THE PRIMAL HUNTER 6

©2023 ZOGARTH

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Also by Zogarth

Also in series:
The Primal Hunter 1
The Primal Hunter 2
The Primal Hunter 3
The Primal Hunter 4
The Primal Hunter 5
The Primal Hunter 6
The Primal Hunter 7
 Contents

Previously on The Primal Hunter

1. Road Trip Entertainment: Vampire Lore
2. Unexpected Visitor
3. Visiting Skyggen & Skyggen
4. Family Reunion
5. Exploring Relationships
6. Umbral Lotus
7. Sorting Time
8. To Sell or Not to Sell, That is the Question
9. The Auction (Read: Alchemy) Begins!
10. A Brief Intermission
11. An Epic Mixed Bag
12. A Cursed Intermission
13. Actually Buying Things
14. Bees, Pants & the Geopolitical Landscape
15. The Legendaries Cometh
16. Scammed
17. A Unique Encounter
18. You get an item! And you get an item! Everyone gets an item!
19. The Good Stuff
20. Soul Renewal
21. Time Wizard & Future Plans
22. Jake's Laboratorium & To-do List
23. Oh, Gosh, It's a Time Skip!
24. A King Reborn
25. Jake vs the King (Rematch?)
26. Unique Lifeforms
27. A Truly Cursed Ritual
28. Hunger
29. Eternal Hunger
30. Progress Through Cursed Slaughter
31. Skills & Paths
32. Fumigation
33. A Path From Inferiority
34. First Contact: C-Grade
35. Underground
36. Onwards! To Haven!
37. A Good Eye For People
38. A Monumental Monument
39. Clearing Up Misconceptions Left & Right
Intermission - Holyland: All By the Grace of the Holy Mother
40. Off He Goes
41. Designing the School Uniform
42. To Feel the Shroud
43. The Weight of Time
44. Finding the Purpose
45. A Shroud of Stars & School Life Dangers
46. School Preparations
47. A New Era
48. A Diverse Crowd
49. Dungeon: Order of the Malefic Viper D-grade entrance-test
50. You Win Some, You Lose Some
51. Elective Tests
52. Readiness Not Found
53. Angry Transmutation
54. Pretty Easy
55. Dominating the Test
56. Meeting Expectations
57. Extra Credits Hydra
58. Beast vs Man
59. A Legendary Warrior
60. Fangs of Man
61. The Human Has Fangs
62. Academy Entry Token
63. A Different Time
64. An Uncertain Future
65. Rules & A Very Good Question
66. "The Positive Side"
67. Conversations Are Hard
68. Blaze It!
69. A Life of Punishment
70. First Lesson
71. Willpower, Flames & Dragons
72. Mysterious Senior
73. Soulflame & Exposed
74. A New Path
75. Windy Times Ahead
76. Bit of Dragon Lore
77. The History of Bloodlines
78. Relationships Are Hard. Oh, and Neurotoxins
Thank you for reading The Primal Hunter 6
 Previously on The Primal Hunter

I n book five, Jake did the Treasure Hunt…

Thanks for coming to this edition of Primal Hunter Recaps. I hope you all
have a pleasan—
Oh, right, I guess I could cover what happened in the actual Treasure
Hunt. Because in case you didn’t read the previous book (wait, why are you
even reading this recap right now?), the last book was just the Treasure Hunt.
Yeah, that arc went a bit longer than originally planned, but what can you do
about it? Make it shorter? Maybe. But, if I had done that, I wouldn’t have
been able to write a self-deprecating joke about it being too long, so it truly
was a situation out of my hands.
Anyhow, the Treasure Hunt is the event chosen during the First World
Congress and takes place within an ancient hidden world of vampires called
Yalsten. The event is limited to D-grades, meaning only the current elite of
Earth has a chance to participate, and every single faction present on the
planet shows up in force.
Old friends also participate, as well as people whom Jake never had a
chance to properly interact with. All prior meetings between the large
factions have only taken place within a World Congress system event where
combat was disallowed. There are no such rules within the Treasure Hunt,
resulting in plenty of in-fighting. All participants do have an escape token if
they are willing to surrender all their loot, though.
 While exploring Yalsten, Jake and the other participants come to discover
the fate of those who had once lived there. Most had chosen to become
vampires, but with time, an insidious curse had taken hold, corrupting the
entire world with resentment. Resentment towards the vampires and their
very existence.
This has left the land filled with corrupted vampiric creatures and beings
formed from the curse itself. The first part of the Treasure Hunt passes with
most factions, along with Jake, slowly learning more of Yalsten’s history and
discovering the clues to fight the strongest bosses and whatever rewards
defeating them could give.
During this period of discovery, Jake finds an old tower filled with living
armor, all running on pure curse energy. Atop this tower, he encounters a
Shade of Eternal Resentment, an elemental of sorts representing all of the
curse energy in the world of Yalsten. Jake ends up convincing this curse he is
an enemy of the vampires and will kill them all for it. To assist him in his
quest and to slay the big bad final boss of the Treasure Hunt, the elemental
gifts him something known as the Root of Yalsten’s Eternal Resentment. A
root capable of housing near-infinite levels of curse energy. With it in hand,
Jake truly begins his hunt as the curse that weighs down the land now barely
affects him as the root simply absorbs it. Who knows what kind of things
Jake can use an ancient curse for, one that has consumed all the curse energy
in an entire hidden realm once occupied by powerful vampires? Definitely
seems like an item to keep in mind… hint, hint.
All participants of the event soon know that the first phase of the Treasure
Hunt includes killing Vampire Counts who have been slumbering within
hidden chambers to avoid the curse. Through a variety of means, these
chambers are opened, and a rush to gather as many keys to unlock the next
phase begins, each faction competing. During this period, Sylphie – also
known as the best bird – meets up with Carmen, and they begin to hunt
together. Slowly they bond, as the Runemaiden from Valhal finds herself
absolutely incapable of resisting the hawk’s charm. Jake also ends up
meeting up with the great-granddaughter of the Sword Saint, Reika, where
they work together to solve magical puzzles, learning from each other.
However, with the pleasant encounter also comes the unpleasant ones, as
Jake has to deal with thieves trying to steal his stuff and independent factions
viewing him in a less than favorable light, trying to kill him. So, yeah, Jake
kills quite a few people in this book too.
 While collecting keys to unlock the chambers to kill these vampire
Counts, Jake ends up hitting some difficulties when he is met by his fellow
Bloodline Patriatch, the seemingly immortal Eron, who delays him long
enough that he fails to kill more Counts than the Noboru Clan and the Holy
Church, who had teamed up. This results in Jake losing a bet to the patriarch
of the Noboru Clan, the Sword Saint.
Luckily, the old man’s prize isn’t worth anything as the second phase
turns out to be the opening of vaults all over Yalsten for the participants of
the Treasure Hunt to explore. If they can bypass the defenses within, that is.
Meanwhile, the undead faction – also known as the Risen – led by Casper
and Priscilla is working towards its own goal behind the scenes, seeking to
claim the slowly dying core of Yalsten to create a miniature world for their
kind once back on Earth. Upon entering the event, they had instantly become
aware of where they were and sought to claim what may be the ultimate prize
of this entire system event. From the very start, they had headed for certain
vaults to claim the shards of the world core, only waiting for the second
phase to begin.
Everyone else also moves to claim their own Vaults and all the sweet,
sweet loot that can be found within. Jake does so, too, and gets a lot of
useless stuff, along with many things he can’t use for anything. Luckily, there
was an Auction event that would begin shortly after the Treasure Hunt
(which happens in the first parts of this book!).
Phase two of the Treasure Hunt was just Jake and everyone else doing a
bunch of vaults and getting loot until finally, they had done enough to unlock
to the final phase of the Treasure Hunt event:
The big final boss.
With every major character from Earth together, they awaken a severely
weakened former A-grade vampire known as the Monarch of Blood as a
long-ass fight begins, with lore about the vampires and their downfall
sprinkled in, but mainly just a lot of fighting in this part. To the surprise of no
one, the people from Earth win, but a few people, including Casper, have to
flee from the event in order to not find themselves killed by the Monarch.
Despite the long fight, Jake did not feel overly satisfied as the Monarch of
Blood actively avoided him throughout the fight, knowing he was the biggest
threat.
After a brief break with everyone who participated and made it through
the fight with the Monarch relaxing together, there is just one more thing to
do. With the world of Yalsten slowly coming to an end, Jake and the Sword
Saint decide to finally have their duel and figure out who the strongest human
on Earth is. As the two main contributors of the final boss battle, this duel
was also to decide who would get the best loot from Monarch of Blood: a
divine item connected to the creator of the vampiric race and the first
vampire, Sanguine.
The duel begins, but it quickly finds a winner as Jake proves superior.
Discussing the old man’s loss, Jake points out some things he questioned
about how the Sword Saint fought. This makes the old swordsman ponder his
Path.
Through his pondering on memories from the past, the Sword Saint
experiences an epiphany and gains what is known as a Transcendence – a
type of skill that breaks some of the established rules of the system, always at
a significant cost to the user. This allows the formerly ancient man to turn
into a younger and far more powerful version of himself, thus finally turning
him into a worthy opponent.
A second part of the duel ensues. This comes following the very long
fight with the Monarch of Blood and the small fight with the Sword Saint,
turning roughly the last quarter of the entire book into just one long fight.
Unconfirmed rumors say some people believe this was too much fighting, but
I would never believe such unfounded speculation.
After a long back-and-forth, the fight eventually ends inconclusively,
with both parties pretty much dead as the entire world of Yalsten crumbles to
nothing around them. The event ends, healing and teleporting them both back
to Earth in a totally not contrived way for the fight to finish on a high note
while creating ambiguity as to who was truly the strongest.
Jake spends some time dealing with what he perceives as a loss, while the
Sword Saint deals with the backlash of using his Transcendence, including a
large temporary level drop he has to make up for. Thus, he spends his time
meditating and training until he can go hunt to fully restore himself.
Our main character decides that his best course of action would be to take
a nice trip and go visit his brother and parents in another city. Totally not
because his brother, Casper, gave him shit for not visiting earlier. Definitely
not. Jake’s plan is to spend his time there until the Auction Event that follows
the Treasure Hunt begins, and he is looking forward to bidding on some of all
the sweet loot people obtained in the Treasure Hunt. Who knows, maybe the
system even decides to throw in some extra goodies due to how well they
performed?
Anyway, this is where we are at.
Commence the road trip!
Chapter 1
 Road Trip Entertainment: Vampire
Lore

J ake had never been the type to enjoy road trips much, most likely because
they always included being cramped in a car with too many other people,
and there were always at least a few he didn’t know that well. He had still
gone on a few, and the times he’d gone with his family were fine, but
extended periods of nothing did weigh you down.
Traveling across the landscape as you bent space to your will and
teleported one step at a time did seem different, but it turns out it really
wasn’t, besides it being a one-man road trip. The first few hours had been just
fine. Heck, the first day had been just fine, as there were many interesting
sights and new creatures to see. Still, it did begin to get a bit samey,
especially when he reached a long stretch of empty plains with pretty much
no creatures aside from the occasional hole leading into a vast underground
area filled with insects.
None of them bothered Jake, and he didn’t head underground to bother
them either. Perhaps there would be foes worth fighting deep underground—
in fact, he was certain there were—but he was just as certain that a foray
down there wouldn’t be a brief one.
The only thing keeping him kind of sane was Sylphie still mentally
poking him once in a while to update him on her victories or encounters with
something interesting. Jake learned a lot about the diversity of "super-weird"
trees in the forest.
He did try to find things to do, like improving his One Step Mile or his
flying skills, but it was a slow grind without much progress, if any at all. On a
side note, it also quickly became clear that using any sort of boosting skill
during travel was a waste of time, as it would just wear him down faster
overall.
This meant Jake just ran with One Step Mile and sometimes flew while
consuming a potion once in a while. He really, really tried to keep himself
engaged, but it was so damn monotonous seeing the same open plains over
and over again.
After the second day, having grown bored of the same repeating
landscape for thousands of kilometers in a row, he finally decided to ask
Villy something he had been holding off on.
"Hey, Villy… I have been meaning to ask, with the Treasure Hunt and
all, if you can, like, give me a brief history of vampires? Are they still around
and stuff? I feel like that place, Yalsten, was isolated a long-ass time ago."
It didn’t take long before the amused voice of the Viper descended on his
mind. "So, my little Chosen is bored after only a few days without proper
stimulation and comes crawling to his gracious and benevolent Patron god
for comfort and entertainment."
"Not my fault I don’t have any audiobooks after the system. Man, that
reminds me, I never found out what happened towards the end of—"
"And you never will; the author died,” Villy said with evil cackling.
“Forever shall you live in ignorance and have it become a mental demon that
will haunt you and make you unable to progress.”
"Pretty sure the book was already finished," Jake commented.
"It probably was; I honestly have no idea what you are talking about.”
Finally getting back to the original topic, the Viper said, “Either way,
vampires… I guess we should start from the beginning with those, but can
you give me an overview of what you know?"
"Sure. It may have come from an unreliable narrator, but according to the
vampires of Yalsten…"
Jake explained what he had learned during the Treasure Hunt. He didn’t
cheap out on giving details, either, as he narrated everything he knew,
primarily out of pure boredom. It ended up taking him over an hour to convey
it all, including information on all the vampires he’d met, the Vault with the
token related to the Malefic Order, and even the fight with the Monarch of
Blood. After he was done, he waited a brief while with no response, then
suddenly remembered to ask something he probably should have from the
beginning.
"Wait, do you even have time to talk? If you’re busy, it’s fine," Jake
quickly said, hoping he had not just been talking Villy’s ear off for an hour
without any reason.
"Yeah, I have time. Do you honestly think it requires much mental energy
to talk to people? Splitting your mind is basic shit, so it isn’t like I am just
sitting in a room solely focused on listening to your every word. Well, most
often, I have an avatar do it, but those are also a dime a dozen.
"Also, the vampire history you got is pretty accurate. Vampires were
neither an original race of the multiverse nor a natural one. Instead, they
were created, much like the Risen. Their creator was called Sanguine, and he
was a nice chap, in my opinion. I guess it would be easy to start with a bit
about him.
"Sanguine was from the Fifth Era, and I met him when he was still only in
S-grade. He came to the Malefic Order as an alchemist seeking training and
mentorship, and while I wasn’t that keen about him in the beginning, I must
admit he was the most talented alchemist I’d met since Duskleaf. So I took
him in and taught him for a good while, during which he ascended to
godhood and began realizing his true dream of creating a new race.
"You see, Sanguine was a human who was obsessed with creating a
superior version of humans. So he researched far and wide and even spent
many years researching the Risen, elves, and other three-path races. Ah,
three-path races are those who with a class, profession, and race. Anyway,
he finally came to realize that all of these races were ultimately balanced…
but he still wanted to try. And oh, boy, did he try."
Jake heard the Viper laugh as he reminisced about how things were back
then.
"In the end, he succeeded and created the vampiric race, an absolute
marvel of alchemy that I must admit I admire even to this day. The sheer
diversity of races and paths he created, and the thought he put into it, rivaled
that of Inmortau and any other who created a new race, perhaps even
surpassing them. Vampires ended up being more than merely another version
of enlightened species, far closer to monsters than something like humans, in
many ways. It was the kind of race that only allowed one to have either a
race or a profession—which may sound like a drawback, but for many, this
was preferable. However, this race did also have issues.
"His goal of creating a more powerful race was never lost on him, even if
he could not do it as originally intended. He did want it to be superior, but
with superior races, classes, or professions come drawbacks, as you know.
All vampiric races, even the weakest ones, were considered high-tier, with
the most powerful naturally at the pinnacle. The drawback? Their resources.
Vampires, no matter what, only have Blood Energy, and Blood Energy
cannot regenerate on its own, forcing vampires to either consume it from
other Vitality-based lifeforms or use potions or other items."
Frowning, Jake asked, "But the vampires talked about that only becoming
a thing later on, after the Bloodless Night."
"I’m getting there," Villy said. "Sanguine was never happy with this
drawback and wanted to find a solution. Which he did. He was gone for over
a hundred thousand years, but when he returned, he had found one,
possessing two incredible new tools. The first of which was a Transcendent
skill, with only one effect… making all vampires bound to him through their
Records and karma. It allowed him to essentially bless all vampires in
existence with his power, giving them all one boon: the ability to regenerate
blood energy. It also gave him a certain level of control and more or less
made all of them his thralls… so, yeah, not a fan of that part. Anyway, the
second thing he returned with was a way to create even more vampires using
an artifact he named the Blood Moon. What it would do was make anyone
under its light get the possibility to change. Now, I understand if you don’t
see the issues with this, so let me explain some things about one of the largest
secret wars of the multiverse: the War of Faith.
"Many gods desire or even require faith, and the best way to get faith is
naturally loyal followers. A great way to get loyal followers is to have them
be bound to you in other ways than simply a Blessing that can be revoked.
Make the faith part of their community, their empire, and entire social circle,
or, at the highest level, their very race and existence. The greatest example of
the community-driven faith is the Holy Church, with the race-driven faith the
Risen. The Risen are transformed enlightened beings, and the ones from the
Holy Church blessed enlightened beings. But… a Risen cannot be blessed by
the Holy Mother or any in her Pantheon, while anyone blessed by the Holy
Mother cannot become a Risen.
"Due to the Transcendent skill of the Holy Mother, it requires soul
alteration at the time of death, but if the soul has already been altered by
unnatural means—such as becoming a Risen—it doesn’t work. The same is
true if someone blessed by the Holy Mother or her Pantheon tries to become
a Risen. There is simply a conflict of how their skills and abilities interact.
This is ultimately also the reason why the two factions are in perennial
conflict."
 Jake quickly frowned as he caught on to what Villy was saying. "And
Sanguine created a third such path that also interfered with theirs."
"Bingo. When it was just another minor race, the two Primordials didn’t
care much about Sanguine, but the issue was that Sanguine was too talented
in their eyes. Because he didn’t only make a viable and powerful race; he
even built into the vampiric race methods of giving the race to others through
rituals, alchemic creations, and items, much like the Risen. As a result, the
vampiric race began spreading far more than before, its power evident to all
who received it. And as vampires could neither be blessed by the Holy
Mother nor become Risen due to their altered souls…"
"They went to war against him," Jake said as he kept using One Step Mile
across the empty plains of dust and soil.
"I think war is the wrong term. Instead, they went on a crusade against
the entire vampiric race to wipe them out from existence. As long as a single
vampire lived, they could spread from there and help transform others. The
disciples of Sanguine—vampiric gods—were especially big on this, offering
their blessings to entire empires and trying to get pantheons on board. But
the moment the Holy Church and the Blightfather both went on the offensive
and declared their intents… yeah.
"Don’t get me wrong, Sanguine was powerful, but so are Primordials. He
fought valiantly and killed dozens of gods from the Holy Church and Empire
of Blight, but in the end, he was cornered as his former allies began
betraying him. He was slain in a battle against the Holy Mother, Blightfather,
and a hired Umbra, along with many other gods who had joined the crusade.
This was the only time the Empire of Blight and Holy Church had worked
together on a single goal so openly in the history in the multiverse, showing
how dangerous they viewed his presence to be.
"With the death of Sanguine, the effects of his Transcendent skill
disappeared, leading to what they call the Bloodless Night. Constant hunger
cursed the vampires once more, and they tried to find solutions but were
hunted down by the enemy factions, a standing bounty up on any vampire
killed. Yalsten was but one of millions of hidden worlds long forgotten. And
that is pretty much the story of the rise and fall of Sanguine."
Frowning, Jake considered a bit. "I thought you and Sanguine were allies
of some kind? I got the same feeling from the vampires of Yalsten. Even the
Monarch of Blood was amazed that I would fight him as a Chosen until I
explained the circumstances.”
 "I just taught him for a while, and I did help him somewhat, but allies?
No. It was his battle to fight, and I wasn’t going to get myself involved
unnecessarily. In the end, he was just too weak. Sanguine willingly
challenged the established forces—he knew what he was doing—but it was a
gamble he lost. It would have ended with him either being one of the most
influential gods of the multiverse, or death. If he had been stronger, it would
not have mattered. Why do you think the Holy Mother and the Blightfather
can’t reach a resolution? Because neither can actually defeat the other, even
if they get other gods to join them. Also, most of the gods who could join such
a battle refuse to take a side, me included. Ah, and they both seem to be just
fine with the status quo. In summary, Sanguine just failed to establish a new
status quo—to force them into a new status quo."
"Does that mean the vampires were wiped out?" Jake finally asked. He
had promised the Monarch he would check and, if they weren’t dead, put in a
good word. Same for that Nalkar woman from the first Vault he had
explored, who had asked him to check for her race’s survival.
"No, not even close. In fact, there are more vampires now than back then
simply due to the population of the multiverse expanding. This was all the
way back in the Fifth Era, and we have eighty-eight more universes now.
Well, eighty-seven, as I doubt your world has many vampires at the moment.
The big difference is that they are no longer unified as one race. Many larger
factions have vampires among them, and quite a few vampiric gods have
risen too.”
Jake felt a bit relieved at knowing they weren’t all gone. Well,
considering the divine item from the Treasure Hunt, they really couldn’t be,
as they had just been given a tool to create more of them.
"How about the Order?" he also asked.
"As I said, I did help out the vampiric race a bit; one of those ways was to
allow them to join the Order even while they were hunted. Quite a few larger
clans joined and sought refuge, and it did help make it clear to the Holy
Church and Empire of Blight that complete extermination was impossible, as
I fucking dared them to come and try to act out their crusade on my home
turf. Oh, some did try, but nothing we didn’t easily handle. This does mean
that the Order of the Malefic Viper has some of the oldest vampire clans in
the multiverse, and it wouldn’t be weird if some descendants of even
vampires of Yalsten are here. Though I doubt anyone knows or remembers."
"Oh, that’s nice, I guess. Any idea about the state of the Nalkar clan?"
They’d been the mental magic vampires, the ones who had made that first
Vault he cleared. Heck, he had a legendary rarity heart from one of them.
"They are one of the five biggest clans within the Order, and have an S-
grade leader who is also a branch leader," Villy answered.
"Good. That woman in the Vault was nice enough, and I did kind of
promise to put in a good word for the clan." Jake nodded in summary, forced
to summon his wings as he came across a lake.
Fun fact: running on lakes was a very bad idea. Even flying close to the
surface was a bad time, so he tended to try and stay far up, as he didn’t want
to deal with stupid fish trying to eat him.
"You can do that yourself when you come by," Villy said.
"Sure thing. By the way, you said five clans. Exactly how many vampires
are in the Order?" He assumed there had to be a pretty good number, given
that they had an S-grade. Probably a few hundred thousand, if he was guess
—
"Like, at least a few billion per clan, I guess? They got their own
territories, and I honestly don’t bother keeping track," Villy casually
answered.
Jake nearly fell out of the air from flapping his wings incorrectly. "How
the fuck are there so many?"
"It isn’t that many?"
"Dude, Earth didn’t even have ten billion before the system, even less
now…"
"Oh, man, it will be a culture shock when you get to some of the cities
with trillions of citizens."
"Now you’re just fucking with me," Jake laughed as he kept flying.
The Viper didn’t answer, but he felt like he could see the smug smile of
the god.
"You are just fucking with me… right?"
He never got an answer.
Chapter 2
Unexpected Visitor
 At the end of the Treasure Hunt

C aleb used his Hunter Insignia to leave the Treasure Hunt, finding
himself back inside his main office located in the center of Skyggen.
He quickly checked the time via a clock on the wall and saw that only
a bit less than ten hours had passed since the Hunt began.
He briefly reflected on the battle between the Sword Saint and his
brother, but quickly shook his head and got to work. There was loot to
categorize, and when he got the message about the Auction a moment later,
he naturally also added that to his to-do list.
Just as he was exiting the office, one of the workers slammed the door
open, surprising Caleb.
"Judge, hurry! We had an invader, and something is going on at your
home!"
Caleb stopped for a moment as he let the words sink in. Without any
hesitation, he activated a skill. His body turned to lightning, not even giving
his aide a chance to elaborate on the situation.
He flew through the city for a few moments before his residence came
into view. He saw it surrounded by people, including some of the recently
returned D-grades. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, he slammed down
in front of them all and turned corporeal.
Pushing past the people around, he saw that they were taking a defensive
perimeter. The situation was tense, but when he saw his wife holding his son
while standing with some of the guards, Caleb breathed out a sigh of relief
and hurried over.
"Maja, what happened!?" he said loudly as soon as he was within earshot.
She looked calmer than he expected, given all the commotion, and when
she saw him, she just shook her head. "I already told them everything is fine,
and they’re just overreacting."
"Ma’am, an intruder managed to break through all the barriers and enter
the residence without being detected…" one of the guards beside her said.
"And he didn’t do anything besides talking once he did," Maja countered.
"Give me a rundown," Caleb ordered the guard.
"Sir, approximately two hours ago, an individual managed to sneak into
the city, get through the barrier around the residence, and enter without being
detected," the guard quickly answered. “We only became aware when he
triggered an alarm on the way out, and guards are currently in pursuit, joined
by Matteo and Nadia.”
Caleb frowned as he considered it. Someone had purposefully waited for
the Treasure Hunt to enter, and based on their ability to sneak in, they had to
be at least D-grade… meaning they’d purposefully chosen not to join it. Who
the hell?
"What did he want?" he asked his wife.
"Just to talk,” she explained with a shrug. “He wanted information about
you and Jake. Just regular stuff… like who you were and what you did before
the system. He even asked questions about you two growing up, and it didn’t
feel malicious in any way.”
"Who was he? Did you get a name?"
"Just a young man. Now that I think about it, he never gave a name. He
said he was friends with Jake and knew quite a lot about him—he even told
me about Jake’s tutorial—and it was pleasant enough. Debra and Robert
didn’t even consider not answering, as we all assumed he had gotten in with
permission with a proven identity. And again, nothing seemed weird. Just an
old friend of Jake’s who had gotten separated from him after the tutorial and
wanted to get to know you and him better. It was only once he left that we
figured out something was wrong, as he tripped the alarm, and then all hell
broke loose. That was about fifteen minutes ago."
Caleb’s frown deepened. The entire situation was just too damn weird.
The alarm was far easier to avoid when exiting than when getting in. Why
sneak in, to begin with, if he hadn’t done so with bad intentions? Not to
mention purposefully triggering the alarm when he left.
"Where are Mom and Dad?" he asked.
"Just inside; I decided to go out and handle it," Maja answered as she held
the sleeping baby. "I don’t really think any of this is a big deal?"
 Nodding, Caleb considered her words and turned to the guard. "What
direction did they leave in?"
The guard made it easier than a mere direction by giving him a locator for
Matteo.
"Maja, go inside and wait, okay? I’ll check it out," Caleb said as he gave
her a hug.
"Okay,” Maja answered. “Please don’t get into any unnecessary fights; he
didn’t seem like a bad person.”
"Of course."
With that, Caleb took flight again by turning to black lightning and
followed the locator towards Matteo. His head was filled with potential
scenarios, none of them quite making sense. Was it the Holy Church? It was
a possibility, as he was never quite sure what they were doing. It had to be
someone powerful—not just in infiltration, but also mental magic… because
Maja sure as hell wasn’t acting normally for just having had someone break
into their home.
Was it the undead? No… no, Maja would have noticed even with the
mental influence. Valhal? Why would they? Also, using mental magic was
not in their MO. An independent faction? Did they even have anyone strong
enough to break in? Honestly, Caleb was lost for possibilities. Unless it was
an inside job, it was hard to determine who it could be, and even then, he
would know of someone with such skills.
I guess I will have to investigate directly.
He soared across the terrain and the settlement built within the hidden
valley, seeing the ever-growing city. Soon, he was outside the border, and he
kept flying onwards, sensing himself getting closer and closer to where
Matteo and the others were.
It only took him ten or so minutes before he spotted something in the
distance, and what he saw wasn’t what he expected. He saw a large cube of
silver-like metal. Matteo was somewhere within.
Without any hesitation, Caleb summoned his staff and smashed down on
the cube, breaking the roof and hitting the ground within. Orienting himself,
his eyes opened wide at the sight of Nadia and a dozen or so other assassins
all lying on the ground. Some were missing limbs and covered in blood, some
turned partially to metal. In the center was an armored figure holding the
passed-out Matteo.
"You got here faster than expected," the armored figure said as he let
down Matteo’s unconscious body.
Caleb did a quick check and found that not a single one of the assassins
was dead. Who the fuck?
He tried to use Identify but got a somewhat expected response.

[Human – lvl ?]

A skill to obscure it.

Caleb took a defensive position, not willing to underestimate the person
before him, and asked, "Who are you, and why are you here? What the hell
do you want with my family?"
The person just regarded him. "You two look a lot alike, and even your
demeanors are similar. Seeing you, it makes more sense, as I was beginning
to doubt Debra and Robert were truly his parents. I do wonder how such
regular people can give birth to you two… but I guess it is related to the
Bloodline?"
Frowning, Caleb listened while working his identification skill to pierce
the other guy’s obfuscation skill. He managed to after a while, and was
shocked when he saw the level.

[Human – lvl 172]

How the hell? Caleb thought as he began formulating a plan to retreat.

But he also had an idea regarding the identity of the person in front of him.
"You must be William."
Caleb just didn’t see any other possibilities, and when the armor of the
person in front of him retracted, his suspicions were confirmed. But he
looked slightly different than what Caleb had heard. He was supposed to be a
teenager, but he was clearly older by at least a few years.
"Well, at least you know my name… Your brother didn’t, the last time we
met," William answered calmly. "I guess you are the one who inherited all
the Intelligence points, huh?"
"Why are you here?" Caleb cut to the chase, not wanting to bicker
meaninglessly. Another reason was due to the constant influence he felt.
Some kind of mental skill was slowly attempting to bore into his mind, so the
longer he spent, the more dangerous it would become.
 "Wow, both of you somehow managed to develop such rudeness despite
having two perfectly polite parents. As for why I am here? Master always
talks about how information is the true path to victory and the best way to
overcome gaps. So I am gathering intelligence." William smiled. "I must
admit, it was more pleasant than expected. It turns out that having non-shitty
parents does a lot for a kid’s development, allowing even a freak like your
brother to learn how to function within a civilized society."
Frowning, Caleb felt more and more unsure about the entire situation. For
the disciple of Eversmile to show up like this was clearly no coincidence,
especially given the timing. He had somehow known when the Treasure Hunt
would end, timed it, and left just before Caleb returned, then baited him to
follow. It was a trap he had walked straight into, but he had no idea what the
purpose of the trap was quite yet. So instead, he tried to probe for
information.
"My brother has always been a bit special, but I don’t think he was ever
quite a basket-case like you,” Caleb said. “I do wonder, how did you manage
to find a way out of our universe this fast? Much less spend all your potential
time in D-grade within Nevermore?"
Off-world teleportation was something the forces of Earth were all
working on to connect with their factions in other universes. While they
could not offer much assistance, it would give the inhabitants access to areas
and opportunities elsewhere. Such as where William had clearly been, based
on his aged appearance: Nevermore. It was the only dungeon Caleb was
aware of with built-in time dilation without any negative consequences,
besides the limited amount of time one could spend there per grade. Based on
Caleb’s estimates and his aged appearance, William had to have spent a few
years in Nevermore to get to his current level.
But, even if he could leave and go to Nevermore… why do it? He had not
attended the World Congress, which one could argue wasn’t really missing
much, but the Treasure Hunt? It gave a title that was massive by multiverse
standards, and, of course, it was a lot of loot lost just to do something anyone
could do anyway once they found a way to other universes. So why would
Eversmile make William do that, or—if it was William’s own idea—allow
him to?
One thing had to be clear: traveling to another universe wasn’t actually
that hard. Well, it was, but it only had to be for one side—either the receiver
or sender. This meant the other side could soak up all the cost of bringing
someone from the 93rd Universe, and the same when sending them back. All
you needed was someone sufficiently skilled to put down the transfer
formation on Earth, which a talented mid-tier D-grade space mage should be
capable of.
"I have my means and my reasons," William answered nonchalantly. “So
does my master. But enough about me… I am not here to fight, as if I was,
everyone around us would be dead. We would also already be in the midst of
it—if you wouldn’t be dead already, that is.”
Caleb, annoyingly, was unable to dispute it. While he did believe he
could escape… the level gap was too high for him to want to risk anything.
"Not here," Caleb answered.
He still didn’t rule out that it could lead to a fight, and fighting with his
unconscious allies around him wouldn’t be wise. Also… he had already sent
back an emergency message to Skyggen, making his family go to a safe
house, so he needed to buy at least a bit more time. Assistance was also
coming, but not to fight. They would not be helpful, and he’d only called
them to retrieve the injured.
William smiled in agreement, the metal cube surrounding him folding up
and shrinking as he absorbed it into his body.
The moment it did, Caleb’s eyes opened wide. All around him was a net
of thousands of wires. William absorbed that too, making Caleb fully aware
of how much of a trap he had just entered.
"Let’s go, then," Caleb said, faking being unfazed as he headed directly
away from the city, William following after.
While William clearly wanted information from Caleb, Caleb would also
try and use this chance to figure out what the hell William had been doing.
Most importantly, who had managed to make a teleportation circle able to
transport out of their universe ahead of any of the major forces. The fact that
he didn’t know about it also meant the Court of Shadows didn’t know… and
while it was incredibly difficult for the gods to peer into their universe, the
fact that no one had known had to mean the Primordial who had blessed
William was ultimately behind it.
Now the only question was if William was a player in the game of his
master, or just another pawn thinking he was.
Present day
Four entire fucking days was how long Jake spent just zooming through the
terrain, traveling faster than two commercial planes stacked on top of each
other—with better fuel efficiency, too, and way less carbon emission.
Since the start of the tutorial, this had been the most boring period with
nothing interesting happening. Jake felt bad about nagging Villy, so he didn’t
want to constantly ask him about stuff, and while Sylphie was interesting to
communicate with, it had to be done in small doses.
Additionally, the King sleeping in the mask was a real lazy one, not
waking up a single time during this period no matter how much he poked it.
Or maybe he was just being ignored. Either way, it sucked.
But! Finally, he noticed that the compass seemed to move more back and
forth whenever he didn’t run in a straight line, indicating he was getting
close. And it truly was about time.
For these four days, Jake had not had a single good fight. He had had a
few scuffles with beasts, but all of them either got out of his way or weren’t
strong enough to put up a good fight. It had been mostly flat land between
Haven and Skyggen, and the few mountain chains, forests, or large lakes he’d
come across could either be flown over or just run through. Well, he had
dodged an especially large mountain, as it quite frankly would’ve taken too
long to try and get over. Jake had really wanted to explore it but had held
himself back.
Anyway, to summarize, Jake had found at least a few interesting places to
explore if he had to run back to Haven again, or even if he wanted to go on a
bit of an adventure someday.
A few more hours passed before Jake finally saw something far in the
distance. It was night by now, and he saw faint lights on the horizon. He sped
up as he finally felt his journey nearing its end, and he promised himself to,
in the future, ask about the time required for travel. Though, to be fair…
chances were Neil hadn’t known.
With one last push, Jake came over a hill and the city finally came into
view. It was a large settlement, even larger than the Fort by a great deal, and
Jake had to admit he was impressed so much had been built in such a short
amount of time.
 The entire city was placed on the plains with a large mountainside to the
east and a wall surrounding it. Jake headed down, but when he got closer, he
felt like something was off.
Courtesy of his Bloodline, Jake always had a good general feeling about
the overall aura of an area. He could get a rough estimate for how powerful
the people or beasts were, and when he was close to Skyggen, it just felt too
weak. Sure, there were some D-grades, but far from as many as he would
assume.
Frowning, he naturally continued toward it and double-checked the
compass, which was still pointing directly to somewhere in the city. So he
was going in no matter what.
Now the only question was… should he sneak in or use the front gate?
Chapter 3
 Visiting Skyggen & Skyggen

J ake, in the end, decided to just be normal and enter as everyone else
would. Besides, it wasn’t like that much border control was going on, as
the entire gate was more than ten meters wide and without any real
defenses while open.
When he got closer, he saw a simple-looking registration booth with a
sign advertising how to get citizenship, with another, slightly larger office for
the merchants to go and register. There wasn’t really any visitor center or
control of who entered or exited, but he did feel like he passed a barrier when
he entered the city—as well as a few pairs of eyes on him.
He kept walking a bit further into the city, seeing a crowd of people even
though it was the middle of the night. People didn’t really need to sleep much
anymore, if at all, often making the nightlife as buzzing as its daytime
counterpart.
It did vary, as many professions needed to prepare things, and it just came
most naturally to fall into old customs. For example, if a blacksmith needed
to craft, they would spend most of the night smithing away and then sell
during the day. Of course, it could be the other way around, but most others
just copied and did the same if the majority began doing something.
Besides, it gave rise to other kinds of businesses, as Jake saw a bar
district quite close to the entrance. It appeared that most commercial activities
were centered around the entrance area of the city, with the residential part
further in towards the mountainside.
Sadly, Jake was not in the mood to check out the local cuisine or watering
holes. Instead, he went into a small alley between two bars, where he stopped
and waited. He looked to the side, straight into a wall, as he felt the person
peer at him through it, making it clear he was aware of them.
While waiting, he took out the compass and saw it pointed to a building
nearby. He planned to go check it out in a bit, but first, he would deal with
the police force or whoever was keeping an eye on him.
Ten or so seconds later, three people landed in front of him. The person in
the front was a woman at D-grade. She regarded him for a moment before she
bowed.
"Lord Thayne," she said respectfully, “we were not aware you would visit
this soon. May we know your order of business?"
So much for stealth being an option…
"I am here to visit my brother and deliver some things from the resident
space mage of Haven," Jake answered.
"This…" The woman hesitated, looking a bit unsure. "Would you mind
following us to the city hall so we can discuss? I think that will be easier, and
we can avoid unwanted attention."
Jake considered her words, and with his suspicion of the area already not
being what it seemed… he would mind.
"Here is just fine," Jake answered as he activated Pride of the Malefic
Viper and summoned an arcane barrier to seal off the entire alley. "Now no
one can listen in. Tell me, where is my brother?"
The woman still looked hesitant, but she finally relented. "This is against
protocol… but… sir, the Judge is not in this city."
Jake frowned. "Isn’t this Skyggen?"
"Yes and no," she answered. "As a defensive measure, there exist two
cities named Skyggen. This one is the publicly known version, and the other
one is hidden and holds the true headquarters of the Court of Shadows."
"That is… actually pretty smart?" Jake said as he thought about it. Much
like how the Fort acted as a buffer to Haven, this place worked as a front of
sorts for the Court. Maybe the larger factions did know, but it sure as hell had
him fooled, and he was certain Miranda would have mentioned it if she knew.
It also made sense to place a public teleportation circle here.
"It is standard protocol to always set up a second Pylon city if possible to
mask the headquarters," the woman explained. "The Court also still needs to
operate somewhat publicly to procure resources, recruit, and expand our
presence, so it serves several purposes."
Jake nodded along. "So, where is the true city?"
"Approximately a thousand kilometers to the northeast, located in a
valley," she said as she took out a small device and handed it to Jake. "This is
a locator showing the direction. I have already unlocked it, but it requires a
solid understanding and manipulation of dark mana to—"
"I got it," Jake said nonchalantly. The device clicked as a small mark
appeared on it. Having unlocked it, Jake also knew it was pointing him
towards the real Skyggen, even though the mark didn’t look like an arrow—
more an odd eclipse of sorts.
The woman stared at him for a moment, then nodded. "Very well. You
mentioned something for the space mages?"
"Yep," Jake said as he fished out the cube Neil had given him. "I’m sure
they can figure out what to do with this."
He tossed the cube to her, and she caught it, nodding once more. "Final
thing… We had an intruder a few days ago, so the security is quite high at the
headquarters."
"Duly noted," Jake said, not hesitating to dispel the arcane barrier,
summon his wings, and soar up and out of the city, following the locator. He
was only a tiny bit miffed that he had to travel again, but at least it was only a
small journey this time around.

Caleb sat in his office, staring at a picture on the wall as he occasionally

glanced down at the report in front of him. It had been transcribed based on
direct communication with the Augur, Jacob, and described the presence of
an off-world teleportation method. Or, more accurately, the lack thereof.
Which meant even the Holy Church had no idea who or what was behind
William’s trip to Nevermore. And speaking of William…
Before he had the time to process the odd encounter again, it knocked on
the door.
"Sir… we have another intruder," his aide said, though with far less
urgency than last time.
"Who?" Caleb asked as he got up in a hurry, still not taking it lightly.
"It appears to be your brother.”
"Oh."
Caleb went out of his office, not bothering to turn to lightning this time.
Mainly because he wanted to make his brother wait as punishment for
breaking in… for some fucking reason.

Jake had a good reason to break in. At least, he believed it was a great reason.
You see, when he came to the valley with the hidden Skyggen in it, he
encountered a barrier meant to camouflage it. Of course, it mattered naught
before the power of Jake’s Perception, but he still found it interesting.
As interesting as the detection barrier, anyway. Jake really wanted to see
if he could sneak past it, and lo and behold, he could. All it took was his
arcane barrier being used to hide him as he used One Step Mile to quickly
phase through, Pride of the Malefic Viper active all the while to stabilize the
mana around him and make his barrier more potent.
Now, once inside, the real fun began. Jake wanted to see how far he could
make it before being discovered as he activated Expert Stealth and snuck in.
He made it to the wall and over it, using his sphere and overpowered eyesight
to keep track of the movement of guards, like he was playing a stealth game.
It all went fine and dandy for a while. Then he suddenly felt a gaze upon
him, and he knew the jig was up. He looked up at a tower and saw a woman
he recognized from the World Congress look back at him through the scope
of what looked like a sniper rifle. Jake waved at her, and she also raised her
arm to wave while taking out a small token of sorts.
Realizing there was no point hiding, Jake exited stealth and went back the
way he had come towards a fancy little pastry shop he had passed on the way.
By now, it was early in the morning, and if he was visiting his parents, it
would only be polite to bring cake and breakfast.
It didn’t take him long to find some cake and other pastries, and the
woman at the counter didn’t even question him wearing a mask or anything.
So he just paid and left, finding himself on the main street outside. Looking
about with his sphere, it quickly became apparent why no one cared about his
mask or even that his level was hidden—more than half of the people on the
street wore them and had hidden levels.
I guess that’s a city of assassins for ya, Jake thought as he found a bench
and took a seat, waiting.
The real Skyggen was quite a bit smaller than the other one, but the
overall power level was far different. Just sitting there, Jake had already
detected more D-grades than he had seen in the other city, and the overall
presence of the place was just on another level.
He also felt that the atmospheric mana was slightly different compared to
the outside of the barrier. It was a bit darker everywhere, as the dark mana in
the environment was prevalent. If Jake had to guess, then the barrier erected
around it helped transform the mana. Maybe it even had something to do with
the Pylon? Jake knew it could affect atmospheric mana, so he could see
Caleb having a skill to affect it as the city leader.
A few gazes upon him threw him out of his thoughts. He turned his head
and saw Caleb walking towards him. The observers seemed to be hidden in
the area around his brother, and Jake decided to pay them no mind as he got
up.
"Hello—I come representing the space mage guild of Haven, and on
behalf of my client, I have come to serve you a lawsuit for false
advertisement by having two damn cities named the same thing," Jake said as
his brother got close.
"On behalf of the Court of Shadows, I vehemently deny all such
accusations, as the teleportation coordinates were placed in Skyggen as per
the terms of the contract. Having two cities with the same name is just a
loophole and not my client’s fault," Caleb answered as he walked over and
gave him a hug. "Good to see you again, Jake. You got here faster than
expected."
"You did tell me to come," Jake said with a smile, not bothering to
continue with the half-joke, half-jab. Okay, he could continue a little. "Smart
trick with the two cities—even had me fooled for a moment. You got two
Pylons for it?"
"Yeah. The proximity means we can link them up quite soon and
essentially make it one city—at least, when it comes to bonuses and such. It
also serves as a nice shield and allows this Skyggen to serve as the main
headquarters and living space of the members of the Court and their
immediate family."
"As I said, smart," Jake said as he pulled back a bit and frowned. "Now,
what’s the problem?"
"Huh?" Caleb exclaimed, confused.
"Something is clearly bothering you, and you’re as shit at hiding it now as
when you were a kid. So?"
Caleb sighed and motioned with his hand, and Jake felt several gazes
disappear off him. "Let’s go to my office first. We can go to Mom and Dad
after."
Jake raised the bags of pastries. "Can’t be too long, or these get cold."
"The bags are enchanted, so they won’t," Caleb said, shaking his head.
"This is pretty standard for all shops, even in other cities… Jake, how often
do you leave your house?"
"So, what way to your office?"

Jake took a seat in the armchair in Caleb’s office, finding the place overly
fancy and very domineering. But then again, he was titled the Judge, so
maybe it was good for him to be a bit intimidating when dealing with
problems.
"So?" Jake said again after Caleb had also taken a seat.
"William came by a few days ago," Caleb said in a grave voice.
A few moments passed as Jake frowned. "Oh… him… He was still alive,
huh?"
Returning his frown, Caleb asked, "Didn’t you have a conflict or a fight
with him?"
"I wouldn’t call it a fight." Jake shook his head. "Honestly, I haven’t
thought much about him for quite a while. Last I heard, he was with some
therapist or something. Either way, did you kill him?"
"No… it isn’t as simple as that," Caleb said, sighing. "A few days ago, he
managed to break in while everyone was absent going to the Treasure Hunt,
and…"
Caleb explained what had happened, and the more he said, the more Jake
frowned. After he finished, Jake sat in silence for a while.
"172, huh?" Jake commented. "So, he’s trying to get revenge or
something?"
"That’s the thing..." Caleb began. "I don’t think this situation is that
straightforward. He didn’t kill anyone when he came, and he didn’t even do
any real lasting damage. He also possesses some powerful mental skills to the
level where I believe he has maxed out his profession, or is at least close to it.
I can also admit that he is more powerful than me… but despite it all, I never
felt any killing intent."
 "Then what did he want?"
"Just information, it seems. I followed him, fully expecting a battle, but
instead, all I got was a questionnaire about you. Who you were growing up,
what you did for work, your hobbies, your likes, dislikes… Honestly, it was
just damn bizarre. But I did manage to pick up some things myself.
"First of all, he seems to have grown a lot both mentally and power-wise,
based on prior information, so I estimate he has spent the full five years D-
grade are allowed in Nevermore. This means he must have gone there shortly
after the World Congress."
"Villy did tell me it isn’t super hard to leave the universe, but last I heard,
no faction was able to yet, so how could he leave already?"
"I don’t know, but I have some theories. Anyway, the second thing I
learned was just how little William knew of you. Even the current you,
meaning I doubt he has many human companions who are in the upper
echelons of humanity. Thirdly, and this is a weird one… he didn’t use your
name even once.”
"Did he forget it?" Jake asked, half-jokingly.
"Based on his reaction when I said it? No, no, he did not. He winced
when I mentioned your name directly, swiftly trying to wrest back the flow of
conversation. He only referred to you as ‘your brother’ or ‘that guy’ or other
generic terms during our talks. He didn’t even use other words like ‘hunter’
or ‘Chosen’ or anything like that.”
"Okay, that is weird," Jake agreed.
"Maybe… maybe not. I don’t think you are a person, in his mind—at
least, not right now. William is trying to make you into a person again by
discovering how ‘human’ you are. I sensed genuine fear just at the mention
of your name, so to answer the question of whether he is coming for revenge?
Not right now, I don’t think. But maybe soon, as he seems to be building up
both strength and courage. If it is to kill you or merely face you, I don’t
know."
"So?" Jake asked, Caleb instantly getting what he was asking.
"I can’t tell… but if I had to guess, I honestly still don’t think he has a
chance. He is powerful for sure, stronger than me… and maybe even stronger
than you before the Treasure Hunt. Now, though? It is hard to determine
without a true fight, and he didn’t really display much, so this is primarily
guesswork.”
"Any idea where he is right now?" Jake asked, the implications clear. If
the little fucker wanted to fight, he would gladly come to him, also just to tie
up a loose end. If he had just stayed out of Jake’s way for good, he wouldn’t
care, but now he dared show up in front of his parents? Yeah, that wasn’t
gonna fly.
"No, but I have an idea who he is with," Caleb began. "As I said, he
teleported off-world months ago, which I would think to be impossible… at
least for humans."
"You mean…?" Jake asked, getting it.
"William isn’t working with another human faction—he is working with
monsters."
Chapter 4
 Family Reunion

I t was a possibility Jake hadn’t really considered before. The human

factions were often at the forefront of the mind when thinking or talking
about the most powerful on Earth, but one had to remember that
humanity only existed on a small part of the entire planet.
Long ago, Jake had felt the presence of what he believed to be C-grades
deep within the forest housing Haven, and even during his trip to Skyggen,
he’d felt powerful presences. The large mountain he’d dodged, as an
example, gave off a powerful aura of what could potentially be a C-grade.
The implication? Monsters on Earth were far more powerful than
humanity many times over. Yet they were also inherently very territorial, and
while Jake had heard of human cities being attacked and monsters wanting
Pylons, the more powerful ones had yet to leave their areas. He didn’t know
what kept them there, but he was happy they stayed.
Because Jake was pretty damn sure that if a single C-grade decided to go
on a rampage, no one could stop it. Not him or the Sword Saint or anyone
else. Maybe the Holy Church would have some massive ritual where they
sacrificed a million people or some shit, but Jake doubted it.
There was just one question…
"Why would monsters work with that little twerp?"
"That, I don’t know," Caleb answered. "May have to do with his karmic
powers, or it may have to do with some deal they made. Perhaps it is as
simple as Eversmile Blessing some of them and ordering them to work
together. Either way, they must get something out of it."
"It can’t be a coincidence he finds a beast or other type of monster with
powerful space magic allowing him to leave our universe. To make those
formations, you need specific training and guidance from outside forces.”
"Indeed," Caleb agreed.
They both sat in silence for a while before Caleb added, "When we go
and see the others, please don’t mention William at all, and if they ask about
him, do keep it neutral, please. I think I have shrugged off the effects, but the
mental magic may still influence them a bit, making them have an
unnaturally favorable view of him. So if you speak about killing him or
anything like that, you may get a very negative reaction. Just know they have
a skewed view, and it isn’t their fault."
Jake frowned. "I fucking hate mental magic like that…"
"The worst part is that it isn’t really the normal kind of mental magic, so
healers can’t do much about it. At least it is wearing off, and the more they
think about what happened, the odder and more ‘wrong’ it will begin to feel
in their minds. That is the good thing about karmic magic, at least… Without
constant exposure, the effect lessens or disappears entirely far faster than
other kinds of mental fuckery."
"Noted," Jake said. "I won’t bring up curb-stomping the little fucker into
the ground repeatedly until he is dead for good. Again."
He let out a bit of his anger as his aura flared, and Caleb shook his head
and muttered, "Well, at least I can get why the guy is scared."
Jake just shrugged. "His fault for being a damn psycho."
"Pretty sure that ain’t how that works…"
"Who are you to say? Neither of us are doctors, so who can truly tell?"
The two of them kept bantering a while longer before they left for Caleb’s
home.
On the way, a feeling welled up Jake had not expected. He had been
looking forward to seeing them, so there was much anticipation, but that
anticipation was soon joined by a strong sense of nervousness. He hadn’t met
his parents or Maja for half a year or so, and he had changed a lot during that
time.
There was also the whole baby angle he had to consider. A part of him
felt shitty for not visiting earlier, knowing Maja had given birth, and now he
was afraid she would be angry at him. He did have excuses, but were they
good enough?
Caleb seemed to pick up on his nervousness, as he smiled and patted Jake
on the back. "Relax. They’ve all been looking forward to seeing you again.
Things may have changed for all of us, but the fact that we’re family hasn’t."
 "Is there anything I need to know?"
"His name is Adam."
Jake nodded and smiled. Caleb had already mentioned it before, but it had
been hectic back then. "After Maja’s grandfather?"
"Yeah, and it also seemed oddly fitting, considering the circumstances.”
"Has everything been fine with Maja and Adam? Anything to mind with
the system and all?" Jake asked, still feeling nervous.
"Babies are a damn lot easier than before, that’s for sure," Caleb laughed.
"Besides that, the growth seems pretty normal, besides him being stronger
than a baby has any right to be. It isn’t really a problem, as everything around
him is also more durable, but it is something to watch out for when a baby
can crawl across a room in seconds."
"I can imagine." Jake smiled, remembering Sylphie when she was a
newborn chick. Wait—if Sylphie was his niece and Adam his nephew, did
that make them cousins of sorts?
Before long, they found themselves at a large residence, far larger than
any around. It was several stories tall and was more a small compound with
several buildings of varying sizes. The entire thing was walled off with
enchantments and a barrier protecting it all.
"Fancy," Jake commented. "A lot bigger than my lodge."
Or at least, it had been, until his massive underground lab and facility
were finished. Before he left, he had briefly seen the progress, and it was
looking good.
"Gotta keep up appearances," Caleb chuckled, slightly embarrassed.
"Also, it allows Mom and Dad to practically live next door, which is just
convenient."
"Oh, you just like flexing on the plebians." Jake chuckled along, trying to
suppress his own nervousness.
"Now who is the judgmental one?" Caleb shook his head and took out a
token that made the double-sided front gate open. They both went into a
small yard with the largest building in front of them and two smaller ones to
the side.
The courtyard itself was filled with several plants, and Jake even saw a
few plant boxes placed next to one of the houses. He instantly knew that was
where his parents had to live, as Mom had always loved gardening. Well,
that, and he saw them inside with his sphere.
They went up the stairs to the central one. Jake couldn’t hold himself
back from smiling as he observed all of his family in his sphere. His parents
were both sitting in what looked like a shared office of sorts. Once they
entered, Jake heard Maja come out of a side room where Adam slept.
"You’re back early today. Did something else hap—"
She turned a corner and saw Jake standing there. He had already made his
mask invisible before he had even entered the office with Caleb earlier that
day.
"Hi, Maja. Long time, no see." Jake raised his arm to wave.
He barely had time to do so before she rushed over and pulled him into a
hug. He didn’t resist, instead returning it as Caleb stood to the side with a big
smile.
"You finally made it!" Maja exclaimed as she pulled back, looking him
over. "Did you just arrive? You look worn down, and look at those boots;
they look like they haven’t been fixed up for decades…"
"It’s how they came.” He shrugged as he also looked at her. "Good to see
you again."
He had never been one for many words, and Maja didn’t hold it against
him, as she kept smiling and turned to Caleb. "Why are you still standing
there? Go get Mom and Dad!"
"Aye, aye." Caleb made a joking salute, leaving Jake shaking his head.
"Now come inside, let me make something to drink,” Maja said as she
ushered Jake into another room. “Do you want coffee or tea? Juice? Or
something else?"
"Juice sounds nice," Jake said as he lifted up the bags of pastries. "I
brought cake."
"Oh, from Jerry’s? That’s great! Can you help set the table? Everything is
in the cabinet over there.” She pointed to one on the left wall.
"Sure thing."
Jake didn’t even think much as he summoned several mana strings and
manipulated them over to open the cabinet and bring out plates, cups, and
glasses. He then telekinetically set the table—as one does in a post-system
world.
"Show-off," Maja commented from the small tea kitchen where she was
making some coffee.
"Telekinesis would have revolutionized the entire hospitality industry for
sure," Jake joked back. It was funny; he didn’t really think much about how
he would set the table… He just jumped straight to using magic. It was the
same when he did alchemy. Why use your hands when a mana string is both
faster and more versatile?
"How did you get here, by the way?" she asked. "I heard they were
working on a teleportation circle, and Caleb said you would probably come
when that was finished, but I don’t think it was quite done yet?"
"I ran," Jake answered. "And flew a bit too. But it was mainly running,
and it was quite the trek too."
Maja just shook her head. "You don’t mean to tell me you spent the last
four days since that Treasure Hunt just running?"
"And flying," Jake corrected with a smile.
They kept talking for a bit longer, pausing only when he heard his
parents’ voices. Once he did, the feeling of nervousness from before returned
in full. It was the longest period he’d ever gone without seeing, much less
speaking to his parents. He had managed to keep himself busy, and knowing
Caleb was with them had put his mind at ease… but he would be lying to
himself if he said he hadn’t missed them.
"What surprise are you talking about? Did you—"
Jake heard his mom’s voice as she opened the door to the dining room.
She stopped the moment she entered and saw him.
"Jake?" she said with disbelief, standing there frozen as she stared at him.
"Hi, Mom," Jake said a bit awkwardly, then pointed towards the table. "I
brought cake."
His mom didn’t really react to the cake. Instead, she hurried over and
gave him a big hug. Jake reciprocated without hesitation. They held each
other for a while as Jake made eye contact with his dad, who stood in the
doorway, smiling.
"What happened to your eyes?" his dad asked, making Jake chuckle a bit
internally. Upon hearing the question, his mom pulled back from him and
looked at his face discerningly, both of them waiting for an answer.
"Just a skill I got," Jake answered. "How about you two? You’re looking
better than ever. Can’t even spot any of those gray hairs, Dad."
It was all true. Both his parents looked younger and healthier than ever
before, no doubt due to the advent of stats and their evolutions. Maja was the
same. None of them were close to D-grade, but Jake hadn’t expected them to
be either.
"You’ve gotten cheekier," his dad said as he walked over and gave Jake a
light hug. Neither of them had ever been the types for much physical
affection, so that suited Jake just fine.
"It comes with the territory," Jake said. "Though I still can’t measure up
to the leader of a massive, literally shadowy, assassin organization."
"Says you, with your—" Caleb began, attempting to throw a jab.
"Not now," his mom interrupted, promptly shutting Caleb up. "Come,
take a seat!"
Jake’s mother ushered him over to the table and sat down. Maja had
gotten done with making drinks, which she brought over as everyone took a
seat.
A lot had happened since the last time they all sat around a table and ate
breakfast. The world had been turned upside down and made practically the
size of the sun, and they had all gotten superpowers, been through tutorials,
and experienced death at close hand.
Jake had gone from an office worker to one of the most prominent people
on Earth, and Caleb had become the leader of the Court of Shadows, making
them both leaders of the new world in some capacity. In addition, Maja and
Caleb had become parents, Robert and Debra grandparents, and Jake
arguably an uncle twice.
Yet despite them all not being the same as when they’d last sat down to
eat, there was no tension. Instead, Jake felt like it was just like before. The
biggest difference was his mother’s worried questions of how he was doing,
shifting from his job performance and how he got along with his coworkers
to how he was doing fighting ancient vampires and old men who liked to talk
about spring inside crumbling worlds.
His dad, as always, was the silent type, but he was very interested to hear
about Haven and how things were going there. Jake was a bit more sparse
with details there, yet he was able to speak extensively about the underground
complex being made beneath his lodge.
Sadly, he didn’t get to meet his nephew right away, as he was sleeping.
Small children were apparently still prone to that sort of thing after the
system, which was probably a blessing for the parents.
Also… damn, the cakes were good. Jake really had to eat more food—if
only for the bonuses, as it increased regeneration out of combat quite a lot,
which could be useful while crafting. Besides that, it was just tasty, so why
not? Jake was pretty sure he didn’t have to watch his weight anymore, and he
got plenty of exercise when killing stuff.
After nearly an hour of pleasantries and sharing stories, the topic came
that Jake had been waiting for.
"So… I heard something about some alchemist Order?" his mom said. "I
don’t know much about it, but I don’t want you getting involved in anything
bad."
Jake saw Caleb snicker across the table with schadenfreude, and he
suppressed his desire to go smack his little brother on the head.
"I’m not a member or anything; I just know some people from there,"
Jake said, defending himself. "It’s more that I’m good friends with the leader
of the Order, so it isn’t really anything to worry about."
"I just also heard and read some bad things about this friend of yours…"
she said, looking even more concerned than before.
Jake glared daggers at Caleb, who quickly raised his hands in defense.
"Hey, don’t look at me. I didn’t say anything. We just have a public library,
and the exploits of the Viper aren’t secrets."
"Your mom is right," his dad chimed in, looking serious. "There is a
power dynamic far more prominent than any we knew before this system, and
not just one based on social constructs and hierarchical structures. I don’t
think it’s healthy, and you really need to be careful about such things. If not,
it could end badly, and not for the one on top of the pyramid. Just be careful,
okay?"
"Mom, Dad, I got it handled," Jake said, shaking his head. "My
relationship with the Viper is mine to deal with, alright? Putting down a
healthy boundary here, so just relax. I got this."
"You’re sure?" Mom asked again.
"Yes," Jake said, shutting it down.
"As long as you’re aware and thinking about it," Dad said, nodding as he
returned to nurturing his cup of coffee.
Jake confirmed with another nod, trying to put their minds at ease.
He understood their concerns, as, quite frankly, he and Villy’s
relationship was bizarre. Jake had been put into bad situations at prior stages
of his life by being too trusting or not skeptical enough of how others treated
him—his university days being a great example of this. However, he would
say he had improved at it in recent months, no doubt also helped by his
intuition allowing him to judge people better. Also, just by limiting who he
trusted and let in.
Believing the storm was over, Jake began to relax… until his mother
uttered an even more perilous question.
 "So, is there anyone special we should know about? A girlfriend,
perhaps?"
Chapter 5
 Exploring Relationships

T he damp cavern was filled to the brim with life. Countless beasts and
other kinds of monsters congregated. There were bears, wolves, insects,
and birds, and even elementals and plant-based lifeforms present.
William made his way through the crowd as the monsters regarded him,
but none attacked. Not that they were not threats, for every single one of
them was at least at level 150, with a few approaching the peak of D-grade.
He had just returned from his trip, and the three days of travel, as well as
the one day of talking with Ms. Kim, had not been pleasant. William had
believed understanding his origin would help. But he still didn’t get it.
The Judge had been strong, but he was still just human. Not like him. He
saw those damn eyes in his dreams every time he closed his eyes; constant
visions haunted him day and night, and nothing he did seemed to help. If he
didn’t know better, he would think he was cursed…
Nevermore had been a good escape. Five whole years just spent
practicing his karmic magic in the cities in between the dungeon layers, just
fighting and improving his skills. Yet when he returned and wanted to ask his
master if he was finally strong enough… he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
The question would mean he either had to fight or realized he still wasn’t
able to win. Neither option was one he wanted, so Ms. Kim had suggested he
try to understand what he was afraid of. Apparently, a direct investigation
was not what she had meant, but it had worked well, and it wasn’t like he had
just randomly decided on doing it as he had.
His master had approved and even recommended his approach.
Walking through the cavern, he soon reached its end, where he stood
before an underground pool of water. They were more than a hundred
kilometers beneath the surface of the Earth, below one of the independent
cities William indirectly controlled.
Standing before the pool, he waited a few moments and felt the
approaching aura. All the beasts around him lowered themselves. Feeling the
pressure mount, he gritted his teeth. Yet he was less affected than the others,
as while what was approaching was a monster… he had felt worse.
The water before him rippled as a form emerged. A translucent being
appeared, surrounded by wiggling tendrils that extended themselves
throughout the cavern, leaving the air heavy with mana. More accurately,
space mana.

[Planeshifting Jellyfish – lvl ???]

The massive jellyfish’s tendrils were hundreds of meters long, even if its
own main body was no more than a few meters across. Furthermore, its form
looked ever-changing and almost folded in upon itself, seemingly halfway
between two dimensions.
The powerful monster spoke in William’s mind.
"News do you bring, Disciple of Eversmile?"
The voice couldn’t be determined to be male or female, as the pitch
changed with every word. The words themselves were telepathically
transmitted but, oddly, made the air vibrate.
William was the only one who stood unmoved before the form as he
answered, "The cities still grow, and the Pylons grow with them. So while a
beast horde could topple even some of the more powerful ones, it is not worth
it at the current stage. Not before they’ve had more time to grow. If it ever
becomes worth the risk."
"Humans will destroy us if we do not destroy them first," the jellyfish
insisted, space itself vibrating as William felt its anger.
"Can they? Do you really have any reason to fear humans? I am one of
the most powerful humans on the planet, and am I a threat? Humans are only
a threat if you force them to view you as one… in which case they will band
together and become far more dangerous.” It felt like the twentieth time he’d
had to explain this.
"Hence we wait. We have to wait. We grow as they grow. We prepare, so
we will be ready."
"Exactly," William agreed. "For now, patience is the best decision. Has
your Patron relayed anything new?"
"Patience… is also their order. So we wait… What do you need from me,
Disciple?" it finally asked, getting to the crux of it.
The jellyfish was an odd creature. William was not quite able to
determine how intelligent it truly was. Or maybe it just had a thought process
too far removed from humans. Either way, one thing was absolutely clear…
When it came to space magic, it was a genius.
William pulled a small disc of metal out of his hand, injected some mana
into it, and threw it into the air. It had barely left his hand before it was
teleported away to who-knows-where by the jellyfish.
"I need transportation to the city of Sanctdomo, the largest of the human
settlements on the planet, home to tens of millions of my kind and some of
the most influential leaders," William explained.
Without any more words, the jellyfish began its magic. The mana density
in the cavern spiked even more as William felt the movements of space mana.
Then, out of the water, a stone platform more than thirty meters across rose
with an incredibly intricate magic circle carved upon it. It was one William
had used several times before, most recently to travel to Skyggen, and five
years or so ago, to do what no human faction could.
Teleport out of the 93rd Universe.
The jellyfish was not only a powerful being, but it had also been blessed
by a god William did not know anything about. All he knew was that it was
one of the best space mages on the planet and fully capable of not only
teleporting him to nearly anywhere on the planet using the magic circle it had
created, but also to other universes. Maybe even planets.
"Dangerous?" it asked as William floated towards the platform.
"Yes," he answered.
And it was the truth too. While Sanctdomo didn’t have the most powerful
individuals on the planet, it was still the most dangerous city. The Holy
Church had truly mastered the turtle strategy, and their rituals and the insane
defensive measure could prove lethal to even the jellyfish.
To even a fully-fledged C-rank monster.
But they would still be in deep trouble if the jellyfish could leave the
ocean. The cavern he was currently in was linked to the ocean through a deep
net of tunnels, allowing the C-rank to get inland somewhat, but it couldn’t go
further than the cave they were in. Not yet, at least.
William wasn’t certain of all the details, but it had something to do with
their pledge to gain power so quickly. They had all gained power through
powerful natural treasures, and they also needed to fully defend and consume
those treasures to stabilize their own power.
This didn’t mean these beings were without contest, for there was more
than one C-grade even in the immediate area. The jellyfish would only come
by sparingly and swiftly teleport back if its domain was threatened, meaning
it honestly couldn’t go too far.
Stepping on the platform, William motioned to the jellyfish. The space
surrounding him began to change. The metal disc he had given earlier
included the coordinates of a place close to Sanctdomo, given to him by
another, smaller gathering of beasts also working with them.
His goal in Sanctdomo was to scout the city and talk to the Augur—that
Jacob guy. It would be a bit awkward, considering their last meeting had
resulted in William killing him, but something told him the religious fanatic
didn’t care much. He was still going to apologize, though.
Most beast and other monster factions and gatherings did not actually
desire any conflict with human settlements—at least, the smarter ones didn’t.
They instead wanted access to what the humans could supply and craft, and
potentially to enter some rudimentary form of diplomacy or at least trade.
Now, why was William involved in all this? Truthfully, he had no
fucking clue; he was just following what his master Eversmile had guided
him to do. Ms. Kim had also supported it, as it forced him to converse and
have nonviolent relations with other creatures.
Ah, but he did have some personal reasons to go too. Jacob had known
him before the system and could be a good source of information.
Additionally, he had learned some interesting things from the parents of the
yellow-eyed monster. The monster did have enemies of the past—ones who
had a high likelihood of still being alive. Ones who had been close to him
once upon a time and betrayed him.
Apparently, during the monster’s younger days, there’d been a girlfriend
named Madeline and a friend named Andrew. William did not know if these
two would provide useful information, but their karmic connection had to
still exist, even if they didn’t. Worst case, their memories and impressions
could be useful.
The only problem was that William had no idea where these people were,
and his master had an odd approach to everything involving him. He would
offer no actual help or useful advice, only subtle guidance, making William
do everything himself. With advice from Ms. Kim, of course.
But if anyone could find them, it would be the Augur and the Holy
Church.
Finally, he felt the magic around him stabilize. Space mana rose to a
crescendo. He nodded towards the jellyfish, and in a flash, the mana
enveloped him and whisked him away.

Mothers often asked their children questions they would prefer not to answer,
and Jake’s was no exception. He had tried many different strategies to avoid
answering them in the past, and through trial and error, he had identified the
most effective one as misdirection.
This was the moment Jake truly regretted not bringing along Sylphie, as
she was a master at attracting attention. However, now he would have to get
on something else, as it was the type of conversation he always felt
uncomfortable with and wanted to avoid.
Staring at him from across the table, Caleb grinned wider than ever as
their mother expectedly looked at Jake for an answer. Even his dad looked on
with a raised eyebrow with interest, with Maja just smiling.
"Nope," Jake answered, then quickly tried to change the subject. "But I
did manage to become great friends with a family of magical hawks and very
close to their child, who I partly helped raise."
It was a complete slam dunk.
"Hawks?" Maja asked with interest.
Jake took full advantage of her love for animals. "Yeah, the first one I
met is a guy called Hawkie, and then, later on, I met his mate Mystie—”
"Was that their actual names?" Maja asked inquisitively, cutting in.
Jake took a moment to consider before he answered, "They’ve never had
any others, so of course."
"Jake named them," Caleb, that goddamn traitor, said. "He was also the
one who decided to name the city Haven because he has no creativity and
wanted the most generic one possible.”
"Says the one who named his city Skyggen," Jake shot back. "What does
that even mean? You even did it twice!"
"Not my sole decision. Also, it’s better."
 "Neither was it my sole decision to name it Haven.”
"But… Hawkie? Really?" Maja came in, shaking her head. "You
seriously named a hawk Hawkie… but why did you name the other one
Mystie?"
Deciding to come clean, Jake muttered, "Because she’s a Mystsong
Hawk…"
He heard his dad chuckle from across the table as the judgmental gazes
drilled into him.
"How about their chick? Did you also have sole discretion on the naming
there?"
"He named it Sylphie," Caleb said, butting in once more.
"Oh, that’s a pretty good name, and not that weird." Maja nodded in
approval.
"For sure! Wait, what was Sylphie’s race again?" his damn brother asked
as he looked at him, that damn smile still on his lips.
"It’s a hawk, duh," Jake answered.
"A what hawk?"
"A Sylphian Hawk…"
"Jake…" his mother said, looking at him with disappointment. "Names
are important and not just something you give out on a whim."
"Like you named me after a vodka brand?" Jake asked, attempting to
wrest back control in the losing battle.
"It was whiskey," his dad commented with a big smile. "And real quality
stuff too."
"There were other reasons," his mom said, giving his dad a stern gaze.
"And even if it was true, two wrongs don’t make a right."
"So, I heard Sylphie was in that system event with the rest of you?" Maja
asked, finally changing the topic away from how much his entire side of the
family sucked at giving names.
He gave her a mental thumbs-up. Nice save!
"Yeah, Sylphie was there with the rest of us," Jake said, nodding.
"How did you come to meet those hawks anyway?" his mom asked.
"Oh, it was just when I had gotten my wings…"
He narrated how he had met Hawkie and been taught how to fly. How
they had gone to the sky island to fight together and explore, and slowly
grown more powerful together. He told of the time Hawkie had brought him
to his mate, getting a few comments from his dad about overprotective
mothers.
Jake then explained how he had helped Mystie and Hawkie with the
magical ritual, and how he’d cared for the egg together with her parents for a
good while before it hatched. They all laughed when he gave anecdotes of
her shenanigans when she was very young and how much of a klutz she’d
been in the early days. She still was, but less so.
The Union Oath he skipped over, only saying that he and Sylphie had a
special bond. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to tell them, but he believed it
would be best not to. In fact, he skimped on a lot of details, and based on how
little they knew of many things, Jake was certain Caleb also didn’t share
many intricacies.
He also understood why and agreed. It was incredibly risky to let them
know any of his secrets, the entire scenario with William being proof of it.
Even if he trusted his parents, he didn’t trust that no one would try and take
advantage of them.
Something like the Minotaur Mindchief was also proof of this. With
powerful mental magic, it could warp his perception of reality and even make
him think the minotaur was his comrade for a moment. He could imagine
what an even more powerful entity could do to even weaker people. Maybe
someone could even walk in and impersonate him without them noticing. It
was just a risk he wasn’t willing to take.
"You need to bring her next time," Maja said after he finished.
"I will next time, if possible," Jake agreed, "and I will for sure after the
teleportation circle is done. But she is busy fighting and growing stronger. A
real go-getter, that one."
"I guess you two get along since you’re also quite a fighter," his dad said,
oddly approving. "It’s also good to see all that archery becoming useful."
"I think many regret not having picked up some martial art or something,"
Jake said with a nod.
"Just don’t get into too many unnecessary fights," his mother said,
worried. "Especially not with other people…"
"It’s fine. Jake only fights people who pick a fight with him first," Caleb
said in Jake’s defense, making him believe his little brother was on his side
again.
But it was all deceit.
"Jake only takes the initiative when beating up old people."
More judgmental gazes were turned on him, and Jake didn’t even try to
defend himself. Instead, he just looked at his dear little brother.
"Hey, Caleb… now that I’m here, wouldn’t it be a great time for some
healthy sparring?" he said with a big, toothy smile. "I promise to go easy on
you!"
Jake wouldn’t go easy on him.
Chapter 6
 Umbral Lotus

J ake sat on a chair he had just summoned as he ate ice cream—a delicacy
he had not enjoyed for more than half a year. He had to admit, Skyggen
had a lot of good stuff, though he also had to admit that it was very likely
Haven had all of this too.
He had decided to take these last three days before the Auction as a
holiday to spend with his family. And for his family, he had agreed to go and
help Caleb a little with training some of the Court of Shadows recruits.
Which is how he found himself sitting and eating ice cream, surrounded
by people kneeling or crawling on the ground as they tried to move towards
him. When anyone managed to move a bit, Jake just looked at them to use
Gaze or amplified his Pride of the Malefic Viper a tiny bit.
Caleb stood at the back, shaking his head as more than half of the E-grade
assassins had already passed out, with only two of them able to hold on
somewhat.
"Make sure you don’t kill any of them," his little brother commented.
"Relax—none of what I do is lethal unless I make it," Jake said
dismissively.
While this wasn’t the most exciting thing he had done, it was good
practice. It was not often he could find living test subjects that were also
intelligent, and he didn’t want to go out in the wild and just torture innocent
animals for his own practice.
It was important to learn to control your skills—not just at max power,
but also at lower volumes—to correctly identify how much intensity you
needed to put into neutralizing someone or something. To begin with, Jake
was already pretty good at this, but more practice was always welcome.
 And the reason why Caleb had asked him to help? Well, it was Bloodline-
related. Caleb knew Jake had a Bloodline simply by his own lived
experience, even if he didn’t know what it did in detail. But, staying true to
his promise to Villy, Jake had not shared the description of his Bloodline
with anyone. Ever.
Instead, he had leaned into one part of it: the part that amplified his
presence and also had a suppressive effect of sorts. It was one impossible to
hide anyway, and if the public perception was that it was all his Bloodline
did, that would only be beneficial to him. Keeping that he had one a secret
was impossible no matter what, and it wasn’t that overpowered if all it did
was the presence stuff.
But even this effect was incredibly potent, as Caleb had tested and
confirmed a theory over these last three days: prolonged exposure gave
permanent resistance. Presences of more powerful beings passively exuded
pressure on those weaker than themselves, with this effect being especially
noticeable between grades. A qualitative difference.
While the more powerful person could suppress this element, it was still
there, and if you found yourself before a far more powerful foe, having
resistance to presences would be priceless. Training this resistance was
difficult, though. Being around more powerful people did help build
resistance, but it was more of an acclimation process. It wasn’t permanent,
but more like how Jake had adapted to being deep underwater.
There were ways to train it, skills to give resistance—Jake’s own Big
Game Arcane Hunter, as an example—and items could help too, but what
Jake did was on another level, according to Caleb. It led to qualitative
growth.
Caleb himself was a prime example, as he had become borderline
immune to presences. He could stand before Umbra, and while he did feel the
pressure, he could handle it. Jake was, in many ways, just desensitizing
others to presences. If one had stood before the Primal Hunter, was a god
really that scary?
"How long can you keep it up?" Caleb asked as Jake finished his ice
cream.
"I don’t think that’s the question here," Jake said, shrugging as the last
guy’s eyes rolled behind his head and he passed out. All of them were only
around level 50-60, so it would be a bit too much to expect them to hold out
against the legendary Pride and Jake’s Bloodline.
 "I guess not," Caleb agreed as Jake got up and deactivated his skills. He
deposited the chair and went over to his little brother, preparing to leave.
A few people came in after Caleb motioned to them, carrying the passed-
out recruits into a room to rest. Now, while Jake was an awesome brother
happily helping family, he wasn’t doing this for free. They had come to an
agreement, and as it was the last day before the Auction, it was time to get his
payday.
The two of them walked to a heavily protected building and passed
through a few barriers with a token.
Walking in further, they came to what Jake could only describe as an
elevator.
"You guys made an elevator?" Jake asked. "Why not just, I dunno, a
small teleportation circle?"
"Cost and security," Caleb answered. "Space mages can hone into close-
by circles and use those. Also… this is just as fast and safer in every way.
Additionally, it’s easier to lock down and trap someone beneath using this
method."
"Oh? Thinking of locking me in the cellar?" Jake asked teasingly.
"Not gonna lie, it would probably work quite well and annoy you plenty.”
"Oh, I would definitely be annoyed and then proceed to break out and
have a little ‘sparring’ match with my dear little brother. Again," Jake
threatened. And it was a threat.
Their sparring match a few days earlier had not really been a match.
Instead, it had been Jake and Caleb going to the outskirts of Skyggen,
followed by a fifteen-minute beatdown where Jake countered his brother’s
moves one by one until Caleb’s boosting skill ran out.
It turns out that a super-fast assassin focusing on taking down his foe with
swift, unexpected blows isn’t the most effective versus someone with near
precognition and insane instincts. After their little bout, Caleb had even
expressed his condolences for any assassin ever hired to kill Jake.
"Then I guess I won’t lock you inside the storage vault," Caleb answered,
clearly not wanting a repeat.
"I hope some good stuff is down there.”
"Doesn’t mean you get it," Caleb teased.
"I can just take it."
"Then I’ll tell Mom and Dad and get you in trouble," Caleb countered
flawlessly.
 "Goddamn snitch," Jake grumbled with faux anger as the elevator began
traveling downwards to somewhere deep underground.
They were silent on the rest of the way down. Jake estimated they went
roughly four or five kilometers beneath Skyggen. The elevator finally
stopped as they reached the bottom, and even on the way down, Jake felt the
intensity of dark mana increasing. By the time they were at the bottom, it was
far more intense than even the Forgotten Sewers back during the tutorial.
Anyone without the affinity would be utterly blinded for sure, though
naturally, it didn’t bother the brothers.
They entered a large cavern with magical scripts and reinforced walls
after passing through a few more barriers and physical gates. Inside, Jake saw
several storage items locked away behind barriers.
But what instantly caught Jake’s attention was in the middle of the
cavern: a pool of what looked like completely black water with a diameter of
around eight meters. It surrounded a flower only a meter across that gave off
a powerful aura, and Jake’s Sense of the Malefic Viper was making him
aware of how potent the herb was.
He naturally used Identify.

[Umbral Lotus (Legendary)] – A lotus born of eternal darkness in the

shadow of a god. This lotus flower releases incredible amounts of dark-
affinity energy into its immediate surroundings, creating an Umbral Domain.
Anyone deemed an enemy by the Lotus may be consumed by the shadows to
become nutrients. It periodically sheds leaves that contain some of the
flower’s power. As long as it stands beneath the shadow of Umbra, this
flower will forever grow. Limited alchemical uses, but all creations will be
incredibly potent with neurotoxic and Perception-limiting effects.
Consumption will lead to corruption.

The flower was utterly black, and the leaves seemed to almost be swaying
in the air. The center of the Lotus was still partly closed, and from deep
within, Jake felt more dark-affinity mana than he had ever felt before. It was
a natural treasure… or perhaps it wasn’t right to call it natural? It seemed too
well-fitting for the Court of Shadows to find a flower directly related to their
god like this.
"Where did you get it?" Jake asked as he stood there, impressed.
"Beautiful, isn’t it? As you may guess, it isn’t naturally occurring, but
something we more or less created. The custom option in the tutorial store
allowed us to coordinate and buy the items necessary to summon it, even if it
was only at ancient rarity when we first got it.”
"It grows that fast?" Jake asked, surprised. He had read herbs and other
natural treasures could grow… but to go from ancient to legendary was not
easy and could take countless years.
Caleb smiled as he pointed to the center of the flower. "It ate a Pylon. My
Pylon."
Momentarily shocked, he looked at his brother in disbelief. "Is… that
smart?" Jake asked with genuine concern. He knew from Miranda’s
profession that the Pylon was very important, and if they lost it for good, the
City Lord would suffer severely.
"I don’t think it can be anywhere safer, and once it is fully consumed, the
Lotus itself will serve the same function. Pylons are incredible energy
sources anyway, and fusing them will only bring benefits. Hopefully, this
Lotus will be a source of power for the Court for many years to come. Also…
once fully merged, the Lotus can move."
Jake nodded, though he was still skeptical. He could see some benefits,
but also issues that could arise.
"Anyway, payment?" Jake finally said, returning to the topic at hand. "I
don’t assume you’re giving me the flower, even if I would be very flattered."
"No, I’m giving you this," Caleb said as he raised his hands towards the
Lotus.
It responded by swirling dark mana around itself like a whirlwind. The
mana disappeared as fast as it had appeared, and towards them floated three
leaves.
Jake didn’t even wait for them to land before he Identified them.

[Umbral Lotus Leaf (Ancient)] – The leaf of a legendary rarity Umbral

Lotus. This leaf is incredibly poisonous and releases dark-affinity mana all
around it. Consuming it may lead to adverse effects. Many alchemical uses
and creations will have neurotoxic and Perception-limiting effects.

Caleb caught the three leaves and held them out to Jake. "This is your
payment."
Staring at them a bit, Jake frowned. "This seems like overkill for three
days of terrorizing new recruits."
 "It may seem like that, but honestly? The Lotus has been shedding them
passively for a while, and no one could use them for anything besides a ritual
here and there. While I don’t doubt our alchemists can make great use of
them in the future… none of them are up to snuff quite yet. So better you use
them before they go to waste and wither.”
"Well, I ain’t gonna say no to great stuff," Jake said, not requiring much
convincing. He put the leaves in his storage and began to consider what he
could make with them. Well, naturally, he would make some kind of
neurotoxin; the thing was… Jake had never made a neurotoxin before. Guess
that’s one thing I’ll have to learn for sure.
On a side note, he and Caleb had considered having Jake teach the
alchemists of the Court a bit, but had decided not to. First of all, Jake had no
teaching experience, and trying to speedrun learning it in three days seemed a
bit dumb, and secondly… Jake really didn’t want to.
He would rather be with his family, and had instead spent these three
days just being on holiday. He had relaxed with his parents, gone shopping
and eaten out with them, and just seen the city. Both of them. It was a bit sad
to say, but Jake was now more familiar with both Skyggen cities than he was
with Haven.
Jake had also met his little nephew, which was a novel experience. The
baby began crying hysterically anytime he got close. At least for the first two
days. Caleb had insisted on Jake still seeing Adam, calming the kid down
with his or Maja’s presence. Jake knew what Caleb was doing, and wasn’t
sure how to feel about his brother using Jake to make a newborn build up
resistance to presences, but he also understood why he did it.
These days had been great for Jake to calm down and relax. To ground
himself and just focus on more mundane elements of life. He hadn’t crafted a
single thing or had a single fight outside of smacking around his little bro for
being cheeky.
The two brothers took the elevator up from the underground vault again
and split up, with Caleb having some work and Jake heading home, where a
meal was already halfway prepared. Jake was ushered out of the kitchen and
sent into another room where he played with his little nephew, making full
use of his experience with Sylphie.
All children liked when he made things float around in the air.
Also… while Jake didn’t explicitly practice anything during this time, he
couldn’t really help himself. His ability to conjure stable arcane constructs
improved day by day as he worked on realizing his dream of making a fully
functional toy firetruck. He had succeeded earlier that day, and it had been a
great success.
Maja was with him in the room as he sat with the kid that was no longer
scared of him, rolling a purple firetruck of pure mana back and forth.
"Have you ever considered getting kids of your own? I think you would
do great," Maja said with a smile.
Jake shook his head. "No… not really. And it isn’t something I plan on
truly considering for a long time. It isn’t a simple decision. To me, for more
reasons than most."
The thought had appeared, primarily when he talked to Villy about
Bloodline-related things. Jake knew it was called a Bloodline because of its
hereditary elements… which meant there was a chance Jake’s children would
have his Bloodline in some form or another. It was rarely a direct copy for
the more powerful ones, but just elements of it, and it was even possible he
had a child with an improved version. For that reason, and the fact that he
was still a young bachelor with dreams of killing dragons, he had no plans to
settle down anytime soon.
"No pressure," Maja said, shrugging. "I heard from Caleb you plan on
becoming immortal, so you do have literally all the time in the world."
"That’s why I’ll never say never. Well, except just now," Jake said with a
cheeky smile.
They kept chatting while Caleb was out of the house to prepare for the
upcoming event. Jake saw him enter the compound in his sphere just before
an announcement appeared.

System Announcement:
The Auction will begin in one hour. All participants of the Treasure Hunt can
also attend the Auction. The Auction will be an opportunity to dispose of
unwanted treasure and procure what you desire. A select few items will be
provided directly by the system during the Auction based on Earth’s
performance in the Treasure Hunt.
Note that no fighting will be tolerated during the Auction, and the event will
last for one full day.

Further details will follow if you choose to participate in the Auction.

 "One hour for the Auction," Jake said to Maja, who nodded in
acknowledgment.
It was no doubt an important event, and one Jake had been looking
forward to somewhat. Mainly because he had a lot of Credits and liked new
shiny things.
But… before that, he would sit down with his family and have a nice
dinner, as he knew it would be a while before he would come by again. They
all knew, which was why Caleb had gotten things done early to be home.
The meal passed by uneventfully as they chatted and enjoyed each other’s
company, and soon it was time for the Auction to begin.
Chapter 7
 Sorting Time

M iyamoto sat in a chair with a cane at his side as he waited for the
Auction to begin. Reika had gone to organize things, while he had
taken the opportunity to speak to a certain someone.
"Embracing the gift will likely lead to immediate reprieve from, if not
outright healing of, your current state of weakness, " the former Monarch of
Blood said as he stood beside him, looking out onto the field of flowers. The
Sword Saint identified him, as he still found his presence surprising.

[Vampire – lvl 135]

He was still bound to the treasure and himself, too, as his level was the
same as Miyamoto’s own. If he had regained them, that is. He had “gained” a
single level during this time through his Sword Meditation, but he would
have to wait till he felt better to truly regain them.
As for becoming a vampire?
"I have no desire to stop being human, and even if I did… as long as
ambiguity as to ownership of the Legacy persists, I shall do nothing with it,"
Miyamoto answered, shaking his head.
"That ambiguity can even exist is baffling," the vampire Miyamoto had
learned was called Iskar commented. "The Viper’s Chosen was not a simple
foe, and pardon my judgment, but you were no match."
The old man just smiled and shook his head. "The change of seasons can
bring about many surprises."
Neither of them spoke further, instead waiting for the Auction to begin.
The Legacy was currently bound to Miyamoto, but he was fully prepared to
share it with Jake. As for handing it over? While the Sword Saint could not
say with confidence he had won…
He knew for a fact he hadn’t lost.
The arrow at the end had scratched the side of his head, as he had
managed to divert it by cutting the bow while twisting his neck, but he was
also fully aware that he’d been a dead man walking even then. His wounds
alone, much less the poison, would have been the death of him. He also knew
he had been in a favorable arena… but he did not view that as a factor when
determining a victor. He also knew Jake wouldn’t. A battle was a battle, and
no matter the outcome, to blame everything on the circumstances surrounding
it wasn’t something any fighter with respect for themselves would do.
Closing his eyes, the old man smiled to himself. He knew both of them
wanted a rematch sometime in the future… He just hoped he would be able
to keep up.
And knew he would do everything in his power to.

"You got any idea how this entire event will function?" Jake asked as he
stood in the courtyard and waited for the Auction to begin.
"Through advanced research and pouring in every ounce of manpower the
Court can afford, I believe it will be some kind of Auction where one can
possibly buy and sell things," Caleb answered cheekily. "In all seriousness, I
believe a certain number of items can be set up for sale per person, and we
will then bid on those afterward. Considering it lasts a day, I reckon there
will be a lot of things to go through."
"I guess we’ll find out." Jake just shrugged as he saw the timer slowly
tick down towards zero. None of them said anything as the last ten seconds
elapsed, and they both disappeared from Skyggen. His parents and Maja were
still inside the house just behind them, the brothers having already said their
temporary goodbyes.

Jake found himself standing in a massive hallway the next moment, with
intricate carvings on the walls and ceiling. Soon after, many more figures
appeared around him, all of them wearing similar dark clothes. Faint dark-
affinity energy surrounded him.
So, I got teleported with all the folks from Skyggen, he thought, chuckling
a bit to himself. His brother Caleb appeared beside him, and to his other side,
a man wearing a metal mask popped into existence.
"Oh, hey there, been a while," Jake greeted the still-somewhat-
disorientated KL he hadn’t seen since that Rubik’s cube during the Treasure
Hunt.
The guy looked around and saw Jake standing with Caleb. Bluntly and in
surprise, he said, "Oh, damn, why are you here?"
"Was visiting family; I’m surprised you didn’t know; I wasn’t subtle,"
Jake said.
"I’ve been holed up in my workshop preparing ever since returning… but
good to see you, man!"
"Likewise. I’d better head off to get to the folks from Haven. See ya,
Caleb, KL!"
Before he even gave them time to answer, he began using One Step Mile
towards the group from Haven. As for how he knew where they were?
Sylphie, of course.
Just as he set off, a message appeared in front of him.

System Announcement:

Welcome to the Auction! This event will allow the denizens of Earth to sell
and procure items obtained both before and during the Treasure Hunt using
Credits.

The first hour will allow all participants to put up a certain number of items
for sale based on their performance during the Treasure Hunt. Individuals
with trade-related professions may put up additional items and are allowed to
put up auction items for others, getting their assigned quota. Only items of
rare rarity and above may be put up for auction. Final rewards will be given
after the conclusion of the event based on the total value of items sold for all
merchants. (WARNING: This only pertains to those with trade-related
professions).
 After the first hour, there will be a brief intermission. Afterward, phase two
will begin with all rare-rarity items sold. The subsequent phase will include
all epic-rarity items; phase three, ancient-rarity items, and the final phase will
include all legendary items and above. Between each phase, an intermission
will be held. During intermissions, items can be put up for sale too.

After the final phase, a bonus auction will be held with items extraordinarily
rewarded due to the performance of Earth during the Treasure Hunt.

Note: No fighting or violence will be tolerated during the Auction.

Jake read it over, and while no fighting was allowed, teleporting on the
ceiling luckily still was. Jake zoomed through several halls as he began to get
a lay of the land. The Auction area was a circle of halls with rooms on the
outside and a large hall in the middle—what he assumed to be the auction
hall.
Currently, the huge gates to the middle area were locked, but Jake could
still see the other side with his sphere. The entire place was pretty large, but
not exactly massive. He did pass a few groups and factions on the way,
including Casper and the undead.
Shortly, he spotted the group from Haven, which he had to admit looked
pretty damn poor compared to all the other major factions he had passed. It
was just Miranda, Sultan, Sylphie, Arnold, Neil with his party, and a couple
of folks Jake didn’t really know.
It wasn’t as if Haven was the only small faction. He passed a lot of small
groups with only a handful in them, with even a few lone individuals walking
about. In fact, these smaller groups were the vast majority. One must
remember that even if the major factions were the most powerful quality-
wise, the same couldn’t be said about quantity, where the independent
factions dominated.
It turns out that making yourself effectively subservient to some foreign
god didn’t mesh that well with Earth’s culture from before the system, thus
resulting in many unwilling to join. Who would have thunk?
Jake landed in front of Miranda and the others casually. He hadn’t even
summoned his wings, instead deciding to run on the ceiling because, in his
mind, that was a normal thing to do.
 "Lord Thayne," Sultan greeted, “as we are pressed for time, should we
hurry and go through items you wish to put up for sale?"
He quickly exchanged a look with Miranda, getting a nod. Jake agreed,
and they hurried into one of the many side rooms.
Inside the room was a single large altar of sorts with nothing else around.
Jake looked at it and instantly knew it was where one deposited items to be
sold. Once they were all inside—all, in this case, being Miranda, Jake,
Sylphie, and Sultan—they closed the door after them, which activated an
enchantment locking it.
Sultan was there as the merchant, of course, and Jake came to learn that
Miranda was there to make sure Jake didn’t put stuff up for sale that would
be a lot more helpful for Haven to keep or at least potentially use for counter-
bids.
As for what he wanted to sell… well, he would just have to go through it
one thing at a time. He had a lot of shit he really didn’t need or want; some of
it from Vaults and killing Counts, Sylphie’s bounty from the Hunt, and some
of it from… well, killing a large group of humans from the independent
factions.
Having less than an hour, they got started right away.
Rare items? Fuck that noise; Jake didn’t want any of it besides the things
he thought he could use for alchemy. It was only now he truly realized how
much shit he had collected during all this time. He tossed out nearly two
hundred rare weapons, armor pieces, and other items.
Miranda vetoed some of it to keep for Haven, with Jake not having any
complaints. She even promised to pay him for it using funds from Haven
once possible, but Jake rejected it, as, quite frankly… he didn’t care much for
money, especially not what he assumed would only be small sums. A bit
weird, considering he’d worked in finance before.
Moving on to epic-rarity items, it got a bit more tricky. There were some
things he actually wanted to keep, and even more things Miranda wanted for
Haven. It still ended up with Sultan getting around forty epic-rarity things to
put up for auction. He seemed happy with that.
Now for the ancient-rarity things. This was where it began to get real
spicy, as every single ancient-rarity item was incredibly valuable. The first
things to address were the Altars and Coffins, which Jake chose not to
address at all quite yet.
He still had to talk to the Sword Saint about things related to those due to
their bet. While Jake did believe he had lost and wouldn’t contest the divine
item, he still wanted to make sure and confirm with the old man before he
made an executive decision. The same was true with the ancient-rarity
weapon that had come from merging all the Count items.
But even then, he still had quite a lot.
Jake began going through them, and soon they came to one of the first
ancient-rarity items he had gained from the Hunt.

[Nalkar Crown of the Dominant Mind (Ancient)] – A crown created by a

powerful crafter from the Nalkar vampire line. The crown is made of an
unknown metal and is extremely durable. A processed heart of a powerful
Nalkar Vampire is embedded in it, soaking it with magical powers. The
Nalkar Heart enhances all mind, illusion, and phantasmal-based magic.
Passively grants resistance to all mind-affecting magic while worn.
Enchantments: +200 Willpower, +150 Wisdom, +100 Intelligence.
Dominant Mind of the Nalkar.

Requirements: Lvl 130+ in any humanoid race.

Miranda looked at it for a while before she meekly said, "I… This may be
presumptuous, but—"
Jake looked at the crown, then at Miranda, and a lightbulb lit up in his
head. "Sure, just take it."
It gave the exact stats Miranda needed for her class, boosted mental
magic—which she had quite a bit of—and gave her resistance against mental
attacks. She also sorely needed to not get screwed over by other City Lords or
in-general manipulative assholes. Like Sultan, who looked somewhat miffed
at seeing her claim it. She had already taken the epic-rarity wand that kinda
fit with the crown, and Jake got the impression that mind-altering items were
in high demand.
Moving on, he went over some more items, most of which were put up
for sale. None of it was anything Jake wanted, and while someone from
Haven could probably use them, Jake didn’t really want to just randomly
hand them out. Miranda also didn’t want to go overboard and claim anything
that didn’t benefit the city directly.
However, it all got complicated when they reached a certain item. Or,
more accurately, a set of items.

[Akashic Tome of the Fulgarian Depthcaller (Unique)] – Allows the user to

acquire the class Fulgarian Depthcaller if compatible.

Requirements: Lvl 99-199 in any class. Compatible user.

[Storage Orb of the Fulgarian Depthcaller (Ancient)] – A storage orb

containing items to assist a Fulgarian Depthcaller, including equipment and
guidance. This orb is near-indestructible by anyone below A-grade, and any
item within will be destroyed if the orb is.

Requirements: Fulgarian Depthcaller.

It was stuff from the water-level Vault, and quite frankly, Jake had
borderline forgotten about it, primarily because he really had no idea what to
use it for. A part of him also wanted to just forget that entire shitty
experience.
"Do you have any other information on it?" Sultan asked as he inspected
the tome and orb with extreme interest.
Jake searched his inventory and found the book describing it. He handed
it to Sultan, who only placed his hand on it for a moment. Then his eyes
seemed to glow, and a greedy smile appeared on his lips. "An A-grade
Legacy class..."
He turned to Miranda, who looked conflicted as she said, "Jake, this is a
very valuable item… are you certain you wanna sell it? I am certain we can
find someone from Haven who needs it—if not now, then in the future."
"You know what?" Jake said after thinking a bit. "Just sell it. I’m not
going to hand out expensive classes to people, and besides… do we really
care? Do we truly have people who are loyal to Haven and won’t just leave?
No, better put it on the market and at least earn some Credits. Shit, I’m not
even sure I want people loyal to Haven, and if they want great classes, they
can always get them themselves."
Miranda nodded in acknowledgment. "Very well."
"Speaking of which, I got one more of them." Jake fished out another
massive tome, this one quite a bit older than the Treasure Hunt.
[Akashic Tome of the Lucenti Mage (Unique)] – Allows the user to acquire
the class Lucenti Mage if compatible.

Requirements: Lvl 24-99 in any class. Compatible user.

Sultan looked at the book in shock, then muttered, "How in the hell did
you get two?"
"I kill a lot of things," Jake answered. "Anyway, how about this one?"
"Hm…" Sultan said as he looked at it. "I do not have a compatible
appraisal skill, so I cannot tell you the tier of it, and without that… it’s risky.
If it’s only a D-grade Legacy item—the lowest tier—it’s not worth much at
all, while if it’s S-grade or above S-grade? Then I would be hesitant to even
sell it."
"What do those tiers even mean?" Jake asked, genuinely confused.
"An S-grade Legacy will have a defined path all the way from one’s
current grade to S-grade, making every evolution far simpler, and often you
have well-defined methods to progress and improve. Meanwhile, a D-grade
Legacy will only allow you one well-defined evolution. The higher a tier, the
better the class or profession will also be during each step, and the most
powerful ones even have many variants per level, with the most powerful
having near-infinite. The most numerous evolutionary Legacy systems are
created by the Holy Church, and they often hand out many tomes to those
they judge worth it. Worth it and compatible. Anyway… as said, selling this
tome will be risky." Sultan shook his head.
"If I may," Miranda said, “while it may be a risk… Lillian has quite a
high affinity for light magic and likely even this Lucenti magic… so we may
consider allowing her to use it? She is already a caster, and her current class
is not exactly powerful."
Jake considered it, then asked, "Does she even want to progress her class
and fight?"
From his knowledge, she seemed to only do administrative and city-
related work every day, and he couldn’t even remember ever seeing her fight.
Heck, back during the whole Minotaur Mindchief debacle, she hadn’t even
gotten on the wall and fired any spells.
"That is something we should talk to her about if we wish to offer it,"
Miranda said, acknowledging his point with a nod.
"So, let us shelf it for now," Sultan came in. "I must remind you, we are
pressed for time, so please, let us move on swiftly."
So pushy, Jake thought jokingly as they moved on. Soon they finished
going through all the ancient-rarity items and shifted to the most interesting
part:
Legendaries.
Chapter 8
 To Sell or Not to Sell, That is the
uestion

A h, legendary items. Everybody loved them, not a lot had them. Jake
himself only used a single one actively with it smack on his face, while
he knew many didn’t have one at all. For equipment, crafting
legendary items was often difficult, as the required materials were often not
viewed as worth it, especially for those at lower ranks. Why pour a large
number of resources into making a weapon for a genius that will only use it
for a few years at most, especially considering that weapon may risk
becoming a crutch? And if you give it to weaker individuals, the value of the
item will be lost if they die, in many cases.
This meant most legendary items were actually auxiliary ones or
Soulbound. After all, a good cauldron could be used for many, many years, if
not your entire life. The same was true for items for blacksmiths or whatnot
to use during their crafting processes. In turn, this also meant these items
were often much more expensive.
The second reason an item would be made legendary was for the pure
prestige of it, and to prove it truly was a valuable item—which brings us to
the first legendary Jake, Sultan, and Miranda had to consider.

[High-tier Alchemy Token of the Malefic Order (Legendary)] – A token

created by the Order of the Malefic Viper. This token represents a deal made
with the Nalkar vampire line to grant a set number of the Nalkar Clan
vampires membership to the Order, and includes a set number of benefits.
This token has never been turned in, and doing so may lead to certain
rewards. Gives off an aura that encourages growth in toxic alchemical
products.
 "I apologize… but I do not think it wise to even attempt to sell that,"
Sultan said, shaking his head. "Even if it isn’t you selling it, I doubt anyone
will want it considering your status within the Order. Enemies will know you
can make the reward meaningless, and allies will see no true value. The
neutral would probably prefer to stay off your radar and not risk it big by
spending a vast amount of Credits on the token."
"No problem; I didn’t really plan on selling it anyway," Jake said with a
shrug. Which reminded him—he had totally forgotten to ask Villy about it.
Would have to do that after the Auction event.
Anyway, back to the topic of why an item would be legendary. Before, it
was about why someone would make it legendary. The thing is, natural
treasures didn’t really decide what they wanted to be; they just were their
rarity based on their Records. Natural treasures also included what dropped
from rare or powerful creatures. Such as vampires.

[Nalkar Vampire Heart (Legendary)] – The heart of a powerful, C-grade

Nalkar Vampire. This type of vampire is a rare variant with extremely high
innate abilities in illusion and mind magic, and often possesses a larger
reserve of blood energy than most other vampires. The rarity is higher due to
the high innate talent of the Nalkar Vampire that left behind this heart. Has
many alchemical uses.

"I’m keeping that," Jake said, not leaving anything up for discussion. He
did not have a shadow of doubt in his mind that he could find uses for the
Heart in alchemy at some point. Also, it would feel kinda weird to sell,
considering how he’d gotten it.
With nothing to discuss, they moved on.

[Safebox of Perennial Sustainability (Legendary)] – A cube containing a

spatial storage within, specially made to store items of high value safely. The
cube can be manipulated and sealed with a password. Due to the
construction of the cube, it is near-indestructible by anyone below S-grade,
and if the item is destroyed, a space storm will be released. The time of all
items will be frozen within, and mana leakage will be severely alleviated.
Mana leakage is nullified entirely for lower-value goods. The difficulty of the
password is determined by the user.
 "Haven is keeping that," Miranda said, getting an annoyed scowl from
Sultan and a thumbs-up from Jake.
Next!

[Paint Brush of Ephemeral Power (Legendary)] – A brush made from the

wood of an ancient tree with a powerful time affinity. The concept of time has
been further amplified by using the hair of a C-grade Temporal Fox variant.
All paintings or illustrations made by this brush will hold significantly higher
effects; however, they will also cease to be within a short amount of time.
Allows the user to release a blast of Ephemeral Power, having unpredictable
effects based on the last five creations made using this brush. This effect
cannot cause direct harm to others.

Requirements: Lvl 140+ in any humanoid race.

Sultan looked expectedly at Jake for a moment.

"Sell,” Jake said.
The man happily took it to be sold, and they went on with their work.

[Dewstone of Serenity (Legendary)] – A small stone created by the combined

effort of a group of water nymphs to help heal a close friend. This stone was
eventually acquired by a powerful vampire and brought to Yalsten, where it
has been ever since. Will passively transform surrounding water by infusing
the power of serenity into it. Effect lessens, and transformation progresses
slower the larger the pool of water. Has many alchemical uses.

"Gonna be real honest—I just got an idea what to use it for right here and
now, which is a nice way of saying I’m keeping it," Jake said shamelessly,
not giving any pause as they went to the next item.

[Supreme Carbonic Focusing Catalyst (Legendary)] – This item is made of

a rare type of carbon and is known to be able to bond and mix with most
other materials in existence, making it incredibly potent as a catalyst in most
crafting endeavors. This Carbonic Focusing Catalyst is of extremely high
quality and has absorbed affinity-less mana to allow itself to grow for
countless years, making it reach legendary rarity. Has a wide variety of uses
in alchemical creations and will increase the power of most crafts where this
item is used as a catalyst.

"Keeping it?" Sultan asked half-rhetorically, knowing it was just a damn

good item for pretty much any crafter.
"Keeping it."
Next up: something Jake did not keep.

[Forgestone of Eternal Embers (Legendary)] – A Forgestone infused with

incredible quantities of fire-affinity mana. The concept of embers burns
strongly within this stone, never allowing the flame ever truly to die out.
Unknown alchemical uses.

Miranda looked like she wanted to keep it for Haven, but did not say
anything as Jake looked at Sultan. "Go ahead."
Sultan was happy.
Now, the third-to-last legendary item was a bit… complicated.

[Orrery of the Godless One (Legendary)] – An orrery made by a man who

refused to acknowledge any gods during his life, only viewing the celestial
concept as worthy of being recognized as divine. This orrery will passively
map out all nearby celestial objects and give insight into their basic
properties. This effect is entirely passive and cannot be altered by outside
means, and may take a significant amount of time. This effect bypasses all
attempts to hide or mask these celestial objects done by anything below
divine-level skills.

Jake was honestly unsure what to do with it, but he also felt like it could
be useful. Sultan looked at him with high expectations. Thinking on it a bit
further, Jake reached a conclusion.
"Sell it."
What ultimately made him decide to sell it was the fact that it was a
scouting tool created to map out a territory. Jake already had something he
believed more reliable for that: his eyes. Jake was going the full-Perception
build; it would be shameful to embrace auxiliary tools!
Also… if it mapped out celestial objects and took a long time, Jake could
always just be a sneaky little boy and break in and look at it anyway. He
would probably even be allowed to visit and look at it if someone he knew
bought it. Considering how he knew most of the people with a lot of dough, it
would likely be an acquaintance.
Finally, they reached the second-to-last legendary item. These last two
were not ones obtained by Jake himself, but the little green ball of feathers
with him, who proudly puffed herself up as the first one was revealed.

[Supreme Escape Token (Legendary)] – A token once given to genius

members of the vampiric race of Yalsten to keep them safe when venturing
outside of their world. This token allows the user to escape a dangerous
situation by merely infusing mana into it and activating the emergency
escape feature. The emergency escape immediately teleports the user to a
distant place divined to be safe. Additionally, a spatial anchor can be placed
anywhere and then teleported back to if within range. All effects besides
placing an anchor can only be used a total of three times. Uses remaining:
3/3

Sultan looked at Jake, but Jake just pointed to Sylphie, who had been
standing on top of his head throughout the entire thing. "Ask her; she’s the
owner."
Looking even smugger than before, Sylphie looked at Sultan for a bit
before she graciously allowed Jake to decide what to do with it. He quickly
asked if she wanted it, and she clearly didn’t. As for Jake?
"Would it not be wise to keep this item with you in case of danger?"
Miranda said with some concern. "It will allow you to explore more risky
areas and still have a safe backup to escape. You know, insurance."
Those words convinced him.
"Yeah, sell that crap."
How boring would it be to carry a get-out-of-jail-free card around with
you at all times? It was the whole "don’t resurrect me if I die, Villy" situation
all over again. Less risk just made life less interesting and fun. Jake didn’t
want to have a probably overpowered escape token ready at all times, nor to
walk around with that knowledge in the back of his mind. If he picked a fight
he couldn’t escape or win… well, good riddance. He would deserve to be
screwed.
Sultan looked extremely delighted at his decision, gladly taking the small
token. Next up was the final legendary item, which had also been procured by
Sylphie.

[Supreme Illusory Defense Array Disc (Legendary)] – An array disc created

by a powerful B-grade Nalkar Vampire in Yalsten to hide her personal
residence from the outside world and defend it. While it has degraded in
power with time, the magic circle itself still persists. Allows the user to make
the Array Disc expand and take the form of a large, illusionary defensive
barrier that can cover a vast area. The barrier will block both magical and
physical attacks from the outside, and any living things entering it will find
themselves stuck in an illusory world. Requires a power source.
WARNING: Due to degradation, the disc will break after placing down the
Array.

Jake really had no comments on this one at all, and neither did Sylphie.
They both turned their heads to Miranda simultaneously with questioning
gazes.
"I will admit, this could be very useful for Haven," Miranda commented.
"We do not currently have any defensive barrier in the Fort or Haven itself.
We mostly rely on the deterrence of beasts due to the… nature of the area.
Also, while I do have some defensive means with help from the Pylon… we
are lacking if any determined invader comes. We are especially in a bad spot
versus humans."
Nodding, Jake acknowledged that they really didn’t have anything against
humans. Heck, Sultan even nodded in agreement; the man had just broken in
no problems, only noticed due to his big flying merchant ship. Jake also knew
most other cities had barriers.
Skyggen—both of them—had known he was there pretty damn quickly,
and he only managed to sneak into the second Skyggen due to his arcane
barrier and Pride masking his presence. But, even then, he had clearly
triggered something based on how quickly he was found. Oh, and for some
reason, his brother refused to tell him their internal security system details.
Sultan had been silent on the matter, but also added his comment. "I am
not going to lie. I have a hard time determining the value of this Array. The
item is clearly valuable, but the customer base may not need it. Most major
factions, who will also be the primary capital holders, already have barriers or
inherited methods from their divine heritages to defend their cities.
 "To add to that, this barrier may be worse for them. Perhaps not in the
short term, but in the long run. As an example, the Holy Church requires
barriers with holy energy and sets up an intricate network of magic circles
working together. As they grow, they can empower and add on new elements,
with the barriers also empowering those with holy power within. Similar
situations are present at other factions. The only major faction I could see
needing this is the Noboru Clan, but having one major buyer is far from ideal
in an auction-based setting."
"I guess that answers it, then," Jake said.
"We must remember that items can also be put up during the
intermissions, and with this time, I can also try to probe for interest related to
some of the items we chose to not put up for sale," Sultan explained, Miranda
nodding along. “Perhaps even make us reconsider some of the things we have
chosen to put up for sale.”
With the final legendary item sold, they began going over some other
things. Sultan was not only interested in selling things for Jake, but also
buying them, and if he was being candid, he was totally fine with that. Not
having to sit there and bid yourself? Fuck yeah. Jake still wanted to bid
himself on equipment of any kind, but rare alchemy ingredients? Sultan could
go all out himself there.
Jake also considered one item that he believed probably fell into the same
category as the Array, in that there was perhaps only one potential buyer: the
Root of Eternal Resentment.

[Root of Yalsten’s Eternal Resentment (Unique)] – A wooden root from an

unknown tree that has absorbed the curse energies of the black mist, which
has hung over Yalsten for innumerable years. The deep and eternal
resentment towards the vampires that permeates the curse has now been
absorbed and concentrated. After absorbing nearly all the mist within
Yalsten, it has begun to take on properties of the hidden world, allowing it to
help other curses grow in power faster. With the destruction of Yalsten, the
curse is aimless yet remains more powerful than ever. Unknown alchemical
uses.

Out of all the items he had yoinked from the Treasure Hunt, this was
potentially the most valuable overall. However, for the average joe, what the
fuck would they use some old root with an incredibly powerful curse within
for?
The description had also changed since the last time, with all references
to vampires gone. Apparently the energy of the curse was now rather aimless.
That didn’t mean he knew what to use it for, and he had already planned on
getting in a room with Casper to talk about it during an intermission. What he
did know, however, was that he was not giving it away for free. Because oh,
damn, did it give off an aura.
"Do you have more?" Sultan said with some expectations.
Jake thought for a while as he went over what he had in his storage.
Suddenly he remembered the one he had absorbed in his Palate of the Malefic
Viper: the ancient-rarity Suncore Fragment he had gained after killing his
second Prima.
Yet the moment he remembered it, a flood of knowledge also came, and
the idea of selling it instantly evaporated. During the time he’d had it
absorbed, Jake had slowly gained knowledge related to it, and one of the
things he had learned was a potential use for the Core. A use many alchemists
had employed throughout time.
Making an artificial sun.
Just a small sun, not a big one. He recalled the Challenge Dungeon and
the sun in the garden there, and the knowledge clicked together. He realized
that the sun back then had also just been an item with an incredibly high level
of sun affinity. Sun affinity was a mix between life, fire, light, and a bunch of
other stuff Jake couldn’t fully pinpoint quite yet without spending a while
delving into Sagacity, but he did know a sun was more or less mandatory for
many herbs.
A plan to transform the Core into a small sun and use it down in his
alchemist lab was already formulated. He reminded himself to also see if he
could buy any items during this Auction to make that possible.
Returning his attention to the present, Jake just shook his head. "Nope,
that should be it."
The merchant nodded and took out a contract. "Now for the trade
agreement."
It was only a single page—primarily due to how it was written with mini-
words—and it only took Jake a few seconds to see and understand it all.
"Why the hell do you take a one Credit fee per transaction?" Jake asked
with confusion.
"If not, it would be charity, and I am not running a charity," Sultan just
said with a wry smile. "As for taking a higher fee, that would risk a healthy
future partnership, so I keep them as low as possible for the time being.
Besides, if I buy anything, it will be with your Credits, but the experience and
rewards from the event will be all mine."
"Sounds like I’m being taken advantage of," Jake answered cheekily.
"We are taking advantage of each other," Sultan answered before quickly
realizing the words could be misinterpreted. "Professionally, of course."
"Professionally," Jake agreed.
They swiftly finished up the contract, then did another inspection of some
of the items, while Sultan put them up for sale using all of his merchant
powers to hopefully make sure Jake wouldn’t get scammed and end up
selling a legendary for a dozen Credits.
Soon, the first hour had passed, and it was time for the first phase of the
actual auctioning to begin.
Chapter 9
The Auction (Read: Alchemy) Begins!
 System Announcement:

The initial phase of the Auction has concluded.

A brief intermission of fifteen minutes will be held before the true Auction
begins, starting with all rare-rarity items. The central hall will now unlock,
and anyone present during an ongoing auction will be able to participate and
bid through a provided interface.

Based on performance, certain individuals will have private booths available.

Time remaining: 14:59

A s Jake, Miranda, Sultan, and Sylphie left the side room, the message
appeared. They were soon joined by the others from Haven, who had
also split up to enter other rooms. Together, they walked straight
across the hallway and into the central chamber.
Most of them didn’t have any items to put up for sale, as Jake came to
learn. Not because they didn’t have anything, but because during the week
Jake had spent traveling and with family, Sultan had meticulously sought out
every D-grade in Haven he considered worth approaching to act as a
middleman.
Entering the central chamber, Jake quickly surveyed it. It was massive, as
expected, with a small podium in the middle. Around it were countless chairs
at increasingly elevated levels, making it look more like a congressional hall.
Even higher up than any of the normal seating were the aforementioned
booths, with Jake seeing a total of seventeen of them. They were all fairly
large and had a glass-panel front to give a full view of the whole hall. The
weird thing was that Jake saw no way to get into them. No doors or openings
of any kind.
Jake wondered which one was his and how to get in as another message
appeared before him.

Congratulations, you have earned a private booth due to your

performance in the Treasure Hunt. Simply will for yourself to enter it any
time you are within the central chamber, and you will be teleported. You may
also invite others to join you within the private booth and kick them out if
you so choose.

Well, that seems easy enough, Jake thought. But, before he even went,
Sylphie disappeared from atop his head, with Jake becoming completely
unable to feel her presence anywhere. Jake swiftly willed himself to go to the
booth and appeared within it, having a small hawk land on his head less than
a second later.
The booth was incredibly spacious and far larger inside than outside, no
doubt due to spatial expansion. There were a few hundred chairs and dozens
of comfortable sofas within, with the huge window at the front allowing one
to get a panoramic view of the central chamber. If Jake had to guess, the
booth could probably hold a few thousand people without any issues. Not that
Jake wanted that many.
"Now, who should we invite?" Jake muttered as he naturally sent
invitations to Miranda and Sultan, considering one was Miranda and the other
was his acting merchant.
Within a second, they both appeared. Jake thought a bit more, then also
invited Neil with his entire party, as well as Arnold. All of them accepted
near-instantly, with Neil and his party offering thanks and Arnold just giving
him a nod as he found a chair to sit in off to the side, pulling out a small,
weird orb he began tinkering with.
Jake went to the window and saw people mull into the hall. He saw
Casper enter and instantly disappear, no doubt also going to a booth. The
same was true for others, including Eron, and even people from the Holy
Church, despite their not-so-good end to the Treasure Hunt.
His brother also had his own booth, as did a few independents he saw
disappear, as they had apparently done well enough to earn themselves a
booth. Carmen, with the people from Valhal, also naturally had one.
Then he spotted a few people making way, and the crowd split to reveal
two figures. Reika walked along with an old man using a cane, who took
small steps. Jake narrowed his eyes as he saw the backlash of the
Transcendent skill clearly. The Saint looked and felt weak, but at the same
time, his gaze was as sharp, if not sharper than ever before, and even as he
walked with a cane, he gave off an aura that made no one dare to start
something.
He had barely entered the hall before he also disappeared to his own
private booth, along with Reika and a slew of other people he assumed were
from his clan. Yet before he disappeared, Jake spotted the mark on the side of
his head, just above his left ear—a small scar left by Jake’s arrow during the
final moments.
Jake brought his hand up to the scar still on his own neck too. Scars after
the system were not as before. They didn’t need to exist, as they could easily
heal… but there were instances where they would remain anyway. If the one
with the scar willed for them to stay, evolution and healing could not and
would not remove them, but there were also circumstances where a scar held
certain meaning or implications. In Jake’s case, it was a reminder, and he had
a feeling it was one for the old man too. Also, curses could cause them, but
this was not one such case.
As he stood there, he noticed two people walk in that he instantly
recognized.
It was a large man in a robe walking with a familiar staff together with a
lithe woman. It was the elemental mage Roman and the dual-wielding rogue
from the Rubik’s Cube Vault—or Roman and Felicia, if one was more a fan
of names.
Jake was a bit surprised by seeing them together, and without really
thinking much, he just sent them both an invitation, making them both stop
on the spot. They looked at each other and exchanged a few words before
they both disappeared, only to appear in the booth.
They were briefly disorientated before they both spotted him. Jake had
already made his mask invisible by now, and even if he couldn’t remember if
they had ever seen his face before, his aura was no doubt recognizable.
"Yo, long time, no see!" Roman greeted happily as Felicia gave a more
subtle greeting.
"It’s only been like two weeks," Jake rightfully correctly him.
 "Felt like an eternity to ma poor heart," Roman joked as he went over,
finally seeing the others in the room. "Oi, hey there. The name’s Roman, and
this is my gal Felicia!"
Felicia shifted her legs and also introduced herself. "Pleasure to make
your acquaintances."
Miranda tossed Jake a look as he explained, "We met during a puzzle
Vault and solved it together, to then get ambushed by those independent
factions. Quite the bonding experience, and we talked about them coming to
Haven after too."
"Ah," Miranda said. "Pleasure to meet you two. I am Miranda, the city
leader of Haven, and on account of the city, you two would be more than
welcome to come. We are always open to more powerful D-grades."
Jake decided to Identify them while they exchanged pleasantries, and he
saw Roman had actually made some damn good progress.

[Human – lvl 125]

He then saw the staff the guy carried around, and he put two and two
together. Roman had just been able to use the staff, and now carried it around
like it was his child. He knew for a fact the guy had spatial storage. But,
being kind, Jake chose to not tease him. At least not about that.
"So… you two?" Jake said teasingly to Roman.
"Aye!" he instantly said, not a single trace of shame or embarrassment.
"Me an’ the lass worked together after that damn cube and been thick as
thieves ever since!"
He put his arm around Felicia—or at least, tried to, as a palm to the face
held him back. Because while he was utterly shameless, Felicia was more of
the reserved type.
With her hand still on Roman’s chin, she answered, "We work well
together…"
Jake just chuckled and invited them to stay in the room as they talked
about how they’d spent the rest of the Hunt. Apparently, the two of them had
gone on for a few more days, mainly just hunting things, until they finally
came to a Vault with no one else around.
That Vault had proven to be a bit too far above their abilities, making
them both leave the Hunt. Interestingly enough, they had been in physical
contact with each other while leaving the Hunt, making them both end up in
the same place once out. Afterward, they’d concluded this was likely due to
them both not joining from any city, as the same didn’t seem true for others.
They had also both gotten lucky as fuck and managed to hold on, so they’d
left right at the time the Monarch was triggered, allowing them to keep all
their stuff.
As they finished up their conversation, the timer slowly reached zero, and
the first phase of the Auction officially began.

System Announcement:
The first phase of the Auction has now begun, where all rare-rarity items will
be sold off. All items will be listed with a set minimum bidding price by the
seller, as well as a potential buyout price, allowing anyone to instantly buy
the item.

There are a total of 84,913 listings of rare items for sale during this first
phase of the Auction. These items will be posted in batches of five hundred at
two-minute intervals.

Once all items have been posted, there will be a period of one hour before all
bidding ends. Items will be posted in order of minimum bets and buyout
price. Any item not bought at the end of this phase will be returned to the
original seller.

The first batch will be posted in two minutes.

Jake skimmed the message as he did some quick maths.

With five hundred items every two minutes, it would take approximately
three hundred and forty minutes to post them all, and with the extra hour, it
would be a total of around four hundred minutes. In easier terms, six hours
and forty minutes or so with a constant barrage of rare items.
Thank Villy for high stats, Jake thought, with everyone else no doubt
thinking something similar. Five hundred items every two minutes, or more
than four a second, did seem extreme, but honestly? It was manageable if you
put your mind to it and focused only on going through them without any
distractions. Jake for sure could do it, and he had a feeling merchants were
especially suited for the task.
 As for Sultan, he did not hesitate for a moment. He hurried over to a chair
and took out his usual small black book, then sat down and closed his eyes to
enter meditation. The others around him did the same, finding chairs or just
sitting on the floor. Even the otherwise unserious Roman shifted his mood.
Jake himself also found a comfortable chair and moved it to the large
window panel, then stared down at the massive hall, where he saw tens of
thousands in total. Even then, Jake was certain many factions had not brought
everyone, or not everyone was in the hall. This is without mentioning the
many people in the booths too.
As he sat there looking out, the first batch came. An interface appeared
before him, looking straight out of a videogame auction system. But an
improved VR version. He could even mentally categorize items, and just by
thinking about what he wanted to see, they appeared.
Yet, just as they appeared, a few also began disappearing as they were
bought out. The bidding numbers rapidly began climbing on nearly
everything. He also pretty much confirmed that the information about an item
was based on your ability to Identify them, based on the descriptions.
But several items also had small notes or descriptions left by the seller,
and there were even a few bundles of items. Checking everything, he did not
find much interesting, but did begin to get an idea of the prices. They seemed
to mainly be in the tens of thousands to a hundred thousand for rare items,
but he did also see some reach over a million. These were primarily those
auxiliary tools, and the most expensive of the rare items was going for over
one million and two hundred thousand. Coincidentally, it was a cauldron.
Jake was somewhat shocked at the high prices and decided to check his
own Credit balance to see how much he actually had, and…

Credits Available: 239,777,158

Well… it was higher than expected? Jake had to admit he was more than
a little surprised at having earned over a hundred million Credits since the
last time he checked. Sure, he had sold a lot of stuff through Lillian on the
System Store, including a buttload of potions, each one going for sometimes
upwards of a hundred thou—
Oh, now it suddenly made a lot more sense. Sure, he had also spent a bit,
but he was still way up since leaving the Tutorial. As he sat there, he even
saw the number go up by around four hundred thousand due to one of his
many items no doubt being sold, with the contract immediately activating and
Sultan giving him his funds.
A new batch soon appeared, and Jake quickly skimmed it and found
nothing of interest there either. Well, besides the alchemy stuff. But most
things could not be outright bought and required one to bid, and quite frankly,
Jake had no patience to sit and keep track of potentially thousands of items
for over six hours.
He still kept up for two more batches, just shaking his head, not bothering
anymore. Instead, he took out his cauldron and decided to make some money.
No rules had said you couldn’t directly trade in between the bidding sessions,
so why not grind out a mass of potions during this time?
He was joined by Sylphie, who didn’t bid on anything. Probably because
she didn’t have any money. Jake sat close to the glass as he summoned his
cauldron and got to work. Jake had not crafted anything since before the
Treasure Hunt, and even back then, he’d nearly exclusively made elixirs.
Would making elixirs potentially make him more money? Maybe, but Jake
honestly had a feeling potions would sell better simply due to their high
demand and consumption. Meanwhile, he doubted a lot of major factions
would spend a lot on elixirs, as he was certain they already had other
alchemists able to make them.
Even if Jake could make better elixirs giving 5 stat points instead of 3…
it didn’t matter. No, it was better to make potions, where the numbers just
went up based on how good he had gotten. Besides, there was a final reason
he wanted to make potions.
Even before, Jake had begun integrating his own arcane mana to faster
break down the ingredients in a swift yet stable way, but now his skills had
grown even more. Even ignoring his awakened Arcane Awakening, he had
just improved his control in every way.
With that in mind, Jake decided to go all out. He began his first crafting
session in a while, in the middle of a monumental auction event everyone
else was deeply immersed in.
Well, besides Sylphie. She instead began doing some weird magic
practice of her own, looking damn cute while doing it.
Chapter 10
 A Brief Intermission

J ake grinded it out like never before, doing his alchemy while completely
and utterly ignoring the entire auction going on around him. He had
chosen to focus on mana potions primarily, but had also done a fair deal
of health potions because he knew those usually sold the best.
He actively used his arcane mana even more than before in place of pure
mana. While he could still control pure mana and even had to in some
instances, the more he crafted, the more he could phase out. He still had to
infuse pure mana into the entire brew to make the potion, as if he didn’t, it
would fail—or at best, he would end up making a lesser potion only he could
use.
How did he know this? Because he had made one batch of such potions.

