadras, and various high-class demons with strange names.


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    Murai ignored these without hesitation, even if their mere ideas were capable of increasing the heartbeat of many Extremes. He will take what would be a suitable Bloodline first, before mixing things up with something in the future.


    He could only hope that he reached some readings in terms of new evolutions, but because the Encounter was hovering about his head, he hadn''t gotten a thing. It was a guess. Nothing else.


    A parrot was a bird, but it wasn''t that far in stature, or appearance from a duck. Their legs might be poor, walking unsteady, but their wings and peaks were great.


    They were still far from each other''s evolutions, but their comparison was passable for a Minor Influence. He wouldn''t take this fully, of course. Mixing Anatidae with this sort of parrot wouldn''t end well, although Murai wasn''t sure what would happen.


    ¡°Should I take it... How would it work? I got one choice after getting Water Affinity, so does that mean I can force the choices by finding things and comprehending shit? Got Flame and Sharpness too... Can''t an Anatidae have some flame-based sub-species akin to a dragon? Screw the Encounter, I guess, but doesn''t Mindarch and this Gate work against that idea? I should get something out of my training.¡± Murai fell into a surge of thoughts, thinking, and deducting the past and future possibilities that might have deep repercussions in the future.


    He circled the tables, discovering things that may be of some use, but the majority weren''t that interesting to him, or straight-up incompatible. Indecisive, he went back to the bird section after grunting and eyeing the potions like a kid who couldn''t decide on candy.


    Coincidently, Amelius was glancing from the corner of his eyes, looking at what Murai was doing and choosing. Perhaps he even heard the wonders that were happening in his heart, but only he knew the truth.


    At the end of the waste of time, minutes became useless. Where research led, every corner or choice ended up inferior to the ones he already had.


    There was the Dragon Parrot, as well as Shallow, a bird-beast hybrid that possessed qualities of speed, flexibility, and a very sharp-looking beak. Lastly, a potion from Una demon revealed doubts. It was a powerful demon, yet its Grade was B, but its purity was Incredible. It was the only option with that kind of Purity written on that piece of leather. Una was a mixture of Bloodhound demons with up to 8 long but thin wings, and a thick eagle''s head made it look like a Griffin.


    There was also that Iruy''ik, but Murai couldn''t decide.


    ¡°May I suggest something?¡± Amelius said, stopping Murai''s surging emotional preferences that were way too intense.


    ¡°What?¡± Murai uttered a single powerful quack. He never considered speaking like this felt great, but since he was talking with his will alone, he wasn''t happy to hear those quacks.


    Thankfully, Amelius understood him regardless. ¡°Are you that afraid of the consequence of your choice?¡±


    ¡°A bit. Who wouldn''t? Everyone would be the same in my circumstances.¡±


    Amelius didn''t doubt that in the slightest, so he smiled at him instead. ¡°I think you are underestimating the qualitative power of the Anatidae species and Influence Items that would clash against their Bloodline. Can''t see yours, but none of these are as powerful as your species. Well, some could certainly touch some of their qualities, but that is what makes Influence Items incredibly enticing. Battleworld will also undeniably change the choice within your Blessed life, or it will... Nevermind. Evolutions are complicated.¡± Amelius realized Murai''s situation might be less than abnormal.


    ¡°What do you suggest then? Know those ducks, don''t you? If you made clothes for them, tell me more,¡± Murai tried his luck, thinking that Amelius must know something he wasn''t telling.


    ¡°Suggestions are poor choices. You carry yourself, while I will be speaking to the air. There are choices when the evolution you desire becomes close. Then, some Influences might be far better than others. Some specific sub-species might like some specific Influences. Then how much Purity you want to move with is another thing. Half? Quarter? Go all on, or as little as possible but still use its qualitative powers? What about the grade or sub-species in general? What evolution do you want to influence? There are as many variables in this world''s blessings as one would imagine. Hell, a poor fellow would never dare to take it to an unknown point and rather take something stable.¡± Amelius talked steadily and fast, giving Murai much-needed assistance that he hadn''t even asked for.


    Murai glanced at the old man, nodding along as he talked. Not once, not twice, but dozens of times, he figured hesitation and evolution were the same thing.


    They didn''t matter.


    He did not have many choices anyway, and his growth was questionable like his magic and mana. It might change significantly and suddenly.


    ¡°So it''s like that, many thanks, Amelius,¡± Murai replied, having his decision resolved. ¡°I will take this one if the Mindarch is so generous to take whatever.¡± Murai stopped before a bottle half his side with glowing liquid and some revolving bits of bones inside of it.


    Bloodline-infused mana was within it, and it wasn''t bad at all. It was one of the better ones in this sort of appearance. He went with Dragon Parrot in the end. It wasn''t full of marrow since there wouldn''t be enough to make a potion out of it. Most birds had hollow or very little marrow in their bones, so this much was impressive for a potion.


    It was a fine choice. Amelius smirked as he casually glanced at Mura. ¡°An interesting choice, I might say.¡±


    ¡°It''s the only choice I could see without too much intensity and demonic elements. Those Parrots must be bloody animals, like myself. And dragon aspects should be powerful if what Mindarch said is correct.¡±


    ¡°Why would you say that?¡± Amelius tested him.


    ¡°Context,¡± Murai quacked. ¡°In terms of grade and purity, this one wins by a mile because the ingredients were great, or the maker did a fine job. Then, if I think of Dragon Parrot as a whole beast species, they have a nice knack for mine. Wouldn''t mind some scales myself, but this parrot must be full of feathers, otherwise, he would have a different name, right? Or... it might have some dragon aspects? Claws... jaw of a dragon? Fire Breath? How does this parrot even look like?¡±


    ¡°Good assessment. Excellent too, I must tell. This has been my pleasure, little friend.¡± Amelius put away the notebook and crossed his hands in his lap while still sitting on his chair. ¡°Won''t give you an easy route away. Parrots are parrots after all. Now, do the Keys and leave. I won''t give you more.¡±


    He snapped his finger, crashing the depositories of the artifacts. So far, Murai held limited sense covering the majority of the artifact treasures. Now, his eyes and Sonar were blown away when Amelius destroyed most of their defensive structures.


    Immediately, mana turned intense, the temperature dropped and increased at the same time, and light and darkness dimmed or shined around some shelves and tables. With safeties gone, they shined in this simple yet important place, outside of Amelius who didn''t care for those locks, nor Mindarch''s thin growling displeasure that had no coherent words.


    Murai almost forgot about the Keys after taking this Hoodie and Influence Item. He appreciated Amelius once again by reminding him of his incompetence.


    ¡°Artifacts, huh?¡± Murai grunted. ¡°Can''t see the worth of then. Relic up to Level 20 and 25, right?¡± He forgot he had no Keys; he left them with Lisa, but it didn''t seem to matter.


    ¡°20 and 25?¡± Amelius raised his brows. ¡°Those are kind of low, but again, we are talking about Anatidaes and your age and Level. You have a pair of Keys. Impressive luck. You might take what your eyes like, or sell what is worth in the Gate below or on the Surface. Each choice has its merits, while such low Artifacts won''t be a massive help. That isn''t my wager against you, but a fact.¡±


    Murai glanced at him again, understanding where he was coming from. He also sighed after knowing the truth. ¡°Figures. Physical limits, huh? ¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Even basic magic formations, tools, and treasures aren''t that useful for your species, or you in specific. I wonder which is more intense. Can''t see an answer, you see. Wealth is still wealth, so it has its uses. I''ve already given you the kind of treasure you wouldn''t be able to pursue anywhere in this world, so...¡± Amelius smiled and began laughing like a mad scientist. ¡°I can''t wait for the future. Now, make your choices before disappearing. I have so much work to do.¡±


    He turned back to the notebook, leaving Murai alone in his choices.


    Turning, he began eyeing treasures of all kinds. He preferred the freedom of his choices, or something useful since he bled and went through this Gate. He should be rewarded!


    In the end, Murai sighted and hopped to the new section of the tables, beginning his research. There, he saw the expected sight that wasn''t all that different from those Pagodas in the City of Cinnar.


    Human weapons were the epitome of universal usage across all kinds of races. Those were well outside of the beast''s needs.


    As for the equipment, talismans, and magical treasures, they were rarely made for such low levels in this place, so Murai ended up disappointed. He couldn''t take what his heart desired, which made his heart bleed.


    Lower than Level 20 and 25 meant a low range anyway, but he could choose anything so he went around the tables and shelves, looking for something useful or worth mentioning. He had keen eyes, so he took his time.


    Dissatisfied, the minute passed as he jumped or glanced at the majority of tables and shelves. Pushes of his Sonar around where he couldn''t reach with his neck worked surprisingly well. He found nothing as useful as he expected.


    Most of the treasures were above his requirements, but it didn''t mean someone couldn''t use them. Levels of the Artifacts were like equipment. Even a peasant can try wielding a named sword, but it wouldn''t be pretty or great. It was no wonder.


    Keys were important, but not below Level 40. Above that point, there was an incredible variety of intermediate treasures meant to change fodder in Levandis''s Hell. Below that point was a failure, garbage in most eyes, or training pieces filled with history or some problems.


    Great low-level Relic Artifacts shouldn''t be something impressive anyway. The top of their line wouldn''t be kept in a place where low-level Challengers hardly came. Mindarch and Levandis didn''t give this place some ridiculous treasures at this level.


    In the end, Murai grasped the idea behind the Relic Artifacts of this world. They were viewed as unique equipment, with often better or greater effects, which made them special. By materials, specific uses, or requirements, their blessing, or other means was something equipment couldn''t have.


    One can have as many of them as one can find, but in terms of viability and uses, finding good-fitting Relic Artifacts was kind of rare. It had limited variety because Paths and mana at this level had its limitations.


    So Murai found the best-looking sword he had found. Then he figured a Flame Runic Belt without any set of spells inside of it wouldn''t hurt him as well. He could use it for making explosives, or store his Flame inside like small storage. Each was gradeless as he expected, with Belt being a Level 25 Relic Artifact for storing spells and mana. It probably had some other benefits, but listed beside it were half-burned explanations.


    The sword was Level 19, looking bent and in passable condition. He wasn''t sure why this sword was a Relic Artifact, but it should have some effect on his training, or selling. It increased Sharpness from its explanation and increased the might of Cleave and mana-related sword techniques. It seemed to be a sword made for some specific knight Paths or some martial arts.


    He found nothing good for his abilities besides that Belt. He grasped the sword, pushed the belt around his body by using his wings, and went back to get his Influence Item.


    He had trouble walking with that sword in his beak, but he got there eventually.


    Just in time when Amelius figured their time was reaching its end. It was a coincidence, or not?


    ¡°Passable choices. It''s time for our departure for the time being, so good luck in your journey through this temple. Be careful of the Centralis, the incoming Encounter that meets more than the eye, as it can be as devasting as the reality. Care less about your hoodie and wait for its revelations. Or you might give its runic construction some mana and your tries. Perhaps it wouldn''t bite you in the half, but the world would give it better ideas. Oh, and I call it Amelius Hoodie. It is as mine as yours, so you might change its name however you like.¡± Then, he pulled his right hand up, just as Murai wanted to drop his sword to utter quacks of gratitude.


    Flicking a crisp sound, the space shuddered as Amelius grasped his pendant. ¡°Release,¡± he said sternly.


    Then the void and world blinked. Murai couldn''t see or feel a thing for the next time that felt like long minutes of being swallowed by a dark star. He wanted to say something, yet he felt nothing insane or hurtful. He lost everything. Weight, mana, or touch to the physical word. He blinked from nothingness known as Void, appearing somewhere else.


    ***


    Back in the hut, Amelius leaned on the chair he took from his home. ¡°My goddesses and curses...¡±


    [Satisfied, old man?] Mindarch asked as something lifted the rules. With the space finally free, it was no wonder.


    ¡°Shut that,¡± Amelius grunted and picked something out of his notebook.


    [Was this really necessary? Giving him that sort of thing will cause nothing but more trouble. It is already so insane with his soul and everything. I am not responsible for it! You are! I will gladly toss you under the bus.... or how is it said from that world.]


    Amelius didn''t hear his excuses. He took a deep breath, brandishing an amber feather towards his nose and sniffing it. He wondered about something specific.


    ¡°I wondered which Mother took this monster... or ignored it, or... forgot it,¡± Amelius shuddered, dropped the feather down, and felt an ominous foreboding feeling that shivered his back.


    He slapped his face with both palms.


    ¡°Oh, fuck me... Fuck me!¡±


    He smelt the change. The Fate was foreboding.


    Cries in the hut echoed longer than necessary, leaving Mindach in a good mood.


    Then cries merged with laughter. It was neither grief nor hope. It was maddening like Amelius''s previous laughter.


    ***


    Murai opened his eyes. Around him wasn''t the cave that held that hut. There was no starry ceiling above his head either, nor the holes down or up. He was standing on a large cold cliff.


    Breeze fluttered his feathers and face as he woke. He turned his head around, seeing Islands behind him. There was no bridge. This was the end of Gate 2, as well as the end of his choices.


    ¡°Where the hell have you been so long? What happened?¡± An agitated voice that he knew far too well stormed to his ears, followed by a hand that clasped his beak.


    Lisa was already here for some time, warped, but safe. Even Lorry was here but visibly confused about many things.


    Murai felt the sword and belt, but the potion was somewhere else. They survived this drop, so he watched Lisa''s curiosity and then... flabbergasted face.


    She never expected a duck wearing a hoodie to come out of that hut and questionable situation. Her mouth moved without any words, her hand slipped, and she wasn''t sure if she should laugh, cry, or simply stare.


    ¡°What? Never seen a duck wearing this sort of thing? Got some gifts for myself or you. Just interesting choices, nothing else.¡± Murai said, looking for the Dragon Parrot Influance Item that hadn''t fallen to the ground, but down to a pocket of his hoodie that was surprisingly vast. The potion was barely 10 centimeters long and quite slim, so it went there just fine.


    Murai cheered as if he discovered a Grade 6 essence. ¡°Oh, how convienient. It has pockets I could use. He thought of everything, didn''t he?¡± he smirked in satisfaction, pulling the bottle with his beak since his neck was flexible enough to reach it, and his control over his beak was better than ever.


    The basis of the Beak''s Blitz allowed him to learn and train his neck and flexibility with precise movements. Now, he shouldn''t be afraid to learn writing with his beak alone. However, it was questionable if he needed to consider doing that ever again.


    A small glimpse of Iris appeared in his mind, but Murai quenched her picture away, thinking of other things.


    Grabbing the bottle, he tossed it to Lisa who was yet to be over with her staring. She was taking this slowly, adjusting her mind and eyes to take a better and more careful look at Murai''s appearance.


    ¡°T-this is? What the fu...¡± She cursed as the bottle hit her face. Her sona swirled, merging and changing as her hands enlarged before catching it.


    Speechless, her words weren''t under her commands. But she did see this right and understood the reference and situation. Someone left a gift in that hut that Murai took as his chance, or it might be much crazier than she assumed.


    Interrupted by a bottle near her face, she glanced at it with half her face. It wasn''t important to her. Murai was.


    ¡°An Anatidae Uniform, hm?¡± Lisa said with forceful calmness that didn''t sound confident.


    Lorry stormed her side, cluttering and laughing like a maddened skull. His voice was shrill, so it echoed far. ¡°Hilarious! That is good! How come Murai came out of the hut with a uniform? Lorry can''t even guess its origin and maker, but materials are... Seems.... extraordinary, but it isn''t active yet. Will it be active? I wonder.¡± Lorry said, shuddering and calming his voice in an instant without hearing Lisa''s fist, sona, or voice.


    He calmed on his own, figuring that this thing was weirder than General Armor Set #12. Hiding behind Lisa, who remained silent as she heard him, he uncovered some meanings about this uniform as Lisa did.


    Both figured different things, but each hesitated on the same level.


    ¡°Oh, so you know about these kind of things?¡± Murai said to Lisa. ¡°What else did she keep for herself?¡± He asked Lorry, glancing at them both while leaning his neck and head closer to them. It didn''t look natural and made him look like a difficult boss. Floating figures had their thoughts, hidden and silent.


    ¡°Y-you''ve never asked about such ridiculous things! Nor should I''ve been worried about such inconceivable and unnecessary topics such as Anatidae Uniforms that aren''t even... I mean... You aren''t a serious Anatidae, Murai Hisagi. Those are bloody familial animals with tribes and shit. Don''t care if you are angry, but don''t take my silence for excuses.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean I should take the full initiative whether I need something from you? Every little specific thing? Does Life Companionship work in this world like this or is it so terrible just in your head? You have a lot to learn, you lofty dead succubus.¡± Murai said without sounding angry.


    As he heard her, she sounded believable and firm, floating closely before him.


    While he was still a bit suspicious about her knowledge and help, his whole being radiated an aura of killing intent. That was notable by the whitish glow in his eyes and slightly flaring and moving feathers that were less visible because of his hoodie. Agitation and emotions all played parts in Anatidae Bloodline, and it often got physical, albeit outside of Murai''s touch.


    Perhaps he grew enough to finally see these effects, Lisa thought.


    Murai wondered what Lisa knew about Anatidaes if she knew about their uniforms. Perhaps it shouldn''t be surprising, since she mentioned she knew some information about them in their first meetings.


    Lisa and Lorry noticed his anger and took a couple of flying steps away from him. They changed their minds over their respective thoughts and his current mood.


    ¡°Fine. I think we got along quite nicely between the Islands, so why not get some order to this association? Ask anyway, any day and I may know the answer or not. It''s that simple in this world, our heads, and souls.¡± Lisa shrugged her arms, forcefully downplaying this situation by ignoring his hoodie and overall appearance.


    Going with this conversation any further had very little benefits, but she was incredibly curious about that hut and this hoodie.


    ¡°So much for being my Life Companion. Tsch!¡± Murai mocked her a little, calming his feelings with glances at his hoodie and Influence Item.


    ¡°So much for being a duck, wearing god-forsaken clothes. Heh!¡± Lisa laughed, floating to Murai as if she couldn''t care less about his anger any longer. ¡°Was it that Pachi again? She must have a knack for ducks, you see. Gods made your species long ago, as you''ve heard before. Many should be interested in them, considering their madness and grudge, while you are something else yourself.¡±


    Murai grumbled in agreement but didn''t mention Amelius out of respect for their discussion and this nice gift.


    While he observed himself, Lisa did the same thing. Floating around him, she inspected, touched, and watched his hoodie with great interest and a half-laughing face. She even forced the hood over his head and chuckled at his face. She found it surprising and higher than her standards, which shocked her inner heart, but not her face.


    This thing was overkill with materials alone, while the gem etched into the dormant runic formation remained stagnant, yet hid insane skills and sets of rules. It wasn''t some Everflower, of course, but it wasn''t something weak either. It was a part of something insane, yet different. She guessed the majority of its materials, some of which Murai wasn''t recognizing in terms of quality and craftsmanship.


    They made a neat formation and created this hoodie as a whole, turning it into a one-of-a-kind Anatidae Uniform. In history and common words of most Hells, this was a living and military power of every Adolescent or Adult Anatidae.


    This gift¡ªor whatever he took out of that hut¡ªwas precious and invaluable to any Anatidae. Especially to him, because this looked like a gift sent from the heavens, if she considered his current needs, circumstances, and Encounter looming over his Fate.


    Appearing with this sort of thing was quite a surprise to her, and not in a good or bad way. She appreciated the artistic nature of treasures, and this one was some sort of... Law? No. She couldn''t guess which rank this treasure adhered to. It could be equipment or an artifact.


    It was also yet to be accepted to balance and rules. Will of the Battleworld will take a look at it and decide how to handle it.


    It was dormant for now, meaning that its worth was in its materials alone for the time being. Its mana needed a proper start, which was a clear indication of freshness. Someone either made it recently, or it was in pristine condition without any wear for a long time. Its starting sequence should come from Will of the Battleworld, however, which accepted any proper equipment and artifacts by setting rules and information about them to every individual.


    It might happen straight away or after this Gate, or... never.


    Lisa fell short in her guesses. She had no idea if this was something Murai should have. It looked too insane. She doubted Battleworld would accept it; seeing it as a treasure that shouldn''t be adequate.


    It was invaluable in practice, and unlike the Spatial Pouch one could lose at any point, this was a thing that Murai wouldn''t lose.


    There were a lot of problems with spatial equipment. All sorts of objectification and care came with them, making them much worse than the loss of a weapon besides the hips or behind the back.


    Murai fled his gaze after his self-indulgent praises. Shooting a look at Lisa, he shooed her away to leave his hood or hoodie alone.


    She reluctantly did so, looking at the bottle she was holding. In its tag, she read an elven name for a Dragon Parrot, which gave her some surprise. Then, she saw its purity and grade. It wasn''t a larger shock than the hoodie.


    ¡°A Dragon Parrot? Those Parrots? They were almost extinct when I was alive, but they were known migrants across the seas and continent. Crazy beasts for their size... but a far cry from Anatidaes, I suppose. This is valuable, but not as your new clothes. Is this parrot your carefully picked choice?¡± Lisa pointed at Murai, asking a terrible question that needed no answers.


    ¡°Yes. It is my choice as well, but I don''t want something big. A minor touch is what I want. Not something different. Who knows how it all works anyway, huh? These sorts of Influences are various problems that are subject to evolution. It is nothing simple because I have none yet. I wonder who else but a knowledge of a past Blessed would give it some more face? Hm?¡± Murai gazed at Lisa''s face, giving her a hard pressing stare.


    ¡°That is fair, but I did talk about these Items enough. In this Gate, however, things are different. Not before. I don''t like talking about stuff that has yet to have any immediate value. It goes against my principles and nature. It''s like talking about reaching level 90 when you are still a Child. It''s useless, in some sense.¡± Lisa lied a little, believing that his soul was far from the norm, but all sorts of powers had many faces.


    She barely saw Murai''s true colors, similar to him seeing hers.

 Chapter 167: Gold Room

    Murai heard her right, and couldn''t help but be half impressed how clever she was with her words and excuses. Something in him almost moved. She always found a way to bend the truth or lies, which made her either clever like a fox, or lying like a succubuss.


    Murai was nearly impressed.


    More often than not, he found it lacking because the context of details was a factor that could help any poor bastard. Then, he voiced it in his own way, either speaking nonsense or a sense that Lisa didn''t care about.


    He accepted it wasn''t an easy life with her around.


    There were doubts and clarity in any facts and logic. Even some lies weren''t far from that point, holding some truths. Murai didn''t see through them all the time, but he had seen enough in people to tell idiots and fools apart.


    Lisa was proving herself, but she wasn''t that good at it. He wouldn''t be either in her situation, so he tossed her concerns behind his head for the time being.


    ¡°I do care about some sense and validity. It is what those in power do and think. Clarity is information. Mind and acts follow every detail. Any is fine. If you judge what is fine or not in your head, then what do I do with that? How to work with this sense?¡± Murai asked.


    ¡°You should be clearer about your wants. Then, if you want validation while making my decisions, it is up to either of us. I am taking care of you too.¡± Lisa said as she left the bottle hanging barely half in her mind. Dragon Parrots were an interesting concept, and this bottle was quite valuable, but there were far more interesting things she wanted to know.


    This Item will be a long-term investment anyway. She realized how it should work, as Murai decided to take the route of Minor Influences. It was compatible and manageable for sure.


    When she glanced at the belt-looking artifact or a sword on the ground, they were poor in comparison, or straight-up negligible. She wondered why those were his choices, but again... what had she expected? This was already better than usual.


    The Influence Item in her hands was ready to touch any beast that had Parrot''s features, no matter the stage. Its quality should work even for Adults of any bird, albeit not fully unless one desires to be closely related to Dragon Parrots. It was subjective to everyone who wanted to do their evolutions.


    Taking the Item was a touch of greatness, history, or something unique. Not taking any Influence was also a possibility and often a popular choice for already powerful bloodline species.


    For Murai, this choice wasn''t terrible if he didn''t take it fully. So she accepted it by almost storing it away.


    Murai heard and saw her eyes linger on the bottle. ¡°Clearer or not, I think it is time to turn your status a little. From this moment fort, your status as a Loot Manager and Spatial Manager ends. See my hoodie?¡± He pointed to his pockets with his beak, right beside the sides of his belly, fairly close to the wings and away from most problems.


    At first, Murai questioned what kind of lunatic would give a duck some pockets, but again, he had his beak! He can be flexible with it. This pocket was all he needed to work with. He should no longer be unhappy about not managing his efforts.


    Lisa heard his remark, but his words carried surprises. She almost churned a laugh. ¡°You want to give me less work? How surprising.¡±


    ¡°So you would focus on what matters. All things will be with me. Or you might take that ring along with some other things you desire. Think what you want, but I want important loot in my possession. Distribution will go between us, or you will care of it later. Time isn''t a problem right now, correct?¡±


    ¡°Understandable. Almost clever. Lissa will be happy.¡± Lorry uttered beside Lisa, who glared and snapped her arm at him. He dodged her and began laughing.


    ¡°I know... Fine. We will figure that out before or after we enter the Gate 3. It will be fitting because of the next Vault. For now... I think you have some remaining purpose and pieces left.¡± She said to Lorry who shivered when her hand flashed and she caught him again. One would almost think he smiled in delight as the shivering sona touched his nostril holes.


    ¡°Gentle... Gentle.¡± He moaned.


    Murai ignored him. He figured the sight behind his back no longer mattered, so he looked at the other end of the cave. There was a massive wall depicting the end of this Gate. It wasn''t a cliff, but more of a platform carved into one large chunk of rock.


    ¡°Think of what I said in your free time, Lisa. Take my suggestion, or bear the results in your mind. I can be fair. You should consider it if you want my benefits that some find unreasonable. It isn''t surprising. I am not what some people think, but also can be no different.¡± Murai said to her as he moved past her, ignoring the sword and the belt along with the potion.


    He turned his attention to what mattered: away from her, as the wall was hiding its secrets or his goal.


    ¡°It''s time to move on.¡± Facing him, more than 20 meters away, was a normal-looking gate cut into the wall. It wasn''t big like some would think, nor was it a portal that was a popular method of transportation. Underground places use them for various reasons and obvious benefits.


    As long as Chaos Space worked well, portals were stable for centuries. That needed proper mages familiar with the Void, Chaos Space, and Time or Space in extreme proximity to one''s strength. Knowledge of runes helped as well since portals worked on principles of truth and complicated crafts.


    Be it Laws, or a simple touch to Space, many beings could find talent in influencing the untouchable. In the Battleworld, the course of power had different flavors and heights than in most worlds. Regardless of level, some could do what others can''t because of talent and a knack for something weird. The world helped a lot in this regard, giving often cheap and significant ways to enchant anything.


    Before Murai was a gate that looked like a door frame etched into the stone, making it rather questionable how could some giants walk through this thing. It was at least 4 meters tall and 3 meters wide.


    Enough for a duck for sure, right for him to walk through, crawl, or fly.


    Murai got an intrusive thought about how many ducks would have to stand on top of one another to bump into the upper frame. And it was open, revealing the dark flickering fog within, leading to the long staircase that went to the depths of the temple.


    Before glancing or waiting for Lisa or Lorry''s argument about his hoodie to reach some conclusion, Murai walked past them to reach the gate, disappearing into the darkness.


    It left the two floating figures alone once again. Both of them were kind of speechless in their respective appearances. Lisa felt the red, radiant, and hot item. She wondered what its effects might be like to Murai''s species, or him in specifics, but she knew he was at least months or longer away from the next evolution. And even that was questionable, considering his potential and what he would like, or even unlock.


    She knew that evolutions held various requirements, while their Class was what truly mattered, second to the cracked Limiters. She doubted Murai wanted something poor. That will give rise to new problems and a thing called a Limiter, which poised as a ceiling for anyone and what one could, or want to reach. For now, it didn''t matter, unless the weight of this Gate¡ªor what she would do in the next one¡ªoutweighed the norm.


    Lisa wasn''t that sure about the situation of her cause, as she was responsible for the mess that went through this temple. She thought about it more than once or twice, talking to Lorry and Mindarch in hopes of reaching some arrangement or hopes.


    They hardly bend a knee. As expected of the Hell Haven Guide and soul construct whose existence was hovering all over Levandis or her entire Hell Haven.


    ¡°Lorry swears... This is getting more and more interesting. Murai and you too, Lisa.¡±


    ¡°And you think I am making sense out of it? You are getting more annoying than I remember.¡± Lisa sighed.


    ¡°Lisa thinks so?¡± Lorry didn''t believe that.


    ¡°Seriously, I mean that. I also meant what I''ve always tried to work with. Details and weight of the Encounter are also on your shoulders, while this temple is trouble like us to the temple. As a Guide, you should take Murai for your Fate. Mindarch listens too, I bet. I want only good for us and this temple. Getting rid of us is one part of it, but I know it works weird when many sides do what they want. I want something. Murai is the same. You or Levandis or Mindarch are no different.¡±


    ¡°Can''t say I can''t get your point... But can''t. You don''t want to go through this route,¡± Lorry whispered.


    ¡°Heard that... thrice. From Mindarch himself.¡±


    ¡°Who else is fit to say it? Rules and secrets are part of this temple. Do you think what goes around is fine to ignore? Razmund hunts your little guy and everything follows suit. The Surface is also there, while Lady shows some interest in it as well. You will have to bear that in mind, cater to it.¡±


    ¡°How to get out then?¡± Lisa grunted and glanced at the Islands of Greatness behind her. She wanted to disappear from the Seventh Death Forest, but maintaining the status quo of Murai''s growth was also important, so she didn''t know the perfect way to solve this situation.


    So far, it went well, but that will change in the next Gate. She needed to look out for the worse case scenarios while maintaining a balance of the politics, Encounter, and Murai''s damned head and dangers of this place. It was as complicated as one would think.


    ¡°What changes below? Is Mindarch changing or influencing our cause? Or the Encounter does it too?¡± She asked.


    ¡°All the above.¡± Lorry accepted the truth, figuring that there was no point in speaking weirdly. ¡°Lady Levandis did something too.¡±


    ¡°Did she? Well, she did use a toy, that much is true. What else? What happened in that hut then? What about the previous... situation? Did someone make their move? Who? Some God? I am more than willing to talk about what Murai went through before. No need to worry about secrets with me. Trades work with words as well.¡±


    Lorry glanced at her suspiciously, not believing that she would go to such lengths. ¡°No. Lady got pissed herself, I dare to imagine. Wished was there...¡± Lorry wept a smoke of tears and his disappointment was immeasurable.


    Lisa appeared conflicted in her thoughts. Looking for answers was hard if others were unwilling to take them. Especially when power wasn''t in her grasp, nor treasures, or any kind of authority. She could try to work with what she had thanks to Murai, but it wasn''t worth much at the moment. Reputation was also essential.


    Thankfully, Mindarch was surprisingly cooperative so far into this temple, which Lorry took down to his mouth from time to time. Lisa put good use to it.


    ¡°Lorry suggests some care down there. Gate 4 is... Uhm. Danger too. Gate 3 is a priority. It is still a place that is semi-close and unique in its approach. Getting out is still harsh. Can''t guarantee or force a thing. Mindarch might, but rules stand when Lady watches, and some Overlords guard that interest. Hunts do that, while the Encounter and your Hunt are the same. It could clash to new heights.¡±


    Lisa figured that much already. Shaking her head, she stored the potion in the ring she wore like a bracelet. The belt and the large sword bigger than her body over 4 times went there as well.


    One could store other spatial objects in others without any trouble, which was why the ring that Manager Kil became important. Its quality was very high, whereas lower-quality pouches were secondary, but their internal storage was bigger than the ring.


    But she knew her stuff. Storing powerful spatial properties inside low-quality spatial equipment of any kind may cause instability and destruction of items. None wanted such things, so working and steadily improving or stabilizing them was almost mandatory for every owner of such treasures. Finding a good line of work between many of them was difficult, thus having a priority or a main spatial treasures worked the best.


    Thankfully, the rings were one of the best of their kind in the market, right behind the gems or specifically made pouches with great properties and materials. Hers was a universal treasure that should work for their needs in the long term.


    Murai found quite a few low-quality pouches in these Gates. A bit more than average, Lisa would say, but they were inexpensive if his enemies had them.


    Fortunately, it wasn''t the case for the ring, which had the quality to take dozens of full pouches or hundreds of empty ones, and a bunch of other things as well. It was a fine gift that Manager Kil got them.


    Lisa overlooked the Encounter for the time being, figuring that Razmund was inevitable like their run, but not the unnerving dangers that awaited. There were other worries she had, which Lorry could also answer behind Murai''s back.


    ¡°How in the world did he get that uniform? I thought they were kind of... I don''t know. Unique to the powers that Anatidaes have, or was it Pachi? What happened? How come he came with that thing from that hut?¡±


    ¡°No idea. Mindarch has been silent ever since that moment.¡± Lorry mumbled in annoyance.


    ¡°Wait... what? What about that light and that hut then? You knew that something was wrong with that, didn''t you? Who moved? An Overlord or something else?¡± Lisa changed her subject by pushing her hands to grasp Lorry to his mouth.


    If she could, she would rather grab his collarbone, but he didn''t have any. Either way, Lorry didn''t mind the lack of collarbones or spine. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was a spineless freak after all.


    ¡°C-calm down. Well... No! More! Gimme more! Uh. Nevermind. This is bigger than yourself. Reliance. Be calm.¡±


    ¡°Bigger than myself?¡± Lisa ceased her grip and chuckled. ¡°Now, call me old-fashioned, but that is a rather small concept for me and you know that.¡±


    ¡°Since you''ve died, many things changed.¡±


    ¡°Define many. I would say the opposite rules the reality, but be my guess in your excuses and limits. Battleworld is vast, but it hasn''t gotten any major storm in centuries, let alone these decades that passed after my... departure. It''s intact in all kinds of ways as my stubbornness has no bounds! It has always been this way. History tends to repeat itself.¡±


    ¡°It''s fine... You don''t have to say that. Not right now. Not before. Not later. Let it remain like the oath. Lisa can''t free herself from the thread of the past or hopes. It is complicated. Lorry thinks you should acknowledge the current facts and logic of this world and circumstances. Murai''s influence too. It is stronger than Lisa''s.¡±


    Lisa took his words with silence, but her ideas were ashen, close to his, and she wasn''t liking his words. Frowning and clutching his bones with more force than she liked, her fingers cracked. She was weak. Weaker then she liked.


    ¡°It.. It''s not as if I don''t acknowledge him to be that. I do. More so than you would think, fool of others. I am just playing a game.¡±


    ¡°Game?¡± Lorry''s eyes gleamed.


    ¡°Waiting game. Patience. Vast and old, I hope he will end up in my hands since he doesn''t like to be influenced by others, it seems. Whether he disliked my methods or not, from the beginning, he didn''t want me with him to begin with. Me? Got it? It''s hurtful. My pride hurts. I want to help him, but that sick bastard thinks he is superior even as a duck? I am brimming with lunacy for ages and he dares to be like that?¡± Lisa spoke her deep will, which Lorry took as much as he loved.


    Cluttering his bones and Soul Flames beamed, Lisa spoke enough for him. She let go of his bones and changed her mind and outlook. She regretted it. Missspeaking outbursts weren''t her usual style. She was better than that. Made for it. She shouldn''t have said nearly half of what she said.


    ¡°Yeah... Hard surface, with a soft interior. Lorry gets it. Loves it. Some things never change, like the Chaos in the Battleworld, the Depths of the Skies, the intensity of the Void, or the living hearts. Some souls are like that too. Deep and crazy. Like Lisa.¡± Lorry laughed, but before he could speak of her more, Lisa slapped his cheeks, causing him to roll on the ground and close to the gate.


    ¡°Shut up. Move on, or Murai will end up somewhere unknown again. Who knows what he can do with his art? He is an artwork... No. Master of messing things up! Let''s forget the half of what we said here.¡± Floating to the depths of the staircase, she disappeared into the darkness as well, with Lorry soon following her from behind.


    He wanted to say that forgetting was impossible. With the amount of care Mindarch provided, her words were close to privacy, but still far from that. Few things were private in this temple. Mindarch, Guides, or those above them could be watching their performances without any issues.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    But perhaps Lisa knew that anyway, but spoke like she wanted because she didn''t care to be heard unless it was Murai himself.


    ***


    Further into the deepening staircase that wasn''t overly wide or deep, Murai chirped and hopped down the steps. Amelius Hoodie swayed in his jumping movements, causing his hood to fall. He figured it wasn''t that distant from the feathers. Hoodie felt comforting like his skin, so his mood improved like the darkness around the stairs.


    Then, it shuddered when some voice spoke.


    [Citizen M....] Mindarch spoke as politely and great as he could. It sounded fake. [Gate 2 is fully completed under your touches, intense insanity, and choices that have been prevalent and deep.]


    [I''ve watched the course... much to some dismays, but take care of the findings and your little clothes.]


    [It is impressive in many layers, while what goes underneath isn''t important.]


    ¡°Is it though?¡± Murai wondered, but Mindarch didn''t seem to care for any discussion. Amelius was a unique problem that wasn''t his problem. Mindarch saw the hoodie''s creation and felt deep repercussions from it quicker than he wished. |Now, changes will come out of it, since he watched it happen. His Lady''s Will shall bore her voice, carry her insanity or judgment.


    This was something that didn''t go over, or straight through her hand, right amid her backyard.


    It was something else. It was far too late to change it, or perhaps it was a time that she wouldn''t willingly change.


    It was about Amelius after all. That madman was moving behind the rules of his Lady, so Mindarch knew that this wasn''t a normal occurrence. Same as her acceptance. She could''ve stopped it, but she didn''t do that for some reason.


    Which Mindarch couldn''t talk about. It was secret, private, and deep. Consequences of voicing it wasn''t fitting, let alone a hope to make it public. Gate 3 wasn''t ready to take it. Perhaps nothing was.


    But it was here. Amelius met and made his move with Murai in mind. It wasn''t something Mindarch liked, and he bet his Lady was the same. Hopefully, Murai understood that himself and wouldn''t chirp about Amelius out loud.


    Good. That was good. Mindarch hoped it would remain that way.


    [Hut has been visited. Keys and Question Mark provided and spent. All is done, which leaves the points left and the Boosts. Both will come and go into the Reward Rooms or Vaults in that sensor name. They are part of the Gate 3, so let''s go and get them.]


    [The interlude to Gate 3 has many of them in its defensive structures, benefits, and protection. Afterward, or later, reasons, accomplishments, and Boosts shall await. Battlewill might take it head-on, but not under my watch. My rules and power run supreme in this place. So don''t worry or fret.]


    Murai heard him as he jumped, and soon enough, he arrived at the end of the staircase, hundreds of meters below Gate 2. It was relatively dark, but the Nigth Vision proved its worth. Murai saw through the fog that lingered around this tunnel and stairs.


    A building in the deep unknown Depths was here, looking ancient, rumbling, and hot.


    It looked like a dungeon-looking hallway, obvious by the polished stones for the walls, wooden or marbled pillars, and supports made of wooded slabs. The floor was poor, cracked, and old-looking. It had seen its fair share of problems for sure, but it wasn''t like the kind that dungeons had. It wasn''t as old, as this wasn''t part of the initial temple or any Depths, but a place that Levandis created out of the former things and new creations.


    This place depicted an opening no taller than 3 meters, while the width varied, and length went for hundreds of meters. It almost looked like a long tunnel that stretched far and was large for his physicality. He didn''t look forward to the walking, but it was better than any bridge he could imagine.


    That was a nice aftereffect of Gate 2. Murai no longer considered walking or normal stairs as torture devices. He almost liked them, which... he wouldn''t even acknowledge or tell out loud.


    Not too late upon reaching this tunnel, Lisa and Lorry reached him at the same time. Unlike him, they didn''t have a problem with their travels whatsoever. The ground or lack of light didn''t matter to them.


    They floated down quickly and looked at the familiar walls around them. Lisa had been here twice, so she knew exactly what to expect.


    However, it still had its stops. She wasn''t here for herself. Her time depended on herself back then. Now, she depended on Murai, his choices, and power.


    She should support that with all of her might, but sometimes, it wasn''t easy when two lofty minds clashed against one another. Finding understanding was for each to seek. And Murai was stubborn and not helpful like Lisa desired. It went both ways, frankly.


    Most Vaults in Gate 3 were war-related concepts of rewards that always changed with the constant flow of wealth. Points were the prize, as it was the currency used in Gate 3 and the temple in general. Vaults in this place were no shops, however. They were safes that meant a unique chance for Challengers. Those could be from the Surface or the Depths.


    For Murai, it was no different from any shopping, even if it was about some vague points.


    Lisa didn''t think of the points as something special. For Murai, it had its validity and worth, but for her? What was even the point of thinking about them when they were in a run for their lives? Sure, there were treasures and chances, but they were unlike the previous Vault which had something nice that she saw as a rare chance. It was a wonder, but it was there, waiting even after more than 50 years apart.


    Heavenly Shaping was the best gift that she thought of for recent times or better tomorrows. She couldn''t figure out anything else. Perhaps she didn''t have to. Boosts should be more interesting and willing to change him instead of her.


    Her mind drifted somewhere else, even though she had always preferred to be in charge of her Fate. Going behind the end of the long stretching corridor, her head was already thinking of other things. There were no choices for Gate 3. Just a single one. A big, vast, and ferocious plain to traverse and bear its Chaos.


    Murai noticed their arrival when Mindarch turned silent.


    ¡°What now, Lorry? My Guide... Will you do the job, or be useless?¡± Murai asked a good question. Apart from turning death foes into essences, Murai wasn''t finding Lorry all that useful. Well, part of it was his personally, but the majority was because Mindarch was taking the role of a Guide rather than a Guide himself.


    ¡°Ehm.¡± Lorry cleared his throat to get behind the situation before he entered this place. ¡°Lorry is utmost glad over Murai''s neat Breach of Gate 2. It was almost poetic and nice. Murai...¡±


    Lisa clasped her hand, giving Lorry a rare hint that Murai was looking at him with killing intent.


    Lorry changed his mind in a heartbeat. There was no point in theatrics.


    ¡°This is a place where Murai will get the rewards done. Boosts and points, this is the place between the Gates. The previous hut was... special. Most Challengers get inside for a few things, as it is a place with special rewards and requirements, unlike the Vaults.¡±


    ¡°Its Relic Artifacts were dogshit,¡± Murai said coldly, forgetting about his hoodie altogether, or Influance Items, knowledge transfers, and other things. That hut had countless rewards to offer and most of them weren''t available for him. Then, his hoodie wasn''t part of the reward at all. It was an error. A Breach of protocols that someone else decided for him.


    Of course, it went outside of Levandis, Mindarch, and Lorry, but Murai wasn''t questioning it whatsoever. Amelius caused it anyway and Murai didn''t want to lose the gifts someone gave him. It held a different outlook from the Pachi Gift that Razmund had stolen. It was about a certain attachment to Amelius, who already took some interest in his heart. He was an interesting fella after all.


    ¡°Understandable problem, which Murai must get. What would a duck find earth-shattering at such a level anyway? Murai undeniably welcomed it and gave some Artifacts barebone touches. Got some already, however. What is done is done. It''s not the temple''s nor Battleworld''s problem that Murai doesn''t like it. This tunnel is full of Vaults. Doors aside are the designed Rooms where are safe locations.¡± Lorry went quicker in his explanation than usual, floating forward until he was at the front.


    Behind him was a long tunnel that went to the darkness until a thin light at the end shined. Murai noticed even a slight breeze coming from there, along with dense mana that looked like flickering winds of mist.


    ¡°Hmmmmmm... A temple is a temple. Unexpectedly ancient. I guess Rooms have the same ideas as Gate 1'' Vaults?¡±


    ¡°Murai is correct, albeit not entirely so. That pair was subject to the fundamentals, acting with the beginning of this ascend in mind. These are more war-like, as Doors depict an accumulation of wealth of all Gate 2s and Gate 3. Points matter the most for taking care of the fateful single Room. Points will clash, granting the entry depending on your Tiers. They were for something, Murai sees.¡±


    ¡°You are skipping a bit too much this time.¡± Lisa offered her piece of advice, but Lorry didn''t take it.


    He continued with a fervent swirl of Soul Flames as if he couldn''t wait for what was to come. Murai listened to him not out of respect but sheer need.


    ¡°Murai''s success will move us shortly to the entry to the Golden Room! A place for the top-of-the-line Challengers of Gate 2s. A special case is there for Murai since Murai did the whole 100 Islands without a single failure and hefty results. Isn''t that nice? Nice? It is incredible! Few ever go all out in one go like this. Impressive. Most impressive.¡±


    His eyes glowed in a radiant and exciting light. This was his time to shine, and Lorry was good at it.


    ¡°Alright. Sure. How nice. Cheers and celebrations. Lead the way before I take a nap.¡± Murai quacked some annoying sounds, uninterested in his exaggerated words of excitement.


    This left Lorry a bit dejected, but he had no choice but to follow the path behind him. Floating as the leader, his Soul Flames provided the light, but not as if it was necessary. Lisa was better at it, while Murai didn''t even need their light.


    A dark tunnel of hundreds of meters went on with occasional doors at both sides. Each, but not every one of them represented an accomplishment for every Challenger. Some were places for storage, specific needs, or something subject to Gate 3, or unique stakes that weren''t up to Murai''s status.


    Gate 2 Vaults pointed to 5 possible Rooms that depended on the Tiers of each Challenger. It was about accumulative merits, so failure didn''t mean the worst things.


    Failure was just a slap in the wrist, while fully going through Gate 2 in one way or another ended in one of them. The best was the Gold Room, followed by a bronze, and silver. Silver and bronze had 2 doors because they were quite hefty in stored items.


    Each was quite abundant in resources, of course. It was what power meant when Tiers mattered the most. The majority of Flawless Tiers unlocked the Gold Room, but it wasn''t always the case. Context mattered as well. One shouldn''t have too many Barely Not Enough Tiers or lower.


    Even though there were only 5 Doors, it was more than enough for the amount of Challengers this place was taking. It wasn''t subject to the Surface, as most Challengers moving through them were denizens of the temple or Levandis troops. Everyone had a chance to gain some points as long as one fought for them.


    Considering the amount of treasures the temple was getting through its skirmishes and history, the rewards were neverending. Distribution often led to vast business venues in these Gates, or other parts of Hell Haven, or even in the Surface or further Depths. Most of it was still happening across the Gates of this temple, with many having their respective Vaults for easier management and loot distribution.


    When there was wealth and money, treasures and business boomed.


    Lorry stopped before a door with golden outlines and some nice embroidered wood. At the front was a carved name.


    Golden Room, for those who are extraordinary


    ¡°How original...¡± Murai wondered, causing Lisa to giggle a little.


    ¡°Introducing!¡± Lorry shouted, pushing his forehead against the door to open it up. ¡°THE REWARDS!¡± Then, he pushed it further, creaking the old-sounding door. Flowery details around the metallic wood were countless, showing details and history. There were no runes inside of it, but Murai had no doubt it was heavy and protected. He just didn''t find or see how. The door creaked forth, revealing... nothing.


    Not only was it utterly dark, but Murai''s Night Vision didn''t work. It was so dark, he wasn''t able to see shit. Even Lisa and Lorry didn''t help. It was as if the darkness ate their light.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Lorry shouted. ¡°Where are the damned candles? Why is the spell cascade defense on when we have visitors after a long time? Switch!? Where is the formation? No one caters to this place any longer? Where are the maids? Mindarch! Lorry swears the higher-ups are stingy with the pay... fucking... Hell,¡± Lorry cursed wildly, flying into the darkness and bumping into the walls until he found some special candles. His Soul Flames surged, letting them on fire and revealing thick fog that seemed like smoke. Each candle dispersed a large chunk of it.


    Soon enough, after floating left and right, and up and below, Lorry had to light the candles manually, revealing a rather grandiose hall filled with cobwebs. It didn''t look as majestic as Murai expected, but the size of this place was decent enough. The architecture around this room looked like an ancient altar, or training hall of some sort that was refurbished for other purposes. It was still a Vault, but... mostly empty.


    Dust was everywhere. No one had been here for years, or months at the least.


    However, this didn''t pose much issue to Lorry, who didn''t think he would be ever allowed to enter this space. Mindarch allowed it because Murai Breached their successes and reached it without any failure. Then, his point, merits, and overall fairness and results were on point. It was as fair as it could get, which surprised Lisa the most. She expected Mindarch would get them some other room because she knew how stingy some things could get.


    For most, the Silver Room was more than enough. There were diminishing returns of value, various rewards, and points.


    Low-level Challengers wouldn''t get many points, which made their purchases kind of lacking. Points worked with the already established economy, but not like Murai or Lisa cared about it right now. They didn''t even know how many points they had, but Lisa knew how they worked.


    They won''t create any large changes because of his low level, even if he accomplished great results.


    Another fact was that Lisa was never in this Gold Room, so perhaps her mind would change. The fact that Lorry let them in piqued her interest and curiosity, while Murai was... erratic like a doubtful old man.


    Lisa looked around, but she didn''t find anything worth mentioning. It looked like this place was barren for years, left to rot or some thieves did their work.


    This place had a terrible first impression, unlike the Silver Room that she remembered. Filled with essences, gold nuggets, various mana materials, ponds of high-grade mana liquid, and so on. It had a nice touch. All Silver Rooms were the most visited Vaults.


    For Gold Room, things had different ideas and immense and heavy meanings. One had to truly go all out, unleashing fury and menace to enemies, Gates, and Mindarch alike. Rewards were simple and equal to the Silver Room.


    The difference was something else. That was the power of the discount and a couple of unique benefits that Lorry was curious about. Mindarch was yet to give him any helping touches, however.


    Gold Room ended up looking like an abandoned museum, with the treasures of some sort catching dust. There was a reason for this and Lisa didn''t know about it because she couldn''t know everything.


    And someone else didn''t know much either. The Guide! ¡°Now... What the hell!? Where is something? Lorry hasn''t been here in 29 years. How improper.¡± Lorry floated back and forth around this huge place, looking for something.


    ¡°A bit disappointing, doesn''t it?¡± Lisa asked Murai, glancing at him and his current demeanor and clothes.


    She acknowledged it looked good on him, but... what it was? How and why did this uniform appear on him at this time and situation? She got the idea that Pachi must be questionable, as her gift ended up troublesome. Not only did it start a Major Task, but it felt like it was tightly knitted to the overall Encounter.


    ¡°I am already satisfied.¡± Murai surprisingly puffed his chest, showing off the gem on his chest. Lisa couldn''t help but be a bit surprised by how much he liked this, considering he hated the backpack.


    However, those things were very different from one another. Like the sun and moon, Amelius took this idea on top of his shoulders and mind, creating a masterpiece. Pachi was... Murai wasn''t even sure if her gift was a gift or a curse.


    It was no surprise that he had preferences over the others. Lisa could see it herself, but why had he accepted it that easily?


    In a while, as Murai wasn''t even thinking of unleashing his Sonar, Lorry found a small keychain. Using his mouth, he hurried towards the main runic construct of this room and began to smash some things apart. There was some form of switchboard hiding under some rubble and dust.


    Clumsy but trying, he succeeded after some struggles. Then, mechanical noises spread from everywhere, and tremors echoed from the ground up. Nothing remained calm. Floor, ceiling, ground, statues, dust, paintings, or some leftover materials. Everything turned strange.


    On one side of the wall, tables pivoted from the wall, revealing the glistering sight of interesting objects, treasures, and many gears. The empty bookshelves also turned inwards, becoming filled with books or bottles of all kinds. Materials rich in mana arose in crates or chests in some corners of the walls and shelves, all part of the hidden constructs that hid them away.


    This place was big, yet Murai watched how he suddenly couldn''t breathe or move all that much. There was too much clutter, glaze, and treasures everywhere. Enveloped by them, it was a problem he hadn''t seen coming because of his small size.


    ¡°Slap me if I see what I see.¡± Murai moaned, scowling at the sheer unnecessary sight in front of him. Lisa was an inch from slapping him for real, but she rather chose not to be that direct.


    ¡°Now! The TREASURES! That is what Lorry talks about.¡± Lorry shouted, filled with dust and cobwebs, but feeling fine overall. He even panted, as if he was exhausted, which was... impressive, or fake.


    Would a lonely skull without anything get exhausted? Souls might. Especially because it was vivid in its instincts and long life for a long time.


    Murai and Lisa discovered their mistaken expectations. Looking at the glistering sides of the Mana Essences that had grades ranging to the Grade 3s in small doses, Murai shook his head. They looked like dense miniature stars, surrounded and hiding behind some formation that let them remain calm.


    Some were specifically under those that led some of their qualities out, creating a strong impression. Even those bits deafened the surroundings, turning this whole room bright and magical.


    That heavied the air and dimmed the candles. The light was much brighter from the treasures, so the little bits of smoke disappeared completely.


    ¡°Seems to me I will have a nice haul.¡± Murai cheered, spread his wings, and hopped up, ascending some piles of crates and landing on the table.


    It was time for a shopping spree.


    But just as he wanted to ask Lorry how many points he had and what he could purchase, the world shook and powerful intent and Will extinguished the candles. Even mana dimmed all over this place.


    A surge of powerful Wills pushed onto every inch, digging into Murai''s soul and anchoring at it by force. Unlike before, Murai felt how it occurred. It was literary like poking a needle into the skin. They infected him, or was it the difference in strength that made it so savage? His soul was strong, so this wasn''t about some strength, but some rule that made it feasible. A rule that he didn''t like and didn''t know.


    Once again, the course from the past Gate happened. Battlewill and a representative from this temple went to his soul space without his choice or refusal. Perhaps his Soul Lock would do something, but it didn''t activate.


    Murai sighed, unwilling to stop his shopping, but felt he had no choice. Taking a seat on the table, he focused on his Will to turn inwards.


    By now, a pair of shimmering and vast spheres of light appeared before his soul. Each was no less weak than the other and both were pillars of high-class interest. One was silvery in color, while the other looked as if made of blood.


    The same fools arrived. Murai wondered if he should cry, cheer, or laugh.


    ¡°We see you again, duck.¡± a female voice said in an indifferent and cold tone. Villan got pissy and colder since their last meeting. Perhaps she got angrier about him, or was it the aftermath of that time that changed her, or was it something about this Gate?


    Battlewill seemed to be normal as before: calm, collected, and more than willing to do the usual business. They were here as collectors of interest, albeit in a weird manner that didn''t have to arrive like this.


    It was more personal for more personal problems.


    Checking the aftermath of a unique set of Challengers was under Mindarch''s status, but the current souls invading Murai were the same thing. It was a business for both of them as well as something more.


    ¡°Again, it''s the same old problems. Vilan and good ol'' Battlewill? Oh, how have I missed you all.¡± Murai said, mocking his words together and chuckling like a fake doctor. His Robust Spirit flared in power, gaining strength and arising by spreading its wings. A soul duck spread its influence, looking bigger than ever before.


    Villain and Battleworld had the same appearance as spheres because it was all they could muster.


    ¡°Hmph! Don''t think you are better than us. You aren''t.¡± Villan argued, her voice no longer shook the soul space at all.


    ¡°Is that all? So be it. It is just thinking. I can think of killing you both, but not like it can happen. It is a nice wish, though. What is it this time? I fear this invasion is rather redundant since I don''t even know what it was about last time. Is this one caused by a special occasion? I got a lot to do, you see. Gate 2 was heavy and nice, and shopping was ready before me.¡±


    Silver and grey blob of mass turned as voice tried to shake this soul space. It didn''t do much but waver some of Murai''s soul feathers. ¡°We are simple messengers. A small token of this world, so to speak. And also part of what this temple used to mean and currently means. Battleworld''s interaction has something to do with this too, which Mindarch can''t do.¡± Battlewill said in a stoic, deep, and male voice.


    ¡°Fair enough. What is it then? Gate 2 is behind me, cracked and fallen like foolish tools. Some ploys are hiding behind the scenes, but not as if it is nice. Hunted but living, I do what I can in this temple.¡± Murai said confidently.


    ¡°So what!¡± Villan said. ¡°It''s the same thing as everywhere, but you took interest from the Surface down to my home! I can''t forgive you for that. Do you think we will live this down? You destroyed just tiny fodder forces and you think you are a big Anatidae? What a joke. It''s expected to gain momentum. Undead, or slaves are fools, let alone the others.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Murai mumbled as if her voice bothered him like Lisa''s excuses.


    ¡°There is a madman after you. It''s already bleeding us, even though we are trying to not lose our forces. Change it! Intercept him sooner and we will reward you.¡±

 Chapter 168: Invasion

    ¡°I refuse.¡± Murai simply said what he felt. He won''t let someone else decide this sort of thing for him. Not Lisa. Not some demon that he couldn''t even see, nor anything else that he wasn''t sure was worth hearing. He had his priorities set straight, even while invaded by strangers with far too much authority.


    He was in his backyard, so he spoke like he wanted.


    But if this conversation was happening without any stops anyway, accepting the reality was still possible and almost reasonable. He won''t change the course of already established paths. About Razmund, whom he hated with a passion, he had no words or promises to give. He didn''t want to care for him, so whatever Villan thought behind the scenes wasn''t his problem. Razmund came here by his choice. Not his.


    Villan was far too shameless when uttering such nonsense. Murai would usually laugh at such stupidity, but he was calm, all things considered.


    That was what he tried to do: calm down and take the role of this conversation with these two weirdos in a much steadier light. Information with the most context possible was the next thing on his mind. Their demands weren''t important. He figured this approach worked much better thanks to Mindarch, Lisa, and his findings about this world and what was happening around him. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At many points in his lives, he was often a stupid, self-centered, and far too focused asshole who wanted to get rid of his curse and nothing else. He believed that everyone and everything was a redundant piece of flow that was around him. It was an arrogant view, even if it was in the past and often followed his lives.


    In this one, his ego wasn''t definitely where it used to be, and even if it was honest and not wrong, it wasn''t right either.


    However, what was and wasn''t wrong? Murai wasn''t sure. He was accepting this mess that was inevitable by refocusing on what mattered. And some negotiation can fuck off, or... what was this about? It sounded as if Razmund was his problem, or the overall situation around the temple was his fault.


    Villan sounded important, much to what Lisa mentioned to him already, but a lot of things about this pair of Wills made no sense.


    What was that first invasion even about? They appeared, talked, and left. That was it.


    But Murai wasn''t stupid to be utterly unhinged. He figured these Wills must have reasons for invading him like that, or is it to spread their influence that might be the same as before or separate? After all, Murai changed some flow with his tactics in Gate 2, but to what degree? What Manager Kil provided already spoke well enough, didn''t it? He considered the matter finished.


    Well, these invasions weren''t about him, perhaps. What about Amelius? That guy was questionable. He even said it himself, mentioning Levandis, how he forced the situation to reach Murai, and so on. And for what? To craft and give him a piece of cloth? Murai figured that was it, second to their discussion that gave him many surprises.


    That left the primary problem closer, yet far. Lisa was one of the primary causes that led to this mess, although Murai didn''t think of her as a problem or the main cause. The world forced him. She helped him overcome it with some help.


    Those were no suspicions, but rather normal things. The main problem was Razmund, who was on its own page, but he didn''t seem to be revolving around him like a moon. It was more of a straight line where Murai was running from him.


    Murai found few things extremely problematic, so what about the situation as a whole? He didn''t think of himself in the broader context, nor did he know about the situation that developed away from him, but was still close.


    In a sense, he was accepting the bliss of ignorance and focus, and there wasn''t anything wrong with that when his living was on the line. He no longer wanted some restart that might or might not happen. He was far too attached to some... things. Perhaps it wasn''t his life or body by itself, but his soul was stubborn.


    This left the pair of lofty spheres ahead. Their nefarious plots might not be important because important words were often spoken when all parties knew what was going on. Those could mean some written laws in some worlds from Murai''s memory and ideas, but lofty people often changed and rewrote rules how they wanted, or on the go.


    Murai would do the same if he could.


    Hearing his refusal, Villan hardly changed her tone. Her voice boomed, and the sphere changed to a crispier color of crimson. ¡°That isn''t nice of you to speak to me like that. I can burn you to a jerky in the real world. It is too bad for you and everyone that it isn''t possible. Doing this sort of thing and discussing it is all you deserve right now. Living like this, in a place this wide, where the world is breathing on your shoulder. Death is nearing, yet you keep going. It sounds awfully manacing.¡±


    ¡°I am following the rules of the game and living. It is called living sense. It is relatively common. You should try it. Sounds like you can''t even see the top of your forehead. Perhaps you''ve forgotten how to live, God, mud, or whoever you are.¡± Murai argued without a shred of hesitation.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Villan got even angrier, which made her voice sound calmer.


    ¡°Not sure what purpose is your living, pissy brat, but I don''t care about the details of this forceful decision that you''ve made instead of me. As far as I get it, my little ghost told me this isn''t usually the case. Could I do something about it? Hardly, so piss off with your anger. Discussions are there where words make enough merits on their own, or between two individuals with meaningful trades. Not threats. But tell it to a God, huh? I hoped for better. So much for this world, I suppose.¡± Murai aimed the last question at Battlewill, but that sphere remained calm and silent as if pondering or listening.


    So he changed the subject. ¡°Whoever made this Gate 2 and its premise must be crying tears of joy right now because I''ve finished it. It''s not my problem if someone finds it bothersome or insane. Rules follow and allow that. Breaches are there because someone allows them to exist. Like anything in the universe, really. Rules and whatnot, it is often meaningful to butcher them all for the sake of changes and new rules!¡± Murai''s words seemed to hit a nail in the coffin.


    The crimson lights swayed, swelling in anger. ¡°Y-you.. YOU!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, freak. I mean, Villan.¡± Battlewill suddenly said, trying to calm the situation down, but it was like speaking to an erupting volcano to stop its splattering rocks from bursting into the sky.


    For now, Battlewill took the reign over this discussion that strictly clung to the entire world. It was a topic that this temple had to take into account, no matter if there was Mindarch, Levandis''s unwillingness, or those like Villan who had questionable intentions that warranted some personal politics, or ideas.


    This was beyond the Laws. Something that was integrated into the living to ensure everything flowed well. Murai wasn''t seeing that, but he didn''t need to. He knew worlds had their complications, similar to his living.


    He had to adapt. Overcome it too... hopefully.


    Levandis knew how to handle this world even if she came here late. Different rules and things governed it before many of the current Gods even arrived here, establishing a new legacy, and carrying differences from other worlds. They took the new mantle and let life flourish in this large and unfathomably deep magical world. Thus, establishing new rules was given, if not mandatory.


    In a world carried by a lot of mysteries and legacies, it was a special time in even richer history.


    That happened a long time ago, so many had forgotten or didn''t know it at all. The past was impossible to change, but what about the Fate of the future? Most Gods knew about history while ascending and dying was a matter of time or talent. Gods were above, below, or on the Battleworld for a good reason, staking their chances for future or prizes. It was all about powers. They were far too enticing to pass it up for something weak.


    Dangers were at every stage after all and Gods were no immortals, albeit their vitality and living powers were incredibly thanks to their Divine Power and other mighty strengths.


    ¡°The case is following, Citizen.¡± Battlewill restarted its proper speech what it was here for. Villan wasn''t important. Mindarch would be, but Battlewill didn''t care all that much if some lofty demon from Levandis''s Hell stirred some trouble by words alone. ¡°Mindarch, known to be the guiding factor of the past Sun God, the deity that devoured this land, is the major taker of your interest and handler of the Gates. It isn''t fitting to take it far, but interest is not subject to rules, as long as the clash has its fairness. The Encounter is still ongoing, clashing interests behind the scenes, this temple, and powers above the Depths. This makes this difficult for us or someone like Villan, who caters to the overall pictures. Rules and the world are set by rules. Without them, there is nothing clear. Got that for the start?¡±


    Murai turned silent. For some reason, this one Battlewill sounded much calmer and more sincere than the last one, as if something entirely different was behind it. Is it someone more sane, calmer, or older behind it? Murai figured that something must be seriously wrong or right in this idea.


    For example, its voice was basically the same as the last time, but the undertone, articulation of words, and emotions made some impressions. Murai found it somewhat strange, but how or at what capacity could he think about it?


    He still listened to Battlewill without complaints, which was a rarity for him. Perhaps it was no God. Villan could be the same. She could be someone like Manager Kil, who worked for this temple, but she was more crazy and untamed because of her personality.


    So, who was he talking to then? He never coveted much interest over the Will of the Battleworld itself. Its voice was mostly dull and uninteresting, while the beings overseeing this temple were different. Mindarch was much more... strange, or nicer. It had more soul, to say the least.


    Answers were in fewer places. Lisa, who accounted for most of them as the past Blessed, should know more about it. Not only did she know some secrets of the world, but also this temple and many other things.


    He should''ve asked her about those so-called rules long ago or about the runners of this world. Murai thought they were gods for sure, but it seemed the station was much more complicated. But what if she didn''t know much about it either? Was she even trustworthy when she was often silent in questionable words and excuses?


    ¡°What are you trying to say with these bunch of words meddled together?¡± Murai asked Battlewill. ¡°I almost fell asleep.¡±


    ¡°A reminder, Citizen. Allowing you to gain the majority of the influential blessings of the world isn''t possible like this. Many things go within unexpected layers, as you are the Breacher, we are the fixers, and this temple is a tool you use to broaden things you sought by influencing things that weren''t appropriate.¡±


    ¡°So what? Do you think I asked for this hunt for my life? Ridiculous.¡± Murai laughed as if possessed.


    ¡°It is just. Temple possesses authority and arrangement under Lordis and Levandis, but its Chaos is untameable. They have no small words in this, but a much bigger variable in this is you. It is something we can work with limited success, so the ending results might not be nice.¡±


    ¡°Work with my tits, asshole!¡± Villan suddenly shouted, sounding quite vulgar and beyond angry. ¡°Uttering a bunch of nonsense excuses. How befitting of a loser.¡±


    ¡°WE are us, and you are just... taking everything for granted, demon. Don''t take this to the length you can''t bear. We are the bearers of justice.¡± Battlewill was firm in its words, and Murai didn''t expect they would argue against one another inside of his soul.


    ¡°Listen... demon, this isn''t working right now. Throwing tantrums is not good. Not here of all places.¡± Battlewill returned to calmness before Villan threw another tantrum. Sounding emotionless and like a ruler who spoke with unnatural authority, it was also a bit helpless in some undertones, but Murai wasn''t sure if he heard it right.


    Villan seemed reluctant to take this to another level, but after some wild crimson waves in the sphere, she calmed down and voiced her desires.


    They were yet to fit in with Mindarch''s stakes, which Murai took without surprise, but they had some calmness. He was still questioning why they were here, or why he felt they were stalling and speaking nonsense.


    ¡°Fine. I have my own authority over this act of invasion.¡± Villan said to Murai. ¡°My stake in this situation is the following: You''ve accomplished great merits under my Lady''s guidance and wishes of Gate 2. This poses no issue to me whatsoever because you went by our rules and did so with good care. But I am still furiously angry and wish to make a stuffed figurine out of you, duck! You are ridiculous!¡±


    She spoke with a clear murderous flare in her last words.


    Murai didn''t fall for it. He began to laugh. ¡°Excellent! So I have your blessing to continue doing that because I adhere to your rules? Nice. How expensive a stuffed duck might be? Fuck off with this taunt, crook. Learn from someone with a backbone, before crawling to me later.¡± Murai spoke coldly, floating with his powerful soul forward.


    Both foreign Wills remained unmoving and constant.


    Murai decided to play his cards. ¡°You both are someone''s representatives. One mad, one vast. I can see it now. What do you TRULY have to say to me if you invade this place, bearing words and catering to your ideas? Each of you has ways to communicate and touch upon me anyway. One by souls, others by... voice. Sounds redundant to come at me in this way. I heard Mindarch many times, while Will of the Battleworld might be what it is, it does speak sense most of the time. Now, it bears a question of what is useless and what is useful. It can vary like your damned heads.¡±


    ¡°Becau..¡± Villan began to speak, but Murai cut her off.


    ¡°My Life Companion is ignorant about how deep meanings can run or ruin the context. It is making me second-guess a lot of things, her included. So, tell it to me like stone cold brew turning the head soft. And tell it clear and fast, or I will crack my soul apart and make sure you will lose some shreds of your constructs that both of you use. Looks to me like a very potent outer soul technique, or construct that sends something powerful to the distant souls as an intermediary. Must be expensive. I might take some look at it, or bite some bits off if I am lucky.¡±


    Hearing his words, Villan remained crips in crimson and silence. Battlewill stayed in the pristine calmness of a ruler. Nether was afraid.


    First to speak was Villan, who changed from being an utter bitch to a calmer businesswoman. ¡°It isn''t complicated. We are stalling for the reading processes. Each of these forms readings for us, ways in our weights and our powers, second to yours. That means Mindarch and the one beyond this shitty Battlewill, got it? I am here because of something else.¡± She revealed the truth and simple facts.


    Battlewill allowed that and didn''t utter a word as she continued.


    ¡°I am no watchdog by the way. I learn and worry about the systematic part of the scenes. Hell Havens needs it for obvious benefits that lack the Order. It''s making things difficult because of Battleworld''s intervention, creations, and many complications behind the scenes. It is what Sky and Depths does. Those are the clashes that need authority to work with. I am following it as an Engineer because it is required. I wouldn''t be here without Battlewill, and you are here because of us. Without one, you would be doing who knows what... somewhere else? I don''t even dare to think what would happen if you were free.¡± Villan said, dismissing whatever reason she had for being here because of a job.


    Murai accepted it, figuring that the name Engineer seemed kind of high, but perhaps it was the correct terminology. If someone was overlooking this temple in numerous ways, perhaps it was close to how Manager Kil did his things. He looked after the primary rules, while someone like Villan worked with the hidden problems that needed different kinds of attention. Murai remembered what Manager Kil told him, though he wasn''t sure if this person and Battlewill were better or worse. They seemed forceful in different ways.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Villan revealed some interesting bits. Those like her were responsible for crashing against Battlewill''s authority, which seemed indifferent to everything and important to everyone. Who was Manager Kil in this regard wasn''t important if he was just one single Tontati.


    But what about Mindarch himself? That soul construct spoke to Murai the most out of everything in this temple.


    ¡°What she said is true,¡± Battlewill said. ¡°Power controls power. Authority works through it, dictating the process, readings, proceedings of Fate, possibilities, calculations, and all sorts of situations that are complicated to pursue. It needs tampering like mending because this world has Gods as few places do. You may not like it, but this invasion forms a closer outlook on the clash of the current interests that you''ve forced. We accepted it as Engineers of two different sides of a similar coin. It is also the base for the incoming Boost. With these spheres, we are taking care of the broader picture you share with Mindarch in a limited capacity. He is a troublemaker, you see. A direct measure like this is mandatory because of the Encounter, your existence, Mindarch interventions, and... other things.¡±


    Murai was curious about the other things, but Battlewill didn''t mention more.


    ¡°So... you are doing your job? Here I thought to uncover some nefarious plot, but you are here to help me instead? HA! What a hilarious situation! It sounds much greater than it is, but I have nothing against this sort of cause and effect. But.... you are here for something else, aren''t you? You, a crimson blob of murders and nonsense. You especially. The last time was whatever. Now you come back crawling and speaking as if you are the Creator. What a joke.¡± Murai said coldly, even though he sounded way too excessive at the beginning.


    ¡°Don''t think you are a big deal, small Child that barely thinks on top of your two legs.¡± Villan laughed as if she said something hilarious.


    ¡°Nothing is here for us than do this dive a justice,¡± Battlewill said next. ¡°No mistakes too... Just benefits and a slight edge over your readings are there, forming a better-known base of your species, situation, and various aspects. It is a unique case because of your circumstance, which Codex processes next. That is why it''s rare as your... ghost said. It is complicated. Because of it, further context is taken across further layers, ensuring the validity and truths across the whole world. Mindarch helps with that, but it goes through us at the end of the day.¡±


    Villan grunted something, annoyed because of its words.


    Battlewill continued. ¡°Codex ensures information flow. Anyone might ask, purchase, or get answers, content, or gifts of knowledge from the Codex. It is what powers gifts. It is what births it. It is what Will of the Battleworld is! It is a grand power that rules this world! A chance that this world possesses.¡±


    Murai was hearing about the Codex for the first time, so he wondered where this topic started or ended. Could he also ask and get some answers? It sounded like he could if he heard Battlewill right, but he never figured or got anything out of it besides some wonders in his first evolution. Since then, he got nothing.


    It sounded like he could''ve gotten more, which was nothing but weak excuses since he didn''t. Either Battlewill lied, or something was missing.


    Murai wondered about the truths of this logic and topic, nodding twice as Battlewill continued. If it won''t give him any clarity next, he will either ask it or Lisa. He may be a Breacher, but there should be some standards in Chaos or Order.


    ¡°There are wonders you have, Citizen,¡± Battlewill stated and decided to talk more than usual. ¡°Questions or answers might include a variety of topics. Anything is under the Codex. Temples like this have depth in the history of Gods, while continents as vast as smaller planets create new places. Origin Dungeons are even deeper than that, or Remnant Dungeons have more unique stakes or involvements. Sub Dungeons are easier to seek and do, and knowledge hiding in the Depths, Sky, and Surface are countless. Then there are seas, islands, and other places around the world that depict places with people and opportunities to grow more power. The flow beyond the Sky is a rarer stake, not fit to mention for those who are far from that. Surface and Depth are best. The Sky is for Gods! Rightful ones, not like those hiding below.¡±


    Villan chuckled as if her anger couldn''t be put into words.


    Murai turned suspicious. Battlewill was mentioning things in broader terms with less context. He heard pretty much the same thing from Lisa in the past days. Battlewill gave him nothing new apart from the Codex and the seeming idea that he could get or purchase some knowledge about anything. That sounded far too cheap, or far too expensive. Nothing in between, Murai felt.


    For what exactly did it speak? To broaden his mind, or stall it further?


    ¡°What about the power?¡± Murai asked, thinking that broader excuses weren''t right to seek. Meeting and seeing them with his own eyes was another thing.


    ¡°There is much more to power than meets the eye,¡± Battlewill said importantly, turning its voice crisper and louder. ¡°Clear information based on context adds value to evolutions and possibilities. Paths state the connection to the Pathways, the state of spells can change in magnitude and order, and Affinities add a touch to the Mana Cores and change them to another level. Then some physiques meddle with bodies and evolutions even further. Equipment depends on us, but crafters around the world depend on it more, like we are to their creation. It adds a cycle of interest where value delivers it down thanks to our readings, while their crafts go through clearer processes. It is a gracious gift.¡±


    ¡°Or a shackle.¡± Murai guessed.


    ¡°Not that, Citizen. Our readings provide worth. Many cherish it like nothing else. Anything is under the Codex and taken into account. The world is creating it under our watch.¡±


    ¡°That''s all cheery and red like the sky, but let''s not get ahead. What about it is so mighty?¡±


    ¡°Mighty? What about the evolutions that you adhere to? You grew to be like this partially because of us! Because the Boosts you took are powerful ways to give you power. They are the same in your case. It is all under our watch and possibilities. In the end, the choice is up to the individual on, or below the Surface. They can touch our gifts and take them as power. Some don''t because they are freaks or weaklings, but you took it as you wished. Don''t pretend it is dubious, Citizen!¡±


    ¡°How generous...¡±


    ¡°We even accepted the meddling of the Influence Items that mortals created. All sorts of other things ensure the transparency and validity of such an invasion of privacy, as it gifts proceedings of such opportunities. Mostly dull of course, hidden under the veils that mortals feel. Invasion like this is a rare and unique case because of your situation. Normally, the dormant world soul is enough in most fools, or not necessary. It is what drives this world, so living souls don''t even notice it. Everyone is prone to it because everyone is subject to these worldly powers. It might sound cheap, but this is how this world operates. Nothing will change it.¡±


    Murai was utterly silent after hearing such a long monologue from a mechanical voice. He didn''t expect to hear Battlewill speaking like this at all. It was giving him a true lesson about the rules of this world. If not surprised, he wasn''t an Anatidae.


    ¡°Oh, there we go again,¡± Villain said, and Murai bet if she could, she would roll her eyes.


    ¡°We, the system of this world, work for the betterment of this world''s individuality and worthy powers.¡± Battlewill ended its exposition, telling things with no clear lies and ploys hidden behind its words.


    Contrary to Villan, who seemed like a ferocious woman who loved to self-insert herself into any situation, Battlewill seemed much more respectable. But is some respect worthy of such intensity? It sounded like a passionate follower of a God.


    Where were some boundaries between Chaos and Order, good or evil, or something terrific or chaotic? What was privacy for slavery and power? It was all connected, intricately twindled like threads of Fate or laughter in the drunken tavern.


    Murai wondered why he was even allowing them to speak about it in this way. He wasn''t that curious about it, yet was that a lie? He already made up his mind before they even came here, yet it somewhat changed.


    ¡°That is all good and cheery, but I don''t want to know anything more than give my life the cherry on top of it. Finding the answers the right way is the best, right? No. You said it regardless of truths or facts, as this power rules without choice. Isn''t true freedom much greater? What about the endless possibilities like in the Endless Sky? Power doesn''t care for Will. It is more brutal than both of you combined. You, I don''t need some nasty fellows hiding behind some constructs to talk to me about this. Now, get over the assessment, or whatever you do, and leave me be. Gate 3 is waiting for me.¡± Murai declared his Will and backed away from them with his soul, hovering further away.


    He thought about what Battlewill would say next or what it said. Some of the confirmation of his guesses and context provided by Lisa were all working, but where was he around this? Why did he feel so uneasy about this whole invasive situation? It felt like a dull knock at the depth of the sea.


    He still loomed over them like a large planet, but he didn''t mind that. Nor did they, Murai felt.


    Villan grunted some internal curses about something else, figuring that this wasn''t least bit surprising. Battlewill stalled and spoke some lessons that many needed to know, despite the weird timing. Murai was weirder. Mindarch warned her this would happen, so this came as no surprise even if it hurt her pride.


    She underestimated the situation, which ended up harming her reputation twice over her coveted position to take Mindarch interest in what she desired. It backfired. Now, she wondered what her Lady would do to her.


    Mindarch would''ve dealt with this invasion much better and on his own merits, sneering, knocking, and pissing Battlewill off so much more! It would''ve been fun for Murai and her alike.


    Alas, Villan''s intentions were relatively clean and honest when she realized her true position. She didn''t want to trouble this ridiculous Anatidae, soul in general, and Battlewill, who seemed to be unusually talkative and weirder than usual. She wondered who was behind it.


    Villan was here to play devil''s advocate and play with worth, value, rewards, and greed. All of which Mindarch did so much better.


    She was representing the World of Darkness that Levandis was supporting. She can entice anyone, she believed. All for the sake of business, family, and power.


    She had more to tell, and as someone close to Manager Kil, she decided to take this scheme slower if Levandis showed her interest, and Battlewill had clear intentions concealed. Encounter loomed over many decisions and eyes, and nothing but the mortals would be the pawns in this game. Gods or those close to them could become players as well, or some sort of supporting pillars close to decision-makers.


    Villan knew it, so she decided not to speak any further. There was no point in who was willing to bear responsibilities or discussions.


    All of the Wills in this space were kind of pricks. They all thought about compromises being unnecessary, but when it came to decisions between them, things got simple or ugly.


    Murai was a simple guy who pretended to be the sky. He didn''t want anything to do with them, but what if it was impossible and other pricks wanted to talk to him all the time instead? Pissing him off was the aftermath.


    The world was too intertwined like Battlewill said. Murai accepted this discovery in his way, feeling that his choices got smaller or more complicated at this very moment. Hopefully, Lisa will bear with these results, because Murai won''t change his mind.


    It all started quickly. Pachi, Vermillion, Lordis or Pakutan, now this? He felt there was a storm brewing over this life like never before. Or was this about this world? He had never seen this intertwined world filled with so many intense Gods.


    He ought to change his outlook better if he wanted some changes. Quicker. Adaptation was all about it. That was what he learned through his sufferings.


    What was the point in Villan, if Battlewill held the higher ground? That was a wonderful question. At least this variant of the Battlewill was much better at ensuring the business nature of this conversation and spoke quicker.


    Murai was kind of a problem, so there was no point in antagonizing the problem further. Acceptance was part of the grief. Dealing with it was much better, which Murai accepted, but still hated.


    The realization that this world was filled with rules hit him like lightning.


    Of course, this case was a vast term that can range from tiny pokes to wild clashes, since he hadn''t seen much yet. There were layers of importance, tiers, grades, or levels to everything. A dog eating a bone wasn''t important. A peasant''s death was the same. Important touches to certain acts mattered like cause and effect.


    There was no way that every little detail, as insignificant as possible, poised as something that could shatter the world.


    Murai can become that possibility, some beings thought or feared.


    The situation escalated to nothing much but a staring battle between Villan, Murai, and Battlewill. Until it crumbled into a rather lackluster ending, where crimson sphere shuddered and laughed. Or was it a cry?


    Villan retrieved her interest first and left without any further words. She wanted more out of Murai but failed even more than the last time. Battlewill soon followed, which was also weird. It went without mentioning anything further, which was a little strange since he waited for his Boosts readings that happened in their last invasions. Not this time, Murai felt, thinking that more things should be said.


    Perhaps he should''ve asked... He tended to be a rather stubborn one when it came to that idea.


    Readings were finished a while ago anyway, so talking about stuff and stalling was unnecessary. Murai could''ve forced them away. Battlewill knew it, although Villan wouldn''t believe it.


    Whoever they were, or what they were scheming, Murai wasn''t liking what touched his spirit, memories, persona, or his current body. He had some boundaries, regardless of how weird or bad they might be. Crazy, small, or insignificant, they made his soul a living thing rather than a curse. It was his wishing thinking.


    No one will take that from him. At least for now... Murai wanted to believe that; he didn''t want anyone to get some bad ideas about his current life.


    Murai bet this weird act of those Wills were plays of significant scheme makers, which left him displeased.


    Anyway, I am spent. So Villain is that sort of thing? Sounds like she is close to the owner of the Hell Haven, who is... Rank 1 God, I bet. So, who was she then? Rank 2? 3? Is she even a God? Isn''t she like that little guy? That is hard to tell or guess. She sounded like a working force for her like... what? Servant? Nah. I don''t usually watch politics, but these Hell Havens sound different from the way the Divine Kingdom acts in my mind. At least Lisa gave me some ideas about them. There is a different power dynamic between utter Chaos and Order that meddles with power and the rest.


    But she resembles that. Those who think this is just a game for them? Invading the Soul Spaces of others for what? To make an assessment. What kind of assessment requires this sort of bullshit? Bunch of suckers. They came up with a nice excuse this time around, but Battlewil did make some sense. That is at least the hunch I am getting.


    Codex... That sounds interesting. In what context does the flow of information go and how to get some of that for myself? It might hold power that can change even my curse. Murai thought about his situation, alone in his Soul Space.


    Lisa heard everything from the outer perspective like a bystander. She will never be able to sever her soul from his Soul Space unless something insane will do that for her. All she was doing was coming out or in, so that meant flying out of her tank of water, while still being connected to it by strands of Fate or something else.


    Getting out of the Soul Space was quick for Murai, yet he wasn''t sure how many seconds it took for his Will to return, or how much that invasion lasted.


    Duck, sitting neatly on the table, wearing a hoodie that enunciated the softness and its features, shuddered and its head flinched. Murai was a bit spooked by a sudden switch, as if lighting shuddered the darkness. It wasn''t like that before.


    Jumping up, as if some fire burst open and feathers flickered, Murai watched Lisa''s startled face. She was fairly close to him. Too close to his face.


    ¡°Were you checking my hoodie again?¡± He asked straight away, noticing Lorry''s curious Soul Flames fairly close as well.


    ¡°Maybe...¡± Lisa said with a forced smile.


    ¡°Heard the things in my soul space too?¡±


    ¡°A little bit and bits. Wills of higher beings usually mean problems, so I''ve heard enough out of you by biting nothing that I couldn''t chew. I wasn''t sneaky, but careful. That much is better for me. They wouldn''t like being watched or heard by me. I am not suicidal, unlike you.¡±


    ¡°Unlike me? Heh!¡± Murai heard a nice joke again. ¡°Not like they would do much to you or me. They were a bunch of weasels, teasing me, talking to me like idiots, and for what?¡±


    ¡°It wasn''t anything bad but some brief lessons. Adjustments after Gate 2 should be quite a blunder or a Breach if you are in the way of the picture. I get you don''t get it, but Battlewill gave you enough to change your perspective. They are wide, I mean. Few know why they do that like this sometimes, but perhaps it was because of you and this temple? Or is it more of you, being a problem?¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡± Murai reckoned and stretched his wings and neck, figuring that the hurtful feelings from before the invasion were mostly gone. That was a nice surprise. ¡°I still didn''t like them.¡±


    ¡°I don''t think you like anyone¡±


    Murai paused his stretch. ¡°Is that right?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? I died by touching the untouchable¡ªa circumstance where overstepping boundaries led to consequences. I don''t want to repeat that, but you do that all the time. Be careful, please. One tends to burn easily when one is full of feathers.¡± Lisa begged, folding her arms around her chest, but her arrogance showed its colors more than her words. Or was that the light flickering in her eyes?


    ¡°Well, again, I am completely unaware of how you died, so be calm over some measly death. It isn''t that bad. It will pass and you will move on. Trust me.¡±


    ¡°Whatever... I just want this to be alright this time around. You are you. Battlewill is kind of... Oh, it''s coming! Brace yourself!¡± Lisa suddenly tensed up, feeling how the surroundings in the Gold Room tensed up and the strange waves materialized out of the walls. Nothing was taken out of the treasures. They just dimmed and lost their value like veils shoved around them.


    Everything came from the walls.


    And all of the waves aimed at Murai like a touch of the hands.


    He braced himself by adjusting his position again by sitting down in his hoodie. ¡°Well, here we go again. I hope it''s going to be good.¡± Taking a deep breath, he went along with the incoming burst of powerful Will and power that meant to mend his whole being.


    Boost! A snack that he decided to like.


    Like in Gate 1, a big change was here for his life and a change of status, but this time, he didn''t hear any information before the Boost started. Will of the Battleworld worked with Mindarch as an access point, giving this Gate a nice touch after Murai went all over the Islands. Some changes were expected, so Murai had big expectations.


    That was what rules demanded, if what Battlewill said was right and not some joke.


    Success in his temple largely depended on crashing rules and potential problems against all parties, but what if far too many things collided with that idea? Amelius and Murai were troublemakers, but it wasn''t about it alone. Everything should follow the rules. It was a pointless struggle for some, but regarding this Room itself, Murai had priorities.


    He forgot about the essences, or how many points he even had. He still didn''t know it. Battlewill didn''t tell him anything about power, but it seemed this surge of force accompanied yet another Will from somewhere else.


    Next, the familiar and powerful voice of Will of the Battleworld spoke to his soul, accompanied by waves that engulfed him in a cocoon of seen-through storms. From Lisa''s perspective, it looked like a wind that pushed against feathers and hoodie before going deeper into Murai like a bunch of hands.


    [Citizen. Targets and special cases have been uncovered by completing Gate 2 in full view that Breached Protocol 5 of the Islands of Greatness. Mindarch disregarded it and so did we] Will of the Battleworld spoke, sounding like a mechanical voice, although in different tones from Battlewill. Murai discovered its enunciation of words was alien and feelings alone made it seem like a lifeless tool. That meant that Battlewill was something... else.


    [Readings and adjustments have been cleared]


    [By full marks of 100 Islands, our massages will include the stakes of the Mindarch because of unique circumstances and his overall readings that go between us and him. Think of it as a double-edged sword. Don''t cut yourself and take the outburst of this Boost with steady breaths like usual]


    ¡°Yeah. Go on. I am itching!¡± Murai squeezed a quack that carried a lot of reasons.

 Chapter 169: Boost

    [First, let''s start with the Mindarch''s touch and your course ?n the Islands of Greatness, known as Gate 2 or vice-versa]


    [You''ve defeated 163 foes in Gate 2 in total, earning you 133 Mana Essences of various grades. This doesn''t include the fight against the Low Lich, who summoned a bunch of lackeys who have no touch on this temple. Souls are the reasons why it happens, and your number is lower due to the foes that you''ve eaten]


    [By difficulty, situation, and circumstances, the fighting and worthy Tiers of success have determined order and your points. Tiers and failures are detrimental to the point system but also very important or heavenly. Some take their worth and power for the Sky, others for mud]


    [Your evaluation is at 9,450 Points according to the set of your individually based path that includes a pair of Variant Islands, but your Level is mostly derived from your points and successful potential. Your killings and points are detrimental to your level and points are within the rules of this temple]


    [Example and reason: points represent purchasing power in this place. Low-level fools shan''t have a touch of high-grade essences, thus points are lower. Your level is small because of your less-than-fodder level might. Higher-level individuals can purchase more potent essences, thus their points are astronomically higher. It is due to a sense of balance. Therefore, a lot of points and purchasing power are adjusted by Mindarch in every reward Room or the Vault up to the Level, balance, and rankings of the treasures. In a true sense of balance, it is a worthy idea that stems from many sides of this world]


    [How original indeed]


    ¡°That is interesting,¡± Murai said. ¡°I can basically take it as my points are rewards themselves or my validations to this place. Seems reasonable. Getting a million wouldn''t be possible anyway.¡±


    [Both Variant Islands were successful at the Satisfactory Tier. Keys had been granted and spent, yet their expenditure has been met with... an error and blunderous ways away from the norm. The Keys are unique to this temple. Their worth is foreign]


    [They haven''t been nullified and rather taken as notices]


    [In terms of the bare minimum of allowed rewards, bypassing the Encounter is still active, yet some troubles occurred within the readings, and margins for error couldn''t cope with the changes]


    ¡°Wait, what does that mean error and foreign!? They are my rewards!¡±


    Lisa looked at him with some disappointment and kept her silence. She was curious about what will happen. So far, she couldn''t help but think something nasty was bound to happen because of this voice.


    [The Boosts effectively actives the capacity of your achievement in one of the most battle-focused Gates amongst the starting Gates, which is a bummer if it means something else, or a great merit due to your powerful progress and growth]


    [For now, let''s begin with the potency and change according to the readings and your achievements in this Gate. They have been tremendous in calculations]


    [YOU!]


    [Level up]


    [Level up]


    ...


    [Level 23 has been achieved]


    [A Title has been granted]


    [Utter Monster: Grade C Title]


    [Effects: Body Attributes are effectively boosted by 10%. Body Abilities will be strengthened for eternity due to your beastly Bloodline and this Title grants powerful notice to the mind. Will +10. All Attributes besides Wisdom have been increased in efficiency, including the bigger threshold to Vitality that affects the Bloodline of your Species the most]


    [Cause for the Title: battling, reading of your Bloodline and history, taking damage, fighting for the damned feathered life of yours, and countless tactics and shed of blood]


    [That is for your first Title...]


    ¡°Haven''t I got a Citizen Title? Lisa said it was a Title long ago, and so did Rain from my first meeting of a... Blessed? Huh!?¡± Murai can quack how he could when the surge of power and voice continued without listening to him. It seemed his questions arrived to no ears.


    [Secondary increases of individual attributes are next]


    [Strenght +10, current Strenght: 77]


    [Dexterity +10, current Dexterity: 71]


    [Vitality + 14], current Vitality: 82 - The effect of the Utter Monster increased its efficiency significantly. The Wall is closing...]


    [Will + 10, Current Will: 57]1


    [Sou Power + 5, current Soul Power: 45]


    [Soul Force has been increased by 10 points thanks to your unhinged progression and soul-based attitude. Trials and courage ensured its success, so...]


    [Robust Spirit +1 Level, current Level 8]


    [All Robust Spirit identity spells have been increased in power, but unchanged in their basis and foundation because of their high class and sensitivity]


    [Strike of the Will is incalculable... Strange...]


    ¡°Huh?¡± Murai wasn''t sure what implications it had, but anything about souls-based powers wasn''t half that bad. He took it for something that was yet to grow or become very important due to his issue with his flesh. Perhaps it could be something like Peak''s Fury that changed without its usage? He wasn''t sure about the rules of their changes, so perhaps it won''t change if others can''t calculate his soul or head. That would explain a lot of things.


    [Breach of protocols has been notified and taken into the equation. A new note has been found and deemed as unclear and mandatory]


    [Wisdom Attribute has been destroyed]


    [A new Title has been acquired]


    [The One Who Knows]


    [Wisdow''s destruction grands a new Attribute: Knowledge]


    [Knowledge: +1, current Knowledge: 1]


    [+98 Knowledge]


    [A Wall has been met and due to the significance of knowledge, it has been halted]


    [Effects of The One Who Knows and its reason: Due to the intellect and depth, it is the knowledge that describes wisdom. A change has been issued]


    Murai was once again surprised and disappointed. A change in attribute was a new thing to him. Wisdom and Knowledge sounded about the same to him, so he wondered what it meant, but the voice didn''t say anything more about it, or what this second Title meant.


    [Corresponding body and bloodline-related abilities had been recalculated, new additional spells and finding of important aspects are next]


    [Beak''s Blitz has been increased in power. +2 Levels]


    [Fatality has been found and calculated]


    [The current form of the Blitz is following...]


    [Beak''s Blitz: It is an accumulative strength of the Anatidae beak attacks that tampers with physical potency, speed, momentum, Bloodline, strikes that go through the spine, core, neck, head, and overall velocity]


    [Official stakes in building up the Fatality under Blitz''s unique move: 10 hits {caused or taken by the beak} are up to the Weak Fatality, 30 hits are up to the Strong Fatality, 60 or more hits are within the limitations of the Fatality, your flesh, head, or potential. It can fail, hits can lose their efficiency in reduced momentum, and Fatality could dissipate like the Peak]


    [Effectiveness of the Fatality adheres to Blitz''s leveling. Your current knowledge of this ability is effective]


    ¡°Not bad at all!¡± Murai would cheer if he could. Surging power was turning quite strong, so he wondered what else was about to change after all that he killed and endured. Perhaps he will get something about his Shaping? He got the first look into his Heavenly Shaping by unlocking that Manual, while his Levels were in great limits.


    [Second beak-related power has met its unique condition]


    [Beak''s Peak has achieved Level 20. Its new Evolutionary Path has been unlocked and granted]


    [Starting the process of chance and choice...]


    ¡°CHOICE?¡± Murai quacked as if shocked and afraid, almost shuddering as if he saw the sky turn red.


    [Panacea and your current Bloodline have multiple layers and choices upon the rising power of your Peak. It works differently from the normal evolution path like Beak''s Fury or Mana Detection, as Peak has certain privileges as prime power of your species, alongside other things]


    [Unlike the Fury, which was specifically set into new motion by Mindarch, Peak has better privileges by following leveling progression and a unique approach due to your species. The Peak doesn''t change much. It can''t do that by its origin and ideals, but it can shift in many ways akin to a spell]


    [Such abilities are always more potent and nicer than the cheapest ways to overcome certain limiters or lacking acts]


    [Level 20 Peak gives you a choice out of three possibilities under your Bloodline, accomplishments of your Peak, and overall power of your physicality and your higher-than-average attributes]


    [Choice 1: Peak Layering]


    [Choice 2: Peak Explosion]


    [Choice 3: Peak Strike]


    [Which one do you want to unleash and learn?]


    ¡°I can decide for real... Oh, my dreamy seventh hell!?¡± Murai was shocked. He had never gotten such a choice out of this Will of the Battleworld. A lot of things about the Boosts weren''t up to their taker. Everything was set in stone, yet some bits of what Battlewill said seemed somewhat... decent. A choice was due.


    He was surprised by good reasons, which Lisa took with no surprise. She winced beside him and spoke to his soul, hoping her voice wouldn''t butcher or anger anyone, Murai included.


    ¡°Don''t worry about it, Murai Hisagi. Choices are rare additions that can come in many ways. This is about your species and the leveling process you did with your Peak. State your wish. This is an extremely good news! Choices are rare in terms of bloodline-related abilities. Means you have a pretty good foundation and Bloodline, while this choice means an inheritance and a gift akin to a Blessing.¡±


    Murai took her words for what they were: a little helpful. ¡°Aren''t a lot of Boosts like that?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Lisa paused in an awkward timing, ¡°yes... That is true.¡±


    Murai couldn''t decide on his choice so she mentioned something else after noticing that Will of the Battleworld was silent, waiting, or calculating something.


    It was as she thought. Murai finally cracked something that he was bound to. It was good news for her and something gratifying.


    ¡°You can ask for further validity of these choices. Information requests do that. Battlewill mentioned it not that long ago. You see... It''s valid right now. Not before. I could''ve mentioned that before, but what''s the point? ¡± She excused herself again, noticing that Murai was a little bit angry deep down in his soul. Because of the ongoing boost, he didn''t make his anger physical.


    Murai took it with a sneer and did as she said. ¡°What are the choices? Peak is Peak, so what to make of that?¡±


    His quacks seemed to work.


    Some noises spread and Will of the Battleworld spoke in its reasons but in a rather shaky, squeaky, and machinery voice.


    [Requests granted]


    [Peak is the strength of the beak and mana, stemming from the brutality that Anatidaes can unleash from their core, momentum, necks, spine, and flow, and pointing it to a single way ahead. For the next course of the Peak after its initial leveling process at Grade C, there are many variants of them in their mighty changes]


    [Layering]


    [It is a popular way to handle many things in many Paths and abilities. For Anatidaes, Peak Layering is simple like what many paths or species decide on. Numbers are often a nice weapon and the elemental method of increasing the strength of the spells is by working with layers. In numbers, there is strength]


    [In Peak, it works wonderfully by layering Peaks on top of one another, giving it more power, savage flow, toughness, rougher truth to the core, quality of Vitality and Strength, and your body takes Layering as a hidden massive storm that can impact physicality and the outside world]


    [It isn''t recommended for a Child to layer it too much] S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Explosion]


    [Concidently, it has a similar style to the Peak that you''ve seen in Levandis''s little toy. Yes. We watch and know everything. Hah!] Mechanical squeaky voice laughed as if making fun of someone. It sounded far too emotionless and dry.


    [Peak Explosion works mainly through the external workings of condensing mana and neck''s movement, making this Peak visually striking and massive in terms of mana. Peak in this variant has less flexibility than all the others combined. It has a tougher flow, but it is full of power that could become substantial and rather simple in its approach, turning the Beast Core into insanity and unleashing a devasting strike that doesn''t require too much attention other than going all out]


    [Unlike Layering, this is an ability with clearer setup and tougher handling. It is amongst the strongest Peaks that inherits its strengths to the following choices and leveling changes. It can be the most devastating]


    [Strike]


    [This is one of the most complicated Peaks to master and figure. What makes its aspects isn''t the norm, or when it comes to the other Peaks. It has a focus on flexibility, speed, and range, so this Peak lacks the strength, but it assumes more power in other forms. It has certain ranged properties and Shaping potential by dulling certain savagery to other uses. Such a Peak can be heavy, dense, and sharper than the others. It is easy to learn at first, but tough to master, and harder to truly put to greatest use]


    [That is that]


    [Peak is Peak, but it has its usages now, so choose yours]


    Murai was spooked. He loved all choices far too much than he anticipated.


    And he also learned a ton out of a few messages. It mentioned good examples and great information about the difficulties of each Peak and how they performed.


    Forcefully sitting in the stress of the Boost and this message, he glanced at Lisa aside. ¡°Seems to me such choices would be better if these were under every evolved ability or everything. Why did Fury or Detection not get this?¡±


    ¡°Have my guesses,¡± Lisa said. ¡°Simple. They have no choice due to difficulty, growth, or balancing sense of limits. Peak is special because of your beak or Bloodline. Fury wasn''t strong enough for this choice, or you weren''t using it enough. You used Peak extensively. Detection is a magical ability, while Sonar is.. still magical, but it is possible to see it across other species, let alone races. Mana isn''t so petty, you see. Birds have them very often, but it depends on their mana and their other aspects. Blitz wasn''t a choice as this voice said. And yes. I agree choices are good. Like evolution! This should be the norm.¡±


    He kept staring at her, even though he felt shaky when she agreed with him.


    ¡°I won''t decide for you.¡± She said bluntly. ¡°Do what you like. There are bound to be no terrible choices.¡±


    Sighting, Murai knew that, but he was curious what she would think was best. Peak Explosion and Peak Layering sounded the best. He wasn''t lacking in range because of his overall magic, so Peak Strike was out of the question. Peak''s brutality was far too good to change. It was his best close-quarters weapon.


    So he chose the best of it, even though it was subjective.


    ¡°Peak Layering.¡±


    [Acknowledged]


    [Beak''s Peak has evolved to Peak Layering]


    [Peak Layering: Same as with the normal Peak, the layering grands ability to add more flow and power, thus channeling is decreased significantly, its efficiency is highlighted, and depending on the input of your mana, layering might get easier or more difficult]


    [Low Output: Range of channeling half a second to two seconds]


    [Medium Output: Range of channeling, three seconds to four seconds]


    [High Output: five seconds and above]


    [Layering has a limit of ten Peaks, with each Output being important to overall strength. It is your current limit so think of Layering as a potent tool that could shatter your neck, body, and mana if you aren''t careful. Or try it all. Who cares, right?]


    Murai grunted something but liked how this new Peak sounded.


    [Lastly, this Layering is not subject to Peaks alone. All sorts of abilities could have it, as it is a popular method of increasing power in the Battleworld. For you, it provides a unique set of leveling progression. Peak leveling will add new layers, add improvements in Outputs and channeling, and Peak''s overall quality could shine as you move towards Level 50]


    [Learn, train, and improve it on your own]


    [Grade B]


    [Level 21]


    ¡°Impressive!¡± Murai cheered. ¡°Nice.¡±


    Boost was far from being over.


    [Now, for the magic]


    [Power threshold has been slowly creeping into the Limiters, thus many things moved to a new direction that is subject to the rules of the Codex, species, and you. Mindarch and we worked side by side... unfortunately, creating or deciding on the new formats and norms]


    [However, your Mana Flow is stagnant. Further strengthening requires a stronger source of mana. Care for your Beast Core is recommended and improving it is mandatory]


    ¡°Whatever. Don''t need that. Continue and give me what I want!¡± Murai long ago realized that his action of halting his Beast Core''s progression regressed his possibilities. It was a miracle it didn''t give him massive troubles in Gate 2, which was something Lisa acknowledged but hardly voiced. It wasn''t as if Murai had only mana for himself.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    This message was exactly what he expected, and Mindarch or Will of the Battleworld can''t help it. Cores were one of the most important powers of magical beasts or people in general. Increasing them was subject to them alone. Wil of the Battleworld rarely increased the Success of the Mana Cores, while the Grade of Mana Flow was nothing but an acknowledgment that the flow of mana was getting better.


    Murai squeezed it shut without giving it any chances since his Fusion was bound to shake the norm of this world.


    They


    could forcefully improve it if it was laughably weak, or evolve it. They could do it! Grand it. Change the living as evolutions did for eons.


    But out of some respect or plot, they kept Murai''s core intact and unchanging. That was perhaps for the better since they couldn''t touch one thing that was as unnatural as it could get.


    Artificial Core and his Core Defying Fusion Technique weren''t of this world, while Murai''s ideas and other things were the same. Still, he got some levels for his various spells and magic-based abilities because they weren''t of high level or Grade anyway. He also got some other readings he expected, extending already established abilities or spells.


    Mana Sonar got a couple of levels for the start because he used it very often in this Gate. Soul Read was the same with two new Levels. Mana Arrow and Mana Spear got five Levels each, and Flame Shot got four.


    Mana Pool was increased by 100 points. Affinities remained the same, similar to the locked abilities like Soul Lock, or Soul Manifestation.


    [Next, there have been some forceful touches by Mindarch interventions. They were looked at thoroughly, forced, adjusted, or accepted]


    [Mana Shaping has been expanded by service of Heavenly Shaping Manual found in this temple]


    [Level 20 has been reached]


    ¡°I knew it!¡± Murai cheered in his mind.


    [Unique sets of skill sets and Heavenly Shaping individual properties and privacy have been administered as Private Manual. It hasn''t seen its glory in a long time, so take care of it because it is outside of the Codex. You''ve seen its cases and its depths, so discover them on the way to your future, as the owner and taker of the Heavenly Shaping Manual]


    [On the core, Heavenly Shaping is the same as Mana Shaping, but because of its ancient teachings, it has various unique learnings and sets of expectations, or styles, constructing it a Legacy Manual. Many of its problems and stakes have been calculated and known since more than fourteen millennia ago when Pillage Emperor created this technique]


    [Frankly, we know what it does, and what it means]


    [Under its pages lays many stages, minor abilities, perks, or moves that shall be locked and unlocked under your grasp. It will be stated under our acknowledgment, but its power is fundamentally yours]


    [Heavenly Shaping is unique. It shan''t be overcome by Boosts or gifted our blessing]


    [Overall, Heavenly Shaping will involve all of your mana-based spells and abilities. There is some limiting factor when it comes to your body and Bloodline, so it isn''t clear under any readings history or plausibilities under our research]


    [Thus, Mana Shaping changed to Heavenly Shaping]


    [Grade: Unique]


    [Level 21]


    [Leveling of Unique Grade Fundamentals is unlike the norm. Heavenly Shaping has certain edges and limits to the overall course of the Codexes and limits]


    [Improve it and give it some edge or training]


    [Future awaits it as it is now your primary method of handling all mana. Too bad if it is terrible, isn''t it?]


    [Hopefully, your Beast Core won''t complain to you later]


    ¡°Wait! Got it acknowledged, but...¡± Murai said in shock.


    Lisa rolled her eyes. ¡°Heavenly Shaping, huh? You''ve got it fair and square. Good. This seems normal to me, but it should be troubling in readings since you haven''t gotten much out of it yourself. No time, no gains. You will learn through it in the upcoming Gate. I swear that to you.¡± She said, speaking to him as if she was a lofty queen.


    Murai figured that himself, so that was why he was a bit surprised it got even changed. He wasn''t even aware that Shaping would change at Level 20. He thought it would remain the same without any evolving and act as a foundation with simple acknowledgment like Mana Flow. But it can gain some edge or something neat. Foundation to magic sounded way too general to be under any evolving.


    It was one of the rare things Lisa told him about in recent days that had at least some point. Without changing, Shaping was known by its name alone. Perhaps some title, explicit name, or implicit before Shaping would be the biggest changes. Like getting some Shaping mantras by unique affinity-based Shaping Manuals and so on. The change would end in a name like Fire Shaping, Chaos Shaping, Void Shaping, Blood Shaping, and so on.


    Heavenly Shaping sounded... far too lofty, or exactly how Pillage liked it.


    [Heavenly Shaping is a unique power, so for the time being, it will get a flexible nature without further readings. Learn and do what you ought to do with the legacy set by the Pillage Emperor]


    [Its privacy ensures a certain privilege as you''ve unlocked its power from a Unique Level Mana Tome, known as Technique Manual. Congratulations. You''ve found yourself a treasure that is worth a fortune, deaths, Breaches, and many heights]


    ¡°Oh well...¡± Murai sighed. ¡°I guess I will have to learn more about it and give Pillage more visits.¡±


    ¡°Visits?¡± Lisa frowned and jigged a bit closer to him, even though the Boost was in her way.


    ¡°Not now.¡± Murai shot her down because Boosts weren''t over.


    If he remembered correctly, there was one more spell that was close to the limits. It happened at last! His blissful timing of history and his memories. His numerous tribulations paid off.


    [The last thing that reached its first limit is a combat spell: Proper Mana Blade. In its normalcy, it is neat, strong, and simple. There is no change in its validity, power, or time, but it is time to change its core vision]


    [Proper Mana Blade has been changed to Sharpblade. Its density and Shaping over the varying Mana Flow and Sharpness Affinity have reached enough power. It qualified for a new structure. It won''t change much because of the nature of Sharpness, but Sharpblade is a similar story to Beak''s Fury that changed to Blitz.]


    [It has incredibly elevated Shaping, Sharpness, and handling ceiling, similar to the differences between Fury and Blitz]


    [Sharpblade isn''t the normal change from the Proper Mana Blade because of your mana, core, styles, Sharpness, and overall readings. It is much better than the average Mana Blade because Sharpblade is set by your strong and newly changed Shaping that can touch and improve all of your spells or mana abilities]


    [Also, its creations were set upon intense and insane handling, a potential that seemed not enough for Mana Blade, regular Shaping, Sharpness, and your style]


    [Thankfully, you''ve got the changes gathered, so the Proper Mana Blade changed to a significantly improved Sharpblade]


    [Its strength, potential, and Sharpness has been increased exponentially.]


    [Grade C]


    [Level 21]


    ¡°Oh! A C? Is it on par with the Blitz? Close enough, I suppose. Nice.¡±


    ¡°It was great under your Shaping. That is why your kills with it have been overkill with such things as Proper Mana Blades.¡± Lisa explained the obvious things she had said to him numerous times.


    [Due to the Sharpblade''s existence, you can now accept and follow a Martial Art Path or some kind of Swordsmanship. Would you like to choose from the recommended swordsmanships under your Bloodline legacy?]


    Murai paused.


    Lisa''s face visibly shuddered and convulsed. She didn''t expect such treatment in any way.


    Yet it happened.


    ¡°Nah,¡± Murai refused, thinking that choice wasn''t for him. He had his head full of memories of various mana-based swordsmanships, and his memories with Sharpblades were estimated in numerous lives. Few things could stop him from giving his memories some tries.


    And hearing some suggestions was unnecessary.


    But there was a bummer in the way.


    His body was bound to a fitting choice and suggestions, meaning that the Will of the Battleworld could gift him a blessing of knowledge, and give or save him a lot of time. Murai had a unique life, which might trouble his memories. He wondered what swordsmanship he should choose, or if he was in a good spot to think of it.


    [Very well. Choices have been extinguished. Paths have been nulled]


    [Choose yours and act on them under your care, create one, or get going without one. That is fine too, considering your reliance on us is validating, for you are reliant as Blessed and someone who needs us]


    Murai accepted his choice.


    His magic was rich in potential, but it could be much better because of his Cores. Murai was a bit stingy in his tactics. There was no helping it. He was overly focused on mastering and familiarizing a few things at the same time while squeezing his magic down. Such tactics weren''t popular in many parts of the world because Boosts helped with many changes and shifts for those wanting it.


    Boosts ensured some help, familiarity, efficiency, and learning. Those taking it as such had a quicker rise to power than average. Leveling and evolving some abilities followed the same trend and worth, though one could follow them under their distinct ideas and less reliance on outside influence.


    If Murai was honest, he was half-depending on the Boosts themselves, and half on his own efforts and skill, which then influenced the Boosts and those readings.


    Ultimately, Murai got what he deserved, or perhaps even more because of his squeezed potential. Titles were new to him, and he got two of them in total. Leveling and the rest of his transformations were just accomplishments akin to achievements.


    The blessing of the Boosts was the knowledge itself while evolving abilities were bound to transformation. They happened because of Murai''s achievements and were gifted by it as well. Without it, could he learn evolving abilities by himself?


    Yes.


    It was a bit difficult process, but it was a truth to how one perceived the Boosts.


    Gradually, that idea will awaken a monster with no bounds.


    [Well, this has been.... good?] The squeaky voice said hesitantly next, shuddering bits of the power floating around the room.


    Murai was still thinking about what he had gotten. Lisa was unknown, silent, and not telling anything. The Titles shook her and the way this Boost acted gave Murai many things.


    [Further actions and ideas are restricted... Citizen. B-breached? What is this?! Mindarch!? What are you doing!? This isn''t what is promised]


    [What in the time!] Mindarch''s voice spread around the room, cleansing the Will of the Battleworld''s various tones with new ones. They mashed together, shouting and speaking at the same time, turning the whole Boost and room into chaos and a weird aura. This time, Mindarch was the invading force.


    [Go away! The minimum gains of this Boosts of the Battleworld have been issued. It won''t change! It is done. Finished. Shoo! Go away] Will of the Battleworld forced.


    [I bet this isn''t fitting to end this one on such a note. So much more is missing when it comes to this one. Say what you are hiding and limiting! I know you do it!] Mindarch demanded.


    [What? Why!? What is this Authority? Is Levandis taking this to the lengths she doesn''t want to bear?]


    [Shut up. Speak up.]


    [This is a Breach of privacy! Out... before...]


    The grey fog spread around the walls and Mindarch pressured the truth.


    [Wait... Wait... Issues can be resolved. Finished too! Citizen is problematic fellow. Finishing the Parts of the Encounter still takes some fort of the interest and the situation under his acknowledgments and achievements are finite like his age. You knew it yourself, fool!]


    [That, I know.] Mindarch acknowledged. [They don''t. You don''t know the height of it as well.]


    Murai and Lisa were listening to an interesting show, even though the surroundings tensed and they felt like two little candles in the middle of an insane storm.


    [Gaining full assessment and access is complicated like all things with Breachers and... other problems. You know why it happens. Don''t pretend you are more than what you are, tool]


    [That is good. Whatever. I learned enough with this little reading. You all are keeping some rules still. I will seek them eventually or Breach them myself. See ya.] Mindarch grunted and disappeared, leaving Will of the Battleworld fuming in anger and squeaking noises.


    ¡°What the hell was that about?¡± Murai wondered.


    ¡°I think he wanted to help you,¡± Lisa said, frowning.


    ¡°With what?¡±


    ¡°I think... some things are still hiding and looming over your head more than we thought. Mindarch seems to know something we don''t. I am curious and upset it is so strong.¡±


    [Ugh! That wasn''t necessary at all. Mind the Mindarch to be a bother. There are still voices to be heard] Will of the Battleworld continued and pretended that everything was fine.


    It wasn''t.


    [Citizen, are you willing to hear a slight heads-up for the potential readings? Mindarch crashed our party. A crisp knock on the future is thus granted as you wonder about the troubles he mentioned. It isn''t fitting to go deep for now, but... it is what it is, and I am... Wait! What ar....] The voice suddenly turned vivid, turning deeper, and asked a question without any annoying soul constructs in sight.


    It wasn''t a regular practice, which Lisa understood. Murai frowned in his expression, hearing everything the same.


    Should he put his Will to the test and ask more questions? Would the answer be true, or did Battlewill speak by coincidence or excuses? He was still questioning its tones and state of existence.


    Could he even talk with this... messenger that seemed to change in its range of tones, as if more people were behind this mess?


    ¡°Oh... Yes? Sure. I am willing. Talk? How can we even talk? Huh.¡±


    [You always could. We just didn''t bother. Ugh] Then, the voice turned back to normal as if business was more important. [Apologies. The authorization has been denied]


    ¡°What the fuck is going on?!¡± Lisa suddenly shouted, pissed and angry, furious and questioning this whole situation more than Murai did.


    [Authorization has been denied under Rule X01. Course: Ruler]


    [Continuing the message]


    [A slight heads-up is the following: numerous new equipment pieces have been detected and denied. Their attributes, abilities, Grades, and everything else will be delivered at a later date]


    ¡°Hey! Don''t ignore me!¡± Lisa demanded, but this voice didn''t care for her at all.


    [Furthermore, major changes in the sub-species evolutions have also been detected, along with the subjective flow of workings of mana, unauthorized processes, and Breaches that adhere to the Taboo Powers. At least a pair of evolution choices will be seen through, allowing you to see requirements for the new set of evolution, their Walls, limitations, and other things]


    [You have been denied]


    [Information is nulled]


    [It will get clearer at the due date. The Body Section will be opened, allowing you to see the worth of the attributes, certain spells, titles, blessings, or equipment. That will go after your part of the Encounter is over, this temple is gone, Encounter is changed, for they are a Breach of Protocols]


    [Abilities will get stronger, following the potential evolution of your choice. Of course, you might refuse them and wait for your Limiters to get better evolutions to your choices. The choice is yours, after all, but one shouldn''t be stingy and question the way of nature. Influence Items are the same]


    [Lastly, further changes in your tries, comprehensions, paths, and upgrades over your tries may give birth to new changes at due or unknown time, or yourself. Time is fast, and you aren''t quick, or too quick and problematic in certain areas. Breaches do that, while... authorizations touch the rest] The tone turned hesitant. [Care for your points next, unless you want to regret it]


    Then, the voice disappeared or turned its attention beyond what Lisa or Murai could comprehend. It was possible. Mindarch did something he shouldn''t have done.


    Certain things were turning weird, the flow began to change, and be it Breaches in authorizations that everything under Will of the Battleworld acted with, troubles that lurked in the shadows or straight in the open fields were hard to tame.


    Outside of Lisa or Murai''s views, they waited.


    However, Lisa wore a hideous expression, as if knowing what just occurred, or knew the meaning of how troublesome this all was.


    Murai wished to speak of it, but then, the room turned to the void, the world turned upside down, and Boost exploded from outside to his insides, hitting him with such a force that he shuddered and squeaked like a toy. It was more savage than ever before, due to a massive shift that finally came to his life.


    Lisa wanted more.


    She was greedy,


    She also realized that the world wasn''t ready and obscured Murai in every kind of way.


    But it couldn''t stop everything.


    It felt like an endless storm to Murai. Everything was affecting his mind and body, including his soul. All the readings and messages he had gotten changed, giving him comprehension, of the effects of both titles and the blessing of this world itself.


    He cherished it all, unlike many other Breachers.


    A massive surge of intangible waves and hands enveloped his body, going deep to touch his soul space and mana space, and knitting everything under the power within this world. It was changing him, shaping and molding him according to the Laws of this world.


    It was giving him things he hoped for, yet he took it weirdly. The world, emotions, and his body were all twisted up in power that wrestled with some authority, creating pain and storming changes in his advancements.


    And it went on... and on. Not stopping, it kept going for minutes that felt like hours. His body collapsed to the table, but he forced his mind to work through it like going through many Ends.


    Until that idea collapsed as well, and the world turned blank. There was nothing... He was nowhere. Dreadful Void and Null were here, or everywhere, endlessly hungry for more of nothing.


    It kept happening and kept going for a time that felt like infinite seconds, or it was days that felt like seconds? Murai wasn''t taking it well, as his soul went through touches like this before. By whom? Where? Why did it feel comforting and so intense and insane that he felt like breaking into thousands of pieces?


    What shouldn''t have happened? What should?


    He felt different, until the world and his feeling turned around, upside down, or stretched out.


    He felt like a rollercoaster through the Chaos Space, but it wasn''t that in the slightest. This was weirder. Then, he woke up, unsure if he was even sleeping or simply felt weird or drunk. Eyes heavy, he took the Boost like a typical person for the first time.


    Lisa looked worried beside him, knowing that he shouldn''t be like this. Something weird was happening in his or her mind, changing her more.


    Her current face was no longer ugly, but worried and confused instead.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Murai asked, barely able to flinch a feather and quack together. At least his Will still worked with weak noises coming out of his beak, or Lisa heard his Will anyway. Lorry aside from them barely mattered.


    ¡°I have no idea. Which is a problem.¡± She grunted. Lorry wasn''t under the picture. Scared skull was hiding under some gems, pretending to be part of this Gold Room as some decoration.


    Murai gained a lot his time around, yet the workings and situations weren''t the greatest.


    ¡°Mindarch!?¡± Lisa suddenly shouted, ignoring Murai''s change and shifting to something bigger.


    Nothing happened. She couldn''t sense or know if something changed, so she turned to Lorry who kept pretending to be a skull decoration.


    Murai got to his feet slower than usual, observing his body that still had its hoodie. He had trouble figuring out any obvious changes. Had he grown? Doubtful claim. Feathers did increase in fluffiness and glint, but the color scheme didn''t change. He was still the same height, while... he felt weak.


    Usually, Boosts felt refreshing.


    He felt weak spiritually, but in body, he felt... dull. After Gate 1, he gained a lot of power because he was in a good position and his levels, while this time, he finally overcame many other starting limits. This was the first time he felt tired after taking Boosts to his body.


    Then, his mind stiffened.


    Knowledge felt heavy as if he fell numbed and forced into a box too little for him.


    What was that feeling?


    He went beyond Level 20, which was a good starting stage for most insane species, but Lisa hardly found it important. There were dozens of more interesting things besides that. Leveling held limited value to his overall picture. His talent was far too foreboding to make more sense out of them, though Murai would disagree with that.


    He will gladly grow on his own or with something like Boost if it was fine enough. The ending results will wait for later, in time when his change shifts.


    Murai took a deep breath and overcame the weakness.


    It seems my core is an issue. Spells and magic are restricted by this powerful entity-bullshit. Not the body, it seems, or other things like my soul is included? I can grow without something foreign thing, yet could I do it that well right now? I mean... this life is stupid. Beak got yet another upgrade, so why am I complaining? Got two Titles as well! Some things are simple, others aren''t, so is it good? Hell, maybe all things are clutched like my head right now. What a bummer...¡±


    ¡°Don''t you find it strange?¡± Lisa asked him, frowning and looking around the ceiling. By now, most of the forces of Boosts disappeared, leaving the room glistering with valuable loot.


    ¡°Be more specific. What is strange, walking on two and wearing a hoodie?¡± He wished to chuckle, but his joke was a bit dry.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Lisa rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Yeah. I am kidding. Encounter is still a problem, right, or is it something else? I thought it wouldn''t be that bad because of Mindarch''s trust, but this voice mentioned some nasty things. Mindarch is a problem like me, or Amalius is...¡± Murai frowned, speaking quietly and sitting down. Glaring at the table as if it were the sky, his wonders weren''t the smallest.


    Lisa was silent, thinking about this situation, but she did hear Amelius''s name. She was still confused.


    ¡°What those tones were about? They sounded like multiple people. Their feelings were different.¡± Murai asked her.


    Lisa''s eyes widened and she floated closer. ¡°Have you felt something wrong about them? Anything specific?¡±


    ¡°Define feelings. Everyone has them like aura or voice. To me, it seems completing this Part of the Encounter is crucial, and Mindarch hasn''t changed it too much, or... something is... much more problematic. What? Have you heard those voices yourself, right?¡±


    Lisa nodded and didn''t like the way it sounded.


    ¡°As far as I could guess, finishing my touches to my core is hardly a problem for them. It is my issue, so is it about the chains? Everything needs a lot of them to run a world, especially if it is this... worldly.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lisa asked hesitantly.


    ¡°I am worried about the Path and my choices! I got an offer for something, so what was that?¡±


    ¡°It was an honest offer, I think...¡±


    ¡°You don''t sound that confident about it.¡±


    ¡°I am not! Choices and workings with Will of the Battleworld state a lot of things. What you are or do and create are different things. I mean, you are crazy but not stupid. Refusing such advances is what most lofty people do. It is not due to greed but pride. You are not reliant on it, yet you kind of are, or... not at all? It feels like you are taking advantage of something, but... the world is watching. I think...¡±


    ¡°Isn''t it how it should be?¡± Murai said coldly.


    ¡°Isn''t it about pride? This world and Gods are all like that.¡±


    ¡°Pride?¡± Murai laughed and coughed, feeling feel. ¡°What a joke. I don''t care about an overall picture, you see. Since complications are floating far above my head, I''ve decided to not worry about them. It is for the better. For now, my core is not possible and what my power is doesn''t matter to my soul. I do what I always could. Thus...¡± He glanced around the room which was darker without any candles. The glitter of essences, gems, or some coins created enough light.


    There were thousands of them! Millions of them!


    That was the last thing that mattered. The points acted like a more material accomplishment than the power that came with words or some touch of this world, or Gods.


    ¡°Well, the ending was a climactic and weird..¡± Lisa declared her weaker interest and got where he was coming from. She floated close to Murai, hearing everything she wanted, what Murai caused, or uttered. Wrapped like the voice of a messenger, she decided to shift many of her ideas and what she wanted to do.


    Not thinking too much about it wasn''t a wrong approach when their time and situation weren''t stable. She still had Gate 3 to worry about.


    Seeing her face, Murai couldn''t help but ask about it. Who else was the past Blessed than Lisa? ¡°I have numerous questions about this Boost, Lisa.¡±


    ¡°You sure do...¡± She said hesitantly.


    ¡°Will you talk about them, or are you gonna be stupid bitch?¡±


    ¡°Try me!¡±


    ¡°I can converse with Will of the Battleworld, or... these tones? Is it like Mindarch? Did you know about that or them?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I know it all, but it isn''t about talking or knowledge. It is about their point and other arrangements, or people or specifics. If it can take our voice, it is possible to ask. Codex secures that idea. Those tones are its people. Workforce. They said they could talk to you, but they never did for some reason. Well, besides that evolution of yours a while back. There is a knock to it in your soul. It is hiding for a new term, as it is allowing readings.¡±


    ¡°Then...¡±


    ¡°Tsh! Tsh!¡± Lisa clicked her nonexistent tongue, pulled her palm before his face, and pointed with her point finger at him playfully. ¡°You are one hell of a mess. Everything needs time like your core, while the skull lying in a pile of ingots better pretend to be a floating lantern or I will kick its throat.¡±


    Immediately, clutter of metals echoed and Lorry cluttered his teeth, laughing. It was far too awkward, but he didn''t know what to do other than that. He was mindful of this whole situation more than Lisa.


    ¡°Don''t mind Lorry. Lorry does Lorry''s job. Lorry is a slave. Lorry doesn''t know a thing Lorry is...¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Lisa grunted and looked at him as if he was a fat big... ¡°I will not let you slide away.¡±


    Murai looked at them in confusion. They had some problem, he reckoned, while the truth over the current situation mattered less than their worries.


    He got a lot out of this Boost. What else mattered? He shouldn''t question problems that happened without his awareness.


    ¡°You are in the beginning layers of many problems, Murai Hisagi.¡± Lisa turned back on him, eyes squinting and face cold. ¡°I doubt you make sense to me, but this world is one hell of a mess that doesn''t make sense either. It can''t take care of you, I think. Then, I doubt you get me or it that well yet, but how about trying? I haven''t told you much since you deserve the freedom of your choices, and to see things gradually is bliss that comes from experience. You are a troubled individual. Can you take me on that offer?¡±


    ¡°I don''t mind it that much,¡± Murai said calmly. He was still feeling weird and dull. He wanted to observe his Soul Space straight away, while the power of the Boosts left lingering touches that made his body itchy and weird. His attributes were quite high by now, but what was high? He wasn''t even aware of what or how much their numerical advantage mattered, or what was Knowledge, or his Title, The One Who Knows.


    At least his magic was about to undergo a big overhaul thanks to Heavenly Shaping.


    It meant a rather sensitive topic due to his imminent threats. A change in fundamentals could lower his fighting efficiency for a while. He was forced to re-learn something new without a choice.


    Frankly, refusing it was optional.


    But the Boosts shifted and forced that choice away, so how free was Murai in his choice? It was one of many questions that he wanted to ask her.


    Lisa knew his worries, but not his questions. She played it cool for now, hiding her own worries under a carefree smile. ¡°Patience is what I held and believed in. Always. It''s not worth it to be too fast with you, but you are a special kind of weird. You know that, right? Not in your way, but our way.¡±


    Hearing her tone and serious face, it looked weird on her.


    Murai hesitated. She might be right that he was a prick that wasn''t always sensible. To her especially, but it wasn''t wrong or bad. It was the same between them, equal, albeit not welcoming for one of them.


    Begrudgingly, Murai stretched and figured his life was turning better yet weirder.


    Perhaps having a friend in this mess was better than a forced companion.

 Chapter 170: Golden Rewards

    Lisa comprehended more of Murai''s strengths and lows in this Gate than in the past weeks combined. It was important to see changes after everything that happened, but nothing was ever simple with him in sight. She wasn''t even that good at taking his improvements, let alone mind or memories.


    Every visit to the finished Islands left her in wonder. Sometimes, Murai left her some fragments of the fight if she was too annoying, but he didn''t give her much in the Endling Isles.


    Lorry hadn''t helped in this regard, although some of his words between Islands and Mindarch were important to her information gathering.


    It wasn''t something earth-shattering, as not all information might be what she was seeking, but she was still trying her luck and plans behind Murai''s back. He was oblivious to that to this day.


    She slept a part of her time with him, but since she woke up, things were different and changing not because of her.


    Which she disliked, because she always preferred to be in charge of many Fates. That was why she let things go this way, but perhaps it was yet another wishful thinking? She had no authority over this temple or its people, yet she turned this place into Murai''s plaything, while any repercussions weren''t her problem.


    She wanted to be involved in all she could muster, however, or in things she couldn''t. Especially since she depended on her choices and Murai''s. Though, with him in the way, things were a little worse than she preferred. Perhaps even more than she was aware too.


    Murai didn''t care for things that often didn''t matter. Turning his head upwards and sideway, he wondered if he should question Lorry or Mindarch about this situation involving this.... invasion of his Boost. He was still curious what it was about. It seemed big.


    Lorry neatly figured out his confused look without hearing or understanding his quacks. ¡°Mindarch is busy right now,¡± Lorry mumbled. ¡°Lorry will take Mindarch''s mantle right now if Murai will forgive Lorry that former worries will remain what worries are. This room needs different attention, while what just occurred here is a bit complicated, as it touches soft spots that are Mindarch and deals that are beyond Guides.¡±


    Murai sighed. ¡°Don''t get me wrong. I do care about that, but not because it is out of my head. It involves me in a big way. The Encounter does that, and so do the rules that your so-called superior seems to possess. Mindarch has some authority over this world, huh? How? Why did he do what he did?¡±


    ¡°No clue.¡± Lorry shook his skull. ¡°Mindarch is subject to this Hell Haven alone, like a curse hovering about Murai''s souls alone. Levandis is a true mastermind. Not Mindarch. What Mindarch did... Lorry doesn''t know.¡±


    ¡°Then should I ask her, or look for Villan?¡± Murai got a good idea, which Lisa took into her own hands.


    Grabbing his hoodie, she got angry about something. ¡°Don''t ever think of involving Gods in your shenanigans. Especially the Lady of Thousand Graves or those close to her. She will eat you like a snack.¡±


    Murai glared at her from a feather distance away. Unblinking, his eyes were unmoving. ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Take my warning shots for whatever they are. Mindarch will speak to us eventually. I mean... you. You!¡± She pointed at Lorry next. ¡°I demand clarity. Is Gate 3 ready? Fine? Is what Mindarch did with Battlewilll fine? A simple response adds clarity to the integrity of our worries.¡±


    ¡°No need to worry.¡± Lorry tried to ease the situation. ¡°This place is still subject to its inviduality. Always been. Levandis won''t like it in any way. She would destroy things if it wouldn''t be by her rules.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a prick.¡± Murai reckoned.


    ¡°Reminds me of someone,¡± Lisa mumbled and let the situation play for itself by letting her arms free of her restraints.


    Instead of having another round with her, Murai changed his interest in the remaining plot of interest. Lorry and things within the Gold Room were up to his taking next.


    He had 9 450 points to spend, which was quite a few times more than the last Gate. He bet he can use it all to buy all sorts of essences. Hundreds!


    Unless the shopping in this place was different, which it seemed it was. Unlike the previous Vault, there were no tags anywhere. The incoming shopping worked with Guides alone, whereas Vaults in Gate 1 were more like tokens and interest that weaklings took for the starting goal. This place was a true Vault and not some old storage facility that changed numerous times because of Gate 1.


    Here? There were things that Extremes might like, as it was the storage facility of Gate 3 and 2. It was an important place with a history spanning many years of wars and conflicts around many layers.


    With a large sum of points, Murai wasn''t sure what to make of them. It wasn''t anything strange, because he had no clue how the point system worked in this temple, even though he spent numerous days inside.


    Lisa didn''t want to explain it, while Lorry wasn''t that keen on it either. Mindarch would be, but how important was the knowledge of points? Battlewill seemed to see it slightly, but it was like mentioning weights and masses of mountains.


    Murai''s level was an issue for his purchasing power and reputation.


    Challengers didn''t need to know much, however. Their limiting power or level was enough to warrant small unnoticeable shackles. That was it. It wasn''t as if they could change their level in a heartbeat. They should focus on going onwards while points mattered only when they mattered. That was either at the end of the Gate or special circumstances where one could spend them inside of a Gates. Those were rare opportunities and not something Murai met in Islands of Greatness.


    He had no mental capacity to understand the point-gathering system but would joke if it wasn''t important. He wished to get back here someday and crack this place apart without Encounter looming over his head. It was fun. He would love to challenge it without any worries besides fights.


    With such a fine essence-gathering constructing method, he will never forget this. Understanding the points meant knowledge that would be helpful for that time. Not now, so Murai wondered if he wanted to blackmail or force Lorry to talk about it. That laughing skull must know the answers to it, Murai bet.


    Watching his gaze, Lorry shuddered. ¡°Well, is Murai fine? Satisfied?¡± Lorry asked as he faked a laugh and cheer while hiding anxiety.


    Then, he remembered his stakes, so he floated up to light some candles and ready the room with all sorts of treasures for Murai''s taking.


    With almost 10, 000 points, he was one of the best 1st-timers for his level.


    Murai didn''t need to fake his satisfaction. ¡°Yes, but it seems some things are tightening where they hurt or annoy me. Things that I don''t like and you know them yourself. Perhaps personally too, Guide,¡±


    ¡°As Lorry said. Mindarch...¡±


    ¡°...will do what we demand? I doubt that from the fundamental vision of what just occurred. Trust. It is about it too, which I don''t have much of. I''ve got the gist of the Hells and how they are. Filled with Chaos, they are...¡±


    ¡°No. You don''t.¡± Lisa argued.


    ¡°Try me!¡±


    ¡°Listen. Listen.¡± Lorry stormed and stopped further arguments as sparks flew between this ghost and a duck.


    ¡°Fine!¡± Murai flapped his wings and dismissed the further arguments. ¡°Frankly, Encounter and the way it sounded, there is more pain in the ass than I thought. Anyway, back to my running.¡± He pointed his wings around and began his research.


    Sitting was for turtles. He moved slowly, figuring that his body wasn''t what it used to be, but in what way? His feathers itched, his muscles tensed, and his abilities and new things were close in his mind. Peak Layering, Heavenly Shaping, and Sharpblade were all there as his main achievements. Evolved abilities were incredibly enticing to pass as some attributes or levels increases.


    ¡°What is there for me in this room?¡± he asked first before caring for his future.


    ¡°Whatever Murai wants. What is Murai''s interest, there are 2 floors and various selections and sections to seek. Limits is Murai''s limit. Weapon? Sure. There are 3 sections full of them, ranging from regular things, Laws, or Extreme stuff.¡±


    Watching the surroundings, Murai figured Lorry wasn''t lying or exaggerating a thing, but he had trouble observing the surroundings beside his eyes alone. There was a small staircase that led to another floor, and a lot of places were full of various locks and formations that hid hidden compartments, shelves with important tools, or aura and locks.


    ¡°Of course...¡± Lorry hesitated but said what he should. ¡°It depends if Murai can afford them.¡±


    ¡°Unsurprisingly. Do you know their worth? Nothing is clear to me when it comes to my purchases. No ghost told or whispered to me either.¡±


    Lorry nodded as Lisa grunted and floated up to see the shelves. ¡°There are a lot of things.¡±


    ¡°Hm? Lots of quantity, not a lot of clarity, am I right? I see nothing crazier than the things I would expect or have seen before. But... I see nothing. Why? What are the points worth?¡±


    ¡°That''s because Murai has too high expectations and this place has standards,¡± Lorry argued.


    ¡°Then it shouldn''t be far off. I can be understanding. Sometimes.¡±


    ¡°But that is fine too. Such cases are fine under Lorry''s interest. Lorry suggests taking a look at stuff that piques Murai''s eyes first before caring for limits of purchases. Those should be the materials and treasures that have always the same value across the Surface and the Depths. Equipment and Artifacts could become redundant or close to being useless soon, but they are here as well. For Murai''s case, Lorry recommends changing points into value that will give value.¡±


    ¡°So nothing new? Essences are the first obvious thing.¡± Murai turned, looking at many shelves and crates or other compartments filled with them. He saw sets and pouches of glistering orbs of numerous ways and shapes. There were even Law essences, special ones with affinities or special possibilities that would help those with specific needs.


    Most of those corresponded with unique affinity. Flame one looked like a hot sphere with numerous flaming patterns. The water essence looked like a blob of overflowing water. Sharpness looked whitish blue, filled with a sharp aura.


    Then, those filled with unique and weird Laws were even weirder since their premise held truths and uncountable value. Absorbing them was often negligible, so holding them and comprehending their truths gave one its benefits. Thinking of them as teaching material was kind of fitting.


    Murai ignored those, knowing they were beyond his reach or points. Even if not, his body wouldn''t take them in any way. There was only so much his Core Defying Fusion Technique could force against the common sense and rules of the magic.


    The most ridiculous essences were dull, hiding behind the formations and tight locks, but not from eyes.


    ¡°I''ve already struggled a lot with what might be worth it, so what to do, Lisa? Care to tell your opinion, 3rd timer.¡± Murai turned to face her interest which seemed to change numerous times in the past hour.


    ¡°Me? Asking me... Oh well.¡± She backed from above and floated down. I think you should finish your... Um... Core? That seems your priority, but you know it better than I am. I see its worth, but your feelings and ideas don''t concern mine.¡± Lisa still struggled with understanding the Core Defying Fusion Technique and Murai''s choices with it.


    ¡°Sounds about right. I plan to do that. What are the best essences that you have here for the points I''ve got? Is it different from the Vaults in Gate 1?¡± Murai asked Lorry.


    ¡°Alright! Best? In what way it should be the best? In quantity or quality? If that is the case, various aspects of essences might be poor for Murai''s needs. This place has valuables in all ways, second to points and numbers. Law of Space? Sure. Affinity of Flame or Sharpness? Sure! In quality, things change. Those are much more useful; and more expensive. What does Murai plan to use those essences for?¡± Lorry asked a stupid question, but he asked it like a librarian to a person who knew every book.


    Murai realized his intentions straight away. ¡°You piece of bones. You already have a hunch what I am doing, or Mindarch does.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Lorry doesn''t know anything.¡± Lorry chuckled awkwardly. ¡°Lorry is just a Guide. Useless personnel of this temple. Lorry has no ego to boost my Lady.¡±


    ¡°Might I guide your third eye, hm? I think Lisa has a chance to become less of a liar, after all. Hilarious.¡± Murai sneered and went over the numbers in the head.


    By this point, his Core Defying Fusion Technique passed the starting process, which meant his vision and ideas had notable clarity. Potential problems were clearer to see, but those were always occurring. Solving them wasn''t a question but a practice.


    His Beast Core was changing numbers under every moving threshold, so he constantly shifted from blissful hopes to dreadful doubts. It was all about numbers. His Artificial Core still possessed a connection to his overall mana space and Beast Core, so its structure was weirder under his knowledge.


    After all, he created a normal Mana Core, instead of filling it with wilderness that was his Beast Core. Both were under his watch, but at the same time, it was connected to something he barely knew.


    With relative ease, giving his Artificial Core essence to eat and let it grow was all he could muster. That went naturally well under his care, but the way it happened was also the problem.


    Gluttony. That was a term in mana that was incredibly good and bad at the same time. It meant hunger that was hard to quench and worth fearing.


    Even though the number of essences he fed it wasn''t small, the vortex of his Artificial Core needed more and more. No matter what, it kept going, pushing the limits to new heights. It was part of the fundamental premise of the Artificial Core, as it was a core that didn''t follow the natural ways. It was like copying the rules of magic by working around them, so Murai ended up influencing his body and mana in this way, or was it the other way around?


    Beast Core was giving everything something unusual, Murai feared. Was it something new that he discovered under a technique that many people spend a lifetime researching?


    Artificial Essences can eat endlessly, although the ceilings were in essences because it depended on how much one could feed them, how stable they were, and what was their desirable stage. The only changes it could make required direct touches from its users. From the beginning to the end, everything about it went through one''s decisions, unlike the Mana Core which followed the laws of mana and magic.


    With enough mana flow and increases in volume and speed, the Initialization Core could become a Revolving Core on its own. Time for that mattered; so did talent.


    Artificial Core was different in this way, but not always. Murai can copy the effects of the Revolving Core and turn the Artificial Core''s revolutions into insanity, turning its effects wilder and stronger. Then, it wouldn''t be that different, even if it posed a dangerous act. At least it wasn''t an impossibility. It would also cause some nasty and wonderful effects. The kind that he didn''t want to try right now.


    Normally, the amount of mana and quality was all that mattered for its fusion and further enchanting processes. Even including the pouch from Manager Kil, he bet he didn''t have enough for even a portion of his desirable results.


    Thus, purchasing essences in quality or quantity mattered. He planned to take everything he could, and it was easier because he didn''t need anything with affinity, unlike his Beast Core that held Water, Sharpness, and Flame.


    Artificial Core needed pure mana. Natural affinities would cause trouble to its man-made structure, even though it was made to resemble the natural process.


    Somewhat¡ªMurai didn''t know how¡ªmana was acting as if alive. Those could be the rules and Laws of mana in general, pointing to its origin, or something beyond that he hardly hoped to reach.


    ¡°How much for a bunch of High-Grade 6 essences?¡± Murai asked Lorry.


    ¡°Define a bunch,¡± Lorry argued.


    ¡°The amount that Lesser Lust Demon had.¡± Murai tried to explain himself but failed.


    ¡°That is just a single one...¡± Lorry sighed. Watching the serious face of a duck in return, he figured out the course of his act. ¡°A single High-Grade 6 essence is worth 2000 points for Level 20.¡±


    ¡°2000?! Huh? Oh... I get it. High-Grade goes close to the Low-Grade 5s. The expensive nature of their value is good for points. Interesting. You think of everything. Grade 5s are much more valued and denser, so there is some validity in those prices. Expensive, but sensible.¡± Murai praised him a little.


    ¡°Of course. Mindarch had to think and come up with the right amounts to make points validating and worth something. Without treasures to go alongside them, points would be just dirt. People who would reach and complete the Gates... Wait! Lorry is getting ahead of Lorry.¡± He shook his skull and glared at the places with essences. ¡°Prices are specially offered to move along the Challenger''s Level, Surface included. Some people need specific essences, thus the prices vary. Corresponding accomplishments allow for good results. Price included, of course. For the start, such essence filled with Sharpness is 2 times more expensive. Worth, essence, Laws, truths, or Paths follow that idea.¡±


    ¡°You are surprisingly honest, for Hell.¡±


    ¡°All is fair in a business. Rules under Lady Levandis do that. Lady wouldn''t like it otherwise. Try to seek it on the Surface. Hardship goes toe to toe with rewards. Murai is a splendid Challenger on all fronts. Hence, Murai got offers that we haven''t seen in many years, giving Murai the power of discounts. 50% off isn''t a small difference from the Silver Room, isn''t it?¡± Lorry beamed in pride.


    ¡°Offers? Discounts? What offers are there to speak of them? This place is Vault and storage as you said,¡± Murai snapped his beak, glaring at the floating skull.


    Hearing a rather pleasant voice that lifted his heart, Lorry was usually better at licking people''s feet. ¡°2000 for High-Grade 6 essence sounds about right. Murai would be close to getting 5 of them, which is halfway through the worth of Low-Grade 5. That is intense for Level 22. Add to that the discount, 1000 points per one is generous.¡±


    ¡°What about Low-Grade 5s?¡± Murai changed the subject.


    ¡°Oh... Low Grade 5 is 25,000. Middle is 110,000. High is for...¡±


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    ¡°Enough. That is enough.¡± Murai stopped those numbers from crashing his mind. It seemed he wouldn''t'' overcome any limits any time soon. They were out of his words, meant to entice better Challengers. Stronger ones would afford it as long as they would reach great meris and endure high-level enemies.


    Points were up to the Mindarch''s interventions, thus many things made sense according to one''s Level. Essences were essential, so their prices were special.


    Murai got a relatively good deal for Grade 7s in the last Vault. Perhaps too good if he heard those numbers well. These prices that Lorry mentioned were general across this entire temple since they meant general rules for numerous living cities and Gates filled with denizens. The only exception was Gate 1 Vault which had a little bit cheaper essences to entice more challenges to go deeper. It worked wonders.


    ¡°10 Highs equals 1 Low of the upper tier.¡± Murai mumbled his calculations. ¡°5 Lows go to 1 Middle. 5 Middles to 1 High. 10 High... 1 Low. Hmm. There is no exposing the worth or mistakes if my ceilings go higher than that. It makes sense. There is nothing wrong with prices and prizes. Challenges and battles go for that, which means that my 134 essences gathered from Gate 2 are essentially priceless. They are worth more than these prices and points, which means that my points aren''t for essences, but for other things to create balance. Battles provide essences, right?¡±


    ¡°As it should,¡± Lisa added. ¡°Take what you can take from this Gold Room. 2000 is the normal price. 1000 is a steal. We are talking about High-Grade 6s still.¡±


    ¡±Why can''t I buy a single Low 5 then? I am so close to that. Isn''t there any banter? Shop? Can''t sell my soul to a devil?¡±


    That sounded a bit strange coming from him, which Lisa and Lorry both realized.


    ¡°Even if Murai could, there are limitations to purchases. For Murai''s level, Murai can''t purchase any more than a couple of High-Grade 6 Essences. Grade 5 is out of the picture. Those could rarely, but possibly, have Laws within. Seeing Level 22 handle them would be... interesting. Grade 6s are more than Murai can chew, Lorry bet.¡±


    ¡°Tsh. Cheapasses...¡± Murai grunted. ¡°Fine. I will take what I can.¡±


    Murai stopped being a greedy prick and started his shopping spree by spending all of his points on a variety of stuff. Not only essences were up to his standards, but since there were some limitations for their purchases, he got other things thanks to his points.


    It made sense, although he forgot how things changed when compared to Vault in Gate 1. There, he was happy for Grade 7s. Now? He was close to a single Low-Grade 5! That was a tremendous leap that was worthy of his accomplishments.


    Purchasing a bunch of High-Grade 6 essences ensured that his Artificial Core would improve a lot. The possibility that he would slowly reach a wall before Low-Grade 5 quality in Artificial Core was approaching.


    But he still needed more, so he had a lot of work to do.


    Since his priority was clear, he spent 4000 points on 4 High-Grade 6s and the the remaining went to some Middle or Lows. It ended up eating a lot of his points, but not everything went in that direction. He was happy with what he had. Prices were bending in his favor because his Core Defying Fusion Technique had full control over the quality of essence fusions, even if the ceilings lowered this efficiency.


    In this case, the increased price across the essences meant purchasing lower grades was cheaper than buying essences of a higher grade. It was a small exploit that wasn''t worth much, because no matter what, Grade 6 essences were much more expensive than Grade 7s. Those barely moved his core by now.


    Of course, he took them all with a smile, since hundreds of Grade 7s would still do something. Even if they were all expensive in comparison to his hellish 100 Islands, if he was thinking of numbers alone, what he purchased was still worth a lot. He got a few Grade 6s in the Islands.


    This was a nice cherry on top for Gate 2, a reward he took to heart. Murai knew why essences had this reputation and pricing. Enticing them to mortals by value should be a great way to entice anyone, albeit he found it weird. A single Low Grade 5 was kind of cheap if he got the gist of the overall point system out of the things Lorry mentioned.


    Even if he can''t buy it right now because of his low level, at the higher stages, these points were much more important and bigger. But if there were purchasing limits on how many high-grade essences one could buy, it wasn''t sounding wrong.


    Lorry refused his ideas to exchange anything for points.


    The value of Grade 5 essences was fitting for those close to Level 50 in most scenarios. Grade 8s should be the norm for his level. Well, now he was above Level 20, so Grade 7s were optimal, but not for him. His needs were exponential.


    Such a room full of essences was priceless for any group of mages or adventures. Murai didn''t prefer spending much attention on gaining something well beyond his threshold of capabilities. It could be dangerous for his Beast Core to take anything above Grade 5 at his current stage. Be it from a magic standpoint or his body.


    Even then, it was kind of questionable how well his choices and fusion would blend with the rest. He lacked the solution because figuring out the numbers was a long-term game. He was yet to be sure if absorbing Grade 5s would be stable for the fusion. If not, then he either needed some change of strategy or more time, which was why he kept most essences in storage and absorbed those he couldn''t store.


    Core Defying Fusion Technique made some of his choices safer for sure. It held hopeful possibilities. For now, he had different issues. Fusion or the latter parts were what mattered. He had to run this marathon in preparation for that time, so he was willing to bet his chances, body, and pride. He was confident because of his research and magic, and who knew what would happen until his technique and core were ready? He had time and resources to get it going in this temple.


    What afterward? Murai didn''t think about this future. He hoped to ready his Core in this place, or at least get as many essences as possible before feeling away, finding some cave in the Surface, and mending his chances.


    Fewer ideas were ideal, so all he could spend was building and getting as many essences as possible.


    Murai''s Level might be 22, but with his Boosts empowering him, his Power Level should work well over Level 40. Perhaps not above 50, but he should give someone like that a decent fight as long as he was careful and unhinged with his powerful abilities.


    Lisa found it ridiculous. Not his purchases, but his outlook. She knew this chance, ideas, purchases, and results were rare for those outside of this temple. He accomplished great results that were even better than her first visit. It was just a shame his level was too small. It didn''t cut well into the high possibility of the points this temple possessed because his needs were ridiculous. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gold Room was therefore ineffective. He didn''t get nearly as much out of it because of his lacking points. 9, 450 was essentially nothing but fortune for his Level, but not for his needs. She didn''t tell him much about it, nor did Lorry, who took his interest with the silence of a shopkeeper.


    Murai was thinking of essences as fruits growing in bushes, but it was a wrong assumption even in this place. Lives mattered in this place, resources grew, and places of interest poised as fortunes. In this matter, this temple was no different from the Surface.


    Her worries lasted a few moments. Lisa looked after him, wondering what his current power held and what his choices turned into. Did it vastly outstripped the common sense and Gate 3? Hardly.


    Essences weren''t enough for everything. Murai wanted things with greed and needs, and he wasn''t even sure how many High-Grade 6s his Artificial Core required. In normal ways of fusions, from the Low-Grade 5 essence and above, there was a quantitative leap in terms of progression.


    One no longer needed 5 Low-Grade 5s to make a single Middle-Grade essence, but many more. Depending on quality, affinities, and purity, it was entirely possible to fail to forge High-Grade 6s into a single Low-Grade 5. That idea went for higher-ranking essences. Lack of efficiency was the reason why, the quality of fusions might be poor, and essences could be flawed.


    In most cases, essences at certain points had high ceilings, tightly resembling what was Murai''s current artificial issue. Sometimes even 15 or 20 Grade 5 essences were needed for formation-based fusions. For Murai, it might be even worse because of his recent discoveries, but since he had his Core Defying Fusion Technique, his efficiency and fusion of his essence were near perfect. He only lucked numbers.


    That was about the only good news he had. It can''t help him much with learning or figuring out his cores. It was quite the opposite. It was problematic since efficiency cracked his mana space and turned it upside down in his research and awareness.


    For now, the gluttony of his Artificial Core might take 30 times more effort and essences, which meant drastic shifts in work and value. He could''ve gotten long to a Low-Grade 5 equivalent in his Artificial Core if he was a human. The requirements might be rough, but if there were more Gates like the Islands of Greatness, he saw some chance of success.


    Out of this Gold Room, he assembled new findings, decisions, and learnings. Finishing 1st Part of the Encounter didn''t mean shit if what Will of the Battleworld mention before it disappeared. It had something nice hidden underneath, however.


    Understanding it wasn''t up to his needs; he needed proper power and choices to get out of this place. But perhaps it was yet another wishful thinking and he was underestimating his situation far too much.


    Lisa would agree with this sentiment, but she had her plans to ensure his safety, but not the means of his training, learning, or how he should go about his Anatidae living. She wished to help him with his outer problems at least, which made her sound kind of... weird. At least she gifted him that Heavenly Shaping. She felt kind of shocked and good about it though. It was there, after all, as if waiting for her or him. Helping with his head, or what was wrong with his magic or other things weren''t for her head or hands.


    Murai might have access to his memories, insanity, techniques, and flesh, but he had no access to major reasons Blessed were incredible.


    Those were companions and their benefits. That topic was withheld by Battleworld and Lisa alike, but it was mentioned at the start of their meetings. Iris or Ceila mentioned something about it too, but at that time, Murai was full of pain and misery. It was long ago. He forgot about it already.


    Blessed status was incredible to entice many individuals and hopes, turning one into a fervent follower. It could even move some countries, politics, and powers. Not his status, Lisa feared. Why and how it was possible? Why was he even included in the Blessed system if he wasn''t using its benefit? Well, she knew why. It was subject to individuality since it was like giving someone a treasure without any instructions. Life Companions were mostly for that, but... not in this case.


    The bigger problem was something else. The world was against him and something else too... was wrong. This current Boost cemented that idea even if it gave him significant benefits. Mindarch gave it a touch that Lisa requested.


    And Lisa can''t do anything about the aftermath, even if it felt wrong.


    Blessed were never loners, unless they wanted to be. Providing for their safety or life were their Life Companions and companions in general. Those could be numerous and various in status. Slavery worked for that idea too, and often so intensely, that many would beg and be willing to do anything to become Blessed Companions.


    Not for Murai, Lisa reckoned. He had no such choices because of his personality, current body, or simple lack of chances. She should change it soon, even though she was unaware of how Razmund was using his companions, or if Murai wanted them. She didn''t know about the Hell Party to this day, but she had some idea about the happenings in the Death Valley.


    So yes. There was still Encounter in place, with its Helpers that weren''t part of the companionship system.


    Lisa knew she shouldn''t be stingy, nor Murai should. He wasn''t in her choices, however. He always did what he wanted. Soon, he won''t have a choice but to follow her orders. She will ensure it will happen by force, voice, or by dragging him onward against his Will or chances. The choice of not talking about it right now wasn''t wrong.


    He will get it soon enough.


    For now, Lisa let him have his shopping on his terms.


    He took that idea without hesitation, ending up satisfied quite easily. He wanted something crazy at first, but he ended up with plenty of points to purchase a variety of other things.


    It wasn''t something like Heavenly Shaping from the last Gate, but he bought a bunch of potions and healing treasures and even a Runic Talisman for his current level. It was empty, meant for assembling some spell to make it work.


    It was a power system he was familiar with, but he didn''t even know how this world acted with that in his mind or his body.


    Even a child would get them working in Zeanor, thanks to Will of the Battleworld who ensured balance and stability by changing rules and bending the Laws.


    Runic Talismant needed a personal touch and statement from Will of the Battleworld to work. One would then end up with Cards of Spells. It would work around anything one wished to store into it. Such things usually came at some cost, because it was such a time-saver, it was quite outside the normal use of magic. It was a new course of magic since Cards worked with Spells, Runes, and Will of the Battleworld in sight. Without any of that in the picture, they wouldn''t work.


    Depending on the level and grade of spells, Talismans can become insanely powerful.


    While handcrafted runes were the same, Talisman''s stability and self-indulged crafting were often met with praise, failure, or other lacking means. Murai figured Talisman''s use might be good or bad, but it sounded interesting, so he took it for a cheap price of 400 points. It was a stable structure that looked like a metal sheet.


    The last spent points were for the best thing he had found. That was an Essence Gem! A small one, enough for his pocket, but it was a treasure Lorry suggested to take.


    It wasn''t a great treasure, as all it did was take essences alone. For some, it was invaluable. Murai cheered at it much more than anything else, because it was a treasure worth 2000 points even at a low grade.


    Specially crafted with essences in mind meant its stability. Lorry acknowledged the need for it, so he gave it to him for 500 points, which was a much bigger discount than usual. It bled his Soul Flames, but it was worth the haggle from Murai''s side.


    He needed it because he was purchasing unnatural essences in self-contained locks, which would dissipate outside of this room unless one absorbed them.


    So far, Murai stored only naturally occurring essences in his pouches; not the unnatural ones. Those always went to his Artificial Core.


    Murai forgot the differences, so Lorry came in clutch. Essence Gem was a storage facility like a spatial pouch, storing hundreds of essences of various kinds. Grades and their numbers depended on the quality of the Gem. Low-quality Gem could take a limited amount of Grade 5 essences, but for those below, one could store a lot of them into them.


    Like many types of mana treasures, ores, forged ingots, crystals, and so on, its value corresponded with a person''s needs. Mana Gem stored anything mana-related with significant specializations.


    This one had peculiar effects for essences alone, so they wouldn''t dissipate. Their origin was a work of art. Certain ores under the Surfaces stuck together with mana, forming a dense cluster of glowing matter that, under some mages of space or void, formed Gems.


    In a rough sense, the Essence Gem, looking like a glowing rock, held another Gem inside of it. Around it were other materials that secured essences so they wouldn''t lose their effectiveness. Nothing should dissipate from the insides, ensuring the flow of mana and formations to create intact access. They kept the flow going, freshest great, and if inwardly forged, they could be good mana sources for mages, or some tools.


    Runic Talisman worked with customizable spells in mind. It didn''t work well in body-related powers, as it was a work for magical spells, buffs, and so on. It was a Relic Artifact, rather than a simple Talisman like what Undead Mage in Welcoming Party used.


    This one was more special, lasting longer, and acted like some sort of gun for spells. Shaping was limited, so the degree of spells was more important. Simplicity was their key, and turning them into wide-area spells casting tools was also suitable.


    Overall, anything mana-related was useful in Murai''s book. The Gem was nice, while essences would make anyone happy.


    Most of the surrounding treasures would make good material for Golems, armor, or weapons alike. Making a Magical Staff around Gems was a popular choice for Handlers, who needed every outer help.


    Murai wasn''t sure what to do with the Runic Taliman for the time being. It held 2 slots for any spell and was empty and old. Age didn''t matter; nor the wear.


    Laughing, Murai bonded the Essence Gem to his use first. It underwent a good crafting pattern and effects, creating a spatial property within the Gem so he would be the only one accessing it from then on. Of course, someone powerful could crack it apart with force, but Murai wasn''t worried about it. It would remain in his pocket, so anyone close to it would taste his beak first before clutching it.


    Murai was a bit hesitant to look at Lorry because of the discounts alone.


    Skull was smugly laughing, and if he had the chest, it would protrude in proudness. Its uses outweighed his hesitation, so Murai thanked him in return, knowing that this Gem would be with him for a good while.


    Alas, as the truth hit him, Gem''s quality wasn''t the finest. Storing inside the purchased essences was like tossing things into a Spatial Ring, and it was hard for him to feel or do that. Lisa did half of this work.


    Now, with this thing in the pocket, he didn''t have to absorb every essence from his foes, as this tool didn''t care what sort of essence he would find.


    His cheers soon fell short. The Gem had internal limits to the quality of essences. Just his High-Grade 6 essences flared its internals, while the rest of his Medium and other Lower essences ensured it was full soon enough.


    So back at square zero. At least he had something to rely on. His purchases were extensive because of discounts and these High-Grade 6 essences were kind of good. He will absorb the lower grades and keep the best ones for the future push and higher stages of his Core Defying Fusion Technique.


    The same will go for the essences Lisa kept in her ring. They were natural but locked in individual sphere locks, so they were possible to store them for a long time in ordinary pouches. These before his eyes were unlike that.


    Regardless of how it went, Murai was no longer curious. He loved and took any essence in his sight. Whether they appeared from the dying bodies, leaves, rocks, or a bunch of bones under this temple, they needed quick touch, similar to many natural essences that could be born like rain, dissipating in a couple of seconds upon their creation. Those might be laughable natural essences, but that was wrong. Mana was a creation of the universe and nature. If it ended up dissipating, it was like a cycle of life and death.


    Everything had some status and clarity, which was why Murai spent a long time in this room, ensuring that everything was alright. Lisa even tossed Lorry the pair of Keys since their worth had ended.


    Satisfied, Murai stretched his wings, carefully adjusting his hood behind his head. He liked it more when his head wasn''t obscured by it. That was about the only disadvantage this hoodie had, but he was wrong. It added style! Hood shrouded his eyes, protected his head, and potentially... helped the Peak, but Murai wasn''t aware of that yet.


    None was, apart from Amelius himself.


    ¡°Alright! Onwards to GATE 3!¡± Murai proclaimed after the satisfying shopping, Lorry''s help, and Lisa''s work.


    They spent an hour sorting things out, so Lisa figured to take care of the storage and loot distributions like Murai wanted. She kept the ring with what Murai didn''t want on herself. She gave him the best pouch they had, while the rest of the time was simple.


    She worked the best in her remaining time as Storage Manager and made sure his shopping went well.


    It was hard and honest work because of his chirping and demands, but she sorted it all to his pouch, before tossing it to his pocket. It was a sight to behold for Lorry, who hardly saw Lisa like that from his memory.


    But he didn''t laugh.


    Not a speck of point was left behind. Murai used every single one of them since he had far too many pouches to store it all.


    ¡°I... am speechless. You bought too much.¡± Lisa said. ¡°Why care about Richmond Ore, Tasman Metal, dozens of kilos of additional ores, and various mana materials of low class? Do you wanna be a craftsman? A duck? I mean... are you serious? They are heavy, making up a lot of space in the storage. I think you have a lot of other worries, to begin with, and I don''t think it''s good to take that out to Gate 3 like this¡±


    ¡°Why not? Do you know something about Gate 3 that I should know and you left out? ¡± Murai asked her, obviously hearing where she was going with this sentence. Lisa already gave him many hints and warnings about the incoming Gate, but it didn''t account for much in his head. Gate 2 took the majority of his attention, so Lisa kept a lot of things for herself.


    ¡°I do,¡± Lorry said instead of her, which she appreciated. ¡°Gate 3 is an open world. Well, a cave, but so big, it is as large as a small world. There is one goal... Survive and get to a certain location.¡±


    Murai glanced at him in surprise. He hadn''t heard of a goal yet. Lisa talked only about the place and the layout a little, which made him hesitant because he didn''t look forward to walking vast distances.


    ¡°It is that simple?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Lisa barked. ¡°He makes it sound easy, but it isn''t that. Goals vary and so do the settings and denizens or militalia. Demons are dangerous! It is the starting realm to her Hell Haven.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Murai wasn''t impressed.


    ¡°As Lisa said. It is a bit complicated. Fair enough, but not to Lorry. There are 100s of scattered and old portals to the ancient site known as Paradise and a bunch of other things.¡±


    ¡°What an original name.¡± Murai rolled his eyes.


    ¡°It has a name...¡± Lisa wanted to continue but Lorry barked and kept his exposition going.


    ¡°Hush! Gate 3 is 1000 kilometers long and big as some Divine Kingdom! Some think of it as no different, but no Gods are residing there. It''s a special case where it wasn''t part of the original temple. Poor Sun God, the might of Lady Levandis was too mighty! Lady made it as an additional Gate after crafting what Lady wanted through Gates 2 and 4. Clever, isn''t it?¡±


    ¡°You know that you are leaving quite a lot of things behind?¡± Lisa said. ¡°None would be any wiser to hear your nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? Sounds like... It''s not Lorry''s problem. Not every Gate was the idea of Lady Levandis. This one was, and the following one is partly too, but with twists and turns into it. Got it?¡± He giggled at her. ¡°Twists.¡±


    ¡°A little. Fine. What else do you want to joke about before I will fist you and another nose.¡± She offered a tough idea that Lorry took with a smile.


    She kept him talking so she didn''t have to do that herself. She will have a lot to do once they depart the tunnel outside of this room.


    ¡°There are all sort of circumstances that makes Gate 3 problematic. It is very open, so Murai can be essentially hunted for more time and lengths. Wanted, strong gangs, armies, or various other gatherings one can''t even see are there. Millions live there after all. Demons, beasts, and numerous races. Many are stronger than Murai, but none is an Anatidae. Many Divine Beasts have their nests there.¡±


    ¡°So... I am gonna do what?¡± Murai asked.


    ¡°Don''t worry, Murai can do it. It is free for all! Strength no longer matters! Find the way onward, survive, and traverse the dangers of Gate 3! Be it harsh and chaotic conditions, a space where demonic factions battle daily, or where desires drown the weaklings, it has a different premise to get stronger. Or not at all. One might not fight for a strategy. In a brutish sense, Gate 3 is a private realm that is quite well outside of Battleworld''s influence. Not completely, of course. Few would manage or afford that. It was made so that demons have the privilege to challenge their foes uninterrupted by some rules or consequences, while Hell Haven is all about it! Albeit as an entrance, Murai sees. It''s quite a chaotic place, so let''s be careful and Murai should take note of style and plans.¡±


    Lisa cleared her throat.


    ¡°Or Lisa does that. Lorry doesn''t care.¡± Lorry explained the majority of things that one needed to know. It included a lot of underlying meanings that Murai understood thanks to Lisa''s previous mentions.


    ¡°So a demonic plain? Sounds like a fun place. Count me in.¡± He stretched his head. The poor feelings he got out of the Boost were nearly gone after his shopping, but his head and feelings between it and his body still left much to be desired. His mind felt sharper than ever, and his core and mind were... crisper? Out of touch?


    Was it the effect of leveling Grade SS ability, or were his attributes increasing faster than they should? He wasn''t sure, but there were hints and feelings it was the case.


    ¡°Good. Not like Lorry would expect anything else. Though, Lorry might say that the randomness upon the arrival may be quite hectic. Murai will not like it, so Lorry hopes Lisa will keep things at the norm.¡±


    ¡°I plan more than that, thanks for asking,¡± Lisa said coldly before Lorry continued.


    ¡°One can spend a long time traveling to the finish, battling along the way, eating, and getting stronger by training, taking on Boosts, hunting, or being hunted. So yes. There are no restrictions there. Cheers, right? Anyway, Gate 3 is opposite to Islands of Greatness, as it doesn''t restrict anything. Others or foes too, so... it could be a mess. Lorry wonders and doubts if it is fine to let Murai inside¡± Lorry said fearfully and his Soul Flames dimmed.


    ¡°Whatever it can be, I will take it. I agree that force or pain or training with boost or not isn''t important. It sounds interesting. How about essences?¡± Murai asked the last important question.


    ¡°What you find, get, or kill, it is Murai''s. Free for all, as Lorry mentioned.¡± Lorry said with a smile.


    ¡°What you steal too,¡± Lisa added with a faked smile.


    Murai cheered. A rather interesting Gate that was more up to his tastes was before him.


    And it better endures his steps, newly accomplished strength, his hoodie, and new ideas ahead of him.

 Chapter 171: Comeback

    Beyond Gate 2 and the intersecting stairs between Islands of Greatness and Gate 3, time kept brewing its actions. Razmund bled and dried his blood numerous times in his attempt to get moving, but the way of the Ending Isles was rough, if not incredibly dangerous to him.


    He still had numerous foes ahead in the challenge of the Ending Isles. There was a very high power ceiling here, close to cracking his progress and halting him completely, but he kept at it for as long as he could. He bid for time, power, and hopes of no killings. He was fighting by forcing the others to submit to his claymore first. If they won''t, or won''t take it well, killing them was next.


    And it worked well when he was forceful in his strategies, or if the enemy wasn''t insane.


    He would hate the knowledge that his target escaped this Gate, but Destiny Dice can give him this idea as well. For some reason, it didn''t do much else but kept pointing to the choices of the bridges that Murai had chosen, giving Razmund the fateful way ahead.


    Either it was Dice''s decision, or Fate''s.


    Razmund could question it, considering he fought and wanted to catch his target more than do these battles. Someone could change it in a heartbeat. Lint could give him some idea; Mindarch was the same. One preferred being watchful, while the other preferred seeing Razmund more miserable. That damned Blessed deserved it, but there were much more important issues even beyond him.


    Mindarch knew it, so he kept Lint doing what he should, and Razmund surprisingly kept his killing in mind. Though, it was more of an inability. Since he fought with Luno, Sword Intent was constantly on his mind. He couldn''t even fathom how to start it, train it, and handle its ways. At least the Endling Isles were keeping him sharp, so his Sword Intent was showing its fangs.


    Was it because of how drained he was back against Luno? He spent all he had onto the 3rd Dance, unleashing not it, but... a strike that was it, but something else. That was a strike that followed the cut of Sword Intent. It ate his heart he couldn''t re-create it again, but once the feelings of the Sword Intent paid the first visit, no swordsman would forget it.


    Foes did help with that a little bit, even though some were on the verge of Laws, or already were beyond that point. At least few were ever close to Luno in strength. Undead and various monstrosities from the Hell Haven came at him in the Ending Isles, cutting him, hoping to eat him and crash him apart, but Razmund bit back.


    Thankfully so.


    His line of killings was at the balancing point of drowning, which posed a question if Midnarch should give him an easier target to kill, or a bigger threat. Spending talents, resources, and tough beasts in this place wasn''t the wrong approach for Mindarch. He had all the freedom to charge and change his decisions, so every Challenger was subject to his device.


    He was essentially the God of this place. So far, he wanted to see what Razmund could take but his limiting killing ceiling was cracking to no finishing line. Razmund was extremely stubborn and tough to deal with, especially when his killings and his style were changing. He was growing, which Mindarch didn''t like or took for something nice.


    There were many beings in the Hell Haven and this temple that knew of these current events. All pivotal and crazy Surface Challengers were kind of rare occurrence in recent decades. It was like watching a rare show.


    All because of Razmund, things became complicated, because Mindarch could no longer take his rules for what he wanted.


    Overlords were watching, followed by fewer Gods. And something he knew and feared was changing. Something nasty brewed on the Surface, right beyond the dark stretching corridors that went to the Death Valley.


    The dormant state of the whole valley ended up returning to its former chaotic appearance days ago. Judge descended above the land and Levandis'' domain, clearing the storm and forcing a cheeky Sun away. There was even a dog in the name of Centralis, but Mindarch didn''t mind him all that much.


    By no means, a little over 4 days passed since Murai entered Levandis Temple.


    It was slightly below that time since Ceila, the 2nd Sun of Vermillion Church, stepped in and met her match in Uzbek, the Helper that cleverly moved behind Razmund''s case down below. He depicted the Centralis Kingdom''s interest, playing a watchful dog and waiting for Murai if he would give up. He hoped for that or hoped for Razmund to force it that way.


    It was as peculiar a case as problematic.


    Almost as peculiar because Uzebk didn''t expect the change and the current happening because something made an unexpected comeback. A few days passed, yet here it went again. Uzbek was out of his mind, out of his wits. Gone. Feeling the sand, he figured that his head and chances turned upside down.


    Why, one might wonder? Not only did Ceila come back to Death Valley and him, but she tossed all the blocks away. By the degree of her Lady, she wasn''t alone in her tries or hopes.


    It was time to be ruthless and challenge the authority of this temple and many other things. Vermillion decided and bore her results and works like a charm. It was time to change some things with this ridiculous situation that brewed around the Battleworld for many days.


    That was a small amount of time in the general accord to Gods, but chances can come and go in a heartbeat. She didn''t want to lose her chance with Murai, so being ruthless was no choice but a given fact.


    Mindarch took it with his interest and warned Levandis about it not that long ago. It was weird, because not only did Ceila come back, but it was around the time when Amelius made his move as well, turning Levandis''s attention away.


    Ceila came and stormed their Welcoming Gate with fervent insanity, unusual demeanor, and power.


    Mindarch''s choices ended up useless, albeit interesting. Vermillion decided to wait it out, similar to what she did with Amelius. It ended up being fortuitous, so she wondered what Ceila or Vermillion wanted.


    Standing in the stormy weather of Death Valley, Ceila wore a divine-looking armor that showed not a bit of her skin, apart from her head. Her helmet was gone, revealing her hair that flew behind her back. Regal and with a face that seemed to lose its lustering smile, she appeared as if she aged a year, or went to war. That wasn''t a lot, but something about her face looked weird and unlike her usual vigor.


    She wasn''t handling a spear, but a long thin sword and luscious bright aura surrounded her. Returning came with the expected problems. It wasn''t a problem for her, however. Uzbek took this worse out of anything in this situation, desert, and time.


    The Judge no longer came to his rescue. It wasn''t possible for some reason, or the situation changed the moment Ceila forced something behind the scenes. Or Vermillion did?


    Uzbek couldn''t question the origin of all troubles when his position was kind of sensitive. Behind him was the temple that shouldn''t like his position or origin in the slightest, while onwards was Ceila who turned into a nightmare.


    Was this a Breach of what he thought was possible by God''s touch? Half sunken to the sandy dunes, all the rest of his companions were scattered or in pieces. He was in one piece, fortunately, plunged into the sand in defeat as he bled and sank in spirit.


    ¡°Learned your lesson?¡± Ceila spoke words with almost no emotions hidden behind them. She was serious and had a little hoarser voice than expected. Like her current face, it poised as authority that stemmed from the sudden change that her Lady granted her.


    Or did she force it? That was a possibility that Uzbek considered, especially when his status and hers collided in an interesting storm that went out of his stakes. Something moved and changed that the Centralis Kingdom hadn''t expected.


    A storm that he thought would pass was his mission, yet it came back stronger than ever in more forms and faces. He didn''t want to change the current circumstances. He wanted to flee; he didn''t want to get out of the sand to try the impossible. Losing his ways from before and even now, he tried and failed, so that was it. It was time to overlook something else.


    Centralis can afford it, but his student might not. Forcing his upper halve out of the sand, Uzbek was still holding onto his blades and felt his body ache. Above him was Ceila, looking tall, majestic, and like a little sun that dominated over his sunken spirit. He felt her changed aura with fear.


    At least he wasn''t bleeding in half, but cuts and bleeding holes were all over his body. Bruises on his face either came at the cost of feeling her chest or slaps. Either worked or not, he knew.


    Charred uniform revealed much more sadness in his eyes than butchered Falconers around this flat piece of Death Valley. Soldiers died every day. He thought they lasted more than they deserved, similar to himself.


    ¡°Well, hello.¡± Uzbek moaned and glanced at Ceila who stood like a lofty divine mountain over him, yet she was still a few meters away. It wasn''t because she was that tall. It was just a feeling he got out of her current position and power that he couldn''t guess.


    Something changed about her or her situation. Something that Centralis didn''t anticipate, which meant a lot of potential problems for not only them. They were just tools, after all. It wasn''t as if Tier A power could influence a lot of things when Hell Haven held many Gods and even more mortal powerhouses.


    Levandis was the leader of this Somalis Hell, followed by her narrow pantheon.


    It was by no means a good idea to anger such a massive place with few mortal plays, yet they did it.


    There was no coming back from that.


    They got help from someone whose Uzbek couldn''t fathom, nor anyone from the Centralis Kingdom could. And now, other parties were turning their interest over the plot and desires of Sky Gods. They watched and moved the things within their reaches, but by no means were they encompassing Entities.


    Mortals very often didn''t move according to their wishes. It was to be expected when hopes and powers were in their way.


    That was where Blessed came into even further questions and desires, poising as dreadful consequences of a time when some souls returned from the Afterlife. Plans always changed afterward, but Blessed were like a dreadful reality and curses that troubled many Gods.


    Mortals or not, this was a problem Uzbek couldn''t resolve on his own, even if he could try to do something.


    Ceila was no longer who she was, or she was who she always was, but changed differently? Either way, she looked the same as before. Her vigor and aura remained familiar and tall, but it was a bit more savage, heated, and still divine like light could be.


    Brutal. That was the word Uzbek would describe her, which was far from the previous meeting. Back then, Ceila was questioning his ways, his kingdom, his way of Fate and acts. This time, she didn''t ask a thing. She was as curved as the sword in her hand or straight as the spear latched to her back.


    And behind her, standing and waiting for her orders, 3 figures hid behind her aura. Uzbek saw them more than enough and knew their importance. They didn''t touch him, nor fight him. He didn''t like they were there, and they were the best answers to this whole ordeal and change.


    They were the Divine Paladins. Not from this world, he knew, but from above, bearing the crests of Vermillion Divine Kingdom. Those looked like bird symbols with stretched wings and a hundred swordtails over their chest armor, showing their status that was of a different kind than what most mortal powers could bear.


    That didn''t mean they were godly beings. They were mere tools and subjects of higher interest, descending in a limited capacity to do a mission that a God desired. It went alongside the sensitivity of many Churches since this sort of power from the Divine Kingdoms was a hard reality check for the Surface.


    They should act as fine swords for Ceila and Vermillion''s orders, but for the others, they were insensible guests who shouldn''t be here.


    A whole lot of things were about to change with their mere presence. Not because of their existence, of course. They were individuals that often came with Divine Wars in sight, right as Gods would descend in rare instances to the mortal worlds and wars. Sending their divine armies down was much more upfront, albeit often filled with questions for other Gods and mortal powers. It posed as a boundary or set example that things were no longer simple.


    Here in the Battleworld, Uzbek knew of Divine Paladins and their status more than enough. They were often natives of the Divine Kingdoms or ascended individuals from the Surface or Depths who wanted to serve their God. In return, they would get immense blessings, benefits, and help.


    The ones he was looking at should be near, or already Extremes, but one was never sure of their strength without seeing their acts because powers born from the Divine Kingdoms weren''t simple.


    And there were just 3 of them. That was no army that could crash Tier A power for snacks, let alone was it something crazy that should poise as a hindrance to any Hell.


    Uzbek shook the sand out of his hair. It didn''t help much with his appearance. Even his uniform was in tatters, so his heart bled because of it. ¡°You are overdoing this way too far. Crossed the line almost. Should''ve slapped me well over the horizon, but it seems you wanna know something yourself. Might be helpful to not trash me so much. I can speak better if I have my mouth open, or blood where it belongs.¡±


    ¡°Sure you do. I do too. Sure as the Sky over our heads and eyes watching everything.¡± Ceila said coldly and walked forward. Paladinds followed her from behind. Not one bit of their skin was visible. Robust and thick plates of the armor protected their bodies, while helmets had no openings for the mouth. A thin opening line was there for better physical sight.


    ¡°I am all ears as eyes wide open.¡± Uzbek smiled at her. ¡°So? Do you think this situation is familiar? It does resemble something.¡±


    ¡°I should''ve cut into the neck, it seems. Help with this tone of yours.¡±


    ¡°That would hurt.¡±


    ¡°Would do the job just enough.¡± Ceila pointed her sword at him. ¡°Demands give answers. What is Centralis thinking?¡±


    ¡°Thinking? Centralis? Can''t you be more specific? We are all a bit strange in thinking.¡± Uzbek lightly tapped the tip of her sword away from his face. ¡°We all think all day long. All sort of things comes at us, you see. Thinking is dreaming, as some folks in the Endless Tower often tell. Old but validating.¡±


    ¡°Don''t play with me.¡±


    ¡°You don''t look fun for any plays. Not anymore, huh... Weird. Your eyes.¡± Uzbek frowned and had no itch for some poor ideas or change of plans. He utterly gave up. ¡°Do you think you should keep at this? I said it before. It is all about changes in this world. Centralis has hopes. You and me are the same. Gods are the same too, even if they are so lofty and insane. Same as us, huh? See? Nothing is that different over there, below or up. Encounter is that change, so what is this situation to you? A hope? Unless you move like a tool, this seems to befit...¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Ceila swayed her arm, bent her hip, and kicked Uzbek straight to his face. He felt the metal boot and blood flew out of his nose and mouth. He flew hundreds of meters away, tumbling through sand and feeling like shit. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was gone out of the picture, crashing into the Levandis Temple itself, where many figures were already standing. Thar did, followed by lurking shadows of many other undead. The Undead Army was already there, creating a neat picture for Ceila and her Paladins.


    Such an Undead Army would work best against a Paladin Legion that was perfect for the chaos and undead aspects. Ceila could still force nature and bend the rules, prove herself and her power, and reach the route she wanted. Vermillion guaranteed that even if Thar had little idea about it. It was a wonder what the Hell would take this situation and change like, as this was once again, an invasion!


    Smashing her feet to the ground and reverting to normal posture, Ceila turned to the temple, and the whole army a hundred meters away. They waited for a good while, right after she got rid of Uzbek''s dog-awaiting status. He took the hit to the walls of the temple with a smile and looked forward to the next show.


    Thar sat on his steed, overlooking the whole storming plain before Levandis Temple. He was quite notable, thanks to the height of his horse, bones, and notable black aura around him. Surrounded by his kin of numerous races, bones were bones, but there were some living beings amongst them. They were still his army that Levandis cherished and gave to him as part of his blessing, curse, and gift.


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    Though, none of them were her familiars, creatures of influence, or creations. Most of them existed just because of this temple itself, giving everything some touch when Chaos was a very potent indicator of power. Thar wasn''t following that ideal. He was an undead for a long time not from that principle, but a choice. He had forgotten what was before the bones since guarding this place was his current mission.


    A mission that seemed to take a plunge into the depths of insanity, because he felt the Depths like never before.


    Ceila turned to his position, followed by Paladins who seemed like golems in their movement and notions. Every inch of their body was covered by armor, while every act was clean, minimalistic, and smooth. They were almost like a machine. Some of them were ready for combat by brandishing shields, swords, or spears.


    But it won''t be their turn until Ceila deem it worth it.


    ¡°What is going on over here?¡± Thar demanded answers. His voice went far, his aura flared up as the dark mana of his Laws seeped out of his bones like never before. It was like his shadows, touching and moving within his bones and going upwards.


    ¡°Was never afraid of bones. Those are for dogs.¡± Ceila almost smiled as she said it, but her face was still dull and tight.


    ¡°Should I take you for a threat? Is this an Invasion, or the beginning of a War that your Church wants? Trust me on this, your punny force won''t give our Hell any trouble. This temple is...¡±


    Ceila halted him by pointing her palm ahead. ¡°No need. The ones beyond you will take care of our problems by taking an interest in those above or below. For now, disappear like a mole to the ground.¡±


    It wasn''t as if Thar liked to hear that, but he knew that something wrong was going on. He wasn''t sure of the whole idea, but he knew the presence of those hiding at the entrance, or those watchful in different ways.


    For now, from the shadows of the entrance, a slender figure stepped forth. Long-legged, bare, and smooth like the finest light marble, a curve in hips and chest swayed as a woman entered the bright part of the entrance.


    It wasn''t Levandis, fortunately. It was Villan, notable by the pairs of horns at each side of her scalp and long strands of purple hair that went down her cheeks, back, and shoulders. Wearing a rather sporadic and tight uniform consisting of strips and shiny pieces of leather and armor pieces, she almost looked like a succubus.


    Some would definitely think of them when looking at her, but she wasn''t one. Whitish purple skin wasn''t rare either, and by all rights, she looked more human than one with a demonic origin that was closing on succusses. But she had no wings, no tail, nor the charm that followed the succubus race. She was a demon of some sort, but the kind that had a very rich bloodline from some ancient demons and human races.


    ¡°Overlord.¡± Thar turned to her and made a customary bow with his upper body. His aura quivered and calmed, yet remained as if a reminder that he was ready to fight for his mission.


    ¡°Thar,¡± Villan said as she flinched her slender fingers before her face, forcing her hair to fall behind her back. Her face was young, smooth, and... annoyed.


    She looked like she stepped on shit. Dealigns with Murai did that to her, but not only that, of course. The current situation added to her annoyance because Levandis urged her workings and fix something that was... not that easy. Perhaps it was her punishment for doing something she shouldn''t have done.


    Who cared for it though? It wasn''t as if enticing Murai with words came with some disadvantages for anyone. If he refused, he refused. If he agreed... that would mean something else. She didn''t know what would have happened next if he had done that.


    And she wasn''t looking at it from a rational perspective, because he was something else than what was before her. It stunk of problems that she knew the moment they happened. The reasons were still unknown, but the problems that Ceila depicted weren''t that small. Considering the happenings in Gate 2 and 4, and soon the one between them, the plot was turning in a new direction.


    She bet Manager Kil didn''t like this change in the slightest, but not as if it was her problem or a bliss.


    ¡°Look who showed up.¡± She glared at Ceila from a far distance. Through this time, her voice and body remained spotless of any aura. ¡°Get rid of them.¡±


    Thar didn''t like this order one bit, but if it was his task, he allowed the Gods to decide.


    The clutter of armor spread and bones echoed in thuds and cries. The entire Undead Army made its move by Thar''s authority and degree. As their leader, there weren''t only bones in here, but not as if it mattered. As individuals, they weren''t almighty. As a whole, they were a power that could shake many wars.


    Thar underestimated the situation far too much.


    In a flash, Ceila smiled for real. Without words, Paladins made their move by activating runes in their armor and unleashing weapons of mass destruction that were hiding in their weapons. They activated something there, which exploded in the light aura and mana, crushing a tide of energy into the Undead Army. Bones cracked and what should have remained death, became even deader.


    Paladins pounced at the army in a second, brandishing their weapons and cleaving them aside. Bones crashed, Soul Flames dimmed by their mere light, but a swipe of their weapons extinguished them completely.


    Ceila hadn''t made her move. She looked at the Paladins and how half of the army became part of Death Valley or incinerated mist or dust. That happened in less than a minute.


    Until Thar made his move after glaring at Ceila as his army halved. He left his steed, jumping at the closest Paladin, and unleashing a massive hammer out of nowhere.


    Slamming it against the armor, storm across the desert and the ground shook, yet Paladin stood still as danger arrived. It held a densely knitted round shield, and even if the desert almost ate his legs, armor protected them.


    Darkness spread and Thar contracted his anger when the Paladin flashed his hand and summoned a mountain-like shield next. Thar backed away, dodging as this shield slammed from above. Then, his hammer and shield collided, shaking the sand and their bodies. Nobody won, but their surroundings became full-on craters that removed a lot of sand, revealing countless bones in the layers below.


    That became personal.


    Thar didn''t like how this started.


    Without warning, the power of the huge hammer quadruplet, and the air became thicker. Paladin wavered and another swing of Thar''s hammer crashed the large shield aside. Thar turned, pirouetting and hitting the Paladin next. He took it head-on, smashing the legs down to the ground. His armor survived and didn''t even crack. The large hammer rested on the armor.


    Thar wasn''t happy about this exchange because he underestimated them. These Paladins weren''t fools. Their equipment was far too crazy, and they weren''t alone. Another Paladin was behind him, handling a spear that protruded out of Thar''s midsection, missing his core. As an undead, he had no flesh or heart, but his Mana Core was still inside of him, visibly moving around his bones, and glistering in dark delight that empowered his bones.


    It was hiding under the tattered cloak most of the time, so the spear missed its target.


    And the Paladin on the ground was fine. He just lost his footing for a moment. Thar had no doubts his hammer wouldn''t take his life unless he would go all out.


    ¡°So be it.¡±


    Thar''s aura thickened and he grasped the sprear in his chest. Trying to crack it was futile, but taking it wasn''t.


    Alas, Ceila was right there on the spot, tall, and aimed her palm at him. ¡°Wanna do this the wrong way? The old way?¡±


    Thar gripped his teeth until his army came to the rescue. He swung his hammer aside to build up momentum and dark thick mana around the hammer and his bones. There were numerous powerful beasts and members of undead and many demonic clans, capable of influencing Extreme-level fights.


    Too bad. Too late. Ceila and the last Paladin, bearing a large lance bigger than his body, made their move.


    Paladin swung the lance and sand and undead moved away. Wind or this simple move was wide and tall, aiming at legs. Ceila let the flickering flaming light out of her palm and made her move next. She looked at Thar, whose hammer was ready, and swung at her side. Ceila''s palm grasped the light, before exploding and punching the explosion, blinding the surroundings next. Thar''s vision blanked and his swing hit nobody.


    Then, he felt immense strength slamming to his chest. It was just a palm, yet it felt like a mountain. Giving his hammer a single hand was foolish. By now, he forced the spear away but it happened too late. He felt heat and potent energy slam every piece of his bones. It was divine. He lost his footing almost straight away and his darkness lost against this palm strike, washed and weakened by the light.


    When his Soul Flames reclaimed their clarity, the undead army was no more. Looming over him were all 3 Paladins and Ceila, who had the same stern face.


    ¡°What now?¡± She asked Villan who desired something else, but this was unexpected and fast. These Paladins were better than usual ones. They must be expensive to maintain, grow, nurture, and train. Their powers and ideas held incredible fighting power and reputations. All Hells knew it, thanks to the power of Wars, history, and clashes between the Sky and the Depths.


    ¡°Unexpected. What do you want here? Do you think this is a place for quarters of this caliber? Is this Vermillion''s wish, idea, or plot that she seeks?¡± Villan said, hinting that she knew much more than she let out.


    ¡°Let me inside, and I won''t make any trouble to any other forces, undead, or things hiding inside, or around. I know many things that could hurt this Hell.¡±


    Villan chuckled as if she heard a poor joke. ¡°Enter in? As what? Challenger? Groub? Hell Party?¡±


    ¡°Nothing in particular. Nothing important. Getting in is a good start. Enough of a start, frankly.¡±


    Villan didn''t like how she sounded. She wasn''t arrogant, but confident. She reminded her of those that were hard to read.


    ¡°Who? You and your Paladins? Who do you think we are, or what is the place below, or behind me? What do you think... goes there and is there within? HELL?! CHAOS! Levandis won''t bear the results of this Invasion!¡± She shouted and bits of her aura showed. It trembled the air and winced the undead around the whole plain as if they wanted to move again.


    The majority of them were gone beyond repair and death. At least Thar was in one piece. His Undying Physique can take worse beatings than a slap from Ceila and her... somewhat divine-influenced powers.


    Ceila took her voice for nothing harmful. ¡°Should I demand a barter or a demand? You decide.¡±


    ¡°HUH!?¡± Villan contorted her face and arms. She got almost as angry as her time with Murai. ¡°Didn''t hear me before?¡±


    ¡°Are your ears for a show like your... everything?¡± Ceila taunted her.


    Villan laughed and went with the flow. ¡°Fine. What would you offer against our rules, current sides, circumstances, and ideas? Just so you know, Mindarch is around, watching and sending it down. Don''t get any wrong ideas. One nasty step and Overlords will crash your entire church before your punny force would do a thing. Do you think that Vermillion is something against our Hell? Think twice before dying.¡± Villan doubted her idea. ¡°Do you think this is a situation that deserves this assessment? Lady Levandis bears witness to this event.¡±


    ¡°Oh, not only her.¡± Ceila reckoned. ¡°Not only that, but many are interested in what is about to happen, what is happening, and what shan''t happen. So... if she listens, why can''t she bend a knee? I don''t think it is against her benefits to take my offerings.¡±


    [Wrong.] A powerful female voice, guided by Mindarch, spread in the proximity of the temple''s entrance.


    ¡°Oh, look who showed up?¡± Ceila smiled again, but so little, it was almost unnoticeable.


    [I don''t want any further troublemakers in my temple!] Levandis argued, sounding strong and annoyed.


    It was nothing surprising, but Villan was shocked and felt some fear. She didn''t go to her knees at least.


    ¡°Is that so? I thought you like and prefer it like your bones.¡± Ceila said calmly.


    [Don''t try this before my backyard, tool of Vermillion! She has no authority over what I do. She has no power here to demand entrance to my temple. It is ridiculous.]


    ¡°Yet your Will is here because of her,¡± Ceila said coldly, pointing to Villain something that Levandis didn''t take that well. She shut up, thinking of what to do. ¡°Anyhow...¡± Ceila continued because this was a problem that she expected to occur. And since Levandis started to listen, she should finish the job since the words worked on Gods and fools alike. ¡°Wanna hear of the Encounter and everything that happened? Was there myself when and where it started. Knowledge is power, right? What occurs in your place isn''t one bit worse or clear. I need to go in.¡±


    [That... You are here for that? My place my rules, tool. What is it that is in for you? I could hunt and squeeze you dry like nothing else.]


    Ceila sighed. ¡°I proclaim to be a Helper for the Encounter. Murai''s side.¡± She pledged. It didn''t work at the usual terms. One needed affirmation of the proper side while being close to them as well.


    [That side, uh? Interesting claim.] Levandis knew a lot of things herself, but the direct line of information was always better. As Ruler of her own Hell, she knew and held authority over a vast amount of worldly interest. Will of the Battleworld was part of what balance did, powers held, and what people were always about.


    And she didn''t need it per se. She had Mindarch for that, while Murai could be cooperative.


    ¡°Let me in. Offers and voice can then spread all yours and my Lady wants.¡±


    [Who is speaking? You or what lies inside of you?]


    ¡°Doesn''t matter.¡±


    [It certainly doesn''t. You have my blessing, but not Mindarch or anyone else. My place has its rules. Take them to your head or die trying. I wouldn''t mind having your treasure or those armors your tools are wearing. They are coming, right?]


    ¡°Yes, unless you want to be difficult.¡±


    Then, Levandis laughed, and be it Thar on the ground or Villan, they both shuddered in fear.


    [This is hilarious! Difficult? Calling and telling that here... I forgot how Vermillion does her things and biddings. That old fox, she thinks she can do this to me in this way? Touch the untouchable and take this situation as if I am not involved. NO! This doesn''t work like that.]


    ¡°Then my Lady has a message for you. As a last resort for your guidance.¡±


    [A message? Last resort? No matter what you say, we...]


    ¡°Sector 11, Timezone X23. Outer Teria Nebula. Epoch 2.¡± Ceila whispered and be it space or the surroundings, only she listened to her voice. Levandis heard it as well. Whatever that meant, she turned to silence once more, before speaking in surprising and hidden shock.


    [How does she know that?]


    ¡°It implies something, doesn''t it? Resources, or the past.¡± Ceila teased her a little. Her Paladins stood beside her, unchanging as if this didn''t matter to them.


    [She wants to make things ugly? Killing you won''t change a thing for me, but for her?]


    ¡°It would do many things. True. We wouldn''t mind cooperating or helping you by the way. It seems the Surface has interfered with your business for a long time. This could be a clever cooperation.¡±


    Levandis knew that, but empty threads weren''t her forte. She was much more ruthless for that, but talking was all about this time.


    [Hmph! So an Encounter is in her eyes? Be it your End. Villan, get things sorted out for them. I will bear this cost and give Kil his new tasks, while this little party takes their steps with care, or they might not take this cooperation for nothing but a dreadful consequence. Mindarch is watching. I will too.] Levandis demanded, and the voice transport from Hell Haven through Mindarch bore its ending results.


    Ceila suceeded.


    This was just the start of the true ordeal because she wasn''t thinking that Levandus would let them in. By use of force, getting inside with her Paladins was a possibility if anger and limits broke. It was doubtful. Finding some line of reasons between the words was much more likely to work. Unleashing wrath around the entrance was possible, or all over the place. From then on, it would be back-and-forth blackmailing until one party would swallow their pride.


    That didn''t happen. Ceila managed to mention something Vermillion told her and it worked wonders. Now, finding a way to Murai was just a matter of time.


    Vermillion told her to trust it, so Ceila had nothing but trust in her Lady.


    Letting Thar go, Ceila began her walk among the mess she had started and forced. Nothing about this was simple or clear to a lot of beings. Villan wasn''t sure if this was a good idea to let a Church inside. Not this kind especially. Letting them into Hell Haven was either a way to kill them, or Levandis had other plans if she let them in.


    Either way, her Lady resolved it so Villan didn''t have to work around it any longer. She grunted and watched how Ceila walked past her without blinking.


    Paladins went behind her as well, and whatever they would do, havoc would break out. Vermillion wanted it, and all Levandis had to do was accept the costs and excuses, and take this situation as a rare opportunity.


    ¡°Bear your steps in mind, Sun!¡± Villan said and almost spit those words out. ¡°Don''t regret what you are starting.¡±


    ¡°I''ve hardly started anything,¡± Ceila said with her back facing Villan. ¡°Everyone else will have to adjust then. You or your Lady. Nothing else.¡±


    Chuckling, Villan adjusted her hair again. ¡°Then let''s hope the Gates won''t swallow you whole.¡±


    ¡°No worries. You will bleed before that.¡±


    Then, Ceila disappeared into the darkness.


    [What about me...] Mindarch''s weak voice suddenly resounded near Villan. [Got no voice in this matter or small skirmish? What a bummer.]


    ¡°You fool!¡± Villan shouted. ¡°Shouldn''t you work against these situations as a whole?! When had you figured they were coming? Some Overlord would make their move long ago. Leaving things to... Thar isn''t fitting.¡±


    [I warned her!]


    ¡°What warning?! What is there to warn a Ruler about in her backyard? What is going on?¡±


    [Vermillion is.] Mindarch explained.


    ¡°And?¡±


    [Levandis will take it if it can''t change. For now, it goes to mortal heights. And... let''s not pretend what goes over your head. You aren''t nearly as half stupid as some think, so-called Overlord.] Mindarch tried for a joke, but Villan had no mood for jokes.


    At some point, Thar got to his feet, still shocked at how powerless he was against Ceila. He figured it was a bad match, but even then, he was a powerful Extreme. He grasped how this fight started and ended, but it felt wrong on so many levels, that he wondered if he was alright. It was as if Ceila controlled the Paladins in her mind before crushing him herself.


    Villan didn''t pay him attention. She expected more out of him, even though it was a ridiculous assessment that Mindarch would''ve never allowed.


    This act of losing an Undead Army cost them many souls and resources, even though Death Valley will take them all down. All by a few Paladins of low rank and 2nd Sun who weren''t supposed to be this powerful, hundreds of resources were dead.


    Villan understood the undeniable mess that was surrounding this temple. She wasn''t certain of it at first, but it wasn''t about her Lady. She was a scapegoat. An inevitable act that Lisa decided to put to the test.


    And it worked, much to Levandis''s displeasure, excitement over a new Anatidae going through her temple, and a plot surrounding many heights.


    Throughout this time, there wasn''t a word about Razmund. Or Uzbek, who was conscious of their conversation by resting against the wall. He heard most of what he wanted, and it seemed what he feared occurred. From now on, things weren''t in his hands.


    Razmund will have to do his best while he had his dog card.


    [Anything else to remind?] Mindach asked Villan.


    ¡°I want a full report over the situation, Gates, and Vermillion Church and Encounter included.¡± She demanded her interest before going back to the temple, but not through the door, but with a flick of a finger. A thin space crack spread in mid-air, sucking the air inside.


    [Yes. Yes. Another one who wants that.] Mindarch sighed as Villan disappeared into the crack.


    [Now, what about you, mister who lost his bone.] Mindarch asked one of the few remaining folks.


    Thar shuddered. ¡°I would rather hope my Lady knows what she does.¡±


    [That is a neat part.] Mindarch chuckled. [She doesn''t. I am not kidding by the way. She really has no clue.]


    ¡°Oh...¡±


    ¡°She wings it, doesn''t she?¡± Uzbek said as he fell to the ground, crawling on his limbs. ¡°Serves her Hells well enough. Bunch of Chaos suckers.¡±


    [Oh, you are still alive? I forgot about this dog that kept stalking me like an annoying fly over my head. Kill this ant, Thar. I demand it!]


    Thar wasn''t in the mood for jokes.


    Neither was Uzbek, who pulled his arm up, showing his middle finger to the temple, and laughing. ¡°Lost fair and square. That is for sure. Now, it is either your turn, mine, or there might be surprising results out of this for everyone.¡±


    [No say, huh? Thar! Silence this fool or I will silence your mouth!]


    ¡°Shut the fuck up...¡± Thar cursed, shuddering his bones and checking if every bone was right where it belonged. Feeling as if his age was getting into his bones, he had no mood for Mindarch. Not only he didn''t touch Uzbek, who wasn''t doing anything wrong or against the rules, but he sighed at his crashed army in disbelief.


    [You grew a bone too? Ugh! What is wrong with everyone!?] Mindarch shouted in disbelief before his voice disappeared.


    Uzbek was just a party that refused to enter the temple, opting to stay in the Death Valley. Anyone could come here, but staying wasn''t easy. This place was dangerous by itself. Those lucky enough to come here never stayed for long.


    Uzbek proved himself enough, and surviving this whole situation wasn''t clever. He was lucky that Ceila didn''t bother killing him. He also uncovered quite a few pieces of information out of this situation. The kind that The Voice will love, Centralis adore, and his heart feared.


    Gods were making their moves and not with pawns but with personal touches. They''ve already done so many times, but this time... it was clearer and weirder.


    Vermillion was the clearest in involvement, but questionable in other things. It was unclear what she wanted. Uzbek still wondered that himself, as Helper status that Ceila pledged for was against their side. That meant Vermillion was showing her interest in something Uzbek didn''t know.


    Time will show it and others will change then.


    Perhaps then, the Fate will change too.

 Book 4 afterthoughts and huge update

    Hello! Fists, let me preface this update with insignificant things. Since the end of the previous year, I knew this update was close and bound to happen sooner, yet it is April already! I suffered a little bit from procrastination and if it hadn''t been for the established backlog, it would''ve been worse. Add to that the changing shifts, and writing wasn''t anywhere stable. I hope to get back on track and work on two novels at a time soon, and not just do one because it is kind of wrecking, and the change of pace is fantastic. I started on RR while publishing 3 novels at a time... which then changed to this one alone due to my dissatisfaction.


    With yet another complete book, changes are due.


    Anyhow, the update is as follows...


    BOOK COVER! Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At long last, a properly done cover made up by an artist and no AI. It was costly, but well worth it. The name of the artist is Shredderdima on Fiverr and it went well although it was my first commission.


    I plan to get two other covers for the next ongoing book, and the one after that. Afterward, who knows what will happen, but I don''t have plans to commission covers for Books 2, 3, and 4 in the near future, albeit I have some idea about what I want to see from them. It isn''t probably a good idea to do such commissions when I don''t plan to publish this novel outside of RR.


    For now, consider this cover as a baseline for the whole novel.


    Next is an overhaul of the Rulebook-Index chapter I created 9 months ago. Weird coincidence, eh? It is ready to hatch, I guess.


    You can read through the changes right now, as I just copy-pasted the changes and tripled the details and word count. Unfortunately, a chapter can''t be beyond 30,000 words in RR, so it has been cut into two parts. You can find the first at the start of this novel, or the link in the pre-chapter author notes, while the other half was published an hour ago before this updated chapter.


    Big changes include a complete rewrite of many sections, new additions such as expanded Power Systems, summaries for each book, character details, a world-building section, a roadmap, and many more. I also got rid of some useless things and added more of them instead. It is great! Stuff about the novel voices my perspective and the writing itself. Think of it as a dive... to the void... Ignore it if you may.


    It is well over 30,000 words long, so take it as something... big. I worked a lot with Spoiler tables, so a lot of things are hidden under a few clicks. More than 80% of people preferred it, so I guess it works.


    For now, the novel goes as far as Book 4, which means nearly 3,000 pages, so it goes quite deep and far.


    Summaries are especially good, I hope. There are 4 of them for each book and recapitulate what I thought felt right.


    The next thing is the novel itself.


    As you might know, Book 3 ended a week ago, which is a spectacular accomplishment for me. By now, the novel is just below 3000 pages long, and it isn''t hard for me to guess how or why. I tend to go overboard with some chapters, so the pacing might be off. Book 3 is more than 440 thousand words long and has more than 70 chapters. It is bigger than the two previous books combined.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    When I looked through the Roadmap and my backlogs, followed by work in the Rulebook, I decided to cut Book 3 in half and give Part 1 of this novel a new look.


    Thus, each Gate of the Levandis Temple will be one book each, with 4 books in total.


    Names go as follows. Book 1: Dungeon, Book 2: Encounter, Book 3: Gate of Suffering, Book 4: Islands of Greatness, and the new ongoing book is Book 5 called Hellscape.


    Words by words, a new Book 4 is still chunky, closing on 300 thousand words. Book 3 is at half of that number since Gate 1 isn''t that huge, and closely resembles Book 1 and 2 in size.


    Also, I haven''t thought of very good preludes between the new Book 3 and Book 4, so there aren''t any.


    But something new is! A NEW prelude will arrive in less than a week upon this publication.


    Plumfanoodle, the most fierce commentator of this novel, suggested and made many valid points more than half a year ago. This included barring holes that needed to be refiled, followed by a foreign perspective that I appreciated from this single reader.


    One such suggestion will be fixed next week. It will be a Prelude chapter between Book 1 and Book 2 that will reveal things about Razmund and some developments that aren''t mentioned in Book 2 or Book 3. This will clarify some things, as well as give Razmund more background.


    I wrote it a few weeks ago, so I hope it will fit into the story and won''t cause new holes. I think some small ones will spread, so I will have to look through at least the prelude of Book 3 next, or some chapters in Book 3 or Book 2 that are relevant.


    Book 5 is around the corner


    What is brewing in the Hellscape, where it goes, and what awaits Murai in further Depths? A lot of things.


    It will be a big book again because I had way too much fun with the second draft that went on for long months. 300k words is a baseline.


    Releases: I plan to ditch weekend releases for this book altogether. New chapters will start soon and they will be posted on weekdays, followed by some shifts due to some changes I want to make.


    By now, some chapters in Books 3 and 4 are quite massive, nearing 8,000 or 7,000 words. As my backlog for Book 5 started to take shape, the chapters were as big, if not bigger.


    So, I implied to myself some set of rules, while I have no idea what the readers want.


    The first two new chapters are important preludes of two 10k+ chapters. I won''t cut them in half due to what they follow and show. Following those preludes will be regular chapters, while words are the curious factors. [I hope it won''t end badly.]


    Releasing 10,000 words a week is my starting goal, as it sounds easy. It will probably end up bigger as a whole anyway, due to some chapters being 8,000, 7,000, or 10,000 long. I will be cutting those in half, and when I do, you will have 4, 3, or 2 chapters in a week with sizes between 5,000 and 3,000 words. When a chapter is at 5,000 words, followed by another, there will be 2 chapters in a week.


    For now, I haven''t gotten around to cutting and managing them yet, or so it seems when I write this instead.


    I will be gradually going through this process, which isn''t as complicated as pushing the publishing button or forcing myself through spellchecking and grammar.


    For now, be patient.


    Preludes will be released first, with the start of the normal releases in early May.


    Thanks for your understanding, and I hope this shift in publishing new chapters won''t ruin anything. I was doing weekday releases for almost a year. [with occasional late chapters on Mondays due to... my blunders]


    That''s it for the update. With 4 Books complete, it is my 10th published book overall, if I count my lousy attempts with my other two novels. Anyway, this duckling novel has more than 400 followers, which is not that bad even with the use of a single ad. The views aren''t that stagnant like the 3-star rating since long ago. Oh, well, the ratings are what they are. People seem to read this. Some do... some bored sick... omitted.


    I have some silly ideas and writing is barely two years old under my hands. More time will follow and improve it for sure.


    See you soon.

 Prelude to Book Five: Heist of Lady Vermillion - Part 1

    Prelude to Book 4: Heist of Lady Vermillion - Part 1


    Sounds of chirping birds echoed throughout the outer gardens around a rocky, yet modern-looking structure. Many vast and precious trees bearing ripe fruits of all kinds were making rows of valuable assets. On one part, they were there for aesthetics and style, though they were far from any eyes because of their location. On another, it didn''t matter if the lacking eyes were there or not, as they weren''t abiding by their purpose.


    Gardens weren''t important since they were outside of much vastness. Above them, the walls held an open hallway with large windows where a person could stand and barely see them. Partly inside and outside, it was just a small part of an unfathomable rich and vast castle. Windows were just openings that directed the potential eyes to a much more impressive distant horizon.


    The castle itself was hard to see from this position. It was so tall, that the city''s buildings below weren''t visible. That wasn''t because of the size, but something else.


    If one leaned out, one could see a rare piece of land, which was anything but a man-made garden in a lifeless and rocky castle. There was hardly any land to grow crops, yet the trees flourished anyway. It was true that the castle was like a sword protruding from the flat lands, surrounded by white clouds as far as one could see, and hiding an impressive city that wasn''t that small underneath.


    Bright thanks to the considerable altitude, rich in aura, and clear air, this castle was a special place of interest in an even more special world.


    Located in one of the many Divine Kingdoms beyond the Battleworld, it was large, unusual in premises and visions, but all made up of godly interest. Unlike many places on the Surface, where mortals took their time for granted or pride, this place was where Gods ruled in heat, steps, and direct eyes.


    Divine Kingdoms differed from Hells or rare instances of Gods residing on the Surface, yet many mortals were everywhere, here included. Gods ruled such places with heavier hands, managing their subjects who wished to follow them here. Most of it was about the land itself. This planet was a divine one. Powers, politics, and worth in, a Divinity-filled world were hard to come by. With godly touches that the Surface could never hold, although, with complicated deepness, this place had its issues at another level.


    Owned and created by Gods like their own lives, Divine Kingdoms were about the land and people. They weren''t easy or simple places. Partaking and living in numerous activities, Gods held them in various visions, ideas, and premises. They were hiding secrets, benefits, and worth that they desired, stole, or took for themselves. There was no room for mortal discussion, as Pantheons were rising under such lands, and Gods could rise or fall.


    It was creating homes and fuel to empower their Divine Spark, which gave rise to Divine Power. It was the kind of energy that was deemed above mana by many Gods, giving their Path a brand new direction. It was a different style, premise, and worth than mana. In the current Epoch, it was the power exerted by the greater Divides, but was it all? The depth of the universe was deep after all.


    Divinity was an overall empowerment. Gods had their rules, and what depicted their vast potential was Authority and how they handled their Path and godhood.


    All Gods needed a Divine Kingdom if they wanted to be something more than a weak God. Some needed it more; some less. Some were much vaster since their growth to godhood was hard yet successful. Others were easier.


    Surrounding the Battleworld, Sky Gods, as history depicted their names in the Battleworld, resided in the three Divine Spheres that glowed in the light of the universe, mana, and divinity, creating suns in the sky above the Surface.


    On them, Gods created or established Divine Kingdoms away from the Battleworld, but close and watchful. Some forced or stole some lands on the spot, as they were empty when they came here to establish a new age. Albeit it was dull and weak at first, it grew over the last tens of thousands of years, while the Battleworld itself was like a backyard for their interest and people.


    It was a home, reputation, and potential expansion for their mortal subjects, families, friends, lackeys, and various other people that these lands required.


    Such were the places where people and Gods lived together, and where ego and power moved at alleged peace. It wasn''t simple, however, because many sorts of beings of various desires lived there under the Pantheons of Spheres, divided into groups of politics and expansion.


    There might be a Ruler amongst them, but it wasn''t as bright and celebrated.


    With Gods having their priorities, it was still one of the safest places around this part of the universe. And when numbers mattered like safety, the established Pantheons were an incredible force to reckon with. Outside forces, foreign Authority, or something that most of them didn''t want to accept or acknowledge., wouldn''t come blindly at them.


    Some unhinged demonic gods thought otherwise, but these assholes from the Depths weren''t fit for the Divine Kingdoms of the Sky. Those should eat dirt and have their peace below the Surface or disappear altogether into the Void or Chaos Space and never return. It was more than fitting for them to thread the politics like a game. At least under the opinions and unarguable political power of the Divine Spheres.


    They would be dealt with. Unsurprisingly, such a place had unfathomable wealth and protection to outlast their issues or the whole world. It was enough for their subjects, albeit it might be far from enough for Gods themselves.


    Vermillion knew all about that, even if she was taking a different route in this place, Sphere, and time.


    It was bound to shift. Vermillion stood in a split of Fate and she was taking one step. She was a relatively carefree-looking lady, overlooking the surrounding vast clouds from a lonely hallway.


    Alone, there was nobody here because this place was sensitive and kind of tough ordeal.


    The openness let a subtle breeze at her face, swaying her crimson hair that was dancing behind her back and sides, and annoying her keen eyes. Observing the clouds like the sea, she stood in the most influential organization in the surrounding universe.


    The reason? All Gods had some reason to invade something private in secret. It was a time to change the tides, or completely annihilate it, even though she wasn''t forced to do that in the slightest.


    Murai caused that. It was an excuse she thinly believed in for the sake of appeasing her future actions. She repeated that in her mind dozens of times a day, figuring that time and Fate was a joke like Murai''s unwillingness, or perhaps it made sense. Perhaps he was just her excuse that she kept hidden in her heart.


    She waited a long time to crack her reputation and power, yet Murai bricked that by changing her outlook and giving her time that she took for something separate.


    It wasn''t his fault nor his problem. Yet. Murai would refuse her advances at any day, time, age, or life. He hated the definition of this nonsense that others wanted something out of him while he didn''t want to even see their faces, let alone hear their voices. There weren''t even that many grudges between him and the Gods. They didn''t deserve him for the most part, but who knew the truth? Gods? Murai?


    At least Murai, as a Cursed One, held a sensitive course in history, so he knew that the universe was ridiculous. Most Gods, if they ever wanted to think of him in some unfilial or weird idea, would never achieve anything, let alone get his reputation, unless they would become unhinged and went far into nowhere like crazy bastards.


    Vermillion thought of it otherwise. It was an opportunity that was natural like when acted in the Endless Skies. Gods could be unhinged to begin with if they wanted to grow or do things outside of the box, or when they held no alternative.


    And Vermillion wanted something like never before! She couldn''t wait. This won''t come twice. She was hiding far too long, so she would force anything out of Murai''s head, mind, soul, body, or anything else. She will force him to accept his inevitable Fate. Same as her. There was no going back if she would do what she wanted.


    She will become something better than a Taboo Maker, or Breacher, or thief. She will gladly become a blight that will turn this Sphere and the world below upside down, cascading its effects like a house made of cards.


    She made up her mind, standing close to the windows of a castle that depicted a major place for the Divine Sky Faction, best known as Battlewill Division by Gods.


    These were simple names for this castle-like location that was hiding an extensive interest in Lordis, Battleworld''s Ruler.


    Vermillion didn''t care for him or this place. She called it simpler out of spite. Divine Camp was a more fitting name, considering the way it worked for so many generations and methods.


    Nice as the castle looked from the outside, what was occurring inside was a mess that only Gods wanted, created, and desired. It was their little palace of influence, authority, and hopes, and it wasn''t exactly for them to rise in power, but for mortals to do so. It was a double-edged sword, similar to tossing a single pebble and killing two flies.


    Since empowering mortal''s desires gave Gods some edge and various benefits, there was a side of greed, interest, and system that this place labored. It went like no emotions, soul constructs, fools, or other things could ever achieve. It was all about worth, power, and greed. Even some Offerings, Blessings, and all sorts of other things worked to their advantage, growing their reputation, Divine Power, and other things.


    The Divine Kingdoms were also important, but ascending mortals from the Surface was not a simple occurrence. They have to be powerful to survive in this place. Both mentally, politically, and physically. Having natives born into the Divine Kingdoms was a better chance, while trials to the ascension were a different story.


    As a God older than the current depiction of Battleworld''s Pantheons, Vermillion was a small rarity in this world, because she played her cards far too safely, choosing to act as a neutral party.


    It was her desire that was slowly changing, or it did long ago, but she was choosing to remain free of any problems. By now, Levandis or others probably understood that something strange was brewing.


    Vermillion changed her mind after all and comprehended the worth and danger of her actions. She also knew what greed and power were capable of, changing or guiding to nowhere. It was something she saw numerous times, even in different words, or in different people.


    Lordis created an interesting premise and tides, and she was about to touch that premise with her own hands. A Rank 2 God, all by herself, she planned to challenge the system.


    She wondered what would happen if she cracked it apart completely, but perhaps it was her wishful thinking that was far outside of her choices. Who would hate her and hunt her, or what chances did she even have in that idea? There were doubtful and questionable worries in her head, yet once decided, she began to move.


    There were only a couple of ideas, honestly, or chances that were feasible. A pair was a fine start, and if one failed, she would take the other.


    It was a gamble. A lone one, that should be capable of taking her decision and changing the flow she selected.


    Dressed in a simple uniform unfit for her status, she changed her complexion with a quick breath and stepped from the window inside. White was the primary color of her uniform, depicting a neat upper suit with blue ribbons and a high collar. The lower body had long trousers that she kind of hated. They were too tight for her, but it was no wonder.


    It wasn''t something fit for a God. It was a simple uniform for a relatively high-ranked officer, so fewer issues would come her way in a mission she was bound to endure. She stole it to infiltrate a place that was extensive with people, protection, and all kinds of defense systems. The fewer people noticing her, the better. That was the first plan she had and an idea that had to settle. Having a low-ranked costume wasn''t good. Seeking too high one wasn''t perfect either. It added some worries; she didn''t want to stand out too little or too much.


    Vermillion didn''t complain about the style that was close to workers.


    There were a lot of people she was about to see, and a lot of people were about to see her too. The kind that worked with an unfathomable machine that this entire castle required. Thousands of workers were there, if not more. There were also many more problems besides them. She wasn''t worried about people.


    Outside and around the stretching sight beyond the sea of clouds, there were hundreds of towers around the castle''s various sides, walls, and heights. They surrounded one immense pillar that stretched from the middle of the castle, pushing for dozens of kilometers to the sky, aiming at the Battleworld that was above, looming like the foreign universe that was a few thousand kilometers away. Tides of shimmering fog and energy were coming from the inside of this pillar, connecting this place with the Battleworld, and working on something that she would describe as a blissfully ignorant treasure of unimaginable exploits.


    Everything glowed in weird light, yet Vermillion focused on the interiors of the castle instead.


    Her hair was too eye-catching, and so was her status, red eyes, and godly aura which were kind of hard to Veil. But she had to control herself unless what she was about to do would fail as quickly as her gaze at the sea of clouds.


    Most of her kind should be utter masters in the magic of any shape or form, but what''s the truth? Not every God was the master of everything. As long as mana mended to their Path like a fine uniform, and as long as no dangerous infiltrations were put into their position, veiling or using their Authority would do enough. Then, Vermillion''s mana was also fine. She was in tune with the Greater Sky''s River of Manaflow.


    Against her could be many sensors, formations, arrays, and various defensive mechanisms that could detect and work even against a God. It didn''t matter if one was from the Depths, Surface, or the Sky. Any unauthorized access or status was not fit to meddle with this castle.


    Lordis ensured that, obvious by hundreds of Gods and many other things living among the Divine Spheres.


    Vermillion was one of them, so she kept her Divine Power at bay as much as she could, veiling it to her best capacity. In that sense, her Authority was also up to her benefit, since it was a power that essentially tempered all of her Path and self, and influenced her acts and reality. Godly Authority was mostly known as an indication that could end a single life or a whole army. The truth was worse. Authority was endless. It had no end in sight. It was the person who was the limiting factor, while Gods were the same. In a large playground formed long ago, kids were playing without the adults.


    It made Vermillion nervous. She was in the middle of the most influential Divine Kingdom, so many checks, guards, and other defenses were in many places. Especially in the workplace that she had to infiltrate first, before seeing further dangers ahead or down.


    She knew why this idea was silly, but not that dangerous in the first half. If she was found now, others would question her at best first. Few fools would truly seize some ideas against a Rank 2 God who infiltrated a job for mortals.


    But if she went deeper, to the place of true importance, things wouldn''t be so good.


    Gods were lofty, often unwilling to bend a knee or compromise even if they were in the wrong. Some of their subjects were the same.


    However, Lordis was in a position that was mighty and proud. He could punish those that pissed him off regardless of some complaints. Be it Rank 2 or Rank 1 God, he was able to handle them, as long as the whole regiments wouldn''t knock on his door or discussions, or demand something silly.


    This castle aimed at the center of the world above, defining hopes to countless souls who wanted things that the world couldn''t grant on its own.


    It needed a system. An outlet. Lordis forced one into creation, forming something few would dare to take under their grasp. He was the first to do so, so Vermillion wasn''t finding it that problematic. What she was about to do was a different idea, similar to spitting at his rules, views, and this place in general.


    It wasn''t her idea to see the flow of greed or other problems. It will affect her in many ways anyway, but she was about to charge right into this den.


    Why? She desired the next steps, so she decided to take on the mantle few would bear. A lot of things in the universe happened because of that simple idea and desire that often had small chances of success or feasibility.


    It went right there with ego, confidence, or stupidity.


    She wasn''t foreign to those ideas, nor to the power that many other Gods wanted, feared, or witnessed. Lordis was just a fool. A fool who was the first to clutch his chances and it burst out of him like the finest of blessings, carrying him to the point where he had almost no equals.


    Making a quick bun out of her waist-long hair didn''t help much, but it was enough to hide the contrast of her current appearance. Her skin wasn''t pale, but her eyes made her weird. She had yet to make a move, so she had to prepare.


    Until she dived into this place'' core, cracking the desires that kept Gods and Battleworld always connected, she kept her hopes hidden. Success would take its toll anyway, while a deeper loss meant she could lose everything.


    Keeping her emotions intact was another step besides her uniform and heart, so Vermillion readied herself.


    The same could be said for her aura and godly power. Thin layers of the light surrounded her body like glowing mist, but it was vibrating and flowing around her skin and even her uniform. It was slowly decreasing in efficiency under every breath, displaying her control of Divine Power.


    The Ranks of Gods had the power to influence others, themselves, or the world around them. It depended on their Path, bodies, and the quality of Divine Spark, Power, and various other things. Magic was also somewhere amid this power, as Paths often worked with mana and magic very closely.


    But Divine Power changed it all, turning mana into a lesser tool, even if some believed that mana was much stronger than Divine Power. It was true, but the benefits of Divinity alone weren''t in power. It was about the sheer presence and ability to influence this growth.


    Vermillion turned to some breathing technique that calmed her down. Veiling was hard for most Gods since they were at the stage where few wanted to hide. She accomplished it until the thin shivering glow was gone. It was one of the hardest things for her.


    Hiding and squeezing such power inwards wasn''t fitting for those like her. It was like lying to their Path, berating everything they owned, or who they were.


    Unless the Path suitable for Veiling wasn''t under one''s possession, godly powers were usually evident under other Gods. They would feel when one made some sensitive moves or visits, or if not, specific senses, formation, and watchful eyes would do it instead. Presence or Authority were also good tools for this.


    Vermillion had a good position to not worry about it for the time being. She trained her Veiling for numerous Chaos Cycles. She won''t lose. She also had treasures and experiences to accomplish this heist. Having a few trump cards helped her to ease her anxiety.


    ¡°Alright. Calm and steady. It''s not like I''ve stolen things for the first time. Not as if a God needs to steal, but not as if it is that different from a trip to afar. Right. A trip sounds good like a heist. I am going to borrow something anyway. From the Ruler. Depths too.¡± She whispered to herself, her voice carried calmness, softness, and heat of many emotions. She made up her mind.


    Turning around, she was in a sector outside of this castle that wasn''t under any ridiculous sensors. The way in and further down was the start of the corridors and her start. There were official entrances there, with countless defenses afterward. Even some walls had many sensors and formations.


    She went on a stroll as if she went to a garden.


    She can''t just Warp her way into her desired location, unfortunately. There were far too many possibilities for things to go wrong, so she had to take her chances and use the layout of this castle itself. Her Authority will do the rest of the work, but that wasn''t helpful by itself. She had a plan in mind, insider information, and a route onward.


    Thankfully, she was prepared. All that was left was the infiltration, not being caught, and warping through reality under the eyes and numerous important sectors of this large castle.


    Walking ahead, she found a suitable spot after counting, sensing, and checking her time. She used her Divine Power in the simplest terms to affect reality, which then meddled with her Authority. It was like a breath. Halted Divine Power flowed out of her mouth and her palms. She pressed them into the wall, bending the space and turning the world strange. It was like a sneeze into the dimensions.


    ¡°Warp...¡± She looked as if acid drowned her when she stepped through the warped space, appearing in new hallways with white colorful walls and black-marbled floors. Normally, she would be able to do so much more than this. A simple Warp through space or Void would let her reach quite far.


    She could''ve gone with the official route, of course. Most workers had cards and shifts all the time, cycling the workforce. Thus, identity cards were important, but she would get recognized even with a forged identity or without it, so locating a route into the official sectors was the first step, while not being noted was second.


    It was true that she could visit this place after paying some attention to some people, but then, she would be watched by hawks and eyes under every corner, followed by some authorities she didn''t want to involve.


    Thus, resorting to this idea was her only choice. Looking around and behind, the reality calmed. No alarms came off, and her little "sneeze" went barely into the walls. In this way, none knew of her arrival, and there were some regions that even Gods couldn''t visit, nor some officers.


    The hallway was a shiny place, even with the black floor. Bright thanks to the light flickering walls of warm marbles, there was clarity and minimalistic design to everything. And there was no one around her, so she veiled herself straight away and stopped herself from being too obvious. As she expected, she looked suspicious. Calmness and being suspicious didn''t go hand in hand.


    Too much stress was pain. If someone saw her, she had to remain clearheaded, so she stretched her arm and got something out of her pocket.


    Black glasses. It was a rather dumb way to assert some secret identity, but it was better than nothing. Mana was under the control of her Path, even though it was a power of the universe, and Divine Power was very self-centered and individually fixated on Divides. It could, or might not meddle with too many things at once. A God was still differentiating or focusing on their specific needs. Learning, teaching, and training were still up to their benefits.


    Letting some of her power into the glasses, she turned them translucent, apart from the edges. She put them on and her eye color changed from red to blue.


    Veiled Divine Power was her most important tool and problem. A single mistake of anyone noticing it would crash her plans.


    So far, her acts made her special, even if all Gods were heads of their respective Path.


    Hers involved mana as many Paths did, so her Mana Core was equally important to her like her Authority. It all changed and fused with the Divine Spark, giving her Path the change and power of a proper God of her Path.


    Around the corner, people in a similar uniform as hers appeared, talking to one another as they were about to leave the castle, and putting some nerves into Vermillion''s mind.


    They were regular people with some powers of Shapers or Handlers. They were as normal as they would be on the Battleworld, though their home was here in the Divine Spheres.


    Nothing much changed in the Divine Kingdom for those without godly powers, but there were still some small changes one had to think about. One could still grow old and weak, or take this planet for a sacred curse. A lot of underlying characteristics were different from the worlds unaffected by Gods. Their core idea was to serve and do work for some Divine Kingdom. Being free here for them was almost impossible.


    There were many generations of people. They were ordinary yet born out of unordinary, as their ancestors either Ascended or took some people out to the Divine Spheres. New births and cycles of mortality did the rest, causing the Divine Spheres to have a big population, even if no one was allowed to the Battleworld unless it was their job.


    When directly living in the Divine Kingdoms, one''s flesh or mind would catch and start processing some form of Divine Power, giving rise to mutation and special talents, and even mortals would manifest some divine powers close to mana. Well, they were still mortals, so they could handle some Paths or become mages.


    Thus, a lot of changes came with some costs and rules. People adhered to the basic principle of not leaving these lands as long as their God judged it so.


    Most weren''t free for a good reason, but no one was a true slave either. Most were citizens with responsibility, families, and connection to one Divine Kingdom and its rules. One would pledge to them, change citizenship due to work, or change of heart.


    Safety and acts of Gods were one of the clearer reasons why they were like that. The primary reason was power. Gods can promise and gift them their desires in exchange for servitude or work. Most citizens took that without hesitation since there was never enough manpower.


    Vermilion also knew it, so when the group of people walked beside her, nothing happened. They ignored her, conversing with one another as they left.


    Cheering internally, she had an absolute certainty that her glasses worked wonders and they even looked good on her face. She fixed their position with her index finger, adjusted her bun and uniform, and skimmed through her plan.


    She wasn''t wrong in the look, but not right in the workings. It was just eye color anyway. Her face was the same. Slim and spotless, the addition of the wider glasses did make her eyes different alone.


    Walking through more halls and rooms, she slowly found another place good for her Warp. No one was around, the corner was empty, and nothing bothered her Divine Power.


    Warping the space after she made sure it was right, she found her target. Maintenance routes were spaces in the walls, or on top of them. They were as secure as she envisioned, even when she had yet to take her ideas through high-security areas.


    This surprised her.


    Well, I thought this sort of protection would appear later. Did something change? Warping seems like a gamble...


    This wall will need more attention from her Authority and time, while the warp itself wasn''t as easy. She wanted to be slow and hypersensitive, which was close to choking herself.


    So far, so good. Her Authority tampered with the walls and hidden corners where nothing would hinder her Warp. She was like a snake in an extensive network the size of a sea. She went slowly, touching on the principles of space and looking for scrips of some defenses in the wall.


    Not everything went within her plans. The defenses were much more complex for this room and had fewer cracks for her unique Warps. These cracks acted like they were teeth snatching at her Authority. A bite would crumble the network and set an alarm off. Her Warp wasn''t entirely safe for one single reason. Areas were protected, even when she effectively didn''t move through the walls. Her first Warp was typical. This one required enough room to find a way to the route she devised.


    A couple of careful Warps later, she reached the middle portion of the castle, which depicted one of the biggest, and most intense places in this Divine Camp.


    The difficult part was before her.


    The middle portion of this castle was a place that was incredibly open and close to being an independent realm. The ceilings were hundreds of meters tall, enough to house many tall structures, buildings, and places. The place was warm and light as if it was the day. Called Office Realm, the little dots for skylights were like shimmering little suns. This was where work happened.


    There were many towers with various responsibilities and departments filled with offices. Those had private, or very specific divisions, workforce, people, and officers within them. Thousands, if not more places depicted places for superiors and mortals to work in, while all of it went through numerous arrays, careful eyes, and monitoring.


    It was also incredibly open, so she could move her legs for a while.


    Vermillion bid for her time and took a calm breath as she stepped around the corner of this realm. She took her Warp through a maintenance site of an old building wall, so not only she wasn''t spotted by some workings in the walls, but nobody saw her either. Her face was tense and her hands twitched. If it hadn''t been for her specifically trained Warps and care, something would''ve detected her for sure.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Or her secret identity. She was a worker and an officer right now. She had to think and act like one. There were thousands of them in this place alone, so it won''t be that hard.


    She was pretending, however. She can''t touch or do anything like proper officers, lest she alarm the superiors that ran this place like divine crows. Identity cards were important for a good reason, similar to general surveillance and checks.


    Phew, this is nothing, she sighed and thought. It was difficult but here I am. Thanks to the Authority, even the small routes of networks couldn''t contain her. It was essentially a very sensitive formation akin to a labyrinth between the floors, walls, and this castle as a whole. It was touching Chaos Space as well, despite how working with any dimensions was hard. Thus, she guided bits first, found the ending route, and squeezed her Authority thought while utilizing as small undulations as possible.


    She was just touching air and space around her, while the Warp itself had no physicality towards the walls beside her first contact. It was her Authority and Divine Power that did the rest.


    Too much of anything would ruin her plans, same if her look and status got exposed, or if her route was wrong. Well, she had no idea if her looks were better than her Warp or Divine Power. She was confident in both of them, unlike her plans which seemed weren''t enough.


    But since she was already halfway there, it was too late for regrets.


    She walked on foot for the time being, knowing that Office Realm was completely different from the previous places. Hoping to get to the bottom of this place wasn''t an option, however. She knew the walls were the problem. Most buildings and walls were filled with far too dense workings that were thin and managed for this realm. She had to find broken or repairing spots first, which might involve some nastier gambles.


    While she was on her walk, she was acting as if she belonged to a place that ran the Battleworld like Gods. Right. She was an officer. Straight and tall, she glanced around and seemed way too tough and busy looking.


    There was an evident hierarchy in the Office Realm. Workers and officers ranged from many departments that touched continents, particular powers, or races and species, to those that handled dungeons, beasts, or Blessed. Even with this system, they had ranks of importance, ranging from touching minor mortals to Blessed beings, kings, or worse. Pretty much anything in the Battleworld was contemplated by the Will of the Battleworld, which was this entire realm.


    A huge machine. A work of people and... the world beyond them.


    This right here was the epitome and center of that awareness, depicting an engine that was part of the Battleworld for a long time. Nothing will change it. Nothing should. Not even Vermillion and her idea, although she could influence it if she succeeded.


    It wasn''t a singular thing that made it all possible, but a vast process that lived through work, immense Codexes, and even more insane possibilities, readings, and crews.


    Walking to an unknown destination, she walked like an officer and even found some papers to bring nowhere. Her steps were firm, her posture straight, and she tried to be as normal as she could be. Wondering if she was even good at it, she could only hope her glasses wouldn''t betray her.


    She went through less populated and popular places, buildings with offices, and other places. She overheard expected voices when she had to go through a street that was as large as a city. That one in particular depicted a place with ideas and readings from Dungeons around the continents.


    Those who managed these topics were Toners, Speakers, Voicers, or other organized workers in vast office buildings. Everyone had their respective table with screens made of light and grey colors that depicted pictures, words, and ideas for their missions. Work, assignments, and premises that depicted an individual in the Battleworld were mostly about it. They didn''t need to know more, since they were regular workers.


    More complicated things required whole teams under a single banner.


    Here, many ideas on their screens acted as clarity, information, and their voice. Around them and through the screens and walls, lines of light and azure energy flowed like cables, connecting everything into much thicker sizable strands that went to other floors, buildings, or much more important places. It went far, into the floor, or through the air, looking like the veins of a living organism.


    ¡°It sure remains the same,¡± Vermillion whispered to herself. ¡°Do I wish it wouldn''t?¡±


    It wasn''t mana, Vermillion knew. Each table had either a microphone to speak to, special screens to write into, or other means to get the Will of the Battleworld''s ideas to the other side.


    Voicer Departments were the most prominent component because their benefits and urgency were always neat and collected. Their skills were fast to hone and their efficiency was the greatest. Voicers were in most regular office buildings since Dungeons required that sort of attention, and most mortal kingdoms and continents were the same.


    ¡°Congratulations!¡± a lady shouted to the microphone in an overly excited tone. ¡°Adherer of Justice. You''ve completed the Rudiclad Dungeon of Level 73, Hell Difficulty. Rewards have been collected and relocated under the success and accomplishment. Gate awaits like enemies, while be aware of those watching you from afar. I smell betrayal... Also... ¡± She was an excellent Voicer and spoke quickly while looking at everchanging screens full of flickering light, connecting dots and lines, words, more little screens, and various other information gatherings that poised as messages in real-time. It was changing due to calculations, so one had to have wit and quick mouth and eyes for this job.


    Vermillion heard and saw many of these people doing their best and speaking nonsense. Offices such as these were chaos. They weren''t private or quiet because they weren''t as important.


    Those strange cables went around this entire realm and streets, before going through some computations and flow, until dipping to the unknown depths or sectors before returning into the cycling. They seemed slow, or they were far too quick for normal people to grasp their movement or truths.


    It was no wonder.


    It was not of this world.


    For Vermillion, they were mesmerizing treasures that worked beyond the realms of sounds, but not light. If they did, this place wouldn''t work.


    She wished she could use them, but that was impossible. A single touch of her Authority wouldn''t end well.


    Human elements were everywhere thanks to this endless flow of ideas that mortals could learn and solve thanks to these screens. And since the bigger rule of this place wasn''t up to humans, but in how it was possible from the very beginning, the rate of error was... near impossible, yet close to a questionable level.


    Mistakes were close to a Breach of this system. Workers either ignored, overlooked, or caused them. Or it wasn''t their problem at all, but a task for superiors that were taking care of these problems.


    For most parts, work for regular workers was carrying out tasks, desires, or acts caused by mortals or godly desires. Everything went through these screens and cables, displaying missions, and flowing acts through the greater Codexes where these cables went.


    Breaches were something else. They meant a mistake. These workers weren''t meant to chase them. They were mostly caused by beings in the Battleworld, followed by an error between the worker and the Codex. How bad it was depended on many calculations of immense flow and interest. Any action of a person from the Battleworld would set into motion many things, ending in a domino effect, which would then go toward this place in a heartbeat, back, or onto countless other ways. It was like a game.


    The cause and effect this place worked with was enormous. It was guaranteed that Battleworld would keep going in its premise and time. But not Fate. That thing was a Taboo in this place, which always followed the written rules of what those cables described.


    Each Voicer or Toner was unique, but at the end of the process, the Will of the Battleworld was publicly known as a single thing: a mechanical voice of reason, a mumbling tone of dull tones, a shimmering ghostly voice, or other things. Rarely, there were also written forms of this voice, depicting adventure cards, mercenary badges, and so on. This required more human work or less inhuman work.


    Every worker here was under a strict oath, and very few beings in the Battleworld knew this place existed, how it worked, and handled human lives beyond. Even the consensus of Divine Spheres, Divine Kingdoms, how Gods operated and worked with mortals, or how their lives were under a certain flow, were all close to secrets.


    Well, the certain flow wasn''t fine. It had its limit. The flow was under surveillance, touching all mortals that were changing the flow of many acts and reasons. Rarely did the godly desires change it. Gods would ensure it under their unique superiority, while some insignificant things didn''t matter to them.


    Superiors to these workers were enough. They could interfere when something was dubious. They were like watchful crows or owls, while mortals in the Battleworld were all causing problems, troubled the flow, and functioned all the time.


    They didn''t know it, for it was a blissful ignorance.


    Vermillion knew how it went, and that was why she had to go into the place this realm adhered to. To a place that wasn''t in this Divine Kingdom, nor the current Divine Sphere. She had to go into the Battleworld. The Deepest Depths, or so she recalled the name of it. Nicknamed The Core, or... well, the name didn''t matter.


    She continued hearing many people recite, shout, whisper, or mock some voices and tone out their voices or grunts. In some cases, even animal sounds and all kinds of languages went out of their mouths. It was laughable, irritable, or hilarious. It wasn''t automatic, but an accomplishment of their skill and specialization. Everything worked for the greater power, which workers had to learn and work with.


    Vermillion thought there should be mortals who knew and learned the Anatidae Tongue and other various tongues of various species because they had to learn it in one way or another. This place needed it for no sake other than for Battleworld to function properly.


    Vermillion saw hundreds of people emitting sounds alone, but also many people walking around, resting, going through some screens in the street, walls, shops of all kinds, or open offices. It was quite crowded, so she wasn''t out of place because of her uniform and Veiling.


    She kept it real by occasionally stopping by some walls or offices, taking a notebook out of an ordinary spatial pouch, and writing a report about something random. She doubted it did something, but one was never sure if someone was observing her or not.


    There were so many workers, there was almost a guarantee no one would question her, as long as her officer rank uniform went without any checks.


    Which worked. No one even approached her because everyone had work to do. Even a party of Voicers and Toners, who got out of their offices, laughing and joking right beside her. They hadn''t thought of her as someone weird, nor had they thought of her as a God in disguise.


    They even bowed to her, which she returned with the stern face of a superior.


    ¡°What a thrill! Heard my report? I''ve got the chance to cover the Wolfbears again.¡± said proudly a male Voicer to a female Toner, tossing his arm over her shoulder.


    ¡°You will bark like an animal again? How proud can you be about it?¡± she mocked him with a smile. It worked. The man scowled, pinched her cheek, and got depressed.


    ¡°At least it works both ways, and I''ve got learning lessons from Lady Dohatera,¡± he laughed at her face.


    ¡°Poor God,¡± she sighed before he continued.


    ¡°Don''t worry. I''ve got some neat readings and rumors from Noah again. Tides are shifting and crazy people are moving. There is gonna be a storm too, so we can expect some great dungeon work soon enough. What are some languages? So what if they aren''t clear, while some are worse than barking, chirping, and Gods know what else someone communicates with? Chirping? Laughing? How about moaning?¡±


    ¡°You are so unlucky with getting those kinds of fools. Animals are dumb. Let''s not pretend that Boosts need their respect. Everything is clear when souls and intellect go far. Humans are masterminds of it all! Animals shouldn''t be included in this at all. Toners have it tougher because of them... bullshit animals,¡± Another man gave them his idea.


    ¡°You speak like the true Zeanor,¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    ¡°But the rules are rules, you know. It won''t go anywhere,¡± The depressed man said and cheered himself for a better future. ¡°I will growl some nice messages at them! For a better future. Let''s get some lunch before those wolves make another mess.¡±


    The woman laughed and pinched his cheeks. ¡°Cheeky brat hadn''t heard me? Wolfbears are nothing. Have you heard of the Blessed Department''s recent problems and who got involved? How abotu the Radagan, huh? Those are the problematic units. We have it easy in Somalis. We should cheer and take pleasure by handling it well.¡± She forced his hand away.


    The man laughed at a problem that wasn''t his. ¡°Sure. Sure. Toners or Voicers, we all work in the same category, but heights and ceilings are tall like my...¡± He stopped speaking when she clutched his cheeks tighter.


    ¡°So much for the hopes and clarity, eh? I will bark at you and call you weird names today. How would you like to be called? A dog?¡±


    The man scowled. ¡°Will you like it, eh?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I bet my area of expertise would make you very happy.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of other mess.¡± another Voicer said, speaking in crips and a nice heavy tone.¡± Breaches are getting frequent in the Somalis continent for unknown reasons. Superies are so tight about it, it is suspicious. Is it even some Toner''s fault like I''ve heard from rumors and those wanted posters? He even fled, poor bastard. It seems completely unrelated to general rules, yet... who was he? Some animals or problems are nothing to the overall management or errors we can''t see.¡±


    ¡°Listed, Big Brute...¡± The man with a red cheek wanted to say something, but the one who held him thought otherwise.


    ¡°Not as if it is our problem,¡± the woman said. ¡°Superiors take care of these problems for a reason, and if some fool caused a Breach, then punishments are due. The ways of the Surface or Depths are like living beings. We don''t influence shit. They do, or... What was it again about that poster?¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°No idea. Everything is restricted in the highest locks.¡±


    ¡°Means more reasons to care less about that. Now, let''s get the lunch,¡± she slapped their shoulders. ¡°I am getting hungry, so let''s not preach a Breach on an empty stomach.¡±


    ¡°Breaches are nothing out of the norm. Every department has them. Take some Bloodlines to the picture and Blessed shitheads, and we have a shit ton of work to do or cater for.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± the woman said dejectedly and kicked the red-faced man to his ass, ¡°at lunch!¡±


    Vermillion heard them enough as they walked away, and such situations weren''t rare throughout her walk on this street. It gave her a new perspective and knowledge, even though her view of Codex wasn''t small at all. She was aware of things these people could only dream about.


    She had a certain authority over it as a Rank 2 God. Every God had some privileges to seek, create, or influence, but none of them were private if one used this place. One had to voice and get access to what one wanted, which then went through conceptual reviews by some specific godly group of workers.


    That was a pain in the ass, so she always preferred to do things the old way; the Old World way.


    It seemed what this group talked about was quite sensitive if too many restrictions surrounded it. Vermillion figured it must have to do with what she recently learned, or was it some weeks-old history? At least she knew what was up, as she glanced at the wall with wanted posters.


    Those were unfortunate workers that either made a blunder, problem, some crime, or other problems. At the front was a large poster depicting a stern-looking man with glasses, glossy hair, a shaved face, and a nice black suit uniform. He looked intimidating.


    There was no justification for his wanted poster. Only a picture and rewards depicted divine currency called god coins. He held a massive bounty at seven digits, which was impressive since no one knew who he was, where he worked, what he caused, and what this was about.


    Vermillion knew some bits herself, fortunately. She knew a couple of high-class personnel in many departments, as some were her subjects or little friends. But she wasn''t sure about this person''s disappearance or this poster. He caused some trouble, so a lot of rumors spread. There was no name for his poster, so workers decided to call him Sternface.


    It didn''t change anything in her mind, so she turned away and went back to her route. It was her first time taking a proper stroll in some places. She knew more than well how this place worked and what these people did, but hearing their voices and lives was different.


    Her walking was quite lengthy. This whole Office Realm was hundreds of square kilometers large, and quite vast in terms of elevation, so there were a lot of people and offices.


    There were dozens of divisions varying in problems, validity, and restrictions. The better ranked a worker was, the more problematic cases they held, followed by authority and benefits. In return, their rewards, values, protocols, or ideas went through more screenings. Simply put, a lot of things in the Battleworld were complicated, so this place was the same.


    Vermillion could only imagine how the Blessed department proceeded with Murai''s existence, but it wasn''t about him alone. There were a lot of Blessed beings, and also worse beings.


    Murai was the most recent problem, and for some Gods, the most intriguing. There were countless other problems, while many Gods had fleeting minds.


    The divisions that depicted the Hell Havens held many remote and kind of separate departments from others. At least at the highest ordeals. Some Hells had their departments below the surface, but those were much different than this castle.


    There was no way that Vermillion would ever be able to visit them, due to the Lords and Gods of these places. In many ways, Hell Gods were much more savage and unyielding than those from the Sky.


    She figured it must be due to the lack of light and good air.


    Hells held uncountable souls that were prone to the Will of the Battleworld. This place didn''t restrict their flow or go against any Divides. Office Realm involved Hells or the Surface in what everyone deserved. It was there to balance things out, but most Hell Havens had their clear validating prospects that Lordis accepted, overlooked, and viewed as a bother that was inevitable.


    For the most part, workers for Hells were a private issue that went to special departments, so the Sky, Hell, or Surface, had fewer clashes in the Office Realm.


    The majority of problems here were still under the Gods of these lands. Battleworld was vast, so many people were required to work through chaotic ranges of possibilities and claims, and nothing was ever simple because of this place itself and mortals in the world above.


    It was like a cycle or a loop. Interest from this place looped to the Battlewold and back, Codex or those screens, causing a flow that never stopped. Hence, work was always getting higher, and problems and errors were meant to happen with such quantity and quality of work and flow.


    It was no wonder there was unfathomably large interest here, along with defenses, weight, and problems.


    An error caused by a Voicer or Toner was harsh and difficult to solve since each decision and reading followed the Boosts in the Battleworld. It often happened instantly. The Central Codex always ensured everything went well, but when millions of things were happening at the same time and some errors were bigger than others, some information got overlooked or flooded. Sometimes it was even a true error caused by the system or Codex itself. In those cases, it was a little bit more complicated than normal.


    That''s where high-ranking departments came into sight. Those were the Supervisor Department, Judge Department, and Rules Division, which worked with Breaches and errors in particular, followed by complicated tasks.


    It was kind of a tough job because once the Boost happened, it never came back. That was a rule so either it had to be fixed by a counterweight, or something else. It was no surprise that everything that came before the Boost was set to high standards.


    And this Central Codex wasn''t powered by man or any division, which Vermillion knew, as every human element here was a far cry from the origin. At points when an unfathomable large amount of information came into the same source, before dividing across the Battleworld, these people were nothing.


    Hence, making sure that fewer Breaches occurred was a work of art and inevitability.


    Vermillion understood how much this place mattered. Perhaps too much, as some Boost could put a worker and whole teams, or departments in a frenzy if problems occurred. Some were more problematic or complicated than others, while many needed special supervision because of Blessed and other various overlapping issues between the departments.


    The biggest problems were the Encounters, Major Tasks, Missions, Hunts, and all kinds of different ideas that differed from continent to continent. Wars were also included.


    There was a whole division for Blessed and their readings, history, or causes. Only the best of the Voicers were allowed to go there and do their job. It went without a surprise that Voicers were one of the better variants for them.


    Speaking was the most popular vision of Will of the Battleworld, and each Blessed had either a team of Voicers over them, a single potent Voicer, or many supervisors at the same time.


    Vermillion wondered who or what team contained Murai of all things, but she had no idea. Everything about him was top-secret that she couldn''t get. All his readings, even when she was willing to spend a fortune, were strictly locked. She wanted reasonable motivation and excuses. Not the public ones, or rumors that these workers spread around the Divine Kingdom daily in real time.


    Circumstances in the Battleworld changed very often, flowing into the public eye. Some of those were public events, depicted by numerous companies and entertainment districts. That was what made Blessed popular across many Divine Kingdoms. Their acts, facts, and fights were all monitored and when some bigger plays happened, the better attention they obtained.


    Encounters or Mortal Wars were the greatest. When Mortal War would change into the Holy One, that was an occurrence that would put fans into a frenzy. Thinking of them as entertainment wasn''t far from the truth, although the sensitive facts of this place¡ªthat Vermillion was seeing in her heist¡ªwere tight.


    What to let to the public of these Spheres was going through some process. Supervisors and prominent officers took care of and moved within the countless adhering rules and motions, oaths, and limitations. Rumors still spread, but such issues mostly stayed in this place. A lot of that adhered to the authority that Gods possessed. Those were the unknown problems, Breaches, and so on. Public didn''t need to know their fuckups. Those rarely went to the public information gatherers.


    And if they did, then some nasty officers would get involved.


    For Encounters, it was no surprise they were very public, vivid, and very interesting. Some of their details were private, but they usually started because some high-rank God desired it, thus some particular Divine Kingdoms always rose in excitement about them.


    However, for some folks, they were the most problematic thing that stressed many workers whenever they happened. It often turned whole departments into crunch and torment, while many rumors that followed this place alone became much bigger.


    In a sense, what should stay here, stayed here.


    Pretty much everything around this place moved because of people, formations, cables, screens, runes, laws, divinity, and individuals of all kinds.


    And Vermillion wanted to ruin it. Take it hostage.


    Excitement crept into her heart until she noticed a man following her from behind. She kept herself clear and sharp in this hour since she started this walk.


    A lazy-looking, yawning, and chiseled to the bone, his uniform was open and revealing his chest. It was some high-ranking officer but he looked like a thug instead. It was a good play. Vermillion recognized her little key she ensured not because of her persuasion, but by the willingness of other party.


    He walked over to her when she took a rest beside some pillar. The man was on the other end, looking less suspicious as if he wanted to rest from the street noise.


    ¡°Thought you would bait out, miss officer,¡± he said to her politely and in whispers. ¡°Nice glasses by the way.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Vermillion adjusted her glasses and pretended to look through her notebook. ¡°You found me quicker and weirder than I thought. No way I would bait out at this point. Got the card?¡±


    ¡°Have a good fateful nose. Unfortunately, the security has recently increased, so I was waiting for you in doubt instead. Not sure why. I think it''s validating concern for some ideas that might be too late, but not as if you can afford it if you are here. I doubt you don''t get how, or why it is a problem. Someone warned someone, or it is a general warning or change, or... some unnamed Ruler is careful about something.¡±


    ¡°No surprise. Which troubles or departments are up at arms?¡± Vermilion asked, not finding some security increases weird.


    ¡°Not as if it is important. Not here. There are so many problems recently, you don''t even know them all.¡±


    ¡°Not every one of them is important to me So, it is down then? Have no worries. I will take care of my end of this deal and your concerns are invalid.¡±


    ¡°Listen,¡± the man hesitated and scrambled his face and hair with both hands when he got visibly uncomfortable. ¡°I am taking a gamble in this too. Not for you either. It isn''t that simple, but take the security for what you can. Now.... my end...¡± He tossed her a card after pretending to sneeze and losing something out of his pocket. It was a seamless and confident action as if he had done it numerous times.


    Vermillion clumsily lost the touch of her notebook, which she used to get the card.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she whispered and walked away, holding her notebook and the card. ¡°Your future will appreciate it.¡±


    The man glanced at her departing back, worried but not afraid. ¡°What one wouldn''t do for a God in need and their blessing? But what if God goes against Gods and mortals are left between them or behind? Or... not anywhere. With that said, who is the insane one here? Me or her?¡± He wasn''t sure, so he walked away, knowing that her future might be fucked either way.


    Vermillion had a clear plan ahead. This simple card was the last thing she lacked. His worries didn''t matter to her. Discovering and seeing the security was her problem to solve, and she already saw and noticed it.


    Right now, she wasn''t even in the first half of this whole castle.


    Office Realm had its implications, but at its core, the whole castle was one large formation connected to the Battleworld by that huge pillar, or to be specific, what was above, below, and within that pillar.


    She aimed to use this connection to get to the other side, which was much more protected and important than she could understand. She had never been there in her life, so getting there wasn''t easy.


    It was the reason for this castle''s existence, which was the main problem before or now. With this unauthorized card pointing to that portion of this castle in her grasp, Vermillion settled to get into the second portion of this castle right away. Some tight touch of her Authority should do the rest of the work in some fitting walls before she would do the same with this card.


    The moment her card will reach its premise, and when her veils will go away, the clock will turn against her.


    Security should be quite high because Lordis was a cautious God and many coveted his position. Vermillion didn''t. Her sight was on the different Sky, realms, or different in simple weight. She wouldn''t be satisfied with the satisfaction of seeing the current Epoch rise or fail. She wanted to see the future from a different perspective. Lordis could be whatever he could or can''t be.


    Advancing further into the Office Realm took another hour. She Warped to the lowest possible point through half a dozen Warps in suitable locations, where she sweated, shook, and pivoted her tight attention down. It wasn''t easy even when she was careful and bid for her time. After all of that, her Divine Power was turning restless in her Veiling, but she squeezed it tight to not reveal an unnecessary speck of it outwards.


    It was a delicate process where her Authority touched reality and space, right behind her Divine Power. It wasn''t the same thing. Authority was a power and influence over one''s existence, Path, and pursuit of the Divides. The walls couldn''t cope with it all the time simply because she devised a technique against them. They always had some layers that forced her to change or alter her paths in some ways.


    Going deeper, she Warped into a bright basement the size of a massive hallway. That name hardly fit for that phrase, as it was a facility on its own merits and rules. Few regular workers could ever come here.


    Surrounding all the walls were bright light and countless flickering lines and cables made of some energy. They were flowing on in their brightness and round space that looked like a sewer or a tunnel rather than a hallway.


    Vermillion ended up where she wanted, huffing for breath and seeing what she wanted. It was close and anxiety grasped her heart. She couldn''t see if someone had been there before, so she carefully looked at every corner right after her Warp. Her body was shivering because this was the most intense Warp so far. There were more justifications for it than in any other place.


    ¡°Well, this is the last Warp... is it not?¡± she mumbled as she took a deep breath. ¡°Kidding. There are still two ahead, or those could be Void Warps? Well... the name doesn''t matter...¡±


    Around her was the flow manifestations of all information that went from the upper parts of this castle, guided to a single place.


    Glowing like a bright sun where the lines became denser, thick chunks of them looked like mana, and every one of them moved as if alive. Down, up, or at the side of the walls, there was a sea of incredible flow.


    She wasn''t standing on them, or hindering them in any way. At the edges and middle portion of the floor, there was a stone floor where these lines didn''t reach, forming a path ahead or back.


    It all flowed naturally, reaching where the workers worked with them, or where the data or decision went out of this place. There were only two ways of the flow. Onwards or backward. It worked not because of the Central Codex, but because the divided parts of these lines went where they belonged in all directions. Those were various departments, individual workers, buildings, and other places before reaching something at the end, or the one who held the biggest control over everything.


    Vermillion hadn''t visited this place many times in her long life, nor did she know how many Gods were partaking in their care, details, or ideas about running their policies. But she knew how and why it worked, or what or who caused it.


    Whenever she saw this sight, it was mesmerizing. This intense space of something few could get into their minds felt like a forbidden fruit of many legends.


    She bet if she took this flow for a fraction of a second, her mind wouldn''t be able to take it at all. Caused by the physical limitations of her flesh, she couldn''t complain. Even Gods had some shortcomings, even if their Divine Power was set in place, flesh, and Path. Everyone had some form of limits unless their AUthority was abnormal. Not every God was the same. Vermilion knew it all too well since not everything followed the norm.


    This light was exactly that.


    Looking at the sight for a couple of moments, she aimed her focus at the card in her hand.


    ¡°What an intensity. I feel young and stupid again. That silly duck caused it! Forward. No time to turn back.¡± She stretched her senses next because there were fewer workers here, or there shouldn''t be that many of them. Instead, the things that were here were much more complex. This flow worked for itself after all, or was it because this place was dangerous?


    Vermillion knew this flow could become invasive, harmful, and crazy to many lifeforms. Human workers wouldn''t take it well at all. They would fall unconscious by sight or presence of this aura, or they would turn stupid. For her, it felt like a slight breeze thanks to her Authority.


    There were fewer problems for it when she reached this location. This flow was affecting reality, senses, and space itself. Thus, she could work with fewer limitations, as long as nothing touched the walls, or someone else wouldn''t get too close.


    There were hardly any regulating runes or formations inside the walls or in the room because this flow should operate unrestricted. But it was still secured and observed in a different light, notably by the weird lines of constructs around some walls that looked like cubes. There were also guards from what she knew as well. Those were her main concerns. These cubes were just alerts if the issue came up with these tablets.


    The hard problem was that not just anyone would come here. Not uninvited.


    They shouldn''t have felt her yet, but if she will stretch her senses, Divine Power, or Authority far too much, they will. She still used her Authority next, followed by a mist of her Divine Power to sense where she should go next. It went like a strand through the middle portion of this tunnel. It made her quiver so much more because she felt the pressuring existence of all these cables.


    If there were some changes like her little friend whispered to her, she should be cautious before the card in her hands would turn useful.


    Nothing and nobody was near, but as tough as it could be, physical eyes were different than sense.


    Around the corner, a security guard appeared out of nowhere and noticed her straight away. He saw an enigmatic figure standing among the cables that would eat his mind. He saw how flowing power of existential workings flowed out of her hands like strands of the river.


    ¡°Eh? An officer? What are you doing here? Who are you? What are you doing with...¡± he demanded, confused because she looked hazy and he couldn''t see her face. He wore a green uniform, depicting lower security guards of this area, yet he had a bunch of important components and workings on him.


    Not only was he strong physically, but he worked here for years. No one should be sneaky around here, and he heard no reports. He wasn''t that shocked to see an unfamiliar figure, so he asked if this was some check. Perhaps some maintenance superiors came here without asking him first, or no one informed him about it. With the amount of sensitivity around this place, its dangers, and its officers, mismanagement was rare.


    Even if Vermillion was hazy by the use of her Authority, she had a notable uniform of the Office Realm. Here, it was ineffective and suspicious.


    She was out of place, and even if she had his uniform, she would be found out because there were only dozens of guards here, and each knew the other.


    So it was time to be a bit ruthless. She seeped her Authority and guided her steps. She went forward without speaking and even dared to touch some cables, though the guard wasn''t sure if she moved through them or not. Either way, she forced him to draw a construct in a bad premonition of danger. His eyes didn''t usually fool him, so he opted for the alarm formation in his pocket and not the offensive-based construct that could cause chaos. In this place, he shouldn''t use these willy-nilly, lest he hinder the flow.


    Alas, before he blinked, a nasty force slammed his construct away like a pinch of gravity. Then, his vision turned, burned, and changed. Vermillion pinned him to the wall, grasping his neck and whispering a demand a handful distance away.


    ¡°Sleep.¡± Her power washed over his mind until he fell to the ground, limp and unconscious as if he consumed a barrel of wine.


    Then, the alarms crashed and sensors detected an anomaly.


    Not her, or the construct, but the man''s condition. The construct that flew away was safe and not active.


    Vermillion didn''t panic by one win and one loss. She thought of thousands of errors and possibilities for how to solve this in a heartbeat. She came here so she won''t back down.


    As a proper God, her ways were clear. All she had to do was to get deeper before loosening her desires. Killing or not, she didn''t care to get her point across.


    Veiling herself deeper than ever, her Authority became clear. It seemed as if something was hugging herself, but it felt more like crushing of the Void itself.


    Right. She wanted to disappear yet remain. It went against the logic, so it hurt her more than she was willing to admit. Like a seen-through flow of lines, curving waves, and thinly resembling the flow of flames or wind, her face contorted as she wrapped her surrounding existence over herself.


    She couldn''t breathe, sense others, or see. Funneling everything inwards, she felt like she weighed one infinitum. Her Authority was just all around her, but not all over her. She still had to walk, so she used it more like a blanket. Someone familiar with Authority could notice her.


    At least her body was no longer visible to the naked eye and even some potent eye techniques. Through this space, she stepped forward at a much slower pace, meeting a bunch of guards wearing blue or green uniforms. Hiding in the blanket of her power was enough to invalidate something; she hid and stepped into the cables just when she noticed them. Weirst powers mixed but they passed her. Hiding, she remained in reality, albeit half away.


    Guards arrived in a couple of dozen seconds after she dealt with that man. They found him unconscious because Vermilion couldn''t do anything else any further like wiping him from existence. Cubes around the room were unable to detect her if she wasn''t acting like an idiot. But if she would...


    ¡°What happened?¡± one of the guards asked the others, looking at the man resting by the wall. He was sleeping for real.


    ¡°He is out of his wits. Not sleeping. Sensors detected anomalies because of his condition. Perhaps he is tired.¡± The blue-clothed guard was the boss here, so he looked around in suspicion and even used some bits of his power to scan the surroundings. By now, Vermillion was away from his reach, not even glancing at him for trying to see her walking in the cables. It was nonsense.


    Frowning, he turned his eyes to a flickering screen around his wrist, which was informing him about the security of these tunnels and his job.


    Nothing was showing, though something did because of the alarm that wasn''t automatic.


    ¡°Sensors could be wrong or that thing is playing with us,¡± the other blue-clothed man said. ¡°Don''t worry about this, man. Look at where we stand. Long proximity can lead to trouble. I would do you better. Doesn''t he look drunk? No. This place could defy Extremes like us like adults do ants,¡± He gestured to the flow of lines and cables, making a valid point.


    ¡°Security and drunk? We are all Extremes for godly sake!¡± The leader argued and trusted his instincts.


    ¡°In a place where our power matters so little, or where a god''s sneeze can freeze us, what are those cables weighing us down like whole mountains?¡±


    ¡°Dude... You are too obsessed with Whitesnow. Get your hands over here. Help me out with him and check the corridors. You all too!¡± The leader demanded the green robbed guards to work. ¡°Check everything, alert he constructs into overwork and ignore the screens for now. Fly through the tunnels and activate your constructs but remember your job. Don''t affect the flow.¡±


    All in all, they did their job poorly, because they had their own set of sensors and special case constructs that could detect Vermillion in no time. But those required activation and close range, nor were they cheap or suitable.


    Vermillion already left them in dust and found the end of these tunnels that went for dozens of kilometers.


    Eternal, majestic, and glistening in the appearance of thousands of rivers and stars. That was the start and the end of the flow before an abyss and her eyes, depicting a large hollow pillar dozens of kilometers tall that seemed bigger than it was.


    She was shocked to see that she got here so quickly and without any further troubles.


    It was as if she was pulled by a string before an Entity itself.

 Prelude to Book Five: Heist of Lady Vermillion - Part 2

    It was a barren location that fell unnaturally full. It was also where Vermillion wanted to obtain her first position, as it was before her, close, tensed up, and menacing in eternal flow. In a sense, this place was the most important place of this castle, since what was happening here had repercussions for everyone.


    Gods were the same. They watched it and took it for a game. Mortals didn''t even know of it, but they were so reliant on it, that one would question their integrity. For Vermillion, it meant a path out, because when she looked up, she saw a clear picture of countless strands going into the planet above. Battleworld wasn''t close by any means, yet she was seeing how these strands of flows went in and out, often disappearing into Void or space like wind, and touching the world above her.


    At the end of the tunnel she just walked from, the lines went onwards to a huge shaft. Down, up, and everywhere, it was like a tornado, storm, and giant blazing mix of lines and cables that looked like hands or tentacles.


    Vermillion was standing around the path''s edges of this huge pillar. From this position, it was hollow with nearly kilometer-wide insides and incredible height that slowly decreased. With limited to almost no security or sensors, the tension was as incredible as pressing.


    Only Extremes would cope with it, and only for a limited time. Most constructs would need daily repairs or specific godly workings to let them exist here.


    Those weren''t here. There wasn''t a need for it, as far as Vermillion knew. There was a security guard here, waiting for everything, or itching to ruin it all. The most questionable moment was right before her and she didn''t know what to expect.


    Coincidentally, the fact that she got rid of those guards for a minute worked to her advantage. Around the pillar''s sphere of influence, there were tight open paths around the edge with almost no flow. She found the access board in a single view, looking like a large metal machine filled with screens and physical structures the size of a mountain.


    Etched into the walls, it was The Codex, depicting a humongous information board with hundreds of large screens flowing in the air, wall, or etched to one another. Many of the surrounding lights went in and out of it, processing everything even if it didn''t seem that big. Most of it was far too obvious in the shaft itself, while the walls and this Codex were part of it as well.


    Vermillion walked toward it, still strained and shrouded by her reality-warping powers. She didn''t breathe or see her blunders or nativity in her steps. Her breath was nowhere to be heard or felt. She placed her card on the central screen without thinking before her heart tightened after she took a breath. She shook in hesitation, but her hand moved quicker than her fear. Her Authority drifted away because of something, revealing her body, stressed face, and knitted brows.


    Then, screaming terror seized her breath and Authority because she couldn''t influence the unauthorized access card. Instead, something influenced her. The Codex seized the flow, flickered in screens, trembled in echoing mechanical screeches, and froze.


    This card was nothing but a fake security to remain here, which she didn''t have. She didn''t need it. The card to get further wouldn''t fall from the sky or anyone''s hands. She planned to brute force through everything at this point.


    What she placed only worked for one thing: starting the process for her Authority to clutch the way into it, or around it, forming the connection to the other side.


    It failed.


    Nothing that she expected with The Codex happened, nor did her desirable sequence start. She had limited chances of success because she never worked or touched this Codex in her lifetime.


    Lordis kept most Gods out of this place for good reasons. It wasn''t as if he didn''t trust them. He had standards for trust. Those involved emotions like greed, and human and mortal hearts, which carried burdens and power that were easier to control and carry in large quantities.


    With alarms knocking over the chains of this heist, her plans were no longer stopping. The Codex stopped her Authority and let out chimes of alarms.


    She flared her Veiling apart and pressed her arms beside the card, a bunch of screens, and metallic constructs. Then, she connected with her Authority but felt everything falling apart because she didn''t even realize she was out of her wins. She could no longer affect a thing. Something obscure and deafening was there, working against her. It felt large. Bigger than this pillar, castle, or the Divine Kingdom. Something from the other side, she feared.


    What she hoped for failed without even a single attempt.


    Screens flickered as if flame and water went through them, yet information kept flowing uninterrupted in the pillar.


    [Aceess denied] A mechanical voice said. [Unauthorized card... Turning the report...] the voice slipped as if blocked.


    ¡°Let me in!¡± Vermillion demanded, fostering her Authority and flooding the screens with her touch of workings. She wasn''t even sure what she was meant to touch or change. Reality was out of her touch.


    She overestimated herself.


    Then, the screens halted, but not because of her.


    [Acesss... aAaa..a...A?] The voice died down, but something else came with a crispier and almost cheerful voice of countless voices humming and cheering on top of one another.


    [Enjoyed my dull voice, eh? Cheeky girl. Who roams and is present right before my nose?] A male voice spoke amongst them, talking in tones of carefulness, crispiness, and mischief. [A curious fox, eh? This isn''t new, yet it is. Touching and standing in this place is surprising after all that you''ve done, so you must''ve enjoyed your ride here. I was watching it with a sneer on my... screen. That sounds terrible!]


    Vermillion almost cursed and kicked The Codex. She calmed her face, opened her palm, and her Authority workings stopped. Then, she took a deep breath, flexed her fingers, and felt so lighter even when she realized her current reality might be doomed in much different ways than she envisioned.


    ¡°You damn thing. Surely you are responsible for this,¡± Vermillion forced a smile that hid a hideous emotion. She expected Lordis to have some better security, yet her sequence and this card should''ve at least worked with something.


    It didn''t because someone else had already overseen it.


    [Ehm... This is awkward. Like really awkward. I promised Lordis to keep things at bay, but look at it in this way. You are hurting me and folding and bending the reality itself! How insane! Ah! I am hurting! So savage of you. I can''t stop anything... How could you do this to me? Not sure what to make of it other than changing some tides and acceptance...] The voice panicked and even Vermillion knew it faked its distress by being ridiculous, or delirious. It was a nice actor.


    ¡°Bent a knee, or get lost Ravine. I can get something out of this for you as well, so stop pretending, or do it better, or...¡± She looked around. ¡°Should I have any remote idea of what this means? Are you playing me or your little master?¡±


    [Me? We aren''t on speaking terms, girl.] The voice called Ravine hesitated. [This place is special. Not sure what your young self could indulge upon this old me, but you are underestimating...well, you. You thought you could come here? Why? What for? What are you even doing here? Security is all Breached! Why are you in the way of... Wait a damned second! That card? Your silly Authority. Stop slipping this all to a halt! Problem! Error! God help us all!] He panicked for real and this time around, Vermillion wasn''t sure if he was delirious or still playing faked innocence.


    She bet he knew her enough.


    ¡°Found out of me earlier, I bet an ear. Though you would get it quicker if you get me like I think you do,¡± Vermillion sighed and released her hair, before tossing her glasses away. Redness became free and even her eyes turned to crimson. She knew this little actor, but this went out of her ideas because she wasn''t sure how well Codex went with Lordis and... recent things. She thought she was safe and sneaky enough, yet this changed this situation dramatically.


    It was at this moment that the security protocols arrived around the tunnels and this place because someone unfamiliar touched The Codex. Vermillion ceased her Veiling as well, so her actions of touching this machine worked against her.


    This happened not because Ravine wanted it or not.


    Bizzare golems, thin and small, yet larger and crisper in colors of mana than mana itself walked or flew into the thin corridors. They looked like human-sized giants, but clean, smooth, and made of numerous metals and styles. Sensors from their single glowing eyes overlooked the whole place first, before flooding the place with mana, heat sensors, and even divine sensors, which worked against Vermillion.


    At this point, she no longer cared for any Veiling. The golems screeched and their runic constructs heated up, noticing an invader that was no longer hidden.


    Vermillion wondered where all the living security went, or whether her stamina recovered would be enough to deal with them in this place.


    These tools were from a different Sky after all.


    Fortunately, the voice that kept her thoughts entertained laughed into her soul alone. [I was joking by the way. Those golems arrived to appease something. You will survive since you are here after all the previous suffering.]


    Vermillion raised her eyes and noticed no change in the flow.


    [By the way, it is good seeing you again, sneaky God. I thought you would wait years to spend your chains and claims, so call me surprised to see you change. Now... Have you liked my play? Got the applause ready?]


    ¡°Give me a slack. Are you down on this business of mine or will you stop this nonsense?¡± She asked out loud as she dodged the first starting beans of Death Wish, a couple of Death Missiles, and even some curses that would damage Chaos Space itself.


    [Call me any day. So? Not sure what is brewing in your head, but I am all screens. Wait, that sounds even worse!]


    ¡°You have some talent for being a jackass. That is what you get for sticking too much time and effort into people across the universe or the silly world above my head. You''ve ended up stupid, I fear.¡±


    [That was rude of you. Well, you speak for whom, huh? You are brewing your interest over many of the Skies yourself, silly goodness girl! And you have no idea what you are even touching with your little heist. You think I don''t know about you? I''ve seen lengths and times that your little life can''t even comprehend! I see your silly adhering Authorities and great...well, that strange Veiling and work with Authority is great. You figured something good out of yourself or experience in Endless Skies.]


    ¡°Sure as the toss of a cat to her feet. Now, let''s hope your owner won''t kick you for this, because I would bet rat''s tail you are speaking to me against his wishes and the norm.¡±


    [Oh, he wouldn''t dare to chain me like a rat. I played by rules and your Breach into my Codex has its validity and problems along with my interest. In short, I like you. I can find excuses like words to give you or Lordis. You... You are hiding quite a lot of power yourself, but your plans are in your head, hidden from me. Why are you so sneaky here? Are you looking for something specific out of my Codex? Going through the starting layer, this castle, Office Realm, and even pretending to be a stern officer. I was a step from laughing and giving you away. You should be glad I didn''t.]


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Vermillion jumped far above, flying, jumping, and dodging lightning-fast attacks as she spoke to a voice in her head. Surrounding constructs and golems had nothing on her, but they kept sending their attacks anyway.


    [Why so surprised? You think you, being here, is easy and delightful just because of some high-class Authority workings and skill? You thought the way through the walls wasn''t secured because there were open passages done specially with intent?]


    She was silent as she dodged more attacks, jumping to the walls and moving around them as if she weighed a feather. Unwilling to see the truth of this fact, she had some doubts about Ravine''s claims. Why would she trust him when she went through these walls with her senses and Authority? If someone was playing with her, she would know.


    Unless... ¡°What do you know? Few things would go behind me and my secrets.¡±


    [Who do you think I am? A few things are notable by your cluelessness and idea to heist this place. First, I stopped some last-minute sensors that would discover even your Authority workings, reality-bending methods that meddled with the walls, soul-based movements, or even Chaos Space involvements. You moved through some of them, so you are welcome.]


    Vermillion didn''t know if she should be suspicious or glad, but Ravine continued without hearing her reply.


    [Lordis was proactive giving this place some attention in recent weeks. He feared the defenses of this castle weren''t enough because of some things recently happened. Shame everything goes through me, huh? You are the lucky one in this place, I think... Anyway, you are the first one to get this far, even with my little help. It was almost like a trial and you''ve succeeded. You should cheer!]


    ¡°Shame indeed.¡± Vermillion scoffed and went down to the previous narrow corridor. She couldn''t fight all that well in the middle of this open hollow pillar that weighted her down, so she twisted her Authority and went against these attacks with her palms.


    [Lordis is too busy fearing for something worse than whatever you are trying anyway, and you are yet to truly get it either. I do... too. What is your plan? I will work with you. Oh, I already did. You have no choice. Or you can refuse me and die. You chose.]


    Vermillion agreed with his blackmail, but what was here for Ravine? Did he know what she was planning if he helped her behind her back? Why? For what purpose he was going against his master? She had no time to change her mind, knowing that Ravine was an existence bigger than some worlds.


    [Handling me comes with consequences, little fox. Mind you, great Vermillion, you are good and well in my calculation, and even slightly over it considering the present situation. But deep down, the overall heights and depths are a bit lacking if my calculations are remotely close.]


    ¡°Stop yapping. What about time? Get me through the line already!¡±


    Constructed golems halted their acts as if frozen. Something got them under control. Any guard had yet to arrive, which was also strange. Perhaps Ravine was halting them by interfering with their screens or constructs in the hallways, or... the cables, or lines? It was all under his control after all.


    [Line? Uh... For the start of the bad news, there are still some things that Lordis created himself. He will know you are here. He has less than a few minutes before he gets personal if the situation isn''t resolved. Error is gone, glow tight, and flow into... line? Wait, you really want to go there? The Deepest Depths?]


    ¡°No time...¡± Vermillion urged. ¡°Just get it over with, jump over my ass and do it.¡±


    [Ugh... I am not responsible for how this ends with you. In fact, I don''t care. You want it yourself! Don''t get squished like a bug. Not one bit of it is my fault. No one will be happy. So be quick. Up yet down, there is less of my Authority workings with all of the... locks and bars there, so...]


    Vermillion felt the screens flicker and her Divine Power worked overtime when her palms seized control over the remaining spells coming from the slowly weakening golems. Then, the lines and flow shuddered and the whole shaft changed as if a storm crashed. The Codex flickered in noise and surge of energy.


    A flood of warping power and spatial currents trembled from the core and glint that flowed upwards. Vermillion seized the change. She put the Warp into the tides of Space and Void that appeared in the middle of the shaft and flow. An official opening was forming on the other side.


    Nothing moved her. She sent herself to the other side of this flow that not only went down but also upward toward the sky.


    This was the center of this whole Sphere, deeper and more mysterious than most Gods knew.


    ¡°Gratitude,¡± Vermillion said before she disappeared.


    [Not sure what this is about, or how you will do this, but take that if you will survive this and his wrath, you insane little fox.] Ravine said and added something after she was gone and no longer able to hear it. [Or his consequences. Or mine!] Then the laughter echoed as alarms resumed and seemingly false errors occurred in the screens, a flood of interferences overwhelmed most sensors. Most guards were asleep a couple of meters before entering this place.


    Not only here, but in many parts of this castle, problems began to obscure officers, but the Ruler of it all knew that something suspicious was brewing under his nose.


    High-ranked personnel went up at arms, unaware that the center of this whole thing moved against itself.


    ***


    At the Depths of the Battleworld, secrets held its secrets in a deep foundation. Vermillion Warped to existence like a coin falling through a gap in fingers, but unlike the walls, she anchored into the already existing ride that went to the Deepest Depths. Without that help, she wouldn''t get anywhere because this place was tight and protected under a mass of earth, space, and formation the size of a continent.


    Standing in the middle of an ancient site, cave, and space of large proportions and even more insane origin, she had no idea what was waiting for her.


    It was no Ravine yet. No secrets either.


    It was an incredibly hostile environment that crushed her spirit, body, and heart. It was as if the world''s weight was on her shoulders, causing her to tumble to her knees. Enormous formation bases were obscuring ridiculously large caverns. Holes, numerous cave systems, and stone formations were under every corner.


    And it all hurt. Everything seized her flesh and senses as if she was an Extreme at the center of the Seas. For Gods, it was as if the Void and the universe wanted to crush them to bits.


    Vermillion was much lower than the deepest possible end of waters, let alone the Depths in general. This was beyond her expectations or rumors, but Ravine warned her.


    Below her, the ground was searing hot, flowing, and the air was hard for her flesh and lungs which didn''t need oxygen for work. She could generally live in the most hindered and hostile environment thanks to her Divine Power and Authority. Void and space in the universe would rarely pose a problem for her travels unless she viewed and went into some very hostile places.


    This place was almost as troublesome as those, if not worse. Gravity, pressure, and the aura of being in the middle of a planet went against her like some parts of the Void, keeping her on her knees. There were many glowing lines around the cave too. Most were thick like rivers, swirling like tendrils, and acting weird and chaotic like strands of lava made of water.


    Then, she shook and noticed there were a lot of workers there, which she didn''t expect. She had almost no information about this place. Giant figures stood, worked with pickaxes and tools, wrapped by space, Chaos, or time itself. They worked within the cave, suffering the same effects as her. They were working through these lines, or with stones made of lava or space that held no oxygen.


    She could see some nasty lifeforms too, depicting weird creatures and all kinds of large demons that had insane survival skills and Bloodlines. Goldsteel Titans, wearing some sort of protection suits, but mostly working naked, shined in their cracked skin and bulging or dense muscles.


    Most, if not all races present in the Battlewolrd wouldn''t survive being in the middle of a planet. There was a need to ensure the flow of power that kept going in this place without squashing anything away. It was the same for the workings of the Central Codex, as this place was why it existed.


    Blazing hot ground scorched red like lava. The air was impossible to fathom to one''s lungs, gravity broke the space to cracks, Laws were in shambles, and life forms weren''t meant to be here, let alone live or keep their lives.


    Yet they were there, working to death because it was their home. Vermillion wasn''t feeling sorry for them in the slightest. Most of them weren''t even natives or from this world at all, but who was? Lifeforms were subjective to place and world. The ones around here were much more insane than that, meant to work in brutal places, for they felt homey for them.


    Here, it was a place capable of sustaining the work Lordis demanded. Most workers were from the Endless Skies; from the planets or depths of the universe that had much harsher conditions for life. Right. Goldsteel Titans were included in this too, although they weren''t even in the middle of the hierarchy or pyramid of powerful beings in this place.


    Vermillion arrived where she wanted. To a place that was secured like the finest vault. She kept her breath and mind separated, thus she felt even worse when she endured her attempts in former parts of this heist. She was observing the entirety of this space that was the size of a small realm.


    Then, she shook again in shock and terror, discovering the picture she imagined to look different. Her sight had to be adjusted by her Authority, otherwise, she wouldn''t see the whole enclosure. The reality itself was warping the room.


    And it choked her.


    It was the halfway point towards being breathless, feeling the Overdrafts thousands of times, or mountains on top of bits of flesh. It wasn''t over in a heartbeat, but it was a flood of the very center of this world, squeezed to the utmost pressure. It was happening involuntarily as an aftereffect, or was it something else?


    In a place that manifested and distorted by everything the Battleworld was about, Vermilion dropped every speck of Veiling out of her mind. Instead, she did the opposite thing. She should''ve done that sooner, but she didn''t because of Ravine.


    Now, she did it before Ravine and not because she wanted to. She had no choice if she wanted to get out of this alive.


    Her power and hair all flared up, overwhelming a few meters around her at all times. She wrestled for control and all because of her hidden expertise, she managed to stand up.


    ¡°This space...¡± She grunted; she can keep this up for up to a dozen minutes at best. Fights will lower it to minutes.


    Before she even moved, the alarms knocked everything apart, causing chaos, noises, and formations to flare up. The security in this place wasn''t normal. She had her expectations for them, but no clues.


    There was an actual protector set in this place, guarding this place like a dog, or working and ensuring this place worked under Lordis''s command.


    It was God. Tall, inhuman, and not of this world, it was a clear indication of a good idea, because Lordis wouldn''t trust most rigorous Gods with this kind of job.


    It needed Order, so he got the finest race for that task across many parts of the universe. Hunched like an old grandmother, tall and wrinkled like a small mountain, it was a Troll. Skin parched by temperature and pressure, green, red, or grey stone crystals were its flesh and skin. It looked old, hot, and angry.


    Troll God wore old and haggard scale chain armor for a cloak, looming over the cave and close to Vermillion with its hundred-meter height. It was the one that activated the alarms, as it noticed the invading fooling goddess.


    The place where Vermillion ended up wasn''t small in the slightest. It was much bigger than the Office Realm. Thankfully, she was closer to where she wanted to be, directly facing what she desired. Ravine probably helped with that, but that was only her guess.


    And it wasn''t all shiny and fine. He sent her right where dangers awaited and she kind of expected something worse if she was truly honest with herself.


    ¡°God!¡± Troll shouted at her in a raspy and deep voice, noticing her Divine Power and workings of Authority that overwhelmed the space around her. Troll God didn''t talk well, even for a God of its old and rather strange race. Divine Power in its flesh wasn''t potent in the slightest, as it wasn''t proper at all. It was forcefully created to remain stagnant and greedily self-centered, making it laughable and naughty. But it adapted and got stronger, and its power over flesh and earth was bigger than anything else.