[Arcane Mana Potion (Common)] – Restores 11,783 arcane mana when

consumed.

At first, Jake was shocked upon seeing they were not Soulbound in any
way, and promptly had Sylphie test one by drinking it. The result? She
thought it tasted "yucky" and did not restore any resources for her, killing
Jake’s dreams of having found a new way to make better mana potions.
But… even if others could use them, his regular ones were just better:

[Mana Potion (Common)] - Restores 14,314 mana when consumed.

In his humble opinion, 14,000 mana was a fuckton, but one had to
remember Jake had a mana pool of over 48,000 now. He was also still
considering when he would learn to make uncommon-rarity versions, and
figured he should probably just get his shit together and read a book on it or
ask Villy, but that was all stuff for later.
Second was, of course, health potions. While they were great, they were
far from as good as his mana ones.

[Health Potion (Common)] - Restores 9138 health when consumed.

Still respectable, if he had to say so himself, and in proportion to his

30,000 health pool, it was about as good as the mana ones. Jake had made
around a hundred and twenty health potions and over two hundred mana
potions during these six and a half hours, and when he looked at Sylphie, he
was still confused about what she was doing.
Sylphie had made two small, green wind elemental-looking things that
were now in a fistfight. Sylphie seemed to control them both, cheering
whenever one landed a hit. Jake did not say anything, as he would always
advocate for more mana practice for the young. He still thought it was kind of
weird, especially how the elementals seemed almost alive.
Must be that Sylphian heritage, Jake reckoned as he took a look around
the room, seeing everyone still immersed in the auctioning.
Jake just shook his head and noted there were only five or so minutes left.
Not enough to start another batch, that was for sure. Instead, he began
considering ways to use his arcane mana more, if only to make Jake-specific
potions.
The issue with his arcane affinity being mixed into an actual potion was
that it wasn’t really safe for consumption. The stable element could be
consumed, but would take more energy to break down and reabsorb than if it
was just pure, and the destructive element would burn his insides rather than
restore mana.
Jake had a feeling he could reach an equilibrium where he would be able
to reabsorb the energy, but that would take some time. During this time, Jake
had also reflected a bit on his talk with Eron about vital energy to try and
improve his health potions, but it was actually surprisingly useless.
Eron was all about controlling your own vital energy, and only your own.
Making a health potion was all about making energy others could absorb
easily within the parameters set by the system. The two philosophies just
didn’t mix. There were a few parts just on general manipulation, but it was
negligible.
Well, there was also the notebook, but Jake still didn’t get anything in it.
To his eyes, it was all just headache-inducing scribbles.
As he sat there thinking, he noticed most of the others were more focused
than ever as the timer neared zero. Sultan looked sweaty and tired, like he had
just been in a battle to the death, with Roman scowling and muttering curses
at "some bloody bastard" that kept outbidding him.
Jake stood up and looked down at the hall, where the same situation was
playing out everywhere. He smiled as he also checked the menu himself and
saw that most of the items had been sold by now. Looking at the logs in the
interface, he saw that all items had only been up for an hour total before
being sold unless active betting was still going on. This meant that here in the
last stretch, the most hotly sought-after items and the last batch of five
hundred were the only things left.
Out of curiosity, he checked out the most expensive item, sitting at a
whopping six million Credits.

[Damaged Transportation Pod (Rare)] – A pod created to transport

individuals over a long distance. This pod was originally made to allow the
weaker denizens of Yalsten to travel outside their realm safely through
wormholes, and the vehicle has an incredibly high resistance to all space
magic. The inside of the pod is spatially expanded. Due to damages incurred
during an escape and subsequent decay of the entire vehicle, it has led to a
severe decrease in rarity. The pod is still functional, but has severely limited
speed and limited spatial expansion. During the escape, the generator was
damaged, making the pod require a constant power infusion too.

When Jake read the item… its popularity made perfect sense to him.
Vehicles like these were big and often worth a lot just for their materials
alone, and were items one could often use for a long time. The speed was not
determined by the pod alone, either, but primarily the operator—up to a
certain limit.
Reading the note attached to it, it also became even clearer. The sale
included a notebook on how to repair it, created by a vampire from Yalsten,
and some basic details of how the pod worked, the size, and stuff like that.
He wondered if the person who had put it up had just lied to raise the price,
but then again, the system probably had some safeguards for that
Either way, Jake had no desire to bid on it. He didn’t need a car, and
besides, teleport-walking was way more healthy and better for the
environment.
It slowly rose in price until, finally, the first phase of the auction ended,
and a wave of relief went through the room at an almost palpable level.
Sylphie also cheered as the small elemental on the right won the fight, then
flew up and landed on his head again. Jake just chuckled and rubbed her head
as people looked at him.
"You guys got anything good?" Jake asked as he stood there in front of
the glass panel, two big piles of potions on the ground off to his side.
Miranda was the first to answer as she got up. "Only a few things for
myself personally, primarily for rituals… What have you been doing?"
The question felt more like a jab than an actual question. Jake just
gestured to the potions, but before he could say anything, Sultan spoke up.
"You’re selling those during the intermission?"
"Actually, I hoped you would be selling those during the intermission,"
Jake answered, “because I would sell them way too cheap or end up just
giving them all away for free."
Sultan just nodded and waved his hand, and a contract flew over to Jake.
He skimmed it and saw that Sultan would take a five-percent commission as
an "urgency and expedition fee" or some bullshit like that. Jake agreed, as he
ultimately would earn more, and he really didn’t want to sell himself. As for
getting Miranda to do it? Well, she was already on her way out the moment
the system message appeared.

System Announcement:
Phase one of the auction has concluded! There will now be a one-hour
intermission before the next phase begins. The next phase will include all
epic-rarity items. During this intermission, all prior listings can be edited
freely, and new ones placed.

"I will see you all in the next phase," Miranda said as she bowed and
swiftly left the booth, teaching Jake that anyone could leave at any point.
Jake didn’t need to think about what Miranda would be doing, either, as she
no doubt had a lot of diplomacy stuff to do.
With Jake having signed the contract, Sultan went over and swept up all
his potions, then disappeared. After a brief talk with Roman and the others,
they all dispersed, with Roman and Felicia chatting a bit with Neil and his
party. Sylphie jumped off his head and disappeared by herself without a chirp
too. As for Jake? Jake would go and talk to the old man about a few things.

Reika walked with her great-grandfather, escorting him to one of the side
rooms along with many other members of the clan. During this week, she had
fought off snakes and opportunists left and right, all attempting to take
advantage of the Patriarch’s weakness. What frustrated her the most was that
she couldn’t even protect him properly, as he had forbidden her from sharing
details of why he was weak, including whether it was temporary or would
have any permanent effects.
Which had inadvertently led to many concluding it would have
permanent consequences.
It was frustrating, but she trusted the Patriarch.
"Reika, would you kindly ask the others to stay outside while we talk to
our guest?" he asked.
She was confused about who he was talking about—until she felt the
approaching presence. Reika turned her head and saw Jake walk over, a mask
covering his face and an almost physical aura all around him. Compared to
the time they’d solved the puzzle during the Hunt, he felt much more
powerful… and he truly was, based on his fight with the Patriarch.
He walked over and stopped in front of the Sword Saint, not even sparing
a glance for any of the clan members around. Jake and the Patriarch’s auras
were incomparable at the current time, yet both men stood tall as Jake said, "I
believe we have things to discuss?"
The Sword Saint smiled. "That we do.” He motioned for Jake to follow
him into the chamber. Reika prepared to stay outside, but he spoke up again.
"Please, if you would come too?"
Reika perked up and instantly followed, leaving the many opportunistic
politicians behind her. Perhaps he did not know it, but Jake approaching the
Patriarch like an equal was a massive wrench in the works for many of those
assholes.
Perhaps he did have a better eye for political maneuvering than she gave
him credit for.

Jake, the old man, and Reika entered the side room together. The door shut
behind them, cutting off the room from the outside world entirely through the
power of system fuckery. Jake guessed he was the only one who could see
through it through the use of Bloodline fuckery, as that was one of the only
counters to system fuckery in existence. Either way, good riddance, because
those people outside looked annoying.
They did not exchange any words as they found themselves a place to sit
down—Reika and the Saint on one side, Jake on the other.
"Good fight," was the first thing Jake said with a smile.
"That it was," the old man agreed with a hearty laugh. "But perhaps we
lost ourselves a little towards the end."
"It happens." Jake just shrugged and snickered. "Anyway, you doing
okay? That kind of skill can be draining, from what I know."
"For now, I am still weak, but in due time I shall return to my usual
state," he answered, not explaining more.
Jake respected that and just moved on. "So… what to do with that Legacy
thing and all the other stuff?"
"Oh, I already put it up for auction," the Sword Saint said promptly.
Jake was taken aback, but swiftly caught on. "Damn, I didn’t know
yelling about springtime led to a sense of humor."
"Spring leads to many things," he said with a mysterious smile. "As for
who actually won… I believe it makes the most sense to call it a tie?"
Jake looked the old man dead in the eye, then caught the small scar above
the Saint’s ear. He shook his head. "No… no, I lost."
"Oh?"
"I was at a higher level and just did worse than you. Besides… I would
have died first." Jake continued to shake his head. "Also, I don’t wanna
become a vampire."
"Neither do I… but very well. I shall respect your decision. However, I
cannot fully accept the victory, so how about we make a deal? One of those
altars and a single coffin, and you will have unlimited access to the artifact. I
will even throw in something extra?"
 "Depends. What are you tossing in?"
"That shall be secret for now," he answered mysteriously. "What do you
say?"
Jake, letting curiosity get the better of him, summoned a coffin and an
altar for the Saint and Reika. He scooped it up as Jake asked again, "So?"
"Reika will bring it when she comes to Haven," the Sword Saint said with
a chuckle. "It isn’t quite done yet."
"Now I’m just getting more curious."
"Curiosity has never killed anyone."
"Pretty sure curiosity is a leading cause of death among cats.”
"You must take solace in not being a cat, then," the Saint laughed, and
they both smiled.
Having dealt with the whole duel situation, Jake moved on to something
else he had thought about. "Based on what you said, you don’t have a
Blessing, do you?"
The Sword Saint’s mood shifted a bit. "No, I do not, and I don’t plan on
getting one either."
"Why not?"
"I would think you, of all people, would understand that I will neither
subordinate myself nor my clan to a divine power," the old man said. "It does
baffle me why you have accepted that."
"Because I haven’t?" Jake said, confused. "I just have the Blessing for all
the great stats and benefits it gives, and the Viper and I are buddies. He’s
never told me to do anything, and I’ve never told him to do anything for me
either. Is there a power imbalance? Sure, but I am sure as hell not some
servant, and I think he could laugh at the sentiment."
The old man frowned. "Blessings are, to my knowledge, investments, and
a god will require a return."
"Sure, I heard that too, but the Viper is happy enough if I just get strong
and do well in events, and apparently, that benefits him plenty. Not that I
think the Viper cares. I have also seen other cases of gods quite frankly not
giving a fuck what their blessed are up to. Some see it all more as a
transactional relationship. Perhaps not equal, but not where one party can
order the other.
"I guess what I am saying is… find a god that is not a dick, get a
Blessing, and get stronger, so I don’t roll you next time," Jake taunted with a
snicker. "The benefits are just too large."
 "You make it sound simple," the Saint said, chuckling as he shook his
head.
"Honestly? With that skill, you’re a special boy too now. You managed
to, at worst, get a tie with the Chosen of the Malefic Viper while at a lower
level, and at best, you beat me. You got plenty of capital to negotiate with;
just make it clear you are no one’s servant.”
"It sounds like you’re trying to recruit me."
"Nah, fuck that, don’t make things weird now. There can only be one
Chosen." Jake waved it off. "Better go for some other powerful god. You
may look old, but you’re still young on the inside. Just put yourself out there;
there are plenty of fish in the sea! Or, well, gods in the multiverse."
The Sword Saint nodded. "I shall take it up for consideration."
"Wouldn’t ask for more," Jake said as he got on something else from his
talk with Villy. "By the way… do you feel like the sword is an extension of
your body?"
"Naturally.”
"So, you actually, literally, feel the blade?" he clarified.
"Yes," the Sword Saint answered, amused.
"Doesn’t it hurt like fuck when you block with it, then?"
That question that was the start of Jake asking questions some people
would categorize as "moronic," making it truly lucky they were in a closed-
off space.
Chapter 11
 An Epic Mixed Bag

J ake left the chamber with the Sword Saint enlightened as to the path of a
true swordsman. He even learned that Reika also knew and could feel her
blade, just like her great-grandfather. Jake had to admit it made him feel a
bit inadequate.
Once he was out, the rabble was still there, but Jake just ignored them and
walked past. He had stayed in there for a good forty-five minutes, and while
the start was serious, it eventually divulged into something far more casual,
and Jake quickly got a feeling that the political arena of the Noboru clan was
quite an annoying one.
He was glad he avoided all that shit by just having Miranda handle
everything. At worst, she could tell him if someone needed a good smacking,
and if she really needed him to do something, she would at least tell him how
to do it.
Making his way back to the booth, he found everyone besides Sultan,
Miranda, and Sylphie already back, with some likely not having left. One
such person was the man standing at what looked like a massive, half-broken
steel bullet with a book in one hand and a tablet in the other.
Jake identified the weird metal thing that was nearly five meters long and
a meter tall.

[Damaged Transportation Pod (Rare)] – A pod created to transport

individuals over a—

"Hey, Arnold. Didn’t know you were the one to buy it," Jake said as he
walked over with interest.
"Mm," he answered, not looking up from the tablet.
"Think you can fix it?"
"Mm."
"Think it can block a full-strength Powershot?" Jake finally asked, getting
the man’s attention.
"In its current state? Doubtful. Your arcane affinity is rather destructive.
But I believe it shall be fixable with the right materials.”
"It was quite expensive too," Jake noted. "Didn’t know you were such a
mogul to splurge on a garage project like this."
Arnold did not have to answer. Sultan appeared behind Jake, having
teleported in. "Arnold is easily in a position to afford it."
"Oh, he’s rich?" Jake asked, confused. The man never left his damn
workshop, so Jake didn’t even know how he would earn anything.
"While I will not divulge the assets of my client, I can share that he made
substantial gains from the System Store, and I believe he is the third richest in
Haven, behind you and I," Sultan explained, also making Jake aware that
Sultan had been selling for Arnold all along.
Now that he thought about it, he had learned that Arnold bought a lot
from the store earlier. With how immersed he was in his work, it made sense
he outsourced everything non-tinker-related. It was a bit like how Jake had
outsourced for to Lillian to get him things like new glass bottles and herbs.
Arnold himself just nodded at the words. "Many creations prove
ultimately useless or are merely middle-step demos. No reason not to sell
them to procure more funds."
"Makes sense," Jake agreed, turning to Sultan. Arnold already looked like
he was back in his own world. "So, how did it go with the potions? Sold
any?"
Sultan just shook his head and smiled. "Sold out within the first fifteen
minutes, and that was only because I refused to make any transactions before
I had a good feeling for the price."
"So…?"
"Two hundred and eight mana potions sold, with your share being a total
of 11,231,522," Sultan began, and Jake nodded. Fifty-four thousand or so per
potion was pretty damn good. "As for the health potions… one hundred and
twenty-two sold for a total of 16,653,931 Credits."
"Damn… that’s pretty damn good for six hours or so of work," Jake said,
tallying it up to a hair below twenty-seven million in total. "People seriously
buy health potions for like a hundred and thirty-five thousand each? That is
as much as one of the better rare weapons."
Sultan shook his head again. "The value of these potions is only this high
due to scarcity. If you sold just a thousand of each, the price would drop
substantially. They were primarily bought by Valhal, the Holy Church, and
independent factions to give to their most talented fighters, with a few also
going to solo parties or individuals. A good health potion can mean the
difference between life and death, and yours are the best available currently.
Giving the best is also a show of faith and a commitment towards their
talents, giving them symbolic meaning."
"I see. Makes sense," Jake said, nodding along. "Anything else I should
know?"
"Nothing much, but is there any progress on the altar and coffins? I know
you had a meeting with the Patriarch of the Noboru Clan."
"Oh, yeah," Jake said. "Let’s wait for Miranda to be back; I want to ask
for her opinion. But do you even think they will sell, considering how niche
they are and the fact there are so many of them?"
"Hm, I do think their value will be below many other ancient-rarity
listings. However, the materials alone will hold substantial value, and I do
think factions can find a use for the items themselves. The coffins especially
could prove useful if one wishes to research temporal magic, due to the
peculiar effect of the enchantments."
"I guess," Jake said as he waited for Miranda to get back—a wait that was
short, as Miranda popped into the booth only a dozen or so seconds later.
Seeing they were pressed for time, Jake quickly summoned one of each.
"Quick, Miranda. Keep or sell? Want any? Got eight of each!"

[Yalsten Altar of the Damned (Ancient)] – An altar created by an extremely

skilled crafter from the long-perished world of Yalsten, using a single,
unbroken piece of an unknown metal. The metal of the altar itself makes it
near-indestructible for any being below A-grade. This altar has absorbed
vast amounts of blood to empower it further, as countless sacrifices have
been made upon it. It has been enchanted further to increase the effectiveness
of all rituals made using it as a catalyst. Further increases the effect of all
sacrificial rituals. Faint Records and echoes of old rituals remain imprinted
upon the altar, making it passively infuse anyone lying upon it with the life
 energy of those once sacrificed upon it.
Requirements: N/A

[Yalsten Coffin of Eternal Slumber (Ancient)] – A coffin created by an

extremely skilled crafter from the long-perished world of Yalsten using an
unknown metal that has been left untouched by the ages, slowly soaking in
the Records of history and the concept of time. The metal of the coffin itself
makes it near-indestructible for any being below A-grade. The runes on the
coffin allow any who slumber within to be preserved longer, as time is
distorted while inside the coffin. Once inside, enter a special type of
meditation that will keep all resources fully replenished and allow you to
enter deep sleep, making time pass unnoticed while lessening aging
significantly. All effects are amplified for vampires, especially when used
with Vampiric Slumber.
Requirements: N/A

Miranda was put on the spot as she quickly looked at both. "I can use five
of the altars to set up a pentagram formation with them as corner catalysts. As
for the coffin, I have no comments, but probably keep one for further
research. However, it will also be perfectly fine to just se—"
Jake quickly nodded, cutting her off by tossing out two more altars and
six more coffins for the merchant. "Take these and put them up for the
auction," Jake said to Sultan, and the man happily took them.
As it happened, the rest of the people from Haven also arrived. Sylphie
naturally landed on his head again, leaving him wondering where she had
gone. They had returned just in time. The system message popped up, and it
was officially epic-item time.

System Announcement:
The second phase of the Auction has now begun, where all epic-rarity items
will be sold off. All items will be listed with a set minimum bidding price by
the seller, as well as a potential buyout price, allowing anyone to instantly
buy the item.

There are a total of 2,451 listings of epic items for sale during this second
phase of the Auction. These items will be posted one at a time in five-second
 intervals.

Once all items have been posted, there will be a period of one hour before all
bidding ends. Items will be posted in order of minimum bets and buyout
price. Any item not bought at the end of this phase will be returned to the
original seller.

The first item will be posted in two minutes.

Jake quickly skimmed it, did the quick maths, and calculated this phase
would last two hundred and four minutes and fifteen seconds. With the extra
hour, that added up to four hours and twenty-four minutes of auctioning.
There were also substantially fewer items in this phase than the last, which
made sense, as epic items got a lot rarer.
He considered if he would do alchemy this time around but decided to
keep an eye out. Because during this Auction as a whole, he did have one
plan: get a full set of equipment, or at least upgrade where he could.
He did a quick check of money and saw it had grown by around fifty
million since the last time he checked.

Credits Available: 291,258,840

It wasn’t a lot, but one had to remember rare items only sold for like a
hundred thousand on the high end, and he sold for two hundred and
something. Shit, he’d actually gotten more from the potions than all of his
rare items… which was a bit sad.
Either way, the two minutes passed, and Jake sat ready as the first item
appeared before him.

[Staff of—]

Five seconds of his life… wasted.

[Sandals of—]
 Ignoring the question of who the hell made epic-rarity sandals… wasted.
This kept on, with Jake seeing item after item he had no interest in. Time
slowly ticked by, and Jake began to notice the overabundance of staves and
robes on the market. He ignored all headwear, footwear, gloves, rings, and
necklaces, and did not look out much for anything other than chest armor and
bracers. Even then, he was hesitant to buy anything epic if he could
potentially get ancient rarity by waiting a few hours. Thus, he decided to only
buy anything if it was dirt cheap.
As for why he was a bit more open to buying chest armor and bracers?
Well, because his current ones were shit. Especially his bracers.

[Leather Bracers of Peerless Deflection (Rare)] - Bracers made from

tempered leather from a powerful E-grade beast. Produced by an even more
powerful craftsman. Borrowing from the Records of the beast it is made from,
these bracers have the ability to deflect ranged attacks when infused with
mana. Enchantments: Self-Repair. +25 Agility, + 15 Endurance.

Requirements: Lvl 40+ in any humanoid race.

It was one of his oldest pieces of equipment, and he had gotten it the
same time as the Scimitar of Cursed Hunger. The difference was, the Scimitar
was a Soulbound cursed weapon that grew as it absorbed vital energy, while
the bracers just kept being shit. The enchantment to deflect attacks had also
been utterly useless, far too weak to help against anything he fought.
The second item in the "I got shit and need new" category was his
chestpiece. While it hadn’t been that long since Jake got an upgrade, the
upgrade he’d gotten was still bad.

[Leather Chestguard of the Juvenile Bristleback (Uncommon)] - A

chestplate made from the tough leather of a young Bristleback. Created by a
talented leatherworker, the workmanship is simple but effective. Has been
infused with a Beastcore, making this chestpiece even more durable and
enhancing the wearer’s resilience. Enchantments: +200 Toughness, +75
Endurance, +50 Vitality.

Requirements: Lvl 100+ in any humanoid race.

 Also, unless he bought something Soulbound, he could always find other
uses or just have Sultan sell it elsewhere at another time. With all of that in
mind, he waited patiently as the items flew by him one by one.
Nope.
Shit.
Neat, but no.
Looks downright painful to wear.
That one is just… hm...

[Bracers of Cursed Thorns (Epic)] – A pair of bracers formed from the vine
of an unknown but highly toxic plant-like lifeform by a vampire from Yalsten
long ago. Allows the user to infuse the bracers with mana, releasing highly
toxic thorns that can be used in melee or ejected as projectiles. Due to the
remnant connection with the main body during the crafting process of these
bracers, a curse was placed upon them to release spikes that penetrate the
wearer’s body, injecting the highly toxic poison.

Enchantment: +250 Vitality, +150 Agility. Cursed Thorns.

Requirements: Lvl 135+ in any humanoid race.

Jake studied it a bit more, and when he focused, a mental image of what
they looked like even appeared. They were entirely black, resembling a pair
of rose stalks wrapped around two arms many times.
He also took notice of the surprisingly high level requirement. Most other
epic items were at 130 or below, and even if this one was only 135, it was
still above average.
Lastly, one had to address the elephant in the room: they were bloody
cursed. Jake observed that the price did go up a bit, soon reaching ninety
thousand Credits, but out of all the items that had appeared so far, it was one
of the ones with the lowest level of interest. Jake could totally get why; it had
to suck to wear bracers that liked to stab you.
For everyone besides Jake, anyway. Because what he saw was a fast and
effective way to make himself bleed to attack with Blood of the Malefic
Viper. Oh, highly toxic thorns would inject poison into him? What’s that?
Free bonus mana regen from Palate of the Malefic Viper? Sign me up!
 Shit, if they turned out to still suck, he could just transmute them and
mess with the curse a bit like his Scimitar of Cursed Hunger. After still
drinking down some of that sweet poison for Palate first, naturally. Of course,
the fact that they were damn cheap didn’t hurt either. He kept an eye on them
for now and placed a bid a thousand above the current one, bringing it to
ninety-seven thousand.
Moving on, Jake kept watching as items appeared one after another every
five seconds. The interface was highly adaptable, and Jake made it so the
bracers were always “pinned” so he could see them. For half an hour, no bid
came. Then someone placed another thousand, making Jake decide to wait.
He wanted to make it seem like there was little interest, after all. Just two
people getting into a bidding war could lead to a terrible hike in price, and he
wanted to avoid that, no matter how rich he was.
An hour into the bidding, Jake had only placed that single bid, even if a
lot of interesting stuff had appeared. Honestly, a few chestpieces did pop up
too. All of them were just straight-up better than what he had, but he couldn’t
bring himself to bid on them. He still hoped something really good or special
would pop up, and was eager to see something ancient rarity in the next
phase. Yes, Jake was greedy.
Beginning to get bored, he considered doing something else. Yet a few
minutes later, something else caught his eye.

[Unattuned Focusing Iris (Epic)] – An unattuned focusing iris that will

amplify any unattuned mana channeled through it. The iris will become
attuned if a substantial amount of mana of a specific affinity is channeled
through it. Possesses a myriad of alchemical uses.

It was such a simple item, and when Jake focused on it, he saw it was
nothing more than a small, malleable glass marble that looked almost semi-
liquid. Like one could form it just by using one’s hands. Then, as he was
considering applications, he saw the price instantly reach two hundred
thousand. Then three hundred. Five hundred. A million. Two million. Three.
Jake decided to just bail out there and then, promptly moving on. Items
kept popping up, and he kept skipping them. It was good that Sultan handled
all the alchemy buying, and he hoped the guy ignored stuff like that Iris,
which had just reached six million in price.
Time slowly ticked by, and Jake did bid on a few things, but he could
never bring himself to go very high, so he always found himself outbid. He
also ignored all alchemy products, as he feared he would just be bidding
against himself with Sultan… and besides, he really had no idea what things
were really worth. It was a mixed bag from start to end, and he had a feeling
many of the epic items sold were just stuff no one else wanted to use
themselves due to something "wrong" with them.
In the end, the entire epic-item rarity phase passed with Jake only
watching the bracers like a hawk… while playing with a hawk… by making
arcane hawks that battled with a green hawk’s summoned elemental hawks.
Chapter 12
 A Cursed Intermission

T he rest of the epic-item auction went pretty uneventfully. Jake sat on

his ass and kept watching the bracers the whole time, even though
barely anyone bid on them. Well, he did also spend a majority of his
time playing with Sylphie—his arcane conjurations were clearly better boxers
than hers.
The cursed bracers ended up only costing him a bit below two hundred
thousand Credits, which honestly wasn’t that bad. A difference between the
rare auction and the epic auction was that everything was available until the
very end. Jake did feel like it was a bit unfair, as some items were only up for
around an hour, while others were up for several hours, but, hey, what can
you do about it?
The moment the auction ended, he had the bracers directly deposited into
his inventory without any fanfare, and at the same time, he also saw his total
Credits jump more than two hundred million. Every single item he’d put up
had been sold off.

Credits Available: 498,870,214

With around forty items for sale total, he quickly calculated that they had
sold for about five million each on average. He wasn’t sure if that was good
or bad, but it sure as hell was a lot better than the rare items by a huge
margin. Jake also truly began to realize he had wasted his money-making
potential before this event. While he had earned a lot of money by selling, he
had also bought a lot, but if he just sold off things like materials or elixirs or
potions at a steady pace, he could have probably made a few hundred million.
Then again, what would be the fun in that? Jake didn’t really like just
grinding out the same mass-produced potions over and over.
Looking at the prices, he saw that the cheapest epic-rarity item had gone
for only thirty thousand, and was some nugget of metal apparently super hard
to work with. The most expensive was that goddamn Focusing Iris from
earlier, which had gone for over fifty million.
If this entire auction event had taught Jake one thing so far, it was that
rarity really wasn’t everything. Equipment with many potential users had a
somewhat predictable price of between two and eight million for epic items,
but those specialty items could go for either insanely high prices or barely
anything.
He had also been told that epic-rarity equipment was currently in a weird
spot on Earth. On the one hand, they were rare and powerful, but on the other
hand, not rare or powerful enough to not give out and actively use. This
meant that most epic-rarity items were actively used by their factions, leading
to fewer on the market. According to Sultan, they would still see a way better
ratio of epic to ancient items, despite the incredibly low rare-to-epic item
ratio.

System Announce—

Jake quickly skimmed it and saw it was pretty much the same as last time,
telling him of a one-hour intermission between this phase and the next. Jake
considered having some fun with his new bracers but decided not to. Instead,
he settled on talking to Casper to figure out future plans with that entire Root
of Eternal Resentment business.
Sylphie communicated that she was going to chat with Carmen, and
Miranda passed by and said she had a meeting with some independent cities
about something. Others also quickly left, with Sultan only spending some
time putting the altars and coffins up for sale.
With no reason to stay, Jake quickly teleported out of his booth and
appeared on the ground below it. He scouted the chamber and spotted the
booth housing the undead faction, with Casper and Priscilla both appearing
below it.
On a side note, Jake came to learn that not all of the booths were actually
being used. Reika and the Sword Saint had both earned a booth, as an
example, but they used the same one, leaving one empty. The undead faction
might have been the same, as Casper had surely earned one, and maybe
Priscilla too. Either way, it was good they were together, as that made things
simple.
With a few steps, Jake appeared close to them. It was easy enough to find
and approach them, especially with how humans still tended to avoid the
Risen. Jake honestly didn’t get it, but then again, he wasn’t racist.
Casper spotted him when he got close and just waved for him to come
over. Jake walked over and greeted them both, and after exchanging
pleasantries, they began walking towards a side chamber to discuss things.
Once inside, the door shut behind them. The ones who had gone were
Jake, Priscilla, Casper, and four other people. Jake recognized two as
members of Priscilla’s party, and two that looked and felt more like
administrative personnel or traders.
"So, gotten anything good?" Jake asked Casper.
"Eh, a few things here and there, but nothing massive,” his undead pal
said. “Saving my Credits for the ancient-rarity auction coming up. How about
you?"
"A bit of the same. I got some cursed epic bracers, but haven’t bought
anything else… though I have buy orders out for all things alchemy." Jake
shrugged.
"Speaking of cursed things," Casper said, smiling, "isn’t that why we are
here? You still got the Root of Eternal Resentment?"
"Sure do," Jake confirmed, seeing all of the Risen present perk up. "Now,
what is this Root? And don’t give me any bullshit."
"The item is a conduit of curses that—" one of the businessmen began,
but Casper cut in.
"It’s the cursed root of the tree that is the cause of the special mist within
Yalsten. It was a natural treasure of immense power before the curse
corrupted and eroded the entire tree, leaving only a single root.”
The other Risen did not hold back their slightly annoyed looks directed at
Casper, but Jake ignored them. "So, what exactly do you need it for?"
Priscilla clearly decided to also come clean, as she explained, "The Root
of Eternal Resentment has all of the curse energy from within Yalsten and is
naturally a treasure of immense value. Yalsten had unique energy, improving
and sometimes even creating items and natural treasures, making it an
incredible land of valuables—and one of the reasons why A-grades and even
an S-grade cared so much about it. Some even say the world itself was a
natural treasure.
"We already have the World Core of Yalsten, albeit slightly damaged,
and if we combine it with the Root, we may be able to create a world similar
to it. We Risen are inherently in a risky position, and it will allow us to
potentially flee or relocate off the planet entirely in a worst-case scenario. In
a best-case scenario, we can make a land here on Earth especially suited for
our kind. If possible, even transform the natural environmental mana to be
more suitable for the Risen and the treasures we need. We need far more
death-affinity treasures and materials than anyone else, and I doubt the other
inhabitants of Earth are fine with us creating fields of death just for farming."
"Huh," Jake said as he considered it. He looked at Casper, who nodded in
confirmation. "Not to come off as a dick, but I had honestly assumed
something far more nefarious, considering it is a root filled with immense
curse energy."
"Actually kinda hard now that Yalsten is gone for good,” Casper
explained. “The resentment of the curse has no clear-cut target, and is thus
aimless and undirected. It is only under rare circumstances that directionless
curse energy does not simply disperse but remains sealed and accessible.”
"True—I don’t get any particular desire to do anything while holding it,"
Jake recognized. "But I am still not sure what you need the curse energy for
as opposed to the properties of the Root itself. From what I can tell, the
World Core holds all the required energy to create the world itself and is one
part of the puzzle, so isn’t the Root just a source that will allow for the mist-
like energy to be created?"
Casper and Priscilla both looked at him, surprised.
"What? I know stuff! This is just like alchemy, but with a world instead
of herbs," Jake muttered, slightly offended.
"I’m just surprised; you’re usually amazingly ignorant for someone with
one of the most knowledgeable gods in the multiverse on speed-dial," Casper
said, taking an obvious jab. "But yeah, you’re right. The curse energy itself is
not needed, but we can transform a part of it and use it for other purposes.
That Root holds enough pure curse energy to corrupt several planets if it had
direction."
"For real?"
"Yeah, though obviously none of us can properly use it,” Casper said,
shaking his head. “If we go by pure energy, the divine item left by Sanguine
could turn our entire solar system to dust if extracted and turned into a
weapon. It is a bit of a moot point, though, as anyone actually capable of
doing that would be able to do so anyway.”
"Do you plan on planting the Root somehow?" Jake asked. He saw the
officials behind Casper shifting, as they no doubt didn’t like Casper and
Priscilla sharing so much, but Casper looked like he honestly didn’t give a
damn.
"Yep, that is precisely what we plan on doing. For it to work, we actually
need to purge the Root of curse energy first, but as I mentioned, there are
several ways to do that. All we need the Root and tree itself for are the
properties that allowed them to contain the curse in the first place."
Jake nodded along. "Won’t it take a long time to suck out all the curse
energy? As you said, there is a shitload."
"True," Casper acknowledged, “but it is also highly condensed. I believe
it could be great fuel for one of my existing curse weapons, or maybe I will
use it to create something else. Again, many possibilities for anyone familiar
with curses."
Jake once more nodded as he got an idea. "Speaking of which, got any
idea what exactly is up with this sword?"
He fished out his Scimitar of Cursed Hunger. He had been wondering
about the blade for a while, especially the fact that it kept getting stronger.
Growth items were damn rare, as far as he knew, and to him, it seemed like
the damn scimitar just kept getting sharper and more durable the stronger the
curse got. Considering that he had a curse expert right in front of him, it
seemed silly not to ask.
Casper looked at the weapon in Jake’s hand. "Sure, I guess. Is it
Soulbound?"
"Kind of?" It was quasi-Soulbound due to Jake using his arcane affinity
and Touch to bind it.
"But also cursed," Casper added.
"Yep."
"What were the requirements when you got it first?"
"Just Humanoid race," Jake explained, not really seeing the need to hide
anything.
He briefly summarized the weapon, how he’d gotten it, how he’d changed
it, and how it now grew from absorbing vital energy. Casper seemed very
interested throughout, asking follow-up questions about whether it compelled
him to do stuff—big yes on that one—and some other stuff.
Casper looked more and more confused as Jake answered, especially
when he said he had used it from the time he was mid-tier E-grade to now.
He also explained that not once had he repaired it. However, it was when he
explained its mentioning of absorbed souls Casper looked really bewildered,
but his expression was also grave.
"You say the description says it was made of steel soaked in blood…
indicating some ritual… and that you then you destroyed the souls it had
absorbed… yet the curse remained and is still growing more powerful…"
Casper commented thoughtfully. "The thing is, normally curses stop working
once they fulfill their purpose. The curse on the Root was all about
exterminating vampires, and with the total destruction of Yalsten, the
resentment has been satisfied. Even if the goal of the resentment is
impossible to reach, the curse won’t get stronger. The Records and curse
energy are constant unless it absorbs curse energy, an exact replica of itself.
That is how curse users like me function. We are the source of the curse.
However, what your scimitar does is different… It has neither a goal nor a
true source. If my guesses are correct, then you have what is classified as a
Sin weapon.”
"Sin weapon?" Jake asked, having never heard the term before.
"A type of cursed weapon based on sin. Or perhaps it is more accurate to
say that it is a weapon created based on a concept rather than a cursed
weapon created to fulfill a specific goal. In your case, it went from the
concept of Debauchery to the concept of Hunger. Also, you mentioned that
the scimitar can wane in power if it does not fulfill its purpose, adding further
to the legitimacy of this theory."
Jake considered his words, trying to summarize them. "So, I got a growth
weapon of sorts, based on fulfilling a concept?"
"Yes and no," Casper answered. "You got a growth curse, not a weapon
per se. The weapon itself is merely the medium in which it is stored, and if
the medium breaks, the curse itself will merely disperse, as it is part of a
larger concept. Well, that or you can transfer it to a new medium. And to call
it a growth curse should kind of set off some red flags… Sin weapons are
fucking dangerous. One does not normally use Sin curses in weapons due to
it having a user, but rather infused in items like altars or other ritualistic
items. Sometimes maybe sacrificial daggers… but not something you use on
the daily. It’s just too dangerous."
 "They’re that bad?" Jake asked, and this time Priscilla jumped in.
"Any cursed weapon affects the user, but Sin weapons even more so, as
you are more connected to them. You make them grow and infuse them with
new Records, meaning you are an instrument of the curse, and the Records of
the curse also begin to affect you. That is why it is generally fine if you only
use them sparingly, like during a ritual. The man you took the blade from had
gained his class merely due to the blade, and had undoubtedly been affected
mentally, too, as time went on due to continued exposure. That is why they
are dangerous… The curse will slowly begin to affect you more and more,
and a blade based on Hunger holds a very vast concept. It can be the Hunger
for anything.”
Jake heard some genuine concern in her voice—probably not because she
cared about Jake, but because she had learned one of the most powerful
people on Earth was using a presumably dangerous weapon.
"Sure, it can get a bit noisy, but I just ignore it," Jake said, shaking his
head. He remembered when he’d picked it up after it had properly digested
all the vital energy from Eron. It had been a bit grumpy and hungry, but not
really an issue, in his opinion.
"I assume you have some skill offering mental resistance, and while that
certainly helps, the influence can slowly creep up on you,” Priscilla warned.
“It will affect your Records, and it will slowly begin to affect who you are if
it hasn’t already. You may think you control the curse, but often it ends up
being the curse controlling you.”
Jake just snickered as he looked at Casper. "You mentioned before that
curses are rooted in emotions?"
"Yeah," Casper confirmed, “which is why they can influence you. Often
you don’t even notice it before it is too late. I must second Priscilla’s
warning… Using a Sin weapon is risky, and unless you have skills
specifically designed to deal with them like me, it will be a bad time. I myself
had to go through a pretty shitty time during the tutorial to really get curses,
and without guidance from more powerful undead, I may have become a
lunatic by now. Even now, I regularly use skills to purge myself of influence
and maintain control."
"Yeah… I heard shit was fucked up in the tutorial… Sounds like it was
rough…" Jake said, shaking his head as he tried not to dwell on the past. "But
I have a feeling it won’t be a problem."
"Jake, you don’t know what you’re dealing with," Casper warned again.
 "I am not new to having invasive emotions that try to control me," Jake
said, looking Casper in the eyes.
"… Alright."
"Anyway," Jake said, wanting to change the mood to something more
pleasant. "You say the curse is transferable?"
"Technically," Casper said. "Currently, it is just embedded in a steel
weapon. From what I can see, it is even a pre-system steel weapon, making it
kind of shitty. No doubt it is an item from the old world… Maybe it was used
by some insane noble, once upon a time. But know that if you want to
attempt to transfer it to something, it needs to be a weapon aligned with the
curse… Additionally… if you do transfer it, the curse can never get a chance
to disperse. Meaning you will have to use your own body as an intermediary
medium. That is not a good idea, Jake. Not at fucking all."
"And you said that the curse energy in the Root of Eternal Resentment is
directionless right now…" Jake said, Casper instantly getting his point.
"Jake… empowering a Sin curse with the curse energy from Yalsten
would be utter lunacy… and you need a powerful weapon to embed it in… a
weapon especially suited to it too. It needs to be a weapon, as Sin curses are
rather specific… but seriously, man."
"Like this one?" Jake snickered as he whipped out the ancient-rarity
Chimeric weapon from fusing the nine Count weapons.
Casper looked at it. "Jake, that would be batshit insane. The Sin curse will
become even stronger than the curse on the Root originally was, and as it is
already partly integrated with your body, its influence will be all-
encompassing… You may lose yourself entirely. Maybe even to the level of
evolving into a monster. Even if you succeed, you won’t be able to utilize the
full power of the weapon for a long time. Rethink it."
"I will take your words into consideration," Jake said. "But for now, I’ll
hold onto the Root. Ah, but we can still figure something out, as I don’t
necessarily need the item itself…"
As for if he would actually try to merge three items of considerable power
to try and create a cursed weapon of absurd power, potentially threatening the
entire planet if it was to fall into the wrong hands? To try and smash them all
together and create a weapon using two different curses, all infused into an
ancient-rarity weapon, likely creating something more powerful than the sum
of its parts?
Well… from what he gathered, everyone in the room thought it was an
absolutely insane idea and was heavily against it. Yet all Jake heard was a
challenge.
Ah, but he was still going to be careful.
He would ask Villy first.
Knowing full well his scaly friend would find the idea hilarious.
Chapter 13
 Actually Buying Things

T he undead and Jake talked for a while longer, just chatting and
discussing things related to Earth and the struggles of the Risen. Casper
didn’t say much, mainly letting Priscilla outline their difficulties, as
quite frankly, he himself barely had any issues these days. He didn’t have any
family, to begin with, so he didn’t go through the struggle of convincing
one’s parents or a former lover that they were still the same person despite
now being undead. Overall, it was pleasant, but soon Jake had to return.
Casper sat back as he watched Jake leave, the ancient-rarity auction
beginning shortly. He was a bit miffed he had not gained the Root, but he
believed Jake would stay true to his promise and trade it with them soon
enough.
"Why tell him what to do?" Priscilla asked him once Jake was out of the
hall and unable to hear them, her mood departing from the welcoming and
kind persona she put on in front of others. "If he becomes consumed by a
curse, much less one of Hunger, the consequences would be disastrous. You
know that Hunger often expresses itself as pure greed and gluttony, making
him a living killing machine."
"Because he is going to do it anyway, so may as well just tell him what it
entails," Casper explained. "Trying to dissuade him will only make him more
convinced to give it a try."
"That’s just… moronic," Priscilla said with exasperation.
"Well, Jake can be a bit of a moron. What can I say? But he is also a
moron for whom things just tend to work out. Besides, I doubt the Viper
would allow him to do anything that could legitimately risk his life or future."
Jake knew Villy would totally be up for him doing something insanely risky,
as long as he got front-row seats to see him do it.
He walked back towards his booth with a brisk pace, already looking
forward to doing some funny experimentation after the event. Of course, it
was time to do some more auctioning before that.
Jake got back to the booth before Sultan, Miranda, and Sylphie, but he
did see Roman and Felicia already in attendance. The two of them sat on a
couch, chatting with Eleanor, Christen, and Levi from Neil’s party. The two
last members—Neil and Silas—were absent for some reason.
Deciding not to bother them, Jake went over to a corner and summoned
his arcane mana to set up a barrier around himself. He got a few glances, but
he just motioned for them to ignore him as he got to work. As for what Jake
was doing? Well, he was eating some healthy greens.
But first, he would have to throw up what he had already eaten.
Jake opened his mouth as Palate of the Malefic Viper activated, and space
around him warped to summon a glowing rock. At the same time, the purpose
of his barrier became clear as incredible heat bombarded it.
Knowing he could not put it in his normal spatial-storage necklace, Jake
took out the legendary storage cube. He activated it, and the Suncore
Fragment was stored without any resistance. Happy it worked, Jake took out
the Root of Eternal Resentment, and a good gobble later, it was stored inside
of his Palate of the Malefic Viper. It was a natural treasure, so naturally, he
could use the skill on it to learn about its properties.
The fact that Casper and Priscilla praised it so much made him even more
interested. He didn’t think they’d lied to him about the Root, but confirming
using his own skills was always advised. Besides, no matter what, he would
learn about the Root and the curse energies within by having it absorbed.
As for how it tasted? Eh, pretty neutral.
With all of that done, he dispelled his barrier again, getting a few more
stares. Only Roman yelled at him, "Yo, the fuck ya doing?"
"Put the sun in a box and ate the Root of a cursed tree able to destroy
worlds," Jake answered.
"Fair enough!" Roman yelled with a shrug and a laugh.
Jake himself chuckled and closed his eyes for a moment, just relaxing as
the minutes ticked by and people returned to the booth. Sultan and Miranda
came over, and Jake greeted them.
"Now it’s time for the true action to begin," Sultan said. "I predict this
phase will be far more extreme than the others, and it will no longer be
individuals, but entire factions investing in items. However… I have a good
feeling equipment won’t be as bad as it could be. Many factions are unwilling
to invest substantial funds in a piece of equipment that could be lost
permanently, should the user die in a place where it cannot be retrieved—like
in a dungeon—and quite frankly, the additional power offered compared to
epic gear will likely not be worth the investment."
"Except for people like me," Jake concluded.
"Precisely. Based on my estimates, you will compete with around a
hundred people total on the planet willing to invest so much wealth in
temporary equipment. Of them, it is doubtful how many will even require the
same things you do. As for the auxiliary items… that will be a whole other
deal. Those are items factions as a whole can use.”
"Well, then," Jake said as the intermission came to an end, “let’s
hopefully spend some money!"

System Announcement:
The third phase of the Auction has now begun, where all ancient-rarity items
will be sold off. All items will be listed with a set minimum bidding price by
the seller, as well as a potential buyout price, allowing anyone to instantly
buy the item.

There are a total of 413 listings of ancient items for sale during this third
phase of the Auction. These items will be posted one at a time in thirty-
second intervals.

Once all items have been posted, there will be a period of one hour before all
bidding ends. Items will be posted in order of minimum bids and buyout
price. Any item not bought at the end of this phase will be returned to the
original seller.

The first item will be posted in two minutes.

Quick math: a bit over three and a half hours—four and a half with the
extra bidding time. Same deal as before. With Jake’s wallet at the ready,
everyone in position, and a bird on his head, the bidding began.

[Helmet of—]

Fuck you, system, Jake thought as the first item appeared. A shitty plate
helmet that also looked stupid. Who puts horns on helmets, to begin with?
That just sounded impractical as hell, and a great place to grab during a battle
—not to mention how it could easily get stuck on stuff while moving.
Sadly, he felt like he had to watch it just to see the price develop. He saw
that the bidding price started at one Credit, making it clear the guy who’d
posted it wanted to game the system, as the lower-priced items appeared first.
The buyout price was set at forty million.
Jake observed the price slowly grow. Shortly, it reached a million, and
within not that long, it sat at seven million. From what Jake could see, it
looked like only three or four people were bidding, judging by how the price
spiked. After twenty seconds, the bidding died down, as clearly no one was in
too much of a rush. Thirty seconds in, the second item appeared.

[Yalsten Choker of—]

His disappointment was immeasurable, and his day ruined, as yet another
useless item appeared. This one was at least a bit more interesting since it
included spatial storage. People always went wild for spatial-storage items.
Even if many already had it, this one was special because it allowed one to
store liquids in some odd way, which a spatial storage usually couldn’t
handle without first putting said liquid in containers.
It also gave stats, as could only be expected. Despite Jake’s less-than-
enthusiastic reception of the choker, there was much interest, and the price
quickly climbed far above the helmet. Shortly, its price was in the double-
digit millions.
A third item appeared.
Dud.
This continued as Jake kept watch, waiting for something good to appear.
Soon, a contender popped up.
 [Blade of Ashen Cold (Ancient)] – A blade crafted from the frozen ash of
dozens of powerful vampires, the handle made from their bones. Through
time, this blade has only grown in power, inadvertently empowered by the
environment in Yalsten and the curse. By infusing the blade with mana,
release a blast of frozen ash, hiding your presence and freezing any nearby
foes. As the blade itself is formed of frozen ash, it can split apart and
reassemble at will. Enchantments: Ashen Cold.

Requirements: Lvl 140+ in any humanoid race.

Jake read it over and had to admit it was tempting. With the preview
feature-thing, he saw it looked like a katana with an entirely gray body giving
off faint vapor. It also reminded him of his old Shortsword of Icy Winds,
though, of course, that sword had been far weaker.
He considered placing a bid as he watched the price climb fast. There was
lots of interest, and Jake understood why. Swords were extremely popular, no
doubt due to the majority of the Noboru clan using them, and he also had the
impression that many just preferred swords over other weapons. The fact that
it was a sword with wide usage, perhaps even for more spell-casting-focused
classes, also helped the price.
In the end, he skipped it—not because of the price or what it did, but
because it was a sword. He recalled his talk with the Viper and decided to try
and only go for shorter weapons like daggers. Also… if he decided to still
bid, he had plenty of time. The buyout price for this one was at a hundred and
twenty million.
A dozen or so more items slipped by, some of them a bit interesting—
especially the auxiliary items—but nothing he specifically wanted. Did he
kind of want a painting able to summon phantasmal soldiers that attacked
anyone deemed an enemy? Sure. Did he actually think it would be useful to
him? No.
Jake just honestly didn’t like wasting money. He was fine spending it, but
not wasting it on things he saw no real use for. Perhaps it was because he had
spent years at university studying finance and had the sentiment hammered
into him.
However… when something did pop up that he wanted?
 [Nightprowler Armor (Ancient)] – Armor created from the hide of a
powerful C-grade Nightprowler variant. The hide is incredibly sturdy against
physical and magical attacks, especially piercing and slashing blows. Due to
the Records left by the Nightprowler, any time you are not under direct
sunlight, activate the passive ability Shadow Prowl, increasing all effects of
stealth-based abilities as shadows hide you. The armor also slowly repairs
while not under direct sunlight. Enchantments: +300 Perception, +250
Agility, +100 Endurance. Shadow Prowl. Shadow Mend.

Requirements: Lvl 140+ in any humanoid race.

It was simple leather chest armor. Nearly entirely black, and from what
Jake could see, the Nightprowler had likely been some cat-like creature. The
stats were great, even if he could see himself getting too much Agility and
going over the cap… but then again, he would need levels to use the armor
first. Jake was already calculating how much he would need from levels,
wondering if he should invest some Free Points and drink some elixirs,
before he had even placed his first bid. Because Jake wasn’t going to bid.
The buyout was set at seventy million Credits. The bidding price reached
thirteen million before Jake just bought it outright, not bothering with any of
that bidding shit. He wanted it, and he didn’t bother getting into a bidding
war.
He knew that the Court of Shadows was no doubt who he had been
bidding against, so while one could argue he had fucked over his little
brother, Jake felt it was fair. Caleb had once taken Jake’s favorite controller
to a friend’s house without asking first, so he really had no recourse.
With seventy million Credits invested, Jake did not let up as he kept
watch. Items kept flying by, with Jake ignoring them one by one whenever he
saw them start with "staff" or "helmet" or anything like that. So far, he had
not seen any bows, which surprised him a bit. Oh, but he did see one very
interesting item pop up.

[Railgun of Silver Light (Ancient)] – A railgun firing highly intense beams

of Silver Light. Created by the Pure Ones of Yalsten to kill vampires, the
weapon is incredibly potent against any Vitality-based lifeform, hampering
their healing by embedding Silver Light in any target hit. Trigger an
emergency discharge, releasing an explosion of Silver Light all around you,
blinding and slowing down foes. Enchantments: Silver Light.

Requirements: Lvl 145+ in any humanoid race.

It was exactly as advertised: just a big-ass railgun. It was nearly five

meters long and, without superhuman stats, utterly impossible to wield. Jake
kind of wanted to buy it just to walk around with a big-ass gun, but on the
other hand, the item had already climbed to fifteen million Credits, showing
he was not the only one with infantile dreams.
Or maybe it was because the weapon was actually useful. That was a
potential explanation, but Jake chose to believe it was someone just wanting
to look cool bidding.
He kept watching as items flew by, nearly having a mini-heart attack
when more leather armor showed up; he nearly declined to Identify it in case
of buyer’s remorse. However, once he built up the courage, he saw it
provided Vitality and Toughness and had the ability to summon a barrier of
mana around the user when infused. Was it good? Yes. Did it not give
Perception, thus making it objectively a worse product? Also yes.
Riding high on the kind of emotion you get when you buy something or
get a gift, and then afterward look up reviews online and confirm it was a
good purchase, Jake already felt good about himself as the very next item
appeared.
Jake read the first word and was dismissive, but the second one caught his
eyes.

[Bloodfeast Dagger (Ancient)] – A dagger created from the bones of slain

enemies of Yalsten, all melded together to create a ceremonial dagger
typically only used during the Bloodfeast, a sacred tradition among
vampires. Once Yalsten fell, the dagger was left in the pool of the last
Bloodfeast, forgotten. The dagger is extremely sharp, and any cut made with
it will bleed far more than before. Blood spilled using this dagger will have
its properties improved. Enchantments: Bloodfeast.

Requirements: Lvl 140+ in any humanoid race.

 A goddamn dagger. No, more than just a damn dagger—a goddamn bone
dagger. When he read it, it reminded him of his very first enchanted melee
weapon: the uncommon-rarity sacrificial ritual dagger from the Challenge
Dungeon. This one even had an enchantment similar to the Bloodletting one.
But even better. He saw many possibilities and how it made the blood more
potent.
He had a suspicion that the weapon was technically not necessarily meant
to be a weapon, but he was sure going to use it as one. Shit, even if it proved
to not be a good weapon, he could just use it for the Bloodfeast ability with
his Blood of the Malefic Viper.
Jake was excited and noted that the price only slowly climbed, meaning
there was little interest. It went to four million rather swiftly, but still did not
jump as something like the chest armor had. He instantly went to buyout—
then saw the price and stopped.

Buyout price: 1,000,000,000 Credits

He double-checked, making sure there were not a few zeroes too many.
But no, it was correct. The cheeky motherfucker who had put it up for sale
had set the buyout price at one billion, making Jake curse under his breath as
he placed a bid of five million.
I swear to god, if a bow pops up with a ridiculous buyout price, I may
have to slap someone, Jake thought as the next item appeared.
And it was a bow.
Chapter 14
 Bees, Pants & the Geopolitical
Landscape

J ake had been waiting for a bow, so he was happy when he saw a bow.
What he was not happy with was this particular bow.

[Bow of the Lightseeker (Ancient)] – Created from a highly bendable metal

and a string from the hair of a powerful C-grade Hilsic vampire. Purified
and empowered by the crafters among the Pure Ones, the bow has been
created as a weapon to slay vampires. The bow passively absorbs light-
affinity mana from the surroundings and amplifies it within. Every arrow
released using this bow will be blessed by the light. Allows the user to
supercharge the light absorption or the light-release feature, either creating
a domain of perfect darkness or a beam of highly concentrated light mana.
Enchantments: Lightseeker.

Requirements: Lvl 135+ in any humanoid race.

On paper, it actually looked fine and dandy. Made arrows better with
some light magic, able to fire big beams, and all of that great stuff. There was
just one tiny little issue… Jake didn’t have the affinity to use it. He and light
energy of any kind just didn’t get along, and without even buying the bow, he
knew it wasn’t something he could use as it was.
Which, of course, left transmutation as an option. The thing was, Jake
wasn’t confident he even knew how to properly transmute it. He had no
experience with the light affinity besides getting burned by it, and there
weren’t any clear and easy ways to do it.
 His old bow had been easily transmuted due to the two gems holding all
the energy and functioning as catalysts, so all he’d had to do was transform
those, and it had worked. But with this one, he saw nothing obvious to do,
and he had a strong feeling he had a way higher chance of just breaking it or
making it worse than creating a great new bow.
The price was also climbing relatively fast. Jake could see the Holy
Church wanting it, considering their obsession with light magic, and probably
others, too, as Jake knew the light affinity was a very normal one for humans
to possess.
Jake ultimately decided to not bid on it, as he, deep in his heart, hoped
another one would appear.

Another bow did not appear. Out of four hundred fucking items, there was
only one lousy bow. No, Jake did not count the damn crossbow, because
crossbows aren’t real bows. To say Jake was annoyed would be an
understatement, but luckily enough, he at least found some useful things
during these last few hours.
By now, every item had been posted, and the first item Jake was actively
monitoring and betting on was the dagger. It had reached eleven million
Credits, with Jake sitting on the top bid. He was pretty sure that one was
locked in. He had discovered that there was an anti-snipe rule, giving the one
currently holding the bid a five-second window to counter if someone else
placed one, without triggering the same five-second window for the other
party.
This meant that the item was his as long as Jake had the top bid at least
five seconds before the auction ended. Others could place a bid, but as long
as he outbid that, he got it.
Now, the dagger was good, and he also got the armor he bought outright,
but there were still three other items in his sight. As Sultan would naturally
not bid for him on items this expensive—as agreed upon—this included some
alchemy-related stuff. The first of which was particularly interesting.

[Sealed Pollendust Bee Container (Ancient)] – A tool specially developed by

the alchemists to have bees cultivate the soil and herbs to make them more
 favorable for their alchemy. This device holds a single D-grade Pollendust
Bee Queen Egg within its spatially expanded interior, and can serve as a
home once hatched. Pollendust Bees are creatures able to passively absorb
and consume mana and infuse it into the soil and herbs around them. They
also passively give off pollen to cultivate plants. The device will continue to
serve as a home for the Pollendust Bees even after hatching, as they never
stray far from the Queen.

This one fascinated him once he read some attached notes and saw the
item itself. It looked like a three-meter-tall boulder with many holes drilled
into it, but the notes explained how the inside was considerably larger. The
sale also came with tomes found with the item, detailing more stuff.
However, what really made Jake interested was the knowledge he’d
meditated to get using Sagacity of the Malefic Viper. Pollendust Bees were
incredibly valuable tools when cultivating a good garden, but they could only
reach D-grade naturally without help due to the difficulty of having the
Queen grow—in fact, the individual bees were unable to level themselves.
But Jake knew methods to help the Queen and believed many did not know
the true value of the insect within the container. At least, he didn’t think so,
based on the meager ten million top bid currently on it—held by him.
Also… while a Pollendust Bee Queen was primarily focused on creating
bees, they were in no way harmless. Especially if Jake managed to help the
Queen evolve, which he sure planned on doing.
Another item he had his eyes on was some leg armor. As he had
considered bidding, he had, of course, looked at his current ones.

[Legguards of the Undergrowth (Epic)] - The Records of this long-forgotten

place have led to the creation of these legguards. As you are the first to
wander the Undergrowth, you can keep a piece of it with you as your path
continues. An immense amount of life-affinity mana has found its way into
these pants, and simply wearing them will fill you with vital energy and
energy to help you on your travels. The legguards will passively absorb and
store life-affinity mana in the atmosphere. This mana can instantly be
released as a burst of healing if the wearer is a Vitality-based lifeform.
Passively emits an aura that encourages growth. Enchantments: + 150
Vitality, +50 Agility, +50 Endurance. Self-Repair. Life Burst. Aura of the
Undergrowth.
 Requirements: Lvl 115+ in any humanoid race.

Jake had appreciated the legguards, and the Life Burst enchantment had
come in handy quite a few times. However, he didn’t use the Aura of the
Undergrowth part much, and the stats were also becoming subpar. Especially
compared to what the auction had to offer.

[Trousers of Second Wind (Ancient)] – A pair of trousers created once upon

a time for the noble son of a King of Blood to keep his child alive. The
trousers themselves are made of powerful leather of an unknown origin but
are incredibly resilient to all kinds of attacks. The enchantments placed upon
them only serve to protect the wearer. In a time of emergency, the trousers
can trigger a Second Wind, infusing the body with extremely active vital
energy to heal wounds. If damaged, the trousers can self-repair by absorbing
blood. Enchantments: Toughness + 300, Vitality +300. Second Wind. Blood
Absorption.

Requirements: Lvl 145+ in any humanoid race.

They were simple pants for a simple hunter. The upgrade was not as
massive as his chest armor had been, so he did not outright buy out the pants
for one hundred and fifty million Credits. Instead, he held the current top bid
of thirty-five million.
He wanted them, but not at all costs. They were basically just his old
pants but better. The only annoyance was that he wouldn’t be able to use
them for a good while due to the level-145 requirement.
The fourth and final item Jake kept an eye on was one even more
interesting than the others.

[Meditation Pad (Ancient)] – An old meditation pad of unknown origin.

Improves the effect of any meditation skill when used.

It was just a damn pillow, yet Jake could not help but be attracted to it.
Improving his meditation skill would be great, and he also kind of just
wanted to know more about it. The problem was the cost. The current top bid,
not held by Jake, sat at sixty-two million Credits. The buyout price was ten
billion, which was just a nice way of saying there wasn’t any buyout price.
With only ten minutes left, Jake kept watch like a hawk. He held the top
bids on the pants, dagger, and bug container, but ultimately decided to place a
bid of sixty-three million on the meditation pad too. The price jumped to
sixty-six within a second, and Jake did not hesitate to bid seventy. Only to
see himself countered with seventy-five.
Jake kept bidding and saw it jump several times, and as he hesitated, he
saw others had also joined in. When it reached a hundred and thirty million,
Jake pulled out, as he really didn’t think it worth it. He didn’t meditate much
anyway, and someone else clearly wanted it far more than he did. Also, it
didn’t give him that good of a gut feeling. Not like the bug container.
In the end, Jake got everything he wanted. Of course, the prices jumped a
bit towards the end, so Jake ended up spending over a hundred and fifty
million on this ancient-item auction, but he still felt a wave of relief when the
system message came.

System Announcement—

It marked another intermission, and Jake breathed out as he felt the items
enter his spatial storage. During the auction, Jake had discovered one could
not see their own items, which included what Sultan sold for him, so he
hadn’t been able to follow the price development.
Which was why it felt a tad weird when he checked his Credit balance
after just spending so much.

Credits Available: 1,645,177,123

It turned out Jake had sold ancient-rarity items for well over a billion
Credits.
"Sultan, what the fuck happened!?" he yelled across the booth, making
everyone turn to them.
"You sold a lot of things," Sultan answered with a big smile. "We sold a
lot of things. The coffins and altars both brought in quite the profit, but the
big winner was the staff."
"What staff?" Jake asked.
"The one that could summon Blood Beasts," Sultan answered, a bit
confused.
"I had that?"
"Yes…?" Sultan said, looking perplexed, to say the least.
"Huh.” Well, in his defense, he did have an ironclad policy of not giving a
shit about stupid magic staves. "What exactly did it do?"
"If you stored the blood of killed beasts, it could summon a Blood Beast
of them," Sultan explained, as he seemed to have caught on.
"Neat, I guess?" Jake shrugged.
"It is an absolutely invaluable training tool for large factions. It allows
them to capture different species and have individuals fight them to learn
their attack patterns and what to watch out for, thus lessening the risk once
they fight the real thing.”
"Still sounds useless," Jake insisted. Make it less risky? It sounded like
he’d dodged a bullet by getting rid of that one. It would save a lot of people
from boring fights and allow them to experience more fun surprises.
Anyway, Jake was now even richer than before, and more than ready for
the legendary auction. But first, he would have to pass the intermission, and
to be honest, he had no one he wanted to go see in particular. Sylphie did,
though. She took off to see Carmen again, and Jake decided to just stay put.
He took out one of the books that had come with the bees and began reading
that in depth as he waited.
There better be a legendary bow, Jake thought, semi-threatening the
system itself as he impatiently read his book.

Jacob sat in the booth used by the Holy Church. He could not call it his, as
the one who had earned it was Bertram, with another one also earned by
Maria. Maria, however, had chosen to simply stay with them, as she did not
have any reason to use her own.
The Augur was fully aware that Maria had no loyalty to him or the Holy
Church, and was merely a mercenary hired to give them a chance to stand
side by side with the most powerful individuals on Earth. At least, they’d
intended for the Treasure Hunt to do that. But it had been a disaster in many
ways, and even if they managed to get all valuables out before the Monarch
forced them to leave, it was still a terrible outcome.
 Jake was one thing, but the Sword Saint had also proven to be far more
than Jacob could have ever predicted. He had already been informed of what
exactly the old man was, and it made a few things click into place. A
transcendence did not appear out of nowhere, and the fact that he was
walking the steps to create one potentially explained his near-immunity to
divination.
Shaking his head, he returned his attention to the matter at hand.
"How many Credits did we expend during this phase?" Jacob asked the
trade manager.
"A bit north of four billion Credits," the man answered, Jacob nodding
acknowledgment.
It was a lot—far more than any individual could ever conjure up—but the
Holy Church was a collective. It came from the coffers of the Church itself, a
collection of wealth from dozens of millions of humans from their many
cities. By now, the Holy Church had more than twenty Pylon cities of varying
sizes under their banner, and far more smaller settlements without Pylons.
In fact, on Earth, the vast majority of humanity still lived outside of cities
with Pylons. For many, it was simply due to the isolation of where they’d
appeared after the Tutorial, but for others, it was a conscious choice. Jacob
had to admit that while Sanctdomo was a safe city, the same could not be said
for all those with Pylons. A Pylon offered benefits but also demerits,
primarily due to its attraction of beasts.
Meanwhile, a small town or city without a Pylon was most often safer
than another small one with a Pylon. Beasts were not all mindless monsters,
and even those that were instinctually didn’t just kill people. There was
simply no reason to kill those weaker than yourself for beasts—unless there
was a Pylon to claim, of course.
"How much did we manage to sell for?" Jacob also asked.
"Only two-point-seven," the trade manager answered at length.
It was a massive loss for the Church. Credits themselves were rather hard
to get, and there had actually been deflation, according to their calculations,
due to so many buying from the System Store. While people did also sell
directly to it, far more bought, and coupled with the general hoarding of
wealth, the value of each Credit seemed to be increasing. Merchants did have
methods to conjure up more Credits from some of their skills, but far from
enough to offset it.
It also had to be noted that while the Church did charge high taxes to
collect their wealth, Jacob had quickly come to learn that the modus operandi
of the Holy Church would not be easily implemented on Earth. The culture
would need time to change, and the full switch to a complete collective could
not be instantly implemented.
Usually, the concept of ownership did not exist for members of the Holy
Church. The Church was a collective, like one large lifeform. If it was
deemed better for the collective, the valuables would be redistributed. You
did not even own your own life and power. However, this would not fly on
Earth quite yet. The culture of their planet had been too rooted in the concept
of ownership, property, and individualism, making it a hard transition.
But one that would eventually come. After all, this collective was a
massive source of strength for the Church.
"How much do we have for the legendary auction?" Jacob finally asked.
"It is inadvisable for us to spend more than five billion," the man
answered. "This is already with loans from independent cities, mercenaries,
and merchants."
Jacob nodded gravely. It was good that at least the independent cities
wanted to trade with them, as they were often very antagonistic. While they
were not that powerful individually, they did represent the majority of
humanity. By rough estimation, Jacob believed around half of humanity had
died off since the system had arrived. The introduction back to their planet
had not been smooth, and many had found themselves in unfortunate areas or
simply died due to fighting. Out of the remaining four or so billion humans,
eighty percent likely lived outside the sphere of major factions.
At least, they did so for now. Every day, more were forced to join the
larger factions, and while some did not actively expand—such as the Court—
Valhal and the Noboru clan were both on the offensive. The same was true
for the undead, to a lesser extent.
Jacob was dead set on having the Church come out on top, but for that,
they needed to recruit more standout talents.
Or, even better…
For those currently on Earth to leave.
Chapter 15
 The Legendaries Cometh

J ake alternated between meditating and diving into knowledge from

Sagacity of the Malefic Viper and reading the book on the Pollendust
Bees. He found the knowledge in the books severely lacking compared to
Sagacity, and in some places, just wrong.
First of all, it explained how to awaken the egg and birth the Pollendust
Bee Queen, and the method was just horrible. Insects differed from many
other races because they didn’t really have a natural growth period as, for
example, humans had. Instead, the Queen would be born at level 100 and
hold the power of a D-grade from the moment it hatched.
According to the book, one just had to infuse enough mana into the
container to awaken the Queen, as all the necessary materials to do so were
already included. While that was technically true, it was also a shit method.
Why the hell would Jake just be happy with a normal Pollendust Bee Queen?
No, he would do a nice, big ritual first. It would be similar to what he’d done
with Sylphie, though he seriously doubted he could repeat what had
happened then.
Throughout his studying, people had come and gone, and by now, the
booth was full again, as it was soon time for the legendary Auction to begin.
Sultan and Miranda had both come over to him, having chosen to stay
near. The reason was simple enough… so they had sources to borrow from. If
an item popped up and Jake couldn’t afford it, he sure as hell was going to
nicely "ask" Sultan for a loan. Though he kind of knew it was more for
Miranda to borrow from them in case something Haven needed popped up
without her having enough funds. Haven—as a city—was honestly kind of
poor. Miranda charged extremely low taxes and spent most of what little they
did earn on paying people. Apparently, the primary source of income was
Sultan, due to Miranda imposing some extra charges on the man, based on
the agreement for him to stay and operate out of Haven.
"Anything you two are looking for?" Miranda asked. "With us keeping
the Supreme Illusory Defense Array Disc for Haven, the only thing we really
needed has been found. But I will naturally keep an eye out."
"Many items auctioned off may be something that can bring a way bigger
return in the future once Earth matures a bit, so I am searching for that,"
Sultan answered.
"Bow," Jake stated. He just wanted a damn bow, okay?
And as the timer reached zero and the intermission ended, he would
hopefully finally have a chance to get it.

System Announcement:
The fourth phase of the Auction has now begun, where all legendary-rarity
items will be sold off. All items will be listed with a set minimum bidding
price by the seller, as well as a potential buyout price, allowing anyone to
instantly buy the item.

There are a total of 109 listings of legendary items for sale during this fourth
phase of the Auction. These items will be posted one at a time in two-minute
intervals. Note that for the remainder of the Auction, all bidding will be
visible to all event participants.

All items will be auctioned off immediately once active bidding ends. If any
item does not receive any new bid for at least ten seconds, it will be sold to
the highest bidder. This phase will at most last until one hour has passed from
the final listing being posted. Any item not bought at the end of this phase
will be returned to the original seller.

The first item will be posted in two minutes.

Jake read the rules and saw that, for the first time, there were changes.
First of all, the bidding was now far more active, and it wasn’t all about
sitting on an item for hours on end trying to keep the top offer—now, one had
to actively bid. It was far more like a regular auction.
 The anonymity was also gone, so Jake now knew who to go beat the
living shit out of if they dared fight him on any bow. Actually, this part was
probably the most impactful when seen from a political point of view. Even
Jake could instantly see that.
"This changes things," Sultan said as he took out his book, and he saw
Miranda also take out what looked like a recording device. "Seeing what
factions buy can give insight into their current states and what they need, but
perhaps more importantly, it will allow us to subtly spot who are allies based
on whether they bid against each other."
"Does that mean anyone not bidding against me is an ally?" Jake asked
sarcastically, finding the sentiment a bit silly. It was just as likely that the
reason they didn’t bid was because they couldn’t afford to or didn’t need it.
"You misunderstand… It is to spot those who do bid against each other. I
believe many will use this as a tool to sow belief they are not allies by visibly
displaying conflict through bids, while in actuality, it is quite the opposite.
Naturally, this will not fool the more insightful ones, but many here are not
politically-minded, so it will help sway the perception of the masses.”
Miranda nodded along as though Sultan’s explanation made perfect sense.
Jake kind of saw the logic. Be an independent faction and bid against the
Holy Church? You have just shown all the D-grades aligned with you that
you truly are independent and dare stand up to the big bad Church, while in
actuality, it is all just a show while working with the Church behind the
scenes.
A bit like how politicians would talk about helping the lower class while
receiving bribes from lobbyists to make life worse for them. AKA, shady shit
Jake didn’t want to take part in or waste brainpower thinking about.
What he would instead focus on was getting the items he wanted. Then
Miranda could deal with the annoying stuff as always.
Oh, but he would still mentally note those who bid against him. You
know, for future reference.
Jake was ready when the first legendary item appeared… and it was kind
of a spicy one right off the bat.

[Statue of Heroic Might (Legendary)] – A statue created from valuable stone

by an A-grade sculptor to display the true might of his race. Gazing upon the
statue will grant you Heroic Might, temporarily making you less fearful and
reducing the effect of certain negative mental afflictions. Touching the statue
will permanently increase Strength by 100 as you embrace the heroic power
within. Any activation of the statue drains its energy. Once all energy is used,
the statue will need to be reinfused or lose all effects.

Now, Jake’s gut reaction was to bid ten million as, quite frankly, the
statue looked awesome. It reminded him of those overly buff 80s action
heroes, and the guy was wielding two massive axes hoisted over his
shoulders to boot, looking like a certified badass. However, when he was
instantly outbid, and the price went to twenty million and then instantly
jumped to fifty, he stopped.
The actual statue was… not worth it. At least, not to Jake. The Heroic
Might effect looked great, and Jake could see it being useful, but not for
someone like him. In fact, it probably would not even work with his Pride,
according to how he knew skills tended to work.
As for the permanent Strength? Well, that was also great… except it went
into the same category as consuming elixirs. The 10 Willpower he’d gotten
back in the Challenge Dungeon did, too, after all. So, what was the purpose
of the statue, and what made it legendary?
It was how many could use it. And when Jake saw the top bidders, it also
made sense.
One party was Sven from Valhal, and the other was someone Jake was
told was the trade manager of Sanctdomo. Two others also showed great
interest, and according to Miranda, both of those were independents.
The Court of Shadows did not bid, and the Risen also dropped out early.
Yet the item still went to over three hundred million before the bidding really
began to slow down. In the end, the statue was sold for three hundred and
eighty-nine million Credits—and just in time, as the two minutes had passed
and the next item appeared.

[Orrery of the Godless One (Legendary)] – An orrery made by a man who

refused to acknowledge any gods during his life, only viewing the celestial
concept as worthy of being recognized as divine. This orrery will passively
map out all nearby celestial objects and give insight into their basic
properties. This effect is entirely passive and cannot be altered by outside
means, and may take a significant amount of time. This effect bypasses all
attempts to hide or mask these celestial objects done by anything below
divine-level skills.
 "Hey, that’s mine!" Jake exclaimed without thinking much, getting the
attention of everyone in the booth. He had to admit, he was kind of excited to
see others bid on it and how much it would go for.
"Damn, ya got some good stuff. Selling that cube thing?" Roman asked as
he walked over. His move seemed to be a catalyst for everyone in the booth
to gather around Jake, Sultan, and Miranda.
"Nah, Haven keeps that," Jake answered as the others took seats around
him. He kind of understood why… He doubted anyone else could afford to
buy anything.
Well, besides Arnold. Jake had seen him summon that giant Railgun of
Silver Light from before, and he now sat in a corner playing with it.
"Bets on how much it will go for?" Roman then asked.
Sultan looked at the man and smiled. "Sure. A million Credits?"
"Mate, that’s like my entire net worth. I’ve been spending!" the man said
with a laugh. "But sure! Closest wins!"
The price was already climbing, and had reached twenty million when
Roman made his guess. "I think it’ll go for two hundred million!"
Sultan, on the other hand, smiled. "Well, then, I guess two hundred and
one million."
"Yo, that’s just damn slimy!" Roman yelled.
"Two hundred and two," Felicia suddenly spoke up, getting a nasty look
from Sultan. She just shrugged in response. "You didn’t say others couldn’t
participate."
Jake ignored the squabbles of the poor as he saw his potential earnings
climb more than ten million at a time. Soon, the price reached a hundred
million. Then a hundred and fifty. Jake also saw who was bidding, and to his
surprise, it was borderline every single large faction. The Holy Church,
Risen, Valhal, Court of Shadows, and quite a few smaller factions too.
The many bidders made him think the price would go insane, but it
slowed down when it hit a hundred and ninety. Yet two were still bidding—
the Risen and the Church—as the price climbed above two hundred million.
Sultan groaned a bit when Felicia won the bet, and Jake was all smiles as it
reached two hundred and forty million, at which point no one else was
bidding. In the end, the Risen bought it.
This was when Jake learned something else caused by the items getting
auctioned off like this… He got his money instantly. To Jake’s delight, two
hundred and forty million Credits—minus one for Sultan—appeared in his
inventory.
"Pretty good," Sultan said as he paid Felicia without saying anything
more. "A bit over what I expected, actually."
To the background noise of Roman trying to argue he shouldn’t pay
Felicia and the wonders of shared finances, the third item appeared.

[Staff of—]

Jake wanted to curse but held himself back. It was a fucking staff made
for blood magic and manipulation of life. Jake did see it as rather interesting,
and it looked very suitable for a healer to use. So it also made sense when the
eventual winner turned out to be Eron, who happily spent a hundred and
seventy million on it. He didn’t know that the guy even used staves, and
chances were the lunatic just wanted to experiment.
The next few items weren’t interesting either. Well, okay, they were
interesting—all legendary items tended to be—but they were not anything
Jake wanted. Eight items in, the first piece of wearable equipment appeared.

[Cuirass of the Immortal (Legendary)] – Rings of blessed metal link together

to form armor that can block nearly any blow. By pouring in his own life, a
master armorsmith created his magnum opus as he died, fulfilling his dream
of creating armor to make its wearer immortal. Should the wearer ever face
death, the cuirass shall show its true worth. Allows the wearer to survive
even if health falls below zero, instead fully refreshing the wearer, filling all
resource pools, and removing any afflictions and negative effects, returning
the wearer to their prime. This can only occur once, and the cuirass shall
join its creator and turn to dust afterward. Enchantments: Immortal.

Requirements: Soulbound.

Jake stared at it, and while he thought it looked awesome, he wasn’t sure
he thought it worthy of the legendary rarity. It was just an automatic super
health potion or something like that. However, the reactions of the people
around him were entirely different.
"This should be the most expensive one yet," Sultan said.
"Very likely," Miranda agreed. "It is hard to put a price on such an item."
 The others also nodded, and Jake had to admit… they were right. The
second it appeared, Jake saw it jump to a hundred million, then two hundred
million, and soon it was above half a billion Credits. Looking at the situation
logically, Jake could see how powerful it was based on how it could even
remove negative effects, which likely even included periods of weakness
after using a boosting skill. The fact that the top bidder at half a billion was
Carmen only reinforced this.
"Didn’t know Carmen was that rich," Jake commented. As far as he
knew, she did not like to borrow from her faction. He wondered if she had
just struck it rich in prior phases, or if any of the legendaries sold earlier were
hers.
"If you have items up for sale that are yet unsold, you can use those as
guarantees,” Sultan explained. “If you are still lacking in funds at the end of
the event, the second highest will get a chance to accept it at that price. If no
one does, the original buyer can keep it but get a negative Credit balance. Of
course, the system has limits on this, but I believe she should have at least
two legendary items up for sale and isn’t poor to begin with.”
"How have I not heard of this?" Jake asked. Was the system that shit at
explaining rules?
"You would know if you tried to bid over what you had," Sultan
answered. "I did it as a test in the very first round to discover this, and as long
as you show the intent to buy an item but are unable to afford it, the system
will inform you."
"Kind of makes sense?" Jake said, shaking his head and returning his
attention to the cuirass.
In the end, it went for six hundred and two million Credits, which quite
frankly was insane—Jake thought, having nearly two billion himself. Carmen
ended up being the final buyer, and Jake saw how it made sense for her. She
was a real beast with all her boosting skills, and if she could do that twice?
That would be quite something.
Jake found it funny that Eron had also bid on it, considering he could
repeatedly revive himself anyway, but it was probably just for research
purposes. Either way, Jake was preparing for the next item when he suddenly
thought of something.
"You did research on upcoming items, right?" Jake asked Sultan.
"I did," the man confirmed.
"So… is there a bow?" Jake asked with hope in this voice.
 "Without being aware of everything that will appear, I do believe I have
heard there is a crossb—"
At that moment, Jake nearly broke the rule of no violence during the
Auction.
Chapter 16
 Scammed

J ake remembered the very first day he had been introduced to the system.
He remembered his class selection, where he’d been presented with a
number of choices for a starting class. Six choices, to be exact. Of those
six, one had been the Archer class.
So, if one of six starting classes was Archer… then why the fuck weren’t
there any goddamn bows for sale? There were over a hundred damn
legendary items, so why not a bow!?
To rub salt in the wound, there actually was a fucking crossbow. Jake
refused to even look at the description when it popped up, instead seething by
himself. He didn’t even want to justify why he couldn’t use one due to how
his skills worked or anything like that… because it honestly didn’t matter.
Jake just didn’t want to use a damn crossbow.
He would rather just throw his arrows than embarrass them by putting
them in a crossbow. Roman pointing out the crossbow could automatically
conjure bolts did not help that sentiment, as the man ruthlessly teased Jake
and only shut up when Jake threatened to steal his staff and use that as an
arrow.
But… one also had to look at the positives, because Jake did see some
peculiar items. One of which came just after the cuirass had been sold off.

[Blood Spear Replica (Legendary)] – This spear is a replica of the legendary

Blood Spear used by Sanguine himself while he still lived. The spear’s body
is made of unknown wood, while the tip of spear is created from the
crystallized blood of a slain A-grade vampire. Any attack made using the
Blood Spear directly damages vital energy, and if a foe is slain with the
 Blood Spear, they will resurrect as thralls of the user. Despite being a mere
replica, it still holds a morsel of the Records of the true Blood Spear, making
it indestructible for all who do not wield the power of a god. Enchantments:
Blood Spear.

Requirements: Soulbound.

Now, it did not need to be said that Jake had no interest in actually buying
it, but that did not make its existence any less interesting. This was the first
time Jake learned that Sanguine had used a spear when he was alive, and also
his first time seeing a replica of a weapon used by a god. The concept that
one could borrow Records from a far more potent tool opened up quite a few
possibilities.
Others clearly thought this, too, as the spear was bought for three hundred
and twenty million Credits. The one who bought it was someone Jake had
never even heard of, and was, according to Miranda, the leader of a small
group of settlements quite a bit away from any of the major factions.
Naturally, Jake also sold off some things during this time. The Sword
Saint bought the Paint Brush of Ephemeral Power for a hundred and thirty-
eight million Credits—the least of anything he sold—while the Forgestone of
Eternal Embers went for a whopping four hundred and three million. The
brush had been a bit of a disappointment, but the Forgestone was a big win
and ended up being sold to the Holy Church.
The last of his legendary items was the Supreme Escape Token. Well,
technically, it was Sylphie’s item, but Jake was acting as her guardian, so
legally, it was his. She wasn’t even a year old, so she still couldn’t have her
own bank account, even if Jake came to learn that she did actually have
Credits. She just hadn’t gotten any yet and seemed to have little concept of
trade, so it was probably for the best Jake handled it. Jake was pretty
confident she would have sold a legendary item for a bag of tasty snacks if
possible.
He had to admit, he did not expect much of the token. It was just a
coward’s tool to escape from a bad situation, and even if the mechanic to
teleport to an anchor was cool, the limited uses made it not that useful, in
Jake’s opinion.
So when the token ended up being the most valuable item he sold during
the entire Auction, he felt somewhat miffed. Not that he complained when he
got an insane ninety-six million seven hundred thousand Credits straight from
the Holy Church’s coffers. Based on Sultan’s comments, he was certain the
token would go to the Augur himself to keep him safe. Jake didn’t really
care; he wouldn’t tell others how to spend their money even if he thought it
was a stupidly high amount to spend.
Anyway, with the token, Sylphie turned out to be a real winner when it
came to finding expensive stuff! Which is a good segue into what Jake did
buy. Because it was for the little ball of feathers.

[Omniweave Armor (Legendary)] – Armor created with an extremely rare

and highly adaptable type of cloth that can take the shape of nearly any piece
of clothing. This was originally created as an experimental attempt to allow
tamed monsters of an A-grade King of Blood to wear armor but ultimately
failed due to the lack of material. This prototype, while powerful, can only fit
on a creature with a small form. As the armor was made to be all-purpose, it
includes internal spatial storage as well as powerful environmental-
adaptation features. Enchantments: Omniweave Adaption. Spatial Storage.

Requirements: Soulbound.

Jake had seen it and gotten an idea. He had heard Sultan talk about how it
could create a great pair of bracers, or maybe even a scarf or something from
it. Others also seemed to be lacking ideas, as the price only went to around
thirty million—likely just to get the materials it was made from—which was
when Jake swept in with his genius idea.
And genius, it was. Jake would dare anyone to disagree upon seeing the
majesty that was the current Sylphie.
Because she now stood on top of his head, proudly wearing a small vest!
Jake had barely believed it possible when he had given it to her, and with
the excitement and egging on from Miranda, Felicia, Eleanor, and Christen,
Sylphie had finally made her little swagger vest.
Jake had ended up buying it for fifty-two million Credits, and it was no
doubt the greatest purchase of the entire Auction event so far. Even if Jake
didn’t get anything more, he could walk away proud.
There were only two items left in this phase, and when the second-to-last
appeared, Jake groaned, as it was a damn sword. Naturally, the price jumped,
people went wild, and it was sold for a high price.
All of this is to say that Jake had not gotten anything outside of buying
the greatest piece of clothing ever seen with mortal eyes.
"Is it just me, or was this entire legendary auction not as good as
expected?" Jake asked those around him. "I had hoped for some catalysts, or
maybe a legendary tree or something like that. At least one good alchemy
ingredient would have made me happy. Oh, or one of those items to upgrade
another item… That would have been awesome."
Sultan shook his head in response. "The issue with those items is that
everyone can use them, and even if there is no need for them here and now,
many would probably prefer to save them for the future. Same as how you
did not sell the Nalkar heart or the Carbonic Focusing Catalyst. In some
ways… one can say they are too valuable to sell."
Jake couldn’t disagree with his words, but that didn’t make it sting any
less. He also had a suspicion that much of this Auction was just people
trading wealth, as they could only afford to buy anything due to they
themselves selling off another legendary.
He had already given up hope when the last item appeared. Jake instantly
saw it was not a bow and prepared to move on… until he noticed what it
actually was.
Now… now he really wanted to punch someone in the teeth.

[Quiver of Perriniality (Legendary)] – A quiver created from the leather of a

powerful B-grade beast with the ability to create minor subdimensions within
its skin, which then stores different natural treasures to use as weapons.
Made into a quiver, it now retains those same effects. Allows the wearer to
infuse mana into the quiver to conjure arrows. Allows the wearer to store
conjured creations classified as arrows within the quiver without
experiencing any energy decay for an extended period of time. The inside of
the quiver is spatially expanded, allowing the wearer to store arrows of
varying sizes. The wearer will have innate control of the inside of the quiver
when bound. Enchantments: Perrinial Quiver.

Requirements: Lvl 135+ in any humanoid race.

Jake did not know if he should be happy or sad as the final item appeared.
It was made even worse when he saw the minimum bidding price was set at
three hundred million fucking Credits. To make matters worse, he had no
bloody clue who the seller was, even if there was a name attached.
"Who is that fucker who set the minimum bidding price to three hundred
million?" Jake asked Sultan and Miranda.
Miranda stayed quiet, frowning, and even Sultan shook his head. "Never
heard it before."
"Well, whoever he is, fuck him," Jake said as he placed a bid of three
hundred million. Because of course he would.
Would he have preferred a bow? One hundred thousand percent, but he
also had to admit he kind of, sort of needed a new quiver. He was still using
the uncommon quiver he’d gotten way back in the tutorial, and while he had
long moved on from the arrows it conjured, he still used it to store summoned
arcane arrows. Mainly poisoned ones.
This new quiver looked like it could do the same, just better. However,
Jake also saw some more potential from the description, especially
concerning his Arrow of the Ambitious Hunter. Even if he couldn’t do what
he planned on doing, the quiver should serve well as a normal quiver to store
pre-prepared poisoned arrows.
After he placed the bid… ten seconds passed, and he got it. No one else
had even tried to contest him, and Jake didn’t even think for a second it was
because they were being nice. Who the hell even needed it besides him?
Maria, maybe? Well, okay, a lot could use it, but who would be able to spend
hundreds of millions on it…
Besides a sucker like him, who had just gotten fucking scammed.
Jake instantly received the quiver, immediately bound it to himself, and
put it on his back. Next up, he summoned an arrow and cut his own hand on
it, activating Blood of the Malefic Viper. Once it was coated in poison, he put
it into the quiver and felt it sink into it like the top was a black hole.
Once it was fully inserted, he felt it within. He even felt that while the
poison was decaying in potency, it was significantly slower than in the
outside world. It was to the level where he could probably poison an arrow
and store it for up to a day without a noticeable decay in poison potency.
Waving his hand just vaguely above the quiver, the same arrow appeared.
Better than the old quiver for sure, Jake thought.
Next, he tossed a bottle into the quiver, only to find it just bounced off the
top like it had hit an invisible barrier. Only arrows, I see, Jake thought as
another system announcement popped up.

System Announcement:
The second part of the fourth phase of the Auction will soon begin, where all
unique-rarity items will be sold off. All items will be listed with a set
minimum bidding price by the seller, as well as a potential buyout price,
allowing anyone to instantly buy the item.

These items will be posted one at a time in five-minute intervals.

All items will be auctioned off immediately once active bidding ends. If any
item does not receive any new bid for at least ten seconds, it will be sold to
the highest bidder.

The first item will be posted in five minutes.

The damn system announcement had interrupted his experimenting, and

quickly skimming it, he saw there wasn’t an intermission. The entire
legendary auction had taken less than three and a half hours due to them not
needing the extra hour. All items had been sold within a few minutes of
posting, and now it was time for the second part to begin.
Jake had begun to wonder when unique items would be sold off… and it
turned out it was here, towards the end. He did also note that the system did
not say how many items there were in total. Besides that, everything seemed
to be as usual.
He spoke with the others a bit, but there really wasn’t much to say. Sultan
had little clue as to how many unique items would appear and only knew of
Jake’s own Tome. So they all sat in anticipation and discussed, and the five
minutes swiftly elapsed.
When the first item appeared, Jake learned that he wasn’t the only one
who had obtained an Akashic Tome during this Treasure Hunt.

[Akashic Tome of the Blood Warden (Unique)] - Allows the user to acquire
the class Blood Warden if compatible. Requirements: Lvl 99-199 in any
class. Compatible user.
[Storage Orb of the Blood Warden (Epic)] – A storage orb containing items
to assist a Blood Warden, including equipment and guidance. This orb is
near-indestructible by anyone below B-grade, and any item within will be
destroyed if the orb is. Requirements: Blood Warden.

It was a bundle of sorts, displaying how one got both items. It also
included some other books with information, just like Jake’s own Fulgarian
Depthcaller Tome. This class was a tank-type one that revolved around blood
magic and shields… Honestly, it looked a bit basic. Then again, Jake was a
bit biased.
One thing was clear, though: Jake’s Tome was better. Even Sultan
agreed.
"This appears to be a B-grade, maybe only C-grade, Legacy," Sultan
commented. "Not the best, but has potential, I guess. The set of equipment is
also valuable."
"My storage orb is Ancient," Jake stated.
"Yours is better in every way, yes, but Akashic Tomes are rarely cheap.
Let us see how it develops."
And develop it did.
Jake sat there, shocked, as he watched the price climb one bid at a time.
He nearly didn’t believe his eyes when the final selling price was reached…
at one-point-two billion Credits.
"How the fuck…" Jake muttered.
"If you ended up with a less-than-ideal class at D-grade… this might be
your only real way to improve before getting an evolution," Sultan said,
shaking his head. "As for the buyer… I do not know of them. Likely simply
someone who got lucky with a sale in a prior round to afford it. Or a powerful
independent party coming together… It may even be a proxy by a large
faction made to buy it, as things are no longer anonymous."
Jake nodded, even if he thought it a waste of money. If you got a
downright shitty class at D-grade, was it really worth it to try and get a better
one instead of pushing yourself and evolving to C-grade? Or were people just
that desperate?
Either way, it looked like these Akashic Tomes had insane value. So
when Jake saw the next item was another Tome, he was certain it would rake
in cash.
 [Akashic Tome of the Blood Wine Brewer (Unique)] - Allows the user to
acquire the profession Blood Wine Brewer if compatible. Requirements: Lvl
99-199 in any profession. Compatible user.

[Storage Orb of the Blood Wine Brewer (Epic)] – A storage orb containing
items to assist a Blood Wine Brewer, including equipment and guidance. This
orb is near-indestructible by anyone below B-grade, and any item within will
be destroyed if the orb is. Requirements: Blood Wine Brewer.

Jake was wrong. As it turned out, no one wanted to learn how to brew
fine wine using blood. It even had an accompanying book and a description
written by the seller, really trying to play it up. Yet the interest was so low it
was kind of comical, and it ended up being bought for forty-two million to
someone from the Noboru clan.
Were they planning on becoming vampires? Jake considered. Maybe
some of them were…
Vampire samurai… Yeah, that actually sounded kind of dope.
As it had been sold rather quickly, there was another waiting period. Jake
looked at the ceiling of the booth he was in, really hoping something good
would show up—if not now, then during that special phase rewarded due to
their performance in the Treasure Hunt.
What he didn’t know was that the final phase would have items he would
surely classify as ghost pepper-level spicy.
Chapter 17
 A Uni ue Encounter

U nique items had always had a somewhat special status in the

multiverse. It was as much a rarity as it was a categorization of items.
Unique didn’t simply mean it was a wholly unique item—even if it
very often was—but also that it couldn’t be slotted into any of the other
rarities.
Jake’s Mask of the Fallen King was no doubt a unique item. Only one
could exist in the multiverse due to its relation with the King of the Forest, a
Unique Lifeform. Unique, in that case, truly meant "there exists only one
such thing," but Unique Lifeforms also had the commonality of being
freakishly strong for their level.
Another trait unique items often also had. Jake’s own Root of Eternal
Resentment was an example of this. If it had an actual rarity, Jake had no idea
what it would be… When he’d first gotten it, probably ancient rarity, but it
had absorbed so much curse energy, so was it legendary now? Above
legendary? In some ways, it was pointless to try and give it a rarity at all due
to how it worked.
This naturally begged the question… would Jake want a unique-rarity
bow? Honestly, there was no way to answer that. Jake wasn’t even sure how
one would look. What would determine the damage? The durability? Would
it somehow scale? Jake also didn’t recall ever seeing a unique item with a
level requirement besides Tomes.
In the end, Jake really did not know what truly made something unique or
not, but he did know that everything with a unique rarity tended to be
interesting. And he liked interesting things.
Luckily for him… that sentiment was shared by others on Earth too.
When the third unique item popped up, he saw another Tome, and he held
high hopes when he noticed it was his Tome.

[Akashic Tome of the Fulgarian Depthcaller (Unique)] – Allows the user to

acquire the class Fulgarian Depthcaller if compatible. Requirements: Lvl
99-199 in any class. Compatible user.

[Storage Orb of the Fulgarian Depthcaller (Ancient)] – A storage orb

containing items to assist a Fulgarian Depthcaller, including equipment and
guidance. This orb is near-indestructible by anyone below A-grade, and any
item within will be destroyed if the orb is. Requirements: Fulgarian
Depthcaller.

Jake himself had displayed little interest in both items when he found
them—at least when it came to potentially using them himself. However, he
did recognize it could be a valuable item, especially after he had experienced
the nightmare that was battling deep underwater. If a foe could create similar
circumstances… Jake could see it being a difficult battle.
A second after the item was posted, sixteen bids were placed, making the
price skyrocket to four hundred million. Then, without any further bullshit, it
leaped straight to a billion Credits, courtesy of the Holy Church. Jake was
already ecstatic… as he saw the price jump to one-point-two.
"Who is that?" Jake asked as he saw a name he had seen a few times
before buying some valuable items.
"A merchant," Sultan answered without offering any explanation.
"A competing merchant," Miranda elaborated, smiling, “and the one
acting as a seller for more than two hundred independent Pylon cities and
even more smaller settlements."
Jake frowned at having never heard about the guy before. According to
the auction interface, he was simply called Arthur, and Jake turned his
attention to the outside of the booth as he looked across it. "Who is he?"
Miranda did not hesitate to point out the man, who sat in a corner together
with a group of seven people Jake did not recognize… but all of them had
kind of high levels. What’s more, one of them was proudly wielding the
Blood Spear Replica, and others were wearing ancient-rarity items he
recognized.
 As for the merchant himself… Jake couldn’t say he didn’t recognize him,
even if it took him a moment to remember… In fact, he had seen him a few
times before. Sometimes in the very office he used to work at.
“That’s Jacob’s dad."
He was an older man with graying hair and a well-trimmed beard. He was
currently wearing a robe with the hood down, clearly not attempting to hide
his appearance whatsoever. Jake checked his level. The guy was only 119,
and the party around him was stronger, averaging around 125, but compared
to the top of Earth, they were behind. Roman was level 125, and Jake sure
wouldn’t put him at the top, even if he was strong.
Frowning, Jake wondered what the hell was going on. He knew Jacob’s
dad had been some bigshot before the system, and likely one of the wealthiest
people globally, but that very rarely translated to exceptional performance
post-system. In actuality, it was often the opposite.
"Are you certain?" Sultan asked, confused. "I haven’t heard that intel
before, and from my knowledge, Arthur does not have any active dealings
with the Holy Church at all…"
Jake shook his head. "Dead certain. He was a private man… but I
definitely recognize him."
"This is… odd," Sultan said, frowning.
Though also confused, Jake tried to not question it. He just enjoyed
seeing the man below be willing to spend so much on his Tome. That is, until
the Holy Church placed a bid of one-point-two-five billion, only to be
instantly upped to one-point-three.
"They are bidding against each other," Miranda said. "And not in some
fake display… Spending hundreds of millions on that wouldn’t be worth
it…"
"Were they enemies before?" Sultan asked Jake.
"Not to my knowledge, but I didn’t know Arthur very well," Jake
explained. "The few times I did meet him, he seemed nice enough, and he
and Jacob always looked like they got along. But I also recognize I am not
the best at analyzing social interactions."
"Strange," Miranda said, frowning. "I will try to find out what is up, but it
is difficult due to the distance between some factions. You told me traveling
from Haven to Skyggen took you four days at nearly top speed, and they are
even farther away than that, I reckon. In fact, none of the major factions have
made contact with any of them outside of system events and through
communication facilitated by Patrons."
Jake thought for a bit and found it weird no one had made contact, but
then he suddenly had a thought. "They are on another continent."
The two of them just looked at Jake, who had to clarify with, "That would
make sense, right? If not, wouldn’t some faction have made contact with
them? Also, they clearly want a water-based class a lot, so they may even be
close to shore."
"That is entirely possible…" Miranda muttered. "I had come to believe
that all of humanity was placed on a single continent, but I guess it is
probable they are on another. Neil, do you know anything? From what I
know, you space mages shared quite a lot of locational information."
Neil, having listened in from the start, just shook his head. "Some cities
are far away for sure, but if they are across a vast body of water… that isn’t
something I or anyone I have met can determine. We can’t even calculate the
distance properly. Space is more stable and unstable in different places,
making it either easier or harder to travel through. All we have to determine
distance is the required cost for the teleport. Additionally, it is a lot easier to
teleport through the open space above an ocean than through a mountainous
landscape, so to us, it may seem like a city across an ocean is closer than
even something like an underground city only a few thousand kilometers
below the surface."
The three of them nodded, appreciating the brief lesson in space magic
and teleportation. Jake could also understand it quite well; he’d noted how his
One Step Mile had taken him further while Yalsten was breaking apart, or
how it couldn’t teleport him as far while underwater.
"Either way, we can’t really confirm or deny it right now… I am sure
there are also plenty of settlements on our continent people have yet to make
contact with outside of events too," Jake said. "So let’s focus on the
important things for now. Like earning money."
And earn money he did! The Akashic Tome of the Fulgarian Depthcaller
ended up going for one-point-six billion Credits and some change. Primarily
because the bidding had become a bit silly towards the end, with both parties
only raising by the minimum ten million per bet. The Holy Church and
Arthur clearly didn’t get along, and it seemed like this time Arthur won out
by getting the Tome.
Having sold off all his items, Jake looked at his wealth. Before selling the
Tome, Jake had already had over three billion due to the performance of the
legendary items before, especially the token. Now, with the funds from the
Tome on top… Jake was a rich man.

Credits Available: 4,658,177,118

Sultan was also smiling from ear to ear. Jake theorized that, given how
merchants got extra rewards based on performance during the event, the
reward from selling the most expensive item was probably awesome. So far,
using Sultan, Jake had sold the most expensive one by quite a margin.
That didn’t appear to change when the next few items were auctioned off.
They included one more Tome for a profession revolving around some kind
of smithing, and then there were two unique items to make beasts grow,
much like the Mystbone. Neither interested him, but then a third one came.
So far, Jake hadn’t felt especially lucky, but finally, he felt like his
fortune had turned.

[Gyne Nucleus (Unique)] – A Nucleus granted by the system to the newly

integrated 93 rd Universe. It contains a vast amount of energy and Records
that will allow any female Ectognamorph that consumes it to grow faster and
gain powerful skills.

It was an insect Nucleus—or one designed for ectognamorphs, if one

wanted to use the ordinarily acceptable term for insect-like lifeforms in the
multiverse. This particular Nucleus came from a gyne, the word for an insect
of the female caste of insects. Jake was surprised that no beasts had found it
before, but that was just his luck.
He placed a bid right away, only meeting a touch of competition as the
price jumped to twenty million. The preceding beast-only items hadn’t gone
for much, either, and Jake could see why. Most beasts useful for humans
probably wouldn’t gain much from consuming them anymore, and there was
always the risk of the beast becoming hostile if it got too strong. However,
none of that mattered to Jake, because he had an egg that needed it and
knowledge of how to better use the Nucleus than likely anyone on Earth.
However… he soon met an issue. A few more people began bidding on it
after no activity for five or so seconds, making the price climb to thirty
million. Jake frowned as he quickly caught on.
 Jake grabbed Roman by the shoulder. "Roman, quick, take these Credits
and bid on the Nucleus."
The man, to his credit, did not even hesitate to accept Jake’s request and
place a bid of thirty-five million. Magically, no one else seemed to want to
place a bid, almost as if they were waiting for Jake. Feeling curious, he
decided to effectively bid against himself by placing one at forty million in
the final second of the ten-second countdown.
Two seconds later, a bid of forty-three million was placed by another
party.
"Fuckers are targeting me," Jake said with annoyance. "Roman, just bid
again."
"Sure thing, boss," he responded jokingly as he bid forty-six million.
This time Jake didn’t fight himself, and the ten seconds expired. Roman
got the item, and the guy didn’t hesitate to open a system-trade window with
Jake, giving him the excess Credits back and summoning the Nucleus.
"Just give the Nucleus and keep the money," Jake said as the man
shamelessly closed the trading window and smiled cheekily.
"Aye, aye!"
"You’re a pirate now?" Jake asked as he took the Nucleus, seeing it was
just a fist-sized marble.
"I did just commit robbery, ya know? That’s the darn easiest four mil I
have ever earned," he said with a belly laugh as he patted Felicia on the back.
"We eating good tonight!"
"We’re in the middle of nowhere, and we don’t need food," Felicia
answered curtly, leaving Roman still laughing.
"Okay, now who were those assholes targeting me?" Jake asked Sultan
and Miranda.
"No idea," the merchant answered. "Probably just the seller’s friends
trying to get the price up to earn a bit more, or something like that. Smart
move to use a proxy... but also smart for them to try and fleece one of the
richest people on the planet."
Jake just sighed, finding the entire situation unnecessarily annoying. He
still felt totally fine with what he’d paid for it, but it was a hassle to deal with.
The next item was another unique one for beasts. Jake still kept watch of
it all, seeing if something usable for Hawkie or Mystie popped up. Sylphie
also looked but seemed to not care about any of it. Besides, she was far too
busy in her little vest, having discovered she could change the colors on it.
 "Do you have the slightest idea what the bonus round will offer?
Information provided by your profession?" Jake asked Sultan.
"Nothing—you know as much as I, though I believe there is cause to
assume the items offered will be aimed directly at the main contributors of
the final battle.”
Jake nodded as another item went up for sale, this time from the Treasure
Hunt. And quite an item it was.

[Chalice of Vampiric Blood (Unique)] – An artifact used by the vampires to

allow others to join them and embrace the vampiric race. When Yalsten
began to fall, blood was still in the Chalice, and as time passed, it retained its
original function, even after the vampire that had offered blood was long
dead. Consume the blood within to get an opportunity to change your race.
Once the blood is consumed, the Chalice will cease to be.

Warning: vampires can only have either a profession or a class. Some skills
related to the lost profession or class may be lost or changed. Stat bonuses
from classes will be reduced by 10% if chosen over a profession, while a
profession will provide +10% more stats per level. All current race skills will
be lost.

Reading it gave Jake flashbacks to his own D-grade evolution and the
Malefic Dragonkin evolution. Vampires were very much in the same boat as
Dragonkin, being a mix between fully enlightened and a monster. This did
mean their race would also provide a lot more rewards, including some dope-
ass race skill for sure.
"Any of you guys wanna become a vampire?" Jake asked the people
present. They all looked at him for a moment before he added, "Maybe you
can even get one of those variants that sparkle under sunlight."
"Man, fuck off, my girlfriend brought m—"
"It wasn’t that bad," Felicia cut in.
"—me to see that very interesting movie," Roman said, trying to save it.
Jake snickered at the guy, and the others also smiled. None of them
wanted to become a vampire, but Jake still added, "The Sword Saint and I
made an agreement, so if you do want to, we can figure something out. The
divine artifact from the Treasure Hunt can help transform people too.
Probably better than the Chalice."
There was still no one showing an interest, but Jake felt like he had to put
it out there. However, the same could not be said about others, as the Chalice
ended up being sold for over half a billion. Seems like there are still those out
there with teenage fantasies, Jake joked to himself, ignoring all the good
reasons to become a vampire.
The minutes ticked down as they all waited for the next listing. But
instead of getting another item, Jake was met with a system message. They
all were… but not one he had expected.

Let the bonus auction round begin.

Everything suddenly went silent, and Jake neither heard nor felt anything
around him. Without thinking, he left the booth and appeared outside, where
he laid eyes on what had arrived.
In the middle of the auction hall stood a figure. A humanoid form, free of
any truly discernable features besides the fact that nothing was discernable.
The bald head, not a single trace of hair, white eyes without pupils… It was a
figure he had seen before.
It was the form of the being he had chosen to name Greeter, whom he’d
met during the Introduction and then after the tutorial for the store.
"Yes," the being suddenly answered before Jake could ask if it was the
same. Yet it seemed to only have spoken to Jake, as no one else reacted. All
just stared. No one spoke, no one moved; everyone just stood there, blank-
faced.
At this time, Jake failed to hold himself back, and instead let all his
instincts loose. He focused his sphere on the being but found nothing there. In
fact, with any of his senses but sight, it didn’t exist. His instincts were also
entirely silent. He could not evaluate the being at all…
Villy said that Bloodlines and Transcendents exist outside of the system,
Jake thought. But… not above…
Perhaps a part of Jake had thought that the most powerful of gods surely
had some kind of control or influence over the system. Possibly able to stand
above it in places… That they had the power to have an impact. But that
illusion was now entirely dispelled.
The system did not need to be powerful, for it was already omnipotent.
Transcendents… Bloodlines… did not exist outside of the system, because
the system couldn’t control them. They existed outside because the system
allowed them to. Perhaps they were even designed to be uncontrollable… or
maybe they were just bugs in a system, not fixed on purpose…
Villy had told him many times that trying to comprehend the system was
a waste of time. It wasn’t something that could be done… for to comprehend
the system would be to comprehend everything there is, and that
comprehension itself would still merely be a part of the system. Every action,
everything accomplished, was merely an expansion of the system itself…
Jake simply stood in the air and stared as the being spoke again, neither
confirming nor denying his theory.
"Welcome, denizens of Earth."
Chapter 18
 You get an item! And you get an item!
Everyone gets an item!

J ake collected himself as he entered the booth again, shaking his head.
"That is that same thing…" Felicia muttered once he was inside.
"Yeah, it is," Roman said, nodding.
"Is that the personification of the system?" Miranda asked curiously.
"Thinking about it is a waste of time… It simply is," Jake answered.
"Trying to understand the un-understandable will only lead to understanding
what it wants you to understand."
"That made no fucking sense," Roman muttered.
"Neither does an omnipotent system taking a human-like form to hold an
Auction for a bunch of D-grades," Jake said.
"Good point, I guess. But why is that damn thing not talking?"
"Because we are.”
When no one else said anything… the system entity began talking.
"This auction round has been awarded to the denizens of Earth due to
exemplary performance during the Treasure Hunt event. All bidding will take
place using Credits. All possibilities of borrowing Credits are no longer
available. Only individuals who participated in the final phase of the Treasure
Hunt will be allowed to bid during this round. Without further delay, let the
auction begin."
The moment it stopped talking, Jake registered it was as if everyone
attending the event had heard it at the same time, even if some—like their
group—had clearly made the entity delay. Time… does not work as it should.
Perhaps reality itself is entirely controlled.
But focusing on the matter at hand, Jake was happy to see that the bidding
was limited to participants of the final phase and that the borrowing option
was gone. Hopefully, it would allow Jake not to waste as much money if
something good did appear.
He was unsure what to expect as the being down on the central platform
summoned the first item.
"The first item is a Heart of Darkness. This item can be used to improve
skills of the dark affinity, and works best with ones using purely the dark
affinity. The bidding starts at two hundred million Credits.”
This time, it appeared that they would not be shown the items simply
through a system interface, but in reality. Due to this, Jake considered leaving
the booth to get a better feel for the item, but just when he thought it, it was
as if the entire frontal window of the booth disappeared and mana washed in.
It was still blocking the outside from looking in, but it seemed like it allowed
everything else to enter.
The first item looked like an impossibly black fruit about the size of an
apple, and the mana that washed into the booth from the outside was purely
black, far denser and potent than anything he had ever felt before—even
more so than in the chamber with the Umbral Lotus.
Jake identified the item on offer… and it truly set the stage for this part of
the auction event.

[Heart of Darkness (Unique)] – A Heart of Darkness offered directly by the

system due to Earth’s performance during the Treasure Hunt event. Consume
the Heart of Darkness to be filled with an intense amount of dark energy and
experience potent Records of the affinity itself. Will greatly assist in
improving any skill using dark mana. Uses remaining: 3/3 Requirement: D-
grade

Without knowing for sure, Jake had a feeling this kind of item wasn’t just
valuable by Earth standards, but on a multiversal level. The potential to
upgrade a skill was nearly invaluable, especially considering how much the
Viper had praised Jake’s Path of the Heretic-Chosen. To consume an item
that would allow one to do that not just once, but three times?
Sultan’s theory that the items offered were tailored to the participants in
the final fights seemed more true than ever. This one was clearly aimed
towards his brother and those from the Court of Shadows. Maybe even Jake
himself a little. However, while Jake could use it for sure… he wasn’t going
to bet on it. One reason was that his brother needed it more, and the other was
that the price had already reached nine hundred million Credits, and Jake
wasn’t sure he wanted it that much.
The bidding functioned just like before, using the same interface, and it
still displayed the name of the bidder. The top one was Caleb, but a few
independent factions were also bidding, as well as the undead. Jake just sat
back, a part of him feeling lucky one could no longer borrow money, as if
one could, then Priscilla would probably not have lost to Caleb in the end.
His little brother got it for one-point-five billion Credits.
Based on the bidders, the ones who could take part were those that had
chosen not to leave when given a chance to before the Monarch appeared.
This still left thousands to bid, but as people couldn’t borrow money, there
were only a select few with enough resources to participate.
Without any words or motions, a second item appeared. This one was a
floating crystal, reminding Jake of the Pylon of Civilization.
"The second item is an Intermediate Dungeon Core. Bidding starts at a
hundred and fifty million Credits. Be warned that using a Dungeon Core
without relevant skills or expertise will prove difficult."

[Intermediate Dungeon Core (Unique)] – A Dungeon Core offered directly

by the system due to Earth’s performance during the Treasure Hunt event.
This Dungeon Core is of the intermediate level and can support monster
spawning up to low-tier C-grade. Must have a suitable environment to
activate and spawn the dungeon. Requirements: Soulbound.

Yet another item appeared of tremendous value. Offered so casually, it

was almost a joke. Jake knew the value of Dungeon Cores simply due to
random talks with Villy. A Dungeon Core allowed one to create their own
true dungeon. Not just a subdimension, but one with all the dungeon features,
including all of the different dimensional-version shenanigans found in
natural dungeons. It also allowed access to an entirely new kind of interface
and power, though there were limitations.
This one was only an intermediate core, allowing one to at most spawn
weak, C-grade creatures within… but that was still more than enough for any
faction to instantly gain a lot of power. They all knew it as the bidding began.
"Will Haven attempt to buy this?" Sultan asked.
Miranda just shook her head. "We have no Dungeon Engineers among us,
and we already have a natural dungeon."
 The man just nodded and smiled. "Then don’t mind if I give it a shot…
The resale value alone makes it worth it."
Jake said nothing as the price climbed, soon reaching over a billion. At
that point, Sultan had already bowed out, too stingy to truly invest. It was
down to the Holy Church and the Risen bidding against each other, with
Casper facing off against Jacob. In the end, Casper won, with the price
reaching one-point-seven billion—the most expensive item sold yet.
"The third item is a necklace created only to be used by a true master of
vital energy. Bidding starts at fifty million Credits," the system being said the
moment it had sold the core. A necklace that looked to just be a small crystal
on a chain appeared, glowing slightly.
And if the items before had seemed aimed at specific people, now it was
just shameless.

[Life’s Immortal Mind (Legendary)] – A necklace offered directly by the

system due to Earth’s performance during the Treasure Hunt event. This
necklace holds a vast storage within of pure vital energy and can store
incredible amounts of excess. Allows the user to use this vital energy to
create a shield around the soul, protecting against soul and mental attacks.
Infusing the vital energy storage with power is a slow and arduous process.
Enchantments: Life’s Immortal Mind.
Requirements: Lvl 130+ in any humanoid race. 100,000+ Health Points.

Jake looked and laughed out loud. He couldn’t help himself at the
ridiculousness. Jake had a lot of health himself for his level, and yet he only
had a measly thirty thousand compared to the required hundred thousand.
Anyway… Eron bought it for a hundred and thirteen million Credits. The
price had only gone that high due to others purposefully increasing it. Jake
hadn’t, as he saw no reason to annoy the guy and knew the pain of assholes
forcing you to spend more Credits on items you would obviously need. It was
a no-brainer that the madman would buy it. His biggest weakness was mental
magic, and now he was offered a way to use his vital energy to create a
barrier to defend against even that.
And the item clearly made for Eron was apparently not the only one.
"The fourth item is for those who treasure their blades above all else.
Bidding starts at fifty million Credits," the system said as the second
shameless display appeared. It was a simple-looking scabbard that appeared
far too large for any sword, but Jake saw why that didn’t matter when he
Identified it.

[Scabbard of the Treasured Blade (Legendary)] - A scabbard offered

directly by the system due to Earth’s performance during the Treasure Hunt
event. This scabbard will take the shape of any bladed weapon inserted and
slowly bond with the blade, taking on properties related to it. This scabbard
will protect the blade from any damage, slowly repair it from any damage
taken, and consistently keep it in peak condition. While the blade is sheathed,
it will be infused with energy from the scabbard based on the blade’s
properties. This energy can be released all at once when drawn for a mighty
blow, with remnant energy lingering for a period afterward.
Enchantments: Treasured Blade.
Requirements: N/A.

The target of this item couldn’t be more obvious. It was tailor-made for
the Sword Saint, and the old man was also the first one to place a bid.
However, this was not an item only he could actually use, contrary to the
necklace. In fact, there were many sword users. Heck, even Jake could use it,
as it did not specify it needed to be a sword.
Sadly for everyone else… the old man had not been bidding much in
prior rounds. But he had been selling. The price quickly climbed, and it
ended up going for three hundred and seventy-seven million Credits. Jake
now sat with high expectations, prepared for his present to appear. Because
these practically were presents, even if they did have to pay for them
themselves.
Now he was ready. The Sword Saint had just gotten something, so surely
it was Jake’s turn.
"The fifth item is a cursed wooden spike. It is a perfect weapon for any
curse master, while only a burden for those without the expertise to use it.
Bidding starts at fifty million Credits."
Okay, it was now Casper’s turn. That was fine, and Jake was happy for
his friend. The spike was able to improve the power of any curse channeled
through it and could even replicate itself. It looked like a perfect weapon for
the Risen and his curse powers in all ways. He also learned that using curses
wasn’t that mainstream, as the price only went up to a hundred and fifty-one
million—and that was only because the Holy Church’s members were being
dicks.
"The sixth item is a pair of gloves made for those who prefer to use their
fists, viewing their own body as the best weapon. Bidding starts at fifty
million Credits."
Oh, yeah, Carmen also needed her stuff. It was understandable; she’d
done well during the fight too. The gloves were also great, just like the spike,
and made all melee attacks better. But more than that, they would reform if
the hands or arms were damaged, and were incredibly resilient overall. They
even said that any skills working with fists would function as if they made
actual skin-to-skin contact.
Surely. Surely, it was Jake’s turn.
"The seventh item is a shield for those willing to give up their own life for
others. Bidding starts at fifty million."

[Bulwark of the Martyr (Legendary)] - A shield offered directly by the

system due to Earth’s performance during the Treasure Hunt event. This
shield is incredibly durable, and anything blocked releases a pulse of healing
energy, restoring health to everyone around the user. Does not heal the user.
As a true martyr, sacrifice your own life energy to restore the health of
another. The user can also choose to sacrifice their own life, releasing a
pulse of healing energy that restores health points corresponding to the
maximum health points of the user. Enchantments: Martyr.
Requirements: Soulbound.

… Bertram had helped, sure. That big powerup where he practically

killed himself had done some serious damage to the Monarch, so Jake
recognized his contribution for sure. It’d been brief but powerful, so it was
only fair he also got an item. Though Jake found the entire naming and
sentiment of the shield a bit funny… Was it really martyrdom to sacrifice
yourself when you could just resurrect again? Honestly, that part of Jacob’s
class was the most overpowered.
It barely needed to be said that the Holy Church bought the shield, but
they did have to spend over two hundred million on it because the undead
wanted to be assholes back. As far as Jake knew, they didn’t even have health
points, making the shield entirely useless to them.
By now, Jake was certain it was bow time.
"The eighth item is a quiver—"
 Oh, no, you fucking don’t, Jake thought as it continued.
"—for one who has embraced the power of fire and their bow alike.
Bidding starts at fifty million Credits."
Jake felt a wave of relief upon realizing this item was not aimed at him.
Instead, it was clearly made for Maria, and when Jake identified it, that only
became more clear. It was a quiver able to store arrows of pure magic, and
from the description, it apparently contained a space filled with intense fire
energy to nurture arrows placed within, even allowing Maria to summon
arrows using the fire mana stored.
Maria was also the one bidding on it, and there really was no competition.
This item was just so specialized, making it only go for eighty-two million
Credits. Jake once more had no interest in taking what, in his mind, belonged
to someone else, and besides, he had already gotten a legendary quiver he
believed was better.
"The ninth item is a ring able to contain the powers of lightning and
darkness. Bidding starts at fifty million Credits."
Caleb’s turn. Jake wasn’t even mad anymore. Why be mad? It would be
his turn eventually, right? Caleb got it for a hundred and two million due to
this one also being rather specialized. But Jake was fine. It was his turn now,
right? Who else was there?
Well… except Sylphie.
"The tenth item is one suited for wind elementals with untapped potential.
The Gift of the Wind is only useful for wind elementals, and any other race
fusing with it will suffer damage or death. Bidding starts at five hundred
million."

[Gift of Wind (Unique)] - A Gift of Wind offered directly by the system due to
Earth’s performance during the Treasure Hunt event. The Gift of the Wind is
created by countless wind elementals of varying races, and provided to one of
their young in an attempt to create a champion. Any wind elemental
consuming it will be able to stray closer to its true Origin.

Jake frowned as he checked the description of the item. Visually, the

thing itself was also surprising: a small, transparent creature. Was it even an
item? Jake wasn’t sure… Whatever this Gift of Wind was, it kept changing,
taking on the shapes of birds, clouds, just a wing, a small tornado, and a
plethora of other forms every single second.
 He began to doubt if Sylphie could even use it… Sylphie wasn’t an
elemental, as far as he knew. Elemental-adjacent, sure, but an actual
elemental?
But her reaction upon seeing it dispelled that doubt. She began flapping
her wings and making noises, and from Jake’s connection with her, the
message was clear… She wanted it like she had wanted nothing ever before.
Even more than head-pats.
Jake didn’t hesitate to place the first five-hundred-million bid. He sat
ready to fight whoever dared try and steal the item from Sylphie. The
minimum bid on this item was the highest so far, so he knew it had to be
good.
Five seconds passed without anyone else bidding. Then seven. Eight.
Nine. And without anyone else even trying, ten seconds passed, and Jake got
the Gift of Wind.
"The item has been sold for five hundred million Credits."
The moment the words were spoken, the thing appeared right beside Jake,
likely because it couldn’t be put in spatial storage. Jake barely had time to
wonder what to do with it before it flew over to Sylphie by itself and began
zooming around her. Sylphie flapped her wings happily in turn.
"I guess that answers all doubt as to whether you can use it," Jake said
with a smile.
Sylphie responded by snapping her small beak forward and gulping down
the weird Gift of Wind in a single move. Then she just settled down as if
Jake’s head was her nest. She closed her eyes and seemed to doze off.
Jake couldn’t help but smile, lifting his hand to pet her a bit since she
seemed to be dreaming. Sure, he hadn’t gotten a bow, and now the system
had decided to return to selling unique items, so Jake had resigned himself to
the worst. But at least Sylphie had gotten something good.
And then… then it happened. A mythical event spoken of for ages.
Prophesized and wished for, yet never seen. For but a moment, the stars
aligned as destiny was realized and wishes came true.
"The eleventh item is a bow for a hunter that stands atop the food chain.
Bidding starts at fifty million Credits."
It was a fucking bow.
Chapter 19
 The Good Stuff

J ake felt like he had wished for a bow for years, even if it had only been
like a week. He had felt naked using a shitty bow, not sure what would
happen if he got into a big fight. So when the system offered a bow, he
was both relieved and ecstatic.
Now the only question was… would the bow be good?
The answer? Fuck yeah, it was.

[Bow of the Apex Hunter (Legendary)] – A bow offered directly by the

system due to Earth’s performance during the Treasure Hunt event. This is a
bow for an apex hunter who only seeks to challenge worthy foes and
effortlessly strikes down those inferior that dare impede his quest. Increases
damage done against foes dependent on level disparity—both lower and
higher—up to a certain threshold. This effect is based on Perception. The
bow is incredibly durable and will adapt to energy infused into it, beginning
to take on its properties and empowering attacks using the adapted energy.
Enchantments: Apex Hunter.
Requirements: Soulbound.

He had already placed his bid halfway through reading the description,
and the further he got, the more the smile on his face grew. It was basically
just his Big Game Arcane Hunter, though it was also capable of working
against lower-level foes. It was a bit funny that the bow was just straight-up
worse against those of similar level to himself. Except it also managed to fit
in some Perception scaling, making Jake a happy clam.
 It was also able to adapt to his energies, which was likely what forced the
Soulbound requirement, somewhat similar to the scabbard before. This did
not make it a growth weapon he could use for life, though, as the material
strength and Records within were still limited... but that didn’t make it any
less awesome here and now, and for many battles to come.
Jake waited patiently as the bid on fifty million remained. He stared at the
countdown and frowned, a tad confused when it reached zero without anyone
else even attempting to bid.
"The item has been sold for fifty million Credits."
And it was just that easy. No one had fought him, and Jake couldn’t help
but turn and look at Sultan, who just shrugged.
"I guess no one wanted to put a target on their back for you to use that
bow on down the line,” Sultan explained. “So far, you have a reputation for
being a bad target to provoke. Especially after the Treasure Hunt. Also…
archers able to afford it and able to bid are limited. Maria obviously chose to
not fight you, and besides her, I honestly can’t think of anyone else with fifty
million Credits and the potential to challenge you."
Jake nodded in acknowledgment. "I’m not complaining."
He couldn’t help himself from taking out the bow and admiring it. It was
of a simple design—honestly, just a wooden stick with a string attached. It
looked like something a semi-competent bowyer could make within an hour,
and compared to his old bow’s fancy, faceted gems and glowing veins of
arcane mana, this one just looked cheap. Heck… the design was practically
identical to the tutorial bow he had gotten that very first day.
And Jake had absolutely nothing against that. In fact, he preferred it. In
his mind, simple was best. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Still basking in the feeling of finally having a good weapon again, he
heard the announcement of the next item.
"The twelfth item is a Thousand Swords Formation Array Disc. This
formation is especially suitable for protecting a settlement inhabited by sword
users, and can use their skills with the sword. Bidding starts at fifty million
Credits."

[Thousand Swords Formation Array Disc (Legendary)] – A Thousand

Swords Formation Array Disc offered directly by the system due to Earth’s
performance during the Treasure Hunt event. This array disc allows the user
to place down a Thousand Swords Formation at a chosen location, using up
the array disc in the process. The Thousand Swords Formation allows up to a
thousand sword-wielding individuals to pool their power together to create a
singular phantasmal blade. The users of the formation must be of similar
Strength.