    Trolls were part of the Ancients, thus their powers and potential were different. Ancients were the order before the Gods took the reins as masters of many worlds across the sides of the Skies. They were the surviving marks of the previous Epoch.


    It followed a change of Order and Chaos in the universe that caused many Ancients to vanish. That meant there were fewer of them as time moved, planets divided or ceased to exist, or where the new rules became unmistakable.


    In some way, the old things got outdated and left out. It was natural. When their opposition exceeded them in numbers, it made sense to disappear. However, there were still enough of them to form worlds independently, or they could kneel before the new age.


    Lordis made sure to touch on Troll God''s potential survival and beneficial instincts. They used their potent familiarity with the Laws of Earth, Space, and power over Order to make a perfect worker for this specific task.


    ¡°The Jailer, I presume?¡± Vermillion asked the Troll without a hiccup. Her power stopped the surroundings from stressing her like a stress ball, allowing her to speak out like in the Void.


    ¡°God!¡± Jailer shouted again, brandishing a long staff made of many ores and a revolving shard at the top. It was huge, looking like a mace, even if it was a magical tool. It even swung it at her like a mace. ¡°Alarm. Alarm!¡±


    Vermillion figured this Troll was old and senile, but these creatures were extremely great workers thanks to their long lifespan, knack for craftsmanship, and way of solving problems for any task, as long as some benefit, trade, or Order was set in place.


    It was kind of strange, considering their stature was large, backs deformed, faces weird, and arms twisted with unclear fingers. But it was true. The Jailer was already a second generation at this job, so it knew what to do and it never disappointed its master.


    Until now.


    It let Vermilion into this realm because Ravine intervened and fucked things up. It was an inevitable clash and invasion that moved through the one this Troll guarded.


    Vermilion heard of the alarms, sensors, and defenses at the previous space, but not here. Were there some other concerns? Golems or these fools around seems like that. The middle of the damned planet was much more intense than a forged hollow pillar with its flow and man-made protection.


    There was nothing there besides that intense flow that would hurt her if it wanted. Well, she knew that if she kept herself there for longer, many problematic figures would make their appearance. Ravine was the biggest flaw and unexpected turn in everything she thought of.


    She wondered what might happen next, as she had all confidence even against some Gods. Until stronger ones would knock on her door, or Lordis himself made his entrance, she had to keep herself together.


    She hoped a couple of estimated minutes were correct assessments from Ravine, but she knew he had a warped sense of time. So she stretched her arms and put forth her Authority that bent the space and touched her Path.


    It usually had no appearance in its principles. Authority was vague, often forming around the rules for oneself and outer existence. Those were things that a God understood in their reach or possibilities, making them different and unique. Each God was mastering their own life while doing it outwards was difficult if one wanted to see beyond their horizons. Authority was exactly that. It was to feel something vague, imminent, and extremely distant. Mastering it was harder than any mana or magic.


    Despite that, Authority was already something that even some Extremes peeked at, so some expected or unexpected things occurred. Especially in Sages and Overlords, although they had it often limited, while Gods started to take advantage of that power. It could twist anything, cause a variety of effects, and work with one''s body, imagination, or mana itself. Dependance on the Path was the overall tool and the instrument was expertise and Authority workings.


    Reaching as far as she could, stretching her interest, Vermillion was ready for the final push. She found what she wanted almost straight away because it was right beyond Jailer, shimmering in existence and mass exceeding common sense.


    Beyond her, in a cave and above, the center of the swirling amassing metallic formation was the core of this planet. A bubbling, rushing, and swirling metallic part of the core stayed in place as it should, but around it and everywhere, azure or white lines circled it like tendrils. It was no finite thing. It was boundless. Then, some buildings made of rune formations worked with it or against it, forming chains of machines, literal chains, and various implementations of what one would call the peak of runes.


    The core itself was full of spikes like a porcupine, but only a part of it was visible in this hundreds of kilometers tall and wide cave. Still, what was seen was humongous, albeit it was just the tip of the iceberg. This core''s layer kept moving and waving like a heart, or water made of mercury but darker.


    An unfathomable mass of formations was all over it, locking some workings in place, steadying the lines or energies coming out of it, and chaining many rules to flow onwards to many structures. There were hundreds of metallic tendrils with many spheres of locks caring for the major workings of this ancient construction. It was like a prison. They flowed all over the spikes, touching the core, and many other things affected these spherical locks.


    And Vermillion saw her goal. It was right there... hiding somewhere. She didn''t know where, but she was about to touch it, break something out of some sphere, or straight up defy the common sense.


    She wasn''t afraid of the consequences, but her plan must be feasible if she wanted to keep her life. She didn''t want to become hunted across the universe. This world should be enough.


    Jailer slammed the lower end of the staff down, crashing the ground and stomping its feet and staff. ¡°Order! Order! State yourself, God! Invader.¡±


    It seemed to be confused about something. Gods shouldn''t come and visit this place, but the way Vermillion came here was strange. It almost seemed like an official visit from the other side, though it was unofficial and suspicious.


    ¡°State myself? Me?¡± Vermillion smiled as she kept flaring and warping space and pointed at herself. She almost thought of introducing herself as some official business, but she knew Trolls saw through most lies. ¡°I think it is nigh as alarms toning your head apart. Catch me if you can.¡± Then, she exploded in sudden strength, and Jailer made its move as well.


    Space and Divine Power clashed, the air and space became unhabitable even more, and the Authority clashes at this level seemed like an explosion of tiny stars that huffed and weakened in a second because this place was extremely unhinged and hostile. Formations floating around should survive this clashing reality, yet many of them broke. Jailer''s long staff lost its luster when it slammed against a giant vague palm. Vermillion clutched it, gesturing with her real hand at it as heat and her workings pulled on reality.


    It was a weird contrast in size. She was like an ant before a mountain, yet the ant pushed against it, nearly lifting it away and smashing it as if it were an ant.


    Jailer lost the first probing clash, until Vermillion arrived at its flesh personally, forming a rather fundamental form of Divine Power next.


    Manifesting it with her flesh and movement, her palms touched and a small sun appeared between them. She made a slapping motion that bloomed the little sun, crashing Jailer as a whole to a distant wall where the little blooming flower grew and kept Jailer pinned to it.


    Both ranged and compact, her power wasn''t small because of her Authority alone, yet she doubted this attack would survive that long in this place. She didn''t look at Jailer again. She aimed at the twisting workings and locks around the core and focused on them.


    Then, the gigantic workers turned to her, watchful like hungry dogs for benefits that wouldn''t come again.


    Catching or dealing with her meant great merit for them, yet Vermillion denied them this idea by going straight for her target. She was quick even with such a hostile place like the core of a planet. Gravity here was abnormal like the toughest places in the Endless Skies, so it ate her reserves like a curse. She had limited time, so she opted for essential actions that used the least force. She couldn''t kill Jailer. Requirements to do that would endanger her position, fuel, and time.


    Just standing here was much more savage than traveling across the Endless Skies or flying through the Chaos Space unobscured. Perhaps in the dangerous parts of the Void or depths of the universe where mana turned abnormal, things would be more intense.


    However, fighting turned this place into a different dimension. Vermillion had to do what she could and made it into the center of the Battleworld. The Codex was just a codename for an Entity called Ravine, which was the entire world by itself, with roots from a very distant period, or starting Epoch.


    She exploded in all power she could muster, which put tremendous pressure on her flesh and core. Guiding her control and workings, she found an outlet in the surroundings, and these large or small spheres of locks.


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    They were behind numerous important points the size of buildings or mountains, yet tendrils or chains kept them in place. Every one of them looked like the finest vaults; all locked and protected in various protection spells, runes, or treasures. Some were clear, while some were small or big. Most had large quantities of materials and machines, depicting conduits, core parts, or metals and rocks that were part of tendrils overflowing with energy. Bright lines, cables, or waves, everything was alien yet part of this massive jail.


    Core had no way to move, for obvious reasons for the planet. This little part was exposed and stayed in the same spot for an untold amount of years since its creation, so working around it was the only possibility. Attached to the worlds under many Gods, chances were in places with the tightest protection.


    Vermillion knew it, so she wasn''t going to steal the impossible price. The one with the most defenses will be enough.


    She will be satisfied with the core workings, a small chunk that looked like a piece of unimportant debris, yet it was under sizable layered formations thicker than a bull. Bright and shiny, the Core Codex was there for her senses, eyes, and plans. She realized it quicker than she expected, which might be suspicious or something that Ravine wanted and hadn''t mentioned before.


    In a way, she was terrified because she had no choice but to accept it.


    Head-sized at best, Core Codex was under one of the most formidable defenses she barely sensed. Nevertheless, it called her back!


    And Jailer was coming behind her after a second and a half that was longer, yet faster than she expected. Her chances were yet to shine, so she stormed at the lock, flying through the air and cracking the ground below, which was either impressive or insane for her legs. Manifesting flaring and flaming waves out of her Divine Power¡ªwhich appeared like wings¡ªher palms seized and forged large clusters of stars out of them, which then changed into drills bigger than her body.


    They began to deteriorate almost right away because of the location, fusing with the world and heat. She aimed her Authority at them, twisting the already hot reality and core of this planet hotter when she squeezed everything tighter. She ended up coughing blood and cracks spread all over her skin, leaking light, flames, and blood. She didn''t care. Her arms went ahead first, a heated aura enveloped her body, while thinly, a strange vague wheel appeared behind her like a shadow.


    Aiming at her target, one after the other, and after she unleashed her Path''s offensive strength, the lock hadn''t crumbled in the slightest. All the little drills puffed to smoke even with her Authority. She had no idea about what sort of defense was before her. Layered and strong, yet their thickness wasn''t big.


    It was no surprise. This formation was from Endless Skies. The only possibility that could go against her Authority without breaking a sweat.


    Jailer looked at her actions from below with absolute rage and unhinged cracking stomps. It made an ugly face when Vermillion started to touch a very sensitive concept straight away, which meant trouble. It got closer and prepared its spells by hitting the ground with its staff, turning the gravity, earth, and lava to its Authority. Massive storming earthly rivers shrouded its figure next, creating hands hundreds of meters wide that flew up. Many of the surrounding demonic figures went there as well, but because of their worker status, their powers were essentially sealed and limited.


    But their bodies and tools weren''t. They will storm this God anyway.


    Vermillion looked behind, hovering nearly a kilometer above the ground, surrounded by her Authority that failed her again. Behind her, the core of the planet was bobbling and twisting. It was big like a small realm in just this small portion, with most of it being hidden in the earth above, or was it below? Gravity wasn''t certain. She should be upside down to the overall picture of the Surface, with the core being in the exact middle of a planet.


    Just a part of it was required for these constructs to work, while Core Codex was surprisingly closer to the ground because the surroundings required it. It was too bad for its defensive structure and treasures, even if it had reality-warping powers that made the lock identical to many others. Vermillion knew the depiction of the Core Codex, yet many others were the same. If it hadn''t been for the previous little calling, she would waste time.


    A very sensitive Authority could sense many things, but not everything. So Vermillion pulled a weird, twisted, and sharp-looking construct out of the Void. Resembling a sharp sizable drill, it glistened as if made of mercury. She activated it and her Authority twisted apart as her hand became a mangled mess.


    She barely flinched when her clothes got torn with ridiculous speed and power, while her control and the rest of her Authority became fuel and a mess. She launched it at the sphere and exploded the locks apart, tearing through it, finding a way in, and letting the layers aside. It stayed that way for a split second exactly how she wanted.


    The defensive formation was thicker than she anticipated, so spending a fortune on the last touch wasn''t bad. Seeing the hole, she reached inside with her remaining hand.


    Which was enough for her, even though the defenses tried to wrestle with her and close her hands inside. She Warped reality with the remaining power she had to force something out. She cried as she created, kicked, and exploded a bunch of human-sized stars around her. The first rounds of attacks came from below, so she countered.


    Just in time. She retrieved a weird rock that looked metallic and heavy like the largest possible shard from a dead star. She looked sorry and like a mess afterward, yet it wasn''t over.


    Something shook her. Her own workings crumbled, and backlash of incredible proportions hit her flesh and mind. It felt like an out-of-body experience, but she clutched her teeth and hand, unleashing the remaining stars around her with just an arm''s gesturing shrug. She was leaking many of her powers right now and felt even worse. She used gravity to dodge the attacks that she couldn''t foresee or solve by jumping away.


    With a goal in her hand, what she needed was a bargaining chip. The Core Codex will do just fine for that purpose. The remaining workings around hundreds of other similar locks wouldn''t do. Only this one had the proper meaningful power to change the status quo.


    Out of the whole core that Ravine was made of, this here was the main component. A slip. A flickering emotion. It was enough to power the Divine Camp and turn this world so intense. Taking it away won''t destroy everything, but it will change many things. In a sense, it was like stumbling a first domino with many others behind.


    It was like stealing a key to a house. Vermillion was momentarily lost in the weight of that chunk of heavy substance. She even took some attacks head-on afterward, stumbling, bleeding some more, and feeling like her Authority was slipping under her clutch¡ªwhich it did. She quickly changed her ways and decided on her finishing line.


    She spent herself laboring through the pressure of this entire place, but the surrounding beings weren''t affected by it as much, for they were far more used to it than her. They were flexible, existing for this place, even though it was brutal.


    The core of the world wasn''t right for any presence. Even if the human in question was a God. Vermillion endured the clashes and squeezes that would wound most Gods, or destroy any kind of Extreme into dust long ago.


    Powers of reality, partial Authority, and most Divinity were all suppressed in this place. Fleshly powers seemed like the best chance, yet the weights and layers of Authority were endless and better. Flesh had some end. Mana had its ending sequence. The universe didn''t.


    It never ended. The pressure kept going even when Vermillion held the key to this place. Perhaps it was even worse after she got it, or was it the backlash after unleashing the World Drill?


    The weight of the world aimed at her, followed by Jailer''s powers and all the beings around this realm went up at arms, sizzling in heat as a surge of power exploded from her body, storming the hopes of their hearts.


    Yet... Vermillion smiled, brandishing the Core Codex in her single arm. It weighed on her spirit as if it connected to her, eating her, trying to wrestle the thing she had or who she was.


    Then, the bright lines and space shuddered, gravity turned upside down, and pressure rose and twisted. Vermillion seized some chance and pushed down against the giant hands with unnatural force. She let loose and ignored anything wrong. She destroyed numerous other attacks with bright light and the twisting nature of this space.


    Most attacking fools cracked to pieces, similar to their attacks, feeling the higher gravity and her pressure. It felt as if Vermillion had become the center of the world. She even looked like that, beaming, yet dimly as if her power was invisible like a twisted space. Her counter happened in an instant, after all, seeming like a blink.


    Jailer crashed to the ground and its body twisted in stones, revealing a hideous mouth. It knew something changed in Ravine''s core. She took it! Jailer howled and shook the ground and space, yet it didn''t change a thing.


    Jailer failed, so it went all out in Authority. Behind, a massive block of pillar arose out of the ground, with a wide wheel spinning in the middle, looking like an old fossil made of rocks, bland crystals, and numerous formations that might be runes or something else. Even more earthly energies and streams came out of the ground, looking thicker than ever.


    Jailer''s flesh fueled and glowed, and the gestures of its hands sent and assembled spells one after the other. Jailer unleashed a storm as the noise and rumbling of the earth shook the entire Deepest Depths.


    It was an all-out attack that involved Samsara Wheel.


    Then, Ravine¡ªthe swirling aimless metallic stone¡ªtrembled, and a voice shimmering as if raging currents of Endless Skies went out of the Core Codex.


    [I am freeeee!!!] A voice poured out of the little rock.


    ¡°No, you aren''t,¡± Vermillion headbutted the stone substance, found a thick wrapping chain out of the Void with her teeth, and wrapped it around it like a bag. She tossed it behind her shoulder and almost stumbled from the space down. She flinched and thought of this foolish tool as way too heavy.


    [HEY! YO! That is rude to tell your savior! What a rude hot fox you are! I even guided you... thinly. Don''t tell anyone. It sounds shameful.] Ravine complained, yet couldn''t, or shouldn''t do much about it. Who was the savior again? The chains wrapped over him, putting pressure against a much ridiculous pressure which then chained the stone.


    He felt short and weak, like having cloth wrapped over his screens. He wondered where Vermillion got this sort of stuff. Many more worries and questions entered his Codex for sure, followed by possibilities that Vermillion was more complicated than he thought.


    She succeeded in doing something ridiculous because he hadn''t expected her to pull out a World Drill, let alone survive the onslaught of her enemies and this space. It wasn''t within her possibilities and his calculations that she would get this far.


    As a simple rock, he had limits in what his mind should speak about. The limits that were no longer adhering to the entire core itself, compromises, or common rules. Just a fragment, albeit important, won''t end this entire world, which was enough for Vermillion and her desires.


    ¡°Shush and be patiet rock. Good too. Now, tell me the time or where to go next. I can''t leave this place alone. New Authority wraps the spacetime.¡±


    [Where? Time?] Ravine was confused. Why did she ask this for? [Lordis is... Not sure. You wrapped me. Put me back! I can''t see!]


    ¡°You are a terrible liar,¡± she sighed as her power flowed out of her in continuous stress, making her look like a star that hindered everything around her next. It was like breathing. She couldn''t keep going forever. By now, most attackers from below were back on the ground, either in pieces or waiting for her to lose her touch. She kept this bright, insane, and pressuring ability for ten whole seconds, even through a barrage of hands, spikes, and meteors half the size of a mountain.


    Then, her power failed, so she had to dodge a barrage of attacks that stormed the location apart, creating space tears, rolls in space, and some attacks touched upon the Void itself when some demons howled and went at her again. They became a mess and disintegrated under Jailer''s powerful tearing fingers and hands.


    The damaged space healed relatively well, since this place was incredibly dense and stable, since if it was more dangerous than those tears.


    Jailer managed to gain its stability and pushed attack at the cheeky thief from the ground. Vermillion felt much more powerful than possible, yet how long could it go for? Jailer knew some limits should be there for any invading God unfamiliar with the weight of this space.


    The hotness was unbearable, weight heavy, and she overwhelmed her Divine Power and Authority. It was a price that will undoubtedly reveal itself. Yet she still had to do the last thing before that.


    Gravity was in shambles, but thanks to the rock on her shoulders, she fell to the ground in a moment, dodging most of the space-tearing attacks next, looking as if she danced through them in her descent. Her red veils of hair traveled behind her, followed by streams of her leaking powers.


    Trolls were insane when completely unhinged in terror and anger. They could destroy plains, cities, and continents in some worlds.


    Ravine whistled. [A fine dodge. Fine... Lordis is here in 3... 2.... I am kidding. He can''t come in that quick. I locked the control room codex with errors to access. Asshole though there shouldn''t be a backdoor, lest someone use it against his will. Hilarious, isn''t it? It backfired like you handling me and bearing with this place. Never seen it, huh? Feels heavy and hot like you? Wait, huh?! How does it feel to bear with my weight?] Ravine sounded more like an old fool the more she felt him.


    ¡°Should get a diet. Could be good at you.¡± She said sarcastically, which sounded cold when she was feeling the limits of her potential. She was bleeding through many wounds and nothing was regenerating like it should. Her left side was still in pieces.


    Her time was reaching its nasty sequence.


    Which Ravine took with the light chiming laugh.


    ¡°I am all laughing out loud.¡± Vermillion turned serious on the ground and dodged for her life when a small army of Goldsteel Titans arrived with gravity-defying powers next, smacks of swords, chops, and some tools for mining. This group never made their move because they bid for time and opportunity, or they couldn''t attack her when she was a kilometer above the ground.


    Tall and insane, they usually wielded intense swordsmanship, glowed in glistering veins through their skin, and glowing eyes. Now, most had staffs or large pillars for weapons, or quickly made-up spears capable of shattering the space. Each was in their prime and equivalent to a Rank 3 God.


    But they didn''t have the right flow to possess godly qualities. Their flesh often defied this choice, similar to their Paths, which countless beasts were also finding poor, while some races were no different. Limitations of Pathways and Paths were also a reason for that, although small.


    In simple terms, raising a God among them was impossible.


    That gave rise to new forms of power. The kind that Ancients possessed, while the current Epoch couldn''t really hinder it completely. Power was power. It was about the weight and Authority to make good use of it. It might be vast like the Divine Power.


    For Vermillion, these Goldsteels were bothersome flies. And that damned rock didn''t make it easier.


    [Again? You are rude to your savior.]


    ¡°Or scrutinous curse, and a kidnapper,¡± she added.


    Before her, roughly a half kilometer away, a massive mountain pillar and wheel trembled. Jailer was close and shouted, mumbling weird noises that shook the surrounding workers. It knew no bounds of failure.


    Then, Jailer panicked after noticing the worst possible outcome. It took a second to adjust its mind to the current mess. Flames flared everywhere alongside magma and the source of this world. Dense mana also escaped through cracks in the crust, flowing like water, or glue, and turning the flow of this world weirder.


    It put additional weight on a fight that was shaking the entire world. It was shaking. Everything did for a long time as sensors and core formations put many workings into struggling labor.


    ¡°Shouldn''t fight like a maniac, old fool,¡± Vermillion reckoned but she doubted Jailer heard her. ¡°World will survive it, but who knows whose heads won''t.¡±


    The core didn''t need Core Codex back. Gods did, or this Troll, or those surrounding and living beings on this planet. This entire machine won''t have its proper flow back, unfortunately. It needed that component.


    Jailer cracked its power to its full potential, causing tides of shimmering lines to spread from the pillar, its hands, and the ground. They changed into thick spears next, lurching at her like mountains. Spear flew over the Goldsteel Titans that barely managed to move closer to Vermillion, before hovering above.


    Whenever Goldsteels moved, she used her single arm to squeeze them dry or toss them away with a flick of her finger. Ravine cheered her on from her back.


    Core Codex''s protection was folded over a formation that could survive world-shattering meteors. Some said that it would outlive the core too, but it was just a guess.


    How had Vermillion gotten through its protection so quickly, and even through all the enemies and this place? Jailer couldn''t understand it, even though his appearance was monstrous and his power flared in hopes of getting that rock back.


    ¡°Lordis can''t get in?¡± Vermillion frowned after hearing Ravine''s laughter. She wasn''t interested in this Troll any longer. She dealt with the Goldsteels in a flick of her point finger. ¡°Should''ve told me that sooner, rock.¡±


    A line spread across the surrounding army. A line that warped and slashed through the space, cutting front-facing Goldsteels but not killing them outright. Most of them stumbled back, followed by others who felt the sharpness and force of this hot and cunning attack. Their bodies scorched in a line as if a beam of radiating sunshine slashed them.


    Vermillion didn''t even look at them next when massive spears hovered over her position, acting like a shield, Authority to not let her move, followed by this space itself.


    Cornered like a mouse, Ravine wondered what she had left in her hand. As far as he could tell, she had his rock alone.


    [As someone... Anyone. Not sure who told me. Not knowing things may be a blessing.] He gave her some old useless quote before cheering her again.


    ¡°Aww. So nice of you. Now, shut up.¡± She had a single arm free if the chains resting over her shoulder didn''t move much. Thanks to the heat and incredible gratifying acts, she cracked the last of her floodgates open. Any more and she won''t be able to move.


    Mana, Authority, and Divine Power all went out of her with their latest drops, and even her leaking injuries temporarily stopped wasting her stamina. A single speck of dot appeared on her open palm, before suddenly becoming large, then little, and then, countless little dots. It didn''t bloom.


    Just when the rest of the beings arrived at her, countless spears glinted for her life, and the world turned still. Only after that did she unleash her attack.


    Why hadn''t Jailer attacked yet wasn''t insensible or blunderous? He put his spears to good use and allowed others to get closer, himself included. It should''ve been a good jail because that rock was precious. Who knew if this lofty God would toss that rock into the Void? In that case, finding it would be a challenge.


    Like stars birthing new stars, Vermillion unleashed the ultimate part of her Path, while the wheel behind her shined and brightly endured this act. It almost turned real like Jailer''s, but for some reason, it couldn''t reach that level. Countless dots that each weighed a ton, stormed off, glowing like scorched metallic glass balls, and appearing like small suns.


    Because of the area of effect and location, the heat helped them this time around, as each sun went along her limited Authority, but not against pressure. This place helped outline and empower her attacks as long as they mended well to this insanity, which meant they became their own things. Outside of her touch. They will soon become independent, and since there were thousands of them, if not more, she couldn''t control the outcome other than set them out.


    They blasted many beings aside, some apart, and those spears ate hundreds of them before cracking apart. Without stopping, the suns kept going, flooding half of this cave from the tiny little palm. Jailer and others ended up on the far end, each with many suns on their flesh. Some burned, some cracked, but few of them died. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chaos ensued when thick flames spread from cracked ground as these balls bounced, and they kept attacking on their own. Some went against Vermillion as well, but she wasn''t affected by them because the flame outside of her own engulfed her hair, haggard uniform, and anything else. She kept bleeding, barely standing, and feeling like shit.


    She was spent. She had nothing else to offer next.


    She smiled as the world and flame deformed and cracks in space spread under her latest control of spatial manipulation. She wanted to pull her finger ahead and form a tear in space, but all she managed was to pull something out of the Void.


    Named Chaos Void Gate, it was her escape after Ravine gave her the direction with the least issues. Her last attack helped with that significantly, much to the rock''s spirit.


    It was heavy, hard, and almost impossible, but through a bleeding heart and mind close to the limits, she fled to the Void Gate that almost crushed her mind. Away from this world, she escaped to the place where Fate had yet to reach.


    Gone out of sight, with a component that aimed at tens of billions of lives, she left the center of the world on its own devices.


    Ravine was happy about that.


    But someone...well, a lot of beings weren''t happy already, since this fight trembled the world. Even more, many will follow this with despair after the news of this incident spread. Even with stabilized space, will the Divine Spheres be more hectic, or will the Surface turn into a chaotic storm? Vermillion didn''t care for both.


    Soon, the Deepest Depth turned into hell, with most workers enduring their disappointment, while Jailer could barely keep up with its shame.


    An uncertain time later, the entire space trembled, ceasing those little suns and flames to null. The pressure and hotness kept blazing, but something worse came closer. The cracks in the earth, walls, or some formation away from the core recovered when a vertical line shook the space, calming everything as if the Ruler arrived. Fingers stretched this line apart until a person fell out of this forceful tear in the space.


    It wasn''t his favorite way to get to his backyard, but it wasn''t his choice. Lordis was a bit too late to save a huge incoming headache he couldn''t even fathom. Now, he did... A lot more than he preferred.


    Watching the workers in pieces or injured, Jailer met his sight with fear and shame. Enduring Vermillion''s last attack ended up drowning everyone, and few could''ve stopped it. Jailer fell to the knees before its master, voiceless.


    Lordis didn''t spare him a glance. There was something much more prudent.


    Ugly and late, he blamed himself. Not them. The problem was somewhere else, hiding or long gone. At the core of this whole situation, the planet''s core was still in one piece and so did its formations, and other things that flickered in their careless cycles. Something dear was missing; something impossible to create again.


    It was starting. The flow was stopping, formations slowed, and far away, things were changing.


    Soon, the Divine Camp will cease to exist.


    ¡°Ravine...¡± Lordis said in an annoyed tone, folding his arms before the large core.


    Nothing changed.


    ¡°You ungrateful.. and spotless fool!¡± Lordis said coldly, but the last part did bring out his killing intent that shuddered the whole existence. The core didn''t care.


    The surrounding hundreds of kilometers became barren of their aure, lines, or bright flames. The core changed under Lordis''s eyes when the azure and mesmerizing lines ceased to exist. They made the core much more apparent since it would never become dull. If it did, the true End of this world would start next.


    Then, the core churred and flickered in a delightful and crazy movement akin to countless mountains rolling.


    [Not my problem she took part of me. Have no hands to stop her advances. Can you imagine that?] the male voice told with the same annuncation and tone as before. Careless and with mischief, Ravine didn''t see destruction or loss of himself as an issue. Such personality was almost guaranteed after living who knew how long? Lordis didn''t know. Perhaps even Ravine didn''t know how long he was alive either.


    He just kept living, cycling the living, and enduring this whole planet in its mass and mana flow.


    Yet he was still a living entity. In a poor sense of the word, of course. Lordis wished it was different.


    ¡°Do you have even a remote idea what are the repercussions for this moment?¡±


    [I have vivid memory and imagination. Want a proper reading? How about a screen to see the show? Scene? Comic? I heard of these long ago from nice words and voices. Or were they memories? How about a movie?! I will call it...]


    ¡°Keep trying me, and you will get burned.¡±


    [Try me too after solving your mess. I won''t burn from anything. You caused this. Burned yourself as well. Ha!? Serves you right.] Ravine scoffed at him and Lordis felt an unending amount of troubles ahead.


    ¡°Fine. Give me the full readings of what occurred here and... pictures, voice lines, and everything that went under your Codex before. Be quick. I need to solve you first, or see... what Vermillion even caused or plans out of this.¡±


    [Righ away master!] Ravine cheered, knowing that his important workings were in a safe and questionable hand. It was fine. There was no way Vermillion would do something great for Lordis. It was a great situation and a change of pace in his long-ass life.


    Ravine will be more than happy to see Lordis unhappy and rules gone.


    ***


    Out in the Void, Vermillion drifted in the middle of Nowhere. She breathed hard under the controlled remains of her Authority, taking the brunt reality of being Nowhere. She still lived, though she felt like she was cut into many dimensions that were part of Everywhere, or was.... it called Somewhere? She could barely think of correct terminology for something very few beings could muster to name. Dimensions were that kind of thing.


    It was close to Void. That was enough for her tongue. Her hair swayed in the vacuum like the blood and light going from her wounds. At least her Divine Power vibrated through her body, letting her live in this harsh environment that wanted no lifeforms. Being away from the proper rules will not speed up her recovery. But being away from that planet''s core will. By now, she felt hundreds of times lighter, although the Void won''t help her either.


    She wasn''t dying like a fool. Her Divine Body kept the damage and previous stress inside, so when away from that crazy core, she felt lighter than a breeze. Recovery at this stage was a slow process that felt like ants crawling under her every sense.


    Yet she smiled after enduring a heist and fight of her life. At last, the sizzling and disappearing flames and mist around her body gave her enough ability to control herself.


    However, controlling the piece of rock from flying away wasn''t easy. Its weight seemed to work like a flying comet, planet, and ocean''s current on its own. It constantly shifted in her single''s grasp and chains.


    ¡°How about you calm down?¡± She grunted as she wrestled with the chunk of ancient debris.


    [I am calm. You aren''t calm.] Ravine reasoned.


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    [Agreed so easily?]


    ¡°I am not calm. Really. Got what I wanted after dozens of cycles. Give my heart a break. You are the insane one if you expect me to not be an emotionless fool.¡±


    [Than cheers for you. What now? I can''t be with you for long. You can''t keep me! And you certainly can''t toss me away either. No way I want part of me lost. Especially this part of me!]


    ¡°No worries. I will give you back to Lordis soon enough.¡±


    [Eh? Just like that?] Ravine was dubious and unsure of what she was planning.


    ¡°After working on what I want.¡±


    [Oh, of course. Which is what?]


    ¡°Heard of an Old One?¡± Vermillion told with melancholy, pain, and a slight sneer.


    Ravine hummed a long tone. [Oh, that one is crazy and ancient. Yes. Numerous times. You have no idea how their creation process goes, and what they truly mean. Now, there is one right here, so... do you want to know how he arrived here, and what his deal is? Poor duck, he is out of his wits, yet he keeps stretching the limits of the Breaches. Poor. Truly. He tries against his lacking luck or Fate, yet never seems to get anywhere. I feel kind of melancholic about it, for he is just like me....]


    ¡°Oh, how bad for you. Have you worked on him yourself?¡±


    [I wish. You are so quick in your words... What makes you say I want to touch that freak?]


    ¡°You implied to know a lot. He is shackled in numerous ways, yet his soul is more unrestrained than chained like yours. It is weird how I couldn''t look at the picture entirely, but I''ve got my tides covered with your voice, reasons, workings, and... weight.¡±


    [By a little toy called Iris, I presume?]


    ¡°You are well informed, unlike me. But no. Things were... complicated with him and her. I think I underestimated the situation and overestimated my lacking parts. I should''ve revealed myself to him long ago. In different lives too... but... I didn''t.¡±


    [Saw that but can''t care about the distant Skies. Wanna show that picture? Well...]


    Vermillion knew their conversation was more private than ever. Hardly anything was in Nowhere. It was close to being in Murai''s soul space thanks to how she spoke to him.


    [What about him, then? We have time here, but I am an impatient stone, and you shouldn''t have much patience unless you''ve dealt with repercussions from this action of stealing my piece. By now Lordis should know what you''ve caused. Your Divine Kingdom, families, forces, or... whatever else. On their own, they will crumble under pressure. You turned yourself into a fine villain, so consider this stone impressed.]


    ¡°Than cheers for me...¡± Vermillion sighed and adjusted her hair after her other hand regrew ever so slowly. Her clothes were in shambles, but it didn''t bother her too much.


    [Have you catered for them already, or... I know you are as sneaky as a fox! How have you managed this concept of heist if you want to keep your reputation after you give me back? Seriously... you are insane! And that is coming from my current appearance...]


    ¡°Wait it out. There are no problems there on my part because I know that things will get busy and not focused on me. Focus on what I''ve said. Old One!¡± she said firmly. ¡°My subjects will bear with my results, and so will my Kingdom. or the people close to me in the Surface. Why? I call it the politics but some call it planning.¡±


    [Yeah? Sure. Sounds confident like Death.] Ravine moaned and went with the flow. [It is here, isn''t it? Is it why you look like an impatience child for me? Just for a duck?]


    ¡°Never mind that. Are you put in an oath or some rules or what exactly are you on about? I thought this rock was supposed to be special.¡±


    [I don''t know what or why you know things you do, but I am not chained! Not this me. I just find this funny. I think a barter is more acceptable. What do you want?]


    ¡°I want arrangements, information, and agreement that you won''t joke about this. I spent this once-in-a-lifetime chance for this, so think about this from other perspectives than your stone-cold one,¡± She said coldly.


    [Hm... I will try, but if you want my empathy, find it in some flesh. So, you want my handling and flow? What do I get in return?]


    ¡°Anything you want.¡±


    Ravine paused his tones, finding this suspicious like her carefree and cold shrug. [Anything? That is... generous. Not every day do I get a time without those cursed rules. Do you know what Core Codex does on its own without this thing?]


    ¡°No clue besides the obvious answers that I heard from a few rumors. Chaos? Death?¡±


    [Lordis can''t override the overall storm of his construction, but with enough time, he will fix the mild problems for sure by outside influences. I doubt he even gets the degree of this creation at some points, so this is going to be a fine challenge for this Ruler. Perhaps he will find it bothersome because of it, or... what he did before will turn into a problem for him instead? What are your plans?]


    ¡°What had he done?¡± Vermillion asked seriously.


    [Just some little plays against the rules. No one knows about it as far as this little rock is concerned. He took the brain of the operation as me, even with hundreds more of them on sight. You took it out of his hands! That is hilarious! Good job by the way. It was a fine battle and you looked good doing it. Your Wheel is also gone... Shame.]


    ¡°Thank you. So? What had he done?¡± She said impatiently.


    [As I''ve said. Wants are various. I want something myself, you see, but I wonder if it can happen now or later, or if it is too soon.]


    ¡°That is what?¡± She grunted as Ravine played with her words. She expected this problem in one way or another, but with him in clarity, she had all the time to get some answers.


    [Won''t tell, hah!] Ravine chuckled.


    ¡°Tell or I will toss you right now...¡±


    Laugher stopped. [You wouldn''t dare that. Fine. I want some spare time to do something private.]


    ¡°Not on my watch. You can do something dangerous, so let me get the gist of it first. Not later.¡±


    [Ok.]


    Vermillion got a little suspicious since he agreed too easily, but she let it slide for her sake.


    ¡°Where to start with your workings?¡±


    [Not in the Void or Nowhere. Battleworld will do, or close to the... Divine Camp, or so you call it?]


    ¡°Not important.¡±


    [Names are important! I am called Ravine! Wanna spell it out to your little head?]


    ¡°Said a little speck of dust for a planet. And I am not a fox.¡±


    [Sure, little kitty. Sure. Now, you need me close to my former Authority to let me work like a granny knitting the edges of a sweater. I can do a lot on my own, even in your possession, but what you want depends on what you want and what I can do. Before that, I can''t guess your needs.]


    ¡°Can''t create miracles, however.¡± She sighed.


    [Miracles? Define that! And yes! I can''t. Depends on what you want to do with the Old One. State your business. I can disappoint you if it touches something nasty. Considering you made this move and it was... kind of absurd, I doubt your intellect. Old One is a tougher topic than you would ever get.]


    Vermillion didn''t find his words absurd. They were correct. ¡°Alright. Listen and let''s do it both ways. Helping each other out is an easy enough start.¡±


    [I am all screens. Oh... wait...] Ravine laughed like a depressed maniac and heard the plot that would crash and revolve around Murai to his core.


    ¡°I want to change his path going onwards give him a chance, and cause him to depend on me.¡±


    [Impossible. He is a private stake more than any Blessed. Him especially. Do you think I can touch anyone as if they are a puppet? Nah.... Not this Old One for sure. Sounds like a headache when I remember what those fools from the private sector made him through. I call it stupidity, but they called in a necessary touch to chain him down.]


    ¡°Oh? Blessed under Lordis are tough and secret. I know that, but why him? Chains... You can change the flow, however. A stake or flow, information, and knowledge go through you. Well, all I speak about is just a help along the way, which should be appreciated as an interesting start. Also, some things are bugging me. Like the unknown that is out of my reach. With you, that should be solved right away.¡±


    [Alter it a little, sure. But you are speaking of an insanity. He took a massive plunge.]


    She didn''t get what he meant by that. ¡°I will get the reason out of you, but for now, I have my idea about the Gate 3 that he is about to get. Ip''ur Mountain sounds like a good target for his journey through Levandis Temple.¡± Vermillion cut the chase.


    [.... uh?! Wait! Not so fast. You are speaking of the Hellscape in that insane and silly temple?]


    ¡°Old One''s adventure plunge. Yes. That one.¡±


    [Ip''ur... Who do you want him to meet? That sounds awful. Well, I can surely send Mindarch a world of words. That little guy listens to me like a puppy, but... Ip''ur? What are you thinking? Help? He might detest you out of his sheer spite. I would!] Ravine said suspiciously, knowing that location was kind of sensitive in some ideas that Vermillion knew or didn''t know. In fact, where had she heard it?


    Was it related to the interesting and unknown blackmailing he heard Ceila do to Levandis? What was it about the previous Epoch that was so sensitive to let the Ruler of Somalis Hell swallow her pride?


    ¡°Detest? I think he will appreciate it because I know him. It is barely something inconvenient or something that couldn''t come out of me holding your Codex.¡±


    [Says who? Err... Ip''ur, huh? Fine. Will do. Anyway, what needs altering in him? He is altered enough, so what do you want to gain out of it? His feathers? His stuffed body? His vast Chaos? His... pat on your back? Sorry, but what is there for you? I call it more than invalid because there shouldn''t be some good Fate in thrilling yourself onto that cursed spirit. Not as if I judge you, but yeah. I am judging you.]


    Said a stone weighing a fragment of a death star.


    ¡°Don''t get me wrong. I need the knowledge to gain full merit of this heist. For now, handling what he does isn''t all up to him, but I want to give him everything he could get. His power, soul, and other things are thrilling. That is kind of little in my head by now, so first, what are things I don''t know? How about Sternface? Where does Fate go with him in the way with Depth and the unknown factors of Fate that changed more than two years ago, and what is exactly Lordis''s idea over him? He is weirdly into beating that simple duckling, and now, it is slowly growing into something special regardless of it. Perhaps it is close to Murphy Law that I''ve heard about. Encounter and all, Lordis is the one Breaching the norm, isn''t he?¡±


    [Sure. Rulers can do that sort of thing with little work and me. Trust me on this when Old One is here. What Lordis do is for a reason that kind of shakes the spiritual realm and destiny itself.] Ravine said the truth that he previously proposed and ignored.


    ¡°That much, huh? Then let''s start with what is not under his... or better said, what happened with him in here? Anatidae and all, changing it better is a nice alteration, while I have something in specific for him later.¡±


    [Altering the Old One sounds promising to you, but not to me. Do you know how fucking miserable he is?! He is insane!] Ravine reckoned the overall picture, knowing that the truth was harsh. He will work on him as easily as Vermillion wanted, but he didn''t want to sound too cheap. He had no problem with handling something insane at all. He had done it numerous times already and knew many insane shocking news himself.


    ¡°Worse than what is your rock and your tries? You want something out of this rock and chance, so if it is something you desire, it shouldn''t be easy either. You have my full support if you are helpful. Let''s call it a basic trust between us as colleagues of this heist.¡±


    [Your... Oh! That is a nice premise. You speak as if you did half the job, but without me and my hidden help, you would be crying or looking at the river without any end. And I agree. My Core Codex can forge and work through quite a lot of workings. Handling an Old Fool is as easy as flipping a coin. Glad you have two hands back for it. Isn''t it easier with two? Anyway, if you will go to the Divine Faction, or at least closer to the castle, I can do so much more.]


    ¡°Bullshit. Your Core Codex should be a work of art and independence. You can work on it through the resonance with your main workings even above the Battleworld. The castle is just medium. Your core is the center of the planet. Some hiding spot in Depths should work the best for you, won''t it?¡±


    Ravine whistled and even the weird rock trembled. It was lifeless otherwise, with the voice coming all over it. [So you knew? What else do you know? How, even?! This is no fun when your secrets aren''t under my hands. Wait! What hands?] Ravine panicked and felt immense gratifying emotions that caused his rock to shudder and sway.


    ¡°Got a friend to back you up, and I kind of like secrets. They make godly weapons, and seeing you like this is blissful. Now! Old One,¡° she reminded him to go back on track and not be a handless fool. ¡°Altering. Start with what you kept out of the public. The kind that even Gods don''t get. I got some news myself by the way, but you don''t have to stop the flow or your words by little things. Speak freely as if you talking to a clueless child you think I am.¡±


    [Are you aware that since you took me out of the core, your attempts are weird like your choices to affect that duck?]


    ¡°Another partial lie. You can''t affect it much, since Boosts are gone as of now, but that isn''t my priority anyway. Why? Do you think some Boosts are everything? They aren''t. You are lying or being clueless. Old World is still there. Its premise will restart the flood of how things were. Old One could handle it like many others. The blessing of your Boosts grants a foundation to affect it. Some think of it as an endless supply of power or something close to being too much. It is hardly something incompressible for those knowing the grandeur of the universe. They can grow without this system. Anything can. It is just a tactic that changes things up.¡±


    [Sure. It is called natural selection. It weeds out idiots, but the universe and how this world works isn''t that simple. Lordis gave it this attention as well. He thought he created a validating response and creation. That it should solve something that wasn''t an issue. It was an idiotic idea at first until it worked. Oh, and it works wonderfully!]


    ¡°It sure does. For some. Or... to the benefit of the now who created it, because it can be forced and done in many ways. For some who are unfamiliar with it, it can be like a chain wrapped in glitter and gold. You can still handle the core and affect many things as if Will of the Battleworld is alive. If Lordis is clever, he will stop it all or alter it as you''ve said. Fearing that I would do something he can''t stop, he should prioritize his possessions and think I won''t be able to do much. I think he is correct, is that right?¡±


    [Yep. His workings are something that even my Core Codex can''t overthink. He is the Ruler after all.]


    ¡°Which is why I want you to crack it up a notch, while... I bet something worse is happening behind the scenes. You spoke of it. Hinted it. I get the flawed versions of flow. With your Core Codex, who takes those premises? Working with you will give me that edge. See things you know without any of your rumors or rules.¡±


    [You.. No! You know the creaks in these rules of mine?]


    ¡°A little what one would see through ages and times. Who do you think I am? I waited and bid for time for ages. So speak.¡±


    [Fine...] Ravine mumbled some curses about how certain Gods were arrogant, laughable, and childish, yet some were ridiculous and secretly finer than the finest of Everflowers. [It will be intense and wild, but let me tell you the story of an Old One. The one that wasn''t meant to live. The one that suffers for the sake of it. The one that shouldn''t have come here again...]


    Murai didn''t want this interest. He never asked for it. He wanted to be left out of the living itself. Others kept pursuing and giving him decisions and lives to solve. Now, it was no different, even if he was a spark in a world of much more heights and fun, overseen by those hoping to take advantage of everything.


    He was at fault, albeit it was no fault. It was an inevitability of that single sneeze.


    Vermillion earned her prize by listening to Ravine, getting information about secrets that moved this world and some individuals, which shook her more than her face could ever take. She started and accomplished something that never happened in the history of this world, which left Ravine being her tool for a greater truth.


    It wasn''t about Murai straight away, but it was a key that would close some gaps and create something completely new.


    Vermillion fucked up.


    She never intended or knew the greater truths of what was happening.


    She was naive.


    Stopping Ravine from existing in the consensus of Boosts and readings was enough of a distraction. Soon enough, Divine Camp will halt its acts, turning the world above it into a frenzy, Gods included.


    Any living being will be affected. Vermillion included, directly or indirectly.


    And for what? Because she wanted to stir trouble and Murai would help her, or she would help him? Calling it greed multiplied by stupidity was far too fitting, but Ravine wasn''t complaining in the slightest. Chained and full of rules under Lordis, this was a chance for his Authority to do something he couldn''t. It would never happen again, so he would gladly take advantage of this fervent and naive God who thought of being way too savage about something that might bite her back.


    The gamble paid off and Vermillion might not dread the consequences for now, but it was just a guess. Ravine was sure that her position would change for the worse, her subjects would suffer, and her Kingdom would go through some changes.


    Ravine had his stakes and desires to create, yet he knew that Vermillion hadn''t committed any crimes.


    Gods made no crimes. They made blunders with repercussions that were up to them to solve. It might be a mistake that would piss those who didn''t want to be pissed off most times. This one was about a certain Ruler, who wasn''t taking things for something small, which Ravine knew, but hadn''t feared in his life.


    With an unexpected turn happening because of many unlisted and gratifying rules or Breaches, Murai was the unwilling target of some hidden interest that took years to blossom. Murai didn''t know about him, them, or her.


    He won''t get it all for a long time, even when his Fate might change and shift under this world itself.


    Now, Vermillion learned the truth.


    Murai was no hope.

 Chapter 172: Aftermath

    Levandis Temple stood the same as ever, enduring the wind, a place in earth that kept its secrets for longer than present Gods, and changing tides devoid of logic or far too clear flow. Even after the happenings before the entrance startled its Ruler or the workings of beings that mortals couldn''t even fathom changed some things, it had its place in the current reality.


    All of that went out of the eyes and out of the mind of most beings, for they did not matter.


    Even when the earth shook, earthquakes resounded throughout the entire world, and a flood of workings and rules ceased to exist, the world kept its shape like in the Old World.


    But not the most minds. They saw and felt it more than this world itself.


    Down below the Death Valley, the Fate was steadily keeping its pace. The Gate of Suffering, Islands of Greatness, or those even lower were all intense and wild without any interruptions. There were only a pair of Surface-level Challengers in there, obvious to two dots in some pillars, while the playful Hell Party had none. Even Ceila with her divine party hadn''t gotten some official business. She was an invader through and through.


    The majority of beings going through the Gates were demons and even some undead that had their souls, or instincts set ablaze. They were challenging factors of this temple and their continuous journey was as arduous as theirs. Then, various troops in training and punishments created cycles where there was a neverending flow of Challengers and challenges.


    Mindarch provided these services regardless of the chaos that went through the core of this world. Hell Haven under Levandis created enough numbers and Chaos, so even other Hells wanted her piece of bliss, which often became a pain. Some Lords would force her to accept their troops for parties or trials and let them grow out of nothing but some little exchange. In a sense, this was exactly what Lordis did with this place, making it an open, albeit time-gated dungeon.


    Through such an ordeal devoid of Surface, this location will always be in a constant shift and surge of inner demons, devils, and military endangering the Surface. It will flood out. Always.


    Rules of strong and weak were an excellent way to grow, which Levandis held not because of her power, but workings through Mindarch and Ravine. Well, only one was the true part of this place. The other ensured the flow of power to the entire world, giving rise to Boosts and ripening in numerous forms. At least for as long as he wanted it or could allow its existence.


    Hell Haven was in a position to get by just fine without him. Most places should, but not the living beings. Some won''t be happy, but certain roots and gears had to remain stable when politics or settings limited most Gods. Ravine was far too important. Thus, having a clear vision and stable structural flow was important. Most Hells were taking that kind of idea for their nature, hindering the Sky from their dwellings and being kind of independent. Only then can Hell keep existing.


    So far as Levandis''s position and worth went, Surface and Sky knew that Hells were inevitable existences and realms filled with their own rules.


    For Surface-level Challengers, it meant something completely new and distinct from the Surface, so most dungeons fell short of Hells. But was an invasion to Hell simple, or were the wars across all those sides fine? Everyone wanted riches and hoped for more riches. It didn''t matter when one viewed the Divides or people.


    There was nothing wrong with anything when Hells always did the same thing to the Surface, and vice-versa. It was ensuring fairness and rules.


    Mindarch had limited authority over the means of what Ravine could grant, but he was the soul of this temple, so there were some unique rules and stakes involved. For example, he didn''t care if Boosts ceased to exist. Nothing will replace Mindarch, though something widespread like that could surely influence unlikely scenarios and cause mayhem for people. Not for him. Not for Gods. This hindrance was for people to see and met with shock.


    When the trembling from the world''s core spread around the world, many things changed and many beings shifted. Few understood what went on, what happened, or what changed. Most feared the end of the world arrived.


    Until it went back to normal in a few minutes depending on the location.


    Alas, the true consequences had yet to hit everyone. Caused by the repercussions of a single clever and insane God, insane reality will soon spread and start, for an important flow could no longer process the data.


    The insanity that was the constant shift of power and Boosts secured the landscape and many powers. It also gave politics and countless beings a shroud of hope or problems. Halting it meant stopping feeding the hunger itself.


    And the hunger could bite back or self-destruct if it no longer had its meals.


    Murai, who successfully endured the last problems of the Islands of Greatness, was blissfully unaware of what occurred after getting his long-awaited Boost before they ceased. Frankly, he wasn''t even aware it stopped.


    He wasn''t alone in his path through the temple either, nor was he the most dependable soul on some cheap Boosts. He shouldn''t care for them if Lisa was entirely convinced, though it was also adhering to some problems and rules about this world.


    Murai simply decided to make them his priority because he could. So far in, Gate 1 and 2 had rather questionable heights, but undeniable lows that made him suffer and cheer. Some of that was almost negligible for his needs, whereas some heights overshadowed the lows. Most of his thinking was unnecessary. Most lows were an outlet for his soul and complaints, which changed him and gave him the taste of a unique life.


    He was getting used to it, albeit slowly. One of many sources of good news was his progression that arrived after days of training and killing without any Boosts in sight. He didn''t hate that sudden power shift. Unfortunately, some things with the recent Boosts made his mind confused and soul doubtful. Just how much has he handled this meal without his payment or awareness?


    Just how much should he trust something that went beyond the common sense of the Surface? He saw and noticed many strange bits, though he never took them for something terrible because he wasn''t taking power lightly. It gave things. That was undeniable, but what if it could do so much more? Perhaps it wasn''t a worthy and deserved dessert after enduring a difficult trial.


    Murai was kind of glad that there was something. Albeit cheap, it helped him steady his progression''s stagnant, wrong, and creeping heights. He was used to being dependent on himself. That changed for the better or worse after the Golden Room crashed his expectations, gifting him what one might consider primary aspects of every Blessed, but it was wrong.


    Boost was something that might help or become a pain. It was just growth and change, and dependence on it could leave the limits or leave one depressed because the next steps might be impossible to overtake. There were supposed limits to what one''s flesh, body, and Boosts could go. Species and races were included and as far as Lisa saw that, Murai was strange. Mindarch and Will of the Battleworld said it the best. There was much more to what Murai could become, which became a pain for Lisa.


    Blessed were lofty individuals of this world¡ªand Ravine ¡ªalways took them for something strange and special. Having a second chance in life was as unnatural as any living could get. In this world, they had privileges like none. Those were faster learning processes, elevated ceilings to many powers, better admission of talents, brighter Boosts that were borderline cheats, and memories that often changed everything.


    Murai couldn''t wait for his newly evolved abilities to show their fangs. He liked this simplicity, even if he could be better, or different.


    However, he had one worry. The shift from Mana Shaping to Heavenly Shaping changed his foundation like a curse. It felt worse because it was forced, yet it was his choice, so who was he to blame? At least it seemed he didn''t have to change his foundation over time. His Heavenly Shaping was good for a long time if not for this entire life.


    At first glance, it didn''t hinder his Core Defying Fusion technique or change his core. A foundation for his magic shifted, however. It meant he had to re-learn the basics for all of his spells. Mana abilities were kind of different. Mana Sonar didn''t seem to be all that different. It still took mana out of his mana space, so with effort and connection, his soul did the rest.


    Oblivious to the changes in the outside world, the shift in the core of this planet, or the existence of the Divine Spheres, Murai was clueless about what was brewing below and far away.


    Knowing it would give him a headache, but for now, nothing happened besides massive trembles that shook him as he walked towards the next Gate.


    ¡°What was that tremble? Someone farted?¡± Murai joked to Lisa, who seemed confused and weirdly wincing in the air, glancing around or up. Lorry was the same as her, flaring his Soul Flames around, but not moving an itch since he floated and had not much physical strength.


    The trembling went on for a while, but they were mild before disappearing and letting the temple reclaim its peace. It was a powerful earthquake if it was able to shake these sorts of Depths, but not a massive one that would crush the world apart.


    Most places under the Surface survived worse things than an earthquake or the core''s trembling because some insane God fought inside of it.


    ¡°Be my guess,¡± Lisa shrugged her arms. ¡°Might be this place?¡±


    ¡°Lorry has no clue,¡± the talking skull said after a dramatic pause. ¡°Could be an anger of Lorry''s Lady. Lady often takes... weird approaches. Perhaps Lady has awoken?¡±


    Murai felt the ground and the temple didn''t change. But something about it was odd. It was his hunch again, lingering, and showing its effects. He felt suspicion until he remembered his stakes.


    With his shopping and Boosts behind, getting stronger and more familiar with his powers meant some earthquake should remain an earthquake. Like with the start of Gate 2, he hoped Gate 3 wouldn''t be too bad. Lisa already hyped him about it, while his plans were long undergoing some interest in his soul.


    He had a lot of things to do, including deciding on his mental magic swordsmanship, figuring Heavenly Shaping with it, and seeing more about his flesh. Peak Layering was an intriguing technique like Blitz.


    Before all of that, it surprised him how well he adjusted to his changes and trials in Gate 2. Especially that Last Island was silly at best, even if it gave him numerous headaches. When he reconsidered it, wasn''t just that damned copy golem challenging, if not broken? Before that one, there were some challenges in almost every duel in the Ending Isles. But he got stronger through struggles and changes. Now he should be more than comfortable around low to mid-level 40s, as long as their Class and power weren''t excessive. Against potent fools of rich Bloodlines, he will still struggle but won''t suffer.


    The incoming Gate had no stoppage to Boosts according to what he heard. He was clueless, his pockets were heavy in treasures, his hood was on, and his Artificial Core had more essences to get.


    He was happy like any Child Panacea should be in his spot, albeit none would have any of his proportions. At least not under his circumstances and age.


    It was essential to be satisfied with what one had under very challenging times, yet Murai would disagree. Power was dear to his heart in every life, allowing him to shift from the misery and suffering of his cycling lives.


    This one was very vivid, as it was changing his outlook after a couple of days of back-to-back fights against strong foes. It might be caused by this place or his uniqueness, or just because he lived for less than a month away from his egg. He started to enjoy himself and this strange life.


    Anatidaes were nasty little creatures. He got that idea out of Mindarch, Manager Kil, and bits of what Lisa said weren''t shabby too. It went hand in hand with his physical senses.


    He was a monster now! An utter savage monstrous beast that crashed a few beasts with Divine Beasts Bloodline in the Ending Isles alone.


    He deserved some confidence, while his magic and abilities moved up a notch.


    Whilst there were few dull lives that he rather hoped to forget, the ones filled with great heights, weight, and hardness were more to his tastes. Some suffering and misery could mix into it for sure, for it was correct to expect the inevitable.


    What if everything was as easy and digestible as taking weak essence to a core? Everything would be dull and lazy.


    Was Murai lazy? Dull? Did he complain and hate all sorts of things? He did so almost shamelessly.


    The right pace and mind allow one''s mind to overcome some limits as long as they matter. It was what growth was all about, or an outlook arriving at the correct lines of Fate before turning to presence as a chance.


    This life, destination, and hopes he had were creeping onto one another, giving rise to numerous ideas inside his soul.


    It was tough to change and give him a good position. Hopefully, no misery will come out of it later.


    Murai was slowly turning to a new leaf, expecting this life to not be that bad after all. That was usually a longer process than a year or some months. He was aware of how time went hand in hand with power, which made this life even stranger.


    The flow of time was unchangeable and firm. Every life was prone to it like a sunflower aiming for the sun. Changes that came out of time or Fate were still possible. Well, one of them was ridiculous.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    This living was no different, as some things were changing it. He and Lisa. Surroundings too, or this world itself was something that allowed all of the above?


    He wasn''t entirely sure who he should believe or what was trustworthy. He often wasn''t sure about his own memories. They weren''t unreliable. Just chaotic and filled with regrets, questionable times, and lost hopes that overshadowed greater times.


    Sometimes, he wondered what the end of this life as a duck would be like, or the end of it all. It was wishful thinking that he was far too used to.


    For now, he trusted Lisa''s temperament and ideas, and some questionable hopes of her advances were redundant. Her idea about this temple was a great fortune, giving him much more in return than Lisa privately hoped for. It surpassed her expectations by many folds, but it was away from Murai''s head.


    Now he understood why she took that as her judgment, which was strange, considering he let her do that to him at a time when he doubted her. Alone in the Seventh Death Forest, hunted and pressured, he trusted her with his life.


    Perhaps the circumstances back then mattered more than some trust or words, even if they weren''t even that long ago. He let it slide or had he no choice but to accept his End?


    It felt like months ago, even when less than five days had passed. Or was it the way Lisa started to act that startled him? She was less numb and brief with her explanations and often opted to give exposition and answers when she deemed it worth it, or when she wanted something from him.


    Perhaps she was turning to a new leaf like he did, but why? Well, she was still hindering many fitting words from going out of her mind. Murai was sure of it, yet she offered him her answers at the very end of Gate 2.


    For now, he had enough to see her promise like essences. Golden Room delivered its worth. Essences, potions, and vitality treasures gave his arsenal a much better feeling. It was no longer about his belongings that was his body alone, but outer ones!


    He was no longer a poor little duckling with nothing to his name. Amelius Hoodie was the best example of that, similar to the pouch in his pocket that Lisa took care of. Inside were plenty of treasures, while she kept the rest in her ring.


    The best additions were still the Boosts. He couldn''t refute that in the slightest. The second issue was the numerous essences that will never stop being precious to him. Having them stored¡ªeven if they were artificial or natural¡ªwas great, but what was great about that when his Essence Gem was full right now?


    He planned to use essences from there to spare its space after getting his footing in the Gate 3. For now, he wanted to hoard and get as many of them as possible since his little made-up core was bottomless. Better time was around the corner, Lisa promised him.


    The rest of the loot and treasure wasn''t that great. The majority of things were left in Lisa''s possession, including all Artifacts. He considered them to be fine examples of some craftsmanship that should be worth some wealth. They also gave some context on what level this world was living at. Some worlds or parts of the universe adhered to some systematic approaches to wealth and power, while citizenships, tiers, or spectrums bore endless Sectors.


    The tiers of the worlds and planets were diverse as one would expect from a vast universe, similar to mana itself. The peak of possibilities was often what mattered for the level of a planet''s scale and expansive potential. In this case, it should be about godhood, or... something else. Murai wasn''t sure for the time being, similar to what the true heights of this world were like.


    He couldn''t spend all of his points on essences alone. Lorry didn''t allow it. There were purchasing limits even for lower grades, albeit very lax. If it hadn''t been for Lisa''s idea and persuasion to take a lot of healing and various magical potions, he wouldn''t have taken them.


    Murai decided to store immediate helpful items in his pouch that he kept in his pocket. Those were all of his stored essences, potions, and treasures under a body-altering category that might be useful even for a duck. He got various magical fruits that Golden Room had, but he hoped he wouldn''t use them. Lisa said he should take them anyway, saying that he would need them. Thankfully, he had a lot of points left even after his essence shopping spree.


    Throughout Gate 2, even those inferior Mana Potions went occasionally down his throat when he wasn''t willing to rest between some Islands. Their quality¡ªno matter how poor¡ªboosted already enchanted Mana Replenishment, giving his mana space significant recovery and less calmness.


    At low quality, their main effect was letting mana into the core for Shapers, or letting mana guide the flesh of Handlers. In less likely scenarios, using them to ease the negative effect of Overdrafts was also possible. Unfortunately, it didn''t help much against the intensity of the enchanted Replenishment.


    Just a little bit, but it helped.


    Rejuvenation Potion was out of stock, so he got dozens of them for dirt cheap, while also taking a pair of Life Potions, which was an upper tier of vitality-enhancing potions above Rejuvenation Potion. He wouldn''t get too tired because of them, or too wounded.


    Mana wasn''t the issue in most cases unless he met some nasty tests that Mindarch sent him. The stamina was a problem if he was far too intense in his Shaping and lacking time, so Murai took some better Mana Potion too.


    In case of hunger, Rejuvenation Potions worked as a great mending shot to his adrenaline and stomach. But he still had his source of hunted food, thanks to his unhinged desire to eat the foes when he was hungry. That was usually impossible for most Challengers, and it was a small reason he was that quick and successful in Gate 2. Most wouldn''t eat their enemies in the slightest. The effects of the essence-gathering location were intense and almost corrupting, while the loss of essences was undesirable.


    Food was like a shot of adrenaline towards his insanity, allowing him to focus so he didn''t care for his appetite afterward. It was a primal urge he was kind of neglecting by thinking of it as normal. Murai knew it fairly well.


    This life took this approach far since his stomach was gluttonous like his little cores, yet his desire to eat was similar to his desire to grow. Having more strength was doing that to him, so having his potions refilled was one way to get ready for what was to come.


    Most of it went out of Lisa''s suggestions. The secondary stuff was their effectiveness. The more lasting the potion became, the higher its efficiency.


    That was one of the basis of alchemy not only in this world. It was an unchanging effect of nature and works of art in mana and universe. Iris showed him that in his week of insane healing, and since it all partake in the flow of the River of Manaflow, he instructed her in a thing or two.


    It was a long ago, and Murai appreciated the sentiment and desire for the weak to learn. Even when the said person had some knack and connection to a God who wanted something ridiculous out of him, he didn''t care.


    Iris wasn''t Vermillion. That was the end of his worries.


    With everything ready, Murai pointed his wing to the door. ¡°Let''s go then.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Lorry said, turning a switchboard back to normal and letting all shelves and treasure disappear under formation and physical-based locks.


    The luscious and rich aura and treasures disappeared as if they weren''t here at all, leaving the room dim as if thieves arrived. All the gems and coins of all kinds weren''t important, although some of them ended up in Lisa''s ring. They were a financial value that validated the exchange rate from the Surface to this place, serving as plundered wealth around the Surface or other Hells.


    It wasn''t important to Murai at all, nor were some books or tomes with various techniques. Some of them might have been great at some ideas, but now? He had plenty of what to focus on.


    The majority of tomes were precious in some specific Paths or options. Murai held too specific circumstances to use them outright, or at all.


    Right. If he were a human, he would view it differently. What his species could handle? What Pathway? What Path? What swordsmanship was fitting under him? It sounded like a big deal, so he wasn''t sure where to start. He wasn''t even sure how far his magic would go, how specialized his body and magic could become, what his limitations were, or how Boost could influence it like his own choices


    So far, he felt many thoughts.


    Anything to do with Shardblades sounded fun, yet a Path was supposed to signify a person''s future and hopes. It should follow an ideology, while this world had¡ªsupposedly¡ªvery strange interactions towards Paths because of Levels and various power systems.


    It was at least how Lisa described it to him in the past days, as he was a Blessed relying on them rather than someone haughty and desolate like many people who opposed it. Those wouldn''t be weak. They might be more impressive because they would be self-reliant on their own power and choices.


    Thus, Murai may as well call his choice a Path of Anatidae for the time being, though it didn''t exist and he didn''t like the name. It wasn''t anything official, he bet. Would that be under the Pathway of Beast? If that''s so... imaging crazy ducks as a Path was ridiculous. He forgot about names or Paths quite quickly.


    He believed the Core Defying Fusion Technique served as his priority well enough. It would work substantially smoother without the shackles that were his current species or issues he wasn''t aware of. It wasn''t only that, unfortunately. As an Anatidae, he had to consider other things that Pillage and Heavenly Shaping portrayed, or Mindarch briefly described. The aspects Murai learned in the past day will be substantial.


    He had yet to train in these principles, but that was about to change in the upcoming Gate.


    Circumstances and things were far too out of his way, so how about some weapons instead? Many mages had mandatory needs for them, for obvious reasons and benefits. Magical staff¡ªcondensed with materials and source mana¡ªmended well with one''s Path as a nice Catalyst to empower one magic.


    It worked the same for Shapers and Handlers, although only one of them was very dependent on them.


    Shapers held near-endless magic as long as their internals could take care of it, whereas Handlers only hoped their bodies could handle the mana flow.


    Amplified magic was always important in almost all circumstances. Not having them led to shortcomings against those who had them. Mages were the kind of people who took the idea of advantages well into their hearts because most of them were smart and capable figures.


    Murai was one of them, but at the same time, he was so far out of that sight, that he couldn''t think of himself as a mage.


    Mage duck had a certain sound to it, but Lisa would laugh at him for such an idea. Lorry would be the same. He couldn''t take Catalyst for much more than treasures for selling.


    Well, perhaps he could think of his hoodie as Catalyst. Amelius did talk about it as if it were a potent piece of equipment. At least Lisa believed it to be that. If activated, of course. It wasn''t and it seemed it won''t be simple from that talk a while ago.


    Murai wasn''t sure how to activate it on his own, because he hadn''t gotten any readings about it whatsoever. Will of the Batleworld and Mindarch kept it out of the way, disguised by excuses or other problems.


    But Murai could try touching it himself because it was entirely possible to do it against the will of this world. He just didn''t know how much of it was a Breach or a Taboo, or if it had some nasty consequences. There were many ways how the equipment worked, even if they were inactive by the rules of this world.


    So far, Amelius refused to do something worse and kept Murai''s hoodie inactive.


    Equipment had physical structure, so touching their workings or affecting them by becoming their master wasn''t a prohibited action. No rules would stop that possibility, but the acknowledged equipment was much more appropriate. It was a blessing towards the equipment after all, and without it, the core item still remained. In swords or armor, it was simple. In magical equipment, it was a tad bit worse.


    Going against the norm was possible, even if it was prohibited in some continents or nations, hiding under some Taboos¡ªdepicting ideas that must not happen¡ªand Breaches, which were ideas that shouldn''t happen but happen anyway.


    Equipment and many Artifacts had their internals, runes, and other things that should validate their quality and workings. They just needed a final rush of readings that would change it officially, turning it into an authorized business to their bearers. Without it, it was just an unofficial hot item, which many would kill for, if these items were extremely potent, certain in some Taboos, or Breached protocols. In those cases, it depended on who was the one seeking them, or making them.


    For Murai, he wondered if his hoodie was that. Amelius mentioned he could try and do whatever he could with it, so he might as well do that.


    None of his equipment or Artifacts went through any readings, apart from brief ideas of his spatial storages. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had other things, so what was their deal? Well, Lisa said it to Murai rather simply.


    When one thought of limiting the space itself or a simple cave-like method of storing things in separate spaces, their use was unanimously fine and hard to stop. Simply put, some equipment pieces were unlocked for anyone who found them. For a better example, Pachi''s Gift went with the accepting protocol and he unlocked it himself as its first user. Back then, the creation protocol went through some Extreme mages under Pachi''s influence. It surely got its readings upon creation, but it got another one under its first and only user.


    So what about that sword, belt, and that runic thing? Could he use them without any trouble, even if they were unlocked or locked? Well, there seemed to be a limitation in dropable and usable loot that one could get out of certain Dungeons, vaults, or circumstances. One could always try to use them, and some changes or readings were appropriate to get out of any loot from Dungeons. No matter the lock or protocols, some things were always owed to a new owner.


    Overall, Murai felt that these equipment and Artifacts rules were kind of lackluster. One should use them still, so he didn''t feel that Lisa was making herself clear. She didn''t because of him.


    It was true that the official statement and readings from Will of the Battleworld turned unofficial equipment to a new level. It could change in some way like a small blessing and turn it better than it was. It could follow a person and change it according to levels, magic, or one''s abilities. It was a good system as long as one followed its processes. If one didn''t and was a haughty loner like some Taboo Makers, one could be seen as a sinner, thief, or someone unfit for this world. There were a ton of them because power was suitable to go uninterrupted.


    Murai wasn''t willing to see that truth, but he was also willing to make us of everything he could. Even with his hoodie on, he hoped it would change one day.


    At least Lisa spoke the truth, whereas Murai had his thoughts about limitations akin to excuses. Was it a Path-based or race-based issue? If so, this duck was a curse.


    Spatial equipment wasn''t important in these questionable rules. Artifacts were a bigger deal, as their effects mostly involved those accepted readings, even if one got an unlocked piece. One generally can''t get the most out of them without proper knowledge, and readings would help one see what one has. Most equipment was fine to use without this approval, albeit some finer pieces always needed some outer touch.


    Murai didn''t like these complicated contradictions that reeked of existing rules that interfered with treasures that people made for a reason. Locking them seemed like a nuisance.


    Lisa hadn''t heard a single peep out of that armor from 93rd Island either, so she wondered what it was about. That upset her mind alone, similar to how Murai''s hoodie looked like. Nothing about it helped to ease her mind. She hoped some readings would. They didn''t.


    Murai expected nothing, so he didn''t end up disappointed. His hood had some effects for sure, obvious to its runic structure and that weird little flat gem on his chest.


    Perhaps its use was better than any Catalyst since Amaliues spoke of it as an insane treasure worth for Anatidaes. Lisa appeared somewhat shocked when she saw him, and he noticed she watched him ever since like a fool.


    A clothed duck was a silly idea after all.


    It was a gift, so Murai didn''t look too far into it. But he could. Perhaps then, equipment will change his mind.


    For now, Murai had no opinions about it besides neat style and comfort. It made him appear less like a duck, so he appreciated it.


    Lorry turned his skull to the entrance, away from the Golden Room. Gate 3 was a perfect time for his desired action while observing Murai and Lisa walk in a place of intensity wasn''t his problem.


    Gate 3 had certain privileges and terms for Guides, and he couldn''t wait to use and see them. Murai proved himself and his talent, so perhaps what will happen in the next Gate won''t be that different from others.


    It all depended on a certain level of randomness and pursuing strategy. And Lorry was sure that Lisa planned something big. That stern, ghostly, yet fairy-looking and menacing ghost had many ideas. Then, the right Challenger was there, seeing a choice that would change the outcome.


    Usually. This time, Lorry had no doubts that some things were about to change, but he didn''t know what or how.


    There was a certain mission ahead, filled with no apparent foes, or waves to crush. At least on the surface of Lorry''s words, Lisa knew better than to trust that skull or this place. One may as well not fight at all; that was a fact. Nothing would be wrong with it if that place allowed that.


    Lorry said fewer things about it. Lisa was doing the same thing so far, waiting until Mindarch would speak about it further at Gate 3.


    Murai hopped happily out of the table and got out of the room. Ending up in the same dark tunnel, he watched the light at the end and felt a slight breeze. There was some lingering smell as well. An intense flood of something mildly wild. His senses and something else got higher, but he wasn''t sure what he was feeling, or how. His soul was in weird shambles or was he too tensed up after his foundation and Boost changed him? Was that mana that he felt from that tunnel? It was crisper than usual.


    Lorry floated ahead first, laughing for no reason, and watching the light at the end of the tunnel.


    Murai followed Lorry''s flying pace right beside Lisa, who was silent and tensed up. He didn''t tell anything to her, nor did she to him. A simple tunnel had a simple premise to get going.


    Walking forth and squinting his eyes, Murai was momentarily lost in the bright light of a new world as he stepped into the entrance.

 Chapter 173: Hellscape

    Murai couldn''t see a thing for a couple of seconds.


    Adjusting his eyes, he soon viewed the sight beyond this tunnel. It was a phenomenal view in elevation similar to the cliff at the start of Gate 2.


    Here, there were no Islands, nor a large amount of water. He saw a narrow platform set into yet another cave''s flank, surrounded by castle walls that weren''t notable yet. He was on some sort of watchtower with walls barely his height at the front. It was an observatory with a tunnel going into the cave behind him. Ground was smooth and made of carved blocks of grey stone. Then, he glanced beyond this observatory; a brand new realm was all for his eyes to see.


    The Surface was full of such scenery, but not the Depths that depicted underground places, all kinds of Dungeons, weird dwellings, cave systems, and who knew what else. Depths were vaster than the sight Murai was looking at, yet resembling many wonders of this world.


    Similar to what he had seen, Gate 3 was a humongous cave that had a much better look, appearance, and validity than its size. It was no longer sporadic in its meaning or purpose like hundreds of pillars protruding from water.


    This one was a literal realm, albeit stretched into far distances, gutted into the physical rocks kilometers beneath Death Valley. Longer than the eyes could see from this place, the width was a dozen kilometers wide, and various at some portion, similar to the height that was also enormous. At the start where Murai was, the ceiling was at least five kilometers tall, but it changed many times toward the horizon.


    There was an atmosphere here, filling the ceiling with clouds, and occasional rain dropped from there too. There were also some bright objects on the ceiling, but for now, Murai wasn''t paying them much attention.


    Down bellow, the ground itself was incredibly versatile and vaster from this elevation than it seemed. For a literal underground cave, Murai almost opened his beak in surprise.


    The stretching ground was mostly flat under this tall observation deck for quite a few kilometers. Why? There was a castle beneath it as well as a city. Beyond that were many mountains, hills, cities, buildings, and so on. The cave looked weirdly convincing to be a natural realm, but someone created this place.


    It wasn''t as obvious, however. This place''s sheer length and size were way out of the normal proportions, but the signs were there. Mostly the waypoints and cave walls looked as if someone dug them out. Still, most would believe that some natural phenomena caused or created this sort of cave. Not Gods.


    In large worlds, natural disasters had many faces, ranging from mild to the kinds that would eradicate any live forms, or turn the planet into lifeless rock. Earthquakes could shift tectonic layers, creating mazes and gaps in crust and caves, massive windstorms would turn the earth upside down in shredding cyclons, while floods could wipe mountains from the planet, let alone some cities.


    Murai thought this wasn''t the case, or were Gods considered natural disasters? Or was this... something else? This place looked far better than a random strike of nature. A bright light came from the ceilings that held the sources of light and heat. Murai had to adjust his sight against it, winking and shaking his head to take a better look up.


    Smooth rocky surfaces were the walls above, and the ceiling stretched in the same patterns as the ground below, but it was much more even, albeit cracks and holes were in many spots, leaking water or air inside. Light came from the bright crystals looking like round light. They were humongous, acting and looking like a sun, and surrounding them were many smaller crystals that grew around them.


    Murai couldn''t guess how someone with a right mind would make this. Perhaps only some bored God within the Pathway of Earth would use their boredom to create such an underground cave system. Or was this the power of slavery? He knew some races capable of creating this place with enough numbers, but what this place needed was more than such work.


    Everything needed time to create things, and for them to matter or work, taking care of surroundings or proper structure was even more important. There was some neat order to the entire picture he was seeking. Some locations had keen aesthetics, looking like rich plains with trees, bushes, and thick forests. Far away, some small towns or villages looked tiny and unlike what was below.


    There was a city stretching from this section of a wall, filled with detailed and well-established architecture, and the variety on the land was impressive and large for a cave.


    This was a true realm. A brief look into the way of the Hell Havens without being the Hell itself.


    Few would dare to take such places for something feasible. Not even some dwarven races, dragons with their lofty wealth, or earthers, who were facing extinction so they often hid underground.


    Murai ended up walking from the tunnel and stood on a large tall pillar with smoothly developed caste walls. Beside him were the stairs leading to the lower levels of the entrance to Gate 3, cascading and spiraling down to other pillars. From there, one would see what was below. There was a rich castle driven into the cave, acting as an important place. The city was also there, but it wasn''t part of this castle.


    The castle itself was nearly a kilometer tall and wide, with a multitude of smaller buildings that looked like barracks, cottages, or small mansions in this section of a cave. Only the castle was etched into the red and brown looking cave wall, while its walls were mostly soft and light-looking limestone.


    Pillars rose high above, depicting thick sizable towers, observation decks, and who knew what else. Some thought it held meaning to reach the nonexistent sky.


    The one Murai ended up on was the highest peak, overlooking most of this Gate as a nice first impression.


    Some would love this; others would piss themselves. Rarely, some would lose the feelings in their legs after seeing such places existed, since there was a living civilization in millions. That was Gate 3, Hellscape.


    Gate 1 was laughable in comparison. Gate 2''s Islands of Greatness was a bit better, but its structure was stable yet dull. Perpetual bridges and pillars with arenas on top of them were all to that place.


    Here? Murai gaped with his eyes and even his beak opened as if he wanted to argue about something. At least in the close range of his vision¡ªright after he jumped into the frontal wall¡ªhe saw a bustling city around the castle, thousands of buildings made streets and clear districts full of creatures, people, races, and beasts or demons of all kinds.


    The castle itself was light in color, unlike the city or the military barracks below. Built to last and act as a stable and pivotal role in this place, it was never under any siege. No one would dare to think of that. Its symbol was far too high.


    Far beyond the starting city, roads stretched alongside rarer buildings. Beyond them, dozens of kilometers further were trees and jungle as far as one could see, occasional planes, and rocky hills until mountains and rough terrain spread next. There was mostly fog, rain, and glistering light above and around the jungle, obscuring the further view.


    This place had its ecosystem made up of imaginative premises and old works of world creation, or reclamation. This one had its history spanning at least a few millennia, but it was much older than that. Murai was far too old to not understand that. A life would always find a way to survive even in the harshest of conditions. If enough resources went into the creation of stability, growth, nature, Laws, and mana, life flourished.


    Day and night cycles were also important; so were warmth, water, and oxygen. Those were important for life to flourish, but not for power to rise. Power was merely an aftereffect of life that could stop, so without the power to gather life itself, the universe would be a dead zone.


    High in the ceiling, quite far but not beyond the jungle, a massive glowing sphere made up the sun for this area of the cave, giving light to this city and castle. It wasn''t hot or wild in mana, brightness, or light. It did what it should: allowing this place to flourish and cycle.


    Surrounded by the bright crystals or gems, the sun dwarfed them all in mass and light. Its milder glow indicated it was the middle of the day.


    The night was easy to spot. There would be suffocating darkness with its dullness and dreadful fog around, changing the aura of the entire cave.


    However, it wouldn''t be much of a problem. Artificial Suns would never disappear, but fog and dense darkness shrouded them at night, turning this cave into a dangerous time. Many cliffs and shelters, and occasional mountains and caves provided a constant dark environment. Being underground ensured that idea, so some lack of light wasn''t the end of life. One could always find it. This place had a lot of it.


    There wasn''t just a single sun that stretched around the ceiling. Many others were ahead, giving distinct areas of this Gate a much-needed touch of light and life.


    Murai liked it straight away because it looked like a paradise! His


    new paradise. No one will stop his incoming ideas and time.


    ¡°Welcomed to the Hellscape, Murai, Challenger of this temple.¡± Lorry introduced this place, speaking proudly, and floating right beside Murai''s face.


    Murai was a bit lost over this big picture. Even his eyes and senses went over this whole sight numerous times, processing everything for some reason. He looked down to the city, observing the demonic nature of this Gate that seemed far too orderly and nice.


    He didn''t know why he stared. It looked like the best city that he had seen in this life. It was stable and clever, with distinct streets and population. He had seen much vaster and more impressive landscapes and lands across the universe, yet this duck found it impressive.


    This thing would have been passable at best for his past self.


    The whole sight went through his calculation in his mind. Size, length, and differences in aptitude and land entered his mind. From this section of the cave, the width of Hellscape was at least ten kilometers at the start, but it was widening slowly, or sharply, before twisting, changing, turning, or shrinking.


    There were irregular sights everywhere, ranging from caverns, valleys, mountains, and even rivers. There were sources of water that raged from some parts of the ceiling or walls, creating a source of water for plants and vegetation that wasn''t lacking in the slightest. Oxygen and the atmosphere existed because of them, while the flow of mana was nearly endless in any form. Murai noticed it too, similar to the push of wind that acted like mana in this place. It was a bit wilder.


    Overall¡ªafter his calculations and sight¡ªeverything turned this place into many weird sections under his careful gaze. Almost like a chessboard put into some consideration.


    He couldn''t imagine how long this place was in the slightest, or how vast it truly was from the ground up. Too many things obscured his physical eyes. He wasn''t even looking at a portion of the Hellscape. This place was a thousand kilometers long, curving and turning in many spots. What was before him was barely a portion of the first portion.


    So he turned to Lorry, meeting his curious Soul Flames.


    ¡°Hellscape is a nice name. For once, it has a nice sound to it.¡± Murai quacked without hiding a strong impression.


    Lorry cheered as if he won a bet. Lisa remained collected, yet she stormed to the end of the platform in a similar vision to Murai, furiously glaring everywhere as if her life depended on it. She almost flew ahead and got to work.


    Murai ignored her for the time being and kept his attention on Lorry. ¡°This is a rather funny place for my eyes and senses. It looks like a paradise if I am being honest with myself. As far as I can''t see and feel, the task is yet to start. So, why is there a city below? I would love to talk about it. Gonna give me a walk-through of that? Are we ready for sightseeing? Is this vacation? I feel after what occurred in the last Gate, I deserve this!¡± Murai asked numerous questions that entered his mind at the same time, and all of them went out of his beak. Fervent and excited, his emotions flared his feathers and hoodie in a delightful aura.


    Lorry stopped cheering and swirling his Soul Flames. ¡°Right. Right. Lorry is sure this place is like night and day for Murai. It is a nice place for armies to do business. Countless Challengers or challenges live in Hellscape. Millions. It is partially etched into the Hell Haven. Some considered it like a waypoint or half-point access to this continent''s Hell. It is creating a neat place for many lives because of it.¡±


    ¡°That is all flowery and nice, but what about Challengers? What awaits me?¡±


    ¡°That could be a peculiar thing,¡± Lorry said hesitantly. ¡°Hellscape is Gate 3 itself and a place where the trial for Challengers starts to touch hellish difficulties. Here¡ªnot only in this castle¡ªLady Levandis provides proving grounds for anyone, as Lorry explained a bit before. Surface or the Depths, anyone capable can feel this place. Mostly for armies though. Trials make good training grounds, but not all Gates are perfect for that purpose. This one is.¡±


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°I thought you were exaggerating things a little,¡± Murai sighed in faked disappointment. ¡°But it seems it doesn''t seem to be the case. This place is vaster than the things above. I feel the souls of many, the density of dread is thick, and the insanity of mana spreads. Mana is rich and fights over me. It is faster in cycling and flow and something about my Beast Core wheezes.¡±


    Lorry chuckled. ¡°Is that a problem?¡±


    Murai paused, angling his head up and down in throughs. ¡°Nah. I like this place. Your world, or the world of your Lady, I will see it for myself. Will you stop me from unleashing my wrath at this Hellscape?¡± Murai sneered at him and wanted to explore this place like a tourist.


    As much as he liked it, this sort of attitude was his normal reaction to interesting things in most of his latest lives. Though a major beginning was due to him, it was up to Lisa to decide how it would go.


    A message from Mindarch spread to this single platform next, giving and revealing a task for Murai''s Hellscape business.


    Lisa tensed up her physicality, ignoring the sight below. Clutching the ring that she had, she wondered what luck Murai would have. With quite a grip and agitation, this was an important message for this Gate. Escape this place, give up, or continue, this could be their way out or way behind.


    [Well, greetings again. Been a while.] Mindarch laughed, spoke like a foolish clown, and seemed more forced than usual. Even Murai could tell that; even when he was a duck that was way too excited to become a tourist.


    ¡°Sup. Tell me my game!¡± Murai cheered and flapped his wing up, pointing at the ceiling where nothing much happened. He gestured to the city below next, glaring at the buildings, the fragrance of adventure, and actual civilization.


    Mindarch sounded a little dejected and weird, but it came as no surprise with the happening and things he had discovered quite quickly. And it wasn''t pretty for sure, as some things involved him as well. Nothing was too troublesome for him, however. Very few things were.


    This was his backyard. Even if someone like Levandis became angry with him, he wouldn''t care. Mindarch could still get his points across because his independence was outside of the core of this planet.


    However, he still sounded the way he did: as if someone blew the roof over his head.


    [For now, the mission. Right. A mission. TASK! Ho! How exciting.] His voice rumbled and Murai listened next, folding his wings and readying his heart. [Gate 3 is a place of simplicity or vastness. Known as a Hellscape as a whole, what is before you is the starting location called Helltrim City.]


    [From this waypoint down and outward, you have a certain mission up to your benefits and mind. It is as simple as it could be, unlike Gate 2, or Gate 1. Well... I am lying. Gate 1 was just to go on and solve that maze. Gate 2s were...well, Islands of Greatness was certainly interesting.]


    [Now, the task! Reach a specific entrance to Gate 4 by any means necessary. Force your way through barrages of enemies, run past them, bite their asses, buy your way in or out, or do anything you want, because it will turn into a Hunt. Anything goes. Your reward might be not set in stone, but the magnitude of points is determined on an individual basis and my readings.]


    [Accomplishments matter, but there are some pictures I can mention. Those are Artifacts! Much better ones. And Vaults! Gate 4 has a rich accommodation of treasures. They are different kinds from the past vaults by the way.] Mindarch said importantly.


    Murai didn''t care. Artifacts were useless to him.


    [Then, there is the main reason for everything!]


    [Sector 45 is your destination.] Mindarch said and paused for a couple of seconds in awkward silence, as if unsure if he should continue. Nothing moved. Nobody spoke. Lisa even trembled, knowing what Sector 45 meant, but what mattered was next.


    [Location: Ip''ur Mountain.]


    [Difficulty is subject to changes and Hunt, but at its core, it is a Grade S location... and... well...]


    Lisa shook in places she had never felt. Her soul skipped a beat and a wave of unknown emotions stirred her soul. Had she heard a joke?


    [Usually, Challengers move onwards with their task, while the environment, demons, and anything in this place obscure their path. Tougher parts are... for later. Hunt will start. They want to catch you, just so you know. Increasing their reputations is all under my eyes and readings, of course. No Extreme will set foot before your eyes, but let''s not get ahead of ourselves.]


    [Balancing nature is under my premises, unlike... Uh... Nevermind. Not said anything wrong, I swear.] Mindarch awkwardly laughed and continued.


    Murai found such premises awkward, but he let it slide. He couldn''t wait to look through the city and see this place. His beak even twitched, his tail swirled in an unfamiliar act, and his eyes shone in white light.


    [Dificulties and your way forward depend on your moves, surroundings, setting, or many other things. It creates a pivotal web of interest and strategies, so make or clutch your foes, survive, and reach your destination after getting through this castle. There is no time limit; there are no breaks. Move on and solve this place. It is a free place for you to explore and survive, but beware, this place bites back.]


    [Oh, and essences are pending in flexibility. Every kill is subject to your hopes. You are free!]


    [In fact, you can kill this entire Hellscape and it would still work. Though, I wonder what you would do with so many essences.]


    ¡°Or if it is even possible to crack this Hell apart,¡± Murai said. ¡°It isn''t possible, I know. Continue.¡±


    Mindarch paused just for a moment before pretending that everything was alright.


    [Anyway, Gods Bless us all, and good luck. Mindarch.... peace out.] Mindarch laughed and disappeared with his voice, hurrying away, and speaking quicker than usual.


    ¡°That is it?¡± Murai turned to Lorry. ¡°A simple mission ahead? Sector 45? No information besides that. No rules either. That sounds... promising. Had I heard him right with those essences? Anything goes? Sounds chaotic.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully not so chaotic. It should be understandable that Challengers are here to challenge this place, so Lorry shouldn''t reveal anything... major.¡± Lorry paused and glanced at Lisa who was struggling with her head and form. She was squeezing her head; most of her body was deformed in azure light as if she was drowning in a Celestial Pool.


    Murai didn''t see her, and Lorry was curious about what was wrong. He was hiding his shock quite well because he was a skull.


    ¡°So you will be a watchful dog for your superiors while doing the same thing as usual. Being useless like a candle in a volcano. Got it,¡° Murai said to Lorry, obviously knowing that expecting something nice from this skull was useless. It came out of him without any shame.


    So he turned to the latest hope that seemed better than usual, even though she could ruin it anytime. ¡°Lisa?¡± Murai turned to her and ended her drowning expression that went far deeper into this entire situation than usual. It was no wonder. She took his task for hers, and what she heard was far from normal. She hoped to berate and shout at Mindarch before he disappeared, yet she failed herself.


    Hellscape was still up to her benefit, whether there were problems ahead or not. They couldn''t be worse than they were, right?


    Oh, she was very wrong about it.


    From her look, it seemed this Gate was the same mess as Murai. Mindarch confirmed that in numerous ways. He spoke almost nothing normal. Nothing about Godmark, or Archtouched. Nothing about this place, or anything else. This task was a bullshit.


    She got hold of herself slower than usual, reforming her hands and the middle portion of her floating body. She could make herself cozier, appearing like a sculpted statue.


    ¡°Well... here we go to another mess,¡± she forced her face into a clear frustrated seriousness.¡°Hellscape is divided into 100 Sectors that go onward like a large road that is Hellscape. Sector 45 isn''t bad or good. It might be even a little lucky or unlucky, as it''s reaching close to the half of this cave as a whole but not far into it. That is about the only good news I can give you. We can work with that, but... Ip''ur Mountain is a problem, so...¡± She paused, her sona churned into a weird motion, and her arm stretched under a blink, catching cautious skull who was too late to dodge her. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What do yo... Lisa want?¡± Lorry blurred out. ¡°Lorry doesn''t know anything about Ip''ur Mountain! What is wrong? This Guide knows nothing, Lorry swears.¡±


    Lisa pressed her eyes toward his Soul Flames, glaring at his soul. ¡°Don''t give me this bullshit. Ip''ur is far too old and... out of the way, but all portals are purposeful and old. But not that place. Are you sure it is right? This... location. It is under no available path or history. You are faking it. Making it tougher for us for a reason.¡±


    ¡°No! It is right on swirling Soul Flames,¡± Lorry said resolutely. ¡°Lorry knows Mindarch put it forth. None else did.¡±


    ¡°You... kidding... death.... skull¡± Lisa wanted to curse but she rather let him go. She figured that taking something out of this skull was hardly trustworthy at some points. Mindarch or something else was the reason why. Gods were the most probable cause.


    Or Guide''s premise. They were supposed to be useless in this Gate, so Lisa wasn''t that harsh on him. Her mind won''t change that. If the Guides would be different, their usefulness would reach new heights. In this large Gate, they were like a reminder to all denizens that a Challenger was here.


    Turning back to Murai, her pair of eyes shone with a new light. Perhaps she realized something crazy, since hatred, confusion, and clear bother were on her face. Even Murai felt it, although without any Soul Read in sight. She stubbornly believed she could work with this mess, yet she hated it with a passion.


    ¡°Storm the rules, huh? Ip''ur mountain is a bullshit placement for this task, Murai Hisagi.¡± She said to him, flaring his sona and appearing a bit more sharper than ever. ¡°Is it your luck? Is it a new portal? Well, you have no idea how bad that is for you. I know it, so allow me to get my mind across to yours. Sector 45 is halfway across this Gate, past the mountain ranges that may be a bit difficult for you to traverse through. Oh, and it is in the middle of a desert, so that is good.¡±


    She sounded a bit annoyed and angry. This task was bullshit for a single reason: Ip''ur Mountain wasn''t under her memories of available portals that went to Gate 4. That was the single most suspicious fact that was clear even with half a century of void.


    There were never new portals because of established history and lines through Chaos Space. Especially to Paradise. Many old portals were scattered around 100 Sectors, and every one of them held pivotal roles in stretching the web of spatial transportation. Each was important, independent, and old like this entire Hellscape. Constructing new ones was impossible, thus they were all known under her knowledge.


    Every Challanger''s task was upon one such portal, ranging from Sector 0 or 100. Not every one of them was set into the motion of Gate 4, as each portal was subjective in its chaos. They could reach other portals, or go somewhere else within this temple. Not outside, Lisa knew, nor somewhere much further away.


    If that were the case, things would get much easier. Lisa got information from Mindarch and Lorry regarding Razmund. That happened quite a while ago, yet she kept it hidden from Murai. Thinly, even many days old happenings were slowly revealed to her specifically.


    She genuinely thought it was a good thing. Considering Murai and his mind, not telling him about this benefited him more. He needed to focus on his Islands. Here, it will be no different, but not in approach. She gave him that chance, so she planned to give him so much more.


    Paths onto Gate 4 were numerous, similar to the ways how portals acted. Some were open to the public, others were hidden through the Sectors of this Gate, and some were even deeper, hiding because of their unique locations or purposes.


    But they were known.


    The spatial web of interest guaranteed the transfer of personnel, armies, trades, and pretty much anything. This web of portals was a consistent reliable way that Levandis created. It never changed.


    Using them as brief bridges to the other Gates for Challengers seemed like a clever choice. Even creating tasks and challenges out of them was fine. Hellscape was her Gate after all, and not the original part of this temple.


    Lisa knew all about this, so she figured out the biggest problem straight away. Each portal was old, listed, or researched thanks to numerous past Challengers and various information gatherings.


    Hence, she knew every portal, including the essential locations, problems, and past. She went over her memories in an instant and realized that something fishy was about to happen. There weren''t that many of them, so even secret ones were in her mind.


    Ip''ur Mountain had none of them, as far as she knew. It was a bothersome place that had its unique purposes.


    So, what then? The way to get this task going was still simple: Ip''ur Mountain at least existed, yet how to find something that shouldn''t exist inside of it? That mountain was old, so perhaps she thought of it differently, or was it hiding something secret? Had she overestimated her desires and ideas because Murai was ridiculous?


    Lisa glanced at Lorry again and asked if the location was correct.


    Lorry had an idea what was going on, but tasks were up to Mindarch; not him.


    Various erratic paths made up each destination that hid the portal. Usually, public ones were easy to find, and often ready for Challengers to take. Many were privately owned, so in these cases, it was up to luck or some games. Hellscape was a unique place that always used these portals. Against Surface Challengers, they were great.


    When Levandis trained her troops here, involving too many portals was unnecessary. There were many better ways to train her troops, but this place had one thing pretty good. She could catch and clutch any lofty Surface Challenger much better.


    From the start, most portals were quite an ordeal to enter and impossible to Breach.


    For once, Lisa was thinking twice about what to say or think about this situation. She wished to be brief, but her mind was silent. Long and deadly, the task and their journey might be dangerous peril like getting an idea about Ip''ur Mountain or Murai. She shouldn''t be brief in anything. She should talk to Lorry through everything. She knew many things, so even Murai would get all of her feedback and a passable journey through this hellhole.


    Not only did she take this place a couple of times as a formal Challenger, but she took it further as a tester.


    Her first time was the hardest. She accomplished quite good results in her first two Gates in the first attempt, but this Gate changed that. She wasn''t familiar with this place that much, and finding the portal was quite heavy and conditional on luck and power.


    Which were variables she wasn''t willing to test right now. She will knock them aside like a joke! She had to.


    She had no idea how insensible it was. Mindarch stated the task as a matter of fact before bailing out and disappearing to nowhere.


    Lisa wandered off, knowing that her knowledge was her main power here, but it wouldn''t be a total breeze. When one was familiar with the destination, it could become easier or harder depending on one''s act or the Hunt. It was about flexibility and how well one could knock everything apart.


    Lisa knew the true purpose of this Gate. It was an open invitation to feel a bit of Hell. Forceful yet truthful, finding a proper standing amidst the demons, devils, and creatures¡ªthat serve nothing but Chaos and insanity that Mindarch cared for¡ªcreated a complicated situation.


    Murai wasn''t seeing the truth. ¡°Just a mountain? I feared I challenged much harder things in Gate 2. Tell me more about what to expect out of it besides the torturous dive that is an upcoming journey and walk. Wait... That sounds much more awful when I say it like that. No way. This is as hard as the last Gate.¡± Murai nodded to himself as he saw the truth in this task. His truth.


    He turned his full attention to Lisa, who should no longer have any breaks left in this situation. Thankfully, she didn''t. She wanted to do as much as she could in this Gate and bear the results of her tries in Gate 2. There were some secrets or wrongdoings in here. All she needed was a more direct clutch over the situation and Murai will chirp like a sheep and get shit done.


    Then, some unnecessary troubles should better disappear. She always talked as she wanted, making sure that Murai got her ideas, but she didn''t get them in deserved light.


    Traversing these lands in a good fate was never good. One had to be ruthless. Quick. Brutal.


    She was yet to speak when Lorry laughed and floated upward. ¡°Well, if the pair is done chirping and talking, let the case remain how it is. Lorry will be taking a brief pause, observing Murai''s path in a different way. Murai''s way towards the destination will depend on this Gate and Lisa and Murai. Everything is connected. Portals too.¡±


    ¡°You are bailing on us again?¡± Murai asked.


    ¡°Yes. If it''s going to be needed, Lorry will appear and help. For now, Lorry has some places to be in and this Gate is subject to Murai''s tries and Lisa''s.... ideas. Good luck.¡± Lorry stated what he wanted and flew towards the castle below. He paused halfway down, glancing at Lisa. ¡°It exists. That is all.¡±


    He disappeared so quickly, that Lisa and Murai didn''t know where to, but not as if both of them thought of him as someone incredibly helpful. At least Lisa caught his mumbling words in the last second and realized that Ip''ur Mountain was even more complex than she thought. This single reassurance didn''t ease her anger because finding things about this unknown portal would become a big headache for her promise and task.

 Chapter 174: Rules of Hellscape

    Soul Flames blazing, Lorry flew while giggling and knowing what awaited him, leaving his purpose as a Guide behind. It wasn''t the time for his Guide''s life to shine. He knew that Murai and Lisa would do just fine in this strange mission set up by a vastly different thing. A summon from Lady Levandis never felt better in his book, because he could not even imagine what Murai was about to do to this Gate.


    Good or bad, it wasn''t as if he cared. It wasn''t up to him what transpired or how this Gate would change. In this open world, filled with problems that the Guide shouldn''t help to solve, Challengers were left alone.


    He can''t wait to leave the current mess for Lisa, who will gladly take his mantle. She wanted it anyway. She said it. Begged, almost. So he had no regrets whatsoever, even though his curiosity over Murai was deep and unsurprising. But Manager Kil''s message was stable like Laws. Summon was due, or he could spend his time in this Gate alone or not, before being summoned anyway.


    Last Gate had been quite an ordeal for Mindarch, while not knowing his fight was his honesty, even if it was dishonest. Lint watched all he wanted, while Lorry had Lisa accompany him. In a sense, all of them got what they wanted.


    Murai stood on top of a small wall, glancing at Helltrim City below, or the stretching cave ahead. Beside him, Lisa calmed her tensed-up physicality¡ªwhich she involuntarily kept going longer than she anticipated and wanted¡ª before thinking twice over what this deal about Ip''ur Mountain. With Lorry''s confirmation, this was... still confusing. Why and what she should take it for?


    Knowledge and memories rose in her soul and she wasn''t seeing any answer. Was it something hidden or something that Mindarch or Levandis wanted? If so, what was hiding over there, or was it even real?


    Her control over her current life form wasn''t all that great. Her current form of a Soul Render was far from reaching her desirable lengths in power and her stability was far from anything. Like most Blessed Life Companion, she had her stakes, evolutions to think about, and abilities to use. Her race awaited in the veils of the unknown future, right behind her stops because she didn''t think of herself as physically important. For now anyway.


    The power of her Path was there in her mind, silently locked like many of her acts. Her growth should be in her hands, albeit it was deeply connected to Murai. Far too much to her liking, however.


    For now, her head mattered more, because Murai was enough mess on his own, and she had enough ideas to covet both of their problems. Mainly his, unfortunately.


    It was time to change herself a little bit. Not for her own good, but for...well, she had plans for pretty much anything, yet unexpected things always happened with Murai. She didn''t like it, but expecting something else wasn''t fine either. He was the problem number one.


    ¡°That pile of bones bailed us the quickest I''ve seen,¡± Murai said to her, still watching the Hellscape.¡°This leaves us in a rare silent loneliness. Two, alone, taking the brunt force of this temple. Sounds nice.¡±


    ¡°Wish I had your outlook,¡± Lisa reckoned. ¡°I don''t know where to start with you or us. I wish there would be something more stable than something unknown.¡±


    ¡°Not sure how sure you are in your tactics, but isn''t this how this Gate should be like? My beak is ready; so is my head. By this chance of rare skull-less silence, care to tell me about your previous times in this Gate? Not my purpose. That will wait.¡±


    Lisa made an unnatural pause, stretched her hands, and watched the view to calm herself. ¡°Sure. I planned for that anyway. I had Sector 60 for the first time. That was terrible luck. Usually, the higher the Sector, the more hard they are, but not always. Most Sectors have various Level disparities, places of interest, homes of demons, caverns of dangers, or nests of beasts. Thus, even low ones can be dangerous. Then, the issue of this Hunt is pending, but let''s not get there yet.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a realm to me.¡±


    ¡°Because it is. Anyway, my task was a bit away from the mountain range and that damned desert, lurking behind the middle portion of the Hellscape. It was a bit problematic location in the middle of the swarming and dangerous places. The second time was Sector 23. That went much easier and well. It barely took me a day, but let''s not talk about it. As you can tell, numbers could mean a lot because each portal is in some location. And the location matters more than some Sector or Hunt. They depict part of the land this cave adheres to. Policies and lives matter second to the Overlords, Gods, or owners of them, with bigger portions designated as Provinces. You probably got that idea already, right? Watching the Helltrim City and this sight, it is impressive and large.¡±


    Murai nodded. ¡°Yes. Districts, parts, streets, shits, cities, and so on. It all makes better ideas across the scale of Chaos or Order. For minds, this serves as little knock or reminder that reputation comes with responsibilities and wealth. Where live clusters, this is the outcome.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Apart from numerous flat lands and unhabitable land that demon legions have for large-scale training regiments, most of the things here are easier to frame as livable. Overlords under Levandis also have their partial or full-fledged homes here, but not all of them care for this cave too much. In a land full of limited potential that is this world, there are priorities for us and them. Hopefully, Mindarch will keep his rules safe, while what will happen in later parts won''t shackle us too much. I think he will be reasonable. Not sure how trustworthy that is though.¡±


    ¡°Reasonable? Parts? Dangers... What kind of dangers we are talking about? Balance and freedom that Midnarch mentioned sounded good, but it was as if he spoke to a buffoon¡±


    ¡°No ideas there,¡± Lisa said firmly. ¡°Mindarch is weirdo when he can be, but that... mountain.¡±


    ¡°Too worried about it?¡± Murai turned his beak to her, looking at her worried expression that held various ideas for sure.


    ¡°Sure. I am the only one out of us that knows this place. I have my guesses and clarity ahead. I will guide you onwards and figure what that shit means. Do you dare to take my hand?¡± She stretched her hand toward his head, glaring at his eyes with focus and unlike dazzle. Murai had never seen her like this. She almost looked impressive and reliable. Maybe it was a front?


    ¡°If it will be worth it, trust between us is like a rough gem. Maybe it is worth polishing it when it is worth it. Traversing and finding Ip''ur Mountain looks to be my priority. Where, or how to get there is what this is about, right? Nothing else matters? What about that Hunt and traveling?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Yes. Yes. Hell, no. There are different things for different fools. Dangers are there in many colors. Getting somewhere is another thing and... that is precisely what goes out of my head. There could be numerous problems because of this Ip''ur location that I will give us troubles later. For now, outside problems could range from independent gangs wanting to hunt us down, individuals to hunt you, or other things. Armies can shift, but nothing is set in stone apart from a single rule: Balance. There shouldn''t be hunts for your life by enemies way out of your level, unless.... Well, so far, what Gate 2 provided should be there for you, which means..... hilarious problems. Do you know which kind? Razmund is breathing behind your back, while this place is bound to do the same thing.¡±


    Murai thought of an answer first, but he had only poor guesses. He shrugged his wings. She confirmed that this place was about to hunt him down around his level, but for some reason, Murai wasn''t finding that problematic or weird. He looked forward to crashing every asshole until they will drop Mana Essences.


    But her mention of Razmund was problematic. He was way outside of Murai''s norm, so his arrival could break the balance.


    And some details were yet to hit Murai''s ideas. Without Lorry, how would his essence gathering work?


    ¡°You are still a low-level fool, that much is right in my head,¡± Lisa said next. ¡°The kind that cracked some rules apart, like that room described. You aren''t some enigma. You are old and foolish. You fought way out of your proportions and flesh, but so what? You have what it takes to give this world some spanking, but I am not sure if Gods wants that. Now, what was it about the last Gate that changed it?¡±


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°What do you mean? I fought like a maniac and you watched it.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It is once more about your power and soul. You got what you deserved or not. Not sure what that last golem was about, but if Manager Kil made his appearance, and even bought out your silence, it is a big deal.¡±


    ¡°It wasn''t much.¡± Murai downplayed his role in touching the untouchable. At least Levandis didn''t appear herself. Another God to consider didn''t sound like a fun experience. He had Vermillion to consider already, or Pakutan, or... Lordis?


    ¡°A fact too, huh? Anyway, balance and fools around this cave are an inevitable variable. There are limitations to what Midnarch allows you to meet, so in a sense, freedom is a limiting factor to a thing called Hunt. For now, it shouldn''t matter if we are clever about it. We need to steady our footing here, see this place. Got it?¡± She still kept her hands stretched.


    Murai squinted his eyes, thinking about whether he should accept her hand or how. ¡°Yet another hunt, huh? Got that.¡± Then he glanced at Hellscape. He would loved to set his foot down and see this place like a tourist. In fact, he suddenly got some interesting ideas. This place looked juicy.


    ¡°Nothing should be too close or that far. There are only so many ceilings you could touch, while you haven''t... moved far either?¡± Lisa said hesitantly, thinking over Murai''s new readings. ¡°Got new worries to train instead, so that might be a hindrance or gem in disguise against this Gate. I almost bet you would get at least to Level 28 because of your achievement and fighting spirit. It didn''t happen. Weird. Anyhow, you''ve evolved five whole abilities out of this temple so far, so there should be a change in what you could do regardless of levels or not. Feel stronger? Confident?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps. Training is set in stone. I will do it regardless of your ideas. However, nothing much is clearest when my core is chained to my tries. That is my idea of why things are the way they are, and the reason for my relative... stability, or speed. Both power and growth have their problems, I reckon. I bet it slows down those readings, but my body goes out of that vision, acting like a Breach factor, or something like that. Or my Soul does?¡± Murai said his guesses.


    Lisa got most of those ideas herself, so she wasn''t surprised to hear his assessment. He had plenty of time to talk about this to her, and he understood the expertise and importance of evolved abilities and a bunch of other things. Some were brief in her speech; others long because Murai demanded it.


    For now, that Peak Layering sounded juicy in Lisa''s mind, or could that Heavenly Shaping shake this duck more? She wasn''t sure where his priorities were, but she had a full head of memories of this world.


    Murai was still a Child who wasn''t set on any Path. At usual timings and growth, being an adolescent should get some Paths going. Before that, children weren''t as firm. No matter the race or species. Most Beasts were the same, although some had clear distinct lines of potential and ceilings, acting as ridiculous talents that were hard to fathom. In those cases, Paths didn''t matter. Bodies and evolutions did.


    ¡°Fine ideas come slowly,¡± Lisa said as she retracted her hand, slightly awkward that he didn''t accept it. Though, she wasn''t surprised or petty to care for such gestures. ¡°Your power is your tool. Use it well and we are safer. Use your head and we will be even better. It is all about what will happen, which will deepen or change our strategies. My strategies. Got that?¡±


    ¡°You want to be my help, huh?¡± Murai sighed. ¡°So be it. What else is there?¡±


    ¡°Fools and demons are making this place dangerous in the flow of armies. Hooligans, devils, beasts, and demons of all kinds are insane in their homes. They all might make their move against us if you let them. This place is chaotic. It could be possible some would go against Mindarch too.¡±


    ¡°Let them! I will eat them.¡± Murai cheered; his tail wriggled uncontrollably.


    ¡°Stormed like a boat in the middle of the Storming Seas isn''t that good. Mind you, you are insane, there are stops where they matter. Some devils or demons are good at numbers or alone. We are the invaders. Don''t forget it¡± Lisa scolded him as if he was a child.


    ¡°Pipe your breath. Can''t think of losing control all the time, and my stage has anything to do with me. Imagine a duck thinking like that on top of your head. This is crazy!¡±


    ¡°Careful of not being too arrogant is probably another advice I should give you. This place is arrogant. Don''t anger and smack some faces just because they want to pat your head or look at you weirdly. Got that? We are about to go into Helltrim City.¡±


    ¡°Just that? Pat? Who do you think I am?¡± He turned his beak to her again, surprised she mentioned some pats.


    ¡°Can you manage it though?¡± Lisa gave him a long meaningful look, not believing that Murai would do much good even with her advice.


    He didn''t trust it either, so he didn''t agree or made questionable promises.


    ¡°Perhaps there are doubts and hopes, but... as far as I can see, going as fast to Sector 45 should be more than fine for me. The secondary is figuring out that portal, right? One thing to note is that fighting isn''t mandatory, if what you said is right, yet working around that issue is a possibility. Then, this place will set its sights on me and stop me. How? In what capacity?¡±


    ¡°Physical is enough. Killing or ensuring our weakness belongs here as well. Giving up is also something they could force. They can force us through miseries and inevitable choices where we can no longer proceed. In this sense, rewards are... unimportant. Reaching the portal in any way is the important part. For us, it might be different, but I shall see that myself. One might even do some record if one is lucky and strong at the same time.¡± Lisa explained, picking up on things that she had to tell without resorting to the depressing reality that was the Ip''ur Mountain.


    ¡°Humorous,¡± Murai said. ¡°But I like it. Prefer it too, almost. Luck and power, while undergoing a two-way hunt? Triple hunt? Quad.. Wait.¡±


    ¡°Don''t bite more than you can chew, Murai Hisagi. Literary speaking, that is. The premise of what Challengers do in this place is always somewhat public, but I don''t have much light on that matter besides...well, I know that Mindarch deals with information gathering and sending details to all sorts of structures around the Gates where there is some civilization. Here, this Hellscape is the biggest except the Hell itself. Most of the Hellscape should know of every present Surface Challenger or juicy topics. You and Razmund are that. How well this flow goes depends on what one wants to seek. I will look into it down there as we will have time to traverse this cave, let alone this town.¡± Lisa pointed to the city below.


    ¡°Nice!¡± Murai cheered, looking forward to this change of pace.


    ¡°How bad or good it will depends from person to beast, to... things, or other things. What we can meet are beings that aren''t ready to take some guidance, or they want it too badly. Punishing or killing them is fine, as long as some rules or acceptance go. Out of this city especially.¡± She swung her arm around for a dramatic effect. ¡°We can be unhinged too, frankly speaking. This place is like that to almost everyone, even natives, or its denizens. Power and Chaos go in that direction, even if this is like an independent realm. It has its rules I will shove into your head if you won''t follow them. And because your Limiters should still be in Level 40s, fodder is still up to you to meet. Or someone will send some insanities at you like the Ending Isles. That is also possible.¡±


    Lisa spoke half depressed and half unsure about what would happen. She mostly spoke with predetermined knowledge, and she had no idea that things drastically changed since Murai took his last Boosts. For Murai, half of her ideas were usually wrong.


    ¡°Overall, this Gate is individualistic and could prove to be a massive headache or blessing depending on what you meet, what location you see, and what this place will affect you with. Luck can be also a big factor in the journey, but you picked a short stick. No doubt.¡±


    ¡°I am fine with short things.¡± Murai settled as she talked and observed the world below with nervous impatience. Lisa noticed it too, but she was yet to be over with her words. The moment they went down the stairs, their time was about to change. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Helltrim City resembled a lot of things Murai had seen before. Shopping streets with trades, pubs, and various shops held their value. Then some regular living quarters ranging from single-floor buildings to a dozen meters tall pagodas or towers looked nice.


    Everything was surprisingly clean too. At least from his perspective, but that could change up close. He doubted demonic factions were the epitome of cleanness or Order.


    Lisa wasn''t looking at it from his perspective. All her attention was on him. ¡°Meeting some soldiers is granted, gangs will stir troubles, or squads of nasty demons around your Limiter could be worse. Why? As long as they could come at you, there could be dozens of them and storm you like a fool. It isn''t against the rules. Like with the Ending Isles, something could crack your head.¡±


    ¡°I am fine with either of them. We can flee too, but why should we? I want their essences! Wait... How do I get them when Lorry is gone?¡± Murai finally remembered a significant issue.


    ¡°You will see.¡±


    ¡°Uh... Alright.¡± For now, he decided to trust her. Perhaps Lorry will return sooner rather than later. ¡°What about armies, though? You mentioned them as being quite important and speak far too much to me about some of them.¡±


    ¡°Think about your situation first. Dealing with gangs is one thing. Another is armies that are usually much quicker to discern, see, and figure out the policies. Their position is more stable than independent gangs. They are like big bosses in this place. They are mostly... polite, clear, and bearing uniform or armor, so they are easy to notice. Unless there is some incentive for them to act against us, they won''t take you head on. Then, what Challenger does and doesn''t do is the rest. We can be ignored too, thanks to reputation or whatnot, but for that, we should go down and reach the street level to see what they think of us. Anatidaes should plicated. Perhaps Lorry would have more to say about it but that damned skull is gone. So, it''s whatever.¡±


    ¡°Nice! Agreed. Then this motherly rise of guidance out of you, what does it mean? You are far too worried for my taste.¡± Murai cheered again and stopped her talking.


    ¡°A grudge, or the fact that some demons in the armies want to challenge or hunt you. Many should be horny for your skin.¡±


    Murai sighed at that image, then at this Gate and her hefty explanation that was one warning after the other. Lisa wasn''t polite in her voice. She told the gist of the whole picture while leaving many other things behind. They will come later.


    For example, what about the politics of this space, how Sectors are divided, which rank of armies were here and there, what this castle was, and other things?


    She knew about the godly parts of this gate, let alone some secrets, but how some things changed, she wasn''t sure. This place should''ve remained the same from the highest ceiling, but many little details should''ve changed in fifty years.


    And it shouldn''t be easy. After all, Murai was yet another Anatidae going through this place, so he should be met with scrutiny and problems. Hells never took revenge that lightly. They thought of it as some rule that went from the past back to the present, and this place had a history with them. Lorry said so. Grudges held a lot of power over the minds and souls of those closer to Chaos. Murai was the same, and Lisa seemed to hold similar ideas.


    Those who suffered the past Anatidae will undoubtedly want their revenge. Expecting even those above Murai''s Level wouldn''t be surprising. In that sense, Lisa had to plan ahead for that and touch some possibility that was no longer possible. It was about Helpers.


    That was why Lisa contemplated everything that Murai went through numerous times in the last few days. Especially the pair of Boosts changed more things than once. Gate 2 was the richest in terms of giving her some hope that Murai would change significantly. He did until the voice locked something behind and Mindarch argued about it. It was a good reminder from that cheeky spirit that something nasty was going on.


    Lisa was right to feel positive because Murai¡ªeven though he was kind of a prick¡ªhardly ever failed her expectations.

 Chapter 175: Illak

    Murai kept his mind up there in his sky, figuring things out and fighting how he wanted even without her in sight. That was probably why he was that great, but she wasn''t thinking about that part.


    A big piece of her worry was the confirmed interest of the higher-ups in this place, hindrances set by this world, and this place. Be it Manager Kil, or what went with those invasions, things were strange when she saw Murai in the bigger picture. And she discovered he wasn''t minding it as much as he should.


    Potentially terrorizing beings that wouldn''t mind giving up their lives was another fear. No one wanted to meet a revenge-driven asshole without any stops.


    Since the problems already happened numerous times in Gate 2, this one shouldn''t be that different. Especially with the politics of this place in her mind.


    ¡°Fine. I get the idea that your words are well-founded.¡± Murai agreed again and moved his head in her direction. ¡°Can you lead me to Sector 45 and that mountain range named... Impure?¡±


    ¡°Ip''ur Mountain, Murai Hisagi.¡± Lisa corrected him, finding it quite important because that was her darkest crack in the upcoming strategy. She needed better confirmation than Lorry.


    Besides her worry, Ip''ur Mountain wasn''t something special in its structure, so whatever it was with this location, it was worrisome.


    ¡°I don''t know every place, or corner of this humongous place though,¡± She continued. ¡°But we do have a goal. A goal you need to take into your head and act. I will help you, of course.¡±


    ¡°Hunt essences; get stronger. Noted.¡± He joked but corrected himself before Lisa stormed his beak. ¡°And getting out of here. Sure. Out of everything, Encounter included.¡±


    ¡°Though so. We will talk about these choices eventually because your time will be reaching its end. Here, or in the next gate, and I know why. Getting to Gate 5 is impossible for you. Gate 4 might be a stretch too, but that place might be different.¡± She paused in thought.


    ¡°So what about the Ip''ur Mountain and Sector 45?¡±


    ¡°Your Portal to Gate 4 is¡ªofficially speaking¡ªinside of that mountain. I never heard of that place to have it, and I made sure to research all closed, ancient, open, or publicly or privately owned portals. Those are various. We will need to find this one in that place. Perhaps it broke and we need to repair it, uhm... that is bullshit! Looking for answers is the first task after getting there. Ask for information about it and... whatever else. I don''t know where to start with this madness.¡± She clutched her hands in anger.


    ¡°So it''s like this. Unsurprisingly. Is difficulty problematic? It is at Grade S, or so Mindarch said.¡±


    ¡°That is another bullshit, or... it could be a recognition for the portal? Difficulties are usually not part of this Gate. Could it be...¡± Lisa folded her arms, glancing into the distance as she contemplated this idea. It seemed feasible when she thought about it. ¡°It shouldn''t have any dualities whatsoever as the open world of this caliber can''t possibly have such a thing as set difficulty.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Murai quacked in a lower pitch. ¡°Nothing is normal around here, huh.¡±


    ¡°Sure are your head. Though this place has its flexibility and road to a certain location, it is still difficult. It will remain like this unless a force changes it... or we do.¡± Lisa sighed, pointing to the stairs. ¡°Anyway, let''s go to the lower parts. We still have something to get from the Mindarch or this castle.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Guide.¡± Murai stomped the wall and jumped down in a faked calmness. Lisa glanced behind him, noticing his excitement and moving tail. She almost burst into laughter before checking herself out. He walked closer to the stairs.


    ¡°Guide? Well, I bet that skull has some things to do, but he will remain watchfully over us if things go wrong or badly. Or Mindarch will do? That soul seems to like you.¡±


    ¡°Bah! Badly? Why should Lorry be worried about it? Shouldn''t it be for the temple''s benefit to see us fail?¡±


    ¡°Guides have no incentive for that. In fact, if their Challenger fails, they will get punished for various reasons and degrees of their failure. Sometimes even beatings or death come their way. However, each successful Gate of their Challenger means some rewards. A hefty one, if the worth and chances collide.¡±


    Murai paused his steps, glancing behind as this was the first time he had heard this. She surprised him. ¡°So Lorry has some way to wealth behind my back, while... out of... wait! What a prick?! He does what he does and he got richer because of me? That is terrible. Unreasonable. He is a prick that isn''t helpful at all!¡±


    ¡°Nothing surprising in this place. Many Guides are weirdos. Not sure why.¡± Lisa shrugged her arms and knew more than well what Guides were like. ¡°Powerful mind works wonderfully in many ways. Solve problems as well.¡±


    ¡°I see. I see. Good. Let''s go and see this town right now! Lead or should I dance down the stairs, Guide?!¡± Murai was long set on his journey rather than taking Lorry for someone important. But his worry over that skull hadn''t ceased.


    Lisa shrugged again and shooed him to the stairs.


    He was the first to reach the stairs anyhow because Lisa didn''t have legs for them. Traveling and jumping down the stairs, which were bigger than the ones made for humans, pretty much anything about this castle was built different.


    Demons were generally bigger beings and filled with mutated powers. Devils could be the same, but they were much more human than some humans. Pretty much a lot of things could get some twisted physical appearances through the power of Chaos. Beasts were included.


    This unfortunate duck had its worst because it won''t and shouldn''t get very big. It was both a curse and a good thing.


    Murai took these stairs surprisingly well. Large and big, it was no surprise for this place to be unusual, or was it because travels down was much easier than up? Perhaps he learned how to handle these issues after overwhelming the last Gate?


    As he went down, Lisa continued with her explanations behind his head. ¡°Helltrim City is a beginner city that prohibits any kind of fight or problem to any Challengers. It is one of many Pivotal Cities, which is a generally safe zone for any Challenger. Any problem is either solved privately or set into motion by an Overlord or military. Nobody will hunt us there, lest they be criminals. Private things, however, are different. Think of it as agreeing to a duel. It works for killings, so as long as you don''t accept any duel, it is fine. We shouldn''t cause trouble either.¡±


    Murai hummed an agreement, opting to focus on the stairs.


    ¡°This city is also a hub of the demonic armies, mainly because this castle connects all Gates toward the Hellscape, effectively turning this into a main living realm for this temple. Thanks to major portals in this place and Levandis'' reputation, it is very extensive and rich. Equivalent to it is a power close to Tier S, or higher Tier A. Majority of enemies from the Gates come from this vast cave. Literary, or from portals on the Surface or further Gates.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that explains a lot of things.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡± Lisa smirked, feeling victorious to be of use. ¡°This place is vast. There are many races and beasts here. A lot of Sectors are filled to the brim with foes that think of portals as their own. Some could be completely barren too, and...¡± Lisa kept explaining her ideas, giving Murai the rare occurrence when she was speaking without demanding something from his head.


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    Soon enough, Murai reached the bottom of the stairs, before turning to see another stairs, that went down at a smaller angle. These towers were quite vast and complicated, looking like a maze.


    He descended those again, reaching the highest living quarters of the castle. It was well taken care of, rich, and with swirling stairs that connected this Gate to the Islands of Greatness in physical means. It was a wonder if other Gate 2s had the same connection. Lisa knew they did. Portals from Gate 2 would always end before the tunnel. With Islands of Greatness, they were physically connected for some reason that Lisa didn''t know.


    It was a privilege of Islands of Greatness, the so-called toughest and oldest of Gate 2s. Rest had portals that would lead to the tunnel, some room, or this tower.


    The end of the stairs ended up in a wide-open area with a little garden, patches of flowers, and rows of small trees. There were many doors aside, with a tall portion of the limestone walls with many open windows. Murai saw plenty of rune formation on them, hiding in an inactive state.


    Murai smacked the closest door open after Lisa pointed at them; she knew the way out so he took her words for granted. His act revealed another pair of stairs. ¡°What the fuck!? Lisa... Is this place joking with me?! This is my biggest enemy, I swear on my memories.¡± He faked a tear as he cursed her weakly.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lisa smiled. ¡°You are getting better at this. They are just stairs. Not the End.¡±


    ¡°Begrudgingly... fuck you, flying bitch.¡± With that curse, Murai hopped down each step. It was a good way to exercise his thin legs, but only so much could help him after he grew much more through Boosts. Another thing was that he wasn''t noticing many differences through the attribute increases besides Vitality. His Will and Soul Power felt like nothing, really, but something was different in the latest Boost. He felt that his soul was weird and that something moved.


    Vitality at least alleviated his health and mended his stressed bones, muscles, and feathers. It was like a shot of the finest of potions that felt permanent instead.


    As for Dexterity and Strength, he had yet to see anything special about them, but throughout this temple, he saw some minor changes in their worth. The strength of his body still corresponded to some physicality, but his mana was also rigid toward it. Speed and reflexes caused by Dexterity felt like an elevated connection to his body.


    The latest Boost hadn''t changed him right away. He needed some targets to see some difference. Perhaps some Anatidae Golem wouldn''t hurt him anymore. Lastly, some of his feathers got an additional glint to them, but his height and weight remained stagnant. Like his core, Murai reckoned.


    Down upon the swirling stairs of quite some height, and reaching further into the castle in the following rooms, Murai ended up in a hallway with various gates, rooms, and windows in the middle of the castle. This hall was empty and eerie, looking like some sort of military museum thanks to the weapons, hideous and old paintings, and many portraits around the walls. That may not be the case. Those could be memorials of fallen warriors.


    ¡°Where am I supposed to go next?¡± Murai asked Lise who motioned his moves for the past few minutes. Now, she glared around in naked interest.


    ¡°I don''t know. There is usually a better process for us ahead. A welcomer in charge of this place always comes their way to greet the Challengers. No matter how insane or worse, those capable of going here aren''t that common, you know?¡± She argued, furrowing her brows.


    ¡°I don''t mind the facts.¡± Murai turned his head back to face her. ¡°That''s why you should talk!¡± And he quacked at her without a shame.


    ¡°Alright. Fine.¡± she put her hands up in defense. ¡°I will do all under my promises. On my oath... Oh, and I hear something. Someone is coming. Heavy and metallic too. Right around that corner.¡± She changed the topic masterfully, pointing toward the end of the hall.


    Murai turned his attention to the dozens of meters-long corridor. A group of people walked forward, reaching... Well, it was a demonic-looking man, followed by a pair of similar demons.


    Wearing a tight-fitting uniform, each was looking strong, collected, and inhuman. There were three of them in total, with the middle one being a leader and the rest walked behind him.


    Front-facing demon wore a nice-looking uniform that encountered some problems, as it was torn and worn in many portions. A large glowing red military badge was on his chest, looking like a circular symbol that glowed on its own, resembling a rough skull.


    All men, the leader was quite a beast in stature and rank. At least three meters tall, his thick arms outgrew his uniform so he cut the sleeves off. Lightly red-skinned, his uniform was expensive yet he still destroyed it.


    He had a wild look in his eyes, a stern pair of them, and thick-looking tentacles on his head acted for hair. They were cut, not reaching more than to his shoulders. The color of his skin indicated some form of demonic race or quality of some Bloodline, but from a single glance, he looked like a taller human with demonic features, than some wild demons beyond the Sky.


    That was essentially the norm across many demonic races that divided or acted in a similar way to humans. They bred, changed, and evolved. In races, there were much more of them than humans. This one looked not much different from devils, albeit horneless.


    But what was more authentic to the grand Chaos? The devils or demons? Demons were much older and incredibly versatile. Devils were like a mash between humanity and demons.


    Steps echoed, and the welcoming party noticed Murai was waiting for them, or was it the other way around? Either way, the front-facing demon¡ªbearing residual scars around his bare hands and face¡ªacted as the leader. He looked like that.


    A high collar cut to his uniform hid some part of his chin, making him look quite imposing, as his arms were thicker than his legs. He, along with the other not-that-different demons, stopped a few steps before Murai, who was observing and thinking about them.


    The ones behind the leader looked similar to one other, which might mean they were brothers, but one was never sure. They were a meter smaller than their leader, with more slimmer human-like weight, mass, and overall build. Each wore a closely resembling uniform to their leader, but pristine and lower in quality.


    Their slim and wide mouths pressed together, and their triple eyes provided their demonic chaos. One big eye was in the middle of their forehead, right above the hair that neatly trimmed their egg-shaped head. Both had swords beside their hips.


    ¡°I greet you, the Challenger that comes at a weird time. Let alone a Blessed one, we greet you in the name of the Hellscape.¡± the front-facing demon said, finding the small duck before him quite weird to regard in a nice glimpse. Murai was small, so he bent his head down just to see him.


    At least this large demon knew some customs. He bowed and hammered his chest with his right fist. A thunder echoed and his skin shook, but his eyes remained firm as he looked at Murai like a fool.


    The demons behind him also followed his customs afterward, implying their status was lower than this burly demon.


    Before waiting for a response, their leader continued. ¡°I presume I am understood, but the exchange will go through... you, I suppose?¡± His gaze turned to Lisa, who appeared cautious first before taking the rein on this conversation.


    ¡°Sure. I will do the talking, but not the translation, general,¡± she replied normally. ¡°He can get your human tongue to his tiny head just fine.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then, the little Anatidae Challenger, who I am sure can understand me. I am General Turzil''illak. Turzil or Illak in short. I don''t care for either way. Call me Illak.¡± He said firmly, deciding for Murai. ¡°I am following the course of reason and orders to allow your presence in our little world under the watchful eyes and care of Lady Levandis. Did you get the gist of the situation from your ghost? Fearing my Lady is fine. Means your head is still in your shoulders, whether they are small or wide.¡± Illak explained, forcing his burly hand down into his not-so-large pocket.


    He took a small token out of there, which was normal in size, but it appeared small because of his big fingers and wide palm. He pushed it with some difficulty onto his palm, crouching down in the process to show it off. Lisa saw it enough, floating and appearing not even half a meter tall.


    Illak showed it to Murai alone. A three-meter-tall demon, conversing with a duck wasn''t a comforting exchange, even though Lisa floated up so she was face to face with him.


    However, it seemed that Illak appeared disinterested in Lisa completely. From the very beginning, he paid full attention to Murai''s every step, facial expression, sound of his heart, steps, or something else.


    He found nothing or something, yet his expression remained the same. Murai was doing the same thing: Observing this demon who appeared all of a sudden before him and eying him like a fool.


    And Murai never lost a staring contest, so he appeared like a tough duck. It was quite a hilarious sight in both ways.


    This fake contest ended when Illak showed Murai his token close to his face. It was supposed to be a Token that Mindarch granted, this castle cherished, and this temple took for a rule. It was the authority and remaining item Lisa wanted, as it was something that truly mattered.


    This Token was a round object, no less than four centimeters in diameter, smooth like a coin, and simple in design. It had some symbols embodied in the flat portions, implying some runes, and surrounding it was a skull symbol. The demonic one; not one of a human.


    From its appearance alone, Murai wasn''t sure of its purpose, which meant this was something specifically set into this Gate that Lisa had yet to explain.


    He didn''t have to ask her. Illak went ahead to talk about it face to face. ¡°This is a Token for your Gate 3. It is unlike what denizens and us have. You are temporarily here, acting like an invader, so take care of it if you want to get down to Paradise,¡± Illak furrowed his brows. Murai bet he was angry but didn''t let anything away. ¡°It is your life too. Every Challenger takes them for one. It makes things easier since this place is as chaotic as ever, if not worse. Some people make due problems for your kind, but that is normal. As for what this Token does, it provides you with the following benefits so you won''t be hunted like a dog. Probably. Well, I am lying.¡± Illak scoffed at his word choices and explained what he wanted.


    ¡°First: It grants you protection in Pivotal Cities. Not outside of them. Challenging this protection means challenging our authority. Second: It allows you to buy stuff in the market, which would otherwise not be available since your status is poor, small, and unfamiliar with Hellscape. Portals are locked by the way. They aren''t fit for any Challenger as they would make things easier. Trading, information gathering, and exchanges of all kinds are possible to do through many merchant groups that have roots in the Surface or many other Depths. Some Pivotal Cities have all kinds of companies, folks, and weird needs or providers. Few would refuse a business. It is all for the sake of business, so you shouldn''t be worried about being scammed. This Challenger Token is a good stuff.¡± Illak explained, sounding quite serious and far too sincere for a demon with a brutish face.


    Murai could hear it, as well as feel it with his Soul Read. He was quite open, unprotected, and nice, even though Murai bet he was a very powerful Extreme. The soul wouldn''t lie in most cases. He trusted it like he did with Thar.


    Only those who were masterminds in illusions or souls would lie to their own souls, appearing like truthful souls, yet deep down, they were liars.


    Murai sent Lisa his message, which gave her incentive to act.


    ¡°He agrees with these ideas. They are good, so he is thankful for this Token, General Illak.¡± Lisa floated down, grabbing the token per Murai''s request. Its effects were yet to be over, but she could take them to her mouth too. She was quite familiar with this treasure that was subject to this whole temple.


    ¡°Good. Not like he would have more choices, unless he has a death wish, or thinks too poorly of his own life.¡± Illak said seriously, still crouching and observing Murai''s eyes.


    ¡°Don''t worry, general. I am sure he won''t have an issue with following proper manners and rules set into this Gate. I will make sure of it.¡± Lisa insisted, appearing like a secretary: Serious, with a firm voice, and full of gestures and great demeanor.


    S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 176: Helltrim City

    With an invaluable Token in her grasp, Lisa eyed it without much change in heart or light. It was a handful for her current form, yet she grasped it just fine after small cracks of her fingers and sona. It was hiding secrets and things Illak hadn''t said for some reason. It was the same time for her too, Lisa believed and knew why.


    For Blessed, this thing meant the same thing to any Surface Challenger. It could often mean not that big of a problem as well. For Murai, it wasn''t anything major, because Lisa could get his journey going regardless of anything. She planned for it for days, so her expectations and hopes for her worth were sky-high. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Oh well.¡± Illak strengthened his fist for nothing but stress and willingness to touch this Anatidae. It was a fine urge to have, but quite an unfitting emotion for his current position and mission. It was also unfamiliar to him. This Anatidae was the insane one! Not him. He sized and gazed into Murai''s eyes, and he looked back, challenging this staring contest that didn''t seem to have an end.


    Still, through effort and acceptance, Illak took the loss because of his position and lackeys behind his back, who were here for nothing but to show some military purpose. Generals hardly moved alone. If they did, it meant nothing good.


    Murai felt good to win this easy battle, even though what was before him was an Extreme that was relatively open in emotions and soul, but hiding an extremely potent body and strength. His flesh was incredible.


    Illak straightened his back, took a deep sigh, and took his last glance at an Anatidae who wasn''t supposed to be wearing any uniform. That went against his knowledge of what was anticipated. It shocked him, frankly, but he didn''t show it. Not only did it startle him, but it was a hoodie of all things. He will have to report it, which seemed like a stretch considering what the world turned into, and he knew this report would be bothersome.


    Whatever it meant, it made him recall some unpleasant memories that he wanted to keep deep in his heart or fingers. He still itched in his clutched fist and knew that his position over this situation wasn''t fitting. A General had rules to follow. Not ducks to seek. Especially when an incredible storm was brewing across and below the whole world.


    Illak got summoned to some meetings and changes. So he did not have much time to test Murai with his aura, eyes, words, or anything else. He wished for something different, but he had no choice in backing away after discovering that this Anatidae was so young, yet... kind of insane to take a staring battle with him so bluntly.


    And he lost! It was infuriating to him on many levels. When he felt the depths of those eyes and a mocking sneer in his beak, Illak''s fist itched like his insides. Manners were there for those who could afford them, yet this intense child was staring as if it was bigger than himself.


    Illak scratched his hair with his hands, feeling that getting away was the best chance. It wasn''t fleeing, his gut said. Just a tactical retreat. ¡°I hope you will find your stay in this place fitting enough, so don''t stir the already unstable structure of this city or Gate. We are all watching, so for as long as you want, you can do whatever your status and power allow. As long as it is accommodating enough, which you should take with a grain of Chaos. It''s not a Surface level hospitality, but there aren''t only hostile demons here. This place is that. Swallowing and deep.¡± Illak said menacingly, which worked surprisingly well thanks to his face.


    ¡°I know that, General,¡± Lisa said politely. Murai was inclined to slam his butt at his face after hearing yet another reminder. Who did they think he was?


    ¡°It is that kind of blessed land that follows certain rules. You can ask around or purchase all kinds of information in the Helltrim City. Some would answer anything by a simple force or power of wealth, so don''t take the stability of Pivotal Cities for something weak. My Lady made it fitting, and thanks to its vastness, it homes many lives that grow like growls. I expect no wrongdoings since the Challengers are predisposed to attacks, duels, and Hunts. Let alone Blessed One, you are not fully under Mindarch''s rules, but it provides you with a proper setting, or touches. Bear that in mind, or die trying.¡± Illak ended up his thunderous speech.


    Murai frowned, letting a slight sneer on his beak.


    ¡°It''s per usual manners, right, General?¡± Lisa quickly followed, not letting Murai do what he wanted, so she went down, clasped his beak with her hand behind her back, and wished to do something better.


    Illak continued as if he didn''t see that. ¡°Of course it is usual. Temple is a place of challenges for Challengers, followed by more natives and force of rules. For us, demons, we are free from doing whatever is deemed as enough. It is our home, yet the military is like Watchers or Judges, weakly resembling some Order. So have a good stay and don''t make mistakes. Many do and they don''t end up any good. Like this former succubus here, whom I remember briefly. Hmph!¡± Illak sneered, turned around, and walked with his underlings away. ¡°Enjoy your stay, for the world is still turning.¡±


    ¡°What an asshole,¡± Murai argued to Lisa''s head, unhappily blaming the floor with his flat feet but not his beak. He was close to that, however. Illak talked about constant shit and reminders. It was a warning after another warning as if Murai was about to ruin this place completely.


    Which might not even be up to him, even if he wouldn''t mind it. He couldn''t do something insane like affecting this entire Hellscape.


    ¡°C-calm down with this attitude.¡± Lisa turned and watched his face in her single grasp. ¡°I knew you would be like this to those like him. You shouldn''t agitate most demons with this face of yours. Especially the military and Generals who could squash some ants below their feet and no one would bat an eye. Those fellows don''t take improper Challengers lightly.¡±


    ¡°Oh? You don''t say. Are you speaking with your own experiences?¡±


    ¡°So what if I do? My time was mine. Yours is yours, but why do I feel it is more up to me than to you?¡±


    Murai rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Lisa decided to give her past a little more color. ¡°My first time was hell, all things considered. Alone, I didn''t know what to expect, so I often overestimated myself in my confident independence. I was alone, but I survived because of offensive assets and an attitude unfit for this place. You can be hunted like an animal if you will allow them to regard you as such, regardless of this Token.¡± She tossed the round object up and down. ¡°The other time was better because I grew as a...well, I grew in power, so I did what I could to move on and crush opposition and fight how this place often wanted. Some couldn''t bear it. Crack some famous fools and many more fools won''t dare to take their move. Or some of those above would...move back. It is alike a cycle. Crack some asshole and a more powerful one will soon follow to avenge that ass.¡±


    ¡°Hah! Oh, now you are speaking my kind of language. Like a cycle, right? Kill one and more will follow. Noted.¡± Murai forced his beak from her grasp and smiled. He hoped this meant something great for his essence gathering.


    ¡°You think this place is good for you, Murai Hisagi? That your little time is fine? I think we need some conditions for our time in this Gate, my plans, and strategies. I hope for your cooperation.¡±


    ¡°Haven''t seen the city yet, let alone some armies and those fools you speak of. Can''t see or guess what I can do yet, so this cooperation, you will have it,¡± He smirked, glancing at the metallic token in her hand. ¡°Though, I have some intentions to not be too slow or too fast in my journey, of course. Does it make you happy? Afraid? I am all ready to take it head-on, unlike you. Is it that bad?¡±


    Murai didn''t feel afraid per se. He expected worse outcomes in many cases, so he usually ended up pleasantly surprised. It was about a set of expectations and he was kind of master at turning his mind and attention around when he needed it.


    That made Lisa kind of frustrated because she didn''t follow that logic, and she was never sure what to expect from him because of it.


    ¡°Just the fact that you are listening makes me a little assured. Yes. However, there are still a couple of things we are leaving out of this Token, this Gate, and other things. Are you still fearful of this Encounter? I am. You should too.¡±


    Murai stopped his smile, turning serious and tensed. He straightened his beak as if taking a breath, but didn''t. ¡°Yeah... I guess that could mean a problem here. But... Wait! Didn''t the previous Gate work exactly opposite to this one? That one was very limiting and individual.¡±


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    ¡°Figured it now, of all time? Ignorance is truly blissful to those who can afford it or are too ignorant. And yes. Razmund can hunt us down in this place without any concerns, which is one of the reasons I am taking this seriously. You don''t. I don''t think this place allows us to work to our advantage because of that, and whatever Razmund will do, he may reach this place sooner rather than later.¡±


    ¡°Is that a guess or are you sure of it?¡±


    ¡°I am sure,¡± Lisa said firmly. ¡°That lunatic has Tier A power behind him, or something even worse. Giving up isn''t fine either. There should be people in the Valley who are waiting for us to give up. We need some protection or get out of here in some other way. Far away, I mean. Different. No backdoor.¡±


    ¡°Have some ideas?¡±


    ¡°There are a couple of things that might... work.¡±


    ¡°I am all ears,¡± Murai said,


    Lisa rolled her eyes. ¡°Asking for help from some Overlord, or someone insane enough here for help, is my first choice. Getting out is a tough idea, considering this temple is protected and hard to leave when you are a literal invading force clutched by its rules. I doubt anyone like that would let us leave differently than from the front door. It is how this place became when Lordis made a deal with Levandis.¡±


    ¡°But there is a way. What?¡± Murai paused, thinking that this wasn''t his time to shine. Could some God help? He could be persuasive when there was something to gain for him, but was he itching to leave this place?


    In his coincidence, he didn''t.


    ¡°That is what I need to consider in this Gate, Murai Hisagi. And Razmund will find you. Our way to Ip''ur Mountain will take days if not a whole week. For him, it could be less if we aren''t careful, but we don''t know when he will arrive here and we don''t know what awaits us in this Gate. That is a problem. Information will be essential when he arrives. He hunted you like a horny butcher for your skin, so there is no doubt he will arrive and stir some problems. We should be far away when he does that.¡±


    ¡°That sounds all reasonable. I agree with all of the above and below. That is why the first step is getting a proper plan. Onwards to a tavern!¡± Murai proclaimed, letting his beak high in the air, and turned after surging his Sonar around and finding a way out of this castle. There was a staircase around the corner that went to the lower section of the castle. He should''ve pushed his Sonar sooner and not relied on her fingers.


    Seeing another set of stairs, Murai wasn''t sure why this temple was so horny for this sort of ideology when portals were so nice.


    ¡°Tavern?¡± Lisa asked as if she didn''t hear him right. She knew she did, but she was unaware of what Murai wanted in that place. She looked at him weirdly, which Murai quickly caught.


    He turned and looked at her in shock and doubt. ¡°Never had a proper meal in my life! Not even my soul can stand the constant state of dull and gamey meat of my kills and whatnot. It lacks substance! I want some taste of the civilization. If this place doesn''t have it... I...¡± Murai responded with a smack of his feet to the floor, leaving Lisa speechless.


    ¡°You...¡± Now, he wanted to be like this? His stubbornness showed. She knew she wouldn''t change his mind.


    Well, by coincidence or not, he could remain like this. A tavern was a good place for getting information. Not for her plans, of course. That needed a bit more private touches. Depending on which one to visit, things could get interesting very quickly.


    But overall, even a normal one was a good start at any information gathering for this Gate. It was the second best choice, with the best being special streets and businesses in Helltrim City.


    Lisa knew this city wasn''t dangerous by itself, as long as one remained clean and didn''t accept any duels. She hoped that Murai could keep his bloody urges intact, and others wouldn''t challenge his head.


    Without any argument¡ªsince there weren''t any¡ªshe accepted the situation. Murai exhaled and turned back toward his goal that had been on his mind the moment he saw the streets from that elevated tower.


    It was a brief urge that slowly crept to rich desire. Something like a simple civilization was missing in this life. He wished for a meal. There wasn''t anything wrong with that when he hadn''t eaten much in the last few days. Those fools in the previous Gate were far too crazy to pass as a meal. Before that, even Iris didn''t give him any flavor, thanks to the healing Murai endured for a whole week. She wasn''t a very nice cook anyway, but not as if it was important.


    Getting out of this castle was a matter of time. Murai led the way, followed by Lisa who had silent determination and ideas about her plans. Before, she wasn''t ready to take her ideas forth. She needed this Gate for that.


    Lisa saw him in no new light. His art of messing things up should be part of her plans too, colliding at the worst times possible. She bet Murai would become an involuntary center of attention because Anatidaes was that sort of thing. Another issue was his status as a Surface Challenger, which was kind of a rarity, followed by the existence of the Encounter.


    There was nothing she could do to change the unchangeable. Not only he was ridiculous¡ªconsidering his Anatidae Uniform¡ªbut it was far too late for any regrets. She still had her wonders about it, similar to how he hadn''t gotten any readings to his equipment, nor his Level or other things.


    But she knew that those evolved abilities and his hideous soul had immense value. It was about skill more than some cheap Boosts. He will undoubtedly crash it like always wanted, for some things were more important than the rest. Levels, attributes, and small bits of secondary ideas like equipment will inevitably catch up to him. It was inevitable, as long as he lived and went through this shitty unbalanced Encounter in one piece.


    Encounter won''t change him. He will change the Encounter. That was in Lisa''s mind for the past few days, brewing and turning. Murai already made up his mind about many things regardless.


    So Lisa gave up and followed him like a proper Life Companion into the land she knew very well. She had someone like that in the past, but it was a very different power dynamic because she was... unique. It wasn''t probably that different, as long as Lisa would be a proper... girl. Whatever it was, she had her plans right now and some past Blessed life wasn''t on her mind at all. She had far different problems on her mind.


    Lisa never imagined she would end up as someone''s Life Companion, but here she was, doing what she previously considered unnecessary and bothersome. All for the sake of so-called hope preservation, it was an attitude that turned into a curse. One face of that was Murai; the other was this entire world.


    Out at the ground level of this castle, Murai had seen all sorts of demonic guards and military up in arms. Many moved around; clusters of armor, clicks of weapons, and many footsteps. He didn''t give them much attention, but some did give that to him instead.


    Some guards ignored him; others put their weapons at him, fearing their lives, yet Murai wasn''t interested in them or his Soul Read. Lisa showed them his Token from behind, so they quickly saluted with fear, doubt, and eyes glued at Murai''s impressive yet small stature. He went away, looking to solve his task of getting out of this military castle area that seemed to be bigger than he thought.


    He got lost almost immediately, so Lisa forced some guards to show them the way to the main street that Murai couldn''t find even with his Sonar. The ground level was simply far too large and unfamiliar. He also noticed the mana around this place was kind of... weird.


    It felt elevating, surging like the tides of mountain rivers. If Gate 1 felt like a small stream, and Gate 2 was like a pouring waterfall, this felt like an advancing river. He felt it to his core, which trembled as his Sonar cost some mana. No matter the intensity of his Sonar, mana always returned to him quickly, which felt like a slap to his mana space. Surprisingly, his Beast Core took this effect as a warrior met with a challenge, while his Artiificial Core remained like an endless sponge. It didn''t take any mana in because it wanted essences of higher quality.


    But, couldn''t he use the effectiveness of this mana to let it grow? It was possible to use many breathing styles and mana-shaping mantras for absorbing mana into the mana cores. Unfortunately, his needs were apparent, and his body was different. He will try it, but if things go south, he will ignore it.


    Perhaps in lower Gates, mana would turn into a wild storm.


    For now or before, he ignored such mantras and techniques because he was unfamiliar with his Beast Core and the needs of his new flesh. It always affected his familiarity with mana and Shaping, so Murai opted for many compromises.


    But now, he had Heavenly Shaping and his understanding was reaching a passable level. It might be entirely possible to start using what he considered standard in Endless Skies.


    This mana that he felt didn''t hurt much, which was wonderful, considering he had yet to turn his core to its proper state. Perhaps he could''ve done that along the Artificial Core. It was a questionable possibility that he reconsidered relatively recently because of the unstable ceilings of his Artificial Core. Perhaps he should be satisfied with reaching the peak of the Initialization Core. It was a problem that wasn''t really a problem. It was true. By now, he would be at that peak.


    However, the use of the Core Defying Fusion Technique was limited to just two times. If one tried it one more, its effective rules would cause very nasty consequences, and mana space would crumble upon the third time. It was a difficult technique as it was, so Murai decided to do things slowly because it was possible to reach further into the Revolving Core if he was patient enough.


    In the past days, Murai assumed a couple of things to be wrong and curious. Since he got a lot of value from the Boosts, couldn''t it elevate the Success of his Beast Core as well? It sounded reasonable it would unless he wouldn''t clutch it like a fool. After all, what were mana-related abilities like Mana Flow or Mana Replenishment? Well, the first was an essential qualitative leap to his overall mana; the other was something akin to a mantra that was regenerative to his mana space, yet it wasn''t involved and fell artificially created into his mana space and Beast Core. In a sense, it was a technique created when he became Anatidae Panacea.


    Mana Flow changed fewer times¡ªas it was all about its Grade similar to affinities¡ªyet he never got any Boost to his Beast Core on its own. That puzzled him, although he never voiced it.


    He asked Lisa about it recently, but she shrugged it off, claiming it was either because of his Core Defying Fusion Technique, or his intentions that readings overlooked, or accepted into his desires. It was a strange aftereffect of many causes and strange choices that Murai made or caused. Few beings were certain how the flow of this world affected every Blessed, as their status was different and unique, and Lisa had limited clues about how vastly this world operated under everything.


    Right. Lisa was considering the machination of this world and Divine Camp. Its readings and boosts were something that some beings of this world gathered or speculated on for millennia. It wasn''t as if Gods were hiding it as a secret. Many revealed it to their subjects at the price of not revealing it to outsiders.


    Since Murai worked with something insane with his cores, some things were better untouched, for it was intense and beyond this world.


    Lisa believed¡ªthanks to her experience and past¡ªthat Success in Mana Cores was one of the crazier rewards one could get out of some impressive achievement. It was definitely not fitting to expect Boosts to extend one''s core on its own since mana was an independent entity and Boosts hold subjective manners. One had to try and work for it, as it was an ideology and rule to pretty much every work and world. It was about adjustments. It would change after one successfully transformed the core on their own. That was the normal way to do it, which Murai was Breaching under nothing but his ridiculous ideas.


    Boosts could grant a lot of things, but they went away when one went against it. With willingness or unwillingness, it was about the approach and Gods. All in the godly orders and rules, there was some worth in work.


    Whose or what kind of rules did one have to consider to see it all? Lisa had some clues, thus it was fitting that Murai gained nothing for his cores. His Artificial Core should be well outside of some readings. It wasn''t normal. Outside of that, however, his spells and mana abilities all increased in levels and might even with the weaker core.


    That was good. At least something was normal, which Lisa appreciated.

 Chapter 177: Hellhole Tavern

    Ceasing his Sonar away, Murai looked at the street next, and much less at the military barracks behind. Before him, he saw all kinds of beings walking throughout a dozen-meter-wide street.


    The castle was an important part of the Helltrim City. It was where the military and some important people worked and ruled over this Gate. Built onto the part of the start of this cave, it had Vaults of value above, as well as important positions. Surrounding the castle''s perimeter were thick and tall walls made into a half circle. There were entrances in the walls, which Murai walked through a second ago.


    The streets weren''t that bad-looking either. Mostly paved by stones bricks or large boulders, a variety of buildings went around the streets like walls or large monuments. It reminded him of a lot of normal cities, but much older and larger. This was better than the City of Cinnar. Perhaps only the street with Vermillion Church was similar.


    A duck stood like a lost animal, and a ghost followed it behind. Lisa looked around too, knowing that the layout hadn''t changed; she saw that from that tower. Most bystanders, guards, and walking denizens glanced at them with some hesitation or curiosity, until they stared at one¡ªor both¡ªof them for many more unnecessary seconds. Then, they fled the scene as if the fire spread in the street, or they glanced at something they shouldn''t see.


    Even the guards from before returned to their post, leaving Lisa sighting in a silent reminder. She should''ve expected that Murai was far too savage as an Anatidae. But he kept his veils relatively well, and he had no intentions of scaring anyone away. Now, she started to think something was wrong with these figures. She expected... different greeting, or was this exactly what should''ve happened?


    Since Murai couldn''t walk too fast, he took things slowly. He glanced at the hurrying figures of demons and some beasts, scattering and espacing in their sight. He felt their souls. They were kind of weak and scared and shocked. Around Level 30, they fled. It was just a guess. Some could be below it or above it.


    They were considered normal denizens of this place because they weren''t something special. Like normal people on the Surface¡ªvillagers, human hunters, or farmers¡ªHells had their equivalent to normalcy. It harbored those who were untalented, weak, and young or old. It was part of the living, and part of Hell too. It was how proper power assembled their hierarchy for uncountable years.


    Sighting, Murai turned to Lisa. Their journey will take some time for sure.


    ¡°A tavern, right? I think I know quite a few of them, so how about some better ones? Different? How good? Rich?¡± Lisa suggested some ideas.


    ¡°You tell me. Never been here myself, unlike an unnamed flying ghost guide.¡± He joked and figured no immediate dangers were around him. He wasn''t sure if it was a good thing or not.


    ¡°Alright. Onwards than. I guess I know the right fit for you, but I will need to see the districts of this city first. A business could change in fifty years, shops could change owners, and taverns are like any business.¡± Lisa tried to remember the right direction that she used to know on top of her head. She ate and lived in such cities all her previous lives.


    But through the End, it felt like ages since she last tasted a meal, let alone the taste of flesh, or being in such a city. Remembering every redundant memory wasn''t something she preferred before, but her present life form was quite good at it. She had time to collect herself and made it work.


    Lisa led him throughout the Helltrim City, showing him streets, and districts. Street had a simple layout with general structures that stretched from the castle''s walls like fire. Filled with not that many beings, she was curious if something was going on.


    This wasn''t supposed to be a modest city, but buzzing in the middle of the day, notable by the glistering sun crystal many kilometers up on the ceiling.


    She had some doubts when meeting relative peace, but seeing a city of this kind at least helped her regain her thoughts and plans. She had to make it work. Regardless of something weird going behind the scenes. She hoped to ask Lorry about it. She bet that skull knew something since he gave her a good hint.


    It exists. That was it. Should she trust it like Laws? That a portal was hiding in an Ip''ur Mountain all this time and none ever know that?


    Without many interests in place, there was only one thing that allowed Hellscape to cherish in general. That was business surrounding the demonic armies, denizens, and flow of trade and lives in Hell Haven in general. This was a very popular Gate because of its portal assembly and size. It made travel almost meaningless, although the maintenance of the portals was kind of expensive and required many mages and essences. Thankfully, this place lacked neither.


    Thus, a lot of life forms lived there, including humans, weird races, species, or even unintelligent life. Battleworld was filled with billions of lives, so it came as no surprise that chaotic Hells had various lives. There was plenty of interest in places where Gods existed.


    Murai followed Lisa as she floated ahead, speaking to his soul on most occasions, rather than out loud. He did the same, unwilling to quack less, but pretending to be a regular duck was no longer possible. Not with his hoodie on.


    Murai took this rare chance of freedom, city, and serenity as a gift. So he looked around like a tourist and felt greater than ever when they entered a major district of this city.


    The main streets were dozens of meters wider, thus it was broader thanks to elevated buildings aside and more beings going around. It was still less than Lisa would call normal. Be it large or small like him, there were even dwarfs and humans, but demonic races still bested the minorities. Well, not as if there were some distinct line among those who were a majority. There were none.


    Demonic races were hard to predict in the names or clarity. The majority of demons and devils took the mantle of being in the military or gangs. Well, devils had their families to consider, so their status was mostly that of the military or high-level organization. Rarely would they have pride in some gangs. Family and clans mattered to them more. Almost like blood and their hearts.


    Being a free soldier in the Hellscape was quite a good status, but rarely was it worth a lot. Connected to the armies by certain bonds and oaths, one shouldn''t ignore access to various resources and connections. Most of those seeing power went with such choices, or it was about some pride? Humans loved that for many reasons, equal to an insane amount of demons.


    There were aspects of power that triumphed in most Hell Havens, yet some lacking means amongst them ensured the lack of proper Order.


    If anyone didn''t want to serve, they didn''t have to, as long as they could afford it and desired it. There was a freedom of relative choice in this Gate and Levandis''s Hell. If someone wanted better chances and desires, joining an organization was a clever thing to do. Military rank and power could rise in equal chances.


    It was quite a normal system, ensuring those untalented would find some satisfaction with a position fit for them, while those who wanted to go further had hope or hard work. Those who gave up on the way there either left, joined independent gangs, or became denizens who gave up on their powerful ways. All of those choices had some consequences.


    Luck, missions, and general army summonings did the best for the military. Those were much more proper, and most of Levandis''s armies consisted of those who desired more strength. It went without question that such a military was powerful, albeit chaotic. The desire of these kinds of fools was harder to control and was quite opposite to human races on the Surface, which had a wider variety of weak people.


    Armies were vast in all Hells, and Hellscape was no different. Murai had the itch to ask Lisa about them, cover them in their usual barters of information, and talk that could go for hours.


    A couple of dozens of minutes into their walk and talk, Murai had seen quite a few menacing figures dressed in lavish armor or all sorts of folks and races. By now, fewer beings ran away when they saw him or Lisa. Those dressed lavishly glanced at him without fear, but there were more of those who looked at him weirdly before scrambling away as if in a hurry. Those ranged from some lower-ranking soldiers, young devils that looked like humans but with small horns, and even humans.


    Most of those who held some powers were wary when they noticed Murai walking beside a ghost. That posed a question if their fear was about Lisa too. Murai wasn''t sure. He Read them regardless of any point of interest, wondering where were some taverns. Lisa went around to see this place first before his time to eat arrived. He accepted that without any grudge.


    Military in proximity to the castle was quite dense. It took some time until Lisa disappeared from the castle''s influence. Then¡ªin the main streets¡ªdenizens, figures in the street, and the city began to change.


    Ruvians walked or waited around the street for some business, even if they were open gangs outside of the military. Those like them were also a part of the Hells. It was inevitable to seek those unnerved to not follow the rules. Not everything was about Levandis and her armies, who were much higher in terms of power and status than anyone else.


    However, some powerful individuals were powerful and unwilling to be chained. They didn''t oppose Levandis, of course. It was stupid to do so. Those who opposed her would join other Hells or die trying to feel her anger. Even in the Surface, most armies were the same thing. There were mercenaries, pirates, bandits, adventurers, and so on. Then there were armies set by powers. Those were consistently better than some vagabonds.


    Brandishing swords and looking like wolves on two feet, Ruvians were quite notable on the street, as they weren''t considered demons, but the beastfolk.


    Murai was a little surprised to see them, considering he hadn''t seen a lot of this world. But if there was a duck that was considered a menace to society, walking and talking wolfs weren''t that weird. The mere idea that they talked in human tongue pissed him off more than anything else, however.


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    Unsurspingly, around the edges of the street, hiding under shades or in valleys, he had seen devilish ladies selling their bodies, scamming devils and trying to seize their wealth, and so on. That sight was quite... weird from his small perspective.


    Succubusses weren''t as rare as he assumed. Most looked softer than humans; some had horns, but all of them had quite notable wings, bare bodies, and thin tails. Uqari was a rare succubus who was more burly and set into some martial power of her choice. She changed to her fitting and desirable form. Their race was common and powerful in that idea.


    There was a bustling city hiding further away from the castle. Lisa knew that the military was sensitive. That was why, upon entering the Velvet District, nothing changed here as she expected. People made the city; not the other way around.


    After thinking of some timescales, timings, and ideas, she might even meet some people she knew from the past. She didn''t recall Illak, however, but for some reason, he did her. Fifty years wasn''t a whole lot of time for a succubus or demons with proper Bloodlines. Hell, even some feeble humans lived for a century or more.


    It would perhaps end up like with Illak, but she didn''t care. She had a lot of enemies, but she knew she had friends, companies, and some slaves too. There might be some information about them hiding in this place, left out by those she ditched in this world all those years ago.


    Murai glanced left and right, taking everything into his mind with surprising ease. He sidelined Soul Read as much as possible, but its passivity was starting to get annoying. He was finally at the point where he was in the civilized world, no wilderness, or a half-dead or hunted state.


    It was always a struggle out there, so when he heard that the Token¡ª which was still in Lisa''s clutched hands¡ªhad the power to give him a good time, he took that without any hesitation.


    Well, even if he hadn''t obtained it, fighting in this place was prohibited. None would bother them; even if Gods from the other Hells came to visit. Duels were the only exception. There were dozens of arenas for that; they seemed popular for a good reason, for Hells, they liked their power and fights.


    It didn''t take long for Lisa to find the tavern she used to visit. It didn''t have the same name as she knew from the past. Instead, there were some new owners, with brothels aside. She was kind of surprised that this luxurious place ended like that, but she didn''t have a choice but to look at it from an older perspective. For Murai, this should work just fine.


    Flying there with a brazen expression¡ªfor a ghost¡ªshe left Murai on the street. She figured it was a better idea to come in alone, lest there be some problems with bringing an Anatidea indoors. Rules or Tokens, some common courtesy worked best after some checks.


    Murai agreed with her, so he looked at brothels from aside the street, or some shops opposite to this tavern. Velvet District was kind of large, so there were many shops and businesses around. And here, fewer people paid attention to a little duck at the side of the street. Still, those that did fled. And the gloom persisted. There was something weird going on in this city that Lisa found weird and Murai felt it in people. Even in this place¡ªwhere Lust and Bliss were priced like gold¡ªthere was a cloud of fear and tension. It wasn''t just about him or Lisa.


    The tavern itself was in a row of many other buildings. It was a regular city street close to the main streets divided into larger districts. Velvet District was known as Night District at night. During the day, the business was not one bit lower than at night. Usually.


    It was a different kind of business. All kinds of shops had services ranging from killings, assassinations, ensuring any business to be done, or selling things in the black market, open places, hands, and so on. Half was fairly dark in theme, but a surprising amount of magical shops were there too, ranging from herbal shops, potions, military items, or equipment, forging, and runesmithing.


    For a tavern to be around, it was perhaps not fitting, but sensible. Information was power, and in such places, there was an easy way to find a job or some information.


    Lisa flew out of the door in less than a minute and let Murai inside. They offered beverages, as well as plenty of food. The latter was exactly what Murai wanted from this place, so he walked into the open door in the greatest mood ever. It went against Lisa''s expectations. The tavern changed ownership. That was all. The rest remained the same even after fifty years. It was half restaurant, half bar, and a little bit of something else aside.


    A steep odor of alcohol pushed to his nostrils and shook his senses before he adjusted in a second. Murai was surprised, but not irritated in the slightest. Quite opposite. The sense of smell was intense from the first step inside, before turning milder and comforting. Murai almost cheered out loud and uttered a loud sharp quack. This place will have to do if Lisa thought it was good.


    Lisa''s first entry was a bit weird for the folks here. Seeing a ghostly succubus wasn''t something... normal? Well, she looked like Fairy too, which many didn''t take lightly. What was weirder? Her appearance or a duck wearing a hoodie following her from behind? At least she asked if they still served what she thought, which they answered twice when she shoved them Murai''s Token.


    She had no fear of using it for the time being. At least for this little start. But later, showing this shouldn''t be good. It was like asking for a beating.


    Hells were weird places anyway, so seeing ghosts wasn''t all that weird. But quite a few curious glances went her way in this place. Especially since her vividness, clarity of soul, and body, all moved in a very nice and unique way. It was no ghost if some mage was curious to sense her. It was no Fairly either; those were more translucent and heavenly, yet hideous in many layers. She was something, yet nothing. It was truly strange for some sitting figures who weren''t weaklings.


    The majority of guests in the tavern stopped whatever they were doing the moment Murai entered this place. Silence spread for more seconds than necessary, obvious to the silently floating Lisa and thin thuds of duck''s feet.


    Murai was silent, ignoring the guests and thinking about the food. He wasn''t even questioning his hoodie or how he looked. Quiet as it was, it went for a couple of seconds, until it returned to normal when the bartender clasped his hand. Then, guests pretended everything was fine. Most guests noticed a Token in Lisa''s hands, which helped them besides seeing an Anatidae and Fairy that some of them feared.


    She showed the Token intentionally for another time just in case things went smoother. It worked.


    The bartender laughed and spread his four long hands as Murai and Lisa came closer. He was a red-skinned demon with a long head, many eyes, and a little mustache. ¡°Welcome. Welcome. Any deal here is for the deal. Eat, drink, and pay. Nobody will take it badly. That is what business is for. On the name of my owner and Hellhole Tavern. Drink too, to forget the recent happenings. The world is in shambles. So, everyone,¡± the bartender shouted. ¡°let''s give these guests some peace.¡±


    ¡°Nice name this place has.¡± Murai reckoned to Lisa, who scoffed at him, feeling hesitant over something. This whole thing started to reek of something terrible, and it wasn''t because she knew what kind of plane of existence this was.


    Challengers were like dogs, like what Illak told and reminded. Lisa floated to the bar, inquiring about the costs and things they offered. When she arrived here first, she rather asked if the business was right for her and Murai, which it was.


    Murai followed her from behind, appearing as he felt. He wasn''t correct in this place. He stood in place like a little duck would be: Small, tiny, easy to step on. The place was meant for tall and burly demons. Be it stools, tables, or even meals, everything was bigger than for humans.


    So what if everything seemed too large in comparison to his body? It wasn''t weird. Instead, he thought that nothing was fit for him. Murai didn''t mind it. It was always like this so far into this life, and he got used to many worse parts of his previous lives.


    Lisa briefly talked with the bartender in the bar, floating between a large orc and a demon with too big of a head and far too little legs. Turning around, she floated down to speak face-to-face with Murai.


    ¡°They are a bit stuffed right now because of some problems, but I''ve got you covered in your meal. That goes along with my plans, along with services, and this district. The flow of information is tight. Money isn''t a problem for you, am I right? You want me to work, so let''s give our sides more clarity.¡±


    ¡°Money. That isn''t my concern. Not really, but I don''t want to be ripped off either. Wanna have my essence? They are a better currency than those coins you forced me to take before.¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry even a feather away.¡± Lisa shook her head. ¡°I won''t allow some scams to happen. I would rip them first anyway. Heh.¡± She chuckled.


    With that said, they found a remote corner in the tavern to sit at. Murai''s steady and small steps piqued the curiosity of quite a few guests of this tavern that wasn''t large, but wide and big enough to dine hundreds of demons of various sizes. Because of that, a huge chunk of the interior was for eating, while the rest was for a small bar and lighter tables for drinking. There were also some private spaces to eat and do various trades, but Lisa didn''t care for them.


    It wasn''t your regular tavern with nothing else to offer but a clear purpose to eat and drink. Upon finding the smallest table available¡ªwhich was still far too large for Murai¡ªhe jumped on the chair, ready to order.


    Lisa dealt with that problem since no one understood him for obvious reasons. She couldn''t order anything for herself, unfortunately, but not as if it was a big issue for her worries.


    After noticing some wild stare that sent shivers down his spine, a servant came to their table, appearing nervous. Bones creaking, steps unsteady, and head sweating, he was someone that Murai took without surprise.


    ¡°W-what can I do for you, dear customers?¡± He didn''t want to piss a holder of a Challenger Token.


    That was a job for someone else.


    The one who appeared before their table was a slim and tall-looking goblin. His ears were pointy, his face green like grass, and he was surprisingly human, apart from a few features. His clothes were nice at least.


    He had a rather ferocious mouth, filled with long and sharp teeth. His chin was sharper and pointed down, his nose went longer from its base than a human nose, and his hands were thicker and ended in thick spiked nails.


    ¡°A page to order would suffice, thanks,¡± Lisa said.


    ¡°O-of course.¡± Goblin gave her an order list, hidden behind his back and trembling hands.


    Unbothered by his demeanor, Lisa flicked the little book for Murai to read. He can still order from it, but her needs and acts were needed for an order.


    Murai jumped at the table, observing the pages closely while salivating, tail wriggling, and the goblin swore his eyes glinted white.


    Goblin shivered, awkwardly cursing his parents for the amount of interest they amassed before dying that he had to repay. Glancing at the ceiling as he waited, the seconds lingered for hours. Fake hours... but it felt denser than any seconds he had ever felt.


    ¡°Hmmm... Nice! I can read this, and it has pictures. This looks nice. This is not good or terrible. That one looks shit. I will take this, this, that, and those.¡± Murai used his beak, legs, or wings to point to dozens of things at once. Lisa was looking bored aside from him, clearly bothered that she couldn''t eat herself. This place was famous for its cooking.


    The chair was soft and good thanks to the pillows, but it was far too low for Murai to see from it. Pointing to some sentences and pictures, he got what he wanted, alongside some popular items.


    Bizon stew, Redcow steak, Crocohell roast, Yukan ribs, and so on. Each item was deliberately similar to the human world because why change something that worked for millennia? Demons were far from being excellent cooks. They had fewer needs for such extravagance, as well as seasoned, nicely cooked, and pretty-looking dishes.


    Thanks to the businesses around the Hellscape, human interactions, and personal touches through many races and ages with the Surface, this place had a lot of things that most Hells would love to have. Mainly, it had stable human connections and population, which was kind of rare. It wasn''t in a literal Hell, and the military protected this business under some Overlord who was fond of culinary skills. That, or it was because of Levandis. None knew the truth.


    Thanks to its location¡ªwhich was in the middle of the Somalis continent¡ªHellhole Tavern had its business thanks to human chefs. Available in larger quantities thanks to the gluttony of beasts and demons, it had specialties and variety around a lot of meals and places in Somalis continent.


    Battleworld was vast, so every meal had various options for meats, sauces, sizes, or other additions. Some of the meats were unlike beef or pork of the human world, but all in all, Murai had no care for what was human or alien, as long as it tasted good.


    Lise ordered instead of worrying about his taste, needs, or costs. She paid on the spot since that''s how it''s done. The payment went from golden coins she forced Murai to take from the Golden Room.


    There was a lot of currency that this Gate used for business in that Vault. Since a lot of it went through wars and contests, the value of the currency was undeniable, although known for fewer magical specialties. Things made from valuable materials or treasures made sense for a currency.


    The Hell Points that Murai achieved implied quite a massive wealth if he wanted it, yet their value was far from these things. His essences and the rest were what mattered to him. Not some coins that didn''t mean something good right away.


    Hell Points that one got out of these Gates were currency in the Hellscape, after all. One of the loftier ones. Similar to Mana Essences, yet different.


    Thankfully, a couple of points were equal to many gold coins. This tavern accepted this stable currency thanks to Somalis Surface which was stable thanks to the stability of the Somalis Empire. That intense, ancient, and powerful empire was in charge of nearly half of the continent''s economy. Not outside of it, of course. Hardly any Tier S power influenced the world beyond their home continents.


    Lisa thought twice about Murai''s needs. It was a good idea she forced him to take some coins since he wouldn''t think of them at all. His eyes turned to essences the moment he saw that Vault anyway, yet not everything in his head was useful for his needs.


    She didn''t argue about it. Especially when he got quite a substantial amount of points that were overkill for his available, although limited essences. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Goblin took Murai''s order after accepting coins. Half of them nearly fell from his hands because of his anxiety to see a ghost hover those coins to his hand with what he would describe as glowing wind and water that was hardened like steel. Or wood? He was lost for words and barely wanted to look at this table.


    Showing some fear¡ªthat was well met¡ªwasn''t wrong. Stories of the clothed ducks were known as quite terrifying experiences and something his parent described to him when he was a bad child. Then, stories and tales regarding Fairies did the rest.


    He had heard of these nightmares ever since he was young.

 Chapter 178: Old devil

    Anatidaes had no nasty appearance on their own, representing something considered normal. It was up to the image of Gods who envisioned a perfect pet. Their matter was the exact opposite of some visions in their deepness.


    The acts and instincts of their Bloodline and prevalent ancestry made them monsters. For them, it was an honor and past that mattered¡ªthe memory. A reminder that Gods were the ones who cursed them with the reality of creation. For those seeing them, what mattered was how they acted, and how the world perceived them, for they were no inherent monsters. It was their creation that made them into something incoherently wrong.


    Well, or terribly, some didn''t care for it. It was a species with a history of unbound hatred for rules or normalcy. They hated the world. They despised Gods.


    Murai suited quite well for that vision, Lisa often imagined that in her silence, or was it the Fate?


    Across the human Surface, they weren''t much of a threat as long as one looked at history. There were all kinds of disasters walking on two legs alone, while some had no legs at all, or many of them instead. Monsters that rarely made their appearances held different reputations from those that were like walking or flying disasters. Legends, catastrophes, or threat levels were known across the Surface powers for a reason, depicting certain species¡ªor individuals¡ªas incredibly dangerous.


    In the demonic worlds of Hells, things went in another direction because control of power and insanity was different from Surface-level consideration. Hell, most Gods didn''t care for rules, but mortals did since the beasts rampaged very often because they were the ones hated by the Divides. Gods had desires where morality was less cherished, making a place for powerful acts.


    Thus, stories or legends spread by work of acts or mouths, often depicting long history or personal experiences, spoke of Anatidaes and many other creatures. Depending on the location or the said legends, some were considered more intense than others. Here, in Hellscape, this place felt the terror of Anatidaes personally. Some dragons didn''t come here and no divine wolves visited it either. Some were exaggerated; others were truthful to the bone.


    Murai didn''t care half as much as he should about the goblin''s attitude and emotions. He felt his quivering soul, questionable mood, and his trembling hands barely kept those coins. He should disappear and get him some food. That was what he thought was more fitting.


    Whatever Murai had in mind, asking about some rumors, why he was scared, or how Anatidaes went around this place, those were all questions he could get out of this goblin. It was what he used to desire and want in Gate 2, hunting, and looking for a soul to speak to. He got it in some sense. Long Zi was... not that, but Manager Kil, Mindarch, Lisa, and mainly, Amelius, did tell him many things. That desire disappeared or lessened because of them and... food. He didn''t care if he was a monster. He didn''t want to be a starving monster.


    He cared for the incoming feast that wouldn''t be his doing for the first time. Well, that time in that cave was basically one large buffet caused by that little Devil Fox. That was weeks ago, behind a time when Iris fed and healed him poorly, and she didn''t even know how or what such monsters as Anatidaes usually ate. She offered meat and bones. That was it. At least Murai seared or flamed them himself.


    Back then, he had no choice but to take what she had, and even if she was quite generous in her hospitality, time was rough.


    Goblin disappeared soon enough, fleeting for his life with gladness, yet knowing it wasn''t over. The order was substantial, but payment was a payment. He went to a kitchen where the head chef hyped the cooks to cook the meals of their lives, lest they would get hunted or done much worse.


    Involuntary, as Murai waited for his meal on top of the table, Iris''s face appeared in his mind again. This time, he didn''t shoo it away, ignore it, or feel as if it was something wrong like a curse. He wondered where she was, what happened to her and Timmy, and how come it was happening again. Was it his fault the kids disappeared, or was it Ceila''s fault? She was the one who took them on a dangerous journey that she couldn''t predict. And it backfired against them terribly, so what to think of them?


    Murai felt it was somewhat his fault, because where had it all started? Timmy found him half-dead; Iris healed him. They all helped him where none could, while Vermillion and Ceila happened afterward. Aftermath was either a work of Fate or simple cause and effect.


    One should accept the consequences of one''s actions. Murai believed in that logic, yet what was his living about again? Misery....cycle, balance, or something worse or different?


    Either way, after he did nothing, the Encounter commenced, forcing upon him a Fate that was wrapping him whole alongside many other figures. But that was wrong. Those kids were the outer victims, far too detached from his little life. Their disappearance could''ve been a simple attack against Ceila or Vermillion. Iris seemed important to them anyway. That was just his guess or a mistake that Vermillion hadn''t expected. Where was she now, ignoring it as her shining chance arrived?


    Murai had no clue about Vermillion and what she had done behind the scenes, or how she was clutching Ravine in her grasp. He didn''t want to know anything, frankly. But the kids? He was almost certain they were in the hands of the Centralis Kingdom. Who else was involved at that time? If anything, Lisa made some certainty that he understood what was happening and what was at stake. Those three killed messiahs back in the Seventh Death Forest were perfect memory food for her, as well as a reminder.


    Murai thought of the past before meeting them. There was Rain, that cave, and Acaman Tower. Lisa was part of one thing alone. There, he spoke with a questionable God, and even Lordis himself sent him some words. Nothing about it seemed like something to do with those kids. All logic went to the Surface, but ever since that mansion and those lunatics appeared, he had no clue about the bigger picture. Lisa didn''t know the details either because those messiahs weren''t aware of detailed topics.


    Since then, things changed. He had his hunt, time for his progression, and places to beat. This temple changed his focus. He could only hope they remained in a good place, safe and sound, and that Vermillion wouldn''t betray them because of him, Encounter, or other situations that were far above his head.


    Lisa glanced at him, learning his worries that were half surprising and half sunken on his face and soul. She was feeling him like a very complicated book, menacing, hard to tame, and impossible to read in full. Floating right above the cushioned chair, she was right beside him. He decided to hop down, waiting on the cushion, spreading his feet and wings wide. He even put his hoodie on; he found it kind of hard for him to do, but after some tries, he succeeded.


    Lisa roughly knew from her connection what he was pondering about, and where his worries were, yet there was nothing she could tell him. She was out of touch with these sorts of things. Frankly, she didn''t care about it.


    It was out of her sight, as she wasn''t even sure why he cared or thought about those kids. She had never seen them. She wasn''t there, but it was clearly out of his touch, power, or hand. Too much force went for his life in that intense time when she slept, and he disappeared before they even mattered.


    She believed they weren''t his problem, considering the situation and everything surrounding him. He had his worries. Lisa and him, their lives and souls were tangled together like strands of Fate, whilst the best choice for her was to ignore his thoughts. Perhaps it wasn''t a good thing for everyone but her.


    Very often, she spoke to him simply because she wanted to know him better. Her questions weren''t even that important half the time. Waiting wasn''t that good; so were hesitation, or terrible topics. It helped her, yet it worked in one direction. She doubted Murai was nearly half as curious about her as those kids. It was her guess. It might be wrong.


    Murai was glancing at the page of meals that the goblin forgot to take. It was taking a while for the food to appear, which was one thing he always hated about restaurants. When he prepared his meal, it wasn''t the same as waiting for others. That, or perhaps some personal cook wouldn''t hurt.


    ¡°It takes them bloody ages,¡± Murai complained. ¡°Would caught and ate a cow already if I hunted and killed my meal.¡±


    ¡°Calm down, it''s been just five minutes. Half an hour is the usual time to take even half of what you want. Wait an hour or more since you ordered so much.¡± Lisa argued and whispered. It had limited effects since she couldn''t control her physical voice all that well.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°I know... Hunger does that to an Anatidae, duck... or whatever I am. Anyway, now that we have time, what about the plan brewing in your head for days? I got the idea that you are plotting something behind those Cages with Lorry, and you mentioned it before. What is it that you want to do? That skull isn''t in the picture, so that leaves me curious.¡±


    Lisa glanced at his curious face. It suppressed hunger, and when he got curious, he sounded impressive and domineering. ¡°Wants are one thing. Some things around this situation need some clarity before action. I don''t think this tavern has the information gathering that I want. For food, it is good, so I want a clear plan for you. Is that enough to let you remain calm and steady?¡± She said as she glanced around the tavern.


    There was a single floor, but with an elevated ceiling and many rows, private booths, and limited gaps and walls between the tables, there wasn''t much privacy. She met a few gazes that went in their direction, but they soon turned away or disappeared when she glanced back. There were many curious and also dangerous-looking people. Lisa saw and knew this enough. These places reeked of problems. There were dozens of figures looking suspicious: bearing cloaks, pretending to speak to one another, or being busy doing nothing.


    And at some point¡ªshe didn''t know when¡ªthere were more guests and visitors in the tavern than when she arrived. More tables were full at least, so she started to speak to him with her mind alone.


    ¡°Seems to me this place is the same as ever. I feared something less, but it was still larger than I anticipated. Maybe your species is a tad tougher topic in this Gate than it should be, unlike my time here. Never heard much about Anatidaes back then.¡±


    ¡°Oh? I thought they questioned, scoffed, and wondered why a ghostly succubus would appear here. Hadn''t seen many ghosts around the city floating around, you see. From what I can tell, a ghost doesn''t exist as clearly as yourself, Lisa.¡±


    ¡°Says an Anatidae that is basically a duck with charitable Bloodlines and whatnot. Oh, and wearing a hoodie of all things. Hilarious.¡± Lisa retorted, half certain he was joking and half certain he was serious.


    ¡°You are right about one thing...¡± Murai said calmly, spreading his wings as he lay like a half-death duck on a cushion. ¡°This one has a nice soul and hoodie to accommodate for its feathers. Isn''t that nice?¡±


    ¡°Can''t give you a single word to care about that. Same as me, species matters when time and the world are ready or we are. Do you feel the tension around this tavern and city? I took you for someone sensible. Something weird is going on. I can feel it.¡±


    ¡°Well, perhaps so, but I''ve never been here, and not like I really care. We aren''t getting what we all want, so... I will eat soon, so how about talking again? Information gathering might be nice and all, though this place is tense as you''ve said. Can you manage to get what you want? My quacks will hardly help you with anything unless my beak and feet will put some demons onto their knees. HA!¡± Murai chuckled as he pictured something hilarious and ridiculous at the same time.


    Lisa couldn''t tell much to him. He was half right anyway. His Token was quite powerful on its own, but it was a curse also. It was a Token that normal denizens took with reverence, but not fear, while others took it for something else. Something changed and it wasn''t his species that did it.


    ¡°I will take you for your words.¡± Lisa said, ¡°This tavern isn''t enough for me. I will go out and visit some places on my own. I need money and use some of the valuables in your pouch. Can I have your agreement in this matter?¡±


    ¡°When did you need my agreement to do what you wanted? I care about few things, and money isn''t one of them.¡± Murai said as he gave her a long look for once.


    ¡°That is wrong.¡± Lisa retorted, floating closer to his face. ¡°There are all kinds of monetary ways around the Hells. Gold coins are only acting as a measure of the Surface. It is all about value what others decide after all, or the market does it in many layers and powers.¡±


    Murai agreed with that. Iris mentioned something about money that week.


    But Hells were different from the Surface.


    ¡°Essences, information, and even potions are another value to the money. Then, many valuable materials rich in mana are worth something else, or more. Then, we have the Hell Points which is the most prized currency in this place. It is basically what you''ve gotten so far, but each Gate hinders its worth, disallowing you to think of it as something bigger because you can''t store it as you go down. That isn''t the case for anyone in this place. It is their gold.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Murai didn''t believe it. Money and valuable stuff went hand in hand. He saw plenty of worlds without any money in sight, which always elevated trading businesses. It usually created more problems than solved them.


    ¡°Points are more than some systematic money made of rich or abundant materials.¡± Lisa continued. ¡°They are mere ideas. Like a piece of soil, yet it is worth more. Then, we have the people. Every merchant group in Hellscape cares about the Challengers. They are going through these Gates like rich pouches full of something valuable. So be it essences, loot in general, or things from the Surface, it is what?¡±


    ¡°Walking targets, huh?¡± Murai guessed. ¡°I suppose gangs love that idea because I have looted two Gates. Is that it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It''s that simple. It is all about money, but money isn''t everything. I am sure you know that. Deep in your head and lives that aren''t as sensible to you as you wish.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I know that the truth sometimes hurts, but it doesn''t change my interest. I always take what I can; be it helpful or worthy something close or far. Points were fine for that idea like a temporary bliss, and so were those gold coins, essences, and other things. It was all offered for me anyway, free for my taking, while some points are another value this place sets like gold. I wasted none, but the mere idea I could grinds my nerves. They would become utter waste! Why can''t I keep them if they are currency in this Gate anyway?¡±


    ¡°So? What are you trying to tell me?¡± Lisa said impatiently.


    ¡°I did take what I did, and did it with some care since shedding blood for them hadn''t felt particularly good, did it? Got my idea?¡± He argued, choosing to send these words to her head rather than quacking like a duck. It was a good idea. No one would like to listen to his high or low-pitched quacks in this tavern.


    He had at least some conscience and awareness to be in this society with some minor adjustments. Society should better adjust to him too, but he wasn''t that insensible to be an utter monster without any regard. Being in the presence of many demons didn''t help, yet Murai wasn''t nervous.


    He had some power to be confident.


    Most of the figures in this place were either cautious, intelligent, or both, meaning that their level and abilities weren''t low. They didn''t want to go against the rules of Helltrim City, nor were there those who wanted some quick problems. For now anyway.


    There were no unhinged beasts, but some demons weren''t far from them at all. Their physical appearance twisted the common sense of many lifeforms, but in this tavern, most looked like crazy-looking humans, similar to the bartender.


    Murai speculated that the average level of this tavern was quite high by now, though he had no way to find any specifics. Some of the figures had unique uniforms consisting of wooden plates, leather, bones, or parts of stones or metals. Those with the best-looking outer appearance mostly ate or drank in silence, ignoring Murai, or his table and existence.


    So yes. There could be some Extremes hiding somewhere, as he couldn''t really know who was strong or not. Those above Level 50 were already above him; he didn''t see them any better in guesses or his Soul Read. The power of the souls didn''t indicate or correspond that well with Levels anyway. Some beings had much better-empowered minds, and the more intelligent ones got, the tougher it was to think of their levels and souls. In that sense, the level was somewhat overrated, or straight up unnecessary. It was like a weak token of accomplishment, condition, or achievement.


    One couldn''t wish for them. One could only hope their acts or powers correspondened with new readings. Or, in some cases, leveling was as clear as mana. It depended on how one took the readings, lived in this world, or where. Some continents took the mantle of levels for something different. In Somalis, it was like an achievement and power itself depending on how powerful one was. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Murai figured that relying on Soul Read to read any power was kind of obsolete. For now, he had no itch to do anything other than wait patiently without offending anyone like Lisa wanted. So did he.


    Lisa heard his ideas again, so she crossed her arms, glaring a hole into his eyes.


    She didn''t speak.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Murai growled. ¡°I misspoke. At least you''ve got the gist of my ideas, so take and get whatever you deem worth and well. I trust you won''t be stupid to waste what I shed blood for. If you get it¡ª¡± Lisa floated closer, grabbed his pouch from his pocket, and disappeared into the tavern, leaving Murai speechless and silent. He had yet to finish his words, yet he wasn''t surprised to see her like this. Her mind was set on her plans for days. That was one of the few things he knew about her. When she decided on something, there was no point in changing it.


    Murai knew the need for information and efficiency was high. She can work alone for that, but this wasn''t only about it. What left him speechless was the fact that she didn''t even remind him to be calm and not do stupid shit. If he was honest, that shocked him more than her demands for his pouch.


    He had no plans to do that even if he had to, but what if some stupid shit reached out to him instead? What than?


    The situation around the whole tavern changed the moment Lisa disappeared, leaving the tavern completely from the front door. She kept Murai''s Token on the table before going back to the Velvet District. With a ring and a pouch in hand, she was ready for her information gathering. Nobody will stop her.


    At some corner¡ªsitting amongst a couple of shrouded figures¡ªan old-looking devil stood up, notable by long curved horns on top of his head, and a black robe over his straight and surprisingly buff body. He was seamless in his act, unnerved, and went straight for Murai''s table. He was old and patient, thus not fearful of Murai''s status. It was a wonder why he made his move after Lisa left. He looked at Murai, who couldn''t care less for more than a rare rest on a soft cushion. He even got comfortable after knowing his food wouldn''t arrive quickly.


    ¡°So yet another Anatidae appeared and tensed the already bad situation in this place? My old eyes hadn''t deceived me,¡± the devil said in a raspy voice. ¡°You want some food, huh? Here in the Hellhole?¡±


    From his facial features, he had most resemblances to a human elder, and out of many inhuman beings fetched through demonic roots, devils were often sensible, or straight-up insane. Nothing in between. Their Bloodline secured that idea, as some believed them to be Sons of Chaos. Sucubuses were the polar opposite to them, with questionable moods and personalities, but equal styles and impressions.


    Devils¡ªlike succusses¡ªcould change their appearance, but they often put more emphasis on different demanding changes. Ending results were part of their Bloodline, family, clans, or Paths. Hence, many had their differences and specific characteristics, walking steadily side by side with Chaos, or touching things from the internal side of their hearts.


    But more often than not, they didn''t want to be different from the normal devils or humans. It was about the horns on their heads, two legs, and two arms. Anything else was fine to change thanks to the politics of many of their clans, families, and reputable Bloodlines that ranged from poor to the kind that Gods feared.


    Devil Horns were their most distinct feature, while long human arms and fingers, pointy or slender ears, and elegant demeanor weren''t irregular even for insane devils. Most of the devils had some royal feeling to them; to make themselves look better than others. It was in their Bloodlines. Those that aged well, or had very potent Bloodlines, one should never think of them as poor. They were often arrogant and extremely narcissistic.


    Their ceilings for power were wild, common sense was... debatable, and intelligence was variable, though often very good. That was why Murai hadn''t fought any in the Islands of Greatness, which was still strange. He bet there should be devils around his level¡ªor slightly above¡ªthat would challenge him well.


    He saw some youthful devils in the Last Island; though he wasn''t sure if they were worth something or not. Since he killed Uqari, they no longer impressed him, even if their abilities might''ve been high. Meeting some talented ones wouldn''t be weird to him, considering devils as a race were old and proved to be very powerful, similar to elves and multiple other races with old roots.

 Chapter 179: Feast

    Before Murai was a powerful devil that he was half-sure to be above Level 70¡ªif not more. This old devil had that sort of aura around him that seeped of experience, but no Lust or anything weird like that. This devil wasn''t touching that in the slightest. He was an older devil; the kind that shouldn''t be judged, as he was bolder and aged with a life of this world.


    The wrinkles around his dark red eyes were quite devilish, making his eyes pop off. He wore a simple robe without any emblems or resemblances to armies, gangs, or anything else. That made him unique out of the bunch of guests of this tavern.


    ¡°Nothing to add to my voice, Anatidae Child? Oh, I know why... Don''t worry. This old fool is just curious and not making things difficult. I am just seeing this new one emerge with my eyes, and lo and behold! It''s a Blessed Challenger that comes under the public eye, boldly taking the streets of Helltrim City for a garden. Usual... How usual. Some could get burned, but not this one, hmmm... This one is hungry instead.¡± The old devil said, chuckled, and put his hands on the table, examining Murai''s face that¡ª at the end of his speech¡ªslowly turned to him; his hood shrouding his eyes.


    Murai turned his beak towards him, and their eyes met as he flickered the hoodie a little bit upward. This old fool wanted some troubles, it seemed.


    Old devil wore a little smirk on his face, unafraid of anything at first glance. With the staring battle underway, he looked like Illak: Curious, yet without anyone or anything to stop him. Neither wasn''t winning or losing this stare contest all that much, which Murai found funny. This devil had some balls to challenge him though.


    Despite that, Murai wasn''t sure what to think of him. His Soul Read didn''t feel anything abnormal. He was seemingly standing, or to be precise, glancing forth with his slightly glowing red eyes in open curiosity. No mana, aura, or something apparent went on. Murai felt no threat either, which was almost unreasonable and suspicious. He believed in his hunches and feelings. They were silent. He felt nothing but some normal emotions like curiosity and some amusing suspicions. No fear, or what he felt in many instances since he entered this Gate.


    Well, this is not bad for me. Why does everyone want to do a staring contest with me? Be it demons, but an old devil. His eyes aren''t that much of an issue for me, old fool, though his... something might? What is he about, glaring at me for nothing or something?  Murai thought to himself. Getting to his feet, he stared as his demeanor changed to the same level as this devil.


    Slowly, the old devil''s smirk disappeared, realizing that he won''t do much this time around. This much was already enough, as he did what he wanted.


    So he spoke calmly. ¡°Fret not, Child that bents the rules and this temple. It is our home, so seeing more monstrosities wreaking havoc is only welcomed by many. Even in these times, it doesn''t dismember anything. Army, clans, gangs, or families around the Hells, everyone takes various interests for rumors or chances. Information is one of the peerless treasures that goes around, walking, or flying. Fear a little, per the usual hopes, as there won''t be a good time for your Hunt and journey. Until you prove yourself, mend, and take this Gate well, you are just a little Child preying on wolf''s dent.¡± The old devil said, turned, and glanced away.


    ¡°Oh! I won!¡± Murai smiled and slapped his small feet on the cushion in a cheerful win. ¡°Proving is for those who want some remedy or shitty attitude. I don''t see that as something worthy. But I could also see something else. How about me, jumping at your shoulder, inserting my beak down, and twisting your whole spine apart? Sounds like a good idea to me. Pche! You are just here to gauge me anyway, aren''t you? Disappear where you belong.¡± Murai spoke how he wanted; he didn''t want to stir any troubles as Lisa wanted, yet he still quacked out loud.


    Free of any issue, he let this old devil free, or was it the other way around? Had he come here just to stare, give him warnings, and speak to him about nothing?


    What just occurred was about what was fit for this situation in the tavern, or Helltrim City in general. Nothing started yet, apart from something well beyond this city.


    Normally, some welcoming parties were normal, involving various politics, desires, and grudges. Then, it depended on how Challengers proved themselves, how crafty they were, or who they were. Being careful was only fitting before fighting later. That went both ways, yet what was this invading party for those of Chaos? Some faces mattered in the face of rules.


    That was the gist of the present situation that Murai figured after this devil left. And the Token¡ªwhich Lisa kept close to him¡ªremained on the table and outside of Murai''s eyes. He hadn''t noticed that his little guest took quite some interest in it, but he hid it very well. The devil did care for it, yet he wasn''t here to stir it, as his skin was thick and he had his desirable orders.


    As one of the two military bases, the Helltrim Castle was quite important. It was there as a reminder of a godly touch and authority, so no one wanted to provoke something or somebody sensitive in this city. That included independent gangs and even families of devils, or clans of many races and demons. Even those closer to some Overlords or Gods were careful not to take their acts like walking around Calm Waters. Especially against Challengers, one had to take things slowly or with a certain desire that it was fine.


    For this devil, this much was fine. He hadn''t done anything wrong.


    The Token was crucial in many ways. It was a truly treasured opportunity and blessing for anyone living or visiting this Gate. It was just a single thing for them; a chance free to take as long as one could take it from them.


    The old devil returned to his table, smiling and indifferently taking Murai''s gaze to his back without any regard. He took his seat beside someone hiding under pitch-black shadows of a cloak, but also literal shadows. Thinly, some muscular features of a man''s face¡ªwho was occasionally drinking a beer¡ªwere visibly hiding and moving underneath the shadows.


    ¡°Have you seen that? He doesn''t budge or care for me,¡± the devil said without hiding his fun. ¡°He is really interesting as rumors and pictures say.¡±


    ¡°Seen that,¡± the man opposite to him said calmly, speaking in a human tongue like the devil. ¡°So young, yet so insane. Also, don''t mention the pictures.¡±


    ¡°Right. Of course. What to do with that... sir. The situation is changing.¡± the devil whispered, figuring that talking wasn''t fine, but showing? There on the table, a couple of pictures showed some interesting ideas. Only one was obvious, as it was on top of the other pictures, showing Murai standing on the table right in front of a huge plate of meat, sauces, and dishes he ordered. His eyes were blazing like his hoodie and open beak. Juices were overflowing through the meat, watering down the plate twice bigger than him. It was a colorful red picture, showing only that table and him alone.


    There was no plate in front of Murai right now. Not in the current reality.


    The hooded man seemed to get the devil''s attention, but he didn''t care for this picture. It was among the weakest ones. Meant to correct something,. ¡°We wait as we always do. Like Interuptors, remember. Armies will be making their moves soon, Lady Lavandis will have to make a stance, and Mindarch gives everything an edge. We have more pictures ready just in case, showing us the way to the New World. For now, nothing and nobody moves. Fate has its ways. We don''t meddle with it. Not us.¡± The man said seriously, storing the pictures away from the table, apart from the one showing Murai''s feast.


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    ¡°What about Manager Kil.¡± the devil asked just to be sure. What if others already knew what was going on? Well, it was a matter of a different Hell, but one was never sure what to do when things of Fate were involved. ¡°Or... others? We are here, waiting, and doing this for a long time. Are others here as well? Aware and ready.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Nothing for us is here besides intercepting. Young Miss is the one to see it, followed by my more important personnel in charge of the bigger pictures. Send the words. Challengers or a Hunt aren''t a concern when we watch. Not act. Armies only wait for their chances, but this one... is weak. Small Child, barely eligible, yet it is wild. How come our Lord deems it at such weight? It is too weak to change the status quo, yet Fate shows its ways, which speaks of other weaklings of things yet... the Lord? What goes behind, again?¡±


    ¡°Another Challenger from the Islands of Greatness is going here, but the picture already stated that much. A hideous clash is about to happen. He is a much stronger one, I suppose, but not the one that pictures depict very often.¡± the old devil replied. ¡°We aren''t the Order, but we seek it. I always see and hear it, though this one feels like a different one. The public knows the bits and we know the veils. His soul is weird. I couldn''t see it all. Rumors said the truth.¡±


    ¡°Then let the rumors remain what they are. We wait unless we have to do something. Miss will decide it when she comes around.¡±


    The old devil leaned on his chair, whispering and mumbling something inaudible, and clutching a dark triangular necklace underneath his robe. It had no eyes, but countless scales and tails in triangular shapes.


    A similar situation was happening in other tables, but more brazenly, showing gangs and curious demons looking for Anatidae that entered this Gate. Some regarded it with apprehension, and some thought of making their moves. It was quite an occasion, yet some tables had their unique circumstances and things to do, while others took this as a warning. None other than that devil visited that table.


    Information gathering was important, but what had this old devil done was as private as it could get. Whatever it was, it was part of something that disregarded this Gate. For the better of their souls, they shouldn''t disregard it as a whole unless they were stupid.


    Perhaps, sooner or later, Murai would shake the majority of this Hellscape without even lifting a wing.


    Which was why some nasty figures tensed up and were making their moves.


    Murai hadn''t heard anything about these fools. He returned to his cushion and waited. No one visited him after that devil. It was a good sign before his meal.


    In a while, the same-looking goblin from before made his appearance. Wobbly in his knees, he was bearing the weight of a feast. A big plate was on his shaking palms. He wasn''t that big or burly, so it was impressive he was even able to walk properly.


    Steamy and smelling good, the big piles of meats, bones, and creamy sauces ran through the fibers of cooked and roasted meat, exactly how the picture described. Almost too equal to it, in fact. He arrived at Murai''s table in one piece; same with the plate and the feast. Struggling on his leg, he safely guarded the package.


    Everything was as Murai expected. Surprisingly the pictures almost didn''t make this feast the justice in Murai''s look. The plate and food looked so much bigger and better, pleasantly surprising Murai¡ªwho began salivating¡ªand even his tail wriggled without his consent or awareness.


    He couldn''t help but be satisfied today. It was long overdue. Deserved.


    ¡°Erm... The g-g-ghost lady is g-gone?¡± Goblin mumbled as he struggled to remain on a spot without falling backward. ¡°Eh... Well, very big and... I suppose I will leave it here. She can''t eat... eh?¡± He weakly spoke as he noticed something insane glaring in his direction.


    Glancing at Murai, whose whole face was closing at the plate in his arms, he nearly pissed himself. A strange gleam in Murai''s eyes was like a radiating killing intent, ready to pierce and eat up this goblin. That was what this unfortunate soul was seeing and feeling, but Murai aimed that at the meat alone. Well, he could eat him too. After some smoking or spices like this meat.


    Out of fear, or a sense of duty, the goblin put the big plates in front of Murai, before fleeing for his dear life. He forgot his fear behind, or even his wobbly legs. Sweating in places he wasn''t sure existed, he feared the remaining plate he had to get to him. It wasn''t over yet. The order list had one more plate remaining, leaving him helpless.


    Murai wasn''t that stingy with his order, even if he ordered more than he assumed, or was it because he wasn''t sure of the sizes of meals? Lisa knew his gluttony anyway, so she didn''t stop his ordering even a little bit.


    Now, when he glanced at the plate, he wasn''t even sure if he would eat it all. But he was fine with challenging his appetite even if he wouldn''t.


    ¡°At last! Alone with a feast! Excellent!¡± Murai shouted, uttering a high-pitched quack, before letting go of his restraints. He waited for half an hour for the first round.


    Jumping to the table, eyes glinting and wings spreading, he didn''t even take off his hoodie. He opened his beak and shoved it into the steaming roast twice his size, scattering the bones away, or catching them with a flick of his beak, before crumbling them to bits. He almost used his Blitz, but he didn''t need that for a meal.


    By instinct, all of the training and killing in the last Gate provided its worth. His beak and neck moved like he wanted, crashing and cracking the bones to pieces. Meat flew around, yet nothing left the air or the plate. He was letting the juices flow down his beak, where it slid off the hoodie to the table. He was making a mess, but he didn''t care about it or his appearance as he ate.


    And he ate like a glutton before, so now, he wasn''t caring for manners either. Nothing was here to stop him.


    Minute by minute, the plates were becoming smaller and smaller, leaving no bones behind. They were roasted too, seasoned well with salt and other seasonings that Murai took for a bliss-worthy Everflower. Sauces added the meat heavenly flavor he felt for the first time in this life.


    Nothing survived.


    By this point, Murai no longer cared where he even was. He only catered to what he was due to, so he did so with absolute Will and freedom of his soul. He shattered and ate everything until the plate was empty.


    The other plate had yet to arrive.


    Sighting in absolute bliss and satisfaction, Murai fell to the cushion behind him, stuffed like an absolute animal after eating what felt like dozens of kilos of meat, bones, and who knew what else. He felt some potatoes for sure, though weird in structure; feeling crunchy as if made of bones.


    Various vegetables around the roast weren''t spared either. It was mostly meat anyway, yet he wasn''t thirsty. Meat juices provided enough nutrition and his stomach and core growled in satisfaction.


    Unwillingly glancing back at the empty plates from his flat position, Murai noticed a person sitting on the other side of the table, glaring at him. It was a human. A rather young one. It was not Lisa¡ªwho could change to such appearance as well but preferred not to. She was yet to come back, though she was ghostly like a succubus, similar to a human ghost.


    Opposite to him was a boy, or a very young man. It was hard to say his age through his smooth face, gleaming smile, and straight back with slim shoulders.


    ¡°Hello, little friend.¡± the boy waved a hand. ¡°I''ve noticed your feast, so I''ve waited without interruption. Mind if I join?¡± He spoke like a young gentleman, if one forgot that he had long ago sat down.


    Manners weren''t his most exquisite skill, it seemed, but his speech and voice were near perfect for a lackey or a steward. Though, he wore rather comfortable and fitting clothes to a city, rather than a uniform.


    Another bother who wanna stare? What the f... Who the, Murai didn''t like this. He even lost his edge over his voice, so he remained cursing in his mind, bothered by anyone who would dare to end his pleasant time.


    He forgot he already ate everything, so it didn''t matter if someone wanted to stir some shit or talk to him. It would be a good exercise after a nice meal.


    He could give him a literal shit, if his meal got processed fast enough, or... Murai still questioned his digestive system, which didn''t seem normal at all. He ate many times of his weight, yet it didn''t seem to turn his stomach upside down.


    Most food he ever ate was absorbed and gone as fast as he ate or blinked. Whether it was a good or bad thing, he didn''t know. Perhaps he didn''t want to guess or know the answer to that mystery.


    At least he didn''t get physically fat, so that was the only good sight of his gluttony.


    The young man didn''t seem to be nervous or afraid at all. He smiled as if he were looking at a friend, which was the polar opposite of that goblin, or some figures around the tavern that seemed to have gained many more guests.


    ¡°Nice to meet you by the way.¡± the boy bent his upper body down and put his right hand in Murai''s direction, almost reaching his feathers.


    All that this youth saw was his bother, and his lingering hand felt awkward. What can Murai do with that? Chop it off? Eat these fingers?


    The young man coughed and retreated his hand without feeling the lingering awkwardness. Of course, a duck couldn''t shake his hand. ¡°Well, I see a new Challenger. Those are always nice to see and nice to meet. How about some business? You just arrived and business is in my blood. I am human, you see. No worries. I don''t bite or hunt you.¡±


    Murai still glared at him as he spread his stuffed belly on the sofa, silent.


    ¡°My name is Marthosh Denulin, a humble member of an information-gathering company called Lost Brothers. We do business in all sorts of ways and days; not just information. Want to sell something, or buy something special? Care for some information from the Surface or the Hells? We do that sort of thing privately and outside of any armies or any gangs.¡±


    Murai remained silent.


    ¡°Mind to talk some business, or is it not required?¡± Marthosh kept speaking politely and without any force. He was good at this, which Murai at least appreciated because he didn''t seem forced at all. ¡°I see your Token, and I''ve heard you are quite a feisty one, aren''t you?¡± Marthosh continued, appearing ongoing, interested, and talkative as if he didn''t care that Murai couldn''t talk to him at all. He glanced half a second longer at the Token a handful distance away. It looked enticing.


    Perhaps he didn''t know Murai in the slightest. He couldn''t understand Murai either, or his clear eyes and silent face.

 Chapter 180: Lost Brothers

    Marthosh was looking young like one would guess from his face and voice, though his demeanor was of someone who grew up in a tough world and adjusted to it accordingly. For a human in this Gate, it was nothing short of normal. Not even an adult, living in the Helltrim City all his life, and knowing what this place was about, he was what one would describe as a youth full of life, even in this place.


    One would wonder how he even managed this sort of attitude, assuming this place didn''t take humans nearly as well as the Surface. Most Hells wouldn''t adapt that well to humans apart from very rare instances that worked through reputation, or specific circumstances.


    Marthosh was weak like any youngster would be, unless his position was sensitive, or he was a Blessed human. In that case, things could be very different, though near impossible in this case. Murai could tell he was native to this world and weak, obviously by his eyes alone. If anything would change it, it might be the company named Lost Brothers, which could be a major and influential business if it sought him out when others didn''t. If it employed humans, affording and protecting such people, they could be either stupid or powerful. Not both.


    Murai didn''t know what to think when he looked at this kid. Who was he, why did he keep asking him questions, or where did he come from?


    At least he felt the sincerity that beamed like a lovely hearty honesty out of him. His Soul Read picked it up so he even forgot about smacking him away. Instead, he kept his interest at bay, unwilling to test his spirit or hurt him in any way. He kept glancing at him from his lower position, wondering how to deal with this talkative guy, yet still lying on his back with a stuffed belly.


    Now what? Murai thought. A business seems like excessive work for me. And he looks like a brat who seeks the sky, unwilling, or too willing to go to the unknown length for it. He has some hopes, yet he is nervously bearing his eyes on me for something, lest he seeks the others around the tavern. Do they watch him like an eyesore because of his human origin, or because he is with me? Well, that devil was whatever. Oh well, this is something that Lisa can deal with ease, I suppose. I wonder when she will come back after dealing with her findings.


    Then, Murai sighed, wriggled his torso, and shot his beak up, facing the ceiling. A nap was due until the other plate would arrive.


    Marthosh seemed surprised to see his napping action, as he was expecting at least some answer. He opened his mouth, leaned onward to glance at him from the corner of the table, and waved his hand at that sleeping duck.


    ¡°S-sir? B-busines? Any? Hello? Wakey wakey...¡± He tried as much as he could, but it was to no avail. It was like speaking to a wall.


    And no wall was ever enough against a member of Lost Brothers. It was against the rules! The business was taking its priority, so Marthosh clutched his fists and leaned back to the cushioned chair.


    Unwilling to give up, he waited for another opportunity that might arrive sooner or later. It wasn''t up to him, so he adjusted his attire consisting of some neat shirt that was close to a cheap suit, and waited until Murai would awake, or for that ghost that might come back sooner rather than later.


    Rumors were true, after all. A Blessed Anatidae was walking in the Hellscape, bearing nothing normal on its own, yet the shaken world waited for nothing or something, or for time to return and turn once more.


    Remaining at the table proved to be quite an ordeal that Marthosh hadn''t expected. Watched and ridiculed by demons from all sides, ostracized by some snarky comments, some of them were nearly physical, but no one dared to make a move to this table. Only those very brave did it so far, obvious by that old devil and Marthosh who was a devout worker. All sorts of interested parties didn''t want to stop Murai''s meal. It wasn''t clever, they knew. Or it might be because this city itself was sensitive to troubles, or was it because this Hellhole was taking its businesses seriously?


    Most bid for more time and waited for Murai to make its moves, or for Mindarch to start their blissful chance.


    Around the tavern, demons laughed at Marthosh, pointing fingers that his End was coming, yet those words slowly disappeared when Murai left him alone. Then, some pointed out that he was lucky that Anatidae went to sleep and that he should run away when he could.


    The next meal was yet to come, even after twenty minutes of this situation that startled the surrounding demons, gave many onlookers some fun, and many quick visitors glanced at this sight. A human kid sat before a sleeping Anatidae, folding his arms against his chest and pretending he wasn''t there. It didn''t work against others, but he at least thought of himself as stone. That worked wonderfully. His boss said that if one was confident, fewer things mattered. But when one wasn''t, pretending to be a stone meant sturdy defense. Would a stone care for some taunts or words? Not at all. Marthosh knew it.


    At some point, the old devil and shrouded figure aside from him left this place after confirming what they wanted. That plate was indeed identical and Murai was the same.


    Marthosh was a patient little guy with enough thick skin to remain in place. His aforementioned business didn''t come with ease or clarity, but a rule and task that came quickly from his boss. Anything or anyone had a price; business had its stakes, closer to the individuals, or upcoming talk. Mumbling something under his bent head and resting hands on his forearm, he ignored everyone and everything. No stone would get overturned right now.


    His patience seemed to pay off, meeting a fortune when things made no sense to him. Soon, Lisa flew back into the Hellhole Tavern, returning with nothing but the pouch in hand and ring around her wrist. Appearing as normal as she could, it didn''t work that well when demons backed away from her flight, eyesight, or waves of her glistering and magnificent meter-long body. Some of them even screamed like children when they saw her, quickly scramming away from the tavern. If even a child considered her a Fairy, why couldn''t these fools?


    Lisa wondered if she should Shape her appearance a little bit, just in case of this Gate, but could she do that? Was she willing to not be her preferred and perfected appearance? Not one bit. The only thing that made sense to change was her size. Her demeanor and face remained. This was the closest she was to her former self, posing as a memory of her past that was fueling her present. It was out of the question for her to change. For a ghostly Soul Render, she could ask for more, but to whom? Like Marthosh a while ago, she bid for time too.


    Others should adjust their heads to seek or get used to her instead. It wasn''t her problem if others thought of her as something she wasn''t. She was far worse than some Fairy for godly sakes.


    Lisa didn''t care for the sight of others; she had her targets that were much more promising. Especially when some measly demons escaped her gaze out of nothing but their instincts. She was looking nasty in some eyes, and dangerous or curious in others. Yet, unknown to them all, it was still a front that went to their hearts.


    She wouldn''t hurt almost anyone in her current form, but if soul and sona were concerned, she could hurt someone for sure. She held the pouch in her stressed hand, looking for Murai with a serious ashen face. Perhaps it was an aftereffect of her azure and ghostly image, akin to a fog made of sona, or was she worried about something? She looked prettier in a bigger size, and her eyes and face were blazing in their colorful waves. Even Marthosh thought of her as someone.... pretty. That was for a second until he realized his job.


    Lisa didn''t care for her face, as long as it was the one she knew. Fear or worries still reached her when needed. And she had enough worries to spend it for others.


    ¡°Who do we have here?¡± Lisa asked Marthosh, floating behind him like a ghost. ¡°A little boy wants to eat? Wanna cut that duck into small pieces or little pieces so you could eat him whole? He wouldn''t mind it, I think.¡± She asked a ridiculous question that Marthosh took with surprise and mumbled a scream because he didn''t take her closer proximity that well.


    Sneaking beside him, Lisa almost touched his face and used her sona. Marthosh jolted his eyes wide as he winced at the end of the table. His inexperience got hold of him only for a moment, leaving his face and mouth open. No one laughed or scrutinized him this time around, for most were gone or looking away. He adjusted his clothes and touched his neck before calming down after a quick sigh. He calmed considerably in just a single second.


    Lisa observed him for a fool, questioning his very existence that pointed to Murai who still slept, or to the Token which was still on the table, untouched. Marthosh noticed the pouch in her hand and her appearance that was so vivid in his eyes, that he took her for a nightmare next.


    Not the worst one he had seen, he knew.


    For a second, he lost his composure ¡°My apologies. Oh, right. A Blessed has their Life Companions. That should be you, I presume?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Lisa said coldly, squinting her eyes and floating closer to him, jerking his hands, steps, body itself, and eyes that went aside. He could no longer retreat further. Cornered between an Anatidae and Soul Render, he wasn''t even aware of what kind of situation was around him.


    Yet he found his voice, remembering the voice of his boss that he took for Laws.


    Laughing out loud, he slapped his palms together and got back on track. ¡°Right! Forget this please and that too. I am a humble servant who seeks guidance and the business of others. A lackey, if you may say. I am here to talk business as a member of...¡°


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Lisa said. ¡°What are you here for? Him or his situation? That Token?¡± she pointed at Murai, obvious that her questions surrounded Murai as a whole.


    ¡°No, no, no.¡± Marthos waved his hands in defense forward, taking a small glimpse at her. ¡°Don''t get me wrong¡ªname'' Marthosh by the way¡ªI am just hoping to have some form of understanding with you first before coming to a proper business, miss..?¡± Marthosh talked in one sensible tone without stuttering, which was surprising to him more than once. The training paid off, it seemed.


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    Unbothered by her appearance or origin, he pretended to be someone experienced. It worked in such a situation the best.


    Lisa was a little surprised by his thick skin and his overall demeanor. It reminded him of someone. By age too. ¡°Oh, you have quite some steam for a kid. Calm down before I will chomp your head off, kiddo. I went to the Longing Merchant for the starting information gathering, and this sleeping duck before you can''t even put a sentence together. Unless you want to bear the weight of a mountain, of course. I don''t recommend it by the way. Feels like a mountain pressing on a rock. Don''t do that, please.¡±


    ¡°Uh...¡± Marthosh didn''t know how to respond to that, so he went ahead with the conversation since it seemed this one at least made some sense. ¡°Alright. B-but... Longing Merchants? Why worry about their ridicule? Lost Brothers are far cheaper and much better.¡±


    Lisa smiled for a second and changed her mind about something when she heard his words. ¡°Who says that, other than a lackey of Lost Brothers? Do you mind if you prove your usefulness for me and your business?¡± Lisa asked as her smirk widened. The boy no older than an adult was before her like a snack, free of restraint or any restrictions.


    She flew closer, eyeing him with her glistering appearance and waves of her sona wavered ever so closely forward. She was a hand away from his face with hers, and this helpless boy couldn''t escape.


    ¡°So? Do you mind to talk or take your business somewhere else? Considering the situation of the entire world right now, I would rather not run around the fire and hope to stop its flames. I need some genuine help this time around. Some of you might do just fine, I think.¡±


    Marthosh took her words much better than she expected. ¡°Oh, no worries. It is expected on this day that some doubts and worries go how they could. Then, this and that... it is rather confusing, so bear with me. I can talk however you wish, but sure enough, business is still a business. I am required to talk about it as business partners with my boss. If you agree to visit our company, I can...¡±


    ¡°Don''t run that way.¡± Lisa reminded him. ¡°Reason. Give them or get lost.¡±


    ¡°I wanted a confirmation so I could take it to him. I swear it''s legit! My boss gave me the task of fetching.... that...¡± he glanced at Murai in unwillingness and didn''t mention Lisa. She wasn''t in the picture because of something. ¡°To me... alone, this was a mission, but you are here and others aren''t causing trouble. So...¡± Marthosh explained and, in a matter of fact and logic, almost begged to let his boss work with them instead. He was required for this; he didn''t even know what his boss wanted from this very unique opportunity or work.


    ¡°Then, what you can provide without your boss? A company is something when others besides the boss do something. Without it, it seems like a mistake that speaks for itself. It seems your company isn''t worth all that much,¡± Lisa laughed at his face. ¡°Young human kid, pathless fool, barely managing the effort to keep his heart straight. At least you are better than some demons. Those have their instincts. You have yours as a human, so you might take it as a compliment or a weakness. Could I slap you? Maybe that would turn this into something else. Wait. Touching your soul sounds even works, eh?¡±


    Lisa chuckled and flared her sona. She pretended to seize the opportunity and shocked this youth even more.


    Marthosh blinked and yelped, but nothing happened. Lisa sighed and Marthosh didn''t find anything offensive in her words. He realized how wrong he was before, so he began to talk. ¡°I won''t inquire about your situation, but we require some bits and everyone does know yours. Blessed comes at many tides, so when Encounter follows it behind, going near this place, everything is aflame. This business can be helpful, I think. The boss could tell more. He is the one who purchased the views from the upper Gates, including some bits from the Surface. It wasn''t cheap. He knows what he does.¡±


    ¡°It might end for your entire company. Do you think you have what it takes to get it? You seem to know our situation, and I now know what goes above. Not here, however. I don''t know what changed in this Gate and its Sectors, or what the Hunt is going to be like when the world isn''t spinning right.¡±


    ¡°We can help with that,¡± Marthost quickly said. ¡°And.... of course, we can help and take this gamble with you in sign of agreement, or other things.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Why not? Demons won''t bear such weight as you do, but our company isn''t like that. So what if danger goes at us, or if others don''t want to take it in the simple principle of this Gate? It isn''t only about this Gate too, or chance. No dangers come with lacking means. Nothing grows then.¡±


    Lisa didn''t find his answer wrong. ¡°Fine. Fine. What does this boss of yours have in mind then? Information gathering is my first requirement in taking business with you. What kind are you proficient with? As you know, my side will go deep into this temple, while the Encounter is a whole different mess that... wait, I think I am getting some pictures of where this is going.¡±


    ¡°All kinds must be there then,¡± Marthosh said firmly and overcame his previous fear completely. Lisa also retracted her creeping sona. ¡°From the topics of the gangs, Provinces, Sectors, your custom needs, and to the other end of this Hellscape, or more. Lost Brothers deals with many related and interesting things that will help you. I swear on it.¡±


    ¡°End of the Gate? You think I believe you need so much?¡±


    ¡°That... I mean. We know what we know. I mean, my boss gets it all. Not me. He knows a lot of things even without being a legend of this Gate. But he is human grown into this place and took this place like a storm. I think I can speak for him in this manner. How about it? I will lead you to him right away. Then, you will change your mind.¡± Marthosh said in excitement befitting his personality.


    ¡°Not so fast, I am not over this. Why in the world you are insistent on this... mess? It isn''t sensible, counting on him.¡± Lisa once again pointed at Murai.


    Marthosh expected these doubts. He already answered them too.


    ¡°We take pride in taking task impossible to solve. Some fail, some do not. And¡ªI dare to say that with honesty and imploring agitation¡ªyour situation is right at our alley.¡± His polite work of speech returned, and it showed in his voice.


    ¡°Which means?¡± Lisa asked coldly.


    ¡°No idea,¡± he said with a confident smile. ¡°As I''ve said, my boss sent me here to enquire about the situation and get you if you wanted some help. It seems you do?¡±


    ¡°Oh? He did?¡± Lisa was impressed. ¡°Last question then. Have you talked to him?¡± She insisted on getting her point to sleeping Murai.


    ¡°I''ve tried my best. He seemed... preoccupied with something very important.¡±


    ¡°Then grab him and let''s talk somewhere else,¡± Lisa ordered and decided to take things into her own hands. Murai wouldn''t complain. She already decided on a couple of things herself after uncovering the truth, so it was time to move. ¡°This place isn''t how it used to be, or perhaps everything is the same? Insane... with the world above in shambles? What happened...or how?¡±


    ¡°G-grab? I mean...¡± Marthosh hesitated, his hands trembling.


    ¡°What? Afraid of a sleeping duck?¡± she said mockingly. ¡°I don''t think he bites when he sleeps. Probably. Not to the extent of leaving a bone behind at least. It won''t hurt that much. Perhaps take some gauntlet or gloves. Maybe a net? Do you fish?¡±


    ¡°No... Not afraid! I am not afraid. Not one bit. No way.¡± Marthosh said in agitation after hearing her mockery that moved his heart. He hyped himself to take this into his own hands. Her confirmation gave him unnatural confidence. He got to his feet, grabbed Murai by his hoodie, and didn''t know what else to do. It went far too easily. Just a single motion and he had a duck in his hand.


    Above the sofa and peacefully sleeping in the air, Murai was oblivious like a little chick in the middle of a wolf''s den. He remained sleeping, much to his gladness that he never took for granted.


    Marthosh took a deep breath, not even aware of how many gazes around this tavern were locked onto him. It was a den of monsters, gangs, and also the military, but usually, Order was absent. It seemed the world above still affected this Gate to a large degree, or it might be the work of something else. Levandis ruled over her subjects and all Gates, so perhaps the lack of it wasn''t really a problem.


    Many clashes happened daily, even in this place that housed many lives. Why did the battles happen? Was it the Chaos that caused them, or the beings that wanted it? Lisa knew that acts of men, demons, and Divides acted with no rules. This world won''t clutch it constantly. Living beings decided them. Most of the time anyway.


    In this Gate, there were some rules for Challengers, though, for denizens living in this place, they could be mere excuses that one could forget if one was familiar with certain punishments. For true Surface Challengers, rules acted as warnings and precautions.


    Nearly a hundred stares were on Marthosh, who accomplished something insane by picking Murai up and not taking it as punishment from this little Anatidae.


    He was a brazen young man, so he took Murai under his armpit and hurried to the exit before he would wake up. He had his fears, but he believed that he would be faster than the end of his sleep.


    He even left Lisa in the dust, surprised by this youngster''s flexibility and quick learning. She nodded to herself, figuring that helpful physical hands worked wonders.


    ¡°Excuse us then.¡± Lisa mocked some onlookers, and gave thanks to the bartender, before noticing a quivering goblin around the corner of the kitchen.


    ¡°E-excuse me?¡± he forced a moan when she turned in his direction; his feet quivered, yet hands went up in defense.


    ¡°What?¡± she demanded the unknown.


    ¡°I-it slept... What about the meal?¡± Goblin asked a good question after knowing that there was no way to take it in any way. Waking a sleeping Anatidae was out of the question or his pay grade. He would rather quit, but weirdly, cooks and even the owner of this tavern had a certain level of understanding so they forced him to wait.


    The rest of the order was long ready, but because Murai slept, no one dared to come near him at all, even when bearing gifts.


    Lisa forgot about the food completely, so she stored the food in a pouch capable of holding food for a couple of days at best. Usually, less, unless there were some freezing or special space properties inside that would make it stable. Usually, some gravity or air also helped with storing living things, or at least some food. In her case, she had fewer choices, with the best being the ring that had some neatness in it, as it was fairly well made and large in its inner structure.


    But she didn''t want to take some food into it. It would get eaten soon anyway if she knew Murai well enough.


    Then, the cooks and the attendants all celebrated and felt gratifying accomplishments in their kitchen. Unbeknownst to the demons, a celebration festival was happening right beside them.


    Out of the tavern, Lisa took the sight of this city in a new light, since she discovered quite a few things through her visit to the biggest company in terms of information gatherings. It cost some money, but it was well worth it. Longing Merchant Groub worked substantially across the Surface, so it had a large subsidiary in this Gate after paying quite a large toll to Levandis.


    Profits and everything went hand in hand with that kind of business, but having a connection to this temple was worth it.


    And Lisa knew they were valid, albeit expensive folks to deal with. But she got names and worthy information she would be even willing to get out of someone''s memories, so when it went out of expenses that weren''t even hers, she was happy with the results.


    And she was glad. ¡°So, where to?¡± she asked Marthosh who was jogging in place, hoping that the swaying motion would calm Murai down so he wouldn''t wake up. Lisa doubted it helped, but she wasn''t inclined to give him that fake or truthful news.


    ¡°Velvet District,¡± Marthosh said.


    ¡°That place? Are you a legit business? There is no place for shady stuff there at all.¡± Lisa asked in surprise.


    ¡°Define what is shady. Even the military is somewhat shady, let alone some gangs, clans, and families residing all over the place. They are all shady to a certain degree. Mind you, we do work with that in mind, within it, or around it, we hold a lot of work under the military too! Missions to the Surface included, but most of it goes around this Gate or others. Missions, I mean. Lost Brothers has many decades of experience, so we work with what we can.¡±


    Lisa hummed in an impressed tone and inclined him to continue as they went ahead, one bearing a pouch, Token, and a ring, and the other a sleepy duck.


    ¡°I speak for my boss, so I must say there is nothing wrong with some history and what is worth a mention,¡± Marthosh nodded and went with steady steps toward his destination.


    Lisa already got the picture she wanted, so she had nothing to lose by following his voice or steps ahead. If there was a lunatic that was clearly not obvious to this situation and Gates, yet still insistent or comfortable on getting involved with her and Murai''s troubles, she would gladly involve anything or anyone. Or he might be a fool who was fine or someone who had nothing to lose.


    Lisa did get enough from the Longing Merchant Groub to make a final and surprising decision. She trusted Marthos, but it wasn''t enough to make her plans better. She had two hopes to bear: get Murai out of this place and let him survive to tell the tale. Both hopes were full of holes at the moment because the Challengers and their exit was a peculiar problem for her. Now, after discovering that the Ravine and the whole world weren''t working as they should, things might turn worse. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For these hopes to work, many things were needed. That was why a private business was more reasonable when she thought about it, yet she found something she didn''t expect. It was something that didn''t even take that long or was hard to find.


    It cost quite a hefty price that would provide very little benefits to most people, but for her, lost in the darkness for fifty years, it was excellent.


    What kind of findings and discoveries let her be satisfied? Well, one bad thing was still the discovery of the happenings in the Surface and the Sky, but that was secondary right now. They had their purpose, so she took a look into the Hellscape as a whole and something new arrived.


    She spent a small fortune on information gathering about the military of the current time, names of organization, private companies, and their general business practices or bosses. She also purchased news about some famous and old figures, which left her curious.


    There were many potential choices for her to look for, yet one unexpectedly went ahead first, creating a distraction until it bore a sudden fruit. From one that she noted, rather than a generic merchant group with a long history, it was better to rely on someone who knew the world and moved on its own.

 Chapter 181: David

    Following Marthosh went quickly until they arrived at the Velvet District made of many streets. One such street was Runic Street, known for its shopping departments that were away from the bustling places where many beings flocked together. As its name suggested, Runic Street was a place for magic and magic shops, giving many crafters places to make stuff, do their business, and safe operations. Mostly remote and old, it wasn''t very popular because it wasn''t an exciting place with a lot of variety. Instead, it was a place with a lot of hidden faces, companies, and talents waiting to shine.


    Some companies¡ªbe they private or public¡ªused such places as their hidden main headquarters or bases, with main shops being in more populated districts where wealth circled much better.


    That sort of approach made this street barren and dark, yet neat at the same time because there was a certain edge over having fewer people and more mysteries around dark alleys. It had its clarity and awareness of what to offer, or what business conducted.


    Places that specialized in single fortes were often better than those that offered dozens of various interests. Hence, the majority of buildings here were various workshops and businesses operating on a smaller scale. Less selling happened here, apart from businesses between some people. It had its good validation, all thanks to the flow of money where companies were the embodiment of important people. Selling stuff was simply far easier for the big sharks in the better part of the city, yet when small companies wanted to do business, clashes were inevitable.


    Velvet District was one of the smallest districts, though it was at least pretty to the naked eye, shining in many lights around the street, with Runic Street being the dullest. But if one looked closely or visited hundreds of workshops, things were different. This was where talented people flocked, greed resided, and business ruled without obvious light. It might be the best place that wasn''t as obvious, for it was housing a variety of unknowns.


    Lisa liked this place for that purpose.


    Some of the buildings were looking much better from her memory, making Runic Street much nicer, even in a minority. Glowing signs and made-up runic formation showed the names of some workshops, or points of interest for some companies. Catching customers didn''t work all that much here, yet setting some advertisements went hand in hand with reputation and business.


    Lisa viewed this old place in high regard because that was where people mattered more than some ego or power. Coincidentally, it was also a place where some money and wealth had some value, but that was a secondary problem for her.


    It was common to seek such places on the Surface as well since the need for services of knowledge was needed everywhere. Where people and magic clicked like a fine machine, Lisa knew how to grasp it to her advantage. Of course, that meant others could do so as well.


    Magic Association was quite prominent on the Surface, second to Adventure Guild, and various mercenary establishments. Flocking people with close interests worked for a reason, and this place had their branches as well, albeit chaotic and hellish in their worth.


    Race didn''t matter. It was no Surface, nor it was a clear Hell. It was where various clashing forces lived under the stone ceiling, protecting the worth of a Hell God Ruler, Levenadis of Thousand Graves.


    That meant certain things might happen outside of the standards. Like a human becoming a worker for her cause. It wasn''t off the chart, though it was unlikely to be a cooperative idea for the normal denizens. An ordinary human couldn''t get here that easily, yet in many instances, acting well for her causes and ideas, it was better to accept them than leave them aside.


    Those who wanted to follow her either used the vision of this temple and became a Challenger. The second option was to establish a certain connection with Hell and work from there. Providing their services, power, or worth for their life, becoming her tool, soldier, or crafter was a possibility even for humans.


    For most outsiders, entering this place more than twice in a lifetime was impossible. For those who hoped for power or wealth, some would remain here forever in many ways, unable to leave, or unwilling to change their ways.


    Because of the business and wealth, many connections in the Surface went through human merchants or already established connections. It was about money most of the time. Not politics, or the Hell itself. No religion usually involved human business, but it incentivized it very well. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Most businesses had some history stemming from the Surface, for Hells were older and poorer in comparison. It was said to be beneath the Hells. However laughable it sounded. This sort of appeal always moved against the morality of Mortal or Holy Wars. or the hearts of men or demons.


    Lisa changed her mind about some of her plans the moment she realized where Marthosh was leading her, and how these shops around the street could help her. Perhaps she could use this place to her advantage, but it wouldn''t happen until her plans had some clarity.


    She already had someone and something in mind for that


    , yet she doubted how feasible she could take everything when this time and world was hardly normal. Maybe everything will change with that Hunt or Razmund would crash everything.


    Marthosh arrived at a dark alley among many ordinary workshops, which looked ordinary and held many boxes all around.


    Lisa didn''t speak. Murai couldn''t do it at all; he was busy hanging on hand and under the armpit of Marthosh.


    ¡°We are a bit secretive, but this place is nice and secluded since no wide place could be the heart of Lost Brothers. It goes along with my master and boss, you see. He is always on the move. Most humans like him are.¡± Marthosh shot Lisa a curious glance, but she wasn''t that impressed by such style of tactics, nor his words.


    She gestured for him to get going, so he did. She followed Marthosh to an ordinary room, littered with trashed constructs, old piles of books, materials that lost their luster, and various rooms. It seemed to be a deserted and old workshop.


    It wasn''t tidy nor pristine, and it wasn''t anything great in qualities and worthwhile creations. Only so much could be recycled in terms of forging some equipment and runes, making constructs out of many materials, or engraving things with magic. The art of creation was very complicated and something that Lisa knew by heart.


    She had no eyes for that for now. The interiors of the room she entered were simple, functioning as some storage facility that was part of multiple workshops, which were aside from wider and bigger rooms. The only advantage it had was its size. It had high ceilings and wide rooms, with stacked shelves full of needless troublesome mess. Many wooden boxes, stone jars, and crates with materials or bottles acted as barebone storage methods.


    Marthosh walked further, ignoring these rooms since he had nothing to do with them. These workshops weren''t working or belonging to Lost Brothers for sure, which Lisa almost believed at first. There was nobody here, thought someone must be somewhere. It wasn''t at least a trap.


    Marthosh walked into their room just around the corner, revealing a cozy and much better place. It was a wide room with decors close to a mansion, surprising Lisa with a nice sofa, stools, tables, and even offices aside. Still, there were many crates and chests for storage, and around one side of the wall, there was a conference corner that acted as a meeting space. That was their target, as a person was already there, waiting for Marthosh.


    With chairs and a big table, there was a wide sofa for sitting. Along the walls were all kinds of information-gathering reports, pictures, rumors, and many papers or wanted posters. All in steady order of importance, they looked to be important, written on paper, or carved into a piece of wood.


    There, sitting on the sofa, Lisa took a big note of a man she had expected and hoped to meet. Wearing a white furry coat and revealing a bit of his fatty belly, the man didn''t care much for weight or manners. At least the coat was luxurious, neatly going over his figure just fine, although it looked to be the expensive kind that one would expect on rich merchants.


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Oh, Marthosh?¡± He caught Marthosh''s arrival, turning to him in an open laughter. ¡°You are here so soon. That means you either failed miserably or saw the world aflame, or...well, the Hellscape is bustling like always, but that would be different. Oh, you''ve caught the customer I wanted?¡±


    ¡°Hello, boss. Here we go,¡± Marthosh laughed and pointed to Lisa and Murai under his armpit, still sleeping.


    ¡°Hm? What''s up with that ghost!? Are you seriously following it? What a catch! They could fetch for a nice price to any chaos runesmith or those necromancers around the corner. Hilarious,¡± The man laughed after finding this situation kind of hilarious, though it was hard to assume if he was serious or joking.


    He was laughing alone.


    With Murai under his shoulder, Marthosh didn''t dare to laugh, while Lisa had different ideas about this situation as a whole. She gazed at this man behind Marthosh, who suddenly felt a fear beyond his back and in many places. Everything was coming from this ghost in question. Lisa shivered in her sona like ice turning back to the water and her whole personality and face changed.


    ¡°Hello to you as well, Marching David,¡± Lisa said to the fatty, greeting him with cold words and clear waves of sona that acted like her irritation. It tensed the air, frightened Marthosh, and stopped the laughing man, who felt a weird chill in his mind and back. He lost his voice and wits.


    ¡°Oh, does the ghost know me? Shoud I feel honered?¡± David said, thinking of some joke for the next exchange, yet something deep in him moved. Something strange.


    ¡°Well, unfortunately, yes,¡± Lisa sighed and calmed down. ¡°You look different, but who would expect something else from more than a seventy-year-old man?¡±


    ¡°Hey! That was rude! I don''t look that old,¡± David''s pride got hurt before he stuttered and nearly fell from the sofa. ¡°Wait, who the hell are you!?¡±


    Lisa flew forth, closing on David who felt shocked. ¡°As unexpected as the End goes, we meet again after a long time. Long dead, I came back to hunt you like I used to do. Partly because I want it, partly because you found us first, but mainly because of this thing,¡± She pointed to Marthosh''s armpit; a still-sleeping Murai rested like never.


    Her voice turned softer like the ways of her sona. So much so that David got to his feet, squinted his eyes, and shook in so many ways, that he didn''t know what to do. He gazed at her and didn''t utter his upcoming joke since not only did her face look familiar, but the way her voice and tone carried her face rejuvenated some lost memories. This ghost looked like someone very dear to him from a very long time ago.


    ¡°Lisa? Like that one?¡± He mumbled, widening his eyes in disbelief, and pointing at her.


    Lisa could see and understand such disbelief, as she died long ago, and hadn''t expected to see this fool of all people. Sighing and floating towards him a little closer, she even enlarged her body a little to enunciate the features of her face.


    Not far for her to touch him, but enough to see closely, both met more than half a century later.


    ¡°It''s been a long time,¡± Lisa said. ¡°I doubt you remember me in a flattering way or memories, but I sure remember the little human kid who had all sorts of dreams on the Surface. I''ve returned to hunt you back as promised. Do you dare to take me on?¡± She forced a smile, thinking that this was a bit weird to meet him in this manner. After all, she wasn''t sure if her former connection even lived or survived.


    Now, some did. It was an unexpected one, yet it was better than none. She realized she wasn''t prepared for her past that could linger in this world. Regrets too, most likely. Now, she was different. Very different.


    David kept pointing his finger forward, backing his head a little away. ¡°T-that was a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Indeed it was. Now,¡± Lisa clasped her palms, ¡°looking at your belly, I can tell you have your life together, unlike me. For someone like you to change, who used to be a franny little brat who couldn''t even handle a sword, let alone a woman, you grew up.¡±


    David looked down because, at some point, he slipped to the ground. Noticing a clear belly that she looked at, his cheeks reddened in fluster and embarrassment.


    Grunting, he got to his feet to not embarrass himself more than he would prefer, but he knew that if Lisa wanted, he could shoot his ego down to the bottom of Hell.


    Through his act, his belly swayed and flattened a little as he flexed, but it didn''t help him much. It didn''t look that bad when he closed his nice coat.


    It was still protruding like a little mountain in his abdomen. ¡°T-this is just natural for me, degree of my age, and status in this city. Got older too. Got business to run, mission to crash, and people to worry about. It is a sign of a well-off man, let me tell you that.¡± He reasoned his belly, but Lisa didn''t care for any of his thoughts.


    She smiled, floating before him with a tinge of melancholy in her eyes. This man before her was old by human standards, surely well over the age of seventy, but this world had different signs for the elderly. It was because of power and mana.


    Those who survived living in this world for long enough, let alone in these Hells, held power and reputation and should never be fine to underestimate. The older some got, the more impressive some things about them were.


    Lisa was glad David had survived after she disappeared from this world altogether. She wondered how many of her connections were left, or if some of her weaker links ended up.... like this, worse, or better.


    David had no wrinkles on his face even if he was old in his human race. His head was full of hair and he was even two meters tall with quite some size and bulk. It was just his belly that was a bit out of place, although his arms were thick like his legs. They hide muscles under some fat, but she was almost sure this was either intentional fat, caused by technique or a Path, or he simply had it because he was a fat pig who loved to eat and not work his ass off for what he had achieved.


    Which pissed her off a little if that was the case. She thought she taught him better than this, even though they had known each other for years. And some of these years were better than others. Not for her, but for David.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Lisa said, ending the silence, and glancing at Marthosh. ¡°Your kid told me some interesting things and promises, and while it might be surprising to see you here, it gives us an interesting moment. I guess I will take any help I can get, so... agreed? Have anything to tell me, the one who found us in this state of world and our mess? You want the piece of us, don''t you?¡±


    David winced his sight from his belly to her. ¡°Help?¡± David uttered as if he didn''t know what that word even meant right now. ¡°Ah! Help! Of course. Of course. A company of the Lost Brothers is at your service, Lisa. Of course,¡± He awkwardly laughed, bringing in his usual face and voice even if it sounded forceful.


    He couldn''t help but hide the shock of seeing her again, hearing the voice that he dreaded, dreamed of, and revered at the same time. He hid it for the sake of a businessman that came back to his face.


    ¡°What I can help you with, or... wait a second,¡± David hesitated. ¡°What about you? Is your appearance one of the reasons for coming here? I doubt I can help you with... that.¡±


    ¡°Help with my life? I am quite alive if I say so myself, and researching or resurrecting the dead is a bit forbidden for your kin. Do you wanna die that badly, even for me when it isn''t needed? Call me surprised or old-fashioned, but that is stupid.¡± Lisa said, furrowing her brows and knowing very well she was no ghost. There were many races in the universe, so one way or the other, she had no qualms to give besides thinking of her race as something special.


    ¡°Oh well, I would try my best for you anyway, but if you insist on....¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Lisa put her hand up and clutched her physicality, momentarily becoming firm and close to a fleshly succubus, albeit still radiating the azure light of sona, ¡°I do well for myself at the moment, though I have some worries when we speak about it.¡±


    ¡°That is interesting. What have you ended up like? How? What happened?¡± David asked openly, not hiding his curiosity about what became of her, or how she ended up dead. He didn''t know much about what became of her after she separated herself from his life for unknown reasons.


    ¡°A ghost,¡± she smiled at him as she ceased this stress loose. She practiced a lot with her physicality and sona, but it wasn''t that easy to depend on it; she wasn''t that familiar with it, let alone masterful. Her Soul Render needed to eat, after all, grow up, manifest its properties, and reach its next advancements and evolutions. Her familiarity with it had been neglectful. Purposefully, of course.


    ¡°Anyway, I take it as your case is that sleeping duck...I mean Anatidae?¡± David asked. ¡°You ended up as its... lackey, so that could answer a lot of things. You are a Life Companion who came back from...¡±


    ¡°Sure enough,¡± Lisa shouted, unwilling to hear him mention it. ¡°There are a lot of things besides that, but you know some gossip around this place, I bet. Considering your boy found us so fast and well, I take your information gathering isn''t half that bad as your flesh. Could it be even good?¡±


    ¡°It''s passable for you. I''ve grown it as I could, thinking that your teachings and everything about Hells and Chaos went surprisingly well with clutched fists and wits.¡± David smiled, scratching his chin in a good mood, with pride, and confidence over his life. He couldn''t wait to see what she would think of his work and achievements. He had a lifetime''s worth of stories and questions for her, but it seemed Lisa had new worries and things outside of his league. Some things never changed, and David realized that something insane was brewing from this meeting. A lot of connections clicked together.


    Hearing any praise from her felt like he turned decades younger. Which was, in his senses, not wrong.


    ¡°I will see your work and worth, David, but business goes first at the moment. I have a lot to worry about and think about. I am no longer your... master, or how to think of that past. Agreed?¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡±


    ¡°How badly my little animal will go on in this Gate? The world is shaking, but this Gate is still standing. Hunt is yet to start, unsurprisingly. Will it change? I doubt it wouldn''t, so I bet you have better ideas about it than I do. Part of my hope is to seek information from someone who gets some shit done.¡± Lisa spoke straight to the point.


    ¡°Well, My services aren''t...¡±


    ¡°Free? I can pay, but would you dare to give me such care? Sounds terrible, so...¡± Lisa stopped smiling and floated closer to David to touch his cheeks. Her physicality allowed her to change to physical realms whenever she wanted, so she squished his face a little. Considering she wasn''t all that big, nor her pals were wide or too firm, she was half successful.


    Gazing at him, something in David moved once more.


    ¡°I whudn''t dahe.¡± David mumbled, accepting her touch. Sweat appeared on his forehead and cheeks when expanding memories resurfaced in his mind. This Lisa?! She went back in time, hadn''t she? Her touch, eyes, and ideas felt so wild.


    It wasn''t pleasant most of the time, nor that terrible. Her firm grasp felt powerful. Her unhinged Will to go forward. It was like a curse or poison going to the mind and flesh, or seeping to the bones.


    He missed someone with this sort of attitude. No one ever came close to this.


    ¡°Oh, I bet you would dare, but I am making myself clearer because you owe me something. Perhaps it wasn''t that good... or it isn''t time for that right now, but I need something that you know all about. Against this world, Gate, or nothing or everything, there are a couple of things that I want besides some trust. You came like lighting and an unexpected storm. Thanks to the Longing Merchants that have your name, I realized that there is something for you and me. It is time to get together once more and shake some things up. Agreed?¡±


    ¡°Longing Group?¡± David asked, figuring that Lisa must have her reasons to be like that as she always did.


    She pulled her hand back. ¡°I want to hear some valuable information and get some work done, David. The real deal of not only this Gate but what goes deeper or above. I bet a lot of things changed. Well, a lot of things changed since I''ve arrived in this world with this body. I am not fooling myself or you.¡±

 Chapter 182: Lisa and David

    Lisa knew changes and flow in Order and Chaos were like a never-ending loop of wind. Ends or New Beginnings, these were the stakes that few would ever get to understand, yet everyone and everything had some start and vision to their birth and death. From all sorts of powers and deaths, new generations were rising constantly, while older ones were getting stronger through time, or stopping when they could no longer bear with anything.


    Living was something that advanced. The time would never stop.


    The surroundings around it could be also an issue or a simple lack of choice. Well, in any case for Lisa, the time was the cause. Battleworld was a savage place, and she knew that her appearance and status weren''t anywhere near what she dreamt of.


    It was true that the world changed for some reason; she did not doubt that its people did too. Some were more prone to it, so she wondered what the future held if Ravine was seized and Boosts ceased to exist.


    Lisa finally got someone whom she could trust with things she lacked. It was even someone she knew, which put a weird power dynamic between them, but she bet Murai wouldn''t find it problematic even if he was awake. He accepted her position and help. What else was needed? Unfortunately, what came with that might not be what he preferred.


    Murai was a stranger in some sense, though Lisa had to rely on whatever moved within him or around him, even if he was the kind of a problem that could take the world by storm. She understood that idea, so what if the world was storming him instead? What was there for her or him?


    She would help as much as she could, even if that meant forcing others into the path of no return. Being savage, ruthless, and truthful, she was thinking of her past selves right at this moment and gazing into David with unhinged desires and Will.


    David heard her Will and words clearly and without any surprises. He hadn''t expected to see her ever again, while the help she was mentioning wasn''t something small at all. It was his entire life after all that she was seeing and wanting, yet what was his point in finding them? What did he want? Lisa wondered about it, as he had yet to mention that.


    David considered her as his endless benefactor that befitted him more than his own fat ass. Wiping his face and forehead with a piece of silk cloth that he grasped from his pocket, David collapsed to the sofa, giving up on anything other than talk. He accepted her demands and those reasons he was yet to mention will be revealed.


    ¡°I am fine with this business in any capacity. You were indeed like a God to me, so with that said, we can make this work when we talk and question one another. I have changed too, Lisa. My memories didn''t, while you are different yourself. What you are and what surrounds you is a rather peculiar thing. It sniffs of a War, to be honest. Dreams too. Dreamers do...¡±


    ¡°B-boss?¡± Marthosh mumbled, shocked to see his boss talk like this to some... weirdo, but it seemed this situation was well beyond his capacity to understand. He was David''s fetch-boy so to say, so he didn''t know nearly enough of what his boos truly thought and desired.


    ¡°Pipe your breath, brat,¡± David shot him a helpless look. ¡°Relax, sit, or take this to your head in silence, for this is our hope and business, as well as an opportunity for you to become your own boss. For now, this goes deep, and she is someone deserving of this service more than anyone else. Even if it means something worse to us than taking some Grade S missions, or Tasks directly under the Will of the Battleworld, it is something I will do regardless if it is a curse. Got it, boy?¡±


    David spoke like a true boss. His voice and tone changed in time, albeit Lisa thought he was as serious as hilarious.


    Marthosh nodded and kept his wonder be where they should remain. Murai was still under his armpit, sleeping, and not knowing anything about what was happening.


    Lisa would make sure to talk to him about this later; he deserved it after enduring Gate 2 through many days of suffering where she wasn''t one bit important, even if she could''ve been.


    ¡°I will talk. Consider it as the past karma,¡± David said when Lisa eased her body and went through less stress.


    She scoffed at him. ¡°Fuck off with the karma. That thing is useless in almost anything and anyone,¡± Lisa angrily said, floating in place with crossed arms after she tossed Murai''s spatial pouch, ring, and Token to the table. It was time to talk business.


    David winced his body in discomfort that was apparent on his posture and face. ¡°Well, for the start, let''s start where the start is,¡± he pointed at Murai as he glanced at him with wonder. ¡°I suppose I will take the context of everything as truth as law. There are always some variants and words set from Mindarch to the public, but the superiors might think otherwise. I did look at something strange and wanted a correction as some idea going. Anatidae is part of it... Then... we have something else.¡±


    ¡°It is all politics. Mindarch sents only what Manager Kil or others decide. Oh, and that spirit can think for himself. Don''t kid yourself, David. You can go on.¡± Lisa said nonchalantly, glancing at David''s surprised face. He hadn''t heard someone talk so casually about the uppermost echelon of this place like this in a long time.


    ¡°As you must know, there is a lot to say about the information and overlapping Challengers. Knowledge is power. Power has prices. My company strives for that sort of idea, acting as something that deals with many such things. Here, when said Challengers come here to stir trouble, it might be a chance for those hungry to eat. I am very hungry for something, so call it my choice.¡±


    ¡°Doesn''t seem that many were that hungry to me,¡± Lisa said, ¡°or it might be because this is Pivotal City that has some Overlord present right now? I would think that Levandis would take care of any troubles in her backyard, so... what is going on? Is the world safe or is this place unnervingly ignoring it?¡±


    ¡°You get why, right?¡± David asked. ¡°What Surface, Skies, or Depths takes this for is all different. This place has its stability and it won''t change because some power is gone.¡±


    ¡°Rules changed, I know. The world is hungry, or starving instead.¡±


    ¡°Indeed it all changed. Something within the Will of the Battleworld stopped, posing as trouble in the Sky, or something very wrong occurred in a place no one on this planet knows. Anyway, Boosts ceased to exist, and so did the voices, messages, or even any of its constructs. Cards, adventure permits, mercenary badges, and so on stopped across the continents. I spent a small fortune to ensure the validity of this claim. You have my word on that.¡± He fist-bumped his chest, giving her an assured look.


    ¡°Been in Longing Merchant Groub just before finding your boy. I''ve got some idea what goes on. The world, huh?¡± Lisa figured some things might be messier than this place could see, or what David could tell or know.


    ¡°Rules are nowhere, so the status that holds many things together slowly cracks apart, giving some nasty figures lawless chances, or giving Gods difficult times,¡± David helplessly added. ¡°In some places where those relying on it all grew in ages, you get the picture. I imagine those wanting to stay safe will begin to make some drastic moves. For Gods anyway.¡±


    ¡°Do you know why? Are there any rumors?¡± Lisa asked seriously, knowing about some bits from glimpses and official posters in Longing Merchant Groub. Some bits were public here anyway, so she wondered what was the situation like on the Surface, or if it was truly widespread and encompassing this entire planet.


    If that was true, that was a ridiculous and tough topic. She had no idea what could''ve caused it besides some problem involving this entry planet or was it something exactly like that, or what if Lordis neglected the origin of his world? It all might be even more ridiculous than herself. Lisa didn''t like questioning herself and her work, let alone this damned planet she ended up on.


    ¡°Knowing is having a clue,¡± David shrugged his arms. ¡°There are none besides some official glimpses through some churches on the Surface that know something. They are trying to tidy things that stopped, lest the Mortal Wars break men. You can imagine the havoc where rules stop working in such a world, right?¡±


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    ¡°Surface? It is a problem coming from Divine Kingdoms, so many would try to calm the loss. Mortals should take it the worst, couldn''t they? Thinking that the Gods abandoned them is easy to assume when their gifts stopped.¡±


    ¡°No Lord was held accountable or accepted any responsibilities. It is most likely an internal strife over there. But... why did the Order of Boosts or any voice or touches have to cease to exist? Does someone want to destroy this world or what? I would imagine some temporal suspension, but this? It reeks of something divine.¡±


    ¡°It won''t destroy this world that easily. People and Gods in power will strife for Order anyway, and let''s not forget about the Gods in question who rely on mortals like fools. This world has its validations, similar to the churches. You mentioned them. Wars? Some will happen because rules stopped. Some nasty ones could remain. Laws won''t be stopped that easily. Or oaths.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I thought about it too, but not much is there for me. This is a place overseen by Lady Levandis. She has her eyes high and rules close. In this Gate, things didn''t become crazy. Yet. Surface churches all try to tell that temporary issues prevail. Some say that no Mortal War would go unnoticed, though many bandits or anyone with a troubled mind would take advantage of it. Don''t blame them. Hells might move as well, but...well, I don''t see that far. They are trying to calm the situation down and protect and take it all with a grain of doubt that it will calm sooner rather than later.¡±


    ¡°Naive, unless they know what we don''t.¡±


    ¡°That is possible.¡±


    ¡°What is the situation like for this place?¡±


    ¡°Mindarch works the same. As an independent spirit etched into this temple, it also has Levandis and Overlords, albeit a clutch of this problem won''t stop because of them. Perhaps they could do so if they are very vivid about it? I mean, Mindarch is still Mindarch.¡±


    ¡°Doesn''t seem to me that way, or they might plot something. We are here, so... this might be bad. Like really bad.¡± Lisa said and thought about it quite a lot. Her face calmed yet sona moved.


    ¡°It is common sense. Everyone is afraid of an Anatidae striving for this place. Or by you. Don''t you re... Oh, you don''t. The last visitor of this kind,¡± he pointed to Murai still in Marthosh''s clatch, ¡°had been messy. No rules to stop its messes were right. I hadn''t gotten a glimpse of that time because I was away. What a poor luck. And luck! I am here this time around. With you before my eyes!¡± David cheered and felt his confidence rising like his belly.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Lisa wasn''t that impressed and remained skeptical. ¡°Still can''t see reasons for this Chaos when Mindarch should solve it too. He knows this duck is no troublemaker if not threatened. But everyone depends on Boosts anyway, and the leveling Limiters and rules aren''t working yet pertain to the individuals. Some things work and could become close to Breaches and unknown Taboos. Everyone can butcher fools left and right or use this chance to advance while being unnaturally stupid and savage.¡±


    ¡°That is correct. And it isn''t even that long since it all started. Five hours at most.¡±


    ¡°Seeing well and old built system burn, the powers and Gods must be in a frenzy. Everything is different now, isn''t it? Had Levandis made a statement?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. Only the stations responsible for information gathering under armies and some Overlords had some of her words, stating that all shall be counted under some military curfew soon enough. It is expected to be powerful to not cause her subject unnecessary suffering. Temporary too. Mindarch or someone will need to take the reign, otherwise, this Gate will turn upside down too.¡±


    Lisa kept frowning as if contemplating over this mess. It didn''t make sense to her what had occurred for this to happen. Boosts were one thing that kept the flow of power and godly authority going, so stopping it didn''t meant stop the power, but the majority of beings in this world were taking it all as blessings that never ceased away.


    For it to end, there were countless layers and problems following that. The rules of its flow and voices ceased to stop, causing the historical and political power of the highest proportion involving billions of lives to halt.


    That meant boundaries crumbling in heads and places devoid of logic, or full of greed, and who knew what else, changed for the worse and turned mortals into frenzy. Hell, what if some Gods were included in this too? That seemed unnatural. They relied on these machinations for a long time. Hell Gods included.


    What did it mean for the general population and the hierarchy that relied on it like growing trees on great soil and sun?


    Lisa could imagine a lot of things from David''s words alone, so she feared the consequences of those ideas because she knew how effective they could be in wreaking havoc. Without it, there were no stops besides churches or Gods, who were prohibited from interfering with anything on the Surface with their physical bodies. The Surface harbored most living beings, so it wasn''t a surprise. They had their stakes, supervised by the Judgement Tribunal made of Gods of Chaos or Order of this planet''s pantheons. It was an independent political position, away from the other worlds, but stating things that affected other Gods and this planet.


    Places like this temple with Gates had similar stakes to the Surface, though not as vast. Levandis was not some haughty chick who could ignore the Judges, let alone the whole Patheons. But she was Rank 1 God and owner of her own Hell, so her position was among the best on this planet. Everyone in Hellscape was a small responsibility and subject to some of her authority. Some held more onto it than others, for it was her domain. Her Hell.


    Anyone could kill and plunder because punishments and everything else ceased to stop, allowing the beast to run rampant, bandits or powers to unleash Mortal Wars without notice, and so on. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Alright. Let''s stop talking about that mess for now,¡± Lisa said, knowing that worrying about the world wasn''t fine right now, although she soon realized what it meant for her and Murai.


    What happened with the Encounter? Could... others attack Murai without any fear of repercussions? They could. There was no doubt about it. Hunt could be the same, though it might not be normal either. Mindarch still had its voice and power, yet he gave them the location of Ip''ur Mountain already.


    Lisa felt stunned.


    She doubted Mindarch would keep Order in this unique place that was full of Chaos and greedy pigs.


    Levandis made sure of it, as Hells were still Hells. Lisa believed that no amount of military rules or words would help this situation. Not with Murai in the way.


    David confirmed it. ¡°There are no fears for us right now. Some could take it badly, but within Levandis Hell, this will pass as another storm that isn''t even like a War. There is almost no way for Surface Wars to reach this place. If it will happen...well, Levandis can descent and crash the opposition as ruler of her Hell, but who knows what other Gods take this storm for.¡±


    ¡°Agreed. It is wonderful and terrible, but not for me. What else is there?¡±


    ¡°That is all. So let me be frank. It isn''t stopping my business, and the reason I even looked for this... opportunity, was a story of another Anatidae coming to his place. It was a hot topic, albeit it stopped when the storm above appeared. It didn''t stop you both at all, unsurprisingly, nor the flow of information.¡±


    ¡°All because of Mindarch, so one would wonder what sort of mess is happening in other places,¡± Lisa added something that David could not help but agree with as well.


    ¡°Naturally, I got to know and get the meanings of some things. Encounter is one thing. It is a gamble, but with my position and a hefty amount of information and work, I thought of taking something massive, albeit it is small instead...¡± David said and his gaze lingered on Murai for longer than usual. He looked at the Token as well but for a split second.


    ¡°How well-detailed are we talking about? Information, I mean.¡± Lisa demanded.


    ¡°Enough to get less context from seeing it myself, I suppose. That is false by the way. You changed it.¡±


    ¡°And you''ve accepted it?¡±


    ¡°I sure did. So let me ask that too. It''s a case of a Blessed Anatidae, right? The one that came from the Beyond the Sky? Not the native, or someone from the Divine Kingdoms?¡±


    ¡°That is correct.¡±


    ¡°Fuck me backward then. I am taking this without any doubts now. This is glorious!¡± David laughed, shaking his head while trying to lean to get some drink from the table. Lisa stopped him from doing so, floating close but not touching him either.


    Her face was serious, and her words carried enough weight right now to change his face and act.


    ¡°Right... You are his Life companion. What a joke of the world for you, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°It''s not as half as bad as one would assume. It''s like another chance in life. One has to change to make it work and get used to it.¡± Lisa argued and did not become overly angry. She either accepted her Fate or had thoughts about something else.


    ¡°I bet you took it like any storm, Lisa,¡± David still laughed. ¡°Blessed Life Companions are a pretty big deal, and you''ve ended up with... something interesting, as well as someone interesting. You aren''t Blessed any longer, but still hold certain privileges, don''t you?¡±


    ¡°I am not taking this topic further, David,¡± she said coldly. ¡°I have my stakes and worries to worry about. Him.¡± She shot Murai a half-a-second-long annoyed glare. The kind that David saw countless times.


    ¡°Is that so? I bet you don''t mind it, but considering your past that I know of, this is weird to me. I must say it is also surprising and funny, followed by different things that I would rather not say, but feel like I should.¡±


    ¡°What would you know,¡± Lisa barked at him, ¡°about the world I knew and the lives I had? Who were you?¡±


    ¡°I was without you for so long! Knowing your history was one thing I took for granted. I mean, look at you. You''ve died without shredding a care for others. That is your sake as mine. You left me, us, or whoever else was aside of you. And for what?¡± David said with a surprising amount of agitating shouts, giving his eyes a serious sparkle. Even his fat danced and lessened in weight.


    ¡°Time flows, kiddo,¡± Lisa said without changing her face or demeanor. She expected this much, and knowing her past off the top of her head, David''s situation wasn''t even half that bad. Leaving others when one had to was an inevitable thing. Remembering her past, she didn''t want to give this topic more weight.


    But she miscalculated those who cared for her, which put weird thoughts in her head.


    ¡°Why would I not be fearful and sad that you''ve died?¡± David asked. ¡°I should''ve been glad, to be honest. You tortured me like a slave but gave me a chance, gifting and teaching me reason in life to get it started. It''s never enough. Nothing is. You never took it back. You gave me a life so good, yet disappeared just like that. It was terrible and good at the same time, but let me tell you something. You begin to miss things that are no longer possible. Away from reach. I will never forget, seeing you...¡± David hesitated, half questioning his emotions, a mixture of agitation, tears, and smiling expressions.


    It made him look kind of stupid in Lisa''s eyes; she wasn''t sure to read his emotion from him. He was always an open book for her alone, and be it an old man or a brat that she found in this place on her first visit, she couldn''t give this topic any more clarity.


    She had no excuses or words to give him. She was out of his sight, unlike things that she wanted in her past life.


    It changed. Like wind. Storms. Hearts.


    ¡°Shut up for my sake. You are one of the many who feels some regrets or hopes shattering. Get back to the topic, or I will slap your head backward and call you names.¡± Lisa said, sighting.


    ¡°R-right. Perhaps I wouldn''t mind that,¡± David muttered, changing his face back to normal. ¡°But I am honestly glad to see you.¡±


    Lisa cracked her hand, compelling him to go back to the proper topic with a deep sigh and eyes lowering.

 Chapter 183: A serious business

    ¡°An Anatidae is a serious topic in this Gate or location as a whole. Their relative knowledge and reputation turned to something else in the recent century, unlike the one before, or even further down the line. Many stories flow thinly or secretly through Mindarch touches, coming from Surface or those carrying weird research. The last visitor of that caliber was quite a nightmare. Some parts of the military got obliterated, a couple of Sectors ceased to work at all, and dozens of gangs became memories. Armies held some responsibilities, but most of that was hidden behind the Overlords and not made public.¡±


    ¡°Not public? Someone hid some nasty stuff. Must have been quite a monstrosity. What was its level?¡±


    ¡°Around 60 from my memory. Perhaps more, but who would take these monsters for something clear? Demons of this place don''t appreciate another one coming here, but as with everything, things had to evolve or get used to it. I suppose the context over the Anatidaes matters less right now if I''m honest. Not every one of them is the same after all, especially the kind that is... under Marthosh''s armpit.¡± He looked at the boy leaning on the wall, listening to their conversation and half forgetting that Murai was under his armpit. Unwillingly, Marthosh even began to pat his head and rub that belly.


    ¡°He sleeps well,¡± Marthosh argued. ¡°Not sure why everyone was so shocked or worried about patting and handling an Anatidae. I thought it would be more... strange. It seems normal. Fine. Its feathers are neat, and it even wears clothes. Wait... perhaps that isn''t normal, right?¡±


    Lisa agreed with a chuckle.


    ¡°Yes, Marthosh,¡± David added. ¡°It isn''t good as I''ve said before, but being cautious is never enough at any moment. For example, the Token that is on the table,¡± David pointed at something that Lisa hadn''t forgotten yet. It was small, easily lost, but she kept it on the table in a touch of trust. Losing it meant losing this entire Gate, but Illak didn''t mention that, knowing that Lisa was taking it into her own hands.


    ¡°Some fools would dare to attack us, right?¡± Lisa asked, ignoring his gesture.


    ¡°Yes. Rules of Mindach stand firm and anyone who will take this Token will be greatly rewarded. Of course, when it all starts.¡±


    ¡°Yes. That also poise as to why you want to help. I get one reason out of you, David. You said it.¡±


    ¡°Encounter is the first thing. Second is you. The first was my initial plan, but now?¡± David smiled, scratching his head, and leaning further into the sofa. ¡°I didn''t know about you before. Encounter and Blessed is the most I wanted to touch and information about you is nowhere to be seen. It seemed unimportant like dust.¡±


    Lisa felt his headache and heard his view. ¡°Good. As intended. Which groups or gangs are looking at us? How strong could they be?¡± She asked, knowing it wasn''t a possibility, but guaranteed they would come.


    ¡°That is the wonder that could be wide or small, depending on how it can go. I don''t know your purpose of this Gate, but I know how Hunts goes. Now, it could be something else. However, I am taking this gamble anyway, so whoever will come, assuming the might of this Gate to your might, it is fine to think twice before acting, right?¡±


    ¡°That comes from the public relations or Mindarch. What does the public know about us? You might influence it with your sorry fat ass as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know, but I am still willing to take it on. The public sure can get some things. Knowledge about duels and some losses in the prior Gates is known, followed by Tiers. Oh, and those duels in the Islands of Greatness are publicly purchasable. As long as one has money, one can get a lot of things, though not many details were made public about your fool. At best, there were some battles shown in arenas through some contracts, shadowed, or displayed like fog in the Underground District, or Black Market.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Lisa said dismissively, knowing that this wasn''t anything surprising or useful.


    ¡°I suppose plenty of groups will come and get him. Not you, but what is the difference? Hunt isn''t even starting yet, so what happens isn''t in my words. You want something yourself, don''t you? Your plan. Every Challenger has its purpose. This Gate has its own dangers. I see your mischief from miles away, albeit we met after a lifetime of being apart. I am ready by the way! Ready to take it to another level.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Sure. Calm before I will slap your ego down.¡± She stopped his slowly creeping willpower.


    ¡°Well, I think the situation is still subject to change. The majority still waits it out to see the first one to strike this little guy, or they wait to see how the storm above flares up, or what Levandis would do. Hunt is most questionable. Means Mindarch can change it anytime and give him something new.¡± David pointed to Murai. ¡°He is subject to Encounter and weird things, so plenty of high-level interest follows him. Now, I don''t know how much of it is right when the world is not right. Perhaps Encounter isn''t working? With it gone, why does he sleep like a hellless chick?¡±


    This made Lisa turn around as well, helplessly glancing at the satisfied expression on Murai''s face. A hand kept scratching his chin and belly, never stopping. She felt an itch to wake him up and tease that silly hoodie-wrapped sleeping face.


    ¡°How strong is this Anatidae?¡± David asked, trying to dig for information like a good businessman of this Gate would. He already had some ideas, obviously. Hearing it from Lisa provided stone-cold facts.


    Such direct information was worth a fortune when no proper artificial status or appraisal was open about Murai at all. That was one thing that perplexed him. Usually, all Challengers went through Mindarch''s research and readings. Then, they would be put into purchasable options, ranging from sights of battles to significant records. This time, nothing about Murai was made public besides some fights. Most would want to know more, but Mindarch or Levandis denied them this chance.


    This place was connected to almost all layers of the Battleworld, as Hells were immense in their reputation. Considering the amount of stuff that was happening all over this planet, a lot of groups were interested in all kinds of places. The better the place, the more appeal surrounded it.


    The general power that Levandis had ensured this place was intense, creating one of the few places that truly felt indifferent to outer conflicts. All things considered, of course. It still had a strange and vivid structure full of internal strifes. Everything was still subject to the flow that went through Ravine. Mindarch included that in a limited capacity, as he was a spirit and not someone lofty like Ravine. Mindarch could never grant some Boosts on his own, though he could give and force some readings to make them through Ravine or gift something via Levandis.


    For Levandis, that meant some trouble and a reputation that allowed her position. This temple was hers. Anything, be it the pebble or the mountain amongst these Gates, everything was hers. Thus, a lot of beings knew how far they should go without bearing the weight of their Fate.


    But what about the living things, demons that were hard to tame, or power that was impossible to stop? Not everyone was her subject in this Gate, let alone her Hell, yet everyone should think like one for the betterment of their welfare.


    While it''s true this place was a training ground for her forces, not a whole lot of them were ever-present. More often than not, only those who needed intensely supervised growth trained here as part of armies or Challengers. The rest were in different places, waging Wars, trained in better places, or done their missions.


    As for the Gates and her hand-made special dungeon in the name of this temple, it was an intriguing place with the most variable sources to get stronger and challenge one''s Path. Towards the end of it, it meant a significant change.


    One could spend months or years here, or even entire lives. Or forever, if one met the End.


    Even those of the Surface could find their footing in her armies if they were clever or unhinged enough. There were plenty of such cases or in outer jobs ranging from management of her armies, cooks, or other jobs that demons weren''t that good at. Most demonic places like this lacked a certain Order and care humans had, so taking them as workers were something that Levandis accepted. Other Hells were much more prudent on that side, or it might be because of her tongue of all things.


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    David was one such case. He was a former party member, who disappeared into this place through some expedition of Centralis Kingdom.


    Lisa met him then, alone after he got lost, or he lost it all. She forced him into submission on her first visit and the rest was their history. For her anyway, while David was still head and shoulder deep into her interest.


    However, that history and stories were much vaster and more complex than that. Meeting David alive was an unexpected thing that Lisa was glad and surprised about. After all, she didn''t dare to imagine meeting someone like him so soon. Especially in this place.


    She wondered if there could be others she knew, but she doubted that. He was the only name she recognized. Her forces were far too different to submit to Levandis unless they wanted to do it independently. Longing Merchant Group hadn''t shown her anyone else.


    But when she thought of others, perhaps they changed. David did, so why not the rest?


    She wondered where everything went in her time of death. For the first time, she knew where to start. David should know more about it, considering their history and the details she wanted.


    ¡°Strong is a vast topic, David. I taught you that.¡± Lisa said to him. ¡°Us, or him, this could be bigger if the weight of levels goes with you or outside of this damned system. With Mindarch or not, this might turn into some troublesome Hunt. Levandis ensures it even with the world upside down. Mindarch could too, but I bet on Levandis.¡±


    ¡°Her? Well, it is a possibility. You did right. More than once or twice.¡± David shook his head. ¡°You were good at it. But you know what I mean. Level, abilities, or dangers. I bet a lot of problems about Gates will come here sooner or later anyway, so how about giving me some face and talking about something else? Come on. I deserve it after so long.¡± He reasoned, slamming his palms together in a pleading expression.


    Seeing him like that definitely recalled some memories, but Lisa didn''t care about that at the moment.


    ¡°Do we have a deal then? Are Lost Brothers interested in being my fools? If so, I need money. A good amount of that for the start, and some ideal runesmith wouldn''t hurt too.¡±


    ¡°Money?¡± David piqued his ears, understanding this word more than well. He also noted some hidden meanings of what she meant. ¡°So you aren''t confident with how this could go? Is he below Level 30?¡±


    Lisa laughed. ¡°You have no idea about the numbers, which is good. That means not a whole lot is known about him yet, so Mindarch took that interest under some veils.¡±


    ¡°Yet!¡± David insisted, slamming his palms together one more time. ¡°I can use such knowledge to get easy money. How much do you need? What kind?¡±


    ¡°Well, money in terms of essences would suffice.¡±


    ¡°Essences? Conversion from Surface into this place is rather inadequate, but whatever. Which Grade? Quantity?¡± David said without hesitation.


    Mana Essences were one of the main sources of immediate wealth around the Hellscape, as it was one of the biggest places where living beings could give one. Very few would question how or why it worked this way, although some dared to imagine everyone was under some vast construct or some secrets of this temple.


    Though the reasons and answers were always changing, flowing, and manifesting in many heads, there were some facts and logic in history. The truth was, the living construction of this unnatural essences gathering wasn''t like a farm of slavery for resources. Levandis didn''t force anything from anyone, but it surely followed all her subjects.


    She was the Ruler, so many thought she would do something, but throughout the ages, the fact of essences growing out of their deaths turned into a normal reality. No one would dare to question her intentions, as it wasn''t bad either. It turned into a culture, giving this temple a unique character that was nowhere else.


    Levandis created a safe place to let it continue prevailing, acting like a culture created by simple times and history. It was a wonderful work for the general purposeless demonic places, rules that followed everything, and power that created meaning. The essences were necessities or aftereffects that were like a bonus.


    Only a few would find it lacking, though many wondered what kind of treasure allowed and created such a vast mysterious effect. It went for even living and undead beings, beasts, or stupid demons, turning them into essences at the end of their time. That went out of the norm for anything Surface would know.


    It was a peculiar, albeit well-kept secret.


    So with a nearly endless amount of essence sources, their value around the whole temple was unquestionable and lower than on the surface. That was why this place was a golden opportunity for all kinds of folks from the Surface. Anyone would become wealthy if they had the power necessary to buy or hunt for them themselves.


    Murai felt it much more than most since he spent his attention on them whenever he could. For him, the worth of essences was immense thanks to his Core Defying Fusion Technique.


    This posed a wonderful question about what Lisa was thinking about when she mentioned money.


    ¡°What about me, boss?¡± Marthosh suddenly asked, still handling Murai like a pet. ¡°I could try to look for information outside, or some other validation. Money or not, questions or finding answers is still my ideal. You tell what I do. Like usual. Some brokers wouldn''t hesitate to tell all kinds of stuff to the public to make distorts or lies. Then loss of profits across the board of companies would happen. Who is to trust besides Mindarch who is silent?¡± He stepped forward for the first time, unwilling to try anything weird when he saw his boss like this.


    Lisa ignored, him, but David didn''t. ¡°Trust? Mindarch might not be one to trust either. For now, toss me that duck and get out. I have a deeper discussion to tell with this... ghost. Not the kind fit for your head.¡± David said, pointing to the Murai.


    ¡°Don''t touch him, fatass.¡± Lisa flew back, jolting Marthosh on his feet with a surge of sona. He backed away, stubling, and losing control of Murai in his clutch. Murai remained floating in space thanks to the slow tides of sona akin to hands. She wasn''t that gentle to Marthosh, who ruined the wall and some wooden crates, stumbling to his back.


    Lisa grabbed Murai by his hood, and since he wasn''t all that heavy, she decided to take care of him herself. It was a wonder if she could''ve done so earlier, as her body was mendable and her sona was growing and flying. Asserting her position like she used to do might have done enough.


    ¡°Y-you,¡± David muttered, ¡°didn''t have to be this savage. He is just a kid.¡±


    ¡°Have some problems? I don''t trust you yet. Why should I? That Token is there too,¡± Lisa flickered her finger and Token flew to her hand and remained afloat in her sona.


    David wasn''t surprised. ¡°That is true. I think I gave you no intensive or guarantee to make this business worth it. We are different in power and circumstances anyway, but this Gate or others should get it or scram away. You haven''t changed in that regard, have you?¡±


    ¡°You did,¡± Lisa said, glancing at David who was no longer a frail boy, but an exact opposite. Age could change many things, it seemed, which made Lisa a bit afraid to see the situations of others.


    Especially her former little power, which was yet to come to her mind. She feared it was in pieces or death following her nasty End.


    ¡°I don''t deny my differences. Fine!¡± David slammed the desk as he straightened his back and got ready to take a mission of his life. ¡°I will help you goddammit! Be it with my life nearing its limits, but not the years, I will gladly do what you want to. What do you want besides wealth and... something else? Plans, forces, or trust. Will Oath Stone do, or should I lick your feet?¡± He roared, forgetting any deals he could make out of her. He forgot she had no feet.


    David knew she was a stubborn and forceful person, and it didn''t change at all even after enduring another End. Situations that others wouldn''t take for anything but utter helplessness were in her past, obvious to his time followed by her former self. David wouldn''t succeed with whatever he was trying anyway. Not against his former master.


    This wasn''t about business any longer. It was about the history and something that he wanted.


    ¡°Essences,¡± Lisa returned to the previous topic.


    ¡°At the moment, our pockets go as we could afford. We have some Grade 5s ready on demand and a lot of 6s across all sorts of quantities. Middle or High, it doesn''t matter. Grade 7s are considered a good currency. Anything more is the same as you should know. Low Grade 5s are true treasures. As for the higher ones, they aren''t as available for me. One would have to purchase them on special occasions, or Hunt them.¡±


    ¡°Hunt them?¡±


    ¡°You know. Levandis does those events nowadays to put incentive and wealth to the public. She either uses some criminals or some problems. Gangs and companies take such chances, following armies as well, or various people. Killing gives essence to the flow and Hell Points incentivizes everything. With how the flood of beings in her Hell goes, it is near perfect. In this sense, nothing much changed. It should be good for your head or memories.¡± David explained.


    ¡°Oh, I see. Then, how many of them will you give me?¡±


    ¡°G-give?¡± David cringed inside. ¡°I... I don''t... Can''t... ¡±He struggled against her gaze. ¡°Ten of each. Ten?¡±


    ¡°So little? I guess I expected too much from your belly.¡±


    ¡°S-shut up,¡± He grumbled.


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°N-nothing... What else?¡±


    ¡°Essences weren''t the plan I had in mind. I want trust as you''ve said, so I will give you something you won''t be willing to refuse in that idea. Something hungry. How about an opportunity so big, that this Gate will be nothing to you anymore?¡± Lisa said menacingly, her sona glowed and surged like a dress and her eyes.


    David tensed his body, clutching his head as he watched her face. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°How many guys do you have in your company, David? What about your strength? I can tell you still have your core intact, but I am unsure about your power level.¡±


    Her words stupefied David, whose face tensed up. He mumbled something under his nose, unaware of what she planned for him, but secretly, he wouldn''t find it wrong. Whatever she would tell, he would do and accomplish it to the best of his ability.


    Before he wanted to agree, the door at the back shot open, revealing a tall figure who had trouble with the door. It was a devil wearing a very nice black suit. Bending his head down, he walked inside as if it was a normal thing to do.


    ¡°Good day to you as well, Marthosh,¡± the devil spoke to the unconscious Marthosh who slept in the wooden crate.¡°Been practicing? Good. You finally listen.¡± Then he turned to the sofa, ignoring the ghost, Murai, or the flashy light.


    ¡°Greeting, boss and...¡± Glancing around in confusion, he finally noticed what unconscious Marthosh meant, and what that drifting ghost that held Anatidae in her hand represented.


    It was a strange picture and situation already, while David looked like he lost some weight and his face beamed with delight. ¡°Ahh! Ultium! I see you! Come. Come. I have someone to introduce to you.¡± David exclaimed, gesturing his hand to whisper, ¡°Help me,¡± behind his palm.


    ¡°Oh! What do we have here? What guest this day has on us?¡± Ultium said, speaking relatively awkwardly as he tried to sound polite. Thanks to his overly serious face and red eyes, he wasn''t that good at it. He walked while adjusting his tie like a gentleman who appeared somewhere where they didn''t belong.


    ¡°A devil, huh? Who are you?¡± Lisa asked, turning and looking weirdly at this rather unusual devil.

 Chapter 184: Questinable timing

    Lisa wasn''t sure what to look at first; she had a peculiar look and opinion about the devil race, which was known to possess intense qualities and history in the Battleworld and Skies beyond. Standing before her was a prime example of a devil, though he was somewhat different as well.


    The air, aura, or feelings about him were kind of high, looking as if his gaze and surroundings guided towards him. He was collected, taking the surroundings for something new and unfamiliar. He was sizing up her and Murai alike, but something about him was wild and untamable.


    Ultium was looking impressive and young, and his eyes were honest and straight and impossible to lie. His horns were noticeable, crisp ashen red skin gave his pretty face a different vibe, and his suit was pristine and clean, looking expensive.


    Lisa had seen this kind of devil very rarely, and when she had, it wasn''t a time that she cherished. In her closest past especially. Only those high in the hierarchy would be like this, or by Bloodline, or...well, she could only guess who he was, but most of what was under his power or clarity wasn''t obvious by his appearance, or by her senses. She didn''t see his depth with eyes alone, No devil should be judged by their appearances. Feelings were different and powers were stranger.


    She found a couple of weird things about this whole situation. This devil worked for David, so what to think of that? It was yet another weird idea that she couldn''t fathom because David was David. How or where had he found this sort of Devil?


    Where did David find him, or was that backward? David of all people took care of this devil, or was their whole situation a farce? She doubted the world made sense in many ways, but perhaps she shouldn''t think twice about it, considering what was sleeping in her grasp, or what was she even doing with it.


    Ultium looked quite human in all aspects, as most devils did. His ears were normal, curling upward along the side of his head. So was his overall visage besides above average height that wasn''t special or tall for devils.


    His notable devilish features were his horns, unsurprisingly, as well as his clean pretty face that went far too well with his nice suit. His redness made a nice addition to his overall appearance, gifting him an unnatural charm.


    His tall stature wasn''t burly or slender. It was just about right to fit his suit and give him strength and size. But Lisa bet he was powerful in flesh, as his body and appearance suggested something immense like his aura. There was a flexible yet sturdy body hiding beneath the tight suit, and she wouldn''t mind seeing it.


    His face was without any hair, unlike his scalp which had pitch-black longer hair surrounding the horns. Well, he also had sharp brows above his even sharper eyes.


    Red colors indicated abnormalities and qualities in devil Bloodlines, so the more powerful and cleared redness looked, the more potent Bloodlines were under their grasp, or their control and heart were immense. That was one of their core feature, similar to how Anatideas had their wilderness or colorful feathers.


    For devils, it was all about blood and heart. It was their everything, similar to how some beasts took Bloodline-related evolutions for their main course of power.


    Devils had some unique powers because they were no beast, nor were they very close to most demonic races. They were their own thing since they didn''t rely on evolution, but rather an overall transformation. It was about their individuality and Bloodline pact or Path. These made their decision, following their family, heart, clan, history, or what they preferred in their life. What were the differences? Well, the evolution was permanent, adjusting life in power and chance, history, ancestry, and choices. The transformation wasn''t permanent and often carried vast differences in vision and power because it could be about anything. They could vary too, almost like their whole hearts.


    Ultium stood on his own against Lisa''s curious glances, unsure what to think about a ghost, but he saw that the situation was weird.


    Opposite to him, Lisa watched him as she did with David: curiously, unhinged in her gaze and demeanor. Her eyes had a certain arrogance that Ultium found interesting.


    His horns weren''t small either, accenting his head. There was just a pair of them, which made him not that crazy, but that could always change. They curved above his hair, gliding behind his head. They were quite thick at their roots and pointy the further they went towards sharp tips.


    They were unfortunately angled in not a good direction like devil horns often were, acting as weapons. His curved away from his forehead and the tip of his head instead, giving him shame. He could stab someone with them if he smacked someone with the back of his head, which wasn''t desirable or very often.


    Although he had a pair of them, he was still a nice example of a devil powerhouse that stood loftily as one of the most powerful races in most Hells. They weren''t that potent on the Surface, since their Chaos was like those succubuses or other ancient demonic races, causing those on the Surface to not like them.


    ¡°I am Ultium, ghost,¡± Ultium said to her coldly, understanding that she was an invader of their business or the business itself. ¡°Am a prime manager of the Lost Brothers. You are?¡± He asked, unfazed by her gaze and the situation that was out of his touch or mind.


    In fact, he appeared completely fine, calm, and collected, as if this was just a regular day meeting a Soul Render bearing Anatidae in her grasp.


    ¡°So, you are,¡± Lisa said as she indicated towards David with her free hand, ¡°his subordinate, or is it backward? I can''t seem to catch the right ideas, as you are a devil, right?¡±


    ¡°That is correct,¡± Ultium nodded without clarifying what he answered. He gave David a small bow, revealing the obvious answer. ¡°What is this situation, boss? I sense trouble from this ghost in many ways things. In her hands... too, is something that is... strange and demanding.¡±


    ¡°It is complicated, boy,¡± David mumbled and laughed awkwardly. ¡°Why have you come here by the way?¡±


    ¡°Why? Business, obviously. There was that time, collecting tolls and jobs from the Drein District, but things got feisty with all of the mess that goes from above. Are they afraid of the loss of this world? It isn''t as if the world is ending, so collecting money and doing business should remain. Can''t you do something about it?¡± Ultium took a ring from underneath his suit, showing it to him in an offer. It wasn''t his storage ring. It was David''s, appearing expensive and filled with engraved bones, and a bunch of little runes engraved on the ring.


    ¡°What? Toll? Give me a look,¡± Lisa flashed her hand towards his hands, almost taking the ring away, but Ultium jolted his hand away in time, feeling... disturbed. No one shall take a business out of his heart. No one touched the money. That was what David said. Taughed. He glared at her, unleashing bits of killing intent that flooded the room like a storm suddenly appearing, shuddering Marthosh even if he was unconscious, and surprising David.


    Lisa took the brunt of this aura in the front seat, but because of non-fighting rules inside this room, Ultium stopped himself from obliterating this arrogant ghost or taking this too far.


    Lisa jerked her sona away in fear, almost becoming a thin fog that would toss Murai away.


    But before that happened, David hurried forward, jumping to the rescue and shoving himself between them.


    ¡°Calm down, both of you. One more than the other,¡± he pressed his arms to a black suit, eyeing the main cause, before shooting Lisa another look. ¡°Ulitum! This is a business I''ve mentioned in the morning. Business, this is Ultium. A new one, you see. The kind I''ve talked about before the shitstorm happened. It''s like this so bear that into your head...¡± David kept pressing both hands to his chest as Ultium stepped forward, glaring at Lisa who backed away. He calmed after hearing his tone and words.


    Then, David began talking, hoping that this would resolve everything or at least part of it.


    Ultium ceased his killing intent right away, still holding the ring and listening to David''s explanation like a good boy. The situation in the following minutes turned into a nerve-wracking time, giving Ultium nothing but facts and important information that David had to repeat twice. Just in case, he gave some words more attention because he was never sure what this devil preferred.


    ¡°So... It''s like that?¡± Ulitum nodded, scratching his chin and adjusting his tie. ¡°A business that ran rampant in the upper Gates for the past days? That is what that duck is, alongside this ghost? No. She feels... different. Weirder. What goes through a ghost? Heard the talk of Challengers before, but wasn''t there a human too? The one that went against a Low-Marchal and nearly cut him in half?¡±


    He remembered things well, thanks to Mindarch''s information, rumors, and publicity that David told him. Tosing the ring to David, who stopped the inevitable issues, the situation calmed down.


    Lisa took Razmund''s mention with the least amount of discomfort, though the Low Marchal''s mention was kind of interesting.


    Nodding to himself, David clapped and took the ring for himself. ¡°That too, Ulitum, but this business and situation is something else. Something better.¡±


    ¡°An Anatidae is better?¡± Ultium glanced at the sleeping duck in Lisa''s grasp. It looked as open as it could be, free for taking, shredding, and eating. He could kill it in a heartbeat if it was sleeping this comfortably in its clothes. It was asking for it, in fact. His Bloodline too.


    He thought for a second how to to kill it, until he remembered where he was, who he was, and what he should be doing. The strangeness of those clothes didn''t occur to him; he was too late to realize or think of it as something important. But he was looking at Anatidea with a certain interest.


    It was like a switch. At one moment, he was ready to murder them all, but then, he laughed awkwardly, feeling silly for making poor assumptions and silly mistakes.


    David still stood close to him. ¡°A business is deemed worth more than some mistakes or hunches, Ultium. Business grows and business rules when calmness and situations are first taken into account. Actions come later or sooner. Here, we need to take things into large consideration, since it is that important. Right?¡± David repeated his mantra by scolding this devil who was nearly a head taller.


    He felt and sounded reassuring to this overly serious, workaholic, and airhead devil. Repeating it to his zealous head, silly heart, yet sharp Bloodline was the least he could do.


    So David patted him on both shoulders, hoping that nothing wrong would happen with Ultium, Lisa, or Murai at a later date.


    Unfortunately, Lisa was another problem altogether.


    ¡°Right,¡± Ultium said. ¡°A good business is a start or end to a good day or night. You said it, boss. I''ve got the gist of the concern, but what kind of business is this? Is it a mission? Part of the Task? Accounting for something or someone? What about payment, worldly situations, or what are outer effects like? Are there some gangs overlooking this as well? Should I solve them first ahead, taking this for a starting war? What about other situations? What needs to be done?¡± Ultium asked a bunch of questions, ending David''s reassurance that instead went to other worries.


    There were endless troubles ahead, yet it all seemed worth it if David was as certain about this situation as he was. Above him, Ultium kept glancing at Murai, looking as if he couldn''t stop glaring. David wondered if he should forbid him from touching, or speaking about Anatidaes, or if taking this to another direction was more suitable.


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    For now, he hoped for clarity across the board. Ultium wasn''t necessary for it, but his presence and stay were. David needed to talk to Lisa and get their business started. Lisa had yet to mention everything, let alone mention what he needed. She demanded things from them instead.


    ¡°Now. Now,¡± David patted Ultium''s shoulders again. ¡°Don''t be like that. Sit or listen to me. This is a very complicated business that needs special attention to details and politics. The start is with talking, not acting. So sit down and hear what Lisa has to say. I need it too, because this is something that could shake us both. Our lives, I mean,¡± He motioned him to the sofa and gave him much more clarity than usual just in case.


    It was one of the Ultium''s weaknesses. This devil was far too focused on what mattered or not at all, and sometimes, lines between these points were nonexistent.


    It was either caused by his Bloodline, his head, or how he grew up. Either way, he often forgot what mattered as fast as a goldfish, so having a focus was much better than being a chicken.


    And he heard something crisp and interesting in what David said. Something that he kept in his special memories. He heard it from David many times. ¡°Oh! I''ve got it. Lisa? I know that name. Is this that Lisa? That one... How was that again...¡± Ultium suddenly stopped speaking when David shoved him to the sofa, forcing him there, smiling at him forcefully, cold sweat running over his forehead.


    ¡°Yeah. That one. Now, calm down and sit without speaking or I won''t give you the dessert you deserve,¡± David ordered like a father speaking to an unfililal son, giving him a long stare.


    Ultium frowned but didn''t speak.


    Huffing a cough, David finally accomplished what he wanted with his hands, but he doubted this would end well. He often had to give Ultium physical means of rules. Not a forceful one, of course. There was no way he could do anything to this devil.


    ¡°You told him of me?¡± Lisa caught up to them and asked after going over the near-end experience with a smile. She still felt the lingering aura and death of that crimson gaze that suddenly appeared, while the air


    around the room thickened. It was nearing, yet now as it passed, she smiled. ¡°That makes me a bit perplexed but happily surprised. To be remembered after the End, it sounds melodramatic. Not as if it is important, but...¡±


    ¡°T-that is... Isn''t important! Not at all. Not now. Not ever. Never,¡± David laughed weakly, patting Ultium on his left shoulder before turning back to her.


    Just in time when Ulitum opened his mouth again, telling what was on his mind without any stops. ¡°Tell us about this opportunity first, evil Lisa. I am all ears and...¡± Ultium wanted to speak further, but a palm slapped his mouth, shutting him up, but it was too late.


    ¡°Evil?¡± Lisa frowned, taking this as an interesting topic.


    David didn''t know what to feel. He shuddered and turned his head at her. ¡°It is... nothing. Nah... I am sorry. I lied. It''s been a long time since I was... I mean, since the time and living with you get me back to life. And I am never forgetful. That is what you''ve taught me. Never stop. I said it. I was young and near the limits. You gave reasons yet some of that time hurt. It followed me ever since, and your death... It wasn''t good. I didn''t know what to do, so I coped with it on my own terms. Life before End, or stubbornly continue. I determined what to do and things happened on their own, but you lingered in my heart like a demon. Never changing.¡± David pressed on his truth, pleading for whatever reason he thought was fitting or not.


    Lisa didn''t care about details, but seeking an old David speaking like this was weird.


    So when the tears almost emerged in his eyes, for some reason, Ultium did find it strange. David usually cried whenever Lisa came up into his memory or mouth, or he would laugh, or cry at the same time. It also followed many words and pleading and... whatever else.


    ¡°I asked a question,¡± Ultium argued to Lisa, squinting his eyes after forcing David''s hand away.


    ¡°Sure, you did,¡± Lisa said to him with a carefree smile. ¡°It is not much for me, but it could be quite something for you, even if you are a mighty devil of unknown. I still... think twice about the choices and what to think of other things. For example, there is no way to get going alone. Thus, an opportunity can be a business, and your boss owes me a lot, I guess. You don''t have to be with him if you don''t want to, because there is an Encounter hovering above this little guy along with a bunch of other things,¡± Lisa showed Murai to them with her hand, squeezing the hood of his hoodie.


    Dozing and dreaming Anatidae remained calm even after Ultium unleashed his killing intent. They weren''t calm or quiet in their discussion either, but Murai kept his steady sleep as if nothing was happening.


    Ultium was interested in Murai anyway, so he heard it with open curiosity when she showed Murai like a seized fish and told interesting words and chances. Widening his eyes and mouth, this business was great as if Ulitum found a goldmine.


    ¡°Oh?! Oh! Heard that! An Encounter? Blessed clash and unphased war! That sounds like a large business indeed, but what about the... rest, or what is happening above. Encounters are large, aren''t they? With Gods and people or fools touching them, they are things that could be wilder than most missions. Not everyone wants a piece of it, so what is this one like?¡± He changed his expression for the first time, smiling like a charming prince.


    Appearing serious as if knowing all about the situation wasn''t what David expected from him. Ultium ended up leaning on the sofa and took the appearance of this evil Lisa for something good and exciting. He heard about Encounters on rare occasions, but they were far too rare to see or notice them in this place.


    By choice, Ultium wasn''t allowed outside very often. For an Encounter to influence this place, it was extremely difficult, and complicated when it did, or far too savage. Levandis never liked them, as they reeked of the Sky and the ploys they demanded. RIght. Encounters were a playground for Gods, churches, and significant figures. It was fitting for vast players to look at them and influence them, so it wasn''t for someone cheap or poor.


    David wanted it, so perhaps neither of them was that.


    In truth, it was even more complicated than neither of them assumed, much to David''s awareness and knowledge, which Ultium was familiar with. Neither of them was that familiar with Murai, problems on the Surface, or what Lisa wanted. Ultium lived all of his life in this temple after all, away from the Surface and its politics, and shrouded in it like in a cage.


    David felt a storm brewing, knowing that Ulitum should never be underestimated. Fun, joy, and adventure were that, but he knew things about Ultium that few could get into their heads.


    Encounters always needed very specific circumstances to occur, and when they did, they filled, crashed, or increased remarkably vivid agendas and grudges around the Battleworld. Usually, quite a few Gods were involved in them, hoping to get ahead in some plots that stemmed from the politics in the Battleworld through ages or hopes and various people. In some of them, it might be possible for a God to fall. It was about their Divine Kingdom and struggle with mortal powers. Everyone hoped for an edge, so many mortals always got involved.


    But even after knowing it, David turned his heart upside down like a proper businessman and calmed down. This situation will be good! It had to. He had to trust it if he was willing to get involved. What sort of things could come out of it, causing some repercussions or mistakes, wasn''t clear.


    However, he wasn''t afraid. Not anymore. He knew much more about it than Ultium; he grew up in the Surface and was part of Lisa, a former Blessed, so it wasn''t surprising his savageness and awareness over the politics wasn''t the smallest.


    Alas, what was happening above this temple was a different story. David was still suspicious if he should put his trust in the Encoutner that might or might not work at all.


    Lisa glanced at Ultium, sizing up the devil that was open and honest in his voice. ¡°That is right. Encounter is upon us. I hope to get some Helpers, instead of him doing that for all of us,¡± she shook Murai, giving him a helpless look. ¡°It sounds like a good plan. You see, he is a handful problem but weighs like a mountain down my spirit. It troubles me but I have no choice but to force others to help me. Us... I mean.¡±


    She almost laughed at how it sounded, so she glanced at sleeping Murai with unknown thoughts. With that aside, she placed Murai on the table, right beside the ring and his Token. Then, she floated aside, taking a comfortable position on the chair that was facing the sofa.


    It wasn''t a crucial act; she didn''t need anything physical to work with, though the chair gave her a different position. It made her forget she had no flesh. That was enough for her.


    She knew far well what made her body special and magical. She shouldn''t complain about her body whatsoever. She just had to wait patiently for time and her growth or get going by doing something she wasn''t willing to touch. Not yet.


    ¡°Tell us about it further,¡± David gave up comforting Ulitum with his words or hands. He sat aside from him. ¡°Give it to us as is. The world is upside down, yet if you want something to work, I can take it. We take it.¡±


    Ultium nodded, asserting his Will.


    ¡°What a lovely thing to say,¡± Lisa said, ¡°considering the circumstances. But yes. It is right that I would shamelessly take whatever can give us some edge. Very well. It''s like this...¡± Lisa began to hit the nail on the subject, talking and mentioning what she considered essential and validating to mention to them.


    She wasn''t that unbearable with her words, so when her ideas and plans went out of her mouth without Murai in the picture, it felt good and right.


    Explaining the details, crannies, or potential problems along the way, David took them with hesitation and small fears, while Ultium took it all without a change in expression. He kept smiling, thinking that this was becoming more than interesting. It sounded like fun.


    Lisa took this talk as the most significant act in her plans as a whole because she was relying on others for the first time in this live. It was important to take it well, even if the way it happened was kind of weird. She didn''t expect David of all people to take this help that well; she expected him to be dead if she was honest with her heart.


    Now, she wondered if she should take this as a significant point in her planning, or if using it as unhinged as possible was more fitting. Perhaps... others could be around, waiting, or living the best lives they could have with or without forgetting her behind.


    It should become clear through time. David will tell her all about it, and if he won''t, she will force it from him regardless.


    Murai didn''t count as her help; he was more of an inevitable force of nature that was the exact opposite of help. She had a lot to work through him, help him, and give him more attention and freedom, so she told them things that should be problematic, including the situation above the Surface, or here, or what Murai forced or created.


    She had yet to care about her plans, so David thought out loud a lot and talked it out with her in an unlikely fashion and their lost position. It was bound to shift, which made her views and words strange, and some far exceeded their expectations.


    David always took Lisa for someone clever, even if she used to act first before thinking. Now, it seemed it was quite the opposite, but he didn''t seem to mind this Lisa, who was no longer tall, firm, straight like a spear, and savage like a queen. In some sense, she was the same as before, but smaller and different because there was something great about her no matter what her flesh was like.


    Not speaking had its limited benefits. With her words hanging around in this room and their heads, this was about what she wanted, even if it came with some restrictions and a change of plans. She had no idea about their strengths, but any trustworthy help was better than one that would be questionable. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A couple of minutes later, sitting with crossed arms and half-floating on the chair, Lisa was more or less done. The plan was rather simple, but the surroundings were problems, and a few main points in her plans had considerable holes. They could change with David in sight, as he was quite experienced with this temple and his business suggested some issues for her. For Lisa, who hadn''t experienced this temple for literally half a century, David was priceless.


    He had a lot to tell her since this could shake the rest of his life, Ultium included.


    ¡°...that is why help is needed,¡± Lisa said. ¡°It could be subjective, but it sounds well to be far-reaching and hopeful. Not free either, or... it shouldn''t be if Gods know what they are doing, but it falls down to my guesses. Encounters can still work, even if the world is upside down. It is worth trying it. A simple Pledge goes a long way.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± David said, ¡°but it depends on the time too, as one never knows the heart of this world or the Gods who take it away or create it. Fixing it is impossible for us while forcing something crazy at present is less than appealing. I say that if it''s impossible or problematic, not touching it is better, and forcing it is possible. It depends on what goes around the corner and what Levandis will do if we are unhinged. Taking advantage is what you want, and you know how fucked up that is if your plans genuinely involve us. If the world and Boosts are apart, what to think? You want to get away, but what after that? That sounds like a gamble to me. You were never like that.¡±


    Lisa still maintained her smile. ¡°I get that idea a lot. Thought of it far too much for days. My ideas stem from that thing on the table. What will happen comes with full or limited repercussions, unless it all works well and nicely. I could expect a payment instead from you and it wouldn''t be strange. Payment is your help, which could come with your own rewards out of this world. That''s the premise of Helpers anyway, but this one never had it before, unless mentioning Suns is worth it. It is what it is. A gamble across the board, followed by power, uncertainty, and interest between us.¡± Lisa explained, smiling at the flabbergasted pair in front of her.


    ¡°B-boss?¡± Ultium asked David, turning his head toward him.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I want to see the Surface,¡± Ultium said with a wide smile and a glint in his eyes showed deep emotions. ¡°It sounds like a gamble worth accepting. If nothing happens, good. If something happens, all we can do is bear the consequences. We always worked that way. Lost Brothers never backed away from something awful or hardly possible. This seems like the perfect chance and so much fun. If it... works, of course, as evil Lisa said.¡± He cheered and asked for a favor like a child looking for answers.


    ¡°Don''t spout nonsense!¡± David shouted. ¡°A lot of places are nothing good for us. Especially you. You are far too preoccupied with your wants and desires. Do you think the Surface will take that well? No! Not at all.¡±


    That shut Ultium down, making him a bit sad.


    ¡°Still,¡± David hesitated and looked at Lisa. ¡°It is better than this place. I will take this opportunity without hesitation since it might not work at all. And if it will, do you think this place will take our plans, or what will come from the far? If I do that, I would be forfeiting my line in this world, so it needs assurance.¡±


    ¡°You already agreed anyway, so what are you talking about? Forfaiting everything? You wanted it anyway.¡± Lisa chuckled.


    ¡°Yes. I agreed. Questioning it a little is called an argument. I want clarity between us, unlike ever before, Lisa. Don''t make me change or regret this. This treasured opportunity is far too big to pass away, but you forgot one thing.¡± David said, pointing his finger at Murai. ¡°What sort of mess caused this, and what true dangers are involved behind? You talked a lot about the details of your hopes and information but glossed over many important facts. Your Blessed, yourself, and what can happen if things go south and so on.¡±


    ¡°That is up to the future,¡± She excused herself. ¡°And things I don''t know, frankly. Why should I speak like a moron when plans are there to work with such plausibility? I want assurance so I won''t regret thinking about failures. It is what this business is about, moron.¡±


    ¡°Or have no point in knowing at all. You mentioned the Centralis Kingdom more than twice, including the Vermillion Church. Centralis is just a Tier A power, not worth mentioning when one sees this whole temple, but they are clever in their tactics and military strength. They are considered closest to becoming Tier S power on this continent, and they have a tight connection to Zeanor, while their Blessed are known for their craziness and many Delvings.¡±


    ¡°Some of that is overestimated. Not worth mentioning too, when one thinks straight to a couple of points. Why? We, my little friend included, are small fools who aren''t concerned about something this big. I don''t want to think about it. Gods took it differently, so I do what I can do to prevent our loss.¡± She said, feeling that this truth hurt. She feared the unknown factors for sure, as some of them had already made their move, so why would they not do that again, or endlessly?


    Razmund might be just a small part of everything, with unknown heights of many plans hiding away, waiting for the further sections of the Encounter, or their failure or triumph.


    In one way or another, there were many problems ahead, and solving them beforehand or later was no longer something she could do alone. Lisa already forced this temple into this mess, so she wondered what else would change or what Levandis or Mindarch would do. After all, it was no longer about the rules, or Will of the Battleworld. They were gone, so it was possible for Judges or some other Gods involved in this Encounter to make their moves.


    So far, nobody had done so, but Lisa wasn''t stupid. She calculated and figured that Murai''s latest Boost coincidently worked well. A while later, they were gone, while the aftermath of his Boost was strange with those voices arguing for nothing. Murai already clashed with the rules because of this temple, so when it went far away with Vermillion''s plot, things might get wild.


    David thought so as well, fearing the Ruler of this temple and the Ruler of this world might not be happy about it. ¡°I wouldn''t say it isn''t fit to mention the larger dangers, but when you mentioned balance, there might be nothing onto it. You see, if Razmund is the opposing side, and yours is a weak Child, then this is weird. Like really weird. Your Blessed is.¡±

 Chapter 185: Terrific news

    ¡°I''ve never said it is normal,¡± Lisa argued. ¡°It is much bigger as I''ve said. Gods wants us dead. How is it fair when I know or question the rules? Do they even matter? They are simple tools that one could drag, snap, forget, or stop caring about. Gods are like that. They could be ruthless and snatch rules in half. I would do it.¡±


    ¡°Fairness, huh?¡± David grumped, taking a small glimpse at the still curious-looking Ultium. ¡°Centralis hunt you, and you know what I feel about them. This temple felt their forces numerous times. Many demons killed a bunch of their parties, Challengers, or expeditions too. Humans are enemies here. You aren''t, but that Anatidae is something else. After seeing the potential trouble that could come out of Centralis, talent is worth taking well because it is a place filled with Blessed. Gods are involved with them, including all the troubles that come with them.¡±


    ¡°Doesn''t concern me,¡± Lisa said dismissively. ¡°This place is what, again? I don''t want to think about Centralis anymore than we do.¡±


    ¡°Ugh... Right. Temple still stands. It will remain untouched. Why? Because we have Levandis and her armies that wouldn''t back down no matter what. And here in the Depths, the Surface can get squished and trampled and none will care. It is what the difference between the locations and beliefs creates, so why not ask for some much better help? There might be other choices if what you said is true.¡±


    ¡°So what? Do you think they are fine with this thing and the unknown factors of Gods? What are you trying to tell me or yourself? Do you think I don''t know all of that and beyond? I think you grew up after all, but forgot about me. You sound all that clever and afraid, but hidden in this place that is just part of the far vastness above or below. Perhaps you hadn''t grown up after all. Just hiding to hope for a better tomorrow and grew up fat and blissful. How piteful.¡± She mocked him a little, which David didn''t take that well into his head.


    ¡°Don''t try me! Who knows what would happen here if I helped you? Would rules change? Would some Gods be angry with me? What about the already questionable Balance? Would the other Side change with my involvement? Will the Surface change? That is all possible even without rules put in place because Gods or Judges would get involved. At worse, that is. At less weight, something still might change. If something happens, that means taking advantage of the situation or something that we don''t know. You didn''t know it either. What would Levandis think? What Overords would do, and what Mindarch has in all of this?¡±


    ¡°What indeed. You afraid, or what?¡±


    ¡°Yes. For my money and profit. Yes,¡± David said the fact he trusted, or as if the matter of fact was simpler than that. ¡°That''s why you should trust me like I trust you. Tell me what you aren''t telling. You always held up your tongue for something special, which gave your head advantages as information is power, closer to hearts and people. It is about your head again. You think too much about everything that sometimes don''t see over your forehead. Taking it slowly or away is beneficial to us, and you don''t have to be afraid. I won''t tell a soul. Simple as that. Ultium will do so too.¡± He patted him on the shoulder, and Ultium nodded, half wondering about the Surface and what Encounter was like.


    Lisa frowned, coming to a similar conclusion herself a while ago. So, she went over those details, bantering with David on more than a few occasions because he seemed to take her words much better after his last argument. He shocked her in many parts, notably by his knowledge and change of attitude that followed significant interest and change of pace. Even Ultium occasionally added some words or curious questions that either of them ignored or answered.


    That went on for around an hour. Discussions were getting feisty even when Marthosh woke up all hurt and dizzy.


    It was quite a long discussion to make up for the lost and unknown plans, as well as changes that were happening in Lisa at this time. Lisa put together rough legs of the plan, which then went through David, who contemplated, improved, or changed some of their aspects.


    Lisa accepted some of them. In the end, she had to take his outlook because she was taking away something quite precious from him, and she wasn''t entirely sure about doing something else as he suggested. Mainly, it was about Murai. He was the biggest variable, while her head was the second. Third was the rest of the things compiled into an endless pit of mess.


    She was back at him, taking things away from him without a shred of shame. Even if everything succeeded or ended as a failure, she didn''t feel like she was taking advantage of him. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He could refuse her after all, but perhaps it was all wrong.


    She wasn''t one to look for them. David looked for them first, which made it weird because he decided on helping or involving his company with Murai even with the Surface tension above, and not knowing a whole lot about it.


    He ordered Marthosh to look for Murai while knowing it would be dangerous against the current situation, or Mindarch or others. That might be questionable or the strangest thing about everything.


    David was always willing to take this gamble, with or without Lisa in the picture.


    So after this hour of going over the plans, they reached a passable conclusion. Lisa talked enough, yet David was certain it was yet to be over. He knew her far well for that, and she didn''t seem to be that different from the past either when one knew her past self. The way she talked, the way she looked at him like a fool, it all shuddered and excited him.


    Their words and their time ended just in time because an hour was long enough for Murai to wake up.


    Turning his beak in confusion around, Murai trembled, shivered, and felt wrong when he noticed a hoodie around his head and body. He almost forgot he had it, similar to how he had no arms.


    He woke up as a duck again. Unsurprisingly. ¡°What the hell is this? Sleeping and all... uh?¡± He mumbled in annoyance, squeaking in quacks, and noticing a conversation that seemed like a big deal. He heard something about districts, sectors, gangs, Surface, Hells, Mindarch, Centalis Kingdom, and so on.


    Lisa hardly noticed him because this discussion with David was very concerning.


    Someone else did notice a moving duck and a quacking duck. ¡°Oh, Anatidae wearing clothes is awake,¡± Ultium shouted, pointing to the table where Murai forced his body to stand up.


    He felt much better after this nap, but something disturbed him again. He wasn''t sure what, or why his body felt all tensed up.


    Shaking his body, the feathers swayed in wild motions before calming down. Most of them were hiding behind the hoodie anyway, apart from part of his neck, belly, or whole head if he hadn''t gotten his hood on.


    He noticed some souls and new surroundings that no longer seemed to be a Hellhole. Where was the rest of his food? Plate? What about that human kid who wanted to see him?


    Was he kidnapped?


    Well, he saw Lisa straight away, thanks to hearing her familiar voice that held no regard for him. ¡°Lisa?¡±


    ¡°Oh, at last awake? Took you longer than I thought, even after death rushed around the corner,¡± Lisa shot him and Ultium a weird look. Ultium didn''t know why she was like that. ¡°Anyhow, we are in a different place for a good reason. I took the situation into my hands as I''ve said to you before. You fell asleep, so I didn''t have a choice in taking over the reign, did I?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Murai looked around, noticing a devil, a fat man, and a human kid sitting silently on the floor. ¡°Plans? You said you wanted something, so... Whatever. I slept and ate well, but it wasn''t worth much. I needed some rest anyway, so where is the rest?¡±


    ¡°Took them in for later,¡± She pointed at the ring beside him. ¡°You glutton. We are working right now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, How reliable of you, unlike the usual. What have you found out anyway? Does this Gate has more restaurants? Meals? Specialties? How about some desserts?¡± Murai yawned at the end, uttering a higher-pitched quacking noise that everyone beside Lisa took for insanity.


    David got a bit nervous after hearing it and even Ultium tensed up, thinking that a worthy challenge came up against him, while Marthosh didn''t know if he should flee or take Murai under his arm again. Perhaps it would make this silly and crazy animal sleep again.


    Murai was oblivious to their worries, even if his Soul Read seemed to be working. It was kind of dull after he woke up, and it wasn''t as if he was interested in its Readings all the time.


    He learned to ignore it when it mattered. Doing quick stretches, he jumped from the table, taking a seat right beside Ultium and David on the sofa. The sofa was a bit less comforting than the bed that Iris gave him, but it was enough for now.


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    ¡°The situation is more or less clear, apart from the mess that happened outside of our vision. You might say that I am still figuring things out. The result? I''ve got some Helpers for you, so cheer up,¡± Lisa described the best news ever.


    David and Ultium kept looking at quacking Murai speaking to Lisa as if it wasn''t normal. One side was clear to hear, while the other wasn''t.


    ¡°W-what the hell... I thought of this as,¡± David mumbled, looking uncomfortable, while Ultium winced his body, trying to turn his face to the sitting Anatidae a handful distance away from him. He could attack anytime, any day, kill it in a heartbeat. He wondered about his choices. Could he strangle it? Peirce its heart? Wouldn''t that be a waste of precious materials and ingredients?


    ¡°No worries, you two. I can understand him. That is all. Allow me to introduce him, then,¡± Lisa said. ¡°Murai Hisagi is his unhinged name. He is Anatidae Panacea of Level 23. And someone that will be your little opportunity. Is that enough? I mentioned few things about him in the past hour, but I considered him to be less pivotal in my plans and our talks.¡±


    ¡°Less pivotal?¡± Murai didn''t like how it sounded. Wasn''t he way too important?


    ¡°What?! He has such a low level. What did he even accomplish at the upper Gates? Everyone will eat him alive here,¡± David said in half surprise and half uncertainly, even if he knew some general information about his time in Gate of Suffering, or Islands of Greatness. He knew what sort of enemies Murai defeated, but how or in what capacity was unclear in most of them. Still, David knew Murai was stronger than his Level and most rules suggested. Like most Anatidaes, it was a good idea.


    As with most things about Murai, a lot of things were yet to be clear because Lisa didn''t mention them. She kept blabbering about the plans without taking Murai to her mouth.


    ¡°His level is no concern to you, David. He is hunted by someone far stronger anyway, yet his time was enough to make him full and our plans don''t change because he isn''t napping, got it?¡± Lisa pointed them to the ring or his pouch that had most of their valuables.


    At some point, she thought of keeping all of their loot on Murai, hiding it in his pocket so she wouldn''t have to wear anything. She didn''t want to lose the ring when her physicality turned incorporeal, forcing the ring away from her body.


    She waited for a better chance for that. It''s not like he could freely use the ring or that pouch anyway. Not until his mana turned to a new tide, or his Shaping would become better to make hands, or could his feathers become second nature to him, acting like hands? That was perhaps far too soon for that, considering how Anatidaes grew. She wasn''t certain about the ways Anatidaes worked with equipment or artifacts, but she knew about their uniforms.


    It wasn''t all that important for her plans, nor was Murai someone who could change overnight.


    When she felt validated to be his secretary, things got a bit difficult between her and David. She wondered what he would think about their plan or connection. When she thought about it further, she wondered why she even needed to think about it. She shouldn''t, she knew. David was discreetly not one bit shocked about the way she and Murai worked together.


    It was inevitable when he knew how Lisa lived.


    Beside him was Blessed Anatidae. That was a more intense idea than lonely native Anatidaes, who were much more intense and insane than some former succubus, even if she had Queen Bloodline. Thus, David had various thoughts about Murai that hadn''t escaped his mouth.


    Though a forced secretary, Lisa was working for herself. Murai was far too important for her, but for her plans, it was a bit difficult to take him as something shocking. She knew this place might change the overall situation, and even if the world was upside down, she was uncertain about what his strength would accomplish in this place and time.


    That was why Helpers were more important, even if their potential workable idea seemed like a stretch.


    They could become hunted in numerous ways. Everyone could. It always turned strange in this Gate. It was no longer about Razmund alone, or it might be when he came here, so Lisa hoped David and his company would give her plans some chance that would shift some tension or dangers away. It was both against Razmund and this temple.


    Hearing and seeing her face, David understood the gist of the situation, as well as overwhelming evidence there was something else going on. ¡°Well, I still don''t see any refusal in myself. What about you, Ultium?¡± David confirmed his Will, placing his palm on his shoulder that went above Murai.


    ¡°I... think it is good. What will happen is a wonder indeed, but so what? We as Lost Brothers can work and do all sorts of jobs. I never fled before something like this. So if anything happens, can I do whatever I or the boss wants? Seems like a norm to me. Like most Hunts, frankly, but bigger. Fun. Yeah. I am down.¡± He mumbled, hesitant because of close Anatidae or the creeping hope of adventure.


    ¡°You will probably get numerous chances to do all of that and above. For now, be a good devil and listen to David,¡± Lisa said. ¡°Anyway, let me take charge of the remaining conversation next because Murai is clueless since he slept. I want to listen to me well, got it?¡± Lise fled from the chair, storming her head close to Murai, who looked at her in feigned bother.


    ¡°I have my ears. They work. Speak how you want,¡± He quacked as he felt his soft hoodie which was surprisingly comforting when he thought about it. He misjudged Amelius''s gift.


    ¡°First, Boosts ceased to exist,¡± she said the worst thing first. ¡°No idea how or why, but the world and the Will of the Battleworld have some issues right now. It seems to be a big problem that happened just a few hours ago. It already impacts a whole lot of problems that could mean various changes.¡±


    Murai opened his beak, got to his feet, and screamed in honest shock. ¡°What the fuck! Fuck!? Are you kidding?! Is this a joke? Don''t kid me! I dare you.¡±


    Both David and Ultium flinched to the other side of the sofa.


    Lisa expected this. ¡°I know how it feels, but is it an issue? It isn''t as if you depend on them entirely. You take them as inevitable gifts, even if they are part of this world and Gods. You take what you can, but at the core, you shouldn''t be worried about it. It is a fine idea to take it for acts and rewards that come upon your actions. They are all ours after the Boosts happen after all. They won''t get refunded. That is a fact. But! Take it well. It wasn''t the only thing that happened, right, David?¡±


    David forced a nod and mumbled unhappily when Murai turned his head in his direction. ¡°Yes... Yes. Take it well. No need for dramas.¡± David saw those crazy eyes and an unhinged little beak. He wasn''t entirely sure if what he saw in those eyes was correct.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Murai asked Lisa again, still angry.


    ¡°Not sure, but the world above was put aflame. Boosts ceased to exist alongside readings and voices. This means that the rules are broken and people are unhappy. Everything combined is a mess that stopped the Order and balance of many things and people. Right now, Chaos rules. Like the Old World, I guess.¡±


    ¡°What Chaos? This world is so petty, tsch,¡± Murai sneered, unhappily grumbling.


    ¡°Do you know why everyone was afraid of you when they saw you?¡± Lisa asked.


    ¡°Because they feared me!¡± Murai brandished his wings, straightened his neck, and appeared as tall as he could.


    Lisa rolled her eyes. ¡°Without Order to clutch the living being, Boosts and Will of the Battleworld ensures the Order with iron fists. Strong people don''t kill weaklings. It is incentivized they don''t fight either. Weaklings don''t go far and beyond what they can do unless some other rules like duels, stability, and some proper collision are put in place with rewards and rules. This all ensures fairness. It is what you have been feeling ever since you hatched. Everyone has it, but you.... well, it does put some wonder into the equation. You, your Encounter. This means that strong people don''t oppose and radicalize others, since rules state that much, and if they do, some bad things happen. Without this voice and rules, anyone could hunt and do anything, and it has been integrated into this world for far too long. It is no wonder it can be terrible. Such things aren''t fine for most places when powerful folks could run rampant. It could get rough. This world is far too hefty and nice to let it go. It gives power far too well to those that want it, so when it turns into chaos, I bet you can imagine what can happen.¡±


    Murai frowned and backed his wings. ¡°You mentioned some bits about it some time ago, so... what does that mean to me? I got some Boost at the end of the last Gate, so does that mean it stopped after I got to this Gate? Well, it is fine and disappointing. I fought like a maniac just to discover they no longer happen anymore. What about the Encounter? Is it still valid, or does it change?¡±


    ¡°Could be, but without any voice or clarity, no one knows for certain. Some folks on the Surface, mainly the godly churches, hope to resolve this whole problem by calming the people with messages and direct methods. It will get fixed, they said.¡± Lisa didn''t lie; David gave her this assurance and knowledge.


    ¡°So the world turned to shambles because their treasure opportunities and voices are lost? That includes me, so what does that really mean?¡± Murai calmly asked.


    ¡°Yes. It affects everything, even this place. Boosts ensure the proper time, you see, so without it, a lot of things are weird. Yours is included, of course.¡±


    Murai chuckled. Then he began to laugh like a crazy duck, tumbling on the sofa and shaking his wings and legs around, yet kept laughing. ¡°This is hilarious! That is so good. Good. I can''t stop laughing.¡±


    ¡°Is it fine in its head?¡± Ultium asked, half worried about the sofa and Murai.


    ¡°He will be,¡± Lisa assured them. ¡°Now, back to where I was with you two. I need to get to the Sector 45. Ip''ur Mountain. None will tell a soul about it, got it?!¡± Lisa shouted the last part.


    The pair nodded, while only one of them truly knew what this topic meant.


    David didn''t believe this was something normal. To have Ip''ur Moutnain as a target, something was terribly wrong with this.


    Murai kept laughing and half-listening. He was curious about what went on, but it seemed the world turned into something nice. He found the happenings funny in all honesty. It involved him too, but he didn''t care. If the entire world was without such complicated and ridiculous rules, he couldn''t help but laugh because it all sounded fair and old.


    It was as if this world got fixed instead, so he laughed at Gods and their plot, and at this world that stopped working right. If it was all wrong, then everything was right in a new way. Things just had to adjust to it. That was all. He was far too familiar with this, so he forgot some Boots and thought this wasn''t something terrible after all.


    Lisa was serious about her voice, so he trusted her. For the sake of her plans, she would manage this like she wanted, right? He wasn''t even half certain what Lisa''s revelation meant for this whole world, but he should understand it sooner or later. Lisa will make sure of it.


    ¡°Good to have clarity. What about the forces you have, David?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Well, I have some gangs in my name, but those shouldn''t pose much meaning or trust. The Encounter could change it as well, or not in a limited use. It is still a wonder if it works, though trust and power, I have some options for you in a couple of trustworthy friends. I will vouch for them.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Are they some strong individuals? It isn''t you or Ultium alone, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Of course not. Lost Brothers is an old business, as I''ve said. Ultium, myself, and a few others are probably at the height of what you talked about. They could do it. They are trustworthy too, as I''ve helped them numerous times. But I may be mistaken since I don''t get the other side of the Encounter, or what my involvement would change. What does it look like, exactly? I got the gist of his power and all, but what I''ve said still counts.¡±


    ¡°Got some ideas, but let''s not get ahead of ourselves. We have a plan. I have no idea what that Side will do with the current happenings, but this temple is up to Mindarch too. They could change, so let''s be patient and careful before acting up.¡± Lisa said, indicating the last word with quite importance.


    ¡°Careful?¡± David raised his brows, grimacing as if in doubt and fear. ¡°I''ve read on Razmund long ago. He is a third-time visitor and taker of this Gate on the last two occasions. If you have some words that you''ve yet to tell, tell that too.¡±


    ¡°Plan. Sure,¡± she smiled like a devil, pointing at David and Ultium. ¡°Rely on you to get enough time and power, get to Sector 45, then figure the rest then. I''ve said it. You too. We have no clues about our portal or if it even exists in the right place, right?


    David forced a nod, still not believing that Ip''ur Mountain was the right target, but if Mindarch stated it, it must be true.


    ¡°So. yes. There is a plan,¡± Lisa replied, smiling.


    ¡°I like this simplicity,¡± Murai quacked in approval, ending his laughing and tumbling storm on the sofa. He got over the situation quickly, finding everything quite ridiculous, yet to his liking.


    If nothing was under any rules, then wasn''t that an utter freedom, and how many proper worlds and planets worked? No clutches or limits means and utter freedom. There was nothing to stop anything, which might be terrible for him, but he wasn''t sure if it was right or not.


    For once, he was certain this was much more dangerous than previous things. That went without a doubt, so he might trust others to help him instead. Perhaps more than he thought, so he accepted Lisa''s plans, even if he hadn''t heard them all that much.


    Lisa didn''t reply to him, looking at David instead. She put forth her palm, squeezed her sona, and turned her palm into deep azure flowing icy water. That was what her usually tensed-up body looked like.


    ¡°Price?¡± Her words implied a lot, but David didn''t want to argue any longer.


    He was still handling the ring he got from Ultium. She wanted it, he knew.

 Chapter 186: Staring contest

    David held his company in high regard, similar to his achievements. For a very long time, it was his life, effort, and home. Clutching the ring, its purpose was heavily emphasized by its usage and history. It was his precious little price that had been with him since he was young. Lisa recognized it as part of her gift to him, yet didn''t demand it outright; she just wanted what was inside.


    David didn''t want to lose it, yet he knew that the facts spoke the truth. He had no problem losing his company if it ended up in good hands. What Lisa said to him today definitely changed many things as well. She was fine to trust, though her situation was still perplexing.


    She was back! The one that changed and clutched his life all those years ago. It was a time that he had never felt after she left, deeply engraving his life, and he was upholding those memorials so they wouldn''t disappear.


    David had no idea how or why she got back at this time; the Blessed were weird beings with different rules, but not every one of them would get their chance to influence this world for the future Blessed, let alone be reborn. David had no idea how it worked. Few beings did. The surroundings about the origin of all Blessed was a mystery this work held since the godly pantheons advanced past the Old World.


    The End was virtually impossible to escape, but there she was, floating and smiling at him with her distinct smile, demeanor fit for a queen, and eyes that seemed to look through him. Expecting a past Blessed to become a Blessed Life Companion wasn''t normal. Few would prefer it, as they were lofty individuals, yet what was a third chance in life? If not ridiculous, it was something worth trying and seeking, while questioning it wasn''t always fitting.


    After all, the reasoning was simple: a lot of Blessed Life Companions were beyond lofty, no longer caring for faces or facts. They wanted to get going no matter what and turn back to life. It was either to get revenge for their lost lives or seek something that only they knew.


    In this world governed by Gods, doubting the history and how it had always been like wasn''t fine. David understood it when he was nobody, and some Taboos weren''t that either. More than half a century ago, he was just a boy serving the Centralis Kingdom, forced into the temple, and becoming nothing but a foolish human in the middle of this unkept temple wasn''t exactly fine. That went on until Lisa saved him, then touched and helped him with many things.


    David owed her his life. He was hardly helpful to her before, so perhaps this was what Fate was about? Now, he should repay her favor while knowing something else. This could be a joke too. He didn''t believe in Fate very much, but something about this meeting stunk of it for sure.


    She came back to his side, involuntarily or not, or perhaps it was all just a farce of someone great? He couldn''t help but shiver and question it, for he was unsure about something. Cherishing the situation was fine even if she appeared before him like a strike of lighting.


    It was an equal business, however. A simple meeting that wasn''t so simple. Lisa took him for a sudden gift, as David would expect: calmly and without a shred of shame.


    He would take her to the end of this storm, even if it would kill him. But then, what was his life in this place? He established his company and work. He had people to care about now. Ultium was a huge part of this, and an example of doubt, though he doubted this devil would ever live a normal life without him. He would lose it, in fact.


    Encounter was a chance he couldn''t forfeit. Few of those looking for a significant change in their lives would. Even for other outside Blessed away from the already established Encounter, or irregular powers, it was a very mighty time, as well as an opportunity.


    For those well outside of godly interests, a Helper status or mere appeal in the Encounter''s ongoing efforts could change their lives. One could get acquainted with one or both Sides, or on various fronts surrounding the Encounter that might be further from it, or hoping to get close. Finding footing in this unkept world in many ways, or meeting the End, was quite easy if one wasn''t careful.


    It was all possible, but it wasn''t as if it was mandatory to take it. There was a subject of choice that surrounded everyone like that. Because of that, there were only regrets that one wouldn''t see, or hopes they see far too much. Apart from Blessed being responsible for the Encounter, or those responsible for it at all, there were many things to say about them.


    Choosing to take part in any capacity was up to the individuals. Accepting its consequences or worth was the rest, hiding many consequences.


    Lives could End left, right, and center in most of these times, ensuring the flow of godly interests that were all subject to all Sides.


    Those willing to bear with it, who never got lucky to be Blessed or Gifted, could gain merits and powers, followed by reputation. It was like a rush of prestige, giving one fame or a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.


    That was a fact that David liked similar to money. Taking it on could provide privileges, but if the terms of Will of the Battleworld didn''t work, what would happen next? One''s choices dictated the progression of most lives, but it wasn''t entirely true. Most Boosts proved the readings, validating lives, battles, and continuity. In essence, halting Will of the Battleworld was much worse than the lack of Boosts themselves, as it was giving direction and protected the status quo.


    Stopping the connection between Ravine and the concepts of the Battleworld, made an incredible wide web of interest, crack. No one should be sure what was happening across the planet when something that had never happened before, happened.


    Most took it worse, David though. He did take it for a chance, however, thinking and knowing that it was up to the individual to seek happiness. The world was and wasn''t that accompanying on its own. It wasn''t about luck. It was about acts.


    The rewards of being Helpers varied a lot, as it was a status akin to an assignment. The Encounter would charge the Helper with something intense, so depending on the context, power, difficulty, and Sides of the Encounter, balance and everything could shift. Possibilities of betrayers were also nigh while giving up being a Helper was also possible and not rare.


    Hence, choosing good Helpers was essential. Razmund had his long ago, yet Lisa nor David knew of them.


    Lisa took this into her own hands, giving Murai a touch she didn''t take lightly. She was glad with David. It was in her deep honesty, hiding in the unknown depths of her confidence or life.


    More often than not, Helpers included an unspecified greed in people from all sides of the world, but it wasn''t all about them. Small and limited in numbers, what about the hegemons? The kingdoms and nations of this world were made of all important people with history and many ideas. Some could be close to Gods or far away from them. Those powers of the Surface always made many moves about the Encounters, regardless of being Helpers. Ceila was something like that, though unknown to Lisa in her ways.


    Then, there was the Centralis Kingdom and Razmund, which were chapters on their own. Power and resources were among the many reasons Razmund did not intend to do things alone. He utilized Encounter and its perception of the best possibilities that the Centralis Kingdom preferred. They were a land of Blessed, so it made sense their knowledge was wide and well-informed. He used this to his advantage since the very beginning, forcing the means of Hell Party as a claw, and his journey to be like his sword.


    Lisa talked about Razmund to David as well, but even his gathering hadn''t found much for her needs. At least Razmund was well-researched and known, so Lisa discovered a lot about him.


    Hell Party was a private issue, hidden from the public in most cases since the military was always involved in them, rather than denizens around the Gates. David paid some price to discover the rumors of Hell Party in Gate 4, yet he wasn''t sure if it was true or not. He mentioned it to Lisa without knowing if it was connected to the Encounter.


    Lisa didn''t know it either, but if the Hell Party was below Hellscape, it could be related. There were no clues to seek. No answers. Just guesses. Thar or Lorry would know something, she believed, but a Hell Party was always crazy in its premises and tough in finishes. It wasn''t public simply because Levandis demanded it, while its reality might be problematic for Lisa''s plans.


    Hell Party was a trial for the army and the crashing party. That was about it. David couldn''t give it any more clarity.


    As for Razmund himself, he was a different story under David''s gathering. He knew quite a lot of things about that man who was here for the third time. Of course, he talked and mentioned to her all he knew about him, thanks to the Mindarch, publicly made records around the Surface Challengers or hidden pieces.


    There was a lot onto it since Razmund was quite a famous figure around this place, thanks to his relatively young age and rather high power. For a human under thirty years of age, he was like a blazing star that was yet to dim.


    Lisa shuddered when she heard him reaching Gate 6 in his last attempt, while his barebone readings and powers were complicated and intense. It mostly spoke of typical equipment, rough estimates of attributes, rare abilities, or other things. Of course, the mention of the Sword Sage Path was also included, which meant a lot of things.


    She gained a lot out of it, but not a single good thing. These readings were also limited in time.


    Why?


    They were old, coming from his last attempt quite a few years ago, while the new readings weren''t as obvious. Since Razmund came back, the past ones became irrelevant, and new ones arrived because far more than three years had passed. His knowledge was also expensive because of the circumstances, and the way this Gate worked, gifted prizes many prices. Mindarch was like the Ravine of this distinct location, giving information much more weight. David spent some money to purchase whatever he could, as nothing was free in this world, let alone this Gate.


    What he discovered disturbed Lisa''s plans, but she pretended to be fine and continued her plotting.


    Something was getting on her nerves and David could see it. A terrible plot was brewing around her, latching to her and Murai like a hungry dog. Gate 3 could turn into a mess very soon, below was an ongoing Hell Party, and Razmund was certainly arriving at this Gate very soon.


    The latest reading about him was a battle before the Last Island. He was close to the end, which David uncovered not that long ago.


    Because of that, Lisa got nervous and opted to focus on her plans, even if they were turning desperate and uncertain. She didn''t know what could work anymore; she could only risk it with David and his pawns because he assured her he could still make it work. That was wonderful, if true.


    She doubted his claim. Until he earned the truth of trust, she was still uncertain about everything, but she could no longer pause or hinder Murai or herself.


    They had to move on.


    The Encounter should still work. It was far too important for Gods to forget it, so whether the Will of the Battleworld was gone, it should be here like Laws, looming around them in some point or interest, even though Mindarch and Levandis were in the way.


    Probably. That was Lisa''s idea. Not a fact.


    This pair before her was a variable in the equation Lisa couldn''t predict. If one Side wasn''t well-balanced, it was simply too bad, and change would arrive in terms of new rules across both Sides. That might no longer happen, if it was even possible. After all, Murai was against Razmund, and their disparity was tremendous.


    Normally, things could get messy quite quickly if one Side suddenly became way too powerful, so some neat ideas surrounded most Encounter and possible Helpers. The kind that Murai didn''t know, but Lisa did. It mostly touched on the premises of both Sides and what some Gods wanted.


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    In this case, there was so little clarity over the bigger picture, that Lisa had no qualms to give. And with Murai aside, thinking and not thinking about a lot of things, nothing was fine when she had to consider him too. So she stopped caring for rules if Gods didn''t care about them either. They weren''t fair, so she won''t be fair either. Rules might be gone like the normalcy surrounding her life with Murai.


    Outside, people should fear the loss of their precious power and rules that had never gone away.


    Now it did, and the world was set ablaze.


    In Lisa''s mind, this was a kind of situation that Gods inevitably caused by their influential power and rules. One shouldn''t expect everything to work to perfection in a world with many Gods. Some problems were meant to occur at some point.


    Gods should''ve intervened with the systems or ideas of questionable balance, making the lives of both Sides¡ªor unkept Helpers¡ªdifferent or fitting for their needs. It depended on how messy or problematic the Sides of the Encounter were, or how much needless folks changed the overall picture. In simple terms, the Sides of the Encounter were like paws in a game, yet the kind that had the game running on their own terms.


    Gods weren''t clear about their intentions or touches for the most part, though some would notice them better than others.


    Lisa saw no indication of a direct godly connection on Murai''s Side besides that situation with Pachi and Lordis''s warning. Neither of those should''ve caused such problems. Still, it ended up touched by the Centralis Kingdom, so perhaps she was misled as well.


    The possibility that Lisa and Murai had was to influence what they could do away from some Gods. Those were David and Ultium on the sofa, with potential help coming from some of David''s employees. Razmund had his influences that were or weren''t warranted by some Gods.


    In most cases, Encounter''s Parts were long-term problems and missions surrounding many people. Even outside of Murai or Razmund, many people should slowly turn their interest toward them, and if the Centralis Kingdom was slowly bearing its fangs, it was possible that everything could turn upside down in later Parts.


    How and when that would happen poised as the success of the current Part since the end of it would indicate how well the other Parts would proceed. Lisa had no idea what to expect; she was finding this whole start insane, whereas Murai was finding it amusing, albeit limiting enough in many ways. Many overbearing forces were hunting his little life, yet Lisa was there to give him direction when he felt lost.


    In some capacity, he was glad for her.


    Now, without the Boosts to change further tides, or Will of the Battleworld around to voice or work through some reasons, Lisa wondered what would happen next. Perhaps they would help her regardless of some voice or world being stolen.


    Murai''s case was messed up enough, although he wasn''t even aware of how much of it was outside of his understanding. He had no one else to blame for that but others and his circumstances. Nothing but bearing with the reality was possible, which Lisa agreed with.


    It wasn''t as if Razmund started the Encounter willingly. Some God found some loophole or interest to let it start and the rest was only up to the Sides to handle. If there was no such interest to start it with, nothing would''ve happened. That was the truth that Lisa knew, but she never mentioned it to anyone, Murai included.


    It all started with Pachi''s Gift and Major Task. Neither of those was up to Murai''s choices, nor hers. All of it was forced, wasn''t it?


    ¡°Good!¡± David cheered. ¡°It is all good now. Should be plausible when we... do the thing. So let''s try what we can, shall we?¡± David slammed Ultium to the shoulder after getting close together, no longer fearful of Murai. Now, David laughed too, hoping to ease the nerves he had.


    Ultium wondered what he meant by a try; he took the majority of this conversation up his head, but some things were complicated for him to understand.


    ¡°Let''s hope then,¡± Lisa added, knowing what he was about to do. ¡°that nothing bad will happen. Take your chance.¡±


    David hunched down, cleared his throat, and looked at Murai in wonder and meaningful glance. ¡°Therefore, I swear upon the name of David Copper, that I will serve Murai Hisagi''s terms of the Encounter. In the name of the Battleworld, I will help him in his Part, so let it bear my Will, witnessing the World.¡± David recited his Pledge as Lia had when the Encounter started.


    She had a little different take on the Pledge because the pledging could be various, ranging from brief words or full-blown rituals. It was mostly quick and simple. Lia''s time was an opening sequence, so her rewards and case were limiting in means and accomplishments. It wasn''t that difficult for her to get rid of Centralis Kingdom''s troops before the Vermillion Mansion.


    Now, David held a different case before him. The kind that had to follow specific routes because he was before the direct Side of the Encounter. One had to simply Pledge their allegiance in any form before Will of the Battleworld would work with it, followed by acceptance from the direct Side.


    Seeing David, Murai accepted his Pledge by having no refusal in mind. He wasn''t sure how pledging worked; he just accepted his proposal by not refusing him, so whatever would happen next wasn''t up to him.


    Lisa wondered about this point specifically since Murai''s acceptance carried some connection to the world that was no longer spinning right.


    Pledge and confirmation were always presented upon a Blessed¡ªor any normal or crazier Side. Because of this fact, anyone aware of the Encounter could force himself onto the other Side, as long their Pledge got accepted. Of course, that only worked for the sake of being official Helpers. There were those stirring away from these ideas, working independently against the Battleworld''s wishes, ignoring Gods, and having their own agendas. These were Breachers and various Taboo Makers.


    Thus, it was always important and sensitive to get accepted, find the Side responsible for the Encounter, whether the Encounter was fine to follow, or what would happen if they were accepted.


    Sometimes, the whole nations and kingdoms itched for such involvement, if the Part or specific Sides of the Encounters were up to their benefits. Taking either Side was important for politics and Gods alike, which made many political schemes hidden, or very clear.


    Hence, it was no surprise many wars were normal in every Encounter. Be it Mortal, Holy, or Divine Wars, they could happen, albeit the worst ones would happen at later or closing Parts where involving parties or Sides were reaching their definitive epilogues, or when certain Gods were fed up with the way mortals meddled with the Encounter.


    It was always making a mess that was much more involving and dangerous for mortals, or workings of the entire nations. A loss could mean a more inferior prominence, while winners dictated the rules.


    What were the worst parts of all of this? The Gods involved filled the lower realms with their ideas and appeals that were impossible to foresee, making the Encounters hardly anything that one could solve easily, or predict too far.


    That fact was something that Murai felt itching to his bones long ago, while Lisa hated it to her nonexistent bones.


    They never asked for that. Murai never got anything good out of the Encounter besides a change of pace. Lisa gifted something good instead or forced it for the betterment of the mess she felt.


    It no longer made him that dispirited and angry, even if this whole situation stunk with a huge plot.


    Upon the end of the pledge, none present, apart from Murai could feel some tingling sensation between him and David. It was like a weird flowing noise, whispering and touching his head and soul. It was insensible, feeling different from Lia''s pledge. Somewhat, Will of the Battleworld gave its opportunity to David, individually raising a mission for his Pledge. Success would give rewards, failure nothing or some punishment, or a partial reward.


    David heard that voice alone, sounding like a pleasant female voice. It spoke clearly as if it was inside of his head.


    [Pledge has been accepted, Helper who accepts his chance and grace of a challenge.]


    [Your course and courage have been accounted for, thus raising a mission for the Encounter of Part 1.]


    [Task: Escaping Seventh Death Forest is the whole idea, though it weighs in many ways because of Levandis Temple which is your home and limiting factor. Now, you should get it going fast, or get lost in the weight of its problems.]


    [Your part in this Encounter is simple: Wall the dangers, spend the blood, bear witness to freedom, and fight for your life as you depend on it.]


    [Rewards: certain freedom, Major Boon, Significant Attribute Boost, and minor possibility of Time Remedy. Possibility of gaining choices for +3 Levels to any ability apart from Unique Grade ones is high]


    [Grade: S]


    That was it. David heard this message, looking shocked since he had never heard such a clear and nice-sounding Will of the Battleworld. It was usually genderless for a good reason, but he didn''t know the truth about the Divine Camp.


    The room tensed up, unlike what David felt. Lisa was looking at him, curious and almost clutching her fists into pieces.


    David wasn''t sure what to expect next. He expected a problem, yet this was the usual stuff, which was weird and good for them. How easily it went indicated that the Encounter functioned and the world was still impacting its rules. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So he quickly compelled Ultium to do the same Pledge, lest there be some issue with it or not.


    ¡°Oy!¡± Lisa shouted when he ignored her gaze. ¡°What was that? Did it work just like that? What is going on?¡± She doubted such Pledges were that simple, but if he heard it right, what did it mean or matter? A lot of things, apparently.


    ¡°Don''t look for answers in good cases,¡± David argued. ¡°It did speak... to me. Or she did? Someone did. It was a weird feminine and soft voice, but my case is done and familiar. It is filial to what you''ve said to me before. Forest escaping, as you''ve said. Thus, Ultium should do this as well. Then we talk. I swear on it.¡±


    Lisa accepted his reasons begrudgingly, thinking that it was suspicious how well it went. She wondered what reasons and words he held.


    Weirdly, after Ultium pledged his case and Murai didn''t refute it, the pair held the same base of a mission, words, and messages. It was almost a barebone copy, following the pattern of a soft female voice.


    That was to help the hurdles against Murai''s Encounter in general, but in a sense, it was set and worded weirdly. It wasn''t as clear, but there weren''t any hidden rules or anything vague. There were no restrictions, or some limits like time, levels, or anything else.


    Lisa got the gist of it when David spoke of it after Ultium was done hearing his Fate.


    It was a fairly loose case. This pair could be their help in anything, which was good to hear, and worrisome in practice. The former was yet something that Lisa understood, but it was too late to change anything.


    As for the rewards, they were weird.


    Certain freedom?


    She wondered what that was, but David was uncertain and unwilling to give her some concrete answer of what it was. David was no War Slave anymore, so that was that? One had to take the words of the mission for what they were, and as long as one acted alongside them, one got the reward. It was as simple as any Task.


    Lisa was in a pinch. She was overthinking their terms so much that her body convulsed and skipped a beat. Perhaps how it happened wasn''t that complicated, but why was another thing. The part about blood was an analogy for something, similar to the walling. Wall the dangers was the term mostly mentioned in protection and defensive missions.


    Failure or success meant some sense of freedom for them, but it might not be that easy. It depended on their success, and Lisa also hadn''t forgotten that Murai had a time limitation himself. He had ten days to get out, and quite a few of them had already passed.


    Major Boon was some sort of Status. It was a choice with fitting causes for them, so depending on their choice or luck, it could be very important. As for the attribute Boost, it held a direct cause for power and numbers. It should be dozens of attributes across the board, which Lisa hadn''t questioned even once. It made sense to have great rewards because the difficulty was set at Grade S. As for the choice of +3 Level, the probability of getting them across most of their abilities was high, while the Time Remedy wasn''t something she had ever heard. It might be something unique or new.


    It sounded intense when Lisa heard it and accepted them, leaving David and Ultium both satisfied. There was no mention of their Paths or anything more meaningful like mana, or their direct Level, nor they would gain an Artifact or some equipment. It was unnaturally straightforward without anything specific. For Grade S, that was unusual.


    The content of their mission was their new purpose, so Murai or Lisa didn''t know it word by word. But they could speak out loud about it if they wanted.


    The biggest hurdle had passed. Will of the Battleworld was still there, speaking and working, even if it wasn''t the real deal.


    How and why? David was almost certain it wouldn''t work because he heard that there were no exceptions in the flow of voices or readings from the Surface. Nothing! There should be nothing, or so he thought, which meant that Lisa or Murai were expectations that still worked.


    ¡°Well, it happened. Now what?¡± David asked Lisa who was frowning and almost cursing out loud. She hated it when she could not fully understand something.


    ¡°It did. This is too weird. It also voiced things the same way, correct?¡±


    Ultium nodded.


    ¡°Is that weird?¡± David asked.


    ¡°It is Grade S, so yes. Such things never act like that. Helper status is too individualistic, so why is your mission the same?¡± Lisa glanced at them both. ¡°Are you joking, perhaps?¡±


    David sighed. ¡°No. We don''t! I can attest to Ultium''s sincerity, while we have ours covered, right, Lisa?¡± He eyed her, almost pleading.


    Lisa grunted and looked at Murai, who seemed to sit and relax. He almost acted as if he was outside of this problem, yet almost every problem hovered around him like a curse. She couldn''t lift it anyway.


    ¡°With this said,¡± David said, ¡°we have another issue. How many Helpers can help our cause? More than a pair, I hope.¡± By this point, he accepted the inevitable course that finding answers about the wronged world was futile. Lisa should accept it too, because Murai already did, while Marthosh pretended to be a crate because this conversation was far too mighty for his little head. Ultium acted tough like his heart, but he listened to them both.


    It was an incredibly enticing and useful opportunity, and there were no clear problems with this voice or its purpose. Being a bodyguard was a suitable job for anyone in David''s company.


    ¡°Number of direct Helpers depends on the part of the Encounter. For ours, it''s half a dozen fools, is that correct?¡± Lisa asked as she glanced at Murai.


    ¡°I guess. Never took Helpers for something decent at the start,¡± he quacked, remembering Lia and her butchering.¡°Until now... That devil feels strong. Who is that guy? Is he right to follow me behind? Won''t it crash the scales of balance?¡± He eyed Ultium and their gazes met and clashed.


    Both started an involuntary staring contest. Neither wanted to lose, thus, a weird situation¡ªwhere a unique devil and the worst Anatidae in this world fought with their gazes alone¡ªstarted.


    ¡°Not that large number, huh?¡± David reckoned, ignoring their staring contest as Lisa did.


    ¡°Of course. It is neither big nor small. Half a dozen is a decent start, but as my little pet said, the scale is a problem.¡± Lisa added, figuring that Murai hadn''t heard her sarcastic comment.


    ¡°What are we against, is that it?¡± David asked.


    ¡°More Helpers could be redundant. We don''t care about forcing too many people into the length of our mess. Fewer the better. Let''s call it quality.¡±


    ¡°Why not? It''s not like many would refuse it if it''s working for you. The Encounter seems to follow you, even when the world is strange. Or, do you fear others would seek the other Side if they understood the context? Are you fearing betrayal that much? Oh... I misspoke.¡± David laughed, noticing how Lisa glared at him unhappily.


    ¡°Yes. I fear the betrayals, alright? That is why finding you is perhaps an unexpected turn of Fate. A little bit of it is fitting. But Murai...¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Murai quacked, still having his contest. Ultium glared at him, unwilling to accept a loss, so his eyes turned redder and his palms trembled in his pockets. ¡°Are you going to tell them my or your whole life story? Shut up and get a grip. Going over the problems is a fitting end to this charade. Do it already. Lose. Lose.¡± Murai quacked at Ultium, causing Lisa to wonder what was aimed at her or him. She didn''t know, but she did calm down.


    David and Ultium heard his quacks filled with confidence.


    ¡°You heard the boss.¡± Lisa sighed, shrugging her arm at the curious David.


    ¡°What... did he say?¡±


    On the other end of the sofa, Ultium seemed to have his new mission and war. His eyes strained, glancing at Murai who was standing so close to him, that they were almost touching. Murai was also far too close to David, which wasn''t something comforting for this regular man. Down with whatever issue they had, Ultium seemed itching and trembling for a confrontation, but something was warning him. A sense of duty, perhaps.


    It seemed it was better to accept the presence of this Anatidae that didn''t seem to shudder or flee because of his stare. That was rare. He liked his raising opportunity that felt tremendous to his heart, which made his blood boil. So out of respect for that, Murai or his own heart, he closed his eyes and turned his head away after an awkward sneer.


    Murai huffed a breath, accepting this long battle as victorious.

 Chapter 187: Acceptance

    ¡°ALRIGHT! You heard me!¡± Murai cheered and jumped to the table, forcing the hoodie down in the process and quacking in victorious noises. ¡°I am the boss. Never felt like one in this life, so what do we do again?¡±


    He never heard the extent of Lisa''s plans, so he turned to her in hopes of knowledge that he knew nothing about. He decided to trust her after all, while he already had many things to do. The current situation of this Gate was still unknown to him, though he knew his target. Ip''ur Mountain. That was it.


    And so far, he only ate and slept, so he wasn''t sure what to do, even though he loved this Gate to the bottom of his belly.


    Lisa almost slapped him aside, but like many, she held back for the sake of saving some time and face.


    ¡°I will think about you and the whole situation a bit further. Now, we have the Helpers that I hoped for. David pledged more than that. He is trustworthy.¡±


    ¡°I am asking about the plan,¡± Murai argued.


    ¡°Don''t worry about it,¡± Lisa waved a hand around. ¡°Follow me and you will get it. This Gate will take us at least a few days if not more. Or...well, I have no clue of our target, so let''s wait it out like a patient duck. In due time, after I will deal with my plan, I will give it to you on a golden plate.¡±


    ¡°So who is boss?¡± Ulitum suddenly asked. ¡°Who follows who?¡± He was confused if Anatidae was it, or if Lisa or David were whom he should listen to. In any capacity, those quacks were nonsense, and this Fairy-looking monster floating before him was equally intriguing.


    Lisa sighed, feeling that Ultium wasn''t wrong, but not right either. She was the boss at heart, but Murai was a catalyst to this entire situation. They needed proper footing, and this Helltrim City was a good start for that. For how long they could remain in its protection was another worry.


    Razmund was coming after them, so they needed to move on and start figuring out their location and where to start.


    ¡°Fine, Murai Hisagi. I am taking the reign of our Fate. You should take the current situation for something very different than the last Gate, where you battled like a maniac without any of my words behind your back. Here, it is different. We have to get some plans. Not only do we have to get out of this entire temple, but the Seventh Death Forest is a region we had to leave as a whole.¡±


    ¡°I know that. I said you can take the reign. So, what is that plan?¡± Murai quacked coldly.


    ¡°Don''t wanna jinx it,¡± Lisa refused him with a smile.¡°You need to do a couple of things first, don''t you think? Your training, new techniques, and magic await. For a long time, you neglected the fundamentals, little Panacea. Magic is not so simple to do with fighting alone. Nothing and nobody will stop you in this Gate. I can guarantee that with them.¡± She insisted, pointing at confident Ultium and David, and reminded Murai of something very important.


    ¡°What do we talk about when the world is so free? Training is fine, but what about this Gate? What about dangers? Foes! What about essences?! That damned Guide is gone, so how do I get them anyway?¡±


    ¡°Not so far, you greedy beast,¡± Lisa flowed closer to him, ignoring the pair aside. ¡°We have what we need. These are for you.¡± She grabbed the Token and pointed at the pouch in his pocket, her ring, and the ring in David''s hands.


    ¡°These? Oh, I think I got it already, but do I have to think of that right now?¡± Murai argued, not thinking he had the time in the world or mana space to care for his Core Defying Fusion Technique. He preferred to take it slower than giving it all his attention. Stability was a necessity to build up his foundation. With his current body, he felt he shouldn''t be too harsh when he needed to re-learn his Shaping and figure out some swordsmanship from his deep memories.


    Nearly everything needed stability on all fronts. It was so little ago when he started to build his Artificial Core. He shouldn''t rush it. It wasn''t a technique that was meant for it. Now, his power and body held an important reason for his argument. He evolved half a dozen abilities: Sharpblade, Sonar, Blitz, Heavenly Shaping, and Peak Layering.


    He wanted to train in them like he did in the last Gate while giving at least half his attention to the Heavenly Shaping Manual in his possession. Lisa was right. He ignored what a calm training could secure. Stability. Figting wasn''t everything. He figured out his need for such an approach long ago, and Lisa seemed to get it as well.


    Murai was ready; he should learn and figure out all the tricks and issues about his sub-species on the go. Like always. As Rocky or Leaf, he wouldn''t stop growing just because of some measly discomfort stemming from growth or his lacking flesh.


    Lisa looked into his eyes, figuring his stubbornness still lived, though his reasons were like his lives. She couldn''t see them all. She won''t change it, even if she hoped she could.


    ¡°You do what is best for you, I hope,¡± she said to his mind alone. ¡°If not, then do at least one thing you need right now. You said it yourself. Your core needs attention, or the Heavenly Shaping does.¡±


    ¡°Sounds fair,¡± Murai mumbled, ¡°because that is up to me alone. Leave it. I will solve my issues, so solve the others aside. I am leaving the rest on you, so consider yourself helpful.¡±


    Lisa jerked her head sideways, glancing up at David, and speaking out loud for him. ¡°I don''t think our foes will crash us that easily, right? Training in peace is important for my little beast.¡±


    ¡°We will ensure things go smoothly for you. That plan of yours, I will seek through it to the bitter end. Helpers are for that. I am for that,¡± David said firmly, slightly bowed in her direction, and saluted with hands pressing together before his chest.


    With that, Lisa turned back to Murai and his Will. ¡°I suggest working with the core. It sounds important for your species. You kept delaying it for various reasons, but you underestimated Anatidaes even after the Question Mark and last Gate. You should do something with it already.¡±


    ¡°Shut up. I have my reasons for that.¡±


    ¡°Yadayada. Excuses, Murai Hisagi,¡± Lisa complained. ¡°Time in this place may be to your advantage, as we have Helpers and this world is aflame, but our situation seems much more complicated than you would think. Without the pair aside of you, I couldn''t even imagine this clarity, so use this time well, or never. You need to be clever. Reaching the next Gate is my goal, but that Gate is dangerous. Do you think you can do that alone? I will clutch your neck and force you there myself if I have to.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Murai raised his head, thinking for a second. ¡°Next Gate, huh? So this one is still pending in its purpose. But that means you have some concrete evidence to get us out of here, right?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Lisa said confidently, ¡°which is why you need to focus on yourself and leave it to me.¡±


    ¡°You would go that far? We go to the Ip''ur Mountain.¡± Murai sneered and laughed, smacking the table with his little feet. It trembled but remained in shape, which was impressive for a coffee table. ¡°Fine. I have a reason for being patient. In fact, I have my plans, but I don''t think I have enough essence for anything, nor time. So why should I listen to your suggestion? Core? You underestimate my body and Core Defying Fusion Technique far too much! It''s not like you would get it, so forget it.¡± He turned and wanted to hop down the table but Lisa retorted back more strongly than he had anticipated.


    ¡°Are you kidding me? It sounds like you don''t get the situation of this Gate and the world itself. Without me, you would be lost, or already in pieces, ready to be eaten with rice.¡± Lisa retorted in anger, half floating with her hands trembling at her sides.


    ¡°Rice?¡± Murai snorted, hesitant he would taste that well with that.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Then why won''t you fucking talk to me about it. You know, I can like... help you with some ideas. With so many essences, what in the world are you even making, or lacking? Oh... I forgot you don''t know about my gift for you at all, huh?¡± She mocked him, making a weird expression that Murai hated. Then, she spoke out loud to him and those aside from him. ¡°David already pledged a bunch of essences out of his pockets. Their Ranks vary, but he can lose some Low-Rank 5s for sure, while Grade 6s are no problem for him whatsoever. Right?¡±


    David shuddered, believing that the old glimpses of Lisa had arisen in that ghost right now. For a split second, he felt terrified and glad at the same time.


    ¡°Oh.. he did?¡± Murai shut up and turned to hesitant David, who wasn''t sure what to do.


    For once, Lisa wasn''t aiming her anger at anything improper, which made him perplexed and frustrated at the same time. Some habits never changed, it seemed, but they should undergo some change.


    Hearing that, Lisa took this to her own hand, flew forth, and aimed her fingers at Murai''s face. ¡°You should sometimes listen to others. The perspective is what matters for growth and change than your stubborn little head!¡±


    ¡°Yes. That would do,¡± Murai nodded calmly. ¡°Still, I won''t do what is excessive.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Time is why. I need at least a week of stabilized status to make the final push with my cores, while my desires are high. Even if I have Everflower, do you think I can outgrow my body or limit what lies in mana? It''s no puny force. Not at all. You know that my body is much better, but that doesn''t pause the discomfort I''ve discovered, caused, or done in my growth. It is all young and pitiful. I need strong Vitality, calmness, and absolute certainty I won''t be disturbed. If I fail, the End is certain with the Fusion.¡± Murai responded without exaggerating or telling a single lie. He sounded calm and forceful, giving Lisa an idea she didn''t know for certain because he hardly talked about the Core Defying Fusion Technique and its deep secrets.


    This would explain his hesitation, so Lisa got this to her head, deducing that his technique wasn''t as defying as it sounded. It was reasonable to wait, and she even saw his sincerity and strange glint in his eyes. At that moment, she changed her mind about numerous things.


    Murai said what was much needed between them. Whether Lisa wanted to remain angry or not, wasn''t up to him.


    The plan was simple: stabilize his cores and start a proper practice of Heavenly Shaping. That was what mattered. One was simpler than the other, unfortunately.


    Shaping was a far bigger issue than he had anticipated. It was time to make and start getting his core powers out of his foundation. Those were powers that would be outside of his ridiculous body, or his cores. It was about his imagination also. Core was one big fuel anyway; one could always practice Shaping and creating spells even with his small Success. It just meant the power would be smaller, while limits were gradual or vast.


    It was time for a proper magic. Not some beaks or struggles of his flesh.


    ¡°We have Helper anyways, so problems will wait for the better opportunity.¡± Murai waved his wings dismissively.


    ¡°But the Helpers might not be enough to reach the next Gate.¡± Lisa grabbed Murai''s beak, asserting facts that Murai didn''t know. It sounded like a contradiction. A moment ago, she told him to entrust it all to her and his Helpers, and now, she was telling him it wasn''t enough.


    Murai didn''t fall for her trick; he took her current face and hands with some force, figuring that she was unusually focused and firmer than usual. She almost looked impressive when she spoke to him like that.


    ¡°Oh, let me guess,¡± Murai sent to her head since he couldn''t open his beak. That shocked him. Perhaps Lisa was stronger than he thought. ¡°What awaits at the end of this Gate? Is there a boss battle, or do you indicate the whole Gate itself will hunt me down? How original. I think I am some sort of boss too, so hunting this whole Gate back seems like a good idea. So?¡±


    ¡°S-something like that...¡± Lisa mumbled and awkwardly flinched her head and hands. It was time to spit the beans.


    Murai looked at her curiously.


    ¡°Fine. I will tell you the truth. We doubt there is a ride to the next Gate in the Ip''ur Mountain. It is an ancient mining mountain and a city is above it, as well as a deep location that has no recollection of stone-set portals that Levandis had created upon establishing this Gate. There are no records about it whatsoever, which is impossible. Hence, I can''t guarantee anything for you, so it is either a Mindarch''s prank or something changed as the world did. Either way...¡± Lisa hesitated, remembering Lorry''s whisper.


    Murai squinted his eyes, eying her face with some doubts. ¡°Alright. Sounds sincere, but you insist on going there anyway. Why?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°That doesn''t sound reasonable to me.¡±


    ¡°Do you have better ideas? We should trust the process, and it does sound reasonable that Levandis would have some private base in that mountain to me. It is just... ridiculous to set it as your location. That is why I am worried, right, David?¡± She turned to the helpless yet still confident David.


    ¡°Is it about the location?¡± David asked, figuring that their conversation was hard to read. ¡°Then no worries. I will seek out all secrets about that Mountain and these mines in less than a day.¡±


    Murai paused for a dramatic time. ¡°I have no issues with any of that at all.¡±


    Lisa looked surprised and silent, uncertain how to answer him.


    Murai continued. ¡°I accept your work and reign with suggestions. I hope Lorry won''t show his forehead around if that''s the case with that mountain. I would kick and stab him until he is a very sorry skull. So, with that said, it isn''t a public portal, huh? No records, or legends. Sets of portals could be discovered throughout the lines in Chaos Space. Perhaps we can look for it there. I worked with them a couple of times, so how about it?¡±


    Lisa opened her mouth, doubtful if he was joking or not. Looking at this from this perspective, she wasn''t sure if working with Chaos Space was even a good idea. Everyone on her side was weakling anyway. That sort of approach would require someone very skillful and David had no one like that. Murai was definitely not that either.


    ¡°I will think... about it,¡± she said at last. ¡°For now, information gathering awaits and mines are deep. Who knows what we could dig out? Also,¡± Lisa pointed at the Token. ¡°We have that.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡± Murai laughed and ignored the Token for the time being. ¡°With me around, seeing the progress through the last Gate, you don''t trust my power? I can work for myself too. You don''t have to take it all to your head. It doesn''t seem like your body is that firm anyway.¡±


    Murai wasn''t wrong in anything he expressed.


    At that moment, after seeing and hearing his punchable face, Lisa snapped. She slapped him and turned back to normal, back to handling his beak. ¡°The fact that I haven''t seen a thing in the last Gate pisses me off, Hisagi Murai! I will demand some deep Fragments about your fights, you hear me?¡± She shouted, hysterically swaying with his beak around, sounding like the crazy succubus she once was.


    ¡°C-calm down, will you!¡± Murai quacked as something snatched him up. Someone saved him, acting in an unlikely hand. Ultium, whose expression was a bit hesitant and distant, picked him up by his hood. Like David, who was intrigued by their one-way conversation, Ultium wasn''t sure if he should laugh or not, but he felt he should separate them because they looked like upset siblings.


    It was fairly entertaining for his heart how it all sounded and looked. Their concept when one quacked and the other talked was funny. One could guess the context, topic, or questions that Murai said, answered, or Lisa did instead. It counted as a chaotic conversation that was fun because of the guesses and their faces.


    ¡°Yeah. Yeah. You should calm down,¡± David said as well, half certain that hearing those quacks sounded insane, or was it also about the face Lisa was wearing? He doubted a soul would understand them, but he heard rumors that Anatidaes spoke their own tongue. He believed that, unlike many fools in the Surface.


    He wasn''t just a regular human, fortunately, but he was a far cry from something like Anatidae or... her.


    ¡°Both of you.¡± David insisted again when Lisa kept pestering Murai''s beak in midair, struggling and slapping his head. Right above the table where Ultium kept them, they kept shouting at one another.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± This time, both Lisa and Murai shouted at him; one normally, the other with quacks.


    Ultium separated them in a heartbeat, cracking Lisa''s hands in the process, and tossing Murai away, fearing he would shove his beak down David''s throat, or worse.


    Lisa remained floating, armless but safe. Her arms were slowly swirling into their proper place, looking like fog returning to their home. She breathed as if she were fighting for her life, feeling that getting angry rushed her body much worse than she thought. Since she didn''t want to get physical with this devil yet, she accepted his touch and smirk.


    On the ground, Murai was inclined to act, rather than talk. What use did either have? Sometimes, there was no reason to be angry with Lisa, while this devil seemed like a tall ordeal for his ability.


    Then, he thought about how Lisa had a weird head like him, so he gave up on this nonsense. It did occur to him that Lisa was great at making his blood boil, yet it was an equal problem. At last, Lisa snapped at him like never, which he found applauding and like a start for something new.


    ¡°You never change, Lisa. Never.¡± David said, helplessly shaking his head.


    ¡°Want me to pinch your face again, David!?¡± she barked at him, still a little bit angry, or was she pretending it from the start?


    ¡°Now, what the hell is happening?¡± Marthosh suddenly said, hoping to stop the chaos in the room. Looking around in confusion, it seemed the situation turned to another level. ¡°Did heavens befall upon us? Finally? At last? Noooo!¡± He almost gaped at his headache, but at least he felt he had no concussion, nor bloody wounds.


    Thankfully the crates had no sturdy wood as the main walls. The figures around the table looked at him. Each deduced it was a time to stop arguing.


    ¡°We are teammates, right? Someone is a boss, some is... duck, some is... um.¡± Ultium argued.


    ¡°You are tools,¡± Lisa argued.


    ¡°We are a business,¡± David claimed.


    ¡°I am hungry.¡± Murai quacked and tossed all issues away to the back of his mind.


    Lisa turned towards Murai, watching him with clear and azure eyes. Unfortunately, her killer-like gaze wasn''t working that much in this ghostly form, so she worked with what she had. ¡°You just ate.¡±


    ¡°So what? Give me the rest of that order, while they will get me a room to decide on my solutions and training. As I do my work, you will deal with the rest of your plan in half a day. Then, we will decide to act. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Is that all, your lofty mightiness?¡± She said doubtfully, her eyes twitching.


    ¡°I will take another look at my Manual. It''s not a time to hurry if the whole situation about the world is confusing. Wanna repeat all the weird things that I find weird about our situation, Gate, or the world? All of them? Razmund may be close, I get it, but since you insist on doing this Gate in this manner, then I will decide what is possible and not after your plan starts having its merits. Until then, leave the time for better tomorrows.¡± Murai argued, letting no argument resurface in her mind.


    Lisa gave up and went with his decision to wait half a day.


    That shouldn''t hurt them all that much, nor give Razmund that much advantages. Instead, she might use this time to finalize her plans and ideas with David privately.


    It sounded perfect, albeit filled with holes of all kinds because it was true.


    Murai was right.


    There were suspicions in everything, or was it his hunch again? She had yet to mention everything, so it was time for her to act around the Helltrim City while Murai would do what he never did: peacefully train without fearing the health of his neck.

 Chapter 188: Razmunds struggle

    Murai knew that a need to fear for life was a necessity to grow in many instances. For him, it spoke of fewer problems since he could brute force through them with his experience. Usually. Steady progression or training was worth a surprising amount of care. Some things required much more than that, true, while some resolutions needed considerably more attention.


    Slow and calm progression was the embodiment of magic. Many worlds thought of it in good manners, taking sources of magic as a source of knowledge and timeless light. It should be something that could shake the world or people depending on talents and mana. Countless cultures worked with that ideology on many levels, which was something Murai saw and lived through personally many times.


    For him, his lives went beyond that scope, presenting him with no regular experiences. Thanks to seeing and living throughout the deaths and risings of many worlds that didn''t want his existence, he grew in ideas that few would fathom.


    Battleworld was quite a massive headache because of its unique approach to everything, as it wasn''t like many worlds. It wasn''t filled to the brim with some limiting factors or shackles like some worlds would be due to limiting mana or flow. Here, there were some boundless boundaries if one was brave enough. If one wasn''t, taking limiting rules as power was more than fine.


    Still, there was a surprising depth into the way one could grow if one knew how to look for it. Training and knowing things on a fundamental level was that. Finding a nice line in the spectrum of pain, misery, battling like a maniac, clarity, calmness, and training were differences between fools and masters.


    Murai long ago considered his memories as crucial tools, hence he always took his training with traces of his pasts, while his body was something else. Right, His body hadn''t required too much of his head, as if was new and unfamiliar, and intense in many forms. Mana was with him for less than two weeks, while he was still adjusting to his experience. That was bound to improve or end at some point.


    He needed to crack his body into the proper fighting shape of his experiences. The previous Gate helped with that like nothing ever did so far, giving him enemies, time, and considerable capacity for errors. He experimented in the first half of the Islands a lot, which made the further half much smoother and validating.


    This world and life needed more than that, like every other one, he believed. But some ideas were still fine to seek even if they came from the ancient worlds or long-forgotten cultures. He held them in his heart. Somewhere. Who else would do that?


    He required or almost preferred it.


    Magic was a type of power that was typically stoic and unlike some wild Bloodlines or other powers like finest swordsmanship and various martial arts. Well, the swords or pinnacle of such arts often required calmness, and unnatural steadiness to reach some heights. Alas, with Chaos in the way, it was fine to seek insanity in that as well, since the boundless arts of Divides were essentially limitless.


    There were sides to everything, similar to coins while seeing them both might be possible.


    For Murai, that wasn''t possible to handle any martial arts, or... anything wildly special. He was Anatidae, a duck, so he should look for something new and old at the same time. Combining his current position with some former one was his long-term goal.


    Seeking the charm of magic and secrets of the mana meant containing many experiences to many holds. A cool head and a figured heart acted as catalysts. It wasn''t all about power, or ideas. Strategy, skill, and experience were also part of it.


    It was how sides of Divides were a natural course of living and unliving things. The universe deemed what it created.


    But living didn''t. Even a calm mage could be an utter killer, while the living things were like bearing forces against the Divides.


    Murai preferred that kind of attitude not only because of his past lives but because he didn''t like being a monster. He was a literal one anyway, so he took his head for his preference and decided to take this life to another side.


    It was time to abide by the magic of his past. His body and acts had already given him enough proof. It was time to seek remedy from experiences to other things. Relying on his beak all the time might have been fine... well, the Peak Layering sounded promising as it stunk of how magic was often performed. Layering mana over one another, wasn''t it how many mages created and handled their techniques? It was common sense to seek power in more numbers. More sticks on top of one another were harder to break after all.


    Glancing at Murai, Lisa figured he settled on his stubbornness, even if she wanted him to do something else. ¡°If you are sure about what you want, let''s do that,¡± Lisa said as she gave up, gesturing to Ultium to calm down and let David deal with the rest.


    This was the end of their discussion, so the group separated into two camps. Everyone had things to do.


    Murai left with Marthosh to the upper floor where the Last Brothers had room for his problems or issues. Lisa tossed him the ring David had, barking at him to figure out how to handle it by himself. It was a little petty, but Murai snorted and caught it to his beak before leaving.


    He didn''t leave his Token unattended. He secured it in his other pocket below his side and close to his belly. Unbeknown to him, he wasn''t aware of what it could do. Lisa either forgot it or deemed it unimportant.


    With him gone, Lisa, David, and Ultium had their respective worries that needed some solving and planning. Lisa had fewer expectations from that devil, but David argued that all jobs and insecurities were fine to go into his head. She shrugged and figured that trusting them was a better start than arguing to leave Ultium aside.


    Since Murai left in his stubborn steps, she figured he could be left clueless. Giving him the full plan later sounded easier in her head anyway, as it was still doubtful how to approach this Gate.


    From the start, traveling hundreds of kilometers through this Hellscape didn''t sound easy or fast. It wasn''t some sort of resort, unless they would use already established portals with some fees, or they could use some mounts or carriage, or carry powerful protection and reputation. Fewer of these things were available, while one of those things was out of the picture. Portals were prohibited for Challengers to use since it was a rule Mindarch validated. Now, Lost Brothers were included in this picture,e even if they were outsiders to the Challengers.


    But with the Pledge, they become part of Murai''s Challenger status.


    For now, the means of travel wasn''t as crucial because they had to figure out how the Ip''ur Mounted poised as their target. How to approach it would collide with this Gate, mining, and something sensitive that Lisa had yet to catch.


    Part of some doubts was still the Pledge and what occurred a while ago. Will of the Battleworld spoke to them, so Lisa had to be sure it was right, yet how to confirm it?


    She didn''t know how, so it was a good time for her to learn and figure out the situation around the Hellscape for a better start. Ignoring problems out of her reach was a good choice. The second thing was figuring out the politics, and interests of Mindarch and purchasable information from the thing called the Network.


    Military and gangs were also problems, but David promised to deal with them. His decades-long experiences in this Gate sounded much more important than Lisa thought they would be. It didn''t matter if she spent in this place quite a long months. It was a drop in a bucket if he lived here the majority of his life.


    Throughout their discussion that resumed the moment Murai left, Ultium was left in the room, half dozing off on the sofa without hardly speaking. But he listened. A lot, Lisa believed, acting as a guard, son, friend, or whatever he was for David. She had yet to ask him about him, or what even happened to him or her forces or friends from ages ago. That will wait.


    Planning and seeking remedy in the current timeline seemed weird. Everything had many effects and connections, so more questions entered their conversation than steady plans.


    It later turned better, much to Lisa''s acknowledgment that David had a surprising amount of ideas.


    But the facts were still before them


    They didn''t know about their portal.


    With their time ahead of them, the situation in the Hellscape concluded with surprising calmness that few beings expected. Mindarch was yet to be ready with his statements, thanks to Manager Kil and Levandis who weren''t sure what was happening either, or what they should be even doing. Something that hadn''t occurred ever, occurred.


    Denizens weren''t happy that the source of wonders was gone, nor did the others around the whole planet seem that calm. Many storms were brewing in many spheres, giving politicians or insane people and beasts free reign. Many beings were understandably tensed up, and many small skirmishes or even Mortal Wars had started around the five continents.


    All caused by a single thief of a goddess.


    Without rules and Order to clutch the hearts, it was expected that taking advantage of those lacking rules would happen.


    It was an inevitable chance that Vermillion had created, while her plans and ideas were just starting. With a piece of Ravine in hand, she had a position and close certainty she could keep this up for at least a week.


    A week that would crash and create such a mess in this world, she was wondering how it would end up. She wasn''t sure how bad the repercussions would be, but she didn''t care. This was for her anyway. It was time for her to act while some Ruler of this planet¡ªthat was too comfortable for too long¡ªdidn''t entertain her mind. If she was clever about it, nothing dangerous would come out of it.


    It wasn''t as if she did something lawless. Stealing what was under Lordis''s hands or this planet wasn''t under any laws after all. Most of it was quite private. However, it was a deal that affected the whole planet, and taking advantage of it was harder than anyone would assume.


    Vermillion did something that no one thought was possible because it reeked of a quick End.


    Then, the idea of shattering the status quo around the Sky or Depths alike¡ªwith the Surface taking it the worst¡ªacted as hundreds of nails into a coffin. One would wonder if there would be room for more blunders. That was up to Gods to decide and for the Ruler to fix this mess that he failed to prevent. It made sense. The thing that he thought was his betrayed itself and him.


    Problems that occurred were part of cause and effect, and thanks to the billions of mortal lives that depended on everything on many levels, one could imagine the consequences. It was like the sudden disappearance of rules of Divides that never disappeared from the various cultures.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    It was essential, so with such a heavy loss, Vermillion became one of the biggest villains in the eyes of the Gods, but that was about it. Mortals were unaware.


    There was no way that Lordis was fine with stating that he was robbed by a Rank 2 God. He promised to fix it in the Lawful Halls, where his words were heavy.


    ***


    Down in the Depths, for the temple that bore Levandis''s rule, it was funny. For her, it was an entertainment of the highest caliber. Her little palace bore the Soul Construct of quite a value and treasures, so the terrible situation for her was yet to become a complete and utter shitfest. Levandis still held final words over her subjects, which many Gods did as well. But many places in this world had no such treatment or possibility, since people and mortals were savage, while Gods had limiting freedom over them.


    It was giving places disorder and danger. Managing this mess was required, but so was waiting to make a proper statement.


    With her iron fist and interest, Levandis didn''t fear the safety of her Hell Haven. She spent far too much in validating her armies in this world to lose any advantage, while the most important factor was Mindarch himself.


    He wasn''t Ravine, nor he could send a Boost away, but Levandis could change the course of Order by promising rewards not one bit worse than Boosts themselves. It was a statement stemming from the Old World. From a time that held no Will of the Battleworld.


    Mindarch could act like Will of the Battleworld anyway, so it wasn''t a bad idea. He was seen through her Hell Haven in a similar view as Will of the Battleworld, albeit smaller, cheerful, and less stoic and enduring.


    He was often mischievous like his creator, or current owner.


    In a way, Gate 3 was similar, yet vastly different in some ways from Islands of Greatness, Gate 2, which had no city or denizens to cater to. Mindarch was enough to handle such places with a speck of his plausible calculation or his spirit.


    It was a place that honed Razmund in his Sword Intent and Path, and his way with the sword definitely turned sharper and stronger. He outgrew his expected pace, seen by Mindarch and Lint alike, yet he met many problems.


    He still kept going, reaching the Ending Isles faster than a lot of third-timers ever did. Ending Isles was supposed to be the toughest, and they were as he expected. It was the highest horror for many beings, but it was also an opportunity and place where his Intent finally bore the results he craved.


    At 98th Island, he managed to defeat a pair of Level 71 Knight Generals by force and cuts, forcing them to give up in cracks. Those bones wouldn''t crash his Path. They would never do such a thing. Razmund wouldn''t allow that, but they sure stopped him for a good while, forcing upon him hours of effort, where he opted for strategies and careful cuts, rather than depending on unhinged tactics. It was a battle of attrition and stamina.


    He positioned himself with much more careful moves, which was unusual for him, who was always savage and brutal to him like his enemies. It developed and stabilized what he lacked, surprisingly. It was the calmness and dangers that birthed the Intent, while the slower and dangerous pace increased his stability and patience.


    Since he lacked his potions, and his opponents didn''t help with that either, he had no choice.


    His position was different from Murai''s, where his Dances were expensive, often stressful, and his pouches were running low in essences. His Destiny Dice was happily eating, glowing in a fervent pink color that seemed clearer than ever.


    Razmund fed it far too much already, so he hoped it wouldn''t eat his Fate or curse him. He feared it would... but he also didn''t care if it did. He had few things to lose anyway, which someone took advantage of. He managed his journey through these Ending Isles with slower speed and vitality. He had yet to lose any limb or bleed too much, so he continued.


    Thus, the road to the Last Island was closing, and his time was pending.


    Panting, he let his claymore scrapping the ground as he walked around a rather sturdy ground. Lint appeared from the Space Cage, bearing witness to yet another successful Ending Isle, so he hurried towards him with a smile on his bony face. It wasn''t that good or notable, considering muscles and skin made up most smiles. Not the bones; at least his teeth were still there, shining like gems of metal under rare angles of light.


    ¡°Aren''t you even least tired? How about a break?¡± Lint argued, knowing that the situation in the outside world wasn''t one bit calm, but Razmund wasn''t aware of it at all. He battled like a maniac, knowing that his cherished Voice and Boosts would come at him after this Gate.


    ¡°No break for me, asshole. My life is on the line with all these deathless battles. You forced that. You all did. No need... to end it,¡± Razmund said weakly, panting and clutching his claymore.


    ¡°No line is there for you. You are just a lunatic who battles and takes things into far too high proportions. Nothing else.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°No counter? How rare. No argument? How sad,¡± Lint was shocked to hear nothing after he mocked him so openly. He wasn''t your average Guide of this temple, so it made sense he was also unhinged in his voice and reasons. He didn''t fear his End as he was already finished with it once, but even he feared some things in this world and his rather weird life.


    ¡°None to give to someone like you,¡± Razmund stated his truth as if nothing mattered to him whatsoever. He had more bones to beat. That mattered. ¡°Now, piss off. I have a duck to hunt.¡±


    Clutching his Destiny Dice, he unwrapped the threads that wrapped it around his fingers and inner palm.


    Pink color flared up and a soft voice cheered.


    Then, he tossed it onto the section of the bridges that had a lot of choices. It was the same decision as always. Just one mattered, or so he thought. He forgot about the crucial problem of the next Island because his head was filled with Sword Intent and sleepless days that were full of battles and swords.


    In a sense, he never felt sharper and broken at the same time.


    Destiny Dice flickered in the air, deciding on the course of its actions, smelly Fate, and angle. Once again, a weird thing happened.


    It was at least half a dozen times where the Destiny Dice was hesitant, and a few times ago, it couldn''t decide at all before he fed it one additional blood droplet. Then it decided on its path forth, giving Razmund a weird time.


    One should never rely on the treasures of the Fate, yet he relied on it far too much.


    Lint understood it, so he was half cursing this cursed Dice and half hoping Razmund wouldn''t die a sorry End. Now, it wasn''t as bad, but it had some trouble deciding the course of its Fate, or its wielder and target was far too detached from it? That could be the case. Murai was far too detached from the norm anyway, whereas Razmund was relatively normal Blessed, forgetting the Path he carried.


    Then, he had sudden shifts in his soul that were unlike his past life, giving him a nasty reality in an even nastier new world. His history and heart were following his steps and memories, as not all Blessed fell into the same bucket. It wasn''t fine, similar to how no God was equal.


    Every one of them held up some unique past, experiences, and mind. Some Blessed were lustful, hoping for a new life, revenge, or a life that would have no stops or no problems at all. Most of them were weirdos that were hard to tame or ignore for good reasons.


    Razmund kept his eyes open as always, not blinking and looking at the Dice. It was a strange sight to look at Fate. It should hold meanings that one would wonder about, yet he felt nothing at all. He was tired.


    Waiting for some moments before Dice flickered around the ground and doors in craziness, it acted as if the ground killed its predecessor. As if possessed, it then hovered in the air, pointing down, while sometimes striking the ground straight down. It shouted and screeched in a soft voice as well, as if possessed or angry, yet its tones were huffed.


    ¡°Is it broken? You''ve used this cursed Dice hundreds of times! No such Artifact should allow this sort of usage for that long unless you seek the End or problems far too mighty for your little head.¡± Lint argued, chirping and laughing like usual.


    He was oblivious to the fact that he was wrong. Divine Artifacts weren''t meant to be that weak, but they were dangerous and weird in many ways.


    This one might be heavier than some Extremes or Gods would bear, as touching Fate was a decision few would take. Could this Dice fly and be tossed thousands, or tens of thousands of times? Sure. It didn''t matter for it, as long as its meals would come its way and the Fate would remain.


    It was a fine Divine Artifact with an unknown maker and the past, bearing crests and origin that hadn''t come from this world for sure, yet it was found here. In a long-forgotten past. Razmund didn''t fear this Dice in the slightest. He hoped instead.


    Divine Artifacts held their Ranks, rather than in Levels. Not only their rarity was important, but their premise was different from the Relic or Law Artifacts. Each Divine Artifact was a treasure of old times, ancient techniques, massive undertakings, or insane value that went through the hands of great makers.


    Most held secrets to rare Laws, secrets to many Paths, or hidden materials long lost or far too mysterious or precious. That was what Artifacts meant in their fundamental ways, but divine was a word that held a significant substance.


    Some could be even older than the current way of the Divides, possessing unfathomable power. It was about the Epochs.


    Thus, such tools acted as opportunities and power held by Gods mostly, while this Destiny Dice wasn''t even that powerful, it was still considered a Divine Artifact. For mortals, it was fine to use as long as they cared, or didn''t.


    Razmund didn''t even respond to Lint''s unnecessary remarks. He watched the Dice hit the ground, before hovering back in the air, before it slammed down again.


    [Fucking little shit...] He heard a soft voice curse.


    Walking towards it, Razmund figured out the truth and his prey straight away. It could no longer take its path that well, or... something happened?


    His target was no longer in this Gate, but he figured that in the last toss too, so why had he tossed it again? Had he forgotten the common sense, or was he too flustered and tired? His head turned a little weird for sure in this Gate, battles, and his heart seemed to show some instabilities. Wavering, he ought to not think about it. Perhaps he was tossing this Dice far too much that it started to melt his brain or Fate?


    Grunting, he watched how the Dice hovered in mid-air, its surface flickering in pink light that made it special. Whatever it meant, Razmund didn''t know its meaning, nor did he question it, but something in him told him to fear it and toss it beyond the edge of this Island.


    [Hmmm.... Shit!] the voice hesitated.


    [Yum.]


    [Toss me more. Feed me more.]


    [Gimme it all...]


    [That one is far... It''s Fate splendid and changing in times of old and new.]


    [Go on. Feed us. Feed the Fate until you meet your End! Fight the Old! Find your FATE!] The Dice insisted but Razmund shut such thoughts.


    He only needed to know how to use it. Nothing else mattered more than that.


    Ignoring the voice that pestered him from time to time, forcing his head or hands, something in his mind moved. It mattered to take this Dice seriously, as it was pointing down in fervent light and not to the following bridge. It happened again.


    ¡°You said nothing to me about it, Lint,¡± Razmund glanced at the Guide. ¡°Why?¡±


    Lint laugehd and scrached his chin. ¡°Why would I do that? If you know your prey is down, what matters to toss it more than once or twice? Pehraps you should toss it again, eh? Perhaps it would make your prey appear right before your face.¡±


    Razmund sighted. Destine Dice always marked Murai''s path, so when it became unclear, or weird, things turned even weirder. Unknowingly, it even grazed the route that Amelius changed and forged.


    Razmund could no longer process in a normal way. He wouldn''t bother with it. It should point to his path regardless if his target was down, or up, yet he forgot some things again.


    ¡°Lint,¡± Razmund said as he eyed the Dice.


    ¡°What? Ready to cry?¡±


    ¡°Are you fucking with me?¡±


    ¡°I would dare if I could.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you want to go that way?¡± Razmund turned back to the floating half-skeleton, his gaze skipped a beat as he was serious. He clutched the Dice back to his hand where it stopped glowing under his tight squeeze. The soft voice screeched and calmed. Razmund was considering some new things right now, as well as going over the rules of his current status and this Gate.


    The worth of Fate was powerful enough, or so he believed. Perhaps it was time to act.


    He had no time to waste with the Last Island anyway. He needed... something else right now.


    ¡°Now, tell me. I could''ve gone to Gate 3 long ago, wouldn''t I? Rules or not, you don''t want to lose your pets, yet if enough power goes around this place, I wouldn''t mind touching something Taboo.¡± He threatened a good topic, scratched his temples, and asked a really good question.


    Lint turned serious after a long time, his Soul Flames flickered and calmed. ¡°Are you sure you would go that far?¡±


    ¡°Wanna try me?¡±


    Razmund wasn''t certain if he met the qualifications to be like that. For a while, he felt like he was exterminating some unkept fools for Levandis anyway. Those were unfilial soldiers or experiments gone wrong. Sometimes, it was possible to skip ahead if it was worth it for the Mindarch, but other times, it wasn''t needed as rules could change, or the premise of the temple shifted. This Gate was thought and whether one could skip ahead wasn''t always fine.


    Now, it shouldn''t be far from that point, even though Razmund didn''t know about the happenings or the earthquake that shook this world. He didn''t even register it, opting to battle and take his knowledge for rules. He would realize many things, but so far, Mindarch and Lint had never mentioned anything about it, even if it was possible.


    Perhaps it was a good thing he hadn''t skipped ahead, because the Dice wouldn''t like that, and he needed to go with its direction. He always focused far too much on it, or so Lint and Mindarch believed. That was no mistake; Razmund focused on a simple idea to go forward, so he wasn''t set on skipping ahead.


    Now, it changed. Something did, or the Dice decided on it. It didn''t talk that well very often.


    Being too keen on his hunt was important, but being too fervent and uncertain wasn''t that good either. Lint would sweat like a runner amid the desert if he could. Seeing Razmund like this always put some fear into his Soul Flames and he wasn''t even sure if it was respectable.


    Fortunately, he was a skeleton, so fear didn''t affect his appearance. Only his Soul Flames flickered, posing as his core; his everything.


    ¡°Well, I suppose skipping was a possibility, but you would never take it. I mean... the Dice wouldn''t. I get that Dice. Poor... thing. It wanted to go on, so it went on. You followed it like an unhinged idiot.¡± Lint forced some words, uttering excuses rather than great ideals. He appeared fearful of Razmund''s deadly expression from his Soul Flames alone, while his stance was lofty.


    Before he wanted to put his deathly gaze into action, Lint had to act.


    ¡°D-do... Not. No! Bad Blessed!¡± Lint slapped the top of his head, watching the claymore move but it was unusually slow. Lint dodged him in time, yet he still felt how a part of his rib left his body. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Razmund,¡± Lint trembled as he flew away, watching how Razmund staggered in a weird stance that was no longer fit to be described as fine, ¡°You had your Destiny Dice, so you continued through the Islands to find your enemy. Right. Skipping is possible. Why wouldn''t it be the case for these Islands? We always honor powerful people, but skipping means lower points and rewards. We didn''t want such losses anyway, you dumbfucking killer. Right? Your case was different. There was no need to consider the fact that you wanted to get to Gate 3. Your prey wasn''t that far away from you anyway. You saw that Guide, right? I saw him too. That little head is hard to forget. I figured the facts and logic long ago, yet your head, eyes, and Dice always put it aside. I do things for you too, you lunatic. My life as a Guide depends on you!¡± Lint shouted and argued with him for a good reason.


    Razmund knew why he was like that, yet he didn''t care for facts or logic. He didn''t care for well beings of anyone but his Path and his promise.


    ¡°Lint, your excuses aren''t necessary,¡± Razmund mumbled as he stepped toward him. ¡°I accept them instead, so fuck me...¡± He collapsed to the ground, feeling like his hands were a step away from falling off of his body, while his knees gave up after enduring far too many Flying Steps. Even his core felt like crying.

 Chapter 189: Lints struggle

    Razmund was tired. Too tired. Sleeping would suffice, gifting a couple of hours of bliss. These last fights were tough and beyond his level. A pair of enemies with Laws of Chaos was a disaster when the time was relevant, power held limits, and his potions were empty. He hurried forth ever since he felt the itch to hurry. Thus, he was always on the edge for the sake of catching his prey.


    He wasn''t sure how close he was, but that changed not that long ago.


    Now, it backfired as he realized how misplaced his beliefs were. His target was gone, yet he kept going onward because that was what he had always done. It wasn''t that crazy to think that he almost caught it, but he was too late by a few hours, which were still many hours of fighting in the best estimation.


    It ended up worse because his progress in the Ending Isles was worse and he had to recoup his stamina between every fight if he wanted to crash them all.


    What was the right thing to do? Destiny Dice was more than met the eye, as it was more potent and sensible than any Guide, but it showed some limitations. The blood and essences it ate weren''t cheap, but it could take anything at any capacity. The hunt would be already over if he had a bucket of blood or Grade 4 Mana Essences. Those would charge the Dice to another level, giving it a completely different feeling.


    Razmund wondered what it would do. From the stories of its past users, it held... weird voices and reasons that always ended up as poison. In smaller doses, Razmund wondered if it would''ve given him a different path than the one Murai pursued. Via many bridges or islands, the Dice would gift him the quickest route that would overtake Murai so he would catch him sooner.


    Speed and ease aside, Razmund had no such possibility. He already wasted enough resources that would buy him Grade 4 essence anyway. Even the Centralis Kingdom wouldn''t afford to spend that much for this sort of thing.


    Passing by Murai was no longer a possibility. But he could''ve caught him, ambushed him, hunted him down like he wanted. It sounded so easy in his heart. So easy...


    Would Mindarch or Lint helped him? That sounded like a sorry excuse for help, but his Dice would find the way anyway.


    ¡°D-don''t worry, Razmund. You can rest for as long as you want,¡± Lint floated down, noticing that Razmund clearly collapsed.


    Begrudgingly, he crawled to a sitting position. His breathing wasn''t good, as fatigue took a major turn for the worse. That was what he deserved after many sleepless days of fights. His claymore even stayed on the ground, free from his touch but still close.


    ¡°Oh... Really?¡± Razmund suddenly moved, overcoming the fatigue as his eyes blinked and Lint swore they turned pitch black for a moment.


    Lint was too late to move away. Razmund clutched him by his temple, holding him between his smallest finger and thump. The rest of the fingers wanted to gouge his Soul Flames, but Razmund was still sane enough to not touch them with his flesh. Not now. Not yet.


    Killing a Guide was a stupidity that he couldn''t afford right now. It also posed as a ridiculous thing, because no Challenger wanted to be without a Guide. Secondly, it would anger Levandis, or her family would change the challenges or Gates to a storm.


    Lint grimaced with his bony mouth, cluttering his teeth as he was screaming in horror. ¡°C-calm down. Don''t do something you would regret. Levandis is watching.¡±


    Razmund didn''t believe him, which Lint realized.


    ¡°Fine. She would never seek you out. Mindarch does.¡± he argued, watching the pissed face that Razmund had on his face. It was the face of a killer who had nothing to lose. Fear and anxiety shrouded Lint''s Soul Flames.


    ¡°Got the gist of the rules. So be a good Guide and tell me what I need to do to get into the next Gate quickly,¡± Razmund calmly said, sounding like a death reaper to the death.


    ¡°W-what... exactly? Way ahead is around the corner, have you forgotten what is Island 99?¡±


    ¡°My destiny is already in the Hellscape, planning and bearing the politics or plans ahead of me. It is my time to take this seriously, it seems.¡±


    Lint doubted he hadn''t taken this Gate seriously at all. Razmund was an utter monster that was no longer as tame as in Gate 1. Right now, he would challenge Thar''s whole palm, or even both of them if he tried enough.


    Lint discovered how massive of a shift this Blessed endured since his last visit. New Readings felt confusing and riddled at the same time, but Mindarch was sure about many things. The depths of this human were hard to seek, or... they weren''t fine at all. Curiosity killed many Gods after all, let alone some mortals.


    Mindarch was slowly uncovering that the limits that Razmund held were turning unsightly, but he was still Level 65, so it wasn''t as terrible as Murai, who was growing and changing at a rapid pace. Well, and that soul of his. It was hard to figure out.


    In that idea, Razmund was much simpler in his desires.


    ¡°Considering the originality of what those assholes that run this place have, I wouldn''t be surprised that I could skip unnecessary stuff when my prowess long exceeded the requirements for success. You don''t want me to be a killer, but you should hope or fear for that. I get it. I will go to the next Gate anyway, so unless you want me to run and turn Helltrim to pieces, you will get me there right now. ¡±


    He sounded wonderful in his assertion, which Lint took as a good reminder.


    ¡°Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yesss. Of course. I can do that. Skipping is fine. Fine, I say. I just didn''t need to proceed with that before, as you didn''t need it. Sure enough.¡± Lint said awkwardly, summoning his courage and his connection to Mindarch.


    Way to the rewards was around the corner, but it was better to no longer question Razmund and his threat.


    With the way rules and Order were, it wasn''t a good idea to crash the already tense situation to further pieces.


    Mindarch was silent, but bearing witness to this situation through Lint gave him numerous ideas and worries. Still, he summoned a small portal in the middle of this Island. It was a simple way to solve this situation, even though the last Island was supposed to be very impressive and important.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    It was a shame Mindarch could no longer crash this Blessed, but perhaps it wasn''t a bad idea to send him away.


    Hellscape could survive this madman anyway. It had to take it. Mindarch planned to ensure that, although Levandis will do so instead, or Lisa would? Those Helpers that Murai got were quite peculiar after all, and also unexpected. Most of all, Lisa was finally taking the reigns over Murai''s time, which Mindarch noticed.


    A swirling vortex of space led to a dubious location. Razmund watched it with suspicion, but Lint ensured everything was supposed to be fine. ¡°Here you go. In we go, right? It goes right into the place for Keys, I swear.¡±


    Razmund remained clutching Lint as he stood on his own. It was problematic, so he retrieved his claymore before walking to the portal, where he did not hesitate anymore.


    Time was ticking, and it seemed his prey could''ve arrived at Hellscape long ago. Specific time wasn''t important, but the Dice was still there. His limited supply of essences and blood were still in his pouch. He could do it. He wanted to get out of this damned Gate first. It ate far too much onto his pouch.


    Razmund should''ve done this long ago, wait for Murai before the Helltrim Castle or inside of those tunnels and doors.


    It was too late for regrets, even if it meant a precious time that he wasted, but what was wasteful? He finally uncovered the truth behind the Sword Intent, while his Dances all improved by leaps and bounds amid his struggles. It was a blessing concealed in a difficult and crazy time.


    Now, he couldn''t wait for his Boosts and discoveries that would crash his mind apart, solve all fatigue, and give Intent a proper point.


    Too bad it could no longer happen. Razmund was clueless and didn''t know that his Voice was gone. If he knew, he wouldn''t be only this much angry. His fury would truly reach his limits, as Boosts were a major part of his power since many martial artists need powerful attributes and a steady source of stability. He was someone who depended on his Voive very much, similar to many Blessed of the Centralis Kingdom.


    Leaving the latest pair of undead bones alive pissed him off for sure, but thankfully, he managed to quench his anger as he twisted Lint away and tossed him to the portal first. In a moment, he stepped forward and disappeared as well, traveling to the unknown distance that followed the web or lines of Chaos Space.


    Chaos Space swirled, space twisted in an unknown time and place. Razmund followed his desires in speed and unlikely fashion, glaring at Lint from behind.


    In the end, not only did he solve his reward in less than a few minutes, he didn''t care for that hut anyway. After getting what he could, he fell into yet another portal, following the ride, and met the stone ground of the familiar castle walls.


    He wasn''t sure how much time had passed, or how long it took him to get here. Traveling through Chaos Space was always weird, and one was never sure how long they lingered for. There were tales that one could get lost there, emerge after years in reality, or remain there stranded, emerging in the present as an old person or straight-up skeleton. That deepened on stability of the portals and whether the lines through Chaos Space were correct.


    Chaos Space was undoubtedly a dangerous place, but not with the established portals and old lines of interest.


    Razmund felt confused after he endured these travels back to back, but that quick bath in that cave helped cover some of his concerns. It wasn''t as fitting for his heat or anxiety, so he still felt tensed and exhaustion gripped his heart. Clutching the claymore''s handle, he glanced at Lint aside. He panicked when Razmund grasped him again.


    ¡°Was that Pool proper?¡± Razmund asked, feeling that it barely helped to quench his core. All that exhaustion and powers of his Physique didn''t work that well with that.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lint said quickly, ¡°it was fine, but you were there far too little time. It wasn''t as if it was poisonous but...¡±


    Razmund cracked his skull a little bit. ¡°You want to try me? That thing felt like a joke.¡±


    ¡°Well, it isn''t meant for living things, dipshit,¡± Lint laughed and forgot he was feeling as if he was on top of his palm.


    Razmund grunted, feeling that some exhaustion never killed a Sage. Nothing that some sleep couldn''t solve, or so he believed.


    ¡°That hurt. That hut and those fucking crazy space vortexes,¡± Razmund mumbled, cursing and realizing his travel was fine. Lint in his hand wasn''t that happy with how he handled him; it wasn''t as if he could complain. He feared for his Flames not only because of this clutch but because of the Dice touching the side of his skull.


    Its pinky sheen prevailed, and Lint swore he was hearing whispers of Fate that he didn''t like at all. He was straight-up terrified.


    Aside from that, Razmund also held a long dagger and sword that he got from his Keys. Those were special privileges, followed by no Influence Items, as he held no need for that, nor did this place grant him that chance.


    His Keys were much simpler and acted as money. He got a single Law Artifact and one powerful Relic Artifact that was close to Relic limits.


    Unsurprisingly, he no longer met Amelius. If he did...well, it would be an interesting development that Mindarch doubted would make sense. In that hut, be it the numerous Artifacts or Influence Items, nothing was weak. Each treasure inside of it was an appeal to those seeking those Keys.


    All successful Challengers eyed this hut as the first sizable reward because getting Keys was a big deal. Gate 1 was rather tame in that sense.


    Razmund picked a dagger even if it wasn''t an interesting weapon to him. It held the most value within the limits of his Keys. Mended into it were shards filled to the brim with Laws of Wind. It made the dagger into a weapon that wanted to cut things on its own. The sword was a Relic, but its quality was great. It should be worth exchanging it for something in Gate 3 or letting it go into a fitting hand in Centralis Kingdom.


    With them in his hands, Razmund couldn''t wait for Boosts and his time at the next Gate. He knew what to do there; he spent many weeks there in his last times, so he was familiar with how the Hunts could turn the tides, or how that Gate was wide open. Catching Murai there should be much easier.


    Storing his new Artifacts in his pouches, the dagger wasn''t that precious to call it a sword, but for some races, it was no different than that. It was elvish in origin, named Elvelin Dagger according to the lore that Mindarch described to air alone. Razmund wasn''t that interested in his words, but he still listened.


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± Lint scowled. ¡°Stop and release me already, you f...¡± His words were cut short when Razmund tossed him to the wall, cracking it in return. Unfortunately, the Guide survived unscathed, so Razmund grunted in disappointment.


    Lint was far too sturdy for a mere wall. He ended up free, so he floated away from him with open hatred in his Soul Flames.


    Razmund sighed, believing that Level 72 Law Artifact wasn''t a bad reward. Shame he can''t use it. His heart and hands were for claymores alone. He could forget it once or twice, but his manuals and Path strictly prohibited any use of different weapons. His choice was a lone one.


    But it didn''t mean Razmund wasn''t interested in other weapons. Taking their value and styles was something he liked. All sort of swordsmanship should hold their appeals to a Sword Sage.


    Elvelin Dagger was an excellent weapon from the past because it was in top-tier condition. It was perhaps part of the elven royalty, or it held some connection to the current elven tribes. From his memories and ideas, Levandis had some trading connection to some elves hiding in some portions of this world. It was fitting for Hells to touch such things because elves were hated in this world.


    Razmund knew why, but not as if he found anything weird with it. Hate was kind of popular in this world which was filled with power and prejudice. Racial issues were the same, similar to slavery and problems that came with powerful individuals. Gods or not, even mortals had their hierarchy.


    Thousands of years in the past, such a dagger could''ve numerous killings, but now, it was a mere tool for him to sell.


    Razmund thought little of it as with most of things that no longer concerned the present, or himself. He took this dagger for a worthy treasure of at least a few Low Grade 4 Essences.


    The sword was not worth mentioning. Artifacts had their worth, but not everything was worth the same. It was true that the differences between Relics and Law Artifacts were vast, but some special Relics could be worth a lot to some specific individuals. Those, however, were extremely rare.


    Law Artifacts held a simpler ideology of higher power. They were far too valuable from their name alone, as they depicted powers and potency that were hard to find or create. For mortals, they were very precious and some of them were much more valuable than Divine Artifacts that might be far too wild for them to handle.


    Razmund had his beloved claymore. That was all that mattered.


    Straightening his back, he noticed a familiar tunnel that led to the next course of rewards. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Right. He completely forgot about the points and his suffering of not killing his foes. That fact still stung his heart and mind, but he was somewhat glad that he didn''t reach that unknown line of no return. Unless it existed and he reached it, of course. It could be a joke.


    ¡°Why in the world you took that cursed sword?¡± Lint asked him aside.


    ¡°Because it was curious. It wanted to be taken,¡± Razmund answered with a chuckle and didn''t elaborate further.


    ¡°You won''t be able to use it anyway. Never. No one should''ve wanted it either.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know. That was why it was there, ready as a "reward"? Fuck off with that logic. I know some fools who would take worse things than that. Now, lead me to my Room, Guide, or whatever toy you are,¡± he barked at Lint when he walked towards the light at the end of the tunnel. He could already sense the Hellscape and higher intensity of mana in that Gate.


    Lint cursed this lunatic in his mind, knowing that the world was full of idiots who didn''t know what was better for them. He wondered why they were all like that. It wasn''t worth it. He knew it himself.


    The situation was about to change. For better or worse, Gate 3 was all open for everything, though it wasn''t ready. Razmund was about to turn it into his own playground, Lint feared. It was no longer about the agonizing pain of absolute dominance and battling in limits. It could take some time, but Lint believed that Murai was as good as caught.


    Lint could do nothing besides swallow his anger and follow him along. It was his Fate too.


    Flying to a silvery door, Lint gestured for Razmund to stop. ¡°That one is yours,¡± he pointed with his bony finger, forcing a small chuckle. ¡°Before that, just so you know. The world... is in pieces. You might start crying. No need for jokes or being tough. Go on.¡±

 Chapter 190: Silver plated reality

    ¡°The world is in pieces?¡± Razmund glanced at Lint, knowing that the consensus that this world had wouldn''t change overnight. It wasn''t anything strange. Even without knowing the current problems, Razmund didn''t find his wording choice right. The timing was weirder. Almost wrong.


    There were not only five large continents, filled to the brim with unique settings and problems on each of them but many islands were all over the tough seas. Then there were the Depths, depicting Dungeons, dwellings of all kins under the Surface, and cave systems belonging, or partially subjective to the Old World. Some of those were creations of the current Battleworld due to a relatively long history spanning tens of millennia.


    Still, most Dungeons were the ruins of ancient times when Battleworld wasn''t a Battleworld, but a place filled with Chaos that Ravine wasn''t managing at all, nor were there many Gods.


    To hear that the world was in pieces, Razmund believed in that for a long time, yet in different ways. He was thinking that Lint was making fun of him.


    But seeing the serious skull and glowing flames, he got suspicious. ¡°What exactly do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing at all. Just a bit. Just a reminder. Take this room for Mindarch''s interest and nothing more. Aftermath depends on your calmness. Are you here, Mindarch? Ready to take it as you demanded? Initiate the end to his madness already.¡±


    [At this point, it seems like an obvious choice.] Mindarch''s weak voice whispered to the tunnel, acting as a mild point of interest that was up to all successful Challengers no matter the stake, growth, reputation, or age. He sent Razmund out of the Islands of Greatness, so he had a certain awareness of what was about to happen. After all, there was no one else but him, or... could it change like with Murai''s Helpers that heard that tone?


    There was a possibility that Razmund would get the same interest.


    [Contragulations, again, even if you skipped the Last Island. It wasn''t a wrong choice to do it at all, but the next time I see you threatening the Guide, it won''t end in anything good.]


    Razmund sneered. ¡°Could I threaten you as well? It makes no difference to me.¡±


    [Ah, what a cheeky human. I almost laughed. You Blessed fools and your puny force is a fart for our Lady. Well, it does take some precedence, but you could''ve skipped much sooner and caught your little prize in Gate 3.] Mindarch straight up laughed, shuddering Lint and giving Razmund no small taunts.


    He tensed up, unwilling to hear this topic. True, catching his prey was his priority, but setting the stage and Encounter in mind wasn''t so simple.


    [Shouldn''t that have been your plan, to begin with? Skipping, I mean. Open ways of Hellscape poise as open and everything. I can''t seem to see reasons not to wait for him there, eh? Perhaps someone''s plans were worse than one lone ridiculously clever spirit would think.]


    ¡°Shut the fuck up!¡± Razmund shouted, his fist clutched the claymore''s handle and the Dice. ¡°We do things our ways. Not yours. Boundaries fit all minds of humans. You are a bunch of freaks. Unkept and crazy.¡±


    Mindarch laughed at such a sorry argument. [So it was very insensible of me to assume you wanted to catch that duck sooner? Hilarious, or weird, couldn''t you agree, Lint?]


    Lint laughed and agreed, weirdly forgetting that Razmund was right there beside him, unhappy. ¡°Precisely. I thought it was weird how he was accomplishing his desire with such difficulty, yet answers were simple when Breaching some workings or rules. It would work, or so I thought to myself. Perhaps it was done intentionally for him to grow, or should we also look at the overall picture again? We have the Hell Party in Paradise, a dog at the entrance, and a cheeky hunter with a broken sword. All in all, it seems like a decent start for an Encounter that forced some things to our place. It can live. This temple lived through worse things.¡±


    [Sure did.] Mindarch agreed.


    ¡°But for them,¡± Lint said importantly, his one hand resting behind his back as he floated like a king. Even his chin was high and his Soul Flames were thick and bright, ¡°it seems they want this lone hunter to succeed more. So it is a chance for Centralis, or so I dare to think. Encounter might answer that, or it might all seem like an overkill, while you, Razmund, are the most stupid one of them all.¡±


    Razmud was a little bit surprised to hear Lint acting like a sudden boss of a gang. Hearing and being overseen by his major boss was the reason why, he assumed.


    ¡°Laugh all you want,¡± Razmund said calmly, which surprised Lint a little bit. ¡°I still took the previous Gates as stepping stones for what I had to do. Perhaps Hellscape is meant to be my stage since it is... so open and easy to put some reputation onwards and let the world know about my Hunt. Thus...¡± A flash of light suddenly crushed the tunnel, and Lint nearly lost his remaining arm when claymore flashed around in a heartbeat.


    Sword Intent put deep fear into Lint''s eyes. It was a power that could truly hunt the souls and bodies alike. Lint screeched, backed on instincts alone when Razmund unleashed his proper threat. He hated their mockery with a clear sneer and smile.


    This much threat wasn''t worth mentioning. It was their reminder. Tenth, or eleventh? He didn''t count how many times he wasn''t fucked around with, but he wasn''t kidding about pushing some boundaries or patience of this place.


    [Oy, calm your pencil!] Mindarch shouted, suddenly speaking more crisply and clearly.


    ¡°Sure, if you calm your taunts, tool. Speak more sense, for I have my purpose. What is behind me doesn''t need to be said. I don''t take it lightly. That is all.¡±


    [Freaking Blessed! All of you are like this before the power that could crash you!]


    ¡°Can you?¡± Razmund asked a good question.


    [Yes! Not me or now, but what will occur in the next Gate shall be taken in steps. In your head too. Your time isn''t welcome there, but as with everything occurring in this place, you can come and see it for yourself. Perhaps you will change your mind dramatically after knowing how much of a blunder you''ve made just because of setting some stage or your power. Centralis shouldn''t be this comfortable, I swear. Not against this.]


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Razmund frowned and backed with his claymore that rested between some of Lint''s bones. None cracked or were cut, which was a shocking surprise that Lint took with stoic Soul Flames. ¡°You speak as if you know it all. Centralis is nothing. I am the Side of this Encounter! Me alone.¡±


    Mindach sneered as if the barking of this human adult were the chirps of some child. [You don''t have to get my word. I don''t have to speak like this at all. But reminders they are.]


    ¡°Did something happen with the Hell Party to act like this? Are some Gods unhappy with what is happening? Are Lurrs growling and moaning? Nothing new, I suppose.¡±


    [All of the above and some more. Anyway...] Mindarch audibly sighted. [You are a damned mess. Clueless mess, even. Don''t take offense, but I pity your attempts and ideas. Your target isn''t even that quick or strong, but it grows and does its job. You could''ve...]


    ¡°Could''ve... Would''ve... Nothing is important in guesses and what-ifs. What are you talking about? Is there something that you are hiding?¡±


    [You will see that. Now, cease that blade tough. Lint, do your work. I will be seeing you.]


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    Mindarch ceased his voice, ending this brief recognition that wasn''t that good. Razmund didn''t take their ideas for some sort of reminder anyway, though they sure acted and talked weirdly. He was a far too fervent follower of his Blessed status and his time in Centralis Kingdom was his childhood. The one that appointed him in this way, but in no way forced.


    Turning to the door that Lint previously mentioned, he frowned. ¡°Not gold? Fair enough. What of my line and those not-killings? Do they validate something, or was it a joke?¡±


    ¡°You think Golded Room is for everyone?¡± Lint argued. ¡°And mind you, could I mention how many foes you''ve killed again?¡±


    That shut him up. He knew he was close to snapping a lot of things and patience for his purpose was thin. Thankfully, tough foes helped with that premise, as he was rarely able to crash them with his potion-less attacks.


    Perhaps Silver Room will have to do for his needs and replenish his potion just enough. That, or he could buy them in the Hellscape. Silver was the second best option anyway, so Razmud looked at the dozen-meter-wide door resembling a gate. Not far was was the Golden Door, filled with embroidery and hidden value of ridiculous discounts. One could truly put points to good use there, but in terms of treasures, Silver and Gold weren''t that far apart. Golden value was in the discount that it possessed, as well as it had some interesting things at the higher bracket of Hell Points.


    However, meeting its demands and seeing its worth was hardly easy. One had to truly crash one of the Gate 2s to get there.


    Razmund didn''t do that. He struggled for all good reasons as a third-timer who was under very harsh limiting factors. It was also a clever way to make a difficulty harder because not killing his foes was nonsense. He killed and what happened? It wasn''t as if he lost his life or an arm or a leg.


    Razmund knew there existed worse limiting factors since this place was full of such gimmicks at this Level. However, he hated how it crushed his Hunt like this, so perhaps he set his expectations in the wrong direction and purpose. He could only blame himself for that.


    Looking around, Razmund knew Golden Room was a facade that held far too ridiculous requirements that Levandis took only for her forces. Never to the Surface Challengers.


    It went without surprise that it was old and filled with dust, and who knew if someone was there in a month or a year? However, thanks to his keen eyes, he noticed a couple of peculiar things.


    For once, the door opened inwards, and some notes of dust aside were off, indicating openness that happened less than a day ago. Then, there was also something... else. Razmund shook as he saw it. Focusing his eyes on the barely notable footprints, he turned and walked aside.


    Tiny little spots in the dust below the door indicated rough ducks'' footprints. It wasn''t as clear, thanks to the relative darkness in this room, but because of the dust, Razmund had no doubts about it.


    And he was furious when he saw the footprints disappearing inside the Golden Room. Crouching, he ignored some light chuckles coming from behind him. Frowning and looking down with a sheer focus to imagine the rest of the footprints, it was standing right there, right now.


    A duck that he hunted. It was there.


    Razmund squeezed his hands, ready to quench this desire at any moment, but he had no duck to hunt in this tunnel. It was just a vision. A hallucination that he envisioned, and manipulated in his mind.


    Though he knew it had to wait, patiently taking a nice spot in his heart, right alongside his murder and insanity. It will wait. It had to.


    The Silver Door creaked open right when Lint calmed down and pretended to be a fine Guide. Razmund followed Lint into the Silver Door that would fit a lot of races. For him, it wasn''t about the size of this place, nor its worth. He was curious about his points. He wondered what he would get, considering he killed quite a lot of beings. At least he got the essence out of them. Well, at the cost of going against the flow, so there were no doubts there were some upcoming deductions because he couldn''t be bothered more about such silliness.


    Still, his points shouldn''t be garbage. It should be enough for him to purchase and refill his potions that weren''t necessarily that rare or expensive. Their combo and usage was what made them so powerful.


    Razmund remembered the value of what the Golden Room held from rare instances of some lucky bastards. Considering the time and talents of some Challengers, many did reach it, thus giving this temple the taste and power of the Surface. It also acted as a hyped momentum and cleverness on Levandis pride. After all, it was there to act as a stick with a hanging carrot. Most rewards were nothing more than that.


    Razmund had some doubts about how clever or good such a thing was. Perhaps it was a clever idea to force more Challengers from the Surface inside, yet wasn''t it also hitting herself in the foot? The Centralis Kingdom knew what they were doing and cleverly put a lot of thought into the Seventh Death Forest. Not a whole lot of people would get into this temple without their awareness. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Razmund didn''t know the details or questionable politics or decisions that might go behind the scenes. Surface didn''t know everything about this temple, which was expected. One would even say, there might be fake rewards with inside prices, just so the temple would proclaim there was something beyond the Silver Room.


    For a long time, no one in history knew what kind of thing to expect from Hells. But his prey went there. There were no footprints around the Silver Door, as it was maintained and clean.


    Razmund didn''t need specifics. He considered the Keys to be more severe than these Rooms combined and wondered if his target chose, or where its journey in those Islands ended up. Was it really the Last Island? Did it succeed? If so, perhaps this Golden Room wasn''t an exaggeration.


    And that hut with its Artifacts and Influence Items was nothing sneaky. Its insignificance was night and day for those reaching Laws. What about some valuable equipment pieces above Level 70 that could turn the tides of interest, giving value and powers equal to Law Artifacts? There might be some in this Room. It depended on the crafts and effects, but Razmund had no doubts that for some Classes and Paths, equipment was a very important aspect.


    Well, Razmund held just a single piece of battle equipment right now. He had limited need for armor, as it usually hindered his movement and Physique. As a Falconer in his missions, he wore their armor just because he had to.


    In this way, rewards in these rooms were a small exaggeration, but the fact was, that reaching the end of this Gate was enough. Silver or less, the worth was often equal to points and Challanger''s accomplishment, or Level. That was the fact that Razmund had to accept.


    Desiring more was greedy. It was laughable, thus Razmud wasn''t taking this Silver Room for something special. It was full of curiosity, true, as it was prone to some gritty challenges and stunts. It was publicly known what each Challenger picked from these tunnels, so Gate 3 should know that his target went through the Golded Room. That should help him with his hunt and see what his target accomplished.


    It was a good idea to take the potency of rewards and valuables as an interesting and unprecedented desire. Levandis wasn''t the first to do that, nor the last. After all, it was fairly effective in driving all sorts of beings into a frenzy and giving easy rewards and greed some choices. Reaching further into the Gates, desiring what was inside, it was the power of greed and curiosity that could change one''s life. Just in terms of essences coming from some kills, every point mattered when one considered this place and the Surface. Keys were just one part of many things this place offered.


    Razmund was no different. He took this temple as one of the best essence-gathering places in the Battleworld, right beside the power of money in general. Money wasn''t infinite, as endless ways to improve never crashed the markets. This world was rather intense in that approach.


    It was the same situation with countless Dungeons that held all kinds of rewards, hidden rooms, unique treasures, or locations filled with crazy places from old histories, or secret societies. Every piece of information mattered when one was set to go into them. Every Dungeon Delver knew it.


    Improvement was always a step closer when rewards followed rough battles and missions. Across the Battleworld, that was a rule that didn''t change even without the Order in sight. Perhaps it turned even worse since many restrictions set upon some Dungeons were lifted and gone, while some organizations and royalty couldn''t change that either. In fact, they might take advantage of that as long as some Gods didn''t forbid it via their Messengers.


    Not here, of course. Levandis was a God of this place, which was something that most Dungeons didn''t have. Well, the Will of the Battleworld governed over the distribution and rules of most Dungeons, so... it was terrible and good on many levels.


    Razmund had seen Silver Room in his last visits as well. There was a large space beyond the open gate. It was not empty or dusted like the one Murai visited, but it still had dark spaces and fog littering every corner, shelf, or crate. It was a regular procedure and act of protection. This Room resembled a part of a library, as it was large and it even had multiple stories. There were many shelves filled with equipment covered by that fog and considerably tight corridors made this place packed. There was endless clutter of things lying everywhere, creating not that open space.


    This palace was filled to the brim with treasures and valuables not one bit worse than Golden Room.


    Lint floated forth and in a moment, used his gaze to set aflame a couple of lanterns and torches around the walls, brightening the room and corridors with light. Then, the fog cleared. Reward upon treasures, treasures upon the rewards, this place didn''t look shabby at all. There were chests, tables, and many crates that were open or closed. Not everything had some tag, as the flow of rewards from this place was always shifting among many subjects.


    Ridiculous wealth was in this place, acting as a gathering of wealth that this place was constantly shifting, accumulating, spending, or using.


    Razmund wanted to spit on them, yet he walked right inside. Into a place that was usually closed to any visitors. He felt if he raided even a single room, he would be dead in less than a minute. It was far too secure because valuables from most Gate 2s and Gate 3 were all over this place.


    This place will do, Razmund was sure of that. He noticed the section with potions straight away, but he still had some things to do first.


    There were Mana Tomes, crates filled with gold or other currencies, and a wide variety of forging, runesmithing, or alchemy materials. Everything seeped with mana, giving this place a unique flavor. Even basic currency was like that.


    It was exactly how Razmund remembered, so he quickly found things that he wanted, ignoring the fact that he was yet to know how many points had had.


    It was that sort of magical sight that made most Challenger hopeful with greed. Everything was valuable in this stash that Levandis took by force or lives. Challengers could take anything from this place, as long as their points were enough.


    Unfortunately, even if their desires were strong and accomplishments great, they would never get even a point of a point out of this Room. Then, there was another issue that was part of the next Gate. Unless their power was reputable and great, a surprising amount of Challengers would lose their rewards because of thieves, duels, or lack of power. Hellscape was no sorry place. It was a place filled with those closer to Chaos.


    ¡°Well, it''s the same story as always,¡± Razmund sighed and looked at Lint aside. ¡°What are my points?¡± he inquired the usual stuff that Guides were used for. Since Mindarch didn''t mention them before, it was Lint''s time to shine.


    ¡°The Will of the Battleworld should have already descended,¡± Lint mumbled enough for Razmund to hear, though he acted strange and restrained. His lies were personal and he still believed that Razmund was naive and hopeful for something that wouldn''t come.


    Strangely enough, speaking of the world, and the world around the corner, some kind of message arrived, giving Razmund a voice and reason Lint had never expected.


    The flush of weird power and intent flooded this place, forcing mana outside, and even the light ceased to exist. The room tensed up, and even Mindarch was sorry for this mess. He overlooked something important, similar to Levandis.


    This upcoming voice was nothing and nobody simple. It was different from what David and Ultium heard. This one reached Razmund and Lint, speaking openly, and even Mindarch voiced his wonder in open hatred.


    [Who do we have here? HUH! What a cheek you have, God! No.... are you... a Judge?!]


    Whatever it was, something descended with a voice of reason, giving Razmund favorable clarity over this mess.

 Chapter 191: Insufferable slaps

    [Sage Sword Disciple, you''ve been going through the length and power of Levandis Temple] A stone-cold male voice said, speaking with clarity and rather surprising power. He completely disregarded Mindarch. It was a much-expected fix, which Mindarch imminently figured. Someone clever was fixing the situation by directly basing their interest on what mattered. They were taking the reigns over this mess like in the Old World.


    This right here, was a Divinity that Razmund felt quite a few times. Not Will of the Battlworld, that Razmund would always recognize. His Voice was always there.


    ¡°What is going on?¡± Razmund demanded, but the voice of this God had limited power and time. He didn''t talk back. He was just here to voice its rules and message.


    [Due to the various problems, there is a flood of information overflowing the Voice. Boosts have been temporarily disabled across the board, but not the way of the Order. Be fit for such chance, mortal, for it is us, Gods, who allow such existence and transparency of this world. It shall be noted that it didn''t disappear completely and that the world shall take its appeal by us]


    [Thus, there is a new source of reason]


    [Promises shall grant you clarity, as your current suggestions, readings, and Encounter act as important sets and pieces in the Sky. It needs some touch, and you shall continue doing what you''ve always done. Stick to what you know and your reward shall be guided to new heights. On Gods, we promise to fix the current problems and you shan''t forget it either. Continue and get stronger and you will be greatly rewarded, for we are watching]


    Razmund didn''t like where this was going.


    Had he heard it right? Boosts ceased to exist and Will of the Battleworld ended up... lost. Disabled? ¡°Wait, this is a joke, isn''t it?¡± He mumbled.


    Then, he began to shake, but no voice came out of his mouth next. Anger, disappointment, and bewilderment all spread over his body and face. He could barely hear the incoming voice that spoke of nothing but empty promises that weren''t fine to take for power or something insane yet. They held no power over the Boosts. Promises made by Gods were fine, but not for him. It didn''t mention any Blessing either, as those were quite personal and often different from Boosts.


    The overview of his achievement in Gate 2 was relatively simple. Promises involved a Level Up, various improvements to his core abilities in terms of Levels or efficiency, and... Sword Intent. Nothing clear was granted. Just empty promises. Most of his abilities were of high Grade, so they were very sensitive to any improvements.


    Razmund depended on his achievement and Boosts a lot, as he couldn''t bother with the Voiceless approach and train without it. Like many, the means to grow without Voice was possible. Razmund knew it since training and his Path delved into this possibility in numerous ways, but Centralis Kingdom didn''t. Frankly, he thought it was absurd how someone could refuse a gift.


    But this world was different and its beings were various. Its Boosts was something that Razmund loved to see and feel. Leveling his abilities without it was a burden that would take dozens of times longer. Lastly, he barely heard some notion about increased attributes by a couple of dozen points. At that point, it felt more like a slap to his face because he was tired and it wasn''t something like reading.


    He did get stronger, sure. The thing about attributes was that they could often mean a blessing, whereas readjustments to normal growth were also possible. The difference was apparent. One would happen gradually with an individual feeling it personally, while the other was a true Boost. Murai felt it in some ways, but his circumstances were kind of unique. Ever since he was a young duckling, he felt both approaches, albeit one was stronger than the other, or they might feel the same.


    Razmund was similar, thus he knew he wouldn''t gain anything out of Islands of Greatness and the mess he endured. Nothing. Emptiness.


    Razmund almost wished to cry as Lint suggested; he still felt creeping exhaustion, while this news truly shook him. He couldn''t stop taking this messenger as a reminder of his hopelessness. There was nothing useful about it. Even the talk about the Will was futile, similar to the comments about the acquisition of Sword Intent that was akin to a Law of Sword that treated all kinds of Paths in a Sword Pathway.


    Will attributes stemmed from his sheer desires and stubbornness, as well as his Path and soul in general. Razmund was a strong-willed individual, but he wasn''t like that when he came here. He grew into this with life in this world as his remedy. It went without saying his Will was as strong as the rest of his attributes. He... got promised a whopping 23 points to his Will. Now, it should''ve been 584. A number that was fairly normal for his past and age.


    The second important promise came to his Vitality, which mattered to his Physique, which wasn''t mentioned at all. It was no surprise.


    At this point, Razmund slapped the shelves with his fist and pushed the sturdiness of some tables to their limits. His anger seeped and hopes were crushed. There will be nothing to push his fatigue away with this sort of mess. He no longer heard a thing out of desperation, obvious to Lint who watched him grow bold and crazy in a blink. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon, the messages filled with promises ended, acting as the vague Order that Razmund hated to his bones.


    Alas, for Mindarch and Lint, these messages were interesting confirmation that things were yet to make sense. They both calmed, taking Razmund''s readings onto Mindarch''s Codex.


    Razmund ended up furious and crashed the table after some smashing and kicks.


    Most of his attributes should''ve gone up by a dozen points, as each was nearing the numerical value of 400. That was fairly impressive, considering he was quite a young human, whose attributes held different meanings to beasts.


    Mindarch took most of this interest for good news, albeit some readings were taken by his surprised and silent confusion. Out of his attributes, Vitality was the highest thanks to his Physique, reaching 390. His Dexterity was second highest with 359, followed by Strenght at 370


    He had a couple of other mentions, but this was about what was important to martial artists like Razmund.


    Also, not a whole lot was that clear, since Razmund didn''t reach a proper reading of anything that the Voice would do, thus most of his core abilities weren''t mentioned at all. He bet he would get some Levels to his Flying Steps and his Raging Bull was the same. Dances were difficult. They held no Levels but considerable heaviness that acted by his endeavors. In that case, they were outside of the Voice and acted as his own achievements thanks to the Manuals he owned. It was similar to the Heavenly Shaping that Murai got.


    Working with his sword and mana techniques still acted with them in mind, since Razmund was always the strongest when he was using numerous things all at once. It was like layering things together. That was his strength.


    Overall, the reasons and his power were still largely unknown by Mindarch, but his acts were not. His time in Gate of Suffering and Islands of Greatness gave enough clarity on what sort of madman and mess this Blessed was. Some of that will go to the Hellscape and become purchasable goods in the Network. Some won''t because there wasn''t enough clarity.


    Razmund didn''t hear anything. He was far too detached in his anger, as his day had been ruined, and his disappointment was immeasurable.


    For Mindarch, this went in expected fashion, unlike Murai, who held an even younger age, so he was prone to clear progress and growth. He even got his Boost right when they ended, so that was wonderful.


    Razmund held the firmness of a human, thus his basic readings and their meanings held their value when one saw him as a whole. From within, that was. Most of what mattered was obvious thanks to things that needed no readings.


    Mindarch watched him enough. His Codex and character were ready. Ever since he stepped onto the Death Valley and faced Thar, all was under his watchful spirit.


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    As for the Mana Core, it wasn''t something crazy, albeit it was a potent Revolving Core filled with Awakened Sharpness. He had nothing else. No Flame, nothing. It was a death-set core filled with the meanings of a Sword Sage. It also seemed artificial and fake, but that was an incorrect judgment.


    This was that sort of core that truly followed its rightful premise and set teachings. Razmund ensured it, or something else did? Boosts could mend and change a lot of things, help understand Laws, and change the cores in a heartbeat as long as there was enough validity to do so, or if some techniques or meaningful manuals were set in place.


    Ridiculous accomplishments were mostly what allowed such changes.


    And as someone who walked Sword Sage Path, even though he had yet to go that far in it, he was powerful. Far more powerful than being allowed to hunt Murai down.


    Lastly, his points towards his Gate came out of Lint''s mouth, reaching quite a few tens of thousands of points. That wasn''t a lot, but not little either. It was well below the average for those in his level and third-time status. As expected, some burdens and deductions happened and he won''t reach hundreds of thousands.


    With these points, he should be able to purchase whatever he wanted, but he held no mind for them whatsoever. Razmund stood there, fists bearing into some shelves. He cracked them apart in under a few seconds.


    ¡°What was that? WHAT!¡± he shouted and swung his arms around. The Dice in his left palm squeezed a weird laughter. ¡°What sort of mess is this, Lint?!¡±


    The godly Divinity was no longer around the room, so he aimed his anger at the sole soul of this place.


    Lint took this to his mouth. ¡°It means that something changed this world, Razmund. Take that to your head or give up. That is all to it.¡±


    ¡°Give up!?¡± Razmund hit the shelve again and stepped toward him. ¡°Without the Order of Voice, the world has turned to shit. Do you even have any idea what it means? Not only to me... but...¡±


    ¡°You crazy?¡±


    [Yea. He seeps of disappointments. What a poor fella.] Mindarch joked.


    Razmund loosened his fist and lightly chuckled.


    ¡°What is so funny?¡± Lint asked. ¡°Have your head hit its limits already? No wonder. No wonder!¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± Razmund felt the world turned to an utter shitfest, but catching his prey was still evident, wasn''t it? If this messenger deemed it worth to continue, he shall do that. It meant something was still watching over him. The one who allowed him this chance. Mending his course of action and watching over his failure or success.


    This large setback won''t change his side, even if Boosts won''t come at him after what he had endured. At the moment, he had enough power to go through everything. Halt of Boosts and Voice was just a small hurdle to his path to greatness.


    His anger and everything subsided, as his breath and mind changed. He accepted this world. He changed his heart accordingly in just a moment. Something crashed it completely before it calmed like a raging storm hit by some nasty things.


    Razmund took a deep breath and calmed down completely. ¡°What were my points again?¡±


    [Quite far from average. 60 349.] Mindarch stated.


    Razmund smiled, thinking about what to do with these. The prices in the Silver Room were more costly, but his points were quite bigger than before. It was no wonder. Gate of Suffering wasn''t all that much about his points as it had fixed rewards.


    ¡°Not even six digits...¡± Razmund clicked his tongue and smiled. Oh, such a weird smile. It looked forced on him, Lint believed in silence.


    Watching the room, at the end of the madness and sudden discovery of the worst things this planet could get beside Murai, Razmund decided on the simplest solution.


    Without speaking, he went ahead and put good use to his Spatial Equipment. He refilled all of the potions regardless of price. He had no choice, so he also got some essences and some healing items up to his level. Some were expensive but since the Boosts could no longer happen, he had to rely on his flesh or external items. Well, he always relied on them, so it was nothing new since they were much quicker and his choice.


    In a sense, it was time to go back to the core roots of the universe. Back to the Old World.


    In most worlds, there was no clarity and order like the Will of the Battleworld depicted.


    Universe was more ruthless for that kind of idea, which made Battleworld kind of unique, yet not less ruthless.


    Nothing should go wrong with his considerable purchases, and he sure bought a lot of stuff that should be helpful for his cause. He didn''t consider reselling anything any longer. With the world in shambles, it was time to think about the bigger picture, so he took quite a few minutes to think and consider what he should be doing and buying.


    He wasn''t any craftsman, so in terms of mana material, he purchased nothing. But he sure saw quite a few things that would resell for immense value if one considered the points as a form of easy currency.


    Unfortunately, Razmund underwent a massive shift and his head was straight like his priorities, which Mindarch and Lint took by surprise. They both underestimated this Blessed.


    Razmund went over this shock lot quicker, or did he hide it so deep, he was looking for an outlet in Gate 3? That could be possible.


    With plenty of Spatial Pouches, and thanks to his focus on what mattered, Razmund purchased everything he needed.


    Now, he held a roughly estimated power to get a small battalion going on a killing spree without any care for their health.


    Besides that, with his killings in the past Gates, he took quite a lot of things from fallen foes, so he wasn''t losing all that much. Which was one of the reasons he thought this non-killing rule was bullshit. The highest degree of loot was weapons since armor ended up mostly cut or destroyed.


    Silent, Razmund was considering the facts of his logic and choices. He doubted he could take his actions far too high at the moment, so his plans for the Hellscape were bound to shift. It was time to moderate his acts and words while taking the upcoming Gate much more seriously than ever before, or even differently, sounded fair even if it meant his plans changed.


    There were no rules set in place, nor did he hold some shackles of his Voice. But Levandis could pose as one, and frankly speaking, he should be happy that fewer things would restrict him, for this place could not possibly shackle him enough. The last Gate hadn''t done so. The next one won''t do so either.


    Still, there were no doubts that Gate 3 sounded much more dangerous than ever with Will of the Battleworld being gone. Well, he was also a part of danger, as he was bound by his eyes and head to make mistakes and whatnot.


    He had a lot of enemies after all, so it was time to think twice before acting, or thrice? Hundred of times? At least in terms of valuables, his pouches should give Extremes a lot of interest, but his mere reputation stemming from the Centralis Kingdom and human race warranted for many to look at him funny. He feared that some nasty devils or demons would make their move out of spite of lacking rules.


    Without anything in the way besides the potential words of Levandis or acts of Mindarch, they could do that. And without any Helpers by his side, Razmund wondered if this incoming situation would end up worse or terrible.


    For him, it could be both. For others, it could be worse.


    If he played his cards well, the situation could be interesting. Not terrible. He overlooked the military for the time being. They weren''t a problem, as with enough power, the individual prowess of such an Order in Hell provided a surprising amount of importance. They won''t move unless they have to.


    Razmund planned to give them no such privilege.


    Thus, his biggest concern was his value. It could force someone on the path of greed that would undoubtedly disregard anything, even if Levandis expressed some force or rules.


    Sword Sage Path mentioned the way of power, individuality, and pain or weight that went with it. It was no ordinary Path, for it was something that validated many swordsmen in ancient times. Now, across the universe, few would call it renown. It was quite similar to many other Paths, but like many, it bowed to one thing alone: Sword Pathway.


    Power. It allowed crushing the opposition, or rules or the lack thereof. No improvements came with some price, similar to acts or plans. Before Razmund was a concept of time about the Old World, a time where training mattered, talents rose to prominence by stepping over the weaklings, and putting on effort was neverending if one wanted to go far. Everything about it was slower than relying on the Boosts, yet Razmund still smiled.


    ¡°You sure are taking a lot of interesting things. You go to a war, hm?¡± Lint spoke aside from him, but Razmund didn''t care for his remarks.


    He was going to a war, he felt.


    Worth ran deep, but not enough to become something that could crash the power and balance to pieces. Perhaps it was exactly the opposite, as power was everything for Gods anyway, though politics and many places relied on large-scale interests due to difficulties God handled in their powerful ways.


    But at the top, everything but power was just an addition that even mortals stuck to.


    It didn''t work like that for everyone, although a little bit of rules always changed everything in certain or unfamiliar ways. Not in good ones, sometimes.


    Material and purchased equipment or Artifacts from that hut could improve one''s power, or change a person to a certain degree. That was a fact that most beings in the Hellscape understood.


    Broadly, after what came with things one could steal, came the skill and hard work, that, under the pursuit of the Battleworld''s ways, was an undeniable stability that validated Boosts. It mended weaklings to get them higher, so the thresholds that some worlds possessed were much narrower in this world, yet still difficult. Even for the likes of the past Old World, it was true that power judged the weakness.


    Will of the Battleworld was an undeniable source of martial arts, powers, abilities, opportunities, and, clarity filled with countless other things. It was a chance that Gods created for many purposes. For most, it was a treasure made for mortals, who took it for a work of art and their livelihoods so they would reach for them for more.


    So for it to flee under their noses, it was more than laughable and terrible.


    That was the Battleworld. A place where battles and power reigned supreme, and it was true to mortals and near-immortal figures alike.


    Soon enough, walking out of the Silver Room, Razmund looked significantly better and calmer than anyone close to him would ever expect. Lint took his face and calmness for slowly creeping disaster since he was silent.


    He was hiding it, though Lint had no way to know how wrong he was. His fatigue was still apparent from the way he was carrying his body or steps. Everything will wait for Gate 3.


    It changed for the better when he saw the corner of no return. Razmund felt how his personality shifted, or he simply accepted the way this new reality worked. Perhaps it would''ve turned worse if he hadn''t owned Sword Sage Manual.


    In Gods, Lint thought. Has he turned insane at last? Human and all, his demeanor changed for the worse for sure.


    He followed behind him after engulfing the room back in fog. Then he turned and heard a sharp sound.


    Razmund smacked his face with clear and accurate slaps. Lint looked at him with a questionable gaze. One should never be clear about the heads of lunatics like him.


    ¡°Oh, that calmed me down,¡± Razmund said, his face red and his arm hurt. ¡°Shoud''ve done that sooner. Crashed some shelves there, haven''t I? Apologies.¡± Razmund scratched his cheek and smiled at Lint, which sent shivers down his spine when he saw his smile and unblinking eyes.


    Lint couldn''t answer. He watched how Ramzund returned to his walk to the end of the tunnel. He believed Mindarch should seriously reconsider and handle what was to come into Hellscape. For now, he flew onward, reaching the light in no time.

 Chapter 192: Dread

    Comforting breeze and wind pushed against the flesh and bones, and Razmund looked down and beyond the horizon. It was a new morning in the Hellscape, obvious by the soft hues of the artificial suns in the ceiling, and mist all over the walls and some parts of the ground. The scenery was the same as he remembered, filling the cave with brightness and size as if he walked into a different world.


    It was quite a view, similar to his current face which was unnaturally calm. Change of ideas was inevitable, but his Hunt remained in his heart. What was below the current platform should trouble him for sure, but he planned to take it as a breeze and push past it.


    Here, it was time to kill or catch the mouse he was meant to chase.


    ¡°What a breeze. Is it the morning already?¡± Lint added.


    ¡°Could be,¡± Razmund couldn''t help but not show his impression of this methodically made Gate. Levandis truly created something spectacular that was unlike any Origin Dungeon, yet still so close to them that he doubted if it was right. All Gates used interesting tactics and ideas, making this place disturbingly foreign and pretty.


    It was the best that Depths could offer for someone sane or insane, or if one was looking for long-term progress and chances, it could be their whole life. Well, as long as one wasn''t from the Surface, since the three-year limit was a very limiting factor that he wondered about to this day.


    One could give up their life and acknowledge Levandis as their God, live here, progress under the Gates, and see a new world. Many humans did so out of greed or opportunity, or simply because they held no other enticing choice.


    Razmund couldn''t understand why there was a limit for entry if Challengers from the Surface meant interest and treasures walking on their own inside. It seemed redundant to stop them, raise and give this temple a taste of a different nature.


    Alas, the might to do the impossible and clash against his place every once in a while did leave its mark. It was impressive in its path, that much Razmund had to acknowledge since the worth and value one could get out of this place was no small matter. Perhapt that was why there was a limit. There was way too much to gain if one wasn''t chained to this place.


    What came with such a journey was anything but normal, as Gates went well with the way of power and clear progression of 100 Levels. After all, establishing powers around the Surface and other Hells, while considering the Sky as well, were all following such impressive heights.


    Enduring nature far below the surface on its own, the flow of power around this place was hardly something Surface could imagine, even if it was not the former place of a Sun God. Now, it was not far from some places, but fewer people were aware of what lived deep down in this place.


    This thing had already operated for many millennia. That much Razmund admired with an honest attitude, less prejudice, and close respect.


    ¡°I see you again, Hellscape on the verge of collapse like the Surface. Is that right?¡± he asked, turning to the stairs after taking a breeze to his face. ¡°I bet the lack of Voice means a lot of things to your place as well.¡±


    Lint didn''t comment but grunted some noises.


    Razmund waited for nothing. Following the stairs, as any human could, he soon ended up in the same halls and rooms as Murai did not that long ago.


    ¡°Wait a bit,¡± Lint said at last. ¡°Things got feisty across the board so you should take your steps and mind closely. So what if a Judge serves as a mediator? You should take things slower.¡± Lint argued, but Razmund didn''t listen. It was true that everything could hunt him now, but he could hunt them back; kill them all too.


    ¡°What about Levandis and Mindarch? Will they take charge of the Order like Judges do?¡± Razmund asked Lint who was flying behind him.


    ¡°Of course! Mindarch is below the bigger league, but he is a big deal. Levandis is...¡±


    ¡°That is enough,¡± he cut him off. ¡°Of course, she will solve the issues because it is nigh important. But again... I have my mission. It won''t change because the world turned to shit. Will Levandis stop me?¡±


    ¡°She could. I think she could.¡±


    ¡°Why would she do that?¡± Razmund said, still appearing calm but his eyes twitched.


    ¡°Encounter has not many fitting chances for Challenger and this chance could cause troubles because of it and your desire to do it. It came here without much choice or grudge. Perhaps she did think it was funny. But now? Seeing the mess around, I think calming it down is much better.¡±


    ¡°She can''t stop me going to my prey,¡± Razmund said firmly. ¡°If she does, it is wrong. Is there a possibility for some remedy? Could Judges intervene if she stops me?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? I don''t want to see or feel repercussions if that happens. Anyway, you should wait to hear some rumors and get information first, before taking things to your head. Got it? It is my hint to you, Blessed mess. Also, nothing much is there to fix yet. Maybe if you will be a good boy and don''t mess with this place, she will accept your tries and hunt as well.¡±


    Surprisingly, Razmund paused, turned to Lint, and nodded with a slight smile. ¡°That sounds acceptable. I will take that idea myself, so let''s hear what this place wants first. Where is my Welcoming Party?¡±


    Speaking of a Party, and Party around the corner, the only things that echoed in the hall were crisp steps and a cluster of armor hitting some plates.


    A small party of lofty figures emerged from the opposite end of the hall, walking side by side and acting tougher than usual. This time, they came prepared for some potential troubles, so their faces and aura were a little bit firmed up than meeting Murai. It wasn''t surprising, Razmund believed, but he wasn''t looking for direct troubles if others wouldn''t do so first.


    Illak went ahead first, his killing intent was no longer subdued and seeped into the surroundings like hot wavy air. Tensing the walls and flow of mana, Razmund recognized him immediately. Illak was a famous General of Levandis armies, known for numerous dramas around the Surface, which included many Mortal Wars and even some Holy Wars.


    Divine Wars were a handful; they hardly happened every couple of years. A lot of things would have to click to push Gods to this sort of madness, which mortals usually didn''t take that well.


    Razmund got shivers on his back, feeling that this Extreme was too much for his current power, but how about some quick moves or tries? Frankly, his time with Thar was no different from asking for a beating, so perhaps this demon was the same.


    Feeling the power of an Extreme was very threatening when it had no stops to save some face. It was tougher, harder to tame, and similarly threatening to Thar when he wasn''t holding back.


    Walking through the hall, they stopped a few meters before cautious, yet patiently waiting Razmund, who stood straight. Handling the claymore''s handle with his left arm, his right was touching some pouch.


    ¡°Greetings Challenger, Blessed, troublemaker, and someone we can kill straight away if we want to,¡± Illak declared. ¡°We don''t plan to do so yet and don''t plan to touch some issues if you don''t touch ours. If you do, mind you, we can take care of this outside or right now. Judge or not, do you think Levandis is afraid? I am not. I will die if I have to quench this interest. ¡± It was an open threatening taunt, filled with deep voice and power.


    Razmund didn''t respond straight away.


    ¡°Name'' Tarzik''Illak. Illak in short, got it? Take it to your head, human prick, lofty Blessed, and someone who took this temple by storm,¡± Illak introduced himself, but this time didn''t fist bump his chest.


    He only took his helmet off, which he had with him this time around, revealing his swirling little tentacles for hair, and stoic, serious-looking face that radiated power and killing intent. His eyes were most notable, unlike the last time with Murai where he kept his aura very hidden for good reasons.


    Now, he had no qualms to give to this human who was a famous troublemaker around this place. It wasn''t their first meeting anyway. At least for how far things could go before or today, Illak had words to say.


    ¡°I was here twice actually. I know what''s up with the outer world, so give me my Token and get this over with,¡± Razmund said, sounding a bit forced and calm. It was a good idea that Lint took with shock. Perhaps he was planning to be calm about this situation.


    ¡°A lofty one is in a hurry? Hmph! Customs are stronger than greed, human.¡± Illak replied and pushed something out of his body like a storm. It was invading, looking like mana, water, and wind mashed together. His hair swirled, and a thick goblet of waves spread, cruising through the air, ground, and walls. It was as if the dam had opened, and the dam was Illak.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°A Domain, eh? You are looking for troubles where there are none.¡± Razmund had to back away and a bit of fear escaped his face. He clutched his Destiny Dice in his left hand, and his right one almost drew the claymore.


    However, he was more clever than insulting. He was in no position to take anything in his heart against this general. If he did, it was as good as giving armies excuses to get rid of him around every corner of this castle.


    It was their place of influence, while gangs and everything else outside were just mild additions that weren''t all that important. For him, there were numerous layers of troubles that Murai didn''t have.


    Razmund knew quite a lot about the current politics of this place, thanks to the constant research of the Centralis Kingdom. There was no way he could keep up with his usual demeanor before this Extreme who was testing him.


    It wasn''t time to switch things up as he did with Thar.


    This wasn''t a true Welcoming Party anyway. He just mentioned it because it was a fitting wording. He could almost imagine a situation where the fourth, or fifth timers went head to head against such enemies in the Island of Greatness, or... was it even possible for a hundred fights to happen back-to-back? High status and continuous challenges were kind of crazy. Razmund doubted his next time going to this temple had any chance of being normal.


    However, he did not doubt that his power would be miles ahead of the current time. In a couple of years, most of the middle portion of his Path Manuals will be under his grasp, while going deeper into this temple would be easier. He would also master his Sword Intent that could only grow stronger. At some point, his Dances and simple swings of his claymore will be a major part of his every move.


    But now, feeling Illak''s power, Razmund felt cold sweat on his forehead.


    ¡°Still standing, yet backing. Not bad, human. You have guts,¡± Illak said and waved his hand forward. ¡°Not even taking that sword of yours ahead seems weird. You seem to want to take this outside, then?¡±


    ¡°It is a claymore,¡± Razmund corrected him but this demonic general didn''t care for being correct. He got his point across anyway, while Razmund seemed to understand his currently tested position. It wasn''t as if Illak wanted to do this either, but a good reminder it was.


    Meeting an Extreme was dangerous and redundant for Razmund. It was dubious for anyone, whether the world was wrong or right.


    So what if it was a sensitive situation? It was why Illak had to attend this welcome. Following his gesture, Illak finished spreading part of his Domain. Then he tossed the Token to Razmund as if he were a dog.


    Razmund caught it, almost crouching to the ground, surprised Illak even gave it to him. The Token looked as he expected: thin, handful, and with symbols of this Gate and Lurrs, looking like a bunch of horns, wings, and runes around it. It seemed his Token hadn''t changed much from the last time, so he took it, storing it in his pocket since keeping it close and secure was fairly important.


    Well, perhaps it wasn''t the case now, considering what an utter shitfest was happening, or what was yet to happen. One could also put this Token to their chest by a pin, but that was an open provocation that rarely sounded right. It was for those seeking roubles, for it was like sticking meat on sticks to a cage of starving lions. Most denizens in this Gate never took it lightly, so Razmund didn''t put it to his chest. Not yet.


    Though he did consider it, first things had to come first.


    That was his prey and change. Thankfully, politics and information should be easy to get by force or money. He wasn''t an Anatiade, whose beastly status was prominent in this place, filled with weird reverie and fervent doubts and fear.


    Razmund had a different yet not-so-strange reputation. He should get every small detail about his prey, and he knew exactly where to look for things.


    Alas, since Murai had a good heads-up, things could be different and difficult.


    After taking the Token, Razmund was calmer around Illak. Giving it to him meant that the Order of this Token was still working, which meant that Levandis was taking these Gates and Challengers seriously.


    That was good news or a questionable decision. Perhaps she couldn''t do much.


    He wished for direct confirmation from Mindarch, but Illak acted with warnings and open threats well enough, looking as if there was something else going on right now. A war, perhaps? Was it some Surface tension, or something going on between this Hell and Surface?


    Razmund was clueless and unwilling to care about it. Only God could change the situation for the better. No Extremes were fit for that unless they were tasked by Gods to forcefully calm some stress.


    Going through the Hellscape won''t take just a couple of hours for him even if his target would be close. It didn''t mean he could catch Murai easily either, but it didn''t mean he couldn''t try some exploit or forceful methods.


    In his way, Razmund was switching his hunt to something else, which depended less on his Dice. He planned to toss it fewer times in this place for sure, thanks to this place that was relatively flat and straight, while the information gathering proved the rest.


    Alas, his foes had better preparations and were hiding somewhere in this wild cave. There was nothing better than adjusting some things when he would know what to expect, meet, and see.


    Raznund knew he was much stronger than his prey anyway; he had full intention to squeeze that duck again and be done with everything. For now, just before his eyes, his true foe was Hellscape and folks like Illak who could appear before his steps and hinder him.


    Regardless, Razmund also had a lofty idea. A solution to his unique problem that no Challengers would have. That was the use of his Hell Party, which must have been running for days already, squeezing Murai between him and his team. Razmund figured that having that card was still a valid alternative, even though it hadn''t come from his head. Personally, he didn''t want to rely on it.


    He doubted his target could escape in any capacity when everything was concerned. Escaping to the Surface might be the sole possibility, which meant Murai would run away from him. It would be a pity for Razmund, whereas some Centralis troops would be more than happy, as they were waiting for that above.


    Oblivious to Razmund, he didn''t even know his Master was there, guarding the entrance like a beat-up dog, and that this temple had another party going into its depths. Even without knowing that some problems were pending, there were still some concerns. Razmund couldn''t tell the effects of his Hell Party and if he still could think of it as something he had to use.


    Using it meant letting his target escape, which Razmund obviously planned to refuse.


    More plans never hurt, his master used to tell. Well, with the world turned to shit, perhaps expecting more was less. Levandis could use her armies and put forth some curfew around this whole temple.


    Could his Party be long gone? No longer ongoing? Wondering about it wasn''t fitting at this moment. What sort of storm was about to start in this Gate was what Razmund wanted, oblivious to Illak''s intentions.


    It was yet to start, so Razmund took a deep breath and reconsidered his needs. It was exactly like Lint said. Information was crucial. Not being an idiot was another thing.


    ¡°So, what then? Can I leave already, or what do you wish for when you treat me like a vagabond, general?¡± Razmund asked calmly, almost bowing to this Extreme.


    ¡°I am about to give you some piece of advice, human.¡±


    ¡°Don''t need one.¡±


    ¡°Didn''t ask,¡± Illak grunted, forced his Domain again, and stepped forward. ¡°Any bad move and you are free to seek your End. Leave the general population out of your sight.¡±


    ¡°Sure, but what if they won''t?¡± Razmund endured his pressure, showing no sights of nerves in his tone when the pressure washed over him.


    ¡°Cut them,¡± Illak said. ¡°It is how power works. You prefer it.¡±


    Razmund chuckled even after a power pushed his knees. He realized how funny this sounded because of his last Gate. Domain around this room felt like massive boulders weighing on his every knuckle. Squeezing his body to remain straight, his core was strong enough to fuel his Physique and keep up with this.


    His body had yet to get any healing item or potion, so he took it by not doing the usual course.


    ¡°Sounds like a valid concern. Sure, but I have my target in different eyes. Other than that, with the Token in clutch, what about the portal?¡±


    ¡°Mindarch will adjust it in a while. Now... it is time for some last reminders. Prepare yourself...¡± Illak tensed up and stepped forward, cracking his fingers and leaving his assistants behind.


    Razmund frowned when he discovered problems arrived for him instead of him looking at them. How unusual.


    ****


    As the course of Fate was happening in steady, yet forged or meaningful ways, situations in the depths of this temple were bad for one little person. In a mountain-wide and tall room, Manager Kil crawled on the ground, feeling despondent, and knowing that most rooms were tall. They couldn''t be something else, for they would have to be made for ants or birds.


    The ground and walls were glowing all around him, representing words and messages of all kinds as if there were a bunch of papers all over everything. It surrounded him, close to his face and eyes, pressing missions and problems, and everything into him.


    Screw you, Ravine, Manager Kil thought. Screw you, the one who cracked that spirit. What am I meant to do with everything as it is now? Why is everything so dogshit? This isn''t under any jurisdiction, nor did my Lady ever state what to do. It almost feels like a war, or... her End. Just what to take this for? Is it even within my weight and pay grade?


    He didn''t like how the symbols and constant messages glared at him from below and all sides. Then, the worst things were in front of him, but tall and high in the air. Those were massive screens of grey light, runes, languages, and words. There were dozens of them hovering before crawling Kil, picturing a place called Screening Room that was part of the Codex and Network. All of these were workings that Mindarch empowered and Levandis cherished.


    It was just a bit of an overall Codex. That was about it.


    Below Manager Kil was a waterfall of problems, depicting pleas for help, information, words, or tasks by those in need of something small or important. Everyone was worried, hoping for some clarity, it seemed, and flowing to this room... and Manager Kil was just one lone Tontati. He ignored most of it, unwilling to accept anything since everything seemed important, yet insane at the current time. Be it from the Surface, some spies, or unhappy members of Levandis''s Legions or Gods under her Temple, it all went downhill.


    He was panicking and crying over this mess for the past day, unwilling to admit that he had no way to help.


    And he was meant to help.


    I am a failure, Manager Kil thought, shedding a tear.


    By a simple few numbers at some corner, glowing in wide and thick digits, more than a day had passed since Will of the Battleworld and its Boosts ceased to exist.


    For Mindarch, it was nothing terrible. For most living things, it was the exact opposite, so all he could do was show Manager Kil some sincerity, but deep down, didn''t care about this mess. As long as Ravine was fine in any hand, it was not worth crying over this temporary mess. It was an idyllic idea stemming from something very old and devoid of normal life. Frankly, the Gods will fix it.


    This is just one minor hurdle in this age, Mindarch said a few hours ago. Though it is something that very few beings can grasp or get. I mean, Ravine is one thing, but the... one who did it is questionable. Why? What for? Why here?


    Manager Kil hit his head against the ground, hoping for some sleep. It didn''t help.


    Touching and messing with Ravine was like slapping Lordis in the middle of his backyard, so who managed to do it so cleanly? Mindarch and Manager Kil wondered about it to this very moment, though one of them knew the truth.


    Manager Kil didn''t care even if he knew the answer. At least he would know where the point of his frustration was. He got depression after the first hour of this madness, which was apparent on his face and teary expression as he crawled around the Screening Room.


    He wasn''t happy, much to his Lady, who, instead of being worried, laughed and took this topic and idea like a blessing that should''ve never happened. It was funny to her in all honestly, as it was clear that a piece of Lordis''s beloved hope was missing, and that the Sky wasn''t calm or pretty.


    It was worth a celebration for someone like her.


    Manager Kil understood it and did care for it. He knew many implications that not even his peers would know. Part of it was because of his status as caretaker of this whole temple, albeit most of it was caused by taking care of Mindarch''s Codex and this room. He understood how Gods worked and what sort of desire this world possessed. He was aware of Ravine and some secrets, though it meant a tight knot akin to an oath.


    Up and around this place, the screens glowed and surrounded him, showing mess and clutter of no pictures or words for the time being, because Manager Kil didn''t want to see anything and anyone. He gave up.


    Some of them should depict parts of his current interests and worries, but they could come and go, switch, and change in a heartbeat because Mindarch was the one creating them. Manager Kil was the one barking orders and doing work. Usually. Not now, even if this was his office.


    Mindarch was present at all times with part of his conscience, giving screens life and flowing moving mass of greyish energy, which could move with black and grey hues to create pictures or moving films or create words or runes.


    Against Manager Kil''s requests, there were some moving pictures of people, humans, beasts, or some specific situations around the Gates, buildings, or areas. Most of it was around the temple, but some were showing Hell Haven or the Death Valley.

 Chapter 193: Bliss

    Mindarch''s area of influence didn''t encompass the whole Seventh Death Forest, let alone the Surface. For that, he would need a sort of upgrade that wasn''t available on this planet. Or it was, but Levandis was unable to guarantee its validity or existence, or if it was something she could even handle on her own.


    For Manager Kil, this meant good news. More work meant more problems anyway.


    His little hands were kind of full right now.


    [Now, now, don''t cry on me, Kil.] Mindarch mocked little Tontati, speaking softly around the room.


    ¡°Is the world ending?¡± Manager Kil mumbled. ¡°Tell me it is ending. Tell me that they are coming. This work will go on until I see my own End, won''t it? Is there a remedy for that? I see screens... Years passing by. I see livelihood disappearing under my grasp, moving like water and a sense of despair.¡±


    [Wanna make a poem out of that?]


    ¡°I feel dreadful...¡±


    [Kind of fitting for this current pace and place, isn''t it? World aflame, this sort of melancholy reeks of poems.]


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Manager Kil snapped, growing some balls and getting to his feet. Shoving his finger up and around many screens, one of them flickered into the rough appearance of Mindarch''s foggy face.


    [Wanna know how pretty you are right now?] Mindarch mocked him. [Not the prettiest you are.]


    ¡°What is Le... Lady doing right now?¡±


    [Laughing and eating through the despair. Oh, and she considered the happenings in Gate 3 the most. It seems... the population in there is in a pickle. Not food, but...]


    ¡°No shit!¡± Manager Kil cut him off. ¡°Other Gates with less population take things better since there are no weaklings and reputation matters. She is the Ruler! Everyone at Gate 6 and below knows what''s good for them. Weaklings don''t, while... it isn''t everything. Nothing is.¡±


    [Wanna slaughter Gate 3 as a whole?]


    ¡°Wanna smack that screen apart?¡± Manager Kil tightened his tie, shoving his fist and cracking his aura onwards, darkening the surroundings, pressing his Gravity as if this place was in the middle of the Void. He flickered the screens around him, messages in the walls included, and most flows around this room stopped flowing.


    [Oy, no threatening here. Where the hell do you think you are?]


    ¡°One world... One word.¡±


    [No. This won''t stop, so stop being a miserable Tontati. It is terrible for your race. So small and good, yet you ended up like this... How sad. It isn''t as if you can change the situation anyway, so don''t act as if you can do anything about a single message or the screens. Levandis knows it. She is kind of lacking anyway, unlike my former master. She can be understanding like him, but she is more ruthless, savage, and wrong on so many levels, that one often wonders if she is right instead. You are included as Tontati, whereas she is like a big queen.]


    ¡°Don''t try me!¡± Manager Kil shouted. ¡°I got her task. Gonna finish this to the last shred of time and conscience I''ve got. I... promised.¡±


    [Gonna be your End instead. Wanna show some things around?]


    Some screens flickered, showing Levandis in her room all happy and feasting. There were some... devils. Men too. All naked. Blood spilled. Food disappeared.


    ¡°Nah.¡± Manager Kil waved his hands in embarrassment and didn''t want to see anything.


    The screens flickered again, showing a rare Divine Party that crashed the entrance and Undead Army alike. It was one of the funniest sights Mindarch had seen in a long time and that blackmail that forced Levandis to adapt was most peculiar. After all, it wasn''t something even Mindarch knew, so it put a lot of curiosity in his spirit.


    Ceila already crushed Gate 1. Behind her, Paladins followed her every step. She continued onward without caring for face or consequences, or what Mindarch was sending at her to assess her power and her Paladins. So far, nothing touched them, thus creating confusion as this party was way more powerful than Mindarch thought.


    Mindarch let them slide because they had Levandis''s blessing to go into the temple without any deep aversions, sets of ridiculous requirements for completions, or some curses. Manager Kil couldn''t touch them either; he didn''t even consider them to be important. They were just another mess to the overall pictures of these screens, and frankly, if his Lady accepted them, he did too.


    Her voice was a rule, even if it was filled with some sense of blackmail or whatnot. So Ceila went on, killing and taking Mindarch''s challenges for little annoyances. Undead went and became dust, beasts became torn flesh, while some demons might have been unnecessarily arrogant in their Ends. Even some Divine Beasts growled as they became mincemeat under weapons from the Divine Kingdom.


    Levandis used none of her important cards; she just greenlit Mindarch to spend appropriate fools and important parts of the temple''s constructs to see what that clever fox Vermillion sent her. The most passable ones were old tech, golems, and pieces of her undead.


    Levandis refused to give them an easy time, but not as if it was good or bad. She was just petty. Lazily petty.


    ¡°Take that away!¡± Manager Kil didn''t want to see them.


    [Sure. Sure.]


    The screens flickered again, showing a familiar side of the Encounter that this little Tontati didn''t hate.


    Murai was sitting on a plush bed, looking as if he was dreaming or sleeping. His Will was gone deep into the Heavenly Shaping Manual that was open in front of him, glowing in bright mana and resting on the bed.


    [Wanna bet what he does with Pillage?] Mindarch said. [I have numerous plausibilites and what they could mean. Heavenly Shaping is peculiar, similar to the sense of direction that followed that book. I mean, how does it even work? For years, it looked like dogshit, while taking it out was more than weird. It was just a while ago too, otherwise, it would rot in her garden.]


    ¡°Can''t care about it,¡± Manager Kil refused.


    [Shouldn''t we at least talk about that Beast Sect, followed by Old One''s attempts, growth, and how he got it? What will it do? What wilderness will it change, or what sort of option it will create as its new foundation?] Mindarch wondered to no bitter end. It was extremely gratifying entertainment. He was ecstatic to see Murai''s unknown.


    ¡°We have limited connection to such sect. Don''t try me. I am fully fixed on Levandis. Whatever this cursed duck does and will do is no longer my problem.¡±


    [Bullcream. You are just lazy and depressed. You would be more than willing to be interested. After all, you did what you did before. It is your race that matters to you. No need to lie. Then, you have your ideas and her interest. This is the same thing. So yes. You are very insulting to yourself, which means to her too. Liar.]


    Manager Kil grunted, huffed a breath, and secured his tiny arms around his chest, appearing tougher than he looked. ¡°That is wrong. Does my care make some sense? Is it something good? Anatidaes are wild beasts, while Pillage was an old fool who died so long ago, that Tontati were just a small race beneath the Fairies. That Manual was here for a long time, yet I still question why and where this is supposed to end. Then, the question remains why did that ghost bring that to him, when... it shouldn''t have been available to begin with, right? Who took it there? You? Levandis? It didn''t go through my hands.¡±


    [Age is a tough thing to beat, little Kil.]


    ¡°Says someone who is older than any God in this world.¡±


    [Oh,] Mindarch seemed hurt, his ghostly face grimaced in one little screen. [Well, it isn''t wrong. Nevermind. That is true. You just don''t want to accept that Levandis cares for something else than your little head.] Mindarch sounded apologetic.


    ¡°Stop showing me him and that.¡±


    [You were curious about it yourself, don''t like to me. This is fun! I will show you something nicer. Make you forget the current mess.]


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°No!¡± Manager Kil flapped his arms around and ran in circles, but no matter what, the screens followed him behind, shoving Murai''s face in numerous histories straight to his face. There were many interesting fights, moves, faces, and powers Midnarch crisped up and improved.


    [Aha! You are dishonest. Don''t refuse me. You are curious little Overlord. The smallest I''ve ever met.]


    ¡°And you are a wide and big aloof idiot.¡±


    [Awww. Stop praising me! I will grow bold and grey. Ah! I am already grey! Fuck. I will get older! Ew.]


    In the end, Mindarch kept Murai out of the picture, even though the topic of the Pillage Emperor was still pending as an interest that wasn''t something forgotten and not important. Mindarhc cleverly ended the curious question that showed some of Manager Kil''s troubles. After all, that Manual wasn''t simple and Levandis did take it for a great spoil of war. It was something Manager Kil knew, as history in this world was a very important topic to him.


    One way or the other, Levandis tolerated the loss of that Manual with a smile on her face, which was all that Manager Kil needed to know. But it worried him what it meant for open reason alone. That ghost. That chance...


    It was an interesting event that Manager Kil didn''t want to consider because of his current depression. He would think about it if he could.


    Yet, nothing else mattered when the Hell Haven acted for most cares of its Ruler, and the world stopped spinning right.


    Murai was still a different kind of a headache, similar to Razmund, who flashed at some screens before disappearing in a heartbeat after Mindarch deemed his topic as a bother that wouldn''t put something funny into Kil''s heart or face.


    But then, Mindarch remembered an excellent idea.


    He flashed some screens, making many of them more fancy and crisp. Many large sides of Lisa, with David and Ulitum aside, were surrounding a table, taking care of their plans. This was a picture from the past, Mindarch knew, but they would get the job done.


    Things changed, so they were no longer in Helltrim City because more than a day had passed since that curious Pledge.


    [What about these? Could they solve your Dread?]


    ¡°No. Nothing will. What are you even doing with showing me these?¡±


    [To cheer you up.]


    ¡°How... nice,¡± Manager Kil sighed. ¡°I am fine... but Gate 3 and the world isn''t with them in the way of that Encounter and Hunt. It got elevated with their involvement. Lost Brothers are... not weak. Hell Haven is growing in crisis. Nothing that some power could count, but why is it the case that everything went wrong so quickly?¡±


    [Without Boosts in sight, even I can''t work that well. The Will of the Battleworld kept the world in peace. Relative peace.]


    Manager Kil gave him a long look, knowing that Will of the Battleworld was pivotal in the arts of war and essential in creating missions that could potentially end in all kinds of wars, create them, or pivot many politics with rewards seen by Gods. That was the height of things as far as mortals were concerned. There were mountains worth of other topics, turning the world into a fitting position and growing it into what it should be.


    The Will of the Battleworld was simply essential in letting things remain as they should. The less developed a power was, the more they depended on it. Mostly in hopes, that was, second to actual benefits and view that power was obtainable with less bother.


    Hell Haven shouldn''t be depending on it, but tell it to the place close to Chaos that... for once, relied on and cherished in the Boosts. It was hard to overlook how useful it was, so most places took the lack of it as a bad thing.


    ¡°So, what will happen next? What are your suggestions and plans?¡± Manager Kil asked, hoping to shift his attention and topic to something else than these screens.


    [They have plans,] Mindarch zoomed into the sitting triplet of interesting figures. Some were more interesting than others. Manager Kil knew them all, so he eyed the screens, knowing that what they were talking about must be difficult for them. For him, it was just another day. He didn''t want to listen to anything or see a face.


    [They are plotting some interesting things. Wanna help them? Hear them? I am listening, unless...well, I can be sneaky. Get you some pictures or even voice mails if you want.]


    Manager Kil grew a little restless, yet didn''t refute him. ¡°Do you want to help them so much, you cheeky little spirit? Behind her back?¡±


    [Says a little person. But yes. It seems possible right now if Levandis wants to show it some interest or flow. If she won''t, we can still help them. You or me, it doesn''t matter to me.]


    ¡°Why would we do that? Wait.. you would go behind our backs?¡±


    That was a good question that Mindarch expected.


    So he showed him a few screens with Razmund, facing Illak in a tense-up hall. [I planned to. The opposing Side just arrived at Gate 3. Fresh but tired, Boostless, and less full of shit than I thought. He took the loss of his Voice well. Way too well...]


    ¡°I... see. So? He is a Blessed seeking his prey and his history and power are varied and weakness is for weaklings. He is... neither. Then we have... On Gods, not again! You overlooked Old One''s task! Ip''ur Mountain is...¡± Manager Kil shook and glanced at some flowing large words down below, almost crawling through them. He lost his voice when the room tensed and something was coming and changing.


    Work.


    Job.


    A visit?


    [Oh, Levandis is getting somewhere... Oh! Here? Physically as well.]


    Suddenly, the space shuddered and a thin red line appeared aside some of the screens. As if walking through veils of soft silk, Levandis walked into the Screening Room, half-naked, but she didn''t care. No one here should care.


    At least she had the conscience to wear her robe that enunciated her long red hair, buoyant hips, breasts, and long legs.


    Manager Kil kneeled in a second, not uttering a peep, unlike some cheeky spirit.


    [Welcome. Welcome on this joyous occasion. What might you want here, my... master? Can I show you something nice?] Mindarch said and didn''t even bother hiding any of the surrounding screens or mess around the walls that he showed to Kil.


    Levandis glanced around in wonder, watching the screens surrounding Manager Kil. Most showed zoomed Lisa in numerous possess, some of which were clearly manufactured, made up through Mindarch''s enchanted imaginations and giving her a crisp look and nice figure. Secretly, Manager Kil was impressed.


    Her smile was perfect like most of her enchanted properties. In a sense, she looked less like her current profile and even stranger than her former one.


    It was within his plan.


    ¡°What do we have here?¡± Levandis asked.


    [Just depressed Tontati,] Mindarch said, turning and changing a bunch of his screen before her face, [and a bunch of other problems.]


    Levandis regarded him with a smile.¡°Is that so? Problems, I mean.¡±


    The screens flickered and Lisa''s perfection disappeared like ink to water. Instead, many curious pasts arrived into the grey and black. One showed Lisa touching and moving her sona right into a sitting Murai who was lost in his Boost. It was unknown if this picture happened in the previous Gate, or the one before that. In fact, it wasn''t just one side. Others were showing similar things.


    A different screen showed Murai''s struggle in Island 93 where the crazy battle happened and a single elven boy struggled to keep his life.


    That one piqued some of their interest, and Midnarch hoped Levandis would address it in some way.


    She didn''t and only scoffed at them.


    [Problem? Oh, yes. Big bad. Big trouble. Those pictures, those screens. I am full and reading.]


    ¡°So?¡± Levandis shrugged and glanced around as if she was bored. A lot of other things were on her mind, and Mindarch recognized that she was lazy and horny.


    Mindarch pivoted some of them. [I am curious about something.]


    One showed Murai and that elven boy and a successful defense mission that changed a lot of things.


    There was also an issue with that armor.


    ¡°That one? Oh, defense. I reckon one gets what one is worth. Poor little things. I support a chance where one changes. It is adequate.¡±


    [Poor? Good...] Mindarch raised his voice and pivoted the other ones to her face.


    These screens were about Razmund; a big shift and change, as well as a strange bond.


    A little girl standing in an arena, surrounded by nothing and nobody. Approached by Razmund, she was death set on her End and aware that she wasn''t getting out of this alive. Monsters will kill her. She was a slave to her time and...


    Razmund clutched her neck, whispered to her, and snapped her of her life in a moment.


    For dramatic effect, Mindarch included the voice.


    ¡°I am sorry, slaves of hell and people have no remedy. Consider it as my mercy.¡±


    ¡°How melodramatic,¡± Levandis sighed and at least her eyes frowned a little.


    [Nothing else?]


    ¡°Nothing worth mentioning. I have described the rules. Are you saying something else?¡±


    [Hm... Why have you let that Judge interfere? I could have sent him back where his Authority remained.] Mindach shifted his topic, moved screens away, and changed some of their content.


    ¡°Pissing off any Judge is a terrible idea. After all, I have a representative there, and things are a little sensitive in my place right now, aren''t they?¡± Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [They could be worse if I am honest but...]


    Levandis stepped forward and glanced around one more time until her eyes stopped at a kneeling little person.


    ¡°Is he that depressed watching his purpose turn to this, or are those screens that bad?¡± she asked, walking ahead without showing much change in expression, but some screens showed interesting things that piqued her eyes. Some, she didn''t know, but she felt as if she should.


    [He likes to pretend he is, I think?]


    ¡°I bet he does. Anyhow, I got my fill of bliss so it is time to get ahead of myself. I want to address my Authority and Divinity,¡± Levandis laughed, smiled like a devil she wasn''t, and eyed the little Overlord. She decided to focus on things that mattered rather than watching these screens. ¡°Now, do you want to hear my plans to fix this mess, my little subjective tools?¡±


    [I grew bold!] Mindarch said and reforged his curiosity.  [Or so... I think? How does one grow older in my capacity? Is it the stress? Tones? Could I be darker, or is it about the greyness? Could my Laws strain themselves and let my voices grow old? Oh!] He panicked, imagining the results, and hated it straight away.


    Levandis was used to him by now, so she didn''t give him any privileges over her answers.


    Manager Kil loved her idea as he knelt. He knew things changed from that time in her dining hall. Half of that time no longer mattered, if not more.


    Vermillion crushed that completely apart, but he didn''t know much about it because of his depression.


    Levandis did, thanks to Mindarch.


    [Yes, talk to me.] Mindarch changed his mind and cheered, showing a bunch of starry and exploding screens around the room. It was a wonder from where this scenery originated from.


    ¡°For a good start, Hunt in Gate 3 shall start with many of my interesting subjects and ideas. Clever ideas, I might add, so listen to me and talk to me, as you will be dealing with it. I will watch aside.¡±


    [How do you wish it, or... how well it is right? Mind you, some things worry me, as you are kind of ignorant of what can occur over your land, head, or straight under your palms.] Mindarch showed a bunch of screens in her field of view, showing Murai, Razmund, and Ceila. Even that room with figures around the table was there, but Levandis waved her hand, shattering the screens to mist.


    ¡°Get lost. Not now. Perhaps later there will be time for that.¡±


    [When is when?]


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Levandis perked up, showing a smile to one screen aside that showed a ghostly smile. ¡°You are usually not that demanding or pressing.¡±


    [Because. This is still my home. It matters to me even if it was stolen and honed to a different kind.]


    ¡°I do want to talk to you about some things then, Archie,¡± Levandis smiled, showing no small affected on her significant helper. ¡°But some things need more attention. I don''t have time for everything, nor does it count.¡±


    Mindarch sighted, thinking that some Rulers do what Rulers want. After noticing that she stubbornly refused to elaborate further, Mindarch accepted her reasons.


    She explained what she wanted, standing and seizing the situation for her own good. It wasn''t time for the Encounter to shine completely. She wouldn''t mind it, but the Hunts were one of her favorite things about Gate 3 she personally created. Her work and tries won''t solve the entire situation in her temple. Just Hellscape.


    For now, it was what interested her. She shouldn''t care for the Surface, so she didn''t, while that divine party had more than enough reason to validate her lacking voice.


    Manager Kil straightened his back, accepting that things wouldn''t be calm even with her voice of reason. He overlooked some things. Perhaps it was better to let them be as Mindarch stated all those days ago.


    Good, he thought. I was getting worried that I was making a fatal mistake. Now, my Lady will do them instead. Great!


    But then, he realized that Levandis wasn''t often sticking her fingers to the business of the Challengers, so perhaps this wouldn''t end well either.

 Chapter 194: Clash! Illak greets Razmund

    Feeling the tensions and control that long surrounded the air and the hall, the air thickened and made breathing harder. Razmund felt his knees creaking and his head hurting.


    Illak''s Domain was stretching around the wall and nearly cracking them apart, letting Razmund know that Illak was no longer testing him. He was straight up approaching him to crash him in his sense of justice and reminder.


    Like welcoming new rookies, this Extreme wanted problems. Good. Illak had all the reasons to give this Blessed his deserved attention that most likely came from someone else. This wasn''t his idea. Razmud believed this was intentional and pushed forward because of his problems with this place.


    But he wanted his prey more than this place.


    Step by step, Razmund backed away and by some weird logic, ended up hitting the wall with his back.


    Weird, he thought. I thought I was seeing enough powerhouses of this world to get my steps in mind. I guess it is still early for me to take Domains for something small. Like a Sage. One has to keep these people in mind before becoming like them one day. Just wait...


    He wasn''t at the end of the hallway, but at the side, near the window that showed nice views of the Helltrim City. It was no longer that elevated, showing the starting Sectors of the Hellscape. It showed most of the Helltrim City below, presenting numerous streets, some figures, and many military barracks below this castle.


    Illak wasn''t using a small amount of power, but his Domain wasn''t expanded far, as he squeezed just part of it to keep this castle intact. Well, he had seen the walls cracking and some pictures falling. He still let his power onwards, impacting the space and gravity of this situation. It was his effective way to dominate reality with his Path, but it was far away from true Authority. It was like describing a boulder and a mountain, though the boulder could still push through a lot of things.


    Domains were kind of hard to maintain and manage, let alone get or learn. Having them in any capacity meant holding the power to influence the outside world by mastering the inner workings of oneself. It could be anything. Mana was predominantly close to the Domains, as it was mysterious and magical, allowing the workings of the Domains to work better. How to handle and master it was barely something teachable. It was far too influential and complicated, giving the individual unique issues or specific powers.


    One could influence the world with Sharpness, cutting things from afar, or letting physical swords reach another level. Flames would become more alive, wild, or meaningfully enthralled over one''s flesh or body, causing explosions or heat to envelop wide areas or specific locations. It could be part of the body as well, guiding someone as if it was alive.


    Illak was influencing the outside world, or the Domain simply went out the moment he let it out, not pausing it or limiting it, so it acted on its own.


    Domains were a rare power that most Extremes held, and rarely did someone beneath that rank get or understand them. It wasn''t necessarily a part of some Path. It was a simple way that mana or a person grew, giving one a blessing that meant something significant. In a sense, it was a lofty idea stemming from the trees of the Divides and mana. It wasn''t common below Level 70, though some rare or talented beings could manage to understand some of their weakest forms.


    The true powerhouses of this planet would have such powerful Domains, that one would wonder if they were valid. It poised a different understanding than Laws, albeit most of them were interconnected between them and oneself.


    They were hard to seek, let alone master. Like the Sword Intent that Razmund harbored without any Boost or outer help, Domains were a power he understood, yet didn''t have.


    It wasn''t under his priorities, but one day, he would get it. Sword Sage Path promised that kind of power, as it held nearly anything under the heavens of swords.


    Domains ranged in rank, Grades, and levels, thus there were differences between them since this world still put them through its leveling or reading possibilities. Illak let out a weak huffed version of his full Domain. If he went all out, parts of this castle would blow up and Razmund would become a mangled mess.


    As one of many demonic races in Hell Haven, Illak eyed the Surface Challengers with disdain and hard feelings. It was kind of honest, which was something Razmund couldn''t refute.


    He was the same, thus it was fine to respect it in some way.


    Some would love to disagree with that, challenge his Sword Intent which was almost escaping from him touching the handle of his claymore. Ever since he got the gist of it, the handle and pouch were barely managing his effort to keep the unkept feelings sheathed. It wanted out; cut things.


    Perhaps he could unleash everything, trying to seek a way out, or just knock onto this domain and shout that he wasn''t some weakling. The pressure kept rising, not stopping even when he stopped by the wall.


    The pressure of the Domain lingered, obvious by the purplish colors around Illak and the air and walls. It prevented anyone from moving, but most of it was aimed onward, focusing on Razmund as Illak demanded without any word or act. Aside, Lint was speechless and frozen.


    Razmund wondered about Illak''s control and words. Perhaps it was a fraud and he barely managed to find a reason to do it. Well, that was wrong.


    Illak was a powerful Extreme under the direct rules of his Lady. He needed no excuses in the present world.


    ¡°Yet another warning, Blessed,¡± Illak repeated, lowering his head and looking at near Guide, Lint, with a headache in his consideration. He hoped he wouldn''t end up punished for creating a ruckus in this place because of this. Such people like him weren''t meant to touch weaklings. It was against the rules that Will of the Battleworld dictated, and even Hells were¡ªmostly¡ªfollowing it out of nothing but respect for its rules and Boosts. Some individuals didn''t care for something like balance in Levels and lives, thus acting like the Old World that long departed. Now, it was nothing but a fact.


    Some Gods or people still judged it would be better to act as if nothing happened, for the Gods and their benefits close to them.


    Razmund cocked his head down, eying his handle.


    ¡°Don''t stir trouble, or you will die a dog''s End,¡± Illak declared.


    ¡°S-shut up,¡± Razmund forced those words out, filling his body with unwillingness and itch. His hand itched to draw his claymore, creasing the handle in a cold sweat. He knew better than to swallow such reminders or a test, yet Illak wasn''t holding back his words. This was the difference between them. A weakling and powerhouse.


    Perhaps it should have been different.


    ¡°You fear drawing your blade, do you? Does killing you stop something big or important? Perhaps the world will cherish it, but could it fix anything right now? The world isn''t operating right. Would I gain anything from touching you? Could I even touch you? Could it all end? Encounter, I mean,¡± Illak wondered, pausing and briefly causing his Domain to waver because of his emotions.


    ¡°You would feel good about it no matter what, wouldn''t you?¡± Razmund asked. ¡°Many would be happy. Others not. Gods, I imply. They are behind every Encounter and this is no different. You better not touch me... Levandis should know better than that.¡±


    Illak laughed, putting his hand to his mouth as his back bent down. It wasn''t a mocking laughter, but one filled with delight.


    ¡°A lofty one, hm? You are better than the average third-timer, but your starting times were kind of young, thus your status is kind of unfit for the average ones. You see, most third-timers are all those who eye the Laws and hope to touch the Extremes. They want a challenge. Push. You don''t, so what does it make you?¡± Illak stopped laughing and pointed his hand onward. Instead of retracting his Domain forth, allowing Razmund to take a breath, the Domain expanded, pushing the walls in cracks and limits.


    Razmund felt the wall pushing against him, or he was doing that instead, so he seized his heart and took a step onwards.


    ¡°You wanna try me that much? Crash something you better not touch,¡±


    ¡°Nothing but to seek your chance. That is all.¡±


    ¡°Does Mindarch want it?¡±


    ¡°Military does.¡±


    ¡°Lurrs?¡±


    ¡°Those... too,¡± Illak said hesitantly, figuring that his honesty was far too of a problem. He didn''t like to lie. That was a problem that stemmed from his lifetime in the military and games with Levandis.


    Razmund figured if someone wanted to his limit, where else to get that than by force?


    He knew why it happened. His readings should be less than vague, or straight-up confidential, or... Mindarch had trouble getting proper readings out of him. How? His battles in Islands of Greatness were challenging and honest, yet he hadn''t shown anything wrong. He fought and did his best, giving Mindarch the most reasonable pictures and ideas about his strength.


    But the Voice was the justification.


    Mindarch wasn''t.


    Perhaps nobody knew the exact meaningful numbers and letters of his powers besides himself. Well, Mindarch should guess something, while Razmund knew that without Boosts, he should forget about a lot of things.


    At the start, his fight with Thar wasn''t even a real fight, and he had grown significantly since then. Now, he had no qualms about Thar''s fingers. He would challenge his whole hand.


    Without waiting or pretending to be weak any longer, Razmund took a large breath, drawing his claymore in a heartbeat. Seizing control over the Domain without having one was kind of complicated, as it was close to going against a large mountain. But this one followed the mana and power of some physical Path that Illak owned. If he was limiting it, it was possible to look for its shortcomings.


    Razmund had all good points to clash against this partially expanded Domain. First, he started with the simple slash, followed by a flock of mana that changed as he arranged forth his Sword Intent.


    It changed everything about his slash, as Sword Intent directly modified the Sharpness and his mana midway through his swing, giving it more speed, sharpness, and near invisibility. It was hardly different with the naked eye.


    Sword Intent was harsh, dwelling into the Will of the swordsman and the sword itself. Some of those things hadn''t gotten clearer since he got it. It just got easier to unleash, but it was still no proper technique because he had less time implementing his Path''s Manualt towards it. For now, it was about concepts in sword arts that pushed and changed some limitations. It was like getting a vague sense of duty and sword, closing on the whispering Laws.


    In the past day, Razmund''s power increased, becoming sharper, and the power of his claymore more than doubled.


    It wasn''t some transformation. It was close to a second Awakening that increased swordsmanship like the sharpening of a sword. That was the first stage in Sword Intent; if barely that. Razmund believed how he cut Marshal Luno was anything but abnormal. He was spent back then, empty. The cut was almost pointless. It held nothing. No weight. No heart. Just sheer weight as he swung and cut forward.


    That was not your regular cut. Razmund was yet to fully duplicate that timing, but he figured out ways to replicate similar moves through trial and error, while his Dances and simple tries after his fight with Luno bore some results. After all, his enemies were strong and his strategies were narrow.


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    In simple terms, Sword Intent went through his claymore and back, acting around his mana and core, but also shifting some truths about his Will. Truths were a bit more complex, but it was a good start. Intents weren''t stored in the core, head, or body. As its name suggested, Sword Intent was fitting for the sword to carry, and the one handling it was its bearer.


    Razmund''s was quite hefty and long, named claymore for a good knock in naming sword schemes, looking long, heavy, and hard to wield. It wasn''t the most optimal weapon at all, yet which could be called perfect? A simple sword? Straight and less than a meter long, palm wide at the start of the handle, and reaching a sharp end?


    Simplicity was art, yet wasn''t a claymore just a big version of that simple sword? Razmund disagreed with that; his Manuals carried all the answers he needed, including masterful facts about the former Sword Sage. There, he learned that questioning swords didn''t matter. That he could always knock on the Sword Intent, as there were no Claymore Intent. That wasn''t how Intents worked. It was still a sword but made in a way and style to fit a new name. One could even think of swords in vague terms, making up things such as finger swords, arm swords, or leg swords. All of those would fit into the Sword Intent as well.


    Razmund clutched the handle in both arms, standing still, and feeling a little spent. Thus, he let the little of his Sharpness envelop the edge in thin layers. Then, the Intent changed it as he slashed in the air, still at least half a dozen meters away from Illak, who pressed his Domain forward.


    Bright and quick slashes went onwards, slashing against the air in crisp pictures and sharp sounds. It was as if Razmund fought against the air itself, and the air fought back.


    Air hummed and sparks spread. Dozens of them happened in a moment when mana exploded, or to be precise, was cut. Sword Intent changed the way how many swordsmen fought, and it was up to them to turn that into a weapon or something else.


    For Razmund, he cut the cuts, letting his tool flow onward like a storm. Each slash was kind of weak and slower than the cut that Luno felt. This one was an experiment anyway. For Illak, it felt enough. He crushed every cut with his Domain without breaking a sweat, standing still and pointing with his hand forward. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Smiling, he made sure to step onwards and changed his gesture. It was a fist.


    ¡°Don''t die on me,¡±


    Razmund got shivers again, so he directed his mana to flood out of his core. He didn''t expect Illak to do this in this damned castle.


    The pressure disappeared, giving Razmund time to breathe for just one moment. Illak''s Domain manifested back into his fist, acting with sheens of wind, purple light, and pressure. He stepped onward and punched the air a blink later, just when Razmund slashed forth.


    Powerful cuts and bright mana clashed against one large purplish fist half as thick as the entire corridor.


    Windows cracked apart in a quick crash, walls got destroyed, and since Razmund was relatively close to the side of the building, that wall turned to pieces under this clash and his body.


    Purple fist disappeared under many cuts, but not before Razmund flew out of the castle, bleeding from wounds, and feeling Illak was insane. He attacked him with far too much power, though perhaps he should''ve expected that.


    He fucked up. He far underestimated this Extreme as if he was an arrogant youthful fool. He knew plenty of them from the City of Chaos. And he wasn''t one of them. At least not anymore.


    Out in the open, the castle was up to his view, and so was the crashed hall where Illak stood and smiled, standing in the middle of his destruction. Domain lessened and purple fist disappeared.


    Razmund forced the Flying Steps in a heartbeat; falling from this height was still too much for him. Flying Steps contained simple yet potent levels, and it wasn''t as if promises were important. Its evolution was nowhere near, as it hadn''t gotten one ever. It was an ability that worked with Steps alone, so its progression was more in line with many martial techniques. Every Step could be Mild or Wide, determining how cracked his legs would be.


    So when he was in midair, in a space with no footing, he had to push against the air itself.


    Taking a long breath, ignoring his pain and wounds, Razmund kicked the air, brandishing the claymore behind his side and turning it to a storming Sharpness.


    ¡°Try my mother,¡± he mumbled as he exploded in mid-air, flying as he Stepped a dozen times in a single moment, pushing himself toward Illak.


    Demonic General kept his smile, feeling and seeing the incoming attack, yet when it arrived, he clapped.


    At that moment, a couple of moments before him, Razmund stopped his claymore, feeling heavy. He couldn''t move. Domain was fully expanded by now, looking invisible to his naked eyes. It enveloped a large area, yet it didn''t crash anything since all fell to his rules. Destruction or gentle touch, Illak could handle it.


    ¡°Enough power needs a lot of validation,¡± he said. ¡°Your Intent is lacking, yet you make up for it with speed, skill, and subjective latency. You don''t mend it enough, or you can''t cut with it enough. It is fresh like a new Law, so it makes sense that it has its limits. I suppose the point of your Level 65 acts as enough verification. You are a growing chap,¡± Illak assessed him in a heartbeat, feeling that the claymore was closing on him, yet was it right?


    Razmund wouldn''t disagree. He was yet to release it anyway.


    ¡°I said... try me.¡± At that moment, his claymore exploded into clusters of lines, revealing his Intent that was turning into a piercing flash of many cuts that flooded toward Illak.


    He still had his hands together, yet his eyes remained calm when the cuts enveloped his body. It happened for a couple of seconds before they disappeared in their successful strikes, revealing Illak unhurt and safe.


    ¡°That was better,¡± Illak reckoned as he watched his armor. There were some grazes in some parts. Nothing major. ¡°Impressive. Now...¡±


    Illak clapped and Razmund fell to the ground aside from him, kneeling and almost losing the grasp of his claymore.


    ¡°A nice greeting, general. Did you greet the previous guest a couple of hours ago like this too? I wonder... about it. Mind... to give me some words?¡±


    ¡°Couple of hours?¡± Illak frowned. ¡°It''s been almost a day since then, but yes. I greeted it in my own way. Not like you would get it, human. You don''t get the appeal of Anatidaes at all. They are creatures like us; reputable yet hated by the heavens. Considering the way of your different Hunt, things are different here. You are our enemy, Razmund, the Blessed. You made a lot of enemies here last time. I wonder if you will keep this short or nice, or if the world will calm down first. Time isn''t essential, but it might be. So be like this, unless you want to die a dog''s End.¡± Illak repeated the same thing before his little assignment.


    Razmund glared at him as he knelt, forcing the claymore to remain in his clutch. He felt he was in Illak''s grasp.


    He didn''t reply to him, feeling that his attack couldn''t bear the weight of this Domain in the slightest. Perhaps his Second Dance could? Some layering, or folding too?


    Before trying another thing, Illak crashed his face to the ground with a snap of his fingers, leaving Razmund with almost no breath or sight. Then, he turned around. ¡°We are watching over this. The military is the Order now,¡±


    ¡°That is laughable... coming from demons,¡± Razmund mumbled, facing the ground.


    Illak chuckled and walked away, disappearing around the corner alongside his followers that hadn''t done shit. Razmund knew they were some of his disciples. Each was not a bit worse than himself.


    Doing anything harsh was perhaps good, but they sure glared at him as they stood aside, hoping to battle with him. Razmund noticed their swords aside from their hips, and their desires gleaming in their three eyes.


    Getting to his feet, Razmund almost stumbled in his weakness. He needed to rest for a day or two, which... sounded terrible in this place and time. Noticing Lint hiding around some pillar, pretending to be a lantern, he could only sigh. He was surprisingly good at it, looking as if he fit there.


    When Illak disappeared, Lint floated back to Razmund''s side, laughing after they exchanged glances. Throughout this welcoming, he didn''t voice a single thing. He had nothing to do with anything, after all. Illak had all authority in this castle, and it seemed to be well above him when he decided to act like this. From his Guide''s perspective, Levandis sent Illak''s welcome to Razmund with harshness fit for his problem.


    ¡°Well, what a nice greeting, wasn''t it? If I hadn''t seen one before, I would bet he wanted to kill me for real,¡± Razmund joked, forcing his legs to remain straight by griping them with his arms that hurt as well. He felt his claymore weightened like a pillar, pressing to his leg like his Dice.


    ¡°He was right, though,¡± Lint argued. ¡°You shouldn''t take this Gate for anything like before. Don''t stir trouble. Walk straight. Don''t make more enemies than necessary. This place has enough trouble already. But don''t take any face for granted. Power runs supreme. Cut those who deserve it. Ignore those who don''t.¡±


    Lint talked as if he was giving a lecture


    ¡°So loose,¡± Razmund grunted.


    ¡°But you heard him!¡± Lint pointed at him with his remaining arm.


    ¡°And I wasn''t listening. What had he said again? Something about cutting a Guide? Will bones make a good stock if they are bone dry and with no meat? Well, how do those flames taste like?¡±


    Lint never heard him joke in this way. Something in this Blessed snapped for real, or was his clash against Illak so terrible that his mind became a mush? He watched the change happen in real time, so he wasn''t sure if Razmund was a ticking bomb or an utter disaster.


    ¡°Seriously, is your head alright? I worry about your time here.¡±


    ¡°As you should. Your situation got blown with mine. I wouldn''t mind taking a different approach before, but... I wasn''t happy.¡±


    ¡°Now you are?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn''t I? The world turned into an Old World. If not fun like a nice change of pace, what is it? It is like the stories I''ve heard since I was young or old. Well, older, this isn''t wrong. Just different. It won''t stop me. I''ve heard of different worlds and history. The universe is big and the power of Divides rules the cosmos and stars. What is there for me?¡±


    Lint looked at him in bewilderment, knowing that the Old World was a fitting analogy, but was that right to hear it from him? Gods won''t take that in such a direction, but what if some hidden powers and monsters made their move? For example, the Centralis Kingdom had no known Gods serving as protectors in exchange for some Offerings or subjects. They were intense and arrogant, and they already proved that by influencing this Enoucnter behind the scenes. It was one of the few things Lint had acknowledged thanks to Mindarch.


    Lint was nearly certain that some continents took this change for a much wilder disaster than the Somalis continent.


    He couldn''t imagine how Radagan was right now, or Noah. Those places were filled to the brim with problems even with the intact Will of the Battleworld. It wasn''t greed or Chaos. Just... problematic, wild, and definitely not adhering to the Gods and nations, let alone some religions and churches.


    Razmund coughed. ¡°I was too focused on my face feeling the stone. Well, my sword was there too, cutting and moving on my own. Nearly cut Illak in half, hadn''t it?¡± Razmund tried to downplay his situation, appearing rather casual about yet another clash with an Extreme, so he stored his claymore back in its cluttering spot.


    Taking his hands to his pockets, he returned to his journey to Helltrim City, looking wobbly, hurt, and tired. There, his time will shine again, or... turn much worse. He remembered the way forward, but before he knew it, a rather late message from Mindarch emerged, voicing his task that every Surface Challenger had.


    Stopping in the middle of the stairs, Razmund focused on the voice of this little gremlin who was far too mischievous, but also fair. He hoped for both of them.


    It was a strange habit, even though he had fewer reasons to focus on Mindarch or this target that much. After all, he wasn''t here for his mission any longer. He was here to hunt his prey, get over this Encounter, and reach fully-fledged rewards that would decrease the further his Parts would go if he failed. The quicker he would be, the better.


    Murai was in this Gate, close or far from him, unobscured by some Islands, a web of corridors, or bridges. His Destiny Dice would allow him to see where he was hiding, regardless of some hidden dens or places, though if someone like Amelius made up some move again, perhaps that Dice wouldn''t like it.


    Mindarch spoke quickly, giving Razmund what he deserved. It had nothing hidden or weird. It was a straight message.


    ¡°Sector 72? That is a bit far. Red Province is also a proving ground... with that Sector being...¡±


    ¡°72?¡± Lint reckoned behind him.


    ¡°Well, fuck my luck, or your superiors, Lint,¡± he shot the half skeleton a curious glance. ¡°I don''t like dealing with Lurrs for many good reasons. Do you know why? Their family is insane and the fortresses are greedy like their hearts. It reeks of sturdiness that is almost like mine, so crashing against them would... seem like trouble coming at me. I don''t want that, Lint. You said it like Illak. Why this target? Do you want to see problems that much?¡±


    ¡°Don''t look at me this way. This time, it isn''t anything weird. They take you seriously, so you should take it the same with respect too. I doubt Lurrs hates you. They just don''t like you. That is better, right?¡±


    ¡°No worries there. Bodies or humans or devils are made of tissues of meat, muscles, and blood. They look almost the same from within too. I will cut everything in the way, but it is a bit strange. I suppose it''s part of third-timers. That or your fuckers are forcing me to take another fucked up challenge. I will take it; others will do the same.¡±


    Lint hoped he was right in his head and heart. Previously, Razmund felt much more threatening and sharper. This time, he was also sharp, but the occasional smile and snarly comments gave him a different feeling. Wrong feeling, he thought, unsure if he was right or justified.


    It sounded like he enjoyed the prospect of this former planet too much, which might come to bite them later.


    Stopping beside some window, he almost said another joke, until he saw the ground level. Then, he gulped some potions, before tossing the empty glass to the ground where it shattered.


    Clutching his throat and chest, the effects of the Heart Seizing Potion felt as if his heart was bursting apart, but Vitality and his body needed it. It took nearly five minutes for his body to go over the pain, regenerating hundreds of times faster, and giving his mind yet another stress. That was something that needed something better. A sleep, perhaps.


    Lint didn''t come close to him. He felt Razmund wouldn''t like it and would clutch his throat or chest.


    Huffing a cold breath, Razmund soon stabilized his body, feeling stressed and his face turned cold. ¡°Very well, I will look at this Gate while catching my prey. Let''s go,¡± Razmund uttered, before gesturing for Lint to follow him.


    Unlike Lorry, Lint had no clear summon from Levandis, though he knew he couldn''t follow Razmund through the Hellscape for very long.


    On the ground level, Razmund needed no instructions or help to get to the streets. But around this castle, he watched how the military was quite busy. Mostly demons in military uniforms or various devils in stranger clothes, they left him be, but some weren''t taking his gaze and existence that well.


    Razmund felt many murderous looks, and many squads wanted to charge at him. They didn''t do it because of Lint or they couldn''t afford it personally.


    Either way, it was welcomed, or expected. Razmund didn''t want to fight the entire military that must be in a frenzy as Illak proclaimed. So-called Order was up to their devices, so Levandis wanted to clutch the problems with power.


    Razmund figured it wasn''t wrong, believing that the Helltrim City''s non-fighting rules should still be right. It was because of this castle that very few murders and fights happened in this city.


    Meeting with a gaze of familiarity and hideous dangers and threats, he sharpened his face and heart. His body was ready to take this Hellscape, though his mind wasn''t. Nobody attacked him.


    Disappointing.


    Taking a breath as he reached the front yard, he took a good look around. ¡°Ah, a demonic hell. How long it has been? I wonder how many kills I will get this time around, how many will want mine, and how much the Lurrs will moan,¡± He wondered as he stepped into the street.


    It didn''t take long for more troubles to find him.


    ¡°A human?¡± a large four-meter-tall demon grunted right around the corner, appearing like a strange abomination that had trouble speaking and walking. ¡°A snack came to this place at last! Gahaha! Fuck off from where you came from, the Guide included! Fucking human trash. Challenger!¡± the Abomination flickered its fleshly hand, as it resembled a human in a rough sense, but it was grotesque, filled with fleshly crevices, and flowing blood. At least it had a large cloth around it, secured by a belt where the hip met small legs. It hardly helped with hiding most of its hideous features.


    Its head wasn''t that of a human. It had many eyes all over it, and the mouth went from left and right, looking wide and far too large. It attacked straight away, forming a wide palm strike with its large hand akin to a pillar.


    Aiming at Razmund without warning or a duel, it didn''t give a shit about the rules anymore. It was yet another test, Razmund figured, but this one was most likely presented by some gangs, or some company in this city.


    Flesh Abomination was expendable. Its life was long forfeited.


    Palm arrived like a small mountain, enveloping Razmund''s whole upper body, head included. He sneered, letting his claymore dance in the light as he drew it with two fingers.


    A single Mild Step echoed, followed by sword clashes, hues of light, and tremors from the ground. A single step later, a quick draw of the claymore shredded the blood and flesh. Its tip faced the ground, close to Razmund''s feet. Behind him, the Flesh Abomination hiccuped in flesh and blood, falling to the ground in its halves.


    The cut went from the head, down to the right leg. Flesh and gore stumbled to the ground, ending the life of a Level 59 Flesh Abomination Demon.


    Surrounding demons, devils, and all kinds of other bystanders scattered away, realizing that Razmund had arrived.


    Among them, a human boy was also present, taking this situation without surprise, and quickly taking the distant streets by storm. It was Marthosh, who took this sight well, despite the overall situation being not that calm. He was fearful of this human, even though he shouldn''t be. It was said that the Centralis Kingdom was a human paradise, but... from the way David talked about it, it was far from the truth.


    Razmund clutched his claymore, knowing that he was attacked first. It didn''t matter who or what, he had the right to defend himself.


    ¡°A good day to you all, indeed. Now, does anyone care to give me something nice and worthy in exchange? I have some spots left!¡± he shouted, openly proclaiming not-so-large secrets that were yet to shake the public and gangs around the Hellscape.

 Chapter 195: Uncertain choices

    Silence prevailed, and most figures kept fleeting or froze in their steps, wondering if they heard him right.


    ¡°None give a damn about an Encounter, or your heart, or ears?¡± Razmund asked again. ¡°Should I speak more about what I desire and know? Some of you should seek the treasures that will surely appear after the world recovers and the Voice returns. There are promises ahead to anyone. A godly desire and Judge spoke to me. It is time to regain a lost heroic share of what Battleworld has to offer! I have slots for Helpers open and there is an Encounter going on in this place. I have my target and spots are open.¡±


    Razmund put his palm high in the air, leaving three fingers straight. He also slammed his claymore to the ground, appearing heroic or safe to approach.


    Shouting proved his stance and his following silence spoke for himself.


    None appeared interested, still fearing they would be killed. It was fitting for their hearts because Razmund could kill them. Even if the military was around the corner, it didn''t mean he should or couldn''t do it. Levandis was the Law here, but the power spoke far more quickly if someone was arrogant and weak.


    Razmund didn''t hate it while becoming a Hunter wasn''t too bad either.


    The Order provided determined stakes and voices akin to laws. Those who killed those deserving it weren''t overreaching the law of the vastness, for they had no direct rules. Lawless places and planets had no time for that, whereas some would uphold some sense of justice by cultures, power, or Gods.


    Those powerful enough should not kill or fight those fleeting or much weaker. That was the consent of those seeing countless Paths. It was no official business. It was unwritten and followed in some places.


    The consequences of not following it weren''t something inappropriate or clever. In the vastness of many planets, it didn''t matter. In this world, it did. Doing something terrible would put forth a curse, Wrath of a God, Punishment Act, God''s Trial, some sort of task under some church if one killed their subjects, or straight up End from powerful mortals who got excuses to kill the killer.


    In some parts, it wasn''t a powerful rule. Killing anyone with the right reasons or secrecy often worked just fine no matter the rules. One could also pay for it, bribing some folks and a sense of justice or reason. In Hell, this prose was the worst.


    It was acting like a reminder that Chaos was chaotic and lawless for a reason.


    But this wasn''t it. This place had its share of rules different from that, and no one trusted someone like Razmund to go along with them. Levandis was the one overseeing this place since its creation. She voiced the logic.


    There were no hidden masters around. Those wouldn''t come so eagerly toward the castle and military, hoping to see, kill, or catch Razmund with their own eyes. Those must''ve long known what to do. They did not need to get personal so quickly, so they waited.


    Which Razmund knew, so he acted first to see and spread his influence. With this place being as sensitive as Lint proclaimed, he shall be a giver of justice as some Gods were.


    Some fools could bite and follow the ways of the Old World, while his proclamation of his Encounter and Helpers was his main fresh idea.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Razmund sighed, looking that no one was coming at him, or speaking to him. ¡°It seems my first kill was too effective. How poor of me. Last time, I would have trouble killing that Abomination, I suppose, but this time? Bah! Don''t care!¡± He kicked the halved demon aside, ending it in some corner as if it were trash.


    Without anyone being interested, he turned to some street. Lint followed him closely; they soon disappeared into the distance where fewer people would bother them.


    In the bloodied street, not far from the castle, a new source of knowledge spread. The one that will drive quite a few beings into harsh and rash decisions. Razmund didn''t speak for the military; he doubted the Encounter was public knowledge yet because Levandis and Mindarch must''ve contained such claims.


    So he spread it first, knowing that such knowledge could add many new ideas to this already precarious situation. But not for him. He doubted his claim was a terrible thing. It might even be good since many would rather have nothing to do with the problems stemming from godly plans or grudges, leaving him alone, or helping him instead. But with the Voice gone, perhaps he was promising what was no longer possible.


    That was a mistake that Razmun realized after his proclamation that had not that many thoughts put into it. This place will take it for what it could be.


    Lint was shaking his head, his single palm spread over his face.


    On my Lady, he thought. I knew he would do it, so what have I expected? A sense of duty? Him, going by the rules? Well, what... could happen next? I need to help it. I know I need to, but would this insane Blessed take it? What does he plan? What does Mindarch want from me and us? What about... the Hunt?!


    There were still some wonders about these claims that even Lint didn''t know. For example, what about the Codex and the sense of information that was prohibited and hidden from most eyes? What would Manager Kil or Levandis change? Lint was unaware of what went behind the scenes, or what Mindarch, Levandis, and Manager Kil plotted.


    Still, most Challengers were public knowledge in existence alone, while further information would be up to information gatherers, companies, or the Network. Mindarch acted with many wonderous things in many parts of these Gates. The best was the acquisition of information. Those with deep pockets could purchase information straight from him, or affiliated companies that worked with his information.


    The best was Longing Merchant Groub, or going straight to the source. What Razmund did wasn''t simple. He openly revealed the Encounter, which wasn''t something that everyone in Hellscape knew about.


    The Encounter came, giving them a potential chance to get a tremendous amount of interest, or troubling reality that Judge might be watching. That would be enough for Levandis to swallow some pride, so what Razmund just did wasn''t entirely wrong. However, most thought it shouldn''t be working and that he was lying. David and Lisa thought the same thing before that Pledge.


    If the Voice was gone, what if something related to Gods worked? That was what many throughout the Hellscape began to think once they heard of Razmund''s claim.


    Since he spoke so fervently about it, even mentioning unnamed Judge''s words for it, some were inclined to take his words for granted. The best way to finalize anything was to go straight to the best sources. Not Razmund. Promises and mending of Gods were too liable, so a lot of them charged into the many companies and for Mindarch to voice the truth out loud.


    Mindarch had yet to turn many things into public. That included most things about the Surface, or how many Gods began to work on solving the situation, or that the Encounter was something good or bad, or.... possible.


    Frankly, it wasn''t sounding that good.


    With Razmund gone to his own business, soon, thirty hours had passed since Murai arrived at Hellscape.


    At this moment, he was long gone from the Helltrim City, but Razmund didn''t mind or know it. He stopped beside some empty alleyway, turning his attention to time and overall journey. Some time passed since this whole mess started in his half-death state, and he quickly gathered some intel from the streets about Murai.


    ¡°Fuckers... I was stuck in that vortex and battles for an unnecessary amount of hours. Are you kidding me?¡± he turned his anger towards Lint without being physical.


    ¡°Chaos Space is filled with Chaos and unkept space. It is like that. It''s nothing strange. It''s that kind of place we are talking about,¡± Lint excused himself, which didn''t quench Razmund''s anger.


    Instead, he decided to forget his manners and opened his left fist, revealing his Destiny Dice.


    ¡°One of the few times I will have to do this, I hope,¡± he said, unwrapping it, before tossing it to the ground without feeding it. Sometimes, this Dice didn''t need too much. Now, without Amelis in sight or Islands to obscure it, it was kind of horny, wincing around and hoping for an outlet.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Once again, the Destiny Dice crossed the Fate, flickering in pink colors and dim voices that left Razmund dull.


    [Oh!] the Dice softly exclaimed. [Ahhhhh.]


    [Clarity. Clarity at last! Fate is near, feeling like shimmering touch and pat like smoking salmon.]


    [It is no longer obscured!] a soft voice cheered after Amelius was no longer in the picture. Perhaps Chaos Space and Murais'' travels also put this Dice in trouble, obscuring its readings of Fate.


    In any way, Dice knew what to do in such a clear place. Cheering, it knew where to go, what to read, and where to head. Left and right, letting shimmering pink mist and light behind, it nearly shot to the distance, but Razmund caught it.


    ¡°Not so quickly, Dice. Show me the directions. That is enough.¡±


    Dice chirped as if grunting. It was free to fly in such a Gate. It was happy, yet its meal was up to this foolish human. It accepted the conditions, chirping to demand some more blood and essences.


    It was looking ahead to this journey, though it forgot it shouldn''t hurry too much. But... it felt so much joy over this Fate for some reason. Much more fiercely than ever before.


    Razmund cursed, thinking that he almost lost his Dice completely. The source of the Fate was relatively close, unhindered by the rules of the previous Gates. That was good as far as he desired.


    ¡°How far away?¡± Razmund asked.


    [Couple dozen kilometers? East-west, thirty degrees.] Dice was surprisingly docile and clear in its guesses. But they were guesses. Razmund doubted they were very truthful. Its hole was more clear. It pointed east at a slight angle.


    Razmund nodded, giving it some thought before Dice calmed down, pointing to an obvious direction: away from the Helltrim City.


    ¡°No surprises there. There are only so many directions one could take in this place. The distance matters and I don''t know what my target knows or where it is heading. The width and length of the Hellscape also matter. What is the target? Mine is Sector 72, which has only one singular portal, so that leaves me at ease and fear. What of my prey?¡±


    ¡°I doubt you could ever guess it,¡± Lint said without knowing the answer.


    Razmund shot him a repuslive look. ¡°Do you know?¡±


    Lint calmed, letting his hand down. ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°Then shut up.¡±


    There were quite a few roads to choose from. Most Challengers would take things calmly and think twice before acting. Depending on their power, it could be very different. One could take it for a decent challenge, or an immense valuable opportunity because this place wasn''t simple. One could do business, farming, and killing here rather than going straight to the portal. Without any time-related limits, it was quite open, acting with a single loose goal in mind.


    How one did it was subjective. Take it as a rare chance to discover this Gate, Hunt, or various valuables and potential Mana Essences, following the task from the start or later was important. With the way Sectors and this cave worked, there wasn''t much to the journey. It was a relatively long cave, but not very wide. The width of about a dozen kilometers in most portions of this cave was enough for cities, while the journey was quite simple.


    There were many natural resources in all kinds of Sectors. Some were dull, full of life and treasures, while others were hiding dangers with various difficulties and worthy chances. Depending on where one could go, it could cost someone their life, while success could mean rewards that one could take.


    Thus, information gathering about dangerous zones was essential, followed by gangs and demons.


    Razmund wrapped the Dice back around his left palm, where it sizzled in hopes and moans. It was becoming more and more unkept as if fed up or wild. He hoped it would remain calm for the duration of this Gate.


    ¡°I will get you this time around,¡± he said, imagining Murai in his mind and hands. A soft and frail duck in his hands. Squeezable. Death or alive. ¡°Clutch your neck and twist it, rather than your wings and leg. That should do the job. Your soul doesn''t matter. Your body can still die. You won''t leave anything behind. Not on my watch!¡±


    Opportunity and hope were no longer in his mind. He didn''t consider any doubts. This Encounter was too important to him for him to consider his Kingdom or Falconers.


    Here, he was enough. A Blessed on his Hunt. Nothing else. This was his opportunity to rise, and no one else but some tools would come to his side if he failed.


    Securing his intent deep within his hand and eyes, Razmund got to work.


    That was to walk around, force or kill some fools, purchase more information, and secure enough responses and resources to get a general sense of the current world or this Hellscape. For the most part, he waited for the Hunt to start, or his offer to bear some fruit. He wasn''t sure about everything yet, so getting to know the bigger picture mattered more. Especially since he no longer heard his Voice.


    The situation in this Gate was second on his list. So much can change in a couple of years, let alone half a century for a certain ghost, but he had no doubts Illak''s worries were sensible and warranted.


    Gangs and various assholes will hunt him because of lackling rules, and he might meet some very dangerous demons because of that. Levandis and her military won''t stop them. It might be unnecessary work for them.


    That was a fact that Razmund knew, but not before the proper course of the Hunt. He discovered it relatively quickly. Mindarch had jet to reveal a word about the Hunt. He probably waited for Razmund to arrive first before it would start.


    Which poised as a problem, because this shouldn''t... well, he wasn''t sure how his little target handled this Gate. Perhaps he will be hunted like an animal too?


    It would be fitting in this Gate that held the Hunter Game, codenamed Hunt.


    ***


    In the far distances, dozens of kilometers from the Helltrim City, in the roads that stretched through the jungle. There were living zones and nice locations in most of the surrounding Sectors. Fewer places were problematic and filled with dangers because of them. Some were far from good for the general population, though every Gate had some danger zones that went according to levels. Though Mindarch ensured that denizens were safe, Challengers were a different story thanks to the private journey, challenges, and times in most Gates.


    Hellscape was unique because it was specifically set with the denizens and this whole place in mind. Hence, every Gate could provide challenges across the 100 Levels, so there were places in Hellscape that Murai should never visit.


    Lisa knew about it, thus she was acting as if she was his Guide. Roads through this jungle were public roads, looking not terrible or good, but many were well outside of some sensible scope like the Surface. Lisa ensured the safety of travel first, before anything else. They went around many hills, valleys, and even some rivers, giving Murai a way to assess this Gate in a new light.


    It shocked him with how clean and fresh everything looked, even when this place was kilometers below the ground.


    Murai traveled alongside Lisa, David, Ultium, and two new additions that David promised as other Helpers. He didn''t find them terrible or worse, but one of them was kind of... unique.


    They were two employees under the Lost Brothers. Both were of demonic origin, though both looked like beasts of some sort. Murai expected David to have more... human friends.


    The first was a non-human-looking woman called Itrosh. She was a relatively tame-looking demon of humanoid and a bunch of reptilian beast aspects. Her lower body was that of a Dragonian, famous for sturdy thighs and relatively thin rest. Such legs had high explosive power and soft colorful scales, but there were also some feathers and her uniform hid the rest. Her upper body was more slender, filled with thin scales of azure color, while her head was that of a Demonic Eaglesh, a mixture of an eagle, and lashing tigress. This made her a strange mutant, where her eyes were beastly, her mouth was wide and hiding fangs, and her ears were fluffy and enticing.


    Her nose was weird and fluffy too, but her mouth made her vicious. It was a bit weird to look at her as a whole because she looked like a weird mutant. She even had thin long feathers for her hair, while thin soft feathers were over her shoulders and neck, giving her a Beastfolk look even if she wasn''t part of any of their races.


    Itrcosh was a high-level adventurer of some dexterity-based Path. She insisted on not telling specifics about it, acting all mysterious as if she didn''t want to ruin her image. She was around Level 60, or so David said briefly when Lisa nagged him about her, and where he introduced them to Murai.


    Calling Itrosh a highly mutated beast wasn''t far from the truth, but she wasn''t one bit worse in intellect than any human that Murai met. After all, the evolutions she had chosen for her body and Bloodline weren''t small in numbers, while her use of Influence Items wasn''t hesitant. Her life in this temple gave her many chances and choices, and David was a surprisingly good help to her, so she owed him more than a couple of things.


    Murai was quite curious about her experiences and wisdom because he would never allow himself to look like her.


    In this case, he would prefer to remain in a steady appearance of a freaking duck, which was an acceptance that he began to tolerate the more he looked at her. It was better than being some sort of mutant. If he wanted to retain some sense of normalcy and decent understanding, staying the same wasn''t a terrible idea, which gave him numerous ideas about Influence Items and his evolutions.


    As for the second Helper, it was a rather large demonic beast in all senses of the word. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a four-legged Grifhart of quite some weight, sturdiness, and height. Grifhart was a unique mutant-type beast with high intelligence and quite a powerful physicality that stemmed from Griffins. They had as wide and powerful wings as their bodies allowed, giving their sturdy feathers significant importance. They could fly even though they had quite some weight, so they couldn''t do it for a very long time.


    Vigorous yet flexible legs ensured their movement was quick and mighty, with their bones being relatively light. For them, hundreds of kilograms of weight made up the feathers that were their pivotal and most prized possession, second to their mighty beak and flickering tail.


    The one that Murai met was a prime example of an Adult Grifhart, which was an evolution from the Griffin species. Three meters in height, a wingspan of many meters made it very impressive, and its legs looked like that of a pouncing tiger, but much bigger. Long neck ended with an eagle-like head, with a thick beak that ended in a small yet sharp point.


    The beak wasn''t angled all that much as in eagles. At the further end of its feathered colorful body was a thick tail, which was flexible like a neck or wings, ensuring stability in flight and even battles. It was quite long, ending in sharp bone. Every whip of such a tail was capable of smashing rocks and cleaving humans in half.


    In this sense, this Grifthart was among the nicest and greatest beasts Murai had met so far. His name was Bagus and he was at Level 71. The most shocking part was his laughably nice human tongue. The moment Murai met him the first time, that big fella laughed and bowed to him, introducing himself with a mighty tone and nice voice.


    Murai was impressed and infuriated at the same time. He wished for a way to communicate like that himself!


    How come and why they were here, or what was up with their motivation to work with David? Murai didn''t question their past, nor the reason why David had such powerful creatures under his disposal. In fact, he thought of it wrongly. They didn''t even question him, nor were some slaves.


    Yet they accepted David''s conditions straight away after some private conversation that went on behind Murai''s ears.


    Murai spent more than twenty hours away from Lisa, training and learning what he wanted before leaving Helltrim City. Heavenly Shaping proved its value, similar to his overall upgrades after battling through Islands of Greatness.


    The biggest was his Boost. He figured he took its power and effects right before it stopped, and his reliance on it was far too large. Lisa already touched upon this subject quite a lot, so Murai began to reconsider some things and began to shift his attention. His Heavenly Shaping training and this Gate might be the perfect place for it.


    Was it suspicious how his Boost came and then halted? Murai wasn''t sure.


    Overall, this pair of new Helpers became a source of power that was an immense help to Lisa''s plan. That was why Murai took them like Ultium and David, while he kept focusing on his own problems. However, their worth was still subject to what and whom they would meet on their ride to Ip''ur Mountain.


    Upon closer inspection, clarity, and getting to know them through their latest hours together, neither Itrosh nor Bagus served David. Their interest and work were under the same banner, giving them a sense of teamwork and trust.


    They were an adventurer party in a poor sense, with more monetary and closer connection since they had known each other for a very long time.

 Chapter 196: Lisas curiosity and team

    Slavery was a harsh topic filled with many problems and history. Murai didn''t like it from its mere name, nor did he like it from the way he had seen it in the last Gate. It reminded him of some lives where he was a slave himself, but wasn''t he an overall slave to his entire Cursed Living? In that vision, who were David, Ultium, Itrosh, or Bagus, didn''t matter. He didn''t matter as everyone was subjective to their beliefs.


    Living from life to life, world to world, filling the void with hopes or insanity, he wasn''t even sure what meaning there was for him.


    His reason was deeper, he tended to believe. Much deeper than what was possible even in the most abnormal ideas he could imagine. At its core, his lives was a never-ending course of force that affected him alone. The world was the aftereffects; so were the people, or... something else? He didn''t like how his memories functioned because of it, or how it seemed to have to end. At first, he never forgot anything. Then, he began to forget it all. He had no choice. Slowly, the weight of his lives started to be too much, affecting him in his attempts to live.


    It always crushed his morale when some lives proved to be good or hard, or when they reminded him of something hateful or good. That usually revolved around the origin, or how it all started. How? He had little to no idea. Perhaps it was about the lack of care, or simply because his soul held too much of what he had cast even deeper away.


    Usually, he was the cause of his misery. He was his own curse; his act. He must have done something terrifying to deserve it. That was his belief when his true misery started, shaking his belief and hate, or even his concept of self. How exactly it ended or started didn''t matter to him, because he started to bitterly accept it and decided to be hateful when he could. Not at everything, but at things that he decided to rule out to be hateful.


    He always through in bits of the past. There was no helping it, he believed. It was his curse to take that history to every New Beginning, even if it hurt or felt wrong.


    Murai was wrong. He was a slave, which was why he pitied all slaves with a passion as if it was a melodramatic display. It was a personal problem, not a systematic cause. He doubted such things as misery would ever disappear like his own living. As long as there was power in the universe and intelligent life, it was akin to a Law.


    A Law that should crack apart, disappear to obscurity, and never come back. From where or how? Well, he liked to imagine that the End never felt wrong. It was welcoming until he was snatched and crashed into something new.


    Around him, stepping and taking nothing wrong against his existence, Murai didn''t blame anyone. His new Helpers were blissfully unaware of his living experience. Only Lisa had some basic concept of it, but he wasn''t even sure why she knew and got even a little bit of his lives to her head. He simply didn''t care how it happened.


    Itrosh was a relatively proud, ongoing, and beastly woman. Murai couldn''t define her as anything else. She was almost cheery like a teenager but brutal like a tigress. She still had some femininity thanks to her figure and voice, and she was quite open and free in mind. She was also sharp and closer to a beast than most humans. It suggested that her meddling with Bloodlines and evolution caused it or her mind grew up like her flesh.


    Perhaps she was even a human, once. Because of that, Murai wasn''t sure how to call or describe her. She should be considered as her own little thing, yet her voice was close to human women, so he went along with accepting her as that.


    Outside of her, Bagus was a laughable and well-behaved fella who was far from being a demon. He was almost like a giant puppy that had some pride and sincerity, yet his voice and reasonings were more than open and good.


    Both of them had a simple sense of duty and business with David, which was the reason they traveled with him, but was it all? Murai doubted their cause wasn''t far from greed, hopes, or even some dreams. They accepted him simply because there was something to gain.


    In some of his dreadful lives, he wasn''t sure if trust was something he should give left, right, and center. Was it this sort of life? He had yet to go through any decisions, deciding that he would struggle like always, and if End would come at him, he would accept it. Perhaps it wasn''t fair for Lisa, but who was he to blame? It wasn''t as if he wanted to die willingly anyway. It was just natural.


    Taking the last day into account and her plan-making, she gave him some gist of plans, but not serious details. Their time in Helltrim City went a little bit longer because Bagus had some work far away from Helltrim City, so David and Lisa spent more time there while Murai trained.


    Razmund hadn''t appeared back then, but Lisa definitely didn''t like to spend more than a day in that city. Luckily, it worked, so a weird party filled to the brim with weird beings proceeded on their journey to Sector 45, Ip''ur Mountain.


    That was their goal that couldn''t change even though Lisa hoped to find a way out of his Encounter''s Part in this Gate. Unfortunately, that was unlikely unless some God would help them out. Expecting an Extreme or some Overlord to help them wasn''t feasible.


    Murai didn''t know why she was so pissed about it, looking pouty as she floated aside. But he accepted her reasons and control. He didn''t always rely on a lot of people in such conditions or circumstances, so perhaps he could call it a bizarre development like this life.


    Murai felt he had to do it because she relied on him too. Her lifeline was close to his, so all he could do was hope she read into the situation well because he didn''t. Information gathering required a lot of things to work through, and after she endured her living as a Blessed¡ªand who knew what else before that¡ªshe must know what to do. It should work better for him if she did it, Murai believed.


    It was a basis of trust. Itrosh and Bagus held a similar belief to David, who trusted Lisa. It followed a weird business, even if the world turned upside down. That meant they were comfortable with the incoming dangers and undeniable problems that would soon arrive. It wasn''t a question of if, but when and how.


    Trust was the easiest solution to work around powerful individuals, as it was mental fortitude that worked with pride, reputable power, worth, and words.


    Sometimes it could end in doubts or straight-up betrayals, though it depended on the person, situation, and words. The trust had to be equally set between both parties. If some had trust and others didn''t, a clash of interest or failure was inevitable. If each had some doubts, there might be some changes, but little doubts shouldn''t cause too much turmoil, as long as the parties understand them. It was about communication.


    Murai was the worst at it in this life.


    Clarity was also good, so Lisa was almost the best solution to everything. For a while, Murai guessed she worked through some ideas long before entering this Gate. She mentioned it fewer times than some praises. It was about some rules and ideas she had about the Encounter that weren''t so simple, while her words and mind were hers.


    If things got so out of hand, how much? Murai couldn''t imagine how worse it could be, yet she was never willing to answer such a possibility. Away from his mind, Lisa considered Helpers right when she discovered that shitty Encounter and some God hunted and wanted Murai gone.


    Lia got her Helper''s turn because she forced it against those messiahs. Such a Helper was kind of rare because each part of the Encounter should be potent interest around many things, which made the beginning sequence into a meaningless knock. After all, what would happen if those messiahs would get him right there and then? The Encounter would be done and Razmund would''ve done nothing.


    One Side sought out potential Helpers and accepted them with considerable thinking and caution. It had value and worth behind it, so many sought out each Side as well, or tried to be forcefully accepted because of how valuable it was.


    Murai trusted how trust worked, how betrayal felt, and how greed and emotions could truly shake up a world, let alone a person or Gods. It was about the psyche and heart that moved the souls and power. He believed Itrosh and Bagus were like Ultium and David, and that pair spoke valuable reasons.


    He carried that idea not because of Soul Read, even if it managed to work well with emotions and greatly influenced how he perceived a person or those with emotional intellect. But it had limits. There shouldn''t be any crossing interests, values, or other problems at the moment, but the probability of betrayal was always possible because Lisa didn''t know when this Gate would truly start.


    Why?


    Lisa explained to him the rules of this Gate in their meeting before embarking on this journey.


    Supposedly¡ªeven through problems with Boosts and chaos in this Gate¡ªChallengers in this Gate were a sensitive topic. There was a course of a Hunt in this Gate, with the name: Hunter Game. The goal of a Challenger was to escape this place via a portal, and there would be bounties put forth on them. There were two parties: Hunted and Hunters. Anyone interested in being a Hunter would pursue the Hunted by registering their citizenship token and embarking on an acceptable balance forward.


    That was it.


    All kinds of foes could stop the Challengers before reaching the portal. Anyone successful in catching their Token, or body will get immense rewards, or if one wanted to be brutal, their Token and body together would fetch double the prize. Without a Token, Challenger couldn''t access the portal, so it was essentially Murai''s little life.


    Giving up or being stuck in this Gate was the aftermath of such a loss. Giving up was the usual idea. Getting back the Token was usually impossible in most scenarios because this place was large and ferocious, following every Challenger with pursuit and greed.


    In this case, couldn''t Bagus or Itrosh steal his Token? Couldn''t David do the same, or Marthosh? By now, Murai understood how everyone eyed his Token since he entered this Gate, and what it supported.


    It stunk of possible betrayal, yet it was almost impossible right now because something outside of this Gate crashed this idea apart. Helper status was much better than some questionable Token.


    Lastly, Mindarch was yet to voice the start of the Hunt, so no one knew the bounties or HUnted. Thus, the majority of possible Hunters were yet to even gather.


    So far, Lisa''s team had gone a few dozen kilometers from the end of Helltrim City and encountered some little issues not worth mentioning.


    That was the gist of what Lisa mentioned to Murai. They were waiting for Mindarch''s interventions, following readings or messages that surrounded them, while they would hurry away from Razmund''s possible arrival. Some words about the world being upside down seemed like a higher plausibility as well.


    Murai wondered how strange it was to rely on so many people and outsiders. He got there was some value for them, so he wasn''t questioning them, but himself. He was never one to be like this. Usually, it was the other way around. Others would try to rely on him, but wasn''t this a rather peculiar position where everyone depended on everyone? Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It sounded typical from that perspective, or his internal talk¡ªthat he contemplated since he hadn''t fought in this gate yet¡ªwas the reason why he was a little frustrated? Gathering facts was up to Lisa, who urged him to get going with his training and leave this Gate to others.


    In that sense, was he disappointed?


    Perhaps it shocked him as well. When she said it to him with a stressed face, she almost appeared heroic and helpful. But training was training. It could be done anywhere and his needs and tries could be the same in fights or calm trials. His last Gate was the exact opposite of that. Lisa never did anything in that Gate, while he fought like crazy and worked on a different kind of foundation. It was kind of expected back then, but now...


    It was strange. Without her, who knew where he would''ve been? Floating through the End was the most probable answer, or could have it been worse? Could... the restart happen? Murai didn''t like that concept in this world. Perhaps it was even impossible. Some lives were like that even if he ended up dying quickly, and this world shouldn''t like or prefer that approach. Murai noticed quite a lot of things that could hinder it straight away.


    The main things were gods and major power systems that were outside of the normal scope. This made up this world''s structure, so his possibilities might be fixed.


    In any way, he barely understood a secret about his Curse, let alone his... cure.


    The easiest worst possibility would be kidnapping. Being an experiment rat for those eyeing his Curse wouldn''t be the first thing that could happen. Some lofty mortals always loved what didn''t make sense or what went Beyond the Sky. Gods were the same, but could they swallow their hefty pride and Kingdoms and touch him right now? In this world, it might be not possible.


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    Alas, Murai had a target. A focus on forgetting the worst, while this world wasn''t so petty or weak. He could afford to think and think twice before acting. Lisa was one supporting pillar, while there were four others around him right now.


    With them, things could proceed differently because Lisa once more forced something out of the norm, while the world should balanced itself around her. Like back when they entered this temple.


    Itrosh and Bagus both took their acts with limited hesitation, pledging their allegiance to Murai the moment they understood what David and Lisa wanted. Weirdly¡ªand one reason why Lisa was even more doubtful¡ªthe Pledge gave them the same message that David and Ultium had obtained, though there were a couple of personal factors involving their power.


    But the core mission remained the same.


    Then, with a weird look, they saw Murai with his hood on, filled with Anatidae insanity underneath. Both of them feared Murai in some thin layers of emotions, unlike Ulitum who showed interest and murders from time to time. Murai wasn''t sure why that devil was like that; he wished to ask about it if he could.


    It sounded easier when Bagus fell to his knees, pleading allegiance like a horny dog that met Anatidae. Much to Murai''s surprise, he couldn''t help cursing that big fella to some far-distance places.


    Bagus was the second most powerful member of this party and the oldest. He passed the Law Threshold at Level 70, which depicted a section in 100 Levels that was akin to a massive wall for everything and everyone regardless of race or species.


    As for the power, Murai was the weakest, if Lisa didn''t count. David was the second weakest, as his power and age were kind of limiting factors to his human growth and overall potential. It wasn''t surprising. David lacked the ambition in his own body and talent, but... something changed that. He took the route of power that he learned from Lisa all these years ago, while his unknown Path and time still had some power left. He might have fewer years left, however.


    And he had a different route ahead of him or behind him anyway. Relying on others wasn''t a wrong approach to seek. Lisa taught it to him because she thought he was weak and relying on others was why many weaklings could establish their own worlds and nations. Lisa wasn''t like that at all the time back then. It was close to taking a mentor and master''s position and fusing them. The result changed much of David''s history after she disappeared from his life.


    That was to find footing in alliances and others. Hence, the Lost Brothers company was born. Decades later, his power wasn''t far-reaching, but he was still roughly estimated to be around Level 60 in power level, even if his Level was 63.


    He always had hindrances in terms of progression when he was young, which Lisa took with some melancholy. A little boy grew and gave up pursuing his dreams. That was kind of sad, but when he saw his ways with people, business, and words, she couldn''t help but get some fuzzy feeling in her head.


    She would even praise him, but she didn''t want him to get to his knees or high in his head.


    Thanks to this talk and meeting this party, Murai figured that Level was a power factor that wasn''t absolute. David explained that to him in brief confusing mentions that Lisa acknowledged as a necessity that she had overlooked for a long time.


    One could lose Levels through age, loss of attributes, some use of abilities, or injuries. It wasn''t rare, however, but highly individualistic. It was possible to get everything back when such wounds ceased to exist or other things turned out for the better. It was even said that even an Extreme at the end of their lifespan could weaken below Level 70. Then, if such individuals got some soaring Vitality-rich treasure, their bodies could rejoice and get back to where they belonged. It could be temporary or long-lasting, if plausible. At such higher levels, losses, injuries, or even age were massive hurdles toward the road to the top.


    That was why David insisted on being below Level 60, which wasn''t anything weak in all regards. He could fight well against most gangs, apart from some bosses, or highly ranked personnel that focused on power, military, or murders. And he didn''t have to do that in the slightest.


    He had cards that would do it in a heartbeat instead. The biggest surprise came with Ultium. Murai wasn''t that surprised; he felt that devil was weird, yet powerful ever since he met him in that room.


    Wearing the suit even in the middle of the jungle, this nice-looking devil was a freak at Level 80.


    Murai wasn''t surprised by that fact. Instead, it was Lisa who took this the harshest. She didn''t understand why would he have this sort of servant. Indeed. The term servant wasn''t that farfetched or improper to mention in this case. Ultium wasn''t even a fervent follower. He was like a loose son that David had been taking care of for many years. That little thread and meeting grew into a freaking devil of Level 80!


    Lisa''s shock was a normal reaction if she considered the politics, this Gate, and overall ideas of devils and David''s brief history that he mentioned in their discussions and her forceful touch. Lisa read a lot between the lines, even with little remarks he expressed with weak words and notes. It went more than well because of her knowledge and furthered context that even David didn''t know revealed many discoveries.


    From what Lisa understood about Ulitum, his status was a mystery in terms of origin, but he grew up from a relatively young age up until now with David aside. Away from Lurrs, other families, or gangs, it happened on its own under this human''s hands. That was peculiar.


    Even after she forced herself upon David, he barely budged with further talks about Ultium. It wasn''t desperation, pride, or stubbornness; he simply didn''t know what to tell her about him.


    At last, out of fear or feeling her hands on his face, he mentioned his past. It was reasonably good after she let him go like many other things. He ended up living in this place, hopeful to grow stronger or focus on something else than following her. Where did Ultium end up in that topic? It was connected, of course.


    There were some struggles that David endured after getting separated from her because he was a human living in a place where their influence wasn''t as prevalent. And without her steps, eyes, and touches behind him, he had to learn and adapt. In the following years, hoping to clutch his Path and become someone independent and great, he was overwhelmed by the appearance of an orphaned devil, whom he took under his care because no one else did.


    Then, David accepted his new choice by forfeiting his hopes of being like Lisa. Unyielding, powerful, and quite lofty and prideful, he decided to become a boss who relied on others.


    Perhaps it was a Fate, Lisa believed. Devils held special privileges and reputations in most Hells, let alone some training grounds and living spaces like the Hellscape. For a devil to be an orphan, it was near impossible to happen. Their clans and families ran deep thanks to Lurrs, and even if one family wiped the other, children were often spared and diverted to the winning side. For one to be a true orphan, it meant something... weird.


    David never understood how it all happened, but it was lost in the far past. A young devil child, thrown like a sack and beaten to a pulp. David grew alongside this devil, who ended up being fairly attached to him because of that.


    No one stopped that from happening.


    Some moments were hard and others easy, as working and teaching a devil common sense was as hard as understanding their heart. So David opted to teach him how Lisa taught him: by clever wording, some force of reason, weird tactics, and patience. Well, the last thing wasn''t as prevalent with her, but David wasn''t her.


    In the end, it worked surprisingly well. Although Ultium appeared lofty and often serious thanks to his suit, underneath his demeanor and weird heart was a softie like David. Lisa was half certain about it because of the potential Bloodline that must be quite high in him. Why?


    Not only was Ultium Level 80, but it was about the leveling stage in 100 Levels that held peculiar problems and meanings. It was right around the Extreme Gates, and Ultium wasn''t very old.


    It was unknown, though surely above half a century, but not much more. David wasn''t sure about the exact number; he met him when he was barely a kid. Devils were generally long-living because of their Bloodlines that carried a lot of secrets, powers, and mysteries. It wasn''t worse than what many elven Bloodlines held, if not considerably better.


    As far as Lisa got the facts straight, Ultium was a ridiculous talent to grow to this extent without a proper devil clan or family above his head. She wondered what David did, or who Ultium really was.


    Even when David explained to her that he had been with him for decades under the Lost Brothers and his hands, growth of this caliber was incredible. David couldn''t explain it well. Accordingly, Ulitum knew and relied on David all his life. Because of that, she questioned David''s way of living and what he wasn''t telling her.


    Murai would reckon how fitting it was, relative to her head that often didn''t mention everything either.


    David would tell the same thing, but truth be told, he was hardly keeping things from her. Some things, he kept for himself, because he had some promises between him and Ultium. They shouldn''t be spoken unless necessary.


    Age and Level in devils spoke of powerful Bloodlines, potential transformations, and overall power level. There was a wide spectrum of what Lisa knew about devils, let alone others. Thus, she didn''t question that part all that much. As long as he was on her side, listening to her commands¡ªor David¡ªit sounded fine.


    For all that she knew, he may be some hidden child of some powerful devil that was killed by Levandis and tossed to her temple. That would explain his orphaned origin and lack of any devil clan to take him into their ranks. They wouldn''t dare to take him if it was a sensitive topic to Levandis, or deeply, Ultium was a fiend, so devil clans and families who knew who or what he was never took him under their wings.


    Devils weren''t that family-orientated race. Power was more up to their lives, second to the pacts of Bloodlines that didn''t necessarily need family or such bonds. When blood turned and flew, the word family was different for them. Then, there were their instincts and hearts.


    Blood was in everything, so it made sense to be rather important.


    According to her careful calculations and the surroundings of her End, in the following context about devils, David ended up surprisingly well. She gave up thinking about Ultium any further. It wasn''t a wild problem. She was just surprised and curious for David''s sake and her memories. That was about it.


    As for the rest of the Helpers, she took them for normal beings. Murai was the same, though he was glad there were three monstrosities of much higher power than he could''ve imagined. Bagus and Ultium even held a Level above Razmund! What it meant was security that Lisa considered fitting, but also dangerous. It meant more higher-level Hunters would come towards them, though wasn''t Razmund like that even without them in mind?


    Lisa used to be confused because of them. Not anymore.


    She decided to forget what balance and rules meant and why some things happened or why. She simply gave up by elevating this mess into a high-level team. Whether it meant or didn''t mean some trouble in balance, it shouldn''t matter from the very beginning.


    As for what Murai''s new Helpers thought of him, that was another interesting topic that Lisa took behind her head.


    Itrosh in particular seemed quite interested in Murai at all times, teasing him and talking to him all the time even if no answers came back. She always kept pestering him about his hoodie, where it came from, what powers he had, and how comfortable he was. That started right from the Helltrim City, in their first meeting.


    She was hoping to befriend him for some reason or another, or was that because of her honest and straightforward personality that showed interest in Anatidaes?


    Murai knew it was the case of his weird species, which Itrosh somewhat fearfully respected. That, and he was a Child of his species, so she was finding him amusing and historically important.


    She wasn''t alone.


    Bagus was the same, if not more fervent about meeting an Anatidae. He attempted to do the same thing as her a few times, but a couple of declines from Murai forced him to his knees and stop being a bother. That was good, meaning that Bagus was well into loyalty and took observations well into his big head. He wasn''t one bit forceful, unlike Itrosh.


    For a beast like him, one wouldn''t guess how Bagus''s personality and words acted, but he was a fine Grifhart above Level 70 and was no slave either. Many Griffins and their sub-species could speak and talk like humans, and since David lived around this Hell rather than in the wild, or Radagan, he was good at it.


    On the other hand, Itrosh was a bothersome opposition that never left Murai''s side, while David and Ultium kept walking side by side, taking the Anatidae for something else than others.


    It was their ticket from this Hell.


    ¡°Come on, sir Murai! I want you to ride me as well!¡± Itrosh insisted on this for the tenth time, hoping to force Murai to her shoulder like a child. Her voice was crisp, carrying power and a certain loudness.


    It was kind of annoying, which wasn''t something Murai disliked if it hadn''t happened all the time. It was the same with her demands. She dreamed of letting an Anatidae ride her shoulders. It was akin to a stroke of good fortune according to the history of her base race called Windfleys. Though, now, she was far from her race, as she meddled with Influance Items and her evolutions, turning her into a little abomination.


    ¡°Stop pestering him,¡± Lisa argued, knowing that there were more pressing issues right now. ¡°You would regret it. He would snap at your face and nose, or... that loudness and weight would crush you. Trust me. You wouldn''t like his voice.¡±


    ¡°Heard his quacks enough. They wouldn''t stress me!¡± Itrosh said with confidence and smiled at Murai who, thanks to a rare position for the past hours, was happily sitting on top of Bagus.


    Glaring at Itrosh wearing a military kind of uniform made of many sets of layers of scales and leather, she looked impressive. Around her sides and back were all kinds of weapons, ranging from daggers produced in sets, blades, and various other exotic weapons. There were dozens of them in total, which made her look as if she went to a war without knowing what she wanted. He couldn''t guess her Path. She almost looked like a ninja, considering she had a scarf around her neck that could shroud her face when needed.


    Then, there was the issue of talking.


    Apart from his forceful push of his Will to them¡ªwhich wasn''t something Murai planned to rely on¡ªhe never spoken to anyone. Lisa always translated his thoughts to them, which made their power dynamic weird.


    But for Bagus and Itrosh, it was normal. They never expected to communicate with Murai anyway, but they understood he was a Blessed with a good mind, so they could talk to him.


    Using Will to do meaningless things wasn''t good, so Murai remained silent in his travels and kept on training and thinking about what he could do and use. Again, he wasn''t relying on Lisa for that purpose, so when others spoke to him, she acted as his speaker of her own will.


    Her voice, reign, and power over the situation increased her motivations and ego. She spoke with powerful arguments even to those more powerful than her. She even eyed Ultium the same way as David.


    She wondered how well Itrosh or Bagus would fare against Razmund. David said it was a tough topic, considering information about Razmund that would come from Gate 2 would change the circumstances, while they still had Ultium at Level 80, so why was she worried? In truth, David even suggested dealing with Razmund in Helltrim City, but Lisa readily refused it, saying that one shouldn''t think of this Encounter as something normal.


    That was strange. David thought she would prefer crashing that Blessed first and asking questions later. It didn''t happen, since she had different priorities called Murai. And if the rumors about Razmund cutting Low Marshal Luno were correct, then things could be a bit difficult even with Ultium.


    Still, with four of them, Lisa hoped it wouldn''t end up worse if worse would happen. They should be close to him in power, she believed. Ultium might crash that haughty human who crushed her hope behind her back.


    Overall, Lisa took this Gate to another level in her head, hidden behind Murai''s ideas. It was her revenge too.


    Murai appreciated her ways with words for sure.


    ¡°And you keep walking in his stead. Oh, talking. Sorry,¡± Itrosh urged, closing her wide mouth filled with sharp teeth, hissing words against Lisa who warned her numerous times that taking Murai''s Will wasn''t ideal. It could tire them both and Murai had work to do anyway.


    Itrosh licked her lips, eyeing Murai on top of Bagus. ¡°I mean, my Will is more than enough to work with him, if what you said and mentioned is fine. Is what you''ve told right, at least.¡±


    Lisa forced a laugh, floating to face this confident adventurer with unknown experience. She wasn''t that interested in her or Bagus. They were her tools.


    ¡°Wanna fight it,¡± Lisa suggested, ¡°or, are you insulting him right now? You would take his Will? Alright. GO on. Did I hear that right? Are you underestimating his Will now? What a change from the norm.¡± Lisa sighed, mocking this clueless fool.


    Smiling at her as she floated closely, Itrosh took her taunts with a similar smile. She didn''t mind such banter, but when she glanced at this... ghost, she wasn''t sure what to think. She heard stories about Fairies, but... Lisa wasn''t that, she assumed. It wasn''t a certainty; she just wasn''t sure how to take her floating and pretty body to her face.


    But many could easily take her for a Fairy. Some idiots would even cherish her, kneeling and calling her their Goddess.


    Hearing her, Itrosh couldn''t find the right argument. Murai never allowed anyone to touch his Will, thus, conversing with him was out of the question. Everything went through Lisa, who was the party leader anyway. David allowed it unless the situation changed.


    Murai was the sole reason for their tremendous opportunity ahead. All they had to do was follow or force Murai out of the Seventh Death Forest, which meant a lot of choices and possibilities.


    All of which clashed against the problems of this temple. Lisa took it for help anyway, and David realized that getting out was a sticky situation. Lisa told him about Centralis Kingdom''s potential ploys, including the Hunt for Murai in the Seventh Death Forest and potential problems in Death Valley. Then, that Hell Party''s rumors in Paradise were another thing. Unfortunately, David was unable to dig deeper than in rumors.


    David said it was more than warranted to be cautious, since Centralis Kingdom was clever and experienced, and could easily crush them.


    Thus, a plan had to be made in a very unconventional way.


    According to their Helper''s Task and context Lisa revealed, nothing sounded simple at all. David suggested some ideas, mentioning portals leading far away. Getting someone personal with Chaos Space¡ªto let them away far from this forest¡ªsounded good as well.


    Lisa hoped for their validity, so when he suggested it, she got crushed when Mindarch spoke to them, reminding them of the general rules that Challengers had to utilize and that escaping him and the Encounter wasn''t so simple. It was a clever reminder that Mindarch did for one thing above. Levandis didn''t bend down, knowing that Gods were watching, and if something unruly would happen, she would face repercussions of Judges.


    In truth, it wasn''t the issue of the Encounter, but this temple. They could escape the Seventh Death Forest via Chaos Space or portals if they were outside. Unfortunately, Challengers were prohibited from mending with any public portals or Chaos Space, creating problems in this place''s Chaos structure and rules. They had only two things to do: give up officially, or go on until they would give up. That was the chain of rules they had to use.


    Lisa planned to ignore that, but in a way that Levandis¡ªor some Gods¡ªwouldn''t get or stop it.


    It all started and ended in the Helltrim City.


    Now, all they had to do was to get to the next Gate in one piece and not crash against that Hell Party.

 Chapter 197: Into the Hellscape

    Lisa would love to forget this temple for her and Murai''s sake, but finding the way out was still possible in some way. All they needed was to get their journey going, think with their heads, and take rumors and their time slowly. This idea worked on the premise that nothing terrible would happen or change, while the rest would happen in the lower Gate.


    Touch of ideas and knowledge would allow it, second to the Ip''ur Mountain that was still subject to unknown.


    David could only prove what was available and known, and he was indeed a much bigger help than Lisa though. After all, she had low expectations for him. Not only did he have roots and hands in many businesses and people, which then touched not only the Surface but also her current needs. His information gathering uncovered valid concerns and facts.


    He gave her information about some topics and happenings in the Surface, including the Centralis Kingdom, but Razmund''s journey was also up to his curiosity. That included a variety of past readings and knowledge that this Gate knew about the Surface Challengers, so Razmund wasn''t that small at all. David spent some effort on him years ago, as he was human and a person from the Centralis Kingdom. A place that David still thought about to this day.


    Seeing such people was very expensive in the Network, but if his Task touched upon his dreams and hopes, David wouldn''t care for his life in this place any longer. He spent far too much time here, chained and old. When he rediscovered Lisa, he decided to take a much tougher road with Ultium ahead.


    The goal wasn''t a simple one when many questions and doubts arose between him and Lisa in the past day. The Encounter was no longer that important since there was a wider clash between two forces that had significant power. The Encounter had its uses and rules, and David acknowledged that. The true problem was how to solve it, which went according to this temple instead. Boundaries shifted and the problems of how to get out of there followed this Gate.


    However, what if something changed as Mindarch proclaimed to them less than a day ago? That little piece of spirit told them to piss off by handling this Gate with force and bad ideas. He helped them instead, but they didn''t know why or how. There were clear facts that some Gods interfered with the current problems in the Surface that didn''t seem to have any pause.


    Encounters were always strange, and Mindarch or Levandis could use their status to change things up a little bit if they were brave enough. When, how, and where was a wonder Lisa couldn''t foresee and David didn''t want to guess.


    The most obvious change was a set of difficulties because Lisa raised the bar to a dangerous angle by concerning new Helpers at this Gate. It wasn''t alone. She essentially cracked Murai''s Hunt and did one thing that might not have been good. Murai will no longer adhere to regular balance and this could mean many unaccounted-for, or dangerous Hunters could now make their move.


    In a better sense, his goal of essence gathering was fucked and his options were limited.


    Many other things could change according to powerful Helpers since their reality followed their Task, and their reasons were outside of this Gate. This meant a crossed interest that touched this temple''s challenge and premise. This party was created without a hitch, which was true since Mindarch hadn''t said a thing about them even when he spoke to them a day ago. That could mean different things if Lisa thought about it more and more.


    Either the balance was right¡ªor it wasn''t¡ªand things were about to get difficult or validate Razmund to get equally powerful tools, or he already had them, which was correct but Lisa didn''t know. David hadn''t found a thing about Razmund''s potential Helpers and Lisa questioned Razmund''s reality since the very beginning, so she gave up thinking about it more.


    There could be instances where the Will of the Battleworld could refuse Helpers if it wasn''t fine or under possible influences. Then, there were those seeking the Encounter that could meddle or put unsightly issues against that logic. Judges or some God''s Wrath would emerge, while mortals could only adapt or learn from their mistakes. Both Sides would do the same thing, hoping to get ahead or overwhelm the other Side. It was a tough thing akin to a game.


    Nothing of that sort happened here, albeit the game had already started, much to Lisa''s dismay. She feared David and the rest would be forced back where they belonged, but it all depended on the context of balance and power, or... whatever the current problems could or couldn''t be. Perhaps they weren''t fine but the world was worse and things didn''t matter.


    Perhaps she was playing with fire, doing shit that might be foolish, yet weren''t others doing the same thing? She spit at some consent and rules. She would gladly do so much more. Considering the mess above the Surface that she apprehended thanks to David, perhaps what was happening wasn''t right, and stopping it could only happen under similar if not powerful touch.


    What and where were some rules? These things were up to Gods to know or change, or¡ªin most cases¡ªit was up to the Will of the Battleworld to make them right. It could be fine or terrible, or full of excuses thought up by Gods, who could meddle with all sorts of things all they wanted.


    It shouldn''t be right, so what was that same voice that all of her Helpers heard? It fueled Lisa''s suspicions, making her feel as if she was overlooking something very nasty.


    Itrosh and Bagus weren''t eager about these issues, nor what David and Ultium thought of this mission. They didn''t want to leave for the Surface like them; their lives were just fine here, in a place closer to Hell, so they didn''t care about some shifting remedy. Helping David was enough for them, while that voice promised good things that were hard to forget.


    They were on the Surface numerous times, participating in some Mortal and Holy Wars or some missions set up the Hell, military, or David. Each period was dangerous as it involved times when unkept forces clashed against the Surface, giving them ideas that life in the Surface wasn''t up to their liking. Not in the Somalis continent at least.


    Very few beings in this cave were utterly free from the terror that was reign of godly power. Levandis ensured safety and livable conditions in this place for everyone, so anyone living here had to adhere to some of her rules. It was fair. Those cherishing those rules had many chances and help. Those who didn''t were troublemakers or those who gave up pursuing their power and rather became regular denizens or workers under companies or gangs. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Whoever lived here saw power and reputation, unlike the Surface. Mindarch and Levandis''s orders were absolute. No one should want to oppose them, even if it wasn''t about politics too much.


    Levandis was rather carefree anyway, giving many lives what they wanted and desired if they were worth giving. Those who didn''t want some power or ideals could find different peace as long as they wouldn''t cause problems. They could become farmers or various employees for her cause in a less important manner. Opposite to them were those adhering to her direct ideas, turning to the military, her own forces, or her family. Most missions or tasks weren''t mandatory for those outside of it but were filled with desires and hopes that made up an interesting cycle.


    It wasn''t that different from different powers or times. That much Murai would acknowledge.


    All lives were sort of free in this place since freedom had various definitions. Greed and power moved the heart, thus many followed her words for Laws. It was parallel to the Surface in some capacity, albeit that place had different rules and churches, and many Sky Gods were close to Rulers.


    Levandis played with the heart as any God would, and be it her subjects or not, they would gladly take her offers.


    Up in the Somalis continent, humans lived as hegemons and places held vastness like sky and clouds. What were the differences between it and Hell, where various races lived as hegemons, and where chaos reigned surprise? Perhaps the space was the difference alone because the difference wasn''t all that big. The Surface had a different vision, but power and people held close resemble thanks to the Depths, Dungeons, and history between everything.


    Partially, of course. The Gods of the Sky were a large threat and major decision-makers across the whole planet, so most Hell Gods had to be wary of them. It was a struggle where mortals were seen as important, even if they were weak and set between everything. Be it human, devil, or numerous demonic races, everyone was always fighting for one reason or another. Beliefs, hope, and grudges followed this world, giving the Battlworld a taste of Chaos and death. All on the whim of Gods.


    Itrosh glared at Lisa up close, thinking that her voice was reasonable.¡°You think we are that weak? That I can''t take him? Don''t underestimate my Silver Badge! Hmph!¡± she flickered her head away, hissing in disinterest that was rather haughty.


    Lisa wanted to get going rather than argue with her, but he heard Murai wince in his seat.


    ¡°What a party,¡± he thought for her head, giving them both a slightly despondent look. So far, their journey was calmer than they thought.


    They were intercepted only a dozen times by a couple of scouts and those who wanted to test this new party. Most of it was caused by Razmund''s shout about the Encounter, which quickly spread around the Hellscape, while the rest was just about Murai and those interested in him or Lost Brothers.


    Lisa had yet to know about Razmund. David''s informants were yet to call. However, for a good while, they could tell something was wrong since the amount of fools eying them increased and some of them were getting far too comfortable. These Sectors weren''t always about the ground, but also about the walls, elevation, caves, and high ceilings. There were many nests for birds and dens for numerous beasts.


    After leaving the Helltrim City, their journey went into these Sectors that were half fitting and half wilderness. Some were owned by some companies or notable individuals who might or might not care about them. Most were public and open for free trespassing, as long as some permits and power allowed their traversal. Denizens and people purchased lots to build farms or some homes as long as they were away from the danger zones or some places. Such homes slowly turned into villages, then to various settlements, or straight-up cities.


    Owning a Sector was wealth and reputation that not everyone could handle. All businesses, fortune. and owning followed powerful politics. It would then correlate into partial profits or interest since business was important and taxes were up there in the management that Gods couldn''t forget. Even Hells couldn''t crush these devilish things. Having Sectors up to one''s name was akin to a goldmine. It was for those with important names, power, and reputation, as these places held up various mines, farms, or curious zones.


    For some time after snapping those curious eyes away, their journey was quiet. Perhaps too quiet. David used all he could to perceive the flow of information, but after leaving that city, it was harder to read into everything. So he either sent Itrosh or Ultium to solve them and deal with the rest. It couldn''t be helped; he depended on solving some problems with Marthosh, who remained in Helltrim City, gathering the rumors and everything he could.


    What was happening so far was kind of smooth, with most clearer ideas hiding behind uncertainty or some high paywall that was too much or nonexistent. Mindarch was giving away thoughts and ideas to those with some pockets, thanks to the Network that validated challengers, hunts, and various information gathering. Companies often took advantage of that and purchased his information to sell it further, but many took advantage of that by forging shit up.


    David knew it so he had to read between the lines or know the trustworthy sources. And by becoming an enemy of this Gate, it might get harder, so he was screwed. Through those efforts, rumors about Murai spread long ago, but they were much smaller than Lisa expected because most information about him weren¡ìt available even via the Network.


    Still, many greedy and crazy demons and gangs scattered throughout the Hellscape, hoping to catch him for nothing but a simple topic of Anatidae Child going through this place. While the Hunt had yet to start, and after Razmund proclaimed his Encounter, some eyes were observing them, afraid, or curious.


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    Many potential Hunters came from lower Gates as well, hoping to get prizes that wouldn''t come near them. Most of the lower Gates were places that homed powerful demons well over Level 50 on most occasions, as these places were no longer simple for regular denizens to take. Their mana was the most likely cause, giving much elevated and harsher conditions to live. Thus, no weak denizens were there, which was also a reason that going down was seen as a sign of power and reputation.


    Hellscape was tame. It was vast for a reason known because its mana wasn''t that crazy, so many lives were living, managing, and battling for themselves or Levandis'' Hell.


    Fodder under Level 50 was a mere standard for those who could live without being pitiful. Some of those were those who gave up, but the rest were always seeking something more. That idea became prevalent in the lower Gates, thanks to more hardships and higher stakes.


    Almost every Gate that wasn''t fully fledged murderous trial held some living quarters or conditions that adhered to their overall difficulties, or purpose. Thus, going deeper was always difficult, and it wasn''t because of powerful denizens. Everything was maintained and required.


    That was why Thar mentioned Murai''s limit was Gate 4. Any lower Gate would challenge more things than necessary, although there were some benefits of doubts when one mentioned Anatidaes or various other beings. The biggest part was still mana encompassing this whole temple like arrow and geysir. Murai would be slaughtered and troubled by such places, let alone potential enemies and challenges. If it wasn''t for the balance that Mindarch touched, it might be worse. He could alter nothing, for it was a principle and a challenging factor.


    It wasn''t fair, but which Hell was?


    Powerful beings were hiding in every Gate anyway, trying to see some worth for themselves or Levandis, or did they seek treasures, or couldn''t go anywhere else? It was the privacy and safety of the Hellscape that made it special. It was vast, feeling as big as some nations. Even some Overlords lived there, though not many of them were made public.


    Proper denizens could travel freely around the temple, as long as the cost, dangers, and portals were clear. Then, there were also some matters with missions and whatnot, but that was where becoming a Challengers came to mind. One could always try to become one, even if it was subject to a harsh reality and often Ends. This place was for no weaklings even if some kept surviving more than well.


    Many demons, devils, or beasts over Level 60 could even move to the Surface after paying a certain toll or taking missions for Levandis''s sake, wage their own wars, delving, or paths.


    Levandis wanted her subjects to be great, so she didn''t limit them too much, unlike some troubles stemming from the Surface or beyond. That didn''t mean she was lax. She had Mindarch, who worked great for that purpose, giving those who wished to challenge his home interesting kinds of treatments. That meant the tyranny of the trials since even denizens or proper military under her could become one. Without the three-year limit, it was an opportunity that hid nothing but many prospects.


    Gate of Suffering wasn''t a place for sightseeing or living. It was relatively small, so even its rewards were seen as lowest and fixed. Gate 2s were a bit different, although Islands of Greatness held impressive space and time. It would also create great settlements because of its vastness.


    Gate 3 and lower were much more interesting, but only up to Gate 7. Gate 8, 9, and 10 were prohibited from entry for most challenges simply because of their difficulty. And even if one was powerful, pushing through the limits of what was possible in this world wasn''t simple. Those were issues for Extremes or the utter peak. Level 70, where Laws were close yet far, wasn''t for them. Sometimes, even Level 80 wasn''t enough to see the truth about this place.


    Those were the rules Lisa recognized for a while, so she brought them to Murai, giving him some context to take this Gate and her plans seriously. It worked halfway how she had expected: Murai didn''t care.


    He planned to take this seriously regardless, which Lisa took with a certain interest that he ended up listening to her after so long. Frankly, Murai was kind of happy. He found this place interesting not because of lacking fights, but of different terms. Helltrim City was great and this small peaceful period reminded him of nothing he had done so far.


    ¡°What are you looking at me for?¡± Murai asked Lisa, sitting and looking after she noticed her interest.


    ¡°Can''t?¡± she sent him rather than talked.


    ¡°I see wonders in your eyes. That usually doesn''t end up well. Are there some bits of worries too, with anger and some suspicions aside?¡±


    ¡°Have a lot in mind right now. Plotting and taking this Gate is hard. Plans do that to a person.¡±


    ¡°Or a ghost.¡±


    ¡°You wish. I am hunting you enough.¡± Lisa said, almost proud. ¡°And think about you even more. Anyway, I want to ask and mention something important. How was your day, training, and decisions? I didn''t even ask you about your progress and what you''ve done because everyone was busy. Now, it seems you have made some choices.¡±


    Murai sneered and found her words hilarious. ¡°Acting as if I should give you a report isn''t right.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I was kidding. You don''t have to tell me a thing,¡± she said calmly before tensing her eyes. ¡°Well, that was a joke. I do want to know many things that I want to know. Why not? Including the Heavenly Shaping and what goes in that Manual, you will give me plenty of answers. Willingly or not.¡±


    Murai felt this was forthcoming, so he glanced around, noticing that Bagus kept going according to David''s route. Even Itrosh walked ahead, knowing that wanting to talk with Murai was too soon.


    He had time for Lisa, all things considered, ¡°I have made some choices and findings. As for your fitting wonder, Pillage left part of his soul inside his Manual. It is part of a dual ancestry, or so he said. Lauaghble fella thought it was a good idea to part his Will.¡±


    ¡°How part was he?¡±


    ¡°Enough to be a puppy. Wait, no. That is false. I extend him as that Manual wants. My many does, I mean. He sounded normal, to be honest. It is nothing strange when one sees a lock and souls close. He is like me, almost. If you gave him a better head and changed his life upside down, that is.¡±


    ¡°Is that a joke?¡±


    ¡°Is that your answer? What do you want?! I get it. You got me that manual out of the first Gate. Why? Isn''t it kind of good for me, or am I missing a point?¡±


    ¡°Are you complaining?¡± Lisa said dismissively.


    ¡°I could. I don''t. So?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps. I hold my memories and know some stuff. I mentioned Best Sect and some history, which immediately pulled me onto this idea because I''ve seen that Manual before. And if nothing else, giving it to you was a possibility; not a gift. It could''ve easily failed, but it didn''t. Not everyone would unlock it or get it. Many Beasts are simply far too small and weak. Mana or soul is why, perhaps? Beast Sect had certain standards. Now, you have a foundation to build upon. It is even coming from an ancient sect, while... the founder is in that manual? Have you learned something from him? Talked to him? How well does that Manual work with your Will or expertise?¡±


    ¡°Aren''t you asking too many questions?¡± Murai asked suspiciously, figuring that her interest wasn''t'' small. What she said was correct. She gave it to him and he accepted it. Questioning it might be too overbearing even for him, although he would lie if it was all cheery and great.


    After all, the truths of foundation, systems of progression, learning, and this world all clashed together under many principles.


    And now, Murai was uncovering some of the issues surrounding them.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Lisa said without hiding any shame. ¡°And you will answer them.¡±


    Murai thought for a second before accepting what he had. ¡°A little bit of everything is working. Overall, nothing is working because I don''t see everything. It is also about understanding shit. Most foundation techniques need time and something forced it to me a day ago.¡±


    ¡°Forced?¡± Lisa squinted her glowy eyes. ¡°I don''t think you fully get it, which is reasonable. It isn''t about some force but acceptance, refusal, and force to keep going. Do you think that Boosts are an encompassing force? They aren''t. They ease something, but one could spit at them and figure stuff out on their own. It is nothing lawless. It is a true factor of Divides and Skies beyond. This makes Battleworld what, you say?¡±


    ¡°I don''t question this world...¡± Murai grumped.