It appeared the system had done a U-turn, and now it was back to those
faction-focused items. Jake had a theory that this was because there were no
outstanding individuals to reward, so it just rewarded multiple people or
entire factions.
In this case, it was clearly a reward for the Noboru clan and Reika. It just
screamed samurai clan, and seeing it offered did make him consider what
would have happened if they had put that illusory formation up for sale and
the Noboru clan had bought it. Would the system just have offered something
else? Or would they have been forced to choose between two different
formations?
If that was the case… was there a risk Jake would have been offered a
quiver and not a bow if he had not bought the legendary one earlier? No,
Jake, don’t even think about it… No one needs that kind of negativity in their
lives.
As for the formation… well, now we were back to the fact that many used
swords, so sadly for them, they had competition. This meant they had to shell
out three hundred and eighty million Credits.
Moving on… it appeared that the Holy Church had also had enough of a
collective contribution to get an item. Perhaps the most shamelessly aimed at
any faction so far.
"The thirteenth item is a block of Holy Marble. This marble is especially
suitable for creating a statue or a monument related to a god in possession of
the holy affinity. Bidding starts at fifty million Credits."

[Holy Marble (Legendary)] – A block of Holy Marble offered directly by the

system due to Earth’s performance during the Treasure Hunt event. This
marble is infused with a substantial amount of holy mana, making it
especially suitable as a raw material for a sculpture depicting a god of the
Holy Pantheon.

Seeing the item appear was a bit comical. It was a massive block of stone
giving off a faint golden glow, nearly ten meters tall and wide. The auction
room was utterly massive, making it not an issue, but seeing a giant block of
stone floating just looked funny. Jake even saw a few down on the floor
flinch when it popped into existence.
As for the item itself… well, as Jake knew, only gods of the Holy
Pantheon could even use the Holy affinity. It was similar to how only Villy
and those with his legacy could use the Malefic affinity, and only the Risen
and those related to the Blightfather could use the Blight affinity. It was the
Holy Mother’s affinity, so the only reason anyone would possibly bid on it
was to mess with the Holy Church and force them to spend more than they
wanted.
Anyway, it went for three hundred and ninety-two since the undead
decided to fuck with them.
Next up was Valhal’s turn, with this item looking a lot like a reward for
Sven.
"The fourteenth item is a Horn of War. This item is for the leader who
indulges in war and leads those under his command to victory. Bidding starts
at fifty million Credits."

[Horn of War (Legendary)] – A Horn of War offered directly by the system

due to Earth’s performance during the Treasure Hunt event. Blow the horn of
war to signal it is time to wage war, reducing stamina consumption of all
those under your command who hear the sound. Blow a second time in the
midst of battle, releasing a wave of inner energy and restoring a substantial
amount of stamina for all those affected. Will also amplify the effect of
leadership-related skills if used with the horn.

Jake actually found this item genuinely interesting, and he also

recognized that while it was surely aimed at Valhal, fitting their theme and
all… it was one every single faction with a lot of warriors could make good
use of. Even Miranda could probably use it.
Bidding began, and instantly it was a bloodbath. The first bid was from
the Holy Church, the second from Valhal, and the third from the Noboru
Clan. Jake just sat back with a slight smile as the price went up and up.
Jake was already certain Haven, as a city, would not be offered anything.
They’d only had Sultan and Neil with his party during the last phase besides
Jake, while every other faction had had way more. The Court had already
received that Heart of Darkness, and Jake guessed the Dungeon Core was
seen as the reward for the undead.
"How far up do you think the price will go?" Roman asked Sultan as they
stared at the bidding.
"Not much higher," the merchant answered—just as the price went to
seven hundred million. "While this is good… many factions should soon be
broke, and the use of it is limited for those not commanding large groups."
What he said turned out to be true, as the price only went to seven
hundred and twenty-four million before bidding stopped. In the end, it went
to Valhal, as it rightly should, with only the Holy Church bidding with them
at the end. A part of Jake really hoped the undead had made them unable to
afford it by hiking the price up on the Holy Marble.
I wonder what is next? Jake thought, not sure what more there would be.
Unless it was something for the undead, if the core did not count? Either way,
it was clear there was more when the system spoke again.
"The fifteenth and final item is a bottle of Soul Renewal. Soul Renewal
will be able to heal anything afflicting the soul, including temporary damage
sustained due to the use of Transcendent skills or skills used to circumvent
death. Bidding starts at one billion Credits."
What appeared was a small bottle that looked like a potion bottle with
some transparent liquid within. Jake felt nothing from it, and without using
Identify or hearing the system describe it, he could have totally mistaken it
for just being purified water.

[Soul Renewal (Unique)] – A bottle of Soul Renewal offered directly by the

system due to Earth’s performance during the Treasure Hunt event. Soul
Renewal is able to heal any wound to the soul and restore any damage or
temporary affliction imposed upon it, including afflictions of the Truesoul.
Requirements: D-grade.

This was the final item of the auction, with a starting bid of a billion
Credits… and Jake understood why. This was no simple item. It was one that
confirmed his theory that Transcendents weren’t above the purview of the
system, since it could create something that could even heal the backlash
from one. Healing the Truesoul was not something anyone could do… not
even gods. Often the Truesoul would just heal by itself with time—a long
time—or one had to restore the parts that had been damaged through other
actions. The Sword Saint, for example, now had to regain the levels he had
"lost," effectively repairing it by using experience.
The item was clearly aimed at the Sword Saint. This small bottle would
allow him to completely get rid of the backlash from the Transcendent skill
within a moment. It couldn’t be any more obvious who it was for… At least,
Jake didn’t think it could. Until he felt something poke his mind. It was faint
and weak, a mere request for him to open a channel of communication. He
had felt it once before, and as such, he allowed it in.
"It has been a while… hunter," the voice of the King echoed in his mind.
It was the same one he’d heard back in the tutorial… but different in many
ways too. It no longer carried disdain, but instead a feeling of respect and,
even more so, a sense of weakness.
"You really did survive, huh?" Jake answered through the link, having
had plenty of experience with telepathic links due to all his talks with Villy.
"In… some form… yes," the voice answered, already sounding weaker
than before. "I require that liquid… and I swear it will be of benefit to you…
on a King’s honor…"
Jake, still wearing the mask, frowned beneath it. "What kind of benefits?"
"…I…" The voice petered off as Jake felt the King enter slumber once
more. He barely registered the word and wasn’t sure of the meaning. He felt
like the King had wanted to say more without being able to… so now he was
too damn curious.
Returning his attention to the bidding, only around seven seconds had
passed, with the price currently at one-point-two-three billion Credits. The
current top bid was the Holy Church, and Jake was confused when the
undead overtook the bet with one ten million higher, only for the Holy
Church to bid again.
He hadn’t seen the Sword Saint place a single bid. Is he out of Credits?
It was possible he didn’t have a billion… but he should, right? Jake found
it hard to believe he didn’t. Jake still had around four billion even after
buying the bow and Sylphie’s Gift of Wind. That is to say… the other
factions didn’t stand a chance.
Jake was about to bid when he saw the price go up by another ten million.
The bidder? Sultan.
"You’re that rich?" Jake asked with exasperation.
The man just looked straight at him and answered with an unapologetic,
"Yes."
 "Well, this one is mine," Jake stated as he outbid Sultan by ten million.
He was then outbid by the Church, so he bid again, only for the undead to
bid, and just when Jake thought it was over, the bastards over at Valhal had
apparently convinced Carmen to also toss in a bid.
Jake refused to lose despite the price kept climbing one small step at a
time. It was to the level of just getting silly, with the price going up more
than twice every second due to the four factions bidding. Sultan was smart
enough to bow out, and the other major merchant Jake knew of, Arthur, had
not been part of the last phase, and was thus unable to bid even if he had the
funds.
The silly display continued for several minutes, with the other parties
dropping off one by one until, finally, Jake placed a bid of two billion, one
hundred and eighty million Credits, outbidding the Holy Church. It went
uncontested, as he theorized no one had the funds to keep up.
The bottle appeared in his inventory without further ado, and the system
spoke again.
"This marks the end of the final phase of the Auction event. All Credits
traded during this phase will be distributed among the participants of the final
phase of the Treasure Hunt, dependent on their level of contribution.
"For the remainder of the event, all participants are free to make use of
the space provided. May you find your path, denizens of the 93 rd Universe."
With that announcement, the system being disappeared like it had never
been there. It was honestly an anticlimactic end to the entire event.
However, he did note the system saying that it had distributed Credits.
Jake had spent quite a lot, landing below two billion after getting the Soul
Renewal. So when he checked his Credits after getting some back… well, it
was just comical to him.

Credits Available: 4,101,258,995

Jake was only down half a billion, despite being the person who’d spent
the most. He just shook his head and turned to Sultan, who sat beside him.
"How much did you get for contributions?"
"About six hundred thousand," the man answered.
"I got two hundred and twenty," Neil chimed in.
The others in his party had similar numbers. Jake chose to not share, and
they didn’t ask.
 Checking how much time of the auction event remained, he saw there
was still a bit left. A few hours, it seemed. It was likely time to trade and do
some politics. At least, that was what Miranda left to do shortly after, with
Sultan also taking his leave.
Jake had no immediate plans himself and couldn’t really go anywhere,
given that he had a bird sleeping on his head, and teleporting out of the booth
would likely be bad for her. So, he decided to just spend this time relaxing
and inspecting all of the stuff he had gained.
This entire auction had been a tad hit and miss, but he had gotten some
good stuff overall.
Once he got out… oh, boy, there were things to do. Cursed blades to
enhance, a Queen Bee egg to evolve and hatch, a King to awaken, and
equipment to test out. It was also truly time to get everything related to his
underground alchemy lab going. All in all, busy times ahead, just as he liked
it.
Chapter 20
 Soul Renewal

R eika had sat in the booth with her great-grandfather during the auction
for the Soul Renewal. She’d been confused at his refusal to bid, and
when it was finally sold without him even fighting for it, she failed to
hold herself back.
"Why—"
"Choices have consequences," he answered before she could even finish
her question. "I made a choice, and now I bear the burden of that choice. I
have already forced one change of season… Let’s not break the balance more
than necessary and force another."
Still finding the answer unnecessarily vague, Reika nevertheless nodded
and accepted his words. Deep in her heart, she just thought he was too proud
to use such an item. Perhaps a part of him didn’t want to spend the funds of
the clan on something so personal. Perhaps he truly did believe that he didn’t
need it… Maybe he even saw it as a test he had to overcome.
While Reika tried to take a logical approach and a scientific one where
possible—something that had become quite a bit more complicated after the
system—the Patriarch was different. He had always been a spiritual man who
believed there was more between heaven and earth. He had been a good
businessman, and logical when operating his corporate empire, but a part of
him had always found solace in the metaphysical. A solace and belief that
had now translated to power.
"I understand," she said with a nod as she got up. "I shall take my leave
and go discuss with the other branch managers now."
He just nodded slowly in return and closed his eyes to rest. The Sword
Saint, one of the strongest people on Earth, was still too weak to walk around
without his cane and found it exhausting. But… it was his choice.
Well… in some ways. Reika did believe he had enough Credits to
compete, but she was unsure if he could have beaten the competition.
Jake was powerful and influential in every way, even if he himself didn’t
seem to realize it very often. There were archers in the Noboru Clan who
would use the bow offered; some had had personal funds to afford a bid, at
least when it was below a hundred million. But none had made a bid out of
respect, and perhaps a touch of fear.
Reika understood why the Patriarch placed so much importance in
hopefully making him an ally, or at the very least, avoiding making him an
enemy. Which was exactly what she was going to talk to the branch
managers about… Delegation of her responsibilities.
Because shortly after returning from the auction event, it would be time
for her to begin her travel towards Haven. Of course, she would not leave
while the Patriarch was still in his current state. And if she did have to leave,
she at least had to make sure there would be no problems.

The rest of the auction event passed without anything noteworthy happening.
Jake had bound his bow to himself, chatted a bit with the others, and watched
over the still-sleeping Sylphie. When only ten minutes remained, everyone
returned to the booth and prepared to leave.
"Would you like to return to Haven right away, or stay in Skyggen a
while longer and make your own way back?" Miranda asked him.
"I think returning is best for me—and for the bird on my head," Jake
answered. He had also spoken to Caleb about his parents before leaving, so
him not returning to Skyggen was expected.
Neil, having just returned, chimed in, "I have compared some notes with
the space mages from Skyggen, and I think we are closer to a teleportation
circle than ever. Shouldn’t take more than a month from now."
"Nice," Jake said. "Should make the choice easier, then, if I can just go
visit again in a month or so."
With all of that decided, they just kept chatting, as Sylphie had yet to
wake up. Considering she was on his head, he assumed that counted as
physical contact, but he still wanted to make sure. Thus, he raised his hand,
pressing down on her like she was a hat on a windy day. The fluffy ball of
feathers was very squishy.
Miranda placed a hand on his shoulder just before the time expired, and
his vision shifted for a moment. Shortly, Jake found himself back in
Miranda’s office in Haven. Sultan appeared together with them, having had a
hand on the shoulders of Felicia and Roman to give them an easy trip back.
Jake had never actually considered using this method as fast travel, but it
appeared to work quite well, and it would in no way surprise him if other
factions did it.
"Now this is interesting," Sultan said just as they returned. "Very
interesting…"
"What is it?" Miranda inquired.
"I received the best title I could from the auction event, and have gained
some interesting new opportunities… Something for us to discuss at a later
time, for sure, especially now that the System Store is gone.”
Upon hearing that… Jake remembered something about how the System
Store would only be available until after the auction event, but he had
honestly thrown it to the back of his mind. He hadn’t used the store much
himself, instead relying on intermediaries like Sultan and Lillian. Honestly? It
wasn’t that big of a loss.
It would perhaps be a bit more difficult getting raw materials to mass-
produce potions with it gone, but luckily, Jake figured he had a large storage
by now to get him by. Still, before that ran out, he wanted to establish some
ways to cultivate his own herbs.
Jake got up and bid his farewells to go back to his lodge, telling Miranda
to have Hank come by to talk about the underground alchemy lab whenever
the builder got time.
He also discovered, while making his way back, that only around an hour
had passed in the real world during the event. Jake’s trip to the lodge wasn’t
the fastest, as he had to travel carefully due to the still-sleeping Sylphie on his
head. Could he have just lifted her down and held her in his hands? Sure. Did
he? No.
When he got back, he saw that not much had changed despite being gone
for a week. At least, not above ground. With his sphere, he saw people
underground, doing some stuff to the walls. Hank himself was not there, but a
bunch of other workers—including someone Jake had seen with the
construction chief of Haven—were present.
 Seeing no reason to bother them, he would just wait for Hank. Jake took a
seat on his porch and leaned back to relax. With a hawk on his head, Jake did
as anyone does when being done with a system event… He filled Villy in.
"So, Villy, got time?" Jake asked out loud as he established a connection
with the god.
Villy answered more or less instantly. "Just been waiting for you to call
first—didn’t want to disturb your talks with the other mortals. That is just
common courtesy, you know? Now give it to me. What happened in the event?
Any good stuff?"
"Awfully curious, eh? Missed me?"
"Yeah, been a real downer. You know, it’s like when you were just
watching a damn great video, and then suddenly the internet dies for a time,
and you just have to wait for it to get fixed as the video buffers. Excruciating
experience. In all seriousness, it is an unsettling experience for many gods if
their blessed are in special closed-off system spaces like that event. We have
no way to know anything about what you’re doing, no way to contact you,
and for many gods that aren’t me, it can even be dangerous, as they lose their
ability to influence or control the one they have blessed."
"That’s why we use that time to talk shit about the gods."
"Not gonna lie; that would be the best time to," Villy said. "But come
on… give me a rundown. Including why the Sylphian Hawk has consumed a
Gift of Wind."
Jake finally relented, quickly explaining how the event had unfolded. The
Viper was unsurprised and unimpressed at the entire thing, as apparently, it
had been bog-standard… until he reached the final round. When Jake
mentioned the system entity had appeared, he got especially interested.
"Yes… the shape they take differs. When you look at it, you see a human. I
see a snake… The hawk on your head probably saw a hawk there. Or a
human… It differs from individual to individual; it isn’t always a being of
your own race. As for the things you explained about how time and space
seemed weird… well, don’t try to think about it too much. Neither of those
concepts have much meaning when the system is directly involved."
"I know. I already gave up trying to understand it. But, how powerful is
the system actually?" He already kind of knew, but he wanted to learn it from
someone who should know more.
"The question itself is nonsensical. That would be like asking how strong
reality is. How strong energy is. How strong the concept of existence is.
There is nothing to quantify, nothing to compare. For a single event, the
system has recreated entire universes on a whim, created beings more
powerful than any god—even I—and it facilitates everything we are. Without
the system, none of us would exist. Everything is the system; the system is
everything. Just think about it like that.”
"So, overpowered times infinite?" Jake asked, half-serious, half-joking.
"Infinite times infinite, even!" Villy joked back.
"Huh. Where do I file a complaint about my bow only being legendary,
then? Could have given me a Bow of One-Shot or something."
"Sadly… it appears even the omnipotent system has limited powers in the
realms of customer support. Though, technically, you just having voiced or
even thought your complaints means they have been registered and are
known," Villy gladly answered.
"Well, I shall just make do, then," Jake relented, acting all offended.
"Anyway, the final phase had some good stuff…"
He mentioned the items one by one, and Villy was impressed with what
the system had given out. The Heart of Darkness and Dungeon Core were
both incredibly valuable items that would go for ludicrous prices in the wider
multiverse—if one could even buy them. The legendary equipment was all
great, too, though Villy honestly cared little for those. Jake knew he only
faked being all excited for Jake’s bow, but that was okay… It was like Jake
getting his very first beater car, then going to his friend’s supercar-filled
garage. Sure, he would act happy for you, but he wouldn’t exactly be
impressed.
Villy also found the Holy Marble a bit funny and said that the formation
for the Noboru clan and the Horn were also nice. According to him, both
would be useful for the rest of D-grade and a good way into C-grade before
they would begin falling off and requiring upgrades.
Only one item so far had actually impressed him: the Gift of Wind. It was
the kind of item that could never, in any way, be bought. It was an item that
even S-grade elementals would go on slaughter through entire galaxies to
obtain, and one which gods would duel over.
It was an item that was more qualitative than quantitative in power. The
exact effects, Villy was not sure of, but it would likely just result in Sylphie
upgrading a skill and affecting her Records for future evolutions. As she was
categorized as a monster, natural treasures could also perhaps give her levels,
though the Gift rarely did that. All in all… it was great for her.
 "The final item was a bottle of Soul Renewal," Jake said, having finished
summing up what they’d gotten.
"I have no idea what that is," Villy answered, with Jake hearing genuine
confusion in his voice.
Jake responded by summoning the bottle in his hand to show it off, then
Identified it again.

[Soul Renewal (Unique)] – A bottle of Soul Renewal offered directly by the

system due to Earth’s performance during the Treasure Hunt event. Soul
Renewal is able to heal any wound to the soul and restore any damage or
temporary affliction imposed upon it, including afflictions of the Truesoul.
Requirements: D-grade.

He waited for a moment, as Villy didn’t say anything. After ten or so

seconds, Jake was a bit weirded out. "So? Thoughts?"
It took a few seconds more before the god answered, "I can’t Identify it."
"What?"
"I said that I can’t identify it. I only get that it is an item called Soul
Renewal. There is no description of it. What does it do? I assume it helps heal
soul wounds or something?"
"Well, the description says that…"
Jake read the entire description out loud to the god, and he felt some
reactions through the link between him and Villy. Especially as he read the
last part and mentioned how the system had directly stated it could be used to
heal the backlash of using a Transcendent skill or a skill used to overcome
death. Jake did also mention the D-grade requirement, but according to Villy,
that didn’t even matter anymore.
"That is an entirely unique item created specifically for you and the old
swordsman… It… isn’t truly an item. It does something items can’t.”
Confused, Jake asked, "What do you mean, not an item?"
"That what you are holding might as well just be a bottle of purified
water. It isn’t what is in the bottle that matters. It is pretty much just a bottle
saying that the system will help whoever it is used on. There is nothing there.
No Records. No mana. No energy. It truly is just a bottle of… nothing.”
Hearing some resignation in Villy’s voice, Jake asked, "So I can’t eat it
with Palate or scry any information from it?"
"No. No one can. There is nothing to scry from nothing. But, do know this
does not make it any less useful. If you choose to hold onto it, I reckon you
could get a lot out of using it for someone in the wider multiverse. Even if the
limit is D-grade. But, I guess you plan on using it on your mask?"
Jake nodded in affirmation. "That is the temporary plan right now,
assuming I don’t find anything else. I am a bit unsure what it will mean,
though the King did say that he would make it worth my while. Even
promised it on a King’s honor, whatever that means."
"Sounds like a plan," Villy answered.
"Come on. Tell me, what is up with the King of the Forest? You said
Unique Lifeforms have weird ways and all that, but give me something.”
"No, that is between you two. All I will say is that you may have mixed
feelings about the entire thing," Villy answered, being purposefully vague
and annoying. "Also… I must say I gained a lot more respect for that old
man. He has chosen to suffer and live with the backlash over an instant cure.
While that may seem dumb, I applaud the decision. This period is an
important part of his Transcendence and something he has to experience.
This may seem out of the leftfield, but do you think he would be open to being
blessed by a god that may understand him?"
"I’m not sure about that. The Sword Saint seems stubborn, and while I
talked to him during the auction, it sounded like he rejected all gods trying to
contact him. But… what god were you thinking of? That Dao-guy you talked
about? Seems to fit.”
"No, not him. While it may look like he fits on the surface, what the Sword
Saint needs is not a teacher. The Daofather teaches and takes disciples. The
old man is no disciple, but a leader himself; he would not fit there at all. No,
what he needs is someone who only offers perspective and gives him the
power of the Blessing without much interference.”
Jake nodded, the words making sense to him.
"So… who did you have in mind?"
"The Primordial of Time, Aeon Clok."
Chapter 21
 Time Wizard & Future Plans

J ake had not heard much of the time god known as Aeon Clok… only
some basic stuff from conversations with Villy and some casual reading.
Out of all the Primordials Jake had heard of, he seemed like the hardest
one to pin down and understand. He kind of got most of the others.
They had religions, empires, orders, or domains they controlled. The
Wyrmgod had Nevermore, Yggdrasil was a massive fucking tree dominating
an entire region of a universe, the Starseizing Titan an even more massive
entity that liked smithing and being big. All of them were public, besides
two. Well, it used to be three, but Jake had kind of dragged Villy into the
spotlight again. Also, while Stormild did not have a faction, per se, the living
catastrophe still controlled a large domain and had many elementals
following her.
The two hidden ones were the dear Eversmile, who Jake honestly still
couldn’t understand, and Aeon. He was just a time mage or something who
liked to make watches, with the most on-the-nose last name "Clok."
"Can you give some information on the guy?" Jake asked Villy.
"Sure. Aeon Clok, Primordial of Time, the Watchmaker—bunch of other
names too, but that is just par the course. As far I know, he was a human
born to two F-rank humans on a planet with not a single D-grade. He
became a watchmaker as his profession, gained by working with his family,
and he was always intrigued with the concept of time. Mind you, all of this is
stuff I learned later, so it may be wrong or partially made up. He was the first
one to reach D-grade on his planet in centuries, but he didn’t stop there. He
kept experimenting, he kept making watches, and eventually, he reached C-
grade… without having killed a single thing. He was just a watchmaker, and
I heard his class hadn’t even reached level 100 by the time he was C-grade.
Entering the wider multiverse, it quickly became clear that he was a freaking
nightmare to deal with. B-grades tried to kill him in vain due to his magic.”
"Huh… he sounds somewhat impressive, but Primordial-level?” Jake
asked. “What made him so special? A Bloodline? Did he become a
Transcendent early on?"
"Bloodline, no… Transcendent… not before he reached S-grade. No, it
was simply his skills. His rarities were often two or three levels above what
they should be at his level, and his sheer comprehension of the concept of
time made him near unkillable. In late-stage B-grade, an entire group of S-
grades wanted to hunt him down, as he had acquired a natural treasure they
wanted. They hunted him into a world much like Yalsten… and only he exited
it, now firmly in A-grade. He had killed a group of thirty-seven S-grades, all
able to kill him in a single move if they got the chance… but they never did.
Moreover, he killed them without ever truly fighting them… for they all died
of old age. He trapped them and manipulated the world itself to accelerate
time.”
Jake was now beginning to get it. "Okay… that does sound pretty
badass.”
"His most impressive feat is not that, but what he did in S-grade as he
aimed to become a god. Ah, but one interesting thing was his motivation to
even become one. You see, wanting to become a god to become immortal is
normal. Wanting it for the power is normal. But Aeon wanted it for neither of
these… No, he just wanted time. The concept of immortality didn’t matter to
him—it was not about life or death—it was about the ultimate way to beat an
aspect of time as a concept. He wanted to steal time… to claim it. And that
was his Transcendence. The day he evolved to a god, he stole a moment of
time itself. For a moment, the entire multiverse froze… I still remember that
day as clear as was it yesterday. I was already a god, and the sheer sense of
wrongness was intense. I can’t begin to explain it. Out of all the
Transcendences I know of, his is the most complicated. I don’t even fully
understand it myself, but I do know I have no fucking idea how to kill him,
and that out of everyone in the multiverse, he may be the hardest to put down
permanently.”
Jake nodded along as he listened. He always liked hearing these stories of
gods and how they grew to power. It was like those old mythical tales, but
something that had actually happened, with a chance to meet the myth
themselves.
"I guess that leads to the question… what makes you think he is a good fit
for the Sword Saint? I do know he got younger and stuff, but I’m not sure it
was time magic. Also… are you sure Aeon will even bless him?"
"Eh, my plan was just to put the human on Aeon’s radar. As for why they
would fit together? Well, because they are similar in some ways. Both are
ridiculously stubborn and achieved their Transcendence by claiming
something as their own. The mortal claimed the concept of seasons, and I do
think his magic is somewhat time-adjacent. Honestly, even if I am wrong,
Aeon may just be interested, as the swordsman is interesting.”
"And what’s in it for you?" Jake asked. Villy wasn’t the type to help a
random old man out of the kindness of his heart, and based on the entire thing
with Stormild, Jake was certain he did a lot with his own agendas.
"In this case… I owe Aeon, so this can be part of paying back that debt.
He rarely blesses people, but that doesn’t mean he gets nothing out of it.
Also… I’ll be honest. I find the dynamic of focusing so many blessed by
Primordials on one planet interesting. I don’t know if this has happened
before in a newly integrated universe, ever. Especially not with Eversmile
and Aeon both involved.”
"Makes sense, I guess, even if it is a bit of a weak reason. Now… final
question on this matter: why the hell is he called Aeon Clok and not some
cool title? I already think Eversmile is stupid, but Aeon Clok? It sounds…
childish? Like, what… he is called a "long-time clock" or something?"
"Hah, always interesting hearing the opinions of those newly integrated,
as no one would find it silly in the multiverse. Maybe even get you labeled a
blasphemer and heretic to be hunted down. But you are actually correct.
Aeon’s last name was Clok, which was just his family name, as they made
clocks. And don’t even try to argue that is stupid, as your planet liked to
name people stupid stuff based on the parents’ jobs. Anyway, his first name is
the only one he chose, and he chose it to go with his last name. In some ways,
his goal was to become an eternal clock; a watch that would forever record
and be one with time itself.”
"You know surprisingly much about him for one so enigmatic," Jake
noted.
"Because I know him well. We spent a lot of time together, once upon a
time. Out of the other Primordials, he is someone easy to get along with for
me, even if he is quite peculiar.”
 "So, a friend?"
"Something like that," he answered.
"Well, then, be free to invite him for beers one day; he sounds interesting
enough, and it would be interesting to meet a god that had once been human."
Jake shrugged.
" Jake, if it was anyone else, I would interpret that as a joke, but with you,
I am genuinely unsure. Then again, there are few people who could even
handle being in the prolonged presence of one Primordial, much less two—a
concept you, for some reason, don’t seem to get."
"I was serious; why wouldn’t I want to meet a goddamn time wizard?"
"Because he could kill you if you said the wrong thing? Imprison you in a
tiny subdimension with accelerated time until you die of age, forever trapped
in total darkness with no stimuli, till nothing of you remains?"
"That doesn’t sound like a present-Jake problem, but a potential future-
Jake problem." Jake shook his head with a wry smile. "But enough about
that… I meant to ask, did you know my scimitar was something called a Sin
weapon?"
"Of course," the god answered.
"And you never told me?"
"You make it sound like that knowledge would have had any benefits. It’s
just a classification of a curse, so not sure what I should say, and it isn’t my
fault you never bothered to research the obviously very peculiar growth curse
on your own weapon. You knew what it did, didn’t you? But why are you
asking about it now?"
"Because I’m considering using these two and the curse on the scimitar to
create a new powerful weapon," Jake said as he pulled out the Chimera
weapon and the Root of Eternal Resentment. "Any thoughts on that?"
"Sounds fine. A pretty good idea, even," Villy answered.
"Nothing dangerous about it?"
"For you? Probably not. I believe your survival instincts should keep you
well enough in check to not try and slaughter something too powerful while
in the inevitable blood-fueled rampage that you will be under, as you kill
anything with vital energy you come across.”
"Explain?" Jake said, wanting the god to elaborate a touch on that one.
"Well, Jake, while you do have Pride to resist the effects of the curse, do
you honestly think you would be able to fully resist it? That Root has a lot of
curse energy within, and that Chimera weapon should be able to contain it,
as it seems very compatible, but when you transfer the curse, you integrate
with it even more. I don’t think this is a big problem, but I do think you want
to do it somewhere far away from anyone you don’t want to kill, but also not
somewhere you can’t kill anything. You need to sate the hunger of the curse
somewhat.”
"So, I will become a rampaging beast?" Jake asked, frowning.
"No… you will become a rampaging hunter. You will feel an
overwhelming compulsion to kill, and if this emotion was standing in
opposition with your Bloodline, I could see you resist it… but the thing is, it
doesn’t. In fact, I could be afraid it would amplify it. Hunger is a powerful
kind of sin—it is a very broad concept—and you cannot tell me you don’t
instinctively want to consume. Consume life as fuel to advance your own
power."
Jake kept frowning as he slowly nodded, unable to deny it. "So… find
some desolate area without any human settlements, but many beasts to kill
when I merge them?"
"Up to you. You can also find a human city to do it in, but the wild is
probably better, as you want to kill powerful beings, and I doubt you can find
many human settlements with enough worth killing. Besides, it would take too
long to slaughter E-grades.” The Viper said all this nonchalantly.
"Yeah, no, not going to slaughter an entire human city," Jake answered,
adding in his mind, Not without good reason, at least.
The thought surprised him about as much as the sentiment that he didn’t
even feel like it would be that horrible. He didn’t feel like killing humans—in
fact, he would very much prefer not to—but at the same time, he wouldn’t
hesitate if he felt like it was the best course of action.
"Again, your choice. Anything else interesting you wanna bring up?" the
god asked.
"Now that I have you… Advice on making my very first secret
underground alchemy lab?"
Hey, with Villy being a master alchemist and all, why not ask? The god
gladly answered, and Jake began going over his plans as he got feedback.
Especially when he asked about making an artificial sun from the Sun
Fragment. Jake had no experience with that kind of thing, so he learned a lot.
He also asked about things related to the Dustpollen Bee Queen and
advice on securing the best possible start for the insect. The god was actually
impressed Jake had managed to swipe up such a good treasure, and
emphasized that Jake did not half-arse it. If he did well, that Bee could be the
most beneficial thing he had gained from the auction in the long term.
His advice? Collect a mountain of D-grade cores from insect-like
monsters to use in a giant ritual with the Nucleus and try to give birth to a
powerful variant—the cores of other Queens being extraordinarily important.
Jake took it all in, and a plan began to form in his head regarding what to do
in the future to deal with both his Sin weapon issues and his D-grade core-
scarcity problem.
Because he remembered a certain area between Haven and Skyggen,
nicely out in the middle of nowhere, with a giant underground network of
insect monsters…
The two of them kept talking about a myriad of topics for a good while,
as Sylphie was still just sleeping. Jake himself was waiting for Hank or
someone else to arrive in order to get started with some underground
construction plans, and he honestly wasn’t in much of a hurry to get anything
done here and now.
But he planned to get construction started and get some work delegated
before he would head out again. Jake had obtained many items of high value
during the auction, but he couldn’t equip many of them yet. Which is to say
he needed levels. To get those, he planned on going on a hunting trip towards
the insect-infested area.
Because he had a feeling he would soon have plenty of time to do
alchemy, especially when Villy just said "soon" when asked about that off-
world teleportation thing he kept talking about. Of course, for an immortal
god, soon could mean in a million years, but Jake believed they would be a
tad faster than that.
Shortly after he ended his conversation with Villy, he detected movement
as three people entered the valley. It was Hank and two of the people he
usually worked with. When Jake saw him get closer, he went to greet him—
bird still on his head—and he was pleasantly surprised when he finally laid
eyes on him.

[Human – lvl 100]

"Congratulations on the evolution," Jake said with a smile.

"Thanks," he answered, not even mentioning Sylphie on his head despite
his two colleagues staring a bit. "Now, I heard you have some ideas for the
underground lab… but before you say anything, does it have anything to do
with those?" Hank pointed to a stack of massive, black metal gates lying on
the ground, having created a small crater.
"Yes?"
"Well, then, you gotta help us set it up… because none of us can lift
them, and they are too unhandy even if we manage to work together," he
explained. "I can’t even put them in my special storage due to their
properties. It is some weird metal you have gathered."
"Oh…" Jake answered, the thought having not even crossed his mind
before. Well, he did know he couldn’t put them in his own storage, and he’d
guessed that was just due to their size and weight, but maybe they truly
couldn’t be put in storage.
He summoned the Cube he had managed to get the Sun Fragment into
and failed again, more or less confirming the gates’ magic resistance also
expanded to that.
"No problem—I’ll help," Jake said.
"Great. Now, are you up for a tour of how it currently looks down there,
and future plans?" Hank asked.
What a silly question… Fuck, yeah, he was.
Chapter 22
 Jake's Laboratorium & To-do List

J ake carried the heavy-as=fuck gate down towards the underground,

having left the still-sleeping Sylphie back in the lodge, as having a bird
on your head while working on construction was considered a safety
violation by Haven’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(HOSHA).
Hank was also carrying one as they tried to get them all down and in
position. The two other workers had tried to carry one, and while they could,
they quickly noticed a problem… The ground beneath their feet.
See, the problem for them wasn’t necessarily that they couldn’t lift it
using certain skills, but that it would be like walking through a bog with your
feet sinking down to your knees due to the sheer weight with every step.
Hank managed to avoid this by using some skill similar to water walking,
making every one of his steps seem to hit a far larger area. On the other hand,
Jake used a few different methods, like wrapping it in strings and lifting it up,
while condensing platforms of mana to step on to lessen the stress caused by
his feet on the ground.
Now, while Hank could carry the gates himself, that wasn’t all one had to
do to get them installed. When Jake reached the tunnels, he saw that the
tunnel had been equipped with what looked like a large doorframe that went a
few meters into the soil around it.
Currently, they were in the tunnel dug into the cave leading down to the
biodome with the dungeon in it. This tunnel led into the alchemy lab under
construction and served as one of two entrances. The first entrance was
directly below the lodge itself, while the second was through this cave. They
had also discussed having another tunnel connect the biodome and the lab,
but had decided against it for a few reasons. Primarily because the biodome
area would likely become more populated once more people began actually
using the dungeon.
Something Jake learned Neil and his party were planning on doing soon.
Felicia and Roman would probably also want to try it shortly after getting a
few more people to go with them. Or they would do it as a group of two…
though Jake didn’t think they could currently.
The doorframe itself was heavily fortified once they got to it. In fact, the
entire tunnel was enchanted and reinforced with several pillars and beams to
keep it stable and—perhaps more importantly—incredibly durable. Jake
could still break it, but he doubted anyone below D-grade could. Not without
a lot of effort, at least.
Of course, it would all be made stronger with time, but for now, it was
fine, and once they got some barriers and stuff in place, it should be even
better.
"Yeah, hold it just like that," Hank said as they finally managed to get the
gates into the large tunnel.
Jake was amazed how well they fit, but learned this was because the man
had spent part of the week Jake was gone to make sure it would. He held it all
up as Hank attached the two gates on hinges, dropping them down and
making the ground shake a bit. Hank did some stuff on them one by one, and
the two people with him got to work. They did something that almost looked
like welding to fasten it even more and reinforce the entire thing.
"So, how will the gate open?" Jake asked as they were working on
attaching it fully.
"By having enough strength to make the gates move," Hank answered.
"There are methods to enchant the hinges and implement an opening
mechanism, but doing so right now will be incredibly difficult. We will also
have to isolate those enchantments, as the metal the door is made from almost
gives off a magnetic field that isolates it from other energies. Great for not
caring about having small gaps in the side of the doorframe, not that good for
making automatic door-opening devices. Maybe an analog one can be made,
but it will need a lot of force."
Jake shrugged. "Works for me fine so far. Any plans on how to make the
door work at the other entrance?"
"Made some modifications, like adding a small entrance area once you
drop down where the gate can be put. The drop itself is not large enough to
support getting a gate through, so we will have to carry it through the
underground complex through this entrance. Anyway… before that, let me
show you around the place.” Hank then took Jake through the newly installed
gates, leaving the two workers the builder had brought with him to continue
their work.
The tour made one thing clear… Jake really was getting a bit more than
just a lab. It was an entire underground complex, and he even saw that a part
of it had several stories. A lot of the multistory part of the complex was what
Hank described as the living area, which included a few bedrooms, a
meditation chamber—that was apparently popular, according to Hank—and a
massive library.
One of the biggest rooms by far was the lab itself. It was large and
currently mostly bare, with tiles covering the floor and what looked like a
black, glass-like coating on the walls and ceiling.
"The tiles, walls, and ceiling are all covered in three layers of materials,"
Hank explained. “Towards the outer edge is a coating of a metal a lot like
tungsten, which is incredibly durable and will keep outside energy from
leaking through the soil. The middle layer is a silver-like metal that is very
mana-conductive and enchanted with several enchantments to strengthen and
isolate. The last layer is the glass you see, which is incredibly suitable for
reflecting and containing energies. In fact, you could view this entire room as
a big bottle.”
"So, nothing leaks out of here?" Jake asked.
"Should be able to contain all kinds of poison you toss at it, including
nearly all kinds of acids. But be careful, because it is still somewhat
susceptible to physical damage, so don’t begin shooting that bow in here.
Overall I am quite proud of it, and for the entrance to the lab itself, the plan is
to make an airlock-type system."
"Wouldn’t it work to just put another gate there to isolate the lab?" Jake
followed up.
"For a time, sure. But the gates are made to resist energies, while I know
your poison can sometimes get more than purely energy-based. From what I
understand, these gates were made to isolate from curse energy and not
poison. Finally, while they resist magic, they are not immune to it at all.
Prolonged exposure to the kind of poison you described wanting to make
would be a bad idea." Hank shook his head.
Jake nodded in understanding. His plan was to make the alchemy lab into
a poison-filled hellhole for anyone but himself to create poison in. The
atmospheric poison would provide him with increased mana regen at all
times, help feed his Palate, and even allow him to place a few plant boxes in
there—which would naturally contain poisonous plants.
Potions and elixirs and whatnot, he would just make somewhere else, like
the meditation chamber. When making poison, the problem was that you
pretty much needed an isolated lab due to the fumes and escaping energy
being harmful. Energy also escaped while making potions or elixirs and other
beneficial products, but getting a whiff of health potion fumes wasn’t going
to kill anyone, while a good whiff of Necrotic Poison fumes could melt your
nose off and erode your lungs.
He still remembered when he’d made poison in the valley above, and the
black patch of grass where he had done it.
The rest of the tour was not that interesting, as it was all still under
construction. There was no furniture of any kind, and the walls were still only
halfway done. Jake had to admit, he had expected it to just be an underground
cave, but they were cutting out the walls, hardening the soil to turn it into
stone, and then shaping it to make the walls look like concrete. Hank even
asked if he preferred a certain color to paint them. Jake didn’t, and just let the
interior designer handle it. Because that was also a thing. It was slowly taking
the form of a modern-looking apartment, if you ignored the lack of windows.
After the general tour, Jake helped get the second gate in position on the
hinges directly below his lodge. As a final thing, Hank brought Jake to a
room he had wondered about, especially as he had noticed some rather
complicated work done above and around it.
The room, which was more a cave, looked like some kind of basin, and
sat directly below the pond above. Jake saw pipes in the walls leading
upwards, two on each side.
"A swimming pool?" he asked.
"No, it was actually meant to be a water storage, as I know alchemists
tend to need a lot of water," Hank answered, giving Jake a deadpan look.
"Oh… that’s also smart.”
"Well, then, wanna see it fill?" the man asked with a smile, showing Jake
some controls over at the side.
"This entire system is created by Arnold. I will be honest—I don’t quite
get it, but you can use the system to take water from the pond above and even
reverse the flow on other pipes to jump water up there. The pond itself has a
natural drainage, and the waterfall provides a source, making it quite a good
place to get water from. Ah, and the pipes are enchanted, so nothing living
can even enter them, meaning you don’t have to get scared of any of those
small eels getting through. You can even use these controls to raise barriers
and section off certain parts if you want to create water with specific
affinities.”
Jake nodded. The basin, in his defense, did look like a large swimming
pool. It was around thirty meters long, twenty meters wide, and an impressive
five meters deep. As he stared at it, he got an idea.
"Can you show me how to do that sectioning-off thing?" Jake asked.
"Sure," the man answered, giving Jake a quick rundown of the control
panel. The panel looked like a mix between an 80s computer and a sci-fi
machine, featuring overly large buttons, levers, 3D displays, and screen with
a horrible resolution—that displayed blocky words and illustrations.
Jake had to admit… Arnold was stupidly smart, if weird as fuck, and
possibly a bit insane. Then again, who wasn’t these days?
The entire pool had been made so underground pipes connected every
section, meaning one could transfer from one end of the pool to the other
without any issues. Creating sections involved walls of that glass-like
material used in the lab, and the more he played with it, the more sure he
became of this plan.
He manipulated the basin, causing a wall of glass to appear and section
off an area around two and a half meters long and wide, creating a box. It was
the smallest he could do, and it was just fine.
"Before we fill it, let’s just toss this bad boy in there," Jake said as he
took out a small stone and threw it into the empty section of the basin he had
just created. He had actually planned to use it on the pond above, but this
seemed even better.
The stone he tossed?
It was the Dewstone from the Treasure Hunt.

[Dewstone of Serenity (Legendary)] – A small stone created by the combined

effort of a group of water nymphs to help heal a close friend. A powerful
vampire eventually acquired this stone and brought it to Yalsten, where it has
been ever since. Will passively transform surrounding water by infusing the
power of serenity into it. Effect lessens, and transformation progresses
slower the larger the pool of water. Has many alchemical uses.
 With it, he planned on infusing a section of the basin and creating his
very own special Serene Water. Hank saw him throw it and shook his head.
"That stone looks more expensive than this entire complex."
Jake shrugged. "Maybe it is, but now it’s part of the complex and adding
to the value. Anyway, let’s get started?"
The builder agreed, and Jake and Hank began draining a bit of water from
above. He first filled up parts of the larger pool, but set it to only drain a little
to not empty the pond above. Then he redirected some of the water into the
cube he had sectioned off. Ah, but again, only enough to raise the water a
couple of centimeters, not even submerging the Dewstone.
Minutes passed as the pool slowly filled, and Jake felt the water around
the Dewstone be affected. Then, a few more minutes later, he felt like a
switch had been flipped, and the water began giving off a faint glow. He
Identified it.

[Serene Water (Rare)] – This water calms the mind of anyone who consumes
it, allowing them to more easily focus while suppressing the effects of most
mental afflictions. Continued consumption will help heal minor soul injuries.
Has many alchemical uses.

"Great success," Jake commented.

Hank agreed with a thumbs-up, saying, "Well, this was what this
sectioning feature was built for."
Jake spent a bit more time manipulating the control panel and filling up
the cubicle of water with the Dewstone in it. He also set it to only fill the
basin slowly to avoid draining the water above too much, then put the entire
system to "automatic water-renewal mode," which would—as the name
suggested—automatically fill the basin with water whenever he drained it.
Leaving the basin room, the two of them finished with the tour, and Jake
had to admit… it was way better than he had expected.
"Honestly, you guys went above and beyond," Jake said with a smile once
he was back up in his lodge and chilling with Hank and the two workers, who
were taking a break after finishing some preliminary work on both gates.
"Just doing our jobs, and it was Louise who did all the designing,” Hank
said. “Besides, you saved our lives. I would be dead right now without you,
and even if I was still alive, I doubt I would have ever made it to D-grade.”
"You’re good at what you do; I think you could have," Jake answered.
"But thanks… I really appreciate all the work you and Louise did. The work
all of you did."
The last part was to the two workers, who gladly accepted the words. Jake
wasn’t wearing his mask, as he was beginning to feel a bit better about going
without. Months ago, he wouldn’t even have considered it, but now he felt
like there wasn’t any need. He could feel how the two workers had an almost
unhealthy level of respect towards him, and Hank’s sincerity was
unquestionable, so hiding his face before them was unnecessary.
The group kept chatting, and Jake gave a few potions to Hank for him and
his workers as they took their leave. Jake honestly didn’t have that many
anymore due to selling them at the auction… which meant he knew what he
had to do.
A to-do list to do.
First up: Grind potions and create a good stockpile for himself and even
some for the city, if necessary.
Secondly: Stock up on elixirs and get himself fully capped out using
those too. Perception all the way, of course.—
Thirdly: All the research. Investigate rituals, curses, methods, and
whatnot to create the cursed Chimera Sin weapon. Also, research rituals
related to the Pollendust Bee Queen and, finally, methods for creating an
artificial sun.
Fourth: Begin growing a garden, or at least make plans to. Maybe even
talk to Miranda about whether there were other alchemists in the city or
willing to join the city who could assist in this.
Fifth: Through the effect of prior points, get levels, become able to equip
—and become familiar with—at least a good portion of his newly acquired
equipment.
Finally: Begin the trek towards the insect plains to do the curse ritual.
But before going, and after all his other preparations…
He had a King to awaken.
Chapter 23
 Oh, Gosh, It's a Time Skip!

M iyamoto stood on the flat hill as the rain fell around him, mixing with
the blood of the beasts he had slain. He wielded his blade as the
leader of this beast horde growled before him but didn’t dare to
attack. The Sword Saint smiled and bent his knees.
"Rainblade."
The rain around him moved at his command, his skills more responsive
and powerful than before. The battle was swift but explosive as he cut down
his foe, taking only a few minor wounds in return.
"Better," he muttered to himself as a figure appeared beside him.
"You are about as powerful as you were when we battled," the former
Monarch of Blood, Iskar, said.
Miyamoto nodded, understanding this himself. He had still not regained
all of his levels, and needed seven more in total… but that he was already as
strong as back then was proof of how much his skills had grown. Not only in
rarities, but also in conceptual improvement.
Right now, he was in his winter. The period where he was weakened and
regaining what he had lost. After he had regained all his levels, he knew that
he would be able to invoke Springtime Advent once more, and the second
time, the consequences would be less severe. Not because the Transcendence
had become less powerful, but because he would have become closer to what
he was always meant to be.
Springtime Advent was not only about claiming power. It was about
claiming a different him, a different Sword Saint that had walked the path
closest to his heart. A selfish swordsman who only had the rain and his blade
as company.
 Perhaps one day, the skill would cease to matter… but for now, it was not
only a power-up, but a guide to his future. A guide to power.
As for why Iskar was here… the divine artifact had already imprinted
upon Miyamoto. While he could leave it back at home, he had chosen to wear
it, as more effects had begun to appear. The constant whispers of embracing
the Gift of Sanguine and ascending to a higher form were tiring, but the
temptation was useless against him.
Because he had already seen his ideal, and that was not one where the
rain was red.
Three months after the Treasure Hunt, he had finally managed to get back
most of what he had lost and knew that the last seven levels would be simple.
The levels lost were evenly split among his class, profession, and race, and
every time he gained a level, it would be to all three at once. Luckily, the
method in which he gained them did not matter either. He could do it by
painting, fighting, or merely meditating on the blade.
"Let us continue," he said as he placed the blade inside his new scabbard
and took out a paintbrush.
He placed it upon the canvas that was the horizon and painted himself
standing at the edge of it. Miyamoto finished it by infusing power, the rain
around him functioning as ink.
Iskar disappeared, and the Sword Saint stepped through the plane of
water that was his painting, only to appear more than a thousand kilometers
away. He was out of a lot of mana but otherwise ready to begin yet another
hunt.

The Malefic Viper leaned back in the chair, enjoying the backdrop of cogs
and wheels turning in infinite patterns throughout the room. All of it was one
well-oiled machine that both existed and was merely a metaphysical
representation of the concept of time.
Beside him sat a smiling man. He had orange hair, glasses, and a clean-
shaven face. He wore a well-fitted black suit, but there were a few stains on
the sleeves from his work. Vilastromoz doubted the man would be considered
handsome by human standards, as his face was rather long and angular and
didn’t have many of those traditionally handsome traits.
 Not that Aeon had ever cared much about how others perceived him.
"Have you made a decision yet?" the Viper asked his old friend.
The two of them had observed the Sword Saint ever since Vilastromoz
had his talk with Jake nearly three months ago. He hadn’t heard much of the
heretic since then, aside from a few curses in his name—proof he was no
doubt busy.
Aeon turned to him, his face relatively neutral. "He is incredibly powerful
for a D-grade… within the epitome of talent, no doubt. His Transcendence
also appears rather impressive, as it clearly impacts his future growth
positively, turning the backlash into opportunity. Moreover, above both these,
his sheer skill with a sword and constant growth still stand. Personality-wise,
there are no complaints either."
"But?" Vilastromoz said. There was always a but.
“Tell me, Vilas, what is the most impressive thing about him, in your
eyes?" Aeon asked.
"His mentality and approach to life," the Viper said without hesitation.
The Sword Saint was powerful because of many things, but the things
that made him powerful were his mentality and life approach. Jake was a lot
the same. You could give someone else his Bloodline and talent in energy
manipulation, but without his sheer will and mind, the Bloodline could as
easily become a pure hindrance, no more useful than an inborn Sin curse.
"Yes… partly," Aeon answered. "This man has truly died once… or at
least been reborn. Do you believe that?"
Vilastromoz frowned. "Are you sure? Usually, you can feel it, and I am
not sure how he would have? Without Yggdrasil or some sublime natural
treasure, it shouldn’t be possible."
"I would agree… which is why I am uncertain if he ever truly died or was
merely reborn. A rebirth without death, if you may. A conceptual one.
Moreover… this did not happen after the integration of the 93 rd Universe…
but many decades before. It is a mystery, likely even to himself."
The Viper couldn’t help but break into a smile as he understood. "A
mystery you aim to explore?"
Aeon returned his smile, having clearly made up his mind. “Yes.”
Jake had a bucket list of things to do, and do the bucket list he did. From the
beginning, he grinded out potions like a madman. He did some preliminary
research on making uncommon potions, but still found them above his
abilities, as the common-rarity ones spanned quite a lot. So common ones he
made.
He spaced out his activities, doing everything on the list to avoid it
getting too samey. Whenever he got bored making potions, he researched
curse rituals a bit, and whenever that got boring, he made a few elixirs and
chugged those down.
Lillian had handed him the entire storage she had purchased from the
System Store while it was available, giving him quite the haul. He should be
good for a while when it came to all basic ingredients for most potions and
low-ranking elixirs.
Sylphie had ended up sleeping for nearly an entire week straight, and on
the third day, her parents returned, both incredibly worried. Jake had to
convince them both she had just eaten something good and was digesting it,
which seemed to calm them down a little. Especially when he promised to
look after her.
The lab was also soon getting done, but there was still work to do, and
while they no doubt could have it all done, Jake didn’t want to make Hank
focus more resources than necessary on it. Many other construction projects
were underway that also needed the best builders Haven had to offer, so Jake
couldn’t monopolize them.
When Sylphie finally woke up, Jake hadn’t felt anything different from
her at first, but she told him that the wind was slightly louder. Jake wasn’t
sure what exactly she meant, but she said it was a good thing, so it was all
good.
She had taken off into the forest and, last he heard, managed to join up
with her parents to spend some quality time together by murdering beasts.
Speaking of quality time… the teleportation circle to Skyggen had been
established, and Jake had his family visit him. They had only come by for a
day and hadn’t met anyone besides Jake and Miranda. His parents had come
with Caleb, with Maja staying home to take care of the kid, and while it was
only brief, as they knew Jake was busy, it had been pleasant. Sultan was also
a happy man, as his trade network had just expanded significantly. Oh, and
Jake could now get dark-affinity stuff more easily.
Anyway, back on the alchemy front, Jake had crafted around a thousand
potions in total of different variety. Around four hundred mana potions, four
hundred health potions, and two hundred stamina potions. Of those thousand,
he had given out the majority to others or sold them using Sultan. However,
he had naturally kept the best for himself for a rainy day.
For elixirs, he actually hadn’t needed that many. Jake had just crafted
thirty-three Perception elixirs giving 5 each, and that had gotten him capped
again. Nothing to scoff at, as thirty-three times 5 was still 165 extra
Perception before all bonuses.
On the research front, Jake was beginning to have a good idea of what he
wanted to do with the curse ritual. He had to admit, he had put off finding out
more about the Pollendust Bee Queen ritual to focus more on the Sin weapon.
He found that the curse ritual wouldn’t be that difficult; it would just be
taxing. He had considered using the legendary Carbonic Catalyst, but all
research indicated that would be unnecessary or even mess something up.
In fact, the primary thing he needed for the ritual wasn’t about the ritual
itself, but keeping himself calm during it. For that, he had prepared a certain
something: a vat full of Serene Water. This was only to get him through the
hardest part, as he was becoming more and more sure that keeping his head
cool throughout it all would be impossible.
His research had been done through a variety of means. He had, of
course, Sagacity, but the knowledge gained from that was often a little iffy
and ultra-specified in certain areas. It could randomly contain some insights
into creating an artificial sun, but not a whiff on how to grow a plant.
Thus, he had used his other method: all the books. One had to remember,
the first thing Jake had found during the Treasure Hunt was a bookshelf with
valuable books. With Reika, he had also raided an alchemy lab full of even
more books, and just generally throughout the Hunt, he had found books in
Vaults. He also still had the ones from the Challenge Dungeon. All of this is
to say that Jake actually had a lot of books to put in the library down in his
alchemy lab, and had made sure that was one of the first areas to be finished.
When it came to growing a garden, Jake had put some feelers out, but
Haven didn’t really have any alchemists of note. Miranda had taken it upon
herself to try and recruit some, and it had been just in time, as she had
received a message from Saya and Skyggen a month and a half ago that
stated Reika was about to head out. She would bring with her the alchemists
of the Noboru clan, which should fix Jake’s gardening issue. So now he just
had to wait for them to arrive. Oh, and about the artificial sun… He hadn’t
even begun to do anything regarding that. Too much to do.
Anyway, all of this had naturally led to one more thing: levels.

*’DING!’ Profession: [Heretic-Chosen Alchemist of the Malefic Viper] has

reached level 132 - Stat points allocated, +10 Free Points*

*’DING!’ Profession: [Heretic-Chosen Alchemist of the Malefic Viper] has

reached level 138 - Stat points allocated, +10 Free Points*

Seven profession levels in two months and three weeks didn’t seem like a lot,
and for Jake, it honestly wasn’t. But this time had primarily been spent doing
research and crafting products he had made many times before, so it wasn’t
unexpected.
And with profession levels also come the sweet race levels.

*’DING!’ Race: [Human (D)] has reached level 138 - Stat points allocated,
+15 Free Points*

*’DING!’ Race: [Human (D)] has reached level 139 - Stat points allocated,
+15 Free Points*

*’DING!’ Race: [Human (D)] has reached level 140 - Stat points allocated,
+15 Free Points*

Now, level 140 did not normally mean anything special besides being a
multiplicative of ten, and humans liked that kind of thing, but for Jake, it
meant it was time to get a new coat and a new stabby-tool.

[Nightprowler Armor (Ancient)] – Armor created from the hide of a

powerful C-grade Nightprowler variant. The hide is incredibly sturdy against
physical and magical attacks, especially piercing and slashing blows. Due to
the Records left by the Nightprowler, any time you are not under direct
sunlight, activate the passive ability Shadow Prowl, increasing all effects of
 stealth-based abilities as shadows hide you. The armor also slowly repairs
while not under direct sunlight. Enchantments: +300 Perception, +250
Agility, +100 Endurance. Shadow Prowl. Shadow Mend.
Requirements: Lvl 140+ in any humanoid race.

[Bloodfeast Dagger (Ancient)] – A dagger created from the bones of slain

enemies of Yalsten, all melded together to create a ceremonial dagger
typically only used during the Bloodfeast, a sacred tradition among
vampires. Once Yalsten fell, the dagger was left in the pool of the last
Bloodfeast, forgotten. The dagger is extremely sharp, and any cut made with
it will result in increased bleeding. Blood spilled using this dagger will have
its properties improved. Enchantments: Bloodfeast.
Requirements: Lvl 140+ in any humanoid race.

He had put the armor on right away and sold his old one back to Sultan.
As for the dagger, he didn’t replace anything due to the broken Nanoblade.
He had handed it to Arnold long ago, but had also told the man to only try
and do something with it if he had the time.
With the new armor on, he instantly felt the effects. It felt like everything
was slightly darker around him while underground in his lab, and
instinctively he was aware that he was more hidden. Jake wasn’t usually the
sneakiest sort, but he did believe this armor would help, and to be honest… it
did give him some ideas related to his own Expert Stealth skill.
He had also naturally put on the bracers he had bought.

[Bracers of Cursed Thorns (Epic)] – A pair of bracers formed from the vine
of an unknown but highly toxic plant-like lifeform by a vampire from Yalsten
long ago. Allows the user to infuse the bracers with mana, releasing highly
toxic thorns that can be used in melee or ejected as projectiles. Due to the
remnant connection with the main body during the crafting process of these
bracers, a curse was placed upon them to release spikes that penetrate the
wearer’s body, injecting the highly toxic poison.
Enchantment: +250 Vitality, +150 Agility. Cursed Thorns.
Requirements: Lvl 135+ in any humanoid race.

These were cursed, sure, but it wasn’t the kind of curse whispering stuff
into your ears, just the sort that liked to stab your forearms.
Jake decided this would have to be good enough, as he didn’t want to
grind five more levels to put on his new legguards. Jake had already
upgraded his bracers, bow, quiver, dagger, and chest armor through the
Auction, and he believed that had to be enough.
However, he did discover one thing… He didn’t get full value from his
new chest armor. He was missing some Agility, and he quickly noticed the
reason: that darn equipment cap. Villy had told him long ago how one could
only have an extra twenty percent in a single stat. Jake had luckily saved up
115 Free Points and decided to put it into Agility, as, quite frankly, he needed
the stat.
This still meant he was missing 42 Agility, but he would eventually get
those just by leveling. This is to say, it didn’t really matter much.
With that… Jake had more or less done everything he felt like he needed
to do before heading out. He had a plan for the curse ritual in place, the items
gathered to make it happen, and delaying it any longer felt unnecessary.
Now, the Chimera weapon still had a level requirement of 150, but Jake
felt things should be fine. In fact, he was certain the requirements would
change to Soulbound anyway. Heck, it was probably at least somewhat
beneficial, as Jake couldn’t bind it, meaning the curse had to overcome the
weapon by itself. This would consume a tiny bit of the energy, but with the
sheer quantity within the Root, that didn’t matter at all.
On that day, Jake left Haven and headed towards the place he had chosen
to name the Insect Plains. Not the most artistic or original name, but he
wasn’t known to do that anyway. A part of him considered doing his first
order of business in Haven, but he ultimately decided it was probably safer to
do that somewhere far away lest it result in a battle.
As Jake took off, he spoke to the mask on his face.
"Soon," he promised—something he had done several times during these
last two months and three weeks or so.
Jake felt an emotion of recognition from the King within, but also a sense
of annoyance and impatience, as though he had just been left on a cliffhanger.
Chapter 24
 A King Reborn

J ake traveled for just over a full day before reaching the place he had
dubbed the Insect Plains. The plains themselves looked idyllic besides
giant, hill-sized mounds and holes covering the ground. Occasionally he
saw insects crawl out, but none of them were even above level 60.
The insects were all termites. Giant, dog-sized termites. However, as he
stood there and felt below the ground with his sphere, he did detect
movement of larger ones—ones the sizes of cars. Jake guessed these were the
D-grades, or maybe just powerful E-grades. Either way, he would hunt them
soon enough.
But for now, he had a mask that wanted awakening.
Honestly, there weren’t any preparations to be made. Jake just went a
short distance from the plains and found a nice, grassy hill overlooking it in
the distance. There, he took off his mask and, using his Alchemical Flame,
burned away a patch of grass a few meters across. Then he placed the mask
in the center and took out the bottle of Soul Renewal.

[Soul Renewal (Unique)] – A bottle of Soul Renewal offered directly by the

system due to Earth’s performance during the Treasure Hunt event. Soul
Renewal is able to heal any wound to the soul and restore any damage or
temporary affliction imposed upon it, including afflictions of the Truesoul.
Requirements: D-grade.

"Are you ready?" Jake asked, getting no response. Yet he had a feeling
the King was aware. Waiting.
 Jake himself was ready for whatever would happen when he poured the
liquid on the mask. With a string of mana, he manipulated the bottle, opening
it and tipping it for the liquid to fall out. It hit the mask but did not spill off it.
Instead, it appeared to sink into the mask and become one with it. With every
drop that hit the mask, Jake felt more awareness and consciousness return to
the King, and as the bottle emptied and the final drop fell, his vision shifted.
He felt an aura’s rebirth.

The landscape was bare as a figure appeared. Jake instantly felt everything
around him, perceiving the entire infinite space, and just by feeling that, he
knew where he was.
At the same time, he also felt his body outside. The last time he had found
himself within the odd space was back during the Trial of Myriad Poisons,
where he’d fought the draconic version of himself. Well, it hadn’t really been
a fight.
Yet there was also something else there. A mask lying on the ground,
mimicking how it looked in the outside world.
Jake patiently waited, and soon enough, he heard a voice echo in his
mind, no longer weak and tired.
"You have come far in a short time, hunter," the King said in his mind.
At the same time, the mask lifted itself off the ground. Out of it sprouted
a root-like tentacle that further split into dozens of parts every second, taking
on a humanoid form. A fleshy black form with a mask on it soon stood before
him, with the bark-like skin slowly growing on it as the hands and feet turned
ivory and clawed.
This happened both within this weird space he believed was his soul and
in the outside world.
"And you have come back to life," Jake commented as he Identified the
Unique Lifeform before him.

[Fallen King – lvl 140]

"It is questionable if this fallen one was ever truly dead… or perhaps I
was. My body was destroyed, but I managed to preserve a fraction of my soul
to rebuild. I merely needed a new vessel to facilitate that recovery… and that
vessel was you.” The King’s explanation was surprisingly forthcoming.
"Very open, huh?" Jake commented.
He was busy feeling out the aura of the King, both in this space and in the
outside world. Many doubts dominated his mind, like why the King of the
Forest was now called the Fallen King, and also why he felt an odd
connection with the King still there. Most surprisingly was that he still had
the mana from the mask… which had to mean it still existed, despite now
clearly being on the being in front of him. Or was the mask the one wearing
the body? So many questions.
"Deceit will offer me no benefit in this scenario, while truthfulness may
lead to a conclusion we are both satisfied with," the King said as he moved
his clawed hand, opening and closing it. "As you no doubt know by now, my
return does not mean the severance of what binds me to you. My mere
presence within your Soulspace should be proof enough of this."
"No, no, it is not proof enough," Jake said. "I know close to nothing about
soul magic in comparison to you, but what I do know is that you being here
isn’t normal. You said I wouldn’t regret resurrecting you, but would gain
something instead… so don’t leave out any details."
Jake didn’t let his attention leave the King as he felt the Unique Lifeform
move both inside this Soulspace—as the King called it—and in the real
world. The King could apparently exist in both places at once, while Jake was
only aware of the outside due to his Sphere of Perception. This only proved
his point of who knew more about soul stuff.
"Very well… When I fell, I managed to keep a fragment of myself alive
within the mask to one day return. You obtaining the mask and linking it to
your soul served as the fuel to what would one day give me enough energy to
regain awareness. That day was when you reached the same level at which I
was slain. The fuel was your very mana as you channeled it through the
mask, amplifying a portion of your soul to increase your mana capacity. Your
evolution to D-grade was the time a faint ray of consciousness appeared, and
since then, I have been slumbering within, experiencing only dreams. Ah, but
I did see that healer who dared stare upon my exposed soul so openly. I made
him aware of his folly with a subtle threat to rip his soul apart.” The King
explained the last part with great joy.
Jake, still debating if he should believe everything, frowned. "So, you’ve
been leeching off me?"
 "Symbiotically growing with you. To begin with, I am a symbiote over
anything else. This vessel you see before you is one I crafted myself and
adopted as my primary Soul Shape.”
Still unsure, Jake had flashbacks to his battle with the King of the Forest.
He had often imagined how he could have done better—or done worse—and
he had compared every powerful enemy to the King for a long time. But now
that he stood before the Unique Lifeform, Jake had even more questions.
"How did you lose?"
It was a question that had burned in his mind for a long time. He wasn’t
sure how he had won in the end. How the King had not managed to somehow
pull out a victory, how all of the quest items had worked too flawlessly, and
how he had not been killed in that last massive wave, which had shattered the
outer layer of his soul.
"Arrogance, miscalculation, and ignorance," the King merely answered.
"I had not put the items of those Beast Lords in my mind… You see, not a
single one of them were worth anything. I did hold some respect for the Great
White Stag, but the others? Utter fools and weaklings of no consequence.
Weaklings who failed to reach D-grade. Especially the stupid pig."
"How exactly did the tutorial work?" Jake asked, perplexed by the words.
Clearly, the King was not some conjuration unique to the tutorial, and had
had a vast history beforehand. "How did you end up there?"
"I… was born in a shithole. When I first gained awareness, I was on a
small, insignificant planet. The strongest beasts were D-grades, with only a
small few settlements of enlightened races like humans. The strongest human
I had ever seen was only barely a D-grade and fell to a single attack. You
see, while I cared little for the inhabitants, the system one day gave me a
quest. Conquer my planet, capture the four beasts you knew as the Beast
Lords within dungeons, and attend the tutorial as a final foe that only the
most talented would have a chance to encounter.
"I shall be honest—actually engaging in combat never seemed realistic
once I saw it was only humans entering the tutorial. They had less than two
months to reach a level at which they could challenge me… It was
preposterous. Yet you managed to do so—with help—and my loss is
inarguable. Even if the circumstances were truly in your favor."
"Explain," Jake insisted.
The King’s eyes flickered behind the mask as he seemed to laugh. "Do
you truly believe the system wanted you dead? That it wanted me to kill you?
My task was never to kill you; in fact, it would have penalized me for ending
your life. I chose not to kill you… and I realized too late that I would have to
or face death myself. Until the very end, I believed I could merely make you
fall at any moment and be done with it. I saw no danger until it was too late.
And now, I find myself shackled to you for my own hubris."
Shackled? Jake questioned in his head. He knew something weird was
still going on, as a connection persisted between them—one he could not
quite comprehend. The King kept mentioning it… and it gave him a bad
feeling.
"So… what happens now?" Jake asked.
"That, I do not believe is up to me to decide.”
"What do you mean?"
"Did I not say what the reward for my resurrection would be? It is I. It
has always been so. Circumventing death is no simple task… and in order to
do so, I needed a shackle. A bond. One you created the moment you chose to
bind the mask to your soul, allowing me to anchor my existence."
"But I am the owner of the mask, whi—"
That was when the realization struck him. Suddenly the Viper’s words
about “mixed feelings” made a lot more sense. He felt incredibly complex
emotions all at once as he asked…
"What happens if I die?"
"I die," the Unique Lifeform answered, as if that were obvious.
"What happens if you die?"
"Either true death or another round of recuperation… the prior being
more probable," the Unique Lifeform casually answered.
Jake really didn’t want to ask the final question, but he did so anyway.
"Are you… forced to stay… or?"
"I can choose to banish my existence to the void of nothingness at any
moment, if that is what you ask. But regarding whether I can choose to
relinquish the bond that keeps me shackled to you as my unwilling master,
no. That, only you can do."
Wanting to ask the next question even less, Jake still forced himself to.
"And if I willingly remove the bond?"
The King didn’t answer, as they both knew the answer already. The King
would die. Perhaps permanently, this time around. By now, the realization
had truly seeped in. Jake had willingly entered a completely one-sided
contract with the King by binding the item without knowing it. In essence…
the creature that had once been the mighty King of the Forest was now no
more than a slave, shackled to Jake.
"I am not okay with this," Jake outright stated.
"The choice was not one made with consideration, but out of desperation
and opportunity. I had the choice between death and trying to find a new path
bound to my killer… Do not think you are the only one unsatisfied with this
scenario, hunter.”
"How do I break the bond?" Jake asked, already determined to get rid of
it as fast as possible.
"If I knew a path to do that, I would have lied to you to manipulate you
into doing that from the get-go instead of trying this method, no?" The King
chuckled, his laugh echoing in Jake’s mind.
"Then what the fuck do you suggest?"
"An agreement," the King said. "A contract, if you may. A mutual
promise, where we both can come out of this situation with what we want…
The only question is, what do you desire?"
"This shitty situation not to be a thing?" Jake said with exasperation.
"This does make me question why you invested exorbitant fees in healing
my soul.”
"Well, duh, of course it was so I could fight you again and win properly,"
Jake said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Truly a simple hunter, with an even simpler request. This scenario does
not make that an impossibility or even difficulty. But if you cannot think of
terms, let me propose a deal. Naturally, my goal is release and true freedom.
That is all I desire. In return, I shall offer my assistance where you deem it
necessary. But do not think for one moment I shall act as your pawn or
slave… I have chosen to avoid death, but I still find it a preferable existence
to one of eternal servitude.”
Jake listened closely, getting a better understanding of the King. He had a
strong feeling the King was aware of his stance on all that slavery shit
already, which was the only reason he even bothered.
"So, how will this work?" Jake asked.
"A promise. There is no true contract, no compulsion. You will hold the
ultimate power, as you can terminate me if you so wish, but that is it. Our
words should be enough, hunter. If you swear to assist me in regaining
freedom, I shall swear to assist you till then and never truly become your
enemy even if I do regain my freedom. The favor of giving me a second life is
one never forgotten.”
Still standing within his Soulspace, as the King called it, Jake saw no
reason to refuse. If it is temporary…
He didn’t like it. He really didn’t. This entire thing made his stomach
churn, yet the thought of throwing away the mask and effectively killing the
King again seemed equally fucked up. And no matter how much he hated the
idea of forcing someone to serve him, he couldn’t deny the potential benefits
of the King as an ally. He was strong and clearly knew things.
"Fine," Jake agreed. He felt an almost palpable wave of relief from the
King yet paid it no mind as he asked, “But, do tell… how strong are you now
compared to back then? Can you fight as you are? What are your
limitations?"
He felt the King almost smile. "Limitations… I am bound to you. In time,
you shall know what limitations may be placed upon me, as we shall no doubt
discuss this in deeper detail. How strong am I compared to then? Does the
question matter? We never fought. Not truly. And finally, if I can fight?
Please… I have observed you for a long time. Just ask the question you desire
the answer to."
The King within the Soulspace suddenly began disappearing. He turned
to mist, flew over to him, and landed on his face to form a mask. At the same
time, a mask also formed on his true body outside as the space shifted. Jake
disappeared from his Soulspace of his own volition, finding himself standing
on the grassy hill with the Unique Lifeform in front of him.
Jake just smiled and waved, summoning his new bow. "Up for a
rematch?"
An ominous laugh echoed in his mind, and he felt the area around him
distort as an aura was released from the Fallen King before him. The creature
began floating slightly above the ground as the wisps of light in the holes of
the mask lit up brighter than before.
"Come, hunter-that-is-not-so-little-anymore."
Chapter 25
 Jake vs the King (Rematch?)

A question Jake had asked himself many times since the tutorial was how
powerful the King of the Forest truly was. A part of him feared that he
had almost deified the being and made the King out to be stronger than
he actually was.
Jake had only ever felt the aura of the King. He had never felt his full
power. He had been played around with until he cursed the King with a black
bead and then stabbed him with the Tusk to weaken him further. Jake had
used so many items and done so much just to get a fighting chance.
Of course, the current Jake was incomparably stronger compared to back
then. He had evolved, gained levels, skills, his arcane affinity… So many
things. His power had grown more than tenfold. The current Jake could have
killed himself from back then with a single arrow… but… the King back then
could also have killed him with a single attack.
However, today, all of these questions would be answered. Had Jake
overestimated the King? Had his constant comparisons of every other D-
grade and his conclusions about the King’s strength been wrong? The answer
to that was simple…
A resounding no.
BOOM!
The fight began with an explosion, leveling the land around them for over
a hundred meters and forcing Jake to teleport back. He had barely landed
when a wave of force made him teleport again, exploding the area he had just
appeared at.
Jake snickered, took another step, and drew the string of his bow, feeling
time slow down. He took aim and fired the arrow, which split into five. The
King held up his ivory claw as a wall of force appeared and was pushed
forward, blocking all of the arrows and making them explode.
Refusing to be outdone, Jake drew again as arcane energy whirled around
him. An Arcane Powershot was released as he took a step and circled the
King, where he channeled another and fired.
The first was blocked by a blast of force, making both explode on impact,
while the second one was dodged by the King moving to the side with
unnatural movements. He manipulated his own body with telekinesis.
In that case, Jake would just kick it up a notch. Pride activated, causing
mana to begin condensing all around him and summoning dozens of arcane
bolts. He also continued his assault with his bow, not giving the King a
chance to counter without exposing himself.
Or at least, he thought he did.
The King pointed his ivory claw towards Jake and blasted a wave of force
out as the arcane bolts landed upon him, only to encounter a small transparent
shield. The same one that had stopped his other attacks during the tutorial,
only to be broken by the Tusk.
They were both far more evenly matched than Jake had believed, making
holding back useless.
Jake’s body exploded with Arcane Awakening in the balanced mode,
boosting all his stats by 30% in an instant. With it, he had believed he would
be superior… only to see the King respond in kind by surrounding himself
with golden mist.
"Back then, I could not control my energy at all… This time is different."
Another wave of force was released. Jake quickly teleported and saw
where it had hit, as the ground was cleaved up. The moment the blast hit
anything, it was as if golden dust was mixed in. The golden mist appeared
and disappeared in a moment.
"You have new tricks, too," Jake commented.
"Even in sleep, when deep within my soul, I learned. I had never had a
desire or seen a need to improve. Why bother when none could challenge
me?"
"Always strive to improve!" Jake yelled as he fired back arrow after
arrow, seeing them all blocked or dodged as he also avoided the blows of the
King.
"A sentiment I have grown to embrace," the King answered, and the two
of them slowly began closing in on one another.
 Arcane energy and the golden energy of the King mixed as their attacks
clashed and explosions sounded out on the otherwise-peaceful area. They
soon found themselves on the Insect Plains, where Jake began testing out
some new methods by focusing on the inner space of his quiver. Inside, he
already had over a dozen previously summoned stable arcane arrows soaked
in poison, all of which he’d made before he even left Haven. With a mere
thought, he could summon them as he wanted, but what was more was the
control he had in there.
He attempted to summon an Arrow of the Ambitious Hunter not on his
palm, but within the space of the quiver. Attempt… because he failed. Not
because his idea of summoning it within the quiver didn’t work, but because
he realized… he didn’t understand the King well enough to.
The Unique Lifeform was something he truly didn’t comprehend. It was a
mask, but also the weird, tree-looking creature before him. He wore a mask
on his face, yet the body of the King was the same mask, meaning it now
existed in two places at once. The weird black flesh of the King didn’t
correspond to any biology he had ever seen before, and the bark-like skin was
of a material he didn’t know. Same for the hands and feet… They were made
of an ivory, bone-like material that was not bone.
A part of him already knew the explanation… because there was no
comparison. Comprehending the King well enough was not something he
could study in a book or understand within a short while. It was a Unique
Lifeform. There was one Fallen King, truly unique, to comprehend.
Something he would gladly strive to do.
Jake began pulling out the poisoned arrows and trying to mix them in, but
quickly found an issue… Getting a direct hit was hard.
Jake also discovered another issue really fast. As he channeled and fired
an Arcane Powershot from a good angle, he used Gaze of the Apex Hunter as
he usually did to freeze the King. Yet the moment he did, he felt a backlash
akin to a hammer smashing his face, making him groan while he fired.
The King had still been frozen and forced to block with the shield, but
Jake had no desire to use Gaze again. Maybe it had been a bit optimistic,
using a soul attack on a Unique Lifeform whose most powerful skill was
soul-related.
Luckily for Jake, he had way more methods to attempt. The King
primarily used his telekinesis to fire waves of force and his passive shield,
but Jake also knew he had more to show for himself. Both were feeling out
the other party as they finally got within a hundred meters of each other
again.
Jake stepped down once more and appeared at the side of the King. The
shield around the Unique Lifeform reminded him of the mana shield on the
Altmar Census Golem, so he tried a tactic similar to the one he’d used back
then.
When his hand began glowing with Touch of the Malefic Viper, he tried
to make contact with the shield, only to find himself blasted back by an
omnidirectional wave of force—one he had predicted. He had barely been
blasted back before two strings of mana stabilized him, and one more step
brought him behind the King as he touched the barrier.
Instantly it began sizzling and corroding, and Jake knew he only needed a
bit more time. Something he wouldn’t get. Jake’s danger sense exploded in
warning, making him back away as the King turned and cleaved a golden
claw upwards.
Jake’s eyes opened wide, and the warning remained even as he flew
backward. He landed on a hastily constructed platform, teleporting him to the
side just in time.
A bright explosion of gold enveloped the Insect Plains, leaving five scars
across the surface, each of them several kilometers long and dozens of meters
deep. Jake had no doubt hundreds, if not thousands of E-grade insects had
died from that one attack, and Jake was completely certain he had no desire
to tank it.
Back in the tutorial… the Golden Claw had been the attack that triggered
his Moment of the Primal Hunter, and while he believed he would be able to
take it without that happening again, he wouldn’t come out unscathed.
Jake stepped down again and repeated his attack, staying close to the
King with his scimitar in one hand and Touch constantly active in the other,
whittling away at the shield ever so slowly.
He was forced to teleport again and again, finding his mobility higher
than the King’s by a good bit. Yet as time passed, Jake’s dodges got narrower
and narrower, as he soon found it difficult to land anything more than a quick
touch or a swing of his poisoned blade.
Finally, he saw an opening. He took it by attacking with his palm. The
King blasted at him, but Jake managed to jump and avoid it, twisting his
wrist and arm to stay in contact as, finally, he got through. His hand landed
on the bark-like body of the King, and his poison was infused. The barrier
could not repair itself with his arm inside it, giving him an ample opportunity
to—
"I have been with you since you became a D-grade… I have been
sleeping, but I dreamed. I know you, hunter."
A pressure suddenly fell upon Jake, pressing him down towards the
ground. He struggled as he dodged the swipe of a second Golden Claw,
leaving another disastrous scar on the environment.
"Last time, I held back… This time, I shall not."
That was when Jake noticed… his feet weren’t pressed down. The
pressure was not physical, but something entirely else. His head began
hurting, his vision blurring. A constant headache grew, and Jake began
feeling like he was half-asleep or drunk. His body was heavy… slow…
unresponsive. His health was dropping… his mana… his stamina…
Everything was being drained out of him.
Soul attack.
Jake’s survival instinct triggered, causing him to step down and teleport
back. He had only done it once before a blast of force hit him in the chest,
sending him flying through the air with blood in his mouth. He spat it out as
he landed on the ground, rolling.
He was a good two or three kilometers away from the King when he fully
stabilized himself. The effect of the soul attack vanished as quickly as it had
come, and the remnant effects disappeared within moments the second he
was out of it. What was eerier was that he didn’t see any indication of it
having been there.
Fucking soul attacks, Jake cursed under his breath as he decided that
melee wasn’t the way to go. Luckily for him, he was fine with not being in
melee… It just meant he would play the long game.
Looking at the King, he now had a black imprint on his bark-like armor,
and Jake felt that a bit of poison had entered the Unique Lifeform’s body…
but he had not come out on top in that exchange. While he didn’t feel like he
had taken any damage from the soul attack, the loss of mana, stamina, and
health was unquestionable.
Jake pulled out an arrow and switched to the good-old tactic of arrow
bombardment. He mixed in explosive arrows, poisoned arrows, stable arrows,
and all sorts of magical arcane attacks. The King gave chase, trying to get
closer as Jake backed away.
With his danger sense, he could dodge all the blasts of force, but with the
blasts of force, he couldn’t get a good chance to channel his Arcane
Powershot for more than a brief period. Their bout ripped apart the Insect
Plains as neither held back, explosions abound.
"Are you ready to go all out?" Jake asked as he prepared himself.
"Come," the King answered.
Jake smiled as purple veins began covering his body. A fragment of skin
flaked off from the energy burning beneath, and a small barrier covered his
skin as he fully entered Arcane Awakening, boosting all of his skills by a
massive 60%. In turn, his health began dropping.
With his body covered in scales and Pride fully activated, Jake took a
stance, nocked an arrow, and aimed. At the same time, the golden energy
revolving around the King began glowing more, and to his surprise, the mask
itself began shining, the veins in the wood burning golden.
Arcane barriers formed in front of Jake in preparation for what was to
come while he charged the Arcane Powershot. The King lifted a golden claw
and pointed it towards Jake, and it began burning with intense, golden power.
"This one is new… Gained at level 140. I would be careful."
Jake simply smiled. Same to you.
The King would make his move first. For a moment, the area dozens of
kilometers around them—except just around Jake—gained a gathering
golden hue. Then an orb appeared in the palm of the King. It echoed with
power, as if filled with lightning within, crackling in an unstable manner. The
King lifted the orb and aimed it towards Jake as he sunk his claws into it,
crushing it.
BOOM!
A golden wave of energy was released in all directions, but more than
ninety percent was sent in a focused beam towards Jake.
The King had taken five or so seconds to gather the orb, and it moved
faster than a wave of force by a considerable margin. But Jake had just
enough time to not only channel his Arcane Powershot to perfection, but also
prepare dozens of highly condensed bolts of arcane mana.
When the golden beam hit the area of Pride, Jake instantly felt the soul
component of the attack—a component he found was partly blocked by the
many arcane barriers that were torn apart like wet toilet paper, one after
another.
Jake waited till the very last moment before he let go of the string and, at
the same time, commanded the bolts to move.
 The arrow encountered the beam immediately. Part of the beam was
absorbed by his scales, while the rest clashed with the power of the Arcane
Powershot and the many arcane bolts.
In a display that mimicked the fight during the tutorial, an eclipse of
golden energy and purple arcane energy was born, mixing and fighting each
other. Soon, however, it became clear no balance would be found, and all
trace of stability disappeared from Jake’s mana. Only destruction remained.
A second explosion dominated the Insect Plains mere seconds after the
first as the power of both of their strongest attacks was released.
For nearly ten kilometers in all directions, the ground was scorched bare.
Yet in the center of the explosion, two figures had never stopped clashing.
Even as the energy died down and left what could only be described as a
massive crater, the arrows kept flying, and the blasts of force kept tearing up
the ground even more.
Every ability was pulled out of Jake’s arsenal as he and the King kept
clashing with all their might. Jake kept at a distance at all times, staying clear
of the limited range of the soul magic and the golden-claw attack, while the
King clearly knew all of Jake’s skills and dodged the necessary ones while
taking the weak with his barrier.
Neither had been injured by the huge explosion due to their respective
defenses. Jake had his passive shield from Arcane Awakening and could
summon a few extra barriers if needed, and what did get through his
legendary scales was absorbed and nullified.
Jake had learned that the King could easily blast apart arrows and even
uses of Splitting Arrow, so most of his landed attacks were Arcane Bolts and
condensed Arcane Orbs that he fired from all directions, manipulating them
using Pride and his sphere.
With neither able to land solid blows, it just turned into a battle of
endurance. Both had used their best boosting skills, Jake assumed, and unless
one party pulled out another new powerful attack, nothing would change till
one party ran out of mana.
They both seemed to know it, as they stopped their bout and stood with
several kilometers between them. The area more than fifteen kilometers in all
directions was just a crater filled with smaller craters, arcane energy, and
golden energy pulsing on the ground here and there.
"I wonder who will become unable to keep up first," the King questioned
aloud.
 Jake just smiled. "You know, as someone who has studied me for so
long… you should know that I don’t tend to lose a battle of attrition.
Especially not with these."
He pulled out a mana bottle and chugged it down where he stood, almost
tauntingly.
The King responded by laughing. "And I still have a mask to drop."
Jake remembered that final attack of the King very clearly… but he also
remembered how slow it had been. "I can flee faster than it moves."
"Doubtful. As doubtful as it being something in the interest of either of us
to try," the King said. The boosting skill he was using faded, and Jake noted
that the mask still looked somewhat damaged, though it was already repairing
itself. "Let us end this second bout here. There shall be opportunities aplenty
in the future."
Jake responded in kind by deactivating his Arcane Awakening, instantly
hitting him with a wave of weakness. His entire body was aching and hurting,
but he just gritted his teeth and pushed through. Pushed through long enough
to summon a chair, take a seat, and lean back on it.
The King had also stopped floating and now just stood on the ground,
seemingly inspecting his body.
"You enjoy being alive, huh?" Jake commented jokingly.
"Existence outside of a confined soul realm where I am forced to spend
all my time on recovering and hanging onto a shred of consciousness is
indeed a desirable state of being."
"I can imagine." Jake smirked. "Anyway… time for some battle
evaluation."
It would be foolish not to reflect on things, right?
Chapter 26
 Uni ue Lifeforms

T he King and Jake’s fight had been equal in many ways, but in as many
ways as it had been equal, it had been completely imbalanced. The
King was stronger than Jake in some areas—that was clear. The King
was also more durable than Jake for sure with that insane barrier, and had
quite a few ridiculously powerful attacks… but he also only had ridiculously
powerful attacks, outside of the usual telekinesis.
On the other hand, Jake won out big in speed and Agility, as well as
diversity. One could argue the King did not need it, but Jake would argue he
did… because if it really came down to it, Jake would never lose to the King
as he was now. If it ever got dangerous, he could always just leave. The King
was like a mighty, almost stationary tower that fired out telekinetic certain
death, but was otherwise rooted.
Of course, the King still had that final soul attack, and if the King decided
to use it with the intent to kill, Jake wasn’t sure he would survive. If he was
hit, that is. He had not lied when he said he thought he could outrun it,
especially if it triggered Moment of the Primal Hunter—as it no doubt would,
if it was a lethal attack.
The overall conclusion of the fight… one they both agreed with… was
that neither could beat the other, yet neither doubted they could lose. The
King noted that while Jake could continue to attack from range, the King
would be able to wait him out and block or just flee by flying away while
dodging.
"I still think I could find a way," Jake commented, mainly to himself. If
anything, a long enough fight would give him a chance to comprehend the
King well enough to summon an Arrow of the Ambitious Hunter… a level of
understanding he was still not at.
"And I have grounds to believe I can find ways to avoid losing, and at
worst, assure mutual destruction," the King countered, adding on almost
smugly, "Indeed, killing you would be just that. Mutual destruction."
Jake just shook his head at their childish conversation. He sat back in his
chair and relaxed as he stared at the sky. "How are you that strong, anyway?
Like… how many stat points do you get per level in D-grade in total?"
"300 total," the King answered, clearly seeing no purpose in hiding
something like that.
"What the actual fuck?" Jake blurted out as he sat up abruptly. "That is
like… fucking insane."
Jake got a total of 229 stat points for his profession, class, and race put
together per level. That naturally didn’t count his "of the Malefic Viper"
skills, but the King got more than he did even if he counted those. Heck… the
maximum Jake could get—as his race was not upgradeable—was 249 stat
points total. And that was if he got a class giving 100 per level and a
profession giving 80, AKA perfection. His current ones that gave 74 and 86
were already fucking good. Heck, his profession was incredibly close to the
cap.
Yet the King just had more. It was utterly bonkers.
Were Unique Lifeforms just stupidly overpowered, or what? But… even
then… Jake still wasn’t sure how the King could match him. Maybe he had
more stat points per level, but Jake had all his titles, elixirs, equipment, and
all of that stuff. That was why monsters gained more stats than Jake ever
could as a human—he had equipment to gain stats from.
But… 300 was the max. As in, the absolute maximum a monster could
get per level in D-grade. It was one only a true pinnacle creature could get.
"This does make me wonder… do you have any titles?" he asked the
King. He had to have some, right?
"A mere handful—only two of them of true consequence. One is naturally
my title as a rightful King, and the other as a Unique Lifeform as the system
has chosen to name me," the King answered, really staying true to his open
approach.
"Unique Lifeform is a title?" Jake asked, and it actually made a lot of
sense. Perhaps it was similar to how the twelve Primordials were called
Primordials due to their title, right? That all Unique Lifeforms were also
united by that one title they all had in common? It did still make him wonder,
though. "What does it do?"
"That, I will not answer, for there are secrets even I shall keep. But I will
share that the primary function of it is the 50% bonus to all stats."
And that confirmed it. Unique Lifeforms were just fucking bullshit. Best
stats, an absolutely overpowered title from birth, and what else? The King
had never learned to fucking fight, and didn’t seem like he had struggled to
upgrade his skills… yet he clearly rocked ones of incredibly high rarity. It
just felt unfair.
"There’s gotta be drawbacks somewhere," Jake said, more or less just
speaking his thoughts out loud.
"There are few, but they do exist. Such as the inability for those of my
nature to obtain the blessings of gods.”
"Not that bad," Jake muttered. Sure, the King lost out on the stat bonuses
from a Blessing, but one needed a pretty high-leveled one to even get stat
points. Maybe he also missed out on some other titles, too, but it didn’t seem
that bad. "Wait, you said you had the King title? As in, the actual nobility
title?" The entire 50% title had been a bit more important in his head, so he
had kind of skipped over that part.
"Naturally," the King answered unabashedly.
"I didn’t even know anyone except enlightened species could get nobility
titles," Jake admitted after a pause. Heck, he was pretty damn sure they
couldn’t. He had tried to give Sylphie a nobility title for the heck of it—
primarily because he’d thought it would be fun to have others call her Lord
Sylphie—and that time, it hadn’t worked.
"I was born with the nobility title and skills related to nobility. I did not
obtain it, but I did upgrade it as I conquered my weak world. I was known as
the Lord of the Forest back then, and only adopted the moniker of King after
I gained the title. And while I am still a King, I no longer dare proclaim
myself the owner of any domain.” The Unique Lifeform’s answer explained
some things Jake quite frankly just found odd.
How the hell was one born a noble? Some Unique Lifeform bullshit?
Also… how did he change his name like that?
"I’ve been meaning to ask, what exactly is the name of your race? Like, I
know you are a Unique Lifeform, but what is on your status?"
"Fallen King. Do you not possess any identification skill?" the King
asked admonishingly. "Or are you merely confused that I do not find myself
constrained to a single name? Why does that concept confuse a human? Does
your race not possess endless names for other humans?"
"Yeah, but my race is human. The name is something different… It’s just
something we call each other. You know, to know the difference between
people and know who we are talking about," Jake answered, wondering why
he was explaining the concept of names.
"And if there is only one of your race, then would the name you chose to
adopt not merely be synonymous with your race? Does the distinction matter
when there is only one, and can ever only be one?"
That… actually made a lot of sense to Jake. Huh. Wait… were gods the
same? Was that why their names were more or less just their titles or what
people called them or whatever? There was only a single god like them, too,
and as far as Jake knew, you didn’t just get simply get a "god" from
identifying one.
"Good point," Jake admitted as he came to the ultimate question. "So,
what happens now? We have an agreement, right? No fucking with each
other or the other’s business for unnecessary reasons, and we both agree to
look for a solution to get you free."
"That is indeed the core of it. As for the final part, I shall look into a
solution on my lonesome. I forged the bond, and I shall be the one to find a
method of breaking it. All it will require is your active participation and
support to make it happen.”
"Any idea how long it will take?"
"No… so you will have to continue progressing, as I fear it may be
impossible while still in this grade. I am not certain of the effect of surpassing
you in level, nor even if it is possible," the Unique Lifeform explained, adding
on, "In the meantime, I see no purpose for us to stay shackled to one another
in anything but soul. I have no desire to follow you around after being
trapped for so many years—first on a useless planet, and then within your
Soulspace."
"Fair enough. But can you? Aren’t we linked? What are the restrictions?"
"You underestimate the powers of the soul. We are linked through the
mask you wear, as it contains the most important part of mine, while this
vessel before you is all of my power. The two masks are forever bound; space
matters little before such a bond of absolute concept. But I shall keep my
word, and I am not ignorant to the fact that I owe you, so use the mask to
bring me if you require my assistance. Additionally, I know the location of
your city and can find you at any point if I require your attention, while you
should be able to detect my location too."
"No way to communicate?" Jake asked after hearing the lengthy
explanation.
"I believe neither of us would feel comfortable with such a constant
connection through which I could influence you at all times. Invade your
dreams, shape your thoughts, and influence your emotions. Such a
connection holds a lot of power, which you humans seem ignorant to. But I
guess the gods need you controlled through some method.” The Unique
Lifeform said the last bit mockingly.
"If my Patron is trying to control me, he is doing a pretty damn shitty job
at it," Jake joked.
"Or a job so flawless you are unable to detect anything amiss.”
"In that case, all credit to him." Jake shrugged and decided to change the
topic. "So, as you plan on going on a bit of an adventure, where are you
heading off to?"
"Unknown as of now… You must understand, it has been a long time
since I was anywhere with anything worth battling. On this planet, there exist
creatures I cannot defeat, armies’ worth of beasts with levels equal to mine.
An endless path of growth lies before me, and I aim to claim it.”
Jake related to that feeling, nodding in encouragement. "Then go
dominate some innocent place. Just don’t slaughter any human settlements or
humans in general. The fact that we are connected will come out eventually,
and I would prefer to avoid being known as someone behind a senseless
genocide."
"Tribalism, I have a hard time comprehending. Why put more stock in the
killing of a human over another race? Ah, I guess that is simply another trait
of you ordinary lifeforms. But I shall take my leave and leave your ilk alone if
possible. As for you, I would recommend that you recover before you begin
the curse ritual. Additionally, take this as a safety measure."
The King opened his palm, where golden energy began to gather, and
soon a small bead was formed. It looked like a golden metal ball with black
streaks running through it. Jake frowned as he Identified it.

[Soul Marble of the Fallen King (Epic)] – A Soul Marble created by the
Unique Lifeform known as the Fallen King. When consumed, temporarily
empower your soul, giving resistance to outside influence. The energy within
the bead will be consumed as your soul comes under strain. This marble will
 disperse into the environment within a week.

"Don’t tell me you just made that," Jake muttered, visibly annoyed.
"Do not think it a simple matter; I cannot make them often, and use them
myself to further empower my soul and attacks.”
Jake didn’t even wanna comment on the level of bullshit involved in
having a skill that instantly summoned what was essentially an epic-rarity
natural treasure. He just took it and shoed the King off. The Unique Lifeform
clearly took pleasure in his exasperation as he bid his farewell.
"Till we meet again, hunter. May your hunt be bountiful and your
progress swift. Simply use the mask if you require my presence. And
remember… I have a debt to pay. Do not hesitate to call upon me if it will be
to your benefit."
With those words, the Fallen King lifted himself off the ground and took
flight in a direction away from both Skyggen and Haven. Out into the
unknown, which Jake had never visited or learned anything about.
"Enjoy your newfound freedom!" Jake yelled after the King as he flew
away, quite a lot slower than during their battle. Jake knew why… Both of
them were still weakened from their boosting skills. Luckily, it would soon
expire, as neither of them had been boosting for very long.
As he waited, Jake decided to finally get a peek at the mask to see what
had changed about it. Taking it off, he saw not a single change on it visually,
and his Identify responded just as before, proving it was indeed still an item.

[Mask of the Fallen King (Unique)] – The Mask and vessel of the Truesoul
of the Fallen King, a mighty Unique Lifeform. The mask is made of a wood-
like material unique to the lifeform it comes from. It does not obstruct vision
when worn, and regenerates itself from any damage taken. The Fallen King
has anchored his existence to this mask, and as its owner, you are the master,
allowing you to summon the Fallen King to your location at any time.
Enchantments: Vessel of the Fallen King. Passively absorbs mana in the
atmosphere, increasing mana recovery rate by a large amount. Increases
maximum mana by 25%.
Requirements: Soulbound.

There were quite a few changes to the description, but first up was the
changed rarity. This was Jake’s first time seeing a unique piece of equipment,
even if he’d assumed they had to exist out there. The description also noted
how the Truesoul of the King resided within, making Jake confused. He
didn’t get how the King could move around without that.
Then again… was it a bit like a lich? Jake knew about liches, as they
worked a lot like they did in usual fantasy. They had a phylactery with the
Truesoul in it, and as long as that remained, they would be effectively
immortal. This seemed to be somewhat similar, except the King mentioned
how he could still potentially experience true death if he was killed in his
current form.
Last on the list of changes was what the King had talked about… He
could outright summon him. When he focused on that part of the description,
the system was kind enough to make him instinctively aware of how it
worked… and it was just a straight-up summon. It took some time to "cast,"
but it did not appear to have a range limit.
Goddamn Unique Lifeform bullshit.
First Transcendents, and now bloody Unique Lifeforms. Jake felt less like
a special little boy with his Bloodline every time he discovered another of
these so obviously overpowered system elements.
Not to be discouraged, Jake still did not hold a shadow of doubt in his
mind that he would still come out on top above all of these admittedly
supremely talented and powerful individuals. There was nothing he would
not become able to hunt with time.
He was the Primal Hunter, after all.
Still feeling a bit weak, Jake closed his eyes, leaned back further on the
chair, and entered meditation. Mentally, he began going over his plan for the
curse ritual a few more times, still holding the golden marble in his hand,
giving him a bit more confidence.
Jake was fully aware what he was about to do was reckless, if not
downright stupid. When he focused his mind to his fullest, he faintly felt
presences deep below him. All the termites in the upper layers of the deep
underground network had either died or fled down due to his battle with the
King. Down there, he felt auras of insectoid monsters or other dwellers of the
deep—or, as he would soon refer to them as, fuel to sate his hunger.
Chapter 27
 A Truly Cursed Ritual

A s with most things, where there were many different approaches to

achieve the same result, there were several options for transferring a
curse from one vessel to another and when using a catalyst to empower
the curse further.
Casper would most likely do it through a large ritual circle, using several
items as buffers for the curse. Maybe he’d even spread out the curse energy
and integrate it a little at a time, potentially taking days, if not weeks, to get it
all done.
The Holy Church would potentially choose to spread out the curse energy
to hundreds of people at once and then have them work together to tame it
before infusing it in a new vessel or something. Jake wasn’t sure; these were
just some of the methods he had come across when it came to empowering a
Sin curse and infusing it with compatible outside energy.
There were dozens of ways, but Jake had ultimately decided to go with
one of the simplest ones, as he liked simple. It was also the one that would
lead to the least waste, and likely also have the highest compatibility in this
particular instance due to the nature of the curse.
Jake had been the one who transmuted the curse to begin with,
transforming it from a Sin curse of Debauchery into one of Hunger. Before
all of this research into curses, Jake hadn’t really known the exact meaning
and implications of such a thing, besides getting him an actually useful
weapon that didn’t require him to do fucked-up shit to empower.
But after his research, he came to realize what he had done wasn’t
normal. Not by any stretch of the imagination. He had effectively taken a
curse and whittled it down to its absolute core component, bringing it back to
its base Origin, which was Hunger in this instance. One of the most basic of
Sin curses in existence.
He had also begun to realize he had done similar things before. It was
linked to his arcane affinity to simplify and make things into their most basic
state. Stability and destruction were as simple as they could get. Sometimes
there was power in the Origin of anything, but it did require luck.
Sylphie had been a "victim" of Jake discovering this—victimhood, here,
meaning she’d gained significantly. Jake had not fully formed his arcane
affinity back then, but some parts of it had still been mixed in and helped her
become a Sylphian Hawk. Villy had also helped a lot there, of course, but it
had also in large part been luck. Not everything brought back to an Origin
would make it stronger or more useful. Sylphie could just as easily have
become the weakest basic hawk, like a "wind hawk" or something.
Without the Mystbone, Villy, and the many Cloud Orbs and all that, that
may have just happened. All of this knowledge he had gotten partly by
accident by studying curses would no doubt be useful when it came to the
Pollendust Bee Queen and his plans for that. Because he could one hundred
percent see himself just trying to use arcane affinity and making it evolve into
a far weaker "Flower Bee Queen" or something.
Back at the whole making-a-cursed-weapon thing, Jake was just about
ready with his simple setup, which was actually just a small protective barrier
he had prepared in advance. It was primarily to hide him away and make sure
he was undisturbed as he went through everything.
As a final thing, he took out the vat of water he had prepared. It was little
more than a larger-than-average barrel with a lid on it. Inside, it was filled to
the brim with the rare Serene Water to hopefully allow him to keep his head
calm throughout the process.
He also chose to trust the King as he played with the marble in his hand.
With everything ready, he took out the three main characters of this
event. First was the scimitar, the current vessel of the Sin curse he wanted to
use. Next was the ancient-rarity Chimera weapon from the Treasure Hunt that
would serve as the new vessel. Finally, there was the Root of Eternal
Resentment, which was where the true lunacy of what he was doing stemmed
from. The pure curse energy in it far surpassed the scimitar by more times
than Jake could even estimate. But as it was directionless, it was also easily
consumed.
The Hunger curse was perfect for absorbing all this curse energy. If it had
been another kind of Sin curse, like one of Wrath or Tyranny or something
like that, he doubted it would’ve worked. Without him having consumed the
Root with Palate for a few months, he also wouldn’t have been as confident.
Even if he still held some doubt, this should work out well.
Everything was ready, and Jake did the only logical thing, which was to
jump into the Serene Water with all three items. The first thing Jake would do
was to transfer the curse, or at least begin the process. That would be the easy
part, and one he wasn’t particularly afraid of.
He would channel the curse of the scimitar through himself and try to
place just parts of it into the Chimera weapon. This would not work out, as
the Chimera weapon was frankly just too powerful, which was why once the
link was established with him as a bridge, he would bring the Root into the
mix. How would he do this? Well, the Root was originally designed to infuse
its curse into whatever it was stabbed into, so he would naturally stab himself
and forcefully absorb all the energy of the curse. Of course, this would again
only work due to the passive nature of the curse.
Jake inhaled a bit of the Serene Water within the vat and felt his head
cool down. Then he popped the golden marble into this mouth. He honestly
didn’t feel much difference aside from a bit of energy entering his body and
gathering around where his heart—and soul—was.
Then, grasping the scimitar in one hand and the Chimera weapon in the
other, he began, the Root held by a string of mana just floating in the water.
The scimitar did not even struggle as Jake began pulling its energy out. It
was a usual process that returned excess energy to him, after all. But once he
really began taking, he felt the resistance. Jake pressed on as he dragged and
pulled, feeling the curse energy enter his body, just like the process had
described. Then Jake did something even more extreme.
With the hand on the scimitar, Alchemical Flame activated. The weapon
almost screamed as Jake felt the effects of the Sin curse and the struggle of
the weapon. It almost attacked him in an instinctive act of survival but found
no purchase. So, it listened to Jake as he directed it towards a new vessel. It
had never been that attached to the scimitar to begin with.
The Chimera weapon was also a weapon well aligned with the concept of
consumption and Hunger. It had been wielded by vampires and could drink
the vital energies of others just like the scimitar, making the curse feel right at
home as the new curse began infesting it.
Jake felt the establishment of the connection he’d hoped for. His mind
was still cool, as he was now over the "hard" part—at least when it came to
the skill requirement. Now came the part where he would probably lose his
head.
With the string of mana, he controlled the Root and stabbed it into his
own back. It hurt only a little, and not much happened as he did. He knew
why—the curse energy was passive. It was just passively within the Root,
doing nothing and being useless.
But the second Jake tugged, he felt foreign energy flood his body. It felt
odd, and it was as if his emotions were amplified, both bad and good. He
gritted his teeth as he channeled the energy from his back and into the
Chimera weapon.
It ate it up as expected. Almost too enthusiastically. It wanted more, as
the Hunger curse had begun to take effect and exert control over the former
vampire weapon. The scimitar was still slowly being burned as all of the Sin
curse energy in it was transferred. Jake’s body was little more than an
intersection of different curse energy.
With every second, it intensified. Jake was still able to hold calm, feeling
the effects of the Serene Water on his mind. The marble from the King had
yet to be used, but he had a feeling it would come.
Seconds turned to minutes as the curse energy was transferred, but he felt
like he had barely made a dent in everything within the Root. There was so
much to absorb, it was ludicrous. Yet, with the exponential increase in the
absorption rate of the Chimera weapon, it was only a matter of time.
Nearly an hour into the process, something changed. Jake felt the hand
holding the scimitar close, and it felt as if he had grasped a handful of sand.
The scimitar had turned to dust as the last shred of the Sin curse exited it. It
went through his body as Jake inhaled even more of the water—not just
through his mouth, but his pores too.
The rest of the power of the Sin curse entered the Chimera weapon, and
now it truly became hungry. Jake became hungry. He felt like he needed
more. Jake began absorbing all the water into his body. He felt like he was
famished, an emotion he hadn’t experienced in a long time.
Yet just as he was about to break out of his state of concentration, a warm
glow emanated from his heart and protected his sanity. Jake knew it was the
marble that had activated, and Jake used that moment of relief as he pushed
everything to go faster.
His soul and mind were protected, leaving him clear-headed. With both
hands free, he grasped the Chimera weapon and activated the final phase:
Touch of the Malefic Viper.
Something had to bring it all together, and what was better than the
method of transmutation that had created the curse to begin with?
The weapon gladly received his energy as he began transmuting and
corrupting it, consuming the curse energy in the process, making it all
embrace the power of Sin. When all of the water was finally absorbed into his
body, the sheer pressure of the curse energy broke the water vat apart. The
ground around him began cracking as atmospheric mana was also pulled into
the weapon.
Earth, wind, water—all sorts of affinities were forcefully absorbed,
weakening the stone and thinning the air. The light dimmed as dark mana
took its place, only to also be absorbed. A black hole of nothingness appeared
as the curse hungered for hundreds of meters around him.
Jake pushed on more and more, and then it was over. Not the ritual, but
the power of the marble. It had all been used up, and Jake suddenly felt a
flood of emotions. The first of which was hunger, but then annoyance and
anger as the weapon dared to try and consume some of his own resources.
When he was already starving? How fucking dared it?
It could drink the fucking curse if it wanted; he didn’t need that. Yet it
didn’t help sate Jake’s own hunger. He needed something more. He had
already consumed all the Serene Water, so he ripped out a barrel of normal
water and emptied it, drinking more than his own bodyweight… but it was as
if all the water simply evaporated, the mana within consumed.
More.
Jake kept up the transmutation process, but he felt restless. It wasn’t like
Jake completely lost control; it was more an unfightable urge to do something
about the sheer feeling of wrongness he was experiencing. Anyone with
Restless Legs Syndrome trying to sleep would understand, as would anyone
with some other pre-system physical or mental compulsion. He could fight it
for a bit, but he needed an outlet, or it would become absolutely unbearable.
So… he found an outlet.
He smashed the barrier he had put up himself, then stormed towards one
of the holes in the ground that had not completely collapsed after his and the
King’s fight. He ran down and through it, smelling, feeling, and intuitively
moving towards anything with vital energy.
Breaking through a few barriers of soil with large arcane explosions, Jake
found an entrance to the network of tunnels made by the termites, and soon
enough, one entered his sight. It didn’t even have time to react before Jake
ran over and smashed it with the metal orb that was the Chimera weapon.
Jake growled as enough logic entered his head to transform it into a
sword. He ran on, finding another termite. And then another. He tore them
apart one by one as he dove deeper and deeper, their levels growing slowly
the further he progressed through their tunnel network.
Since he just couldn’t sit still, he kept using Touch of the Malefic Viper
and infusing the power of the Root while fighting and slaying everything.
Jake felt so fucking hungry as he dragged out everything from his storage
space that was edible, even going so far as to tear off the flesh of the newly
slain termites to try and sate his hunger, no matter how disgusting it was. But
nothing helped besides just killing and absorbing the vital energy of other
lifeforms… It didn’t even like his own life energy.
But it was not simply the vital energy it drained. It took all the energy it
could from those it killed.
With every kill, the weapon grew stronger, and with every moment, the
curse’s influence took more hold of Jake. It didn’t attack him. It didn’t
necessarily force him to do anything. It just amplified an emotion he already
had.
Shortly, he was killing larger and larger termites. Peak E-grades began
coming out of the walls and towards him as the termites realized there was an
invader. The more powerful members of the colony would come too. Jake
didn’t need to think to know this, as this was simply how weak prey like this
operated.
More.
Jake invited it all as he stormed through the termites like a whirlwind of
blood, killing hundreds within only a dozen seconds. Nothing was left alive
when he dove deeper, feeling something more nutritious further down.
More…
D-grades came, larger than any other termite, only to meet the same fate.
The tunnel network expanded, growing larger and denser as every step forced
him into the mandibles of hundreds of insects.
More!
He kept killing, and soon, he felt as if something had fallen into place.
The Chimera weapon had accepted all the curse energy it would take for now.
Touch of the Malefic Viper continued, as the weapon was far from complete,
yet that was when he truly felt it.
The Root of Eternal Resentment was emptied of energy as it entered
Jake’s body and soul, the weapon simply unable to absorb even close to
enough of it. Jake had majorly miscalculated… He had been far too efficient.
Far too greedy to not let anything to go waste.
A "ding!" entered his head from the weapon reaching legendary rarity,
but it was far from done. Oceans of curse energy still resided untamed and
directionless in his soul, just waiting to be consumed.
The final thing Jake managed to do before he completely lost himself was
deposit the Root of Eternal Resentment in his storage. Then he fell into a
state of absolute bloodlust.

Casper was standing within a large cave network beneath the undead city,
surrounded by magical scripts as he studied them and made some corrections
here and there. Creating a dungeon was not easy, but only he could do it.
Perhaps on the entirety of the Earth, he was the one closest, at least.
The Dungeon Core was a godsend, as it allowed them to make a real
dungeon. It was not just a fake dungeon that was little more than a separate
space to explore; it was pretty much just a trial ground, and if someone
entered and killed everything, then everything would be dead in there. So to
make a fake dungeon, you needed to create an ecosystem of sorts. One could
just call them glorified zoos where one could fight the animals instead of
merely viewing them.
With the Core, he could make a real dungeon. One that created different
dimensions, different realities for every group entering. It was a feat that
required levels of magic even gods couldn’t manage, as it was more or less
infinite creation.
To do this, he would have to make the dungeon first. He would have to
find the monsters to place in there, create the environment, make the
scenarios, and do a slew of other things while staying within the ruleset of the
system. He couldn’t just make it completely freeform, as if he could, factions
would just use them as cloning factories for certain expensive items—
something the system seemed very aware of and had checks and balances to
avoid.
 One had to make it balanced, as balance was important in all kinds of
creations.
Casper stood there, focusing on his Dungeon Architect profession, when
he suddenly felt something from his class. A response from a skill primarily
used to track down treasures.
Lyra also felt it, as she shared his sensitivity towards curses. She exited
her locket and asked, "What, what is that? Wait… It couldn’t be…"
Casper frowned at the feeling. A wave of cursed energy rolled across the
surface of their planet, undetectable for all without the specific skills or
senses to detect it, but Casper sure felt it. Others would, too; it would just be
felt and manifested in minor ways few would link to a curse.
It was powerful. More so than Casper had expected. Jake had just made
something Casper wasn’t sure should ever have been made, let alone meant
to be wielded by a D-grade. But… to make it worse, Casper didn’t just feel
the aura of the curse. No, the curse energy felt familiar in that it had traces of
Jake’s aura in it, meaning he had done something Casper would for sure have
warned him about: linked the curse to his own soul. Unintentional or not, it
had been done.
That was how you forcefully evolved yourself into a monster.
"Let’s hope he knows what the fuck he is doing…"
Or is powerful enough to remain in control, at least.
Chapter 28
 Hunger

B arry had worked in the service industry for thirty years before the
system apocalypse—as some had come to call it—happened. He had
believed such a momentous event would have meant the end of his life
or at least severe changes to it, but honestly? It was much the same as before,
just a lot more relaxed, as he didn’t need to fear burning himself while
working the grill, balancing shitty work hours, or trying to get enough sleep
in between grueling fourteen-hour shifts.
The best part was probably that he was now his own boss and even had
his own small restaurant, having upgraded from a booth. He was primarily
just selling his signature meat skewers—a specialty that had even been
enjoyed by the City Owner, Lord Thayne—both at the booth and in the
restaurant.
Now, there were also issues with running a restaurant. Namely, that
people didn’t really need to eat much anymore, if at all. E-grades still had to
eat, especially at the lower end of E-grade, and the few F-grades that
somehow still existed needed quite a bit of food. Still less than pre-system
humans, but a good deal.
This meant those who came to eat did it for the pleasure or for the
temporary stat boosts from the food. A lot of crafters frequented his place,
but it was rare he was more than at fifty or sixty percent capacity, and that
only happened if big parties came.
But… that day, something was different. While snacking on his own
creations a bit more than usual, Barry felt a rumbling in his stomach he
hadn’t experienced for months. It wasn’t the usual “Oh, I can take a bite”
kind of rumble, but the “I need food" kind of rumble.
 He was hungry.
And he was not the only one. People began coming into the restaurant
almost immediately, ordering food and putting him to work. Barry frowned at
the sight—over eighty percent of the seating had been taken, and people kept
coming, all talking about how they suddenly felt hungry and had an urge to
eat.
It wasn’t just his restaurant either. Through the window, he saw that the
guy across the street selling that heretical vegan stuff was also at full
capacity, truly proving the desperation of the masses.
Back at his own place, customers just kept coming. Soon there was no
more seating, and they waited all the way out the door. Barry had his best day
of business ever since opening.

An emergency meeting was being held, as the governing body of Sanctdomo

was under heavy pressure. Jacob sat at the end of the table as the man in
charge of the food supply explained the situation, all while failing to resist
snacking on something that resembled jerky.
Jacob had also failed to hold himself back. He had eaten a sandwich just
before this meeting, and even now, he failed to restrain his desire to grab
another.
"We are under significant pressure from several groups and parties, as the
kitchens have run out of food. Even the private sector is facing a shortage due
to the sudden influx of customers… What is happening? Are we under attack
by something?"
"Sir, there are signs of civil unrest, and many complain about the lack of
proper preparation from our side… We need to do something, and fast, or we
may face a legitimate crisis," the man in charge of security explained while
snacking on some fruit on the table. They had actually just been there for
show, but only a few berries remained by now.
Jacob wracked his mind. The same issue was playing out in every single
settlement of the Holy Church. Some places had enough food by themselves,
but the megacity Sanctdomo was simply too big. They could normally handle
the food situation, but suddenly everyone had grown hungry and wanted to
eat something, nearly simultaneously.
 The timing couldn’t be any worse, either, as the System Store had just
disappeared, making easy acquisition hard. Merchants had already been
pressed for everything they had to sell, but they hadn’t exactly banked on
such a situation happening either.
"All we can do is damage control," Jacob finally said as he prepared to
head out and try to placate the masses before any true rioting and looting
began.

Similar scenes played out all over the planet. Cities found themselves facing
an issue none had predicted, as food suddenly became a much-needed
commodity. Some merchants became rich, others cursed their own luck, but
everyone was hungry and needed to eat.
The only ones spared were the Risen… for as undead, they did not
require food at all. They still lived off mana and felt like they wanted to
absorb a little more than usual, but it was something they easily handled.
Even beasts were affected, and a result, they did something rare: actually
ate their prey. Predators left their dens and sought out victims to sate their
hunger as fighting broke out all across the world. The corpses usually eaten
by weaker lifeforms were claimed, meaning they now also found themselves
struggling. Entire ecosystems faced unprecedented challenges.
This entire crisis continued, with everyone wondering what the cause of
this strange occurrence was. Cities struggled, and the ecosystem was in an
uproar as beasts killed more than ever before. Many theories were made, but
only a select few knew the true reason.
Jake making a cool new weapon.

Carnage was all that was left in his wake. The once sprawling colony had
become a wasteland of death and destruction as Jake tore through it, killing
anything that moved in his path. He went deeper and deeper, delving further
down than perhaps any human had ever been before.
Only D-grades stood before him, and Jake killed them. Giant insects the
sizes of trucks, mandibles able to tear any pre-system metal apart, effortlessly
slaughtered wholesale.
Jake himself was barely conscious as he growled and tore foe after foe
into pieces. A particularly massive termite suddenly shot up from beneath,
but Jake naturally reacted in time, as he had seen it coming through his
sphere a long time ago.
Yet he let it consume him as he accelerated himself downwards to dodge
the mandibles. Scales covered his body, and he soon found himself in a
stomach full of acid that failed to do anything to his body. Jake began
hacking away at the inner walls of the stomach, causing blood to mix with the
acid. Every slash absorbed the insect’s energy as it tried to spit him out and
get rid of him.
It managed to do some things when spike-like teeth appeared on its inner
walls, but all the wounds only made Jake bleed poisoned blood, speeding up
its death.
Jake tore himself out of the body of the massive termite when his blade
stopped absorbing vital energy, then ran forward to kill more.
Occasionally, when the curse was momentarily sated after a big kill, Jake
would get glimpses of clarity. They were only for a brief period, but every
one of them was spent usefully.
The killing was needed to sate the blade… but he needed more. Jake
could not continue as he was currently with the insects getting stronger. The
last one had been level 160, and even if he had killed it relatively easily, he
had still taken damage.
So, to make up for any downtime, Jake tried to keep the blade fed.
Natural treasures originally used to create Vitality-increasing elixirs, herbs of
various kinds, and even a few Beastcores he found compatible had been
consumed by the weapon.
Now, it was time to part with some items he was rather fond of.

[Indigo Fungus Mycorrhiza Lifevine (Rare)] - The Lifevine of an Indigo

Fungus Mycorrhiza. The Lifevine is a part of the main body of the fungus.
Contains intense amounts of vital energy and is incredibly resilient. Can be
used in a myriad of alchemical creations.

[Indigo Fungus Mycorrhiza Lifecore (Epic)] - The Lifecore of an Indigo

Fungus Mycorrhiza. Contains a massive amount of life-affinity mana and
vital energy. Can be used in a myriad of alchemical creations. Will grant a
 permanent increase to the Vitality stat if consumed.

Originally the plan had been to make elixirs with them, but he was out of
options. Jake consumed a potion and simply used Alchemical Flame to melt
down the Lifecore, letting it drip onto the blade and revel in the intense life
energy. If Jake had consumed this himself, he would have gained a
permanent increase to Vitality, but now it was just a drop in the pond.
After that, Jake had it consume the Lifevines. All of this allowed Jake to
get a good half an hour of meditation in, but soon the hunger struck again.
Jake tried to sit still… he really did… but he just had to go again.
It had already been nearly two full days at this point. Jake once more fell
into a half-conscious state, his rampage continuing. His only remaining
mental faculties were used to loot everything he could come across—
primarily, every single core he could get from the insects.

Running on pure instinct, Jake was little more than a well-oiled machine. He
felt like he was just a passenger along the ride as he killed everything he
came across. The deep caverns were fields of death due to Jake deploying
everything he had, so long as it didn’t get in the way of cutting things up.
The wings on his back pumped out poison mist. His blood was used as a
weapon—on the blade, delivered via punches from his bloody fist, or simply
splattered on his foe. Mana burned all around him as arcane explosions blew
up the tunnels to make them collapse, sometimes giving him a bit more time
to finish a meal.
But no matter what he did, it was not enough. It was never enough. The
hunger refused to subside no matter how much he killed or how much blood
he spilled. It just kept wanting… to the point where he could nearly not keep
up.
For every second, it worsened, and soon Jake began to have genuine
moments of blackouts. Moments where his vision went black, only for him to
return to awareness atop a mountain of corpses lacking an arm. Focusing for
a moment, he consumed a potion and tried to find a solution.
That was when he noticed…
The weapon is breaking.
 Microscopic cracks covered it, and Jake became fully aware that the
Chimera Weapon was not powerful enough to contain the curse. He didn’t
know what would happen if it broke, and he didn’t want to find out. But he
couldn’t stop feeding it.
More.
He needed something. A method, a way out. Just… something. He
needed to improve it. He racked his mind, searching for a solution.
Make it stronger…
Jake refused to see himself lose as his body exploded with arcane power,
and, standing on a mountain of corpses, he began yet another crafting session.
Two items appeared, floating around him, as he kept pressing on with
reckless focus and sheer Willpower, even activating Pride. The two items in
question were in no way considered cheap either.

[Nalkar Vampire Heart (Legendary)] – The heart of a powerful, C-grade

Nalkar Vampire. This type of vampire is a rare variant with extremely high
innate abilities in illusion and mind magic, and often possesses a larger
reserve of blood energy than most other vampires. The rarity is higher due to
the high innate talent of the Nalkar Vampire that left behind this heart. Has
many alchemical uses.

[Supreme Carbonic Focusing Catalyst (Legendary)] – This item is made of

a rare type of carbon and is known to be able to bond and mix with most
other materials in existence, making it incredibly potent as a catalyst in most
crafting endeavors. This Carbonic Focusing Catalyst is of extremely high
quality and has absorbed affinity-less mana to allow itself to grow for
countless years, making it reach legendary rarity. Has a wide variety of uses
in alchemical creations and will increase the power of most crafts where this
item is used as a catalyst.

These would not be sacrificed to sate the curse… but to make the vessel
that inhabited it powerful enough to contain the curse. Jake, with only one
arm, did the only natural thing he could: he summoned his cauldron, tossed
the two items into it, and added a shitload of his own blood as he began the
alchemy.
Jake bit his own lips as Hunger tore at him, making them bleed. He failed
to stop himself from drinking his own blood. Needing something more, he
even began feasting on the disgusting bodies of the termites. It all distracted
him, as Jake needed some solace. He needed to ground himself somehow, but
it was just so hard.
He tried to focus on memories of the feeling he got from the Serene
Water. He tried to focus on the deepest part of himself as he sought
somewhere safe. Somewhere he was in total control… and it was a place he
had been recently.
Pride shrank, its affected area limited to only encompassing his own
body. Jake willed himself not to move, fighting every urge to act and simply
shutting out all there was as he forced himself to meditate.
This time, when he felt his vision turn black, it was by his own volition.
He entered a deeper state of concentration than he had ever reached before.
He sat down on top of the many corpses, the sense of touch slowly
disappearing. There were no smells, no tastes, no sounds. Every single sense
slowly faded and became nothing.
His body was torn and broken, and yet he felt calm for the first time, for
there was nothing else to feel. When there were no stimuli… the hunger was
suppressed. All that was left was focus as he entered a deeper state of
meditation than ever before—both figuratively and metaphorically.

*Skill Upgraded*: [Thoughtful Meditation (Uncommon)] --> [Serene

Meditation (Rare)]

*Skill Upgraded*: [Serene Meditation (Rare)] --> [Serene Soul Meditation

(Epic)]

Jake found himself sitting within the empty space all by himself with only a
cauldron between his legs. The cauldron was brimming with energy as the
two legendary items mixed.
He held the Chimera Weapon in his one remaining hand, willing it to
become a ball of metal once more. He placed it carefully in the cauldron and
focused all of his attention on the crafting session. Touch of the Malefic
Viper was active on the cauldron as he merged the items, a relaxed smile on
his face.
In the outside world, every action of his was mimicked—not by physical
movement, but through magic. He did not feel the outside world, yet he was
aware even if every sense was cut off. He could not move his body in the
outside world, yet his magic still responded. However, inside his Soulspace,
he felt everything, even if he also knew the items were merely conjurations of
his imagination.
The hunger was not gone… but he could handle it. It felt as if it was just
someone else’s hunger, and when he looked up inside his Soulspace, he saw
the energy hanging above. Jake had never really explored this space, but he
still felt intimately familiar with it, despite not knowing what he actually was
there.
It was just bare ground with nothing anywhere. Except in the sky. Up
there, curse energy whirled and dominated the atmosphere, yet it was unable
to come down and truly influence Jake. It was also unable to influence a
single item that was little more than a blip on the infinite landscape—a single
drop of blood.
Needless to say, it was the drop of blood he had gained from the Malefic
Viper, the cornerstone of his Sagacity of the Malefic Viper skill. However,
that drop was not what he cared about right now. It was all the curse energy
above. Just by looking at it, he knew it was not meant to be there, and that its
existence within his Soulspace was proof he had fucked something up badly
during the curse ritual. Which meant he needed to do something.
So… he would get rid of it.
Simply by willing it, the energy hanging above, pulsing in a dark red
color, began slowly descending into an emergent whirlwind of power. It
touched down right in front of Jake, then into the open cauldron he was
sitting with. Jake was in perfect control as he began an odd mix of
transmutation and crafting, unlike anything he had ever done before.