    ¡°You do everything. Sorry. I forgot.¡±


    ¡°Hm... Forget it. As for Pillage, he is precise and curious. On my last visit, that old dog was like a child rediscovering magic and spoke to me in some foolish attempts and reminders. Remind me of someone...¡±


    ¡°Sure. If you say so,¡± Lisa downplayed his words. ¡°Anyway, this Heavenly Shaping altered your previous Mana Shaping, which is kind of a big deal. If it didn''t, you would have some choice or freedom to focus on another technique, so I call it an easy choice. Have you seen any difference? It shouldn''t be a small shift to see a unique grade technique that was forced yet acknowledged in its own bubble. I mean it. It will follow you as you learn. Boosts won''t define it much; Manual will, or a teacher that is Pillage or your head.¡±


    ¡°So, not as if the previous Shaping did anything different, and not like it changes a lot.¡±


    ¡°True. That is also curious. One would expect to see some mentions in your previous Shaping since you are an Anatidae, but whatever.¡± Lisa paid no heed to the unknown, so she changed the topic. ¡°What about your magic?¡±


    ¡°Broad. Can''t say things have gone well or far ever since I got my mana all those weeks ago. Heavenly Shaping came like a force reckoning with my head, body, and core. Mana Flow feels somewhat different with this modification, yet still rushing in its wilderness. My Affinities are still there and pulled towards this technique at some... capacity? Pure mana is still up to my education. Some parts are easier, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°So nothing major?¡±


    ¡°If I use the foundation styles of the Heavenly Shaping and what Pillage described, there are some confusing and wonderful acts. For now, Mana Flow isn''t prominent even with my experience. I think it is what that Manual can change and what my Beast Core limits. Mana Flow is quality anyway, while the Shaping is a distinct aspect of magic that is essential for Shapers. It is still familiar yet different because something shifted it and forced it. How does it make sense? Have the Boost caused the change, or have I done it myself?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that? I suppose it''s a little bit of everything. I gave you this choice and you became an influence towards this change. I mean, you didn''t refuse my idea or that Manual, and you unlocked it. The end result happened in that room more than a day ago, which wasn''t just that alone. Your Manual was pivotal, compelling the Will of the Battleworld to consider it under your potential or its unlocked inheritance. It wasn''t reforged, or forgotten, or... something else. Anyway, it is that sort of thing that Manuals or Mana Tome do a lot in this world. This makes choices or forceful means very important. It can be mentioned about Spells too, or various other things. You accepted it, so get over it and learn what you can and shouldn''t get. Many mages do it all the time because mana tomes and manuals can change some tides outside of the Boosts or those shitty voices. I think Razmund has his own set too. Think of it like a gift that follows a vague sense of duty, yet it struggles to see the monarchs. Which is a wonderful reason that I am curious about. You should take this new Shaping differently. They are always different.¡±


    Murai heard her every word without a peep. Her mentions didn''t surprise him. ¡°Yeah? I''ve figured out some of what you''ve said very recently. This world has a knack for easing some questionable parts where power and reason gather. People and ideas outside of this world crash towards it, so isn''t it kind of chaotic to begin with? In a broader sense, isn''t it kind of weird? These gifts reeks of choices yet aren''t there also some forgettable or insane problems with it?¡±


    Lisa smiled. ¡°Not bad. You point out learning things yourself, relying on others, surroundings, Boosts, or all of the above. However, do you think figuring out new things is easy? It is about heights and new ceilings that fundamentally make up all of us. Some fools would be happy for a new evolved skill, until discovering it is far too heavy for them, or simply too harsh. They are unable to go back on their words if it is their choice followed by these voices and Boosts.¡±


    Murai grumbled.


    ¡°Also, the point of never going back to the previous ability is incorrect, just so you know. One is compelled to accept new conditions, or one could refuse them and get something else at some other point in a harder timeline of that said ability, path, or evolution. However! There is one thing that fundamentally trashes this idea. Do you know what is that?¡±


    ¡°Get to the point.¡±


    ¡°Learning, teachers, and fundamental truth that one is still a mindful master of their own life. For example, I think you could get Peak Explosion going even with Peak Layering in your acceptable conditions and choices. But you''ve chosen it, and you get what it does and do because of the Boost. That allowed you to understand it so much better, as its usefulness is assured. Without that idea, it is outside of the Boost''s scope, and harder, so you would work much harder for those basics.¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait, wait. Isn''t it fair? Isn''t it how the vaster skies do their lives?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and you aren''t because you are in the Battleworld. Not somewhere else. That is why am asking and talking to you about it right now. Got something out of that Manual that would fiddle with some ideas? Beast Sect and Pillage might be quite lofty and out of this world''s views. Is there some specialization especially great for your species? I heard there could be... or you might be even stranger. After all, Anatidaes are crazy yet not part of the Beast Sect. At least historically, so perhaps they might be worse? Anyhow, that Manual is your main weapon since Boosts are gone and its foundation is set at a unique grade, so its usefulness is up to your trials, error, Pillage, or the whole Manual as a whole.¡±


    ¡°That is false,¡± Murai cut her off. ¡°It is up to me mainly. And yes. I get how important is Shaping, so you don''t have to speak or mention it once. Got enough of it already. In fact, the last day and previous Gate 2 gave me plenty of thoughts, and there were even some answers or correct assumptions. Boosts aren''t required for stability. Knowing does. I started to struggle halfway into the Islands, but after some wisdom and knowing what I could do with this life, I got to know how to work even without this Boost in sight. How? Isn''t it just how things are; normal and fair?¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Lisa said. ¡°What I''ve said is also true.¡±


    ¡°I am more of a person of experience, so no thanks.¡±


    ¡°Doesn''t look like that to me at all. The fundamental truth of Heavenly Shaping could potentially evolve your entire magic. Think about it further, please. I don''t implore it; you must do it.¡±


    Murai chuckled, thinking this was the first time she had spoken to him like this. ¡°No worries. I have a good start ahead of me. Got some idea about some spells and how to think about them further is fitting to some swordsmanship and this Shaping. Pillage had some keen ideas when he made this wild technique that meddles with all sorts of things across many worlds. This world is why, I reckon. The origin doesn''t matter. Not every beast is equal or right. Pillage thought so as well and found Anatidaes bewitching yet out of his sight. He said that they pitied him and never wanted to see his dog-like manners. I found that interesting and old. What of the current time? What are Anatidaes up to? He questioned it and I couldn''t provide any answers.¡±


    ¡°That could be said to pretty much anything. How many questionable lifeforms are out there? That is an unnecessary question. But considering your little life, I suggest taking this wonder to yourself, Mindarch, or some Gods. They might know better what to expect and I wasn''t fiddly enough to touch your species fifty years ago, let alone before that. Perhaps it was luck?¡±


    ¡°Hm. Will do. Not everything can bore this technique, yet I did, so be it.¡±


    ¡°You sound like... Wait. Isn''t that kind of good for you? You got hang of all kinds of shit,¡± Lisa said, trying to sound serious but she fell into wonder instead. ¡°Spells and all, Blessed with experiences could grow high, yet some things could be difficult because of everything combined.¡±


    ¡°Pillage said the same thing. I laughed, denied, and thought otherwise. My current body isn''t good, but it could only get better, so let''s call it a compromise. This timing sounds like a perfect foundation to me, although it needs a lot more attention and training than anything before its creation. It is still kind of new to me and will do so for years. It is like trying to see familiar parts of large islands while knowing just how vast the seas are. As a whole, some factors still overwhelm me.¡±


    Lisa sighted in reality. ¡°You know, as long as you manage to get it going well, I am not complaining and will not hinder a single thing.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you would?¡±


    ¡°I dislike weaklings.¡±


    ¡°Than... David is who?¡± Murai mischievously asked, evidently recognizing their questionable history.


    ¡°I take it back...¡±


    ¡°Yea. Wanna show something else?¡± he added, believing that the real-world scenarios for Heavenly Shaping could work after this small training period and her still eyes looked at him like a fool. For now, most of his time went into the Heavenly Shaping''s internal space where he had limited, albeit extended time to train. Pillage said it. The reality there was suitable and reforged.


    ¡°Sure. What?¡± She replied shamelessly.

 Chapter 198: Worth of Heavenly Shaping

    Murai tried instruction segments from his and Pillage''s soul memories. There were many ways to implement and touch magic, so countless variants were under specific or normal circumstances. Getting or growing familiarity was done with comprehensive exercises or even spells. In Heavenly Shaping''s starting sequences, one of the better ones was a spell called Nova.


    For the time being, it had nothing but basic purity because experimenting with his three Affinities wasn''t suitable.


    Murai sat down, ignoring the ride, or the surroundings. Lisa was flying aside, curiously looking at him. Then, mana moved and he began to sway his magic like always. His core was rather calm, but when he proceeded with his Conjuring, something snapped and mana flowed like a much quicker stream. What he essentially felt was comparable to an engine swap.


    Mana flew from his core, moving under or from his feathers, going down, or escaping his hoodie. He clutched everything in his mind, compressing and embracing it. Smaller and smaller, in a blink, mana compressed and released, shuddering Murai''s feathers and face. An explosive push of force pushed the air and mana around, shaking the part of the road, wincing leaves, and some trees.


    It happened right above Bagus, who frowned and winced his head behind. ¡°Oy, no playing on my back,¡± he shouted, angling his neck to look at Murai and Lisa behind him.


    Murai laughed, so Lisa had to apologize to him instead.


    ¡°Arranging a spell before it fully forms and sending it out like a stream through the heavens,¡± Lisa whispered. ¡°That is the form that Pillage was known for and many mages desire to master such magic across many skies. Some variants are under many races and cultures, yet implementing such rules is like becoming one with primordial energies. What does that make you, Murai Hisagi? This Nova you created was... difficult, wasn''t it?¡±


    ¡°What am I? A beast with some... knock for odd mana. In fact, Heavenly Shaping is all about that,¡± Murai expressed without contempt. ¡°Unfortunately, the force, delay, and timing are difficult. Every spell will use different fortes, so I''ve decided to do one thing alone: Focus on one thing at a time, which comes down to simplicity first. I also considered swordsmanship and completely omitted any Path. Don''t need one of those, while the one is keen and wonderous.¡±


    ¡°Swordsmanship? You mean... swordsduckship? Oh, that doesn''t sound great at all. Perhaps you should reconsider it and.... wait, you refused the swordsmanship promotion back then, didn''t you? What changed your mind?¡±


    ¡°You mean that question in the Golden Room about some dubious swordsmanship adhering to my species or suitable choice? I refused it simply because my head and circumstances were greater than that, and I didn''t want to listen to a single word for something this close to my soul. Perhaps it could''ve solved something, sure, but finding limits in that time... I''ve realized my choices and decisions hadn''t been the most clever. You touched upon it a minute ago. I had suspicions, choices, and no regrets. Are you mad, hm?¡±


    This time, Murai gazed into her eyes, but no staring contest went ahead. Lisa was far too busy thinking for herself to give him this privilege.


    ¡°Mad, huh? I am a lot of things but not that.¡±


    ¡°Than you have no qualms to give? How shocking. Too much stuff sounds like a nuisance, so I was thinking of something precise. Singular.¡±


    ¡°Good. Good for you. Good idea,¡± she nodded twice. ¡°Work hard for me, will you?¡± She patted his hood and adjusted its parts after realizing that some of his experimental pure Nova messed up his beloved hoodie. His brief touch upon Nova was many times stronger than she had expected, considering she guessed it was his first experiment outside of that Manual.


    She witnessed how Murai tried really hard and felt challenged because of it. That was far more than good; it was ecstatic for her because he should feel the impulse and challenges ahead. He was very proud, she knew. Perhaps more than herself, or her words, which might force him to try his best if she allowed herself between them.


    Lisa recognized his pure Nova as a Force Spell, functioning as a powerful push of mana that could cause less destruction. It was good at pushing and making sudden shifts in fights, allowing sudden moves. It could almost become something much better thanks to his private learning. He could put it through some tests and make Sharpness Nova, Flame Nova, or Flame Nova because of his Heavenly Shaping and Affinities.


    In a similar vein could be described his self-found spells, albeit the situation with them was a bit more difficult. So far, he was busy and paid little attention to them. Flame Shot, Mana Spear-Dagger-Arrow, and Sharpblade were his sole spells. Their efficiency and usefulness were still up to his Shaping, while their level was relatively small.


    But that could change any day by now. His Affinity could touch most spells, although something like Flame Shot worked with his Flame alone.


    Nova was unexplored for Murai and his Heavenly Shaping, and it was a rather nice exercise. Putting mana into the world before playing with it, exploding it in some parts, it was up to a mage to handle it with burdens, flow, aftereffects, or self-inflicted injuries. No one wanted to burst oneself or push mana into a terrible state, so it put a lot of sensitivity to what was essential.


    Thankfully, Murai had good tools under his disposition: his hoodie, flesh, and feathers. He had no physical burdens thanks to them, but calling his internals calm right now was far from the truth. Lisa saw his hidden stress and pride, so she didn''t tease him, so that might be a considerable growth on her part.


    In Lisa''s eyes, she noted how Murai had done his work. Mana moved from him like a small blast, to begin with, wanting to go away right away thanks to the wilderness. Then he clutched it without exploding it, compressing it while Conjuring, so that meant he was Shaping as well. The idea to do both wasn''t very common, but it wasn''t extremely rare either. Many mages thought of lowering some gaps and increasing efficiency in all kinds of manners. Catalysts or various equipment and artifacts were created out of them, but the body and minds were much more endless.


    In some skies, many were perfecting the natural disposition between mana, soul, flesh, and magic. These were all different, so making them fuse and become closer was extremely difficult.


    What Murai had done wasn''t normal, but when he did his touches numerous times, Nova still exploded quickly and efficiently. It was kind of weak as it wasn''t filled with much mana or density.


    For a training exercise, it was enough to give her validation that she had made a great decision and that someone good read between the lines.


    ¡°Wanna hear something else that is no less important?¡± Murai asked, feeling good about himself.


    Lisa winced herself from her reveries. ¡°Again? What?¡±


    ¡°Mention of some expertise go far. You said your wonder and stated your truths, so I will add mine. I thought about what to focus on and some tricks and ideas came up with my memories. Twin Blades. Unofficially speaking, that is, it is an idea that focuses on everything I have right now. Originating from some distant swordsmanship and Paths, Heavenly Shaping, Sharpness, and my head, I will pursue it from now on.¡±


    ¡°Twin Blades?¡± Lisa wondered, thinking that his focus on previous Mana Blades was decent, but not too crazy. He was dominating their lack of power with his ridiculous mental Shapling, which created a large disparity between his actual level and power level. ¡°Do you want to carry swords as a duck? Perhaps you should think of some Path first before going that far, but... swordsduckship is dreadful. It would do well for anyone good. This world does...well, it usually does plenty of good things for anyone who chooses some Path, so perhaps you should think twice rather than once. Why not go further?¡±


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Path?¡± Murai frowned and shook his head. ¡°I have no plans for one since these Twin Blades carry nothing close. It is more like an observation from some Paths and this life. It is like borrowing some ideas while hoping they will click together. Swords and mana blades work in a wide range of influence and Sharpness, and I have my feathers, wings, and body to consider. Like before, I mean.¡±


    Lisa accepted such logic with silence, hoping he would get powerful more quickly. She was guessing that the worst parts were yet to start for him, so as long as his mood and mind were sharp, she didn''t plan to put him under her words.


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± she said. ¡°Want to show it off as well? That Nova gave me a small picture of what you could do. Can''t travel with you there, to the Manual, so what else you can do? Wanna show some Arrows instead? I am all eyes!¡± She nodded once and appeared far too lofty and mysterious for no reason whatsoever.


    Murai blinked and yed her body made of sona as if she was trying to make a point or a joke.


    ¡°Nah. I will not give you further privilege...¡±


    This Nova was already enough to give him many shortcomings and restarts.


    Lisa was happy that he wouldn''t go far. It meant he wasn''t stupid.


    ¡°I will think about what to do myself. You focus on this Gate.¡± Murai turned his head, focusing ahead.


    ¡°How generous,¡± Lisa reckoned and flew away.


    The group continued with their journey into the Hellscape''s Sectors, which included being cautious and thoughtful about the surroundings or nasty hidden dangers. Some could come from within, or even outside. Itrosh was very good, as her scouting and speed were exceptional. She discovered many issues ahead of time, letting the group go around them, or she or David would solve them in some other way.


    David''s sources included rumors over a new Anatidae, but also their overall team. Their Helper status was slowly being discovered, dragging the future down like their possibilities. It might be possible for many powerful Devils to make moves now because Ultium was nobody weak. Strangely, David proclaimed it would be no issue, and Lisa doubted it was simple. He didn''t prove it enough because they hadn''t met someone shocking so far.


    However, that could change in a heartbeat. It could come without warning, guided as a sudden or personal opportunity of some Hunters or personal unhinged stakes.


    Any Anatidae could fetch sky-high prices in most Hells alone, let alone in the Surface or the Sky. Lisa was worried about it because Murai was kind of weak and their team was strong. Some powerful fools could steal him under their grasp, so Murai always stayed close to Bagus, while Ultium was on the standby.


    Bagus was too busy carrying Murai on his back, so he had no time to shine. Murai was the same; he hadn''t had a single fight since entering this Gate. Either way, foes wouldn''t be difficult. They would be impossible, so that was enough reason to put his mind somewhere else; onto his training. His Helpers were experienced killers, so he let them do their job.


    The dangers were slowly creeping upward, hiding in the shadows or close to ceilings or walls. Jungles could be the same, if not worse. Discovering that a high-level company started to protect their target was soon evident. News always moved along this Gate quickly when greed was in the picture. It might go outside of the Network too, since living beings had their own heads, eyes, scoutes, or ears. It will change many decisions for many of them since the Lost Brothers made their move.


    Everything was tense, lingering on for the Hunt to start.


    But their group was powerful and didn''t need any Hunt. Lisa was more confident than usual, so she moved forward without care, thinking that their path wasn''t quick or slow. Frankly, they didn''t have to wait for anything. For all that was right, Mindarch and Levandis can take their time so she could escape this shithole quicker.


    Murai was glad he gave Lisa some slack. A bunch of Helper was a strong expansion to what he could do, and some elevated or changed Gate was secondary. After all, what would it be like without them, or how this Gate would even make sense? What was he supposed to do? Struggle to look for his portal alone with his little feet and Lisa?


    He was no longer alone, hopeful to deal with every issue. That was no longer possible, for this Gate was much wilder than the previous ones. It turned out to be a bit... how did he want to say it? Empty? Dull.


    Everything made his experience and mind filled with the past Gates weird. He was so hyped to carry his essence hunting toward this Gate, yet a change came and he couldn''t do much about it.


    Perhaps he didn''t like it, or hate it. He didn''t want to acknowledge that Lisa''s ideas were correct and that he should be patient and deal with everything on top of Bagus''s back.


    It was time for his head to expect to train and travel to seek some experiments in other forms and leave potential troubles for others. It was opposite to most of his past days.


    Nothing significant ever came across him other than Lisa''s curious eyes, Itrosh''s laughable demands, and Bagus''s remarks if his feathers weren''t too uncomfortable. David and Ultium hardly talked to him. The journey was long enough, and traveling through the jungle and forests alike was slow.


    Aerial travel was also a possibility since Bagus could fly, but he couldn''t carry everyone, and it might not even be a good idea. Thus, the groundwork was put forth and Murai found a nice spot on him. He sometimes kept his tiny legs on his back, sitting between his wings, or being on top of his head for better views.


    Murai discovered that his feathers were less fuffy than his own; they held unnatural stiffness and sturdiness instead. At least he no longer had to walk, so he didn''t complain. His hoodie and feathers were soft enough.


    Surprisingly, Bagus cheered and gladly allowed Murai to keep his approach on top of his head or back. He also insisted on carrying him in his beak, pinching his hood or feathers, but Murai refused that idea, even though Bagus seemed dejected and very sad over it for some reason. It was terrible news. Carrying Anatidae in a beak was akin to a token of good luck for Griffins, or so it was said. In any way, Bagus was alone; he never grew up with any other Griffin or any families or tribes, so he had a less adherent culture of this significant Divine Beast species.


    Murai took his ride for granted because it wasn''t a bad idea. Itrosh became a bit angry over it, as he refused her every advance, but it was great to have a "mount", for once.


    In this matter, the journey went on for many more hours, and the number of fights hadn''t increased or lowered. Lisa wasn''t bound to any walking speed, nor she was hindered by her physicality. She often flew quickly and her stamina was quite deep, if not unfathomable because she hardly went back into Murai''s soul space.


    Upon starting to realize the depth of her race, everyone besides David was up to this journey long before it started. David huffed and paused from time to time, often opting for rest on top of Bagus''s back. There was enough space for a single person. Not more.


    Lisa always followed them around, or high in the sky, looking around and scouting for better directions or enemies. Making sure that Itrosh was current and serious wasn''t always working, so Lisa did her own stunts, knowing that very few beings could really catch her. And if someone would... well, she didn''t want to imagine that.


    Her flight was great like her sight, and some chasms or vegetation won''t stop her either. It wasn''t because she could grow vast wings, or see through things In some ways. She could. Her physicality was closer to a ghost after all. A lot of things didn''t matter to Soul Renders, whose basic race could do much more than imaginations and eyes.


    Some more hours later, at the closing time of the second day at this Gate, a message finally arrived. David stopped the group under the shade of a vast tree. They were quite far from the source of any light and heat, but it didn''t matter to them. Lisa glowed like a sparkling gem, so David took her body for something surprisingly small, soft, yet useful. Murai would laugh if he Read his view in a normal situation.


    David pulled a metallic construct from his pocket. It was undulating thin waves of mana, guiding many wires and various materials in small arrays. It was a special runic construct for long-distance communication that worked for hundreds of miles, if not longer, as long as two constructs were connected and moving in the same principles.


    Murai was quite familiar with these kinds of things, as he was upon their creations at one point in a distant life on some planet and time. It was ancient, hidden in his memories, but not veiled due to some remarks. The technology of Epochs was vaster and everchanging since some worlds could grow different from others, while the Epoch themselves poised as a significant course of one thing: Divides and Chaos Cycles. It was about time, cultures, differences, and those who were beyond. The growth of the universe closely resembled that premise.


    David activated this construct, which wasn''t wild or complicated. It pushed out connecting waves like a sonar, connecting and finding the other construct. It was quick, effective, and usually impossible to eavesdropping. However, it was no Law. Some powerful people or greater constructs could find or hear their incoming conversation, but David didn''t care. The purpose of this constrict was much more simple than what they planned for.


    It wasn''t anything major. Such constructs became popular across many planets long ago, thanks to many Gods who took it for their creation, spreading it far and wide. It was an inevitable course of talents and copying mechanics, which pissed Murai off a little.


    However, it was far too late to think much about it. It was almost fair. There were barely any limitations to intellect across some Gods or space, so some stealing or spreading conveniences happened. And these things had a rather surprising factor of science and mana inside of them. It was about shimmering wavy and dust particles of mana, or were those its true Laws? Many thought and discovered what mana might be or not. It was once more about the size and numerous secrets. What one might see, one might not feel or see under a different light.


    The construct let out thin waves akin to a sona, which then traveled to the second half of this construct across the regular air and space under a second. That was expected and effective. It was similar to the radio, but it worked with mana that was shaking and living in everything. Those were essentially endless, giving voice, tones, shapes, lines, and sizes to all most dimensions.


    According to what Murai knew about this work, it was about mana frequencies, which was a thing closing on higher mana of different names, different worlds altogether. Either way, this simple trace of idea assembled lighting fast communications if the sequence of relatively simple runes were the same.


    Murai wasn''t their maker; he was just in their innovation, or past that felt like dreams or nightmares far distant to reclaim care from something like him.


    Upon some back-and-forth soft tones, noises, and glitter of light, Marthosh''s voice spread from the construct.


    ¡°Hello? Hello. Oh, on Hell, finally! He is here. The one Evil Lisa spoke about! Razmund!¡± Marthosh expressed his dread and his voice wasn''t that calm. ¡°He is terrifying as you''ve expected. Killing things and uncaring about the words or consequences, he already proved his words and... took the lacking Voice in craziness. He is crazy, boss! He proclaimed shit in no turns the moment he came to the city and turned many things down, or aside, or...bad. On Gods, this is terrible for me. Why?! Hey, are you listening?¡±


    David was silent.


    Marthosh spoke faster than Amelius, which Murai doubted was humanly possible. Murai sighted, figuring that their time was turning to a new leaf since Razmund had finally come. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Someone took this voice differently. David slapped his forehead with both fists, hoping to escape Lisa''s piercing gaze.


    ¡°Oh, this is interesting. You told about me even to a little kid?¡± she mocked him. ¡°What else? What is worth mentioning? Consider me not surprised.¡±

 Chapter 199: News about Razmund and Murais choice

    Smiling in mischief, Lisa had all sorts of ideas about why she should be considered evil¡ªor terrible¡ªbut hearing it from Marthosh was funny if she considered her true feelings or David. She didn''t even know this kid of his, who he must''ve found in the streets. So she wondered what else David was taking to his mouth while she was dead and gone.


    Fortunately, at this point, Lisa had different thoughts and needs. She had no issue with their words, or what David thought of her. Back then or now, her mind was already old and experiences vast. Now, her priorities were vastly different than ever before. She took David for no stranger, of course, nor did he take her for someone who hadn''t fixed his life all those years ago.


    It wasn''t some distant memory anymore; they both remembered it for their own needs. For one of them, it happened without stopping, acting as a distant echo. The other took it a little worse, oblivious to the aftermath and true meaning of the word death.


    Both cared for some memories and histories between them, which Murai observed from the side, sitting on top of Bagus''s head.


    Lisa coughed, uncaring about David''s embarrassment, and reminded him to go back to the business.


    ¡°You know, evil has a lot of forms, but that needs no attention right now. Focus, or do you want my reminders again to call me evil? I can try a whole lot of things even with this body,¡± she cracked her palms, giving an evil smile. ¡°Feel the fear of your head, memories, or go through you like a proper ghost. You name it, call it, I do it.¡±


    David wasn''t sure if he should agree or disagree with her ideas. He was half certain it wouldn''t hurt to see either, or what her weird body could do or cause, so he most definitely didn''t fear it. It would help him understand her better. While he could fix some of his mistakes, wasn''t it too late?


    He grew old, as most humans would in such a prolonged time apart. He was more than seventy years old, which was considered elderly in most places in the Surface, though he didn''t look like that at all. His wealth, money, and power were well spent. He spent more than half a century without her; Lisa wasn''t with him for some years before meeting her End, so his actual years weren''t far from an elder.


    David released his hands, clutching them and fearing Marthosh said that intentionally. ¡°No need,¡± he said, nearly squashing the construct apart, but it was far too precious and well-made. ¡°I am more than fine as I am.¡±


    Not everyone was.


    ¡°Hello!?¡± Marthosh said, continuing to talk as if in a hurry. ¡°My bad, but there is really bad timing to talk like this, boss. I don''t think you, boss, realize how terrible it is for us. You! The company will go to shambles if you don''t help! I can''t... I mean, I would never do it justice with the mess in the city or what that shithole did.¡±


    David hesitated and loosened his grip. ¡°Calm down. No. That isn''t right. I said it enough, Marthosh. Just weather the storm and survive. You are out and we are gone. We will solve what will come while your reliance on survival and rumors is enough. Or... is it something else? Did someone target you even in the city?¡±


    Lisa found this situation weirdly comforting that David remembered some of their time. He took them with embarrassment for some reason when they met again. She didn''t know why. Was she that harsh on him, or was it wrong?


    She didn''t think so.


    But many reasons weren''t always flattering or good. She didn''t care for a face back then, nor before, or... ever. Some situations were sufficient for special occasions. Some words were the same.


    Everything was a little bit different because her status was rather sensitive, caused, but not adhered to the little duck on top of Grifhart''s head. She knew why acting with caution was best done gradually, so she took David for a lost treasure she found along the way, old but still useful. It might also hide some surprises, old-time sakes, or melancholy.


    She knew it was a worthy catch, albeit too old to think of it as fierce.


    ¡°Is he there then?¡± David said, still trying to ignore Lisa''s gaze. ¡°That means problems and many answers. It took a lot longer. Good job! Marthosh, you little chap. What about information from the brokers?¡± David shouted and shed a tear at the construct. He quickly changed the topic for his good, unsure if he would meet Marthosh ever again.


    He doubted that which was why Marthosh took things seriously, even though it turned weird and dangerous. David couldn''t help it; he gave him his whole company and everything he had built for decades. All for this sake called the Encounter, Lisa, and Murai.


    ¡°A man shouting about Encounter is enough of a confirmation, isn''t it?¡± Marthosh said, sounding a little calmer this time around. His breathing stabilized, and his voice softened. ¡°I saw him myself. Tall guy, crazy, eyes almost red, round, and unblinking. On two, he cut issues in half and in the way. Numerous ones, I should add. He also added more mess to the current tides. He is unhinged much more without Order in place but the weird thing is... the military does nothing! Everyone wanted a piece of him when he wore his Token on his chest. Many sought him out even without Hunt in sight, a small skirmish broke, and duels went head to toe. Or not... I am not sure what to trust. Of course, it ended up in many Ends, while his current location is unknown. He is gone from the city.... going deeper.¡± In the end, panic struck his voice.


    David contemplated this problem. It seems everything went as Lisa predicted. If Razmund truly unhinged his voice and openly proclaimed his Encounter, things wouldn''t fare well for a lot of people. Not for him or them or anyone. Depending on how one would handle it better will make losers and winners clear.


    ¡°That would explain our little visitors in the past hours,¡± Lisa added. ¡°And how his act could turn everything down. Him stating it is like a proclamation to go at us. What else? Many will correlate us to him, and many will want an easier pie to grasp. Thus, the Encounter is here and open to everyone. To every little problem.¡±


    Lisa was right. Razmund''s act wasn''t good or bad. It was just bold. Very bold. It was also very confident for someone who didn''t even know that his little prey got massive Helpers without a single hitch. But in that case, Lisa bet it was no longer the case. Razmund should know by now that Murai had vastly different protection from ever before.


    ¡°Well, if that''s the case, the source of problems is here, but that isn''t enough to crash us, isn''t it?¡± David asked, turning his face to Lisa who nodded in confirmation.


    ¡°He could. I don''t know everything about his choice, but since the messages from the last Gate about him are narrow or biased, you''ve told me enough. He could crash us still. It could be worse than anticipated, but not unexpected. He is doing this for a reason. He must know it isn''t good or terrible. Got a pair of successful rides in this Hellscape too, so he must have his plans and confidence to do it. Or, he might not know about us yet. When did it happen, boy?¡± Lisa asked Marthosh.


    ¡°Some hours ago, I fear. I had some problems. That, and...well, it is late. He proclaimed the Encounter the moment he got out of the Helltrim Castle and his following steps went quite... like I said.¡±


    ¡°That answers it,¡± Lisa said.


    David sighed, knowing that she was right. ¡°I can''t even guess what many gangs and companies will do with that sort of idea. They sent scouts at us before the Hunt, so what happens after everything is revealed?¡±


    ¡°Infighting?¡± Bagus added his idea. ¡°That seems reasonable. This place is never calm and many fools fight against one another all the time. The same could be around us or that human who just arrived.¡±


    Lisa agreed with him too, similar to David who knew this place wasn''t so simple, which was why he kept most things about Murai, Lisa, and everything between them.


    ¡°It seems the Hunt is starting, Murai Hisagi,¡± Lisa said to Bagus'' head. ¡°A real one. How to call it? We got one in the Seventh Death Forest before, while escaping to this temple temporarily put it down. Now, it is back.¡±


    ¡°Clash of Titans!?¡± Bagus suggested a better name, nodding and nearly stumbling Murai out of his head.


    ¡°Hunt is enough,¡± Itrosh mumbled, feeling left out.


    Lisa didn''t care for names. She just spoke freely like she wanted.


    Murai slapped Bagus''s head with his wing as he climbed back up. ¡°Give me a break with that, would you? What does real even mean?¡± He quacked. ¡°Name or not, this hunt of ours is not mine. I just have to escape, so what is even some Encoutner or means of this Encounter? You expressed some weird things recently. Parts, Sides, Origin, and Reason.¡±


    ¡°Escaping is your Part. Razmund has his own. They might compel each other, or not. It is subject to the underlying origin. He is coming for your head, I reckon,¡± Lisa pointed to the truth she long guessed. ¡°He is looking for you. no longer stalled behind by bridges, web of complicated lengths, and Islands. Here? He can find us quickly if he is insane enough.¡±


    ¡°He nearly killed me once!¡± Murai shouted. ¡°I don''t want to see him ever again. Almost. No. He did kill me...well, anyway. I took that in by the nearest End I''ve felt in a long time. What about the rest? Since it has been hours since that asshole came here, we shouldn''t dally around.¡± He said and nearly panicked about what to do, which surprised Lisa a little bit.


    She asked Marthosh for specifics.


    ¡°It has been... around four hours since he walked out of the castle,¡± Marthosh replied again, ¡°so don''t expect specifics. There was some fight, or so some reports say. That is me. I''ve seen some of them. I had trouble getting some right ideas across afterward, as getting clarity is part of Lost Brothers. David always says it. Better full message than a bunch of excuses.¡±


    ¡°That is all cheery like a sunset,¡± Lisa said patiently. ¡°But tell me about the aftermath.¡±


    ¡°Well, what is there to tell? I was a bit hesitant when he butchered some gangs along the way out of the Helltrim City and arranged some infighting, but that is to be expected. Many people got a rush of adrenaline and insanity. Excuses, or so David would say. That was some time ago. Then, some fools waited outside of the Helltrim City. He gained a couple of followers, but they betrayed him in earnest, almost killing him but he cut them back. It was forceful, or so I''ve heard. Maybe it was false since I couldn''t get to them. Wasn''t there myself, so...¡±


    ¡°So an hour,¡± David said, scratching his head and couldn''t wrap his head around what will happen next. If the other Side of the Encounter was this unhinged, the unexpected might happen. Lisa and he knew what to expect from the Blessed of Razmund''s caliber. He wasn''t one bit weak. ¡°Direction?¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± Marthosh chuckled. ¡°His goals are planned or they are far from it. You have changed too, boss. According to the map Evil Lisa planned, way ahead from the starting Sectors is clear and rather unchanging. I don''t know the details but he went forward and most scouts or trust are unruly, so his direction might be off or go straight towards you.¡± Marthosh said everything without exaggerating or hiding a thing.


    ¡°Is that so? Maybe he knows where we are,¡± Lisa said, half certain it was the case because of all the previous notes from Gates. Razmund had always followed them behind in the past Gate. That much Lisa recognized with herself or Lorry. How? She didn''t know the details, but David had some guesses. The Dice. It was a bit odd, but rumors were rumors.


    In any case, thinking of how wrong could things be was a bad idea. Lisa was sure that things could change and become worse. It was no Law, sure, but it carried some truths. Nothing crazy was following them behind right now. Nothing like Razmund at least. No spies were close, though some doubts were free. They would be outside of their senses, which might be dangerous like creeping Razmund behind their necks.


    So far, they killed every problem that had arrived too closely. But in the middle of the jungle, someone could easily hide. There could be even some hidden constructs, tamed beasts, or someone masterful in stealth hiding. There was almost no way to guarantee the safety of their position, unless their power was supreme, or they had more secrecy in their travels.


    That was impossible. Privacy wasn''t possible right now, and won''t be.


    ¡°Well, boss, knowing where you are is one thing, but why wouldn''t it be the case? Hellscape is simple in premise, isn''t it? Uhm.. I''ve never been part of the Challenger Party, so don''t take my word for granted. Long, narrow, and mostly straight, Hellscape doesn''t hide too many things. That is my take. Now, Hunters gather. Hunts usually sound straightforward so you better be careful,¡± Marthosh said apologetically, knowing that his information gathering was lacking.


    ¡°That is fine, boy,¡± David said. ¡°Any further rumors about that guy? Our purchases about him could do only so much justice after we left the city. Since he is killing already, that means the situation is worse yet better. For him, it might be worse or good like for us, or worse is yet to start. Well, the fools we''ve met so far were weak. Perhaps the stronger ones are waiting.¡±


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Marthosh cleared his throat and gave him his take. ¡°Razmund fears no repercussions, nor fear. Others will be the same. They hunt him because they see his third-time status, deep pouches, while his Token might be worth a fortune. More than yours, probably.¡±


    David needed no confirmations. A simple look at his group answered it enough.


    Everyone here was for blood and hope.


    ¡°Other than that, boss, some rumors are lurking around, but nothing crazier than what you''ve got before our departure. So much can change in hours. If something, there is a rumor about a Divine Artifact around his hand. It is nearly impossible to warrant it as a fact. Prices in most brokers have risen exponentially since you departed and their trust isn''t right. The whole Hellscape is churning in delight and Chaos and Network is... vague. Mindarch already started to influence some flow. It will happen soon. Some skirmishes. The Hunt!! Infighting already goes around in some places, and Wars are on the Surface. I...¡±


    ¡°Shut up about the Surface,¡± Lisa grunted; she had an utmost desire to not think about that place right now.


    Bagus laughed, causing Murai to nearly fall off again.


    Rumors often carried good meanings, so David accepted this message, but not Lisa. She kept her silence, thinking that Razmund was crazy to go out in such a fashion out of that castle and city. She wondered what happened beforehand, or how his stakes in Gate 2 or... afterward, ended up. She was curious how he handled the loss of his Voice and what he was planning at this Gate.


    After all, with this group, they might pose some threat to him.


    Lisa still believed that the lack of Boosts was important. Her idea of why Encounter took care of Murai''s Helpers was rooted in the already established rules, or... it might be a sham. She wasn''t sure about anything anymore. Boosts were too mighty, yet they stopped, whereas Helpers worked even in the current landscape for one specific reason: to get a balance going, or work for something else. For something that might be already set into motion before the Voice lost its reasons. Gods might be involved, making their Encounter much more important than she had assumed.


    Reasons were a possibility or guesses that Lisa couldn''t refute or know. And their Pledge was comparable. It should have been more individualistic, but they got accepted, while Razmund gained nothing from Gate 2. Timings seemed right, which was what? Good or doubtful?


    Probably everything.


    Silver Room got Razmund enough materials to continue onward regardless of any stops. With already established training, Boost would''ve given him a surplus of bonuses and helpful guidance. Martial artists held Boosts in extra regard, so he would''ve grown, but at his level, unless he crashed the Wall called Level 70, nothing crazy would''ve happened. Especially the ones around that Level needed a lot of things, and time and accumulation of incredible merits were one such thing.


    At most, Boost would''ve healed him, while the most significant thing remained in Sword Intent. Since he got it working, the Boost and his Voice would''ve guided him and pulled it together instead of his own trials and failures. Razmund wanted it so much since he got it going if he really tried. With guidance, turning something barely grasped into something firm in his hand, it was a change that gifted a steadier Path.


    It was a similar situation to Murai''s Flame Affinity. It was effortlessly gathered after he let his mana spark. Then, he had it in his Beast Core soon enough without any need for training or fusing a Flame to his core by some breathing technique or specific flame essences. That usually took weeks according to his memory. For his species, it could take months if he considered his unfamiliarity, and no major troubles in his learning. That went out of the picture with the way of Boosts, so he itched to try some more ways to implement Affinites to his Beast Core. He had his Universal on in his flesh, so it was possible.


    But too many Affinities weren''t a good thing. They could bloat him and cause issues, so perhaps that was why Anatidaes were considered wild and odd. It seemed their magic and Universal Affinity was unnatural, making magic, possibilities, or their psyche strange. Right. Murai figured he should''ve asked Mindarch more about it, or their overall history.


    Weeks ago and with little to no restraints, Flame Affinity happened on its own. Because of that single reason, most beings in this world relied on this guidance, yet was it so easy? What Murai had done was unique.


    And with countless Laws and major Affinities, knowledge was a mighty power and tool.


    Fully fledged Sword Intent was an exquisite power. It would mean a tool that was significant enough as some basic Laws, and it could be attained to those in line with swords like enlightenment or Resonance.


    Well, in a sense of some observations, Sword Intent was closing on some of the sword-related Laws. Its full strength was entirely dependent on the user, implementations, or quality. Depending on schools and some teachings or Paths, most swordsmen wished to carry Sword Intent like some Laws. It was no surprise. It was intangible like most Laws, often carrying complex ideas and weird directions. And it moved with, by, or inside the sword, signifying a powerful swordsman. If not a Law, most regarded it as a guiding tool that would ease everything that had yet to come, even if it was weak.


    Lisa knew that Razmund was dangerous in every form, thanks to the readings David had told her before their departure. Some of his possibilities were confidential across the board, or very expensive, yet David purchased what he could from the Surface and told them to Lisa. Some were kept between them. Not even Ultium knew about them, let alone Murai.


    ¡°Anything about his new readings, or further interest? How many fools did he kill and how strong were they?¡± Lisa asked Marthosh.


    ¡°Readings? His? No way. As I''ve said. Out of reach, out of mind. Can''t see anything but stare at him from afar. He killed Level 60 gangsters in teams, however. You see, rumors of that fight with Marshal Luno were right. He cut him down. Not killed him. Most of the stuff about Gate 2 is still pending. With Mindarch in... I mean. He is still busy, I bet. Things aren''t stable with information and many places are tense. Everyone is waiting for Levandis''s statement first. You included. I... can''t really tell more. I am barely glad to be alive.¡±


    ¡°That is true.¡± Lisa acknowledged.


    ¡°Very well, Marthosh,¡± David said. ¡°Keep observing and don''t hesitate to spend some money in the Old Fools either. They owe us. That is all. Take care.¡± David ordered and ended the communication after Marthosh''s begrudging confirmation.


    Lisa was still hoping for something new, but he stopped it quicker than her words.


    ¡°What? You wanted something else from him?¡± David asked her shamelessly.


    ¡°Nothing but more confirmations. Razmund was there for him to see, wasn''t he? He saw and met his aura, his sword, his steps, his... everything?¡±


    ¡°Who do you think Marthosh is? He is my boy. No way you will influence him. Also, nothing about it would change a thing. I''ve told you enough merits. More would crush our morale. The best of all ideas are under your head already. That means we have things to do and consider, don''t we?¡± David asked, sizing Lisa and Murai.


    ¡°Getting information is clearly worth it,¡± Murai muttered to Lisa. ¡°But we have a way ahead, don''t we? Even with Razmund, what changes us? Forcing things to meet him is stupid. Do we run or fight? What is our purpose?¡±


    Lisa waved a hand at them and shrugged. ¡°Fine then. Back on track. I was overthinking it anyway.¡±


    Then she turned to Murai, giving him words to his soul. ¡°I''ve told you what is right. Getting ideas about Razmund isn''t bad. What is possible now is different than before. We have this group, so why not use them? How about going to an offense?¡±


    Murai eyed her. ¡°Again with this? No.¡±


    ¡°Battleworld can''t think much right now,¡± Lisa insisted. ¡°It''s the same thing I think he also has, but for some reason, Razmund is all alone here, acting stupid like a hunter in games of others. He might be overconfident. It isn''t anything surprising. Centralis Kingdom fools are all like that.¡±


    ¡°Speaking from experience?¡±


    Lisa grunted. ¡°I am trying to think of it further. It is feasible. Yes.¡±


    ¡°Suspicious indeed, but you are wrong. I don''t think he is a generous type of guy. Oh, that is just my experience speaking. Don''t mind me. He would butcher me at a moment''s notice, and cause me permanent damage without regard for anything. He is an extremist, willing to clasp my legs and twist my wings.¡±


    ¡°Wished I could do it myself... and I agree with you. What more do you want? Train all that you want but you won''t beat that shithead. I bet on that.¡±


    ¡°Bet?¡± Murai frowned in a challenge.


    ¡°Don''t tell me you feel a change?¡±


    ¡°Well, you said it. The Encounter has its Sides and story. Balance as well, so what to think of it besides me having some chance?¡±


    ¡°You? I don''t believe there is even a shred of Order between the lines of this mess. Don''t try me anymore. What else is there besides hitting him back by using this group? Perhaps we... can hunt him back? Ultium is strong. We could try that.¡± Lisa urged.


    ¡°Keep going is the only answer that makes sense,¡± Murai insisted. ¡°You have your plan and head. Stick to it. Not your heart. I don''t feel too good about being hunted by that asshole again, but this group has its stakes too. Their purpose. Don''t give them something else. That is to help me out of nothing but their wants and hopes. What is my task?¡±


    ¡°Getting away, I know,¡± Lisa said. ¡°It stops nothing about us or my idea. Dealing with Razmund might be a better to call it. Think about it.¡±


    ¡°Ask David if he wants to go against him and then ask yourself. He won''t laugh at you, but I would bet he would love to do that. They don''t have to hunt him. They don''t need it. Ask them! They will stick to what they want; to their worth. That is good. It is the basis of trust. There is also too much we don''t know about Razmund, and I bet our party is already known to the public like my status. Like him, we could get chased and he might even know about us already. Perhaps that kid knew it too, but David snatched that call away.¡±


    ¡°We are known, so Razmund probably knows us too, yet still continues onward. David confirmed apparent news the moment you set foot onto the streets. With Itrosh and Bagus with us, we established a party of high interest. Any Hunt would have this sort of idea, as everyone would want to see and know the Hunted. For us, we have the Encounter and lots of Helpers, so it is an even more complex clash of interests. We can''t swap between them. This whole Hellscape is our enemy, though that depends on its rules. That is why we met many scouts. There are curious folks who are yet to crash us. Everything and our group could pose as a bargaining chip. Weaklings won''t bother us, which is good for us and terrible for you.¡±


    ¡°Like a give a feather about it! What is right then? When did you intend to tell me about the Hunt and its rules?¡± S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Someday, Murai Hisagi,¡± Lisa smiled, ¡°or now. Also, you are busy in your head and training. That is a situation that affects us all. A new Anatidae is enough to give you an idea. The knowledge that you are here is another thing.¡±


    Murai sighed, figuring out where she was going with this.


    ¡°Another thing is information about you in broader detailed terms.¡± Lisa suddenly frowned, still hoping he would change his mind. ¡°David didn''t find coherent information about you. No matter the price, there is nothing... how to call it... succulent? You? Well, this means Mindarch can''t handle you, or he picked nothing static, or you are confidential and unclear to anyone. This idea might be caused by David''s uncertainty or lack of gathering, but he went through most brokers who would kill for knowing you and they hadn''t found shit. That might be good or inconsequential because this party is already here and your power is feeble.¡±


    ¡°So you are practically calling me weak.¡±


    ¡°Yes. How clever of you.¡± Lisa smiled. ¡°For example, we can go and do something unique. Something that no one would expect. Can''t you see some possibilities?¡±


    Murai saw straight through her ulterior motives. She didn''t speak sense. It wasn''t fine to go back against Razmund while this Gate was intense. It wasn''t part of the plan he wanted from the start, though he wished to solve Razmund at some point. The timing was wrong.


    It wasn''t about a chance; he might''ve stated some wistful ideas about the Encounter, but power was absolute, and his questionable reality might not be ready for him.


    Now, he felt like she was testing him, he believed.


    ¡°Bulshit after the other,¡± Murai said and refused her ideas, ¡°that is what this is. Our party is known in public, yet Razmund still chose to go after me. Call me suspicious, but he sure is confident to catch me even with all of us combined. He is either desperate or confident to deal with us.¡±


    ¡°Is that your choice?¡± Lisa eyed him.


    ¡°Yes. Let''s keep going and see some chance when it comes. Not now. Everyone has that idea, can''t you see?¡± He glanced at the rest of the party. Each took Marthosh''s message with ease. No one apart from him and Lisa felt the roughness of this situation because they were experienced and knew they should keep their lives if worse arrived.


    Itrosh, Ultium, and Bagus took this journey for an adventure filled with opportunity and reward. That was their benefit and loyalty. It was easy to rely on that.


    After this small discussion and added transparency, Lisa decided to let things go as Murai wanted. They reached a satisfactory awareness, and it was true that Razmund''s act were kind of absurd, so they returned to their journey with the same vigor.


    Going across Sector 14, which was part of Province 1, they still had a long journey ahead towards Sector 45 in Province 4.


    This whole cave had systematic terms for land, mines, locations, and other various interests. Villages, military bases, farming plains, and cities acted as key points, right around, inside, or beside various danger zones. Each Sector had various political landscapes because of everything, giving gangs purpose, living places some chances, creating facilities, or touching military between everything. It was nothing abnormal. In some sense, this Gate resembled some places in the Surface. People lived in groups and places that mattered, and some dangerous zones or worthwhile places were crucial.


    Sectors were following a steady idea from the very start. Helltrim City was the start of Province 1, consisting of two dozen Sectors. Province 2 was more than a hundred kilometers ahead of that castle, consisting of more plains, fewer forests, and more rocky places. All of that stretched for even longer ahead for another Province, giving Hellscape regions or purpose.


    Most Sectors were beside each other, stacked onto one another through various political warfare, or straight-up skirmishes for recourses. They resembled districts or small countries, looking incoherently adjacent to one another because they had very little governance. By power and mastery, Sectors could change, fuse, or become smaller. In that sense, it was similar to war and the act of expansion in the Surface.


    All of that was something Levandis encouraged and liked, as worth in land was worth some power for people and her alike. She let her subjects grow and establish what they wanted. Be it in the Surface or here, control over people, places, and worth followed such constant principles.


    Far extending lands of this cave were enormous, full of a variety of natural or unnatural resources. Through many millennia, this place changed many times, but never to a worsened state. It was always increasing in volume, mana, and people, growing under many shadows, caves, and earth.


    Worlds and planets brewed and grew through time and prosperity, or even vie utter destruction. Lives at their stakes were evolving and power ruled so weaklings would be left behind. It was a common concept. Hellscape was no different, even if it was a cave. There were a dozen Provinces in total, each having either a single artificial sun or more in the ceiling. Some were small or large, but each shined over many Sectors.


    Each Province went for an individual Overlord under Levandis, who never handled them herself. At first, she did. Not anymore. Even most Overlords hardly cared for them, but some were personally here, overseeing it as their home, or request set by their Lady.


    Most worth and opportunities went for military personnel and various hopeful figures living in this place. Many fought for their Sectors via various methods or duels, eventually hoping to be rulers of the whole Provinces. Some Sectors even had public affairs, or even public votes, but Levandis didn''t care who or what was in charge of every Sector.


    Provinces were different matters as far as powerful people went. Even some rough gangs owned some Sectors, thanks to the free nature that some powerhouses held away from the military. However, it wasn''t as if they held utter freedom. There was some job and work in owing things, but Levandis was like an overbearing mountain to everyone. Thus, no matter if some haughty gang leaders hoped for more, they always had to follow some regulations, lest they piss off someone they shouldn''t piss off.


    Mindarch always guaranteed safety in rules, with or without the Will of the Battleworld.


    In certain Provinces, the cave changed drastically, turning into hot blazing mountains, stretching lakes, cold mountains, deserts, or unfathomable plains. The further it went, the tougher the conditions became, and the harder it was to keep going. That was why the conditions for Challengers were rough and their luck was important. Nobody wanted to get their portals set in those last Sectors. Not only it was far away, but its luck was threatening. Because of that, the rules were loose and Challengers didn''t have to fight if they wanted. They might focus on getting out as quickly as possible if they get an unlucky location.


    Further back, vulcanic properties fueled some suns, giving some special valleys and mountains a nice touch. Dangers too. Some were also cold, forming icy plates and icebergs that looked like mountains. Those were at the edge of the Hellscape, as the underground wasn''t that keen on the ice. Humidity and warmth worked against the cold since this place held no sky, yet the atmosphere was rich in mana. Ventilation existed via some holes, but it wasn''t set up very well because this place itself functioned just fine by itself.


    One could wonder how such ice mountains even appeared there. Perhaps it was for temperature regulation.


    Murai learned quite quickly about his target and Gate as a whole. Province 4 was just a desert, thanks to many bright clustered crystals and a wide and big sun on the ceiling. It held many mountains, mines, dunes, and valleys, and everything was hot there. It was kind of harsh in comparison to what was Death Valley about, but for Murai, that was his target.


    He remembered Death Valley, so he didn''t look forward to yet another desert. He didn''t like them. He bet this duckling body with a hoodie on would find it better than before, which was about the only positive thing he came up with.


    Further Provinces held a higher number of Sectors, reaching close to four hundred in total before the end of this cave. Weirdly, Murai quite liked how this place looked and adhered to certain principles. It was familiar because he had seen plenty of words with similar logic.


    In some areas, there were even some underground facilities, or cave systems, which sounded like great fun. For a cave to have further caves wasn''t anything surprising, yet from the sounds of it, there were societies, secrets, and something great about them. Murai got a brief note of that, but nothing clearer.


    David was talking a lot about Hellscape instead of Lisa, hoping to give Murai clarity as he figured his voice carried some power or questions, unlike Lisa who was the same as he remembered. Sometimes, she wasn''t willing to talk for various reasons. She preferred actions instead, which might be heavy and bothersome for her current body, or was there something else about her that he had yet to notice?


    In a way, he was finding Murai''s and her relationship odd, while Lisa was the strangest.


    David wasn''t aware of what exactly Murai was, or what Lisa was thinking, but he was willing to give him the knowledge that Lisa didn''t give. David knew all about this Gate, so he gave Murai what he deserved, even when Murai wasn''t the one asking questions; David simply talked to him as if he was a newbie to this whole Gate, which wasn''t wrong.


    Murai appreciated it for what it could be, even though David was never further than Sector 302. At least he knew what to talk about and caused the journey to pass by faster.


    Not like it was good or bad; Murai kept on practicing on top of Bagus''s head and could listen and train at the same time.

 Chapter 200: Shocking news

    The most livable spaces were in the first five Provinces. Everything afterward was filled with dangers that needed proper standing or reputation. It wasn''t for normal denizens to seek them, for these were the locations where major demonic legions held their posts and most training and preparations for wars happened. Also, there was an abundance of beasts and breeding grounds, but those were kind of separate and not very public.


    In general, those places were known as Bloody Provinces. Sectors there were mostly infertile plains, filling the region with rather empty atmosphere, colors, and death. There were fewer trees because the ground was barren over prolonged fights. Shredded flesh and blood might be the cause, or the reasons were much deeper. Powerful individuals and the aftereffects of their terrific fights could change the landscape.


    However, at some points in history, interesting flowers of demonic and Vitality-inviting properties were often found in these places, causing greed and many further fights. It was nothing that Murai found interesting since he didn''t plan to visit these places. He just liked the sound of it from David''s words.


    Hearing him talking was good for sightseeing and a rare time between his training and waiting for his Replenishment to do its thing. Murai never fought, but he sure took his time for granted and observed new people around him with steady time. It was the usual stuff, albeit premeditated by Lisa. He trained his Shaping on top of Bagus, spent further time in the Heavenly Manual, and thanks to Itrosh seizing every chance to impress him, he didn''t bother with travel and fights, let alone with meals.


    He only needed to worry about Lisa, who was still nervous and kind of tensed, and Sector 45, which was in the desert. And that wasn''t all about it, of course. The location was an issue that Lisa had in her mind. Not Razmund. Not the Hunt.


    And now, Murai was getting some idea why it was so shitty and strange since David described the doubts Lisa was too bothered to explain.


    Ip''ur Mountain was right under Vorvish Star, one of the many glowing suns on the ceiling, and a rare outer space material. Each glowed and impacted many Sectors at once, and Ip''ur Mountain was right below the biggest star, surrounded by scorching desert. Then, there were many mountains and deep valleys around Province 4, providing shelter and places for mining.


    Since it was a fairly long way ahead, traveling wasn''t easy. Desert won''t be a change of pace either, so Murai had to accept it and take it with a grain of salt.


    They continued the journey, following the plans and roads for the next two days without any prominent changes to this Gate. Razmudn didn''t arrive, nor did the Hunt start.


    But numerous battles happened every day around Murai, who was like a prize on top of Bagus. That was about expected according to David. Many gangs, groups, and unrest could no longer linger when nothing came from Levandis or Mindarch. Thus, many fools could no longer wait and slowly crept behind Murai''s group, eventually reaching them. Nothing odd. Many wanted to catch Murai for nothing but his mere flesh. They weren''t even Hunters. They were just stupid for mismanaging their hopes by colliding with his team that they shouldn''t necessarily kill.


    The situation on the Surface was inaccessible, yet it should be far from stability. Nothing became drastic. Hellscape kept going, living.


    Marthosh kept sending messages when he could, giving them readings, rumors, and situations that sometimes changed their road. He also included numerous curios changes that many companies started to use. Those included stable rumors from Surface and the whole fiasco about lacking Will of the Battleworld. For the most part, nobody important made their moves; the situation delved into Gods who were further trying to calm the Surface.


    Lordis was unable to change the status quo. With Ravine''s main component, a few days won''t solve anything.


    In the Hellscape, the military kept their silence, and even Lurrs, the family that Levandis was part of, never did a thing to this team.


    As for Razmund''s Encounter''s proclamation and days passing, many ideas about it turned the whole Hellscape ablaze. Thanks to Razmund''s words and plans, almost everything about it became clearer and many guessed that David''s company became the opposite Side of Razmund''s. That meant the whole charade surrounding Murai was stemming from connecting workable interests that were older than just a few days.


    Razmund truly put many beings into a frenzy, and while some of it backfired on him, something still happened that he hadn''t anticipated. Like many, he discovered Murai''s Helpers; a situation that he doubted would''ve ever occurred.


    Lost Brothers weren''t some excessive force to reckon with, though they were a small and unexpected deal for him. Not every gang wanted to spend their lives for a chance of quicker death under his claymore, yet this group proved to be a much bigger issue than expected. Not only did its owner reach his prey, but also Ultium came over, whose prowess was rumored to be unequal around Level 70. Then, Itrosh and Bagus''s mention came at another gust of wind, carrying the last nails to his coffin.


    Four Helpers around his Power Level and Level. That was terrible, but not weird. Their acceptance was odd, however, since the timing wasn''t very good. He already had Helpers one Gate below, with most of them being at a similar power as himself, if not much higher. Thus, this new group of enemies had its validation for existence, yet... it still crashed his hopes in something called secrecy. He doubted many knew of his Helpers.


    It was yet another failure.


    If the whole Gate knew about everything, it was no longer as good for him. Razmund hoped to catch his prey without lifting a finger or deal with the aftermath personally by using this Gate. He failed in that order successfully. Many moved to him instead of bothering with that team, since he was alone and his worth was heavy and full of previous grudges. His status as a Delver and core member of Centralis Kingdom guaranteed this treatment.


    This change wasn''t small and forced his outlook and plans back. It was required. He was shocked someone even took his prey''s Side... but perhaps he was far underestimating demonic factions and Anatidaes in general. Again, he was warned, so was it his fault, or was it expected?


    Perhaps he should''ve anticipated some Helpers from the get-go. Murai hadn''t gotten a chance to get a thing before entering this Gate, or before.


    Now, it bit Razmund back, clutching his neck and heart. The majority of this Gate became twisted in ideas following these changes, while Murai was oblivious to most of it, as he trained and remained on top of Bagus for the better part of the last couple of days.


    With some flow of rumors, one could see lower Gates riding into chaos. The Hell Party either caused it for Gate 4, but even Gates below that point had some troubles. There were some living spaces, and that meant trouble. Demons and many locations held various demonic races, so it wasn''t common to expect something else. Some nests were also there, hiding deep, growing Divine Beasts and all sorts of insanities for Levandis''s needs.


    Hundreds of interested parties observed the happenings in the Hellscape. Some for fun. Most waited for their opportunities. Those that couldn''t wait mostly ended up cut in half by Razmund, or hunted down by Itrosh or Ultium.


    Nothing cracked Murai''s position. Razmund slowed down instead and no longer cope with his ideas.


    But there wasn''t much about him. Each Side carried their plans for the better part of days without bothering one another and they were bound to a clash. That was a determination that one Side decided in the past days.


    By now, the clash was moving ahead. Everyone had their Tokens, which were like keys to acquiring wealth. Getting them wasn''t easy. In a duel, or this Hunt, it was acceptable to see them as protection items seized by power and rules. Well, those above Level 70 thought of them as less important, though depending on a Token or circumstances, they could mend their Level and stabilize their foundation for a good while.


    For an extended time, things were moving up a notch.


    ¡°I think I''ve made a tremendous mistake,¡± Murai scowled to Lisa. After a long travel, they rested in some random mountain range in Province 3, Sector 24. It was part of a huge mountainous range that stretched further, surrounded by forests and small grassy plains. Allevated high from the ground, they''ve reached the halfway point of their journey after a few days.


    It wasn''t a terrible pace. Lisa expected to get here later, but she had her high standards that Bagus could only laugh at, and some fools around this gate or some rules wouldn''t stop them either. Lisa feared they would because she decided to go ahead without waiting for anything. For some reason, it worked so far and Mindarch never stopped them. The lack of Hunt was the main cause, she knew.


    The terrain slowed them down. Fights, not so much. Itrosh and Ultium left them from time to time, returning in an hour or two, either injured or fine. Bagus was generous and didn''t care for problems or lacking fights. He carried Murai as if he wanted nothing out of the Encounter, and when things got worse, he often carried David as well. Groundwork was either at running speed or walks around the Sectors.


    It wasn''t as easy as it sounded. Gangs made up of denizens and fools of this Gate didn''t make all their enemies. There were beasts all around them, living in the Sectors, marking danger zones, brewing places, and various open farms for mounts or nature.


    Animals and beasts lived in groups, usually settling for unique settlements or natural areas that were wide, or shaded. Caves and forests were perfect for them, or hidden around the shadows. Most beasts cared about their territory it was natural. They didn''t care for Encounter or Hunt, so when some groups trespassed over such places, troubles soon followed.


    Ultium''s gaze or rare lift of a finger solved this most of the time, though not where there were thousands of them, or when some beasts did possess some power.


    Lisa figured that unconventional roads slowed them down as badly as some public roads because of that.


    Murai took the past few days for vacation. His current location was pleasant and his time to train was finer than ever. Their whole team often rested for the night, and this time, they picked a nice platform around mountains, giving him a view over a mesmerizing night-time Hellscape. He couldn''t see much of the living spaces anymore, but the visible walls of this cave felt like he was in a weird place.


    Then, the dark fog and aura of the night felt like he was in the middle of a strange space and room simultaneously. It didn''t feel like a separate realm or cave anymore. It didn''t feel terrible thanks to the huffed star and vegetation around. He could see himself living here, increasing his strength and hunting for food, or fighting if he was free.


    Well, some parts were futile attempts when he glanced at the scorching hot campfire aside, where Itrosh waved at him, showing him a meat she hunted down.


    Food was one way to get Anatidae''s attention, Itrosh knew, so she used her cards well and was in charge of feeding Murai for the betterment of her heart and past days. Murai didn''t refuse her. He had to eat, and with the food from the Hellhole Tavern being long gone, he would never decline such an easy choice.


    Lisa was aside of him, shifting in the air, and assuming things far more than ever. ¡°Are you worried? You of all beings? Don''t be like that, nor quack some jokes. I think regrets are yet to arrive, or some mistakes. Frankly, your training goes well under my guidance and timing is still good.¡±


    ¡°Eh?!¡± Murai quacked a sharp noise. ¡°Your guidance? Are you kidding me? How generous...¡±


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°What? I was seeing it myself...well, apart from your time with Pillage. Wanna show me those Twin Blades again? I can give you some ideas about them myself, if I may say so.¡±


    Murai sighed and shook his head. ¡°I know what to do and your help is unnecessary. You haven''t been a proper mage before, am I right? Morgoth Succubus or whatever, it didn''t seem your Blades would do much of anything but hurt some flies.¡±


    ¡°Says you. Too bad for you,¡± Lisa smiled and took a deep look around the dark Hellscape. ¡°Choices go side by side with every Encounter. Razmund has his; we have ours. Time waits, but Razmund better takes his time because that asshole has done enough. I thought he would''ve caught us sooner, or done something, you see. But no. We are working with this Gate alone. I am afraid...¡±


    Murai suddenly laughed and made weird noises. ¡°You told me that a couple of days ago already. Hopes or not, perhaps he fled the moment he realized our party. Time, Hunt, or him, it awaits everyone or nobody. Some silly Hunt will do something too and this Gate looks at him too. Sometimes, going against the craze of Chaos is inevitable, or sometimes finer like a boundary. We have what? Encounter''s Helpers is a weird system, if I am honest, but you mentioned it to me to some extent. They carry some boundaries, but I don''t know how sensible they are, and even you have your doubts because of some... distrust? I say you have your issues... trust issues.¡±


    ¡°Like I give a shit. What is insensible about those we use anyway?¡± Lisa asked, shifting her head to look at him and his hoodie. It was always the same, locked and bound without any uses. What a shame, she often thought but didn''t want to touch it, and Murai hadn''t done much with it either.


    ¡°Helpers can make Encounters problematic for all parties involved, but what if there are no Helpers and many still influence everything, or if one side has them and the other doesn''t? You said something about balance, pacts of Gods, and some Judges, but it sounds like a nuisance instead. Is that great? I doubt that word even exists.¡±


    ¡°Should I agree or disagree?¡± Lisa said, shrugging her arms. ¡°I spoke what is right and I have my priorities set straight.¡±


    ¡°Right priorities? Is allowing numerous involuntary or forced assistance a tough or easy ordeal? The Helpers themselves are tipping power that could turn the balance off. This party is exactly that. Razmund has his Helpers on his side, or... what''s up with him if he goes against our side? What is first? Where is some balance if he has more powerful Helpers, or if they are too weak? How does it resemble something made by Gods?¡±


    Lisa shrugged her arms again. ¡°Don''t ask me. It would''ve meant some touches or boundaries, or more potent Helpers. However, some limits and boundaries set up by Gods is the questionable part. It didn''t seem to be the case, or... ever with you. It is a guess. Nothing stopped us, and who knows what is with Razmund, to begin with? Nothing stopped him either. Probably. It is part of strategies and information gathering. He means trouble. If the difference is small... well, there is him and you, so perhaps I don''t know anything anymore and speak nonsense.¡± Lisa gave up, sighing at the same time as Murai.


    An awkward half a minute later. ¡°Wanna bet something?¡± Lisa suggested


    ¡°Nah. Most parts are weird anyway. Bets are for those who can afford the guesses, wins, or losses. I don''t dare to bet anything. Not with you.¡±


    Lisa seemed dejected but not hurt. ¡°Very well. What else is in your head? You have been contemplating over this situation for the past days, or this rest.¡±


    ¡°What else then....¡± Suddenly, something flashed in the air, stirring with great smell, soft hues, and droplets of bliss. Murai caught a flying meat stick, chomping on it without any intent. It happened on its own, leaving Itrosh giggling aside.


    ¡°You caught it,¡± she said as she patted his head, crouching down and feeling proud.


    Murai growled at her, accepting her sacrifice and her hand. Their conversation, like always, wasn''t all that obvious. Sometimes, Lisa spoke human tongue out loud, or not. Murai was never an obvious one, and some topics were better to be spoken with their willful connection. His quaks left their mark. Lisa read him like an open book anyway. At least in terms of this simple communication.


    It was a good way to do things when he ate.


    ¡°I think a lot, alright,¡± Muai spoke to her soul. ¡°That is what I do all the time. That is what time of rest and soul does. That is what lives do. Helpers are not helpful entirely if what I am getting at, but to me, there are sides and weight to them. It could be small, or massive. It could crash us. Everything. What to trust? What to make of something that seems forged, forced, and strong? I say that ignoring and focusing on what lies ahead is good enough and that seeing their generosity needs critical thinking so it won''t bite us back.¡±


    Lisa listened to him in silence, contemplating whether she should mention some things that she hadn''t found worth it, hidden or lacking.


    ¡°Though, there are details where outside help goes around anyway, right?¡± Murai continued. ¡°There are Helpers that are accepted, and those that are not. What of them? What of the outer issues? They won''t get anything from a Pledge or Battleworld. They could anger the rules and crash the balance apart. That is my idea. If they can take punishment, I mean, what is wrong or right? Where is some sense of justification in this world or reasons? Couldn''t Extremes, for example, do some silly things regardless of anything? Then, what are the rules in the grand scheme of things?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You are thinking. Bravo,¡± Lisa clapped her hands and stopped with a few moves. ¡°You get some idea. Some are too deep. Some are plain wrong. Good. Means you listen. Power runs the rules. There is a catch to a lot of loops and details. What if too many fools get involved? Whole countries, sects, or powers up to Tier S? What are rules if punishment can''t cause a change or fix?¡± Lisa asked a bunch of good questions.


    ¡°Then the Battleworld has nothing to do with that. It became a mess of how Encounters are often described. To that end, isn''t that kind of fitting? Every one of them is a so-called mess of majestic proportions so what do some limits matter? It involves running of politics, many valuables, a laughable amount of lives, values ranging from dirt to Blessings, and Gods are always included. Ends too, if a Holy or Divine War happens. Mortal ones aren''t worth mentioning. My Major Task is part of it, you see. Perhaps I am starting to see some pattern.¡±


    ¡°I remember everything, Murai Hisagi. Overthrowing the Centralis Kingdom, huh?¡± she laughed at how it sounded, considering it came up to his little duck in the middle of a dying time. ¡°Sounds easier said than done, doesn''t it?¡±


    ¡°Sure, it does. Such messes and helpers are no helpers at all. Rules can do nothing but accept high numbers and problems on the go. I bet Gods are happy for it; bunch of pigs. Stirring problems and shit. I don''t like how it sounds like they have hands in everything, yet they create it and let problems slide, or turn it worse. There might be no point in making abnormal changes, or the point is exactly that? Create problems and more mess? It''s all Chaos, isn''t it?¡±


    ¡°You know what, sure. Call it that,¡± Lisa smiled and listened to his ideas. Most of it was his perception. It was good to listen to him from time to time. ¡°Chaos is a steady way to get this world going. It''s people, I mean. Gods are the same. They seek advantage and hope to get people going, and people are important to them too. What else is there, you wonder? The lives, perhaps? What is Blessed anyway? What is the point in this struggle decided by someone else? Could we go meet with Razmund and shake hands? Find peace...¡±


    Murai mostly went with the flow, so he gave her his piece of mind and perspective. ¡°Sounds silly. Absurd. Peace is never an option with this kind of thing. I don''t want it. He doesn''t either, I bet. It should be up to the one who made the Encounters what they are, but rules and chaos rules. Finding a fine line in it might be impossible. There is nothing clear when Chaos and Order clash, so is the Encounter following this idea, or is it just a way to create trouble? It shouldn''t be fine, so it isn''t fine. So the question is, what''s the point of creating them?¡± Murai shook his head and was slowly bothered by Itrosh''s patting.


    Lisa nodded and waved a hand for him to continue.


    ¡°It isn''t fine. Finding a steady line between both Sides could be a monumental task, yet if they aren''t fine, why or how to fix them? Helpers do that, or we do? For the start, what if we oppose it, and me and Razmund reach a stalemate or straight up stop our pursuit? What then? It would stall and fail, or change under a new Part? Would it become different or clash with some outside factors?¡± Murai explained his understanding, causing Lisa to nod in affirmation.


    ¡°Those are pretty good concerns. No one would know what would happen next,¡± she said. ¡°In simple terms, it wouldn''t ever happen because the two parties met in some clash that is too diverse and crazy. There is no way Razmund will ever stop. There is no way to reconcile. But it is a valid idea. I wonder what would happen indeed. For now, I hope nothing bad, considering Razmund''s involvement and... rather... I don''t know,¡± she shook her head and went in the air, flipping her sona and glancing even further away. ¡°I don''t like how this Encounter sounded from the get-go. Forcing this to you sounds like an excuse on someone''s part, aiming at you.¡±


    ¡°Parts, me, you, Razmund, or some rules, but you know what?¡± Murai asked, turning his beak towards Lisa''s face when he was done eating. Itrosh was still sitting, glaring a hole into this Anatidae that ate her meal and let her pat it. She wasn''t interested in what was going on in their head, or what Lisa was doing. Itrosh got used to their way of talking within a day.


    ¡°What?¡± Lisa asked and curiously glinted her eyes.


    ¡°For once, I can''t help but honestly agree with you. I think my life will soon be over. Fuck... Is the world spinning right? What if the meteor strikes us apart if I agree with you!?¡± Murai screeched, wondering if the ceiling was sturdy enough for it. Flipping his wings, he shot aside, followed by Itrosh who wanted to catch him, continuing patting. Leaving Lisa behind was good for her.


    She watched the surroundings form a lofty place, all by herself but not alone. ¡°Ah, Murai. What a weirdo as they expected,¡± she mumbled, accepting this discussion for what she enjoyed.


    She had things to worry about, pass for another time or to a different route. All she needed was a time for him to grow up. That would solve almost everything, right? She kept telling this lie to herself throughout their journey, but a huge chunk of the Encounter was like that as well. She hoped for the best, but what if that wasn''t good enough? Expectations were wounds, carrying problems and weight she didn''t want to bear.


    Lisa wanted so much more, yet Murai wasn''t optimal.


    She needed something pivotal for ruin; something she could grab and follow like a fist or a tool. With Murai, it was unthinkable. She was discovering it herself how naive she was, so she wondered what she should do with him and herself, and what was out of the question. This ideology was turning upside down recently, or from the very beginning of their first meeting, she was stupid. Her status based on the souls might help something, but not in this way.


    What could change? She hoped Murai would manage whatever he was starting with his power, magic, or cores. If what he promised warranted this gamble and time, she shouldn''t be worried because Murai was taking shortcuts at a young age in this world. It was also full of questionable decisions, which should break his Limitters apart. She bet on that, but when? In a month or even longer, was what he said.


    Breaking some boundaries should be possible because he was Anatidae with memories and a soul outside of anything normal even to this world. Every planet besieged by Old One was like that. Some survived. Others did not. Thus, it must work, or she will die full of regrets like in her first life.


    ¡°Oy, it is time to get up, fellas,¡± David suddenly shouted, waking everyone up on their rare occasion of a few hours-long break. Getting some sleep or food was good for them, apart from Lisa, of course.


    Itrosh and Bagus seemed as fresh as they had been since the journey started. So did Ultium, who still wore his fitting black suit. He was sitting beside the campfire, unbothered by dirt or her looks. Lisa was fine too, similar to Murai who was struggling in Itrosh''s clasp, fighting her fingers and attempting pats. Magic flew, and beak moved, and Itrosh found it all fun and hilarious.


    She handled him like a kitten, but he fought for his life, snapping his beak at her fingers or slapping her with wings or beak. It didn''t work that much. She was quick, acting like it was a fun game. Murai didn''t mind this game, but he disliked how she handled it. He will gladly play with her on the ground or much later. Not like this. Contrary to his frustration, Itrosh would''ve accepted that idea if she knew about it.


    For now, Murai never considered his Will to get to her head. Aside from Ultium and Bagus, Itrosh felt... well, not much better than David, who appeared slimmer and less bulky since their departure. His belly wasn''t as pronounced and his coat was better. Nobody paid much attention to that.


    So far, the situation wasn''t terrible nor all that great. The sources of the Encounter, Razmund''s path, and rumors were relatively open, thanks to many acts all around the Hellscape. Razmund went on a journey similar to Murai. It either led to them or... what if it led to somewhere else?


    Razmund was here for the third time, so he knew how to get the gist of what to do, and this place wouldn''t stop him. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It left some confusing bits and weird messages, as it seemed that Razmund wasn''t doing anything important besides fighting it out with a bunch of gangs. But with David''s connection and his company, Marthosh worked with what he could. He predominantly hid instead, since Murai''s Helpers were all parts of Lost Brothers and David forfeited his business to him. That endangered Marthosh and their business because most fools of this Gate went for easier prey, and even if Lost Brothers went out of David''s hands, it was still related to Murai.


    It led to some problems that David expected, so he never blamed Marthosh for leaving or not stating messages that well. He left his business to him after all, alongside information gathering, and many other things.


    Hiding and being cautious for a couple of days wasn''t a problematic part, nor was the current mess where most powerhouses were cautious and Helltrim City was under its regular traditions. After all, killing might be hard, but other things weren''t. Death might be even a blessing for some beings when devils and demons move. It could be so much worse in Hell and this place was near to that.


    Those who moved to such cities were those who didn''t care for their safety, so most of them were fodder or unhinged demons who were killed by the officers in the city or by clashing against some forces.


    Hence, David and the rest of the group were blind for a day until Marthosh bribed someone with enough wealth to work for him. In this manner, they found out what the hell was happening on the last day.


    It was the third day since Murai arrived at this Gate. He had a limited idea of what was happening with Razmund. It wasn''t as if rumors were powerful when many voices and people told a variety of messages. Some were fake for sure, due to forging information, fake news, or bribery done by unknown people.


    Marthosh wasn''t one to discover most things; he was just working with things he found out from others. Thus, clarity was questionable. Information about Razmund was all over the place, largely mentioning his power and ride through the Hellscape. Most substantial reports were scarce, like his most probable power level, equipment, or weaknesses.


    It was as if someone forced the information away, or no one had a clue about them. Perhaps both. Razmund had yet to fight anyone like Luno in this place, which was good for him, but worse for more precise information. He was also cautious and didn''t make some crazy moves against weaklings. He even pretended to be weaker, which further complicated some information gathering.


    But today, everything changed. Even when the sun dimmed and dark fog scattered around the ceiling, acting as night, it was still fine to see the surroundings. There was no moon. Just hazy light coming from the foggy artificial star.


    The situation that Marthosh discovered wasn''t good at all. Razmund got a new Helper in the Hellscape, and it wasn''t a good Helper at all. He forced one of the many military figures into submission, forcing him to bow down and accept the Pledge. Right. It worked for him too. Force was one way to find Helpers too, albeit this was one of the rarest methods to do so.


    It was one of the biggest names in Province 2. A former Captain of the First Legion, Level 78 devil, and an important component of her current Second Legion. Uruk Ozeki was his name. He was Named Devil, which made his Bloodline carry the power through the connection to someone else. It was essentially marriage, which connected the name, Bloodline, and power. No one knew what the other side of his connection was, but it was bound to have significant power, benefits, and great merits. Some thought it could be some succubus that Levandis kept close in her troops or even some Lurr.


    Overall, Ozeki was a figure who was quite terrific under the threshold of the Extremes because he was old and quite experienced. After all, his Level used to be bigger than 78. Because of the strange ways the devil powers worked, his Level wasn''t corresponding that well with his power anyway. He used to be stronger and gave some Extremes great duels. Once. Now, he was still stronger than Razmund, yet defeating, forcing, and killing were different things.


    In this manner, all hell broke loose, and Razmund gained the last Helper he could manage and work with. Of course, no one knew that was the case. His proclamation still left some chaos and distort, giving others a fake change, or anger instead.


    He used every opportunity to gain momentum and power. All that was available to him spoke of his resolution, care, and utter Will to finish this once and for all.


    All he needed to do was to move accordingly, use Ozeki well, and crush Murai''s team. Then, he would crash Murai himself. And even if that might fail, it didn''t mean the end. The last ditch effort was still Gate 4, but Razmund wasn''t relying on it. He was proud and with Ozeki, his confidence increased.


    He will catch his prey right here, in this very Hellscape. If not, forcing Murai to give up was fine too.


    There was no escaping him, Razmund believed.

 Chapter 201: Ozeki

    Armies in Hellscape acted as dubious protectors for the past few days, and this concerned almost everyone at some level. The safety net for the denizens and matters around this Gate had to remain calm, but some things were clearly not possible due to the nature of places close to Hell.


    It wasn''t surprising. The Hunt hadn''t started, yet many beings thought it already did because it was taking way too long and their hopeful targets were moving as if this place was a joke. Most hated that idea and it worked wonderfully because almost nothing was stopping anyone in private stakes.


    Something could. Rules could change. Words would shift the world.


    Helltrim city was much more relaxed after Razmudn left it days ago, deciding to cause chaos in some other place where Illak ruled with no iron fist. He had other issues than that; Razmund feared some Overlords or Extremes of the military would stop his moves from an outside perspective, but nobody and nothing did. Even when some nasty gangs and some personal attacks from the military came to him, he cut them down without a shred of doubt.


    It was a good time, all things considered, yet much more savage between everyone.


    Mindarch and Illak described it. He was following the rules, after all, and didn''t stick foolishly around the people like an idiot. He attacked and fought those who wanted his neck and even if it meant they went against the rules of the Hunt or this place, it was fair. This place was always like this: full of chaotic beings and where respect had its merit as long as worth or power was apprehended.


    Some mishaps went along with that, of course. It couldn''t be helped, for the situation and his personal hunt had changed. That one time when Godi Gang protruded themselves before him, pledging work but no allegiance, was quite something.


    Razmund nearly accepted their demands, but when they surrounded him in a tight spot, things got almost out of his hand. Some members even held Laws, and half a dozen other fools were around his level. They wanted no Pledge but all of his belonging, Token included.


    Amid that pressure, no limits, and certainly no Goldsteel Titans before him, Razmund unleashed his might much more clearly, killing everyone since he didn''t have to care about the consequences because he asked for a duel and they accepted. That would have been harder without his trials and time in the Islands of Greatness, or much easier if he had his Voice or other reasons.


    For both, he should be thoughtful of Murai, but he had no clue that his little target was the reason for everything.


    Alas, Razmund was still petty and impatience about a lot of things; he had much more willingness to be like that than not, so things got so much worse than he predicted. Everything kept going, working with or without him, and one way or another, his failure, the tense situation over the Hellspace, and his lack of Voice kept him cautious and tensed.


    He had his way of gathering intel and touch, so he knew what happened with Murai and what kept him busy. Just bits were enough. That was all it took for the whole prospect to change.


    Those Helpers and rumors about everything did leave their marks.


    Lost Brothers didn''t pester his progress immediately, but he had to be sure where he stood at this Gate. It stopped his journey for a whole day already since he decided to drastically shift his attention. Razmund''s forceful acts changed when his Side got someone helpful and powerful in many ways.


    That came from no plan but sheer power and selection. It wasn''t a move that moved along his arrival or announcement of the Encounter. It was a choice that happened when he was looking for a way to revise his ideas.


    That was who Ozeki was, and he didn''t care for Razmund too much. He was like the Lost Brothers, and he had his desire and hope when seeing Razmund. Even now when he was on his side, a devil might be more flawed. He was an old devil who felt the limits of his Bloodline for a long time, and his heart was strange, to say the least.


    Yet, getting him was the moment that changed the greater tides in the Hellscape, Mindarch, military, and many gangs. It stopped so many steps, Razmund should have been cheerful, but he hadn''t laughed once since he left Helltrim City.


    Surprisingly, even Levandis herself hadn''t expected Razmund to act this way, and Mindarch wondered what exactly was it that Ozeki thought. To do what he had done required no conviction, but nearly forfeiting his life, dedication, and ideas. Working with Named Devil was never a good thing for Centralis, let alone any normal man. It reeked of countless problems when they were essentially enemies for blood and all that was right. Razmund should have not needed devils close, yet he swallowed some pride and time and felt this much was better than being alone.


    It was curious, considering the Centralis Kingdom and everything that made their little heads.


    Right. It seemed Razmund held some history with Ozeki, or... it was something that Mindarch couldn''t foresee, for the Battleworld was big and his eyes weren''t wide like Ravine''s. Specifics weren''t needed when Mindarch discovered many new possibilities through his Codex, giving Levandis some neat ideas before the Hunt, which then followed a bunch of headaches because their plans shifted nearly dozens of times since their first meeting.


    It was about right to expect this much from a bunch of Blessed. They were never great to think about, and Levandis wanted to give this Hunt justice and her serenity.


    Even many Overlords, curious around this temple or seeing the current time from Hell, didn''t expect things to stall for so long. In fact, they should be the ones meant to solve the mess that Battleworld couldn''t fix at all, and deal with the general populace, gangs, and troublemakers who suddenly thought they were beyond rules. What was even right and wrong here? The facts of the Old World were steady, and people could get wild when the tens of thousands of years of history and its power stopped working.


    It wasn''t up to any God or Overlord to stop or change what had stopped. They could just delay it and pretend it was wrong. And this was closer to Hell Haven and not some measly place on the Surface that had its stakes and Gods at different heights.


    That wasn''t a concern, nor a problem for the caretakers of this place, while Mindarch could only cheer and laugh at the current mess. It was funny seeing the world return to its former glory, even if it was temporary. This sort of thing was familiar to him, giving him a time he found funny for numerous reasons.


    Levandis was similar, which many had yet to realize.


    The chaos that this temple had was sufficient to keep going forever with, or without the Order in sight. It was good for Blessed like Razmund, let alone denizens and all sorts of other beings. Surface or Depths didn''t matter.


    So what if Razmund was from the Surface? His heart and mind were closer to the Chaos than one would see. After all, there was something unkempt and hard-to-perceive and both Sides of this Encounter had their links near.


    Levandis wasn''t even sure about half of them, but she lived a long life and knew this world. Primarily, she was aware of Murai''s existence, similar to Mindarch. That was enough, yet not everything. She was unaware that time had already changed.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Behind it were other things anyway, which Levandis gladly left for others to fix. For the most part, she was enjoying this old sight, complex hunt, and the moves of little fools in her backyard.


    She didn''t have to consider the Surface since it couldn''t afford to do much right now. She was glad for that. Without their little Ravine to support their legacy, Sky can cry and watch her play her cards.


    She could slaughter them; the beings in this temple and this little Encounter, and stop something gratifying, but where would be fun in that? What would be the point?


    For those below, but close, this was a tricky situation that wasn''t suited for many heads. Some weren''t sure what to do because of Levandis, who showed much more interest in this little mortal play than in her own family affairs. Some Lurrs didn''t like it in the slightest, yet what could they do to their majesty?


    And for those even lower, they couldn''t even think that far or high. The Encounter shouldn''t even be in their home. Some wished to slaughter it with their own hands regardless of rewards because they felt challenged, invaded, and betrayed. Some tried, yet failed. Most refrained from moving after noticing defeat after more Ends, since Razmund changed the pace, while Levandis''s interest was a good reason for many figures to be hesitant, and Lost Brothers were little, yet quite menacing when a great task was in their hands.


    Nearly everyone in various power levels in this temple harbored ideas about this situation since it was a disaster like the lack of Boosts.


    Few fools thought of it as a great opportunity and push for reputation since Old World had its merits, and seeing a chance wasn''t wrong. David was one of those, but he wasn''t the only one, even if he was the first and quickest to touch Murai.


    Many focused on his status as a former member of the Surface, yet he was still a longtime member of the Hellscape Society. That was an essential workforce under Province 1 that came from all sorts of places on the Surface. It involved many generations of human craftsmen, companies, and businesses since this place needed them. Then, his company was another story, with few knowing exactly what they could do if they truly pushed forward.


    On the extreme side of this was the Surface, which was much larger and more intense, yet it wasn''t worth mentioning. Most Sky Gods had eyes in different places. Levendis and her Hell were natural in their mess, but it would be a lie she loved how this Encounter arrived at her place.


    When she heard it for the first time, her expression wasn''t calm or touched. She straight up shooed Mindarch away and went back to sleep. In the third attempt, waking her up worked after some clever Mindarch''s persuasions.


    This entire situation wasn''t exactly what Lordis had in mind, but it happened in this manner, and situations could mend, and adjustments could come. Forcing her well-crafted home to turn into a Dungeon wasn''t on Levandis''s mind when she seized it, but mixing that interest into it wasn''t outside of reason. She preferred Chaos, so she cherished Old One and many ideas that followed it, while the concepts of Dungeons turned old times into a new age. She agreed, so she had to accept the premise, compromises, and even old promises.


    Now, it bit her to her ass, as she couldn''t crash everything even if she liked, and thinking too much into it because of Lordis wasn''t enjoyable at all. Couldn''t she influence it in some way? It was within her rights, or close to that. Being a little bit forceful wouldn''t hurt, she believed, but what if others had already done that? Amelius and Vermillion were well oblivious parts in this, and both were outsiders uncaring for rules. One was different from the other, yet both went against her Authority from different perspectives, and both were much bolder.


    Both were forces that she couldn''t help but overlook, even if she shouldn''t. They were funny in their acts, doing shit that hadn''t made sense to her yet, but in their ways, they were honest. She couldn''t refute them, for the motions set in place were in her favor. Did everyone prefer playing with their prey? She did, yet with what was she playing with exactly? Murai was thinly within her mind, acting with weird interest, mentions, and warnings she shouldn''t wish to try. Mindarch expressed some doubts, reality, and wisdom. He couldn''t say it all; it would endanger the status quo and promise to his old master.


    Perhaps it would be better if Levandis would let things go in their normal course. Too many influences could turn this situation into an even bigger madness.


    Encounter was no longer an offer worth sharing, but a curse to refute and crash. Will of the Battleworld was gone, so some unaffiliated gangs and even those close to untamable military thought of opposing every fiber of this Encounter.


    Even with Helpers in sight, it should be worth it. Few cared less about the Helpers anyway. This was their home! It was their Hell. It could get them dreams and power, for Levandis was their God. She was generous to those who showed results or potential, and with her riches and demands, how many thought of opposing her silence or silent authority that prevailed? Perhaps her silence was the stake she wanted to witness, though many misinterpreted it.


    So when the military declared calmness with words of Pivotal Cities alone, many hesitant ones calmed down, and crazy ones felt good to take their business out of these cities. That helped Razmund and Murai tremendously and they didn''t even know about it.


    The start of the Encounter was like a key into incredible disarray. From what one would gather through history, many conflicts and changes were full of them, and it might as well go beyond that. There was an Origin and Reason with every Encounter, though their creators were also important, but it wasn''t that obvious.


    The Encounter was like a Catalyst in magic, where major elements and the flow of power in the later Parts could get rather complex. It gave rise and flavor to many ideas, giving people and Gods many opportunities.


    A start would form a smaller-scale conflict with less influential groups, which would then turn into bigger involvements. It was a nice portrayal of the domino effect. Many would get involved in the Encounter to just show some interest or face, even if it meant going against its rules or flow. Doing nothing would show weakness, and many nations knew it. At least in this continent.


    If some God would care for them afterward, it was good to be proactive. Many powerhouses understood that fact. Mostly in the Surface, however. Depths made that idea much worse since they were chaotic. There was nothing wrong with neither, even though it was a bit of a stretch to see their distinct features. Everyone could get involved, be it a peasant or someone from a different Sky. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Levandis didn''t know what this Encounter''s purpose was, or who set, forced, or changed it. Not even those going through her Hellscape knew about it, though some guessed were in a couple of heads.


    Right now, amid a rundown town in Province 2 and Sector 22, Razmund took his time and decision with an unusual style.


    He was sitting in a deep and dark hallway, resting behind large windows that showed vast sight of the Hellscape and Sector 22. It was night A little bit of the Helltrim city was still visible, looking like a little dot around the first slight turn of this large tunnel of a cave. Around the windows and walls were nothing but crimson silk veils dozens of meters long, showing blood without blood. It was some sort of dining or meeting hall, obvious by a large table and sturdy chairs. Razmund was at the tip of this table, sitting like a king.


    This place was Ozeki''s permanent home and a castle he owned thanks to his former service and a long stay in the army. He was far from retirement in the true sense of that world. Unfortunately, his power was in a slumber and his level was descending year by year. There wasn''t any retirement for devils like him. They all died in battles or conditions their hearts craved. Never through an old age. That was akin to an unfit End that they would accept in grievance and honest pain. Thus, many old devils were either weak, delirious, or beyond ridiculous.


    Razmund knew he found an unnatural method to do this business, but in Chaos, was there some clarity? In some logic, it felt right. Ozeki stood aside from the large table, glaring through the windows behind Razmund who took his chair. As a battle-stricken devil, his figure was tall, wide, and quite majestic like that of a human king.


    He was past his prime in his physical appearance, looking like an experienced general in his late years. The charming, yet older face revealed many experiences, even if some scars littered half of his face. His small mustache seemed out of place, but because of the scars, his dark hair, and his horns, they demonstrated his warrior spirit, so he didn''t care for his face.


    But he was still a devil. Those were always powerful in their appearance, or unique in their acts. They always looked impressive from the outside, but they could be hideous inside. Especially if one grew like an untamed beast, and had no bounds.


    Ozeki was almost two centuries old, which wasn''t that much in all regards, but he wasn''t extremely talented. He would''ve looked younger if he wanted. Scars, lacking talent, and his time as the devil caused his current appearance, or did lack of heart do it all? Lisa would get what that meant, although she would hate the fact he was currently involved in the Encounter.


    By the name alone, Ozeki was a famous figure from the past, as he used to be a great member of the First Legion of Levandis''s Hell. Such figures shouldn''t care for some Encounter, yet here he was, Pledged to this human sitting on his throne.


    He did it with some hesitation, but he had to. It was a great choice, if not stupid when refused. Razmund even managed to move his heart in their little duel; it was nothing hideous, surprising, or terrible. Ozeki wanted some change for a long time and it walked towards him on its own. It was nothing short of a miracle.


    However, it wasn''t as if he was too happy either. He turned, glaring at Razmund with Slaughter Intent in his eyes, sparking them in little dim lights. It made his eyes deep and little red lines traveled around his red-skinned face like tiny lighting, giving his eyes, veins, and scars a new look.


    ¡°I am thankful for this, Ozeki,¡± Razmund said, ignoring that Intent. He was going against Falconer''s doctrine, but he didn''t care if the devil, demon, or something else came to his side. No one was here to pester him, nor did he care for some charade of a game. He cheered with the glass of wine, gesturing to Ozeki to have a good time.


    ¡°Don''t take my name upon your voice, human. It makes me mad,¡± Ozeki grunted, sounding humiliated, then anything else. He didn''t lose their duel for something stupid, but he didn''t win some pride either. It wasn''t that simple either. Upon that "draw" and Pledge that Razmund took for a little experiment, things got different when Ozeki got a rather wonderful voice. A God promise was no small thing if it was personal and without any Judge in sight. It was no Levandis either.


    Razmund doubted Helper''s status worked, like Lisa who thought the same before David and the rest got their tasks and Pledge going. Now, with Ozeki aside, this was terrific. It also answered that Murai had proper great Helpers in this Gate, so Razmund decided to be ruthless.


    Frankly, he wasn''t good at it; he doubted it would work that great, considering what he learned. Somewhat, the stakes changed and Helpers elevated the First Part in a completely different direction. Maybe it was no longer a mouse and cat game. Maybe the mouse will grow into a wolf and the cat might have just one limb.


    It was no longer fitting to call it his hunt, but more like a clash between two fitting forces. Before, his Side was the sole hunter going against Murai. Now, it changed with competitors. In vague acts alone, there was nothing wrong with it anymore, which made previous ideas wrong.


    Was it that fix that Uzbek and his King predicted and didn''t want to see? Razmund felt like he couldn''t change or see it as regret.


    It was just how the Encounters could go and change.

 Chapter 202: Questioning

    Ozeki couldn''t help but accept this temporal endorsement of his heart and change he couldn''t stop wanting. All devils moved within the rules of their hearts, which was a weird power called Devil''s Advocate. Every devil had it different, making them diverse, depending on their Bloodline, family bonds or ties, and how they grew up. It was an ideal. Hope. Emotions. It could be anything, as it was coming from their hearts, acts, and desires. Some of that could be insane, making devils weird, while others could be instinctual, and some were even stranger than succubuses or who knew what else.


    Ozeki followed his Advocate, even if his pride lost its shine and his position wasn''t very stable. He lost his position in the First Legion because of blunders and lack of strength, but that didn''t mean he was a sorry figure. He used to be an Extreme, who lost his edge. The ones who did so usually never recovered from such a blunder. Because of his heart, he wasn''t great at following orders. That was an aspect of devils that everyone knew, so many were forced to work around it instead. Some saw it as an advantage.


    Levandis was one of them and liked devils for their lethality and unkept hearts. She might even tame them with words if she wanted, but it wasn''t great. Letting them live free was so much greater, so she endorsed this power that went through Will and heart, yet when it made many mistakes, focusing or trusting devils wasn''t a great idea.


    Upon his Pledge, Ozeki didn''t change his mind. He still disliked how it all happened, and disliked this human. Alas, his heart was itching in newly found vigor caused by this cursed human. He ignited him, truly.


    The exchange of words gave clarity as the mission was favorable and rewards would mend his position. Helper status moved everyone differently, but there was a problem. Razmund didn''t hear his task. Ozeki didn''t want to tell it out loud or reveal even a word of it back. He only promised it was a valid message, which turned the Hellscape weird, and some facts good.


    Ozeki, like many others, doubted his Helper proclamations were truthful. So when Ozeki confirmed its validity, similarly to the fact that David got his Helper status as well, everyone accepted that this Encounter was real and it could do something good. Somewhat, it worked and it calmed some situations down and churred many others instead. Many detested Ozeki and Lost Brothers for being the ones who got this opportunity. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All the while Vermillion was laughing behind the scenes, both curiously and with little irritation.


    For Ozeki, reasons and hopes altered his mind, and other reasons moved to his head and eyes instead. Reasons were impossible to find in most devils. Their actions often didn''t match their words, or vice versa.


    At least from the message that some voice gave him, he got his task set.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Razmund dismissed his idea, gulping out a glass of wine as if nothing mattered, which was the wrong approach. His target was much further ahead, changed in a way he didn''t like, and followed by folks he rather wouldn''t bite.


    It was disturbing, so he opted to wait, refrain from being too optimistic, and savage. Frankly, the cause for that was his berating stamina and the past few days. He decided to rest and build up momentum before reaching his target. It was more of an excuses and strategy, which Ozeki didn''t take lightly.


    The feast on the table wasn''t part of any plan, but Ozeki''s benevolence was. Razmund was the sole guest in his house, so he ate to his fill and increased his stamina. That was a bit strange for Ozeki, who took this human madman for someone more insane, considering their fight, history, and the information he knew thanks to his deep network.


    Ozeki knew the overall situation of all Sides since they entered this temple. That was days ago. His information-gathering network ran deeper than Razmund even knew, so Ozeki discovered many curious ideas and figured this wasn''t so simple. He also questioned his Lady''s choices or the lack thereof


    Even Lint would agree, albeit he was hiding behind the crimson veils, pretending to not exist. He wasn''t allowed to do much in the presence of the Named Devils. He wasn''t summoned to Levandis, and his integrity changed by rules and he was told to follow this messed up human.


    Ozeki watched his calm acts with disdain. ¡°Where are you to take your leave? Don''t you have targets to beat? A duck to hunt? Why are you like this? I thought you would long make your move, and I''ve already provided you with everything that you wanted. Information? You''ve got it. Meals? Don''t even begin there.¡±


    ¡°Sure. We all do like some rest, Ozeki. It is called calm before the storm. When the situation becomes more favorable, things might move better or worse like thunder. For now, getting ahead without any Hunt is clever. You said it, right? I don''t think so. My foe isn''t a complete idiot and it does exactly that. It took surprising forces against mine, but...¡±


    ¡°Which ones do you mean? My information gatherers took many ideas, but Lost Brothers are subject to some rumors and workings, while some are even confidential in Mindarch''s Codex or purchases in the Network. Not even I can get that far. Then, don''t even start on your opposition! That means it is sensitive. The overall picture is passable when we consider the owner, but that Prime Manager? The outer matters of Lost Brothers are something else. Their reputation in Helltrim City is still durable, but with their Helper status being public, it is as good as gone. I didn''t find the specific what you wanted, but they want the change like me. Your little target found some sturdy Helpers, let me tell you that.¡±


    ¡°And you are?¡± Razmund raised a brow, glancing at him.


    ¡°I am much better!¡± Ozeki laughed, sounding like boulders crushing together and leaving all veils cluttering and dancing around the walls.¡°The founder is human, by the way, while others are... nothing wild, but some rumors state it otherwise. Especially that beast. Griffins are no small creatures, but that one grew out to be independent and strange. That is weird... followed by their whole group.¡± Ozeki seemed hesitant in his words in the end, sounding as if he was hiding something. He wasn''t good at it, so he sounded suspicious instead.


    Once more, his heart worked against him. Honesty was his keen point, which was the opposite for succubuses.


    Razmund took his words for what he had expected. Lost Brothers was one of the hundreds of companies that was under the Helltrim Society, and its history wasn''t very deep, but acts were. Razmund was never interested in them, so he never knew much about their members until very recently. They Pledged against his Side, so they were his enemies and shall perish.


    Not only did he get their names, powers, and various interesting rumors or linear readings, but most of it went from Ozeki, whose reputation worked in his favor.


    ¡°Didn''t find stable information?¡± Razmund said in a surprise. ¡°You told me enough, so why bother with more? It is good to be lax sometimes. Battles, clashes, or Hunts are all about combat measures and strategies while knowing the surroundings is one way to go forward too, or so I''ve heard. Helpers are flexible and curious. They will take our status for something similar to how we do theirs. That means a change.¡± Razmund said, implying something that caused Ozeki to furrow his brows.


    Unhappily growling, he wasn''t liking when his work was underestimated. ¡°Indeed, but enough is not enough. It is weird how some things are locked. Even some readings showed some limits... So much for my gatherers and worth. What a disappointment.¡±


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    ¡°Or the foe works right against that idea instead, interfering with the flow. Mindarch could do that too, acting as a hindrance that Levandis accepts or forces. Why? This Encounter is very sensitive, haven''t I said that? Then, we have this place. She doesn''t like me, right?¡± Razmund asked, taking another sip of wine.


    Ozeki seemed to be surprised as he took his Lady''s name to his mouth almost twice. His name was fine, but hers?


    Was he tired of his living? ¡°I don''t question the course of Paths, not any Divides. Did you find your head on the ground? The people he took? That''s why you are like this? Lazy and weak, like...¡± He hesitated next.


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°Like an idiot who waits for nothing. You fought like a maniac, and you are suddenly scared to go onward? You fought against Luno and won?! Call me a swine, but you eat and drink wine like a swine or a fucking loser. Let''s be straight. You want something and this place and world aren''t right. You are in my company, human. MINE!¡± Ozeki shouted, crashing his Intent and slamming the table with his powerful fist.


    Bottles of wine dropped to the ground, reddening the already red carpets or the veils. Nothing got visibly stained, nor the shattered glass was important.


    Razmund didn''t like the loss of liquor. But instead of showing his emotions, he smiled instead. ¡°80. 72. 65. 63.¡± He recited some numbers.


    ¡°Levels?¡± Ozeki said, clutching both fists. ¡°There are six enemies if my heart serves me right. That''s disappointing, but you know them because of my purchases and knowledge. They aren''t everything.¡±


    ¡°No matter. These four are all the ones I am worried about, while the rest consist of my prey and from what I''ve gathered, some ghost?¡±


    Ozeki stepped away from the table, flexing his arms and folding them to his chest. ¡°Your prey... What about the former quartet?¡±


    ¡°All independent and acts in rather surprising styles, they are troublesome.¡±


    ¡°All?¡± Ozeki doubted that. ¡°Lies. What is free here? What is it for you?¡± An unfamiliar sense of wonder appeared in his eyes, lowering his Intent.


    Levels of this kind only meant so much. It wasn''t everything when it came to hunting or battles. Everyone opposing them already Pledged and they didn''t want to lose, but they sure could forfeit their choices because most people lived only once.


    There were only so many independent high-level members of this temple. Each was quite lofty if they dared to meddle with this Encounter. Ozeki knew far too much about how this temple operated, and some Lost Brothers were nothing when one saw it all.


    Independence and freedom meant various words in the Hellscape. Itrosh and Bagus were employees with relatively free acts, whereas Ulitum was further away from that idea because his status was tightly fitted into David''s life, and he was a strange devil. Then, after some digging, Ozeki found that not many things about Ultium were public. Most took his Prime Manager status for employment, yet the truth was something else. Ozeki knew it was bullshit, but he couldn''t talk much about it because of a knot in his heart and lack of information.


    Not siding with any legion, military parts, or gangs, meant they had the prowess to work independently with Lavandis and her rules. That meant having no major affiliation, while their acts were still theirs and powerful enough to remain like that. A lot of companies were like that, but not many could actually afford to think like that.


    Lost Brothers was good at being low-key and good at making tasks private. The only affiliations passable to mention were their work with Helltrim Society and various adventurer-related things, including tasks and missions set by Hell, Overlord, or even some God. And those were usually private matters that not many paid attention to.


    Independent figures worked for themselves, giving their allegiance when needed, thus carrying a free form with different rules from those pledged into armies or gangs. That means limited freedom of two separate types since everyone had to take some eye to Levandis, but when one did it to some gang or affiliation, that meant yet another relation.


    It was like having a job while the owner had yet another owner. Some could afford to go without them, while the clear winners were those working around them. David was someone like that. He worked primarily with the exchanges of tasks, privacy, and other things that would work for his purposes. In a sense, beings like Itrosh and Bagus were like mercenaries and adventurers living around with more freedom if their power and success were great. David employed them, gave them a reason, and they could leave anytime. It was kind of rare since they weren''t related to anyone major.


    At some further vision, they were quite a pain in the ass to deal with, since countless significance was seen in affiliating with powerful organizations. The military was a great way to strengthen the status quo. There was no doubt about that.


    Ozeki long ago knew what Razmund was up to. He heard about Murai''s Helpers, and they even passed quite close by his territory before Razmund came to him.


    ¡°The one with Level 80,¡± Ozeki said. ¡°Is that your worry? That devil? What that number is to you? It is something troublesome to you, am I right? Even if you are reaching Level 70 closely, wanting to clash against that sort of opponent is within your limits, but what if it isn''t good or possible? Should you take it regardless? He isn''t alone. Where is the rest of your Helpers, eh?¡±


    Once more, Razmund glanced to the window and took a sip of wine. ¡°Levels or power, killing and defeating are strange things. I felt it in the last Gate. I don''t doubt myself, Ozeki. That is all I can tell you.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn''t force yourself to fight an unfamiliar force of such a level. You barely went against me and that devil is odd.¡± Ozeki said, smiling in a better mood as he knew Razmund eyed a meal far bigger for his stomach. Of course, Ozeki was comfortable dealing with Level 80 any day, so he wasn''t all that worried; he knew that Razmund was thinking broadly, thus acting less like he used to.


    Unfortunately for him, he wasn''t sure if Razmund acts were fitting. That was because some change occurred, but what kind of sense did it make Understanding the situation was one step to victory, and wasting an opportunity wasn''t good.


    Ozeki was pissed that Razmund was wasting time.


    It was fair, even if it meant it was against this human who humiliated him.


    ¡°80, huh? Haven''t cut such clowns down yet, that is for sure. You didn''t want to be cut either, so that is fine by me. Helpers aren''t my target anyway. I won''t fight that devil.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ozeki raised his hands, wanting to slam the table again, but he feared he would shatter it. It would be the third table in recent years, so he rather stopped and reconsidered his choice. ¡°You think I will? Battles between devils is a tough ordeal, let me tell you that.¡±


    ¡°You can''t?¡± Razmund mocked him. ¡°Chicken.¡±


    Ozeki laughed as if he heard a joke. ¡°Don''t take that there. Unless you will provide me with good reason and additional benefits, I won''t go near him.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I like such simplicity. How much we are talking about?¡±


    ¡°Law Artifact. Ranked at least in the upper-Level 70s.¡±


    ¡°70s? You think they grow on trees¡± Razmund raised his voice, almost getting to his feet, and knowing that some did grow on trees.


    ¡°Some of them do. If it''s tough to bear with, lower ones will do. That should be manageable from where you come from. It won''t be for me anyway. Got fools and family to cater to, while what kind you take out is not important as long as it is in good condition. Unlike yourself, I have to care for someone.¡± This time, Ozeki mocked him.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Razmund sneered, calming down and looking for a bottle in one piece. ¡°I will allow this because this is no blackmail, but a simple business. So be it. Deal.¡±


    ¡°Glad to hear that. What about the rest though? The remaining targets are diverse. I bet those aren''t anything easy either if you are involved, but who knows that, right? In fact... there is something forgetful around them, you see.¡±


    Razmund didn''t trust this devil. He knew more than he let out, so speaking like this was unnecessary.


    ¡°It doesn''t¡ª¡±


    ¡°In fact, what about the opposite side of your Encounter? You never mentioned it even once. Odd. Let''s talk about it right now!¡± Ozeki stopped his talk, got to a table, and sat beside Razmund. ¡°Sensitive ones aside, this Anatidae that you are seeking already struck this temple''s workings. It is troublesome, though it fought like a maniac in Gate 2 if one looks at it as I do. It is a bit tough, but that is your prey. Interesting how it was possible.¡± Ozeki said, smiling and sounding quite intrigued by the fact that another Anatidae came to this place.


    Each occasion filled this place with worthy moments, tasks, and missions, giving hundreds of opportunities to many denizens, militaria, and hidden masters, or giving many Ends for free.


    ¡°You know quite a few things yourself, it seems,¡± Razmund said and sharpened his tone. ¡°Whatever it is, it is my prey! We discussed it. Our choices and our Pledge. It is my Hunt.¡±


    Ozeki kept his unbothered smile, knowing that his choice and actions didn''t matter. He would do what he had to do. It was simple as long as Razmund was around.


    But some things were weird because no masters were supposed to make their moves. Those with Laws did, followed by some undead and beasts. Those stupid ones went for Murai instead of going against established Razmund, whose reputation was well-known in this place.


    Ozeki recalled a different perspective. It was about the next Gate. Some fools made their moves there, acting within Mindarch''s tasks, missions, or punishments. Then, there was the matter of Islands of Greatness. A couple of beings went against Murai there, giving ideas, rumors, and some answers some weight. Most of it was hard to seek, as details were omitted, while a cloudy picture wasn''t worth all that much.


    And the fact that Murai killed almost all his foes was another thing. Those that returned were just a single person, if one didn''t count the bystanders in the Last Island.


    Long Zi, whom Murai defeated in 68th Island, was someone often visiting and living in Hellscape, but after getting his chance, he never came back.


    Ozeki knew why. Defeated but still living, he was carrying his punishment in lower Gates. Not Gate 4. He would die there in a heartbeat because of the ongoing Hell Party, which might be interesting because Gate 5 wasn''t a walk through Hellscape either.

 Chapter 203: Hunted and Hunters

    There was no doubt Anatidaes held an interesting reputation in this temple, and Ozeki was well-acquainted with their shenanigans. These beasts could turn this temple ablaze, but it wasn''t all about the visits. They meant trouble, and they could wreak havoc everywhere, though wasn''t it normal for numerous other similar species as well? In particular, many Divine Beasts were even crazier in reputation simply because of their higher numbers, which gave them an obvious advantage.


    Ozeki liked underdogs, although not on every occasion, and he didn''t partially like how Anatidaes felt. It was personal; he didn''t prefer their size, their heads, smell, and so on; it was difficult to fight against them when one was large, unfamiliar with such enemies, or underestimating them. It was like being beaten by a baby. It wasn''t a good feeling.


    The last time meeting an Anatidae gave him a not-so-pleasant time that kept lingering in his heart. Not in fear or anxiety, but hopes for a rematch. They were proud. He was proud. Living as well, of course, hoping for a change.


    Now wasn''t a time for that. Ozeki figured this one was the odd one out of the bunch, considering the absolute lack of interest. It was as if it came out of nowhere, opposing Razmund, even if it seemed to be a Child Anatidae. That was the most peculiar thing that Ozeki kept for himself, unwilling to talk about it to him. It was doubtful he could fight it as well.


    But what about his status? He was a Helper, and its rulers should set him closer to going against the other Side at all costs. Balance be damned, he should and could catch Murai all by himself.


    Well, not anymore.


    ¡°What about it?¡± Razmund said coldly, holding the last bottle of wine that he found. Calmly, he flickered his hand to open it up, letting the crimson delight pour into his glass.


    ¡°Answers. You know about your Sides, and while I know a little less about one of them, the Encounters are something else. They don''t come here often, you see, but I know what they do and are. Origin or Reason, I don''t care what is who. Few know that for certain, but who else but you would know about it the best? The one who started it is you, isn''t it? All points are scattered around in that direction. Everyone great knows how Encounters form. Two Sides filled with grudges or some Tasks go against one another, while some Gods decide rules on impulses. Winners take some prize, losers... are lost, or judged in punishment or some absent task. Then, the Parts go onwards again, unless the Reason or Origin isn''t too far from the Gods who decided them. It could change also, right under yourself or your prey'' acts.¡±


    ¡°Uh,¡± Razmund shrugged his arms, giving him no answers. ¡°I kind of forgot about half of what you said midway through your tone. Was it boring? Am not sure. Wait. Yes. It was.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Ozeki raised his voice, getting up from his demeanor and speaking his truth. On a chair filled with beast hides, he couldn''t take his anger and seat for granted.


    Watching Razmund, he was all so inclined to get this conversation going or turn it physical, but he failed to care about the last word. Razmund was stubborn about this topic for some reason. He hardly said anything about his prey or purpose because it was his task! It was about pride, a matter of facts, and stubbornness.


    Ozeki didn''t detest that and felt he was the same.


    But Anatiades fell into a special category and he wanted to know more.


    What if someone stole his prey, killed it long behind them, or blackmailed them instead? That idea was familiar in the Centralis Kingdom, as those Encounters were well-known there. Everyone taught Razmund to not mention too much about the rules of such games. Especially not to some beings of Chaos.


    This one was far too important to share with a Helper. It seemed like a stretch to question something Ozeki didn''t have to know. All he had to do was act accordingly and give Razmund a ride and secondary help.


    Razmund had no lack of desire; he wanted to play his cards regardless of anything else. It was arrogance at first, which then turned weird the moment he met setbacks and realized his pursuit wouldn''t be easy. Wanting more out of everything wasn''t surprising, conspiring his overall new reputation and status, even if he wasn''t asking for a lot. Just one clear target was all that was in his mind. Nothing else mattered more than that ending line.


    Ozeki bet that his pursuit was far from normal, thanks to all the little notes he started to see, and he wasn''t sure why this human was so hesitant. What was hidden in his head, or... what wasn''t there? It could be entirely possible that Razmund was yet another foolish tool of some God, and for what? Godly desires were tough to seek, and there were no doubts that he wanted to shed blood and live like a maniac. Or was that Anatidae special in some ways? Which wasn''t, in fact, special? There must have been some precourse that Ozeki was unaware of, or both Sides were more complicated than he thought.


    Ozeki allowed many questionable thoughts to raid his mind, and how many of them weren''t fine wasn''t his concern. As Razmund''s Helper, he wanted justice for himself. All the Helpers were like that. It was about benefits. A game. He shouldn''t go far from that course if he was sane. It might not be that hard for now, or so he thought.


    Murai was less in the picture. Killing, or forcing something beyond common means was also included. More was just a guess. Not a fact he knew. Just a hunt for a duck sounded weird when so many high-class fools were rising around the Hellscape, so Ozeki found some fun at present.


    In Razmund, not so much; he was one part of it since the second Side trapped most of his attention. Ozeki didn''t gather too many facts to change his outlook. That meant he didn''t have to regard it too much, and being confident might be correct. Too confident might be debatable. Murai''s journey was something Ozeki forced from his sources, which then gave him many ideas, and most of them pointed to a couple of things: a weird ghost, followed by Murai''s prowess, and then those Helpers.


    Putting his hands on the table, Ozeki tried to grab the half-empty bottle that was the last wine.


    Razmund flickered his hand, smiling as he poured numerous mouthfuls down his throat until he showed him the empty bottle. ¡°Oh, all dried up?¡±


    Ozeki glared at him, eyes shining like bloody moons. ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I can tell how it is, you horny devil. My opponent is a handful duck that I''ve met once. A week? Maybe more... well more like two. It is possible to fit on your palm. Squeezing it is recommended, but glaring too much could leave some scars and frights,¡± he replied, tossing the empty glass away as if it no longer mattered, and making a dramatic pause. ¡°Of course, there is more for you when there is worth. We will go out soon enough, you will follow me, and we will fight until we make it. Something stirs things further. I can feel it, which is why I don''t act yet.¡±


    ¡°Or you can''t? Don''t want to?¡±


    ¡°Rest is good...¡± Razmund excused himself and didn''t want to sound weak; he fought far too much in the last couple of days and his preparations were almost over. He had Ozeki to thank for most of that since pursuing him did leave its mark. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ozeki raised his hand, grabbed him by his shoulder, and pulled him up to his face. ¡°Nonsense. Did you waste time on beating me or killing those gangs? Doubtful. Even with your little Voice gone, too much time has passed. I don''t like that about you.¡± he expressed his impatience, but Razmund had none of it. He glanced aside as if feeling something. Even Lint appeared aside, glaring at windows when something massive was brewing around Province 2.


    ¡°Oh, I think there are some things to say and see. A glow-up. It is about numbers and sense. It makes many things more easy to grasp, don''t you think?¡± Razmund asked, still in his grasp.


    ¡°You want more time and information on your target and your enemies? A complete chaos too? This temple won''t slow it, but crash it. A bloodshed of this caliber that would come out of will be hard to tame when you involve me and your opposition. I almost applaud and cherish such an idea. A whole new stage is gonna open. A grudging Encounter between a pair of Blessed from the Surface is its origin, us, and this Gate, so are you telling me this is easy to grasp?¡± Ozeki asserted his opinion, clutching his shoulder as if he would never let go of it.


    ¡°Why so red?¡± Razmund chuckled, noticing that Ozeki was almost red-faced, looking more than fierce, or was it his eagerness that changed him?


    ¡°Don''t try me!¡± Ozeki barked at him, almost spitting on his face.


    ¡°Alright. Now, shut up,¡± Razmund said, and casually moved his both arms. He freed himself in a matter of a second and wished to punch his face, much to his dismay. ¡°Answers are already close. Look out.¡± Razmund pointed aside, directing Ozeki to the window.


    There, beyond, and everywhere, the ceiling was turning irregular, similar to the overall ambiance of this cave. A dark fog started to disperse and move in irregular patterns, huffing the starlight, and broadening like a storm brewing in the sky. Such fog was usually around the bright crystals or artificial suns, acting for a night, but this one was switching, turning to greyish fog.


    It was like a storm brewing all over the ceiling, spinning in size and unnatural speed until it was forming down like a spiral. It was the start of something great.


    At last, Mindarch was turning the tides to a new time, and everyone in the Hellscape wanted this for the past days, bearing witness to his message and the start of this Hunt.


    ¡°See, Ozeki? It''s not like the temple wouldn''t put this Encounter to their use. What Sky starts, Depths can cherish or crack apart. I expected it sooner. How or why, Reason or Origin are nothing but tools. I accepted it long ago and am already providing benefits to many people with my mere existence, regardless of some differences, balance, or rules. Everyone takes it well as long as they are brave and powerful enough. Like in the Old World, almost. Funny, isn''t it?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Ozeki grunted and lacked his usual voice when he realized the truth. Perhaps he was too harsh about this situation and had to rethink his choices.


    ¡°Some take it well; others don''t. Battle is whatever it could be, while the opportunity is a choice. This world isn''t simply taking everything for granted. Its people do. Gods are just us, but more powerful. Lofty.¡± Razmund wasn''t making excuses or lies. He told his perspective to Ozeki and did not need proof.


    ¡°I... know that,¡± Ozeki mumbled as he stepped aside, glancing outside. ¡°I just don''t like you.¡±


    ¡°Likewise.¡± Razmund chuckled and turned his head towards the window, and pointed with his glass as cheer. ¡°A proven validation is worth a fortune, and a Surface Challenger like myself is hard to come by. All sorts of other parties do the same thing at many heights of this world, hoping or bidding for their time or choice. In fact, why think of it negatively at all? What is a stop? Why Gods makes rules? What is this place? What it will do when we are going to crush against the rules or numerous desires, or what if too many people do that at the same time? It isn''t a riot. It''s a sham. Nothing will stop it, as it is natural like the Old World that no longer exists.¡±


    ¡°That is your point. This world and Gods have theirs. It isn''t about the Old World or people. It isn''t so simple.¡±


    Razmund sipped some wine and no longer argued; he had said enough.


    High-ceiling windows were quite good for what was beyond them, and who else would have them than some lofty devil''s castle? Perhaps many others had such standards for living, but devils had it from nothing but basic principles, courtesy, and reputations. There was no doubt that the high-raised castle on top of a large cliff had great views of the surroundings, allowing them to see the grey storm that was turning brighter.


    ¡°My Lady,¡± Ozeki mumbled and got the picture outside into his eyes. ¡°She is about to care for it. You included. Myself included, I fear or hope. Which is stronger? Gods or the people. Could they forfeit us? It isn''t that simple, but you are convinced about some things, while very wrong about others.¡±


    For some reason, Razmund seemed surprised about Ozeki''s remark. ¡°Mind telling me specifics?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Ozeki laughed. ¡°To see you deal with what you desire yourself is part of the process and my mission. I will give it my justice.¡±


    That excuse wasn''t something Razmund liked.


    The grey storms outside, looking like dozens of artificial suns, turned brighter until lines and waves turned into a bunch of massive rectangular screens. Some spots were darker to provide contrasts, while the lighter colorful brightness was great for making shadows, dense points, or waves. There were many of them throughout this Gatel not just here.


    Those facing Razmund and Ozeki were more than a few kilometers wide in total because making many smaller ones was unnecessary. Around the Hellscape, they filled the sky and stopped most conflicts. All for the sake of giving Levandis some face.


    This wasn''t all about Mindarch, for he was not enough. She decided to solve it herself, giving her interest to the current happenings, much to many surprises. For some, it would be the first time even hearing or seeing her face. It was rare to see their Goddess.


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    Ozeki hadn''t expected it, but Razmund did. She was about to speak to her subjects and crack them down. She wasn''t alone in quenching the unrest or being a little forceful. All of the Sky was hoping to prevent or lessen the horrendous effect that Vermillion caused.


    Some embraced it. Most Hell Gods did.


    Calming the situation was no joke since most didn''t want to lose touch with their historical efforts and regimes that took years of nurturing, or lifetimes of history to grow. Most Gods didn''t want to lose anything, be it their subjects'' loyalty or numbers, or efforts raising their reputable efforts around the Divine Kingdoms. Unsurprisingly, it turned strange when their subjects outside of their Kingdom no longer had the blessings of this world itself. It wasn''t their fault, for it was so keen to this world, that no one expected it to stop.


    Such loss was heavy, though there were some winners and great times, but no one was certain about the origin or where this would stop.


    In the Hellscape, what was happening in the ceiling was a rarity that happened a few times a year, although this one was on the extreme side of things. All the Hunts had this starting vision, announcing bounties and the Hunted in this manner. Those were up to Mindarch alone, or someone from the military or the Lurr family. The last one that needed Levandis''s attention was when a Divine War occurred, giving rise to her message when she found some drama on the Surface extremely gratifying. That was many years ago, so for it to happen again was surprising.


    The screens flickered, rendered their lines, and changed. A huge dome of dozens of screens emerged, with one facing the castle, where Ozeki, Lint, and Razmund watched it with great interest. Screens sizzled, danced, and wavered in their effects. Then, a picture of Levandis materialized, looking shining grey and darker for shadows, giving her unnatural charm as if she were a faraway witch, god, ghost, or divine beauty.


    Ozeki fell to his knees, waiting.


    Then, her ethereal voice penetrated every cranny of Hellscape and other Gates, right when that divine face and upper body moved, smiling and speaking.


    ¡°It has been a while, denizens, problems, dear friends, families, assholes, animals, kids, elderly, some beasts, and who knows what else lies under the Surface and my domain.¡± She spoke like a Ruler, showing a dominant voice, power, and charm like few Gods could.


    ¡°As you might know, certain problems have arrived in my backyard, while some of them need some attention, not everyone is everything. I am here, speaking and doing it justice. You see, the world is in a turbulent time, dear subjects of mine.¡±


    Levandis leaned forward, showing her collarbone and widening her smile, though everything about it was Mindarch''s careful touch, for it was imagination evidence that he materialized.


    Levandis angled her face and glanced forward. ¡°I am furious... All sorts of troubles are observing and waiting for this to be fixed, yet it won''t happen. This is the Sky we are talking about. This,¡± she pointed around until her palm offered nothing to the screen, ¡°is Hell. So, let''s get to the point. Fixing isn''t needed when power and some meanings simulate everything, whether they could solve something, ignore rules, or straight up forget them. I tell fuck that and everyone who thinks this world or time needs such pettiness. What goes in the Sky isn''t my concern, while everyone here is under my eyes. Do you want trouble under them?¡± Her eyes sparkled, and her tone shifted, giving her dominance and tones so much weight, that many figures could not bear with it and fainted.


    Countless figures became nervous and started to pray to her.


    It calmed her down, which was apparent from the shift screens and her light sigh. ¡°It will pass as any storm does, so bear the weight of my existence and words for what it is. For now, the military will take things into their hand, as no war is needed right now. Killings are; they are fair like many other things in this world of mine. I won''t stop anyone pursuing their dreams, but they should bear such costs, for the Old World was no punny place for a weakling, got it? I hope you do. Anyone who doesn''t and will stir troubles when it is unnecessary, or away from the norm, shall go out of my sight. I beseech Military Curtew to all Gates and my Hell, followed by a Hunt that needs something else.¡±


    She fixed everyone with voice alone, stopping many steps and fights in a single minute. Very few could truly comprehend or feel her aura when she spoke from very far away, but her mere existence showed its merit. Everyone and everything was inferior before her. It was the truth.


    This message went through Mindarch, so it was no wonder it had no clear aura, but most took her voice in the same manner as if she was before them.


    Her subjects knelt, protruding themselves before this divine image, and waited.


    ¡°Let''s start a course that will try to fix what I want. Many hope for something in the Hellscape to start. Some interesting parties need some attention, worth, or chains, or so I''ve heard,¡± she shifted her face back and looked much more relaxed. ¡°As you know, the Encounter is here to stay, much to some dissatisfaction from some of my subjects. I beg to differ, but what choice and rules do is put chains to reactions, and my temple is public. Anyone displeased is just a petty idiot who underestimates those willing to go beyond the rules. I call them cowards. My temple provides worth for everyone regardless of anything, but not everyone is equal. That is the harsh truth. Encounter is part of what can happen, so... dear subjects, if you aren''t satisfied, take your life away, wait, or do what you can while bearing your choices for yours.¡±


    She smiled, looking like a serpent ready to pounce. ¡°Many awaits for what shall happen with that, but Mindarch and little Kil had trouble getting everything to work, while I found some...well, I had to do it instead, how sad. So much work right when I woke up.¡± Levandis sighed, shedding thin tears that she wiped with her hair. Then, she put her hand up and messaged her temples, looking depressed and overworked for a moment. It made her seem sorry and many of her subjects, regardless of Level and interest, felt ashamed and sad.


    ¡°So much for being a queen, huh? Anyway, there is no need to trouble many of you since my Hunt shall start in the Hellscape and end there as well. Many of you should just wait, do something or nothing. Why, you might wonder? It isn''t because of rules, but because the Encounter and Hunt are tightly knitted, and some judging dogs are supervising. Mindarch!¡± She laughed as if she played her part way too well. Then, she signaled Mindarch to do his job.


    Right as she said his name, the screens cracked apart, before flowing together and forming fewer bigger screens, leaving Levandis smaller and less detailed.


    Now, most of the screens were hundreds of meters wide, thus the resolution and details in them weren''t that great, but they would do well since there wouldn''t be any movement, flavoring, or enchanting of the moving pictures. Screens moved to many cities or important Sectors. They hovered around the sky or the ground.


    On each screen, a wide smiling ghostly face emerged, creating a familiar picture of Mindarch''s rough face that many denizens knew.


    [Greetings everything and everyone around this temple.] Mindarch said calmly, showing his ghostly, yet professional-looking face. [This message is sent to most Gates and a couple of other curious places. As Levadis said, there shall be some keen interest put into the Hellscape alone, so bear our minds for what it will do, as we have spoken.]


    Then, the screens shifted again, giving him and Levandis less space. Others crisped and began to storm, swirling in their fog of grey brightness and darker hues. None of them made any sense yet, but some features were turning better.


    [Encounter and Hunt!] Mindarch shouted and large letters spread around the screens [There are numerous twists and sides to them, but Hunt is our home ground. Encounter is here at its clashing interest, so it doesn''t need any adjusting. It has its Sides and rules, obviously, but our Hunts and precious course of Challengers are much better, right? It shall start right now!]


    Mindarch sounded more excited the further he spoke.


    [FIRST!]


    The scene with letters flickered, revealing the pictures of Murai''s entire party which had all members in poses. Each member had a screen or numerous ones that fused or parted into a few other styles, poses, or scenes, creating many perspectives. But every one of them surrounded Murai, a little duck wearing a hoodie, looking far too imposing than the physical realms or reality. It was like a really demonic duck with its hoodie on and its eyes were blazing white.


    Mindarch was extremely gratified with these images and his work; he hoped Murai appreciated them.


    [These are the first Hunted for anyone worth some merits, time, or power. Hunters shall get their starts done under the usual rules, so bear with it for what they can do. Information is key. All under my voice this time around!]


    Strangely, even after a day delay, Mindarch shamelessly ignored the delay. The fact that many battles and Ends occurred didn''t even matter to him or Levandis.


    Murai''s screens glowed all of a sudden, exhibiting Anatidae sitting in full view, looking much brighter and imposing, overworked with details and power.


    [This is the first one in a while. Tiny but deadly, it is as many feared. A new Anatidae is here to stay and give rise to problems. Surprisingly, it is the central stage of this Hunted and Hunter conflict, creating not only the Hunt but Encounter also. It isn''t inevitable to think of it as disastrous, however, but many shall think about it with thin layers of doubts, as it battled and fought well so far, and its reputation and power are below the fodder. But who knows? Perhaps it will get stronger here and what you might get out of it will end up different. It might be weak, yet strong.]


    [As the leader of this Hunted party, it acts as a King regardless if it is weak and growing!]


    [Kings are worth a crown.]


    [Catching or killing this Anatidae shall give 150,000 Hell Points!]


    Mindarch made a dramatic pause right behind his impressive tone, filling Gates with an echoing voice, and surprising many beings with his readings. 150 000? Was it a lot or not?


    Silence spread until other new screens changed.


    [The next ones are his party members, or to be precise, most are Helpers because of the Encounter. They are connected and adhering to their King.]


    The screens with Itrosh glowed next, giving her unusual beauty and savagery that was contrasting and charming to reality. [Experienced adventurer of a Silver Rank, she is Itrosh, an employee of Lost Brothers. What a poor name... Anyway, as a Helper in King''s name, she has a bounty of 30,000 Hell Points for killing or catching her. Token blazes.]


    Then the glow turned to David, who looked less than impressive and more like an overworked accountant.


    [Fat, but trying to lose it, he is a leader of Lost Brothers.]


    [10,000 Hell Points...]


    Then things quickly changed to Ultium, showing a serious-looking devil in a suit, barely smiling, but looking much more impressive, tall, and lofty than David. Mindarch played with numerous images and liked quite a few of them and he couldn''t decide which was perfect. [This here is a devil. Member and prime manager of Lost Brothers, he is dangerous like a natural disaster, but his worth and mystery shall shroud all Hunters and give this Hunt a unique taste. Nothing significant is known about him, so it is better to note that everyone digging around should be careful, for the truth might hide some lies and secrets.]


    [His bounty is set at 200,000 Hell Points.]


    [Big and burly...] Mindarch turned his tone to softer hues, showing the large screens that depicted Bagus, a mighty Griffin that turned into Grifhart. He looked as impressive as Murai, with wings stretched, beak clutched, and his eyes shined in a grey light. Mindarch made him appear more majestic than he ever felt and was.


    Bagus was more like a big good dog if Murai ever had a word to describe him, so the current images made him quite captivating.


    [Lawful Grifhart is a dangerous part of great Griffins. Beware and take care of his Hunt in any capacity, as his history and untamed potential make him quite dangerous around those learning, or figuring any Laws. He is a beast....well, be warned, he is a Divine Beast.]


    [100,000 Points!]


    Mindarch paused for a dramatic effect once more, until he huffed all of their images. Someone was missing, but very few beings understood who.


    [The cause!? Who was the one that started this all, you might ask? Was it the King? No... No. NAY!] Mindarch said resolutely without showing his face. The screens depicting others turned to a single one, and even when Mindarch''s face didn''t remain, he was laughing and speaking the same.


    [She is the motivation for this Hunt to begin with, or for everyone here to be tensed and active. She is the one who started it all!] Mindarch shouted, proclaiming the truth to everyone.


    [Motivation is a guess, though her truth is the most problematic, right beside the reasons. Everything followed its course since they arrived, so many did their best, me included. Now, in the Hellscape, she is here. There is not another King among them, for this party is deeper than that. She is a Villain! An absolutely detestable existence that created this entire situation.]


    [For now...] Screen and foggy matter flickered and turned brighter than ever, revealing a humanoid ghost of voluptuous properties, dense curves, sharp details, and more or less, obvious nakedness to many Gates and millions of eyes.


    Lisa looked straight out of some fantasies, looking unlike her usual ghostly self, giving her sona and body lovely charm and divine vision. Usually, she kept her features kind of ghostly and vague because turning her physicality sharp was redundant and painful. She rather acted in the most efficient forms her current lifeform allowed, yet she still looked pretty if she had to say it out loud. Legless and like a ghost and Fairy at the same time, frankly, her expression and Sona Shaping weren''t that great, so she wasn''t active and doing what she wanted.


    Here, on this large sharp screen that revealed her nakedness, she looked straight out of a divine drawing, almost too foreign and alien to a small team currently going through a mountain overseen by a large screen.


    Mindarch felt immense satisfaction after creating the pictures he and Manager Kil had in mind, and since Lisa''s appearance looked like a Fairy, they changed and enchanted all of her features to perfection. To him, this was the greatest result of his games, so he hoped she would thank him later.


    [The Villain has 200,000 Hell Points for anyone catching her alive!] Mindarch announced, laughing like an evil spirit because this decision wasn''t the easiest. In fact, it was devious.


    [That is all for this Side, so be aware of these Hunted, and be careful of what you want to do to them, as what you will endure, kill, or catch, might not be what you want. They are a party. A team! All together, they are ruthless killers who have already fought plenty of battles against those impatience enough, or those hunting an Anatidae Child going through this Gate. For now, their ride to their destination is unknown to anyone. Sniff around and look at it from a hunting perspective. Rules are uncertain, for the Hunts provide benefits of doubts. Therefore, the Network is seized for the duration of the Hunt, similar to most purchases.]


    [Pursue those Hunted before they disappear from Hellscape, dear Hunters.]


    [Next!]


    The large screens exploded all over the Gates, leaving many denizens bummed and disappointed. Even Mindarch was the same, shedding a tear when he watched his masterpieces going away, turning it into the opposite side. There weren''t many of them. Just two, because Hell Party wasn''t included in anything. It was a personal matter and challenge, and thanks to the Paradise being vacant of any personnel, it was easy to let it remain hidden.


    Now, around the Gates, the screens showed Ozeki and Razmund. Both looked and materialized like villains with darker grey undertones and sharper features. Razmund looked handsome, but his unblinking eyes and claymore in hand looked menacing. Ozeki was a devil, so it wasn''t hard to make him vicious. Unlike Ulitum, who had a certain charm to him thanks to his youthful, well-kept, and suited appearance, Ozeki was a warrior and soldier.


    [This right here is a troublesome party that crashed our home, following the previous party. One is worse than the other, however. He is the one who crushed this party! The other Villain!]


    Razmund''s screen glowed in red light. [He is The Villain! An utter evil presence and piece of shit and a Blessed who went here numerous times, killing and seeking gifts of our Lady. Everyone knows his mess, reputation, and where he comes from. His presence of those similar to them gives no heed to attention. He is a Falconer and sword-filled maniac below the Laws, Razmund Dietrich. Kill him and be rewarded with 250,000 Hell Points!]


    Throughout the Gates, murmurs spread and questions arose. A quarter million for him? That amount should interest many figures, but the previous party was more numerous and quite rich in points as well. Thus, it was perplexing how to look at it. These bounties weren''t correlating to strength, however. If they did, Murai and Lisa would be several times more inferior.


    [All in the name of Midnarch, I beseech anyone the chance of this Hunt. Everyone willing to shed blood and seek their battles can participate, as long as the presence of our government works. The military will oversee it from a distance, followed by my keen presence, but each party thinks of the strength of Hellscape''s security and lacking rules in disdain. Hence, the rules and workings matter little, if any. Kill who you can and hunt who you wish. Those capable will be sought. Those powerful gifted gifts. Those lacking killed.]


    [Lasty...] The screens flickered to Ozeki, who glowed like an old devil freak in red color and hues of blood. [Lost in hopes, Ozeki, the former member of the First Legion decided to betray us. He is a villainous Helper, taking part in this Hunt against his own home. He is no villain, but since his party is no different from one, he is our enemy.]


    [Points for his End go for 200,000 Hell Points!]


    [Elevate Hellscape from its unnatural flow, denizens, and those who hope for chances and even more hopes.]


    [Lastly, the rules of the Hunt are following: Hunt those seeking their portal before reaching it. Play by the rules of Hunt as usual. Level or restrictions play as follows: kill those fit, fight those fit, despair when it isn''t right, and think twice before you act. Despair in hopelessness, for this is power.]


    [Requirepments for participation: None apart from knowing the dangers of seeking the Hunt, and becoming Hunter via Pivotal Cities. We don''t stop those without the license lightly, so be aware that some repercussions might come from it.]


    [Take care and good luck!]


    [Mindarch, peace out.]


    Screens flickered and fused back together, giving Levandis another ethereal look.


    ¡°As you''ve heard my precious attendant, the official start of my Hunt shall start. It is the same as many times before, so you might wonder... what goes around the corner, might never return. My place has my rules, yet I state to fuck them like the Sky, right?¡± Levandis smirked and leaned forward. ¡°That is right. I don''t matter. For those seeking trouble, make your hope for yourself. Not my Hell. Seek End or remedy, but do not fret or cry. Despair instead... or¡± She paused before clapping once. ¡°Give rise to a new light. See you on the other side when the time and power is right. Good luck perishing, oh subjects of mine.¡±


    The screens exploded to mist, right when she leaned and revealed bits of her upper body, turning the sky over the Hellscape back to normal, and many hearts and blood flowed much faster.


    Razmund watched this show from the high-raised castle, right beside Ozeki, who was kneeling and smirking. ¡°Now, this is interesting.¡±

 Chapter 204: Hellish honesty

    Razmund wasn''t sure if he was ready to take this whole Hellscape on, but from the way he wanted it, it wasn''t his choice anymore. Levandis voiced it and Mindarch gave an interesting ultimatum. It was exactly what he expected and feared, which made sense to him, since this declaration aimed at many factors.


    Levandis essentially offered both Sides on a plate and called her subjects to eat.


    It wasn''t supposed to be so back-to-back, describing all Hunted one by one. Their bounties, pictures, and information spoken by Mindarch were all for the public to see, but also for each Hunted touched by the Encounter. Now, everyone knew what was against what, and his prey did too. Razmund lost his bargaining chip, though it was false.


    Lisa long realized Ozeki''s involvement


    Each Challenger should have their unique stakes to consider when their Hunt was starting, and Levandis made interesting comments about the Encounter and Hunt. It clashed and elevated everything, and she more or less disregarded it and settled on freedom.


    Razmudn hadn''t expected Levandis to be like this. It wasn''t entirely unreasonable, but her words still shook his core.


    A God, Razmund thought. I haven''t involved many of them in my problems or life. This one is so direct and crashing and looking. She demands a fix by using her tools. She wants this gone, yet... what is this? Does she? What is it that interests her? Me? My prey? That Anatidae... could be that, and I doubt she knows much about me.


    Razmund was unaware of how Anatidades fascinated some beings. He thought about his first meeting with Murai, imagining that lofty glowing duck in the middle of an endless soul space. It scared him, cracked his spirit, and he felt scared even more than when looking at Death. It was strange, considering it was just one glimpse of his rather peculiar Appraisal.


    Since then, many things changed, and his life flexed like his body numerous times. Portal''s locations were one part of everything. Like his acts and power, the actual threat was this declaration of bounties, and Razmund realized it was higher than he expected. Yet, he still waited and wasted time, and for what? To get ready?


    Hunters were unknown; he had no idea just how many or how powerful they would get with Ozeki by his steps. The rules stated by Mindarch were nothing concrete in that regard. It depended on Hunters, but Razmund knew there were some clear issues with it at present. In his last attempts, his Hunt was simple, feeling like a game of prey and hunters. He was both at those times, making his current issue hunting. Murai was his priority.


    Mindarch made no excuses and declared freedom to regular Hunts. That meant some limiting factors that adhered to members, locations, time, denizens, gangs, and official matters of Hunters. It was also about Levels and knowing that one shouldn''t eat what one can''t chew.


    His quarter of a million bounty was a bit excessive because of that, creating a notable coating that might trouble him. Add Ozeki with a bit lower bounty, and Razmund saw worse terms ahead.


    Alas, it could pose a formidable chance because his prey was in similar shoes as him. Razmund didn''t doubt that those opposing bounties were interesting. He had no history with Lost Brothers, so he might be overthinking this whole time, or thinking too much into everything. He didn''t even know much about his prey, so he shouldn''t judge or be overconfident. It hurt him so much almost two weeks ago.


    At that time, Murai was significantly weaker, yet... so menacing. Razmund recognized a problem that someone wanted gone or caught. And now, it was failing. Murai was growing rapidly and his boundaries were unknown.


    Hunters attacking Hunted should be equal across the board, giving the Hunt good pace and stability, followed by Voice. Razmund believed his previous attempts were very fair. This one might lack something special, but Mindarch and Levandis voiced what they could.


    He even thought she made a bunch of excuses, considering this whole Encounter.


    In most Hunts, fodder should battle against one another, with exemptions of some duels touched upon by Mindarch or Will of the Battleworld that either had some adjacent rules to the Hunt.


    The Hunt had a simple nature. It was about bounties, snatching those Tokens by Hunters, killing Hunted, and in unique cases, catching them. There were also often cases when just one desirable outcome was aimed at Hunted. In this case, Razmund and Ozeki shall die, but it was a relatively loose idea. Getting their Token will work fine for most Hunters, while their Ends would be seen as much higher achievements.


    It was about common sense.


    As for those with Laws, they aimed for worthy opponents because of the desire to get stronger, while some weaklings could seek powerhouses just to appease them and see the future or learn. Killings in this case wasn''t always clean or desirable, and Levandis told it from her perspective.


    Who wanted to die?


    Who would kill in a heartbeat, in cold blood, or simply because one could?


    Those were silly questions that Razmund laughed at, and he would gladly send anyone to Afterlife if he had to.


    Why the strong ones couldn''t aim at weaklings, establishing dominance and power over them? They could be like a mountain stretching over the horizon. Weakligns shall see them, protrude against it, or walk around. No matter what, the power had its reputation, and going against a weakling was seen as cowardly or unsightly, but not impossible. Of course, this ideology was affected by Gods and Will of the Battleworld, so many places thought of it differently, or not at all.


    Old World was a struggling place where the strong ate the weak, and it disregarded some pettiness or excuses by being brutal for the sake of being true. Battleworld had its merits in Gods, so it was correct to call it superficial, yet full of wonders, and not so different from the former planet because some things were almost impossible to change.


    No matter what could hinder or regulate the truth, power, and desires couldn''t stop as a whole. Gods were holding back the inevitable. That was a rationale that Levandis knew herself, and she liked when things were chaotic. Limits be damned, if her subjects wanted something, they should be worth it.


    However, this was a curse for those little weaklings who were part of this world.


    How was Razmund even considering those bounties or acts? He lived in a different time and space not that long ago, taking a life for granted, all for this world to shatter it all and turn him...well, into what? Into where? Since he overcame his previous life, he proved himself capable, so perhaps he was asking for a beating when he strode into this temple and stirred its rules under Levandis'' eyes.


    That was his perspective. He was wrong. He was just a side character with a heavy head.


    ¡°What do you think about this?¡± Ozeki glanced at Razmund, who was unnaturally calm and still glancing outside. The fog cleared and the night returned. ¡°The Encounter changed the rules of this game, so there is no need to fret. You are ready whether you like it or not, right? We are going on a Hunt. Becoming a Hunter is what you plan for; I can smell that from you. Points are no matter but a target over our heads. We can get them back if they dare, so who cares?¡±


    Ozeki stretched his arms and seemed relaxed and almost happy.


    The game of Hunters commenced and there was no going back.


    Everyone now knew their validations, doubts, and acts. Some might hesitate even more, skeptical whether they should act or do something. Some still waited for better timing, acting as true Hunters that would pounce at greater timings.


    Mindarch guaranteed security and clarity, but he also expressed some interesting things. Lacking Network was part of it, and the rest came from Levandis, who warned them, and as something they didn''t.


    Razmund wasted time, whereas Lisa, David, and many other beings around Hellscape planned their steps ahead of time.


    Razmund heard Ozeki and didn''t reply.


    ¡°So... is this what you''ve expected?¡± Ozeki asked. ¡°Hunter becomes the prey, yet you still are a Hunter yourself. Everyone is one right now. Prey too. Everyone here is an essence when they can die and we can take their entire beings. Hunted have their neat privilege. Wanna try it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but definitions no longer matter for who is who. It''s not that I seek answers or rough places, duels, or essences. Strength is all that matters to me, followed by our steps. So yes. Whatever you ride and think, I am all ears¡±


    ¡°Are you putting this much trust in me?¡±


    ¡°Why not? You are quite pumped about this, for whatever you''ve heard in that Voice.¡± Razmund turned back to Ozeki, his finger pointed to the plains beyond the window, showing a massive place filled to the brim with new problems.


    ¡°Pumped? I don''t like that word, but there is a lot for me here. The Surface is different, while my Lady and Mindarch want my End, so what is there for me than to take it all in and survive till the end? The moment this Hunt is over, they will gladly take me back, so I am all pumped, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Tell me something wrong about it, Ozeki. This place is training grounds for most of Levandi''s troops and where they are getting stronger. This whole temple is a huge proving ground and...¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± Ozeki shook his head and stopped stretching. ¡°This place is more than that. You and your Surface don''t know its weight. It is no Dungeon. It is so much more.¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Razmund shrugged. ¡°I know and met plenty of Extremes who talked about this place highly and with doubts. Centralis has its history and lessons, so let''s not pretend to mention clueless facts. You don''t have to lie to me either.¡±


    Ozeki laughed and went along with him if this little Villain wanted it. ¡°You do it too. Act... Well, I do too. Alright. What else do you know?¡±


    ¡°Denizens and Hunters are a bonus to this place''s politics and are extremely close to how Encounter sounds. Hellscape is wide and big because it needs people to farm resources and provide power to its main God. It isn''t about others. This one is hers alone.¡±


    Ozeki frowned but kept silent as Razmund kept going.


    ¡°It boils down to Gods all the freaking time. What are mortals to them? I say that thinking bigger is better. Why the hell would anyone be angry by such chaotic chances is baffling. Countless demons should pry upon such opportunities, and try to seek the improvements they wouldn''t have otherwise. They should be glad for things that move by us.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like something that Surface has, or... is it the Blessed that speaks from you?¡±


    ¡°Don''t kid yourself. There are worse things than second fucking life. This place is a Hell that shreds insanity to madness. Not some measly little realm where worms try to make a living. Some are still that, but it is less than practical. Your Lady should be glad over this change that isn''t far from her kin.¡± Razmund ended his speech, leaving Ozeki stunned and wondering if he heard him right.


    By all rights, Razmund was correct because he had his own bubble, experience, and opinion. Some were correct but he was kind of a prick in how he talked.


    Even though Ozeki didn''t like him for his mere attitude, and even though he put his Lady''s name in his mouth, he was right. This place should take such opportunities with fervent needs and a great time because it was an opportunity that never came twice for some people.


    Some worries about politics, or what was right or wrong, didn''t matter to this temple''s internal structure. If something nasty was happening all the time, seeing another arrive was like tossing flames to a burning building. There was something worthwhile in all of this since this place might be close to the Surface because Lordis and Levandis formed some deal, and its depth was deep. Most of it was overseen by Mindarch anyway, making Challengers part of the arrangement.


    Encounters were not prone to such places often, as they had different stakes and different weights. At the worst outcome, where the peak of Wicked, Gifted, and Blessed would act like arrogant little Gods, it would ensure utter mayhem. Surface, Sky, and Depths would all link, and repercussions wouldn''t be some war. It would be straight-up cataclysmic.


    Theoretically speaking, of course. Something of that magnitude never happened.


    The Depths were smaller and crazier, often neck deep in their problems. Hence, Surface and many Sky Gods paid them some attention, and Encounters could individually or broadly influence everything in their Parts, or direct measures of some side tasks, Helpers, or location. Depths might be involved, or not. It depended on many factors that could truly shape and change the whole continent, and some fed-up Hell God might as well crash it against the odds and hopes of its maker.


    Lisa took this Encounter here, through decisions that changed more than many could see. It was no choice. It was the best move she could''ve done, so she blamed nothing about it. Murai was the same and liked her idea.


    Mindarch realized it long ago. It shifted regular challenge routes, yet still followed Gates. It could be weirder, as the Encounter could''ve changed. It didn''t. At least not under Lisa''s eyes and Murai''s time in this temple. They were;t aware of what Ceila did, or what Vermillion wanted, or how a Judge literary descended from above. Nowadays, some were even curious, but Levandis and Mindarch played their cards safely, even if it didn''t seem like that.


    Which, if Razmund was honest with himself, he found strange. Encounters usually change under different courses, regardless of the overall Part, Sides, accomplishments, or acceptance. It could shift midway through a Part, turning the pace from inside our, or vice-versa. It didn''t happen because it was nearly impossible to notice it, but the action of both Sides was making fitting routes that didn''t shake Razmund''s primary role. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Murai was an animal. A prize. Not a player. He had his escaping, so if the change happened, either his course would change from escaping Seventh Death Forest to doing something inside this temple, or Gates, or something much deeper. Reasons were up to the deciders of the Encounter when it came to this, but with Ravine gone, perhaps that was why nothing changed.


    Razmund was almost clueless about what to think. His task remained; so did his prey.


    And with ignorance between both Sides, where neither knew the stakes, rewards, and tasks of the other, Razmud wondered what sort of mess Murai was if he was involved. What details were omitted, forged, or ignored? Some parts were up to his guess, stemming from the simple nature of Anatidaes and the visit.


    ¡°Fine... Fine. Forget it then. I don''t care about your words anymore,¡± Ozeki said. ¡°Still, I have my doubts about Lost Brothers. Are there only three that are worth something, or is that devil the worse? He has the same bounty. Strange. I feel hurt. There are six of them in total, while we are a pair. Then, we have those.... two. A ghost... eh? An Anatidae Child.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it is unfair?¡± Razmund asked.


    ¡°Hardly,¡± Ozeki smirked and moved from the window, glancing sideways to Lint who was still thinking about the prior message. ¡°This place will make it fair. We do. Or we don''t. What is even supposed to be fair here?¡±


    ¡°It doesn''t matter to me,¡± Razmund said resolutely. ¡°My hunt is indifferent to what this temple offers. It has been like this since I stepped into the Death Valley. I have a single task. It isn''t as if these Sides are meant to chase one another. It is just a result of what someone wanted, while this Hellscape does its Hunt to quench the thirst and give it what it does best. So, does it go against my Side all that much? Who wanted to hunt that duck for the past week than me? Get that? We are going to hunt everyone here and kill them. How? Don''t ask me. I never questioned it.¡±


    Ozeki got the right idea, but it wasn''t as if his heart was ready to take this to his mind. He was still subject to himself, rather than theories or Razmund''s voice. Sometimes, these things intersected like nothing in this world, giving clarity or chaos to his heart. For some devils, their choices were often unavoidable like finding reasons for madness.


    ¡°I will do anything. Sakes and stakes differ like Skies and Hells, but... 200, 000 points? That is somewhat... poor. My former power doesn''t give it much regard, or is it calculated differently? Or not at all? I wonder if it is even my current worth, or if it is some sort of limiting factor, or aimed at you, or others. In fact, what the fuck! Your quarter million is shameless. It should be lower. Your opponent king is the same. It is nonsense for a Child, but that doesn''t mean I can''t try to play too hard, or too little.¡±


    Ozeki kept smiling and wished to go out of this castle straight away. However, now that his position and status were even more exposed, he shouldn''t be silly and start to gather intel. He had his men and forces, and he planned to use what he could to push this Hunt and allow Razmund to go deep. And who knows, perhaps he will be put against opposite Helpers if he is lucky enough.


    ¡°You can do whatever is right for you,¡± Razmund said. ¡°As I''ve said before, coming for you is just a stretch to create a better position. If you wouldn''t, someone else would. My main points are different, and you are a tool like me.¡±


    ¡°I don''t fear, unlike you, punny man.¡± Ozeki laughed and stopped when he heard awkward silence. ¡°Well, what now?¡±


    ¡°With this proclamation, all situations will change drastically. Nobody will stop me from the opposing party, so hunt it shall be. We move. Our opposition will be hunted like us because their stakes are different, but they have mixed targets of difficulties. We? We fight with Laws. Yours or my points are just big droplets, yet we go at them without respect. Why? The world doesn''t care. This place doesn''t either. I don''t give a shit either way. Hunters shouldn''t no longer be weak, but what about before that? My prey went ahead and where?¡±


    ¡°Droplets, eh?¡± Once more, Ozeki didn''t like the sounds of it. ¡°Speaking of it, it is true that you said some interesting things. A Child hunted be you... albeit it is an Anatidae. What is going on with that?¡±


    Razmund shifted his steps and walked closer to the window. ¡°I don''t know. There is no need to know. Our point is to stick together, so who cares about it? Their weight is no match for ours, don''t you agree?. I wonder how much it makes sense... or what this Gate plans with it. Especially this opposing King of mine, so perhaps it doesn''t matter to be curious.¡±


    ¡°It is an Anatidae. What else have you expected?¡± Ozeki laughed. ¡°It is worth asking some places and people. I know someone.¡±


    ¡°Nah. It is not normal. I didn''t even know much about these little creatures before meeting one myself. I was lucky.¡±


    Ozeki found it ironic, considering he had quite a few personal feuds and experiences with them. ¡°Says my personnel as well, or the various brokers and companies that looked into it. Now, nobody will because Network is gone, so scouting and old-school ideas will move up next. Perhaps some personal interrogation would work too? Are you familiar with torture?¡±


    Razmund sighed.


    ¡°Hey, I don''t think that is a bad idea. For a human, you are sometimes insensible.¡±


    ¡°That thing is a fucking duck... What am I supposed to think?¡± he whispered back.


    ¡°Oh, Blessed is speaking again. I wonder about your past, but we are talking about this world. Speaking animals is least surprising.¡±


    ¡°That one didn''t.¡±


    ¡°Well, it is a new child of these beasts, so that isn''t surprising. However, it is a big deal to some places and beings. Why? Politics, so don''t give me any look. Their position and births are sensitive. It means a change is coming, but... you know something else, do you? ¡±


    ¡°Crafty fools are unable to dig through mud, huh?¡± Razmund chuckled. ¡°But no. I know nothing. Just the fact that a Blessed Anatidae is too tough to seek isn''t surprising. It means a chance instead. Now, curiosity is unnecessary for you and me. You shouldn''t try to convince me.¡±


    ¡°It is weird. That is all.¡± Ozeki said and still hadn''t lost his edge. ¡°For example, few things are public... Like, really, really public. That Anatidae''s overall picture is a mystery. I couldn''t touch it because Lurrs didn''t change their minds, Mindarch was stubborn, and who knows what my Lady wants. Besides you, who saw its true color, or who could do it justice? Mindarch? That poor spirit stopped all curiosity and showed very few fights. They were just shadows anyway. Without aura, tsch.¡± Ozeki clicked his tongue and hoped for him to speak.


    ¡°True,¡± Razmund stretched his arms, knowing that his or Murai''s situation was different on many points, but the public should just figure them out at their pace and he didn''t need to know it. It wasn''t his concern. His target never changed. I just increased.


    ¡°Weren''t there some targets that survived its charade in the last Gate to add some context? Notes of abilities, overall efficiency, or power. Who or what has it killed?¡± Frankly, Razmund wasn''t interested in that topic when he entered this temple, let alone later, but since Ozeki started it, he asked anyway.


    ¡°You think I haven''t looked at it straight away? No one shared a thing. Most got fitting punishments when speaking is like dreaming. Most of its enemies died under its beak or magic, while most were beasts anyway. Clueless fools. For some reason, fodder from the military wasn''t used much, even when it is clearly stronger than expected. Also, it is weaker than you by a large margin, so....¡± Ozeki walked to him and poked his shoulder. ¡°How come? There was one survivor on Island 68, a kid from 93rd, while the Last Island was... entirely closed. No one knows what that Child fought, but the outcome is here, walking in this Gate.¡±


    ¡°Ho? Did it bother with 93rd Island? How unexpected, I fear. It had no shackles, so it killed because it could. I would do the same. With that said, even if you have so many information brokers under your grasp, it still escaped?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. But something is missing. Some colors,¡± Ozeki said, turning desmopant. ¡°You.¡± He poked him again.


    ¡°Me? My information should be right where it should be. Some stuff is hidden, and some is not. Current readings are what they should be: out of my sight or care, or this place and my Voice is different, or... perhaps it is all wrong?¡± Razmund hesitated and frowned. ¡°What got known about me, if my prey is like that?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to your reputation and vigor, a lot of nothing and something. I know how strange it is after I fought you. Swordsmanship and your key abilities are one thing, and escaping your blade isn''t easy, while the readings are elsewhere. Mindarch is sick. And you''ve grown from the last time and expanded what you could throughout these Gates. It is almost wonderful. Mindarch let out some barebone shadows and gave you some screening. In eyes alone; no aura and fewer words. Nothing more. It was mockery, a tempting thrill for this Hunt. I think you are being used to quench the unrest and become a scapegoat.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°That fight against Marshal Luno was most notable. Intent gave it a nice knock, even if the shadows make it poor. Wished I was there.¡± Ozeki sighed and patted his shoulder.


    Razmund snapped his hands away and grunted. ¡°Whatever. Like everything, they incentivize sensitivity since readings and information gathering are essential. Mindarch plays with them for the sake of this Hunt, or... Levandis does? Information is like a resource in this temple. With money, you can get them, or by force, your own eyes, and so on. When you can''t, one has to know yourself more. It is the confidence of the Old World, or so I like to tell.¡±


    ¡°Confidence? Interesting. Now, that isn''t Blessed who is speaking. Money isn''t everything. All I want is the basis of your Encounter and that Anatidae because you know more than you let out. Its information is worth more than you, whose price and stake are low since you are on my side. I fought you too, so I get what to expect. I get your weight, so tell me what that which hides,¡± Ozeki offered his last try to seek this curiosity that clutched him from the inside out.


    Razmund paused for a while, attempting to seek what he knew himself. Murai was an interesting variable. Nothing about the Centralis Kingdom changed that. Not even his reputation, or his entire Side. He might be an Origin, harboring deep and questionable faces, but he didn''t have to know about the Reason. It wasn''t because he feared it, but because he didn''t want to know it and it was neither stupid nor clever.


    He had his target set the moment he understood what was at stake. That was all for his heart. If he failed or not, that mattered. Not some knowledge, or the lack thereof.


    ¡°I don''t think about that little beast. You shouldn''t either because you will be greatly disappointed in return. Knowing everything is a weakness. Its Level is low, yet there is something that makes it fair. What? Who cares about that, actually? Its Helpers are tough. Is that not enough for you?¡±


    ¡°Knowing more is not wrong.¡±


    ¡°This Hunt of mine is not for your head. Its mine. It also reeks of Surface and Sky more than anything else. You won''t get it, Hell dweller. Only here, in this Gate, it might get unfair. ¡± Razmund said, as if the matter of fact mattered a lot, but only to a few certain people. Ozeki seemed to understand where he was getting with it and loved some ideas.


    But not the whole truth.


    Ozeki accepted being used, although he had different expectations because he was an honest devil and soldier. Razmund held his ideas similarly to him and didn''t ask for more. Ozeki knew that was false. This human beside him was no simpleton or someone who would bow to some reasons or words of God or his kingdom. He was too tricky for that and too different like every damned Blessed who survived and grew a lot.


    ¡°Just what was promised to you...¡± Ozeki sighed and began walking away, aware that Razmund wouldn''t budge and talk too much. It was also fair because he didn''t want to talk about his own stakes. ¡°If we don''t see each other hearts, that is also fine. It is reasonable if you want to be like that, so I will ask somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°Else? Seeing this is funny,¡± Razmund shook his head, almost laughing out loud. ¡°Gods are involved in this more than one would guess. Encounters are always like that, you might say, but this is not related to this Hell yet still moved here. The Sky is prompting something. A change in order because something big happened. That is my guess. Encounters are like fixing keys. The Surface is their taker. How it evolved into what it should be might be counted on one Side. Mine, right? Wrong. I am nothing. Nobody is in the bigger picture besides the Gods themselves. I doubt there is something meaningful in it for me or you in that case, but is there? Me? I am just a crashing hunter that often breaks and does shit. Here or outside, my target is that duck and it alone, while you can seek whatever you want. Others. Not it, got it?¡±


    ¡°I know how both Sides don''t know the stakes of the other, and it often means many reasons,¡± Ozeki argued and gave him a long look. ¡°But some bits are obvious. You know something. It gives it wonderful additions and great timings because that is my trust. Changes can come out of it too and create a mash of interest that could intertwine and twist, but only if it is working and desirable for Gods, right? I call it bullshit because what Gods are without the choices we mortals create? So, you coming at it is the reason and cause, while it, coming here, was a variable that stirs it up? For whom? Gods?¡±


    ¡°Myself included, it is like a game. Anatidae in question is a beginner Blessed and I am an experienced player who fixes the game. Am no master, but regardless, that is what I call it. It puts some intricacy into the equation, while everyone could get their part if they want. And that Anatidae, its feathers aren''t that young or well-developed yet, so it must be around a year old according to my touch and the brief start of this whole mess.¡±


    Ozeki whistled, apparently getting quite a lot out of this simple idea. He already touched upon some ideas and Razmund couldn''t or didn''t want to hide the truth. ¡°So it is true how Encounters goes before the grudges of Gods and mortals alike?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? Everyone starts what they want. Balanced or Voiceless, even kings can kill peasants. Wars are unbreakable like the hatred of human hearts. Voice can''t break what is already broken, and there is a certain privilege to act as if it''s just and lawful. I certainly don''t take my guesses where they don''t belong. Don''t need them. For example, when I thought I killed it, I didn''t. I am sure I did enough damage. Broke bones and a toss into the water would kill most beasts.¡±


    ¡°Hm. You are basically describing Chaos itself. Gods often like to change and touch ideas they shouldn''t. You did too, eh? Water, was it?¡±


    ¡°I didn''t even think much of it at that time, since the term Anatidae didn''t even come to my mind. It is crazy to regard their physicality or stories as facts since they are so rare.¡± Razmund talked surprisingly more than he liked, which Ozeki appreciated.


    ¡°That is true. They are no story for children when one sees the truth. They don''t move unless needed, but this one is a Blessed we are talking about. Its instincts and family aren''t around, or they might be problematic, or... the reason for everything? You encountered it alone, so... what about the Mother?¡±


    Razmund shrugged and wished to know what exactly this meant. The Mother was an important topic and a point of danger, and for some reason, nobody gave him more explanations. ¡°It might be bad. They aren''t seen much in the Somalis continent, but the Surface still knows them. Be it the Seventh Death Forest, Death Valley, or the Centralis Kingdom and its subsidiaries, history can point to some ideas, but many other beasts are much bigger threats,¡± Razmund explained his ideas, leaving a lot of questions behind, but not too many of them.


    Ozeki knew much more about them than Razmund, so he hummed and nodded. ¡°I see, but a Blessed one?¡± What was said was far more than enough for him, so he reconsidered some choices and thought of his history and knowledge. ¡°Regular ones are insane enough. This means if this is deeper as you suggest, no one knows what to expect. They are little if they want to be, or crazy if you force them into a corner, or calm if they desire it. That is why they are so problematic. They are vivid like nightmares and worse than devils. Some... devils, sure.¡±


    ¡°Don''t care. Cracking them apart is like any other animal hunt.¡± Razmund dismissed his worries.


    ¡°So, this whole mess suggests your side, or is it backward? For you to be forced against it, what sort of mission does this Anatidae have against yours? There must be something big or relatively simple. Or, your mission and reward and Origin go along the difficulty. Wait, what difficulty? Just what started this at all? You started it by killing it, or have you forced something else, or the other did?¡±


    ¡°You ask too many useless questions,¡± Razmund had enough of this devil.¡°You should focus on your task. You wanted some bits and I gave you a bone. Nothing else needs an explanation. You haven''t said your part, so bear that in mind.¡±


    ¡°Ha! Got that picture a day ago. So, what''s the plan?.¡± Ozeki piqued his brows, wondering if following this human was a terrible or wonderful idea. Perhaps both. He didn''t mind either because the worst choices were often the best.


    ¡°Wait a day and I will follow up with grasp and crash this Hunt. We go together. We also need information. I leave that to you. That should put good wheels into your head, or give rise to my little friend''s peril. I bet its resources are nothing like mine. Foolish beginner, heh.¡°


    ¡°Do you plan to use money or something else? Force, for example, or... don''t tell me you want to rely on me for everything?¡± Ozeki smiled and cracked his fists.


    ¡°A bait questions its worth? That''s hilarious,¡± Razmund laughed. ¡°Hunt pulls a lot of greed into the equation, and you are the same. Like the Encounter, it is surprisingly similar. They are excuses too. Levadis worded it well. She has no need to consider a lot if others don''t do it either, but no matter what, mortals do care about their bliss, worth, and what they can have. That is natural. Gods often forget that because they are lofty and powerful beings.¡±


    ¡°I don''t deny that,¡± Ozeki relaxed his hands and face. ¡°Fine. I will do what I can and bid for time if that''s on you. My opponents will wait or die, while you do your stuff. I can''t care less about some animal that has nothing to offer apart from... well, it isn''t mine. What''s the point in that...¡± Ozeki hummed in wonder and walked away.


    Razmund realized he lied. This devil was in no way ignoring Anatidae; he just knew others wouldn''t ignore it, or others intrigued by it would pose a threat or variable. Unknown to them, one such variable had already moved a few days ago and didn''t change a whole lot of things. For Ozeki, those might be orders of magnitude loftier, and he wouldn''t touch them, for he knew this place and Anatidaes had their history, and who knows what else hid behind the scene.


    Razmund didn''t get it either, which made him arrogant, stupid, and like most Blessed.


    It wasn''t fitting, but secretly, Ozeki was similar yet fascinated in silence, waiting for the storm to come, while hoping that his Lady would be very happy, or the exact opposite.


    For now, Razmund eyed the Hellscape and Ozeki was yet to leave.


    ¡°Do you think we can make it worse?¡± he asked before Ozeki left, but the devil laughed and said nothing.


    Razmund wondered how the height of power worked, what was neglectable, or prone to this place. There were variables like Extremes who might get involved, though Razmund hoped it wouldn''t happen. But with his Voice gone and reasons set on fire by Levandis, he might forget the rules of Surface and take Ozeki as a shield.


    It was fine to become a demon.


    Hunts had numerous benefits and the limiting factor was the maximum amount of power that Challenger held. Razmund had Ozeki. Murai had Ultium and the rest of his party.


    That was wrong, or not entirely right.


    There was no sense of balance from the start. Appointing Razmund against Murai was sinful on rules that adhered to this world, which was something Ozeki realized. He hoped for some answers from Razmund but he didn''t mention everything, so he ended up expectant yet unfulfilled.


    There was more to this than two devils around Level 80. They were also enough to dial this Hunt in interesting ways, giving Mindarch a great time and Hunters everything they needed. Weaker Hunters would attack weaker Hunted, or, under special or rudimentary forms of duels, they might see reason in stalling or trying their best against more powerful opponents. That, however, seemed dangerous right now.


    Powerful Hunters and Hunted often fought and opposed fitting opponents, and there was a point in weakness.


    The Encounter was like a looming shadow that shall veil this Hunt, devoid of the one who made them right. Vermillion watched it from the shadows, soothing things out for herself and Murai alike like a fox moving her chess pieces, and some pieces might move on their own, not at all, oppose her, or crash everything into pieces.


    Everything was set in place, waiting to grow and get stronger, and even if it wasn''t as someone wanted, it would flow at its best capacity.


    ¡°Of all the things and devils, I rely on myself... without trusting it all. I will fail.... again, won''t I?¡± Razmund doubted himself and left the room like Ozeki, leaving Lint alone.


    From the shadows of the red curtain, Ozeki stepped forward and glanced at the remaining Lint. ¡°He is that afraid? I will do what I have to do and want, so what does that leave to us?¡± He whispered, eyeing those swirling flames and shadows of grey fog behind him.


    [Just try to not mess things up and regard the bigger picture,] Mindarch said in a ghostly form. [Judges are problems. Levandis decided to rethink her choices and gave this Hunt a new justice. It is freedom. She is sincere, but you wouldn''t want to hear what else she had planned out. Trust me. Detail us on your mission. That should be fine, right? It might be a spark, or contain your peril, for there are flanks in Chaos, with you, us, and... everything.]


    ¡°Nah.¡±


    [Do you want to touch that Anatidae all that much? Is it a hope of your heart?]


    ¡°Can I?¡± Ozeki touched on a single sentence that he cared about from this spirit. Lint shook his head in disapproval.


    [We don''t recommend it, but your mission is yours, for it was worded, but by whom?]


    ¡°Who knows? Maybe it is like that human. Caring is thinking, and I don''t do that.¡± Ozeki smirked.


    [If you do something bad or good, maybe something terrific or nasty will happen. The Surface has been far too lofty for their good, and this entire situation isn''t like Razmund said. It stirs Hells more than the Surface. Centralis is just one piece to a puzzle, while some things move and strike all hearts. Your own will quench or stop because of it, Ozeki.]


    Ozeki laughed at that idea and expected something good.


    Mindarch knew the Hunt was about to turn to a new leaf, and Murai was no longer at a losing end that pivoted above a massive chasm and a single throbbing needle-thing thread called Lisa.

 Chapter 205: Power plans

    Many hours had passed since the Hunt started and Levandis'' proclamations shook the Hellscape. In mountains far away from Razmund, a certain opposition dwelled and thought about what they needed, or didn''t want.


    Murai woke up after sleeping soundlessly for an hour on top of Bagus''s back. Such sleep was usually enough for a day-long march, but Itrosh, Bagus, David, and Ultium were always ready to go on, travel, and kill. It was their standard adventurous mindset since it was their work and benefits that made the most of their lives.


    They all heard and saw Levandis''s proclaimed Hunt, with each of them being a target for the whole Hellscape and uncountable Hunters. Their bounties were their motivation and praise. It was also worth many starting motions.


    Murai was supposed to be their King, boss, and reason. But Lisa was so much more instead. It surprised many of them, Murai included.


    Fortunately, they knew his importance and no one would ever touch him as long as they were around. They decided to be his true guardians. His guards! However, who knew what would happen next, as official stakes were put in place and a storm brewed over many Provinces and Sectors, eying their team and possible destination. Many wondered where they were going, doing, or plotting.


    It was obvious they were doing it long before the Hunt.


    David didn''t expect to get this kind of attention, while the rules of this game were brewing in his brain. His boy Ultium was their pinnacle. Their pursuiting danger. He knew this would''ve happened. Lisa did as well, albeit she believed that his weight should be acceptable against what this place could send at them. So far, it worked way too well because most dangerous fools waited this out.


    Razmund did the same thing, she believed.


    Lisa barely reacted or shifted her attention, unlike the rest of her party, who listened and watched a massive screen over the ceiling all those hours ago. Murai was the same, shocked and cursing at how high or low his bounty was. It was right. The message ended and nothing about their journey changed. He went to sleep as if it wasn''t his concern, thinking that his bounty being lower than Lisa''s was pitiful.


    For once, Lisa wasn''t sure why he was like that. It was optimal to think about this proclamation, yet he regarded it even worse than the previous Gate. He should take it seriously!


    After a couple of hours of marching through some high mountains, they found a flat rocky surface surrounded by stone cliffs. It was time for a change of pace because they could afford it and these mountains were relatively safe. Not everyone wanted some rest, thanks to the Hunt and the tense atmosphere between them. David and Lisa had plans to tell and decided on this place as they were about to reach open Sectors ahead.


    Sitting around a campfire, Lisa and Murai were at one side facing the others. Murai didn''t quack; he figured listening was better because Lisa and David had plans that changed and the time was finally right to reveal them.


    He had some expectations because he didn''t regard Levandis that much, while Lisa was a more immediate eyesore. Itrosh, Bagus, and Ultium didn''t speak either, but they were around the campfire and listened. It became apparent that their planning in Helltrim City was barebone and Murai wasn''t sure if he should''ve been so trustworthy and confident to her.


    Lisa stalled for days and didn''t want to go too deep, though she never told him why.


    Now, she did.


    If Levandis was watching, her military was acting as a proxy of her vision and rules, making Hunters and Hunted somewhat connected like players in a game, watched by game-masters. Getting to their destination had to be done much better, and Lisa found the journey loose and time odd.


    David wondered what sort of problems could arise from all the gangs and those seeking their head. He got why Lisa stalled because she didn''t want to give anyone a chance to see their direction, and she wanted to see her little party in action.


    They already proved themselves, yet Hunter did not.


    Thus, they just went ahead and didn''t visit any city or place. They hid, fought, and stalled. Then, the storm seized by Mindarch hit them all. Just in terms of points, it was worth being shocked. In terms of knowledge, Ozeki and Razmund were nothing surprising.


    The third point was the sheer standard of this Hunt; it didn''t seem that different.


    Lisa wasn''t happy; she just didn''t show anyone what she thought. Murai got far too high a bounty for his Level and danger, which was a problem. It didn''t matter if he got the status of a King, or if he was the reason for everything. It was stupidly big. That King status was more like a joke, similar to being a Villain. Both were an idea of danger, giving Hunters a sense of their game.


    For them, it was as if Murai was many times more valuable, which meant an easier prize, while Lisa... well, she was much worse. She realized why and got incredibly upset. It was grudgeful and petty. Hell, she had a higher bounty than Ultium, so what sense was there? Did heavens hate her? That was unlikely. Mindarch was the one who had done that, she figured and silently cursed that spirit. He completely disregarded her after everything. It was truly petty.


    Murai was weak, troubled with those closing on fodder limits. Long Zi, Uqari, and Anatidea or Goliath Golem showed some results of his growth, but how long could it last? Lisa had high hopes for him, though how quickly and well could he work for his strength? She created and gave him time, options, and comfort for that, but training could only do so much, while his last Boost left its gloom and mocking ideas.


    How much did the last Gate change Murai wasn''t a small matter. He got substantially powerful, yet what could he do in a matter of few days for her vast expectations? Lisa had little assurance over a huge change, even when he worked on something big with his cores, and his magic was undergoing a massive shift. Both were issues.


    There were no doubts that fodder, far too enticed to catch her and him, would move in huge numbers.


    Ultium, Bagus, Itrosh, and Bagus were at a high level, and due to their Helper status, they could clash against this Hunt, which made the hunt not personal, but team-based this time around. Levandis nor Midnarch cared enough to voice it like that, but they showed it nevertheless.


    Lisa decided to trust nothing, including herself and their opposition.


    200,000 Hell Points was an enormous value. Anyone could purchase great Artifacts with that sort of wealth, let alone many essences, or materials to change the course of their Fate. Many gangs would know what to do with that, while many greedy individuals would salivate over such prizes. There were more of them too. Ultium, Bagus, and Murai together were worth an astounding bounty.


    Then, the rules stating their pressure came off as open or fixed. Those were the ways to get their points for Hunter.


    Catching things alive was an interesting choice, whereas killing was harder. Mindarch voiced it and annoyed Lisa with how he said it. Helpers were to be killed, or so Lisa thought, but Mindarch didn''t mention this detail to everyone. Catching with or without Token, or killing alone were all different. Murai thought the same thing, while everyone knew Anatidaes weren''t simple to catch or kill, so many Hunters considered and required some strategy to deal with his Helpers.


    Lisa''s bounty involved catching alone, which puzzled some people. Then, a surprising fact came into Murai''s mind. Since she was a strange ghost, why kill her? Did Mindarch thought of that and changed her subject? No one was certain, but many discovered Lisa''s elevated existence that wasn''t as known. Murai was much wilder in comparison, if not prominent. Hence, dealing with Murai as the primary goal seemed like the best course of action, right behind solving the secondary issue of Helpers.


    Capable Hunters with good information gathering knew this. 150,000 Hell Points for an Anatidae of his Level was like tossing gold before beggars.


    Most believed Murai was below Level 50 in might. The rest thought of something even lower, yet what was a Level anyway? Anatidaes weren''t conventional, obvious by the last guest years ago that crushed the balance in blatant crashes below the resemble of Extremes. It was an issue stemming from strange and unique abilities that were hard to guess without Mindarch''s clarifications, so doing it the hard and old way was one way to see it or realize nothing. That was to go and probe that party. Seeing Murai''s soul would answer something, but that was impossible, and his growth and skill were untamable, and locked in the Network as Levandis preferred.


    Days and hours passed, so Murai was improving and trained as best as his core and time allowed. It wasn''t ideal. He couldn''t choose something better. He never touched Mana Essences that he had, including the ones David begrudgingly gave away, nor did he work with the Core Defying Fusion Technique either. Training in this place without Boosts in sight was similar to the last Gate''s Islands. However, that one at least had numerous trials and fights that gave him great targets. Here? He was all alone, devoid of fight, and full of silencing rare regiments.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    It was full of nostalgia, gifting him a time of life and peace that his soul remembered with grace, grudge, and melancholy that stemmed from his many lives. Oh, how many times had he killed to feel this peace in his previous lives and worlds? He was included to cherish such times, but here, he only cursed at his living.


    And a little bit at Lisa, whose head and shoulders were equally puzzling since she was taking reign instead of him.


    Everyone was equal when the world turned towards the Old World. Information gathering was important, so David relied on Marthosh, even though he wasn''t as useful. So much can be found through rumors and lacking Mindarch''s Codexes in the Helltrim City.


    Many Sectors moved independently anyway, away from one another because of the unique setting, or politics. Many gangs and demons held grudges against one another and took this Hunt as an opportunity to kill others before focusing on their main objectives. Fewer opponents were great, giving their grudges and time a new meaning, while Levandis cherished the idea of feeding the beasts and Chaos of this place.


    So much dread... So drowning...


    Part of it was helpful for Murai''s group since who amongst them cared about the Hunters? Murai did, considering his desire for essences, but the rest didn''t care. Especially Lisa, who would be happy to see even more Ends among the Hunters.


    Within a few hours after the Hunt started, many small-scale battles happened all over the Hellscape, with none going towards Razmund or Murai.


    It was within Mindarch''s and Levandi''s expectations because Hunters were numerous and many hard-to-meet figures came out, giving other Hunters opportunities to duel or fight them. It was a true infighting.


    The unrest was a good tool for growth. Whether they died or not, Levandis won''t see a difference. Away from the Surface, this interest should prevail and move the unkept tools to remedy or End, weeding out the weak links, or feeding this beast.


    Everyone was greedy for some Hell Points. Even if killing other Hunters wasn''t part of the Hunt, every denizen of this temple had their lifespan sucked into the essence upon their End. That was a good enough reason to seek and kill other Hunters, with or without petty reason or questionable grudges in sight.


    And Levandis needed new souls.


    It was a win-win situation across the board.


    Murai did see something and didn''t take it the worst. If Razmund hunted him, or the whole Hellscape did, it didn''t matter to him. Everyone was more powerful, so he felt like third-wheeling a clash that surrounded him and buzzed over his head.


    Why? It annoyed him because it could be so much worse. A random End could be around the corners, and what would happen then? He didn''t believe in a restart if this world wanted his End this badly.


    Lisa put her words and head to good use, advising him that everything was fine and expected. She was half the reason he even slept or focused on his Heavenly Shaping and magic for the past few days. She ensured this team was one step closer to validating her words, so with such bodyguards acting of their free will, she was confident. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It wasn''t entirely about trust. Lisa had things to lose too. She accepted what he could.


    Most messages from Marthosh ended up impractical. The amount of news and rumors increased substantially, overwhelming Marthosh alongside most of the Helltrim City because too much movement and military moves cracked the information gathering apart. Now, the only accurate way to get things done was by physical means, personally, and using unconventional tactics.


    Scouts and some mercenaries were the best for that job, and selling or taking accurate information was invaluable. Fake news could be a powerful counterattack, so Lisa wondered how to use this idea well. She thought of faking their target from the beginning and even David agreed. After all, Ip''ur Mountain was a troublesome location on its own, while their targets had no idea about it.


    But how to fake it?


    David had some ideas, but he never put them to good use because he feared the consequences of his betrayal of his former home. Helltrim Society shouldn''t give Martosh and the rest of his men a good time. Ultium, Itrosh, and Bagus were the most trustworthy members he had, so his regrets lessened like his choices.


    The rest was too wild to trust, too weak, or unreliable in what he was bound to. But it was true that he gave his fortune away to Marthosh, right alongside his whole company. So in a sense, David didn''t betray anyone. It was just a different kind of pledge for some new knot in time. Levandis never shackled him anyway. He was no slave. He served this place enough.


    It was time to change things up, as far as he and Ultium wanted.


    The situation as a whole was mild for Murai, who calculated his training and power in numerous references. He relied on others, after all, so he accepted his terms for what they were.


    It was almost funny. Since he had others to rely on, perhaps he was never this calm and focused in this life. Be it his mana space, abilities, and the course of his magic, everything progressed at an even better pace than fighting. It wasn''t about any Path, or swordsmanship, though the side of Twin Blades did leave its mark and memory. He already half-recognized what he wanted to do. The only choice was to act upon it and pass the hurdles of his flesh and limiting magic.


    The surroundings and a bit of his mindset changed, or.... could this Gate be part of it as well? The flow of mana was noticeably stronger, while Heavenly Shaping showed its value as a fundamental style for magic and spells.


    He already reprocessed most of his spells to a similar level before the latest Boost. Now, he was at a stage of quick improvement, so in a sense, he passed the first success of the Heavenly Shaping.


    Murai was concealing an expansive spectrum of knowledge under his soul, with many being far from Anatidae knowledge, while some might be close. It might be better if he considered the scope of his Question Mark that he used not that long ago. Mindarch chatted well and made no small bullshit excuses. It was about various spells, abilities, and powers that should be versatile and acceptable for Anatidae Panacea, so Murai began to put ideas into his arsenal and potential.


    Mainly, the biggest was the Universal Affinity. He already had Flame, Sharpness, and Water; the pure mana was not included since it wasn''t necessary. His main point was Universal Affinity which was impacting his whole mana like a talent since birth, or... after the first evolution? Murai thought it through and uncovered some neat ideas about this world, evolutions, and what it all could mean. They were intricate, interesting, and crucial discoveries. This beast of a body was far out there in scope and possibilities.


    It almost resembled something from Endless Skies.


    Mindarch gave some statements; it wasn''t that useful on its own yet, or won''t be for a long time.


    Murai was a unique case even with this knowledge and flesh. It was a good contrast because Anatidaes had wild practices of abilities thanks to their Universal Affinity and extremely tight, savage, and imposing personality.


    They could wield a lot of elemental powers and spells in general. However, too many things weren''t always a good thing. Murai knew it from the bottom pit of his soul. Because of that, he wondered what use this Universal Affinity had because he had hardly ever heard of it twice. Both from the classics of the previous Epochs or concerning some interesting legends of Endless Skies.


    Here, in the unknown depth of the universe, his ideas stirred and his head calmed in rare silence. Was his Beast Core able to cope with more elements on its own when he used to struggle with basic shaping? He figured the main problem was his inherited soul and lacking instincts for this flesh. He was no true Anatidae, whose Bloodline he carried was like an inconvenient gift that his soul most likely refused since his birth.


    Universal Affinity might be the reason for most of his problems when it came to flesh and magic, so he didn''t think of it as crucial affinity. It had near certain validation for this wilderness Pillage touched upon, and one can''t really Shape Universal Affinity out to the world.


    Now, he had three variants of lower Affinities, which he could pull out. So what if he had a dozen others? Wouldn''t it be crazy and close to asking for a heavenly tribulation? Well, for a fact, asking for this sort of talent inherent to flesh and magic was far too lofty. Even Murai couldn''t ask for more than he could chew.


    Thus, the things that Mindarch mentioned were things that Murai could wield. It was up to his preference what to think of it, because there was a wide spectrum of abilities he could try to move or learn in the future. He also had future evolution to consider, right beside the Path and a variety of evolving trees of some abilities.


    His first three Affinities already happened relatively easily, so as long as he would clatch or learn others, he could grow and add layers to his power. Essentially, it was like having a huge room for weapons, but fewer weapons to store there because he couldn''t handle the whole room.


    Murai had issues since his attention might get all over the place.


    He started with tests to see where to start. The first was Mana Nova which he showed Lisa not that long ago. It was a pushing power that was under the Heavenly Shaping Manual training methods that Pillage recommended. It was a spell with basic pure mana that could work with most Affinities, giving it a different vibe or effects. Then, he had Flame Shot and Sharpblade, giving his basics a good start.


    Mana Arrow, Dagger, and Spear were all spells that needed no big benefit. They weren''t his focus. A well-timed Nova should be great with some added Affinity. Nova was forceful, pulling, heavy, and highly customized like most spells without fundamental complexity. There were a myriad of Affinities, so Murai wondered if some minor ones would go well for him, or if he should think bigger.


    He desired Gravity Affinity, though he doubted Nova would give it justice. Pulling his ass and creating Gravity out of nowhere was definitely not under his current possibilities. He would have to control his magic and add quantity, and his precision had to be perfect. Pulling it from within and inside and creating a sphere of influential Gravity into his Beast Core would be like creating a planet or sun inside his body. It would stress him out way too much, but it was a possibility.


    Creating Gravity, or getting it accepted via the Boost were two options.


    Outside of the impossible, Murai had no problems with the Heavenly Shaping. It needed time and trial for training, so nothing shocked him, much to Pillage''s reluctance, shock, or fear.


    Heavenly Shaping was about efficiency at its core, as well as speed and intricate work. Old or new spells will always work with it, so getting used to it will be a good headstart.


    It was that sort of magic that many spells and mages desired. Many sought perfection, both with speed, efficiency, and power. It was a similar yet forceful and tough ideology. Eventually, Murai had no doubts that most of his spells would move better. Murai trusted himself.


    Preferring some mighty powers was not possible. He needed flexibility in mana, while he already had something much more potent anyway. His soul was a big variable, but the secondary answer was his body. His beak was savage like tails or wings of dragons! Magic was an essential tool to make both shine, and ducks or dragons had their small similarities that Murai did consider with inner laughter, cries, and fear.


    Mastering Sharpblade was an endless journey because mana was nearly endless in gathering and existence. And with limited core, limits showed and flowed well within his expectations. He shouldn''t rush it; anything and anywhere.


    His stubbornness for perfection definitely stopped some of his extensive choices. Even then, he rather trained in beginning-level spells across the board and hoped to create an arsenal that would be accepted when this charade was over.


    Heavenly Shaping changed his learning principles and elevated some curves. What he already had and learned, he restarted from scratch due to its nature. How to handle mana shifted, followed by spells, while all of his mana abilities stayed intact.


    Soul-based powers remained the same, similar to his Conjuring in general, although that one had some tight link with Shaping.


    So far, Murai hadn''t reached many conclusive critiques from Lisa or his own heart. As she said numerous times and with creeping bother, his core was the main problem.


    Even if taking those essences wouldn''t show some ridiculous effects, they would be much better at a singular stimulus in Fusion. Murai also doubted Revolving Core was possible right now, so his stubbornness and choices were absolute. David''s stash of essences was a great gift that will wait. Stabilization was taking longer like giving his Artificial Core its meals. It wasn''t worth it to crack his head over the current idea, so he didn''t push more boundaries.


    That was why Murai took a laidback attitude and focused on fundamentals.


    Lisa didn''t berate him for that, even if she hoped things would be better. She figured they wouldn''t because Anatidaes had various problematic sides that she knew Murai didn''t know how to handle. In those, she couldn''t help either. Who would? These beasts were crazy in history, creation, and living. They were nothing like they seemed.


    It was like teaching or giving hints on how to handle water when one was a fire spirit.

 Chapter 206: Birds of prey

    Even beginning knots could become fine muscles under masterful control.


    That was a quote that Rudolf struck into his head many lives ago. It stuck with him ever since. What else Murai was supposed to do? If the world was forcing him into this position, focusing on the foundation was the right answer, even if there might be better things to do.


    Around the campfire, Murai showed some restraint as he watched the fire. David was talking to Itrosh and Lisa about something, which left him listening with half of his ear holes.


    His mind was half somewhere else, drifting in thoughts that Lisa could hear, but couldn''t bother with.


    Was this right? This Hunt and my killings and choices? Magic or body, what is stronger? Everyone thinks and says that Anatidae are crazy, yet who do they think I am? I am crazier! It is one thing that I can proudly say. Well, what do I think of it anyway? My Cursed Living is no key. It is a freaking curse? No gift. No pleasure, sick bastards.


    Was this something that Levandis wanted from her little golem? What a pretty pig she must be though. There are regrets. Ceila and Vermillion said the same thing and wanted to make a deal with me. Who is the pig then? Who said that I would regret being born here? Why did someone say that? Is this some sort of grudge and petty idea once more? What have I done wrong the last time? I killed and fought and died. There is nothing piteful in that! Just another death. I don''t think I''ve done anything bad for them either. And against me, giving poison, curses, and dread are all fine, huh? They are a bunch of hypocrites. No way I will bear or forget it. Ever. Or is it fine to take that somewhere else by myself? No. I will crush them?! One day!


    Murai promised and pledged his justice, forcing his feet and feathers to perk up. He hyped himself up and decided to reforge half of his mood.


    In the middle of the mountains, the weather was kind of cold, but not for him. At the campfire, he was greeted by smell and heat. Stew of his secondary chef was already above the campfire, brewing in a metallic pot. It was David''s work. Itrosh wasn''t the best at complicated dishes. She cooked simple meat over a fire and called it the best meal in the world.


    But as David''s former belly implied, he was a surprisingly good cook. He gestured and mumbled many times how Lisa forced him on this path. Teary and almost laughing too, he took the cooking seriously because former Lisa wanted it and forced him to do many things.


    Murai wasn''t sure what to think of it besides cheering that someone could cook for him some simple dishes and food. In this manner, Murai didn''t need to worry about meals or protection. He was this cozy in the past, however. In a cave, there was no lack of food, even if he killed the palm that fed him. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the Hellscape, it was similar, yet he didn''t want to kill those who fed him. That idea was privy to outer forces, and he wasn''t even lonely or weak. He changed since he fought that Devil Fox or spoke with Rain.


    Murai could clash against any weaker fodder right now. He trusted his proficiency.


    David was never lacking in the quality and things he liked, so he showed what he was capable of to Murai as well. Out of respect or something hidden, Lisa let most of it slide. She couldn''t eat any longer, so who knew what she heard when David praised his past and offered Murai many dishes over the past few days.


    Red Beef Bone Marrow Soup was the base of this stew. Including the bones that crumbled to flavorful dust in the mouth, everything was perfect. Even the tiny soft meat strips were soft, and all sorts of spices mixed into the water gave it an aroma that Red Beef lacked.


    A feast was before them with almost no effort, feeding even Bagus who had two stomachs. It was a fact that Murai wouldn''t mind forgetting, yet who was he? What about his own stomach? He wasn''t even pooping properly and ate like a lunatic duck.


    Stew was a bit bloody for the normal folks, but Murai didn''t refuse what tasted great. Bagus and Itrosh weren''t ones to decline anything either, since their journey was bound to be long after this meal was over.


    They felt it in the air. In the aura. In their blood. Something big was coming.


    Only David and Ultium were indifferent and even hesitant over this stew, even if one was its maker. Meat was the problem. It wasn''t up to their standards. Ultium straight-up refused the bowl Itrosh offered.


    More food for her, she supposed.


    On one side, Lisa spoke with David when she noticed Murai.


    ¡°Ah, Murai Hisagi, you awake?¡± Lisa turned, showing her side that flickered in the bright sona and brightness of the artificial star. Even though their base was temporarily in these mountains filled with rocky cliffs, it wasn''t that far from that sun.


    Day in these mountains always started at fixed timings since the suns weren''t moving. For now, it was bright and not hot. Who knew how many Hunters thought of sleeping by now? There was almost no calmness in this place, despite one needing to sleep and get some energy.


    A Hell fit this place, or so Murai thought when he glanced at Lisa.


    ¡°With Hunt behind my head, what is the plan?¡± Murai quacked at her. ¡°Sector 45 is still far, and you are yet to tell me those pesky details and plans you brewed with David.¡±


    Lisa didn''t blame his attitude. ¡°I''ve gotten good ideas long ago. Hunt is different, however. It is a small problem. Not ours, by the way,¡± she smiled at him and puffed her chest. ¡°Others should care over our Side soon, all to burn. You can try to protect yourself. A lawless side is what matters to you and there might be powerful people going after your skin. Support that idea by sharpening your senses and don''t deny Helpers around you.¡±


    ¡°Hunt again?¡± David asked aside. ¡°Is he that worried?¡± He wasn''t sure because he couldn''t hear any sense in those quacks, while Lisa at least spoke out loud.


    ¡°Something like that, David. I have been managing some plans with; not every detail,¡± she flew closer to Murai. ¡°Do you want to work half a day through his reports or what? I told you. Stick to what you have to do and prepare yourself. Leave the rest to us and everyone.¡± Lisa retorted, sounding like a proper secretary that she feared she already turned into.


    ¡°Having coherency is fine since you insist. Keep going at it as long as you won''t burn, but don''t come at me crying because it is too much for you. I am still part of this party and plan. It exists because of me. I can focus on many things by the way. Magic, senses, or experience, what do I lack?¡±


    ¡°Power?¡±


    ¡°Something else?¡±


    ¡°Ideas?¡±


    ¡°Which ones?!¡± Murai grunted.


    ¡°Everything, isn''t it? I mean, this world and yourself, or this whole reason and Encounter. Can you beat it alone? No, so shut the fuck up.¡±


    Murai begrudgingly shook his head and looked away. ¡°Fine...¡±


    ¡°Then keep improving for the sake of your bloody body, please. Magic too. You need it like food.¡± Lisa chuckled and wished to poke him with some bone. She gave him a piece of her mind at least.


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    ¡°Hm. Fine. If you are like this, what''s the situation around Province 2 or 3, David?¡± Murai quacked, giving Lisa a look to translate his quacks to him.


    With some force of nature, Lisa forced his quacking meaning out of her mouth, telling it as he desired.


    This was the least she could give. David cleared his thoughts and knew the shifting nature of this Gate was no longer under his fingertips, but he could mention the general ways of Hutns and his predictions for the current one.


    ¡°Frankly speaking, Hellscape is a mess with this doubled Hunt charged with the Encounter. Razmund wants you even with this Hunt by the way, but with outside parties hunting you both, it might turn into something worse. I don''t think your enemy knows the word "secret", "hidden" or "hold back". He basically provided a lot of information out loud and without fear, hoping to rally the gangs into countless groups even before the Hunt. It worked and turned much worse when it all started, as if he planned it. Worse is, Levandis won''t stop it, and a better idea is that some of that might force Razmund back, even when he has that cursed Ozeki. If distortion and chaos were a goal, messing with the information gathering across the board is guaranteed. I don''t even think we can fake some plans either, while we don''t know what Razmund plans. He goes after us for sure. That is what he wants. Battleworld is broken and Mindarch has no intention to stop this either.¡±


    ¡°Why stop?¡± Murai asked, appreciating his outlook. Lisa showed him an ugly expression and conveyed these two simple quacks.


    ¡°Why? There are a couple of simple things. I think we''ve already explained it to you a few days ago. Hunt is an inevitable part of this Gate to you. Encounter and our Helper status are different from it, but Mindarch added it together, or Levandis did. Even with rules or order out of the way, Encounter won''t care for big or small changes. It is usually flexible, while the happenings before it started were subjective. It happened how it did, so it might not change. That is also good. It means everything is set into motion and it won''t change.¡±


    Murai knew it already.


    ¡°Helpers are irregular. Unless one is near to one Side and is accepted, no one can pledge their allegiance to them completely. Doing and acting out of that idea might end up changing or angering the rules of the game. Gods might get involved, yet with this Hunt, it might not work. Helper status works only for individuals. No nation could simply pledge their whole armies and crush the opposition.¡±


    ¡°But they sure want and can move as if they did,¡± Lisa added. ¡°As long as there is some validating business with it or a constant desire, screw some rules. It is what outside factors do and what many Gods want. Why? Rules don''t prohibit moves of this calibre, as long as the consensus doesn''t go against the view of the Encounter, or Sides. If it can''t be stopped by Gods, then that would be quite a situation at hand. It is complicated as I said to you many days ago. Understanding it is like seeing into godly minds or yours.¡±


    ¡°That is right.¡± David nodded, playing with a stick and churning the flames. ¡°Frankly speaking, the last massage when you were asleep was enough. Marthosh works for us. Rumors and mentions of moving Hunters are a serious topic. Hunt is here. Her... Lady Levandis''s message provided us with sense. It is her law to do it justice. Her word, that is. It seems your friend got the hang of the business and planned for it. He got Ozeki, somewhat. A Pledge for a Named Devil isn''t something we have expected.¡±


    ¡°In hell, we haven''t,¡± Lisa agreed. ¡°In fact, we have no idea about his direct prowess. Just the fact that Razmund clashed against Ozeki is enough to give me a headache.¡±


    ¡°We don''t have to fight him,¡± Murai suggested. ¡°I... don''t, but wish it so terribly! He crashed me!¡± He perked his wings and murderous intent filled his eyes.


    ¡°Everyone in the Hellscape knows about it, sir,¡± David said since he thought Murai was angry at him. ¡°The whole temple understands how the Hunt works. The aftermath, or what it rides is different, however. We are the tide facing many others. We can influence it by choice, or endure it.¡±


    ¡°Strictly speaking, it isn''t about Encounter any longer, or Razmund for that matter,¡± Lisa said. ¡°Hunt takes over and what you learn and learned is what you have. That can change eventually because time is essential and your ideas and Bloodline are yet to bloom. I am sorry, but we go and follow its rules and escape while clutching our safety because it is worth more long-term. That is my plan. Escape this Gate like prisoners escaping from a prison. It almost sounds forceful, but it is what it is.¡±


    ¡°A part of the plan, or as a whole?¡± Murai wondered.


    ¡°Hopeful part.¡±


    ¡°Also, gaining quite notorious factions and reputation keeps the rules and troubles behind, or elevate some business, or crass some opposition,¡± David reminded. ¡°Razmund already proved he is capable, so many gangs won''t hunt him down even with dozens of members. It isn''t worth the effort against the two of them. So the Hunters will likely move towards us because we might be easier prey even when we consider Hell Points. Thus, we shall crash them and do us justice in our incoming plan.¡±


    David almost nodded and laughed, but restrained himself.


    What a bothersome complication, Murai thought.


    Sighing, he wasn''t the only one who thought that. They proved themselves very little over the past few days, with little to no problems coming towards them. Those were wild and impatient fools who knocked and died before seeing Murai.


    Killing scouts and those sneaky to catch them off guard wouldn''t give them big benefits. No great Hunters, their parties, or gangs appeared.


    David felt a precautionary situation ahead. His Pledge and overall consequences began even without Wil of the Battleworld coming into play. He wondered what sort of things would''ve happened if it worked.


    However, back then, he heard the tone of his Pledge and reason to get ahead. He was safe, elevating further troubles that Lisa had no choice but to accept because it was that forced to begin with.


    Murai was the right choice, even if the path ahead seemed tough for David and Ultium alike. Itrosh and Bagus weren''t initially in the picture. They moved in because Lisa wanted more reliable Helpers. Murai didn''t know that; he thought they came over because of David.


    All of them were around or beyond Razmund''s Level. Well, only Ultium was truly above it, while Bagus was less confident. Itrosh and David had less to prove, though each of them was an experienced fighter. Fighting that sword maniac wasn''t up to their benefit, however. Giving Murai his bliss was. Securing him was their goal. Bagus thought otherwise since he considered his chances to be different, unlike Itrosh who was sceptical of direct clashes for a good reason.


    Overall, David was the most worried out of them and thought about Razmund''s Side constantly. It was so much stronger than Murai and Lisa from the beginning, it wasn''t even funny. Perhaps he stepped into shit upon this Pledge and got involved in something he shouldn''t have done.


    Alas, it was too late.


    Perhaps he was wrong about it too, as he thought further about this Anatidae before him. It hindered many things, or this whole concept was as crazy as his wildest theories? Lisa at least voiced something from Murai to them, so David slowly realized and got to know him.


    If David had done nothing, Razmund would have been the first to make his move and crash them completely before the Hunt even started. Or would he? What if others around this Gate would do it instead? Was it enough? This team. It will create an inevitable longevity, furthering the time of their run or struggles by days.


    It was confidence. Lisa relied on something she hadn''t done for a long time.


    Murai didn''t count. She was far more worried about the bigger picture, which was inevitably looming over them, around them, and hunting them like fools. David and the rest were just players in a separate game.


    With their discussion reaching almost no conclusion, Murai was at least glad to understand the situation. So far, it was neither bad nor good. It might turn into a frenzy because the entire Hellscape knew their faces.


    At the moment in the sky, a flock of Demonic Crows flocked above the cliffs beyond their base. They were far enough to cause this experienced party to not notice them. Amid those beastly demonic beasts, there was a figure riding one of the crows. These Demonic Crows were looking more like horses in size than a normal bird. At least a meter in height, their bodies were thicker than many Eaghells or Elder Pouncing Devils. The biggest was almost two meters tall with dozens of meters wide wingspan. It was enough mass for a small figure to stand, scout, and observe the targets that cruised through the Hellscape for a few days.


    At last, something clicked in pace. Below, Ultium glanced up, eyes glinting in shifting redness to the ceiling. ¡°They have been pissing me off for a while. Can I shoot them? We are being watched.¡± Ultium said sternly, still sitting around the campfire and wondering if there was better food.


    ¡°Again with those Crows? Right! I forgot the Hunt has started. Was about the damned time.¡± Itrosh cheered, got up, and glared to see those flies. ¡°They were here a couple of times already but... isn''t this fairly close? I think I can hit them if I try enough.¡±


    ¡°Might be a different group. I could tell that with smell and speed, but this one is more brazen. I can''t hit them from this far, but I could pacify them in less than ten seconds. How about it, boss?¡± Ultium asked David and triggered his heart. Killing intent seeped out of his words alone, and sparks of blood in his eyes looked deadly. He was like an arrow ready to fly forward, as long as David was the one releasing him.


    ¡°Huh? Not so fast Ultium. Not you too, Itrosh,¡± David shouted. ¡°This was inevitable, but Demonic Crows? What kind of brazen assholes thinks to latch to us like this? Pathetic.¡±


    ¡°Kill?¡± Ultium suggested, standing up with one hand close to his face and the other in his pocket.


    ¡°No, I will do it!¡± Itrosh argued and picked a fight with Ultium''s hand. He clasped her head until she cried and accepted defeat without any fight.


    David approached them and patted Ultium on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. It worked, even when he seriously wondered how those Demonic Crows would taste with barbecue techniques Itrosh managed. He wanted to suggest it. They were big. There was plenty of meat for everyone.


    ¡°It seems we have reached the limit of Sectors, Lisa. As per our agreement and limit, the plan goes around, and back it goes. Which path to choose? Pain, suffering, endurance, or the lofty one? The last one was a joke by the way.¡± He wanted to be sure just so she wouldn''t get the wrong idea.


    ¡°Acceptable timing. Not circumstance. Have we got the ideas right all along, or are you expecting this to be easy?¡± She asked and David nodded, knowing the time was night and he was ready to get rid of this camp. He had a bunch of high-quality spatial rings, so it was easy to travel anywhere. Unfortunately, he had no Space Dwelling or Void Fortress.


    ¡°Very well. It is time. Come here, Murai Hisagi, allow me to tell the overall nooks of our plans, which had few methods, as well as due explanations about this Gate that I haven''t told you yet,¡± Lisa perked up as David started his preparations, and gestured Murai to get closer. As he did so with some doubts, she flickered her hands, using her ring to take a large map out.


    ¡°You left out.... what exactly? I thought you were honest with me when I said to talk to me. Did you fake it? What a cheeky ghost. I doubt you even when trusting. Isn''t it odd?¡± Murai sighed.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± she waved a hand and pointed to the map. ¡°I speak of trust when it is right. You need what I don''t. You need what I require.¡±


    ¡°I am not your tool, but I did promise to trust you, is that right? I feel like a fool when reconciling with you. If it goes to shit next time, include me in the plans. Whisper to my soul for all I care about, or fly inside to do it better private justice,¡± Murai quacked coldly, gazing into her eyes.


    Lisa accepted this gaze with her own. ¡°Don''t mention your soul. In fact, be like this after your head isn''t hunted like an animal.¡±


    ¡°Now is not enough?¡±


    ¡°Can''t you see what is above?¡±


    ¡°Bunch of birds. A curious soul too. Is that fine? She isn''t alone, I bet.¡± Murai scoffed after angling his beak up.


    Lisa nearly clutched his beak, but she gestured to the map instead. ¡°Back to the business. My plan has stages. Depending on what to take it for, some sacrifices and chances are there for our Helpers. They already decided to take them on, but direction and strategy are various. One thing isn''t changing. You. You are our King, so to say. We protect you so you won''t be harmed. Got it?¡±


    Murai begrudgingly nodded and let her continue.

 Chapter 207: Different and close ideas of Skies

    Taking a glance at the map under Lisa''s hands and the ceiling over his head, Murai wasn''t sure if this was the right time for plans or a better place for mistakes. If someone was watching them¡ªwhich he was sure of¡ªwhat was the point in revealing their plans or words?


    Was this a plan in itself, or was Lisa once again making a fool of herself? If so, she wasn''t telling the right things from the beginning, or she didn''t want to include him in something she was seeking. He doubted he understood her that well, so he kept glaring up, noticing a flock of dark crows that would eat him for a snack.


    ¡°I doubt this is fine,¡± he expressed to Lisa, speaking to her mind alone.


    ¡°Bullshit. Do you think we should care about every little eye or a bird? Mind you, this is a place full of enemies, so what''s the point in worrying when we have such a team? Who looks at us and says we are laughing? There is a lot to think about when Mindarch might be right here. There are also Overlords with their Presence overlooking many places, and even some Gods could watch too. We don''t know. Hells have numerous issues, you see? Some could watch us right now and we wouldn''t even know, and even if we did, so what?¡±


    Lisa spoke out loud far loudly than Murai liked. It was almost obnoxious and fake. David scratched his head and didn''t say a thing to her, Ultium kept his murder close, and Bagus was finishing the stew. His beak barely fit inside the steaming pot, but he didn''t seem to care. Itrosh was aside, cleaning up and not taking those crows seriously.


    ¡°That''s the problem, you damned ghost! Those birds are there, watching along with some spy.¡± Murai kept going and didn''t like these unnecessary acts. He had done them far too much already, albeit not in this Gate.


    ¡°Would it help you to kill them yourself? I mean, Demonic Crows,¡± Lisa glanced up, glowed her eyes in shimmering cracks, and crossed her arms before her chest. Murai wasn''t sure what she was doing but he saw an ability when he saw one. He didn''t know nearly as much about her as he assumed. ¡°Well, they are Divine Beasts with the Crowdreams Bloodlines and are predators and great at flying. They should be bigger than you by many times, let alone more powerful than some of us here. That Adult one would gobble you at one bite with some satisfaction, yet they aren''t attacking.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn''t let a bird eat me,¡± Murai quacked arrogantly, puffed his torso, and figured these crows might not be his problem. Divine Beasts? Crowdream? He was curious about them and knew the concept of Divine Beasts. They were beasts that underwent the cleansing of the Divinity of some God and ascended in a rudimentary form. They weren''t Gods themselves, for the universe was too lofty to let them be so mighty to touch the Divinity. It was limited and there were other things they could do. Like becoming the true oppressor of Chaos and Order, or opposing the heavens themselves. It was unfortunate for some, or inevitable for most of them.


    In any way, Divine Beasts was a curious point that described some Bloodline relationships, with characteristic ancestors that gave future members of its Bloodline much stronger head-starts and futures.


    ¡°Also, don''t mention those Levels, Lisa. They don''t warrant sense or plans apart from the major thresholds and some connection to something greater. It is nonsense to be worried about it.¡± He argued, understanding a bit more about the consensus of how Limiters and ways of power worked in this world.


    Limiter was a point in growth that was extremely prominent for the future and present. If one stayed relatively tamed and stagnant but accumulated strength, the sudden outburst when one breached the limiter could be massive. It was a common issue in power, flesh, and magic. Some beings could not progress forever, and going past the limits was the essence of going against the Divides.


    Murai was doing that with his Beast Core for a while, but that was just because of his Core Defying Fusion Technique''s effects. Besides that, one could think of Limiter as a talent itself. Going beyond oneself was typical in many cultures and worlds. In this one, it was put into numbers thanks to Levels and various powers that were borderline forced, stagnant, livid, or too good to be true. Everything had its validation and force, making one reliant on or opposed to some idea.


    Murai took this world''s ideas slowly until he reconciled his understanding.


    Evolutions were a significant concept stemming from this world''s unique blessing, and Murai would soon recognize it as burdensome, yet absolutely terrific. Something was borrowing the power of individual Bloodlines, squeezing them, forcing them, gifting them, and taking them like fascinating mechanisms. It was both individualistic and forced like rats in a box.


    Murai would much prefer to figure out his evolutions like a mad scientist and he didn''t get why this force worked like an achievement. Many didn''t get it either, or never will, for this was a choice and rule and everyone should accept it.


    Some did not, but that was a story for another time.


    Murai understood how Level wasn''t worth a lot of care either if further ideas were reanalyzed. Like in the Old World, a place without these shitty rules, there were some concepts that the Battleworld could not force.


    Murai recognized it after some chatting with David and Bagus, while Itrosh was too horny to get friendly with him, so she was chatting with him even against his willingness. It was usually a one-way conversation, yet she was rather open-minded with what she expressed and wasn''t exaggerating, or suspending her words like a certain ghost. Ultium was reluctant to start any discussion because of his nature, which made the rest of the discussions rather usual. Murai either used Lisa as a medium or proceeded with other forms of communication that he couldn''t do.


    Out of spite for his training, his Will to touch his Helpers was unnecessary. Lisa suggested trying it as an experiment, but he refused, thinking that there was a better time or no time for that. The cause? Pillage. He forced Murai to put some thought into his training and use every opportunity he could. That result ended up in using an advanced Shaping exercise by using letters and symbols. It was mana writing, which was an excellent way to control mana which was a fundamental form of many professions.


    Still, learning Heavenly Shaping will take much more than that. Frankly, he wasn''t that good at it in his opinion, even if he had a masterful history with it.


    But if Pillage knew how fast he got it going, some puppy would cry and whimper like a fool.


    Almost anything related to Conjuring was clinging to the Heavenly Shaping, closing to the art of control and stabilization of mana. There were a couple of things he had found new with this technique that he thought wouldn''t be too shocking because of his memories. It was a passable surprise, but so much greater if he took his body and circumstances into consideration. He overestimated himself and underestimated the artwork that Pillage created out of nothing but common knowledge following some beasts.


    A little beast though broadly like no dog would, and it followed many centuries of maddening research and wars. Blood, flesh, and mana were the changes for the beast to become better.


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    Many kinds of Laws were involved in all living creations, giving magic and the course of lives a much steadier foundation. Humans or beasts or demons, everything had some history and aspects linked to the creation and Laws.


    Laws were a source and workings of the universe, while some were primeval or primordial, tracing back from the change of the Epoch. They were ancient memos of creation.


    Murai wasn''t sure how far he should think about when he watched out for himself, or where to take Heavenly Shaping and his flesh into his mind. In any sense, he was glad for Lisa''s idea that gave him this masterpiece fit for this life.


    Shaping was nearly unlimited, unlike Mana Core which was one of the major power systems that can change the rules of the game. There weren''t a lot of parts to them, so it made sense their importance and progression were tremendous.


    The Initialization Stage had three Successes. Small, Medium, and Peak. Levels within this core followed up to Level 50 individuals in the Battleworld, though it wasn''t a dominant rule. As long as one had flesh, power, or resources for it, one could get Revolving Core going even below that Level.


    Laws were different and difficult to grasp. They could snatch at something or someone, crash them, or someone could try to do that instead. It was a lofty idea stemming from the dominant truth that Laws were finite and one should grasp as much of them as one could. They required something bigger like the Law or Path Core. It was a preference and power that manifested through an individual who accomplished to connect to something greater.


    For those who could, focusing on the core alone was a great way to expand their insight, similar to swordsmen who cared for swords alone. That was why Paths existed for as long as Epochs did. The universe had a lot of beings and fewer beginnings, thus focusing on one''s talent was omnipresent wisdom.


    Revolving Core was a powerful method to increase the might of any Shaping technique, which would then give spells greater effects without leveling or evolving them. It also involved most Affinities, as they resided direly there, or around the mana space.


    As Murai dug deeper, he discovered that Revolving Core could grand some changes and choices under the Will of the Battleworld, which did leave its mark on his idea that magic had some seized forms caused by the Gods of this world.


    It was a false assumption. It was nothing stolen. It was just work and an example of Gods doing what they often did; to grasp any change to get mortals under themselves.


    It was one rare instance of choice, looking like a drug, yet magic did not mean to stop it. One could try for anything as long as one could afford it. Taking up a choice was a shortcut akin to the Resonance and this one was cheaper by an incredible amount.


    In that sense, Murai already felt it numerous times. His evolution was a choice. His Shaping was a choice. His Peak was a choice, even though it was adhering to his Bloodline and body, so it didn''t mean he couldn''t attempt other Peaks. It would be just harder, working against this choice and Levels that were hard to ignore.


    It could grant a lot of things, frankly. Murai trusted how David described it and Itrosh was adamant about it as well. By the time Murai accepted it, he was bored listening to their talk about how this world was blissful and one''s choices were up to their taking. They were sorry yet blissfully unaware they weren''t masters of their Fate.


    All Murai heard were notes of force, Gods, and desires. He saw it through himself, as he was taking those Boosts for his power because he wanted. He understood how and why Gods created this, or how Will of the Battleworld charged this world to the kind never seen before.


    Well, another wonder was the Paths. Following the Classes under them was an important and easy way to establish a connection with greater authority and history, which was well above this little planet. But the Will of the Battleworld possessed both of those, allowing people to access a power system with great merits and use. It wasn''t borrowing anything. It was handling already established rules of the universe. Evolutions worked similarly, but Paths had much more freedom and disparities. One could also have both things. Especially if one was clever about it.


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    Then, the Leveling itself made the rest of the picture, which was something Murai was already familiar with, even if he were small.


    Major power thresholds spoke of greater discrepancies in this world''s politics, and powers. One was Level 70 because of Laws, while the other was Level 90 with its Extreme Gates. Extremes were powerhouses with the finest ones called Sages and Overlords. Above that, Gods were outside of these systems and powers for obvious reasons.


    Below Level 70 were beings seeking those heights.


    Thanks to his already established context caused by Lisa, David, Bagus, and Itrosh furthered his horizons. Murai realized how to perceive the systems of this world, which involved topics that weren''t far from the complicated universe, or his head, for everything had many rules within them. It wasn''t that complicated to get used to them if his soul was vast.


    He got the hang of the lower systems, apart from the evolution that was kind of harder to control as it was quite built into this world. He had to follow its rules, as he wasn''t the one who started it. He was more like an initiator and its benefactor. Changing the species had very enormous merit, as his first already showed, and evolving a lot of times could or might not be the smartest. It depended on many factors that Itrosh pointed out to be gratifying. One had to find the three choices, understand their relations and possibilities, and think of the greater future because evolution will never go away. It was permanent.


    Lisa knew that the Limiter that Murai endured for so long was bound to be broken at some point, or... it was the reason for everything bad happening. Either way, if he wanted to use his choices well, Limiter, his future, soul, head, and evolution were tightly knit together.


    However, Murai was patient and didn''t want to rush ahead like a mad duck. He knew no power or bliss could ever fall from the sky. So far, he liked how evolved abilities worked. They were the best upgrades he controlled.


    Everything needed time. No matter how he saw it, growing wasn''t something that could happen overnight. Well, there were also attributes. Those were known to be rather limiting factors and readings in growth and a lot of other things. It also described talent in terms of species, race, or Bloodline. Mana was different, as far as Will of the Battleworld granted its blissful Boosts and readings to people who wanted them.


    Bagus also mentioned something about Walls and how improper and unfortunate they were. It was a brief comment that Murai heard Pillage mentioning as well. Lisa told him fewer things about these topics than David and the rest combined. They had no stops since befriending curious Anatidae sounded like a great prospect to any of them, though some had smaller or more curious restraints than others.


    Apart from David and Ultium, everyone showed him smiles, words, and hopes. There were perhaps some hidden motives, but there were no lies.


    When he asked why they wanted his attention so much, Itrosh and Bagus answered him honestly. It was because he was interesting enough on his own and Anatidaes were creatures they both respected. It was either because of their history, ideology, or this place.


    Also, both of them were open-minded and strangers when it came to Chaos. They were honest when it mattered, or crazy when they needed to. Murai had no doubts they could be savage enemies, as they showed some talent and restraint, and experience made them dangerous. He already saw some of their fights, and they were cold-blooded killers. Those were the kinds of folks one shouldn''t want to piss off.


    How and why? Murai saw the reaction of most denizens in the Helltrim City, although he hadn''t seen anything worth mentioning since he left it. In that city, many denizens met him, saw him, and felt his presence, while some knew more about him than others. But most saw him as an Anatidae alone, while his uniform and ghost following him behind weren''t normal either. It was a normal reaction for those who gave up or were weak. in truth, it was a bit worse because of lacking Order from the Surface, but there was some reality about the Anatidae''s reputation that was undeniably wreckful.


    The last time, from what Bagus said, the previous Anatidae ravaged this place without one single care about any Order. The repercussions ended up in God''s Wrath, God''s Trial, and who knows what else. It was perhaps a grudge that made it into the present time, as well as fear.


    Murai was curious about it, or his species in general. He learned something and Mindarch made many interesting comments as well. Especially that little golem he fought in the last Gate gave him multiple fears. The owner of this place must be interested in these creatures, so could he do something with this knowledge?


    Murai wondered about sense, and it was no fact yet. Even when Itrosh reformed her thoughts and talked of some stories and legends that were widespread around the Battleworld and many Hells. Mainly, it was about battles and some wars, followed by clashes and stories with many individuals. A lot of names followed many ridiculous statements that described ducks, beasts, and many beings, which made his mind spin. So when Lisa mentioned she knew most of that anyway, and that most of such stories were exaggerated, he wasn''t pleased.


    Murai wouldn''t mind stories with specks of lies as long as the overall picture was accurate. In that sense, he did get what he didn''t ask for.


    As for his interest in Helpers, their power was the easiest answer. Bagus and Itrosh had their roots close at heart. Both of them were powerful in their rights, so they didn''t fear the general consequences of some rumors, legends, or realities. They didn''t fear Murai in the slightest, which answered some of Murai''s questions. So far, he met fools. Some beings feared nothing. Or clever people, who rather didn''t want to involve their lives with things like him, never showed up.


    This was something Murai appreciated because talking to them was never disappointing, unlike a certain ghost. They had some certain negligent factors, however, while their words never crushed his mind.


    Power and truth mattered in all sorts of ways.


    So much can be gained with words, Murai knew. The best way to get things going was by action, or by securing a great source of facts that were impossible to refute. Trust was fairly close to that, whereas his Helpers weren''t some mind-boggling conglomerates of knowledge. Ways of words had its merits. Better things could be books of various exhibits, facts, and logic. Right. Mindarch was that and he already touched upon him.


    Yet, the new Question Mark won''t happen, and that spirit had been kind of quiet since Levandis awakened.


    He did trust his team, of course; Murai just had his preference.


    And with Lisa before him, he wondered if her disregard for those Demonic Crows was fitting or not.


    He already understood major thresholds and had a wide spectrum of knowing what they meant. Limiters were the same. They were just words describing what other worlds already had, his living included. His Level 23 wasn''t much, to begin with, yet he was battling enemies twice his level, so how sensible was it? Murai realized it wasn''t worth bothering about, though he should think about quality and Grades themselves. Not some numbers.


    He should have some misgivings to give, like most of his species, yet he was still far from Level 50, while evolutions were there to stay and float. If the grade of his next evolution would breach or touch some principles of his Limiters, he could grow exponentially. In theory. Doing it far enough wasn''t something Lisa recommended, as it could get quite higher because the thing about Limiters was virtually breaching the contracts with the blessings of this world and Will of the Battleworld. It was about taking advantage of everything, and there were some advantages one could get by overworking this world or themselves.


    How far one could push it. That was Murai''s wonder.


    So why Lisa of all people, didn''t recommend it? Murai was confused about it because she was adamant about focusing on other issues.


    Evolution had very little flexibility due to its fixed nature. Murai couldn''t just change his sub-species on his own, which seemed suspicious and considerate to all kinds of things he had recently learned.


    And from the last references that David mentioned, the ways of gathering power were much more numerous than what Bagus expressed. This discussion took place for a good while, long before the Hunt started.


    There were runes, craftsmanship, relying or artifacts, or specific focus on certain abilities, equipment, some unique Paths, and so on. Those kinds of ideas were often perilous to time and growth, whereas focusing on the basics toward mastery sounded about right in Murai''s opinion.


    Slowly assembling ideology was a great way to grow, with a harder route being almost improper, or good if one did take this world for a joke.


    Razmund was part of this ideology at the highest order. Martial Artists held a specific side of authority, which often relied on fewer things to reach the pinnacle. It was a fact that went through many worlds, so Murai wasn''t surprised to hear it from his Helpers, whom he started to appreciate much more than he thought.


    Having wider choices was something Murai always preferred, and so far into this life, he had a lot and not a lot of them at the same time. It was a daunting reality in many ways, as he relied on this world, or the world was taking advantage of his circumstances.


    David didn''t refute it either, but he explained how well things work within this world much better. A lot of reasons were separate from many layers of interest due to cultures accumulated for many years. This world was supposed to be in pieces due to its seas and five continents, but its people weren''t. Gods touched them all. David met a lot of Blessed and powerful beings, so he knew how to handle his words and give Murai good ideas.


    Focusing on compatible ideas wasn''t wrong. For some, it was all they could muster or the only way to reach the further Limiters or their utter limit.


    Thus, Murai was certain about his haste and took Lisa and her head to a new low. She scoffed at her group when each was so fervent about talking to Murai and teaching him some knowledge that wouldn''t change him anyway. At some point, she failed to recognize that Murai liked to grow and learn new things about the world or his surroundings. It was weird if she was honest with herself or her mouth. She didn''t complain about them that much; she didn''t care for their talking either.


    She left them be, listening, or taking Murai''s reaction in mind.


    He followed that idea, and now, he was thinking of her past words and actions that looked forced and lacking. Just why was she like this? Was this pride, or arrogance, or her past life was so crazy that she was an overbearing figure who couldn''t think of his point of view? That was correct in many ways. And also missing from his mind because he couldn''t Read her properly.

 Chapter 208: Map

    No matter how Murai thought about it, Lisa kept being stubborn and assuming things for herself. There was no changing it, it seemed, so he decided to dance along with her head and try to look for a change. The last Gate or this whole temple was altering their relationship. There was no doubt about it, so he figured it was bound to change even further if he was forceful and she was weak.


    Sizing her, he glanced at the maps of the Hellscape. It wasn''t the entire map, since the whole would be too big. Hellscape was like a big tunnel that was curving in a snake-like pattern a few times until the end. It was numerous times longer than wide, so the shapes of the drawings would be irregular.


    This one described their journey up to the half of this Gate.


    One would expect some clarity because this whole place was a man-made structure dug into the earth. It was wrong. Corrosion, external effects, and internal efforts all changed the Hellscape in numerous ways since its creation. Mountains, lakes, rivers, and plains were here for here for a reason. Perfection wasn''t necessary. Levandis overlooked it, letting this land grow like the rest of the Gates. Some parts were better at this, as this temple was an estate left by the Sun God himself.


    Of course, Levandis didn''t want to ruin it. It was in her care, so everyone who wanted to cause trouble had to go through her rules first. And if they did, her interest was always bright and clear, or coming shining thereafter, often ending in questionable results. Mindarch was the middleman in this ideology, acting as the overseeing ruler over this small realm that a God possessed.


    The bits of the maps curved at some points, describing turns between the Provinces. The one before him was between Province 2 and 3. The first was full of farmlands of various sizes that accompanied some mountains. The other was more broken, unkempt, and with larger mountains, depicting rough Sectors in dozens of parts. One of these Sectors was their current location.


    Further in, Province 4 was their target, right before rocky ranges of plains and mountains that spanned around the edges and middle portion of the cave, right towards the desert that was making up the entire Province 4.


    Ip''ur Mountain was on the other map, describing the middle portion of the Hellscape as a whole, which was a thousand kilometers long, if not a bit more. This mountain was below a huge artificial sun, right in the middle of the desert.


    ¡°We are here.¡± Lisa pointed to Sector 27, far away from the Helltrim City and a long distance away from their target. It was still a couple of days away. Perhaps less. It depended on how much Bagus wanted to work, though the plans were bound to change. Lisa already knew it.


    Since they needed to be wary of the surroundings politics and incoming Hunt, traveling slower might not be a bad thing, while taking care of the eyes above was different.


    She smiled as she observed Murai glancing at their location.


    The change wasn''t as obvious for him as it seemed.


    ¡°And this is where you need to be.¡± Then, Lisa pointed to the Ip''ur Mountain on the other map. The reality was before him. From her act, Murai noticed Province 3 and 4, their intricacies, places, and patterns ahead. There were a lot of places between this place and their target.


    Getting to know more was right since many Sectors ahead were rough and full of chaotic borders, zones, cities, and villages. Most borders were changing every month, as the ownership was either set in stone by wealth or through fights and politics. Living was chaotic, full of beasts, tribes, and beings that partially lived under Levandis''s rules, or wished they didn''t.


    Beasts were that. They might not need to consider her at all, for they were simple beasts with instincts and no respect for Gods. Survival was their God! Power and thirst were their fuel.


    Cities and proper denizens were different. Bagus knew all about it, as a former beast with a life that broke through its Limiters. He became as intelligent as a human and grew to be greater than some unfortunate beasts.


    The second map had a surprising amount of information. Murai liked it. Maps held truths that needed fewer words since what was written was set in stone. As long as it wasn''t a lie, of course. In that case, Murai might be sorry instead.


    Lisa truly pointed towards Ip''ur Mountain, giving the eyes above some regard.


    ¡°Are you testing them, me, or us?¡± Murai asked her through their willful connections that no one present should hear.


    Lisa kept smiling and gave her Will back. ¡°I want to see if something changes. Acting like this is necessary because this location and your target are troublesome. David told me it was feasible and unknown. The way to that place is viable while the Hunters knowing it as our location could give us some surprising benefits. Why? It has no way out.¡±


    ¡°Which means?¡±


    ¡°We go there and disappear before we are caught or seen. It is a bait.¡±


    ¡°Are you expecting this place or these crazy Hunters to work like you expect?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡±


    ¡°We fight,¡± Lisa said and squinted her eyes.¡°Upset?¡±


    Murai grunted and looked away, glancing down at the map with his shiny eyes.


    The map went into detail, clarifying terrain in drawn lines, while altitudes, hills, and some cities held shifting colors of shades. Black, white, or gray, the shade or lining seemed to indicate an excellent map. Each Sector on the way to the desert wasn''t anything unique. Most were mountains, plains, forests, or jungles. A lot of unique locations went through Province 3, but their group had one rule about them.


    Not seek trouble if no trouble came at them. Thus they didn''t make any stops in any settlements, villages, or cities. Even with Murai''s Token, visiting Pivotal City wasn''t right at the moment.


    Some Sectors were unique in location, holding remarkable mines, places of beasts, cave systems, and much to Murai''s surprise, essence-gathering farms. With mana being richer here than in most of the Surface, it was no wonder there were many of them.


    As Murai saw the end of this Province, from Sector 40, there was a desert named Scorching Light. A place that was desolate from the name alone, even if it sounded bright. This desert had an insane amount of natural resources, with much more worth than the first three Provinces combined. Most of it came from the mining, heat, and the fact that they were underground. Mining was a perfect way to see some worth, as the land held many resources that were easier to reach. The crust of this planet was quite thick, and the further it went, the more right it felt to steal some things, and the harder it got.


    This temple disregarded this idea since it wasn''t like a tower going through the earth, or a dungeon. It was a series of places and spaces buried into the earth.


    The mining business was one of the richest departments in the temple as a whole, let alone the Hellscape. Hence, there was a large interest in gang activities, and various companies held what was underground as dearly as their souls. The military was less prevalent even when wealth followed power.


    Owning a mine was a jackpot. Following the variety of paths and mountain ranges was another, while Sector ownerships were valuable positions akin to Majors of Pivotal Cities, though not close to Generals of the military.


    A few Sectors in the Scorching Light held valuables worth multiple essence-gathering constructs. Though the environment was anything but pleasant, there were races and values in all kinds of things. Murai was yet to know it, but the Scorching Desert was a very special place.


    And also dangerous due to the artificial suns, greed, and intensity. Heat won''t stop the greed. It will adjust instead.


    The Scorching Light extended to all corners of the cave, changing the ceiling or walls for more than a hundred kilometers. The cause? Artificial suns had much more power in this place, while the ceiling was a bit lower than usual. The perimeter of the artificial sun that was in the middle of the cave was the same.


    Murai wondered what Lisa was aiming for. She said she would give and reveal her plans, but so far, she was silently observing him, rather than giving her tones some shit.


    It was his first time looking at this map, however. It was much more important than the general plan meetings that they held a few times as they rested. In those, Murai knew that Lisa and David were yet to decide on some things, and didn''t want to include him too much.


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    The entry to Province 4 went through this shift of heat and sand, while mountains from the previous Province cut into it, creating some shades and valleys. But this desert was still flatter overall due to corrosion and sand. The heat was supposed to be unbearable at all times, and it was futile to escape it on most of the surface.


    That was the Scorching Light. There was no escaping it for any Challenger with targets above Sector 40. Dozen kilometers width ensured some easier traversal, but heat and length were the problem.


    Hiding in shades of some mountains, or mines was an evident opportunity, and there were many of them scattered around this Province. Traveling right below the numerous suns was not optimal. Yet, the further Murai watched, less mountains there was. The mountain range from the previous Province disappeared to the side.


    ¡°What is your point?¡± Murai mumbled, taking her bait as simple.


    Hiding under some mountains seemed useless to him if he needed to get ahead, but if this was where his target was, he accepted it.


    ¡°Look closely,¡± Lisa suggested and pointed to the numerous dots describing mines.


    Building settlements on top of the desert never worked, thus this Province was known for its underground society and cities inside that mountain range and occasional lone mountains further in. Almost every one of them held mines in their shade, and because of these combined factors, this Province was known as a lawless zone.


    But there were some rules that Murai had yet to know.


    Ip''ur Mountain represented a big dot in the middle. It was a well-known mining location in this Province.


    The place wasn''t the best in terms of politics, or ease of access, but what was easy in this temple, let alone this Hellscape? This Province had no owner. Its Sectors were more chaotic due to the mining business. Everyone wanted some cut. Thus, more gangs possessed some Sectors than in any other Province and they were unwilling to reconcile or bow.


    So far, obtaining information barely included their target, lest the others learn the nasty truth. That was one piece of advice that David leaned on. Lisa got it but she still forced him to put his attention on Ip''ur Mountain. That included history, importance, recent development, and mainly Levandis'' care. He was careful about it and did come up with some ideas. No answers, however.


    The easiest solution would be purchasing information in this place itself, right beside the use of the Network. Only one was viable. There were hundreds of mountains, if not a few thousand, including Ip''ur. Some of them had official portals that might be a target for unfortunate Challengers, though there were fewer of them than in any other Province due to the heat and so-called interferences. It wasn''t suspicious, even if many others would subsequently learn that their target was in the Scorching Desert and Ip''ur Mountain if they succeeded.


    Lisa worked with that knowledge in her plans, including the present reveal for Crows and two eyes to see. The military was a worrisome topic. In the Levandis''s name and her Hunt, this place might turn into hell and those mines were sensitive. Just why they went to the best one? Lisa didn''t get it at all. That might be a problem that Levandis never handled or voiced, but it was possible she would send and put some interest in that place.


    And they had Razmund to worry about too.


    Lisa wished to forget that madman but couldn''t.


    Gangs constantly shifted their attention because of the mines and wealth, so this place was never stable. Many mines were under military protection, or some troublemakers, holding the majority of the mines under control. Obvious reasoning pointed to Levandis, who would never lose her rule over the wealth or forte of this Gate.


    Thus, the point ahead was nowhere. There was no way to get ahead than going onto this hellish land and hoping no one insane would fight them in this desert. Shadows of doubt be damned, as this entire reason for coming here was weird.


    Ip''ur Mountain held no portals under any official or rumored records. There was nothing here besides an ancient cave system that went many kilometers below the Hellscape, stretching even further than this Province.


    Thankfully, the information about the caves should be open and systematic, thus easier to get. David''s gathering was enough in that regard. It wasn''t a time for legends or rumors. After spending his life here and playing a big role in the information gatherings across the Helltrim Society, he held a good understanding of this cave.


    No matter how he looked through it, Ip''ur Mountain had no possibility for a portal, and no records pointed to anything. Yet Mindarch gave his voice, and for Lisa, Lorry gave her his words. Thus Lisa and David had to research it in some way or go there to see the truth.


    It shouldn''t be a trap. If so, why? Was this a time for pranks? Lisa doubted many things, but not Levandis.


    Since it held no Portal history, it was both suspicious, hard, and easy to get at the same time. It might be a private matter, which was even more serious as far as Lisa was concerned.


    Helltrim Society information depicted mining records that went on for tens of thousands of years, and the fact was, that Ip''ur Mountain was one of the first mining places in this entire desert. It had its history, yet no portal. How did Levandis make and create their concepts? Only once. Touching the portal''s inherent working was better said than done.


    Lisa was determined, knowing that the essence of their time was up to them. ¡°It is going to be a difficult contest. In many ways,¡± Lisa pointed to the Ip''ur Mountain.


    ¡°Fight?¡± Murai questionably quacked. ¡°Am I supposed to fight a mountain? Go deep, find my portal there? I have my Token, but where to even start?¡± He wasn''t panicking. He didn''t like how locating itself sounded in this Gate. It was a strange assignment. He swore he would prefer battling through some fodder than walking for half a thousand kilometers. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was no wonder. In normal cases, it was either up to luck or the benefits of the doubt. Fighting under this Gate for Challengers was more than frequent because they had to think or disregard those greedy Hunters. If they could, that was.


    Those rules were fair, unlike right now, and much more flexible. Unlike the previous Gates, this one aimed at knowledge, strategy, and ways to handle the open jump in difficulty. Solving it requires a delightful plan, confidence, or power.


    Fights occurred roughly at one''s power level or level. If an Extreme Challenger arrived, things would be a bit different, of course. Much more strict rules would fit their stakes, similar to Razmund''s non-killing rule from the previous Gate.


    Which was something Lisa lacked and David didn''t solve. It was too difficult to grasp right now. There were regular patterns. Levandis or Mindarch barely stated anything besides their abnormal Hell Points and their stakes, and... target.


    It went without surprise that Lisa was frustrated and rarely showed it on her face.


    ¡°Start? No need,¡± Lisa mumbled awkwardly. ¡°There is no known portal in your place. Sectors have others, but rules are the rules.¡± She revealed, grimacing in helplessness that revealed no despair.


    It wasn''t as if there was no plan. There was still a choice they had to make, even when David seemed not a bit better than her. He should know much more about it, considering he lived here for the majority of his life, while she was barely interested in some mining.


    But she was in this Gate quite a few times in the past.


    It was worse. Challengers weren''t that rare in ceasing the rules away. Even with the random nature of the given location and portals, enough time had passed for denizens or researchers about this Gate to gather enough, if not all data. Even if some portals were barren for centuries or longer, or destroyed, some news would spread. If the target was there, it was there. That was a fact.


    They got either a brand new portal put into work, which was against the established logic, or it was something Levandis or Mindarch were hiding since consideration of this Gate.


    Both of these points were far from convincing Lisa''s head. The moment David expressed them to Lisa in their first plan meeting, she almost snapped him in half.


    ¡°You think working with Chaos Space and portals in this place is an easy play? This smells of secret more than anything else. Dig around! Find them!¡± was what she said at that time, clutching David''s head in her grasp and glaring at him like a fiend.

 Chapter 209: A change of wind

    Either way, some fairness played an important role for every Challenger, even if they might be confusing. There were many ways to find out if there was a portal in the Ip''ur Mountain and all of them went through Lisa''s mind.


    ¡°No portal is known? Great... Excellent. Do I have to find it like a pioneer or detector? Where or how to start? Should I begin digging with my beak? Give me a couple of centuries and I will create another mine. The Token has a limiting range so...¡± Murai said coldly, quacking as if he exaggerated, but he didn''t.


    Lisa didn''t know how to respond to him besides giving him what he wanted. It wasn''t because she lacked the clarity or voice. The timing was important like the eyes from above.


    Thankfully, no one should understand his quacking, so stating specifics out loud was within her understanding.


    She played her role well and sneered in secret.


    ¡°Finding it is the plan from the start. I didn''t speak of it for your benefit. Worries are tough for you. Look around. Everyone wants your 150,000-point skin next. Alive or met with End, it sounds glorious when you hadn''t even gotten 10,000 points from the previous Gate. Sounds unfair, right?¡±


    ¡°Says 200,000 ghost points flowing before me. Can''t I catch you and get those points, hm? That sounds even more glorious!¡± Murai said and laughed at her face which skipped some interesting emotions.


    Lisa almost did the same thing, knowing the perfect counter but didn''t say it. ¡°You wished. It doesn''t work for the Challengers. We fight the Hunters. Show me that badge of yours.¡± Lisa ordered David.


    Murai remembered David showed him some round object he always kept on himself. It was during their meal time so he didn''t pay it much attention.


    ¡°Only Hunters can come at us, and those are denizens, beasts, military. Anything. That''s my point. And even then, there should be some... rules. Limits. Extreme shouldn''t hunt some fodder or early beginners in Laws, but some great talents might get accepted in unique opportunities. Bounties adhere to that principle, giving weight. Six digits are within the Law boundaries. The first number points to others. What does it make us? A joke... It is like a reputation instead of power, so the rules are the same as ever. We have our problems, whereas our bounties are their problems. The highest ceiling of power we can meet is Ultium, so... My bad... I am overthinking it again,¡± Lisa thought she wouldn''t get this far when she met Ultium and David for the first time.


    She should''ve reconsidered their balancing factors. However, after getting to know them, she realized David would never leave Ultium aside and their worth was better than nothing. Then, the last knock on this idea was her complete detachment and unbothered idea to screw the rules and go onwards.


    Hearing her, Murai frowned and no longer glanced at the map. ¡°So you do think... Are we going to Ip''ur and look for it from there or what?¡±


    ¡°Since there is no way to do it from the gatherers, or Challengers, that means there has been one covered ever since this cave formed. It is either new because it is supposedly an older kind of portal, or it could be a false hope. We shouldn''t hurry and rest and do this instead.¡±


    Lisa already said plenty about this to him, but not to those above. She had yet to mention what mattered and touched two things: their vague goal and Ip''ur Mountain for some reason, that no one should believe to be their goal.


    Everything went as planned.


    ¡°Supposedly... Is it yet another guess?¡± Murai sighed and kicked the ground.


    ¡°Better than being blind. Oh, and it should work with us anyway. Your Token can wait or do what it ought to do. It will activate in the proximity of the portal. Around a hundred meters around you is the limit, with more obvious acts, the closer you are,¡± Lisa said, perking up with her further explanations that Murai doubted were fitting. He already knew about this thanks to David and Bagus, so he figured this was her play.


    Above, Crows and someone were watching this show with many shameless acts that moved a little bit closer. Perhaps they heard everything even when they were hundreds of meters away.


    ¡°Lastly, the politics on the way there are problematic. One of the biggest mining mountain ranges sounds glorious, so I say we go show some respect to the rocks below. A lot of tries to get there should give us even more benefits. Not some killings, or some fights. They could arrive too, for all I care about.¡±


    With how forced, arrogant, and loud she acted, Murai picked on her joke and looked at her like a jester in some play.


    Mining? Did he have time for that?


    ¡°With vast mines and ownership and wealth, the next Province is never safe and nice for most visitors, let alone Surface Challengers looking like bandits. Thus, I assume the best one next. Ip''ur Mountain! That is our next stop before the great last run to our target,¡± she slammed the map. ¡°Shifts in the ownerships created a big headache, or so David said. There will be enemies. Quite a few of them. Non-including the Hunt behind or around that is yet to arrive, being Hunted is next. That is what awaits us, but we can hide there and mine as well. Then, we can slowly chip them away and kill them in a good pace and space.¡±


    ¡°So... nothing new? You''ve wasted time on all of this? Just to pull a bait and switch yet it is our true target? I don''t think this is workable if the opposition might know it. Mindarch and Levandis clearly allowed this to happen.¡± Murai argued to her head, oblivious to everyone''s eyes looking at their strange debate.


    ¡°Yes. I am glad that you understand me and agree with me.¡± She lied.


    ¡°Hm? To tell the truth, it isn''t my point to argue about you. More problems will flow like water to the sea. That''s how it will go. I don''t care if more enemies come at me like fools. If this includes me and others so much, what then? The path is somewhere, and... you spoke of something reasonable, but now are trying something silly. What sense is there in this game? Be mindful, or I will snap at you with my Will!¡± Murai demanded.


    ¡°There is a Guardian at the end. Only you will fight it.¡± David said hesitantly as if he understood what Murai asked, even though he didn''t understand a quack. It was either an intuition of experience, or he got the idea to speak up thanks to his face or Lisa''s forceful words that he understood. He was wrong, but this topic was interesting enough to shift Murai''s attention


    Glancing at David, whose belly was a little fuller after a hefty meal from his own pockets, asked. ¡°What was that? Guardian? Some stupid tool won''t stop me either. She will!¡± he pointed his wing at Lisa.


    ¡°It is a problem that isn''t before us yet, but since you have your Token and Mindarch spoke his rules, there is no point in complicating it. Other things already did it. Razmund views this Hunt as a chance to pinch you between others and himself. He waits for now, but for how long? There is no big news about him. He should be impatient, yet he is with Ozeki, so I say there is something nasty going on, and going underground isn''t bad. He won''t beat everyone, but he might be the toughest because of clashing interests. Perhaps Ozeki is the same.¡±


    ¡°Hunt... All is about those Hunts! Some Encounter can fuck off as well,¡± Murai mumbled before suddenly realizing something he had overlooked. ¡°Wait. Wait. Wait! What about the source? This... Give me a second.¡± Murai tried his hardest to use his beak as a tool, picking a small object from his left pocket.


    After some battle against the hoodie, he showed the Token, a badge for invading Challengers. The badge was a personal item under every denizen, acting as their counseling and an important tool for collecting essences from dead or killed people, or various resources. It had its limits that spoke of their powers, political position, or overall gift witnessed by Mindarch or Levandis. A weak badge did very little and couldn''t touch others beyond its boundary. Its upgrades moved up with people and reputations.


    David showed off his badge which was a deep black round handful object with a big skull portrayed in the middle. It was at the seventh tier and allowed him great internal essence storage and capabilities to snatch essence from deceased beings up to Level 80.


    Murai''s Token was temporary and different. Badges were under every person living in this place like their personified Guide. Even if they decided to try their luck and become Challengers, most natives to this temple use them for everything. Their signature won''t ever get lost unless they lose everything.


    Surface Challengers had limitless ideas, which was one large bait. That little thing in Murai''s beak can eat and store nearly endless amounts of essences and touch any soul under this temple. And he won''t keep it. It was a treasure granting benefits as Illak mentioned and Lisa briefly overlooked. Primarily, its purpose was to find the portal, and its other powers and benefits acted as a Guide and a great opportunity.


    ¡°It is useful to not cause problems, am I right?¡± Murai asked. ¡°Illak said it is a protection item.¡±


    ¡°Protection item?¡± Lisa almost laughed when he heard his joke. ¡°That''s for the poor and insignificant amateurs. Hunt is why. Its worth is so out of the current norm because everyone wants you or that Token. Why? Either way, it is a Hunt, so who cares about it? Nothing will give it some thought when you have such a big bounty. When they get your little Token, they gain half of your points or the entire bounty, and you won''t find your portal. If they gain you alone, kill you, and lose your Token, there might be some enchantment like a double bonus or something like that. If they gain both, it might be even more elevated, but unlikely. Why? Do you think your party is for eating and running around you? Not at all.¡±


    ¡°I don''t care. No one will kill me. I get it. My point is different.¡± Murai stomped the ground and barely registered every little rule that Mindarch or Lisa overlooked. It was common sense to most of those coming to this Gate at any point. Weaklings usually met their End in previous Gates, so those coming to this place were quite good.


    ¡°If that''s the case, do you think someone will care about your point? What is free to take? We are all targets. Everyone is. Also, your Token''s defensive position works just in the Pivotal Cities. Scorching Light won''t care for it, as it is a lawless zone without any such city. And even if we go to one, so what? Even with small towns and interest in following Sectors, it is more like a target worth your head. Sector 45 with our portal will be wild. We don''t move for no reason. Are you that preoccupied in your head to not discover that? By now, after days passing according to my plan, you should get what I want. We aren''t meeting many people for a good reason. We killed bugs for now.¡± Lisa argued, brightening her eyes in wondrous lights.


    She picked an excellent bait. Now, the one listening should think through her important words.


    There were four portals in Sector 45, and none in Ip''ur Mountain.


    It was futile to give Murai some reason because he didn''t catch her intent. For him, it seemed she was taunting and mocking him because he didn''t know the correct information. Did others know?


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    Some anger perked up Murai''s feathers and his eyes squinted. He didn''t like how this sounded, but he had no choice but to trust her words. It was his mistake to argue with Lisa or get a portion of the whole picture. He lacked the details and didn''t like how she acted right now.


    Glancing up, some noiseless birds should just disappear to obscurity like their ancestors.


    ¡°Tsch. Useless piece of garbage. Can''t I toss it... Nah. This or me, it doesn''t matter. The mere idea this shit is worth my head hurts my pride. Tsch! Disgusting,¡± Murai sneered, itching the ground, and storing his Token into his pocket. ¡°So much for the rules and voiced reasons. Is that right, Mindarch? I haven''t forgotten your moronic tones!¡± Murai screamed to the ceiling¡ªand at the Crows¡ªyet nothing happened or changed.


    ¡°Silent, huh? Is that what this pretty pig wants too? I am not some bloody animal, but if you show me the fangs, I will bite your face off of your head. That would be disappointing, wouldn''t it? You are the same, Lisa. It''s the same thing every time. Nothing changes in this fucked up loop. It''s a complete mess.¡±


    ¡°I kind of agree,¡± she muttered, nodding in affirmation as if she tried to understand his idea. She had no regrets about this; she played with him because of the eyes above. Nothing else. Perhaps they were being watched by numerous people and those Crows were just an eyesore. It wouldn''t be against any rules if some Extreme were to eavesdrop on them without doing something nasty. They wouldn''t get it too since there were many ways to spy. It was possible as long as they wouldn''t act like fools or move wide enough to get noticed.


    This wasn''t part of Lisa''s plan either, as she hoped no such things were around. No Extreme. That was her lowest acceptable idea. She also genuinely believed Murai should stay focused on his improvements and training, leaving the rest of this mess to his team, her included.


    What did her play even create? Murai was pissed it might''ve done something.


    ¡°Hm, a storm is brewing.¡± Ultium suddenly said, listening to their conversation while watching the flock of Crows.


    Alas, the time for nods and words disappeared when a small breeze spread out of nowhere. It lifted, touched, and wavered everything before a push of wind from above scattered the campfire and everything on the ground. Some of them barely felt any impact, while some flew away. Murai was the first to do so, followed by Itrosh. Bagus caught Murai with his tail, wrapping him up as he stood like a mountain in a morning breeze. Ultium flexed his butt-cheeks, pulling his left leg up first and penetrating the rocks with his feet to stay on the spot. Second soon followed and he stood arrogantly with his single arm in his pocket and other ready to fight.


    David stood on the spot, huffing for breath that he stored everything in time, and that his weight was still good. Lisa was completely unaffected by this force and glared up and forward in a few seconds. Her bait finally caught something.


    Breezy yet sudden like a lighting, a burst of laughter, and some voice echoed in the air. The wind''s outburst carried it away, followed by a loud thud. A figure landed between them, kneeling in place, and obliterating pieces of charcoal, wood, and rocks to dust.


    A nice ambush, Murai thought as he took this storm from the safety of his hoodie but lacking feet. He could tell this force wasn''t sharp, acting more like a cushion, or his natural defenses dealt with the most force. Considering Ultium had to move his legs, perhaps his stability was better than he thought. But his little feet couldn''t take this wind push that great since it had some Wind Law, or was there also some gravity?


    Murai''s greed showed. He wanted to clutch gravity like his flame!


    However, he would have flown out of this stone platform if it hadn''t been for Bagus, and if he hadn''t, Lisa was still around.


    At the moment, she wore a serious expression as if she was a huntress ready to catch her prey. Her body stayed and sona wavered in the wind. Most of her sons skipped a beat, giving cracks to her hands and eyes. Murai might be the weakest in terms of defenses, but his depths were unknown. Similar to him, Lisa had herself and a lot of words and acts under her sleeve.


    Killing Murai should be a priority for many Hunters and it was almost an easy assignment.


    Alas, there was one big blunder that Lisa could fake and couldn''t fix. Fighting might be the worst choice for her right now. She was brittle, weak, and not adjusted at all. She had some unimaginable advantages thanks to her race and form, but her limited physicality was a burden waiting for more time. She had restricted offensive power like a ghost waking in the void. Her only great advantage was kind of... laughable. Due to her physical limitations, it should be nearly impossible to catch her. Perhaps she was the best out of this group in that regard.


    Murai can be immune to a lot of pressure thanks to his Robust Spirit, while his magic wasn''t all so bad either. He also had his unknown hoodie that did handle this pressure like a sneeze. That much Lisa had seen with her own eyes. Robust Spirit abilities were a trump card he was yet to spend unless it couldn''t be helped. So far, he doubted his timing, as he felt and Read the person who dropped from those crows.


    In this sort of clash, the person could have as mighty a soul as he could, but physicality mattered much more when death could be an End, and finishes had simple acts. Not many people could do much against the harsh reality of power.


    However, many things didn''t go according to plans. Lisa had her guesses, or did she overestimate herself? Why had she let those Crows watch them when others offered to get rid of them? Murai didn''t get it.


    Well, Lisa had some questionable ideas that might be worth it in the short term. Only a fool would take this bait.


    And that fool landed.


    Who arrived was someone quick like the wind and silent like a leaf falling from the tree.


    ¡°Hey! None answered my question. I asked a question. How rude. How rude. Couldn''t you hear me or what?¡± a cheerful lady said, proclaiming her statement as if she asked a question, yet her wind carried her voice away. She knelt, but as she spoke, her right arm spread and she pointed to everyone around her, leaving flickering energy waves and gushes of her long air flying around her. Surrounded by white breeze and gray fog akin to space and strange flame, it was a manifestation of Wind Affinity that grew to the Laws of Wind.


    None replied, apart from some murderous aura that spread around the surroundings. She took it as if a dog barked, and didn''t want to give Ultium a chance to bite.


    ¡°Alright. I figured the wind carried my voice. No need to bark. I came to haggle. Haaaggle!¡± She laughed as she put her right arm over her mouth. The fog and wind subsided, before turning sharper. She pounced from her position, arriving less than a second later close to Murai. Bagus was aside, but because his tail was long, he wasn''t quick to react.


    Dexterity-based foes were hard to read, while that Wind hadn''t vanished. It just shifted to cover her barely seen legs that hid under a clock. Bagus snorted and if he can''t protect his prize, someone else will. He flickered the base of his tail and tossed Murai away without thinking. It was the best action. Murai quacked a shrill sound. In a second, he found himself in the hands of the most questionable being he knew.


    Lisa clutched him with both hands, cracking them and increasing their volume. It hurt her; not because of Murai, but because Bagus tossed him too much and Murai was no longer a petty duck. She bet Bagus would shatter boulders with such a nice toss and ball.


    Murai wouldn''t laugh if he did it, or heard his offer to toss him. He didn''t even like the current mood. He almost felt the touch of that maddened woman who came to haggle and play.


    Right away, others tensed up. David and Ultium were ready and Lisa floated far away from this person and used her form well. The quick woman grunted at her failure, so she backed away before Bagus caught her with his tail. It almost wrapped her neck, snapped at her clock, or crushed her legs in a bunch of quick swipes.


    He wasn''t quick enough. Her body carried experience and Dexterity of many layers and changes. Where was Ultium? Well, he pushed his feet far too deep into the ground, so he couldn''t move as quickly. But his arms were long ready to attack. He didn''t do anything for some reason, even if he could''ve done so long ago.


    It was a shame no one heard him. He warned everyone. What a shame.


    ¡°Attack?¡± he wondered.¡°She said to haggle. Is it a business?¡± he asked innocently, turning to David.


    David sighed. ¡°No. No. But it could be that,¡± he knew that their general profile should be the most popular item for private businesses and purchases. Communication was nonexistent without the Network and Mindarch, but that didn''t mean their years in the Hellscape didn''t give denizens many chances to seek everyone. Abilities or weaknesses, most companies have considerable archives and profiles of potential enemies.


    Lost Brothers weren''t some famous group, but there was no need to be one. There were bigger companies that had done far worse than David. Then, there were small, or similarly sized companies that did much better. It depended on their members, acts, and reputations, and some of them could be quite thrilling. Lost Brothers were one of many mercenary-type organizations, and these always looked at competition with discerning eyes, or with secrecy in mind.


    ¡°Let''s see who is barking first,¡± Lisa said, her eyes glowing in azure corners and white light in the middle. Most of her face and wavy hair stood up from the rest, including the arms that clutched Murai''s hoodie by now. She handled him like a little annoying kitten.


    In the middle of the group stood a woman not the least casual, or shameful. She was no devil, demon, or someone rare from the Surface. Her voluptuous chest swayed in the wind, while her tight clothes did resemble some kind of military for sure. But without emblems, flags, or any kind of adhering token, she seemed to be an adventurer instead. Her cloak covered her back, while her legs were long and covered with twisting waves akin to tattoos in the air.


    Her face put a lot of attention to her, while her keen eyes glared at everyone. Then, her mouth curved in a confident smile. She was wearing a leather jacket with barely anything underneath, giving wind access to her skin. It almost overflew from her out to the world, pushing the debris and rocks away from mere standing. The ground even cracked under her feet, yet she was smaller than anyone living here. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She wore trousers in tatters, and her almost bare legs were quite a catch as well. She wasn''t a devil or a demon, but a human from the naked eye. Lisa kept her spying on them for a while and wondered if this was the true start or not. If so, that was peculiar indeed, and not unexpected for some people in this group.


    Now, where did this woman want to go with her assignment?

 Chapter 210: Carmilla

    Lisa saw her as stupid, albeit her speed surpassed everyone''s expectations. Now, who was stupid? Lisa gritted her fist and wished Murai''s hoodie was normal to ease her self-inflicted egoistic anger.


    Surprisingly, it wasn''t her time to shine.


    The one who moved and spoke next was David. ¡°Carmilla, is it?¡± He moved forward without a defense in sight, positioning himself between her and Lisa. Aside, his guard was up; Ultium would act up in less than a second. He always could.


    ¡°Yep. Good day to you, David. Where is your belly, you old fool?¡± Carmilla asked as she laughed, pointing her finger in mockery towards his lower body. David wasn''t ashamed or interested in this topic. It was never fine, nor never bad. It was just what came with his choices and current temper.


    The mood amongst the group shifted when he recognized this woman, while Lisa was yet to reconsider her moves. She was a fine target when she had Murai in her grasp, but behind her was Ultium, and Bagus walked beside her too, almost deciding on covering them with his huge wings.


    Itrosh flew away when Carmilla landed since her position was close and not ready for such a storm. Carmilla arrived with an ashen expression more than a dozen seconds later, grinning in anger and shame. This was her mistake and she was sweating bullets because she didn''t expect Carmilla of all fools to do something like coming at them alone. Everyone beside their little invader remained serious, waiting for David to conclude this opening.


    David gestured for everyone to wait so he would take care of this. They should care of the surroundings, depths, or lows, while those crows were yet to move. Their current location was kind of barren, so not many enemies should come at them without obvious moves.


    They didn''t know if there were others, or if this was a simple probing attack pushed on some facts. Carmilla was quick. She could disappear in a blink if one wasn''t careful. Not like David would let her go if she was an enemy.


    ¡°So, you wanna haggle? For the sake of the other Side, I presume?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps. Perhaps not.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I would believe such nonsense? One word is other than the rest. Our Side, or opposing Side?¡±


    ¡°Whatever. You know how this goes. Didn''t ask, didn''t care. But I did get permission to do whatever I wanted, spy, see, and hear, catching some heads, figures, or... animals?¡± Carmilla poked a finger at her cheek and glared at Murai affectionately. ¡°Never seen so many points for such a target, you see. Some Ends or badges are interesting, but killing is nearly outlawed and stupid. In rumors... ideas. Considering Ultium, I am not involving my skills, or so to say in facts and Laws. I don''t wanna hear or get near him, so I came to haggle with the sincerity of a Hunter because of others.¡± Carmilla stated her facts, playing with her long stretching hair of deep brown color that flew behind her shoulders and cloak.


    She nodded to herself and puffed her swaying chest. She looked quite young, but one was never sure about the age of others in this world. Especially when high powers, time, and many sources of development moved many races and Bloodlines, let alone individuals. Magic was why. Laws were bizarre and Boosts and attributes did leave their mark.


    Vitality was the source of health and time. It was possible to get it far enough to keep a youthful appearance for a long time. However, Carmilla wasn''t older than David. Her lean yet developed muscles meant she was a fighter and her face and voice were way softer instead. A pair of gauntlets around her forearms looked like some kind of artifact with hidden weapons, or tools to effect the Wind. Their remarkable and re-trackable design might help with ambushes if they hid weapons, but she aimed her bare fingers at Murai alone. She wanted to catch him alive.


    ¡°What do you want here? Watched enough? Heard us enough?¡± David asked firmly, moving towards her enough to almost touch her face. He loomed over her with his sheer size.


    Her face remained smiling and wondering. Carmilla didn''t mind the worst; she kept smiling and preparing her words instead. Failure meant a plunging reputation if she had to deal with humans with a cold heart.


    She had a history here that she wanted to forget.


    ¡°I heard a rumor of some wealth walking around, unobscured by others, and traveling further into this Gate. Who knew that my ears were so great?! I was surprised! So I came to see and survey fools that move as if they are some big players. And guess who do I see? A fool who got involved too... but, with... 10,000 points? That is kind of shocking. Who decides that? With your size, I would expect twice or thrice of that number alone,¡± She laughed and put her both arms around her mouth.


    David wasn''t impressed. ¡°I heard plenty of rumors myself, while my informants are no weaklings either. There are so many idiots, it is hard to see them all. The whole Hellscape is turning into one hell of a civil warfare. Everyone is having some chances to prove their worth to Levandis. Old World''s ways are as nasty as rumored.¡±


    ¡°Right? Isn''t it the greatest?¡±


    ¡°All because Levandis deems it fit? No. We do.¡±


    ¡°I guess that''s true. How wonderful, isn''t that? Shame you took the losing Side. Perhaps things would''ve moved differently if you had taken Razmunds'' side from the very beginning. Wouldn''t that be wonderful or right?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± David mumbled and eyed her with hideous stress and unblinking yes. Like a mafia boss, he was losing his patience.


    ¡°Anyway, seeing that.... voluptuous ghost and clothed duck, I guess all the rumors are truthful and this team is hardly... balanced. Old and young, everyone here has some past and interesting hopes. Interesting. Well, that agenda also came from the upper Gates and the lower ones confirmed something interesting as well. They want everyone''s heads, while some fools are so angry, they wish to act themselves. Guess what? They can''t! Mindarch chipped their wings! Hilarious. Something interesting is happening in this temple after all.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Who? They already let the information out?¡±


    ¡°Some fools. Oh, like... an hour ago? No idea if we are talking about the same thing. My informants are private since I am quite a good spy. Gate 2 was extensive, you see. Took days to gather something specific by murdering and looking closely, but... many things are under the locks. Can''t get further into them because of Network and Mindarch. And you fucked up, David. Big time.¡± Carmilla said and pouted. ¡°By the way, your business is out of order or city. Don''t know which is worst, but you forfeited your whole life. I fear your boy fled and didn''t leave a leaf unarmed, unharmed, or overturned. I tell it in fear of his life.¡± She faked a tear and grimaced as she shifted her steps.


    ¡°Marthosh is clever, unlike many. Anyone lucid enough and involved in the Helltrim Society is either sober or a fool. I am no longer in the picture! Rules are rules, and my choice is mine.¡±


    ¡°Tsch. Tsch. Tsch!¡± she pressed her lips, letting out mocking tones of humming moans. ¡°Care for some trade then? I heard other rumors that you wanna hear. I don''t care about that city or society. Don''t work for them. Don''t need them.¡±


    ¡°I won''t haggle with you. Why would I? I don''t think you are getting our situation, or mine. Read some atmosphere too, you wind freak.¡±


    ¡°I might. I also think you need something, considering that shivering look that bends my knees and turns my insides wet,¡± she waved a hand and pointed at Murai, who kept his piercing gaze on her, thinking of killing this cheeky brat who almost clutched his neck.


    Murai could see that this woman was a crafty foe, and her personality was so close to Lisa that he wanted to kick her knees and call her many names. Her power was also concealed, while her emotions lingered on and on like her body, and her body language didn''t point to anything but straight and illogical sides. She was dangerous. One couldn''t tell what her acts or words would be like since they could shift mid-sentence, or change like sudden wind.


    She was around or above the level of some of his Helpers for sure. Which ones? There were big differences between them, which Murai thought about a few times before.


    Most obvious answers didn''t come with Levels themselves, similar to his own situation. But it sure was great to see their power, acts, and abilities when some fools made their moves. Of course, Murai never took part in any battle because this passionate team took care of every issue.


    Thanks to these times, he discovered ideas about his Helpers, albeit devoid of some tougher fights. David barely fought, and his power wasn''t as substantial. His barehanded style of combat was heavy and rugged, often assuming heavy kicks and punches with unexpected strength.


    Itrosh was a quick weapon master, and her dozens of styles of mastered weaponry flowed through messy wind and clutter of steel, unleashing many attacks. If anything, Murai would call her an indecisive idiot because of her style, but she was kind of good at what she followed. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ultium was hard to Read, suppress when released, and even harder to predict. He could kill a rabbit with full strength, or struggle to catch a wasp. How much did he make sense out of everyone, Murai didn''t know this question yet. But he knew he was the strongest variable out of this group, if not the most vicious.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Bagus was most reasonable if Murai was thinking right. His fighting beast-like style held almost no weaknesses and resembled Griffins in many ways. It was to the point, savage, and quick. His beak held powerful stabs and smacks, signifying potent acts that Murai wasn''t unfamiliar with. His wings were wide, thick, and powerful, and his sharp feathers were like steel.


    Then his tail was capable of flexible and powerful whipping strikes, shredding stones and trees to pieces. The only bad thing was his overall flexibility, thanks to his four legs, nature, and sizable frame. Bagus didn''t have the most efficient body or styles, but he made up for them with his surprising talents and battle-stricken madness that changed him from a good big boy into a battle beast.


    Murai saw it as no weakness.


    He thought about himself more; his little frame left much to be desired, and he wouldn''t like four legs, but then... he remembered he wished to be a wolf when he woke up as a duck. That sobered up his wonders quite quickly.


    If he ranked his Helpers, Ulitum was at an unknown peak in sight, followed by Bagus who wasn''t hiding a thing. Itrosh, David, himself, and Lisa were rather straightforward with many obvious flaws. Itrosh''s worth wasn''t in the combat anyway, while David didn''t want to fight unless it was necessary.


    As for the strength of this Carmilla, Murai wondered where she stood. It a was veiled curiosity. Not necessity.


    He would recognize Laws of Wind with closed eyes, moving thinly over her legs as if they were unstoppable breathing tattoos. That was weird. They looked far too great, even though she didn''t catch him when she could, nor had she struck the earth in power equal to her obscure strength.


    Did someone protect him, or was she weak, or was it his hoodie? If things made sense, someone like her should''ve done quite some damage to him in many ways. Was she afraid of being too straightforward because of others, or was what she said the truth? She didn''t go all out because she wasn''t here to kill but to catch or do some easier work.


    All sorts of ideas occurred under his head in a few moments that Murai barely paid attention to their following haggling.


    ¡°A hundred thumb-sized Ultra Gems. No less, and all of my knowledge is yours. Deal of the century, considering your Hunt,¡± Carmilla said, cheering under a nice deal. She knew a lot of brokers, so whatever this meant, her betrayal might be reasonable and no deal was always set in stone or blood.


    ¡°HEH!¡± David scowled, almost slapping his belly that wasn''t as he remembered. It deflated, much to his faked distress. ¡°Do you want my life too? What a spineless deal.¡±


    ¡°Is it worth something more? Nah. My worth and business proposal is enough. Trust me, Razmund''s Side is big enough and he isn''t the only thing. I can dig out some interest too and you would be more than glad for a hundred.¡± She kept smiling, appearing too obnoxious for David to call it pretty.


    ¡°With those Ultra Gems, you can go fuck yourself from those that back you up. I won''t haggle with stupids. Get back to where you belong. You aren''t ready to take our weight. Information that you have with your eyes and senses alone isn''t infinite. You have no idea about us! Leave us be, or I will let Ultium pursue you until your skeleton is left behind. Hell, even then, I would order him to munch you apart, leaving nothing behind but your dread. Get lost.¡± David spoke quickly, yet each word carried his conviction, and power he lacked.


    Uttering those words showed some impression on his face, giving him a different flank to who he was. For once, even Lisa was a bit taken aback by this speech, while Ultium was yet to move.


    And Carmilla wasn''t the least bit surprised to see him like this.


    Ultium was behind him, listening and knowing he could do what he said. But it sounded boring. He could solve this problem much more easily. He already imagined what he could''ve done to these Crows, how, or when. Feeling it, he didn''t do it. It was the shame of greatest importance.


    ¡°Just how would those big crows taste with Itrosh''s barbeque techniques?¡± Ultium asked out loud by mistake.


    He was like a shadow behind David, eyeing Carmilla with his red eyes. It was a deadly stare; foolproof that his boss was all fine.


    However, he felt this woman, whom he couldn''t remember. The blood was thick, however, and she could kill David in a single careless motion. He bet she wouldn''t dare to do it. There was something Ultium could do and couldn''t imagine.


    He didn''t think of many possibilities, and among them, David held the lowest points. Thus, he should be the least focused target.


    That was right and wrong at the same time. Throughout the years, David made many enemies in the Hellscape as a human and owner of the Lost Brothers. Some demons and devils and even humans would love to see his demise. So when he was no longer part of the Helltrim Society and went out to seek his End, many would send it quicker just because they could. They would get rewarded by Mindrach and Levandis, so seeing him dead would be even better.


    However, that wasn''t in Ultium''s mind or the Fate itself. He was confident that Carmilla couldn''t kill him. He knew she wouldn''t dare.


    Carmilla giggled, letting out quite satisfied sounds after knowing David''s profile. Backing when he gambled his whole life needed this sort of guts and balls. She didn''t deny him his chance or words. They were correct in the grand scheme of things since everyone was a target of others. There were a lot of them.


    All sorts of targets were a pain in the ass to deal with, hide from, and eavesdropping wasn''t easy with a pair of Lawful beings everywhere. Then, there was that Anatidae that kept eyeing her like an absolute beast she knew he wasn''t. Not yet. Nevertheless, the way it watched put her through mud and trembling heart.


    Some haggling was honest. She wasn''t testing everything or everyone. The whole situation was not here regardless. Wondering where both Sides were and hoped they would be, there was some power in understanding. Carrying news, or other hopes, her work was as best as many could ask for.


    Carmilla had her sources and reputation, giving many groups news that could pull ahead some new boundaries. Wind can carry a lot of things.


    ¡°Are you trying us, or rob us?¡± David demanded.


    ¡°You know how to haggle, or make mistakes, Marching David, but I don''t think my work is needed when I see the Hellscape going through such heavy footsteps. News is such a wide topic. Who knows what is trustworthy or who? You won''t escape for longer if you keep this bait for so long, so If you are coming to the Scorching Light, call me impressed.¡±


    ¡°Or death,¡± Ultium added.


    ¡°Who says anything about escaping,¡± Itrosh said.


    ¡°Possible. All possible.¡± Carmilla nodded with a little frown on her face.


    ¡°So the forces don''t know us all that well, huh? Asking for more than they can chew, do they? Cowards.¡± David laughed. ¡°That is as good as unexpected, considering our faces were all over the sky. Bounties aren''t Hell Points. You wish to deepen your pockets in different ways.¡±


    ¡°For what it is worth it, you should be creative. Four days ago, your whole company went to shit. Did you think your boy could take that, and others wouldn''t take advantage of your silly mistake? In a world relying on strength and history and reputation, bowing or going down is like meat on a stick.¡±


    ¡°I know that. It is worth it though.¡±


    ¡°Sacrificing pawns in the chess game sounds boring. How befitting too, for some. Is it because of this Encounter or your new mission? Is it worth it that much trust? Sounds wasteful. Do you know something that the public doesn''t, or the reward is way too good to refuse, or... the Encounter itself is nowhere to be seen, and you are fake news?¡±


    ¡°Who knows indeed,¡± David said coldly, while Lisa acted as if she was his shadow.


    ¡°Your conversation was lacking and giving many things, yet nothing at the same time. Sector 45 is rather small, so how much of our words is true? Can''t fool me, David. Endangering your life like an idiot sounds fitting, but age or not, those trying are always there. Called idiots, it describes acts and fools.¡±


    ¡°Why do you care about it? I am certain you don''t care about our haggling or my worth. Some Ultra Gems? Those can be found in a couple of assassinations or a couple of missions and kills. What you would gain from all of the potential customers around us is far too valuable. It''s not Razmund, right?¡± David asked, opening his eyes wide. His arms bulged in either muscles or fat, and Carmilla backed a step. Not because of fear, but to see him better.


    It was unknown what strength this man possessed because of his long-sleeved coat he kept wearing because it was nice. Ultium was also uncomfortably tensed and far too close to her liking.


    ¡°No,¡± she said, stopped giggling and turned serious. ¡°The situation is shitty if I am honest. Not as far as it could be, but being a human here isn''t nice at all, so I hoped to trade for a Diamond Badge. I have been getting headaches from this place for so long, I want to reconsider some things, or do you care for my Pledge instead? Or I can do something else? I have a hunch I can get away without it if I will follow along right now. Orderless and dull, the Old World seems intense but so feeble about a lot of things. Lady Levandis doesn''t care for a lot of things either. Heard a bunch of gangs got annihilated by some masters, so how about it? Wanna get annihilated?¡± Carmilla asked openly, causing David to frown all so deeply.


    Threats and hopes were within her voice, and so far, she didn''t say or act outside of the normal. Besides wanting to catch Murai, of course. It was her first action followed by disturbing them and watching them for some time.


    She had no obvious device on her, but some could be hidden in her pockets or rings.


    In a moment, David turned to his group, revealing wide open back to Carmilla. He shrugged his arms, chuckled, and shook both hands. ¡°I think she is sincere about some deal. It is also true that she knows a lot. Maybe it is worth it.¡± he guessed out loud, leaving Murai speechless. He never heard such a naked lie that sounded so truthful. David must have practiced a lot to come this far.


    This truly came from many experiences in the Hellscape and age. There was no doubt about it, or was it Lisa''s skills?


    ¡°If she is sincere, I am an Archangel,¡± Lise floated forward, forcing Murai to come closer to Carmilla alongside her. This woman was far from being trustworthy; she was cautious, and so was Itrosh who followed behind Bagus. Everyone shifted their steps a little and prepared for the worst.


    ¡°So careful. I won''t bite. I don''t bite at all, in fact. Though, It would scratch my itch if I had time with that little guy who wants to taste me as well,¡± Carmilla pointed towards Murai, whose gaze made her awkward, but it was something she could get used to.


    ¡°You are dreaming, so dream on,¡± Lisa barked, seemingly hurt by her statements, but she faked it good enough for Murai to notice it. It wasn''t that great acting.


    Carmilla scremed in faked terror. ¡°Oh! A ghost can speak too? How terrifying this is! How can it be possible? I am so scared.¡± She grimaced, forcing her arms to the sky. ¡°Anyway, mind if I do it? The Pledge, hm? It doesn''t sound like you are full.¡±


    ¡°What are your circumstances?¡± Lisa questioned. ¡°Depending on it, your willingness, and life that is going around, moving around, and flying away, I might reconsider. I wonder if you can take us somewhere where neither of us can''t.¡±


    ¡°Considering David and his previous efforts, you are certainly suspicious,¡± Itrosh said behind her back, grabbing a knife that tossed itself from her belt.


    ¡°You lot are heavy. No wonder. With this Hunt of large proportions, many seek your heads like bees some flowers. Not a lot of them are here. Frankly, you need information on a broader scale to give others some change. You are clever, let''s just say it, and others are not. But if you want to stand a chance to get out of here, heading to Sector 45 and its portals is something else. It might be hard. I also wonder what you meant by the Ip''ur Mountain of all things. Mining? Are you serious, or is that a trap? To whom? So stupid.¡±


    ¡°See? She heard us?!¡± Ultium expressed his shock as if he had figured out the truth right now.


    Others ignored him for the time being apart from Carmilla herself.


    ¡°Have sharp teeth and good eyes. Probably more than yours. So, what''s up with the plans? Is it the bait? Ip''ur has no way ahead, or it gets so full, it might be a dead end. It is hardly a good way to fix a thing. You would get lost, while your plans and moves are suspicious when one does know some bits. Who knows, perhaps some superiors would be very curious about this topic and discover the truth.¡±


    ¡°You...¡±


    ¡°Let it be, Lisa,¡± David jumped between the two lofty women that scratched his itch. ¡°Pledge is trust. You certainly want our heads, so why are you trying to do something else?¡±


    Carmilla got serious and stopped her smile. Her eyes almost sparked in excitement. ¡°Oh, there are changes to anyone at any time. You see, circumstances can change. I am like that, but stronger and much better help than someone,¡± She pointed to Itrosh and teased her in mocking eye.


    ¡°Wanna fight?¡± Itrosh hissed back.


    ¡°Calm down, kitty, your teeth will get duller or you will lose some,¡± Carmilla noticed what she wanted. ¡°It is about the future. Worth getting ahead in the Encounter sounds good in the long run, as it happened before the world turned to shit. Gods must watch it in some way, but this temple can coexist with it and turns two Sides to shit. Does it mean there are two chances? More? What works? Razmund caused problems and wonders, while your Side has done its merits. Is it because of... you, David? You have some terrible ideas for sure. Razmund is savage. He will kill anyone for his goal.¡±


    ¡°Are we that different?¡± David asked a good question.


    ¡°Guess not. So?¡±


    There was no dilemma. Murai felt no trust from this woman whatsoever, but what about the rest of his group? They surrounded her anyway, observing her movements and hearing her every word.


    Aside from them, Ultium looked ready to bite her head off. Devils killed with passion or cold blood, or with utter fear and chaos dear to their hearts.


    Biting was overrated; he would rip her head off at worse

 Chapter 211: Pledge, lies, and trust

    There was no denying it. Ultium was the main threat that Carmilla was feeling in this cozy, yet limited place. Closer than ever were also Bagus and Itrosh, surrounding her with an itch to go onwards. Her flanks weren''t open, but she could force it anyway, giving her a chance to escape.


    Could she manage it or not wasn''t an issue, for Lisa and Murai were ever so close.


    Carmilla planned to use this opportunity and get going.


    David wasn''t a problem. Neither was Murai, who was still glaring at her like a gem hanging on an unnatural magical hand. Lisa was taunting her with Murai''s body, followed by the annoyance of a great target. Unfortunately for him, no matter how he understood his body or wished to grasp the Laws of reality, he couldn''t touch this woman. At the same time, he didn''t have to consider her all that much, thanks the the unique opportunity that came like a lighting.


    He had bodyguards. Literal saving graces that might give him an unnatural lofty heart.


    Alas, Murai wasn''t happy no matter what, as this might be temporary and his life wasn''t really his. A lot of things could kill anything, anyone, any juncture or world.


    It was not for balance. It was just to crash reality and touch storming dust that might be some individuals in the vastness of space.


    Murai wasn''t thinking too far, albeit he often did, and it always hurt. He was in a small corner, devoid of the previous greatness of some of his lives.


    He was little; for now.


    And this Carmilla before him reeked of an early End. Arrogance dwelled excellence and power.


    She was like a nice actress if words were the only concern for everyone involved. They weren''t. Almost everyone was aware of how pitiful and playful this sounded. Be it Lisa who took this situation for a game, or David, who knew about Lisa and Carmilla and how this whole situation could only worsen because Carmilla had some questionable plot.


    They didn''t have a lot of acts ready.


    Expecting this first Lawful ''''scout'''' to appear and do something like talking and offering nothing might be even suspicious and wrong at the same time. It wasn''t right. That was what he Read and felt, and Lisa didn''t want to even think about him. She just observed what David had to say.


    Frankly, he didn''t expect Carmilla to make a move when she was all alone. It was either confidence or... it was stupid naivety, close to half-sincerity, or she was more confident about her ability than anyone else.


    David wished to laugh, but he bet on sheer stupidity because she walked to her death if she thought she could get away from this. He wasn''t some sorry idiot any longer; he was brutal and ready to get what he wanted.


    Her words weren''t trustworthy from those principles alone, while her Pledge idea was nothing more than an excuse without any merits.


    David knew the rules of this game she was trying. He could work with words alone if that was up first, and this role would not hurt him.


    Then, the situation shifted once more with Itrosh hissing aside, grabbing her dagger and ready to use it, whereas Bagus was swirling his tail like a whip. David rather made up his move, giving Ultium a small look to wait.


    ¡°You should remain calm, Carmilla. If you wish for hope, sincerity can speak thousands of words between reason and doubt. You want a change, eh? That''s funny. There are many other ways to go onwards and some Diamond Badge isn''t a laughing matter. I wouldn''t help with that whatsoever. Give me a single reason to not doubt you. It isn''t about your human status. Anyone sane would get this idea and world. Humans in this sort of Hell don''t appear like those from the Surface and neither I nor you could deny that.¡±


    Carmilla kept her eyes sharp and didn''t smile. She tapped her left foot on the stone, wondering if her motives and moves were correct. They should still work.


    ¡°I get that a lot. Humans or demons or devils. Who gives a shit what race or mind is about, right? That''s just a shitty justification to call others different. You do the same thing. A human boy who took this Hell as a storm. Not a shelter. I was better yet where have we ended? What an odd situation we found, didn''t we?¡± she laughed.


    ¡°Trust is a start.¡±


    ¡°Excuses. Power is trust.¡±


    ¡°Then I have all the trust I have.¡± David spread his hands, gesturing to his whole party.


    ¡°Trust, huh? How about a Pledge?¡±


    ¡°Not enough.¡± David refused her without hesitation. ¡°You know how the stakes work. Conditions are timely when they matter and you don''t matter.¡± Taking her wasn''t worth it in the most fundamental principles.


    She was way too unknown.


    Pledge for Helpers was a one-way contract. There were no shortcomings upon failure in most cases, as long as one kept their life intact, of course. Some betraying or fleeing away was possible, lowering the potential number of Helpers until a new Part would start, which meant a huge disparity in trust and worth.


    There were no shackles for the Helpers, unlike for those they pledged for. Reason or Origin, two Sides, their Helpers were essential tools that could break, die, stab backs, leave without speaking, and so on. It was a dangerous position to think about, and many Sides did want to grasp them like tools and nothing else. Some worthwhile rewards were hiding underneath this madness that fewer would leave behind.


    Lisa knew it more than anyone else.


    The Pledge was nothing but a try to tip the scale or rewards, whether they were worth it or not. It wasn''t entirely about trust. Greed, plotting, and links to unfamiliar outer forces or Gods might influence the rest.


    Carmilla might be everything if her little beast thought twice about his feelings.


    In Murai''s case, his Side was stable for a good while since he was nobody, as long as the Vermillion church wasn''t in the picture. In that case, Lisa was still thinking about it from time to time and discovered no news whatsoever, and he had no choice anyway. He kept his life because of Lia anyway, and since then, they were out of sight and mind.


    Ceila''s whole situation was hidden so well, that not even Lorry knew about it, let alone some denizens or organizations around this Gate. Since meeting that church again, Lisa had her thoughts suppressed and took this Encounter for a shadowy hand ready to crash her whole.


    It almost wasn''t right. With those around her, Murai''s Helpers were like hers. Their hopes were her validation and facts, and Murai''s overall situation with trust and rewards meant their position was much better.