Back in the outside world, Jake sat perfectly still. His one hand on the
cauldron subtly glowed with the effects of Touch of the Malefic Viper as his
magic moved. Everything he was experiencing in his Soulspace was merely a
metaphysical reference to what he was actually doing. Metaphors of reality,
one could also call it. But when it came to magic, such concepts often had
blurred lines, as it was difficult to determine what was and wasn’t truly
happening.
The only thing that was certain was that the aura of the cauldron was
growing with every second. That a weapon with an aura above anything their
planet had ever seen was being born. That Jake’s act of creation was affecting
everything globally. That what he was doing was so dangerous that not a
single creature dared approach.
Not even the C-grade dwelling deep beneath in the bottommost chamber
of the hive.
Chapter 29
 Eternal Hunger

T he feeling of absolute control was exhilaration, yet Jake barely felt

anything from it. It was an odd paradox that even his own feeling of
happiness and sense of power was suppressed by his own skill, but
perhaps it was ultimately for the best, as it allowed Jake to stay focused.
All perception of time disappeared as Jake worked on creating the
weapon. Within the cauldron—both outside and inside his Soulspace—the
curse still grew in power as it absorbed the energy of the Root, which had
been transferred into Jake’s own soul.
Jake had quickly realized his mistake was to absorb the power of the Root
into himself rather than pour it directly into the Chimera weapon, but in his
defense, he had been very, very hungry and had wanted to consume
everything and anything. So while the curse energy of the Root had been
right there, he hadn’t really been thinking.
He was not afraid anything bad would happen from having it in his
Soulspace. This was within his soul, where actual power did not matter
anymore. The power of the Soulspace and the power of a person were not
directly linked, but had more to do with the total level of one’s Records.
If one used the same comparison that the Records were the cup and
experience the water used to fill it, Jake had a really fucking huge cup. This
isn’t to say Jake’s soul was "stronger," as this strength was still based on his
own total power.
That was why the King could still damage Jake’s soul—because he’d
never damaged the Soulspace directly. The Soulspace was the Truesoul,
untouched by anything and anyone. Only the user themselves could possibly
affect it, and even then, it was ultimately the domain of the system itself. All
Jake saw was his own perception of his Truesoul.
If everything around the Soulspace was shattered, leaving only the
Soulspace itself, then there was no Jake to dwell within. His Truesoul—or
this Soulspace—would still exist; there would just be no one to perceive it
besides the system itself. Without this Soulspace’s connection to the outside
world through Jake himself, none would be able to find it. In fact, this space
likely didn’t "exist" anywhere at all, and if it did, it was somewhere only the
system itself could see and be aware of.
But… back at Jake and his work, things were progressing as expected.
The curse energy floating in the sky of his Soulspace was being pulled down
faster than before, which translated to Jake infusing more of it into the
cauldron in the outside world.
A part of Jake knew that what he was doing would not necessarily end up
leading to an ideal outcome, as while he was calm right now, he would have
to face the brunt force of the curse upon exiting meditation. But, as with all
other things, Jake would handle that when it became relevant.
Days passed as Jake just sat there, the bodies rotting all around in the real
world. Jake’s poison mist mixing with the corpses created a toxic atmosphere
that kept away other would-be predators, even giving Jake a touch of mana
regeneration.
Not everything was fine and dandy, though, because the curse of Hunger
still drained Jake as he sat there. Without outside energy being given, Jake
was constantly having his vital energy absorbed too. Under usual
circumstances, this would mean certain death, given his inability to exit his
current state of meditation… but Jake was a cheat.
Every single one of his senses was cut off. Every connection to the
outside world was gone—at least, every connection that could be cut off.
Because just like when he’d spoken to the King in his Soulspace, he could
still feel the outside world courtesy of his Sphere of Perception. The fact that
it was unaffected by the meditation skill was one of its hidden bonuses, and
now that his meditation had become even more extreme, the bonus just got
better.
In summary: Jake could use his sphere to still chug down a potion every
single hour to not have his own transmutation kill him.
As time passed, the sky in the Soulspace began clearing up. The curse
energy had soon entered the weapon wholly, and Jake felt that the weapon
had fully integrated—or eaten—the legendary Nalkar Vampire Heart, all with
help from the Catalyst to make this entire process possible. It had truly been a
wonderous item, and had even helped smoothen the curse energy absorption.
Everything finally came together as Jake felt the moment it was complete.
Energy suddenly exploded out of the Altmar Cauldron of Supreme
Simplicity, and the black metal orb flew out of it. A loud crackling was heard
as the cauldron distorted and cracked, with Jake himself being blasted back
and hitting the wall like a ragdoll.
He didn’t even react, as he was still within his Soulspace, where a
transformation was also happening. Gone was the cauldron. Only the black
metal ball floated there, now giving off an entirely new aura. At the same
time, he felt the influx of energy—not from inside the space itself, but
coming from the outside.
During the ritual, the curse had been powerful enough to send a wave of
pure curse energy across the planet, and now that energy was being returned
and absorbed. It had been amplified by the many people it had affected
during the time the ritual had taken place.
The feeling of hunger from over a billion humans, tens of billions of
beasts, and creatures in the trillions entered the black metal orb—directly into
Jake’s Soulspace. The sheer energy and the weapon itself seemed to come
alive within Jake’s soul as something entirely new was born.
Suddenly, out of the ball grew an entirely black, sludge-like appendage,
followed by another as the weapon floated up in the air, more sludge-like
growths appeared. Arms, legs, mouths in the millions—a creature out of a
horror novel was slowly being given form within Jake’s Soulspace, already
growing larger than any mountain on Earth within seconds.
It was a figure so vast and so powerful Jake would have no chance to
fight it in the real world. Had it been an actual creature, he did not doubt it
would have been B or maybe even A-grade. It sure held the power of one
when it finally stopped growing, now larger than even some smaller celestial
bodies, like the Moon.
Jake understood. The abomination was Records given form, a
representation of the curse itself. All of the hunger, all of the influence it
wished to exert. Jake knew it had come to devour him and make him one
with it, just like it consumed everything else eternally.
This was the final part of the ritual. The one where the curse was either
given its own form and life, becoming an independent creature… or it was
suppressed and made part of Jake. He had created the soul connection to the
curse himself, and now it tried to use that connection to become him.
"I guess this is where I am forcefully evolved into some cursed
monstrosity as my own Records are overwhelmed by that of the curse and the
weapon," Jake muttered, still sitting on the ground, staring up at a figure
infinitely larger than himself.
At least, that was how this would usually go. The thing is… Jake had
been in this kind of situation before—back when he’d fought scale-Jake, as
he called him. This one was just a little more dangerous.
Jake had gotten stronger since then, and his Records had grown. Not that
it mattered.
It wouldn’t have been able to do shit to him, even back then.
Because, sadly for the monstrosity, it had met an even more frightening
monster within his own domain. It had met the Primal Hunter within his own
territory.
"Sit."
The monstrosity was forcefully dragged to the ground. It smashed into the
empty landscape, lying prone and failing to move. It was still evolving even
now, and soon it began taking on a form that made a bit more sense and
caused him to smirk.
"I guess there is some of that Chimera DNA in the weapon with Chimera
in the name after all."
Jake watched it struggle as he casually stood up and walked closer, the
form of the Chimera shrinking every second. It did so due to its power being
compressed from trying to fight back, though Jake guessed "trying" was the
wrong word. The apparition before him didn’t really have an ego. Maybe it
would have one after a long period passed, like the anti-vampire curse in
Yalsten, but that was never going to happen now.
Actually, it was never going to happen, as it would just have hijacked
Jake and distorted him as a person to create a new ego. Quite insidious, but
such was the nature of the cursed.
Back in the real world, the orb was still hanging in mid-air, giving off a
frightening aura, almost waiting for the confrontation to be over as Jake lay
prone at a wall. The scene was juxtaposed with the domination happening
within the Soulspace.
Jake began walking forward, every step creating mounting pressure as the
Chimera got weaker and weaker. It began trying to consume the ground
below itself but failed. It then tried to find something else to consume, and
finally, its eyes landed on the one other thing besides Jake in his entire
Soulspace.
"Bad call, buddy," Jake commented as he allowed it to run for the
singular drop of blood floating far above.
He wanted to see what would happen, but honestly, it was disappointing.
The Chimera just closed its largest of over ten maws on the drop, only to
harmlessly phase through.
At least, he thought it had just harmlessly phased through… until the
entire thing began being eroded by what little remnants of Records the curse
managed to touch, forcing Jake to quickly intervene.
"No ruining my curse," Jake said as he simply willed for the erosion to
stop.
The drop of blood was without will and didn’t fight it as Jake put a stop
to it—only for the moronic curse Chimera to try and eat the drop again.
Jake stomped down, and the entire creature was smashed into the ground.
Jake then opened his arms to fire strings of arcane mana out from
everywhere, binding the Chimera up in a cocoon of highly stable arcane
energy.
He considered if he should do anything more but decided against it. To
crush this apparition would potentially have negative side effects. So instead,
he simply walked over to it and made sure it was well and nicely sealed.
Having the cursed creature within his soul was maybe a bit unsettling…
but Jake was fine with it. Especially with his new meditation skill, which he
finally checked out.

[Serene Soul Meditation (Epic)] - Enter a state of meditation, separating

your soul from your physical body as you enter your Soulspace. While in
meditation, regenerate stamina and mana significantly faster. While in
meditation, all connections to the outside world are entirely cut off, and no
outside stimuli can force you out of meditation. While in Serene Soul
Meditation, you are calmer than usual and have far better control of your
own emotions. Increases control of all energies while in Serene Soul
Meditation. Beware that spending too long within your Soulspace may have
adverse effects.

Jake read it over and nodded along. Him not upgrading his meditation
skill before this was a travesty. Honestly, it shouldn’t have been that hard if
he had just focused on it, but he had been fine with Thoughtful Meditation.
Now, this new version was quite the upgrade, but it also had downsides.
Compared to the normal meditation and even Thoughtful Meditation, which
only limited perception severely, this one just cut it off entirely.
Someone could walk up to someone meditating with this skill and kill
them without them even waking up. Jake had to assume those with a variant
of it had to use advanced arrays or have someone with special skills to
contact them while in any kind of Soul Meditation.
He could only assume, as, naturally, none of that applied to him. He could
still see outside with his sphere, and he was pretty sure his danger sense
would also still activate to wake him up. One really had to love Bloodline
shenanigans.
Closing his eyes, Jake prepared to shift himself back to the real world
once more, still minding the warning to not stay in the Soulspace too long.
Once he did so, all of his emotions, perception, and—most importantly—
hunger returned.
In front of him still floated the black ball that was his new weapon. Jake
gritted his teeth and motioned for it to come to him. Before, Jake had been
entirely dominated by the curse energy, but now? Now Jake could deal with
it somewhat.
Holding it in his hand, he transformed it into a black sword with the same
design as his Nanoblade—a long, thin blade and a small handle. He admired
it and felt an intimate connection with the blade, which he knew hungered.
And after identifying the blade, it became clear…
It always hungered.

[Eternal Hunger (Mythical)] – A weapon born of eternal hunger. A living sin

of consumption, forever starving, forever seeking sustenance. Given form by
the [Redacted] Hunter, this new myth still holds properties of its Origin as a
weapon created by vampires from the core of a Chimera, allowing it to
change shape and adapt to the will of its master. This weapon is forever
bound to its creator through their souls, and will grow as it consumes. Any
attack made with this weapon will absorb energy from the target. Foes slain
by the owner of this weapon will have their souls absorbed. Can consume
absorbed souls. Take pride as you wield hunger incarnate. Enchantments:
Curse of Eternal Hunger. Souldrinker. Soul Consumption.
Requirements: Soulbound.
 After reading it, Jake cackled to himself, not entirely sure if it was
because of the curse still influencing him or if it was just his genuine
reaction. "Isn’t this just more evil than before?" he muttered.
There were a lot of things to address. This being the highest rarity Jake
had ever seen outside of non-godly items was the most obvious one, as he
guessed mythical was what came after legendary. There was also the fact that
it directly mentioned he was the maker in the description by calling him the
Primal Hunter—even if it had somehow redacted that part. Then there was
the fact that it could now consume souls, something the original Scimitar of
Debauchery could also do.
Honestly, the description didn’t look that complicated, but by just holding
it, Jake knew that what he was wielding was a catastrophe given form. The
sheer curse energy sealed within the weapon—and Jake himself—was
enough to threaten the entire planet if released.
It was also clear that Jake could in no way use the weapon to its full
power. Far from it. In fact, him sealing the Chimera inside his Soulspace was
the only reason Jake could form coherent thoughts in the real world without
being busy trying to consume anything and everything in existence.
Being done with initial inspections, Jake finally opened his system
messages. He saw the notifications of the new Meditation skill, but before
that, he saw the weapon’s upgrade to legendary rarity. He had not gained
anything special from that one besides experience. But finally, at the very
bottom of his notifications, he saw what he had been looking for:
The notification of when he had completed the weapon. With it came the
usual experience, and to his delight, a title.
But when he read the title in question, Jake wasn’t sure what to think.

[Myth Originator] – Successfully bring a mythical-rarity weapon into

existence while still in D-grade. A new myth has been realized through you,
and henceforth, all creations made by you will be by one who gave birth to a
new myth.

"What the hell does that even mean…?” Jake muttered. He had hoped for
a stat-giving title or something like that, but instead gotten this vague-ass
stuff. Was it good? Probably… but it wasn’t what he had been hoping for or
even expected.
Then again… it wasn’t like when Jake had made his own skill. This was
just him transforming an existing one. Jake could compare it to the difference
between when he’d upgraded a rare skill to a legendary one through his
Bloodline to make Moment of the Primal Hunter, and upgrading an ancient-
rarity "of the Malefic Viper skill" to legendary. Both upgraded skills, but one
had been done entirely by Jake, while the other had not.
Jake wanted to keep examining his gains, but his restlessness grew as he
stood there. It had been a long time since the weapon had killed anything, and
Jake quickly became aware of exactly how long he had spent inside his
Soulspace.
Eighteen days had passed since Jake entered it, and Jake was hungry.
Eternal Hunger was hungry, and to fully sate it, there was more killing to be
done.
Thus, Jake stormed forth, this time with his head clear enough to make it
an efficient hunt.
Jake had naturally gained levels, but he didn’t go through them right
away. He just quickly tossed all his points in Agility, putting off everything
else to kill and consume.
Chapter 30
 Progress Through Cursed Slaughter

F or over three weeks, a crisis had shaken the planet. It quickly became
known as the Great Famine, where all living things on Earth had
suddenly felt unbearable hunger. The first few days were the worst by
far, before many became more used to the feeling and found ways to cope.
The predominant opinion was that it was some part of the system. A trial
or a hidden event or something to test humanity. The only problem with this
theory was that it had affected every living being and not just humans. When
it then suddenly stopped one day, people were just left more confused.
Only a select few people on the planet actually knew what had happened.
Casper knew but didn’t share with anyone, and Miranda had an inkling, as
Jake had informed her of his plans before leaving. As for everyone else?
Well, it was difficult to figure it out. All kinds of divination into the issue
were met with a wall, and no gods gave any information to their believers,
only strengthening the belief it was system-imposed. Some did figure out it
was related to a curse, but the only high-level curse mage anyone knew of
was Casper, and all their probing found him busy with the dungeon.
In the end, with it disappearing, it just became another oddity of the new
world. As these weeks passed, the many factions had begun to find ways to
deal with the curse with time. However, the economic and reputational
damage to many of the larger factions or those who had mismanaged the
crisis was unquestionable. The hardest hit, by far, had been the Holy Church.
Any strategist would agree that if this entire scenario dubbed the Great
Famine had been an attack on the Church, it was one excellently done.
As for the true culprit? Well, he had been busy playing with his
Jake sat leaning back against the cave wall as he breathed heavily. He
looked down at his legs—or what was left of them—groaning while waiting
for them to heal. Asshole termites had drilled up from below and attacked
him while he was already fighting two massive termites, one of them level
181 and the other 183.
He had no idea how far down he was by now. Probably a few hundred
kilometers? It was hard to say, and the tunnel network only kept expanding.
Each tunnel was more than twenty meters in diameter, the walls magically
reinforced by the termites.
Entire biodomes found below the ground had been consumed by the
termites, leaving nothing behind. Jake went through them and left death in his
wake, and by now, he was beginning to feel a bit more like himself. The
constant hunger had subsided—both because Jake had learned to cope, and
because the weapon was beginning to be sated.
The curse’s influence was still there, and Jake had a feeling it wasn’t
going to go away. Eternal Hunger was never going to be fully sated, no
matter how much he killed. However, it would become sated enough for Jake
to ignore its constant nagging for more sustenance.
Jake also learned that after it had been fully created, it had become a lot
easier to feed. It ate borderline anything. It consumed his own mana, health,
and stamina; it absorbed mana from the environment passively, and any
natural treasure or useless item he found was also happily eaten.
But… the best way to feed it was still killing. After the upgrade, it didn’t
only absorb vital energy, but all kinds of energy. Stamina, mana, health—
probably even unique resources that something like the Risen had. But the
absorption rate did not only increase because of the energy it absorbed during
the killing, but also because of what happened once a foe was slain: the
Souldrinker effect.
Jake had wondered how someone like that man Donald had managed to
bring the Scimitar to epic rarity and make it as powerful as it was. He’d pretty
strong for his level, but only due to his weapon, and clearly, he had made it a
lot stronger since the day he got it.
The explanation had been the souls all along. Jake had happily seen that
effect gone when he transmuted it the first time, but he could see the worth in
it now. Souls contained a type of energy that Jake couldn’t quite identify, but
he knew it was good for the weapon.
Now, this led Jake to another discovery. To absorb energy, Jake had to
use the weapon. But to absorb a soul? Nothing specified he had to actually
use Eternal Hunger to do that. As long as Jake slew a foe, the soul would be
absorbed, and Jake had only learned that just now, as he had been forced to
pull out his bow when the situation got tricky.
It was an awesome discovery that greatly increased the viability of
Eternal Hunger. Another thing that improved the viability was the fact that he
could "get rid of it" entirely by storing it not within his storage space, but his
own Soulspace.
Maybe it was because the mythical weapon was intricately tied to his
soul, but he could put it in there with no problem. Jake also discovered he
could do the same with the mask, though that didn’t have any practical
applications, as he could already make it invisible. Well, maybe it could be a
defensive measure against the King in the future if the Unique Lifeform could
influence him through it, but that didn’t seem like a danger at the current
time.
When Eternal Hunger was in his Soulspace, he didn’t feel anything from
it, as it was utterly suppressed. It merged with the large Chimera thing in
there, which was nicely sealed up in arcane strings. He was fully aware that
the Eternal Hunger he used now could barely display a fraction of its true
power, partly because he kept the Chimera suppressed, and that was just fine.
That just meant he had a worthy weapon for a long time to come, as it
could grow with him.
Jake shook his head when the potion cooldown expired, and he downed a
health potion before closing his eyes to relax, entering meditation. Just the
usual kind of meditation, not Soul Meditation. As with other skill upgrades,
he could still use prior versions, including the Serene Meditation he had
gained and briefly skipped over. That one just allowed him to be far more
relaxed while in meditation and even regenerated more resources than
Thoughtful Meditation.
He checked the time and saw it had now been around two weeks since
he’d made Eternal Hunger. The thought of returning to Haven soon was still
there, and Miranda had even contacted him using her special skill only to
confirm he was fine. She had apparently tried to do so a few times earlier, but
that had been during Jake’s crafting, so he had not even noticed. Jake had
told her that he would return soon as long as he felt like he wasn’t a danger to
the city.
Even now, he still felt a sudden compulsion to consume at random times
when he wielded Eternal Hunger, and if that happened while in the middle of
Haven with humans around? Jake didn’t know if he would lose concentration
and casually kill someone. This was why he stayed… to hone his control. It
got better for every day that passed, so soon he would return.
He also needed to return because he had a major issue… His Altmar
Cauldron of Supreme Simplicity was damaged. It was still useable, but it had
cracks in it and leaked mana, making it dangerous and wasteful to use. He
was amazed at somehow having broken the item that seemed completely
unbreakable, but that was mythical items for ya. He wasn’t sure how to fix it,
but he would have to look around if it was possible once he got back, and if it
wasn’t fixable, Jake would have to switch to the epic-rarity cauldron he had
also bought. The one with the ability to transform into other affinities. It
wasn’t as good, and Jake hadn’t really used it much because of that, but it
was still a viable option.
Focusing on more positive things, he opened up his many notifications
gained during this long period. He saw tens of thousands of kill messages, the
majority of them from insects that did not give any experience, but the further
he got down into the hive and the notification list, the more he began to gain
something.
Most termites gave shit experience, but he did encounter some variants
who put up a good fight, primarily through some gimmick.
Swallowers did as it said on the can—giant versions of the termites like
the one that had eaten him before. Jake had a feeling the primary objective of
that termite was to bring food deeper into the hive.
Next up, he had the soldiers and workers. Both basic termites and what he
killed primarily. Then there were ones that shot acid, called Spitters, and
finally the type he had just killed two of, called Queen’s Guards.

*You have slain [Isoptera Queen’s Guard – lvl 181] – Bonus experience
earned for killing an enemy above your level*

*You have slain [Isoptera Queen’s Guard – lvl 183] – Bonus experience
earned for killing an enemy above your level*
 Both were larger versions of the normal termites with wings on their
backs. Having killed them, Jake knew he was closer to the true heart of the
hive, and once he was recuperated, he would head in and explore. The C-
grade he felt somewhere below was still a good distance away, so he
wouldn’t risk running into that one. But one could still take a peek, right?
With all of these kills came a plethora of cores. The cores these insects
gave were not Beastcores, but were instead called Ectognacores.

[Isoptera Queen’s Guard Ectognacore (D-grade)] - An Ectognacore left

behind by a D-grade Isoptera Queen’s Guard, containing remnants of its
Records within. Can be used as an alchemical ingredient for many types of
creations but is most often found in Elixirs.

While the name was different, it was the same shit. Jake now had well
over a thousand of these cores from slain D-grades. One also had to consider
that many D-grades didn’t even drop a core, proving just how much of a
rampage Jake had gone on.
And such killing had naturally also resulted in levels for Jake’s class.

*’DING!’ Class: [Avaricious Arcane Hunter] has reached level 144 - Stat
points allocated, +10 Free Points*

*’DING!’ Class: [Avaricious Arcane Hunter] has reached level 149 - Stat
points allocated, +10 Free Points*

Jake had gained six levels, and while that didn’t seem like a lot, one had to
consider how little time total Jake had actually spent killing as well as the
relative weakness of his foes. Jake had spent less than three weeks actually
slaying things, which was still more than a level every few days. That was
good considering how "low risk" this entire thing had been. Shit, the only
reasons Jake had ever been in trouble were his hunger-driven reckless
approach and sticking almost exclusively to melee. That sentiment had begun
to change recently as he got lower, and he had a feeling things would be more
interesting from here on out.
 Now, one could argue the gains in his class were disappointing. Jake
wouldn’t even necessarily disagree, as a good fight less than an hour long
could reward a few levels against a worthy foe. Truthfully, the fights against
the termites were not fun either. No, the only true fighting Jake had done was
internally, with the curse, and maybe the most recent encounter.
But… it wasn’t progress for his class that had been the true gain from this
adventure. It was inarguable that what Jake had done was ultimately a
transmutation. He had made Eternal Hunger… and the system recognized
that with the title and experience.

*’DING!’ Profession: [Heretic-Chosen Alchemist of the Malefic Viper] has

reached level 139 - Stat points allocated, +10 Free Points*

*’DING!’ Profession: [Heretic-Chosen Alchemist of the Malefic Viper] has

reached level 148 - Stat points allocated, +10 Free Points*

Ten levels had been gained from transmuting the mythical item. Well, eight
of them had come from the mythical item, and two of them had come when
Jake made it legendary rarity. The many levels in his class and profession
naturally resulted in plenty of race levels too.

*’DING!’ Race: [Human (D)] has reached level 141 - Stat points allocated,
+15 Free Points*

*’DING!’ Race: [Human (D)] has reached level 148 - Stat points allocated,
+15 Free Points*

Eight race levels total. Jake had progressed through nearly a tenth of D-grade
incredibly swiftly. This was the kind of thing Villy had warned him about
doing: grinding out fast levels and making an unstable path. The thing is, that
was not what Jake had done at all; in fact, he had probably gained more
Records for future growth than experience points and levels.
As mentioned, all of his Free Points had already gone into Agility. All in
all, this investment had resulted in Jake getting a lot stronger in every way,
and all the levels also naturally meant one other thing… He could now use
his cool new pants from the Treasure Hunt.

[Trousers of Second Wind (Ancient)] – A pair of trousers created once upon

a time for the noble son of a King of Blood to keep his child alive. The
trousers themselves are made of powerful leather of an unknown origin but
are incredibly resilient to all kinds of attacks. The enchantments placed upon
them only serve to protect the wearer. In a time of emergency, the trousers
can trigger a Second Wind, infusing the body with extremely active vital
energy to heal wounds. If damaged, the trousers can self-repair by absorbing
blood. Enchantments: Toughness + 300, Vitality +300. Second Wind. Blood
Absorption.
Requirements: Lvl 145+ in any humanoid race.

Jake had put them on a good while ago and had even used the
enchantment once. It was still recharging now, which was fine with him. As
for the effect? It was a bit like consuming an extra health potion except worse
in every way. Still, a worse extra health potion was better than no extra health
potion.
This meant Jake could now use all the equipment he had gained from the
Treasure Hunt, which felt nice. He could also now fully use all the Agility he
got from his equipment, as his old pants had had Agility on them, while his
new ones didn’t.
He still got 800 Agility from his gear, the second highest after the 975 in
Perception.
Finally, as he sat there and regenerated, he chose to address another
elephant in the room he had held off on doing anything about.

*Heretic-Chosen Alchemist of the Malefic Viper profession skills

available*

He had waited with it till now through sheer willpower. He could have
picked it earlier, but he had waited very purposefully, as he wanted to pick it
while in a more stable condition. Also… it was honestly hard for him to just
sit down and go through the options for long enough to not feel like he was
rushing it and just hurrying to pick a skill in frustration. After initiation of the
process, he had to pick a skill, after all.
So, without further ado, it was skill-selection time.
Chapter 31
 Skills & Paths

T he methodology had been established, and there was nothing to explain

related to Jake’s approach as he began the process of selecting a new
skill. As dictated by proper practice, he would begin from the first—
and lowest-rarity one—on the list.
Firstly, he was faced with one related to contemporary happenings, but
with a disappointing rarity.

[Condense Curse Marble (Uncommon)] – Make the intangible powers of

curses material as you forcefully condense their energy into a physical shape.
Allows the alchemist to create Curse Marbles of curse energy. Must be able
to fully control the curse energy in order to condense it into a Curse Marble.
Be aware that, based on the nature of the curse, it may be harder to restrain
and keep sealed within the marble. Adds a minor increase to the effectiveness
of Condense Curse Marble based on Willpower.

Jake wasn’t sure what to think about this one besides… why would he
ever want that? Not to be misunderstood—Jake understood why someone
else would want it, as it allowed them to condense curse energy and add it
into alchemical creations—but why would Jake want it?
The answer was that he wouldn’t, so he moved on.

[Distill Powder (Rare)] - Sometimes, poison can be more than a liquid.

Perhaps it is in the air itself. Allows the alchemist to distill a concocted
poison, creating powder with similar effects. Mixing the powder of different
distilled poisons will work synergistically if possible. If the powder is burned,
it will release the poisonous effect into the air. The poison powder’s effects
and nature depend on the poison distilled and potential powder mixes. Adds
an increase to the effect of the powder based on Wisdom.

Another blast from the past. Jake had passed over this skill the first time
he’d been offered it at uncommon rarity, and to be honest, not much seemed
to have changed, except he could now mix powders to make new kinds of
poison. Kinda neat and definitely something he would consider looking into
doing.
He just didn’t need a skill for it, as he already had Sagacity. Due to that,
he decided to move on down the list. The following skill jumped from rare to
ancient rarity, and was the first interesting one.

[Soul Ritualism of the Heretic-Chosen Alchemist (Ancient)] – As a master

of your own path, the power of your Soulspace and authority of self is
unquestionable. Grants knowledge of, and allows the Heretic-Chosen
Alchemist to perform rituals pertaining to, the soul. Soul Rituals must be
performed both within the Soulspace and the real world. As a forger of your
own path, Records infused during any soul ritual will hold more weight.
Effects of the ritual are based on the nature of the ritual performed as well as
the materials used during the ritual. All rituals will scale with Willpower in
addition to other stat bonuses applied according to the nature of the ritual
performed.

Soul ritualism was a term Jake had met a few times during research, but
he still wasn’t entirely clear what it was about. Well, basic deduction dictated
it had something to do with the soul, but soul magic in itself was just an
incredibly broad realm of magic—if it could even be called that. Mental
magic was technically a form of soul magic, but was most often not classified
as such.
Curse magic was, too, due to how it affected the soul. Yet, again, it was
often not put in the same classification as pure soul magic. Soul magic, when
actually called soul magic, tended to be unbelievably pure and messed
directly with the soul without any intermediate layering. The King directly
draining Jake’s resources and breaking down his soul layers was an example
of the purest form of soul magic.
Interestingly enough, the classes that most often used soul magic were
healer variants. Many of them had ways to directly shield souls, and with the
soul shielded, it could also block other magic that interacted with the soul
through some intermediate means. Heck, as health points were part of the
soul, one could argue anything that did damage interacted with the soul.
However… perhaps the purest form of soul magic was contracts or
unions. Like the Union Oath Jake had made with Sylphie, the bond created
between an individual and any Soulbound item, the bond created between
Jake and the King, or anything in the same vein. This skill would allow Jake
to probably make bonds like that… though he would for sure make it more
like Sylphie’s. To be fair, he probably wouldn’t do them at all. Unless,
perhaps, it was in relation to the next type of customary soul rituals:
Soul Nurture rituals.
Jake had already participated in one such ritual when he helped Sylphie.
Of course, that one had been directed by Mystie using her own magic, but
Jake had been a big part of it. Jake had actually considered asking Mystie for
help when he wanted to awaken the Bee Queen, and maybe still would, but
he was also aware he would have to take the lead on that one.
It wasn’t that Jake didn’t think Mystie would be helpful; he just didn’t
think she was strong enough. The Bee Queen would be born at level 100 and
already be a full-fledged D-grade right out of the egg. Since the one doing the
ritual had to be able to really influence it, Jake believed he was the only one
capable of that.
This did not make the skill a necessity. Jake did not know many things
about the skill, and even if the rarity was good, it wasn’t exactly legendary.
Also, everything it did, he could learn himself by studying and using Sagacity
down the line. It was a hard choice, but there was some pull, the thing about
his Records in particular holding more weight.
Either way, he moved on, and next up was…
Okay… this just seems like a big no-no.

[Supreme Curse Assimilation (Legendary)] – To others, a curse is a

restriction and a demerit, but to you, it is merely another method to grow
your own power. Embrace them as they embrace you. Allows the Heretic-
Chosen Alchemist of the Malefic Viper to assimilate curses with his soul,
gaining far more control of the curse energy related to any curse assimilated.
 Increases the potency and effect of all curses wielded by the alchemist when
infused into Soulbound items. Allows the alchemist to consume curses to
rejuvenate himself. Strengthens the bond between the alchemist and
assimilated curses, allowing either part to affect the other more effectively.

If Jake read that correctly—and he was pretty sure he did—this skill

would allow Jake to far better use curses in any aspect of his life… but it
would also allow the curses to use Jake in far more aspects of their cursed
lives, making this solidly a bad idea to pick.
He was certain someone like Casper would absolutely fucking love a skill
like this, and that they probably even had one similar to it. Jake would find it
a bit funny if he were offered a better one than his mate, even if this wasn’t
really related to actually using a curse, but just getting better at merging with
them.
Jake already had enough problems dealing with the influence of the curse,
so bonding with it further seemed like a great way to lose control.
Hence, he moved on… to more curse stuff.

[Curse Attunement (Unique)] - You have shown yourself able to control and
remain dominant over the harsh emotional energy of curses, allowing you to
far more easily manipulate it. Transform a portion of your mana, health, and
stamina to permanently become curse energy, empowering and reducing the
cost of all curse-related skills and abilities. This energy intrinsically feeds off
and amplifies emotions while often doing soul damage to your target. Also
allows the user to transform all other energy sources into pure curse energy
far more easily.

This was Jake’s second time seeing an attunement skill. The first time had
been all the way back during the Forgotten Sewers dungeon, where he had
been offered the Dark Attunement skill. Back then, he had not chosen it, and
he wasn’t going to take this one… but the implications of it even being
offered mattered.
One could only be offered an attunement skill to an affinity with which
one had an incredibly high level of compatibility. Jake could, as an example,
easily use a bit of fire magic and even some water and earth magic if he tried,
but he did not have high compatibility with any of those affinities. The only
one Jake had experienced a high affinity with, thus far, had been dark… and
now, apparently, curses?
Was Jake really naturally talented with curses? What did that even mean?
Curses weren’t really an affinity as much as they were a concept. There was
no curse mana or curse stamina or such like with other affinities. There was
just curse energy.
To pick this skill would be Jake permanently choosing the path of a curse
user, which was something Jake had no intentions of doing. Even if it was a
path that Jake was compatible with.
A part of him understood why he was compatible. Jake had spent his
entire life learning to control his own emotions and impulses due to the
Bloodline. His approach had been to simply mute everything, which honestly
hadn’t ended very well, as Jake had only a handful of positive memories of
his life before the system. Shit, he had muted huge aspects of the entire
Bloodline at some point, to the level of it needing to be awakened in the
tutorial.
This seemed to have led to high compatibility with curses. However, this
compatibility also came with risk. Perhaps Jake could become a damn strong
curse user, even becoming able to utterly dominate curses somehow, but right
now, all it would lead to were issues.
Oh, and also, Jake really didn’t like curses. They felt a bit icky to him.
Arcane magic was way better anyway.
Jake looked over the entire list and considered a few skills he had been
offered prior, but in the end, he ultimately decided to go with Soul Ritualism
of the Heretic-Chosen Alchemist.
The moment he picked the skill, Jake felt the knowledge enter his head.
Jake closed his eyes and reveled in the influx of information for a few
moments while also waiting for his body to fully heal.
Once he was back in top form, it was time to explore a bit further down
the hive and maybe, just maybe, take a little peek and stab at the C-grade
lording over it.

Vilastromoz and Duskleaf stood together, both having diverted some of their
attention to what Jake had been up to, as the Viper had failed to hold back his
curiosity. Usually, people would be careful when performing risky
experiments or rituals, and if they discovered a flaw, or it went in a direction
that was too unexpected, they preferred to abandon it entirely, lest they risk
long-term consequences or even death.
This was doubly true when dealing with something as volatile and
dangerous as curses.
Yet, as always, Jake had acted without hesitation and refused to abandon
what he was doing. He had taken a huge risk and come out on top yet again.
The Viper was beginning to think it was happening a bit too often to be a
coincidence, and once more, the only explanation he could find was the
Bloodline… or perhaps, more accurately, the insane level of synergy between
Jake’s entire personality, mindset, drive, ability, and Bloodline. As with most
things, it was hard to determine if these traits came courtesy of the Bloodline,
or if they were simply who he was.
"A novel but effective application of his Soulspace to suppress the
emotional aspects of the curse," Duskleaf said and nodded along, having
observed Jake as he transmuted and created the weapon. “Most certainly
risky, but after the suppression and successful absorption of a drop of your
blood, it should not be surprising he was able to.”
"You see no cause for concern?" Vilastromoz asked his disciple.
“Merging with such a curse while only in D-grade isn’t generally
recommended.”
"Perhaps, but I doubt it will ever result in a complete takeover of his
Records." Duskleaf shook his head. "At worst, he would temporarily
transform, resulting in a less-than-fortunate path to C-grade for those around
him. Maybe he would do something akin to what you did to your own planet?
Such a path holds a lot of value, and it isn’t like the loss of a minor planet
like the one he is on would affect anything in the long run."
The Viper smirked. "Not sure how Jake would feel about it."
Duskleaf just shrugged. "He’ll get over it. Those powerful enough to
matter would survive, and those too weak or unwise to avoid him would be
no loss of consequence anyway. Doubt any but a few on his planet will be
alive in a few thousand years anyway."
"You keep forgetting, Jake is only a few decades old. His perspective is
still narrow and grounded in how he perceived reality before the system."
Vilastromoz chuckled. "But I do agree that it would be of little consequence
in the long term, even if the effect on his path would be interesting. He is
already far more emotional and impulsive than most so-called geniuses out
there. He takes risks with glee."
Not that the Viper necessarily saw that as a bad thing. Hesitation and
doubt were some of the biggest threats to one’s path, no matter how powerful
one became. The moment you believed you couldn’t do something, chances
were you couldn’t… But the opposite was also true. If you genuinely
believed you could do something, the chances of it happening increased. Not
only due to psychological reasons, but also simply due to how the system
worked. Willpower was a wondrous stat, and the system had a tendency to
reward the daring.
"Making a mythical item in mid-tier D-grade is indeed not something
done without risk," Duskleaf agreed.
The title wasn’t going to do him any harm either. It was one of those titles
most would get with time anyway, but there were always benefits to getting it
early. Its effects weren’t the most tangible, and were more linked to the
nature of Records than actual power.
Well, there was a slight bonus. When creating an item, it was effectively
just a collection of Records given form and function. The total level of the
Records would be determined by the materials used during the creation and
the creator behind it. The creator’s skills, stats, methodology… but also
Records, as in what kind of person he was. This was both a curse and a
benefit, in some ways.
Vilastromoz would never be able to create equipment Jake could use, as
an example. He simply wouldn’t be able to craft something with a level
requirement low enough for Jake to equip, so all he could possibly make
were auxiliary products without level requirements, like alchemy-puzzle
cauldrons and such.
The reason he couldn’t was because of the sheer level of Records
involved in anything he made, simply because he made it. The same was true
for anyone who got stronger. There were some methods, like creating a
Legacy item or such, purposefully made worse with system assistance, but
that was honestly just much harder than making an ordinary item.
That it worked this way did have some consequences, but also
opportunities. Firstly, it meant that items of any level requirement had value,
as a god could not simply create a million legendary-rarity swords with a
level requirement of 100. This, in turn, made craftsmen able to craft a level
100 legendary sword more useful to another level 100 than a god, if they
wanted a new sword.
Needless to say, this was one of the reasons why factions even existed to
begin with. An ecosystem was needed to uplift those worthy of uplifting. A
support system. This was part of the reason Vilastromoz had bothered with an
order and even an academy.
But what did this mean for Jake? Well, it meant that every single item he
made had been created by someone who had shown the capability to make a
mythical-rarity item—or at least, transmute and merge items into one. So
from now on, extra Records would be present in all of his creations, whether
he wanted them to be or not.
Overall, that was a good thing, but it could be annoying, as all creations
of sufficient quality would now begin to refer to Jake as the creator with
more than just a vague descriptor. It also meant that him transmuting
anything to be useable for anyone below D-grade at his current level would
be a miracle.
Talking so much about Jake, he suddenly recalled something.
"By the way, when is the next enrollment?" Vilastromoz asked Duskleaf.
"You asked me to hurry it up, so it is scheduled to occur in two weeks,"
Duskleaf answered, clearly not happy with it.
"No way Jake is making that."
"Should we postpone it?" Duskleaf asked, concerned.
Vilastromoz knew Duskleaf only really cared about Jake entering, so he
could see him creating an administrative nightmare just for Jake. Not that the
Viper had any regrets about putting his disciple in charge of the Academy,
even if it had forced him to "come out" as a god and be a bit more in the
spotlight. It was good for the old hermit.
As for postponement?
"Nah, no need to. Transfer-student tropes are also fun."
Chapter 32
 Fumigation

J ake shifted the form of Eternal Hunger a few times, from a dagger to a
sword to a two-handed blade, and even into a spear and an exact replica
of the old Scimitar of Eternal Hunger. He had also transformed it into a
bow—or, at least, into the body of one—which was effectively just a curved
stick.
The problem was that the metal had low flexibility, and while Jake could
make some changes to the form to make it better, he couldn’t make a string.
He also couldn’t really see it being useful, as all of its power was in hitting
things with it.
In the end, he settled on a shape similar to the Nanoblade, much like the
one he had used these last few days. In the other hand, he wielded the
Bloodfeast Dagger from the Auction, getting a good feel for both of the
weapons.
"Yeah, this is good," Jake muttered to himself as he made them both
disappear to take out his bow.
Jake had no intentions of taking the following hunt too lightly. The last
two Queen’s Guards had shown these termites were not to be trifled with, and
he had a feeling the ones in the area ahead were even stronger.
So, for now, he pushed everything related to Soul Rituals to the back of
his mind, then ventured forth into the hive. With his high Perception, sphere,
and Sense of the Malefic Viper, he sensed the path forward, feeling intense
mana density not far ahead. He even got some responses from his boots,
alerting him to earth-bound natural treasures.
He had a feeling what was up ahead, considering termites called Queen’s
Guard had guarded it. During the fight, Jake had retreated from where he had
originally encountered the guards, and he was now making his way down the
tunnel, scouting ahead.
Soon, he came to a mound of dirt blocking the path. He placed his hand
on it and felt it was enchanted to keep it stable and isolating. It didn’t really
work that well as a barrier, though. When Jake channeled arcane mana into it,
it slowly broke apart, eroding to nothingness and forcing a new tunnel into
existence.
Jake walked through it until he came out the other side, and the moment
he did, he felt the influx of mana. He had just entered another overtaken
biodome that was now filled with a slime-like substance on every surface.
White eggs lined the walls and edges of the biodome, and on the far side,
he saw a massive form rise to regard him. It looked like a regular termite with
huge mandibles and six legs, but its backside was absolutely humongous.
Before he even Identified it, he knew what he was looking at.

[Isoptera Queen – lvl 191]

Three other figures suddenly unburrowed from the ground between Jake
and the Queen, having been alerted to his presence when he broke through
the wall. All of them had wings on their backs and powerful bodies. Unless
you counted the eggs, there were no other living things within the dome. Just
those three, the Queen, and Jake.

[Isoptera Queen’s Guard – lvl 185]

[Isoptera Queen’s Guard – lvl 184]
[Isoptera Queen’s Guard – lvl 179]

More Queen’s Guards, huh? Jake thought as neither party moved right
away. The biodome was large, at least a few kilometers across, and Jake
counted thousands of eggs, each one likely containing E-grades or perhaps
even weak D-grades. It was hard to tell, as not all eggs were the same, with
some having far more resources invested in them. The mana density had been
for them to grow faster, and he felt several natural treasures spread
throughout: valuable metals, rocks, a few herbs, and a lot of cores taken from
slain prey. All to assist the next generation. Moreover, he had a feeling this
entire biodome was like a big Nurturing Ritual circle.
 The entire dome was cut off, with no exits or entrances besides the one
Jake had just made—likely to keep this mana trapped.
Jake, standing there with his bow, suddenly smiled. "You know, I just
remembered my grandfather once complained about getting termites in his
barn… He invested so much in pesticides and whatnot, but when they got
into the house, he was forced to disinfect the place to get rid of them. They
used poison gas on the entire house by enclosing it and then pumping it in.
Fumigation or something, I think they called it. Not a bad tactic, don’t you
agree? Ah, but I will mix in some more… let’s say… explosive methods."
With those words, he fired a blast of arcane mana down the tunnel he had
just entered from, making the unstable structure collapse. This effectively
sealed off the only exit of the biodome, or perhaps more accurately, egg
chamber.
His act of aggression became the impetus for the termites to attack. In
less than a second, two truck-sized termites were at either side, but Jake had
already taken a step forward to avoid their blow. He left a trail of arcane
energy and poison mist, as Arcane Awakening had activated on the balanced
30%, also sending two wings springing from his back. The third termite
attempted to smash him with its large leg, but Jake avoided it and went
straight for the Queen.
The Queen was far larger than the guards, being as large as a two- or
three-story house. It regarded him as he fired an arrow towards it. A barrier
sprang up between Jake and the Queen, making the arrow explode along with
the barrier itself.
Jake reacted by stepping down on a platform and appearing to the side of
the huge termite, where he shot again. The arrow split into seven, all of
whom impacted the massive body of the Queen. The insect screeched out in
anger. Jake felt the poison infect the termite, but it quickly was challenged by
some kind of cleansing magic. He also saw that the wounds he’d just inflicted
were healing at a rapid pace, energy glowing around them.
It’s a healer, Jake confirmed, having already had a feeling that was the
case from the barriers.
Meanwhile, the Guards were more classical warriors. Jake was once more
made to dodge as they swiftly attacked. He vaulted over one, kicking the air
as he released an arcane explosion to send him flying backward while
spinning, firing two more arrows off.
More explosions rocked the cavern as Jake tried to stay on the move,
pumping out poison. Jake was fully aware it wasn’t that effective against any
of the stronger termites, but those weren’t the ones he was aiming for
anyway.
Because when Jake began blanketing everything in poison mist, it was
indiscriminate, targeting even the thousands of eggs. The Queen loudly
screeched in rage, and suddenly all the eggs were covered by faint golden
barriers that kept his mist out.
Jake just grinned, kiting and occasionally firing an arrow at the Guards,
knowing that he was forcing the Queen to consume obscene amounts of mana
to try and protect the eggs. He had already confirmed early on that these
insects were not the smartest, but the Queen did seem to hold some level of
intelligence and emotions, as he heard evident anger in the screech.
The arena was not to his advantage when it came to archery, but it was
beneficial when using all his poison and explosive arcane attacks. To up the
potency of his attack, Jake even took out the Bloodfeast Dagger and cut his
own arms to spray blood on the protective barriers.
This proved very effective, as the Queen had clearly not been prepared,
and instantly a dozen of the basketball-sized eggs were splashed as the
barriers were eroded. The outer shells instantly disappeared, and out crawled
some non-fully-formed termites that died in seconds.
Immediately, Jake felt the killing intent focused on him. "That really
made you mad, huh?"
A golden aura spread throughout the cavern, and the ground beneath his
feet began moving. Jake knew it was the Guards using their earth magic, and
it appeared that the Queen was spreading an aura that empowered them
further.
Deciding to fuck with the Queen’s concentration, Jake went HAM. Pride
activated as dozens of arcane orbs and bolts appeared and were flung all over,
exploding close to a hundred eggs that the Queen failed to protect in time.
Jake fired another salvo, but found that one blocked as the Queen upped the
intensity of the barriers. All fine by him, as that just meant more mana
consumed.
Spikes of earth shot up beneath him, but he just stomped down and sent a
wave of destructive arcane mana through the ground, breaking much of the
mana the termites had activated. He then turned and stormed straight for one
of the Guards, bow still drawn.
It tried to chomp down on him while Jake began drawing his bow. He
stepped down and teleported beneath the large body of the Guard as he fully
drew the string. Jake felt time slow down when he began channeling Arcane
Powershot, and just before the Guard could move away, he released the
string, firing the arrow straight up at the abdomen of the termite.
An arcane explosion rocked the cavern, sending the Guard flying up and
into the ceiling, leaving a large crack on the reinforced stone. There was now
a large hole of sizzling arcane energy where Jake's arrow had hit, with a good
bit of poison mixed in for good measure.
The Queen reacted by using healing magic, but all that did was give Jake
the opportunity to fire off a Splitting Arrow towards one side of the cavern,
blowing up over a hundred eggs again. Once more, the Queen reacted with an
angry screech, and Jake believed he had found a good tactic… until the
insects switched tactics.
The two unhurt Guards suddenly began almost burning with energy, with
vein-like cracks of golden energy appearing all over their bodies. The
damaged Guard also reacted soon after, and when Jake saw the Queen, he
understood.
Given up on the eggs… or at least decided that killing me is more
important than this batch.
He was still smirking as his danger sense reacted, forcing him to swiftly
dodge a pair of mandibles trying to make Jake into two Jakes. The speed of
the insects had increased significantly, and when he felt the movement of
mana beneath his feet, he knew that they had also gotten stronger.
Huge spears of earth flew towards him from the ceiling, and literal pillars
shot up from the ground, trying to impale him and impede his path. The two
undamaged Guards were the ones who stayed in melee, chasing Jake, with
the damaged one using magic.
He tried firing a few arrows but found them all blocked by barriers, and
what little he did get through was healed, as the Queen now completely
ignored the eggs. Jake saw many of them melt from the poison mist, and even
if it was the Queen’s choice, her rage at what was happening couldn’t have
been more apparent.
For a moment, Jake felt like he was on the backfoot. But he also knew it
was not like he couldn’t change it at will. His opponents were strong, nearly
at the peak of D-grade… but honestly, Jake had beaten worse. He had come
into this fight with full resources and a far more stable mind than before, so
he decided to get serious and see what he was now capable of after getting a
few levels.
The two Guards closed in on him as walls of soil rose to limit his
movement, mixed in with magical barriers. Just before they managed to close
their mandibles around Jake’s body, they were both blasted back by an
explosion of pure arcane energy. Jake’s body began glowing with power, his
Arcane Awakening now fully activated.
Jake, without moving, began channeling his Arcane Powershot. The two
Guards closed in on him again, but were once more repelled by a second
arcane explosion as Jake fired his shot. The Queen tried to defend but was
struck and blasted away, smashing into the back wall.
Once again, Jake dodged away, as the Guards refused to give up.
However, the game had changed, with Jake now going full power.
Eternal Hunger appeared together with his dagger as he engaged one of
the Guards, tearing into it with two poisoned weapons. With every slash, it
had its energy drained, and it was at a time like this that Eternal Hunger
showed its true power.
Even the golden aura that boosted the Guard was consumed by the blade,
as it indiscriminately ate anything it hit. Healing energy injected into the
Guard was also merely something to be consumed. The only thing not
consumed was the energy Jake himself had injected, meaning his poison had
free reign, as the energy normally used to fight it off also had to contend with
the powerful curse.
Oh, and a final thing. Eternal Hunger specified that all attacks made with
the weapon drained energy, and the system counted poison attacks made with
the sword as attacks, meaning all his poison injected with a sword blow also
had an extra energy-draining effect. It wasn’t much, but everything counted.
Naturally, the curse also activated when Jake extended the blade with any
skill or magical effect, so he could safely coat it in arcane energy without
losing any effectiveness. This meant that when Jake shattered the outer
carapace of the termite’s head and plunged his sword through it with
Descending Dark Fang, he also got a good deal of energy restored.
It struggled but wasn’t dead as the two other Guards attacked him,
including the still-slightly injured one. Jake responded by tossing Bloodfeast
Dagger into the air and opening his palm towards one of them, firing out a
massive blast of pure arcane mana. Meanwhile, he stood his ground and
blocked the blow of the other. He was pushed back, but with a string of
mana, he easily retrieved the dagger and went on the offensive again.
 He kept switching targets, not really finishing one off right away as,
frankly, there was no reason to. The Queen was struggling to keep them
alive, just slowly tiring itself out. It seemed like the insect did not have any
real offensive powers itself, as all its strengths revolved around healing,
creating eggs, and protecting those eggs—in essence, all its healing powers
were likely related to the protection of the hive.
Another reason Jake did not finish them off was due to him still
experimenting. Some of those experiments involved his new quiver. He had
theorized that, since he had control of the inner space, he could do some
fancy things with it outside of just storing poisoned arrows long-term, and
that theory turned out to be correct.
Jake blasted away a termite as he vaulted back, fishing out an arrow from
his quiver. It was far larger than any he had shot before, seeming to be made
out of white wood. It looked almost fragile at first glance, but it was far more
powerful than any arcane arrow.
What Jake had learned was that, as he had control of the quiver, he could
summon arrows directly into it. It worked with his Arcane Arrows, but he
didn’t really have to do it with them due to how the skill worked. He only
used it with those if he wanted to store poisoned versions.
No, where this truly came into play was with his still-most-powerful
attack: Arrow of the Ambitious Hunter. Back when he got it in late E-grade,
it had required all his attention and focus to summon it, but now? Now, he
could focus on summoning it even while fighting others. It took far longer,
around five minutes, but the result was just the same.
Arcane Powershot channeled with slowed-down time, as Jake activated
Gaze of the Apex Hunter on both Guards coming at him. He launched the
arrow towards the one he’d damaged early on in the fight. Just before
releasing the string, Pride activated again and shot a barrage of arcane bolts
towards the same target.
Still frozen by Gaze, it failed to react. Arcane bolts shattered the barrier
made by the Queen to try and save the Guard, and the arrow impacted the
winged termite and sank into its body. A pure rush of pure damage entered its
body as it was blasted back, leaving a trail of blood.
Before it could get up, Jake activated Mark of The Avaricious Arcane
Hunter on it, making it light up in a flash that was accompanied by a kill
notification.
"One down."
 The Queen and one remaining Guard able to move regarded Jake as he
just took out his melee weapons again, spinning them in his hands. He smiled
and charged the last Guard able to fight properly. It tried to resist, but Jake
cut at it and severed a leg, leaving it unable to move, just like the one he had
stabbed the head.
Still trying in vain to heal them all and protect them with barriers, the
Queen struggled. Jake changed his target as he once more switched to his
bow, bombarding the Queen with stable arcane arrows that shattered its
barriers over and over again and left more and more wounds.
The plan had been for him to wait five minutes and then finish off another
Guard with it, but it turned out he didn’t even need to. Both of them began
glowing more than ever before as they charged him. The Queen then
summoned an almost solid-looking barrier around herself as the termites
flanked Jake.
"How original," Jake muttered as the two Guards blew themselves up.
An explosion enveloped the biodome, and every single egg that had
somehow survived till now was reduced to nothing. All the natural treasures
were blasted into the walls or broken, and the Queen’s shield cracked but
held.
As everything subsided, the Queen lowered the shield, clearly exhausted.
Too exhausted to react when a fully scaled figure leaped over and smashed a
blade through her head.
Jake’s body was burned and damaged in many places, but he was not
truly hurt. An arcane barrier, the passive shield of his Arcane Awakening,
and his Scales of the Malefic Viper. All of these separately would make Jake
incredibly durable, and together, they gave Jake a formidable shield against
any magical attacks, allowing him to more or less shrug off the suicide attack
of two insects more than forty levels above himself.
With no Guards alive, Jake began tearing apart the Queen to feed Eternal
Hunger. At its final moment, before the massive insect died, a new kind of
screech had been released.
He thought nothing of it… until he faintly detected movement. Lots of
movement. Hundreds of insects within the range of the Queen had been
alerted to his presence and were now rushing towards him, trying to swarm
him.
Jake just chuckled and lowered Arcane Awakening to 30%, still not
experiencing the period of weakness as long as he kept it active, as he
prepared for a prolonged fight. If it had been a month ago, Jake would maybe
have been a bit scared, but if there was one thing Eternal Hunger offered, it
was sustainability and endurance.
Come one, come all, Jake thought, smirking as arcane magic began
burning around him. One of the sealed-off entrances to the biodome
shattered, and the swarm entered Jake’s fumigation chamber.
Chapter 33
 A Path From Inferiority

C hris worked with fervor as he cleaned and rearranged a few of the

pillars, stones, and metal pikes. It had to be kept perfect at all times, as
the materials absorbed the necessary energy from the celestial objects
above through the ritual.
The entire area was walled off and sealed away behind several one-way
barriers to keep everyone out but still allow energy in. This entire project was
a fickle one that required a lot of precision, and Chris had needed help from
several talented builders, including Hank, to assist him.
Even Neil had come by to help calibrate, make sure everything with the
magic circle seemed correct, and assist Chris with finishing some parts he did
not have the expertise to do himself. Not that Chris really had any idea what
the fuck he was actually doing; he was just following directions and doing
what he was told. All in the name of the Malefic One.
After he had received the Blessing from the Malefic Viper and learned of
Lord Thayne’s identity, his life had entirely changed. Before, he’d never
really had any direction, existing as just another faceless survivor in his own
mind. It was hard to establish yourself as "someone" in the new world,
especially when every person of note was just so different from him.
Abby and Donald had both been utter shitbags, but they had also been
powerful and rather talented in their demented ways. Miranda was extremely
good at her job, and Lillian was this weird, overly neutral person who never
really displayed any emotions and performed her tasks flawlessly. Honestly,
she was the only other woman in Abby and Donald’s gang who was not
elderly that had managed to avoid his attention, probably because of that
personality and the face she herself had chosen to scar and never heal. Even
now, she chose to keep it scarred for some reason.
Lord Thayne was not even worth mentioning when it came to outstanding
individuals; he was the Chosen of a Primordial, after all. Neil and his party
had once been enemies Chris had chased together with Abby, and were
individuals who had stood up to her. Neil had even beaten her in sheer talent
with space magic to get the legendary item they had been fighting over.
Hank was a good builder… but out of everyone in Haven, there was one
individual that stood out in his mind more than anyone—besides Lord
Thayne, of course.
That was Arnold. Chris did not get the guy, but he was a savant who
continuously created new things without any pause. Having helped build
parts of his workshop, Chris had seen some of the things he had been up to,
and it was just ridiculous.
He had launched a fucking satellite or something a little while ago, for
fuck’s sake. Chris had no idea how the hell he had managed that with how
their new planet worked, and especially not with what was in the sky. Chris
knew the sky was another world in its own right, with monsters up there none
could beat. The atmosphere should also be able to destroy most things that
tried to pass through it, yet the guy had seemed to get through and launch
something into space.
Chris was thrown out of his train of thought when he got a response from
one of his skills, making him aware one of the stones was fully charged and
had to be moved. He did so, and while Chris had no idea how the monument
or ritual circle or whatever he was making did what it did, he knew what it
was meant for.
It was a gate. A way to establish a connection between another universe
and their own—or, in simpler terms, a way for the Chosen to leave Earth and
go to the Order of the Malefic Order, and only to the Order. Well, he could
go where he wanted from there, but this monument would only connect to a
corresponding ritual circle or something on the other side. This was not a
teleportation circle, per se, but was more like an odd kind of ritual created for
the Chosen, making use of his connection to the Malefic One. This had
lowered the requirements significantly, apparently. Lord Thayne would be
able to function as a beacon and allow the circle to activate to teleport anyone
within. Chris had tried to understand it at first, but had given up long ago.
Many people would probably be a bit miffed at getting forced into
creating something so tedious as this monument, but Chris was just happy for
the opportunity. It made him someone… It made him feel useful. Also, while
it was a bit selfish and had nothing to do with his task, it allowed him to get
closer to his crush, Louise. No one had told him who he could ask for help,
right? And he sucked at drawing, so he needed someone to draw the plans
anyway.
It is a great excu—eh, reason, the young builder affirmed to himself.
He had no regrets, as it had landed him a date with her later that day so
they both could take a break. Chris had always been a tad scared of her
father, Hank, but that fear had disappeared the day after he had gained his
Blessing. Okay, he was still a bit afraid, but for different reasons than the
man’s power.
The day after he had been blessed, the Malefic One had spoken to him
directly. Chris could barely remember the words, as he primarily recalled the
mind-shattering pain he’d felt as the connection was made between them. The
command had still been received, but for a moment, Chris had felt the true
aura of the Malefic Viper, and it was something he was of two minds about.
On the one hand, he had never felt something so awe-inspiring. He did
not know if it was because it was his first time feeling a god, or if it was due
to the Blessing. Chris wanted to experience that feeling again from the
bottom of his heart. However, at the same time, the lingering fear that had
come afterward—and the feeling of being so insignificant—couldn’t leave
him. He’d felt like a moth before the sun itself. It was an insurmountable
difference Chris had no hope to ever overcome.
But… now that sun had given him a purpose; one he would strive his
fullest to make a reality. To pay back Lord Thayne, Haven, and the Malefic
One.
Once more, he was thrown out of his thoughts as his skill responded
again, making him do the final rearrangement of the day. He smiled as he
placed a hand on a large pillar and felt the response.
Soon it will be ready, he thought, grinning and preparing to head off for
his evening date with Louise. He looked down at his clothes, which were
stained and dirty from not having left this monument site for the last three
days.
But first, a shower and some new clothes… I should also get her
something…
Jake sat in meditation as his body recovered, the hole to the small tunnel he
had carved himself sealed off with the corpses of termites. Another two days
had passed since his first encounter with an Isoptera Queen, meaning, yes,
there’d been multiple.
So far, Jake had killed three of them—and a few thousand weak D-grade
termites too. By now, Jake was beginning to realize a "feature" of the system,
if you could call it that. It was something he had believed was there but had
never really confirmed: diminishing returns.
Clearing the first biodome, killing the Queen and the three Guards, had
earned him a level, but since then, he had only gained two more levels
despite killing two more Queens, ten Guards, and thousands of the weaker
variants of termites. Only about a hundred and twenty of them had given
experience, as they were above his own level.

*’DING!’ Class: [Avaricious Arcane Hunter] has reached level 150 - Stat
points allocated, +10 Free Points*

*’DING!’ Race: [Human (D)] has reached level 149 - Stat points allocated,
+15 Free Points*

*’DING!’ Class: [Avaricious Arcane Hunter] has reached level 151 - Stat
points allocated, +10 Free Points*

*’DING!’ Class: [Avaricious Arcane Hunter] has reached level 152 - Stat
points allocated, +10 Free Points*

*’DING!’ Race: [Human (D)] has reached level 150 - Stat points allocated,
+15 Free Points*

Jake was uncertain as to whether this lack of experience gained was due
solely to how he kept killing the same type of enemy, or because the fights
got progressively easier, as he now knew how they acted and took advantage
of that.
The first Queen had been the "hardest," if one could even call it hard at
all. This was also considering that the next two had had all five Guards in
their chambers. Yes, Jake had confirmed that each Queen had five Guards
each, and he had a feeling they were spawns or summons of the Queen
herself. Ectognamorphs, as these termites were classified, were a race with
many unique properties, and their built-in social structure was one of them,
giving them some special abilities.
Still meditating, he focused on pure regeneration as he went over his
status and placed his Free Points, having now decided to go back to investing
in Perception again. As he looked over his status page—something he rarely
did—a single skill caught his eyes.

[Basic One-Handed Weapons (Inferior)]

Why hasn’t it been upgraded yet? Jake wondered as he stared at it. Was it
perhaps to do with his other melee skill?

[Basic Twin-Fang Style (Uncommon)]

He had both of them, but did they even interfere with each other? Jake
wasn’t sure; he just knew it was weird to still have an inferior-rarity skill. It
was his only inferior-rarity skill, and with how well he managed to do in
melee combat, it really shouldn’t exist, from his point of view.
Considering he was still just meditating, he entered his Soulspace. He felt
his presence shift, and his senses disappeared as he opened his eyes within it.
After giving a wave to the sleeping cocoon of arcane strings containing the
Chimera, he summoned a blade of pure arcane energy.
Jake stood with it in his hand and swung it a few times, but it just felt off.
He then switched it up and summoned two arcane daggers. With those, he
had some idea how to move, a few easy combos and feints, and some
generally good knowledge of ways to stab people. All that knowledge was no
doubt from Twin-Fang Style.
Back with a sword again, it still didn’t feel right. Jake kept swinging it
and making some moves, but he felt stiff. He knew he was just swinging the
sword, and his combos were more based on movie choreography than any
real fighting technique.
He imitated the methods of Twin-Fang Style with two swords next, but
that also felt a bit off. Wondering what was wrong, he suddenly got an idea.
With a mental command, he unwound the string of mana binding the
Chimera of pure curse energy. It was still just sleeping when he did so, so
Jake was forced to poke it. He made the ground around it move, creating an
encapsulated arena for him and the creature.
Finally waking up, it quickly identified him and disappeared. The
massive form appeared right in front of Jake, and finally, he reacted. He
dodged, sweeping his blade up and cutting the Chimera. It didn’t really do
anything besides making Jake frown.
It kept trying to eat him as Jake dodged and attacked again and again,
purposefully not doing anything actually harmful to the Chimera, as his
weapons just phased through. This kept going, and his frown deepened more
and more until, finally, he got it.
"Thanks, mate," Jake said as he waved his hand and trapped the Chimera
again. Dispelling the arena he had created, Jake went back to standing with
the blade himself.
He had recalled something the best melee combatant he had ever met said
to him. During the first phase of the duel with the Sword Saint, the old man
had said something that only really clicked now. He had commented on how
it was evident Jake had no experience with cold weapons, which was true, but
he had also added:
"I must admit… seeing you fight and facing you is very different. It is
like being hounded by a beast that turns into a specter just when you think it
has overextended."
Put together, the intent was clear: "You do not know how to fight, but you
fight well regardless."
The problem was that Jake was not fighting with skill. He was fighting
with instinct. He knew where to hit when an enemy attacked him—not
because he was a skilled fighter, but because he sensed the weakness in his
enemy. He knew when to dodge because he felt killing intent and saw the
attack with his sphere, not because he had studied footwork or read and
analyzed his opponent’s style.
There was no knowledge involved. No skill, hence no skill rarity. It
suddenly made a lot of sense that Jake genuinely felt awkward just standing
there with a sword. Deep in his mind, it was because it felt off. It was like
shooting his bow into thin air without a target or a goal, like manipulating
mana without intent… like a beast swinging its claws into empty air.
Beasts did not need to learn how to fight by practicing their weapons.
They knew how to fight by default, and they improved by fighting. Jake was
the same. He had gotten better at fighting, but that was his decision-making
and control skills, not his instincts, and him just adding more fighting
methods. It was related to the final part of what the Sword Saint said had
said.
"… hounded by a beast that turns into a specter just when you think it has
overextended."
This was because, while he fought like a beast, he still had the mind of a
human, able to know if he was baited or feinted—at least, most of the time.
Even if he didn’t catch the feint, one also had to remember that there perhaps
was no beast out there capable of matching Jake’s bestial instincts.
Jake also remembered something that made him feel dumb for not
thinking about it earlier. He recalled his D-grade class evolution. One of the
options there had been Bestial Alpha Hunter. He searched his memory and
remembered the description of it.

Bestial Alpha Hunter – You stand before the beasts like their kin and show
yourself the alpha. You do not need the finesse and techniques developed by
the enlightened ones but are more than happy to rely on your instincts. A
class focused primarily on melee combat, you prefer to use basic weaponry
such as bows and the occasional dagger—if any weapon at all—relying on
your high Perception and reaction times to dominate the battle.

The system had directly told Jake that he was not using techniques or
finesse. That he had disregarded the very basis of human fighting techniques.
This also made him reflect on Villy’s words when Jake had asked about
melee combat after his fight with the Sword Saint. Villy had recommended
Jake to switch to shorter weapons, making them closer to his body…
probably to make them closer to natural weapons over external ones.
Jake also began to understand why he couldn’t "feel" the weapons at all.
His recognition of what was his body was simply too intimate for him.
Perhaps Jake would do well as someone like Carmen, who used her fists. But
that would only work if he didn’t also use poisons, which made stabbing and
cutting attacks borderline mandatory parts of his arsenal.
But… even if he understood why the Viper had said what he had said and
even saw the logic in his words, Jake liked the shape of the Nanoblade. It just
fit in his hand, and even in moments of being heavily influenced by Eternal
Hunger, that was the shape he defaulted to. A long, almost overly thin,
single-ended blade without any real noticeable handle just appealed to him.
He kept experimenting a bit more within his Soulspace but found no real
progress. However, at least he had a path now. A direction to explore. It
probably wasn’t something he was going to "fix" in a day, but the realization
was not any less critical.
Jake exited meditation and stood up within his makeshift hiding place, his
resources fully replenished after meditating for a few hours. With a blast of
arcane mana, he blew away all of the dead termites blocking the entrance to
hide him as he headed onwards.
The reason he had been adamant about being in top form before the next
area was because of the aura he felt from it. It was the same intense mana
density as other biodomes but at a higher level, making him certain it was a
breeding chamber.
But more importantly, he felt the aura of a C-grade.
Jake went forward as he prepared himself for his first fight with a real C-
grade, barely able to contain his excitement at the prospect.
Chapter 34
 First Contact: C Grade

T he gap between grades only grew larger and more challenging to

overcome the higher one went. For a decently talented E-grade to beat
a weak, low-tier D-grade was only to be expected, while the same
could not be said for a D-grade killing a C-grade.
This did not mean it wasn’t possible or even considered relatively
uncommon among those classified as geniuses. In fact, Jake had a high level
of confidence he would be able to kill plenty of C-grade before he eventually
reached the tier himself. But even with this confidence, he was still not sure if
being level 150—only halfway to C-grade—was quite good enough.
However, some things did give him a chance. What Jake was walking
into was the area of a C-grade Isoptera Queen variant, based on his own
estimates. He did not hold doubt in his mind it would be significantly
stronger than the late D-grades before, but that honestly mattered less than it
should.
If the C-grade Queen acted in the same vein as the D-grades, there were
many things to exploit. The fumigation stratagem would likely still prove
effective, and even if it didn’t, the Queen was a healer with little to no
offensive capabilities.
Jake did not think it would be a short fight either way, but he had high
confidence in waiting out even a C-grade’s mana pool if he could force it to
waste mana on trying to protect hordes of eggs for an extended period of
time.
He also assumed there would be more Guards, but it should be possible to
maybe kite them out of the biodome or also use them to consume the mana of
the Queen. One thing was certain, though: it was going to be a marathon, and
Jake would try to hold back on using any boosting skills unless absolutely
necessary.
The thought of getting some melee-weapon practice in did occur to him,
but he ultimately decided not to, as it would be too risky.
Before entering the next biodome, Jake prepared everything. He poisoned
stable arrows with his best Necrotic Poison and even had some with
hemotoxin on them in case that proved more effective, as well as a third
bunch with Blood of the Malefic Viper.
Without seeing his target, he could not make an Arrow of the Ambitious
Hunter, so he would have to go in without that.
As a final act of preparation, he did something he rarely even considered:
planned a path of escape.
He had located narrow tunnels the large Guards could not fit through, and
with some Alchemical Flame and arcane beams, he made them longer to
allow him to connect to tunnels further above, effectively giving him
shortcuts through the maze that was the termite hive.
With everything ready, Jake made his way over to the sealed-off entrance
to the biodome. He assumed these termites simply dug their way through and
sealed it back up whenever they needed to leave, which was probably rarely.
They did not have to eat, so all they needed to do was bring in natural
treasures and open the hatchery up when a new generation was born.
He burned his path through the nearly ten-meter-long wall of soil, dirt,
and stone, breaking the final enchanted barrier to enter the biodome. The
moment he did so, the mana washed over him, and his senses spread out all
over the biodome. This one was far larger than any he had seen before,
spanning perhaps fifteen kilometers in diameter and with more than a
kilometer to the ceiling.
There were no eggs right around where he had entered, but he felt them
further in as he saw movement. A massive figure mulled across the ground,
looking like a moving warehouse. The huge thorax of the termite swayed and
expelled some magical mist onto a cluster of eggs, and Jake instantly used his
Identify.

[Isoptera Hive Queen – lvl ???]

It was a true-blue C-grade monster—the leader of the termite hive and

likely the mother of all the other Queens Jake had seen so far.
 Jake scouted the room, as he felt its defenders too. Ten figures rose from
the soil not far from the Hive Queen, all of them familiar and confirming one
of Jake’s predictions.

[Isoptera Queen’s Guard – lvl 193]

[Isoptera Queen’s Guard – lvl 195]

[Isoptera Queen’s Guard – lvl 199]

They were all towards the peak of D-grade, but there were no C-grade
Guards. Jake had hoped and assumed the Hive Queen was only early C-grade
at best, probably between 200 and 210, so it was likely it would not have
been able to make any C-grade Guards yet.
But… he knew not to underestimate the ten Guards. He had beaten five at
once two times, but these were stronger than any of the others had been, and
their supporting Queen was far more powerful than anything Jake had ever
fought.
With a motion, he made a small barrier of soil at the hole he had just
entered from, making a mental note of where it was in case he needed to flee.
Focusing on one of the Guards, he began summoning an Arrow of the
Ambitious Hunter within his quiver.
From the beginning, the Queen had been aware of his presence but hadn’t
moved. Whether it was aware Jake had slain three other Queens was
questionable, as the termites so far had only shown surface-level intelligence,
with none of the non-Queen ones displaying any signs of having actual egos.
They were nothing more than biological cogs in a machine.
Jake prepared his starting attack by cutting his own arm and willing for
the blood to seep out, forming globes in the air. He then condensed arcane
mana around the blood. Simultaneously, he took out his bow and began
charging Arcane Powershot.
Displaying clear acts of aggression, the termites finally moved. Five
Guards charged Jake while the rest stayed defensively around the Queen. The
arcane bolts with blood were fired at an upwards angle, not targeting any
termite, while he released the Arcane Powershot straight for the Guard at the
front.
The arcane bolts he’d summoned were of the stable variety, with only a
sliver of destructive energy, so when he triggered them, the resulting
explosion was just them shattering, sending bloody shards of arcane energy
flying everywhere. This was a tactic he had used against prior biodomes to
great success, and this time, too, it made the Hive Queen instantly react,
summoning barriers around all the affected eggs.
His Arcane Powershot was also blocked by a golden barrier, and the
Guards kept charging, unbothered. Jake fired a few more salvos, only to have
them all blocked, before he was forced to dodge away. Unfurling the wings
on his back, Jake flew away and spread poison in his wake.
They chased him with great speed, but Jake just kept fleeing, not even
having time to land potshots. He had been prepared for the Queen to summon
barriers to cut him off, but no such thing happened. Jake just kept flying as
the poison mist permeated the room. Jake made it worse by spraying a bit of
his blood here and there.
Arcane bolts were also still being flung out, but none had done any
damage to anything so far. The Hive Queen protected everything from his
attacks, no matter how minor, and as the poison mist began spreading
everywhere, that became a lot of surface area to keep protected.
To begin with, Jake had been chased by only five Guards, but soon
another three joined them. He was lucky in that they had no real strategy to
their movements. They just chased him directly, meaning that as long as he
was faster, he would avoid getting pincer-moved.
Jake was not truly fighting the C-grade, just trying to tire it out. He tried a
few times to damage a Guard, but it was honestly a waste of time. Barriers
would pop up instantly, and Jake would waste his time. Due to this, he
focused on attacking the eggs and sometimes even the Queen herself with
cost-efficient attacks.
Flying somewhat lower and closer to some eggs, Jake took out Eternal
Hunger and changed the shape to be similar to a rake. He swung it down
towards some eggs and met a barrier as he kept flying, raking across the
golden shield, sending up sparks of energy. However, more importantly, he
absorbed energy.
Smiling, Jake was confident for now. He would not change things up too
fast, and he even purposefully allowed the Guards to get close on many
occasions, even making one scratch him with its mandibles. It was all in an
attempt to avoid the Hive Queen deciding it needed to finish him off faster.
He wanted it to think it was a moment away from victory at all times, and
doing more would be a waste of energy.
He was more or less hoping the Hive Queen would fall into the sunk-cost
fallacy and not throw away the mana it had already spent by sacrificing a few
Guards or eggs to take him down.
Jake even made some "desperate" attacks towards the Hive Queen to
really sell it, all of them utterly useless. After around fifteen minutes of this,
Jake noticed that his mana pool had barely depleted. He smiled.
The environment and high mana density to feed the Queen mixing with
the poison mist made the environment absolutely optimal for Jake. Coupled
with the increased mana regeneration from the mask and his already-high
pool, he could hold off on a mana potion, maybe even consuming a stamina
potion instead.
Time kept passing, and Jake just kept training his ability to dodge. The
Queen had begun doing some different things, including something that
slightly empowered the Guards, which had resulted in Jake finding less time
to do damage, just prolonging the "fight" even more.
It was now a competition of resources. The Queen was far more powerful
than anything else, but it did not have any true offensive abilities, as far as
Jake could tell. Considering this was his first encounter with a C-grade, he
was honestly ambivalent about it.
But… this was a different kind of challenge, and he would take it. As it
was currently going, Jake had no idea when the fight would end, but
considering he felt like he could do this for a week straight, and since he was
sure the Guards expended more stamina than he did, that would never
become relevant. Jake barely had to think when dodging the uninspired blows
of the Guards, as he just kept flying, kiting, firing out arcane bolts and orbs
while occasionally striking barriers with Eternal Hunger to drain a bit of
energy.
Jake was not delusional enough to think this would keep going until the
Queen ran out of mana, and he didn’t need it to either. He still had many
tools in his arsenal to pull out. So as long as he could keep it going for a good
while, the Queen should have wasted enough resources for him to win even if
she got serious.
All ten Guards were now chasing Jake as he kept up the act. He looked at
the Queen and got an odd feeling. Normally he could get some kind of read
on an opponent. Anger, annoyance, impatience… at least something.
Yet all he felt from the Queen was apathy, like his presence was barely of
any consequence. He was confused… until he felt something. Movement
below…
Fast…
Something was com—
Suddenly it entered his sphere, and Jake barely had time to use One Step
Mile, as where he had just stood erupted in an explosion of dust and soil.
Jake’s instincts went on full overdrive as his danger sense exploded, and
without any hesitation, he covered his body in scales. Arcane Awakening
jumped to 60% right off the bat.
As he looked up the ceiling of the hatchery, he saw a figure: a sleek
termite, smaller than even Jake when on all six legs. Its legs looked like black
spears of metal, its body covered in a dark, reflective carapace. There were
two menacing mandibles at its mouth, but the two black compound eyes on
its head were more disturbing.
That was when Jake remembered something he had once learned from his
grandfather. A little factoid he had completely forgotten until today:
Termite hives had kings.

[Isoptera Hive King – lvl ???]

And this one was not made for breeding.

Every cell in Jake’s body screamed, and for once, he listened and did the
only wise thing: he ran.
Or, he tried to run.
His danger sense exploded again, and he didn’t even have time to step
down before the Hive King leaped at him. Like a bullet, it reached him
instantly. Jake held up Eternal Hunger to block and instinctually stabbed
down with the Bloodfeast Dagger. He felt the impact on his arm as he hit the
carapace of the insect, and it felt like he had just hit metal. The impact from
the blow of the Hive King came at the same time, and it wasn’t as bad as
expect—
With a swift motion away from Jake’s blade, the termite bit down again
before he could react. His chest exploded, sending scales and blood flying
everywhere.
Wha—
 A deep cut had been left from his shoulder to his groin, tearing through
everything. The mandibles of the termite moved again, but Jake managed to
step down and teleport away, his mind yet to fully register what had
happened. He fled straight for the tunnel he had entered through as the ten
Guards also arrived.
Jake did not have time to think; he pushed Pride to its fullest in the form
of a mental attack on the Guards, simultaneously using Gaze on all ten of
them. Blood spilled out of his eyes as they all froze. Jake’s danger sense
reacted again when the Hive King moved, and Jake managed to step down
again and teleport.
The moment he appeared, he tried to sway, but a black termite leg
penetrated his chest and pinned him to the ground. Before the mandibles tore
his head off, Jake sent arcane mana exploding out of one hand. He managed
to blow himself to the side, ripping out his own flesh as a deep hole was torn
in the ground with the termite’s mandibles.
He gripped the ground and pulled as he launched himself forward with
another arcane explosion. Another black leg came down and penetrated his
thigh, but he kept his momentum despite his entire leg being shredded.
While in the air, he turned and saw the Hive King nearly upon him, the
mandibles only a few meters from his face. Jake used Gaze of the Apex
Hunter again, freezing the Hive King for a fraction of a moment. Jake’s eyes
popped, and his vision turned black. He nearly lost consciousness from the
strain of using the skill.
Yet he kept moving, finally entering the tunnel that he had entered
through. His one leg was just shredded meat, and his entire body was bloody
and broken, but his wings had managed to stay intact. Jake landed on the
ground to teleport one more time.
He went straight for one of the emergency tunnels he had made before.
Just before he reached it, his danger sense alerted him just in time, and he
flapped a wing to dodge. It moved him slightly to the side as a black, termite-
shaped bullet passed him, tearing off his left arm and wing in the process.
Jake slammed his one remaining leg down in an explosion of arcane
mana, and with his one remaining arm, he channeled pure destructive arcane
energy in front of him to make sure he would create a path.
Jake flew upwards like a rocket as the Hive King followed again. It
simply tore through the ground towards him, but at least it was slowed
somewhat, allowing Jake to dodge out of the way just as he entered another
large tunnel.
I need to thi—
The termite attacked again, and Jake pre-emptively dodged the charge but
still had the wound on his left side worsened. Jake tried to find a solution, and
an idea struck him. Mana began moving around him again, but it was not of
the arcane variant this time. Black mana began condensing with the help of
Pride as the Hive King charged again.
He did not move, and it reached him in a flash… Then time slowed down.
Moment of the Primal Hunter activated, and Jake blew up the dark mana
all around him to mask what he planned to do. At the same time, he swayed
and dodged the charging termite, making it fly past him. Above him was the
next emergency tunnel, while the tunnel the termite had just come through
was below.
Jake dropped down in the hole as a bow appeared in his remaining hand.
He positioned it so he could hold it with his one leg as a large, white arrow
appeared—Arrow of the Ambitious Hunter.
However, he did not fire it towards the termite, but instead straight up
through his next escape tunnel. He dropped down into the hole just as time
returned to normal and Arcane Awakening was disabled. He stored his bow
as the arrow flew upwards, and Jake covered himself with his half-broken
cloak and willed it to camouflage him, hiding everything he had just done
within a bubble of dark mana.
He fell into a small crevice in the tunnel and hid, focusing on his Stealth
skill as much as possible. He dispelled all signs of magic, and he felt
incredibly weak all over as he huddled up.
Above him, he felt the Hive King through the Mark he had instinctively
placed on it, learning that it had chased the Arrow of the Ambitious Hunter
up through the escape tunnel. Jake held his breath and focused on making his
presence as invisible as possible.
He felt the termite move around above as it inspected the area. It stood
still for a moment before it turned back. Jake felt it move slightly upwards,
and then it leaped again.
Jake nearly had a heart attack as the Hive King tore through the soil less
than ten meters to his side, digging downwards again towards the hatchery.
Luckily, he managed to keep his focus as he hid away, not even daring to
take out a health potion in fear it would reveal him.
Needless to say… Jake’s first encounter with a C-grade had not gone as
expected.
Chapter 35
 Underground

F ifteen minutes passed without any movement before Jake dared to take
out a healing potion and consume it. His Mark made him aware the Hive
King had returned to somewhere deep underground again before the
Mark expired, so he felt relatively safe.
His entire body ached as he drank the life-saving liquid and just lay back
on the ground. He was missing an arm, his one leg had been torn apart down
the center, leaving two flappy slices of flesh, and his entire midsection was a
fucking mess.
The initial attack had ripped through his entire ribcage, one lung, and
several other organs, and had only narrowly missed his heart. The stab with
the leg after that had torn out his entire stomach, too, making it all just a
bloody mess.
Finally, his face was covered in blood and some gross, gooey substance
that had once been his own eyes. Even while waiting, his body had begun
healing, but these wounds would not be fixed immediately—especially not
while he was still experiencing the period of weakness after Arcane
Awakening.
Jake would not say he had been lucky… because he had only survived
due to his reactions. The only reason his heart had not been torn in two was
because he had narrowly swayed. He had avoided getting his head torn off on
more than one occasion in the exchange that had not even taken half a
minute, and in the end, he had escaped by using dark mana, hiding, and using
quick thinking. His equipment had also helped immensely, even if it didn’t
look like it. Chances were he would have been ripped in two without his
chest armor right off the bat.
 Fuck, it was strong, Jake thought to himself as he shivered a bit from
recalling how the Hive King had moved. Strong, fast, durable… It was a
living killing machine designed to do only that. If the Queen was the
caretaker of the hive, the King was the defender.
Like humans and everyone else, different people and creatures had
different specializations. The Queen had invested all her evolution points in
being better at laying and hatching eggs as well as nurturing them with
barriers and healing and such. It was all to protect them.
Meanwhile, the Hive King had all points focused on killing anything that
tried to destroy the hive. Jake also had a feeling the Hive King was probably
around level 215 or 220, but he couldn’t be sure… It all depended on how
good the stat growth and natural power of Isoptera Hive Kings were.
However, he had a feeling it was not weak for its level. Far from someone
like Jake or the King of the Forest, but perhaps about as strong as someone
like a party member of Neil if they fought at equal levels? Either way, it was
no scrub.
Jake wanted to punch himself in embarrassment the more he thought
about it. How the hell would a C-grade Hive Queen make sense if all she had
were far weaker defenders? Any other C-grade would be able to kill her just
by tiring her out like Jake had, putting the entire hive at risk.
He knew insect monsters like these that formed colonies were incredibly
dangerous in the multiverse, to the point of dominating entire regions of
space equivalent to enlightened empires. They even had other lifeforms live
with them.
Ectognamorph Queens at high enough grades could spawn entire armies
of powerful soldiers. However, it was rare for them to have a King, even if
they did have protectors. This was also when Jake recalled his only other
time encountering a similar structure to this hive: the ratmen in the Forgotten
Sewers.
The Nest Watcher was more or less the Hive King in this scenario,
defending the mothers of the next generation. That case had been even more
lopsided, as the Incubators back then hadn’t even been able to defend
themselves, being little more than breeding machines.
Jake shelved the thoughts and just focused on healing himself, but also
staying hidden. He felt the movements of termites not even ten minutes later
through his sphere. He knew he had killed far from all of them, and it seemed
that with Jake gone, the Hive Queen had ordered them to get back to work
and repair the damage inflicted by the pesky human that had ravaged their
hive.
Needless to say, this was bad news for Jake. Termites began running both
above and below him as he watched them through his sphere. Thankfully, he
was hidden well in the makeshift tunnel dug by the Hive King, with none of
the workers walking his way quite yet.
Focusing as much as he could, Jake very carefully mobilized a tiny bit of
mana to try and hide better. A small barrier covered the outside of his cloak
as he mixed a touch of dark mana and his stable arcane mana. Nothing was
visible, as far as Jake could tell, as he saw if he could somehow make his
barrier absorb the light and meld himself completely with the background.
The camouflage of the cloak already did this, but it was not perfect, and if
something came close, he would be discovered. Hence, he tried to create a
shell around him that was solid enough to not only make him look like a part
of the tunnel, but also feel like one to the touch.
He became pressured when a few termites noticed the hole he was in, but
they only briefly inspected it before moving on. Jake held his breath, hoping
none would make their way down into it. He would no doubt be discovered if
one did, as he’d blocked a good part of it with his body, and the workers were
about as large as the Hive King, meaning they would one hundred percent
bump into him.
A few workers began gathering in the vicinity, but they luckily chose the
tunnel only five meters to his side—the one made by the Hive King when it
had returned to the biodome. They began patching it up and filling it again
with earth magic and physical labor, several running through it as they
worked.
One of the termites running through the other tunnel suddenly stopped
halfway through… right next to where Jake was, with only a five-meter wall
of soil and rock separating them. It began touching the walls, and he faintly
felt a pulse of mana go through it as the termite scanned the ground.
Jake focused everything he had as the wave of mana reached him, mixing
the stable shell of arcane mana with dark mana. It hit the barrier and was
absorbed, leaving the termite on the other side looking confused. Another
wave came, and Jake realized he had made an error. In a moment of clarity,
he chose to instead absorb a little of the environmental mana into the barrier,
fully dispelling the black mana there.
He had created a barrier a bit like a window with two layers and air in
between, except the air had been dark mana. This had made him "invisible"
to the termite’s scan, but that in itself was suspicious. A black spot on a map
was conspicuous in its own right, so trying to hide by making it look as
though there was nothing at all was stupid.
At Jake’s behest, the environmental mana gathered between the barriers,
and just in time—at that moment, the second scan of the termite worker hit
him. It just ran across the barrier like he was a big stone and continued
through the rest of the tunnel unaffected.
On the other side of the wall of soil, the termite made some weird
movements and scurried off. Jake breathed out a sigh of relief, and some
tension left his body after it disappeared. He had been so tense he hadn’t even
noticed that he had gotten a notification halfway through his hiding attempt.

[Expert Stealth (Uncommon)] - The deadliest blow is the one not seen
coming. You have proven yourself an expert in the arts of stealth, as you have
learned to become a shadow that is only seen when you wish to be so. You
find it easier than ever to blend into the environment, making your presence,
mana, and nearly all traces of your existence hidden as you wait for your
prey to be vulnerable. Adds a small bonus to the effect of Agility and
Perception while successfully remaining undetected.

-->

[Arcane Stealth (Rare)] – An upgraded version of the Expert Stealth skill,

retaining all benefits while infusing additional abilities related to your
arcane affinity. You find it easier than ever to blend into the environment,
making your presence, mana, and nearly all traces of your existence hidden
as you wait for your prey to be vulnerable. You have enhanced your stealth
capabilities through magic, allowing you to mask your physical shape to
become one with the environment, even to the sense of touch and most
magical scans. Adds a small bonus to the effect of Agility, Perception,
Willpower, and Intelligence while successfully remaining undetected.

I feel like the system helped me out a bit there, he thought. It had been
easier than expected to absorb the mana to make him blend in. Probably
because the system had believed it high time for him to upgrade the skill, and
when he got on the right track to improving it, the upgrade had come, thus
making it easier, as he now had a skill and did not use freeform magic.
It was lucky, too, because Jake doubted he could even beat a few workers
in his current state, much less Hive Queen’s dispatched Guards if she became
aware of his continued presence.
Well… at least Jake had gotten something out of this shitty situation. He
entered meditation again while keeping himself hidden. Soon enough, the
termites began running through the tunnel he was in, stepping on the barrier,
and one of them even decided to move it slightly to the side, likely just seeing
it as a stone.
He did not respond, as he was buried in soil and stone deep within the
hive, determined to continue his recovery.

Miranda found herself with an unlikely group as she experienced her first-
ever dungeon dive.
Roman, Felicia, Sultan, Miranda, and Lillian stood within the dark
Undergrowth, where the nearly faceless monsters kept coming at them. The
Deepdwellers threw their spears as the Fungalmancers cast their magic. At
least, they tried to—until a vortex of frost and flames enveloped one of them.
A second Fungalmancer attempted to intervene before Felicia suddenly
appeared behind it and stabbed it through the face. Miranda herself threw out
bolts of Verdant energy as a shield protected her from attacks. A constant
ritual landed green wisps of light on the Deepdwellers, making a moss-like
substance grow on them.
The many Deepdwellers kept charging the group of humans that had
come to raid their small village, but they were simply too weak, and thus kept
getting killed. Out of all of them, Sultan was the most frightening—he made
the Deepwellers kill each other, and when one of the Fungalmancers began
mutating, he took out his black book and spoke a chant. The monstrosity just
began punching and tearing at the air and ground until its energy expired, at
which point it died by itself.
Lillian was the final member of their group, and the weakest by a fair
margin, as she had only recently evolved her class. Yet she did well by
shooting out small beams of light from what was essentially a laser pistol—
made by Arnold, of course.
After the Auction, Jake had given Miranda the Lucenti Mage Akashic
Tome, and they had decided to give it to Lillian, who had what Jake had
called a "dogshit" class. She had graciously accepted it and began power-
leveling it. She had chosen to forfeit the Perfect Evolution and evolved to D-
grade a little over a week ago, as her profession was already way higher in
level than her class.
Miranda knew her assistant had likely out-leveled her due to Miranda
going for the Perfect Evolution, if one solely discussed profession, and now
she was beginning to catch up in class levels too. They had discussed at
length whether Lillian could even evolve her race and keep leveling after the
incident with Phillip and many others who appeared to have simply stopped
getting levels, but Lillian had just breezed forward.
The Lucenti Mage class was… odd. Miranda did not quite get it herself
yet, and while Lillian had been relatively open about what she could do, she
also kept some cards close. She had always been reserved and private, and
Miranda respected that.
Lillian could do a variety of light magic, but it wasn’t only light. There
was the Lucenti concept mixed into everything, giving her magic a mystical
feel. It even allowed her to do some healing magic despite her not actually
being a healer at all, which was quite odd.
As for why she used a gun? Because Miranda had come to learn that
Lillian was damn good with one for some reason. She still had no idea about
her assistant’s history before the system, how she’d ended up with Abby and
Donald, or really anything about her background. What she did know was
that Lillian had only shown loyalty and gratitude so far towards both Miranda
and Jake, and that was good enough. The fact that she had signed a contract
also helped.
Miranda and the party continued through the Undergrowth that Jake had
cleared long ago, following the vague guidance given by Jake when he’d
recounted his experience doing it. They cleared the villages, got a few Golden
Mushrooms when safe, and applied safe strategies where possible.
They overpowered many of the early villages, but they began to get
pressured as they got further in. Sultan had to step it up more, and when
several Fungalmancers and a Warlord appeared at the same time, Sultan had
to pull out his ship and use that.
Without a tank, they did face some difficulties, but luckily Felicia was
fast and good at grabbing attention in melee range, while Roman had some
serious area-of-effect magic and incredibly potent elemental blasts that mixed
frost and fire magic.
Finally, as they went towards the place where Jake had said there was a
Cave Troll, they employed a tactic Jake had insisted on.

[Undergrowth Cave Troll – lvl 149]

When they got there, they waited a bit before intercepting a fight and
helping the troll by healing it, and Roman even went and made friends with
the kid trolls.
The trolls slowly became friendlier, and ultimately Sultan told them he
would stay there for a while to complete a task given by Jake. Miranda
wondered what it was about, but did as he said—after he swore he was telling
the truth, that is. She did probably need to get back to Haven again soon, so
she headed back out of the dungeon together with the four others, leaving
Sultan behind with the troll.

Sultan stood before the troll, which kept scratching its back with its own
weapon while making cooing sounds at the small trolls. He began
communicating with the beast, but found it had difficulty understanding him.
At least Lord Thayne had been correct about it not displaying too much
hostility towards humans and how, if they saved it, the troll would not attack.
Sultan sighed and prepared several catalysts to enact the binding ritual. It
was millions of Credits’ worth… but oh, well.
A good while ago, when Lord Thayne had become aware of Sultan’s
abilities, he had given him a job. It was an odd job Sultan did not quite see
the purpose of, but one he would do anyway: to get the Undergrowth Cave
Troll out of the dungeon by first binding it to his own soul as a slave, then
releasing it outside. He’d even been ordered to get the small trolls out with it.
This was an oddly sentimental request from the Chosen of the Malefic
Viper, especially considering these were not the same trolls Lord Thayne had
encountered when he did the dungeon. They were a different version of the
same troll, and when it got outside, it would have no memories of anyone but
Sultan’s party.
To make it worse, this would even weaken the dungeon a tiny bit by
removing a monster. Then again, perhaps it would help somewhat, as the
Cave Troll tended to kill quite a few Deepdwellers, but it would for sure
remove a scenario within the dungeon.
A part of Sultan could not help but question if there was something
special about the troll, given how Lord Thayne had emphasized getting it out.
Perhaps it had some hidden skill? Unique powers? It was hard to say, but
ultimately, Sultan did not dare disobey. He began the ritual, and the troll
willingly agreed, partly through ignorance.
This is going to hurt, Sultan thought, groaning as he felt the strain on his
soul from binding a creature higher in level than himself. He knew instantly
he would be in a rush to get outside the dungeon and release it.
"What one doesn’t do for their bosses."
Chapter 36
 Onwards! To Haven!

H onestly, if there was one convenience the system had brought that Jake
could not see ever living without again, it was the Self-Repair
enchantment. That, and other enchantments allowing armor to repair
itself—like the Shadow Mend on his chest armor—just made life so much
easier when you were someone like Jake, who was prone to having whatever
he was wearing destroyed.
Still hidden deep underground and surrounded by not-so-friendly
termites, Jake took nearly two full days to get back in his best condition
again. It was a lot longer than expected, considering his potion usage, proving
that he had truly taken a lot of damage. What’s more was how hard the
wounds were to heal… almost as though the Hive King had infused some
energy into every attack to make it harder.
The problem was that he felt no such energy; he just knew that healing
was more problematic. That was, until Jake really looked and found what he
at first had thought were just small pieces of stone or dust mixed into the
wound. He was wrong, as they turned out to be minuscule black splinters. In
the end, Jake had to focus a lot of energy to push them out, even prying with
his dagger to speed up the process.
Afterwards, Jake felt how much easier the healing had gotten, and he
soon recovered fully. With his armor also mostly repaired, he prepared to
leave. Jake kept up his stealth technique without being discovered throughout
this entire period, making him feel quite good about that part. The fact that
the termites had chosen to just outright bury him had also helped, though he
did feel the occasional scan of a worker pass through where he was. Probably
just maintenance work or something.
 Mobilizing mana, Jake released a small explosion of arcane energy
around him to destroy the soil, instantly getting some attention from nearby
workers. He did not give them time to do anything before he fired a beam
upwards through the soil, creating a path to the main tunnel network above.
Jake climbed up and began running through the maze of tunnels, moving
upwards and out of the hive. A few termites chased him, but Jake just
avoided them and focused on getting the fuck out of there. He didn’t know if
the Hive Queen would call for the King again or something like that, and he
had no desire to find out.
It took him hours to make his way up. He was amazed at how many
termites had already appeared again, and Jake began to realize how little of
an impact his attack had made. Jake had killed tens of thousands of termites
in E-grade, and thousands more in D-grade, and yet he had barely made a
dent in their population.
How large is this hive? Jake questioned.
Moreover… how deep was it? The King had dug downwards after
believing Jake had gotten away, almost as if it was in a hurry. Was there
something going on down there that needed its attention? Also, if he was
right, it was 220 or so—didn’t that mean it had likely killed a lot of enemies
that gave experience? AKA other C-grades?
What if there are more Hive Queens… more Kings? he suddenly thought.
What if the area Jake had invaded and wreaked havoc upon was only the
upper layer of their hive? The more he thought about it, the more it seemed
possible and the scarier the thought became. He could only hope that other
powerful creatures in the subterranean world would keep the Isoptera hive
occupied, or that whatever restrictions were on C-grades would remain active
long enough for Jake to become powerful enough to kill them.
Because for a hive such as the Isoptera to take over an entire planet was
not something new to the multiverse—far from it. And Jake had no desire to
allow Earth to turn into a termite colony. Not that he truly thought it was a
possibility. He was there, other powerful factions existed, and there were
many other scary things on their planet.
Soon enough, Jake only saw a few E-grade termites within the tunnels,
and within a couple of hours, he found himself able to spot the surface
through his Sphere of Perception. Picking up the pace, he zigzagged through
the maze of tunnels before finally spotting a hole with sunlight shining
through.
 Jake jumped and summoned his wings, finally feeling the warmth of the
sun upon his skin. He had emerged a good distance away from where he had
entered, by at least a hundred kilometers. He knew this due to still seeing the
destruction left by him and the King of the Forest before he dove
underground.
It made sense, though. Jake hadn’t exactly been the most aware after he
made the cursed weapon, and had spent weeks in a haze as he got the curse
and his own emotions under control.
After basking in the sunlight with a light smile, enjoying being out of the
stuffy underground—especially being trapped inside his own cloak for two
days—he set course back to Haven once more.

Reika stood at the helm of the floating barge as they flew across the plains at
a respectable pace. The entire vessel was as simple as it came in design,
nearly thirty-five meters long and ten meters wide, without any real
construction on it besides a large engine and control room.
On the barge were close to a hundred members of the Noboru clan. About
twenty of them were D-grades like herself, with the rest towards the peak of
E-grade. The only thing nearly all of them had in common was that all of
them were alchemists—the only exceptions being seven D-grade guards who
were there in case they encountered trouble, and the two D-grades in charge
of flying and maintaining their transportation vessel.
They had begun the journey by teleporting to the city under their control
closest to Haven. From there, with the aid of a spatial compass, they had
taken off. Reika would have left earlier, but her great-grandfather’s weakness
after the Transcendent skill had made her stay until he had stabilized and
begun reclaiming his power. A part of her had feared the political
ramifications of this weakness, but luckily none had dared make a move. This
had been partly due to ignorance of how weak he truly was, and, moreover, if
he could somehow temporarily still display his full power.
Returning her thoughts to the present, Reika stopped dwelling on the past.
He was better now and maybe even fully recovered. It had already been many
weeks since they set off, and everyone had kept up their practice diligently.
They’d even stopped at a few minor settlements along the way.
 One of the guards had a class called Pathfinder, allowing him to identify
the best way to go and avoid areas and territories of dangerous beasts and
monsters. Such a talent was invaluable for a journey like this, as without him,
they risked ending up in the middle of the territory of powerful D-grades—or,
worse, a C-grade. Though the chances for that were incredibly low, as one
more or less had to go look for C-grades to find any.
That did not mean they had avoided dangerous situations, but they had
been lucky so far. They had even met some interesting people on their
journey and had others travel with them between settlements: a few
merchants, missionaries from the Holy Church, a party associated with
Valhal, and even a solitary mage wearing a full-body suit of armor. Reika,
having not spent much time exploring the new world, had very much enjoyed
this period, and had spoken to many of these travelers. A few of them had
also given them things to bring to Haven. Mainly letters or magical letters to
get in contact with the faction.
"Mistress, we are approaching the closest settlement to the place known
as the Fort, according to the map," one of the guards said. He had likely been
told by the captain of the barge, and Reika nodded in acknowledgment.
"ETA?"
"Four days till we reach the place known as the Fort at this pace, and
from there, it should only be a swift teleportation using their internal magic
circle," the guard explained. The last part was a bit unnecessary, as Reika
already knew, but she would not shame diligence.
Reika glanced out over the many alchemists, all working in different
ways. Some used cauldrons, others used more scientific tools, and a few
didn’t really use anything, as they mainly worked on transmutations. A few
had even walled off areas to make magic circles and keep progressing during
this period of travel. It was indeed lucky that the barge was stable enough for
all of them to work undisturbed.
"Good, make sure everyone is fully rested and put on their best
performance. This is not a play-trip, but as much a diplomatic excursion as it
is anything else. The way we present ourselves may as well be the basis of
the future relationship between the Noboru clan and Haven, and our entrance
will mark how the regular citizens of the city view us.” She said the final
words in warning.
She had spoken loud enough for a few dozen on the barge to hear her, and
she was confident they would spread the word of her expectations.
 Soon, Reika thought, both excited and nervous. A lot of weight was on
her shoulders, and she would do everything to not disappoint. At the same
time, she also really wanted to explore the opportunities Haven had to offer.
As annoying as it was, she had to admit that the last truly thrilling and
enlightening discussion related to the field of alchemy had been months ago
during the Treasure Hunt. That conversation had only made her problem of
finding worthwhile peers worse, so her desire to discuss it with the one other
person on the planet she recognized as more skilled than her—at least, in
some areas—was exhilarating.
Something told her Haven would hold many learning opportunities for
ambitious alchemists, and she and everyone else there was more than willing
to learn.

Feeling stat growth was always fucking awesome. Jake didn’t usually notice
it, as everything was relative, if that made sense. You didn’t feel a lot faster
when you fought foes who also got a lot faster. So to truly get a feel for
growth was difficult even if you knew you got stronger.
While in the hive, Jake had put many points into Agility. He had gained
levels and put on new equipment to further boost that stat, so when he finally
got above ground and began flying, he felt the difference. He felt how he got
further with every One Step Mile, and how every beat of his wings gave him
slightly more thrust than when he had left Haven.
This ultimately meant the return trip to Haven was several hours faster
than the way to the Insect Plains. When he spotted the outskirts of the forest
far in the distance, he knew he would soon be home. He flew up a bit higher
than usual and, making full use of this Perception, got a good look at the
massive forest before him.
How big is it? Jake wondered. It was larger than any other forest on Earth
before the system—that was for sure. It was likely larger than any forest had
ever been, and most certainly larger than the majority of countries had been.
It spanned into the horizon, where Jake saw trees reaching up further than he
could even see, like grand pillars holding up the sky.
Larger than continents? Jake questioned. It wouldn’t surprise him; the
forest was just ridiculously massive. It was a lot like the underground of
Earth and the entire world that existed down there. Jake knew that while he
had gone a few thousand kilometers deep, he had barely scratched the surface
of the subterranean world.
Needless to say, Jake was looking forward to fully exploring both the
underground and the surface of the planet in due time. But for now, it was
time to return home to his cozy little cottage. Jake already felt Sylphie was
there—a lucky coincidence, as she was usually within the massive forest.
Jake flew down and over the trees as he spotted the valley. When he got
closer, he felt the presences within the valley. He felt Hawkie and Mystie
were there as well as Sultan and Miranda… but… there was also something
else: a powerful aura that Jake recognized. He headed over faster, mildly
excited.
"Are you sure it is a female?" Jake heard Miranda ask as he got closer.
"Seeing how it cares for the young, that would only make sense," Sultan
answered confidently.
"Fathers can also be responsible parents, you know," Miranda countered.
"It may be that the mother died."
Jake used One Step Mile as he landed, appearing nearby and chuckling.
"Or maybe Cave Trolls procreate through parthenogenesis?"
He had come with the intent to joke, but he did not get the expected
response. Before anyone could say anything, the Undergrowth Cave Troll
yelled and hid the small trolls behind its back in a panic, trying to make
threatening screams towards him.
Jake was taken aback… until remembered that this was not the same troll.
Well, it was, but also wasn’t. It was weird, but he chose to just see it as the
same one he had encountered, but with permanent amnesia. Its demeanor was
exactly the same, and Jake couldn’t help but smile as he lowered himself a bit
and controlled his aura to appear nonthreatening.
"It’s okay," he said to the troll many times larger than himself. It stared at
him for a few moments, after which Jake got an idea and fished out a few
Vitality-giving elixirs.
The troll stared at them as Jake offered one. The giant creature just kept
looking, and Jake chucked one towards it. The troll managed to catch it and
sniff it before tossing it in its mouth, eating the bottle. It reminded Jake of the
troll eating his health potion during the dungeon, which made him smile even
more.
"See? Friend," Jake said as he stood up.
 Sylphie also flew over and made some "rees" at the troll, which it seemed
to understand, since it wobbled over and sat in front of him. The small trolls
also came over and began bravely touching and poking him. The only place
they stayed away from was his head, which had Sylphie on it. Judging by
their reactions to the hawk, he had a feeling she had already established
dominance before he returned.
"Have you ever considered beast taming?" Sultan asked off to the side. "It
took us over an hour to make it calm down and trust us just a little bit when
we first met, and it took me over a full day to convince it I was trying to help
take it out of the dungeon."
Jake shook his head and threw the man a glare. "I think I made my stance
on that subject clear."
The merchant put up his hands defensively and muttered something
unintelligible.
Jake ignored him as he turned back to the trolls. One of the small Juvenile
Cave Trolls plopped down right next to him and began playing with the
ground, while the other stayed busy trying to climb a tree, having likely never
seen one before.
The adult cave troll was looking up towards the sun. Jake just smiled as
he noticed something. The grass around the Undergrowth Cave Troll had
turned greener than it was before. Jake’s Sense of the Malefic Viper
activated, and he felt the potent life-affinity energy coming out of the troll,
yet again widening his smile.
Looking at the large troll, he asked, "Now, I may not be into beast
taming, but how would you like to get a job?"
No one had said anything about beast employment.
Chapter 37
 A Good Eye For People

H aven had a lot of land around it. Especially the vast plain of
nothingness between it and the Fort. Jake had originally wanted to
have the trolls live in this kind of area, but quickly found out that
wasn’t a good option.
The Undergrowth Cave Troll clearly didn’t like the vast, open space
outside of the forest, and Jake could feel its hesitancy. The small trolls were
also hugging their parent closely when they got to a more open area, making
Jake reevaluate.
They appeared to have something akin to reverse-claustrophobia,
something Jake was informed was called agoraphobia by Miranda. With that
in mind, they settled on the Cave Troll going back into the cave close to the
dungeon entrance. The biodome was pretty large and mostly unoccupied by
now, and the troll did seem to like the area. Probably also felt familiar with
the passive mana output of the dungeon entrance nearby.
Once the troll was in there, it instantly began making a new cave in the
wall, using earth magic of some sort to dig. By now, he had also fully
confirmed the troll’s mere presence, courtesy of their life-affinity aura,
encouraged growth in plant life nearby.
Thinking a bit more about it, that was perhaps the reason the troll had
been in the dungeon originally—to ensure the growth of plants down there.
That, or because a life-affinity troll just fit well into a life-affinity-themed
dungeon.
Jake had plans of turning the biodome into a garden, and he proposed this
to the others, who agreed. He then asked the troll and tried to communicate
his intent, and after some gesturing and motioning as well as Sylphie making
bird noises, the large troll seemed to get it.
Now, there were some concerns about having a level 149 D-grade chill
right below their city, especially as they really didn’t know much about trolls,
but so far, it had been perfectly calm around others. Shit, the large troll
seemed more afraid of humans than anything, with the small trolls just acting
like curious children. A few D-grade workers had even come by and seen the
troll. They had waved at it, and the troll had just done a big wave, imitating
their actions before going back to making the cave.
The next day or so was spent talking with the troll and beginning to plant
some stuff in the biodome. Jake would primarily place life-affinity herbs
there, so he had no plans to make it a mushroom-filled place… Well, unless
they were life-affinity mushrooms.
After he had done some initial work and was sure the troll was nicely
settled, he went through some other things he needed to get done. Well, and
some things he wanted to do, like spending some time with Sylphie and
hearing about the adventures she and her parents had been on as they
explored the forest.
The three of them had really been busy. A lot of Haven seemed to have
been, as the dungeon had finally begun seeing use—not just by Miranda and
the others, but also Neil and his party, who were still in there. He even heard
from Sylphie that she and her parents wanted to go in there at some point too.
It was nice to touch base and get a lay of the land regarding how everyone
was doing.
He also talked with Miranda about what he had been up to and his recent
adventure. His respect for her ability to hold back judgment improved when
she managed to hold in her words in response to Jake’s account of making
Eternal Hunger.
She, in turn, told him that his lab had been completed last week, and he
was excited to check it out. They still needed his input on furniture, but that
wasn’t a rush job. He was also told to go check out an area at the Fort where
Chris—that guy Villy had blessed as a semi-joke—had done something and
asked for Jake’s presence. Miranda emphasized how he hadn’t wanted to
hurry him, but that he still clearly wanted Jake’s presence there soon.
He then talked to Sultan about getting his Altmar Cauldron of Supreme
Simplicity fixed, but the man was clueless and did not possess any wares that
would be of help. A bit disappointed, Jake just handed Sultan payment for
getting the troll out of the dungeon and reimbursed the materials he had spent
to make it possible.
Anyway, with Sultan not able to find a solution to fix his cauldron, Jake
decided to do the only other logical thing: go to the Fort to ask Arnold. At the
same time, he could check out what Chris had been up to.
With a teleportation circle, getting to the Fort was only a matter of
seconds. When he passed through it, he went straight for Arnold’s workshop,
which had once more expanded. The man had taken over the entire citadel
and courtyard at the center of the Fort. A metal dome now covered all of it,
and the magic circle, previously placed within the citadel, had been moved
just outside into a new building designed to house teleportation circles.
When he went to enter the dome covering the workshop, hexagonal metal
panels just slid away to give him entrance. To see how it worked, he moved
upwards and saw the hole in the metal following him. Then he felt a subtle
pulse of mana touch him. Some kind of scanner and malleable metal?
Once more, Jake had to admit that Arnold was some weird mad genius
with all of the shit he was up to at all times. Inside the dome, it looked much
the same, except everything was more well-lit, and he also saw that drones
and robots were still working on the dome itself, so it appeared to still be a
work in progress.
Jake walked in, having already detected Arnold’s location. The man also
clearly knew he was coming based on the many cameras and drones flying
around. The central citadel had been even further reinforced, and by now,
Jake wondered if the inside of this dome wasn’t the safest place in the entire
city… Well, besides inside his lodge with the shield from the Pylon.
Inside the central building, Jake headed straight for Arnold, who was
currently working on a sleek-looking drone. The rotors were all gone, and it
looked more like a surfboard of metal than anything else.
"Yes?" the man said as he kept working. He wore an odd pair of glasses
Jake had not seen before, and he felt clear magic from them, making him
know they were an item.
"Two things," Jake said. "First of all, thanks for the help with the alchemy
lab, and secondly, do you have any advice for fixing this?"
Jake took the Cauldron of Supreme Simplicity out of his inventory and
placed it on one of the tables.

[Altmar Cauldron of Supreme Simplicity (Ancient)] - Sometimes less is

more. Made by the Altmar Empire’s expert crafters, this cauldron was
 created with the express purpose of efficient alchemy. Given to the royal
alchemists in training, it often becomes a cauldron for life for even the most
talented. The runes inscribed are easy to use and greatly enhance mana
efficiency and conductivity while also making the entire working process far
more transparent for the user. Enchantments: Mana conductivity (Supreme).
Mana Transparency (Supreme). Durability (Extremely High).
Requirements: Soulbound.

His Identify still worked as before, and the cauldron only had a few
cracks in it… but he wasn’t sure if it was fixable. He had thought it was
indestructible at one point, but the sheer power of the curse had still managed
to damage it when he finally completed Eternal Hunger. In fact, it was likely
due to the cauldron that Jake had not accidentally blown himself up.
Arnold went over and inspected it, and Jake stood there nervously.
Arnold turned it over and looked at the bottom a bit, then nodded.
"You have refrained from using the Altmar Alteration Rune?" Arnold
asked.
"What?" Jake asked, confused.
Arnold turned it to him and showed him a rune inscribed on the bottom.
"A rune made to allow the user to progressively strengthen, repair, and
maintain the cauldron. From preliminary research, it appears this is standard
practice to implement on most high-value Soulbound items in the Altmar
Empire."
Jake looked at the man weirdly, nearly afraid to ask… "So I can just
infuse mana into that rune and repair the cauldron?"
"No," Arnold answered, making Jake feel a wave of disappointment, but
also relief that he hadn’t been so dumb to not know he could hav—
"You need to infuse all energies directly from your soul at once using the
Soulbound connection, and the process will both strengthen and restore the
cauldron in accordance with its original design."
"Has that rune always been there?" he asked after a pause.
“This bottom plate holds the majority of the item’s properties and is the
core, so yes, that is reasonable to assume. Moreover, this plate appears near
indestructible, as far as I can tell, and is made of a metal I have yet to uncover
the nature of… The same is true for the rest of the cauldron. Would you mind
me studying it for a while?"
Jake feeling grateful there was no one else around to see how stupid he
had be—
"Haha!” Villy’s voice roared in his head as he felt the delight and
schadenfreude of his patron god. “Finally! I have been holding my laughter
for months and already won four bets with Duskleaf on how long you would
take to figure it out! My poor disciple had so much faith in you, but I guess
no amount of Perception can make you truly perceptive.”
"This… huh. So I just do it like this?" Jake asked rhetorically as he
picked it up and began channeling energy into it, purposefully ignoring Villy.
All his resource pools were soon depleted as he focused on the rune. "What
are the consequences of not having done this sooner?"
Arnold was busier observing the effects of the rune than listening to Jake,
but he still spared Jake a look. "Based on my estimates, none."
Villy’s voice came again, and Jake tried so damn hard to ignore him.
"Kind of rude to assume the Altmar don’t make foolproof cauldrons. It is one
of supreme simplicity, so I guess it is purposefully made so even the simplest
of men can use it."
Jake nodded in acknowledgment and kept infusing his energies, Arnold
watching on with interest. The guy even took out some measurement tool or
something and began recording. Jake naturally let him. The more Jake
infused it, the sillier he felt about not realizing there was some innate way to
fix it earlier.
The description of the Altmar Cauldron of Supreme Simplicity said it
sometimes became a cauldron for life for even the most talented alchemists,
and based on Altmar standards, Jake assumed that was better than D-grade by
a fair bit. If Jake could break the cauldron now in mid-tier D-grade, he sure as
hell would be able to in C-grade, so for it to be so "fragile" didn’t make much
sense with the description. He didn’t think it was one he could use forever, of
course, but it should still hold up for now.
He was a bit miffed the description had not mentioned the rune, but Jake
wrote that off as the system sometimes being annoyingly selective with such
things, probably due to how the Identify skill worked. Whenever Jake
investigated a plant, he would often get a feel for its properties within
seconds with his Identify, including what kind of properties it had and what
alchemical creations the item was useable in.
Meanwhile, if he used Identify on most metals, he would most often just
get the name. Considering he didn’t have any skills giving him direct
knowledge of runes or the crafting of something even adjacent to cauldrons,
it probably made sense it didn’t tell him. Ultimately, it was his own fault for
not properly investigating his own tools.
"Is this kind of rune really that normal?" he asked Arnold as he infused
energy.
"No,” Arnold said, still recording. “It requires the item to be Soulbound,
and the materials and skill required in crafting it are not to be underestimated.
By my assumptions, the creator of this cauldron must be at least B or A-
grade, with it being purposefully made weaker for one of any grade to bind it
initially.”
Jake nodded and kept infusing it with energy. It was slowly being
repaired, but it also quickly became clear this was not something he could do
in a single infusion. It was tiring work, and soon he was down to half in all
resources with only a few of the cracks being sealed off again. At that point,
he stopped, took out a health potion, and decided to continue later.
Arnold looked a bit disappointed at him stopping, but he didn’t say
anything as he took out his tablet-thing again and began taking some notes.
Getting an idea, Jake took off another Soulbound item he had been
wearing for a long time, wondering if that too contained some hidden secret.
It was the very first epic-rarity item Jake had ever obtained, and perhaps still
one of his most valuable. However, he still had no answer as to why it was
Soulbound.

[Prodigious Alchemist’s Necklace of Holding (Epic)] - An amulet awarded

to a prodigious young alchemist upon completion of a trial. An ornate
creation of high craftsmanship made of metal attuned to the space affinity,
holding a spacegem in place. Allows the user to store items in a small pocket
dimension found within the gem. Due to the nature of the gemstone used,
living, non-sentient entities can be stored without harmful side effects in
temporal suspension. Enchantments: Alchemist’s Spatial Storage. +25
Wisdom.
Requirements: Soulbound.

The spatial storage ring he and the others had gained after they solved the
Rubik’s Cube had not been Soulbound, as an example. It would still be bound
to someone through the usual mana connection, and one would have to empty
it before being able to unbind it and hand it to someone else, but it could still
be handed off. Jake had once believed spatial items maybe just had to be
Soulbound, but that clearly wasn’t the case.
Jake showed Arnold the necklace, and the man frowned as he inspected
it. "I apologize; this seems to be out of my expertise."
"Damn," Jake said. "So no obvious enchantment to strengthen it or
something?"
Arnold just shook his head. "Not self-evident ones, but I can take a deeper
look?"
He had to admit he had just gotten his hopes up. The spatial storage on
the necklace was damn great, but he did have to admit the 25 Wisdom was
beginning to feel a bit… sucky. Like, he got hundreds of stat points on
everything else that gave stats, and yet his Soulbound spatial storage gave a
measly 25.
So, needless to say, Jake would like a necklace upgrade. He had seen
many other necklaces throughout the Treasure Hunt and even the Auction,
but he had skipped all of them. A lot of them even contained spatial storages,
but Jake liked his current one too much to switch it.
It was perfectly made for alchemists, and overall just worked great. It was
also Soulbound, meaning killing him or somehow getting it from him
wouldn’t allow someone to steal all his stuff. Even if he didn’t get it
upgraded, Jake still wanted to keep using it… but he wasn’t going to say no
to improving it.
"Please do," Jake said to Arnold, hoping the oddball in front of him could
figure something out.
Jake knew he wasn’t an expert judge of character or even good at all that
social stuff in general… and yet when he reflected on the day, he thought that
he had actually managed to gather a lot of interesting people around him.
Miranda, Lillian, Hank, Arnold, Neil and his party, the entire hawk family,
the newly added trolls, and, in some ways, also the former King of the Forest
and Sultan, who he had more of a pure working relationship with. So maybe
he did have a good eye for people?
Oh… and of course, the most important friend of them all.
"You know I can feel that you receive every single message, and you also
suck at hiding that twitching in your left eye whenever I say something you
disagree with, so I know you understand it. Even if you don’t answer me, at
least acknowledge your failure to poor Duskleaf; he is down more resources
than your planet is worth many times over."
His Patron god, the respected and revered Primordial known as the
Malefic Viper, was currently acting like a teenager who had just gotten away
with a prank.
Chapter 38
 A Monumental Monument

J ake looked on as the scientist worked.

Arnold kept looking at the necklace, bringing out some measurement
tools again to try and take a few more looks. He frowned as he did so and
just shook his head again. "I can determine this is also a case of an item
purposefully downgraded by design to allow it to be used at a lower level.
Sealed-off effects and features exist within. A skilled jeweler would be
required to unlock it, I assume, and you’d need catalysts and items to
facilitate an upgrade. I theorize someone familiar with the crafting method
would be beneficial to accomplish this, if not mandatory. I must, however,
emphasize these are mere postulations."
Jake nodded again. That kind of made sense. Jake had gotten it at a low
level, and it would have been overpowered if it gave a shitload of Wisdom
right off the bat. The spatial storage was already pretty damn great to begin
with, even if he had started to run into some limitations. Limitations such as
how it was unable to store liquids that were not already in a container such as
a bottle, or how he couldn’t store certain items that were too large or too
heavy, like the Suncore Fragment. That last one could be due to its mana
radiation, but he wasn’t sure. All he knew was that the legendary storage box
could store it.
"Would you mind me investigating this rune a bit further?" Arnold
suddenly asked, already having turned his attention back to the cauldron. "I
find myself fascinated with the methods of the Altmar."
"Sure, go right ahead. I can even come back a bit later and do another
infusion for you to observe.” Arnold had already helped him a good deal, so
this was the least he could do.
 The mad scientist nodded and seemingly ignored Jake’s continued
presence as he went over to what looked like a large MRI scanner and placed
the cauldron within. Jake just smiled and headed off towards other
engagements.
But… he did not fail to address a certain someone. He finally answered
Villy, "Totally couldn’t have told me about that rune at any fucking point?"
Clearly still amused and clearly knowing Jake would answer eventually
after fucking with him long enough, the Viper replied, half-laughing, finding
the entire situation far funnier than it was.
"I could’ve," Villy said. "I just didn’t."
"Rude," Jake commented.
"But funny," Villy countered.
"This is why I am a heretic—you know that, right?" Jake asked as he
exited Arnold’s workshop.
"But also the reason you are my Chosen," Villy joked back. "Anyway,
you have had a lot of fun recently. Big fan of the cursed weapon. Very on-
brand for my Chosen to walk around swinging a cataclysm given form."
"Thanks, I do like it myself. But, now that I have you, how do I upgrade
my damn necklace? Was Arnold on the money with a part of it being sealed?"
Jake guessed it only made sense to ask the source itself.
"Partly, but I guess you will find out when you enroll—then you can go to
one of the jewelers and ask them to help you.”
Jake latched onto one word in particular. "Enroll?"
"Soon, the gateway between worlds shall open as the stars align, and the
monument stands complete. As the void bends to your will and you find
yourself in new lands, may you find the path towards greatness, as an
opportunity unlike any other is now before you!" the Malefic Viper said in a
holier-than-thou kind of tone, being all dramatic.
"What the hell are you on about?" Jake asked, actually confused.
"I think it’s time you go check out what that little builder I blessed a while
ago has been up to."
Jake got an ominous feeling from those words, as he could only fear the
worst. He took flight towards where Chris was.
Jake didn’t know what he should have expected. Miranda had already
mentioned that Chris was making something, so he wanted to check it out
anyway. He had known it was related to the Viper due to some vague words
Miranda’s Patrons had told her, but she had no details. Was it a surprise of
some sort? Something Villy had purposely not wanted to share?
But when he saw Chris excitedly explain the monument he had spent
months of blood, sweat, and tears on—a monument Jake had never asked for
or wanted—he could only stand there and nod while being happy the mask
was hiding his true facial expressions.
It looked like someone had taken five Stonehenges, stacked them on top
of each other, put metal pillars down randomly throughout, then drawn magic
circles and runes that covered all surface areas. The entire "monument" was
spread out over an area more than fifty meters in diameter, and to Jake, the
placement of all the objects held no rhyme or reason.
Not that he could voice any of his thoughts with the young believer at his
side.
"Once the final part has been charged, and the connection gets just a little
bit stronger, it should be activatable and be used to establish the gateway!”
Chris explained, incredibly excited. “You should be able to travel to the
Order and even bring others with you easily using this!"
Jake just nodded. "Good job. I had not expected to see something like this
made so soon… Did the Viper direct you on how to make it?"
"Not only that—the Malefic One gave me a skill to do so!" he said with a
starstruck attitude.
Oh, god, why did you corrupt such an innocent one, Villy? Jake asked
himself upon noting that Chris truly was awe-inspired by the Viper.
Definitely not in heretic territory; that was for sure.
"I am sure this will be useful… When is it ready?" Jake asked.
"Oh, I don’t know, only the Malefic One does; I just made it," Chris
answered, unbothered. "I am certain our Patron will tell you when it is time
for you to use it."
"Yeah, honored Patron, do tell me when it is time to use this damn
monstrosity you had this innocent young man build,” Jake said to Villy
through their connection. “And why was it built? Are you that excited to see
me again?"
"That is indeed the reason. For every moment we are apart, my heart
aches, and my only consolation is that you have a part of me inside you at all
times…" the Viper answered creepily. "Okay, okay, anyway, this was the
easiest way to establish a connection between your universe and the Order.
Pretty complicated magic that I won’t even bother to explain to you, but just
know that you being my Chosen allows me to tap into that Blessing’s innate
power."
"Still doesn’t answer why it was needed to begin with. Like, I get it is nice
to have a way to travel, but didn’t you say most space mages would figure it
out anyway with due time? Why the rush?"
"Oh, for you not to miss too much of the school year and get too far
behind in your classes," the Viper answered with a serious tone.
"No," Jake answered back.
"Yes!" Villy answered, cackling. "Are you really going to give up on a
chance to study at the illustrious academy run by the Order of the Malefic
Viper?"
"I will need a lot of information before answering that question," Jake
countered. Was Villy being serious? Jake hadn’t even remembered the Order
had an academy. Not that he knew anything about the Order to begin with.
"Sure, sure, it isn’t fully ready yet anyway; we got time," Villy answered
dismissively. "But I am just going to say, I think you will like it; it isn’t like
the institutions of learning you are used to, and the Order of the Malefic
Viper is one of the premier schools of alchemy in the entire multiverse.
Always has been, always will be. I don’t see any negatives from you
attending, at least, and with the teleportation circle, you can come and go as
you want to."
Jake sighed. "Fine, we can discuss it a bit more later."
"You should go either way just to chill and get your necklace upgraded,"
Villy added convincingly.
Once more, Jake agreed, finding Villy oddly dedicated to persuading him.
It wasn’t like Jake was entirely against going; he just wasn’t really sure it was
something he wanted. His studying days hadn’t exactly been the best, and
while he doubted an ancient order of poison alchemists would be like the
finance faculty at his old university, he was still confident he would be forced
into meeting a lot of other people.
Jake didn’t like meeting other people that he couldn’t just avoid, ignore,
or, at the very least, keep at an arm’s length. Especially when it was people
he had to get along with whether he liked them or not.
I’ll deal with it when it happens… Jake told himself as he moved on with
his day.
He kept chatting with Chris a while longer, hearing all about the young
man’s crush on Louise and how they had gone on a "date" that even Jake was
pretty certain was just two people eating together while discussing work. Not
much different from what he and Miranda were doing.
After talking with Chris, Jake headed back to Arnold for another round of
cauldron reconstruction, the entire process naturally meticulously recorded by
the scientist.. or engineer… machinist? Robotics expert? Jake wasn’t sure
what Arnold actually was besides being a bit of a madman.
The good kind of madman.
He stayed at the workshop to look through stuff as Arnold researched
before heading back to Haven again, leaving the cauldron with Arnold to
study a while longer. Even after two infusions, it was still not fully repaired.
During the repair, Jake even discovered a bit of curse energy embedded in the
cauldron, forcing him to extract it before he fixed it. That, or see the cost
skyrocket as the rune sought to outright destroy the curse energy, which was
no simple task.
Back in Haven, he got kinda busy. Jake checked in with the troll, went
out and got something to eat, played a bit with Sylphie—who showed off
some new wind-magic tricks—and even found a magazine of sorts with
furniture ideas for the laboratory. After finally checking by Sultan’s boat and
having him be on the lookout for some herbs, he headed back to the lodge
again. The merchant himself was going to the dungeon again with Miranda,
Lillian, Roman, and Felicia, which was quite an interesting party. Finally, he
could settle down and begin some preliminary research into the ritual to
properly hatch the Pollendust Bee Queen after all that other stuff.