    It might disregard the doubt about some voice of reason that accepted this Pledge, for it was a move that already pushed David''s entire position into a corner. There was no going back, so doubting them might not matter, same as that voice.


    Carmilla was like that too. Her words, reasons, and excuses might not be worth listening to at all.


    So why do they keep pestering her for so long? Lisa was still patient and took care of Murai like a necklace hanging on her hand. For some reason, he didn''t mind it and kept observing.


    Carmilla tensed once more and knew that the words were her forte. ¡°Fine. You speak of trust and worth. I can give you a rundown of your dreams and even something better. Do you know how many gangs are around, digging around you? You don''t even know, right? So many brokers moved and changes happened, that your silly ideas and attempts might come as fake news instead. I mean, you have no scouts, so who am I to question your acts? You might ask yourself even more dumb questions.¡± Her obnoxious, arrogant, and confident tone could not draw Murai''s patience to a halt. Lisa took her for a hissing cat, and David had different thoughts altogether.


    ¡°And how''s that supposed to work?¡± David inquired before refusing her and thinking about Ultium''s chains.


    ¡°Of course, that will go after my Pledge,¡± Carmilla said and changed her mind instantly. ¡°Or later. Sure. Later. The task or reward afterward might be good if it forced Ozeki and you to overlook so much. It doesn''t matter to me what comes out of it. I am sincere! That should shut you all up, including you beasts out there.¡± She gestured at Bagus and Itrosh behind her, and even Murai and Lisa.


    There were almost no humans around. By heart, there were none.


    ¡°Excuse me, bitch?!¡± Itrosh hissed again, unhappily taking her mind out of her mouth. Her words were genuine, similar to Bagus, who happily remained aside, unwilling to get involved where he didn''t belong. Not yet.


    These women can bark, hiss, and gnaw at each other behind his back. There was no need for him to care for them. Carmilla ignored unhappy Itrosh and turned to Lisa, David, and Murai instead.


    She cleared her throat, oblivious to the fact that death was around her. She began to speak some sense, which David took with surprise. A lot of situations behind the Helltrim Society were deep and complex, and she even mentioned brokers and specific missions of some private matters. A lot of things no longer followed the regular directions. Physical gathering now ruled and private or self-proclaimed scouting was next in line to success.


    David thought Marthosh would be enough. It went through time and effort, wrong expectations, and he failed to recognize the unorthodox Side that he followed. Lisa urged him to do better, yet still failed.


    Not like she expected something different, for as long as she had those five little tools around her, it was up to her satisfaction.


    So when this woman spoke her strange mind, she wasn''t sure what to think because she sounded way too reasonable all of a sudden.


    Some bits even pulled some context and described what David and Lisa already knew or thought would happen.


    Carmilla knew a lot of things, as she was a private scout who was able to go through this Gate in less than a day. Back to back, she was able to gather an immense amount of information without many issues. And nobody should catch her. Her work was invaluable to many brokers and companies.


    Murai was livid to hear her words and how others took it. Still, he lacked the touch or voice, and he felt like third-wheeling this whole situation because Carmilla spoke to those who knew better than him. Strangely enough for him, Lisa and David remained silent, but not appalled by her tone. They figured her truths didn''t matter. So what if they knew the overall picture? Could they change a lot? It''s not like their options were wide enough to regard something new with some big advantage.


    Now, they felt some unknown side of her story might be bigger than usual. Maybe she was sincere but bad at communicating.


    Lisa usually saw through lies straight away because she was an excellent liar. David understood it, as it was her sincerity. Carmilla was hiding craftiness and questionable reasons due to her job alone.


    Lisa was the same. ¡°Don''t trust her that much,¡± Her voice sounded in Murai''s mind. ¡°I think this woman is quite a good liar, actor, and someone who seeks chances no matter what. I got a craving for some interesting ideas from her, but my senses may be wrong. What about your Soul Read? Does it work on her? How about your hunch?¡±


    He was still prized like a fish and didn''t like it. ¡°Trust has principles. She wants something. We want something as well. Catching, Tokens, heads, or information. She can choose this feast for her hopes and she genuinely feels confident. I Read her like an idiot who doesn''t know the true consequences of some action, or does she? I am more worried about Ultium behind us if I am honest with you. Besides that, she is collected and calm, and her sincerity could hide poison. Fear isn''t there even if it should. Thus, she is a confident idiot who can get through us in some ways. Words might not... if I get your head enough, which I don''t. So?¡±


    Lisa appreciated his output. ¡°Well, she is powerful enough to feel that way, and being an idiot is a nice way to put it. Not only had she almost caught you behind our eyes, she is even surrounded.¡±


    ¡°The fact you let her do this is another thing,¡± Murai said. ¡°Why? Was this intentional? You showed that map and spoke out loud along with a bunch of eye-catching nonsense, involved me, and you even think that David could do it justice. Those Crows and this woman were watching us for a good while, shrouded and spying. Perhaps she thought you didn''t notice her.¡±


    ¡°Intentions are a possibility. We, I, think of a way onwards, surrounded by foes that are yet to make their moves. They will, if not they already did. Carmilla is the first in line if she took this sort of bait, but it is still strange. I think she would''ve come to us sooner if Pledge is what she wanted all along, don''t you think?¡±


    ¡°Bait, huh? Never mind that. My Soul Read may not work for everything useful and everyone has their emotions, souls, and circumstances. Reading others is like a bunch of noises and feelings as if I am a mop going through skin and Will. It is subjective to emotions, so it could be faked, distracted, and hardly validating. Yeah. Like you...¡±


    ¡°Should I cheer on you?¡±


    ¡°Nah. Souls are complicated. I can''t Read you, nor those that have some... protections, complications, or whatnot. That much is understandable. If lies hide her words behind some truths or vice-versa, that means I don''t trust her. It could be a problem that you''ve already established. What is this about? Do you want her Pledge? I will gouge her eyes quicker than hear her continuing rubbish.¡± Murai ended their small internal discussion after Lisa smirked and made no further comment.


    Murai understood it was up to her anyway.


    As they talked, Carmilla remained talking.


    ¡°Forces of the Province 5 to the Parched Plains are all in arms and internal strifes. Some gangs rushed for some touch and hundreds took upon this silly hunt-attempt. Military intercepted some, or some individual grudges did too, but since Levandis states her wish, her military is much more apparent, arming and training in their ways. With Scorching Light the way it has always been, there are at least thirty gangs ready to intercept your steps. Those are unknown in time, powers, or ideas. Many bid for time, you see, and are yet to be known. Guesses spread. Rumors or fake news as you''ve said as well. It is also true that no one knows your target, but that map...words, or some ideas might come to us closer. Is it really the Sector 45?¡± Carmilla pointed at the ground, giving a map no far away some look.


    Her previous surge of wind scrambled not a lot of things, as David cleaned almost everything.


    ¡°How are you sure that map is correct? What if we bait you here and spoke nonsense?¡± Lisa said with a bewitching smile on her face.


    Carmilla expected that sooner. ¡°Why? Bait or not, you let me be without starting a fight or doing something else outright. If not wonders or some hesitations, then what is it? You might''ve lied. So could I.¡±


    ¡°So what do you want?¡± Bagus asked, thundering his voice and slapping the ground with his feet. Stone cracked under a crisp sound, and a flash of his tail whipped against the air and smashed some rock to pieces.


    ¡°Now, I speak some sense and bring reasons to your silly Side. Targets or not, your actions warrant some findings and a curious personality. Your target is in Scorching Light for sure. All details indicate that, so your previous conversations were sincere, yet my words still remain. Weird, but sincere.¡±


    ¡°You are not,¡± Lisa said. ¡°You tried to stir us and catch your prey. What is there to discuss? Perhaps Ultium should''ve killed you straight away and done this stalling its justice, but David didn''t want that. I wonder why.¡±


    David caught her brief annoyance, coughed, and cleared his throat. ¡°That''s not important when news isn''t there for us but wider for others. We will inevitably get the picture, Carmilla. You are a bonus. Similar to our ways that go to your. Spread the word if you want. Will it change something for us? For me?! With Razmund and Ozeki around, who knows what lurks in the shadows? Those like you are everywhere, waiting for the first beat-down or a proper clash.¡±


    ¡°No one is like me,¡± Carmilla said confidently. ¡°The rest of this insane place doesn''t even see their noses. Everyone has their greed and chaotic hopes. And it is true. The other Side of yours is powerful and hopeful. Ozeki is a powerhouse that rules over some Sectors in Province 2. He also steadied his forces, brought them out, and followed Razmund''s words like a tool. He is a Helper, but the kind that has a lot of backers and weight. It''s not compared to yours, David.¡±


    ¡°Says you,¡± David cracked his fist to make a point.


    ¡°Right? Weird how it was allowed, wasn''t it? How Levandis accepted it without giving him any notable chains, curses, rules, or benefits of doubt. Ozeki is a big dubious part, but is that all? Their movement isn''t public even to me, but I sure can find them much more than your lacking boy who is hiding like a rat and done this Encounter a great turn.¡±


    Her confidence was returning, even when both Sides exchanged lies, truths, rumors, and many threats.


    She was scouting Murai''s Side anyway and was confident to make this situation even better, similar to Lisa who was the same, albeit a little different in schemes and purposes. It was anxious. Carmilla hoped to get something great out of this experienced scoop.


    Lisa heard a bunch of names and notable enemies from David. Then, her findings before meeting him gave her the rest.


    Carmilla. Her name, backing, and business were part of the information gathering Lisa started when she arrived here. Back then, she also found out about David, which included many other names that were a little familiar to her memory. She never doubted her facts. Some of them might be essential further down the line. Like David, or Ultium.


    ¡°So, Carmilla, you didn''t find much about Razmund, huh? How strange. Ozeki is one thing; a clear historical figure with a reputation, but isn''t Razmund the same? Sure, both of their powers are unquestionable, but also new.¡±


    ¡°I meant the hidden shit, David!¡± She argued back, bothered about something.


    ¡°Do you think I don''t know that? There are things we can''t do or think right now. Guesses might work and we have our secrets as well. It''s fair.¡± David said as he faked a surprise and humiliation with a grunt and clutch of his fist. He doubted Carmilla didn''t see through him. She was way too clever for her own good.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Carmilla didn''t lose her voice. ¡°He is careful. That guy. I don''t know why. Since he forced Ozeki to retreat from his lofty manners, a lot of things don''t make sense. Both are powerhouses, but you are nothing alike. There is a rumor that he fought with him to a sandhill and forced his heart into a Pledge. It worked. There was also that ideal fight against Luno, but it was a sub-optimal trial with questionable authenticity and odd shadows.¡±


    David chuckled. ¡°And? Ozeki. A Named Devil who was part of the First Legion. Marthosh didn''t talk about him. Why? Why he should? I know plenty about it myself, so who to kid?¡±


    ¡°Right? Your boy is in the wrong, I tell you that. I am not lying, nor exaggerating.¡± Carmilla insisted, which further assured Murai''s Reads and the unhindered idea that she should just disappear. Not only was he sure about her lies, but she was trying to get something else out of this conversation. Perhaps she was looking for worth across everything, hoping to get his Token, denizen''s badges, heads, and even some details. Not everyone was right in her mind. It might even make sense when Murai reconsidered his ideas and the fact that he had yet to see much of this world''s people.


    David and Carmilla might be closer in hopes when he thought about it.


    And Carmilla shouldn''t even get half of her desires; it just wasn''t possible and everyone in this group knew it.


    But most of them believed that Carmilla could take Murai away, most likely defeat Itrosh and David, and fleeting away from Bagus and Ultium might be possible if she had some interesting trump cards, or if she wasn''t alone.


    Those Crows weren''t part of this visit, so what if something else was around? Murai was getting suspicious that she was stalling and speaking nonsense for some ulterior motive. She had Path to accommodate this sort of plan, but her mind was not enough.


    Alas, plans worked both ways, and the opposite side could crack it apart.


    Since Lisa ensured she had some things to do, Murai wondered what else she, his team, or Carmilla were hiding. What about her mentions of the Pledge, or how she told them about the surroundings, scouts, and gangs waiting under some locations? Some of that wasn''t surprising or weak, while some of it was straight-up boring.


    David and Lisa gathered potential routes and roads to take or overlook. Finding problems alongside them was part of her plan, whereas some acts would happen regardless of those plans. Some of them looked forward to them, but Lisa did not.


    Could Carmilla lie, including the hope about the Pledge? If so, did this mean the majority of truths hid more lies or hidden meanings? It was a good method under some circumstances, but where she was again, or who was she seeing?


    Murai would laugh if he could, and Lisa was overlooking one fact that would give it so much light: her sona and memory touch. Then, there was David who would fix this in a moment.


    Surrounded, everyone was on edge in one way or another. Both in words and actions, they were balancing on a thin thread.


    A perfect lie had some specks of truth, while power could cause both of these things to be obsolete. Killing Carmilla like Murai suggested would solve only one trouble. Her. That was a normal and not bizarre idea, and despite that, Carmilla remained quite calm throughout her talk as if she was giving them a favor. Anyone inexperienced would long crack under the surrounding pressure, Anatidae, Lisa, and a devil with a dangerous heart.


    Thinking of a way out should be a priority, but perhaps attacking them from the start was her biggest failure. There was no going back now, even if she screwed up something, but not everything.


    The start was in Lisa''s hands, and her words were awaiting. David got her approach and took the reign over this conversation because he knew this woman enough.


    What was the most suspicious about this whole situation? Carmilla''s intention without hearing concrete validity of what she heard. Future betrayal was more than likely if they would even take her words for truth.


    Which they didn''t


    Both parties had some hideous truths, secrets, and problems about how Encounters worked, making them enormous. Such situations were up to crafty rules, reasons, and variables that few managed to solve for their authentic benefits. In that sense, Ceila and Lia took that idea in mind before the Encounter even started. One of them failed because the Centralis Kingdom made their moves even faster and with much more splendor and acts. Well, perhaps both touched upon much more than it appeared.


    It backfired splendidly even more after they lost sight of Murai, while Iris and Timmy were both gone and outside of the picture.


    Those were variables that were hard to perceive. It either moved by the rules of this game, or someone decided to take the rules into their own hands.


    What Carmilla wanted was something similar, as she was seeking hope and rules that might be hers or others. Lisa saw through her without even touching her soul. The Pledge was an interesting dynamic shift that described benefits and some dubious ideas.


    For someone to seek its true game, approval was required. Playing around the flanks was not unthinkable. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Getting into either Side was easy and hard depending on benefits and how lofty someone was. Sides represented danger levels and greater, yet unknown rules touched the rest. Some Gods might even let things go or touch upon Helpers depending on how perceived or advantageous they were. Not Sides. It was about the approach to politics most of the time, and if two Gods under the Encounter operated against one another, it meant mayhem and chaos.


    Lisa had no idea what the present Part even meant or what went on behind the scenes. Murai or David had no idea either.


    What they watched from the ground zero was enough. Right. Betrayal was reasonable since both Sides clashed against this temple, so some interest might''ve already altered.


    Carmilla could be a hidden Side, meaning that Razmund or Ozeki sent her, or some other party wanted to get in.


    Getting details was essential, so Lisa figured out how messed up this situation was quite easily and wanted to hear her story.


    It was hard to see what was false or true. She had been overthinking her acts for a very long time, which would explain Murai''s present dissatisfaction with her since finding facts was as hard as taking this situation as a proper meeting.


    Nothing was proper.


    Unlike the direct Sides, Helpers could forfeit, leave, and forget them at any time. Murai had been confused about this fact ever since David, Lisa, and Bagus talked about it. Just what was this upheaval and utter shitshow called Encounter about? Murai couldn''t figure out even one single good thing about it. Lisa didn''t either.


    Carmilla could Pledge her allegiance and backstab them, costing them a spot, and giving something else a sudden thrashing.


    Or she was all fake and Hunt was the core situation of this madness.


    Murai thought he was beginning to see some truth, yet kept his silence as he observed and Read the situation. It was an interesting benefit of being sidelined like a pet.


    Not every Helper should be equal and aware of everything. They were tools. Using them depended on many things, and their heads or ideas might turn problematic or quite good.


    Ozeki was the same.


    David might be different, and his three little friends were the same.


    Almost no one in Hellscape was even sure what went behind this Encounter. Helpers were outside parties that could influence the whole mess and Levandis was clearly pissed about it, or forceful in its case, which made many denizens unhappy, and stronger forces hesitant.


    Then, there was Ceila and Lia who were right below Vermillion, while what was happening with Razmund''s Side wasn''t simple either. Mindarch, Manager Kil, and Levandis all overlooked and let a lot of things go.


    With unknown Gods touching upon this madness, just who watched this in hopes of more mess? Some of them. Not all of them.


    There were rumors that failure on the Encounter''s direct Side came with punishments and curses. Rules weren''t clear in this forceful task while meddling with this work wasn''t fitting for some outsiders. It was rumor alone.


    It shouldn''t be life-threatening. Malicious or painful? Sure, but not lethal like Wrath or Trials of Gods.


    Sometimes, there were crafty, impatient, and quite resolute beings who would work against any odds or meanings, angering Gods and taking the situation of the Surface for what it always was. The Old World was like a shadow lingering under the Surface, giving ideas, cultures, and stakes of the old to the future. This sort of approach was dangerous and lofty at the present age because Gods didn''t want it.


    Behind them, it was always feasible to meet these sorts of mundane, crazy, and devious beings who despised the monarchy and rule of Divides and proper Godhood.


    Murai would understood this fact if he was even half of the man he used to be.


    Against him was a child. A master in surveillance, stealth, and speed. Carmilla was above Level 70 for more than a decade already, thus experienced and familiar with the rules of the Surface and Hells. She lived in this temple because she wanted to. Not because she had to. Those born here were often desiring something else, for it was the dream of many to escape this place.


    Growing accustomed to mediocrity wasn''t right, and finding a way out was harder than it looked like. Power was a necessity to be free of the clutches of this world. And even with it, one might not be truly free anyway.


    Carmilla remained talking, giving Lisa and David most of her attention. Her aura was calm, and so were her acts, which put more doubts into her overall picture.


    David played along with her words, speaking and listening, while Lisa was the one with the last choice.


    The most important part of being clueless was acting as if you knew everything. In situations with high interests, craftiness was essential. Even more so when lies were hard to distinguish from facts and vice-versa.


    Sometimes, meeting this sort of person was a great key to the world or self-doubts.


    Lisa and Murai had their differences, and internal discussion, where one side was getting more and more annoyed, while the other was getting restless because the other side was right.


    ¡°Stop this already. She is wasting our time,¡± Murai suggested.


    ¡°Or waiting for something?¡± Lisa proposed.


    ¡°That''s the same thing! There is no point. Nobody is around. These mountains are lifeless. Also, why care about her at all? Do you really think you can get something good out of her? What even, or why?¡±


    ¡°Useful folks are sometimes enemies or clueless fools that might not be entirely foolish. Overconfidence means doom.¡± Lisa said as if everything was simple.


    ¡°Am I a fool then?¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± She barked to his soul, but then, knew her needs and plans. ¡°We seek truth and you know that. Fish don''t need to know they will get caught. It is the start before the epilogue. We are almost there.¡±


    ¡°Epilogue... What a speechless and unnecessary word. Just go to her head and call it a day... I am getting fed up with being caught like a fish.¡±


    Lisa wanted to say something back and felt his sneering idea that was borderline taunting in arrogance. She scoffed at him before finally admitting her blunder. Souls were complicated, but even in her current lifeform akin to a Child, she had one way to handle this. Soul Renders had their odd limits, similar to every beginning of every race. However, hers was unique, but not unique at the same time. Everything had its beginning, her race was the same.


    The peak of her hopes was far away, hiding in the obscurity of her hands, and something should help her. Memory Extract was a bizarre way of sona that was penetrative and similar to invading ghost-like properties of dreaming creatures, things hidden in the Void or Chaos Space. It was a powerful way to invade others, get something back, and feel the rules of the soul.


    Lisa couldn''t do it true justice for her own benefit of doubts and personal reasons. But she could do enough, she believed. A quick glimpse or a forceful grab of memory fragments could come a long way if the opposite side was so smaller than hers. It worked with those messiahs; never with Murai. Each had clear differences and weights like a planet and a boulder.


    Soul fragments were part and personal objectification of a soul.


    Memory fragments held memories not only about the soul, but of all kinds of acts, words, visions, and pictures. Lisa discovered this ability not that long ago, right after she got her first long-term sleep, yet never put it to good use.


    It might be dangerous or useless if Carmilla had some soul protection. Considering she had some Law under her grasp, affecting her flesh, her soul might not be so regular.


    Lisa was tiny, sona wasn''t any crazy as her ideals, and her race left many desires in the dust or forgotten depths of her soul. It was about power. Her current body lacked so much, that putting even her basic to good use took a lot of effort. Barely cracking her physicality gave her immense heaviness, while Murai in her hand wasn''t so good either.


    It might be strange, but Murai was as useful thanks to his Soul Read which was a peculiar ability that Lisa wasn''t unfamiliar with. It was remarkable how he got it, albeit he thought it was lacking a lot, which described his questionable ideas that Lisa didn''t like. Murai assumed a lot of bullshit all the time, knew about the brilliance of the greater skies, and never felt satisfaction. Lisa believed he should feel some speck of humility and often regarded him as a fool with big expectations, even though she was the same.


    Maybe it was her wrong assumption making her like that, or she was plain wrong and stupid like Murai, although there was some truth in acceptance. Either way, she couldn''t gift him meanings or hidden truths, for there was no time or space for that.


    At least not for now, Lisa accepted. It wasn''t the only thing. He had a bunch of abilities that held quite some rare starting positions with a lot of weight, so she wondered where he would go, or how some things were locked and some were so crazy.


    Thinking about it was unnecessary, as his magic and mind were his limits, and this world and other things were something else. It wanted his End, so Lisa got to work and pulled protection ahead. There were fewer things to lose as far as her soul went. It was extraordinary, while her body was stronger than one would assume, even if it was weak in some regards. Her choices were stubborn, so she decided to make her move Murai stated.


    Tossing Murai aside, and giving him to Itrosh who hissed in a surprise, Lisa cracked her arms in light strength and gave herself much more idealistic weight and waves. it was like a sea turning wilder, and her eyes stopped Carmilla''s voice.


    Even David thought she was doing something wrong.


    Lisa pushed David aside, and after following their conversation for way too long, she had enough. Memory Extract had various points and ways of linking. She could be quick, forceful, and grasping like a curse. Scrapping Carmilla by her shoulder wouldn''t work that well. She needed a better touch. Her head would be the best, but that might not be possible right now.


    Carmilla frowned, expecting something bad, and her focus turned sharper. Even if her Law of Wind might not be that clear against this odd ghost, it was still a Law. She could unleash her power in a heartbeat, escape, and even get her prize if Itrosh had it.


    This allowed Lisa to approach her much more easily than she thought.


    ¡°You are really something, talking about this and that,¡± Lisa said to her, smiling like a little devil. ¡°I still have my doubts, so how about you make a deal with me?¡±


    ¡°Deal? Are my gatherings not enough for you? Ozeki is a massive foe, so if his forces are outside of the military strength and current happenings, what does Levandis''s previous message warrant? She said to reclaim clarity, yet military strength got much more power, and gangs or this Hunt is something else. Too many acts against this party should be within the norm, and dreadful to you all. Extremes might not move, but since you crashed the...¡±


    ¡°Silence...¡± Lisa said coldly, ending her cracking hands, and moved one hand forward, palm facing the ceiling. ¡°We know that with David and the rest, things turned weird. It is because of me too. I made this mess possible.¡±


    ¡°What a villainous deed,¡± Carmilla laughed. ¡°King is also excellent, but you are worthy of 200,000 Hell Points, little ghost. Catching you seems like the biggest price, yet it is odd. You don''t have a Token, as you are... what? Who? There is not one speck of word or shadow about you. Is catching that Anatidae the same? Nay. Its worth is different, and including that Token and you, you are a set worth many powers, points, and Laws.¡±


    ¡°Is it worth the effort?¡± Lisa asked with a smile.¡°Where does it lead? Back to you. All that talk that you gave us for free means nothing. Ozeki or his lackeys, what changes? We will go to the Scorching Light anyway and fight it out if we have to. If we are followed or intercepted midway through isn''t important.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Carmilla perked her lips. ¡°What do you suggest then? I am willing to work for anyone as long as it is worth it. Your Side is the same.¡±


    ¡°Are you Razmund''s Helper?¡±


    ¡°No. Why would I be that?¡±


    ¡°Because of your offers and ideas,¡± David added. ¡°I have your profile too, don''t forget me.¡±


    Carmilla frowned. ¡°Uh.. Sincerity is so hard to tame. What else do I have to do to get your acceptance.¡±


    ¡°Your hand,¡± Lisa suggested, flickering her hand and cracking it into azure storm. Fingers increased in density and length, turning to human-sized hands. She offered it to her, almost snatching her head and arms all by herself.


    ¡°Do we have an agreement?¡± Carmilla asked doubtfully, thinking over every potential idea of what sort of body this ghost had. It was no fairy, ghost-like figure, or... was it something else or separate from this world? She was confused and couldn''t connect some ideas.


    Which shall move to her eventual doom.


    ¡°Depends on the business.¡±

 Chapter 212: Ambush

    Since she had few things to lose, Carmilla accepted her hand, clutching it in wonders and itching Wind. She unleashed Windforce all over it, protecting her physique and giving her some weight and danger.


    It barely moved those flickering waves, changed Lisa''s mind, or hand.


    Sparks clashed as they touched. Lisa tensed up as a streak of her rare ability and a couple of flashes moved onto the fleshly hand. Sona moved and invaded, flooding and alerting Carmilla that something terrific pushed boundaries between physicality and soul. It was too late to crash these strands of sona, let alone push that hand away. She kicked her hand, and Lisa chuckled in stress as her body wavered and her physicality changed. She became like a flickering flame and Carmilla was unable to touch her, let alone stop her clasp.


    ¡°What the fuck is that?! What are you?¡± she shouted in despair when something invasive hindered her head and a painful scream halted her mind, stopping her Wind.


    Everything was connected above Level 70. For martial artists, physique, Levels, attributes, and potent Will or mind were all important. Laws were an undeniable force of nature and the universe, giving much more than some would imagine or suggest. Their acts had to be clear, and Wind was precise and ever-changing. Carmilla had to always remain calm to control it.


    Something insane went deep into her like a worm before reaching deeper than her worries. There was no protection in place, or Lisa was simply unfamiliar with this concept of force.


    The easiest way to get some glimpses was by force. Worries and present issues were most likely on top of her mind, easily seen and digestible.


    Lisa won her bet. Fragmented and thin, these memory glimpses gave her flashing pictures and words that Carmilla thought about, met, or seen. Not only she was in cahoots with quite a few forces and companies, but she wasn''t free either.


    She stalled for a reason and did her words justice because something wrong with her.


    Lisa pulled her mind like seizing force and weapon before turning her head and speaking to David.


    He gulped and had never seen Lisa like that. She was ethereal and like a powerful storm.


    ¡°Shitty cursed words. There are enemies. Barriers mile behind us to prevent any spotting... Someone was prepared for Itrosh. A bunch of gangs is in the left perimeter and below the mountain, waiting for us to go onwards, or waiting for this shitty tool.¡± Lisa said, still holding onto Carmilla who shuddered on the ground, losing her wits, and feeling as if her mind went through a storming weather that didn''t destroy her mind, but she felt it could.


    Lisa held back.


    ¡°W-what?¡± David said.


    ¡°Left side! Deal with it, stupid,¡± Lisa shouted, and at last, her physicality shook, and she backed away from Carmilla, who grunted, and felt lingering pain and immense fear. Everything failed... didn''t it?


    She didn''t expect to be seen like a child before a god. No. That was wrong. ¡°What... is this?¡± she mumbled.


    There were secrets that Lisa pulled under a couple of breaths. That was ridiculous. She believed it was a trick.


    And since she was so close, her Law of Wind flickered back and pushed against her boundaries. Ground cracked when her legs trembled when she disappeared, kicking the wind and space. The next time, Carmilla appeared and swiped her leg right at Lisa. She hit her straight on with powerful Law force, but all it did was scatter further handfuls of her form. Like a fog, Lisa flinched before her body reformed, panted hard, and her size got much smaller.


    ¡°Hm... You thought I am weak, bitch?¡± Lisa said coldly, glaring at her with arrogance. ¡°You are as good as dead.¡±


    As Carmilla did her best, she was too late to perceive the incoming End. It was too soon, or too late for any changes or words. She fucked up.


    ¡°F-fuck. You are a freaking... No. A soul...? You touched my memories! I''ve never heard of this sort of thing apart from some nasty little curses.¡± Carmilla complained as if Lisa slapped her pretty face.


    Bagus and Itrosh were yet to make their move since David was still frozen and Ultium was as well. The gust of Wind she unleashed with her kick was much more different from her landing, leaving wind blades all around that hit everyone around her. It did nothing. The sharpness was excellent thanks to her all-out attack.


    Ultium remained in place, blocking those strikes with his palm, protecting even frozen David who had yet to comprehend the situation and what Lisa discovered. Itrosh simply ducked, protecting Murai by hugging him to her chest, and Bagus laughed at this breeze.


    Nothing else mattered for Carmilla. She pulled her shit together far too late and her value behind her conscience went out of this cliff. Fear seized her when she jumped away right when Bagus flickered his tail, aiming at her head. As fast as she could, she moved like a shadow, graciously sidestepping under every powerful blow that cracked the stone and pushed her Wind away.


    ¡°You are this strong?¡±


    With Murai in hand, Itrosh had a single free hand, so she pulled some flying knives and unleashed a flurry of her Path. It was a weird one, not necessarily adjusted that well to her species, but it wasn''t as if it mattered. Path of Weaponry focused on mastering many smaller or large weapons seamlessly. Long ranger or short range, it didn''t matter. It was less about grace and more about small, precise, or quick flurry of attacks. This Path held a certain reputation in Martial Art Pathway that was impossible to quench. It was about versatility and near-endless variants, making it a Path that was impossible to master.


    It was versatile across all kinds of races, while Itrosh put good use to her Influence Items and species to focus on speed and precision. She was no longer considered part of her race. She changed herself far too much.


    Knives flickered, but each bounced from Wind before hitting Carmilla''s back. A wind blade formed from the swipe of her leg, curving and protecting her as she flew and made a bunch of maneuvers mid-air. Every movement of her legs followed many strikes of Wind as she fought against two beings close to her Level.


    She failed with her terrible purposes, so her life was what mattered next. Alas, she made a massive blunder of coming here with that sort of attitude. Attacking was the first mistake, the second was her overconfidence, and the last thing was thinking she could get away. It was the start of the biggest suspicion, but also an excuse.


    The first was an excellent start to remedy. Carmilla wanted to act sorry that she tried to gouge their strength and act of her prey. All to make herself more believable.


    It failed. There was no remedy left. Like a whip, a flickering sound echoed in the way of her moves, crashing her Law of Wind and her footwork. Bagus''s tail flickered, extending to almost a dozen meters, swirling like a snake, while its tip was like a spear. It was like a thin whip for real, catching and latching onto her hand, and testing her bones.


    It was a single powerful tail, and Bagus wasn''t nice against enemies no matter what. It was true. Carmilla left some devices and worked with a bunch of gangs to pull formations far away, obscuring any observation skills by influencing the space, air, and all physical senses, while no one could notice it was right or wrong.


    It was an illusion pattern formation, so Itrosh got particularly angry about it


    Enemies were long close to their location, and Lisa found out about it right now. It was still working, so they shouldn''t have gotten exposed.


    Lisa calmed her mind and sorted herself out before giving David an annoyed look. ¡°Should I touch your little head again?!¡±


    This shuddered his insides and his mind cleared up.


    By this time, Bagus flexed his tail, twisting Carmilla from the air to hit the ground, cracking that hand like a carrot and letting blood flow. It wasn''t as bloody thanks to his thick tail, but open twisted wounds weren''t the prettiest.


    Carmilla screamed, hurriedly finding a dagger to cut her arm off, but it was too late.


    David moved, stepped onto her arm, and looked at her coldly. ¡°You were set on this for way longer, weren''t you?


    ¡°Fuck you...¡± Carmilla grimaced.


    ¡°Very well...¡±


    Ultium appeared beside him, standing tall and calm. His right arm was beside his hip; the other in his pocket. Blood and red mist swirled around his fingers and forearm even with the suit in the way. Blood seemed to work alongside his suit, making it part of his work uniform as well as combat.


    Ultium put his right arm up and moved his fingers to resemble a strangely shaped spear palm. Pinching his fingers worked well for the name of this move. Pincher was a heartbreaking move capable of unleashing a terrific level of strength.


    Though the fingers were red and mist covered them, his nails were still distinct from the rest, creating a sharp tip.


    ¡°Just die,¡± He said these words like a grim reaper, piercings her throat, and severing her windpipe and head in one single sweep. Carmilla was dead on the spot; she didn''t even wince or spit out blood. Her head and the rest of her body lifelessly lay there on the ground, where it bathed in a pool of blood.


    ¡°That was a bit easy.¡± Murai thought under Itrosh''s grip.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Lisa argued next, floating in a better form. ¡°She was skilled in other things besides the art of living. Imagine being pinned against a whole team of properly trained fighters such as this group. She wouldn''t stand a chance even if she had the same level as Ultium.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Murai figured, remembering when he fought against those three messiahs in Seventh Death Forest. They were much stronger than him, yet he killed them one by one. Couldn''t Carmilla do the same?


    Well, she was dead. She can''t choose anything anymore.


    David was the only one who was stunned. He glanced at the dead Carmilla, who was at some point his acquaintance and perhaps even a friend. As a human, it was no wonder that those alike flocked together, but not all things went well. The truth of a simple death took her life away, and in this place, friendships can die, and benefits ruled.


    By her head, Ultium crouched down and took a ring out of his left pocket. Placing it on her head, a beam of gray light consumed her whole body, letting it grind away as if time went on for years under a second. That went on until no flesh was around the bones before even bones disappeared to dust and gray light that went to Ultium''s ring. Somewhere alongside this, her soul left as well. All that remained was her clothes, pouches, lone knife, and ring she didn''t have a chance to use.


    If she had taken more steps, and pounced away for survival the moment Lisa got away, perhaps she would have lived. Even a speck of a second was enough to do a lot of things, but what about a bunch of seconds?


    That would allow her to go far, and a forceful manner of persuasion would come next, but her speed was better than most of those around her Level, and her comrades weren''t far either. With her End, the war shall start.


    It was too late to dwell on whether she would get out or not. The gangs that purchased her service with a hefty amount of Ultra Gems and Hell Points were close, and Lisa had all desires to crack them apart one by one to appease one rule of this Gate.


    Reputation.


    She wanted to give all the reasons for some fools to get out of her sight.


    Some purchased information from Carmilla, others missions for badges, a Token, or heads. Some wanted David alone, others Anatidae as a whole. Murai was weak, so Carmilla had near certainty she would catch him first before leaving after getting information and David''s head.


    Now, she was dead, so no speculations were necessary for anyone besides Lisa.


    Ultium looked at the receding light that disappeared to his ring as if he were watching sunlight he had never seen. It was a bad habit, but he got what he wanted. ¡°Target eliminated.¡± He mumbled to David, whose feet remained on the ground. She was no more, departing like dust into the wind.


    What happened with Carmilla was the way essence gathering worked for those without Guides. It was up to the badge. Ultium''s was in his ring, right alongside the essence storage that was part of it.


    Proper Challenger had a Token that acted with its internal storage and workings, so Murai could do the same thing as Ultium did. Unfortunately, he never had a chance to use it, even when he saw others using their badges numerous times. Especially Itrosh was way horny to show him this act before, which was both gruesome, full of gore and some miseries, and her fervent eyesight and voice were brutal.


    It was an interesting act full of rules and interesting devices, so Murai wanted to test it himself, but no fodder ever appeared besides those that immediately fled in sight of Bagus. One had to use their Badge quickly, otherwise, the fallen denizen would get absorbed into the temple instead. The timer was usually a few minutes, which made battles quite messy, yet less crazy than one would think.


    Securing essences from the fallen foes was worth some strategies, so a lot of skirmishes were unusual, yet not that many fitting targets moved to Murai. By some strange link, only someone who killed their foe could get their essence.


    Lisa did what she wanted. Fear took the heart of those who didn''t want to work against their wishes. Lacking fodder wasn''t an issue. Lisa didn''t care for them as long as Murai was safe, and his bothersome thoughts should keep his soul busy. She even considered it good news when he focused on training and getting stronger in other ways than fighting.


    After the last Gate, his magic didn''t need as much intensity and insanity as a hundred fights. A more intricate solution to this essence gathering would be Lorry himself, but he was nowhere to be seen since the start of this Gate. Lisa thought he would come back when the Hunt began. That was the usual procedure for most Guides when the sensitive shift would change this Gate. They were required to do their job regardless of any problems, while the time beforehand was less important. Still, Lint remained with Razmund, so it might not be that noteworthy anyway.


    It seemed there was something more urgent for him than his life as a Guide.


    With an unknown essence going into his ring, Ultium didn''t store his ring away but walked to Bagus who looked at him in approval. ¡°Not bad. One strike and head gone. You ripped her head away.¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°You helped. How much?¡± Ultium asked.


    ¡°Twenty?¡± Bagus said with his deep voice that was rather raspy as if he was speaking with force and laughter. As a beast, it was no wonder that his speech wasn''t the best.


    Murai was immensely jealous of him, but when he heard it took him nearly a decade to master the human tongue, he wanted to cry instead.


    Some beasts who mastered the language besides their own had often terrible accents, or speech patterns that lacked some clarity. This problem occurred even in those with high intelligence, disproportionate souls, and flesh that might be strong, yet poor in control, or lacking in many layers. The good way to solve this issue was by Will, which was something Murai was able to use, but he was way too potent.


    It wasn''t anything shocking; expecting wild animals to speak wasn''t normal.


    It was a change that came through potent Bloodlines, evolution, and simple weight stemming from ancient Epochs and the depth of the universe. This world changed it a little bit by giving those beasts some chances, but their worth wasn''t ideal, for the Divides preferred different kinds of sincerity and kinship.


    ¡°Quarter seems about right. Thank you for your help.¡± Ultium declared his fee and pointed the ring to Bagus''s chest, which had an intricate necklace on top of the feathers below his neck. It seemed to be part of his feather armor of many large and colorful layers. They didn''t resemble soft hues, but metal protective layers.


    Murai would digress. He rode him enough to feel his feathers. They were softer than they looked.


    Some sort of quick glow formed from the necklace and the ring, forming a transaction upon their agreement. This was the only way to make transactions between the battles, comrades, and wars.


    They both fought, but killing and helping needed an individual course. A quarter of the essence went to Bagus, per the common rules of this temple. Itrosh got nothing because she hadn''t done much. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bagus''s necklace had a crisp azure gem that made the core of this intricate, and almost unnoticeable unique spatial treasure. It was custom-made, thus special for his needs.


    Most beasts had that sort of need, and considering the lack of hands Bagus had, his necklaces worked hands-free. It was the same problem Murai endured, but Bagus had his flexible tail, while his huge beak lacked Murai''s flexibility. It was thick, so he was unable to be precise.


    Necklace blended right into his feathers, which were thick, hard, and longer than Murai''s height. Some were even twice, or thrice longer. Especially in those wings; those were akin to swords, looking much more impressive.


    ¡°Ugh... What a pity.¡± David sighed, watching clothes with some treasures left over. He stored them in his ring.


    ¡°Pity?¡± Lisa charged at him, almost slapping his face. ¡°You were the only one clueless here, I fear.¡±


    ¡°Me!? Fear? Nah. Clueless, sure, but I played my side well, haven''t I?¡± David chuckled, turning away from the clothes that no longer had the firmness of that lavish body. He glanced at Itrosh who was still annoyed she didn''t hit her even once. At least Bagus nodded at his intentions.


    David had not much shame after all.


    Lisa frowned, and made-up brows twitched, until Murai flew over the sky, landing on her face.


    ¡°Carry him,¡± Itrosh said as she pouted.


    Lisa didn''t want to carry Murai like a toy; she even wondered why Itrosh let go of him so quickly. Murai didn''t complain either, observing the kill, Law of Wind, Ultium''s hit, and Bagus''s moves. They were interesting.


    And not alone.


    The moment Lisa clutched Murai, the mood changed.


    From up above, beyond the cliffs, many figures appeared and jumped down. From the opposite direction, clutter spread, and a bunch of figures jumped from way below this platform.


    ¡°Oh, here we go again!¡± Bagus cheered that more essences were coming.


    Lisa sighed. ¡°David?¡±


    ¡°Take care of Murai,¡± David smirked, approached Ultium, patted his shoulder, and spoke. ¡°Go down. You know what to do.¡±


    Ultium nodded, pulled his left arm up, stretched his fingers, and pounced on the approaching group. His arm and fingers were like weapons, and bones and blood stirred as he dealt powerful fist strikes or quick finger-like slashes against some assassins and a bunch of shrouded warriors approaching Level 70. They had powerful weapons and Path, unleashing abilities and magic onto him.


    They were simple gangsters; not really military or great gangs worth some attention, so Ultium''s face barely skipped a heat.


    He kicked some down, before pouncing from this platform, leaving those coming from above behind.


    Itrosh laughed and was happy to fix her reputation. She pounced at one side of the cliff, and David and Bagus soon followed as well, leaving Lisa and Murai alone.


    There were dozens of foes coming from all directions. ¡°Not so easy anymore, eh?¡± Lisa asked him out loud, eyeing this silly duck wearing a hoodie.


    Murai had no shame over his previous comment. ¡°Leave me. We fight! Fight!¡±


    ¡°Nah.¡± She waved a hand, watching how three flanks around this platform were all taken care of. Behind them, Ultium had his killing spree, while the rest couldn''t escape either.


    Bagus was like a killing machine, swirling his tail, wings, paws, and beak. Enemies fell to pieces.


    Itrosh was much more careful and her attacks weren''t as savage. They were quick, leaving small wounds until one would bleed out or lose their lives in one sweeping strike.


    David wasn''t like them at all. He fought bare-handed, holding onto his neat gloves that could pull quite heavy punches. No ordinary sword or axe could penetrate his fist because of them, and he wasn''t as quick.


    Some escaped from his slower spree when more foes appeared above.


    Murai complained in Lisa''s hand to no avail, watching this show. There were no enemies with Laws involved, which made Lisa suspicious.


    Just why they had come?


    Well, the answers were simple. Those coming from up were backers hidden away, and less potent. The main force came from below, where Ultium disappeared, and where those barrier formations were.


    Watching was an excellent way to train too, and having clear views of such high-class figures wasn''t that rare indeed.


    Ultium was savage with his Art of Blood, while his Bloodline did leave some brows raised. He always finished his foes quickly when chance and timing were right, or where David deemed it enough. Even if the foes were quick, or too tough to deal with, he had no trouble with versatility or adapting to them.


    In this journey through the Hellscape, Murai accepted yet another thing apart from the stairs. He got used to riding Bagus and Itrosh''s handling wasn''t that bad either. His travels were much more passable because of them and his sorry acceptance, and as long as they respected him, he didn''t seem to mind it.


    It reminded him of Iris and Ceila far too much, so perhaps he was still traumatized from those times.


    He didn''t show it, however. He accepted it with some unwillingness. Considering the dangers and potential wounds and ambushes included, Murai swallowed the pride he had deep in his heart. He didn''t want any pain.


    That left his heart aching, and what Razmund gave him in return was nothing but a heart demon.


    A minute into this fight, David was unable to keep up with numbers and a bunch of foes went after Lisa and Murai.


    Itrosh and Bagus kept an eye on some of them, but some managed to escape.


    Murai cheered. ¡°Finally some fucking work!¡±


    Lisa grunted in disappointment, and forced him aside, pretending to hide him behind her back, and his quacking nuisance, snapping beak, and flapping wings didn''t do much.


    She was still thinking about her body and acts, and there was some turbulence ahead and inside her. Believing she was starting to comprehend something extremely massive after touching Carmilla, she would go by her voice and act as she promised.


    Sona was an odd power. Calling it a mutated touch of Afterlife and rules of Epochs, or an afterthought of Divides might not be an exaggeration.


    Souls. Will. The force behind the living.


    What made everything up?


    She positioned herself like a wall and with one single hand, pretended to be larger than a mountain.


    Approaching her was a warrior with a massive sword, shrouded in a robe and looking like a hooligan. His eyes were bloodshot insane, and his sorry demonic bloodline better wept in bloody tears.


    Lisa put her arm up as if wanting to clutch that sword,


    It moved past it, hiding nothing after this demon shook, not used to this sort of ghost. His attack kept going and Lisa clutched this change.


    Literary.


    She moved her hand, grasping his neck, and moved sona like a wave. It was no touch of memory. She cracked her physicality and some parts were physical and others weren''t.


    Her hand left its mark.


    The demon''s eyes exploded, arms went dull, and further noise and cracks pulled some blood and physicality apart, leaving the whole head in shambles from the inside out.


    ¡°Gone...¡± Lisa whispered, tossing this person aside like garbage, right before the other approached her.


    This one was shocked, looking much more sorry, afraid, yet furious that they were left behind.


    Where were the main forces?


    ¡°You are left to rot... sorry,¡± Lisa said coldly and flew onward like a nightmare.


    The shrouded warrior yelped, swinging his double swords, but nothing could help.


    On this day, bloodshed and a new nightmare began, albeit the other kept complaining without the ability to do anything.


    It took a dozen minutes for this sequence to lose its luster, forcing many to flee for their lives.


    Lise floated like a stressed cracked statue, clearly in distress and huffing excitement. Murai was still in her palm, clutched but silent. He thought of using Robust Defense, but the moment he noticed how Lisa tested something very hard and fought like a maniac, he observed her instead.


    It was interesting.


    ¡°Itrosh!¡± Lisa shouted, ignoring others. David was bloodied, huffing for breath, slimmer than ever. Bagus was laughing and already moved to accumulate his essences. Others did the same. Lisa had no space to give, so she gave Murai''s Token to David to store her little prices away.


    Murai in her hand couldn''t refute, although her hand wasn''t pretty.


    Itrosh perked up, turning and accepting that her skills weren''t compatible with Carmilla. Her fights fixed her mood, so she approached Lisa after getting her essence.


    Ultium was still down there, somewhere.


    ¡°Scout that direction.¡± Lisa pointed behind those cliffs that hide further mountains and plains filled with some grass and rocky grounds.


    ¡°That one? Not back?¡±


    ¡°Who cares what goes there? Onward is more important.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Itrosh said and forgot any worries. Walking in steady steps to the cliff, she bent her knees, stretched her back, and pounced upward. Leaping far up, she clutched some rocks, used crevices for footing, and ascended hundreds of meters tall cliff in a matter of fifteen seconds. It looked as if she was jumping more than running.


    On top, she sized the surroundings, saw no clear enemies, and figured this location must''ve been under Lisa''s radar. It was almost perfect for the ambush.


    Itrosh believed in her ability and previously felt nobody was here, so they must''ve arrived within the time frame where Carmilla stalled and talked.


    Pulling her hands together as if she was praying, she wasn''t one to pray to any God. She had no pursuit in that direction, although it was inevitable if she wanted to reach the higher stage.


    It wasn''t as if it was hard. Most took godly topics as very serious since the choice to support a God was often life-lasting. It wasn''t the same as living under Levandis. Not everyone here was her close follower. Most beings of this temple were more like useful ants that could grow and become ones, as she wanted more quality than quantity, which made her unique among her peers.


    An oddity.


    Levandis managed to become a Rank 1 God and owner of Somalis Hell and this temple with that sort of ideology. It wasn''t simple.


    Most beings, or even those unlike Itrosh, carried some pride to go this far without godly help. It was subjective to everyone, as some freedom was often worth and necessary for some individuals.


    And there were many Gods who didn''t care for some chains, opting to leave freedom to most of their subjects. It was both validating for Divides and some Gods, who were also subjective, as their desires and hopes to gain followers were as old as the current Epoch.


    Itrosh looked onward. A light, a bit of red, and wind swayed around her palms, forming a vortex of mana, air, and sound akin to a storm. The little redness disappeared immediately when the vortex kept expanding between her palms, and in a moment, only her fingertips were touching. It wasn''t large for good reasons, as condensing this spell took some effort and practice.


    When a little speck of red appeared again, the vortex turned to a storm of wind, letting out sharp sounds of clashing noise and lifeforce.


    Far below, Murai didn''t see her technique or spell that well. He wasn''t one to not recognize most fundamental techniques, and he acknowledged a good spell where he saw one. The universe was vast. He spent lifetimes gathering knowledge, yet it wasn''t even a dent into the potential infinitum of magic.


    Itrosh stood as her arms and legs swayed, and so did the light feathers around her upper body. At last, a few seconds after the storm increased in mass and energy, she relaxed her palms, inhaled, and screamed between her palms, unleashing no high noise, but an incredible push of force.


    It was a rare technique that focused on sense and broadness, touching upon a couple of interesting subjects. It was a spell that wasn''t harsh, but unnatural wind, sound, and a bit of life force followed along with her scream, unleashing numerous waves away from her position. They started small, barely as wide as her arms before each wave increased in scope, length, and speed.


    It kept going, flying and looking like a natural, yet more powerful Sonar.


    Murai realized it as well, as he saw her use it a few times up close. There were some ups and downs within this spell. It traveled far, reaching kilometers away. It was also focused on one wide direction, but because of the increasing value in each wave, it was less clear the wider it went.

 Chapter 213: Onwards and upwards

    Lisa kept her watch over Itrosh with a similar focus as Murai. It was his first time looking at her spell at this level of detail because he was always busy whenever she used it before. It was either behind his back, or when he wasn''t all that much present with his Will. His time on top of Bagus was chill and good, and his training kept him more than busy.


    Although not that busy to not appreciate something like eying his Helpers, or dealing or complaining about Lisa.


    The screeching sounds and waves were excellent in scouting capabilities, giving Itrosh a deep foundation and clarity over the enemies and feeling of life. Like a wider Murai''s Sonar, each wave wavered into her mana like droplets of water onto a calm pond. Depending on the strength, she could notice the strength of each life and know where they were heading, and in what numbers. Demons had unique sounds to them also, offering Itrosh a feeling as if they were resounding within this spell. It was her most prized spell because it was fairly secretive and precious to her. She knew how to distinguish foes very easily.


    ¡°Looks good, doesn''t it?¡± Lisa said to Murai out loud. ¡°I was surprised to see her have this sort of thing. Though not unbearably strong, if even that big of a deal, this is a surprising scouting spell that doesn''t happen overnight like some gifts sent from up or down.¡±


    ¡°It''s passable. How are its workings? I can''t sense or feel it that well from so far away. My Sonar isn''t that big.. and... Can''t you fly upwards?¡± Murai tried and Lisa scoffed at him.


    ¡°Don''t wanna.¡± She said, lazily tossing him to the ground.


    Murai quacked an annoyed sound, and midway through his fall, he stabilized his body by moving his wings. He landed on his feet with grace and hunched neck, eying that intense ghost above him. ¡°That was rude!¡±


    ¡°Want more carries?¡± Lisa taunted him with a smile, clutching her loose tries for arms that shattered behind her back. ¡°How rare of you, but maybe it isn''t that bad. I could try and mix my Extracts on you, but you...¡± She hesitated, knowing that perceiving and experiencing the Abyss wasn''t that great of a feeling.


    Murai caught her hesitation and straightened his neck. ¡°You want what? Have I heard it wrong?¡± he mocked her as he eyed her like a fool.


    ¡°Nothing but some cooperation.¡±


    ¡°You wish.¡±


    Lisa didn''t continue with this nonsense and turned her sight up.


    Above, Itrosh kept sending the waves ahead, scouting the surroundings in all directions apart from her back. This was quite a precious ability for any mercenary, while the military would kill for such things. Any adventure parties and squads had needs for some scouting spells because Dungeons and potential issues around the Surface or Hells were various, and knowledge was one part of getting around better.


    Lisa was glad Itrosh had something like this, and she hadn''t even played with something like this in mind. It was far more useful than scouting in physical bodies. Lisa was a great physical scout thanks to her flying. Then, her near invisibility caused by her lack of physicality made her less approachable.


    Unfortunately, there was a shortcoming. Itrosh''s spell wasn''t as precise as Murai''s Sonar. It had its uses like anything that involved general direction-less or specific surveying spells. There were a lot of them in magic. Some of them worked with specific Bloodlines, techniques, and so on.


    Hers involved a mash of many things put together like her own body. It worked, even if it wasn''t as flexible or squeezable as Murai''s powers thanks to his soul and ridiculous Shaping.


    Itrosh didn''t need any of that. She just needed direction and time, and discovering foes from kilometers away was as easy as looking at the sky.


    Well, not here, but there was sky in some sense around the ceiling, and it was true that one wasn''t as certain about the sky or clouds. It looked different than the Surface.


    Called Wind Sound Wave, this spell could notice any living thing in each passing wave. Within the first hundred meters, it was precise within a meter. By the first kilometer, it was accurate by around ten meters. The closer, the better. In further kilometers, the inaccuracy was around thirty meters or more depending on the location and how mountainous the region was.


    It worked with sound and wind mainly, which were powers of great compatibility. When things were in the way, it had diminished results like distance. It was natural.


    Still, with many kilometers ahead, and since she was high above the ground, even dozens of meters of reduced clarity weren''t a lot, as long as one knew where enemies were, and what the location looked like. For armies, this specific part was a difference between life and death and the success of wars.


    The further it went, the worse it was, which wasn''t anything strange. All mana was losing its touch in that distance, even if sound and wind took the majority of this spell. A little smudge of Lifeforce, a reforged Vitality, changed this spell a little to increase the accuracy and detection of living targets. Because of them, this spell was better than many high-distance echolocations, and other similar abilities or spells.


    For another example, Murai''s Mana Sonar was excessive in details and quite heavy on mana, mind, and overall reading of much-decreased distance. It wasn''t a big shortcoming, since one truly felt the surroundings immediately, so in a sense, it was both an advantage and a disadvantage.


    A wind focused on sound and mana? Sounds like Sonar but broadened to lessen its efficiency. Interesting. Murai thought, curious about what Itrosh found out through her senses.


    Dozen or so waves later, Wind Sound Waves stopped when waves diminished in quality and were no longer able to sense anything. It lasted for about fifteen seconds so about a dozen waves in total escaped from her lungs.


    Itrosh took a deep breath and jumped from the cliff. With grace and rough thud, she fell, crouching similar to Carmilla, and felt much prouder.


    It was either out of spite, but her landing was filled with grace and pride, leaving the wind calm.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± She sneered and straightened her back, lightly tapping her feet on the ground. Lisa was already there, expecting her report. ¡°As you''ve said. There are groups of fools around some locations, but behind us, I didn''t catch anything even if I wanted.¡±


    ¡°Ultium is taking care of it,¡± Lisa said coldly and urged her to get to the point with an annoyed look.


    ¡°Fine. Demonic armies are around, and gangs eying us much more. It is hard to tell which is what. They are all ahead and beyond the cliff, so the ones behind us must be the first trial of the Hunters,¡± Itrosh pointed her finger in the direction of the massive wall. It added less clarity because she pointed to seven directions in total. ¡°That and this one, or those. Each is already in position, coming closer or waiting. The closest is three kilometers, with others further away. It is either a pincer attack, or they work independently to not mess with each other.¡±


    She couldn''t guess much, but the mere validation of how many or where they were coming from was worth a lot.


    Lisa expected nothing less from her. This ability was one of many ways Itrosh proved herself to her, so she went from a mere tool to a useful tool.


    Itrosh was proud for a good reason. Out of spite, she wanted to observe the situation behind them, but speaking of a wolf, and a wolf around a corner, Ultium crawled out of the opposite side, coming back from his job well done.


    He was pristine and patted his suit when he walked to the rest of the team, though some blood was notable around his hands, and his aura was more than deviously alarming. His eyes especially hid some spark and his horns were much bigger than usual, glowing a little at their end. David nodded at him, and Lisa approached him to hear what he had to say.


    ¡°I am back,¡± he said simply as if he was back from a hike.


    Lisa sighed, looking at him. ¡°What was down?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, really,¡± Ultium said the truth that was no longer wrong. If there were some incoming enemies, they long fled or died.


    ¡°So, what''s next?¡± Ultium asked, cracking his shoulders in a quick stretch and doing the same for his fingers.


    Itrosh chuckled, obviously glad to see Ultium like this. Some fun was about to start. ¡°I found some toys ahead. Many. Many ones.¡±


    ¡°At least sixty fools, I presume?¡± Ultium expectedly asked as he was done. He also wiped his bloodied hand with his tie. The blood didn''t seem to stick to his clothes but got absorbed instead throughout minutes or seconds depending on the quality or quantity of blood.


    ¡°In the slightest, there might be hundreds,¡± Itrosh said just in case. ¡°Wind Sound Wave had its limits and accuracy. I sensed a lot of living things, hiding things. Who knows if there are others around, hiding under some spells like the ones around here? if Carmilla meddled with it once, why someone else couldn''t do the same? I bet they could be hiding around, or further away. We have more than a hundred kilometers ahead. I can''t reach that far, can I?¡±


    Ultium opened his mouth as if wondering about something, but Lisa spoke first, leaving him flabbergasted and silent.


    David was reluctantly looking at the clothes in the ground after storing the leftover treasure in his ring.


    It was Ultium''s loot, so he took it, leaving nothing to others. Bagus wasn''t interested in those, even if he should get his share. The major reason Ultium killed her in one swoop was because Bagus stopped Carmilla from moving or leaving them in the dust.


    She was quick on her feet and her Wind was her priority. Perhaps if she moved away the moment Lisa grasped her hand, she would''ve gotten away if she had gone all out and pulled some sacrifices and used all of her cards.


    ¡°If that''s everyone''s mind, let''s get out of here. We got less time to waste.¡± Lisa argued, gesturing to Murai to get on top of Bagus.


    Grifhart laughed as he offered his tail, flicking Murai to the top of his back without further ado. It was up to Murai to decide where he wanted to be. Bagus didn''t. Back or head, it was the same thing for him.


    Murai clumsily went to his back, where he sat like a rider he felt he wasn''t. It wasn''t looking majestic because a duck wearing a hoodie sitting on top of Grifhart wasn''t a sentence he wanted to repeat in his mind. However, Bagus felt much prouder by the fact that Anatidae was riding his back, so Murai couldn''t possibly judge himself or others.


    Again, Murai wasn''t questioning it even if pride seeped out of this honest beast. He gave up on finding any sense in his present life. A duck rode a beast that looked like a panther and griffin, followed by a devil in suit, ghost, and abomination in the rough appearance of a humanoid feminine beastfolk woman who was way horny for a duck.


    David was out of place for sure, as he was the lone human out of this team, so perhaps he was more than suitable.


    ¡°Fuck me backward¡± Murai scowled after getting comfortable. ¡°I wished I hated this.¡±


    Deeply, he somewhat didn''t mind this team. He almost enjoyed it but he would never accept it for something greater.


    Lisa found the map aside and went back to the group. Floating behind Murai, it was time to give her plans a renewed direction.


    ¡°Murai Hisagi, I will explain things in a hurry, as the targets are all of us. You or me, or them, it doesn''t matter. David, Ultium?¡±


    David finally turned his attention to Bagus and the rest of the group. Ultium shifted his head and put his hands into his pockets.


    ¡°Right. Right. Intercepting the targets is the first step you want to solve, right?¡± David asked.


    ¡°No. Obliterating those fuckers is what I want. Give them a lesson.¡± Lisa smiled, giving Ultium a simple nod filled with even simpler solutions and words.


    And for once in days, Ultium smiled widely, looking even more handsome as if he found the Surface. His arms twitched like his horns and his pointed or clutched fist would become nothing but crimson again. Not only in blood, he feared or hoped at the same time.


    ¡°Are you sure about it?¡± David asked just in case.


    ¡°Why asking?¡± Ultium asked. ¡°Hunt is Hunt. It all started when we pledged our lives.¡±


    ¡°Not so far,¡± David argued.


    Lisa floated closer to them, eyes squinted and arms crossed. ¡°You heard me. Let''s give them a wake-up call. Isn''t that just right? Reputation works as a reminder and rumor, but also a weapon. You said it yourself, David. Ultium has a certain... reputation and weight on him. It is time to give some things a new turn and change it like a new dusk that falls when you leave this place successfully.¡± She suggested the already per-determined choice they made. She knew about it for some time and decided to take full advantage of it.


    This plan, however, wasn''t part of that strategy. She decided on it right now, after going over Carmilla''s brief glimpses of memories and other things. It needed a bit more time to sort things out, so first came the easiest thing. A simple decision for splits. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sending a slayer squad consisting of Ultium and Itrosh was her best solution to give those Hunters a taste of her plan, while David could come with them as well, but it was up to him. Lisa wanted to rely on and use everyone, and splitting was an important choice.


    If many groups were lurking around, waiting or hunting them gradually, she had no qualms about obliterating them before they would blink or come behind her or Murai''s back.


    ¡°I fear there is some truth in that. Those Crows disappeared without a fight, eh?¡± David reminded her, looking at the darkening ceiling in a try to calm down. The night wasn''t coming yet, but it wasn''t that far off.


    ¡°They went back to their master, I suppose,¡± Bagus suggested.


    ¡°Shame,¡± Ultium eased his fingers and turned to David, reminding himself how well they would taste. ¡°All is right, boss? Can''t I go? Sounds like fun is ahead and plans are subjective. They could change.¡±


    David shrugged his arms, sighing and figuring that Lisa had negative effects on him without even trying all that hard.


    It was inevitable, he believed.¡°Do as you think is right. We are splitting up for a couple of reasons. Speed, fight, and opportunity are that. Come back in a fitting time or... direction? How do you plan to work with that, Lisa? He isn''t exactly fine in that regard.¡±


    ¡°Plan C. Sector 35. Right before Scorching Light should be enough if things go south, but we should be close. Time isn''t important. He can wait there for us if he is faster in his task, while others could do the same. Hours or a single day, it doesn''t matter as long as he knows his Hunts and words of this splitting. Gasping Chasm is a fine target as well. Do you know where it is?¡± Lisa asked Ultium who glanced at her, unblinking and unsure what Gasping Chasm was.


    Lisa grunted and pulled her much clearer and clean arm up before gesturing with it in a wild motion like a brush. ¡°A wide thing looking like a smiling face.¡±


    Ultium widened his eyes and pulled his arms from his pocket, slapping palms and humming in approval. ¡°Oh! Got that. Wasn''t I there a few times?¡±


    She could order him better, but she was still unsure if her plan was good enough. Ultium was the biggest variable as he was the strongest ceiling they had. Others weren''t as big, though Murai was a curious little oversight on its own. Sending Ultium around to wipe the gangs or groups was the first thing she had on her mind. David wasn''t fine with it because he heard of this full split for the first time. Days ago, she suggested a single team.


    Either two or three. The others would protect Murai. David and Ultium. Itrosh and Bagus. Sending Ultium alone wasn''t fine for David, who wouldn''t be around him, so that wasn''t ideal in his book of rules.


    But considering the situation around the Provinces and many Sectors, this sort of move was the correct choice.


    David accepted that fact, but not the plan. Sector 35 was a long distance from Sector 39, and it was about a hundred kilometers away, closing on the Scorching Light. That was a long stretch of time and distance for Ultium to be left alone. Who knew who he would kill or fight?


    Lisa wasn''t hesitant to send her troops ahead, which was within David''s expectations, but the way he felt was odd. His heart was pounding like never. He felt young, yet his mind wasn''t.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    He was worried about Ultium, which Lisa knew, but didn''t care about. Right now, her needs were evident and kind of self-centered like her plans. She stated the start of their Hunt, sounding like everyone''s boss.


    Hunt was a Hunt. It didn''t matter to her if teams were left or ahead, protecting the main group of their interest. That was her and Murai. Nothing else mattered.


    Her best plan consisted of Bagus, her, and Murai traveling forward, with others protecting them behind. Their speed should be better in that case, while David, Itrosh, and Ultium would work around their proximity, protecting and slaughtering potential troubles. They could also work as a team, helping one another when too many foes went against one of them.


    This idea had a much smaller potential for reminding Hunters they could become Hunted.


    And David clearly wanted this plan much more than the other.


    David had more devices for long or even short-distance communication, but in the middle of the fight, they weren''t fine and easy to use.


    Enemies could come from any direction. That wasn''t something Lisa could easily perceive, so Itrosh should be crucial with her Wind Sound Waves. That or Lisa could fly high in the air, observe the surroundings, and gesture and command all her chess pieces like a God.


    It was her wishful thinking. Their way onward was still more important than killing every foe, so Lisa and David looked at each other in a last attempt at a discussion.


    ¡°Three-part split,¡± he argued.


    ¡°I don''t like it.¡±


    Scaring and hunting Hunters were born in her head, overlooked by her previous plan, but David saw through her long ago. He knew that Lisa wanted something like this from the start of this plan days ago, yet he never talked back against it. Back then, it was different. Her priorities changed, while her team was her soldiers, and he had a small change of mind.


    He didn''t find any of that surprising.


    Murai agreed with her plans as well, even if she held some disdain and confidence about something that was hard to perceive. Carmilla wasn''t too specific about the strength of the surrounding foes, while Lisa made excuses that it would take a while to sort it out. Murai believed her and didn''t really care to go away like this.


    David did. He bet those with Laws should most definitely lurk around, while gangs filled with fodder could make their moves as well in large numbers, so splitting up too much was plain stupid.


    The surprising parts so far were things Lisa found from Carmilla. From what was in her most recent memory, the enemies and her backup were numerous but unclear in strength. She glossed over them as she talked without clarifying strength, and most of it was true even when Lisa glimpsed at her memory, so what exactly was she planning when she intercepted them? Was it just to waste time? Well, not like it mattered, for she was no longer around.


    There were enemies all around, with or without Carmilla in sight, which meant infighting, competition, and neither good nor bad news for Lisa and her team.


    Most Hunters came from the later Provinces, with few coming from Scorching Light. Everyone was coming for blood and points, directed or seeped with greed, but that could change any time under a simple beating or a change of pace. From the looks of it, Ultium already did his first justice, though its worth was yet to shine.


    Itrosh was only able to solve one direction at a time, and it wasn''t as if she could do it every hour. Carmilla didn''t hold much about the later parts either, even when Ozeki and Razmund were behind their back. As feared, their locations, plans, and moves were unknown, and a lot of gangs wanted to seize Murai''s whole group in pincer attacks and slowly get to know them.


    Being surrounded was the worst-case scenario that Lisa wanted to prevent. She didn''t have time to worry if David was worried about Ultium.


    Enemies were already close, so she decided on her plan without further arguments and everyone would either follow along or drop to her knees before her sight if they didn''t like it


    ¡°Then get him what he ought to do better or think of something else,¡± Lisa said to David since he wore a bothered face aimed at her stressed eyes. Lisa was getting annoyed at this part of David, who was worried about Ultium more than anyone else. Maybe it was her hidden jealousy or a surprise that he would be like that, or it was an issue stemming from something that went behind her hands, which Lisa hated with a passion.


    David frowned, easing his beating heart by playing with the rings on his fingers. ¡°Fine...¡±


    Speaking to Ultium, he figured no loss came from new tries and challenges. Ultium was already looking at him with fervent light in his eyes, hoping for more clarity or rules of his game. There was no going back.


    ¡°Ultium, Gasping Chasm is your lone target and we shall split into three. You know how you can go alone, but beware of targets out of your reach, and you will get it. Some Extremes may move. Can you tell me what you will do then?¡±


    ¡°Leave them aside?¡±


    ¡°That''s my boy,¡± David nodded. ¡°Wait. No. Flee if it is dangerous. You are Hunted as well. You can Hunt the Hunters, but let''s not get ahead of ourselves. I want you to follow Murai closely. Within a kilometer at least, but that depends on them and your circumstances. The distance that is workable for your nose is best, as long as blood is in the picture, so...¡± David took some bottle out of his ring and tossed it to Murai.


    Murai caught it with his beak, eyeing the red liquid inside.


    ¡°It is some blood. No worries. Have it open and Ultium will find you even from a dozen kilometers.¡±


    ¡°Is it required?¡± Ultium asked, frowning similar to David. ¡°That blood smells too strong. I don''t like it.¡±


    ¡°Whose is it?¡± Lisa asked curiously.


    ¡°Blood of some Named Devil. It stinks a lot for others.¡± David replied.


    Lisa nodded, wondering where he got that, and was almost impressed by this idea. She hadn''t thought of that. Devils were definitely sensitive to blood, so how about Anatidae blood? As she looked at Murai, the mere glint in his eyes stopped her from speaking. It was for the best.


    ¡°How about the rest of us?¡± Itrosh asked. ¡°State business better with your plans. You can''t have Ultium hover over all of us. Locations is large enough for dozens of us. Enemies could be... around too. So?¡±


    Lisa thought of the right answer and figured what David said might work as well. ¡°I want Bagus to go to the sky, zipping with us, and travel onwards. Itrosh, you will follow Bagus from the ground and Hunt where you can or need. David will do as well while taking care of the back. He can be behind us for hundreds of meters or more, or follow Ultium if he is so worried. Itrosh should be closer, but again, if it is required, flexibility is important. I plan to have Bagus far in the sky to help you and other gangs and groups to seek us out.¡±


    ¡°OH! So, it is a bait? Everyone is a bait, eh?¡± Bagus huffed a laugh. ¡°I like it.¡±


    ¡°I am a bait as well,¡± David mumbled and went with that plan.


    Itrosh gathered following this idea wasn''t bad. It was relatively vague and free. David gave them each a little communication device, but he doubted Ultium would have time to even activate it. He will turn to his Hunt instead.


    ¡°If there are enemies that Ultium can''t solve,¡± Lisa added just in case, ¡°Itrosh and David can intercept them if they can. I hope for this closer split to communicate better, but Ultium is the slayer of this group. Is that alright with everyone?¡± She asked, eyeing every one of them with her unwavering eyes.


    Ultium liked the word slayer. He smiled and pounced away in no time, ascending that big cliff in less than a dozen seconds. ¡°See ya.¡± he waved at them from the top, unaware no one heard him. He stored that small device in his pocket. David bet he will forget he stored it there within an hour or less.


    With plans ready, everyone had decisions and even answers if plans changed.


    On Bagus''s back, Murai had not much say in the matters of this plan. He didn''t trust Lisa as a whole because this plan was quick and ruthless to the whole team. His trust went around the whole group, thinly hovering over some figures while being strong around others.


    It seemed Bagus would stay with him, so that was good. He shall be his bodyguard.


    Even if there were some different choices, if everyone had a bounty over their heads, everyone had the right to protect themselves or do what they desired. That was the motto of most groups. Murai followed this principle with basic ego or his distinct living, so he wasn''t one big upset, unlike Lisa who wanted to clutch this team a little better.


    When life was on the line, some rules or plans didn''t matter, and freedom and flexibility of compatible teamwork and communication were reasonable.


    Lisa didn''t need to voice her dissatisfaction in this simple accepted fact. She had to trust her chess pieces. David was the same. He knew he didn''t need to worry about Ultium. He was worried about something else.


    Itrosh would hunt those that would pass her path while scouting from time to time wasn''t a problem to her whatsoever. Murai had his device for communications. It looked like a little crystal with wires and metal plates. It was similar to the one with wide reach, but this one was smaller, fitted for a wrist, pockets, or even put onto some necklace, or behind an ear.


    Murai wasn''t that petty to stop anyone; everyone had certain freedom in their actions apart from Bagus. He had to follow the route that Lisa decided, and right above the Hellscape, they would be a perfect target. He would be.


    It was serving more than a target, a way to get ahead quicker and serve Bagus nothing good.


    Murai had no power to change the situation at all. He watched as a gust of wind propelled Bagus''s body into the air. Lisa followed behind as well, flying not fast like Bagus, but she could try and figure out how her body adjusted like her palms. Plan C had some dividing parts and variants, but at the core, it was a plan to go onward with reduced attention to the surroundings and focus on a savage plan consisting of bait, switches, and groundwork.


    It was also a plan that was slower because of potential dangers and enemies capable of intercepting Bagus.


    Direct air travel with three Helpers around and below them shouldn''t be that quick. Lisa had to ensure that Bagus wouldn''t get too far from David and others because his flight was much faster than their run, and if they fought, things might get difficult very quickly.


    Clearer targets in the sky could travel the fastest. That was the key point that Lisa wanted, and she doubted some would ignore them like that, while most would doubt it back. Some masters would notice them from dozens of kilometers away for sure, so how feasible was it?


    Well, one thing was forgettable. Bagus was a freaking Grifhart and also a great protector one tier lower than Ultium. It wasn''t as if he was someone weak. Quite the contrary, he might be even more savage than Ultium under some circumstances.


    And his flight and Bloodline were respectable, and air was part of his species''s domain. Lisa at least hoped it wouldn''t turn into a complete disadvantage, and the ground team would do adequate work around any changes.


    Since everyone''s face was all over the Hellscape, information about every Helper should be either a public, or popular item in every broker, or company with any kind of information business. Carmilla proved that point, but she didn''t know everything about everyone. For once, she had confidence that backfired, and there was almost nothing about Murai and absolutely nothing about Lisa whatsoever. Lost Brothers were relatively cleared up after days of research and various scouts that managed to catch some interest, giving rumors some truth.


    Whatever was known or not didn''t depend on companies or people, but one certain thing: clarity, truth, and Mindarch. Outside forces were rough in that regard, and Murai as a whole was an enigma. His Helpers weren''t, but they weren''t as important unless one was Hunter aiming for them.


    Going against the Hellscape was harder than it seemed. It was sure to be the case.


    Minutes passed to more minutes. Murai quickly found out he didn''t prefer flying, even on top of Bagus, and even if it wasn''t that quick. Ground was more stable. The air had friction, and the wind was strong. Strong mana wasn''t helping either.


    Murai had to clutch those thick and sturdy feathers with his beak. He looked pathetic, but it was worth the effort.


    Their travel wouldn''t be that quick, so Lisa had time and sharp eyes to work with other things.


    Out of respect for battles and plans, Lisa planned to rest every three hours unless there were major dangers around. It was for Bagus, whose flying capabilities couldn''t go on forever.


    Communication was essential. The only one free to do whatever he wanted was Ultium, who wouldn''t return to them every third hour because David suggested it wouldn''t be fine. Lisa snorted in approval if that''s what he wanted. That devil shall Hunt their enemies long before reaching their camp, either going further, while smelling blood and hunting for joy or fun.


    His points were one of the reasons Lisa settled and calmed, and David knew this was worth the effort.


    He was nice bait for most dangerous foes. Second was Lisa and Murai. Their points were significant.


    If Ultium were defeated, there was a clear possibility that problems would arrive. It would be the best time to flee without any regard, leave others behind, and run.


    Bagus cleaved the air with his robust wings, protruding and gently working with the wind.


    For once, Murai observed his flight, ways how his feathers moved and angled, and the general monstrosity of his kin. It was sort of melancholic since he had seen immense and crazy beasts and beings far into the Skies, coming in different variants, sizes, and efforts. Either caused by the unhindered aspects of the Endless Skies, or Bloodlines lost in the Epochs, it made some crazy beings.


    Bagus was part of the Griffin species, which were Divine Beasts with massive following on some continents. From little bits of talking, Murai discovered that Bagus was brought to this temple as a prize from Blitalia, one of the five continents of this world. He was a slave. An utter one, unworthy of a try for home, let alone some pride. He got his freedom by merits and strength, or when he changed his development by interfering with another Divine Beast and its Influence Item.


    It changed his overall species to those known as Grifharts. It was neither Griffin, nor some form of Canideamon, or something else.


    Bagus was an excellent piece of reference that Murai lacked. His evolutions provided clarity, and his wings, and flight gave him further ideas. Sure, he had no tail, but it was a secondary issue. Wings, or neck, Murai noticed many things that Bagus and he had in common. Some things like weight, speed, and sheer size were then the transfixed rough facts that he couldn''t forget, for they mattered. A lot.


    So what made Anatidaes that crazy? Why did Bagus''s species though of them as special?


    For once, there was one answer Bagus expressed a day ago, surrounded by flames and lunch.


    Why worship some ducks, eh? Interesting, isn''t it? I think it is correct. We shouldn''t worship them. It''s true and bad for some, but what is the point of distant worries of idiots? Nay. They are insane, yet filled with a history that shan''t be forgotten or forgiven. It is worth seeing it as a legendary effort that makes beasts like this into sevants. What is impressive will stay impressive. Even some humans worship the craziness of devils, or various Lords, or demons. No matter the flesh, limits, or wraths of rules of this shitty universe, there is something good in believing in fairness, even if it might not be there at all, or looking silly like a duck, bird, or squirrel. There is one good name for it. Breachers. Limit Breakers. Enders! I deem these stories close to my heart because they are what one might call sensual.

 Chapter 214: Ultiums adventure - Part 1

    Bagus was clear and open.


    Murai appreciated him and figured he could use his wings for flying too, but even when Bagus offered him lessons, he plainly refused. What use did they have for his priorities or other problems? He was too busy with other worries to care for his laughable flying capabilities.


    His life was on the damned line! Lisa was flying right beside Murai, eying the surroundings and shifting her eyes dozens of times a second. Little lines curled around her head and eyes, making her eyes pop off in a mix of azure whiteness. David and Itrosh were both unknown under her eyes, but that was what communication was about.


    Each of them knew their direction, so there was no need to mention a thing. She could sit on top of Bagus as well, but she kept glancing around for potential dangers.


    ¡°Aren''t you tired?¡± Murai asked her. ¡°I don''t recall you took a speck of rest in recent days. You hardly went back to my soul space either since the last Gate. In fact, the whole Encounter is like that. Do you want to be helpful this much? Against the strength and your luck, but with a wild strategy. Do we stand a chance?¡± Murai said, leaving nothing but a small flattering surprise on Lisa''s face.


    She didn''t expect to hear his worries, or could it be another taunt? Was he making fun of her?


    ¡°Y-you? Do you have time to worry about that? Me, in fact? I thought you didn''t care for whatever issues there were about me. No worries. I can keep going until the end of this mess, Gate, or temple as a whole. We have plans. We ought to finish it. So don''t give me any bad ideas, nor do you need it. Focus on yourself.¡± She said to him without giving him much face, or glances.


    She flew onwards, face sharp like her eyes. Murai clutched the feather with his beak as he spoke to her mind. The wind swayed his feathers and face, turning this travel into an aching mess.


    He could only do what he must do, which wasn''t much. He can''t train in this sort of position whatsoever. Maybe some magic training will work. But if anything terrible happened, he should be safe, right? Safety had many faces, so Murai shook his head, almost falling off when he lost the grip of grayish feathers.


    He caught the feathers in time and adjusted his position


    before going over his inner thoughts.


    Let''s calm down about this, damned duck. Patience is a virtue. Rocky would say the same thing. Even in the form of revenge and getting power, things make sense when the hunt is full of hunters, and the hunter is hunted. How long will it last? Days... weeks? Now, what do I have? What do Limiters, or Walls mean? Nothing.


    Major Thresholds are peculiar, however, Murai considered. Smaller too, if one knows their shit. I do, so what is there for me? Core? Not enough. Shaping? Good enough, but it requires time and stronger force, and... hasn''t my Mana Pool increased alongside those Boosts? Wasn''t a core''s progression fitted into Mana Pool as well? It never changed, but Pool did. It increased like affinities, so how much does my individuality matter, and how much does this world clutch my life? Abilities are one thing, but... couldn''t I change my evolution on my own? What was that choice when I turned into Level 1? Couldn''t I handle some aspects of Peniscula even as a Panacea?


    How about using their abilities because of our common physicality? There are also those... choices. Peak Layering is good, but Explosion sounded great as well. Couldn''t I reach out for it in time and learn it by myself? Well... that seems excessive if this power is etched into the rules of this world or option because Boosts grands knowledge and ideas, which means help and reliance. It''s cheap too,... so this might be one of the reasons why Gods are so lofty in this world. They clutch their subjects by making complications simpler, or this issue is more or less not that hard to grasp. Maybe to do it would require quite some balls and Influence Items alone. Experiments too, perhaps? Those might be terrible if things would go wrong, so yes. I believe this is the correct assessment. I shouldn''t be too greedy since I have a lot on my plate.


    What about the power level? A joke like many other things this world provides. What about me? A questionable Anatidae that has no instincts, family, or backing behind it. Isn''t everything one big joke? Murai went through a series of involuntary questions that he answered with his reasons.


    His past days gave him an unlikely face of clarity that was different than in Gate 2. There, he battled and found his footing among the Islands, beasts, Lisa, and his own findings and stress. Here, he found calmness before the storm and those who knew about Anatidaes left some mark.


    Bagus was a great addition to it, right behind Itrosh who wouldn''t back down from any benefits that would get her closer to him. Answers were worth like words, so Murai didn''t hesitate in any choices. Be it with Lisa in the picture or not, she begrudgingly accepted that his new Helpers gave him this clarity that she could''ve solved long ago.


    She believed in proper timing. It was one of her many bad habits, Murai believed even when his foundation and knowledge reached a new peak.


    His training wasn''t as powerful. He felt his spells and Shaping would improve only so much in a couple of days without his core eating or altering in its ways. The best work was the Heavenly Shaping Manual. Training inside of it was great because of extended and altered time, while anything learned inside had massive validity in reality.


    As he calculated, depending on time and mana flooding in the Manual, time dilution and his overall time limit worked wonders. The ten-times lowered flow was insane, but it wasn''t as if he could remain there for a day in real-time. He calculated that two hours, in reality, was the limit when training because his mana was what fueled his Manual.


    Pillage also explained that some laughable little cretins wouldn''t even last a dozen minutes inside, so that made him special in some way, or it was simply how Anatidaes were. Pillage made no other comments about it.


    Any special work or attention put into the Heavenly Shaping internal space lowered the expected time. Pillage mentioned that to him numerous times, while the first visit was briefest because of the overall legacy exchange.


    In his later visits, Murai reached a brand new understanding and appreciation of that old dog. He didn''t learn some unhindered secrets from him, but having a private place was great and training was even better under his notable guidance and experiences with wilderness.


    Murai spent more than a hundred hours inside of that manual in the last few days, and he felt he could''ve doubled it.


    It didn''t give clarity on his first. It was more like honorary confusion mixed with curiosity. Murai wasn''t questioning that time all that much. He was spent after reaching yet another Overdraft that was nothing but requirements for accessing his Manual.


    As Murai contemplated and had numerous internal worries, before wanting to do them more, Lisa grabbed his beak. It wasn''t to give him trouble but to gain some footing and show him her resolute face.


    ¡°Listen. I can hear you all the damned time. I can''t shake your inner voice. Like ever!¡± She reasoned. ¡°I get your worries. Have a better plan besides the flight? Is the bait too high for you? Bagus is sharp too. I am watching over you. We can do this, or do you think of yourself as mighty or weak? Do as you wish, but as a less than a year-old Blessed and Child, you are nothing but a beginner.¡±


    Murai watched her in shock because she was holding him while he barely stayed on Bagus''s back. ¡°I didn''t ask to be heard, or clutched,¡± he argued.


    ¡°Same or not, I am connected to you. Think of this as my last mention that plans and power follow us all the same. Have some courage, even though you don''t need one. Considering the circumstance and your lofty soul, I doubt you know the lengths of what hopes can be.¡±


    ¡°No idea, huh... Perhaps you are the same.¡±


    ¡°Possibly. All you know is dreadful dreams and variants of hope. You are pinned between forces that step close and out of your little life, close, yet far from you, and they are waiting and hoping. It is nothing extreme, so I don''t blame your soul, but I see your acts. Perhaps it wouldn''t be wrong to hide far away if I were in your position, but unfortunately, it doesn''t work like that. All Blessed freaks are similar. In an even freakier world, it is quite a good mess, isn''t it?¡± She smiled at the end of her message.


    Murai thought of a reply, but she slapped his beak back to the feathers, giving him her tries and lacking ideas. Perhaps this changed something, but she didn''t seem to care if it did or not.


    Murai took this with rare silence, oblivious to Bagus who was glancing around and didn''t know what was happening between those lofty souls behind his neck. Murai didn''t even utter a word back at her. Lisa flew ahead and left him alone.


    He wondered if this was her way to cheer him up, or if it was the same thing as always. A reminder that his overlooking was too dense and his mind was shallow. It wouldn''t be the first time his New Beginning was like that.


    Perhaps his mind and outlook should change. He hardly did it in this life.


    Perhaps it was overdue, or too quick? He wasn''t sure.


    For now, he had to bear with his mind like his travel.


    ***


    Down in the mountain ranges filled with rough terrain and many cliffs. The dull greyness of stones stretched for long distances until some forests revealed at least some greenery. Those trees were tough and old, as most places in this Gate held historical and meaningful elements since not everything was meant for destruction or business. A lot of things in this temple were aged and kept on going like forgotten books on top of the highest shelves.


    It wasn''t a farm, per se, but many things in this place had that sort of purpose, while others were like rocks and mountains on the Surface. Every Gate had something unique to offer. In Hellscape, mines and acquisition of minerals, certain gems, essences, and other mana materials operated like a business as far as this Gate existed.


    Levandis created it for a reason, and there was a good way to see it as a good source of interest for her potential subjects. It wasn''t for fools to carry their Hunts here, nor a place for fools to live. That idea was just a secondary issue that came from Lordis and business between Gods and this world.


    Ultium walked alone, eyes shifting around, half probing for Bagus in the sky a few kilometers away. Around the perimeter of many kilometers wide, there should be some enemies. So far, barely a dozen minutes into this run, he hadn''t met a soul, so he wondered how right Itrosh was, or if they already fled.


    Occasionally, he glanced behind his back, looking for David. He didn''t see him...well, David was somewhere close, yet far, and he wouldn''t see him all the time.


    Serious and ready for his own Hunt, Ultium grinned and his fingers itched. Not like a grim reaper, but his fun was just starting. His suit was bloodstained in some parts, dropping blood like paint soaking through cloth. Even when he hadn''t fought anyone since their departure, he took things easier from the start, hoping to discover those points that Itrosh showed.


    Was it there, or further left? He wasn''t sure where Itrosh pointed with her fingers. Was he even going in the right direction? He bet he was. Bagus was there in the sky and flying onwards. It was easy to get it going with the notable side walls of this cave as well.


    Hellscape wasn''t complicated even for someone like him. With most of it being ten kilometers wide, directions were simple to follow even in a complicated terrain.


    For Ultium, complications were like words with simple acts and fixes. He didn''t become upset over his choices, problems, or time at all. For him, adventure was about blissful and nice direction. This one was about freedom clasped between one thing alone. This Gate! At last, David gave it to him, so he planned to go all the way.


    It wasn''t a preference, however. David said to him many times that his heart needed changes that went according to the circumstances and hopes. Thus, he liked the senseless nature of this time, while his heart was itching, and loved this situation way too much. Other times, he hated the unkempt nature of cowardice and holding back with a passion. Not more. Those sides were akin to the same coin. There was no denying it, much to David''s rough ideas about most devils.


    Facts were a reason. Ultium had certain rules that he adhered to because David was always there for him. He was his boss, always reminding him to work in clean clothes, clear heart, and a sharp mind. These principles often intersected, and cleanness was subjective when blood came to his side. His uniform was a gift; a unique set of equipment that David gifted him a long time ago when he reached the adolescent age for devils.


    Right. He was yet to be considered an adult, but he wasn''t that far away from that point. He was young, but not someone like a teenager with a dumb or vivid heart. That wouldn''t be appropriate, even if he was often hard to tame and stop. There was some trick about it.


    However, was this work? Ultium turned this Hunt into an adventure, so it was no longer a work and he was no longer some manager. David voiced it that way too. He was a slayer right now. That was his new title that weirdly mended his heart, giving Lisa a new image in his heart.


    Killings were like meals, sex, and blissful times for most devils and those close to the weird aspects of Chaos.


    Ultium was lucky that Lisa came over. He followed the suit of his Path onwards exactly to the good side. Itrosh would be happy, for she was not wrong.


    The first group of demons that she found had long gone out of their hiding, approaching and taking Bagus for bait as Lisa predicted.


    The ground team for their first target.


    They all realized they had been found out by Itrosh and that Carmilla failed. Another disadvantage of the Wind Sound Wave was its nature which would be notable by some mages. Sound, wind, and mana arrived like a storm, and some could take it for a natural storm if they were dumb or unfamiliar with such a concept. Most experienced demons would realize what that spell was about, even if it was rare. There was no point in hiding anymore, so they went all out.


    The first such group arrived at one particular hill, reaching a flat surface of rocks, gravel, and dirt. Stomping the ground like thunder hitting the mountains, this group wasn''t weak. Carrying quite a few sturdy and massive weapons, there were only about a dozen enemies that Ultium met with an obvious grin.


    Itrosh couldn''t be very specific in numbers, species, or power. She could barely note who was fodder, one with Laws, or Extreme, and it could be possible that one would Veil oneself so she wouldn''t notice them that well. Within the first few kilometers, it was easier. After a certain point, clarity ceased to exist, but not their existence.


    At the front of this group, five Orcuns shook the ground with their thick legs. They were evolutions of the orcs, a race that specialized in many fleshly and physical prowess, weight, martial arts, and wars. It was a race specifically set on the road of evolution, but they were no beasts or beastfolk. Their Paths were kind of complicated for them, and their nature wasn''t as bright. They were still considered a humanoid race, so their privileges and Godhood were still possible.


    Evolution was often easier to follow for them thanks to this world, and they could hold similar power and prowess as having a complicated Path or greater mind.


    Duality was a powerful tool that those predisposed to greatness never lacked. Having a Mana Core and strong Physique were great to have. Evolution and Path meant a bigger potential, but also more things to be worried about.


    Thus, some specialized races and species held various levels of talent, strengths, and potential.


    Orcuns were defense experts. Each held either a huge hammer, axe, or great swords that weren''t all that sharp, but it wasn''t that bad for them, as each was big and tall. Similar to Zao, whom Razmund killed in Gate 2, they held mass as a tool, but not speed or deadly momentum like Goldsteel Titans. They weren''t that wise like those with Titan Bloodline.


    Orcs were a rather populated race anyway, similar to dwarfs and beastfolk. Even among all of them, there were differences. Locations, families, or traits all worked for a variety of lifeforms, while the Bloodlines were a major change. Orcs had many differences among their tribes. Dwarves were the same, while beastfolk had wider variants because of their inherited and broader beast bloodlines that mixed with humanoid races.


    Orcuns were sturdier variants of orcs, with taller legs, tight balance, and flesh of substantial might. Their arms were thick like pillars, grasping the weapons that were enough to shatter their opponents.


    Each was at least three and a half meters tall, with one reaching four meters. Behind them were groups of lesser demons, depicting races that often meddled with weird bloodlines, physicality, and aspects. Orcs were there as well, and some looked like beasts, or humanoid monsters wearing armor and carrying weapons.


    Their names varied, as they held no specific clarity over their lives. But among them, there was one that Ultium noticed and met with his gaze. It was a devil, which Ultium preferred and enjoyed meeting. If it wasn''t the case, he wouldn''t mind that either.


    He held almost no preferences for battles and fun, as long as it was right. Walking before this powerful group that must be some sort of gang, he was alone like a person walking into a storm.


    Ultium was bad at names, so he didn''t know where this group belonged, or who was their boss. Strength was often described with leadership, but he didn''t see any leader if there was no strength.


    He will slay them like a slayer. They weren''t part of the military at least. Those held uniforms and set examples by having formations, clear style, and bits of Order at least in their attires.


    If it meant to kill, it meant to succeed. Orcuns stomped forward, witnessing the incoming enemy that arrived right to their faces. It was in the way, clear in the bloodthirst, redness, and horns. Before their path had even a speck of chance of succeeding, they met the one they didn''t want to see.


    It was too late for any regrets. All Orcuns were above Level 50, and one of them was even Level 73. Most of them were savage beings with very little reason in their head, and it didn''t matter what reason or words meant.


    How stupid, was what Ultium would think if his sense of adventure wasn''t tingling. He had the order to kill the troubles, so without stating his business, he was ready.


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Orcuns went up at arms, shouting orders for others to back down. It was up to them first to understand that a tough enemy had come.


    Ultium didn''t know if they were enemies or fools. He still released his flexed fist, letting his right shoulder relax, and pulled his right arm from his pocket. He was still walking towards this group when mist and bloody aura traveled from his suit to envelop his right arm, and even his eyes seemed to turn to bloody color. There was no devious glow for the time being; just a little glint.


    This bloody aura changed his fingers like cloth and mist, making them look shiny like metal stabs. All bloody in color, at least his black suit gave him some contrast.


    Without stopping, he took a casual fighting stance with his left hand in his pocket, and his right arm aiming forward. Ultium pointed his crimson right fingers forward and didn''t say a word when he arrived at the striking distance for the first approaching Orcun.


    This one had a massive hammer for a weapon, so it swiped it right at his pretty face, meeting this devil with massive strength. Air shuddered, power convulsed like flesh and muscles, and its steps echoed.


    This Orcun went all out with this strike, looking as if its arms exploded in muscles. There was no mana. Just an enormous strength and unwavering power of the flesh. Coincidently, this was their leader because it had to come first and greet this devious devil. It was the biggest obstacle out of the bunch, but Ultium wasn''t even aware of that. He didn''t need to know.


    Small red fingers went against the hammer five times his weight. He didn''t meet this force, let alone defend. He straight up obliterated this weapon with disdain and a cold glint in his eyes. Earth shuddered and cracked when the hammer hit Ultium, leaving cracks all over the ground for dozens of meters.


    Ultium flexed his fingers and struck the metal. His fingers didn''t bend even a little bit. They went deeper into the already monumental hammer, shattering it from within in less than a second. It almost exploded if it wouldn''t be for Orcun''s loosened grip that changed this fight a little bit. Ultium offered his fingers and swiped the red aura, causing the hammer to snap into six pieces.


    Orcuns let go of the weapon, and with small yet tight momentum, Ultium stepped aside and forward, unleashing a simple swipe of his wide-open hand. He attacked the approaching fist first, deflecting it aside, before punching at the flesh close to the head. Orcun leader grunted when a bloody blast rang out, obliterating and cutting its leather protection, muscles, skin, and bones.


    Ultium dug deep, swiping, gnawing with his fingers as if he had fangs. Orcun tried to resist by flexing and pulling his arms for protection, but they became mangled in cuts and his defense didn''t last for long.


    Ultium laughed when he kept flashing his fingers, and it happened too quickly when his heart skipped a beat. A loud thud echoed and his fist tightened. Orcun huffed when its chest bent inwards and flesh became tatters. Even its arms flew away and part of its head went missing, and blood splurged in its End.


    Unsurprisingly, the whole arm alongside the shoulder flew through the air at some point. Their leader didn''t even know what occurred. Perhaps Ultium didn''t know it either as he swayed his right arm however he wanted.


    In a simple step, Ultium obliterated the leader like a master playing with a hopeful and naive challenger. Another Orcun soon followed, unleashing a powerful vertical hit with a massive axe. It howled and stepped, hitting the leader because Ultium was in the way. It didn''t help. Ultium caught the axe between his fingers, flexing his barely visible wrist, though his suit was hiding the rest.


    Against this axe-wielding Orcun, he held no hopes either. He was the slayer! He was nothing different than a killing machine.


    A bit more strength and bloody aura impacted his fingers until the axe cracked where his fingers were. Orcun stumbled onwards, forgetting the axe, and set its palms to catch Ultium, who tossed the axe away and jumped, arriving right where he wanted. His knees hit the left incoming fist, cracking knuckles apart alongside the fingers. Ultium wasn''t over. He grabbed the hand with his right arm and tossed the Orcun over his shoulder before cutting into its neck with a quick stab of his straight palm. A loud bang echoed and blood splurged like a cutting pillar, leaving a huge hole in the neck and ground.


    Ultium smiled like a devil, huffed a red mist, and felt his satisfaction in a rising tide of beats and increasing breaths. Thick or dense like steel, weaknesses of blood were subject to any race or species. Well, for the most part. There were always exceptions to most rules.


    Three Orcuns remained, and there was no ambush or war. It was a trial. They realized it too late. Fleeting was useless. The rest of the group tried to surround him, but Ultium didn''t care.


    The rest of the Orcuns took this fight for a dreadful reality and attacked this single devil as a whole team.


    It was after the fourth Orcun fell that change occurred, causing the whole group to scatter and flee. Dread went at their heads, right where it should be. Not a single one of them touched Ultium, who had only a single arm up in his bloody powers. That was it. Just an arm.


    Fearful of the death and bloody sight, the ground was cracked and a glint of red was in many parts. A bloody smell pertained in the air. Soon, apart from the last Orcun, there lain four lone Orcuns in a pile of blood and gore. It was relatively clean apart from a few rough hits.


    Mangled to bloody parts, Ultium didn''t leave them be. He wasn''t a clean slayer for sure, but he didn''t mind being crazy in his fun.


    He just felt to bathe the ground with more red. It was akin to good luck for devils, or so he heard. He wasn''t sure. It wasn''t what his heart followed.


    But he would lie if the blood on the ground didn''t ease his mind. Organs with meat and bones aside, it was quite a sight.


    It was a nasty sight for the fleeting demons, but Ultium didn''t kill everyone. Fleeting prey was kind of distasteful. It lowered his appetite, but he remembered what Lisa mentioned at some point. Fear was a weapon. Using it was part of mastery. Slayers should know all about it, or so she said.


    For some reason, he recognized those words better than David''s. He forgot that he had that communication device.


    Around him was a smell of home, he thought as he cherished the blood all over his suit, face, and right arm. It was hard to recognize the glossy redness over his arm and blood.


    Stepping towards the last Orcun, he wanted to finish everything, including the ones who were fleeing for their lives. At least they noticed the differences and their mistakes. None of them wanted to bear witness to the insanity of this forgotten devil.


    Nobody wanted to be like an animal, cut, hunted, eaten, or have their bodies turned into an essence. They were cowards. Hypocrites. Among some races, unique or not so unique to this temple, some believed that turning to an essence was a poor End that would disallow their departure to Afterlife.


    It was nothing but a guess, turned into a legendary fear, or just an excuse. It had no validations or answers unless some Gods would promise something else.


    That wasn''t right. Levandis held the key to this essence-gathering method and it was nothing but a mere gathering. It didn''t work with souls, for they were much more precious than flesh or mana.


    Some knew the truth. Unless the mana of a person was part of the soul, Afterlife will take them all.


    It would be fitting to tell it to this fleeting group. Ultium didn''t like the last Orcun for sure. It fled after he offered his palm and cut. Using others as a shield instead, the last Orcun fled as if its weight turned to speed instead. So Ultium went ahead, attacking that cowardly back, but Orcun dodged or used others as a shield.


    With bloody hands from some unfortunate demons, Ultium stopped his pursuit. They won''t go far into this barren plain.


    He unhappily furrowed his brows, sighed, and pulled his arm up. His point finger aimed onward, while the rest of his fingers remained locked and bent.


    He didn''t wanna do it. They forced it.


    Red and blood in the ground trembled when red light and blood thundered and pulled into his point finger.


    Blood condensed, and a sharp penetrating Blood Shot flew out of his finger, penetrating each head of a poor demon who didn''t manage to dodge or hide under the others. Orcun survived, so Ultium turned the blood up a notch, crouching and absorbing the surrounding blood to his benefit, unleashing a barrage of sharp red bullets until Orcun fell to pieces.


    Ultium used the most simple and fundamental form of how devils fought. Blood was their tool in many layers, but it was just a part of what they were capable of using. Taking the blood of others was one thing. Taking their own blood onwards was another.


    None was his, thanks to the suit that absorbed the blood of others into its internal fabric. That was an advantage of having perfect equipment that could absorb the blood of enemies. It was quite a fancy and special fitting uniform that most devils preferred.


    Right. There was an enemy devil too, but he managed to live on with a missing arm, so this one wasn''t so poor after all thanks to the use of blood-arts. Ultium didn''t want to miss anyone. This one dodged so it got hurt instead. His prey.


    How improper, something in his heart moaned.


    Ultium walked fort, ignoring those who truly managed to flee for the Afterlife. Some fortunate ones hung onto their lives, grunting, or moaning, so he finished them off.


    And when he arrived at the ashen-looking devil, he wondered if he should speak, ask questions, or act like a slayer or a devil.


    He decided to greet him at least and worry about it later.


    ¡°Bloody monster...¡± the devil said, clutching his bloody wound. ¡°You... You obliterated those Orcuns like kids... Ultium.. Name... You are part of that damned human race! Disgr...¡± Two fingers penetrated his throat, cutting, and snapping.


    ¡°Don''t take his race to your throat. It hurts.¡± Ultium said coldly, swiping his fingers and ending this devil''s life.


    Gifts from David were endless, while ideas and help were what put Ultium aside from others, second to promises, oaths, and simple dreams. It wasn''t improper or weird, albeit some of that was wrong for devils. Ultium grew how he did because he had David and a less chaotic influence around him. It sharpened him, giving him life a new direction in a nasty place.


    The first gifts David gave him were acts of purpose. It was like a New Beginning, in a sense. Ultium believed it was right from time to time, but he wasn''t sure how following a human was any different from being wild, homeless, or put into a cage and seen. He grew out of it, fortunately. Now, he lived with no regrets besides hoping for more dreams.


    He will never have any other clothes. Even if someone shredded it to pieces, and forced him to be naked, he didn''t want anything but this suit.


    In a short amount of time, this relatively strong but simple demonic gang was all gone. All Orcuns died, even if the last one needed a couple more Shots. It was no wonder. His Blood Shot had some efficacy and handling akin to his Blood Shaping, so it made sense to carry it like flexible power that could be fast, strong like a cannon, or sharp like a fine arrow.


    Because of their thick skin and back, it was a matter of the number of shots; not the skill.


    Ultium gazed around, sniffing the air for blood or something else. His heartbeat was turning haggard, and his blood almost boiled. This fight wasn''t satisfying. He needed something more. Anything. Savage, or sharper. His heart barely moved.


    He was yet to restrict or retract his right arm. It still had its redness and blooming blood around the surroundings that churned and weakly moved toward his boots. These were also special, designed to eat the blood from the mere steps.


    ¡°Not yet... Not yet.¡± Ultium said as he almost took his ring out of his pocket.


    He knew that waiting was one of many virtues in the Surface and that something else was coming.


    This large plateau was very fitting and easy to fight. Surrounded by cliffs and mountains, it was a place that one should visit when traversing through this Sector.


    He wasn''t wrong to wait. Numerous groups were coming to this location, or already run around here, or out, even if most were outside of his views, senses, or hopes. Most were yet to see Bagus far above the ground.


    Soon, the next group arrived. Ultium didn''t smell or know when, how, or if they would even come. He trusted that Itrosh was right, and his previous bloodshed wasn''t enough to change a thing.


    He killed just a few Orcuns that were partially able to use the Laws of their evolutions and some martial arts Paths. They were significantly weaker than those who truly bonded with Mana Cores and held significant talents.


    Powers of flesh were still incredible, but only so much could help against someone who was almost able to touch some weaker Extremes.


    Itrosh could pinpoint the power of the foes she detected with naked sight and sound. Direction and accuracy weren''t lacking in that case, while changes were always possible with further training and improvements. She could also be wrong. There was Veiling after all. That would trouble even some experts. In her presence, her accuracy was impeccable.


    Which was why she didn''t mention anything about the powers of any group she found. She didn''t want to guess anything either because Wind Sound Waves weren''t needed for strength detection.


    The presence of a person always followed some mana, aura, and life. In this Gate, it was much more apparent and easy to discern. Aura moved the wind, and sound or wind carried their weight. It was roughly estimable, of course, and far from being overpowered.


    She even bet numerous groups changed their strategies the moment they felt her spell. She was yet to use it again. It was too soon, and it usually took part of her voice, so she had to recharge to use it again.


    Ultium will solve the incoming foes regardless, Lisa believed. She wasn''t wrong. Ultium decided on a nice change of location, so Bagus leisurely took his flight for a stroll in a park. They didn''t need to hurry.


    Knowing them or not, the groups will have to adjust to them as well. That was the true nature of this Hunter Game. The way to discern enemies was a very important power. Strategies could change in a heartbeat afterward, giving changes to the entire battlefield.


    In a way, good knowledge, spells, and clever minds were priceless, even if they were hard to master, or even acquire. Few should know that Itrosh had Wind Sound Waves, but if used, many will soon get it. She was clever about it in most cases, while this Hunt shall give her a much broader presence, reputation, and interest. There was no way her profile wasn''t researched across dozens of famous brokers or groups. It almost flattered her to finally be more renowned and popular.


    Most foes should know her by now, so she had no stops if that''s the case.


    Ultium paused as he stood, noticing the new arrivals that came in unlikely fashion. They jumped over some cliff, landing before him dozens of meters away.


    They were much stronger than the gang from before. Orcuns was an evolution choice that happened between Level 70 and 60, while the rest of the group was around the upper echelon of fodder and Level 60. Most were comparative to surviving and meeting those full of Laws.


    Which was nothing but a breeze before a Level 80 devil that had nothing to lose. He had more to gain, but perhaps not to the extent that he wished.


    There were no Orcuns this time around, nor very large foes. This group had fewer members, barely reaching a dozen figures. Each wore draconian armor with Embody Scales, forged with styles of dragon scales to mimic their strength. Plates and their armor were fancy, filled with scales and a couple of tough plates bore the most important protections.


    Each of them looked like a sturdy knight, so their speed and flexibility were apparent like their military origin. They jumped forward and made a gracious landing. If not impressive, what was it?


    Ultium barely flinched upon their arrival. He still had his right arm out and his left arm in his pocket.


    ¡°HALT!¡± The leading knight said. He had horns protruding from his helmet that had flames around and between them.


    ¡°Oh, I think I know their names...¡± Ultium pointed at them and turned aside to see nobody. He sighed, figuring that no one was here to see his surprisingly good memory. ¡°Members of the Inferno Legion, huh?¡± He smiled at the demons and devils that made up this military group and no gangs.


    ¡°What a cheeky brat we have here.¡± The leader said with a sneer, unwilling to take away his helmet yet. ¡°You will be sorry to remain here alone. Where is the rest? Are you a diversion?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ultium replied without hesitation and got ready to battle. His fingers surged with bloodline powers and turned crispier red than before. ¡°I won''t kill you fast.¡± he pinched his fingers without any Shot in sight. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The leader of this red-armored Inferno Legion turned his head around. Flabbergasted, but not afraid, he observed the surroundings if what he heard was right. A quick scan of his surroundings revealed more questions.


    ¡°We have been ambushed. I don''t feel... anyone, so... let''s start to fix this shit that our boss wants.¡± He argued as he clutched the sword beside his hip. It was longer than an average sword and not hidden in a pouch. A scabbard hid it instead.


    Beside him, a member with a long halberd walked forward and pointed his weapon at Ultium.


    ¡°You... are alone, aren''t you? Your name is Ultium. 200, 000 Hell Points worth of mess is fitting for Level 80. Less than usual for this kind of problem, level, and stakes though.¡±


    ¡°I am that name for sure,¡± Ultium said and cracked his fingers. ¡°Will you come at me or I shall do it instead? I am not in a hurry for this Hunt.¡±


    ¡°Hunt?¡± The leader asked. ¡°Bloody merry, don''t think you are the biggest gem of shit you are! You are just a dog to a human shit!¡±


    Once more, Ultium heard others mocking his boss. That was not only a slap at his face, David''s, and others, but it really turned his heart upside down. Ultium''s aura skipped a beat, and so did his blood and face. His eyes turned cold and even his bloodline and redness thickened.


    The leader of the Inferno Legion shouted for others to take the flanks. They were a team. They will all fight, but he shall be the first to start this charade. Grabbing his sword, he let go of the scabbard as he brandished his sword above. ¡°You are a dead devil in our eyes. Before, or today.¡±


    ¡°Feels alive,¡± Ultium argued as he readied his heart. ¡°Unlike you very soon.¡±

 Chapter 215: Ultiums adventure - Part 2

    Battles involving Laws often started with a short exchange to gouge out the opponent''s degree of Laws. Among them, similar to how Affinities adhere to mana, roots, and cores, there were weaker Laws than others. If one side held utter conviction and confidence, but skill or use was different, then the fights could turn into something completely different. A big disparity would turn it into a fraction of a normal length.


    That was the reality that fundamentally described beings close to Level 70 and above. Battles became very different when one could handle powers that touched upon some sensitive Laws or Paths. One could also have wild and brutal strength to oppose it, as there were many ways to perceive the arts of killing or sheer power.


    Waiting or gouging others was neither wrong nor right, as battles were essentially just a way to kill, obliterate, and deal with an opponent. For some, the means to do it didn''t matter. Results did.


    Ultium held his powers without any weapon. Even though his martial arts were kind of weak, David ensured he wouldn''t be someone lacking basics. He taught him numerous styles to accommodate this focus. That was to find a good line between interest, compatibility, his heart, and way of blood.


    Not every devil fought this way. Most carried weapons that benefited their Bloodline or Blood Shaping. Thus, there were many kinds of devils capable of wielding very distinct powers. Clans or some families could have unique techniques or powers etched into their lineage. Rarely, some even disregarded blood completely, opting to master their Physique, Martial Arts, or focused on some other powers or outside Paths that might be further away from devils. All of this was mostly subjective since the adhering Divides had their own ways of accommodating life, and life preferred to challenge them back.


    Choices were confined around devils for one reason. They held some limits similar to many other ancient races. Their race depicted those bathed in the glory, grace, and terrific nature of the ancient Chaos. It was both great and poor in many forms.


    Devil Bloodline carried strands of unchangeable chains, dreadful history, and emotions. All of which made them prone to the heart demons that would limit their choices that tinkered with each devil.


    In a poor sense, talent or their hearts were those chains that decided their ways. It could be anything as long as it went well within their nature, and going close to them was always better. Then, there were the blood aspects and mana that were generally good or bad depending on the quality of their Bloodline and control.


    For Ultium, it wasn''t anything nasty, for he held the grace of devils lost in time.


    Lawful fights didn''t matter to him. Probing, or trying his luck was less than interesting. Start or finish, the foes and fools alike held their benefits and starts, and he had less need to think twice.


    And before this squad from Inferno Legion, there were things he could and shouldn''t do. For example, taking both hands out of his pocket would work better than being stubborn.


    Yet he kept his left hand inside his pocket for no other reason other than simple desire. He decided to take them head-on with his right hand alone. Well, he had his legs too. All his limbs were long and flexible, and usually, his legs were strong and great tools in battles. Orcuns would agree.


    Opposite him, the leader of this squad moved closer, brandishing his long sword that had particular curvature and notable sharpness. It had a reddened sheen of metal at the sharp edge and dense tip while the rest was metallic. The handle was long, enough for numerous thick hands. It had no guard; just cloth strips for better grip. Others beside this leader held similar blades, but smaller and with different handles.


    Ultium didn''t care about their weapons. Laws, in general, were something else, though he wondered what kind of loose bastards these guys were, and why they would come at him like that. One by one would be so much better for them because some would survive by fleeting.


    If they came at him all at the same time, he couldn''t hold back his heart or hands. It will turn livid. Unhinged. Like his smile that crept wider on his face.


    Level 80 meant that his Major Thresholds were multiple and bashed onto his life. Those around Level 70 were manageable, even though 10 Levels was a massive difference above Level 50, and this significance moved thinner and thinner the higher the levels went.


    That was the common sense that Ultium disregarded because of his heart. David disliked that fact. It made teaching tougher and a sense of danger or fear was extremely important for survival.


    Having no shits to give was somewhat impressive, but not clever.


    Ultium wasn''t smart for sure, but he was definitely a genius in the middle of battle and his knack for getting his blood and heart boiling was more emphatic for him than some words. For a devil, that was essential.


    Especially when David''s name or race came into question and his heart got hurt. It always ended in these questionable demeanors or changes.


    Level, grades, or power level held diminishing meanings when conviction and killing intent cracked some toys apart and broke this world''s rule.


    The mentality was also part of the spirit and fighting, so the surrounding knights wearing armor all noted Ultium and his sheer presence. Everyone''s lifeline was one the thread between End and life.


    Fear can move souls and flesh, and touch the same things.


    Ultium wasn''t sufficient against Extremes, but his instincts told him there was none ahead. Without any Voice or reason in this world left, he could only guess what was good about them.


    They were military, so they were adhering to some rules or some bosses. They said it too. Ultium figured they should be very confident if they got so close to him. He would survive against Extremes for a while, so this group better go at him or he will yawn.


    Nudging his feet to the ground, his lone right palm was steady. Unnaturally so. Killing the ones infinitely close to the Extreme Gates was rough and many Level 70s and 80s were simply too tough and similarly insane like him, so he wondered who these fools all wearing some silly helmets thought were insulting. This world won''t ensure it. He wasn''t even a Gifted, Wicked, or Blessed. He was just a devil tossed to a street and caught by a man.


    Alas, he won''t die that easily, and others won''t do so either. That was the gist of those managing Laws, who were hard to kill most of the time. To do so needed something overpowering like complex eradication of the Lifeforce. Ultium did so against Carmilla and a separate head from the rest could not possibly think on its own.


    He could kill the people who he needed to kill. That was what mattered. David ruled it as that. As a slayer, he got a new job, so forgetting the worries or the rest of his senses came later.


    That was a rule and no chain. It set him free, giving him space and chances that few devils felt or trusted.


    It was an outcome of living with David and in Hellscape for many years, so this squad better know what they unleashed. Lisa should get to know it too, but she was too busy flying and thinking for herself.


    Killing them will only quench a bit of his heart and words better be forgotten. That was easy enough.


    Ultium had an itch in his fingers to make his move because this group wasn''t doing a thing. He waited and waited. Seconds lingered and his patience was boiling like those beats; the turmoil of his heart was endless. It was almost deafening, but he remembered David''s voice and Lisa''s rules. He didn''t know why Lisa appeared next to David. It was strange if anything else. He wasn''t one to get this far from such brief meetings, yet she gave him some very assertive impressions.


    The one that David called Evil. Him, of all things. That was weird. He remembered that David never called anyone Evil besides her. And there were a lot of fucked up people in the Hellscape, let alone this world, temple, or Hell.


    A devious smile crept on his face when the squad made their moves. They didn''t attack but surrounded him like a dangerous animal.


    Following their leader''s movement, the rest of the squad brandished their weapons and determination.


    Ultium couldn''t tell their races or powers, but weapons were important tools for most Legions. They carried all sorts of faces and powers. There were mostly swords in their hands, but one had a spear and another held a long halberd. Those were just two longer-range tools at their disposal, and there was no obvious magic or bows or something else. Ultium had an advantage in this regard. He could fight at any distance.


    But he had no armor, and those opposite to him had incredibly robust protection that looked expensive, protecting every inch of their bodies. They didn''t look like Hunters for sure. They had their benefits of doubts, however, while their synchronized moves carried experience and order. They were deliberate and slow steps, which meant their hearts were about to stop beating, and killing without a shred of shame was next.


    All of them were ready to kill him.


    And there was no longer any ego set in place.


    The leader of the squad had some regrets and felt nauseous. He was also nervous, but it wasn''t visible. He barely moved a step at a time, but he long ago wanted to pounce at Ultium, similar to the rest of his men.


    Pressure and battle already started and he failed dozens of times already in a simple battle of spirit. This was supposedly their fight for remedy and their experience should''ve made it easier. It failed them. The first to move will pick the rest of this fight apart, either regretting it or moving toward victory. One was easier than the other, and there were no good answers because the results followed the winners.


    The leader no longer underestimated Ultium because the pressure he was releasing onto his whole squad was insane. A single devil almost forced them back without even trying to move.


    It was true that there was not a single person among them that held a bigger level than Ultium, but it mattered a lot that there were ten of them and each followed some Laws, albeit only half of them were above Level 70.


    Unfortunately, this battle was meant to be strange from the very beginning. Sword fights were out of place when the other party had nothing but a single hand and five fingers aiming at a dozen proper weapons. It was out of place, out of the norm, yet it was turning the tides before the storm.


    A spear worked wonders at mid or long-range combos. Both long and with a sharp point, it held considerable flexibility that required a pair of arms. Even peasants could defeat a trained soldier because of it, or if the soldier had a dagger or simple sword, they could kill them from a safe distance away.


    Wielders of the spear and halberd were sturdy and tall individuals. Wearing their armor shouldn''t give them disadvantages, and they should be compatible with their weapons. They were certainly second strongest aside from their leader.


    However, Ultium thought little, if nothing about their weapon choices. Daggers, swords, or massive spears often cracked and bent the same, turning to metallic pieces that briefly shined before becoming scraps. When none hit him any deeper than words hurting his pride and heart, it was arrogant and naive.


    He knew that true masters obliterated this sort of concept, even if he wasn''t wrong at the moment. Options carried flexibility, while masters of weapons hold diverse kinds of authority in this world. They were less tamable; less dependent on this world. Sure, capable equipment did lessen it to some degree, and the addition of those crazy boosts with attributes could change a lot of things. But at the core, a weapon was what mattered, and Paths were formed around them since the very beginning.


    Masters carried focus and sheer will that went with their weapons. They shouldn''t care for some mana if it wasn''t necessary.


    What was possible against this group could easily become impossible for the next ones Ultium shall meet.


    Thus, Ultium simply waited for them to move forward first, or for their leader that was itching and hesitant to move. It was his bad habit. Waiting wasn''t great.


    The same choice came with Orcuns, who were nothing but burly knights that held lesser flexibility and no armor besides their flesh and some scraps for leather.


    Knights of the Inferno Legion soon made a perfect encirclement, forming a circle with each member eying one of Ultium''s vital points.


    Each trained for this purpose, even if this practice was rare against a single devil. Among them, only half were confident to touch and hurt this devil, and even then, they weren''t sure about themselves. A wrong move, and they were dead.


    This team was cherry-picked squad by one of the brutish Overlords who was curious about Hunt and Murai''s party. Mindarch accepted their group out of curiosity, and their talents weren''t too tough. There weren''t as many limits, but the military was something else when it came to Hunters and Levandis. Making some moves willy-nilly wasn''t fine because wasting good members was costly. But they could form some private parties as long as there was a balancing rule ahead, and Mindarch believed this much wouldn''t hurt anyone but one curious Overlord.


    And running away was often a great choice.


    He almost wished to speak and let them escape. Alas, he doubted it was even possible when they insulted Ultium''s father figure.


    There was an order for Hunt. Mindarch was pivotal when holding back or aiming or accepting Hunters. It wasn''t even that hidden, as far as their balancing factors, badges, and stakes got accepted.


    Those who would move without his blessing would be then killed and hunted by Hunters out of nothing but free respect for the End and Afterlife.


    This meant that fewer issues came from unofficial Hunters because they didn''t want to piss someone off.


    Ten members of this Level should be a severe loss because they could give most Level 80 great challenges.


    It was about experience. Anyone at this level was a force to reckon with. Razmund would agree like Ozeki or Luno. Before Ultium, this squad should work the best as a team, or... was it perhaps too much already?


    The leader thought so, but when he wanted to approach Ultium and unleash his moves dozens of times, he stopped himself every time.


    Always, something hit him. He already died in his mind, or was it a dream or some nightmare? It was the experience of battlefields that he was feeling.


    This was no longer about some Hunt or Levels, let alone the prowess of his squad. This was a battle of life and death; the finest course for survival of the fittest.


    Yet he didn''t move even after knowing that he was wasting his heart. He didn''t even gesture to his team to make their moves first and make amending sacrifices.


    Thus, Ultium did something he should''ve done earlier. He pulled his left hand out of his pocket and showed them something nice.


    Round but slim, his badge carried redness and a black circle. ¡°Wants this? If you keep on walking snail''s steps around me, you won''t get it?¡± Ultium taunted them, figuring that coping the way David often spoke wasn''t that easy.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Surprisingly, he hadn''t butchered any words this time around. He almost put his fist in the sky, proudly feeling his accomplishment.


    But his action provided its benefits.


    The leader was Level 75, so in a normal sense, he should be reasonably close to Ultium, yet not like it mattered anymore. Death was looming over them all.


    Numbers could carry their hearts for only so long and far.


    None moved.


    Ultium wondered if his words were weak or if his speech wasn''t long enough. So he began tossing the badge up and down his palm which carried no redness. Most of the blood moved around his right arm, fingers, and dancing in wavering light and waves.


    ¡°Let me ask you something.¡± the leader said, sounding nervous even though he tried to fake his confidence.


    ¡°Questions denied.¡± Ultium thought this was the perfect haughty and arrogant answer.


    Yet, the leader asked anyway. ¡°Where have you been lost?¡±


    Ultium frowned and caught his badge. ¡°Where, huh? Here. Right now. There or here or there. Matters not right now.¡±


    Ultium stepped closer, ending the perfect circle and initiating a change.


    One of the least experienced knights made his move, pouncing straight at Ultium''s back, lowering his center of gravity, and stabbing with his sword right at the spine. That should hinder movement, and perhaps help kill him. He doubted it was so easy, so he was fine sacrificing himself to gain his squad a chance.


    That was commendable, even when Ultium didn''t think of this in the slightest. He was never in the military, so he didn''t get their ideals or appeals about sacrifices. He had David. It was different.


    The pounce happened quickly, and the sword arrived even faster. Ultium turned his right arm aside, bent his knees, and lowered his body to an unnatural degree, catching the tip while swaying his hips and unleashing a flying kick at the helmet. A dull crash resounded, cracking the helmet a little, but it was far too sturdy so he didn''t crash it, but the hit was big, and whatever was underneath got hurt. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He kicked this cheeky backstabber dozens of meters away, rendering this knight incapacitated for dozens of seconds in the slightest. The duration of this fight was hard to point out. It was not a kill, but that was fine. One down. Nine to go. The sword remained in his hand. He didn''t want it, so he tossed it to the ground.


    ¡°Next.¡± Ultium tossed the badge again and there was no need for it anymore.


    More steps echoed and true battle started.


    Their armors was experimental equipment of mass-produced style for those within the Laws. They significantly boosted their bodies and protected many of their martial choices. Equipment worked like that quite well at this level, giving them some buffs, or even granting abilities if the equipment and their powers allowed it. Improvement was easily said when some Laws possessed quality within the equipment, so one could feel and make good use of them all the time. Wielder would always improve and feel them. That was the power of the equipment filled with precious materials and Laws, followed by accepted regard from the Will of the Battleworld that makers and wielders of these gifts carry.


    Such tools added power, sustainability, and survivability. Military needed everything, while Ultium did not. His suit was enough and even if it wasn''t some sturdy and thick defense, its focus tampered with him alone. It wouldn''t be good if it was less flexible because its blood-related effects were way too good.


    In a heartbeat and first clash, everyone was ready to unleash their moves, while their leader cowardly stopped himself again.


    One of the knights moved, and in less than a second of his attack, another charged aside from him. It would be stupid if each attacked Ultium individually, allowing him to kill them like idiots one by one


    Attacking simultaneously had its validity, even if pride, place, and certain striking limits had come next. If they storm him, a friendly fire might be possible, so for the start, only half of them stepped forward.


    They served this Hell for all of their lives, so they had absolute confidence in their teamwork. They would laugh at their stupidity if they would take turns to fight against this monster. Be it in the Afterlife, Seventh Hell, or... Underworld? Beyondlife? Names or legends didn''t matter much when fights mattered for them like Laws.


    It was ridiculous. Ultium remained half-standing, pointing with his hand at the side that had a pair of swordsmen coming for his throat. Behind him was the spearman, aiming at his legs. On the other side, another swordsman wanted his arm or his badge.


    ¡°Interesting. Smart moves, but...¡± Ultium mumbled, storing his badge along with his arm in his pocket. His posture was odd, almost falling, but he was as stable as he could be. Then, he let his actions speak for himself.


    There were some delays between their attacks. The first pair was quicker than the spearman or the one going for his left hand. But the pair held almost no difference in their timing, so they came like two sticks aiming for one target; his throat.


    Ultium decided to solve them at the same time, but what if... all nine of them attacked at the same time?


    Well, those worries were there since the start and became negligible. He won''t give them this change, so he turned his right fingers toward that pair.


    They didn''t pull their attacks when he turned to them. Instead, they pushed even further at him, tightening their intent and swinging their weapons at his head.


    Ultium took a quick breath before shifting his steps and flickering his palm. He stepped quickly like a shadow forward. With the back of his palm, he deflected the left sword while striking the other knight in the chest. Armor survived again, but against his reddened fingers, it bent inwards and the body behind the armor bled and shuddered, feeling these fingers like fingers of death.


    Once more, one more foe went flying away. Just in time for the left one to strike him again, closer to the remaining ones.


    Blood didn''t flow. Their armor was tough to deal with when they didn''t go for a kill. His fingers could be spears, but they wouldn''t be too good without greater attention to Shaping, or weight. He used knuckles and punches instead, forcing those foes as far away as possible. Eight left to go, but they could get back to a fighting condition. Ultium wasn''t sure how well his strike went anymore. He should be more savage like a slayer.


    With one flying away, a sword came for Ultium''s neck. Ultium sidestepped because others arrived at his side and back. He hid behind the swordsman, dodging the spear or attacks at his side.


    Quite a few moves happened in the next few seconds across barely a few square meters. Ultium kept moving on his feet as if floating or moving in like the wind. His footwork was incredible, while his single right arm deflected or tried to grab swords or the fast spear aimed at his legs or chest. Neither penetrated his flesh, let alone David''s gift.


    When the next chance came, he struck for blood.


    A pair of fingers clutched the sword aimed at his throat. He flexed it, hoping to crush it but failed. A spear came right away, followed by a terrific sword slash. He set his right foot up and kicked the spear. Then he bent, dodged a sword to his back, and head-butted the frontal foe. The man''s helmet was tough, while Ultium had limited force because of his improper horns.


    The foe fell to his knees, before stumbling backwards. Ultium had no doubts this one would be able to get to his feet within a few breaths. For the time being seven remained.


    Which allowed the blood to flow. Ultium had a rare breath of half a second to unleash his move against the incoming spearman that went for his throat. They were savage strikes, quick stabs, and swipes. His point finger flickered in dense red liquid. He dropped to the ground, dodging the spear, and unleashed two Shots at those sturdy legs. Spearman screamed but still swung his weapon at his throat. Ultium stepped aside, dodging this threat by a hair, but the spear changed its trajectory. He was forced to deflect it with his fingers, which allowed two strikes to hit his back, leaving blood leaking and two lines around his suit''s back.


    He was livid.


    Spearman unleashed a flurry of stabs, yet simple fingers crashed every strike as if they were even stronger. Ultium ended up halfway crouching. Looking ahead, he jumped straight at spearman''s face after creating an opening with a punch.


    ¡°Drop... dead,¡± He released his fist, yet once again, the spearman changed his grip and moved his spear back. He was quick and deadly, but Ultium poised with his palm like a shield, deflecting the spear that seemed to flow like water.


    Then he jumped on the spot, aiming a single point finger at the spearman''s helmet. It had some holes for eyes, but the spearman noticed it shouldn''t be enough and tried to dodge. He succeeded, but Ultium wasn''t the only one with high flexibility and Dexterity. His hand moved even after more injuries hit his body. He made a hole with his finger into that sick helmet, sticking it inside, and unleashed his Shots. Splatters of brain and blood splurged in the helmet and some of them even leaked outside.


    Six...well, more were left.


    The helmet was still fine, forgetting the third hole, and blood was difficult to lock away. Ultium barely breathed for a second, and his movement was getting hard when surrounded by enemies. He paid the price for finishing this spearman. Two swords found their way to his back, stabbing deep. Blood flowed.


    Ultium stood on his feet, eyed by the remaining foes. There were way too many left that were able to fight.


    ¡°Now, you''ve done it.¡± Ultium took another breath, right when the leader made his move. There was also that halberd user at the opposite end, but he had yet to move. Ultium long ago shattered their formations, so only half of them were able to fight Ultium in close combat at the same time.


    ¡°No, you.¡± the leader said. A large sword strike struck the heavens like a chop, coming at Ultium''s face like heavenly punishment. Blood and mana fused, charming the edge and making it bigger, quicker, and more savage.


    Ultium didn''t flinch. He adjusted his neck, still feeling the swords inside of his back. It hurt. He didn''t like pain. It didn''t mean weakness, but he just didn''t like it. It was a sensible preference.


    Why didn''t the rest of those fools make their move? He wondered if they were stupid. All of them could stab his back like a fine target right now. Ultium thought unnecessary questions when that chop came.


    He lightly jumped back, adjusting his head and lower body to strike the long sword with his horns. It needed a specific awkward angle, but he succeeded with the price being more pain. A pair of swordsmen behind his back almost stopped his momentum. They pushed their swords deeper, hoping to kill him. They found it incredibly hard. At least they penetrated his black suit. They didn''t know if it was Ultium''s blood or the one stored within this Blood Suit.


    Crisp metallic clash echoed, and chop failed to shed any blood. Ultium''s move forced the swords deeper into his body, and his neck bent because of the force of this clash. He didn''t care. Their leader stepped back in a similar backlash and it was almost wonderful that the sword was still in one piece.


    Flexing his body to a stop, Ultium aimed at his next target. Swaying his upper body and right arm aside, he had his choice.


    Behind him, two soldiers tried their best, but not for long, unfortunately.


    Ultium swung his fist which suddenly exploded in red spikes, hitting both fools behind his back in one immense momentum. Like a savage spiked mace followed by a sweep, chunks of armor and helmet obliterated a skull. That happened to the first he hit. The second one survived because the first bumped into him, forcing him away. He was still good to go, although the force that went through his body made his heart boil and mind crack.


    Swords flew out of Ultium''s body right as he forced them away.


    Five were left, more or less. Perhaps it no longer mattered.


    The time and fools were still numerous. Another pair and their leader came to his side and unleashed their attacks at the same time. Halberd user was at the opposite side, swinging his weapon behind his head and waiting for a killing strike. He didn''t strike yet for some reason. Ultium bet this was the perfect timing to kill him.


    It was a true crisis.


    Yet his heart was turning tides of adrenaline and something else all over his body. Steam went out of his skin, redness intensified, and Ultium smiled like a crazy devil. Surface disappeared from his mind and slaughter bore his blood. Or was it backward? His blood was savage enough and something in his heart broke or moved forward, or from depth.


    ¡°You are good.. Good.¡± He mumbled, red mist escaping his mouth.


    Although he managed some kills, most attacks didn''t manage to cause significant damage. The time was essential. Staling wasn''t good, or so Lisa said. His enemies knew it too, and in their minds, waiting for Ultium to mend his wounds wasn''t fine either.


    He failed. Everyone did to some extent.


    ¡°Failure means learning, Ultium. It is a time for a change of tactics, my boy.¡± David''s voice echoed in his mind, giving him advice on what to do next. It wasn''t that device or him. Just a memory.


    The redness skipped a beat around his finger, and Ultium formed an open palm before moving and flexing his fingers tighter than ever before. It was not a fist. It resembled a spearhead made out of his glinting bloody fingers. The red blood aura deepened. Sharp tips were fingers, rotations in red thin spikes like waves. It was blood. It was as if his hand turned into a fine spearhead or a chainsword that was cutting on its own.


    Just in time. The leader and the rest attacked at the same time.


    The first who struck was the halberd user who put forth a devastating swipe at the back of his head.


    Ultium didn''t see it, but he still dodged it by crouching, turning on the spot, and swiping at that knight. He defended with a gauntlet, meeting the red-finger spearhead. It became a mangled mash of metal and gore, and even pieces of bones were hard to distinguish from the metal.


    A scream echoed under the helm, but the halberd user swung his weapon with a single grip, seizing this change to hit him once. It was too late. Ultium swung his arm up, turning this stab into a slash and cutting into the foe. The armor screeched when Ultium left a long crevice that wasn''t deep enough. He even dodged the halberd by a simple twist of his feet.


    He didn''t care for this knight, for more attacks were coming right behind him and yet another sword found its way into his side. This time, Ultium grunted, turned, and flashed his single arm as if there was a fly. He penetrated that cheeky knight, cracking that sword and armor alike. His spear went straight at the head, going deep and killing him outright. Halberd arrived again, barely finding a way into his flesh. It still shed the blood, damaging his suit.


    Ultium was slowly turning furious with these numerous attackers who didn''t regard this gift at all. It was as he expected and imagined from a Hunt.


    He heard stories. Legends.


    He was experiencing it right now. He was the experience.

 Chapter 216: Dark chasms

    Blood flowed, followed by more sounds, beats, and mist. Their leader wasn''t the only one attacking. Most unleashed their strikes, but Ultium had his right hand free and even if his steps turned slower, he had plenty of blood. Frankly, he was starting to get enough heat out of this.


    However, what came next put his blood and life into the cold drenched piss-infusing mood. The leader felt dreadful. Swords clustered together, forming combos left and right. A few of them hit each other, turning the slashes into stabs. They failed to utilize their blood formation in time and it was a mistake of their leader.


    And Ultium already dealt with two devils, rendering the blood-formations useless. Perhaps they wouldn''t work either because Ultium was far too savage.


    And gone.


    Blood mist and thud echoed.


    ¡°Above!¡± the halberd user shouted, crouching and bleeding. Ultium jumped not that high, but he almost appeared as if he teleported.


    Hovering three meters above the ground, he cruised in mid-air by some strange blood art. It wasn''t Flying Steps for sure, but it was similar. Finding footing in the air was possible when one struck the air with enough force, momentum, or something unique. Blood was enough. His affinities towards it helped a lot in this regard.


    Those with wind, space, or other space-involved powers held much easier movement advantage over others. Flying was possible even for fodder below Level 50, albeit limited, and not that long unless one had some wing artifacts, great equipment pieces, or sets.


    Ultium jumped as if there was a wall above him, going down and aiming at his target. He shattered the halberd user alongside the incoming thick chop that went against his revolving blood.


    Crashing at the ground, others weren''t quick enough to stop him, intercept him, or move toward him.


    Numbers were dwindling, but not the blood.


    Ultium gave them time when he penetrated the halberd user''s chest, pinning him to the ground, and creating holes. The remaining fools encircled him in fright. He looked at them, eyes blazing in a fierce red storm. He got up, swiping his palm, deflecting every strike when sizzling blood encompassed his arm like shied, looking thicker and denser with every kill.


    Looking at these unfortunate souls wasn''t fine, so he went straight at offense when his palm and legs overcame some hurdle and his wounds itched. He was still alive. And burned in the heat of blood and restless heart.


    Ultium sidestepped poorly, but because there weren''t that many enemies left, he could afford it. He went for the sturdiest-looking knight wearing thick armor, aiming the tip of his spear at a barely exposed gap. It wasn''t even centimeters wide. Perhaps little of it was right, as most helmets came off from the rest of the armor. It had its uses.


    Fingers went deep, following some blood aura, and storming force that severed veins and muscles. In a heartbeat, blood flew like a geyser from the intact armor.


    Ultium didn''t know how many foes remained any longer. There were those alive but unwilling to move, or those dead, or alive, yet unable to hit him. He finished some of them in an instant.


    Their leader was furious, gripping his long sword, and far underestimated their plans and experiences.


    Ultium was bleeding profusely and moved like someone wounded, yet hit them back as if he was stronger than ever before. It wasn''t some form of berserk ability. The leader understood that. It was about some nasty blood art, flesh, and craziness. He was a devil but had never seen something this crazy.


    It wasn''t as if he was underestimating Ultium too much. They didn''t make many mistakes, and even managed to hit him dozens of times! He was bleeding, feeling wounds, and moved in foreign and his own blood. Blood was an advantage and disadvantage for devils. Perhaps that was the answer he was looking for.


    This monstrosity that was nothing more than a human dog crashed their formation, and combos, killing almost half of them. Nothing. This devil was nothing but a dog in the eyes of the military that held many devils from many clans and families in their ranks. The general population wasn''t aware of many things. The military was part of that as well, but they were closer to some rumors, thanks to Mindarch and some exclusive footage, information, or trades.


    None of them through Ultium''s power was something grounded on merit, reputation, or if it was even deserved.


    Now, standing before the real deal and bloody pit, the leader was uneasy. His grip loosened like his mind. He unleashed something they didn''t expect, but perhaps some knew this would come. Their boss knew it already. They didn''t trust it. The dog was no dog. It was a dragon hiding in the midst of an unfilial land.


    Fewer foes were left around this plain.


    ¡°One,¡± Ultium stated a single word, or was it a number? Standing, suit, and his hands filled with the blood of his foes. His next move was simple when they pounced at him all at once. Even their leader gripped his palms, unleashing his all-out slashes that moved every power of his heart and blood arts.


    Ultium relaxed his right hand, ending his spear by broadening the fingers and forming a claw out of every blood he had at his disposal. Each finger turned into a sharp fang-like cluster of mana and blood, looking like jewel moving water streams.


    ¡°A single strike?¡± the leader mumbled as he felt his sword was slower than a snail. Fear gripped his heart. ¡°He wants to get this over with?¡±


    Right. Ultium lowered his posture and swiped his legs in an unnatural stance around him. As he did so, his fingers left afterimages of bloody fangs, holes, and strikes behind. They moved as he turned on the spot, claiming a head, weapon, armor, or limb with each move, turn, and sway of his fingers.


    At least a single dot was at their chest as well, cutting into the armor and turning it obsolete when swiping fingers cracked the rest apart. Blood and metal collided next, before falling to the ground. Their armor didn''t seem to help them all that much after all, even if Ultium would digress. They kept up with his favorite tool, which was worth some praise.


    This left a single knight alone. It was the leader with a long sword who defended with his sword successfully. It was half of its size by now, thanks to the sizzling cut right in its half Ultium stopped his dance and straightened his back. Looking at the sole survival of this attack, he didn''t have that many fingers, yet it wasn''t that bad. Unsurprisingly, he smirked in success.


    ¡°Die...¡±


    ¡°No!¡± the leader shouted. There were others around that were still alive, barely breathing. Perhaps they could help after crawling to their feet.


    Yet, it was too late for regrets or hopes. This slowly creeping day was a bloody nightmare.


    Ultium bathed in his intimate glory, grace, mist, blood, heart, and beats, overseen by few but none of his team.


    Standing, hands gripping over his face, blood dripped between his fingers.


    ¡°Still not enough...¡± He mumbled.


    ***


    High in the air, Bagus left this section of the land. He went right above the plains, mountains, or stone-cold places, going straight to the next Sector after Lisa figured their time was changing like their path.


    Thanks to their communication, David and Itrosh gave her enough information to move forward. Ultium was the secondary idea, as it was something that David argued about. As long as Ultium¡¯s independent moves wouldn''t cause them any trouble, Lisa was fine with that. They left him in dust, but not for long. They had their battles and there would come a reunion very soon. Itrosh kept up with Bagus''s pace. David wasn''t far off either, or so he said.


    Lisa wasn''t entirely sure about it because she wasn''t feeling the surroundings that well.


    After a while, an interesting Sectors came to their view. It was their first resting location, looking like a savage dark savanna, cracked earth, and dull forest. By now, around five hours passed since they separated, so a lot of things happened down below.


    Unexpectedly, none attacked them in the air, which Bagus took with a smile on his face and Lisa wasn''t that happy. She thought someone would move at them. From the looks of it, most groups went against the ground team first, but Lisa had endless nerves about what it meant. She wasn''t sure if it was proper. She was starting to feel she was missing something very crucial.


    Murai didn''t care about her worry. Bagus wasn''t that inflexible in the air, and he had high defenses and power right below that of Ultium. He laughed at Murai from time to time; he wouldn''t back down even if those Crows came back.


    Landing, their current location was a dark forest filled with chasms, deep crevices, and cave systems that were part of a rather unique Sector. It was part of Province 3''s unique lands, looking barren in different ways than mountains and rocky plains. It was as if dozens of Overlords and Sages went rampant and crashed the earth. Mostly flat, forests of all kinds ranged from gray plains that were full of lingering fog. Such variety went hand in hand with most of this temple, let alone this Gate. Once thriving in vitality, now it was full of deep canyons and chasms, creating a perfect hiding spot.


    Most chasms went deep into the ground, giving some beasts and people places to live in darkness, or doing other things like mining or shady business.


    Lisa preferred this kind of place, so Bagus landed in one such chasm that wasn''t so deep or large. Not only it was a fairly remote and unpopular place, but since there were thousands of these chasms, finding them should be difficult.


    Lisa knew how this place operated in the shadows and chose this as their rest. Mana in these lands held dark properties, filling the chasm with perpetual fog as if it were night all the time because of the distant artificial sun.


    It was also impervious to most senses, so deals of all kinds and businesses happened in this Sector. A lot of things can hide, die, and turn here, away from the towns and cities, or even some Overlords. Not Mindarch, Lisa knew. That soul construct should see and feel everything if he truly wanted that. Not even Amelius stopped him.


    Lisa bet on those spying capabilities, but not words or help. Mindarch was silent, not acting for the sake of Hunted. There was a high-class interest in their existence, so he must be observing them without helping Hunters either.


    It was near perfect place to hide some secrets, deals, or do something that shouldn''t be done. David knew this place very well.


    Feeling right to be good was adequate, but could it work for their purpose and this Hunt? At worst, Lisa thought this place was good to defend, and fleeting to the fog was easy. Bagus will rest and their enemies might not find them in time. However, they weren''t potential but guaranteed. They weren''t alone in this place. Itrosh and David assured that idea.


    Bagus, Murai, and Lisa were the only ones here; the others would come when they could. Ultium won''t, albeit he could. David doubted that, so he told Lisa to trust this process because it wouldn''t be fine. He didn''t send them any message since their departure, which was nothing surprising for anyone from Lost Brothers.


    David at least assured Lisa that Ultium would be fine and that she shouldn''t think of him as some poor soldier or tool. He was more than that, but not in Lisa''s mind. She had to squeeze every opportunity she held down to their core benefits.


    He was the strongest, so she hoped he would shield their group from the toughest enemies. Maybe she was right. There was no way to tell.


    Being free and set on his own choices, Ultium did that even without hearing and seeing her voice.


    For the past five hours, David teamed with Itrosh for the sake of this mission. They often worked as a team anyway, followed by Bagus or others, so they were familiar with one another. They fought, scouted, and figured threats from kilometers away thanks to her Wind Sound Waves.


    They fought, intercepted, or hindered those problems while giving some ideas to Bagus and Lisa, so they would fly further away. It moved smoothly and way better than Lisa predicted. She liked to be right, but feeling it in this case wasn''t as pleasing.


    David and Itrosh should come to this chasm soon. Ultium was strong so it went without question he will be fine. Lisa told him the rules and target, so either he would come to them before Scorching Light, or David would drag him back.


    ¡°Hm? What a nice place.¡± Murai mumbled as he jumped from Bagus, looking around and seeking that fog, lifeless rocks and soil, and caves that made up the bottom of this chasm. He saw enough thanks to Lisa''s body and his Night Vision was useful. Soul Read felt nothing alive in his proximity.


    ¡°Yeah? I fear this doesn''t make me happy. It is dreadful.¡± Lisa said, floating up to see the chasm. ¡°Alright, plans are clear. Let''s wait for Itrosh and David before returning to the flight. Ultium fights and does his work like that damned David wants. Screw them both!¡±


    ¡°He will be fine.¡± Bagus snorted.


    ¡°Shut up. There are dozens of Hunter groups all around us, behind, or ahead. I don''t like this in the slightest. We lost some of them, or some stopped to follow us. Fear works, right?¡±


    ¡°What is bound to come will come. I will rest and protect you all if it comes to that. Hunts are like that. It isn''t fine, so it isn''t fine to expect it to be so,¡± Bagus argued, lying down, and with a flash of light, some meal appeared before him, coming from his necklace.


    ¡°Good to be such a good Grifhart...¡± Lisa moaned and looked at Murai. ¡°What do you have to say?¡± Murai didn''t refute her in a long while. Fear was a powerful tool, followed by a powerful reputation that was following fears. She had hers. Murai must have his fair share as well. The existence itself was tremendous.


    ¡°Fear is right, but I still think a big mistake was to travel through the sky.¡± He quacked. ¡°It''s boring. I couldn''t train, nor mend to this... charade of a caravan.¡±


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Bagus laughed at his annoyed quacks. He chewed on some meal where his feathers trembled and his head twitched. Something moved beyond the shadows, stopping his bliss.


    Unlike before because of lacking distance, Murai felt approaching souls. They were weak, but not every one of them.


    Lingering thuds and roars echoed, and growling noises spread from beyond the chasm. It was about a dozen meters deep, outgrown by some moss, and hiding in the fog. There was a forest above, as well as some plains with further chasms that were either connected or alone. Some were sporadic; not really that useful, deep, or wide.


    Behind death-looking trees, quite a large group of beasts appeared, followed by a shrouded figure. Beast sniffed the ground and trees, wincing their heads towards one particular chasm.


    Ferocious-looking Grand Rhinars took their Hunt seriously, like any popular hunting beasts that were tamable for most Beast Masters. They were beasts of questionable origin, but clear evolutions made them strong and tamable. Fog hid others, more lucrative tools. Rhinars were just toys, barely dogs for some folks.


    It was a species that stemmed from one particularly heavy Divine Beast. The quality of their Bloodline was weaker, but Rhinos, large beasts originating from the Radagan were like their godfathers. Their tough hides were like the finest armor, and a large spike for a weapon crashed mountains like tofu.


    Rhinars were like ants before true Rhinos. They were closer to Gnarwals, who were larger beasts than coyotes with tough defense and weight.


    Rhinars were a stable species, so their evolution choices were plentiful. However, Rhinars or Gnarwals could become one if they met their requirements, or used a fitting Influence Item.


    Grand Rhinars were an evolution of regular Rhinars who were beasts like wolves. They followed natural selection, growth, and power since birth. They grew quickly, so their Levels were generally high, and high-level ones were very rare, making their further evolutions tough to seek or hunt.


    Grand Rhinar, in a sense, was a choice of their first or second evolutions. The body was a mixture of many low aspects that came from Rhinos. Grand meant they were bigger and stronger variants of Rhinars.


    Their legs held cat-like properties, with some leanness to them, allowing for better dexterity and flexibility, but not speed. They were too burly for that. In theory, they didn''t need speed. The upper body had a tough hide and a big spike on their head was an obvious token stemming from Rhinos. The thick hide was around their side, neck, and head. Legs had fur, looking weirdly unnatural. Jaws were at the bottom of their head, fairly further from the spike. Growls, howls, and sharp teeth came from them.


    It was a wonder if flexibility was even possible for such burly yet not that tall beasts, but it sure was deadly, considering dozens of them came here after many kilometers of pursuits. That, or they waited here for Bagus for a long time, or chased them from the closer Sectors.


    ¡°Bloody hounds!¡± Lisa cursed as she realized they had been got. ¡°Bagus, you jinxed it! I said we hadn''t shaken some fuckers away.¡± She said to him; chewing on the thoughts.


    ¡°Having another Beast Master behind our backs for snacks sounds like a good idea.¡± Bagus chuckled and quickly finished his meal.


    ¡°Well, those beasts don''t sound to be that hard. They purr and growl like cats and hounds.¡± Murai mumbled and got ready like Bagus. Both were unable to see the approaching enemies, but both held very little interest if they were here or not. Either way, they came over and it was time to fight it out.


    Murai stretched his wings and neck, finally cheering that such change came. He cheered so silently that Lisa wished to grab his beak and twist it sideways. They should just remain quiet and hide. This was no chance. A great Hunter came instead.


    Some disinterested fleeting better be forgotten for Murai, who was already fed up with his lacking time. His expression changed, his smile widened, and mana was never this flowing, stressing, and shaking in excitement under his feathers.


    He hadn''t learned a lot from Pillage to crack some codes or ideas. But he sure was an interesting old fellow who had plenty of experiences to give. Heavenly Shaping and its efficient rules had passed Murai''s plentiful experiences, so the first level of success had been cracked down. Some of Murai''s results already bore their fruit because Shaping itself wasn''t something like eclipsing transformation like upgrades of the Mana Cores. It was about controlling what one had.


    Every spell needed a unique approach to the Heavenly Shaping. It wasn''t as universal as Murai hoped, unfortunately. It was a specified, special, and unique Shaping foundation that gave a lot more than a dozen ideas. It had hundreds, if not more privy and curious studies. If one followed it like that, of course.


    Pillage expressed his melancholy of the past¡ªor most likely current time¡ªthat not many would think of his technique as something ground-breaking or worth researching. He had already done so, so those aside from him worked with bits of his whole mountain that was his Heavenly Shaping.


    Most of his students¡ªand those willing to use it¡ªworked with a couple of ideas at a time before moving to different studies or focuses. Easing the delays was the primary purpose of his technique, so Murai wasn''t that surprised that not many would do so.


    He was in a unique position because he discovered one interesting topic. Pillage was unfortunate. He was betrayed because his technique was blasphemous in the past. It still had its worth, however, but someone in the past stole his life work while waiting for his passing


    What came of his own legacy was then turned into mild or wicked history. Levandis had one part of his work, so Murai found it curious and expressed his concern. He wouldn''t mind paying and giving Pillage what he deserved. It wasn''t about Karma or Fate. Those things better get lost in his opinion.


    When Murai mentioned how he found this part of his work, Pillage had almost no reaction besides whimpering howls, saying that Gods were sick, but not a reason for everything. The universe was.


    It answered more reasons than answers, so Murai wasn''t as forceful and let this topic go for a better time.


    Heavenly Shaping was a self-found technique. It followed one''s steps, rather than this world''s, and Boosts couldn''t affect it. It would just read and give it some wording like a brush pointing at the painting without touching the canvas. It had a variety of thresholds and Murai''s present Level 21 Heavenly Shaping was good.


    However, that was incorrect. He bet he had passed some Levels in the past days, but it wasn''t as if it was some curse. He hadn''t gotten a word since this world wasn''t spinning right. According to Pillage, every five levels was like a gate, and his technique had corresponding gifts. Its internal structure was the reward itself, so Murai had no locks or voices to think about besides his tries and following this technique.


    It was a true legacy, so he was happy for what it was. Learning and discovering what it could hide and do was most up to the individual. Its established structure was definitely wide, and with Pillage in the picture, what better thing was possible?


    But there were still some motions that Pillage made according to this world''s rules. It was a notion that benefited those following it, and abilities, spells, and some attributes were that. One had to have them for Shaping, and even if they were all connected, there was something neat about this world''s gifts and Boosts.


    Pillage gave this idea to Murai, even though he was deeply enraged even after so many millennia. He wasn''t some Breacher or Taboo Maker. He was just a beast that followed the rules of this world like many in the past. That went on until he did touch something. When the rules shacked him in return, he decided to pursue the peak and change the outcome.


    He failed


    Then met his End.


    Murai''s Shaping was at Level 21, and his skill was far better than that, so Pillage promised him that Surge and Surge Efficiency would give him the advances that he desired. Murai already started to use them to some extent, albeit only inside the Heavenly Shaping Manual. It was one of the main validations of his dogshit manual that could influence all spells.


    Murai could implement it to his Sharpblade, Flame Shots, Nova, and other spells, and even try and learn new ones. Self-found ideas were fitting choices that most Shaping Manuals were great at giving, and any mage could elevate their arsenal because of them. Add to that some tomes or teachers, and one could get stronger by leaps and bounds.


    Murai was a little bit difficult. He had limited interest in spells because of his body and core. It was and wasn''t his choice in a way. Since the start, his species had crazy ways of handling mana, thus Shaping was difficult. Murai''s soul either couldn''t work with it, or it was just bad compatibility between mana, soul, and his body. Murai considered it no guess but a fact. Pillage agreed.


    Besides that, his abilities were long strong. His Peak Layering and Beak''s Blitz were his best tools, and he had no doubts about their usability since he tested them numerous times. Some parts of them could depend on the Shaping. At least from the little what that Will of the Battleworld said.


    Blitz was incredible in the previous Gate. The Fatality was especially haughty and sharp. Now, his Peak was... kind of savage. He couldn''t think of any other word. It was both stressful and heavy on his neck, spine, and beak. At least, its effective powers were on par with Blitz''s Fatality, but its bigger outputs were dangerous thanks to its layering.


    Murai had limited ways to train it on top of Bagus, but before their departure, he spent a long time figuring things out on the go, or inside his Manual. He had time and protection of his Helpers, so he had nothing to stop him.


    Now, it was time to witness some of his results. Grand Rhinars will have to adapt to him. Not him to them.


    Lisa moaned even further, clutching her flowy hair and face. ¡°Ugh... Fine. More fools would come if we don''t fight this Beast Master. There are three choices before we move. Leave a message to Itrosh and David when we leave, or..¡± Lisa''s words were cut short when she looked at that pair of beasts.


    Murai was long battle-ready, and so was Bagus, who flared and stretched his neck and wings and feathers. He copied Murai''s act and neither cared for her words.


    Men. Lisa was surrounded by idiots. Their group was far too important to attack others willingly. These enemies must''ve moved outside of their steps. Lisa slapped her forehead, surrounded by maniacs, and her own mind followed them. She felt it affected her a little.


    There was no denying that. Sometimes, she was a maniac as well, or even worse, so she had no excuses to say to their hopes. Murai itched for a fight for days, but she always held him back, telling him that this Gate was dangerous and that he should be a good duck and back down his lofty head.


    It wasn''t something Murai liked for sure. He didn''t like being told what to do.


    Not anymore.


    Grand Rhinars were beasts welll over Level 40, so they were good target practice dummies. Some were closing on Level 50, looking bigger than others. None were below Level 40 at first run over Lisa''s memories.


    And there were dozens of them soon surrounding the chasm''s edge, looking down on their targets, wincing in heads, and growling restlessly. Beast Master also stepped forward, glancing past the edge.


    ¡°An interesting pit of hopes. Almost like a grave. Shame that I am no Earthling or the one with nature.¡± Beast Master told, showing his face. He was a twisted demon with many eyes and a wide mouth. He looked human, with pairs of limbs and a stable head and neck. A long and thick cloak was hiding most of his other features.


    Burying them in this chasm was a nice wish, and the encompassing fog hid more of his toys. Grand Rhinars growled as if agreeing to their master. Quite a numerical advantage was good, but when considering Bagus, things were tougher than they were.


    This Beast Master was Level 72, which meant the surrounding Grand Rhinars were just specks of his tools. He had more beasts lurking around, hoping for their chances. Be it in some canopies, trees, shadows, crowns of trees, or sky, they waited.


    Grand Rhinars were easy to breed, so he had a reasonable amount of them for feeding his stronger beasts or using them as fodder or tools. They made good hunting dogs, and their sturdiness was higher than most other similar beasts


    As for their physicality, their defenses were a high priority, their jaws were meant to grip and not let go, and thanks to the thick and sharp spike, they could pierce and kill larger prey than themselves. Most spikes were dozens of centimeters long and some big ones were half a meter long.


    The only downside was probably the legs, which were a bit thin, but they were enough to move their bodies. The saving grace was the hind legs that were a bit thicker in thighs and twisted in tight muscles, tendons, knuckles, and bones, so they could pounce and propel their bodies forward. That went well with their spike.


    Their Bloodline purity wasn''t that fine, but it wasn''t a factor to be scared of or be glad for. For Bagus, meeting a large swarm of low-level beasts didn''t make a big difference because killing often underwhelmed this whole leveling process. Blood. A simple lucky strike could kill even high-level targets, turning a sizable difference into a lethal act. Of course, this was easier said than done most of the time, especially further down the line of Levels.


    There were many instances of murmurs about Extremes dying because they were overconfident. That was a norm across the 100 Levels. At every stage, there were differences, and gaps between talents, bodies, and skills.


    Life was fragile and a lot of beings understood that fact.


    Dozens of Grand Rhinars were there and more were coming or waiting beyond the chasm. Most observed the edge, hoping for an order to go in.


    From the bottom, Murai Read and noted at least thirty of them. A big push of his Sonar revealed even more of them; not just Grand Rhinars. There were other enemies, stronger and harder to Read because of his range, or this place.


    A small confidence was a gap between Ends and chance. Being swarmed wasn''t a great choice, and Murai could feel it and sense his twisting choices and hopes. He wasn''t expecting to flee. It was time for a fight.


    This decision was a rule of the majority. Bagus followed suit, which left Lisa alone, grunting and looking at them as if they were foolish.


    ¡°We go at it, Lisa,¡± Murai said as his body began undulating force and trembles of mana. He let go of his hesitation since this time was a good choice to further his learning. It didn''t matter to him if their level and numbers were beyond him. He could fight against them by using tricks, his experiences, and what he already had.


    It was enough. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Finally some small fries for a small fry! Happy birthday! Murai!¡± he whispered to himself, figuring that his thoughts were weird. Lisa was speechless and let this go.


    Mana Sonar gave him quite a detailed overview of the situation. ¡°Bagus, there are touch stronger fools up to your side. Dozens of them. Most, if not all are stronger than these spike beasts. Dozens are hiding too so take care of them. Leave the rest to me.


    Bagus didn''t know what he quacked about. Lisa took it into her mouth. ¡°Stupid... beasts. Fine. Bagus, take care of who you think is tough.¡±


    ¡°Which direction is mine?¡± Bagus asked after figuring out the obvious task.


    ¡°Direction? Every single one of them. Greet that gazing idiot as well and his puppies. Onto the left, beyond the chasm is a good start.¡± Lisa gestured with her finger, following Murai''s efforts to act like a leader. The toys of this Beast Master were plentiful and soon many Grand Rhinars began jumping down, gnawing onto the walls, or using holes for paths. Beast Master wasn''t coming. He wasn''t moving. Instead, he backed away, disappearing into the fog after figuring that his target was clearly up to his beasts. He will swarm them!


    ¡°They want to keep us here? Bullshit. Hah! They are far too comforting in their mere peasantry. This will be their grave. Not ours.¡± Murai judged as he rose his beak up in a lofty manner.


    As if understanding these quacks that Lisa didn''t translate, Bagus turned his own beak up as well. He was looking far more impressive than a little duck aside from him.


    Then, he flicked his wings, flooding the bottom of the chasm with wind and turning the fog away. It wasn''t as bothersome, but it gave them more visibility and choices in their upcoming battle


    ¡°Alright. I trust you in this one,¡± Bagus said as he flew away, disappearing above the chasm. He left Lisa behind, whining that he should stay closer just in case, but that was her other conscience thinking.


    Too little, too late. At least there was some good news. Half of the Grand Rhinars went after Bagus and didn''t jump down. That still left quite a few left over to Murai, who was ready to take them. What will happen above wasn''t on his mind.


    He will gladly take this bottom as his arena, while Lisa could help him if she wanted. She already tried her lackluster flesh and found some bits, but it was like a shadow touching upon something bigger.


    For some reason, she shrunk back and didn''t want to help other than in the mid or long-range. She was yet to become a real fighter, even though she would love that more than anything. For that to change, she needed more power, chances, or some sort of precious energy that she knew she didn''t have. OR guts. She realized something and wasn''t willing to go over some vague line because she lacked a lot of things.


    Murai wasn''t upset or surprised. What occurred more than five hours ago was a rare picture of Lisa''s rare lost side. He considered it as her unhindered and savage self, and it won''t come out very often


    Or it was an experiment and nothing more. In that case, he couldn''t judge her whatsoever because he was about to do the same thing.


    Perhaps some treasures would help her. How about some materials with sona or soul properties? She needed it like Murai needed a lot of things. Lisa was young, thanks to her third life which wasn''t that old and far. What else she had in mind? She didn''t even know what her race needed to grasp, but her path as this ghost was set in stone upon her creation. Not as a Life Companion for a Blessed, but for something much worse, better, or weirder than that.


    If she would prove herself, getting yet another chance in life wasn''t a dream. A fourth life? Third chance. Her first life was the regular kind that went through the Afterlife with a wipe of the origin, while the second and third ones were much different


    She wondered where it all went wrong or why. Could she even give these Rhinars a taste of her powers and crash her insides? It wasn''t worth it; she wasn''t even aware of how tough those Hunters back then were, or how strong they were. Perhaps she could reconsider her choices once more. She will have to try it since Murai was stubborn and already went onwards, taking the first pounces for shining balls of mana.


    Murai flared up like a goofball of mana, desires, and flashing light. He was glad that he was alone, the arena was wide, and anyone in sight was annoying him with killing intent.


    Every Grand Rhinar had their sights set on him, killing and hunting his skin, neck, and feathers.


    Slaughter. It was how he wanted to start as well.


    ¡°Oh! My blood is boiling! Prepare your necks, little puppies.¡± He growled and quacked loudly after the first Grand Rhinar pounced toward his torso, its spike shined and arrived like a spear.

 Chapter 217: Insta Cast

    Duck''s head or neck were kind of small targets, yet great ways to damage any living beings. Ducks had a significant point of weight and mass in their torso alone, obvious by their physicality that had small legs protruding from hefty rest. It was where most meat was, followed by a head with beak, skull, and longer neck.


    For Anatidaes, even if they were strange creatures, they looked like ducks, so what was commonplace to name them as such? Well, the truth stemmed from the Anatideamons, reaching from the Bloodline of beasts from the Endless Skies. It was about the origin. A broadness that Gods touched a long time ago above this world.


    Anatidaes had some differences that no ducks could bear. Their feathers were intricately connected to the rest of their body, going deep, acting like armor, second skin, and most of them were layered upon each other. In this sense, the Anatidae Golem that Murai had the privilege to fight had some clever imitating ideas that Levandis tried to copy, apart from the way layers shed and changed the golem. No Anatidaes could lose their feathers and get more powerful in return. That wasn''t how theirs worked.


    Visible feathers were most sturdy and clear by the naked eye, with others below being much softer, but still being part of the whole package. Some carried softer defenses that absorbed damage, whereas the outer ones took care of more direct hits. It was a neat defensive and natural formation that worked from birth and it was also getting better the more their Vitality and age rose.


    As for the rest of their physical aspects, their necks were much more flexible and stronger than normal ducks. Then, their beaks were their most prized possession, indicating power, sturdiness, sharpness, and most notably strength and power to smack things apart. It was on par¡ªif not much more powerful¡ªin physicality alone to some of the prominent beasts like eagles.


    Unfortunately, not everything was a blessing in disguise. Feet were their shortcomings that were almost impossible to resolve besides some significant care, training, technique, Influence Item, or evolution choice that would potentially change such shortcomings for something else. It wasn''t worth gambling most of the time because most Anatidaes learned to work with them in some way, opting to focus on what actually mattered. Murai was no different, although his options and life were a little bit different from the normal one.


    Evolutions were powerful choices and research within most potential sub-species or species in general. Will of the Battleworld would know about them, as it was the defining factor to every beast that was about to undergo evolution, closed onto some Wall, or touched upon some Influence Items. It was something integral for beasts of this world, as evolutions weren''t something one forgot. People could because it wasn''t important to them.


    Murai felt it before his fateful first choice, waiting, speaking, and doing its things at a time when he had no ideas about this world or how things worked. Now he did, and he figured his next choice would be extremely crucial. It was curious just which choices he recently uncloked and what they meant. He didn''t ask questions or demand some significant clarity.


    He could have.


    Every evolution was predetermined by numerous requirements and stakes. That was the rule of everything this world touched. Even attributes were the same, and many things had the same basics of giving tools for something in return.


    But what about completely new evolutions? The already established species, or sub-species had its Bloodlines and things to work with, but the world was large, and possibilities and changes were even more extensive. There were many things something could touch and change. Even a simple stream could turn into a massive river.


    Creation would bring possibilities that few ever felt, as it meant establishing completely new variables within a species, Bloodlines, and Codex, which was the requiem to the changes.


    It was about a force of change and acceptance. It had to be reviewed, established, or forced into the creation. Such occurrence would establish a new line within the Bloodlines of a species, or a new diversion in the subspecies. Requirements would shift, ways of evolution would then fall on the Will of the Battleworld, and species would advance ever so slightly.


    Being the forefather of a brand new sub-species was seen as an incredible achievement. It could also give Titles, such as Forefather, Pioneer, or Bloodline Creator, so being such a specimen was full of pride and completely new possibilities. Those weren''t available under the Battleworld''s Codex under any other circumstances.


    On a broader scale, this idea about forcing things onto a new page meant higher heights, Breaches, or limiters never seen before under millions of beings, if not more. A lot of it mattered to what kind of species worked was like, or how a new choice would fit onto those Bloodlines.


    The more limited the species, the tougher the requirements for new evolutions became. The more widespread a beast was, the more such Pioneers appeared, and fewer new choices became possible. At some point, it would be straight-up impossible, yet with already widened scales, a new choice wasn''t as hard as one would expect. It was a matter of perspective and what a new choice would handle or do.


    Most such beasts or species would have a very sensitive situation around them, or factors such as souls, teachers, or influences. Becoming one with creator-level Titles meant a certain pride, protection, and also hunting possibilities. Some nasty hunters would spend unimaginable effort to catch new Bloodlines, which was a one-of-a-kind prize.


    And since the already established new evolutions meant future ones anyway, killing them was fine. Endangered species were hardly a problem in the Battleworld when the flow of evolutions evolved many beings regardless of distance or families. It was a factor that made this whole evolution system attached to this world, locked and loved by the users and Gods, and giving weight and rules in more ways than one would see.


    Even completely unrelated sub-species, families, or tribes could get the same Bloodline evolution choice that was created continents away. Of course, that meant as long as requirements or compatibility were feasible. That was the first law of this commanding evolution.


    Uncovering a brand-new evolution was nearly impossible for some species. Divine Beasts had even worse, for their Bloodline was already strong, and giving it something new might create more headaches than gifts.


    Way too many things made such an idea feasible. One wouldn''t find it. One had to crack it like a code or Law and establish a new legacy. Only great tribes and soaring beasts would willing to do it, experiment, see failures, or mistakes, and even then, they had their significant history, so why try to force it? Finding passable conditions might be rare.


    New heights, limiters, or taking a variety of powers made a myriad of changes, which might suggest mistakes or shame. Prerequisites and usual concerns were Affinites, unique combos such as body, soul, or ability, and elements, Laws, or creation of brand new techniques, spells, or abilities. There was a near-endless web of interest when it came to Bloodlines and evolutions, and Influence Items were another pivotal and weird variable, but it was subjective to luck and Bloodline purity or quality, and getting a great Item was sometimes harder than looking for Laws.


    Paths were similar in this creation, yet stone-cut into the already established powers that ruled the universe in much clearer acts.


    Beasts weren''t important. They were almost regarded like animals.


    Paths ruled supreme and beasts rarely had them.


    Creating a Path was different from the fundamental principles. Pathways made them all possible. One can''t create a Pathway. Only Paths that had to mend towards the Pathways.


    That one single factor made already predetermined Paths much better, since complications when establishing brand new Paths were heavy, unlike with evolutions that held at least some clarity since it involved bodies mostly.


    Paths could be anything.


    Murai was pretty much sure about the way Paths and Pathways worked. He created and handled some Paths a couple of times, in different lives and worlds and times, so he got the gist of their hikes and rules.


    Not in this life so far, however.


    There were some mentions and meaningful glances at the Soul Pathway from some bits in his memory. It seemed his Robust Spirit was some sort of mysterious power that happened and changed according to his soul, this world, and it didn''t happen by his choice. It didn''t happen on its own either, so that was curious. Battleworld granted it to him, giving him benefits that were at Grade SS at their core.


    That was the most insane thing out of anything he had, which poised as variable and distrust. Since he got it, he wasn''t sure how to think of it.


    Lisa changed that a little bit because she knew this world and what such a grand gift as Grade SS ability meant. She told him how crazy it was, and how he should think of his potential duality or triplet of powers.


    Soul, evolutions, and a Path.


    This triplet sounded very intense, but not everyone would be willing to follow them at the same time. Bit by bit, the consensus on how one touched and viewed the Paths and evolutions were the same. Souls were much weirder, almost unattainable by anyone because of their sheer complexity.


    But it was true that one could try to walk it all.


    Souls were just not viable, even when those with second lives walked around this world. The kind that Murai held was of a different kind even then, thanks to his Cursed Living. Lisa thought variable Breaches happened with him and the Codex, so some things transpired along the rules, while others had no way of happening because of something.


    Answers won''t come. Why? Lisa figured many things didn''t make sense because of unclear conditions. She had no answers, so she couldn''t give Murai what he sought. Hoping for it was all they could muster.


    Soul Pathways was one of the weirdest Pathways in the universe, so thinking about it and him at the same time was kind of tough. But it was true there was some potential and his soul guaranteed some safety or interest. Lisa was more confident about it than ever.


    Getting anything about souls was difficult. Lisa mentioned how their requirements were heavy and strict because this world touched it in much more elevated patterns than any other power. Blessed usually had some policies, thanks to their second-life nature, so they were usually the causes of some strange happenings.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    It went without saying that someone like Murai was within and far from this norm, which meant insanity for regular mortals, and something unnatural for others. Maybe even for Gods? Lisa found some oddities with him, this world, and how Levandis, Lordis, and Vermillion hovered like shadows over them.


    The potential use of different Paths was also suitable, even if it was potentially troublesome if too many things fused under one''s grasp. A nice duality was often better than a questionable triplet of powers.


    For now, Murai had no grasp of any Path in the Soul Pathway, even though some bits of his soul proved to say otherwise. The soul could be quite separate, while the body could handle some magic and the body could do the same.


    For once more, his soul had its benefits that came off from the Codex or something else. Strike of the Will was an ability that he had for a long time and it worked with his Will alone. That was an aspect of Soul Pathway. He could also count other things such as Soul Manifestation, Soul-Lock, Robust Spirit and its three Identity Skills, and their respective soul attributes.


    It made a clear picture that his soul was sturdy and this world couldn''t change it. However, none of this changed much since he got his evolutions or even soul abilities.


    Robust Spirit arrived fairly quickly into his life, acting with his soul itself and turning it close to the flesh and a bunch of other things.


    Lisa and Murai went through some ideas about how it was possible. Lisa suggested that since his soul was so ridiculous, Battleworld accepted some Breaches by his mere presence or some readings, thus an inevitable happened.


    Or it could''ve been a mistake, which Lisa doubted was possible, but what if it wasn''t a joke? Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It happened rather naturally, so she had her suspicions. So far, everything he held acted like official power that one would expect after meeting some requirements. Sometimes, it even increased via Boosts while more than likely disregarded Paths or Pathways altogether because he was still a Child.


    In any way, Murai had some interesting soul powers without any mentions of a Soul Pathway. Murai personally didn''t know what he wanted either, and since it happened out of his reach, what''s the point in worrying?


    Lisa was a bit frustrated because of it. If a Breach hadn''t happened, then what?


    Could this all be just one massive blunder like his living?


    Murai held interesting influences. His soul powers were clear and hard to increase besides the Will. Soul Read was relatively decent as well, and one of the rarer ones that he got the hang of. Robust Spirit was more bizarre, as he wasn''t sure how to think of its Grade SS and all of its mysterious effects. This followed Strike of the Will which he hardly used because he couldn''t bother thinking of it as something decent. From the description, it was lacking even if it was an offensive push of his Will. For now, he thought of it as auxiliary power that might come in handy after other things.


    He used to have Soul Essence and Soul-Body, while Soul Power and Soul Force all revolved around the soul and Robust Spirit that he awakened after some luck or fusions.


    Lisa never heard of Robust Spirit, so she could offer him her ideas alone.


    Murai wasn''t as curious as to how or why it happened. Lisa had her theories, but in a sense, it wasn''t anything terrible.


    Once someone got any power, it was impossible to take it back after accepting and finishing their readings and Boosts. Blessings gifted by a God were the same. It was kind of helpful in some comforting and disturbing sense.


    Murai was cold towards most of it, thinking that what happened, happened. That was all about it.


    The same idea went towards an incoming arena at the bottom of a dark chasm. However, unlike with things outside of his reach, Murai cherished his chances of giving training more weight and some soul powers were redundant. They could change something, but physical things were more up to his tastes when his blood and body heated up. His mana kept on flaring without any form. For now, Murai wanted to taste the power of his flesh.


    One Grand Rhiner was right before his face, bearing its spike towards his chest. So Murai angled his clutched beak, thrusting against that spike in the middle of its forehead.


    Murai stepped a single step backward without even using Beak''s Blitz or anything else. What was around his body was mana and the beginning of his Heavenly Shaping, which was different from regular Shaping.


    As he figured, this fundamental technique changed him like a curse. Reclaiming clarity was tough and fighting in the heat of battle was different than staying on a bed or Bagus. Mana Flow was more fierce and stability and control were up to mind. For some factors to come out of the Codex or Will of the Battleworld, he had to reach certain families and discover their effects. Or come to terms with Pillage or his Heavenly Shaping Manual, which was a key to a lot of things, but a surge of intent and knowledge from Boosts was kind of quick and easy. Pillage argued that taking that voice for a helpful scrutinous bastard was better than ignoring it and calling it a senile useless piece of shit.


    Heavenly Shaping already moved onto his flesh and mind, so it was too late to regret what it caused or played with.


    Around him was a small manifestation of the Heavenly Shaping technique, which was something new that regular Shaping didn''t have.


    Calling it an aspect wasn''t very wrong. He could call it anything he liked, and even Pillage called it many things. A Surge, Mana Waves, Conjuration Flow, or others, they made nothing concrete, yet it could change in mere moments. A simple Shaping would change this entire mana. It was closely resembling the fleshly powers that Anatidaes had.


    Ever since he got this new Shaping, whenever he turned into his Conjuring, mana flew out of every inch of his body like a torrent that was hard to stop. Since he had his hoodie all the time, this flow came from his neck, tail, belly, ass, or face. If he had his hood on, it truly made his face shine and eyes gleaming.


    A lot of it seemed to have some stages. Murai discovered it by flooding the Heavenly Shaping Manual a few times in the last few days. Mana Flow affected it in some way, and everything was closely related to what Pillage mentioned in their first meeting.


    It was beastly magic at the core, working with Beast Core and its aspects, and wilderness, mana, and Bloodlines followed it behind, creating a way into the Manual''s truths. In some ways, the Codex should see it as well, but Pillage promised that the individuality of his technique was reliable and nothing should stop it.


    This pointed to a question that some things could be stopped, but Murai was too busy thinking about his Shaping and didn''t ask about it.


    That idea wasn''t all happy news for everyone. A lot of things worked better when Will of the Battleworld catered towards a beast.


    So... in his case, it was kind of lacking for others, but Murai would call it a blessing. He hadn''t gotten a single word from Will of the Battleworld since he got this technique, for obvious reasons.


    Right now, he was hoodless, hoping to seek his physicality against the flesh of a Level 41 Grand Rhiner. He lacked clear defined boundaries after enduring his training.


    He tried sparring against Bagus, David, or Itrosh, but those were all too strong against him, so he wasn''t sure if he should feel sorry for himself or them.


    Being happy that he finally met a way to find answers to his ideas brightened his soul. He should''ve forced some fights against those pesky Hunters a long time ago, but Lisa either refused him or compelled Bagus to fly away. Back then, Murai found that he could push his Will to Bagus fairly easily, but even then, that silly Grifthart didn''t listen to him.


    Being careful was why and some things pushed some of his boundaries, while others didn''t. Lisa might be both. Sometimes.


    They were Hunted, so having a plan or a steady way ahead was more important than being stubborn beasts that wanted to fight.


    It would be a start of massive blunders if they would stop for Murai to fight and train thrice a day.


    So when their rest came with unexpected troubles, Murai was more than happy.


    He clutched every fiber of his body under his hoodie, stepped onwards, and pushed against that spike with his beak alone. Grand Rhiner clashed against him, but Murai gnawed at its spike, stumbling this foolish beast aside as he sidestepped and forced the spike aside, twisting its feet and center of balance.


    An unsteady footing was a clear problem for most beasts with a limited center of balance or way too much forward momentum. Murai knew it himself, so he pulled a strategy card ahead first. Grand Rhiner stumbled but got to its feet quicker than Murai expected. Painful ferocious anger was in its face, growls came from its mouth, and its expression lingered like defined howls.


    In Murai''s Soul Read, it felt like a beast that got slapped by a child.


    It desired this clash again.


    Too late for that.


    Murai won''t give this little beast such taste for free.


    Grand Rhiner pounced anyway, and Murai backed away because other beasts reached the ground. This move stumbling the first Grand Rhiner onwards when Murai sidestepped half a dozen steps like a coward. It went onwards, clearly unable to change the direction all that well because of its hefty spike.


    It exposed its neck. A chance! Murai wasn''t close with his beak, so it was time for his Heavenly Shaping.


    Mana around him looked like a thin azure mist followed by a dozen patterns of waves. It was pure, without any Affinity, but it could be one with Flame. He tried it briefly some days ago, figuring that most of his Affinities had some neatness to them and Heavenly Shaping could use them. He hadn''t discovered specifics even when he mentioned this to Pillage, so this was either advanced stuff or potential trouble.


    Heavenly Manifestation, as Pillage named this mist after struggling to force Murai''s names away, worked for the benefit of Beast Core and this technique. It wasn''t a foundation, but a good beginning to handle a large amount of mana. It was far from being efficient if mana swirled all over his body like fool odor.


    For now, having basic purity was better than complex foolishness, or turning attention to other types of Heavenly Shaping. It had many faces like most legacy-level manuals. Affinities often changed mages across the board, giving options, Paths, and a multitude of options and spells.


    Murai had three affinities in total if one didn''t include the pure one, which many disregarded as full-fledged affinity. His three tools didn''t surprise Pillage at all. He knew how Anatidaes had and owned their Universal Affinity like a curse, giving them the option to possess what the universe possessed.


    Murai wondered if it included his soul if he ended up like one, or if Pillage exaggerated his words like usual.


    Anyway, he hadn''t spoken to him much about Anatidaes to this day because of various reasons. Time might be that, followed by limits inside the Manual, or Pillage''s odd personality. Murai wasn''t willing to give up that easily, and he had more questions than willingness for answers.


    Waves of mana turned and twisted, forming a technique in the Heavenly Shaping called Insta Cast. It wasn''t a Surge. That stage was subject to more immediate, quicker, and specified movements of mana akin to large play of spells. Things like many Sharpblades worked the best with it, as it was more about control and pushing power.


    Insta Cast worked best with spells that needed aiming, care, and less attention to detail and force. Since Heavenly Shaping worked with speed and efficiency the most, there was an incredibly high ceiling and work for accuracy. Without any surprise, some problems went along with Beast Core, and Heavenly Shaping, and this wilderness seeped into his flesh and mana.


    Being accurate while maintaining a balance between Conjurign and Shaping was essential to any mage. No one wanted to lose their mana and use their spells for nothing. So, if one succeeded with Shaping and arranging a spell onward, one should also be accurate in their attacks afterward.


    That was what magic was all about. A fickle play of control, power, and touch over mana.


    Finding a way to handle everything that made magic was a work of failures or success. Murai got that idea long ago. He accepted his failures and shortcomings with ease and never thought some shortcomings were worse than deaths on the battlefields or in the hands of loved ones.


    This was new to him regardless of that, which he didn''t take with arrogance or a surprising amount of wisdom.


    He was still a little scornful. Perhaps it was his soul and personality traits that made him like that, or his confidence about finding new things was off the chart, or his so-called stubbornness was the answer to everything.


    There were many things to magic, people, and Curses walking, flying, dreaming, or drowning around the universe.


    With his Beast Core on hold, there were numerous Conjuration problems that Murai understood quite easily and quickly, shaking Pillage''s understanding of what an Anatidae could do, and what his former species and students had.


    It was almost laughable by now, but not poor, or sad. Pillage realized that time must''ve passed a lot since his passing and everything about his little blissful locked prison was a work of art and sadness. It was a shame to admit it, but he would call Murai a master any day. It was an acceptable idea that came from Pillage''s shattered convictions, locked prison, and hope.


    Murai didn''t think much of it; he had seen far too many things out there for one more to matter too much. His mana was the same. It will work or he will force it to work. The waves of azure mana turned and pointed onward like a wavering hand that changed to a bunch of rough arrows. It happened within a second, straight out of the Conjured mist. Mana Arrows barely formed at their full length, but Murai sent them anyway, piercing the neck of this unfortunate Gramd Rhiner who took this sudden barrage like a seastorm.


    He failed.

 Chapter 218: Crazy battle

    The beast shivered and recovered its steps, shaking its hide and turning the mana to dust. It remained standing, its neck shining but the hide was almost intact.


    It took many of them at one side, at one point, and in one direction. Arrows held poor momentum, which Murai recognized, and figured with naked eyes. He wanted to try his chances anyway and took this loss for an acceptable result. They didn''t penetrate enough because of his wrong use of Insta Cast and Heavenly Manifestation, so Murai decided for another round. Moving around, he dodged a bunch of incoming beasts, scratching claws, or piercing spikes. He will find a way inside that one lofty Grand Rhinar in time and numbers.


    The first Grand Rhinar growled under a barrage of light and an incredible storm that found it soon afterward. The first blood and hit went from the numerous arrows that Murai aimed at the same spot. Eventually, one went in, and Murai figured there were some tricks in this Insta Cast. It needed a good basic spell and his Mana Arrow was no longer that great. Before this push of Shaping, his Mana Arrow was great because of his timing, control, and many forceful steps.


    Now, he had no time for that because his Shaping couldn''t do it justice, or he couldn''t work with it the way he wanted.


    This simple exchange answered and gave him many resourceful ideas.


    So he pulled the trigger and pushed his Insta Cast fort, forcing the Grand Rhinar to a halt. It couldn''t move. This barrage was far too intense and the rest of its kin was unable to reach Murai in time. This was no duel. There was no shame or pride. These beasts wanted his neck.


    It was a war.


    Murai won''t give them anything.


    More Mana Arrows arrived, and some exploded hides later, many found a way to the neck and flesh, finding the first victim in a Grand Rhinar. It barely got a chance and it wasn''t a clean kill either.


    Its neck ended up in tatters and blood. Its head and neck were terrible and thick, glowing in dozens of arrows inside of it, and azure mist was around it, slowly dissipating in arrows.


    That was another thing. Murai had trouble recalling this mana back with this type of Shaping. Pillage said it was inevitable if the wilderness of the Beast Core was put forward rather than inward. Which it did. Murai disliked this lowered efficiency quite a lot and felt this problem came with another shortcoming.


    Mana Replenishment. It was an extremely important matter for any mage to have a way to get mana back. Either by a potion, which was a popular practice, or an auxiliary technique. Those were breathing mantras or cycling methods that touched on cores. Recalling his mana was hard, so Mana Replenishment came in handy with its passive cycling method that worked at all times.


    Murai figured he couldn''t fit his ideas onto it, since all it did was to eat and eat and eat. It was like a sponge, and his mana pool was good, but how long and far he could go with such an extravagant fighting style?


    He realized his Mana Replenishment should improve a lot if he wanted to be a crazy magic duck.


    The dead Grand Rhinar fell shortly afterward, and its spike was in proper shape. Murai focused on the lethality of his Shaping and Mana Arrow''s experiments. It ended up with good results, even if he disregarded some potential injuries if he failed miserably.


    Tough hide. Murai thought as he began to dance around the beasts more than thrice his size. My Arrows are good when flowing well and nice. It is about speed, and... Sharpness? I didn''t use any, so that is understandable. It took way too many Arrows to kill one of those beasts. Wilderness sends them out much faster, exactly how Pillage said. Heavenly Shaping is really weird but satisfactory when the beginning aspects are cleared up with proper ideas. It seems shortcomings or losses that came after getting everything going are milder if the advantages are massive. I shouldn''t be this petty, right?


    It definitely felt similar to many techniques at first, but when I see it now and feel mana and changing tides, it feels different from anything that I''ve carried before. Those Arrows flew with ferocity and lowered accuracy as if they had dozens of meters of travel behind them. It is how one uses the Insta Cast and Heavenly Manifestation, as well as individuality. How I fight is different from the norm. Pillage has his ideas, but he didn''t make this technique for ducks like me. I should use it for myself and do it justice.


    That is an advantage and disadvantage. And also an option. I can focus on strength and less accuracy, which works fairly well for wilderness, or I can focus on accuracy and squeeze my chances closer. In that view, it isn''t that different from before, but efficiency is lowered in a fight. At least Insta Cast is clear to me with this experiment.


    They didn''t travel more than three meters. I was barely a few steps before it died though. For the amount of mana I just spent, it felt like a nice kill.


    Murai nodded to himself, and before he knew it, growling noises were all around him, followed by gruesome steps, and Lisa''s voice.


    ¡°You old fool! Carry your head straight or you will get swarmed.¡±


    He ignored her and felt there was no time for her chirping annoyances when he had experiments to run. It was weird. It was a long time since she annoyed him midway in his fight. He almost... didn''t mind it after after his nearly hundred private fights in the previous Gate.


    Strange.


    More Grand Rhinars pounced down the wall from above and around the bottom of this chasm. Some tumbled on the way down, falling to some injuries, or some other beasts. One even ended up pierced to the ground with its spike, and one broke its neck when it failed with its landing. That was funny. Murai almost regarded its life like his own.


    But with nearly twenty Grand Rhinars that Murai counted, he had no place to hide or regard them as simple beasts.


    He didn''t want to hide.


    Lisa kept being the light of his life in this depth of a chasm. Not even the returning fog pestered their sight. With her around, Murai was in the center like a fine target.


    ¡°Fucking seventh hell!¡± Murai squeaked when fourteen Grand Rhinars pounced from every direction. Each brandished their spike, pointing at his various weaknesses. No spell in his arsenal could help him, apart from...


    Murai crossed that one immediately. It would be shameful to go that far in this simple experiment and hunt. He turned toward his Heavenly Manifestation.


    Fortunately, someone had enough of this madness. From above, the light closed and a terrific voice echoed.


    ¡°Murai!¡± Lisa suddenly shouted, her body went above him, glowed in the light, and her voice screamed with wind and shuddering vibrations. ¡°Hisagi!¡± A screaming banshee-like cry sent shivers down Grand Rhinars''s spines and Murai''s alike. He barely winced for half a second, which was like a lightning-fast change in comparison to those poor shuddering beasts.


    All Grand Rhinars stopped their advance. Few even backed away, wary as if afraid of that screaming ghost. They were a bit stupid and instinctual beasts, so they were afraid of things that many animals observed, instincts feared, and life hated.


    Most of them stopped moving for seconds, eyeing the situation behind the others. The closest Grand Rhinar was two meters away from Murai, enough distance for Murai to kill it.


    They were temporarily stunned by fear, or under some spell that Lisa used. She didn''t use much but voiced her race ahead, which was essentially all made of her flesh. Soul and mana, everything about her was magical, so everything could become a tool or a weapon.


    Imagination wasn''t a rule. Not for her. Her race was far too special to work with normal rules of beasts and men. She wasn''t that good at utilizing anything yet, nor had she grown within her current Soul Render body. But she was getting somewhere, as the situation more than five hours ago suggested something important, and her voice and options broadened.


    A lot of her internal conflicts lessened since new Helpers came over, helping her out a little. Now, still glowing, her eyes looked most notable and magical. They were deep white, surrounded by an azure haze of her flesh. Everything else was colored like azure mana, but waves of white were all over the azure waves, giving her some glinting shine and outlines. As for the eyes, they were crisp and glowing white circles that left veins of white all over her.


    ¡°You are unbelievable.¡± She complained to Murai below her. ¡°Swarm like this is terrible. Can''t you see their level?¡±


    Murai couldn''t.


    A couple of seconds later, Grand Rhinars changed and shook the fear away, but didn''t pounce again when the source of fear was above their target.


    Lisa was angry, impatiently clicking with her finger on her forearm as she folded her arms over her chest.


    ¡°You... Are a piece of work.¡± She said to Murai without hiding her annoyance. He looked at her as if he had done nothing wrong. ¡°Don''t tell me you had a way out of that pincer attack? I wonder.¡±


    ¡°I had,¡± Murai said, suspending his Heavenly Manifestation over him like a sea of mana. ¡°You stopped my fun, but I heard you before. No worries. You can be useful if you want, so call me impressed.¡± Murai nodded and almost cheered her on. Then, instead of clashing against her new voice, he rather went back to work. He could have done just fine, but Lisa thought of herself as useful one more time, so it was not worth yapping for nothing. Perhaps she wanted some experiments and resume from where she left off hours ago, but she wasn''t as honest in this idea as Murai.


    ¡°Than kill these foolish beasts, master impressed.¡± She mocked him, knowing that the situation above wasn''t stable either. Bagus was there alone, crashing against a storm of beasts all over the foggy plain and starting forest.


    More beasts could come down any moment, but Bagus was stopping every possible intruder by taking hits, killing them like an utter beast, or shielding everything that could come into the chasm like a true Helper.


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    Some were close, others far.


    Yet Bagus was enjoying himself much more than finding fun in lack of hope. He kept his smile on his broad face, bright eyes shined in cold luster, and some bloody losses won''t end his life.


    He barely bled. His defenses and feathers were far too great against beats that served this Beast Master who touched upon some unique Law.


    That was a bit weird. How did his Law work when one worked with Beasts that had their individual lives?


    Bagus knew it. They influenced the beasts by boosting them to a new life, while Taming Laws essentially cut into the Will of others, causing the Beast Master to become one with a beast.


    It had various limitations, though what kind of Level 70 being was weak?


    Hardly any, which Bagus understood.


    He fought with his beak and feathers alike, cutting beasts to pieces with his wings, but Beast Master was far, calculating that spending the lives of his beasts to slowly chip away his target''s health or feathers was a good idea.


    It wasn''t working yet.


    Perhaps it won''t.


    Down in the chasm, Murai had no small amount of prowess or options. His Sharpblade was a perfect way to counter so many opponents around him. A single flick of his twin blades would slash at all sides around him without trouble. Perhaps he would have some space left over, if he swung even wider thanks to his smaller side and useful wings.


    Two dozen targets were still a large number of fools. It meant a good practice. Shaping improved by usage or learning. Nothing greater gave it a better edge than practice in any form. The training was usage. The battle was the same. Perspective differed and worth could increase.


    Well, the leveling process described by this world might be something else, but leveling up the Shaping was rather peculiar and it adhered to self-inflicted talent, rather than something artificial.


    Murai was good at it, so it was no wonder it went so far in levels. It increased and changed according to his self-found progress.


    At one point, Murai wondered if Shaping levels mattered like some form of upgrade, or if a new level meant a corresponding increase that moved up according to his own learning.


    Lisa was able to answer that. She wasn''t sure how far it could go, but she would often describe her guesses whether they were half correct, or correct. She said it wasn''t accurate and levels in Shaping meant only a reading, a glimpse, or a number to take as an improvement. Murai was creating that number.


    She was clever about her wording. Murai acknowledged that long ago, whether in a bad or good way. It didn''t mean her personality and words were always clever. She frequently went forward, especially now when some nostalgia and David was around. She didn''t change much if Murai was honest and clear about his intentions. Some things about her simply moved up a notch because she was that sort of person.


    His opinions won''t change much just because of some readings of a Shaping Manual she got for him.


    However, it was true that it held an interesting concept. In some forms, it was as far from the standard examples of magic that most beasts should be able to use. If one thing described it the best, it would be practicality. Simply put, it was a hard technique to follow and master.


    And that was coming from Murai, who experienced a lot in his lives.


    No wonder Pillage said not many followed this technique. Not even his students did, as they either gave up or prioritized something else or better. Shaping was inherently complicated, needing extensive research, where even a teacher would go a long way. Murai acknowledged that by listening to Pillage on more than a few occasions. How he said that there was extensive practice ahead wasn''t an exaggeration.


    Murai had months ahead for basics in the slightest, and the whole technique had around a dozen stages.


    For the Insta Cast, followed by Shaping and Conjuration which made the basic course of magic, Heavenly Manifestation was the start, which made it a mixture of wilderness in the mana and Conjuration.


    Insta Cast was the most normal thing so far, as it was about efficiency and pulling attention to Shaping, which followed many principles from all sorts of shaping techniques. Lowering the delay was important in magic, but with wilderness in sight, it turned rough, wild, and hard to flow. It was much quicker, thus Insta Cast had some concepts Murai had to recover and understand.


    He also accepted how it felt. It wasn''t wrong if he had to adapt first and master questions later.


    That was for the Shaping. With Conjuring, there was this barrage and thud when mana flowed like a tidal force. A good start to magic was important for most Shapers.


    Mana would flow, while time and delay could lead to life-and-death situations. Murai was plenty good at Shaping in this life, but Conjuring had bigger shortcomings than most curses from his pasts. Beast Core was far too savage. Especially when he felt it in the last Gate.


    It was like a wild beast that had instincts on its own. It wanted to eat, absorb mana, and improve. It wanted much more Affinities, Murai thought, but he couldn''t give that. He was its master. He was the Shaper.


    That sort of concept wasn''t as odd when a beast like him came to mind, or it became weirder under his memories, histories, and concepts lost in time or worlds. At first, cores were just accumulated energy that touched upon some Laws of Creation, giving some cycles a motion, and living some flow. There were fewer rules in the previous Epochs. That was the greater truth, so who and what made the rules? The universe itself? The mana?


    Murai didn''t like how some things happened as if it was the natural order. His Beast Core hadn''t been with him since the beginning. It emerged through evolution, which meant what exactly? That wasn''t normal or natural, but as far as he could tell and feel it, it worked and acted like it should because not everything was meant to follow some feasible lines and Order.


    Right. Murai found some familiarity in the madness and feelings of despair. He didn''t want to drown in them. He wanted to master his beast and inner self, and if the matter of fact was uncomfortable, savage, and hard to deal with, it better adapt instead. It was his choice that gave this beast to him. It touched upon his Bloodline, so it was very pure to his flesh, unlike his soul.


    To this day, he wondered what Peniscula or Anatidae of the Death would be like. Perhaps he would have more fun?


    He would never know the bliss he had forsaken.


    He had different problems ahead and what had been lost, waited for nobody. Murai had no doubt that if he had created a core through some core creation method, he would''ve influenced it and made it better.


    It was far too late to cry over spilled gold. It was bliss in disguise, acting like a terrorizing power that was hiding massive potential.


    At least he managed the Core Defying Fusion Technique, so that was good. More chaotic aptitude in his mana was a tool according to Pillage. A good thing. Murai would dispute such a claim.


    Anatidaes were wild in more than mana aspect. Their lives were defiant, meant to go further, wilder, and go against the odds. Murai didn''t like how Pillage talked about that, and from the little he had seen in Murai, he began to doubt some factors. Pillage had never taught an Anatidae in his life. He tried, or so he said. They refused him, telling him that a dog should get lost before them and bark in his backyard.


    Murai almost laughed at him when he told this sorry story. He knew that these sorts of aspects made his experience and progress worse and slower than he would have liked. Even though he still killed his foes and progressed with what he had, it never came with relative ease.


    There were some situations, against foes he couldn''t defeat or face; that no one would get. Be it Gods, meeting friends, luck, or Fate, there were mysterious spaces and faces everywhere.


    Murai quenched his distrust and started slowly against those incoming Grand Rhinars. Arrowheads with bullet-like tips gave his Mana Arrows faster speed and less stress in their travels. Strength was relative since speed was often enough to let sharp objects reach deeper.


    That had a surprisingly good side. Working with less mana made his Conjuring faster, and Shaping them was easier relative to the Insta Cast and Heavenly Manifestation.


    Improvements in all of these things could mean faster practice speed, precision, flow, depth, length of reach, and use of spells. It wasn''t about arrows alone. This should be plenty enough to work with this Insta Cast.


    The wind swayed when dozens of Arrows flew all around Murai''s head. Grand Rhinars surrounded him, so his accuracy didn''t matter. He decided to do another test at perfect timing. He wondered how much mana could push onto his Insta Cast.


    Accuracy didn''t matter in this test, so he let the mana flow out of his Heavenly Manifestation.


    And Blood followed. Necks of the Grand Rhinar were still protected by thick hide. Most of their upper body was like that, forgetting their belly, feet, and some sides on their back and ass. It was clear that from their backs, protection didn''t matter.


    Front did. So Murai let the floodgates open, letting hundreds of Mana Arrows in various efficiencies, shapes, and speeds fly around and cut and pierce. Some succeeded in going deeper into their targets; others didn''t. Grand Rhinars panicked when lucky shots arrived at their necks, or multiple arrows hit their softer spots at the same time.


    In those cases, blood flowed, but not many of them were lethal.


    That changed when Murai started to tighten his focus, no longer attacking all over him. He began to test his Arrow Heaven Barrage, or so he called it at the moment. It was no spell for sure; it was just a move within the perception of Mana Arrows.


    Or, it could be something more if real arrows and a bow were in question. It was a simple imitation of some masters within the bow Paths. Nothing worth mentioning. Magic was full of such imaginations, as there were very few boundaries in minds and magic.


    Four arrows went deep into one of Rhinar''s necks, cutting deep and severing arteries. Some couldn''t bear such a wild attack that disregarded the means of Shaping and mana and began to howl. No one sane would put so much mana out in a few heartbeats.


    Hence, Grand Rhinars began to move, flock, and attack in a much better way. They closed up soon enough when they moved into rough formations like some military dogs. Murai sneered, focusing on those that moved closest, unleashing dozens of attacks to their faces while running away. His little feet were simple, and his wings flapped in support. Nearly all of his mind focused on the magic at the moment. Some Arrows turned to mist because of that, or via bad angles or spikes, but with enough numbers, he was killing them before they even reached him.


    All the while he was checking how much mana he was spending, how far his Replenishment went, and where his Heavenly Shaping lacked or changed. There was one quick finding.


    His Replenishment worked only when he wasn''t pulling mana out of his core, which was extremely hard at the moment, or when using Heavenly Manifestation, which was like being bathed in his own suit of mana and feathers. There was some trick to make it work, or so Murai thought briefly at the moment.


    It was about a quick push of Heavenly Manifestation, cutting onto it via Insta Cast, and letting Replenishment snatch the surrounding mana and passively eat.


    That was much harder than one would think. It cut into many advanced things that Pillage wouldn''t recommend trying. It was far beyond his current stage in Heavenly Shaping.


    And it was true.


    Murai couldn''t make it work.


    After a couple of fallen beasts, they circled him and began to dodge instead. Murai didn''t even have a chance to cut their paths with strikes of his new Sharpblade.


    This was the power of numbers. Murai had his strength, though his Beast Core turned half-empty in less than half a minute.


    He couldn''t cut Rhinars in the most reasonable position, so he had to control their move, angle, or storm them with arrows, or come to their faces. Their defenses turned to be more sporadic when moving like a team, which was kind of weird, considering his Mana Arrow wasn''t all that strong on its own. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a low-class beginner spell. The best motive he had behind its usability, compatibility with Insta Cast, and long-range was a good choice because of his small size. Then, his massive mana pool and Heavenly Shaping gave it much more strength, even though Mana Arrow was a Grade F spell that wasn''t that close to evolving.


    Lisa saw his act above him, figuring that the sole reasons he was able to kill them in this manner were his sharp senses, Heavenly Shaping, and the fact that she was there, above him, acting as a vital sign of danger. Some Grand Rhinars eyed her with fear, leaving a passable number battle Murai instead.


    The neck was the weakness, similar to fear. That could run deep into the instincts, putting them to tests or cracks. Sides, legs, or eyes were next. Murai easily discerned weaknesses even when more Grand Rhinars fell from the chasm. For now, their numbers were yet to reach their starting swarm. Murai killed a lot of them already, while Lisa watched, thinking that sooner or later, she had to get involved because Bagus had no easy time.


    Floating there, looking at her open palm and soft fingers, waiting and wasting her time, wasn''t she?


    Following the weaknesses was the path of a hunter, and not the other way around. Murai was no prey. Not anymore. He began no dance of the death. He largely stayed on the spot, using Mana Arrows to crash those dancing Grand Rhinars that often backed away, stumbling against their fallen kin, or to the walls.


    There was one surprising benefit in this place with its limited arena, which turned into a great advantage for Murai, who had perfect conditions to turn his wilderness into a terrific force. His Mana Arrows had a perfect distance for efficiency and fast speed, and some missed shows didn''t matter.

 Chapter 219: Bloodpath

    Blood dyed the dark and cracked ground, giving the soil some fluid to drink. Murai smiled, chuckling in a torrent of storm and mana. Then, half some dozen seconds later, he had to stop when his mana started to destabilize. Stopping his tactics came with rapid change. He grasped his courage and went all in, brandishing his glowing beak with Blitz forward.


    Then, he began to dance for real. Sometimes he backed, backstabbing those large Grand Rhinars, intercepting their flow, crushing their necks, and using his beak as the finest tool. He swiped his wings as well, letting its defensive feathers shine. He couldn''t cut with them yet, and enemies didn''t seem to ever stop, yet he never stopped either.


    Bagus stopped putting more effort into lower-level targets for one reason alone. His fight with the tougher beasts and Beast Master had started. Murai noticed increasing numbers of foes and more corpses. A lot of corpses.


    He didn''t mind it.


    Grand Rhinars were savage in their tactics like wild beasts. There were also Vectorians, large lizards with two feet, and nasty heads with sharp teeth. There were also other beasts, but Murai had seen blood and steps and some different growls didn''t make much difference.


    And from above followed some flying owl-like beasts, and even some little crows, and birds with sharp beaks. With numbers, they used whatever tactics to get closer to Murai than before, so he either ran or began to use tactics and guerrilla warfare. Some horn reached him in time and range, giving Murai pokes of pain when he couldn''t defend or dodge in time.


    Starting to lose his edge, the only good remedy was his hoodie that provided paramount, yet unknown protection. These spikes felt like pokes of sticks if a stick was a dull sword instead It still hurt even when it dissipated the majority of their sharp tips and even impact lessened. When too much pressure came forth, a lot of force continued, striking the feathers where it dispersed or went inside.


    Unfortunately, Murai had no time to care about his clothes. He had his beak full right now, mind flaring, and his magic turned from long-term solutions to quick-witted madness. Recharging wasn''t a term he experienced that many times in this life.


    Five minutes had passed since the first Grand Rhinar died, and now, there were almost a hundred corpses.


    Lisa counted around ninety of them, floating from the safety of her air. when she touched upon some of her benefits.


    In her grasp, a little owl-like demon squeaked. She squeezed her fingers, ending its life in misery when her fingers dug deeper and froze or cracked. Lisa didn''t even flinch or look at its End. Her hands already found their way into dozens of pestering flies because Murai had clear issues following them. He was busy thinking about his core surroundings, and Lisa had no intention of putting her hands that far. Murai could handle it.


    Which she didn''t expect.


    He handled this many enemies far better than she thought. And these were wild beast packs above Level 40. It was true that they had no specialties besides some rare magical attack, and their master was far away. Most were beasts through and through, acting with savage nature and attacks meant for blood. Most of them couldn''t do much to his hoodie, and if they could, his flesh and feathers took it with a mild hit, allowing him to fight. Some dogs with pencils sticking from their silly heads should back down and get lost! S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Murai began to falter after his research and experiment. His mana ended up drying up, and most of his trials and errors gave him some answers. His Insta Cast was truly savage in expenditure when he couldn''t recall mana. In that case, Surge should be much greater, yet he didn''t even use it. It required more time and care. Nothing he could afford right now.


    Mana Potions would be useful as well, or this place where his Replenishment worked in a boosted manner. Whenever he wasn''t Conjuring any mana, it felt like he was shouting and his lungs were bleeding, but his mana space was fine, and Beast Core kept doing its things. Murai didn''t have to wait that far for a noticeable increase of mana. The problem was his usage of Heavenly Shaping and Insta Cast which increased his expenditure by a large margin.


    Murai wasn''t too annoyed at that because he knew if it weren''t for his changed Shaping, he would have some trouble with such a swarm.


    He wasn''t sure how fast or efficiently his Replenishment functioned, but he bet with this Gate in mind, and secrets down below, it wasn''t far from giving him dozens upon dozens of some mana-points a minute. In terms of more convenience, he had to wait less than a minute to have his core in a passable fighting condition.


    Which was essentially insane when his level or his past came up with new or interesting calculations. Murai had a small Replenishment not that long ago, and his magic struggled. His level wasn''t even that great, yet some numbers were high and tight. He was changing magic like a foreign painter working with an already-established masterpiece.


    It wasn''t as if they should remain faltering, for there was a sin to think of it as a blessing. Lisa would agree with this sentiment; she had seen Murai gobble mana like a hungry beast and it hardly changed a thing. Sometimes, she wondered what would happen if he absorbed all of those essences he hoarded, or if he got other things. It seemed this place couldn''t give Anatidae what they deserved, or it was exactly that, but in the opposite direction.


    Murai watched the growling beasts with passion and Blitz under his eyes. He turned into a little monster and didn''t want to feel pain one way or another. He wanted to give it out.


    Three Grand Rhinars pounced at his back. One by one, they attacked at the same time. Murai only used his beak to hit one of them, letting the closest beast attack him, which ended up pushing him away. The third came for his face, which wasn''t under his hoodie, but his neck was flexible so he could dodge.


    He didn''t have to. He swallowed his pride and used Surge, letting rough Sharpblades appear from the azure mist that was Heavenly Manifestation. It still looked like the blade grew from mana, so it wasn''t anywhere near the real Surge that Pillage talked about; where mana and blades would fuse and speed and accuracy acted like shadows or natural exhibition of mana. Surge was about a fixed state of spells where one could use them for prolonged periods of time. It was both useful for performance, Shaping, and Replenishment.


    Murai''s use was lacking considerably, but it was still enough to slice those legs, change angles, and aim at their necks, where the hide was less dense.


    As for the others that stormed him, Murai stumbled by their weight and felt their spikes or jaws. Begrudgingly, his Blades found and slices their targets. Murai didn''t like how he couldn''t help some things. Aside from him, dozens more beasts growled, continuing in their hunt, regardless of the fallen kin.


    Lisa''s presence no longer worked that great because most beasts that felt her scream long turned to corpses. Let alone being beasts, they had Beast Master''s training behind them, followed by instincts. They didn''t care about the blood of each other. There was a law of the jungle in their blood.


    Unfortunately for that, they won''t succeed.


    Minute by minute, Murai directed his Blitz in the toughest situations, flipped his wings in a try to defend or redirect some beasts, jumped in tries to dodge, cut them with his Sharpblades, and danced. He used his speed and weight to his advantage, hitting those pesky beasts while his hoodie helped him more than he even assumed.


    It never showed any cuts, damage, or any sense of activation. It remained pristine in its light brown appearance. Murai used every opportunity to feel his progress because he doubted such an opportunity would arise with Lisa around.


    And their trip was closing on the Scorching Light.


    A quarter of an hour had passed since the start. Lisa kept her fingers close and flying beasts under her grasp. Since her powers weren''t really up to the standards, she decided to be useful in her own way. Murai was almost certain she was playing with him. If she could scream and put fear to foes, he bet she could do it again.


    She could; Lisa was close to that point numerous times and went down personally after he began to fight at close quarters, but she chose not to do some silly ideas. It wasn''t worth it. As long as Bagus fought above, there might be no end in sight.


    So she waited.


    Interrupting and killings were a far cry from remedy. For that, Lisa knew what she needed. Way too many things, such as opportunity, time, and change of heart might help a lot as well.


    She would prefer not this passive lacking strength, and for as long as she could remember, bearing with this little was straining her mind.


    Blood and corpses were around every corner.


    Far beyond the hundred fallen beasts, others appeared from the edge and pounced down. Murai was bloody, Sharpblades wavered, but his Blitz was still strong.


    Most of the blood wasn''t his. His hoodie was almost spotless, and it had no blood-absorbing powers like Ultium''s suit. Most mess usually slid off from the fabric down, which either worked passively, like his feathers, or by mana that flared around him from time to time, either repairing his Sharpblades or creating new ones after Grand Rhinars shattered some of them.


    The fight was reaching its apex.


    What was crystal clear in blood was his beak, which was dripping wet, while two Sharpblades of meter and half floated alongside his beak and above his head. He opted to disregard his Surge and started to use a new spell that he decided to pursue after entering this Gate.


    They were like reapers'' scythes, ready to end the life of anything that came too close. They were also thick, flowing in strength, Sharpness, and mana. This was his most recent innovation for his arsenal and nothing stopped it.


    Blades were his favorite side of the mana-based fighting tactics.


    Called Twin Mana Blades, it was a simple name, filled with simple benefits. It focused on only two blades, so their advantages were in much denser sides, clashes, and stabs, followed by large control and momentum. Their weight and mass could also be bigger, while their usability was supposed to be better than having dozens of them around. It worked a little bit worse with Surge in mind, but Murai had plans for everything.


    New upcoming Grand Rhinars didn''t care about death or the butchered kin. Their eyes were splintered with chaos and crimson color, growling as if they were possessed.


    ¡°This takes forever, but then, why should I complain?¡± Murai quacked, noticing that Lisa wasn''t around. He wasn''t even aware that she wasn''t taking care of him like a nanny for a couple of minutes. She went to see how Bagus was doing.


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    ¡°Hm. Using the blood to quench my frustration away seems like a great time. Leaves me glad that some things won''t change. I''ve got plenty of readings myself, so let''s end this madness. Good. I''ll allow your measly presence to move through my Blades. Feel honored.¡± He smirked and pounced at them, creating a laughable, yet insane picture of a crazy duck in a pit of corpses.


    Time moved on. Many Ends transpired in a dark chasm. Beasts and demons moved, died, and fought. Murai didn''t know how many fools he had killed, how many other beasts came down the chasm, or why there were some demons and soldiers as well. He slowly stopped caring about who or what to kill. He quenched his thirst in their blood. It was all red anyway, so he didn''t care. Ground, his beak, or eyes. He fought, huffed from breath and mana, and wished he would take some break, but he couldn''t stop. It wasn''t happening. Beast growled and his blood was boiling.


    He was pleased for a chance to do what he often did best: being free in the Chaos of butchering those who wanted to kill him.


    It was too simple, for there was some truth in Chaos and death, even if it was full of absurdity and going against what was alive.


    At least it was honest.


    Two hours into this madness, the plains above the chasm were the same as the chasm down below. Littered with hundreds of corpses, it was as if war wiped the surroundings, and most of the corpses were almost unrecognizable, for they were in pieces or crashed.


    Many beasts and demons supported the Beast Master, who unleashed his small army. Then, an hour before, he was no longer alone. There were groups of new Hunters who arrived, and Lisa saw other parties that were unwilling to come to this bloody location.


    As Lisa stressed, the travel across the sky was like an invitation and she failed to recognize how this chasm locked them in a terrible spot. Thankfully, she had no doubts David and Itrosh had their share of battles, similar to Ultium, Bagus, and Murai.


    Perhaps Murai was the most satisfied, but when she looked at Bagus, she doubted she had ever seen a happier Grifhart. David took care of those that cared for him a lot and there was a sense of duty, camaraderie, and trust among them.


    It put a weird feeling in her heart. Was she like that too in the past? She doubted that. She didn''t trust it. Could she even do that with Murai? Was it her influence that changed David to be better than her past self?


    Was she even that different from them? Lisa doubted that on so many levels, she wasn''t sure if trust or benefits were the same thing or not. Lisa wasn''t naive. She observed different circumstances altogether because there was no going back.


    Thankfully, she had Bagus, who did the most work above the chasm. He killed the Beast Master after two hours of a battle of attrition, where many fools, demons, and beasts went between their fights, nagging him.


    There was even some infighting later on, but Bagus didn''t care, nor did Lisa. A war later, battles gave winners and losers some new time, and Bagus crashed anyone annoying who closed upon that chasm, killing them with his beak or wings.


    It seemed the Beast Master prepared a lot for the consequences of going against this Hunt, yet it wasn''t enough against a single Bagus.


    He wasn''t weak. Many miscalculated their choices and options, not realizing that none of Murai''s Helpers were some weaklings. Lisa was the same. She underestimated them a little¡ªespecially Bagus, whom she never met.


    In this place, power reigned supreme, and Bagus was like a killing machine against those who relied on large numbers and less quality like this Beast Master who fell to his End, surrounded by his beasts. It was a fitting end if Bagus was honest with himself.


    After a fine battle, he went back, remembering Lisa''s words.


    But lo and behold, that sight over that edge left no small impression. Murai was there, huffing in blood and corpse, and Lisa was close, perked with slowly cracking arms, yet still killing things in her own ways.


    ¡°Are you fucking done?!¡± Lisa immediately noticed a large beast overhead and pointed at Bagus. It was about the damn time those fools were dead. Without it, Lisa had no doubt Bagus would fly around the chasm and kill everything in sight. But there was no need.


    Even when new arrivals should be more powerful than starting ones, there might be good news instead. They might''ve changed their minds.


    Unfortunately, Lisa thought otherwise. She calmed herself, letting thoughts linger and looking at the bigger picture. She wouldn''t succeed in that with Murai, who was much more stubborn and crazy right now. At least Bagus listened to her words.


    Murai wasn''t able to do much against those above Level 50. He wasn''t able to injure Knights wearing armor and carrying swords, and a bunch of mages utilized magic and spells. Not long ago, they attacked Murai from the top of the chasm, almost breaking him. When the knights came after the mages met dread called Bagus, things got feisty at the bottom of the chasm.


    It was a weird party when knights met a pit of corpses, a crazy ghost, a crazier duck, and many struggling beasts. Knights were demons, however, and most of them saw weird things all the time. None were above Level 60, so they reached their target after Bagus was distracted with finishing the Beast Master.


    It was a deadlock when Murai suffered the consequences of too many battles in his mind. He met a wall of Levels that he anticipated sooner. It didn''t change anything. He just struggled to reclaim his mana and thoughts, until the status quo called Bagus wiped the group out in a couple of swings of his wings, arriving down when Lisa demanded it.


    ¡°You in one piece?¡± Bagus chortled a laugh, looking at struggling Murai who breathed heavily and his mana was in shambles, Twin Mana Blades included.


    ¡°Never...¡± Murai didn''t even finish his sentence and quacked some blood from his beak. ¡°Yuck... I feel like puking.¡±


    ¡°More killing, less talking!¡± Lisa ordered, flying up and hiding her hands behind her back.


    ¡°Roger that! I love this Hunt!¡± Bagus was the beast, his beak cleaved things apart like an exploding sword a handful distance away, and his wings glinted like the finest of Blades. Murai was almost a child in comparison, which was a correct assumption.


    Nearly everything was a weapon on a Grifhart. His tail was hard to perceive or dodge, and when it flickered without sound, a head or two turned to a pulp.


    Another hour later, the situation turned to a new light when the beasts stopped coming and no more groups arrived.


    With great pleasure, David and Itrosh reached this meeting place, followed by Ultium, who Lisa didn''t expect to come. He had a bunch of injuries, and blood seeped from some holes in his suit, which might be his blood or not. Going through some nasty battles made a weird picture, as Murai was no better, and he had trouble standing straight.


    Ultium was fine, standing, mumbling, apologizing to David, and he constantly patted his suit in a try to fix it yet it never did. He felt wonderful, however. His horns grew a little, and there was some pride in being bloody for most devils after a fight. But the openings in his suit left one wondering if he was mentally fine. Lisa expected something else, or worse.


    Soon, the group recouped beside the chasm''s edge. Murai was no longer willing or caring after he realized the situation around the chasm calmed down after Hunters fled or died.


    ¡°I told you I should have rode alongside Murai!¡± Itrosh argued, hissing and pointing to Bagus in annoyance.


    ¡°You?¡± Bagus raised his bloody beak far above her, looking at her as if she was an idiot. ¡°You are heavy like a statue of Titans. No way I would be able to fly with you at all.¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± She hissed, stomping toward him, and brandishing a bunch of random bloodied weapons. Similar to him, she had her battles and blood over her clothes, though she had almost no injuries whatsoever. Bagus was no longer that colorful, but red in most of his feathers. Especially his head looked menacing, making his eyes pop off.


    ¡°Now. Now. No need to be angry.¡± David clapped, stepping between them with some difficulty. He fought with Itrosh for most of the past hours, so his appearance was kind of... slimmer and different. His face was toned down, his clothes were loose, his tone sharper, and most of his body bulged in different ways. Their enemies went between this chasm and the surroundings, and a lot of Hunters were unable to reach Bagus, let alone the chasm because of them.


    David had to go overboard and give his work some justice, helping Bagus a lot with the upcoming troubles, so he wasn''t overwhelmed. Murai and Lisa got a massive help alongside it.


    After this, they realized it was a good idea that Itrosh and David teamed up because troublesome opponents were much more complex in this Sector. Not many were at the upper height of the rules, which was fortunate. One reason David ended up accepting Lisa''s proposition of sending Ultium away was the bait. Stronger forces would come at him instead. Perhaps it worked, but David couldn''t tell it. He didn''t get a single great answer from Ultium.


    At least he had his guess; no Extremes will get involved.


    ¡°I am glad that nothing happened to anyone. All red and all, we fought and some of us bled, but through blood, we live, and through life, we bleed. There are no arguments when fools are gone.¡± David said with a smile that was different on his current face.


    Lisa almost doubted he was David. He was almost... charming, but not pretty for sure. Her standards were way too difficult.


    ¡°Than cheers and cakes for you, but the situation is worse than normal, isn''t it?¡± Lisa asked, floating closer to him.


    ¡°Yes. I lost my long-distance construction method, while my... interrogations were more or less successful. Who knew that when you offer death or voice, demons choose to speak?¡±


    ¡°Weird indeed, right?¡± Murai grumbled some quacks, glaring at Lisa from the top of Bagus.


    She ignored his remark because David wasn''t over.


    ¡°I got some good and terrible news. First, Ozeki is on the move with his army, followed by some rumors that Razmund is under his direct protection. That is weird. Why protection? His level isn''t very high. Just around the limiters of Level 75 at best.¡±


    ¡°Mind you, he forced and battled Ozeki himself?¡± Itrosh reckoned as she calmed and put her hands around her hips. ¡°That man is insane, I tell you.¡±


    ¡°Says you. That''s hilarious.¡± Bagus laughed, almost stumbling Murai from his head.


    ¡°What I mean is simple. It''s not going to be nice. It won''t be clear either, because so far, fewer forces from Scorching Light have come closer. Bagus said there was Master Bao against him, which left fewer Lawful foes around, and we have encountered a few but killed none. What about you, Ultium?¡± David asked, looking at Ultium who was sitting on the ground, trying to mend his wounds by some weird blood spell.


    ¡°Nothing worth mentioning. Met some troubles. That is all. I never intended to come here, but I smelt too much blood so I figured to come. It''s not like I was wounded or anything.¡± He barely looked up as he spoke.


    David figured out his reasons before he even spoke. His heart and insanity were brewing and whatever he had met left its mark. It might''ve not been pretty. ¡°Never mind that. We have a full regroup before Scorching Light, so what''s next?¡± He argued, turning to Lisa, sighing, and patting his jacket from blood, dirt, or whatever else. He looked like a warrior, apart from the fact that his clothes were far from some combat uniform.


    ¡°We should''ve solved this more directly. Go for that Ozeki and Razmund guy,¡± Ultium said, unsure if his own opinion mattered, but not like it mattered to him.


    ¡°And how do you want to manage something more direct than fight against hundreds of fools? Wanna die a sorry death when you fled with a tail between your legs?¡± Lisa retorted with an annoying look.


    Ultium shrugged his arms, looking away in disinterest. ¡°I have no tail...¡± He mumbled, knowing he hadn''t fled. It was a tactical retreat because he killed and fought and killed again and again. At some point, his attention skyrocketed and it was better to smell and see some opening than craziness. Either he sensed a change, clarity, or his heart changed.


    ¡°Hmph! Like a man-child.¡± Lisa chuckled and looked at David again. ¡±I think going to Scorching Light is now our priority. We are the losers right now if what Ozeki is about to do is up to my tries. Some groups are yet to move either. How about other rumors? Found anything? I''ve got a feeling we are missing something important.¡±


    ¡°Are we losers though? Doesn''t feel like it when I put my beak to it.¡±Bagus said, appearing majestic in a plain full of corpses and blood. He gestured to his work of art because he had no time to collect any essences.


    ¡°You are annoying... and correct,¡± Itrosh said, waving her hands as she began collecting the essence in his stead. She took her badge, looking like a black circle with silver lines. It was her citizenship and accomplishment of her whole life around this Hell. It wasn''t only about this temple.


    She will collect all essences before cutting them into each part by unique percentage or business that they will decide later. For now, getting them was more important than deciding on each cut. Itrosh won''t get any. She already had her share from her battles that were with David, so each got half of their loot.


    In the next battle, someone else would collect essences next, cutting them, before someone else would do it next time. That was the usual procedure and politics of such parties. Few would complain when fairness was clear, or one could gamble with dice, and when the bigger number won, the loser had to collect loot.


    Everyone should be happy, apart from Murai, who wanted to have all essences for himself, but he wasn''t alone. Not anymore. He wasn''t even inclined to think of himself as all that important if what he heard was fine and coming at them.


    He shouldn''t be arrogant against forces that were enough to wipe the cities on the Surface.


    Right. Ozeki and his troops had enough mass and time to amass dangers and create true small-scale wars. Obliterating some Tier C powers was also up to their possibilities, but such powers were usually part of much bigger forces for protection. They had to have that, otherwise, they wouldn''t survive a year in this world.


    So what to think of the future next? Murai was wondering where his choices were. It wasn''t so hard to think of that. He turned to Lisa, hoping her ideas were still pending or changing because he relied on her right now.


    For now, he wondered what Lisa wanted to do with the upcoming Scorching Light and guaranteed interception from more fools.


    He might regret his hope for battles, for there was some tiredness in that as well as a lot of insanity.


    In a way, Murai loved that and looked forward to what was before him.

 Chapter 220: Change of heart

    Murai had time and Will to learn and dive into remembrance. A lot of things were like that, closing on dreams, terrible nightmares, or simple ideas. Now, when his Will and craze started to show some results, his opportunity rose to another level. It wasn''t because of others, himself, or some things beyond this world. It was part of the process.


    Taking Bagus for granted wasn''t something Murai wanted to keep, though it wasn''t terrible either. His help in that chasm was splendid, and through Will, he had multiple opportunities to display some sparks. He talked to him behind Lisa''s back, or...well, it wasn''t because of privacy, or something similar. She was always listening, thinking, and plotting something.


    Bagus had no way to send his Will to Murai, so he mostly spoke to him in the human tongue, which he learned a long time ago. David must have helped with it too, or maybe Bagus'' sensible base came from his Bloodline, crashing Walls, changes of his years, and the passage of time.


    Some of those facts surprised Lisa because she didn''t consider David to be a good teacher, but the rest was sensible. Griffins were a great species. Any of their advanced sub-species were worth some care or knowledge, even if they weren''t as big if one saw the broader Skies.


    A lot of things changed in more than fifty years, it seemed. People grew, hearts changed, froze, or softened. David would disagree. People never changed. Perceptions changed or developed, concerning new knowledge, ignoring or cherishing the past, or finding a way forward in a bid for respect. The heart was the most impressive variable, for they could change, betray, and see lies and truths in veiled intentions.


    Unless bliss or tragedy happened, minds were often closer than one would see.


    Bagus was a good fella. Murai learned most of the politics of this Gate in their flight and odd conversations. Lisa chirped in their talks here and there, giving Murai or Bagus her idea which didn''t seem to be outdated thanks to David and their discussions in Helltrim City.


    Sectors and this travel were important as well, while Scorching Light was a halfway point of the Hellscape or their specific target as a whole. It was going for many kilometers ahead, surrounding the cave from left and right, and even the walls and ceiling were dry, turning into scorched color. The environment of this cave didn''t help with the heat or anything. Being underground and under the pressure of no proper Sky, it was a true hell where heat couldn''t escape anywhere.


    It was one of the many places in the temple which was truly lawless. In the Hellscape as a whole, it was average for most of the Challengers and almost all denizens. Those saw the Scorching Light as an immense opportunity, work, and self-interest. Most orders and worth in place were taking up mines, mountains, and various politics that Overlords managed, or some gangs or individuals owned.


    No Gods, or even Levandis thought of them too much, even if this place was a kind of sensitive structure in a special part of this temple or the ground. It wasn''t there before, so many wondered why Levandis created it. It wasn''t for nothing. That was for sure.


    Most Gods wouldn''t give this much care to their hopes of influencing others. Her Gates were one of her finest tools to influence others, creating things, tools, and ways to see her subjects and handle part of this world. She worked with a lot of them, and others let themselves be influenced by her place because they wanted or desired it.


    Murai regarded this temple as one of the less unique places if he considered his high, or deep memories. However, its meaning, politics, and surroundings were something else. Those, he didn''t mind much. There were interesting places, people, histories, and Hells of this world were quite plentiful and greater than usual. It must be because of the struggling Gods, stories that Bagus described with great words, and how Hells and Skies were eyeing each other like dogs and cats.


    He kind of liked discovering such depths and secrets. Unfortunately, Bagus didn''t mention much about the lower floors, specific Gods, or rumors that he wasn''t sure about. Bagus liked facts and Murai preferred them too.


    There were also a bunch of unspoken rules. Not talking to Surface Challengers about the lower floors was one of them, even if rules changed, and Hunt collided against them. Bagus wasn''t that sincere to that rule, but knowing that Mindarch must be watching, looking, spying, he kept some things for himself. Speaking to Murai about it would hardly change a thing, since rules were rules.


    If one wanted to live in this temple, one had to think of them in one way or another. Thus, there were pending troubles that Murai felt were distant and unimportant. He hoped his group as a whole wouldn''t drift apart in the potential threats and mess that awaited them.


    David fell into silence after hearing Lisa''s idea. Scorching Light was fine to be their priority, but he was thinking of what was the best choice around it, or inside it. For example, should they separate again? He doubted it was fine, considering Ultium''s appearance, and knowing how prideful and stubborn his heart could be.


    He was playing it tough, but his injuries weren''t the lightest. David at least didn''t know how his journey went, whom he met, or killed. But he stunk of some loss for sure, which poised wonders who forced him to this state of heart.


    If things got too tough, David thought he could forfeit his Helper status and no longer adhere to this Hunt. Price would be heavy, however, though the rules were lax or unseen because of the Encounter. Usually, Hunters could forfeit and flee, bearing punishment decided by the Wheel of Pain set by Mindarch and Levandis.


    Hunted were different, and David knew those bounties made them into something else. Murai and Lisa were outsiders. He and everyone else were set in a corner.


    This ideology was part of the Surface, Wars, or lower Gates, where rules set reputation, power created options, and decisions had to be made. Wheel of Pain was a simple punishment, depicting how many times one found, became a wall against some Challenger, or pushed the boundaries of Hunted and Hunters apart.


    It put dangers to most choices since punishment could be mild, or harsh, coming from the Depths, Gods, or places like a job. Those could be even rewarding because one can''t seek this Wheel for no reason. Punishment had to be validated by potential helpful reminders, and threatening uncertainty.


    Dangers came with chances and opportunities. That was one of the spoke rules of many Depths. Dungeon Delving was all about overcoming dangers, enemies, and problems arising in shadows or great magical histories.


    David didn''t follow this principle. He was too old and shrewd for that. lost In a sense, his edge wasn''t fitting for this because he wasn''t alone. But for Ultium or this group, he was willing to bear some costs. Giving up was an idea that only appeared in his mind twice so far. Each time, it happened for less than a second. The opportunity of the Encounter was too big to pass, even if the Will of the Battleworld was not working no matter what.


    But it somewhat did for them, so David no longer cared for the outside world. Interest in the Will of the Battleworld or some outer Gods was not enticing to his presence, for he hoped for a change that wouldn''t come in this Hell. He and Ultium long decided to see the end of their choices regardless of giving up or seeing that Wheel. It wasn''t something neither of them wanted to relinquish.


    But Bagus or Itrosh could. That was why David wouldn''t mind if they gave up. It wasn''t wrong for someone to preserve their life. Neither of them spoke of it before Murai or Lisa.


    Lisa knew it though, believing that betrayal was heavy and nigh, and people or power couldn''t be trusted.


    Murai didn''t, but if it hadn''t been for them, he would have had a much harder time. So he was glad that Will of the Battleworld had some form, giving them some good deal as Helpers, and that Bagus wouldn''t fly away for nothing. Similar to David, he didn''t care for the current problems with the Codex or the problems that were outside of their understanding.


    ¡°You are right, Lisa. Let''s get to the main place faster, even if it could be dangerous and tolerable. We can always change the course of plans. Fools and enemies always depend on it.¡± David said, eyes gleaming with resolution and certain decisions.


    Once again, he looked fairly impressive, which Lisa took in silence. ¡°It''s fine if you have some worries. It makes us sharper. Danger sense and other things are important. Hunters will get nasty for sure, but not like neither me nor Murai complain that you are all here.¡±


    Lise turned, glancing at everyone present, Ultium included.


    ¡°Too late for regrets,¡± Bagus said. ¡°Killed fools that want and cherish grudges. Hunt or not, it isn''t set like we are wanted, but the moment our faces were up there in the sky, our lives and choices became much more interesting. I like it.¡±


    ¡°Or cursed.¡± Itrosh reckoned with a sigh as she stored and worked with corpses, turning them into essences.


    ¡°Agreed¡± Lisa nodded. ¡°Nothing is free in the world. Battleworld was never a place fit for worry or soft touch. Anyone with some history gets it.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, plans change, right?¡± David asked Lisa just in case. ¡°Not as if I am complaining, but with this battle, things can get different. Weird.¡±


    ¡°So what? Our purpose came over and our acts gave us reputations. Fewer losers should come over, so let the world be weird. Let''s go to the Scorching Light in one swoop before this place changes into a hell we shouldn''t witness.¡± Lisa argued, no longer willing to waste more time.


    Everyone was somewhat uneasy and tired after the fight, but nothing that some potions couldn''t solve. Each experienced numerous adventures and battles, and supplying that came with diverse gifts. A supply and valuable items for their journey came with potions, which were one of the most popular items for anyone who went on a dangerous journey. Murai had some of them himself, and others had them as well, if not in much better quality and quantity because of their experience and Level.


    David even offered him some Grade B Mana Potions for his training, which gave him a rush of mana that helped Murai a little. Since this place had this mysterious way of influencing the working of mana, Murai didn''t refuse them even if their worth was lower than usual. They had no hideous toxic levels such as this place, though Murai would disagree.


    For a long while, he found this Gate not that much different from the upper ones. Lisa didn''t find it odd because he was crazy and Anatidae had their secrets. For them, this place might be as natural as swimming in a divine pool.


    As for the rest of them, if Itrosh and Bagus had time for arguments, they could follow their route and fight without a problem. There was no way for them to fear the already tense situation or see other options.


    ¡°Does anyone have some airborne combat abilities or treasures?¡± Lisa asked, glancing at Itrosh, David, and Ultium.


    Neither of them had something like that. Flying wasn''t something non-flying species or races hardly had. That was the undeniable truth, and treasures that allowed flying were even rarer.


    In this case, Bagus was quite proud of his wings and he couldn''t let everyone on board. They were too heavy for him. One was already enough weight. Murai was like a feather to him, and wanting others to ride him was out of the question.


    But Lisa wanted their flight to be faster, or make this journey quicker in some way.


    In this sense, asking was useless, but what if they found some loot out of this small war? Murai had negligible weight, and Lisa was almost the air itself, so she mattered little. In fact, she could fly even better and faster than Bagus, but she wasn''t as proud of that fact as him.


    Lisa turned to Murai, speaking with their senses alone. ¡°This is to be expected. I suppose you know what it means now, don''t you?¡±


    ¡°Last ride to Hell?¡±


    ¡°Last one indeed.¡± She reckoned and then spoke to everyone. ¡°I don''t think how far we can arrive in our previous tactics, but we have a long stretch before us. So I suggest this.¡± She went down, sticking her tensed-up finger to blood, and went to some dried land to paint her picture. She put three dots beside one another and made a wider triangle around them. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Same situation as before, but this time, Ultium will not be an unhinged child. Got that, devil?¡± She sternly looked at him, but Ultium wasn''t interested in her stare and mumbled something inaudible.


    ¡°Don''t worry about him,¡± David argued. ¡°His wounds are superficial if he got back to us.¡±


    ¡°I am not worried about him. I am worried about everyone. His position is most sensitive because his weight can be our doom.¡±


    ¡°You think I don''t know that?¡± David said coldly. ¡°That is why I allowed him to go away, but look where it ended us?¡±


    ¡°Why so pessimistic?¡± Bagus argued when Itrosh came back from the essence gathering. ¡°We should carry our weight on our backs all the same. As a team, I mean. Team!¡± He cheered and swung his wings around.


    Murai almost did the same thing. ¡°I kind of agree with everyone here.¡± He said to Lisa. ¡°Have everyone decide what is fit or good for them. Don''t be a cold bitch. That is my suggestion.¡±


    ¡°As who?¡± Lisa said to him coldly. ¡°I am taking everyone''s opinion the same.¡±


    ¡°Apart from yourself.¡± David realized this fact long ago.


    ¡°Look, there is no point in arguments. Enemies will come, but one thing is clear. Our forces are smaller, so taking brutality over common sense is questionable. Ozeki forces are tougher than this little war against beasts and some independent gangs. Then, we have Razmund who is hiding behind doubled Hunt. David, I suppose there are fewer facts about him, correct?¡±


    David nodded.


    ¡°So why not go towards as far as we can and outrun this problem and clear this Gate? Then, we go out with style as fast as we can.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure is a good idea?¡± David asked. ¡°Your plan has some holes and naive ideas. You are hopeful only when desperate. It is unlike you.¡±


    ¡°Says you. I have my head clear.¡± Lisa said coldly at him, almost flying to clutch his head. It was a bad habit, considering she used to do it a lot to Lorry. ¡°So no. Don''t give me your ideas. Do you have something better? I doubt. This situation is bad enough already, so it is too bad.¡±


    Lisa grimaced, feeling their position was indeed inevitably hard and sensitive. She hadn''t expected things would get this troublesome. Perhaps the cause was the problems with Will of the Battleworld or this Hunt that Levandis personally supervised with her true face and voice.


    Usually, the force of the Encounters would always end up in a very sensitive position. Not at a terrible pace, at first. It was inevitable that each Side of the Encounter would end up influenced by some inevitable forces or powers. Individual hopes and benefits were the reason why it happened in the first place, and it could increase bit by bit until much more complex Parts would come.


    And new faces, places, and benefits were tough to ignore.


    One Side would obliterate the other, change, or break the rules.


    There were no excuses for deaths for benefits when Gods spoke their reasons like Laws, but each Side had different reasons, rewards, and powers in their disposition and strategies. Sometimes, they might not clash at all, but their tasks could link in one way or another.


    For example, one Side could protect something, but the other had to get or kill what the other controlled. This idea could be full of different heights and lows, depicting even powers, cities, weird artifacts, treasures, and even people. All was appropriate as long as Gods deemed it enough.


    Gods were the makers and deciding factors in making every Encounter intense, while mortals were tools to make them possible and changed. Sooner or later, mortals could also influence it, so Gods had to either adapt or force them to a proper pace.


    Lisa found Murai''s case to be nothing but an insult. Not in any weird principles, but as an insult from the Gods towards him. It wasn''t fair. It was true that it all started when he was in the clutch of Vermillion Church, but the moment it all started, he got away from them, while the other Side followed that nasty Centralis Kingdom. She could only guess what kind of people touched this place. Razmund wasn''t important; he was young, thus many older fools might be included. She could only imagine them and detest everything about it.


    After losing touch with Vermillion Church, Murai was all alone, hunted. And even before that, or afterward, fewer situations were comfortable.


    She caused a lot of arguments and discovered or forced some countermeasures, which ended up in her current predicament. Not many choices were truly in her hands and Lisa hated it more than she assumed.


    She had a good hunch of why this was all so messed up. But she also had no time to think about those ideas and memories. Solving them was her task, regardless if Murai was in the picture, or if this whole group followed her words.


    Information or care for the others was the way to go. When problems crashed knowledge, ideas, and confidence, thinking about ego was no longer important. Lisa wanted to help Murai and use others sincerely. Well, part of it was for herself, because who wouldn''t want to have yet another chance in life?


    Especially the lofty figure who was quite high in terms of personal power, ideas, and who knew what else. After all, what was level 85? Was it enough to become a contender for being powerful in this world? Of course, it had some of that flavor, but she was not Extreme.


    Ultium himself was almost unanimously known to have no foes in this Gate below the Extremes, yet he wasn''t this powerful person who could roam the world unimpeded. Though, part of it was him, being David''s boy. His own prowess was kind of hidden in the present time where David moved things with mind and reasons, rather than wildest dreams.


    Reasons were better than insanity. Not many know of Ultium. David''s careful ploy and his idea about it made him into something like a human pet. In this sense, many resented Ultium for this, but none would get personal with him or David, for there was wrath and reason to be careful. When one was powerful, it didn''t matter what someone else thought. Because of that, using Ultium, or caring for his existence was a necessary evil, and his presence might be their highest advance.


    That increased even more when this Hunt started and many figures began to move. David realized it was too late, unfortunately, so he turned on the spot and crouched beside Ultium.


    ¡°You good?¡± He patted his shoulder.


    ¡°Ignoring me?¡± Lise spoke behind his back. ¡°How rare indeed.¡±


    He did, in fact, ignore her. Ultium wasn''t feeling the most suitable for what David thought was right, which was something he sensed when Ultium arrived at this location.


    ¡°Boss. There are dreams to have, right? Even devils can dream, correct?¡±


    ¡°Sure. Why not?¡± He shrugged.


    ¡°Dreaming is for children,¡± Lisa argued.


    ¡°And hope is for fools. Alright. Be silent. I will speak to him and we will get through it without your voice.¡± David turned, pointed at her, and turned back to Ultium.


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    Lisa was slightly taken aback, grunted, and hoped he would at least resolve the questionable situation with this devil. She wondered about Ultium and what he was about. He didn''t feel like a regular devil; he resembled a human far too much, but sometimes, he was the exact opposite yet far from the devil.


    She wondered what his Advocate was like, what his heart desired, and what sort of history or origin he held. Of course, Lisa had some ideas and historical notes about all sorts of things about this world, but she didn''t know everything. There were a lot of crazy shits in Hells and Chaos. Ultium might be just a shadow or a son close to it.


    Dreams were definitely important for some folks, while devils didn''t need them all the time, for their heart was their dream, and dreams might be distant. Their acts and rules of heart were what made them devious, pure, or fitting to their name.


    And Ultium was weirdo.


    ¡°Listen to me, boy. We have known each other for a long time, correct?¡± David said to Ultium, still patting his shoulder.


    ¡°A long time for humans. Correct. Fifty years, more or less.¡±


    ¡°I won''t be forever.¡±


    ¡°I... know that.¡±


    ¡°You won''t be either if we keep this up.¡±


    ¡°I...¡± Ultium wasn''t sure how to reply to that.


    ¡°Let me say something. I suggest taking some reigns of hope and getting some ideas across to us. You are free, Ultium. You hardly were before because you wanted it, right?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to live with you, boss. You made me work where others wouldn''t let me live. I went in and faced it. You did too, right beside me, close, and pulled. I trusted you and trust you still.¡±


    ¡°They didn''t let you live. I didn''t do it either. They forced you to deny you that chance. That is a difference. You could''ve forced that away from others and myself. Setting yourself free sounds wonderful.¡±


    ¡°Could?¡± Ultium frowned, caressing his already healed wounds and slowly moving threads of his Blood Suit. ¡°What are you suggesting next?¡±


    ¡°Have you said that you wanted to live with me? That means you no longer want that?¡±


    Ultium wasn''t sure what he meant, or what he, himself, wanted.


    ¡°Choices are often hard, boy. That means we are all living in an interesting time where harvesting opportunities comes with expectations, others, dreams, ideas, or the simplest reasons one could imagine. We can do all sorts of things with some splendor or desires. An excuse is sometimes needed to act. Grabbing some changes on the go is also possible. Finding and breaking words is also fine. Letting things go too.¡±


    ¡°Stop having this unnecessary charade,¡± Lisa grunted aside and had enough of listening to their conversation. She almost saw herself in his words, which pissed her off on multiple levels that Murai never touched. It was personal. She flew aside from him, looked at Ultium, and knew he wasn''t some overgrown kid. He wasn''t even correct, for there was a void in his heart and portion of his brain.


    It must be intentional. Ultium was exceeding adolescence for devils and was fairly close to adulthood, yet he was far and still Level 80.


    ¡°Listen, if you are his kid or slave, it doesn''t matter to me when you can be whatever. Be a tree too. I don''t give a fuck, to be honest. I just want this group to be safe and me and Murai to go onward. You aren''t a shield or spear if you are a wimpy bastard that can''t shit himself without David''s words. Do better and listen.¡±


    David was lost for words. He didn''t expect Lisa to be this... direct. It was her usual face, almost making him blush and smile.


    Ultium glared at her as if he couldn''t see her face. But he did hear her words, which was enough.


    ¡°I...¡± Ultium suddenly got to his feet, head-butting David and swaying Lisa''s lifeform. She didn''t mind it as much as David who grunted on the ground, touching his nose.


    ¡°Yes! Yes!¡± Ultium cheered to the sky. ¡°I have no clue, but so what?! Others don''t have it either.¡±


    This time, Lisa was lost for words and had no choice but to hope that the prowess and willingness of this group outstripped Ozeki and Razmund, or others aiming at them.


    ¡°My poor little past self,¡± Lisa sighed. ¡°It''s the same... shit. Every damned Encounter is filled with messes. I hate politics with the passion as people.¡± Lisa complained to Murai, who almost agreed with her when she floated towards him. ¡°Anyway, Murai Hisagi, you might be another problem, but unlike that devil, you are at least... Never mind... Back to Bagus. We are leaving.¡± She changed her mind, turned to the group, and talked out loud.


    ¡°Itrosh, David, and Ultium. My apologies if it''s too bad for you to listen to my head or mind. The world seems to be too good for neither of us, so what is your opinion of this matter as Helpers? I have to ask everyone individually, David.¡±


    David shook his head, making his intention obvious that he didn''t care about it. Since he didn''t speak, neither did Ultium. As for Itrosh, she wasn''t in the position to ask for something, even if she wished for something great.


    Fortunately, the one who was in a good spot was Bagus, who Lisa didn''t include in her question because he wasn''t faulty in the slightest. He will be the biggest target in the middle of the sky, and it didn''t phase him yet. Perhaps he knew or appreciated such a position and didn''t care whether it was good or bad. Perhaps he enjoyed it; it showed on his face from time to time in a similar fashion to Murai.


    With that said, Itrosh, and Ultium will follow David as the ground team. At the last second, David changed Lisa''s plan. They won''t be a triangle but a team tightly following Bagus from below. With Itrosh, they could cover a lot of ground, so it wasn''t a bad idea.


    Lisa had no patience for further arguments and accepted his proposition. They will be intercepting any situation from the ground, sending voices to Bagus on the go. As for the airborne team, Lisa could move freely in the sky, so she was a good surveillance tool and her sight was great, so perhaps the further triangular formation might''ve been worse.


    However, her position had some limits since she had no Sonar like Murai, and her body had its limits.


    Wind flooded the ground, which held some residues of blood or fur, hide, pieces of bones, or other things. Most essences were long cut into parts, with Murai having a surprising cut that came from Itrosh, whose badge wasn''t half bad. She assembled hundreds of essences out of corpses in a few minutes and gave Bagus and Murai their cuts.


    Bagus had a bigger pile, but since there were only two who truly battled in here for such needs, their interest was three to seven. Murai got thirty percent of the essences, which amounted to the worth he roughly killed. He didn''t look for specific numbers when Bagus essentially gave him an easier time and saved his ass a few times.


    Thirty percent might even be more than he deserved, and by worth alone, there were a lot of essences, and their qualities weren''t that great, but as a whole, this essence-gathering construction made up for it. After he would absorb them into his Core Defying Fusion Technique, everything would make sense and be clean.


    Bloodied clothes and armor around the ground weren''t interesting, but Itrosh took some of them anyway, saying she would resell them. Bagus refused them, and so did Murai, so she shrugged and got to work with the rest of the team.


    Bagus flew into the air, disappearing to the last journey that should go according to their plan. And plans often changed for the worse when Lisa wasn''t half sure about things. David knew it, so he glanced around the plain and the sky.


    ¡°This leaves us alone, Ultium. Oh, you too, Itrosh. Hope to work with you again.¡± David said to her, almost ignorant.


    ¡°Don''t worry, David. I know what to make of this situation. This team and you and us. Things will turn up a notch.¡± Itrosh said, smiling.


    David nodded at her appreciatively and turned his attention back to Ultium, who seemed to change his cheer to a frown.


    ¡°Sorry to doubt ya, but I do wonder about something, boss.¡±


    ¡°They are gone, and doubts are wonders indeed. We have tasks to do, don''t you think?¡± David tried to change the topic.


    It didn''t work.


    ¡°Why have you not told me to intercept Ozeki or this whole reason of this Encounter or... the other King? Why?¡± He turned his face left and right, his eyes glowed in crimson sheen onto David''s face.


    Coughing and clearing his throat, David mumbled a bunch of blubbering nonsense and wasn''t willing to give him a good answer. An excuse will do. ¡°I think it''s not time for that yet. A big change might''ve come instead. For you, or us, or... everyone. That is why plans are part of it, and we are waiting and going ahead for Murai''s purpose. Everyone will get their turn, haven''t I said it before? We have our purposes and we shall come closer to them.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Ultium furrowed his brows, appearing quite serious without visible nativity. ¡°Even though the rewards are this big? A permanent Voice? They are basically giving us a half-blessed status and a Major Blessing of this World itself. Why?¡±


    ¡°Uhm... Ultium,¡± David said helplessly shaking his head. ¡°I am not doing this for myself. The world might, but not everyone is as clear in intent.¡±


    ¡°I don''t get it.¡±


    ¡°You don''t have to.¡± He released his hands away from his shoulders, which often meant numerous things. It was a good omen that he used to put trust and certain actions between them depending on which hand and shoulder he touched, or which words or intent he spoke with. It was kind of physical, but it worked wonders.


    ¡°There are two roads ahead, Ultium. Which one you want? Be a dog waiting for the foes to come, or go onto the Scorching Light and wreak havoc, or wait there?¡± He asked, pointing back to the beginning of the Gate, and then to the opposite side that had no visible desert yet.


    ¡°Giving me a choice... when I clearly failed before.¡±


    ¡°Define failure.¡±


    ¡°Is this necessary to speak like this?¡± Itrosh asked them, wondering where this would go, but she was slowly backing away, figuring that things were changing right now. She was long accustomed to how David and Ultium did their job, or who they were, or how they worked. Leaving no witnesses was a very popular choice or secret, but not this time around.


    David held no such possibilities, so things would be ugly, open, and different. Itrosh believed it would be crazy, yet she didn''t fear it. She doubted it would feel good for others and she was glad to not be them.


    David would agree under normal circumstances.


    ¡°Failure is when things go wry without change.¡± Ultium defined his opinion.


    ¡°And you are back and not wounded.¡± David pointed to his wounds that no longer bled. ¡°And I don''t care whom you met, or how it went. Your fights are yours to meet or fight. I can''t give it any help besides encouragement that you won''t lose yourself. Words too. They make charms and I want you to hear them.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Who Am I then?¡± Ultium asked a very confusing question that changed his face and eyes a little. There were numerous emotions, ranging from fear and confusion to dread and hope. Then, a red flare spread from his depth, coming to his eyes.


    ¡°Dunno.¡± David shrugged. ¡°You can be a killer.¡±


    ¡°I don''t like this, boss,¡± Ultium mumbled and put his arms into his pocket. Then, David patted his head. ¡°I know only one thing, boss. I want blood. Lost blood. Lots too...¡±


    The surroundings changed, as visible Murder Intent seeped from Ultium''s body like a shivering aura of mist. It was cold, airy, and full of red that washed and changed the air. It went over David''s face and back, draining the color from his face and sweat from his back. As many times as he saw or felt this, not once did he like it, for change of heart was heavy and changing in a heartbeat.


    It was an honesty that had plenty of weight. David hadn''t forced a thing. Ultium wanted it and saw the change. David cared for him, so he endured this part or cherished it from time to time. Ultium manifested quite a deep aura, letting the ground shake, and even the air dropped a couple of degrees.


    By now, Itrosh was long gone from the picture, hiding behind a rock, giggling and looking at those red and shiny horns and eyes. The surrounding ground had some blood left because their essence gathering wasn''t as efficient as Guides.


    Gradually, all blood began to move or wince, and like small waves or streams, the blood traveled to Ultium''s feet, disappearing to his suit or going deeper. It was hard to tell.


    ¡°C-calm down, Ultium.¡± David forced these words out, enduring his change way too closely to his liking.


    ¡°No. I don''t think I will.¡±


    ¡°Let''s do it this way then. Sector to the beginning Scorching Light isn''t that far. Let''s wait there, while we will move along their flight. We still have to provide them with some assistance from the ground up. That''s what Lisa chose, and we agreed to take our parts. That is a rule.¡± David forced his words out as he continuously backed away in uncertain steps.


    Ultium remained serious and his eyes were overflowing with crimson light. It almost bent into his skin, cracking it in veins and pure blood. Indifferent, calm, and deep like the Abyss, yet, the Abyss won''t look back. It wouldn''t dare to. Not against Ultium.


    ¡°Roger, boss,¡± he said. In a moment the aura disappeared, leaving the ground clean. ¡°I like this. Simple goal and rule. Getting rid of things on the way to the dream. It seems poetic, or how the boss said it a few times. Maybe I''ve got it wrong?¡± Ultium said without hurry, checking on his tie and wondering if his words were weird or if he remembered what he should. His Blood Suit got a bit tight all of a sudden. Then, he began walking in the direction Bagus flew onto, even if the fog was in the way. Itrosh listened to them, hiding not that far.


    ¡°Do you think you can manage this?¡± David asked him just in case.


    ¡°Seen worse days... Felt much... no. This is bigger. Deeper. There is not a chance that blood isn''t lacking, but that soul. Oh, that soul...¡±


    ¡°It is different, Ultium. Focus on the ground. Not what is far or way too lenient and unimportant.¡±


    ¡°Ye.¡± Ultium nodded, taking Murai as a color deeper than black or red.


    Lisa gave them a couple of tasks as a ground team. The position was important. A close team position will do, so David went with it and changed it for the third time. Lisa should be fine and gone, so David had no regrets about changing his position without her in sight.


    Their next destination was the Scorching Light.


    His was different.


    Itrosh with her surveillance had a classic position, while Ultium should solve the rest. His nose was good to sniff the blood and trouble the living. Bagus had a straight line of travel ahead, and it was clear from the ground, so most of the dangers were below or hiding further. Bagus had to go down eventually. That was a striking chance.


    Down, Itrosh was in the middle, David on the left, and Ultium on the right of her. They were less than a hundred meters from each other, so they could hear their acts, or shouts if they were loud enough, but why do that when communication was in their pocket?


    David reminded Ultium of that tool. Ultium sneered, shrugging his arms, saying that he forgot he had it. It was within David''s expectations to forget it altogether.


    Each of them wasn''t as powerful as the other, but as a team, they should be fine. Lisa believed in that, even if her previous words left much to be desired.


    She didn''t know what was ahead, or what was coming after them. David only knew that something was coming.


    In the air, Bagus remained flipping his wings, traveling about three hundred meters above the ground. He was visible from the ground if fog cleared up and there were at least four to seven hundred meters to the ceiling in some sections. Since a lot of walls and grounds were uneven because of various reasons, sometimes, elevations were in shambles.


    There were even some sections of the ceiling that had inward mountains, lowering the ceiling to barely a hundred meters. That was deeper into the Hellscape, depicting a Sector known as the Upside Down Mountains.


    Most of the travel wasn''t in Lisa''s mind. Even the surroundings weren''t. She aimed her eyes around to see living souls and train in what she felt was coming after barely a few weeks. That was surprising; she thought she would have to wait for it for months or years.


    On the other hand, Murai clutched the beak against the wind, looking around like his life depended on it. He enjoyed the view for what it could be, but in a way, his life was within the hands of others. And wings.


    Lisa was flying beside him this time around, lost in through or wonders he couldn''t fathom. Her glistering azure color didn''t possess a normal physicality whenever she wanted. He could slap her all he wanted, but it wouldn''t do a thing, even if he would charge his Blitz or Peak.


    He tried each of them before, acting and saying it was an experiment against Lisa''s body. It didn''t make her feel good, but it wasn''t a bad idea to experience either.


    She had no physical feelings, even though she could touch things if she wanted. She was no ghost, nor a Fairy. Well, there were numerous soul-based monstrosities in this world or the universe, so she must be something in between everything that Murai knew. It was curious; Murai wondered if he heard or met those or if he was even assuming her body to be a right mixture of rules, or Laws, or if it was something stranger. Endless Skies were vast and one couldn''t see every planet or life.


    A weird one she was. Barely anyone from this group of Helpers questioned her about it. Not even David, who had all sorts of questions about the way she died.


    Lisa told nothing about it, opting to focus on the reality. So when she asked him about the way of the past fifty years, he also refused her, telling her that an equal exchange was a great trade. It was too bad for him since Lisa could be fairly... persuasive. He barely lasted ten seconds before he spit the beans.


    Barely so, but it was worth to hear his words, even if most of it was negative. As Lisa feared, the majority of her past forces died because of her actions. David questioned her to this day, wondering why she left them alone and died... alone? It went against her principles.


    And now, back after fifty years, she was... Who? David wasn''t sure how he should feel when he felt and spoken to her for the past few days.


    All sorts of weird stuff were happening in the Battleworld on a daily basis. When folks of all kinds can get reincarnated, beasts can evolve into all kinds of weird things, and even people could walk in the air, or fly by flapping their fingers, sense or words could lose their reasons.


    Considering the fact they were far from the Surface, fleeing for their lives because some nasty Gods made an unbalanced mess and unfair game, and forced it to the mortal realms and her head, Lisa was furious.


    It was nothing but strange, or perhaps... not weird? It went fairly well alongside the shit that can happen in the Battleworld or her both lives and when it involved her, she didn''t like it.


    The fact that Murai was living as a duck spoke of absurdity, while Lisa''s appearance was weird and hers by its own merit.


    ¡°Lisa?¡± Murai willed his message to her head, figuring that his quacks wouldn''t work on her when she was like this.


    ¡°What? Do you mind this travel? You fought like a lunatic before. Consider me impressed.¡±


    ¡°Sure enough. Got many ideas and validations, but this is also curious, aren''t we?¡± Murai said, chuckling as the wind carried it away.


    Lisa turned to face him, not giving him a nod, smile, or anything.


    She just looked at him in wonder. Maybe she looked for reason in that face, beak, eyes, or that hoodie. Or that soul? She frowned and felt some choices had to come from her most profound compromises.

 Chapter 221: Plain wonders

    Staring at Murai had barely left any changes on her head, eyes, or body. Lisa kept on flying as if she was flowing along the wind. Perhaps deep down, something moved within her, but Murai was never certain how to see her besides taking her words for words alone. There might be something else hiding within her, striking one with a resemblance of depth, wisdom, and a great history.


    It might not be wrong if one took Lisa for an ancient being that she might be.


    Murai had very little ways to know her besides trial of words, persuasion, or force. Her acts often disregarded her words, and she could even lie, force little gray lies, or speak whenever she liked. In truth, she just... didn''t speak a lot.


    That was worse, wasn''t it?


    Murai wasn''t sure if lies were worse than a bunch of excuses or silence, or perhaps there was no difference. She might not even lie at all if she preferred not to voice what mattered.


    There were a variety of ideas Lisa had in mind when she glanced at this struggling duck wearing a hoodie. It wasn''t tall, its beak gripped Bagus''s feathers, and it surely wasn''t clever. It was stubborn, often stupid in its act, yet powerful in its own ways. Anything within was sort of ridiculous and insane to a whole different dimension. Perhaps literary, though Lisa didn''t care if she was wrong or right as she glared at him in silence.


    Previous fights left some rare moments, keeping words behind, and acting closer than far. She helped and watched how he got rid of a literal horde of Level 40 through 50 bests and even fought numerous demons and gang members that came later. He couldn''t kill them, though defending and waiting for Bagus was a clever tactic. She had to give it to him; Murai''s depth was increasing day by day, so she wondered what it would be like if he had no shortcomings at all.


    Perhaps that was why he was this... Cursed, and prevalent over the Skies. Just how many worlds could survive this? Her ideas were long turning to weird directions when she was getting familiar with him with things she didn''t know she needed. She shouldn''t worry. She shouldn''t care!


    Perhaps it was a misunderstanding? Lack of insight? Perhaps she was getting some emotional attachment? Not the last one. Lisa didn''t want to spend a lifetime with him in the slightest, nor to feel that sort of link.


    Lisa had no doubts Murai felt the same way about her too, but his living was even more questionable than hers, but she wasn''t giving herself the benefit of the doubt. She knew about her situation well enough to be like this, while Murai had no clue about her and even his living. It was unfair, but living and seeking any sort of Sky from a lofty position was never fair.


    ¡°Keep staring and I will fall.¡± Murai sent her his words again after he had enough. ¡°Pinch is a pinch. I like that word, even though my head is weird in Will. It is my voice, or is it something else besides my quacks? I think I am turning insane after enduring this life. Better than Rocky, though. Worry is there too. You said something funny to Ultium before our department. That devil is hiding things by the way. I can tell that. You seem to care about some things, while other people matter when they matter to us. You remind me of some folks that I used to know. I think.¡±


    ¡°Think?¡± Lisa saw it as a bad thing.


    ¡°A bad reminder. I would like to forget I even said that. Oh, done.¡± Murai chuckled as if forgetting was that easy.


    It never was.


    ¡°Well, I won''t give you one damned word in this sky. You don''t deserve me at best or worst. That''s why I am trying much more than usual. Perhaps that will go on and on until we are all happy and alive. I am already pissed by every circumstance that is following you from behind like a curse. Maybe it connects and won''t leave you. It flows like water or laws down the streams of misery.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Does it feel...good? Sounds like every word you say describes some worlds out there, surviving or holding onto nothing. Maybe I should think of it like a certainty of changing Epochs, eh?¡±


    Lisa rolled her eyes, making her face feel as if she was swallowing some words and emotions. ¡°Eating this shit up, solving it, or helping you is already more than I deserve to give you, whereas Epochs are just ways of nature.¡±


    ¡°I sometimes feel like that too. You too...Well, shit karma, I guess. Heard of it before?¡± Murai tried to cheer her up. It wasn''t working, he bet, though he tried it anyway.


    ¡°Karma? That is... a name in some cultures of weird deities from the Endless Skies, isn''t it? That is far away from my head, so don''t give me that crap.¡±


    ¡°But you know about it.¡±


    ¡°Sure as the Skies over our head. Oh, wait...¡± Lisa chuckled to ease the mood and turned upside down to look at the ceiling. ¡°You see, it is weird. Sky or not, a ceiling is a ceiling and this place is the same. They aren''t that different because they are hiding things above them and below.¡±


    ¡°And I am a duck and you are a ghost. Say something new.¡±


    ¡°We aren''t either,¡± Lisa said seriously, speaking by moving her mouth. She thought the wind carried her words away, but it didn''t.


    ¡°So you aren''t a ghost?¡± Murai said suspiciously; he didn''t need to know what she was or wasn''t. He was more curious about who she could be.


    ¡°Have you seen someone like me before?¡± Lisa asked. ¡°Sona is rarer than some questionable duck, isn''t it?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps I did. I have a hunch for sure about your kind...of whatever race. I don''t really care to catch the correct words or pictures. Numerous ideas might point to nosy things that I don''t like, but let''s not pretend my living has its merits and memories are all where they should be. It is Cursed, I can tell you this much. It has no good sides at all!¡± Murai faked a cry, taking this ride for an unfortunate accident like most of this life.


    But he didn''t want to crush it, let alone forget it existed.


    ¡°Agreeeeed.¡± Lisa chortled a laugh. ¡°You are just one massive cursed mess that looms over this world and myself.¡±


    ¡°Me too!¡±


    ¡°Sure. You revolve around yourself like a giant mistake. Anyway, Karma is a bitch. Some Blessed of the past gave it many views, bringing ideas and cultures from the Endless Skies because one is never sure where those freaks come from. Some are from various Sectors though, flooding this world with weird ideas and folklore, powers, or personalities that have guided this world for tens of millennia. Can you imagine what it did with Gods, weird beasts, powers, and magic? It is a mash of things and everything about this world''s history has notes of many figures, stories, legends, and Gods who either forget them, help them, or people take them for something new to pass for the future. Some Gods don''t like the word change.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like godly playground began to draw some problems and it slowly turned to bite their backs.¡± Murai guessed.


    ¡°I wonder if that is right. Some poor ideas are useless. If I am honest, none should care about them when dreams are very real at the top of some worlds, or... beyond.¡± She retired her mood and turned back to her serious nature.


    She cared about facts if she had this option. That much, Murai must tell was true and correct. Layers of weird psyche about Lisa were like the bark of a tree. Slowly digging through the layers uncovered more of her personality, but which was right or truthful?


    Murai at least had an opinion that those barks might be deeper than he thought, layered, or there were much more of them than he could see. Maybe there was even an empty void beyond them or a surprising vastness.


    When one saw enough of lives and people, or... worlds, the word meaning turned to a new page. Lisa had her reason to be what she was or would be. After all, everyone was the master of their own Fate, even if in seeming shackles to someone else, weird because of one''s choices or the lack thereof.


    Something like Fate was intangible, yet many considered it to be the epitome of living, saying that it was a tangible thing, flowing like water and Laws, and one should see it as a predisposition, natural path, and endless patterns. It was common out there where power flooded the minds, yet it didn''t matter when one saw life close to the peak. From outside, within, or in other ways, lives had many faces and lies.


    Then, some people believed they were higher they they were, but they weren''t. They were just ants in a much broader universe, and one''s perspective was the reason for that. It was about the ants. They might have a nest in one place, call themselves masters, or hunters, and skim for great resources without knowing the broadness outside of their vast surroundings.


    Murai met that occasion many times, with people, demons, worlds, and many cultures. Because of his living, he saw the numerous shattered ceilings and some worlds never took it all that well. When met with a higher existence, things often change for the worse; never for the better tomorrow. It either required a massive leader, or the opposition had to be understanding and nice.


    Which was more doubtful than a flame freezing a planet.


    Lisa believed numerous other beliefs were as useless as one would fear, feel, or hear. Murai thought of worlds as individual paradises, filled with many individuals who were the same as him, but without the curse. They followed what they desired and the difference was the remembrance of their former selves. Everyone had some story to tell, even if it could be brief like a small talk, worth a few pages, or full of despair.


    ¡°I will make it worth that. Make it new.¡± Murai said, sounding weirdly convincing this time around.


    ¡°How, I wonder. You are barely something good in my eyes. Just a pawn in the hands of something you can''t even change. And some want to handle you like a fool or a tool. Gods do that all the time, while whatever else is out there should remain there. Using you to unknown lengths is odd, yet for what? This? What are you even?¡± She looked around, at him and implied to the whole mess around him metaphorically.


    ¡°Tell me about you.¡± Murai changed the subject for no apparent reason; perhaps he didn''t want to take this metaphor to heart.


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°Why would I do that when you refuse my...I mean, your Fragments! I wanted to know about you since the start, and now this? Call me shook.¡± She exaggerated her surprise by gasping and looking away. ¡°Don''t kid yourself? I do this for myself. Not for you.¡±


    ¡°Oy! I deserve at least something. Haven''t you said that you would give me some answers after the conquest of these Gates? A chance?! Don''t you think it is a bit unfair when you''ve got to know me like a book, read and handle me like a fool, while your personality is just shit?¡±


    ¡°Book so long, that one can''t read it all, nor understand many parts without crashing the brain apart. That kind of book?¡± Lisa retorted. ¡°Bits would pass as enough, but I don''t care about myself and you to this extent right now. Why? As a Life Companion, my parts are closer to being a slave. To a smaller degree, of course. Many Blessed believe in that idea, handling their Companions and Life Companions like tools.¡±


    ¡°Can I do that? How?¡± Murai tried to sound sincere, but he was joking. Lisa glanced at him, growing her hands in clear annoyance. ¡°Fine. You aren''t a slave, for obvious reasons that better remain unturned,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yet I am part of doing something I wouldn''t ever want to do! So don''t talk to me about talking to you about my past.¡±


    ¡°Who said something about your past?¡± Murai said as if she ran into bothersome conclusions.


    Lisa grunted. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I have David for that. That old man has a certain knack for words and history. He lets his tongue loose when Bagus is around, or a drink is close. What I want to touch upon are the present issues. Past is whatever. People can change, think, and take it for something good. When one sees people with multiple lives, it is that sort of thing. It needs different perspectives.¡±


    ¡°That guy...¡± Lisa sighed. ¡°Let''s not think of that for a second. I don''t think that matters when I am with you, whose past is even more questionable, while the future is even worse.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Then what about the present you? That sounds interesting enough and like something I should know for our mutual benefit. Past is past. You should care about my presence.¡±


    ¡°You think I don''t do that at all?!¡± Lisa shouted. ¡°I do only that for the sake of our damned lives! Past can fuck off.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I got a hint that many things are stretching far or slow and you do care about a bunch of things. Like excuses, you are a liar. Interest can be part of that, or you can call it my hunch which is smelling like a charm.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°You''ve done some things before I almost died. Went asleep, forced something I didn''t feel and know, and ate a part of a pie that should have been mine. What was that even for? I don''t get it. Was it a blunder on my part or a miscalculation? You feel freer than a wasp in a room, I think. And you are in my damned head!¡±


    ¡°A minor thing... doesn''t matter. That I had to do. Reached my Evolution too and became much more helpful afterward, and even at a time when you got Encounter upon yourself, so that is that. I told you it was important before entering this shitty temple. I have a Path to follow as well, same with my race and evolutions that do have their principles. Both are nowhere near something interesting for you or near. Trust me. It is a process like breathing.¡±


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Trust? Not yet? There we go again... You are downplaying the reality again. Is that something that you used to think about all the time? You say trust while dancing around the important topics. Do you need something then? I feel like you want something from me. You reaaaaly want it. Desire it like a candy!¡±


    ¡°So what If I do?¡± Lisa said angrily. ¡°I can''t care about desires or wants right now. Do you think Soul Stones are common? That Soul Essences grows on trees or the ground?¡± She put one part of the truth into her statement without telling him what she truly wanted or what mattered.


    Murai felt it a little, but her words carried some truths so he followed them along.


    ¡°Soul Stone?¡± Murai piqued that word up with quite high standards. He knew such things by numerous names, syllables, visions, and rarities from many worlds. They were powerful memorials ranging from powerful beings or lost vigors of previous Epochs.


    Soul Essences were easy to figure out or what they depicted. They were Mana Essences that essentially turned into something like the manifestation of mana and souls, depicting rare occasions when naturally occurring sona changed via the link with Afterlife and turned into mana, which then came out as physical Soul Essence that had bizarre properties. Their forging creations were complicated even if one mastered some soul powers, and finding them in the wild was less than easy.


    It should be nothing normal, though natural it became when some souls died, bodied burned under tides of Laws or soul powers, or techniques, worlds, or Gods or Laws were involved. Everything could exist in nature, even though artificial ways of creation were much better, for the universe came off as forceful anyway.


    Lisa personally knew numerous artificial methods to gather some Soul Essences, and neither meant anything good right now. For example, this place should have them at lower Gates, and one couldn''t buy them. Harvesting souls was close to being taboo in many ways of power and cultures.


    It was nothing that Chaos couldn''t accept. It went against the natural order of the Afterlife, so what about some soul powers or similar things? Couldn''t Essences turn to sona when soul-based powers came in clutch, souls died within, or under some great essence-gathering constructs?


    Murai knew they did, and he thought this temple should be helpful in that matter. For example, he more or less figured that any being etched into this temple''s essence-gathering ways was not so simple as some denizen, or visit. They were part of some process, their souls weren''t as free, and perhaps this must be the work of Levandis, who threaded a fine line in Chaos as master of Path of Thousand Graves. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unfortunately, Murai had no way to check or see if his tries were correct, or if something worth was up for Lisa''s life. Maybe if she would bathe in his soul, memories, or soul space, could she grow? Wouldn''t she devour him like a curse? If she needed those things, could she suggest some nasty threat?


    At this moment, something hit Murai''s consciousness, and he understood where this was going. He was more or less aware Lisa didn''t want to spend any time in his soul space. The reason was odd since his hunch pointed she could get stronger in here like a flame spirit bathed in a volcano.


    She didn''t have to be savage; just spending time there and accumulating her life might be enough. Still, it was curious since it pointed to her like that.


    ¡°So, you want your upgrades without stealing shit from me? Interesting. How to get them is what you want, huh? Committing to some upgrades next is like me. That is a nice desire or dream. I have mine to follow, but I never heard about these specific soul urges that you have. Evolutions are not up to this world alone. All kinds of beasts can change via bloodline rites and so on, but you have no body. So, what kind of race does this weird justice, what will it change about you, or what does it need?¡±


    ¡°As I''ve said. It matters little, if any right now. You are my priority and I am not. You forced my wants from me as I did with mine, and you shouldn''t have had... any problem with it.¡± Lisa said, hesitantly muttering some truths along with a bunch of nothing


    ¡°I am not sorry or anything. So listen. I am bending a knee. Almost... Not now. Where else do we have time for this calm and private conversation? No Crows are around, nor we are hunted like flies. Well, some might come around that corner, or that mountains, or that city, or... You get the picture. Going with the flow matters more than being a stressed shitless ghost and your hesitations keep me doubtful. Perhaps something wouldn''t mind us from sharing some bits.¡±


    ¡°Hmp!¡± Lisa flicked her head away, looking away and gliding far to see better or flee. ¡°Tell me about it when you will actually matter in your reputation or time. You are nothing right now, but you have every right to be something. Then, I will talk.¡±


    Murai looked at her leaving and that shut him up for some reason, even if he had numerous words to tell to her. In truth, he had all intentions to give her some of his Fragments for some exchanges, but now, he changed his mind. If she expressed this excuse again, couldn''t she do it later or every time?


    Lisa was no longer in his line of vision. She flew down, and up, unclear to his eyes, though he sure could talk to her through their connection the same way as if she was before his face.


    ¡°It sure is weird. This whole context of forcing a Life Companion to a Blessed reincarnated figure. Feels like chains of interest in this world that is much more intense than some things from beyond. All Blessed are with past Blessed, creating some weird loop. What does that mean, exactly? It sounds so strange, yet, I''ve never actually met a Blessed apart from Razmund. They shouldn''t be rare, or so it is told. Bagus, Itrosh, Ultium, and David are all normal... well, relative to the rest. Ceila, Lia, Iris, or Timmy.


    Well, when I think about it, I''ve hardly met many people, eh? Razmund had no visible Life Companion, so perhaps his soul space had it too? As far as I could tell, he had his basic companions alone, so what to make of it? Murai thought as he followed the flying and sight below him with calmness.


    He wondered if the companions and weight of Blessed were that big of a deal. So far, he hadn''t touched on that concept, but Vermillion mentioned a thing called Temporal Power Chain in hindsight to Iris.


    Then, he had his Encounter status, which complicated things to another level. Helpers were similar and good, while his overall sentiment from the past chasm came to his mind next. He saw Lisa battling again, but he was far too busy fighting like a maniac and reaching some redefining interests and views about his current arsenal.


    He was shocked to uncover the difference between regular Mana Blade and Sharpblade with much greater targets and passable familiarity with Heavenly Shaping. The difference between this evolution was even more crazy than the difference between Beak''s Fury and Beak''s Blitz from the simple way magic worked for him. But it was also true that Blitz and its Fatality could deal a great deal of damage.


    Sharpblade cut and flew very well, adhering to the Heavenly Shaping in greater deals than the rest of his spells, though he couldn''t tell if the prior Blade would work the same if not better. Sharpblade took much more mana and Sharpness into consideration, making it much more powerful and harder to wield Blade.


    Did this mean Murai could use his prior Blade as well if he would take his care and Shaping lower? Yes, but why use a lower-level thing when Sharpblade got handed to him like that? Murai didn''t refuse that, and he even evolved Shaping and Blade at the same time, so he wasn''t willing to see their difference. Both definitely changed his approach to magic, even though it felt a bit forced, and turned this journey into a trial set by these Gates, mana, and training.


    He wasn''t sure if the change to Heavenly Shaping was as great as evolution and other things, but Lisa told him numerous times it was better to change the fundamentals now than later. Murai agreed with that statement with all his mind and wings.


    With Lisa gone and ideas close, Murai followed the fight without any hitch. Bagus didn''t fly that fast, yet the remaining distance to the Scorching Light should be over in a few hours, or more, depending on what David and the situation below allowed. Bagus could take care of the voice midway through a fight, but as a handless individual, he let Lisa handle most of it instead.


    From time to time, Bagus will need some rest, so some downtime and landing will come, while this last straight line of travel was bound to be tense. He couldn''t push his flying too far, lest the ground team could no longer follow him from behind.


    Frankly, he could leave them in the dust if he wanted, but Lisa argued that the group team should always be closer. It was for their benefit, so Bagus strained and lost more stamina in this manner because this was not a simple place, and his body wasn''t that optimal for this lower speed.


    The resting happened after an hour of flight, with Bagus landing in some strange angled forest. After Itrosh ensured that no obvious enemies were within a large-scale radius, what if they were hiding like their first battle?


    To this point, Lisa questioned Carmilla who almost caught them off-guard. She had some interesting toys that suppressed some surveillance. If she had it, why not the others?


    Still, with Ultium and others around, they landed to rest. Surprisingly, no airborne combat happened as Lisa feared, but there were some gangs around their landing that Itrosh picked on. There were also some beasts around, and their tactics might not be that pretty. No traps happened at least, so the group went to work.


    They got the taste of the ground team in no time, leaving Murai silently grumbling in silent complaints because they didn''t come too close. Lisa solved it by putting Ultium and David to good use.


    Most of the enemies should be interested in those above the ground, but the availability of some flying mounts or means to go up that far was kind of lacking choice. None should be able to put spells or other weapons from the ground to such length without spreading a lot of mana.


    That went within Lisa''s calculations, so mostly, a lot of groups either waited or bid for their time before their landing. Lisa and Murai were worth a lot of points after all, while the ground team was full of danger when Ultium and Itrosh were around. David was an intercepting factor that ensured his team had no shortcomings. He was excellent support when he gave up on being something he couldn''t be.


    Previous confrontations and small wars gave a wake-up call for most gangs, military groups, and beasts around the first couple of Provinces, and many teams eyed them like tasty treats that might bark, but they could too.


    Lisa''s idea bore some results. She scared quite a lot of figures off when they crushed their opposition in a nasty method. These facts were clear, and no terrible pace came onto them. No big troubles were present in the Gorge Forest in Sector 32, which was a steep plot of land that was almost entirely flat, apart from the fact that it was angled like a ramp.


    That went on for ten kilometers, looking like a square forest with many bushes and trees, and a wide part of the earth that looked as if earthquakes played with it, or some Overlords did.


    Occasional mountain monuments were around this forest, followed by geometrical stones, big rocks, pillars, or round materials protruding from the ground as if everything were part of the earth. It didn''t resemble two tectonic plates slamming into each other, forming mountains, or crashing earth. It looked too unnatural since many strange things could happen in unkempt lands where there was a lot of space, water, or already tense-up places because of politics and mana.


    So yes. It could be natural, apart from those geometrical monuments scattered around the forest on a large scale. Some were even hundreds of meters tall. Murai bet those were traits left behind by some training, comprehensions, or play of some Giants, or even Titans. He didn''t dare to think too far, but he knew how some ancient races felt and looked, and these things were ancient.


    Murals were incomprehensible, runes long turned dull in age. Whether there was some treasure around here was long turned to dust. Some ancient beings like those with Titan Bloodline could reach a hundred meters, boasting strength in multiple ways, ranging from unfathomable sturdiness, aged like stone, and Physiques that might hide layers from the lost history.


    Who would train with a whole mountain beside some freaks of nature? It seemed to have a long-lasting impression, looking as if they were decorations. It shouldn''t be correct, though it wasn''t far from it either.


    There were deep ravines because of some fights, work around this decorum, or dug up earth, while the angled plate of earth left shadowy regions and places below this forest, creating yet another forest below this plate of earth that was dark, moist, and making up great natural zones.

 New novel Anouncement!

    Hello. Before another published chapter later today, I would like to announce the return of my precious second novel, Emblem Apocalypse which I launched two years ago. Coincidently, after a bit of a hiccup 11 months ago, I decided on a full rewrite, which launched last Friday, marking the second anniversary of that... well, one novel of all time. It has been in the rewriting hell for the past six months, which is why I haven''t done much of a word in this novel, besides publishing chapters bit by bit. It is what it is, and I hope that some of you like my novels, even if they are largely in the darkness.


    If you are interested in a more human-kind novel, then Emblem Apocalypse is for you. There are close to 30 chapters published already, and it would mean the world to me to get that novel some attention. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What can you expect from my rewritten novel? Unlike this one, it takes place on Earth, which underwent apocalyptic turns of events. It is a story of heroes, struggles, demons, and humanity, with progress, powers, and the realization that humanity can still live on. 114 years have passed since the apocalypse, so it might be post-apocalyptic, with people still struggling against that which has arrived.


    It is an HFY novel, with bits of LitRPG aspects as well. The System is also there, with something that I am yet to call proper. Cosmere


    , in some sense? I will see.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Thank you if you give it a try. The link is in the author''s notes up and below.


    Here is a blurb.


    In 2014, the Earth as everyone knew it ceased to exist. Bright skies sank and cracked, the moon trembled, and demonic bizarre creatures crawled from the space itself, or the unknown depths of the Earth. They swarmed and exterminated what they desired, until the births of Walkers decades later changed the status quo, though it was already far too late.


    Losses are countless, yet Walkers are heroes and this is a story where they fight for humanity after a century of failing conflicts.


    Follow the road of William, who is one such Walker; an unlikely young hero born with an Emblem that gives powers, choices, and chances of difference. Humans and Walkers are close, yet impossibly separate. William might be an Outsider bearing the consequence of his missing parents, but it won''t stop the inescapable path that is waiting for him.


    An Emblem in his hand foretold his subjection. He shall be a Walker, watched by the great System who would see and feed this era like no one before, even if secrets and mistrust linger under every land.


    2128 is a busy year, and whether one land lacks true authority or hope, the apocalypse has long merged into humanity. William lives through it, grows, and meets Walkers and people alike, and tries to remember, not forget, and move forward. It isn''t some destiny; he just has to do enough and don''t kick the bucket.

 Chapter 222: Unknown variable

    The land was lively, with some lakes and rivers, giving some waterfalls great vision, and this Gate substantial change of pace. It was no jungle, but Murai swore this place was pretty. There were dense black trees with green, almost glowing leaves. Vivid grass around the soil had yellowish-green colors. It was surprisingly luscious, and the artificial sun was quite bright and warm, spreading life from less than ten kilometers away.


    It looked like a good place to hide, rest, and fight. Battles should be fun thanks to the intricate terrain and trees, while the angle of the earth added some interesting benefits or different strategies.


    Plains such as this were far from being a prime place for armies to prove their worth against each other. Most would take their battles head to head in straight plains. Angled ones didn''t make much sense since they were a rarity and one side would have a higher ground.


    That was a shame, albeit unique, but Lisa ensured Murai that there were many such places in the Hellscape, and this wasn''t that great. They passed some of them already, while Lisa failed to consider his experiences with worlds, or this world itself.


    Most vivid and pretty sights were all over the Surface, meaning that some Hells were lacking considerably in that appeal. However, Levandis was a unique Queen with great touch and sense. She was the sole one at that, with other Hells having Lords. She had good tools under her disposition, which made this temple a great canvas and historical site.


    Most of the Gates had some vision, rules, and neatness in them, partly done because of the past Sun God Temple, and because Levandis wanted to create a great place between the Surface and her Hell. It was just one part of the history, truth, and extraordinary work that depicted Death Valley and what was hiding below.


    It was no place for fights for many, though Murai could sense death around some corners. The place reeked of it. Be it from the aura, silence, and no soul in sight. That was weird when he saw nice grass and trees everywhere.


    ¡°What a place in the Hell.¡± he cracked a joke, but no one listened. Bagus rested on the ground, and Lisa was high in the air, observing. Itrosh rested her vocal cords, but she felt that her improvement wasn''t that shabby. She could push her Waves in a bigger range and more often if it was her focus.


    And right now, she wasn''t fighting, unlike others.


    Neither she nor Bagus cared for his comment or train of thought. Bagus needed at least a quarter of an hour to rest up before returning to the sky, so Murai stayed close, not really resting as he observed the surroundings, mana, and his brief training regiment that flowed around him like a tide of mana, glow, and great moves. He was almost doing it subconsciously, which was a little idea that Pillage mentioned, and that dog would get so shocked if he saw Murai right now.