Reika had changed her clothes and taken a shower, as she knew they would
soon be at their destination. The others had also cleaned up at a lake they’d
visited on the way to make everyone presentable. It was fortunate they had
found it, for even with the system and armor with Self-Repair, people still got
dirty and needed a good cleaning once in a while.
Taking a look out over the barge, the alchemists looked presentable, and
the guards stalwart. Their group was powerful, and on this final trek, they had
picked up another merchant who wanted to travel there. The diplomatic work
this journey had already done was staggering, and they had even charted the
entire way between Haven and the Noboru territory.
As a final thing, she inspected the goods they had brought as gifts,
including several herbs to give to Jake directly. All of this was naturally to
make the best first impression. Many of their loaded items were also naturally
for the de-facto leader of Haven, Miranda, whom Reika knew held most of
the formal power—hence, getting in her good graces was in her best interest.
"I see it in the distance, I believe," the Pathfinder said at Reika’s side as
he used some skill to see further.
Reika turned and looked forward but didn’t see anything yet. The rolling
hills of the plains blocked her view, and them flying only a few meters above
the ground at most times didn’t help.
"Is it the Fort?" Reika asked the man, as she noticed his expression was a
bit off.
"I… am uncertain. It appears to be, but there is also a giant dome of metal
of some sort? It looks like an old observatory, perhaps?"
"Based on our information, the Fort should be an old medieval citadel that
used to be a tourist attraction; I have heard nothing of there being any old
observatory on the grounds," Reika answered, equally confused.
"No, this looks newly built, and I think smaller buildings are surrounding
it," he said after using his skill a bit more. "I do not have the ability to discern
what is inside the dome; powerful enchantments are blocking all of my
skills."
Reika considered his words for a while, then suddenly remembered
something. Jake had mentioned during the Auction event that he was getting
a laboratory built for alchemy, and had even mentioned that, as an alchemist
focusing on poisons, he would need it to be a sealed-off space.
That must be it, she thought. There was still a lot of uncertainty, but as
they got closer and the Fort entered her line of sight, she became absolutely
confident in her assertion. The metal dome was huge, and using her
identification skills, she could detect the sheer level of craftsmanship required
to construct the entire dome.
Jake had mentioned it was close to his home but also somewhat hidden
away to avoid killing the trees and nature around it. To place it here did make
some sense, even if she didn’t agree on putting it in the middle of a
population center… Then again, it was a valid strategy to openly display the
level of power of the City Owner.
For similar reasons, the courtyard belonging to the Sword Saint was
placed in the middle of Saya. When he trained, the ripples of mana and pure
energy would vibrate out to the surrounding area occupied by many high-
level officials. It served as a constant reminder, and of course, being next to
the true city leader made work easier.
"Head straight for the Fort; I believe that may be the property of Lord
Thayne," Reika said, sending the Pathfinder to relay it to the captain of their
vessel.
Reika remained to make sure everything was ready. She did wonder who
had constructed the laboratory before her, but she wasn’t that aware of all the
notable people in Haven. If she had to guess, the man known as Arnold was
likely involved. He was quite a famous figure in many circles due to being
the premier supplier of communications tools through the System Store and,
subsequently, through merchant caravans.
She smiled upon noting that everything was ready, and they soon crossed
into the area surrounding the Fort and were spotted by a few guards on duty.
After making sure they’d been seen, they stopped the barge and waited for
the welcome party to arrive.
Chapter 39
 Clearing Up Misconceptions Left &
Right

T en minutes passed, and… nothing. Besides a few drone-like machines

checking them out, no movement had been made from the Fort to
welcome their arrival. Reika was getting partly worried and partly
confused at the lack of a response.
She was absolutely certain they had been spotted. Didn’t they know who
they were or where they were from? They had to know, right? Had they just
caught them at a bad time? During an important meeting, perhaps? Or was
something else going on that required their immediate attention, such as an
emergency?
Finally, after another ten minutes, they saw a man approach. He was
running across the plains rather slowly, and upon using Identify, she saw he
was only level 71. Reika’s frown intensified as the man made it to their
vessel, and with her permission, they lowered a platform for him to get onto
the barge.
The man who came up was middle-aged and looked quite uncomfortable
with everything that was going on. Reika looked at him, and he correctly
identified her as the one in charge.
"Miss, may I know your purpose for visiting the Fort?" the man asked,
plainly nervous but still speaking clearly.
Reika now truly frowned as she answered, "Is this not Haven? The City
Lord should be aware of visitors from the Noboru Clan."
The official suddenly opened his eyes wide in recognition. "Ah! Right, I
do remember that being mentioned in the briefing a few weeks ago. Sorry I
didn’t recognize it. I must apologize; we are currently a bit short-staffed due
to the absence of the City Leader and her assistant."
 "Absence? Did something happen? Where are they?" Reika asked,
concerned they truly had come at an inopportune time.
"I cannot disclose that, but they should be back within a few days at the
latest. But for now, how about coming to the Fort and relaxing until someone
is ready to receive you? I am only in charge of agriculture in the northern
plains, so I believe it best to wait for someone more qualified."
Reika nodded and asked, "Will it be possible to visit the dome? Is the
Lord in there?"
"Uh, I think he is, but you need permission from him to enter. I also
wouldn’t go with too many people, though. He doesn’t tend to like large
crowds or interruptions in general while working. Not the most social type,
but damn, is he good at what he does.” The man’s casual tone suggested he’d
begun to let his guard down.
Reika frowned slightly but didn’t voice her displeasure at the clear
disrespect and underhanded insults towards Lord Thayne. This was not her
city and not her rules, so she shouldn’t overstep… though she would mention
it to Jake once they met.
She would naturally also respect that Jake didn’t like large groups of
visitors, which she understood from their brief interactions earlier. He
preferred smaller groups, and that was perfectly fine. At least the official did
give respect to Lord Thayne’s abilities.
Being led by the man, they quickly flew their barge closer before
anchoring it and entering the Fort. Reika found the entire city a bit…
disappointing? Then again, it had been built swiftly to accommodate the
many people seeking refuge at Haven.
Once inside, they found an inn of sorts and left many of their members
there, but they had to spread it out over several establishments, as no single
one had room for them all. Reika chose to let the others handle that while she
went straight for the dome. Officials would come and handle more long-term
accommodations soon enough.
It wasn’t hard to reach the dome, and the official had stayed with her to
function as a guide. He pointed out the teleportation hub right beside the
dome, which currently had circles leading to the forest part of Haven as well
as Skyggen, with several more still under construction.
Haven was somewhat isolated compared to most other cities, with even a
lack of minor non-Pylon settlements in its immediate area. She knew one
reason for this was them migrating to the Fort over time, and another was that
there were a lot of hostile beasts in the area.
Arriving at the dome, she excused the guide and walked up to the massive
sphere of metal. No doors were visible anywhere, and nothing really
happened when she stood in front of it, so she knocked. A pulse of mana
went through the dome, and she was certain whoever was inside had been
alerted to her presence. She waited a while, feeling a bit impatient as five or
so minutes passed without change. Finally, there was movement. A small
drone flew over to her from somewhere, holding a walkie-talkie of sorts.
"Hello, this the Lord’s assistant speaking—may I know the purpose of
your visit?" a voice said from the other end.
"I am here to visit Lord Thayne as arranged with the City Lord and the
Chosen," Reika answered.
"Okay, he should come by within the day if you wait.”
"Excuse me? I was informed Lord Thayne was here?"
"Bad information, I’m afraid. Lord Thayne left a few hours ago, and
Arnold doesn’t want any visitors at this time."
"Arnold is using the laboratory currently?" Reika asked, surprised at Jake
allowing others access, as he seemed very much like the private sort. Also, if
he made poison, was it safe for someone like Arnold to work there?
"Yes?" the voice said, confused.
"I understand. Where do you reckon Lord Thayne is currently located?"
she then asked, thinking she could always just talk to the source himself.
"Probably at his laboratory."
"Wait, what?" Reika exclaimed.
"What?" an equally confused voice answered.
"This isn’t—"
"Ma’am, this is Arnold’s."

Jake was leaning back and relaxing as he read a book with Sylphie lying on
his stomach. He was on the roof of his lodge, just enjoying the sunlight as he
went through one of the larger tomes "borrowed" from Yalsten related to
beast rearing.
It had lots of wrong stuff in it, but many good nuggets of wisdom too.
Jake had already had his inklings regarding a certain skill of his, but by now,
he truly understood. He had kind of been using Sagacity of the Malefic Viper
wrong, or at least sub-optimally. Jake usually tried to get knowledge through
the drop of blood he had gained from Villy, and while what he got from that
was damn valuable, it was also often incomplete or too high level for it to be
of any use.
His using it only to delve into that blood also raised another question.
What the hell was the purpose of the skill for someone who hadn’t managed
to absorb a drop of blood from a Primordial? Jake had a sneaking suspicion
that wasn’t the usual go-to.
After reading many books, Jake began to realize what others could use it
for: a fact-checker. Okay, not entirely, but it helped give him a feel for the
validity and value of information, and to more easily compile it into
something actionable. A lot of written-down methods kind of sucked, and
Sagacity gave him an idea of what was trash and what was treasure as he
went through the books, greatly increasing his efficiency when studying.
On that note, the books from Yalsten were damn good in general. Jake
even had a suspicion the system had sorted the books a bit to remove the truly
useless ones. Or maybe the vampires were just very selective in what kind of
reading material they wanted on their bookshelves. Either way, it was a win
for Jake.
As he lay there reading, he heard a noise from down in the lodge. It was a
phone of sorts he had gotten from Arnold for the man to contact him in case
something happened. Jake had no idea how long the guy had been able to
make bloody phones, and quite frankly, he didn’t care much. This was the
first time it had been used, and with a string of mana, Jake manipulated it out
an open window and into his hand, unwilling to move from his supine
position.
"What is it?" Jake asked.
"Lord Thayne, we have just been visited by a Ms. Noboru, who is—as
you can guess—from the Noboru clan,” Arnold’s assistant said over the line.
“She arrived with an entourage earlier today and was at the dome asking for
you. I have subsequently sent her your way."
"Oh… did you get her first name?" Jake asked, wondering whether Reika
had made it there or if it was merchants or something.
"No, but she did mention she had made the agreement directly with you
and the City Lord. I told her you were at Haven, so she will likely go and find
you now. I apologize in advance if this was overstepping.”
 "It’s fine; I’ll just wait here, then.” This was the sort of thing Miranda
usually dealt with, but Reika was as much his guest as she was Miranda’s—if
not more so—which naturally meant he would also have to be
accommodating.
He briefly considered fetching Miranda from the dungeon but ultimately
decided not to. They needed levels, and the dungeon was a great place to get
them. Dragging Miranda out would disband the party. No, he could handle
this one by himself.
Feeling movement on his chest, he rubbed Sylphie’s feathers. Alright, not
entirely by himself.
It took only fifteen minutes before Jake felt someone approaching, also
confirming it’d been a good choice not to head to the Fort himself, as he
could totally see them having passed each other.
"Time to receive our guest," Jake said as he lifted Sylphie up and placed
her on the roof of the lodge.
That earned some minor complaints, but she soon accepted her fate and
just perched herself up to still look menacing. Jake jumped off the roof and
landed in front of the porch as he headed to the entrance of the valley.
Reika seemed a tad unsure as she went through the narrow path leading
into Jake’s valley, and he couldn’t help but chuckle as she stopped up and
read every warning sign that Miranda and Hank had set up once upon a time,
telling people to stay out.
He waited at the entrance, and soon enough, Reika also detected him.
Jake, having already made his mask invisible, waved the moment she came
into sight. "Long time, no see!"
With some simple magic, Reika flew over and landed in front of him. "So
this is the famed abode of the Chosen of the Malefic One."
"Not too famous, I hope. I would prefer to avoid tourists," Jake joked as
he invited her to the lodge. "Anyway, I heard you stopped by Arnold’s
workshop on the way here? Did you need anything from him? Ah, in case
you didn’t know, Arnold is this scientist guy who—"
"I know who he is, and no, I did not need anything from him," Reika said,
for some reason looking a bit embarrassed.
Jake wanted to ask why she had then gone to his workshop, but he at least
had enough social skills to know that wasn’t a good idea. So, he changed the
subject as they walked towards the lodge.
"Oh, alright. How was the trip here? Saw something noteworthy on the
way?"
"Quite a few things, in fact. The trip took nearly a month, and—"
Reika began to explain their journey on a massive magical barge. Jake
learned she had brought an entire entourage of alchemists, once more making
him reconsider calling Miranda and Lillian for assistance. She had just begun
talking about a massive lake they had chosen to avoid as she suddenly
stopped up, staring at Jake’s lodge.
"What… what’s that?" she asked, motioning with her eyes in his lodge’s
direction.
"That’s my lodge?" Jake answered, confused.
"No… you…" Reika sighed loudly as she pointed. "That damn tree!"
Jake suddenly realized what she was talking about when he looked over
at the good old Celerity banana-spawner, also known as the top-tier Agility-
elixir ingredient provider.

[Ancient Celerita Musa (Ancient)] - This plant has been grown from an
ancient Musa seed and brought new life by the advent of the system. Also
commonly called a banana tree, this plant produces different sorts of
bananas, a type of fruit unique to the newly integrated planet Earth. This
musa has become intimately connected to the concept of time through
unknown means, making its growth pattern highly unpredictable. Destroying
this musa will have unpredictable effects, and using it in any kind of
alchemical creation will require one to first anchor it in time. Can only grow
in certain areas with intense amounts of mana.

Jake failed to hold himself back as he answered, "That isn’t a tree."

"What?" Reika asked, looking confused.
"Didn’t you know? Bananas don’t grow on trees. They grow on
something called a musa that looks like a tree but isn’t. Something with the
stem not being made from wood or something.” He was glad to share that
little piece of trivia he himself hadn’t known. A part of him also just liked to
mess with Reika, as she was the know-it-all type.
Perhaps his god had influenced him more than he thought…
"I… Whatever,” she said, looking deep in focus. “How did you find such
a specimen? Also, the mana in its immediate area is very odd. Some kind of
forcefield? Very peculiar.”
"You can’t Identify it?" Jake asked, perplexed as to why she hadn’t.
 "I can see it is called a Celerita Musa with an ancient rarity, but nothing
else of value. I am not an alchemist specializing in the use of herbs, so I
generally can’t Identify any above epic rarity.”
"Ah, gotcha," Jake said, nodding in realization. It was the same as him
and metals and many other materials, including many types of chemicals and
whatnot.
Jake already knew that while they both were alchemists, they truly did
have way different paths. She was more of a chemist and pharmacist than a
traditional alchemist, from his understanding. Jake was far more traditional,
but not entirely. He focused on poisons over anything else, though he was far
more diverse.
"How is the old man?" Jake then asked, changing the subject again.
"He’s fine, already fully recovered when I left and stronger than during
the Treasure Hunt, even without using that skill. It is truly both a curse and a
Blessing. Currently, he is out exploring the territory south of the border of the
Noboru Clan together with the former Monarch of Blood. He keeps the
Legacy with him at all times." Reika’s explanation was very forthcoming,
and she added a final part that made her openness make more sense.
"Great-grandfather told me to inform you that he hopes the Noboru Clan
and Haven can build strong ties for the future. He added that he would also
gladly have another duel at the next opportunity."
"Anytime," Jake answered, smiling. The last duel had gotten him the
legendary Arcane Awakening and made him grow significantly. Saying no to
another such chance would be utter insanity.
"Naturally, I hope this exchange of knowledge can also take place in the
realm of alchemy," Reika added with a smile.
"Of course," Jake answered. "Always appreciate seeing different points of
view and sparring with someone who walks an interesting path."
Which was when the snake whispered in his ear once more. "Man, I wish
there was some massive institution meant to facilitate exactly that, maybe
even something owned and run by friends with literally godlike qualifications
and more resources than you could spend in a few mortal lifespans. Oh, lord,
where can one find such a place!? I am sure this magical place of learning
would maybe even allow you to drag a few mortal friends along, such as that
girl!"
The words of temptation were indeed never-ending.
 Intermission - Holyland: All By the
Grace of the Holy Mother

Death was inevitable for the vast majority of inhabitants of the multiverse. It
was not a question of if, but how and when. Often the how would be less than
pleasant, and the when was incredibly variable. A D-grade could potentially
live thousands of years easily, while a C-grade could live tens of thousands.
B-grades, hundreds of thousands.
However, this lifespan was not the same for everyone, as it depended on
the race. Some races, even in D-grade, could only live a few decades. These
were primarily ectognamorphs, but the same was also true for some odd
variants.
A human D-grade could often live up to a thousand years on average,
with little variation generally. However, this lifespan was only a minimum.
The innate lifespan of a race. A vampire would often live three times longer
than this.
Every grade also had a maximum lifespan—one entirely independent of
the race, class, profession, or anything else within the system. Only a select
few beings would automatically live to their maximum lifespan from birth,
with humans generally in the lower end.
This maximum lifespan was absolute. It was not the death of the body,
but that of the soul. It was the time for the Truesoul to return to the system,
and there was no way around that—besides becoming a god, of course.
There were ways to extend the lifespan towards the maximum, though. It
partly scaled with the Vitality stat, so a human with a high Vitality would live
longer than one with a low stat. Besides that, lifespans could be extended
through natural treasures and creations from a variety of professions, such as
those of alchemists.
 However, all these products were expensive and rare, and were often not
worth it in any way. Those who could afford these products would most often
be talented and powerful enough to strive for more power, simply extending
their lives that way. This meant anything life-prolonging was reserved for
friends, family, or valuable crafters.
There was also the option of changing races to prolong life, primarily
through becoming an undead or perhaps some kind of spirit or elemental-like
being. The vampiric race had also been a popular method of extending your
lifespan once upon a time.
With all that said, lifespan often didn’t even matter, as the vast majority
died not of old age but while fighting. They got killed in battle, went
somewhere above their means to try and advance, or just gave up their lives
for a cause.
Ultimately, death was inevitable. But there were some who found
something after death. Existence where there should be none. Those who
could die in battle, die for a cause, or any other reason that wasn’t simply
dying a death after extending it to the maximum lifespan.
All by the grace of the Holy Mother.

Joanna weaved the yarn together while making a blanket. The other ladies
with her were doing the same as they laughed and talked in their small
crochet club. She was still a relative newcomer to the club but had been
welcomed with open arms by the other members after she had arrived, and
she had been a member ever since.
Many months had passed since the tutorial, since her universe had
shattered thrown them into that cursed forest. She still remembered those
days as a nightmare: struggling under Richard, seeing her colleagues die
every day, not knowing what would happen in the future.
It was only after Richard died that she saw the light in Jacob, the ever-
reliable leader. He had taken up the torch and shown them a way forward. He
had entranced them all and spread the words of the Holy Church, and she was
now ashamed of her critical attitude in the start.
The Holy Church had been their savior. There had been no path of
survival back then… Everyone would die, slaughtered by a maniac. Joanna
had feared never seeing her husband again, never seeing her children. She
had tried to be strong, tried to prove herself useful, but she was not a fighter.
Jake had been right in many ways back then… She’d been a burden.
Had been.
For the Holy Church needed everyone. Jacob had made her know and
believe that. He had promised grand things, the most prevalent of which
being life after death, the same as religions and immoral cults of the old
world. The difference was that this was no empty promise.
In the end, they had all been convinced to silently pass, and for Jacob to
allow them passage to the Holyland. Joanna had faced death with fear, regret,
and reluctance, but also faith and belief that it was the best path.
Sometime later, she had awoken once more, finding herself in a new
existence. That was when she found herself within the Holyland.
Many had no doubt wondered what Heaven would hold. What paradise
would look like. Joanna had, too, and it was both as expected and, in many
ways, not.
There were no wants or needs that could not be met in the Holyland, but
there were no grand gifts either. It was simply an unbothered life without
worries. Any goal you had, you could work towards. Any wish you wished to
fulfill, you could dedicate your entire spirit to.
And it truly was to dedicate your spirit, for that was all they were.
The Holyland was the home of the faithful of the Holy Church—home to
the Holy Spirits. Joanna still vaguely remembered her old status screens, and
the new one was so much simpler.

Status
Name: Joanna Elkmann
Race: [Holy Spirit (E) – lvl 39]
Holy Energy: 301/390

Stats
Holy Power: 39

Titles: [Forerunner of the New World], [Holy Spirit]

Blessing: [Baptism of the Holy Mother (Baptism)]
Race Skills: [Holy Spirit (Unique)]
 Everything had been boiled down to basics. She and everyone else still
looked the same as before, were still physical beings who could interact with
the world like before, but they did not wield the same power.
Joanna reckoned she was about as strong physically as a peak human
athlete, but it was not in the realm of the supernatural. The same was true for
all of them. Within the Holyland, everyone in the same grade was equal. The
realm was split up for each grade to live separately, but with free travel
between each area. It was probably for managerial reasons.
"Oh, that is a nice blanket; who is it for?" one of the ladies with her
asked.
"My husband," Joanna said with a huge smile.
"Ah, he died, eh?" the lady said with a light laugh. "You must tell me
when he comes so I can prepare some pastries."
"No, no, he hasn’t passed yet, but I just want to be sure. I heard he is
really trying to get levels and do well, and you never know. I heard he even
did dungeons.”
"I get it," another woman said with a chuckle. "Better be prepared for if
he comes; if not, maybe he can participate in a ritual? I heard your planet is
quite the warzone. My brother chose to join the war effort, and that went
well."
"No way I am going to hurry him. He still has a life to live and people to
take care of… which brings me to the next point," Joanna said with
excitement. The other women all leaned in with interest as Joanna bragged, "I
have a séance a bit later today! My husband finally found the kids and
brought them to the city!"
"Congratulations!"
"I’m so happy for you!"
Joanna just smiled in satisfaction as the third woman asked, “Has he
remembered to get them baptized yet?"
"I sure hope so; if not, I sure hope he will get them baptized. For his own
sake!" Joanna laughed. "Anything else would be ludicrous."
Without a baptism, one would not be able to go to the Holyland after
death, after all. It was your ticket into Heaven, so to not get one would be
ludicrous. Joanna knew she had died without one, but because of Jacob, they
had all been saved, and they had all been baptized posthumously to allow
them to live in the Holyland. That was a part of the reason they couldn’t
simply find themselves killed by the maniac… If they had, their souls would
have simply gone to the system and not been brought to the Holyland.
It was a wonderful place constructed by the most prominent of all the
Primordials. A true second chance and a paradise for all believers of gods
part of the Holy Church.
All by the grace of the Holy Mother.

Mike was nervous. Far more nervous than he probably should be, considering
the grace the Holy Church had shown him so far. After many months, he had
finally managed to relocate his and Joanna’s children to Sanctdomo, and he
couldn’t be happier that they had both survived. Moreover, he was even
beginning to make a name for himself as quite the blacksmith, allowing him
to give his children a good life.
His nervousness came from how skeptical they both were of the Holy
Church. They openly questioned the practices and refused to go to the
cathedral with him, and he hadn’t managed to get them to accept the baptism
yet. Even after the system, the natural rebelliousness of teenagers remained.
They were stubborn, just like he had always been. It had led him into
trouble many times in the past, and now, with Joanna gone… He had been
lost for a while until he finally saw her again. The same woman he hadn’t
seen since that fateful day the system came had appeared before him once
more during a séance performed by Jacob himself. The only thing different
was that she now had golden pupils that were slightly less beautiful than her
real ones had been.
He wanted his children to see her too. To believe. To know that the
Church was truly offering life after death—something no other factions in the
multiverse could. To get baptized was a no-brainer, and he would convince
his kids that they should get it, even if it was the last thing he did.
Wouldn’t it only be right that their family could one day reunite in
paradise? After all they had been through?
The clock finally made him aware it was time to leave, and he hurried up
his son and daughter. They left for the local chapel, where the priest had
already prepared everything for the ritual. These kinds of things couldn’t be
held all the time. Mike knew he was privileged due to his connection with
Jacob, and while he didn’t like to take advantage, for once, he would feel no
shame about it.
Mike was incredibly grateful the priest allowed his children at the séance
even without their baptism. Perhaps grateful was the wrong word, as Mike
knew there would be no better way to convince them to get baptized than a
séance.
They entered the chamber and greeted the priest, who just smiled and told
them what was about to happen. He began the ritual shortly after saying a few
prayers, with only Mike praying along with him.
The skepticism of his children persisted until, finally, the priest finished
the ritual, and the magic circle lit up. The entire room was bathed in holy
light as a figure appeared in the middle of the circle.
"Marco! Lily!" Mike heard his wife’s voice say before he could even
fully see her. He failed to hold back a warm smile.
"Mom?" his daughter asked, unsure.
"Is it really you?" Marco followed up, clearly not convinced. Mike could
understand… There was much trickery and deceit in the multiverse, but this
was not such a case. Joanna was as real as them.
"Can’t you even recognize your own mother?" She smiled as she teared
up a bit.
Mike just stood back after locking eyes with his wife. She sadly couldn’t
hug them, as she was only a projection of sorts, but they could talk all they
wanted. She told of her time in the Holyland, what had happened to her, and
how she was doing right now.
Mike thought it interesting how the mundane life she led after death was
considered a paradise to many current humans. Even with superpowers,
magic, increased lifespans, and the lack of undesirable physiological
functions, many would still prefer to go back to simpler times.
A time when one didn’t have to worry about gaining new levels. Didn’t
have to worry about being embroiled in battle. Didn’t have to fight for
resources to try and improve one’s craft to stay useful to the community.
Didn’t have to fear being a burden merely for being average.
Luckily, one didn’t need to hold any such fears in the Holyland. Even
without being a superman there, one could enjoy the pleasures of life. A
peaceful existence without conflict. True rest, reunited with your loved ones.
All by the grace of the Holy Mother.
Vilastromoz, the Malefic Viper, had always made his opinion clear.
"The Holyland… a faith farm for the Holy Church. A safety net for those
who rely on faith energy to stay in power. Mortals turned spirits to live out
their remaining lifespans in servitude of the Church. You know, nearly every
living mortal dies before fully using the maximum lifespan. The Holy Mother
saw this as untapped potential and wanted to use them. She made the
Holyland a place where people are stripped down to basic spirit forms of her
making to maximize their lifespan. They live simple lives until, one day, their
soul expires.
"It is the hideaway of cowards. An excuse and tool to convince the weak-
minded to join. To convince the weak to give up their true lives in sacrificial
rituals or join wars. All because there is a promise of a pathless future
confined within a fancy prison for willing prisoners.
"It is a tool of control. A tool of punishment. Any Holy Spirit can be
dispersed at any point by the will of a high-ranking member of the Church or
any god in the Pantheon. Gods can freely revoke their blessings on members
of the Holy Church who—in their opinion—have strayed, thus cutting off
their path to the Holyland.
"It is a punishment. The ultimate one, as one can not only be executed,
but also lose the promised ever-after.
"It is control incarnate."
"It is a living hell after death, where no progress is possible. No
evolutions can happen. No paths can open. No skills gained. Levels only
rewarded incredibly slowly, offering nothing of consequence but making the
faith battery a bit better.
"It is the Holyland… a pathetic place for pathetic mortals."
All by the grace of the Holy Mother.
Chapter 40
 Off He Goes

D ays passed as Jake entertained Reika, primarily through discussions on

alchemy and just seeing the city. He had even given her a tour of his
new alchemy laboratory. She was especially impressed with the room
with the water basin in it, though she still found the laboratory itself
remarkable. She said that the craftsmanship was above anything anyone in
the Noboru Clan could do, making Jake wonder how Arnold and Hank had
pulled it off.
The best part of it all had no doubt been when they went to see the
dungeon entrance and the under-construction garden, which had netted them
both a big surprise.
"Why is there level 149 troll just below the city?" Reika had asked as she
looked at the large troll digging through some soil with its hands. "And why
is it wearing overalls?"
Jake didn’t have an answer for that as he looked at the troll wearing
oversized, dirty blue overalls to cover its lower half while it worked. When
the troll saw Jake and Reika, it waved happily at them, and soon enough, two
small trolls ran over.
Reika looked a bit taken aback, but Jake calmed her down as one of the
trolls ran up to him and handed him a shiny stone. It wasn’t an item or
anything, just a bit shiny.
"Thanks," Jake said, reaching up to the little guy. Yes, he had to reach up,
as the troll was slightly taller than himself.
The troll happily clapped and ran back to its parent while the second troll
stayed and looked at Reika. It tried to poke her, but Reika backed away from
the dirt-stained hands. It looked sad, so Jake threw Reika a look, making her
give in. She held out her hand and touched the little one’s hand.
It smiled and danced in place, then held out its other hand to give her a
small flower. Reika accepted that one, too, making the troll run back in
excitement.
"Why did you get a flower when I got a rock?" Jake commented.
"That’s your takeaway? I’m wondering why you have a family of trolls
living right beneath the city… Isn’t this a hazard? And this close to the
dungeon?"
"Do they look dangerous?" Jake answered, smiling. "They originally
came from within the dungeon, and I chose to bring them out, as I like them.
The big one is also damn good at gardening; it is the one behind all this."
The entire biodome once inhabited by the mushroom was already
beginning to look a lot better, especially with the troll and its children now
around to help manage things. The Cave Troll liked to dig up weeds, plant
flowers, till the ground, and just generally tend to plants and relax. It was a
peaceful creature that had only been forced into conflict by the Deepdwellers
in the dungeon. Now that it was outside, it could dedicate itself to its true
calling:
Being a troll gardener.
Ah, but not to misunderstand. The troll was still one of the strongest
creatures in the city, and even after all Jake’s levels, he didn’t want to risk a
direct clubbing.
"This is… quite novel," Reika commented. "I also noticed Sylphie, and
you mentioned her parents were also around. Are you planning on opening up
the city to beasts and monsters to also live here?"
Jake looked at her, confused. "It was never closed to them? If a bunch of
beasts or whatever come and wanna live here, they are free to. They just have
to follow the same rules as everyone else, and I can’t see the issue."
"It may make others feel uncomfortable and unsafe," Reika commented.
"I am not saying it can’t be done, but it will take a lot of convincing, political
maneuvering and campaigning, and cultural restructuring to make it feasible."
"I don’t see the issue." Jake just shrugged. "That sounds like a them-
problem and not a me-problem. If anyone has a problem with others living
here—be they human, beast, monsters, or whatever—they can fuck right off
and leave. This is my city and my rules. If any creature is intelligent enough
to act properly, they can stay. I don’t see why not."
"That is just putting people in a difficult spot… They have nowhere else
to go if they find themselves forc—"
"No one is forcing them to do anything besides not being bigoted
assholes. If that is too much to ask, we are back to them fucking right off, and
if they make problems or try to start shit, I will gladly make them fuck off."
Jake was quite clear on this point. He didn’t know why, but hearing
everyone talk about humans as if they were on some goddamn pedestal,
making them better than everything else, just annoyed him on a fundamental
level. Sylphie, Hawkie, Mystie, the trolls in front of him, Villy, the King of
the Forest… were as much people as Miranda and Arnold. Shit, Casper was
not a human anymore, either, and his girlfriend Lyra was a spirit—which was
classified as a monster, making her pretty damn far from human herself.
He didn’t see race as making someone better than everyone else… except
if it was a race giving better stats or something, in which case it was just
better... Okay, he didn’t see species making someone better. It didn’t even
make much sense to talk about who or what was superior.
No one was superior to Jake anyway. That didn’t mean no one was equal,
mind you, but Jake didn’t care how strong someone was or how influential or
whatever. He would get as strong as they were—or stronger—one day
anyway.
"Alright…" Reika relented after a little while, but Jake knew she
disagreed.
He didn’t want to argue about it, because he knew most thought like that.
Jake understood, partly, and believed in due time, people would come to
learn the world had changed. Like, how could one hate the cute trolls just
minding their own business and being nice to visitors?
He recognized that humans tended to have more societal structures than
beasts, and those structures did make Jake less willing to hunt them. In fact,
anyone not showing hostility wasn’t someone he actively wanted to hunt
down. As an example, if Jake had entered the monkey territory right after he
evolved, and all they’d done was hand him a banana and allow him to chill,
he wouldn’t have waged war against them. It was their choice to fling literal
shit at him. Did he then overreact? Maybe, but hey, he had to hunt something
for levels.
This did mean Jake also held that mentality towards humans. If he entered
a settlement and was attacked, he would gladly level the place. He was an
equal-opportunity hunter.
He and Reika changed the subject after that and kept discussing the city,
the garden, his alchemy lab, and a slew of other things. When Miranda finally
came out of the dungeon, she was met with an avalanche of work, as all of
the folk from the Noboru clan needed proper housing in the actual city of
Haven. Hank had luckily been cognizant of this happening and had already
made plans for a large complex for the visiting alchemists, reckoning he
could have it up and running within a week.
Soon an entire area off to the side of Haven had been prepared, and a
section of the forest turned into a compound occupied by the Noboru clan.
Jake had come to learn that they planned on not just staying for a brief visit,
but on making it a long-term occupancy. At least, until a teleportation circle
had been established between Haven and Saya, which would no doubt be a
while due to the distance and the lack of cooperation to get it done
beforehand.
Reika had brought an item from their own space mages and given it to
Neil, so at least that should speed up the process. The distance to the territory
of the Noboru clan was further than to Skyggen, but it wasn’t that much, only
about twice as far. The only reason Haven and Skyggen had one established
was that both sides had worked together from the beginning and been willing
to offer resources to make it happen as a priority. Many other places,
including the Noboru clan, were still a bit hesitant to have near-instant
transportation right into the midst of their own territories, and for quite
obvious reasons.
It could be used to invade other territories easily. There were safety
measures, such as the ability to instantly destroy the circle, but what if the
other side only needed one person? If someone like Jake or the Sword Saint
decided to go through a circle, they could cause disastrous damage,
potentially killing everyone in power before a proper response could be
formed.
Either way, it was something for other people than Jake to deal with.
Something else he would also outsource was another thing Reika had brought
up when she asked a very obvious question: what was the name of the troll?
Jake had considered just making up one quickly, but "Trollie" probably
wasn’t the best name when he didn’t even know the sex of the troll. Also, the
look Reika gave him when he proposed it wasn’t an approving one. Well, he
did find out later, through a member of the Noboru clan who specialized in
alchemy to assist the growth of beasts and monsters of varying sorts, that it
was a male troll.
 The skill used to figure out the sex was one that specified what kind of
virility medicine was required. Jake got the explanation that a big part of the
job of alchemists like him was to make sure the beasts reproduced. Needless
to say, Jake didn’t like the guy from the get-go, as he clearly still viewed
beasts as lesser lifeforms to be exploited and used for the good of mankind.
Something he more or less confessed. Jake considered having Sylphie teach
the guy who was actually in charge. He would learn soon enough that
denying treats to her wasn’t a wise decision, and her screeches were law.
Anyway, back to a troll name… Jake decided to put that off and ask
people with hopefully a better naming sense. He would talk to some people
or maybe have Miranda handle it, and he would just be the one to approve it.
Well, the troll would be the one to ultimately approve the name. The small
trolls could get named later, hopefully by their caretaker.
Because Jake also learned trolls such as the Undergrowth Cave Troll
could learn how to talk in primitive ways, and even if they didn’t, he could at
least learn to write a bit or communicate in more complex ways with time.
Days slowly passed like this, as everything in Haven was calm. Jake
mainly studied alchemy and sparred with those from the Noboru clan,
enjoying finally having others to talk to who knew a bit about it. It still ended
up mainly being himself and Reika, as, quite honestly, the others were not
quite at their level.
What was funny was that Jake got a level in his profession while teaching
some alchemists how to make Necrotic Poison. He also learned that they
gained a lot from the experience, including levels. Jake’s Legacy Teachings
of the Heretic-Chosen Alchemist, coupled with Legacy of Man—the unique
racial skill of humans—truly made a powerful combo, as Jake simply
showing off some basic stuff apparently had quite the impact.
During this time, he also finally fixed his Cauldron of Supreme
Simplicity, and could now do some alchemy himself too. Overall, this time
was relaxed. Soon three weeks had passed, and even if Jake only gained that
single level, he would say his time had been well spent.
But then… then the fateful day came.
"Jake," a voice echoed in his head, "it is complete."
He felt a shiver run down his spine as he feared the worst. "Do you
seriously want me to head to some academy right now?"
"What?” Villy said. “No, of course not. Not yet. You will be outed as
either a heretic or a Chosen just based on your aura alone within the first
day, and then be either hunted down or treated like the second coming of me,
both of which would make this entire academy thing a waste of time. No,
before you head off, you’re gonna need another training montage. Just me
and you.”
"Train what?" Jake wondered.
"You will know once you go through the gateway and travel between
worlds," Villy answered mysteriously. "The sooner, the better! So do not
dally! Onwards!"
Jake heard the call of the Viper and did as he usually did: spontaneously
made a decision. He got up from where he sat and went over to the
compound where Reika was to inform her he was heading out. When she
asked where to and if she could follow, he just answered he was traveling to
the First Universe to do some stuff with the Malefic Viper, which was
enough for her to not ask again.
Then he went and informed Miranda, who was busy planning with her
party how to kill the dungeon’s final boss. Jake had not told them of the
Altmar Census Golem part. That was a surprise. She was perplexed and
asked if he expected her to come with him, but he said it was secret, hidden
training. He naturally also informed Sylphie through their bond, but she was
already out of the city herself.
After all of that, he went straight to the Fort, where he found Chris
already waiting at the monument, incredibly excited. He stood in front of it
and stared, not even noticing Jake’s arrival before he stood right next to him.
"Lord Thayne!" Chris said, surprised, as he bowed. "It’s ready! Fully
charged, and the connection is established! With the assistance of the Malefic
One, using it now should be simplicity itself. Just stand in the center, and I
am certain the Malefic One will do the rest!"
"What the builder said," Villy confirmed. "This entire monument more or
less creates an anchor on your world for me to latch onto long enough to
establish a connection within it without tearing everything apart between
here and your universe. This would be far fucking simpler without the system
still babying your universe, but here we are, having to come up with
contrived workarounds."
"Hey, if it works, it works," Jake answered as he turned to address Chris.
“Thanks for the hard work. I am off, then."
Chris just looked on with excitement and a bit of nervousness as Jake
went into the middle of the messed-up monument and stood on a semi-
circular slab of stone. Once he stood there, he suddenly felt his connection
with Villy grow more powerful than before. Space began warping around
him ever so subtly, and he instinctively knew it was Villy doing it.
Jake saw space crack, and then pure blackness surrounded him. He felt
his own body being protected by Villy as he was consumed by the shattered
space. With a final glance towards Haven, he entered the void between
worlds and left the 93 rd Universe.
Chapter 41
 Designing the School Uniform

J ake had tried quite a few teleportation methods during his time in the
system. The best kind was the one done by the system, in that he didn’t
even feel it. It was just a blink, and you suddenly found yourself
somewhere new.
Teleportation circles were a bit rougher but also quite convenient. One
Step Mile was also rougher than that, but Jake had gotten so used to the skill
that he barely noticed it. It also wasn’t really teleportation, more just
shrinking space between himself and his target.
However… the teleportation when he was dragged from the 93 rd
Universe was something entirely different from anything he had ever tried
before. Jake felt like his entire body unraveled as he was consumed by
darkness. He found himself within a vast void for at least a few seconds, and
while in there, all his senses went amok.
Jake was forced to close his eyes and try to seal off his senses, but while
in that void, in the final moment, he felt like something else was there.
Something other than Villy’s attention landed on him, and Jake failed to
resist looking off to the side, where he saw—

Jake woke with a start and frantically looked around him, but a headache
made him lie back down and groan in pain.
Villy, squatting at his side, flicked his forehead. "Shouldn’t stare at Void
Dwellers, mate."
 Jake brought his hands to his forehead, now bleeding from that damn
flick. "What the actual fuck was that?"
"I just told you, it was a Void Dweller," Villy answered with a shrug.
"You know, dwellers of the void between universes. Eldritch beings of
unimaginable power, many of which with power to rival even the most
powerful of gods, including me."
"Wait, for real?"
Villy just smirked. "Where else do you think gods and even Primordials
get in a good bout? Ah, but don’t bother thinking about them quite yet; you
can’t even survive in the void without being a god yourself first. Usually, you
don’t even have to pass through the void like that, but as I said, weird
workarounds were used to speed up the process of getting you here. You
were never actually in any danger, of course. I doubt the system would have
let you die within the void even without my protection, as that would mean
an outside force—me—would have killed you. I reckon it instead just shield
your soul from destruction. Case in point, you didn’t die by looking at the
Void Dweller. Mortals usually die when looking at Void Dwellers."
Jake just groaned again, his headache was slowly subsiding. "Man, I am
already beginning to regret coming here."
"You were just personally invited and brought by, and to, your honored
Patron god, and you complain?" Villy said, shaking his head in
disappointment. "That is some peak heresy right there. At the very least,
blasphemy of the highest level."
"Wow, imagine not licking ass being considered blasphemy," Jake
chuckled as he finally sat up properly. "In all seriousness, thanks for the lift, I
guess? What was all the fuss about, now that I’m here?"
"I need measurements for your school uniform."
Jake raised an eyebrow. "I call bullshit. As a so-called preacher of
freedom, I seriously doubt you would limit the fashion and self-expression of
those in the Order."
Villy protested, "We do have uniforms for members."
"That you didn’t make. They just began using them over time, and you
never bothered to do anything about it. Because, honestly, that would just be
a waste of time. Also, it was their own choice to adopt uniforms to begin
with, and there are conveniences to being recognized. I got that right?"
"See, now you are acting way more like a Chosen by actually
understanding my teachings.” The Viper grinned. "But yeah, yeah. Nah, no
school uniform needed… unless you want one? I could totally make that a
thing in the Academy; we could even have mini-ski—"
"No," Jake cut him off. "Just… no."
"Killjoy," Villy said with a fake sad expression. "Guess we’ll just have to
actually do some practice and teaching and stuff. And here I hoped we could
design school uniforms together… I guess you are also against holding a
school festival, even if you can be in charge of the haunted house?"
"Oh, no, I am totally up for that, as long as I can throw a bedsheet over
your head and toss you in there," Jake agreed sarcastically.
"You are fully aware I could just create an avatar and do that?"
"No, no, no, this will require every bit of your dedication and
concentration," Jake insisted. "We must have Duskleaf join too."
"I am actually beginning to get on board with this," Villy said, nodding.
"We can even go all out and kidnap some actual ghosts and zombies and stuff
for realism."
"Or, even better, we can do none of that, and you can tell me what the
rush was all about to get me here?"
"And the slayer of joy strikes once more," the Viper said, dejected.
"Alright, let’s move on. Follow me!"
Jake finally bothered to actually get a look around. He had kind of
expected to end up where he had gone to after the tutorial, but this place was
clearly different. Standing up, Jake ignored Villy for a while as he saw light
coming from a hallway.
He walked into it and looked out of a window, and his eyes opened wide.
"Where the hell is this?"
They were far up in a tower somewhere, and when he looked out, he saw
everything. Far below him lay a city. Countless buildings were everywhere,
much taller and larger than anything built on Earth had ever been. There were
no architectural rules, as some were high-rises of glass, not unlike back on
Earth, while others looked like mounds of dirt. Some were just large trees
with buildings on them, and some were medieval-looking… There was no
rhyme or reason to any of it.
Villy appeared beside him. "On Primordial 4, within the territory of the
Order of the Malefic Viper. Or, more accurately, you are in a tower
connected to the Order and looking out over the city belonging to it.”
Jake just stood there with wide eyes as he stared into the horizon. He
couldn’t see the end of the city… and mind you, this was without Jake seeing
any visible curvature to the place. He saw tens of thousands of kilometers of
the city, stretching infinitely into the horizon.
"How many live here?" Jake asked in amazement.
"In the trillions," the god answered casually.
"How the… Is this where all the members of the Order live?"
"What? No, of course not. This is where all the poor people live, and this
tower only exists to lord over them while serving as a conduit of the
defensive barrier and a teleportation hub. The actual Order is below." Villy
laughed.
"So, the alchemists of the Order are indeed basement-dwelling nerds,
huh? Should have seen it coming."
"Not entirely inaccurate, but I think you should see the underground for
yourself before judging. Oh, and by the way, the Academy is also down
there, so you will go eventually. But first, follow me and stop gawking out
the window." Villy motioned for Jake to follow again.
Jake did as asked and trailed behind the god. It had been a while since
Jake actually met the Viper, and he had evolved an entire grade since, but it
didn’t really allow him to detect jack shit. He did know the Viper wasn’t
actively suppressing his aura, as Jake felt it, but as usual, it didn’t really
affect him at all.
What he could see better now were the scales on the Viper’s body, and
staring at them, he felt like they looked slightly different than his own scales.
Even if they were based on the same thing, the scales on the Viper looked…
more? It was weird to describe.
The two of them kept walking for a while until they went into a new
room. Jake’s Sphere of Perception was slightly thrown off as space expanded
when they entered, making the room far larger on the inside.
It was a simple room with a few measuring devices, beds, and, for some
reason, mirrors, and what looked like telescopes lining the walls and ceiling.
Jake felt the door shut behind him as the Viper turned and summoned two
comfortable chairs and some pastries, as well as two bottles of beer. Jake
happily dove in, but he noticed something when he opened the bottle.
"This is poisoned?" Jake asked, confused.
"First lesson of the Academy and the Order in general. Offering a poison
in a drink is generally considered nice as, you know, everyone who is worth
anything got my Palate skill, so all you are giving them is some novel poison
knowledge. These poisons don’t need to be strong, but just interesting, and
often weak variants are used. Ah, but if you do accidentally kill someone by
offering them poison they couldn’t handle, no worries. Their own fault for
drinking it and not having good enough skills to detect the danger.”
"Oh, I remember Sultan doing something like that." Jake nodded,
suddenly retroactively understanding what the guy had done.
"A bit sad you don’t recognize it, but a merchant of your city does. Ah,
but one piece of advice: I would generally avoid drinking or eating anything
offered by someone of a higher grade than you. They can often disguise the
poison."
"Eh, I’ll take my chances," Jake said as he raised the cup. His danger
sense reacted a bit as he was about to drink it, but not to a very high level,
making him aware it was far from deadly. The taste was surprisingly good.
Amazingly good, actually, and the aftertaste left by the poison only improved
it.
The Viper looked at Jake somewhat suspiciously, then shrugged. "Suit
yourself. Thoughts on the beverage?"
"Damn good," Jake said as he took another swig.
"It is a hobby of many, and even the specialization of some, to create
these kinds of drinks. I am sure you will have your fair share in the future.
This batch was made by a D-grade student of the Academy just like you will
be. A kid named Araznak.”
Jake raised an eyebrow. "Someone of note?"
He had realized something a while ago… the Viper didn’t use names. He
had never said Chris, Miranda, Hank, Sylphie, Reika, or the names of any of
the other people around him. So him bothering to know a name had to hold
meaning.
"One of Snappy’s kids."
"He has kids?" Jake said after a pause.
"Of course he does," Villy said. "Mate, the Holy Mother, has like a
thousand currently living children, and at least a dozen or so spawns of hers
have become gods. It isn’t that unusual."
"Oh… so do you have kids too?" Jake asked curiously.
Jake felt the mood in the room shift as the Viper’s casual smile
disappeared. He soon regained it and shook his head. "I… did. But anyway,
yeah, a lot of would-be brewers in the Order, and I just wanted you to have a
taste."
No matter how much Jake sucked at reading social cues, he knew that
pressing that subject was a no-go. He still looked at the Viper and nodded in
understanding, getting a bit of flinch from the Viper, who clearly just wanted
Jake to move on. Jake already knew there was something there, and he
wanted to communicate in some way that he kind of got it or could at least
listen. But for now… moving on was best. So he did.
"Now, I don’t reckon you brought me here just to indulge in the
gastronomic wonders of the Order?" Jake said, finally moving on as the Viper
looked relieved.
"Alright, alright. So, Jake, remember when I first gave you your Blessing
and made you my Chosen?"
"Last time I checked, I was indeed not suffering from sudden-onset
memory loss."
"But you are suffering from a severe inability to understand rhetorical
questions. What I am getting to is the skill you got with the Blessing: Shroud
of the Primordial."
Jake nodded, naturally knowing of the skill that made him immune to
Identify from nearly everything and helped hide him from a lot of stuff, such
as fate and karma and all that. He pulled up the skill and read it over for the
first time in what felt like forever.

[Shroud of the Primordial (Divine)] - A shroud surrounds your very being,

your Records masked, your status inaccessible. Scryers weep at the thought
of tracking a single of your steps, as you remain an enigma to their sight.
Using Identify on you is but a futile effort. The karmic threads in your wake
form an endless web impossible to unravel. One does not merely peek behind
the Shroud of the Primordial. Hides your Records and Status from all but the
most powerful of prying eyes. Hiding ability increases based on Willpower.

The description was a tad mystical, but also relatively concise and
mentioned actual benefits. Jake knew the skill was good, but he didn’t really
understand it, so when the Viper mentioned it, he instantly got curious.
"What about it?" Jake asked with interest.
"When you got it, perhaps it didn’t stick out, but by now, you should
know a bit more about rarities and be fully aware that divine skills aren’t
ordinary. In fact, pretty much the only way for a D-grade to get a divine skill
is to get a True Blessing by a sufficiently powerful god, such as a Primordial.
"The skills we gods can give are entirely decided by us and are borderline
always based on an existing one we already have. If not, it is an
amalgamation of skills the god has. This new skill given can be modified to
nearly all extents, including the innate power, the effects, and even the name.
However, there are also restrictions.
"I wouldn’t be able to give you a divine-rarity attack, as an example, or
even a direct defensive skill. They are always auxiliary skills, often helping to
perform specific tasks or passively empowering existing skills or affinities.
This last part is often done to encourage—if not railroad—the blessed
individual into a specific path.
"Shroud of the Primordial is a bit different, as it can be viewed as a
defensive skill, but it is odd enough to be allowed due to its limited scope. I
can also reveal that what it can truly do isn’t something you will learn before
reaching higher grades. But what it can do, right now, isn’t something you
are doing.”
"Use it?" Jake asked, confused. And for a good reason too.
When Jake focused on any of his skills, even the passive ones such as
Basic One-Handed Weapons, he got some response on how to use it if he was
swinging his blade while focusing on it. The same went for archery. He could
feel or at least detect the assistance provided. But for the Shroud? Nothing.
"The Shroud of the Primordial is a veil covering your Truesoul. The
ultimate defense against certain types of magic and concepts. Passively, it
makes you immune to the divination of nearly all beings in the multiverse, as
the Records used to obscure you are my own. While it isn’t as powerful as
my version, it is closer than you think. But even so… it can be used. You can
move the veil. Modify it, ever so slightly."
Jake frowned even more. "How?"
"I think a demonstration will be easier… Try to Identify me.”
Jake sighed, viewing it as a waste of time. He had tried to Identify Villy
many times and always just gotten a question mark, so—

[Human – lvl 69]

Jake stared. "Nice. You can do that?"

He tried to scout some more and was amazed that Villy even felt like a
level 69 human. Without his Bloodline allowing him to assess potential foes
better than any skill, he would have been fooled for sure. To make it more
confusing, the presence of Villy made him think he was standing in front of a
fellow D-grade despite his level indicating he was only in E-grade.
"Yes," Villy said with a smirk. "And so can you… with some practice, of
course."
Chapter 42
 To Feel the Shroud

J ake sat in meditation and sensed his own body. Not just the physical one,
but the metaphysical representation of it. He felt his stamina, mana, and
health move as he tried to trace it all back to its source: the area around
his heart.
Villy was standing with him and exerting pressure. Jake felt his physical
body slowly start to crumble as his skin flayed off and turned to dust. Every
resource was exhausted, and Jake sensed his metaphysical body begin to
distort as it turned to nothing. As it did, he faintly felt something.
Just as fast as the feeling emerged, it disappeared along with the pressure.
Jake wanted to ask why the Viper had stopped, but he then noticed he
didn’t have any mouth… or much of anything, really. He was nothing more
than a floating heart in the middle of the room, his entire body gone. Due to
his sphere, he still saw everything, even when Villy waved his hand and Jake
fully healed.
He opened his eyes and took a deep breath as he heaved.
"Anything?" Villy asked.
"A bit… I think…" Jake muttered.
They were already on the fourth day of doing this, and Jake had already
"died”—or at least had his body pretty much entirely destroyed—hundreds, if
not thousands of times. Villy said it was for Jake to better understand his
Soulshape, as he called it, which was the metaphysical representation of his
body.
He needed to understand that before he could grasp the Shroud that was
several layers of his soul deeper, under usual circumstances, and Jake had to
"bring it out." It was only when his body was destroyed that the Shroud
became even faintly visible, and Villy told him why: because it was the time
just before death, where the Shroud was designed to extend and cover up his
demise.
Jake learned that out of everything, death was the easiest to scry. So many
skills, abilities, and items existed that allowed one to detect the death of
someone, so the Shroud had to extend and really show off if he was to die.
The reason it extended before actual death was that… well, if Jake died,
his Shroud would naturally cease to be, so it had to be ready beforehand. At
least, this was Villy’s description of how it worked. It was still early days,
and Jake knew he was nowhere near close to being able to even grasp the
Shroud, much less begin to influence it in any way.
"Any progress is good progress," Villy explained with a smile. “We got
time, and you feeling even a tiny bit of it is already faster than expected.”
Four days may seem like a long time, and they both knew it would take
far longer than just a few weeks… so Villy had done some good-old time
manipulation and distorted time within the room, taking a lot of the pressure
off. Jake had feared this would make feeling the Shroud harder, based on
prior descriptions of time manipulation messing with things, but the Viper
had said that luckily the divine skill was bound to his own relative time.
How much time had been messed with, Jake didn’t know. All he knew
was that it was even more than the last time he’d trained with Duskleaf and
Villy.
"I think I need a breather," Jake said as he kept taking deep breaths. He
tried to move around, but it felt unnaturally exhausting, like he had just used
and deactivated Arcane Awakening and was experiencing a lesser version of
the weakness period.
"Understandable," the Viper said. "It is exhausting to repeatedly have the
entire body healed, especially at your grade and level of power."
"How the hell does Eron do it?" Jake asked. Hey, now that he had a god
to ask, why not?
"The other one with a Bloodline on your planet? Well, he, first of all, isn’t
healed. He regenerates himself, making it a bit easier, but he also isn’t truly
ever close to death. I am not sure precisely how, but I have a feeling he has
multiple health pools," Villy shrugged. "His methods are clearly deeply
rooted in the power of his Bloodline, and like you, his Patron god has also
given him a skill to hide from prying eyes."
"Good enough to block even you?" Jake asked with surprise.
 "See, this is one of those interesting things… Yes and no. No, in that I
can still pierce it if I really want to. But also yes, in that it would alert the god
who blessed him, and I am unable to do it through the natural protection on
your universe. At least, not without it becoming an issue.
"But on the positive side, I doubt he will die anytime soon, so I am sure
you will have plenty of time to figure it out. Just don’t have the Fallen King
fight him."
"Oh?"
"I doubt anyone on your planet besides a select few C-grades can
permanently slay that Bloodline holder… except the Unique Lifeform. A
master of soul magic is the most dangerous foe to someone like that human.
Well, not like soul magic is a good time for anyone." Villy smirked. "But
enough delaying. Even with you weak, there is no need to slack."
The Viper waved his hand, and the thousands of telescopes and mirrors
lining the ceiling and walls turned towards Jake and began glowing with
mana. Jake instantly felt the thousands of signals making him aware someone
had just tried to use Identify, and he promptly entered meditation again.
Every single telescope and mirror was enchanted with the skill Identify,
but it would be inaccurate to say they were all merely using Identify. All of
them had different versions, and their power varied widely. Some of the
items were so weak it barely mattered, while others felt like drills trying to
bore into Jake’s soul to uncover what he was hiding.
All of it was stopped by Shroud of the Primordial. He vaguely felt the
skill "activate," if one could even call it that, but every Identify was too weak
for him to truly experience anything. That was why he experienced thousands
a second.
This didn’t expend any resources… but damn, was it tiring.

Vilastromoz just observed Jake as he sat in meditation while being

bombarded by the many items trying to Identify him. Many potential training
methods had been considered, and if he was honest, this wasn’t even close to
the most effective one… At least, not for anyone else.
Usually, the Viper wouldn’t even begin to bother having a D-grade learn
to control this skill, and if he was honest, the initial plan had been to get an
item able to mask Jake’s identity as a Chosen and a heretic. That plan was
still an option, but Vilastromoz believed it possible that Jake could learn to
manipulate the Shroud.
The senses the young mortal possessed were uncanny, and the Viper
knew it was due to the Bloodline. His ability to know whenever he was being
observed was proof that it was Bloodline-related, and so was the fact that
he’d managed to tame a curse that should, by all accounts, be able to
consume even a C-grade. Some parts of him actually envied that ability of
Jake’s… He still remembered the days when he had lost control. But perhaps
it could be said that Jake was able to stay in control and not act on impulses
was because of how aware he was of them… or perhaps because his
impulsive self was his real self. He recognized his own emotions far more
than anyone else. He perceived far more related to himself than anyone else.
And that included the movement of his own energy. The activation of his
own skills. The area around him. Knowing when someone Identified you
wasn’t a usual ability and typically required a skill. Knowing when anyone
Identified you, even if it was a god, was on an entirely new level. Feeling
when Shroud of the Primordial blocked said Identification… that was the key
to controlling it.
Insane Perception was ultimately the only reason Jake had any chance to
begin to truly be aware of the Shroud, even with the Bloodline. Knowing
when it triggered, "seeing" it trigger, and comprehending how it triggered
were entirely different things. It was magic far too complex for a mortal to
comprehend. Vilastromoz did not expect Jake to comprehend the skill
either… but he did hope he could learn to control it nonetheless.
After all, Jake was not the sort of person to ever truly understand how
anything worked. He was the sort of person who understood how it felt. Who
felt how it worked. Perhaps this was also a path of comprehension. A
simplistic one, but a useful one. It would allow him to eventually understand
the intricacies and complexities behind his skills, sometimes only after using
them for a long time.
This was nothing new. In fact, it was extremely ordinary. Just not among
humans. This was more something reserved for monsters—primarily those
with low levels of intellect, who often had extremely strong instincts to guide
them to use even complex magic and skills. There was some comprehension,
but it was often an oversimplification of the complex. Something he also
knew Jake often did, to great success.
 To sum it up… Jake just had to go by feel.
And the Malefic Viper was going to make him feel everything until he
understood the skill in both body and soul.

Pain was such an odd concept to Jake. He felt it, and it hurt, and he wanted to
avoid it in most cases, but his reception to it varied widely. In a battle, the
pain was little more than a warning from his body that he had been hurt. A
physiological response to damage taken.
During training, the pain was just a thing that was there. Another emotion
to take in and use to properly understand what was happening, not different
from any other senses like smell or sight. He did not want to avoid it or limit
it as many others would. This didn’t mean he enjoyed it. In fact, it was still
rather unpleasant, but the gains of the pain outweighed the temporary mental
anguish, in his mind.
Jake understood his own senses more than anyone else. He knew what
they meant. He knew if they were good or bad. He knew pain could be useful
and not a demerit based on if it was truly "dangerous" pain or just "good"
pain.
The way he distinguished? His sense of danger. If something just hurt but
wasn’t lethal, he didn’t bother. In fact, it was odd how it worked at times.
Jake felt his own body break down several times, and it sure did hurt like
hell, but he never felt like the pain should be a distraction. There was no trace
of killing intent from the Viper during it all. His danger sense did trigger a bit
when he was essentially dead, but he trusted Villy to heal him, as, quite
frankly, it would be a shitty joke to just kill him like that.
Also, funnily enough, the near-death practice also triggered something
else. Every four hours or so, as Jake experienced near-death from the Villy’s
pressure, time would slow down around him as Moment of the Primal Hunter
activated. This would heighten Jake’s senses even more and actually help to
speed up trying to feel the Shroud.
It also allowed Jake to coincidentally become more familiar with the skill.
Villy mentioned during a breather that the time-bending it did was an
incredibly high-level concept, even if it was simplistic in how it worked.
Either way, Jake happily also began to understand that as time passed.
 A week after he began the practice in the time-chamber, Jake began to
feel the Shroud every so often whenever he was near-death, and every time
Moment procced. Still no progress during the mass-Identify part, besides
feeling something being blocked.
Two weeks in, much the same, but slightly better.
A month in, Jake began to consistently feel something when near death.
Two months in, Jake now felt the Shroud every time he was near death,
and rather vividly when Moment activated. He also began to get a feel for
something during the Identify training.
Three months in, Jake began to vaguely get a feel for something
enveloping his body at all times. Something that didn’t quite exist, but on the
other hand, did. It was a bit like his metaphysical body, as it seemed to
almost exist in a dimension above his own. It neither cared for space nor
time, and Jake noticed how its subtle moments were unaffected even by
Moment of the Primal Hunter.
Four months in, Jake felt the Shroud. He felt the "impact" on it whenever
an Identify hit the impenetrable shield. He felt how it wrapped around him,
and how everything that passed through was slightly different than before
upon exiting. It was as if the inside of his Shroud was one world and the
outside another. Anything happening within was always separated from what
was outside as if going through encryption, making the source unknown.
Five months in, Jake began to experiment. He began to truly experience
the Shroud, and they had entirely stopped all near-death experiments, as they
were no longer necessary. Villy tuned down the Identification devices, so he
was only hit by one every second or so as Jake concentrated on his goal.
Half a year in, Jake experienced his first success. He sat in front of a
mirror that kept trying to Identify him, the surface showing the result.

[?]

He tried again to slightly move the Shroud.

[?]

Open it.
 [?]

Allow the source through. Allow the Identification.

[?]

Only the Identification… only a single layer of the Shroud would need to
be altered for a fraction of a moment. Jake knew he could not fully deactivate
it even if he tried, but Jake refused to believe he could not allow one single
Identify through.

[?]

With all of his will, Jake felt the Identification come, and he welcomed it.
He didn’t know why, but this one felt slightly different. He felt a movement,
a subtle shift, as the mirror before him changed.

[???]

Jake grasped onto the feeling with a vise grip as he felt his heartbeat
speed up in excitement. Half a year had led to this moment, and Jake pushed
his will to the maximum He felt the Shroud—the thousands, millions, billions
of layers it consisted of. It was everchanging, ever-flowing, impossible to
truly understand… and yet it moved to his will, ever so slightly nudged.
The next hundred Identifications were still just three question marks, but
the response came faster for every passing one. Every second led to
improvement as Jake rode on a high, not allowing a single thing to distract
him.
Identification number one hundred and fifty-five had a change once more
as another of the Shroud’s layers allowed something through.

[Human – lvl ???]

His focus stayed impervious as a metaphysical Shroud only visible to him

—and perhaps the god in the room with him—slowly came under his will.
Jake truly felt a connection with it for the first time, and he felt his success
before the mirror proved him correct.

[Human – lvl 150]

Jake kept holding on to the feeling, staying concentrated. Success after

success came in until Jake finally felt assured, and he let out a sigh of relief
as he returned just a touch of his attention to the real world.
Only now did he notice his own body. He had bit his own lips, tearing off
the flesh in its entirety, and he spat out his own meat in disgust. His hands
were bleeding from clenching too hard, and he even discovered he had
somehow managed to cause internal bleeding. Not that he cared about any of
it as he looked up at Villy in triumph.
The Malefic Viper looked down at him and smiled. "Good job. You have
learned to deactivate a part of it. Now for you to learn to actually control it."
Chapter 43
 The Weight o Time

V ilastromoz was prepared to have Jake begin the next phase of the
training, but the human just displayed a satisfied smile at his success as
he slowly leaned forward until he fell flat on his face on the floor,
already knocked out.
"Or we can wait, I guess," the Viper said, shaking his head.
This was far from the first time Jake had collapsed in exhaustion and
fallen asleep, and it wouldn’t be the last. To overwork yourself perhaps
seemed like a bad thing, but not to Vilastromoz. It could be, but you also
needed the ability and drive to stay dedicated to a singular goal for extended
periods of time. Sometimes ridiculously long amounts of time.
This in itself would often end up putting a natural limit on the strength
many could achieve. While stats did help, and time did slowly make one
adapt better, many just never became able to focus and dedicate their entire
selves to tasks for sometimes months or years in D-grade. Taking a decade to
do something in C-grade was not out of the question either. A century to a B-
grade was nothing. A millennium to an A-grade was the same as spending a
single month for a pre-system mortal on a task.
As for gods, time began to matter less. Some gods had projects they
worked on tirelessly for hundreds of billions of years. The isolation and lack
of additional external stimuli were maddening to some, and you needed to be
the right kind of person who could handle this.
The Viper had to admit this had been one of his fears regarding Jake. He
walked a path of alchemy that would require long crafting sessions, with
someone like his disciple often just sitting with a cauldron for a few thousand
years to make something.
 It wasn’t a necessity to have this skill. Valdemar would not be able to sit
down and work on something for just a single year, yet he was a Primordial.
But it was a valuable trait, if only to be able to deal with the concept of
immortality down the line.
So to see Jake not lose focus for half a year—besides when he passed out
from pure exhaustion—was promising. He had already done some long
crafts, but all of those had been very involved and not as boring as something
like this training was. Not that Jake seemed to care much… In fact, the more
time passed, the more Jake insisted on succeeding.
The Viper had expected Jake to take around a year to first learn how to let
Identify work on him. This was already with what many would call
ridiculously unreasonable levels of expectations, but the Viper believed in his
Chosen. Besides, while it seemed like a long time, with the time distortion
going on, it barely mattered. Even if half a year had passed within the
chamber, it had not even been a week back on Earth.
Anyway, now it was time to see if Jake could beat the Viper’s next
expectations of learning to control it within five years. A practice session that
would also once more test Jake’s ability to persevere and focus on a
monotonous task with limited short-term improvements.

Jake awoke, feeling pretty well-rested. He opened his eyes and stared up at
the ceiling filled with telescopes—a sight he had met quite a few times
already during the last many months.
"How long was I out this time?" he asked.
"Just three days, so not that bad," Villy answered, just leaning back in a
chair, relaxed.
"I’ve been thinking… do you really have nothing better to do than sit here
with me for half a year? With the Order and everything?" Jake had been
pondering it for a while, but that the god had time to just stay there was odd.
"Well, I don’t really have better things to do; this is actually my
immediate priority. But that doesn’t mean this is the only thing I am doing.
Avatars, remember? While this is my true body, I have a few avatars
scattered around the place, including in my realm, working on stuff. I am not
really doing anything Order-related, though. I guess one of the benefits of
being a no-show for ninety percent of the time the Order has existed is that
they have become quite self-sufficient, and what does take divine input, I
have the Witches of the Verdant Lagoon handling.”
"Huh," Jake recognized. "I guess outsourcing organizational work counts
towards me being a dutiful Chosen, then, as I am following my Patron’s
example?"
"And taking a jab at me by stating such counts as heretical. Good to see
you are working on balancing it out," the god answered with a light chuckle.
"Anyway, let’s move on. As I said, good job on getting the first part down.
Now you have some semblance of control over the Shroud, but this is
minuscule and only able to allow certain things through. We don’t want that,
as just letting it through makes it worse. Now you need to learn how to
manipulate the output information."
The Viper waved his hand and summoned two projections with
nameplates over their head. It was all very MMO-like.
Both of them were humans, but one of them had a bubble of sorts around
him, which was no doubt a visual representation of Shroud of the Primordial.
"So, to get this next part, let’s begin with what Identify is. As a skill,
Identify is just a classification of many skills, and this classification is named
after the most basic skill gained by nearly anyone called Identify. It doesn’t
have to be called that, as there are many other versions with varying names,
but the core of what they do never changes: they scry Records.
"Everything contains Records. Be it people or items, the Identify skill
allows the user to view the innate Records embedded in something and get a
description. The description is based on your own existing knowledge and
Records—often through skills—meaning one person’s Identify response is
often the same as another’s. At least for items.
"Living beings are innately shielded due to their souls. A veil always
covers it, making the information of Identify only the basics, which often
boils down to just race and level. Better variants of the Identify skill may also
offer information on general classes or professions, the level of danger they
pose, the affinities they possess and specialize in, and a slew of other things.
But know that you won’t get a long description sheet even with the best of
skills. This is due to the innate imperviousness of the Truesoul.
"Now, due to how ‘hard’ it is to Identify a living thing, many skills also
exist to make it even harder. These skills, and what yours does right now, do
not block Identify but reduce the information gained to nothing. Sometimes
only part of it, while yours does it for the whole thing. In other words, it
identifies something one cannot quantify into information with one’s current
abilities, hence getting a question mark. This is also why you can’t Identify
things many levels above yourself. Also, this can be alleviated with better
Identify-variant skills. Either way, this is the basics of how Identify works…
You get it?"
"How come I have been able to pierce some of these skills before?" Jake
asked, remembering the first time he met Phillip and how Jake had been able
to "peek around" whatever blocked his Identify.
"Because whatever skill used to block wasn’t perfect, and everything can
be overcome with enough power. Your high Perception allows you to more
accurately see things, even if you still require proper context for a correct
Identification. Whatever means are used to obscure it will just be more easily
pierced by you.”
"Doesn’t that mean other gods should be able to Identify me due to the
sheer difference in power?"
"Usually, yes. But the skill you have is not the Shroud of Jake, but the
Shroud of the Primordial. It is bound by the Blessing and by my own power
rather than yours. As I said, it is based on my own Records. In some ways, it
can be said the True Blessing is being used as the hardware for a scrambler,
while you have limited control over the software. The skill is yours, not mine,
so you can learn to fully control it with practice.”
"Okay… so, on to learning control," Jake said with a nod.
"Precisely," the Viper said as he waved his hand again, bringing attention
back to the two projections. “As you can surely guess, one of these represents
you with the Shroud, and the other, you without. One of them is just the usual
level 150 human, while the other is one big question mark. You have now
learned to allow yourself to appear as one without the Shroud, at least to the
Identify skills. The Shroud is, of course, still there with all other effects active
and will continue to have these effects. You only need to manipulate that
small part of the Shroud to, instead of making it disappear, just make it
slightly different. Take this as an example.”
The one with the Shroud over it suddenly shifted. The figure inside the
bubble changed color, and the level changed to 160. At the same time, the
bubble expanded and became multilayered as the Viper pointed out a specific
part of it.
"When all of the information going through is scrambled and obscured,
the goal for this to work is to not only block, but also selectively let through
some info. Let through small morsels and control it to deliver a response that
says whatever you damn well want it to say. This will need to be done with
not only level but also your Blessing. Turning off and on its detection of the
Blessing is something you can already do right now towards those weaker,
but that part will also need some improvement, especially towards those with
skills to detect heretics.
"To put it simply—because I know you like that—you need to forge a
new identity through the Shroud by feeding it false information and giving
what will be considered a valid response. You need to program it."
"That doesn’t sound simple at all," Jake sighed, not even sure where to
start.
"Oh, because it really isn’t. So let’s just get started.” The Malefic Viper
smiled as the room around him began warping and swapping the mirrors out
with a new variant. Many telescopes were also switched out.
"Some of these will try to Identify only your race. Some will try to
identify your profession, some your class, some the level of your Blessing,
and some simply your general level of power. There are between a hundred
and a thousand mirrors and between fifty and five hundred telescopes for
each. Your first task is to discover what every single telescope and mirror
does. Simply point to one and correctly mark it. Good luck.” The Malefic
Viper then disappeared, leaving Jake alone in the chamber.
At the same time, Jake felt the many items activate. He suddenly found
himself Identified, or at least the attempts to do so. His Shroud was active
again, so Jake focused as he deactivated it, which just made him aware he
was now being Identified.
Nothing told him what kind of information they were scrying. He already
had some ideas on how to figure it out, such as beginning to filter what
information came through to "feel" which ones were successful and which
ones failed to narrow down options.
With that, Jake entered the next stage of the training session, only a good
sleeping session after the first one finished.

"I think boiling down age or history to merely the passage of time is a
mistake most make,” the god said. “A man who is a thousand but has grown
up within a greenhouse is as much a child as the beggar’s son, no more than
twenty, who had to learn to survive by himself from the moment he could
walk.”
"But age and experience do go hand in hand,” Miyamoto said. “A man
who is twenty simply hasn’t been able to experience the same as a man at
fifty. Perhaps the older man has experienced less monumental events, but
every small moment, every realization, and every thought has led to growth.”
"That only proves true if he is a man who seeks such growth and doesn’t
become complacent. Growth and realization take effort. It takes will.
Hardship helps bring effort out in everyone."
"Not as much as passion does," the Sword Saint argued again.
"Is it not passion to wish for survival? To see yourself grow beyond your
station?" The god was clearly, at least in part, playing devil’s advocate based
on a prior conversation the two had had.
"Passion comes from within; it is not forced upon you by the world,"
Miyamoto said, shaking his head at the man—god—he had been talking to
for the last many hours.
"But the pressures of the world can make you realize your passions,”
Aeon said. “A situation where you wished you were stronger could put you
on a new path. External factors can make you try and give that first push that
will only lead you to discover it was truly your passion all along.”
Miyamoto could only nod. Others could make you reach new realizations
and give you new inspiration for the path forward. Jake had been Miyamoto’s
trigger to find a new path, and it seemed the young man had once more led to
the situation he now found himself in.
The Sword Saint had been surprised as he one day sat in his chair and
noticed something—something not meant to be on his status screen. The
Blessing he gained during the tutorial had been renounced back when he had
yet to evolve to D-grade, meaning when he did evolve, he was invited by a
few new gods. He had chosen to dispel all of them back then, yet now one
more was there when he checked. One he was certain was new, yet said it had
been pending for months.
He had shared this with Iskar, the former Monarch of Blood, and the
response of the vampire had been surprising, as he had urged Miyamoto to go
no matter what. Apparently, Aeon Clok was not some normal low-level god
—despite the silly name—but one of the most powerful and also mysterious
in existence.
Miyamoto had been skeptical, yet had still accepted. Which had resulted
in him having now spent over seven hours in a cozy living room discussing
things with the man before him. A young-looking man wearing a well-
tailored suit and glasses, with clear human features.
Which only made sense, as Aeon had been human. One of two human
Primordials, along with one called Valdemar. It had been far better than
Miyamoto had expected. He had not met a god who flaunted his power and
displayed wealth and grandeur, but instead just a man offering him a drink
and a talk. A discussion to get to know one another.
He did not have any illusions of them being truly equal, and in many
ways, Miyamoto would not see it so. He respected his elders, and he
respected the powerful. What he did do was believe he also had a chance to
one day enjoy such a status.
Smiling, he continued the argument.
"However, reducing passion to merely—"
Another four hours later, he found himself leaving the realm of the god
with a divine Blessing and a new skill.

[Weight of Time (Legendary)] – As you walk, the weight of time ripples in

your wake. Your every action will lead to a higher impact upon history and
the Records of everything you interact with. Your presence will stay forever
memorable. The longer you interact with individuals and items, the more
your Records will influence them. This effect is increased significantly for
individuals and items you have a powerful connection to. Allows you to more
easily comprehend the weight of time.
Chapter 44
 Finding the Purpose

V illy, you fucking troll, Jake cursed as he finally found the problem.
Holy fucking shit, did he feel like beating that snake god up with a tire
iron. Jake had no damn clue how long he had been sitting there; all he
knew was that the bastard had fooled him.
Five types of Identify: race, profession, class, level of Blessing, and
general power level. This was what Villy had said the telescopes and mirrors
were enchanted to Identify. There was a total of thirty-seven hundred and
seventy-two mirrors, and fifteen hundred and ninety-eight telescopes present.
Jake had felt them all repeatedly Identify him in waves, about once every
second. Not all of one type at the same time, but totally mixed up, and he was
pretty sure that the exact same set of mirrors and telescopes had not Identified
him twice during the entire training session.
How long it had taken till he began to differentiate between them was
unknown… but it felt like months. Maybe a year? He didn’t know, and
hadn’t spared the brainpower to think about it.
After he could differentiate, he began discovering what type did what. He
began labeling all mirrors and telescopes with their respective versions and
testing them. At some point, Jake had marked all the ones he believed
Identified race, and to his amazement, all of them lit up and correctly
displayed their results.
After that, he moved on and found that Blessing was the second easiest
for him to detect. He had quickly labeled all of them, as he felt the faint
differences between each Identify. Not all of them were identical, but Jake
began to see patterns in where they hit the Shroud and how it "poked" his
soul, if that was the correct thing to call it.
 It took him a while longer to nail down profession and class, as they felt
very similar. It was difficult to truly differentiate them, and at some point,
Jake even began to believe they were the same, but he intuitively knew that
wasn’t true. So he kept trying until, finally, he found something. It was a faint
difference, but once he felt it, he focused on it like a bloodhound and
explored it until he got results.
With time, he got all of them labeled too. So now he just needed to mark
the rest of the mirrors and telescopes with the general level of power
identification, right? Wrong. He had done that, and it had not worked, which
made Jake realize there was a difference between some of the final Identify
items.
Okay, that actually made sense, as it would trivialize this last part if they
were all the same. Jake began focusing on different ones, until he felt one he
was certain was just a normal Identify. Right, so some of them were just there
to mess with him and make him have to actually find the last type, right?
Wrong again.
Because there were more types. The thing was, Jake had a hard time
nailing it down. He also took note that nearly forty percent of the mirrors and
telescopes were still unmarked, even if it should only be twenty, if there were
five types. It was a possibility there were just a lot of general Identification
ones, though… that seemed improbable.
Jake felt frustration as time passed, and he soon noticed a flaw in his
approach. What he did only worked if he knew what was trying to Identify
him. What was behind it—the intent. But could he do that in the real world?
What if he modified his Shroud to only hide him from known types of
Identify, and he met someone with an unknown one?
But… how could he protect himself from something he didn’t know
about? How could he find out what the Identify was looking for? Before, he
had figured out what kind of feeling the items gave, labeled them according
to those feeling, and been right, but that had clearly been the wrong way to go
about it.
Villy had baited Jake into thinking this was the way to go, by telling him
what to find… when the truth was that the actual hard part of this training
was for him to find out what it was on his own. The entire setup had been a
red herring.
Well… not entirely. For there were still patterns. That was when Jake had
the realization.
 Don’t try to find out what the skill is looking for… just what parts of the
Shroud are engaged when Identify comes.
Rather than find out what the Shroud was blocking and what the Identify
was doing or looking for… Jake would just make up his own response to
anything triggering the patterns stemming from an attempted Identify.
He would simulate the Identify on his end, so it got the result he wanted
no matter what skill was used… No, he would modify it a little to tailor the
responses to the most obvious kinds. The unknown one would just get race
every time, maybe? He wasn’t quite sure yet, but he wanted to try this
different approach.
Like weaving a tapestry, Jake began to engage the Shroud. He had truly
become able to both feel and, in many ways, interact with the divine skill
over this entire training excursion. He began mixing and shifting the skill,
and it responded to his will. He did not truly know what he was doing; he just
went by feel. When he went wrong, it felt wrong. When he did something
right, his intuition told him he was on the right track. All of this was due to
the thousands of Identifies constantly making him aware of whether his
manipulation had any effect. Meanwhile, he was trying to create a model of
how it worked in his head. How he wanted it to work.
This has to be right, Jake thought as he focused everything he had, time
not being a factor.

Yeah, it was not really at all what Vilastromoz had planned on him doing. He
had expected Jake to begin to recognize the incoming signals and begin to
slowly adapt his Shroud to block all of them one by one until he discovered
the type the "hidden" Identify was. Or at least for him to realize that the
hidden one was touching on many of the same concepts as the one regarding
total power. The last ones analyzed what affinities someone was skilled in
along with just general Identification ones, and Vilastromoz was surprised
Jake hadn’t realized that.
He watched on as Jake began manipulating the Shroud in unexpected
ways. Ways that were originally meant to be the third phase of this training
session, after Jake had recognized the last kind of Identify. If he did that, Jake
should be able to correctly detect new kinds on the fly, too, by recognizing
what parts of the Shroud corresponded to his own Records.
What Jake was doing instead was not modifying the viewable
information, but scrambling it on the fly whenever he was Identified. It was,
in some ways, a safer method, as it was more adaptable and could avoid
someone with a really fringe set of skills to figure out Jake’s real information,
but on the other hand, it was incredibly risky and required him to almost react
instinctua—
Ah, the Viper suddenly thought. Maybe that can work for him?
It was interesting to see the mortal skip not just one step, but two.
A simplified metaphor for what he was doing would be someone trying to
look at a piece of paper with Identify through a window that is the soul.
When using Identify, the person is looking at a specific portion of the paper
to get some information.
Shroud adds a layer to that window between the paper and the one using
Identify, and by default, it is designed to just make it one-way, effectively
blocking all forms of Identify as the information given makes no sense. If a
laser is shined through one-way glass, it won’t bounce back out, after all.
Vilastromoz had planned for Jake to make a portion of the window see-
through. That was the first part of training. The second would be to more or
less put a fake piece of paper on top of the real one with the information Jake
wanted to give. That was meant to be the second part.
What he had done was skip that step. Instead, he would change parts of
the window itself. He would make it distort what one saw through it,
scramble the letters, and make the other person see a fake image. They were
looking at the actual paper, but what their skill registered would be fake.
This method was, as said, better. It could only work due to Identify taking
a moment to work—even for gods—due to the innate resistance every living
being had to any kind of Record-scrying due to their Truesouls. The problem
was, as also mentioned before, that one had to adapt this window as Identify
came in, only having this brief moment to tailor a response.
In the future, this was akin to what Vilastromoz would have Jake do…
but he had not expected him to learn it already. Moreover, as long as he
succeeded…
System assistance will take over and automate the process.
Vilastromoz smiled. If he had told Jake to do this, there was no way the
system would’ve offered any assistance… it just worked like that. Personal
realizations led to far more Records and even assistance than if someone told
you what to do. This was also why the Viper never told Jake what he had to
do, only what general goal he had to strive towards.
Because it could lead to happy little accidents like this.
The only minor problem was… that five-year timetable?
Yeah, that had to get pushed a little.

Miranda and Reika sat in the office as Lillian brought in some ordered food
before leaving the two women to discuss. In truth, this was the first time it
was just the two of them together, as all other get-togethers had been in larger
settings or gatherings.
The reason was that this meeting was of a more private nature. Previously
it had all been about the constructed compound or the procurement of
crafting materials and stuff like that, but this time Reika had come to her with
questions not fit for a meeting.
"Internal discussions have been had among the members of the Noboru
clan, and an unsettling question has begun to emerge the more time we spend
here… What are the plans for Haven in the long term?" Reika asked as she
took a sip of her tea, not touching the food quite yet.
"In what capacity?" Miranda asked, having kind of expected this day to
come. She was actually surprised it had taken them this long to bring up the
perceived issue.
She had to admit, Haven did seem directionless. They were not expanding
actively, nor were they recruiting powerful elites or individuals with nobility
titles. They weren’t even making true alliances. They just made non-
aggression agreements with everyone. Their only true alliances had been
forged due to the relationship between Jake and another city owner and
Sylphie just making friends, but even that was not a true alliance. Just
personal friendships.
"What does Haven strive to be in a year? Ten?” Reika asked. “What will
happen as all the other factions expand their territory, claim control of more
dungeons, natural resources, and influence over the populace? Haven is
currently growing, but that is only due to refugees still coming. What
happens when that stops? Just natural growth?"
Miranda was a bit surprised at the level of thought the younger woman
had put into Haven’s current situation, but she seemed to be
misunderstanding something.
"I find it interesting you ask what we strive to be, almost as if Haven
requires change," Miranda answered, having given this subject much thought
before.
"Does it not?" Reika asked, raising an eyebrow. "The Court of Shadows,
Holy Church, Risen, Valhal, my clan, as well as dozens of smaller factions
and alliances are expanding every day. They are growing in influence while
Haven remains stale. If this continues, it will be left in the dust."
Miranda just sighed. "This city belongs to Lord Thayne… Jake. I am only
in charge of managing it and leading it in a direction that is to his preference.
Nothing more, nothing less. While I certainly take some liberties, I am also
fully aware that this place only exists because of him and will cease to exist
without him. At least without him, it truly would just be left in the dust."
"I do understand that," Reika answered, "but… I say this with the best
intentions at heart… Jake is a bit of a moron when it comes to anything
related to managing a city, much less an entire faction. Doing things his way
is questionable at best."
Laughing a bit, Miranda wholeheartedly agreed, but she also had a
somewhat different outlook due to having more context and insight into the
multiverse. "That may be so, but ultimately, that is not for me to question. As
long as Jake is here, Haven will stand. As long as Jake is here, Haven will be
powerful. Power is not necessarily measured by size. I am certain that with
the Sword Saint in your clan, you understand the influence a single
outstanding individual can have?"
"Naturally, but that outstanding individual still requires a support-base.
Jake can’t go around collecting every metal he needs himself, growing all of
his herbs, taking care of his home, doing all of the managerial tasks. Much
less would he want to. Without proper territory, how do you plan on
supporting his growth?"
"A very valid question, but you forget one thing. Where is Jake right
now?"
"He left for something training-related with his Patron god," Reika
answered, and Miranda saw a sliver of understanding suddenly appear on the
other woman’s face.
"He went to the Order of the Malefic Viper. On Primordial 4, a Great
Planet larger than I think any of us can even comprehend. You must
remember, Jake doesn’t need Haven for support. Jake doesn’t need any of us
to grow in power. He has the backing of an order with age spanning back to
nearly the beginning of the multiverse, able to throw more resources at the
Chosen of their Patron god than Earth cumulatively has without batting an
eye.
"No, what Jake needs on Earth isn’t a huge support network. He needs a
base. A place to rest and operate out of. That is the true role of Haven. My
job is not to create a major faction vying for control of the planet, but to build
a home he bothers coming back to."
Reika stared and considered her words before asking, "So you see
yourself as nothing more than a custodian?"
Miranda shook her head again. "I am not sure there is a word for it. I just
know that I am the City Leader of Haven and resident Verdant Witch."
"That brings me to my second question, which seems more pertinent now
than before. What are the intentions of the Patrons gods you two serve
towards Earth? The Court, Church, and every other faction are making their
cities outposts of their larger organization. Will Haven be the same? A branch
of the Order of the Malefic Viper?" Reika’s question was very much straight
to the point, which Miranda appreciated.
"First of all, a bit of a misunderstanding. Jake isn’t really serving anyone,
nor am I solely serving my Patron gods. Jake is still my superior above even
the gods, and from my understanding, the relationship between Jake and the
Malefic One is far from one of servitude. It is difficult to understand or
explain.” She felt as though she’d tried to clarify this more times than she
could even remember to other officials and traders.
"Secondly, no, there are no plans to make Haven linked to the Order more
than is unavoidable. This is why the temple allows any god to display a statue
there as long as they follow our rules. We are aiming more to be a truly
neutral force that also happens to have a very powerful backer. Something
that is likely a necessity to stay neutral, to begin with."
"I see," Reika answered. "You are blessed by the Witches of the Verdant
Lagoon, correct?"
Miranda nodded in confirmation.
"And to my understanding, the witches serve the Malefic Viper and the
Order. Does that effectively make you Jake’s witch to the Viper’s Witches?"
"You can see it like that," Miranda answered. That was also how her
Patron gods had phrased it to h—
 "Does that mean you also serve Jake’s ‘other’ needs?" Reika asked,
clearly teasing.
"No," Miranda quickly clarified. "He is my employer. Don’t get it
twisted."
"You sure? There are rumors…"
"Oh, I know, I heard them. Something about the young lady of the
Noboru clan spending all day down in the alchemy laboratory together with
Lord Thayne," Miranda teased back.
Reika was about to protest, but she just shook her head instead. "Fine,
fine. Anyway, when will he be back? He has been gone for, what, soon one
and a half months?"
"I have no idea. All I know is that Jake is doing some important training
and to not disturb him," Miranda answered with a sigh.
The witches wouldn’t even give any details, which Miranda suspected
wasn’t because they didn’t want to tell her. They just genuinely didn’t know
what Jake was up to either, much less when he would return.
Chapter 45
 A Shroud of Stars & School Life
Dangers

J ake’s Perception-related abilities, primarily courtesy of his Bloodline,

were quite mysterious and odd at times, even to himself. As he sat there
in meditation and felt Identify after Identify hit him as nothing more than
a background stream of information, he constantly felt how the skill worked.
He had the ability to know whenever someone looked at him. Jake always
had that skill. Perhaps it was an extreme version of that sixth sense every
human seemed to have, which made one aware someone was looking at them
even when one shouldn’t.
This was merely intuition and instinct. The same was true for Jake
detecting danger… Detecting anything related to anyone, really. But he also
took it to the next level. While others could perhaps get a feeling someone
was looking at them, Jake could feel where they were looking and sometimes
even get an intuitive sense of what they were looking for.
Why this was relevant for programming the Shroud of the Primordial
quickly became apparent as more time passed. For every passing moment
that Jake just focused on sensing it and understanding it, the more powerful
his bond with the Shroud became. The more the skill became familiar to him,
the more control he could exert. It was like any other skill: the more you used
it, the better you got at using it.
Now, Jake had to admit that, like with other skills, he had tried all his
tricks to somehow make the skill more "his,” but he’d failed at every turn. No
amount of arcane affinity could affect the Shroud—at least, not at Jake’s
current level of ability.
All of Jake’s other tricks were also in vain as he just kept trying his tactic
of slowly figuring out whatever parts of the Shroud were triggered by
Identify and then proceeded to control those. He slowly began forming a map
and model of the Shroud and what parts were affected in his head. As with
most other things, it was just a metaphysical representation that only really
made sense to Jake… but that was fine. It wasn’t like Jake planned on
teaching anyone else to use the skill.
Like this, time passed. Days turned to months and months turned to years.
Jake barely registered any of this, as he was too busy forming his model.
Within his Soulspace, he looked towards the sky that was now no longer
black, but filled with countless stars, forming hundreds of constellations. This
was his metaphorical model of the Shroud… the sky that covered his soul.
As he stared up at them, certain stars repeatedly lit up from Identify
triggering them. He began rearranging the stars, creating new constellations
out of them, or simply using the same stars to form identical constellations
corresponding to another form of Identify.
Most of his time now was spent within his Soulspace.
The only reason any of this was possible was due to Jake feeling the
Shroud so vividly now. It was to his soul like an atmosphere protecting a
planet. The Shroud did not only create something new, but it also empowered
some existing parts of the natural protection of Truesouls. All of it used
concepts and levels of magic that were truly outside the scope of
comprehension for someone like Jake.
This is why it was the stars in the universe. If the usual protection to a
soul was the standard atmosphere, the Shroud of the Primordial constructed
an entire galaxy of protection. And slowly, as he got nearer and nearer to his
goal, Jake was beginning to comprehend many of the stars inhabiting that
galaxy.

Vilastromoz stared at Jake as Duskleaf appeared by his side.

"You called me… but he is not done?" his disciple asked.
"Nope."
"It has already been a bit over three months, hasn’t it?"
"To you, maybe. To Jake, it has been thirteen years, give or take," the
Viper answered with a smirk. "But I have a feeling he is nearing
comprehension."
 "Partial comprehension of a divine skill in only thirteen years?" Duskleaf
asked, nearly in disbelief. "Doing so in less than a few centuries in D-grade is
remarkable."
Vilastromoz looked at his disciple and raised an eyebrow. "I am surprised
you aren’t questioning a mortal who was less than thirty before this began
how he could spend thirteen years sitting still in meditation."
Duskleaf just shrugged. "Wouldn’t make any sense to? It seemed like it
would be hard to do, so of course, Jake was all for doing it. He would
probably have spent even longer with the alchemical puzzle box if he hadn’t
been on a time limit back before the Trial of Myriad Poisons. I am more
questioning if it won’t be harmful to him to spend this long in distorted time.
The utter backlash when he returns to Realtime should be enormous."
A valid concern. Besides the negative effects on Records, spending time
in areas with dilated time did have the benefit of more or less Realtime
passing in the rest of the multiverse, but to change back and forth was a
process, not unlike diving deep beneath the water and going up again. This
process was often slow, or the backlash would leave someone crippled as
their bodies and souls slowly acclimated themselves. This was actually a
method many chronomancers used to attack, primarily just to cause heavy
confusion and disorientation.
However…
"Jake’s affinity to the concept of time has only grown. This level of
dilation was chosen not because it was the most he could handle, but because
it was the most I could do without it having any backlash."
The constant actions of Jake's time-slowing trigger skill were odd in
every way to the Viper. Primarily because it didn’t make any sense at all.
Vilastromoz had seen it activate hundreds of times already, and had become
clear on one thing: it consumed no mana, stamina, health, or any other
resource. It was a skill that only consisted of will and conceptual
manipulation.
It was Jake forcefully imposing his will upon the concept of time to
temporarily create a relative time slowdown. Not because he made the world
around him slow down, but because it untethered Jake from the usual rules of
time to, in essence, be faster. This was not something a mage could learn… It
was no spell or even a real skill, in the Viper’s eyes. In fact, based on the
Viper’s theory, it was only a skill because the system had forcefully made it
one.
 Vilastromoz knew of this skill a bit, as Jake had spilled the beans about it
when he explained his Bloodline. He had explained how the system had
upgraded it from rare to legendary and created a new one that even carried
the same name as his Bloodline. Which meant Jake was the true Origin of the
skill, or more accurately, his Bloodline was.
This meant the system had made it. Based it on something a Bloodline
had done. A Bloodline existed outside the system much like a Transcendent
skill, so what would happen when a Bloodline did something that would
break the rules and create a Transcendent skill under normal circumstances?
There really was no unified answer, but the Viper was sure of one thing.
In Jake’s case, it had chosen to limit the skill. It had capped it at
Legendary. The internal cooldown of the skill was arbitrarily imposed, the
actual slowdown and duration probably less than it truly should be. The
reason?
Probably that Jake could, in theory, keep the skill he referred to as
Moment active near-infinitely, or at least every time he was attacked. Well,
he would do so until he just outright died due to over-exhaustion if someone
or something kept triggering the skill. However, it had removed this
activation cost in exchange for the cooldown, breaking another fundamental
law. This meant the skill served both as a limiter and a protector. But it also
meant it had plenty of room for growth, coupled with giving Jake a high
affinity to time magic. Ah, but not necessarily using time magic, just
tolerating it through continued exposure.
Now, there was the question: why did the system not just remove the
skill? Vilastromoz was very clear on that one, at least. The system would
never take away a skill given during a level upgrade unless you yourself
chose to give it up through some upgrade. It also seemed like the system had
chosen not to offer him a skill he could similarly upgrade again to perhaps
balance it out a bit. Of course, it was only a question of time before another
one appeared anyway, based on the ridiculous power of his Chosen’s
Bloodline.
"So, when he goes to the Academy, should he learn some time magic?"
Duskleaf asked.
"No, but he should learn about the concept of time and to control time
energies for crafting purposes," Vilastromoz answered.
"Alright. By the way, I have been looking into tailors for the school unifo
—"
 "Jake was against that idea," the Viper said, cutting him off with deep
sadness.
"Oh…" Duskleaf said as he stared back at Vilastromoz. "You knew he
would be against it and still made me figure out how to make the uniforms as
well as embarrass myself by showing off those ridiculous designs? You told
me Jake would no doubt want it, as it held significant cultural importance to
Earthlings. I should have known it was untrue… Those clothes were
borderline lingerie."
"You’re just conservative; Jake is from a free-spirited world,"
Vilastromoz protested.
"I am not even—"
Suddenly they felt a change from the chamber Jake was in. Inside, Jake
opened his eyes as if he had just awoken from a dream. Vilastromoz smiled
as he felt the change, and Duskleaf frowned deeply, muttering,
"Level 169 Malefic Dragonkin?"

Jake suddenly felt everything click into place, like a clockwork with
thousands of gears—all turning independently or in small groups—linking up
together and working flawlessly. Jake could almost feel the evident system
assistance, as he now had a clear sense of control over his Shroud of the
Primordial.
Within his Soulspace, the sky of stars was fully alight, with endless
patterns and constellations ready to form at any moment to give a response to
an Identify. Something he had done right away as Duskleaf used the skill on
him.
With a thought, Jake changed the default Identify to say he was a level
169 Malefic Dragonkin—the evolution he had skipped over. As for the level?
Well, because he thought it was funny and had a childish sense of humor.
He actually did want to make it 69 but found that he couldn’t. He was still
confined to his grade, it appeared, but within that, he could freely make
himself appear to be any level from 100 to 199. He also instantly modified
the part related to his Blessing to make it appear as if he had a Divine
Blessing like Sylphie and—
"Jake, go lesser Blessing, or you will stand out a lot," Villy said as he
appeared in the room.
Jake did as told, changing it to look like he had a lesser Blessing. He also
instantly cleaned up some of that heresy stuff by just blocking it in entirely.
He hoped it worked, and luckily he didn’t have to wait long before finding
out.
Duskleaf also appeared in the room and nodded with interest. "I can’t
even feel that overwhelming aura of a heretic anymore."
"Wait, you could feel I was a heretic all along?" Jake asked Duskleaf.
"Also, hey—long time, no see."
"Not that long," Duskleaf commented. "As for knowing you were one? Of
course. It took a bit of time to build up, though. When you came here after
the Tutorial, it was faint, but feeling you practicing here made it obvious you
were a high-tier heretic."
"Huh," Jake said. "And you never said anything?"
Duskleaf just shrugged. "I didn’t see it as relevant."
Jake just looked at him a bit before shaking his head. He had nearly
forgotten how little Duskleaf seemed to care about things unrelated to
alchemy.
"Anyway… what now?" Jake asked Villy,
"Now, you need to get your affairs in order. Go back to Earth, handle
things on that end, and prepare for your absence. Make sure there are no
immediate disturbances, and then come back. Then… then it will be school
time!" Villy put on a huge grin.
Jake had already resigned himself to his fate, so he just nodded. For some
reason, he saw Duskleaf sigh in relief at this, making him realize the poor
alchemist had been put through a lot of stuff without knowing if Jake would
even attend.
"Is there anything I should know before going?" Jake asked.
"You will be informed of all the important stuff upon getting there,” Villy
said, “but there are a few things that no general orientation will tell you. With
Shroud of the Primordial under your control, you can now disguise your
level, Blessing, and the fact that you are a heretic. For the level, I would
recommend putting yourself well above your current one. A level 150 human
being able to do what you do is suspicious. Also, you are at least centuries
old if someone asks, okay?"
"Sure, I guess. But only one century old. I don’t wanna look like a slow-
ass weakling in front of the other kids." Jake smirked.
 "Fine, and I choose to ignore you insulting more than ninety-nine percent
of D-grades in the multiverse. Anyway, there is still one final thing to
address. While the Shroud can hide nearly everything, it cannot hide your
Bloodline. Anyone with a Bloodline will be able to feel you have one, and
there are even special items made by many of the more powerful factions of
the multiverse able to detect them. This works through anything. Unless you
have a Bloodline that revolves around being undetectable or a Transcendent
skill to hide it, any Bloodline holder will be instantly identified.”
Jake frowned. "Will this cause any problems?"
Maybe he could try to suppress his Bloodline like he did before the
system? No… that would also make it inactive or weaker, wouldn’t it? That
was assuming he could even do it, which was a big if.
"That depends. Bloodlines are rare in the wider multiverse, but in the
Order, many have them. Primarily because they come from ancient clans and
families with an ancestor possessing one, having passed it down for
generations. What you need to watch out for is being identified as a
Bloodline Patriarch. Even if this is discovered, which it has a good chance to
be, remember to hide the actual specifics of your Bloodline."
"So… I have one giving me resistance to presences and some suppressive
effects while amplifying my own in some form?" Jake asked.
They were parts of the Bloodline he had no way to hide. He couldn’t fake
being suppressed by someone more powerful than himself even if he wanted
to, as they could no doubt detect him not being affected. His own aura also
wasn’t something he could hide—at least, not in the long term.
"Yeah, and even then, that is no simple Bloodline. It will already cause
some issues for you. You just have to take care, or you may be hunted down,"
Villy warned gravely.
Jake also turned more serious. He knew being powerful or standing out
could lead to danger, and having a Bloodline was no doubt something that
made him stand out. But it really didn’t make any sense either.
"Will people within the Order really hunt me down for my Bloodline?
What benefits would that even give them? And isn’t it kind of stupid for
those with powerful Bloodlines to get killed?"
Villy’s mood changed completely, and he adopted a goofy smile. "Who
said anything about killing?"
"What?" Jake asked, confused, catching Duskleaf facepalm off to the
side.
 "A strong young bachelor with a powerful Bloodline with seemingly no
ties to large, existing factions… You will need to be wary at all times." The
snake god grinned.
"Wait… are you serious?"
"Hell, yeah," Villy said, giving him a thumbs-up. "Just try to keep it in
your pants when it comes to the crazies, and if you do find yourself cornered,
avoid making any kids or commitments and just keep it casual, okay?"
Jake once more began reconsidering that entire school thing.
Chapter 46
 School Preparations

J ake was once again pulled through space. This time he focused on not
trying to look anywhere or spread out his senses as he passed through that
weird void. It went a bit faster than the first time, and Jake promptly
found himself back in the middle of the grand monument.
In front of him stood Chris, who had clearly been doing some
maintenance work. "Lord Thayne, you’re back!"
Waving to the guy, Jake suddenly got an idea. "Can you Identify me?"
"Sure!" the young man agreed without question. "It says human, but I
can’t see the level."
Jake nodded, confirming it worked as he intended. It would be suspicious
if people too low in level to detect his façade would suddenly see a number
they otherwise shouldn’t be able to. "Thanks, man, I got some stuff to handle
back in Haven. See you around, and good job on the teleporter. Worked as
intended."
"All according to the will of the Malefic One," Chris said in a tone that
gave Jake the creeps.
He headed out, flying towards the teleporter and back to Haven.
He had been told to wait a week before heading back again and going to
the Academy. He would use this time to make sure nothing bad had happened
in his absence, as Jake discovered he had been gone for months. He already
kind of knew upon seeing how many levels Chris had gained, and he even
felt the general level of power from the Fort had increased.
Flying over, he did notice something weird, though. He was faster than
before. Jake frowned as he wondered what had happened, but he hadn’t had
any stat changes. One could say Jake had not progressed at all, for what he’d
discovered had taken nearly fourteen years total—about ten times longer than
he could even imagine.
But he quickly discovered this wasn’t true. As he moved his wings, the
energy moved through them more efficiently and controlled than before. This
was without him even thinking about it; purely passive improvements. He
couldn’t hold back his curiosity as he tried to make an arcane bolt, but not
much had changed there. He then tried to move some internal energy or even
internal mana and found the process easier.
It appeared that spending that long comprehending his own Soulshape
and the Shroud had led to unexpected benefits. Surely something to explore
later.
Quite a bit had changed back at the Fort during his absence—primarily,
Arnold completing his sphere. From the looks of it, he had even expanded it a
little. Jake would bet on the dude expanding downwards soon too.
Going to the teleportation place, Jake noticed two more had opened up.
One led to a city run by an independent faction at the direction of the Noboru
Clan, and the other was one that surprised Jake. It was linked directly to
Sanctdomo.
He did discover that one was not active yet, though. Not that Jake had
anything against them coming. In fact, he could recognize the gain in the
trade connection. Ultimately, he would have Miranda decide how to handle
it.
Teleporting back to Haven, Jake went straight to his old lodge. He had
already mentally informed Sylphie he was back and knew she was returning
with her parents. Jake didn’t even have to stop by Miranda’s office, as she
seemed to already know and had headed for his lodge.
Probably those tattling witches.
Jake flew into the valley and landed right in front of the porch. Miranda
was already sitting there with Reika and Lillian, clearly waiting for him.
"Hey, there," Jake said in greeting to the three women.
"Welcome back," Miranda said. "I hope it was a pleasant trip?"
"Yeah, it was," Jake said with a smile.
"How… how is this possible?" Reika said, confused. "How can you only
be level 100? What did you do? Wait, why can I—"
"And now you just learned what I have been doing," Jake said as his level
instantly changed to 180, getting a funny reaction from Reika, who looked
even more confused.
 "So, a method to hide your true identity when you go the Order of the
Malefic Viper?" Miranda asked rhetorically as she nodded in understanding.
"A wise decision that should avoid a lot of issues."
"That is the plan, at least, and the Viper proposed another thing to make it
look less weird," Jake said, turning to Reika. "What would you say to coming
along to the Academy run by the Order of the Malefic Viper?"
"Pardon?" Reika said, her level of confusion growing by the moment. "I
doubt that would be a good idea. I am not a member of the Order, nor a
believer in the Malefic One. I don’t see how it would make sense and if I
would even want to go."
"You complained about not having equal minds to spar with. The Order
will have those in spades," Miranda inserted.
"Yeah, and I would even advise you to pick a few of the best D-grade
alchemists you brought with you from your clan,” Jake said. “As for not
being a believer and all that? It should be fine. At least, the Viper said it
would be, as long as you don’t try to start some heretical movement. Also,
finally, think about the benefits! I plan on using this, and I am sure we will
get some good stuff.” He took out a certain token.

[High-tier Alchemy Token of the Malefic Order (Legendary)] – A token

created by the Order of the Malefic Viper. This token represents a deal made
with the Nalkar vampire line to grant a set number of the Nalkar Clan
vampires membership to the Order, and includes a set number of benefits.
This token has never been turned in, and doing so may lead to certain
rewards. Gives off an aura that encourages growth in toxic alchemical
products.

Everyone looked at it for a moment before Reika brought up a pertinent

point. "It says it is only for Nalkar vampires."
"It’ll be fine. We got it from the system event to explore Yalsten," Jake
said.
After a moment, Reika asked, "Won't that be extremely suspicious?"
Jake shook his head. "We will be either way. We would stand out for a
plethora of reasons, but the biggest one will be that we all have Endless
Tongues of the Myriad Races, making it obvious we are newly integrated into
the multiverse. While apparently my existence as a Chosen has been kept a
bit under wraps, the fact that a newly integrated individual was the cause of
the Viper becoming more active again has been spread. So me suddenly
showing up will be suspicious as hell. But what if a bunch of humans come
from an integrated universe with a token from an ancient realm? We will
stand out, yes, but for a different reason."
"That does make sense. However, you will still be the only one blessed by
the Viper," Miranda cut in. "Unless you are bringing Chris?"
"Nah, that would be a dick move, considering he isn’t even an alchemist,"
Jake said, shaking his head. "I will just be the leader who got the token and
brought some of my fellow humans. It makes sense I would be the only one
who got blessed for getting the token, and that I’d be acting as an
ambassador. This is also the narrative we will spin."
"I am not certain me and others going will be a wise choice,” Reika said.
“Just some preliminary research makes it clear it may be dangerous. I even
heard about some poison-sharing ritual or something.”
"Yeah… that…" Jake recognized. "I think it is obvious you won’t have
the professions related to the Viper, so just avoid drinking stuff, and
honestly? If someone of a similar grade and level of power can make a
poison able to outright kill you, then you just suck a bit, you know? So just
tell people not to be idiots."
Reika looked a tad offended but also seemed to get his point.
"So, how many should go?" she asked. "And will Miranda come along
also?"
"No, I think I am more well-known and recognizable than Jake in the
Order,” Miranda explained. “I have interacted with several members in the
realm of the Verdant Witches, and I have a divine Blessing I am unable to
hide. My presence would be a dead giveaway.”
"Wait, doesn’t that mean you know more members of the Order than
me?" Jake asked in realization.
"Naturally. But it also means they don’t know you, and not much
information has been shared. Not even your grade, race, or anything directly
related to you. None of the other factions have shared much either. It seems
like there is a huge need-to-know-basis view of information in the
multiverse.”
Jake chose to not consider the bizarreness of the situation, instead
referring to Reika again. "So, thoughts? Also, you can bring ten people tops."
"I will need to go and consult the others," Reika answered, clearly unsure.
"If we go, will it be possible to return again if it isn’t deemed suitable?"
 "I don’t know," Jake answered. "But while it may be possible, I wouldn’t
choose based on how easy something is. Choices without easy takebacks are
more fun anyway."
Jake naturally knew it would be possible, but if he was being honest, he
didn’t want to drag people along who didn’t want to commit.
Reika nodded in understanding and left to consult with the ones from her
clan. Miranda had stayed together with Lillian, as they still had some
business to handle. But first:
"Do you think she will go?" she asked.
"Of course," Jake answered with a smirk. "Even if she is doubtful and
isn’t sure it’s a wise choice, she is starved for knowledge. This isn’t an
opportunity she will pass up. The only thing holding her back is that old
dilemma of personal benefits over what is best for the clan."
In reality, Jake had offered it as much for the benefit of their clan as for
her. The Noboru clan did not have any real heritages besides the newly
obtained vampire one, meaning they had far less to work with than others.
Jake wanted to at least give the old man a helping hand by training a few
alchemists for him. He was fully aware they probably wouldn’t hold any
loyalty towards Jake and the Order, but he really didn’t care.
Neither did Villy, who had proposed this entire scenario.
"Alright," Miranda said. "Now for a breakdown of what happened in your
absence and future plans while you’re gone…"
The next hour consisted of Miranda bringing Jake up to speed about the
state of Haven and its inhabitants. Many more D-grades had appeared, and
the forest had become a common hunting ground. Entrances to the
underground had also been found spread out throughout the forest. Maps
were being drawn, and everything was just expanding.
On the topic of the teleportation circle to Sanctdomo, Miranda had not
activated it due to Jake not being there to approve it. Which he promptly did,
not seeing a huge reason not to. He doubted they would create any
unnecessary trouble, and if they did, there were still people back in Haven,
and Jake was never more than a teleportation away.
Not that he thought his presence was necessary. After all, Arnold and
Sylphie would be there, along with people like Sultan and even Miranda, who
he could feel was no slouch either. Witches were notorious for being difficult
to fight in their own territories, and coupled with her abilities as a City Lord,
she was a defensive powerhouse.
 They kept talking a while longer, and Sylphie also soon came. She
wouldn’t come along to the Order even if she could, mainly because Jake
knew she would be bored. Better she stayed on Earth and hunted, even if it
looked like she would soon surpass Jake’s own level.
Not to worry; he would catch up.
Considering he hadn’t seen the big guy in a while, he also went down to
check on the Cave Troll, where he found a sprawling garden. That is also
where Jake came to learn what the troll had been named. Miranda had come
along and said that, to the surprise of everyone, the troll seemed to have
named itself Rick. A few builders had been around the cave to help with the
garden and mainly spoke to the troll for fun. The troll had become able to
speak a few simple words due to that and kept pointing at itself while saying
Rick.
Jake came to learn he was actually trying to say rock, because he wanted
certain rocks for the garden and his cave, but by the time anyone found out,
the name Rick had stuck. Miranda said it wasn’t that bad, though, as when
they did a vote among construction workers, the winner was Trolly
McTrollface, which even Jake thought was a bad name. It should at least
have been Trollie and not Trolly.
As for the garden, the troll was doing a banger job. Jake had mainly
planted herbs not requiring much assistance to grow to begin with, and he
was amazed at the troll’s care when handling them. He considered getting
Rick some gardening tools or something, but it turned out the troll really
didn’t need any help, with magic being a thing.
After everything in Haven was handled, there was still a week before
Villy had told him to return with potential followers, and Jake decided to
spend that time just relaxing and touching base with some people.
He took a trip to Skyggen through the teleporter to spend a few days with
his parents, as he would probably be gone for a while. Not that he hadn’t just
been gone for a while already, so it was a good time to visit. Like everywhere
else, Skyggen had grown even more, and Jake faintly felt that the Umbral
Lotus deep beneath the ground was closing in on being a high-tier legendary
item.
Caleb was not around, as he was out hunting and leveling up with other
elites, so it was just Jake, his parents, and Maja for the three days he stayed
there. Jake did still do a bit of alchemy while there, but only to make some
potions and stuff to leave for Skyggen and Haven while he was gone.
 On the third day at Skyggen, Miranda used her skill to contact Jake and
said that Reika had chosen to follow him with eight other D-grade alchemists,
meaning they would go as ten. Villy had said the maximum would be twelve,
so ten was a good number.
When he got back to Haven, he had a brief talk with Sylphie before she
dove into the dungeon beneath the city to have some fun down there. She was
going alone for the rewards, while her parents would do it themselves at a
later point. He then returned to his alchemy lab and began popping out
potions until the day to leave arrived.

Reika had gathered with the other alchemists in front of the monument that
served as a teleportation circle. She was together with eight other highly
talented alchemists from the clan, all of them in the D-grade, even if some
had only evolved recently.
They had debated long and hard if going was a good idea, and had
ultimately decided to go. Reika knew that even if she was talented herself,
she was only one alchemist and couldn’t support the entire clan. She was also
specialized, making her not able to make many of the commonplace products.
So even if it was dangerous, they had to go.
A few minutes after they arrived, so did Jake and Miranda.
"Hey, you’re all here," Jake said.
He had shown up in his usual equipment and was wearing his mask,
making it obvious he planned on keeping up his relative anonymity. On that
subject, they had discussed if they would have to sign a contract or something
to ensure they would keep it a secret, but Jake had called it unnecessary. Who
would believe them anyway if they claimed he was the Chosen or anything
like that? A being of a higher grade would trust their own senses far more
than the babbling of some weakling.
"We are all ready," Reika answered with a nod.
"Great," Jake said. "Just a heads-up, the teleportation can get a bit
wobbly, but there shouldn’t be any real danger; it just feels weird."
Reika and the others nodded as they all got in position, with Miranda
having the final word.
"I will contact you if something comes up, and of course, when it is time
to return. There is still a bit of time till the second World Congress, and I
naturally expect you to attend that.”
"Naturally, we will," Reika echoed. She wasn’t sure if they could return,
but Miranda clearly believed it possible, which was reassuring. But as for her
question… who would ever forget something as important as the World
Congress and not make it a priority?

Jake had totally forgotten the World Congress was a thing.

Chapter 47
 A New Era

A nother trip through the void, and Jake found himself back in the tower.
At the same time, nine other people appeared. Two of them fell like
puppets with their strings cut, another fell over and began throwing up,
and three people fell to the floor, screaming and holding their heads.
Reika looked pale as a ghost as she breathed heavily and looked around in
fright. Jake and one other guy were the only ones who seemed completely
okay. Tossing the other guy a look, Jake recognized him as one of the space
mages, so it kinda made sense.
"Why was it so…?"
"Rough? It just is, but it gets better with every teleport, no worries," Jake
explained as he kept looking off to the side. As the only one, it seemed.
"Villy, what are you doing?"
"Showing you where the teleporter to the Order is," the Viper said as he
stood right beside Jake.
"And why am I the only one who knows you are here?"
"Because that is nicer than knocking out everyone else by unleashing a bit
of my aura to talk to you while not hidden? Besides, you got that whole
telepathy thing down already, so it doesn’t really matter, now does it?
Anyway, gather up the cannon fodder, and let’s move on.”
Jake frowned but still relayed the information, acting like he knew where
to go while just following the Viper. At least, he tried to, but they went
through the same hallway Jake had and faced the windows displaying the
city.
"How…"
"Is this?"
 "Wha—?"
Reika didn’t say anything but looked questioningly at Jake.
"Big city, probably in the trillions," Jake just said.
"So this is the Order of the Malefic Viper?" an alchemist asked, gawking
out the window.
"No, the Order is located beneath the ground. We will get there through
teleportation.”
"How large is this… place? Is it even a planet?" another alchemist came
in.
"It is a planet, and as for how large? No clue, but super big. Not sure
about the details. It isn’t like I have a god standing beside me who could
answer all these questions." Jake smirked.
"Heh," the Viper snickered. "Would be boring to just tell you, but let me
share this… The mantle layers contain galaxies."
"How the hell does that make any sense?" Jake asked skeptically.
"By it being a celestial object larger than something capable of
comprehension by the mortal mind? It may seem overwhelming now, but to a
god, it is manageable." Villy shrugged.
The other alchemists kept discussing a while, still gawking out through
the windows as they approached the teleportation gates. When they got close
to the room with the teleporters in them, Jake felt a presence within.
At the same time, Villy also turned to him. "I will leave you here. The
guide should take you to where you need to go and handle things from here.
Good luck with everything, and have fun!"
With that, the Viper disappeared, and Jake relayed, "See you… even if I
know you are still watching."
"But I am always watching, so this doesn’t count," Villy sent back.
"Heads up, people," Jake said as they approached the gate.
Instantly they all quieted down and became alert. All signs of casualness
were gone as Jake took command, acting as the leader based on their plans. It
also only made sense he was the leader, as he currently appeared to be a level
181 human—thirty-one levels above what he actually was. According to
Villy, this made Jake still considered very powerful for his level, just not
ridiculously so.
The group made it up to a gate, and they entered with a final look
exchanged between him and Reika.
When he opened it, he finally laid eyes on the individual that had been
waiting. Before Jake stood a creature with deep red skin, yellow pupils, two
horns growing from his head… and a humanoid shape. He was even wearing
a well-made, dapper suit and a hat while carrying a small crystal tablet.
Is that a goddamn demon?

[Demon – lvl 199]

It was a goddamn demon.

Jake had never seen one of those before, and the cogs in his head instantly
started turning. Were demons considered monsters or enlightened? Did the
dude in front of him have a class and a profession, or only one of those?
Maybe neither?
Unluckily, it wasn’t a good time to ask, as the demon spoke in a deep
voice, "Ah, welcome. Place of origin?" It sounded slightly inhuman, as
though it were using a voice changer to deepen its pitch.
"93 rd Universe, Earth," Jake answered promptly.
The demon manipulated the tablet a little. "Ah, here we are. Let me see…
A token, huh? Can you please present it?"
Jake did as asked, taking out the high-tier token as proof.
The demon looked at it for a while, actually showing a bit of emotion for
the first time. "Impressive job acquiring it. However, we cannot accept it, as
the promise associated with it has expired, and you not being of the Nalkar
line. I would instead suggest presenting it to the Nalkar house within the
Order for compensation."
"I was told the token was required for entry?" Jake said. He knew it
wasn’t, but he wanted to act the part of someone ignorant. Well, more
ignorant than he actually was. Also… there was a Nalkar house?
"Partly, but it is primarily the act of obtaining it the Order places
importance on, and the Blessing of the Malefic One is the true proof anyway.
Now, if you will, please proceed to the second teleportation circle, where you
will be taken to the others.”
Others? Jake asked himself as he followed the instructions.

Vilastromoz saw Jake teleport away with his little mortal followers. He
smiled, as he now had his own matters to deal with, even if these matters
were partly Jake-related.
The entire situation with him attending was a tricky one for sure.
Vilastromoz had wanted Jake to come to the Order from the beginning and
made plans to make it possible. As for how long had he made plans? Well,
since the day he gave Jake the Blessing for the first time.
Earth was not the only planet in the 93 rd Universe, and from that day on,
the Viper had begun spreading his influence. He had already blessed
hundreds of other individuals on other planets to establish himself. Earth was,
in the end, just a small blip in the broader world, even if it stood out.
All sorts of enlightened races like humans and elves had been blessed, but
why would the Viper limit himself? One had to remember Vilastromoz was a
beast, not a human or any other enlightened species. This meant the majority
of his blessings had gone out to other monsters.
On all planets, beasts and monsters had many advantages in the initial
stages, including natural treasures of extreme power that allowed them to
jump grades in only a couple of months. This did come with restrictions, but
these restrictions only counted for their own planet and universe.
What did this mean? They could freely leave. Additionally, C-grade was
when all monsters got access to the Polymorph racial skill, allowing them to
make changes to their bodies. These changes were often just small edits to
claws, morphing to remove some natural weaknesses, or similar things, but
the unique-rarity skill could do so much more.
When Vilastromoz had been C-grade, he had begun experimenting with
the skill and learned to turn himself into a humanoid form. The same
knowledge had now been passed down to those beasts, meaning that more
than a hundred C-grade beasts and monsters with his Blessing had already
entered the Academy. Not all of them had anything to do with alchemy, but
that didn’t mean the place wouldn’t have value for them.
Now, what did this have to do with Jake going? Well, this was a damn
powerful shield. Vilastromoz already knew the basic assumption would be
that his Chosen would be a beast, considering he had been one himself. This
is what most gods did, after all. No one would expect it to be a human—that
was for sure.
Coupled with all the other things planned, it should at least slow down his
discovery, even if some of those obfuscation methods did have issues.
Faking age was more complicated than other things, but the Viper had
ways, and reasonable doubt was all one needed. Time dilation was plentiful,
and sometimes it was better to not speak any truth or lies, but to simply leave
things in ambiguity. Everyone knew certain natural realms existed where
time moved differently. Everyone knew system events would distort time,
and while some events were for everyone, it was possible to enter more
personal challenges, like system-made Trial Dungeons with changed time.
People would also ask if Jake had gone to Nevermore or not. Had he
spent all five or so years there in D-grade already? Most would assume yes,
just based on his level.
So many things he had done could be explained away with handwaving
or simply explaining he was a genius picked by the Viper. Perhaps the best
genius of the bunch, but was he a Chosen-level genius? What even was a
Chosen-level genius?
Jake would still be a primary suspect. But the thing was, while it would
make people treat him better, it would not make anyone treat him as a
Chosen. No one would simply dare assume he was the Chosen, as that would
be disrespectful in itself.
But as said, all Vilastromoz needed was enough reasonable doubt. A seed
to be planted with more than one candidate. That is, assuming the Chosen
was even at the Academy. No one could know if he was or wasn’t, and
rumors had even been spread that he wouldn’t go, but merely be trained by
the Viper himself. A partial truth spread with the Viper’s ushering.
Besides, the majority of the focus would be on the C-grades, not a bunch
of humans who had arrived later than others.
Finally, perhaps the biggest point: no one would expect the Chosen to
hide his identity at all. Why would he? Everyone in the multiverse tended to
be overly invested in status, and what was bigger than the Chosen of a
Primordial? Also, why would the Viper not want his Chosen discovered? The
entire logic of hiding would be lost on most.
But… Vilastromoz truly believed this was best for Jake. Also, he knew
his pal would leave if he got too overwhelmed with attention, and as much as
the Viper didn’t expect anything from Jake besides growing powerful, he still
preferred him to study and get involved in the Order. Both for the Order and
Jake’s sake.
The day he met Jake, the Viper had resolved himself to return to the
multiverse at large. He had begun expanding the organization once more,
bringing in hidden gods who had once been aligned with him, and made one
thing clear: he was fully back and would reclaim his status.
Before his return, the Order of the Malefic Viper had only had one
official god as part of it. The Lord Protector, Snappy, was just a caretaker
who ensured no one would dare try to eliminate the Order, but he was just
there to keep it running, if barely.
Duskleaf had hidden as well, not caring about the Order as an
organization. It was a hollow shell, and even if that hollow shell had managed
to retain some semblance of power, it was feeble. However, this decline had
not come instantly. So one question was very obvious:
How many gods had ascended during the many years the Viper had been
in isolation?
The number of gods who had stayed was zero, but that didn’t tell the
entire story. Nothing had been done to keep any of them after becoming gods,
and while he was disappointed none had stayed to strengthen the Order, he
couldn't truly blame them. They had spread out across the multiverse and
done their own things, as the Order no longer offered them much. In many
ways, it was to be expected.
But… now he was back.
He had called upon the Hidden Ones. Friends, allies, and comrades of the
past. Loyalists who had stayed such for eras. Individuals who had been part
of the Order and still held loyalty towards it or Snappy.
With a single step, Vilastromoz pierced the void and appeared before the
realm of Snappy. With another, he entered, and with a third, he appeared on
the highest platform, which also held the monument he had made Snappy so
long ago—the one that had made his friend aware of his return.
Vilastromoz smiled as figures began appearing around him. The void
repeatedly splintered as auras descended, one after another. The first ones
were triplet witches with the auras of Godqueens, and naturally, Snappy
himself gave off an aura surpassing even that.
Dozens more appeared, taking on a myriad of forms. Some were mere
shadowy specters, some were anonymous avatars, and some had chosen to
come with their true bodies, showing their loyalty by willingly entering the
realm of a god more powerful than themselves.
After a few seconds, the last arrival was there, and more than five
hundred gods waited with bated breath.
"It has been a while," the Malefic Viper spoke. "Many familiar faces
in the crowd, and a few newcomers."
 He infused his voice with power, and the entire realm vibrated.
"Firstly, you have chosen wisely to show up today. I do notice a few
glaring absences, but no worries, I am sure they were genuine mistakes
on their parts to not even make their unavailability clear."
The words were said jokingly, but the threat was clear. Vilastromoz knew
that he needed to show power after being gone so far. Confidence. He needed
to prove he was still the Malefic Viper of old. Killing the Brimstone
Hegemon had been a start, but far from enough.
"Secondly, I welcome all of you back. Too long have I been gone. Too
long has what once was withered and decayed. Too long has my name
been forgotten, and my influence absent. So if my actions have not made
it obvious already, then let my words make it clear: the Malefic Viper is
back, and the Order shall rise once more."
For the first time since his return, the Malefic Viper released it all. Every
shred of his power and presence flared out as the realm shook, and more than
half of the gods present buckled and fell to their knees. Their projections
flickered, and the shadows began losing form.
Only a few could stand putting up a front to appear unaffected, but all of
them had the same expression.
"Thirdly, rumors have been spread far and wide. The Malefic Viper
is no threat anymore… his power has waned. He has stagnated. The
moment he is out of his realm, he is nothing more than a target for those
who wish to claim the title of slaying a Primordial.
"I find this all so interesting. Who the fuck do they think they are
talking about? Stagnation? Waned power? Do they think I have done
nothing for eras on end? Do they think I have merely wallowed in
despair? I pity such fools. So let me set the record straight: there is still
no god in existence I fear. There is still no god in the multiverse that
dares to claim they can defeat me… and if there is, I would gladly prove
them wrong."
He grinned as he felt the auras of many of the gods flare up around him.
A projection of a snake appeared above him as he opened his arms and
declared,
"It is time to come home to the Order. Time to rebuild and reclaim
what was ours. For the Order of the Malefic Viper to not only become
what it once was, but something far greater. I am not returning to be
satisfied with what I once had, but to take whatever I desire, no different
from the past.
"Let the 93 rd Era of the multiverse be the Era of the Order of the
Malefic Viper!" Vilastromoz proclaimed as he felt the auras of the gods flare
up around him again. Shadows were replaced with true bodies, and avatars
swapped for the genuine product.
The auras synchronized, and no words were spoken, but the intent was
clear. The Malefic Viper grinned as he felt the gazes of worship upon him
once more.
The Era of the Malefic Viper… and his Chosen, Jake Thayne.
Chapter 48
 A Diverse Crowd

J ake, Reika and the others stepped onto the teleportation circle pointed out
by the demon, and were then transported once more. He hadn’t even
gotten the name of the horned guy, but he assumed they would probably
meet again sometime in the future if he was in charge of the teleportation
place.
When he and the others arrived at the other side of the teleportation circle,
they found themselves in a new hub of sorts. They walked a bit forward, then
stopped and looked around.
"Move," someone said as Jake and the others just stood there.
Jake looked up and saw a large figure around four meters tall with an
incredibly bulky build. Jake used Identify as he stepped to the side, the others
hurrying after him.

[Ogre – lvl 178]

The ogre grunted and went on the circle they had just gotten off of. Jake
didn’t like the attitude of the ogre but didn’t wanna start shit five seconds
after arriving. Instead, he hurried the group forward, where someone walked
up to them.
"New arrivals of the 93 rd Universe for the Academy?" the person said,
and Jake confirmed it was yet another demon.

[Demon – lvl 192]

 It was a woman with red skin and glowing orange eyes. She was wearing
close to nothing, but had at least covered the essential parts. She had two
wings on her back and a tail as well as two small horns, with her proportions
on the plentiful side, and Jake instantly knew…
It’s a gosh-darn succubus!
The group behind him looked a bit uncomfortable, but Jake just
answered, "That’s right, we just arrived."
"Great! Please follow me. You are the second-to-last group we expect
today. Oh, and be advised that no violence is allowed within the meeting
room, and it will be met with swift execution.” She flashed a bright smile as
she led them towards a wall with a magic circle on it.
She took out a token that flashed with light, and the magic circle was
replaced with a magical rectangular gate leading into what looked like a large
leisure room. "Just through here."
Jake took the lead as he gave her a nod and thanked her in passing, Reika
and the eight other alchemists following behind closely. He noticed Reika
and the others looking around with expressions of fear, interest, and curiosity,
but most of all carefulness. Jake himself had also been rather curious, as he
saw many interesting creatures, but maybe he was a bit more used to it than
other humans?
Going through the gate in front of them, Jake instantly felt the warmth hit
him, as the interior was quite cozy. It was a large space, and Jake saw it
already contained around two hundred people. All eyes landed on Jake and
his group when they entered, at first with little interest, but in tandem with
Jake feeling the Identifies hitting him, their eyes lingered.
It made sense. Currently, Jake was showing himself to be level 181,
which made him instantly stand out. As he inspected them back, the first
thing he noticed was just the sheer diversity. He saw all kinds of races, all of
them of humanoid build, but their power and appearances varied greatly.
There were several smaller groups, which Jake guessed were groups that
had come together. He quickly Identified a bunch of the leaders of the groups
and saw their levels.

[Elf – lvl 142]

[Human – lvl 138]
[Dwarf – lvl 135]
 The levels were relatively high, though lower than Jake’s by a fair deal.
Also, one had to remember Jake had really not progressed as much as he
probably should in recent times. As a reference, Reika—who walked with
him—was comparable to these leaders at level 139.
However, he quickly noticed a discrepancy. The room was split into three
parts. One part was with these leaders in it, but further in there were some
stairs, with a final, smaller part at the top. Up at the second level, Jake felt the
auras of those present and instantly knew that every one of them was
powerful. Definitely good enough to give him a good fight.
The first of which was a scaled man—not with usual scales, but fish
scales. At his neck, he had gill-like growths. His body was dark blue, and
Jake’s Identify made it clear it was quite the exotic race.

[Gillkin – lvl 165]

Jake had no idea what a gillkin was, but hey, now he knew. The gillkin
was one of five leaders of groups in this elevated area, with the next two a bit
more human.

[Human – lvl 159]

[Elf – lvl 166]

They were a bit more human in that one of them was literally a human,
while the other was an elf. Seeing the elf confirmed to Jake that elves were
just humans with pointy ears. They were also perhaps a little bit thinner, but
nothing really noticeable. Either way, these two were not overly interesting.
The human was strong, sure, but compared to someone like the Sword Saint?
Eh.
He was probably about the level of Caleb or Carmen, maybe? Probably
not even that, if they were equal levels. The next three leaders were more
interesting.

[Risen – lvl 149]

First of all, a Risen. It was a man who looked very human, but Jake felt
the man’s aura, and one thing was instantly clear… He’d been blessed by the
same god as Casper. Why would someone blessed by the Blightfather be
here? Also, how the hell do I know that he is blessed by him?
Not questioning it more than necessary, Jake regarded the last one on the
second level of the hall.

[Harpy – lvl 168]

It was a woman with feathers growing on her body and two wing-like
arms. So, yeah, a harpy pretty much as described in most fiction. Jake had to
admit she did look a little off with a beak for a mouth, and the claws on her
hands didn’t look suited to proper alchemy, but what did he know?
These people on the second level had all been interesting in their own
right, but the one who stood out the most was the man who stood alone at the
highest section of the room: a reptilian figure with black and dark green
scales that instantly gave Jake certain flashbacks. He had to admit… he was
taken by surprise.

[Malefic Dragonkin – lvl 185]

Jake stared up at the man, who looked back and met his gaze. For a
moment, the world stood still as they sized up each other, and Jake was
certain…
Strong…
Incredibly strong. The aura he displayed was on another level compared
to anyone else present, and moreover, Jake felt something more impressive.
A Divine Blessing, given by Villy himself. A cursory glance made it obvious
that if anyone in this room was the Chosen of the Malefic Viper, it was the
guy in front of him.
Jake couldn’t help but wonder where the hell the guy had come from.
"Villy... who is this guy?" Jake asked.
"Someone who got very close to becoming another Progenitor, and one of
my better investments so far. Comes from a pretty small and shitty planet,
though, where relative peace has already been established, as the few C-
grade beasts reached a stalemate. The guy was originally some weird
moleman or something, and I must admit I like the dragonkin look more.”
Villy explained all this casually, adding on, "And before you ask the obvious
question of how all these people managed to teleport here when I said it was
so difficult to you, the reason is that the monument is a two-way teleporter.
These people went on a one-way trip and have effectively abandoned their
planets for good."
Jake listened and acknowledged the Viper’s words as he kept staring at
the Dragonkin. The man stared back, and Jake smiled beneath the mask. He
teleported across the room with a single step, and another took him up two
flights of stairs, where he appeared right in front of the menacing figure at the
highest level of the room.
Two auras flared in the room. The Malefic Dragonkin tried to exert his
dominance, but Jake just smiled as his legendary Pride of the Malefic Viper
activated to boost his own presence. Jake felt the attention of someone who
had been observing the room, but he paid it no mind, as he expected it to be
some peacekeeper. The attention was not hostile, but more curious at what
was happening.
With Pride, Jake was ashamed to admit that his own presence barely
matched the other party. He was naturally still unaffected by what the other
guy did, and he consciously tried to avoid mixing in anything Bloodline-
related, but still. The two of them stood there for a few seconds, both their
auras flaring. Then they both calmed down, ending the metaphorical dick-
measuring contest.
The dragonkin looked at Jake and smiled. "Draskil."
Jake, assuming it was the guy’s name, answered in kind. "Hunter."
With a small change, of course. Jake had decided to not go with his real
name, instead opting for Hunter. Hunter was a real name anyway, so it should
be fine, right? Heck, he’d had a kid at his school called Hunter while growing
up, so it wasn’t that weird.
The dragonkin just nodded as Jake felt the gazes of everyone present
upon them. Jake knew this wasn’t a good strategy if the goal was to stay
inconspicuous, but he also knew that was never going to happen. He wasn’t
good at acknowledging authority, and with his level displaying him at 181, it
didn’t make sense for him not to stand at the highest level either.
Even non-chosen geniuses would be a bit arrogant, right?
He did feel somewhat bad about leaving Reika and the others at the
lowest level. She didn’t even try to follow, instead leading the others to stand
at a nearby wall.
As he stood there, the dragonkin turned to him. "Challenge Dungeon?"
 Jake nodded, surprised. "Yeah."
"Met god?"
Jake nodded again. "Yeah."
"Scary god, but powerful," Draskil said, and by now, Jake was sure of
one thing.
"Villy… is this guy… you know?"
"Simple? Hell yeah. He was a half-beast-like creature just half a year
ago, and the mole people’s language was very simplistic. But don’t
misinterpret him as stupid.”
"Also, you had more Challenge Dungeons?"
"I had a bunch of old ones stashed away that I decided to toss out there
after I returned to the multiverse, and the system happily accepted them,” the
snake god answered. “It likes to spread powerful legacies to new universes,
and mine were pretty scarce.”
Jake mentally acknowledged this as the teleportation gate lit up again,
and a crowd of people walked in. It was a mixed group of humans and elves,
with the strongest two—a human man and an elf woman—at the front. Both
were only around 140, so nothing interesting there.
The succubus from before entered with them. She threw a look around the
room, lingering briefly on Jake and Draskil, then regarding the others.
"Alright, with everyone here, let me begin the preliminary instructions.
First of all, have one of these.” The succubus waved her hand and sent
crystals flying out into the room. "On those, you will see the rules of the
Academy and some other practical information. Study it on your own time.
"Before you enter the Academy, there will be a test. This test will take
place within a dungeon designed specifically to perform these tests for
outsiders, and will give the Order an understanding of you. This trial is
performed on an individual basis. You will get a final score from the test that
will determine your placement in the academy. Ah, but don’t fret—you can’t
fail this test, per se, so even if you perform horrendously and manage to
complete the dungeon, you will still be allowed access to the Academy. Note
that we only do this as you are natives of a newly integrated universe, so you
all have it a bit easier."
Jake nodded along, not sure if he should be surprised at the use of a
dungeon to perform the test. Because damn, was that smart. With the
dungeon’s ability to have a "save state" of sorts, everyone would enter with
the same conditions. It was a bit like the Altmar thing in the dungeon under
Haven, actually.
This also made him consider the other ways one could make use of the
system. He already knew a lot of architecture was based on spatial expansion,
and teleportation seemed quite commonplace. Man, what else was there?
He was starting to get excited about what kind of trial or test the Order
could have conjured up.
"Now, please follow me to the location of the dungeon," the guide demon
said as she took out the token again. The door they had initially used to enter
lit up with runes, and a new gateway opened.
As Jake looked on, he began to have a feeling teleportation circles and
gates were more commonplace than actual doors within the Order.

An earthquake struck the area, shattering the entire mountain from the
pressure. The screams of beasts were a symphony of his making. The large,
pathetic worm rose from the ground and squirmed, attempting to hold onto
life. A futile attempt, as the power difference was too massive. Nearly as
massive as the difference in size between the creature—only slighter larger
than a man—and the worm, at over two hundred meters long.
Flesh was crushed as the beast fought back. The world itself became a
weapon, pillars of earth rising as if to spear the sky. Yet when they hit the
impenetrable shield, they shattered like feeble sand.
The body of the worm hardened as the telekinetic power was interrupted,
sending the beast falling to the ground. A worthwhile effort that was
ultimately revealed to be futile when his claw turned golden. A flash lit up
the environment as the massive beast received five gashing wounds in its
side, creating a torrent of blood that made it rain crimson.
Perhaps it was time he stopped playing around. Another ivory claw was
raised, and the world was enveloped in gold that soon collected itself into a
golden orb crackling with energy. With a simple motion, it was crushed,
shooting out a beam. The worm tried to block with a new mountain of rock,
but it mattered little when it faced supreme power.

*You have slain [Earthen Wormlord – lvl 198] – Bonus experience earned
for killing an enemy above your level*
 Levitating down to the ground, he used a simple motion to disperse all the
soil and dust, revealing what had been hidden and protected within the
mountain. A single crystal that had served as little more than a nurturing
natural treasure. Truly a pathetic underutilization.
The ivory claw touched upon the now unbound Pylon of Civilization, and
a new master claimed the territory. The environment instantly changed as the
authority of a King was established. A level was gained as he walked his path
of conquest and took yet another domain under his control.
Just one of many for the Fallen King to rightfully claim.
Chapter 49
 Dungeon: Order of the Male ic Viper
D-grade entrance-test

J ake had only stood with Draskil for a few minutes while waiting for the
last group to arrive, but it had been enough for him to establish himself.
He did find the very purposefully built room interesting in that it had
clearly defined levels. It was made for people to separate themselves into
tiers of power by default, making some stand higher than others.
He decided to go back to Reika and the others for the next part, and they
all went through yet another teleportation gate. The good thing about these
gates was that at least they showed the other side before entering, and there
was no feeling of actually being teleported.
They appeared within a new chamber that held a number of discs,
somewhat reminiscent of the one below Haven. The demon ushered them all
towards one of them, and the group silently followed. Jake made sure to
inspect the people he was with, and one general mood seemed to dominate:
nervousness.
Nervous about what, Jake didn’t know. It was potentially the fact that
they were surrounded by more powerful people, and while walking to the
disc in question, Jake also felt many auras. A lot of which, he knew, would be
able to utterly curb-stomp him, as there were several C-grades among them.
"The entire entrance test should take about a day to finish for the fast and
up to a week for those on the slower side,” the succubus said as she stood in
front of the disc. “As mentioned, you will be allowed entrance no matter the
result, but better performance will lead to more benefits upon entry. All other
details will follow after the test.”
Jake looked behind her and inspected the disc.
 Dungeon: Order of the Malefic Viper D-grade Entrance Test
Requirements to enter: D-grade
Requirements to enter met
WARNING: Only 1 challenger per entry

It was indeed a pretty standard dungeon, and Jake was ready to go when
someone else spoke up.
"Will this test involve combat, or is it purely focused on alchemy?" an elf
asked.
"Naturally, it will," the demon asked, looking at the elf as if she was an
idiot. "It will also involve tests of general energy control and auxiliary skills."
Jake had to admit, he also found the question a bit silly. Of course there
would be combat. After all, it was a dungeon designed by the Order of the
Malefic Viper. At least no one was stupid enough to ask if—
"Will it include any real danger of death?" a human asked, and to Jake’s
dismay, it was one of the alchemists that had come with him and Reika.
This time, nearly everyone—not just the demon—looked at him like he
was an utter moron. He didn’t even get an answer; he just tried to make
himself smaller as the demon muttered under her breath, "Damn newcomers."
Draskil, who stood at the front of their entire group, suddenly just stepped
forward, walked onto the disc, and disappeared. The demon nodded
approvingly, and others also followed suit. Entire groups went onto the disc
and entered together. Well, individually, but they went there together. So…
together alone?
Jake turned and threw a look at Reika, who stood behind him. She
nodded, and Jake felt her nervousness. He also knew it wasn’t really for
herself, but for those she was with. Jake nodded back, took a step forward,
and teleported onto the disc. Then he disappeared, teleporting for what felt
like the hundredth time that day.

Irinixis looked on as the last native disappeared. The last few had been a bit
slow, but it wasn’t like she could expect too much from natives of new
universes. At least, not all of them. This batch had quite a few good ones, and
at least one absolutely outstanding one.
 The Order had not seen a Malefic Dragonkin for longer than she could
remember, and yet more than a hundred had appeared during the last half a
year or so. All because the Malefic One was truly back. She couldn’t help but
wonder if the dragonkin called Draskil was perhaps the Chosen, but the
chances were low. To meet the Chosen of the Malefic Viper was not
something she could ever dream of doing. It seemed as unrealistic as meeting
the Lord Protector or the Malefic One himself.
Shaking her head, she went over to one of the transference gates and
manipulated her token to return to the office.
"Hey, Irin, that was quick," a voice said the second she entered.
"Hi, boss," Irinixis—or Irin, for short—greeted her immediate supervisor.
"And yes, it went rather smoothly."
The main office within the Order was a massive complex handling most
internal workings of the Order of the Malefic Viper. These offices were all
connected, even to the external branches, and usually, each Hall had one
main office each. However, since there was only one Hall now, there was
only one main office.
"Anyone noteworthy in the batch? Always exciting to get people from
far-off places," her boss said.
The boss was a succubus like her, but had already evolved to C-grade and
gotten promoted only a few years ago. They came from the same clan, so
they had always had a good working relationship, and both knew they would
be colleagues of the same rank in a decade or so.
"A few," Irin answered as she turned serious. "There was a male Malefic
Dragonkin among them. Level 185."
"Didn’t they only get integrated less than a year ago? Even with special
events and Nevermore, that is outstanding.” Her boss whistled. "But even so,
his foundation may be a bit unstable for the test. Do you think it is possible
he is… you know?"
"The reading said he carried a divine Blessing, given by the Patron," Irin
said gravely.
"That… really? Oh… oh, my. That was unexpected. Luckily, we have a
day at minimum to prepare everything. No matter the result, have him placed
in the highest-level courtyards and make sure the Humanoid Resources
department prepares adequately for him.”
Irinixis nodded and hurried on with today’s work. She knew being in
charge of the administrative work of this group would lead to something big
with someone as outstanding as a Malefic Dragonkin carrying a divine
Blessing.
Heck, maybe some of the others would also be pleasant surprises.

Jake opened his eyes once more and found himself within a hall. Before him
was a massive and intricate gate with the motif belonging to the Order of the
Malefic Viper, and as he looked at it, the expected system message popped
up.

You have entered the dungeon: Order of the Malefic Viper D-grade
Entrance Test
Objective: Complete the entry test

"Seems easy enough," Jake muttered as he went forward and up to the

gate.
A handprint matching a human hand appeared on it, and Jake naturally
placed his hand on it and felt energy enter his body. Very familiar energy,
once more giving him flashbacks to the Undergrowth and the gate there. But
one thing was different. This time, Jake could feel what it did.
The pulse of energy went straight for the area around his heart, and he
barely felt it interact with Shroud of the Primordial, heading straight through
and scanning the outer part of his Truesoul. He knew it had just successfully
Identified him without Shroud doing anything to block it, and he couldn’t
help but frown.
It was like the Identify worked on some higher concept than usual.
Directly system-done, perhaps due to it being a dungeon?
Either way, he felt the pulse leave his body again as, finally, he could
move his hand. The motif on the gate lit up and slowly started opening, and a
figure popped up in front of him. A projection.
It was a vaguely humanoid shape, but as the figure became fully detailed,
it was clear it was actually some kind of humanoid lizard, not that different
from the Malefic Dragonkin. So probably another type of dragonkin.
"If this test included the ability to hide from Identification skills, you
would get top marks there," the projection said as it appeared. "Sadly for you,
that isn’t the case."
"Damn, that is the one thing I bet on." Jake just shrugged casually. He
was a bit surprised at the demeanor of the projection, as it seemed too… lax?
Or was it just Jake who had gotten too used to uptight officials and a
restrictive education system?
"Seems like we’re all in for a disappointment, then," the projection said.
"Now, let’s get this started. Follow me."
Jake did as told and followed the projection through the now open gate.
"This entrance test will test your abilities in areas related to both alchemy
and combat, with alchemy being the primary subject,” the projection said.
“The tests will vary based on your specializations, but some things will be
mandatory, such as testing your skill in working with toxic materials. Any
questions so far?"
"Nothing related to the Order of the Malefic Viper itself?" Jake asked
curiously. He had expected some religious stuff to be there.
"This isn’t a test to be a cultist, but an alchemist; why would knowledge
related to the Order and the Malefic One matter? Also, most who take the
entrance test are new to the Order, and you can’t expect much. Finally, much
of the knowledge related to Order is unconfirmable and subjective. This
projection was placed here in the Second Era, and I am certain much has
changed since then.”
Jake nodded, and the projection took it as a sign to continue.
"Based on your overall performance during all tests, you will be ranked
from one to five stars, with each star having ten levels to it. One star will be
considered a failure, and anything above two stars is considered above
average. You can choose which segment you want to do first. Do you want to
get the combat portion out the way immediately, or start with alchemy and
finish off with combat?"
"Any benefits to either option?" Jake asked.
"If you suck at one, you can get it out of the way, though if you suck at
alchemy as a human, I have no idea what you are even doing here," the
projection answered curtly.
"Well, let’s hope I don’t, then," Jake said.
He also wondered what the many additional presences looking at him
were all about. It wasn’t only the projection in front of him observing, but he
felt more than a hundred others. It was honestly a weird feeling being under
such scrutiny, but he didn’t comment on it aloud.
 "So? What first?" the projection asked again.
He shrugged. "I am fine with either.”
"Alchemy first, then."
They came to another gate that the projection opened with a mental
command. It led into a large, circular room, looking not unlike Jake’s own
alchemy lab. The room began shifting and changing, and more than a
hundred boxes appeared. All of them were sealed up with items inside. Jake
could only see the insides due to his sphere, but he believed each held herbs.
"The first task will test your ability to identify herbs and natural treasures.
Note that your Identify skill will be unavailable during this test, not that it
would help much. There is a total of one hundred herbs, and you have an
hour. Describe each herb by infusing your understanding into this.” A small
crystal appeared, floating in front of Jake. "Got any questions now?"
Jake naturally asked the only obvious question. "Can I eat them?"
"Some of them are highly toxic, potentially lethal to mid-tier D-grades,"
the projection answered. "But of course you can. Anything else?"
"Nope," Jake answered, as it all seemed relatively straightforward.
"Time begins when you open the first box."
With that, the projection disappeared, leaving Jake alone in the locked
room together with the hundred boxes of herbs.
This seems rather rudimentary for an ancient order, Jake thought. The
test was damn simple, even if it was just one of many, making him consider if
there was some hidden objective or something. Then again… maybe it just
was this simple? A case of "if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it," perhaps?
He chose to believe he was right as he cracked his neck and got to work,
happy he hadn’t eaten breakfast.
First, he gathered all the boxes by sending out mana strings and stacking
them up. Each box was completely black with a small magic circle on top
that he instinctively knew worked to open it. He also tried to Identify a box
by instinct, but the skill didn’t activate.
Jake wondered if the ability to block skill usage was something normal
for dungeons. The only other time he had seen it was in the Challenge
Dungeon, but maybe it was something they could all do?
Shaking his head, he decided to just get to work. The more than a
hundred observers curiously looked on at what he was doing as Jake opened
the first box. He only had an hour total, which seemed like a lot, but
considering there were a hundred boxes to go through, it means there was
only a bit more than half a minute per herb.
When the first box opened, Jake instantly focused all of his Perception on
the small, root-like herb within.
Water, life, nature, but… some venom? Beast-like. Once part of a lifeform
using poisoned roots to attack? Plenty of toxins, but well hidden, Jake
instantly thought, his Sense of the Malefic Viper and high Perception getting
to work.
He began infusing his understanding into the crystal as he put it in his
mouth and swallowed it. He then opened the next box as Palate did its thing.
Inside the second box was a mushroom of some kind. Entirely purple with
spots covering it.
Lightning? But also something else… Wait, time energy? Lightning and
time? Aggressive energy too. Definitely going to have a spicy taste. Looks
like shit and utterly unappetizing, which is unsurprising, considering it is a
fucking mushroom.
After his initial impression, he tossed it into his mouth and chewed,
feeling the sparks of electricity coming out and lifting his hair. Palate had
also done work on the first herb and made him aware of some other
interesting tidbits.
The boxes all looked identical, but the magic circles on top varied in
intricacy, and Jake quickly assumed this was to indicate difficulty. Feeling
spicy, he went on to one of the hardest boxes.
Inside was a small black leaf, and Jake’s initial impression was just one
thing: death.
He then picked it up and tossed it into his mouth. The moment it entered,
it turned to a mist that bore into Jake’s body, and his face slowly began
eroding and melting. The energy also went into his stomach and began killing
his flesh from the inside, the aggressive energy of the leaf trying to kill him.
Jake activated Scales, and his flesh stabilized. He then began healing due
to his naturally high Vitality as Palate also fought the energy, and with his
mouth only half-regenerated, he muttered,
"Still better than the mushroom."
Chapter 50
 You Win Some, You Lose Some

"W hy does he keep commenting on the taste?" one of the projections

muttered.
"A better question would be why he wastes his time directing insults
towards every fungus he consumes, most of which aren’t even sensical,"
another chimed in.
"But his speed and accuracy…" a third one said.
"Oh, no, definitely a five-star performance so far; I am just saying that
having entire rants on mushrooms and comparing the taste of herbs to that of
foodstuff none of us are even familiar with doesn’t hold much meaning," the
first projection said.
"You mean to claim ‘that green cake they had for sale every Saturday at
the local bakery close to work’ is not a known type of food?" a new
projection said with a laugh.
The projection that had initially shown Jake around due to "winning" the
random number generator just leaned back, looking on as the D-grades
methodically went through the boxes one by one. Level 150 human, but he
had stats far surpassing the expected, making it clear he was considered
genius-tier.
Moreover, his legacy skills were of high rarity, with the assumption that
Sense and Palate were both at least ancient. Based on how fast the knowledge
was interpreted, it was also possible he had Sagacity, and the Scales were
likely at legendary rarity.
But more than anything… his Perception stat had to be through the roof.
His senses dove into the essence of every herb right away. He ignored every
veil that some plants placed around themselves to hide their true toxicity or
purpose, and he even instantly identified those with soul-attacking properties.
"Fifty-four minutes," he said as the others turned to him, all of them also
seeing the human was done. Six minutes before the limit did not seem like
much, but it was considered outstanding, as going through all the herbs in
itself would be a challenge.
In the chamber, working as judges, were a total of one hundred and
twenty individuals, all of them of various ranks, grades, levels of power, and
specializations. They had all left projections there, serving as a council to
determine the performance of new initiates—a huge honor in itself. With the
aid of system-assisted observation tools due to it being a dungeon, it was hard
to get a better panel.
"Let’s move on to the next test," the original projection said as he
disappeared.

Jake was happy pooping was no longer a thing after D-grade, because he sure
as hell would have gotten diarrhea after eating that much weird shit within an
hour. The difficulty boxes had totally been a thing, and there had been ten
"hard" items, thirty "medium" items, and sixty "easy" ones. The ten hard ones
had been the most fun for sure, while the others were a bit simpler.
If he had to guess, the difficulty was based on rarity. The easy ones were
rare, with a few being epic; the medium ones were epic, with a few being
ancient; and the hard ones were ancient or legendary. He could be completely
wrong, but his gut feelings rarely were.
He had no idea how well he had done, though. Jake had just poured his
thoughts into that weird crystal thing as he went through everything, not sure
what information was deemed necessary and what was just fluff. But he had
to have done alright… right?
Just as he thought that, the projection popped up in front of him. "Good
performance on the first test. Ready for the next, or will you need a break?
Note that there are no penalties associated with breaks in between tests."
Jake just took out a health potion and drank it. "Nah, I’m good."
He had lost quite a bit of health due to eating extremely deadly plants and
herbs. He also had to admit the test had been interesting. Some of the herbs
had been quite hard to identify, and some even avoided his Sense of the
Malefic Viper nearly entirely.
Others had required him to use some of his other senses. Smell was a big
one, as it also partly stimulated Palate, and even hearing had played a role—
there’d been an odd, tube-like piece of bark that made a sound to mentally
affect those hearing it.
So, yeah, it had been fun.
"Very well. The next trial will involve knowledge and your ability to
apply that knowledge, as well as test your experience as an alchemist and
your ability to identify and rectify issues," the projection said as the room
began changing again. "What crafting tool do you usually use?"
"Cauldron," Jake answered.
The projection nodded, and a cauldron and table appeared in the center of
the room. "For this test, your objective is to finish the simulated crafting
session fifty times. A failure will merely result in moving onto the next
simulated craft until a total of fifty have elapsed. Each crafting session will
require you to quickly identify any issues that crop up and apply your
knowledge and experience to fix them. Merely imagine how you would do it,
and even without additional ingredients, the cauldron will react as if you put
them into it."
"What kind of crafts are we talking about?" Jake asked curiously.
"Wouldn’t you like to know?" the projection answered with a smirk.
"Would kind of ruin the challenge if you knew, wouldn’t it? It would just turn
into me telling you and you sitting down and studying the entire library you
probably carry around with you in your spatial storage for solutions. No, for
this test, you need to apply the knowledge and experience you already have."
Jake relented and nodded, understanding the point. He was pretty good at
energy control and was confident in his ability to adapt if things went south
during the craft. He had also eaten a lot of stuff throughout time and even
crafted a mythical item, so he went to the cauldron with confidence.
"There is no time limit, just a total of fifty crafts. There will be a one-
minute delay in between each craft for you to collect yourself. The gauntlet
starts when you activate the cauldron."
With that, the projection disappeared again, and Jake got to work by
sitting on a chair in front of the cauldron. He focused his mind as he put both
hands on it and infused mana. The cauldron was similar to the practice
cauldron Villy had given him after the tutorial, so he was already looking
forward to this test.
 As his mana invaded the cauldron, he felt it come to life. Different types
of energy suddenly appeared within it, as if several herbs had just been put
into the cauldron. The cauldron made him aware he was crafting some kind
of healing item, but a stream of energy went haywire just as he realized this.
Jake tried to get it under control, but it was simply running wild. He
considered implementing other herbs to try and control it, but nothing came
to mind. It kept getting worse, and Jake isolated some of the beneficial
energy as he got an idea.
Pure destructive arcane energy entered the cauldron, surrounding and
utterly destroying the haywire energy. Jake then manipulated the energy he
had isolated with stable arcane mana earlier and began fusing that. He even
added in an herb that suddenly came to mind, and a minute after, the cauldron
made him aware the craft was complete.
It emptied with energy, and Jake breathed out a sigh of relief at
succeeding in the first craft. Quite a bit harder than expected, he thought, but
it wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle.
The minute passed and the cauldron filled again, and this time it was
some kind of toxin. A few seconds in, Jake realized it was a neurotoxin, but
some of the energy also didn’t seem to fit. Jake felt the entire concoction
begin to weaken.
Jake didn’t have much experience with neurotoxins, but he applied
general knowledge as he once more poured destructive arcane energy in to
fight off the energy destroying the creation. At the same time, he pushed the
unaffected energy to merge. Less than a minute later, the craft was finished,
and Jake got another win.
The third and fourth went much the same. The fifth was an utter failure,
as Jake tried to destroy the energy, but when he did so, everything else just
fell apart. Luckily, he refined his approach and got better at isolating and
destroying the unwanted energy completely every time.
On the thirty-ninth craft, he bumped into something very familiar:
Necrotic Poison. Jake felt the energies mix, and once more, something
cropped up that should not be there. However, this time, Jake didn’t isolate
and destroy; he instead added in three herbs that came to mind due to past
use. The overwhelming death energy from the Bluebright Mushrooms—and
some of his own blood—consumed the unwanted energy and only
empowered the creation, while he tossed in a third type of mushroom to
stabilize the entire thing.
 It was a great success.
The next few were back to the same tactic of isolation and destruction. At
least, where it worked. At number forty-seven, he bumped into a soul-
affecting poison, and he used a similar tactic as he had when he made the
poison for the big mushroom that had been down in the biodome.
When he finished craft number fifty, Jake took a tally, seeing he had only
failed a total of six out of fifty crafts. It wasn’t ideal, but he had completed
the craft nearly nine out of ten times, so his overall evaluation had to be quite
goo—
"That may be one of the most surprisingly horrendous displays of failure I
have ever seen in over ten thousand years of alchemy," the projection said as
it appeared.
"Huh?" Jake said, utterly surprised.
"You only had two truly successful crafts, while you just destroyed more
than ninety percent of the potency for every other simulation. This is, of
course, not counting those you failed completely. This is like me telling you
to go weed out a garden, and you set the entire thing on fire while protecting
a few of the plants with mana, leaving only those few ones alive together
with fire-resistant herbs. Sure, you may have killed all the weeds, but you
also destroyed the garden. You performed like someone who has never made
more than a dozen different products total throughout all your years of doing
alchemy.” The projection shook his head.
"I…" Jake said as he processed the words. "That does sound about right?"
"What?" the projection asked, looking at Jake weirdly.
"Around a dozen seems accurate? Mana, health, and stamina potions…
then I made Hemotoxins and Necrotic Poison, and then some soul poison
once. I also made some Agility, Vitality, and Perception elixirs. If we count
rarities, it isn’t that far off.”
The projection stood and stared at him for a bit. "So, you are an utter
amateur who just has an incredibly high level of mana control and
Perception, as well as a high rarity in Palate of the Malefic Viper and
Sagacity?"
"Kind of? I guess I am more the type that studies what to make a lot
beforehand and then goes in with a strategy."
"So you bang your head into the wall until your original idea works
through sheer force of will?" the projection asked judgingly.
"I wouldn’t phrase it like that…" Jake said, trying to defend himself.
 "Few would, and honestly, your way isn’t terrible, but you are an
incredibly inexperienced alchemist who only has surface-level knowledge
of… well, everything. Having Palate and Sagacity at high rarities does not
make you a knowledgeable or experienced alchemist. Only time, effort, and a
willingness to diversify will give that, and even if you are highly specialized,
dipping your feet in other areas may lead to inspiration in what you primarily
focus on.”
Jake nodded, somewhat surprised at receiving not just a snarky comment,
but actual advice.
"You are talented, so don’t waste it. But as for this test, well, you were
shit. Let’s move on to one I feel like you will handle better, based on what
you just did: energy control. Are you ready right away, or do you want a
break?"
"Ready as can be," Jake said with a nod.
The projection acknowledged his words, and the room began shifting
again. Everything disappeared, and then four pylon-like objects appeared, all
of them looking a bit cracked and broken. In the middle was also a metal disc
only about a meter across. Jake instantly sensed that each of them held a lot
of pure mana within, and he was still inspecting them as the projection
explained the third test.
"Your objective in the third test is straightforward. Your aim is to protect
the four Pylons from foreign energies trying to invade and destroy them,
while at the same time guiding and directing energies that will aim to repair
the Pylons. Throughout, it will change what is beneficial for each Pylon, and
a few more factors will be tossed in to increase difficulty. Throughout the
test, you are to remain on the metal platform in the center, and no tools may
be used to assist you. This includes potions. The purpose of this test is to
evaluate your ability to manipulate the energy of different affinities in a
stressful environment. The test ends when all four Pylons are destroyed or
fully repaired.”
"Got it," Jake said as he went to the disc in the center of the room.
The moment he stepped on the disc, a small barrier of sorts covered it.
The barrier kept him in and prevented him sending anything physical out of
it, but pure mana could leave. He also felt that his equipment had somehow
been limited. The stats given were still there, and the increased mana
regeneration and all that still worked, but he found he couldn’t activate the
Second Wind enchantment. It appeared this was to stop any gear with skills
or anything to help with energy manipulation.
Jake quickly understood this test was about pure mana control and not
really about mana application with skills. He assumed the mana around him
would be mostly free of intent and thus prone to manipulation, and if energy
with intent did appear, he was to use his own mana to overwhelm and control
it.
This meant that the trial wouldn’t only be one of pure control, but also of
resilience, focus, and the testee’s ability to conserve and efficiently use their
energies. Jake could undoubtedly make this entire thing easier by using Pride
of the Malefic Viper right off the bat, but all that would do was make him run
dry faster.
"The test will begin in one minute. Good luck," the projection said as it
disappeared.
Jake prepared himself, and soon after, he felt energy enter the chamber
from all around him.
Chapter 51
 Elective Tests

I t was coming from the walls!

Mana seeped into the chamber passively as the Pylons also began
giving off pure mana. The mana coming from the walls seemed harmless
at first and began interacting with what the Pylons gave off, mixing with it.
Nothing was absorbed, but Jake exerted his will and poured some of the
mana from the walls into the Pylons, where it was successfully absorbed. He
also tried to pour a bit of his own mana in and found that successful. The
problem was that, by his rough estimates, he would only be able to fill maybe
one Pylon with his entire mana pool.
He began directing the energy coming from the walls, but a new type
soon came. A small stream of dark mana suddenly invaded the room and
went straight for one of the Pylons. Jake instantly took hold of it and directed
it away, leaving it floating in the outer parts of the room.
Then came fire, water, and even just pure light mana. Some affinities
were difficult for Jake, especially the light mana, but he managed that by
encapsulating it in stable arcane mana, really making use of his own affinity.
The good thing about his stable mana was that it didn’t react with anything,
so there was no loss in energy.
At some point, Jake had taken a seat and entered meditation. Relying on
only his Sphere of Perception and Sense of the Malefic Viper, he took charge
of the room as more and more changes happened.
One of the Pylons turned red, the pure mana around it no longer working
to restore it, but instead destroy. It now needed fire mana, so Jake took the
streams he had been keeping away and infused them into the Pylon.
Another one turned black, as it wanted dark mana, and another began
glowing in need of light mana. The final one turned green, as it wanted nature
mana. Jake swiftly took charge, as every bit of mana within the room
remained under his control, but the issue was that more entered than the
Pylons could absorb, making the density increase every second.
As time passed, the Pylons also shifted between affinities, and more
difficult types entered. Soon time-affinity mana came, which was tricky as
hell to control. Then space mana seeped in, which Jake found a bit easier.
Life and death mana both felt incredibly resilient to all control, almost as if
they had a will of their own to resist.
More exotic mana also entered, a lot of which he didn’t recognize, but
luckily Sagacity and Sense made him aware of at least how they worked.
Some he did recognize, like Myst mana, Storm mana, and other merged
elements, but some were just out there, like one that seemed to make things
lose their color and weaken, and another that kept splitting itself up into
smaller streams that then merged and split again without warning.
But… no matter what happened, Jake remained in control. Jake was
overqualified, with nearly ten thousand Perception and a test no doubt
designed to be based on his level. When it came to applying his Willpower,
Jake also wasn’t a slouch.
Over an hour in, Jake felt he’d soon be done, as the difficulty kept
climbing. More and more mana came in a constant stream. The entire room
looked like a mix of colors, fire, solid boxes of arcane mana, streams of
glowing mana running in currents around the perimeter of the chamber, and
so much more.
At this point, Jake was faintly challenged, and remaining in control of all
the streams seemed impossible… so he kicked it up a notch. Pride of the
Malefic Viper activated, and Jake’s presence blanketed the entire chamber.
Everything came under his vise grip of will once more.
On a side note, Jake had tried to use Arcane Awakening during the
beginning to remain in control, but he’d found it actually made things harder.
It was because of something the platform beneath him did. It forced Jake to
manually control the skill, making the usual system assistance that trivialized
keeping it active disappear. Not that he was certain using it would be a good
idea anyway, due to the fact that it made all his energy a bit more volatile.
He did use his arcane affinity a lot, though. It was just better pure mana
and allowed him to more easily direct the mana where he wanted it to go,
isolating energies he wanted to put on hold until needed. In the end, Jake had
nearly repaired all the Pylons without allowing any noticeable damage to any
of them.
When he thought it was about over, he felt a pulse.
A wave of pure destructive energy came from all directions, aimed
straight for the Pylons. It managed to destroy some of the mana Jake was
controlling as it approached the damn crystals he had worked so hard on
repairing.
Oh, no, you fucking don’t!
Pride activated at full power as his own mana was summoned into the
room. Barriers sectioned off all the mana when he sent out a counter-wave of
destructive arcane mana, utterly destroying the opposing wave. A second
later, a second pulse came, but it barely had time to enter before it too faced
destruction.
A few more pulses came, but some of them were of beneficial energy,
too, which Jake quickly noticed and chose not to destroy. This final phase
continued until, finally, the last Pylon was fully repaired, and all four of them
hummed to life.
The projection appeared once more inside the room and waved his hand,
making the Pylons disappear.
"I must say, we expected this test to be easy for you, not trivial," the
projection said as he shook his head.
Jake looked up at the guy and had to admit… that had been a lot easier
than expected? He’d maybe had a few slip-ups and some energy
unintentionally destroyed here and there, but it hadn’t been that bad. Overall,
he wouldn’t call it trivial, but it definitely hadn’t been overly challenging
either. Oh, but it had been kinda fun.
"Your level of energy control is… well, no comment on it, really.
Whatever you are doing, keep doing that. I do have some questions about the
mana you used, though. It was quite an interesting one, so I wonder where
you obtained it?"
"It’s my arcane affinity.”
"An arcane affinity? At D-grade?" The projection frowned.
"Yeah. I got it in E-grade, though," Jake explained.
The projection frowned more. "While it is a simple affinity, the fact that it
taps into the concepts of—"
The scalekin suddenly stopped, his eyes opening wide. A moment passed
before the projection focused again and looked at Jake. "Wait here for one
moment."
With that, the projection disappeared, leaving Jake sitting alone on the
platform.
Jake looked confused but just shrugged. "Did kind of want a break to
regenerate anyway."
He took out a potion and chugged it as he entered meditation again,
wondering what had happened.
Probably Villy… Definitely Villy.

The scalekin projection appeared in the chamber once more, where all the
other judges regarded him.
"What’s the hold-up? Did something happen?" another projection asked.
"By direct order of the Malefic One, we are to not include any in-depth
details related to the arcane affinity in the final report, and we must overall
strip the report of all information given by dungeon-assisted tools," the
scalekin projection said.
The others looked at him with confusion for a moment before one asked,
"Are we to change anything else in the tests?"
"No." The scalekin projection shook his head. "We are to proceed as
usual but keep certain elements ambiguous or hidden once done. It will not
affect the final score anyway, as he got the highest mark on the test."
"What is his relation to the—"
"Enough," the scalekin said. "We have a job, so do that job. Treat him
like any other and merely ensure certain things are kept confidential. There
are also some other minor edits to be made, but we continue as usual for
now."
The scalekin prepared to head back to the testee, but he couldn’t help but
wonder what had happened. He had felt the attention of the Malefic One on
him. He had been placed in the dungeon since the Second Era, and when the
Viper’s presence descended, the time difference also dawned on him.
More than ninety Eras had passed. It was an unimaginable long time…
but not his to ponder on. In the real world, he was already long dead, and no
matter how many Eras passed, he would do as ordered. No, he was shook due
to feeling the presence of the Viper. He had felt it before when he
volunteered to leave a projection in the dungeon, and he had interacted with
the Malefic One several times before, but the difference between then and
now was… intense.
The Viper of the 93 rd Era was far calmer. Collected. Moreover, he had
felt genuine interest and even a trace of care from his Patron god. Something
the Viper certainly never possessed back then. But more so than anything, his
power had grown to entirely new levels, as he no doubt had become more
powerful in every way.
The scalekin did not share his thoughts with the other projections in the
council, instead keeping it all to himself. Primarily because his thoughts
could be interpreted as heretical, but also because he knew it would impact
how the others evaluated the remaining tests.
Also… would they not simply make fun of his theory that the Malefic
One saw a D-grade human as someone worthy of emotional investment? The
sentiment was preposterous.

Jake opened his eyes as the projection appeared again.

"Hey, still need a bit to regenerate resources," Jake said as he healed up.
He didn’t ask any questions, and the look in the projection’s eyes was the
same as before, meaning that even if Jake’s "cover" had been blown, the
projection kept his cool.
The projection nodded. "That is fine. While we wait, we can go over the
next phase. The following three tests will be voluntarily selected based on
your own specializations. Identification of herbs, knowledge of crafting
methods and recipes, and energy control are all the fundamental tests, while
these three will be more specialized. So, tell me, what do you have
experience in?"
"Uhm, what kind of specializations? Like transmutation or something?"
Jake asked.
"That is indeed one option. Transmutation, arrays, magic circles,
potioneering, poison concoction, flasks, elixirs, body augmentation, herb
grafting, growing, cultivation, perhaps something within the field of geology,
just to name a few of the more common examples. The subjects in question
depend entirely on you.”
 Jake considered it. "Any details on the specific tasks? As with other
things, my abilities are highly specialized. As an example, I can do some
pretty powerful transmutations, but only really do it properly with one
affinity… that being my arcane affinity."
"I cannot give too many details, but both scope and depth in your skills
matter. As for the products you craft, it honestly doesn’t matter much, as it is
more technique and ability we evaluate. You will be required to craft or
transmute more than one thing in most tests, so simply being good at making
one type of potion or poison won’t be enough."
"Alright," Jake said.
Honestly, it only came down to the three things Jake even knew how to
do. Magic circles? Eh, he was clueless for the most part, even if he had done
a bit of studying recently. Elixirs, he kinda knew, but only a few. Anything
gardening-related, he knew nothing about. Geology? Was that even real
alchemy?
"I choose poison concocting, potion brewing, and transmutations," Jake
answered.
"Which one do you wish to start with?"
"Doesn’t matter, honestly," Jake said, shaking his head.
"Very well. Very standard choices, which is perhaps for the best. Tell me
when you are ready, and we will begin with poison concoction.” The
projection nodded and disappeared again.
Jake just closed his eyes and meditated for a while.
Once he felt ready, he opened them again. "Good to go."
The projection appeared again. The scalekin waved his hand, and a
cauldron appeared.
"This test is simple and will be in three parts. The first part will last thirty
minutes and is for you to simply concoct some poisons as you please. Note
that the actual crafting will be significantly sped up, so be on your toes. The
second part will include you being given a number of ingredients, and you
are to craft as many and as powerful poisons as you can before time runs out.
This part will also last half an hour. The final part will involve you being
given three poisons to recreate as well as ingredients to recreate them. This
part will also last half an hour."
Jake nodded in understanding.
"The three parts will come gauntlet-style with no resting period in
between, and each part will end after thirty minutes elapse, moving onto the
next part if you are done or not. Time begins when you infuse mana into the
cauldron."
Jake jumped right into it and began the test. He crafted all his best
poisons and did as many as he could. He made Necrotic Poison, Hemotoxin,
Fungicide, and even the soul-destroying poison. It wasn’t much, but he felt
like they were good enough. He also did some other stuff, such as making
some low-rarity poison he had created before, but nothing worth noting.
For the second part, Jake had been quite worried, but honestly? It had
gone a lot better than expected. Jake had just relied on Identify, gut feeling,
Sagacity, and Sense to pick out things he believed fit together, mixed in some
blood to function as a catalyst to blend it all together, and created quite a few
different poisons. All of them were worse than his Necrotic Poison, but some
were pretty decent, in his opinion.
In the final part, Jake first inspected the three poisons and then consumed
one of them. He absorbed the knowledge and began copying it, but the result
wasn’t ideal. For the second poison, he only consumed a bit of it and kept the
rest at his side as he began concocting. He added in the provided ingredients
he was certain were correct, then tested a bit to get it right by adding in some
more maybes. In the end, he felt like he got it pretty right, but just as he was
about to try and recreate the third poison, the projection appeared, and the
cauldron and poison both disappeared.
"Time’s up," the projection said.
Jake deflated as he sat down on the floor, tired. "How did I do?"
"Mixed bag. Did fine on the first part, at least in the potency of your
poisons, but once more, the scope was disappointing, and it was obvious you
were reaching towards the end. The second part went above expectations, but
you have some habits that may need working on. Your overreliance on Blood
of the Malefic Viper works fine for you, but the problem is that you
inherently make poison tied to you by using your blood. It has no impact if
you use the poison yourself but may be problematic for others using your
products, and it also makes tracing any poison back to you easy. As for the
final part… I think we both know it went rather poorly, even if the replication
of the second poison went okay. Overall, your score would be considered
above average, though, so don’t fret."
Jake nodded along, as he agreed on most of that, but he did ask, "Can you
explain a bit more of what happens when I use the blood? Why is it worse for
others?"
 The projection gave Jake a brief look, making it clear he should really
know this, but he answered anyway. "All poisons you create with your
current method may be incredibly potent if you also use them yourself, but it
isn’t so if you sell or give the toxins to others. This is merely a part of the
system, and is theorized to be due to the Records infused in the creation being
bound to you. There are also theories it is due to your Willpower coming into
effect when you use self-made products yourself. Either way, reality is that
any crafted tool that does damage or prevents damage is simply more potent
when used by the creator. Your blood amplifies this effect further, as it binds
the item to you even more."
"So… blood makes system fuckery worse?" Jake asked.
"Not a phrase I am familiar with, but yes, essentially. From a practical
standpoint, it does make sense that a D-grade cannot kill an A-grade simply
by being given poison by an S-grade; wouldn’t you say so? Or, to make an
easier example, an S-grade cannot make a small explosive device that will
kill anyone but the user once used, allowing D-grades to slaughter anyone
below S-grade. Perhaps it is simply the system’s way of achieving balance
and not make individuals overly reliant on items. At least, not on items they
didn’t create themselves.”
Jake nodded again. Made sense to him.
"Thanks for the explanation," Jake said as he took out and chugged a
potion. "Ready for the next test."
The projection smirked. "Let’s do potion brewing next."
Chapter 52
 Readiness Not Found

W ith a wave of the projection’s hand, a new cauldron was summoned.

"The potion brewing test is similar to the poison-concocting one,
with only a few changes. As far fewer types of potions exist, there is
a larger focus on pure potency rather than diversity. Hence, the second part
will not focus as much on how many different potions you can make, but on
how potent they will be. The final part will also not require you to recreate
potions, but will instead present to you three lifeforms, and you are to craft
potions optimal to them with the provided ingredients. The test begins when
you infuse mana into the cauldron."
There was no fluff or extra information, just the same thing as before.
Jake nodded in acknowledgment. The projection disappeared, and he got to
work.
The first part began as expected, and Jake made all the potions he knew
how to… which wasn’t a lot. He made health, stamina, and mana potions,
and then finished off by making a few antidotes he had learned to create a
good while ago. He also attempted to make some potions with the ability to
soothe the mind, where he kind of succeeded.
As for the second part, it was just more of the same. Jake experimented
with the many products given. He discovered a lot of ingredients with
interesting affinities and energies, and it was clear the task was to transform
those into potions. Jake already had some experience with making arcane-
mana potions, so couldn’t he also make fire-mana potions? Water-mana
potions? So that was what he did—he created potions of many different
affinities, and he even made one able to restore blood energy for vampires.
He did have to admit, though… this part didn’t go well.
 Of the three parts—heck, six parts, if you counted the poison test—the
final part of potion brewing was the most interesting. Three lifeforms that
looked to be in statis appeared, and Jake instantly noticed how peculiar they
were. One was a dark elemental with some wind affinity mixed in, the second
was a plant-like lifeform that looked like a mass of tentacles of bark, and the
final was a Risen, but not a normal Risen. Instead, it was someone who had
clearly attuned himself to the death affinity. More than usual undead, at least.
This was when the word "optimal" came into play. All of them could use
pure mana if given, but it would not be as effective as a potion pre-attuned to
their affinity in question. None of them appeared to have vital energy, either,
and as far as Jake knew, none had stamina. The elemental ran on pure mana
of the dark and wind affinities, the plant-like lifeform used a vital energy Jake
was not familiar with—but was clearly closely related to the life affinity—
and the Risen used their unique energies too.
He inspected the three of them thoroughly, not minding the creepy
situation that was him studying three naked, time-frozen individuals. Once he
felt confident, he began crafting, starting with potions for the Risen. He
quickly made a death-attuned mana potion and moved on to make mana
potions for the two others. Luckily, he had a lot of experience with the dark
affinity, and the wind affinity also wasn’t unfamiliar due to his closeness with
Sylphie.
With that, the elemental got a potion he was quite proud of. Jake then
correctly identified the plant-like lifeform that just used normal, affinity-less
mana together with the life energy, even if it didn’t have a big pool of it, so
he made one of those too. Finally, he returned to the Risen and began
working on creating a potion restoring spirit energy, the unique resource of
Risen and other undead.
He quickly found the ingredients and worked on making it, but the time
ran out as he was about halfway. The cauldron just disappeared from between
his hands, and the projection appeared again. Jake had now failed to craft
everything for two tests in a row.
Jake once more slumped down, a bit disappointed in himself. "So, how
badly did I do?"
"A very mixed bag. Your ability to create basic potions is respectable, but
in every other area, you seem lacking. Tell me, what do you craft potions for?
What is the purpose of the products you produce?"
"Well… to drink them?" Jake asked, confused.
 "But am I correct to assume that the primary consumer of your alchemical
creations is yourself? There is a connection between your alchemy shown in
all tests so far and how they all seem to focus on personal benefits. You have
clearly never crafted a potion explicitly for anyone else, only making what is
useful to you. On the good side, your high Perception and ability to adapt and
control energy does allow you to quickly pick up and create new types of
potions, but that is no substitute for experience and actual knowledge."
Jake slowly nodded. Yeah, he did create potions for himself. Same for
poisons. While he made some to sell, his motivation for crafting potions
wasn’t to make highly marketable products, but to make something more
useful to himself while fighting. Right now, that wasn’t a problem, as
everyone around him was a human or beast, but he could see it being
problematic if he wanted to make something for Casper, as an example.
Had he made money from selling potions? Sure, quite a lot. But he could
no doubt have made way more if he focused on making money. Perhaps the
biggest proof of his selfishness in crafting was how he had never bothered to
really learn how to make antidotes. Jake himself had the legendary Palate
skill, so why would he?
"Overall, these two tests have shown you have a powerful foundation to
build upon, but instead of building a tall tower one floor at a time, you
erected a few large pillars you then just keep adding onto without solidifying
that foundation. You need to learn to craft a lot more things—not for others,
but for yourself."
"Yeah… I am beginning to realize that," Jake said. When he picked up
any new product, he had to start from the beginning, but if he had experience
with similar creations, it became easier to pick up something new and
improve quickly.
The projection looked at him and nodded. "Are you ready for the last
elective test of transmutation?"
"Just two seconds," Jake said as he chugged a potion. "Should be good
now."
He couldn’t use potions during the actual tests anyway, so he may as well
just use them in between.
"On that note, your consumption of potions is incredibly liberal," the
scalekin projection said as he turned more serious. "Just a fair warning: that
may become more difficult down the line. The required ingredients will get
rarer and more expensive, and while you may have a lot of money to spare on
them, creation will be wasteful, and obtainment difficult."
Jake shrugged. "I have a feeling it will work out. Even if it doesn’t, that is
something I will face when the time comes."
"I guess that brings me to the next topic splendidly. You are recklessly
impatient, a mentality that is not healthy in most alchemical work. You waste
a lot by neglecting to reflect on the work you do. So, no, you are not ready
yet for the next test. Sit the fuck down, meditate, and consider what you
screwed up in the prior tests and can improve on. See you in a few hours."
Without giving Jake any chance to respond, the scalekin just disappeared
again. Jake stared a bit at where it had been as he took the words in. Was he
rushing? Perhaps he was trying to go faster than needed. He had already been
told there was no penalty to taking breaks, so maybe he should.
Jake decided to listen to the advice, closed his eyes, and entered
meditation. He considered both the tests he had been through as he
internalized what he had learned. The tests had allowed him to try out a lot of
new ingredients and methods, something he had no chance to do normally. It
was all made possible by the cauldron and special circumstances offered by
the dungeon, so when he thought about it, wasting this opportunity to learn
was just stupid of him.
He was at an academy… so it was only right to spend his time learning,
right?

"He is the Chosen of the Malefic One?" one of the other projections asked,
clearly skeptical to the level of finding the sentiment comical.
"Seems improbable; he is only D-grade and not especially outstanding,”
another projection said. “The only truly outstanding thing shown so far is the
arcane affinity and his Identify-blocking ability. Also, he is human.” This one
seemed to at least consider the possibility for a moment.
The scalekin projection appeared among them again, already aware of
what had been said. "He is the current Chosen of the Malefic One—I have no
doubt about it. As for how outstanding he is, I doubt we will be able to
discover through these tests. I do agree that as an alchemist alone, he is
nothing outstanding. At least, not yet. He hasn’t even done alchemy for more
than a year or two, so who is to tell what the future holds?"
 "Even so," another, more skeptical projection said. "Those possessing
such talents in alchemy must be numerous within the Order. I think everyone
present here was as talented back in their heyday as this supposed Chosen is.
So while he may be talented, he is not Chosen material, not at all. I am
looking forward to the combat portion, though. He must be a powerful mage
with his level of energy control."
The scalekin just sighed. He still couldn’t voice that his belief in the
human being the Viper’s Chosen was based on his brief interaction with the
Malefic One. Why else would the Malefic One give direct instructions on
what they had to hide not only on the test result itself, but also from the
Chosen?
While the notion that he was more likely to be a Chosen because the
Viper hid things from him seemed preposterous, to the scalekin, it was not.
What other explanation would there be for the Malefic One to hold any
noteworthy interest in the human’s growth? Genuine, personal interest.
It would all be so much easier if they had the ability to see blessings, but
alas, it had been decided that would not be allowed to not favor those blessed.
But one thing was certain… They were all looking forward to the combat
portion. First, though, the suspected Chosen would have to reflect. The
Malefic One had not elected to teach his Chosen any actual alchemy so far,
which was not for the scalekin to question.
And the Viper had commanded them to treat and evaluate the human the
same as everyone else during the tests, so that was how it would be done. So
teaching him a bit should be fine, right? If it wasn’t, why would he even enter
the Academy at all?

A few hours later, Jake opened his eyes, and the projection appeared. He had
to admit… taking a while to actually reflect on things and think wasn’t dumb.
Jake also felt more mentally refreshed for the last of the three selected tests
too.
The projection observed Jake a while, then said, "The last subject you
have chosen is transmutation. As transmutation is such a wide field of
alchemy, the test will also be relatively diverse and quite a bit different from
those prior."
 "Will it be based on transmutation using Touch of the Malefic Viper,
though? That is the only transmutation skill I have," Jake said, slightly
nervous. He already knew he did transmutations in a weird way, so he really
wasn’t sure if he could even do this test halfway decently.
"It is indeed one such option, but it isn’t necessary. There are many
different ways to transmute, and Touch is merely one of them. Just do your
best, and we’ll see.”
Jake nodded in understanding and motioned the scalekin to continue.
"The transmutation test, like those prior, has three parts. The first part
relates to your ability to transmute items into desired affinities. Don’t worry;
these will only be affinities you actually possess, based on what you have
shown in the energy-control test. You will be tasked with transmuting as
many items into the correct affinity as you can within half an hour. The
second part will require you to transmute the provided materials into ones
more useable in a presented half-done creation. Note that you can skip any
creation you doubt you can do in exchange for a thirty-second penalty. This
part also lasts for thirty minutes—or shorter, based on how much you skip.
The third and final part will evaluate your ability to transmute weapons or
equipment into improved versions through whatever means you desire using
the supplied materials. This last one allows you to truly show off what you
are most skilled in when it comes to transmutation, as you can merge and mix
as much as you want within the thirty-minute limit. Questions?"
"None," Jake answered, having decided to just see how it would go.
"Time begins when you touch the first item," the scalekin projection said
as he disappeared.
At the same time, a gem of some sort appeared on the table, which was
clearly the target to transmute. Finally, a screen appeared both in front of
Jake as a sort of system notification and on a large magical screen right above
the table.

Earth Affinity -> Fire Affinity

Jake went over to the table and sat down. The instructions were simple,
and he took a deep breath as he prepared himself mentally. Then he reached
out with both hands, grasped the gem, and used Touch of the Malefic Viper.
The gem quickly changed color, and less than ten seconds later, it
disappeared, completed.
 The screen popped up again as a piece of metal appeared this time, telling
him to transmute the fire mana into lightning mana. It took him a bit longer,
as the metal had some innate resistance, but he got it done rather quickly.
This continued for a while, with items popping up and getting more
complicated. Equipment and weapons began appearing, and some even held
multiple affinities where he had to change one or both to something else. Jake
kept up his focus and even half-entered meditation, just bringing the items to
him with a string of mana so he could concentrate on using the effects of
Serene Meditation. Not the Serene Soul part, as there was little gain in doing
anything within his Soulspace.
As the first part of the transmutation test approached its end, Jake
thought, I’m actually not shit at transmutation?
Chapter 53
 Angry Transmutation

J ake was pretty sure he was actually shit at transmutation. The first part of
the test had passed, and the second one had begun. A half-finished
concoction had appeared before him as well as about twenty different
ingredients, with his task being to identify the best one of them to transmute
and put in the concoction.
There was just one tiny issue.
I have no fucking idea what I’m supposed to do.
Okay, he knew he had to transmute an ingredient to put into the
concoction, but he had no idea what to use. He quickly realized it was some
mana-destroying poison, and he remembered lightning mana having the
ability to "burn" other mana types, so should he add that?
Was he even supposed to transform the energy into a different affinity?
He tried to go with his initial thought, even if his intuition didn’t make him
feel it was right. Because it wasn’t. The first concoction failed as he put the
transmuted herb in.
A new half-finished work popped up, and Jake was just as clueless. He
stumbled and tried different things for a while, eventually just taking the time
penalty and skipping. A third one appeared, and he once more had to skip.
In the fourth one, Jake managed to somehow transmute some weird liquid
by combining two of the items that appeared, and it worked when he put
them into the large cauldron with a half-done elixir. That gave him a bit of
confidence—which was swiftly crushed and utterly stomped all over for the
next fifteen minutes or so, as the second part of the transmutation test ended
with Jake only doing a single thing correctly and taking way too many skips.
He gritted his teeth and did a mental reset as the final part began. The one
where he could do whatever he wanted. As it started, the room changed
again. More than a hundred weapons, dozens of armor pieces of different
kinds, gems, herbs, and a plethora of other ingredients appeared all over the
chamber. It was almost overwhelming, making Jake think being decisive
enough to even get started was a part of the test.
Jake did not fall into this pitfall but just got started. Strings of mana flew
out as Jake furiously dragged a sword he liked the feeling of and several
more ingredients straight in front of him. He then picked up the sword and
began inspecting it, all the while cursing to himself over his performance in
the last test.
What the fuck kind of test was that, with such stringent rules for
transmutation? It was like he’d been expected to just know what fit in where
and how to magically come up with an instant solution based on a bunch of
bullshit materials he had never even seen before. What the fuck was up with
that?
He activated Touch, and the blade began cracking and groaning from the
pure energy. "Yeah, yeah, stop crying," Jake insulted the sword as he dragged
a spear and an axe to him that looked to be made of the same metal. He
forcefully broke them and melted them down, then just pushed the metal to
merge. The three weapons resisted the merger, but Jake was having none of
it. He brute-forced his will through.
If the curse within Eternal Hunger had failed to resist being overwhelmed
by Jake’s will, then what chance did a few pathetic weapons in this test have?
That was when Jake noticed something else as he scanned the room with
his Sense of the Malefic Viper: cursed items.
Get the fuck over here, Jake thought as strings of mana flew out,
gathering about thirty such cursed items in front of him. There were a few
pieces of equipment, metals, a single dagger, and just a bunch of random
items, some of which looked like household items.
He looked at all of them for a second before he channeled his mana and
created an arcane barrier around himself and his victim—eh, ingredients. He
then picked up three cursed items and began absorbing the curses out of
them, slowly destroying the physical items with Alchemical Flame.
The barrier was to keep all the wayward energy in and to amplify the
power of Jake’s own Pride as he destroyed the cursed vessels one by one and
used himself as a temporary container for the curses. Now, one could argue
absorbing thirty curses—none of which Jake even understood—was
recklessly stupid, but on the other hand, Jake was still pissed about the prior
part of the transmutation test, so he really didn’t give a fuck. His own
emotions overpowered whatever the curses tried to do.
He pumped all of this curse energy into the poor sword made by
forcefully merging three weapons. It looked like utter shit, and the "sword"
barely had any edge or anything, as Jake had just mashed metal together, but
at least it made the vessel powerful enough to contain the thirty curses.
Now, the curses didn’t play well together, so Jake fixed that by just
destroying all of them and reducing them to their base element: pure curse
energy. He had no idea what the fuck the monstrosity he was creating would
actually turn into. He just dominated the curse energies with his own
presence and waited to see the result, Touch of the Malefic Viper going
HAM the entire time, of course.
Time passed, and soon he felt just about done with whatever the fuck he
had been doing. The arcane barrier disappeared, as all that surrounded him
was the dust of broken items, and he held a sword of sorts with bulks of metal
all over it and no discernible edge. The only thing even a little normal was
the handle, and that was only because Jake had been holding it.
When the time expired, the projection appeared as expected and just
looked at Jake.
"This test was bullshit," Jake began rambling. "The first part, I got. It
made sense. But that second part was just a goddamn scam. I had no
information on what to do and what to put in. It would take way more than
half an hour just to figure out what is expected of me. I’d have just tossed out
the entire concoction and started from scratch to make something better."
"But you did do one," the projection pointed out.
"Yeah, because I got lucky, and—"
"No, because you had insight into handling it. Knowledge is a
fundamental aspect of alchemy, and you are ignorant to the extreme in most
areas. Your sea of knowledge may be deep as a pond but only as wide as a
puddle. You need to sit your ass down and study properly for a long time.
You have only done alchemy for, what, a year or two? Most who reach your
level, even the talented, will have taken at least a decade, probably more.
True, areas you have dabbled with, you do well in, but it feels like everything
else that doesn’t fall into your narrow scope of interest just falls to the
wayside.” The projection sighed. "Also… you talk about the test being
unfair? Tough shit. The world isn’t fair, and it is your job to adapt when
thrown a curveball. Even if you fail something, just use that time properly for
something else or do as you did and experiment. Use it as a learning
opportunity, and don’t look at it as a failure. You are still a novice and, in
many ways, a child in the context of the multiverse, and if this is how you
react to every setback, then you need a serious adjustment of your mindset."
Jake stared at the projection was about to counter when he forced himself
to calm down. He took a deep breath and felt his own heartbeat also calm.
Closing his eyes for a moment, he breathed out and felt his heartbeat return to
normal.
"Sorry… I don’t handle emotions, and especially losing, very well," Jake
said, genuinely embarrassed. He knew it had been his Bloodline acting up
again, and that experience of any kind of loss kind of triggered it. The utter
feeling of powerlessness in the second part of the test had just triggered him
on a basic level.
The projection looked at him. "Emotions can be both a weapon and a
hindrance. In the second part, you proved how much it can be a hindrance if
you lose your cool. If you’d simply kept calm, you could’ve probably created
at least three or four instead of only getting one."
"Yeah, I get it. I’m sorry for my rant," Jake said as he sighed.
"With all that said, powerful emotions can also be a weapon. Simply look
at what you created in the last part of the test.” The projection motioned to
the monstrosity in Jake’s hand.
He only really inspected it now, and… it wasn’t pretty, that was for sure.
But the aura it gave off couldn’t be ignored. Jake tried to use Identify on it,
but the skill simply didn’t activate. Just as with all his other "creations"
during this dungeon, it wasn’t actually real.
"So… how badly did I do overall?"
"I feel like I am repeating myself, but it was a mixed bag. The first part
went okay, even if your methods are crude; the second part, we already spoke
about; and the third part went… well, rather uniquely.” The scalekin smirked
as he looked at Jake’s fucked-up sword.
"Would I even qualify to enter the Academy with my performance so
far?" Jake asked.
"That is not for me to answer yet, but we both know your actual
performance here doesn’t matter for your acceptance," the scalekin said,
shaking his head. "But I can say that your overall evaluation of the
transmutation test was high-tier four stars."
 Jake was confused. "Isn’t that a good grade?"
"Yes," the projection answered, smirking again. "It isn’t like the parts of
the test count for a third each, and it is an overall evaluation. The reason for
your grade is the last transmutation. You dominated thirty-one curses,
absorbed them without being affected, and then merged and transformed a
weapon to make it compatible with the new curse you forcefully transmuted.
All of this results in a product that may look horrendous, but I am certain a
skilled blacksmith could transform it into a deadly tool of destruction. So let
me just ask… Bloodline, Transcendence, or both?"
"What?" Jake asked, looking confused.
"The Malefic One has already informed me of some unique
circumstances surrounding you, and the entire dungeon is completely sealed
off from all prying eyes by the grand array protecting it along with the
Malefic One himself. Nothing said or done here leaves the dungeon without
the Malefic One’s approval.”
"Why do you think I have either of those anyway?" Jake asked. He kinda
already knew the reason, but he wanted confirmation.
"You appear immune to presences—that is why," the projection said,
shaking his head. "That you didn’t even notice the presence of the merged
curse that affected you in your state of high emotions is proof enough you
have something special. As items are not allowed during the trial, that means
it must be a Transcendent skill or a Bloodline."
Jake just nodded but didn’t actually answer. The projection
acknowledged that and smiled. "Keep your secrets, then. Perhaps it is good
for you to make it a habit. I shall see you in a few hours, so you have time to
calm yourself completely and reach a proper mental state. The seventh test in
alchemy will be the toughest of them all for most testees, as it tests your
mentality. Note that this test will also take a long time—at least, from your
point of view."
With that, the projection disappeared along with everything else in the
room, including the fucked-up sword he had made.
He took the advice from the projection as he closed his eyes and entered
meditation with a final thought.
Maybe I only halfway suck at transmutation?
Vilastromoz observed the tests as he stood with Duskleaf, who had decided to
join him throughout it all. His disciple was curious as to how Jake would
perform, and the Viper gladly allowed him to observe with him.
"Jake really is… well… a mixed bag," Duskleaf said.
"Did you expect anything else?" Vilastromoz asked. "He is a novice, as
he was told."
"Yes… but I do wonder, what concepts did they say his arcane affinity
had traces of?" Duskleaf asked, clearly interested. Perhaps because he
couldn’t see it himself. That was only natural… The Viper had no clue either.
"I don’t know," he answered honestly as he grinned at how wonderful
that was. "I genuinely have no way to determine it, and even if I have my
theories, I can’t confirm them. They only knew due to the system-assisted
surveillance tools within the dungeon, and once Jake is done, the projections
will naturally cease to exist, making the knowledge disappear with them."
Duskleaf frowned, which the Viper understood, so he shook his head and
explained, "The core concepts of the affinity stem from his Bloodline, and
thus are naturally quite unique. As for why I don’t want to know and wish to
see the knowledge gone? Because Jake doesn’t know either. Him being told
would be bad, wouldn’t it? Better he figures it out himself."
"True," Duskleaf agreed, even if he was curious. He then saw something
and chuckled. "While those old teachers are quite good, they certainly do
misread things at times."
The Viper agreed as he observed the internal discussion chamber of the
many projections part of Jake’s dungeon instance. They were currently
discussing the last transmutation item in amazement, debating between
whether it was the work of the Bloodline or Transcendence.
However, they also discussed the upcoming test. It was one to test the
mentality of alchemists, primarily to see if they had a mind fit for it. The
unanimous opinion was that Jake was ill-fit for the test and would likely have
terrible performance.
Oh, how little did they know? Jake had monstrous talent in many areas,
but if there was one thing he was good at above anything else, it was being
stupidly focused on borderline anything he threw himself into. The council of
projections all had the understanding Jake was a volatile and impulsive
individual, which was perfectly accurate, but the Viper knew this was just
one side of the coin.
"Indeed. Even the brightest can misinterpret those too odd to truly
understand," the Viper said.
"The combat portion will be even funnier. They are so certain Jake is a
mage.”
"It sure will be," Vilastromoz agreed.
"How are the other humans doing, by the way?"
Vilastromoz hadn’t checked, but decided to briefly do so.
"They’re all pretty shit," the Viper said, shaking his head.
"As expected?"
"As expected."
Chapter 54
 Pretty Easy

J ake opened his eyes when the projection appeared a few hours later. He
had fully regenerated himself once more and felt ready for whatever was
to come.
The projection observed him as the explanation of the next test began.
"The seventh and final test related to alchemy is designed to evaluate
your mentality and your ability to successfully perform certain kinds of tasks.
You will be put under an array that will warp time, and three hours will
appear as thirty days to you. During these thirty days, you will perform a
constant ritual. But do not worry if you can actually do it. This ritual is based
on skills you have already shown in prior tests. In your case, they will be
used to create an unspecified item using a cauldron. This test is not made to
be a challenge to your skills or knowledge, but simply to see how you act
during these thirty days. Questions?"
"Seems relatively simple," Jake said. "So… I just have to sit and craft
something for thirty days?"
"Without any interruptions or outside stimuli. Just you, the cauldron, and
the ongoing ritual. Minor things will change throughout the craft to force you
to stay actively engaged and constantly monitor and infuse small amounts of
mana at all times.”
"Alright." Jake nodded again. "I am as ready as I can get."
"Very well," the projection said as the room shifted again, and a magic
circle appeared to cover the entire dome-shaped chamber. Then a large
cauldron, taller even than Jake himself, appeared in the center. "Remember,
thirty days. Ah, and don’t worry about the aftereffects of time dilation. This
dilation is directly system-made."
 Jake nodded again.
"Time starts when you infuse mana into the cauldron. Good luck and stay
focused. Do not underestimate this test… Out of all of the tests during the
initial trial period of these dungeon tests, it had the lowest overall grade.”
"I won’t," Jake agreed. Of course, he wouldn’t. He’d had his ass handed
to him more times than he wanted that day already. The concern and
warnings from the scalekin were also genuine, so he was in for the hardest
test yet.
With that mentality, he went over and placed his hand on the cauldron,
and time warped around him. Jake sat himself down and placed both hands
on the cauldron, the scripts coming to life within it as the energy began
moving.
It was like a magical puzzle that would continue for thirty entire days
without pause, as if Jake were crafting a mana potion that just took a month
to complete. Jake closed his eyes and entered Serene Soul Meditation as a
mental projection of the cauldron appeared in the Soulspace with him. Calm
as could be, he began the simulated crafting session.

"Entering meditation is a highly risky strategy," one projection said.

"Perhaps good for the first day to try and stay focused, but not sure he
will last much longer," a second one chimed in.
"If that," the scalekin projection agreed. The testee had shown himself to
be highly volatile, and even during a test lasting little more than half an hour,
he had grown impatient and lost his head. Imagining him doing thirty days of
just constantly crafting something boring?
There would be no true challenge to the craft. It was like a job where one
had to constantly draw a line on a piece of paper following a pattern, with
minor changes coming in here and there where you maybe had to switch the
marker to another color or maybe even use two markers for a bit.
The only challenging thing was not losing focus and letting your mind
wander—not getting mind-numbingly bored and deciding the test was a
waste of time. Even if the testee messed up for a time, they could just jump
back in and continue.
Before the dungeon became a dungeon during the trial period, they’d
even had D-grades fall asleep. Some—in fact, many—had tried to speed up
the process, which would make the entire craft unstable and force them to
calm it down. Even the most novice alchemist knew speeding it up was a bad
thing, and all the judges were happy that at least the human didn’t try that
right away.
"A day does seem like a lot," a female judge said. "Want to place bets?"
"We are projections. We have nothing to bet and will only exist as these
incarnations for a few days more at most," another one said.
"Pride is eternal," the female said. "Or are you just scared?"
"Fine… I bet on him lasting three days," the killjoy projection said.
"Two days.”
"Twelve hours."
"Two and a half days."
"Thirty days, perfect score," one of them suddenly said, getting all
attention on him. It was a bulky-looking beastkin who had been mostly silent
throughout the tests so far. He was there primarily to be a judge of the
upcoming combat section, so for him to chime in with such a preposterous
opinion in the seventh alchemist test was odd.
Others began to make slight jeers, but the scalekin asked, “Why?"
The beastkin looked at the human sitting down there doing alchemy and
just shrugged. "He had the eyes of a predator when he looked upon the
cauldron. I feel a fellow hunter in him. As long as the prey is worth hunting
down, then no matter how boring the process, no matter how long it takes, the
hunter will get his prey."
"That is a bit of a stretch," the scalekin said, shaking his head. “He is an
alchemist first and foremost, with his combat likely being magic-based, if we
go by his arcane affinity and level of mana control displayed.”
"No… he is not," the beastkin said again with a toothy smile. "I know a
fellow hunter when I see one… and that one down there makes my hair stand
on end."
The others didn’t necessarily agree, but neither did they want to argue. In
fact, some were slightly swayed, including the scalekin. Out of everyone
there, the beastkin was the strongest by far… already towards the peak of S-
grade when he’d formed his projection.
And as the days passed and the ritual continued perfectly, opinions were
shifted one by one.
"Khanac had some sharp senses, even back then, huh?" Duskleaf commented.
"Always did," Vilastromoz agreed.
"How is he doing these days, by the way?"
"Probably catching up with Snappy after returning to the Order.” The
Viper shrugged.
"Ah… last I heard, he got in trouble for killing a Seventh-Layer Highgod
from the Altmar Empire?"
"He did."
"It’s good now?"
"Maybe? Didn’t bother asking, but the Autarch hasn’t turned up yet, so
maybe?" Vilastromoz shrugged. He did kinda want to see the old pointy-
eared bastard again.
"Oh, okay."
"Yep."
With that, the two gods stayed to observe Jake a while longer. Duskleaf
eventually left to do something more productive with his time than watch
Jake do something incredibly mundane for a month.

Honestly, thirty days wasn’t even that long. Time slowly passed, and Jake did
as the cauldron wanted. He quickly picked up that trying to alter the process
in any way would only create problems, so he naturally avoided that and just
did as he was supposed to.
Compared to upgrading Shroud, this was honestly easy. So when the
projection appeared and the cauldron disappeared, Jake hadn’t even noticed
thirty days had already passed, and honestly, he felt like he could have kept
going a good while longer without any issues.
The scalekin looked at Jake a bit weirdly before speaking. "Needless to
say, you get full marks on the seventh alchemy test."
"Really?" Jake asked. He was sure he had missed some hidden secret or
something… Why the hell had they called this the hardest?
"Naturally… you got a hundred percent completion with not a single slip-
up," the projection said, frowning. "That is something we only really see
done by those of the automaton race."
"I mean… it wasn’t hard? Sure this is the hardest one?" Jake asked again.
The guy was pulling his leg, right?
"No. Let me ask you, why was this test easy for you?"
"I just had to follow the scripts and the movement of the energy for thirty
days? As I said, it was easy. Probably something most alchemists can easily
do.”
"That is the truth. The task itself is easy, but wasn’t it also boring?
Unstimulating? Why did you, or could you, stay focused on the test
throughout without losing attention for a single moment?" The projection
looked genuinely confused.
About as confused as Jake was. "Wasn’t that the test?"
"It was… but that doesn’t mean you can just do it."
"Well, not doing it would mean I failed the test, wouldn’t it?" Jake asked,
trying to understand the situation.
"Naturally."
"So I did it? I mean, not doing it would mean failing, so I had to do it,
right? So, sure, it was boring, but I had to beat the test, so what can you do?"
Jake honestly didn’t get the big deal as he stared at the projection. The
projection stared back for a few moments before just shaking his head.
"Alright… good job either way. Now, are you ready to move on right away,
or do you need a break?"
"No… I don’t see much to reflect on from that last test,” Jake answered.
Also, all of his resources were topped up, as he had just been meditating,
and his natural regeneration vastly outstripped the expenditure. He wasn’t
even mentally tired; it had all been rather relaxing.
Making Eternal Hunger had been way more fun.
"There is indeed not," the projection agreed. "So, let us move on. With
the seventh test, the alchemy portion of the D-grade entrance test is over, so
let us move on to the combat portion. Follow me."
Jake did as asked, getting up and stretching a bit. He didn’t need to
physically, but it felt good to do so anyway after sitting down for so long.
Following the projection down the hall of the dungeon, he got a look into
some of the other chambers. The scalekin clearly noticed him looking and
volunteered to explain.
"The chambers are based on specializations. Some alchemists have very
odd special skills or hyper-focused specializations. Some are only able to
craft deep underwater. Others require a large forge and flames of a certain
degree, and some just craft with unusual materials. An example would be
those who directly manipulate the flesh and bodies of living beings, even to
the level of affecting the Soulshape."
"Manipulate the Soulshape? Like… actually change the real body
forcefully?" Jake asked.
The Soulshape was just a fancy way of saying the body’s actual shape—
AKA, what natural regeneration would return the body to. There were many
ways to affect it. Heck, Jake had affected his with the scar on his neck from
his duel with the Sword Saint. It was a reminder.
Others would maybe choose to not heal a finger for some reason. The
best example Jake knew was Lillian. Her face was still scarred, and Jake was
certain she could have it regenerated in a day if she so wished. That she
hadn’t done so was none of Jake’s business, but it was proof of how people
had minor control over their Soulshape.
"It is some nasty alchemy, for sure," the scalekin answered, “but also
powerful. Especially those who create their own abominations and chimeras
by combining different living beings to form entirely new creatures. They are
rare, though, and it isn’t the most popular branch primarily due to the many
limitations and high barrier of entry."
Jake nodded along, then made one thing clear. "I know you said to
expand my scope, but no fucking way I am doing that."
"Wouldn’t expect you to. You could become a god by only focusing on
poisons if you wanted. In fact, I would say adopting too many branches of
alchemy may also hurt you, as there are vast differences. Ah, but I would
recommend picking up some aspects of ritual magic, primarily to learn about
magic circles and runes, as the general knowledge required in the branch of
ritualism is useful nearly anywhere."
"Got it," Jake said. He had already picked up a skill for ritualism, so
getting told it was a good thing gave Jake a great dose of confirmation bias.
"But let us address the topic at hand," the projection said as they reached
the end of the hall. The gate before them opened as it led into a huge dome of
sorts. And huge did mean huge. It was at least five kilometers in diameter,
with a completely bare floor.
"The final part of this test is the combat portion. As actual battle power
can be hugely varied based on a plethora of factors, you may find this test
unfair, but such is life sometimes. Like the alchemy test, the combat test will
consist of seven tests maximum. Maximum, as you may do fewer based on
your own abilities. Each test will merely be a fight between you and a
number of opponents, and if you clear a test, you can elect to move on to the
next. Quite simple, really.”
"Does sound simple," Jake said. "What was the average number of
combat tests passed in this trial period you talked about?"
"The median, four. That is what the trial period was for—to evaluate
things like this. Also, during each test, the arena will change to different
environments, with some being beneficial to the enemies you fight."
"Will there be ones deep underwater?" Jake asked with a deep frown,
already remembering the shitty water level. Would the Order really be so—
"No, the feedback on underwater tests was horrible, and it frankly favored
some lifeforms too much and utterly handicapped others. Ifrits and other
types of fire demons, as an example, just got screwed. Besides, most can
avoid battling deep underwater by just staying away, and if they do find
themselves in such an environment, they can just escape.” The projection
shook his head.
"Thank Villy." Jake sighed in relief.
"Pardon?"
"Nothing!" Jake said, having spoken without thinking. "Now, let’s do the
test, yeah?"
"Very well. The first test will begin. Ah, one thing—you may hide your
level and try to appear to be level 181, but due to how the dungeon works,
you will face challenges according to your own level.” The projection then
tossed Jake a small token. "Use the token to begin the test and activate
subsequent tests. I wish you luck."
"Alright," Jake said as the projection disappeared, and he didn’t hesitate
to activate the token.
The environment around him began changing. Trees shot up from the
ground, underbrush was formed, and within a second, he found himself
within a forest. He also instantly heard the noises of beasts. Jake stood still as
he waited, feeling no danger.
Soon enough, the beasts tracked him down. Six of them entered the small
clearing he was standing in.

[Flamefang Wolf – lvl 141]

[Flamefang Wolf – lvl 143]
 [Flamefang Wolf – lvl 144]
[Flamefang Wolf – lvl 141]
[Flamefang Wolf – lvl 140]
[Flamefang Wolf Alpha – lvl 149]

Jake looked at all six of them and frowned. "Is this some kind of joke?"
The six wolves just stood there, staring at him. None of them dared to
attack him. Jake stared at the Alpha in the front, and finally, whatever
compulsion to fight the dungeon imposed won out over their fear.
They all charged at the same time, and Jake didn’t even bother. The first
wolf to arrive, Jake let bite down on his hand with gloves he had already
infused with arcane mana to strengthen. As it did so, he blew out an
explosion of arcane mana, and the entire wolf turned into a shower of blood
and gore.
The second one, he grasped by the jaws and ripped open. They all kept
coming, and Jake tore them apart one by one with his bare hands, feeling
even more bored than during the seventh alchemy test.
Finally, the Alpha died when Jake bashed its skull in. He didn’t wait
before taking out the token and activating it again, hoping for the next one to
not be a huge disappointment.
Chapter 55
 Dominating the Test

T he combat arena changed once more, and the forest was replaced with a
mountainous valley. When it was done changing, the environment was
bare and had a mountain range in the distance, making Jake think the
room had also expanded spatially.
Jake considered if he should head there, but instead, he saw movement.
From atop one of the mountains came a mass of flapping insects that would
no doubt look like a black cloud to someone with far less Perception. Jake
used Identify on a few of them.

[Soilwasp Swarmer – lvl 105]

[Soilwasp Swarmer – lvl 107]
[Soilwasp Swarmer – lvl 106]

Each Soilwasp was about the size of a human, with a large stinger and, of
course, wings. As they got closer, Jake saw them point their stringers
skyward and release their combined attacks. A rain of small, black, almost
diamond-like shards rained down upon him as he was attacked by thousands
of D-grades at once.
At the same time, Jake felt something not from the sky, but from the
opposite direction. Through his Sphere of Perception, he saw several forms
move below him. He had no idea what it actually was, but it looked like some
weird insects that managed to dig through the ground.
Describing these insects was difficult. They had long, slender bodies and
huge claws and mouths that seemed to somehow swallow up the soil as they
moved through it. Jake had to be honest; they all looked kinda creepy.
With a casual demeanor, Jake raised one of his hands as arcane energy
moved around it. A bubble formed around him, shielding him from attacks
coming from below and above. He then turned his gaze towards the many
incoming wasps and smiled.
Through Jake’s extensive training to control Shroud of the Primordial, He
had become very familiar with his own Soulshape. He had already faintly
noticed how he flew a bit better on his way back to Haven—but it was not
only his wings that had improved.
In the same vein as understanding a skill helped improve it,
understanding your own body also made you better at using it. So what
happens when a skill is inherently tied to the body? Wings were an example,
but one example was even more prominent and relevant for this
improvement.
The skills Jake had received related to the Malefic Viper didn’t actually
alter Jake’s physical body or his Soulshape, but instead simply created
phantasmal body parts. These were only temporary parts of his Soulshape,
but they functioned similarly, even if it wasn't exactly the same.
However, one skill had permanently altered Jake’s actual physical body.
The skill that had turned his eyes from their normal brown color to a beastly
yellow. The first legendary skill Jake had achieved that wasn’t done through
simply bullshitting with his Bloodline. Well, alright, he had kind of
bullshitted it by buying it through a tutorial store, but still.
Jake usually only used his Gaze of the Apex Hunter to freeze foes that
were difficult to fight or to simply keep them still for him to land a good
blow, but today, he would use the more lethal part of it. With intense focus,
Jake controlled all the energy going towards his eyes, and he almost felt the
metaphysical veins going to them.
It wasn’t to make the ability more powerful. Instead, it was to shield
himself from doing any more damage than necessary using this skill. Was
using Gaze necessary? No. Would it be better to bombard them with some
arcane attacks? Well, sure, but Jake wanted to use his Gaze, so he did.
He infused his eyes as they glowed yellow, and Jake released, bar none,
the most powerful Gaze of the Apex Predator he had ever used. The
legendary skill truly showed its power as he looked at all the incoming
wasps, wishing death upon them.
After a brief sting in his eyes, the sound of wings flapping in the distance
suddenly lessened significantly, and more than seventy percent of the swarm
fell to the ground, lifeless. The remaining ones only survived by having their
bodies covered by their comrades.
Something a second Gaze quickly fixed. The last nearly seven hundred
wasps also fell lifelessly to the ground, their souls destroyed by the gaze of an
apex hunter.
At the same time, the ground beneath him erupted as seven huge, insect-
like burrowers tried to consume him. Each of them was as large as a bus, with
wide maws filled with teeth-like grinders. When they came up, they shot Jake
into the air, but the arcane bubble around him held up.
Jake let himself float upwards as he gathered mana in his hands. He also
Identified the newcomers.

[Razormaw Rockshooter– lvl 151]

Their names made a lot more sense when they all shot human-sized
shards of rock towards him, but Jake simply dodged to the side as arcane
bolts gathered around him. With a mental command, he released them all in a
bombardment of pure death, and the ground below him exploded.
He kept shooting out dozens of destructive bolts every second as the
insects struggled, some of them even trying to re-burrow in the ground. Jake
stopped that by teleporting down, grasping one by its tail-like limb, and
pulling it up again before just giving it a few good punches till it died.
"Still too easy," Jake muttered.
These enemies sucked. Straight up did. They were low-tier creatures, and
Jake reckoned that most humans above level 135 or so could kill them. This
was also why Gaze so easily killed them all with nearly no backlash… They
were just too weak.
Jake once more pulled out the token and activated it. The environment
began changing again, and he now found himself standing on flat plains with
nothing around him in any direction. Far off in the distance, he saw three
creatures being summoned.
They were all tall—about three to four meters—and lanky, with sharp
claws at the end of arms practically dragging across the ground. They had not
seen Jake yet from where they stood, but were instead curiously inspecting
their surroundings. One of them began tearing up the ground for fun.
 [Venomclaw Kalamore – lvl 156]
[Venomclaw Kalamore – lvl 155]
[Venomclaw Kalamore – lvl 158]

"Venomclaw, really?" Jake asked, wondering if that wasn’t just bullshit.

Jake could clearly see that these beasts were melee-focused, so he decided
to meet them head-on. He just ran towards them as he pulled out Eternal
Hunger. The blade had been complaining a bit recently about being hungry,
so why not feed it a bit?
As he ran over, they also spotted him. They all turned on a dime and
practically flew towards him, surpassing Jake’s own running speed. Jake
stood his ground and swept his blade upwards as he met the claws of the first
Kalamore, sending it flying back and leaving its hand dripping with blood.
Jake turned and blocked a second one, dodged the third, and weaved in
between them as he swung his blade and cut one in the back. The third one
attacked again, but Jake blocked it with his mana-infused gloves, forcefully
twisted its wrist, and made it stab its claws into its own body.
Jake then just let one attack him. It ripped through his back and drew
blood, also infusing its venom. Weaksauce venom that did little more than
provide him a bit of mana regeneration as Jake decapitated one of the
creatures.
The two others fell soon after, having not really managed to accomplish
much. Still too damn easy.
He activated the token again, and the environment shifted. He suddenly
felt like it had gotten very hot as everything turned red. Looking up, he was
now within some kind of cave with lava dripping down from the ceiling and
pools of hot magma bubbling in deep pits below.
Jake was on a large, circular, almost arena-like platform as someone
appeared across from him.

[Emberblade Berserker Demon – lvl 155]

And it truly was someone. It at least looked humanoid, but the berserker
part of the name proved quite relevant fast, as Jake didn’t see much
intelligence or awareness in its eyes. It was a large, bulky demon wearing
tattered plate armor and wielding a two-handed sword more than four meters
long.
It saw him instantly and, with a bestial screech, stormed towards him, its
large sword burning. Red, pulsating veins that seemed to almost burn covered
its body. This was the test where the average testee stopped, but Jake was far
from average.
Jake still only stood with Eternal Hunger as he allowed it to come. He
blocked the first blow and found himself tossed airborne when a wave of fire
licked across his body. Outmatched in strength, huh? Makes sense.
While still mid-air, Jake stepped down and teleported forward, appearing
right in front of the demon. He didn’t give it time to respond before he
stabbed his sword into his opponent, also making the blade explode with
arcane energy to send the demon reeling back.
The demon flew back and was now bleeding from a hole in its chest, but
at the same time, the veins also began glowing more intensely as the wound
healed. Without any reprieve, the demon attacked again, slightly faster than
before.
Yep, really a stereotypical berserker. Take damage? Do more damage!
However, Jake knew the counter to this. With a swift move, he coated his
blade in his own blood to poison it and prepared for slaughter. As the demon
was upon him, his body exploded with arcane energy due to Arcane
Awakening at the balanced 30%. He dodged under the first swipe of the
heavy sword and cut the demon across the chest. It attacked again, but Jake
just dodged and kept cutting it.
It tried to fight back, but Jake didn’t let up. He kept cutting and kept
stabbing. He was far faster and more agile, not allowing the demon to land a
single hit. Even as the berserker grew stronger and faster, Jake just kept
dodging. Towards the end, he didn’t even bother attacking. Instead, he
deposited his blade in his inventory to just dodge the sword blows one after
another.
In the end, the demon just fell over, succumbing to the poison and its own
wounds as Jake stood unscathed besides a few burn marks on his cloak. He
deactivated Arcane Awakening again, as there was no weakness period due
to only using it at 30%.
"Well, should get harder now, right?" Jake said to himself and the more
than a hundred observers as he activated the token again, not feeling like he
needed a break.
Once more, his environment shifted. Space expanded obviously enough
for even Jake to notice. The cave walls were gone, and he now found himself
within an expansive sky, standing on a small cloud. In front of him flew a
single creature larger than anything Jake had ever fought before.

[Whisperleech – lvl 174]

It looked like small banners of cloth that extended from a humongous

balloon with lightning crackling within. Like a massive sky-jellyfish or
something like that, but with just ridiculous proportions. The cloth-like
banners extended for more than fifty kilometers out from it, while the main
body was perhaps a kilometer in diameter.
Jake was amazed a creature of such size could still only be D-grade,
much less have such a "low" level. Moreover, how it could feel so…
unthreatening? Jake stared at it, and even when it also became aware of him
and began attacking, he didn’t feel much danger.
He considered whether he should take out his bow and just finish it
quickly, then decided that yes, that would be a good idea, as he really didn’t
wanna storm in and try to stab the massive creature. Primarily because he
could only begin to imagine whatever goo it would spew when stabbed. He
had a strong feeling it would be very disgusting.
Let’s hope the next one is stronger.

The chamber of judges had been quite rowdy for the first few parts of the
combat test, but was now quieter. That Jake had easily passed the first test
was expected. Practically everyone did, with the only ones struggling being
those who were pure alchemists—who had likely not even evolved their
classes yet—or those of a race with close to no combat abilities.
It was in the second test that something changed. It was a test to see how
a testee handled being swarmed, but none had expected it to just end. A
single glance and a soul attack of incredible power had killed nearly all of the
wasps, with a second one just ending it outright.
The third fight was a slaughter. The fourth was too… but one thing stood
out.
"What exactly is his class?" a projection asked after the fourth test.
 "Magic and melee so far—a form of spellsword or magic warrior?"
another one proposed.
"That weapon—a Legacy weapon of some sort? I feel incredible power
from it," a third one said. "Definitely not something a D-grade will usually
walk around with. That curse is no joke…. Ah, perhaps that is related to his
class? The soul attack also makes this probable."
The scalekin projection did not chime in, sitting more confused than
anything else. The testee fought with so many different tools and methods it
made little sense, but it quickly became clear he only did so for, well, fun, it
appeared. He even commented out loud on the lack of challenge.
Looking over at the beastkin, who was the most powerful among them,
the beastkin returned his gaze. "As I said before, he is a hunter. A hunt with
unworthy prey is never interesting."
"Thoughts on his fighting style?" the scalekin asked.
"So far, his high Perception is clear from how he fights,” the beastkin
explained, with everyone else quietly listening. “He predicts attacks and goes
for weak points. The way he handled the demon was masterful as an evasive
fighter. Overall, from what he has displayed, he would be a monstrous melee
fighter or mage if he focused on that.”
"If he focused on it?" one of the projections discussed earlier asked.
The beastkin grinned, showing his teeth. "He is a hunter, is he not? A
human hunter with a high Perception. There is only one true weapon for such
a man."
"A bow?" the scalekin asked, a bit perplexed. "He has not shown any
signs he uses one so far."
"Because nothing worthy has appeared yet. A dragon does not bother
wasting its Dragon Breath on unworthy foes, but merely crushes it with all its
other methods."
Just as they spoke, the fifth combat test began.
"A Whisperleech? Annoying creature to deal with as a melee fighter," a
projection commented.
The human in the test looked at it a bit and waved his hand, and a bow
appeared.
"I told you so," the beastkin laughed.
"We do not know if that is his most powerful method,” a projection
began. “It may merely be a more effective way to use his magi—"
The human had drawn the string in the test, and energy instantly surged.
He took aim, and a few seconds passed before he released the string. The
cloud and sky were parted as several appendages of the Whisperleech were
torn apart by the arrow, which soon impacted the main body and resulted in a
massive explosion of destructive energy.
None commented as a second shot came a few seconds later, and without
the Whisperleech even being able to fight back, it was killed by only four
arrows total. To make it more ridiculous…

Jake tsked as he watched the huge creature collapse like an ill-engineered

airship. "Four fully charged Powershots with Arcane Awakening at 30%?
Tankier than I thought. Huh."
Chapter 56
 Meeting Expectations

J ake quickly took out the token to begin the sixth combat test. The fifth
one had honestly been too easy, but then again, the huge thing had been
incredibly ill-matched against Jake. It just relied on being big and
unapproachable, which just made a massive target for him.
When he activated the token, the environment shifted again. He once
more found solid ground beneath him as he saw structures form all around.
Within a moment, he stood within a huge colosseum of some kind, more than
five hundred meters across and with a magical barrier sealing him in.
A gate at the far end opened, and five figures appeared. Jake frowned
when he saw them.
It was a group of five humanoids wearing varied equipment. From what
he could tell, it was two women and three men, with a scalekin at the lead
with a sword in hand. The ones behind were a female elf in a robe holding a
staff, a human also wearing a robe, a demon in full plate armor, and a female
beastkin with what looked like a rifle. Jake used Identify and instantly
understood.

[Human – lvl 156]

[Elf – lvl 160]
[Scalekin – lvl 162]
[Demon – lvl 159]
[Beastkin – lvl 160]

It was a battle to pit the testee against a full party of fighters—a healer, a
tank, and three damage dealers able to strike at both melee and range. As Jake
looked at them, they didn’t speak or emote at all, but their movements were
clearly that of sapient people. The healer began casting some magic that
coated them all in a green aura.
Jake decided, for once, to not take this too casually. He had little to no
experience fighting teams despite being a mid-tier D-grade, and this group
was clearly one made to test his ability to handle such a group.
Arcane Awakening activated at 30% as he took out his bow right off the
bat and released a barrage of explosive arrows, jumping backward. Just as he
did so, the demon warrior stepped in the front and took out a shield that
summoned a barrier around its edges. The shield expanded and totally
blocked the explosions in tandem with the healer’s defenses.
While jumping back, Jake began charging Arcane Powershot as he took
aim for the healer of the group. Always killing the healer first was tried-and-
true logic that he would naturally follow. The enemy gunner also returned
fire while the scalekin raised his blade and exploded with some aura that left
a faint sheen on the body of everyone present.
The human mage seemed to begin some ritual, as a large magic seal was
formed right behind him, and Jake heard some kind of chanting. There was a
lot to keep track of at once, and Jake wanted to quickly seize the momentum.
He released the Arcane Powershot just before a bullet arrived from the
enemy gunner. Jake quickly made a shield with his hand. The bullet impacted
it and exploded in a frosty white mist, creating ice on the stable arcane
barrier.
His Arcane Powershot shot forward with incredible momentum as the
demon warrior once more stepped forward to block. Jake used Gaze on him,
and the demon froze. Annoyingly so, the scalekin warrior stepped in and just
straight up took the arrow with his own body, blasting him back.
It seemed like a good thing for Jake, but the healer quickly reacted by
patching up the scalekin. He also noticed something else… The scales on the
scalekin weren’t the usual kind. They had a dark green color, and Jake
instantly recognized Scales of the Malefic Viper.
This was further confirmed when two black, draconic wings appeared
behind the scalekin. The swordsman flew towards Jake with great speed,
even while injured. The demon warrior stayed with the healer, gunner, and
mage while Jake faced the swordsman scalekin in direct melee.
The healer did apply some magic first, and Jake saw the gunner begin
charging some attack as the human mage continued his ritual. The demon
slammed his shield into the ground, where it expanded and created a physical
wall between Jake and the ranged fighters. The healer could still cast through
the shield, it appeared, as Jake dodged away from the scalekin and
bombarded the demon’s protection.
It quickly became clear breaking down the barrier wouldn’t be easy,
forcing Jake to engage the scalekin a bit. He took out Eternal Hunger and the
Bloodfeast Dagger. Green energy swirled around his opponent’s blade, toxic
energy bellowing out of it as the scalekin attacked.
Jake blocked with Eternal Hunger, and they found themselves equally
matched in strength. The poison from the blade did seep a bit into Jake, but
he didn’t care. The swordsman moved his blade and tried to do a feint, but
Jake blocked as he moved in and cut with his dagger. The scalekin tried to
counter, but Jake dodged under the blade and attacked the swordsman’s
stomach, sending scales and blood flying.
Slower than me… and compared to the Sword Saint, his swordplay seems
simple, Jake thought, though he knew there had to be more.
And more there was. The scalekin suddenly exploded in power, bulking
up and growing nearly a meter in height. His muscles bulged as spikes
erupted from his back, all pulsing with energy. Jake was still close and
attacked his opponent, but he found himself blocked and slightly repelled by
the post-transformation scalekin.
The two of them fought a bit more, with Jake still coming out on top. His
opponent had gotten stronger, but not faster. However, he had also clearly
gotten way bulkier and resistant, as Jake’s weapons didn’t cut as deep as
before, and the healer was also still constantly helping with healing and who-
knows-what.
Ultimately, though, the reason things were going as they were was that
Jake allowed them to. He wanted to see what his opponents were cooking up.
He had no experience fighting groups like this and wanted to take this test as
a learning opportunity, as he had been told by the projection to do.
Well, this probably wasn’t what the projection had meant, but hey, what
can you do? Jake kept brawling with this scalekin for a while longer,
occasionally throwing an arcane spell in the direction of the demon’s shield
until, finally, the gunner and mage were ready.
The demon’s shield retracted, and Jake felt a surge of magic coming from
the human mage. The magic seal expanded, and Jake suddenly felt invisible
attacks coming for him from everywhere. Like invisible chains bound his
limbs, he suddenly felt himself weighed down and taking damage, as it was
clearly not simply a binding attack. Just then, the gunner also became ready.
A giant explosion sounded out, and a bullet flew towards him.
At the same time, the scalekin also closed in for an attack, with the
demon even charging towards him to follow up. It was all a masterfully
planned attack that would no doubt be able to kill most people in mid-tier D-
grade.
Most people.
Jake opened his eyes wide as his body exploded with energy, activating
Arcane Awakening fully. His stats climbed and flooded him with power. The
first attack to arrive was the scalekin’s, and Jake dove forward into the blow.
He allowed the large swordsman to hit him in the shoulder as he, in turn,
grasped the scalekin’s arm and twisted his body. All of it happened in a
moment, not giving the mage with his chains time to respond.
The huge swordsman failed to resist as Jake used the scalekin as a shield
against the gunner’s powerful attack. It rivaled Jake’s own Arcane
Powershot, which showed as the scalekin was blasted away. Jake narrowly
dodged the large figure as it flew over him and smashed into the wall of the
colosseum, barely making a few cracks.
As he ducked, Jake partly lost his footing due to the chains dragging him
down, proving the mage was able to control them slightly. They dug in
deeper, and Jake felt his resources draining. He gritted his teeth, as he was
now certain it was a soul attack of some sort. It was binding his soul, not his
actual physical body.
Powerful for sure, and it would make most of his level utterly unable to
move. Jake, on the other hand, was a bad target. He flooded certain parts of
his own Soulshape with destructive arcane energy as he weakened the chains
and finally activated Scales, breaking several of the chains altogether.
He then went on the offensive. Pride of the Malefic Viper bellowed out as
he used Gaze on the group. The mental attack from Pride made them all falter
slightly longer, giving Jake time to draw his bow and fire an Arcane
Powershot towards the healer of the group.
Jake followed up with a barrage of explosive bolts just to create chaos
while using One Step Mile forward. The healer was struck by the Arcane
Powershot but managed to protect herself with a barrier in the final moment
as she was sent flying back.
 With two steps, Jake caught up. He had gotten an idea from seeing the
scalekin hit the colosseum wall, and he would now put it into motion. His
hand was glowing green as he summoned his wings and flew forward,
catching the healer by her face after briefly breaking through her barrier with
Touch.
He smashed her head into the wall with Touch of the Malefic Viper and
dragged her across the wall in a clockwise direction, grinding her skull up
against the fortified rock. The mage tried to stop him with the remaining
chains, but Jake threw him another glance with Gaze as he kept flying.
The other three tried to come and help, too, but Jake was too fast. He
made four full revolutions around the arena within a few seconds, leaving a
red line of blood around the perimeter wall. Finally, he pushed hard enough
to feel the head of the healer squash.
First down, he thought as the notification came. Disappointingly, the
notification didn’t include class and profession, but what can you do?
Jake turned his attention to the four others, who were all preparing to
attack him again.
"Have you guys never played any MMOs? It’s a wipe when the healer
dies."

The projections looked on as the slaughter of the four remaining members

proceeded. It’d been one-sided from the start, and they had actually been a bit
surprised he appeared to struggle in the beginning until it became clear he
was just testing them.
"They didn’t even have time to deploy more than that one tactic," one of
the projections commented.
"In the end, power always wins out," another echoed.
"How many Legacy skills does he possess?" a third one asked.
"Potentially all nine," a fourth one said.
The scalekin listened on as he observed. He didn’t have many comments
anymore. He didn’t truly question if he could beat the seventh test either.
No… his question was related to what came after. "What are the chances he
can do the elective level?" he asked out loud.
Glances landed on the beastskin as he spoke up. "I am voting for allowing
it… I want to see him fight that monster."

Jake sat in meditation after the fight was over, taking in whatever insights he
had gained. Not that there was much… In his first real attack, he had killed
the healer, so yeah, that was boring. Oh, and speaking of gains, he’d leveled
up.

*’DING!’ Class: [Avaricious Arcane Hunter] has reached level 153 - Stat
points allocated, +10 Free Points*

*’DING!’ Race: [Human (D)] has reached level 151 - Stat points allocated,
+15 Free Points*

He had not expected it, but it was nice. For now, he was just waiting out
the brief period of weakness from using Arcane Awakening. He had only
used for a few minutes, but even that would take fifteen minutes or so to get
back in top form. It was a nasty skill in that way.
Had he needed to use it in the fight before? No, but it sure had sped things
up.
An hour or so later, Jake opened his eyes and took out the token. As his
resources were all replenished, he decided to move onto the seventh and final
level.
The environment changed, and he soon found himself standing within a
mountainous area not unlike one from Earth. He looked around until he saw a
creature in the distance. It was a large, winged form with red fur all over it. It
had the body of what looked like a lion, bat-like wings, a scorpion stinger at
the rear, and a face that looked uncannily like a humanoid. Jake did
remember a creature like this from somewhere, but he couldn’t remember
what it was called.
Luckily, he had Identify for that.

[Manticore – lvl 186]

 "Oh, yeah… Manticore," he muttered as he took out his bow and did
something he rarely did.
He retreated away from where he was, diving into a cave not far away,
but not before placing a Mark on the beast. The Manticore had clearly not
seen him yet, based on how it flew and the lack of feeling its eyes upon him.
He went through the cave and out the other side, keeping track of the
beast through his Mark. Jake didn’t usually do this, but he wanted to get the
best result possible in the test, so he didn’t play around with the strongest
opponent. He knew the best way to start a fight was a good opening shot
from an advantageous position, so he would go for just that.
The Manticore landed on the cliff upon which Jake had appeared,
standing still for a good while and allowing Jake to move through a few
caves and several kilometers away. The beast began moving again soon after,
but luckily it went in the opposite direction.
He stalked around as he kept track of his prey, his upgraded stealth fully
active. The fact that the Manticore had not spotted him already meant that it
had low Perception, which was the only reason he was confident doing this.
Soon enough, he was at a good spot, as he assumed the Manticore would
return to where it had been. If not, he could perhaps bait it with a bit of magic
or something to get its attention. He set up shop and prepared some arrows in
his quiver. Arrow of the Ambitious Hunter was not a possibility, as this was
his first time encountering a Manticore, but perhaps a mid-fight arrow could
be deployed?
Jake patiently waited for the Manticore to return, and soon enough, it did.
It landed on the same cliff once more, overlooking the area. Jake had no idea
what it was thinking or if it was even fully capable of thought, being a weird
dungeon boss and all.
With his prey in position, he took a deep breath and slightly expanded the
stealth field made by Arcane Stealth to try and cover up what he was about to
do. He nocked a poisoned arrow and began channeling Arcane Powershot,
also using Arcane Awakening with the destructive part embraced as his
offensive stats were boosted by 50%.
He was still unnoticed when, ten seconds later, he released his shot.
Returning to tested tactics, Jake froze the Manticore with Gaze the
moment it noticed his arrow, making it unable to respond in time as it was hit
in the back. The truck-sized beast was sent flying back, spewing blood all
over, but it soon began stabilizing itself.
 Just in time for another Arcane Powershot to hit it and blast it back again
before it had time to fully get its bearings. Jake didn’t hold anything back.
Chapter 57
 Extra Credits Hydra

M anticores sure were interesting creatures. Clearly pretty powerful for

their levels, based on how well the one Jake fought handled things.
They even had mouth magic that impressed Jake, as they could both
breathe fire and shoot a beam of pure energy.
However, the most impressive was the stinger by far. Anything it hit was
instantly petrified and turned to stone, and it could even shoot a weaker
version of this effect out as bullets of petrifying poison. Physically, it was
also monstrously strong, and even if it was a bit slow, it made up for it with
its bulky build and ranged attacks.
Overall, it was pretty strong. Jake, at least, looked back at the fight as a
good time as he sat in meditation with the half-decayed corpse of the
Manticore right behind him. It had taken him a while, but ultimately, it hadn’t
even stood a chance. Jake had dominated from start to end, keeping a
distance throughout as he slowly poisoned it to death before finally finishing
it off with an Arrow of the Ambitious Hunter.
While it had okay poison resistance, it only seemed to work against its
own petrifying poison, so it wasn’t really that great. Ultimately, Jake could
have won even without poisons—even if poison did account for far more
than half of his overall damage, only increasing as the fight wore on.
As Jake sat there in meditation, the projection popped up in front of him.
"Congratulations on passing the combat test with flying colors," the
scalekin said with a genuine tone of respect. "I haven’t seen such a dominant
performance in a long time."
"Does that mean I get a good grade?" Jake asked hopefully. He didn’t
know what the criteria were, and he did actually feel a bit cheated, as he had
been unable to truly show what he was capable of. Combined with his
alchemy performance, this should result in an okay overall grade. At least, he
hoped so.
"Naturally," the projection confirmed.
"Good," Jake said with a smile. "Because I feel like it wasn’t that hard,
you know?"
The scalekin returned his smile. "That brings us to the next topic… With
this combat encounter done, the test is technically over. However, due to your
performance in the combat portion, there is an eighth elective test you can
choose to partake in."
Jake instantly became alert. "Something even stronger? Wait, does this
mean the alchemy portion also had an extra test if I performed well enough
there?"
"Yes, but needless to say, your performance in alchemy was not good
enough for that. This extra test will be a large step up from those prior, and as
always, you will risk true death if you fail. Are you interested?"
Jake found the question almost insulting. "Of course."
"Very well. This test will be combat, like those prior, but it will last one
hour at most. This means that if you are on the losing end, it merely becomes
a game of survival, yet at the same time also a test of your ability to deal
damage and kill your foe within the allotted time. Trust me—it may seem
easy with an hour, but what you will fight is not a simple creature.
"What you will face will be the incarnation of the Lord Protector himself,
back when he was only a mid-tier D-grade. A beast of relatively low
intelligence back then, but with incredible might that swept across his planet
as he devoured everything in his path. I am certain you know of the Lord
Protector, correct?"
"A little bit, but a refresher would be nice? Been a few eras, and our
understandings may vary," Jake said honestly. Being ignorant was not being a
heretic, was it?
"Very well. The Lord Protector was—and still is—a Hydra. I assume you
know what a Hydra is?"
Jake nodded in confirmation, assuming it was the same kind of Hydra he
knew about.
"Hydras are notoriously survivable and difficult to kill due to certain
racial bonuses, a high base health pool, and regeneration that amplifies
further with every head. As for the Lord Protector? At D-grade, he was
merely a two-headed Hydra—the one you will face—but as he grew, so did
his power and number of heads, as is customary. A nine-headed Hydra at C-
grade, hundred-headed Hydra by B-grade, thousand-headed Hydra at A-
grade, and the ten thousand-headed Hydra at S-grade. At godhood? Counting
the number of heads once he assumes his true form is meaninglessness
incarnate."
Jake wanted to comment on how a thousand—or, even worse, ten
thousand—heads was even possible, but that would certainly be heretic
territory, right? Like… was the main body just a big ball of flesh with heads
coming out like hair? Just a big squid thing? Or… was the body just so
massive it could facilitate it? No, that would just mean the heads were
smaller. Was there even a real body? Perhaps the heads did not exist in the
physical plane all at once. It was impossible to know, but Jake really wanted
to see.
"However… I have one warning. You have just achieved level 151,
which means the one you will face will be level 160. The saved copies of the
Lord Protector come in ten-level intervals, and as the test does not allow you
to face those of lower level… you will have a steep hill to climb. Let me say
this now—if you find yourself on the losing end, just buy time and wait it
out.” The projection sincerely delivered that advice. Advice Jake would
actually take if it came down to it.
Maybe… who knows? That sounded like a problem he would handle if it
ever became pertinent.
"I will keep it in mind," Jake said.
The projection nodded and summoned a new token. "Use this when you
are ready for the final test… and good luck."
"Thanks," Jake said as the scalekin projection disappeared. He closed his
eyes again and entered meditation as he thought to himself, Time to see what
Villy’s mate Snappy was like back in the day.

Vilastromoz went over some notes as he made a selection to be sent to the

Humanoid Resources department. Under an alias, of course. They couldn’t
know it was from him, but he was already smiling at what would soon
happen.
 "Jake is about to fight Snoarix’s Legacy Incarnation within the trial,"
Duskleaf said, a bit nervous.
"Yep," the Viper answered. "Gonna be fun."
"Thoughts?"
"That it is gonna be fun. Well, only for Jake, Snappy wasn’t the sharpest
tool in the shed back then, despite having multiple heads.”
"But he was powerful… I have seen quite a few reach this stage before,
and it nearly always ends with the testee forced to flee to survive or dead.
Knowing Jake… he won’t flee, no matter how easy doing so will be for him.”
"Well, I guess he will just have to win, then.” The Viper shrugged.
Did Vilastromoz think it would be easy? No, of course not. Snappy was a
freaking monster, and had been even back then. But then again… so was
Jake. Snappy did also have some glaring weaknesses, at least on the offensive
front.
There was just one little issue.
"However… it sure is a bad matchup."

Jake looked at the token a bit, tossing it up and down before he made his
decision and activated it. He had fully regenerated and was in the best shape
possible, so if there was a time to fight a Hydra, it was now. The environment
changed again, just like every other time. The ground beneath him turned
mushy, the moisture in the air spiking.
A swamp.
Thick, gnarly trees sprang up as a bit of water covered the ground
everywhere. Jake even saw in his sphere that the shallow water hid pits here
and there. His senses spread, and instantly he picked up on a distant aura. A
powerful one.
Jake once more entered stealth, not fucking around. He was fighting a D-
grade nine levels above himself that had become a god, after all. Moreover, it
was a Hydra… Hydras were not to be fucked with, if mythology had
anything to say, even if this one only had two heads.
Sneaking forward, Jake made his way through the deep roots springing up
from the trees. The trees themselves lifted and raised so one could hide
underneath. He kept low as he followed his senses. Soon, he saw something
rise in the distance.
A head.
It rose far above the treetops, making the creature easily fifteen to twenty
meters tall. Jake got closer and finally found a spot where he could get an
okay-ish look at the Hydra. It had dark gray, spiky scales covering its body,
feet like a dragon, and two necks far larger than its bulky body. A long tail
was behind it, and the heads themselves looked like snakes, except their
mouths looked almost too big.
The Hydra was currently digging something out from beneath the ground,
ignorant to Jake’s presence. It seemed to just swallow up the earth and water
to create a large pit, opening its maws like an excavator. Jake finally used
Identify to see exactly what he was dealing with.