    Surprisingly, David and Ultium hadn''t come by. They were a bit off because of their message to Lisa, saying that some troubles had gone ahead, so they let Itrosh go to them instead. There was always some delay or problems with landing.


    Flying advancement was faster than what David had in mind when battles or terrain moved against their running. At least Itrosh came back, which Lisa was glad for as she observed the surroundings. She felt things, echoes, and moves. Fights.


    Could their enemies feel the same thing? sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What enemies?¡± Lisa asked herself, glowing in her eyes and looking for nothing in particular. ¡°This place... Ah. How frustrating it is to do this like this.¡± Sighting, she had a hunch that the core issue was still coming.


    There might be dozens upon dozens of groups scattered around Province 3 looking for a good chance, waiting for others to make moves, and so on. But let''s not forget Province 4 had many dangerous groups in many mountains, cave cities, and who knew what else was hiding in that simple-looking place, yet reckoning depths.


    Lisa knew that Province. It held a surprising amount of portals, even though it was a harsh place to live, let alone to go through.


    ***


    In Sector 31, not very far from angled land, a small army galloped on their Demonic Horses. Soldiers rode those sturdy beasts, wearing armor, wielding weapons, and intricate helmets with demonic faces on most of them, even if not everyone was a literal demon. It was their token. Their masterpiece. Two large metallic horns bent upward from their helmets, indicating their affiliation with Ozeki.


    It was not a shabby group, and what they were riding weren''t some normal horses either, obvious from their names. Ferocious nature was their primary emotion, looking like a horse wasn''t a coincidence, and their speed and sturdiness were like large bears.


    Thick legs smashed the earth as they galloped, leaving dust in their steps, and wild breath left mist behind their huffing. Their bodies seemed to be sculpted from deep black marble, and some of them even wore large armor pieces, creating an impression as if they were statues. Others had some leather or fur that made them savage.


    The greatest mark was their war colors which almost resembled tattoos. Those looked impressive, but only high-ranking soldiers who owned their horses would paint them in times of war or desire. Demonic Horses had no fur since their muscular skin seeped of power and age, and their faces were wild and filled with spikes and wild mouths.


    This kind of horse was a precious resource in the military. Speed was high and the rate of taming was low. In Hellscape, they were a bit rare to see with anyone else than armies.


    They only appear on the Surface, in places filled with earth and dread elements, low oxygen levels, and a lot of vastness. Such places were rare and not that easy to witness if one looked at the Somalis continent alone. While their name was Demon Horse, they weren''t close to demons, as they were some kind of mutation.


    They were a type of horse that ended up looking this savage through natural breeding or evolution because their minds and bodies weren''t as precious. Their souls were small and their instincts were part of their Bloodline, while breeding and creating great mounts was part of the military and armies, thus Gods and people alike made them as fitting for their needs as possible.


    But because of their wild nature and hard taming, they had this name since they came and wandered around the Blitalia continent well beyond the Old World. That meant their history was great and Bloodline was good enough to last a long time.


    Their height was twice of the normal horse, and since their legs were tall and thick, getting on them was hard for anyone small. The body was also longer and thicker, filled with contorting muscles. Two riders could ride one, but not in this army.


    Ozeki might have lost his position in the First Legion, but the Second Legion was no small matter. It was the same Legion that Luno, whom Razmund defeated, came from. It was perhaps one of the untold reasons that forced Ozeki to accept his Helper status, as Luno was his superior and Marshal, and Razmund beat him up.


    That was hilarious, and close to a slap in the face, especially when Ozeki was an old devil that used to belong to the First Legion. Working beneath a human was sickening, but there were some benefits in swallowing some pride.


    Now, with a piece of the Crimson Battalion near, he was still below Marshal rank, holding a General rank, which sounded mighty and tall, but it had more politics put into it.


    The peak of the military rank came with power, reputation, and privileges. A General was akin to a public worker who took the military for life. It had its shortcomings and promotions if one''s merits soared to the heavens. Marshals and those above were the leading figures in most wars.


    That came with various degrees of rewards, freedom, and benefits that Levandis cherished. They were figures that one shouldn''t take lightly, because their position and personal powers were vibrant like heroes that could become Overlords or Gods down the line.


    Ozeki decided to use his portion of that battalion and to seek some training. It was a good enough excuse. He was at the front, right beside Razmund, who was lazily leaning and almost sleeping on top of his Demonic Horse that was like puppy bellow a beast. Even through a rough galloping, it seemed he didn''t care about his position, huffing of his mount, or Ozeki''s gaze.


    Razmund was taking the easy route since he got this General to follow him, and it wasn''t because of Luno or some other problems that made it easier. Ozeki held some grudges against humanity, so he never accepted a superior who was a human. It was insulting, so when he heard Razmund cut him, he almost cheered when he saw that on his purchased screen. Afterward, things got kind of intense when Razmund sought him out.


    Now, many days later, Ozeki was second-guessing his choice which many must''ve questioned since this whole fiasco started. At least no one truly refuted him, nor did any military or his superiors state a thing. It made sense. He was a Hunted right now, so his position became temporarily mangled to pieces, and anyone could chew him apart.


    Extremes might be interested in that too, since Ozeki''s power was kind of impressive if one took his position, heart, and reputation in mind. If he would survive this Hunt, that might be the greatest merit that wouldn''t come in a simple war. This was his consequence. His desire!


    Levandis nor anyone else made a big deal out of his small negligible betrayal. Almost nothing about it was in his mind when he looked at Razmund, who had been lazy for the past few days since he forced him to be a Helper. He took advantage of him! A human did!


    ¡°Razmund! You bloody sick bastard!¡± Ozeki''s voice showered him with powerful syllables of curses, which woke him up.


    He actually slept while galloping on a Demonic Horse that ran twice as fast as a regular horse. This became problematic in some places or terrains, yet this human was way too dense, uncaring, or far too arrogant. Ozeki''s smile widened, and one wouldn''t be sure if it was with passion, anger, or praise.


    Opening his eyes, Razmund was less than pleased with the ongoing Hunt, rumors about his targets, and this group. He understood politics a lot, so he blinked and reconsidered his choice. This army will have to do. Few gangs were willing to even try coming into contact with this army consisting of the sixty best soldiers that followed Ozeki''s authority.


    It was an insane number for his Side in this Hunt, but it wasn''t against any rules. Probably. Mindarch accepted it for what it could be, stating that it was curious and passable. Nothing else. Razmund got suspicious since this group had a plethora of weight. Mindarch only giggled and stated nothing, which left Razmund full of doubts.


    There were layers of balance as well as worries. Those sixty soldiers consisted of twelve five-soldier squads. Each squad leader was a person above Level 70, while the rest was below that level. That meant there was a sweeping force coming at Murai, and Ozeki had confidence he could clash against David and Ultium without any trouble. Unbeknown to him, Ultium clashed with similar kinds of fools, though on a smaller scale.


    Razmund would lose against this Battalion in a heartbeat, so there was some merit in accepting his laziness, Ozeki''s pride, or work. Nothing would save him. Nobody too.


    And with Ozeki at the front, followed by a team made out of his captains, this should be an easy walk in a Hellscape.


    Or so he thought. Grumbling some words, he almost fell from the horse but fell short by a quick grab of reins.


    ¡°What is this? Nothing worries us anymore. We just go onwards like I want. Or... is this about something that you want?¡± Razmund sat straight and looked at Ozeki.


    ¡°That thing. Do it again.¡± Ozeki pointed at Razmund''s left hand.


    ¡°This?¡± Razmund released his left hand, revealing Destiny Dice which had a soft pink sheen around it. It winced, breathing, and leaving soft giggles and whispering voices. ¡°Fate is interesting, isn''t it?¡±


    ¡°Fuck off with Fate. We don''t believe in that shit. No military does. We have our Gods! Who else to trust or hope for than those clutching the Paths of Heavens?¡±


    ¡°Than cheers for your Gods. Or heavens.¡± Razmund found some bottle of water and gulped it down, cheering on Ozeki''s remark.


    ¡°The target! Some mistakes are transpiring in this damned Hellscape and some Sectors are filled with hundreds of fools who hope for these massive points. And I can''t know why everything goes to shit¡±


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Can''t? How improper, General. You ought to do your work better, lest you lose it all. Your head, I mean. Or soul? How great of an essence would you leave behind, I wonder.¡± Razmund said with a light chuckle.


    Which Ozeki didn''t take well, but he had a lot in mind and hand right now. ¡°Brokers are broken. Something nasty is happening in the Helltrim City or the way Hunt goes is too savage. Just what has our opposition done? The last five hours aren''t clear, while your little Dice is our way onwards.¡±


    ¡°Something?¡± Razmund strained his back, angling his head up and aside. He was thinking and woke up completely after glimpsing at his own self.


    ¡°I can''t get hold of any informants when my status changed. My connections weren''t cut, but many don''t want to help me anymore. Guess why?¡± Ozeki pointed at Razmund, glaring a hole at him.


    ¡°Your face?¡± Razmund tried his best idea. ¡°Wait. Your horns? Wait...¡±


    ¡°Shut up! Even this little part of the Second Battalion was hard to get going when your damned life and ideas came to this place. Hunt changed it all to shit All my long-distance workings no longer work. Bunch of suckers. It is either Interferences or the other side of my devices no longer exists, or... Well, most of it is intentional. My bet is someone from the military is going against me, plotting, or there is nothing more to it than silence. Mindarch might be the cause.¡±


    ¡°Nothing surprising. You are General. Not Marshal, but still a General.¡± Razmund enunciated the world marshal with quite some force, pissing Ozeki so much that crimson shine flustered his face, eyes deepened, and horns grew a few centimeters.


    ¡°Tell that to me when you crush me completely,¡± Ozeki grunted and calmed down.


    ¡°Might try it one day. One day though. For now, what about the backing forces before Province 4 that you prepared days in advance.¡±


    ¡°Half wiped out because of this maniac called Ultium. The other half was halved by something else. I rather made them retreat.¡±


    ¡°Coward.¡±


    ¡°Oh! How dare you say that!?¡± Ozeki almost brandished his spear that was shining behind his back. It was his main weapon, notable by a quiet thickness, length, and fairly impressive spearhead that had a triple-edged fashion, whereas the middle portion was thin and long, curving in a sharp angle to cut things apart. It was a strange mixture of curves for a spear.


    Razmund yawned and stretched his arms. He was yet to toss his Dice because he didn''t need it that much. He knew his target was ahead and their steps were obvious like flies in the sky, and dogs barking below it. Following the bloodstains was also easy.


    He accepted that his target wasn''t weak anymore and got fine Helpers indeed, capable of information gathering, plotting, and going against Hellscape like good Challengers.


    The most questionable one was Ultium, whom Razmund never heard of. And he was a devil! The kind that caused so much trouble without a proper name for himself, which was rare indeed. At least for the current information gathering that Centralis Kingdom had, and from what Ozeki said, Ultium was rather unknown, yet powerful and working for a human.


    That by itself caused his reputation to plummet, which David knew and took care of as a good thing. Ultium never shined in the spotlight. For Ozeki, it stunk of weakness. A very terrible flaw caused by that human. Maybe it was fitting, but Ozeki wasn''t as certain about his origin as much as he would prefer.


    Apart from him, the words about Bagus and his travel in the sky were widespread, followed by a strategy of flight, and ground teams. A lot of battles happened, and none was some hoax or fake news. That was about the only thing that Ozeki confirmed in the past hours.


    Now, all they had to do was follow their traits, and enjoy the ride because there weren''t as many gangs or beasts that would hinder their path as first victims. Nobody wanted to give advantages to others, since there were no weaklings around. Both Ozeki and Razmund had way too large base rewards and dangers, so one should take them as dangerous foes. The military and its independent personal actions wouldn''t want to go too far for nothing.


    ¡°I am sick and tired of this. I need to solve this sooner rather than later, but it''s solving itself. Perhaps I was too forceful in this style, but even then, it might be worth it, Ozeki. Just do your work with this army. I will do mine. You can do it both, right? You want it.¡± Razmund mumbled, glancing at the bright sun quite some distance away.


    Ozeki grunted, still looking at him.¡°Just what did you ask for, or what did the World gave you?¡±


    ¡°Question isn''t correct when movers do and make the rules. What will it give me is a more fitting question. Nothing that you can get, curious devil.¡± Razmund corrected him, clutching his Dice until soft screams spread.


    Since Ozeki wanted it, he let it go. Unwrapping it, it wasn''t fine to see its increasing glitter of pink light, so he decided to let it out because it got used too much more tosses in previous Gates. Now, it was horny for more.


    Razmund could even faintly hear a closing voice, filling his heart with moans, screams, and grunts. It was terrifying for dreams, though Razmund barely slept anyway, so he didn''t care for the words.


    [Catch me.]


    [Use me.]


    [Toss me.]


    [Kill yourself!]


    He still let go of it, letting Destiny Dice flicker into the sky. It didn''t bounce like crazy. It just winced around as if there were walls, looking for a direction while following Demonic Horses. Many of the finest soldiers under Ozeki''s order took that Dice with fear and wonder. It was a Divine Artifact possessing the ability to see Fate, so it was no wonder they had various ideas about it, as well as fear. A lot of it.


    Dread and cautious looks were most notable, while Ozeki could only hope that this thing wouldn''t bark back at them, curse them, or eat them whole. Things pertaining to Fate were strange, not entirely fit for human or mortal hands. It was curious why Razmund had this sort of thing, but it was good he had it.


    Destiny Dice pointed under its fateful connection to a particular direction. As expected, it went onwards. Only Razmund would perceive the finest details and rightful angle. It wasn''t exactly forward, but slightly to the left side. That was his direction. His Fate.


    Razmund followed it like gold, jumping from the horse and clutching the Dice back to his grasp. Landing with grace back on the horse, he felt the sizzle of the Dice on his skin.


    [Close...It is closing... Closing. Your DEATH! A charitably End to your madness and suffering of seeking hope of your fallen spirit.] Then, he heard menacing chuckling.


    Razmund swore, wishing to chuckle as well before swallowing it up. ¡°A bit to the left by five degrees. Distance could vary, but we are closing. I think.¡± he said to Ozeki who couldn''t hear the meaning of that Dice.


    ¡°Hm. Distance isn''t a problem. Our speed and other factors are. The fact that my connections aren''t working as intended means that another variable entered the game, or my connections are just gibberish.¡°


    ¡°Let them be. Anyone can enter from Hell, or... anywhere. As far as I''ve got the rules of this Hunt, expectations could break. Obviously, it can even change because we have this army, and Mindarch might love it. In fact, Levandis could push things forth and elevate whatever she wants. We are mere toys.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like an Encounter, eh? Sky Gods should really like you and what you''ve started.¡±


    ¡°Shut up. Care about yourself.¡±


    ¡°I demanded this army!¡± Ozeki argued. ¡°You think us two would do the work? That we together aren''t as strong as this army? Agreed, captains?!¡± He shouted and pointed his spear to twelve robust figures on their war-painted Demonic Horses around them.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± All of them saluted, aware that Ozeki would wipe the floor with them due to his martial might. However, sixty of the experienced soldiers were a lot of bodies, and twelve Level 70+ Captains weren''t bad either.


    Razmund rolled his eyes, clutching the Dice that kept reminding him of his dreadful consequences and forcing him to die. He could''ve pushed this group around until he would get his win. It would just get bothersome and intense. Not worth it, he reckoned.


    ¡°I am still questioning how come you had found sixty fouls to follow you in this situation. Wanna hear me clapping? Perhaps my Dice would like it.¡± Razmund smirked at him.


    ¡°And people call me ridiculous. That is hilarious.¡± Ozeki laughed and slapped the galloping horse. ¡°You are the insane one. Onwards we go then. Let''s wait and see who dies and lives. You or me, stakes are high depending on who is speaking, or who wants to come as far as possible. I plan to go all the way!¡±


    ¡°Well said. Have no idea about the credibility of this Dice, but do you have some idea about those... variables? Is it the military? Could some Extreme make their move? You have many enemies as a Hunted, so it could''ve been a mistake making Helper out of you.¡± Razmund had small regrets that Ozeki couldn''t care less about.


    ¡°Sure. Could be someone beside everything. Or closer to us or me, filled with grudges. I know at least two Overlords who don''t like my face, and each of them has numerous tools under their disposal. However, because of Levandis and Mindarch, and interest in surroundings, Gods, or this Encounter, you are part of, I doubt it is as simple as some powerful tools being used as bait. My heart is telling me there were troubles on the Surface and some things are anxious and hidden from me and my connections.¡±


    ¡°Surface? How many Extremes are entangled in this Gate apart from those waiting for fools to move, or looking at this Hunt as entertainment?¡±


    ¡°Entertainment is a weak world. Hunt could change. Extremes are careful beings with this sort of thing. Mindarch might be a great force of nature and rules, but let''s not pretend the hearts of demons are far from Chaos.¡±


    ¡°They are waiting for the ceiling to get higher, or what? Seeking this army, I would guess someone like that would move. None did.¡±


    ¡°It is a wonder. Besides hidden freaks like Ultium, there are many gangs, or random groups assembled by those interested in this Hunt. Clarity no longer matters. Information is intentionally chaotic because no one wants to be seen in such a Hunt. And since our pictures were there in the sky, things got messy. At least according to the rules.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm...¡± Razmund wasn''t certain about trusting this devil. Something was bothering him. The whole reason for this Helper was to ease the pain of catching his foe after enduring the previous Gate and knowing this one was no small matter either.


    Perhaps he estimated his chances wrong and got into more problems instead. Ozeki was a questionable variable as a former member of the Fist Legion. But again, his Hell Party and his target''s party were also put into his equation.


    There should be some sort of balance hovering around them, and tipping scale and points were their acts. It was divided into many parts that were all on various levels. And so far, the Hell Party was ongoing and still alive. Both of his companions were certainly alive. That was about what Razmund could feel. Nothing else was even public.


    Which either spoke of their success, Mindarch, or someone else ceased the informations away. Even the purchasable kind, unfortunately.


    That left him with some doubts. Should he be even comfortable and waiting in his travels? His target was also getting away from its target, while their motives and moves weren''t that bad either. It was fairly close to the level of his Hell Party, which he found a little suspicious. Was he betrayed, or was this all just a lucky coincidence?


    Comfort wasn''t that terrible when he had no choice but to go onwards and wait. Fatigue from the previous Gate was already disappearing after recouping a couple of days, filling his core, wounds, and Vitality. Time allowed his target to get further, but he got back to his peak.


    And for what? With Ozeki and the rest, the other opposition was not only Murai and his Helpers, but they were targets as well. Not everything failed him yet. The reputation, tools, and power would hold the others back until he would catch his foe. His plans of using others for his gains were yet to shine. But now, another unknown variable appeared, messing with his plans. Calling him surprised and upset wasn''t an understatement.


    I calculated so many variables. I even asked for favors and Centralis made their choices. Hell, they are even using me like a racket. Fine. Let this be their reminder that I am not to be trifled with. Razmund thought, gazing at the sight beyond. They were currently galloping across the plains, closing on a large angled forest filled with greenery, large monuments, hills, rocky formations, and occasional bushes.

 Chapter 223: Scorching Light

    There were a couple of problems when thinking of the greater balance. It was a sensitive topic across the board of direct, or indirect ways of the Blessed and Gods in general.


    Usually, very significant attention wasn''t something that mortals should get overworked with. But when mortals wanted to touch the balance, change the tides, and do what they could or shouldn''t, what then?


    Mortals were the leading causes for most changes either way, and there wasn''t much Gods could do if things couldn''t get stopped. It was what this world thrived in, and Gods weren''t responsible for why it worked. They wanted to see how and witness their rights.


    For Razmund, this was no longer about the Encounter alone, even if it was hovering over this situation like a shadowy figure. He almost guessed the reason, yet didn''t want to seek the answers. They were unnecessary. Useless.


    Hunt overlapped the course of his time, turning the Hellscape upside down, while Vermillion pushed it ahead even more, giving it something that even Levandis couldn''t refute.


    It was wilder and great, filling this backyard with great plays that most Gods would love under normal circumstances. But with Levandis overseeing it alone, her Hell was calm and no Gods under her eyes would come and touch it. They wouldn''t dare to.


    However, the Sky might be different because the overreaching plot thickened and came from there. Everyone believed it fitting enough to touch the Hell, and Levandis was no longer messing with anything. She watched it from her throne, hoping it wouldn''t last for more than a few more days.


    Mindarch calculated that the end was nigh and approaching.


    Razmund thought she was that variable that was changing his Hunt. What else was there? Who? What else was he overlooking or ignoring as a human pest that troubled this temple?


    It wasn''t his fault, he knew. It was his target that caused this inevitable problem. His goal! Nothing else.


    Looking at how his group darted around the Hellscape, how his Hell Party formed from the start, and how the Centralis Kingdom affected this temple, he must be a villain in her eyes. And a fool worth hindering. Swallowing. Killing too, perhaps? Razmund bore gifts and treasures worth more than his level for sure. His power and history were even deeper, hiding things. Maybe Gods like her knew what he held and had, or lost.


    With this small army, perhaps he went over the edge of what he should''ve done.


    Yet, Ozeki promised, telling him that he didn''t need to worry about this little party, let alone some overreaching troubles below or above. He will be his guardian! For his heart. It wasn''t something insane for the heights of this Hunts. Ozeki knew more about his opposition anyway, and how he spoke to him revealed fewer doubts.


    A former part of the First Legion should know what words meant. It was no oath or a great promise. It was no chain either.


    But Razmund wasn''t afraid. He was aware that his target got some decent Helpers and they might come at him like a little tide. For him, they were just additional targets that he would hunt, or for Ozeki to hinder.


    How? Why? In a place that should be quite hostile to Anatidaes, this was unlikely to happen. According to small possibilities, there was a chance that his target would get captured or killed in this Gate under his calculations.


    That was why Razmund finished Gate 2 as fast as he could, which then turned to misery and time where his dependable Voice ceased to exist.


    At least, since Ozeki involved his little things and himself, this situation wasn''t far from the balancing rules that followed many bones and heads.


    Usually, the rules were simple: don''t kill those in the Pivotal Cities. Don''t kill those below your power, or kill when it is correct. Don''t play with fire.


    It was a testament to the great Ravine and the rules God stated many millennia ago. That expressed the power of Boosts and things of the greater gifts. Armies, adventures, and mercenaries followed them for as long as they saw their appeal. But when they weren''t good, forgetting them might anger the rules and Encounter might be the same, yet there was something great about being free and doing things without impending rules. Then, one would have to follow what they have left, touch their convictions, not let go or ponder on what they could have from the leftovers driven by Ravine. There were no bans.


    One would always improve their powers even without any of that and no Gods could stop that flow.


    But crippling or killing haughty mortals was possible, for they were Gods! They were the rulers above the mortals.


    Possible ways to ignore rules or Gods were lax, worth some voice, but not worth calling a law. Many ignored it for unusual benefits that ranged from freedom, their self-entitled powers, reasons stemming beyond this world, or luck. Others looked out for numerous ways in which Gods acted against one another, or how mortals'' powers squabbled for power.


    Plots. Betrayal. Mortals looked for benefits and as long as they had them, more wouldn''t hurt. Gods could offer something good and they would take it, but if there were some hidden interest, or much better worth ahead, things could become complicated fast.


    And presently, this Encounter that Razmund had started was something like that.


    Aside from him, Ozeki knew there was some worth in transformations. He alone was as powerful as this partial Battalion, while Razmund was closing when it came to offensive power and means to kill. Perhaps he could even injure some Extremes who wouldn''t pay him attention or those who had weak defenses wouldn''t take his Intent, or sword that well. Physicality was still somewhat of a rule, meant to covet some reasons, and losing too much blood was possible death. Zao, the Goldsteel Titan whom Razmund defeated was that sort of being. He lost in a clash where his body couldn''t keep up. He lost in pride. He lost it all.


    When flesh and blood separated, guiding blood out, everything could lose its meaning. Extremes were the same. Gods might not be, but their issues were far from those of mortals. Everyone had some weakness, which Razmund thought wasn''t wrong. Pissing off, ignoring, or betraying Gods was easy if one was shameless enough, or good.


    Here, what other forces could covet anything related to what he wanted? Razmund thought about it for a long time with less-than-usual prospects. He was unable to care for the outside problems, or this Gate too much. Leaving everything up to Ozeki, who was unusually glad to take this opportunity, was his choice.


    Murai wanted to know whatever he could and ensure he was no clueless duck. Well, most went still through Lisa''s head or voice, while David did the rest, or Bagus changed it little by little. Still, Murai couldn''t change in a few days. Few could.


    For Razmund, his choices had steeper principles and simple points. He never cared for some questionable, explicit, or fixed balance. By culture and meaning, he was unhinged Blessed from the Surface, holding no small amount of experience with causing trouble, and certainly no hopes of making any peace, so he should act like one. Continue and not stop.


    Whatever this place wanted to create, he planned to crush it with, or against the rules, or around it like a falling snow. So what of the opposition was coming, his target was moving to unknown, and his party and Ozeki were close? Could he crash it regardless of anything, helped by Ozeki and his men?


    That was probably no longer an easy option, yet he had it alone. Slowly, as they traveled on their horses, a rocky section of the plateau appeared beyond the horizon, going upward into a ten-kilometer-long hill. It wasn''t very steep, but since it went for so long, its peak was hundreds of meters tall, protruding like a ramp in the Hellscape and hiding massive dark cave systems below.


    Along the way to the top, Razmund saw the humongous mountainous monuments, and a lot of bloody sights and residues of battles. No corpses, for obvious reasons. Everyone got their share of the essence gathering that this place carried some hours ago, or it was older, coming from some clashes against gangs.


    No weakling had a chance to get far into this opportunity, as badges held ranks that worked with efficiency and various benefits. The better the badge, the better the benefits of the essence went, and the greater a denizen''s standing increased. There was also this so-called game of chance, which made many killings and targets significantly enticing because one could not always know what essence would drop out of someone. But there were something, like element-touched essences coming from beings holding some form of Law, or Affinity in their cores.


    Mana Essence of an Extreme described a fortune that most upper Gates could never imagine. It went without a question that few of those were even purchasable, let alone available with easy methods. Every Extreme was cautious in this place.


    Reputation and power went along with that, causing dependence on badges, powers, and numbers.


    Badges were like a personalized and treasured Guide in their grasp, and looting one was like stealing great treasures.


    Razmund had it too, depicted by a Token that was nowhere to be seen. For him, it wasn''t that useful besides acting as a means to his portal, yet that was an unlikely idea for him. He planned to go all the way to his target. He didn''t even care for its ability to create an essence out of a corpse.


    On its own, essence gathering was working all the time, yet mysteriously so in many ways. Benefiting from it need a link to this method. It needed a confirmation, which poised as a political aspect that everything was under Levandis''s grasp.


    Razmund found it impressive, regardless if it was the work of a Demonic God. He had no plans to go where he didn''t belong. He would catch his foe before this Gate did, while his Essence Gem was quite deep, acting as something that could store unnatural essences without any troubles. He had plenty of them for the rest of this Gate.


    Razmund shouldn''t be prosecuted like a criminal. He did nothing wrong. The world did! This place did.


    For anyone or anything to go against him, against them anyway, he planned to show no mercy. He just forced his hands against the rules that were a bunch of nonsense, while he was kind of a tool himself.


    But a different one, meant to fix things.


    That went within, or outside of Levandis and her touch, but not as if it was important.


    Her Hunt; her rules.


    And right about now, her swallowing yet weakened rules created a significant shift in Hellscape. The Vermillion Church was here, inside the temple, going through it because Levandis allowed something she never did.


    Churches from the Surface were places that Depths hated to their bones! It depicted places and people filled with resentment toward the Sky. It was in their blood. In their cores. They hated one another. It didn''t matter if some neutrality was put to the test, or if some God wanted nothing but good terms towards the Depths.


    When one was of the Sky Divine Kingdoms, Hells opposed them. It was as natural as it could be on this planet and time.


    It wasn''t fair or square when grudges moved Gods like little children.


    Razmund followed his eyes, figuring that his target wasn''t in this angled forest. Finding them ahead shouldn''t pose any issue to anything else than their whole group, his Dice, and his hand.


    Encounter be damned. But then, what if? Ifs... Razmund sighed and couldn''t help noticing how his time was turning to a weird page. This group continued forward, hoping to catch a glimpse of Bagus on his flight, or noticing Ultium or David. They were nowhere in sight.


    They were late, far even with mounts, and not that many gangs were around. They ran away. How?


    Well, Razmund didn''t want to look for unnecessary good causes. He knew that flying was better than these questionable horses, but what about those left on the ground?


    Razmund expected the toughest targets to come first, clashing against their group before he would focus on his main target. Ozeki wanted it. So they continued with great speeds, though limited flexibility because their group was far too large, and these horses weren''t fit for long stretches of sprints.


    But very soon, it was time to get personal.


    Both for him and Ozeki.


    Something happened again. Something that was concerning Levandis, yet she couldn''t voice it as an excuse, for they were Invaded! A WAR was coming.


    Or so Mindarch would like to say, but couldn''t. Levandis swallowed Ceila''s plotting and relaxing time in the Hellscape that crashed against this Hell.


    They were here, waiting. They destroyed half of the Hunt''s reasons and posed as immense walls as four powerful beings. The reason Murai had fewer enemies wasn''t because of their savagery, though Lisa hoped it was the case. The case was no Ozeki or Razmund either, or the ground team''s work of art that was keeping up with the flying Bagus. At least for the most part, that was. The ground was vast, and there were some changes of hearts amongst some beings on the ground.


    It wasn''t anything simple, as neither knew that the situation at the first two Provinces turned to shit that shocked gangs, scattered them, and turned Hellscape into an unfortunate incident. A Church came. Yet their Lady hadn''t said a word. She let them do it. It was an incredible slap to the face to most denizens and the reputation that Levandis had decreased.


    Further ahead in the Sectors, Lisa flew, intercepting some souls or pursuers that she did know existed, but didn''t know where. Catching a glimpse was enough for her because she had her experiences, words, and wisdom to say and do. Unfortunately, nothing changed even from far away, and the lack of words made her mad. This deafening silence that something was wrong. She hated it.


    For something to cease the flow of information and even Marthosh, Lisa wondered what was happening. Alas, even in the madness, Murai didn''t complain one bit and found a great spot on top of Bagus who didn''t care much about anything either. He kept on flying, while Itrosh was the sole ground member below them, going back and forth between them and David with Ultium, who went forward against Lisa''s orders an hour ago.


    That pissed her off because they didn''t listen to her anymore. David acted as if their tactic of going away and wiping dangers before the Scorching Light was clever.


    Knowing their plans, and taking initiative was an unexpected act. Not bad, by any means, but Lisa didn''t like when things went away from her eyes and plans where they shouldn''t.


    As for the whole ground team, neither David nor Itrosh knew a thing about the sudden change in Hellscape. Mindarch hadn''t said a word either, nor had any new screens spread across the ceiling.


    Still, some places and hopeful gangs wouldn''t back against anything, be it the mountains, walls, or the sun.


    Hunt was ongoing, and this chance won''t come every year. Enticing Hell Points and increased reputation was enough. Murai and Lisa were worth an insane amount for their Level, yet right now, it was less about them, much to their unknown.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    The rest of the team was worth some attention as well, but their powers were quite high. Be it Itrosh, David, or Ultium, they met some groups every once in a while, crippling them, killing them, or forcing them to reconsider their life choices. Everyone had their share of battles.


    It symbolized stubborn fools who well arrogant or hopeless, for they were meeting their Ends because stronger beings came at them. They might be careful and sensitive to dangers, or waiting for their time, yet when the worst comes, why wait? Observing or not taking part in this Hunt was also a fine choice.


    Bagus was flying far above the ground, followed by Lisa who was taking a look all over the surroundings. She was sensitive to the souls and her sight was incredible. She had all the time to do what she wanted.


    ¡°What''s this unease?¡± Lisa mumbled to herself, ¡°Feels like ants crawling in my head.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you are fed up. Needs outlet, I tell you.¡± Murai added to her mind. ¡°But ants? Call me stupid, but your head is seen through.¡±


    ¡°I am not a battle maniac like you,¡± She retorted from afar, hitting him with her mind. ¡°The situation is changing unpredictably. Marthosh is nowhere to be heard. That was the bare minimum David said a while ago, before ceasing all communication. That ass... He and Ultium can get lost. Whatever they want or do, they should drop their heads to the ground!¡±


    ¡°But they don''t do what they can''t. Not something idiotic, hopefully. Like flying in the air for others to see us, eh?¡± Murai argued.


    ¡°We are different! We are baits and for the killing tools to get lost, it is annoying. I hope they won''t regret it though, or make us regret their acts. At least Itrosh is sensible enough to scout and work with us.¡±


    Sitting on Bagus, Murai glanced at her. ¡°We will deal with it.¡± Then, before catching her annoyance, he seized this chance to disappear into the Heavenly Shaping Manual once again. It was time for yet another test after he finally mastered the art of sitting like a duck without flying from Bagus''s back.


    ***


    Time went on. Some hours later and not even one noteworthy change, Murai saw the change on the horizon. Wavy air appeared like scorching air above the campfire, dust swirled in the dry wind, and yellow and light brown colors were everything to be seen. Even the walls and ceiling turned from gray and darker colors to yellow or brown, closely resembling some orange hues.


    Scorching Light was enormous and hot, but not restless like Death Valley. Both in weight, feeling, width, and length, it was bigger and hotter. It went around the whole direction of this enormous "cave", going around a hundred kilometers far. There was no hiding before this desert.


    Rocky grounds that he saw from below slowly turned to the dry sand of a desert. Sand or scorched yellow gravel stopped anything green or wooden, causing the scenery to change like the temperature.


    And the sun!


    Oh, the sun.


    Murai saw an incredibly picturesque and massive artificial bright sun on the ceiling, frightening the surroundings even from a great distance away. It was like a dot, but that dog was like a steam that surged with visible heat and colors. That one was colossal, with a craze that overwhelmed the majority of the whole desert. And it was still dozens of kilometers away.


    The brightness was questionable and not as intense. It was like a hot flame that had no bounds, which meant the heat was bigger than brightness. Murai wondered what sort of things empowered these artificial suns. Nothing small, he believed. Nothing common. He was shocked to discover that the Scorching Light had just one such sun.


    Orange, with numerous sheens of red and brown, and who knew what else, the ground had expected appearance. The air turned thicker, making breathing harder and flight heavier. Temperatures doubled quicker than the difficulties in breathing.


    The sand desert ahead was unlike anything from before. It was much flatter than Murai through, apart from numerous protruding mountains from the dunes, or sand plains. They were like boulders protruding from flat lands. Most were burly, tall, and thick like monuments sticking from water.


    Perhaps some minerals, blood, bones, or something else could color the sand to such a color. There weren''t many tall dunes, unlike in the Death Valley.


    Surprisingly, the wind wasn''t much of a thing on the ground, or even in height in the air. The heat was the issue, posing unimaginably dense heat that was unbearable for most lives. They had to hide because this place was inhabitable, unless their Bloodline, flesh, or some unique powers allowed or cherished those places.


    Which meant there was some flourishing life for sure. Large scorpions and stone-looking snakes swirled in some sands, though these were rare and not potent for most travelers.


    This place was lively in a different light than dangers lurking in some nests of beasts, or unknown areas. Those looking for wealth below were all taking shelter in specific cities, settlements, or zones underground or within those mountains.


    Around the desert, rocks in pure red colors were seen everywhere, clustering some mountains that looked artificial at some angles, or natural. Murai hadn''t found much about them. Perhaps they were man-made to provide shelter as he imagined.


    Bagus began to talk to pass the heat and flight, mentioning how there were numerous cities deep in those mountains, dug out, or created by mashing rocks to one another. With great history, it was a matter of time to create great survival spots in this hell. Through some effort and time, these rocks became bigger, turning the tides of the Sectors, and most belonged to something large under the ground, becoming one with the Scorching Light.


    At certain Sectors, mountains turned into an enormous range of cluttered peaks, leaving the desert less hot. It wasn''t very wide, yet it went through most of this Province, all the way to the next one, which provided way-points to the second half of Hellscape.


    The walls or the ceiling were mostly bare red, scorched to high temperature with few things worth mentioning. They were corroded rocks and earth, so if there used to be something, it was long gone, or not worth saving. Heat must''ve destroyed everything apart from the ground.


    Or Bagus''s flying potential, because, unlike Anatidaes, Grifharts had issues with heat. Bagus landed half an hour into this scorching flight, haphazardly wheezing and hating the heat with all of his heart even before entering this shitty desert.


    ¡°Well, fuck me and my feathers. I expected less. Why again? Why am I doing this to myself every time?¡± He scowled, lowering his head and hoping for some remedy, water, or ice.


    There was hardly any cover unless one went to the mountains or numerous mines. It wasn''t worth it to reach further by flying. The more one went by flying, the heat turned to something that Bagus could no longer take. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With the first goal succeeding, Lisa was happy it went without crashing. For an entire half an hour, nothing and nobody even attacked them.


    However, David and Ultium were nowhere close. And they didn''t even reply when she called their constructs. They must have their reason to be so stubborn, so they must know their mistake if they didn''t dare to call back! Lisa decided to ignore those assholes by hiding her worry.


    Murai jumped from Bagus''s back, bothered by the heat a little bit. Weirdly, his hoodie didn''t increase the discomfort as he through, but perhaps he was just having weird feelings about this desert that wasn''t as bad. It was his first time being in a truly hot desert, so he seized the air, breathing, and discovering how his feathers relaxed and Flame inside of him flared up. He shot it down, calming everything about him in a heartbeat.


    ¡°Interesting place. It stinks of Laws.¡± Murai commented and remembered the place above.


    Death Valley was more... dreadful and windy than hot. The aura of that space carried most of its dangers, hiding Laws and ways of Necromancy, and who knows what else. The sun wasn''t there as a critical heat conductor, as it was like pushed land into the ground in the middle of the Seventh Death Forest.


    Murai felt kind of fine no matter how he felt the sun or the sand. His feet felt like nothing. It was as if he was standing on a squishy road, and thanks to his flat feet, he wasn''t having any issues with walking.


    The heat wasn''t an issue, thanks to his feathers and elemental aspects that he recently uncovered. Personally, he was yet to acknowledge that as something very helpful. If Bagus knew it, he would have some serious issues with Murai about his way of thinking.


    Murai needed practical answers to truly get what he learned from his Question Mark or his research and experiments.


    ¡°There we go. Let''s finish these before I will turn into a feast. Seeing any enemies?¡± Bagus said in a hurry, glad that his flight was over, but not hopeful he had to go through this hell. He swore he could become a roasted chicken if he got closer to that sun. And he knew it was coming, so he whimpered and dreaded the future.


    Lisa didn''t expect him to fly regardless of anything. Even if he said he was fine, she would reject it. Groundwork was up to their benefit since this was the destination that Murai required and Ip''ur Mountain wasn''t that far away from them. It was halfway into this hellish Province that was making travel and flight awful. Then, one had to regard political problems and limited, yet distinct populations living off of mines. There was a lot of greed and lawless places filled with maniacs. There might be no time for Hunts for these mines or settlements.


    [][][][][][]


    The main problem wasn''t heat or the sand, which Lisa knew. Politics and wars for resources were incredibly greedy and worthy for large or even small-scale organizations. Water was also an issue, as expected for any living being, and sheer heat long ago created effects one wouldn''t want underground. Any water from steams or anywhere evaporated and quickly went deeper or to the latter parts of Hellscape. What about grass? Nonexistent. Not even tough cacti or other tough vegetation remained either. Calling it a death province wasn''t far from the truth.


    Yet it wasn''t what it was known for. It was one of the richest in most regards. Nearly a quarter of the wealth of this entire Gate was in this desert alone, representing hundreds of cave and mining systems with various resources, veins, and secrets. There were literally places deeper than the next Gate, and some mines were as deep and old as this Gate.


    Rumors even chirped that there were many hidden secret, or ancient dungeons here, stemming from the archaic Depths beyond the Old World. They could''ve been part of the previous temple, or part of something even beyond, as this cave wasn''t here forever.


    That was general public knowledge. Some rumors, however, said that anything regarding the Gates or this earth itself followed ownership of the Sun God and newly established places created by Levandis. Everything that Gods touched ended up incredible, which made Gates, Levandis, and many mysteries famous, yet secretive.


    No one wanted to dig against her impatience, or hopes, let alone seize the wealth she had accumulated for millennia.


    []


    Thus, many touched this earth like thin ice, thinking about their steps, and acts, for there was no return against a pissed-off Goddess who liked money and death.


    Murai wasn''t thinking of the bigger picture. He was happy for the ground below his feet and observed the neat effects of this place on himself. His hoodie was incredible, yet deep down, he had no clue what it was even doing or why. Sending mana into it created nothing and observing its passive layers or work acted for some sensible defenses that hugged his feathers. Mana was the same, however, and he didn''t notice his magic rising either. It was locked like a cursed object. So he devised some experiments with it for later and noted that the effects of the heat put rising feelings onto his Flame and both cores.


    ¡°So, where is Sector 45, Ip''ur Mountain? Do I see it in this wild desert? I haven''t noticed a single Sector from the top of Bagus.¡± Murai asked something about what he wanted to know since their previous big planning. When they flew for half an hour, he forgot about what mattered because of the heat and Bagus complained a lot.


    Thus, he sent his voice to Lisa, who was floating aside, lost in thoughts and perplexed for the better part of the last hour. She didn''t talk much or rested and figured her plans could change in ways she couldn''t foresee, or something forced it, or she regarded this province poorly.


    Everything was silent. Too silent. There was no speck of Dread or Necromancy. There weren''t any fools waiting for them before the actual dangerous desert. They already flew over the land where battles could happen.


    Yet she saw nothing. Nobody.


    Well, perhaps they were coming or hiding since this desert was quite long and vertically deep. David and Ultium were gone, and what they were doing or where they were was still a question. Perhaps they were closer than she thought.


    ¡°Lisa?¡± Bagus said, stopping her lost look before Murai got physical when he realized she ignored his message. His eyes shined in anger so he smacked the ground as usual with his beak.


    She shook her head, obvious to the fact that some measly heat wouldn''t ever affect her body, let alone hinder her sona. ¡°What is it? No. No. Get down if you can''t take the heat.¡±


    ¡°I am already on the ground,¡± Bagus said, glaring at her as if she was stupid.


    Lisa cleared her throat even when she didn''t have to. ¡°Anyhow, see that range of cliffs and mountains? Sectors have their point and a lot of mountains have towns and mining business that acts as boundaries. We don''t need those too much. There are wild roads to cross and go onward. They look like lost river beds.¡± Lisa pointed forward, and Bagus followed her finger.


    He saw heat and rocks. Many rocks. Tiny rocks. Large mountains. All hot. Then, Bagus cried and hated how the sand felt on his paws. ¡°I don''t follow rocks. Rocks don''t follow me either.¡± He whimpered and regretted his choices.


    ¡°Ip''ur is where?¡±


    ¡°I heard you! What an impatient duck,¡± Lisa barked at Murai and turned to his seeping white eyes and glinting beak. ¡°It is far. Going there follows yet another plan and path. So far, getting here this easily isn''t something that I''ve expected. I will lead you out of here if you can''t even notice mountains from maps, seek reality with goals, or see sectors with the rest. Seriously...¡±


    ¡°You barely showed me a map of the Scorching Desert,¡± Murai argued.


    ¡°For the better, I think. Also, it is called Scorching Light. What if you got there when we rested? You are unhinged like a Child that can''t think straight.¡± She said to him coldly, hovering close, sona fluttering against the heat like wind of smoke.


    ¡°I am not that insane.¡±


    ¡°And I am not a ghost. Now, for us to see Ip''ur Mountain, there are many things to reconsider and know first. What to do before entering, afterward, or when seeing it. What then? First, we have to go on foot. That is the first step. Then, I will talk.¡±

 Chapter 224: Divine party

    After hearing what Lisa said, Bagus started crying for real, and tears scattered to the mist.


    ¡°Thus,¡± Lisa made a dramatic pause and looked at Murai. ¡°Epilogue of this Gate will more or less start for you there. The Sector representing your goal should be more intense than the rest, but perhaps I am all wrong about it. You see, Hunt and this Gate were all weird so far and Sector 45 surrounds Ip''ur Mountain in its center.¡±


    ¡°No surprises,¡± Murai said and calmed down, ¡°I am glad that you go along with your promise and speak up.¡±


    Lisa looked at him with incredulity. ¡°Never expected that from you, but I don''t know what to trust. Me, or... your task, what does trust matter when rules are ignored or changed in a heartbeat or toss of a coin? Portal...well, with the Hunt and the surrounding mess, I think getting ahead is crucial before turning away. There is no away by the way. We go or we leave, and if we leave, we won''t go anywhere.¡± Lisa declared her will, turning, and sounding mysterious for some reason. Murai noted some bits of helplessness in her tone for sure.


    He kind of earned how she was feeling. Having clarity over one''s Fate was something that many beings cherished, and often took for granted. That was very wrong, for there were no grants, let alone hope in something like Fate. One has to grab or create it instead.


    ¡°What?¡± Bagus said, startled. ¡°Start? This is the start of this hell? So... late? Wait.. this is a joke, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh... Sorry Bagus,¡± Lisa said to him, smiling as if she did mean it. ¡°I don''t think the simplicity of our purpose is right. I said it long ago. Ip''ur has no known portal, so we are going to ask around and look for it ourselves. David hadn''t helped in the slightest besides giving me a single point of interest. There is some shop that might be helpful. Then, we have a Token and word of a Guide that might be a joke or a truth. That is all. We go there as ignorant hunters or miners. That''s it. Fear or concerns are the least of your problems and what you''ve found has been an appetizer all along. Ozeki is nowhere to be seen, so we might have overran them. For how long, though? Time is...¡±


    ¡°That goes without saying. When I flew over most problems, we hadn''t fought. Most dangers befall the ground team, I bet. I mean, where is our whole team?¡± Bagus tried and pretended to be in the middle of glaciers. It didn''t work and shedding his feathers wasn''t possible either.


    ¡°The stronger team, you mean?¡± She glared at him, firm in he beliefs.


    Bagus winced his head, looking somewhere else. ¡°You are mistaken about something.¡± Bagus laughed, got over his depressing heat, and spread his wings. ¡°I am still a Helper. I am already taking part in your schemes anyway, even if it involves Murai or not, my End, or dangers. Intercepting foes is part of my goal, or anything, really. Use us. We got that long ago. No one complained, right, Itrosh?¡± He turned to the figure shrouded by a scaly coat, hiding and crouching in the desert.


    ¡°Be my guess. Hate heat.¡± Itrosh mumbled and hated this place.


    Murai chuckled at how both of them spoke and sounded afraid of the heat. Considering how Bagus butchered hundreds of beasts and even some lawful fools, it was laughable. As for Itrosh, Murai wasn''t sure how she even fought, or why she hated heat. Sure, she had some fur and feathers, but she wasn''t that big or in heat.


    Lisa was scheming fewer things for this path. She couldn''t scheme how she wanted when there was so little to see or guess.


    The journey and goal were simple in theory, yet far or nowhere in her calculations. Then, she had to think of this lawless zone and there were almost no tricks for it than strength, luck, or fleeting.


    These lands were quite detached from the rest of the Hellscape; they were full of gangs and most were independent and devoid of military order. Some of the mines had some military management coming from some powerful Extremes who were under some Overlords, who were all under Levandis in this place. But for Lisa, they were ways to silence, blackmail, or pay off anyone.


    The next big issue of this place was not entirely an issue. To her shock, it was mana. It turned into a more heated element, which changed Lisa slightly. She looked more like a water or steam, and less like a wind spirit. The communication constructs also lost significant efficiency and range, but not as if they needed it. David ignored her regardless of this place.


    She knew that David was aware of this, so she decided to let him die off if that''s what he wanted. Lisa figured thinking should be her forte, yet it wasn''t all that fair.


    ¡°Nothing is fine if I am honest. I''ve got the overview of this desert''s changes and paths, so perhaps expecting to get lost is good. We should take a straight road ahead, or switch it up from time to time.¡± Lisa glanced around the Scorching Light and moved up.


    The physical look shouldn''t hurt her, and for once, she appreciated her ghostly properties. This place had zero effects on her ability to think, see, or speak, and some change of looks was none of her concern. She could even walk into the flames or ice, as long as their level of destruction wasn''t high, or some Laws weren''t far too significant. For example, getting too close to that sun might not be possible even if she was the race she assumed could survive even in Outer Sectors of Endless Skies.


    Bagus wasn''t here for the first time, even though it appeared like he was with the amount of whimpering he had done.


    If he disliked something, he showed it. After all, David forced him to go through this hell dozens of times, if not more. If one wanted to travel further and deeper, visit some mines, or get some wealth, a physical touch was fitting. Portals were ideal, though very expensive because of this place, heat, and general appeal of this Province. Some businesses couldn''t even afford it. Nothing here was free besides sand, dust, and heat. Considering the vastness and dangers, portals were a luxury.


    In hindsight of Bagus''s mood and truths about this place, there were other deserts in the other half of Hellscape. It was an unavoidable part of the artificial suns that provide heat and light for vegetation and living. The downside was its placement which created a strange environment if the sun was too big, qualitative, or intentionally heated. Caves weren''t the greatest places for lives to flourish.


    However, it had some benefits like many places or Hells, unknown to the living demons of this Gate. Most got used to living here because it was like this for considerable generations.


    ¡°All right, Murai.¡± Lisa said to him, ¡°We wait for ten minutes. I will take this for now... and let''s all hope.¡±


    Lisa took David''s construct out of his pouch and used it to contact him again just in case. ¡°For now, Bagus will keep his eyes and ears and feelings sharp. I don''t like this situation, nor the fools of this desert. You get me, I hope.¡±


    Bagus agreed with anything as long as it meant not coming further into the desert. It was wishful thinking that was full of lies.


    ¡°Enemies could''ve fled. Considering Ultium, it wouldn''t be surprising or too far-fetched that your strategy of scaring off some fools worked.¡± Murai gave her his opinion.


    ¡°Is that overgrown kid that big of a deal? Didn''t seem right to me, but we hadn''t seen him in hours since that chasm. Isn''t that weird? Is he that strong? David''s boy?¡± She had some trouble with some ideas. Murai could tell that but why did she even care they were gone and working for her cause?


    ¡°You can''t tell it from yourself, and our brief time with him, but that devil is different from the normal ones.¡±


    ¡°What? Do you think I am stupid? Royalty, you mean?¡± Lisa said mockingly, waving her hands as if her words carried no weight. ¡°Devils are notorious for unreliability. Especially those that carry their hearts like a tome of laws.¡±


    ¡°You don''t know him,¡± Bagus said, glancing around and noticing Itrosh was too busy crouching and pretending to be a rock in heat. ¡°Well, I wonder about it sometimes myself. Worked with David for years. He cares for Ultium while Ultium works and lives under his wings. And he... Ultium, I mean. He isn''t dangerous, but he is dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Unstable, you mean?¡± Lisa corrected him.


    ¡°I mean the fact. What devil isn''t a weirdo?¡±


    Lisa agreed with that statement without hesitation. She ignored how devils and succubus were very similar in nature. ¡°But he is still a weirdo that puts our heights too far. Ignoring my words and rules is way too arrogant. I detest them both.¡±


    ¡°But the other party has it the same. They got Ozeki and Razmund got and fought like him. Two big shots are big deals. Could we defeat them? I doubt that.¡±


    ¡°Shut up. Ultium allowed that by his Helper status.¡± Lisa argued something that was long useless. If she knew that Ultium was Level 80, perhaps she wouldn''t take him at all. But what if it didn''t matter? What if the world no longer spinning was a blessing instead? What if any of her worries came off as useless and she could''ve used some Extremes or Overlords instead? How? Well, her current frowning face hid some secretive doubts. Ultium should be fine.


    Helper status worked for everyone, yet messages and their stakes were weird like the task of this Gate, or... well, everything. Lisa glanced at Murai and saw no reason in that laughable duck, whose spirit might be bigger than the Sky.


    What if Ultium didn''t matter? What if Razmund had already planted his Helpers who were stronger than everyone? Where? How? If she couldn''t know it, seizing the upper hand was hard, or it was already seized. Weird thoughts rose in her head. And disappeared when she couldn''t change them.


    ¡°Why are you shouting at this time?¡± Murai quacked at them both. Bagus didn''t understand him, but he didn''t need to hear his scrutiny and quacks. His face was enough for a whole page of answers.


    Neither of them knew about the Hell Party that essentially put Murai''s Helpers to a much higher potential. It went against the norm, yet it happened anyway. Razmund had not even one such Helper as them. He had a bunch. Ultium or Ozeki, they didn''t matter. They didn''t even need to know about it, because their use was even more questionable than their acceptance.


    ¡°I hate this situation!¡± Lisa said to Murai. ¡°You and all. Everything goes to shit the further it goes,¡±


    ¡°I hate this heat,¡± Bagus repeated himself, no longer willing to argue with Lisa.


    Itrosh scrapped past Bagus, hiding under his wing. ¡°Stop arguing and move on.¡±


    Murai took shelter under Bagus''s standing position, directly shading himself under his chest. He liked this big fella. He was cheerful and didn''t ask unnecessary questions unless he had some reason for it. In light of that, he argued how he often argued with Lisa. It put him in a great mood that he wasn''t alone who was looking at that ghost weirdly. He was the kind of soul Murai liked very often.


    ¡°So?¡± Murai asked. ¡°We got the journey ahead, regardless if we hate it or love it. Can we wait like sitting ducks? Sure. Is it a good idea? No idea. I say we go.¡±


    ¡°Screw the wait then...¡± Lisa shook her head and went ahead according to her plans.


    ***


    Far behind, Sector 37 was dozens of kilometers away from the Scorching Light and Murai''s current position.


    David and Ultium formed a duo team ever since they separated after that battle in a chasm. It wasn''t because both of them wanted it, of course. One of them needed it! Ultium simply felt it was better and David accepted this inevitable change.


    It wasn''t out of spite for plans or anything. It wasn''t even part of David''s ideas or hopes. He wanted to give Lisa what she wanted and there was a great way how to solve it. That was the truth, even if it hurt her in the process.


    A truth that became a mangled mess when Ultium decided to go ahead, before stumbling and fighting. No matter what, David was unable to change his heart. By now, they were no longer ahead but far behind. It couldn''t be helped.


    Dozens of kilometers weren''t that big distance; David knew exactly where he was, and how to proceed if some things became messy. So he repeatedly told himself to not worry about his constructs and let Lisa chill off in that desert.


    They ran past the trees made of rock, looking thick like a pillar made of granite. The inner wood was sturdy like steel, holding vitality that forced small sprouts and little flowers to bloom in a good light. Those went from shady-looking sticks of the outer crust. It was a tree that was good for making bricks and it was dense enough to build temples and castles.


    They were yet to enter the Scorching Light and run through a sector right before its entrance to that hell. Ultium couldn''t even count how much blood he seized or longed for. His arms and face were bloody and David let him have his fun for the past hours.


    Someone had it worse than him in this run. David''s face was faltering between pain, grief, and suffering. His belly was completely gone by now, and his face and cheeks were thinner than ever. He was almost handsome since even his pores and skin tightened and his age almost became a myth. He was still far from being fit, and the more he sped towards the hot sun on the horizon, the more he despised it. Running while eating was not feasible, and some masks or hats were silly. But he figured it should no longer matter, for there was no running away anymore. He had Ultium off his leash. Lisa was back. His targets were closer than ever.


    It wasn''t because of heat that he went with Ultium back. Though, he would lie if he said it wasn''t a part of it. It showed on his face. No regrets though.


    Ultium remained by his side, glaring forward, and occasionally behind his back or sideway, feeling threat and something weird for a while.


    He didn''t know what. It wasn''t smell, yet he kept sniffing the air, sensing something intense and everything was becoming more and more brighter and weird.


    It wasn''t the Named Devil Blood. Lisa never felt the need to use it; she was just annoyed they weren''t following her orders, so she tossed that vial into the depths of Murai''s pockets.


    If no danger was too threatening, David obeyed what Ultium desired. It was neither good nor bad. He just hoped that nothing terrible would happen if Bagus and Itrosh were at Murai''s side. They were reliable, while Ultium was much stronger. And they were close. There could be a chance to encounter Razmund before the entrance to the Scorching Light.


    That was his hope. Both of their hopes.


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    ¡°Enemies,¡± Ultium said, shining his eyes and cracking his fingers in weird unnatural stretches as he ran. His suit was spotless, neat, and clear, looking as if it hadn''t endured any fight. Even the cuts from the previous wounds were all gone, indicating that his Blood Suit could repair itself.


    ¡°Is that so? Enemies or just travelers?¡± David asked.


    ¡°Who travels in the middle of this Hunt? All is in shambles. Blood carries and reeks of Vitality. Devil Hunters, or someone who...¡±


    ¡°Let''s see them then first before butchering on the go, or diving straight to sudden conclusions.¡± David ordered, ¡°Taught you some manners myself. We also started to meet fewer enemies as well, you see. Perhaps it is who we might expect. The other party that some of our previous pigs described in fear yet not words. It might be some Extreme playing tricks. Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Ozeki, is it?¡± Ultium asked expectedly.


    ¡°Who knows? Things might''ve changed or something, but Mindarch hadn''t made any turns. Everything remains what Levandis allowed, but what worries me is the lack of any feedback from my construct. Not from Lisa by the way,¡± David mumbled, having trouble speaking while running.


    He wasn''t that fast, so Ultium took this the easiest by going with his pace. At least, thanks to this running pace, he observed blood and his senses were much sharper.


    If he wanted to, Ultium could be faster than most land animals, and even faster than flying Bagus. Ultium followed the scent for a couple of minutes in the right direction, and not forward. They arrived at the intersection of a mountain range that went to the Sector beside the one they traveled through a while ago. This mountain range went further into the Scorching Light that was still a couple of kilometers away.


    What made their current location were rocky and flat plains, filled with lifeless ground, clusters of minerals, lacking greenery, and sturdy ground. Many hills were aside, resembling cliffs that surrounded these plains.


    Ultium stopped running aside some corner, and so did David. There was no blood, yet Ultium could feel it in the air. Something Divine! It felt like a sparkling sight of the stars he had never seen but imagined. He kind of liked it how it felt without seeing it. It was about setting up expectations.


    It might blind him. Change him.


    And there, amidst the shade of some cliff, a group of Divine Paladins surrounded a priest, standing for brief rest or planning. They were quite hidden in the shade, surrounded by some technique that made their aura concealed.


    Without proper scent or awareness of their presence, few would notice them. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, Ultium did, whereas David couldn''t even notice whether there was someone or not. But from the looks of Ultium''s face, arms, and eyes, he got there was someone.


    ¡°Hiding constructs again? Why are they so popular in this nonsense?¡± David complained and kicked a rocked. Sensing Divinity was hard if it tried to hide.


    Until one of the Paladins spoke, he had no clue what Ultium was about to see, say, or do.


    ¡°We have some nasty new customers,¡± a male voice said, carrying quite a hefty amount of power, dry voice, and age. ¡°Here I thought everyone ran away. Is that what Lady wanted? Scare the opposition, yet the opposition wants to scare us too? A curious Adolescent Devil... eh?¡±


    ¡°No. Orders. No. Enemies. Calm. And. Steady.¡± Another raspy voice said, telling each word on its own.


    ¡°Wait for a second,¡± the priestess called next, charming the Paladins with her powerful voice that was nice to the ears, ¡°Running into conclusions is no word of our Lady. Visitors can come and go as they please. We have priorities. No shops, though. First, let''s see them.¡±


    She was the tallest of them, but it was a wonder if she carried most power, or if it was because of her stature or authority that followed most churches. She felt most impressive.


    And all over Ultium''s eyes.


    He felt in awe and seldom saw or heard anything to do with any church, let alone a freaking priest that was extremely close to some God. He had doubts he was who she thought he was and became mumbling out loud, unaware of what to act like.


    ¡°No. She does look that. Knights... Radiants?¡± He squished his eyes, feeling their power through his senses alone, which followed the rules of blood, rather than mana alone. But he felt it all regardless of his overturned Blood Core.


    Instincts were calling. His heart was turning like an animal coming from a new flame, or breathless slumber.


    It couldn''t be helped. His Mana Core was no longer the kind that followed pure mana alone. It was a Blood Core. At Level 80, his core truly mended his whole life, turning his whole heart into something else than a heart.


    Were those Paladins enemies? Could he kill them the same as he did with those demons and military? A pair of questions carried some easy answers, and for the first time in forever, he was hesitant to seek the answers to one of them.


    He didn''t want to kill them. They were far too interesting¡ªespecially that priestess.


    She was looking at him weirdly, squinting her long brows, glaring at his red eyes, but one couldn''t tell if that was a smile on her face or if she was taunting him. It was far too cold, yet radiant at the same time. Like a warrior, she glowed in authority and power, and her dazzling armor was like nothing this place could bear. Her stance was elegant yet natural, looking as if she was quenching a mountain together by her existence.


    Ultium felt every emotion and his idea was exaggerating the other. By now, David noticed their voice, and sooner, he saw and felt them when the Paladins ceased their technique and stepped from the wavering Temporar Space.


    Then, Ultium turned to David, who was still catching his breath and wondered if his eyes and senses were gagging his mind, or if his breath carried some diseases to his eyes.


    Church from the Surface?! Storm the Hell. This is what has been happening? Encounter? This is yet another mess that Lisa caused, isn''t it? And she never said a word about it.


    He didn''t even consider Murai as a troublemaker, let alone the cause for everything. It was a weird superstition or a very good idea.


    The priestess left their cliff and formation¡ªlooking like a globe of light¡ªlessened the distance between them by a couple of leaps. She left the Paladins behind, where they rested before yet another course of her plans and desires. She was yet to know her every plan. Half of them changed as they entered this temple.


    And now, leaving smooth plans in rough spots behind, a certain roughness was ahead or overlapped them. Or Levandis planned to send a punishment team at her because she wasn''t soft-hearted enough to not take her with contempt or at ease.


    Landing before the pair''s sudden appearance, the priestess overwhelmed them by height and aura alone. ¡°Name'' Ceila. I presume the one with lacking breath is David of the Lost Brothers, correct?¡± Ceila pointed her finger at speechless David, before turning to stunned Ultium who found a sun closer than the ceiling.


    ¡°You must be one son of a devil if you are eyeing me like a fool. A prime manager Ultium. Some voices told me that you are already part of the Encounter as Helpers. Is that correct?¡± She demanded, which in turn, sounded like the highest class order.


    She spoke through no Authority, for she had no such haughty thing. Alas, her voice carried power and something that needed attention, and her Laws and the touch of her Lady created the rest. Ultium never heard of someone like her before. It wasn''t overbearing, filled with madness, but light, warm confidence, and intensity that was coming to his bones. He found most of it unfamiliar to put into words, let alone acts. He stood still, hands in his pocket and back straight.


    ¡°Hm?¡± Ultium released his eyes at full wideness, watching the flattering close sight before him with shock. It was beautiful. She stepped closer and looked at him even closer. If he wanted, he could touch the untouchable.


    This human woman was mesmerizing to him in every notion of that word, ranging from her armor and neat curves that carried elegance and power, to her voice, aura, the way she carried herself, and so on. He noticed details he never saw in any woman: light yellow eyes, puffy lips pressing together, and blond long hair that went over her shoulders and back. She forgot her helmet, or she didn''t need it anymore.


    He stared so much that he blushed, but it blended with to rest of his face and eyes that remained crisp in bloody redness. But his mouth was open for an untold amount of seconds when Ceila watched the sudden visitors.


    She hadn''t expected them in the slightest. She just wanted to catch Murai or deal with Centralis Kingdom on her own terms and savagery. For her Lady, she would do anything.


    Ultium wasn''t all that important in her eyes. She dealt with Thar, so some young devil was nothing in her eyes.


    Ultium stopped thinking. David finally caught his breath, noticing that the situation turned in the strangest direction possible. Vermillion Church was the least possible party that he considered. It must be something weird with the Surface and some Gods. How did a Church in the Hellscape go unnoticed for this long? How come no one even expressed them?


    Unbeknown to him, some did, but none of that was for David to see and for Lisa or Murai to know. Calming his breathing, David spoke. ¡°Well, who do we have here? A priestess in the starting line of Hell. I don''t recognize... Oh, Vermillion symbol? Thousand swords and tails. What is this pleasure, or is this a curse? Invasion?¡± David instantly recognized what this meeting could mean.


    A Vermillion Church shouldn''t be powerful enough to walk here with impunity and disregard any sets of rules. Religions were prohibited from entering. That was something Levandis had not forged into these Gates for nothing. She didn''t want to touch problems from the Sky-influenced churches. That involved even those from other Hells, but those had some specific benefits that disregarded that rule if certain preparations went ahead.


    And this was neither.


    However, Levandis accepted it anyway and that was something that David couldn''t understand.


    Adventurers? Mercenaries? People serving the Battleworld in many capacities? Powers ranging from Tier A, B, or even S had many instances of powerhouses and talents. They could all enter as long as they could stay and not die under Mindarch''s personalized touches and challenges.


    Seeing foreign personnel of a Sky Goddess, David knew the rules and remembered the norms by heart.


    Ceila seemed to realize there was no idiot before her face. ¡°Some changes occurred and Levandis let us in. That is all you need to know.¡± She said her stakes, leaving behind her companions and some details without further mentions.


    ¡°Some further details wouldn''t hurt,¡± David inquired. ¡°It isn''t every day this sort of meeting happens.¡±


    ¡°Forceful entry isn''t enough? What about Clash of Kingdoms, Authority, or a true bold invasion?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Oh.. That. That...is,¡± David hesitated, ¡°a bit high picture for me to think about, let alone hear. Do you know about Murai and Lisa, perhaps? Are you an ally as you sought this Encounter? This isn''t about Centralis Kingdom, isn''t it?¡± David spoke with almost no stops and even uttered details he wanted to omit.


    After feeling his chances, he comprehended some truth. If this priestess wanted him dead, it would be possible even with Ultium a distance away.


    Ceila paused for a second, shifting her arm toward her face and touching her chin. ¡°I do know them. I can''t find him though. The news is all messed up. No one wanted to back us, obviously, We looked, so we know how to reach Ip''ur Mountain and Scorching Light, yet what to do is various and unknown. The road there is an ordeal like the rest. I hoped to catch someone familiar with the path. It seems I succeeded.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± David asked as if possessed, uttering a confusing word he didn''t want to say. ¡°You... Do you know about that mountain? Target...¡± David backed away but stopped in a couple of steps after realizing this might be a very terrific person before him.


    ¡°Why not? My sources are great. The main worry was replaced by something else though.¡± Ceila said with an ashen expression and folded her arms before her breastplate. She wasn''t able to inquire anything about Iris, or Timmy. It wasn''t right in her place.


    Finding Razmund wasn''t impossible, however. That guy was moving unpredictably and with a small army under his belt and a great Artifact that was capable of touching and reading into Fate. It knew Vermillion. It knew them. So far, they hadn''t met.


    Ceila wanted to change it if Murai was further away than Razmund and their steps and choices weren''t as wide.


    The answer to that question was right before her. She heard of Ultium and David. They might be great sets of solutions.


    For half a day, moving around the Hellscape proved to be a massive hindrance. Not only did everyone want them dead, but many disregarded any restrictions. Extremes went at them out of nothing but spite, protecting the dignity of their Lady and this place.


    They died for nothing, for there was not much dignity to begin with.


    So Ceila decided to play the hard card and slaughtered some fools. Ever since then, the Hellscape changed when she began hunting against odds or no reason.


    As an aftermath, the Hunt changed, and her time for information gathering turned to ice. No one wanted anything to do with her. Slowly, they were going forward, hoping to seek the end of their journey in Murai''s steps or his flat feet on top of Ceila''s hands.


    Ceila knew more or less where he was, and she surely knew his final destination. Vermillion made sure of it.


    ¡°What about this fella? Is he gazing at my heart or what? Who did he see?¡± Ceila frowned, pointing at Ultium who seemed frozen in time.


    ¡°That?¡± David scratched his head, stepped forward, and looked at him. ¡°Oh? Haven''t seen something like that before. A truly rare sight. A devil whose heart skipped a beat against the odds of Bloodline. Means something big, I reckon.¡±


    David kept scratching his head until he got some idea. Waving his hands, he struck his back with his palm, jolting nerves, heart, and Ultium up, stumbling him forward and almost into Ceila. She caught and seized his head, almost grasping those horns of his at first.


    David chuckled, finding this more than funny. Ultium possessed by a priestess of all people? Lost? David would cry if he wanted to call it a joke.

 Chapter 225: Meeting a Sun

    Fifty-five years.


    That was the time Ultium knew David. For some, it was a lifetime full of lows or heights, and for others, there was not much to living than trials and errors. Elves had long lifespans and devils were almost their equals from the certain standards of duality. One was so-called loved in Order and the other hated by Chaos. For Ultium, the difference didn''t matter, for he had a time when he was growing up and following David because being alone wasn''t what his heart desired.


    Small, yet deadly, a little devil without family was like a black sheep among the white sky. It wasn''t anything worthy, frankly, yet for devils in Hells, it was extremely rare for one to end up as an orphan, let alone tossed to the temple, or forgotten. No one was sure what might''ve caused what.


    Ultium was no slave. He was no toy. Just a kid-like status was his point. Years went by until he even grew up and could smell the difference between tears and blood. Some beings could end up slaves easily because of Wars and nasty manners Gods or mortal powers used in their hopes. Bodies were a never-ending source of those looking for workers, and those looking for selling such workers. It was how demand worked. It always touched on power and hierarchy. Where there was a need, sellers and buyers commenced the deal. Morality fell short like the sight of a beggar''s clothes.


    In Hellscape and its history, there were always stagnant rules or no gratifying chains as long as one wasn''t too lofty or hopeful for power. The military wasn''t some sort of feudal system of Order and Laws. It was far from a powerful hand as well.


    It was careless, meant to serve only one purpose: not to allow the balance to turn to complete Chaos and create stagnancy that would be the end of everything. Levandis feared the End. Many Gods did, so a good balance was necessary if they had to continue or wait. Many times, that turned upside down or sideways, affecting the living and the Gates themselves.


    Ultium saw just a brief passage of time, yet he saw the light for a dream. It wasn''t even that dark. It was mostly red like blood and the ground turning against the bloody sun.


    Nothing spoke to him.


    It was lonely.


    Until a hand reached out to him, grabbing him from the disgrace as one who knew the shame and disgrace personally. David brought him from where the Hellscape couldn''t keep him; not something worse. It went against the untold laws. Against something that devils prohibited.


    It wasn''t an easy decision. David often mourned such a choice. Why would they do that? Why did Ultium end up like a rock tossed and forgotten when his Bloodline was great? He wasn''t even that bad compared to what was out there, in Depths, or close to Gods. Why it happened wasn''t a problem. How was? It wasn''t making sense to David, and history or sources ended nowhere.


    David trusted his acts and knew Ultium. It was rare to see him flustered, yet seeking his heart for some dream or act was very hard. It wasn''t like a complicated book that was Murai under Lisa''s glances, or inside of David''s mind. This one was curious, touching on the Sky and one hell of a curious Goddess.


    Ultium was like a book left forgotten with pages torn, or missing. And those that were left had scribbles of insanity, symbols of unknown history, and pictures better left under piles of textbooks.


    How long had it been since Ultium indicated his dream? A few days, at best? The moment he saw Anatidae sparked something, and after hearing about Surface, Encounter, and Helpers, things changed. Hope was like a curse, deadly and anticipating the best.


    So when the worst would come, disappointments might follow. Each time Ultium ended like this, it should be a story to behold.


    Was it the light? Divinity? How come Ultium was so keen on something most devils took as impure, unfit, and unsightly? David found guesses; no answers that could give their timing something new, or give him something better. This might be the best thing that could happen, for this was about part of the Sky that wasn''t villainous. David can find a shelter here.


    Until Lisa arrived and change happened, of course.


    David wasn''t entirely sure if they were prohibited from leaving, since he never dared to leave this place with Ultium for fear of some retaliation. Ultium was a prisoner here. In mind. In name alone. No cage was around, or cuffs.


    The Sky was like a dream, with natural light and warmth on the skin like that was an unreachable treat. Emotions were hard or easy to contain. The heart was not.


    It was something that David knew. Ultium was something good. Someone that he didn''t deserve. He should be out there, walking on his own feet, killing gods and monsters, or people alike. Why would someone stop that like this, hiding it and letting it grow? How?


    Ultium stumbled when Ceila ceased her hand. He bowed involuntarily to her, bumped into her belly, and almost fell to his knees. Then, she touched his head again, stabilizing him by lifting his long ear and looking half impressed and angry.


    ¡°D-David?!¡± Ultium panicked, mumbled incoherently, and glanced down. Ceila waved her hand away, flinching him back to David who caught his back. There, Ultium looked back and forth between her and David who was chuckling in amusement, confusion, and understanding.


    ¡°An ally. She is an ally? Call me older than a book.¡± David said, smiling with a meaningful look.


    ¡°What book?¡± Ceila frowned. ¡°Tossing a devil at me? Be glad I haven''t cut him in half.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn''t do that. You need us.¡± David retorted and put Ultium aside where he was frowning and flexed his fists in his pockets. ¡°Or so it seems to me, Ceila, the Second Sun. I heard of you from a certain someone and you''ve been a critical, yet unexpected arrival to this conjunction of problems. I haven''t expected you to come here and....¡± He sized the Paladins and rather chose to omit them in his words.


    ¡°But you''ve heard of me. From whom? Is it flying or walking on two?¡±


    ¡°How about both?¡± David asked, pressing his hand to his chin in contemplating memories.


    ¡°An ally?¡± Ultium repeated that word, glancing in a pondering look at that tall woman that appeared like a sun itself. Her head almost held a halo. Why? What was a halo? Had he seen it before? Most religions from the Surface or Sky were unable to enter such lands. The Divinity was different. The place wasn¡¯t close like Laws. It was something suspicious. Something that shouldn''t come knocking on their doors.


    Yet he swore he saw it. Who was she? Why did she feel like a reverence itself, yet deep down, it was more like a hideous snake that could hiss and poison him when not looking?


    Yet, reverence remained like the majority of suns beaming in a day. Ultium hadn''t seen those five real objects in the sky, but he heard David talk about it numerous times. He saw paintings too, though nothing great could give it a real deal.


    Forests bathed in light, wide stretches of water were endless and over the horizon, and no ceiling or massive walls for a sky were a nice bonus. That was weird, for this world was no box, let alone a cage.


    ¡°Why does he keep looking at me like that?¡± Ceila pointed at him and a flick of her arm away summoned a sword from her waist, pointing at Ultium who sat on the ground as if he lost his knees.


    David stepped between the sword and Ultium, spreading his palms before him. ¡°Now, now, no need to carry steel. Well, it isn''t steel. You want something, right? Ultium here is an honest devil. He is my worker. A great worker, I might say. There is no need to fear him. He is almost tame. Right?¡± He turned, smiling at confused, yet still half-frozen Ultium.


    He heard some voice. What did David say again? Honesty? Tame? What was he killing and doing for the past hours?


    ¡°I will be two hundred before I will see a devil worth a candle,¡± Ceila grunted and retracted her sword. Her Paladins shifted in their cliff, watching the sight even with their armor and helmets on.


    ¡°Two hundred? Oh...¡± David grimaced. ¡°You are a follower of a God. A true Gifted being. I am just a humble man closing on the lifetime and there is so much ahead.¡±


    ¡°Doesn''t seem to me. Wanna check it? Perhaps it is shorter than you assume.¡± Ceila offered her sword again, resting it against David''s shoulder, pressed it down, and closing it to those cheeky cheeks.


    By now, Ultium shifted, got up like lightning, and pinched that sword between bloody fingers. It was an involuntary action; worthy for his heart alone, and he was thinking before moving, yet his body came faster. In his face, he remained frozen; eyes wide open and mouth mumbling.


    ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡± Ceila asked.


    ¡°Sky...¡± Ultium mumbled. ¡°Light.¡±


    The only thing that changed was the crimson spark in his eyes. Ceila saw nothing worth mentioning. She was carrying herself like a powerful warrior, and not a priest. Her regular robe was long gone, replaced by the regal aura of war armor and her personality went along with that. Perhaps something else, as well.


    Plates curved right for her body, flowing like waves or molten feathers. It was mostly gray with gold and some red colorful accents. The breastplate protruded on her chest, tightening below and right above her hips, where it ended. Then, there was an interesting plated skirt armor that went toward her knees in fluttering softness that even the wind moved.


    Most plates held etched intricate designs depicting the symbolism of Vermillion alone. It wasn''t necessary right to call her Church a sect dedicated to her rules. That wasn''t right in her book. Churches on the Surface effectively acted as a buffer for Gods to mend their power towards the mortals.


    By goodwill, power, various benefits, offerings, or gifts, there was an endless supply and demand in mortals seeking those churches. Hells were almost the same, though some of those aspects were much more prominent than others. In Order and Chaos, there was much to be desired.


    The better ones weren''t far from very potent ideologies that were borderline psychotic, and some lines might not be far from others.


    Then... there were Hells and beings untamed.


    Ceila liked the way her Lady did things. They weren''t forceful. They had a knack for demand, followed by head, shoulder, and feet. Whether plans or reasons were close or far, her voice carried the wisdom of ages that originated from many words. One ought to respect it. Ceila shifted her weapon again, but Ultium kept grabbing it.


    ¡°Mind you, devil, I can swing it more and your head would roll. If not, eyes would see your back and void itself. No sky. No light. Just pure nothing.¡±


    Ultium released her sword in fear her words would come true.


    Ceila frowned, her shoulder plates clicked together as they were strips of metallic white feathers, going over her back in a protective outer layer. High boots of metals and flexibility carrier simpler design, tightening around her feet and loosening against the knuckles.


    Apart from her face, not a bit of skin was visible, which was something that Ultium liked and preferred from stories or fights. Armors were supposed to protect. People were harder to kill because of them.


    That was so weird when Ultium saw succubuses walking and dancing in the Velvet District, almost naked, and feral. Why do they wear nothing like that? He didn''t get it. None did, he feared.


    ¡°Um,¡± Ceila said, looking down at the tall Ultium barely up to her chest. ¡°An ally then? A devil of all things? Well, my Lady is surely demanding in many ways, and her reasons might be farther than I could see. But at least you are a human. If not, what would the world think?¡±


    ¡°That you are sensible and clever?¡± David offered his idea behind Ultium, who kept one hand in his pocket and one still in the air, standing before David like a bodyguard. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°How clever of you...¡± Ceila forced out of her mouth that was no longer as hesitation, but still cold and pressed.


    ¡°N-nice to meet you...¡± Ultium mumbled, uncertain how to make a first impression. Should he smile? Wave? Frowning, pressing his brows, and quenching his fists might come off as hesitation. David said it once, some forty years ago. The treatment seemed delicate. David taught him many things, though not everything. There was only so much a devil could understand and get over time.


    ¡°U-Ultium... name.¡±


    ¡°Devil is a devil, no matter how one looks,¡± Ceila said, giving him a pondering look that seemed to go right through his skin, shivering him in return. ¡°How about one that might be helpful? What would my Lady think, or her Paladins or her little sunlight?¡±


    ¡°Can you ask her?¡± David asked. ¡°World is in shambles, you see. Your presence must be because of her trials, right? I have no way to contact outside forces. How is it outside? Is the world spinning? What about power politics? Centralis?¡±


    ¡°It is certainly in one piece.¡± Ceila plainly replied, unwilling to tell that her Lady was the one that shattered the hopes of this world, even if it was only temporary and done in not much mischief. It was still terrible and Ceila would lie if she feared such consequences, though she could never let it go. This life. This power.


    It was still ongoing, so what to do? Her stakes were simple and almost secondary. Her Lady was a new Ruler behind the scenes, so what did it make her? Her pawn might be fitting in her opinion.


    ¡°You see,¡± David patted Ultium''s shoulder and spoke in his stead, ¡°I think the situation is indeed precarious outside, or inside. I doubt knowing everything is right. That much isn''t worth a lot, is it? Especially since some involvement from the Surface touches upon this mess for a while, right? This temple is just a hindrance that has come alongside it. A mere step, I suppose. My little hopes are fleeting from something up above. Mind you, great Sun, I don''t know all the details but isn''t that inconceivably random how come someone like you is here?¡±


    ¡°You know my Title,¡± Ceila said. ¡°Am I that famous in Hellscape? Doubtful, or...wait a second.¡± Ceila realized that David already let his tongue loose. Someone already spoke to him about Vermillion Church, and it might not be pretty or hard to guess.


    ¡°Indeed. I figured there might be allies in foes, but foes in allies sound the same to me. Although it came first as a warning and bad luck, this meeting is different in my opinion. Care for some explanations? I have heard of you from Lisa.¡±


    ¡°Lisa?¡±


    ¡°Murai''s Life Companion.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that thing? I think I saw her once. Is she awake? What is the situation right now with him and this Gate itself?¡± Ceila said, relaxed slightly, and didn''t want to acknowledge Lisa as an important point.


    David found it interesting. ¡°Encounter and all of that above might come as expected storm. They keep going, of course. One animal; the other...¡±


    ¡°Whatever. Hunt is nigh, yet it seems I cracked the edges and flung the heads of those who questioned their worth. It appears as if I''ve already helped everyone enough without knowing it. I Suppose he is alive and well, kicking and quacking like an idiotic Anatidae without Mother or instincts. That scowling duck doesn''t know what is good for him. For him to run and not die is good. He should''ve crawled back though.¡± Ceila talked, and let her tongue loose, speaking coherently, with more vividness, almost as if she was letting her heart out. It wasn''t because of stress, thought it might have some correlation to the past week combined with the rest.


    At least she was no longer giving Ultium a long stare and a sword was no longer closing to his head.


    ¡°Anyhow, let''s work it out in any capacity and worth. Others won''t harm this party.¡± Turning to her Paladins in the shade, she gestured for them to come here as well.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± David asked. ¡°You are yet to convince me.¡±


    ¡°What is there to convince?¡± Ceila asked a good question. ¡°Situation isn''t all that important. Centralis definitely isn''t for me to care about. I, or not at all, decided to give more attention to what should be important. Nothing else will enter this temple. You won''t change it just because you are suspicious. I am looking for Murai out of no spite or hate. Encounter or not, Hunt or a Clash, or cooking, or sleeping. None of that matters to me. So, David. Where is he?¡± Ceila straightened her hair, flicking it behind her back, and stepping closer.


    ¡°I...¡± David hesitated, clasping Ultium''s shoulder as if he were a shield. He was back to looking as if he lost his spark, glancing back and forth between the ground and her legs. He no longer dared to look at Ceila''s face for some reason, fearing that the warmth or that light would cease to exist against his crimson, or that her prior words were a precursor to a curse.


    ¡°Is my position that hard to conceive? I took your company into this Hell for something interesting when you went against the norm. Call me impressed, almost. A human helping a devil, giving him a place and heart to stay afloat. It almost makes me nauseous.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± David frowned. ¡°Your prejudice towards the Chaos is fitting, Priestess.¡±


    ¡°Indeed so. Your hope likewise. Helping to take the Encounter to a new height, your party has made some interesting choices in the past week. Be glad for how it goes, honestly. Without it, you wouldn''t be where you are, hoping for something bigger than a dream.¡±


    ¡°Who are you to question the Dreamers?¡±


    ¡°Nobody, frankly. So, how come it worked for you again? Isn''t the world no longer spinning? How come you have your Helper Dream?¡± Ceila twisted her brows, and for the first time, a devilish smile appeared on her face.


    It sent shivers down his spine, yet David didn''t back down ¡°Knowledge is my forte. Hopes are what make us forget. Who tells if you aren''t Razmund''s Helper? Many questionable things surround that guy from the Surface. So far, only Ozeki is under our knowledge, though what about the others? His number is not one. Lisa found me. I found them. Hope or not, what is about to happen isn''t for me to decide.¡±


    ¡°Whose choice matters then?¡±


    ¡°Answer me first.¡±


    ¡°Reason for me, huh? Blood of demons?¡± She shrugged, stating a fact by pointing at the bloodied weapons of her Paladins.


    ¡°Not enough. Do you think Razmund doesn''t go against this place? He goes against it more than us. We don''t want trouble. We killed those who wanted troubles.¡± David shook his head.


    ¡°I did the same thing. Oh, and I am not killing you. Why, I wonder? Perhaps it has something to do with help. Oh, and that comes from you, being worth thousands of potions, holding someone many times that amount by yourself. Seems like a puppy I can carry and get myself some fortune.¡± Ceila kept her smile; it looked unnatural on her face.


    David began sweating. He felt like his fat was lessening, burning, and churning as he thought of the bigger picture. By now, Paladins surrounded him and even Ultium was starting to see the change in pace and smell. Blood started to boil and something in him was calling for a storm.


    ¡°You see, David. I am an impatient woman. It doesn''t have anything to do with my position. So, information is what you want, right? What is something that only Murai knows? Something that will convince you. I wonder. Could it be something that Razmund doesn''t know?¡±


    ¡°Why would you not help Razmund?¡± David came up with his question.


    ¡°Why? What is there for my Lady and Centralis Kingdom, or that single guy?¡±


    ¡°You tell me. There are at least a dozen strange things in this encounter that make no sense to me. I am no idiot, I might add.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that''s an idea of a lot of beings indeed. They trust it and fail. Trust is convincing when trust can come and lies are no more. Doubts disregard trust. I think I get it, so...¡± Ceila scowled, finding this worry a bit unnecessary, so she forced her hand from the gauntlet, revealing her fingers.


    They were long and soft, and guiding around them were threads of light. It wasn''t coming from within her. And it didn''t look like mana, but more like a light itself that was in a visible spectrum. A gifted Divinity, David wanted to guess. It was no tattoo-like pattern with Laws added to impressive heights. Divinity had its concerns and many Laws created distinct Samsara Wheels, followed by manifestations, and many effects.


    Light might be pure Divinity like the azure depiction of mana. Unfortunately, it didn''t mean that this power came from Vermillion, for she was a fiery woman with flame-like rumors.


    Who was this woman? Who gifted her this temporal gift that could dissipate and leave her half-dead?


    David was almost convinced this party was off the chart and something that was more doubtful than clear. Considering godly appeals in solving this problem, Ceila''s party came at a sensitive and doubtful time.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    There was no way they were here for something simple. So, David thought about it and wondered if she was right.


    ¡°There is an easy solution to fix this problem,¡± Ceila pointed her finger to David''s forehead. ¡°I am familiar with the ways of souls. Not as good as her, but still good. A bit of those memories won''t hurt, and I am not sorry if it''s gonna harm your devil either.¡±


    David flinched far too late. A beam of light penetrated his head, creating glimpses of conversation, memories, and words.


    Then, the world shuddered. He found himself on the ground, kneeling. There was a crowned light echo of a God, looking like a statue made of light, flames, and suspense of disbelief.


    One could see softness, hands, head, but no legs.


    And it spoke? No... That was wrong. The statue was her, though it was no statue. Ceila was so far beyond that one might think of Vermillion as closer.


    Memory Showcase was a rather easy soul spell that Ceila used. It showed David what was necessary, including vision, smell, and voice.


    ¡°Help him catch or handle him. Take care of him like a treasure. The Old One is of my home, yet he is shameless and homeless for eternity. Help is a priority and convince the stubborn one to feel no choice is next. Be forceful. Be glad. If not... persistence is a key. We need him. Find a way. I will make my move and will give you a path ahead afterward. If not, do it with the remainder of my voice and Divinity and do it well. I will return.¡± Vermillion said.


    It was a wonder when it happened, and how old this memory was. How it happened too was a wonderful question that David couldn''t see or guess. What changed since then if it was older than a week?


    Ceila wasn''t looking at the whole perspective. She took this voice for a Law. But some lies were fine to show, as they didn''t lie back then. They were old, and not up to reality when Vermillion seized Ravine and discovered numerous secrets that were open for the Ruler alone.


    So, Ceila showed him what counted as enough. Pictures poured into David''s soul space, showing Ceila holding Murai. Wordless, unmoving like paintings made of crude oils and ash, and with speed and less waste. She hadn''t shown him how Murai refused their advances because of his stubborn nature and the blunder in his eyes.


    Perhaps it was upsetting because Ceila helped him back to health, yet he wasn''t appreciating it too much. It wasn''t good or bad. Murai was shameless in many things he was feeling and doing, and dealing with Gods was shameless, yet he was not ready to even think about them. And when it came to some personal deals, or after Vermillion talked to him directly, he was unhinged and convinced they weren''t good for him. It was his perspective and he took the week after their conversation for great torture that fixed his belief.


    Vermillion knew it.


    Ceila disliked it very much.


    Then, the Encounter started.


    Did his refusal make him evil? What was his full reason for being like that if it involved Iris, Timmy, and her? What spoke worse, better, or enough? Would there even be a payment big enough for someone like the Old One?


    Well, the after-match did create some changes. David noticed pictures that went on for a week, showing Murai that was resting under their guidance, albeit there was no obvious suggestion for something greater than healing. David heard of a grievance that went between Razmund and Murai. It was interesting and confusing. For example, such a Clash wouldn''t start an Encounter. Murai was just a Child anyway and the reasons were unstable.


    The biggest concern was they had no idea about Razmund''s story or reasons.


    Hence, David could feel why Lisa was so angry. Church was always watching. Looking. Iris didn''t know Vermillion was watching, observing, and thinking over that week. Murai had no idea about it either.


    Ceila didn''t show off most explanations. Reasons were comfortable when she came back for Murai, going to the Vermillion Mansion, and showing the aftermath of days since then.


    It was the context that David needed, although it was wordless and often illogical or in the wrong timeline.


    He clinched on those pictures and remembered Lisa, who gave him a rundown of the Encounter and reasons behind Murai''s story or some reasons. These pictures added some clarity, and since Ceila wasn''t sure what David knew, it wasn''t a terrible choice. Perhaps it was clever, because there was room for mistakes, and then, there was room for compromises or lies.


    David screamed as Memory Showcase ceased to exist. Grunting and falling back, his voice and act jolted Ultium from his reverie. In a moment, he flickered his other hand from his pocket, forcing that bright pointing finger away with a slap, and got serious for real. Then, a step closer angled him right in front of Ceila, his single palm rushed forward, and a swirling cocoon of blood rushed from his core, hitting her chest.


    Ceila didn''t flinch. She took the hit without a blink and backed willingly. This hit cracked the ground and made craters and waves for dozens of meters. Ultium sent her flying as if Thar slammed her with his hammer. It was compact, yet sluggish. Why make a palm strike? He could''ve pointed his fingers forward and slammed it to her like a spear. Perhaps then, her armor would actually feel something. Here, she just flew away like a tossed pebble.


    That was how some... well, Ceila glared at that pair as she flew, realizing what and who was before her.


    Ultium didn''t look at her; he hugged growling David and kicked the ground, shattering it to thousands of pieces as he disappeared into the distance. Paladins remained where they were, watching him and Ceila without any obvious moves. For as long as their Sun didn''t voice it, they would rest. It seemed they let them go on purpose.


    All of this took only a second since commencement, which left Ceila a bit surprised as she touched the ground with her fingers, twisted her hip, and stabilized her legs on the ground. Three deep crevices cut into the rocky ground for almost a hundred meters before she stopped herself.


    ¡°Well, how funny.¡± She sighted and patted her armor. It had no dent. So much for giving this devil too much regard. He was almost cute. Ceila figured he was far too gentle with her, which made her a little mad.


    However, as she straightened herself and stepped forward, she heard cracks and saw a little hole. Small one. Not even a finger wide on her chest. Thin cracks went around it like a broken glass and her armor screeched as she moved and breathed.


    She slammed it with her palm, stopping further cracks. ¡°I will punch him next time, or give him a kiss. Wonder which will turn his mind to mush first.¡± That was a weird idea that none heard.


    It was almost devilish, considering she giggled like a broken doll, watching Ultium not far from her.


    He stopped fleeting and observed David''s face in worry and confusion. This was a bad lesson. Test of his heart and spirit. First, worry; then get revenge. He failed it all. He didn''t protect him in time. It was his fault he was hurt and screaming.


    And he didn''t seek revenge or fleeing as a good option, for there were dents and doubts in his heart.


    Why!?


    Blame and guilt contorted his face, making him ashamed yet deeply dangerous. Reverence almost all disappeared. That was weird. It should be utterly gone!


    ¡°B-boss?¡± Ultium stuttered, realizing that Paladins were already around him. It was far too late to flee. Why had he stopped? When did they surround him? When had that halo started to sparkle in brilliance?


    His legs stopped on their own, or was it subconscious apprehension? From when he knew it, he wasn''t a coward. Was he too worried to sense some puny light, let alone fight some great-looking Paladins? For once, he wasn''t that aware of the political sphere of influence that were Divine Kingdoms, let alone warring establishments of divine armies. Paladins were close, their weapons nowhere, and each was amused and barehanded.


    They didn''t want him to flee, or they went ahead to tease him for trying.


    ¡°B-boy... You were hasty.¡± David mumbled after the pain lessened. Ceila should''ve spoken first before acting like an idiot, but perhaps it was a test. Why make a test when she wanted their help?


    David doubted her intentions, but so did he his own. He felt the notions of Memory Showcase, which was a bit rare ability and sort of magic for those keen on souls could use.


    Ultium glanced around, the glow in his eyes intensified and his eyes looked like circular beams that might blink and seize some blood in a blink. He eyed Paladins and Ceila alike, wondering if he could kill them slowly or quicker.


    ¡°She is an ally,¡± David repeated. ¡°She gave me some glimpses of her memory. None seems fabricated, because I know the details. Lisa talked to me before. I get the gist of the context, so let''s return. We can trust her in some capacity and doing what we planned is right around her alley. Perhaps she will help us even more than I know. Not everything is clear, but she sure isn''t against us.¡±


    Hearing his words put a strange expression on Ultium''s face. It was a mixture of gladness and fury. One for not finding her an enemy; the other for allowing the pain go to his boss under his watch. He was literally before him when it happened, yet he didn''t stop it before it happened.


    Clutching his fists, Ultium watched in unwilling resolution how David got to his feet and walked towards Ceila, leaving him alone. He was excited and angry. What a weird mixture. Was there something else there as well? Something he never felt? Perhaps he should ask David about it when the time was right, change was near, or he would uncover those emotions alone.


    Paladins didn''t make any moves or sounds. They let David go to Ceila, who appeared unaffected by this brief blunder. Her armor was back together after a bit rush of her power.


    ¡°I feel like I should apologize, but it seems invalid of me do to so. Serve you right, almost,¡± David said politely, gesturing with his point finger to his left shoulder before swinging it to his knee; a symbolic and platonic degree of good willingness that touched the Sky Gods and various churches. It was a rather old gesture that belonged to many orders of knights who were unwilling to bow.


    ¡°Apologies taken. So?¡± She said coldly, figuring that her breastplate had taken more damage than she expected. Nothing that some repairs wouldn''t solve, but it felt more like a slap to her face than anything else. She could''ve prevented it very easily.


    ¡°Then, Ceila, let me give you a brief overview of this situation. I traveled with Murai upon his arrival at this Gate. That was days ago after a hunt in Seventh Death Forest, or--¡±


    ¡°Heard that. Got that. Killed a bunch there myself. The past doesn''t matter to me. I need what I need now.¡± Ceila dismissed his attempt to be polite or stalling.


    ¡°Well, then let''s skip ahead. The start of Hellscape came with many changes and weird meetings...¡± David began his talk and left more things raw since Ceila seemed in a hurry.


    Ultium stood behind him, hands in his pockets, and his feelings bamboozled his heart. He gazed at the ground in reverence next, obviously glad that Ceila was no target.


    He will see her alive for a bit longer.


    ***


    A couple of dozen kilometers away from these rocky hills. Sector 32.


    Murai''s opposition was galloping in their horses and already saw the menacing sunlight ahead. They were closing on Ceila''s location too, but it was hard to tell if they would end up on the same path or rocky plain as them or not. They weren''t even aware of their existence.


    There were many paths and many flat plains or mountains, so it was possible to get lost even with stable walls around them, and meeting someone random was harder than easy.


    Ceila missed them with her group as she dived into the Hellscape. Perhaps it was intentional. The cave was wide enough for many tactics and travels, with many detached roads that were far from others, and there were no villages. Some small outposts were in some places, protecting official roads, or businesses.


    Ozeki remained in peace. Demonic Horses kept running and his men followed him behind, right beside Razmund who was lazily sleeping on top of his horse. He didn''t move. He didn''t flinch. He didn''t know there was Ceila ready for him.


    Within an hour, they arrived at an impressive and heated sight. A vast rocky plains was empty of any person, or battles. It was a distinct plain surrounded by cliffs and rocky formations. It was dull, with flatter sides that had a bunch of paths ahead.


    They didn''t even stop before they reached the end of one of those paths, which all ended in the same way. There was a cliff of at least forty meters in height right above the Scorching Light, looking like a branch overlooking the sand below.


    There was quite a sight on top of it, yet it wasn''t elevated enough for significant clarity, for there was big heat and twisted desert ahead, putting discomfort to the eyes and space. At least there were no storms in this desert, or very annoying winds that would create sandstorms. Such things needed wind or some colder humidity that would clash against the heat.


    Because of the lack of wind, the heat was unbearable for most lives, drying the eyes, fogging the senses, and turning mana into heated depiction of steam, dry heat, and flow that was akin to dense gravitational warmth. Any Shaping was hard in this environment, and Razmund and Ozeki felt weaker immediately.


    Only a part of Scorching Light was visible from this cliff. Barely a pair of Sectors was visible beside one another, with many others going far away, blending as there were hardly any physical differences between them.


    ¡°Were you here before?¡± Ozeki asked a stupid question out of boredom, turning to his right to seek sleeping Razmund.


    He didn''t even flinch in his response. ¡°Sure I did. All my previous visits provided targets in Sector 50 and above. Now is no different as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how unlucky a human can be indeed. So you have traveled beyond this desert each time, bearing these lawless Sectors and heat?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied calmly, hands behind his head. There was something off about his demeanor and act.


    ¡°Well, then you seem to be familiar enough to keep up with us. Let''s go!¡± Ozeki raised his spear high in the air, increasing his voice and unleashing a war cry akin to mountain rumbling and beasts roaring. It wasn''t a demonic ideal, but a military manner towards a battle had clear buoyancy and effects.


    His men did the same roar, echoing their cry toward the Scorching Light, and cluttering their weapons against their armor or others. Few of them even hit themselves, letting crisp sound further away. One wondered if it was a good idea. What if their enemies heard it and fled faster?


    It certainly put fear in the hearts of their enemies on the battlefield. That was their main benefit. Another was morale.


    Ozeki pinched the reins of his Demonic Horse, gesturing it down the steep hill below this cliff.


    It was no suicide. He went first, and his horse carefully went with its head down, finding footing on the far edge of the dozens of meters below this jump. The horse started to gallop on the steep cliff as if it were a mountain goat.


    Rest soon followed. Each rider was skilled and didn''t fall. Most work was up to the Demon Horses anyway, who were more than capable of doing this simple feat. It was a matter of time before they entered the Scorching Light where their foe was walking, or flying, and some ambush waited.


    There was a possibility that they passed one another, but Ozeki found it implausible. Their time was kind of terrible, sources were easy because Ozeki knew what he was doing, but what about his target?


    Unlike Murai and his companions, Demonic Horses could travel through this scorching heat at great speeds, though with limited range and stamina. Their skin was tough and shiny, giving them a sharp edge against heat. It wasn''t something like Heat Absorption. It was about the resilience and shine of their skin and the aftereffects of their Physique and Bloodline. They were simply sturdy enough to live through this desert and travel with occasional stops in some shade of a mountain.


    However, it was still a dangerous prospect to see it as a good thing. Bandits were willing to take such great mounts for valuable targets. If things went south, repercussions from losing those horses, or stranding them to die, wasn''t a pleasant possibility.


    Ozeki knew how harsh army management was. Each rider was priceless because one hardly bought out experience and loyalty at the same time. Either of those was usually fine and desired. None were unfit for the army, and some growth might solve some issues.


    And if both were there, then time requirements and money were all mandatory to let it remain without a change of mind. For many armies, let alone Gods, loyalty was priceless.


    There was a limit to how long these horses lasted in this heat. They need water and meat. Such things were possible to store in spatial equipment, but each horse required a lot from each.


    Ozeki wasn''t stingy, though space for spatial equipment was always easy to find because of his reputation and wealth. The water took up a lot of space if the expenditure was vast. Military rations for men were similar, and while economics were often simple or complicated, the bigger armies became quite problematic in management.


    The best way to solve this was magic. If someone had a mage with the Water Affinity in Mana Core, things would be much easier and management a piece of cake. Food wasn''t as important, for one could hunt or store dense meats. It was much easier.


    Ozeki had no such water mage. Water was valuable and hard to tame anyway, despite it being perfect for this heat. For a mage to quench a thirsty army, one would have to have an immense mana pool.


    Ozeki carried only a couple hundred gallons of water for the worst-case scenarios, which should be enough for a day or two in this heat. Will it be enough to find the other party, fight them, and get back? Well, he had no worries about this journey.


    He thought of his opponents instead. They shouldn''t be poor under his recollections and worth some danger. What about an Anatidae going through this desert? At a Child Stage of unknown degree, yet Child was a Child. It was an easy target for Ozeki. Razmund said it himself, though he wasn''t aware of the heights of those beasts. Ozeki was different. He couldn''t fear it and was very curious about what changes it might undergo in a few years.


    Some beasts had different sources of life. They might grow faster and level up quicker than humans. Devils might be harsher because of their vaster lifespan. It''s where different starting points created disparities, but in no way was it like a curse. For beasts to come into Level 50 within a year of their growth wasn''t unexpected if their bloodline was good. Humans couldn''t do that in the slightest because of how they grow. At one point, even beasts would slow down. Their temper, body, or talents would hinder them, whereas humans, devils, or elves had a much higher ceiling.


    And as far as Ozeki knew, an Anatidae Child was far from a menace that Elders or worse could unleash. Ozeki wasn''t sure of his exact routes, or what to take that child for. Before those superstitions became unbearable, a Destiny Dice glinted in his memory. He trusted it.


    Gambling nothing but his receding reputation was the easiest decision of his devilish life. His wealth was secondary, his position in the army was already low, and his personal power dripped like his heart. It was a matter of time before he would lose everything.


    So Ozeki didn''t care for helping humans. It sounded fun instead. He was already watching the victory before his grasp, although it had a heated sense of urgency and no small amount of madness.


    Soon, their journey as a team changed and Razmund steadied his posture on his horse, looking worried when something behind his head couldn''t remain intact.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Ozeki asked him, curious about the pink light and thin whispers echoing from his left hand. He couldn''t understand a word coming from it.


    ¡°It is doing it again,¡± Razmund argued, showing the Dice to him. It was small, trembling in its prison of a few straps of fabric and his fingers. It wanted to escape at all costs, going far or hiding under a rock.


    ¡°How long does it do that?¡±


    ¡°Just now...well, it did this a few times before.¡±


    ¡°And nothing happened afterward? It sounds and looks unstable.¡± Ozeki asked and laughed afterward. What else had he expected from an artifact of this kind?

 Chapter 226: Elemental and Force Magic

    Razmund frowned and shook his head. ¡°I am no idiot. Relying on it was useful. The voice is different.¡±


    ¡°What does it say?¡±


    ¡°Release.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don''t know about Divine Artifacts, but ones with Fate are dangerous. Where have you got it from anyway?¡± Ozeki calmed his laugh, obvious that he didn''t care where Razmund got it from, and it didn''t hurt to ask.


    Razmund didn''t give him that privilege. Centralis had its sources for a plethora of treasures and these kinds of artifacts were usually one of a kind. All Divine Artifacts were like that. This was why Razmund took the next course of action that Ozeki took with a sneer. He untied the straps, letting the Dice tremble on top of his palm, and its voice became hectic.


    [Feed me! Feeeeeeeed meeee the blood!] the Dice begged as if horny for food or read of Fate. Razmund didn''t see the difference, but it sure ate a lot of mana and Ancient Blood since he came to this place. Now, it was empty as if it constantly thought of Fate.


    ¡°It hungry, eh?¡± Ozeki remarked, gesturing his men to leave him and Razmund ahead all by themselves.


    Razmund was curious. The Dice usually didn''t demand this out of the blue or emptiness.


    ¡°What do you want this for?¡± Razmund picked something from his pouch; a red glass with thick liquid within it soon came out and approached the Dice, which shivered but didn''t leave his palm.


    [Fate! Approaching!] the Dice echoed in a soft voice. [Feed and show. The End is coming, for there is no escaping]


    ¡°That is the first time I see it like this,¡± Ozeki said. ¡°Usually, it isn''t taking initiative. Perhaps you fed it too much. I don''t recom...¡±


    Razmund fed it a dozen whole droplets, soaking the Dice in shivering Bliss that was borderline euphoric.


    It screeched softly as if panicking, absorbing the blood, and it was unsure if it should soar away or leave Razmund to rot. Then, it went up, looking for something, but didn''t wince left and right, or up or down. It simply hovered there, so Razmund and Ozeki stopped their horses.


    ¡°You sure are insane. Why feed it that much blood? You don''t have much left.¡± Ozeki asked in worry, nearly brandishing his spear.


    ¡°Because.¡± Razmund shrugged, waiting for the Dice to calm down, or seek what it was seeking.


    [They are here. Death to you, walking and waiting, hunting the home of this land]


    [It is approaching. The inevitable clash that seeks no remedy is close and ending] The Dice slammed at Razmund''s chest, not even flinching him.


    ¡°And?¡± he asked. ¡°What is there for us, when dangers are everywhere? Who is here? What is approaching?¡±


    ¡°Someone is,¡± Ozeki added. ¡°Got plenty of readings of potential threads. That was days ago. Some moved, others did not. Nothing is valid anymore and no one troubles us. Something changed the status quo, so this message might be why.¡±


    Razmund frowned, and just as he wanted to clutch the Dice, it winced and went up again, as if looking at him.


    [You die. Feed me beforehand]


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Razmund snapped his hand, catching it in a flash and securing it again around his left palm, leaving the Dice whispering to his heart.


    [Death is approaching. They Hunt you from behind, around, and all over you. Take steps lightly, lest the clash of divine be the End of your Hunt]


    ¡°What was that for?¡± Ozeki asked and couldn''t get a word out of that noise.


    Razmund hesitated as he secured a couple of knobs. Divine words were apparent and worth some ears. ¡°That we are changing our strategy. You mentioned something to me before. Something about... you know. You haven''t said all the details to me, but it was a possibility. A bait, is that right?¡±


    Ozeki laughed, pushing his palms over his face as if he heard a joke. ¡°You consider it just because of a mere Dice? It does it all the time.¡±


    ¡°And? Is it wrong? Something changed the situation. It is a real possibility that something harmful is moving. What was that about a Lady then? Is it something that Levandis did or created?¡±


    Ozeki stopped laughing when he heard him mention his Lady. ¡°Oy, I was serious. The bait is good. I reckon you would want it one way or another, but now and in this Sector? Well, it won''t hurt me, but you won''t like the feel of it.¡±


    ¡°Do it,¡± Razmund ordered.


    Ozeki slashed the empty hand aside; a thin dagger appeared in his hand, looking like blood itself, but glistering in metallic glint. ¡°It needs blood. Lots of it.¡±


    Razmund would accept the cost at any capacity, even when this possibility would cost him a fortune and a large portion of this single Helper.


    ¡°I will feed your folded reward. Don''t worry.¡± He said to Ozeki as he offered his right arm.


    ¡°So generous,¡± Ozeki said. ¡°I will cherish drawing you myself. Cutting you even more.¡± Then, he slashed at him, bathing the air and ground in red.


    ***


    Far away, in the middle of sand patches of storming heat that felt like swirling sip into volcanoes of wind, Murai was scowling under the sun he no longer liked. With only Itrosh aside, hiding under Bagus''s wing, they moved on foot onward at a slower pace than ever before.


    With the hood off, and the hoodie opened on his front thanks to its zip right below his neck and down his belly, he still felt hot and uncomfortable. Perhaps it was a mental issue, an unnecessary superstition, or his cores didn''t like this level of heat, or he didn''t want to accept how his Flame was churring. It was affecting his Core Defying Fusion Technique and his Artificial Core was getting haughty because of his Beast Core and its Flame.


    Lisa said he wouldn''t find the heat problematic, claiming that Anatidae feathers had neat properties and elemental defenses, but she didn''t know about elementals, cores, and what Anatidaes liked, or what their Universal Affinity was about. It was never in her mind, for they were out of her sight.


    What a lying bitch, Murai would call her if it wouldn''t be for her terrible mood or his spread-out wings in defeat. He spent some time in the Heavenly Manual and working on his techniques will take a lot longer than expected.


    It wasn''t a terrible time, frankly. Unless one was Bagus. Murai was light like a pebble for him, so he spent this journey on top of his back, closer to the sun, spread like a death chicken, but at least he didn''t walk on his own on hot sand or scorching hot rocks.


    He was right beside Lisa, who was basically a featherweight of concern, yet full of it. Itrosh complained to them to no end, saying they should try going quicker if he would go under her hands or feathers.


    Murai kindly refused, showing her his ass, wings, and hoodie off. Bagus laughed and cried at the same time, figuring that everything about his choices was wrong. He should''ve stayed behind and fought alongside David. It made sense. Itrosh was faster in the desert; she could clutch Murai and travel like lightning that would arrive at their destination in a couple of hours.


    But no! Lisa argued that both would come or none, which meant death anyway. As usual, reaching David was useless. They should plan and go.


    Days ago, David assured Lise to follow a reasonable pace, and not worry if some problems emerged all the time. He gave her his words for finding and getting Razmund''s and Ozeki''s areas or weaknesses and fighting the problems that were much more prevalent than far. He swore it on his name and Ultium''s power.


    Which Lisa took with acceptable skepticism back then, until he moved behind her back and fled her terms. She had limited choices and arguments and it wasn''t as if she could fly and clasp him back. To her, going for Razmund sounded like an excuse to get rid of the Encounter as a whole or ride straight to the End with the next elevated Part.


    It was stupid for her, but what about David? It was his hope, and Lisa should''ve known that greed was vast. Perhaps David was overconfident with Ultium, and she wasn''t even sure what that devil was hiding in his heart, let alone deeper.


    Information was king in the present situation, and with almost no living places around Scorching Light, all they could do was reach out to some caves, underground dwellings, or mines.


    It was just an idea. Lisa dismissed it immediately, saying it was better to remain blind and not seek trouble when they could. Unfortunately, she was right. Bagus and Itrosh knew it, so they remained grumbling as they walked.


    From time to time, Itrosh used her Waves, but it wasn''t all that useful in this heat that warped her efficiency and accuracy. It had vast reach, so they took it as a brief outlook for dangers.


    There weren''t many points in that because this entire environment was dangerous. Traveling through the plains of sand was treacherous, filled with various sights and history. Destroyed temples, residual of mines, or old places littered many dunes. There were even many destroyed mountains that depicted pebbles the size of some buildings below old caves or mines.


    There were some stalagmites made of melted sand, appearing like glass that glowed upwards or from the tall mountainous rock formations. Lisa said it was an aftereffect of that hot distant sun and mining. She hadn''t mentioned anything else.


    As for the potential foes, there were native beasts of this desert that attacked them from time to time. No gangs, which Lisa found strange.


    Bagus dealt with scorpions, snakes, and flying harpies with a flick of his tail, wiping the sand with them to calm his mind. It worked for a time before the heat invaded his feathers again.


    That went on for an hour until Lisa suggested one of the most innovative things Bagus had heard her say.


    ¡°Wait, you have a Water Affinity?¡± Itrosh cheered, grabbing Murai by his hoodie and hugging him tightly. Too tightly. Murai grumbled, feeling that this hug was far from being humble and nice.


    ¡°Why have you not said it sooner? Quacked it! Shouted it! Painted it like a mural in blood, or magic?¡± Bagus also shouted in insanity. ¡°WHYYY!?¡±


    Murai looked at them with bewilderment, half glancing at Lisa who hadn''t thought of this as something important. It seemed she underestimated or overestimated some things about this pair. Or not at all.


    ¡°Don''t look at me like that,¡± Lisa said to him, floating without worry. ¡°There are many ways to handle magic. I gave you many suggestions before. Never seen you touch a speck of your Water Affinity. It is so low right now, but usable. Sharpness? Sure. You are using it often. Flame? It has some shortcomings, but it isn''t so bad. You should think about Anatidaes and their Universal Affinity as a bother, but it is what gives them an edge and touch of the Endless Skies.¡±


    Murai still glared at her in annoyance, hugged by Itrosh, and glanced at Bagus from a feather''s distance away.


    ¡°What?!¡± Bagus and Itrosh said at the same time after hearing Lisa''s voice. ¡°What a waste.¡±


    ¡°Water?¡± Murai grumbled. ¡°That element drowned me! Almost... That time...¡±


    Lisa looked at him, pinned between Itrosh and Bagus who wanted some refreshment. Water was a precious element in many instances. Although they had some water in storage, they could only quench their thirst. Water as magic had many wonderful ways and effects that could turn into many things. It was extremely versatile, unlike Flame which was hot and menacing.


    If anything, mana and water had many similarities. Both flowed endlessly, though one like foggy breeze and flames, and the other like blood.


    ¡°I really died there!¡± Murai shouted to Lisa''s mind, noticing that she didn''t trust him.


    ¡°Wasn''t there. Surely, you shouldn''t put your ass to every End. You didn''t die. You keep quacking and yapping for nothing. Use your head from time to time and not bother with some Water issues that are your problems.¡± she said out loud.


    ¡°And the shitty Battleworld gave me that Affinity out of that near End experience.¡±


    ¡°Sure enough. Sounds nice and all. So? Does it stop you from doing what you should do and handle? This gift of endless Affinities is like your head. Insensible, yet like the finest gift.¡±


    ¡°GIFT?!¡± Murai almost went insane in this heat and anger. He was never this furious about a single word she said.


    He hated it when she was this dismissive. It reeked of...well, it reminded him of many pasts, let alone some close deaths.


    ¡°Water... Fucking Water!¡± Murai couldn''t break free from his chains so he unleashed his Robust Defense out of nothing but spite. Bagus only looked at him, beak close.


    Itrosh handled him like a fool, so she winced her hands and stumbled to the sand when she felt a tremor and power of this sturdy barrier of unknown origin. She never saw him use it.


    Murai hovered before he stopped his Defense and got down. Bagus''s back was far, and his single-second Robust Defense proved itself. He mastered its basics, though he felt he couldn''t unleash this sort of act all the time. It made him vulnerable afterward since it would pin him to the gravity of existence and his stability would be weaker after any seconds. Mana was almost the same, though some options about it and his Heavenly Shaping might function together. He already saw some options in the last Gate when he fought against Uqari and a bunch of beasts way over his level.


    Using abilities under Robust Spirit was the training itself. Increases in Will, Soul Power, and Soul Force also gave some pointers, but he was never sure how much those numbers were worth the effort. These powers in numbers were strange where his soul was always tensed and vast. It made him dull unless he truly felt his Robust Spirit shine. It wasn''t like waking up. It was more like a sudden enlightenment that elevated his soul.


    At Level 8, Robust Spirit was weak at number, yet its Grade was SS. Time was precious, so Murai didn''t like wasting precious Soul Force points, so he took his Robust Spirit for something else than he should.


    ¡°What is even a misery for you?¡± Lisa asked a good question. ¡°I thought you went through worse than some drowning or boiling.¡±


    ¡°Dismissing the reality and current reality or distance reality... BAH!¡± Murai flicked his head away, upset. ¡°It sounds awful. I don''t like it.¡±


    ¡°How insensitive of you, more likely.¡± She said cleverly. ¡°I think you need me and we need you.¡±


    ¡°More misery? No thanks. It will come anyway, regardless of my tries to stop it or not. Hunted, you see. Curses work like that. They hardly go away.¡±


    ¡°Or you seek it.¡±


    ¡°Like you, seeking and hunting my life? Uh... Fine!¡± Murai gave up and kicked the sand around in small storms. Taking a deep breath, he began Conjuring some mana out of his full reserves. He didn''t hate Water. If he did, he would kill himself because he was a freaking duck. Those should love water like air.


    Conjuring was noteworthy under his training and Heavenly Shaping. It was a very universal way to let any mana out. He opened his channels, letting his Beast Core find its way of Water out of his body. The heat made it rather odd, while Heavenly Shaping didn''t influence this in the slightest unless he was using Surge or Insta Cast for some spell.


    Conjuring and Shaping had their neat connection, but in his case, mastering their basics was a run in endless track. Elemental Magic was quite a wide and fundamental side of magic that was etched into his soul.


    When a mage awakened his mana with a core, or had some talent like being born with some element, it was a very important time. Pursuing some talent in that direction was important for one''s Path and future because what was natural was better than what was forced.


    Usually, talent was the biggest obstacle when handling Elemental Magic. One could try to seek it, hoping to awaken some talents, or forcefully guide and take some element into their core. Mana Tomes was good for that, but one could easily get burned and injured by touching what one couldn''t handle.


    There were massive limits in what mages could handle with their flesh and cores weren''t something earthshaking. Most of the time a mage was happy to master pure mana before touching or hoping for something else. External tools or some treasure could help with the rest since they were outside of their body, and some elements were useful and not that far from pure mana.


    Alas, this world was far from others. Murai knew that Boosts were incredulous, enticing for anyone, and worth taking for strange Resonance, or straight-up gifts sent from Heavenly Void. That was odd. Some things were points of the previous Epoch, yet still lingered.


    Getting a proper Affinity in this world might be easier than in most worlds.


    For Murai, it was worth noting that his choices were important, and his species was having a joke of that rule instead. It could take anything. Any Affinity. Any element. How? Was it the wilderness, or what could that Universal Affinity mean?


    Beast Core was always unkempt. Even with or without his triplet of Affinities, Shaping, or fighting.


    But he had them like cheap gifts. Others had it different, limited, and varying in talents or possibilities.


    Cores were most important when one considered elements and rules of magic. It was what was guiding a lot of mages in their Paths. So when thinking of one or two of them, their significance would remain with them forever.


    Having them was the best with birth. Naturally awakening their effects was proper. Forcing an element to the core without any aid was hard.


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    This world turned that issue into a trial of talent and resources. A mage could hone their tries until the Boost would create the beginning variant of the low-tier Affinity they were trying for. Mana Tomes worked the same way. One could fail to get it, but it was like attempting to touch something far. One could get closer and closer until one would succeed. So, at least for those who had some success, accomplishments, or due reward, it was a great gift. If there was some practice and time, Boost could increase what was worth it.


    Getting an Element for Shapers was considerable leverage and an increase of possibilities. Sometimes it was a true Blessing. Core could change as well; it always did under the Affinities, unless one didn''t want them at all, or simply focused on a single one of their priorities. In that sense, having more than two was useless.


    There were various needs for all sorts of mages and Paths. Mana Cores were tools, after all. Everyone used them differently, turning them towards desirable heights, and trying to increase them wasn''t as easy as one would assume. Revolving Core was like a dream. Mere three Successes of the Initialization Core were like great barriers, and overcoming one whole stage in the core was like a great evolution.


    Murai thought of Affinities the same as usual, and even if his Core Defying Fusion Technique bricked that idea in half, he took his multiple ideas for curious and annoying gifts. Some Affinities couldn''t work together. Mana wouldn''t like them, and there were also Laws that one had to regard if one aimed for greater heights.


    At least he could still train with the fundamentals, finding neat tricks with Heavenly Shaping, and taking Affinities for gifts that might be good later down the line. For now, he had everything he needed for basic training. For fighting, not so much.


    It would take a while before some sense of comfort in magic arrived.


    Affinities turned the magic upside down. Murai was a prime example of that, though he was far from being a true mage just yet. He focused on other things for most of this life.


    It was hard to blame him; his body abilities and beak were simply far too great and adding to it his soul and his surroundings, he wasn''t able to see the end in sight.


    Water and Flame were in his core, followed by Sharpness which was the biggest and most visible. Both Water and Flame were also there, hiding under the Sharp light. Both were usable whenever he could unleash his Conjuring and touched on one of the Elements. He just never done much with either, besides roasting meat with Flame and using it in Flame Shots. That was it.


    Lisa was right. Water was never in his head. He knew why, but he didn''t want to admit it like a fool. With a pair of opposite elements growing around his Beast Core, it was natural to see it with doubts and use them with caution. They wouldn''t disappear, but they could feel left out and slowly dim until they would be mere shadows that could hide.


    His little elements weren''t lonely, however. Sharpness claimed its spot, and both combined couldn''t defeat this sharp light. It was far too savage, or perhaps his Beast Core disregarded these conflicts altogether when it could have them.


    Murai thought it was possible because his core gave him magical issues and these Affinities. It was like a double-edged sword, and something about his Beast Core wanted those elements and he was their master, watcher, and jailer.


    Sharpness was somewhat natural, but it wasn''t an element.


    Sharpness was under specific Force Magics that depicted styles close to elements. With roots in many things, they were residues of higher Laws, making them more powerful than natural elements and Elemental Magic.


    Those could change cores in vastly different ways from elements. Thus, they were known as dangerous tools with high ceilings for learning and usage.


    Still, be it Force or Elemental Affinities, they were still under the same roof. Mana space held them, cores used them, and letting them out had similar principles. Cores took care of them like planets revolving around the sun, or moons revolving around the planets. Exactly like in the vast and ancient past Epochs.


    Shapers depended on them much more than Handlers, whose Affinities were usually forced by their bodies, Catalysts, or dangerous techniques. Most were unable to truly benefit from them, for Shapers were much stronger in that regard since it dwelled deep in them, and came from them.


    Handlers had it in their skin. It was a little different, yet not as weak if one looked at truly powerful mages. Affinities hung around, hovered, and influenced mana space and roots in Mana Core. These processes signified power and the process of fuses of Affinities. The stronger they were, the better mages developed. Growing Affinities came less with usage and more with efficiency or letting the mana grow by taking outside resources. If one had just one of those, a mage couldn''t get very far. Resources couldn''t grant efficiency, and efficiency couldn''t increase Affinity to another level alone.


    For example, Murai''s Sharpness was great and at a Grade that was rare among Anatidaes at his Level. It improved via efficiency and use. He lacked outer resources and it won''t grow further as smoothly. But if he wanted to, mastering its effects would make him unstoppable at his Level.


    In the vision of Affinities, core''s revolutions worked for its purpose, pushing everything out in Conjuring and Shaping.


    In Murai''s case, his three Affinities were abnormal, if one forgot the base of pure mana. It was azure in color, cooler in flow, and without a shred of anything foreign. It was almost prettier than anything, but when it fused with elements, it turned much crisper and nicer. Like coloring water, it created an illusion of transformation. Depending on Affinity or how much the pure mana touched on this transformation, more strength came next.


    If a mage wanted to turn the tides from the go, Conjuring with some Affinities in mind, they could do it if they were confident in their bodies, cores, and handling Force or Elemental Magic came next.


    Someone could get burned if one turned the unkempt element up a notch, unleashing Conjuring like a storm.


    Because of that, Shaping had to be more controlled and better, thus more important for most mages.


    In history, Conjuring was known as the start of magic. Shaping came afterward, taking roots of control, training, and many techniques that changed magic forever. Shaping handled Conjured mana. There was usually some brief pause, delay, and waste of time.


    That was even with or without Heavenly Shaping in sight. Turning that delay into the smallest amounts was substantial help and something that many mages sought out like a dream, yet their cores would have some delay, their Shaping would come next, and one still had to mind the basic Conjuring.


    Murai lacked nothing in his memory. In body and mana space, he had some shortcomings.


    He felt almost all elements in the universe, but not all Force Affinities. Things like Sharpness were second nature to him due to some of his lives, yet Laws were vast, and Affinities limited for most life forms. One couldn''t master everything.


    So what about the Water Conjuring?


    It was there in his head, known and awaiting because it came to him many weeks ago. It latched into him like a curse, giving his mana potential transformation that would increase the flow and create pure water.


    Mana flowed out of his feathers, escaping from openings of his open hoodie and going away. It was bright pure mana at first, before it all changed when deep inside of him, Water turned, changing his Beast Core and Conjuring when he wanted it to start.


    Mana changed in a heartbeat, turning softer like wind, vapor, and droplets of water. Soon, streams of water began to fly above Murai''s head, turning, and taking the heat for an enemy.


    Bagus cheered but waited.


    ¡°Is that it?¡± Lisa said, frowning.


    Murai grunted and turned toward his Shaping. He stabilized his Conjuration by letting the Water revolve and turn into a storm. Quick like a tornado, soft like a soft pillow, the water turned colder, overcoming the heat and turning into a cocoon of comfort because with speed and this storm came less contact with heat and the surroundings turned colder.


    Most of this water hit Bagus, who cheered, cried, and spread his wings wide. He cooled off instantly. And for a long time, he wouldn''t have an issue with traveling if Murai would do it from time to time. Itrosh was the same. She started to dance around and cherish this water storm.


    ¡°You know you can do it when you want.¡± Lisa clapped sarcastically, an inch from Murai''s face.


    He stopped his magic when the water turned to mist. He stopped his Conjuring some time ago and because of it, the heat was slowly eating this water. It lasted for more than fifty seconds. Well, it was at least half a minute more than Lisa thought he would last, considering this heat and desert, and his general ignorance for using every tool he had.


    It seemed Lisa underestimated this duck again.


    ¡°Satisfied?¡± Murai quacked, turning to Bagus and Itrosh who were soaked wet and happy.


    ¡°You know how to handle Water better than Flames, don''t you?¡±


    ¡°Wanna know what I don''t handle?¡± Murai spread his wings, turned, and frowned at Lisa who felt lofty as she floated before him.


    Lisa smiled at him, calm and collected as she felt him. ¡°Me? Seriously?¡±


    Murai nodded.


    ¡°I thought you had trouble with your core more than myself. What now? Don''t tell me Heavenly Shaping changed you so much that you don''t see what matters. I took that technique for something ancient, yet never utilized by Anatidaes.¡±


    ¡°What do you know?¡± Murai asked. ¡°You take Anatidae to your mouth far too often and I don''t know what to expect. Do you know them or what? Do you know something I should know?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps. Do you know what I don''t? Undoubtedly.¡±


    ¡°I thought we were over this topic many days ago, Lisa. That a page turned to a new leaf and we would mind our business.¡±


    ¡°Weird quote.¡±


    ¡°It isn''t a quote. I said it as I feel it.¡±


    ¡°Leaf, huh?¡± Lisa pondered about something. ¡°I suppose we will go deeper and quicker into Scorching Light like this. Can your Water and Beast Core manage it?¡±


    Murai folded his wings back. ¡°Yes. Who do you think am I?¡±


    With that said, the group went back to their journey and Lisa relaxed and figured she might give Murai some ideas.


    Reaching Sector 34 with the help of Water ended up helping Itrosh and Bagus substantially. They were no longer half dead, but rejuvenated and quick on their feet. Especially Bagus was laughing and took Murai''s position on top of his head for a Blessing.


    In less than an hour, Sector 45 was near. Sectors were indifferent, looking the same, and most surrounded or took some mountains for their base, corners, and borders. Most significant Sectors had great owners who let it show. Roads were great and some towns were even on the surface, shrouded by some mountains, big buildings, or large flat layers of leather or magic barriers against the sun and heat. Those were generally obvious by some landmarks, big mountains, and places that Lisa didn''t want to visit.


    The further they went, the hotter it got, and the harsher environment turned into dried sandy rocks. Bones started to appear, dried and crisp like crackers. Murai tried some of them, but they tasted like dust.


    Land by itself was useless. The sand was lifeless when it didn''t turn into dried rocks. No enemies appeared either. It was lovely in many different ways. Mines in Sectors 44, 45, 46, 48, and 50 were large-scale operations with thousands of years of history, and also many raging wars. Great sources of income, competition for money, and godly favors ensured Chaos in this place.


    Itrosh found many wandering figures around them, yet most of them meant no trouble. They didn''t want to have anything to do with this Hunt, and Grifhart was kind of strong. They cared about mining and resources under the sand, and some games were far from their heads.


    If it weren''t for Hell Points and their wanted posters, Lisa would try to find some support in them. Most should know about the occurrences outside of the Scorching Light. Mindarch spoke its voice, and Levandis was like the voice of a Ruler. Everyone should take her voice for Law. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For as long as their heads could, of course. Many were so far above this play or level of fame, that they wanted to work and provide for themselves. They didn''t care for some God. They had work to do. Hunt was for those who took Hunt for work.


    Scorching Light was an outcast Province. A lot of arrogant and wild demonic clans, gangs, and individuals ended up here, looking for riches and power that can come with it.


    That could mean trouble because Murai''s location was one of the best mining places in this entire Gate. Murai kept his Token always close in his pocket. It could become problematic if he lost it. And its benefits against such a place were laughable.


    There was only one Pivotal City here. Anyone, or anything could attack them at any time. That was why Gate 3 was known as Hellish Gate in the Surface and many adventures didn''t want to come here. It was like a great filter. It stopped anyone weak before Paradise.


    Murai though Hellscape was a greater name than Hellish Gate.


    Adventures and Dungeon Delvers knew of Levandis Temple''s reputation and regarded it as a Unique-Grade location that was outside of most old or newly found Dungeons. Subjectively speaking, it was harsher than most of them simply because of the involvement of Somalis Hell itself and difficult and flexible Gate challenges.


    Hellscape was the harshest place out of the starting half of this temple. The reason? There were too many variables, crazy fools willing to do wild acts, unknown dangers, and difficulties were hard to calculate at every attempt.


    It was no wonder. Strategy was more important than flesh or sword, and going here alone was like asking for a beating.


    Sectors could shift without the right direction. Most of those who challenged this Gate with impunity died, never to return to the Surface.


    That was what Lisa knew, but the case of weaklings didn''t concern her. Her cards were awaiting. Her hopes were approaching.


    ¡°How long... till we stop? Bloody world. Water. Feather for a Water!¡± Bagus whined, regretting having such a tough coat of feathers.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Murai scowled and showered him with a quick whirlpool of Water that seemed like a tornado. Speed cooled his Water, turning cold as long as he was good with speed. He used a limited amount of mana, thus the effects weren''t strong or large, so the speed was good, and heat ceased it quicker. It was enough for refreshment and Bagus cheered up and like his words, he gave him a father for this shower. Murai didn''t know what to do with many of them, so he sored them into his ring and called it a day.


    So far, Murai was still wearing his half-open hoodie as he sat on top of Bagus''s head. Without it, the heat might be more manageable, but he kept Amelius close in his mind, so he kept it on. Water didn''t leak through it, and his own refreshment elevated his mind for five minutes at a time. That ensured near infinite loop of showers because his mana was constantly replenishing, and his use of Water was getting better and better.


    Unfortunately, so much could one do with a shower. Murai doubted some beasts or Razmund would appreciate it.


    Lisa argued with him about it a couple of times, but each time she did so, Murai barked at her that she was a bitch that didn''t have any feelings. It wasn''t hurtful. In a sense, he was right; Lisa didn''t have any physical feelings at all. She felt fine as if she was taking a stroll in the garden and some heat was the same as intense cold.


    That was at least the gist of it as they entered Sector 44.


    They were around eight kilometers away from Ip''ur Mountain, which was the middle portion of Scorching Light and this Gate as a whole.


    Sector 44 had a great location to hide. There were many open caves in the mountainous cliffs that were many stacked mountains in the middle of a vast flat desert. There was even some chill in their shade.


    They rested for a bit of time, feeling like bugs hiding in the darkness.


    This brief pause was the last one before they would reach Ip''ur Mountain.


    Sector 44 wasn''t anything crazy. There were no indistinguishable paths onwards or borders. It was all the same dry sand. But when some gangs found some trespassers around their properties or wounded mines, things could get ugly.


    Owners of each mountain were usually different unless large gangs or companies owned them. Sometimes, there were those interested who would take them by force anyway, so there were those who owned dozens of them because they were powerful enough to keep them. Mines worked similarly in name alone.


    All for the wealth and power, this place was honest under Murai''s eyes.


    In the case of valuable mines, rare findings, treasures, or some ancient sights, they were a hot commodity. Competition over them was always fierce even with some demons, humans, or clever beasts.


    Everyone was looking for their benefits. So much so, that small towns often surrounded some mines, creating a hub of some sort. One such hub was where Lisa decided to visit and check on something good.

 Chapter 227: Taggs City

    Sector 44 was desert like any other, trapping moisture, dry heat, and light under many corners. Even some mountains were scorching hot, looking like seeping flames from the distance. Around a hundred individual mountains were around this Sector, with each having mines in a single digits, or more. That was where the money lay, so it went without question that there were dangers within them. Most likely information that Lisa was seeking was somewhere around them, though with David''s gone, all she had was her previous guesses and current doubts. Ip''ur Mountain was closing at least, and that enchanting and great sun in the distance looked more and more insane.


    Plans were about validity, claims, and trustful sources. She was weird about it for a long time and didn''t know what to even tell Murai.


    The type of words that she planned for since she started this Gate were long gone and her lofty ideas came up short. Now, she was half realizing that she was too confronting and less like her usual self. David was a partial help and half lost his purpose when she thought about him. Almost everything was her own fault. Her expertise, words, and plans. Most were unfilial and she didn''t like it.


    Finding reasons for the Ip''ur Mountains portal was harsh and accepting that some Gods would scrutinize her effort was angering her more than it should. She should know this place. Not Gods above, or the reason that shouldn''t be good. This was about Hellscape and this former temple. She was supposed to be great. Excellent! No one knew if some portal was even in her mind, and she frankly had no idea if there was even one.


    But she remembered Lorry and his little comment and it frustrated her ever since. It should have some trust. Something... Lisa didn''t know it, it seemed. Thus, pushing into unknown boundaries called research and looking deeper into something she should know, came next. Some legends, or digging into this place was the sole concept that Lisa could think about.


    Murai would agree that was great, but he didn''t know a thing about it yet. For the most part, she kept him in limbo, telling him that she needed to work on it by herself and how she would give it justice. It was her stubbornness.


    She didn''t want his help because she was a unscrupulous little ghost with way too heavy and lofty head. Murai knew it since the beginning. Her past was like that, and she didn''t want to change.


    Murai would not have a problem with that if the world itself didn''t want his neck. This involved him far too much for some compromise to matter. So he pestered her until she told him about some bits of her doubts and personal issues.


    It was childish. Not her plan. That one was laughable because it wasn''t about her but the surroundings and what they could say, or influence.


    The history of most mines went according to years, decades, centuries, or millennia. Those were simple tiers for worth and history, describing mountains, people, and treasures.


    Each mountain had many of them, and each mine had a unique number for how long they operated underground. The ones that were barren of resources closed and lost their number a long time ago. The better the mine was without losing that privilege, the deeper they went and the better number they had.


    Sector 44 had many Millennia Mines, but pretty much every Sector had them, followed by many Century Mines, or Decade Mines. Millennia Mines were the most prominent and lasted many generations and many wars and hunts for their resources.


    The smallest ones usually held a couple of issues: they were newly set up by some companies, unexplored, their location was an issue, or their structure was poor. Underground could be dangerous, or the mines would run out of resources quickly without expanding enough. It was about incentives, worth, and company mines.


    Murai found that somewhat interesting that mining was so adamant and popular in this sort of place. He wondered what were they mining, but Lisa never talked about it. She argued it wasn''t important before changing the topic.


    Their current destination wasn''t part of the plan. Lisa decided to rest Bagus in an old town of Mine 493, depicting one of the many Century Mines. There was a small city hiding far from the heat, built into crevices and above large cliffs of a mountain.


    Murai rode Bagus to that place, followed by everyone. It was an interesting party, so hopefully, no one would cause trouble for them when they arrived.


    Lisa hoped for something. Murai didn''t know the details because she had been acting strangely ever since they came close to that bright sun. She took Bagus as her most prominent tool, whereas Itrosh was below him. If things go south, they were powerful enough on their own, and as a team, even some gangs with those mastering the Laws shouldn''t crash them outright.


    That was one of the reasons she was upset about David and Ultium.


    But when she thought about it deeper¡ªand after listening to Murai''s arguments and quacks¡ªshe figured it wasn''t a bad thing because it was their choice. They were behind, probably around the starting Sectors of Scorching Light, waiting for things to change, or for Razmund to show up.


    Frankly, they could''ve met Razmund long ago or were already fighting. David never called. While Lisa didn''t think they would die, they better not get in her sight.


    It had been half a day since they entered this cursed desert. Murai accepted this place, glancing at the approaching mountain. He was on top of Bagus, meditating and taking this place for granted.


    ¡°This sure is odd... This heat, Anatidae, and mana of this place are weirdly linked. Does it mean something is going on with my cores, or is my little Flame better than I thought? It doesn''t feel like improving, but... It does make me feel hotter and comfortable, and my body and feathers take it for a hot spring.¡±


    ¡°Could be because of your stupid ass,¡± Lisa argued beside him, speaking to his mind.


    ¡°Oh, you are speaking to me as if you care...¡±


    ¡°Hearing you all the time does that to me...¡± Lisa said, floating at a good pace beside huffing Bagus, whose feathers were loose, tongue out, and his hunched head was trying to hide under one of his wings. The other was above Itrosh, who was clutching it as it was her last resort against the heat.


    ¡°Then tell me, what is going on between me and this place?¡± Murai turned his head, passing his meditation for a trick under Heavenly Shaping that touched some part of his passive Mana Replenishment that had never left him. It was a peculiar flow that was created between this word, him, and mana when he evolved into Anatidae Panacea. Back then, he had no real pressure on affinity. He felt the craze of his vast mana and felt small ever since. It changed a little bit in this desert, where he started to feel as if he was slipping into the heat. It felt homey if it made sense.


    ¡°Why should I say something about it?¡± Lisa asked.


    ¡°Because you''ve been here before.¡±


    ¡°That doesn''t mean I know you or what it even means.¡±


    ¡°But you''ve guessed something. I can tell that.¡±


    Lisa eyed him next, hands folded and her dress-like sona flickered behind her like little waves of flames. ¡°I think your magic is out of my reach. Heavenly Shaping is a peculiar technique, but Anatidaes are at the same, if not much larger heights. Why? I think it has something to do with this world, Gods, and their Bloodline. If you combine that with the soul, and conflicting nature of their legends, then we have what if you come and become it?¡±


    ¡°So... Does it feel bad because of me? How? I am feeling mana as usual. It can''t change just because of my body. It does change only when it is within me, but outside? It feels as if I am taking part in something unnatural. It makes my feathers tense and cores weird.¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Cores? Both?¡±


    ¡°Yes. This heat is getting intense and I feel if I constantly cycle, I could improve four times faster with half the effort. Shame I can''t keep up with it. I think a few months in here would get me somewhere where I could see the truth.¡±


    Lise took his comment in silence gaze and seemed to read and feel his body. She felt it would be great if he could do that. She was never able to figure out methods of his mana space, or Core Defying Fusion Technique. It was an ancient kind of technique that had a rough foundation. In a sense, it was akin to a power of ancient words that might no longer exist.


    ¡°So you are worried about time? Too bad. We can''t keep it. We go into the mountain so try your Mana Veiling next. There will be demons that will see you for sure. I hope nothing bad will happen.¡±


    Murai agreed and grumbled about how she could worry about this visit. Sure, his Water was getting less and less useful in increasing heat, but it was still good. He improved and felt his Flame and Water reached some weird symbiosis. He wondered if getting into this upcoming city was clever, but Bagus didn''t complain at all.


    If David wanted to act independently, so be it. If he lost his life, it was his fault for being overconfident. That was all about it. Lisa begrudgingly accepted that idea, which was why they were going into this city with half of her promising team. Having Ultium would help, yet why would she rely on a questionable devil? That was unlike her.


    Upon entering the rather open layout of the city, Murai wondered what would happen next. He was part of a rather unique party. Lisa was glowing and flying, Murai was an Anatidae, while Bagus and Itrosh were probably the most normal out of everyone, yet their appearances were... well, there was nothing wrong. Demons had weird bodies, while races like beast-folk or demons were diverse.


    Lisa and Murai were simply way out of the norm. Murai was oblivious to what he looked like. He didn''t care for the weird looks either, and there were a lot of gazes upon them. Unsurprisingly, some citizens recognized them even if this Province took this Hunt for an outside problem.


    But if the outside problem arrived like a cheap invasion, they might as well take part in that fun. Thankfully, information gathering in this city was dogshit. Most individuals held either outdated information or simple rumors. Caused by the lack of connections, enemies, or simply because this place was chaotic on its own merits, there was some roughness here. News between mountains and mines was like many gangs looking at each other, or many tribes scattered and looking out for themselves.


    That was an advantage Lisa could work with, but she didn''t know how far she could take that because one couldn''t expect the unexpected.


    After all, the world changed. What this place would do if they strolled into it so brazenly? Well, it came as no surprise that everyone took them with some doubts and fears because an Anatidae on top of splendid Grifhart wasn''t normal.


    The big fella didn''t look as crazy, but his reputation around Hellscape was terrific. Pushed by heat, he looked irritated in this place, so many took him like a pissed beast looking for trouble. Bagus seemed as if he was ready to kill anyone who would look at him funny, or he simply looked for a shop with some drinks.


    It was a good spot and sufficient as far as Lisa saw that. Everyone should be fine to be a Hunter, eying their heads or badges for prizes, yet if they weren''t Hunters, they shouldn''t touch them.


    That was false. Even unaffiliated denizens could sell some news to the official Hunters or simply kill the prey and sell it off. It was either up to Mindarch how harsh the Hunt had to be, while anyone without a license could gamble everything, or see some remedy with Mindarch or the Hunted. Everyone around them was a potential competitor or friend that they could share some news, Hell Points, or rumors.


    Lisa looked at those demons and various beings of many races. There were big Orcs, fiendish humans with many demonic aspects, and regular beast-folk. Everyone was looking like a bandit with sharp eyes and close weapons at hand. Watching their reaction, seeing their faces and acts, Lisa saw their reluctance and Murai felt it more. As long as there weren''t some alliances or some nasty lawful fools who would make their move, everything should be fine.


    Her party didn''t want trouble; just rest and some information was everything Lisa wanted. Unsurprisingly, denizens of this Province held money in high regard. Their existence would leak, rumors spread, and such news would come with rewards.


    Lisa hoped for fake news and false reporting, yet without David in a way, what could they do? Perhaps they won''t leak shit because they might get greedy. It was how they grew up, saw money, and felt their value. Worth and power that moved between them were like a loose reward and betrayal.


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    Money spoke countless languages. For those powerful, it meant even wisdom or endowed riches that one took for reputation or direct accumulated power. For weaklings, it was about dreams, less weight, or potential. Those tended to lose some money because they couldn''t bear such desires or burdens.


    In a place where gangs and wealth hid in people or the ground, money was simple, second to power. Sometimes, there was no distinct line between them.


    Lisa got that long ago, as this was a place too vast for a single gang or individual to handle. There were many of them because this mountain was big. Deaths and various conflicts could arise with very few pokes or words. The winner took it all, while the losers lost everything. It could be no different now. The rules of the world didn''t matter, for what was the Hell, if not a Chaos where rules mattered less?


    Will of the Battleworld was keen on inequality, and it had its roots even in places like this. This planet had its ideals; its Laws written and bent by godly Will.


    Powerful could slaughter weaklings like ants. That was a fact of the Endless Sky which many Gods feared and saw with tense apprehension. So in a word with less weight on that rule, what could it create? Lisa feared no rules. She knew that utter freedom was an endless act, and some free things were often the harshest, hardest, and most costly. Without some reserves, this world would long cease to exist, which was a wonderful cause, if things would go properly. They never did. Vermillion spitted at that idea, turning this world back to the Old World and perhaps even further.


    Undoubtedly, many would take advantage of this Chaos and take it for something immense and fearless. But before that, many had to regard the rules for fearsome repercussions, Gods for envious positions, and take bravery for a chance and choice. Bearing the punishment of loss was inevitable in this world.


    Will of the Battleworld could only do so much. It often couldn''t do enough, or it didn''t want it to begin with. Some stuff stank of unfilial duties a long time ago and Lisa was not that brash about it. She spoke to Murai about it yet with that silly duck and places around, her choices had limits like her voice.


    Some places cherished some Chaos, bathing in it, turning situations into benefits and advantages. It was possible to turn everything into something rigged or taken advantage of.


    Bagus walked at the front of this group, acting like a pissed leader of a gang as he looked for trouble. Be it a glass of water or a filthy pond, he would take anything for something cold, or a bath.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Itrosh said as she poked her head behind a wing. ¡°Finally some good fucking shade...¡±


    ¡°Keep it for yourself,¡± Lisa said sternly. ¡°We got a lot of bridges to burn before we can keep our positions high.¡±


    They wanted no troubles. It was false under some suggestion because of Bagus and Itrosh who were familiar with such places. They had no trouble looking at others, take them on, let alone kill them.


    Looking for portals or hidden and secret places was a specific topic that Lisa supervised. She wanted some records that were kept in mining documents scattered around this Province. Most of what David found in Helltrim City wasn''t enough and Scorching Light was vast and complicated because of how mines worked. Frankly, she had uncertainty about David''s findings, and he and she knew why.


    It was about the circumstances, Murai, and his location. The history of portals around here wasn''t that good because of unkempt Chaos Space and roughly maintained links and needs. There were still many portals because of the upper echelon of this place, trading, military, and Levandis. For regular companies or miners, let alone gangs, they didn''t mean much. They weren''t even meant to traverse this Gate because of the leaping expenses they came with.


    There were even portals that got destroyed in the past, or they stopped working by losing touch with reality. Those needed repairs or they simply disappeared into obscurity, but one thing was better than another. Lisa was aware of how Levandis created this big web of portals. One destroyed link could destabilize everything, which led her to where? Records that were always available to buy or look for were public were David''s last resort, followed by one in the Ip''ur Mountain


    Ip''ur Mountain had few choices whatsoever, so Lisa decided to dig around in the second place possible.


    This place called Tagg''s Mine City will do. It wasn''t an original name at all, thanks to the owners who always changed the city''s name when one died, or lost their ownership. Usually, the name of the owner becomes the town''s name after some buyouts, wars, or giving it up. Many such cities took care of it by a deeply rooted greed, or competition. The strongest and greatest mining company or gang would win the city and get some great benefits or cuts from the competition. It was about culture.


    The city itself looked as if it was part of the mountain, knocked into the shades of the cavern, crevices, and stones. The heat was almost unnoticeable when one got deeper enough, thanks to the hundreds of meters distance away from the sand, and wide cliffs overhead.


    Sunlight came from a couple of glass-looking pillars that supported the cliffs above, representing humongous crystals that appeared like large towers or spears. Light came from them, looking soft and not hot.


    Murai bet they were coming from the end of the mountain, bearing sunlight and letting life touch this city, or it was an empowerment? Mana here was peculiar, and these big rods continued to the ground. They looked like glass that glowed, giving this place unnatural light and mana.


    Thanks to the pillars a dozen times thicker than Bagus, and taller than Giants by many times, they gave off a feeling as if they were forged and left alone a long time ago.


    ¡°Oh, those are?¡± Murai asked from his elevated and shaking position. Bagus forgot about buying anything. He looked like a dog for a pond to jump in.


    Lisa felt the onlookers were suspicious and losing some edge. They didn''t approach them, nor did they seem afraid or too interested. That was good and weird at the same time. She expected at least someone. ¡°Look around and think about it yourself.¡± Lisa dismissed Murai''s curiosity when some demons began to flare around the place.


    Her sona picked on it.


    There were demonic miners or gangsters of all kinds, ranging from rough soldiers wearing robes, looking like thugs with many eyes, evil smiles, and human limbs. Then, there were those looking like wolves, but weirder, protected by scales, fogs, or flickering long fur or spikes.


    Everyone looked weird, Murai''s group included, so they fitted quite well.


    Orcs were filial to Murai''s memory. He swore they looked almost identical to other worlds, but their muscles held differences and their faces were a bit more rough. They looked like raging stone waves that turned as if their skin was wooden, wool, or metallic filled with many lines.


    Most intelligent demons were close to humans in appearance. Some were almost identical, obvious by devils or succubus. Besides these, many high-class Bloodline races among demons could change appearances, looking for perfection, or temporal power by influencing their bodies, or permanent physiques. Those with little demonic features tend to be better than others. It was about a royal-like status that many Gods had. Mortals wanted to follow the same principles as their mighty Gods, thus many races and Bloodline came with their perks and appearances, and many mortals wanted to be the best. As for the rest, history or power was vast like the Epochs or vast amount of Skies above countless planets.


    The most notable way to look at perfection was skin. It could be yellow, red, green, purple, dark, white, or others, yet scars, roughness, or bad patterns were no good. Weird colorations were no good either. That seemed to be the norm across many races. Not just demonic.


    But beasts were far from that ideology. They had fur, feathers, spikes, and many other specialties that described their history and Bloodlines. All kinds of colors were respectful and great for most of them.


    As Lisa gave Itrosh a rough look, some Brutes¡ªlooking like tough and burly half-apes and half-humans¡ªjumped from the buildings and looked at Bagus and his group. They held weapons, laughed, and surrounded them by dozens of members.


    They were part of some gang, obvious by a crescent-patterned symbol etched into their flesh or clothes. They watched what was their¡ªor potentially their¡ªthus all visitors fell into a few categories. Those worthy entering or angering. Some were easily dealt with, and others should be far out of their sight for their own good.


    Violence in such cities and mines was subject to how owners wanted to follow the jurisdiction around the mining or fighting. It was less about rules but more about reputation and death. Some had rules put in place akin to a Pivotal City: no fighting unless one had a permit from the owner. The second idea was good ol'' duels.


    Other groups besides Brutes viewed that curious group with curious eyes. Then, they stopped looking, turning their eyes away, and not knowing what to do.


    They heard rumors.


    They feared those that could be threatening and real.


    Bagus and Itrosh were there, but those weren''t everything. A single Grifhart above Level 70 was a big deal. Itrosh wasn''t worth all that much, as she wasn''t even Level 70, but her weaponry and killing potential were quite high against fodder.


    Bagus was eye-catching. Then, there was that little clothed Anatidae wearing a hoodie, sitting on top of Grifhart''s head. Most onlookers recognized it quite quickly and felt it was incredible and impressive.


    That mighty and precious beak glinted in the pillar light, wings folded on its back, and those little eyes looked at them with arrogance as if they were ants. There was also some fun in them as if it wanted to try to eat them and kill them right now.


    Ducks were hardly seen in the entire Gate, let alone this desert. They were animals of the Surface, though some beasts and demons had greater characteristics because of some bloodline or simply because of some ancestry. Birds have many characteristics to duck, giving evolutions and demonic Bloodlines various aspects, such as greater wings, beaks, size, or feathers.


    Murai was definitely not normal, yet still looked like a normal duck by size alone.


    Most of the onlookers realized that Hunt was whatever it could be. Anatidae rumors were not only true but right there before their eyes.


    Right about now, a series of rumors spread again and went to other mines, or out of this Province. Lisa knew it was not the first or last occurrence, yet how many times they had fought against some foreign enemy? Not once. Sure, Bagus crashed some Flame Scorpions, Sand Snakes, or Heat Elementals, but these were natives of this place. There were no gang ambushes.


    Clutter of words echoed, followed by whispers and even loud laughs and jokes. Then, about a dozen Brutes became scraps when Bagus swung his wing in annoyance over some pests. ¡°Get lost.¡±


    Clutter of weapons dropped, followed by body parts and gore.


    Sounds echoed quite far in this place, but thanks to the vastness, most were incoherent messes due to many kinds of sounds or languages. Most demons lingered around when Bagus and others stayed in place, not doing a thing. The rest of the Brutes whispered in sharp, loud, and melodic sounds, and a bunch of them fled straight away.


    Tagg''s City held about a dozen big main streets in total, ranging from shops, places to stay, living streets, large-scale mining factories, various warehouses, and big industrial buildings. Mostly made of plated metals and dark-looking bricks, they looked thick and sturdy. Murai saw no smoke rising anywhere, and the temperature in town and streets was much more comfortable than outside.


    Housing was wooden, or made of bricks. Not much care was put into designs, apart from the mining sections of the city. Considering nearly five centuries behind this city, it was in decent shape for its size which changed numerous times throughout its history.


    That was this place''s weakness. It couldn''t advance in size. There was only so much some companies could mine here with limited surface and mountain. Going deep sounded easy, but with limited infrastructure, it was like hoping for a better harvest with a lot of seeds and not enough cultivated soil.


    Still, this was enough for what this city could do and qualify for. Stagnancy in worth wasn''t wrong. As long as there was a constant volume of resources running in or out of this place, it would keep living and going for centuries to come. Not beyond, unfortunately. It will never become a Millennium Mine, regardless of reaching that mark in years and history.


    Brutes became like dogs. Other gangs surrounding Bagus hesitated until some of their members attacked, causing yet another swing to cleave the flesh and walls apart. Then, many cluttering noises spread when Murai leaned on his Shaping and sent raging Sharpblades forward, slicing at them, or leaving some demons on their knees, frowning in pain, or surprise. ¡°Tsch... Not a single one?¡± Murai complained and figured these fools were at a higher level than anything from the previous floors.


    Almost everyone here was around Level 50 and above, but many of their talents were lacking because gangs weren''t that good. It was about talent and they had less potential to be powerful, so they took his Sharpblade with intact lives. What surprised them was the sheer speed and power of this magic that spread like lighting from that Anatidae. It truly felt like a wind or like a swing of Bagus.


    Bagus walked on without any further interruption, stepping on the corpses, and leaving others to flee. He wasn''t in the mood to look for something he didn''t want. Problems came and fled. That was it. Lisa was hiding in Murai''s hoodie, whispering something to Bagus''s ears, but he only huffed and walked away from the street. She led him to a great part path and pointed to a small restaurant.


    They ordered nothing, which angered the owner¡ªa True Orc of quite a stature¡ªwho carried a big cutting knife and wore chef''s attire. It was a true sight to behold, but upon noticing Bagus, he shut up any complaints. He left them be, knowing that this wasn''t worth any trouble or hustle.


    ¡°You are sometimes quite handy, do you know that?¡± Itrosh teased Bagus by poking his neck, giggling.


    ¡°Bah!¡± Bagus sneered, flinching his tail, and selected a nice shade fas his rest. Uttering useless words to Itrosh wasn''t his forte. Her teases always ended in more flirts.


    ¡°Or was it you?¡± Itrosh pointed to Murai next, but he ignored her comment by looking away.


    ¡°Sector 44 and a city, huh? Why are we here again?¡± Murai wondered, looking around on top of the resting Bagus. ¡°This city doesn''t seem special at all. A rundown place and mining mess with little to offer. It is full of fools that fear this little me. It feels weird when I see myself in the past. They all run away, eh?¡±


    ¡°Why do you care?¡± Lisa asked from his hoodie, oblivious to his habit of thinking without knowing she heard him anyway.


    ¡°Oh, I don''t care. Why would I? I just speak out of spite that I am heard by a ghost hunting my spirit. Feels terrible, you see. Interesting and fine feelings to my heart are besides power and questionable hopes.¡±


    ¡°Hopes and power could be the same. Also, you are annoying me with your constant shift in ideas. At some point, you didn''t care for my plans or myself. You fought your way onwards without a willingness to catch my words.¡±


    Murai laughed. ¡°You do the same thing. There wasn''t anything to catch besides me and my patience. I had things to worry about. It is called a healthy focus on stability and growth. My training lasted days and exceeded my expectations. What does it say about you, whose plan seems to shift to shits and changes? Now, I need to practice and understand your ideas in a century if I wanna live. It is like a riddle.¡±


    ¡°Good joke.¡±


    ¡°Was I too obvious?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lisa nodded. ¡°Training or not, you need to listen to me next. Reaaaally listen to me if you want to get me.¡±


    ¡°You should do that to me. Sometime. Not every time, otherwise I would fall apart. Adventure is good for a soul. Almost as good as some long wisdom conversation. It could be soothing and carry a weight that lifts the spirit.¡±


    ¡°That is coming from you of all souls. That is really something else, Murai Hisagi,¡± she sighed, coming closer to his face, which amounted to nothing much but glaring and slightly glowing Soul Render closing to his feathered face. Murai didn''t even see her thanks to the hood that she forced on him, but her shine was notable.


    ¡°Wanna hear a story?¡± She offered.


    ¡°Story? From you? I am all ears if we are supposed to pass the time here before raiding Ip''ur Mountain. Why are we here again? Wait. Never mind. I am listening.¡± Murai snuggled on top of Bagus''s head, figuring that hearing her sounded like a good time. Perhaps Lisa was waiting for something else than time.


    Itrosh took a seat aside from Bagus, resting like him. Arms crossed, hands folded in her lap, and fingers wide open, she started to meditate, breathing irregularly while maintaining a balance of air, sound, and calmness.


    Bagus was snoring and felt great after the owner brought out a big bowl of fresh water with some big open jars with cool drinks aside. They all knew that what was before them was essential. They should be ready for the final push.

 Chapter 228: Ultra Gems

    Lisa lowered her density even more, appearing small like a Soul Whisp. She flinched and flew before Murai''s face, where she glanced at him in doubt whenever she wanted to talk for real or wait.


    ¡°You could be this small?¡± Murai asked in wonder at her tiny appearance. She could sit on his beak and look great.


    ¡°Could be big too. Anyway, what do you think is the reason those mountains remain in this place, even though Levandis dug out this cave herself? Seems kind of weird, doesn''t it?¡±


    ¡°She dug it out herself? Never seen a God be this bored to dig out some soil. Was she weak-minded or foolish?¡±


    ¡°We are standing in the middle of Sun God''s past kingdom,¡± Lisa reminded him of that past that she already mentioned multiple times. Murai heard it a long time ago from Will of the Battleworld and his entry to this temple. ¡°This is a very potent land with deep history and depth and Gates and who knows what else.¡±


    ¡°Former soil, you mean? Sun God is gone. No more sunning and breathing, or whatever this one did.¡±


    ¡°Regardless, why is this place like this?¡± Lisa pressed to go back to the previous topic.


    ¡°Because mountains could be useful like soils, sturdy like asteroids, or these mountains appeared after she dug around like a rabbit. Seismic activity and the wonderful Depths of this world are other things. Or she created them as a shelter because of that big sun that she decided to hang up on the ceiling. It is too big, too close, and far too intense. Or she didn''t care to dig like a proper rabbit. I wouldn''t do such a job either. Take my guess, frankly. A lot of things could work and not work after some time.¡±


    ¡°Rightfully so. Time, logic, and answers are all points of interest.¡±


    ¡°Your interest could be quite something sometimes. You should look at the mirror,¡± Murai said with a deep amount of irony.


    Lisa ignored his remark. ¡°It''s all the above in my opinion, but publicly, the choices and interest matters like lands we walk on. Valuable things that might not be for Gods or Sages or Overlords could be treasures for just about most mortals. This place was once the land of an old age and the last peace of this planet. Sun God. The kind that bathed this planet in his former glory pushed this place to the limits. The power of Light Pathway found its way.¡±


    ¡°And died so Levandis looted his palace. Got it. Poor fella. Shortsighted because of his Light, I bet.¡±


    ¡°Unsurprisingly dead and also snatched of his former belongings. Would you expect something else from a demonic God? Why not take something that is already abandoned?¡±


    ¡°The point that she managed it is surprising,¡± Murai said. ¡°Inheritance of former Gods are two different dimensions from simple inheritances from other times or places or just little portions of them. Taking a bite out of a former Divine Kingdom is a peculiar problem. One would think they would be long snatched away. No God should like to be looted like a fool. Trust me. What was up with the Sun God anyway? Was Levandis the first to claim his stuff, or was she lucky, or... wait. Her Path sounds different. Is it her strength that matters? Why would she even want some stuff from him if she sees all this Chaos? Seems silly.¡±


    ¡°I''ve heard stories that said that Sun God''s inheritance was wildly considered as earthshaking and irregular. It wasn''t about the sun alone, but his armies and people were powerful back in his time, or so the stories said. This temple as a whole is the epitome of that time. Ancient, I mean. You don''t see it, do you?¡±


    ¡°I am fighting it out against babies of this lofty Levandis, so yes. I don''t see the point of this temple or the past.¡±


    ¡°At least you know it. I wonder. Who knows what was included in that inheritance, yet when the End comes, reasons could go away. Levandis got it going. Somewhat.¡±


    ¡°She isn''t fit for it though,¡± Murai said again, knowing that the Chaos and Light weren''t nearing like neighbors or suitable Laws. Levandis seemed to be of the Thousand Grave Path. That was within the Pathway of Death, latching onto the Path of Necromancy or other kinds of Paths. It was quite a harsh Path because A Thousand Graves depicted a thousand instances of corpses and a thousand kinds of Law comprehensions, giving this Path much more complicated matters to touch. Divinity was also a weird part of it, which made this Path one of the better within this Pathway.


    So for it to snatch some former Divine Kingdom, Murai wasn''t surprised.


    ¡°Who are you to say that?¡± Lisa questioned, ¡°She changed most of the walls already, frankly, but many old constructs and ideas remain and assemble this temple. Mindarch is one such thing. I understand some stuff myself. That is why I am talking to you about it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then why are we talking about her and Sun God? I am not following.¡±


    ¡°Because.¡± Lisa shrugged her tiny little arms. ¡°I am a fervent taker of history and want to talk about it. For a former Succubus, I know, it isn''t fitting. I am testing something for you.¡±


    ¡°Hm? I am questioning the former of the former, but please, continue the story if it means something good or great. If not... then our positions remain the same and my disappointment is.... silent.¡± Murai added, surprising Lisa who seemed to have decided on something.


    ¡°Fine. My point is underground and the earth of the former Sun Palace. Some say it was on the Surface back then, going deep into the Battleworld. The whole Seven Death Forest was a giant paradise, so the soil carries some treats and bits of treasures and power of that distant past. But that is.... well, difficult. Death Valley is there, looking terrific and savage. So what is below? Not Mana Essences, but not something wild and different either. Some say it is like a Law, others say it''s blood, and other says it was here before the Sun God. After all, why would Sun God choose such a location? On the Surface, surrounded by many regions and powers, he built his Divine Kingdom. Such acts are as old as Death and sound interesting and not long-lasting.¡±


    ¡°Different times speak of different plans. What was there all those years ago? From what I''ve gathered, the Sun God is ancient. Older than the Battleworld or this... well, the Old World is still not up to me. I am no historian like a floating little wisp.¡±


    ¡°Who said that?¡± Lisa asked.


    ¡°Is it wrong?¡±


    ¡°A bit. A lot of places are ancient yet still standing for good reasons. A lot of information prevailed from those times as well. Those are not only part of Dungeons, you see. A lot of cultures and Gods give history some pressure because they are old and know it. Of course, when we gather Surface or Depth together and add Sky, things get difficult. Historians and those interested in the former world gather evidence that this world is sacred and meant to be protected. Not filled to the bones with battle and endless suffering.¡±


    ¡°Endless suffering? All that I am hearing is a yapping of an old history. What is the evidence, I wonder?¡± Murai said seriously, contemplating where was Lisa going with this topic or logic.


    ¡°The world? Places? Dungeons themselves and inheritances left their charms. This world departed many bits as well and left it like a memory or trial from previous times. Battleworld is vast. Racially, it changed. Geologically, it hasn''t changed all that much. Well, continents changed, people did too, and who knows how many Gods turned this into something else? That is secondary.¡±


    ¡°Secondary? Are you belittling the course of planets and time? Gods are freaks that don''t consider history to be important if it doesn''t mean shit to them. Or it is about suiting their needs. They are greedy pigs.¡±


    ¡°Says you.¡±


    ¡°Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Lisa said firmly. ¡°Word by word, there is much to say and discover and tell. Sun God was a big deal in the former world.¡±


    ¡°So big that he is nowhere but a memory. I can see how massive he is.¡± Murai said and deep sarcasm resounded in his soul, shuddering Lisa''s core.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Lisa sighed, figuring that she diverted from what she meant to say. ¡°Sun God''s place of influence was in no Sky, yet it was vast and deep. It was here, on the earth and below, and also on the Surface. Desert used to be a fascinating farm, land, kingdom, and paradise.¡±


    ¡°That dreadful place?¡± he tried to remember that crazy desert and figured some races could still live there and establish quite a decent Divine Kingdom if their race or Bloodline was good. It didn''t need a God. Almost no place ever did.


    ¡°Yes. The former palace ended up destroyed and cut into the earth, forming this temple that Levandis remodeled for her needs. A portion is the old temple. Hellscape is new, but in place and close to the old ruins, or built into them.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going with this? I am lost in your words or story if that''s what is even right.¡±


    ¡°It is about mining. There are treasures that you would want to see. What do they mine? Something that Levandis wants? Something that caught her eyes all those years ago? Do those mountains protect or hide something?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps both. She is God. She must be a greedy pig herself.¡±


    Lisa suddenly jerked her hand, using her ring which was a belt at her current size.


    A tiny gem came out of it. She caught it, hugging it so it wouldn''t fall when she charged her body like a little spark.


    The gem was very small, yet glowing in little veins that were almost impossible to see because of the light that connected to Lisa''s own light. Murai still caught what it was and felt a disturbing idea. He had seen something like this before. Either in the Helltrim City or David mentioned it once or twice.


    ¡°This is Ultra Gem.¡±


    ¡°Ultra? What a weak name. Unoriginal.¡± Murai squinted as he observed it. He felt its Light. It was no Mana Essence, but it was a material holding onto some minor element for sure. Law of Light might be close or almost like a shadow.


    Or it was a Divinity flowing into the physical realms.


    ¡°Your opinion. We are talking about someone called Levandis, Lady of Thousand Graves. Edgy, correct? Names are names for a reason.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. And I am a sufferer of endless Cursed Living.¡±


    Lisa shifted her body again, enlarging herself because she had trouble handling this small Gem in both tensed tiny arms. ¡°Ultra Gems are a rarity in this place, as well as a historical treasure from ancient times coming to reality. They are found nowhere else but in this region. Ultra means endlessly rich in some depiction of the older languages.¡±


    ¡°Never heard of it.¡±


    ¡°Almost as if you don''t know the entire universe. How surprising,¡± she teased him and tossed the Gem twice up and down. ¡°These Gems are unique in the fact they store and depict a different class of Mana Essences than normal veins found around the universe. They are weirder than that. More than most elements and materials. Some consider them to be a mutation of this ground that took note of Sun God''s Divinity, Authority, or something else. It isn''t about mana or his Laws. A lot of Gods try to mix things up and create their divine treasures and fail. Creating something out of universal stinginess is rough and takes a long time or a very potent bravery.¡±


    ¡°Hm. This could be blood-related.¡± Murai added as she spoke and hiccuped.


    ¡°What makes you say that?¡±


    ¡°Divinity can change a lot of things. The dead body of a God is the same thing, basically. It feels... disturbing. Deaths of Gods, that is. Mana is also endless and various, yet the universe acts like a lock, despite going and seeping out as it moves to the unknown. Some things could change, twist, and revolt under the hands of those mastering some secrets,¡±


    ¡°Personal experience?¡±


    ¡°Personal oversight and hope.¡±


    Lisa hummed, almost whistling. She held the Gem forward, offering it. ¡°Have you seen this before?¡±


    Murai flinched his head closer, his beak resting inside of Lisa. ¡°It is small. Too small to be worth something in my eyes. Looks like a glass ball with some Light inside of it. Almost fake.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Small things could be big when you look at them closely or deep.¡±


    ¡°Sounds awful. I prefer size, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Got it from David. A Chip like this is worth something like a Grade 7 Mana Essence if it has a better elemental affinity. This one is loaded with bits of Brightness. Not Light. These things are plentiful in the ground, flowing through soil and materials, and constructing some unique places. Those glass pillars going up but also deep to the ground all have light of these Ultra Gems. Some said they were long here before. Bullshit. They didn''t come like the rest. Levandis discovery was everything.¡±


    ¡°And? What of this Chip?¡±


    ¡°Have you heard of an essence with properties or affinity that are integral and could increase on their own? Recharge, own their secret mysteries, and empower treasures and beings? Without dissipating, shutting down, or cracking, they could lose their light temporarily. They flow much better into the flesh too, mending into the cores of those who could afford it.¡±


    ¡°I doubt I get where you are going, but I know some bits about such treasures. The actual worth and size of the universe give birth to things far from the normal size of a head or soul. Even yours, I think. Mine is bigger, but even then, I hardly get the whole picture and weight of the universe. What you are saying is about time. Time is history. History is about Chaos Cycles. Cycles about Epoch and... well, you get me.¡±


    ¡°So you are acknowledging that you don''t know?¡±


    ¡°There is no shame in that,¡± Murai said firmly to her head.


    ¡°Really?¡± Lisa blinked and believed him. ¡°Well, I do wonder when you''ve seen it, but you have your secrets, and so do I.¡±


    Murai chuckled after this silly comment and her story that didn''t seem to touch on this journey all that much.


    ¡°In the mines, there are veins and a sea of Ultra Materium. It is like very dense metal, water, ice, or light turned physical. Looking like glass, this Ultra Gem is a byproduct of mining, close to something you would see selling like candy on the Surface.¡±


    ¡°Doesn''t seem like much,¡± Murai added.


    ¡°Don''t run against a wall and call it a mistake. These Gems are a big deal because of their rarity. It allowed Levandis to crack the lines and become Rank 1 in a few decades without ever touching it. Her people do that. Ultra Materium is a unique formation, filled with strange matter the size of mountains, crystals, seas of waves, or numerous flowing rivers. It''s mana, but it isn''t that. It is like Law, yet old and raw. It carries density like veins of natural essences, yet it isn''t essence. It is far too dense for that, far too strange.¡±


    ¡°What about properties? Character.¡±


    ¡°Brightness, Flame, Light. Aspects of the Sun, I believe, but not all of them have everything or the others. They take the majority. Something with Divinity could be the cause, or it is the work of many things. Is that the right assumption? The past was vast; answers lost in time.¡°


    ¡°And often wrong and right depending on how you told it,¡± Murai added, interested in this conversation all of a sudden. ¡°Haven''t you said that history is left out from history? None depicted Ultra Materium in some records?¡±


    ¡°What If I said some do and don''t?¡±


    ¡°Then it is a mystery. Count it to millions of others.¡±


    Lisa gave him a long look. ¡°You see, you can be clever and annoying at the same time.¡±


    ¡°Could be more of the other if I wanted.¡±


    Ultra Materium sounded like something from Endless Sky but with a different name. Perhaps it was something else many cycles ago, or its meaning never changed. Murai realized it from her words, but he lacked practicality. Divinity might be contained in creation or death, or it might be more complicated than he thought because he wasn''t seeing the creation process of this material.


    If it was underground, in place of a former Divine Kingdom, the planet might be the cause, creator, manipulator, or mana was the essential and main cause. Perhaps it was like pointing at the sun and calling it bright.


    Mana could be many things and many names. Whatever Divinity depicted always depended on the Divine Kingdom and God who handled it for their life. In Chaos or Order, Divinity pointed to two sides of the same coin, and Laws assembled everything like the foundation of a sturdy structure.


    Lisa talked about the Sun God. Why was she wasting time with questions that might not be that far? Was she doubtful or wanted to answer from him? Why care about this material and mining?


    ¡°Wait, could this be about that portal?¡± Murai suddenly asked as he looked at her holding that little Gem.


    Lisa flinched her hands, tossing the gem up and down. ¡°Probably not.¡± Lisa seemed to catch it quite well. But for the reason of her words, Murai needed to see some reasons for himself.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Why are you taking that to your mouth then?¡±


    ¡°There is a certain portal in the underground. Ip''ur Mountain, you see, is a place like this one. A city and a place full of mines and this Materium.¡±


    Murai grumbled something and let her continue.


    ¡°These Gems have a long history and are very hard to mine. Their worth is astronomical outside of this place. They require quite a lot of power and patience to mine, but they are like big piles of huge mountains the density of diamonds and finest steel. Yet, they are seen-through like glass, seem to weigh nothing and display Laws as easily as sea a water, but not everyone gets them. Each time some Materium successfully cracks, it explodes to smithereens, forming various sizes of Ultra Gems. Handful ones for human hands are worth a lot. They last the longest and are useful. Flow and recharging take time, so that is a disadvantage. Grade and density of the matter inside is also important when mining or using it.¡±


    ¡°What about the value then? Their usage? Is it mana or not?¡±


    ¡°You tell me?¡±Lisa tossed it and caught it again, pointing it to him closer on top of her palm. The little Gem took most place of her hand.


    Murai recognized an open invitation. He summoned his Mana Sonar in tiny little waves, shrouding the locations around Bagus''s head under his influence.


    Grifhart flinched but rested in the shade, oblivious to a shady business on top of his head. He drank for the sake of his heart and wished for a bath.


    Murai was over this in a heartbeat. ¡°Feels like embodied material that went through some processing. Artificial or natural, this feels man-made. Mana feels like something for sure. It is like steel, glass, and something that underwent alchemy or transfiguration. It is small, so it doesn''t feel special.¡±


    ¡°Yep. This one is very poor and out of flow. Natural and man-made at the same time sounds like bullshit to me though. Can''t you feel something else?¡± Lisa argued.


    ¡°Eh,¡± Murai said and shook his head. ¡°It''s confusing. I get the Brightness of it, but it is like a speck. Is this worth a lot? How? I wouldn''t even get disappointed if I lost it myself.¡±


    ¡°This here is Grade E Ultra Gem. They are excellent conductors for construction with light priorities, formation of flames, or various devices. Some are good for some machinery too, as it''s far from being brittle, scratched, or worn down over time. Properties range from equipment, weapons, golems, to various artifact pieces.¡±


    ¡°Not surprising. So? Why are you showing that to me?¡± Murai asked in confusion.


    ¡°Talk about it as if it''s important. Yes. Demons can''t do much with it. A small fraction is one with Flame, which is about useful for some of them, while the rest is not. It is a shame that Levandis found this fortune that is hardly put to use. Mined and sold in the Surface for ridiculous prices is her true treasure. It is almost a shame, eh?¡±


    ¡°Seen worse things worth a word shame.¡±


    ¡°It could be useful to you. Think about it. It isn''t much of a currency because of its hard mining factor that has incredible value in the Surface. It is a treasure that a lot of Delvers want and take out of this place if they could. Of course, the big factor is getting this deep and not pissing off some rules in the process. Levandis takes mining around these Gems seriously and for Outsiders to take them isn''t easy. Smuggling, buying, or stealing these Gems from miners is a good choice to take them out.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense. Alright. Last chance. What usage does it have for me, and what is there for you? You sound like you want to convince me about a job opportunity. I am listening. I am trying... really hard to not snap my beak at your neck.¡±


    ¡°Have you seen them in the previous Vaults?¡±


    ¡°No? Don''t remember, but you asked me what I think, so you must have some questionable demand in your head.¡±


    Hearing him so curious made her a little happy inside. It seemed to be important to her, for some reason.


    ¡°There wasn''t any in Vaults because usage varies like their worth. Their properties come in weight and sizes, while this one isn''t much worth for anyone, and its quality is dogshit. Most denizens use such little chips for light sources but almost all of it ends in Levandis possession because mining''s priority is private and clutched like her little treasure. Sun properties are for some mages who need them. For folks that cherish them. What is it for those that don''t need one?¡±


    ¡°Useless rock, or something saleable Use in experimental alchemy or forging sounds useful. Oh, and decoration.¡±


    ¡°It is heat resistant, so making the right weapons is hard. Sharpness works well against it, or high power that would explode it from the inside out. More or less, their usage is odd depending on who you are and what it holds. It can change and shift the world and people. Internal or external powers do have their secrets. For some, it is the only available Law Material that is not inherently limited by outer or godly factors.¡±


    ¡°Laws have their limits, so this thing... Oh, I see. For someone who is suddenly speaking so much, you would do so well if you just said it. What is your deal?¡± Murai gave her an ultimatum. ¡°I don''t like running around a house aflame and hoping to quench it.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Lisa seemed disappointed about something and tapped the Gem with her finger. Unfortunately, it had no reactions whatsoever, and since Murai wasn''t finding it interesting, she tossed it back to her ring.


    ¡°I will show you their worth later. You will show me yours.¡± She said mysteriously. ¡°It could be something for you. Mining in these places is something that Challengers doesn''t take lightly. Most fools from Surface wish for these for a good reason.¡±


    ¡°Sure. A rock, huh? I get it. Essence that went through changes? God could change it, or is this place responsible? Is it bone? Ancient remains, or part of the River of Manaflow that ended up lost or etched into this planet?¡±


    Lisa liked all of his ideas; she didn''t know the origin of this Ultra Materium but she had numerous ideas that weren''t worse or better than his.


    ¡°Most think of them as investments when their use will outshine the rest or time.¡±


    ¡°You said it is worth a lot in the Surface. Why?¡±


    ¡°Suns?¡± She replied as if talking to an idiot.¡° I spoke of its effects. It can charge and change the mana of the world and surroundings. People too. One can use them for their advancement as long as they know what they do. I saw someone get burned by it though, shining until the corpse was red and bright. Talent for this thing is far or low. It is like a lottery, frankly. Dangerous and burning.¡±


    ¡°Sun, huh?¡±


    ¡°Sun, Brightness, Light, Flame elements. These could have visions of Affinities and their differences. Elemental ones belong to this category because it is a mixture of what you would expect. I think it is about the true energy of the universe, you see. It is either a lost ideal, or something new, yet forgotten. It carries residues. Touches. Intent. Not divine or righteous feelings. It feels empathetic like something pure and overlooked. It could be useful for you, so I hoped to see your ideas first before I see something else.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Alright.¡± Murai commented. ¡°Now, I want to see what sprouted this in your head..¡±


    ¡°Don''t spout nonsense. We have a reason to be here, and I wanted to speak to you about it first before doing anything later. Should''ve done that much earlier, frankly. I wanted to make sure you don''t get it, or get it, so don''t think much of it.¡±


    ¡°What If I do think about it?¡± Murai asked, smirking.


    ¡°Then you are a terrible liar.¡±


    ¡°Am I?¡± Murai wasn''t sure. He thought he was feeling something and it wasn''t very strong.


    ¡°Anyhow, in a bit, we won''t have time for these worries. So let''s not waste time and give some fools time to catch up to us, right?¡±


    ¡°Nasty fools?¡± Murai was wondering where in the world was he going wrong with this life. Where did it turn weird? Since the beginning? Since that cave? Since he met Lisa? Perhaps he was wrong from the get-go, stubbornly going against the suffering of this life.


    Gate 1 and 2 were so intriguing to him, filling him with a sense of adventure, rewards, and progression. But this? He was on the run against fools way too powerful than him, and why did he train and feel as if he wasn''t doing anything substantial?


    Because balance was in shambles, and some lofty God made a wanted poster out of his perky beak and nice feathers?


    No. This gate would hunt him regardless because he was a Challenger. What about Lisa? It seemed that a lot of things went out of her right now, but not everything. The outside world wanted his head as well, and it seemed to have no stops.


    There was no break.


    No time to waste.


    He was Hunted.


    Murai would be fuming in anger if he found it unbearable. Yet, he didn''t. Lisa made it more tolerable, but her words always turned it sideways, challenging his head with her ideas or giving him peculiar turmoil.


    He felt less joy in this adventure, or the charm of the previous ones was lessened because he wasn''t seeing the rightful time.


    Perhaps there was some joy in things that weren''t so open-minded. Perhaps he should change his outlook again and trust those around him in a try to lie and appease his Cursed Living.


    No.


    Hellscape sounded fun if it weren''t for the messed up reasons of the current reality. Levandis was the maker of this mess, though she was particularly safe and not faulted for everything for a good reason. Nothing was her fault. It was Lisa who forced him to this hell, leaving a nauseating feeling of dread and disappointment that appeared enticing. Whatever whisper he felt from that little Gem was over and her explanations and act were hiding something. Since he entered this desert, he felt something very wrong indeed.


    Murai wondered what he would think if some deeper problems would come. Things like the former lives wouldn''t be appealing in the slightest, so perhaps this one will be the same since it was weird from the very beginning. Still, his disappointment was slim because he was curious about the mines, and it seemed he was about to enter one very soon.


    Not here. They were here for something else. By now, Lisa was over this charade and left the group with Bagus, who begrudgingly went with her as her bodyguard, but it wasn''t as if she needed it. Itrosh was more than glad to be left with Murai in the shade. Flying away with her ring for a bracelet, Lisa will look at everything herself.


    And if someone would bear her path, they might as well get killed by her or Bagus.


    Murai went back to rest, safe and sound. No one was troubling him or Itrosh and his day was far from ruins. He felt he shouldn''t think about bad things or suffering. It would be the beginning of depression, or something much deeper. And he sure had plenty of these times in this life and others.


    This one, where he nearly lost his life and felt his crippling beginning, was peculiar. It truly changed him in some way. He fought out of that shitty well, broken, feeling drowned, yet clinching for life. He never wanted to see another well in his life. Never.


    Lisa came back in half an hour, pouting and shaking her head in disappointment, so she let the group out of the city after leaving numerous corpses in the shadows of some buildings, either in pieces or gnawed to pieces. No military was here. No sorry excuses came to them either.


    But more was coming, so they left after purchasing some last-minute meals. No water. With Murai around, they didn''t lack it.


    Everyone had some form of Spatial Equipment. Most provisions and food were in Bagus''s necklace which was more precious than any other, if one forgot Murai''s hoodie as a whole.


    Murai could tell that his necklace was a masterpiece and a priceless treasure. By some surprise, he found he had it all his life with more than a thousand cubic meters of capacity. That was quite a big space.


    Out in the desert, no one was there to welcome them or say goodbye. That was good in Lisa''s eyes and Bagus could only scowl as he stepped on the scorching sand.


    The road to the Ip''ur Mountain was very close and not far. Its location was problematic, thanks to the deep heated sun right above that mountain.


    It wasn''t really a mountain, but in a strange sense, it was a bit different than others. There was a deep crevice and holes in the sand right when Levandis was digging her Hellscape. Its location was good, treasures deep, and whatever she found left her smiling.


    And in that crevice were many mountains, small and ancient sights of some mining creation, but old, ancient, and too old to make sense of them. Mountains had no purpose. There was no sun under the ground, yet there was immense light. Holes, crevices, and soil or rocks couldn''t stop the flow of Brightness that overwhelmed and seeped into the earth.


    In one place, there was a huge hole as if something exploded or disappeared within. Not one, but there were more of them. Some smaller were smaller. In them, even in the biggest or smallest, there were mountains inside, protruding not from the flat lands, but inside the hole, twisting, and going for hundreds of meters up.


    Sector 45 had the biggest hole, depicting the Ip''ur Mountain. Sectors 48 and 50 had the biggest afterward, and by now, what had once been found was turned into Scorching Light and one giant snake cave.


    Murai was beginning to get the idea of his approaching zone, yet there was no sight of any enemies, let alone David and Ultium.


    They never called back. Never said a thing. From Sector 44, there was a steady decline in altitude as if they kept moving down a bit at a time. The holes were holes, but they had better names.


    Calling them canyons was best. One would wonder how they were


    formed, or how they never changed, and some were hiding minor settlements, caves, or simple continuous sand and rocks.


    Murai was curious the more he looked forward, seated on top of Bagus''s head. Even those shiny Ultra Gems were occasionally on his mind. Such thoughts weren''t enough for Lisa to tell her full story or speak about it.


    It took them an hour and a half to reach a massive cliff, overseeing an enormous five kilometers wide canyon. It wasn''t as deep as Murai thought. He saw the mountain going upward like a poking finger to the sun above, yet it was far from it. The canyon itself was at least a kilometer deep at its deepest point, so the mountain was far from even reaching the sun or rocky cliffs around this location.


    There was less of a desert around them and more rocks. Deep red rocks. The heat was unbearable with such a close sun. Murai felt as if he was in an oven, feeling as if his Beast Core was rampaging in this heat like in some sauna, and it wasn''t even feeling bad at all. It wanted out. Go wild. It needed an outlet and heat.


    William swallowed everything like usual and pretended that everything was fine. Constantly turning onto his Water from time to time was kind of odd, yet not doing much.


    It was a wonder how this place operated. Considering the laws of mining and caves, this single kilometer of height should''ve given many advantages to go even deeper into the earth. It was a wonder why there weren''t any portals in this place.


    Lisa knew the answer. The sun. Heat? Or was it the politics?


    Most took this place as a strategic point and greedy place. Levandis took it for a treasure that should remain under her grasp. She simply didn''t want any troubles here. That was it.


    Or, so it was told. Lisa had certain doubts because there was a portal even she didn''t know about. The Token in Murai''s pocket would answer that for sure.


    ¡°This is it?¡± Murai asked her. ¡°I can tell it''s going to be hot down there. A kilometer isn''t enough. The sides should make a nice oven. What a hell!¡±


    ¡°It is our destination.¡±


    ¡°Not a way out, though.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lisa said out loud, chuckled, and felt silly, considering some little things flying in the sky. She wondered if spies were looking at them and heard them as well. If so, she might as well go deep and let them laugh.


    Murai learned of this bait that was no bait. ¡°So, going deep in the middle of this continuous Hunt is your way out?¡±


    ¡°I am working on that,¡± Lisa said to his mind. ¡°You don''t have to worry. I am confident.¡±


    ¡°What happened the last time you were confident?¡±


    ¡°No idea.¡± She shrugged. ¡°And don''t be comfortable just yet. I doubt it will be fine. Finding that damned portal will be a pain. Do you know how big this place is? How many Millennia Mines are here? Cities worth of crevices and paths could take us a couple of days to go through.¡±


    She was here before. Murai could tell that, whereas Bagus couldn''t wait for shades of those mines.

 Chapter 229: A way out

    Murai could easily imagine how many complications could arise, begin, or change. Seeing the sun, surroundings, and that huge mountain down below, he was wondering where to go. Down? How? What was there for him other than jump?


    Looking up, he didn''t even squint as he looked at that menacing giant sun that was in the ceiling, looking significant, sizzling, and its grinding waves and waves of light looked as if there was a true sun around a kilometer above him. It must be hundreds of meters in diameter, and it was pushing rapid waves of sunlight waves around the Scorching Light. It was crazy how it didn''t destroy its surroundings or the ground below for dozens of kilometers.


    ¡°Why does this feel like a formation enchant, forma, or... well, a spark?¡± Murai wondered for himself again, causing Lisa to flinch and look at him with serious eyes. He missed her act.


    He had no choice but to trust her demands and this place. Breathing in to feel it, he won''t breathe again for a while. It was making walking and sensing mana difficult and that sun was way too close. It felt so rabid that his mana space was itching and breaking apart.


    He revolved his Core Defying Fusion Technique and pushed his Artificial Core further away from a Beast Core that was overwhelming with pushing forces of three Affinities. Sharpness was the greatest by pure principle and Grade, but in the past day, he spent quite some attention on Water, while Flame was feeling at home. The Water didn''t get stronger in the slightest. It got respectful use for the first time out of sheer need for showers. It was a shame, but Murai never took Lisa''s or Pillage''s advice to heart.


    Some aspects of heat followed his natural Replenishment, so his Flame improved by a small leap in its Grade for sure, but Murai wasn''t too concerned about following some letters, let alone numbers.


    ¡°How savage. I am glad I took most of the last day in this desert with a clutched beak and feel. A simple toss out of the blue to this place would crack my last days of efforts. Perhaps I would.... lose everything. If so... maybe leaving all my essences in the stash for later is good. I could restart if no big harm cracks my tries apart. Let''s do it like usual if my life and mana space is like a storm. Oh. How much killing would I make for a proper flesh...¡±


    Nodding to himself, Murai glanced back to the deep crevice and felt Bagus''s little exciting steps and breath. Bagus and Itrosh had no choices. David said to trust Lisa, and since he went to do his own things, this pair was on their own and enjoyed it greatly. They trusted such a simple task, yet what could happen afterward was still not up to here. Struggling against the heat, no one was sure what was around them. Itrosh''s Waves ceased to stop an hour ago, so they were blind, but so were the others.


    Once more, that might''ve never played a big role, for Mindarch was watching, and who knows what else was around. Lisa definitely felt disrupted.


    High above, for almost no eyes to see with a blinding light with an aura that shined to most corners, the sun was like a deadly curse, yet there were some flying skulls, and even some birds and weird eyes. It was unknown whether it was a kilometer above or hundreds of meters wide. Some denizens thought this biggest artificial sun might be very tiny. Glowing waves followed its every push of heat and wave, and even the crystals around the ceiling seemed to be lost in the light, or they weren''t there as they corroded or lost their purpose.


    Down below, surrounding the round canyon, lifeless grounds stayed dry and hot for many millenniums. There was no helping that. Well, perhaps no one wanted to help or change anything that Levandis personally created.


    It was like this for a reason, Lisa knew. Where worths were kept, interest would remain. Gods had to tolerate it or adore it.


    Murai didn''t care to dig for information or some excuses himself. They were quite close all the time. He didn''t have the means to do much, which left Lisa full of her choices and argumentative desires. She said she would give him the long awaiting help and words.


    Yet how did it end, or where? Looking down, Murai noted a red mountain with a city curling around it. There were cliffs and the entire perimeter of the ground below seemed quite barren beside the city. Perhaps it wasn''t as hot as he assumed, as there were thousands of buildings.


    ¡°How do we want to get down? Proceed with the proper steps, or not? Personally, I hate this place already. Makes my skin crawl,¡± Itrosh asked, crunching and looking down. She knew exactly how this place operated and how many fools were below.


    ¡°Know some way myself,¡± Bagus said, determined to go down as fast as possible to leave this hellish cliff.


    ¡°I know a good way down too.¡± Itrosh smiled, turning to everyone.


    ¡°No thanks.¡± Lisa said, ignoring her suggestion, but not Bagus''s ¡°There are things to carry in our minds next. Below, things might get fragile and I want every one of us to be ready. We go mining after all. There are many fools there, got it?! Agree?!¡± By the end, Lisa sounded like a general hyping up her soldiers.


    Bagus laughed and agreed, and the fact this was a bait flew over his head. Itrosh cheered rather reluctantly while Murai could only remain silent.


    ¡°Will this be any different than Tagg''s City?¡± Murai asked. ¡°Everyone there felt troubled. Why not here?¡±


    ¡°Because we have things to do there, unlike in our brief pause back in that mountain. I doubt we will get the warmest welcome below. However, I wonder what are politics like. David said he has limited clues about them because Ip''ur City is kind of remarkable. You will get why.¡±


    ¡°Do you blame anything?¡± Itrosh said, still looking down. ¡°These areas are hardly in our lines of duty or work. Lost Brothers takes care of tasks that are pleasant and doable. Not intense and insane.¡±


    ¡°That''s the same thing,¡± Bagus argued, looking at her.


    ¡°Wanna tease me like this?¡± She hissed at him with a wide smile. ¡°I am ready, Lisa. We go when ready or what? Murai doesn''t seem... Well...¡±


    She looked at the itching Anatidae, sitting and ready to go ham. Murai had a good feeling about some good fights. He got plenty of it already, but this place might get wilder.


    Lisa clasped her hands, echoing an unlikely sound for her size. ¡°Calm down. I am a voice of reason.


    ¡°And I am what?¡± Murai asked her mind.


    Ignoring him was the perfect response. ¡°Bagus will do us good, am I correct?¡±


    ¡°I can glide down with ease. Itrosh included, though it won''t be as nice and comforting,¡± he cocked his head, chuckling and trying to hide his beak by his wing. He was too obvious in his remark about her weight.


    Itrosh got up, hissing and scratching his feathers with numerous weapons of no particular choice.


    Ip''ur Mountain held a weirder town than the main hubs of other Sectors. In a sense, a dozen kilometers around this hole were known as Sector 45. There were just ten mountains in this circle in total, and every one of them was like a pebble compared to this one. Tagg''s City was also small. Ip''ur City had more people, better mines, a richer history, and especially wild political, strategic, or physical ideals.


    It was a place where deep values went through many processes and many Overlords and Extremes showed it some attention. It was the best mining area that Levandis owned. Overlords owned it under many names, a firm hand, and no changing name. It was for under the military, many subordinates fiddled with its worth and politics, which further put things into a strange demeanor where there was a lot of room for gangs and many companies.


    Politics in this canyon weren''t small in the slightest, nor were they bad or good. For most, it represented craftiness to get benefits, which might happen with some deals, money, bravery, or power.


    Some mines were great acquisitions, followed by literal stealing, or obliteration of some mining companies. It was about the opposition, and as long as one didn''t touch the mining itself, or quotas wouldn''t go below passable level, nothing would happen.


    There was a rule that prevailed. The owner of this whole Sector wasn''t dealing with the mines themselves. That fell on companies, affiliates, gangs, or those willing to mine and do it for Levandis in any capacity. Unsurprisingly, things weren''t simple with the greed and difficulties of mining Ultra Materium.


    As suspected, incentives for using slaves as miners were common. It was lucrative that with more hands to mine, more results arrived. Unfortunately, the mining difficulties varied from miner and location, and going deep or closer to some mines or veins of Ultra Materium might come with consequences. Dreams between the miners and companies were heavy, while the mining itself was harsh and much harder than some simple ore or essence mining.


    However, there was one fact that surrounded the depths of this mountain. There was very little of anything besides Ultra Materium.


    Around the Scorching Light, there were thousands of mines with various depths and countless teams of miners worked for many treasures. A huge part of Hellscape''s population ended up working for the running of this business and trading for various goods. Be it some farming to provide food or water, or simply some means to make them run, there was enough interest and never enough hands.


    Ultra Materium was never running out because of its properties, suns, and its mining difficulties. The artificial sun above wasn''t that, unfortunately. That one was there as a simple breath to keep the soil going but Lisa didn''t mention it.


    There were also better ways to let some Gems shine again. Those were individuals with the same Affinity as some Ultra Gem. After Laws came into this equation, farming, and very substantial means to increase one''s Affinity or potency of one''s core, things got intense very quickly, creating a perpetual cycle that could go on and on.


    Alas, it wasn''t without dangers. With speed came consequences. Too much density and Mana Flow could quickly become a ticking bomb. Mistakes could happen to any mage, while training or absorbing Ultra Gems was seen as a rare and excessive method on the Surface, where these Gems held rich and rare status. Some places didn''t have them at all, while some took them for an unfortunate good from Somalis Hell. Their need was also quite hefty for many mages on Surface or in Sky, so some compromises were clever.


    Levandis had many customers around the globe. The mere point of golem making and crafting that came with these Gems ensured she had this business running for many millennia. It was her monopoly, and she defined prices.


    A true goldmine. That was how Murai perceived the Ip''ur Mountain under his eyes after he quickly understood what Lisa meant. It was wide and glaring in heat and the wind here wasn''t small. How to come down again? Lisa wanted them to fly down, or jump. he must be kidding in this heat, albeit that was false. She didn''t give a single feather about any of them.


    Other canyons were far smaller in comparison or made that way to create a better environment. Competition was rather common across the mining teams and all mining companies had big stakes in meeting quotas or satisfying Levandis.


    Most of that was falling on the owner. Things like black markets or unofficial businesses were common and dealt with a heavy hand, yet they still happened, and purchasing them in hopes of reselling was against this place. When any Overlord discovered such activities, miners and companies¡ªlet alone Challengers or regular denizens¡ªrather followed what they should.


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    What was below them was a city that Lisa couldn''t see because it wasn''t part of most Challenger runs. Yet she took her bait here, and she planned to see the end of it.


    With the world already so insane, what if Levandis prepared some nasty surprise for them? Mindarch was quiet. No significant information came from the Tagg''s City either, but Lisa knew something was odd about them. Something very wrong was ticking her nerves for days.


    She flew around in that city and with Bagus behind, some excuses or rumors came from some unfortunate demons who preferred to talk rather than feel her touch or eyes inside their heads. Things she discovered were simple at first. Device communication was off-limits.


    Be it private or not, their workings were under some supervision. Physical communication was possible, which was one part of the rumors, although it might not be that fat. Everything else was cut off for some reason, which might explain David''s silence, but that fool hadn''t talked to Lisa long before this Sector.


    Lisa was nervous. They reached their destinations, and there was no sign of Ozeki or Razmund himself. Hunters could come.


    If not doubtful, what good was waiting down below? Perhaps her whole mining idea might come as off-putting to even more people than their simple visit and rest.


    Murai wasn''t following her concerns as he looked at the city from the top of Bagus''s head. This one was much better in structure than most cities he had seen ever since Helltrim City. It had a shrouded style and architecture that was elevated and full of shadows and big roofs. Heat-resistant materials that would absorb or reflect the sun from above were wise.


    Way down was a single road around the mountain, circling like a swirling path around the whole perimeter until going to the city walls and gates. The city itself was the same. There was just one street that swirled around the Ip''ur Mountain like a little thread. Many side-street were intersecting and fusing streets, looking like a dart board in some taverns. It was more intense, however, swirly like weird eyebrows, tornado, or water whirlpool.


    ¡°I say we go,¡± Lisa ordered, knowing there was no point in wasting time. As she spoke, she made last turns around the scorching rocky desert that was mostly flat. She saw far and saw no one besides some fools above.


    Getting down was at least better than standing like lost ducks on top of this cliff. Below were many shades thanks to the mountain in the middle, with many cliffs coming from it that were like spikes. Boulders protruding and shading from the heat were another protection. Murai thought it shouldn''t be that hot. Especially in the mines that they were soon to enter.


    This was their goal and a lot of the past days headed for this exact moment. Lisa was tense in the same way as she entered this Gate, if not much more. There was almost nothing that would ease her mind. Hopefully, this place wouldn''t stop her demands and ideas too much. If so...


    Bagus jumped into the air like a master and spread his wings. He was tall, his wings had incredible reach, and his weight and stability were extraordinary, so he fell steadily.


    With Itrosh hugging his neck, Lisa flying behind, and Murai clutching his feathers with his beak, they reached the ground level of Ip''ur Mountain below the cliffs.


    The ordinary entrance consisted of a road around the cliff. It took ages to go down that way. It was something Lisa would refuse because she knew Murai''s complaint. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Perhaps it was for the better since she felt he had an itch to fall and spread his wings as well. That would work, but Bagus was better.


    Entrance by flying down was a bit rarer since one couldn''t enter the city this way. There were plains before it, and massive gates and walls before the city itself. Any visitor had to enter like this. Trespassers were chaotic, hardly ever questioned, and if it was some well-known criminal or someone with a bad reputation, they could be apprehended, killed, or forced to work in mines for free.


    Denizens of this city were not that brash about their work, wealth, or power. The military wasn''t the smallest, and companies were like big dogs that could swallow weaklings or look for every opportunity.


    Lisa knew this place. The question was how far it would change in fifty years and within this bait of hers or this Hunt. David wasn''t aware how it would change either, so he didn''t give her any word all those days ago.


    Entering with Itrosh and Bagus was all she could rely on, which was far from being enough if she was honest with herself. But she wasn''t. She hardly expressed her worries to Murai, let alone to anyone else.


    Before them was a city of tens of thousands, which was quite a surprising number of demons in such a place. Most were permanent residents or part-time miners from other places of Levandis''s interest.


    Few humans were in this place, but many had their stores, workshops, or businesses there. Considering this canyon was harsh in climate, origin, and work, it wasn''t a lovely place for everyone, yet business was always booming.


    Upon landing, Murai felt the soil that was hard like steel, and every breath he took shocked his lungs and pushed his clutched cores. Any moisture was nonexistent, and with heat and competition, this place was not for vacations.


    Miners were the majority of the incoming enemies, with demons, beasts, and anyone. As long as one was capable, one could mine as long as one wanted. Since it was a hard job in success and failure, as long as someone got a contract going and worked alone or with some company, stopping a miner from working was like taunting their ancestors.


    Free reign over mining was always relative. Almost all Ultra Gems went through major companies that worked under the name of an owner, who was right below Levandis herself. Such companies would get cuts depending on their success and miners, who were disallowed to bring any Gems out of the mines.


    Solo miners or company miners had to relinquish their loot. Then, after the owners got the hang of their Gems, most went to Levandis. Depending on selling, she would make correct arrangements and offer hefty rewards for this whole process. Depending on the position, rewards could be substantial. This increased mining and created great competition. It wasn''t that hard to see it not working. Most Gems weren''t useful for anyone here, and reselling them anywhere was a huge gamble.


    It was a neat structure of value incentivized by Blessings and her word. Valuable rewards and worth of Hell Points came from this system. Thanks to Levandis'' clever ideas of selling them to the highest bidders in the Surface or Sky, everything was for her benefit, despite the work of her people. But they were still happy because if she wouldn''t keep her word, a happy Goddess might be no more.


    Regardless of Chaos and her, Murai was impressed and surprised to see this. It sounded like a basic structure that stung of godhood and Endless Skies. Rewards and ancient or modern slavery were the rest. It was worth applauding because it didn''t sound terrible on paper or words.


    Most such crazed ideas would crumble soon enough. Chaos was like that. Demonic companies were never so neat and collected to make something like this work. Sooner or later, some God would move in and crack the sensitive, or neat system put in place.


    Right. Someone like Lordis might do it just fine, but he didn''t. Instead, he forced her into his world and changed her temple. Ever since then, some Challengers have been able to bring out some Gems. It was a peculiar problem that hadn''t been an issue for quite some time, for there was the Centralis Kingdom which was surrounding the Seventh Death Forest for quite some years.


    But considering the age, fallen, or old legacies and dynasties, this temple had seen plenty of them. They won''t crack under any pressure. Every one of them might as well be a temporary issue because a big or small number of Surface Challengers didn''t make any difference. Levandis might as well cheer them on as they clashed and died against her temple.


    But every once in a while, some nasty visitors would knock or leave, which might be stressful because she didn''t read through the terms of service all that well.


    Everyone wanted to get ahead and get as much of rewards as possible. Hence, some underhanded tactics were commonplace and robberies or wiping out competitions was feasible. Value in mining was intense and worth it, allowing places to work for millennia. It never stopped, thus the business never left.


    Because of that, even in such a desert unfit for a city, where there was wealth, there was a life. It was inevitable. Each place in such canyons or mountains was like that, which was part of the reason Lisa only allowed one single visit to one of many mountains.


    Murai turned and looked around some more, noticing close yet hiding buildings behind sturdy gates and walls.


    ¡°What a city.¡± Murai reckoned as he went back to Bagus''s head for better views. They landed in wide open land that had no shade whatsoever. It was very hot again, and Bagus wished Lisa would tell him to get closer to the gate.


    No one was around them. No guards. Not a single soul was in sight. Murai saw the city on their flight despite his clutched beak and shaking head. The closer the streets were to the mountain, the closer they turned. Width and size were away from the mountain, yet most mining companies were still closer to the mountain because of access to the underground.


    It was quite a simple layout for a hellish city, filled with limits, tight spaces, shade, and roofs. Murai was unable to notice streets or anyone because of all those constraints. There seemed to be proper protection under them, and some kind of architecture made of straight lines and size. Someone cared for that place, for it was old and quite good. No one would bring destruction to the street, lest they anger the owner or Levandis herself.


    ¡°Now, Murai Hisagi, where to start looking and do this madness next? A hundred meters, remember,¡± Lisa said to his mind and clutched Murai''s Token in her palm.


    ¡°Hey, when did you take it?¡± Murai quacked at her, half annoyed and half surprised. ¡°Also, I know what it means!¡±


    Before answering, she tossed it at him. Murai caught it with his beak, glaring at her in an open irritation and growling noises.


    ¡°Token is your room to the next Gate. Unfortunately, we can''t leave this temple like this, or... here. David tried to look for a way out besides a portal. There is not much to do because of that little Mindarch and current problems. There is nothing we can afford. Trust me on this.¡±


    ¡°Figures. So? Is there some way further into this madness and suffering?¡±


    ¡°What if I say there is?¡±


    ¡°Would I get disappointed if I trusted you or not?¡± Murai asked in return and took their internal discussion for a silly idea.


    ¡°That is up to you. For now, handle that Token like your life. It will do something when you are close to a portal. Vibration. Shine. Sense of undulation, or some connection. David and I had a long conversation about possible locations. One was the overall surroundings, but that is wrong. So how about the city itself? We will look around and take care of that mountain as well. Portals should have a stable structure. Ground had to be sturdy, so some elevations were no good. So, what''s left? Go deep. Half of the portals around Scorching Light are linked to some underground. Another half goes to old cities or hard-to-reach places. You will know yours from your pocket. Not a pouch or a ring. That is why you should be careful. When one snatches it away, we are gone. Finding it back is like finding purpose in this life.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn''t a Guide be for that? Wait. Never mind.¡± Murai shook his head and couldn''t see a single logical thing in what he asked.


    ¡°Do you see Lorry anywhere?¡± Lisa said calmly, overlooked his mark, and widened her arms around her. ¡°That skull is either whoring himself, gambling, or doing whatever he deems worthy under his Lady. I could care less since this Gate doesn''t require such nonsense. My times were without a Guide as well. It is one of the rules of this place.¡±


    ¡°Well, that is a bummer. Wait. No. Fuck the rules. Right?¡± Murai stored the Token in his pocket and had no big issues if that silly skull was out of sight.


    ¡°I would say otherwise, but be my guess. That skull could be reliable if he wants, but he is...¡± she hesitated.


    ¡°Like you?¡±


    ¡°No. Definitely not that. Back to the topic. We have plans. I have plans. We walk into it, you feel your Token as we walk around, and don''t cause trouble.¡±


    ¡°Says you. I am a little tiny stuffed animal. You do the same.¡± he joked around and felt her irritated marking her face with little tensing sona. It was getting obvious. ¡°Does it even matter in the ground? Portal is going to be underground for sure.¡±


    ¡°I took you as someone who hates guessing. Do you want to argue with me? You heard me before. We don''t know. So we look.¡± Lisa gave him a long look.


    ¡°Guessing means uncertainty. If a portal is hiding, it is down. Where else? Sometimes, I can''t get your head and words at all.¡± Murai sighed and felt the Token in his pocket like a notable coin.


    ¡°Take my warnings. I have my doubts, but history has its precedence. No troubles, everyone. Alright?¡± She finally spoke out loud, looking at Itrosh and Bagus who were ready.


    ¡°I am going anywhere. Probably...¡± Itrosh said, tossing a bunch of knives up and down her palms. ¡°If troubles come from that city, I will slice them.¡±


    ¡°I will bite them.¡± Bagus offered his beak.


    On top of Bagus¡ªthe big guy didn''t mind him¡ªMurai looked for the entrance to the city. With such a bodyguard underneath him, he had doubts someone would snatch his Token away. The pocket itself was deep. He would have trouble losing it intentionally, let alone because of others, yet Lisa still got it from him, which was curious.


    Having a mount always felt good. The upcoming task was simple in some ways and complicated in others. Finding the portal was one part of the task. Some consider it the easy part, or incredibly hard. Getting inside had its privilege for any Challenger. The true tasks were the surroundings and individuals close to portals. It was about some Guardians like in the Gate 1.


    Some portals were public, resting in the city''s square, or some public and well-known places such as some mountains, cave systems, or various farming spots or danger zones. Some animals and gangs took them for themselves, protecting what was precious.


    Even a Surface Challenger could enter one with a Token in hand. Without it, one was prohibited from using it because it would turn this Gate into a joke. Without that in sight, most portals connected to Chaos Space ensured traveling was easy as long as one had money to spare.


    Lisa had enough of that. No chances, however. She knew Mindarch disallowed that, and even looking for a different escape route ended up fruitless. She thought of dozens of kinds of underhanded tactics. One thing was hiring someone from Hell for help, get them out of the temple and Death Valley itself. Seventh Death Forest was then a secondary issue. Lisa believed that if she had her whole party, even if the Centralis Kingdom would come with some army, she and Murai would get away.


    Once again, Mindarch refuted her tries even if they were personal and good for everyone. It seemed because of overreaching Gods, and her failure in trying anything anyway, David or Lisa didn''t manage to hire anyone.

 Chapter 230: Ipur City

    David tried to look for a way out. Against any odds or rules, most tries were unreliable, ranging from paying off some Extremes familiar with Chaos Space or this temple, to looking for some crack in space, people, or rules.


    But with this place being quite a semi-closed realm, and with Challengers incentivized to a fixed task, rules, and touch of this temple, one had to follow a path or be very reputable and clever about what one had to do. Fleeting meant a simple loss. Trying something bad would result in longer entrance time fees, becoming a criminal, or prohibition from entering this temple ever again.


    Of course, that worked as long as one was caught or reasonably drawn into a place with no return. Lisa found that idea critical, even if it meant going against the rules or some Gods. It always ended up in compromises, and she had an idea that never felt right.


    Surrounding something that someone high in power decided, she didn''t have to be them, nor see their ideas. She might as well laugh at them as she pushed some boundaries apart.


    Giving up sounded straightforward, yet walking with shame back to the Death Valley wasn''t in line with their hopes. Unfortunate as their choices were, David found no one willing to sneak them away. It was no wonder. If anyone found out about it, anyone would get considerable punishment. Not only Mindarch and Levandis''s ancient business worked with this, but even Lordis or perhaps even some other Gods would touch upon this problem. It didn''t matter if Will of the Battleworld wasn''t here.


    This was part of why Lisa was depressed and found this whole ordeal terrible for the past few days. That continued until David offered his plan in the last remaining hours in Helltrim City. The result was in her ring, away from Murai''s head and complaints because it was her one and only card.


    Away from her mouth or mind, there was no chance she would give anyone a chance to stop it. But first, it was about time to find that cursed portal. Hopefully, others wouldn''t come at them like fools.


    Portals.


    Finding the lost ones, hidden, or even those protected by gangs was like gambling matches. Whatever one got upon entrance to this Gate was up to luck. Even those in places with harsh environmental risks were easier to find than a portal in vast mines. Murai didn''t know anything apart from knowing there was a portal.


    Lisa worked with that single statement ever since.


    They found the entrance gate to the Ip''ur City around the corner, looking like a giant door. There were guards aside, wearing tight military uniforms, standing in the heat, and looking like reptilian demons. They looked similar to Illak''s subordinates but with sharper heads and thick bodies.


    ¡°Visitors?¡± the guard said, hissing those words from his mouth hidden behind the plated helmet. ¡°At this time? Wait... Wait! WAIT!¡± He panicked a little after noticing their presence. The other guard did as well and felt who was coming.


    They attended to some rumors because they were military. They shouldn''t believe every word, and they didn''t. Yet it came. That lofty Anatidae. Those wings. They were scared shitless.


    ¡°We want to go inside. Can''t we?¡± Itrosh asked, tossing a bunch of knives up and down, smiling at them, and walking forward.


    ¡°That isn''t a good idea. Leave one for me. I am hungry.¡± Bagus said.


    Lisa was back behind Murai''s head, hiding in the hood, and saying nothing. Bagus and Itrosh weren''t idiots; they knew how to act as denizens of this temple, adventurers, and knew how some things were. Power and David''s company were enough.


    ¡°W-what might you want in this city? Don''t... tell me rumors are correct?!¡± the left guard said, brandishing a spear forward.


    ¡°We are just regular adventures. We want in for some mining. It ought to be great, or so I heard.¡± Itrosh pointed at her and Bagus, then to Murai on top of his head. ¡°He is...the one you must understand at some capacity. There was a duck over some ceiling, you see.¡±


    That shut both guards up. Their mouth fell agape, weapons lowered on their own, and they had no means to go against them. But as far as this went, letting them inside wasn''t optimal as well. ¡°That is... That is?¡±


    ¡°A mighty Anatidae, I might add,¡± Itrosh said softy, ¡°with very soft feathers and sharp beak. Could be deadly. No touching, please. It bites and quacks sharply!¡±


    ¡°B-but.. Why here? Where? How!?¡± Both guards didn''t seem to know what to do. One of them grabbed a construct that looked like a short-term communication device that could become scraps after a few uses. It worked enough in such an environment and locks in space.


    Before activating it, a knife closed. Itrosh stepped and appeared beside him, nearly biting his neck. ¡°What goes, goes. We go inside. Why is the gate closed?¡±


    ¡°B-because of the recent... happenings. Owner''s choice.¡±


    ¡°Can we go in?¡±


    ¡°I... wanted to ask.¡±


    ¡°Owner can''t prohibit entry, can he?¡± Bagus asked a good question.


    ¡°Not many question such choices right now. Ip''ur City is that sort of thing. The true owner is still our Lady. Us soldiers are ants.¡± the other guard¡ªthe one without a knife close to his throat¡ªsaid.


    ¡°Then be quick and don''t cause a ruckus. We don''t want trouble.¡± Itrosh knew trouble would come at them instead and kicked the guard with the device to the ground. He stayed there and quickly activated his construct.


    Lisa didn''t expect them to be like this. Unfortunately, she knew exposing themselves in this location was unavoidable, and a lot of her choices came to this moment. Trouble would come at them depending on them and her surroundings. Nothing else.


    So far, so good, though that was wrong. Someone gave them this location regardless of Levandis''s interest. It should''ve been impossible, so Lisa was playing her game and controlled it a little bit. From times when she saw their bounties, Helltrim City, or their first ambushes or saw Carmilla, things progressed like their travels.


    Perhaps Lisa was over-thinking everything, and since this place had no portal, no one was taking their present solution seriously. Some might think of it as their visit unrelated to their task, or it was meant to be their great escape route by giving up and taking some Gems for themselves. Some Challengers had done so in the past, and because of that, Levandis couldn''t stop them from taking some Gems.


    That was her main goal; she wanted to make others believe they would come back to the Surface or this city so they wouldn''t come to them like crazy dogs. But they could. Hunting in the middle of mines was possible, yet still better for Lisa than doing anything different.


    For example, there was no way for her to go into these Millennia Mines unnoticed. Not only it would be crazy, but she had no actual plans about going inside. It might be as simple as walking through a door.


    Knowledge about portals was quite a sensitive topic because there was a difference between native Challengers or those coming from other Hells or Surface. Their wisdom was moderate, prohibited from sharing some secrets, and most Challengers were left in the shadows if they didn''t know much. Natives were better at that, and a lot of this surrounded great semi-closed competitions within Levandis forces, whereas outsiders might know and think of it differently.


    In some other Sectors, there were portals with history lacking for centuries. At least they existed in some documents or stories. Lisa had one idea that Murai''s portal was one such thing yet it was never documented or comprehended in the Chaos Space.


    Some mages had an open entrance to that maddening space, and they might''ve gotten close to the truth, but Levandis either hid it or ensured it would never reach any unfilial eyes. That was curious.


    And not impossible for Lisa and her guesses. Alongside the history and everything that she knew, Ip''ur Mountain was famous for the prospect of mining and wealth. That was it. Having a portal wouldn''t hurt it in the slightest, nor it would cause disturbances if it was protected and maintained with such valuable wealth.


    Lisa was careful about her words and goals. None should know this location at the level that would push them to some crazy acts. Their finishing line might be waiting around the Scorching Light, some mountains, or this Sector. Many might wait around the known portals in this Sector already, yet their targets would never come.


    If too many Hunters flocked together, Ip''ur Mountain would turn into a shitshow. If Razmund knew about it along with Ozeki, he would flood the public with this data and turn the tides even more.


    But that was far from something Levandis and Mindarch, let alone Kil wanted.


    So far, it wasn''t the case. Razmund would ruin everything, yet this place was bound to become full of chaos and death anyway. There was no stopping it anyway since many sides were coming and troubles would become very personal. That might be why, even if he knew their designation, he would''ve never made it public.


    The mere idea that he drove Encounter public was enough of a pain, and Levandis contemned him in her heart. At least her greatest valuable assets would never take such bait because this problem wasn''t hers. It was up to Lordis and Blessed who came to this place like a bunch of invasive beetles.


    Demonic guards quickly checked on their superiors. It didn''t take that long for the gate to open and let Bagus and Itrosh into the city, with Murai included. Both guards couldn''t stop anything, but they knew that this arrival was bound to stir the troubles of this city. Hopefully, their superiors knew what they were doing because this silly pair was glad to be alive.


    ¡°They let us in, hm?¡± Itrosh hummed and stored her knife in her pouches or under her cloak. ¡°Kind of disappointing, isn''t it?¡±


    Lisa looked at her from Murai''s hoodie. ¡°Better than nothing. Leaving us out there would be stupid. They must''ve their ideas about us, so I am worried about the current owner.¡±


    ¡°I am not,¡± Bagus said and strode forth.


    Looking for a portal wasn''t even a suspicious activity. It was straight-up nonsense. Nobody would believe them. Perhaps if the portal knowledge became public, everyone would think of it as fake news. However, Lisa didn''t want to try her luck or goals. She had a lot on her plate already, and this city was populated enough to storm them all.


    Thankfully, the street was sparsely populated right now, including the edges of big and tall walls. It was barren, with many tents, and rough walls, and the street itself was quite big. The closer they went to the center, the better it was.


    Curfew was still intact, and most normal denizens were rather hidden, or careful who they touch or where they would go. It didn''t matter if this was part of Hell or not. This was about cultures and people, and anyone sane would know that lacking the Will of the Battleworld was the biggest curse one would get.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Lisa had to be clever in their tactics. Finding some excuses to enter some mines was on her mind, but not before visiting one place that David suggested.


    Finding some shade and a corner of some street, it was time to make scheduled talks between her and Murai. Lisa had the final word on most things, and out of wonder, she took out David''s communications device because something weird happened. For the first time in days, it flared in noises and activity. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    David didn''t accept the device. He was the one reaching for them. Lisa was surprised he did. He thought he chickened out in fear to hear her voice. But that wasn''t the case. His unfilial business was something Lisa accepted after Murai''s persuasion, so right now, she was petty and angry with David on a personal level.


    Going out like that wasn''t a terrible strategy if he was alongside Ultium. They were no longer a pair, however. Lisa had no way to know that. Ceila was with them for the better part of half a day.


    ¡°Alright, David,¡± Lisa whispered to the construct, ¡°You have some cheeks, you bastard!¡±


    ¡°Am not sorry. Not one bit.¡± David sounded unapologetic, almost laughable with how calm he sounded. ¡°How are you looking over there? Somewhere. Wait, you don''t have to tell me where. Who knows who is listening or why? I thought we would get locked. Maybe they let us connect.¡±


    Lisa had a tensed-up body and shone all over her face and flexed sparkling arms. She seriously wanted to talk and turn this topic away.


    She didn''t. She calmed instead.


    ¡°Fine. We in and we go to do our mining. There are about fifteen entrances to various underground systems according to the research you found out for me, right? What might be good is next.¡±


    ¡°Oh, good. Indeed. A lot of mines are there. The area is quite mapped out since there are a lot of Millennia Mines, and most are interconnected, followed by eras and those that are older or newer. Mapping is relatively public, so many things aren''t what they seem because some places are fake because of greed and too much mining, or...well, damages. Some places are off the limits for centuries or millennia unless you are part of her military or special mining forces. Companies have taken maps for some species. It is their great treasure. Because of that, our methods might require some nasty choices if you know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Little choices could pose an easy decision. Big one, big problems. Politics and companies do the rest. What about denizens? Armies? Miners? Going up and see what will happen is probably all you can do.¡± David said three points from far away, clutching his device as he walked.


    Shaking his head, scratching his chin, and imagining the Ip''ur Mountain he had seen quite a few times, David was glad he was out of the picture. He didn''t want to go there at all.


    Ip''ur Mountain was a lofty mountain with many spiked peaks that swirled like a thumb from the depths of this planet. In a sense, it wasn''t looking like a proper mountain around the world, or from the rest in the Scorching Light. It was more... thinner, but still humongous.


    Perhaps it was the biggest of them all because of its canyon which bore its entrances kilometer below the Scorching Light. It was rough, corroded, reddish, and light in stones and some minerals. It even had some residual veins of Ultra Materium, but they were so far or low unless one went closer, they couldn''t see it because of the sun above.


    ¡°You get me, right?¡± David asked again after Lisa hadn''t spoken or replied for a dozen seconds. She was contemplating his words and her rage.


    ¡°Finding it will be hard. Unsurprisingly. What does he want, I wonder. This sort of communication is hard to read, isn''t it?¡± Murai commented to her mind, feeling that his choices so far have been lackluster, as always.


    ¡°Choices...¡± Lisa whispered.


    ¡°We are still working over here. Me and Ultium are still around, so be patient or move forward. We expected to be left behind, so...¡± David said without hesitation and shame.


    ¡°You... fucker!¡± Lisa growled and ceased the conversation. She knew what to do if he was like this. Murai glanced at her, surprised at her smashing the device to Itrosh in anger. For Murai to get lucky, perhaps the heavens itself would speak first before it would ever happen. Or he could seek it instead, try his luck, and hope for the best. Lisa would help him for sure, or make it much worse.


    ¡°We go in. There is no value in hearing him ever again,¡± Lisa said out loud. Itrosh and Bagus saw this coming from a mile away. It was time to try their luck to run out of it before the mining underground.


    Their party was already inside the city for some time, and since this place was populated, it was inevitable that someone would recognize them and cause trouble.


    Bagus and Itrosh were walking more courageously than ever, showing hostility to every gang they had seen, or where they could. It worked in most cases. None dared to go physical. Some groups taunted them for sure, shouting for a duel or their Badges or Murai''s Token.


    They could''ve accepted the duel. There were some worth and valuable assets when spreading one''s influence like that. Murai had been itching for one for a long time, but so far, he fought only when he had to.


    Itrosh only laughed back at such pitiful gangs or miners, flipping them off before following Lisa''s ideas. Bagus was more comfortable than ever because barriers and many thick roofs and leather covers lowered the heat to a passable level.


    Lisa decided to get Murai into a good spot. That was to be a bit forceful, look around for information on the mines, history, and knowledge about portals. The last things went over everyone''s head, lest there be some suspicion. She knew there were many shops, informants, or brokers that resided in the buildings.


    It was no time to waste time, yet it was better to know where or how to waste time before being haughty without any plans. The group soon followed deeper into the city and visited some shops. It was breezy and dandy in comforting shades. There were even some rare patches of grass and forcefully cultivated trees around the streets and rich houses or company buildings.


    One such building was the target David found out about. Lisa went there out of no desperation. It was her plan number one: act dumb and look desperate. So far, she didn''t care about any special shops. She just visited them for face value. Still, she purchased some mining maps that weren''t going that deep, nor did they offer clarity about history or the underground.


    Not even the old folks around this city helped, for there was something older about what they might need. That was why she looked at one company''s name in longing. It was a company similar to David''s, as it was privately owned with not that deep important history or some crazy background, or hidden secrets. At least in public eyes, of course.


    The owner was some old fool who retired from being a map drawer, explorer of mines, and Scorching Light in general. He didn''t have much respect for anyone¡ªespecially for the military or many companies around here. According to David, the owner was someone reliable if you pushed through his thick skin.


    David didn''t specify in what capacity. Perhaps he was very literal about it, but Lisa wouldn''t care if he was or wasn''t specific. Her patience was at its limits when a ring bell echoed in a cozy-looking and wide shop. Many shelves had all sorts of things, ranging from old antiques to artifacts long broken or forgotten, or many paintings or various rocks scattered around in blocks, windows, or other containers.


    It looked like some sort of antique shop, but that wasn''t it. This company worked with information and maps in general, which was something Lisa could work with, even if it had a terrible reputation around Ip''ur City.


    Itrosh went there first, followed by Lisa and Murai. Bagus remained outside since he was too big. That was a good idea since he guarded the door and sat like a good boy. Itrosh would have to be enough if there was an ambush inside of it. Lisa doubted it was possible, and Itrosh could be very... persuasive if she had to. That happened in ways that Lisa couldn''t manage yet because she was assertive, extroverted, and quite honest.


    Snorting echoed right after the ringing noise, coming from a desk in some corner. Littered with thousands of old papers that held drawings, scribbles, and words of ancient languages and symbols, Murai would recognize some, but he was far too small to see them right now.


    He walked in on his own feet after all. Itrosh didn''t touch or carry him like a pet. She wanted to do it and almost begged him on her knees. Murai refused her in a heartbeat.


    Surprisingly, Lisa didn''t hide. She was out in the open, flying in close size as Murai''s body. Waves of sona flowed out of her flesh, acting like some dress dripping down her torso, while a pair of rougher wings flickered behind her. They were almost hard to notice when she wasn''t someone she wished to be.


    She noticed a person behind the desk, dozing off and ignoring the ringing or their steps. Beside the papers on the desk were also some antiques and artifacts of old age and history. Most should''ve been found in the Scorching Light, various caves, or ancient sites like Dungeons or tombs.


    An old demon was sleeping on his desk, his head resting on his crossed hands, while his body was hunched as he sat on the chair.


    ¡°Ehm. Foolish?¡± Lisa cleared her throat, declaring her presence by uttering the name of this old demon that David told her a long time ago.


    Foolish piqued his long ears, grunted, and pushed his body to awareness. He cursed in weird tomes and crisp-sounding words. Lisa didn''t understand them.


    Like a bolt of lightning, he was staring straight at a wall. ¡°Uh! Uttering foolishness is a rare occasion in this existence. One would think I dream of that world.¡± he uttered in human tongue, glancing left and right to find the cause.


    Lisa was right there before him, floating with a stern-looking face and folded arms. Foolish pretended to not see her because that was what he preferred. He rather looked at Itrosh behind Lisa. As for Murai, he wasn''t able to see him at all.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Itrosh said and waved at him. ¡°Are we here alone?¡±


    ¡°Hm. Thieves and brave fools would rather not see the weight of words that curse upon these pages. Yet the foolishness has been uttered alongside the tongue of human shits. Who do we have the pint to haggle with? On what occasion, or topic? If it is improper, we don''t deal with idiots. Not one bit,¡± Foolish waved his hands, smiled like an old devil, and spread his cards up.


    He was old, red-skinned with dry wrinkles and age. Around his visible skin, thanks to the comforting attire of high-quality fabric and robe, he looked like a retired warrior instead. Many wrinkled scars were on his face and hands. It was either from work, dangerous places, or fighting.


    His attire held many ornaments and gold accents, looking expensive. Too expensive for a shop that wasn''t very lucrative or part of any company alliance. Foolish also wore goggles over his forehead, meant to protect the eyes, but sleeping with them on was an eyesore. As for his race, it was a simple course of a rather sharp demonic race called Urmanium Demons.


    This race held a long history of being on par with devils in some capacity, thanks to their relatively long lifespan, intellect, and knack for crafting and seeking knowledge. They had a long-lasting history that was all over the universe, let alone this Battleworld.


    Their lineage stemmed partly from the linkage to elves, devils, and a few high-ranked Demoniks. A primal race that stemmed from demons from old times and previous Epochs.


    Foolish was glancing at Itrosh, but after hearing some small steps, he leaned and saw Murai as well. For him to see them all was a bit difficult, but it would never escape his sharp senses and long ears.


    ¡°Oh, Itrosh from the Lost Brothers? That old fool wants something from me again, and sent someone like you? What a deal... At least it is not that kid Ultium. I would play him like a fool.¡± Foolish said, smiling at her with openness, tapping the table. ¡°What does he have to offer me? A job?¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Itrosh shrugged. ¡°Don''t have much besides some knives.¡± She tossed some up and down, but Foolish wasn''t impressed.


    ¡°What else can I do for a friend of a fellow stupid company owner? Need help with taxes? Not my specialty, similar to sharing things unworthy of my mouth and many ears.¡±


    ¡°Not much is worth in the mouth of a senile old demon,¡± Lisa replied, moving forward to be in the center, hovering right above the table. ¡°Neither he is important or half impressive. Loss of money is worse than face, but you seem to have lost more than that.¡±


    ¡°AH! That went deep... ouch..¡± Foolish scowled, appearing hurt, and pretending to scratch his chest. Placing his both hands to his chest, he leaned on the counter to see what they truly needed.


    ¡°So, what do you need? I fear the price for your information is already out, traveling through the usage of mana and messengers, I fear. Appearing in the Ip''ur Mountain of all places. Consider this old fool impressed, confused, and in no way incentivized to help you or others. Have my own business and heart, you see. Some call it conscience. I call it deep pockets in many ways. Got many things to offer, you see.¡±


    ¡°I haven''t come to question what worth you have,¡± Lisa retorted, frowning and placing her lower body on the counter, and slightly increasing her height. ¡°Information about the underground is a peculiar thing. You know something about it, am I right?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Am old. Got the hang of the mines in all of my lives. Oh, a single one, sorry. Though, what is worth in three centuries? It''s worth many humans, you see. But... foolishness doubts a whole lot of context reaches such places as my ears. Why do we have these here, in my shop? A duck and a gho... oh, I do fell upon your kin, oh...¡±


    ¡°Shut up! Have your guess like your scars. Do you want to deal with us or run?¡± Lisa asked.


    Foolish laughed at that and felt very intrigued by Lisa all of a sudden. He sat back on his chair and leaned back. ¡°You see, I knew of you. Why? Bounties and rumors about a group going into these Sectors aren''t big. They are humongous. An Encounter did reach us, so why shouldn''t I use this chance for myself? Offer might be tall and high, but it depends on everyone being a fool or a great actor.¡±


    ¡°If you do know what we need, you are in a pinch of some worth. If not, death might come like the sun in the ceiling.¡± Lisa spoke in a tone like a lofty succubus, crisp, cold, with deep emotional impact, and a firm face. It held a certain impression of authority, and someone better not underestimate it.


    Foolish held his own against her more than fine. He dealt with worse things and saw a lot in his old life. He might get interested in this deal if he added all three fools before him.


    ¡°Am not afraid of a ghost, nor a girl who doesn''t know what she wants.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Itrosh frowned and hissed at him.


    Foolish waved his hands and ignored her. ¡°Let alone such as yourself, ghostly Fairies are up in some drawings. In business, we talk. What can I do for you, a group guarding a duck as if they are fools,¡± Foolish changed his tone, sighed, opened his eyes wide, and folded his arms before his chest to appear similar to Lisa. Far too similar in demeanor and change of pace.


    Lisa took it with no difference. She wasn''t surprised, nor did she find his words wrong. If he had done something else, she might''ve become a bit agitated and touched him from the inside out.

 Chapter 231: Foolisch

    Foolisch Merchant Company had a lot to offer from the basic look around. From some history, underground, and mining, it had its customers. It had one problem though.; its owner was an insensible old freak who had seen enough of this Province that he no longer cared for its denizens, let alone armies or others.


    It wasn''t about arrogance. Even Overlords wouldn''t change his mind, or give him some improper look. He didn''t care about any God, power, or politics. His interest lay in the ground, and the ground was big and sacred, unwilling and deep enough to hinder his fate.


    Why would anyone mind this, when his use was just in the earth, left out, or overlooked because of his age, or omitted benefits? Was it something nice and good to feel like a bag tossed to rot? To waste time, half dug into the ground, caring for its history, secrets, mines, and Scorching Light itself? Foolisch loved that sort of thing, young or old.


    Foolisch was old, yet not stupid. Old demons who were able to survive to pass as elderly were fine to respect and watch with some hesitation because one could never know their age, history, or words. Their minds might be fickle. Murai followed that ideal out of no spite or respect, but simply because it made sense to not care about something like age. Talents were going onward like stars exploding to pitiful ends. What was a decade, or a century in the grand scheme of universe than a blink?


    Unfortunately, it wasn''t fair for the living, whose entire souls and flow in space were sparse and crazy, yet like dust. But this dust was clever, and willing to become rocks or immense gems. That was how Epochs changed, and people and life fought against the unstable cryptic stagnancy of the Void.


    It was natural that experience came with age. Even a child might understand it. Foolisch was aware of how far some things could go. This group before him was interesting, so he hummed, touched his brows, and gazed at Lisa who was slightly below his line of vision, looking up at him.


    ¡°Fairy, huh?¡± he reckoned, hands folded and fingers scratching his clothes. ¡°Seen them in many ways, yet never like this. It is an interesting way of sona. Is it fake?¡±


    ¡°Am not a Fairy.¡± Lisa retorted.


    ¡°I didn''t ask that. I am not foolish.¡±


    ¡°What then?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to hunt my dreams or gnaw at my soul when I am not looking?¡± he asked, smiling, and knowing that he was boss in this room.


    He wasn''t strong, however; he was just mildly confident for no reason whatsoever. He could die here, feeling ghostly legend with his flesh, take some dreadful curses, or a simple toss of a knife to his head would do a much better job. Perhaps no one would notice his death, look for him, or find something lacking.


    Knowing the information about the Hellscape was one part of various interests that he paid attention to for centuries. He paid a hefty price from age, power, and reputation to get and know what he wanted.


    What was before him was interesting, but he wouldn''t expect someone like them to seek him out. Mining? Knowledge? What sort of business could he even give to a group of Hunted or a Blessed who was like a little abhorrent problem that Foolisch was unable to cope with? Frankly, he didn''t want to believe it. He didn''t want to watch it either.


    ¡°Fine. Fine. You group up to bully this old demon, so let''s be frank. In what way does this group make sense? Do you look for portals or mining? Scorching Light has many hidden portals and mines for sure, known in passing or records. Lost Brothers must know a way to get them without looking for anyone. So. The reason you are looking for me must be quite something. From the looks of it, of course. You should look for a portal if I am not foolish.¡±


    ¡°What makes you say we should focus on our portal? Is it safe?¡± Lisa tried him.


    ¡°Experience, ghost,¡± Foolisch grinned. ¡°And the fact that Ip''ur Mountain has its most historical definitions and readings of the underground as great mining. Not alone, we are. Mappers and miners are all relying on these businesses, you see. Knowledge is power and going around here or down is one part of a disaster when one knows nothing.¡±


    ¡°Say something new.¡± Itrosh hissed aside, standing behind Lisa.


    ¡°You too,¡± Foolisch said. ¡°My prices might be high, just so you know. If you seek us out while taking Lost Brothers as a whole, then you have no clue what you are doing, have something else in mind, or you are joking and want something you should never take into your mouth! I stopped caring ages ago! My Lady...¡±


    ¡°Old demons,¡± Lisa said, shaking her head, ¡°should know what is good for them and not go out of their heads like rabid dogs. You don''t know us.¡±


    ¡°So you are gonna hunt me? Tell me something else or go away!¡±


    Thinly, Foolisch was hearing some light tapping sounds as if someone was trying to jump at the table but failed again and again.


    Lisa was perplexed by dealing with this demon. She thought she would meet someone else, or... well, there was something that she must have overlooked. In one way, she needed knowledge. On the other, she hated dealing with those who didn''t take her seriously as her ghostly form. She was no Fairy. She knew it, which was why none respect her.


    If she was a Fairy, perhaps things would be vastly different from everything else.


    But others seemed to see Fairy in her anyway, yet acted unlike her experience. Perhaps only true minds saw her right, and those might be great members of societies and no fools. Foolisch was certainly interested in her in no small capacity. It was notable by a glint in his eyes, posture of his hands and head, and vigilance.


    ¡°Business is for ghosts too, right?¡± Lisa asked.


    ¡°Sure as far as souls get that idea. Could they? What about money? Is there something like that in Afterlife? I have a collection of maps of pretty much any mine in the Ip''ur Mountain, which is your interest, I believe. Have many others, though I am certain you aren''t going somewhere else. Those I''ve are parts of private and public paths. Some are illegal, so to speak, but once dug out, a path is hard to evaporate. Well, my drawing goes out of the picture if you want new paths. If that''s the case, take maps from others and combine them. I can''t go through everything new. Have a single pair of old legs and arms, you see. An old and some news or good workers are hard to come by.¡±


    It wasn''t a joke. If someone wanted to map every old and new mining shaft as quickly as possible, it would need a whole company of scholars, miners, and engineers working so that every path wouldn''t mess with anything old, new, or future. There was also an issue of companies, where everyone was looking for some wealth or benefits.


    Greed wasn''t luxury. It was common, so there might be fake news, backstabbing, or terrible consequences when one worked with unfilial bastards. Because of that, there were many instances where mines would become unusable, destroyed, or confidential.


    What went behind the scenes was definitely within Lisa''s expectations, or Foolisch''s awareness. Yet he didn''t know what sort of thing this group wanted. Everyone looked after the old veins of Ultra Materium, and any new one was a big good, yet not that great because of the way Ultra Materium functioned.


    There was an excess of it; mining was slower than discovering those veins, followed by price and value itself. It wasn''t the most important point for mining. There was business, buying power, and supply and demand that Levandis worked with as sole possessor of this great material.


    There weren''t many additional materials around besides Mana Essences. Some ore veins might be in some depths, originating from some treasures, aftereffects of Materium, or they were enough distance away from Materium.


    Still, with massive invaluable veins that were incredibly hard to mine, most attention went into them, rather than into what little might be around and hiding in the earth. Since Materium was that hard, the rate of their mining and discoveries weren''t equal. There were too many of those veins. They extended for kilometers, scattering across the whole Scorching Light''s underground. Some places were full of it, others without it, so they had some regular normal materials.


    They weren''t everything, of course.


    Many old ruins and Dungeons were hiding in many unkempt corners because of the old Sun God Temple. They depict old commodities with vast shafts, caves, pillars, and towers, usually in pieces, long devoid of proper protection, or interest of Sky Gods who liked to touch ancient sites to remodel them to their ideals. Ancient history created great merits. Levandis knew them, yet the history was much vaster than Gods themselves.


    Though rare, many miners took those ancient sights with reverence and luck. They were beyond rare, so any newly anointed ruins and proper Dungeon were worth a fortune no matter their grade or difficulty. Barren and broken-down locations were less exciting, albeit as rare as something working.


    ¡°So, what''s up with you all?¡± Foolisch was getting irritated by their lack of words. He was speaking honestly and wasn''t exaggerating. If they wanted business, he was like an open book. Expensive and insensible, but open. He had no ulterior motives if their motive was acceptable. That was the sort of business Foolisch liked. He was good at it as far as Lisa moved and shifted her sona.


    This angered Lisa in multiple weird ways and changed her mind. ¡°Are you worth it?¡±


    ¡°Have a book about Fairies. Wanna look? You are similar, but I think I know the truth. Some book might create a greater look or base, eh?¡± Foolisch laughed when he thought about her and offered her something great.


    ¡°I am still not a fairy!¡± Lisa barked at him.


    ¡°You aren''t?¡± Itrosh asked. Murai wondered if she was joking or not after he gave up on his jumping. Itrosh traveled with them for days, so Murai wondered if this was her first time wondering about Lisa''s origin, body, or way she looked.


    Lisa refused Foolisch''s idea and Itrosh. Yet, someone else did not. Hearing that offer of a book, Murai was curious about those Fairies. Most beings who noticed Lisa in some capacity mentioned that race in some way or another. Were they related, or was her race something else? Fairies were an old race originating from spiritual and ancient bloodline races who were close to Fate and Afterlife, bearing fruits of Chaos and Order into the Epochs.


    Some might call them spirits; others demons.


    Lisa might be worse than any of them as far as Murai was thinking about her.


    ¡°You are an old fool, yet so petty. Fine.¡± Lisa glanced at Itrosh, gesturing her to do what she told her before they entered.


    Frowning, Itrosh saw no Fairy in Lisa no matter how she looked at her, but in some words, she was close to one when she looked at her deeper or took her voice to heart. Unfortunately, she wasn''t that great at feeling things. Itrosh heard stories about Fairies since young and revered them as interesting yet far-away beings. They described beings in various dreamy substances and appearances, looking perfect in many ways, yet hideous underneath the perfection. They were beasts, demons, hopes, and threading beings within the lines of people and demons.


    Fairies were savage beings of unknown and known lands, touching the spirituality of souls and places that one shouldn''t visit. They were essentially nightmares under the lands of Hells, and many young demons took them for something worse than themselves.


    When met with one, it was better to flee and not sleep, or... consider the life or End itself.


    Of course, if there was anything that described something, Lisa didn''t have their personalities, body, voice, feeling, aura, and voice.


    She just preferred her perfection, felt her past, and her current race did the rest. Even if she ended up like a squirrel or some bird, it wouldn''t change her voice or mind. Few would blame her for taking advantage of her race when one could essentially shape their entire body like moldable clay.


    Looking through her pockets, Itrosh placed a small pouch on the table, right in front of glaring and curious Foolisch. It was just a sack. Unworthy of any Space or Void. It had no special properties either unless one viewed its handful of internal storage for something old-school and nice.


    It was just a piece of leather with a fabric thread knitted at the end, securing its content tightly. From that look alone, it almost looked like any spatial pouch, apart from moving it, which created a clatter of coins. It was a gentle crisp sound as if they were made of crystals or soft metal. It was also a sound that any business liked, yet what was money and worth for those that weren''t seeing it?


    David mentioned that working with Foolisch might be problematic, weird, and difficult. Back then when she dealt with David''s plans, Lisa snorted, not thinking too much about his words. A fool was a fool, and he knew a lot about the Scorching Light and Ip''ur Mountain.


    Could this sound and pouch work in this place? Against this fool of a demon who probably was filthy rich to not care about the consequences of his words, yet never become something greater? It touched on something sensitive for sure. What coins or something metallic was worth to someone who saw riches of this Gate in all faces and manners?


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    It didn''t matter.


    Yet when one had wealth, more wealth would never hurt them.


    Lisa understood that fact and didn''t care much about its consequences. Murai didn''t either. Wealth was for those comfortable, powerful, or busy. They worked with enough sincerity and reputation. She never judged Murai''s character. She judged his act and whole soul instead.


    What were valuable items worth it if one would never spend them?


    Foolisch tried to touch the pouch, but Lisa grabbed it before his touch, clicking her mouth as if bells chimed, and tossed the pouch up and down.


    ¡°Sincerity,¡± she said, flying up and closer.


    ¡°is virtue in businesses, right?¡± Foolisch said, proceeding with his ideal of how businesses kept happening in this place and under his touch. Since she came to this conclusion, he might take any bait and wonder out of his mouth.


    Ip''ur Mountain held the oldest mines in Scorching Light. There were numerous mining shafts here, working under many companies that held their respective mining teams, and its value as a whole was enormous.


    One could come and mine as long as one had a permit to go inside through numerous, albeit limited openings. Each entrance was private, screened by the military, and business strategies containing worth of Ultra Materium. It worked because of Levandis herself.


    Miners didn''t have what it takes to piss off a Goddess or her great subjects. As for what miners or companies did underground, it didn''t matter too much. Mines were dangerous, and unstable in many ways because of Materium, and they branched out into thousands of other shafts, going for kilometers deep.


    There was almost no order in shafts since many millennia went into their creation. No one would expect it. Mining wasn''t an art. It was a literary destructive act to gain wealth with power and establish more wealth to get more of it.


    But if anything was good and working, these were primary shafts, various massive infrastructures, and rules. Underground was like a battlefield, a separate lawless zone where many things went unnoticed.


    There was pride in being a miner, as long as one had the whole team behind them, or a company, that showed some support, aid, or workforce. The military also had some private or public interest in most mines, but these were few and far in-between.


    Ultra Materium drove Ip''ur City''s economy, worth, business, and booming relations, followed by companies and traditional mining resources. Those didn''t include Mana Essences as something great. In fact, many didn''t take the blissful mysterious way of artificial essence gathering as critical. Most took what was in the earth as more meaningful. For some reason, they never found it lacking.


    Foolisch used to have his mining teams, thanks to his years of experience and personal interests. As a company owner of a smaller degree, his position was adequate to be arrogant, but not enough to be lofty. David knew him very well, so seeking some worth from this old demon was all he could muster and offer. As for who he knew, that was up to Lisa to get.


    It wasn''t always a good thing to be too forceful.


    ¡°What can we have here, or do?¡± Foolisch asked Lisa. ¡°You really want to know something. What? I might be silent and glaring. No need to worry if it means something good to me, or bad to everyone. Companies get it. You are dangerous. I am not. Am old. Retired. The military won''t touch me. Are those Ultra Gems within this pouch? Has that old fool David decided to retire and go out of this place with that devil?¡±


    ¡°Why would that matter to any of us? We talk business, no?¡± Lisa said coldly, catching the pouch in her denser and glowing hands. By now she was half of his size and quite eye-catching and beautiful. Something like hair was flowing from her head, bathing her in a much more delightful appearance.


    It didn''t give Foolisch anything other than awe in hand and some hesitation. He was calculating and wondered what else could this ghost do. He figured this was no Fairy. So what was truly before him, or who? Ghosts had many potential answers, and the universe was wild. Gods validated that point, and Foolisch saw and felt them in his old life. Lisa might be closer to some wonderful thing than anything he might say out loud.


    He wouldn''t dare, for this group and timing wasn''t as great. From the world, Mindarch, Levandis, and occurrences coming between many sides, Foolisch put some things together and linked some truth. Then, he began to fear Lisa for real.


    He heard rumors, and even if this place was detached, information either got lost, limited or turned to rumors by word of mouth, his old life wasn''t fake. The best way to find clarity was through direct connections to the owner or the military. If one was gaudy, creating some ties to Overlords, Extremes, and companies was the second-best option.


    And since this Gate was up in arms, deals of data ceased to exist days ago. Foolisch got to know enough to see this group with ease. They wouldn''t kill, he thought. Some might; she wouldn''t dare.


    Though, there was always a possibility of being a shameless bastard, who wouldn''t hesitate to sell others out. Here? Against a Challengers from the Surface and Hunted? Before him was a fortune of almost half a million points.


    It could be worth hunting them, but could he afford it? Perhaps he could back-stab them later after hearing them out, yet was it even worth it, or possible? There might be no point in it, and Lisa might know it.


    It should be stupid to even go into this city and acting stupid was even beyond that. It was absurd.


    Lisa read him without any touch. She saw enough of aged fools to trust, use, and get them through sight, smell, and words alone. It was always like this in this world. In a place where the strong ate the weak unlucky bastards, there was always a fine place for trust, talks, and betrayals.


    Even Helpers were the same.


    Unless the dangers or truths seem weaker than the potential benefits, one should never be sure about a Helper, friend, or even family.


    Foolisch folded his arms back before his chest, frowning. ¡°Again. I suppose this Sector is your ending location. Portal is what you seek, am I right? I have them all right beside me or my head, but if you don''t know that, I am not Foolisch. I could get anyone to any of them.¡± Foolisch ended his streak of smiling and appeared much more serious. It was the face of a businessman who overcame fearful reminders.


    ¡°You think I would give our destination to you? Of all things, that matters to us, not you.¡± Lisa retorted.


    ¡°I fear that is true, which points to why come here? Merely knowing this Sector is enough to send Hunters to your side, yet it sounds fake and odd. Words spread. Hunters will come.¡±


    ¡°That''s right!¡± Lisa shouted, skipping ahead and forgetting some useless words. With the conversation that went nowhere, she tossed the pouch down.


    Waste... She wasted another time. More precious time.


    ¡°Well, if you want this, that is easy. Which direction do you look for? If you won''t tell me details, giving up this business or trade is easier,¡± Foolisch grimaced, trying to come up with some plan to get this trade going in his favor.


    But no matter how he tried to think, there was nothing right in his favor.


    As he thought of some crafty plot, an unlikely figure jumped to the table after leaps of success, standing in triumph and snorting noises. Murai took deep breaths, angry at his attempt to jump at the table. Wearing his hoodie zipped and hood around his head, his soft feathers hid under light brown fabric. He looked at Foolisch with murderous eyes, thin round white lights glinted under the hood.


    A gaze and presence of an Anatidae was on the table, unhappily tapping the table with its feet, and looking ahead. Lisa hoped he wouldn''t make his move, but if he already did, why not use him? He could be persuasive from his small size similar to her race, yet he might be much better because Anatidaes had an actual great history in these lands.


    It worked. Foolisch cluttered his teeth, took a deep breath as he winced, and clutched his arms. Fear was nowhere to be seen he had some respect and dread instead, making him seem innocent, and hesitant to take this little beast for a simple animal.


    ¡°I swear I put a no pets sign before the entrance.¡± he stuttered an excuse.


    ¡°Bagus is waiting outside. Be glad for it.¡± Lisa added, giving him an evil smile.


    Murai walked to the front, looking at Foolisch. ¡°Care for being a translator?¡± He asked Lisa in crisp and loud quacks.


    ¡°No need,¡± Lisa said out loud. ¡°I think your presence is good enough on its own, so let''s get down on it. Foolisch, business, and sincerity may be a virtue, but do you think authority is anything lesser or improper? We have some ideas to do first. Mind hearing something that never occurred, or better yet, should''ve never happened?¡±


    Her words broke this old demon down. Even though he had all the means necessary to get out of this alive and well, he still cherished his shop, health, and time. He wouldn''t gain much out of betraying his business anyway, or touch this party. If anything, he had no inclinations to think about David badly. There was less knowledge about what he was doing in this Hunt with Ultium, and he hadn''t come to this city.


    Still, Bagus was enough. Then, there was Lisa and Murai who were the primary reasons for this madness. Foolisch might be retired and still well off in his blissful purposes, though his forces and connections consisted of those close to Level 70. Not more, for there were not enough benefits. Beasts and demons, or even devils were once employed under his company in large qualities and numbers. Now, there were just scraps that wanted something out of him, or they respected him for who he once was.


    He carefully cultivated his resources and knowledge throughout the centuries, unwilling to lose anything or take his words out. It was about secrets that he held, and many considered generational mining engineers and delvers as better than entire companies.


    Team, miners, and reputation were precious resources in this place. Losing them meant a big hit, so when Foolisch considered this team that was before him, he bent the knee.


    ¡°I doubt you would let me pledge, but if you fear my betrayal, I see my chances slipping. You could kill me too, silence me after getting to know what you want.¡±


    ¡°We would never do such a thing,¡± Itrosh said, playing with knives, one hanging too closely to her cheek and mouth.


    ¡°Figured. What do I have besides some ancient history, mining records, knowledge about this desert, and pretty much anything else? You come for something. Is it portal-related? What else? David is a shrewd old man. I get why you seek me. I do, but what is there for me?¡±


    ¡°Doubts,¡± Lisa said.


    ¡°A portal, is that so? Mining can be boring and simple, yet would someone like you do it with rules in place?¡± Foolisch didn''t believe it.


    ¡°What if we didn''t regard portals as crucial? What else does this place have to offer?¡±


    ¡°Mining? Did you come here to mine and dance before the hunters because of this place? How? You must know that this is a terrible idea. If you go down, mine, all items are confiscated until they sell and you would get your cut. You are outsiders! Hunted too.¡±


    Lisa understood that her quick idea seemed poorly thought out, but she immediately came up with a follow-up. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Itrosh and Bagus are also Hunters in their own right. Frankly, I took an interest in Ultra Materium. He... too.¡± Lisa pointed down at Murai, who looked like a thug duck that was a step too close to a murder. Even with his working veilling, he still had some aura about him that would shudder weakling, or put something to experienced folks who had experienced them or knew them very well.


    ¡°Of all things when you are Hunted, you want to go down to a place that can be your doom. Are you stupid, or am I?¡±


    ¡°Is it your problem?¡± Itrosh hissed. ¡°I so love those Ultra Gems. They go so well to my skin. Mind you, we can buy some here, they are a resource that is hard to come by above Smuggle some to the Surface is possible, with price becoming a criminal.¡±


    Foolisch took a deep breath and nodded. ¡°Apart from the fact that you are bad news. It is about outsiders and Surface Challengers who can smuggle. Do you plan to run away? What a joke. That sounds like a great piece of news that someone would like to know. But... you have some things to do, and mining... is... what?¡± He didn''t understand what this group was even testing.


    If he was in their place, he wouldn''t look for mining at all. Smuggling Ultra Gems was possible, yet was it worth the pain and so much effort? Levandis was very adamant when it came to Materium and such acts, and anyone who would come later for more would die a horrible End.


    Alas, Lisa thought of it as a necessary act, even if Bagus and Itrosh were in the picture. They didn''t want to leave Hellscape. David and Ultium did, while Foolisch misinterpreted everything.


    ¡°Feel free to check the bag,¡± Lisa waved her hand at the pouch that was right beside Murai.


    Foolisch glanced at it, afraid to get his hand close because of Murai''s proximity. He swore he saw a smirk on Murai''s face, and his beak was close, going from the hood where were two eyes looking at him. Murai quacked once and stepped aside, making more space for the pouch.


    Foolisch went for the pouch and quickly like a lighting, retrieved his hand the moment a beak snapped at nothing. Murai laughed at him, thinking that this old demon was funny. He swore he would like that book about Fairies, so he began to look around if it was close.


    Of course, he let Foolisch have his little pouch and check its content. Inside were dozens of thumb-sized Gems of light. Those were some nice Ultra Gems worth a couple of High-Grade 6 essences. Depending on their use, they could be worth more if one went to the black market or some suitable buyers.


    Levandis might be a Ruler of this Hell, but she wasn''t the sole God in these lands. She had to have others below her if she wanted her Hell to remain in one place, secure, and protected by layers of complex powers. Managing people and countless chaotic races was an endless endeavor. Like in the Divine Spheres, where many Gods resided, Hells were similar in some ways, yet deeper and much more complex than a literal small planet.


    Foolisch could work with some of her opposition. Her ideas about these Gems were hers. No one would deny that, though jealousy and greed were quite pivotal to see in many Gods and beings.


    ¡°Where have you found these?¡± Foolisch asked. This worth moved to a single Low-Grade 5 essence in value. A pair of Gems even held some thin Laws within, so perhaps it was more valuable.


    ¡°David gives his regards,¡± Itrosh said. ¡°He cares about us, you see. Not you, but he gave us your location to get some help. That''s all. Is this payment not enough? As our ghost says, there is something good ahead in our mutual cooperation.¡±


    Foolisch cleared his throat and let the pouch down. He would normally store it away or give a buyer and himself some slack. Unfortunately, this wasn''t that sort of trade, let alone time to be lofty.


    ¡°You are looking for mining news or some secret places, right? Is it related to the getting rid of Hunters, or the Encounter? Sorry, but taking some ruins or old Dungeons isn''t good. You would be pausing the inevitable. It sounds wrong where time is tight in most corners. You would die or have no place to go.¡±


    ¡°Did we stutter or ask for your opinion about our survival? Why do you even care?¡± Itrosh asked a good question and continued playing with her knives.


    ¡°What is it then?¡±


    ¡°Maps,¡± Lisa said. ¡°Your history too, perhaps. Old, or new, it doesn''t matter what is bad or not. Gems are enough for a payment, silent treatment, and some words. I reckon you should be happy to get us down and work it out among ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Fine. Are you looking for something specific?¡± Foolisch decided to play by their rules. If they wanted to die there, hunted without means of escaping unless going up while giving up, they would dig their own grave either way.


    ¡°This one,¡± Lisa pointed back to Murai, ¡°is interested in Ip''ur Mountain and underground. Anatidaes are curious creatures, Foolisch. This place is old, vivid, and great. A good visit, I reckon. Deep, dark, and vast, are simple words to describe it. You are also old, masterful in its history.¡±


    Lisa was quite open with her praise, which Foolisch took with a light chuckle and little pride. ¡°Hail the Hells then, but cheers of Fairies are deadly. Fine. It is an acceptable proposition. As for the topic of Ip''ur Mountain, it is nothing easy, yet it is up to my history. No one besides my old master, who perished in some old Divine War, knows the underground as well as me.¡±


    Murai was half interested in this world. Lisa essentially used his position and aura as a weapon and nothing else. Foolisch didn''t realize he was played like a kid.


    ¡°Many others are similar,¡± Itrosh argued.


    Foolisch noted as if she smacked his head. ¡°You don''t know much, little tigress,¡±


    ¡°Prove it then,¡±


    ¡°You think I don''t know everything, do you? That is wrong. Of course, you wouldn''t appear before me without thinking this through. Am I wrong? David sent you, yet to where or why? To death? Mining is foolish. I like foolishness, but not suicide¡± Foolisch slammed the table with his fist, glancing at Lisa with a firm gaze. He retracted his hand after hearing Murai''s steps.


    Foolisch wasn''t afraid, yet amidst the resolution and his worth, a bit of his voice escaped. After all, according to the reports, his understanding, and common knowledge, it wasn''t good to stick his hands where they didn''t belong. Anatidaes also brought bad lack and pain, though many took it for a superstition.


    Foolisch heard everything, saw those bounties, heard Mindarch and Levandis, and took most rumors about Razmund, Ozeki, and this group for entertainment. Now, with everything turning the world ablaze, he met one side he didn''t think would come knocking on his table.


    Hunting was a dangerous subject, yet the final course was more extensive than this. All denizens could get hold of massive wealth, as this was an open invitation right now because the balance was already broken.


    Knowing Itrosh and Bagus, he knew this ghost was worth some consideration, and upon deeper thought, even some fear. That went further with that duck on his table, looking at him, or his goods. They were supposed to be weak. Where? How? They didn''t feel like that; perhaps nobody weaker would create such a mayhem. Foolisch was old and forgot the world and how some things existed.


    What he should do, or not? After watching these sudden and shocking visitors, his old blood began to boil, but his mind prevailed in its paramount sentiments.

 Chapter 232: Fate and struggle

    Wealth, decisions, and moving when necessary were his old ideals that Foolisch followed for ages if not his whole life. Well, unless the incentive and danger had a corresponding wealth, some concession and danger might come. Thus, he might accept some persuasion and make a blunder against his nature.


    He saw nothing good, so if no clarity could come, coming closer and deeper was next. As for what was David planning, Foolisch took no regard for that old fool. Mining was an excuse. The moment Lisa started to dance around that subject, Foolisch felt his heart beating and mind racing. They would go down, and since all openings were public and under constant watch, they would get hunted like animals. No doubt.


    Bending his knee was cheap and accepting this money to remain shut was even cheaper. Forgetting their visit wasn''t even possible, for there were eyes everywhere, and the current owner and military were tensed up for days. After all, many great members of Scorching Light were aware of this team reaching into their blissful lands of greed and Gems. It came through some considerations, though no plans whatsoever.


    What was better? Be foolish and act for a better deal, or take a smaller one with a lesser threat? In his book, the choice of obvious.


    ¡°Maps... Ways in depths and shafts. David purchased many of them from me in the past.¡± Foolisch said.


    ¡°You got more things to offer than some maps,¡± Lisa said and went to a different matter.


    Foolisch went around the corner nervously, stopping beside a shelf and taking some documents out, and even briefly glanced at the book named Fairy Tales.


    A sharp quack echoed, causing him to nearly shit his pants. He turned, watching Murai stretching his right wing forwards, pointing at him.


    ¡°What was that for? I am not giving up anything improper. Nothing here is fake, I swear!¡± Foolisch swore on his life.


    Lisa sighed, figuring that this archaic fool below her was her weakness and hope at the same time. ¡°He wants those tales too, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Fairy Tale?¡± Foolisch furrowed his brows, glancing at the old book that wasn''t some vast documentation, but more like a less historical, personal, and abundant report of Fairy Race.


    He read it dozens of times and knew it was a simple copy, so he tossed it to the piles of maps and documents Lisa demanded.


    When it reached the table, Murai was satisfied to get what he wanted and took charge of that book with his wings, beak, and feet. Its content sounded interesting way to waste time on Bagus''s head or back, while what it could be or not wasn''t his concern. He wanted some fun.


    ¡°Will toss it for free, you are welcome,¡± Foolisch said as if he was giving them a massive favor.


    But Lisa was already half glancing at the documents, eyeing them closely and looking for something.


    ¡°This is some good stuff,¡± she mumbled, letting her sona skip a beat and flare up in sharp light.


    ¡°I am taking pride in my history. Allow me to take your End to my mouth then. Ip''ur Mountain is old and you want to hear everything there is.¡±


    Ten minutes later, most documents went into Lisa''s ring, while Foolisch and his endless exposition went half into her mind, and another half through her nerves.


    ¡°You sure took your choice,¡± Foolisch said, remembering what they asked, what he said, and what they looked for. He didn''t see any sense in everything, but Lisa looked for nothing spectacular. Underground was vast, and she never voiced her target.


    ¡°So much we do for the interests of those we cherish,¡± Lisa said and flew away, gesturing for Murai to follow up.


    Itrosh turned, leaving the table as well. Murai didn''t leave his book; he stored it in his own pouch and hoped its content would be entertaining.


    ¡°Bad ideas have many preventions!¡± Foolisch shouted as they left his shop.


    He glanced at the open pouch, wondering if he made a good deal or if bad habits couldn''t come to bite him back. What if he could''ve helped them more? How? Could he smuggle them out?


    That was dangerous. He could die, but at the same time, it wasn''t something he hadn''t done before. In the end, he didn''t do a thing and feared Ip''ur City was soon facing yet another storm.


    Lisa flew out to the street, looking at the shades of rare trees and many wide balconies, bridges going through the streets, above her, or acting as a ceiling. A massive mountain wasn''t in a clear view, but she knew it was there.


    She took full charge of her deal and got some good details, documents, and paths she wanted. As she expected, Foolisch had history written down, and as she spoke and took charge of what he explained, she didn''t give him any ammo or advantage.


    She spoke carefully, so he wouldn''t reveal their destination, hopes, or awareness of what was going on. Foolisch was an old clever demon, and somewhere deep, a portal was hiding that no one had seen. Foolisch included, of course.


    At least publicly, and there were no words about it in any of his documents. As Lisa expected, Foolisch had no documentation about possible Chaos Routes or portals in this place whatsoever. No one ever commented about them here, questioned it in ancient times, or desired one. They might be great access for fast travel, yet with Materium, or some terrific Chaos Space linkage, things might get rough.


    Most spatial travel, portals, and various formations were up to those touching Space or Void Affinities. Chaos Space itself was a vast term that described something like an Afterlife, for it was a totally different dimension. No permanent or temporary portal was ever set in this place, so the general population relied on walking, mounts, and caravans for trading.


    Lisa smelt half of her success when she left the shop.


    Behind her, Itrosh had overseen her deal herself, but after seeing Lisa so fervent and firm in words, she wasn''t even aware half of what she mentioned, wanted, or in what level her involvement helped her at all.


    Murai would do so well on his own little feet, and he did well, much to Itrosh whose knives were still in her hands. His quacking didn''t work with getting his ideas across, yet they worked much better than what Lisa wanted. She couldn''t care less for being his translator, and there was something great when he acted as a token of danger, giving Foolisch no foolish thoughts.


    It was fairly effective, even though he didn''t know all the reasons why his species was so feared, revered, or taken like mighty and weird beasts.


    Even when he asked Lisa, she deflected it by stating some things were just nightmares that didn''t need an explanation. Her words were hers. Thankfully, Murai had Bagus, whose mind began to stir in recent days. That was because Murai began to experiment after appreciating him.


    He pushed his Will to Bagus and processed some parts of his Will by controlling sequences of his soul. Stating questions or words was straightforward; killing or putting heavy pressure because of his Robust Spirit was a bit different, though Bagus didn''t like his weight or tone either. Murai got plenty out of him anyway; be it comments about the dangers of his species, some legends, or history.


    He learned from Lorry that some Anatidaes visited this temple in the past. Bagus remembered such times through stories, so whenever Murai moved his Will, Bagus either chose to chuckle, nervously change the topic into a better direction, or talk how Murai wanted. He hoped for David''s comeback, but as it seemed, they wouldn''t regroup anytime soon, if ever.


    That pushed one question forward. Was Lisa''s plan with Gate 4 safe, or even possible? Bagus though she wasn''t entirely honest with them, obvious by taking such thing as this mountain for their target. It wasn''t honest. From what it seemed, she wasn''t sure about getting there in the first place. Gate 4 was dangerous for Murai in its basic principle and Bagus didn''t expect Lisa to think too much about it.


    With Hell Party inside of it, it could be so much worse. Lisa had no way of foreseeing it, even if she carried a rough idea of how to get out. Gambles weren''t her forte, so she went with the path of less evil. She made their choices. Now, it was fine to see this mountain and earth in her eyes, while others were mere instruments under her strings. Be it with the situation in this Gate, changes going deep or above, here was her finishing touch that dragged on for days.


    So when they moved to the shade of the street, Murai glimpsed at one surprising sight.


    They were surrounded.


    Bagus rested aside the door, disinterested in those shadows and souls waiting for their chances. He already knew some Hunters made a half circle around Foolisch''s shop, itching to get inside, but couldn''t.


    ¡°Is this... is this?!¡± Murai was excited! At last, some idiots who wanted to taste his beak and training had come. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It felt like months since he fought like a wild duck, let his Flame and Sharpness rise, and moved his Heavenly Shaping like a storm. He chirped a cheer, half certain to go to war with anyone who would show up.


    Lisa felt him, noticing his excitement, and got a headache. Itrosh grinned as she stood beside Bagus, who lifted his head from his napping position and looked who came back.


    ¡°They waited for you, so I took a nap. So nice of them, right?¡± Bagus said.


    ¡°What a good boy?!¡± Itrosh hissed a laugh and patted his big head.


    ¡°Right?¡± Bagus said, chuckling and getting up with his whole body. ¡°More are hiding in further corners. I sense at least forty clowns. A company decided to take us. Mercenaries. Ip''ur natives; most likely miners.¡±


    ¡°I expected more in this place, to be honest.¡± Lisa reckoned, counting the figures, and didn''t know if this was a pain or a great opportunity to finish her plans or not.


    ¡°We have our purpose. Maps are in our hands,¡± Itrosh said to Bagus. ¡°You should''ve seen and heard us! We handled that old demon Foolisch like a brat. Lisa was great, but you should''ve seen Murai. We might have to get to work as well, don''t you think? There are so many of them here, much to our dismay.¡±


    ¡°Against some Silver Mercenaries, we can come and go with a smile.¡± Bagus rumbled his throat, flared his feathers like a cat met with danger, and stretched his wings. He didn''t hiss but growled like a tiger.


    Surrounding figures moved from their hiding spots, coming as shrouded individuals of smaller stature to be called Orcs. They were mostly demo-humans in status, looking like large human demons without being too tall or burly like Abominations.


    With masks, dark cloaks, and hoods, they looked like assassins with many tools and purposes. One couldn''t notice whether they were miners or not. After all, Bagus or Itrosh didn''t need to know their details; they talked and took their guesses out.


    At the front, a tall and mighty mercenary stood, looking menacing and without a mask. He was a demon with sharp eyes and brows, too wide mouth, and spikes for hair. Muscles were dense like Ancient Wood, protruding in marbled grains, and accenting his dark veins. He held a thick spear for a weapon, smiled at their opponents, and expected a good show.


    ¡°We hunt, folks! You!¡± He pointed his spear forward, aiming at Bagus. ¡°On my name as...¡±


    Bagus charged at him without thinking or waiting for his stupid monologue. He swung his wings at him and his tail wiggled and whipped around dozens of surprised figures. They expected some talks first, yet their expectations cracked to dust.


    ¡°He itched to do it, I bet,¡± Itrosh commented when Bagus charged at them and began to fight like a maniac. That mercenary cursed, swung his spear, and tried to defend his lost pride.


    ¡°There are four individuals with some proper Laws? Isn''t it a lot?¡± Lisa asked Itrosh, clutching Murai by his neck before he would forfeit his life. He didn''t like that in the slightest, so he was flaring her wings and beak in her direction.


    ¡°Leave me be, Fairy!¡± Murai shouted at her, quacking like a mad duck. ¡°I want to battle and live my god-damned lives. Always pestering me! You are a shameless little excuse for a succubus. No one likes you! Your wings are loose. Your tongue is poor!¡±


    ¡°Mind you, what is the level scattered around this perimeter? For fools to come, it is unlikely.¡± Lisa ignored his complaints and looked at Itrosh.


    ¡°No idea. Never been keen on that without voice whispering to me ears.¡± Itrosh said while starting her preparations and watching how Bagus wiped the floor with a dozen mercenaries.


    ¡°Some feel at Level 50, Murai Hisagi. Not lower.¡± Lisa said to his head far too closely. ¡°Wanna challenge them, or everyone? One mistake and you are roasted before you utter a quack.¡±


    Murai furiously nodded. ¡°Challenge is what I need. I don''t need kills and death to prove a point. A way to prove my life exists is a worthy subject of suffering and fighting. We live and breathe or bleed. In worth and without misery, there is growth in magic and spirit.¡±


    Lisa rolled her eyes upon hearing his words that hit some cozy, yet not fitting words that came from this silly duck. She watched his eyes for the most part, moaning, and turning to Itrosh. ¡°So be it,¡± She tossed Murai at her like a rock, ¡°Protect him as you fight. I will watch aside, observe, and help if necessary, so don''t die on me.¡±


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    ¡°Don''t wanna fight yourself?¡± Itrosh asked curiously. ¡°Aren''t... I mean, what isn''t there for you or us? Power and fight, species or races, in battles we strive.¡±


    Itrosh was hesitant about what she could do. She had never seen Lisa much in action other than change shape, touch things, speak, and float like a ghost. Lisa fought and killed, done a bunch of weird shits and acts, yet Itrosh never took it in mind very often. Not many actions were something that a Fairy would do.


    Perhaps she wasn''t one, or so Itrosh assumed. ¡°Oh well,¡± Itrosh caught and handled Murai in her hand. He was struggling, unleashing growls at her fingers to leave him alone.


    By now, Bagus killed a bunch of mercenaries and turned a portion of the street into rubble. Streets were wide, yet Bagus was not some small dog, let alone a cat. Thus, many surrounding mercenaries aimed at easier targets, and Bagus couldn''t fight against everyone.


    He was the toughest of them all, yet his Hell Points weren''t as enticing. Around ten figures with swords and daggers charged at Itrosh, acting quickly, filled with experience, and aiming at Murai for the most part.


    His information was a hot topic, followed by a ton of Hell Points. Let alone that, his skin, body, and rest might be another fortune. They acted like horny bastards; especially when rumors about Murai being a below-fodder level spread among Hunters


    But an Anatidae was still an Anatidae. Those should never be underestimated, so these mercenaries unleashed their greatest weapons and attacks.


    With protectors around him, Murai never felt like a primary threat, so many took him for one who had yet to grow. That was one advantage of a disadvantageous topic of Lisa''s heart, Helpers, and actions that she calculated for a long time. Balance was a farce. It no longer mattered to consider some higher-level opponents acting with some respect.


    Potential foes would meet no scrutiny or control when the world was aflame and this Gate turned to shit when she realized it was better to have protectors beside herself. Demons were like wild animals, sorting out their desires and potential with severe principles.


    Protecting primary motivations was mandatory. Lisa couldn''t see it otherwise, so she took many potential threats for likely occurrence.


    Murai would never go far without it. Balance or not, rules, or the world might spin or remain upside down, yet it wouldn''t help him too much. Contrary to freedom, when others were the same and felt no chains, freedom was relative.


    None of the incoming enemies coming for Murai held Laws to some reputable degree. Still, all of them were dangerous for Murai without any doubts because they had to think about Bagus and Itrosh.


    Why did Murai want to fight and want it this way? Lisa couldn''t see one single reason to be like that right now, but it would be a lie if she didn''t like to see his struggles and loss.


    Life-threatening weapons glinted in the street, while their steps and speed showed and turned to many flanks. Itrosh glanced at them, smiling wide and her right hand was itchy because of Murai alone. She wasn''t stupid.


    When it came to fighting, she was almost clever and talented. Murai recognized it numerous times, though she always butchered this sentiment when she handled him like a revered pet or something that Murai didn''t question. There seemed to be far too many rumors, stories, and legends about Anatidaes scattered around the continents.


    Some places didn''t know of them in the slightest. The Surface of Somalis was one such place, yet deep down in the history or legends, some words escaped. It was common. Mortals didn''t know about everything, while those seeking Paths and Gods were in many portions more knowledgeable than others. Beasts, demons, or devils were the same.


    Grasped, Murai struggled against Itrosh and her fingers. She smiled and used her left hand alone by touching her pouch, lurching and angling many weapons forward, and shoving a round sharp disc at the incoming group. Knives flew, yet that disc weapon was like a large flat ring, quicker and much deadlier. She handled it with her fingers; it seemed the inner edge was the handle with the rest looking sharp.


    The disc was the size of her head, with a thin sharp edge. The internal edge was dull, meant for the hand, yet she didn''t require it right now. Itrosh clutched it and threw it against the fastest foe who deflected it with ease. Then, clicking sounds echoed, and even more weapons began to fly under her single hand. Weapons clicked, and her disc danced and bounced, going back at its target after hitting a floor and some wall.


    Itrosh carried all kinds of weapons in her pouches and or her clothes. There were far too many customers for her, so she let her knives and daggers free. Most of them went up, where she flicked them in the air or tossed them with almost no delay. Some fell, missed her hand in tricky angles, or fake flicks that some mercenary took for a faint. She flipped them off as well, and dozens of weapons flew at them in less than two seconds.


    Most dodged her weapons or deflected them. Some mercenaries slowed down, yet still went forward, aiming at their target.


    Itrosh was waiting for the weapons to do the first round of justice. The weapon in her right arm was waiting, complaining, yet observing.


    ¡°I chose you!¡± Itrosh smirked, tossing Murai at the weakest foe within her sight and under her many probing attacks.


    Murai cried in happiness and irritation, unleashing his Heavenly Shaping. He went straight to the Surge afterward, creating Sharpblades at their full capacity. It was better to be simple against someone very strong; Murai was sure there were limits ahead because there were always some doubts about his age and time, or the living as a whole.


    He took weapons, powers, and strength with obvious familiarity, yet neither was cheap. Most should come gradually, so for him to fight someone more than double his inherent time was silly.


    And possible, because his time was bigger than anyone could imagine.


    He flew quickly, with his beak glowing in Blitz as his secondary weapon. Use of his body might hit the target''s blade first, or come behind his Sharpblades. Waves of mana followed him, gliding like water until meter and a half blades formed behind him like extended feathers.


    A clutter echoed when he hit the target with his beak. The sword survived and Murai stopped as if he hit and faced a wall. This opponent was the weakest? It was a sizable mercenary with a strong, sturdy, and well-trained body. He was definitely a soldier who felt death and battles for many decades.


    What was that before someone who literary shook worlds, helped destroy some of them, and saw the heights of the Endless Skies? Murai unleashed his Sharpblades like a storm, surprising this demon who handled a medium-sized cutter smaller than a Sharpblade. It was quicker, as he was above Level 50, and someone who was no longer considered fodder in this area.


    The mercenary unleashed a flurry of strikes against the swirling Sharpblades and Blitz that aimed at his arms and legs. Dozens of strikes encouraged this single duel, leaving crisp sounds, steps, and metallic noises to echo in the street. Most of them were duller, for there was Bagus who was more than crazy, swinging his wings and beak, while Itrosh wasn''t simple either when she protected Murai''s duel.


    Watched by a small surrounding war of the rest of the figures, Murai had his dual, which was the smallest battle at the moment. Bagus literary took care of two-thirds of all enemies, with Itrosh taking care of the rest like an obnoxious quick demon who never fought like Bagus. She used speed and long-range attacks because her weapons were deadly, accurate, and annoying. Her speed was her weapon.


    Murai commenced his long-awaiting dance by touching the truths of his Blitz. He jumped, moved, ducked, or pushed his weapons against that cutter in an attempt to learn and understand his weaknesses. Thanks to his small stature or steps, his opponent couldn''t adjust in time and wasn''t able to wound Murai at all.


    It was no wonder; which mercenary was ever familiar with attacking and fearing such a small target? Unfortunately, Murai wasn''t able to do anything to his opponent either, and that cutter was crafty like the flesh behind.


    Each swing was powerful and quick, going against Murai''s Sharpblade. Even his Blitz was nothing better. Its strength was accumulating, and he knew his Fatality might be better than what his Sharpblade could do at the moment. A single good exchange could give him some opportunity.


    It was exactly what Murai wanted and planned for. A foe that wanted his life was an excellent opponent. A foe that would try to go to great lengths against him without going too overboard was good.


    Bagus or Itrosh would never go that far no matter how many times he fought against them. When he was bored, expectant, or watchful over his progress, he occasionally let go of some doubts and used those who were always around. Lisa wasn''t that, and Bagus or Itrosh wouldn''t refuse to witness what Murai was able to do. Combined with his time in the Heavenly Shaping Manual, his growth was significant.


    So Murai fought against this opponent however he wanted, seeking out advantages while noticing many of his shortcomings.


    The biggest was simple; experience when fighting Level 50+ opponents depended on a couple of factors. The level was the biggest catch in this world, as it described the worth and value of a whole life. Getting above Level 50 required plenty of time and luck, as well as a Path. Demons and humans were different breeds of power than numerous beasts.


    Murai figured that his species was unique among the regular approach to this world. It was a matter of minority, so his Level wasn''t simple. He was young and nearly halfway towards some passable point, yet with a rather blank state of effort. He was exceptionally quick in some portions because of it.


    Alas, when one noticed and knew how beasts existed in this world, quick leveling and development weren''t uncommon. Sometimes, it was necessary and natural. For Anatidaes within their Seedling and Child stages, speeding through the levels or being monsters was great and expected, but their levels would get harder afterward.


    Many demons and humans were unlike that; they would have a much more steady foundation and balanced progress. Mishaps along the way to the top were difficult in a completely different matter to beasts.


    In many normal societies, many took Level 50 as a very distant dream. Abilities and attributes were essential in entering this level while following a Path that came off as a treasure that bordered priceless company, wealth, or possibility.


    Most Paths in this world held Classes to them, creating a way forward for numerous ways to get stronger. Getting stronger faster¡ªor more stable¡ªhad stages that went from weakling to some disproportionate levels of talent, which made a level number difficult to comprehend.


    Many questioned the integrity of this world and Gods because of it, yet it never changed.


    At least for the Paths that were well-off and popular, touching Laws was seen as a significant achievement, while becoming an Extreme was a heavenly chance. Some obscure Paths or weak ones would never become as substantial as something researched, known, and great in history. Following Paths were cherished opportunities.


    Murai knew it, yet never had a chance to touch on it so far. He fought very nasty opponents in the last Gate. However, they were nothing before his present eyes, let alone distant lives. None of those opponents were reasonable or something clever like Murai.


    Some of the latest ones were intense in Bloodline and moves, not as lacking in instincts or intellect, because they had growth behind them, which pushed Murai to his limits back then. Through trials, he accomplished half of his duels by showing his wit and strategies, and fighting with struggles and most of his possibilities.


    Here?


    What was he doing against someone he couldn''t beat? Strategy and strength were similar in answers.


    The most pleasing Gate 2''s foe was perhaps Uqari, the succubus who met the wrong match. The toughest was a golem his size.


    Murai found very quickly that he couldn''t do a thing against this mercenary. Blitz clicked numerous times against that cutter. Murai even used his wings, deflecting some stabs or slashes, moving his Sharpblade well, yet many cracks on them spread and no blood escaped or hit his target. Attacking at nasty angles was possible in his expertise, yet his opponent always moved and took care of Murai''s beak at the same time as those flying blades.


    It was a terrifying stagnant and fierce battle that put a cold shower on this mercenary, who thought he should be able to wipe the floor with this silly goose.


    Oh, how far he underestimated Murai, it wasn''t even funny. Lisa agreed, floating far from the ground, observing this rare event where Murai should have been frustrated but wasn''t


    Some times were no longer one-sided. His opponent had trouble against the mentality of his sharp and flexible Sharpblades that moved like frantic swords above or beyond Murai''s head and sides. He fought along with them, acting as if this beak was his third wing or another Sharpblade.


    Murai used his Blitz and Sharpblades. Nothing else, because everything was lacking. Beak Layering had its casting problem. Adding some Arrows or Flame Shots into this fight wasn''t smart either.


    Around him, the situation turned to complete chaos. The military was yet to come and solve this problem that arose behind many important heads. It shouldn''t have happened, for this city was ruled by a tough hand.


    Ip''ur City might not be a Pivot City, but many gangs or people might think of their words as enough. Many surrounding mountains thought like that when their strict owners were outstanding. Troubled times like these turned already sensitive situations up a notch. Fighting was prohibited under all circumstances, unless absolutely necessary, or if one''s life was in danger.


    Something this large should never go unnoticed.


    Lisa saw clear nonsense in that idea, but with Bagus and Itrosh, these forty mercenaries were far too quick in their judgment, or they were mere tests.


    Bagus was their biggest miscalculation, followed by Itrosh who held her defensive dance and disengaged many fools from going to Murai.


    Lisa saw how Itrosh fought, watching her with more genuine ideas, as if she was contemplating something, or wondering if she was adequate. Itrosh fought around Murai in a circle, forcing most dangers away from him even if there weren''t as many of them after a few minutes.


    Everyone got so busy and Bagus got so wild, that Murai was lost in the chaos of his duel. Lisa wasn''t when no one paid her attention. Itrosh followed her order and covered Murai from a distance, giving him the fight he desired.


    So Lisa floated a dozen meters above one particularly wide and big street, observing from the safety of some close barriers that didn''t obscure the mystifying sun above, but let some light down without any horrid heat. Obvious to the eyes and the city, she was like a fine target that one might take worse than that sun.