[Two-Headed Hydra of Perennial Consumption – lvl 160]

That’s quite the mouthful, Jake thought, not even referring to how the
Hydra had just chugged down a few tons of soil. Then again, he had a
profession with an equally long name, and it wasn’t like his class name was
short either. As for this particular name… perennial consumption did sound
like it was something a high-tier creature would have.
Now, Jake did not know much about Hydras, but he did know a lot about
scaled beasts in general, and he truly believed they were similar enough to
meet the criteria… which proved true when he began summoning an Arrow
of the Ambitious Hunter within his quiver.
He stayed hidden as he did this, no energy leaking out. Before activating
the token, he had already prepared poisoned arrows in the quiver, so he was
good to go. Now he just needed a good vantage point to attack from.
Jake used Mark on the Hydra as he snuck away to the far corner of the
swamp. There was no way for the Hydra to detect his Mark, as he stealthily
made his exit with his high Perception. He went nearly twenty kilometers
away over the next ten minutes before he stopped in a nice, open area. Some
quick maths confirmed he had a good angle as he took out his bow and the
Arrow of the Ambitious Hunter.
He poisoned it and nocked the huge arrow. It looked more like a black
metal spear with a drill-pike head. Certainly looked useful for penetrating
scales. Jake drew his bow as he took aim, closing his eyes meanwhile. Vision
offered no advantage here. Instead, he would go solely by instinct.
 Jake lifted his bow at a steep upwards angle and breathed in. Arcane
Awakening activated with the destructive boost as Arcane Powershot began
charging. When everything was ready, Jake opened his eyes and released the
string.
He quickly nocked a new arrow and shot at a slightly different angle after
a fast Arcane Powershot to give it good speed. This repeated as Jake fired a
dozen or so arrows more, the first eight stable ones and the last four
destructive.
When the last arrow was shot, he quickly took out a mana potion to
consume as he ran away from his original position to avoid detection. Making
his way to a new vantage point, Jake felt the first arrow hit right on target.
His Mark was suddenly infused with a lot of arcane energy, and Sense of the
Malefic Viper made him aware that the Hydra was now poisoned.
His plan now was to find a new spot to fire from, but as he made his way
forward, he felt something worrying. After Arrow of the Ambitious Hunter
hit, he felt only two more impacts on his Mark, despite the Hydra not
moving. It blocked it?
No… that also felt wrong. The poison on the arrows was something he
could usually feel, even at such a distance, but now it was just gone.
Destroyed completely. As he wondered, the Hydra finally began moving. It
ran towards the direction he had shot from for a moment before it suddenly
changed course—headed straight for Jake.
Jake instantly knew the Hydra was aware of his position as it beelined for
him. It moved fast, crossing more than two hundred meters every second.
Jake took to the air and decided to use the distance to his advantage. He flew
upwards for half a kilometer before he looked down and saw trees topple in
the distance.
A path of carnage was being carved, and Jake saw the massive Hydra
stomp towards him with heavy steps. It was bleeding from its back where
Arrow of the Ambitious Hunter had hit, but Jake also saw it already healing.
Two more stable arrows stuck out of the thick scales on one of its necks,
with the other arrows gone. Jake nocked an arrow and fired another Arcane
Powershot towards his target.
Jake watched as the arrow flew for one of the Hydra heads, but his foe
responded in an unexpected way. It opened its mouth and ate the Arcane
Powershot like it was a tasty snack. Its head did recoil a little as it shook it,
but it didn’t stop running for even a moment.
 "So that’s where all the other arrows went…" Jake muttered.
He had a feeling this wasn’t going to be an easy fight. Something that was
confirmed as the Hydra opened its mouth towards him. He felt energy gather,
but not the energy he had expected. Pink-purple mana came out of the
Hydra’s maw as a beam of pure destructive force, fired straight toward him.
A beam of arcane mana.
Jake’s arcane mana.
Chapter 58
 Beast vs Man

J ake hastily dodged the arcane beam but was still scratched by it due to its
intense destructive power. The remnant energies burned his cloak, and
Jake felt his left arm singe a little as some of his own damn affinity
invaded his body and did damage.
Gritting his teeth, Jake returned fire and switched it up. The arrow split
into five in mid-air, and the Hydra only managed to swallow one of them.
The four others hit and exploded on its scales. The Hydra roared in anger,
then did something Jake had not expected. It stopped and just stared up at
Jake, who was flying far above.
Deciding to just shoot again, Jake released another barrage of Splitting
Arrow, but this time, when the Hydra opened its mouth, something else
happened. It was as if space itself distorted when the Hydra breathed in, and
all five arrows were swallowed whole. The Hydra didn’t even react besides
closing its maw and staring back up at him with both heads.
Waiting.
Jake hesitated for a moment, unsure how to proceed. The Hydra looked
relatively calm, too, just staring up at him with one head as the other began
scavenging the ground. That was when Jake realized something: the one-hour
timer wasn’t just for Jake’s advantage. It was also for the Hydra’s, forcing the
participant to actually fight.
As it was right now, Jake could just stay up in the air for a good hour and
leave the test. The Hydra clearly didn’t bother with him more than necessary,
and the problem was that Jake couldn’t see why it should. This stalemate was
only to its advantage, even discounting the timer the Hydra probably wasn’t
even aware of.
 It was just healing as it stood there, and the poison within it was slowly
being eliminated. Jake knew he had to do something, so he did. He nocked
another arrow and fired a barrage of stable arrows down. The Hydra
swallowed them again with one of its heads, not even bothering to raise the
second one from the ground.
Jake shot again, and it repeated. For the third shot, the Hydra was just
about to swallow when Jake used Gaze of the Apex Hunter, freezing it for a
moment. The arrow hit it straight in its mouth, sending blood flying and
poison down its throat before it became able to move again.
Finally, he did something to get its undivided attention. Jake shot again,
but it swallowed once more. Jake kept going as it now kept its swallowing
skill active for longer and used it preemptively too, likely to avoid him
repeating the attack. Little did it know Jake would pop his eyes out of his
sockets before he could kill the Hydra using Gaze and Powershot or Splitting
Arrow.
His current hope was that the Hydra couldn’t keep using that swallowing
ability infinitely. He even managed to make it swallow more regularly when
he sent a directed mist of poison from Wings of the Malefic Viper down
towards it. His hope was high for a bit, as he saw it swallow nearly constantly
while still having a tinge of poison infect it.
That hope died within ten minutes or so, as it just kept going doing the
same shit. Perhaps he shouldn’t have bet on something with Perennial
Consumption in its name becoming unable to absorb within an hour…
Jake gritted his teeth and cursed under his breath. He had yet to take any
real damage at all, yet he felt like he was losing. The damn two-headed lizard
was just staring up at him, a bit more mad than before. It at least gave him the
attention of both heads now. Sure, it sometimes fired his own damn magic
back at him, but that never hit.
It probably could fly, Jake reckoned… all D-grades had the basic energy
control to do that. But why would it? Jake was just someone annoyingly
firing arrows, and from the looks of it, it tolerated his presence for one
reason…
It liked his mana. After a good barrage of arrows, he saw it smack its
mouth in satisfaction, which infuriated him. Jake was just burning his own
resources at this point, even if he had been smart to downgrade Arcane
Awakening to the balanced 30%.
Sighing, Jake decided to change things up again by flying downwards and
landing on a tree in the marsh. The Hydra looked towards him but didn’t
move to attack, as Jake was a few kilometers away from the creature that
towered over him.
When ranged fails, one turns to melee.
Jake stepped down and charged forward with both wings, leaving a trail
of poison. The Hydra, surprisingly enough, didn’t use the swallow ability.
Instead, it attacked simply by snapping forward, trying to gobble him down
whole.
He easily dodged it, taking out Eternal Hunger and the Bloodfeast dagger.
He flew past the snapping head and cut the Hydra’s long neck with Eternal
Hunger, releasing a spurt of blood. The second head then came down on Jake
even faster than the first, forcing him to retreat.
Jake quickly poisoned both weapons and dove in again. The two heads
kept snapping forward like two snakes trying to tear him apart, making it
difficult to get close. After a minute or so dancing back and forth, Jake got an
opening. He used One Step Mile to dive between the creature's legs, cutting it
along its belly as he used One Step Mile again—and just in time. The huge
monster slammed down where he had just been, sending water and mud
flying everywhere. A few of the marsh trees fell over all around them.
Turning, he tossed a few bolts of mana, but the Hydra swallowed them
once again. By now, Jake was certain the swallow ability only worked on
mana, or at least energy-based attacks. Jake moved forward again, as he
wanted to press his advantage, but the moment he got close, the Hydra
opened one of its maws towards the sky and roared.
For a moment, Jake’s entire body tensed up and froze in place, just as the
second head came down upon him. Jake barely managed to activate Gaze on
the Hydra, leaving both of them frozen for less than a second before they
both moved again.
Jake dodged away as the Hydra slammed its head down, getting a
mouthful of the marsh as Jake went in close again. A clawed foot flew up as
it raised a leg to kick him, but Jake was fast. He blocked it with the
Bloodfeast dagger and plunged Eternal Hunger into the Hydra’s leg.
He was still knocked back due to the sheer difference in size and bulk, but
he hadn’t taken any damage when he landed on the shallow water. He got a
good look at the Hydra and could only frown. He had made a few wounds…
but they were just pricks with a toothpick to the large Hydra. The poison did
help a little, but he would have to do more.
 Even if this wasn’t timed, Jake frankly wasn’t confident. But all he could
do for now was try and mount the pressure, so he attacked once more. He
only managed to land a weak blow every few seconds while dodging the
snapping maws. This was only with two heads, and Jake could only imagine
how fucked it would be to fight one with nine.
Jake was surprised, however, at how few methods the Hydra appeared to
have. It was just a massive creature with incredibly high stats and bulk, but
no real abilities besides swallowing energy and that roar.
Was that really all there was to such a monstrous creature? Then again…
did it need more? Probably not, but Jake still felt like there was a small
chance for one reason: stacking damage. With every strike of his weapon, he
infected it with poison, and with every arcane attack he managed to sneak in,
the Arcane Charge from Mark of the Avaricious Arcane Hunter grew.
He even began to use other methods as he got more comfortable. Blood
of the Malefic Viper spewed out as he cut himself purposefully, and the mist
from his wings also still hung in the air. Occasionally, the Hydra did consume
some of it, and it even fired a breath of toxic mist back at him, but Jake easily
managed.
Jake got a bit riskier and pushed himself to inflict more wounds. He had
seen the attack patterns and could predict them by now. It was still
questionable if he could make it with the timer, but if it kept going as it was
now, it should be manageable. As long as the Hydra didn’t change up the
game and—
He fucking jinxed it.
The Hydra suddenly did something Jake had not seen coming. It retreated
a bit, growled, and then slowly began shrinking.
Jake quickly pulled out his bow to attack, seeing a chance, but the Hydra
could still use its consume ability while reducing in size. Instead, he quickly
charged in and attacked, only to be frozen by a roar, followed by a second
roar that functioned more like a pure shockwave and sent him flying back—
unharmed, but having missed an opening.
When he finally got ready to attack again, the situation had changed. The
Hydra had shrunk to only around four to five meters tall, even with its heads,
and its body had turned into a darker gray than before. All wounds were still
there, and so were the poison and Arcane Charge. But he still got a bad
feeling.
One would think that size was always beneficial in a fight, but not in
every case. As proven by the Thunder Roc—the first D-grade Jake had killed
besides the King—size could become a demerit. One the Hydra had fixed by
reducing itself in size.
Now, had this been all it did, Jake would’ve still been confident. The
problem was… it wasn’t.
The Hydra charged, its four clunky limbs suddenly seeming nimble and
agile. It reached him within moments as a head flew forward. Jake was forced
to block, holding up both weapons, and was knocked backward.
Way fucking faster, Jake thought as he landed and skidded across the
ground, both arms hurting. But also physically weaker? Or the same, but just
less mass behind every blow?
It charged again, but this time Jake was ready. He sidestepped the first
head, only to see himself faced with the second. He blocked it and prepared
to attack as the first head twisted around and came for him again. Dodging
once more, he barely managed to swing the Bloodfeast Dagger at the neck
before the second head attacked again, again.
Jake exploded with arcane mana as he launched himself back to avoid
getting entangled by the two snapping heads. Seeing the narrow wound left
by the dagger made him frown. Its scales and underlying hide were both way
tougher. The Hydra’s transformation skill was not merely size control but
size compression, so even if it had made it less weighty, its stats appeared to
have improved.
It wasn’t like reducing to a third of its size made the Hydra three times
faster and tougher, but it sure wasn’t an insignificant improvement. And if he
was honest, the scales were close to three times more resilient now than
before.
The Hydra attacked once more, and soon Jake was forced to push Arcane
Awakening to 60% just to keep up, putting himself on yet another
countdown. He gritted his teeth and tried to figure out patterns, but so far, the
only reason he still had his head was due to the precognitive dodging abilities
granted by his Bloodline.
One thing was certain… even with all his boosts, Jake was slower,
weaker, and less resilient than his opponent, and moreover, his archery was
just about nullified. It was frustrating. Jake had even summoned his own
scales to get a bit more physical resistance, but one thing differed
significantly between Hydra scales and dragon scales.
If a dragon scale was the bane of all magic, then a hydra scale was the
bane of all physical attacks. There was a reason why Hydras and dragons
were often compared in mythology. Both were absolute monsters and high-
tier beings. Snappy here was an apex Hydra.
Meanwhile, Jake was just a human. An all-rounder.
For the first time… Jake reconsidered the choice he had made when he
evolved to D-grade. The choice of not becoming a Malefic Dragonkin. He
did not hold a shadow of doubt in his mind that it would have given him a
stronger and more monstrous body. It would have made him half-monster,
and Jake was certain monsters had a lot of benefits to make them stronger. He
even had a theory their stats counted for more when it came to things like
getting health points, and surely Toughness made hide and scales tougher
than Jake’s useless human skin.
What did being a human give him? A Malefic Dragonkin with claws
could still use a bow, and meanwhile, he would also have claws… and fangs.
Maybe it made sense humans were just worse off in purely bodily strength?
A human could never beat a bear in battle pre-system, right?
In the fight, Jake was once more blasted back when he tried to dodge but
was frozen by a roar. His arm got torn up, and he flew several hundred meters
through the air before finally hitting a tree and smashing it into pieces,
sending large splinters flying into the marsh water.
Jake just felt more and more frustrated. This wasn’t like the Sword Saint
using some Transcendent skill; it wasn’t a master swordsman. It was a dumb
beast—no offense to the current Snappy.
As he pushed himself up, his hand caught on something. It was a wooden
stick that had broken from the tree earlier, giving it a sharp edge. Like that of
a spear. Jake looked at it a bit as the Hydra slowly made its way over, not
bothering to quickly give chase.
It was healing rapidly anyway due to being a damn Hydra, right?
Looking at the stick, Jake suddenly had a flashback to his childhood. He
didn’t know where it came from, but when he looked at the stick and then
back at the approaching beast, it just popped into his head.
When he was maybe six or seven, he’d gone to a museum with his
parents and Caleb, looking at things from the Ice Age. Jake vividly
remembered looking at a display of seven hunters standing before a felled
mammoth.
Jake had asked his dad how the hunters had won. He hadn’t understood
how a few small humans could beat a beast even larger than an elephant. To
his young mind, it just hadn’t made sense. His dad had tried to explain, and
then an attendant had helped to provide an answer that had stuck in Jake’s
head.
"Humans may not be strong and big like mammoths—we may not have
the same natural weapons as they do—but we have something else: the
ability to pick up nearly anything and make it into a weapon just as good, if
not better. So even if humans don’t have fangs or tusks… we can make our
weapons. That is why humans are the true apex predators: we always find a
way."
Jake looked at the stick as the Hydra got closer, and he felt an odd
response from a skill he had not expected.

Requirements met.
Do you wish to experience the forming of a High-Record Fragment
related to the path of the Malefic Viper? Uses remaining: 2
Warning, experiencing a High-Record Fragment will consume 2 charges.

He didn’t even know what skill it was for or if it only pertained to one
skill related to the Viper, but he had a feeling. Without hesitating, he
accepted, disappearing just as the Hydra was about to set upon him.
Chapter 59
 A Legendary Warrior

R ight away, Jake knew this time was different than any prior. The
feeling he got was not one of having a perspective, but of purely being
an observer of the world—of everything that happened. He was not
bound by the figures in the Records, but merely a historian gazing upon it as
he experienced reality as it once was.
Before him was a vast wasteland of red rock, stretching infinitely into the
distance. Pillars of sizes incomprehensible to him marked the surface. On top
of two of these pillars stood figures—each spread thousands of kilometers
apart—who spoke as if they were right next to one another.
"You really don’t know when to surrender, do you?" one of the figures
said.
It was a primarily black dragon, but with a dark green sheen to its scales.
Spikes of pure power covered its spine. It had a lithe form, yet still looked
more powerful than ever. It was only about twenty meters long, and Jake
guessed this was a purposefully smaller form.
This was Jake’s first time seeing the Malefic Viper in this form. This was
clearly an evolved form of the B-grade dragon, but based on the sheer
difference and aura, Jake reckoned this wasn’t an A-grade anymore, but a
full-fledged S-grade being. Late S-grade, based on his instincts.
Across from him stood a man. Just a regular human, from the looks of it,
with a half-burnt beard. His armor was broken now, making him wear little
more than a loincloth, and he held a simple-looking axe. It looked worse than
the average one from any hardware store, as it was rusty and chipped.
Needless to say, this man wasn’t just a regular human despite his looks.
He gave off an aura of an S-grade, but one quite a bit weaker than the Malefic
Viper. Perhaps he was only mid-tier S-grade? Jake wasn’t sure, but he had a
strong feeling that was the case.
This man breathed heavily as he looked around him. "Damn, everyone
else just left like that?" he muttered.
"It appears that, to them, failure of the event was preferable to death. A
logical choice you seem to not comprehend.”
"Bah, why leave when I still got fight left in me!?" he said with a huge
grin.
The Malefic Viper looked down on the human, and a scoff resounded
through the empty wasteland. "You humans and your hubris. Forever
ignorant of how inferior you are. You don’t seriously think you can win, so
disappear from my sight. I have wasted enough time on you already, you
cockroach."
Just after those words were said, the sky suddenly parted, and light bathed
the entire wasteland. A golden orb descended from out of nowhere, giving off
an aura that almost made Jake’s mouth water. He couldn’t Identify it… but
he was certain this was something special. An artifact? Natural treasure? No
matter what, it was what these two were there fighting for.
However, only the Malefic Viper looked up towards it; the human kept
his eyes trained on the dragon before him.
"As every other human fell, only one stood before the evil black dragon
that had terrorized the human race…” the bearded man said. “Despite how
injured and how much weaker he was, he refused to back down and
eventually managed to beat back this evil. Isn’t that a good story? One the
bards will sing songs of for ages to come?" He laughed as he lifted his axe
and threw it over his shoulder.
"A better tale is how the stupid human was killed by the dragon, as he
was too moronic to know when to quit," the Viper said, still looking up
towards the orb. The treasure was still sealed, but soon it would be released.
"I like my version better.” The human shrugged.
Finally, the Viper bothered to regard the human again. "If you want to die
that badly, be my guest."
With that, the entire wasteland suddenly turned dark green as intense
mana gathered.
The human responded by emanating a golden aura that protected him.
"Come! Let us make a legend of the ages!" he yelled as he took the initiative
and flew over with speed that may as well have been teleportation.
 Jake could only keep up due to the special state allowed by Path of the
Heretic-Chosen, but he was still shocked when they impacted each other. A
claw met the axe and released a shockwave, toppling thousands of pillars all
around them as a crater formed underneath. The only thing unaffected was
the golden orb floating above.
The clash had an obvious winner, as the human was sent flying back with
a trail of blood from his torn-up shoulder. He instantly attacked again, but
was repelled when hundreds of dark green orbs of mana formed and fired
beams towards him.
Yet he refused to give up, as he managed to dodge them and continue his
assault. The golden aura around him only intensified, as he got slightly faster
with every moment, and soon he managed to reach the Viper again.
They clashed once more, but the winner remained clear. Jake observed
intently as the claw and axe impacted one another, and Jake noted how the
claw of the Viper seemed to inherently infuse poison into every blow, giving
off oddly familiar energy. Fang of the Malefic Viper… in the claw? Jake
investigated this as he kept following the battle.
The man was pushed back with another wound on his arm, with the
poison also seeping in. With every clash, the difference in power was
obvious, and yet Jake got an odd feeling as he watched. The Viper was
dominant and menacing, an absolute powerhouse with an aura that made him
seem supreme, yet…
Jake couldn’t see the axe warrior losing.
It was truly odd and confusing to him. The power difference was there,
wounds were accumulating, yet the axe warrior just kept going, the grin on
his face not fading for even a second no matter what happened. It was as if
not a single fiber of his being even viewed losing as a possibility.
The battle between the two S-grades looked simple, but the destruction
they wrought was earth-shattering. The Viper was superior in every way,
even if magic seemed to be his forte. Meanwhile, the human just swung his
axe in a straightforward way. There was no profound feeling like when Jake
fought the Sword Saint. In fact, the S-grade seemed less skilled in using a
weapon than the old man.
But he just had a presence to him. One that just kept growing with every
moment. Jake then felt like the fight sped up. Flashes of the two clashing
repeatedly dominated his mind as the situation progressed. The golden orb
that they were fighting for intensified with every passing second.
 Time suddenly returned to normal as, in a huge clash, the human was sent
barreling backward. The Viper followed up with a breath of pure dark green
energy. The man barely managed to block, but was still smashed into the
ground as a huge, green, pulsing crater formed.
The man got up, his golden aura still strong, but just as he looked stable,
he coughed out black blood and fell to his knees. The poison was getting to
him.
"Even a cockroach has its limits, it seems," the Malefic Viper said. While
the warrior was injured and bloody, he himself barely had a few chipped
scales. "You humans never fail to amaze me. So fragile and so inferior, yet
you keep trying. It is almost cute."
"Bah, what does an overgrown lizard have to brag about?" the warrior
answered as he managed to stand up.
The Viper stared at the man with contempt as he briefly tossed the orb
above a look. "A human so old, yet so ignorant. Creatures and races of the
system exist on a spectrum, and on that spectrum, so-called ‘overgrown
lizards’ are in a league beyond you pathetic humans. You are merely fodder
for the progress of those competent enough to evolve away from their feeble
humanoid forms."
"Sounds like something an overgrown lizard would think," the man said
as he laughed. He raised his fist and slapped his own chest, grinning. "But
this right here? This is perfection."
Jake wasn’t sure if the guy was referring to his ripped chest or his race as
a human, but the man looked confident either way.
"Skin that tears at the slightest touch, hands with nails unable to cut even
the lightest of hide, teeth not made for killing a single creature. Before the
system, your race could barely walk without hurting themselves. You have
nothing that makes you—"
"I got this!" the man said as he raised his axe.
"A weapon? So what? Is the result not clear already?"
"And this!" the warrior also said, pointing to the broken scraps of armor
still on his body. "I got everything I need already!"
The Viper looked at him, and Jake was certain that the Viper was just
waiting for the orb above to become claimable. Moreover, the poison within
the man was still spreading and slowly whittling him down.
"I do recognize humans have value as a collective. But you are makers,
not destroyers. Your purpose is to uplift those who break the shackles of
humanity and ascend. Those who toss away their inferior forms. Why else do
you think you humans have professions?"
"I dunno," the man answered honestly as he lifted his axe, “but I do know
I don’t need any of that lizard crap. I got everything I’ll ever need right here!"
The axe began glowing with energy, but the Viper didn’t bother. To him,
the fight was already a foregone conclusion. So… he decided to finish it.
"A pity,” the Viper said. “You are the strongest human I have ever met,
despite your shortcomings. Now die, proud to be killed by a superior being.”
Suddenly, the entire environment changed. Jake felt the activation of
what he guessed was Pride as well as several other skills that all created a
domain.
Then he charged, clearly insistent on killing the man using his superior
physique. The man responded by lifting his glowing axe and charging. Axe
met claw, and they were knocked away from each other again—something
that clearly surprised the Viper.
"As all others have fallen, a single man dared challenge the evil dragon,"
the warrior said as he charged. The golden aura around him intensified even
more when he released power without any apparent origin.
"A hero of the day," he yelled loudly as, for the first time, the Viper lost a
clash. "A legend forever."
Jake just studied the man’s gaze, feeling something he had never
expected. Something straight from his Bloodline hummed to life upon
looking at this human. It was not a feeling of wanting to challenge him, nor
one of fear… but one of pure recognition.
At that moment, Jake knew who the winner would be. The Malefic Viper
was a monster many levels above the axe warrior, yet Jake’s inkling of
confidence that the man wouldn’t lose only amplified as his golden aura
intensified. From the man’s gaze, he also didn’t seem to believe losing was
even a possibility.
The Viper was what Jake could only describe as flabbergasted as he was
pushed back, damaging several of his scales. The dragon clearly saw and felt
this, as he was enraged. The Viper roared as he flew forward, smashing the
man and sending him flying, but it was only momentary.
"I don’t need any fancy claws."
The axe descended as the Viper bit forward. They clashed, and the human
was blasted away, leaving a trail of blood. But at the same time, the Viper
roared in pain—a fang had been broken and thrown to the ground far below.
 "I don’t need any scales."
His body pulsed with golden power as he lifted his axe again and
chopped. The Viper responded by releasing a blast of magic, knocking the
man back before snapping his neck forward with insane speed and reach. The
man dodged, but he was still hit partly and smashed down into the ground as
a claw came.
The Viper roared and released a Dragon’s Breath straight down at the
pinned man. He managed to raise his axe as he shouted in response, the axe
glowing gold. It released a glow that managed to block the breath for a few
moments before, suddenly, his weapon exploded in a golden light, beating
back the Viper.
"There goes your axe," the Viper said as he stabilized.
The human managed to stand. One arm was gone, entirely eroded away,
and his entire body was half-decayed, showing bone. Yet the golden aura
hummed stronger than ever.
The human looked down and saw a fragment of the Viper’s broken fang.
He picked it up as the dragon scoffed, but he still spoke.
"I don’t need my axe."
He raised the fang. Energy went into it and carved it into the rough shape
of an axe. It almost conformed to his will as he looked towards the Viper
with bloodshot eyes. "I just need whatever the hell I can get my hands on."
His body erupted as he charged forward, faster than ever before. He
swung with his one good arm. The Viper blocked, but his barrier magic was
shattered, and blood and scales spewed out. The axe warrior cut again and
sent the Viper flying, but the dragon barely managed to stabilize before he
was hit with the follow-up.
At that moment, Jake felt panic. For the first time, the Viper felt fear
towards the monster he was facing. He tried everything as magic collected,
but nothing worked.
"I am not merely a human!"
The words echoed as the man cut down and ripped away a large chunk of
flesh.
"I am a warrior!"
He hit again, pushing the Viper back, and the golden aura covered the
horizon.
"I am a legend!"
He swung, breaking the Viper’s maw of teeth.
 "I am Valdemar!"
A crack resounded as the spine of the dragon broke.
"AND THIS!"
He pulled back the broken, axe-shaped fang as it pulsed with energy,
forming a massive golden axe.
"IS THE FANG!"
He swung, and the world trembled and the ground cracked. The orb
above shuddered as reality itself was cleaved in half, revealing the void
between universes.
"OF MAN!"
The Viper was nearly cut in two as his chest was cleaved open, and a
torrent of blood flooded the landscape.
At that moment, Jake felt the usual feeling of Path of the Heretic-Chosen
as he suddenly became one with the Viper. He felt the fear and reluctance as
a skill was used. The two broken wings on his back instantly returned as
phantasmal versions appeared and burned with green energy.
The entire broken body of the Viper turned green, and suddenly his whole
form shot into the distance. Jake felt the many concepts interact as space
itself parted, and the Viper disappeared.
Having fled a battle to save his own life.
Yet what dominated Jake’s mind were the words of the man Valdemar.
Another Primordial, and future founder and leader of Valhal.
Fang of Man…
Time rewound as Jake returned to the beginning again.
"You really don’t know when to surrender, do you?"
Chapter 60
 Fangs of Man

J ake watched the battle again, this time already knowing the outcome,
allowing him to focus on aspects he hadn’t before. He observed their
clashes and primarily the Viper, keeping a close eye on the claws and the
poison running through them at all times.
He focused on the axe warrior and his indomitable will.
On the way that the Viper used all his skills and manipulated magic.
He focused on everything he could as time rewound again after the Viper
escaped, and Jake once more intimately experienced the escape skill related
to Wings of the Malefic Viper. Soon after the escape skill was used, time
rewound, and Jake experienced everything again.
This happened a dozen times, as the Path of the Heretic-Chosen skill
stayed active longer than ever before. Perhaps it was due to it consuming two
attempts, or maybe it was due to the way this attempt worked, but either way,
it allowed Jake to learn more than before.
Fang and Wings were the two skills truly in focus, yet Jake felt like he
learned just as much from Valdemar as he did the Viper. The man was what
Jake could only describe as inspirational. His utter aura of dominance and
Willpower that didn’t allow a single trace of doubt to enter his mind, as well
as skills that synergized with this, made him an absolute monster. He truly
never made a move believing it wouldn’t work, nor did he continue to fight if
he believed he couldn’t win. Was this delusional? Perhaps… but it clearly
worked for him.
He was the epitome of a warrior despite not necessarily being the most
skilled fighter from a technical point of view. Every attack was infused with
every fragment of his will, and every atom of his body radiated battle intent.
Jake was in awe the more he looked on, but sadly the period of the skill was
soon over.
He experienced traveling with Wings a final time as he focused on it, but
he felt he was still a distance away from fully comprehending it. In fact, he
had learned a lot more related to Fangs, as he felt he was just on the cusp of
comprehension.
But then something changed. Jake flew away with the Viper, but instead
of time rewinding or the vision ending, Jake was returned to Valdemar and
the golden orb. The axe warrior’s weapon had broken from that final strike,
so he stood unarmed and looked up at the orb as he breathed heavily.
Then he took out a bottle from some spatial inventory and opened it. He
went over to a pool of the Viper’s blood and poured the liquid from the bottle
out onto it.
"Cheers, mates, first drink’s on you guys. I bloody won," he said as he
took a whisk of the bottle himself, and to Jake’s amazement, his wounds
stopped festering soon after, as he’d stabilized himself from all the poison in
his body.
It wasn’t a healing potion or an antidote, but alcohol so fucking pure it
washed out and neutralized much of the poison. It was not a cure, but at most
a temporary fix. Not that Jake in any way thought it possible the man would
succumb to his wounds, even without knowing he had later become a god.
Valdemar then finally turned his attention towards the golden orb as he
flew up to it, the barrier around it fading in the process. The orb was nearly a
hundred meters in diameter, but when the man laid his hand upon it, the size
reduced to fit in his palm. He looked at it briefly before putting it into his
storage, flying down to the ground again, and taking out another bottle of
alcohol as well as two mugs.
"One for the legend made today!" he said as he poured the liquid into one
of the mugs. It was a golden, ale-like drink of sorts, and the mugs were both
old and wooden. "And one for those of tomorrow!"
With the second mug filled, he placed it on a stone away from him and
lifted the first mug to drink.
"To victory!" he yelled as he raised the mug in triumph, and for a fraction
of a moment, Jake felt like Valdemar looked straight at him. Then the vision
ended, and the skill came to an end.
The projections had been in an uproar when, without any warning, the testee
disappeared. Not just gone invisible or been teleported, but literally
disappeared from existence according to every method of Perception they
had. Nearly every method.
"His Truesoul is still anchored here," a projection in charge of the
dungeon monitoring tool said. It was only detectable due to direct system
assistance from the dungeon, allowing not even the S-grades there to know
what had happened.
Which meant whatever had made him disappear had to be either directly
done by the system or perhaps a Bloodline or a Transcendent. Transcendent
was more probable, no matter how improbable it was for a D-grade to have
one.
"Are you su—"
Before the question was asked, the human reappeared. Instantly,
something felt different, as the Hydra also stopped up.
The human turned his head towards the Hydra and muttered, "Fangs…
huh…"
None of the judges knew what he meant, but whatever had happened in
the brief moment he was gone had somehow led to a change none of them
was quite sure of.
The scalekin looked on, genuinely wishing for the human to win.
"He is in a state of enlightenment," the beastkin said, frowning before he
grinned. "This might not be over quite yet."

Jake returned to the "real world" as he processed what he had just

experienced. His mind was still occupied when the Hydra stopped a few
hundred meters away, looking on with newfound caution. Jake himself only
now noticed he had gotten a notification quite a bit ago… about halfway
through the vision.

*Skill Fusion Detected*:

[Basic Twin-Fang Style (Uncommon)] + [Basic One-Handed Weapon

(Inferior] --> [Improvised Weapon Mastery (Rare)]
 He was surprised at it, but it quickly became clear this was merely an
intermediary step, as only a bit later, another one came.

*Skill Upgraded*: [Improvised Weapon Mastery (Rare)] --> [Fangs of Man

(Epic)]

Ignoring the danger of the Hydra being able to close in and attack at any
moment, Jake checked the new skill out and finally managed to clear away
that one eyesore of a skill from his status sheet.

[Fangs of Man (Epic)] – Humanity’s natural weapons have never been their
teeth, claws, or anything else innate to them, but instead the tools they wield
and their ability to adapt anything into an instrument of destruction. Allows
the hunter to more effectively use anything deemed compatible as a melee
weapon. Makes the hunter more familiar with any weapon wielded. Adds a
bonus to the effectiveness of Strength and Agility no matter what melee
weapon you wield.

Jake stood there, holding the broken wooden stick in one hand and
Eternal Hunger in the other. The Bloodfeast Dagger had fallen to the ground
a dozen or so meters away, but Jake wasn’t in a hurry to pick it back up.
Instead, he looked towards the Hydra and held the stick. It was sharp, and
Jake knew instinctually that his new skill worked with it. He grasped it
tighter, but then felt it break, as his grip was just too strong for it to handle.
Jake frowned, and he knew it wasn’t right. It didn’t feel right yet.
Valdemar had flooded the fang with energy… No, with a sense of self. A
sense of ownership that had truly made it into his weapon. Made it part of
him. He also remembered what Villy had said about warriors seeing their
weapons as extensions of their bodies through long-term nurturing. But
Valdemar’s was not that. To him, in that moment, anything could become the
axe that was the arbiter of his will.
Jake picked up another stick as the Hydra looked on cautiously. It was
still healing, so it wasn’t losing out by doing so, and besides… it didn’t seem
smart enough to know what Jake was doing or trying to do. Not that Jake was
entirely sure either.
The new stick was as weak as the one before, but Jake tried again. Not to
recreate some concept, but simply to replicate that feeling. A few moments
passed as a bit of energy invaded the stick, only for it to explode, getting a
touch of movement out of the Hydra that now no longer wanted to just
observe passively.
It charged as Jake wielded Eternal Hunger and picked up another stick
with a string of mana. He met the Hydra’s charge, and the battle began again.
From the point of view of the Hydra, it had only been around a minute since
it had smashed Jake away, but to him, it had been hours. Hours that felt
longer than usual due to his feeling of inspiration and the effects of Path of
the Heretic-Chosen.
This meant Jake’s mindset had had time to change, and the momentum of
the fight had reset. An unexpected bonus for sure, but a very welcome one.
Jake did hamper himself a little as he dove into the battle, not necessarily
fighting to win, but to capitalize on his enlightenment through combat.
The two of them clashed, and Jake was slightly faster than before, likely
due to the increased Agility, or maybe just because he was calmer and less
frustrated than before. He dodged away from the mouth of the Hydra and cut
with Eternal Hunger. The blade sliced through the scales a bit better than
before. It was slight, but there.
Just after landing a blow, he was smashed back, but he stabilized and
attacked again. He ran on pure inspiration as he smashed down the wooden
stick, only for it to break on the scales. Then he was sent tumbling back from
a snapping maw.
But he saw it. A small nick in the scale.
With a string of mana, he got another stick and dove in. He slipped under
an attack and stabbed again in failure. This kept up a few more times as Jake
got more and more injured, but he also felt like he got closer and closer.
To the Hydra, it was clearly winning, but to Jake, he felt like he got closer
and closer to victory. He was repeatedly retaliated, returning with new sticks
to try and stab with. He was in some ways lucky that he kept getting smashed
through trees, as it allowed him to get him new materials for his self-made
stick spears.
Not quite right, Jake thought as he frowned. Still not right… I need
more… It needs to be like his…
Valdemar had truly made it part of himself. Like an extension of his
body. It was entirely different, and Jake wasn’t delusional enough to believe
he could copy the skill of an S-grade future Primordial, but he at least
believed he was on the right track and could make something out of it. He
was not satisfied with the current skill and would take it further.
Jake went all out, breaking nearly a hundred sticks before something
suddenly clicked. He lifted a stick and slammed it down. The Hydra had
started to ignore such moves, but that now changed. A notification sounded
out in Jake’s mind. He felt like the stick was truly a part of himself, and to the
surprise of both Jake and the Hydra, it managed to break through the scales
and embed itself a few centimeters into the flesh of the Hydra.
It didn’t stop there. Eternal Hunger changed even more, and Jake cleaved
down and left a deep wound, sending blood and scales flying into the air.
Before Jake could celebrate, he was smashed back by a tail swipe. He
tumbled to the ground before quickly getting up, unable to hold back his
curiosity as he checked the system notification.

*Skill Upgraded*: [Fangs of Man (Epic)] --> [Fangs of Man (Ancient)]

[Fangs of Man (Ancient)] – Inspired by an old legend, you walk a path of

one yourself. Humanity’s natural weapons have never been their teeth, claws,
or anything else innate to them, but instead the tools they wield and their
ability to adapt anything into an instrument of destruction. Allows the hunter
to more effectively use anything deemed compatible as a melee weapon.
Makes the hunter more familiar with any weapon wielded. As your
comprehension of natural weapons grows, it allows you to truly make any
weapon a part of yourself as you forcefully temporarily integrate it into your
Soulshape like an innate weapon, vastly increasing its durability if otherwise
fragile. All effects related to weapon integration are more effective and
easier to accomplish with Soulbound weapons. Adds a bonus to the
effectiveness of Strength and Agility no matter what melee weapon you wield.
Durability increase of weapons based on Willpower.

Jake felt the inspiration rush in as he smirked. It wasn’t even close to the
level of what Valdemar had done, but it was progress… right?
He also felt Eternal Hunger more than ever before as the faint roar of the
Chimera in his Truesoul sounded out within his mind. It was utterly
suppressed the next moment by his will—not that it was necessary, as Eternal
Hunger was clearly on his team in this fight.
 It wanted to win and to drain the life of the Hydra. The life energy within
the beast was far more valuable and of a higher level than anything Jake had
ever fought before, and the weapon knew that. It was a qualitative difference
that was recognized.
So Jake bent his knees and prepared to charge forward with his new
weapon—no, fang—in hand. The fang of a human. And as a fang, was it not
natural that something else would follow? He had experienced and realized
his inspiration in relation to Valdemar, but that was not all. One more thing
now dominated his mind.
This is my fang… so as the Viper could use his claws, I can use this.
The weapon itself felt like a part of his body—like his own arm, if still a
bit separate. One could liken it to a prosthetic, but one he could still vaguely
feel, the same as he could “feel” his nails, teeth, and hair. It wasn’t truly
living or a part of him, but the system still considered it part of his Soulshape.
He knew the weapon was still below that, as hair and nails and such
would heal naturally, while the weapon would not due to its temporary
nature. Either way, it was still far stronger, as he intimately felt the energy
move through Eternal Hunger while he prepared his fang to strike and move
his next goal.
It was time to raise the rarity of the second skill: Fang of the Malefic
Viper.
Chapter 61
 The Human Has Fangs

J ake finally had a proper melee skill, one already surpassing his archery
skill by quite a margin rarity-wise. Jake knew this wasn’t due to him
suddenly being a more skilled fighter, but due to his comprehension of
whatever Valdemar had done. It was a concept he could no doubt apply
elsewhere, too, and of a high concept that raised the rarity.
One of those places it could be applied was with Fangs of the Malefic
Viper.
He had already gained experience from what the Malefic Viper had done
in the vision. Jake had felt the effects of Fangs of the Malefic Viper in the
claws of the Viper, so why couldn’t Jake do it with his weapon if that was his
"fang," so to speak?
And as before, Jake would use the Hydra as his grindstone as they
brawled. The simple nature of his opponent made it optimal for this, but it
was a bit problematic that he was still getting his ass handed to him even after
he’d gained Fangs of Man. The skill didn’t magically make Jake several
times better in melee, even if it did surely improve his abilities.
The Hydra kept attacking with two snapping maws that pushed Jake back,
but he now at least managed to block more than before. Moreover, he did
begin to see some benefits he had not expected.
Eternal Hunger was now more linked to him than ever, which meant its
use was more instinctive and innate. There was a direct connection between
them that allowed Jake to pour energy not just around the blade, like he
usually did with skills such as Descending Dark Arcane Fang, but also
directly into it. At least somewhat.
This connection turned out to only be one-way, if still stronger now. The
lifesteal effect of Eternal Hunger was more powerful than ever when Jake
managed to land a few good blows, even if he took more himself. The
regeneration offered by the Scimitar of Cursed Hunger, before he’d upgraded
it, had always been low, if not downright negligible. Eternal Hunger was a lot
better, but it was still not a massive boon, and primarily only useful when he
was killing many weaker foes.
But now? Now Jake saw his wounds visibly heal on the arm that held
Eternal Hunger. The energy went directly through Jake’s arm and shoulder,
then into his Truesoul around his heart with every strike. From there on, any
remnant vital energy pulsed through his body to heal him with a far weaker
effect, which did lead to the odd situation of his arm appearing nearly
undamaged, even if the rest of his body was something of a mess.
As for his wooden sticks? Yeah, no matter how great a skill Jake had, he
couldn’t overcome the limits of material strength. He could integrate the
sticks, but ultimately a wooden stick was a wooden stick. Valdemar had used
the Viper’s fang, and even if said fang was far weaker due to it being
dislodged from the Viper’s Soulshape, it was still a far better raw material
than some fragile marsh wood.
Due to that, Jake pulled back and retrieved the Bloodfeast Dagger. It was
far worse than Eternal Hunger, but it was still a good weapon, and he could
even use the special enchantment on it to cut himself and pour blood on his
foes.
The blood in his veins was a deadly weapon, after all, and the venom in
his own canines was an even more improved version of that blood, so if he
could bi—
Ah…
Jake got an idea. He retreated further than before and flew up into the air.
The Hydra didn’t even try to follow. Up there, Jake closed his eyes and
dismissed the Bloodfeast Dagger, holding onto only Eternal Hunger with a
tight grip.
With a bit of foresight, he reduced Arcane Awakening to 30% to not burn
his own life away while he experienced enlightenment.
He focused on his own body and his Soulshape, feeling the wings beating
on his back and the energy moving through them. He felt the scales that
covered his body, but moreover, he felt how they were connected to him. The
wings had veins running through them. His own veins, which was why they
could bleed even if they weren’t actually a part of his true Soulshape.
 The scales were similar but also very different. The scales were not
"living" like his wings, but closer to teeth and hair. A part of the Soulshape,
but the nature of the connection was different. There clearly was one, though,
as he felt like microscopic metaphysical veins of his Soulshape moved into
each individual scale. This allowed him to absorb energy from them after the
legendary upgrade, and reminded him of the connection between himself and
Eternal Hunger.
Years of training his Shroud of the Primordial had allowed Jake to truly
feel his Soulshape. Feeling had led to comprehension, and comprehension
and feeling had come together to form control. Control had given Jake many
minor benefits, such as his wings being slightly better, Arcane Awakening
becoming a bit more efficient, and overall energy conservation improving.
Throughout the body of a D-grade’s Soulshape, millions of small,
metaphysical veins allowed energy—primarily stamina—to travel. Some
were larger than others and could carry more energy, such as those that
followed his actual physical veins, but others were so small they barely did
anything. In fact, most were barren, as running energy through them was only
done when using certain skills or perhaps overloading his body. New ones
could also appear and disappear at will.
These energy veins entered each scale and his wings, but did not enter the
weapon he held. The sword was just attached to his hand like a truly dead
object… At least, it would be so under normal circumstances. Because a
black, almost tangible vein did go from Eternal Hunger and into Jake’s
Truesoul.
It was a connection formed to transfer health and the funnel of health
energy. It had been further amplified by Fang of Man, as many of Jake’s
veins now attached themselves to the funnel. But this funnel was the only
thing. It was a one-lane highway only feeding Jake and the Chimera in his
Truesoul.
Jake then turned his Perception to his teeth. His canines. He focused and
saw a peculiar collection of veins going into each, and when he used Fangs,
they all activated, and the venom began magically appearing on his teeth.
This was where he was stumped… for this was not merely due to the
veins, but some higher concept. Some principal magic beyond Jake’s
comprehension that there was no chance for him as a mere D-grade to learn.
He couldn’t understand it… but he could feel it.
And sometimes, in the equation of getting control through understanding
and feeling, one could lean enough into one part to still succeed. Jake began
slowly forming a path, using the Soulbound connection as a basis.
Eternal Hunger gladly helped, as Jake almost felt guided and assisted. He
remembered the feeling the Viper’s fangs had given off during Path of the
Heretic-Chosen, and he focused on the venom he was still making inside his
own mouth.
The connection was already there, connecting him and Eternal Hunger.
He just needed to expand the metaphysical highway of veins with a few more
lanes to allow the toxic payload to get through. Forging the web with the
Soulbound connection at the center was an arduous process.
But soon enough, he began feeling changes, and something else vital
kicked in: system assistance. Fangs of Man, his experience in the vision, and
Jake’s control over his own Soulshape was enough to pass the threshold, it
appeared.
As it kicked in and recognized his effort, venom began to seep out of his
nails through the connection. Then the web of veins reached his hands, truly
giving Jake claws.
This continued spreading as the system truly rewarded his own mentality
and allowed his interpretation through. Invisible veins invaded Eternal
Hunger—much to the blade’s delight, as it was more tied to him than ever
before. He felt the power in it as a notification came, and he felt himself grow
stronger.
Jake raised Eternal Hunger. Venom began slowly seeping out of the edge
as he regarded his weapon.
No… his fang.

[Fangs of the Malefic Viper (Ancient)] - When born, the Viper had limited
weapons to fight with, yet it prevailed only with its fangs. Its bites the
deliverer of death. As a human, you have taken inspiration and learned to
apply the same concept. Allows the alchemist to coat his teeth in deadly
venom, sharing all the same effects as Blood of the Malefic Viper in an
empowered state. Additionally, all poisons you have crafted or created are
significantly more effective when injected directly into the body of your foes.
Passively provides 1 Strength per level in Prodigious Alchemist of the
Malefic Viper. May you bring death in a single strike.

-->
 [Fangs of the Malefic Viper (Legendary)] - When born, the Viper had
limited weapons to fight with, yet it prevailed only with its fangs. Its bites the
deliverer of death. As a human, you have integrated these concepts and made
them your own. Allows the Alchemist to coat his teeth in deadly venom,
sharing all the same effects as Blood of the Malefic Viper in an empowered
state. Allows any part of your Soulshape viewed as a weapon to function as
fangs, making it possible to excrete venom through them, and passively
empowers any toxin upon your fangs. Additionally, all poisons you have
crafted or created are significantly more effective when injected directly into
the body of your foes. Passively provides 3 Strength per level in Alchemist of
the Malefic Viper. May your fangs be the harbingers of death.

Out of all the skills Jake had upgraded, this was perhaps the one that
differentiated the most from one of the Viper’s pure skills. He had truly
deviated… At least, that was one way to see it.
Another was that Jake’s was no different from the Viper’s. What differed
were merely their views of what was part of one’s body and Soulshape, and
what defined a fang.
As always, Jake’s evolution was further rewarded. Even if he had noticed
skill upgrades in his class not doing jack shit, the upgrades in his profession
always came through, as with upgrades came levels.

*‘DING!’ Profession: [Heretic-Chosen Alchemist of the Malefic Viper] has

reached level 150 - Stat points allocated, +10 Free Points*

*‘DING!’ Profession: [Heretic-Chosen Alchemist of the Malefic Viper] has

reached level 151 - Stat points allocated, +10 Free Points*

*‘DING!’ Race: [Human (D)] has reached level 152 - Stat points allocated,
+15 Free Points*

Jake had already felt the levels before, but he still basked in the
confirmation and felt ready. His blade hummed with power and hunger as he
regarded his opponent down below. By now, the Hydra had mostly managed
to heal itself, and it now only regarded him with one head.
It likely didn’t believe Jake was a threat. He had already shown himself
inferior once, so it probably thought a bit of floating in the air wouldn’t
change that. Quite the opposite, as it would allow the Hydra to fully heal and
be able to dunk on him afterward.
Jake was keen on proving it wrong.
He felt the power in the blade as his own venom pulsed through. At the
current stage, Jake was certain the best all-around poison he had available
was the one on his weapon and teeth. That was something that would no
doubt change as Jake improved his skills in alchemy, but for now, the best he
could do was already on his weapon.
His Strength had also improved from the upgrade of Fang, and Jake now
felt more confident. Everything came together as the multiple upgrades had
transformed Jake from a purely defensive fighter to one with… well, fangs.
In something out of character, Jake even went ahead and tossed the
seventy Free Points he had stored up into Strength to give him more of an
edge, as he needed the pure power to penetrate the scales. Usually, Jake
didn’t need much Strength, as he just had to do enough to inflict his poison,
but the Hydra had proved difficult in that regard. Jake had to put a lot of
weight behind every blow to draw blood.
He hoped he could now more easily puncture the scales. Something he
would put to the test immediately.
Jake activated Arcane Awakening at full power once more and shot down
like a meteor. The Hydra reacted by raising both heads, not letting its guard
down despite the time passing and its own state improving. Jake flew straight
for one of its maws, then stopped up and stepped down as he teleported down
to the ground, appearing behind the Hydra.
With a thrash, it turned around and swept its heads towards him, but Jake
dodged them and landed a cut with Eternal Hunger. The blade more easily
cut the meat of the Hydra. A few scales were sent flying, and Jake felt the
poison invade the body of his foe.
He was retaliated against a moment later, but Jake now had confidence
and attempted to grasp the momentum of battle in a vise grip, just like
Valdemar had done. To never let up or let his foe rest, indomitably attacking
as if victory was a foregone conclusion.
That was the mindset Jake tried to replicate as he kept coming. He drew
the Bloodfeast Dagger again since the connection had been formed. With the
skill upgraded and system assistance in full effect, Fang of the Malefic Viper
also worked on other weapons than those Soulbound instantly, as he now had
two highly toxic fangs, just like any other proper predator.
Jake kept diving in and managing to land far more blows than before. The
Hydra noticed and became more defensive, not only relying on its incredibly
tough scales to resist his weapons. Jake would prefer to stab with his
weapons to get the best effect, but sadly, the fight didn’t allow it, as a
stabbing attack would require far too much commitment.
He did try to use Descending Dark Arcane Fang, too, and found the skill
better than before, but sadly, he once more simply didn’t have leeway to use
it. He even tried to use Gaze to give him an opening, but even while frozen,
the Hydra could release its own paralyzing roar somehow.
But, even so, Jake still had confidence. He felt that if the fight was long
enough, he would have a chance, and maybe he could even pull a victory out
of his a—
Then the entire marsh and Hydra disappeared. Jake, halfway through an
attack, stood back in the original test chamber. He stood frozen for a moment
before the scalekin projection appeared.
"Time’s up; congratulations on—"
"What the actual fuck?" Jake yelled as he looked at the projection. "Send
me back!"
"I am afraid that isn’t possible, and the rewards have already bee—"
"I don’t care about any rewards; just send me back! Come on!" Jake
insisted as he looked at the projection with pleading eyes. Then the
realization sank in. He kind of knew already…
"The dungeon does not facilitate that,” the projection said patiently. The
trial was an hour-long one, and that is something nobody can change after the
dungeon rules have been set in stone and the scenario fully implemented.”
Jake looked at the scalekin and deflated. He deactivated Arcane
Awakening as he plopped down on the ground. "I fucking had it, man…"
"Perhaps… perhaps not," the scalekin said, shaking his head. "No matter
what, your performance was exemplary. So don’t be too downtrodden. To
fight the Lord Protector straight on is no easy feat, and will be reflected in
your rewards."
"Can my reward be a rematch?" Jake asked, half-jokingly but also with a
bit of hope.
The scalekin took a moment to answer, frowning. He clearly was
distracted for a second or so before he spoke. "But I have been allowed to
reveal to you a snippet of information. The highest-level D-grade combat
dungeon in the Order contains the possibility of battling the Lord Protector
just before he evolved to C-grade."
Jake calmed down, and a goal appeared in his mind. I am fucking coming
for you, Snappy.
Chapter 62
 Academy Entry Token

R ewards were barely in Jake’s mind as he mentally went over the fight
and looked forward to the rematch. Snappy had been damn strong back
then, if a very simplistic creature. It was also a bad matchup for Jake,
but in some ways, that just made him want to fight even more. He did find it
a bit frustrating, sure, but in the good way.
You know, frustrating in the same way a hard boss in a game could be.
You would curse and swear while battling the boss, sure, but the moment you
won, all that frustration would turn to triumph and make it all seem worth it.
This one was on the extreme end of that, as it was the kind to make you
want to punch through a wall and yell expletives and call bullshit on the
overpowered mechanics of the boss. In the Hydra’s case, its absolutely
broken swallowing ability and the scales that offered utterly insane resistance
to physical attacks were those bullshit mechanics.
"Alright," Jake said as he returned his attention to the projection in front
of him, “what happens now?"
"You passed the test, and thus it ends here, and you will be allowed
entrance into the Order of the Malefic Viper. Your final grade has been
decided at four stars, level five, with five stars level ten, the maximum. This
puts you well ahead of the curve, but you still have a lot to work on,
especially in the alchemy portion, where your overall performance was only
considered slightly above average. Even then, it was only due to you
excelling in some tests and utterly flunking others. Your foundation in
alchemy is weak, and you have much to work on, but your talent in the
fundamental aspects and your mindset are well attuned to the profession, so
keep it up.
 "In the combat portion, you heightened your rating. If this rating was
purely based on that, you would have gained a top mark, but as it is, it still
allowed you to push it further than most of us judges expected. None of us
truly have any comments on combat, as I believe it best you continue forging
your own path there. Once more, just keep it up, and I believe your path will
take you far.
"Finally, to your rewards. The primary one comes in the form of the
Academy Entry Token."
With those words, a small, black, hexagonal token was summoned in
front of the projection with the motif of the Order inscribed upon it, glowing
a faint dark green color. Jake naturally identified it right away.

[4-star Academy Entry Token of the Malefic Viper (Ancient)] – A four-star

token of the Order of the Malefic Viper entrance test, ranked at level five.
This token is proof you have passed the academy entrance test with
exemplary performance. It serves as an identification token, and can be
exchanged within the Order for rewards. Contains information related to the
test undergone and notes from the judges.

Before he could ask anything, the projection spoke again. "The

information embedded in the token has been modified directly by the Malefic
One, with certain elements and descriptions changed based on the Patron’s
will."
"Oh, alright," Jake said as he took the token. He infused some energy into
it and was surprised at the knowledge within. There were a lot of notes from
over a hundred judges, nearly all of them related to alchemy, and a lot of
them gave small tips or just pointed him in certain directions.
"The second reward is a bit less exciting, but surely still useful. It is a
refined stinger of a Manticore just like the one you killed. An excellent
alchemical ingredient that can give birth to some interesting poisons and even
be used in a weapon with your transmutation."
The large stinger appeared, about the size of Jake himself. It looked
massive and powerful, and he felt something had been done to it to make it
stronger, though it was somewhat smaller than the real thing. The Beastcore
had definitely been infused into it along with other valuable ingredients to
make it stronger, and within, he felt several liters of the venom as well as
what looked like a gland still able to slowly produce more.
 [Refined Manticore Stringer (Epic)] – The refined stinger of a high-tier D-
grade Manticore. The venom within is now more powerful than ever, even
compared to when it was alive. This toxin is of the earth affinity and will
petrify anything it comes into contact with. Slowly produces more venom
when infused with appropriate energy. Has many alchemical uses.

"Looks good," Jake said as he scooped it up.

He did momentarily consider putting it into Palate, but he already had the
Root of Eternal Resentment in there. Jake had put it back as, quite frankly,
the treasure was just too good not to learn from. It was a unique item with—
as expected—unique properties to store energy, especially curse energy,
making it very interesting to him.
"With this, the test ends, and you will be admitted into the Academy," the
scalekin projection said with a smile as a gate appeared right behind Jake.
Jake nodded. "Thanks for all the help. This entire thing has been very
enlightening and helpful, and also quite fun. Definitely one of the better
exams of my life."
"The pleasure is all ours," the scalekin said, though he appeared to
hesitate. "Before you go, can I ask one thing to settle debates? This
knowledge will naturally never leave this place."
"Shoot," Jake answered.
"Are you the Chosen of the Malefic Viper, or deeply related to him in
some other way?"
"I do have the True Blessing, yep," Jake confirmed, and he saw the
projection’s eyes open wide. He bowed slightly, but Jake quickly stopped
him. "Ah, none of that; I am not doing that Chosen stuff. Besides, I am equal
heretic, equal Chosen, so it’s all fine."
"Heretic?" the projection asked, confused.
"Yep. Turns out being friends with your Patron god is considered
heretical." Jake shrugged.
"Friends?" the projection asked. Jake felt not only his confusion, but also
the confusion of the other judges gazing upon him.
"Yep," Jake said, not bothering with the confusion. "Hey, it is what it is.
Thanks for the help again, everyone!"
With that, Jake stepped through the gate before allowing the projections
to react more to his antics. He was quite sure he'd just earned a few more
heretic points, though.
"I guess you do have a future in alchemy, but your stubborn insistence on
using suboptimal methods, and generally weak and flimsy mindset, will
become a hindrance," the projection of the elven alchemist said. “Combat-
wise, you scrape by as average, but your mindset is faulty even there. You
need some proper life-and-death experience; that is certain. You still
managed to reach a two-star level two rating, and you are young, so don’t
quit quite yet. But do address your fundamental flaws.”
Reika looked down at the floor as she took a verbal beating from the
projection yet again. This entire test had been an exercise in showing her
exactly how incompetent she was. The worst part was that she couldn’t even
argue without coming off as even more stupid and ignorant.
These projections had lived longer than the modern idea of science had
even existed, and had done alchemy for at least thousands of years. The
methods Reika believed to be new and innovative based on pre-system
scientific methodology were something they were all aware of and, to Reika’s
surprise, looked down upon, as it contained many flaws she had never
imagined.
It was too rigid, too focused on objective observations and establishing
processes and replicable results. It was too scientific and didn’t consider the
element of the metaphysical and the magical. How Willpower and belief
could somehow affect the outcome, or how no experiment was ever truly
replicable. Circumstances always changed, and there did not exist two one-
hundred-percent-identical herbs in the entire multiverse, making an
"objective" theory only objective in the case of that one crafting session.
Reika had never considered any of this. Not truly. In some ways, she had
looked down on Jake, who said he mostly went by feel when doing alchemy,
but now she realized she had totally abandoned doing so. The test where one
had to react fast enough to changes, she had utterly failed. Reika just didn’t
know how to face anything emergent she hadn’t already predicted and made
countermeasures for, which, in the eyes of the judges, made her third-rate at
best and a sad imitation of a true alchemist.
Not that there weren’t areas where her mindset on alchemy was good. She
would just never become great if she held onto such a limiting approach.
Reika was normally proud and generally not the most receptive, but…
"Thank you for your guidance," she said as she bowed to the projection.
 In this case, she would eat it up and integrate it to make herself better.
She knew she had done badly and had a long way to go. Her stubbornness
and pride remained. Now it would just be channeled to truly take in
everything this academy had to teach.
She just had one worry: if she had gotten slammed, every other alchemist
she’d brought from her clan had to feel utterly destroyed by their own
performance.

Jake appeared outside the dungeon and was once more surrounded by people.
Quite a few quickly looked his way before returning to their own business. It
only took a dozen or so seconds before the same succubus as before appeared
from a newly opened gate.
"I hope the test proceeded as expected? Please follow me right through
here as we wait for the others to arrive.” She motioned for him to go come
over.
"I guess it went fine. How many have finished by now?" Jake asked as he
walked over.
"Only about one out of five is done.”
"I see," Jake said. "Is being fast good or bad?"
"Depends on the reason. Most of the extra time comes from the breaks
between tests, especially the combat test. People who did well in the early
levels of combat tend to be done faster, but the same is also true for those
who lose early and don’t have to do many fights.”
They went through the gateway and entered the same cozy waiting room
from before.
There, Jake saw a few had indeed returned. He spotted two alchemists
from Earth who both looked rather depressed, sitting in a corner on the
lowest level. Reika was not back yet, but he did spot a few of the stronger
ones. Draskil, the Malefic Dragonkin, was not back as Jake walked to the
highest area right away.
The succubus followed him all the way and said, "I will need to see the
token you received to process the details of your admittance to the
Academy."
"Right," Jake said as he took out the token.
 She froze for a moment when she saw the token, then looked at him, a bit
surprised. She didn’t say anything, but she quickly took the token and held it
to the token she herself always carried around. Some kind of energy appeared
to be transferred, and the succubus looked even more puzzled.
Puzzlement that seemed to vanish in an instant when she smiled and
handed it back to him. "Here is your token. That must have been an awe-
inspiring performance leading to excellent results. I don’t believe I ever
introduced myself; I am Irinixis, but just call me Irin. I am the one in charge
of your batch of academy members, so feel free to ask me anything or call on
me for any assistance."
She said this as Jake took the token, and he did take notice of how she
seemed to make sure to touch his hand as she did so. Her entire demeanor
had changed. Jake sucked at things like this normally, but even he wouldn’t
miss such obvious flirting.
"I will keep it in mind, Irin," Jake said as he smirked beneath his mask.
Hey, he was a guy, and he would lie to himself if he didn’t admit he found a
goddamn succubus attractive. For Villy’s sake, being attractive was a primary
trait of their race.
Irin smiled at his answer as she bowed slightly, exposing her already-
exposed cleavage more. “I shall go handle matters, then. Please wait here till
the others arrive, and see you around!"
With that, she walked off, and Jake looked after her. He shook his head as
he sat down on one of the chairs to wait. He had no idea how long it would
take, so for now, he just did the most natural thing and went over his gains.
After the dungeon, all of his wounds had healed, so he didn’t even have
to regenerate. He was also reminded of it being an actual dungeon when he
noticed his Dungeoneer title had upgraded, giving three more stat points. It
was super minor but nice.
Overall, he noted that his status had improved quite a lot as he checked it
out in its entirety.

Status
Name: Jake Thayne
Race: [Human (D) – lvl 152]
Class: [Avaricious Arcane Hunter – lvl 153]
Profession: [Heretic-Chosen Alchemist of the Malefic Viper – lvl
151]
Health Points (HP): 40560/40560
Mana Points (MP): 58225/58225
Stamina: 30870/30870

Stats
Strength: 2741
Agility: 5549
Endurance: 3087
Vitality: 4056
Toughness: 2910
Wisdom: 4658
Intelligence: 3749
Perception: 9782
Willpower: 3802
Free Points: 0

Titles: [Forerunner of the New World], [Bloodline Patriarch], [Holder

of a Primordial’s True Blessing], [Dungeoneer VII], [Dungeon
Pioneer VI], [Legendary Prodigy], [Prodigious Slayer of the Mighty],
[Kingslayer], [Nobility: Earl], [Progenitor of the 93rd Universe],
[Prodigious Arcanist], [Perfect Evolution (D-grade)], [Premier
Treasure Hunter], [Myth Originator]

Class Skills: [Basic Shadow Vault of Umbra (Uncommon)],

[Hunter’s Tracking (Uncommon)], [Arcane Stealth (Rare)], [Archery
of Vast Horizons (Rare)], [Enhanced Splitting Arrow (Rare)] [Arrow
of the Ambitious Hunter (Epic)], [Arcane Powershot (Epic)], [Big
Game Arcane Hunter (Epic)], [Arcane Hunter’s Arrows (Epic)],
[Descending Dark Arcane Fang (Epic)], [One Step Mile (Ancient)],
[Fangs of Man (Ancient)], [Mark of the Avaricious Arcane Hunter
(Ancient)], [Moment of the Primal Hunter (Legendary)], [Gaze of the
Apex Hunter (Legendary)], [Steady Aim of the Apex Hunter
(Legendary)], [Arcane Awakening (Legendary)]

Profession Skills: [Path of the Heretic-Chosen (Unique)], [Herbology

(Common)], [Brew Potion (Common)], [Alchemist’s Purification
 (Common)], [Alchemical Flame (Uncommon)], [Craft Elixir
(Uncommon)], [Toxicology (Uncommon)], [Cultivate Toxin
(Uncommon)], [Concoct Poison (Uncommon)], [Malefic Viper’s
Poison (Epic)], [Soul Ritualism of the Heretic-Chosen Alchemist
(Ancient)], [Blood of the Malefic Viper (Ancient)], [Sagacity of the
Malefic Viper (Ancient)], [Wings of the Malefic Viper (Ancient)],
[Sense of the Malefic Viper (Ancient)], [Touch of the Malefic Viper
(Ancient)], [Legacy Teachings of the Heretic-Chosen Alchemist
(Legendary)], [Palate of the Malefic Viper (Legendary)], [Pride of the
Malefic Viper (Legendary)], [Scales of the Malefic Viper
(Legendary)], [Fangs of the Malefic Viper (Legendary)]

Blessing: [True Blessing of the Malefic Viper (Blessing - True)]

Race Skills: [Endless Tongues of the Myriad Races (Unique)],

[Legacy of Man (Unique)], [Identify (Common)], [Serene Soul
Meditation (Epic)], [Shroud of the Primordial (Divine)]

Bloodline: [Bloodline of the Primal Hunter (Bloodline Ability -

Unique)]

Jake went over the list that he felt just kept growing, even if he had
managed to cut out a class skill by merging two into one. Stats-wise, his
Strength had gotten a good bump from the retroactive benefits of Fang
upgrading as well as him investing some Free Points. Other stats like Agility
and, of course, Perception had also increased a lot.
All in all, Jake was happy with his progress. It was good he had gotten
some class experience in by making Eternal Hunger and killing some termites
and all that, because he had a feeling he would have a lot of alchemy in the
near future.
And a few fights, hopefully. If he knew Villy as well as he thought he
did, there was no way the Academy experience would be a wholly peaceful
one.
Chapter 63
 A Different Time

J ake sat in meditation as he went over his gains and familiarized himself a
bit more with Fangs of Man and his improved Fang of the Malefic Viper.
Having the time, he also reached out to the Viper, who promptly
answered.
"So, thoughts on the test dungeon? It is pretty old and outdated, but it still
gets the job done, doesn’t it?" the Viper’s voice echoed in his head.
"Rather uninspired interior design, I must say," Jake answered jokingly.
“Very old-timey and old temple-like. Reminded me a bit of an abandoned
crypt.”
"I would have the designer executed if she hadn’t died well over a trillion
years ago," Villy answered.
"Heh. Anyway, I think it was fine, but I don’t really have any frame of
reference, now, do I?"
"True. But you did at least get to fight a strong opponent," Villy said with
an obviously teasing tone. "Hydras aren’t easy foes, and this particular one
sure had you countered."
"I would have won without the timer," Jake asserted.
"Maybe, maybe not. It did certainly become a possibility after your
powerup and upgrade of Fangs. You used the Path of the Heretic-Chosen
skill, right? Or have you gained some new skill or ability that makes you
ignore cause and effect to travel through space and time?"
"Nah, just the old and boring Path," Jake answered, but he felt reluctant
to get into details. The vision had not exactly been a flattering one for the
Viper.
"Oh? Not spilling the beans on what it was about?" the Viper asked.
"Come on, you already saw my bad phase at B-grade back then. This can’t be
worse."
Jake decided to not hide anything if the Viper wanted to pry, so he just
said four words. "Valdemar. Fang of Man."
A few seconds of silence followed. It was enough for Jake to consider if
saying it was a mistake, but luckily the Viper finally said, "Was there a
golden sphere involved or present?"
"Yep."
"Ah… right."
"Yep…"
The two of them sat in silence for a while before Jake finally broke it.
"Pretty species-ist back then, not gonna lie."
"I guess you need some context?" the Viper said. "It was a different time,
you know."
"Pretty sure I have heard that excuse before when people did some
messed-up shit when younger… and it wasn’t like you were young," Jake said
half-jokingly.
"Alright, alright. Listen, it really was a different time. There was far more
antagonism back then and a lack of mutual respect. The enlightened races
treated all monster races like trash and viewed them as lesser, while the
powerful monsters began looking down on humans and elves and the like. It
was a kill-or-be-killed kind of scenario whenever you met.
"Believe it or not, that day was the first time I faced a human lower level
than myself after reaching sapience that beat me. I had lost to humans before,
but always when they came in groups or were vastly higher level. I still held
respect for humans, however—not as fighters, but as creators. They were
some of the best craftsmen around, with me having learned much from them
in the realm of alchemy. Valdemar was an… outlier." Villy said this last
comment with resignation.
"He did seem rather unique," Jake agreed.
"You don’t know the half of it. Valdemar was and still is an absolute
monster. That fight back then was a humiliating loss that made me reconsider
my stance on the enlightened races as a whole and made me begin working
with them more—not as servants, but equals. You also need to understand
that humans as a whole are far more reliant on Records and history than a
beast like me. You nearly always need legacies and such to truly excel. Your
racial skills even revolve around passing these legacies down. This, at least,
was what I thought until Valdemar proved me wrong. The two of us both have
in common that we lived during the integration of the First Universe. He had
no legacies, and thus forged his path entirely on his own.
"Think about it. Humans have a way more diverse path than beasts and
way more space to adapt. Legacies help expand this. Meanwhile, a beast is
mostly set after evolving, with little to no skill choices during entire grades. I
remember very rarely getting five options, and that was only due to me
walking a diverse path, to begin with. Someone like Snappy never had a
single choice in D-grade, and only a handful in his entire journey to
godhood. Beasts instead choose their path solely by their actions and their
evolutions. This is to say, beasts are defined by their race, which is often not
related to anything but their own path, while humans rely far more on their
classes and professions, which are heavily defined by legacies and the
experience of their ancestors and what they learn from each other. One can
frame it as humans being far more reliant on knowledge and experience,
while beasts just need to kill, grow, and improve on their own.
"To me, back then, the natural result of this was humans having a far
wider breadth of power, but that they could never reach the top as an
individual, only a collective. They had forced upon them professions that
result in inherent non-combat potential, something that in a beast would
nearly always come with a trade-off in fighting power. If the power scale
went from one to a hundred, a human could never surpass ninety, while
beasts and monsters could.
"Naturally, I know now the multiverse doesn’t work like that. The
multiverse is far too open to opportunities, and a set scale doesn’t matter.
Too many ways to grow more powerful exist. Valdemar forged a path I could
not comprehend and grasped power beyond anyone else I had ever faced at
the time. He was not some paragon of his race or someone more
knowledgeable than anyone else. He was just an individual. He opened my
eyes to never looking down at someone for their race alone—especially not
enlightened species. As time passed, it has only been confirmed again and
again that the true power you can achieve isn’t defined by your race, but by
who you are as a person, your talent, and so many other factors. These are
what is truly important."
Jake listened intently to the explanation. He liked it, even if there was not
much new. In fact…
"You are actually embarrassed, aren’t you?"
 To overexplain why you did something was the hallmark of someone
embarrassed, and Villy seemed to really want to justify and explain why he’d
acted as he did back then. It was very relatable.
"Do you have to rub it in? I am beginning to really dislike that skill of
yours that just shows you uncurated shit. If someone from the Holy Church
got such a skill, they would be executed promptly for being able to
circumvent all the propaganda and whatnot." Villy said all this in a tone of
jest.
"Way of changing the subject," Jake joked back. "But, hey, good to know
even evil snake gods can learn to grow as a person. And speaking of
growing… who is stronger now? You or Valdemar?"
It was an obvious question Jake couldn’t help but ask.
"I guess I should have seen that one coming… but I don’t know. Do I
think I can beat Valdemar? No, not really, but I don’t think he can beat me
either. The thing is, Valdemar only truly fights someone when he has a cause.
A justification that makes him want to fight and create a legend from it. Ah,
but if you speak of a duel… well, let’s just say I tend to avoid them, as
fighting him is a pain. In a fight to the death, most likely is either one party
retreating or mutual destruction. This assumes third parties don’t involve
themselves and we fight on neutral ground… All of this is to say there are too
many factors.”
"I see," Jake said, not really wanting to pry more.
"Anyway, it sounds like you had quite the journey, and I will say that
taking inspiration from Valdemar would be smart. You and he do have some
similarities in mindset but are just as different, but if it is just about melee
fighting and his application of will, go right ahead. Just don’t try to mimic
him too much… He has just as many places where he has absolutely no
talents.”
Jake didn’t miss the Viper’s obvious jab. "Such as?"
"His talent when it comes to manipulating mana is so bad he ended up
completely giving up on it and eventually transformed it all into stamina and
health, somehow, through sheer rejection of the resource. Also, his
profession was very much neglected, which was part of the reason he was so
strong despite his low race level. Valdemar was already level 999 in his class
back then and was working on his profession.”
"Let me guess, his profession is to be a brewer of some kind?" Jake asked.
"Yeah, that was the only thing he figured out how to really do, as his
father apparently owned a brewery before the system. Well, Valdemar said
his father owned a brewery, but later said he just made moonshine and sold it
under the table.”
"It sounds like you two made friends later on?" Jake asked half-
rhetorically. The Viper seemed to know a lot of personal stuff about the guy,
after all, and even talked about duels.
"Yeah. That first encounter was not our last, and we butted heads a dozen
or so more times before godhood. I did win some and lose some, but more
often, it never got that extreme, as one party had an advantage that made the
other back off. After godhood, it ended up being an utter stalemate. It was
and still is for all the Primordials, so eventually, we ended up just coexisting
and, in some ways, got close. It is hard to personally know someone for
countless years and not begin to understand them and get to know them. Of
course, some get along better than others, and there is plenty of healthy
rivalry going on, but we can all get along in the same room as a semi-
dysfunctional family.”
"Sounds fun. Though you and Eversmile didn’t strike me as on the
friendliest of terms, and didn’t you kind of screw over Stormild with the
whole Sylphie-contract thing?"
"As I said, healthy rivalry and plenty of dysfunction. Have no doubt that if
both needed help with a task, they would also come to me and ask, even if
both of those have also taken advantage of me in the past."
"Fine. I’ll let you off with a warning not to look down on humans this
time around, aight?" Jake thought, unable to hold back a smirk.
"I am astounded at your benevolence," the Viper answered.
"Now, any personal comments on the test and how I did?"
"Take the advice of the teachers there and follow what is in the token. The
only thing I will add is to not take it as gospel but merely a guiding hand.
Just focus on the sentiment of their teachings rather than any actionable
advice.”
"Noted. If there is nothing else, I will get some meditation done and
actually reflect on stuff. You know, like the judges in the trial advised."
"Seeing you make smart choices brings a tear to my eyes," Villy teased.
"Better be careful, or I shall have you taste the fang of—"
Without any warning, Villy cut off the line of communication. Jake
smirked to himself. There was something profoundly enjoyable about taking
jabs at a god far more powerful than himself. Also, he knew Villy could take
it and, in this case, kind of deserved it, as he had been an arrogant dickhead
back in the day.
Well, more of an arrogant dickhead than current Villy. Not that Jake
should throw stones while living in a glass house. He wasn’t exactly the most
humble either.
Anyway, Jake entered meditation, where time slowly passed. Through his
sphere, he felt the waiting room fill up over the next day or so. During his
meditation, Jake reflected primarily on the vision from Path of the Heretic-
Chosen, as he knew he had more to internalize. He also considered the fight
with Snappy and how he could have done better, and what to do if he met a
similar opponent in the future.
Reika had also arrived by now and looked rather glum, but also
surprisingly determined. The same could not be said about the alchemists
following her, and Jake considered going down and checking on them, but
ultimately decided against it. They had Reika, and Jake was not going to the
Order to play babysitter. If they had been crushed in spirit from the trial, now
was the time to get their shit together and actually improve. He did notice one
alchemist missing, though.
Draskil came into the room on the fourth day since the first person
entered the dungeon, looking rather glum himself too. He had taken far
longer than Jake and most others, making Jake wonder why that was. More
surprising was that it ended up taking the full week, as the succubus had
warned them, before the final person arrived. The level 168—now 169—
harpy was the last to be done.
On that note, Draskil had not leveled up, while Jake had not chosen to
appear higher either.
The succubus had returned together with the harpy. Irinixis, as she was
called, regarded them all, but Jake felt her gaze linger on him—and Draskil—
as she smiled.
"I want to congratulate you all on finishing the test. Only ten people died
during the dungeon too, which is pretty good. As for the performances, the
average rating was rather low, at only two-stars level one, with the highest at
four-stars level ten, on the cusp of attaining five stars. The lowest was at one-
star level one, attained by not one but three people. That, I must admit, is
surprisingly pathetic.”
Jake mainly bit onto how the highest rating was four-stars level ten. That
was quite a bit better than his own, at four-stars level five. From the looks of
it, Draskil wasn’t the one to get this grade either, as they both exchanged
glances when it was announced.
A few more minutes passed with the succubus talking about the test
before continuing.
"Now, let us move on. Remember, no matter how well you did in the test,
this is only the beginning and in no way something that determines your path.
This is merely the beginning of your journeys as alchemists. You all come
from a newly integrated universe, which has granted certain advantages, but
also demerits, such as your lack of proper teachers and equal sparring
partners. So don’t fret, no matter what your performance was, as now is the
time to prove how talented you truly are.
"Soon, you will be taken to your residences, which will be based on your
performance in the test. One and two-star performances will be in the
communal dorms, while three and four-stars will get their own personal
residences and benefits depending on their evaluations. Naturally, those in
the dorms can also get their own residence if they perform well, with more
information to follow on how to upgrade. When you get to your residences,
an information package will be present. I am assigned as the attendant in
charge of this batch, and once you have exchanged your tokens, the new ones
will include a way to contact me. Now, please follow me to the token
exchange, and let’s get you all settled."
Chapter 64
 An Uncertain Future

M eira lay on the ground within the tiny cell as she took pained breaths.
Every time she breathed in, the toxic gas would invade her lungs and
body, burning her throat and making her wish she could just stop.
However, the wardens outside would come for her in moments if the toxic
fumes didn’t decrease at a fast enough rate for their liking.
Ever since the day the Brimstone Hegemon had been slain, and she had
been enslaved by the Order of the Malefic Viper, she had been forced to
either endure torture, do certain tasks, or remain in confinement and receive
lessons they believed she would need. She had just wanted to give up so
many times, but she was just too cowardly to stop trying to survive.
She hadn’t heard anything about her father or the rest of her clan in
months either, which only added to the torture. Her father had been captured
together with her, and the Order no doubt controlled the clan she had once
come from. Likely it was just much of the same for those back home, their
masters having simply changed.
Soon enough, she felt like the toxins in the room had decreased enough,
and just as she felt like she could relax, the cell door opened. Meira was still
on the ground, her health down to less than a third as she barely managed to
open her eyes.
"Is this the one?" a voice asked. One unfamiliar to Meira.
They spoke the common tongue used within the Order, a language she
had learned quite quickly during her capture. It was one of the things she had
been forced to learn, which had actually served as a bit of a consolation. After
all, would they bother teaching someone they would just kill their language?
"That is the elf. Evolved a month ago and is one of the better ones," the
warden in charge of her answered. "Got high marks on nearly everything, and
her class and profession are both suitable to the role. Plus, she is an elf, and
they tend to be popular with humans, don’t they?"
"Hm," the newcomer said as Meira felt a healing spell fall upon her. Her
health was restored, the poison nullified. "Get up."
She did as asked and stood in her ragged robe.
The newcomer that was clearly above the rank of the warden looked her
up and down and held out a crystal. "Imprint the basics of your status on
this."
Meira once more complied and transferred her status: her race, class, and
profession as well as the general level of her stats.
She had evolved to D-grade a month or so ago, having gained the Perfect
Evolution. This would normally be great, but she hadn’t truly been able to
choose what she wanted. She had been forced into selecting a class and
profession based on what the Order wanted. It was also clear that one of the
reasons they had chosen to take her was because she was close enough to D-
grade to mold her to their liking.
The only thing that consoled her was that at least none of her evolutions
had the word slave in it… Not that she hadn’t been offered options with that.
"Seems adequate," the newcomer bigshot said.
Meira finally raised her view and saw the robes the person wore. It was
one of the people from "Humanoid Resources”—a part of the Order that
handled internal matters of not only members, but also the slaves and
servants.
The woman in front of her was also an elf, but a dark-skinned Dark Elf
rather than a "pure" elf like Meira herself. These elves were far more talented
in dark magic of all sorts and were most often associated with the Court of
Shadows, but it wasn’t really surprising to see any in the Order of the Malefic
Viper either.
"Follow me," the dark elf said as she led Meira away from the "training
room" she had been placed in.
The purpose was for her to build up innate resistance to toxins and even
upgrade skills related to detecting and eliminating toxins. It was a cruel
method that allowed her to become a test dummy for poisons. In fact, she had
even gained the Palate of the Malefic Viper skill.
Meira knew a proper test dummy would be incredibly useful and even
valued to a large extent. She had survived the initial training and gained the
skills required with her evolution. Right now, her only plan was to gain
enough value to not be viewed as easily disposable.
After she had passed the initial tests, she had even begun learning things
related to the Order, and by her own wish, she had been put on a path she
believed would give her the best chances: that of a servant.
Soldiers who joined the Order would also do well, but Meira had never
been a fighter. She had grown up with a profession related to mining and a
healing class that also offered plenty of Toughness and Vitality for her to
help her family in the mines. This had made her resilient enough to survive
the ordeals she had been put through.
Her mother had also insisted on teaching her things related to managing
the clan and the household. It was knowledge she had cursed having to learn,
as she’d known it was due to the young master of the Brimstone
Conglomerate, but now that knowledge had allowed her to get a good
evaluation from the instructors of the Order.
Which was why the next words of the dark elf higher-up were not
unexpected.
"You have gained a permanent position, and your training ends today,"
the dark elf said as she led her forward.
Meira was relieved, but also worried about one thing… Why was
someone who was clearly C-grade or maybe even beyond bothering with
leading her, a measly D-grade? Much less informing her directly?
"May I ask, where will I serve?" she finally mustered up the courage to
say after a dozen or so seconds of silence.
The dark elf seemed to have just waited for her to build up the guts to ask,
as she answered, "You will be assigned a new master who will gain full
ownership of you, and you will act as the personal steward of his residence.
That, or whatever else he decides to do with you."
She spoke with an uninterested tone, probing Meira’s response. Meira
could only shudder a little, as this was what she had feared, but she tried not
to display it.
Slaves like her could get many positions. They could get a job in an
alchemy lab as test dummies, join larger experiments, be assigned to dorms
as caretakers, or occupy so many other places where servants were needed.
The most sought-after positions were as a general caretaker or work in one of
the brothels, where survival was often always assured, and you even had the
chance of catching the eye of someone influential.
 But to become the personal servant of an individual was the worst. If you
were owned by a collective, it meant no one could "break" you without
repercussions. It meant you would retain some sense of autonomy, as, even if
the institution owned you, no individual did, and this meant you could often
just do your own thing as long as you did your job.
Having an individual master meant your fate relied solely on the whims
of a person. You could be killed, tortured, or whatever else to sate that
person’s desires without anything happening, especially since the ones
getting personal servants were the influential, talented, or powerful ones.
Often all three. Moreover, what happened when the master died or got
powerful enough to no longer need you?
There was also some opportunity in having only one master… but those
were few and far between. In fact, the biggest hope was the master just
forgetting you existed altogether. But she knew her likely outcome was far
worse. All she could do now was hope she would get lucky.
"If I may, who will my new master be?" Meira asked, a bit hesitant.
"A human that just passed the entrance test and is from the newly
integrated universe," the dark elf said.
Meira was a little relieved it would at least be a human. Then the next
sentence came.
"One with a unanimous vote by the judges of the trial to have the highest
level of importance placed upon him, so do not disappoint."
She took a deep breath but once more tried to not let it show. For
someone to get such attention meant he had to be outstanding. But as a
human from a newly integrated universe, he hopefully was—
The dark elf interrupted her thoughts as she waved her hand. An image
appeared, showing a masked person with two piercing, yellow, beastly eyes
that made a shiver run down her spine.
Instantly killing all hope of her new master being an amicable person. She
was already wondering what her perhaps limited future would hold as she
was led through a gate towards her new "home."

Jake had discovered days ago that Sylphie could still communicate with him
even across universes, which was nice, as he had a constant feed of her
adventures, including how she and her parents had now gone to the dungeon.
Sadly, it appeared the communication did not work out of the dungeon and
had not worked while Jake was in his dungeon either, so for the next week, at
minimum, they would be cut off. It sucked because he really liked updates
from the cute little hawk.
Back in the Order, Jake was following Irin and all the others as he made
his way over to Reika to walk beside her. They exchanged a glance that told
Jake they were fine, which made Jake just move in silence as they walked
through the gateway.
They entered a large office with hundreds of people working, and it
reminded Jake of some government branch with people running all over.
Well, most just teleported or opened gates and stuff, so a magical government
office?
"This way," Irin the succubus said as she led them all over to a table with
another demon sitting there.
Behind him was a large black statue of sorts that looked to be made of
obsidian, or maybe some kind of crystal? Jake wasn’t sure, and his Identify
didn’t render any results either. It depicted a robed figure with an
outstretched hand, the palm facing upwards.
The demoness stopped in front of the statue. The other demon also got up,
but it was Irin who spoke. "This statue will serve as an exchange of your
Entry Token to get a true Order Token. This token will serve as your badge
of identification, and is useful, if not required, to do much within the Order
and the Academy. Moreover, this token will be Soulbound to you and only
you, making it impossible to use for anyone but yourself.” She motioned for
the male demon to speak.
He followed through by saying, "To exchange the token, merely place
your Entry Token in the hand of the statue and proceed to infuse your energy
into the statue. Do not resist the scan that then follows. This will transform
your token into a true one, signifying you have become genuine members of
the Order!"
Before anything else could happen, Draskil stepped forward, placed his
token in the hand of the statue, and infused energy into it. A few seconds
later, the Entry Token transformed into a new one he held up. It was entirely
black and looked like a circular-cut gem of some kind with the Order of the
Malefic Viper motif on it.
The male demon looked with recognition and smiled. Jake wondered why
until Irin explained.
"The tokens are split into the ranks: White, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Black,
and Dark Green, with Dark Green naturally being the highest. The tokens are
also grade-specific, so each time you advance, you will need to get them
reissued, which may also result in getting a lower ranking. Or a higher one, of
course. I will be honest—this color-coding is primarily cosmetic and will
have little practical impact besides easily signifying your status to others.”
Jake nodded along with the group, but he noticed no one else stepping
forward. Instead, a few glanced his way. It turned out that skipping queues
was also a benefit of being strong. Jake gladly stepped forward and did the
same thing Draskil had done.
He felt the statue scan him, but the moment it tried, it impacted Shroud.
Jake was quick to deactivate the Divine skill, letting it through. The scan still
took a second more than usual, getting an odd glance from the demon in
charge of it, but he quickly calmed down when it spat out a new black token.
Jake had feared he would get a Dark Green, but it appeared he would at
least avoid that attention. He stepped over to where Draskil was, and they
exchanged another glance. Both were staying to see who else would get black
tokens, and moreover, to see if they could find the mysterious one who’d
gotten a higher grade than them. Also… clearly, none of them had any idea
where to go.
He took this time to inspect his new token after binding it to himself.

[D-grade Black Order of the Malefic Viper Token (Unique)] – A token

signifying you are a member of the Order of the Malefic Viper. This token
holds info regarding your identity and details about your person, as well as a
plethora of other useful functions, including but not limited to: information
storage, gateway access, event participation, formation control, contract
services, and residence services.
Requirements: Soulbound.

It felt simple yet incredibly complex. Jake was also confident the token
was borderline unbreakable. When he checked it further, he also felt the
knowledge in the Entry Token had all been transplanted into this new one,
along with a lot more information about the Order and whatnot.
He didn’t have more time to scan it before a commotion was made over
an unimpressive level 111 Risen getting a black token. The highest-level
Risen also went up right after and got another black token, and the four more
Risen that followed all got gold ones. Six Risen had arrived at this test, and of
them, two had black ones and four golden, which was far more than any other
group.
The Harpy, who’d been the last to complete the test, also went up and got
a black one, while all the other leaders of the higher-level groups got golden
tokens. Reika only got a bronze token, and all but one of the alchemists with
her got white ones. Jake didn’t know if he should be happy or sad that at least
one other alchemist from Earth had managed to get bronze, but oh, well.
This, in the end, meant that five total black tokens were given, and the
mysterious top performer was either one of the two Risen or the Harpy. Jake
glanced at all three, and his instincts were pretty clear when he met the eye of
the level 149 Risen.
Him.
He was certain. It was a mere fraction of a second, but Jake’s intuition
was clear. Because for a moment, Jake felt a response from Sense of the
Malefic Viper. It practically screamed that the Risen before him was akin to a
walking natural treasure of pure toxicity.
And not the online-video-game kind of toxicity.
Chapter 65
 Rules & A Very Good uestion

O nce every person had gotten their tokens, there was just one more
round of orientation before all the students would be let loose. Jake
followed behind again as they were all led back to the old waiting
chamber and quickly went into new "camps" of sorts, based on the level of
their tokens. It was a bit odd, in Jake’s mind, to put yourself into a box based
on colored crystal tokens.
"So, as a final thing, let’s have a small orientation," the succubus began
once everyone was back in position. "Let us start with some basic ground
rules of the Order of the Malefic Viper—more specifically, the rules while
part of the Academy. Do note that the Academy is but one branch of the
whole Order, and entry into the Academy also means membership of the
Order, so you will all have these imposed on you while on Order ground.
"Membership of the Order and Academy can naturally be rescinded at
any point by you or as punishment if you break any rules."
With those words, a large screen was projected in front of all of them
with a small list of six rules.

1. Guests of the Order of the Malefic Viper shall be treated as

members for all subsequent rules.
2. Killing any member of the Order within common grounds is strictly
prohibited. Killing any member of the Order within their own
residence, or one they have been allowed access to, is strictly
prohibited.
3. Destruction of property is strictly prohibited and will result in
severe punishment partly determined by the damaged party. Slaves,
 pets, servants, and other auxiliary living creatures under the control of
a member of the Order fall under the umbrella of property. If these
creatures break any rules, the owner will be punished accordingly.
4. Theft of property from any member of the Order is strictly
prohibited.
5. Unauthorized entry into the residence of another member of the
Order is heavily disincentivized and can lead to punishment.
6. Any case of perceived injustice can be brought to an Order official,
and it will be processed. Punishment will, if proven correct, be
subjectively determined. If the plaintiff is found in the wrong,
punishment will be served upon them instead for wasting the
official’s time.

Jake read them over and was surprised at how little there was and how
basic it was. It was basically just saying not to kill, steal, or destroy the stuff
of others, and if any of these things—or anything else you didn’t like—
happened to you, you just complained to an official and hoped they took your
side—or you got fucked yourself.
"The rules are purposefully simple, as honestly, having a long list serves
little purpose. Ah, and before anyone gets any fancy ideas, guardians of the
Order are always present and actively observing any non-residence at all
times, so assassination attempts tend to not work very well. Now, any
questions?" Irin gave a light smile.
An elf in the room raised their hand, and she acknowledged him. "What
happens if a servant acts of their own volition and breaks one of the rules?"
"Depends entirely on what happens and how the judge in question feels
that day. If they think you had something to do with it, everything from being
told it was a fun idea to getting your entire homeworld destroyed can
happen." Irin shrugged.
A few hands were instantly raised at that, and the succubus took the
initiative to explain.
"While these rules exist, don’t think for a moment they are absolute.
Punishment is entirely determined by those in power, and with enough
influence and power, you can do borderline anything. You can’t all seriously
think anything would happen if an A-grade feels annoyed and decides to
erase some weak white-token, D-grade Academy student, can you?"
She chuckled a bit at the sentiment, but the mood in the waiting room did
not seem to agree with her, as people now looked more worried than before.
Reika also frowned, and the only ones who looked relatively relaxed were
Jake, Draskil, and the Risen.
"Ah, don’t act like that," Irin said, shaking her head. "It isn’t like there is
anything in it for some powerhouse to slap you to death, and chances are they
will get a slight punishment, like paying a fine or something—and don’t
flatter yourself to truly think you are worth that to them. Of course, there are
a few ways to more or less shield yourself from anything. Like being
associated with another force of the multiverse." Irin gestured to the Risen as
she said this. "Or, best of all, carry the Blessing of the Malefic One himself,
or perhaps just someone subordinate to the great Patron."
She naturally motioned towards Jake and Draskil as she said this, as well
as a few others. In fact, most leaders of factions had low-level blessings from
the Viper, but all of them besides Jake and Draskil had only the Minor one.
Jake acted like he also had only a Lesser one, but Draskil truly stood out with
the Divine Blessing.
"There is also the option of finding an internal faction to align yourself
with, or you could just not mess with people you shouldn’t mess with. If you
feel like things aren’t fair or working as they should, get strong enough to fix
it or adapt. We clear?" Irin looked around for any other questions.
A female scalekin of some sort raised her hand and asked, "How will
lessons in the Academy work?"
"Says it in the information package within the token. Next?"
This led to a few seconds of silence as everyone clearly scanned their
tokens to avoid ask any more questions that would be shut down. Jake did the
same thing, but only some of the surface stuff, as he would dive into it later.
Besides, it wasn’t like he planned on asking any questions right now.
"Where are the personal residences of those with three stars or higher
located?" one of the leaders with a gold token asked.
Jake guessed gold meant either high-end three-star performance, or
maybe early four-star too? Either way, gold surely had to mean personal
residence.
"Within the Order itself, but the exact location is not that easily discerned,
as it is underground, hidden by formations and spatially expanded," Irin
answered. "Also, to answer the obvious follow-up, your token is already
linked to your residences, and simply by activating any of the gates spread
throughout, you can enter it. The token is also used to leave it again. Each
residence is placed in a neighborhood of sorts with individuals roughly
around your level, but don’t fret—each residence is individually isolated by
formations and barriers."
That did seem to answer a question many had, but someone else did raise
their hand. "How will the shared dorms work?"
"You will all have individual rooms. Ah, in comparison, the ones with
three stars and above will have entire courtyards with several buildings, also
giving ample space to house your servants or followers. It is also entirely
possible for those with residences to just have others come stay with them if
they so wish; it’s all up to them. And no, if you live in a dorm and expect to
have personal servants, rethink your status and get a residence first.”
By now, Jake was just waiting for it to be over. He did throw Reika a
glance across the room, but she subtly shook her head. He wanted to see if
she had any interest in sharing his residence, as he assumed he would get a
big one, but she declined. Which was A-okay with Jake.
He had never tried living with a woman before besides his mother, so it
was good to avoid that awkwardness.
The orientation only continued for a few more minutes as some more
simple questions were asked. After that, a few people began going around
and talking to others, which was when Jake discovered the tokens also
worked as phones within the Order to contact one another. It was truly a
multi-purpose tool.
Jake naturally exchanged his number with Reika and found that the
number to Irinixis was already inside. Well, not quite a number; it was more
like a token signature bound to the inherent mana and soul signature of the
other person owning the token, making it far more secure and borderline
impossible for anyone besides the two speaking to intercept the signal.
Anyway, Jake decided to keep calling it a number, as that was just easier.
A lot of people came up to Jake wanting to get his contact info—
primarily the other humans—but he declined all of them. Draskil was once
more the first to leave without getting any numbers. He went over to a wall
with a small magic circle, held the token up, and made a Malefic Dragonkin-
sized gateway appear. He stepped through, and the moment he did, it closed
behind them.
More mimicked this, and the room began emptying out. All of the Risen
went together to one residence, it appeared, while Jake had a brief talk with
Reika, where he learned she would be with the one other bronze-token
alchemist, while the others from the clan would be by themselves at their
respective dorms. She also informed him one of them had died during the
dungeon, which Jake had kind of guessed since one didn’t return.
With everything handled, Jake said his goodbyes and went over to a wall.
Before he left, Irinixis quickly came over and stood beside him. "I wish you a
good time in the Academy and Order, and remember to call if you need
anything, okay?"
She said the last part with a wink and scurried off again. Jake did wonder
why she showed him special interest. Well, a special interest that she didn’t
show the other people with outstanding performances. She hadn’t tried this
with Draskil or any of the Risen, and seemed to only focus on him. Maybe
she just didn’t find Scalekin or Risen to her liking?
Jake didn’t bother thinking about it more as he activated the token and
made a gate open. It was instinctual and easy to do with the token, and when
he stepped through, he didn’t feel any discomfort or even movement of
space. Whatever space magic was going on was at an insanely high level.
As his head went through the gate, he instantly saw the sunlight and the
lush green courtyard before him with a large house standing atop some stairs.
It had a black-glass façade, and Jake instantly felt a bit weird looking at it
because it looked too… modern?
He looked around and saw the garden in front of it, and his Sense of the
Malefic Viper reacted to the herbs. Good for potions, he noted. Entire
flowerbeds were lining the perimeter of the house with a large lawn of sorts
with trees leading up to the house. It looked like a modern mansion.
It should also be noted that all of the observers Jake had felt while in any
of the common areas were gone. In there, the only one he knew was still
looking from the outside was a certain snake god. So that was nice for
privacy, as at least there were no longer a dozen hidden powerhouses looking
at all times. However, he did also feel something from the residence, but the
aura felt weak.
Walking forward, he took in the sights and looked up to see the bright sun
and a blue sky above. He instinctively knew it was not a real star, but it was
really fucking close. As in, Jake didn’t doubt there was an actual celestial
object above; it was just made by someone supremely powerful.
Jake finally took his time to inspect the house himself as he walked
closer. Mind you, he needed to walk closer, as the walkway with grass and
trees on each side was several hundred meters long, beyond his sphere’s
reach.
As he got closer, he saw the interior and the modern look continuing.
Tiled floors, concrete walls, glass facades. He even saw modern-looking
furniture, but he didn’t really consider it once he spotted someone in the
mansion’s entry hall: the one observing him.
He hurried over and opened the large door leading into the house, only to
be met with a large, open hall and a tall ceiling featuring several large,
hanging sculptures that gave off light. However, what he focused on was the
person in front of him.
"Welcome, Master," she said as she knelt on the ground.
Jake instantly used Identify and frowned.

[Elf – lvl 109]

She looked young, maybe in her early twenties—though to be fair, all

elves he had ever seen looked young. She had the usual pointed ears and a
generally slender build too. She was wearing a white dress that didn’t cover
as much as it probably should, and the way she was pressing her head against
the floor rubbed Jake the wrong way.
"Thanks?" Jake answered tentatively. "May I know who you are?"
He had expected no one to be present, so of course, he was surprised at
finding someone there.
The elf raised her head to look at Jake as she answered, "I am called
Meira, Master."
Meira, as she was called, looked a bit surprised at Jake’s response, but
she also clearly tried to hide it. Not very well, but she tried. Jake looked her
over again, and his gut reaction was that she had to be some noble elf or
something, right?
She had long blonde hair, a slender build, deep green eyes, perfect
features, proportions where it mattered… She looked straight out of a fantasy,
like those elven princesses in video games. There was just one problem.
"Why do you keep calling me Master?"
Once more, she looked a bit surprised, but she nevertheless answered
without missing a beat. "I am here to serve in any way seen fit, so it is only
right to use the title Master," she explained somewhat nervously before
adding, "Naturally, if Master wishes for me to use any other title, I can."
"No, I mean, why do you call me Master, and why are you here to begin
with?"
"I was assigned to serve Master at his residence," Meira answered, but her
nervousness was clearly growing.
"So you work here?" he asked to confirm, frowning.
His frown was clearly picked up just from his eyes, as she answered,
frightened, "I can do anything Master wants, anywhere he desires."
Jake’s frown deepened as it clicked. He took out the token and scanned it
over, finding a part of it he hadn’t checked before. A contract. He briefly
looked it over and saw what it was. He clenched his fists, and a bit of
bloodlust seeped out.
He looked towards the sky, where he knew the god was looking. "Villy,
what the fuck is this?"
Not a single part of him cared that he spoke out loud, and clearly, the
Viper didn’t either, as the next moment, an aura descended. Pure power
coalesced as a form appeared in the sky, and a scaled, humanoid being
floated down from above.
Jake stood unbothered by the aura as the Viper smiled in answer. "I was
not the cause of—"
"Relax that fucking presence, man—look at her," Jake said as he
motioned towards Meira, who was uncontrollably shivering while still
kneeling.
She looked like she was intermittently cycling between passing out and
being forcefully woken up by the Viper’s presence as tears streamed down
her face and onto the ground.
The Viper’s aura disappeared like it had never been there. He pointed at
Meira as she stopped shaking and appeared to calm down. "Fine, fine. Geez."
"Now tell me… why the fuck do I suddenly own a slave?" Jake asked, not
bothering to control his own aura or presence in the slightest.
Chapter 66
 "The Positive Side"

M eira waited in the entrance hall after she had changed her clothes out
of the ragged robe and cleaned herself up. She had even set her hair,
trying to look as presentable as possible for her new master’s arrival.
Not a single part of her doubted the first impression would be important, so
she wanted to look and perform her best.
She knew it would be a good while before he arrived, so she had gone
through the mansion. There were seven buildings adjoined to it, including a
large lab, two greenhouses, three more residential buildings, and a large
warehouse of some sort to be customized by the new owner.
The main mansion was massive, with dozens of rooms, three stories—not
counting the underground—and incredibly well-made furnishings. It was like
the buildings of the Brimstone Conglomerate, which only hammered home
that her new master was a person of influence.
Meira had gone through everything in preparation for him to arrive. She
had located the meditation chamber, the formation control room, the
relaxation rooms, and even the bedchamber. Considering D-grades no longer
needed to sleep, the use of that room was obvious—especially with a bed that
large, made to accommodate several people at once.
Once she’d gone through everything, she had returned to wait in the
entrance hall. It took only an hour more before something happened. At the
entrance to the courtyard appeared a single figure wearing black clothes and a
mask. She looked out through the one-way glass and the door leading into the
mansion as she subtly tried to study him. He stood still, apparently observing
his new surroundings.
Soon enough, he began walking towards the mansion. Meira had already
gone over hundreds of scenarios in her head of how this first meeting would
go, and she felt as prepared as she could be when he went through the door
and laid eyes on her.
"Welcome, Master."
She said the words with as much servility as she could, making sure to
keep her head low to make it absolutely clear she knew her position.
"Thanks? May I know who you are?"
His answer was unexpected—especially his tone, as she felt genuine
confusion. His voice also seemed very relaxed and not as intimidating as she
had feared. She dared raise her head as she met the admittedly frightening
yellow eyes, but she tried to keep her cool as she answered.
What followed was even more confusing. Meira introduced herself, and
her new master kept asking probing questions. At first, she believed it was a
test for her to prove she truly recognized her position, but that became
doubtful when he kept sounding so genuinely perplexed.
This wasn’t good. Meira’s new master had clearly not expected her to be
there. Meira tried to calm herself down and make it clear she would be useful,
but he kept seeming dissatisfied at her presence. If he decided to throw her
out…
"Villy, what the fuck is this?" he suddenly said. An aura of bloodlust
poured out, making Meira shiver. Who was this Villy? What was—
Then, suddenly, she felt something else. Like the entire world stood still,
and an utterly oppressive aura appeared. Every fiber of her being cried out as
she shivered, her mind unable to comprehend what exactly was happening.
Yet she still knew. Instinctively, she knew, after spending so long within the
Order, seeing the statues, and being bathed in their aura:
It was the Malefic One.
Her mind was jumbled, and she couldn’t comprehend what was
happening. Meira’s psyche was in disarray as the aura weighed down on her,
and she felt herself slip in and out of consciousness, but she was mercilessly,
forcefully awakened again and again. She felt like death was upon her. Tears
streamed down her face, and she wasn’t even able to open her mouth to beg
for merc—
"Relax that fucking presence, man—look at her!"
Meira barely registered the voice of her new master, but it shocked her
nearly as much as the appearance of the Primordial. How could he… How
did he—
 "Fine, fine. Geez."
The words sounded like they came not from a god, but just a person. As
they were spoken, the presence crushing her subsided so suddenly it was like
the god had never been there. She almost wondered if he had left, but her
master’s next question confirmed it wasn’t so.
"Now tell me… why the fuck do I suddenly own a slave?"
Bloodlust assaulted Meira, and she shivered again. It was more than she
could take, and she almost blacked out from sheer fear. It was different than
that of a god… If the aura of a god made you feel like you could die at any
point, the aura she was currently feeling made her think she would be killed
at any moment by something just as scary as any deity. It seemed the same on
the surface but was vastly different. Her mind was barely able to comprehend
that the bloodlust was partly directed at her. The sentiment behind the
question? He wanted to get rid of her.
"Now look at what you are doing!" the Malefic One spoke.
A moment passed as the bloodlust also subsided, and for the first time in
what felt like forever, Meira could breathe again. Yet she was still shivering
and crying as hopelessness and confusion dominated her mind. She couldn’t
comprehend what was happening, but she knew she was the cause of it. She
knew her new master was unsatisfied with her presence. As for why the
Malefic One would suddenly appear… It almost felt like this was just an
illusion, or maybe she was already dead?
"Sorry about that," her new master said, and she suddenly felt herself
being helped up.
Meira looked up and saw the scaled figure standing behind the masked
man helping her up. She shook at the sight.
"Hey, hey, relax," her master said as she was gently pushed down, and
she felt herself sit on some kind of chair. "Deep breaths. Everything is fine."
"Great,” the Malefic One began. “See you later, the—"
"No, we aren’t done!" the human said as he turned to the god. "Now,
explain to me why the hell this is a thing."
Meira just stared as she desperately tried to understand what was going
on. How could a mortal yell at the Malefic One? Why was the Malefic One
here to begin with? Why did the Primordial not seem offended or even to
care?
She was just lost for words. All she could do was try to make herself
smaller and hope to fade away as the two began talking right in front of her.
Jake had a damn headache as he shifted between looking at Villy and the
poor elf that looked white as a ghost, seemingly certain death was right
around the corner. He always forgot how much the aura of a god really wore
down others, and Villy had clearly not bothered holding anything back.
Villy looked at Jake as he explained, "I tried to tell you before: this has
nothing to do with me. Do you really think I descended down and ordered
what kind of slave you would get? No, my interfering would only have been
for you to not get one, as it is customary for one with your performance. It
was entirely done by members of the Order, following regular procedures."
"Leads to the question of why the hell that is a procedure," Jake shot
back.
"Think about it a bit. Think about why I have no qualms descending
before you and talking openly like this, even with her present. Think about
how no one else can observe within this residence—besides me, of course—
and consider why the only assistant provided by the Order is a slave. It all
comes down to the basic principle of trust.”
Jake had taken a deep breath, so he calmed himself a bit and let the Viper
keep talking.
“As a member, you might need assistance to handle some things within
the Order. Maybe you need someone to fetch you alchemical materials,
deliver a message or an invitation, or do a plethora of other mundane tasks
not worth your time. A slave like this can also help you in the alchemy lab as
a great test subject, take care of your garden, or just help you relieve
boredom. The point is, having someone so close and working with you will
inadvertently lead to them finding out some of your secrets and having access
to valuable items you own. This is ignoring the fact that it would be annoying
and stressful to constantly be on watch within your own home. A slave like
her fixes all that, as there is no threat of a leak or them acting against your
interests.”
The Viper seemed to be finished with his point, but Jake still stood
annoyed. He didn’t like it nevertheless, and when he looked at the elf just
staring down onto the ground, trying to hold back her tears and biting her
own lip, he just felt even shittier.
"I still don’t like it, and I don’t see any reason to repeat an old
conversation on the topic. You know my stance, and you knew I wouldn’t
like it. You could at least have given me a heads-up. Why not just have it be a
servant who signs a contract of confidentiality like Lillian did?"
"Why warn you when you should have been able to figure something like
this out yourself? You knew the Order had slaves, and I can see you even
recognize why it makes sense. As for why it is not just a contract? Well,
those contracts have the huge issue of being limited in scope, impossible to
revise without consent from both parties, and they can even be circumvented
in many cases through smart wording or even just mental manipulation. Like,
if someone made an illusion to make them look like you perfectly, that girl on
Earth could spill the beans and be none the wiser. She would still be hit by
the backlash after the fact, though, once she realized she was fooled, but at
that point, the damage is done. That doesn’t happen with slaves, as the
limitations are far more extreme, especially the kind deployed by the Order.
In fact, even if she was fooled, she would be unable to say anything, as the
system itself would make her clamp up. Oh, and finally: for her own
protection while within the Order."
Jake didn’t bite into anything in the first part, as he knew he had no legs
to stand on when it came to arguing the efficiency of contacts and whatnot.
Even the second part, Jake understood within a second. "Because of the
rules?"
He remembered the wording and believed it wasn’t a coincidence it had
used "under control" rather than any other phrasing.
"Bingo," Villy said, smirking. "Attacking her would mean attacking an
extension of you. Killing her would mean the destruction of your property,
and dependent on how mad that makes you, it could lead to heavy
punishment. Also, with the slave contract, everyone knows she would be
useless to try and extract information from."
"Even if I see the logic," Jake said, “it doesn’t make me like it. I don’t
need a slave and would rather just do all the mundane stuff myself rather than
forcing someone else to do it. So just tell me how I break this thing. Just set
her free and let her do her own thing."
"Sure, I could do that”—Villy smiled agreeably—“but you should be nice
and also just kill her right away, then. That would be far kinder than releasing
a freed slave within the Order only to have them be picked up by someone
else with a, let’s just say, lesser moral character."
"Just take her someone else, then," Jake argued. "Take her back to where
she originally came from, or just to some weak world or something. I know
Earth is not an option, but there should be plenty of places where a D-grade
can thrive."
"Probably. But why would I? I didn’t cause this mess, so why would I fix
it?" the Viper said without much care. "In fact, I’m going to be honest. The
moment you called out directly to me, released your aura, and didn’t bother
hiding anything anymore, that ship sailed. It isn’t like the memories can be
scrubbed from her head, and I don’t trust any contract less than a soul
contract that may as well be a slavery one to keep her quiet. Even such a
contract would be proof in itself of her association with the Order, or at least
someone powerful at one point, leading to her life being messed up as a
result. So if you truly wish to set her free, just know the likely result is death
or worse."
At this point, Jake wanted to punch a wall. He looked down at the elf as
he regarded Villy again. "We both know that is bullshit. Shit, you can just
place her on some fringe planet no one has ever heard about, and even if she
knows some things, so what? I am the one at risk here if anything leaks,
which is a risk I am willing to take."
"You seem adamant, huh," Villy said with a smile. He didn’t look angry
or disappointed, or even as though he felt this conversation was of any
consequence. Instead, he remained oddly neutral. Like he truly didn’t care
what Jake decided to do. "But how about I propose another path?"
"What?" Jake asked.
"Let her decide." Villy smirked.
Jake turned and looked at her again. Meira had kept quiet throughout after
her shaking had stopped, and by now, she just looked down at the ground
with empty eyes. She didn’t move even an inch, and looked more like a
statue than a person.
"Hey… you can speak your mind here,” Jake said, trying to assure her.
“Nothing will happen no matter what you say. I promise."
She finally reacted by looking up at him. Jake tried to be encouraging and
had even removed his mask to look less scary, hoping that would help. He
also did all he could to hide how shitty he felt. Jake felt like he really was the
bad guy with a young woman sitting and crying beside him as he stood there
arguing with his snake-god friend.
"Go on," Jake urged her.
"Master, I—"
"Just don’t call me Master," Jake insisted. It felt like something crept up
his spine every time she said it. He had barely gotten used to being called
Lord Thayne, so there was no fucking way he was having any of that
"Master" crap.
She looked a bit taken aback as she managed to stammer out, "My… My
Lord, please allow me to serve you in any way I can; I swear I will do my
utmost to prove myself useful!"
Jake felt like she’d missed the point. "I said you can be honest. This isn’t
a test or anything like that. You have my word. Nothing bad will happen, so
speak freely. Do you have any family or a home to go back to, or anywhere
you want to be taken?"
Meira, however, stuck to her words. "Ma… My Lord, I am speaking true.
I wish to remain within My Lord’s employ and prove myself useful."
"Why?" Jake asked probingly.
"I… believe remaining under My Lord would be the wisest, and I swear I
shall prove useful by any means possible.”
"And why would it be the wisest?"
"Man, Jake, think for a second," Villy cut in. "Even the biggest idiot can
figure out you are quite the personage with everything happening, so why
wouldn’t she want to stay? Shit, I am sure that if people truly knew about
you, there would be plenty of powerful people willing to enslave themselves
to you by choice."
Jake didn’t have anything to comment on that, so he just groaned again.
He looked down at the elven woman and saw she looked determined. In the
end, he just sighed. "Fuck me sideways with a tire iron and call me a hippo…
This is some bullshit."
Villy just made a huge grin as if he had won something, while the poor
elf just looked utterly confused at Jake’s nonsensical outburst.
"Well, then, I shall leave it to you," Villy said as he bowed with
exaggeration. "Think about it on the positive side… Finally, you have
someone besides me you can be perfectly honest with, not bothering to hide
anything. Even that City Lord, you kept secrets from, so won’t it be
refreshing to have someone you can vent to about your Bloodline and the
annoying snake god that keeps bothering you, and even be a full-on heretic
around?"
Jake looked over at him. "I thought you said you were leaving?"
"See, just like that!" the Viper said as he disappeared without a trace.
Jake just sighed for the tenth time today as he looked at the elf. She
looked down at the ground again as she clenched her fists, and Jake honestly
had no idea what the fuck to do or say as he found himself in one of the most
awkward and uncomfortable situations of his life. He would much rather be
fighting that damn Hydra again.
"Fuck me…"
Chapter 67
 Conversations Are Hard

J ake stood there, thinking and going over what the fuck to do next, when
he heard a meek voice beside him.
"If My Lord wants to…"
He wondered what she meant, then remembered what he had just said.
Instantly, the situation just turned more awkward as Jake facepalmed. "No…
no, I mean fuck me for being in this situation… not to actually…"
For every moment, Jake got more and more sure Villy had to have known
and even looked forward to this entire shitty thing happening. Jake could
practically see him sitting there laughing his head off at Jake trying to deal
with his newfound circumstances.
Meira at least also looked embarrassed at her misunderstanding, but also
a bit relieved and… disappointed? Nah, Jake definitely misinterpreted that.
She clearly wasn’t going to break the silence either. She sat there,
unmoving, forcing Jake to take the initiative and try to make the situation just
a tiny bit less awkward. "Even using My Lord is a bit much. Just call me
whatever you want, okay?"
"That would be inappropriate and disrespectful… wouldn’t it?" she asked.
The elf looked just as out of water as Jake himself.
Whatever game plan she’d formed had clearly gone out the window long
ago. They both had been tossed into a situation neither was comfortable with,
and Jake would do his darndest to at least make it bearable.
"Where I come from, treating others overly respectfully is odd, and if we
are to live in the same residence, it will get old fast and just make everything
weird. No, just call me by my name, Jake… Well, I use the pseudonym
Hunter while within the Order, but considering everything that's happened,
hiding my name seems pointless.” Meira still seemed unsure, so Jake doubled
down. "Look, I call the Malefic Viper by the made-up nickname Villy and
sure as hell am not going to refer to him as Lord or whatever else people use
—at least, not in private. If I can do that, you can call a fellow D-grade by his
name, can’t you?"
That turned out to be a bad idea, as Meira whitened even more and looked
afraid something terrible would happen. Like divine retribution was inbound.
She even looked towards the sky, but nothing happened. Jake once more tried
to calm her down.
"He wouldn’t have made me his Chosen and be so casual around me if he
was going to smite me for that, now, would he?" Jake said, really trying to
hammer through he was a casual person.
"I… How can you?" she finally stammered out.
"We are friends." Jake just shrugged. "I know it seems weird from your
point of view, but I am a bit of an odd person, so don’t fret it, okay? Just
relax and keep it casual and down-to-earth."
He really tried to seem approachable and friendly, but Jake seriously had
no confidence he was making headway, and he wasn’t only making things
worse. He just wasn’t built for this kind of thing. His words also clearly
didn’t work, as she looked as meek as before, now just mixed with a good
dose of extra confusion.
Jake thought a little while, then said, "Look, how about doing it like this?
While it’s just the two of us, call me Jake, and when around others, you can
call me My Lord or Master or whatever else you find appropriate, okay?”
She finally looked up, but instead of addressing what he’d said, she
stammered out, "Are… you the Chosen of the Malefic One?"
"Wait, you were hung up on that?" Jake asked, clearly not reading the
flow of their one-sided conversation very well. "Yeah, I am, at least in the
name. Maybe in function, too, as it is a unique title, so whatever way I act is
how the Chosen acts? Either way, yes, I got the True Blessing from the
Malefic Viper."
"How?" Meira asked again.
"Eh… a bit of a long story. Actually, not that long. We met after I did a
Challenge Dungeon designed by him. He was a bit of a dick, to begin with,
but we ended up vibing and having a good time, and then at the end, he just
sneakily gave me the Blessing.”
He saw her physically cringe back when Jake called Villy a dick, so Jake
once more reiterated, "As the Viper said earlier, I am also a bit of a heretic, I
guess? I like the Viper well enough as a person and all, and we generally tend
to have a good time, but I don’t really treat him like a god or whatever. Just
know that he is fine with it. It is a bit interesting that I can be viewed as a
heretic when the god in question isn’t really offended, but here we are."
Meira fell silent again, and Jake began to realize bombarding her with
ridiculousness was perhaps not the best tactic of calming her down, as he
didn’t feel like they were progressing much. Jake thus decided to take it as
down-to-earth as he could. He pulled out a chair himself and sat across from
her.
"Meira, listen," Jake said as he got her attention again. "Where I come
from, slavery isn’t really a thing much anymore, and when it does happen, it
is heavily frowned upon. Let me be perfectly frank: I don’t like it. At a
fundamental and conceptual level, I despise it. I want to just rip up that stupid
contact more than anything—not because of you, but just because of what it
represents. However, it seems that would inadvertently lead to a shitty
situation for everything and everyone except my own conscience, so I won’t.
But that doesn’t mean I have to like it, and I swear I have no interest in
treating you like a slave. As you are stuck here, we can figure out some
working arrangements, but if you decide to just stay and chill in this huge
mansion indefinitely, I won’t bother you. You can speak your mind whenever
around me and treat me like just another person. In fact, I would prefer that
over everything else, alright?"
That finally seemed to get a response. She looked up and said, "Please
allow me to remain; I will do anything! I can—"
"I just said you can stay no matter what," Jake interrupted as he held up a
hand. "What I am saying is that for you to stay and the both of us to feel
comfortable with it, we need to compromise, okay?"
She took a bit, but she slowly nodded.
"Great. So, ignoring anything else that happened, what do you want to
do?" Jake asked. "If you weren’t bound by any contract that told you what
you had to do, what would you be doing?"
Meira fell silent for a moment before she said, "I was trained and raised
before that to be a good worker and able to assist someone else… I want to
prove myself useful."
It wasn’t an answer Jake had hoped for, but he didn’t want to press
anything more. "Okay, so what do you want to do here in the Order?"
 "Work for Mast… M…" She looked lost for words as she stopped talking
and looked down again.
She looked almost scared Jake would do anything, which only made
everything worse. What the fuck kind of training and upraising did she have
to think slipping up a few words would result in anything bad?
"Jake," he said calmly.
She looked up.
"Just call me Jake, and I will call you Meira."
"Okay…" she said before she fell silent again. It didn’t seem like she got
the message.
Jake had a feeling he wasn’t really getting anywhere, as she looked lost in
thought again. Rather than keep pressing, he changed the subject, hoping he
had gotten his point through. At least enough for her to process it for the
future.
"Alright, let’s do something else,” he said. “I just arrived, so could you
maybe show me around the place?"
She instantly prepped up, and as Jake stood, so did she.
"Naturally!" she exclaimed. "Where would Master like to go first?"
A second later, she realized her slip-up and paled, but Jake just acted like
nothing had happened as he gently corrected her, "Jake is just fine, and can
you show me the lab first? I just got one made back home, and I would love
to see the difference."
She quickly nodded with relief and led Jake forward.
Jake did have to admit he felt like he was walking on eggshells
throughout the entire tour, and he did recognize the ridiculousness of the
situation. However, he was confident that she would get used to him not
being a shit person with a bit of time and patience.
Because damn, she had clearly assumed he was an absolute shitbag,
which made Jake wonder how other slaves of the Order and the multiverse as
a whole were treated.

Reika had used the token together with Haruto, the other bronze-token
alchemist of the Noboru Clan. They had stepped through a gate and appeared
in a large entry hall leading into a massive hallway with doors on each side.
 Several more people also followed after them, and she and Haruto
stepped out of the way to make space for two scalekins laughing as they went
into two of the rooms down the hall. In the entry hall, they soon found a
dozen or so people from the new batch from the 93 rd Universe. A few had
already gone and found their rooms, but Reika had chosen to remain for now.
"Excuse me," someone finally said as a group of three fellow humans
approached her and Haruto. "My name is Jiub. Pleased to make your
acquaintance. I wonder if I could have a moment of your time?"
This was what Reika had been waiting for, and she was glad she wouldn’t
have to be the first one to approach someone.
"Reika. Pleased to meet you," she said as she returned his greeting.
"I couldn’t help but notice you seemed to be close with the sole black-
token human?" Jiub asked, just as Reika had expected. "My Lord is a gold-
token himself, and we hope to make some good connections here early on to
make it easier for all of us."
Reika nodded, but did correct one thing. "I did indeed arrive with him.
However, we are at most allies and do not hail from the same factions back
on our home planet. I would prefer not to bother him with unnecessary
matters unless absolutely required."
She wanted to quickly establish a border but, at the same time, make it
clear that she did have an amicable relationship with Jake in case something
untoward did happen.
This did seem to disappoint Jiub a bit, but he still smiled. "Nevertheless,
it is preferable for good relationships to form. I hope that in the future, we
can work together and help each other strive in the face of adversity. How
about we exchange contact information?"
Reika naturally agreed, even if she knew a big part of the reason was that
they still hoped for an opening with Jake. She knew others had already seen
her and Jake exchange contact information, so at worst, they would get
someone who knew how to contact him. At best, they would get an in with
Jake and even a valuable ally in herself and the members of the Noboru Clan.
After exchanging with Jiub, a few more came up to her with pretty much
the same proposal. It was primarily other humans and elves, but a few
scalekins and other peculiar races also came. Reika did not feel entirely
comfortable with the less human-looking ones, as she wasn’t sure how to act,
and even found herself inadvertently revolted by some of their appearances.
Scaled beasts with beastly looks and sharp teeth lining their maws, gilled
creatures where the gills flapped as they spoke without the mouth opening,
and a lot of other beings Reika could only have imagined from horror films
approached her.
At least she managed to keep a straight face, but she had to send Haruto
away, as he seemed even more uncomfortable. As she went through the
exchanges, she couldn’t help but wonder how Jake seemed so completely
unable to care. He had spoken to scalekins and other races without batting an
eye, and had never even mentioned to Reika and the others from Earth that
they would encounter this kind of scene.
In fact, when she stood there looking down the long hallway of dorm
rooms, it became apparent that humans, elves, and the very human-looking
races were in the vast minority. Sure, when it came to those coming from the
new universe, they were plentiful, but in the Order itself, they seemed scarce.
After she was finally done doing the political maneuvering, she went and
found her own dorm room. She could open it with the token as though it were
a contact-less hotel key. If she was being honest, she didn’t carry many
expectations, and based on the hallway, each room had to be smaller than the
average hotel room, which is why she was surprised when she entered.
It was a large, open space that resembled a living room, with couches,
tables, and even what looked like a television or a projector. When she went
further in, she found doors to a massive bedroom, a meditation chamber, an
alchemy lab bigger than even the one back home, as well as a door leading
into a large space that was split into three sections. The left and right parts
were walled off by large glass panels in what looked like two greenhouses,
with the middle part just general storage. To the left was a greenhouse with
what she even recognized as a very small artificial sun, and in the other was a
cave-like structure with several mushrooms and moss already growing inside.
Reika stood there, frozen, then quickly used her token to check in with
Haruto and confirm both their rooms were like this. She then checked in with
the white-token alchemists, and while their dorm rooms were a lot smaller,
they still seemed extravagant.
This was when Reika truly recognized how absolutely loaded the Order
of the Malefic Viper had to be—or at least, how poor she and everyone on
Earth was by comparison.
Vilastromoz hung back and observed Jake a while longer before moving on.
At least, for a little bit. Duskleaf, standing at his side, just shook his head at
everything that had gone down.
"You could have easily barred him from getting a slave, even using subtle
ways that would raise no suspicion," Duskleaf said. "Or not stonewalled him
at every point of the following discussion."
"I could, but I didn’t," Vilastromoz said. "I think this is a good
opportunity for Jake to face some of the less simple things in the multiverse.
At least it is better than him visiting someone else in the Order, seeing them
have slaves all around, and instantly creating chaos."
"Could have been done in many other ways. This seems like an
unnecessary extreme.”
"Extreme would be me agreeing to free that slave and then letting her run
wild in the Order, only to be picked up by someone with a taste for young
elves, and then showing him what happened to her.”
"That would get you a punch in the face," Duskleaf said, glaring at him.
"I know, which is why I didn’t. I am not going to micromanage the Order,
though."
"But you do want chaos anyway," Duskleaf noted. "You just don’t want
to cause it yourself."
"I would be fine making chaos by myself, but that would not lead to any
worthwhile change… Perhaps in actions, but not in mindset.” The Viper
smirked.
"So you will use Jake," Duskleaf said. "This was your plan all along,
wasn’t it?"
"Oh, come on, he is a born agent of chaos." Vilastromoz laughed, failing
to hold himself back from seeing Jake awkwardly hurry out of the bedroom
during his little house tour after the elf had not so subtly hinted at the purpose
of the room.
"And no matter what… I think Jake’s time in the Order should be
interesting, to say the least."
Chapter 68
 Blaze It!

J ake sat in the meditation chamber as he went over some basic knowledge
within the token related to the Academy as a whole. He had wondered for
a while how exactly an educational institution would function in the
multiverse, much less an Order of poison alchemists, and the way it worked
was rather, well, simple?
There wasn’t a curriculum or a set schedule of teachers and their lessons.
There were no long-term lesson plans or forced subjects either; there weren’t
even defined grades or "years" of any kind. It was all honestly weird from the
perspective of someone from Earth who had experienced traditional
education. He even saw that those teaching were, more often than not, also
students themselves.
Classes and lessons did exist, of course, but you had to sign up for them
individually, and they didn’t end with any exam or test or anything. There
wasn’t attendance, either, though it would be stupid to not attend a lesson you
had signed up for due to one other thing: Credits.
No, not Credits as in the standard system currency, but Academy Credits
used to sign up for classes. Ah, but these Academy Credits could be bought
using regular Credits and some other means. These Academy Credits paid for
lessons, with the teacher getting a portion based on how much was spent by
those attending.
It was a free-market-capitalist dream version of an educational institution
with ample competition to get people to attend your lessons. Jake was
honestly surprised at how everything worked, and though he did question the
efficiency of it… he had a feeling most members of the Order were selfish
assholes, so they needed selfish motivations to do anything.
 Lessons themselves were as varied as they came. Some were massive
seminars where it looked like hundreds of thousands, if not millions could
attend, performed by powerful individuals on their own specialties, while
others were one-on-one lessons and practice. The most popular form of
lesson was smaller, below a hundred people, and often combined teaching
and practical workshops.
Time was also a massive factor. Some lessons lasted a few hours, but
Jake saw one that said it had an expected running time of fifty years. It was
one related to growing certain kinds of herbs, and based on the description, it
truly would last fifty years without any breaks or anything in between. This
seemed insane to Jake, even if he noted that the time didn’t matter, as the
lesson catered to C- and B-grades, where spending fifty years wouldn’t be
that bad.
That was another thing. Jake could sign up for any lesson he wanted at
any time, though most did have an advised grade. Shit, if he had the
Academy Credits—or AC, for short—he could attend the lesson of an S-
grade if he so wanted. Maybe even a god’s at some point. Of course, it would
be an utter waste, as they would be speaking about way-too-advanced
subjects, but it was an option.
As for what kind of lessons there were? Well, a better question was what
kind of lessons there weren’t. Jake saw everything from rituals to potions,
elixirs to all kinds of poison, and everything related to herbs and natural
treasures, including how to grow and find them.
There were even lessons on practical applications of poisons where one
could use them on targets and observe their effects. Jake didn’t like the sound
of that, and preferred another kind of lesson: combat.
Yep, the alchemist academy had combat lessons, too, and a wide variety
of them. They were far fewer in number, and they were definitely not as
popular, from the looks of it, but many did hold lessons in them. In fact, it
looked like anyone could make their own lessons at any point for others using
the token.
The token was the root of everything and functioned as both a lesson plan
and the only way of signing up for things. It also stored the AC and all the
information regarding lessons. It even had a small spatial storage in it. Jake
kept sitting in the room, tinkering with it a while longer as he went through
some potential lessons for fun.
Oh, yeah—while there weren’t really any school years, per se, there were
certain set periods where new members were recruited. Jake theorized this
was for the ones making lessons to focus on stuff new students would need in
those periods. In fact, he saw quite a lot catered towards newer students in the
upcoming weeks, including topics related to general knowledge of the wider
multiverse.
He also found many interesting classes on a subject that honestly
shouldn’t have surprised him. There were thousands total pertaining to
languages. The reason these were interesting was that he saw even E-grades
who would hold these classes. Of course, with Tongue of the Myriad Races,
such a thing was completely unnecessary for Jake. He and others from Earth
had really lucked out there.
Jake had not decided on anything yet, but he would wait and probably
take some of the ones aimed at people new to the multiverse. There were a
few related to understanding affinities and which ones you were good at. He
especially wanted to give that a go, as so far, he felt like he only discovered if
he was good at something when directly faced with it.
He spent a while longer going over stuff before he was forced to leave the
meditation chamber again. Now, he was a bit reluctant to do this, as his
sphere had made him aware Meira had been sitting outside the room for the
last nine hours, completely unmoving as she waited for him.
Getting his shit together, he walked out. Meira stood up immediately
when he exited and bowed deeply.
Jake threw her a glance and asked, "I have been wondering, how much do
you know about herbs and natural treasures and such?"
"I have been educated in both herbology and toxicology and possess skills
related to both," Meira quickly answered. “In addition, I also have skills
pertaining to Identifying and acquiring any kind of natural treasure requested,
as well as the locations and methods through which I can acquire them within
the Order.”
Jake was ninety-nine percent sure that response was practiced, as he also
bit onto another quirk Meira had picked up over the last day or so since he
arrived: her ability to avoid referring to Jake in any direct way. It was
honestly impressive how her way of dodging his name manifested, as she
found ways to string together sentences quite innovatively.
"Great. Could you go fetch me some materials with Neurotoxin properties
from the warehouse as well as some books related to neurotoxins from the
library? Low-level materials and basic-level books only.”
 He had learned one other thing over these days… The only way to make
any progress with Meira seemed to be actually allowing her to feel useful by
making her do things. Just small things, like asking her to show him where
something was, checking up on the garden to make sure everything was okay,
or any other mundane task. Jake believed, perhaps wrongly, that with time,
she would learn he wasn’t a dangerous person. Not to her anyway.
"Of course!" she swiftly agreed as she bowed and hurried off.
"Bring it to the lab!" Jake yelled after her, and she turned and bowed
again in acknowledgment before enthusiastically running off.
"Also gotta fix that bowing… Baby steps…" Jake muttered as he went
towards the lab. Hey, even if he was dealing with her, he would still get some
work done, and one of the classes he really wanted to attend was related to
Neurotoxins. Jake already used Hemotoxins and Necrotoxins quite a bit, but
there were many other types.
Back before the system, Hemotoxins, Necrotoxins, and Neurotoxins had
been the primary ones found in nature, but with the system naturally came
many more. Ethtoxins, also known as ethereal poison or soul poison, was
something Jake had also dabbled in, but some toxins directly targeted mana,
some targeted stamina, and, of course, some targeted other types of energies.
In fact, there were so many types of toxins it really wasn’t a surprise there
were alchemists who could reach all the way to godhood focusing on nothing
else.
As he went to his lab, the token vibrated slightly in his spatial storage,
and he saw Reika was calling him. He swiftly picked up, answering in his
best customer-service voice, "Jake speaking. How may I help you?"
"Is everything alright?" Reika asked in a worried tone, his joke clearly
having failed to land.
"Yeah, I was just… Never mind. So, how are you settling in?"
The token really was wonderous. He was speaking out loud right now,
but he knew it would also work using telepathy. Shit, the sound was even
blocked, making no one able to hear their conversation either way.
"Things are fine here, and I must admit the accommodations are a lot
better than expected," Reika explained quite enthusiastically. “I had assumed
a dorm would mean shared living space and possibly even communal
alchemy labs and such, but we all have private rooms with everything one
can need.”
"Yeah, I sure ain’t complaining either. Well, there is this one little thing,
but I am working on it. Anyway, have you had time to check the lessons
yet?"
"Oh, I have. I am coordinating with some of the others from the Noboru
clan to take some lessons together. This is one of the reasons I contacted you;
I wanted to relay our plans in case you wanted to join some of them too.”
Jake’s token vibrated in the spatial storage again. He poked it mentally
and saw a list had been sent. As Reika had said, it included the lessons, with
most of them being elementary lessons Jake himself had looked at, along
with a lot related to basic knowledge of the multiverse.
Jake wasn’t yet sure what to pick, but a few did seem interesting enough
to join. He did, however, notice one thing. "How come only you and that
Haruto guy will attend all of the lessons, and not the others?"
"We lack Academy Credits, Jake," Reika answered. "Those with white
tokens start with one hundred, while Haruto and I started with a thousand
each. We are already looking into ways of getting more, and it seems item
donations will be the most straightforward method."
Item donations were another way of getting more Academy Credits, as,
naturally, not everyone was suited for teaching or had anything worthwhile to
teach. Of course, one would still require ingredients, but these could be
bought with either normal Credits or through contribution points.
Contribution points could be earned by doing stuff for the Order.
Fulfilling certain crafting requests, taking on quests from the Order, or
holding a certain number of lessons with a good evaluation, as well as many
other things. All in all, contribution points were given by contributing to the
Order. Very complicated.
Honestly, Jake was amazed at how goddamn exploitative the entire
system actually was. It was a bit like social media, in that the users of the
system were both the customers and the creators of the product. Sure, the
Order did provide all accommodations, but the sheer income from donated
ingredients, potions, elixirs, and all kinds of other alchemical products, had to
be astronomical.
Jake had not actually checked his own AC total yet, and he quickly
discovered an issue… He couldn’t find it. He tried mentally searching the
token, but there just weren’t any registered to it or even a function to check
how many he had.
He frowned, then answered Reika, "Yeah, donations will probably be
good. I am sure you and the others can find some niche to approach and make
some sought-after creations."
"That is what I am looking into right now, but it is hard, and as much as I
hate to admit it, I doubt any of us from the clan have anything truly valuable
to offer as of yet," Reika said with a bit of resignation. “No modern
knowledge or anything like that seems applicable, either, so all we can do is
hope our talents match up.”
"Worst-case scenario, you stay in the Order for a while, learn some
valuable things, and return to Earth better for it," Jake said in encouragement.
"I know," Reika said. "But it also feels like that would be a waste. This
entire place is a treasure trove of knowledge and wealth. To not explore it as
much as humanly possible would be a sin."
"Well, then, better get learning and improving." Jake grinned to himself,
perfectly understanding her thought process. The Order did indeed seem
overwhelmingly abundant in opportunity. Because it was.
The two of them exchanged a few more pleasantries before they finished
the call. It seemed like everyone was settling in, and besides the guy who’d
died during the dungeon, all of the alchemists Reika had brought were bound
to benefit tremendously.
Jake had already reached the lab by now, and as he checked through stuff
in the token some more, he spotted something. A special lesson would be
held soon, and it had just been put up now. The name was dramatic and
instantly caught his eye, nearly as much as the details of the teacher.