    An arrow suddenly flew through her chest and head, traveling away and leaving soft sona particles behind. Lisa didn''t even flinch when she floated with her crossed arm. Not until a figure jumped at her like a wild tiger, mask hiding a face, while its large palms engulfed in mana tried to snatch the untouchable. Equipment Gloves might get dangerous. Lisa snorted at such a silly idea. Could others be the same? What effects did this have on someone like her? She doubted they were some restraining power, reaching to her like a cage or a net.


    ¡°So nosy,¡± she flicked him off, disappearing from the spot like wind. She dispersed literary. It was no teleport, flight, or movement technique. She became the air itself if one might call it, leaving her ring dropping down.


    The man who jumped so high clawed at her previous location, creating a net spreading for a dozen meters. It caught nothing when it tightened like a pouch secured by a very thin thread.


    ¡°Fucking hell,¡± he complained as he fell down, unsuccessful in catching a 200 000 Hell Point prey.


    Lisa reappeared aside, calm and with arms folded. She caught the ring that almost fell to the ground as if it were a minor matter. That was one of the disadvantages of having something physical on her at all times. It could get loose.


    Below, the battle was reaching its conclusion.


    Bagus forced a pair of Lawful Silver Mercenaries away after giving them nasty wounds. Another one died by his attack, the last set backed by Itrosh and her numerous little helps. As for the rest of the mercenaries, no matter how they attacked, their targets were like slippery eels, or like a tough flexible fortress with cannons and spears ahead. Bagus was a walking disaster.


    Soon, only one mercenary remained, with some that fled, including those who tried to catch Lisa.


    Murai battled like a maniac in his dual as a sole remaining clash. He retreated numerous times, challenged himself and his opponent even more, and felt great even in his frustration and losses. For a whole ten minutes, things were intense and his body was no longer so confident, let alone calm, collected, and safe.


    His Sharpblades broke dozens of times, and they no longer regenerated because he couldn''t keep up with his repairs and mana pool. That alone spoke of this battle, as he held ridiculous efficiency and his mana was great in most of its factors. Sharpblades chipped away, losing this fight, unlike his beak which was still crisp and in one piece.


    Murai felt spent in mana almost hundreds of times in the last week combined, so he was used to feeling setbacks of mana, and his mana space and cores wouldn''t get loose. He would, which was a problem. He kept up with his pace as if everything was fine but wasn''t. That cutter hit him numerous times, trying to twist his neck, or hit his wings or legs.


    He tried to never feel the pain that Razmund inflicted on him back then. Murai was grudgeful for that memory, so when he felt his Mana Pool reach its end and his body and mind were hitting a wall, it was time to stop it.


    But no one was here to stop him. His opponent wouldn''t do that for him either, so Murai felt how this demon got confident and much more brutal. Unleashing kicks and sharp slashes, Sharpblades cracked apart and Murai faced that chop with his wing that bend. Murai swung his head, meeting that cutter head-on and flying aside like a rag-doll, slashed on his neck and chest.


    Hoodie protected him once more, though his neck was exposed and bleeding a little. His mana was out of order, depleted more than his openings of Heavenly Shaping Manual.


    Sharpblades ate his mana like a sponge when cracked and used; it was an unfortunate trouble of not having a physical blade or a blade that would go with mana or his Sharpblade style. Lowering speed and density wasn''t possible; his opponent had good technique and battle experience, and his cutter never lacked flexibility, edge, or dexterity.


    He even hit Murai a couple of times, yet neither attack gave him such trouble until now. Most of the slashes slid from the wing Murai placed at good timings of his teachings, Blitz intercepted it next, or his hoodie absorbed or helped with damage mitigation.

 Chapter 233: Maps and Lookish

    Murai was amazed by how his hoodie felt and helped. It was something he scarcely experimented with in recent days. If it wasn''t for Bagus and Lisa who wanted to see what it was about, he might not even know what its physically locked abilities looked like.


    It even protected his body against some of Bagus''s attacks. Murai promised himself and Amelius he would work with this hoodie, yet without a set of acknowledgments, he wouldn''t get around to its powers unless he was at a similar craftsmanship level as Amelius himself.


    There was a difference between crafting for others and forging new treasures and everything for oneself. One was shared; common and looked under some rules. The other was broad, coming from the greater heavens and self-contained potential.


    Murai felt this hoodie was incredible, which made his Heavenly Shaping and the rest of his arsenal take precedence in this fight because his body was fine.


    Clutter, rubble, and Ends were all over the street. Some buildings were long destroyed, walls cut or leaked in blood. Mainly done by Bagus, he didn''t care for sizes or being pretty or gentle. When those with Laws fought, surroundings suffered and Ends wouldn''t be pretty. His bloody beak and feathers described his story and his almost intact body gave confidence that there was no incredible opponent.


    From above, Lisa could see and sigh over this madness. How long had it been since she fought like that? When did she care, or where could she do that again? The bliss in death was close, souls snatched by the Afterlife, and her mind stirred.


    She hovered above in silence until a glint of her eyes skipped a beat when she felt disturbed. Something shook her head, so she turned away, squinting her eyes to a far distant edge of this hole.


    ¡°What was it? Did I feel... disturbed? Me?!¡± She mumbled in disbelief. ¡°Is it them? I mean... now? When... Was that for my sake or am I sensitive?¡± She looked at the south of the city, from the direction they came from. A large cliff was very far away and looked rough because of the heat and elevation, looking like an immense wall from her position.


    And there, on top of that cliff, a pair of figures stood, bearing no trouble but still observing her and that battle from afar.


    One was male, the other female; both shrouded in a dark cloak and acting as if they belonged to this desert even if they weren''t and shouldn''t be so close. It wasn''t Ozeki or Razmund. This pair was someone else, yet still curious and forceful, for they came here for a business that had been years in the making. They were standing, their cloaks flickering in wind and heat, shrouding their faces and bodies.


    ¡°Hey, this is curious. She is watching. You said we are safe,¡± the man said, laughing and revealing a bit of his sharp chin. An amused smile showed some contempt, arrogance, or a surprise that would do nothing bad or good.


    Beside him was a much smaller figure who remained silent. So he stopped being silly and asked her something again. ¡°What to think? We stand still like statues. Where to begin? Have you done something bad, or we did?¡±


    Beside him, a figure turned, revealing a sporadically clothed woman. Arms folded, back straight, and eyes glowing in pure whiteness, she was like a watchful reaper. Shrouded by a cloak because it was mandatory in such an odd business, she would prefer to be without it. It would have been so much better in this heat and momentum if it weren''t for her job and sudden changes.


    ¡°Done? Nothing. Guides of Fate are far and large. What is said is said like Laws. Sometimes, it is set in stone like threads carved into timeless grace. It had been said there would be an unprecedented disturbance. It happened. Whose picture was it? Whose fault? Try to remember those Hellscape Pictures. It is there. Years left untold, yet one fact called.¡± She recounted some reports or ideas from the past, clutching many papers in her palms. She took one from the pile, looking at a big hole surrounded by the Scorching Light.


    ¡°I know how lively you like this,¡± the man said, ¡°yet what to take it for when we see nothing fine? Should we act against the Fate like the old master said?¡±


    ¡°And disturb it further?¡±


    ¡°Oy, we reached the fact that Velga died, but that is like telling that Fate can''t be changed. What''s the point in that anyway? Things are always changing all the time. Riders, or Guides, what can come shall come or get lost. How long ago was it?¡± the man cursed and showed her a worried face.


    ¡°Velga? That one was a trifling matter. Unworthy of callings, yet... that worthless point provided the Fateful Picture.¡± She let go of the picture describing Ip''ur Mountain, which then drifted up and burned to dust. Then, another Picture came forth to her eyes, revealing a detached head, flying above a half-death duck. It was a still image, yet bathed and colored in blood.


    Because of the sun, the blood of the faces faded and scorched in slowly approaching flames.


    ¡°Just like that, her Crystalite perished weeks days ago.¡±


    ¡°Yet with no message left behind. Like puff,¡± the man gestured with his fists above his head ¡°Gone. Death and nowhere to be seen. That wasn''t in the Pictures by the way.¡±


    ¡°That means she was unimportant. Her remnant doesn''t matter. That''s what goes when one reads the Fate. It is a disturbing, rough, and ambiguous touch that not everyone appreciates.¡± the woman said amusingly, speaking in soft tones that made her voice enticing. Then she chuckled as if feeling the irony of her words and those Pictures.


    ¡°What do you suggest, milady Curta''rias?¡± the man said, bemused and looking down from the edge of this cliff.


    ¡°Don''t do a thing. We are being watched. Observed. As foreign visitors that Mindarch sees, or Levandis doubts, this place doesn''t have its present hospitality to a different Hell, so we might be lucky for what we have. For a long time, this has been a long-term war. We better not disturb the current sensitivity between all the Lords or Ladies, or what goes right there, bellow us.¡± She scattered the ashes down, pointing with her long, pale, yet red-nailed finger.


    ¡°Yet I itch. I want to see things and know them. Experience the Fate is my calling!¡± the man said impatiently. ¡°That Ghost and Old Freak. I want to see and feel them so badly that I wouldn''t mind going against the rules,¡± he cried, crouching and almost falling from the cliff if it weren''t for hands that caught his cloak.


    ¡°Stop pretending we have the capacity or time to take this on when we can''t even operate. Orders! Our Lord takes precedence. The rest is secondary. Words and Pictures. Remember them.¡±


    The man swayed below the cliff, caught by the soft hand of his witty little leader. Perhaps she was too witty and caring.


    ¡°I am doing nothing. See? I just wanted to feel the air. Is it the air? It is hot, eh? Mayhap we go down. There is gonna be a sauna there when we add water and batch, you see.¡±


    Curta''rias sighed, feeling this human in her grasp like a sack of many chips and troubles. ¡°Have she seen you? Perhaps it isn''t good to be obvious or too curious. There is so much in Fate left that we don''t know. And that unknown is troubled. Master said so when history repeats itself.¡±


    ¡°Yet we don''t even know what that means. What is the point in seeing Fate without acting or seeing its effect?¡± the man scowled when she tossed him back to the ground behind her.


    He hoped to fall regardless.


    ¡°It is called common sense. Try it sometime, Olek.¡±


    ¡°You sound funny when you say my name in this cute tone and accent of yours. I call it cute!¡± Olek argued on his ass, pointing at her half-exposed face. His got revealed, pointing to a young gentleman with dark brown hair and a scar across his nose.


    ¡°Says a man serving a Hell of all things? Whom does he serve? For what treason does it make sense?¡±


    ¡°Says a...¡± A hand clutched his mouth next, tossing him aside to a distant boulder where he rested like a sack of potatoes. There were a few figures that took shelter before this pair of visitors.


    ¡°Call me Curta next time¡±


    ¡°I said nothing! Nothing!¡± Olek argued to her for his own good, pointing at a soft, pale, and white-haired devilish lady, whose cloak loosened. It nearly fell, but a pin around her shoulders secured it, revealing her face and part of her shoulders. She was young, not even twenty.


    Smooth and pretty, her pale skin and hair seemed weirdly out of shape from her appearance and ancient-sounding phrasing. Red accents on her nails, eyes, and lips made her different. She looked far too human, yet almost perfect, yet frail. One would wonder if she was close to a Succubus, or if she was of some tribal demonic race or something between humans and others.


    She turned, ignoring Olek, and crouched down. The wind blew, so she adjusted her cloak and hid her white hair.


    ¡°I feel... disturbed.¡±


    ¡°You always do. What is down there again?¡± Olek told back at her side.


    ¡°Not our destination.¡±


    ¡°I figured. We confirmed the Picture, right? A new Anatidae bearing a weird journey ahead is enough or not everything. Hellscape and the world set upside down were there as well. Anything else? Who got the rest of the Pictures?¡± S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Curta frowned, pressing her lips too tightly and biting her lower lip.


    ¡°Don''t know what to tell to that? Your father would be curious and by now, beating me up.¡± Olek said without seeing her face or feeling any shame. ¡°You want to go down yourself, so stop...¡±


    A kick sent him flying away, going back to that boulder.


    Curta felt her itching arms, cutting some papers onto her face to hide her fluster. ¡°You... have no idea what is there or coming.¡±


    Behind her, cracked in the boulder, Olek rested.


    ¡°S-sir?¡± Aside, an old devil spoke. He was the devil who was curious about Murai in the Hellhole Tavern. Now, he wasn''t overbearing in the slightest, looking like a steward instead, old and too polite to this pair.


    ¡°Am fine,¡± Olek said, getting from the boulder that cracked apart when he brushed the dust away. ¡°But again, what''s the point? We have Pictures. Why can''t we act?¡±


    ¡°What is the purpose to guests or doubts, young master?¡± the devil asked an old question that felt the passage of many eras. ¡°Pictures speak thousands of words. The Fate of infinitum is countless. Actions are above, or further.¡±


    ¡°Sounds awfully complex and not what I want to see,¡± Olek scoffed and figured there was no point in arguing anymore. Curta secured her papers behind her cloak and walked away from that cliff.


    It wasn''t fine. Murai was far too young, they were too quick, or far too far from the Pictures that someone forged from Fate.


    ***


    Down in the street, Lisa overcame her disturbance, swearing she was seeing a pair of shadows in that distant cliff. They were close and not much different from some hidden or obnoxiously close bastards.


    Humming, she forgot them when the battle was over and her doubts found no answers. Murai was the same; he lost his touch, so Itrosh made her move when he lost his wits and got overwhelmed when his Fatality turned against him, and that cutter almost cut his head off. Pinned to the ground instead, the last mercenary was close to finishing his job in a brutal and shocked manner. He was out of his wits a long time ago, fearful after fighting a battle of his lifetime. He almost won too, coming and seizing his prize.


    But when Itrosh moved aside from him, swinging a dagger in one smooth motion that cut his skin, he bled out before he knew or finished his thoughts and desires. He felt and met his End.


    Itrosh offered Murai a hand, smiling at him as if she praised him. He looked as if he enjoyed this beating more than some meals.


    ¡°You look happy, or is it just me?¡± Itrosh said to him when she pulled the cutter away and watched its improper form. Chipped and worn down, this sword was close to being in pieces. Tossing it away was easy; Itrosh had hundreds of weapons anyway.


    Murai got to his feet on his own, feeling pride and ignorant of his wounds or little bleeding. Some punches or kicks were whatever. His head was fine because of his beak that absorbed most blunt damages. But attacks against his torso did hurt, and his wings or legs or neck weren''t as sturdy because of the hoodie that didn''t protect everything. Some force moved thought anyway, going into his flesh and creaking his bones. There were some limits to this hoodie''s prolonger natural and locked defenses.


    ¡°All done?¡± Bagus voiced around the corner, bloodied, with almost no wounds, and smiling amusingly. ¡°How are we gonna divide this loot?¡±


    ¡°Take it all if you like, or...¡± Itrosh frowned when strides of thuds and steps echoed around the corner.


    Guards and some fools riding some beasts resembling Basilisks made their moves to their locations.


    Officers. The military had arrived after such a long time that Itrosh and Bagus laughed. There was nothing worth stopping anymore.


    ¡°What is this mess?¡± an officer asked on top of an impressive beast.


    ¡°May I add that they attacked first?¡± Itrosh asked innocently, thinking it was true. However, Bagus charged at them first.


    ¡°Most of the Driek''s Mercenaries are dead, so who is to take responsibility? We are in the middle of sensitive times, so coming to Ip''ur City and doing such chaos is terrible.¡± the officer said, wearing neat armor with tight-fitting scaled plates. He spoke firmly and like a soldier who went through wars, yet even someone like him appeared apprehensive against this bloodbath, and Grifhart, or proximity of an Anatidae gave him more apprehension than everything else combined.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    A brightness overhead dripped down like strands of endearing water and a greater flow of mana. Lisa appeared right above his mount, bearing no gifts but a smile and something else.


    The officer nearly panicked when he saw her.


    ¡°I suspect you get the idea.¡± She held up a Token that she held once again. Murai didn''t know when, or how good of a robber she was.


    ¡°My Lady, bless me,¡± the officer preyed and got his helmet off. He was old, looking similar to Illak but with normal hair and less bulk. His skin was more parched and scarred, giving his sharp eyes a great deal of clarity, while his wide nose and age gave a knock of authority.


    ¡°She Blesses whoever her taste defies or her fickle mind touch or desire,¡± Lisa argued. ¡°Now, what is it, officer? I suppose rules don''t follow anyone, so these Mercenaries fought. Hunters attacked. I attest to that as a Hunted. Have such a wild bounty, you see. It is so difficult to be a proper Villain.¡± Lisa taunted him with an innocent face that spoke very different words.


    ¡°The killer attest to being a killer?¡± a different officer scoffed at her. ¡°We don''t take your kin lightly in this place and time.¡±


    ¡°Get used to it, please, or get lost or crawl.¡±


    Behind those officers, there was a small regiment consisting of dozens of mounted soldiers. They were a permanent side of the military, or they were sent here after the world turned upside down because the owner or Levandis were worried.


    Bagus and Itrosh made the killings, yet they had no remorse. Why would they?


    ¡°What are you here for, Hunted?¡± The first officer asked.


    ¡°Mining.¡± an aged voice expressed aside, revealing Foolisch who walked from his shop.


    ¡°Sir Foolisch?¡± the officer made a customary bow. ¡°What mining?¡±


    ¡°They are here for mining and got attacked after leaving my shop. I attest to that. Whether that is fine or not is out of the question. It isn''t fine, as it isn''t fine, so it isn''t fine. What wouldn''t at this terrible time?¡±


    The officer seemed conflicted, but upon seeing stern and famous Foolisch messing around with this problem, he let the soldiers clean this mess. Less problems for him, so that was good.


    Out of respect for battles and clashes, the officer let Itrosh collect the essences of the fallen mercenaries.


    ¡°Let''s hope no company wants to test or hunt you down in your silly mining attempts, Hunted! You should think twice about it, thieves!¡± Another officer said to Lisa and her group, filled with anger.


    Foolisch coughed, forcing the officer to frown and turn his Basilisk away.


    ¡°So wild and good. I almost feel pity,¡± said Foolisch to Lisa when the soldiers left. ¡°You are welcome by the way.¡±


    ¡°Never asked for such weak help,¡± Lisa said to him coldly, tossing the Token back to Murai, who caught it with more evident annoyance than ever.


    ¡°I was right though. They wouldn''t leave you out otherwise. Owner is close, but... things might be very difficult to grasp even for him,¡± Foolisch hummed, touching his chin and looking up to the sun through rare barriers in this portion of the city.


    ¡°I would force them to leave!¡± Bagus stomped the ground with his tail and laughed like thunder.


    ¡°Solving such troubles with force? How fitting for the ones seeing the End.¡±


    ¡°We are Dreamers. Seeking End is part of the process.¡± Itrosh argued, back at catching some knives and looking at Foolisch as if he would fight.


    Foolisch laughed at her silly knives and gave them a weird look. ¡°Took after David that much? Well, consider this to be everything I can give. Have fun seeing the End or Afterlife all that you want.¡±


    He disappeared back to his shop, leaving the group alone. Then, he poked his head around the corner. ¡°And be safe with my stuff. Give it back when you are over, alright?¡±


    Then, he was back, hoping that his treasured papers would come sooner rather than never.


    ¡°That went well,¡± Murai quacked in pain and stress.


    ¡°So-so,¡± Lisa added and deduced this situation happened much quicker than expected. They were alone once more, so could more troubles come again?


    Ip''ur Mountain or the Ip''ur City mattered. Both depicted the same thing; 1 maw to swallow them whole. A destination without the rightful journey.


    It wasn''t far from some direction, as they got their goal put into the journey and assurance. Lisa would be surprised if everything about this situation was one giant joke. If it was, Lorry was a terrible liar and someone who better remain lost forever.


    Many entrances went to numerous portions of the underground. There were unofficial routes, or official entrances that adhered to the largest mining shafts dug out over many years, close to some preexisting crevices or caves that were ancient, or more recent.


    Some entrances were obvious, with most of them being part of this city and culture. A whole mining industry worked around them like entrances to a brand-new city. Each entrance was restricted, guarded, and tough to enter or leave without others knowing. Arousing suspicions were met with pain.


    Lisa explained that to Murai already, or how the cause of their rough reality was in the shade of a distant and barren street corner.


    The current owner of the Ip''ur Mountain was a known haggler and no crazy Overlord. He was still someone with much higher personal power than David or Foolisch combined and wasn''t as unpredictable.


    He was still a Named Devil with a known nickname alone. Rataratan was his reputable name. A tongue twister that¡ªaccording to no rumors¡ªwas a name from distant islands of Noah.


    According to the known situation and politics, he acquired this whole place a decade ago by force and Levandis''s acceptance. A duel against Xenalis of the Extremis Legion shook the politics in a fight to the death amongst the Extremes.


    Both were members of the First Legion and vivid parties of her great military strength who were close to Levandis in every major war or interest. Since she wasn''t some righteous God, arrogance, and Chaos went head to head alongside her forces.


    Hence, even some killing or dramas among her forces weren''t uncommon, even if they weren''t recommended. Duels for some standing or business were one way to grasp some chances. They should go without killing, for she desired it.


    Sometimes, she was even encouraged to swallow pride because of affection. Through public history and legends, countless stories described those close to Gods as full of blessings and greater times. A simple wink from Levandis could turn her army into a terrific force that could obliterate themselves or others.


    Even if exaggerated, the universe and this world didn''t refute such claims, for where there was power and billions of lives, things happened, and Gods wanted to be Rulers. Many such stories came to Lisa''s voice, they each hold quite some facts and reputation. David also confirmed it, giving her what she wanted as reminders or relations to the gap she missed. When they traveled or were still back in Helltrim City, she understood everything.


    The current situation was the following: Mining wasn''t as restricted as fighting or making trouble with companies. All potential miners were under strict regulations. Profits were important, led by the interest coming from deep pockets.


    It was in Hell''s interest to push miners to work, so some regulations came forth as meritorious services. Most of them were well paid, even if the resources weren''t up to their touch and demands.


    But throughout these companies that handled their Ultra Gems, some always ended up lost, scattered around the black market, or some people who paid off good enough people. Official or unofficial businesses didn''t matter to Lisa. Some Gems had shops for limited buyers. Most uses for the Ultra Gems came through its physical significance. Miners used them as light in old mines, or batteries for some constructs or equipment pieces. Thinking of them as secret power boosts weren''t possible for pretty much anyone in this Gate.


    For most demons, they were useless. For craftsmen, things were a little different. The Surface was bigger and more diverse, so Ultra Gems had much more uses there. Thanks to Levandis and her tight touches and high demands, she paid those responsible for mining incredibly well because actual profit was staggering. Thus, very few miners would undermine such trust. They were required to leave everything mined at every entrance. In return, they would get steep rewards.


    Because of such rules, which made sense for those close to Levandis, there were many working and greedy opportunities in most establishments. Everyone was looking for benefits and potential earnings.


    Ultra Gems themselves had weight and sizes to them like currency. A thumb-sized Ultra Gem was common when a chunk of Ultra Materium cracked under the pressure. Depending on the cracked results, Ultra Gems were born. Ten thumb-sided Gems were good, even if one would lose them upon leaving the mines back in the city. Smuggling or hiding them was unlikely, for there was chaos, and touching such brightness wasn''t very clever or easy to hide.


    The number of mined Gems would transfer to interest after selling, leaving the miner with a portion of some results. If their Ultra Gems ended up more precious, cuts would get even better. There were fewer lies at the peak of this business because Levandis wanted miners to work harder and harder.


    Cuts were important for miners like their lives; so were the quantity and quality of everything untold or hiding in the ground. What one found or managed to mine were different things. What one would be able to take back didn''t matter. One could even steal from miners because it wasn''t against the rules.


    Thus, very few weaklings would come down and act like idiots.


    The current owner was quite keen on these values and companies, taking it for a bliss that his Lady loved dearly. Cuts didn''t matter to Rataratan. As long as Ultra Gems came back to the entrances, the matter of how or where didn''t matter.


    It was good for miners, though the owner was keen on no high or too low reward. He acted within the median instead, giving what one would take for no slap or blessing.


    With nearly guaranteed profits anyway, many looked for more like hungry dogs that had already eaten but believed some more wouldn''t hurt.


    Companies were secondary, if not very important pieces to this problem. They provided benefits to miners unless they were private or lone wolves. Companies hoped to give the owner more face that mattered. Benefits went to benefactors under him, and benefactors moved the rest, endlessly filling this greedy machine that wasn''t insufferable.


    With such rules to follow, everyone and everything was strict and hard to use for one direct benefit. The owner held a personal guard over this place, acting like a dog so nothing would go too wrong.


    Under every cranny of this hole, nothing shall escape. Lisa wondered if her plan to go down against such a familiar lunacy was worth her push, but she had already chosen it because it wasn''t a choice.


    She might regret it, as this news would undoubtedly reach the owner, unless he long knew about it, of course. But even then, Levandis might intervene because this wasn''t simple like a Hunt. Mindarch might also become a questionable variable.


    Resting in some shade, Murai, Itrosh, and Bagus stood around Lisa, who handled a big old book and turned some pages. It was a recording of an old master. A person who went deeper than anyone as one who mastered the mining and Ip''ur Mountain. It was about a mining legend and Foolisch''s master, Lookish. Allegedly, he was a devil who breached the contract with Levandis herself and went to the Surface to perform all kinds of crazy shit, before going back and continuing going wild.


    Levandis let him back in and even liked him even more. For unknown reasons, he began Scorching Light''s exploration, which resulted in a massive boom in business, mining, and resources.


    Lookish wasn''t a devil of good or evil factions. He held a certain conviction, an ideal from the Old World that was akin to many other convictions that wondered many beings even at the present age.


    Lookish was nobody and nothing, which was a strange factor, as his act benefited Levandis like a splendid charm when he suddenly departed and never appeared again, leaving Foolisch behind as his sole disciple.


    In the end, he left no clear legacy besides him. Either Lookish fell to obscurity or met his End, but the records said he lived more than a millennium ago, with rumors about his death being around three hundred years ago.


    Chaos was hard to tame and disappear. Unless one would get its effects, literary infest its bearing and everything about it, controlling that which came with consequences was never adequate.


    Great minds often made it better, or so it was mentioned in the passing comments from this book. With wide back, eyes looking, obscurities of jealousy, or torments of great spirit, many things were far from ideal.


    Years ago, amassing knowledge and acting crazy followed Lookish like a blessing. It made Overlords, the rest of the Gates, and even some Gods and their factions mad.


    After all, his comeback moved the established politics when Levandis let him do anything he wanted. Besides the Gods in the Sky or Surface, Hell was always harsher and impossible to soothe. If someone between Order and Chaos emerged, then it would mean either a war of massive scale or an appeal that was unthinkable for anyone but great Rulers.


    Or, in this case, nothing much happened.


    Lisa read some passing comments under his comeback, which left awe and shocks, yet Levandis either swiped it clean or strictly hid it away. Not in this book, however.


    Considering how Lookish''s endeavor in the Surface happened outside of Hell and his past, he became an Extreme who some Overlords feared after his return.


    Now, it was a past that not many understood, as it was a history that was well outside of political intrigue. For a while before his departure, Lookish lived in seclusion in this desert until he disappeared without Foolisch.


    Many scripts talked of the craziness of that Devilish Demon, which was his nickname. As for why he was important in Lisa''s eyes, this book in particular was the work of Lookish. It was the most comprehensive guide towards this Province and Ip''ur Mountain.


    Lisa didn''t know every history herself; she couldn''t possibly know everything from her past life because her various interests and desires didn''t link to some nonsense. It came biting her back, but it wasn''t regretful. There were many weird figures around many eras and times, illustrating wars, Blessed, or various nations or powers that might run like lighting and disappear in a puff of smoke. With Gods near, watchful, and deep, it was unavoidable.


    Since Lookish, not many figures like him appeared in this desert, seizing their chances, turning against the norm, and forcing something that shouldn''t be forced.


    Murai enjoyed this flank of a forgotten heated history. It described facts and fascinations of how this world took some figures for a breeze. People lived and died, the planet spun, yet the earth would remain in one piece. Those were simple matters.


    The death of a God was different. Extremes dying was nothing for the scale of this planet.


    This history was old, yet what was older or younger when Gods lived for numerous eras? Even some demons and races lived for hundreds of years, with some members reaching for thousands. It reminded Murai of Rudolf for sure, as his time on this planet was long turned into history that many might not remember. It was a shame he was dead and not a God.


    Alas, it also made him glad. What would happen if they met at the same time in this world, acting like Blessed troublemakers? Would this world survive both of them at the same time? Murai doubted that.


    Imagining something so unhinged and going against the system of rules was too funny for him. Thus, he appreciated Lookish and this book much more than the rest. Such a wild and honest figure deserves such treatment, though it wasn''t universally acceptable. History was usually forgotten for good reasons. People died in bodies and memories alike or like dust or dried up forests or grass. Through time, many things could become even less than dust.


    None one besides Murai was impressed at Lookish. Especially Lisa who was for some pages, chances, or passing records of Void, Space, or anything with Chaos Space.


    With Dungeons around, perhaps there was a portal hiding there, but hidden, forgotten, or not made publicly known for unknown reasons.


    Levandis was hiding something for sure. Lisa knew it like her own head.


    Pages moved under her grasp, revealing the content of numerous detailed maps and mining shafts and depths of this place.


    Lookish had extremely detailed handwriting and skill in map-making. It was old, but unlike those keeping their desires in Chaos, he catered to Order in some capacity.


    From ancient times until now, Ip''ur Mountain transformed into one thing. More mining. Ip''ur City got bigger and wider. That was it.


    People changed as well, owners died or passed it onto others, while miners were always mining and creating new shafts, using old ones, remodeling destroyed ones, and so on.


    For centuries, Foolisch acted like his master, making new findings, looking for the purpose or disappearance of his master, and overlooking his research and his notes. He left a lot after all, as he lived a longer life than most Overlords would do without becoming a God.


    He also argued for this book to return, yet Lisa couldn''t promise it, nor Foolisch could do much else. He could only hope that Bagus return and give this book back. That Grifhart was reliable and powerful. If anyone, it should be him to live after more inevitable clashes.


    As for the worth of this book, its alluring nature was in history and many layers of context that Lisa previously lacked, or knew in some limits. For those unfamiliar with this place, they wouldn''t give much.


    An hour into this research, Lisa found no passing knowledge about any portals.


    No word. No comment.


    ¡°Who was this Lookish?¡± Murai asked Lisa through his Will and flinched her turning hands.


    ¡°Someone curious about all kinds of things, it seems. I''ve never met him. He looks like someone I might''ve liked, unlike a certain someone,¡± She replied, facing the pages like everyone else.


    The pages included old or new details less than a year old. Main entrances to almost all mines were still there as they hadn''t changed in hundreds of years, unlike subsequent shafts and many paths down. Foolisch changed and took care of that by writing and drawing them out into this book.


    There were detailed maps, as well as large details sets of mining shafts that Foolisch himself saw and drew. He long decided on this city to be his central interest.


    It was similar to his old master, who might''ve traveled everywhere without a place or company to his name, but he still went back to this mountain and stayed.


    Maps of the shafts and mines were cities worth of pathways.


    ¡°This will take ages to go through,¡± Itrosh sighed, grasping her cheeks and massaging her eyes after half an hour of research.


    They needed to know more. This book didn''t help as much as Lisa thought it would.


    Thus, something like a last strand could. Murai''s Token had the power to detect a portal within a hundred meters, and so far, nothing happened to it in this city.


    A hundred meters was a very short distance when one saw mines going for dozens of kilometers down, stretching even more to the sides at some portions. Most shafts were close to one another, making mining efficient when it was worth it because most of the Ultra Materium was in small veins.


    In such a big place, size or the word big was wrong. What was underneath this hole was like hundreds of cities and the Ip''ur Mountains combined.


    ¡°Hopefully, it won''t take long to walk through them, Itrosh and Bagus,¡± Lisa said with a sigh, taking the lead over the book to Murai. Floating up, she pulled Murai to be the center of what was essentially his main mission she took for her own. Now, it was his time to shine.

 Chapter 234: A Will to shake the world.

    Murai wondered what was the point of Lookish, who Lisa seemed to take into her mind a lot more than he thought. What ended up before him were the many pages of detailed maps, revealing tunnels, shafts, and even ladders and shortcuts that looked like square towers.


    All scribbled with mastery over little lines, drawn like sketches and technical painting keen on details and facts.


    Mines changed a lot over the millennium, but deeper down, there was one thing that prevailed. They always cut into the earth and remained in that image, unless destroyed by men or nature itself.


    They usually stretched straight, until they couldn''t. The start was the entrances around the Ip''ur Mountain, looking like big vertical shafts, or a tunnel or deep hole that went for many miles to others, or just really deep for once. From them, mines went sideways, continuously deepening in descending towers like tornadoes.


    Murai noticed even a scrip and little construct that showed a real image with mana, creating an attempt at making three-dimensional mines, although one had to be fairly close to look at them or know what one was looking for.


    They didn''t matter as much because Lisa was looking at the pages more, which were big and full of many words; not just the pictures or drawings. Thanks to the incredible quality of this book which was probably a thousand years old, she almost bet there would be some answers.


    But she would never bet on anything, similar to Murai who soon watched those three-dimensional diagrams disappear.


    ¡°What to do with this?¡± Murai asked Lisa. ¡°I get we go mining. My Token is ready and has been ready, so what is up with Lookish?¡±


    ¡°Getting an idea where to even start is easy. Where to go isn''t, or where to end is far. That is why I am taking this time like usual. We don''t want to do that down there where we don''t know anything. Trust me. Foolisch was right to be disturbed and confused about us. I was almost one step away from revealing our portal to him because he is crazy but useful. We go down even if we are Hunted. Also...¡± Lisa smiled at him.


    ¡°I know that smile. Do you think you are obnoxiously clever?¡± Murai guessed. ¡°We can mine all we want because we can leave, huh? You wanted this or now, huh? Is this greed that I am smelling or why you showed me those Gems? I took you for someone special in your head, not someone greedy over some physical values. A little; not as much as I should, I guess.¡±


    Lisa stopped her smile, frowned, and floated closer to him. ¡°Listen, we got opportunities like your head. Some of them aren''t even that clear, got it?¡±


    Murai would laugh at such an idea but looked at the book instead. Their inner discussions were usual. Bagus or Itrosh waited aside, occasionally glancing around and acting like bodyguards.


    ¡°Without some force or ideas, we go out of there for nothing or give up. Do we want to give up? No. We go down regardless, so mining is an excuse for companies and us.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so? Bullshit. There isn''t any fail trail in this at all. It''s no trap either.¡± Murai didn''t trust her, though he didn''t seem to mind that either because there wasn''t anything worse or better.


    ¡°I have significant maps of the lower, older, ancient, detached, or destroyed part of the mines, so you don''t have to worry about anything. Be good, sit on Bagus, or think along with my lines. Foolisch gave me plenty of maps from his master and himself. His own collections and ideas might hide something good. I will do that, while we want maps alone for now. Almost everyone in this city has them, including all the potential troubles coming down for us, yet not everyone has them as detailed and deep as Foolisch. Also, we can fake it and run and run until we run into that portal and leave everything to dust. Overall, we are ready to go down.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Fine. I can see what you bought and done, so this book is what?¡± Murai kicked it with his flat feet.


    ¡°Another small attempt, or just something I took for our biggest chance. There might be secrets. It was my guess, so Foolisch gave it to me rather grumpily even if he didn''t have to. Guess how it ended?¡± Lisa said out loud, figuring that Lookish and Foolisch were as she expected: to no obvious transparency but rather continuous apprehensions.


    Some things never changed in this place. By now, Bagus growled in displeasure, unwilling to seek the start of this mining farce that Lisa had in mind. It was a fine excuse, but also a very clear reality that was waiting for him.


    And with Foolisch talking to the military about how they would go down, the situation might turn ashen to this Grifhart, or give them some surprising benefits because Mindarch or Levandis might get some understandable concerns about Lisa''s forceful ideas. Which wasn''t fine or bad, for they forced her to this point anyway, so Lisa was far away from being polite about it.


    Bagus could imagine what Lisa was planning, unlike Itrosh who was more of an airhead besides fighting, Murai, and some cooking.


    Both of them didn''t know the full story of what Lisa had in mind. David was the one who knew a lot of it as one who adjusted Lisa''s plan, or she changed them or adjusted them on the go. Two more Helpers came later, poising as more physical supporters.


    Each of them was ready a long time ago, and their purpose was never stopping. They hid and made their bids to this madness, clearing the ground and this Gate by many Ends that went below their feet, resting in their badges that were many items at once. It was a Guide''s destruction beam, Essence Gem, and a basic token for their denizenship.


    ¡°Have my Token, right?¡± Murai said to Lisa next, and just in case she hadn''t stolen it, checked his pocket. It was still there, though Lisa looked at him as if he was a moron.


    ¡°Yes. Have it, but there are still some options about our next processes,¡± Lisa sighed again. She was doing that way too much on many occasions, or when she felt stressed, annoyed, or wondering. Her body didn''t need it. She didn''t even need to eat or do much. Perhaps her voice and breath were just an act that made her feel better, appropriate, or alive. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°But you have some ideas where to go. You said it right now!¡± Murai quacked with confidence, glaring at her frowning self.


    Her sona shifted, turning her body to an even smaller size than his. Lisa preferred to be smaller for the convenience of going behind his neck, or that hoodie.


    Her sizes had many possible body-shaping impressions. She tried being bigger or smaller, and it seemed to be a wondrous passive strength of her body. The bigger she was, the more stress came forth to her mind because it meant more of her would turn physical. But as a race made of sona alone, she could appear quite large as long as she wasn''t thick and crackling in sona.


    With a look half Murai''s size, she hoped to influence their business she called forced friendship. It was mostly exaggerated, as Life Companionship was usually much more one-sided than anything this duo was about, thinking, or doing.


    She doubted if this was even compelling or good. Murai had his thoughts about her since she came rushing at his life like a haunting spirit. From time to time, perhaps it didn''t matter if they looked face to face. Murai was far too stubborn, while she was prideful in ways that were hard to perceive.


    Both were yet to see themes like Life Companions to deep or good. They might not even see them as a pair, or perhaps they never wanted to consider that in the first place.


    ¡°There are a couple of options,¡± Lisa said to Murai, giving Itrosh and Bagus small glances as she spoke out loud. ¡°Those are small plans coming from entrances and paths. Clever ones, if I might add. If we follow the path in which targets are assembled, and how the order of mining went in age, remembrances, and shafts, perhaps we should get some ideas on where to go and how to act. Which is the start, you might ask?¡±


    Itrosh stared at her blankly, arm resting on her head as she talked. Bagus pretended to not listen. Murai didn''t ask a question. ¡°Mines are deep, some parts extended, closed, acting in privacy and protection, destroyed, or in places yet to be discovered, or far too old or disconnected. So yes, we have options, don''t you think?¡± Itrosh spoke with some surprising expertise, calling Lisa''s plan passable. Murai walked away from the book on the ground and went to Bagus to rest up. Itrosh waited a bit for their time.


    They didn''t need to hear every little detail. Murai wanted more than little, however, though not too much.


    Lisa should focus on Murai and her benefits, lest there be something forgotten, unfilial, or hidden. It was better to be wary; it was a prospect as deep as all of her lives combined.


    Lisa had some ideas and issues for sure. She was half certain mining excuses would work, since who would think they went after something that didn''t even exist? Some fools might even wait for them to come back from the mining, apprehend them close to the entrances, or hunt them deep inside the earth.


    Perhaps some of those possibilities were high in the order of this Gate, likely to happen, or Lisa knew about them, yet could they stop them? Why was this possible? Lisa couldn''t help but think of her missteps and overthinking came like a curse ever since she heard his task.


    It was either a plot, joke, excuse, or something that followed Murai''s curse or art. He always messed her ideas up, or was it something that followed him like everything else? If anything, Lisa doubted it was a joke. It was her small little hope. His portal was most likely special, hidden in the personal quarters of a God, or something along those lines that concealed something else.


    Or it might be a part of something ancient, coming from the previous era of this world. It was a thin possibility that Lisa tried to see, but never discovered more about it. She thought she knew this place very well. It seemed she didn''t, so her frustration came out of her like an annoying pettiness.


    Murai wouldn''t find anything weird, obvious by his present companions or his own body. There would be hideous places in many dark corners, so why not something weird under this land? Established or workable portals might still need some link to the Chaos Space, but he knew at least three ways to observe it so no one would get to them. Lisa was aware of it too, yet knew something that Murai didn''t. Perhaps more important beings didn''t know about it either.


    That cave from the previous Gate was one such place, detached and turned into a private little realm. Lisa was almost confused by that location, hut, and holes or overall cave. It reeked of this earth''s secrets, or something that Levandis wanted, or deemed for her dreams.


    She wasn''t overthinking everything. This little book was barely a knock at the plot that surrounded that little duck. Ideas fail when they become redundant or wrong.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Ideas, you said? A couple of hundred ideas are like pebbles in the road. Kick them. Held them. Crashing is also possible.¡± Murai said, laying beside Bagus in a try to calm his tired body. ¡°Just one guess! Right? One big idea of going down and figure it out on the go. That''s always been you, isn''t it? You think of this as innovative?¡± Each word carried one quack and almost pushed his beak to the ground in disappointment.


    Lisa expected a worse response from him.


    ¡°Have you read into Lookish''s writings like a scholar or a duck? Its history and Foolisch''s words gave me ideas. What else is there? We have maps and this knowledge. I will guide you, haven''t I said that?¡± She asked confidently and spoke once again to him alone.


    ¡°And?¡± Murai wasn''t following her.


    ¡°Perhaps you would change your mind since you don''t get it. I do. I know this place better from memory. Down we go, into the places long forgotten. Deep and wide, some places might hold the portal from the context and sides I''ve got from this book and further thinking.¡±


    ¡°You are acting as if you''ve read everything about it but didn''t,¡± Murai quaked, ¡°Yet, you haven''t had this plan going for the past half an hour, so consider me sad and looking for a nap. How long until we are out of here, my little Guide?¡±


    Lisa clutched her little hand, grasped her ring for a bracelet, and thought he was good for once. ¡°It was brewing in my head since the start of this...well, since the end of the last Gate, but not before these entrances and further talks with David, or some reflections.


    Frankly, I had various lows and heights in my plans, and many things changed. I hoped for you to give up here, yet... it isn''t a most clever solution unless we would take our Helpers with us.¡±


    ¡°We can''t?¡± Murai asked, confused, and wondered why she began to speak out loud later.


    ¡°Take us?¡± Itrosh mumbled, half following this conversation because Lisa was changing how she was speaking, while Murai was quacking. ¡°Is this about the rule of the Encounter or what? Go out? Wait... can''t we follow you to the Surface like air?¡±


    ¡°Don''t think so,¡± Lisa shook her head. ¡°Murai has his task greater task. You don''t, yet... you do, but this is about this Gate as well. It is a layered problem. If the world was spinning right, perhaps it would be different. So... Your Helper status is the Encounter''s part. What goes here is different. Probably.¡±


    Itrosh grumbled and started to play with some knives, thinking that her hesitated words were unusual.


    Lisa turned back to Murai. ¡°There is no need for your attention in that or our direction. I want you to rest up and ready yourself. I almost bet you will have some things to do. I needed to find a way out for you alone, but that is hard on its own because I didn''t know we would get Ip''ur Mountain out of all shitty things. I would have been happier if we got the toughest of the latter ones, but no! Mindarch gave us this mess of all things.¡±


    ¡°Is it that unreasonable?¡± Murai asked. ¡°This sounds normal to me. What is a task and mission if it is easy or half-figured out by words, memories, or already predetermined choices? That sounds cheap like what you''ve done with that portal in Gate 1. True, it was good for me, yet what is fun doing something like a chore? Living is what?¡±


    Lisa cracked her arms, half certain she was getting angry deep in her soul, but her face was calm as she sized up this issue. ¡°Speaking of which, this isn''t some game, you see.¡±


    ¡°It isn''t?¡± Itrosh asked in shock.


    ¡°Not now.¡± Lisa shot her a glare, before turning back to Murai. ¡°Since I heard that shitty soul construct, brainstorming my ideas and memories took a lot out of me. David helped a lot with that, while this book and maps are the latest pieces I required. So tell me, does this sound like a stupid plan to do things one by one, rather than sprint to conclusions without clarity or any claims? Yes. I don''t have a clue where to go. Do you blame me?!¡± She looked at him with firm decisions in her mind.


    Murai wasn''t upset by anything. Her logic was there, hiding in her face and words and... head. A very unique head and soul. She should''ve talked about it more, articulate to him some stress, but like Murai knew his soul, she knew herself. This was ridiculous. Murai was glad that she finally explained herself with a small bit of honesty and clearer agitation. That was one way to get her talk, so Murai was happy for another small step by learning that the hard way.


    ¡°That is fine. I don''t blame you, so what is your plan?¡± Murai gave up.


    ¡°We need to figure a way to start some conflict. Mining is an easy target, and not cracking our heads or the specific direction of entrances is another thing. Safety and direction are subjective to a gamble.¡±


    ¡°Do you think you can find something out from those big-ass maps? I doubt that.¡± Murai argued, pointing his wing at many big piles of papers beside that book, making it clear that he thought about it himself.


    He was right. The number of mines was immense, and secrets were not all that open. Lisa figured to use those maps for the most basic tool; get out there, and track their steps. Going everywhere was far too major for a simple team. However, a hundred-meter range was a good help; Lisa already had some paths in mind to take and also some directions that were unlikely to work out.


    That was why she needed this book, not argue with Foolisch, or Murai about anything. Everything was here. Well, apart from David and Ultium, who better stay alive in order to hear Lisa''s words going from the depths of her soul when they next meet.


    The premise of getting down and looking for a portal sounded simple for Itrosh, yet after Lisa tossed her the maps, she stopped playing with her knives.


    ¡°This is... that big?¡± She stuttered.


    ¡°Always was,¡± Bagus said aside. ¡°Mines are for mining and mining is big. When shafts go without success, one mines forth until they are worth something. Deep and sideways, they are like levels to a building, or like a large tree that goes down instead of up. That is what mining is.¡±


    ¡°And our target?¡± Itrosh asked, almost stuttering and voicing a matter of a portal out loud.


    ¡°Shush about it.¡± Lisa hissed at her, looking around. There was nothing and nobody up or around. Not a soul. Hopefully, no eavesdropping eyes or ears were close, or something far outside of her senses. With Murai close, she was confident that their plotting was good.


    Just in case, she talked to Murai''s soul whether she spoke of some sensitive matters. Unfortunately, Itrosh couldn''t do that, so she dropped the maps and folded them under her arm. ¡°So?¡±


    It was less than likely for a portal to be somewhere close to the Ip''ur City or many starting shaft levels. The densest mining was always easier close to the start, and most portals were known to be quite spacious and big, often evident in some mana undulations, rooms, and various paths.


    That was, of course, if this one weren''t special in some ways, smaller, or unique. In that sense, Lisa could only hope it followed some principles as others.


    At first, she thought it would be closer to the Ip''ur City. That idea failed when she saw the dense cluster of shafts. There was not a single space for the portal to perform.


    It should be deep underground, in places where mining hadn''t reached or reached but it got forgotten, separated, or specifically set as a forbidden zone. Those were her secondary ideas, greatly described in the book that was on the ground.


    There were many zones devoid of life and stability, thanks to unstable shafts, some caves, underground seismic activities, leakage from underground water sources, or... because of Ultra Materium. The last idea changed Lisa''s calculations many days ago. Some veins could be very dangerous to anything alive, the outside world, shining in heat so potent, it would melt people and stone alike.


    Lisa was half-certain a portal would be in some of these forbidden zones, but there were hundreds of them in total For now, she planned to go deep and use Murai''s Token as a detector, using numerous shafts an optimal routes to use his hundred-meter radius as best as possible.


    Thanks to Lookish''s ideas, map, stories, and some comments about the paths, mining, and many zones, his book should prove to be useful. No one wanted to get lost in these places for sure, so mapping was critical, yet shafts were way too immense and linked.


    That was the main boundary David thought of when he heard Lisa mention Ip''ur Mountain and portal in the same sentence.


    With plans ready, they needed to have a firm pace to move down first.


    Becoming miners of some company was one possible step, or they might force their way in, going against the armies, miners, or guards who might already know they were going down. But they wouldn''t let them, so Lisa wondered if there was some benefits in establishing some contract with some company or not. She didn''t plan to care about reaching some agreements or disagreements with anyone. In fact, doing so might help her out.


    It wouldn''t be shameless to become free miners either, or they might move like shadows, go in under some careful plot that Lisa was yet to calculate.


    Such plans often moved her heart, giving her vivid light, and the reality of the situation might come to bite her back. Without seeing this place for a long time, she wouldn''t get it.


    A couple of options appeared in Murai''s mind as well, and Lisa heard his thoughts, nodding in return, and appreciating that he was no longer an insensible freak.


    Seeing her strange eyes, Murai winced his beak aside, looking at her with some hesitation and a single eye. ¡°I won''t become a miner, just so you know,¡± His claim had its faults like his wings and feet slamming the ground until some dust spread out.


    ¡°I wouldn''t do that either,¡± Lisa nodded.¡°until it would be inevitable. And we already took a knock at that idea. Foolisch did too, military knows it too.¡±


    ¡°What about the military? They didn''t look that impressive. Are we going to fight it out again?¡±


    ¡°Oh dear shit,¡± Lisa slapped her head. ¡°Please, Itrosh, mind telling me if we have a chance to be forceful. Could you remind this fool how it''s standing right now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, me? Well, there is a forceful choice. I liked it until we saw the present situation in this city. Simply put, one wrong move and we are gone. End.¡± She stabbed her knives to the ground, feeling proud to come up with this explanation on her own.


    ¡°How bad is it?¡± Murai asked just in case. She wasn''t specific enough for his mind or expectations. Was it even different from the past?


    ¡°Forces here consist of gangs, and many groups and companies. Most are under the eyes of an owner and his military, but it is like calling the hellish military one cohesive force. That is not possible. Those with Laws are considered rare, yet present here for no surprising reasons. They are normal and good miners, so they are quite fine to see, and harbor good prominences, or power. Their acts and wealth are the mines. What would you feel if some invader got in your way and started creating troubles and nonsense like warring in their home wealthy depths?¡±


    ¡°They would stop us from mining?¡±


    ¡°Mind you, can you take that Token out?¡± Lisa suggested without answering.


    ¡°We are targets in spirit and reputation, Murai,¡± Itrosh said aside. ¡°Being too lofty or stupid isn''t fine, yet we... probably turned this situation a little more... how to say it? To shit!¡±


    ¡°It isn''t that bad, Itrosh,¡± Lisa said to her. ¡°If we do this right, of course.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Even if we had Ultium, we wouldn''t dare to move against the military. Even if there were a party of Ultiums, it wouldn''t do much to my confidence. David must be confident in your planning if we are taking this route like this. He is also away, plotting something away so troubles won''t come at us. We should be careful.¡±


    ¡°Oh, are you sure to give that name time and your mouth?¡± Lisa asked doubtfully. ¡°He is careful and old.¡±


    ¡°But raised here.¡±


    ¡°I taught him plenty myself. He was little and grew, watching the world and what some hell means. Knowing some overconfident acts wasn''t all that was to our time. It wasn''t as terrible as being free either.¡±


    ¡°Really? Well, he shields us, so who cares about what once was?¡± Itrosh said, stubbornly leaning forward, and looking straight at her face as if she wondered about Lisa''s words and facts.


    Murai stepped between them. ¡°Everyone has their purpose. David is an old fool, and...¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Lisa snatched his beak without looking. ¡°I am not miserable enough to anger the current owner or upset our concerns, but what of some companies? If no troubles come, good. If they do, we snap them in half because we are not looking for trouble. Do you object?¡± She argued, clutching Murai''s beak, looking at his eyes, and feeling no subjective help. Yet, when she heard her words, she noticed a peculiar sense of deja vu and a lot of wrong feelings. Trouble? She was the trouble.


    ¡°Anger and power come in waves, huh? Cleverness is often an exaggeration of desires and hopes. Move along some sense; not a brute force. You should take that to heart or closer.¡±


    ¡°Heart? Bullshit. So what?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I was fairly comfortable in this Gate, so thanks for asking. Am thankful for these two as well,¡± Murai spoke with his Will straight to her head, taking her stressed hand for nothing terrible. He gestured with his eyes to Bagus and Itrosh who were amused to see them like that. Murai would never lose this staring contest, but neither would he win it.


    Lisa was equally stubborn when it came to some topics.


    Bagus and Itrosh looked at two silent, albeit quite unique beings. From external or internal ways of laws and sight, none of them were simple and normal, yet one looked like an animal, while the other like nothing simple.


    Neither of them knew this pair very well either. It was fair; who would even understand someone like Lisa, or imagine Murai''s perspective and Cursed Living? Itrosh and Bagus were sensible enough not to be privy to words far above their heads. Being involved in the Encounter was already serious, or like something that should be taken for a burning road.


    Feeling the heat at the sides alone was feasible and clever, so they took parts of this road as Helpers as long as they would fly above the flames and go forward until they couldn''t.


    An Anatidae arguing with a Fairy-looking ghost seemed quite eye-catching. Most of the streets were either barren because of them, or because of the military rules. Thankfully, their little corner was outside of the main streets and people. Like in the Helltrim City, Ip''ur City had a gloomy aura in the streets. The military and what was underneath didn''t help either because she swore and knew that nothing would stay the same.

 Chapter 235: Theatrics

    The staring battle continued until neither side won or lost. It would go endlessly, so Lisa swallowed her pride, felt her decreased satisfaction, and turned her head away, pouting. ¡°We move with my plans next. I want to see no arguments right now,¡± She ordered.


    ¡°Yep. Where?¡± Itrosh asked, scratching her jaw with a knife and figuring this action was nigh.


    ¡°Entrance Five. An hour from now, we move. There is a change of shifts and some business meetings that David covered under his brief information gathering. They are stable because of leadership and companies, so I think they are worth trusting even if we come over. We will move like shadows, got it? If it doesn''t work, we do something else.¡± Lisa said, giving only a couple of words to Itrosh and Bagus, while Murai kept glaring at her in wonder.


    This plan sounded weak.


    ¡°So it is like that first?¡± Bagus sighed, figuring out that his time was inevitably hard, but that was to be expected. Since he found out that Ip''ur Mountain was their location all those days ago, things turned weird in his head. At first, it was confusing, but then, he was unhappy, confused, and wondering if Lisa was joking. She wasn''t, so he became much more confused after knowing this world and his life.


    What Mindarch planned. What did Levandis want from this? It was demanding, so could this team afford to lose him? Since David and Ultium were gone, Bagus realized a lot of weight was on his shoulders. Swallowing his time and going until the very end seemed like his only choice.


    ¡°Fine. I am over this,¡± Murai angled his beak, feeling his feet dangling in the air, and by a surprise to everyone, unleashed his Will and Robust Defense. He freed his head from Lisa, who jerked away in a surprise. Robust Defense clashed against her hand and won like a fire melting the snow.


    Then, Murai aimed his Will forward, striking Bagus, who felt it a couple of times. Itrosh did not, so she cried in horror when she felt what she wanted for a long time.


    Murai forced persistent discomfort, pain, and consequences that shuddered their soul, though it wasn''t intentionally pain-defining. Bagus took it much better than Itrosh, who caught her head and stopped screaming when she pressed her face to the ground in agony. It wouldn''t stop going until Murai dared to stop. Bagus knew it and endured this sudden outburst that Lisa initiated.


    Neither of them had much impressive mentality that would irritate Murai. Very few beings had some ability about souls or the ability to use their Will besides a way to see one''s spiritual status. Will as an attribute wasn''t as rare as one would guess. Using it as a tool was different, so most beings above Level 50 had a Will attribute, which allowed them to see their spirituality and feel its importance. It was also a great reminder to see others and feel what and who a being was.


    Murai didn''t know how right it was. His soul and Will took major precedence over his many beginnings and he knew how souls defined the universe.


    In this world and life, he was clueless about the degree of his soul or some numbers, even if it was common knowledge that seeing spirituality was not advised, nor keen to force. Seeking it was a matter of growth, as a soul wasn''t something simple like watching the body grow or change. It was considered rude to disregard souls for something weak. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That was where things like Appraisal took unprecedented control over many places. It was a literal link to the greater power and allowed one to see someone from a divine focus.


    Murai would love to have something like that, but from his views and digging around, Appraisal was a luxury he couldn''t seek out. Some power or authority stemming from the Will of the Battleworld would give it some capacity or reputation. One might take Appraisal as a key to a vast space.


    Murai wondered about some requirements, specifics, or wonders of the Will attribute. Could a few dozen points make up for some crazy talent, or were his Robust Spirit and seeming link between his body and the rest do something else? He wasn''t sure, so he tested it and felt it on Lisa and others.


    It was interesting to see Bagus and Itrosh react to his open Will, which followed a concept of his rare skill called Strike of the Will. It wasn''t under his use very often, and it was supposed to be very weak. He let it out very little and never heard much about it through Boosts.


    Bagus''s level wasn''t far from Ceila, who was easily like an enormous wall before him weeks ago. This pair felt weaker, while Lisa felt like a gigantic ocean that only wavered a little when his Robust Defense ended, leaving her arm flaring like an erratic current and letting Murai land on the ground.


    ¡°What was that for?!¡± Lisa shouted.


    ¡°You are annoying, so let me give you my example and rule. I can''t rely on your voice all the time, can I? Got it?¡± Murai declared to Itrosh and Bagus, leaving Lisa grumping aside.


    Itrosh growled, looking for a knife but she found none when each palm was over her face.


    ¡°Was this what you felt?¡± She asked Bagus, who huffed in an awkward chuckle and his face was no longer calm when facing his voice.


    ¡°Entrance Five is good. Shaded and dark. I agree with that direction, but Bagus is required, and far out to be shadowy like a fox. So let''s do this instead...¡±


    Murai began offering his point of view, forcing Lisa to listen and agree with some points, but she didn''t like his approach. She had her plans already, so when she heard his comments that were near and distant, she forced her tranquility and listened. Some understanding was sufficient when she got involved with him and his ideas.


    For a helpless pair aside, this meant another pain.


    ***


    An hour later.


    Ozeki and Razmund were yet to arrive at Sector 44, let alone advance to Sector 45. According to some expectations, Lisa hoped to learn or hear some glimpses, reports, or rumors about him in this Province. Gangs or not, it would make sense for some places to have some linked informant networks, and this was Ip''ur Mountain of all things! She would dare to bet on some news.


    There were some, but not very good or cleverly put together because of Mindarch''s touch. Many companies were keen on their own information, so getting the truth out should come from some trustworthy subjects. Which was doubtful and something Lisa didn''t want to do in this city.


    So when she contacted David again, it went without success. He couldn''t even refute her because their constructs were no longer working in this city.


    By all rights, Ozeki was a public figure, known, and seen as an ongoing concern for many gangs. He was quite eye-catching and lofty for helping out Razmund of all abhorrent humans. They might have been clashing and battling with some people or gangs, away from Sector 45, closer, or unable to go too deep.


    Lisa had no way to get ahead. The flow of information was not in her favor, much to the potential struggles and calculation of foes and companies. Then, there was Razmund himself, who had been an enigma since he entered this Gate.


    He never became too crazy for Murai. His unnatural and forceful disposition should made some choices clearer. So when he didn''t do much to them since his entrance, whether it was because of Lost Brothers or not, Lisa doubted that man''s actions. Even when Ozeki came into the equation, that shitty pair were finding her plans, or they were wary of something else.


    Like a cage or a big slithering web, that pair might be bidding their time for some reason. Razmund''s act of taming Ozeki and resting were answers to her worries. That was it. Hardly anything changed or happened through Mindarch, which Lisa found strange. No rumors about fights or battles were close either.


    Once again, something bugged her, and she didn''t like how she had no concept or clear vision. That left them alone, away from the Encounter for some days yet still pending for a way out. They were closer to the Hunt and possible issues of military and companies, or Rataratan. His forces that ran this place were plentiful and under every alley, yet none were moving against them again, or said a word.


    Everything remained calm. Suspiciously calm.


    No mercenary or company made their move when Murai and Lisa disappeared from the streets, and even Itrosh and Bagus seemed to find some peace and silence. That went on for hours after one street turned into a battlefield, and no one was sure what would happen next.


    Entrance Five was a huge shadowy cavern that was part of the Ip''ur Mountain. Like a wound cut into more than a kilometer-tall mountain, this entrance looked like a deep grotto with massive boulders overhead, creating shadows and many corners that were big and hard to reach. Still, there were buildings on the ground, and inside this grotto was one of the few big and ancient entrances to the underground areas.


    It was perhaps too shadowy, opposite to the sunlight above the mountain. At some parts, it was almost pitch black, with big dark shadows lurching everywhere thanks to the torches made of Ultra Gems in limited places, as this entrance was still hundreds of meters tall, wide, and deep. Villages would fit inside of it.


    Ultra Gems and constructs made from them were weird creations, much to Murai''s eyes, lacking hands, and eyes that seemed to like wondrous things. Some of them looked to be alive, looking like small gems, yet from far away, they had an aura of swirling flames or notable glitter like a fake little sun.


    Laws empowered them, with mana being part of some of them, or not at all. What about fuel? Lisa said that Ultra Gems were like batteries and one could recharge them. If it were easy, Murai would doubt his soul more, yet Lisa didn''t show it again, so Murai could only observe those Gems and feel apprehensive.


    Torches and bonfires were in many parts before this entrance, acting as street decor or noteworthy assets or as a token of face value. After all, entrances were important, and the territory of mining companies and rules. Most companies had large headquarters close to them, and some entrances were bigger or more important than others. Entrance Five was the biggest and most significant.


    That was why this place thrived and where miners didn''t fear anything. They were there, doing business, and didn''t care for the gloom of the streets.


    After hours of calm before the storm, Bagus walked onto a large plaza before a huge entrance, asking around to see a Miner Association, which was one of the larger companies that always sought out unaffiliated miners. They always existed, and refusing a Level 70 and above potential miners was silly, as Murai would expect. It wasn''t entirely Murai''s idea to force Bagus into this path, though he was particularly responsible for Bagus''s internal unhappiness, current sad disposition, and loneliness.


    Hearing Murai''s Will was one thing. Another was giving this some justice. This mining business was a farce that would trouble him and Bagus didn''t like to play with others, himself, or for others. With great pain stemming from his past, Bagus confessed to Murai and his past less than an hour ago, telling how he used to be a slave beast when he was little Griffin.


    Those were rather hefty and luxurious species that had shaky foundations in this entire temple because their reputation was among the best beasts that had some connections to actual Dragons. They were around every continent, though Hells had less of them because they liked big open places like most Dragons.


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    Bagus was old, nearing a century living in this world as a native, and no Blessed or Gifted. He always refused some contemptuous lavish Gods. His history and memories weren''t weak in the slightest. He often refused to talk about himself because of his slave trauma.


    As a young beast, he was a loner because he had no tribe, or family, let alone parents. He was that kind of beast that was taken advantage of as a prized possession. His Will was weak. His heart was soft. Bagus was what one would describe as a horse of a Griffins because he was broken and owned like a toy and asset.


    Thanks to their beaks and disposition to speed and weight or numerous great Laws, Griffins were fairly good miners, mounts, and workers. Bagus had done that for decades like a chained beast, living in Hell and this temple under some Overlords and companies. Now, forcing him to touch that history was like pouring acid over old wounds, or cutting into it with a knife. Murai caused that anyway, wishing and probing further when he listened to his story and still pushed his Will around like a hazy mountain.


    It was David who got Bagus out of that life, which then changed further until Bagus turned into a free-spirited beast who had no qualms to give. Grifhart was no longer a Griffin because of an Influence Item stemming from great beasts that helped him forget. Bagus changed and grew into something else. He matured, felt a change, and pulled his past back.


    He grew mentally as well, thanks to his rich Bloodline. His power stagnated a little because of his chained past, yet he would never allow himself to become weak.


    Because of some links in his history, Bagus chose to follow Murai''s plan. In that talk, Itrosh remained silent, and even Lisa remained listening and took his history for nothing surprising. Very few knew about it. Itrosh knew much more, as she heard rumors and had known him for many years. For her, it was common not to look for some distant terrible memories. Everyone had something like that. Be it worse, or like a nightmare, few traumas were flowery and nice.


    Slavery was common in the Scorching Light, or this Gate in general. Beasts were subject to slavery in a much more brazen manner than humans, or numerous demonic races. Those were still numerous, but at least they had some regulations, coming with contracts, or some loose ends. Some stupid beasts that were close to being animals were fine tools. For most lofty demonic races, it was like looking for pets and slaves.


    They were best regarded as an easy life force and workers. Few would care about them unless there were some powerful Bloodlines, or they were some experimenters or interest from some trials and history.


    Bagus would scoff at every little or big company. He didn''t like them, yet he still walked into the Miner Association and got himself a temporary job as a miner because no one would deny it.


    As a legitimate denizen of this temple who carried some Laws, his badge was great, while his status as a Hunted wasn''t seen as sinful, but brazen, and his lonely walking self was haughty for miners and most companies. His position was as far from slavery as he felt. He was free! Free...


    A bunch of devils under some military banners viewed him with questionable gazes and contempt, thinking of taking him for their prized possession, or like a simple walking bag worth many Hell Points.


    Bagus was alone in this manner, not with Lisa or Itrosh, let alone with Murai on top of his head. His aim in the Miner Association met uproar of problems in terms of miners and the military. It happened at last. Rumors were no more.


    He was expected by the military, though not alone. No one dared to take him lightly, for they knew what happened in that street. Instead, a lot of hostility came from mining companies, yet with the military presence, who couldn''t do much about it, no fight happened in this place, nor did someone stop his mining business. Not yet.


    No one denied him his steps. As a powerful beast, it was a matter of rules. He was quite good at mining, and since he agreed to strict rules of keeping everything mined and found underground going through the Miner Association, they let him do it if he went down.


    Mining required very powerful individuals in all matters of physical or skillful forms. Either miners needed good equipment, or they needed great personal dispositions. Having both was adequate. Beasts worked well for a much simpler purpose, as they didn''t require equipment, or very deep attention from companies, so they used miners and beasts at the same time.


    Free miners were considerably better, for they were usually too busy to care about contracts, and whether they died or not wasn''t a problem for most companies. It was worse for the true wealth and worth that Levandis sought. There were thousands of miners in this city alone. Free, contracted, or seen like slaves who worked for companies, there were profits and worthy endeavors in everything.


    Most of the underlying factors were Rataratan''s forces, but quite a big chunk of the military was involved in maintaining mining, or they even mined themselves. Hence, slaves who worked for others were seen as expenditures. Mining Ultra Materium was a fascinating and amazing fortune, and with a time-consuming process and easy rules to follow, it was perilous work in many layers.


    Mining stood up as a culture. Many miners didn''t want any trouble coming to their paradise. Be it in failure or success, or potential thieves, battles among the miners, or various other politics that went underground, they might never leave one glad or calm. In words, bodies, and stories, Bagus knew how this place worked.


    Everything about mining required endurance and power. Both if one wanted to stay afloat and carry one''s desires like a dream. The prime source of that idea was Bagus, regardless of his Hunted status or part of an Encounter, which wasn''t as prevailing because it was a rather separate issue.


    On his own, his Hunted status was much more prevalent. Not many denizens saw him as a Helper. He didn''t betray anyone, unlike Ozeki. Bagus got an offer that he hated and accepted it anyway.


    Miner Association asked about the rest of his companions, but after giving some excuses that Murai told him about, he succeeded in diverting all suspicions, telling them he was here alone for his own benefit. That was a good mark for confusion to linger.


    Some suspicions remained, and when this work would get out, many rumors might spread. Murai bet on that and forced Bagus to essentially betray him and cut him from their group. The moment he agreed to it, his mining endeavor started by gaining access to most public mines.


    The next step happened soon after Bagus reached out to Entrance Five''s plaza, right before the change in shifts and where some businesses and miners commenced some profits. It was about the payout. Miners would get their share, and the whole plaza was flat and surrounded by buildings, right before the opening that were shaded like entrances to the Void. At least there was no fog around or dreadful nothing followed by emptiness, or extremely profound pressure.


    The whole plaza was either full of miners horny for their worth or completely empty in other sections. The entrance was always open, as one couldn''t close an opening to the earth the size of a hill. Miners were nowhere to be seen there, with only some guards lurking around, protecting the entrance and looking at the payout time. It was the perfect choice to make a move.


    Bagus walked among the miners, not looking for a payment, but trouble. Many miners seemed afraid of him, and recognized him by his simple stature and head, while most thought he was insane to get this far and wide. in He was asking for trouble in an open plaza. As a big Grifhart, he was one of a kind in this place.


    He saw a lot of slaves, ranging from humans and demons of lesser standing and weak power to free miners or company groups who were laughing, and hoping for a good haul.


    There were many kinds of miners. Those honest and hopeful were nearing half of the beings in this plaza who welcomed thousands. The rest were bland, indifferent, or nervous in some ways.


    The kind who hoped for wealth and change were the ones that Bagus respected and looked out for most. The future wouldn''t disappear unless one gave up for the future.


    It was a quote about self-respect. Those willing to take that chance, Bagus respected, since he was like them in the past.


    Now, he blamed no one. He gave up in the past. Not anymore. A future dream was never-ending. He wanted to pursue it and everything, yet here he was, in a place reminding him of his past mistakes and memories.


    At the entrance, just as the payouts arrived, a group of sturdy Orcun miners moved with piles of heavy bags. They bumped into Bagus, or Bagus bumped into them intentionally. It didn''t matter which was likely or wrong, since Bagus had to act along no matter what, for Murai made his words very clear


    Furiously stomping the ground, Bagus stretched his wings far and wide, causing dozens of surrounding miners to stagger around when he became furious. Orcuns were hefty demons that looked like Orcs. They were as heavy, if not heavier than Bagus himself, though they had no distribution and merits of a great beast like Bagus.


    Clutter and cries, followed by a surge of wind traveled around, alerting the guards and most who considered Bagus as prey.


    ¡°Who the fuck do you want? Learn to walk next time.¡± Bagus said loudly, sounding arrogant and pointing his beak to Orcuns who fearlessly looked at the powerful Grifhart. ¡°Huh? You sure have some problems with bumping into me, a bunch of bags. Don''t pretend you don''t fuck with me. I will fucking show you!¡±


    Once again, Bagus lifted his frontal legs, striking the ground alongside a swipe of his wide wings. Chaos ensured, with Orcuns shouting and securing their bags lest they become rags or lost. A pair of Orcuns charged at Bagus, but one was flung away with a slap of a wing. The other stumbled and ended up before a large paw, almost stomped and bloodied.


    A fierce pitiful battle occurred and in half a minute, all redirecting guards came to the rescue, surrounding Bagus as the sole troublemaker because he wiped the floor with Orcuns. None was above Level 70, though none was below 60 either.


    Ten knights arrived in total, wearing light, yet surprisingly dense and neat armor. They had nice pay indeed, thanks to the wealth that showed where it belonged, coming through appearance and plates that were thin like paper. They were metallic and shiny through some Gems around the plaza. They weren''t scales, but broad plates that moved alongside the flesh like fabric.


    Each knight was at least two meters tall and hid their features under their armor. That was about it, apart from expectant weapons. Spears, large halberds, or swords aimed at Bagus. Knights wore full-head helmets, helping with protection and looking the same because they were military under the same banner. None of their skin was exposed, making it hard to perceive their species and weakness.


    It was a general practice of the demonic armies to show face and look threatening, so for these to show off their valuable armor, Bagus perhaps knew how some things differed from true wars on the Surface. Some skirmishes and other issues in Hells were different.


    Out in the Surface, some people and Gods considered Mortal Wars as a form of art, while Holy Wars were pretty interesting and showed numerous great points. Divine Wars were rare and beyond the norm. For them to happen, something very precious and valuable had to be in line with numerous Gods and powerful mortal powers.


    Bagus knew this was no such case. He took their armor as a side of wealth and reputation that everyone took with arrogance.


    Against these protections, it was harder to fight against them because when they would break, they would die. It made them look similar to humans on the Surface and Bagus saw people. They looked identical in his eyes, which was ironic.


    Perhaps this place''s management should never change. It was negligibly important because of the gravity of this situation.


    ¡°What the hell are you swiping those wings for, Grifhart? Are you mad or what? Did you catch rabies?¡± one of the guards shouted, pointing with a sharp spear forward. It was almost a halberd in nature, but bigger and with numerous angled curves that made many possible cutting angles. It could be even a big mace.


    ¡°Those fuckers bumped into me. I won''t take such nonsense lightly.¡± Bagus said, hurtful and filled with obnoxious pride. He repeated the exact same words that Murai presented hours ago. It was impressive how quickly Bagus adapted and figured out how Murai must have looked into the future because everything was happening as he proclaimed.


    ¡°You...¡± the guard gritted his teeth, yet it wasn''t apparent. He turned and looked at Orcuns, who he feared bumped into the wrong beast. Then, he looked at Bagus closely, noticing the necklace below his neck, looking shiny, new, and wide open.


    It was laughable, but working, similar to the badge he most likely possessed very close. The guard also saw it as an opportunity and a weakness, followed by a much more distinct influence because he wasn''t the one who had seen that street before. But he knew a problem when he felt it. He knew this Grifhart owned a high-ranked badge. If he could steal it, he would grow much more powerful in no time.


    ¡°Compensate him for the trouble.¡± the guard said to the Orcuns, who were all innocent, hurt, and clutching their bags as if they were their lives. In a sense, it was true. Many mining teams lived one payout to the other, lest some thieves would come, or they would immediately improve their mining capabilities, or buy some shares in companies, or various businesses.


    The other guards also made their moves, surrounding Orcuns, and one of them clutched one Orcun by his head and forced him high into the sky. Well, the far part was relative, as each Orcun was very tall and thick like a large boulder. But there was a difference between an appropriate military and a race that was good at mining, not great in warfare, and certainly not clever in most scenarios.


    For the most part, their height and size were their major and desolate advantage.


    Against Bagus or those knights, they were like commoners, even though they weren''t fodder any longer. Almost no fodder was mining in this place in fear of thieves, killing, or feeling the mining and those depths below. Most nice and easy places weren''t available all the time.


    ¡°We didn''t...¡± one of the Orcuns said, but a kick arrived at his chin, breaking his speech and bones.


    ¡°Didn''t ask. Looking for trouble, are you? Don''t you see his badge in the chest? Private VIP Miner? Giving him trouble because you are just barely able to mine? Give him a quarter of your payout and fuck off. Heard that?¡± the knight said, uttering those words with quite some killing intent, kicking Orcun again and pointing to Bagus''s chest.


    A small badge was there indeed, hiding in fur right beside his main necklace. It wasn''t indicating his standing as a miner. For that, the knight was lying and didn''t know what Bagus''s standing was, though he guessed it should be at quite some degree because he had that kind of prospect.


    And he certainly didn''t need to care about any offer or this badge. Moving alongside Murai''s plan proved to be very easy and effective.

 Chapter 236: Successful infiltration

    The military surrounded this plaza like wolves, slamming their weapons to the ground, and looking at this funny little endeavor with disdain. Authority and order over weaklings were among the numerous principles for powerful beings. Gods were particularly responsible for that, though the history from other places acted as a good reminder that nothing was as simple as it seemed.


    Everything had some beginning. Everything that could conceive the weight of the universe, at least. In power, the rule of the jungle felt ever so dominant. It was almost close to a rule of power of Gods, whereas, for mortal realms, their difficulties were very different. However, in regular cases, royalty, powerful sects, or schools full of powerful people would be close. It depended on the world or wisdom of the expressed world.


    In the Battleworld, the military was almost everywhere, thanks to the existence of open Gods and their Divine Kingdoms. And thanks to commitment, gifts, and generalization of Boosts and similar authority, people and power have been striving since time immemorial.


    There was no question about this Gate, let alone the mines that allowed power to thrive. Rataratan took many companies and problems personally, for they were places that his Lady loved. He preferred to look at it, giving it an attention fit of an Extreme closing to an Overlord.


    Value in these mines held endless riches, and since the dawn of creation, they had no bounds. More Materium were discovered than mined, acting as keen points of interest that always increased all the other necessities. And problems, per Bagus''s opinion and history. Slaves were always around those issues concerning power.


    It was obvious in countless places, or was it because the scarcity created a higher price; hence the pressure increased and the world turned weird? In a way, Bagus always knew the reason. Extremes were prohibited from taking part in this mining directly, which was a weird choice that Levandis used to cause some boundaries, or it might be very expensive to get them in. Since she had many powerhouses under her step, it was a curious problem.


    Considering the most prominent miners were those with some minor Law comprehensions, allowing them to mine much better, why not take Extremes who mastered at least one at full? Perhaps the cause was their pride and mining was complex because of this Gate''s political and company structure. It was beneath for Extremes for the mere principle stemming from the Surface, where Ultra Gems were desired as great gifts, while Hells couldn''t care less about that.


    With Ultra Materium close and in great significance, it was a formidable treasure, yet tell it to stubborn fools who kept Chaos close to their hearts. It was what Levandis herself proclaimed a long time ago. No Extremes, she said. No one would refute that, lest the wrath of the owners return, or she make a move herself.


    Hells were no Surface, where Gods of the Sky were watchful like overbearing suns. Hells had their ludicrous Gods, and they were as ruthless as one would imagine. Going against the world or doing what they desired was a much easier choice because of their nature and difference in status. Divine Spheres were why. Almost like the name of the Ultra Materium itself, which glowed in the dark, suffering through ages long passed, and scattered in the depths of the planet for an unknown time.


    It was deep and valuable by the only course that was fundamentally changing the universe. Time and Chaos. Those unprecedented reality-warping Laws carried incredible potency, but true Divides governed the universe like water governing the rivers, or was it the time itself that was always the one which created the biggest disparities as consistently stable Law? The origin of the River of Manaflow came from the depths of the universe, washing and changing the heavens under many stories, legacies, and eras. It went through what one might call an endless space.


    Everything else was just a misguided worm that was taking what was once free. True life took this for a certain flow that moved planets and materials, connecting everything until some Will moved, creating intelligence, see through that river, or the time itself.


    Greed followed intellect like sunflowers watched the sun, or was it backward? People were greedy. The sun was shining on its own; it didn''t care for others or scorched planets, so what about some backwater regions or places where one couldn''t see everything?


    Bagus often wondered how some races could be stupid, or utterly savage, before turning to warriors of pride and weird standards. He was almost the same, but he never judged others too much. He killed far too many to care for apathy or sympathy. Some fools, be it in this place or others, were just greedy pricks that weren''t worth tossing to some doubtful standards.


    Some of them deserved the worst of what one would think of their worst enemy. Perhaps even then, it wouldn''t be enough to quench the thirst for revenge. Murai would reckon such thoughts with vividness and understanding, taking revenge and ideas for free thoughts as impervious to growth.


    Guards around Entrance Five looked like they hadn''t done this job for the first time. However, this wasn''t for their benefit, which was questionable as to why they were helping Bagus like that. Well, Bagus sneered inside, knowing that they wanted to take these materials from him after this was over. Or they simply wanted to appear strong for the sake of appearing strong. It was within Murai''s calculations.


    In most cases, Bagus wasn''t sure what would happen, or what they would do. What should he do next? Had Murai planned so far? He hadn''t told him about how to feel. That was for certain. He wouldn''t go that far.


    Bagus had to do what must be done.


    Orcuns swallowed their anger after hearing those knights, calmed their bulking fatty muscles, and gave up attempting to appease these arrogant protectors. Against such authority¡ªand Bagus¡ªwhat choice was at these pushing times? Words that carried truths without being truthful were mere justifications for power.


    In some way, Bagus was feeling bad for them. Especially when these Orcuns didn''t fight back at all. They stood and cursed, but didn''t attack Bagus because of his power and reputation. They weren''t Lawful beings; perhaps they were closing on someone like Itrosh. If they were stronger or fought back at their maximum power as a team, perhaps he would feel better about it.


    But some things were just the way they were. It wasn''t worth altering what Murai had started. Bagus was in no shape a good beast after growing up in this sort of place and time. It was close to impossible. And in a place where no one was innocent, what morality was there in killings, thievery, or betraying the trust or one''s heart? S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Perhaps the word conscience was something invented to move the heart or convince something against the norm. It could be a lie, like many things that some fools spoke with conviction or excuses to move others.


    Orcuns felt no obvious remorse, nor were they angry at this hierarchy system. They had their share of bullying those weaker than them and killed fodders because they could. They eyed Bagus with fearful hatred, took those knights for bastards, and they wouldn''t forget no one.


    They gave up on the payout that they mined for weeks. They didn''t give up on everything, of course. Just a cut appeased these knights, who watched how Bagus took it with keen eyes. Watched by many surrounding miners, extortion, bullying, or looking for old or new debts were common sights, yet shameful for Orcuns.


    No one wanted to be taken advantage of. Even if they cursed in their very souls, no one was here to help them. It didn''t matter to other miners in the slightest, since these Orcuns were simple gangsters non-affiliated to no company. They came here like Bagus, so all they had to do was swallow the life of power.


    If they hadn''t given up their pride, feeling spears down their throats wasn''t worth some value. However, many surrounding miners wondered if this show devolved into something better, or if Bagus aimed for something new. Many surroundings, or even those looking into the Hunt, wondered what was his deal.


    True targets weren''t present, so many beings¡ªincluding the military¡ªquestioned Bagus walking into the mines alone. He was like an unhinged beast. He didn''t care for what others thought, and thanks to his reputation, some thought he was asking for a beating. The Lost Brothers, used to have the ability to act like this. Not anymore. Their reputation tanked, and going against this place was silly. Many Challengers regarded it as a difficult assignment before the next Gate.


    This wasn''t a normal situation. His Hunted status was nigh like a sore spot in one''s face or back, acting like a target in the middle of his forehead.


    His Hell Points bounty was still pending. Anyone good could catch or kill. Unless something changed, of course. With Mindarch silent, and Will of the Battleworld gone, perhaps this was understandably silly and good. Everyone watched Bagus snort and take what Orcuns had before they steered away, leaving this plaza.


    Then, Bagus wondered what was next; he forgot all the points that Murai said because he listed dozens of possibilities that might happen or not.


    Should he thank those knights, or groan and crush them just because he could? What would that insane duck do? Bagus was no longer amused by such thoughts. He wasn''t like that, but if he had to, he would go hard for himself, for it signified his mission and dream.


    Killing them would be easy and killing these Orcuns was a possibility that Murai also listed. As for the military, killing was improbable, though no one here was some innocent fool. Most of those present were from fierce races, parts of many gangs, or served under powerful figures hiding in companies.


    Knights pushed Orcuns further away, poking them with the dull edges of their weapons. Then, they dispersed the crown, clearing the path to the Entrance for Bagus. Since the payout was still ongoing, most of the miners weren''t mining.


    Thus, this plaza was almost impossible to clear, and those Guards only looked for more troubles. No one took this clear bait. Everyone realized what happened. They gave Bagus more weight so they would kill him in the mines. Such a move stirred the crowds, moved the knights, and essentially put thousands of eyes into this single plaza.


    If anything was correct, mining would always be around and never stop. No matter if the world was working or burning, or if Levandis didn''t like it, it would always work. Those Gems would never come out on their own.


    ¡°Well, have it that way,¡± one of the knights said, stepped to Bagus, inclined to take some cut, but withheld his words. ¡°Be on your way. You can go and don''t shit this up. See all the others? Don''t mess with others like that, you big dog.¡± He waved his weapon around, pointing to others, and almost poking Bagus onwards.


    Bagus smiled at him, clearly playing the game of arrogance and power. These knights were worth a fight, with some of them feeling the first layers of some Laws. It didn''t matter too much. There were dozens of them. They would wound and bother him unless he would kill them first.


    ¡°A cheeky one, Hunted!¡± the knight said and erected some idea in his heart. ¡°We say what you are doing is a terrible mistake, but when one goes around to look for trouble, one finds a pit.¡±


    ¡°Saw one. It ended badly. Mines are different pits. They hold some truths.¡±


    ¡°Graves too.¡±


    ¡°Wanna try it, or look at what is below?¡± Bagus asked, still arrogant. ¡°I will consider anyone coming to that place as a fool. For anyone coming and seeing me, only deaths will come. In a limited place, will you overlook these graves?¡±


    ¡°Taunting officers is a serious offense.¡±


    ¡°Almost as snapping my neck against yours,¡± Bagus gave him honest words this time around, and while doing so, snapped his beak in crisp sound. ¡°It would make a good crunch. Blood would flow and the spine would make a nice rupture. Do you know how it sounds when one tries to scream, yet can''t utter a sound?¡±


    The knights laughed, sounding forceful and kind of old. He forced his weapon aside and pointed to the entrance, indicating Bagus to continue to the mines because he couldn''t hear those taunts anymore. It was a loss of face.


    ¡°We shall see what will happen with you. Where is the rest of your little group, we wonder. We watched with caution and expected a more sinister path, yet here you are all alone.¡±


    Bagus departed without giving him a word or further glares, leaving these knights for good. Their words didn''t seem to imply anything good, but Lisa said that this was inevitable, while Murai only laughed at those coming to mine for them. Every one of them should go down, and whatever happened later was secondary.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Who was Bagus fooling? Nobody, or himself. He saw plenty of hostility and interest around the miners, but how many of them would go down, when they could wait for him, or slowly creep behind others to steal some kills or loot? There was no doubt there were greedy fools amongst them that would make groups and hunting difficult. For Hunted and Hunters, this meant terrible consequences, but only one was truly in a pinch.


    Bagus almost laughed at them.


    What a play. Bagus thought. Here I thought it would be harder. Murai has a knack for people guessing some outcomes, I suppose. He told me exactly what should come, including the best responses. What kind of performance would he do if he could speak the human tongue as an Anatidae? I would pay a big chunk to see that happen, frankly. Perhaps one day, I will see it with my own eyes, watching the wrath of the one that is Blessed Anatidae.


    This little play had been quite some disturbance for this place and companies. Payout almost halted, especially when thousands of miners surrounded this wide-open perimeter. There were no streets or buildings to observe the views. A big plaza partially below the mountain shaded by the large ceiling of a mountain, wide dark walls at sides, with the light of the Ultra Gems on the ground alone, took Bagus''s playful charm.


    Each action that Bagus was important and stirred many eyes. Large Grifhart was perfect for such a cause, which was why Murai did what he did, let his Will free for a bit, and Lisa said her parts as well.


    Murai had no clever plan if he was honest with himself. He merely stated his opinion, acting with two factors he considered were right. Itrosh''s strength and Bagus''s reputation were the main reasons for this play to work.


    Lisa gave it a few ideas herself, improving this plan by a large margin. Especially, the part where Itrosh would make her move in this disturbance, going across the dark sides of the mountain and taking the shade of the darkness for a steep path. As for Bagus, most of his words came from Murai, which Lisa took for a job done well.


    It was kind of silly. She thought about it for days, brainstorming how to get them inside the mines with the least amount of effort. She thought someone would object a lot, but didn''t.


    It was much easier when one knew the hearts of beings and disregarded politics for greed and facts. Itrosh was far from being eye-catching, so she became like a dark horse in this play. With a darker hood and cloak over herself, she was like a shadow that moved in the darkness, becoming one with it.


    She ascended the dark walls with ease, using her hands, feet, and high Dexterity that was in multiple hundreds of points. The cloak did the rest. She was nimble and flexible, and her control over her limbs was far from what someone like Bagus would do.


    In her case, Lisa had a clever idea. She thought of going by the ground, yet when Murai noted the darkness in the sides and ceiling, she ended up persuading Itrosh to this plan instead.


    She couldn''t see a thing. If it weren''t for Murai''s Night Vision and his head poking under her cloak, she wouldn''t move quickly or well in her climb and leaps high above the plaza. Even a little light would cause a failure, so she moved stealthily, in minutes, rather than in quick and large leaps.


    Thankfully, her highest point was her substantial Dexterity, which granted her pin-point reflexes and a very keen sense of her limbs, speed, and mind. She was near perfect in actual efficiency when touching things, although the weapon part was different. Mastering the outer tool rather than the flesh was different than having clarity over one''s hands.


    Under Murai''s vision, Itrosh moved along faster than the average assassins at a similar level. Climbing and leaping without knowing where wasn''t something she was good at, so without eyes, yet with pokes to guide her, she wouldn''t reach the dark-looking hole that looked like an entrance to the Abyss. It was tiny in comparison.


    Murai was barely looking ahead, but managing to take this high altitude, darkness, and slower speed, he did his job enough. As for Lisa, she went back to where she belonged: into Murai''s soul space for the temporal solution against her light so she wouldn''t stand out like a sore light in the darkness. It worked splendidly, and no matter how Bagus looked up, he couldn''t see her no matter how he tried.


    Just like that, the whole group reached the Ip''ur Mountain''s underground through Entrance Five. All fifteen entrances were connected at some points, letting shafts, mines, and various natural caves branch out into thousands of paths. Some were different from others, going deeper, or they were part of some private, or business marks. They went for many kilometers around like a labyrinth.


    And they were shady, full of intensity, death, wealth, and places where nothing simple remained. At least at the start anyway. The deeper one went, the more Ultra Materium hadn''t been mined yet, so there was brightness or so much light that the heat and flames were unbearable. Because of that, certain locations were off the chart for any mining, deemed dangerous, unstable, or too valuable.


    These locations Lisa thought should give some opinions and choices in their upcoming journey.


    Entrance Five was known for its unnatural steepness and deepness to the ground right from the start. It looked almost like a staircase without stairs, going through the ground like a big slide of rough surfaces. Many shafts were constructed at an angle aside, acting like a tree with branches that grew deep into the stone or soil grounds.


    That went on until the tree was near vertical, creating a wide hole with staircases and bridges, constructs of all kinds, or many ladders. There was also a large elevator aside from a hundred-meter-wide hole, but that one was strictly under the confidence of those who could afford to use it.


    It wasn''t up to Lisa, let alone her usage and needs. What if someone would play with it, trapping them inside? It would be like a sore idea that would annoy her mind and plans. They didn''t need further doubts or troubles.


    With Bagus being the only known person out of their group to enter this place, it was questionable whether more or less troubles would reach them.


    Allegedly, it was better. It was a false hope that Murai judged as funny. Lisa agreed with him until she realized the truth. It wasn''t good. With Bagus going down alone was an easy way to see miners and military turn into Hunters. It could be much worse since only those willing to bear his reputation would go down. That was threatening to their whole team because Bagus was the strongest.


    It could go south like everything because most Hunters would see Bagus as a target and competitive prize amongst other Hunters. perhaps they would storm him and split the Hell Points afterward, but that was rare and unlikely to happen.


    If he went mining alone, taking Itrosh and Murai with him, they would''ve crashed them like a tidal force, taking them as disdainful targets.


    It was a lesser evil. Lisa didn''t like to try her chances, so she kept herself in Murai and Itrosh was enough to get them into the Entrance without any company or miner noticing. But she swore some might get noticed anyway, for they were still hunted no matter the Mindarch or some rules. This place had a lot of masters. It needed some consideration.


    A beast such as Bagus should be able to mine large amounts of Ultra Gems. Killing him, getting his badge and those Gems would elevate one''s status overnight. It wasn''t even about greed. In their eyes, Bagus was asking for it.


    There were no protection, scions, or military establishments under the ground. It was lawless, with only one rule being that nothing mined underground would be left in one''s hands. Which left things like possessions, equipment, or very rare instances of Dungeons, different. Thievery was like a secondary occupation for many miners. One could kill, so the underground teams and policies of most mining companies were quite ferocious.


    Even Bagus''s achieved VIP status wasn''t important. It was mostly a laughable idea that they gave away because it was a proper mark for his status. It would allow him to go to many mines, simply because those of Laws could go deeper. To be frank, there was no point in refusing him even if he was Hunted or not.


    Entering one of the mines via a large set of stairs that went into the darkness¡ªapart from little particles aside that glowed a little¡ªBagus noticed no one was tracking him from behind. Not yet, of course. Later on, some Hunters will track him by smell for sure. There were many groups set for that sort of task, hiding and eyeing others from afar until some would come closer and deal the decisive blow.


    A lucrative prey locked underground was much easier to catch than in wide spaces of the Hellscape. Bagus was free to move in most perimeters. Restricted mines were dangerous or privately owned by some companies. For that, his VIP badge wouldn''t done much, but a force was a great key.


    Not as if Bagus cared for face or others because Lisa and Murai had less than one single reason to take those mines for treasures. One could enter anything as long as one was brave enough to face the consequences. It was that simple.


    Bagus wasn''t here for mining, but he would try it anyway because he didn''t mind them. His history might be screwed, yet these Gems were too great to pass as a terrible omen.


    Lisa long decided on their long-term plan. They would probably spend a day or two inside the mines before even coming close to their questionable goal. The hundred-meter range of their Token was far too small.


    Food wasn''t an issue, and so did some mining sessions from Bagus as long as he wouldn''t fall behind, while some inevitable battles were fine as well. Lisa was fine with everything as long as Murai would continue doing what she wanted. They had enough ability to keep looking for their target for dozens of days.


    Bagus chose the loneliest and darkest path he had seen. That was the one that Lisa told him to choose, and under some shade and corner, they would regroup in their success.


    It was dark in most of these mines and shafts. Usually, the miners carried their light when no Ultra Materium was around. That depicted a substantial amount of already mined mines because of easier routes to the ground level.


    No torches were in this place, obviously. No one wanted any smoke in semi-closed spaces. Because of that, these dark corridors were perfect for ambushes and perfect for stealthy action. They were simple in appeal. Most mines were at least a dozen meters wide, and three to five meters tall. That was enough for most tough races to walk and mine.


    Not many would step without light ahead. And with Rataratan''s orders and set examples, death went for those crazy enough to smuggle something out. Because of that, one could come here with relative ease, but leaving was a different story.


    ¡°All good in your head?¡± Itrosh asked Bagus, stepping from the shadows and startling him. ¡°You are looking like a horse who lost its owner. Was that play so bewitching to your past?¡±


    She was still hiding behind her hood, looking menacing. Her glistering sharp teeth glowed in her face as she held a light, coming from a little Gem in her palm. Murai hid in the other hand below her cloak, with only his head poking through. The light made both of them sinister, even though Itrosh didn''t mean it. There was so much a little bit of lighting could do. However, a deadly-looking Itrosh mixed with Murai''s poking head was a substantial jump-scare.


    ¡°Sure enough, but I fear you will need to be careful,¡± Bagus said to her, pretending he wasn''t scared.


    ¡°No worries,¡± Itrosh flickered her hand, and a much bigger Gem appeared from her sleeve, bathing the cave in a bright light. ¡°Murai didn''t include this, but I sure did. Love the light. That dark path from before was hideous. I don''t want to repeat leaping to my death ever again. It was dreadful. A single step and I would fall.¡± She lightly chuckled, as if in contempt of some dangers, or by sheer confidence.


    Then, wings forced an opening underneath her cloak, falling to the ground alongside the rest of the duck.


    Murai scowled, quacking as he got to his feet. He successfully got free from her hands as well. At last! His plans were good, but being carried wasn''t his forte. Especially by Itrosh, who wasn''t that full in her chest. A bit? Sure.


    Giving Lisa her affirmative reappearance, the group was whole once again. Lisa appeared a bit different than usual as if fearing her light or she wanted something else. She made herself smaller, less dim than usual, and her fluttering waves and wings were almost absent.


    She used some of her control skills to not stick out like a sun in the darkness. However, it didn''t help much against the palm-sized Gem that Itrosh had. That one was was looking big yet it wasn''t very expensive because of its use. It was a light source alone, without much of a heat or Laws within. Its light would go for centuries if it was recharged from time to time.


    Lisa''s azure light dimmed to a near whiteness, so one wondered what prevailed. Her mana, or soul? Sona was wonderful, so one way or another, she was still noticeable. The height of Murai''s beak made her like a little spark, or close to the palm-sized Gem.


    The best thing she could do was make herself smaller to work around this place, and since her body wasn''t tangled with regular physicality, she could do whatever she wanted as long as her Body Shaping worked under her trials and skill. The size was the easiest to change, though when turning to a more denser and real appearance, it always stressed her a lot.


    Making herself big and sharp was difficult. Being small and sharp wasn''t, but what could she do with such a small body? She felt sad about it for a long time. Shaping her body was another story altogether. She could try to copy other lifeforms, though it wasn''t her finest forte because her timing wasn''t great like most of Murai''s life.


    In this small appearance, she could keep being physical for half an hour at a time. And she was tiny, so she couldn''t do much with it anyway. Becoming bigger would decrease her time to a few minutes at best.


    For the rest of the group, a palm-sized succubus was a sight to behold, making Murai chuckle and almost burst into laughter. Neither Itrosh nor Bagus found her funny. Their time was nigh and these mines were finally under her eyes.


    For a long time, this had been their goal.


    ¡°Murai... Hisagi,¡± Lisa said, shaking her thumb-sized head. ¡°I may be small like this, looking like a pebble, but I am still myself. Do you hear me?¡±


    She pointed her little finger at him, floating in the same way as before. She was zipping around like a Sparkling, a tiny creature of Laws of Light or Flame that would appear or grow in unique spaces.


    She was quick in her flight, hard to notice, but her strength was rough unless...well, she was no Sparkling, so Murai wondered what strength she possessed in this form.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Murai quacked, wheezing in inaudible chuckles. ¡°You sure hadn''t wanted to look like this, right?¡±


    ¡°Never mind,¡± Lisa said firmly. ¡°Talk is rightfully important in the present situation. Luckily, we had some luck with Foolisch.¡±


    ¡°Those are called plans,¡± Murai added.


    ¡°And plans could fail like your various attempts at making us workable.¡± Lisa barked at him, giving him a long look.


    ¡°Us?¡± Murai wasn''t sure where she was taking this.


    ¡°Don''t pretend as if you are innocent. We work and you listen. That is good. Don''t make it worse than it is,¡± she turned to Itrosh, zipping close to her face, ¡°I am sorry to make you our Guide. I can''t do that with my body or that King under my eyes,¡±


    ¡°Oh, no problem at all. I know maps fairly well because I''ve mined here before, or took care of some teams as a bodyguard and so on,¡± Itrosh smiled and finally released her hood. Then, she took a ring from her pocket. Lisa gave it to her before this whole plan commenced.


    Lisa opened her ring, took out a previous book, including some maps, and gave it to Itrosh as she struggled to hold these physical objects in her tiny arms. Itrosh took care of it, holding the Gem in one hand, and the rest with another.


    ¡°Is that Gem necessary?¡± Lisa asked, pointing at herself. She was bright like a small sun, though smaller by a small margin. ¡°Could be brighter if you want. It would just make my life shorter.¡±


    ¡°Life?¡± Itrosh piqued her brows. ¡°How are you living anyway?¡±


    ¡°Breathing mana and resting in his soul space is enough,¡± Lisa pointed to Murai on the ground, who was no longer there. He walked ahead, oblivious to the darkness that didn''t concern him, or Lisa and others who were chatting.

 Chapter 237: Blood shall rain

    Lisa sighed, zipped ahead, and startled Murai like a bright Sparkling.


    ¡°There are dozens if not hundreds of branches according to Foolisch and Lookish that are up to our benefits. Some point to a possible portal, but none is clear in any words. No one believed in them, but one is here. I took it personally and devised some methods to consider them. It is about place and history, and less about mining. I have to look at what makes sense in this riddle, so it is difficult. These documents point to some places. Murai Hisagi, you better be careful of any small tremble going through your token. If you won''t notice it, we are screwed. No. You are screwed! We can''t go to the same places twice.¡± Lisa argued, giving Murai a deep look that shut him up.


    She was rightfully serious. Murai picked a Token from his pocket with his beak, giving it a proper look. It felt like nothing special if he was honest. He barely used it for anything different than a small weight in his hoodie. He didn''t even use it like a Guide''s Beam. Most of that charitable work was done by Itrosh who then gave Murai his cut of the essences.


    Token worked for Challengers like a charm. It was a target for others, but also a key for Murai. The closer it got to a portal, the more effects it showed. Trembling, shimmering warnings, or noises would emerge out of it, notifying the Challenger they were close to their goal.


    This left the whole Hellscape behind. Murai won''t return or see that cave for a very long time.


    ¡°Where to look for a start?¡± Murai asked Lisa, knowing it was good to be careful, yet too much of it wasn''t necessary. Who knew what would come after them in this Hunt for the portal? Murai had his ideas, while Lisa had hers. Itrosh and Bagus will be the ones solving that problem.


    ¡°Accordingly,¡± Lisa pointed to Itrosh aside. ¡°to whatever we can find from these maps, we go and clear our paths. A lot of guesses point to a lot of walking, so let''s go before someone charges at us from behind.¡±


    Under the bright glow and Lisa''s instruction, the group moved in their order. Itrosh made sure to clutch the map, letting Lisa look at it as she pointed to where to go. The others had it easy; Bagus had Murai sitting back on his head, and even Itrosh took a seat around his neck, leaving him as the sole walker in this group.


    He didn''t find it problematic as long as he wouldn''t fly. It wasn''t possible since a lot of walking was ahead, followed by a long journey with an unknown end.


    ***


    Far above, in the Scorching Light that was not ceasing in its immense heat and near lifeless grounds. Sector 43 was very close to Tagg''s Town, but still far from from Sector 45 and Ip''ur Mountain.


    There was a vast open desert plain made of dried rocky ground that looked like red stones. Heat twisted the eyesight, causing disturbing vision, hallucinations, and issues with traveling straight. For most weak mortals, this place was fatal and dreadful in mere visits.


    Yet it wasn''t even close to being lifeless right now. This plain was stretching for a long distance ahead, with mountains protruding around like pimples or rounded hills every couple of kilometers. It was a plain that had many purposes in the past, like many places in this desert or Gate as a whole.


    For the most part, it was a perfect place for large-scale conflicts. The ownership of some mountains and mines came through battles a lot, and no better place came through arguments more than military conflicts in open regions. A lot of battles happened in this place for a good reason. Even more happened for questionable reasons.


    It was no different at the moment. It was no time for happiness, wars, or vivid craziness. It was more strange, as two groups of questionable origins arrived here, noticing each other''s presence, thinking that everyone was wrong and this heat must''ve caused this joke.


    A new chaotic battle was growing, suggesting a large striding group of soldiers on their Demonic Horses, followed by a couple of figures without horses, let alone big numbers.


    For Ozeki''s group, they rode with some occasional stops. It was inevitable because their mounts had their limits in this Province, yet their limitations weren''t even that bad.


    Ozeki was at the front, bathed in a suit of armor of red and black colorful plates. Some had intricately connected ornaments, looking like bones, scales, old runes, or special symbols that must have something to do with devils.


    His men were behind him, ready and rattling in their armor and weapons as well. Aside from Ozeki was lazy-looking Razmund, who was resting on his Demonic Horse without a shred of care about this place, or to the fact that bad times were ahead.


    But they knew something would come.


    ¡°Well,¡± Razmund and Ozeki said at the same time, with Ozeki being one who stopped everyone''s mounts without any touch. He shouted instead, glaring at the shimmering and twisting rock formation not that far ahead. A rocky plateau like this was far from an ambushing place, yet some group had come and finally reached his place. Ozeki was smiling like a true devil, chuckling and his eyes sparkled in joy.


    There were many ashen rocks with sand around some portions, looking forgotten and old. There were menhir rocks, protruding from the ground like trees, with many others resting on top of them as if tossed and sleeping, or being carried by those below.


    Under their shade, there were six figures in total, waiting and looking at the incoming small army. Each of them was unique to Ozeki''s view, apart from one that was a huge headache that he couldn''t witness in his eyes.


    It was bright. Too bright and menacing, pointing to a priestess that was like a sore spot in this outlandish desert.


    Ceila walked underneath their shade, taking the shadow as an unnecessary touch. Three Paladins in precious-looking armor moved forward as well, flanking her sides, unbothered by the heat, and bringing out their weapons. One had a hammer, the other a shield and a sword. The last had an intricate halberd with a long and wide curved edge and long handle.


    Under the proximity to a vast and crazed artificial sun, they looked like scorching fortresses walking ahead, unobscured, tall, and lofty. They were Divine, so to say, per Ozeki''s wisdom and eyes.


    David and Ultium were also there, following this unexpected team behind, and looking as serious and convinced at this meeting as they could be.


    Both hated the heat. They didn''t want to leave their shades, yet they couldn''t stop the incoming struggle. It was a questionable confidence why they were like this, as there were dozens of opponents ahead, and they had six pairs of libs in total. Who should be confident in this situation?


    ¡°It seems I can finally see the reason for that variable, Razmund. We got a church ahead. Not the normal kind, but some priestess looks like a blazing sun. With three crackhead Paladins behind as well, so call me crazy, but ain''t this something?!¡± Ozeki said, glancing forward without looking at Razmund who hadn''t changed his position. ¡°Call me crazy, but this isn''t one bit normal. How could my Lady allow this! Why did none tell us about it? No change in the Hunt? Is everyone afraid because of this? How they find us ahead... or likely waited. Was it a portal, or was our journey too slow? It looks like you''ve caused some uneasy troubles, fucker.¡±


    ¡°It seems that way, or this is an ambush no different from a clash,¡± Razmund mumbled, spreading his arms and both eyes opened. ¡°It is Ceila, isn''t it? How has she made her move with the Surface and everything in shambles? Is it a change in the Divine Kingdoms, or does her Church want its piece of our Encounter? How are they here, with the problem above, or in this place? Perhaps it is what your Lady wants, Ozeki. Maybe this is her idea to go against us. I am a hindrance. I took some problems along with myself or forced it. Well, part of the pair is here, in fact.¡±


    Ozeki grumbled as Razmund continued with his message.


    ¡°Radiant Paladins are also there. Why is this possible from the start? Has your Lady taken such a blunder that she doesn''t care for her face? Or is this far above her to even matter? How? Is she afraid, or...¡± Razmund mumbled, showing no emotions apart from irritating apathy in his voice. He was questioning a lot of things right now.


    Before him was an astounding picture that increased the weight of questions and mixed statements, reports, and ideas coming through years of experience. He thought he understood this world and what Centralis wanted was also clear. Razmund played his card well, but he wasn''t the only player in this game.


    Ceila was suspicious in many ways, yet what about those Paladins behind her? These were beings from the Divine Kingdoms that moved to the Surface and into this temple. Everything about them was far from the norm. Ceila was from the Surface. She could be here, at some... capacity, or bargain with Levandis.


    Ozeki found everything more stunning than Razmund. Ceila was unfamiliar, but he knew her visor and aura because priests and churches had their inherent values. It spoke thousands of words and wonders. As for those Paladins, they were very different and seen as eternal enemies to every damned devil.


    Reigning clashes of Chaos and Order created an incredible amount of forces, and every potent culture had its lows and heights. Gods were lofty. Sky had their Paladins like great eternal generals and anything from the Chaos was deemed as crazy and fitting for destruction.


    Most Holy or Divine Wars contained these sorts of beings. Powerful demonic legions were at one side, with armies, churches, and deaths showing no mercy or indifference. Supplementary parts were mortals of all kinds. Be it the fabled Divinity that might be close or far, some folks couldn''t touch what they wanted.


    Mortals hoped for change, taking part in those wars with a mission, benefits, Blessings, or simple growth in rise. Those close to Gods already benefited, so they too shall try their best, because a mere matter of Divinity was splendid across the board.


    All in all, there were counterbalancing clashes against powers and warring states of strength, creating instances in all Wars in various levels of danger and worthy prospects. It was creating a mash of thousands or tens of thousands of armies that would go against one another as long as the start or the allowance was close and not seen as going against the Gods.


    Anyone low could come at those higher, but higher ones wouldn''t lower themselves to obliterate the weaklings all the time. Doing so was rare, closing on instances where some powerful fools could no longer remain calm. Wars could run in low numbers clashing against massive armies. In those cases, the balance was in shambles. Anything could go and die, as long as the context was within the expectations and desires of Gods, or a death choice of mortals who felt no other choice.


    Wars acted as a particular pride. It had thrived in this world long before the present godly pantheons.


    Because of that, eradicating the opposition was a challenging task because surviving was satisfactory as far as power struggles went. Winners dictated the rules. Especially in circumstances where Gods moved against one another, creating powers that were hard to kill, or creating politics or circumstances to their benefit.


    But if they didn''t or couldn''t do much, and rather moved against some setting, place, or for something war-worthy, many situations would turn unimaginable. In that case, the balance was a joke or a simple justification. It was only right when those above the deciding factors or clashes thought of them as correct.


    Mortals and their desires were simple in comparison, for they were fools sprinting for the unknown rewards, with few knowing they were just looking at carrots dangling from a stick. Some knew of it, of course, but what could change the already established status quo?


    This world was old. It had its cultures and some things were impossible to change. It wasn''t as if everyone wanted to kill each other. Gods were the same. For cultures to end, the actual practice was close to fundamentally changing the entire world. It couldn''t work like that. This world would''ve been long lost otherwise.


    Ozeki bet his heart he was looking at a situation that was impossible to see, but very thorough in understanding. For a church to come and Paladins to show up, what required it was close. It was beyond him! He was either the carrot or the stick, or looking at something beyond the Encounter and himself. It was right. Razmund had been using him since the beginning and he allowed it and let it happen.


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    There was no place for regrets, even if questioning it was correct because knowing helped this place, let alone the military that Ozeki had known all his life. Levandis might find it helpful, if not aware that they were here. She must know them! Otherwise how else could Ozeki think?


    Still, he lost his voice. Radiance was one side of the Divinity stemming from the overbearing Order. It was within the notion of Light Element, with Heat or Flame being close. Allegedly, of course, there was a beginning authority and aspects for the Order that described those aspects. Hell Gods controlled the true laws differently, either relying on roughness, or forceful methods and simplicity. The radiance was one face of the Sky Gods and it was a power that was radiating in clear ways and eradicating the Chaos.


    What was before him was no God, even if Ceila felt packed with it. In feeling or a knock of it, was it like a wisp? It was hardly tamed under worldly beliefs, which meant she wasn''t benefiting or relying on anything common. Judging it was up to his benefit, for it meant something very bad was incoming for him.


    Running was futile and those radiating Paladins were gazing at him as if they looked for prey. As for that priestess with toys from the Sky, she was worse for some reason, yet different as well.


    Their terrific figures bathed in the glory of fights, yet power from above didn''t find this Scorching Light unfaithful. That priestess felt at ease, taking the heat for breaths and suns for fuel. There was something about this place that made some outsiders very happy indeed, which included even some Gods and Divinity itself. Mana was why and empvorement had numerous matters. Levandis always promised they wouldn''t come here, yet here they were.


    Ozeki maintained his vigilance and he saw dangers in a single glance. In fact, there were five glances worth of dangers in total. Ceila was a figure of the Surface, yet her demeanor was higher than these Paladins, even though she was still part of the church and not the Sky. There was something about her that Ozeki couldn''t take for granted or being fine in his eyes.


    Each Radiant Paladin had at least the respectable power of a whole church, reaching far from some Path, partial or fitted Divinity, or equipment. There were three of them, strolling and hindered as invasive property of the Surface. They weren''t free and never will be, for their path was set and Sky should be theirs.


    An impenetrable force was here, with any following Sector feeling seas away. Ozeki couldn''t do this. Perhaps he shouldn''t... He should be glad that things went this way.


    Realization hit hard. Caught, forged, and unkempt, this variable shouldn''t have happened. It was against the rules!--he repeated in his head, unable to realize how this idea confirmed something terrible moved behind the scenes.


    Because of his past, Ozeki figured they were here because of Razmund and nobody else. Gods! Sky... Ozeki furrowed his brows, making the most hideous expression of his life. He had no helmet, so his hair fluttered around his scalp like quivering serpents.


    ¡°What to make of you,¡± he shouted. ¡°oh, little godly pests?! How could someone perceive such actions as a Breach of the norm? How is my Lady willing to stand in the presence of a Surface priestess in her temple?¡± His voice carried a lot of power and quakes for not many reasons.


    There was nobody here to judge him, so he shook the ground and all of his soldiers behind him, who looked at this surprising perspective with bewilderment, which then turned to unhinged anger. Then hype caused by their leader turned them wild. Their armor cluttered when they became one step closer to the bloodbath, and even their horses got restless.


    Ozeki didn''t care.


    He changed his heart.


    No fear or questions were worthy in a fight for his life. There was no Lady. There were no acknowledgments. He was here for himself and should let the blood speak for itself.


    ¡°It seems you are as clueless as some kids would be,¡± Ceila said, smiling in confidence as she walked onward. It was right. Gods did perceive and act in mixed ways, but only when they needed to, when they had to, or where they liked to.


    Ozeki''s cup of patience overflowed, making his craving ridiculous to stop. He swung his arm, letting a wild spear appear out of nowhere. He jumped from his horse, letting out a thick aura from his flesh and hands flowing forth. It was blood. A thick bloody sight flowed, fighting against the heat, rough ground, and leaving the scent of death behind.


    As he landed, the Demonic Horses shut up, wincing back and forth in fearful agitation. A simple spear strike with its dull part to the ground rendered the fear out. They hummed in thin growling noises, shivering in anticipation.


    Ozeki began walking forward, getting close to face Ceila all by himself, including the Paladins behind. He wasn''t afraid. Why should he when he was doing exactly what he wanted? He didn''t need to face or care for the consequences of his actions. It was others who shell consider their acts. Razmund did so... but could this be the same? Some human priestess who seemed to be the boss of this group was in his sight. Those Paladins were as well, albeit their meaningful parade meant something worse.


    Ozeki''s arrogance was too deep, even though it was true that he was no Rataratan. But he was one of the old rising stars of the Demonic Lands. He battled in places this girl shouldn''t even know, shedding the blood of others or his, or even those like them without batting an eye.


    As for why he was here, in this place, lost and weak, it was perhaps Fate that made him loose. Taking time and figuring out the next moves were one of the few reasons devils were unpredictable and hard to reason with. They held their acts for their families, their own name, or relied on the heat of momentum and nature.


    Ozeki was alone. His name was almost dead. He was old and dedicated to the military, yet where did it get him? Weakened and sickened by his defeats, he was like a rat who waited for the End. For a former Extreme-level fighter, that sounded wrong and terrible.


    In the Hells, devils had very high positions. Among clans and families, they held the most God positions and had various Paths, which made them one of the most prominent races in this entire world. Their Bloodlines and hearts carried those reasons, as nearly everything that power desired could follow the Paths and Divinity alike. It was full of conflicts, as well as keen desires and influences that made them like this. Devils were natural, thus able to gain countless followers.


    Ozeki knew that Hellscape wasn''t a good place to spend leisure time. Especially for him, it sounded devious. However, at one point, he gave up and figured out a good place for recovery, and looking at the bigger picture from afar wasn''t all too bad. Within this temple, many beings waited and lived like him, while the Hell itself was even more enormous. Many commenced exchanges and knowledge, expanding themselves or working for others, and making this temple into a hub of fascinating whispers.


    The Depths were equally impressive, as they depicted the Old World and many Dungeons of various cultures. Almost every power in the Surface was away but included and taken as a potential threat, enemy, or target.


    Ozeki had his home here, despite it being a place where he hated to die. It reeked of weakness. He might not be the devil he once was, yet when a devil had foes to kill and places to reach, he shouldn''t care. His reignited heart blazed. He overlooked a chance that his Lady ordered, for there was still that cursed human who beat him, while this party was delightful.


    Armies were formidable and crucial to Levandis. In the past decade alone, Ozeki wasn''t much, so this timing got right and Razmund found a way to catch his heart. As for this mess, he might crack its shell and let some darkness seize its secrets.


    His prowess needed no remedy. It needed an outlet. Many soldiers kept on going without any stops and it was inevitable for for some to lose their steps for all eternity. For those that carried no memories of the past life, they couldn''t do much else because when stars rose above others, eating them, or slaughtering them to get stronger, weaklings were dust. It was an unavoidable reality in not just Hells but many powers in the Surface had very brutal manners. Centralis was one such place.


    Achievements to carry history and wars were a meaningful remedy. Ozeki was a warrior all his life, carrying the flag of a devilish yet pretty skull and a circle of many eyes. He wasn''t necessarily demonic in heart or devilish like many of his kin. He grew up in the army, so his heart cemented different ideals.


    He did not need family or a clan. Honor? He cared about it the most. The loss of his edge was a crack of honor. First Legion was all about it and whether one lost their edge, they might lose everything.


    When one was no longer benefiting the critical Lady, pushing boundaries and fixing that stuff took more than one life.


    ¡°Move aside,¡± Ozeki said calmly to Ceila, taking her as a bother her Lady must want to see dead. He decided on it himself, assuming that this party must be killed. All alone. Right now. The spear aside from him was tight and big, swaying in terrifying motions of bloody mana, looking thick, and crisp in its thick spearhead that protruded from all that blood. Silver and sharp, it could chop apart anyone.


    ¡°Are you worth of it?¡± Ceila said, standing before this devil her height.


    ¡°No. Not in a fitting way, but the repercussions of your existence are not good. You have no place here. None whatsoever. You don''t belong here. You won''t take many other steps.¡±


    ¡°None?¡± Ceila laughed, smirking and taking this silly devil for an unfortunate soul who didn''t even know what he was part of. ¡°You don''t know anything. Your Lady let me in after bearing some costs she couldn''t deal with. She gave me a tough time, yet can''t even fix everything in time. It ended up unsustainable. Thank god that she realized I was not here to trouble her table at all. But if someone decides I am, what is the earth but to stand on it?¡± Ceila asked as if there was a child before her. Her hands rested on her hips, itching for her sword.


    Ozeki frowned, looking at her since she was as tall as him, yet her aura and feelings were even larger. ¡°Hm. You are odd for a priestess. To what lengths are you willing to go? What Lady you serve to die such meaningless death as going into this place!¡± He heard her right, yet didn''t want to believe it. His Lady wouldn''t allow such a loss of pride. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°It''s not like it''s anything different or difficult to imagine or say, devil. Now,¡± Ceila stepped aside, peeking behind Ozeki but he stepped to hinder her.


    ¡°What about those behind you?¡± Ozeki looked at those Paladins that stood on the spot like statues, waiting for their fun and looking very much ready to murder him. As for a human and some devil behind them, they weren''t in his eyes; not when these four were so great.


    ¡°Your kin strifes in the Surface for every opportunity to trample humanity and go against the Divine Kingdoms regardless of the circumstances. So, yes. I don''t care about some difficulties when the world is in shambles. Why? Isn''t that how some worlds are and how this world has long been ruined?¡±


    ¡°And who tells it in the Surface or the Sky?¡± Razmund suddenly asked from his horse, speaking calmly.


    ¡°Your chaos,¡± Ceila answered as calmly as she wanted, though she hesitated afterward because Razmund felt different. ¡°No. Perhaps that isn''t right. You are just a tool for much wilder reflections. Or perhaps you are just a pet that could be tossed aside, forgotten, and stomped by those who own or use you.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Radiants and your church are no different if that''s the case. They are just as laughable but fitting because of what we are to Gods anyway. To me, it seems Vermillion wants to make this difficult for everyone. She comes and chooses to strike when the world is bloody hot. Against us and.... what else? Can she afford it?¡±


    ¡°Is it wrong to move when opportunities happen? Force is law, child,¡± Ceila said with an icy tone.


    ¡°She doesn''t know what is good for her, but she doesn''t even have a power or reputation. A church that barks like dogs when there is something hot and gloriues ahead isn''t usually to last a long time. That is what neutrality gets you; a lacking reputation is far from being overestimated.¡± Razmund said, got down the horse in a single move that was close to falling off. He stepped aside from the restless horse, standing straight and tall. ¡°You don''t know anything that moves us. Centralis or not, your church has no place to stay. It is... shameless, but you are here. Odd.¡±


    ¡°Says a human child whose life is distracted by those living long lives, or better ones. Centralis isn''t what it used to be. They aren''t prepared. You aren''t ready. No one is ready for what is about to start,¡± As Ceila spoke, her voice turned a bit deeper and even her aura deepened. She was no longer so glorious but rather collected and seemed like a bright sharp sword that could strike in a moment.


    Razmund looked at her and glanced at each Paladin with unknown thoughts. ¡°So you are stopping us for something.¡±


    For him, this was as unexpected as witnessing how the Voice stopped working. Ceila was a headache for the Surface. Not him. Why was she here? What allowed this to exist....well, he forgot. The world wasn''t in its rightful place right now. If anything made sense, this was reeking of substantially more problems than whatever he had initiated. His Encounter might be that spark, or... what was happening on this planet might no longer matter for his brain.


    Razmund had no idea if this group before him had some hopes in his position, or if it was his opposition, or if it was something far above him. Gods would answer everything if he was brave enough to consider them, but he wasn''t. They were moving against one another and some mortals were weak. Most Blessed were the same and sometimes ended in a struggle between them.


    Considering these Paladins, Ceila was at the center of it like a pillar, yet above her, godly Divinity might hover and play a very special role.


    As for David, he played the third wheel in this situation. He had no say in any matter, so he listened to them as far as he wanted. Ultium stood by his side, interested in Ozeki who looked like a different kind of devil. He looked like a warrior with sturdy and crazy blood, trembling the air, heat, and ground. His heart was beating, thinking that this devil might do.


    What would happen next?


    Ultium was curious and didn''t care if his enemy was a devil; he didn''t mind any business. Order or Chaos, or some righteousness, it didn''t matter. Devils killed each other, Gods killed each other in the Sky too, and mortals killed everything. That was the truth.


    As long as it was within the rules David declared, everything was a fair game.


    ¡°My mess and time?¡± Razmund asked, walking forward. ¡°Mess what was directly perceived by the Battleworld is deep, but what would you know? For you, it is something ahead or gone. What''s your deal?¡±


    ¡°Right. You, yourself, are no better than anything we''ve done. We move because it is necessary for the bigger picture. We came to ascertain you.¡± Ceila declared.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Razmund smiled and turned to Ozeki. ¡°I will add some incentives. Keep them. Ten-fold. How far are your chances? How well do you think this can go for?¡±


    ¡°Ten?¡± Ozeki raised his brows, glancing at Razmund as if he wanted to understand him. ¡°Three Paladins. One might be for my team. I can take on one and this persistent priestess as well. You take care of the rest.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Razmund scowled and felt he was joking.


    ¡°I am already generous, though... it might be the end of this charade anyway, so let''s stop pretending,¡± Ozeki said, brandishing his spear with one hand forward, and striking what was before him. Blood stung and moved, yet the spear had its physicality of a fine steel of unknown rarity and alloys. Its tip was a palm away from Ceila''s face, who took this provocation with a thunderous beat of her palm. She clutched that edge, unmoving like a mountain.


    No provocations were neglected.


    When a God decided on something, it was up to their churches to make their moves, give their words some weight, and push their words to reality.


    Ceila had her tasks and a big mission to accomplish. She didn''t want to give Razmund a single chance to go towards his premise, but killing him might no longer be possible, or clever. It troubled her like the lacking voice of her Lady.


    Ozeki had his weight in all of this, so he acted fast.


    ¡°Move aside,¡± he howled and his whole body exploded in bloody color like flames of true blood.


    His precious and flexible armor gave him an air of importance and his aura flooded, letting his eyes shine.


    Then, Ozeki unleashed his Blood Domain, knowing that his End might be coming after all those ages and wars.

 Chapter 238: Heated plain

    Blood Domain. An ability of Death, albeit a piece of it, undoubtedly. Domains were binding on the lofty Laws, being part of them like breath of people, but still distant enough to be their own thing. Blood was Ozeki''s highly regarded action, or like every blood should be for any devil.


    Domains were intimate and his own had carried him against the foes on the battlefields for as long as it was necessary. Devils bathed in this glory, carrying the blood of others or their own. Some did not, so they played with martial arts or their hearts like playful little toys.


    Almost all Domains worked in wide spectrums and dense principles, ranging primarily from Paths to critical decisions and aspects of mana, which touched all sorts of elemental affinities. With Paths being countless, breathing cultures, options, and concepts from many Skies, it was no wonder there were different expectations for people and them alike.


    They could be anything, looking like a powerful self-inflicted aura, wide-spreading influence, or something like an Authority; an unadulterated control over reality, coming from within and coming out. For many beings in the Battleworld, their true value started at the Extreme stage, with Gods truly mastering what they were entitled to.


    Such an ability encompassed Paths with their concepts, which was essentially their true essence, or a little front. It could be the simple weight of a person, mana, gravity, or a move that came with layers like an overbearing planet. They also had limits, giving their user pain and stress because a loss of domain meant a certain loss of something important.


    In a wider, if not some weird spectrum, they could attend beliefs, Intent, Laws, or techniques stemming from extreme heart and dedication to some martial art, or weapon. Many legends described it as a stepping stone to the Divinity, with truth being a first glimpse into the Samsara. They were highly flexible to one''s needs, thus one''s Domain was often changing, growing, and transforming at many points over one''s Path or life.


    It held a certain truth, poising as a weight and power not everyone could possess. They could be a step in sword dances, a swing of an arm of a boxer, or a clasp of sounds that would turn the surroundings into their area of influence. When these ideas clashed, it was a spectacular sight. When one moves to one without power or meager equality, a disadvantage could be well imagined.


    Domains worked internally when one didn''t expand it forward, or note its worth as a key trump card. Their weight, revolution, and power should remain and contain one''s pace, body, or mind. Dense principles and amassing understanding, until it would come closer, were admirable.


    It could burst onwards, as it was meant to empower those walking ahead, directly crashing against opponents and surroundings. Giving a better chance of survival against tough or impossible adversaries was another benefit. They were generally attuned to many aspects, and upgrading and supporting them was tough yet workable as long as some criteria, understanding, or control followed strict path principles.


    It was like with Intent. It might come suddenly, not easily, and not again, or again and again. Like a candle, Extremes and those below have limited lifespans. Domains were similar to that and weren''t easily comprehended.


    In essence, an ability that appeared when one''s power reached some limit, coming like the Intent, and empowering new or old potential, was not easily manipulated. Overcoming boundaries would bring some logic behind these Domains, or give a glimpse into multiple forms. Legends said some people could wield many of them at the same time, or fuse them, and even teach them to others.


    There were parts to Domains, with the weakest being Low Domains that one could achieve below the flimsiest of the Laws. Those were always very hard and often ridiculous to reach, get them a passable vision, or understand their principles and proficiency. Those around Level 60 should be absolute freaks to have them, but in general, Level 70s had them.


    Medium Domains were for those that already observed some Laws to a greater degree or their luck or specific domain was extremely compatible, if not perfected. It gave a person--who already established themselves in their Path--incredible benefits. But even among these cases, many wouldn''t get far, let alone bring out their full potential, or comprehend domains far enough.


    By numerous standards from the Hells or the Surface, Low Domains were a rarity that would appear in Lawful beings once in hundreds of cases, and in those lower once in a couple of millions or even higher. Medium Domains were even rarer. It was said their possibilities were like blessings from the heavens because there were far more beings below the Laws and Level 70 in general.


    That was the weight Domains carried. Unlocking them came like a lot of other specialties, designed as a gift or a blessing, or coming from the heart of magic. It was an essential part of the world and oneself, so it wasn''t a Blessing, so this world wouldn''t be able to grant it even in the most privileged accomplishments.


    It wasn''t for weaklings. That was fine unless one would move through limits and get it through sheer will or some sudden familiar grasp. Right. Blessed and Wicked were absolutely crazy because they carried experiences of another life and usually another world.


    Sometimes, there were Blessed originating from Battlworld, which wasn''t wrong or respectable. They might be from a completely different part of the world, as each continent was vast like a different world.


    After Medium Domains was the power of Extremes. At this stage, Domains were one of many pivotal aspects that carried their core strengths and principles. Hence, their entire moves could carry the weight of their whole being, or look no different than a simple move. Such was the domain of the extreme peak of mortals.


    For them, it could be the simplest aura or a single attack, shredding the surroundings to pieces, entertaining the entire armies, or giving their attacks and spells specialized traces, or attributes. It empowered everything that an Extreme followed or wished for.


    Ozeki held a Medium Domain. A bloody aura went out of him like a swirling mass of wind and bloody fog, pressing on Ceila, while his spear in hand squeaked as if it was breaking apart. Waves of blood swayed, coming into contact with hot ground and air, yet nothing about it dissipated.


    Ozeki focused on enduring waves specifically, denying his Domain''s wide variant that opposed his heart blood. By pointing it onward, he moved his spear and let it be his key. Only then he set against Ceila and her Paladins and showed its weight.


    His spear was extraordinary, looking at least three meters long, slightly below Ceila''s height and well above his own. Its weight was like its girth, thick and heavy like branches of old trees. Sharpness was included, but it was no sword.


    The pole was also heavy and without apparent flexibility. It looked heavy and even the spearhead was the same, looking rectangular, not curved at the sides but still looking powerful. Such spears were thrusters, meant to be savage in forward-facing strikes, momentum, and fierce swipes.


    It could do just fine in some flexibility as well, thanks to its wielder, but Ozeki liked mass and the sheer spearhead''s weight and length were impossible to change. Only a wielder could. The sharp edge was at least two heads long and thick, looking oddly brief since the dedicated patterns were straightforward, becoming the fierce sharp point that Ozeki loved.


    This was a genuine savage spear. A king of weapons across many battlefields and countless worlds. Common with generals and great martial artists, flexible or heavy spears had their range and an incredibly high ceiling of mastery and craftsmanship. For many eras, they kept being very elevated weapons in the Battleworld.


    Ever since he was little, a spear was Ozeki''s primary weapon. As for the one in his grasp, it was undoubtedly his most precious one, as it carried him to his former height, and also his lowest points. It was a one-of-a-kind creation, without any other copy in the world, which made it into a unique Law Artifact designed just for him.


    Could there be a stronger spear in this world, carrying better resources, edge, craftsmanship, and sublime arts? That went without a single doubt, for there were heights that Ozeki never reached, let alone saw and met.


    Gods were distant, and even Overlords and Sages were no different. This was far from the peak, considering Artifacts from old ages or far Skies were like fateful encounters or very precious tools. Equipment pieces that had incomprehensible history stemming from Dungeons and many famous blacksmiths were also not that different, yet tell that to stubborn devils who just couldn''t decide on certain things.


    For the military and many individuals in this world¡ªor outside of its origin¡ªweapons and armor were paramount and their highest priorities were close and never weak. If they got weak, the wielder would fail. They needed to be perfected and move within the degrees of levels. That was common.


    For mages, mana was enough. It was an inescapable hurdle, though mages weren''t as prevalent over the battlefields as one would think. In many parts of the Battleworld, they weren''t common and considered harder to grow, thus seen as objects of awe, mastery, or particular high standing.


    Still, they weren''t royalty. Gods were one of those reasons, while churches might have some involvement as well. The true major causes were resources, talents, and the necessity of luck and continuity. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the art of war of all men, weapons, armor, and a simple way of slaughtering one another was simpler than figuring out secrets of magic and rules of this world. Following formulas, and even Laws were also harder, and one had to have mind and body set on this mysterious world of magic. Weapons were simpler in comparison, though also very complex at the peak.


    Mana was considered sacred and sublime in mastery. Mages were much more stoic than those full of bloody aura and murders. They were fools! Flesh and steel were menacing, thus easier to manage, grow, and force from deaths and wars. Surface, Sky, and Hells understood this assignment.


    Yet when the two sides of these concepts connected, insanity reigned supreme.


    Ozeki might be considered a mage. His body held a Blood Core, and his body and blood connected to mana and even Awakened twice, creating dense primal strength over his Path Core that revolved around his blood, slaughter, wars, and spears. His weapon was equal to all of it, making his Path of Slaughter immaculate, though his growth nearly halted because of his failures, and his heart grew old.


    He turned it up a notch against Ceila and these Paladins because he could not see any other way out of here. They were targets for life! A loud noise that pestered him and called him weak. He ought to fight it. Slaughter it! He experienced Paladins and countless churches, so Ozeki would not yield.


    He fought numerous times, peeking at these armored fortresses with crazy skills and radiance. But Ceila was different; something in him was death set on that idea and he wasn''t entirely convinced his side could take them all head-on. Unfortunately, it was too late to change anything.


    If Ozeki wouldn''t kill or wound at least half of them, he was no former member of the First Legion! He should make his heart proud and his race and Hell restless.


    Wielding treasures from the Old World, Hells, or Divine Kingdoms counted a lot, whether one lived by blood or died by such appealing ideals. Knowing where and how they came forth made history, powerful pieces, and worth. Ozeki realized these Paladins were full of such treasures and stank of Divinity.


    Assuming the mortal plains as the most common places for wars, these kinds of foes were rare to meet when one looked broadly, and Ozeki planned not to forget it.


    The spear named Ize Spear came from Levandis, who gifted it to her rising subject many years ago. Its limited Level 85 was fine for him and more than enough for others to steal. Many Extremes would kill for such treasures because it was close to the Divine endorsement. Personally, he knew and slayed Extremes who desired its versatile control and consequence.


    It had one pivotal role in magic. It was exceptionally adaptable to all Mana Cores, creating a link and empowerment like the finest Catalysts. It was flexible in taking anything one would give it, and its quality might outlast any era.


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    Considering its width was barely fine for a single-handed grip, this spear looked far too large for normal stature. Even for Ozeki, it seemed big, as it was heavy and intense, yet what would make a good spear anyway?


    Wasn''t the heaviness, the thickness of the handle, and size a detrimental factor? When one knew how spears functioned, wouldn''t it be better to adapt to functionality over heaviness?


    Well, a lot of weapons had a lot of visions that often become obsolete because of the one wielding them. Then, it could be terrible because of the one wielding them. It was a rather fundamental issue, which made people and tools good yet challenging.


    Too much weight in a spear was often a burden, but not for Ozeki, whose Domain crashed against the spear, mending it to his hand, guiding it forward as if it weighed like a sword.


    Surprisingly, the key aspect of this spear wasn''t its spearhead, but its handle made of Ize Piece, an ancient alloy that no longer existed. Since the name of this spear came from its handle, the spearhead was secondary, though it was still precious. The handle was a basis for mass and volume, and where the hand bore its surface.


    Ize Piece was a cold and sharp alloy with a density that could never weaken. Bending under enough weight or clutch was possible but it would never break. It would go back, creating a powerful shock-wave instead.


    While the tip wasn''t as good as the shaft, it was still a tip of Colorless Rainbow Ore. A material found in a couple of kilograms per thousand square kilometers in distinct locations throughout some planets or asteroid belts.


    Weight carried force. Combat weapons had to have flexibility while maintaining a reasonable weight was one step to perfection. In a fight, any advantages mattered and the weight of the body or weapons was enough to create a wide disparity between life and death.


    As Ozeki held his spear, pointing it ahead, and weighing his choices, Ceila embraced his daunting blood with her gauntlets.


    She watched Ozeki with some interest as she determined her choices. Razmund was here; Ozeki closer. She should be in no hurry whatsoever but something was irritating her. Her Lady hadn''t called for a while. Levandis was the same, perhaps.


    Tolerating a weapon that was higher than Ozeki''s prowess, some touches of his heart or moves might soon change everything. Like the Domain and blood that felt deafening and like a sea raging current, she should split it in half.


    Ceila never fought this devil. She was aware of their prospect and the sight of this spear and irritation made her reluctant to be too savage. She wanted to steal it and store it in the First Pagoda for her Lady. It would be a fine addition to the underground facility as well, or it might be a gift for those who need it more. Another option was to send it straight to the Sky, giving an Offering a try.


    ¡°Hm. CHARGE!¡± Ozeki suddenly shouted, lowering his posture, twisting the handle in his double-gripped stance that went lower and concluded Ceila''s clutch.


    He pushed himself forward with a roar, and his Domain developed and flowed around him like wild dancing waves, moving around his spear as if the blood was everywhere, tip included.


    A turn of his hip swayed and turned like a tide, cracking the ground below his feet when he made this move. His hands soon followed. Spears''s tip lurched from the strange crimson dance, creating a hole in one wave where Ceila didn''t expect it. Traveling in a split second, a brutal and sinister strike reached her pretty face.


    Ceila intercepted it with an unlikely defense. She grabbed the edge with her hand again, deflecting it as if she bore an old shark before jumping away.


    Ozeki stabilized himself with a powerful stomp to the ground, leaving deep cracks and one straight line before him on the ground that went for hundreds of meters. Retreating Ceila stood leisurely aside, and neither of her Paladins were in the way of this strike.


    ¡°Group one and two. Each takes one Radiant Paladin. Follow principles of defense and survival and count on setbacks. Follow formation X and U.¡± Ozeki ordered his men without glancing behind him. Immediately afterward, he pounced at Ceila, who observed her hand. The gauntlet was in pieces, revealing her slightly glowing hand and bare skin. There were some tattoos.


    He didn''t make it easier, had he? How bothersome, Ceila thought as she mishandled this armor.


    Ozeki followed his words with a powerful wave of a bloody wave. He swung his spear, creating a blood-colored blade that went ahead like the wind, striking one of the closest Paladins who was most relaxed out of everyone. It was a hard thing to call it right. Without Ozeki''s hunch and smell, perhaps there was no choice besides a lucky pick.


    As his heart desired, he did what he wanted while Razmund wished for more. Perhaps taking care of Ceila and one Radiant Paladin was too much for him, but not like it was a deep problem. Everything proceeded by an inevitable plan. It was very doubtful, yet so unexpectedly clever, that it made Ozeki almost laugh.


    Razmund did not doubt it anymore; something drove a brutal move against him and plotted something terrible, and it wasn''t Levandis, so that was shocking. General military, or some groups from this Gate or others. He would accept them. Ceila or something about churches or the Sky was a distant and outlandish ideal.


    Frankly, Razmund should be glad how he forced everything in this direction and played it safe. That, however, might not be the greatest choice as per Ozeki''s words because crushing Murai''s opposition might''ve been better. Alas, a church was a church and gods were behind everything anyway.


    They were working with numerous powerful possibilities. Hopefully, Ozeki would make it through without considerable losses. Frankly, if he couldn''t, that was fine too. It propelled enough sincerity on everyone''s part, as the weighted reward waited for no cures, but betrayals or reasonable benefits.


    Well, Razmund wasn''t sure how Ozeki''s Helper status worked or allowed his heart to heal. Perhaps he was overlooking something critical once again. He never heard any Voice or any godly message since he got going and got this Helper.


    Trusting the process was fine, so Razmund moved accordingly, ignoring or pretending that the Voices or reasons around this world were gone, yet still functioned in a way. It wasn''t fine; he took it like a temporary accident. A simple blunder like delves into some nasty dungeons.


    Following hopes that Gods must cherish at all costs, he trusted them and their shitty Encounter still followed some reasons, giving these Sides what they deserved, feared, or desired.


    Or Razmund was taking advantage of Ozeki regardless of anything, or Gods did. Ozeki was meant to shield Razmund no matter what, and his heart would cement it by overflowing and mending after many years of stagnancy and doubts.


    That was the Voice Ozeki heard after his Pledge. It was simple in premise and simpler in its methods, though it wasn''t coming from his Lady or his heart, but more like a devil whispering behind his head.


    It was no reward that would come with Boosts, but an ideology, threat, and act that might be different and difficult like giving wars a try. He would grant it. No one else but him.


    Modifications when one was reaching the limits came in two ways; within, or outside. For devils, their hearts mattered more than their potential cores, allowing them to grow to new heights and transformations.


    Ozeki surely met his match. Perhaps a bit too much, but he would work hard for a transformation that might never come again. He was its taker. Razmund was just a tool; his premise that went ahead and left him to his own device or End.


    It was acceptable.


    Dust fell, a bloody cut swayed the heat, and the earth shook when a sweep cleaved at that glistering armor. Ozeki forced one of the Paladins away, crashing the bloody spear against that sturdy armor and shield. Then, he swung his spear at Ceila far and wide all by himself, forcing her other arm up from her hip. She flew to a distance, cruising through the hot plain like a kite met with a wild wind.


    That left Razmund alone, standing beside the Demonic Horses. Howls and tremblings echoed when a small army around him¡ªmade of Ozeki''s finest officers and soldiers¡ªcharged in two defensive formations ahead, aiming their weapons and numbers at the remaining Paladins.


    It should be possible for them to survive, but Ozeki had his doubts. In practice, Radiant Paladins far exceeded the scope of this clash. His Lady should have known better to not let them in. She should''ve sent someone a long time ago, or was she pretending, or leaving him to a death end?


    If so, Ozeki should rather stall before it was too late. It was clear that those Paladins weren''t equal to the weakest part of this pact. They might be straight-up Extreme equivalents, if not stronger, yet Ozeki was never sure of it because of Ceila and her demeanor.


    She felt... stronger. How? She was below Level 70 according to the common sense of Vermillion Church. She didn''t feel like that in the slightest, so Ozeki took her as one of his main targets. As for Ultium and David, they were Razmund''s problem as far as Ozeki saw his prospects.


    ¡°That fucker,¡± Razmund cursed alone, standing and examining this change of pace. He slapped and kicked his horse. It growled at him, but moved aside, knowing the battle was starting. It was no place for an unnecessary mount.


    Even Ozeki''s soldiers partially dismounted, charging and battling it out with the remaining Paladins, who didn''t crash them like adults playing against children. They fought well, collected, and kind of... slow. Both sides did.


    Razmund considered his perspective and smiled as a helpless fisherman met with a poor catch. Being sidelined between three battlefields wasn''t that awful. Each flank shall die and decide their battles.


    Paladins glowed in radiance and strength as they moved, unleashing potent attacks that soon slammed against those formations. They survived heavy hammer strikes, but the last remaining mounts did not. Demonic Horses growled, whipped their tails and tails, and their broken legs bent, sending them to the ground. Better soldiers stumbled instead, protecting their lives, brandishing shields and spears, and striking at their rather ridiculous target.


    One Paladin had a hammer made of white steel that looked like snow. The other had a halberd, hitting wildly and from afar. Their weapons glowed ever so brightly, taking the heat and radiance of that artificial sun for a great sign, which allowed them to expand their strength, so their armor shined.


    Illuminated ornaments and runes all over them came off as disrespectful, or like a terrifying consequence to this Hell. Meeting and seeing those sights, most of the soldiers hesitated and fell behind against this pressure.


    A bloodbath was incoming. They ought to make this ground proud. Instead of feeling pity, they began to chant, and shout, and their momentum expanded.


    Everything about Paladins looked as if they didn''t come from this world, which was correct. Every slash chipped a portion of soldiers from the formations, and their utter silence and confidence were deafening.


    And they didn''t go for the kills, even though not that many lawful beings were in these formations. Razmund found that odd. They weren''t trying in the slightest, whereas the overall quality and level of Ozeki''s soldiers weren''t as impressive. At least for Razmund. According to Hellscape, such a regiment of soldiers was able to crush the majority of gangs or cease their activity for a long time.


    They moved as one, stood as one, and went against them as one.


    Paladins didn''t fear a thing. They weren''t machines, however. They were living beings like anyone else but grew up in the Divine Kingdoms, which were outside of the realm of numerical numbers, Boosts, and common views that touched mortals and mortals touched it back.


    Their strength and aura were otherworldly for a reason. Stages from the Battleworld had various implications because of cultures, so many options followed comparable principles.


    It was fine to regard power in stages or levels. It cleared things up for everything since the very first epoch. Extremes were strong in one way or another, and Lawful beings were precious because they had their Laws, but they were weaker than Extremes. See, a disparity. That wasn''t the case forever, and it won''t be here for a long time either, for the universe had its cycles and the growth of Divides had its merits.


    For mortals and many Gods, it didn''t make a single difference. Lives could become weak, short, and insignificant. Paths relied on Laws and their aspects, following the growth like people touching all sorts of Paths. It created a cycle where appeal followed everything like a magnetic field.


    The rules of the Divides were eternal. Those were the truths that were incapable of changing but looping and making sense in the grand scheme of lives and deaths.


    Divinity was part of it like a sprinkle of magic due to spells and energies. However, Divides weren''t magic. They were rules, acting as a stage on their own. Magic was above and below and always up to the mortals struggling for the Divinity. Gods were just powerful mortals, who thought far and could go further.


    It was no wonder that Divinity was sought as a different power in many Sectors and Epochs. It had its ups and downs. Some of which might be far above the mortal realms.


    These Paladins were known as Radiants. That was enough of a title to give them enforcer-like status for their Divine Kingdoms. They could be equal to Extremes, or Lawful beings, yet their places to shine were different depending on place and time because some places would never allow their existence. The same could be said for Chaos itself, which crossed many boundaries in its existence.


    Radiants were a military hierarchy, so their ranking systems went according to their respective Divine Kingdoms. Gods did not need Levels, but they sure needed Order to make things tangible for those below them, or looking up to them. That meant taking mortal realms and their own Divine Kingdoms as separate yet intimate ideas.


    Paladins fundamentally came, lived, and performed their duties for their Gods, and their power and beneficial relations came from there as well. Their steps and acts in the mortal realms were limited like the steps of Gods.


    Down in the Battleworld, their mere presence was an act of Divine Will, though few of them would wield extreme embodiments of their Divine Kingdoms. Only in some wars, they were allowed to shine since their powers were equalized to their current prospects or purposes. Thinking of them as natives of a different world wasn''t far-fetched, and every one of their descends had an objective.


    It was never lawless, or unreasonable. In fact, many Gods took acts of sending military forces from their Divine Kingdoms as very sensitive and very serious. It had its rules and moving against them might come with punishment due to the adhering reality of the Tribunals and Pantheons.


    Gods looked out for each other; for grudges, friends, or opportunities. Divine Kingdoms above, on, or in the Battleworld, were not simple.


    For mortals, Paladins were no different from great royalty beyond their mortal realms. For Hell, they were arrogant assholes spreading nonsense to the wrong land. Hence, they might be worse no matter their purpose, ranks, or desire that accompanied their descent. Hells would kill them on sight!


    For Razmund, many things were as clear as his lack of judgment and facts. On one hand, he was glad and hopeful that Ozeki knew what he was doing. On the other, he was fearful that this group meant something terrible or something that was far above their initial investments, or ideas.


    Nevertheless, it was too late to be sorry.


    In a typical way, these Paladins would not have descended if they had inadequate reasons. How Vermillion did her bidding¡ªor assembled them¡ªshocked, confused, and put him through a lot of weird thoughts.


    Why now, of all times?


    Razmund sighed, looking at that crazy devil that fought like an overzealous maniac with blood spreading and spear cleaving around like a rabid dog. He kept moving like a storm and pushed Ceila far.


    He didn''t forget about the remaining foes either. David stood with Ultium aside this show, observing the desirable target they wanted to catch for many days.


    At last, a transformation arrived. David wasn''t sure of its value, but Ultium was unable to think straight because of Ceila. Watching Razmund definitely thundered his heart and he recalled Lisa and her tasks. Then there was that duck that Ultium was never able to judge for food. It was deeper, and this human beside him was a neat little trickster.


    It was acceptable to kill him, right?

 Chapter 239: The end of all pretenses

    Away from David and Ultium, raging clashing storms moved against mountains and cleaved the earth. Ozeki''s soldiers had yet to lose, but being rampant against the remaining Paladins was definitely a stretch.


    Razmund stayed in place, unbothered and without a weapon in sight. There was no visible claymore, or handle protruding from his pouch. In fact, there was not even that pink and shining Dice around his left palm, but David or Ultium had fewer clues about his precious tool. They heard hints, however, and neither was present. Their minds had different thoughts, thanks to Ceila and Ozeki.


    It wasn''t their time to play with them, so what about Razmund who felt like a dark cloud in a bright sky? David was half worried over his various prospects. Most of it was about Ozeki, as that devil was quite a menace. Then, he was stressed at what Ceila''s implications meant.


    They learned nothing new from Ceila, who was reluctant to reveal anything substantial or secret. Even a little might give some lofty gods or this place some idea, so she was silent for good reasons, albeit her mere existence created doubts and news alike. However, their story over this plain wasn''t over. David was waiting, similar to Ultium who didn''t need deep reasons for anything.


    As for the Gods in or out of the picture, their reasonable worries about this situation were unimportant. Some might watch and take every bit of this situation in mind, and Ceila needed to be quick or decisive regardless of anyone. She gambled on no apparent descent, Avatar, or a straight-up God''s Wrath! Paladins were enough. Hopefully, no Judge would make another appearance.


    Razmund stood on a heated ground, arms crossed, and eyes firm. David had yet to see a reason to make that call. He was curious about some matters and Razmund knew some of them more than enough, as he was surprised to see them with Ceila.


    Razmund learned plenty about Lost Brothers from Ozeki, who took Murai''s Helpers through substantial information gathering.


    What he should know, Razmund already learned. That was wrong, for this divine party shouldn''t exist.


    What were they here for? How? Why? Their presence wasn''t as surprising as their little hope and desire to stop him. In some way, it was a clever plan. If it worked, of course. Razmund was almost impressed by their dreams, yet half of everything was already hopeless.


    Stopping Ozeki''s charge before Sector 45 should be enough, even if it was a superficial plan. Still, some clashes of interest and letting some things slide might come to bite him later. After all, he was never sure about everything, similar to the others. It was always better to be cautious and heed tough and sentimental lessons.


    Razmund learned that across two lifetimes. Here, as a Delver and a great Blessed, he didn''t want to take any chances.


    Razmund always knew where to go and what to do because of his innate attraction as a person, which was something David understood. It was something worth remembering even before Lisa found him. However, nothing was ever stone-certain. Everything might change sooner or later.


    David always felt something was wrong with the reports. His purchased glimpses of the upper Gates were the same. He should take this Encounter for what it could be, and that came with Mindarch''s reports from the Islands of Greatness and some pictures from Gate of Suffering. All Sides included, of course.


    And sure enough, he saw plenty of wonders, and also one shocking idea.


    Razmund had nothing on his left hand. No strips. No Dice that might glow, or move on its own. Could the reports be corrupt, or did Razmund discard whatever he was doing for a joke because he was getting close to his target? That was impossible. It went against the logic David saw in Blessed for his entire life. People like Razmund won''t change. They cannot!


    Blessed weren''t right in their mind. David understood their lunacy and innate desires and goals. They were full of regrets, which was sad and wrong, but not the end of the line. Some were ready for a new life and do whatever the hell they wanted.


    They were beings who didn''t need to know every worldly reason, for they knew them as something else or very different. It was an unnatural concept of living. The End and Afterlife went against logic, but it was a reality of this world, so people had to live with that.


    It was hard to guess their actions, or what such figures preferred. Oftentimes, it ended up in insufferable or incredible sights that Gods took for their little chances or weaknesses. Getting them as followers was also rich.


    David had no clue what Razmund carried within him to create such a storm. Frankly, clues weren''t needed. He became so unhinged and troublesome in this place that no one in their right mind should take it lightly.


    This Gate understood that and he must be confident as a Blessed, or had he built for this exact moment? That might be naive or he had no other choice. There were interesting ideas behind it, thanks to the Encounter and Gods beyond its scope. It should pivot to a weird critical point. At worse, it might not even be about him, but about what he opposed, or what surrounded him.


    Centralis...


    David couldn''t judge Razmund or do anything else but think this through by force. He was the reason for dreams and how Bagus and Itrosh thought.


    David knew he couldn''t ask for more than he deserved. He took the plunge against weird odds and got what he wished for. It might hurt. Pain everything that he aimed for, right beside Ultium, and close to a shocking rediscovery of Lisa who should''ve remained dead.


    Razmund might be the same as him: not knowing everything and far too busy caring for his own skin. David wasn''t sure if he wanted to know more. Regardless of any suspicions, this world was never simple like its hidden lands or secret places.


    Razmund was far too calm for someone who went against a triplet of Radiants and Ceila, whose trust was in David''s mind like fleeting confidence. Unaware naivety was an easy idea; he and Ozeki simply didn''t know of Ceila and her force at all. Until now, of course.


    His time could go away, stick, and die.


    David couldn''t understand their plans since they shouldn''t be caught. Ceila mentioned being a Helper and giving Murai some advantage, while later on, Razmund became their target. A church was never a calm place, and this one revolved around Vermillion, a Rank 2 Goddess of Pheonex.


    It should be about her; David considered. Her Radiants and one insane-looking priestess charged head-deep into the Levandis Temple. That sounded insane and like a flawed idea, yet here they were.


    It went against the logic of this Gate and history, or Murai might be worthy of this insanity. At that fleeting insight, David''s world trembled in many ways. He already made his decision and sought this part to the end; regardless of his life, doubts, or inquiries over the past decades.


    Ozeki took the expected route. Striking with his officers and soldiers was anticipated, yet what about Ultium who was hard to deal with? Could this young devil and Lost Brothers be useless or unworthy?


    Vermillion Church turned that idea to dust and stomped on it! Ozeki could barely defend his heart against such terrific timing and stalling might be all he could do. Unbeknownst to them, Murai was already deep in the earth, reaching places closer to his portal according to Lisa''s expectations.


    Defeating these Paladins was improbable, so what else was next?


    Victory or loss, who was ahead right now was laid bare and obscured on a way too large chessboard.


    David clutched his head for a fleeing idea, thinking calmly as the storm around him kept going. Ozeki fought cried, and laughed even more. Ceila was ridiculous, while her Paladins were worse.


    ¡°Could it be,¡± David mumbled, feeling shocked by his sudden idea. He tapped Ultium''s shoulder, whispering something to his ears.


    ¡°Kill. One move.¡± Three words. Three simple reasons and objectives to follow.


    In a singular moment, before Razmund did a thing as he stood around for nothing, Ultium discharged a bloody wave around his shoulders. It cruised towards his arm and legs, soaking half of his body. He shook the ground a dozen meters around as if something crashed to the ground. It wasn''t a Domain. Ozeki''s Domain and overall power were ongoing and heavy, feeling as if a mountainous river raged and worked against mountains.


    Ultium was composed, deadly, collected, and young and fierce. He was also more... keen and special, if not unnatural when his stringent heart and desires saw their targets. His blood turned, wavering and lowering onto his right hand after he pulled it out of his pocket. ]


    A single hand would do more than enough for this order.


    A glint of his eyes changed, becoming round like moons overlapping over one another, and turning deep red. A single step was all it took for him to appear right before Razmund, creating cracks spreading on the ground and blood dropped. Hand ready, eyes aimed at that lax smirk. It was not right. Ultium felt it imminently.


    Razmund expected this End with open arms, knowing that Ozeki was an idiot for going this far. He was a clever idiot without a choice. That was good, if not delightful when the words were told and the order was firm.


    Blood flowed, cutting into the flesh and skin, creating a single hole that crashed the bones and went through one sturdy yet soft body. Ultium''s arm went through Razmund''s chest, holding a heart in his fingers, splurging blood all over the ground and his suit that didn''t take it at all. It was a bad, poor blood.


    Razmund let it happen as he growled and laughed as he coughed up buckets of blood. He was content for this moment. He even mumbled something as Ultium pushed him above the ground, creating a small fountain since way too much blood escaped from Razmund.


    Blood went from his mouth, turning the words into a mess that only Ultium heard.


    David watched this with shocked uncertainty and relaxed realization. They had been played. He expected... something. Now, he was wrong and realized the possible truth. He was right after all and anxiety grew in his heart.


    Ultium would disagree; he liked this bloody feeling and killing what David wanted. Who it aimed for was another thing, but this foe felt hollow and his heart wasn''t moved. Ultium wanted and anticipated this hunt for a long time, so when it happened, he ended up dissatisfied.


    What was that feeling in his chest? Beating? Was that aimed at Ceila, or was this a much worse betrayal?


    The fight was no more, though David hadn''t lied.


    The true battle against a powerful Blessed and rumored sword maniac ended with a swipe. He didn''t even have a sword, let alone put up a fight.


    The blood flowed further out of the open wound. It went on and on and far too fast.


    Ultium dropped the heart the moment Razmund''s body turned limp, leaving his words and last message up to Ultium''s frowning face. Frowning, he wasn''t happy with this kill. His fun shrouded his heart in suspicions and weird toxic feelings that were hard to quench.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Was it rage, or a misguided way that he ought to hate but didn''t? He knew what David used to say about anger. It was often a familiar motion that moved with disappointments and failure, while expectations and seeing the truth of anger or heart weren''t usually clear. One should learn.


    Ultium released his whole arm from this dead clown, letting Razmund''s body drop to the ground, which turned a reddened sand bath into his death bed.


    David looked at this sight with indifference and observed blood rising for dozens of seconds. He saw a key in his guess. Running towards Ultium, he asked. ¡°What did he whisper? The words!¡±


    Ultium seemed to understand what David meant, so he answered without hiding his disappointment. He was close enough to the limit to be his distinct self. ¡°Too bad? Something along those lines? Could be too late as well. Perhaps it was late too? I don''t know. He shit-talked, or so you would call it like, boss,¡± He shrugged, not realizing the potency of these phrases, or what they entailed.


    David began inspecting Razmund''s corpse. His pouches were counterfeits with nothing in them. They were regular leather without any space or runes. He carried nothing except his clothes and carried... Carried? David was shocked as he confirmed his guess.


    Had Razmund just cloned himself? It was him, living, but dead. It was a sham without a doubt, but wasn''t that impossible? Many sides of magic could create true wonders, living or going over the dying forms. Undead were that. Liches were closer. What both entitled was the power of God of Death.


    This thing was just bloody awful, so could this involve some treasures cleaving common sense apart? Some beings were able to create miracles, and miracles couldn''t always happen on their own.


    Calming his breath, what was on the ground was the physical body of Razmund. There used to be a heart in the chest, followed by lungs, ribs, and... blood. A lot of it... Too much of it. Everything was reeking of strange blood with a weird odor, yet mana or the demise of his Mana Core was nowhere to be found. Everything was so bloody that he couldn''t see good from bad.


    ¡°I knew it,¡± David glanced at that distant fight, looking at Ozeki who noticed his little plan stopped far too quickly. He wryly smiled, fought Ceila, and cursed as if he should''ve expected it. It seemed he gave Razmund far too much credit, but where was the fun? He should''ve put forth at least some fight.


    ¡°What a fucking waste!¡± Ozeki cursed and created long spiraling spear stabs that bent his Domain and created huge holes in the ground. Ceila defended and felt coughing blood if it wouldn''t be for a Paladin who protected her on time.


    ¡°It isn''t the time to shed tears, milady,¡± he assured her, and Ceila nodded, noticing bloodstained Razmund and discovering what was going on.


    Giving up before Ultium as a kid met with an adult was funny. Ozeki took this young devil for an enigma that didn''t need his direct touch. Not for now, for there was way too much weight on his shoulder.


    It was a wonder what he should''ve expected from Razmund, who assumed the ''bait plan'', paid the price, and ''''died'''' because of it.


    Ozeki scowled and cried out, opposing a single Paladin alone while Ceila made her move, intercepting him from safety while making a sudden opening that slammed into his bloody flesh. Then she jumped away to check on David.


    From time to time, Ozeki was at a total disadvantage, but he kept them occupied, similar to his army which was doing a fine job.


    Not for long, obviously by fatigue, Paladins with pristine conditions, and most of the soldiers weren''t looking great. Most of their Demonic Horses were long lost, so wasn''t it just a stalling of the inevitable end? Was everyone stalling one another? David thought about it and found the answers.


    Ceila realized her wrongdoing after going easy on everyone, but failure was before her. Her Lady was the cause, though she seemed busy and silent for way too long. After all, Ceila had everything that she required the moment she entered this temple.


    Even if she didn''t make anything easier, Ozeki wouldn''t back down or let them go. He wouldn''t die fast unless one or two of her Paladins paid a certain price for his desires. However, few things were worth this price.


    Fleeing was better, or bearing the inevitable cost or rewards that came with following consequences.


    Ceila would never permit the loss of a Paladin in this place, or misjudge her wishes. That ended up in a weird situation where she used Paladins much more sporadically, lest Levandis sent someone else to shackle their group and make a definitive attempt to attest her pride as the owner of this place.


    Thankfully, it didn''t happen because Vermillion was sure this part would be smooth.


    Weirdly, neither moved to the final point and rather poked the others. It wasn''t reluctance, confusion, or simple unwillingness to bear its consequences. It wasn''t time for being savage.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Ceila asked, pointing at the situation below David''s hands. She halted her Paladins without any words, briefly pausing this fight with Ozeki who wouldn''t stop because of this.


    So when Paladins smacked him with a shield and impulsive light, he backed off willingly.


    ¡°Fucking Radiants! That? Oh, that is wonderful how long it lasted, but what a shame it had such a lacking base. To be fair, it was our scheme. A gamble against something that would inevitably move against us, yet we didn''t know what. Who knew you would take it to such a distance, or... at all? I mean, who are you here for anyway? Me? I am all but one breaking devil, silly,¡± Ozeki smiled, making yet another thrust to her face which she easily dodged with a simple sway of her long legs before another Paladin smacked him aside.


    Ozeki cheered and went for a kill, creating no room for talking. With Razmund gone, this left him as the sole taker of this group. He would stall them! Stall them all.


    None of his Domain-empowered thrusts posed too much of a threat to Ceila, who took care of his bloody long spear because of her movement and Paladins. She didn''t take the initiative and rather considered defenses before figuring out what to do next.


    She wasn''t even hurt after numerous clashes, yet she hadn''t made any significant moves or progress either. Some of these savage Domain-related moves and cuts would cleave a Lawful being into pieces, and Ozeki showed no restrictions whatsoever. He let his blood boil and turn and put everything into this crazy meeting.


    Ozeki turned much more savage after knowing the rabbit was out of the hat. Each of his swings and thrusts carried ripples of Domain Blades, which were simple manifestations that came out of his swings, creating a wide variety of attacks, followed by speedy and immediate main thrusts.


    Some blades looked like the swing that could come from a true blade while others looked like javelins. Fewer of them looked like his spear, darting like phantom afterimages that were very much alive and tried to cut Ceila to pieces.


    It wasn''t as if he wanted to stop these involuntary strikes. Every action in the Domain had some consequence, draining him, and it wanted everything linked to him, Ize Spear, and his Domain. Depending on how one clashed and attacked, how one comprehended everything, or how one felt, everything about the Domain became much more powerful.


    For Ozeki, he didn''t care for anything but his spear. Everything else was just a potential bonus that happened on its own or created an option or shortcut.


    It needed a proper Will in order to treat Domains lightly, or like an Intent or unusual magics.


    Murai would understand what this was about, though he wouldn''t like to see it right now, or in this life.


    Will was near to an Intent, and Domain grew closer by both like a sun aiming at water and giving closer depths its life. But deep down, there were secrets and much more to know. Ozeki''s hand, spirit, heart, and also his spear played their roles in everything. Closer than ever, the Domain could be wide or thin like a cloak over one''s shoulders, weighing down on a person like a mountain, granting power and defense, or wings.


    Like a warrior let into a point of no return, Ozeki knew the end was approaching. He couldn''t stall forever, but every minute or an hour would work to his advantage.


    Would Ceila let it go that way?


    He suspected she wouldn''t.


    ¡°A trick, is it?¡± Ceila frowned, looking away as Paladin with a shield smashed his whole body against Ozeki, pushing alongside him for hundreds of meters before smashing to a dozen-meter tall rock.


    Ozeki couldn''t do a thing when the battle halted for a moment. Not when he had the shield so close and spear far from making any strikes. He could only scream as this annoying Radiant flung him away, hoping that his Domain wouldn''t do something weird, but that shield was strong, and the armor was still firm.


    Rocks shattered to pieces, leaving mess, debris, and dust behind. Among the chaos, shield Paladin grabbed Ozeki''s head in no time, smashing it repeatedly against the rocky ground. That went on until dust settled and the ground was one large crater.


    Then, he tossed Ozeki away, lurching him hundreds of meters onto another rock, which was conveniently close to where Ceila was standing.


    Ozeki traveled at ease, faking his distress that might soon turn real. It should if he wanted to survive this clash, or before everything was over. He clutched his spear as if he would never let it go, his aura remained, and his Domain glowed in a spark of new blood coming from his wounds.


    He looked like a demon when he smashed at the incoming rock. This time, he didn''t destroy it. Only smaller bits spread, before he stumbled down, standing a dozen meters away from Ceila''s pondering figure.


    ¡°What did he use to create a clone? This one is very real, so it might not be something easy or simple, or... him,¡± she demanded Ozeki to talk.


    ¡°He? Oh, you think humans do this sort of thing? Some might but don''t worry. Nothing that he knows is in that pile of rubbish.¡± Ozeki replied and was ready to return to his fight. His spear glistered in waves of the blood of his extended Domain, shining and making his spear longer and turning the spearhead into a large twisted point.


    ¡°Something yours then?¡±


    ¡°Damn right! It is something mine!¡± Ozeki shouted, swinging his spear and creating a large opening in the ground when he smacked the lower end down.


    ¡°What is here for you then now, that he is gone and left us in the dust? How long ago was it? For you to stall us, that might not be that clever. You should hurry. Your little ticket might soon find it harsh to breathe,¡± Ceila spoke calmly, pondering over something as if she weren''t in the middle of a battle.


    ¡°An order for me? Chances come for you and anyone. Now, let''s call it weird timing, but the world is weird, yet we are living and still take some voice of reason or take it for what it is. I do. Everyone in this place looks for ways to grow and die, silly. Everything follows this principle in this world, even when it doesn''t spin right. Don''t pretend as if you are any different from us! Sky or Hell, everything wants to be high and mighty.¡±


    ¡°Don''t get me wrong,¡± Ceila said. ¡°I never stated anything wrong about your words. I do the same things as many do, yet the purposes of many are different for everybody... and me. You have your stakes. I have mine. Circumstances differ like Chaos and Order itself.¡±


    Ozeki sneered as he moved closer, but not too close to attack her outright. He noticed the shield Paladin was closing and branding his shield and sword. ¡°You are hilarious to me, girl. Everything about your party is crazy enough to watch you and doubt you with every fiber of this gate. How can you be here, dancing on top of everyone''s game?¡±


    ¡°I am not so young as you would call me a girl, devil,¡± she said coldly. ¡°So what was it with Razmund? Death Toll? Some high-class golem, doll, or bloody spell close to your heart? I believe these are workable just for other devils or yourself, or could this be something older?¡±


    ¡°Well, it is fair to say plans go to shit when they tend to fail. I am not petty. It was Grade S Bloody Mary. A clone made of blood and flesh between me and Razmund and my careful sculpting. He felt and knew everything the Bloody Mary did, but its power has its limits. All under my command, connected to Razmund like a doll. He heard everything by association and knew what the clone felt and saw, right as he strides to Sector 45. He took things quicker when Fate spoke, you see.¡±


    ¡°Fate. Well, it is you. A silly devil who thinks he can take this on.¡±


    ¡°You or him, what does it matter? Bloody Mary was a gift from my Lady. And just like that, it is gone,¡± he slammed the shaft to the ground again, looking at Razmund in a pool of blood, and spat to the ground, ¡°in an instant. He wasted it, despite not giving it more time. He didn''t know what to expect. I wouldn''t expect such a team in my dreams. I swear if I will see that man again after all this shit...¡± Ozeki cursed, lifting his spear''s dull edge from the ground.


    His armor was satisfactory, his wounds mostly on his face and head, and his spear was so itching for Ceila''s neck that he couldn''t stop from moving forward.


    Ceila was feeling like caring for him herself, so she snapped her finger and sent the Paladin with a shield straight at him, causing a clash of radiance and blood to shake the ground.


    ¡°Not giving me a chance?¡± Ozeki asked, feeling as if he made a blunder by this talking. He should''ve stalled and talked some more.


    After a wild clash, the shield Paladin stood without hitting him again, but he would have had his way with him if Ceila wanted.


    Ozeki knew his play was nearing its end. All he could do was edge it closer for Razmund''s or his benefits. He did promise it, after all. Promises held a lot of weight for devils.


    ¡°So it is like that? My Lady hadn''t expected this sort of thing, as a lot of things are happening at the same time, and might happen next, mirroring hopes and rules that aren''t fine or hiding but will hide. This much is a minor problem.¡± Ceila sighted, understanding how failure felt even after her plans carried multiple targets and other plans.


    Catching Razmund failed, so it was time to move towards the other flank.


    Razmund used a rare precious treasure and technique at the same time. It was close to the same vision of a Blood Avatar. A type of clone that could live side by side in the physical realms, but through harsh mental assets, limited mental capacity, and strength because of shared mind.


    Bloody Mary worked similarly, as it was a mirrored copy created by Ozeki''s use of Blood Shaping, Razmund''s blood, and one consumable ancient treasure. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shared senses worked across distances, as long as some dimension, Chaos Space, or other places didn''t work against this connection. If hindered, the clone could become duller, weak, lost, or turn better depending on who was cloned.


    In some cases, they could become independent, yet still one. Such was the power of Grade SS treasure from Endless Skies, Bloody Mary. A part of a rose-like tulip that took lifetimes to bloom, years to refine into a dagger that came from a single petal, and many sacrifices.


    It had obvious shortcomings. The power of the clone wouldn''t be even half of the real body, yet it would be real in a strange sense of reality and possess a great deal of interest depending on the one cloned, and compatibility.


    It was a perfect bait that Ceila hadn''t expected. It was far too precious, yet someone like Ozeki used it for a simple divergence because he could.


    All for what? For Razmund to go ahead and reach different routes in secret and get closer to Murai ahead of an unknown danger?


    That fucking Dice is seriously pissing me off! Ceila cursed and clutched her fists in seething yet unconcerned rage. Her face was calm, albeit her patience was no longer fine.


    Every one of her Paladins could feel it, for they were not stupid, or some toys, or lifeless dull soldiers.

 Chapter 240: Godmight Ozeki

    Bait, assassination, and ambushes were popular methods in every Hunts, coming from Hunters, or caused by the Hunted. Secondary methods were straight-up killings, while other circumstances needed better acts. Where secrecy, survival, strategies, or dangers were crucial, getting out of luxuries or sacrificing great tools was inevitable.


    Two parties¡ªor even numerous ones¡ªhad their intricate plans that would clash as a whole, or become their own bubble that would wrap them and end their story. Creating a clash of stakes came in tides, and some were dull, or very intense like flames or a raging inferno. In tiny little pieces, even those could crumble bit by bit, or survive to tell the tale as losers or winners in their respective domains. Gods felt that. Endless Skies was precarious and known for abhorrent sacrifices, tough choices, and cultures that expressed brutal yet honest ways of Divides. Still, it was about beings of the universe or its being.


    In Hellscape, strategies acted as a change of pace, luck, or power, giving good ideas when necessary, plans when one failed, or where nothing else would work, better fleeting or reconsiderations might not be too far.


    In the Battleworld, Encounter worked at the highest proportions of these principles, with wars accompanying them ever so closely, or around it like shadows. When Gods watched what could or have to occur, what wasn''t right changed from wrongs, or their rights. And then, mortals could also influence it again those godly desires, giving everything a different layout, or clashing against them directly.


    For mortals, it was a good way to establish themselves. For Gods, their loftiness and arrogance might consider mortal plays as petty scrambles.


    Murai was the epicenter of a silly idea, though Razmund was also in it, but in a different picture akin to a tool that inevitably touched what he shouldn''t have touched. It wasn''t for him, though he wanted it anything, as he had his thoughts about this whole Encounter; separate from Gods, Murai, or others.


    It was his chance to find peace; fix what he lost, and kill or finish what he had started.


    When too many fools and lofty beings desired all sorts of benefits, some powers would inevitably take the largest of baits and cause havoc. Weirdly enough, it was a God this time around, and the cause was like any other. Vermillion was a problem in its finest principles, which Ozeki and Razmund realized now, rather than before.


    It was because of his lack of focus on Centralis Kingdom, which didn''t express every detail. It should have been different. Razmund recognized how he had overlooked something crucial, but it was too late to change anything. A God made her move, against the odds of what was normal, and his little temporal home though it was bigger than they thought.


    Perhaps if he understood it earlier, their plans would have changed for the better, but who in their right mind would think of Vermillion raiding this temple, or the Voice stopping?


    Now, of all times, he felt powerless but glad over his Dice.


    Then, there was Ozeki, who cursed in his mind for a hundredth time, glad that he was stalling, and hopeless that Razmund''s Dice was accurate. It read the Fate like a warning, offering an earlier decision to create a bait without revealing the truth. It might''ve felt this disturbance earlier.


    Razmund was reluctant of Bloody Mery, as it was kind of ridiculous option to use it as a simple bait. Its clone would link to him, and its power wouldn''t be small in the slightest under normal circumstances. It wasn''t normal, so bait was all towards it.


    For a long time, he hoped that Ozeki was enough of a bait, his army included. He would leave him be as he fought, before going onwards without them, coming for his target. It still happened anyway, albeit after a painful and gruesome death that he felt from many kilometers away.


    Bloody Mery was precious to create and understand. It held a cost that Ozeki didn''t want to acknowledge if it wouldn''t be for that silly Dice. A lot of care and giving it rightful colors meant shredding doubts, holding a knife like a pen, and drawing from Razmund''s blood and flesh a new life.


    It wouldn''t create a large disparity if Razmund was doubtful, weak-willed, or not quick enough. Destiny Dice felt it more, squeaking in agreement over the doubled view of Razmund, which guided him after he disappeared from Ozeki, hoping that he would meet no trouble when he was alone.


    It was a gamble that paid off. Probably. For now anyway, for his target was far from this church and a helpful pair.


    Ozeki thought it was kind of funny, considering Fate was often unreliable, yet Dice seemed to work just fine for some reason or it was the payment that mattered? Ozeki wondered just how much Razmund sacrificed over this whole trip. Was the blood it ate precious, or were essences and Razmund''s attention or Fate enough for this madness?


    Razmund was satisfied right now; glad to spend Ozeki like a fool, fearful that Ceila and her Paladins nearly killed their chances, and preoccupied with his next step.


    Ceila was the same, distracted, ashamed, and furious when that silly mess of blood and gore turned to blood and Bloody Mery concluded. Hurrying forward might still be fine. Onwards! Without stopping. That was what her Lady said.


    Spending this attention on a Hunt was rightful, yet it was hardly over because they had no Hunt, but delirious desires that had no distinct role for the Church. This was about Vermillion, so Razmund should hurry, and go ahead quicker before Ozeki met his limits, or Ceila became ruthless.


    It was largely due to unlikely things happening ever since he arrived at this Gate, or was it even earlier? It was true that halted Voice shocked him to his core, but after he got the bigger picture from Helltrim City and his gatherings from Ozeki or Lint, he decided to take care of it in his own way.


    Ideas of the Old World were interesting due to the matter of legends and history, and some powers in the Battleworld took them very seriously. Centralis Kingdom was powerful, holding some control over this continent even if its Grade A was attached to them and stuck for ages.


    Frankly, becoming a true hegemon worthy of a Grade S power wasn''t something easy, and very few kingdoms or nations were ever able to do it. The history described it over tens of thousands of years, and Centralis ought to learn it the hard way.


    But they didn''t listen.


    Razmund was familiar with this history, for it was a world that wasn''t riddled with crazy rules and mindful charades of Gods. It was tougher in a sense, but less brutal in its ways. It was near perfect for his Path, but it was distant like his former world and life that he didn''t particularly enjoy. He would rather not rely heavily on Boosts or Gods, as swordsmanship was hard to grant on golden plates, and power shouldn''t grow on trees.


    Ever since he discovered that his little foe--in a small mission to the outskirts of Centralis Kingdom--survived his beating and seemed not that interesting, he questioned a lot of things and discovered even more doubts. From his home to life to struggles, everything became shitty.


    It turned upside down when the Voice came, giving him chances that few in the Centralis Kingdom would achieve. It was about envy and pride, and this world and its fucking cultures couldn''t ever learn. Razmund would be the same if it weren''t for his mistakes and Blessed life.


    It wasn''t as obvious to lie, unfortunately. It was enough for the upper echelon of Centralis Kingdom to get this Encounter started on their terms, use him, and take it on by grasping him by his neck. It wasn''t as obvious, though he let them, even if the true reasons weren''t up to anyone.


    Still, Razmund was a crucial Side of everything, while anyone could scheme all they wanted. It was within the rules unless they would move physically towards one Side or the other, influencing one or everything imminently.


    In every case, the Centralis Kingdom was doing unlikely things that weren''t that hard to ignore, or not understand depending on who was looking at them. Lisa realized it long ago, or was the whole Encounter sounding stupid like this ridiculous case?


    What were the underlying undercurrents that changed it as a whole if not her and Murai? It was different on both Sides, that much Lisa had to know. Murai had his stake in Part 1, and Razmund wasn''t a factor that could disappear. It would change like a politician.


    Razmund had his dreams, hiding them in his heart and away from Lisa''s views. Though she wouldn''t care about them, it brushed past her like an annoyance.


    Catching or killing Murai when he was a weak little Anatidae Child was kind of unreasonable, or very much necessary. If she thought about it from a higher point of view, of course.


    Alas, it turned out to be quite a huge headache after just a few days of discoveries, taking on Murai''s mind after her equitable rest, and what came afterward was less pleasing. It made everything behind that nap like a silly daydream.


    Especially when Centralis Kingdom was giving it some attention, which either ended up slowing Razmund down, or touching upon some concepts that Lisa guessed, but couldn''t see.


    His target moved to the Levandis Temple with vigor and speed, which was unlikely, or very terrible consequences because Centralis considered it unlikely to happen. But it did, so some Gods might be fine with it and they had to adjust their turns. Razmund was the same.


    Hence, he came like a Raider and Delver, reaching into this temple with even more vigor and unknowingly starting a mess that evolved into a Vermillion Church''s invasion. After the Seventh Death Forest, which should''ve acted like a fine net, disappointments felt imminent.


    It didn''t come so quickly, which wasn''t his fault. Razmund wanted to catch it on his own, but it ended up differently like many things, giving further questions and failures and doubts. Then, it felt like a reward because Centralis failed, while he had yet to lose.


    Now, it wasn''t as if Centralis couldn''t move inside, or perhaps they better not do it unless they would devolve this situation even further. Only so much could be right when Levandis was watching from her lofty throne, followed by an unknown number of other Gods. At least in terms of her Hell, being too lofty¡ªwhen Centralis had fewer allies¡ªsounded like a terrible idea.


    Razmund still wondered to this day what was the deal with that duck. After pain, stubbornness, and shocks, what came with the aftermath of that simple meeting, voices, and survival of this little and young foe¡ªand Encounter at a later date that turned his kingdom to shambles¡ªhe doubted the world spun long before it wavered.


    Not in reality, of course. This world would never stop spinning, for that would mean the end of something terrible, or good. It wouldn''t be feasible, yet some beings could spin, stop, and handle worlds like ransacking through a simple pouch, ruling and taking eternal flows made of Gods by a game run by morons. For some, it was no different from an inevitable apocalypse when worlds would halt in their axis, or a hole would go through it like poking a soft-boiled egg.


    That left many Gods pondering, fearful, and trying to not seek such consequences. One such inevitable tool was taking forceful turns for nothing but a hopeful Razmund.


    Ceila was taking a different mantle, worried about history and its repeating Fate, yet if it was the Will of her Lady, she would bear the cost like her Kingdom, Church, or herself. There were no stops anymore.


    She hoped the repercussions of stealing such a wild worldly flow wouldn''t hurt her Lady too much, though perhaps it was wishful thinking or a naivety beyond her age and experience. All Gods should be furious! The world of mortals was in shambles, with the balance of many millennia wobbling with dramas and instability.


    Vermillion accomplished something none ever did. She stole crucial a tool that Lordis used to establish dominance and hopes for many Gods and mortals.


    If this went fully public, ostracizing the cause of his culture, it would shatter Vermillion Church and many others. It was about face, and Gods were quite keen on keeping theirs safe. Most of the time anyway.


    Fortunately, the worst was unlikely to happen because Lordis kept the news confidential and out of the Surface, hoping that the status quo would prevail. Alas, he feared it wouldn''t calm, and that some mere Rank 2 God stole under his watch would watch out for her neck.


    It wasn''t his fault that it happened. It was a matter of time before something terrible happened, but he wouldn''t acknowledge it for the sake of his arrogance and power. It went along Vermillion''s plans, which came closer to knowing Gods and Divine Kingdoms of the Sky rather than anything else. She knew Lordis, and that guy wouldn''t back down even if a whole bunch of Pantheons got restless and very angry that he allowed this to happen.


    Rulers of the planets often grew ridiculous on top of their thrones, desiring to let it continue uninterrupted or let it grow even more no matter what.


    It was a wonder what kind of a Ruler Lordis were, for the end was still not in sight.


    Vermillion had her bets, so she made her moves.


    There were some ceilings even for Gods who mastered their Paths. It was always like that. Divides touched upon the universe like Laws did some elements, growing until they would shatter the boundaries and limits, or fulfill their premise.


    In the Surface and many Hells, most beings took Boosts and the workings of Will of the Battleworld for godly work. It was mostly true, but most thought they were blessings from them, and not coming from a specialized tool with millions of little components that was the planet itself, or part of a constructed medium in the biggest Divine Sphere above the Battleworld.


    Most took Boosts for what they could be, yet when it stopped flowing, panic grew, the bliss of power was stolen, and many people realized that things might not be as simple as they appeared. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Some outright feared that Gods left them on their own, leaving them to die, or that their End was coming.


    That was the extreme side of the coin, especially when many Gods knew of the truth and hoped the tension would drop off.


    It kept going, unfortunately, so they had to stop the distress from spreading.


    Ceila could only hope it wouldn''t go too far so her Lady wouldn''t be able to solve her issues. Keeping some edge sharp, mind ready for any changes, and giving it her all was the least Ceila could do. For now, that was the Encounter and nothing else, obeying what her Lady envisioned.


    Everything else was up to the Divine Kingdoms in Divine Spheres or her Lady, while those who wanted the flow to return couldn''t do anything but wait.


    Ceila managed the Surface, where the cause, or small relation to this tormented moment, resided. There were bigger parts of it, despite looking small or influencing additional bits.


    One of those was before her, looking at her like an angry vicious devil who was ready to go all out or die trying.


    Ceila glanced at Ozeki, who was a fierce retaliation form of Razmund''s schemes. He should know it, though who wouldn''t use such a fool to this advantage without a blink? How it happened was interesting, so Razmund wasn''t without his merits for sure. He made dues with an iron fist, regardless if this devil was trusted, or wrong, while this devil felt cornered or caged without a way out.


    Perhaps she should show him a way¡ªby killing HIM!


    Blessed didn''t care for some Divine Power as far as their minds and Levels went. Cultures around the Skies and Hells took Divinity for a variety of things, and anything of that kind was one kind of Blessing if one wasn''t able to get their own. Levels were limits or cages.


    Their second chances came with Gods, as Afterlife was far more complacent, or this world was separate. Blessed were purposeful in their lives; willful in their growing stability and memories and often full of regrets. They knew what the End was like. At least once, which was more than a majority of Gods would dare to imagine. There was no Bliss thereafter; just Void or Chaos or Nowhere.


    They were lucky ones for some reason, unknown in why or how they got their second chance to live or see through their regrets. Perhaps it was about balance or a way to guide souls for other reasons.


    ¡°Tossing a fortune like that, perhaps only a lunatic would do such a thing,¡± Ceila said to Ozeki, pointing at a pile of blood sizzling on the ground due to heat. He came closer, reaching the distance where he could attack in less than a breath. His reddened spear with a colorful tip was more than ready, similar to his stance and face.


    Those seething eyes looked at her with ridicule and insanity, thought that spear was unquestionable. Ceila feared it a little bit if she had time to spare.


    ¡°Is some blood or flesh that precious, priestess? As I see it, there are a lot of bodies and things lying around at every corner. When you are also precious by yourself, similar to these Paladins, what can I say, eh, priestess? Close to God. Second Sun, or so it is stated to be your Title.¡± Ozeki said, itching his spear closer by moving it upwards, and taking a stance down, relative to his thrust.


    Ceila didn''t have a choice but to decide on a couple of wrong things. Leaving was easy and problematic in some parts, yet what would happen next when Razmund was alone and going against their Side? In fact, where was he? Had he gone so far away that made her attempts senseless?


    Careful of Fate, my child, for we are going against the flow of a raging river.


    Her Lady''s voice carried her to this moment, albeit not forever. Direction and hoe from time to time in whispering hopes was all she could muster.


    It was quiet, devoid of her voice, devoid of her tasks. There wasn''t a need for it if there was total trust put on her shoulders.


    The target was evident, presenting her with the mines of the Ip''ur Mountains for a destination, so Ceila waited in the largest plateaus before Sector 45. Most figures would move to Ip''ur Mountain through this location, and there were fewer ways to go around. If he went around, Razmund entered without her knowledge, or he did it before she even met Ozeki, or he slipped out of her touch anyway.


    It was plausible if he used that. Wanting to go around these heated Sectors or the edges of the Scorching Light sounded like hell.


    Ceila knew where Murai was and would go; she also knew where his portal was, which was a very important point that Ozeki or Razmund would never expect, the same way as Murai and Lisa.


    That was her primary goal, with the secondary one being this situation right here. Used to be. It devolved into a situation that she didn''t want to deal with after Razmund tricked her. Ozeki was unimportant.


    Ceila wanted to leave straight away and not give Ozeki any further attention.


    ¡°Don''t even think you can move from here!¡± Ozeki argued, speaking as if he saw through her mind.


    Just now, she was inclined to step away and leave two of her Paladins to stop or hinder him in this place. Edging this devil too much against her wishes would endanger many points, and few priests would willingly fight the enraged devil of this caliber. She might kill him with everything too, but at what cost?


    Razmund must be smiling, laughing, and getting closer to Murai''s location because of that stupid Dice! Ceila had a very clear picture of nearly everything; a much better one than David, who had limited ideas, and not much clarity even now because she hadn''t told him anything. Thanks to her Lady who was the mastermind of nearly half of the current happenings, Destiny Dice was a small matter. It was also impossible to touch or hear, and Ceila failed because of it.


    She had her suspicions for a long, and when she saw Razmund without it, she thought he hid it away for good. She didn''t though of a clone. None would blame her.


    Guiding her subjects was easy. Stopping Razmund would be even clearer and working from there would change the pace even further, or create enough change in this whole mess that would shatter all of their consequences. For that matter, Ceila was clueless and dutiful, almost like a doll adhering to distinct principles.


    Ozeki was of a different opinion. His whole body lurched like a tiger, his grip tightened over his spear, and its tip was turning into a wild storm of murder.


    His eyes didn''t glow too much, turning into a radiant murder of a maniac whose eyes carried a single target and task. Vein surged around his forehead, hands, and neck, guiding his blood like vessels of insanity.


    In a moment, he appeared bigger than he was, even though his squatted stance and raging Domain changed once again. It became like armor and weapon, while his body bathed in this glory where he used his precious Heart Essence, looking like gold tears flying around the Domain and his spear.


    ¡°So you won''t take the easy way out?¡± he asked. ¡°I hoped for it, actually.¡±


    ¡°I could deal with you myself if I had to,¡± Ceila said coldly. Unfortunately, I don''t care and don''t feel like doing that. Shame.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Blood Magic,¡± Ozeki uttered coldly, almost whispering when he made his move in a blink. ¡°Seventh Godmight!¡±


    His Domain almost wavered and disappeared when he swung his spear aside, rather than unleashing a thrust in a wild pounce. His body trembled and his muscles enlarged when his Domain cut into his flesh. Then, it changed again when he jumped up, grabbing his spear above him; its tip aiming down. He looked like a bow with a thick arrow, but tight and collected, ready to pierce its target with tensed back, shoulders, and arms for the bow.


    His muscles contorted within every inch of his body and armor, almost cracking, but this motion was enough and reached its peak. His spear wasn''t moving, remaining in his hand and taking his momentum. For that sake, he grabbed it with both arms.


    Ceila stood less than ten meters away, unmoving and giving him a helpless look.


    The spear came in a moment, bearing to push the world apart in the wild momentum of a ridiculous thrust. Seeking the flesh was a farce. To destroy was its only wish. Ozeki wanted more and more, aiming his most ridiculous powerful thrust that he kept in place for a whole three seconds.


    The spearhead was like a needle''s tip, yet suddenly, it grew like a boulder, closing on Ceila who hadn''t even blinked, yet it seemed the spear reached her immediately.


    ¡°No choices go unrecognized,¡± she whispered and snapped her fingers, gesturing a shield Paladin to step in. He slammed against this shattering strike that carried the Seventh Godmight, a Physique Technique that increased the Strength and Dexterity by a large margin.


    It left the user with an unwavering body that was hard to stop. The more one moved, the easier it was to manage it, and every stop would create pressure until one wouldn''t be able to move. It was a nasty technique. A true power fit for its name.


    When it stopped, this power would keep overflowing, until it would burst the flesh apart of any target.


    Ozeki used that point to his advantage, bursting in a way that he wanted when he stopped moving and let the power layer itself for another few seconds.


    Yet that shielded Paladin stopped his thrust that twisted the air, his Domain, and then, it failed, cracking when the Spear twisted its left side in a dazzling light.


    Divinity escaped and shackled the space just enough for the Paladin to change his arms, holding a sword in both hands and discarding the shield that had once served.


    It was a wonder why not focus more on the shield for the defense. It would be better for stalling, or perhaps there was no way it would take this strike, so the Paladin angled his sword and defended with a masterful move.


    He wanted to sidestep, for his sword was better than the shield. It glinted against a raging blood and power of the Seventh Godmight, creasing against this thrust, and pushing it away from Ceila and himself.


    He couldn''t move it; deflecting it was like trying to rip a tree apart with a pinky, or bearing with a mountain falling. The spear pressed him down, nearly stabbing his head and cracking his armor and helmet to bits. Its weight grew and grew and grew, giving more intensity to Ozeki who wasn''t moving his body right now. Handling the upper end of the spear with both hands, floating in the air, and feeling how his body screamed at him, he waited.


    None of them moved in the next couple of seconds when no one was able to make their moves.


    That stopped when the spear crashed into the sword after Ozeki shouted and forced his way through, stumbling the Paladin aside and hitting his armor in a wild screeching noise. Weirdly, Ize Spear bounced back, scratching the plates and leaving many scars when Paladin flew away in a straight line for hundreds of meters.


    Then his spear hit the ground, shaking it, and exploding the rest of the Seventh Godmight. Dust and heat became inconsequential when tremors traveled in waves, sand fused with the wind and storms, and blood cracked the ground around him. Accompanied by the best strike Ozeki had in himself, the ground broke apart and an immense explosion came from a single dot.


    It did well, yet unable to aim at Ceila, who remained in place as if she had rooted her legs and fallen along the big boulder not that far away, a distinct light protecting her.


    The dust settled, revealing Ozeki aside from his spear, breathing steadily. He drew the spear from the shattered ground and went ahead, unleashing yet another thrust on Paladin who realized his sword was bent and almost broke apart. He grasped his shield again and slammed against the spear, quickly moving it aside. Due to the loss of momentum, this exchange was no longer unequal.


    Ozeki didn''t flinch or move. He stopped, took a step aside, changed his grip, and made dozens of strikes next, striking this hurt and cracked Paladin who was soon without a weapon. Ozeki shrieked like a madman, unleashing his wrath and desires until the Paladin''s armor began to lose its shape.


    What followed was no surprise to anyone, although Ozeki hoped for something else. Expecting more from himself was an overestimation, and undermining the might of Radiant Paladins wasn''t fair.


    They were trained to fight against the godly forces since they were young, and they grew far from the Hells or the Surface. Some were the opposite of that, going closer because of situations like those, where they could descend for their duties or missions.


    They had different visions altogether, yet Ozeki made his thoughts like a beast and thrust viciously. Right when a glistering longsword appeared in Paladin''s hand, striking the spear away with unlikely strength, angle, and speed. It swung in an arc, causing a deep wound in Ozeki''s torso, and shaking spear aside.


    Ozeki backed away, hands trembling and his body wavered when he lost even more momentum. But he did enough and that armor and helmet were in pieces, revealing a uniform underneath and a rather stern young face.


    He knew how tough these guys were, be it with legend, reality, or rumors. They tended to hold back quite a lot because of inherent limits sought by Divinity or their descend, and fewer of their armors were able to be their chains. Weapons were similar, yet vicious. Since they came to this point, turning real was fine. Ozeki shuddered, realizing this one shouldn''t have a low Rank at all.


    His spear survived this strike without a surprise, yet his blood and moves halted like his Domain that was half-scattered and half-lost its might. He stomped the ground, overcoming the force that swung him backward.


    Ozeki hunched down, practically kneeling when he clutched his spear ahead, taking a deep breath and letting bloody mist escape his nostrils and mouth. This was his favorite stance since the tip was the spear''s finest point. Its range was unquestionable, unlike the rest.


    Blood flowed from the thin slice in his chest piece, letting thin and red streams down. It was his blood, yet Ozeki wasn''t ready to take this blood for a tool. He still had his spear, and his Heart Essence didn''t oppose him. It was enough, yet... not enough.


    ¡°As expected of the Radiants. You assholes are tough.¡± He said and breathed in again, readying for another exchange, just when that Paladin stood aside for Ceila, who watched this play as if it didn''t matter to her.


    ¡°Will you care for two of them instead?¡± Ceila said, flickering her hand to express the end of the remaining flank.


    The remaining Paladins were still fighting Ozeki''s soldiers, yet when Ceila made her wish, the Paladin with a halberd swung it with incredible speed and might, killing and pushing away dozens of soldiers like bags. When the other got involved, they wiped them in a matter of a dozen seconds, right before Ozeki''s unsurprised face and realization of who those figures were.


    ¡°Fucking Marquise... or, is it Duke?¡±


    The one with the hammer had a humble approach and barely swung it twice. Stumbling and upsetting this laughable army was surprisingly easy.


    The one with the halberd looked much stronger, as his weapon of choice was his primary weapon that was very close to spears in might. Its chopping and swinging strength was much stronger than a spear, but so far, Ozeki showed his thrust was equal to its swings.


    Probably. He doubted he could deal with a Duke, though if he had to, he would do whatever he had to do.


    Spears could do almost anything, frankly, as long as their wielder was good with them, whereas halberds could have various visions, close to spears, pole-arms, or even axes.


    The flexibility of spears was hard to deny, nor was their point simple.


    Walking to Ozeki in calm steps, a halberd-wielding Paladin pinned him between him and that sword-bearing colleague. It was a true pinch; a terrible time for any devil.


    ¡°Well, fuck me,¡± Ozeki breathed in and out, forgetting the matter with Ceila as he glanced at this pair. Then, he watched her serious and arrogant face and lowering arm. He had no choice but to regard this as his worst enemy.


    He chose to let go of David and Ultium, whose attitudes after Razmund''s clone died, changed. David knew this situation was far from satisfactory, even if Ceila showed her might, those crazy Paladins made their moves, and Ozeki felt even worse than he remembered.


    Murai still had Itrosh and Bagus. They should be enough if they reach the Ip''ur Mountain. Perhaps they might have to go against Razmund, though David had constant dread about Razmund, whose powers and history were bigger than theirs.


    Only Ultium might be closer to that guy, but even then, David challenged his preferences and no longer believed it. If Ozeki decided to be like that, perhaps their roles were different when he thought about it.


    Sacrifices. Oh, how he wished to pin him against this army, Ozeki, and Razmund at the same time. Was David so trustful of Ultium''s hidden strength and heart? He wasn''t sure because there was never a certainty even after all those years. He thought he was making a good choice, but it seemed like he was sending his boy to a trial that would make one hell of an opening.


    Razmund fought with Ozeki, winning him over by heart or might. That meant two different and very problematic circumstances, as David had no clue how he accomplished it.


    Devils like Ozeki were hard to move thanks to their life in the military, or godly proximity, which steadied their hearts into an accumulation of pride, honor, contests, or desire.


    Sometimes, all of these fused, creating a devil that had no bounds, feelings, or desires, or everything tamed in comparison. Some were open, hard to tame, for they had no need for that. Ozeki was old and his battle life never left him.


    The craze would form, leaving their blood surging for no apparent reason, their military strength would shake armies, and their martial prowess could very well be like their cage like their heart.


    David saw that Ozeki was stronger than expected, battling at least one Paladin on equal terms, while he began to feel even more threatening when golden droplets dropped.


    Perhaps his weaknesses were too much for him, or they were barely truthful.


    David looked at silent and disappointed Ultium, shaking his head, and looking at the pile of blood on the ground, wondering if he would fight these Paladins and win.


    He didn''t ask him anything, filled with uncertainty and hesitation, but feeling that Ceila could not be provoked.


    That left a pair of Paladins in place, surrounding Ozeki who was like a fly caught in a spider web. Ceila gestured the one with the hammer to her side, allowing Ozeki to have some of his remaining and barely alive soldiers as her last gift.


    Ozeki was sure that Razmund wouldn''t complain to him now, for he failed. Hopefully, that bloody human grabbed this chance and reached his target when he was battling for his dear life.


    This was already more than a devil could chew, but he would chew more and more, and even if he ended up broken, he had confidence in keeping his filthy life going. For himself and payback for that silly human.


    Paladins were the same. If they were in danger of falling, they could flee or use the finest countermeasures they carried. There was nothing for them in this place besides Ceila. Ozeki was just a worm that was pestering her purpose.


    Soon, the group ended with Ceila, a single Paladin with a hammer, Ultium, and David going towards the most burning point of this Province.

 Chapter 241: Interesting mines

    In Sector 45, Ip''ur Mountain remained unchanged in its appearance or problems. Without any new great visitors, Razmund had yet to come, and there was some shame in that. For those coming deep underground, or at a weird party deeper, there was some decency and impacience.


    In the Ip''ur City, a range of gangs, companies, and miners were making their moves, scrambling for information, tools, weapons, or old or new alliances. Hunters widened their scope because that wasn''t against any rules.


    Mindarch accepted them, while Levandis never stated anything. Rataratan was the same; he let this mess run its course. Some hoped to get more information about Bagus, whose sole disappearance into the mines ended as a main event for most Hunters. It was as Murai and Lisa predicted; they aimed at Bagus, rather than the unknown little charades that suddenly disappeared.


    Thus, many dangerous groups were teaming up and reaching into the various underground openings.


    Hundreds of new or old Hunters entered it in just a few hours that had passed since Bagus entered Entrance Five. Deep underground, in various dark shafts, mines, and caves that stretched far like tree branches, the journey of a strange team was going deeper and not one bit simpler.


    It was relative, of course, thanks to the constant moves Lisa was driving with her mind or a little finger, guiding Itrosh who held a bunch of maps in her grasp. Mines were like a net of dozens of large cities, making shafts big and putting them into systematic schemes and links.


    Murai held this journey like his mind, while his legs hadn''t flinched or moved in hours. He had a fine mount in Bagus, who hadn''t complained about this journey as much as Itrosh, who questioned how many turns would come, or how many crazy Hunters were soon to arrive. It wasn''t about how, or why, but when.


    Lisa argued that whoever could come, they were fine to lose themselves, or they would have to get to work. Either fleeting or meeting their demise in these tight and limiting corridors, Lisa gestured to a solid plan that Itrosh shouldn''t mind more than what was above those mines.


    Bagus had no issues with that point. Even after revealing his former slave status, he began to thread around with lighter steps. It took him by surprise, though when he felt those mines again, and even if he was large, he didn''t think he would lose.


    He was fitting just right to unleash his wrath without giving anyone a chance to dodge, while there were mining shafts of bigger proportions depending on where they were coming.


    But still, this location was a double-edged sword. If someone powerful came, hiding was more difficult, and Bagus and Itrosh should have some concerns about that.


    Lisa planned to disregard these fools by going deeper or into dangerous locations. She pointed to many deep sections of the mines that had no more Ultra Materium, so perhaps fewer Hunters would dare to go there. When she recalled Beast Masters, perhaps that was a naive thought.


    She kept thinking about potential places for a portal, with enough background, importance, and space. It needed to be bigger than some average shaft, or potentially remote, hidden, or abnormal to some degree. Maps should suffice, yet there were a lot of them. Itrosh''s hands proved their worth while Lisa floated right beside her and Murai.


    Some paths were clear, others were harsh in appeal, Ultra Materium, and structure.


    Mines shouldn''t have a portal. That was the first idea that Lisa believed no matter what, but... what if? Perhaps this one didn''t depend on how most portals worked or were constructed all of these years ago. Lisa got her ideas from history and throughout complimenting research of Lookish and Foolisch.


    Ip''ur Mountain was exceptionally ancient as one of the first mining locations in this Gate. Starting shafts went into the ground at an angle or straight down depending on the entrance.


    Then, many side shafts turned the mines into a steady image of hundreds of levels. Those went for almost two dozen kilometers deep, which was quite some distance when one considered where this Gate was and how difficult the underground was.


    A portal could be around the lowest points or on the ground level, constructed in a cave, mining shaft, a city, or some location that went a while back to the construction of the first shafts.


    That was at least the norm in most of the mountains, with some having portals very clear than others. Underground was rarer. At least for what Lisa assumed, which was bullshit because of this shitty mountain.


    In any case, Lisa was losing time and discovered way too many potential spots. Entrances varied, and what she was looking for might not adhere to any of the known rules. A master or some treasure of the Chaos Space would help, but it was too bad; she had nothing of that sort apart from Murai''s Token and its limited range.


    Unlike him, who had his Helpers on point, her mind wasn''t as steady as their journey. Their target could be anywhere close to the deep entrances, or not at all.


    None of them knew about Ceila, nor did they know that Razmund was approaching them faster than ever, deducing that the chances and his abysmal starting choices were blunders and his fault.


    If he had moved against Murai sooner, he would''ve gotten him by now. At least intercepting him, leaving him for later plans¡ªor anything¡ªwould''ve worked better than wasting time with Ozeki''s information gathering, getting hold of himself, or thinking of overreaching plans or this Gate. Hunt was taking its damned time anyway, and if he wanted to, claiming his prize wouldn''t be that wrong.


    Back then, not making that choice wasn''t a terrible alternative. Razmund was fearful of the consequences of Voice losing effectiveness. What if some questionable figures would move against him of all famous figures? Many should detest him and killing him would be outright blissful and similar to finding a massive treasure bag.


    That was part of the reason why he employed Ozeki as his Helper as his most promising move, and tested the waters by proclaiming his stakes straight out of the Helltrim City Castle.


    It worked out in the end, leaving him with fewer choices of going forward because Ozeki meant trouble, and time changed. He observed his target from a distance, discovered Lost Brothers, and almost nothing about that duck. It was both weird and good, but Ozeki seemed interested and talkative, so Razmund got some ideas out of him.


    Lacking information and worries created a changed situation, going up to the current reality, where all Sides were coming together.


    He shouldn''t have listened, not wasted time with Ozeki too much. His force did help; but not enough in his bid for time, recovery, and more suitable chances. And without any Ceila to be a bother, or Radiant Paladins in sight, not moving earlier was a regretful choice.


    Razmund didn''t even know how much of a blunder he made because of his current focus. It was a gamble to go against Murai and his team, which might not be any better or worse than he and Ozeki. It would suffice in the open Hellscape.


    Mines might be an issue for an army or too mighty figures, yet, it was something that Razmund was yet to know. A deep nonsense was there, hiding in the Ip''ur Mountain where his target vanished.


    Too late. Ozeki was spent, so Razmund went ahead without much of a strategy, as they either fled his mind or he wasn''t very good at them, regardless of how much he grew, or how much Uzbek taught him. Never was he so perplexed by the surrounding implications and godly problems, while other ones were soon to come.


    Mistakes followed those unprepared, overconfident, or simply wrong as a whole.


    Razmund wasn''t wrong. He was strong enough to disregard some issues and not weak enough to be wrong. It was confidence and power.


    Yet when the weight of some issues was far too large, followed by his own Side and things he knew or didn''t want to acknowledge, things got messy.


    Going through many sections of the underground cave systems didn''t sound any better, yet time was getting nigh, and the journey wasn''t all too bad. Murai took this rare instance of calmness for yet another training, for they might be here for a day or two, or even longer. He kept his mind sharp in any case, but with trustworthy teammates, he had his faith in good hands.


    He kept Shaping mana over himself, right when Bagus walked through a wide dark shaft that went deeper into the darkness.


    Itrosh was walking aside from him, saying that she couldn''t be sitting on him all the time. She held her maps and wondered if they or Lisa were right. Frankly, she was a better guide than Itrosh for obvious clever and planning reasons.


    Murai kept his Heavenly Shaping training in mind, and in this area with large-scale mana empowerment and recovery, his attempts were quite good and not all that difficult and filled with setbacks. How many human forces would kill for such an elevated, albeit dangerous wide-scale mana empowerment? How would a city or a nation feel when a Hell possessed this?


    Well, it wasn''t that hard to imagine it was a great advantage and a small curse. There were similar and even better and mysterious places with advanced types of empowered mana.


    For now, Murai held passable efficiency in Heavenly Shaping according to Pillage, whom he visited more than once in a day. It was one thing that was possible when moving and not fearing for his skin or heat. He would just remain unmoving like a broken doll when his Will was inside the Heavenly Shaping Manual. That was it.


    These times amounted to many days'' worth of training inside that mysterious space that showed and helped his development. His proficiency in Sharpblade grew very quickly, shocking Pillage, who thought his Blades were better than any Child he had ever taught. No matter the race! No matter the species!


    That didn''t amount to everything, of course. Pillage wasn''t some all-knowing figure, and there was always a mountain behind another. Murai knew some races and talents would eclipse his options, growing and focusing on one singular attachment and gradual, if not perverse focus. Those called maniacs and lunatics were masters without being one, and a sword or any technique or magic could create them.


    But if one wanted to be one to call their shots or Fate, one thing wasn''t enough. It went without saying that Murai''s focus was spread, thanks to Heavenly Shaping and influences that seemed linked and flowing much better. His unkempt Beast Core was growing naturally in its stability, although without any Mana Essences or obvious technique in sight.


    Mana Replenishment did its bidding, and it wasn''t very far from a natural breakage, becoming Medium Success Initialization Core. Murai didn''t like that too much because he preferred the way of Core Defying Fusion Technique. Then, apart from working with his Elements besides Sharpness, he was busy and extremely satisfied with Pillage''s legacy.


    Flame and Water showed countless flexible ideas, even if they were polar opposites. Fusing them into other spells, or making use of his knowledge, was possible. Then he had his Insta Cast or Surges which were like stepping stones to greatness, or like a step to a run that was full of spikes and unknown times. He shouldn''t be in a hurry. Universal Affinity was the reason why, so Murai began to think of his other choices because he had many of them.


    Murai focused on the timing for the time being, getting his Conjuring and Shaping as good and stable as possible, so any core of future or present technique would grow.


    Behind him, Sharpblades swung to one another, hitting the walls, or dancing like waves before turning to swords again like a mindless storm of mana and clashing light.


    ¡°Can''t you rest?¡± Bagus asked towards his back, where Murai sat like a duck, glancing upward at his Sharpblades, and focusing on them as if they laughed at his ancestors.


    He shook his head, waving a wing to be left alone. He was curious about the limitations of this technique and how well it could mend with some knowledge he comprehended. These starting stages were passable for a couple of tries, whereas making use of foreign or complex spells wasn''t as comfortable as he thought.


    For example, touching upon some Swordsmanship was tough, but that could grow over time like his Affinities, soul, and body.


    Pillage said that it was important to handle Elemental Magic with interest first, before making use of Force Magic. Alas, the latter was his priority because his Sharpblades were just too good to pass, and they showed the biggest results, unlike his Flame Shots.


    His Water had no spells whatsoever, but that didn''t mean he couldn''t create some ideas for himself, or let Water flow according to his Heavenly Shaping or his mind or core itself.


    There was something Pillage and Lisa said; focus and link, or connect Affinities together. Sharpness and Water were compatible. Flame and Sharpness weren''t.


    Sharpblade worked with any mana within himself, but using different types, or a fusion came with costs, learnings, or difficulties. Everything had some cost coming out of his Mana Pool, letting each Sharpblade leave its mark, while the magical technique called Recalling didn''t work all the time. Sharpblade wasn''t even fine with regular mana any longer. It would charge up with Sharpness on its own, and it was up to Murai to try new things.


    Could he let some element fuse with it on its own? That was impossible for the current him, or not very clever to try. Murai didn''t like guessing or using something problematic, as Elements and all kinds of Force were separate and not part of every magic. Using them together was a sensitive topic stemming from Epochs, eras, and countless mages.


    However, Murai was not a regular mage, let alone a beast, so he might disregard some problems sooner or later. Anatidae held their Universal Affinity with diverse visions and principles, guiding them like a curse and blessing, and every one of them might have different sets of Affinities, or they could grow as no human would ever feel.


    Pillage said it was a good idea to trust instincts and legends, and it seemed Anatidaes held their magic at their highest principles, which was odd. Murai would bet his wings on his beak that his body was a greater tool than his magic.


    Still, Murai agreed that his magic and inherent talks about Anatidaes weren''t simple. They were full of wonders and every discovery answered one thing or revealed dozens of other questions.


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    The main one was; how many of them were out there, and how crazy of a species was able to grow and live like that?


    Because of Affinities, Murai was focusing on improving what he was best at, which meant a better power for the sake of this shitty Encounter and Gate. That included quick mindful moves of his mana that mended fairly well with Heavenly Shaping, or various experiments and ways to use Sharpblades or his body.


    What he was doing before this worked surprisingly well as it was. Techniques that primarily worked with touchless handling of mana were like dancing amidst a current of the River of Manaflow overflowing like a big waterfall. That was Murai''s Mana Space and Beast Core.


    So far, so good. Their journey went deep, giving Murai new views over the Ultra Materium and the scale of mining of this place. From what he guessed, the shafts weren''t all that optimal for the portal, but they were a path to some option, and he swore to give Lisa no questions about it.


    The greatest chances might come out of natural caves, leaving fewer chances to slip, but that was exaggerated, if not naive. Caves, old shafts, destroyed caves, mines, or various parts of the entrances made many difficult choices.


    And at every one of them might be Hunters waiting for them. A single discovery might lead to a tidal wave, with even more Hunters coming for them.


    Thus, Lisa thought about them as well, guiding this group and ignoring the air above Bagus full of glittering mana¡ªsometimes Flames¡ªcreating light. This training went on for up to an hour at a time before Murai felt the limits of his stable body and trials.


    Afterward, he rested for his mana to rest, or comprehension or mind to acclimate to his discoveries. It was a relentless kind of training that he adopted many lives ago. As for the rest, that was part of the learning that he learned the hard way.


    Resting and taking a glance aside, he looked at Lisa and Itrosh arguing with one another.


    According to the map that Lookish left and Foolisch composed and improved ever since he got it, there weren''t as many methods of traversing these mines. There were some tracks, paths with wagons, and even elevators. Still, the optimal ways were various staircases, wide-open shafts of quite some depth, or ladders. This created all kinds of levels.


    There were hardly any secret passages and hidden secrets at the beginning levels under the Ip''ur Mountain. They were the opposite of that, looking consumed and collected, and some were bright because of torches with small Ultra Gems.


    Most of the useless shafts were left out dark because they didn''t have a lot of meaning.


    Along with some paths, natural cave passages were found while mining a long time ago, creating further complications in the maps. Finding Order in them was impossible when Lisa watched large caves intercept some shafts, which usually looked like rectangular or round tunnels with wooden pillars or metallic plates for support.


    Caves were generally much bigger than the mining shafts, often causing problems with managing individual levels by connecting them, or creating some problematic detours, or bridges to ease the process of mining or traveling. Like any mining shafts, caves had opportunities for Ultra Materium as well, creating excellent and already open layouts.


    Murai became familiar with them very quickly after hours passed and Bagus ended up talking about them out of nowhere and without asking or feeling his Will. He probably noticed Murai''s curiosity after watching hundreds of kinds of Ultra Materium veins, looking like glass, metal, or bright objects across some walls, looking too thin for mining.


    They would shatter to bits and would no longer be usable for anything but Ultra Dust, the poorest aftereffects of the Ultra Materium mining. Hence, they were generally left out, creating some thin glowing lines like blood vessels and making paths clearer.


    For mining, only large veins were usable. So far, Murai had seen almost none because of their rather low levels. Of course, Murai never forgot about his Token. They were yet to get too far into places with big chunks of Materium.


    Throughout the next hour, he found his time on top of Bagus interesting. The advantage of his elevation and having a mount was good, which he never took for granted, so he looked at Itrosh and Lisa as he listened to Bagus. It was convenient to travel, and that big Grifhart didn''t mind it at all.


    Sometimes, he shivered because of mana dancing behind his neck, but he grew accustomed to it as quickly as Anatidae riding his back or head.


    Itrosh kept sighting for the past dozens of minutes, taking these maps for an endless supply of torment, right beside Lisa herself. She was never good at complicated things like figuring out an impossible mission.


    Lisa was similar to her, though she wasn''t slowing down, giving up, or taking any shortcomings out of her mind. In any capacity, she was capable and willing to do things the hard way while accepting they were hard.


    The notes and maps were sometimes confusing, thanks to the intersection of many caves that made confusing rides where they didn''t know if they were in some mines or not.


    Throughout this time, Murai watched out for his Token in his pocket; it hadn''t made any noise or trembled.


    Lisa kept being a leader, showing her prowess and attention to detail and planning that she promised him. Murai felt nothing. His ideas were no better than hers.


    On the other hand of her frustrating time was Murai, who enjoyed the ride and pictures of thin Ultra Materium on the ceiling. Somewhat, it comforted him, as if there was an inverted endless sky up above, constantly shifting and glowing.


    The caves were quite beautiful because of their chaotic and various angles and curves, giving potential bright and flowing veins many intricate pictures. The sight of bigger Ultra Materium veins soon emerged, glowing even more, feeling even better or worse, and turning some caves into a day, if not heated hell.


    By now, Murai accepted their appeal and looks, but not their feeling made him somewhat odd and melancholic, if not tense. Similar to what they wielded, what they meant, and how their mana or laws within them went through many cycles or eras, Murai found them rather difficult to comprehend.


    Weren''t they one of a kind? What would even come close to such big and unique-looking materials? They didn''t feel like metal. Their mining was also different. They felt like part of the earth, feeling as if they were breathing alongside his own beating heart and core.


    Seeing light-based Affinities trapped under the earth was fascinating, and thanks to his Mana Sonar and internal feelings, he was becoming even more certain they were precious resources, and very weird for him.


    He could get behind the fact that this was a one-of-a-kind place on this plane. Some places had similar things, but not of this intricate and quantitative stance, hence explaining the exclusivity and monopoly of Levandis.


    He was able to see and sense their mysticism and clarity of waves, and as Lisa said, they looked old, various in effects, and like glass, hard glossy metal, or veins or window etched into the stone wall.


    They were impossible to miss, but also hard to guess how hard they were, or how big they were. Some were detached from the big chunks, looking like smooth crystals, with bigger ones often looking like waves of frozen bright sea or walls made of ice, glass, or flames.


    Murai never saw light-based Affinities in such quantity and endless supply. He wondered what created them, as they went on and on and on, without an end of feelings in sight. Extensive and without any spillage, they were ancient leftovers or creations of Divinity.


    He couldn''t guess anything else, but he definitely didn''t feel one bit of Divinity anywhere. Either it long seeped out, or... Levandis was why, or this temple was the reason for everything, these veins included.


    It looked natural when he noted their flow, but what was and wasn''t natural on this scale? Was life natural? Was handling mana like a tool fair?


    Ultra Materium was a vast resource of ancient stakes, and it must have grown under the Surface long before Levandis came here. Or it really had something to do with the Sun God that numerous beings mentioned, Mindarch, Lisa, and Will of the Battleworld included.


    In the end, that was it. The history and origin of worthy materials no longer mattered to those mining them and looking for wealth.


    A few times, Murai tried out to mine them, cutting and swinging his Sharpblade at a handful of veins, or waves. He did nothing even against small-looking veins, or some that could leave thumb-sized Gems behind. Either he didn''t try enough, or they were really tough. Bagus agreed with laughter, saying they were very difficult to mine even for someone like Murai.


    The basic types of currency came out of those veins with simple points to their size. Dust was the poorest. Grain-sized Ultra Gems were next, with thumb-sized ones being the third lowest in value. Finger-sized was a popular and easy comparison and optimal for most traders, usually looking long.


    Among finger-sized Gems were one, two, three, and four-finger-sized Gems. Next were rare palm-sized Gem that came out of few successfully mined veins. That went through mixed chances, ranging from near-impossible odds to those that could leave numerous great Ultra Gems.


    Mining was often unreliable and choosing a vein would create some differences like those trying to mine them. Those capable of mining held high hopes and tried their best, cracking some veins via technique, body, or tools until the subsequent implosion created worthwhile Ultra Gems. Sometimes, one could spend the whole day trying to crack big Ultra Materium boulders or waves without any avail.


    Thus, looking for good targets was important, as it was the basic motion one could try to improve their odds. Few liked how the gamble of the mining ended up, though strength and promising veins in large qualities and density carried more potent gems.


    The best were those that were akin to a mountain, shimmering in light of many bright elements, or dangers. Flames, Brightness, Light itself, or some Star Energy, or other various energies could grow inside of them, influencing the subsequent Ultra Gems that were part of some veins.


    When one mined them, one normally used sharp objects. Dull ones worked as well, but the need for momentum and the ability to shatter Ultra Materium was a bit harder in that case. Weapons were ideal, followed by special tools designed for mining. Those ranged from pickaxes or designed drills.


    In the past, there were also legendary daggers or small delicate carving knives, but Murai learned from Bagus those weren''t worth the effort. What was great was the usage of the body, or mana itself. Bagus didn''t talk nonsense; he straight-up showed it by smacking some bits with his tail, wing, or beak, creating small Ultra Gems in a couple of motions.


    Depending on the angle, width, quality, or density of the Ultra Materium, success described worth and work. It wasn''t about going deep. Even a simple crack of the starting layers caused implosion, which then made further cracks, and only then would Gems crack apart, explode, or fly all over the cave, or mine, endangering the miner, so some consideration was due in mining.


    Murai took this personal show with interest, taking Bagus''s flickering tail and beak with interesting use. He showed him what it meant to be a great beast, and their aspects weren''t very far from each other. Of course, Murai wouldn''t dare to imagine that, for Bagus had his weight and sturdy legs, and he was far from a duck.


    A lone head-sized Ultra Materium etched into a boulder exploded to hundreds of Gems of various sizes. One was on-finger-sized, with the majority being thumb-sized. Grain-sized ones often carried redundant particles, either turning to Ultra Dust or falling into many little holes. It was often too much of a bother to collect these, so they forgot them, creating patches of illuminating rocks or holes.


    Murai was familiar with most of what Bagus showed since the size of materials was simple to call and evaluate. Many worlds functioned the same way, making various ores, materials, and recourses easier to understand. There wasn''t much sense in complicating anything.


    One should know what one mined, sold, or bought afterward since the size would be universally acceptable across multiple places and cultures. That was an idea of the Endless Skies, a place full of planets and celestial cultures and societies.


    Murai would love to try the mining with his beak, but because of his position on top of Bagus and Lisa''s complaints to focus, he refrained from attempting that.


    That didn''t leave him disappointed though. He tried his Mana Sonar next, discovering what his weird feelings were about, and trying to become familiar with this material and the light that was becoming more and more prevalent. Their various implications poised as Laws, and many of such veins had stable and crystal clear caged Affinities


    Some were scorching hot, tolerating all kinds of Flames living inside of them. Cracking those apart would either explode them into raging flames that would either dissipate, or endanger the miner, or create rarer kinds of Gems with Flame Affinity within them. That''s where the highest disparity in mining existed.


    It went without question that protection and worthy veins came as a blessing in disguise, and many Ultra Materium veins in the underground were crazy and like charming caged treasure.


    How old were they, or how far they would exist until someone would mine them? It was impossible to say that because there were way too many dangerous and hard-to-mine veins. Some of them held specific and unique methods of mining. Unfortunately, because of time and their purpose, Bagus had no time to show him too much.


    Lisa kept this pair of curious fools at bay, giving them reminders to keep going and not waste time.


    They were still lucky and hadn''t met any Hunter. She waved a hand at the majority of Murai''s attempts to mine, while Bagus''s talkative voice or smacks of his beak or tails were fine as long as he wasn''t too wasteful in his journey.


    Murai learned a lot when he turned his wonders into a great source of knowledge. Bagus lectured him, feeling a couple of pokes of Murai''s Will, which created a one-of-a-kind lecture without Murai''s weight chattering into his head.


    It ended up in many practical lessons about these materials and mining, and Bagus kind of enjoyed the change of pace. It was comforting to him. Magical.


    For Murai, the light that was within them was immensely satisfying to seek with his Mana Sonar. He felt shocked the further he went, growing restless and kind of comfortable at the same time. It continued for hours until he was halting this desire like all bothersome feelings in the past.


    Then, it hit him like a storm when he was unable to continue doing so any longer. When they went through some places with large sides of dense and large clusters of Ultra Materium, looking like walls of icy light and brightness, Murai''s inside shuddered and his mind skipped a beat.


    Like a sun.


    Murai felt it then. A raging storm and gratifying sunlight. It was seeking him. A Resonance was itching closer than ever, and for the first time, he discovered a feeling of instincts and Laws alike. They were telling him to handle something mysterious without being specific. It was an itching feeling as if something poked toward his awareness, or coming from his depth.


    Then, his feelings, and Mana Sonar created the rest, connecting his body and mana to this magical place.


    He poked at it too, unfortunately, so that might have started it all.


    He couldn''t stop it.


    He couldn''t ignore it either.


    The representation of the Resonance and its feelings were way too deafening, trembling his feathers and core, and doing something he was pretending because of his shitty lives and circumstances. Unexpectedly, it was too close and savage even for him.


    Murai felt how thrilling it felt, or how good it could be to accept this Resonance and take this irregular occasion for a dream or blessing he felt numerous times in his lives. But this was still different and difficult to take on, for he had sinned and thought about something else. His body. His experiences!


    Murai didn''t want something crazy if he was already crazy enough.


    He didn''t talk when upon those feelings. He said nothing to anyone. None could notice it, apart from one closely affected by his soul space and time that had arrived due to a minor anticipated matter. Lisa realized that fact with a twist of her head, wide-open eyes, and a difficult and tense smile.


    She expected something else, or something crucial to oppose her feelings, or made her hesitate. In reality, it confused her more. However, the feeling she was sensing through him was much bigger than she had expected or considered. It wanted it.


    The Resonance was forming a terrific force that came at him like a storm and that was no stopping it. It was almost insensible, devoid of anything from the naked eye.


    Murai sat on Bagus, who didn''t know he was underneath a storming Resonance that began to link into an Anatidae after many millennia.


    Murai didn''t want it, yet he desired it right thereafter, noticing how his emotions, body, and mind began to turn messy. Feelings stirred and he couldn''t think straight anymore, which was weird.


    He always thought of himself as strict and capable of thinking things through. His lives warranted it, even as a curse. The surroundings were calling. The stirring sensation of the Resonance was stepping forth like Laws calling for their maker.


    The fact it was happening didn''t mean it wasn''t a time to take it or ignore it. He tried and failed, and being too stubborn was confusing him because he was losing his wit. The circumstances weren''t bright like a sudden Resonance, but the longer it would go, the harder it was to keep up with it. Then, he realized one big problem.


    The timing couldn''t be worse when a familiar noise echoed throughout the quiet mine. From within Itrosh''s pocket, a device started to make noises like knocks of metal.


    Lisa glared at her, ignoring Murai''s Resonance for the time being. If it went on, that was good. If it wouldn''t, then that was it. It depended on what Murai did with it, how he should take this for, or if enduring this call would grant him something or nothing.


    Resonance was a special merit that didn''t adhere to the Divides but to remote ways of the energy of the dimensions. It wasn''t like a sudden storm of Will of the Battleworld, but it was closer to the Laws of the universe, its beings, energies, and how its inner or external surroundings worked in tandem with reality.


    Resonance was a moment that wouldn''t come when one wanted it. It was like a shimmering threat of truths that submerged the mind with an endless supply of emotions and feelings, making one shudder in a challenge of the universe. It could beseech a very mighty message or passage, or pictures or end in Resonance like a gift of various consequences.


    One could be lost in this process forever, waking up in seconds in reality, or be within it for seconds with too much time passing in reality, shivering the body, or endangering the life itself.


    Lisa knew the weight of the Resonance, for it was a matter that created the highest rate of insanities in the Endless Skies. In the Battleworld, it was also present. There was no helping it.


    This world couldn''t escape from that, nor its beings. Similar to Murai who sat on top of Bagus in an attempt to seize this chance, she judged it was about time to take some drastic measures. He didn''t know what was calling, or going on, but she did.


    Why was it happening came as sudden as a device making noises. Thinking of this as something terrible wasn''t within her mind. Resonance was a miracle after all.

 Chapter 242: Resonance!

    Soon, Itrosh handled a mechanical device and activated it. Shimmering noises spread, looking for a source of a link, but it was extremely difficult and low because of this space, or something else. Somewhat, the long-distance communications construct connected, which wasn''t something Lisa thought would occur.


    Itrosh doubted it as well because this whole Gate seeped in chaos and military orders, giving information a lot of confusing ends. Long-distance communications weren''t broken. They had limitations and private channels, or it was Mindarch who allowed some to happen or not. Lisa didn''t care too much about it.


    The official channels and Mindarch were too good to be close, thanks to the curfew in most Pivotal Cities which took Mindarch as an essential tool for information gathering. Without him, this Gate still lived and worked, while most beings ended up relying on the good old scouts, hunting techniques, or some devices that might work or not.


    David called after a long time, either because he had no other choice, or he was ignorant of what happened.


    ¡°Hello?¡± his voice called from the construct, sounding low and full of shimmering noises that made his tones hard to perceive. The moment he realized connections were linked, he cheered. ¡°Oh, god. It is working! Shit. David here, and this... well, it is difficult, but hear me out.¡±


    ¡°Took you long enough. Unfortunately, you are still alive, I suspect?¡± Lisa asked, curious and floating close to Itrosh


    In the Scorching Light, David was running behind Ceila and a single Paladin. He huffed like an old man against hundreds of stairs, taking the heat the worst in this run. It didn''t seem to affect the front-facing Order, though at least Ultium was aside from him, keeping up with his pace.


    Then, he heard the low voice of Lisa, whom he feared and knew was pissed beyond any means. He smiled wryly. ¡°Well, one way or another, I know the truth and weight of my mistake and don''t regret it,¡± he said. ¡°Which is why I am sorry to call what I fear and don''t know, so I am sorry.¡±


    ¡°For what? Violating my work, or doing whatever you please? You... fucker¡±


    ¡°Anyway, Razmund is close. If not...well, since you are calling so calmly, he hasn''t found you yet. That is good, but he is coming to the Ip''ur Mountain! Take it for what it is; my failure, I mean. Be ready or hurry, and don''t think twice about it. The underground is deep. Maybe you should look where one would never look.¡±


    Lisa grunted. ¡°How new and silly. In fact, shut the fuck up. You''ve seen him or what?¡±


    ¡°Well, we killed the clone... So...¡± his voice grew solemn, half huffing and hesitant to include Ceila, who strictly prohibited him from mentioning her. Since she was so overbearing, he hadn''t said a word about her.


    ¡°Clone?¡± Lisa sighed, scratching her forehead as if it did something for her mood. ¡°He went that far against us to clone himself? F-fine... what happened and why should I give a single fuck about you right now?¡±


    ¡°Just take it for what it is. He went ahead and we lost sight of him. Ip''ur Mountain is a long way ahead and he knows where to go. In an hour we can reach you, but we wasted time.¡±


    ¡°You won''t come,¡± Lisa said coldly. ¡°Why? Ip''ur City is a mayhem by now, and if he came and you too, how could you go inside? An hour? Don''t joke with me. Take whatever loss you caused yourself, David. We are going on our own, and many hours are ahead.¡±


    Hearing that, David sighed in relief and figured this much was guaranteed. ¡°Mess is fine. Going down is fine too. Do whatever you deem worth it and don''t get lost.¡±


    Lisa slammed the device close, ceasing the communication away. ¡°That fucker really pisses me off! What was this message about, eh?! Has he grown senile?¡±


    ¡°Is it that surprising that Razmund managed to outrace him?¡± Itrosh asked, not surprised to see her flaring sona or anger. ¡°Not to me at least. He is strong. That guy. Ultium is too, but a clone, huh? What sort of worth has he already spent for this Hunt anyway? Ozeki and all...¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Lisa said to her, thinking of some other things and glancing at Murai who was shuddering upon a first layer of the Resonance. ¡°They won''t come. An hour? They won''t get to us in these tunnels in days and I don''t plan to accept this message ever again. Hunters might get it, and let''s pretend that asshole is helpful.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say. So, do we continue?¡± Itrosh patted the maps after storing the device back in her pocket.


    Lisa nodded and turned back at Murai, figuring this change of pace and Resonance were problems. Could Murai ignore it for the sake of danger, or was it fine to keep it going, or should she get involved?


    It wasn''t her choice, unfortunately. Murai was at the center of this Resonance that came from these caves and Ultra Materium, or it might be something to do with his Sonar, or himself.


    Lisa couldn''t see the origin of this Resonance, but she knew the cause. Anatidaes were splendid creatures batched in the glory of Sky Gods, and like their pets, they weren''t that poor. However, cultures and times changed, and Anatidaes grew up into creatures worth fearing, and in the Battleworld, they were demise to many.


    A wild grin spread beneath Lisa''s furious eyes, making her face strange. Murai was like a pit that was taking the weight of this place. Too large of a place, frankly, but she had no issue with doing this, for he was a much bigger menace than some silly experiments.


    In the end, she couldn''t foresee everything, so she gave up trying to touch him. With this starting sequence, she let the group deeper, continuing forward even with Murai being deep in thought, computing the Resonance without fully going into it because of his stubbornness and leaking emotional distress.


    I won''t lose... you shitty body and fucked up dimensions! Murai thought. I am my own master! You won''t.... do it. I don''t care. No one should because I.... am not a loser, or stupid.


    It was a very sensitive time. Thankfully, this place was able to adapt like him, and if he was in control, Lisa had no regrets. She was fine with this much force that wasn''t within her mind upon entering this Gate or temple, but it was a small possibility. Even when she had her fair share of questionable thoughts, she left him alone.


    Resonance was a matter capable of transforming, changing, and lifting any mage to higher ways, ranging from what the Resonance was about, to who its taker was, what was deep, distant, or close within magic.


    Could it be about the mana itself? It could implement and answer many wondrous secrets, or make one mind full, or anew. How mana flowed, how Epochs changed, or what else could charge mana, techniques, or Affinities themselves? To one''s mind, it went. That''s how Resonance worked, ensuring worth in a link transmitted from the heavens.


    In the previous Epochs, it was known as Tribulation. How it flowed, or how some spells naturally embodied natural mana, everything accommodated improvements and mesmerizing rules of Laws. Resonance was their whisper, but limitless and bearing workings hiding behind them. It carried certain visions of truths and ancient histories. It was always there, everywhere, hiding and touching those worthy of their piece. Like stars or Void, carried by voices from weirder places, one shouldn''t judge them.


    Resonance could be nearly anything, offering facts in insensible things, truths in false statements, or making up new Laws. It wasn''t against logic, nor was it within common realms.


    In the sense of new logic and touching effects, one could see reasons. Just a part of the whole thing, not everything, or it might be close to fundamental rules that created the universe. One would never know everything.


    Any Resonance was always about one thing in particular, rather than about the entire universe or lumps of fragments. One fact held its truth adequately, even if it was complex like living things or souls.


    It also wasn''t anything unnatural, as its way onward came from the workings of the universe, its mysteries, and the ways living things and their surroundings affected one another. Everything had its beginning since its creation. Resonance had its own as well.


    It looked after everything and everyone, bounding closer to the Laws, actions of men, views of beasts and devils alike, and mostly affecting energy itself, as it was fueling the connection between realms that no Gods would dare to touch.


    It wasn''t far from understanding the Laws by listening to their runic or ancient embodiments. Murai felt that in numerous ways in the past, which was why he was a little confused by this sensation in the middle of the bright caves and numerous comforting...well, he was growing to understand why or what was happening fairly quickly. He judged it as a small issue because of his inner conflicts, and he wasn''t sure whether he should cry or cheer, or what he should take it for.


    Was it a Light Resonance, or was it about Flame, or something else?


    This was a work of Ultra Materium that sensed his body or something in him. Touched by his Universal Affinity, establishing a Resonance out of nowhere, he contemplated and felt disturbed. It came with no costs, arising as if he walked into a big treasury and the other side couldn''t help it. His attempt to seek this place was it.


    And Lisa mentioned it, and he felt it more. He should''ve guessed something weird was going on, but he quenched it like always, due to his stubbornness and confidence.


    How it happened wasn''t always easy to understand. Most Resonances arrived suddenly: when the surroundings affected a person, when the person was worthy of affection, or when the connections and surroundings created an opening or boundary.


    Many mages could only wish for something and not expect too much. Such extraordinary circumstances, locations, or very high stress, would pivot most understandings of the Resonance.


    In spiritual histories and many worlds, Resonance encompassed the Laws, appearing incomparably precious and beyond them for their legendary status. They accompanied one another, of course, showing truths in their own rights, or helping or changing the status quo or balance of the Divides.


    It was about a connection between the outer worlds and an individual, connecting realms of any Sky with a deeper universe towards oneself.


    One could grow exponentially in this scenery, yet Lisa knew something about Resonances in this world that Murai didn''t. Their force, meaning, and status were different from his expectations. She itched to talk to him about it, but for some reason, she refrained from doing so, thinking that Murai was worth only when left alone, and the world might not necessarily take well, similar to the Resonance Realms.


    She forced it regardless, or at least hoped for a bigger change of pace. Or it might be an inevitable part of himself or his entitlement.


    Frankly, Murai didn''t need her words or excuses. This world had its Resonance, which was no wonder to him. It was a familiar concept, yet something shocked this body much more than his mind.


    This Resonance was about his body alone, rather than his soul or him as a whole. That was a guess as curious and doubtful as it could get. It could also be about his mana, or Beast Core, which was showing some weird things towards this Resonance on its own. Many secret details revealed that Resonance had its merits in training, matters of life and death, or high compatibility until some limits or universe would acknowledge it.


    It was mostly an incorrect assumption, as Resonance was a supply to an all-encompassing rate that was part of everything. The Resonance of a rock on the street could happen like a glimpse. It was there, on the street, thinly taking truths that rock was a rock.


    It wasn''t a Law, but one would get to know what that rock might be about, that it was sturdy, unchanging, brittle, or like a simple rock. It might be historic, hiding some ancient dust, bones, or a history of a much bigger rock or structure.


    That kind of Resonance couldn''t do much, and how it would even happen and work was questionable and kind of hilarious to consider. A person wouldn''t take some rock as something special, so it was a matter of perspective or subjective judgment.


    It never went that way for living objects, so what about a special matter like magic? In that case, magic showed its merits and links close to Resonance, with roots being in virtually anything special, ranging from the flow of the River of Manaflow to beings who used it.


    That posed an interesting question. Was it a Law itself that poked the rest like a Ruler, or was Resonance something that was happening on its own, similar to how the sun was shining?


    Murai didn''t know if the Resonance followed a person fallen in hopes, or if it took care of some judgment like some goons thinking they were beyond Laws. Laws didn''t matter for the betterment of the universe, for they could also destroy or make it worse. It could also be all false and Resonance was acting when it wanted it, like those that mastered it or hoped for the greater balance.


    It could be a farce. A factual logic of his lives stated that Resonance followed souls or individuals that were close to affecting the realms of comprehension, or others. It was there for those who were worthy of affecting something or stimulating the Resonance Realms themselves.


    And that something was as peculiar as anything else because Murai was unable to see his truth or sense of self.


    Casually adventuring on the brink of death, bearing fights close to bitter End, or meditating for half a lifetime. Those were often closing on the Resonance, though they might be also called futile attempts. Acceptance wasn''t a state between the lawful and living worlds, but through effort, it might happen out of nothing but luck or talent.


    What was the choice? Many inferior cultures thought of it as a work of the universe, or mana, or seas of unknown deeps. Murai saw reasons and truth in those implications and possibilities. A long time ago, of course. Not anymore.


    Many researchers thought of Resonance as going beyond the Skies, into the lands of Death and Life, traversing where reasons and desires resided. In some points, that was all one needed. What was lie and truth were unimaginable to conceive, as stories of truths followed some lies and turned the Resonance into mythical grounds when one couldn''t lie.


    Light itself could be a gift or point of Divinity. Flames might be destructive or warm in the senseless cold plains. Light and Brightness were close to where Flames were, or where suns or magic shined. Thus, such Resonance could appear and go in a heartbeat, if the taker of it wasn''t on the same page as the opposition or the Resonance itself felt a weak connection before its final layers. Like a trial. Like a continuous way of the Tribulation.


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    Then, there were higher societies and planets. Some considered weird guesses. What if the Resonance had its reasons for existence, rather than making gifts? Besides some prideful affections and sudden outbursts out of nowhere, there should be limits to everything like with Laws.


    Such ideas Murai wouldn''t detest, and forgetting the reasons for everything was the same, albeit distant like reminders. It could be correct, or remarking water for flowing, or mana living in bright and magical ways.


    Many thoughts flowed through his mind right now, free of the reigns, and glimpses of a bright place were like flashes of illustrations appearing in his retinas. It changed slightly when he misjudged everything and when one effect made his head and soul shake.


    The Brightness called. It wanted to devour his mind, clash against something, affect his soul that wasn''t meant to be, while his body was opposite. It was no longer about his flesh.


    Then, it turned solemn, as if the Resonance was unable to reach that far or high stability, or Murai was way too much of a problem. It was expected for one figure, and great for the cause. Murai kept his eyes closed, apprehending that this Resonance was between his Bloodline and Ultra Materium, which was all over this place, but not too close.


    He took a deep breath, and something within him was itching for it like nothing before, turning his emotions insane as if it couldn''t wait. Murai would laugh if he could, for this little puny feeling was squandered by his intensity.


    ¡°MURAI!¡± Lisa shouted at him as they moved through the paths that were sometimes narrow enough for Bagus to move through, or wide like a building.


    Whenever some large veins were mined, they left large sections of open space, devoid of Flames, Light, or Brightest, or full of little residues of Gems that crawled through earth like blood vessels seeking other Ultra Materium.


    Lisa couldn''t wait anymore because she felt distress and failure. It went differently than she anticipated, so she hurried towards him, looking at his body and eyes up close. At some point, Murai collapsed to his belly, pressing his face forth on top of Bagus''s back. His expression and face didn''t seem good, looking as if he overexerted himself, or spent most of his effort to squash a bug.


    Bagus stopped, glancing behind his back upon noticing him and her. ¡°Hm? What''s wrong? What is happening?¡±


    ¡°Wait a second, something is going on, but don''t stop.¡± she gestured for him to wait.


    ¡°Murai Hisagi?¡± she voiced to his soul; she was close to even flying back to his soul space, but that would be redundant, or unnecessary. Lisa felt it flickering like his mind which was assuming pictures of some feelings and senses that shook the Resonance and bricked the linkage.


    It clashed against itself or was it the soul that was a problem, or everything was turning weird because of this place or his origin? Lisa looked around and above, noticing how thin lines of Ultra Materium dimmed like flickering flames, looking color and turning into ashes out of nowhere.


    There were very few of them, though the big Gem in Itrosh didn''t flicker too much for her to notice. Murai would disagree; he noticed everything and shook amid the callings that were like a storm raiding his body, mind, and soul at the same time. It felt similar to the Will of the Battleworld, or the Battlewill, or what Mindarch or Villan had done.


    Still, this was an encompassing force beyond this world, so what did it want from him so badly?


    ¡°S-such strong Resonance? What is happening with you?¡± Lisa felt stunned, playing dumb, and feeling the reverberations throughout their connections, which was making her almost unable to feel his condition. What was the Resonance in mana, flesh, or... outside factors? It was an inevitable course of magic and charms of the Resonance that proved their ancient points. They felt like a wall that could crash when one was lucky or persistent enough, and one should cherish the challenges, not let go of them, and never forget them.


    Time was essential in understanding them, or when one knew the reasons for it or their secrets, that was even better. In any case, Lisa showed no fears, knowing that this Resonance would never cause too much distress against the one called Old One, yet... what happened?


    It was beyond her imagination. He refused it like a dog shaking against the rain, yet the rain kept pouring.


    For him, this mere state where a matter no longer moved along the Path of normalcy was like suffering worth blowing a candle. Calling it a natural intent of the universe was excellent. Lisa got it. This might have been bigger than some natural, but what had she anticipated out of him and this place? Ultra Materium was just a guess. Who would understand it?


    Part of her wanted Murai to grow quicker and move against obstacles or shatter all limits. Unfortunately, who she was to touch him in this way, affecting him when the universe was his cage, and his own soul was no different? It wanted. It detested.


    Sometimes, it endured, ending up worse than the ones before. Lisa was little in her form, fingers, and palms itching to touch Murai''s beak or head.


    Resonance had certain time relations to the connection and individual, showing sights of breaking or increasing depending on its internal or far-reaching aspects. Lisa couldn''t guess them as she was right now.


    If it went for a long time, it could be dangerous, or absolutely blissful. To take it far engaged awareness, prior understanding of Resonance, new comprehensions, precious Bloodlines, powerful Will, or strange happenings, techniques, or bodies that were near endless in the universe.


    Here, Lisa didn''t know what was at the end, or where the results missed their mark, even though she felt Resonance a couple of times herself. It was a highly natural phenomenon that could range from flashes to being lost in it for strange years.


    If a regular mage gained a Resonance towards their core magic, it could range from lost knowledge from ancient worlds, destroyed legacies, or logic and facts in magic that would shake even highly proficient mage. A flimsy mage could unexpectedly gain an acceleration of some specific magics of said vast Resonances. Even those at the peak could gain something out of it.


    Understanding which of them were truthful or logical was incredibly hard, though even in these cases, some Resonances bordered on nefarious premises as if acting on a purpose, or being alive. Or it might be because it was influencing all at once, transmitting Resonance from higher states of existence like whispers of the End or the New beginning.


    Either way, Lisa questioned their logic and didn''t believe them to be a blessing. Sure, they were far away from the Gods of their Paths, but logic didn''t always make sense.


    Murai felt tremendous shakes and tremors reverberating throughout his mind, shaking even his soul which seemed to take it much worse than anything. Frankly, his body and mana, Beast Core included, felt like raging currents.


    How? At the start, it didn''t even ache. Now, he was taking in this torment because of himself. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Something was abnormal. Resonance wasn''t that. He knew it more than anyone, so he wouldn''t acknowledge it was some petty problem or sudden arrival. He learned its secrets. But here, in this world, Resonance felt very different indeed. What did it want from him after all that time? Was he struggling, or was it struggling?


    In this matter when he wasn''t even on the right Path or power, he wasn''t that considered in his words or acts. He was weak; unworthy of something like a Resonance. That was his truth, always touching him until he was powerful in his Cursed Living. It never wanted to be something more, for he did it on his own.


    What was the problem this time around? What was strength? In many worlds, the concept of strength was simply tied to the universe and planets, or the rules or cultures. In some words, merely being a mage was like being a God. For others, Gods were mere citizens.


    Something shocking almost scared him out of his soul, making even his Robust Spirit tremble because it felt very personal indeed. It was a warning. A terrible consequence that wasn''t his choice.


    There was something far, distant, and closing, feeling like an urge or a voice that contained it more, or touching on the Resonance itself. That was why it was unkempt and life that it wanted to touch was better untouched. But could it do it? Was his body already taken, or the soul was everything?


    This Resonance was one thing; the trembling voices and distorted murmurs and light flashes of screens and weird places kept happening even when he opened or closed his eyes, and everything mushed together. It made his blood boil and bones cringe, similarly to his soul.


    He didn''t like it one bit, yet here he was, unhinged in his attempt to make it work because it didn''t want to stop. Murai pushed his resolve, unwilling to let it go when it came, and pissed it even happened. He didn''t care for it, though he felt he had no choice but to accept what had come. It wasn''t fine to stop a natural storm that didn''t want to stop.


    Flickering pictures once again showed some pictures, appearing like crazy bright places, wars, depths of stars, and universe, and it happened with clarity of the physical realms.


    However, in some instances where there was anything, he looked at his surroundings, noticing Lisa''s anxious and odd face. Her wide smile showed little to no restraints and something he couldn''t or didn''t want to guess.


    Bagus was aside from her, looking genuinely worried.


    Itrosh was aside, uncertain what this was about. Then she noticed flickering Ultra Materium and how her palm-sized Gem turned to ashes in a flash of light.


    Lisa didn''t want to trouble Murai with her voice since Resonance could take quite some time. His case might be worse. Hours or days could pass before it would succumb, subside, or calm down either way.


    Mana Sonar wave went through the passage as if alive, shaking Murai''s core, and jerking the dust on the ground, but someone without mana wouldn''t think of it as mana. They would take it for a push of wind and light.


    He wasn''t looking, yet he still sensed it throughout this place, running through the Ultra Materium, and making his Mana Sonar shake after he discovered something very terrific. A big push was coming. There was no running.


    Murai felt unnerved in his attempts as if he was out of options and seeking answers or trying his best to find a way out was a naive dream.


    It felt strong enough for him, like flame showing no shadows, or voice without any mouth.


    It was here, lost, and out of his range, yet he knew where it was because it knew it more.


    Following his fear, it was less than a kilometer away right past the present mining shaft, in a wide-open cave full of wonderful sensations. He wasn''t right in this regard, let alone in his head. He wasn''t sure what to look for, what was there, or if this was a key to get out of this madness.


    Murai just knew something was touching the Resonance. It was also around him when he thought about it more. It was implying a light out of the sun as if this whole world was trying to force the unstoppable from moving.


    ¡°B-Bagus,¡± Lisa mumbled, turned to him. ¡°Continue in that direction. We don''t have a choice but to solve this and trust the process. It is the Resonance. He has it, so... accept and adapt,¡± She pointed forward, directing Bagus to hurry towards a big cave around a distant corner.


    Most mines went on for a long time before meeting some cave. When met, it either continued in a bridge or hole towards the other side, creating some hub, or opportunity to change directions.


    No one wanted mining shafts to end in the ones at lower levels. Some mines did end up like that, inevitably reaching the same caves from time to time, but there were rules about their structure.


    Many engineers and mining companies did one thing: how to construct shafts and where or how to make them was a collective work of all companies and miners, and their destruction or maintenance was up to everyone.


    For the sake of doing the best work possible, Levandis herself made it clean and few miners would want unstable ways to go around. If the mining itself could be chaotic and full of fears over the mining, then ensuring its fidelity was fine and fair.


    Everything that came afterward was secondary, coming out of this Hell, so one might feel it was wonderful how it operated. The truth was, the mines were all in conditions, mainly linear and straight unless dense Ultra Materium stood in the way of their construction, and most of the mining was calculated and old in rules or dealings with Ultra Materium.


    The one before them was a long straight corridor with occasional lumps of open space of the past Ultra Materium at the sides, creating side shafts, places for supporting pillars, or nothing in particular. However, the further it went, the wider and taller it was.


    That went on until a wide cave stopped this mining shaft, looking as if the earth was cleaved with something large, but considering the natural points of caves, it might be anything. Stone and debris were on the corners of the cave, making this cave natural, yet... far from it.


    The amount of Ultra Materium was glowing in dense clusters of small or large Ultra Materium veins, seemingly resembling waves of the sea, a mountain, and hundreds of big crystals. Those amounted to hundreds of meters tall structures of Ultra Materium, and the whole cave was even bigger.


    ¡°This is...¡± Lisa wavered and snapped her little palm, grasping a single map with big signs. This was a region out of touch for most miners. Levandis herself made it clear, yet... where were guards, protectors, construction, golems, or... anything?


    Looking bright like a sun, the whole cave was immense in scope and elevation, rather than being down. It had a single entrance, creating a small bridge to the bottom of the cave. In the midst of everything was that kind of sea of Ultra Materium that took over half of the cave, growing large, turning in waves like a tempest, and one couldn''t guess what it entitled.


    As a whole, it was like a tidal wave, with many thick veins spreading around it, cruising throughout the walls of this cave. It had various dullness or bright parts, illuminating the cave in a dazzling show.


    Bagus came to the edge of the cave and watched this silliness with shock and understanding. ¡°Wait, isn''t this?


    ¡°Silence,¡± Lisa urged and tossed the map to Itrosh''s shocked face.


    Squinting his eyes because of the high Brightness and who knew how many other Affinities, he wasn''t sure what he was looking at. Lisa did not need it either; she looked at it with wide-open eyes, realizing the cause and problems straight away, and took Murai''s distress and emotions for a great target. Then, she snatched another few maps from blinded Itrosh.


    She almost forgot where they went. This silly place was one of the most discreet and out-of-touch mines, secluded by a single entrance, quality, and stories. Bagus heard them, and never thought such a cave existed, illuminating in near endless ways of Ultra Materium.


    By this point, they were many kilometers below the Ip''ur City, reaching mine number 459.


    Murai forced his eyes open as well, glancing at the suddenly stronger calls, and then, his Mana Sonar fell and almost snapped his mind in half. His Resonance was all so deafening in this place that he couldn''t do it anymore.


    But like with Ends and worse, his soul was getting used to it, as if stubbornly undergoing a baptism of his Robust Spirit, or he considered it puny to waver anymore. It was wishful thinking, which was something Lisa thought but couldn''t laugh about.


    He was always a stubborn fella. Always in the soul, and always suffering through mistakes or situations that were away from his sight. His living was the epitome of Chaos.


    The Resonance and rest of the stresses increased their persuasion, making his mind race and feel terrible. The tremblings and the flashes of light returned, rejoicing in more strength when some veins started to churn.


    He watched those strange flashes more, sailing his vision as if he were pursuing ghostly places. He was alone in this matter, unknown like the Abyss stranded in a sea of Light.


    Unsurprisingly, Will of the Battleworld, or Mindarch hadn''t expressed a thing, even if they damned sure hoped something like this wouldn''t happen. At least one of them was that. The little spirit of this temple was silent ever since he entered this Gate.


    Hence, who would pursue this Resonance, if this world was taking almost anything into assignments and powerful settled influence? It always felt forceful, yet this Resonance was different from many instances of that pursuit.


    They were stronger, purer, hard to tame, and impossible to stop if they deemed it so. They were even more forceful than the rules of this world, calling him as if his body needed it, or it needed it. His mind and soul showed the fear that he didn''t need, and he didn''t need it back, acting as if he was strong.


    It was wishful thinking.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Lisa said, face calling to his soul. ¡°I trust you, Murai. You hang onto this Resonance for as long as you can and don''t think about it twice or thrice. IT ain''t coming out of here, and I am certain what it is, what it will do to you, but where it will send you is another thing. However, any kind of their sight is precious like any of their kind. Don''t be stubborn! Don''t be a fucking moron!¡±


    Murai only snorted and felt even worse when her voice mixed into this madness, yet she didn''t stop.


    ¡°Whatever you feel is forcing its way at you, or within you, it doesn''t matter. I don''t think either of these things can move your Will or trouble the rest. Is it wrong to use it? You are powerful and not some silly goose. You ought to use every chance and meet no scruples.¡±


    Murai didn''t reply to her; he had enough on his plate and her.


    ¡°Some measly Callings can only do so much against your Will! You are stronger than them, am I wrong?¡± she insisted, speaking proudly and in confidence.


    Murai shook his head, slamming his beak against Bagus''s feathers, figuring her words hold some meaning, while what she was hiding was another thing. She led him here. She knew of this, and everything about these Ultra Gems stunk of something brave, insane, and rather... sensible. GODS! It was them again, and this shitty fucking body was included.


    ¡°Damn right, I am furious! Confusion over some shitty body and Resonance better disappear like doubts! And so is this foreign thing... feeling. I think I''ve heard it somewhere. Before. Calling? What is it in this world...¡±


    ¡°Family,¡± Lisa mumbled, unwilling to lie at this moment because she felt and touched upon what he was feeling.


    ¡°Family? Well, fuck me,¡± Murai sighed, figuring that his Bloodline seemed to contain some nasty results and things that he either overlooked or didn''t think about at all. It was in the past, while this occurrence had something to do with this Resonance. Acting within it, against it, it might be something worse because his body, himself, and Resonance began to fight it out.


    Then, upon this cave, the Resonance rushed even better, deafening his senses that nearly overwhelmed his Robust Spirit. Neither he nor Lisa understood what was going on with the origin of this Calling, but Resonance was simple.


    Murai could do two things: follow the attentive Calling that moved his Bloodline and its disapproval that was shaking his very core, or go against it and refuse it by accepting the Resonance. Going against both was hard. Murai stood up, glancing around as he regained some control throughout this situation.


    The first true wave of Resonance was always the craziest, passing as anything in life, or touching things no living should dare to mind.


    ¡°This has nothing to do with this world, isn''t it?¡± Murai asked Lisa through sheer terror and stress. ¡°Resonance... It is against it, isn''t it? What is this world, really?¡±

 Chapter 243: Troublesome Callings

    Feeling the tension and floating above the ground as if this situation was none of her business, Lisa''s appearance was small and light, yet finding no coexistence with the Light of this place. There was no Resonance for her here. She was outside of the box.


    She was ruining nothing, for she had her maps closer. The other half was up with Murai, making this cave wonderful and her smile weird. She was curious and worried about Murai''s Resonance, and her feelings about whether this place was right or greater than she thought were no longer false.


    How far it could go was the worrisome part, though the Calling was an authentic problem that happened on its own. It happened through and for the Bloodline, so it must be a rightful predisposition. Murai might''ve done more problems, either by bricking the instincts and all the possible Callings, or who knows what else.


    Until now, of course.


    The Resonance wasn''t the Calling, but it helped with something.


    According to her intel, many caves and surrounding mines below the tenth kilometer were very dense and clustered in many veins like these, making them good or impossible to take. This was one of the bigger deals, with very few smelting, carving, or mining opportunities.


    It was about quality, danger, and less about the size. Sure, it was mountain-sized, so the amount of Gems it could create might be worth a fortune, but Levandis never liked to gamble unless it was worth it. The purpose could also lead to the mystery of the Ultra Materium or this temple or Gate.


    Some unique underground portions showed matters of the Old World. They might not touch or involve a large portion of Ultra Materium. Whether someone mined them or not wasn''t important. Intent didn''t matter either, and valid reasons depended on the living things, rather than what had once happened.


    Lisa doubled down on some issues and believed some things must be related to the unknowns. For once, their portal and this Gate and mining showed some connections. Then, there was Murai as a whole, and... questionable matters of how it transpired.


    Why was he given this chance? Was Levandis willing to push this Anatidae to this place and depth? Lisa wished to verify this but knew she couldn''t afford it right now.


    Or was the matter of value worse? True or false scarcity moved the prices, so when Levandis had this sort of goldmine, mining it too fast would crash the market and those above. Many Gods of the Sky would love this sort of goldmine, yet it wasn''t worthy enough to wage war into her territory, let alone into a former place of a Sun God. It was part of the Somalis Hell.


    And very few Sky Gods would be willing to try their chances by waging crazy wars against Hell without any restraints.


    For Ultra Materium that was precious beyond common measure, perhaps some would find it worth it. What came off from these caves looked like a mountain of glistering golden flames, rivers of flowing glossy containers, and who knew what else.


    They kept glistering in bright light, affecting the eyes, and heat, touching upon the Laws and dozens of Affinities. It was scorching, influencing the air and gravity, and leaving the entrance restrained.


    The heat wasn''t overbearing like on the Scorching Light. It was a different kind of heat, as it couldn''t properly kill. It was more gentle, etched onto the Materium itself. What came off from them was a simple bit of breath. Yet that breath felt not comforting to most.


    Lisa had seen such sights before; looking like worth of lives and valuables. Thus, she knew these could belong to her directly, or some Overlord was overseeing them. It could be false. Some nasty figures definitely harbored some intense thoughts about these things, yet nothing and nobody was around to attest to it.


    This place was free.


    Not a soul was around.


    Lisa would expect at least some Mindarch due to the privacy and matters involving this place, but not as if someone could mind them because they liked to. Perhaps if Bagus had tried his best, some chips would fall off of some parts, but they wouldn''t explode to bits. This seemed like too much hustle for very little benefits because this mountain might have no simple cuts.


    According to the Lookish and Foolisch, such old and big Materium veins were here for a very long time. Numbering in dozens of caves on many levels, they were rare and intense in their light.


    The further it went, the more kinds of Materium spread, giving the mining much better worth for those strong enough, and leaving weaklings unable to grasp them. It was a wonder why no Extremes were allowed here. At least mining them wouldn''t hurt; they could store them in a safe location and slowly sell them, but Levandis had never done that.


    Lisa wasn''t questioning a God. There was no point in such hopes and plotting because there were much closer issues ahead. Perhaps these Ultra Materium veins were growing through time, giving no incentive to mine them, while what was within them was another story altogether.


    It wasn''t worth alienating it, making enemies of it, and taking it for a storm. It might be natural, that much could be truth, so Lisa considered it as such.


    Looking at it from a steady perspective, mining looked like a hassle, felt like a job, and ruled the laws of power and training. It wasn''t all that bad for anyone thanks to the capability of business and opportunity.


    Most of the deep Materium was dense and far too large in their structure, looking as if they were part of the collective waves that could destabilize everything when cracked in larger ways. A little bit wouldn''t do much, so this created a problem for mining, and overall matters weren''t that simple.


    Perhaps it made sense to let things be unless some special mining techniques outshined those problems, or personal techniques and tools would become better. The employment of drills, special pickaxes, or swords with enough precision and carving was the aftermath of that issue. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lisa and even Bagus knew them, though their matters and factors involved no regular miners. This touched upon what one might call stupid and reasonable at the same time.


    Tossing the maps back to Itrosh, who backed behind Bagus because of this sight and pressure, taking shelter under the shade of his wing, Lisa shook her head and flew close to Murai. He took this storm well, all things considered.


    Murai felt itchy, irritated, and annoyed at the Calling and this Resonance that was in control. He wished Lisa would be the same, though he heard her voice next and assume she had a hunch this shit would happen.


    ¡°I am unsure what family has something to do with you, but Anatidaes are familial animals, and even if their history and time are crazy, they do have their instincts and impressions. Though lacking in breeding, their individuality and every member is like a new star.¡±


    ¡°Didn''t ask for that...¡± Murai said to her mind, accepting having this conversation in this manner.


    ¡°Sure, you didn''t. But what do you expect? This world? Us? Do we even know what is right or not? And this cave is...well, I mean our situation is complicated for not just that. Resonance is what I guessed. I almost swear I''ve told you about it, but I might be wrong with the family part, or not know the truth. I can only sense so much in your present condition because of the Resonance. Perhaps it has been with you for as long as you are this, so this Calling might be natural. With you like this, it isn''t that surprising for shit to turn in itself.¡±


    Murai blinked as if golden water was in his eyes. Flashes of bright places overlapped Lisa''s face and sona, giving her and this cave a weird look. Was she one with it, or was the picture closer, while the sheer depth of the distant realm initiated the swallowing, but couldn''t finish it just yet?


    The reason was his willingness or soul. That was his guess; Lisa actually thought the matters linked to more than him, unknown, or that Calling, or this cave.


    Shaking his head, Murai wasn''t sure what to look at or get. He still heard her enough and got that she was a bit sorry and tricky, so he talked.


    ¡°This feels like crashing waves of reality... and I get it. You think I don''t? What have you been trying to do?¡±


    ¡°Reality that hurts. As it should. We live and breathe and some places do that more. Battleworld seems to lack some mannerisms and truth across the board ever since we get it, while the Encounter is long gone out of the picture when we speak about the Resonance or some instincts. Sure, it can help with some things, but what if it doesn''t want to, couldn''t do it, or buried it? Then, what about the family? That might be an entirely different story from the start. For once, your egg is part of what we can''t see, but it has been there. Who created that? How long was it in the Redglory Forest, or what is with your birth, soul, and situation of the rest? You grew up quickly, consumed food, and ignored something precious, didn''t you? The situation is nigh and closing on no points but my guesses. You didn''t question it, is that correct?¡±


    Murai slapped his head against the feathers of the ground, though Bagus didn''t feel anything. It didn''t help. Bagus was looking away from the light of this crazy cave, overlooking the little creatures on his back with some doubts and curiosity.


    He didn''t know what to think of these two when they talked in their heads, or one quacked and the other glared like a witch, succubus, or Fairy.


    ¡°You see no rights?¡± Lisa asked. ¡°Not a single message comes on naturally right now, or away. The world is in limbo. Everyone else isn''t, however, or something can''t be. Everyone does what they always do; take power and act in their own ways. Like back in the Old World, this is beyond this little world that you seek and live with. You are alone with what you do when you have to, while Resonance does its justice as part of this shitty universe, or it has something to do with everything, for it is out of the norm, or part of nothing. Rather, this Resonance could echo through the World itself, come and go, or make its amends. That is my hypothesis for this sudden party. Resonances carry differences away from the voices from above.¡±


    Murai blinked. ¡°Hypothesis that doesn''t matter even a little bit. Do you think I believe assumptions? I feel it, while you don''t but thinks you do and judge it even more. It''s almost annoying how thoughtful and wretched it makes it.¡±


    ¡°I do a little. Why not? You know Resonance like the back of your palms, but which one? They come and go, snatch things, or make things change, or anew. This one is... different from what you know, is it not?¡± She asked, curiously folding her little arms around her small chest.


    Murai saw where this could go, so he left her on her own devices and truths. He couldn''t disregard her voice when she was right, while what she mentioned stunk of ancient and familiar rules. He was the maker. He was touching this like a mirror, or bearing with it like strands going into another river.


    If the world was taking something weird like him in some questionable ways, he might not like it from its mere principle, but accepting it was feasible.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    As for the Calling or the Resonance, taking them for an outer factor was also correct. Lisa didn''t talk nonsense. What was worse to consider, and what was Lisa thinking when she monologued about some past? It wasn''t that far, yet Murai wasn''t thinking that far. He didn''t have to, so it took him by surprise when it suddenly changed and made him weakened, confused, and desired by something in some way.


    Both were different things; one feeling like the foreboding presence of the universe, the other a call from the Bloodline itself, going from him, or at him from far away. It was part of the instincts, which was something he grasped and quenched, or his soul dissipated it a long time ago.


    Jumping away from Bagus''s back, Murai attempted to fly but failed when he swung his wings, Lisa let him land on his own if that was what he wished for. Landing heavily on the ground as if he splashed into the water, he made some noises as he picked what belonged to his head and mind.


    Spinning as if the ground was the ceiling, he wasn''t sure if the light should be dark or vice-versa, but he made his choice.


    ¡°Fuck the Calling!¡± He growled and proceeded back to his feet, begrudgingly cursing his wings and eyes that seemed to switch between lights and reality.


    Itrosh and Bagus glanced at the troubled pair that was far from their heads or imagination. Both of them knew about Resonances, but they didn''t know the details of what drove them, unlike this little pair. They guessed it from the way Murai started to act and look. The rest came from this cave. Materium began to flicker and light and many Affinities started to rejoice.


    Bagus or Itrosh never felt it personally, yet their confusion didn''t last for too long. Soon, they felt an impulse of Mana Sonar coming from Murai, who was seeking the manageable part of his problems. Some Calling was fine as measly. It wasn''t fitting for him or his lives. It should stop and halt, making his Bloodline calm, body better, and mind steady. It didn''t, so he had to make it stop by force.


    Itrosh was familiar with Sonar or how it worked, as it had some familiarity with her Waves. Still, it had a more mystical way of using mana as a communicator with reality, causing physical and magical links to the mind.


    t was much more magical thanks to the Mana Core, which she didn''t have, and the way it worked felt quicker, detailed, and rather incredible. Who could process it, let alone push such an extensive technique? Masters, perhaps.


    Itrosh wasn''t that, though it still had some similarities that allowed her to discover how the Sonar drove the Materium into senseless beats of Resonance.


    ¡°Holy fucking shit!¡± Itrosh unwillingly let out, grasping Bagus''s wing.


    This was his mana that he was using, or to be price, the way of his Beast Core that came out of his Bloodline Evolution. Specialized mana-related surveillance magic that was capable of turning, focusing, and Shaping when one was in control. That was the Mana Sonar. It was very mindful, so when it was seeking something crazy like this cave, the Ultra Materium was like savage beasts roaring all around him.


    It linked into Resonance all along, and Murai hadn''t been sure about something until now. It tied into the Calling in a way, despite Resonance being its own thing. For others around, this place was just bright. For him, it felt like drowning fall into a new world; one that wanted something, and one that felt bright and menacing like the finest of hells.


    Sonar could accomplish a lot of things that eyes couldn''t. In his case, it felt like he was crushing his head into ten-folds, while the feelings of mutual destruction came from the cave and mana. Then, there was the Resonance and its precarious intensity that involved mana and him.


    Murai couldn''t see or sense the relations between everything anymore. Calling drowned in madness, Resonance came closer because of his terrible idea, while his Sonar and his Bloodline all mushed together, creating a mess that his soul either didn''t like, or one of these was taking this to a much bigger scope.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Lisa asked him out loud, floating right above him like a judging succubus. She indicated for Itrosh and Bagus to wait with their wonders in that tunnel. They didn''t listen; they insisted on looking at this show.


    Murai entered the cave, overseen by Lisa who felt nothing much from this cave, or she did, but it wasn''t apparent thanks to her appearance or sona.


    ¡°Shitty thing. I will do something insane and you won''t judge it!¡± Murai declared his will, turning his head in the direction of her voice. His eyes were spinning in light and whiteness, feathers were trembling like his feet, and his hoodie seemed to shake as well, even if it couldn''t be affected by these happenings. It obscured a good chunk of Murai''s body, if not starting to feel the incoming change.


    ¡°Figures. Then do it and don''t blame me for it. I will see through it no matter what, so let go of it and show me what you''ve got!¡± Lisa said, smiled, and turned on the spot. Moving back to the tunnel showed no resolve over her choices, but it sure made things easier for Murai, who had enough on his plate to see or consider her eyes or voice.


    Murai steadied his posture, back, and feet. He sized the cave from his small perspective and felt as if the heavens were approaching. It made him recall many things that came like thuds from his memory.


    Ashen, vast, and resolute, he killed and destroyed, and felt the weight over his choices like his curse. Memories were precious, hiding in his depths, and coming when he least expected it.


    He accepted it, while the Resonance kept showing its fangs like a waterfall washing over his eyes. He saw bits of cave at a time until the light became very fierce when he gave up halting it. Walking towards large crystal-like veins of glowing mountain veins, they resembled a different world by now and felt distant.


    There was nothing besides their intensity. Their insides were almost empty, but something fierce churred around the air of this cave. It heated him like an oven, and his Sonar saw the truth. It was deep. Too deep and vast.


    Unless one''s field of view was incredible, one couldn''t see the whole picture of this Materium. For Murai, he wasn''t looking at the stone or veins all that much; he got their appeals and watched how Materium seemed. It didn''t resemble ores at all. It was more like a crystallized matter of mana and blood, mixed with something ancient.


    ¡°History of Epochs, eh?¡± Murai regarded it as his steps halted. ¡°What or who died here? Or is it an aftermath of the Old World''s destruction, or it''s about this shitty world and its previous incarnations? Well, that might be false, or dubious from mere Epochs. Isn''t it one tasty grave?¡±


    Stone walls acted as weight, locking and remaining in place all these impressive veins. As for the ground, it was most peculiar. It had many little and dense lines spreading around the ground, looking as if lighting hit the space and ground, crawling around many stones or Ultra Materium as roots.


    The biggest Materium looked like a large tidal wave of bright ice with shimmering gold of bright colors. There were some of the best veins in their finest form, away from mining, or away from those that wanted to touch it, influence it, or make something out of it. Letting it be was one choice; the other was to make use of it, but how?


    Murai wasn''t even aware of what it was capable of. There was nothing in his memory due to its complexity or distance, so this thing might as well rot here because who would be able to use it? Perhaps those Ultra Gems were the only thing that counted, for this thing was gigantic and appeared like a gem made for giants, or... Titans.


    Something hit Murai right there, but Resonance created a new flaring object, ensuring that his mind wasn''t calm enough to wander around.


    Everything was here for a long time, unaffected by touches, or forgotten because no one was worth it to touch it.


    Perhaps it was lonely, Murai briefly thought amid his confusing memories, weird pictures, sight, and an endless supply of Resonance that was increasing the more he touched the Sonar. It was coming and increasing, arriving from almost everything.


    A big chunk of the Sonar increased, encompassing three kilometers around him due to the sheer effects of the Materium. This cave was the loudest and most intimate after he started to feel this Resonance, rather than be its taker.


    It slowly crept up until Resonance found something through these materials that desired and touched the matters of Light, Flames, and Brightness.


    One way or another, it didn''t want to leave him alone, which might be weird, because these minerals seemed to empower and link the Resonance and the Calling together.


    Murai had never heard of them in this way. Perhaps this was what the finest of Resonances were about, flowing into the correct brackets of reality, body, and magic. It was the kind that felt right, he assumed.


    It was as if the most important layers wanted to become one, yet his soul was the part that was shaking this connection, so everything was crashing at him like an angry dog, while the Calling was separate, yet part of it as well. How come?


    The family was why, Lisa said, giving him some clarity besides one obnoxious news. Anatidaes seemed like a big deal of a species, and he had family, rather than being left alone in his egg. That surprised him in a sense, albeit from Lisa''s point of view, it was inevitable and never close. Odd.


    Murai considered some plausible scenarios amidst his storming emotions and visions.


    The Resonance involved what was within, outside, or around anything, and the origin maintained. Some things were just meant to be, closing on Fate and what the magic and time allowed.


    Resonance was beyond that scope. Time or Fate didn''t matter to something that was outside of that vision, but it affected living things as well, even though it was something foreign, far from lucidity, and close to souls.


    Ultra Materium was a clustered magical possession, far from something with a soul and sensible way of magic. It was more senseless, still seeking out and forcing this Resonance.


    No one should take it for a magical event, or purposeful win. Its connection was like a lawless touch at present, giving people what the past deserved, and what the current Epoch required. Some did, that was. Some didn''t. What influenced what, was what Murai was thinking when he was seeking his answers, while his Cursed Living and everything about it was as senseless.


    Cursed, he was. Trying, he used to be. Wishing for it to be over was nothing but an unfilial dream.


    He guessed some reasons with his awareness¡ªthat nothing would come by itself. He should look and seek answers like the Resonance itself. Perhaps it was a good lesson or a neat little reminder. Or a knock at his memories that clashed against his reality, validating it, or disregarding it via confusion of New Beginnings.


    He was right about one thing. Resonance happened when a couple of layers wanted something much more throughout, before merging into one major craving. This thing turned him upside down, apart from one problem, or the Calling itself.


    Ultra Materium didn''t do it alone. It was mere fuel.


    Resonance didn''t touch anything either. It was the mere opening of those beyond it.


    Everything flowed for its purpose, guided by Bloodline, and the source that was Murai himself. This body desired this; not him.


    His Beast Core was overturning itself, flaring in its Affinities and acting like a raging beast. Sonar helped. That was the key. It affected his Artificial Core as well, leaking to the Beast Core, and affecting the status quo of his whole mana space. The Core Defying Fusion Technique was starting to crack apart. He should hurry and fix it, but how?


    Murai had no mind for it right now. Hopefully, it wouldn''t crash completely and both would survive when this was over. It should stay reasonable, for his cores were still defiant like himself.


    He got he was at the center of a big plate, surrounded by the hunger itself. He didn''t care for the origin of this Resonance, nor did he want to create problems that came against his knowledge or body. He wanted to have his life together. The kind that Lisa shouldn''t be unaware of, or he might be wrong. Perhaps this was what she wanted ever since she showed him those Ultra Gems.


    Back then, he felt something about them, but nothing too strong. Perhaps it was already there, as Resonance was a gradual relation and one would get more out of it the further it would creep.


    So if someone unfamiliar with it judged it wrongly once and left, Resonance wouldn''t happen and abandon this target.


    Murai could do the same thing by leaving these caves and going back to places with no Ultra Materium. Resonance would pass on, leave him and he would regain his calm.


    Nothing else but his soul wanted to do it, however. His body wanted to stay. The Bloodline wished for more. Ultra Materium felt like bewitching voices and pictures that wanted to come close, to the comfort he was feeling as an act of its origin, followed by something that he couldn''t get even with his soul.


    Not many beings in this temple would understand this situation even if they were right before him. Bagus or Itrosh weren''t understanding it one bit.


    Perhaps there were multiple Callings, one akin to a Law Calling, guided by principles of familiarity and an endless supply of rightful points of Resonance. The other was brutal and untameable as its origin was vastly different from the flesh and blood. When the former would bond, it could be blissful.


    When massive layers like these combined, clashing against him, nearly halting it all to a standstill, Murai felt like a tiny duckling again facing the massive depths of a distant realm. He watched it too, blazing forth and coming to get him like a beast¡ªwarm and blinding one, of course.


    It wasn''t a matter of luck, or extreme measures and might of talents and trials. Could Laws grand it in their perpetual rules and loops that guided many Paths in seeking the peak? That was false. Laws were difficult and limited. Resonance followed closely when Paths were up and above the norm, guided by teachers, or someone who was well above it.


    Were Gods familiar with such Resonances as their bodies and Paths were their embodiments? Indeed, yet there were some Gods who never felt it once in their lifetime.


    Resonances had their markers, but one should never be right about them. Perhaps the only source of some clarity would be the amount of time one would spend under the Resonance.


    ¡°What to think, what to make of this?¡± Murai asked himself, wondering if everything was the fault of his soul, Lisa, or his body, or if he overlooked something else. This pain, these pictures. They wouldn''t disappear on their own. Letting it flow like it wanted was next.


    He wondered if it was fine because the foreign Calling was getting intense, shuddering his insides, feeling like grasping his heart. His feet trembled, emotions stirred, and feathers shivered in excitement away from his feelings and fear. He wasn''t fearful. Something was simply taking two sides of the fear and bliss on the same side. That was his body.


    It wanted it, yet Calling was against it, going against the natural Calling of his body. Add to that his soul that this Resonance¡ªor foreign Calling¡ªhadn''t liked either, he was a lost cause.

 Chapter 244: Razmunds arrival

    Lisa glimpsed at everything from the safety of her mind and distance. It might have been simpler if he wasn''t the Old One. Resonances were fundamental regulations of living things and realms of this universe that were under the touch of magic and rules, allowing the existence of Divides, or it might be vice-versa.


    What was giving Divides their attention and power? Living beings around the Skies might be just tools, similar to the Divides themselves. Perhaps everything was just one large engine that had its cycling assignments, and Resonance was one of the pokes to make some gears better.


    In Lisa''s mind, that felt like the right guess. Murai would half-agree with it if he heard and knew what she was like.


    There were many secrets involving ideas behind mortal understanding, and the further a planet went in its living and cultural growths, the more special their lives and comprehensions grew. They would eventually get it, hit a wall, die, live, or evolve.


    At some point, living things could reach the scope to touch the untouchable, rising in time or close enough to take a glimpse at a more extensive scope.


    Afterlife was the core example of something that was beyond that idea, affecting the lives of the entire universe. Murai was also somewhere in that picture, experiencing his Cursed Living in perpetual cycles that involved something beyond this scope. And Lisa was aware of it.


    Thus, what ended up with Resonances, or what started it all? There might be similar happenings with many naming schemes and similar ideas. How to think of them was up to the advancement of cultures. It could be set by a religion or the people of those worlds, or unique events set by Gods or those beyond, or things further.


    Without living, it wouldn''t happen, yet in some places and events, Resonance was able to touch anything, seeking the truth of the universe and nothing else. It wasn''t about oneself, but fundamentally going above the scope of the word Sky. It meant to touch something one shouldn''t in many instances, but they desired it more, while Resonance did as well, for they were defiant, and the universe had to go.


    Especially in the Battleworld that was taking powers under its strange veiled and protected sources and readings, one shouldn''t take this lightly. Resonances were like a slap at these worldly rules, as it was happening on its own merits and far outside of anything godly.


    Murai would laugh at these fools; at people or worlds that thought of Resonances as some kind of perpetual scope that put craziness and dreams into their cultures.


    They were all wrong. Laws were familiar due to history, Paths, and people. Resonance was vicious, outlandish, and outside of everyone''s scope, but it was out there and closer because it couldn''t stay hidden forever. It needed fuel. Purpose. For a single person, they were something. For a planet, it was nothing. For them, it was important.


    There were so many common things among them fit to call mistakes. It didn''t matter for planets or people because they were both inconsequential. The flow of the universe would keep going no matter what. If something happened to them, nothing much would change in others. Something like Murai was the same, though he believed that some individuality did matter in some capacity. Only when one was enough, of course. And he was never enough.


    Some history or hopes of worlds or some individuals better take his logic for words or mistakes. He got it; they didn''t know, and few did. Everyone was just living to die and following the cycle like a fool.


    Alas, it was against his soul. His purpose, some said. Souls were things that were essences going against the physical logic, so Murai wasn''t right or wrong in his scope, but his ideas had a certain bias.


    Perhaps there was something bigger in some purpose depending on what one experienced, felt, or saw. Endurance was one way to look at living, yet answers to what he sought hid in places one couldn''t reach.


    He felt helpless.


    It might always be the same, unchanging. A rule of constant might and mysteries that ruled over the universe, Laws, or anything physical, or outside of it.


    Murai didn''t dare to know more or think right now.


    One flat foot went after the other until he reached the middle of the cave. The most dazzling part of the mountainous Materium was before him, glistering in delight and waving at him in intensity that would crash a lot of fools. Not him, he assumed. He felt enthralled and invited, so he moved because he couldn''t see it otherwise.


    His eyes were wide open, becoming one with the pictures that flashed, showing him a deep pond of a distant realm. It was coming, becoming one with the bright and pretty reality before him.


    He lost touch with what was real or not, accepting that this choice was one of few. Ignoring it would create more burdens, while Lisa seemed more or less fine with it, yet what would be fine if he stayed there for days? Could they keep up with the Hunters?


    Lisa observed, seeing the golden flow of flames and light that resembled liquids, stars, and some parts, made her rethink of depths of the River of Manaflow. Everything was a robust piece of primordial and ancient essence that underwent a baptism of pressure, unknown refining, and even more questionable time periods. Whatever it was, the crust of this planet took those secrets, and living took the rest.


    That was at least what they considered at the last juncture when Murai thought he had given up.


    As for the aforementioned Ultra Gems, they were byproducts, no more than an afterthought, similar to many kinds of materials. If anything was supposed to make sense, it was mana. There were many things with energy, and these veins were close, yet a whole picture and matter of physicality turned that into something very special.


    Lessening or increasing the effectiveness of mana was one of the core truths of magic, materials, and techniques. In nature, that ideal worked on its own, giving rocks, liquids, and air or space some aptitude for grade, efficiency, and usage to other things or living beings.


    As a whole, the value of this whole mountain was peerless and not comparable to an Everflower, but that was as hard to guess as this whole underground. Perhaps all Materium was comparable to an Everflower. Subjectivity in magical art and materials made variety. Touching or working with this mountain might work for very few people.


    Picking it from smaller chunks or making them smaller was part of the magic. Lessening the effects was good for beginners, while the whole thing was for masters.


    Its value fluctuated, its worth went up and down because of the mining rates and demands, and the consequences of this place were only for Gods to see.


    But here was his main catch. Murai had never seen this thing in his lives or felt something comparable. Ultra Materium looked close to some treasure found in some suns or places with immense flames or heat and pressure, yet it was wrong, even if it sounded correct. It was largely due to his feelings that couldn''t calm down, but he felt the weight and its waves more and more. It mashed with similar matters from his past. All because of the Resonance, he began to see the Light.


    This thing had far too dense clusters of matter and energy. He was sure it couldn''t compare to something like an essence. A refined product of alchemy, or something to do with the sun, might not be that either.


    The least plausible scenarios he thought of were a residue from a sun that clashed against this planet once, some hideous fight, or as he considered, Alchemy of Epochs.


    At the end of the spectrum of his awareness, one thing was clearer than the rest. Even thousands of lives wouldn''t be enough to see everything about this, but a couple of mighty lives at the near peak of existence might help. He wasn''t there yet. He thought he was.


    Understanding of the mana in its fundamental structure couldn''t be achieved in a lifetime, as more mountains were bigger than the last. It was a journey where a new comprehension ended in a new concept, acting as an opening to a new realm.


    A long one, sure, but mages and mighty beings could manage that approach, and if they couldn''t, that was it for their Paths.


    Lifetimes of blood and other sources of time and lives might give some mages more time, yet even Gods weren''t infinite, nor were the prior lifeforms before them.