Course Name: Harnessing the Flames of Creation and Destruction.

Description: A lesson on harnessing the flame within. Learn to
control the flame born of creation and destruction to improve the use
of Alchemical Flame. Through the use of Willpower and mobilizing
the power found within your Truesoul, take control as your flames
become a catalyst of creation and destruction alike. This course will
also touch on the subject of integrating a Soulflame into your
Soulspace.
Teacher: Albaromoz Emberflight (mid-tier A-Grade)
Suggested Attendance Level: N/A
Duration: 1x 10-hour session.
AC Price: 420,000

As Jake focused on the teacher’s name, he got a description of the guy.

This was primarily to see if the teacher in question was qualified, and Jake
had to say that a red dragon from a Dragonflight specializing in fire magic
seemed quite promising. He also had a good evaluation, it seemed, and Jake
was honestly interested, especially since it didn’t require anything to attend.
There was a lot of stuff he didn’t fully get in the description, too, but hey, he
was in the Order to learn, right?
The only thing was the price… because when he compared it to
something more targeted towards him, the difference was stark.

Course Name: Blaze it! Basic Application of the Alchemical Flame

in Combat.
Description: A lesson on the basic applications of the Alchemical
Flame to damage living entities and methods of using it with combat
cauldrons as a weapon.
Teacher: Vkoras (peak-tier D-Grade)
Suggested Attendance Level: E-grade, D-grade.
Duration: 8x 12-hour lessons.
AC Price: 5

This one was taught by a D-grade, but one that had been teaching for five
years or so and was quite talented in using the Alchemical Flame and special
combat cauldrons as weapons. Jake would only really attend this to see how
combat using a cauldron worked.
The second lesson would begin in only six hours, while the one done by
the dragon would start in two days, which was quite short-notice. There was
overlap with the second day of the Blaze It! course. So even if one wanted to
do both, one couldn’t—not that Jake thought there was a huge crossover in
target demographics. It had to also once more be noted that any course was a
one-time buy-in, and it didn’t matter if one attended every second of it or
never showed up.
Jake looked these two over some more and checked the prices again. He
finally failed to hold himself back as he asked, "So… Villy… how do I see
my Academy Credits?" He actually felt bad asking the god about such an
elementary question, and even more stupid for not figuring it out himself.
Reika and everyone else had, so why the hell couldn’t h—
"You don’t have any."
"Wait, what?"
 "I mean, you technically don’t have any, in the sense that everything
requiring those Academy Credits is free to you," Villy explained, no doubt
grinning on the other end.
"Seriously?" Jake asked, somewhat in disbelief.
"Jake, even if we are best friends forever, you are still my Chosen. That is
something that cannot be changed, and the Order is there to serve you, not
the other way around. This is also why I should make something clear: this
Order is your home turf. Your territory. Do whatever the fuck you want,
damned be the consequences. If someone annoys you enough, kill them. If
their ancestor tries to cause trouble, then remember status and power trump
all. And as my Chosen, no one besides me is above you in rank. If the veil of
you being my Chosen falls, then so be it—it will eventually. Just know that
even before it happens, you are still the Chosen of the Malefic Viper."
Jake sat in silence for a while. He switched between frowning and
looking thoughtful before finally saying, "Well, that’s nice. Guess I’ll do the
lesson by that red dragon, then."
"Do just that. I believe it could be beneficial for you to—"
"After I check out how the hell a combat cauldron works. Maybe it even
includes whacking people over the head."
Chapter 69
 A Life of Punishment

I nfinite Academy Credits was honestly overpowered and something any

academy student would dream of. It meant Jake could attend whatever
class he liked at any point, drop out if he didn’t feel it, or just give a lot a
go at the same time to find the one he liked the most.
However, it did give some quirks. Normally one could transfer AC to
others, but Jake couldn’t, as he didn’t technically have any. He couldn’t pay
for others either. Well, not other members of the Order anyway. Because Jake
found one interesting provision in the rules of Academy Credit usage:
nothing said Jake had to be the one attending. Not in that no one would
attend, but that Jake in person didn’t have to. It was entirely possible for Jake
to send a clone or an avatar or, perhaps, a servant or a slave.
A plan formed in his mind as he waited for Meira to return. He went over
some lessons while he waited patiently, trying to find some of the basic ones
that would be good for an absolute beginner alchemist.
Villy had made it clear Meira would be screwed if she was just released
due to her lack of affiliation with the Order. However, what would happen if,
instead of just releasing her to the hounds, he had her become a member of
the Order first? No rule he had seen said that wasn’t possible, and if he was
told he couldn’t…
Well, Villy did just tell him to do whatever the hell he wanted, so it really
wasn’t Jake’s fault, but that of the snake god who’d given him the idea.
Meira had not had time to familiarize herself with the library before her new
master had arrived, so it took longer than she had hoped to get all the
requested books. She didn’t want to miss any.
It was lucky that she’d at least been given a spatial satchel to transport the
books in by the warden. It was far worse than a spatial ring or a necklace or
any true spatial storage and required one to physically deposit the items by
hand, but it was surely better than nothing. Her father had a similar one back
home too…
She shook her head as she focused on her work. The ingredients had
already been gathered and placed in a secondary bag made for the purpose of
transporting toxic materials. As she went through the library index to double-
check if she had gotten everything, a stray thought entered her head. He
probably won’t be too angry if I missed one.
Meira instantly caught herself in the act and slapped herself lightly. She
couldn’t let down her guard, and she had to perform perfectly. She had
miscalculated so much already and made so many blunders… but… how
could she have known?
The Malefic One had descended right in front of her. Her new master was
the Chosen of the Malefic One… It was as if she had just become the slave of
the Hall Master… no, the Lord Protector? The mere thought was
preposterous, even if she knew that was the truth.
Moreover, clearly, no one in the Humanoid Department knew anything
about this. Meira had been informed her new master was a very talented
black-token alchemist who had been marked with the highest level of
importance during the entrance test. That in itself was already someone with
whom she seriously needed to ingratiate herself, but the Chosen?
It was like being told she was to work for a local lord, only to find out she
was actually under the employ of the emperor. No matter the metaphor, she
knew she had potentially struck gold, even if she was also in a very
precarious position.
The only reason she was serving the Chosen was due to him wanting to
keep his identity secret for reasons she didn’t even dare ponder. As a Chosen,
he could have anything he wanted. There would no doubt even be S-grades
willing to become his servants as long as it meant a direct connection to the
Malefic One. Who was she in comparison to any of them?
No… you have the first-mover’s advantage, Meira reminded herself. She
would do anything—and nothing was out of the question—just to stay. If she
somehow managed to endear herself to him, perhaps she would even find a
way to help her clan back home as well as herself. No matter what, her new
master was a ticket to change her path of life in its entirety and allow her to
survive. As long as she played her cards right and got lucky, that is.
After packing up all of the books, she quickly hurried over with the two
spatial satchels to the laboratory. She hoped she hadn’t been too slow when
she got closer and saw the door open. She peeked in and saw her master
sitting on a stool, his hand burning with a transparent flame. He looked deep
in thought, and Meira was afraid to interrupt whatever he was doing.
She still peeked, though. Her master didn’t look as intimidating without
the mask, and if she didn’t know better, she would view him as just another
regular human. Naturally, that wasn’t the case, but she did at least have the
interpretation he wasn’t a bad person. So far, he had only been nice towards
her, but there was still that tiny sliver of doubt. One borne from the reality of
where they were and how the multiverse worked.
The Order of the Malefic Viper was not a nice place. The Malefic Viper
was not a nice god, and the path the alchemists belonging to the Order
walked wasn’t a nice one. So how would it make sense for the Chosen of the
Malefic One to be nice?
Meira was still thinking when her master turned to her and smiled,
catching her peeping. A bit embarrassed, she quickly bowed and asked,
"Where should the books and ingredients be placed?"
"Ah, just leave the satchels here," he answered. "Tell me, have you done
any alchemy before?"
"I have not," Meira answered. She was perplexed at the question, but she
assumed it had to do with her ability to assist him in his work. "However, I
have been trained in the knowledge of alchemical work and gardening. I have
also been trained to be an efficient subject of alchemical experiments if
desired."
He frowned at her answer, instantly putting Meira on alert. Had she been
rude or disrespectful? No, she had not slipped up, had she? She had made
sure to avoid using "My Lord" and "Master," as commanded, and had also
naturally avoided using words such as "you" and the Chosen’s name. Even if
he had told her to, Meira had a suspicion it was a test of sorts to see if she
would forget her place. Either way, she didn’t want to risk it.
"Have you ever wanted to do alchemy?" he then asked.
A question Meira had honestly never even thought about.
Jake couldn’t help but frown at her mentioning being used as a test subject
for alchemical experiments so casually. She hadn’t even fucking blinked
when telling a poison alchemist to test his poison on her, making him wonder
what she had been put through already to get that kind of mindset.
However, as fucked as it was, Jake had already learned she had Palate, so
she had to have gained something from everything they had put her through.
Moreover, he was also confident in another thing that would help her if she
decided to become an alchemist: him.
Jake knew enough of the system by now to know that him merely being
who he was would impact her positively. Of course, she also needed the drive
to actually want to improve.
So when Jake asked if she wanted to become an alchemist, he observed
her closely. He quickly got the feeling she had never even considered this
question before, and she looked conflicted. Jake understood why as he added,
"Alchemy doesn’t have to be about poison either. It is one of the most
varied—if not the most varied—profession-archetype of the multiverse. In
fact, most alchemists focus on restoration and beneficial effects, with it also
being very commonplace within the Order." Jake had one hundred percent
pulled the line about it being the most varied out of his ass. Hey, it was mega-
varied, so it couldn’t be far off, could it?
"If requested, I can learn anything wished of me to the best of my
abilities," she answered after she thought for a while.
"You misunderstand," Jake answered, shaking his head. "Do you want to
learn alchemy?"
She didn’t answer right away, so Jake continued, "Let me ask you this—
what would you be doing if you hadn’t been enslaved by the Order?"
"I would be working in the mines of my clan or have been sworn to serve
another.”
Jake was about to open his mouth again, but he felt certain she was telling
the truth when looking at her. Well, that was depressing, he thought.
He realized he didn’t truly know anything about her, and looking at how
long it would be until the lesson on using cauldrons for combat would begin,
he had some time to kill. Jake leaned back against the alchemy table he was
sitting at and motioned for Meira to take a seat in another vacant chair.
"As you probably know, I come from a newly integrated universe, and I
am actually quite interested… Can you tell me a bit about how you grew up,
and life as someone born with the system?" Jake asked.
The phrasing of it centering around the multiverse was very purposeful as
he didn’t feel like it would go over well for him to ask her to give her life
story. No, this was better. It was only natural her explanation would be
heavily based on her own experiences, so it was a real win-win, as he also did
want some insight into how someone lived in the multiverse. As the
conversation went on, he could then segue into more personal details.
It worked as Meira, after only a bit of hesitation, agreed. She asked some
clarifying questions and then began telling him about the life her clan had
lived. She didn’t say it was specifically how she had lived, but it was clear
much of what she said was personal experience.
And… damn, Jake just got more depressed the more he heard. A clan of
elves more or less enslaved by a more powerful faction because they
happened to live close to a valuable mine. A life of servitude where the
biggest concern wasn’t progressing yourself and your own power, but merely
meeting quotas to avoid punishment.
In fact, Jake quickly began to notice a pattern of behavior and mindset in
what she described. They worked the mine to avoid punishment. If a young
lord—or just a lord in general—came and wanted something or someone,
they would just give it to avoid repercussions. Levels were gained to keep up
productivity. Professions and classes were chosen to be more efficient
servants and make life less painful and difficult.
A lot of things regarding Meira suddenly became clearer to Jake. Many of
her actions and why he’d repeatedly failed to make any headway made sense.
He’d had a basic misunderstanding from the beginning based on his own
mindset and worldview.
Meira didn’t want anything.
Or, perhaps more accurately, the only thing she wanted was nothing. The
only thing she wanted for her clan was nothing. Because to her, "something"
had only ever come in one form: punishment. Her entire life—the life of her
clan and everyone she knew—revolved around avoiding punishment. Apathy
was the best they could hope for.
It revolved around survival and finding ways to not suffer. There was
only external motivation that made Meira act as she did. Jake had believed
Meira wanted something out of him from the beginning, but that now seemed
wrong. Maybe she wanted him to help her clan, elevate her own status, or
gain levels and such just by being close to him. But no, he got the impression
that what she truly wanted was for Jake to just be accepting of her presence
and otherwise leave her be. Perhaps view her existence as having some minor
value—at least, enough to not get rid of her.
Meanwhile, Jake acted purely on internal motivation. He didn’t need
power; he just wanted it. Meira needed power, for, without it, she would be
punished. Even now, she didn’t try to improve her situation with Jake, but
only to not sour it. He realized his plan of making her warm up to him would
never work as things were.
Jake kept listening as Meira talked. Her voice was rather emotionless at
all times, and even when fucked-up shit happened, she acted like it was pretty
commonplace. With some pushing, she even talked about her training from
the Order, and while she tried all she could to not talk negatively, it was clear
she had viewed things like training her Palate as something to endure and
survive. It reminded Jake of how he had done the Trial of Myriad Poisons,
which was similar but far more extreme and deadlier.
But while Jake had viewed it as a great way to improve Palate, she had
viewed it as torture she needed to endure to survive. The difference could not
have been starker, and the thing was, Jake understood why. If Jake didn’t
view any power he got as truly his own, would he have been fine? Because
Meira clearly didn’t view her skills and her poison resistance as more than
mere tools of survival that belonged to those in charge.
All in all, Meira didn’t know the meaning of having agency. She had
lived with fear of punishment as her primary motivator in life so far.
Considering Jake had no plans on continuing that trend, she would have to
find new motivation.
He didn’t stop her talking at all, only speaking to answer a few of her
questions. Questions that were all naturally related to whether he wanted to
know about a particular subject.
When she was done, she just sat there quietly. Jake saw her nervousness
and slight fear return when he didn’t do anything but just looked at her a bit.
He got up, and when Meira was about to also stand, he motioned for her to
keep sitting.
"I think I have some understanding now. I am heading to a class right
now, and while I am gone, I want you to go over these lessons and choose
five you personally think are the most interesting." Jake waved his hand and
summoned a stack of papers. It took only a moment to imprint the simple
information provided by each lesson using mana, leaving more than three
hundred lesson descriptions before her.
"May I ask under what parameters?" Meira asked, unsure.
"What you personally find interesting," Jake said. "Nothing else. Just
choose five of them that you believe a novice alchemist should learn."
She frowned but didn’t press the issue. Instead, she just nodded and
began going over them. Jake looked at her before he left the laboratory and
went to the entry area of the mansion, where the large magic circle was on the
wall. Jake merely mentally poked the token in his inventory, and the magic
circle turned into a gate leading straight to where the lesson would be held.
Jake smirked to himself as he prepared to finally learn how to bonk
people in the head with cauldrons. In the meantime, he would even have
Meira choose her own upcoming alchemy lessons, so he was truly being
efficient.
Chapter 70
 First Lesson

J ake stepped through the gate and appeared at the back wall of what
looked like a massive lecture hall. The hall had nearly a hundred meters
to the ceiling and a large stage down at the bottom, where Jake saw a
dwarf that he assumed was the teacher. He was currently talking to a few
scalekins as he showed off a cauldron to them.
The rest of the hall was already pretty filled. Jake looked around and
guessed there had to be at least a few thousand present already, with more
coming every second from other gates opening up all around him. A brief
scan revealed around half of those present to be scalekins of different
variants, with the rest a mixture of all kinds of races.
Everyone was E- or D-grade, with the majority in D-grade. Jake decided
to just find somewhere vacant as he took a seat, very curious as to how a
lesson in the Order of the Malefic Viper would function. He did see many
others already had cauldrons out and were tinkering a bit with them.
About ten minutes later, right at the assigned time, the lesson began.
The dwarf down on the stage stood before everyone as he spread his
hands. "Welcome to the first lesson of Blaze It! I ain’t gonna waste your time
with pleasantries but just get to the core of it. You all want to learn how to
kill people using your cauldrons and Alchemical Flame, and I am happy to
oblige!"
Instantly, the very informal mood was set.
"Alchemical Flame is a cornerstone of alchemy that anyone who reaches
E-grade as an alchemist possesses. We use it to control the temperature of the
cauldron, salvage material, control concoctions, perform brewings, and so
many other things. It is darn versatile, yet it has the weakness of being as
useless as anything can get when it comes to killing things.
"Despite the name, the flame isn’t actually related to the fire affinity
whatsoever. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t related to the concept of
flames. Flames can come in many shapes and are more an expression of
form, movement, and phenomena than anything else. A flame can be hot or
cold; it can be corrosion incarnate or so full of life it can nearly revive a damn
Risen, but even then… it can’t kill for shit, and even if you have a flame full
of Vitality, you won’t be able to heal anyone with it. Because the Alchemical
Flame is conceptually not made for combat, no matter how powerful it gets.
Ah, but of course, we found ways around that, which is where combat
cauldrons come in."
The dwarf willed over a cauldron as it appeared before him.
"Ya see, I ain’t got shit talent in fire magic and never did, but I was pretty
good at controlling my Alchemical Flame. This is why I began working the
path of combat cauldrons. We spent so long honing our flames that some
have even been able to integrate a Soulflame to make it even more powerful,
so not using it for self-defense or killing is just a damn crime.
"It is also a way to address the oft-seen disparity in class and profession
level of a creator, and an even better method for those who only have a
profession. Now, the design of the cauldron will naturally depend on what
kind of flame you—"
Jake sat back and listened to the dwarf explain more about what one had
to look for. He displayed a bit with his own cauldron as he activated it. An
odd brown flame was emitted from the combat cauldron, and he had someone
bring in a beast trapped in a cage.
The brown flame moved over, and the moment it touched the beast, it
began turning to stone, petrified within seconds. The dwarf then displayed
how the flame did nothing to the bars around the beast and explained how
one would need to carefully make sure the type of flame deployed would
work against different kinds of lifeforms.
It was all very intriguing, but Jake quickly began to realize none of this
was truly something he needed. There was nothing about the flame itself, but
instead, it was purely how one could create or commission cauldrons capable
of changing the nature of the flame and then use the cauldron as a catalyst.
There would also be later lessons about how one could make use of the inside
of the cauldron itself to further empower the flames by mixing in poison or
other ingredients.
 The funniest part of it all was when the dwarf explained one other thing,
though… how to use the cauldron as an actual weapon. How the flame could
be used as a tether. He displayed himself attacking with the cauldron
telekinetically, and how one could infuse the inside with flames and release it
in surprise attacks. The flames inside would also be able to infuse the
cauldron with certain properties if it was well designed—if one had a cold
flame, for instance, the cauldron itself could give off an intense ice aura and
give frost burn to any it hit.
So, to answer Jake’s question, yes, part of using combat cauldrons was
bonking people with them.
However, entertainment was all it ultimately was to Jake. It was clear this
was aimed at individuals who were truly pure alchemists to give them a
fighting chance by using their alchemy skills in combat directly. It required a
special cauldron to function. Even if the dwarf teacher did say it was
technically possible to make magic circles or tattoos in later grades to fulfill
the same function, the reality was that what Jake already had was far better.
Jake could just make an arcane flame at any point using mana, and if he
wanted to actually focus on improving that, he could get something far better.
He had already mentally checked out when the dwarf mentioned something
that caught his attention.
"Now, let me be clear—it is possible to integrate a Soulflame with innate
combat potential that can be directly used as a weapon without any auxiliary
assistance. However, these Soulflames will inadvertently also be far less
useful in the alchemical process, so they are heavily de-incentivized. The
only ones who should ever consider getting them are alchemists who have
chosen to pursue paths where the Alchemical Flame is no longer vital.
"Not to say there aren’t Soulflames able to do both, but good luck getting
one of those, much less controlling them. Leave those to the seniors, eh?"
There it was again. Soulflame. He had seen it mentioned in the
description of the lesson from the A-grade dragon, too, and here it was again.
The thing was, Jake had no idea what a Soulflame was. Granted, he hadn’t
looked it up either, but it seemed pretty important.
Either way, the rest of the long lesson continued with a lot of practical
demonstrations. Jake was not that into it, as while the dwarf was at a higher
level than Jake, and his skills in using the Alchemical Flame were
phenomenal, he was still weak for his level. Clearly, a very pure craftsman,
which Jake was definitely not.
 When the lesson was over, Jake left along with everyone else. He could
have gone earlier, but he wanted to stay out of respect for the teacher and also
to give Meira some time to check the lessons and decide.
Going through the gate back to his mansion was as easy as getting to the
lesson. Honestly, it was almost too convenient. Jake could go to any lesson
and straight back home easily at any point. This did mean Jake had no
fucking idea where he was or went on any geographical or even spatial level.
He would have no way back if the gate didn’t activate after a lesson.
Jake walked back towards the laboratory, where he found Meira already
awaiting his return. She bowed when she saw him, and he took the initiative
to speak first.
"Did you choose the five most interesting ones?" he asked.
"Yes!" she said as she went over to him. She knelt down as she held up
five pieces of paper like they were the Holy Grail. Jake groaned internally at
how she acted but took the papers nevertheless. He looked them over quickly
and was of two minds about it.
The first one she had picked was called Concocting For Beginners: Tricks
and Methods For Novice Alchemists. Which was, for all intents and
purposes, a damn good choice. The second one, however, was not as good:
Etiquette & How to Identify the Ideal Master.
It was a lesson about how one could get the best teacher and how to act
properly around them. Jake had not even skimmed it before handing Meira
the paper before, but it was really some weird shit. It included details of how
one should endear themselves to a more powerful alchemist to learn from
them, and even included tips and tricks on some unsavory stuff to gain favor,
aiming specifically at males and females going for a master of the opposite
gender. How the hell Meira thought this qualified as "interesting" was beyond
him.
Actually… it was kind of interesting, but not in a good way.
The third lesson was about the importance of finding a path in alchemy
and what you were good at. Jake also agreed on that one as a good choice. In
fact, it was the best of all the options. It was more a philosophy lesson and
workshop to realize what you truly desired, combined with practical tests to
see what one was talented in.
The fourth was about gardening. A bit boring, but Jake could see it
making sense. Finally, the fifth one was a bit… well… Jake understood,
kinda, but that didn’t mean he agreed on a lesson named "Walking In the
Divine Shadow of the Malefic One: Power Through Devotion."
Jake had taken his time to look them over. He then regarded her and
asked, “Can you explain why you think these are interesting?"
He had chosen the word interesting very purposefully. He had not said
required or even useful, just interesting.
"I chose the first one because it touches on essential subjects an alchemist
of the Order will no doubt need down the line, and it can help create a strong
foundation."
She had clearly expected having to explain herself. Jake agreed on the
first one, but he did notice one issue: Meira had misunderstood who it was
supposed to be interesting for. She maybe had the assumption this was for
some subordinate of Jake or something, and while she wasn’t entirely wrong,
she was off by a good margin.
"And why is it interesting?" Jake asked clarifyingly.
"Fundamental knowledge is naturally essential for an alchemist starting
out, and with the Order’s focus on toxins, it an ideal choice," Meira
explained.
She still doesn’t get it, Jake thought, sighing. She simply didn’t seem to
get what interesting meant. She kept talking about the usefulness, not why
something was interesting. Jake would have said it was interesting because
concocting more effectively would allow him to make better poisons, which
would then allow him to hunt stronger prey. It would expand his horizon of
game.
"Let me ask you this: why would you want to learn to concoct poison
better?" Jake asked. "And in this case, ‘you’ does refer to you in particular.
Why would Meira want to take this lesson?"
This question seemed to effectively stun-lock her, as she failed to answer
for a good five seconds. Finally, with confusion, she said, "I am not sure this
one understands the assignment? If it is wished of me to learn concoction, I
will naturally do my best to—"
"No," Jake interrupted. He waved his hand, sending the five papers with
lessons on them back to the pile on the alchemy table with the others. "Take
the lessons again and look them over. Choose five you think are interesting.
Not that you think will be interesting for an alchemist of the Order. Choose
five and explain why they are interesting to you. You have three days to pick
them, and you can come to ask me questions in the meantime if there is
something you are unsure about, okay?"
 Meira looked even more perplexed, if not downright scared, especially
after he had interrupted her. She quickly bowed after he was done talking. "I
apologize that I failed my task, and will accept any p—"
"I never said you failed or that you did anything wrong, just for you to do
it again in a different way," Jake interrupted again. "Now, is there anything
you don’t understand?"
She was silent for a while, clearly hesitant to ask before she finally built
up the courage. "If I may… This one fails to comprehend why her insight will
have any meaning or value in identifying lessons?"
Jake felt a bit happy that she finally had the guts to question something.
Sadly for her, this was not a question she would get a straight answer for—at
least, not yet.
"You will understand in time; just know I have my reasons," Jake said.
Which seemed to be a perfectly adequate explanation for her, as she
nodded and bowed in acknowledgment. She went over to pick up all the
papers, but she looked a tad lost. Jake quickly knew why.
"The western residence."
She looked at him questioningly, as if expecting an order.
"From now on, the western residence is yours to use as your personal
living space. Go there and fulfill your task, alright?" Jake knew she would
naturally agree, even if she didn’t seem comfortable. Jake could kind of get
why.
Each of the residences was their own mansion full of luxury, and she
probably didn’t feel like it was right for her to get one. But it wasn’t like Jake
had other people who needed them, and if he was honest, he didn’t want her
shadowing him all the time or hanging around outside whatever room he was
trying to chill in.
It may not have mattered for others, but with Jake’s Sphere of Perception,
it was just distracting and unsettling.
She luckily didn’t try to argue this point, instead just picking up all the
papers. She bowed one final time and said, "Simply call this one if there are
any tasks to be done, and I will come immediately."
"I will call you. In three days. Now go and look them over, and truly
consider the choices as if you were choosing the path of a close friend, a
relative, or even yourself.”
Meira bowed one last time as she left, finally giving Jake some alone
time. He used that time to do what any young, healthy male would do when
alone.
He picked up the spatial satchel of neurotoxic material and began making
a stew in his cauldron, using the Alchemical Flame to heat it up as he played
with it, his inspiration courtesy of the lesson earlier. At the same time, he also
began looking over the books Meira had brought, as he decided to get some
light reading and poison eating in before it was time for his second lesson on
the Alchemical Flame.
But this time, it would be with dragons.
Well, at least one dragon.
Chapter 71
 Willpower, Flames & Dragons

M eira sat and stared at the pile of papers within the western residence as
she had been ordered. However, she was utterly lost as to what was
expected of her. The assignment simply didn’t make any sense. She
had done as asked the first time around already, but that was clearly
unacceptable.
The problem was that she couldn’t figure out what would be acceptable.
She began shaking a bit at the thought. She hadn’t even served her new
master for a few days, and she was already disappointing him and failing
tasks. Perhaps she simply wasn’t good enough to comprehend what he asked
of her? Was there some profound reason or deep meaning behind the task he
wanted her to see?
There was only one thing she felt relatively sure of: this was a test. It had
to be. Was it a way to scout out her thought process and evaluate if she was
suited to serve? Maybe it was just as simple as him wanting the insights of a
nobody like her because he valued perspectives wildly different from his
own?
She recalled the final thing he had said about viewing this as choosing a
path for a sibling of hers. She had two sisters and five brothers, but her
brothers were already set in their paths as builders and miners, while her two
sisters had naturally been trained to be married off or sworn to another
faction or influential family.
But, what if she had to pick lessons for them? They didn’t know anything
about alchemy, but would it do them good to learn? Were they even talented
enough to learn it? Her one sister was pretty good at mana control and a
promising mage, so maybe?
 Meira began looking at the lessons again. Her sister was still free, and if
she learned some useful things, she would be able to increase her value.
Maybe even enough to be viewed as more than just someone to be married
off. Skilled alchemists were valued nearly anywhere and by any faction, so
that would be a good path. If she was talented in it.
Turning her gaze to the pages, she picked up one of the lessons she had
selected before about finding the path suitable for yourself. If she had to pick
for her sister, brother, or even herself… this had to be one of them, right? She
was certain it would be good for anyone starting out on any new path to truly
learn what they were good at.
The problem was… wouldn’t the other lessons be based on the person’s
discovery of their own talents?
She thought again and remembered she had to answer why it was
interesting. Meira thought about it and decided to write her reasoning on a
separate piece of paper. As she prepared to write, a wild thought entered her
head… Wouldn’t it be interesting if her sister was talented enough to not just
learn alchemy, but even become a member of a faction? Maybe even the
Order of the Malefic Viper?
That would mean she could uplift not only herself, but also everyone else.
If she was good enough, she could even buy or acquire their father, who had
also been turned into a slave… maybe have some influence over the clan
back home?
Don’t be stupid, she reminded herself as she slapped her own chin a few
times, enough to draw blood. She wiped it off quickly, sighed, and wrote
down that it would be interesting because it would allow someone to be more
useful and have a better future. It was far more realistic that her sister could
become a valued servant or find work somewhere if she was a talented
alchemist. Not by the Order of the Malefic Viper’s standards, but just for a
small place like their village.
With this mindset, she tried to put together a proper list. She had been
given three days, and she was certain it could not be this simple. Clearly,
judging by how much time she’d been given, there was a deeper reason she
had to realize.
Jake felt damn good finally having some alone time. No one bothered him for
over a day as he just relaxed, ate toxic materials, chilled with books, and
overall had a swell of a time. The mansion itself was filled to the brim with
different things to explore, including some board games that reminded Jake
of chess, and even a damn television of sorts. A 3D television one could buy
lessons for to enjoy on their own time.
Soon it was time to leave for his second lesson. The first one had been a
very low-level one where it was entirely possible Jake had been the strongest
one attending. He had no interest in going back for a second one either.
The lesson he was headed to would be on an entirely different level, and
Jake was extremely interested in seeing how it would work out. Before he
went, he decided to actually change things up to hide his identity in case he
somehow met someone who knew of him.
He brought his displayed level all the way down to 100 and shifted the
color of his cloak to appear entirely dark green. He also took off his armor,
put it in his spatial storage, and shifted to something more casual. Jake was
pretty sure that most who attended could easily kill him if they wanted to
anyway, no matter what gear he wore.
Changing his level to 100 may seem weird, but the reason he did so was
apparent: it made it damn obvious it was changed. It led to some doubt that
Jake could be far stronger, likely not even in D-grade, and coupled with his
Bloodline and immunity to presences, he had great confidence in faking it.
The clothes he wore were ones he had found in the mansion. It was just a
casual shirt and pants that he covered with his cloak. He even went so far as
to change his boots. As for the mask, Jake thought a while, trying to mentally
change it, and to his surprise, it responded. Jake could slightly warp how it
looked and even change the color just with mental commands. Perhaps it was
part of that Living Wood enchantment?
With everything ready, Jake stepped through the gate to his second
lesson.
Instantly, he felt the wind upon his face, as his environment had changed
completely. Jake found himself standing not in a lecture hall, but atop a large,
flattened mountain with shaped stone pavilions on pillars surrounding a
massive, lowered central stage.
Jake saw different creatures already lounging on the different pavilions all
around him. On one was a raging inferno that sometimes took on a humanoid
form, and on another, a large wyvern. Others nearby even had goddamn
dragons on them.
In fact, Jake felt like the majority of those in attendance were dragons,
and looking about confirmed this feeling. Down on the center stage sat a
single being in meditation. It looked like an elf or a human except for the
slightly twisted horns coming out of his forehead. There were no scales
covering his body at all, which surprised Jake quite a bit.
Villy had scales at all times and did not look at all like this dragon in
human form. Jake wondered why that was but decided to just chalk it up to
gods probably being able to customize their form more. Or maybe it was that
the humanoid form was just highly customizable to begin with?
When Jake appeared on his own pavilion, he got a few glances his way
from surrounding platforms. A few dragons and wyverns, a human, and some
other scalekin were among them. They plainly wanted to probe the apparent
D-grade that had appeared.
Jake just ignored them. He did feel a slight tinge of presence worm his
way as one of the dragons got curious, and the moment it impacted him, Jake
glanced the way of the dragon. He met its eyes and just stared. A second
passed before the dragon averted its gaze, with Jake doing the same.
Their exchange had been observed by others, and after it, all probing
coming his way dispersed. It was like he had passed some weird test to be
allowed to stay there. Not that Jake thought a normal D-grade could manage
being surrounded by C-, B-, and A-grades all around. He had no idea how to
actually determine the grades of others present, though he knew true dragons
had to be at least B-grade.
Nothing more interesting happened before it was time for the lesson to
begin. The dragon teacher sitting down on the platform opened his eyes and
slowly stood up.
"Welcome."
His voice echoed throughout the entire mountain, and Jake felt the
inherent power in it. Not a shadow of a doubt was in his mind that the A-
grade below could erase him from existence with a mere thought. It was
almost exciting.
"Creation and destruction—fundamental forces and concepts we all
inadvertently touch upon on our paths to power, even more so for any
alchemist. The Alchemical Flame is a fundamental force in itself, the basic
version a marvel at the concept of destruction. It can destroy objects far too
powerful for the user to otherwise break. Melt a slab of metal even one’s own
Dragonsbreath cannot leave a mark upon. It ignores anti-magical properties
and can heat a dragon scale as easily as a piece of coal. However, contrary to
what one would believe based on this, the Alchemical Flame is not only a
force of destruction, but also a catalyst of creation.
"The purpose of this lesson today is to improve not only the aspect of
creation and destruction, but the very nature and connection one has to their
flame. The Alchemical Flame is something each of us has wielded on our
path as alchemists. A loyal companion that has been at our sides since we
began walking this path. Such prolonged use leads to familiarity and
understanding at a level beyond regular comprehension."
Jake listened, readily following along with the first part. The second part
was also something he understood, even if it clearly led with an assumption
of having done alchemy for a long time.
"Like the breath of a dragon, this flame is an integral part of us. It is
borne from the depths of one’s soul. At first, this flame is merely another
skill and a tool, but as with all other things, it changes the more one uses it. In
many ways, the flame becomes an expression of your identity as an
alchemist. Perhaps it may not look like that, but the influence is there.
"Willpower impacts the usage of all skills. Due to the malleable nature of
the Alchemical Flame, the impact of Willpower is even greater; due to the
conceptual nature of the Alchemical Flame, Willpower is more impactful.
However, the unconscious effects of Willpower will result in changes to your
flame outside of your own intention at times. Many attempt to alleviate this
by increasing their level of control and focus during crafting sessions, but I
would like to propose doing the exact opposite."
There was almost a shift on the mountaintop, as though what the A-grade
had just said was very revolutionary, or perhaps just went against what many
presently did. Jake, of course, was mostly clueless about what the guy was on
about, even if he did know Willpower impacted all kinds of magic and
energy control.
"If your Alchemical Flame becomes so ingrained within you to
synchronize directly with your will, a new path opens. I hold this lesson
because I recently experienced enlightenment in my struggles to improve my
flame. I did not believe it possible, but one day, while I worked with my
flame, it appeared to almost oscillate in tandem with my will. It began
moving without input, controlled not by my mana, but by my will alone.
"The level of control reached higher levels than ever before, and for a
brief moment, I felt like I had grasped the cradle of creation and the vessel of
destruction incarnate within my palm. It faded as the flame ran out of mana,
but the enlightenment remained. Allow me to demonstrate."
Instantly, the entire center stage was bathed in deep red flames. It swayed
in odd patterns as the dragon stood in the middle. He opened the palm of his
hand, and the flames gathered and took the form of a statue depicting a
dragon.
"First comes creation," the teacher said as the flames parted and spread
out, revealing the dragon statue. However, it was not made of flames, but
instead what looked like marble. "Entirely a production of the concept of
creation born from the flame."
Jake stared, confused… Had the teacher just made something from
nothing using the Alchemical Flame?
"This statue is as real as anything else, created only from Willpower and
my Alchemical Flame. Of course, creation as a concept is nothing difficult
with sufficient power. However, my method varies from such crude methods.
Usually, the expenditure of such a task would be significant, but with the
Alchemical Flame, I can tap into the system-created concepts embedded
within to make use of the innate properties of creation in the Alchemical
Flame.
"The same is true for destruction."
The flame swept over his hand, and the statue disappeared. It continued
on behind him, where it swept over a mountain range in the distance that also
seemed to simply disappear the moment it made contact with the flame.
"Once more, it is all application of Willpower to amplify innate
conceptual properties of destruction. However, as I said before, all of this was
brought forth from achieving true resonance between your Willpower and
your Alchemical Flame. This is where the importance of the Soulspace
enters. Do note that the ability to access and actively influence your own
Soulspace through conscious thought is a requirement for the following to be
done. If you have not already reached the stage of condensing a Soulshape
Avatar or something similar, that is something you should begin work on as
soon as possible either way."
Jake felt like a few in attendance were disappointed, but Jake didn’t really
get it. He knew his Serene Soul Meditation was him entering his Soulspace,
and he could enter it anyway if he wanted. Maybe giant lizards were just lazy
with that kind of thing?
 Then again, it was possible Jake had kind of cheesed being able to enter
his Soulshape. He had gone there during the Trial of Myriad Poisons, and he
knew why. It was all the influence of Jake’s Bloodline that seemed to
effectively simplify things for him to understand them better. That was why
what, back then, was essentially a fight of Records had transformed into Jake
fighting another version of himself.
The same concept applied with the sky of stars he had made to represent
Shroud of the Primordial. The entire Soulspace was like a conceptual place
where Jake’s understanding was given a metaphorical form. So, surprisingly
enough, he wasn’t completely lost during the lesson so far.
"However, there is one more crucial step. As most of you have no doubt
noticed, my Alchemical Flame is not pure. It is instead my Soulflame that I
integrated long ago, created from an ember granted to me by an elder from
my Dragonflight. But fret not, for even without a Soulflame, there are
methods to mimic one. Just be aware you will never achieve full oscillation
before you get a Soulflame of your own. "
By now, Jake was really kicking himself for having not actually looked
up what the hell a Soulflame was and how to get one.
Chapter 72
 Mysterious Senior

J ake had, thus far, wondered about one thing during this lesson: how the
hell was it worth 420,000 AC? Like, sure, it sounded like it was an
interesting viewpoint and application of Willpower merged with the
Alchemical Flame, but it didn’t seem that special. It was basically just a trick
most would probably figure out at some point themselves, and definitely not
worth paying that much for. It was also possible that those at higher grades
just got a shitload of AC.
Luckily, after the first hour and the end of the introduction, the A-grade
dragon gave an answer.
"To achieve this oscillation and resonance between your Willpower and
Alchemical Flame, I have set up a number of methods and training exercises.
It will primarily be done within the Soulspace and will depend on whether
you possess a Soulflame or not. The first parts can be done either way.”
He waved his hand, and crystals appeared on each pavilion at once. Jake
inspected it for a moment as he walked over and held it in his hand after a
brief scan.
"This information crystal will hold several exercises to be done, my own
insights during the time of enlightenment, and even experimental reports of
prior testing I have performed. There are certain magic scripts within I would
highly recommend looking into, as well as a formation I would advise either
making yourself or commissioning. The formation will allow you to practice
controlling the flame without using mana but only Willpower. Most potent
anti-mana formation will make do, but the one included in the crystal is
specifically targeted towards mana control without limiting Perception-based
detection skills."
 Finally, it was getting somewhere. Jake had not expected being handed an
information crystal, and from the looks of it, the thing was filled to the brim
with insights, blueprints, and exercises. His brief scan did reveal it obviously
required a very solid foundation, and Jake had a strong feeling practicing
anything within would be an instant dead-end for him simply due to how
damn weak he was.
The practice in the real world, at least. Because a large part took place
within the Soulspace, where Jake had far more confidence in competing with
nearly anyone. Some of the scripts and magic circles were even to be placed
within the Soulspace for practice and looked complicated as fuck, and as they
existed within the Soulspace, Jake saw no way of getting help for those.
"As mentioned earlier, this state of harnessing your flame as an extension
of your will is suited, if not made, for a Soulflame. Due to the Soulbound
nature of a Soulflame, there are few other ways of establishing the
metaphysical conceptual connection between your will and the flame,
regardless of all other circumstances. There are methods within the crystal to
mimic a Soulflame, and while this may seem like a waste of time compared
to simply just waiting till you acquire a Soulflame yourself, it is most
definitely not."
This seemed to instantly pique the interest of everyone once more,
making it quite obvious many of them didn’t have a Soulflame yet. It also
made Jake pay more attention, as he, of course, didn’t have one either.
The dragon down on the platform smirked at the interest displayed by
everyone.
"In fact, this may be the most valuable aspect of this lesson. Through
practicing with my disciples and juniors, I learned that simply learning this
method will result in a significantly improved ability to integrate a Soulflame,
as it touches on many of the same concepts as the integration process. I
would go as far as to say it will almost double the chance compared to
attempting it before fully comprehending my method."
Now that got a response: a wave of disbelief and skepticism across the
mountain peak. Jake himself didn’t know if getting a Soulflame or whatever
was hard to begin with, so he didn’t even react, instead sitting back and
listening to why this was the case.
To paraphrase, it was down to similarities of methods and the fact that a
Soulflame in itself was apparently very dependent and heavily impacted by
Willpower, so if one began learning this method, one kind of began learning
to better control a Soulflame too.
The lesson continued for slowly passing hours, and the dragon teacher
summoned magic circles and began displaying different examples of how one
could create certain arrays to ease the initial process. He even spoke about
certain flasks or potions one could brew to speed up the process, and some
poisons with what sounded like psychedelic properties. Those seemed to be a
big hit in the Order when it came to comprehending high-level concepts.
Jake also quickly learned this knowledge had not come cheap. Well, it
was cheap for the dragon, but not his assistants, disciples, and even slaves.
This was also where Jake learned that this entire technique, and many of the
formations and practices, could also be dangerous and lead to adverse effects,
perhaps even making the Alchemical Flame worse.
A Soulflame was also dangerous to integrate, it seemed. Like, the dragon
said the chance of the Soulspace being burned down and the soul destroyed
was far lower after learning his technique, and that sure sounded dangerous.
Jake was seriously going to look up what a Soulflame was after this lesson.
The lesson dragged on, and Jake sat there and took it all in. Towards the
end, he had to admit he failed to understand about ninety percent of what was
said, and all the nitty-gritty stuff about formations, magic circles, and
whatnot had just flown over his head.
As the lesson was soon coming to an end, the dragon appeared to have
one final demonstration in the pipeline.
"Now, to finish off this lesson, let me show you the fruit of my labor."
A flame appeared all around him, hanging in the air and spreading out to
surround the entire mountain. It covered an area of dozens of square
kilometers as the dragon spoke again.
"A bit of mana to summon the flame," he said as the anti-magic array he
had just erected before this final demonstration activated. "Now, usually with
mana cut off, my connection would fade… but my flame has already
transcended the need for such a feeble bond. However, do not think that
means it is any less potent."
The flame began closing in on all the pavilions one by one. It burned into
the stone that formed the pavilions, the destructive flame turning the solid
enchanted stone to nothing. On every single platform, the flame closed in on
those sitting there. Some reacted by making barriers or shrinking away from
it, while others just frowned, clearly unsure what the hell the dragon was up
to.
 Everyone except for one.
Jake stood up and curiously touched the deep red Alchemical Flame of
the A-grade dragon. His hand sank into it easily, and he felt like it was
slightly warm to the touch. A bit weird. It wasn’t solid, but he did feel like he
touched… something. He waved his hand around inside the flame before he
pulled it out again, not a single mark upon his skin. Jake was not wearing
gloves currently, but based on how it didn’t harm his sleeves, those would
have been fine too.
He hadn’t really been thinking, but he now became aware of the attention
of everyone present focused squarely on him. Even the dragon teacher looked
at Jake curiously, with a hint of surprise also there. It was understandable
why. The flame had been shown to destroy the powerful enchanted stone
Jake knew he wouldn’t even be able to leave a mark upon with his full
power, yet Jake had touched it so nonchalantly, clearly aware it would do him
no harm.
As for why Jake had touched the flame… Well, because he knew it
wasn’t harmful to him in the least. His danger sense had been silent even as it
closed in, and all his senses indicated it was harmless.
"Oh, you saw through my flame?" the teacher said, clearly asking Jake.
Jake then felt Identify upon him and naturally blocked it, but not before
leaking through a bit of his own aura and presence. The dragon reacted by
smiling and bowing slightly. "May I know what Senior thinks of my
technique and how he saw through it?"
Jake was a bit surprised but didn’t let it show. He did feel the pressure,
though, as everyone now focused on him even more, and with the teacher
showing such respect, it indicated Jake was stronger than him… Did the
dragon think Jake was a high-tier A-grade or an S-grade or something?
Put on the spot, Jake felt like he had to answer, so he tried to act way
smarter and more powerful than he was. Also… he had a feeling he was
right, and even if he made himself look like an idiot, he could just leave and
hopefully never see anyone present again ever in his life.
"No matter how much you control it, it is still an Alchemical Flame and
bound by its fundamental concepts," Jake said, faking being as confident as
he could. “Additionally, with only Willpower, it will naturally act according
to your will, and your will was clearly not to harm anyone. Both consciously
and unconsciously. The flame is destructive, yes, but only to objects without
souls. Naturally, this includes items bound to an individual with a soul, such
as equipment.”
"So, simple deduction based on intent?" the dragon asked curiously. "The
Soulflame I possess is one with inherent combat potential; would it not be
risky to bet on an assumption? Not that I believe Senior would have been
harmed either way."
"There are no issues if my ability to deduct and detect intent are good
enough," Jake answered. "Additionally, this flame is only powered by
Willpower. It isn’t made for a fight, but to destroy objects that put up no
inherent resistance. It is a conceptual flame; didn’t you say so yourself? So it
can only act within the confines of its concept."
"What if my intent and will was to cause harm when the flame is
conceptually able to damage living entities?" the dragon asked again. It didn’t
seem like a questioning, but more like the dragon was legitimately looking
for input on how to improve his technique.
Jake had to be honest—he was a little out of his depth by now. However,
he did still have one answer. Something he himself felt was obvious.
"How can anyone believe a flame based solely on Willpower is meant to
cause harm when not a shred of killing intent or bloodlust enters it? It is
driven by your will, and as said before, that is both your conscious and
unconscious will. A bit of killing intent would leak in, even if it is only the
most minute trace."
The dragon seemed to frown as he asked, “I feel uncertain such a level of
killing intent would even be detectable. If I even purposefully willed for it to
be hidden, it will be undetectable either way, will it not?"
"Not to my senses. And without any killing intent”—Jake smirked as he
touched it again—"this flame couldn’t even harm a D-grade."
A few seconds passed as the dragon nodded and smiled, chuckling at
what he no doubt assumed was a joke. Hey, the best jokes were rooted in
reality, right? The dragon finally bowed and gracefully thanked Jake. "You
have my gratitude for your insights; I shall take it up for consideration as I
work on improving my technique."
He said those words and waited for Jake to nod in acknowledgment
before he continued.
"Let us return to the demonstration. I hope none of you had a fright as the
flame of destruction closed in, but as shown by the Senior, the flame was
indeed harmless. However, this is only one of its aspects. For after
destruction follows creation!"
 The flames that had been mostly spread out during Jake and the dragon’s
conversation closed in again, and in a wonderous display, it touched upon the
broken edges of the platforms, where new stone seemed to grow out. It did
not have the same color as the old pavilion, nor did it seem to retain the
enchanted nature, but it was still actual stone that appeared out of nothing.
No… it appeared from the flame. A flame of creation.
"While it may look like the stone appears out of nothing, we all know it
isn’t so," the dragon said as he worked to reconstruct all the platforms. “The
environmental mana alone is enough to construct this stone as it responds to
my flame. Once more, this does not consume my own mana, but the flame
functions as a tool imposing my will upon the environment to amplify the
concept of creation.”
All of the red flame then just disappeared like it had never been there, and
the dragon teacher dispelled the anti-magic formation he was standing in.
"Now for questions."
What followed was three hours of Jake just sitting there, listening to
questions he didn’t understand with equally—if not more—complicated
answers. Most were related to the formations and magical scripts, with a few
being about complementary alchemical creations.
Jake got none of it but felt too awkward to be the first one to leave.
Clearly, those present had spent a lot and didn’t want to waste even a second
of it. He at least had this time to truly consider all those present.
There were only about two hundred present, far less than the prior lesson.
Most also stayed in their beast forms or true forms without anyone batting an
eye. Jake did not know if he should be surprised or not, but he did not detect
a single Bloodline anywhere yet. Not in this lesson or anywhere in the Order
so far. It appeared they were pretty rare, though Jake was certain he would
meet some eventually.
When the lesson finally ended, and Jake was prepared to go, a figure
suddenly teleported onto his platform. He didn’t even need to look to know it
was the teacher.
"I want to thank Senior for attending this lesson of mine," the A-grade
dragon said. “Would it be of interest to exchange contact information? In that
case, you can personally ask me if you encounter any points you want further
elaborated.”
Jake felt damn weird, as it couldn’t be more obvious the dragon thought
Jake was some powerful hidden master who had graced the lesson with his
presence.
By now, everyone else had already left, and it was just Jake and the
dragon who remained. He considered for a while before answering truthfully,
“I am not the ideal person to ask for advice, if that is what you are looking
for, and I am certain you have a better use for your time than giving free
individual counseling to strangers."
It was a polite rejection that the dragon accepted with grace. "I
understand. May I at least know Senior’s name or title?"
He was put on the spot again, and he considered making up some weird
title or name. Maybe just a normal fake name? No, it would be weird to act
like a super-powerful entity and then introduce himself as Bob.
In the end, he didn’t quickly get on anything, so he shook his head. "Who
I am does not matter." Jake opened his gate and prepared to step through
before saying one last thing. "Your lesson was very informative. Keep up the
good work."
With those words, Jake stepped through the gate and appeared back in the
mansion. Suddenly he felt exhausted as everything hit him, and he promptly
went towards the bedroom, where he flopped down on the bed, feeling
drained from getting so much damn complex information jammed into his
head in one day.
He had learned more complicated magic theory today than he’d
encountered on his entire path of alchemy so far.
And the worst part was…
He still didn’t know what the fuck a Soulflame was.
Chapter 73
 Soul lame & Exposed

J ake woke up in his huge, new mansion bed after a well-deserved rest. He
had taken a nap to rejuvenate himself and felt thankful that was still an
option. Jake had learned some races didn’t know how to sleep and never
became able to, no matter if they gained human form or not. He was grateful
that at least he would never lose his ability to sleep—only the need. Sleeping
was nice.
Sitting up in the bed, he saw he had slept only three or so hours. He
stretched a bit before he got up and headed to the library to finally figure out
what the hell a Soulflame was. He had already checked the Viper’s drop of
blood using Sagacity and found nothing, and the crystal he’d gained from the
lesson didn’t include a description either.
He would also leave Meira alone for her task, so he went to find the
books himself. Not that he would necessarily have asked her either way. Jake
was a big boy who could go to the library all by himself.
The library was huge and naturally came pre-stocked with books, all of
them centered around D-grade alchemy and general knowledge. In the middle
was a large tome that served as an index of sorts, and Jake went over and
opened it. A projection of a list appeared, and with mental commands, Jake
searched for the name Soulflame.
It returned a few thousand results, so Jake tried something more precise.
He narrowed it down a few more times until he finally found a book just
called: Soulflames! Beware!
It was a picture book. For children.
Perfection.
Jake quickly tracked it down and took it from the shelf. It truly was a
colorful picture book. It had a picture of a flame on the cover with two small,
scaled children staring at it. Jake couldn’t wait, so he opened it and began
reading. Well, reading was a strong word, as it was light on text and heavy on
colorful pictures.
He skimmed it for fun but quickly found it wasn’t what he had hoped for.
It was more a warning for children to avoid absorbing Soulflames than a
guide. So, by context clues, now Jake at least knew Soulflames were
something you absorbed.
Deciding to not mess around anymore, Jake went and actually found a
real book on the subject. This one had the far more normal name: Locating,
Identifying & Understanding Soulflames for Beginners.
Could he have just asked Villy? Sure, but he had an entire library to
himself, so why not make use of it? The library also came with comfortable
armchairs, so Jake found one and took a seat as he started reading.
So… Soulflames.
Soulflames were not some skill rank or something you "made"; instead, it
was something you found. Soulflames were a special kind of natural treasure
found throughout the multiverse, but they were scarce, often quite dangerous,
and incredibly difficult to find due to appearing in hazardous places.
A Soulflame formed when an environment reached a certain threshold
and an elemental was about to be born and awaken spirituality. The failure of
that process somehow turned the elemental into a Soulflame instead. It was
just not truly a living object, but somehow it managed to retain a fragment of
a Truesoul, from what Jake gathered, making it a potent item.
This meant a Soulflame did have partial properties of living beings. It did
not have levels, but it could grow independent of anyone or anything else. Its
growth was not in the same vein as that of other items. Items just grew with
time and absorbed atmospheric mana while being compatible for upgrades,
but a Soulflame needed to "learn" and upgrade itself. Because while a
Soulflame did not live, it did have instincts that landed somewhere between a
natural treasure with innate defensive abilities and a truly living thing.
These rare flames were incredibly valuable due to their special natures
and something most alchemists desired, but it wasn’t as simple as finding
one. Soulflames had rarities, and while they could be upgraded, it was
difficult. The only way to upgrade a Soulflame was to have it absorb similar
Soulflames in order to "learn" from them, as mentioned earlier.
So even if one got a common-rarity Soulflame, it wasn’t necessarily
good. In fact, Soulflames below rare were often not viewed as anything worth
absorbing. These flames should instead be used as fuel for other Soulflames.
Then there was the issue of also needing a compatible Soulflame.
Soulflames came in all shapes, sizes, and affinities, and with innate concepts.
Jake would not be able to absorb a Soulflame of pure light magic, and while
he could absorb a Soulflame of the water affinity, it would probably "nerf"
him and his current Alchemical Flame, as he would get a flame that he wasn’t
good at using and didn’t truly fit him.
Alchemists had found ways of absorbing these Soulflames and making
them a part of themselves by integrating them into their Truesouls, like they
were Soulbound items. This process also integrated the Soulflame with their
Alchemical Flame and effectively permanently merged the two. Big focus on
the word permanently, because once a Soulflame and an Alchemical Flame
were merged, it was viewed as permanent. The book did mention that
methods of undoing it and unbinding a Soulflame existed, but also
emphasized it would come with severe consequences.
So you shouldn’t just merge with a Soulflame haphazardly. If Jake
merged with a common-rarity one now, it would downgrade the rarity of his
Alchemical Flame to common, and, based on the nature of the Soulflame,
potentially make his Alchemical Flame skill useless for what Jake currently
used it for.
This did mean many alchemists never got a Soulflame. Soulflames
weren’t necessary, even if they were good to have, and an alchemist with a
Soulflame and one without at a similar rarity and level would be unequal.
However, it was far easier just to upgrade your own Alchemical Flame to
higher rarities, and far simpler to have one suited to you if you never
absorbed a Soulflame.
To put it simply, a Soulflame was absorbing a natural treasure that
merged with Alchemical Flame, adding another layer of difficulty to the
upgrade process while "locking in" the nature of the flame semi-permanently.
This did result in a better flame—assuming you got one suited to you, that is.
However, he did discover one thing… Getting an Arcane Soulflame was
not going to happen. Transmuting one was not possible due to their state as
semi-living entities. Giving birth to one, while theoretically possible, would
likely take Jake thousands of years and way more resources than it was
worth. And that was from an optimistic viewpoint.
So, anyway. Now that Jake had an idea what a Soulflame was, the next
question was obvious.
How did he get one? And should he even get one?
To the surprise of absolutely no one, the easiest way to obtain a
Soulflame was to just buy one. Alchemists had devised methods of trapping
Soulflames and sealing them for later sale, but even that process was difficult.
As the Soulflame had innate spirituality, it would struggle. It would try to
destroy whatever sealed it, and often its power was not to be underestimated.
Jake even read many examples of people dying to Soulflames that they tried
to capture. The only thing more dangerous than capturing a Soulflame was
trying to merge with it.
When the dragon teacher had mentioned the risk of scorching one’s
Soulspace, it hadn’t been a joke or an exaggeration. It was a common
occurrence that people who had spent obscene amounts of money on a
Soulflame would find themselves killed or crippled in the process of
absorbing them. The book Jake had found did not touch on any absorption
methods, but it did warn one against attempting without a solid plan.
The question of whether he should get one was also tricky and one he
couldn’t truly answer. It was the kind of thing Jake would only know if he
ever came across one, and when that happened… well, he would follow his
intuition.

When Albaromoz Emberflight returned from holding his first lesson in quite
a while, he instantly took out a token and sent a message towards an Elder of
the Dragonflight. The information he included resulted in an instantaneous
answer, as he was granted an audience immediately. However, not with the
one he expected…
He headed to the teleportation hub, intent on reaching the territory of the
local Emberflight Clan. The Emberflight Clan was a Dragonflight consistent
of thousands of branches spread throughout the multiverse in many different
sectors and planets. They had naturally also chosen to have a presence on
Primordial-4 due to the vicinity of the Order of the Malefic Viper. Also, the
fact it was a Great Planet just made it a natural space to set up a branch.
The Emberflight Clan was a Dragonflight that specialized in the concept
of fire but also alchemy. The Order was a great place to send their young,
where they learned methods not taught anywhere else. In fact, the
Dragonflight currently had well over ten thousand of their young geniuses
attending, and many higher-leveled beings like himself also made use of the
Order.
Albaromoz teleported a few more times before he went towards the
Firebound Peak, home of the local branch leader. It was a Grand Elder of the
Emberflight Clan that had stepped into the realms of divinity dozens of eras
ago.
Flying towards the mountain, he felt the pressure from the flames that
burned at the top. It pierced the sky like a pillar of the world, extending an
impossible distance. The heat emanating from the Peak halfway up would be
enough to kill a C-grade, and the chamber of the Grand Elder was something
Albaromoz, as an A-grade, couldn’t handle easily.
When he reached the Peak, he found himself before a giant golden gate
leading into it. He kneeled before it as it swung open, inviting him in. This
was only his second time there, the first time being when he had been granted
his Soulflame by the Grand Elder herself. It was a Soulflame nurtured by
their clan, only granted to elites, and Albaromoz had gained his shortly after
reaching A-grade.
Through the golden gate, he entered a massive hall of gold with countless
precious treasures scattered throughout. A single pillar of the hall would rival
the wealth of most A-grades, and the treasures scattered haphazardly would
be able to create wars in even A-grade empires.
It was truly a wonderous Dragon Cave, far better than Albaromoz’s own.
"Child of Emberflight," a voice echoed as Albaromoz felt the pressure,
and he instantly kneeled. A being appeared before him, and he purposefully
bowed even deeper.
"Patron Fireplume," Albaromoz spoke in reverence. Yes, the Grand Elder
was not only his benefactor and leader of the local branch, but also his
Patron. He looked up and saw the horned woman, wearing a deep red dress
that looked to be burning as she stood in the middle of the hall and regarded
him.
"This knowledge you bring is not to be taken lightly… Are you certain?"
Her ethereal voice echoed throughout the hall. Albaromoz felt the barriers
fully raised, their conversation fully sealed from the outside world.
"I would not deign to use the word certain, but I do hold enough
confidence to request an audience just on the chance I am correct. The
ambient mana surrounding him was fresh, not from here. His knowledge
seemed surface-level at best, even if he had deep insights into certain
elements. Additionally, he somehow possessed enough Academy Credits to
attend my lesson, which means he must have a backer within the Order. He
was the last one to sign up for the lesson, too, despite it being available for
two years… and he signed up the day the new batch from the 93 rd Universe
finished the entry dungeon. He had the Blessing of the Malefic One and was
able to hide from my Identify effortlessly. What he did feed me was
purposeful… and I felt a presence that should not belong to one such as him.”
"Elaborate."
"The presence was—and pardon my disrespect—more powerful than
Patron Fireplume’s. At least, it felt as such. Yet he was no god, as he
possessed a Blessing. Coupled with my belief, he is one of the newcomers
from the new universe…"
Albaromoz had confidence in his theory. In fact, he was certain enough
that he would bet his life on it.
His Patron naturally understood, as she’d also answered in a serious
voice. One that meant she understood the gravity of the discovery.
A young human, likely only D-grade at best, able to hide his identity and
remain unperturbed beneath the presence of an A-grade. One who could leak
a presence more powerful than a god while also holding a Blessing from one,
meaning he wasn’t a god himself. One with deep insights into certain
elements of something while only having surface-level knowledge elsewhere.
Newly integrated… The conclusion was obvious to Albaromoz and his
Patron.
"It’s a Bloodline Patriarch."
A transcendence was also theoretically possible, but passive
transcendences were beyond rare. No, a Bloodline made far more sense.
Bloodlines appearing far more in new universes was a well-known fact. It
was like the system had "stored up" Bloodlines until the generation that
would be integrated happened. They were also always Bloodline Patriarchs
with entirely new Bloodlines, as they came from a new universe. This was a
golden opportunity, and Albaromoz knew it.
"However, he is already a member of the Order of the Malefic Viper,"
Patron Fireplume said. "Moreover, you failed to get his contact information.
This is, of course, assuming you are correct. Something I have no way of
discovering, as he is hidden within the Order."
 "With permission, may I direct the young mistress to evaluate him during
a lesson? If my theory is correct, he is bound to attend some of the
introductory lessons, and including her as one of the scouts would allow us to
see if he does indeed possess a Bloodline.”
The mistress in question was a young talent of the clan who came from a
prestigious line from the main clan headquarters. She also possessed the
Bloodline of the main clan, making her an ideal candidate, as those with
Bloodlines could feel one another.
Patron Fireplume appeared in thought for a moment before she agreed.
"Very well, but keep me updated at every step. If it is truly as you say, he
may have a pinnacle-level Bloodline. And whatever happens, do not cause
issues within the Order or overstep any boundaries."
That was a given, Albaromoz thought. He didn’t have a death wish.

"Less than a week." Vilastromoz smiled in triumph.

"For it to be discovered he has a Bloodline… not that he is your Chosen,"
Duskleaf protested.
"See, the key is in the details. We made a bet on how long it would take
till his secrets were discovered by a public faction, and I said less than a
week, and you said more than a week. By all metrics, I win.”
"Fine, you win. Congratulations. You are the best and most correct ever,"
Duskleaf said sarcastically. "Are you gonna do anything about it?"
"Why would I? Isn’t this just gonna make things more fun?" the Malefic
Viper said with a big grin.
Chapter 74
 A New Path

J ake spent the next few hours researching Soulflames, but he eventually
put it on hold and shelved the entire topic. Choosing a Soulflame was
something he didn’t doubt he would eventually do, but he wanted to get a
bit further on his path first. In fact, getting a Soulflame as a D-grade was
generally viewed as a bad idea, and Jake had to learn how to make certain
personalized arrays first anyway.
Due to that, Jake returned to studying neurotoxins. He also began actually
selecting some lessons to attend in a week or so when the introductory
lessons began. From a talk with Reika, he learned that another batch of new
students had just arrived that day, and apparently, even more were coming.
Not from the 93 rd Universe, but just from across the multiverse. It seemed
like the Order was really recruiting!
At least, he thought so, until he discovered this was just a normal
occurrence every year. The real recruitment periods were far rarer and often
had millions of new entries, while a few hundred every day were just the
stragglers and transfers.
The reason it was like this was that—lo and behold—people talented in
alchemy weren’t born according to the recruitment schedule of the Order.
Due to that, it technically recruited year-round, but with just far fewer
entering every day. Lessons for newer students were thus only held once a
month or so when a good batch had arrived, as teachers didn’t wanna waste
their time holding lessons for a few dozen students only.
So far, Jake had picked a few lessons that he wanted to attend. They were
widely spread out and covered a plethora of topics, as he had taken to heart
the words of the scalekin projection during the dungeon. He had a shallow
base, and he wanted to solidify it by getting a good grasp of many different
topics.
With Sagacity, he could more easily pick up and learn skills he didn’t
have the specific skill for as well. Jake still had no idea how to make some
common alchemy products such as flasks and pills. Both of those were also
mainstays, and Jake learned from Reika she already knew how to make pills.
In fact, when it came to beneficiary products, she specialized in pills. So it
looked like they would attend a few pill-making lessons together, as Reika
had gotten slammed during her own dungeon with the feedback that her
methodology was flawed, and that she needed to pick up more traditional
methods to shore up her weaknesses.
He did, however, notice one problem Reika also pointed out. The Second
World Congress was coming up relatively soon, and he wondered how
exactly that would work. Would he have to go back to Earth to attend, or
would he get an invitation while in the Order? If he could enter while in the
Order, where would he go, and didn’t he need to select people to enter with
like last time? Many questions, so little time.
Questions he would ignore until they became relevant. He did as always
and kept things simple. Even if he did not attend the Second World Congress,
Jake honestly didn’t care much. He would go if he could, as he was sure
some important votes would pop up, but if it turned out to be annoyingly
difficult to attend, he could just have Miranda handle it.
On the third day after his lesson with the dragon, a certain elf appeared.
Almost on the dot, when three days had passed since she was given her task,
Meira stood nervously outside the bedroom Jake had used for reading. What?
Huge beds were great for reading.
She looked nervous as she stood with a small pile of papers. Meira kept
looking down at them and even seemed like she was on the edge of just
leaving again.
Jake wasn’t giving her the chance to.
"Come in," he said as he jumped off the bed and, with a string of mana,
made the double-door swing open.
She nervously stood outside and nearly jumped when he did so, clearly
not aware Jake knew she was there despite Jake having shown his perceptive
abilities several times prior.
She quickly reacted by bowing and presenting the papers. "I have chosen
five, just as ordered!"
 Jake didn’t move to take the papers, but just asked, “And why did you
pick those five?"
He was already partly prepared to send her away again, but she
unexpectedly had a good answer. "Because I believe they can change
someone’s Path."
Raising an eyebrow, Jake motioned for her to elaborate.
"The lessons of the Order will allow even a novice to step into the realm
of alchemy,” Meira said. “Even if it is impossible to become a master or even
remotely skilled in only five lessons, it can help build a foundation and set a
path for later development, and even give access to more potent classes and
professions.”
Jake nodded along with her words. However, he was not satisfied and
threw her a look. He saw her grit her teeth a bit, looking more nervous than
before. Like she really didn’t want to say what she was about to.
"If one does prove skilled… it can allow someone to find good
employment and a safe future…" she began. Jake was about to protest, but
then she continued, "Or, if really skilled, perhaps even join the Order or forge
their own path."
Now, this is where Jake had to be perfectly honest about one thing… He
was never sure what he actually wanted Meira to do or decide. He had no
profound realization or divine epiphany in mind he wanted to subtly guide
her towards. He just wanted her to, for once in her life, fucking dream a little
and use her imagination.
He was already plenty satisfied, so he nodded. “Leave the five lessons
here, and I shall look them over. I will call for you if there is anything.”
Meira looked reluctant, but she did as told and left the papers. Jake closed
his eyes as she left to think, and he subtly picked up a small voice she no
doubt thought he wouldn’t hear.
"Maybe even a better life…"
Jake grinned when he heard it. It wasn’t his fault she thought she could
hide from a 10,000-Perception D-grade.
As for the papers themselves, only one of the previous ones remained. It
was the one about finding out what you were good at. It was the one Jake had
fully agreed with the first time around. The others were a bit different from
what Jake had thought:

Metaphysiology for Beginners

 A lesson about comprehending Soulshapes of other living beings and
understanding how energy traveled in their body. It was a lesson Jake himself
had looked at but ultimately filtered out for now, as he frankly didn’t need it.
He could learn such things through infecting foes with poison and tracking it.
Also, it was the kind of thing Jake knew he was way better at learning during
live combat than in a boring classroom.
As for why Meira wanted it? Jake had some clues, but he wasn’t going to
ask. Considering it was a bit of an odd choice, Jake was certain it had been
made with consideration.

Internal & Touch-Based Mana Control I

Now, this one made more sense, as, from what Jake had gathered, Meira
was entirely self-taught. Well, so was Jake, but Jake was Jake, and he had
learned it was a bad idea to use himself as a basis of what one could expect
after he had assumed Neil and the others were utter morons for not being able
to freely manipulate mana as mid-tier E-grades. That it was touch-based also
showed it had been chosen with more consideration than just "mana control
good." So, yeah, a well-chosen lesson.

Novice Potioneering

Jake honestly had no comments on this one… It just touched on how to

make potions for absolute beginners, and the only real thing of note was how
it seemed to almost target servants and mass producers.
The final lesson was the most interesting, and he truly meant interesting.

Tempering Your Mental State: The Basics of a Stable Mind

There were a lot of lessons Jake had expected her to maybe select. He had
assumed she would pick some he would very much disagree with—maybe
one about how a servant could make their master like them more or how to be
a better test subject.
What Jake had not expected was for Meira to select a lesson all about
dealing with Jake’s shit.
In more seriousness, it was a lesson to temper one’s mental state. Jake
read it over and had to admit it was probably a good idea, especially for
someone like Meira. It was all about keeping a cool head and not losing one’s
head in a stressful situation or during a crafting session. For Meira, it would
allow her to hopefully become able to also improve her mindset. Jake didn’t
know if she recognized this or if she seriously did just want to be able to not
constantly be nervous around him. This was, of course, assuming she knew
these lessons were for her.
When Jake was done looking at them all, he felt oddly satisfied. He felt
like he had gotten through to Meira at least partially, and she had actually put
thought into her selections. There were no lessons related to poison
whatsoever, and only one that was even directly linked to alchemy.
He would wait a while before calling Meira again, but he was ready to
"approve" them. He just wanted to make sure she knew the lessons were for
her. Based on the selections, it could be anyone. It was entirely possible her
interpretation had been to pick lessons a servant or a slave could take, but her
final words as she’d left made him doubt that. Even if it was made for
those… well, they fit Meira too.
Jake returned to his books and called Meira back the next day for a
follow-up. She appeared even more nervous than the first time, proving she
really did need that final lesson. Not that Jake had anything against her being
an open book. In fact, he preferred it.
"Who do you think these lessons are suited for?" Jake asked immediately.
"A novice of alchemy, and someone generally lacking in insight and
knowledge already possessed by most," Meira answered honestly.
"And what kind of people would that be?"
"Workers, servants, slaves, or merely those from a weak world or perhaps
a suppressed faction," she said promptly. He wasn’t sure if she had predicted
this line of questioning, but she sure felt ready.
Jake looked up at her as he asked again, more directly, "Do you think I
made you select these lessons for anyone in particular?"
He really wanted her to answer herself. It would indicate she at least
believed it a possibility. Jake hoped he had made it obvious by now that it
was for her.
"These lessons would be ideal if there are followers back in the 93 rd
Universe or others who serv—"
Jake looked at her with a raised eyebrow, his mask naturally invisible, as
with every time they spoke.
 His raised eyebrow was enough to make her stop talking. She looked
even more nervous than before. Jake could almost see the internal battle as
she considered if she should truly speak. Meira finally clenched her fists and
said in a meek voice,
"Me?"
Jake just grinned, as the first step of Operation Get Rid of Elf Slave was
complete.

Miranda felt the air change as the ominous verdant light lit up the hidden
cave.
A pentagram around a hundred meters across illuminated the neatly
decorated cave. In the corners of the pentagram were five altars, all giving off
intense energy as they pulsed with power and burned with verdant light. It
was a ritual circle of immense power, and standing within it, Miranda felt her
own power swell. That is, in addition to the passive effects it already had.
These altars were naturally the Yalsten Altars given by Jake.

[Yalsten Altar of the Damned (Ancient)] – An altar created by an extremely

skilled crafter from the long-perished world of Yalsten, using a single,
unbroken piece of an unknown metal. The metal of the altar itself makes it
near-indestructible for any being below A-grade. This altar has absorbed
vast amounts of blood to empower it further, as countless sacrifices have
been made upon it. It has been enchanted further to increase the effectiveness
of all rituals made using it as a catalyst. Further increases the effect of all
sacrificial rituals. Faint Records and echoes of old rituals remain imprinted
upon the altar, making it passively infuse anyone lying upon it with the life
energy of those once sacrificed upon it.
Requirements: N/A

Resting atop each altar were eggs Miranda had gone far to acquire. They
were not meant to ever give birth to anything, but were simply vessels of pure
vital energy. They looked more like obsidian stones than anything else, and
were currently just greedily absorbing the passive life energy given off by the
altars.
The pentagram was done now, but that was only the first part. Miranda
began working on the exterior walls with scripts and whatnot while also
smoothening them out to more easily write on them. In fact, this was the kind
of ritual circle Miranda would have to constantly fortify and improve as time
passed.
Not that she complained… She had worked on it since the Auction ended,
and had so far gained seven levels just setting it up and working on it alone.
She had already made a circle like this before, but the difference between the
old and new one was the difference between heaven and earth. Miranda was
aware that while within the circle and her own domain that was Haven, she
was near-unbeatable.
Miranda didn’t know if it was some kind of self-induced Stockholm
syndrome, but she had truly begun to enjoy being a witch.
She sat down in meditation as, above ground, a projection of her body
appeared in the office. Miranda felt her senses transfer, but she only managed
to touch a few papers on the table before one of them accidentally cut her and
the projection dispersed.
"Could have gone better," she chuckled, deciding to just return to
fortifying the circle.
As a Verdant Witch, she was not a traditional mage of any kind. She was
not the kind of mana user who would be flinging spells at an enemy while
teleporting around and throwing up barriers to protect herself. Instead, she
was the kind to sit in a ritual circle on the other side of the planet as her spells
manifested through mediums that could project her magic and kill foes before
they even knew what happened.
Of course, such things were still too early for her, but Miranda had
already embraced that path by now. She had genuinely not expected it, but
she wasn’t half-bad at being a witch, which probably wouldn’t have come as
a surprise to her first boyfriend, who called her just that the last time they
met.
As she thought that, Lillian pinged her on a pager of sorts. It’d been given
to her by Arnold, but retrieved by the hawks from the Undergrowth dungeon.
Miranda shuddered at the memory of that place. They had only cleared it due
to Sultan being present, even if Felicia and Roman had also helped out
tremendously.
In the final part, a projection had made them fight some mechanical wolf,
which was honestly an odd experience. The projection had been a bit rude
and short with them, too, but that didn’t mean that damn wolf had been any
less dangerous.
She feared that the hawks would have met trouble, but it appeared not, as
Lillian’s message was short and concise, except for one small thing.
"Did she just say Sylphie was wearing a medal?"
Chapter 75
 Windy Times Ahead

C rackly blue bolts chased Sylphie, but she zoomed too fast for the evil
Metal Man to catch up to her. She couldn’t out-zoom the bad laser, but
Sylphie was super fast and super good at dodging those. Not that
Sylphie was happy, as Metal Man was the evilest Metal Man Sylphie had
ever met!
Sylphie was happy Mom and Dad were at least not there, so evil Metal
Man couldn’t bully them too. Not that Sylphie didn’t bully back. It was just
boring bullying. Metal Man didn’t care about Sylphie’s whooshes at all and
just kept running. Sylphie did see the weird, shiny skin on Metal Man react,
and the wind told Sylphie Metal Man did get hurt, so she just kept going.
She would make the large box slowly fill with her own whooshy winds,
slowly cutting the evil Metal Man until his shiny skin stopped being shiny! It
was just boring. But Sylphie knew getting impatient could get her hurt. She
had learned that, so she kept being super careful and stayed away from the
evil man.
After about fifteen minutes of slicing the Metal Man, he probably thought
Sylphie was getting tired, but Sylphie had a super trick. She flew away and
used her gift from Uncle, activating what people called a "vest" and taking
out a small bottle from the big, hidden pocket within.
Metal Man thought Sylphie would run out of wind-power juice? Metal
Man was wrong, as Sylphie had a wind-power juice bottle from Uncle that
she quickly drank to continue!
She had to be super careful, because Metal Man sometimes got in close
and used many Metal Man tricks to try and catch her. At one time, Sylphie
even had her wing whooshed off! It was super dangerous, but Sylphie was
sure she would never get caught.
Sylphie was wrong.
Metal Man’s legs suddenly seemed to disappear as he mega-zoomed
towards her midway through her turn. She tried to get away, but a net of
crackly lightning bound Sylphie. Dad had warned her a lot about this
happening… How if she was ever caught, she would be in trouble.
Sylphie never got why, though.
She turned windy and flew away. Metal Man couldn’t hold onto her
because holding onto wind was, like, super hard. She even managed to give
him a good slap with her wing as she flew off! Metal Man kept chasing her
after that, and it ended up taking a loooong time before, finally, Metal Man
just stopped moving and stood still.
Sylphie tried to attack, but the Metal Man was still super tough. She tried
to charge up a big attack, but suddenly Metal Man disappeared. Sylphie was
confused and flew around for a bit before the big cube in the middle lit up
and began blinking. Sylphie didn’t trust it and flew away.
"Use the teleporter on top of the monument."
The stupid, glowy dungeon man even tried to bait her into a trap!
"It is not a trap… The dungeon is over, but you need to go through for
your final evaluation."
Sylphie was taken aback… It could even read her mind!? Sylphie knew
she couldn’t trust Glowy Man, who had made her fight Metal Man. They
were clearly in it together. She kept circling the area, not trusting the bad
cube. Until she got bored, that is, and decided to face the trap head-on!
She landed on the teleporter, sending out wind blades everywhere when
she appeared and even making a whirlwind to hide. Sylphie was super strong
and tore apart the room filled with blinky things and weird metal stuff.
"There is no need for that!" Glowy Man yelled. Sylphie was still
suspicious, but the wind was silent, and it didn’t seem dangerous, so she
triumphantly dispelled her super wind magic and stared at the Glowy Man,
who had finally admitted defeat.
"Finally… Okay, now for your evaluation… I… I’m gonna be honest… I
am a bit unsure where to rate you. On the one hand, your survival skills and
speed make you near-impossible to kill, but your damage, outside of certain
instantaneous strikes, is downright horrendous."
"REE!" Sylphie screamed, as Glowy Man was being super rude. She
knew it was a trap! It was one of those things Uncle called mental attacks,
wasn’t it?
"Alright! But, I simply cannot figure out what you are. Are you a beast or
an elemental? Readings are inconclusive."
Once more, Glowy Man asked weird stuff. Sylphie was Sylphie.
"The tangible form displayed most of the time indicates beast, but the
intangible wind transformation was not a skill or anything, but simply a
natural change of form…"
Sylphie looked around the room curiously, as Glowy Man was being
weird.
"Moreover, while the magic displayed did belong predominately to the
wind affinity, it is not merely that. Measurement devices detect high-level
concepts this dungeon is simply not designed to measure. The readings also
indicate you are not even a year old, yet the magic contains traces of
ancientness, which are contradictory. Perhaps it is—"
Sylphie began pecking some of the metal duds around the room while
Glowy Man kept being weird and talking to himself. Uncle sometimes talked
to himself, but not this much. Sylphie was getting pretty bored, as there
wasn’t anything interesting in the room. At least, nothing she could get to.
Finally, the Glowy Man stopped doing that weird stuff.
"Anyway, I will conclude this falls within the realm of the trial being
inconclusive. You did not manage to defeat the Census Golem, but only had
it retreat as it ran out of power. Yet I cannot tell who the ultimate winner
would be. Now, giving beasts rewards in a dungeon is a bit more complicated
than with the enlightened, but we of the Altmar Empire do have means."
And that was how Sylphie got some tasty snacks and a cool medal with a
weird, squiggly thing on it.

Four more days had passed since Jake successfully made Meira realize she
was gonna begin to take lessons, and she had just returned from her first one.
It was the one about finding your own path, and she certainly looked deep in
thought afterward. She had still gone to report to Jake, but he had just told her
to go to her residence and reflect on the lesson instead.
Jake learned that Meira already had her own token, though it was quite a
bit different from Jake’s. He learned it was a "subordinate token" of sorts and
was bound to his own. The reason for this was obvious, as it would allow a
master to send out their slaves or servants to buy things or even book lessons
for them. To Jake, it meant he could have Meira handle stuff herself, though
he did have to give permissions for her to sign up for any lessons or even
make purchases. Luckily, he could program the token to just approve any
lesson bookings by itself.
Naturally, the token also allowed her to use all the teleportation gates
scattered throughout the entire Order, and he also gave her full access to
those. So even if Meira wanted to consult him on things, he could avoid her
since she could do everything by herself already.
Jake also had the excuse that his own first "real" lesson was beginning. It
was a simple one merely called Essential Concocting Methods & Tricks:
Aimed at New Members of the Order.
The name was a bit shameless, and quite honestly genius marketing on
the teacher’s part. Jake also quickly learned this lesson restarted once a
month while taking twenty-five days in total. Each lesson was only two
hours, so it usually fit well around other lessons. From the looks of it, it was
also a constant thing that repeated every single month with no real breaks.
The teacher was a C-grade scalekin, and the evaluation of the lesson was
overwhelmingly positive. To put it simply, it was a must-have for most new
attendants of the Order, and even Reika would participate. It was also mega-
cheap at only 3 AC, but Jake reckoned the teacher made up for it by sheer
volume through cornering the market.
When the time to leave came, Jake activated the token and stepped
through the gate like the two prior times. He instantly took in the sight of the
massive hall, which was even larger than the one about combat cauldrons.
Sure, it didn’t match a freaking mountaintop in sheer size, but it was still
massive.
However, that was not the most noteworthy thing. The instant he
appeared, he sensed a presence in the room that was oddly familiar. He
instantly whipped his head around and stared across the hall, where he
spotted a woman standing with a red orb of sorts in hand. She stared down at
it and, a second later, looked up to make eye contact with Jake.
Jake used Identify as he felt one also impact himself, naturally showing
his level at 183—that’s right; he had faked a level-up.
However, even so… the woman was powerful and had an unexpected
race.
 [Dragonkin – lvl 199]

Jake felt a bit confused, as she did not at all look like a Dragonkin. She
looked far more like an elf, pointy ears and all, with nothing indicating
Dragonkin besides the two small, curved horns on her head, not unlike the A-
grade dragon in human form.
She was clearly D-grade, though. Peak D-grade, and Jake’s initial
estimation when looking at her was not in his favor if it came down to a fight.
It was even worse than the damn Hydra by a fair deal.
The two of them stared at each other across the room, Jake’s beastly eyes
meeting the deep orange ones of the dragonkin. She smiled and nodded, and
Jake mimicked her nod of recognition.
It was not often you met others with Bloodlines. In fact, it was his first
time since coming to the Order—not counting Villy, of course.
Neither of them made any moves to further communicate, but he did see
her take out some kind of token as she went to claim a seat. Jake did notice
that a lot of people seemed to have taken an interest in her, as she was
practically swarmed, and it was only her relatively unapproachable aura that
kept them at bay.
Looking about, he also spotted Draskil, who was having an even worse
situation: he was utterly surrounded by a disproportionally female fanbase.
Nearly as disproportionate as the male fanbase following the female
dragonkin. Jake recognized grifters when he saw them, and it was almost
comforting to know sycophants were a multiversal phenomenon.
Jake was also approached by a few people, but he didn’t really engage as
he found somewhere and took a seat. He found himself sitting between two
young men, one of them a scalekin and the other an elf, both barely level 100.
Both of them nodded in recognition at him. He had the fake Lesser Blessing,
so even if he wasn’t a true standout, he still stood out a little bit.
There were quite a lot of blessings scattered throughout. Villy had really
gone all out in the way of Blessing his followers, especially in the younger
generation. Most were naturally minor blessings, which Villy had once
mentioned he could give out like free samples at a supermarket. Yes, that
exact metaphor.
There were a good amount of lesser blessings, a single Major Blessing,
and then Jake’s new good friend Draskil and his Divine Blessing, putting the
majority of the spotlight on him. This meant Jake could relatively fade into
the background. Well, besides the mysterious woman with the Bloodline, but
it didn’t look like anyone had noticed her and Jake’s brief exchange.
This allowed him to just sit down and relax until the lesson began a
minute or so later. Everyone shut up when a scalekin appeared down on
stage. He had muted yellow scales, and Jake clearly felt the aura of a C-
grade.
"Welcome to my first lesson, where I will teach you essential methods
and tricks to concocting. After years of researching and recognizing common
mistakes and oversights by new members of the Order, this lesson has been
put together and then further refined and improved over centuries. I am
certain many of you will hear much you already know and perhaps find
elementary. However, each of us comes from different backgrounds and
paths, and what is standard to you might be novel to another. Just know there
is no shame in ignorance, as long as you actively strive to eliminate it and
improve yourself.” The scalekin’s tone was oddly soothing, reminding Jake
of a kind grandfather more than some powerful C-grade.
The words also set a precedent and a mood as he began explaining
concocting in incredibly simple terms. He talked about the importance of
mana control and practicing it even outside of alchemy, mentioning how
many could buy puzzles and other training tools. He advised people to learn
telekinesis if they hadn’t already, just by using mana to control objects.
He also mentioned the importance of knowing your cauldron. How one
had to eliminate unwanted properties in poison before using it, and how some
remnants could stay in the cauldron if you failed to clean it adequately
afterward. All of this was still incredibly basic to Jake, but he didn’t look
down on anyone. As the teacher had said, being ignorant was just a
temporary state of being if one was willing to learn.
There were some interesting comments on concocting in there, especially
when it came to merging poison, and Jake even had a few times where he
recognized he had made minor mistakes in the past. Like how he often didn’t
properly consider the order of items added to a concoction properly, or how
he missed out on some synergistic effects that were easily achieved.
While Jake was still deeply engrossed, the lesson suddenly ended.
"Thank you all for attending the first lesson. Today we only covered the
most basic things, so if you feel disappointed currently, let us hope tomorrow
will bring something enlightening. I sincerely wish to see you all again, and
thank you for attending."
 The scalekin bowed, and without thinking much, Jake mimicked those
around him by standing up and bowing in return. Not that he needed to think.
He had gone to university for five years, gone to dozens of seminars, and
even attended two other lessons in the Order… but this one had been the first
Jake where had lost track of time.
Not a doubt in his mind existed that the teacher on the stage below had
skills related to teaching and speaking, coupled with an incredible natural
talent. It was not at all a surprise why this lesson was so highly rated, even if
it seemed so mundane.
People eventually began leaving, and Jake planned on doing that, too,
until he felt a presence approach. He looked over and saw the female
dragonkin making her way towards him, and he instantly cursed inside.
Please don’t…
She didn’t stop, heading straight for where Jake was as those around him
gladly made a path.
Well…
The dragonkin stopped before him, bowed slightly, and asked, "Excuse
me, do you have a moment?"
Fuck…
Jake felt the gazes of hundreds of men upon him, hatred burning in their
eyes. He tried to ignore them as he said, hoping this would be quick, "I do,
but I am not certain what for?"
He should at least be polite, right? It would be rude to just reject her, and
he was somewhat curious what her Bloodline was all about, as he guessed it
had to be about that. However, his answer earned him the ire of the fan group
behind the dragonkin—something she somehow masterfully ignored. Her
answer definitely didn’t help either.
"I was hoping we could speak somewhere more… privately."
The hatred of all the men spiked as they heard her words.
"Just the two of us."
And Jake felt like his school life was truly not going to be a nice and
peaceful time.
Chapter 76
 Bit of Dragon Lore

J ake had been put on the spot, and while he had wanted to reject the
invitation, his curiosity had eventually won out. And in hindsight, he was
glad it had, as he came to see much of the Order he hadn’t before.
He had not gone home after the lesson, instead following the female
dragonkin through a portal to what was essentially a buzzing metropolitan
area with bars, cafes, restaurants, and shops everywhere. All of them catered
to members of the Order, and it was truly a massive area.
Passing the gateway had also shrugged off all the annoying followers who
had stared at Jake like he was evil incarnate. No, he was not looking forward
to meeting many of them again at the lesson the next day.
The two of them headed towards a café that offered private rooms to have
their discussion. Using personal residences for discussions with people you
didn’t trust was rarely done, and Jake could see why. The rules of safety
seemed to primarily dominate in public areas, and giving someone access to a
residence also meant those people would potentially see your secrets.
What plants you grew, the laboratory, books in the library, or just
something as simple as the atmospheric mana were all clues. That poison
alchemists of an evil, snake-worshipping cult were secretive didn’t come as a
surprise.
Jake and the dragonkin soon found themselves within a cozy room as an
attendant brought them both a cup of some weird drink Jake didn’t recognize.
However, he felt the toxins within it. He had allowed the dragonkin to order
for them, and he didn’t think she wanted to poison him. Well, okay, she did
want to poison him, but the good kind of poison.
"So, the elephant in the room?" Jake eventually said, his Tongue of the
Myriad Races doing work to translate the figure of speech to something
understandable.
"I believe an introduction is finally in order before we do that. I am
Helenstromoz Emberflight, pleased to make your acquaintance.” She nodded
in deference.
"Hunter," Jake said, sticking to his fake name. When he heard the last
name of the dragonkin, he already knew what this was about. "What gave me
away?"
The dragonkin just smiled. "Many things… It is hard to hide from an A-
grade, even if you have means to perfectly mask your level and even possess
a Bloodline. The mana lingering on your body is from the 93 rd Universe, and
the knowledge you displayed did not correspond to what a true master would
do. Finally, during the brief discussion with you, Albaromoz switched
languages a total of seventeen times without you noticing… In fact, I have
already spoken three during this brief talk. Even if you do have a translation
skill, they don’t tend to be that effective, and more often than not, you switch
language fluidly with your conversation partner. You did not." Helenstromoz
ended her explanation with a light smile.
Jake didn’t even know what to say. He had never even considered Tongue
to be a dead giveaway, though in hindsight, perhaps he should have. The
problem was that Jake currently had no counter, so he just took a drink from
the poison the restaurant offered. It was tasty as hell, and he gladly just
savored the taste for a few moments before replying, "That answered how he
found out, but not why you are here. Helenstromoz, was it?"
"He suspected you had a Bloodline and sent me to check for obvious
reasons," Helenstromoz answered. "And please, just call me Helen. The
Stromoz suffix is used to communicate someone is truly a dragon, or at least
was a true dragon at some point. Us descendants of true dragons are allowed
to also have it, so it is truly more about status than anything else."
"While I am thankful for the dragon lore, it doesn’t truly answer the
question of why you chose to come and stay for a lesson you clearly did not
need and bring me here for a private discussion. It took you five seconds to
confirm I had a Bloodline, didn’t it?" Jake shook his head as he took another
sip of poison drink. Yep, definitely a fan.
Helen seemed to study his responses quite closely as he enjoyed his drink.
She also took a sip herself before she spoke again.
"Bloodlines are rare. I assume you know this despite coming from a new
universe?"
Jake just nodded in confirmation, as while he didn’t think it was common
knowledge Bloodlines even existed back on Earth, it would be odd for him
not to have found out.
"These Bloodlines come in various forms, and whenever a new universe
is integrated into the multiverse, many new ones appear with it. There are few
better ways for a faction to improve their organizational strength than quickly
making contact and hopefully integrating such a Bloodline into their ranks.
Though I assume you already have a backer or an organization you belong
to? Besides the Order, of course.”
"I do indeed have a backer, if you can call it that, but no faction besides
the Order," Jake said, acknowledging that Helen had more or less told him
she was here on a recruitment mission.
He knew acting like he didn’t have a backer would be moronic, as he had
just spent hundreds of thousands of AC on a single lesson—something he
clearly couldn’t afford on his own. Hence, the only explanation—besides the
truth—was that he had a backer who gave him points.
Helen smiled. "I do wonder who it could be… Not even A-grades can
toss around that many AC on a single lesson they barely get anything out of.
An S-grade? Gods are out of the question, as the Malefic One has already
blessed you… They must be quite a figure in the Order, no?"
Clearly, she was baiting him to reveal something. He also knew why she
ruled gods out. Why would a god invest in him when the only ones to benefit
would be Villy? Gods helped mortals to get rewards from the system based
on the performance of those they blessed. It was part of the reason Jake didn’t
feel that guilty about his one-sided relationship with Villy, as he knew he also
helped his snake-god pal, just in ways Jake himself didn’t see.
As for Helen’s questioning… "My backer does indeed have some
influence in the Order, but why is that of any concern to you?"
"All I am looking to know is, are you associated with any faction besides
the Order of the Malefic Viper? The Order does not restrict where one
belongs or demand true loyalty to the faction itself, so if you don’t, I just
wanted to let you know there are many doors open to you. Of course, it will
require an evaluation to know the true nature of your Bloodline, but if it is
deemed of high quality and beneficial, these factions will gladly support
you.” She took another sip of her drink. "Naturally, this also depends on if
your backer agrees. Just know that true multiverse factions can offer far more
than any individual."
Yeah, I kinda doubt that, Jake thought. Probably didn’t count if that
individual was a Primordial.
"I have no interest in joining any faction as of now," Jake answered,
shaking his head.
"Eventually, you will have to align yourself with one… unless you plan
on fully dedicating yourself to the Order. Tell me, how much do you know of
the Emberflight?" Helen still seemed amicable, but Jake did get the feeling
she wasn’t happy he’d so quickly rejected her offer.
"That it is a Dragonflight?" Jake said with a shrug. He knew what
Dragonflights were. They were collections of dragons, and he knew it was
hard to be recognized as a Dragonflight. But to be fair, he had only done
some cursory reading.
"The Emberflight is one of the nine Dragonflight of the Draconian
Accords, and is the most powerful faction of the red dragons," she said
proudly. “We have hundreds of publicly appearing gods in our ranks and
stand as a true top faction of the multiverse, with a presence in all universes.”
Jake got the feeling he was meant to be very impressed, but he had been
firmly desensitized after spending too long with Villy. He was curious,
though.
"What are these Draconian Accords?"
"A long time ago, the different dragon races were at war, but were
eventually brought together and formed an Accord under the leadership of the
Primordial known as the Wyrmgod. The Wyrmgod later established
Nevermore and no longer has any connection to the accords, but an alliance
and close working relationship still persist. There were originally only five
Dragonflights in it, the Emberflight being one of them.”
Jake was really getting his fill of old dragon lore, and Helen also clearly
enjoyed sharing it, as she was patient with Jake’s lack of what he didn’t doubt
was general knowledge. She did take a jab, though. "I would recommend you
take a few history lessons if possible."
"I’ll think about it," Jake said, taking the jab. "However, my answer
remains the same. I currently have no interest in joining a faction. I am not
saying this won’t change in the future, but I am not the type to be loyal to
factions, and I don’t tend to deal well with authority."
He wanted to distance himself and give a reason, but she didn’t seem
fazed in the slightest.
 "I understand. Your Bloodline relates to resisting and somehow emitting a
presence far more powerful than you actually are. That it has innate
properties of pride and unwillingness to submit to those more powerful only
strikes me as natural."
Jake nodded along, gladly confirming that was what his Bloodline did, as
he and Villy had agreed on that being a good idea a while ago. Better they
thought that was all it did.
"You seem to understand my Bloodline well… but I have no clue what
yours does," Jake said, finally getting to the part he actually cared about
himself. So far, he only knew of two Bloodlines: his own and Eron’s.
Learning more about different ones only seemed helpful.
"I have a version of the Bloodline of the main clan back in the Land of
Embers. I cannot share the exact details of the Bloodline, as I am under oath,
but I am authorized to say it involves the manipulation of fire magic, the
concept of flames, and the concept of time. Only members of the Order can
know the true description of it, and mine is a bit of a mutated version."
"They can mutate?" Jake asked, surprised. Did that mean he could change
or evolve his Bloodline? Why had Villy never mention—
"My father was a dragon, while my mother was an elf. Both of them had
Bloodlines, and they merged to form mine. You seem to not know much
about Bloodlines. Did your benefactor never explain?" She actually sounded
a bit confused.
"Yeah, why didn’t he explain?” Jake sent to Villy right there and then.
"Because I didn’t bless you with the intent of having you act like a prize
bull and pump out children left and right," Villy quickly answered.
"Preferably with other people who possess Bloodlines to hope for them not
only to get lucky and inherit one Bloodline, but the Bloodlines of both parents
and even have them merge into something useful. It is gambling for a good
result. The hatchling you see before you likely has tens of thousands of
siblings who are little more than failed products in the eyes of the
Dragonflight."
"He only explained a little bit, but not many details," Jake answered after
listening to Villy’s explanation.
"I see," she said, sighing a bit. She finally took out a small token with a
red dragon on it and handed it to Jake. "I would like to at least invite you to a
more formal chat. Even if you joining us isn’t an option, we can perhaps at
least discuss some other arrangement?"
 Jake looked at the token before picking it up. "I will think about it, but for
now, I just want to focus on my lessons and, of course, the happenings of the
93 rd Universe and the opportunities offered there. Grow in power, you
know?"
"Very well. We would prefer to see you at a higher grade too," she finally
relented as she got up. "It was enlightening to meet you… Hunter, was it?"
He just nodded as he also got up, but not before quickly finishing his tasty
drink.
"Please do come by for a visit at the very least. In the token is also my
contact information for the Order Token, so please feel free if your curiosity
gets the better of you or if there is anything you need to know."
With those words, she left, with Jake following after. Outside, they split
up, and she headed towards a wall with a teleportation circle. Jake considered
staying and checking out the entertainment district a bit more but ultimately
decided to just head back home, as he wanted to check in with Meira, and he
had another lesson in like an hour.
Also… he had some things he wanted to talk to Villy about.
When he got home, he headed for his bedroom again, and as he walked,
he asked out loud, "So… Villy… will this—"
A scaled god suddenly popped up beside him. "You were saying?"
"Can you just pop up like that now?" Jake asked. "Last time, you made
quite the entrance."
"Well, of course not. I had to make a good impression on your new
slave.”
"Thinking back, couldn’t you have just done as you first did when I got
here and made yourself invisible or something?"
"Jake, the question isn’t if I could or not. The most important thing is”—
there was a long, dramatic pause—"I didn’t."
Jake could recognize once he had lost an argument and proceeded to
change the topic. "So, what I wanted to ask was if this kind of thing will keep
happening if it becomes more common knowledge that I have a Bloodline?
Everyone who has a Bloodline can feel I have one, and I am sure some
factions will put two and two together after dragon lady approached me."
"It is likely indeed," Villy said, nodding.
"That sounds utterly exhausting. And there is no way to hide my
Bloodline?" Jake asked, somewhat desperately.
"Nope, not at all. Ah, but do note most in lower grades cannot feel other
Bloodlines as easily as you do. Both you and the other one from Earth have at
least partly Perception-based Bloodlines and can thus easily spot others, but
not everyone does. That is why that hatchling carried an orb. They are able to
create a resonance of sorts when someone with a Bloodline uses one and can
scan an area. Pretty much all factions with Bloodlines possess them. Even
without it, another person with a Bloodline will feel it if they are close
enough or interact with you.”
"So that means I am fucked?" Jake asked with resignation. "What is
stopping some faction from just kidnapping people with Bloodlines and using
them as breeding machines?"
Villy seemed to get a bit more serious as he sighed. "I guess I should tell
you a bit about Bloodlines and their storied history in the multiverse."
Chapter 77
 The History of Bloodlines

J ake and Villy moved to the living room of Jake’s mansion, and when Jake
went to grab something to drink, the Viper just pulled out two beer bottles
that gave off a response from his Sense of the Malefic Viper. Poison beer.
Nice.
They sat down across from each other, and the Viper leaned back on the
couch and began talking.
"Bloodlines have quite the history in the multiverse. As those with
Bloodlines are often compared to Transcendents, it only leads to more
scrutiny and interest, especially from those who possess neither. Bloodlines
were a thing from the beginning, and many of those with Bloodlines in the
First Universe did grow up to be powerhouses who dominated, even if they
failed to make it to godhood. Naturally, as time moved on, many also became
gods… but their survival rate back then was just abysmal."
"Why?" Jake asked, confused. Did a Bloodline not give an advantage if it
was beneficial?
"Hm… did you know not a single one of us Primordials had Bloodlines?
At least, not ones anyone knew about?"
"No." Jake shook his head. "I had kind of assumed someone did… though
it is true I didn’t feel one from Valdemar, and does the current Eversmile
even have one? I didn’t feel it. Not from Stormild, either, now that I think
about it…"
"Stormild does not have one, as far as I know, while Eversmile does—his
is just hidden due to the nature of his Bloodline. Well, he may have had it
always, but no one knew, not even others with Bloodlines. The point is, no
one with a known Bloodline became a god during the First Era."
 "That is odd," Jake thought out loud.
"No, not if you understand the landscape back then. You see, people are
greedy. Beasts, humans, elementals—it doesn’t matter the race. We are all
greedy for power. So when we see someone with something we don’t have,
and we don’t know how to get it… we try to take it anyway, no matter how
futile the effort. If you had a Bloodline back then, you had a target on your
back. In the beginning, because people wanted to capture you and try to
extract it, with even rumors spreading that you could gain a Bloodline by
consuming someone who had one.” The Viper shook his head.
"That sounds fucking rough," Jake said.
"Oh, it was. This was how the entire First Era went. Most with Bloodlines
were slaughtered before realizing their potential, and those who survived
lived as test subjects until their death. It was a curse more than anything else.
Some with Bloodlines were used as Bloodline Detectors and were strutted
around to find others with Bloodlines to capture them. Towards the end of the
First Era, I don’t think a single person in S-grade even had a Bloodline.
"When the Second Era began, people seemed to have gotten the message
that you can’t steal Bloodlines, especially as we Primordials spread it with
our nascent factions. However, it was discovered that they could be passed
down, so I guess you can imagine the next step in the evolution of Bloodline
hunting?"
"Treat them like cattle?" Jake said with a deep frown.
"Bingo. I would argue it was even worse than before, especially due to
how propagation works with the system. Have we ever had the talk about the
flowers and the bees?"
"No… but I have a feeling I know. You can’t force it, can you?"
"Nope, you can’t. Anyone in E-grade has enough control of their body to
ignore physiological stimuli, and even if they don’t, you can’t make kids
without both parties consciously wanting to. Giving birth to a new life takes
intent, the same as most kinds of magic. The female cannot get pregnant, and
the male cannot impregnate, unless they both wish for it to happen. In what
should not have been a surprise to absolutely anyone, people with Bloodlines
that have practically been turned into sex slaves aren’t exactly excited about
becoming parents. Women and men alike were forced into being nothing
more than cattle for their masters or dying. It was a shitshow.” Jake could
feel the disgust in the Viper’s voice… as well as a wave of deep-seated anger.
He knew Villy was trying to hide it, but he felt the bloodlust and hatred
subtly leak into the god’s presence.
Jake also felt disgusted as he nevertheless asked, “Did that ever lead to
anything?"
"A few times. If they captured them young and indoctrinated them into
pretty much making them true members of the clan… some also just broke
and began helping out of desperation. Ultimately, it wasn’t efficient in the
least, and there is also the fact that you want the one with the Bloodline to be
powerful. The Bloodline alone is nice, but the Records of the parents also
matter a lot.
"No, the ones who got the most out of it were those who used a more
diplomatic approach. The ones who genuinely made them members of their
factions, nurtured them, allowed them to prosper, and even sometimes had
them end up the new leaders. In fact, this is how many still-existing factions
began. There was also a growing tendency to just leave those with Bloodlines
alone, sometimes watching from afar and hoping for them to amass power
themselves. However, as I said, these were the good ones. The number of
hunters looking for those with Bloodlines was far more prevalent."
"Wait, but only those with Bloodlines can find others,” Jake said. “How
the hell did they hunt them down? I doubt those with Bloodlines themselves
would help, and unless something was drastically different back then, I don’t
see every team of hunters having someone with a Bloodline enthralled, as
you mentioned before…"
"That is the neat part," Villy said. "They didn’t. Some kid has a weird hair
color? Probably a Bloodline. Kid is talented? Bloodline. Odd affinity they are
good at? Bloodline. Anything at all making you slightly stand out from the
masses? Probably a Bloodline. It even expanded to beasts where variants
were often confused as ones having Bloodlines… The entire situation was
utterly fucked, and in no way sustainable long-term. Yet it continued, and this
craze came in waves. However, there was a shift when more with Bloodlines
came to be in power, especially when ones reached godhood. Bloodlines
began to propagate, and blindly hunting them down became frowned upon,
an activity simply done covertly."
"So me getting captured is still a possibility; they will just be secretive
about it?" Jake asked a bit curtly.
"No. Nobody will dare try," Villy said, shaking his head.
"Because of my Blessing, I reckon?"
"No, even without it. I said this was how it continued back then… until
something happened that made it change. Until they went after someone they
shouldn’t have, and all hell was unleashed upon them, leading to a treaty that
still stands today, banning the abductions, enslavement, and coercion of those
with Bloodlines for purposes of procreations.” When the Viper got to the
middle part, Jake felt the killing intent. The air in the living room nearly
warped just from the leaked emotions.
Jake wanted to pry but knew better. Instead, he asked a question, slightly
changing the topic. "Who was behind this treaty? And how will it be
enforced?"
"The treaty was overseen and deployed by all of us Primordials during the
Seventh Era. It was signed by nearly all publicly acting gods at the time, with
all of us also acting as executioners of any who broke this treaty. The most
known example was during the 82 nd Era, when a Pantheon emerged that
didn’t seem to care. They had many gods among them and were desperate for
expansion. At the same time, a small clan that was rapidly growing to power
appeared within their territory, all having powerful Bloodlines. The
Pantheon’s leader was a god who was most known for having fought the
Starseizing Titan—another Primordial—and the fight having been mostly
deemed a draw. He was confident, but he felt like he needed more. So he
looked to this small clan and saw the potential of their Bloodline. He wanted
it to expand his faction’s power. However, this small clan did not agree to
merge, so… he forced them.”
Jake listened closely, as nothing came as a surprise. He knew factions
could be ruthless.
"Now, forcing them to join? Meh, that happens. Who cares? The problem
was that he also forced them into propagating their Bloodline. He forced the
women of the clan to be his own mistresses to sire powerful children, and the
men to copulate with his own daughters. This was caught within a week of it
happening… and this moronic god learned the consequences of breaking the
treaty.
"Jake, if there is one thing I want you to understand, it is that of all the
treaties in existence, this may be the one no one ever dares break. Even I
would not dare do it. Back then, seven Primordials descended. Umbra went,
Snappy went in my place, more than ten thousand gods surrounded the planet
the Pantheon called home. A slaughter began, the god in charge fled to his
realm, where he was promptly followed and killed within. Even if he was
stronger in there—even if he was a top talent, one not even another
Primordial could kill in single combat—he was no match for the combined
might of what may as well have been the entire multiverse. The entire
Pantheon was killed, as well as every single member of the god’s faction.
Trillions died that day, setting an example."
"Have any Primordials broken it, or won’t they dare to either?” Jaked
asked. “I have a hard time seeing someone like Eversmile purposefully
avoiding doing certain things just due to the opinions of others.”
"Eversmile may be able to hide it even if he does break the treaty, but he
won’t. Eversmile is a bit of a bastard, but he is not a liar. His word means
more than you can understand due to the Path he walks. A promise made by
him is more binding and more meaningful than any contract." Villy just
shook his head.
Jake nodded along slowly, still believing Eversmile was an asshole.
"Anyway, to conclude, this treaty means I am more or less a protected person
due to my Bloodline when it comes to kidnappings and such?"
"Only if they kidnap you for your Bloodline, and only if the kidnapping is
to research or forcefully spread the Bloodline. Not that there is much other
reason to. As I am sure you can imagine, they would have loved to make
Bloodline Holders into slaves, but you can’t enslave people with Bloodlines,
as we talked about before.”
Jake was beginning to get a good understanding of the situation by now.
"The method you talked about working back then still works, though.
Integration."
"Yep," Villy said with a smile. "If a faction recruits someone with a
Bloodline as a member, or even just bribes or pays them to join temporarily
as mercenaries to have them spread their Bloodline, it is perfectly allowed."
"Sounds like people with Bloodlines are still treated as commodities,"
Jake said, frowning.
"Everyone is. If you are a powerful expert, you are an asset. Young talent
is nurtured for the benefits they can bring… A god blesses someone for what
they can get out of it. We are all selfish assholes in the multiverse. The
Bloodline Treaty was not made purely for altruistic reasons either. The ones
who signed it tended to have large factions already, and would thus have an
easier time simply recruiting those with Bloodlines—something they would
prefer to do either way."
"To circle back… I am still kind of fucked, aren’t I? They just won’t
kidnap me, but will try other ‘legal’ methods…" Jake sighed.
 "Yep, big time. Honeypots are aplenty ahead on your Path. Especially the
more you progress. If you had a kid in your current grade, it would not be
stronger than E-grade, while if you reach C-grade and above, humans can
have kids who are born at D-grade. That is the max, though… unless you go
for some high elf or maybe a dragon? In that case, you may be able to go for
higher-grade babies." Villy smiled teasingly.
"You know what?" Jake said, returning the smile. "I don’t think I am
having that conversation with you."
"Fine, fine. But just one final piece of advice. Don’t have any offspring
for now. In fact, wait as long as possible. Records are essential in anything,
and the more children you have, the more spread out those Records will be.
The chance of someone inheriting the Bloodline also goes down the more
children you have, with the chance being higher for the first child and only
falling from there. Of course, you could make up for it by quantity, a reason
why male Bloodline Holders—and especially Bloodline Patriarchs—are more
popular than Bloodline Matriarchs.”
"I wasn’t planning on starting a family anyway, so it’s not like that is an
issue." Jake shrugged. He didn’t even have a girlfriend yet, and there was no
way he would get bribed into it. He was also pretty confident in resisting
honeypots.
"Ah, but do feel free to have some fun; the honeypots will gladly
entertain you. I am sure there are many fine ladies interested in—"
"Villy," Jake interrupted, "I am too sober for that conversation, and I got
a lesson in like fifteen minutes, so now isn’t the time to get smashed."
The Viper just snickered for a moment before he quickly acted all
solemn. "I can’t believe how fast they grow up… Just a year or so ago, my
little Chosen was running around shirtless in a forest fighting local
overgrown wildlife, while now he is all grown up and going to school. He is
even being responsible with his lessons!"
Jake was about to shoot back with a snarky comment when he felt a
presence enter his sphere. It was Meira heading over. She was clearly unable
to sense Villy, who was currently feeling no different from a normal mortal,
and when Jake looked at the snake god, he just shrugged.
"What? If you plan to have her stick around, she may as well get used to
it, because I may or may not teleport by once in a while when I feel like it."
"Can’t just make yourself invisible?" Jake asked with a raised eyebrow.
"The question isn’t if I can, but if I will. A question to which the answer
is no."
Jake just sighed and stared into the ceiling, hoping whatever progress he
had made with Meira wouldn’t be shattered the moment she walked in on
him and the Viper sitting in the living room and chilling with their beers.
Chapter 78
 Relationships Are Hard. Oh, and
Neurotoxins

M eira was briskly walking towards the living room, as it was on the
way to the mansion’s bedroom where her master usually resided. If he
wasn’t there, he should be in the laboratory. She had already gone
looking for him an hour or so ago, when he should have returned from his
lesson, but it appeared he had other engagements. That made sense; he was
an important figure, after all.
She herself had also gone to a single lesson so far. Meira had felt
incredibly out of place, but no one had really commented on her presence or
spoken to her. They had just left her alone, and she had listened to the teacher
about finding her own Path… something Meira had never even considered
doing before. Something she still had to admit she found unrealistic.
Making her way forward, she believed she heard voices from the living
room. It was difficult to tell, as the mansion had phenomenal sound isolation
tens, if not hundreds of times more effective than the buildings back in her
clan.
A bit nervous, she considered if her master had visitors, and if there were,
then why she hadn’t been called to attend to them. Then again, perhaps it was
something private, so she reconsidered if she should just wait outside until
the visitor left.
Ultimately, she decided to show herself. Something she actually felt a bit
proud of, as it was one of the most important things from the lesson she had
taken: to be assertive and take control of your own destiny. That included not
hesitating as much in your daily life, moving forward even if there may be
some difficulties.
Besides, she didn’t believe her master would get disappointed or angry
even if she entered. At worst, she would be made to leave, right?
With that in mind, she opened the door to the mansion’s living room,
bowed, and said, "Excuse me, I—"
She instantly stopped when she saw the two people sitting there. Her
master on one side, holding a bottle in his hand, and a scaled being she would
be unable to ever forget. She instantly fell to her knees and placed her head
against the floor, deeply regretting just walking in.
"This one greets the Malefic One!"
"Meira, just get up. There is no reason for that," her master said. Meira
was confused at the command and was conflicted as to whether she should
follow it or not. On the one hand, the orders of her master were above
anything else, but on the other hand, it was the Malefic One…
"This is my mansion, right?" she heard her master say—directed not at
her, but the Malefic One.
"Yep. Even if we can argue if you own it or not, you are most definitely a
legal tenant."
"In that case, I repeat, please get up, Meira. You also live here, and you
most certainly don’t have to bow to someone within your own home.” It was
the kind of thing her master had said so many times before, like it was
natural…
"Breaking through a lifetime of conditioning is not done with a few
words, Jake," she heard the Malefic One say in a weird voice that sounded
odd to her… It was almost friendly?
Meira was still not daring to look up, but she heard footsteps as someone
approached her. Based on the sound, it was her master, and she felt him place
a hand on her shoulder.
"Come on, just get up… He won’t do anything, and nothing will happen
if you do. I promise."
"Big promises from a D-grade with a literal Primordial in the room," the
Malefic One said, making Meira shiver again.
"Villy, how about I reveal myself as your Chosen and begin spreading the
word that you have decided to declare war on all mushrooms in a righteous
crusade?"
"You wouldn’t dare!"
"Try me!"
Meira just knelt there, shaking and still confused. She truly couldn’t
comprehend what was happening, as the two seemed to engage in what she
could only describe as banter? It just didn’t make any sense or conform to her
worldview. A Chosen was an instrument of a god—their mortal
representation, prophets, and sometimes even avatars. But… her master and
the Malefic One didn’t have that relationship. Or was this just how it was
supposed to work? Wait… were they trying to fool her? Was this some kind
of elaborate experiment she was just too dumb to understand? Send her to a
lesson about finding her own Path, just to—
"Fine," the Malefic One said as she felt another presence approach. She
couldn’t resist, as she felt her own body moving, and she was lifted to stand
upright, staring right at the Malefic One. She couldn’t even blink, as she felt
like passing out upon looking into the eyes of the Primordial.
"Girl. Jake and I are friends, and I do agree that with your presence being
a continued element, this entire thing would get boring soon. I have
absolutely no interest in you, and Jake is a simple-minded fellow who
genuinely has no interest in treating you as a slave. You aren’t worth an
experiment. You aren’t interesting enough for me to care about, outside of
your connection to my buddy. You are just a slave who got extremely lucky
to find yourself where you are right now, so thank your luck and be grateful.
And for the sake of everyone’s sanity, just relax. I won’t do anything to you
as long as Jake has any interest in you."
Meira wanted to open her mouth as the words echoed in her head, but the
situation became too much for her. She felt her brain slowly shut down, and
she passed out. Her last thought was her wondering if she would ever wake
up again after treating not only her master, but also the Malefic One, with
such disrespect and ignoring the order she had just been given.

"Well, that went exactly as expected," Villy said as he shrugged.

Jake caught Meira with a few strings of mana and lifted her over to a
couch, where he laid her down. "While I don’t think you were the nicest, I
don’t think you said anything to pass out over," Jake said, wondering out
loud.
"Jake, you repeatedly misunderstand some very basic things of the
multiverse. While I can hide my presence and appearance and everything
else, that entire subterfuge becomes meaningless if they actually know who I
am. The instinctive suppression remains, and they will still feel like they are
in the presence of a Primordial the second they become aware of me." Villy
shook his head. "It makes it impossible to have any meaningful and genuine
interactions with those of lower grades. Even if they act normal, that is little
more than having a constant fight to resist, and not at all enjoyable for either
party."
Jake frowned a bit at this. He knew it was a thing—kind of—but he
couldn’t really relate for obvious reasons. He couldn’t imagine the feeling
they had, as he, quite frankly, was incapable of feeling it. It was like asking a
blind person to think about colors.
But… he also understood him being him was the only reason he and a
Primordial could get along as they did.
"I guess that means having house parties with you attending wouldn’t
work." Jake sighed.
"Sadly not—at least, not if people know who I am, and if they don’t, then
what is even the point?" The snake god also sighed.
"True. I guess it will take Meira a while to just at least get partly used to it
—at least, enough to deal. From what I know, being near me helps build up
resistance.”
"It does, but it does not mean they will suddenly be okay. They still know
logically they are in my presence, and they will still be on edge more than
when they are around you. They just won’t be suppressed in the same
fashion, even if they will be suppressed.”
"Hm”—Jake frowned—"I guess the only option is for you to invite some
of your friends, then. You do have other god friends, right?"
"More like subordinates, and they can be even worse than mortals in
some circumstances. Besides Duskleaf, you, and a few other gods I would
consider friends, there really isn’t anyone. And getting such a crowd together
would be a momentous occasion, no doubt leading to much interest and
scrutiny.” Villy shook his head at the notion.
Jake just shrugged as he swept the beer bottle off the table. “Guess it is
just the two of us and the occasional Duskleaf, then."
"Better that way," Villy agreed. "And it isn’t like mortals can’t get more
used to me. I have had mortal servants in the past, and I have met plenty of
mortals. I will forever have to deal with either reverence, fear, or both—but
that, I am used to."
"Life is truly lonely at the top," Jake said, chuckling.
 "A little less than it used to be, though," the god said as he also took a
drink of his own beer.
The two of them chatted a bit more about unimportant matters before
Jake had to leave for his next lesson. He did feel a bit bad about just leaving
Meira passed out on the couch, so he left a note before he went through the
gateway. This lesson was in neurotoxicology, so that should be fun.

Vilastromoz appeared in his divine realm after leaving Jake’s little mansion.
He smirked to himself as he looked at the bottle in his hand. He let it go,
watching it slowly disintegrate in the passive mist dominating his realm as he
closed his eyes, deep in thought.
A moment later, he opened them again and teleported once more,
appearing in a small oasis in his realm. The only place where life existed in
what was otherwise a land of desolation.
The Viper looked at the two obelisks in the center, their perfect black
obsidian unblemished and the runes upon them forever humming with power.
The talk today had brought back memories that he was incapable of
forgetting… quite literally. He went over and put his hand on the smaller of
the two obelisks as he once more closed his eyes, just allowing himself to be
stuck in the past for a second before letting go again.
He looked at the far larger obelisk and smiled faintly. "Yeah, yeah, I
know; I’m doing fine…"
Talking to himself was not healthy… but he knew exactly what she
would have said and done.
"Even if I do now have a friend to hang out with, I am not forgetting you
two.” He smiled. "In fact… I believe this time outside of my realm has led
me closer than ever."

Jake returned from his lesson far more tired than when he’d left. He walked a
bit wobbly, as his one leg wasn’t quite able to move yet, and for some reason,
he couldn’t open the one eyelid. Well, okay, he knew why. The lesson had
included some practical portions. In other words, he’d gotten infused by the
teacher, who’d used some kind of poison magic on him that numbed his
entire damn body.
This did allow Palate to do work, but even with it in legendary rarity, he
wasn’t a match for the C-grade teacher’s poison magic. The woman was a
real hard-ass and had just applied some extra on those who managed to resist,
and with her peak C-grade power, no one present could resist—not even the
one other C-grade Jake detected.
As he wobbled into his residence, he was met by Meira, who sat kneeling
in the entrance chamber, having clearly waited for him.
When she saw him walking weirdly, she hurriedly asked, "Ma—what is
wrong?"
Jake didn’t feel like correcting her, so he waved it off. "Neurotoxins. Part
of a lesson. More importantly, how are you feeling?"
He hadn’t expected what she did next—even if he probably should have.
She practically threw herself to the floor and pressed her head against the
tiled floor. "I apologize for disappointing the Malefic One and the Chosen
like such! I swear I wi—"
"Meira… this is what we talked about not being necessary." Jake just
smiled and shook his head. "And don’t you have a lesson starting in a bit?"
She looked almost surprised at Jake mentioning it. Jake wasn’t sure if she
was surprised he knew she had a lesson and when it was, or that he still
wanted her to go to lessons. Nevertheless, she nodded in confirmation.
"Well, then, you better get going."
"Is it certain I should not offer any assistance?" Meira asked unsurely.
"No need. This is part of the experience. I am learning what the poison
does to my body to better understand the effects of neurotoxins. And, Meira,
what the Viper said is the truth. I don’t wish you any harm; he doesn’t care
enough about you to cause you harm, so you are good. Just focus on your
lessons and figure out what you want your future to be like." Jake then
shooed her away to get to her own lesson, even if she would be a bit early.
He just wanted her out of the mansion for now, as he wanted to hurry
over to the lab. He hobbled over, becoming able to blink properly again on
the way. The neurotoxins had odd effects, and Jake felt like he had a good
idea about how it worked even after just one lesson.
Needless to say, the nature of neurotoxins had changed with the system.
Neurotoxins before the system were toxins that destroyed nerve tissue or
were otherwise able to damage them, effectively immobilizing foes. Due to
how it worked, high enough doses could easily cause permanent mental
damage. He definitely wasn’t sure about the details of how neurotoxins had
worked, but he was sure it had been very sciency.
After the system, some parts of neurotoxins were no longer factors or
properties. Mental damage was not a thing anymore. In fact, it wasn’t a thing,
period. Memories and such ultimately belonged to the soul—the same as
personality and everything else that had previously resided in the brain—and
nothing could directly damage that, as it was rooted in the Truesoul.
Nerves were not really a factor either. Jake could have tendons cut, and
nerves severed all day, every day, and still be able to move just fine due to
his magic body powered by stamina. This meant neurotoxins didn’t actually
target the body most often, but the metaphysical framework of the body that
stamina ran through. This did not cause damage long-term, but still
temporarily hampered movement. In other words, neurotoxins were simply a
restrictive poison.
There were also types that hit the physical body and made them almost in
"stasis," but that was a bit more complicated.
All in all, he was glad he had begun making neurotoxins, because he was
sure they would be useful in the future. In fact, he was sure all of his lessons
would lead to great gains, as he felt like he was finally getting into the groove
of the entire school thing, looking forward to all the experiences it offered.

The story will continue in The Primal Hunter 7!

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