    That was the truth, and seeing the unknown before himself, Murai was inclined to turn into a new sense of self and adventure. His Will began to flare up, becoming dull when the Materium turned into a cost, allowing Resonance to truly begin.


    He will take it for what it could be, or couldn''t be, and no matter what it took or gift, he would end it sooner rather than later. His Will changed. His Robust Spirit calmed suddenly, squeezing itself free from the pressure of the Resonance, until yet another Calling arrived. This one was brutal, angry, and seeping to him through matters of Bloodline like a curse.


    Using his Robust Spirit was useless. It acted like his Will, stubbornly refuting and outstretching this Calling away, which felt like ignoring the inevitable shouts right behind one''s head. Murai obliterated it in an instant, pushing it away, though it might grow stronger than the last time due to its innate insistence and refusal. It always returned so far. The instincts of this bond were incredible. Murai had to acknowledge that and get rid of it properly.


    These murmurs were only so strong as they were allowed to growl like his Bloodline, which poised as a reminder that this Resonance was as ridiculous as this Bloodline Calling. It was distant after this clash, until it returned in a heartbeat, annoying him with almost no stops.


    Who asked him to shake his whole being again? Murai hated how he felt squeezable and wide open against something coming from within him. He was the master of his body! Not some instincts and Calling that were echoing from far away, going closer than ever, and returning due to its natural touch.


    His bones creaked as he nearly took a seat and began meditating. He wasn''t willing to go that far, yet his body could do something else, while the Calling warned him as if he was stepping across a gap with no points of returning. That was false, he knew.


    Stretching his Will, Murai followed the might of the Resonance closer, taking this Light at its principles like a picturesque door and painting again. There were large amounts of everything bright or hot, looking massive, overflowing the Ultra Materium before him, flickering them all, and making them restless.


    Some parts of them dimmed, but it might be because of something else than its internal fuel or waves focusing on Murai''s locations.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    [Stop... Don''t...] Calling moved to his senses, warming him, and affecting his thinking, brain, and bodily functions like strands that wanted to get hold of him.


    At first, the change was calm, like a lake bathed in a new sun. Then the scorching heat overpowered everything, and nerves and his mind skipped a beat.


    In a poor sense of justice, Murai would have given it another name if he could, but Resonance was more than fine. Nirvana, Transformation, Bomb, and all sorts of names for this phenomenon would work. Tribulation was his favorite.


    It wasn''t far from a burst of a sudden recollection of Origin, as if those distant realms and comprehensions were always comprehensible, or within oneself, but infinitely far away.


    When it calmed down, it was a terrific experience, close to the exploding weight of the countless stars, or the weight of immensely complicated Laws and mountains of Runes.


    Murai saw the sea. The kind that was lighting bright, and he began to drown and drown, going to the bottom like a moon seized into the light.


    It was never-ending, wavering in some portion akin to waves, before growing like a tower upwards. Were there people on top of it? He wasn''t sure what he was seeing and what was trustworthy, but he had a hunch what sort of Realm was calling. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Was he seeking something real or not? Was he dreaming in his delirious state of effort and Callings? No. This wasn''t that; he was familiar with some visions within the Resonance, and some outer refusal was secondary. It was just... he had never felt this before. The Light itself was seeking him after all. He shouldn''t have gotten it. He shouldn''t consume. He should die and die again.


    Itrosh, Bagus, and Lisa took this little endeavor for an unfathomable oversight. It happened behind some of them. They had to deal with the consequences. Itrosh didn''t like it; she didn''t want to be lost or hunted in this place when they had directions to seek and do. Bagus didn''t mind it too much if he was honest with himself. He liked to see all sorts of stuff, and this one was the biggest surprise so far.


    Standing on a spot to do this Resonance was a time bordering on suicide, but did they know this, or could it stop?


    It shouldn''t stop, frankly. Lisa didn''t think this was what she had expected; she kept judging the sight before her eyes, growing light and storm eclipsing the Materium and little duck.


    Itrosh and Bagus didn''t know what to expect next. They overlooked the Resonance and what it could mean in this circumstance, as it was more like a passing knowledge akin to God''s direct touch of blessing, but much mightier than one could imagine. And these were absolutely enough for most Blessed, let alone some natives with single lives, so what about something bigger than Boosts or true godly Blessings?


    Any decently powerful figure knew what this was about. Resonance and its structural anomalies held an absolute advantage over everything else, and it was capable of shattering boundaries between many realms. Sometimes, of course. Some of it was worth fearing.


    It was almost as precious as some form of evolution and great success in Paths, or Godhood transitions. Most involved as many variables as a true change of growth, depending on the path and depth of it.


    Lisa thought she knew what would happen. What followed next shook the group and the ground and shocked her much more. Luck wasn''t in her sight, but something bigger was.


    Untouchable touched, linking after many Epochs back together, and this timing won''t be pretty for anyone. But whatever. Why? Fuck them. That''s why.


    All surrounding Ultra Materium physically moved as if shaken in their etched state in the earth. Tiny little strands around the walls and tunnel¡ªor ceiling¡ªdropped from the stones, flickering and flying towards the glow and creating new strands and patterns.


    Then, waves and powerful elements trembled inside the waves, shaking them apart and creaking a couple of holes in the mountain of Materium. An explosion echoed, letting what had been inside for countless years out.


    Then, the whole Ip''ur Mountain shook. Light became so bright when it escaped that only Lisa was able to see what was happening before her. She hadn''t dared to think so far as hoping to touch this much, yet they moved on their own, so whatever it was, it was too late to blink.


    She saw Murai in the chaotic Light, standing until he sat on the ground, overflown in mesmerizing waves that pursued his feathers, guided his breath and wings, and his Beast Core growled as it changed, and his Bloodline seethed.


    She felt what was happening like a bystander, speechless and wondering if she had made a very tragic blunder or if she should start to laugh.


    Murai was undergoing something very brutal, or something that shouldn''t have happened. His Will disappeared next, cruising to the lands and realms unknown.


    Resonance devoured him.


    ***


    Out in the Sector 45, Ip''ur Mountain''s hole and surroundings.


    The heat was as despicable as usual. A figure shrouded in a thick wavering cloak walked through a twisted air of heat, handling a Dice that trembled like a lost kitten, wincing and hissing for some reason, or numerous Fates.


    None of his features were visible, though he walked on his feet throughout the Scorching Light alone, shrouded by the shadows of his cloak and the dry air of distinct hotness. He hid and hurried, afraid to be caught by one hell of a Divine Party.


    A half skeleton above him made him quite eye-catching, as it followed and returned to catch his mistakes or curse him instead. Behind was no one. Razmund went far and beyond his options and ran like a dog with his tail aflame.


    Lint was back; he arrived after attending some task that he should take for his life. Razmund took him for an eyesore whose comments rubbed his nerves and gave his time unnatural premises. He didn''t tell him why he came back or where he went.


    Perhaps it was because of Ceila, or something even more nefarious, or worse? What could be worse than invasion and slaps to their Goddess? Levandis shouldn''t have made this possible, but so was he. He shouldn''t be here. He should be dead, repenting for his mistakes and trying to change his Fate by his own hands.


    In any case, Razmund wasn''t petty enough to take Lint for the air. He arrived at his desired location quickly enough, leaving Ceila and her group at least an hour behind, if not more.


    He feared that she and the Paladins would come quicker, as he wasn''t sure about their powers or what they were capable of. His little clone died off too quickly because he couldn''t think, but he felt and looked. It wasn''t made for him. Razmund ran away, fearing Ceila would sense him from afar, which was why he was using a special cloak directly against that practice, while the Scorching Light helped with obscuring even more senses.


    Unless one was a very specialized Extreme, no one should find him even within a kilometer, yet... he didn''t know the truth. Ceila might not have his Dice, but she had something much more savage beyond her.


    Stopping, the sight over the cliff shocked him in many ways and doubts, revealing a large mountain inside a hole. It was as unnatural as a thing could be inside this big cave realm. He never asked around and never guessed what was right. Visiting was never on his mind either.


    ¡°Why an Ip''ur Mountain?¡± he asked Lint or the Dice; it didn''t matter who would answer his needs.


    The half-skeleton laughed, his single bony hand scratching his chin. ¡°Why indeed. It is insensible but clever and simple. You should ask your Dice. Perhaps it will make sense again and give your Fate some proper idea this time around. It is wonderful how you fed it. It grew a conscience, I fear. Then, it got enough and it is like a mumbling mind of chaos and fed-up hunger. That is never a good thing in light of all Divine Artifacts, though I might be wrong. Who knows all that is to Fate? Am All bones without a shred of brain, while that thing is fed. I don''t eat, you see...¡±


    Razmund ignored his useless chatter, knowing there was no doubt about the Dice. It pointed down, right below the Ip''ur Mountain, and might have no known portals, but it went inside or into the city below.


    Someone went mining, he considered once, or was this really about some portal? Or was the target stupid?


    Dice had some disadvantages. It could point out some things or words, but it never worked that well in a situation that was far too wide or complex. For example, the previous Gates didn''t work that well for the Dice. It showed each turn he should take and not a road directly to Murai. Still, for some, showing exactly where one should go was enough.


    Mining was an impossible step in his reason and knowledge unless this was a trap or his enemy made a blunder of incredible proportions. It didn''t have that many helpers, but that was wrong. He missed one part because of Ozeki. Hunters. They might love his opposite Side much more than his for a variety of reasons, and he wanted it more, so he had to help it and oppose them.


    At worst, they were no longer here but in the next Gate. That was unthinkable. Dice would make some snarky comment if that''s the case, and his enemies might still not know about his Dice, which might be his advantage.


    Well, Razmund had his doubts about it. After all, he was showing it off far too much, and his acts about it weren''t the lightest. There was no helping it if he wanted to be quick about his Hunt. Dice didn''t want to be secret anyway, making it hard to conceal when it ate or looked for Fate.


    He had no doubts that Mindarch put a good price for his information, with or without any sense of black market or rules in sight. For the sake of the military, interest, and wealth, rules were excuses, and previous times before this Gate were the same. How much was it safe, assumed, or worth trying? A lot. He had to come and clash and make it work.


    Razmund used his Destiny Dice again, and it pointed down, knowing there was no doubt in Fate. His target was down, which was good and terrible at the same time. It meant trouble. Time-consuming trouble, along with many other things that he had yet to foresee. The city below had its worth and politics, and they wouldn''t like him there. Cursing, he snatched his Dice from the air.


    His status was kind of sensitive because of gangs, mining, and valuables. Centralis Kingdom took those Ultra Gems seriously, oftentimes creating parties specifically designed to steal, hunt for Gems, and mine, all for them to give up and return to the Surface without obliging to any mining rules.


    There was a useful hole in rules that Levandis mismanaged and couldn''t fix because that damned Lordis designed it. In this place full of fools and hidden wealth, Razmund should be careful.


    Ultra Materium was a treasure of the Surface which many desired for as long as they were around and limited. Levandis spent no small attention to let it be within her grasp.


    Seeing the city, Razmund had a bad feeling about it, knowing that Ceila was coming, and his target''s actions seemed incoherent, and his Dice and knowledge made him doubtful. Lint observed this Blessed and was curious about what he would do.


    So far, he had gained very little knowledge about his target besides the Helpers and some actions. Lost Brothers were easy to seek; even without Ozeki, Razmund would find out about them without spending a fortune or feeling difficulties.


    As for Lisa and Murai, he wasn''t taking their bounties lightly. They were bizarre and out of sight. Frankly, he was in the dark about that arrogant, beautiful lady in that bounty poster, and he never learned a thing about her. She was just there, following around, looking like a ghost and Fairy.


    Denizens said so, at least, while he did not know about her besides... the demon of that well. Some information clicked together after a long time, and Razmund still found it terrific and weird.


    All things about that little duck and ghost weren''t made public, nor purchasable under any circumstances. Denizens knew nothing either, while Ozeki lacked some assurance, or he played it dumb.


    For most, the mere idea and affirmation that Anatidae was coming to this Gate was enough news, and Razmund had no doubts why and how much news became concealed for a good or terrible reason. It was probably because of them. Sure, Anatidae was under some restriction, but the main point was history and their little overzealous Ruler and Mindarch.


    Razmund knew this place was curious about these creatures, but for him, it wasn''t important.


    He had time before Ceila would reach him, so he considered his options for longer than necessary.


    ¡°I told you to be forceful much earlier,¡± Lint said aside from him, clicking his bones and rolling his flames. ¡°My words back in the Helltrim City fell short in your ears, I feel. Then, Ozeki came and changed your mind and cracked some results in half. Why? Who would move against you in this world halted still, huh? Naive. You were. Do you see your regrets now? My words?¡±


    Lint argued, knowing that he left Razmund for some time because of no apparent reason, but not now. He was back in the final stretch of this Hunt, or it might be something else altogether because his time as a Guide was truly cracked. He hadn''t given Razmund many reasons and words.


    ¡°Are you trying my luck or patience?¡± Razmund asked, flickering his cloak away and showing his claymore''s handle, hand resting on it.


    ¡°Catching the prey much earlier would have been surprisingly easy, or so I said.¡± Lint sneered.


    ¡°NO! Lint. There was no need for that, considering time and this world and this fucked up Gate. Their Side. It got quicker and more clever. I doubted that and failed, but haven''t lost yet. This Gate should hunt us all. You said your takes from your perspective, whereas I would never take it from my chances. I made my moves because who in their right mind would take Levandis and Mindarch''s voices for granted, or expect a fucking Holy Party? Especially when my head is worth so much and my power is higher than my target''s. Many would move and know that my position is bad and dangerous. I am like a mad dog, you see. I don''t judge. I kill and move on.¡±


    ¡°Yet they didn''t move against you. Odd. You barely fought.¡±


    ¡°All because of Ozeki.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Lint asked, smiling.


    Razmund had no time for his shenanigans. He disliked the constant banter with this skeleton that knew how, when, or why to touch and say certain topics at perfect timings to piss him off.


    It wasn''t as terrible when he thought about it, considering he came back for something, or just to piss him off. Knowledge of this Guide could give him some edge over the incoming troubles that were nigh, while his status in this Gate was soon to crash against some troubles.


    Perhaps Lint was here to reduce some inevitable dramas or give Ip''ur Mountain some piece or an offer. If that''s the case, he shouldn''t be an asshole about it.

 Chapter 245: Meetings of dangers

    ¡°Ip''ur Mountain, huh?¡± Razmund stated, glancing at a massive mountain that hadn''t reached the edge of the cliff.


    Crouching down, he wondered where to start his course. Using the actual path down was far too much of a bother, so he jumped down, drawing his claymore and squeezing Lint''s spine. Guide screamed, panicking when he went down, dragged by this lunatic who jumped from this kilometer-tall cliff.


    He crawled with his single arm up, forcing himself to float, but to no avail. It didn''t work with the drag below, while his arm just scratched the air, and his flying wasn''t perfect.


    Razmund swung his claymore; its tip penetrated the stone of the cliff, guiding him down as he fell. Lint above him was just a precaution, as he was quite good at keeping himself alive and lessening his weight. Guide depended on their Challengers, so what Razmund did was shameless in his Soul Flames as slaps or spits to his face.


    He didn''t like it, but there was no point in resisting. Cursing and crying, that much was acceptable.


    Soon, they reached the pit of Ip''ur Mountain, right below the scorching sun, which kept hot air trapped there, making this place hell on earth.


    Razmund began sweating immediately, his eyes squinted after a long time of being wide open. He knew his fight hadn''t ended.


    Landing with grace, Razmund secured his cloak back to his bag and looked at the surroundings of this many-kilometer-wide hole.


    Around one upper side, there was a long road etched into the stone, creating a way from the cliff to the bottom in a spiral. Official road, he knew. It would take some time to get down in that manner, so it was adequate path for caravans and businesses.


    A much more extravagant way of travel was a one-way minor teleportation array for those who could afford it. Many businesses and caravans would pay for that, lest they fall down with their goods or waste their time. However, such minor teleport arrays weren''t that stable because of heat and maintenance, so they weren''t useful or common all over this Province.


    Similarly to this idea, many mines had rare use of those minor arrays as well, operating for multiple better companies who managed them at their expense and rare big hauls. They would work only one way anyway, either down or up, depending on where they were mining or going.


    It was to their advantage since one wouldn''t have to deal with entering from the very beginning or returning. Still, one always had to leave through the official exit and forfeit everything they mined.


    Surface Challengers didn''t have to do that; they could just give up and teleport out of this temple altogether. Some rare cases were Surface Challengers who would use this time to train, eat, and do their business in the mines, absorbing the Gems or using them without imploring any rules.


    Teleports involved a lot of things to work, ranging from a mage willing to work on these arrays to those willing to pay for them and use them. Some places or companies wouldn''t afford them, but here in this Scorching Light? Hellscape was one of the best mining locations in the Somalis continent, yet also the most dangerous and savage because of its location.


    For miners, less travel was a godsend no matter what. Companies had their quotas to meet and choices worth pursuing. With Rataratan watching this place, no troubles should arrive or look for them.


    Those who would do something underhanded would pay many times the price. Few things would go unnoticed, especially when these mines made up such wealth.


    A system was put in place for the sake of companies, who provided spatial rings and pouches to their miners as long as they were contracted and worthy enough to organize. Slaves had fewer such obstacles, as the power of the slave seals or other forms of ownership ensured good enough trust.


    The best companies even provided equipment to their workers and slaves, easier travel with arrays, or with wages, food, tools, and a proper work schedule. Other balancing factors were alliances, various trading, and ensuring no problems would arise from within, or against any opposing company.


    Throughout the history of this Province, it was said that miners were worth much more than some adventurers or mercenaries from the Surface within the same Level.


    It was mostly a gibberish of politics, thanks to the hellish attitude toward the Surface. In this place, spatial equipment and powerful figures were no longer as rare, but Surface had many equal, if not better places. This place was small in companies, frankly, and many didn''t know the terms of Mount Tai.


    Razmund wondered who he had to deal with first.


    Glancing to the entrance¡ªthat he saw upon his descent¡ªit looked as he expected. Large gates were protected by half a dozen soldiers carrying weapons and wearing armor even in this hellish heat.


    Razmund hated it, though he had no desire to leave his clothes. He reached them in no time, causing the soldiers to brandish their weapons and tense their bodies in shouts and cluttering noises. He still went at them, looking as if he was ready to kill them as his left arm rested on the claymore''s handle, and his right one swayed free aside.


    Guards recognized him right away and did one shocking thing. They made a path and let him in without causing any trouble. They had long sent words to their superiors, who would contact Rataratan or various companies.


    Everyone should be aware of the current situation, and how the Encounter''s both Sides came to their place. What to do? How to deal with it? Perhaps one or two companies would know, while Rataratan had yet to make his voice heard or make any moves. Mindarch and Levandis were out of the picture as well, leaving the low denizens helpless.


    Razmund''s visit was the start of one massive nuisance.


    Rataratan didn''t know about Murai, however. That went against his logic, as evidenced by Bagus, who left for the mines all alone while the rest disappeared under the veils of the unknown. They looked and found nothing. Down, Bagus went deep enough so no news came out either, and no help, scouting, or Mindarch helped.


    Time lacked purpose, and communication was slow at this point.


    So when Razmund arrived, the overall situation became complicated so much more. The moment Razmund reached the shaded city, the temperature dropped, so he took a deep breath, still held onto his claymore, and appreciated this city''s shade and work of many ages. Right away, he noticed bustling streets, which turned into something else when he stopped walking and looked around in interest.


    Many figures winced in their steps, stopping after recognizing him. Then, more followed, and some shouted, with most scrutinizing him before fleeing or hurrying away.


    It was a different picture from the previous visitors, who didn''t make things difficult. They increased them, giving Hunters more appeals and miners a new chance. Razmund met them.


    This one would kill the world if the world wasn''t spinning right. Well, their looks and actions might have been caused by a noticeable Guide, wheezing and barely flying behind Razmund like a homeless dog.


    Interestingly, this human Challenger was met with much more hostility from those who could afford it than in any previous place. Many miners were great, and many bodyguards and mercenaries were the same, hoping to try their best or find some hope. Many held weapons and stopped in groups, lessening the noise of the street.


    It wasn''t a surprising action, as Razmund''s Token pinned to his chest showed his status like his claymore or Lint. Everything had its meaningful glint in his vision, so this Ip''ur Mountain better survive and not take him head-on. Lint hoped for that, while Razmund did not. He looked at them, breaths escaped, rustling got louder, and nobody moved.


    It wasn''t a neutral ground for someone like him. Military or Rataratan could do many things to trouble him, as troubles had come.


    Considering the Surface and how the numerous histories and fights between the Hells and the Surface went, humans were lowlifes to demons. An inferior race, although that was far from the truth. Everyone thought of the other as worse.


    Prejudice was a very potent weapon that was older than this world, going for generations and planets far away. Razmund had seen it in numerous ways from his last or current life.


    Some things were unavoidable, and whatever the deal with this world was, he adapted, overcame many insane instances, and grew up in this mess. His past was like a fever dream. His claymore was his only remedy.


    When it came to the many Depths, it was neither a problem nor a blissful realm for people or demons. They were true neutral grounds where nothing and all was fair and chaotic. It was a place for no wide troubles, for there were tests, trials, and Dungeons to be looted. The Depths ate and crushed any visitors.


    Yet Razmund bet he could enter just fine if he was clever about it or not bother with the remnants of some rules or new rules. He did so numerous times, so he thought of an oath that he wasn''t here for mining.


    He was naive, not knowing that no one would listen to him. Mindarch didn''t for sure. It was reasonable because he arrived at a rather terrible time. His visit was far from a big deal in his opinion, yet his status was opposite to his hope or for those of this city.


    Rules under Rataratan were firm, and Hunt was even better, guiding steps and ideas Razmund was certain about.


    They stopped him. A group of nearly a hundred fools from numerous gangs brandished their weapons and looked at him with greed.


    ¡°Who do we have here? How do we greet this, in this place?¡± Razmund said, letting his claymore hit the ground as he drew it and rested both palms on the tip of the handle. He gave no care for small fries, though his stance was stable and unmoving like his eyes, and he would give them what they asked. If they attacked. If not...


    They attacked straight away; Orcuns swung their maces or axes, various demonics skillfully crated formations while holding spears and shields or wands, and there were even some mercenaries with bows and magic, aiming or Shaping for the time being, lest they attack others in the incoming melee.


    They didn''t care for Lint. No one did for now. Everyone had eyes on the Token, and their numbers became their greatest hope.


    Razmund swung his claymore, clashing against the starting groups of Orcuns. Their bodies were firm and tall, looking like small boulders with thick arms and small heads. Their weight and power were exceptional but tame and laughable when compared to Zao.


    Razmund went ahead, using claymore''s range for his advantage, and his arms tensed up and flexed, flaring in speed and slices as he moved. Since they didn''t seem to care for anything, he didn''t either. Some manners had to come with a price, so Razmund unleashed his Flying Steps.


    Forward and back, his Steps went in many routes and leaps toward some houses and walls, giving his speed and momentum advantage in limited crowded space. As he flew and leaped, his claymore moved alongside him, creating cuts and waves of mana behind.


    He wasn''t using any Dance for now; his Sharpness and mana were enough on their own, while his Intent was trying to seep in as well. His enemies couldn''t move within his speed and acrobatics, and every Step and cut crushed several foes.


    He cut and cut, looking as if his mere flight cut things apart. Until blood flowed to the streets and demons dropped lifelessly, cut in pieces, or stabbed and kicked, he didn''t stop.


    Nearly half of the groups scavenged for their lost pride, either leaving this street or forcing themselves onto Razmund at their last stand.


    In a minute, the street was empty.


    ¡°Who were those guys again?¡± Razmund asked Lint as he stopped his Steps, swinging his claymore to the air to make it clean.


    ¡°You are ridiculous,¡± Ling mumbled, still going over his previous flight experience. He didn''t care for some gangs; he knew clowns would attack him when he was so far open and offered, and these didn''t care for some peace or deals. They were like grass. They didn''t attack him before because Razmund was away from their choices, aiming at others, or being careful.


    Since when there was time for doubts, could there be more powerful gangs willing to avenge them? It sounded wrong because it was wrong; no one would think or play like this. Everyone was thinking for themselves.


    ¡°What are you planning with this place anyway? Don''t stir too much trouble, I say. Rataratan won''t like it.¡± Lint argued.


    ¡°Rataratan? Don''t give a fuck about some owner of this place, let alone devil or demonic assholes. I am here for my business. Not theirs, so they shouldn''t care for mine.¡±


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Obviously, you don''t think that is correct. Your Token, asshole. Don''t forget you are Hunted and being unreasonable.¡± Lint sighed, noticing some shadows beside some streets and windows that caught his attention. At last, they moved. Lint scowled inside and hoped this wouldn''t end up poorly. They were fast, hiding and making no sounds.


    ¡°Military is clever, right?¡± Razmund asked the street. ¡°Not as if some gangs know much since even a military could be just a name for a gang. It is the same on the Surface. Here? It is just larger and not different.¡±


    Nobody answered. Everyone fled for their lives, apart from some lurking shadowy figures that didn''t flinch or flee.


    Then, someone moved.


    In his full glory and ridiculous entrance, a thud echoed from high above, hitting the street afterward. A figure landed before Razmund, looking tall, menacing, and bloody. His bare, long hands held some blood, looking kind of thin, yet shredded with muscles and contorted skin of many years of torturous training and killing.


    ¡°Oh, who might yo...¡± Razmund spoke, half impressed and not surprised to see some boss move. That went on until Lint bumped him from behind, and he stumbled, his face hitting the ground.


    ¡°Rataratan! Good to see you.¡± Lint laughed and went ahead, greeting the boss of this place. He found fingers closing on his sockets straight away, snapping and chopping deeper, or was that just a feeling? His skull was unfathomable, and Rataratan wouldn''t dare to break it.


    Rataratan caught him anyway, snatching him close to his three-meter tall size and rather thick and vicious head. Looking at his Soul Flames, he had many wonders and ideas in mind.


    A pair of horns were on each side of Rataratan''s scalp, curving forward, enunciating the ashen skin, red eyes, and bare upper body full of dense, yet small muscles. His feet were bare, devoid of protection apart from surging waves of blood all over them. His trousers were his only clothes, as being naked wasn''t something a boss of this mountain could do.


    ¡°Lint?¡± Rataratan asked in an uncharacteristically young voice. ¡°I took you for someone clever to trouble me again, but here you go, causing a ruckus and where... or, why, and with whom?! Wait, what is it about? Why are you here, in Hellscape?¡±


    Teeth clattering, Lint laughed back, finding his chances laughably small like appeasing this devil. He was stubborn, yet very attached to the valuables that Levandis liked, so there was a way to haggle with this devil. It was almost shocking, considering Murai came here, and Lint knew that Levandis was very curious about that duck.


    Lint found it shocking that Rataratan hadn''t done anything to the opposite Side at all. Perhaps Levandis forbade him from doing so, or that Side made some unexpected moves instead. He probably underestimated Lost Brothers as well. It wasn''t just about Ultium, it seemed.


    ¡°You see, Razmund is my ticket and responsibility, so his prosperity and purpose are close to mine as well. We share it like a drink, you see. You don''t have to be too savage, Rataratan. Whoever attacks him, he is fine to fight back regardless of anything anymore. Those gangs did this to themselves.¡±


    ¡°Can I do something about it? Can''t I grit my teeth and shove my arm down his throat?¡± Rataratan asked in wonder and sudden frown. He heard the truth in Lint, whom he seemed to have a history with.


    ¡°Extremes should know what to do and when. Who are you again? I don''t know when, but this business isn''t yours.¡±


    Rataratan scowled and swung his wrist, sending Lint flying to Razmund, who got to his feet just to stumble away again. This time, he expected it, so his footing was better, and he caught Lint.


    ¡°Listen,¡± Rataratan poised within his special Domain, looking like a bloody river guided over his body like a piece of scarf, stream, or silk. He pointed at Razmund, eyes gleaming and voice turning a little crisper and deeper, though not much. ¡°I am the owner here. Who are you here for? Your targets? My treasures? They are not here for you, so what are you here for, troublemaker?¡±


    ¡°Bullshit,¡± Razmund said as he got up, forced Lint aside as he grasped his skull. Claymore itched; his Steps were ready, but for what? What was before him was a bigger threat than his teacher and master. ¡°There is no one who would decline my advance and path without paying some price. You, dear Extreme, aren''t worth giving this some guidance. You won''t do shit.¡±


    ¡°Oh, not me?¡± Rataratan lowered his arm and clapped.


    In a moment, dozens of figures in red blood armor surrounded the street, all looking as strong as Ozeki in appearance, with few being as strong as him in actual practice. Not everyone was a devil, though everyone looked identical apart from sizes or curves.


    That calmed Razmund immediately. He brandished his claymore aside and tossed Lint forward. ¡°Deal with this shit if you think you can. I have my purpose and that isn''t to fight or trouble you, right? If that''s the case, deal with it too.¡±


    Lint cursed out loud and wished Razmund wouldn''t be this crazy.


    ¡°We want your Token, so?¡± one of the figures in red said, speaking in a soft female voice that carried enchanting properties. The voice flew, yet Razmund swung his arm, pointed his Claymore at that figure, and threatened her.


    ¡°You want to touch me?¡±


    Rataratan clapped his hands again. ¡°Now, now. Calm down. I stated no business yet, apart from giving you a statement with my men.¡±


    ¡°And that is?¡± Razmund asked.


    ¡°What is your business here?¡±


    ¡°Catch my prey.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡±


    ¡°Not your business.¡±


    Lint shouted, clasping his hand over his forehead. ¡°You damned lunatics! Can''t everyone see some mess over this situation? Why is everyone so damned stupid?¡±


    ¡°Stupid?¡± Rataratan piqued his brows. ¡°Everyone wants a piece of something for benefits. I won''t stop those who want it, but this is different. Test, perhaps? No. A wall, it is. This Blessed is a Villain.¡±


    Lint pointed at him with his single arm, flowing forward until he was face to face with him. Razmund remained standing, unwilling to try himself against this group of greater talents of the first or second Legions. These were the mainstays of lower ages and upper talents of these armies, obvious by growth, their armor, and experience.


    They would slaughter him unless he would chop them first, and that was false. He would probably cut into five of them before being unable to think straight. Then, things would get really difficult. For them, of course.


    Razmund didn''t need that unless he felt judged, caged, or stopped without any other choice. He had Lint, and there were some ways to disregard this completely. Rataratan shouldn''t get involved.


    ¡°You,¡± Lint said, ¡°are not fine in the head. Everyone wants some benefits, but this guy wants death and his prey. Not trouble that would crash your men. It isn''t worth to try it. You should let go of it and let him in.¡±


    ¡°We aren''t a gang, Lint,¡± Rataratan reminded him, feeling hurt in pride. ¡°We are an army. These are different things from your kin.¡±


    Lint lowered his finger and wished to assess his position better in proper body, but felt no choice. ¡°You will put up with nothing. Nothing, I tell.¡±


    ¡°Who are you to tell this to us, Guide!?¡± a bulky warrior said, slapping a huge halberd to the ground and speaking as he looked: big in strides and loud in style.


    Lint snapped at this small giant. ¡°You wanna die this much, eh? Just for one of you to get that Token? Nay. You would die in three moves, idiot. Shut the fuck up, in fact.¡±


    ¡°We will have turns.¡± the bulky warriors argued after a moment of silence. Others argued back, saying how they wanted to go first and try themselves on this Blessed.


    Razmund shut them down immediately. ¡°I have no desire to fight with you at all. All I want to do is this...¡± He set the Dice free, and thanks to the still imminent feed, it danced and sang, showing a path that indicated his target down and slightly to the left.


    ¡°Dice?¡± Rataratan asked, frowning.


    ¡°See?¡± Lint said. ¡°We go away. No need for dramas or wasting blood.¡±


    Lint backed away, but a surge of blood caught him, forcing him way too close to Rataratan''s face. ¡°Are you trying me?¡±


    Lint pinched his cheek, patting it next. ¡°You are a brat who felt no End. Shut up and let us through. Razmund could kill half of these fools and you wouldn''t do anything. Why? Mindarch denies that for you. Do you think you can afford to meet us?¡±


    ¡°I can''t? If so, can he afford this? I doubt that. I doubt my Lady!¡± Rataratan spoke firmly, even with bony fingers patting his cheek, and glanced at Razmund. It was a weird power dynamic that didn''t seem weird to them at all.


    Razmund clasped his Dice back, straightening his back and easing his claymore and steps. ¡°So? Will you let me or not? Lint is right. If things go south...¡±


    ¡°What is south?¡± Rataratan asked. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Just a figure of speech,¡± Lint argued, and Rataratan let him drift away, clearly frustrated over his cheek but unwilling to ignore his reminders. His men were half of his reputation. He spent a fortune and time on them, and no, he wasn''t willing to see a problem where there were few prizes.


    Razmund might be a Challenger, but his stake in the Encounter was unknown and bathed in the shadows of the Sky. Rataratan felt unworthy of that, not just of his feelings but of others. For now.


    Why would he try and stop this force? For his men to get Hell Points worth a few businesses? It wasn''t worth it, as Lint expressed.


    Scuffing, he kicked some stone like a brat looking at a broken toy. ¡°Here I wasted such a good entrance. I will remember this, Lint,¡± Rataratan clapped and the red-armed group begrudgingly left the street, leaving dejected Rataratan walking around aimlessly.


    Lint was glad. Razmund rather held onto his claymore, thinking that having Lint was better than he expected. He doubted he would''ve done something better himself. Negotiation wasn''t worth it, but his treatment had some security, and his words weren''t empty. Theirs weren''t either.


    ¡°Are you glad?¡± Lint asked him.


    ¡°Over not spending some valuable time and powers?¡±


    Lint shrugged.


    ¡°Not really. I would get out in one way or another. Killing fools looking for my head is fine in my book and they would get reluctant to wage war against me. It is part of the war. I am not worth it alone, but what I stand for is. You saved me some trouble and them a fortune.¡±


    ¡°We aren''t in a war with your kind of fools,¡± Lint argued, feeling sudden anger getting ahead of him.


    ¡°Yet it seems like it.¡± Razmund chuckled and pointed his left arm, which was clutching Dice. ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°We go where you want to go. Which is?¡± Lint said, leaving Rataratan kicking more stones around the street, feeling distraught over this problem.


    Razmund wasn''t interested in some troublesome problems decided by others, so he moved to the best entrance he knew. Walking along the streets was simple. It went in a circle around the mountain, so its structure was simple and clean.


    No one went against him afterward, mostly thanks to his prominence or perhaps because of Lint or some messages flying over his head. It was one of the tasks Lint had. Razmund was a scoundrel even with the world spinning right, so without it, he was even more savage.


    He could''ve killed and dealt massive waste onto these lands, so Lint was assigned with calming the situations to his best ability and not force Rataratan and his special education to be too exposed, or.... dead.


    Of course, that wasn''t something others would get, since everyone had some hopes, regardless of some rules or statements to not trouble this Challenger. But others of this Gate could trouble him a lot and for a cheap price, and Rataratan had his students. They wanted the challenge.


    Levandis couldn''t just state that no one should attack Razmund. That would be insensible and insolent to her position and this whole temple, yet she already pushed many sentiments away. Many didn''t know about it. With Encounter and Holy Party and the world not spinning right, they didn''t know what else they were missing.


    Thus, some creativity, understanding, or compromise was needed, and feeling reluctance or rare peace was a lot better. Letting this Encounter be. That was it. Lint wasn''t entirely sure why it was the best option; he counted at least a dozen better ways to calm this mess. Then, a hundred more reasons made more excuses not to touch it.


    Stopping before a big building that was the headquarters of the Looming Mining Company, Razmund used his Dice to adjust his directions. It still pointed down, and a very tiny portion of a hole angled forward.


    Looking at the direction in this way was kind of sensitive, as angles were everything, and the underground was not very simple.


    Razmund deduced that not everything was possible with this style of looking, so he needed to come up with a new strategy. Looking like before wasn''t a wrong choice. It was certain, so he asked around to see what had happened with his target''s entrance. He heard rumors immediately and even direct stories.


    Once again, the statement that no ducks were entering the underground was public. But Bagus went down, so Razmund figured that someone was clever about their tactics and went down one way or another. Smuggled or forced, or hidden, it didn''t matter.


    Nothing else was clear or public, but Fate said his target was in some mines. Now, the question was, where and how to look for it? Could he simply enter the mine from the beginning and use Dice left, right, and center? He couldn''t. That would take far too long and far too much feed.


    Finding his prey in this large underground maze was more of his problem. The last gate was less problematic, while the Gate of Suffering was a similar maze, but much smaller and more linear.


    In mines, he would have to be clever over his tosses and his Dice. He had no clarity on how it would take this place or where it would take him. Hunters were another problem; there was no way they would let him free here and do the same thing down. Rataratan probably knew it. Lint as well.


    What was under his feet was bigger than the last Gates combined. A true massive stretch of intersected pathways could clutter even this Dice''s shortcomings or advantages. It was a place where one would get lost and never be found, and the Materium was known as savage and rich.


    Hence, a good sense of direction or a map was mandatory.


    It was a perfect place for hiding or hunting, but one had to be careful of angering those who shouldn''t be angered. Some companies never liked some problems, and they weren''t Rataratan. Rataratan at least never made killings or hunts forbidden, and Levandis was very strict in providing certain freedom under her hands.


    Too many restrictions reeked of the Sky and Surface.


    Killing and walking through these mines might be easy, but dying and getting lost weren''t that different. Looking around was the difficult part.


    There were always some deaths here and there because of the underlying problems of working deep underground, and grudges and valuables found inside were another thing altogether.


    It was a simple fact that wouldn''t change, as living beings always sought out riches, with or without the rules in their way. No pain, no gain, or so was the saying that Levandis followed and conveyed to her subjects.


    Razmund understood such a phrase, thinking that his main business was the usual thing. After all, he wasn''t thinking of this Gate as something nerve-wracking. He found his target, yet the world changed, and this Gate adjusted, so he changed his ways and strategy as well.


    It was worth being careful about it, even when he took the last Gate for his most significant achievement and breakthrough in recent years. He improved so much, there was no doubt that he was closing on Level 70. The lack of Laws was the issue and main hurdle for him.


    Walking to a rather luxurious building made of smooth-looking silver marble and many levels, Razmund reached the main entrance where the business went into many rooms.


    He was met with a beautiful succubus receptionist wearing a rather surprising uniform, considering her race and everything. She had a tight skirt that ended just above her knees and below her belly. It enunciated her hips and exposed her flesh.


    A plain white long-sleeved shirt with a v-neck shape revealed her cleavage. Overall, her visage looked far more human than one would usually see, as she had no visible wings, tail, or many demonic features.


    But Razmund would smell and feel her even if he was blind. She reeked of their powers, similar to the enchanting beats in her eyes and extended straight hair that perhaps concealed small horns.


    ¡°Greetings, what can I do fo...¡± she hesitated in her speech, standing behind a reception when she noticed a flying half skeleton above the man.


    A Guide? She wished to cry in her head. Challenger? Then, she wept in her mind.


    ¡°I want to speak to a manager,¡± Razmund said, unbothered by her hesitation, and pointed to Lint. ¡°Now, this one should do the job just fine. Work. You said you would.¡±


    Lint cluttered his teeth unhappily, but as a Guide, he earned a certain understanding of this whole situation. But when Razmund used him like this, he wished to smack his cheeks with his hand.


    Even if his mission was weird in this Gate, he was required to help Razmund achieve what he wanted. With a bit of forceful methods, he had to do what he needed.


    That meant a variety of things since the Guides of this temple weren''t weak or held a helpless position. For denizens, they were like representatives of Levandis herself, as each was a former hegemon or someone close to her before their Ends. She forced them to stay by her side in the appearance of these skeletons, each posing as someone who was undying and devoted.


    Thus, many looked up to such figures with reverence, unlike Lisa, even though she was a soul living after her End. Souls who remained living even after meeting their demise held very difficult positions and lived under completely different situations from the regular people.


    Guides were part of the Divine Kingdom and part of some strange ways under Battleworld and worlds beyond. They were souls who followed Lady Levandis, one of the strongest demonic Gods in this world. Without her, they would be nothing.

 Chapter 246: Business with a devil

    Gods were very high and mighty in prestige and vague in shouded powers of age and history. Around the Skies¡ªor the spaces within them¡ªtheir reputation was like an advent, legend, and birth to many stories.


    Some took them for everything. Others for less. This world, the Battleworld, took them for an extensive staying power, as well as throbbing shard chipped to this land. A cloud, one might say. Be it Hells, the Surface, or the Sky, every living being on this planet was taking their position very carefully. Some should do it more, but everyone wanted something more.


    It was a kind of rare occurrence for so many Gods to flock into a single world. In most worlds, godly positions were far too high and difficult to achieve, or they were fake or almost inconceivable for most lesser beings.


    Part of the reason was the sheer scale and prevalence of such positions, making living cultures reluctant to see the greater beliefs ascertained by core lands and secrets of the universe. One God or a few could be more than enough for any planet. They would be a deity protector or a legend watching from shadows.


    There were hundreds of such figures alone in this world, living and influencing beings to follow their steps or die for them, or their sake. This made this world special and inconceivably superior.


    Razmund learned about it with shock and mixed his old discoveries with a new kind of life, for he had no idea about Gods or the broader universe.


    Gods held onto a savage power that most mortals could not even think about, but judging, that they could do. It was a stage where one viewed life and death from unique perspectives, while politics from the peak or rising sense of self, right below the mortals, who should follow the suit of rules and common sense, wasn''t pristine or clean, let alone meant for everyone.


    It wasn''t all about the Laws as well. It was concerning the way this universe was acting and working for countless years and cycles.


    Battleworld tried to be the same, though it had many extreme sides and faces that many worlds wouldn''t bear lightly.


    Here, very few Extremes should think twice about surrendering or working with Gods, as differences between them were like ants before humans. Knowing the limit. Knowing the ways. One should bear that in mind and deal with it.


    Razmund met his End to see a world where Gods lived unimpeded, and flaunted the world in an unlike fashion, making the former Old World a thing of the past, while his own previous life was like a fever dream.


    It was a very difficult process, though he was a human, and those have it quite good in this world, where human Sky Gods were apparently better off than any other faction.


    Why, he often wondered. Razmund still held his pivotal mind and clarity over his flesh and body and took this world for a new chance. He was Blessed, owing a position that was very sensitive to some beings or one particular God for some reason. Few would ever realize what they entailed and why the way of the Afterlife created a bunch of anomalies.


    They meddled with them lives, thinking that Blessed were simple fools and tools for their acts, but they weren''t and always could be. Razmund knew about it and realized a life could get very brittle and humans broken with the thinnest of examples and pushes. That happened ages ago.


    This entire world was one large playground, yet for what or for whom? The reason for this existence wasn''t for the Gods to live or for mortals to worship the Gods. Planets could be lifeless, not doing anything more than staying in place, colliding with others, or simply growing like resources or seeds to auth.


    Razmund lost the perception of normalcy a long time ago. His past life was merely a point in existence that no longer mattered to him, but it was a reminder that wouldn''t give him any curses. That planet was gone, out of his sight if he wouldn''t become the God or someone better.


    Standing and looking at Lint, he wondered if Blessed and Guides were similar or not. They definitely held some words and aspects close to a mist and water, where many things were different, like mud, honey, and blood to water.


    Freedom. That word maintained a lot of meaning in this world. What was a free action, judgment, consequence, or desire? Hardly anything was as manageable as a tree growing in the backyard or mana flowing through everything.


    Spirits and souls were free, guided by acts of physical possessions, while it was those souls that seemed to want a prudent side of control or be latched onto something.


    Power and the dashing rush to get more of it in this world were the same. Everything was growing and growing some more, and Gods were watching and doing the same thing.


    Razmund sighted, forcing the succubus before him to wince and reclaim her face.


    ¡°W-what I may do for you besides... a manager? M...¡±


    ¡°Sent those rooks, girl.¡± Lint barked at her, sounding lofty and tall. For a half-skeleton the size of a normal human, he sounded weird, and his acts were as if he was a boss of this place. Perhaps he once was, or he wasn''t, but he felt like that anyway.


    Succubus lost her voice so she forfeited her position and hurried away, exposing her long tail akin to a snake behind her, and small wings on her back retracted and looked tinier than hands.


    ¡°What are you planning next?¡± Lint said smugly, half glancing at her back and indicating his words at Razmund.


    Razmund yawned, leaning on the reception and watching no one. His claymore was back in its pouch where it unfortunately belonged. ¡°Catch my prey. It is down, I know. The Dice knows. Somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Where? Are you really going down without much plan or what? Aren''t you fearing the rumors of a Hunt below and how it will go between us and everyone? Hunters are there already. Not sure how their Side got there though. Must be an error, but... the Dice. I don''t think you should rely on it. Perhaps use the Hunters to your advantage.¡±


    ¡°Nah. I have a good idea what I want to do. Why not think this place is just bad and wrong? I will kill anyone who...well, I don''t know what kind of a beast that Grifhart is, but he isn''t alone, frankly.¡±


    ¡°Frankly?¡± Lint chuckled. ¡°Your acknowledgment that he isn''t there alone went public in your stunt and arrival. It means nothing much to us. Well, for Rataratan and his men, it means a lot. One way or another, some companies will send more men below after realizing what is going on because of you. Some might get them out, if not even help them. More could also fear the clash, I think. Some are clever, you see, maybe willing to work with you if you act well.¡±


    ¡°Or you will.¡±


    Lint cracked his chin, and his eyes rolled. ¡°Oh, man. You don''t learn, do you?¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Razmund hadn''t realized all his part to such an extent and didn''t consider companies or what Lint just said. ¡°Rataratan had no complaints that some fools went down against his wishes, so my way inside is the same.¡±


    ¡°Are you surprised? Leaving is the tough part, Razmund, while your opposite part is obviously going back to the surface. They can''t get away from this land, and... why the hell are they even here?! That is why what and who goes below isn''t crucial. Why they even got there is the primary questionable thing. Good for you, I guess. You can wait for them here and catch them, or even those who might do it before you.¡±


    Razmund paused his next argument, thinking that Lint had said enough and not everything. It was true. The notes about the portal were important, but what about the sensible ways of teleportation arrays? Could his target use them to get to the lower levels and get out of his sight? It was possible, so he was in a pinch.


    He grabbed some food and water from one of his pouches and waited for the manager.


    In a while, under the succubus''s fast work, a manager of the Looming Mining Company arrived, looking tough, nervous, and tidy in his uniform. He was part of Rataratan''s forces, but not in an army or anything like that. He was more like a past part, looking solid, clever, and experienced, so not much of a threat, was he?


    He was an old devil wearing a suit, hunching in his back, and looking ashed in his skin. Ages took a large chunk out of him, shivering his body and heart to new proportions but not into inferiority.


    Age might be blissful, even when frail and old. For some, it was fine to age. Without holding much power, his management, experience, and governing skills were what he could offer. It was a passion coming after living hundreds of years in this world, and anyone like that had something to offer even for Extremes and any armies. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In companies, there were many needs for clever and decisive folks. Devil or not, any beings with experience have to manage their acts and know their surroundings. That went along with defeats and wins, and losses of value or gained advantages. Retirement wasn''t an option for the devil. It would mean a quicker End. A true loss of everything that made them up from their conception to living.


    Such old devils had plenty of experiences to offer, though not many powerful forms were left within them to pass on. If their time wasn''t there for them at all, then creating or borrowing more was all that remained.


    Still, they could become important for their clan or families in name or prevalence for generations, as their hearts and teaching capabilities could be very high and worthy of praise.


    It was common for most whose age was good, and for some of such cases with very potent life, they might be more significant than the previous lives of Blessed. Humans were similar, and so were elves and many other races scattered around the Battleworld.


    Age could shiver those giving up or running out of their ends, though, for those old yet still powerful, it often meant something else. Choices. It was a simple matter of gesture and thinking. Old folks had more chances up their asses, and Razmund knew there was a point in rushing and also bowing down where he should.


    He knew many old monsters that were far from looking like this devil, simply because they hadn''t stopped their pursuit of power, or their luck or talent was much higher than one could judge by eyes alone. Bodies could hide things. Their pockets might be bottomless because of their age and work.


    It was a simple play between races where few beings were equal and calm. Everyone had some Bloodline differences and body preferences, and what one could handle before their End were differences between life and death.


    Looking forward, Razmund finished his meal and glanced at this old devil. Their kin favored an official sort of clothing for some reason, which made them look older and much more stable than their nature.


    Razmund wasn''t sure why or what the point in that was. Their nature was unlike his. This one was smallish for a devil, yet his suit was glinting in quality and style, making his accessories pop off. Those little horns were surely impressive, even if he seemed to look one way into the End.


    His little pair of horns on his bald head protruded like needless from the wet bread, or did they look like grass?


    Razmund had many thoughts as he looked silently at this old devil. He was very close to joking around and angering him as well. He almost chuckled as the manager arrived with a succubus beside him, holding his arm and supporting his shoulder with her tail.


    ¡°Ohoho. Does a Surface Challenger seek this place for real? At such time and pace. I miss it. Oh, I miss it. Oh, a Guide floats too, looking like a bird. What bird? What a rarity. What a rarity. Who do we have here... again? What is time? Age? Is it time for dinner yet?¡± the old devil said, sounding rather apprehensive and old as he looked, but he stood his ground before this one head taller human and a flying Guide without one shred of shake.


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    The succubus beside him adjusted her position and leaned down, whispering something to him. ¡°Dinner is not ready, mister Lanzedar. They want... business, you see. The kind that might concern us and our business. Business, I mean.¡±


    Suddenly, the old devil called Lanzedar strengthened his back, eyes glinted as his lost wits returned, and even the succubus lost her grip and hiccuped at the sudden change. As expected, she politely stepped away and knew this wasn''t a regular visit and her boss would take it on.


    She went for the Prime Manager of this company, instead of many other lesser managers. Lanzedar looked years younger, like a toss of blissful water washed over his face. Quite a bit of pressure went from his body and eyes, making him younger and taller, but it was far from some domain skill or simple rave of mana or something else.


    He temporarily judged to appease his heart and transform for the sake of business.


    Razmund felt it like the breeze of an old wind. He could kill this old devil in an instant if he wished. Perhaps even without any weapons, it would be possible. A simple fist could sometimes do as much damage as a well-aimed kick or a toss over one''s shoulders. Of course, a big cleaving sword swinging around the air could create a much bigger disparity.


    Lanzedar cracked his neck and fingers before adjusting his tie and putting his palms on the reception desk.


    ¡°Hmmm...¡± he hummed, observing and waiting for the business to state their appeal. He hadn''t told anything else, but his glint and attention to the Guide showed a distinct resolve and powerful gaze of a clever maniac. It was the face of a master appraiser who judged the worth of many things and beings alike.


    Lint flew down, reaching Lanzedar''s position and tapping the desk with his single hand.


    ¡°You see, manager, Rataratan won''t move against us, so we are looking for something. We have done a great deal of trouble and don''t look for more. We have seen him also, so whatever nonsense rules or Rataratan is around aren''t fit for our ears. Oh, I don''t have ears, so...¡±


    Lanzedar eyed him as he clicked his tongue and tapped the table with his palms, looking impatient or bothered by Lint''s comment or rolling sizzling Soul Flames.


    Lint nervously shifted his arm, thinking how this old devil was sharper than he looked, and he couldn''t do much better with a single bony arm. ¡°Alright. We want authority to travel through your underground passages without any speck of problems. That is what we want. A simple cooperation.¡± He finished his sentence successfully, which included looking tougher than he felt and sounded.


    Razmund cocked his head and smiled at this situation. If Lint wanted to deal with this part, he would gladly let him, but he shouldn''t hurry, or he... might?


    Razmund was still half worried about the current matters, and frankly, he didn''t know what to do. He hardly felt comfortable enough to have a goal in life. And that was coming from him, a Blessed who was part of one hell of an Encounter that already involved Gods at its first Part.


    After all, why was he here? To catch Murai? That sounded simpler than he thought. He also knew there was no portal in this location, so acting stupid shouldn''t be very hard.


    Thus, going forth and trying was a plan. His plan, that is. Centralis thought something else, and it failed to do anything about this location because it didn''t need to. It wasn''t marked by anything else than a deep valuable location in this desert and mining. Nothing else.


    Hurrying shouldn''t have been a problem when his target was beneath him. Like with some Encounters, it required patience.


    Perhaps he should wait for his prey in this city, yet he wasn''t a patient type. However, if there was a better time to catch up, it was deep in the mines where running away wasn''t so easy. And with Ceila on the way, there was no way he could wait here forever.


    After all, his opposing Side made a very questionable decision, and it came suddenly. They did more than well beforehand, so he questioned this choice and felt something was amiss.


    Lanzedar furrowed his sharp brows and adjusted his tie once again; it was already perfect, yet he seemed to do it on his own violations, or he was used to doing it all the freaking time. Either way, it wasn''t out of place. He took a deep breath and thought about this situation four times before speaking.


    ¡°Name'' Lanzedar, by the way, and what sir Rataratan does is many businesses and caring. This company is under his name, you see. I am under his name. A lofty one, I might add, so what is business to us is different if it means a price and payment. I am sure he can and can''t overlook many things, so some opinions of a Guide are... warranted under some thoughts, but I can assure you that this isn''t a matter decided easily. Whoever you were or are, the Sides and acts depend on outer visions. We are private. We can ignore requests if it means nuisance.¡±


    ¡°I insist that we aren''t here for problems,¡± Lint said again, sounding serious but not threatening.


    ¡°I heard there were plenty of problems in many ways and days, right, Nostralis?¡±


    Succubus lightly nodded; her hands were clasped behind her back, and her tail flinched around like a mindless snake. ¡°Precisely, sir Lanzedar.¡± She said politely.


    Lanzedar raised his brows, curving them aside of his eyes into a spiral. ¡°I am not dumb, you see.¡±


    ¡°And what''s the point?¡± Lint said dismissively. ¡°Business is here, isn''t it? No dramas.¡±


    ¡°Nostralis?¡± he asked his assistant again. ¡°What were the happenings down across all the foolish companies and matters disguised as cheap or big troubles? I recall there are recent and old uproars.¡±


    Nostralis stepped closer, cocking her head down and smiling at this Guide and threatening man. ¡°Many matters, sir. Divine Party is one part. It appears to go onwards and onwards, while the Encounter and Hunt are unprecedented all at the same time. A Hunted went down the Entrance Five. Level 70 Grifhart is worth many Points and effort. Clutch one for a slave and it is even better. He is there, below, mining while many hunt him for an animal he is. Contracted by mining company... Oh, and he is a Helper, following the Lost Brot...¡±


    Lanzedar cocked his head this time around, turning his head without anything else moving.


    Nostralis shivered. ¡°S-sir?¡±


    ¡°They are troublemakers, aren''t they? Man. Everyone.¡±


    ¡°Who isn''t in this situation?¡± Lint asked. ¡°Another Side of the Encounter is aside from us, by the way, itching his sword to cut you both in half. Don''t try it. He is nervous and very much ready to trouble you kin.¡±


    ¡°What good that would do to you or us?¡± Lanzedar turned his head to them again, unbothered by this empty threat. Well, that was wrong. When he glanced at the human more, he began to suspect there was something worse before him than he thought.


    ¡°Little or nothing. If anything else,¡± Lint answered, knocking on the table with his fingers, ¡°we are hunting the other Side rather than aiming at anything else. We might get some Gems specifically for you, manager. Consider it my courtesy while my silent meaning does the rest.¡±


    ¡°Oh, the other Side?¡± Lanzedar frowned, scratching his tie. ¡°That would mean they are below, not just that Grifhart, right, Nostralis?¡±


    ¡°Precisely,¡± she nodded. ¡°It was confirmed in the Entrance Five. No one had seen the rest of their group for a good while, but they entered publicly without leaving. Heard they made some purchases and desired to go mining. That is all. Restrictions and rumors and getting transparency over this land is not easy. Not when... the thing is involved.¡±


    Razmund whistled, figuring this much must have been a good bait for others, or... accurate to the bone? It seemed far-fetched to think of that as something clear for them. He had clarity. He heard the Fate!


    Lanzedar saw through this situation in a heartbeat and watched this sole Blessed before him. ¡°Oh, so you are confirming to us that we have unfilial miners below who want to steal from us? From ME? From RATARATAN? From our DEAR Lady?¡± he slapped the table thrice to make a point and chuckled afterward. ¡°Oh, that doesn''t concern us, as they can''t leave without leaving through the entrances. So,¡± Lanzedar tapped the table again, ¡°what do you want?¡±


    ¡°Down we go,¡± Lint said again, thinking that this conversation was going nowhere.


    ¡°Do you care for some complimentary mining? Is that so?¡± Lanzedar asked, his eyes gleaming with a hint of madness and killing. He was an old devil in retirement, but he was damn sure about planning and acting according to his heart and Rataratan''s rules and wishes. If he had to, he would fight anyone his heart desired.


    ¡°We hunt,¡± Lint said calmly again. ¡°Seeing the place below is better done in the best way possible. Your Arrays or elevator would help us as well, and we need to know if the array formations would get activated or touched beneath. It is about returning.¡±


    Lanzedar hummed, thinking. ¡°Hunting and hunting. That poise a bother, as who do hunt again, when hunted are all. Nostralis?¡±


    ¡°A bunch of fools, sir. Challengers who came before this man. An Anati...¡± Nostralis stepped away, noticing a couple of holes in the table and a creaking floor.


    Lanzedar frowned so steeply that his veins bulged until blood flowed from his nose and some cracked veins, changing his skin and making his eyes glow like suns. ¡°One is here? Right now?¡±


    ¡°S-sir... This is not good for your health.¡± Nostralis hurried, pressing her chest at him, and tried to calm him down.


    It hardly helped, for the heart and mind moved at something deeper than lust. Even her Bloodline had no power over the current desires and heart of this old devil.


    ¡°Tell me, Human Challenger,¡± Lanzedar turned his sight to Razmund, who appeared calm and looking straight into those crazy awakened eyes. ¡°is your Side strong? You look... young and healthy. For a human kid, call me impressed.¡±


    ¡°Whom you used to be, old devil?¡± Razmund asked.


    ¡°Hers,¡± he replied simply.


    ¡°God''s tool. Old and expanded tired? How pointless for a...¡± Razmund stepped back in time just as dozens of bloody droplets flew by, obliterating the wall behind him and continuing to the unknown.


    Lanzedar hadn''t moved one bit of flesh.


    ¡°Well, you are certainly not as bad as a walking corpse,¡± Razmund added.


    ¡°Humans are so fragile, you see. I could take you for the last time for the sake of my heart, human.¡± The devil cracked his fingers but sighed after feeling pain within his knuckles. ¡°Alas, the business is dearer to my life than the degree of this heart. Would you be that kind to take this old devil''s mind at ease and listen to my...¡±


    ¡°I refuse,¡± Razmund said coldly. ¡°Is it a grudge? You don''t like these creatures, obviously, nor think that well of the Lost Brothers. Is it an interest or some cooperation mishaps?¡±


    Lanzedar kept his frown and felt Nostralis pressing his side. Shivering, he kept cooling down one press, breath, and rub at a time. ¡°I don''t judge. I feel and hate. Humans... Beasts. Breasts. D... Ana... NO! I can''t! You...¡±


    ¡°Whatever, old devil. It is a much easier job if you are inclined to help us out,¡± Lint said. ¡°Encounter is following us to the underground, so we move down. Isn''t that easy? Will you stop us?¡±


    This completely turned Lanzedar aghast and burned his blood. Encounter? Under the freaking Ip''ur Mountain and his pair of eyes? That didn''t sound good at all, while the fact of two Challengers going against each other and hunters was another thing altogether. It didn''t seem to touch mining, but it might. And that would cause many problems if many miners were included.


    It was a peculiar problem for most mining companies alone, and as the biggest manager in this hole, he had a lot to consider. For once, he misjudged Rataratan to allow this to go this far. Mindarch and Levandis hadn''t stated shit. He was retired, so that made sense for him. Knocking on his door, a problem found him instead.


    For Challengers or miners, nothing here was a problem. It was a straight-up opportunity for slaves and anyone to gain some momentum, and it wouldn''t often happen again.


    So, Lanzedar understood implied and wondering matters, what they meant, and what was their point. The business was inevitable, so he furrowed his brows, turned, grabbed Nostralis by her neck, and glared at her eyes. ¡°No words, precisely?¡± he whispered to her terrified face. She nodded before disappearing from this terrific entrance. No one dared to follow or trouble them.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± Lanzedar said, pointing to the side of the rooms, where there were doors and staircases. ¡°We go down, isn''t it? I accept the proposition, but you will hear me out.¡±


    Lint turned to Razmund, who shrugged and went along with him.


    Lanzedar stepped to a set of stairs that led to privacy and underground facilities of this rich company, which held a significant portion of this business beneath the building, where most mining business was. Below was more of an afterthought, or a private matter.


    Most of the Ip''ur City didn''t have that many levels onto it. Elevated, protected by walls, barriers, and shades, the underground was better for air, where heat wouldn''t come that easily.


    He walked down with his hands behind his back, guiding this human and floating Guide as if he were looking forward to their Ends. ¡°I won''t deny the workable condition of the current mess, unless,¡± he stopped and glared at Razmund a step behind, ¡°you''ve already made some things public, human. The entrance, I mean. Has Rataratan really showed himself?¡±


    Razmund smirked, gesturing for Lint to continue doing his job as he desired.


    ¡°Define what is public, Lanzedar. Mindarch does his work in a limited capacity because Lady Levandis put a Military Curfew and many thoughts into this madness. We didn''t make many things public because we wanted to. Rataratan and a bunch of his toys might know our target is below. It will spread. For them, what is public means something else than to the general population. They might not even move because gods know what makes sense anymore. This Province is a bit tame for this Encoutner. Having a voice or mission of our Lady, you see, is nice.¡±


    Lanzedar scratched his tie and adjusted it again. ¡°You seem to have the gist of it, yet our Lady desires many things. Gems are that. Power is that. The clear thought of this place is that. She doesn''t want to lose one inch of her reputation or power over anything else, even something minor. That is that, and this place is precious.¡±


    ¡°We don''t deny her that at all,¡± Lint argued. ¡°Well, at least he doesn''t, or... in some way, he does, but...¡± Lint lost his thoughts as he surely knew that Razmund was a menace to this place, similar to Murai.


    Two storms clashed and turned the tides before other massive storms arrived in the appearance of an enriched Hunt and Ceila, followed by Vermillion''s plot and who knew what else. Lint was feeling weaker whenever he considered the bigger picture.


    A picture he didn''t want Razmund to break.


    Lanzedar didn''t know everything. Still, he could try to see between the truth and many ideas and come to some realization even in his old age.


    ¡°What is it that you desire?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Well, here is an idea.¡± Lint turned his single hand towards Razmund. ¡°His appearance will move the inevitable. Do the work fast, and do it quickly since the mess below follows us too. Lanzedar might not make our way below public, or...¡± Lint glanced at the old, smirking devil. He planned to make some money off of this information.


    Lint lost his words again.


    ¡°It is the inevitability of this Hunt and business, Lint,¡± Razmund said.


    ¡°I know, which is why,¡± Lint turned to the devil and tapped his chest. ¡°Unless you want massive losses or loss of many parts of the mines, it is better to conduct it well and give it some further reflections as well. It will be inevitable that some forces will move underground, and consider our Lady. We are not alone either. Probably, more is coming anyway, or going hunting with hounds, or their pets.¡±


    Lint smirked in a lofty manner, cluttering and angling his bones and giving everyone some time to think.


    Lanzedar wasn''t too impressed. ¡°I know a good way to let things proceed. I have a lot of little birds, you see. I know things. We have many possible entrances and ideas about the mines. The arrays are workable, but we have maintenance and full control over half of them. I can see who and from where someone goes, and that excuses less than one-tenth of the total arrays. What else do you need to hear for my revenge?¡±

 Chapter 247: Calamity

    ¡°Some kind of elevator would do enough,¡± Razmund said resolutely because Lint wasn''t sure what he was planning. Teleportation arrays sounded like a good idea for Lint, but Dice might not work very well with that.


    The elevator was better, so Lint suddenly understood what he was planning and thought it was much smarter than he supposed. He doubted Razmund''s intellect sometimes, but this was a reasonable plan.


    Probably. There were still possible issues.


    Lanzedar accepted their idea, so he didn''t move them to some private room but rather into one of the rarest entries to the VIP Shafts.


    It was a big excavated rectangular room, looking deep and big enough to fit a small village. The space under the Ip''ur City was full of these things, creating large underground places right below much more intense mining underground. There were three large elevator-like structures within this room, looking wide enough to fit hundreds of people.


    Everything looked pristine and clear, as it was for those wealthy enough or VIP miners of this company. Using it after paying toll was possible for anyone, though it was often impossible, unnecessary, or a hassle to deal with. Many entrances were free to enter instead.


    This place held many privately owned sectors of the mines with an incredible variety of Ultra Materium. Some of those weren''t touched ever, and some were easier to manage and work with than others. Elevator shafts went all the way to the bottom, creating many wonderful opportunities and easing the mining as a whole.


    Because of them, there were many ways to think of these limited entrances as a way to get to some interesting places alone because they were up to the managing company.


    Lanzedar stood at the elevated end of the stairs, which ended up on top of a large building that loomed over this room. It was more like a massive hall, management factory, and storage facility. There were many Ultra Gems in crates, and many workers were present, processing or storing them away.


    Everything seemed strict and supervised by many soldiers or managers. It was at least hundreds of meters large.


    ¡°As expected of one of the better mining companies,¡± Lint said, half impressed.


    ¡°It isn''t worth mentioning for this business or you. Don''t touch it.¡± Lanzedar said out of politeness and pointed to the VIP Shaft, meant to carry upwards of a hundred beings depending on their weight and mass. It was not enough to carry too many Orcuns, or a large army of Griffins, for example. They wouldn''t fit in mass, but weight was more than passable.


    Mining was meant to carry a lot of weight, though Ultra Gems were surprisingly light, and many were the exact opposite. A lot of regular mining was also optimal in some places. In a way, even if there were not that many normal and non-mana-infused ores there, the stones changed over the years because of Materium.


    It was nothing abnormal; the Ultra Materium seemed to be the sole hegemon material in this part of the earth, but it could change things and not swallow everything. They were rarer than the Materium, thus creating a rather odd scenario.


    Razmund watched the shafts with some interest, deducing a promising choice for his position. It went straight down for at least two dozen kilometers, according to his research, but that was just what was public. Rumors said there were many private secrets known by mining private companies or owners. This thing could get him to many locations, as it had hundreds of routes.


    Out of convenience, the beginning went strictly deep down, but the elevator platform could go sideways as well, making it very easy to reach many bigger and managed paths. The only downside was the speed and building shafts big enough for the elevators.


    For him, going to the depths was enough, while reaching many mines and cave systems was secondary or none of his concern. A simple way had a simpler plan. Razmund had a childish plan that Lint thought was much smarter than it was.


    But he came up with it alone. It was to use the Dice while moving down. The Fate would move along, making the Dice follow his descent. The moment the Dice''s hole would straighten, that would be his way forward.


    It was a concept; Razmund hoped that the Dice would take this passage and wouldn''t refuse him because of Materium or some instabilities.


    Another problem could come with the numerous routes his prey must''ve taken in these mines. Dice might need more feed, but in that case, the lone direction might be fine because he had his maps, and these mines weren''t some complicated maze. They were built for efficient mining, so some corners and straightness were optimal.


    The sole way to go down might work remarkably well.


    Smiling, Razmund followed Lanzedar, who discharged all personnel attending this place to make it lonely, private, and silent. All that remained were glistering packages of Ultra Gems worth some countries and kingdoms. Watching them, Razmund had not one idea to snatch them. Some miners were present, but those also had to go, soldiers included.


    That left one massive shaft, consisting of a robust metallic cage and metallic plate for the floor, for him alone.


    Many buildings and management of Ultra Gems were clear, but out of respect for this business, Lint ignored them without batting them a flame. Lanzedar appreciated it with surprise, knowing that Razmund could''ve killed him and taken these Gems for himself and given up his Challenger status before anything went amiss.


    However, perhaps Mindarch wouldn''t allow it, or Razmund himself had something much more precious ahead. The End, perhaps, Lanzedar considered. That spirit was meant to follow Levandis so he might keep him in check, devoid of safety.


    Anyway, Lanzedar saw the sincerity in Razmund''s acts, so he pointed at the elevator cage. ¡°All is yours, human. Will you hear me out?¡±


    ¡°Got it enough. Are there any issues with the descent or in the way it works? Never used them, you see.¡± Razmund asked.


    Lanzedar hesitated. ¡°Descend is what elevators are for, aren''t they?¡±


    ¡°Don''t know. Barely saw then in my lives.¡± Razmund shrugged.¡°Simple descent is all I need. I have no other issue with this cage, though the speed might be an issue.¡±


    ¡°Speed?¡± Lanzedar stepped toward the elevator. ¡°That doesn''t seem plausible to change. We should be glad it works well with limited maintenance, as it is work of my Lady''s Palaces.¡±


    ¡°Never mind.¡± Razmund figured this wasn''t a problem for him. He could adjust his plan enough.


    Lanzedar sharply turned away from the cage and pointed at Razmund. ¡°But personnel will attend to take the elevator back. It''s a mandatory procedure, even for you and us. No questions asked. Got it, human?¡± he shouted the "got" part, giving no room for argument.


    Razmund accepted and walked into the elevator, but before it happened, something very drastic changed and shook the entire room. No. Perhaps the whole hole shivered. A rather peculiar and dangerous presence of an earthquake followed soft and immense tremors of shouts, anger, and something drastically insane.


    It wasn''t the ground that squeezed itself up, nor was it some volcano or an angry dungeon. Still, everything trembled. The air. Blood. Emotional tremors echoed everything, following the buildings, earth, elevators, and even the mana itself. ]


    Astonishing tremors stumbled Lanzedar who panicked if something crazy was happening and his Bloodline and eyes couldn''t believe it. He dropped to his ass and felt like a silly goon once more.


    He started to mumble ''Sorry, Sorry... I will go. Move. Become a frog,'' constantly. It was something crazier than his imagination could allow, but he had no time for what was happening.


    Razmund watched how some smaller Ultra Gems crumbled to dust, and most of the others dimmed under his eyes or changed a little, losing immense wealth in a heartbeat.


    Lanzedar felt as if something was crushing his heart and squeezing his mind. He shouted, wondering what was happening until he went to his knees and slapped his face. Lint was the calmest one, though his Soul Flames rolled in disbelief.


    Razmund frowned, hearing and sensing something extremely inappropriate.


    The room shook in many ways, but it was no earthquake and nothing was breaking besides something coming from below. He felt it from the gaps of this elevator. Shimmering murmurs echoed within these slowly increasing tremors, carrying a voice, massage, or something else.


    Was the world waking up, or was it something else? Razmund hoped for the latter or both. The more, the better. That was one of the better sayings from his former life.


    But then, he doubted it was something up to his mind. It wasn''t something. It was someone. He felt one insane figure was influencing the world, or this space from far away, causing those murmurs, and either working with some Laws of Space, Noise, Wind, or something else.


    He wasn''t sure who could cause it besides someone like a God.


    Or something ridiculous.


    The murmurs soon turned deafening when tremors intensified, and more Gems lost their value or shined menacingly. The murmurs cracked the walls and floor alike, while more Ultra Gems cracked, unable to stay or accept the anger of this voice. Razmund thought of this wrongly.


    The whole Gate shuddered before the entire Levandis Temple went through something that had never happened before. A series of shifting quakes went to every corner, going to the core, and shocking every living and undead thing in this place, Gods included.


    Alongside this surge of incredible power, in a moment when the murmurs turned crisp, a powerful voice dissipated the murmurs and trembling. The source spoke, breaking the havoc and stating its message.


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    It was an angry voice. A very pissed-off Will, too. Filled with questionable arrogance, confusion, and powerful manners, it sounded like an angry mother who was extremely furious with an unfilial child or way out of any steady emotion. It might be glad, sounding fine but not finding something fine as well.


    Every being that heard it felt moments of daze and weakness. Be it a weak demon, human, or Ozeki looking like a demon batched in blood and battling two Paladins with cracked armor, everyone took note of this event. Even Mindarch was the same, shaking as if he could, or as if it was possible.


    Most Gods took it as a challenge to their Authority, though it went so quickly and heavy that none of them prepared or countered it at all. Everything happened too fast and far too wildly.


    No one died because of it, but it was strange hearing it and bearing such a powerful message and Will. Right. A Will. It was a simple ripple. Then, in less than a dozen seconds, immense wealth puffed to dust and smoke, though the Ultra Materium in the earth remained fein in pieces throughout the underground mines and caves.


    A little while after those few words had shaken this temple, the trembling stopped, making it seem as if something had stopped it, or whatever it was that had done it, quit on its own.


    Inside the VIP Shaft, Razmund hesitated after calming his mind from the same dullness and pain that everyone felt. Even Lint and Lanzedar seemed to be in the same condition, but one of them was much worse, shivering and returning to an old state close to End. But as with many changes, it was temporary.


    Well, apart from the state of the physical world. The cracks and damage to the caves and mines shouldn''t be small, but nothing major should''ve shattered. Apart from something that many took for invaluable blessing and richness out of their minds.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°What the fuck was that? Who would dare?¡± Lanzedar shouted, sounding old, and kept shivering uncontrollably. He felt it before, or so his heart depicted. It almost stopped beating. Then, he watched the room. He slapped himself twice, deciding to forget about the Ultra Gems because he would soon lose his mind.


    ¡°Seems like a worried... Mother,¡± Lint mumbled, thinking about the origin of this voice, the context, and the repercussions that would follow this occurrence. It wasn''t simple.


    Razmund remained silent, standing firmly on the ground and looking at the elevator, uncertain if it had some damage or not. He wasn''t sure how it operated, but that voice wasn''t his concern.


    That was his faith.


    Lanzedar had his views, similar to everyone else who underwent this calamity. Before being any angrier or older too much, Lanzedar quickly grabbed the personnel of this cage to attend to Razmund. Out of fear of problems, he went inside as well. Whatever occurred here, or deeper in the underground, it wasn''t his retired problem. He had to see with his own eyes. See what damage she did.


    Razmund had no problem with him following this elevator, which seemed to be in workable condition, but the cables and machinery that went down might not have survived all the way up or down.


    Clutching the Dice, the dissipating worry changed to a hopeful grin. It went hand in hand with his focused and unblinking eyes, making him look more like a lunatic than he once was.


    ¡°Let''s go then,¡± He said firmly, gesturing for everyone who wanted to come to get in. It was time to resume the Hunt. Lint followed as well, looking visibly worried and silent than ever.


    ***


    Meanwhile, the Brightness and Light in the ground, alongside the mesmerized and kidnapped Murai''s Will, stayed more or less the same before that voice carried its calamity.


    Even though it traveled from a faraway place, crashing through the air, storms, and the seas, it even went through the starting Gates of this temple and deeper into the lower Gates.


    Just in case, some thought. Just to pose a calamity, some Gods considered. It was like a slap to their faces, one God considered. Many were similar, others scrutinizing the sincerity and defenses of this place on their feet and asses.


    Everything that should remain in this place remained without a change. Not all Ultra Gems were worth surviving, so some remained intact, returning to their stability upon meeting a calamity. Few beings in Hellscape knew about the true madness and what the destruction of Ultra Gem meant.


    Itrosh and Bagus both felt the pain, confusion, and tremors more than anyone else, as the voice seemed to carry a large amount of meaning specifically aimed toward these mines. It was rugged and rough in aims, so it went all over Sector 45 before locking onto the Ip''ur Mountain.


    It was soon over. Thankfully, the cave that Murai took for a storm shook only a little bit, thanks to the support and density of these enormous Ultra Materium veins. It exceeded this voice, or their weight was sturdier than one believed.


    Around the ground was debris, with chunks of stones and dust. All Ultra Materium survived this voice and carried on their purposes of touching the untouchable. Nothing collapsed in most mines, which was a welcoming piece of news for the Hunters and miners.


    Murai remained glued in his spot, with his back facing the rest of his companions, while the horde of mesmerizing waves guided around him like a halo, wings, and calamity of a different kind. The Resonance didn''t stop, even if a very problematic thing reached it in time.


    Lisa felt the connection and mess of that voice differently than the pair behind her. Light, Flames, and Brightness dimmed slightly because of everything, and Lisa''s body and mind flickered in undeniable skepticism.


    In any way, Murai''s Will wasn''t listening to this at all, or it did, but it was too deep or too late for anything to matter. Mesmerized in the flow of the Resonance, he was too busy to care about anything.


    Or perhaps he attended something vaster. Lisa couldn''t give it any more guesses than Itrosh and Bagus, who shook their heads and overcame their shock much later than Lisa, who observed the situation from the air.


    Her appearance hadn''t changed too much, but her face did; she knew exactly what had transpired and felt shocked that it had come at last. Understanding why it happened came quickly. How, or what it held were yet to hit her mind. A slow grin came to her face regardless, and then a laugh soon afterward.


    How and why. Those were questionable words for most beings that heard it, though her head deducted stable ideas, and she knew their worth. It was the familiar weight of someone intense, and Lisa recognized what it meant, thanks to a connection that was still there. Her memories would always be hers; they would never betray her.


    She did not doubt many around this temple gathered some ideas as well, but the taker of this voice did not.


    Murai didn''t realize it; she judged from a safe distance away.


    Hopefully, it wouldn''t become too large of a problem later on, as what happened seemed to be partly her fault. Murai just took it without learning much about it, starting it under one hell of a gamble and problem-driven by all kinds of things.


    Lisa wasn''t sure what would happen, so she wasn''t feeling guilty at all. It was like the toss of a coin, and everything that happened afterward occurred without much change. Influenced, they were. Lisa didn''t know that numerous traces were still around, hiding in the past, or very close.


    She felt kind of proud of the fact that she caused this much harm without feeling the majority of repercussions, or responsibilities. That was one part of her current laughter that lasted less than a minute.


    ¡°Is everyone fine?¡± Lisa asked, turning to Bagus and Itrosh who faced the wall, unwilling to look into the cave because of all that craze surrounding Murai.


    ¡°Somewhat. What the fuck was that?¡± Bagus asked, shaking his beak alongside his wings. ¡°Was it some crazy Intent that pushed against the Levandis Temple, or was it some godly power? How was it called... Authority or Presence? Both at the same time? Wait. Worse... Don''t tell me...¡±


    Just an angry Mother Lisa judged in her mind without mentioning this to them. ¡°It felt like a God, or something of that kind,¡± She said, sighing, but even she wasn''t sure about the specifics of this heavy-weight Will. She was sure about one thing: it was a variable that might not be a bad thing for them. For now.


    An Intent could change and go a long way into a prolonged age, becoming complex, heavy, and immense when one grew and went through many Walls and terms. It was vague to make sense of it across the species and Paths, but as with many Laws and powers, some things were much easier to mention, teach, get, grow, and improve. The Intent was the same.


    It wasn''t all about the pictures of reality or making the ideal into the Intent. Laws had more coherency, and so did the living beings and many things. Gods handled all of it at high principle, which was a unique way to take stakes and live in many ways.


    The universe birthed it in this manner so the beings could act according to the primal ways, so Lisa wondered if this was what she thought, or not.


    Intent was close to an encompassing Will that moved along with it, mingling the weight of the soul and mind in one way or another. They still had some differences, so this might''ve been a very pure Will of someone precious or dangerous.


    Will and Intent have different methods when utilized properly. Depending on the "intent" of a person, the Intent could turn into something weird, specific, or useful.


    Sword Intent was an act and manifestation of a sword and swordsman, turning sharp, close to an individual, or even going out.


    The best example of differences was in the word itself. The Will was one''s spiritual weight, while the Intent was the action that carried some weight of a person.


    It could become a fierce, unmoving, or offensive tool. That was the Intent Bagus liked to note, while the Presence and Authority were above it, depicting changed and evolved powers of Will and some Intent.


    It moved along some personal powers, creating options or unique ways, though Will was mostly the same, whereas Intent could be unique. Authority was much more persuasive, as it was an act that eclipsed oneself to touch the present lines of the universe.


    The group had their wonders about what transpired in this voice, and there was nothing they could do or think about it further. It stopped, and only Lisa had a less serious face. Her memories carried many wonderful topics and secrets, with some of them hoping for Murai''s bright future.


    ¡°Well,¡± Itrosh hissed, ¡°it is gone, and we are alive. Thanks fucking goddess. What now? Should we even continue with this madness or have we run out of luck? I will go and fetch him and go deeper or out, because... Fuck! I hate this.¡± She turned and squinted her eyes, but Lisa stood in her way, turning crisp and corporeal, and her hands held Itrosh''s face.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lisa said coldly. ¡°I said we wait and this has been a minor inconvenience. Nothing bad.¡±


    Itrosh looked at her, surprised that she had stopped her. ¡°You don''t get the weight of this situation, Lisa. This wasn''t normal.¡±


    ¡°Then let me ask you something else, Itrosh,¡± Lisa jerked, positioning her arms around. ¡°Is anything about this fucking normal?¡±


    Itrosh looked around and gave up, closed her eyes, and accepted a wing from Bagus to hide her face from the light and tears.


    ***


    Quite far from them, in the wide shaft that went down and continued in speed and purpose.


    The elevator was descending at about two meters a second, which wasn''t very fast for Razmund. He didn''t know how it worked, so he had to be patient. Cutting some chains and ropes wouldn''t end up well, he assumed. It was a fairly big structure, but for some reason, he thought it would be quicker.


    Lanzedar stood aside, still nervous and shivering, while the personnel, a firm-looking Gobling, worked with this machine. Lint was silently floating in place, wondering something for himself.


    Razmund clutched his Dice, playing with it as it undulated pink colors and some whispering fateful songs. He didn''t understand what it was talking or singing about, though he got it unwrapped just in case it would sense something good.


    It didn''t do much when that voice came. There was some blood on it, as he fed it some droplets before and fueled it with some essences. He had yet to toss it; he hoped it would act on its own because that was always better and more natural.


    [Fate and voice] The dice whispered, and Razmund understood its voice this time. It had a different accent and undertone, carrying a completely different language than this earthly human tongue. This one was more brutish and rough sounding, with weird rough grunts and syllables.


    All of which were within Razmund''s mind and memories.


    [Two sides coming at a loss]


    [Like dream and coin]


    [Following the pain like the point]


    [It carried the voice and meaning]


    [Like the encompassing Mother looking for the looming]


    [The Child has come]


    [Now, the Mother has no need for a scum]


    Razmund clutched the Dice until it squeaked and turned back to the tongue of this earthly human.  [Toss me! Tossssssssssssss me and SEEEE! You won''t regret it] it screeched softly, the pink light going over his hand and its hole.


    He let it go, as it couldn''t escape this place because of the cage. The Dice left his palm, bouncing and laughing around the cage like a child that was free to roam around its favorite playground. But it was in a cage.


    Fate wouldn''t stop because of something like this. It never calmed down. The wielder wasn''t stationary under its rules, while the target of Fate was somewhere, going over the Resonance that carried the Light and Brightness of many dreams and many Realms.


    Dice was impressed, feeling the Will of the opposition that should''ve shivered and caused it to despair, but instead, it felt thrilled. This was the most exciting Fate it had ever felt.


    Instead of going crazy and playful, it calmed down in a while but still flickered mid-air like a balloon or some Guides, as if trying to find its target or read the end of this Fate.


    What were the differences between its acts and nonsense, Razmund wondered. It never made sense to him.


    At least it pointed down, so that was good and something to consider. It didn''t outright refuse to work as he feared, but the words didn''t sound too good. Glaring into the hole, the angle was moving every so little, meaning that the target was indeed somewhere and not in the next Gate, which was deeper into the earth.


    Without blinking, he was watching it, similar to Gobling, Lanzedar, and Lint, who couldn''t ignore such a sight.


    Lanzedar was unwilling to take it for something crazy, as he heard and felt something worse just a while ago. It never left his mind. It would never go. This Dice wouldn''t impress or anger him, but it sure was menacing to hear and watch the treasures of Fates.


    Everyone was watching, trying to discern the flow of that Dice, yet it wasn''t for anyone to seek or find it out. Few could understand what it meant to touch it.


    It was bright, dark, biting back, and carrying no flow in its structure that often changed mid-way through. It wasn''t for men to seek it either. No Devil was ever worth it either.


    Soon, Razmund saw the direction changing again. It was the left side from the entry door to this cage, and the hole was gradually adjusting the angle.


    His target seemed to be already fairly deep as it took more than an hour of travel via the elevator. Razmund waited for a while until the Dice''s direction became roughly angled to the entrance door, though slightly left. That meant it was right there, an unknown distance away and in a straight line.


    That created a very easy solution, but it had one issue. It could be straightforward, but it could still be very far away from him. Only so little could he achieve with general directions of maps or knowledge of Entrance Five, while the caves or hunters wouldn''t work as great as this.


    Razmund didn''t complain. Destiny Dice worked the best in relatively limited and easy areas.


    Fateful Encounter was approaching, so what Razmund drove and decided was fairly outside of the normal rules. Not as if Centralis was something charitable, let alone clean or great. It wasn''t possible for a power in this world to be fair and good. No God was someone like that either.


    Razmund knew that nothing clean could walk in this world. Especially those damned Blessed, him included. He wasn''t clean. He wasn''t cursed, however. He was just who he was. Returned. A Blessed that felt the End and died to carry on some agenda this damned universe couldn''t see, or perhaps this world was a prison for the sinners.


    Razmund never believed in a God. That also didn''t change, because a God didn''t exist. The mere name was just a set of syllables and letters to poise as a meaningful word for those above the rules, or losers.


    Thinking about it was futile. Magic and some sense of justice weren''t honorable, yet humans always had a sense of right and wrong, even if it was a matter of perspective and false feelings. Judgment was subjective.


    In that sense, perhaps these so-called Gods of this world were the same as the humans he knew: they were fools with issues with varying perspectives that once started as sags of nonsense and little bodies or clueless children. It was fair.


    Breathing and calming his mind, this direction was all he needed to get started. Clutching the Dice back to his left hand, Razmund curved both knees and released them, jumping high into the air and punching a hole into the ceiling of this cage to stand on top of the elevator.


    Lanzedar glanced up, shocked and lost for words over his act. He almost wanted to shout for him to fix this hole or pay for it.


    Lint shook his head, figuring this was what he wanted to do from the beginning. At least he hadn''t broken this elevator as a whole.


    On top of it, Razmund drew his Claymore with his right hand and secured his position in this dark shaft by stabbing it into the rocky wall, leaving himself hanging as the elevator kept going down.


    ¡°See you later,¡± He glanced down at cursing Lanzedar and flabbergasted Gobling. ¡°And thanks for the ride.¡±


    Lanzedar realized that Razmund hadn''t paid him for this business at all. In fact, he hadn''t talked about any payment, which infuriated this old devil, yet his fear and heart prevented any proper actions.


    But words were cheap and came from his heart. ¡°Kill that fucking thing for me, human! That is my price!¡± he shouted before disappearing into the darkness.

 Chapter 248: Pushing forward

    Complaints echoed from the darkness, and Lanzedar''s voice felt like the whispers of a genuine devil. To whom? Well, Razmund was far below, hanging onto his claymore and not listening to any devil. He already had too much of that, and one even wrapped around his left hand.


    In the elevator shaft, the only light source came from sturdy Ultra Meterium, or Gems, which remained in various storages around the temple. This calamity hadn''t shattered common sense, with most destruction occurring in this Gate specifically. Razmund assumed it was due to large quantities of Ultra Gems, or because of their origin.


    Raw Meterium was mostly safe, and almost all Ultra Gems were either safe and protected by the formation of vaults or held directly under Levandis''s hands.


    Those exhibiting light and colors almost all turned to dust, leaving the underground lacking in light, as even the artificial suns dimmed.


    For miners and anyone using Gems for light, the truly valuable ones were always in their spatial rings or pouches fit for such treasures. It wasn''t a matter of pride or showing off but about their safety and superiority.


    Shattered Gems were unfortunate drawbacks driven by this calamitous Will, which departed more than an hour ago, leaving many shafts, cities, and homes shrouded in darkness. Most of the Hellscape also lacked its usual appeal, as everyone who had heard it feared it.


    Razmund was almost in the darkness because he had no Gems of his own. He didn''t have to since he couldn''t overlook it, or he didn''t care about it. It was similar to how Murai bid his time.


    Well, not like he needed it all that much; his eyesight was exceptionally good, and like anyone walking the marks of mana, it was a good source of light. Then, he also had his Dice with its pinky hues, and from below, someone bright was also coming, even if in a darker and redder ambiance.


    Lint flew from the elevator''s hole and felt uneasy after a small chat with Lanzedar. He rather refocused on a different kind of asshole. It''s a shame that pride of heart wasn''t his forte. Even common sense was distant, as if nothing could clean up this mess. Not him. Not his Lady. This mess had to stop one way or another. And such methods weren''t up to him, even if he wished and thought he witnessed ways to do it.


    Lint was just one little player, or not even that. Frankly, he shouldn''t want to be around this problem since that Will truly startle everything. He wondered what his Lady planned to do about it or what change could happen.


    To his surprise, Razmund took it incredibly well and looked as if that calamity wasn''t his problem at all. But he heard Lanzedar''s shouting tips and words for his sake. It wasn''t surprising; it appeared natidaes had done their familiar duty, and Lanzedar had a history with them on more than a couple of occasions.


    Lint wished to know the specifics, though he didn''t know what they would even do. Imagining a devil and those silly, proud, and insane monsters walking on two feet, he simply shook his head and doubted Razmund would ever consider his terms.


    Lint knew how this old devil lived or how he lived a very long life. Filled with various stories and meetings around the Battleworld, there were many legends and races with considerable weight and stories behind them.


    It wasn''t about beasts alone, or demons, or Hells. The Surface has humans, and those hold onto stories coming from the past and observations stored for the future. Gods were part of it, or it was a simple matter of cultures capable of creating new eras.


    One should always judge those of Chaos who grew old in high and dangerous regards. The closer it got, the more challenges it contained. But it was no poison or anything like that. In a sense, devils were very nuanced and profound in their Chaos, which made them into eccentrics willing to do anything for their hearths.


    They took part in clashes of Divides like kids who couldn''t decide on their favorite candy and, in truth, didn''t care what was right or wrong.


    Such races and subjects were everywhere. Some leaned on the left or right, but in truth, there were no sides. In many ways, there was no point in picking anything. It was all about living dutifully, and some things can''t and shall never be judged.


    It didn''t matter if one was old and frail, losing power because of some injuries, lack of talent, or other means. What mattered was the spirit, and no one should become a loser.


    Lanzedar used to be an Extreme, Lint knew and remembered. The kind that saw lofty heights of this world and many places, fought wars for nothing or something, similar to himself and many others. If not some respect, what was owed and fit for some concession?


    Lint felt some melancholy as one that met his End once without becoming Blessed. Instead, his Lady gave him her own choice that hauled the Divides upside down and allowed him to see a different life. He was hers and he was the one defying the universe, similar to this world itself.


    It was serving a purpose, giving the board of living beings a point, or those seeking power and rules a knock at the broader patterns.


    Everyone was trying to defy the heavens or watch how others did it or would do it. How and when it went well depended on the degree of their weight and willingness to do things, while among many, it was seen as optimal because the heavens would not talk back. It was as if nothing really mattered and the living beings could try anything.


    Lint saw some truth in the helpless struggle of this journey. When once dead, that was. Some of those like Lanzedar followed very dangerous ways to ease the way forward, setting up links to Gods who knew the truths or closed on them. Missions set by Levandis herself were often filled with thorns and chances, and getting them going was one way to go about it.


    They involved risks with very lofty rewards, yet difficulties that would take years to overcome. Their entire life might be one giant cage without a key or any door. That line of thought was synonymous with looking out of a well or a planet.


    Lint guessed Levandis must have involved Anatidaes in her calculative missions, though not everyone would ever get it or know why this was fine. Those willing to take such missions were the toughest of her subjects, either close, not part of her military, or family.


    There were many divisions scattered around her subjects of interest. Most Gods held some sort of inner rankings, while Rank 1 was the peak before the peak, giving Gods lower than her cover in her Hell. That was how most pantheons worked, leaving some with broken hearts.


    Mortals were unaware there was no end in sight. Their Ends were unfair thoughts, while their bodies and minds had to diligently work for Gods, even if they could no longer see or think straight the more they followed.


    It wasn''t that weird when those who gave up thought about it, living aside and observing. There were many creatures in this world that were kind of ridiculous, Anatidae and many others included. Gods weren''t the reason why it was like that. Nature did its course, and simple manners of natural selection ensured a fine revolution.


    Humans were simple in that vision. Devils were less simple, yet not that different if one fit them into a single bag or compared them across the span of Epochs or many cultures.


    Demons were... well, various and weird in bodies and Bloodlines, so they were fine to disregard due to their sheer independence from common sense. The relative simplicity of their Chaos ensured the throughout selection.


    When one thought broadly about their racial structures and issues, special or unique cases would shine like anything else. Even among Gods, devils, animals, and humans, there were oddballs.


    Beasts carried an immensity of various genomes scattered across the ages and eras. Everyone feared and respected this primal process, and it was something that Levandis and many others called Bloodlines.


    According to her, they carried historical significance that was different from regular mana or lives. Bloodlines could be deep, skip the process of life and death, and turn into something else when the time was right or when luck was on someone''s side.


    She believed that something very tiny was shaking the lifeforms to very special heights and well above normalcy. The reason? Perhaps it was the heavenly way to express a difference while also shackling them at the same time. It was odd. Gods were human in most aspects, no matter if one watched the Chaos or Order, or Hells or some Divine Sky Kingdoms.


    Beasts had very potent and old roots for some reason, as they weren''t those of Order or Chaos, but simple creatures that evolved into animals and various forms that live on a ridiculous amount of planets.


    In this world, one could truly see some of these differences in a new light, research them, laugh at them, and fearing them have a fulfilling passion.


    It was out of sight, or perhaps it wasn''t the will of the universe to be like that. Mutations and life around many planets or distances seemed far too complex and weird to call a transformation. It was more like a natural changing process that always gave one ultimatum. Time.


    It was more like a touch. An influence, some might say. Something that was made for a purpose of change and time, or luck, or meddling with Fate and bodies of some lifeforms, giving something a purpose or mask.


    Where had it started? Where could it end?


    Had life held some meaning besides the struggle to survive, fight, defy, and all of that would to come to an End called death? The Afterlife was another legendary point, hiding in the way of the universe of life and death. Many could not see it. They could not imagine how that would work.


    Lint felt a little weird when he was pursuing Blessed before him and losing an old friend who no longer recognized him.


    Lanzedar was a little old to seek any remedy, similar to most Guides who were just sneaking past the inevitable Will of the Universe. The End was coming for everyone, yet some live because of Levandis or themselves alone.


    Perhaps this old fool below him would become Blessed when he met with his End, but it wasn''t a matter of luck or chance. It simply happened against the knowledge or Will of gods and others. Blessed natives to this world were kind of rare, and Gods couldn''t meddle with it at all. That was until one regarded the Life Companions; Blessed Companions, some called them.


    Lint got it; he always thought of his End as something good and natural. Bad things happen for no reason, and good things are always the same. It''s a state unavoidable in this world. It was almost natural, unlike many things in the universe that seemed to be way too complex and meaningful, yet chaotic, looking as if there were no orders in things or there was too much of it.


    It was very harsh thinking, but Lint carried his head high because of the way he lived, similar to Lanzedar, who at least proved something in his ways and life.


    Life would be nothing without anything. The universe would be nothing without something.


    In that picture, the little lives could matter, and a small picture of Anatidae tribes and stories entered his skeletal mind. They were harsh little creatures that were created because the Gods of this world wanted some pets and tried to play for one true god. Doing so with lives as if they were the rulers of them all was wrong on many levels, yet in arrogance and power, few would reprimand them.


    Experiments went by the approach of the higher heavens, known as Endless Skies. It was like playing with fire, Lint considered and thought. He abided by words his Lady often spoke, in brief times of sleeping or eating or simply chatting for the sake of age.


    She also dreamt and hopped for something. It was unknown what that was, and Lint swore a God was a God for a reason. It was harder to understand why she struggled so much for the old sake, but moving on might be a sin from where she came from.


    The aftermath of the experiments was an inconceivable blunder, as evolution and mutations could happen in a blink, defy all expectations, and create miracles and curses across the heavens, space, and all realms.


    Experimentations with that sort of attitude carried a lot of problems, thus, the Anatidaes were born alongside some other creatures that had similar or lower weights and insanity. Some died soon enough, becoming extinct because of the godly blunders of trying to hide the truth. Some of those hid. Others fled.


    Yet all of them were considered as less than pests, for Gods wanted to fix the world and their mistaken plays and judgment. It ended up worse... Much worse than anyone could''ve predicted.


    Yet Battleworld would survive it all. It had survived worse histories, plays, and blunders, known by no one in this world or known by it and few.


    But the universe didn''t take it lightly, nor those poor creatures that were just whiffs of those with improper ideas meddling with the ways of the universe.


    Lint thought that Razmund was a weirdo for doing things the way he did for such a loose sake. But if anything should make sense, then that was human nature, and knowing Blessed and some cultures.


    Some things weren''t fine to question because there was no meaning behind them besides saying no or yes. Or there was something hidden, but one shouldn''t know the answers, as it was unnecessary or better kept unknown.


    Like the devil below, Lint had purposes and words he left to erode. Hopes or dreams were there as well. Everyone was making compromises with opinions and ideas as if they were goods for trade, but all of it was lives, excuses, and a bunch of tracks to help Gods.


    Now, he was somewhere, doing the same shit he kind of detested. His Soul Flames glowed, revealing Razmund, who was hanging from his claymore stabbed into the stone, looking confident, yet not in the darkness.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    The little pink color around his left hand created some charm, while the red color of Lint''s Soul Flames created another touch to this person. It briefly revealed his body and smile, though they hadn''t lasted very long. Lint thought he had done so because he heard Lanzedar''s words.


    ¡°You sure this is the right way to do this? Hunt and all that had happened, do you plan to dig your way forward, or make your own grave? Should I laugh?¡± Lint asked him as he reached him, offering nothing but his words.


    Razmund cocked his head, glimpsing at his Dice and sword. ¡°I just know how to go forward.¡±


    ¡°Or backward. I bet it isn''t that hard for you people.¡±


    ¡°Shut up. I don''t care about that Will that descended or some devil''s voice. I made no promises to you either.¡±


    ¡°And I feel I did so more than once or twice. Disgraceful!¡±


    ¡°Not to me. So? What are you glaring at me for, you legless bones?¡± Razmund asked.


    ¡°Give me reasons!¡±


    ¡°Not sure. Who is ever sure about that sort of thing? Only those that are, are those who know what they are doing. Who is ever sure?¡± Razmund argued, looking straight into the beaming red flames. In this manner, he barely saw his bones because of the darkness.


    ¡°Some fools are tautening while not being genuine and fine at all. It is called a dream, or an idea for freedom. I call it fake. Well, it could be false hope, a simple failure, or a play of words. Sometimes, what is right is wrong, while certainty appeases the guesses. Such is life.¡± Lint said, sounding as if he recited some words from some book or his head.


    ¡°What does that mean? Guesses? I am not guessing shit. I have my Path! I have my ways, and I am not a failure.¡±


    ¡°So you know what you are doing?¡± Lint cocked his head this time around and hid his chuckle behind his single arm. It didn''t help in the slightest, for his body was just an instrument.


    Razmund didn''t reply; he rather flinched his body and jumped to stand on the flat edge of his claymore.


    The elevator below continued its descent, but its necessity ended. Razmund had his destination set in stone. Almost literary. The flat wall of this big vertical shaft was before him.


    Tapping it with his palm, it was cold and firm, devoid of all Ultra Materium because this constructed shaft was either always here, or Levandis created it herself many years ago before the mining even started.


    Or this shaft was convenient and never touched any Ultra Materium veins. If that''s so, it was lucky. It was almost inconceivable, but Razmund wasn''t aware of this history. He bet someone had mined all of it away, creating a way down.


    ¡°I know what to do,¡± Razmund stated.


    ¡°Have you forgotten where we are? What was that voice before, or what... the Encounter and everything is about?¡±


    Razmund shifted his head in Lint''s direction. ¡°Do you know that voice?¡±


    ¡°Who knows...¡± Lint scratched his chin, smiling mysteriously.


    Razmund scoffed as he punched the wall, leaving small cracks. It seemed sturdy but not sturdy enough to go against him. The Dice chuckled, creating a musing song to go along with every punch.


    This was his mark. The wall that will be his shaft and way-point to go deeper, and reach some shafts, or caves.


    Razmund turned toward his unhinged nature and smiled. Flexing his body tight, he punched the rocky wall to get some footing and space to stand up first. Debris, dust, and blood flew, but he didn''t care. He wildly dug out a sizable hole before stepping inside and used his feet, hands, and claymore to crash the earth for him to go forward.


    For Lint, it was up to this madman''s mind, though he would lie if he said Razmund didn''t have a direction. Lint watched it all from behind, dodging some flying rocks as he remained flowing in the empty space of this massive shaft. Most rocks started to turn to dust the moment mana swirled, and cascading layers of flaring Intent and cuts flayed around a new human-sized shaft.


    Then, Razmund went insane. Laughter, cries, or grunts followed many cuts and tremors. Of course, the musing song never departed.


    It was a rather clumsy method to find a path, but even if he had better ideas, like using Lanzedar even more, Razmund was set upon this simplicity and would not change it.


    What if... there was a better idea, Lint thought. According to his suggestion and awareness, it wouldn''t be stupid to follow official paths and shafts. There were many main shafts deeper that went around a lot of places, connecting ways to smaller ones. They were a long way down already, so the paths were robust, Materium common, and Razmund''s ideas were sooner or rather hit a wall.


    After all, where would this digging end? Could this even give him some edge or provide his Dice a clear path?


    As Lint thought of that, a lot of suggestions turned to doubts after he realized that Razmund most likely didn''t care about official paths or this digging. As long as he had direction, what else mattered? Relying on that single angle, planning on changing, or getting in the direction of some shafts shouldn''t be too bad.


    His target must''ve walked in some of them and continued walking. Thus, the path should have an end no matter what he does.


    Razmund wasn''t thinking too deeply about any of that as Lint because the hole of his Dice pointed forward, and the shaft behind him was no longer important, even if it went to the bottom of everything.


    All of this confirmed his prey was somewhere in these mines, so there was no point in hesitations. Hunters shouldn''t understand this or get his digging unless Lanzedar would betray him, which was unlikely, or... extremely possible.


    Lint wondered how the opposite Side got inside this far without arousing the eyes of Rataratan or others, or why were they even trying this hard in the middle of this Province. Was it really about the mining, or was the matter what he had feared? That Will?! The shaking? What about the true Materium?


    Hints of the old portal appeared in his mind, bringing on thoughts of the core crucial secrets of Levandis. Why would it come to this point or it becoming public? The Hunt wasn''t anything spectacular. It was related to the Challenger, task and and both created finishes for this Gate.


    According to Mindarch, that is.


    At that moment, Lint shivered without realizing why. That possibility stopped all his thoughts when he realized what it meant and what had happened, yet... how and why?


    Should he speak to Razmund about it? That wasn''t possible. It was against the law! That place was off the limits by all means necessary, and this sort of thing wasn''t ever part of any deal. What forced it or let it continue this madness? Something worse, it seemed.


    At first, Lint believed they were here for the mining alone, which was also incoherently stupid when he knew what and how Murai''s endured this Gate so far. He only had a pair of some worthy Helpers, with most being quite far from help.


    He doubted Razmund would stop even if he knew some doubts or awareness of where he was going, or why. Stopping in these mines and considering options would not be wrong anymore. Lint fell helpless and almost depressed, hoping that Mindarch would speak to him right now. Why and how...


    The depths of this place should be untouched.


    Shaking his head, the topic of a portal could not disappear from his mind. He hadn''t gotten any clues about it in ages because it was about a piece of forbidden knowledge. For it to come, it wasn''t about some locks or secrets. It was wrong to even think about it.


    Soon, Razmund cut into some mining shaft, which he walked through. The one that his Dice didn''t necessarily like or show, so he charged to the opposite wall and ignored this path. It would be better to walk rather than do this silly digging, Lint believed. Perhaps even asking or forcing some Hunters for directions was a better idea.


    Still, Razmund didn''t care about that; he was doing what he desired. If he did think things though, Bagus''s path would clear up, Hunters would get more out of it, while his little targets might know he was around.


    Yet what of some rumors, fake news, or liars? Trusting was for gullible losers, which was something that Lint hadn''t forgotten. He straight-up forced it out of his mind because something worse came up.


    Lint had at least half a dozen correct plans, yet his current status wasn''t that. He couldn''t help judging this reality, watching this digging and painfully long process that had a potentially terrific end.


    Ultra Materium started to appear as Razmund dug, and he even unwittingly started to mine and crack some unfortunate veins. He either stored them into his pouches, ignored them out of spite, or proceeded to dig around them or through them.


    He followed his Dice in every interest it held and sang about. Some compromises had come with pain and trickery. For now, he was fine with being an inefficient, stupid fool.


    The quantity of blood drops wasn''t generous, so with less than a dozen uses, finding a way through this digging was one direction for success. How long will it take? A day, or more? Lint shouldn''t judge it, for the Fate was singing.


    Lint hadn''t thought of it anymore, unfortunately. Which was why he was as silent as a Guide should be, fearing the consequences for his Lady and no longer for himself.


    Timed moved on with such a frenzy that Lint was having some doubts about his floating self. Turning toward his memories and knowledge, wondering about the voice, the portal of this place, and whether the voice of his Lady held some deeper meaning, he waited.


    *Get him out of there without causing unnecessary ruckus and don''t question anything. It will end soon.* That was what Levandis said to him a while ago, followed by some comments about not doubting himself and rather forcing the situation down.


    It was either a task targeted at him or for him to filthy his hand. These could be the same, so Lint decided to think about half of the problems as he should.


    Razmund moved on. A brilliant lunatic was rather questionable from the very beginning, but even a proper plan could create miracles if things progressed well.


    So much for Lint''s new required terms and purposes, it seemed.


    ***


    Similarly to one Guide, worrying in the depths of the ground and shafts, there was another one, but he was very far away. Unlike Lint, this one had a much crazier head, issues, and thoughts, and a rather odd voice.


    Lorry was laughing, thinking about a whole different realm of worries to consider, moan about, and take onto his Soul Flames. Perhaps he was finding some pleasure in everything, unlike Lint, who was disturbed.


    What Lorry wanted and desired since the end of the Last Island was right before him, also around him, and felt ever so close.


    It was a time of his heavenly life. For his purpose, he moved. The Time itself shall wait for eternity like a curse, but it won''t. That wish would not become the truth. He was squeezed. Touched. Questioned. Glanced at like a fool by whom he served, he laughed, moaned, and swayed under numerous emotions and rising fears and questions.


    He enjoyed every moment of it, even though it hurt, ground his Soul Flames and voice he so loved and involved the love of his lives. He was in the hands of someone assertive, mighty, and more beautiful than some sights over the atmospheric horizons or deep realms.


    Some were difficult, feeling pretty and almost equal to some love. But he had preferences instead of a proper mind. Some would call him a moron and he would agree. There was no help for idiots.


    Perhaps the word itself could not even shape her features according to his mindful exaggerations, or eyes that were...well, he wasn''t one to lack words for his Lady, or overwhelming prayers. Honesty, honor, and honor. That was something that Levandis always knew from him, yet she wasn''t in a good mood and handled it accordingly.


    Through fury.


    Through helpless inability to act.


    She was furious, sitting on her throne, considering options, words, acts, and ways to get her points across. To where? Well, perhaps no one present would listen to her even if the world was exemplary.


    And Lorry was gone. His mind was fried, drowned in a frenzy of hands like a foolish Guide that pissed her off. He couldn''t even fathom how well it would go, let alone feel. If he had made an unfathomable blunder, things wouldn''t be like this, but so far, he knew very few things were his fault, while his target was lacking.


    Unfortunately, Levandis had to see some guidance in something, or anyone, lest her Fury grew too large and her Hunger would start to manifest and swallow.


    Lorry was the perfect target to start to seek some remedy or sense of reason, yet his point was distant like the Skies. Someone very nasty made her angry. Not Lorry, of course, though he could always become that excuse, reason, or a simple help.


    He had this innate art of messing things up, or being involved in them, or helping them go further. That was why he was great as a Guide for those other than herself.


    Who knew for how long it could last, but he wasn''t alone in his desires, nor was his Lady alone in her grievous anger, doubts, and helplessness over the calamitous Will or how the past days messed her up. Everything was turning to shit and there was nothing she could do about it.


    No matter. Levandis clutched a handful skull with her firm, yet tender fingers, feeling Lorry''s desires and ignoring how his memories traveled too far above what truly mattered.


    Pleasure was left behind a waterfall of bliss and happiness, making him forget what had happened a while ago or whose worries he should feel less. He was guilty. He should be afraid but also glad his Lady didn''t know everything. He wasn''t alone in his sins.


    Right. He was in the same dining hall that Manager Kil attended not that long ago. Unlike before, this place was barren, crashed, and destroyed in a fit of rage of Hunger.


    Even her throne had to be replaced for one that was poorer, while the table was nowhere to be seen, similar to any meal. Even many pillars had long found some replacement.


    Frankly, Levandis had no desire to think of some food right now, or about her throne or the eyes of her subjects, or this place. In fact, she didn''t want to think about her problems at all, yet the problems found her instead, spoke, thought, desired, and made things very difficult.


    It was that kind worth of her fit of rage. It angered her more than the Encounter, the overzealous steps of Vermillion, and even Murai himself was not as important. But his Resonance had yet to fall under her awareness, which was a big problem right now, or a very good choice by the one conveying tool.


    Mindarch had yet to tell her about the Old One who was seeking the remedy of unlike timing and properties. Through luck, a very touching matter had been created, forged, and forced, and Levandis was an unwilling scapegoat for much broader Sky, or a big villain that was in a wrong time in a wrong space. Even though her little spirit knew all about it, it was still subservient to the great cause.


    Levandis wore the same robe as usual, revealing patches of her soft skin, yet her silk robe was thin, annunciating a large portion of her curves and features. Her skin was flawless, yet one wouldn''t like to see it right now unless one was insane or could not really die.


    Her face was so bewitchingly angry, fitted with rage and maddening smiles, that one would wonder if she was crying or laughing or thinking of a joke amid a terrifying cause. Fear followed the excitement, and hopelessness followed ideas of dreadful possibilities and failures. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Many emotions stirred in her, and anyone half-familiar with her would know her expression meant grave juncture, as she was beyond infuriated. It wasn''t the face of someone who got robbed right below her eyes.


    Nothing and nobody was stolen.


    She felt like something was. Her pride. Her Honor!


    ¡°M-milady?¡± Lorry squeaked a word, even though no amount of physical touch would stop him from speaking. Only an Intent would hurt him, possibly kill him. Some vast Aura was secondary, while Presence or Authority would truly shake him whole, change him, kill him, or take out his soul and make him serve.


    He spoke through his Soul Flames after all, while his skull was just a redundant piece of an instrument that was his body, but it was more like a shell of a treasure long lost through time.


    Levandis moaned a grunt, almost speaking, but didn''t know what to tell him or let him do.


    ¡°It wasn''t anyone''s fault, I swear,¡± Lorry said. ¡°Just because of some unkempt visiting voice from far away moved through your mighty temple under your watch of thousands of years, it doesn''t mean it is like a slap at your beauty. My Lady! This was nothing but an improper misunderstanding and something that shou...¡±


    He shut up without a change of expression.


    Levandis blinked, eying him as if she wanted to devour him whole. Her eyes sparkled and something in Lorry shuddered and eyes swirled, becoming little points in his sockets.


    Lorry squeaked a chuckle, observing his Lady one more time, trying to discern her emotional distress and how much space had changed. It did. One wrong move, and he would be no more.


    At the moment, she was leaning on a large cushioned throne made of large boulders of pillows. She still sat on it as if it was her throne, though it seemed unfilial for her age, while a playful Lorry in her grasp hardly went along with it.


    There was no time to eat, but it sure was time for a good discussion, to see what was going on, and what should be said and transpired. Perhaps it was also fine for lies to become truths and for facts to become obvious.


    ¡°Lorry,¡± Levandis started, glaring at the raging flames in his sockets with apathy and death. ¡°I am angry.¡±


    It was a simple statement that Lorry wished to take without a voice, yet he shuddered and felt angry as well, returning his Flames into a raging vortex and growing them alongside his change.


    ¡°Of course! It is fine to be angry!¡±


    ¡°I am angry at you...¡±


    ¡°Of course! It... huh?¡± Lorry didn''t utter a moan next, but if he could, he would cry instead. Such a sight was his favorite! NO! That was very wrong and immoral. His conflict increased, and words and madness stirred more.


    Watching his Lady grow angry was even rarer and beautiful than watching her happy. It had a certain oomph to her that was hard to forget, carrying vastly different reasons for love and feeling, as few things would truly make her smile and shine.


    But for anger itself aimed at him? Oh, that was a different story. Levandis was a God of Somalis Hell, a historical place defying Epochs themselves.


    She had worries and knew stories like the rest of the owners of Hells, though some of it wasn''t worth much in greater terms of powers, awareness, or fears. All of that was within the grasp of such figures, eyed by those below them and feared by those aware.


    It was like being an owner of a bunch of crazy beings. Apathy and worries over them were more than enough for a lifetime, and it was a long journey. Most of them were still the masters of their Paths or seekers of higher heights.


    Chaos liked to disregard some Order to lands or pieces of some worlds, as it was fitting, like water flowing in the oceans, thus creating hells and caves or ravines. They weren''t hiding. They were living fulfilling lives since Karma was long dead.

 Chapter 249: Godly emotions

    Levandis was stronger than her chaotic competitor on this continent, which allowed her to acquire noble, Rank 1 status. In essence, it was about glory, conditions, and utter domination. That and becoming an owner of Hell also helped, obviously.


    But they also knew it was much more than that. Hells were hellish but described by stories of the Old World. In the Sky, it was a separate matter, while the Surface dwelled between both like little animals smushed against unfeasable monsters.


    Well, Levandis had her reputation and various other means to gouge strength, strategy, awareness, and giving her position a very special meaning. Not just anyone can maintain it within the myriad of Pantheons, where everyone hoped to go higher.


    Like many, she had opposition. Everyone wanted to eat, but the food was limited.


    Levandis accumulated enough power to crush opposition and has maintained the status quo ever since. And she wasn''t even one of those Gods who came to this planet when it was a barren wasteland without Gods or any former significance.


    Those that came first were the current masterminds of this planet, with few being gone, either traveling away to seek something else, or they were dead, unable to get further, or unable to remain as is. They became food for this world.


    Hence, those under Levandis still had to listen to her from time to time, yet it wasn''t worth much when everyone was thinking for themselves. That wasn''t even an unspoken law; it was just how it always worked in Hells, long before this planet spun on its axis or Gods lived on it, below or above.


    Her subjects were hers, but they were also themselves, thus subjected to their own desires and awareness that could change or morph for her or not. All of that was fair. Not every fool should follow her because they wanted it. They could also die for this burning passion or their desires.


    Lorry couldn''t say why she was angry at him. Why? What for? He would cheer to punish himself if he knew. Perhaps he was asking for far too much, or he wasn''t asking anything. Levandis was most likely aware of it as well, as she had known Lorry for a very long time.


    ¡°I am bothered... excessively,¡± she continued speaking, clutching him with one hand while the other hand leaned on her cheek, her elbow resting on the pillow. ¡°The way the things feel and go around me as if I am the wind seems as if I am nothing. Am I a wind, or am I just not fit for this position beseeched upon me? Should it be... proper, or valid to be this... angry? I am wrong, you see. Or am I?¡±


    Lorry shook his head, but it wasn''t working when she clasped the single skull of his flesh without giving him any space.


    ¡°Am I too ugly?¡± she asked again, appearing like a philosopher who aimed a skull towards the sky.


    This time, Lorry furiously tried to shake his head, wishing that his intentions would be read by her or by the swirling mash of fog in the ceiling.


    ¡°Is it something wrong... with me? That I can''t be trusted or accepted by them? I don''t demand much, you see,¡± Levandis scowled, appearing hurt and hardly collected. She leaned even more back, her hair nearly disappeared into the pillow like her head.


    ¡°B-bothered...¡± Lorry mumbled, fluster obvious on his bony face as her face disappeared from his Soul Flames. Emotions were barely notable in such a body, though his sole possession of some clarity was the work of his jaw that was movable, while his bones or teeth made a small difference.


    A lot of it was a work of his Soul Flames. As for some smiles or frowns, they wouldn''t work without his Soul Flames, which could shape his emotions, but not everyone would notice such details.


    His eyes would swirl or glow depending on his state of mind, or change shape depending on what he wanted to be like, or what could not change. He mastered some part of it long ago, yet not before his Lady and others.


    Since the start of this summon, he was naked before her.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Levandis sharpened her look suddenly, shaking Lorry in her single-handed grasp, and forced him closer to her head. ¡°I am bothered. Why would I not be like a flame when others take me for a candle? I don''t like being taken advantage of under any circumstances, yet here she goes, pushing and not thinking twice over what place she invades or what she does. It''s unsightly, wrong, and arrogance beyond us. Don''t you agree, Lorry?¡±


    She sighed and talked as if all her previous scowls hadn''t happened.


    Lorry wanted to speak, but she talked wantonly without awaiting or trying to appease her frustration. In some sense, no answers were better answers. The outlet didn''t matter, and her mind had a ton of things to tell regardless of skulls or bones.


    ¡°There are so many useless things along with this mess that I thought were just a joke. I was wrong back then, so I acknowledge that sin. Now, it turned from a weird occurrence into something that changed this world, my home, and I feel like my lungs are crushing me.¡±


    ¡°Lordis thinks he sees through everything, yet he is one of the most insane troublemakers of them all and shall pay for sins, crimes, or justice that cannot be forgotten. Nay! It can be omitted or forced. That fucker only knows what is good for him and his shaming Sky, while what goes or hides away is what?!¡±


    ¡°Down below! Fucker. He can''t touch anything, and up beyond, he shouldn''t have a single wit to mind it. But he does?! How? He will get burned. There are many who looks at his positions and acts, as this world is...well, it is special, right, Lorry? Should we cry about it like the Old World? Hell no.¡± She cursed the Ruler, clutching Lorry''s skull with a bit more force.


    He enjoyed it, but he still showed some distress to appease her mind, feeling a couple of cracks around his temple and feeling he was helping her even if he was unable to do so.


    Then, Levandis began to shake him some more, speaking as if he were a priest hearing a mistrusted sinner, friend, subject, and thief. She had no qualms about what to tell or not; she had no need for many common regards before her most precious subjects, but who was Lorry, if not that?


    Lorry took all of her frustration to his skull and, from time to time, told her what she had to hear even if it hurt him in the process. Always offering advice or encouragement was his job. Mindarch couldn''t do it very well since that thing was not fine with that kind of empathy.


    It ended up giving both of them what they wanted, yet Levandis would never hurt him too much, lest the true regret arrive. She could often gain some lies or superficial answers she did not need to hear, yet they were and could be very beneficial.


    ¡°They know nothing good!¡± Levandis cried and wished to throw another tantrum. As a God, doing so usually carried very difficult consequences for those around her, so she usually ended up voicing her tantrums instead. She couldn''t just shove herself into the Void or Chaos Space and relieve herself there. It was neither good for these places nor her needs.


    But it was a possibility that sometimes happened, for this world shouldn''t feel her wrath, but it always could because it could not stop her. It wasn''t about possibility.


    It was an inevitability and one way to destroy this world if all Gods were like that. They weren''t, which was good. Their subjects kept them in check while the horror of politics and schemes of power did the rest.


    ¡°I swear, my Lady,¡± Lorry spoke calmly, feeling as if he was a devil beside her shoulder, but he was one before her face instead. ¡°They knew, or they might not know what is good for them. Gods, I mean, are wrong. This isn''t all about them also. It is no one''s fault. Not yours. Everything happens for reasons known by no Fate. Everyone clutches it the same. Such is life. Such is death. Some look at it and don''t fear it, but they should.¡±


    ¡°You dare to speak of Death to me?! To me, Lady of Thousand Graves?!¡±


    ¡°Why not? Died once, why not call it fair? Well, to be fair, this matter disregards Death completely. Almost.¡±


    That was an argument that Levandis could not disregard, and she also knew what and why this was so obnoxious. She knew why she was this pissed off and what to do about it wasn''t that hard.


    ¡°Then why do they pester me so much? Should I kill them? The ones that bother me. Is this the Way of Hell that some assholes thinks is mightier than Laws? I am not a native, I know, but some things and hints of the Endless Sky are conforming. I am thinking of giving it a try if that End can come. Vermillion. Old Ones. Lordis. What am I missing? Oh, now... her?!¡± Her face turned to one with confusion, though Lorry felt as if he was looking at the grim reaper. When she was like this, it felt dreadful, great, and one way to see a much bigger hell.


    ¡°I... don''t think,¡± he said weakly, ¡°that many options give many ways to lives or Paths. Think of the time. See a corner. Think of the pain inflicted by the rage. Consider the beyond. Boys. Girls.¡±


    ¡°Forget killing then,¡± she said; Lorry was half sure she didn''t listen to him much, but that was typical of her when she was like this. She heard what she wanted. ¡°What else would work for me and us... or everything? Some punishment could also work. I am a Ruler of these Gates, yet the issue isn''t that, even if it came and I am... tossed in a corner like a little girl, blackmailed, ignored, and forced. Isn''t that frustrating and unfilial of me, Lorry?¡±


    ¡°Rightfully so.¡± Lorry furiously nodded his Soul Flames. ¡°Rules state the ways things should go and be, but among them, concessions, lies, and decisions come as prices. Gamble it away. Spend it. Forge it. One shouldn''t turn, ignore, or outright change many sorts of things. One or a few are respectful. Miscalculating or forgetting what matters sounds like a much bigger disgrace, my Lady. If all things would turn and change, then... everything would alter and never return to how it once was. Others do it, we know. Endless Sky is vast. This word has an epochal history. Many would rejoice, and even more would try to escape, unaware that the heavens are watchful. We know. We fear. What is the worst lie? Option... Death. Choices.¡±


    As Levandis listened to his every word for the first time in her grasp, something changed.


    A light step echoed in this half-destroyed place where walls were missing large chunks. Not much mess or debris was around, apart from some collapsed walls that lacked support and proper weight. Pillars were missing chunks of their weights as if someone had bit into them.


    ¡°Oh, we have another little visitor. How unexpected but extremely welcome,¡± Levandis perked up and straightened her posture by leaning forward, looking at the approaching figure that was rather obvious thanks to lacking decor and things along the way.


    Lorry wasn''t sure who had come; he was facing her chest when she leaned forward, so he couldn''t complain, think, or speak sense into her soul.


    By all means, it was a good thing that another being had entered this hall because Levandis had kept rushing her heart, fury, and emotions out for the past hours. The end was nowhere in sight. Stopping the crackling of the Lorry''s skull, it was Manager Kil who walked with his tiny steps forward.


    He walked for quite some time before reaching her Lady. Kneeling, he inquired about her call, knowing that he had far too much work right now, but he knew this was important to solve as well.


    Perhaps it was the most crucial problem in hand since this must be about the calamitous Will. Out of all the Overlords, very few knew the bounds of this situation, and many questioned why it even arrived and ended up like this.


    It felt as if it was a guest, coming unprompted, angry for one big and obvious reason, and it even disregarded their Death Valley and matters of Gates and pride, thus angering many Gods and Overlords under Levandis.


    Alas, she didn''t give a shit about that and had plenty of issues on her plate even without it. So for it to happen, she had to judge it with others.


    ¡°What have you summoned me for, my Lady? I am busy for the time being, no longer crawling or sensing the pressure of the Codex. It is no longer optimal, which is good. Or... cursed regardless,¡± he pled on his knees, yet his face was facing his Lady, rather than the floor.


    He felt and knew that many things were wrong and disastrous. No one wanted to see her in any distress, let alone in unhinged Hunger or worse. Unfortunately, not everything could occur how one desired.


    And all because of some Will carrying a couple of words across the seas of different problems, everything turned into one hell of a shit. Perhaps even Skies got their fair share of frights, or... Lordis did.


    After all, this must''ve become very disastrous, and the cause was not within everyone''s eyes. Of course, some beings knew of hints and knowledge. In this room, there were a couple of them.


    It will cost a fortune to repair, Manager Kil felt.


    Levandis smiled, glad to see another "devil" over her other shoulder. ¡°You... You both,¡± she shouted and swung her other arm forward. As she gestured, air twisted and space trembled, allowing it to change. Before Kil even knew it, he was in her left hand, clutched like a toy and unable to move.


    Levandis was still leaning forward, handling both little beings close enough so they felt her breath and breasts. Well, one was better at it than the other, but one would complain about it for sure, while the other just shook and felt very awkward. Their sense of duty and life were like polar opposites, though their dedication was not.


    The one with a conscience was the problematic one. Her right hand held Lorry and her left held smaller-looking Kil, who was a bit agitated by this sudden clutch, if not a bit furious because of lacking time and effort. Sure, he was busy and part of something bigger, but even her Lady should know how crucial this time had become.


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    She wasn''t usually this...well, he saw some fault in himself and her, and there was nothing helpful at complicating it further. Anyone could''ve fortified the defenses of this temple, he or she, yet what would that do to that Will? It wasn''t usually fine to think of defending against that sort of attention.


    In fact, who or what would be willing to argue about that sort of thing? Perhaps only Gods or someone aware of the great rivalries, insanities, and oddities brewing and living on this planet.


    That was something Manager Kil thought about ever since the vast arrays of defenses around the temple crumbled in seconds, and many Ultra Gems bore the hatred of wars, bloodlines, and one peculiar wrath.


    For now, his distress held different reasons than Lorry, who glanced aside from him, laughing at the one who shared his great fate. He expected someone else if he was honest with himself.


    There was another Guide lurking around this insane time. Lint might have been a satisfactory alternative. That half skeleton was as good with his mouth as him, Lorry believed.


    ¡°So, my two little subjects,¡± Levandis restarted her speech after calming down and finding Manager Kil''s presence as one part of what she lacked.


    His voice was enough to change her mind many times over, as she wasn''t paying attention to the happenings of her temple after recognizing all of her internal and external problems. It was painful. Her pride got hurt, and almost like a girl met with a minor problem, throwing a fit was one way of rejoicing.


    With how the world was like, her sights were on different things than Hunt in Hellscape, even if it involved all of it or perhaps more than anyone could judge.


    ¡°You two messed up things badly enough, but one more than the rest. Who, I wonder. Who is willing to appease this Lady? Am I a God, or am I a fraud?¡±


    ¡°M-my Lady!¡± Manager Kil scowled, fearfully accepting the embrace of her fingers, and hoped for no reprisal. He was small, so her whole arm was enough to clutch him whole, yet he wasn''t glad or fearful anymore.


    Only his head was visible, so some awkwardness in this interaction was acceptable, like him hugging her fingers. ¡°I am at fault for this blunder. Have my head as an apology. I deserve the finest punishment. I swear!¡± he continued pleading, yet Levandis wasn''t having much thought about having his head because she could have it alive, speaking, and working for her cause. What more could she ask for? Deaths were so easy to obtain nowadays.


    Finding a replacement for this sort of being would cost precious time. The kind that she could no longer afford, or one that might no longer exist.


    She wasn''t looking for punishment but for a means to understand this whole incident. There were at least a dozen points that shot above her mind, or through her heart, squeezed and quenched, for this world and time could not take it. Some beings did instead, bidding for time. Waiting for the return. Frankly, it was good and acceptable. Not anymore.


    It was the start of a craze, considering Levandis was the one who knew far too well what just transpired in and over her temple, yet why and how it went in detail, she had fewer ideas.


    She had yet to summon Mindarch, but that spirit was listening¡ªalways bidding and waiting.


    ¡°No!¡± Lorry shouted, cluttering his teeth against her fingers and unwilling to give Manager Kil this pride. It''s a shame he had no tongue. ¡°I deserve all the blame for this incident. That Child is at fault! I am his part. Me alone! I knew it all along and we ought to remember what transpired and goes within these lands and Gates. It is no sin. It is a time. A disastrous precaution.¡± He pled for his punishment, forgetting the fact that nothing was his fault whatsoever.


    Even his usual speech was gone, no longer hiding behind a farce of a Guide. Before his Lady, he was always different from a silly Guide with a single glorious skull.


    Levandis heard their jokes with apathy and unblinking eyes; her demeanor hadn''t changed, her face was close, and options were flaring within her. First things had to come between the lies because she realized her anger quickly dissipated after both of them arrived.


    After all, what had she lost, gained, and knew? There must be harmony and pride in knowledge. She was lacking in both while losses were where exactly?


    Adapt. Overcome. Get over this silly time, for it will pass on.


    Remembering the dutiful, full voice, Levandis calmed down. It wasn''t as if this was worth some tantrum, apart from the fact that it happened. That alone was harmful, and anyone would recognize it.


    Her gaze was upon Manager Kil, the caretaker of her whole temple and quite a big part of Mindarch''s workings and numerous contracts.


    ¡°Kil,¡± she whispered, speaking with a hefty amount of apathy that would obliterate lonely souls without owners or shells. Her face didn''t move a muscle, apart from her crimson and puffy lips. Manager Kil saw her eyes and her face and pretty much felt her weight and emotional distress over one singular realization.


    ¡°WE realized something new.¡± Lorry suddenly said.


    ¡°No. It isn''t something new or good. We wouldn''t know much of it if it weren''t for some things.¡± Kil continued. ¡°M''Lady...¡± He said, firmly decided that whatever Fate was before him, he shall take it without any stuttering. ¡°Whatever it is that is a problem, there are always ways to think around it. You are prideful, yet...unaware of something.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shush..¡± Levandis kicked the floor and jumped further into the soft throne, burying herself in and carrying her two subjects with her. Her arms were above her, so she looked at them from below, eyeing the ceiling as well.


    ¡°Tell me some solution to the current problems. All three of you.¡± She demanded without being very specific. She just wanted to talk because she knew she could not know everything. And they clearly knew something essential. Something that might create the biggest variable, one might say.


    Manager Kil knew at least a dozen problems off the top of his head, following predicaments she indicated and not feared, yet was that it? For him, that calamitous Will was secondary. The cause was almost anticipated, though not in the Ip''ur Mountain, or... for her Lady.


    ¡°Solutions to numerous problems... are also numerous¡± Manager Kil told the truth. ¡°I would suspect the problems of the truth lay in how everything happened for many reasons, and where it all started, again? The Sky Gods? Beyond? What about something very old but familiar?¡± His words were cut short by a tight grip.


    Levandis groaned upon hearing the word Sky. These meddlers were a never-ending source of trouble for her, but a lot of Hell owners got over it, while many Hell Gods did not. Unlike the things she held deep in her heart, Sky would not fix and help with anything.


    She wasn''t here to crash the Sky either. It would be a useless effort because the balance and this world were brittle. One wrong move and everything could crumble. It wasn''t worth it, frankly. There was no war worth some price and effort.


    Yet, when others thought of wars as unavoidable, she might accept how it could happen, regardless of her willingness. She was aware how this world worked, or how the Endless Sky always took words for Laws.


    Then, things mangled into some tangible lines like knots of heart. Cultures speak of it. Epochs whispered of times and gave thoughts about how history often repeated itself.


    ¡°Mindarch, if you may,¡± Manager Kil said, ¡°show her my research over the reasons and what we left out. It is time to change it like we decided a while ago. It is about that one. The one who waits. Who has come.¡±


    The fog above swirled into motion, becoming a ghostly face above Levandis, appearing kind of reluctant and obviously not ready for this discussion. But it already involved problems, so why not add another one?


    [I say this is not a good time for that opportunity, little Kil. It might drown us. Kill us.]


    ¡°Bah. Nothing important.¡± Kill sneered and wished to wince his hand rather than roll his eyes alone.


    ¡°Are you denying me knowing what I should know?¡± Levandis said coldly.


    [Yeah, sure I am. Who else would do that when you are acting like a brat? Someone wouldn''t be proud. Dear Goddess, this situation is crazy enough, yet you act like a child. As a Ruler of Hell, you are sometimes far too careless and unaware of what goes over your head. So yes, I am proud... Odd, that is.]


    Levandis, contrary to the shock and fear of those in her grasp, appeared unaffected by Mindarch''s snarky comments. ¡°World is part of playful words Gods are naughty with. Most are not good at it at all. Why? Words do gain wisdom, acts start with them, or End them, while the problems and desires are what? Enlighten me.¡±


    [Useless chatter when you are angry like this is for nothing. Is this really about the Mother you felt and...f]


    Levandis jolted her hair, hissing, and part of Mindarch fog disappeared to nowhere just to reshape back together a distance away.


    [That won''t work...] Mindarch said as his fog returned into a smile. [I could''ve calmed you any day, you see. Say it all out of no fear. Why? Because you are being petty and downright ridiculous. Do you know what I hate about petty Gods, Levandis? How the time changes, yet some things never change. That''s one way to die off and disappear into obscurity. You don''t mind this. You can''t.]


    ¡°Why are you like this?¡± She demanded. ¡°Is this something so shocking when you act like idiots? What do you know? Well, you know nothing about my heart, that''s for certain.¡± Levandis flinched her hair down and ignored the look of those in her palms.


    [You would be surprised how well-versed I am in reading Fate myself, or others, or... you. It has been my Bliss for so many cycles, and whilst I am not Ravine, I am more like his little brother who never was. Senseless, sure. Not really a part of something obnoxious like setting this world into a new era because some Gods wanted to do some silly experiments when they came over and saw a barren world.]


    ¡°Whatever. Skip this useless chatter. My whole temple is in shambles because of that Mother. What is the cause, again? Your rush nothing but know my wits.¡±


    ¡°M-Mindarch... please.¡± Manager Kil stuttered. ¡°Not be too specific, or... it might be a disaster.¡±


    Mindarch looked as if he sighted and charged his workings to form a bunch of images on screens.


    [I don''t suppose it is correct. Disaster is already here, more is coming, and more is always around, waiting. The moment they arrived at this home of mine, gears moved. There is no longer another option. You realized it far too late, ignorant, but in no way wrong. Things moved far above our eyes. Mine included.]


    The images showed Murai and Lisa. Those two alone took the front, with Razmund behind them being almost unnoticeable, as he was a small variable Sky Gods employed.


    Lisa was particularly enchanted and pretty once more; a tad bit overwhelmed touch on Mindarch''s part. She took the center in this screening with a much bigger size, glow, and details.


    Levandis angled her little subjects towards the ceiling for them to see, while she felt weird to see that ghostly lady once more, sided with that fool of an Old.


    Lorry shuddered, knowing that faults were where faults existed, and there was no helping it anymore. He knew that Manager Kil and Mindarch were about to change this whole situation to something else, while he was a deep sinner. He couldn''t stop them. He didn''t dare to anymore.


    ¡°Well, if it ain''t something...¡± Levandis sighed, figuring that Mindarch might give it more justice than the pair in her grasp. ¡°Who that might be? The one that started it all?¡±


    [Well, it would happen later or sooner, but she is someone that everyone knows. Her name is Lisa, Levandis.] Mindarch said so because it seemed those two in her grasp didn''t want to convey the unspeakable, but he had no intentions of hiding the facts from the truth because he did not fear any consequences.


    ¡°Lisa?¡± Levandis furrowed her brows and pressed her lips together, thinking far too much about that name and ghost as she gazed at the picture. ¡°Does she look familiar or the name does?


    Should I be concerned or not? You showed her a couple of times to me already, yet I feel like something is hiding from me, but I can''t realize it, or pick it on. Has it... always been around?¡±


    ¡°No...¡± Manger Kil looked resigned, similar to Lorry''s Soul Flames, which almost stopped swirling.


    [Mind you, this is just a contemporary image of hers; she had your Bloodline and something much more important. Remembrance. Your time. It seems you are missing something lost upon a time long lost in the past. You mentioned that to me once or twice, oh, God who once wasn''t a God. This grazes on something large. Remember. See. Fear once more!]


    At that moment, something hit Levandis right there in her most hidden feelings. She jolted for real this time, her hair flopped behind her, turning straight like paper. She stood on the pillows, her two subjects pressed to her chest as she hugged herself. She shivered in disbelief, pillows vanished, and her face changed in numerous emotions as she did as Mindarch started.


    ¡°She doesn''t look alike!¡± She argued immediately and kicked one of the lone pillows away. ¡°What the hell is this about, Mindarch? Don''t fucking tell me about that, or joke with me. You... You don''t dare... do you?¡±


    [Certainly. Not every time, that is.] Mindarch said. [But it is certainly a fact that the little Lorry comprehended more than well.. and...well, here we go.]


    As Mindarch expected, the short-lived Bliss that Lorry felt changed in a heartbeat. Levandis almost crashed his skull when she pulled him upwards from her chest to see his shameless eyes.


    ¡°Little asshole is unfilial and hiding secrets behind and straight before my face? How long do you think I''ve lived for? How long do you think YOU should live? How long have you known about her? Oh, I see. When have you planned to tell me about this? At a better time, that would once come, or never make a difference because you wanted it for yourself? Greedy one. You know how bad I am with faces, so you planned this with Mindarch and Kil out of spite or... what?¡±


    Lorry remained silent because of his cracked skull and fearful Soul Flames skimming like motionless water. ¡°No...¡± He whimpered.


    [You certainly become impacted with this sort of face, Levandis. I feared it, but watching you... I suppose anger and emotion can turn back time, return, and clash. Good. I will see through it.] Mindarch argued, hoping to clear things up. He was right.


    ¡°I am terrible at seeing ghostly faces... and this... this!¡± She showed Lorry upward, nearing Lisa''s enchanted body. ¡°What is it about again? Who, hm?¡±


    [Who knows that but you?]


    ¡°You don''t?¡± Levandis demanded.


    [Not really, actually. I am not as old as her, or... I am. It is a difficult but truthful fact that meander us together. I had a past master. You aren''t bad, but... yes. You are terrible.]


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because...¡± Manager Kil lost his voice when Mindarch knocked the main issue out of their minds.


    [There are no readings about her whatsoever in anything that is known and feared. Why? You should know... You should.] sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Which means...¡±


    [Ravine has no control over this, or she is... nothing, really. Who? What? Well, she looks like a Fairy, but is Wreight, I bet. Seen them before. Feared them more. I saw many things in my time, but part of it is skimming through others, rather than myself. Oh, and there is still the precarious issue of thievery and forging. I suspect... having a small link to Ravine comes with its perks. Now, however, is difficult.]


    By now, Levandis shad tumbled from this reveal and was back on hugging her subjects. She pressed her lips even more, thinking over his words and taking that beauty ahead for a vigorous storm, which slowly mended into someone else. Memory overturned, tuning into a proper vision. She wondered what sort of validations it held, yet what it meant for her was a very distant matter.


    [Do you want it written or spelled?] Mindarch joked around after realizing that she was taking it better than he expected.


    ¡°Rules. What of them?¡±


    [If you mean Mindarch, that is that. We got hints on numerous topics, but that one is forged. I suspect even Lordis has been played, but that is questionable because what is sounding right but isn''t right? A lot of it is correct. I deem it as forgery of Ravine himself, yet that one eclipses what we... know. I doubt that. For now, what matters is a seeming detachment over everything. I mean, the Old One is what?! Fuck''s sake, this shit burns! Out of the rules and the world, she even drifts into this world and works around that Old One as if she knows what she is doing. I mean, she might, but she shouldn''t do that. It reeks of problems.]


    ¡°Yet, she is a Life Companion, isn''t that right? You said it in the Screening Room before. Oh, Kil showed some empathy back then, no? Is that... it? You are as guilty as little!¡±


    Manager Kil nodded, hiding his blush in her breast.


    [I did show stuff. And she is, frankly, what you see. How? Well, Life Companion can be anything, and Blessed goes where Blessed are. It stinks of a Breach, to be honest. Something pulled some strings, but am not sure what, why, but we can get some reasons out of our asses or minds. Which is good? What is better?]


    ¡°Everyone can be a Life Companion, yet Blessed and their workings in Ravine and everything in the Divine Camp is another thing. What does this mean? This... ghost of mine and... Oh, God! No.¡±


    ¡°I... planned for it to be a surprise.¡± Lorry lied. ¡°Some time later, it would become a better time. Saying is one thing. Showing it off is another. Make a meeting or a simple errand. You would... do something. I would watch it. See a touching moment.¡±


    She pinched his eye with her middle finger and turned him back to her face. She looked really pissed again: eyes squinted, cheeks flustered for some reason, and her smile widened in a madding and cheery smile.


    ¡°What was her name, again?¡± She demanded just in case because she couldn''t see the reason on that screen, even if the memory and that screen tuned to what once was. It was not Mindarch. It was her doing. She saw Lisa''s image numerous times in that room, yet it never hit her. Now, it did.


    [Lisa Leruvien] Mindarch said. [Just a brunch but...not as if it''s an important matter. Frankly, that name is as distant as your sense and sanity. I reckon she is not different, but she is spending time with that wretched being. Who knows what is about to happen?]

 Chapter 250: Confession

    Levandis glanced upwards and stopped his speech. ¡°That is enough for me. I am deep. I remember.¡± She calmed and relaxed her hand, easing the grip on both of her subjects. ¡°I was worried about something else, wasn''t I? The source of this being is debatable, yet I doubt one would know it without hints, is that right?¡±


    [Correct. It isn''t related to those like Amelius for sure, while that... Mother, is what? This concerns a completely new and detached point. Levandis, you... What will you do?]


    ¡°Not my concern, isn''t she?¡± Levandis guessed, though she long thought of her as a far away imagination. Even if she would come, what would it even do, let alone cause? Perhaps a giant spark was blooming across the horizons and seas, but that wasn''t something this continent and Gods would not foresee or tolerate easily. They probably heard its whispering threat. The End might come.


    [I am concerned.]


    ¡°You shouldn''t be too certain about it, Archie.¡± Levandis teased him. ¡°What goes above us is well above us when it does it like the wind. That''s the charm of Endless Skies. Shit just happens. Nothing one could do about it. She could be a simple Breach and mistake like that Old One, but it ain''t about that. I was... that close to feeling it. Now, I am this close to seizing it.¡±


    Mindarch watched how Levandis''s posture decreased. Then, she started to giggle like a little kid. ¡°She is here, isn''t she?¡±


    [Those are vastly different things, you see. I thought about it, and it doesn''t sound right, and you know why.]


    ¡°Not as if I care about the old history.¡± She waved a hand and almost tossed Lorry away. ¡°I cared about my words, while you are showing me problems of not only me but broader ways. Well, it is a problem anyway, so where and how far does this go, or what should we do? Secrets. Mistakes. This comes out of nowhere, and what could I do?¡±


    Mindarch figured this would happen, yet facts were logically where they belonged. Issues that pissed Levandis off were different from what could be important, yet some things weren''t what they looked like, or touched on. Lisa''s acts of thievery and forgery spoke of numerous facts.


    Who else knew about it? Who else dreaded that Old One was here, and something else came as well, faking being a Life Companion? Who was the real one? Was even the Old One a proper one? Well, that fact was subjective since this world was never proper.


    Mindarch found this charade of linked problems more than funny, since no matter how he read into it, there were more bad results, than good ones. Oblivious to Lorry and Manager Kil who weren''t that pivotal in what Mindarch knew, the reason he was showing these pictures to her affects one side of the memories. Like a key, it connected the past.


    Levandis relaxed as much as she could without looking suspicious after she realized something she hadn''t accomplished once in this world. Sitting down and pointing back to the screens, she wanted to get back to the essential matters.


    ¡°You see, this was supposed to be a discussion when we see reasons in that Mother and overall mess, yet here we go, see another screen that is what, Kil? That ghost doesn''t concern me right now.¡±


    [Is what you wish for. Who is speaking from you? Which Grave?]


    ¡°None! I am myself.¡±


    [Said Lady of Thousand Graves, calmly.]


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Levandis attuned to Fury once more. ¡°You started it, so you should get going, fucker.¡±


    ¡°I''ve said it before...¡± the little Tontati retorted from one of her palms. ¡°Don''t make me repeat myself, my Lady. You''ve feared it, whispered it in sleeps devoid of love. It is a curse, we know. For it to resolve, a key to a far too big hole is not up to us. But it exists, which... makes us glad.¡±


    ¡°Well, then. Let me repeat the narrative,¡± She said calmly. ¡°A single fucking Anatidae and following Encounter that Lordis constructed is here, barely anticipated with all other little shits surroundings it against our knowledge or a public one. Now, Ravine is gone as well because some clever fox thinks she can grow wings and... accomplishes it, so... good job, I guess. So, what is it for us again? Isn''t it a mess, or a blessing in disguise?¡±


    Mindarch figured that Levandis started to pretend. Good. [Many things are around. I feel...]


    ¡°You shut up!¡± Levandis shot him a deadly stare. ¡°You are a meddler yourself. I heard about the deal with that guy Amelius and you and... Kil. You barely gave me a report on their conversation and what happened with that guy. I know who he is! I know the price. I know you were sneaky against me but fret nobody. I know what I should know because many things go against my knowledge, like storms. That doesn''t mean I can''t see the storm, or endure it, or pretend it won''t come, or... it is here. Why?¡±


    ¡°Promise,¡± Lorry suggested.


    ¡°Job.¡± Manager Kill guessed.


    [Silly purpose of no God, I presume?]


    ¡°Everyone is like that, I know. It is inevitable when I simply can''t bother with a sense of justice and punishment. I wouldn''t have anyone around otherwise.... which is sad, because one is far... better. I suppose... this picture suits her. I suppose it is good that she is around and... here. It means the end. Thank the Goddess. Thank her,¡± she mumbled and wished for some fruits or Chickens.


    Mindarch wasn''t pretending anything; he would speak of this sooner or later. If he had to, of course. Such a time had come, and sooner than anyone else would ever predict. Well, that was wrong. Someone did predict it, but those were far too careful about it, lest others know about it. Perhaps not even Mindarch knew.


    [Not as if it is important. Not now.]


    ¡°Back to narrative, Archie. What about Vermillion?¡±


    [Fled. I challenge the point of this inquiry.]


    ¡°Hm. Fine. The Mother?¡± Levandis asked him, no longer tuned on Fury.


    [A seeker of something that she really wants for any and all reasons one could give, and won''t think. A mother and her child are bonded, omitted, and forged, yet not always, but they should be, but aren''t. They won''t be but are related. I suspect this has been a ticking bomb, as I like to think of this word from time to time. Or is it about you, Levandis?]


    ¡°You jest. I am totally fine.¡± sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [I could almost assure you about it. Neither means a threat to your direct mission, as they don''t seek what you own or do, but what you touch or have is a completely different thing. I mean, what if they learn all the shit that is brewing around? Well, Vermillion doesn''t give a shit. She is far too busy.]


    [So what about the other? Mother is mothering. Sun God isn''t significant. Amelius has done his wit. For the core reason, their reasons could collide with your interests, as some things do influence many things the more they move. Like a river, truly.]


    ¡°Collide?¡± That word held many meanings in Levandis''s heart. ¡°I surely know that things in Hell don''t mean everything respectable in their words or meaning. Many cultures do whatever they can with must tongues like grunts and whatnot.¡±


    [What then, do you want? Do you seek problems where there are options? If it is about Anatidaes, what''s the point]


    ¡°Why are you trying to redeem this situation or turn it aside?¡± Levandis frowned, figuring that Mindarch was speaking and acting strange.


    [I care about this temple, and right now, something awful is happening. It hurts my pride, you see. Sometimes, I care more than you do. My former master was night and day different from you, little girl. I miss the Old World!]


    ¡°I do not.¡± a little par said at the same time, though neither lived through it enough to speak a word.


    Levandis laughed, once again pressing her arms around herself. ¡°You can''t seriously take this conversation to the worst possible link.¡± she wheezed. ¡°I would love to reprise it more, but your melancholy over the lost world isn''t here for us. Anatidae are interest. I get what they are, what they do, and what they desire. Touching. The one in my temple is a different story that... makes that ghost into what?¡±


    [Pick your guess. I bet none would be correct, I know. I just mentioned some topics because you demanded it. I speak the truth, you see. In a time where no jokes are appropriate.]


    ¡°What a nice spirit you are,¡± Levandis stopped laughing and relaxed in her ''seat''. ¡°What about this Blessed named Razmund behind this... pair of vast problems? Where did he come from? Oh, wait, let me guess. He is a silly Blessed human, and so is that Anatidae, but not so human. They are players set by those above, yet the strands are fickle, burning, and could turn into fine weapons. Well, the ones above might not even get it. Every piece under Lordis is in place and moving or burning. He does what?¡± She barked, and Fury flashed all over her face.


    [Lordis lost part of his treasure and doesn''t fear some commitments or... this case as a whole is beneath him. That''s so fucking wrong that I can''t even put it into words or screens. I suspect his choice, or arms, are locked. Not because of Vermillion, because... it went on this far even without her. A whole lot of things changed as well. Destruction is easy. Fixing shit is not, so who is the biggest sense of dread and change?]


    Such childlike matters of the speech made Levandis glad and ferocious, and her aura flickered forward, smashing and tensing the whole room again. More walls vanished again.


    ¡°N-nothing,¡± Manager Kil said, ¡°is here as rightful place, but timing is always around. We tried to seek some clarity, get if that is correct, yet things got worse and worse, until... it got to the present situation because everything devolved into many camps. Little, yet vast, who can even do it justice? The Mother? Ah...¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Levandis said. ¡°And don''t even get me started in that Mother that struck this pace... It was like a declaration of war. Damnation itself! It was... who was it again, Kil?


    ¡°Wasn''t a big deal in the end,¡± he assured her. ¡°As with many things. You often exaggerate the problem, my Lady. She was seeking something. That is what we should judge as a natural event that was... perhaps, never ever possible and...¡±


    [Don''t... mind the flash of light.]


    Levandis lightly chuckled and tossed manager Kil at the ceiling, half certain he wasn''t surprised and half certain he deserved it. He bounced from the ceiling with the head and landed back into her palm.


    He barely flinched.


    ¡°Can I repeat what isn''t exaggerated right now? Can I list it for your little head?¡± Levandis said to him as if she wanted to make another toss; his improper-sized head was surprisingly good at throwing.


    Then, she calmed down and released her hands, resting Kil and Lorry on top of her open palms. Manager Kil staggered and knelt on top of its firm yet soft surface. He was used to such a position, but doing so on top of her palm wasn''t common. It was a rather haughty and unusual position.


    As for Lorry, he was a bit disappointed to be left without her grasp or closer proximity.


    Levandis calmed down even further, realizing some reasons for this act. Her face returned to a healthy color, which in her case was a smooth and deadly pale color with an enchanted smile and sharp eyes.


    Both Lorry and Manager Kil hadn''t said a word back. They knew some problems were impossible to fix, though one could try to lessen their bad influence, duties, or problems. And for this to happen, it was no longer possible to do anything about it.


    Encounter was probably the biggest problem, yet what''s the point in that worry when she saw those screens? Hell Party was another insignificant problem, while this little hunt was more like an amusing event.


    Lisa was... no one''s problem, frankly. She shouldn''t and everyone in this room was delighted to think of it as such, even if some were incapable of doing so. Murai was important, despite everything else being here, in this temple that she was possessing. Memories turned over.


    The overall picture was close, and the origin of those individuals and their problems came from some layers and depths of something Levandis could not foresee.


    But that depended on who was speaking and who was answering and what she would willingly do about it. Levandis should feel much more involved, yet she wasn''t feeling it when one part overlapped the rest.


    Something fascinating came to her mind, shivering her until those giggles returned.


    What wasn''t worth noting were the problems in the Surface surrounding Vermillion, Ravine, Centralis Kingdom, and especially the majority of what Lordis planned for. It surged over her head, though her eyes locked onto those pictures.


    Through all possible outcomes, almost everything wasn''t where it could be if Lordis was concerned. If others were, Levandis believed there were inconceivable blunders in every corner, her included.


    She smiled at the screens, figuring that this was splendid.


    Then, she twisted her smile, still angry that they had withdrawn this very notable information from her for days and days, if not longer. Wasn''t this an ongoing problem for weeks?


    It was very odd information, but it was worth mentioning it to her at all costs. At least Mindarch knew the weight of this reminder, indicating to an old foolish blood relative that met her End wasn''t everything about this. It was deeper.


    Deep down, Levandis was absolutely livid at Mindarch much more than anyone else, but there was no way to punish him or give him... pretty much any of her tones.


    Frankly, this spirit could easily laugh at her without any problems, as there was nothing bad that could happen to him besides having some curfew and hearing her silly, bratty pouts or acts for the next couple of years. Such a time was wrong, yet this reveal could not come at a better time.


    Levandis was the one who depended on him in her current juncture. Nobody else did.


    Shooting a glance at the pair of her subjects, Levandis proclaimed her final objective. ¡°I want things calm within a day regardless of this topic and... screens. Got it?¡±


    [I suppose that is also an option. How to go about it has thousands of answers and acts. What do you dare to do?]


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    ¡°B-but the Paradise...¡± Manager Kil hesitated to even mention it, yet he did think it was a sensitive subject like everybody else.


    ¡°Including it, of course. I can''t care about Lordis right now or his plan when I see the truth. It is my truth. Not his. Or theirs. They are away, proceeding to a direction only they know, but... those Sides in my backyard do influence my decisions as well, giving pain and desirable paths. One way or another, they aren''t fine to be here, yet they came because it is a correct choice.¡±


    [Indeed so. Correct like myself.]


    ¡°You... shut up.¡± Levandis hissed.


    [I wish I''d tried...]


    ¡°Are there some suggestions?¡± Manager Kil asked.


    ¡°Not many when it comes to the Encounter, but if anything, let''s not crack the already bashed status quo like heads or some minds. This involves big shots and... probably more than I am willing to judge. I mean, can you believe it?¡± She gestured her subjects up, seemingly losing her presence on the screen.


    [Anything is possible.]


    Manager Kil was confused by what she meant, which was notable by his open mouth and rather funny look on his face. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°When the situation changed alongside Vermillion and these little groups and my Hellscape, we could''ve done something in the Surface or via my Hell. But now? Nah. It is not worth it. Vermillion purchased this chance to go and pretend to be bottomless, unlike Lordis who has his thoughts about those Sides like a thief, Ruler, and someone who knows a great deal about pain and death. Both are... profound. She is proud and crafty like me...well, one of them is for sure, but she has always been neutral, until now. Why? Any bets?¡±


    [A clear chance. She has seen the truth. That comes through age and proper eyesight. Have both.] Mindarch whispered.


    ¡°Opportunity,¡± Lorry said.


    Manager Kil remained silent.


    ¡°Hopes of Gods balance in a single way: their personal power. That is many things added together to form a very large sack of bullshit, so I will probably do something when there is a need for it, but for now, I am curious about where everything goes, so... Mindarch, you clever bastard. You crashed the status quo even further and you know it!¡±


    Mindarch innocently laughed and turned his smile into a mist. [You could say that about all sorts of things. Her too.]


    ¡°I... guess.¡± Levandis jerked her head, looking away to find some peace within herself. No matter how she looked, she couldn''t calm herself at all.


    ¡°Is... Is this about myself as well?¡± Lorry asked.


    ¡°You,¡± Levandis pressed her lips, wondering why exactly he was even here. He was a good toy, so that was perhaps why. She almost forgot who here was a Guide of those two above. ¡°Oh, you are still a Guide, so you do what you can and let them come to their conclusion. I suspect it is more of a long-term plan, rather than a push to get me moving. I mean, if I do, what can it matter?¡±


    [Avalanche.]


    ¡°And countless deaths.¡±


    [And avalanche!]


    Lorry''s Soul Flames twisted like the wind going backward. ¡°Thank you, my Lady!¡± He cheered for a path ahead and answers that were better than he had expected. For her to appease this subject with reluctance was rare and useful. He feared she would get way too worked up.


    ¡°Don''t rush there yet. My rules stand for you like Laws. Your involvement is nigh because all sorts of things that happened in just a few days were away from you, but not from our awareness. That won''t happen again. I am sending you back after our chat is over and you are going to see through the end of their stay in this temple. Safely, I mean. You either take my words of calm or take care of your little lights.¡±


    Lorry cheered as if he had gained a Blessing. ¡°Yes. Yes. Yeeeees.¡±


    ¡°Be it through death or their plans, I want my place to be proper, unlike the Surface with all the mess around. They have something to do here, right? That pair. Encounter forced them here. To me...¡± Levandis frowned and pressed her lips, wondering if her doubts and hopes were right. She is that and beyond, yet... what was that above her head, and what else could come? WHO?


    [You should cheer up.] Mindarch commented after sensing her turmoil.


    ¡°I have nothing to cheer on,¡± she said, feeling as if the matter of her ideas weren''t worth mentioning. ¡°I just dread this picture.¡±


    [I do it for cycles. Get used to it.]


    ¡°How do you wish to solve this then?¡± Manager Kil said with a firm voice again. He was ready to accomplish whatever she demanded, as long...well, as long as there were some moments of peace because that Mother was a problem.


    Most of the Gates took it badly; if even that. That calamity poised as a very inherent problem that straight up clashed against Levandis and what she stood for.


    Loss of Ultra Gems because of that wasn''t a problem as a whole, but for many people and miners, they were worth their lives.


    Levandis hadn''t mentioned her solutions for his worry over this topic; she barely mentioned it in this room for good reasons. It didn''t matter much because she won''t move. Others will. Deaths were coming, and there was nothing many could do about it.


    Thankfully, Mindarch felt it was good to talk less about it since history shouldn''t repeat itself.


    Levandis thought of some ideas as quickly as her hair flickered behind her back. ¡°For the start of my ideas, Lordis''s intentions aren''t known to me, but his and my position in the Battleworld are sensitive.


    He, regardless of who made this move onto my temple alongside everything else, seems like one large conjunction of some very nasty problems, while solutions to work around it have been careful plots that devolved into a calamity. How many does it involve now? I can''t imagine it. So, either of you, could you?¡±


    ¡°Conscience indeed.¡± Manager Kil said.


    ¡°Craftiness,¡± Lorry replied. ¡°Attempts to fix are harder, so why not destroy? I suspect Lordis knows it. It is bad if he doe know, and if don''t, it can be so much worse.¡±


    Levandis nodded, appreciating their answers and taking Mindarch''s silence for a good thing. He probably had an even worse opinion and kept it to himself.


    ¡°What if both of you are right, hm?¡± she raised her brows, sighting.


    The current situation wasn''t appealing to her. The rules of her power carried weight and reputation. If she didn''t do something, her position would lose some face, yet what was here to reprimand her, where she saw the greater truth? Even a loss of four Gates would be worth it.


    The Encounter wasn''t like a slap at her, as it wasn''t against the rules to rush it here. Now, it seemed like a payment, a blissful comeback, and a gift. This place had its wonderful spot in this world, like Hell that was against the Sky.


    Thus, many ideas made a large web of interest around Battleworld, creating disparities. The plot wasn''t thick when one watched it from the single pace of someone like Razmund or Murai, but when Levandis saw the rest, she was hesitant to get worked up.


    Her time wasn''t nigh yet. It will be. Soon. Sooner!


    No. She wants to wait because she could''ve done worse. I am not fine, so... my touch can be close, and not arousing suspicions is... part of what my Mindarch wants. He doesn''t want it to be oblivious. That jerk! Does he doubt my integrity? After all these years? Nay. He sees me because of this problem. Levandis eyed the screens once more, briefly recognizing the main point.


    What about her temple and subjects? Well, it wasn''t as if a war had arrived here, so it was true that she was somewhat exaggerating this situation because it was a rather grounded Encounter that hadn''t moved a lot of forces. But every one of them was a bit annoying and not simple either.


    It involved some nasty figures who had yet to grow to possess some qualities. Alas, they were here, hiding, pretending, and plotting what they could and could not do. Working around it, it was about a grand plan she was not privy to. Mindarch wasn''t either, though imagination could become a key or a simple glimpse.


    Levandis loved to see that because it was what she had adored for ages. She wasn''t joking with her anger and desires.


    She had all the intentions to solve problems for her people in a day because she left it unattended for far too long. For it to change in this discussion seemed like a lot, and as far as her little subjects were concerned, they could not foresee any outcomes.


    They couldn''t refuse her either.


    There was a high chance that their Lady could have moved against Lordis or changed this situation by any other nasty matters, done by her experience or members of her family, or worse. Her own chess pieces weren''t small after all, and she attained awareness about a queen.


    Not every one of them was a handful or simple to handle.


    Levandis remained silent for a good minute, figuring many things as she gazed at the ground or her subject, trying to think without looking at these screens that remained.


    All that surrounded this time wasn''t something that should trouble, for they troubled each other, making a storm as if they were political spheres of gods. It wasn''t a problem to her besides arranging some touch where it itched.


    Particularly, she desired to meddle with Lordis''s ideas out of sheer spite, as it should be interesting since their conflicts had been an ongoing problem for a very long time. Getting a proper excuse to trouble that lofty asshole was worth some losses and thoughts, and this could become bigger as well.


    The last time she tried very hard, she lost. So, for this to come and grow and remain, she had to be clever about it.


    She would do that, become clever, considered, fierce, and in no way become complacent in brief wins. War isn''t over. It will arrive, and this backyard is probably just an entrance to it. Fine. I will do it. For you.


    ¡°Both of you,¡± Levandis said to those on her palms, smiling. ¡°Kil, you will do the following: Paradise is unchanged from my previous points. It is still ongoing, so call that Party one of the better ones in a while, I suppose. Have you thought about some improvements?¡±


    ¡°Some...yes,¡± he answered simply. ¡°But what about those visitors and upkeep? Hellscape has two Challengers, and they... are bound to meet and probably change the Hell Party too. I mean, it is the Fourth Gate Hell Party. Its points clashes, and meetings could twist the rules apart.¡±


    ¡°I saw the details in the last report.¡± Levandis changed the subject. ¡°It was fairly well done on your part about the forces, and advancement in my armies is passable. Lost some numbers, sure, but what Hell fears the End? What God should detest lacking subjects when pushing them to greater heights? Nay. That is unfilial. Improvements come with dangers. They outweigh the losses when one grows to be a menace. Humans seek greed and power. They can get both in this place, yet so few of them are truly worthy of it. Why, Kil?¡±


    Manager Kil cupped his hands and bowed, thankful that he was no longer squeezed by her arms and not glad over the rest.


    ¡°Surface is why. Location is sensitive, while other matters touch on quality and rather subjective matters of Paradise. We could work in advertising this place in many ways, my Lady, yet it wouldn''t change much with the way the Centralis Kingdom works with us. If we meddle with portals to connect this place to the Somalis Empire, or slowly nurture a belief this place is a trial worth visiting, we would suddenly gain completely new directions. With fewer deaths, that is. Youths can be our main targets. Experienced ones do visit a lot, you see.¡±


    [Shameless stinkers!] Mindarch added, appeasing his mind.


    ¡°Oh, that again...¡± Levandis sighed. ¡°You''ve mentioned this to me many times, Kil. Doesn''t that mean more work for me and you?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter?¡±


    [It doesn''t sound half bad. Means more death anyway, but what if the flood of adventurers and those hoping for power meet their clashes here after realizing our stakes, and... the rest? I mean, this is still connected to Hell, and we have our forces. It would inevitably devolve with the existing mindsets.]


    ¡°Are you suggesting a Reform, Archie?¡± Levandis asked, smirking.


    [You are doing that yourself.]


    ¡°Many continents are directed much more to their Hells and Surface. The Sky is always distant, appeasing the greater sky and all that is beyond. This Hell is detached.¡±


    [Frankly, it means that some nasty figures would get pissy about it. Would Sky Gods allow that?]


    ¡°They might,¡± Levandis said, ¡°if we implement... some measures and do it in a way they could not refuse but... why are we making this statement? Aren''t we having a much throughout discussion?!¡± A bit of Fury seeped, giving Levandis a different face after Mindarch tried to change the topic.


    Manager Kil coughed. ¡°I might have some solution.¡±


    [I am all ears.] Mindarch said.


    ¡°I am not!¡± Levandis replied. ¡°Get back to the main topic. Do you think we are here discussing the well-being and reputation of this temple after a small disaster and... this!? I think Hell Parties are fun, but where did it end? As an excuse and instrument instead, right, Kil?¡±


    He cupped his hands again. ¡°Yes. I will continue trying to improve things and... watch and try.¡±


    ¡°Do so when it calms down. As for the Hellscape, those matters are much more complicated. What is going on there anyway? What is the current status?¡±


    Manager Kil winced his body, still kneeling, but his body jigged up to give a proper report. Customs were a kind of necessity to follow, be it in her army or his heart.


    [Every piece is there, Levandis. Every one of them.] Mindarch said instead of him. [In fact, that Mother acted for good reasons that we all know and get. The one that you have greatly overlooked is also present. Someone from your little palaces should be fairly happy about it.]


    Levandis paused, her brows itched like her limps and eyes. She was confused about what he meant, yet she wasn''t very familiar with every detail. That task was up to Manager Kil.


    Her eyes turned to him, seeking answers.


    Manager Kil was a little angry with Mindarch for talking about it in this manner. ¡°First, let''s state the losses. Gems are...¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Levandis said coldly and let him continue discussing what was worth some words.


    ¡°Then, apart from the Vermillion''s group that has been relatively free to roam our land, besides some touches to estimate their strength, the losses are... big when we consider the size of this Hunt. Many involved are still fodder to them, so I suspect allowing those Paladins inside was our great loss. A sizable chunk of it is within expectations. They stopped, so they stopped as well. Many died already, be it in internal strifes, or against the Hunted. Weirdly, the human is strong, so fewer Hunters push against him. Instead, many aim at the pair that is worth many points and.... probably fewer issues. Some of those with Laws met their Ends because of it, but... that goes without saying when we know those clashing under this Hunt.¡±


    ¡°Which are?¡±


    ¡°A company called Lost Brothers became Helpers for that Anatidae Blessed. Four fools, frankly speaking, led by a human called David Denuvin.¡±


    ¡°I remember that point. Should I know him?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Manager Kil shook his head and glanced upwards, his gaze firm. ¡°But you should and do know. Never mind. One of his employees is a devil called Ultium.¡±


    Levandis pursed her lips again, smiling. ¡°Now, that is something... interesting. You left to mention it or show it to me, Kil, Archie.¡±


    [I bet that it wouldn''t be a fitting surprise. Also, the timing has been kind of good. Also...well, it wasn''t worth mentioning because we didn''t know how far this would fare. It ended up all right. Better than anyone would''ve expected. The boy is getting ready. Should we leave it?]


    ¡°Oh, shut up. Why are you mentioning him?¡±


    ¡°Well...I said it.¡± Manager Kil shifted his position nervously, afraid to get squished because she had yet to realize the degree of this record. ¡°Helper. Encounter. Pledge. All after the end of the Ravine''s reign, things proceeded. Why?¡±


    Her face shifted and turned. ¡°Huh!? No way. How is that possible?¡±


    [Want to hear my guesses?] Mindarch offered.


    ¡°If you call me your queen, dumb-spirit,¡± Levandis barked at him. ¡°This answers some questions I had. Someone meddles with... wait, Mindarch!¡±


    [Yes. I heard them rules. She and him as well and... I suppose you get it at last. This screening. The previous mess. The current one. I am the one who made it happen.] He pled guilty to not revealing Vermillion sooner or not making a deal with Ravine open. It involved Ip''ur Mountain after all, so not speaking of it was an incredible blunder.


    ¡°You cheeky brat! Why did no one speak to me about what is essential?! Her, Ravine, and Ultium too? What else is missing? What rules work and do not? What had she done against my place, Mindarch?¡± Levandis cursed and almost tossed those on her palms away. Instead, she tensed up, forcing them close to her body as she stood.


    ¡°My lady,¡± Manager Kil failed his bow and cherished the tightness. ¡°I considered it to be inevitable interest. Since we let things go so far, I decided to let it go where it belongs. All because of the Encounter and those that follow your interest, we decided to let it flow, while... the reason is much bigger. We let that one seek the Ip''ur Mountain portal out of the requested voice that Mindarch got from Ravine, after... the incident.¡±


    ¡°You think I haven''t realized that by now?¡± Levandis asked coldly. ¡°What else have you kept from me? In my sleep, I presume... Oh, dear, am I surrounded by morons?!¡±


    [And who is not stupid this time around, huh?] Mindarch chuckled. [You underestimated the weight of these things, Levandis. You aren''t really a Ruler anyway. Just a farce.]


    ¡°Hmpt! Then it is a good idea to speak about them,¡± she cracked her fingers as she squeezed. ¡°Or I will get physical.¡±


    Lorry was silent for a good while, shuddering and turning his Soul Flames into little whirlpools. ¡°My Lady! This is far from something terrible! It isn''t bad, frankly speaking.¡±


    ¡°What is it, then? Ip''ur Mountain is a sensitive place, and you know it. Why have you let that proceed there? You know why it is... or... wait!?¡±


    ¡°Ravine and Vermillion promised some interesting things that I wanted to not reveal after this mess began,¡± Manager Kill suddenly proclaimed. ¡°Frankly, it is mostly Vermillion who wanted this to happen. How or why, is beyond her. Well, as far as it goes, and how her party does their duty, they are slow and do deliberate acts. I suppose they aren''t in a hurry. Ip''ur Mountain is the current location of the clash and where everyone is going to have their rife. Razmund is one, and a most important part of Lost Brothers is with Vermillion, going there as we speak.¡±


    Levandis tossed Lorry into the air and massaged her temple and face before quickly catching him again. ¡°You are all responsible, sinned by going against my back. I will deal with you later. Mindarch, Ravine, or Vermillion---it doesn''t matter to me. You are all terrible to me!¡±


    ¡°Apologies,¡± Manger Kil bowed. ¡°Mindarch insisted on it.¡±


    [I did. Good that I did. Thank the heavens.]


    ¡°Figures.¡± Levandis sighed. ¡°That answers even more things. So that little fox wanted to devolve it further? It is there. Never mind. Vermillion did force something very interesting indeed. I don''t hate it, which is... odd. What about the rest, Kil?¡±


    ¡°Besides the Ultium and situation in the Ip''ur Mountain, many unkempt gangs and mining companies are up in arms, hoping to take part in the last stretch of Hunt without knowing there is a portal underground. Well, Razmund does not know about it as well, but he is coming anyway, which makes Hunters aware that everyone is underground. Hungry, that guy is. It... complicates things a little bit, so Mindarch is currently thinking of some solutions.¡±


    [Right. Many things need some touch, while some do not. It is a matter of perspective. It can change in a heartbeat.]


    ¡°The biggest problem was Ozeki. He is dealt with, fighting two morons that I judge to be Dukes. You gave him a rare breather, yet he took too much of a bite out of this chance. He has been with Razmund far too long. I think he got cursed or sick by that crazy guy. I suspect Razmund is why... or, this is about Sky Gods who are trying to meddle with some Authority. They put out promises, my Lady. They stink of more meddling.¡±


    Levandis listened without a chance of expression. Then, she realized far too many things moved behind the scenes, and she was getting a headache because of that single word that spoke of worldly reminders. ¡°Fuck me. This is getting insane and quite lovely. I like it.¡±


    [How appropriate.] Mindarch said, laughing as if nothing was his fault.

 Chapter 251: Change of desires

    Fixing stuff was hard. Breaking havoc was like hoping for the natural storm to dissipate and the sky to clear up against godly irritations. Calming down, Manager Kil knew all that he could imagine about those things, for he had watched it ever since he was little Tontati. From past to here, bearing with the visor of Levandis, he was brimming with wisdom. And pain.


    Trying, not that it would even matter from time to time, the happenings in Hellscape were already shitty. Razmund forced his ways ahead, playing with Fate, and that tamed in comparison to what Murai had caused a while ago.


    He dreaded the word and that screen to display it, though Mindarch seemed to be fine or cleverly misdirecting everything. Like usual. He probably feared to show off that ridiculous Resonance that touched something that shouldn''t be honorable.


    Things about Lisa were mostly obscure variables that bordered very spontaneous timing. Again, it was for a good reason that it hadn''t devolved into something else. Not cause.


    If Kil ever knew anything, it was to never underestimate the obsessions of the Epochs and Levandis, whose whole demeanor shifted the moment she realized what had happened and what shall happen. Soon or later, this will crack. One bit at a time.


    For now, she hadn''t caused anything major, though her actions could do it any time. Lisa was the same, and the way she led Murai was one whole dimension away from what Levandis thought right now.


    Smiling, not making a fool out of herself, Levandis considered her appeal and figured out three duties to fulfill.


    ''She definitely forced the heavens to that point, so be it a shell of the former. I will see the current lengths that will lead, follow your lead without obliging the hopes, Levandis thought, handing her subjects close.


    Now, where was the end for her? sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What about Ozeki?" she asked.


    "He became a Helper, weirdly enough." Manager Kil said. "How? Why? We don''t know."


    "I don''t think you trust that lie yourself, Kil," she said coldly. "Now, what about Ozeki?"


    "Could it be something that Vermillion knows? That devil of ours came out of weird timing anyway. Following that human brat that already visited this twice. Handling that broken sword."


    [Ah, these Tontats. It is called a claymore, silly.] Mindarch argued.


    "Leave it as a stick made of steel and it is what it could be. A stick. Sharper stick. The fact that he got Ozeki around him speaks of some facts. Like... the other thing. How could we let it happen? How had it happened? I mean..." Manager Kil said, hesitating over her tightening fit.


    "What is it about sticks? What that silly fox created is just sticking out of my mind. I don''t like it. Her play changed the world, yet for how long could it remain? It involves me now more than ever, so what is it that she is trying to accomplish?"


    "Fight, my Lady." Manager Kil said. "There must be a witness. They clashed! That human defeated Ozeki, but that one must''ve heard the whispering fox. Or pretended it all along. We lost ways to do it after some private conversation devoid of our ears. Mindarch shouldn''t have lied to us, is that right?"


    [Hmmm.] Mindarch hummed, not denying a word or praise.


    "Ozeki accepted some proposals, my Lady. I fear it with my ears. Take a fickle heart and it is hard to renounce. Something near the End, I bet, makes us do stupid things."


    "Oh, I think that is more common than we think," Levandis suggested. "That former lackey of mine used to have some plentiful ways of his heart but lost his edge like a broken kite. I suspect they make a nice pairing. It is terribly timed, however." She continued without any mourning, figuring that the precarious advent of some situation slipped away from her hands.


    They were long happenings. Very closely, however, and brought to her door like a whisper of help or death.


    "She wants something..." Levandis whispered, thinking, almost dropping her subjects and glaring to the ground.


    [I wouldn''t worry about it all. The whole world is in danger.]


    "Who gives a fuck about that. I am serious!"


    [And you awake... I get it. Shame.]


    Devils might be hard to deal with, but taking advantage of them was not that hard. From age, emotions, brutality, or appearance, many things could crack with one while not playing with any other. Ozeki was a bothersome fella with a defined military heart, yet like many devils, what divided them apart were no whispers of their blood.


    "His position clashed against Vermillion''s side, my Lady." Manager Kil said.


    "In what way?"


    "It moved Scorching Light. Well, they are still fighting, so what about some light?" Gesturing at his kneeling position above, pointing at the screen, he gave Mindarch an urge to get the worst out of sight. Pretend! Not ruin the already senseless moment.


    Mindarch did not know how to read souls, let alone think what that little man feared.


    Levandis followed that sight, and Mindarch changed the pictures just enough to play it safe.


    In a moment, the gray, light, and black screens flickered, showing a crazy battlefield close to the middle of the Scorching Light, Sector 43.


    Ozeki was bleeding as if he was cut in half, while the pair of Paladins beside him still stood without a shred of blood. But their armor showed many cracks, leaking light, and portions of their strong skin. Ozeki wasn''t losing, even if it seemed like that. Blood Domain squeezed like his Ize Spear, the heat spread, and his heart was singing, so he wouldn''t back down today.


    He could even die with dignity and out of nothing but spite.


    "Are those Radiant Paladins? I thought she brought out... oh, I think I get it."


    [Not in the slightest. No offense, but that blackmail rotted your brain.]


    Levandis chuckled. Then squeezed, furious at that reminder. "She wants to see blood, eh?!"


    [Hadn''t realized you were this easy to harm. Ah, how times have changed.]


    "Shut up! How does she even know that?"


    [I don''t know. How about asking a piece of the world itself that is currently in her grasp? Perhaps she is way out of our grasp without it. Where did she come from? How old is she? When did obsession with the Old One make one''s life any better? Pondering questions, eh, Levandis? You ought to know. Fear.]


    "Shut up!"


    "My Lady!" Lorry screamed in agitation, speaking after a whole lot of silence. "This is preposterous! "


    "And silly." Manager Kil said. "We should get behind our differences. Go forward. Forget this even happened."


    [I fear the specifics no longer make that possible, little ones.]


    By now, Levandis had enough and jerked both of those in her hands closer to her face. "Listen, you two, you played with me, and played me well. I get it. You wanted to see, and you see. I do now, so this situation is now mine. Got it?"


    [I think they knew it weeks ago... But no, no one listens to a silly Mindarch. Not at all!]


    Sizing what was happening above, there was only little that was right. "Where they are going?"


    Her little pair trembled, praying for their own lives.


    [That Priestess went ahead, including what remains of Lost Brothers. Ozeki got what he deserved, on all accounts of failure and success.]


    "Where? Don''t tell me they are seriously contemplating that... wait a second. It is really about them? That Mother... that pain. They want her, do they?"


    [Doubtful. All interest points to the Old One and... well, Vermillion is trying something, clearly.]


    Levandis blinked at those screens, then got fed up. "A pair is something I remember, yet not their ranks. They play with him, don''t they?" Levandis said, half interested in how Ozeki was managing this fight and half certain these paladins were more exceptional than she thought. Hunting and killing them might be a good idea, yet how far could she do it for?


    [Seems to be Violet Evergreens, but no badge is on them. Red and green indicate such fighting freaks, or Dukes in some ways, but we don''t have enough words about Vermillion''s Divine Kingdom. They do have some colorations that make some certainties.]


    "Dukes, eh? What does that Priestess make, then?"


    [I better not know, I suppose.]


    "You don''t, or don''t want to?"


    [Both. I am.... busy. If you hadn''t caught that, something bad happened, and let''s not go to the length of your whole temple, Hell, or what is going on above.]


    "Hmmm. Ozeki kept up, and Razmund slipped away. Impressive." Levandis ignored his comment and contemplated as the screens completely shifted to make a ghostly face.


    [That devil has his bounds, but tell it to a lunatic with a nice Calling. Let''s cut to the chase. Stop denying those subjects as well.]


    "He keeps at it... Perhaps I misjudged him."


    [Levandis?!]


    "Show me the end..."


    Cursing, the screen shifted again. Above, Ozeki used his Domain to his best capacity and struck with his spear against both Paladins. All around them, the sand churred, cracks spread, and blood moved in weird patterns. Corpses of his former men littered the ground, fueling his Domain and allowing most of this fight to drag on this far.


    It was a shame he hadn''t dragged all of the Paladins under his terms, but it couldn''t be helped. Razmund wasn''t worth such delight.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Levandis waved her hand, almost stumbling Manger Kil down as she pushed him and Lorry away. "Endless battle of attrition. He is trying really hard. Very well. Leave that be. What of the others?"


    Manger Kil grasped her fingers. "As you must fear, the randomness of this Gate lost its charm because of Vermillion and her deal. That must''ve happened with both Challengers, albeit in different matters. One was fair. The other propelled under no adviser. At the moment, the worst is closing on that portal, whereas that human has no intention of being a Challenger at all. He had his Hunt long before he came here. The Encounter''s purpose is to threaten the bigger status quo. Not ours. Not yours, my Lady. This change is outer. You missed it."


    "Interesting," Levandis said. "Someone thinks I am a joke while she is here. They don''t know anything, do they?


    [Not in the slightest. I think it is deliberate.]


    "Good. Now, could that Mother be something out of the picture as well, considering how unexpected it moved and came? What could''ve forced her? Fate? Lordis?"


    [Well,] Mindarch said, finding Kil''s reaction cute. [It is highly light, but... it is mainly because of this...]


    Mindarch shifted the screen, turning colors to the brightness of the sun and revealing Murai''s current predicament inside the most precious section of mines.


    Levandis perked her face, squinting and realizing where he was and fearing the obvious meaning.


    "Oh, God!" She gasped, hands quivering, and Lorry dropped to the ground. Manager Kil was too busy holding onto her finger. "Ip''ur Mountain... He got down and... what am I watching? What are they doing!?"


    [Resonance.]


    "Of... what?"


    [Brightness and Light and... many things outside of myself. It could be many forces together because something menacing is pushing some boundaries. Frankly, the Ultra Materium is an unexpected link. It moved by itself, as if alive, so the answer is obvious.]


    Levandis dropped to the pillows, eying the ceiling. "One surprise after the other. They want to get hold of the Old One, but this is... not it. The Body?!"


    [You aren''t as stupid as I thought.]


    "Does she know?!"


    [It could be just an unfortunate incident.]


    "Make sure to process all the data! I will want to hear more. Could this involve the secrets of Anatidaes or how the previous Epoch made use of endless changes?"


    "Might as well ask him about it." Manager Kil offered.


    [Who do you mean by that?] Mindarch asked.


    "Amelius or the Old One. Just do it carefully because arising suspicion means nothing or something. I mean, what''s the point anymore? Mother realized the truth, and Encounter is like a shadow compared to the lack of Battlewill."


    Levandis grunted. "Forget them both! This is a sensitive research. Resonance is a blissful time with very little to lose. The fact that he had it the moment he entered that deep is mesmerizing. Is it the Bloodline? Body? Beast Core? Is the soul involved in this process as well because he is part of the Old Ones?" She blurred many questions in a few moments, hoping to grab some paper and quail, but she had none.


    Manger Kil cupped his hands again, crawling to his feet and ignoring the flying skull beside him.


    "It is a sensitive process, sure. Hunt is there, luring inside, while the human is coming as well, digging. Since the beginning of this temple, he has been using a Divine Artifact of Fate to find his prey. It went against no rules, frankly, as nothing of that sort is against any rules."


    "Fate be damned!" Levandis perked up. "Damned, I tell. With all that is right, I know how the rules could change, which means problems. There are barely any rights in this temple right now, apart from the ways of these Gates."


    "Yes. It is fitting to call it the best dungeon there is." Manger Kil fluttered her, bowing more deeply.


    "It isn''t about them. Remnant and Origin Dungeons are more than meets the eye, if not equal to mine. I mean, I''ve got you wrapped really fucking good, Mindarch." Levandis scoffed at him. "And this is no Depth, right? Lordis forced this to me, thinking that I am stupid."


    [I don''t care about any of that. Words carry no meaning to this world.]


    "But its beings do carry the voice of truths. Some more, some less. Now that I know more, what''s that to you? Had you feared it all along?"


    [I don''t deny that, nor Ravine.]


    "As if you are his equal." Levandis teased him again. "Archie, you are sometimes very insensible. Almost like me. Are you that Bonded, or bored?"


    [At least there is some self-awareness. ]


    Manager Kil coughed again, shifting her attention back to him. "For that human who stepped in, it is a Hunt from the beginning to the end or one nasty trickery. I heard something; he cares for nothing else, for a promise must''ve been made.


    He was forced to do something because it had no other course. It all falls down to choices, my Lady. The world will burn. How is another question." He provided plenty of details about where they mattered, alongside his comments that Levandis appreciated.


    She should''ve asked about them in that room, but she focused on establishing that Hunt and order in her Gates, without knowing the right thing. So she changed some ideas soon enough, to the point that she was a rather good ruler than a terrible manager.


    "No one is at fault for their Fate or choices," Levandis said. "They do what they have to do. Whatever we do and they do, everyone does their best or worse. My Hell isn''t some backyard, nor this temple is some garden. It is just one path across many others. Some problems go where they should. This is just what I like. What should be, always."


    [You didn''t look like that when you woke up, or literary a few minutes ago.]


    She hissed at him to shut up and let Manager Kil continue his message.


    "That Child is a peculiar problem. I saw him in Gate 2 alongside the... issues you''ve created for yourself. I gave the due report over that golem already, so I won''t repeat myself."


    "I know. Go on." She nodded.


    "The whole situation revolves around the acts and consequences of many minor plays and a couple of massive storms. Blessed fools and tools that aren''t what they seem like are there, yet who blames them? I don''t. We know."


    [No one would. This world resolves about the power and its principles long before it becomes something new.]


    "Like a spider web," Manger Kil said, "it is hard to see where the original threat started, but some grow and everything keeps going. No one could see reason in that besides someone like Ravine, or someone close to everything since the beginning. Making it disappear might solve nothing or everything!"


    "So, helping them is what you are saying? Is that a choice?" Levandis asked, furrowing her sharp and thin brows. "What are the details that deny or confirm such a choice? My position could become very difficult depending on what help is. Sky doesn''t really like where a Hell Ruler moves, you see. No matter what I know, the moment it goes to the light, everything changes. "


    [As if it ever stopped you.] Mindarch chuckled and dissipated all of his screens to appear in his favorite form.


    "As with Encounter, it is full of holes and problems that are yet to show its irritations." Manager Kil said. "It is literary in its first step, yet it already makes this mess. It is hard to discern the truths from exaggerated truths, but I am fine to tell it as is."


    "Your points?"


    "There are two," Manger Kil said as he stood up, feeling bigger than he was. He lifted his palm and stretched two fingers up.


    "Centralis Kingdom has been our problem for a long time. They are far too cheeky across everything they do, and their point in this game is almost urgent, if not alluring in their tries for something. It isn''t even fitting for them to do be that, yet they always succeed in overcoming all shortcomings. Like paws. Their strategists are reasonable, second for the powerful army, yet that doesn''t convince me."


    Levandis nodded. "Me neither. They are still stuck at Tier A yet think they are bigger. Silly humans. We can''t just twist the world apart where the Surface is more prominent. They might think, be full of enemies around the Surface as conquerors, but few would like my Hell to crash such power outright. So what would? Good that it is a problem, so what about them?"


    "They do their diligence towards this Encounter and that man seeking that Child."


    "I figured that one out by myself, thank you. So, they are just tools? Ah, give me a break. Tell me something new."


    "My second point hides under the former blissfulness. The other Challenger. An Anatidae who Blessed us all, hiding something awfully ancient within."


    "I can see where are you going with it, but the course of the Encounter can change at any time. I can force it, but I chose this hunt to be a bit on the weaker side. It is only right. It is my RIGHT!" Levandis commented as if she knew the truth, yet she stopped herself from speaking more because she realized how stupid one point was. "Wait, it doesn''t work anymore, right? What does? What could? She... What does she want to do?"


    "Indeed, my Lady. Everything is strictly under the weight of Ravine, or... this time, Vermillion. How well it goes is difficult to comprehend, while that Resonance is a matter of outer Realms! Dimensions! It might be not that heavy because she shouldn''t meddle with too sensitive things."


    [Or she long did.]


    Levandis laughed as if she had heard a joke. "Silly. That is so silly. She already touched something far too practical. It is almost messed up. If she knows what is good for her, she wouldn''t do something so stupid."


    [She could''ve done something far worse.] Mindarch said. [There is only so far such a blunder goes, but it hit Lordis where it hurt. She might survive this. We can as well because it is a fine chance of misdirection. Think about it!]


    "But..." Manager Kil hesitated, feeling he was about to anger his Lady with his next words.


    "Tell me, Kil," Levandis insisted with a forceful shift of her head that moved closer. Her eyes were large for him, looking straight at him. And that gaze. Oh, that gaze of a God!


    "The Temple has a fair share of following rules that are just excuses to many, stop or halt them, or denounce some matters. For many denizens, they aren''t there at all. Chaos ensures that, so large chunk of your willful authority goes unnoticed, frankly. Then, we have the Will of the Battleworld, which is limited, yet known to possess lawful duties. Now, it is nowhere, but it has always done something good for this world regardless of the Divides or godly tributes, or pantheons."


    "Truth often stinks," Levandis said. "I don''t mind hearing what I lack. If it is a problem is a whole different discussion. For me, it doesn''t stink like nothing. Lives live how they could. I shouldn''t question how they live. Being a God for them is just a position. A word."


    Manager Kil cupped his hands before him again. "That is a fact. Some Hells and powers go far too long before they realize the obvious. You are different. Your benevolence has its perks but also shortcomings. You know the greatness of Endless. You felt that. Knows what many do not.."


    "Is it that weird?" she said, frowning.


    [It certainly goes far when you are lacking in many things for a long time. Well, what would one expect from someone who lived through some really fucking old problems? I wouldn''t go anywhere as far as calling you benevolent. You are just ridiculous.]


    "She is a God!" Manager Kil shouted at Mindarch. "She doesn''t deny anything. She doesn''t have to."


    "Yet I am still a rather humane, huh?" Sighing, Levandis calmed down considerably.


    "I haven''t said that."


    [Nor had I.]


    Levandis gave up. "I voiced my rules. You work with them, so... Kil, what is it that you suggest? You reek of some hope, while I now know mine, and get it. What I do is mine. What you do is yours."


    "Then excuse my bluntness. The situation with this Encounter is far from being solved. It is not up to us, frankly, so sending it away is what I recommend. Getting them out is the best choice to solve the tense situations in many places and thinking of what we can do next is good for you. That is if you don''t include the Paradise, or what goes with Centralis. One of those is inevitable, however."


    "So... you want me to go against my regulation or go against the flow? They are puny humans... while my rules are firm. Choices is what reputation holds." She said unhappily. "Forcing them out by force? Challengers? I don''t want to crush my words apart. What would other think?"


    "I... I apologize." Manager Kil knelt again, feeling sorry for his actions. "No one would blame you. With that Mother and world apart, shifts of attention go everywhere."


    "Right. All it needs is a good excuse," Lorry shouted, becoming the center of Levandis''s attention.


    "Excuse?" she asked. "Do I need one?"


    "Give a chance for those seeking it. That is an excuse when it troubles all parties. It is like killing a wounded dog. It heeds no sympathy," Lorry said after coming up with a good excuse on his own. "Forcing the Challenger means no end, but the forfeiture of their chance and stay can lead to a new beginning and new chances. Knowing where to give up is brilliant. The end of their stay in this temple, in itself, is the same as playing the role of God!"


    Levandis didn''t like how it sounded; wasn''t she too old for this shit? "Sending them away without decency is an insult to this entire temple and my reign, alongside what I and Lordis decided so long ago. We have a set of rules. We both agreed to that."


    [So what? All I hear are excuses of someone who found her ways but is too afraid of something completely inferior.] Mindarch chuckled.


    Levandis did as well, figuring that his snarky comments had their use. "Oh, I see where this goes. Lordis is the cheeky one, are you right? No. You aren''t!"


    [What? Aren''t many trying to see in the dark while having their own light? My screens have shown you enough of that already. This current world can make us mad and option good.]


    "Even for someone like me?"


    [Even you. What is your position, again? What armies do you have? What power do you serve, or what makes you hesitant?]


    "You flatter nobody, Archie." Levandis smiled. "Not when Skies aren''t divided like Hells, or they are here."


    [Yet Hells lives on, keeping their position. Why? How?]


    "It can''t be stopped."


    [Exactly. Can you be stopped, Lady of Thousand Graves?]


    Levandis thoughtfully remained silent, figuring that stopping her meant a very tense problem few would want to see. She had no chains, but her position and Divinity could be that, followed by Hell and everything. Her task was slowly breaking, growing weaker when one side literary eclipsed the other.


    There was some truth in what Mindarch and Manager Kil said. Why make things even more complicated, even if they were upsetting and proper for some, or like curses for others? Making their problems disappear faster seemed like the best solution for prolonged problems, but what about those who were yet to come, be they eyesores or blessings in disguise?


    Levandis grew expectant, and she didn''t know how glad she should be.


    "Fine," Levandis said. "There goes my three tasks for each of you. I agree and disagree with both of your points at some... words, but I can see roads to an interesting premise that shouldn''t be bad for myself and this temple. It is gonna be amusing, I think."

 Chapter 260 251: Change of desires

    Fixing stuff was hard. Breaking havoc was like hoping for the natural storm to dissipate and the sky to clear up against godly irritations. Calming down, Manager Kil knew all that he could imagine about those things, for he had watched it ever since he was little Tontati. From past to here, bearing with the visor of Levandis, he was brimming with wisdom. And pain.


    Trying, not that it would even matter from time to time, the happenings in Hellscape were already shitty. Razmund forced his ways ahead, playing with Fate, and that tamed in comparison to what Murai had caused a while ago.


    He dreaded the word and that screen to display it, though Mindarch seemed to be fine or cleverly misdirecting everything. Like usual. He probably feared to show off that ridiculous Resonance that touched something that shouldn''t be honorable.


    Things about Lisa were mostly obscure variables that bordered very spontaneous timing. Again, it was for a good reason that it hadn''t devolved into something else. Not cause.


    If Kil ever knew anything, it was to never underestimate the obsessions of the Epochs and Levandis, whose whole demeanor shifted the moment she realized what had happened and what shall happen. Soon or later, this will crack. One bit at a time.


    For now, she hadn''t caused anything major, though her actions could do it any time. Lisa was the same, and the way she led Murai was one whole dimension away from what Levandis thought right now.


    Smiling, not making a fool out of herself, Levandis considered her appeal and figured out three duties to fulfill.


    ''She definitely forced the heavens to that point, so be it a shell of the former. I will see the current lengths that will lead, follow your lead without obliging the hopes, Levandis thought, handing her subjects close.


    Now, where was the end for her?


    "What about Ozeki?" she asked.


    "He became a Helper, weirdly enough." Manager Kil said. "How? Why? We don''t know."


    "I don''t think you trust that lie yourself, Kil," she said coldly. "Now, what about Ozeki?"


    "Could it be something that Vermillion knows? That devil of ours came out of weird timing anyway. Following that human brat that already visited this twice. Handling that broken sword."


    [Ah, these Tontats. It is called a claymore, silly.] Mindarch argued.


    "Leave it as a stick made of steel and it is what it could be. A stick. Sharper stick. The fact that he got Ozeki around him speaks of some facts. Like... the other thing. How could we let it happen? How had it happened? I mean..." Manager Kil said, hesitating over her tightening fit.


    "What is it about sticks? What that silly fox created is just sticking out of my mind. I don''t like it. Her play changed the world, yet for how long could it remain? It involves me now more than ever, so what is it that she is trying to accomplish?"


    "Fight, my Lady." Manager Kil said. "There must be a witness. They clashed! That human defeated Ozeki, but that one must''ve heard the whispering fox. Or pretended it all along. We lost ways to do it after some private conversation devoid of our ears. Mindarch shouldn''t have lied to us, is that right?"


    [Hmmm.] Mindarch hummed, not denying a word or praise.


    "Ozeki accepted some proposals, my Lady. I fear it with my ears. Take a fickle heart and it is hard to renounce. Something near the End, I bet, makes us do stupid things."


    "Oh, I think that is more common than we think," Levandis suggested. "That former lackey of mine used to have some plentiful ways of his heart but lost his edge like a broken kite. I suspect they make a nice pairing. It is terribly timed, however." She continued without any mourning, figuring that the precarious advent of some situation slipped away from her hands.


    They were long happenings. Very closely, however, and brought to her door like a whisper of help or death.


    "She wants something..." Levandis whispered, thinking, almost dropping her subjects and glaring to the ground.


    [I wouldn''t worry about it all. The whole world is in danger.]


    "Who gives a fuck about that. I am serious!"


    [And you awake... I get it. Shame.]


    Devils might be hard to deal with, but taking advantage of them was not that hard. From age, emotions, brutality, or appearance, many things could crack with one while not playing with any other. Ozeki was a bothersome fella with a defined military heart, yet like many devils, what divided them apart were no whispers of their blood.


    "His position clashed against Vermillion''s side, my Lady." Manager Kil said.


    "In what way?"


    "It moved Scorching Light. Well, they are still fighting, so what about some light?" Gesturing at his kneeling position above, pointing at the screen, he gave Mindarch an urge to get the worst out of sight. Pretend! Not ruin the already senseless moment.


    Mindarch did not know how to read souls, let alone think what that little man feared.


    Levandis followed that sight, and Mindarch changed the pictures just enough to play it safe.


    In a moment, the gray, light, and black screens flickered, showing a crazy battlefield close to the middle of the Scorching Light, Sector 43.


    Ozeki was bleeding as if he was cut in half, while the pair of Paladins beside him still stood without a shred of blood. But their armor showed many cracks, leaking light, and portions of their strong skin. Ozeki wasn''t losing, even if it seemed like that. Blood Domain squeezed like his Ize Spear, the heat spread, and his heart was singing, so he wouldn''t back down today.


    He could even die with dignity and out of nothing but spite.


    "Are those Radiant Paladins? I thought she brought out... oh, I think I get it."


    [Not in the slightest. No offense, but that blackmail rotted your brain.]


    Levandis chuckled. Then squeezed, furious at that reminder. "She wants to see blood, eh?!"


    [Hadn''t realized you were this easy to harm. Ah, how times have changed.]


    "Shut up! How does she even know that?"


    [I don''t know. How about asking a piece of the world itself that is currently in her grasp? Perhaps she is way out of our grasp without it. Where did she come from? How old is she? When did obsession with the Old One make one''s life any better? Pondering questions, eh, Levandis? You ought to know. Fear.]


    "Shut up!"


    "My Lady!" Lorry screamed in agitation, speaking after a whole lot of silence. "This is preposterous! "


    "And silly." Manager Kil said. "We should get behind our differences. Go forward. Forget this even happened."


    [I fear the specifics no longer make that possible, little ones.]


    By now, Levandis had enough and jerked both of those in her hands closer to her face. "Listen, you two, you played with me, and played me well. I get it. You wanted to see, and you see. I do now, so this situation is now mine. Got it?"


    [I think they knew it weeks ago... But no, no one listens to a silly Mindarch. Not at all!]


    Sizing what was happening above, there was only little that was right. "Where they are going?"


    Her little pair trembled, praying for their own lives.


    [That Priestess went ahead, including what remains of Lost Brothers. Ozeki got what he deserved, on all accounts of failure and success.]


    "Where? Don''t tell me they are seriously contemplating that... wait a second. It is really about them? That Mother... that pain. They want her, do they?"


    [Doubtful. All interest points to the Old One and... well, Vermillion is trying something, clearly.]


    Levandis blinked at those screens, then got fed up. "A pair is something I remember, yet not their ranks. They play with him, don''t they?" Levandis said, half interested in how Ozeki was managing this fight and half certain these paladins were more exceptional than she thought. Hunting and killing them might be a good idea, yet how far could she do it for?


    [Seems to be Violet Evergreens, but no badge is on them. Red and green indicate such fighting freaks, or Dukes in some ways, but we don''t have enough words about Vermillion''s Divine Kingdom. They do have some colorations that make some certainties.]


    "Dukes, eh? What does that Priestess make, then?"


    [I better not know, I suppose.]


    "You don''t, or don''t want to?"


    [Both. I am.... busy. If you hadn''t caught that, something bad happened, and let''s not go to the length of your whole temple, Hell, or what is going on above.]


    "Hmmm. Ozeki kept up, and Razmund slipped away. Impressive." Levandis ignored his comment and contemplated as the screens completely shifted to make a ghostly face.


    [That devil has his bounds, but tell it to a lunatic with a nice Calling. Let''s cut to the chase. Stop denying those subjects as well.]


    "He keeps at it... Perhaps I misjudged him."


    [Levandis?!]


    "Show me the end..."


    Cursing, the screen shifted again. Above, Ozeki used his Domain to his best capacity and struck with his spear against both Paladins. All around them, the sand churred, cracks spread, and blood moved in weird patterns. Corpses of his former men littered the ground, fueling his Domain and allowing most of this fight to drag on this far.


    It was a shame he hadn''t dragged all of the Paladins under his terms, but it couldn''t be helped. Razmund wasn''t worth such delight.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Levandis waved her hand, almost stumbling Manger Kil down as she pushed him and Lorry away. "Endless battle of attrition. He is trying really hard. Very well. Leave that be. What of the others?"


    Manger Kil grasped her fingers. "As you must fear, the randomness of this Gate lost its charm because of Vermillion and her deal. That must''ve happened with both Challengers, albeit in different matters. One was fair. The other propelled under no adviser. At the moment, the worst is closing on that portal, whereas that human has no intention of being a Challenger at all. He had his Hunt long before he came here. The Encounter''s purpose is to threaten the bigger status quo. Not ours. Not yours, my Lady. This change is outer. You missed it."


    "Interesting," Levandis said. "Someone thinks I am a joke while she is here. They don''t know anything, do they?


    [Not in the slightest. I think it is deliberate.]


    "Good. Now, could that Mother be something out of the picture as well, considering how unexpected it moved and came? What could''ve forced her? Fate? Lordis?"


    [Well,] Mindarch said, finding Kil''s reaction cute. [It is highly light, but... it is mainly because of this...]


    Mindarch shifted the screen, turning colors to the brightness of the sun and revealing Murai''s current predicament inside the most precious section of mines.


    Levandis perked her face, squinting and realizing where he was and fearing the obvious meaning.


    "Oh, God!" She gasped, hands quivering, and Lorry dropped to the ground. Manager Kil was too busy holding onto her finger. "Ip''ur Mountain... He got down and... what am I watching? What are they doing!?"


    [Resonance.]


    "Of... what?"


    [Brightness and Light and... many things outside of myself. It could be many forces together because something menacing is pushing some boundaries. Frankly, the Ultra Materium is an unexpected link. It moved by itself, as if alive, so the answer is obvious.]


    Levandis dropped to the pillows, eying the ceiling. "One surprise after the other. They want to get hold of the Old One, but this is... not it. The Body?!"


    [You aren''t as stupid as I thought.]


    "Does she know?!"


    [It could be just an unfortunate incident.]


    "Make sure to process all the data! I will want to hear more. Could this involve the secrets of Anatidaes or how the previous Epoch made use of endless changes?"


    "Might as well ask him about it." Manager Kil offered.


    [Who do you mean by that?] Mindarch asked.


    "Amelius or the Old One. Just do it carefully because arising suspicion means nothing or something. I mean, what''s the point anymore? Mother realized the truth, and Encounter is like a shadow compared to the lack of Battlewill."


    Levandis grunted. "Forget them both! This is a sensitive research. Resonance is a blissful time with very little to lose. The fact that he had it the moment he entered that deep is mesmerizing. Is it the Bloodline? Body? Beast Core? Is the soul involved in this process as well because he is part of the Old Ones?" She blurred many questions in a few moments, hoping to grab some paper and quail, but she had none.


    Manger Kil cupped his hands again, crawling to his feet and ignoring the flying skull beside him.


    "It is a sensitive process, sure. Hunt is there, luring inside, while the human is coming as well, digging. Since the beginning of this temple, he has been using a Divine Artifact of Fate to find his prey. It went against no rules, frankly, as nothing of that sort is against any rules."


    "Fate be damned!" Levandis perked up. "Damned, I tell. With all that is right, I know how the rules could change, which means problems. There are barely any rights in this temple right now, apart from the ways of these Gates."


    "Yes. It is fitting to call it the best dungeon there is." Manger Kil fluttered her, bowing more deeply.


    "It isn''t about them. Remnant and Origin Dungeons are more than meets the eye, if not equal to mine. I mean, I''ve got you wrapped really fucking good, Mindarch." Levandis scoffed at him. "And this is no Depth, right? Lordis forced this to me, thinking that I am stupid."


    [I don''t care about any of that. Words carry no meaning to this world.]


    "But its beings do carry the voice of truths. Some more, some less. Now that I know more, what''s that to you? Had you feared it all along?"


    [I don''t deny that, nor Ravine.]


    "As if you are his equal." Levandis teased him again. "Archie, you are sometimes very insensible. Almost like me. Are you that Bonded, or bored?"


    [At least there is some self-awareness. ]


    Manager Kil coughed again, shifting her attention back to him. "For that human who stepped in, it is a Hunt from the beginning to the end or one nasty trickery. I heard something; he cares for nothing else, for a promise must''ve been made.


    He was forced to do something because it had no other course. It all falls down to choices, my Lady. The world will burn. How is another question." He provided plenty of details about where they mattered, alongside his comments that Levandis appreciated.


    She should''ve asked about them in that room, but she focused on establishing that Hunt and order in her Gates, without knowing the right thing. So she changed some ideas soon enough, to the point that she was a rather good ruler than a terrible manager.


    "No one is at fault for their Fate or choices," Levandis said. "They do what they have to do. Whatever we do and they do, everyone does their best or worse. My Hell isn''t some backyard, nor this temple is some garden. It is just one path across many others. Some problems go where they should. This is just what I like. What should be, always."


    [You didn''t look like that when you woke up, or literary a few minutes ago.]


    She hissed at him to shut up and let Manager Kil continue his message.


    "That Child is a peculiar problem. I saw him in Gate 2 alongside the... issues you''ve created for yourself. I gave the due report over that golem already, so I won''t repeat myself."


    "I know. Go on." She nodded.


    "The whole situation revolves around the acts and consequences of many minor plays and a couple of massive storms. Blessed fools and tools that aren''t what they seem like are there, yet who blames them? I don''t. We know."


    [No one would. This world resolves about the power and its principles long before it becomes something new.]


    "Like a spider web," Manger Kil said, "it is hard to see where the original threat started, but some grow and everything keeps going. No one could see reason in that besides someone like Ravine, or someone close to everything since the beginning. Making it disappear might solve nothing or everything!"


    "So, helping them is what you are saying? Is that a choice?" Levandis asked, furrowing her sharp and thin brows. "What are the details that deny or confirm such a choice? My position could become very difficult depending on what help is. Sky doesn''t really like where a Hell Ruler moves, you see. No matter what I know, the moment it goes to the light, everything changes. "


    [As if it ever stopped you.] Mindarch chuckled and dissipated all of his screens to appear in his favorite form.


    "As with Encounter, it is full of holes and problems that are yet to show its irritations." Manager Kil said. "It is literary in its first step, yet it already makes this mess. It is hard to discern the truths from exaggerated truths, but I am fine to tell it as is."


    "Your points?"


    "There are two," Manger Kil said as he stood up, feeling bigger than he was. He lifted his palm and stretched two fingers up.


    "Centralis Kingdom has been our problem for a long time. They are far too cheeky across everything they do, and their point in this game is almost urgent, if not alluring in their tries for something. It isn''t even fitting for them to do be that, yet they always succeed in overcoming all shortcomings. Like paws. Their strategists are reasonable, second for the powerful army, yet that doesn''t convince me."


    Levandis nodded. "Me neither. They are still stuck at Tier A yet think they are bigger. Silly humans. We can''t just twist the world apart where the Surface is more prominent. They might think, be full of enemies around the Surface as conquerors, but few would like my Hell to crash such power outright. So what would? Good that it is a problem, so what about them?"


    "They do their diligence towards this Encounter and that man seeking that Child."


    "I figured that one out by myself, thank you. So, they are just tools? Ah, give me a break. Tell me something new."


    "My second point hides under the former blissfulness. The other Challenger. An Anatidae who Blessed us all, hiding something awfully ancient within."


    "I can see where are you going with it, but the course of the Encounter can change at any time. I can force it, but I chose this hunt to be a bit on the weaker side. It is only right. It is my RIGHT!" Levandis commented as if she knew the truth, yet she stopped herself from speaking more because she realized how stupid one point was. "Wait, it doesn''t work anymore, right? What does? What could? She... What does she want to do?"


    "Indeed, my Lady. Everything is strictly under the weight of Ravine, or... this time, Vermillion. How well it goes is difficult to comprehend, while that Resonance is a matter of outer Realms! Dimensions! It might be not that heavy because she shouldn''t meddle with too sensitive things."


    [Or she long did.]


    Levandis laughed as if she had heard a joke. "Silly. That is so silly. She already touched something far too practical. It is almost messed up. If she knows what is good for her, she wouldn''t do something so stupid."


    [She could''ve done something far worse.] Mindarch said. [There is only so far such a blunder goes, but it hit Lordis where it hurt. She might survive this. We can as well because it is a fine chance of misdirection. Think about it!]


    "But..." Manager Kil hesitated, feeling he was about to anger his Lady with his next words.


    "Tell me, Kil," Levandis insisted with a forceful shift of her head that moved closer. Her eyes were large for him, looking straight at him. And that gaze. Oh, that gaze of a God!


    "The Temple has a fair share of following rules that are just excuses to many, stop or halt them, or denounce some matters. For many denizens, they aren''t there at all. Chaos ensures that, so large chunk of your willful authority goes unnoticed, frankly. Then, we have the Will of the Battleworld, which is limited, yet known to possess lawful duties. Now, it is nowhere, but it has always done something good for this world regardless of the Divides or godly tributes, or pantheons."


    "Truth often stinks," Levandis said. "I don''t mind hearing what I lack. If it is a problem is a whole different discussion. For me, it doesn''t stink like nothing. Lives live how they could. I shouldn''t question how they live. Being a God for them is just a position. A word."


    Manager Kil cupped his hands before him again. "That is a fact. Some Hells and powers go far too long before they realize the obvious. You are different. Your benevolence has its perks but also shortcomings. You know the greatness of Endless. You felt that. Knows what many do not.."


    "Is it that weird?" she said, frowning.


    [It certainly goes far when you are lacking in many things for a long time. Well, what would one expect from someone who lived through some really fucking old problems? I wouldn''t go anywhere as far as calling you benevolent. You are just ridiculous.]


    "She is a God!" Manager Kil shouted at Mindarch. "She doesn''t deny anything. She doesn''t have to."


    "Yet I am still a rather humane, huh?" Sighing, Levandis calmed down considerably.


    "I haven''t said that."


    [Nor had I.]


    Levandis gave up. "I voiced my rules. You work with them, so... Kil, what is it that you suggest? You reek of some hope, while I now know mine, and get it. What I do is mine. What you do is yours."


    "Then excuse my bluntness. The situation with this Encounter is far from being solved. It is not up to us, frankly, so sending it away is what I recommend. Getting them out is the best choice to solve the tense situations in many places and thinking of what we can do next is good for you. That is if you don''t include the Paradise, or what goes with Centralis. One of those is inevitable, however."


    "So... you want me to go against my regulation or go against the flow? They are puny humans... while my rules are firm. Choices is what reputation holds." She said unhappily. "Forcing them out by force? Challengers? I don''t want to crush my words apart. What would other think?"


    "I... I apologize." Manager Kil knelt again, feeling sorry for his actions. "No one would blame you. With that Mother and world apart, shifts of attention go everywhere."


    "Right. All it needs is a good excuse," Lorry shouted, becoming the center of Levandis''s attention.


    "Excuse?" she asked. "Do I need one?"


    "Give a chance for those seeking it. That is an excuse when it troubles all parties. It is like killing a wounded dog. It heeds no sympathy," Lorry said after coming up with a good excuse on his own. "Forcing the Challenger means no end, but the forfeiture of their chance and stay can lead to a new beginning and new chances. Knowing where to give up is brilliant. The end of their stay in this temple, in itself, is the same as playing the role of God!"


    Levandis didn''t like how it sounded; wasn''t she too old for this shit? "Sending them away without decency is an insult to this entire temple and my reign, alongside what I and Lordis decided so long ago. We have a set of rules. We both agreed to that."


    [So what? All I hear are excuses of someone who found her ways but is too afraid of something completely inferior.] Mindarch chuckled. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Levandis did as well, figuring that his snarky comments had their use. "Oh, I see where this goes. Lordis is the cheeky one, are you right? No. You aren''t!"


    [What? Aren''t many trying to see in the dark while having their own light? My screens have shown you enough of that already. This current world can make us mad and option good.]


    "Even for someone like me?"


    [Even you. What is your position, again? What armies do you have? What power do you serve, or what makes you hesitant?]


    "You flatter nobody, Archie." Levandis smiled. "Not when Skies aren''t divided like Hells, or they are here."


    [Yet Hells lives on, keeping their position. Why? How?]


    "It can''t be stopped."


    [Exactly. Can you be stopped, Lady of Thousand Graves?]


    Levandis thoughtfully remained silent, figuring that stopping her meant a very tense problem few would want to see. She had no chains, but her position and Divinity could be that, followed by Hell and everything. Her task was slowly breaking, growing weaker when one side literary eclipsed the other.


    There was some truth in what Mindarch and Manager Kil said. Why make things even more complicated, even if they were upsetting and proper for some, or like curses for others? Making their problems disappear faster seemed like the best solution for prolonged problems, but what about those who were yet to come, be they eyesores or blessings in disguise?


    Levandis grew expectant, and she didn''t know how glad she should be.


    "Fine," Levandis said. "There goes my three tasks for each of you. I agree and disagree with both of your points at some... words, but I can see roads to an interesting premise that shouldn''t be bad for myself and this temple. It is gonna be amusing, I think."

 Chapter 261 252: Awakening of desires

    Both Lorry and Manager Kil shifted their position, looking happy and expectant.


    Then, the fingers moved and clutched them firmly. "I detest you for what you kept from me! That happened and changed as we talked, but I am not forgetting this," Levandis pointed her gaze to Manager Kil first.


    "For the starters, both of you, forget about Ozeki and the politics of these Gates. Let them be. Paradise takes priority as it is possible it will turn into the closure of this discussion. I don''t want another loss of my Rising Stars, so put forth careful defenses. Excuses, they are called. Screw the repuation."


    "Another issue is the Mother. Give me her rundown, rumors, or more reasonable legends. I know her, sure, but not all the time or very well at bad angles. Her tone is apparent as she pursues her Child, so... that is that. This particular Anatidae is a bother, so that goes to her end. As for the Old One who is here..." Levandis hummed and wondered where this talk could even end.


    "Think twice over his actions, Kil. This point goes to Lorry as well. Thread carefully, as I can''t know what she plans for, but I don''t need to know because it is justified. Lastly, steady the current rise in distrust and Hunt. I don''t want to see any unhappiness with my subjects. Be forceful if you wish."


    Both nodded, even if one couldn''t. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What about the outside?" Manager Kil demanded.


    "Lordis will wait. He will. He has no other choice." Levandis said, making the points rather vague, but Manager Kil more than understood what she meant. She took his suggestion to heart.


    Levandis then turned to Lorry, the small, yet interesting variable that wasn''t all that important in her plan. She ignored his happy expression for now and got him a couple of tasks, alongside confirmation to work with Mindarch in seeking sensitive information about Murai''s current circumstances, his Mother, and other matters.


    "Lorry, you will go back to do your job. I got your opinion that Hellscape is rather poor, but it is my definition of a Challenge and you won''t be complaining. Why? Lint doesn''t do it either, so what does that make you?"


    [Holy shit!] Mindarch said, laughing like a maniac. [What a blackmail this is...]


    Lorry rolled his eyes, sizzling and growing restless within them. "He did what?! That shitty skeleton better knows what is good for him! I will do it! Oh, I will do it all!"


    "Of course you will. The same course is good, but it isn''t the same as Kil''s. Threat things lightly. Last thing is simple: do the same shit as Lint. Help your little Challenger with whatever you can and while you will be at it, don''t be stingy with giving hints. Your task is to help this Anatidae to get out of the temple quickly. Help him give up, or... what else is there? I might be missing something..."


    "LADY!" Lorry scowled and shouted, and his Soul Flames surged in a deep red light and turned crisper and wider. His change had come!


    Levandis jolted, surprised, and almost squashed him to pieces. "Don''t shout like this... I was a beat away from turning you into a soul."


    "Nay! I have ideas about a couple of things."


    "You, again? Kil and Archie aren''t enough to think? Well, you can do that too, I suppose. What is it?"


    "Leave me."


    Levandis hesitation.


    "Just touch little." He pled confidently, which was weird coming from him of all Guides.


    Levandis eased her clasp, letting him float towards her face.


    "I have been with my Challenger the longest out of those around you. I see him change and grow. I know what they can do and what sort of situation forced them. The little angel also whispered to me many things, so..."


    Levandis took his voice with quite a surprise for a reason. "Oh, now I am much more interested."


    "Then what about this..." Lorry whispered something after gesturing for her to move him closer so only she could hear him.


    Both doubted it had any validation, considering Kil was an Overlord and Mindarch was the mastermind over this whole temple. She could sense him with his Will alone, but she couldn''t bother with such measly tasks right now.


    In the following minute, Lorry told her his ideas that weren''t his alone. Many tones made Levandis frown or nod in return, yet she barely spoke when she heard his voice. There were a lot of interesting theories to see. He almost tried them and failed them.


    After a while, she clutched him again, giving him a rare smile since his ideas were intruding on nothing but luck and time. And this time was fine spending on something, though not on everything.


    Levandis learned that the hard way. She will see through it no matter what, even if they seem to possess qualities that shouldn''t have come out of his mind. Even to the most common of godly standards, bearing plans like fruits came with care or sudden hunger.


    How many of the others were the same, or waiting, afraid, and willing to do what she was thinking about? Frankly, she shouldn''t judge anyone. Levandis should be glad for her subjects who had at least some guts and were willing to test her.


    "Lorry..." She gave him a long look. "Where did this come from? Is this the influence that came from those Gates, or speaking to someone else? How nursing and surprising to know you are afraid. I fear you are getting smarter by a year. Should I degrade you?" She smiled, giving Lorry a surprising shock that turned into soft screams. This was one of the few things he didn''t wish for. He dreaded the praises like stinking souls of Skies.


    "But, Lorry, I agree with most of what you said, which comes at a price. I am shocked. Isn''t that right, Kil?"


    "Most definitely," Manager Kil said on his knees. "For you to accept him, the world is no longer right. Perhaps this is what shall happen from now on. Should I summon others? What about your armies, or those serving you for their benefits, or something immoral? Who to trust? I suspect Chaos is not right. It never will be. Many would betray you in an instant!"


    [Like you, for example.]


    Manager Kil struggled, trembled, and lost his voice. "N....No..."


    Levandis chuckled and thought so as well.


    "Things will commence with an unusual pace. Some Mother have done her duty. I shall do mine, but I am not a Mother. I am not a Child either. I am... who? Who shall I become? Well, under my precious rules, everyone should just get what they deserve. Nothing changed with me. Nothing will, for those who shan''t know. But Lorry has now things to do outside of what I''ve said. I will change things accordingly as they happen, or not. It can be fair, or out of my grasp already. So, both of you, get to work. I will see your success."


    Both of her subjects glanced at one another, taking this whole discussion as a beginning to an end.


    Then, the figures on top of her palms trembled and became one with swirling matter of crimson air and twisting waves. They disappeared in an instant, traveling where they belonged, albeit not out of their own willingness.


    She teleported them away under her guidance, which left her alone, yet not really.


    [Was that clever to not change at least a few plans or touch on oaths? The Old One is an interesting subject, but history repeats like waves in some hearts. Loop does that too. The Grand Cycle might be more than that.] Mindarch said, taking the lack of those subjects as a good thing. Now, he could position himself as a whispering devil over both her shoulders.


    "Does it matter? I am interested in his circumstances because she is. Now, that body is bathed in a new light, so what does that mean to us?"


    [He is a victim of a much broader concern, and so is that Mother.]


    "Who? Ah. Don''t let me. Who isn''t? Living is often described as suffering. Where it ends is often blissful End."


    [You don''t believe in that, do you?]


    "Who knows? Perhaps I don''t, and never had." Sighing, Levandis got up from her throne, ignoring the fact that her room seemed to be in even more ruins and holes.


    "Zeko?" She asked, and upon her call, a figure appeared behind no pillar, but from the shadows that lingered over the walls. It was a devil, wearing draconian armor, looking lean and powerful.


    "My Lady." he bowed as his body appeared from the shadow. His horns glowed in red hues in the relative darkness.


    "How''s Paradise in your opinion?"


    "It''s a lovely place."


    "I didn''t ask that," Levandis said, walking toward him.


    Zeko didn''t shift his stance. He let her lift his chin, watching her face and soft silk over her figure. It was enchanting and menacing at the same time. Her palm was soft and big, and her stature was bigger than his. In some capacity, he didn''t like that fact. He would love to protect her in bigger flesh, yet she didn''t like that, nor did she make it disproportionate.


    "Are you afraid of Lordis?" she asked. "Or at my plans? At myself?"


    "Yes," he answered honestly. "But for my Lady..."


    "Hush," she clutched her other palm around his mouth, lifting him from the ground. "I like the sincerity of others when they show fear, hunger, and charm. You never showed much but a fervent crush. Am I that pretty?"


    "No."


    "I like how it sounds."


    "You are mighty, Lady. Power flows through my heart and shall never falter. I serve and see you. Followers do that. It is an obligation."


    "Ain''t it a curse? You can stop that further down the road. Make me regret it. Make me cry. It can go away. Like Ozeki, you see, devils are often hard to convince and think about. Oh, and you are a devil. I almost forgot, counting your tail and eyes and horns, and... you get my point. My Legions are full of them, yet what choice is there when they drive me crazy? Blood is strong where it is, and it should be always close, right? Are you my subjects, or a thief waiting for my teeth?"


    "I... don''t know," Zeko whispered against her fingers.


    "It''s a good change to see the truth, for once. Now, you will take the matter away, and don''t lose more forces against this mess. We have new players here. Paladins and Priestess called Ceila, who...well, she doesn''t matter to me. Vermillion does, but you can''t touch her. I can, though, can I do that?"


    "Is this a WAR!?" Zeko grew his horns in excitement and shivered. "Please! Speak the words! We aren''t afraid of you! We can help. We should all help."


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "Don''t know. Is death so much good for your kind? I doubt death is good for anyone but one. If someone wants a War with me, they can have it. It just so happens that the situation in Hellscape may come to Paradise, so I will gift you choices and freedom of radiance."


    "Which means... what? WAR?!"


    Levandis sighed, thinking she had asked for the wrong devil. "No. What Lorry said was interesting to me, but that means I will be taking a stance with the Old One. Which makes me... a thief. A wanderer? What could she pretend... No. I think I will take that chance over the others. Better than no stance. It will depend on what our little Lorry will manage with his little ploys, and... what she does..." She whispered the latter parts; Zeko couldn''t hear that, or he had but tried his hardest not to.


    Zeko gulped, not stating anything against her seemingly calm mood, which was hiding an utter monstrosity that was impossible to quench. He could tell that. She was beaming with fury and weird emotions he had never seen in her before.


    Her Authority was leaking. Her Hunger was apparent by lines crawling in the ground, slowly disappearing and creating lines like chaotic paintings of old magic, runes, and words long forgotten. Something terrible was awakening, coming from Nowhere.


    Even when she was all so smiling and dealing with figures that were like ants before her, she was terrifying. More so than Lordis.


    "You are dismissed." Dropping Zeko, Levandis turned to the entrance. "Lastly, you have been watching too much, haven''t you?"


    From the curtains, a figure walked forward, revealing an enchanting figure of Villan, who wore an anxious face. "I refrained my discussions or words for a good reason, my Lady."


    "Like a coward, huh?" Levandis stood straight, posing her hands below her breasts and knitted her fingers together.


    Villan walked forward, afraid of her. She was insane today. What could''ve changed that?


    "I wanted to hear you as well, Villan. Give you a chance after what my two little friends helped me get. You were always close to me, correct?"


    "I waited for that, actually." Villan stood before her, a couple of steps away. She felt like an ant. Small. Insignificant.


    "You see, I gave you a job. Guess what does that?"


    "Price and success, is that proper?" Villan said, and she was shocked to speak coherently.


    "What was it again?" Levandis asked.


    "V-Vermillion, and... your family."


    "They did nothing, right? Nothing at all, and you couldn''t even get a blip out of the Vermillion or her Divine Kingdom, or anything. Why?"


    "Well, Hellscape is different, and I did let Mindarch do his calculations regarding Vermillion, and sending troops or ways out hadn''t been very successful. Apparently, everything about Vermillion is a giant mess The Sky knows it. The Surface doesn''t. Why?"


    "Oh, I don''t deny that. It''s about internal strifes and Lordis is an absolute moron who thinks reputation can kill gods. It can''t. It won''t." Levandis stepped forward. The turning lines in the ground were slowly creeping towards Villan''s feet, looking like long snakes crawling on the robust ground.


    "What... can I do for you this time?"


    "Take a punishment."


    "Wh..."


    The world was halved.


    Villan spluttered blood, feeling as if her world had shifted apart. Then, she died. Her body wasn''t in pieces. There was a hole. Her whole torso went missing, and a chunk of her head and limbs splattered on the ground.


    [Oh. Splendid!] Mindarch cheered. [Wished I would do that myself.]


    Levandis cursed at the spirit, moved her fingers, and revealed a thin bracelet made of many crossed chains the width of a grain of rice. Many rocks were etched into it, looking, and drawing formation so small, one couldn''t read it.


    She tapped one, retrieving a small metallic arrowhead from within.


    She crashed it over Villan''s dead body.


    Then, the world spun, and her body was whole again, circling back to her standing position.


    Villan dropped to her knees, almost fainting, fearing Death, and dreading that pulse that wanted to drag her away. Silently, she felt her collapse with all of her mind. The Pressence and destruction of the Attributes felt worse.


    "L-lady..." she whispered. "I didn''t... I haven''t..."


    "Don''t ever touch the Old One, for my family doesn''t need that. That sort of business is mine. What have you wanted with that one anyway?"


    "Gift.. For you, Anatidae matters a lot. Story... Page... Picture. Wasn''t it foretold and¡ª"


    A foot kicked her face, knocking her to the ground. "You have no idea what that is, do you? How nice, eh? Blissful ignorance. How it would end, Archie?"


    [Nowhere, frankly. But she did make one massive blunder and numerous silly misconceptions.]


    "How many?" Levandis asked curiously. All the blood was nowhere to be seen.


    Villan felt the ground, creeping lines, and her head pressed down because of those lofty feet. She could hear the grinding noise of disappearing ground and her. She was slipping. Dying. "I had no ulterior motives over that one. It was just a curious way of things, for he was touched by Battlewill, and I thought it was good to see it too. I was mistaken and offered way to let him close. I..."


    "By making mistakes and blunders, what does that make me?" an odd voice said above her, distorting her perception.


    "No! The world... changed. Before that, I felt correct. The Gates... did as well. The family is nervous. They feared you would do something improper."


    "Family?!" Levandis shouted. "They know no burdens, right, Archie?"


    [Oh, yes. Yes. Bunch of suckers. What is even flesh? They should drop and think of what has become of you. Becoming better might no longer be a possibility. It is a law!] Mindarch laughed at both of them.


    Levandis barely blinked when she saw Villan beneath her, gasping for breath and life. "I am tasking you with a nice mission, even when you are so curious, it almost broke you. Shame you don''t even know why it is so fucked. Either way, research about the Mother and Amelius. Find me something good, and you are left with a slap on your wrist. You are dismissed."


    Levandis turned to Zeko, who wasn''t all that surprised by anything that had happened. He knelt, observing the lines and madness that stirred under Levandis''s feet.


    He never saw this technique. This magic. This power. Zeko feared seeing Villan meeting her End and coming back in a span of a few seconds.


    "As for you, you know what to do." Levandis left the room, figuring there were very important matters for her waiting not that far away. Above all else, the chains broke free.


    And Mindarch was singing praise of the Gods and Death.


    That ended this small episode of lofty talks, punishment, and voices that escaped or hadn''t reached the ruler of this God.


    It was not sane anymore.


    Mindarch was very happy with how it all turned out, though he had yet to know what sort of madness he was overlooking, or what might be long slipping to unknown.


    Now, Levandis returned, bearing a certain unstable awareness. There was no coming back from it, and there was no telling what else he was missing or misplacing by showing her the way.


    ***


    Back under the Ip''ur Mountain, a couple of hours had passed since Resonance swallowed Murai, one of the Old Ones.


    Lisa floated before him, trying to spare no thoughts on the obligations of this place, ground, or crystals. She hadn''t had enough time to think anything other than feel the light with her body, reach conclusions, and get that it was happening against all Wills. It was broader, larger than the skies of the men and demons.


    By this point, Itrosh and Bagus moved to somewhere else, mining and digging for their own wealth or dealing with troubles arriving at their destinations in one form or another.


    Although this place was usually off-limits, it wasn''t fine being ignored anymore. It was a source of flickering change and fleeting moments, albeit protected by unlikely protectors.


    They tried to do what they ought to do, regardless of the betrayals that were all so common in every land. This wasn''t even a proper time to play a game. After they remained in the same spot for hours, Hunters came over but stopped by the dedication of Bagus alone. For the most part, that is.


    If anywhere, this was the time for his shining, and while Itrosh could use herself less, it didn''t make her weak. The walls and vastness of most mining shafts allowed both of them to fight as much as they could. The same went for most Hunters.


    Lisa didn''t care about it; she was way too busy doing what she wanted to observe and do. She was still sensing how Murai was nowhere to be sensed. Where was he? At what panorama?


    Looking at all that light and the bigger cave, it wasn''t a terrible situation to be in, yet she didn''t know that Razmund was digging toward them, though a long distance remained between them.


    That was why she allowed Itrosh and Bagus to go out of this cave and shaft behind her. They didn''t have time to waste, nor watch this madness they didn''t want to see. They remained loyal and close to this cave as much as it was possible.


    Frankly, they wanted to go far away just because of Murai and that Resonance alone, or the realization that stemmed from the sheer panic of their souls. They couldn''t take the power of the greater realms to their eyes. It wasn''t clever.


    While they were his Helpers and guards, they didn''t want to sit like ducks waiting for nothing. So they dug for Ultra Gems, killed cheeky bastards hunting them, and waited for the end of this madness.


    It didn''t stop. It won''t for a good while, Lisa feared.


    It would be stupid to think otherwise, especially for Itrosh since she didn''t sign the contract that Bagus did. How to get back wasn''t even part of their plan; they just hoped for the best and hadn''t planned very far. If they were clever with the way of these mines, getting richer than a cause of the Encounter, which she hadn''t doubted since her pledge, was possible.


    She should doubt it, however, even if that Pledge was real, similar to the purpose and mission of their lives. However, not everything was part of the truth.


    They were all being used, yet it was also honest if all parties understood it. It was fair and real even if there was some distrust behind them, which Lisa recognized, but she didn''t know about Vermillion or others at all. She was here to do a job. It was worth it.


    Itrosh went ahead with greed for Gems, but she was still a slower miner and killer than Bagus, whose beak, wings, and tail worked a couple of times faster than she would ever manage. No matter how many weapons she yanked or threw, her whole being wasn''t worth going against a Grifhart.


    Leaving their trust behind, Lisa was left alone with Murai after a long time being in a party.


    She floated close to the mountain of Brightness, wondering what Murai was even experiencing, thinking amidst this sight, and how far his great Will mended this picture. This insanity. His Will was no longer losing or gaining any focus to retain those Callings. Mother was long gone. Panics were the same.


    It got flooded away the moment his Will diverted, disappearing without a trace.


    "Where have you gone? How far can this possibly go?" Lisa said, eyes twitching, and hands quenching nothing but her stressed sona.


    She doubted he heard the plead of his Mother, which might be concerning, or extremely satisfactory. Thinking about it, considering options of words and acts, the matter of that Mother left no small matters on her face.


    She wasn''t afraid though. The Old One should know what to do. He always did bring disasters and knew how to kill.


    "You''ve probably dispersed all that was to it, hadn''t you? You went against that Mother without knowing, because what else would do that? Brink of a new Anatidaes makes a new advent, but this timing... Oh, in hells and demons, this is all starting to click together. What have I involved myself with? Is this....luck or just Karma that hunts me down?"


    Lisa cursed no one and contemplated his ways, wondering how far she could go with everything going on.


    Being all alone was truly freeing. Her thoughts cleared, sona energized, her feelings clicked and intensified, and her eyes had never felt more refined. It should be fine even with this Resonance, which hid reasons she couldn''t watch, but its time could become very impervious to what they owed.


    The fastest successful Resonance she ever witnessed still took four hours. Could Murai exceed another course of her experiences? Well, the number wasn''t an important metric when it came to bathing in primordial ignorance, susceptible gifts, blessings, and tales as old as the epochs themselves.


    Sometimes, longer Resonances meant a better experienced process, thus better advancements. Other times, the faster success meant that the efficiency and understanding of said Resonance was heaven''s better than one would expect.


    In failure, however, one would gain nothing, get lost, gain little, and in rarer cases, one could wake up in a heartbeat, or a whole lot later.


    It was a variable that Lisa understood, while none dared to seek why it all worked the way it did. Lisa at least did know their laws, and how they were subjective and strong depending on all sorts of realms.


    Despite the certainty of their processes and what they meant, individuality could make vast discrepancies. She was invested in them for two whole lifetimes, with one being quite special and old.


    This one was the third, and from the looks of it, it was full of unknown moments and purposes that no one else but she comprehended. Now, facing the abnormality with the codename Old One, she wondered how exactly this would and should go.


    It was a curious time, partially because she noticed many rising thoughts and confusing sights just before Murai went through the Resonance. But before it all started with Ultra Materium, she barely knew what was right and wrong.


    Now, she had bits to piece together into a very interesting picture, so she was mumbling to herself for the past hour, devoid of him to listen to her.


    "You know so many secrets. Codes. Enigmas. Ways and Paths that I hoped to see, yet I died before I got to catch them twice over. How many failures were in you, Old One? How many worlds have you described in your wake of madness, all the while you were trying to die over and over again?"


    "Did they stop you as well as they did me? Did they laugh in failure, taunt your hefty self, and call you an epitome of necessary evil? Or... was it all just about the Chaos and this Cycle they call necessary?" She asked herself, speaking out loud, filled with melancholy and ideas that made her glad. She wasn''t sure about the right answer. She was probably wrong to think of them anyway.


    If it were right, wouldn''t it be laughable in the grief of her End?


    The being before her could''ve met so many grievances, she might as well call herself a moral and righteous person. It was so crazy to her many times over, and she was like a foolish child before those facts.


    Lisa despised that fact. Murai''s life and memories were like a blossoming fruit to her, yet they were also a lot to take in, even for her. Life Companions were supposed to know all about their masters to move on with life in the Battleworld. Perhaps it would be stranger if it were easy. Lisa wasn''t sure what she should''ve expected or felt.


    Perhaps it was meant to fall to pieces before connecting, like everything usually did.


    She itched closer to him, hands reaching toward the sitting duck wearing a hoodie that glowed in its feather patterns, fibers, eyes, and beak. Feathers looked enchanting and bright, looking full of life.


    Even that laughable beak of his seemed like material from Endless Skies, shaking Lisa''s sense of perception of what was right and wrong. Perhaps these little monstrosities that were created on this planet were worth quite a large charm.


    In most rightfully glorious cases, it was true, if only he weren''t a Child.


    In the end, she didn''t dare to wait. She touched him again, trying and doing what she was entitled to. "I won''t let it go. Never!"


    The Resonance kept going, flooding and stopping Lisa''s curiosity and desires that aimed quite deep.

 Chapter 262 253: Resonance Realm - Part 1

    Dreaming of light, death, and origin was never an easy task. Murai was devoid of that multiple times, forced and kidnapped to live lives that he didn''t want to bear. To relinquish what everybody else could never do, he was a bearer of a firm will.


    And stupidity, of course. One should never forget that. It was a greedy sort, but he had no further choice. One lie and two forfeits could lead to severe consequences, or a warning or barkings.


    Murai joked it would be better since something was very jarring about living without its usual merits. So he lived as he could, either by luck or journeys lacking deaths, yet no planets. But lives he lived for sure meant something, and he was fine calling himself pretty fucking good at it.


    He kept on it for no empty promises, even if he was often wondering how far this had changed since the First Epoch, the one where he was still himself and lived like a lunatic, or... well, he couldn''t even recall himself that far, or feel who he used to be.


    It wasn''t as if he was a husk of his former self; it was more likely to call him a changed nutjub who got far too ahead on his line.


    The universe and time were plentiful to keep this going, though there was one constancy he shouldn''t forget, for he was still himself, and the Old One was speaking from within. It was not twisted. This shitty process had been messy from the start and they told him about it. Every death ate one or few bites out of him, though there was a lot of shits to eat.


    And now, something was moving against yet another life. It shouldn''t move, yet it did, so Murai wondered what else he was missing, or what changed in this Epoch.


    This life barely started, and Murai was left in the sea of Light and Brightness, or was it even that? Elements that were bright and light were numerous, so this must be about the further Realms beyond Order or Chaos, forever hiding and doing whatever the fuck they wanted since the very conception of realities.


    Was it a Brightlord Realm? Lightdream Realm? Dreamcast... Golden Realm? Lightfeather Cascade Realm? Sure, he remembered bits from history, as names could range from the core of the dawning light itself, which moved from the flames to sparks, to such light particles that they were difficult to comprehend or name.


    It all started somewhere, hiding from the Hidden Realms or coming out of them because the real realms had to live from something.


    After all, mana was also part of the light, but the light was not part of the dividing ways of the universe. It formed somewhere in the Epochs. In a big bang very far away, or it was a fart that Murai would rather forget and never took under these little wings. He considered some duties filial and many considerations as distant as where he began.


    Here, swallowed against pride, meaning, or complaints, he accepted the call of the Resonance Realms. Which? He didn''t give a shit about which. Sure, he let it happen, but it still shouldn''t have happened if it weren''t without its merits.


    There was nothing good about this because he heard no visit or remark that this was upsetting. But again, this might be his own problem, or this didn''t matter in the grand scheme of things in the slightest. Or this was far away from it because this Realm did it all instead.


    Calming himself down, his Will might be flying into Somewhere forcefully, but not responsibly. He realized how deep, comforting, and maddening this felt far too late.


    His Will was vicious, as well as one hell of a surprising factor, but this sure as hell felt more accommodating than the usual stuff. Crimes had been committed, but fishing into or at the Resonance Realms could happen to anyone.


    This time, the hook and fish were quite substantial or inevitable because of anchored stability or calls. Murai saw no significance in the mandates of such a bright Realm. It should spit him out if he were honest with himself. But he wasn''t, so... this wasn''t his problem.


    Swallowed, snatched, and sent somewhere once again by the Resonance that was unnaturally efficient and forceful, giving his body and Will quite a large surprise, Murai was yet to end, let alone start this journey. It went to a difficult scenery that he hadn''t felt in any of his lives.


    The Brightness was deafening when it forced him to open his eyes, waking him up from these unkempt contemplations that weren''t without their merits. He found concerns in anything light, and being this tolerated made him distrustful.


    What sort of hardship this Resonance Realm could do to him? What expectations were fine, what pain was dutiful, and where was meaning?


    There was no voice. There was no noise. The sunshine touched him, pushed him, and he went ahead with so much clarity and dreadful force that he almost felt he would rather meet his End than undergo this sort of baptism.


    Hours followed, and he swore he was still pretty alive and kicking no world in his curse. This was different. He was cursing the one thing that made worlds work from the beginning, so wasn''t this very much the worst possibility possible?


    He was like a black spot in the starry, yellow, and golden sky, or was it more like the ocean? Depths sounded more up to him than the devilish beauty of elevation that was meant for true royalty. Whatever that was. It might not even exist in this Epoch, yet Resonance Realms will be alive no matter what.


    He was more like a dog dragged from the sewers anyway and forced into the light. It might wash him or become stained instead. Good.


    "Ahh. Realmtor? Hello? World." Murai spoke, figuring his senses were back in some substance, his sense of voice sharpened out of nowhere. "Great, back to being senseless, dutiful Eldrich. What world is here to sense me back, hm? Is this the opening, or am I back in reality?"


    "Nah. I don''t have a body. No doors mean no welcome, but Resonance isn''t reality, yet it is still real, so... this is new, isn''t it? Alright. Let''s back away twice and think about what the fuck is going on across this nonsense. Resonance Realms are familiar with my nonsense as I am."


    Murai tried to open his eyes beyond the bright light that surrounded his every corner, sense, and meaning. It was difficult to see how detailed, vast, and moving everything was. As for opening his eyes, that physical meaning lost its principles.


    Nothing was enveloping him, but he sure as hell was misplaced like an onion felled into sacks of corn. There was also a constant sense of sizzling and muted pressure like a dense cloth over his head.


    "Ah, that''s right. I forgot about this sort of thing. It spits me to a different sort of thing. I am there, Somewhere, and challenged to get ahead and up. Unknowing where are a sense of downs or ups, this sure is cursed. I might as well go and go forever before losing my ways. Oh... wait. That is a cursed possibility or what this place wants. I am a poison depending on context."


    Light and bright textures were everywhere he looked, making him feel as if he was in the depths of the sun.


    Which of him was there? What kind of beings would be able to feel this disturbing sense of Resonance? There was nothing to move him, and he had yet to get over it himself. What was even speaking out of him, or what sort of thing was he? When swallowed, the origins of souls and Will would move forward, creating something new or fitting for one or two purposes.


    Right now, Murai was unable to determine shit from the star so he shifted his senses and tried to move. He felt he could move but wasn''t sure how.


    Every Resonance was usually different unless it revolved around well-known principles, or just a bunch of cryptic efforts, or a myriad of dimensions. There was a spectrum to this insanity, and one could get a whisper or true swallowing pact of Resonance, and there were many differences, yet very few choices. The Children were making the most choices.


    Thus, some principles could make surprising gains or duties never seen before in this Epoch or previous ones. In that sense, ridiculousness was part of these treasured domains homing the Laws in ancient doctrines since the time itself commenced.


    One should be glad to even touch this once, let alone twice.


    This kind wasn''t in Murai''s memories, but that wasn''t surprising since it was right. He heard of it instead. His body...well, what he was looking like seemed weird at first, so he got how he stirred and sizzled. He had no limbs, yet he moved, which reminded him of Death and the Afterlife.


    He was just a rotting blob of darkness with soft dots of whiteness within that made the surrounding ocean of light truly breathtaking. He looked like his usual soul, yet he wasn''t dead or out of Somewhere, let alone in the Soul Space of his existence.


    His Will took this shape out of its resolve¡ªan inconceivable concept turned and emulated how he should look like in his most primordial principle. In a sense, he was a soul and concept of self that made hundreds of lives probable and one. Both cursed and living, it unleashed so Murai felt himself like a kite with limitless sky after countless years.


    He cheered, turning the blob of darkness into a weird dance that moved against the light. "Oh my! Oh! This freshness and freedom. I am all-swallowing!"


    There were weight, difficulty, and challenges with how Resonance worked with those snatched in elevated respects. Light around him was tight, trying to seep into him, yet it couldn''t even go near him,


    It was afraid.


    These peculiar depths left him wondrous, but that was for now. There was no way this particular Resonance Realm didn''t take his current impression lightly, even though it caused him to come here for the great beginning, or shoving him deep into the pit to chill or cope with something for as long as it was necessary.


    Murai was, of course, not as concerned with this and chuckled, figuring immediately what he was and what kind of place he was witnessing. He didn''t have to have personal experience to seek bits of truth.


    He studied all sorts of possible Resonance Realms personally, through dangerous contacts, or legends. Through recordings across many worlds, he placed several pieces of advice for the horns of icebergs.


    For the current him, it was his definite accumulation of Dread that winced this light, putting fear in the first pit of this Realm. It seemed his sense of self woke up well amidst this insufferable course that went against his flesh. But there was no flesh here, even if it was still linked to it, and most likely the cause for it. Anatidaes...


    His soul backfired against this process, fought for him on its own, and established the crumbling.


    "You don''t seem to like me all that much, eh?" Murai spoke to this light. "Servers you right! That''s so funny to me, considering how everything works with an overbearing meaning, but we can discuss this. How about it?"


    Silence spread. It was an eerie silence followed by a deafening rumbling that felt completely mute, coming from no particular direction.


    The sea of light kept going around him, and multiple strands tried and itched closer but chose to retreat under his moves or soul. Murai ignored them, taking the strands for curious fish. He won''t take a bite. He won''t allow this to go forward without his own choice.


    "No comment? Fine. I think this is a fine process that might provide me with a wonderful experience. So don''t mind me, whatever you are, wherever you are, and whoever you serve." Murai wasn''t surprised by the lack of meaning.


    He had no idea where he was exactly or what was ahead of him, but what could happen next was another thing. He could be lost here forever, dry out from the inside out, and something consequential might exist within this choice. They knew. Or they didn''t. These two matters had a separation like light and darkness.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    The itching, closing light that wanted to come closer to him indicated otherwise. It was an interest of this Resonance and not the drowning that he considered important. Some strands sizzled to dust or in defeat when they got too close or he got angry.


    Some wanted to gift things, or anchor to him, and see if he was worth it. Never mind that. It wasn''t worth anything but their survival.


    "You want a piece of me, you scum-light? Well, it isn''t about Light alone because it would be more starry and like the sky, wouldn''t it? This one looks and feels deep, but it is all sorts of things, Laws included. I don''t think the name matters. I won''t be dropping anything either. I get it... though how was it again? Those elements of this opposition are stinky, aren''t they? Am I in the wrong? Nah. This place gets me. If it didn''t..."


    Murai didn''t even want to imagine what consequences the destruction of this Resonance Realm would have on the great balance.


    He wasn''t sure whom he was speaking to either, or if it was fine to be this... free, happy, and taking this land for a pool. Perhaps his mind took it better this way because he couldn''t ascertain his willingness. It was his soul that made one eerie truth, pointing to something that wasn''t right or uncomfortable. Was it his Calling, or a trouble they cautioned against?


    It was unexplored, and his inner lives began its typical course. He started to think and research his memories and wondered where this could lead. He felt many things in the past. Be it Laws, Ends, people, or many races with very high regard for universal cultures, which were quite diverse, ancient, and close to Resonances as everything.


    He perceived the ends of civilizations and saw their growth and methods. Remembering what had been lost and what might return came again like whispers of Fate, he ever so hated.


    If anything, his perception of old and new things was equal, thanks to the variety of his understanding, which made this Resonance harmful in ways he couldn''t really express.


    The worlds were peculiar in most cases, similar to how Paths acted along with both Divides. He felt a few of them very close, but worlds were different.


    They had a constant flow to them, dictating possibilities of how one could live, not because of some laws, but sheer limits of the world. Even if it wasn''t about planets as a whole, the ones who would eclipse that were worth respecting.


    Living beings were bearing most choices, which pointed to careful matters of balance. Almost like a different kind of Law, worlds were both limits, walls, and filters. Most wouldn''t come far before discovering the scale of the desert that was the universe and how a tiny grain could not set examples or rules upon the Divides.


    For individuals, a sample of a few grains was enough, giving their bodies and Paths benefits, going hand in hand, often carrying meanings and efficiency, like a scabbard to a blade.


    Now, where was he? What was the blade, and what was a world, or what was right? Surrounded by immensely awkward strands, he thought this couldn''t get more out of touch.


    Then, it wasn''t as bad as he thought, since this Resonance felt gentle for as long as he didn''t move, but Murai often exaggerated what he felt, and he couldn''t be like a fish in a tank.


    "Hello!?" He shouted, wincing, and many strands of light shot away from him like a frightened puppy. Few even sizzled to dust after fearing that tremor of a voice.


    "Hell," Murai whimpered next, feeling kind of bad, "this feels different from those pictures and flashes. Am I tested like this? Patience... you say? Who said that!? Screw that. I am just at the bottom of a barrel, or am I? Uh... time to move on."


    Murai began his path forward, figuring that he could fly like a soul, but he knew he wasn''t one. He wasn''t a duck, nor was he his Robust Spirit. He didn''t even know where he was going.


    This was a weird state of existence that only Resonance Realms could create. They truly bring the best and worst out of those they want to touch, bear, or punish.


    Many mages said that it was close to looking at a New Beginning without meeting one''s End, but Murai disagreed. This felt freer and much more complicated. The true End was simple in comparison, and full of elation and peace. Ugly stuff, truly.


    As he flew, the light around him hurried away from his path, unwilling to touch him, though a couple of them here and there tried it anyway, wincing and slowly uncovering more of this place.


    Murai began to discern differences, and most of it was about those strands of matter that sometimes had different patterns, lights, and even colors.


    It wasn''t about magic, runes, or mana. It was about meaning that pivoted the Laws into rightful colorations, paths, and methods. They were wild in this place, free, and waiting for countless evolutions.


    Murai laughed at these strands, leaving them like stray cats, detached and disappointed, while hoping for pats or sustenance. None of them went after him, for there was a sea of them all over the place, giving him no breaks.


    As he went upwards, endlessly floating and flying, there was no horizon, sea, or ceiling. Murai saw the light and strands, feeling as if he should return. Where? How? That wasn''t how Resonances worked.


    One couldn''t give up, even if it was feasible. It would disappoint, hurt this process, and make them unhappy. He had already decided to give them a chance.


    Murai didn''t like being a sore or happy loser or winner, even if he was like a drop of ink on a sheet of paper for an ocean. Slowly, ideas and visions started to blend and change, sharpening his perception as if he were getting used to this place. He was unable to see how strands did leave their mark, digging and trimming ever so slowly behind his attention.


    He started to see differences in these strands, their hues, and how they separated in odd patterns. Many were independent, dancing together, seeing others, writing something akin to poems, but flowing around as if they were part of one giant entity that was this ocean.


    Some strands were big like a sea when he guided his perception at them, frightening them, or killing them. Guided around storming patterns and structures, many were of dense light fissures, looking like hair, lines, waves of hands, or patterned symbols that one couldn''t read, no matter how one tried.


    Even Murai couldn''t, for they might be well beyond the First Epoch in understanding, which meant that the Second or Third might not get them either. Murai was wondering if substantial improvements could allow understanding, but the universe was supposed to be rather stagnant if it had to weather the living.


    For one Epoch to be better than the other meant a change of balance and a shift of the center.


    Wondering, lost, and cutting his way through, everything looked like many flames of various hues of light: yellow, light orange, and weirder mixtures of reddened light.


    That was the starting point of his first collection of comprehension, yet wasn''t that anticipated under his memories? He more or less knew how many elements showed incredible depth, variants, and points.


    Not every light was the same, similar to colors. Even a child would know how hues and shades, or light or shadows, would mix and change the colors. And he was one giant dark quill going around them, yet changing and writing nothing because he didn''t want to.


    Looking around, strands of red were rarer, usually flying quickly like lightning, often cracking other strands and barely staying in one place.


    They didn''t approach him very often, and when they did, they escaped like many others. There were clusters of other softer strands, looking gigantic compared to others, or like a whale, perhaps?


    "Oh, this feels... familiar. Is this the kind of place that makes me question what is fine and prominent? Prisma Realm, was it? Well, some worlds called it weirder names, let''s be honest. Realm feels so much better when one sees the facts and logic behind them. Strands are mere first fraud. There is more to this... light?"


    "What is Brightness, if not a heated source of life? I doubted how descriptive and odd it sounds, but it is right. Like a sea of sunshine, rays, and patterns of lines, speed is one with light, and one could get lost in here like nothing. So... where am I even going? There is a flow to this place, but they don''t escape to one direction, or flow from something, or somewhere."


    Murai still kept going, ignoring structures, clusters, or those red strands. Slowly, he even began to dodge bigger red stripes that wanted to pierce him, acting like protective dogs against unaffiliated intruders.


    Everything wanted him, be it as a gift or a curse, yet Murai accepted none of them on instinct alone.


    "Now, this is weird and weirder. What am I supposed to do here?" Looking at the changing perspective of his body and senses, he felt like his condition was rather weird because of what could be real and in this Realm might no longer be within his perception.


    It was bizarre. Why wasn''t he a duck, Murai wondered. His Robust Spirit seemed like an overpowered aspect that meddled with his soul like something that shouldn''t happen, because what could influence him?


    The one carrying so much.... It carried what made him so menacing, and it moved in one simple direction: to make a difference and make him whole, but it could do neither. Not yet or forever peeking for the answer.


    That was a quick thought for sure, while this realm was even weirder. Nothing was happening as it should. No storm. No pain. No comprehension crashed his senses because he was doing so instead, obvious by numerous storms, cracks, voids, and patches of darkness that slowly disappeared, mended by those strands left behind him.


    His Robust Spirit didn''t seem to involve this Resonance more than any other reason. It came with his Will, or was Will or Soul not part of the one entity? It was, so Murai grunted and snapped at several strands that pushed at him like a legion of hungry dogs. They scurried away the moment he got close, snapping at them without fleeing.


    Murai laughed at such attempts and chased those closer to him, finding them funny, little, or scared. Their light better be scared of his little soul, yet it was hitting him bit by bit.


    What was he supposed to do with them? Should he chase these things, change them, fix them, or do anything about himself? He rejected most ideas, like everything that rejected him.


    That was bizarre for Resonances of this elemental kind. Usually, one would have trouble getting a proper footing in them and thinking straight alongside them. He was doing that just fine, feeling no pain or hindrance. Most others would be running on slow methods, lacking Will, or overwhelmed emotions, feelings, or comprehension, and many elements would pursue and crash the mind.


    Depending on the time and endurance, once one left, they would gain incredible merits and gains depending on their results, pacts, or understanding.


    Without question, there was immense weight put into perspectives, what one was sensing, seeing, hearing, and feeling. There were many ways one could see success, try for failure, or specifics, or do something really stupid, like going way over the minimum line or maximum.


    There were little things one could gain from the start or sometime later, or in places that few in the universe ever touched. Murai felt and gained nothing, yet could it change, or did he even want something?


    He wondered and tried to think of the usual Resonances. He felt his Dread was an unavoidable part of him that fueled his insolence, curses, and options.


    "Oy, this isn''t a fucking joke!" He cursed the surroundings, "You all snatched me! Sough me like a fool. I refuse to get sorted out like this, you hear me?"


    His voice echoed and turned down or far, slowly turning into a howl of unwillingness and tremors that winced the strands once more.


    The space shivered, halting unknown seas of visible strands around him. Those amounted to millions of various sizable elements that hid Laws or many visions of what numerous odd cultures or races called Raystranding, or Raystrands.


    Murai recalled old, foolish descriptions in their passing knowledge, calling them insolent, arrogant, royal, and part of collective efforts to put light where it belonged. Then, they moved where they did not belong.


    As he howled, everything wavered and stopped moving, and an eerie, silencing echo thundered around the Strandseas.


    For ten seconds, Murai wasn''t sure what was happening. Then, the spaces and gaps cracked, and every strand in his vicinity and beyond turned at him, eying him as if he had insulted their mother.


    "Oh?" Murai calmed. "Now, you want to play? Can you afford it, huh? If so, I will play with you."


    Nothing moved as he remained in the spot, unmoving.


    So he charged ahead, flying slowly to the closest strand of light, looking like a dense cluster of lines and many red and yellow fissures. It reminded him of mixed metals. He poked it with a strand of his darkness, figuring he could do it if he really tried.


    This strand felt like touching a hot ember, and it didn''t wince away. It also didn''t follow or gain him anything, which was weirder. It just jolted away upon his touch as if he slapped it out of its shock, or he was hotter than it.


    "Peculiar. Could I gain something with these issues around me anyway? Me, of all beings? Well, the body and soul are still tied, so perhaps I can. Comprehension comes with it, so I get why I am here. My body, in Reality, forced this change, yet without soul and mind to accommodate it, my body would be just an empty husk. Resonance or not, I have to do this no matter what. Alright, let''s see if any strand will like me...or, how does this freaking work exactly? Is it weird, or am I weirder? Both! Yes. Surely it''s both."


    He tended to repeat his wonders and talk to himself in weird circumstances, or where no soul was around him to reprimand him like one devious Soul Wraith.


    Stranded in such a sea wasn''t what Murai wanted, so Murai began to fight his way through these strands that no longer seemed reluctant to flee or fight against him. Murai forced many away, touching hundreds as he flew.


    He scared them off under every direct touch, leaving many little particles seeping away, becoming one with other strands, or washing over him. Not one got his appeal, it seemed, even if they no longer had to try to do anything.


    The flow froze, and even red strands seemed to be reluctantly inclined to try their unusual business. They bounced off from Murai, cracked apart, or listened to sizzling matters or the echo of Dread.


    Murai kept going until he reached some sort of edge in his journey that felt like hours of effort. What appeared ahead was like a dense wall of red, yellow, orange, and all sorts of other hues, glowing and looking like a wall over his entire weird horizon. Up, left, right, or down, this Wall kept going into unknown depths or heights. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Many odd strands were before this wall, so Murai charged at them, yet they didn''t even budge as he banged at a cage before a royal wall.


    Still, it was enough for him to get a proper look at the immense structure beyond the strands that were big, thick, and sturdier than any he had seen before.


    Beyond them was one gigantic strand or a pillar, if he dared to call it that.


    "Now, what is there to do?" Murai wondered near this cage.


    He flew at them again, but countless dark shades of red of glowing intersected lines obscured his paths like countless threads and bars and snakes.


    Their light was low, which made them look like charcoal midway through the blazing flame, or their point was hidden inside of them.


    "You want my piece, for once? Oh, there you go if you dare!" Murai offered them his Dread by flowing forward, acting without thinking.


    One chunk of hundreds of strands slapped him, but the strand¡ªlooking like a tail¡ªsnapped in half, its dim light sizzled and turned into a hazy dust cloud, trying to reconnect to that tail. That was the first transformation Murai had seen in this entire thing. And before that, wasn''t that an actual attack?


    That was a bit hard to fathom, as actual dangers out of these Resonance Realms were very rare, unnecessary due to their regal complexity, or almost inconceivable because of their existence and fatality. At least in the realms of Order.


    In true chaotic Hidden Realms, dying under a breath or an intent was common, but it also brought out perks and rewards to those who were able to survive.

 Chapter 263 254: Resonance Realm - Part 2

    The sharpness, murder, and colliding consistency came from such a bright spot that it made even Murai feel strange. But again, perhaps it was an exemplary or appropriate feeling because what was before them, if not a major adversary?


    "The essence of this place is a pillar, huh? Dust. Strands. Laws. Symbolism is like keynotes or methods to prove different points. Is it systematic, making rules, mathematics, pages, or ruckus? If nothing provokes it, will it not change? If so, then I shall be the one to try them on, break them, or walk on their dust! That settles it." Murai snapped at this dust and ate this shit up.


    He coughed them out immediately, finding them disgustingly bright and charged with failure. "Bleh. So much for my sense of self. Where to start with this, for hell''s sake." Glancing at them, he tried to eat the dust again out of sheer stubbornness.


    The more he tried to take it, the easier it was to keep it, yet something in him was revolting as if he was making a major blunder for the sake of some lives.


    And these surrounding deep red strands didn''t like to become prey, let alone be toyed with. They charged at him, slapping him like crazy.


    Murai laughed at them, feeling challenged for the first time, so he flared his Will and flew right at them, still processing that dust.


    White¡ªwith a mixture of golden dust¡ªand darkness mixed as strands and tails slapped him, crushed him for the first time, and a few straight-up stabbed him with numerous spear strands and sharp points. It wasn''t harmful since Murai was grinning like a true Eldrich, proving a point, and did not die.


    An unnatural sense of discomfort and change crashed into Murai''s sense of discovery, making him feel as if he was set ablaze and cracking apart, yet he never felt this vivid, crazy, and calm with such heavy feelings.


    These strands went straight through him, damaging him, and their light felt as if something had broken. Not him. Them. They broke inside of him, and there were very few things in this Realm that were truly destructive.


    Murai forgot this silly point wasn''t the main point. Most of the truths were about collapse, rebirth, and opposing those two lines, so in a sense, the rebirths, destruction, and inconceivable forces were fine with pretty much any Resonance Realms. Right. Destructiveness was also part of everything¡ªIT had to be.


    What differed were their properties, needs, and history. Many elements did nothing but one, or their very objective thing, or there was no point in disparity. For regulars, Resonance was all about comprehending and feeling what one of them did, which came with pain and harm, even if they could be faked or tricked.


    In Reality, the body lived, or it might die off eventually. That''s the main concern for those seeking Resonance. It wouldn''t harm the body because the soul was part of it, but the body couldn''t be a lost cause either, since it was also involved.


    So, what should Murai feel, do, or feel in this harm that sizzled inside of him? Feeling it reminded him of many memories, pains, and problems. He was never fine with compromises, so what was a Light and Brightness, or sort of warmth that had never been part of his lives?


    An absolutely blundering mistake and violation of preposterous proportions was happening at this very moment, away from every living thing and the universe itself.


    Murai''s soul blinked, and then he watched as more strands charged at him, sizzling away into dust as parts of his Dread followed suit. He struggled to move, feeling as if the cage moved and the charging strands lessened in numbers due to their loss.


    There wasn''t a wall. He wasn''t stranded in the middle of Nowhere.


    It was a tower with a simple pool. There was even a ceiling that was either the top or bottom of the sea, while those strands were just waves and breaths of accumulated energy for who knows how many chaos cycles or Epochs.


    The light had no bounds, or so many elders and intellectuals said, yet something was dominating over this place. It was overlooking it from the top, making this tower a very important thing, or just the start of a Realm that Murai had been anticipating, fearing, or wondering about for the past few hours.


    Murai heard rumors about various unexplored Realms since they were historically crucial to the advancements of many civilizations, worlds, and cultures. Most of them weren''t really open and inviting, and one couldn''t walk in and see everything like a new owner. There was a world to these Realms that felt very touching and boundless.


    Now, it was before Murai, and he had to learn how to swim first before thinking of anything else.


    Murai grinned, struggled, and tried to crash the bounding strands that invaded him from this cage. Strands snapped, collided, sizzled, and moved together just to oppose him again. This cycled hundreds of times, making Murai fume in anger, and his darkness winced. Then, the white of his soul opposed it until it sparkled, and all lights exposed something deep.


    Like a small dark explosion, Murai huffed and wheezed as he was free once more, surrounded by the void of space without anything in it.


    His parts felt invaded, and his Will was wavering when the dust settled in him once again. Gasping the mist, Murai growled and twisted in dark waves of his current soul, cracking the strands that invaded him again as if they were possessed.


    Then, he changed out of sheer spite or by the effect of the growing Brightness inside of him. His body warped, dark wings made of many little dark lines grew upward, and small legs moved below.


    Then, there was his head that carried nice, angled feather lines, appearing lofty, proper, and with two white eyes glaring and opposing everything.


    A duck appeared once again in its full glory, looking sorry, scary, and kind of pissed by Murai''s dreadful appearance. The dust settled as well, no longer escaping but eaten and consumed.


    Dark but with white, there was a strange brightness inside. Dust coalesced around Murai, appearing like a halo invading from outside, trying to choke him, yet it couldn''t do this justice, so it revolved around him.


    "What the hell is happening? I don''t know anymore, but as if I will let anything apart!" Murai began his fight, and he wasn''t sure if it was right or wrong. Well, he was sure about one thing: he didn''t like to make things easy for others, which included his sorry ass.


    For once more, all the surrounding strands came at him as if they met a worthy opponent, overseen by a massive tower that was wide like a planet, going up and down to no end in particular.


    Then, a storm formed, beginning to flock, turn, and change the strands. Hurricanes followed, and be it darker strands or those from below, Murai opposed them all!


    Many flooded at him, obscuring his vision, yet that tower was there without any doubt. Coming closer was nothing simple, but what could be ever so simple to him? Magic might be, but this was no magic.


    Wars had been fought for no apparent reason, striking the lower parts of this realm. Many strands crashed against Murai like arrows, whips, weird swords, or tails. Some fled and cracked the moment he swung his wings, or a glinting white and black beak around in annoyance. He was no longer obscured by a lack of chances or his Dread.


    He was back as a duck, so he might as well use it to his advantage and fight as one hella of an Eldritch Duck. It sounded laughable when he thought about it, which was fine. He didn''t think much at all.


    It was surprisingly better and more useful than he would ever have thought or assumed. So much for his sorry Eldritch appearance. It was a shame.


    Murai danced around without guilt, unleashing wing smacks against anything, fleeting when necessary, and trying to go toward the end of the tower as he fought. With a proper body, it was far quicker and easier than being a blob of nothing but strange ridicule and derision.


    He had a goal that came from this shifting war. The flow was substantial, and the storm did have its start. He realized there were two ceilings, yet he wasn''t sure which was up or down¡ªor any escape at all.


    There was no real sense of gravity since any direction could become up or down. If anything made sense to him, then those were his memories, while foreboding flashes in Reality originated from this Realm!


    He knew what to follow, yet this place was against it, or so he thought.


    "You sought me out. You dug your own grave with it!" Murai shouted at the surrounding war, taking no piercing pain, sizzle, or crashes in mind. "Don''t feel sorry for anything, whatever Resonance Realm you are!"


    [Unfilial!] A voice crashed the space, and his voice, halting Murai and all strands attacking him. It was coming from somewhere. Most likely the tower, or it was everywhere, or on either of the ceilings.


    Following this voice, a ringing flash of pain slammed into Murai''s mind, feeling as if he was hit with a hammer. His wings, beak, and feet wavered and cracked, making a mess out of his sloppy body that was momentarily quite impressive. The halo was nowhere to be seen, as it disintegrated in this shock.


    "Weak..." He mumbled, clutching his beak, flashing his eyes, and getting his wings under control. Not the legs, though. They were kind of useless for this Eldrich anyway. He regained control, making his strands of feathers deeper, longer, and more impressive. Now, a small amount of Brightness was there as well, trying to reach out to others.


    [Unfilial!] the voice repeated, crashing onto his mind again and halting his efforts to regain his warring body.


    This time, many strands scrambled out of the way, dissipating to dust, which was then reabsorbed by strands that survived. They grew bolder, faster, and brighter, changing to new hues or forms that were stronger than before. Elements and colors clustered in new hues, appearing more precious and sharper.


    There was a raging storm to them, ranging from twisting strands, massive waves like hands, currents looking like snakes, weapons, or numerous lines like arrows.


    Murai trembled and shook his head, focusing his mind on what mattered. The guidance was a fraud. The picture was fake. His body was his answer, while his soul was his way.


    The tower was before him, looking like a galaxy that stretched over the Endless Sky with countless stars, structures, and layers.


    The stars in this tower were swirling masses of peculiar strands, some the size of mountains, looking like spirals or eyes, while others were tiny, yet dense enough to appear like grains of sand.


    With the sea of strands getting tense and smaller in numbers due to strengthening, Murai was able to see where to go. The war was restarting, so he should overcome it and move towards the visions he had seen, but not out of trust. That wasn''t enough. He will put effort into this war first and foremost, crash and see what he can do, learn, and then do even better than before.


    "Now, we are talking," Murai said, and was able to move again.


    He glanced up, figuring the top was way too far away, but he was willing to try any chances when war came knocking. How many strands were there? Millions? Billions? It was just a number.


    He opposed them many times.


    There was no ground, and his sense of direction had no merits besides a hunch. If he turned upside down, the up would become down, so he couldn''t trust anything. The tower was all about this place, or was it also the ground? Something in him urged him to get there and see it for himself. This adventure wouldn''t hurt him, so the war was his answer.


    A sense of direction was mere perspective. If he shifted his body sideways, he saw no tower but a straight road ahead, which was enough for him. He went towards one end, uncertain if he would reach the end or the beginning.


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    It would be laughable if it were the latter, yet the enemies were all over the place, trying to flood him, so he tried to look for any disparity that would crash any obscurities. The best way was by force.


    His mind felt sharp, so he pushed into the warring strands, fighting and smacking and drowning in dust and brittleness of metallic strands or elemental shards. Feeling left his body, as his mind cleared, got over his Dread, and became clearer and more honest than usual.


    Yet these strands grew more powerful the more he crushed them, returning with challenges and growing under every crack. His wings and beak left many in pieces and suffering, and so did he, but he wasn''t breaking apart like them. No. He was regenerating, and letting him involuntarily absorb more dust and light or let other strands eat their fill. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a battle of the jungle, where the matter of eating the weak wasn''t fine for anything. He wasn''t sure what fueled him or how he didn''t want to lose in any capacity.


    At least in Murai''s mind, he became the older one, or the eldest. He shattered and returned to his ways, obliterating the opposition just because he felt like it. That went on for hours.


    Then days...


    The actual situation was far from being an insensible war.


    The voice didn''t return, though those very potent strands did more than once or thrice, eating the ones he crashed, which fueled the entire war into a frenzy without any end.


    Waves of strands sometimes enveloped him, trying to squish him, but no matter what, the darkness of his lives prevailed, extinguishing the inevitable stops, or... was it even all that bad?


    He used his newly found proficiency over his Dread, growing longer or better-shaped wings to go quicker to where he wanted to be, or smack or cut anything apart. So what if it wasn''t all black anymore? He found it cool.


    His beak was less of a tool, yet anything that would come closer would taste his gnawing, thrusting, or tearing.


    Murai hadn''t realized it, but perhaps these strands wanted to help him, offer and gift the comprehension with a tough love. He was seeking them in his own way by trashing this gift, or he didn''t think he was worth it.


    It was changing anyway, and many of these strands couldn''t chase him forever. He wasn''t willing to compromise in his current state of mind. He dared to take them on, and he planned to go all the way to the end.


    He bashed what was close, doing it with simple unwillingness, stubbornness, and feelings of loss.


    He recovered countless times, growing wings, beaks, and heads, or healing dark holes in himself. Sizzling and leaving the space in shambles, he scrutinized nothing but himself. Every loss would force him away from the tower or its road.


    His body was able to change through his Will, turning how this Resonance sought him out. It was respectful and right, so he started to play by these rules, which turned him into a cold, bloody killer of anything bright and right. He got that fuel. He got his insanity.


    And he hated losing. If he didn''t like something, he didn''t like it to the bitter end.


    Murai fought his way to the top, flying like a rocket until he saw the end in sight.


    The road was ending. The tower was no more, or it continued beyond the surface of... water?


    Light, Brightness, and many sources or layers of such elements bent, forcing strands to weaken in loss and unsnarling that they couldn''t do this anymore. Murai was too absorbed in his head and dark, sizzling matter, no matter how far the dust or light drove in.


    No matter how, his bottomless pit equalled his stubbornness. He found his success, which changed the sea to a single colorful brightness after he pierced the war against billions of strands.


    What he observed seemed like a giant sun that wasn''t right in color, though it sure was blinding and looking like one giant droplet, or like yet another end of a well. Maybe a mirror? Ocean? Lake?


    Murai barely registered new types of strands at the front, guarding the entrance. He couldn''t change this quickly like this space. He still felt like a single soldier charging at a sea of generals.


    Behind and below him, he ignored the change and charge, which was leaving dust and bits of his darkness and foreign light behind. It appeared as if something was flying out of him, assembling sort of tails and veils, or bloody droplets.


    Before the ceiling, Murai noted his final opposition, which was less about numbers than he thought. Rain of strands colored like diamond blades shot at Murai like arrows, but he did not retreat. He charged at them, even if there were millions of them, aiming at a single insane Eldrich duck.


    The scale was far too wide to view, let alone dodge. Murai seized them anyway, feeling their piercing sensation like arrows and spears that went through him, chopping him off, going through him, and leaving dust or sizzling his darkness. Too much of it leaked, yet far too much of it was also born anew, or twisted, healed, restored, and uncovered from within.


    Murai moved his wings, angling them like two massive shields while his head with its beak glared forward. Ignoring the harm or cries he uttered, or the hues of his Will that were changing, he reached the diamond strands, clashed against them, and found his new muse.


    Insanity restarted, and this time, it was a brawl of senseless proportions, like a silly goose battling against giants. Murai wasn''t losing, by the way. He couldn''t stop himself even if he dared to do that.


    He was dancing, leaving patches of burning or smooth darkness behind, which kept eating the dust or strands, or simply disappearing away. It flowed behind him like clothes or memories of the past days, looking like the path that he chose.


    No strands that he cracked followed him in their anger, shifting to other brothers or sisters. They lost and yielded. Every enemy mattered, and Murai wasn''t even aware of numbers or their colorations, shapes, or overlapping noises in his trials. There was no real front. No back. He stormed at them until they surrounded him, yet he wasn''t the one who felt that way.


    There was more to follow every time he crashed against shooting arrows, tails, or whips, while every diamond strand was able to use lower strands, making spells out of them, defenses, or oddly shaped mastery of their unique attacks.


    They were sturdy, so Murai either had to let them use their filling, crack them one bit at a time, or he had to crack them when it hurt. Which was very hard if they were made of millions of strands, as he assumed once, and not even twice.


    He was too busy gnawing at them, testing his attacks, and huffing as he tore them apart, turning into an utter beast that didn''t care for consuming. Far too many of them create a never-ending loop of anxiety and battle, fueling what Murai considered critical at this moment.


    He couldn''t crash them all with his beak or slaps of his wings, so he played the old-school late game. After what felt like days of struggle, he flew ahead into what felt like a dozen meters of utter peace and sky, reaching for the blinding ocean. The tower itself went into it, disappearing into what was beyond. It was either a top, or this was just another joke.


    Either way, many spears and arrows or strands dangled all over him or inside, sizzling away or becoming one with him. He was full of holes because of them, looking like a wounded soldier who was far out of his mind to care for little wounds.


    Murai panted, feeling like a warrior who no longer held the strength to move or proceed forward. Behind him, the depth was clean, apart from what he lost or made of it.


    "Damned.. sickening bastards. I swear I will come back and dance with you again,"


    [Unfilial...] the voice from long ago whispered, rather than shouted, coming from above.


    Murai didn''t shout. Nothing did. There was no strand left before him.


    Instead, he chuckled and thought of something fitting. "Who is unfilial!?" He bellowed, spreading his wings and shouting, wavering the ocean above him, and creating small waves tarnish its surface. His cheer echoed, making his stand clear, yet nothing terrible happened.


    At the center, right above him, the waves resembled a droplet falling, and the ceiling trembled as a single hole spread above him.


    It sucked him in, grasping what was in the proximity of the tower, which was nothing but a single mash of a duck and wretched strands in his wounds.


    Murai cried out, unsure if this was his end, or if another punishment was due after he dealt with little soldiers. Now, should he be worthy of an audience, or see the real deal?!


    Expectations and his memories no longer mattered.


    He never saw this sort of end in any kind of Hidden Realm, but he surely knew that many held their different causes, matters, points, and duties. He trashed with this one, so he might get tossed somewhere else where he could get hurt once more. The roaring didn''t last long.


    He saw something that few ever did.


    He knew it could speak, gift treasures and instructions to time lost in age, so even the masterminds and Entities of the universe could find guidance in these ethereal realms.


    Murai disappeared in a mere moment, but only for a flesh that was deep, sudden, and wasting not much time.


    He flew for a mere instant above the ceiling, right before a familiar sense of gravity pulled him down. With a thud, he dropped above the ocean, feeling like a watered dog who swam across the sea and back.


    Wheezing, he felt like shit with all the spears inside of him, whizzing and sinking inside after the ocean lost its value, rules, and pride. It was helpful in some way since it felt like everything was floating, and fighting was nearly endless in possibilities.


    So, having a proper gravity and ground below him never felt weirder.


    Eyes open, Murai shuddered in his seat and looked around without a flinch of shame. He triumphed and bested those fuckers!


    The tower was before him, looking... intense, or... weird. Then, it became far too intense after further looks. It continued up without an end in sight, spreading countless strands of other towers all across the true face of this Realm, looking like branches without any ends. He opened the door and finally observed what was bright.


    The surroundings were different from what he had expected. They were devoid of any ocean. Instead, it was like a lovely paradise, filled with countless matters that his eyes took for a shocking bizarre discovery and dazzling light.


    It looked like a reality mixed with the ways of how most Hidden Realms looked like. Which meant not real, varied in colors, aura, feelings, and very distinct patterns.


    There were birds made of bright strand patterns and waves, flying above, looking like flies, or dragons, or resembling weird animals. There were even numerous kinds of trees of light, or they were pillars or parts of the tower.


    It was hard to say what he was watching further into this Realm. Odd fauna of many colors on the ground, resembling resorts with islands and ponds or lakes, grew where it could. Right where he landed.


    It was no ocean. It was a mere pond.


    Murai wasn''t sure where in the world he ended up, but his eyes weren''t blinded by the light or pictures of any paradise. He forfeited his battle-worn mind. Now, it wasn''t the time to trash with this sort of place.


    He came from a simple pond, no larger than fifty ducks in diameter, and landed on the ground surrounding it. No tower was in it, so he felt like an idiot because he was surrounded by land and thousands of other golden ponds of water.


    Far away on the horizon, there was that gigantic tower, overlooking the land of Light and Brightness. Further away from him, there were even sets of lakes, mountains, and large or small seas further away, assembling an endless promenade for countless matters of this Realm.


    Called Resonance Realm of Light and Brightness, it was all over his eyes, looking ancient, true, and right to an extent, yet not like he had deduced. The true sight might be different since entrances can vary, his eyes were lacking, and he wasn''t fine with this lot.


    He just breached the surface and couldn''t even stand or move. He was too tired, wounded, and already sizzling.


    "Oh, a visitor? At this moon hour?" A voice aside from him spoke, appearing young, dubious, and coming closer, sounding like a young boy. "How suspicious and odd! Hey, this is not going to be delightful."


    Murai winced his head, looking at the weird human-shaped light figure, looking distinctly like a figurine, but small, detailed in countless lines, yet speaking and living like a person. Straight lines constructed a body, making it tight, shaped, and weird. It had no fingers, ears, or special human features like eyes, mouth, or ears, but it moved exactly like humans.


    It looked like the most redundant depiction of a human characterization drawn, created, and living through simple sequences. Sure, it had straight curves made of countless little lines, yet it looked like a baby drew something resembling parents.


    "Took me long enough, huh?" Murai reckoned and believed with his eyes. He hadn''t heard of these factors before, but it was better than nothing to realize what he was watching might be his gift. He wasn''t blind, which was good.


    "Certainly, though," the figure estimated what to tell and seemed curious about what was before it. Then, a foreboding fear took its seed, making it shudder, skip shades of light, and its voice grew a pitch higher.


    "It seems you are... uncertain where and what you want to be, but this isn''t a place for this sort of... place. Who might you be... to go from these lakes, I mean? For this to happen, are you a nightmare? " it asked, stepping back and pointing at him with a thud for an arm.


    "Is this how you greet a resonance visitor, Aisling?" a girly voice called out next, revealing another smooth figure that came from another direction before bumping into Aisling, who was rather frightened by watching and feeling what was below him, collapsed and wounded.


    This new figure had many strands near its head, flowing over it like ornamented hair. Each hair was long, thick, and thin, wincing in no wind, and bright cascades of rings were within them, looking pretty to the eyes. If one regarded their faceless faces, Murai was at least glad there was a way to differentiate them.


    This one, female, most likely, walked to Murai, crouching and pinching the spears in his body as if they were something funny and right.


    "It went through a moon war, Aisling. Such visitors are worth a ceremony, so look at it! It''s bleeding all over its place! We should hurry and let it heal. What sort of surveillance are we if we can''t even greet guests??"


    Aisling turned, crossing his hands over his chest. "You are too lax, Lining. This thing is looking moon! Enemy, that is. It isn''t bleeding by the way. It''s leaking!"


    "That''s the same thing!" Lining argued, feeling proud of this thought. "You don''t have to argue about that with me. You haven''t even been to the war in a whole moon."


    "No, it is not the same thing. And shut your light! I am still bright!"


    "Listen, Aisling, I won''t argue what is the definition of souls and flash, leaking or bleeding or threading. Flesh, I mean, is the privilege of visitors. This one is leaking and bleeding and dreaming and kidding and sizzling and... you get it. Means we have to help it, you see. Help us all!"


    Aisling felt like hurting himself when he watched Murai on the ground, slowly sizzling and turning the grand black around him. That was ominous and something that Lining did not care about more than rumors of nightmares and stories about moons.


    Lining chuckled, finding Murai''s reaction and angry face rather funny.


    "Look, Aisling, this one is so dark. How fun! It''s like the moon some lights dreams about."


    "You mean nightmares?" Aisling argued. "I dunno, Lining. I think we should let this one die off. Let it return, kick it aside. It seems more dangerous than usual. It''s coming too..."


    "Oh, no way. That would be such a shame because we don''t see weird ones visiting this place very often. Isn''t this one-of-a-kind visitor then? You should take it to your square head of yours. You won''t meet it again otherwise. It is called luck, you see, and we got lucky in this... part of the realm? I mean, we are fairly close to the Sacred Tower, so this one is... moon. Oh, moon! What is this visitor? Did it go up from there?!"


    "Are you finally listening?" Aisling said, nodding in gladness, but it was too early for that.


    "Holy Uncle! This is great! Once in a light kind of moment. "Lining said loftily, reminding him what someone taught her, or what she learned and believed herself. She got closer to Murai with all the glowing interest she could muster and loved everything about this situation.


    Aisling didn''t follow this sentiment. Grounded and all, the concept this visitor aimed for wasn''t one of gifts or peace. It was bloody moon, and it was looking at him with an ominous light that he had never seen before.